When There is Only Darkness

Welcome back, friends. Thanks for tuning in to the Torah of Life podcast. In this episode, I recap my January adventures and teaching opportunities and share some of the key highlights I learned along the way. It's beautiful to be a part of recovery conversations in so many places. Where will I go next? Stay tuned!   If you'd like to know more, join the Our Jewish Recovery group on facebook - it's free to join, and all are welcome. www.facebook.com/groups/OurJewishRecovery - please answer the questions that pop up when you ask to join.   To see more about the inspiring work of Anne Marie Zanfagna and Angels of Addictions, click here: https://teens.drugabuse.gov/blog/post/portraits-heartbreak-and-hope-mother-paints-raise-awareness-about-opioid-use-disorder and here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuX8i6cUqvY   Thanks again for listening! Have a comment, a question, or a thought about today's episode? Be in touch - I'd love to hear from you. You can find me at [email protected]   I'll be back soon with the next episode. In the meantime, let's keep adding happiness, holiness, and healing to the world.   Blessings!

A short bit of wisdom for you... It's amazing what lessons you can learn just from opening your eyes and paying attention. Yesterday the leaves taught me something, and I hope they'll teach you as well.   Thanks for listening to the Torah of Life podcast. May you be blessed with Happiness, Holiness, and Healing.   Rabbi Ilan

Welcome back my friends to the Torah of Life podcast. So glad to be back with you. It's been too long! In this episode, I share with you where I've been, what I've been up to, and what I'm hoping to do going forward with this show. There are good things in store for this show in 2020 and beyond. I shared a quote from Bahya ibn Pakuda, taken from Alan Morinis's Everyday Holiness, the Jewish Spiritual Path of Mussar (page 5): I knew many good ideas were rejected because of fear, that dread causes a lot of damage, and I recalled the expression, "Be careful not to be too careful!" I realized that if everyone who ever resolved to do something good or instruct others in the path of righteousness kept still until he himself could accomplish everything he set out to, that nothing would have been said since the days of the prophets." Ain't that the truth? Down with fear, up with changing the world! Great to be back, have a listen to the show, and I'll see you again soon!   Happy New Year, Rabbi Ilan

Thanks for listening to the Torah of Life podcast. Sorry for the post so quick to Shabbat (on the East coast anyway). Here's a quick teaching about why life sometimes feels so hard. Why do we get all these tests anyway? Shouldn't life be easier? Torah seems to be clear that when we find God, and surrender ourselves into God's will, the tests become obstacles for continued growth. Perhaps the tests are the way forward to the next stage of our evolution. (Or perhaps not. What do you think?)   Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Ilan

Freedom! Finally, after generations of slavery, the Israelites leave Egypt, cross the sea, and escape the shackles of tyranny that had been binding them. Their freedom is hard-earned, and almost didn't happen. A clever marketing trick by the Holy One kept them from being scared and wanting to turn back to Egypt (at least in this instance!). What was that secret and how can it help you in your own business? Listen to this episode to find out! "The Long Way Home" by Roger Hodgson and Richard Davies of Supertramp. No copyright infringement intended.   Thanks for listening. If you like the show, please leave a rating and review on itunes or your favorite podcast platform. Wishing us all a Shabbat of peace - like our ancestors, it may take a long way home to get there, but it almost always feels good when we arrive. Shabbat Shalom.

Friends, What do we do when darkness surrounds us? When we can't find a way forward, we can feel paralyzed, stuck, stranded on a deserted island of complicated choices and realties. How can we find our way out of the darkness? A surprising comment by Zev Wolf of Zhitomir on this week's Torah reading offers insight as to why the darkness surrounded the Egyptians for three days, and why it didn't affect the Israelites. That same insight can help us find our way out of darkness as well. May it be so for us all! Thanks for listening to the Torah of Life podcast. Like what you hear? Let me know! Hate what you hear? Let me know that too! We've got more special guests lined up for the near future. Want to share your story and wisdom on air? Be in touch - [email protected] As always, reviews and ratings of the podcast are especially appreciated. Thanks for being on this journey with me - you're the best, and I'm very grateful. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Ilan

Here we are, it's 2019, and the Torah of Life podcast is back and better than ever! Why have I been silent since Thanksgiving? Listen to this episode for an update on the book I've been writing! (OMG, I wrote a book!) You can preorder it here: https://www.amazon.com/God-Created-Recovery-Addiction-Unleash-ebook/dp/B07K91J9C2 I've missed you since Thanksgiving and am so glad to be back and sharing inspiration for our better future. I believe that each of us has miracles inside waiting to be born. I believe that we are all gifts sent here by God to help perfect the world in some way. I believe that we are all beautiful, wonderful, amazing beings of light and wisdom, AND that the world is a hard place to live, and all too often we forget the greatness inside. How do we reclaim our hope for a better year? How do we find wisdom and strength to keep on keepin' on, even when the outside world looks so grim? How do we choose a better future when all that we know tells us just to hold on to the present? I think you'll be surprised by the wisdom of this week's Torah reading, which challenges us to find our way with the help of angels sent to help us on our journeys. When we step into our greatness, magical things will happen. Our troubles won't disappear, but new seeds of wonder and joy will seep through and gradually rewrite our hardwiring. My plan is to keep working on mine and make 2019 the best year I've ever had. I hope it is for you as well. Thanks so much for listening to the Torah of Life podcast. Like what you hear? Email me at [email protected] and let me know, or leave a rating and review on iTunes and spread the word. We are back, with lots of great content coming your way in 2019. May this be a year of blessing and joy for us all. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Ilan    

Happy Thanksgiving! What are your Thanksgiving traditions? Food? Football? Family and friends? Getting ready for Black Friday? Whatever your traditions are, I hope it's a wonderful day for you. Didn't you always want to know why Thanksgiving is on Thursday? And who started Thanksgiving in America anyway? Listen to today's episode to find out!   Thanks for listening to the Torah of Life podcast, your home for transformational wisdom from a Jewish lens. Like what you hear? Please share the episode with your friends, subscribe to the show and leave us a rating and review on iTunes, or your favorite podcast platform. Have something to say about what you heard today? Great! Be in touch at [email protected] I'll be back again soon with the next episode. Many blessings, Happy Thanksgiving, and Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Ilan

Welcome back to the Torah of Life podcast. Thanks for listening. The unspeakable tragedy in Pittsburgh last Shabbat left so many at a loss for words. How could this happen? Will it happen again? Are we safe in America? What has become of the freedom for everyone to worship and live in peace? And how can or should we respond to the tragedy? These questions aren't easy, and there is no one right answer. Interestingly, death is a central character in this week's Torah reading, which begins with Sarah's death and burial, and continues with Avraham and Ishmael dying. Isaac gets married to Rebekah and the story will continue. Even amidst the death of his mother, Isaac found a will to go on. Perhaps we can as well. This week's episode is dedicated to the eleven souls who dies in synagogue last week, the injured, the brave police offers who responded to the shooting, and to all who are working to brighten the world with acts of kindness. May the memories of the departed be for a blessing.   Thanks for listening to the Torah of Life podcast, your home for transformational wisdom from a Jewish lens. Like what you hear? Please share the episode with your friends, subscribe to the show and leave us a rating and review on iTunes, or your favorite podcast platform. Have something to say about what you heard today? Great! Be in touch at [email protected] I'll be back again soon with the next episode. Many blessings, and Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Ilan

Welcome back to the Torah of Life podcast. Thanks for listening. In this episode I share a commentary which talks about the destruction of Sodom and Amorah can teach us about the people who live there, and about the effects that living in a culture of violence and sin might have upon the inhabitants of the city then, and on us today. I share a findings of a few scientific studies that show how closely connected we are to the friends we keep, which means that we have to make sure we are keeping the right company. Are your friends, colleagues, and loved ones supportive of your growth? Is it time for some new friends to come in to your life? Today's podcast tells you why that just might be necessary. Thanks for listening to the Torah of Life podcast, your home for transformational wisdom from a Jewish lens. Like what you hear? Please share the episode with your friends, subscribe to the show and leave us a rating and review on iTunes, or your favorite podcast platform. Have something to say about what you heard today? Great! Be in touch at [email protected] I'll be back again soon with the next episode. Many blessings, and Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Ilan