Pacific Jewish Center | Rabbi » Messilas Yesharim

Mesillas Yesharim 10/24/10

rabbifink — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 03:01:41 +0000

Chapter 11 continued.

Audio is below.

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Mesillas Yesharim 10/17/10

rabbifink — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 03:02:28 +0000

Chapter 11 continued.

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Mesillas Yesharim 10/10/10

rabbifink — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 03:00:37 +0000

Chapter 11 continued.

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Mesillas Yesharim 9/5/10

rabbifink — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:56:44 +0000

Chapter 11 continued.

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Mesillas Yesharim 8/29/10

rabbifink — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 02:53:49 +0000

Chapter 11 continued.

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Mesillas Yesharim 8/15/10

rabbifink — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:50:24 +0000

(Previous class missing)

Chapter 11 continued.

Audio is below.

All audio classes are available by clicking podcasts on the top of this page. Or just click here.

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Mesillas Yesharim 6/20/10

rabbifink — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 02:49:36 +0000

Chapter 11 continued.

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Mesillas Yesharim 5/30/10

rabbifink — Mon, 31 May 2010 02:47:58 +0000

Chapter 11 continued.

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Mesillas Yesharim 5/16/10

rabbifink — Mon, 17 May 2010 02:42:45 +0000

Chapter 11 continued.

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Mesillas Yesharim 5/9/10

rabbifink — Mon, 10 May 2010 02:30:55 +0000

Chapter 11 continued.

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Mesillas Yesharim 5/2/10

rabbifink — Mon, 03 May 2010 02:25:32 +0000

Chapter 11 continued.

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Mesillas Yesharim 4/25/10

rabbifink — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 02:24:39 +0000

Chapter 11 continued.

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Mesillas Yesharim 4/18/10

rabbifink — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 02:23:19 +0000

Chapter 11 continued.

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Mesillas Yesharim 4/11/10

rabbifink — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 02:17:56 +0000

Chapter 11 continued.

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Mesillas Yesharim 3/14/10

rabbifink — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 02:14:47 +0000

Chapter 11 continued.

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Messilas Yesharim 3/7/10

rabbifink — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 01:30:04 +0000

Chapter 11 continued.

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Mesillas Yesharim 2/21/10

rabbifink — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 01:28:10 +0000

Chapter 11.

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Mesillas Yesharim 2/7/10

rabbifink — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 01:26:52 +0000

Chapter 11 continued.

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Mesillas Yesharim 1/31/10

rabbifink — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 01:25:13 +0000

Chapter 10 continued.

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Mesillas Yesharim 1/10/10

rabbifink — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 01:11:42 +0000

Chapter 9 continued.

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Mesillas Yesharim 12/06/09

rabbifink — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:16:30 +0000

We ventured further into Chapter 9 today.

The Ramchal’s insights into laziness, anxiety and rational fear continue to amaze me.

Today contrasted rational fear for one’s safety with imagined fear used to excuse laziness.

Worth a listen, as always…

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Mesillas Yesharim 11/22/09

rabbifink — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:08:03 +0000

Today’s class was another really informative and relevent topic.

We learned about fear, worry and anxiety.

With anxiety affecting tons of us it was interesting to find sources bemoaning the difficulty of dealing with anxiety as well as its debilitating nature.

Very enjoyable class, as always.

Audio is below.

All audio classes are available by clicking podcasts on the top of this page. Or just click here.

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Mesillas Yesharim 11/15/09

rabbifink — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:35:41 +0000

Last week we talked about the Healthcare plan that was ratified by the house the night before.

This week we got back on track and started Chapter 9.

In my opinion, this was one of the best Mesillas Yesharim classes to date. The Ramchal was so insightful and I shared an insight of my own which I think is very poignant. It all goes back to Adam and Eve being ousted from the Garden of Eden.

Audio is below.

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Enjoy.

Mesillas Yesharim 11/1/09

rabbifink — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:23:11 +0000

Today, we learned the methods of acquiring zrizus.

Ramchal hearkens back to the methods of acquiring zehirus that we studied earlier and for the benefit of us all, we reviewed them together.

Along with any review comes new insights and understanding. Today was no different.

Audio is below.

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Mesillas Yesharim 10/25/09

rabbifink — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:39:19 +0000

We began today’s class by delving deeper into the ground-breaking concept we studied last week.

Basically, the Ramchal teaches us that we can use our physical actions to arouse spiritual and emotional change.

We discussed a number of applications for the concept.

Then we began the next chapter.

Audio is below.

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Listen live here.

Mesillas Yesharim 10/18/09

rabbifink — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 21:20:53 +0000

After a Holiday break, the Mesillas Yesharim class returned today. Today’s class was a bit shortened due to the extra long Rosh Chodesh prayers.

What was short on time was long on content. The end of the Seventh Chapter of Mesillas Yesharim contains what I find to be the most profound insight in the entire text.

We all are familiar with the common idea that if “one doesn’t feel ‘it’” we don’t feel comfortable acting that in way. We even call people who act in a way not consonant with their feelings hypocrites. The Ramchal has a completely different perspective and I strongly recommend listening to today’s class.

Audio is below.

All audio classes are available by clicking podcasts on the top of this page. Or just click here.

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Listen live here.

Mesillas Yesharim 9/13/09

rabbifink — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 06:59:54 +0000

Chapter 7 continued with more inspirational words to help us do our Mitzvos with more Zrizus.

We completed Zrizus part A, beginning your good deeds with speed and we began Zrizus part B, completing your good deeds quickly.

There was also a short discussion on good review habist for Mesillas Yesharim. Aside from reviewing by listening online it is integral to review the text.

Learn all about it by listening to the class below.

All audio classes are available by clicking podcasts on the top of this page. Or just click here.

You can also subscribe to all classes in iTunes by clicking here.Listen to the class here.

Mesillas Yesharim 9/6/09

rabbifink — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:54:19 +0000

Today we began Chapter 7 of the Mesillas Yesharim. Having established that Zrizus is the opposite of Laziness the Ramchal explains how and when we must implement Zrizus.

We need to know how to use good behaviors to maximize their benefits.

Learn all about it by listening to the class below.

All audio classes are available by clicking podcasts on the top of this page. Or just click here.

You can also subscribe to all classes in iTunes by clicking here.Listen to the class here.

Mesillas Yesharim 08/16/09

rabbifink — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 20:08:03 +0000

I returned to Venice after a short Summer break and today we resumed our Mesillas Yesharim class.

Highlights today included a very interesting insight from Maimonides regarding laziness and the “Golden Path”. My father told me that in the Shmona Prakim, Maimonides gives a very surprising opposite to laziness.

Back in Mesillas Yesharim we learned about the inherent danger in laziness of action and thought.

Another Great Post On ParshaBlog

rabbifink — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:02:17 +0000

The proliferation of Segulahs and tricks to get your way with God is increasing daily.

The Yated (American Yeshivish news paper) has a Chinuch Roundtable where this issue was discussed. Almost to a man the Rabbis (one of whom is my father) warned of the danger in relying too heavily on these tricks.

Last time I linked to Parshablog it was for a similar reason and yesterday Parshablog had another disturbing example of this trend.

Click here for Parshablog.

Great Post on ParshaBlog

rabbifink — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:28:57 +0000

I have had so many conversations about the issue posed today on ParshaBlog.

A couple weeks ago the Chinuch Roundtable in the Yated dealt with this as well. We have become the Segulah Generation. We look for shortcuts and magic to avoid the effort involved in Personal Growth.

In short Messilas Yesharim > Segulahs. But Segulahs tempt us with their instant gratification, no effort results.

I urge everyone to read the article on ParshaBlog.

You can read all about Segulahs on ParshaBlog by clicking here.

Messilas Yesharim 6/6/09

rabbifink — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 01:08:41 +0000

We began Chapter 5 of Messilas Yesharim.

Ramchal begins to define for us the word “Zrizus”.

The basic idea we learned this week was the parallel from Zehirus to Zrizus.

Zehirus helps us avoid morally harmful activity. Zrizus helps us take action to do morally good activity.

We also discussed Sotah and some of the ideas that were mentioned in my Monday Lunch N Learn.

Click through to listen.

Enjoy the class (26 minutes)

Mesillas Yesharim 05/24/09

rabbifink — Sun, 31 May 2009 21:26:49 +0000

You may recall that last week we did not get any further in the Messilas Yesharim text.

Oh yes, we had a great discussion about getting serious about life. We devoted much of our discussion to clothes.

Clothes has been a hot topic at the Pacific Jewish Center lately.

Yesterday, we supposed to talk about the number 50 in Judaism and why Shavuos is the only Jewish holiday with no set date. Instead, we talked more about clothes. Unbelievable.

This week we got back on track.

We completed Chapter 5 in Messilas Yesharim and learned about the 3rd and final detriment to “Watchfulness”. Do you want to know what it is?

Click through to listen.

Enjoy the class (29 minutes)

Mesillas Yesharim 05/24/09

rabbifink — Mon, 25 May 2009 00:15:05 +0000

After a wonderful Rosh Chodesh morning services we began our weekly foray into the depths of Ramchal’s Mesillas Yesharim.

Last week we began to learn about the detriment of scoffing or sarcasm to out spiritual growth. The general principle is that one who is incapable of seriousness about life will not be able grow spiritually. This week I had planned on completing Chapter 5 in its entirety.

However, we got no further in the text of Mesillas Yesharim this week.

Instead we had a truly invigorating discussion ab0ut “seriousness”. It is tough for us to relate to this section Mesilas Yesharim. We are allowed to make jokes, frivoility is not ALWAYS bad, so how can we bring this section down to earth and make is relevant?

One example that I cited for a moment as we began class was the way observant Jews typically dress. Have you ever wondered why observant Jews dress conservatively for the most part or wear “black and white”?

Much of what we talk about was related to this post, as well as these two posts and this post as well.

Click to listen to our discussion. It was very interesting and enlightening.

Enjoy the class (29 minutes)

Mesillas Yesharim 05/17/09

rabbifink — Tue, 19 May 2009 06:16:03 +0000

This week we ventured further into the detriments to watchfulness.

The last two weeks (catch up here and here) have focused on setting aside time for Torah and spiritual growth. This is to avoid becoming mired in materiality and neglected our spiritual needs.

Today we moved on to the next detriment. The next thing Ramchal teaches us to avoid is an overarching lack of seriousness. Perhaps it could be more precisely defined as immaturity.

Ramchal says that being un able to take things seriously and scoffing anything important is going to impede our growth.

Find out how by clicking below.

Enjoy the class (28 minutes)