Rock of my heart

Rock of my heart

Rock of my heart Rock of my heart, Creator of everything, Master of all that transpires, Lord of all souls Who knows all secrets: You know the holy Divine light that blazes in the depths of my heart – for our souls are a portion of God Above and Your Godliness dwells within us. Therefore, my heart cries within me; it cries like a harp. “My heart longs, and even expires, for the courtyards of God; my heart and my flesh will sing unto the Living God.” The flame within me burns for You; deep wat
heart infinite light
Zalman Kravitz

Zalman Kravitz
Dancing before God

Dancing before God

Dancing before God During Europe's "Black Plague" (1348-1349), Jews were offered the choice of either conversion to Christianity or death. Thousands of Jews who refused to convert were brutally murdered. The following account is how the Jews of Nordhausen, Germany, went to their deaths as holy martyrs: They asked the burghers to permit them to prepare themselves for martyrdom. They then joyfully arrayed themselves in their prayer shawls and shrouds, both men and women. The Christians dug a gra
christianity christians
Zalman Kravitz

Zalman Kravitz
The Way to Love God

The Way to Love God

The Way to Love God What is the way that we should love G-d? We should love Him with an overwhelming and unlimited love, until our soul becomes permanently bound in the love of G-d, like one who is love-sick and cannot take his mind off the woman he loves, but always thinks of her – when lying down or rising up, when eating or drinking. Even greater than this should be the love of G-d in the hearts of those who love Him, thinking about Him constantly…This is what Solomon meant when he said all
love god love of god
Zalman Kravitz

Zalman Kravitz
Rejoicing in God

Rejoicing in God

Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov explained that physical coupling and procreation cannot take place without arousal, passion and joy. The same is true of spiritual “coupling”. Torah study and prayer must be experienced in a state of arousal, passion and joy if they are to bear fruit…Spiritual devotion directed toward building intimacy with G-d will be an experience of sweetness, delight and joy…. It is written, “I will rejoice rejoicing in G-d” (Isaiah 61:10). Rabbi Dov Ber, the Mezricher Maggid exp
baal shem tov coupling
Zalman Kravitz

Zalman Kravitz
To die for Kiddush haShem

To die for Kiddush haShem

To die for Kiddush haShem [Kiddush haShem means "for the santification of God's Name"] As the commander of the Plaszow concentration camp took a number of young Gerrer Chassidim to be put to death, one of them, Israel Eisenberg, asked for permission to say a few words of farewell to his friends. I stood opposite them and heard every word. He did not speak many words. He said to his friends that they should rejoice, for they were going to die for Kiddush haShem, the sanctification of G-d's holy
die for kiddush hashem god's name
Zalman Kravitz

Zalman Kravitz
Even if He takes your soul

Even if He takes your soul

...Even if He takes your soul When the Romans took Rabbi Akiva to be executed, it was time to recite the morning "Sh'ma" (declaration of our total embrace of G-d's unity, from Deuteronomy 6 - Hear O Israel, the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is One! And you shall love the L-rd your G-d with all your heart, and all your soul and all your might...) The Romans began to flay his skin with iron combs as he was reciting the "Sh'ma" and taking upon himself the yoke of Heaven. His disciples said to him, "Ou
echad israel
Zalman Kravitz

Zalman Kravitz
Prayer

Prayer

Prayer Master of the Universe, grant me the ability to be alone; may it be my custom to go outdoors each day among the trees and grass – among all growing things – and there may I be alone, and enter into prayer, to talk with the One to whom I belong. May I express there everything in my heart, and may all the foliage of the field – all grasses, trees, and plants – awake at my coming, to send the powers of their life into the words of my prayer so that my prayer and speech are made whole throu
master of the universe prayer
Zalman Kravitz

Zalman Kravitz
Awakening Our Passion for G-d – How Does Our Own Passion Play?

Awakening Our Passion for G-d – How Does Our Own Passion Play?

By Varda Bronfman (www.carobspring.com) We are reading about the new movie “The Passion” from Mel Gibson ad nauseum. The movie raises problems for us because Jews are portrayed as the villains in this emotion-charged drama about the last hours of Jesus. We are worried about the anti-semitic backlash that could be aroused by the masterful cinematography which is as real-to-life as you can get. Even the dialogue is spoken in Aramaic or Latin with English sub-titles to deepen the illusion that thi
baal shem tov g-d
Zalman Kravitz

Zalman Kravitz