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To be human is to remember. To lose memory is to lose a piece of ourselves. To lose all of memory is one of the great human tragedies; some part (though surely not all) of the divine light within us…
Contributor:
Arthur Green
Places:
Philadelphia, United States of America
Date:
2002
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The [Babylonian] Talmud in tractate Sanhedrin [109b] brings a statement that when a stranger came to the city of Sodom, he would be placed on a bed. Someone who was taller than the bed would have his…
Contributor:
Yitsḥak Morganstern
Places:
Sokolov, Russian Empire
(Sokolov, Czech Republic)
Date:
1918
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In general, the power of the influence exerted by the Master, R. Mendele, on my revered father over many years since his return from (studying with) him, was very great. […
Contributor:
Barukh Ha-Levi Epstein
Date:
1926
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You will assuredly regard it as wondrous, and it will gladden your heart that I too regarded as wondrous the vision vouchsafed to me by the Almighty in relation to the aliyot “ascents”—wondrous things…
Contributor:
Ba‘al Shem Tov
Places:
Międzyboż, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
(Medzhybizh, Ukraine)
Date:
1752
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For there are seven abominations in their hearts to ensnare the souls of the innocent, and they abolish public study of the Torah, and they cast off the yoke of the Torah from their necks and from the…
Contributor:
Elijah ben Solomon, Gaon of Vilna
Places:
(Vilnius, Lithuania)
Date:
1772
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I heard from the venerable rabbinic scholar, R. Nahman, an interpretation of the words of [the Besht] that one should intend in every word that he utters submissiveness…
Contributor:
Jacob Joseph of Polnoye
Places:
Polonnoye, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
(Polonne, Ukraine)
Date:
1780
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In order to understand what is katnut (“smallness”) and what is gadlut (“greatness”), consider this example: If one studies Torah without understanding, he is in a state of…
Contributor:
Ba‘al Shem Tov
Places:
Międzyboż, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
(Medzhybizh, Ukraine)
Date:
1793
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Now, aside from the fact that it is altogether impossible to interpret the matter of tzimtzum literally, for that would attribute corporeal events to the…
Contributor:
Shneur Zalman of Liady
Places:
Lyady, Russian Empire
(Lyady, Belarus)
Date:
1797
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Indeed, what is necessary is precisely to “cast away the mind,” because it is necessary to cast aside all rational processes and serve God simply. This is because a person’s deeds should outweigh his…
Contributor:
Nachman of Bratslav
Places:
Bratslav, Russian Empire
(Bratslav, Ukraine)
Date:
1809
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Devekut requires that there be no impediment between man and God; only then is devekut possible. As in the parable of the Besht, it is impossible to join silver coins together…
Contributor:
Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk
Places:
Vitebsk, Russian Empire
(Vitebsk, Belarus)
Date:
1814