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Author: Moshe Delerb

Moshe Delerb studied in Lubavitcher yeshivos in Jerusalem, Crown Heights and most recently, Morristown. He spent two years in Wilkes-Barre; one year as a student-teacher and the other as both student-teacher and elementary school teacher. Moshe Delerb founded The Long Short Way in the spring of 2015. He currently lives in Crown Heights with his wife and studies in kollel.
Focus: The Lost Art of Concentration Part 2

Focus: The Lost Art of Concentration Part 2

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The Value of Concentration   The Infinite G-d used the tzimtzum to express Himself within finitude. The universe came into being because G-d is able to focus. Similarly, imagine a craftsman, working his craft. Whether it be a blacksmith, carpenter or locksmith— even a teacher preparing a lecture. It doesn’t take much knowledge of the particular field to appreciate the beauty of focusing for hours on the same task with diligence and passion. There’s a bocher I see often learning….

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Focus: the Lost Art of Concentration

Focus: the Lost Art of Concentration

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How do we regain control of our scattered minds and lives? How can we grab the reins of something as intangible as our minds and hearts? How can we focus our attention without focusing our attention on focusing our attention? Words are thrown around constantly to describe the benefits of technological advances; efficiency, streamlining, logistics, communications, etc., etc., etc., how easy do these things really make our life? In our culture we have our fair share of words to describe…

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Z’eir Anpin (Z”a)

Z’eir Anpin (Z”a)

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Z’eir anpin literally means “small face,” and refers to the six emotions. That is, after the intellectual attributes: chochma, binah and da’as, there are six emotions until malchus. They are chessed (loving kindness), g’vura (severity, discipline, strength), tiferes (beauty, compassion, sensitivity), netzach (victory, perseverance) hod (glory, loyalty), and yesod (foundation, attraction). The first three or higher emotions (chagas) are pure emotions and are the motivators behind the second/lower three (nehi). The lower three are more concerned with practical application and…

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Roots, Sources, and Hishtalshelus

Roots, Sources, and Hishtalshelus

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There is a general principle regarding roots, sources and their place in existence. The lower something finds itself on the Hishtalshelus hierarchy, the higher its source before Hishtalshelus, that is, in Tohu and the like. For example: someone maybe the the student and another the teacher and although in our experience of things, the teacher is higher ranking, the student’s source is higher which is why the teacher gains more than the student. Another example is when Chassidus peaks about…

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“Higher” and “Lower” Anything

“Higher” and “Lower” Anything

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Simple. Usually the higher version of anything, i.e., fear, bittul, love, etc., is essential. That means it shakes the person to their core and is usually experienced only by tzaddikim. The reason for this is that a person cannot transform themselves into something greater than themselves. They don’t have the “materials.” “Lower” anything means it is: 1. Externally motivated (chitzonius’dik). 2. Fleeting.  3. Characterized by beinonim. 4. Limited and by limited beings and therefore: 5. High-quality. “The greatness of light…

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Ahava Rabba, Higher Love

Ahava Rabba, Higher Love

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Ahava rabba, or “great love,” is “higher” love. Chassidus usually (if not always) defines love as a longing, yearning, desire, attraction, to be one. Ahava rabba, as with all emotions, is a result of will. Will is a result of contemplation and the contemplation is on that which is beyond understanding. For example: one may think about the fact that G-d cannot be understood, or that there is no place where He is not, etc. This type of love is…

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Bittul: HaYesh and B’Metzius

Bittul: HaYesh and B’Metzius

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Note: I refer to bittul to a cause or to G-d. Bittul is a behavior and/or state of being. As such, one can have bittul to any activity one is involved in. That means, that if one is married, for example, one can exercise bittul by deferring to the wants of one’s spouse. That deference can either be an act of self-control or a sincere expression of love, i.e., how “one” the couple has become.   To make something bittul,…

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Shabbos x2: Shabbos Tatto’oh and Shabbos Ilo’oh

Shabbos x2: Shabbos Tatto’oh and Shabbos Ilo’oh

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The gemora in Shabbos 118b says, “If only the Jewish people kept two Shabbosos according to halocha—they would immediately be redeemed!” The gemora Yerushalmi  in Taanis (chapter 1, at the end of halocha 1) says, “If the Jewish people kept one Shabbos properly, the son of Dovid (i.e., Moshiach) would come.” The seeming contradiction is resolved in Likkutei Torah (Behar 41a, from the Zohar vol. 1,) that says that there are two types of Shabbos: 1. “Lower” Shabbos: the type of…

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Eternal Love, Ahavas Olam

Eternal Love, Ahavas Olam

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Here, the Alter Rebbe explains how to have ahavas olam, eternal love. The general definition of ahavas olam, is a love that it’s based on one’s understanding of the greatness of G-d, that is, His Creatorship, Kingship, etc. Since it is a love based on understanding, there are two (basic) ramifications: 1. It is limited, like the mind from where the love was born and the subject which was contemplated (existence). a. Subject to change, for better or for worse. 2. It is…

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