The Picnic

 

Many people look at the mitzvah of Ahavat Yisrael - loving your fellow Jew – as some nicety from children's books. Then, they turn around and allow themselves to hate, disdain, despise, and discredit those other Jews who may be different from them or who belong to a different group. And heaven forbid that their accent, the color of their skin or the color of their kippa should be different…

Those who fit the above description are following in the footsteps of the Yetzer Hara, the Evil Inclination. The Evil Inclination is more than happy for you to be frum – particularly stringent – in the area of the food you eat. Don't trust anyone other than your own group's kosher certificate. Think that anyone else is a heretic. Badmouth other groups' spiritual leaders. Oh yes – you can learn Gemara and even Tosefot all day as long as you don't smile or say hello to any Jew who doesn't belong to your narrow circle.

The Yetzer Hara loves super-stringencies because they keep a person constantly frowning. In fact, the Yetzer will let you do anything as long as you don't strengthen your emuna and love your fellow Jew. Why? Emuna and Ahavat Yisrael are the double-lane expressway to Hashem. Emuna and Ahavat Yisrael are also the direct route to happiness.

Conversely, you will always find that a frowning person lacks both Emuna and Ahavat Yisrael. Such a person is a prisoner in the Yetzer's jail. Yet, he doesn't realize what he's missing, especially if he considers himself frum.

Breslever thought teaches that our entire quality of life depends on loving every Jew. People forget that unconditionally loving every Jew is a commandment of Torah no less important than tefillin or eating kosher...

Continue reading The Picnic in this week's stimulating issue of Breslev Israel web magazine.

My beloved teacher and spiritual guide Rav Shalom Arush, may Hashem bless him always, shows us how Every Last Drop of desire is ever so precious; a must-read...

Breslev Israel is proud of its all-star lineup of feature writers: Psychotherapist Zev Ballen tells about the Cybersex Tsunami. Racheli Reckles throws us the key to a good marital relationship in Cure-all. Rivka Levy explains why we so badly need 60 Minutes of personal prayer a day. Yehudit Levy writes An Open Letter to Rebbe Nachman. Chaya Ovadia examines our daily blessings from morning till night in Cycle of a Day. Yehoshua Goldstein describes gratitude in The Highest Level of Speech.

Rabbi Erez Moshe Doron presents us with part 55 of Warriors of Transcendence, The Game of Forces.

This week's Torah portion is Ki Tisa.

New English-Series CD Releases from Breslev Israel

With Hashem's loving grace, we have 3 new very important CDs newly released. The first is The King's Daughter, and it's a must-hear for women from age 12 to 112. the second is Most of All, Desire, a CD that shows you how to super-achieve. And third, there's Emuna with Love, an amazing CD that tells you what real unconditional love is all about.

Have a wonderful week!