Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 13 Tishri, 5784

A year ago, I did my “I make 50 look good” photo shoot.  Since that time, what a year it has been as we reach the Aries full moon tomorrow night.  As an Aries, this is a significant moon for me – as it is the full light of the the energy within being revealed in this new year.

The full moon in Aries is all about breathing, pausing, slowing us down.  This is the time for reflection on the work we did in Elul, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur. Because the day AFTER the Full moon on Thursday night? We enter Sukkot.  The Feast of Tabernacles. When we take what is within us, and make it external.  When we harvest the first fruits of Hashem being throned as King within our Hearts.

It’s time to check in on the intents we set in Elul; the things we wanted to leave behind in 5783, and the lessons we wanted to bring with us into the new year.  How are we doing here?

For me – I wanted to be more “open” in 5784.  To not be so locked in.  Yesterday was a major test of that – I had made promises to myself out of woundedness in the past – things I would or would not do.  And I came face to face with how that closed me off of moments I was experiencing.

It was a good reminder yesterday and today – to just be open.  To let go. To forgive. To heal.

And that is connected to today’s portion:

Moses is blessing Dan, Naphtali, and Asher.

To Dan – Moses says; “Dan is a young Lion – his land drinks from a stream that runs from Bashan.

To Naphtali – “Naphtali’s land brings satisfaction to those who live in it; and it is filled with God’s blessing.” Moses then encourages Naphtali to go into the sea and spread out their fishing nets.

To Asher- “May Asher be blessed with sons. He will be pleasing to his brothers through producing special oils, and he will have so much oil that he will be able to immerse his foot.”

What I find is that With Dan – we see a Lion on Land, drinking from the streams of Bashan.  With Naphtali, we see Land being satisfying for those who live in it – however, Moses encourages them to the sea.

We see two brothers being encouraged to enjoy their land AND adventure out to water – one from a place of refreshing and drink, and the other from a place to provide food.

We are called to eat and drink from the water.  And as I envision the stability of land – which is good – we are also called to go to the water as it will provide. Sustenance.  The sea will quench our thirst. It will satisfy our hunger.

Water is not solid. Its fluid. Open.  It is risky. On Yom Kippur we read about Jonah.  The sea was not kind to him – and YET – a fish was provided for protection.

This juxtaposition between the solid land and open sea is an interesting one I am reflecting on.  If we get to complacent on the land, and never risk the sea? We will wither. If we spend too much time at sea, the land will die. Balance. Harmony.

This is the lesson of today’s portion (I think).

What are your thoughts?

These are my thoughts from a year ago:

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for Tishri 18, 5783

Chag Sameach! It’s our fourth day of Sukkot! We are halfway through the festival and the harvest! May this be a deep spiritual time for us as we journey to our freedom and liberation!

Today’s portion wraps up the blessings from Moses. I find it interesting we are reading this at the mid point of Sukkot. The first half of Sukkot has been all about the blessings in the Torah. Its future focused. Let’s dig in;

Today, Moses is blessing three tribes; Dan, Naphtali, and Asher.

To Dan – Moses says; “Dan is a young Lion – his land drinks from a stream that runs from Bashan.

To Naphtali – “Naphtali’s land brings satisfaction to those who live in it; and it is filled with God’s blessing.” Moses then encourages Naphtali to go into the sea and spread out their fishing nets.

To Asher- “May Asher be blessed with sons. He will be pleasing to his brothers through producing special oils, and he will have so much oil that he will be able to immerse his foot.”

Before we close with Moses’ final blessing to all of Israel, here is something I’m chewing on.

How can we see these blessings internally?

– how much is our spirit like a lion, drinking from a stream which was once belonged to those who came against us? Remember, the Israelites defeated Og, King of Bashan to make it here. What have we overcome in our lives that now feeds us and energizes us like a Lion?

– how much are people spiritually satisfied in our presence? When they connect with us, how much are they blessed? do we even WANT them to be blessed?

– how many spiritual children are we producing? I’m not talking about literal kids; but is our faith and our freedom and liberation freeing for others? That’s a critical question.

This is what I’m chewing on. What are your thoughts?

Ok. Let’s finish out the portion:

Moses then turns and speaks to all of the children of Israel;

Deuteronomy 33:25 “May your locks (on your border towns) be (strong like) iron and copper. May the days of your old age be like the days of your youth.”

33:26 “Jeshurun, there is none like God! (God), who rides the heavens is at your assistance! (He rides) the heavens in His majesty!”

This is really interesting. The idea of shielding and locking our spiritual lives is something I’ve been learning. We must protect our spirit. It’s not something we can do passively. And by doing this? Maybe the “days of our old age be like the days of our youth.”

I’m excited to share in the near future just that from my life. This past weekend I did my first ever professional photo shoot. Mostly for a revamp of my 3Dleadership.org website – which really was mothballed for COVID and hopefully will relaunch soon, AND a new website I’m developing tikkunolam47.com which will focus on more spiritual and mindfulness practices. I will be reposting the Torah thoughts from this past year onto that site; and hopefully create more engagement – and learn and share more about what I’m learning about Kabbalah and Chassidis. The idea of Judaism being spiritual and relational between Hashem and I (and us) is something that has risen within me on this journey this year. I’m excited to share those things with the world!

All of that to say, I think when the pictures are Public, you’ll see at 50, my life is like that of my youth. I like to call the photo shoot “making 50 look good.” It was a challenge for me to allow myself to do it – a lot of emotions and judgment internally. But I’m super glad I did! More to come on that.

So those are my Torah thoughts. What about you? What do you think?