Three Week Blogging Break

I will be taking a break from blogging for the next three weeks. I plan to return to regular posting on Monday, January 5, 2009.

Crossing The Dniester

(Painting by Shoshannah Brombacher)

כִּי בְמַקְלִי, עָבַרְתִּי אֶת-הַיַּרְדֵּן הַזֶּה

With my staff I crossed this Jordan. (Bereishis 32:11)

Degel Machaneh Ephraim, Parshas Vayishlach:

One can further explain this along the lines of that which my master, my grandfather [the Baal Shem Tov] related: Once he crossed the Dniester River without using any name; instead, he laid down his gartel, and crossed upon it. He said that it was with great emuna that he crossed.

The Outer Trappings Of Piety

הַצִּילֵנִי נָא מִיַּד אָחִי, מִיַּד עֵשָׂו

Deliver me, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esav. (Bereishis 32:12)

Degel Machaneh Ephraim, Parshas Vayishlach:

This should be interpreted in accord with that stated in the Midrash: In the future, Esav will wrap himself in tzitzis and sit among the tzaddikim, and Hashem will pull him down from them.

It is important to say that this is also common in this world because of our many sins; for falsehood has increased in the world, and everyone wants to ascend to the level of the completely faithful in Israel. He sees that they are dressed in white clothing on Shabbos and wear a tallis on Erev Shabbos during Mincha and says, "I can surely be like them."

It is this which is more difficult than all else, for this causes the golus to be lengthened: they are called the Erev Rav, for this are mixed in among the Jewish people and it is difficult to separate them. Like wheat: the chaff and straw which is not all that stuck to the wheat is dispersed easily; but the refuse that is in the wheat is attached and it is hard to remove.

On A Winter Friday Night

On a winter Friday night, one can attain levels that can be reached on Kol Nidrei night. In the winter, the nights are long and one can serve Hashem the whole night long.

(Reb Nosson of Breslov)

Question & Answer With Rabbi Betsalel Edwards - Committing Aveiros In Our Dreams

A Simple Jew asks:

To what degree should we be concerned about the aveiros that we commit in our dreams?

Rabbi Betsalel Edwards answers:

We may be concerned, because often one dreams about the thoughts he entertains during the day. Be honest with yourself to ascertain if this is indeed the case. But remember that it is not at all so simple, and often we find that dreams and reality do not always see eye to eye. In other words, our tradition teaches us that something appalling in waking reality could be an omen of something quite good if found in a dream. By way of example, we find in the Gemara (Berachot, 57a):

If one dreams that he has intercourse with his mother, he may expect to obtain understanding, since it says, 'You will call understanding 'mother'.' If one dreams he has intercourse with a betrothed maiden, he may expect to obtain knowledge of Torah, since it says, 'Moses commanded us a law (the Torah), an inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.' Read not morashah [inheritance], but me'orasah [betrothed]. If one dreams he has had intercourse with his sister, he may expect to obtain wisdom, since it says, 'Say to wisdom, you are my sister.' If one dreams he has intercourse with a married woman, he can be confident that he is destined for the future world, provided he does not know her and did not think of her in the evening.

So we see that when found in dreams, our sages saw deplorable sins such as incest or adultery as metaphors for noble pursuits such as Torah knowledge.

Always seek to derive a good interpretation even for a bad dream, for the fulfillment of dreams follows the interpretation. Also in the Gemara (Berachot, 55b):

Rav Bana'ah told that there were twenty-four interpreters of dreams in Jerusalem. Once I dreamt a dream and I went round to all of them and they all gave different interpretations, and all were fulfilled, thus confirming that which is said: All dreams follow (interpretation of) the mouth.

Still, many dreams can be disturbing, and Chazal gave us advice as to how to deal with and even neutralize the negative aspects of a dream. Sometimes a fast may be warranted. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Haim, 220:1) teaches, "If one has a dream that disturbs him, he may ameliorate it by gathering together three friends, and let them together say before him, "you saw a good dream." Then you should answer, "it was good, and it shall be good."

The Rushing Current

Let neither the current of water sweep me away, nor the deep swallow me, and let a well not close its mouth over me. Answer me, Hashem, for Your kindness is good; according to Your abundant mercies, turn to me.

(Tehillim 69:16-17)

Question & Answer With Neil Harris - A Black Knitted Yarmulke

A Simple Jew asks:

What prompted you to recently switch from wearing a black velvet yarmulke to a black knitted yarmulke?

Neil Harris answers:

I have, until two weeks ago, worn a black velvet for the past seven years. Before that I had worn a black knitted for ten years.

Since Rosh Hashana I had been debating about making the switch back. Initially I had switched to velvet when I was living in community of about thirty shomer Shabbos families. I had thought then that based on my current outlook on things and that I was one of a handful with any formalized yeshiva background (after finishing public high school) that wearing a velvet yarmulke would somehow strengthen my own yiddishkeit within a community in which my Torah observance placed me in the minority. It was, at the time, the right move, I think.

Over the past two years, though I felt that part of my personality had sort of been confined by my own doing. I had found myself restricted by the, for lack of a better phrase, image of "right-of-center-yeshivish" connotation of a black velvet. I hadn't given up part of who I was, but I could tell that I was downplaying parts of my personality. I saw myself slowly falling prey to small signs of frumkeit (emphasis on the external trapping of being frum resulting in false-piety). While this wasn't due totally to wearing a velvet yarmulke, I became aware that somewhere down the line I had begun to change. This troubled me, because that not what I'm really all about. I try to stay clear of things relating to frumkeit.

During the days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur I realized that I really needed to get "back to basics" in terms of my Avodas Hashem and the things that I initially loved about Yiddishkeit when I became observant. Since then I have gone back once again read, with a new perspective, many seforim that have sat on my bookshelves, seforim that I felt I had "out grown". As I attempted to refresh my Yiddishkeit I decided that sporting a velvet yarmulke wasn't something that reflected me and I returned back to a black knitted yarmulke.

When it comes to issues of chizonius (external) and penimius (internal) expressions of our Yiddishkeit there's a time and a place for each. Each of us has to know when to make the call.

Gid Hanasheh

At the root of this mitzva lies the purpose that the Jewish people should have a hint that even though they will endure great tribulations in their exiles at the hands of the nations and the descendants of Esav, they should remain assured that they will not perish, but their offspring and name will endure forever, and a redeemer will come and deliver them from the oppressor's hand. Remembering this matter always through this mitzvah, which will serve as a reminder, they will stand firm in their emuna and righteousness forever.

(Sefer HaChinuch)

The Dividends Of Enduring Stress

(Picture courtesy of discoveryeducation.com)

Work has been incredibly stressful since Rosh Hashana. At times, it seems as if it was decreed that I would not enjoy tranquility this year. There have been days within the past few weeks that have been so difficult to deal with that I have woken up dreading to go into the office and felt a pit in my stomach and a tightness in my chest for the entire work day.

Despite enduring day after horrible day at the office, I made sure to leave the office at the office. I repeatedly fought off any thoughts of work as soon as I left for the day and made sure not to take out any of my frustrations on my family when I returned home.

After one particularly stressful week, my wife remarked to me that she noticed that I was dealing with our four year-old son with much more tolerance and patience than I normally did, and as a result his behavior at home had favorably improved. She also told me that his nursery school teacher had mentioned that he seemed happier and more well behaved during the course of the day.

Hearing these words from my wife helped me put what I was going through in a greater perspective; accepting the stress as a necessary means to help me improve my relationship with my son.

12 Cheshvan Links - יב כסלו

(Picture by D. Andrew)

A Fire Burns in Breslov: It all depends on your thoughts and attitude

Dixie Yid: Israel vs. The Five Towns

Heichal HaNegina: The HOMELESS Mizmor L'David

Life in Israel: Rabbi Grossman sings (video)

Without A Sound

When words and cries don't help, cry deep in your heart without letting out a sound.

(Rebbe Nachman of Breslov)

Question & Answer With Dixie Yid - Forcing Happiness

A Simple Jew asks:

The Degel Machaneh Ephraim stressed the importance of constantly thinking happy thoughts by noting that the letters of the word מחשבה (thought) are identical to the phrase בשמחה (in joy). Rebbe Nachman of Breslov taught that being b'simcha is one of the most difficult things, and said, "It is harder than all spiritual tasks."

Have you found that there are times that you must literally force yourself to be happy? To what degree have you focused on this issue of being b'simcha in your avodas Hashem?

Dixie Yid answers:

For me, the way that I generally keep my happy equilibrium is by having trained myself to be indifferent to most things. Perhaps you could share with me whether you think this approach is good or bad, though I'm not sure to what extent I could change it at this point.

It all started way back in ancient times when I was in 9th grade. I had some good friends who shared their problems with me. For a while, my daily mood was dependent on how my friends were doing. When they shared difficulties with me, I would be depressed. When they were happy, I was happy. Eventually, I developed an emotional distance so that even when I was able to be a friend who was there for his friends and who was able to listen, I was not personally affected by the troubles that my friends were going through. I think this attitude has spread through my life in general.

Although when there are extraordinarily bad or good things are going on in my or my family's life, I am affected emotionally, I am generally calm, happy, and steady through the vast majority of life's days.

I am not entirely sure that this is due to a high level of Bitachon, where I have absolute trust in the one Who Spoke and the world came into being. I do not think that I can say that I am fully engaged with my own and others suffering or worries, and yet am still able to maintain my Trust in G-d as the basis for my happy go lucky demeanor.

Rather, I think that it would be closer to the truth to say that I keep myself comfortably distant and unconscious of both other people's worries and my own. On balance, I think this keeps me happier, though it does drive my wife crazy!

Should I just be thankful that I am not phased by most of what is thrown my way in life? Or should I worry that I'm not able to have both happiness and total engagement with my world? What do you and your readers think?

11 Kislev Links - יא כסלו

(Picture by M. Carbone)

A Simple Jew: Not Mere History

Chabakuk Elisha: Dina

Dixie Yid: How To Give Over Yiddishkeit (Audio Shiur)

Chabakuk Elisha: Singing In Defeat

A Professional Soldier

We all want to come to the level where we no longer experience certain thoughts and desires and are free to deal with other challenges. However, it is very possible that we will never reach that point, that we are by nature beinonim who must engage in this struggle our entire lives.

A beinoni is a professional soldier. He was not created to live in a safe, protected haven. Rather, his job is to battle on behalf of
G-d, overcoming the sitra achra within himself.

(Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz)

Question & Answer With Yossi Katz - Sefer HaMiddos

A Simple Jew asks:

Rabbi Avraham Sternhartz once said:

"Each and every aphorism of Sefer HaMiddos (the Aleph-Beis Book) requires study and serious analysis. They are the very basics of the Torah and wondrous morsels of wisdom; insights and revelations filled with intelligence and the knowledge of G-d which the Ancient of Days had concealed."

Compared with Likutey Moharan, Likutey Halachos, Sichos HaRan, Likutey Eitzos, and Sippurei Maasios, to what degree is Sefer HaMiddos routinely learned by Breslover Chassidim today?

Yossi Katz answers:

Out of all the Breslover seforim that were mentioned I would definitely have to say that Sefer HaMiddos is studied the least. I am not aware of any Breslov groups or leaders who specifically recommend studying Sefer HaMiddos in any kind of specific "routine." Although Breslover Chassidim do believe in studying all the seforim on a constant basis and striving to finish them as many times as possible. It is my opinion that the reason for this is not because of any disrespect for Sefer HaMiddos, for as you quoted in the name of Rabbi Avraham Sternhartz, "Each and every aphorism of Sefer HaMiddos (the Aleph-Beis Book) requires study and serious analysis."

I do not believe there is a Breslover that would disagree with that statement. In my opinion the reason for this is because it is often very difficult to apply the statements in the sefer in any kind of practical way, which is something so central to Breslov Teachings. I will give one quick example based on just randomly opening the sefer, "When one is building a wall and his kippah falls off, know that this is a bad sign G-d forbid for his children." (Bayis, Chelek II, VI) In contrast to the other seforim, if one has enough Seyata D'Shmaya, he can live his whole life, or long periods of time based on a sole lesson in Likutey Moharan, or Halacha in Likutey Halachos.

For those interested, about a year ago, Rabbi Vitriol of Williamsburg put out a beautiful version called Tifferes HaMiddos with expanded references based on Midrash, Shas etc... This work as well as other Breslover Seforim can be purchased through Rabbi Gorelick 845-807-2783.

"Understanding" A Person's Essence In 30 Seconds

Long Beach Chasid commenting on Naivete & Tzedaka:

It's really sad that we think we have the ability to understand a whole person's essence by the 30 seconds you scan them up and down with our eyes.

Who are you to decide if someone is an addict or what they are going to do with the money?

It's a dollar. Even if you gave the same guy a dollar every day you are allowed to handle money that still comes out to less than $300 a year.

I know for most people $300 is not even 50% of what you are required to give.

A Rebbe once said that Hashem makes dishonest beggers so we aren't held accountable for rejecting the honest ones.

Even if someone is an addict they have to at some point eat food or drink some water or they will die. Its not hard science.

So what if this addict needs some food this time around?

If you are all on such a high level that you can see the whole picture, that's amazing to have such holy insight into the world.

As for me, ill just risk giving a dollar and performing a mitzvah with Joy.

The Baal Shem Tov says that when you give tzeddakah you create the holy name of Hashem.

The Yud is the money The Hey is your hand the Vav is his arm extending and the Hay is his hand receiving.

If you see a homeless many run with joy to perform the mitzvah before he has to degrade his dignity in asking.

Who knows, that "crack addict" could be Elijah HaNavi.

Eating & Drinking

A person must sanctify himself in eating and drinking more than in learning and davening.

(Noam Elimelech)

A Six Year Old's Directions

The Sophisticate and the Simpleton - Audio Shiur By Rabbi Nasan Maimon

(Illustration by Toby Knobel Fluek)

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3

The text of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov's famous story The Sophisticate and the Simpleton can be found here.

Compared To A Dream

Golus can be compared to a dream. During sleep one sees in a dream things which are false, for a dream is something imagined and not true. So it is with golus: it is like sleep and a dream in which one does not know the truth nor the true purpose. It consists solely of the things which seem to be true to each individual.

(Degel Machaneh Ephraim)

Question & Answer With Rabbi Shais Taub - Approaching Tanya

A Simple Jew asks:

What lessons have you learned about how to best approach learning Tanya over the years you have spent learning it? How do you feel that your understanding has developed since the first time you picked up this sefer?

Rabbi Shais Taub answers:

You knew this question would be too irresistible for me to pass up. As you know, I am pretty fanatic about Tanya. As an aside, I 'd like to mention that I think the reason why I have spent so much time trying to understand this particular book is because of it's structure. The structure of Tanya blows me away. Contrary to what seems to be an unspoken but popular misconception, Tanya is not just a compilation of chasidic ideas. Indeed, Tanya is the Torah she'b'ksav chasidus. But Torah she'b'ksav does not mean cholent. It's not like the Alter Rebbe just went and crammed in as much chasidus as he could fit into one small book. Tanya has a structure. Tanya is an orderly system that takes you step-by-step through the inevitable challenges faced by one seeking to be of better use to his Maker and his fellows. In my opinion, Tanya is not a book. It's a program.

Which leads me to answer your first question...

What lessons have I learned about how best to approach Tanya? Very simple. Never forget the purpose of the book. The Alter Rebbe wrote Tanya because he wanted to provide a substitute for one-on-one meetings with him where you could pour out your heart and then receive guidance tailor-made for your unique situation. How do I know that this is why the Alter Rebbe wrote Tanya? Because that's what he says in his Introduction. Tanya is a face-to-face meeting with a spiritual master who listens and gives guidance to each and every one of his followers. Tanya is not an encyclopedia of Chasidus. It is a transcript of your yechidus with the Alter Rebbe. It follows an orderly and natural progression. The questions you're asking the Alter Rebbe later in the book are on a higher level than the questions you were asking at the beginning. There is a real growth that you can see happening to the one to whom the Alter Rebbe is speaking.

So, whenever I study or teach Tanya, I always keep in mind, "How did we get from there to here? What was I supposed to have done in the last chapter that has made me ready to hear what the Alter Rebbe is now telling me in this chapter?"

I didn't start studying Tanya until I was 22. I learned Perek Aleph with my cousin one Friday night while I was visiting him at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. I couldn't figure out if I was a tzaddik, a rosho or a beinoni. The next day, after shul, we were at Rabbi Yona Matusof's house, so I asked Rabbi Matusof. He didn't give me a straight answer, which annoyed me.

Anyway, when I went to yeshiva, I started learning Tanya on my own and more in-depth. I remember once sitting at a farbrengen at Hadar HaTorah where the mashpia, Rabbi Wircberg, was quizzing the bocherim about the general concepts of each perek. He was saying stuff like, "18 is ahavah mesuteres, 29 is timtum halev, 32 is ahavas yisrael." I couldn't catch all of it. Only some of it sounded familiar. What impressed me was that he was going in order, chapter by chapter. It suddenly dawned on me that this book, although it had no Table of Contents, was highly structured. I was also ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that (get a load of this) EVERYONE who studied Tanya since they were kids, ALL know what each perek is about and how one perek connects to the next. I felt extremely inadequate.

A few years later, I was married already and I was teaching in mesivta. One Yud Tes Kislev, I was all alone and I made a hachlata. I decided, "Enough already. I want to understand the structure of Tanya! I want to know what each perek DOES and how it brings us to the next perek. What chapters are thematically grouped and why does one group come before the next? I am going to make a MAP of Tanya." So, I sat down and started working feverishly. I read everything I could get my hands on that would explain the flow and structure of Tanya. Of course, there was the Tzemach Tzedek's Kitzur of Tanya but I also read everything else I could find. I would comb through Shiurim B'Sefer HaTanya looking for the little introductions at the beginnings of the chapters that would explain how we got to this chapter from the last chapter. Also, particularly helpful was Nissan Mindel's introduction to the English translation of Tanya. There, he lays it all out as far as the structure of the book.

Anyway, I worked on this "map" of Tanya, which was really just my handwritten notes which I later typed up on the computer. I was finished by Chof-Daled Teves, the Alter Rebbe's yahrzeit which was five weeks from the time that I had started. I didn't sleep much during that time.

Well, eventually the map was published by Kehos. I had to re-edit it a little bit and of course, all of the graphic design elements needed to be constructed, but basically, the whole map was done between Yud-Tes Kislev and Chof-Daled Teives, 5763 (the winter of 2003). I also had to make one major structural change in the map which was based on a comment by R' Yoel Kahan. The way I had the map was that 33 and 34 begin the theme of Moshiach which is continued until 37. R' Yoel said that 33 and 34 are a continuation of the PREVIOUS group of chapters, 26-31, which speak about joy. The fact that chapter 32 interrupts the flow is precisely that, an interruption, added later by the Alter Rebbe, but the theme begun in 26 really continues until 34.

A couple of years ago, the JLI (Jewish Learning Institute) asked me if I could turn the map into the basis for a curriculum on Tanya. Of course, I was very excited to take on the project. The way I devised the course was to really try to bring out that although we cannot possible do justice to Tanya in 6 weeks, we CAN give you a feel for its structure in that amount of time. Each week, the course presents another phase of development. There's a certain closure at the end of each lesson where the person feels, "Now I've got it." Then, they go out and try to live perfectly with that information alone and they hit a wall. The come back next week desperate for another meeting with the Alter Rebbe because they need the next piece of advice to get them through the next phase. It's really neat watching students go through the steps of Tanya like that. And the most important thing is that they achieve this growth by going through the Tanya IN ORDER. I think that sometimes, we do a disservice to our students when we present them with "themes" in Tanya. We try to pick out all the chapters from all over Tanya that mention one concept and then put them all together and teach them. That's like playing a symphony for someone by first playing them all of the F's and then all of the E's and so on.

Just the other day, someone told me that 14,000 students all over the world are currently taking the JLI course on Tanya and that this is the biggest course in Tanya ever. It's really exciting to think of all these thousands of Jews who are going to have tasted what it's like to really live with the Tanya. I'm fully expecting an all out revolution to come from this.

Now, I'll try to answer your second question.

How do you feel that your understanding has developed since the first time you picked up this sefer?

The more I learn Tanya, the more I discover about it that I completely don't understand. The Rebbe Rashab said that our understanding of Tanya is like a goat looking at the moon. All I can say is that, they very little bit of Tanya that I do understand (or that I think I understand) has changed my life and helped me to give other people the tools to change their lives as well.

Ahavas Yisrael & Yiras Shamayim

If a person does not feel more Ahavas Yisroel after learning and davening, this is a sign that he does not have yiras shamayim.

(Divrei Yisroel)

Naivete & Tzedaka

(Picture by A. Clarke)

"Mark" and "Uncle Dave" came over to the more affluent section of town each afternoon with the hopes that kind-hearted college students would be sympathetic and give them a dollar here or there. As a somewhat naive college freshman who had never lived in a big city, I was somewhat intrigued by their humor and easy going nature. I don't exactly remember the details of how it all started now, however, I spent countless nights that first semester sitting out in front of the record store with these two African-American homeless men keeping them company as they begged for spare change.

Aside from all the jokes we would tell, there were times when they told me about things they witnessed the previous night in the crime-ridden section of the city, or things that had happened in the abandoned building where they and many crack addicts would sleep at night. Now as I am writing this, I recall that there was even one time when Mark and I took the subway over to his neighborhood to go to a movie there together. After buying him some fried chicken for dinner later that night, I remember walking past the crack addicts before I got back on the subway and returned to the safety and security of my college campus.

Our friendship became strained as the months went on. There were times when he called my dorm room in the middle of the night and asked me take money out of the ATM for him because he was in trouble. Although I agreed and went and got him $20 from the ATM on one or two occasions, on other occasions I lied and told him that I did not have any money because I felt that I was being used. I felt guilty afterwards, nevertheless, I started taking alternate routes so I would not need to go by the record store and could avoid him.

I returned to campus the following year school year and I noticed that only "Uncle Dave" was still out in front of the record store; still attempting to dance like James Brown while singing a medley of R&B songs. When I asked him were Mark was, he replied that Mark was sent to prison over the summer for armed robbery. (Ironically, Mark had always said he was the clean one and candidly told me that Uncle Dave was a heroin addict.)

Reflecting upon that time in my life, I can now see that that my understanding of the concept of tzedaka displayed a certain element of naivete. Tzedakah is ultimately about the giver and not the receiver, however, if we don't investigate whether the people we give tzedaka to are truly worthy, then are tzedaka may not truly be tzedaka.

5 Kislev Links - ה כסלו

(Picture courtesy of israelnationalnews.com)

Teitelbaum Orphan Fund: Emergency Appeal

Kruman Foundation: Emergency Appeal

ChabadIndia.org: Chabad of Mumbai Relief Fund

Treppenwitz: Please don't call it 'Hashgachat Pratit'

Rabbi Tal Zwecker: Degel Machaneh Ephraim - Parshas Vayeitze

Treppenwitz: A tale of two engineers

Shturem.net: The Sefer Torah from Mumbai

A Language That He Does Not Understand

Evil is not essentially evil but a good we cannot see. Although certain events may appear to be evil, this does not express their essential character but only reflects our insufficient understanding. This can be compared to one who is being addressed lovingly but in a language that he does not understand. No matter how many affectionate words are spoken to him, he may experience anger, frustration, the feeling that he is wasting his time, and so forth. Similarly, because we are incapable of understanding, certain levels of goodness that G-d draws down to us appear as imperfect and evil.

(Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz)

Question & Answer With Rabbi Micha Golshevsky - Sharing The Same Name

(Picture by L. Grey)

A Simple Jew asks:

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov said, "Do not wonder how a name can contain the secret of a person's existence when so many share the same name. It is an error to question this."

I certainly would never consider questioning the validity of this teaching from Rebbe Nachman. I would, however, like to understand it better. Could you elaborate a bit further on this general topic and the issue Rebbe Nachman raised in particular?

Rabbi Micha Golshevsky answers:

First of all, the Ramaz writes that ones' name is his neshamah.

Chazal tell us that when Hashem told the angels to give names to the animals they could not, but when Adam received this task he immediately assigned names to them all.

The Chidah asks the obvious question: why couldn't the angels name the animals?

He explains: one's name contains his mission and ability to choose good or bad. This explains why Chazal sometimes teach a person's good or bad deeds from his name.

We can extrapolate a little of what this means from the Zohar Hakadosh which teaches that the letters of the holy Torah are from the loftiest spheres and emanate from the Boundless Light of Hashem as it were. We cannot fathom even a fraction of the greatness of even one letter of Torah or tefilah.

But what does this really mean?

Rav Ya'akov Abuchatzeira compares the letters of the Torah to a body and soul. Just as one's soul can only interact with the material world through the physical vehicle of his body, the boundless Supernal lights imbued in the letters of Torah can only be accessed in this world through the physical forms of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. It is only through these forms that these illuminations interact with our physical world.

Just as even twins may have a very different spiritual nature (like Ya'akov and Eisav for example.) the same letter can sometimes access different spheres of the supernal light it reveals. Even identical twins can take very different paths in life. One may be spiritually upwardly mobile while the other may be in a very low spiritual slump.

So there is your answer: Each letter of our name represents a lot of potential — for good or for bad. What we do with it is up to us.

I was once interviewed by a fairly prominent Talmud Chacham, also a great mekubal, for entry into his kollel. While I was speaking with him, a clean shaven young man with furrowed brow, (presumably his son) approached.

"What's on your mind?" the Rosh Kollel asked.

"What in the world is behind the custom of saying a pasuk the first letters of which make up one's name before yihiyu liratzon in shemonah esrei?"

The Rosh Kollel mentioned an earlier source for this custom but the young man was obviously not satisfied. "Yes, but why does this practice enable one to 'remember' his name after he dies? And, why does remembering his name make his judgment any easier, for that matter?"

The elderly man shrugged. He clearly had no idea.

Although I knew nothing about kabbalah and was not in this erudite scholar's league, I knew the answer to his sons question. You see, I had learned through a little sefer called Meshivas Nefesh which explains this issue in great depth.

Rav Nosson writes there that one's name refers to his potential for good. One who "forgets his name" is a person who has forgotten his potential for good in the world. One who "remembers his name" knows that Hashem takes pride in every Jew as long as he feels proud to be a Jew, no matter what his spiritual level (as Rebbe Nachman writes.)

This is the meaning of a dead man "forgetting his name." He is so disconnected from the good within that he doesn't connect to it. He cannot yet access the good that he has done, although this is his true essence.

One who reminds himself of his name at frequent intervals can easily return to Hashem since he is proud of his intrinsic connection with Hashem as one of the chosen nation.

Now we can understand why we recite a verse at the end of each shemonah esrei before yehiyu liratzon. Mentioning a verse in Tanach which alludes to our name and our mission in this world, we recall that every Jewish soul is rooted in the boundless lights symbolized by each and every letter of the Torah.

Hashem should help us always truly recall our name and reconnect to our intrinsic worth. Let us remember that we are important and beloved to our Heavenly Father; no matter what!

Deriving Benefit

One should not seek the light of a tzaddik for material benefit, as is common in our generation. Rather, one should attach oneself to the tzaddikim for spiritual purposes only.

(Reb Nosson of Breslov)