Although D'vekut has been popularized by the Ba'al Shem Tov and Chassidut, it first appears in Deuteronomy 11:22: “For if you shall diligently keep all this commandment which I command you, to do it, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, and to cleave [u-l'davkah]  unto Him”- 

The Ramban (Nachmanides, 13th century Kabbalist from Barcelona Spain) writes that the verse warns man not to worship God and a being beside Him; he is to worship God alone in his heart and in his actions. And it is plausible that the meaning of "cleaving" is to remember God and His love constantly, not to divert your thought from Him in all your earthly doings. Such a man may be talking to other people, but his heart is not with them since he is in the presence of God. And it is further plausible that those who have attained this rank, do, even in their earthly life, partake of the eternal life, because they have made themselves a dwelling place of the shekhinah.”

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By Rabbi Amichai Cohen     

Around this time of the year, we wish each other “may you be inscribed in the book of life”.

What does it mean to be inscribed in the “book of life”? Is there really a big book up there?

The Talmud says that on Rosh Hashana, the Jewish (and world) New Year, three books are opened and everyone and everything is inscribed within these books, determining every outcome of next year on a spiritual and material level. The three books are “the books of the righteous (Tzadikim), Intermediates (Beinonim) and wicked (Reshaim)” (Rosh Hashanah 17b).

King David says “Your eyes have seen my unformed substance, and in Your book were all written. The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them” (Pslams 139).

The AriZal explains that this verse refers to Adam, who was formed by G-d and saw everyone who is in the book of life. Adam is the predecessor of...

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By: Moshe Reuven Sheradsky 

Today and the next several days forward onto Tuesday, the 18th day of the Month of Elul, are very special days. Particularly so, as the 15th of Elul is the day The Rebbe Rashab (the 5th Rebbe of the Chabad Chassidic Dynasty) established a learning institution (otherwise known as a “Yeshivah”) that has been the bedrock of spiritual growth and development amongst the Jewish community and the world at large until this very day. This was not just a learning institution like any other. This Yeshivah, would include the learning of the hidden aspects of the Torah, namely Kabbalah and Chassidus, along with the revealed aspects of Torah, which was the only study taking place in yeshivahs until this took place. 

The reason for this creation of a new yeshivah which would take hold for the future was like so. The Jewish community was becoming more and more dispersed throughout the world. Leaving tiny shtetle, insulated communities with no...

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By Moshe Reuven Sherdasky

"We started jamming out with friends. One of our friends decided we should meet each other and through that present audience of just friends it grew. The more we related to that experience, the more people wanted to be a part of it. One person felt good about what were doing, so he told someone, and the word spread that three guys are playing together and that you should listen to them. It started as group of small shows, first it was a birthday, to a gig in the village then all over the world. People feel close to us as we feel close to them even if they live hundreds of miles away".

Sitting down a few weeks ago with friends, Shlomo (lead singer), Zachariah (guitarist), and Paltiel (manager), of the star band, Zusha, was something special. I had met the band 6 years ago when aimlessly wandering into Chabad of NYU. On my way to Israel, I had stopped over in New York for a few days to spend some time with my cousin. I needed a place to go to for Shabbat...

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By; Rabbi Amichai Cohen

Elul has the acronym of  the verse (in Song Of Songs 6,3) “I am for my beloved and my beloved is for me”.  What does this month have to do with love? What does it mean to be for a beloved and the beloved for me?

Elul is the last month of the year where we on the one hand take accounting for our spiritual and practice inventory of the previous year, and also prepare ourselves for the upcoming year.

It’s all in the prep

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By: Rabbi Amichai Cohen

The King Is In The Field- Get out of the desert!

In his Song of Songs, King Solomon writes a most eloquent and deep passage representing a multitude of relationships. The verse “I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved is mine” (Song of Songs 6:3) is an immediate allusion to the month of Elul, for in its original Hebrew, “Ani ledodi v’dodi li,” the letters beginning each word serve as an acronym for this month.

Elul is the month preceding Tishrei, the beginning of the Jewish year, starting with the holiday of Rosh Hashanah and culminating with the festival of Hoshana Rabbah. It is during the month of Elul that we try and focus on our past year, reflecting on our deeds, atoning for our mistakes and contemplating our actions and changes for the new year to come. Therefore, as we will see, this statement of King Solomon’s is not only a statement between two...

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By Rabbi Amichai Cohen

Would you say you listen to music “rarely, often or very often”?

Regardless of the answer you offered, music is powerful. Music can shift cultural trends and society to change by relinquishing the old and embracing the new.

Next question: Do you believe that music is spiritual?

If you answered yes, then you are right. How can they not be connected?

The 10 Songs 

Kabbalah explains that the world was created via 10 utterance, these 10 utterances are the totality of the natural world. Next comes the 10 commandments, which communicated G-d’s deeper connection with his creation. The Midrash says that there are 10 songs of creation. We are awaiting the 10th and final song of creation called “Shir Chadash”- A New Song.

In English the word song connotes all forms of musical renditions. However in Hebrew the word Shir connotes vocals, while Zimrah connotes instrumental renditions.

In the Temple service, the Levites...

By Moshe Reuven Sheradsky 

As a branch from my last article on activating your talents and gifts. I’d like to elaborate on one point in a way I didn’t then.

The concept that each person has their very own specific mission in life can save from more than just a bad self esteem. It can save from chasing other people’s priorities, goals, likes, interests, and so on.

Here’s how…

Why do we keep up with the Jones’s? Or at least try to? Or at least want to? Or at least are suggested by our social circles to?

There’s a famous business book called Blue Ocean Strategy. It’s unbelievably helpful in business as in life, and it can be used to help explain how knowing you have a mission will save you a lot of time, energy, indecision, regret, sadness and more..

The red ocean strategy is a strategy completely run by competition. It’s this is what everyone want and is focused on doing, and...