Partners In Prayer - Siddur

Corona has a unique way that it manifested itself. There is no more taste, no more smell, our mouths and noses are covered and even our hands are told, don’t touch, and wash. We have been deprived of 3 of our 5 senses.  The only 2 senses left are Seeing and hearing. A throw back to a Har Sinai experience ?? If I understand properly from Chazal, The senses of seeing and hearing are Emunah senses. They are deep and demand that we stop acting, we stop talking, we are now in an observation mode. It is meditation time, just like watching the flames 🔥 of the menorah and hearing the Meguilat Esther. The 2 holidays given to us to confront exile and learn to fight it.  And so in my opinion one of the real work is to learn to deeply understand and see the hand of HaShem, it is an internal process so that inner peace can be found in the middle of darkness. Inner peace means also caring with all those we love, it means expanding one’s heart to pray for humanity, feeling connected to huma...

On 3rd section of Shema and Bracha Teka Beshofar of Shmoneh Esre: The forces In This world are very powerful, especially When they are  very physical, very beautiful, very tempting and very desirable, these are very Greek desires. It is easy to loose oneself and get distracted of our personal and general mission as a Jew.  The Torah is the transcendental force represented by the number 8 that allows us to fights these forces and stay connected to truth and to our mission, being in this material world and still using it for spirituality!  That is the Chanukah 🕎 miracle !  This concept is hinted at in the 3rd section of Shema : when we say: And they shall place upon the fringe of the border, a thread of blue wool. And it shall be to you a fringe that you may look upon, & remember all the commandments of the L·rd & to do them. Then shall you not stray after your heart & your eyes whereafter you are wont to stray. So may you remember & do all My commandm...

  “Were the existence of gratitude and recognition of the good lacking from existence, the human spirit would be left without sparkle or shine.” Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook For the Perplexed of the Generation 4:9     I recently was honored to receive the following email:   Dear Rabbi Weinberg;   I am grateful that both my parents survived Covid in the ICU.   I am grateful that my husband is home, although with oxygen, but no longer on a ventilator.   I am grateful for the Jewish community, of which I am not connected, for food, drivers, shopping, and all sorts of help too much to list.   Someone printed a page from Partners In Prayer and scribbled your email on the bottom. Can you teach me how to pray? Is there a way I can use prayer to express my gratitude? Can I pray without becoming religious?   My husband and I and our children are willing to celebrate Hanukah this year. Is that okay?   My ...