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Prior to Creation, there was only the infinite Ohr Ein Sof filling all existence. When it arose in G-d's Will to create worlds and emanate the emanated...He contracted (in Hebrew "tzimtzum") Himself in the point at the center, in the very center of His light. He restricted that light, distancing it to the sides surrounding the central point, so that there remained a void, a hollow empty space, away from the central point... After this tzimtzum... He drew down from the ...

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Some 300 years ago, there lived an affluent man named Avigdor. He once brought a large sum of money to Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov, the founder of the chassidic movement, to be distributed to the poor on his behalf. Accepting the contribution graciously, the Baal Shem Tov(literally, “Master of a Good Name”) inquired if perhaps Avigdor would like a blessing in return. After all, the Baal Shem Tov was renowned not only as a great Torahscholar, but also as a...

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..splitting the matzah is a memorial to the splitting of the sea... Amphibian Soul Although land and sea creatures are equally dependent upon their environment, the land creature can forget about the nourishment it receives from the earth, whereas the sea creature is constantly aware of its obvious dependence upon the water. Man possesses both a land and sea personality. There is a part of man that is disconnected from his purpose and source: a "land" self that is oblivious to...

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We wash our hands to clean the energy of the seder table. It is a time for setting the intention for what you want to let go. We are taking a step forward toward freedom.  To wash your hands, you don’t need soap, but you do need a cup to pour water over your hands. Pour water on each of your hands three times, alternating between your hands. If the people around your table don’t want to get up to walk...

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Salt Water Salt is unique in that it is bitter on its own, yet sweetens and brings out the taste of that which it is added to. For this reason, salt is the staple of suffering. There are two perspectives of suffering – Purposeless Suffering and Purposeful Suffering. Purposeless Suffering is suffering without reason, value, or an end-goal, and is therefore completely bitter. It is based on a keyhole view of life: “What is right in front of my eyes is...