The Exodus: Creation, Destruction, & Tikun

Shalom and welcome to a new zman.  This winter we will explore some of the deepest mysteries of Creation and its opposite, as reflected in the teachings of our Sages surrounding the Plagues and the Redemption from Egypt, all of course with an eye on the final Redemption and Tikun Olam.

Tonight we will begin with the Creation of Light and its roots in the Kabbalah, and also look at the opposite of light, darkness and how this is reflected in our conception of the past present and future of our  relationship to God and Torah.

Look forward to seeing you there,

Avraham Shira

Shalom to all, tonight we continue exploring creation,destruction and restoration as a paradigm of the Jewish people, exile and redemption, a universal process woven into all life, a dialectic we see throughout history, especially in the ten plagues of egypt as the tools of God’s returning etypt to tohu and bohu, all of leading to the receiving of the Torah at Sinai  to return Am Yisrael to the pristine perfection found at the beginning of creation.

Come and share your insights and inspiration,

Avraham Shira

Shalom and Welcome.  Tomorrow night we will continue the examination of a Torah dyalectic, the transition from Creation, to Destruction to Redemption as reflected in the Jewish sojourn in Egypt.  We will look further at the 10 statements of Creation, the 10 Plagues of Egypt, the 10 allusions to Idol Worship and the 10 commandments as the ultimate source for the repair of the destruction brought upon Egypt.

Look forward to seeing all of you there.

Avraham Shira

Shalom,

Tonight we will look at the 10 Plagues in Egypt from perspective of the Kabbalah of God’s names and how each of them is a force for both goodness and releasing judgment on Egypt.  This learning will touch on many new concepts from the Arizal and other later Kabbalists.

Look forward to seeing you there.

Avraham Shira

Shalom and Welcome.  Tonight we are going to look at the plagues from the viewpoint of Pharaoh and free choice.  Included in this discussion will be a take on the differences in ‘miracles’, plagues and wonders.  And naturally, we will be forced to challenge our notions of ‘natural’ and ‘miraculous’ and perhaps this will give us a little reset of perspective to the miracles and wonders in our own lives.

Look forward to seeing you there,

Avraham Shira

Shalom and Welcome. Tomorrow night, in honor of Tu’bshva and connected to the Parsha, Beshalach, we will examine the miracles of the Splitting of the Sea, and its relationship to Ma’aseh Breishit, the Garden of Eden, and the nature of miracles in general. Time permitting we will also attempt a guided meditation to help integrate some of the ideas of these very specific teachings. Tu bShavot sameach.

Another new year.
Always, Avraham

Shalom and Welcome.

Tomorrow night we will enter the discussion of the Creation, the Ten Commandments and the Ten Plagues from a new perspective: The Little Holding Much. These are four simple words but they are anything but simple when held up to the lens of Kabbalah and the profound ideas that exists behind this teaching. The Little Holding Much as described by the Ohr HaCHaim HaKadosh and Rebbe Nachman give us a compelling new way of understanding the structure of Creation and ourselves. Come explore this paradigm shift with us on WebYeshiva.org.
Avraham Shira

Shalom and Welcome. Tonight we again turn to the Ohr HaChaim haKadosh for new insights into Ma’aseh Breisheit, the Workings of Creation, in relation to Shabbat and the purpose of Creation. These ideas, although we have learned some of them before, must constantly be renewed as is our soul, “Everyday, in His Goodness, always, He renews the Creation. And that also means us, every human soul.

Learn then the secret of renewal, and the meaning of turning the soul, nefesh, into v’y’nafash,the action of resting, and how all of this was woven into the evil intent of Pharoah and the Plagues of Egypt.
Look for you there,
Avraham Shira

Shalom and welcome to our last class in this series. Tonight we will explore the nature, reasoning and profoundly complex considerations behind the Divine Providence of the 10 Plagues or Wonders in Egypt, and perhaps as we look forward to Pesach we will appreciate further the truly amazing precision by which God runs the world, especially the Providence he provides for the Jewish people.
We will also discuss Providence for those who do not believe and God’s way of intervening with those who deny His Presence.

Look forward to seeing all of you.
Avraham Shira