Purim 2019 / 5779 Sarah Yehudit Schneider Based on R. Y Safrin of Komara’s Commentary on Esther called Ketem Ofier (4:1 – 5:4) Mordecai charges Esther to go before the king, and plead for her people….[Esther warns that] “Anyone entering the king’s sanctum uninvited incurs death unless the king extends his golden scepter and grants them life.” Esther confides that she has not been called by the king for thirty days [implying that she’s likely to receive an invite soon] …Morde

Purim 2020 / 5780 Sarah Yehudit Schneider וַיְשַׁלְּחֵהוּ יְי ﭏהִים מִגַּן-עֵדֶן…וַיַּשְׁכֵּן מִקֶּדֶם לְגַן-עֵדֶן אֶת-הַכְּרֻבִים וְאֵת לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת לִשְׁמֹר אֶת-דֶּרֶךְ עֵץ הַחַיִּיםGod banished [Adam] from the Garden of Eden…and stationed cherubim (angelic sentries) east of Eden, including a revolving, flaming sword to guard the path of the Tree of Life. [Gen 3:23-24] וַיְהִי | בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וַתִּלְבַּשׁ אֶסְתֵּר מַלְכוּת וַתַּעֲמֹד בַּחֲצַר בֵּי

Transcript of the Teaching Presented by Sarah Yehudit Schneider in Shifra Hendrie’s Geula Summit (March 23, 2020) on the Corona Virus(slightly reordered) First of all the Talmud describes a magefa as a situation where hashgakha klalit overrides hashgakha pratit. A magefa is a tsunami of virulence that sweeps through the city or country or in this case, the planet, and does not distinguish between the righteous and the wicked. In hashgakha pratit, Hashem custom tailors the ci

A Translation of a Teaching from the Leshem[1]Sarah Yehudit Schneider שכר מצווה מצווהThe reward of a mitzvah is a mitzvah. [Avot 4:2] This simple maxim is interpreted several ways: 1) The reward of a mitzvah is the simple fact that you had the opportunity to perform it and to please G-d in that way, or 2) The reward of a mitzvah is that Providence will provide an opportunity for you to do another (reward-worthy) deed. The Leshem, however, interprets this adage in a novel way.

A Shavuot Teaching (2021 / 5781) Sarah Yehudit Schneider …וברא את עולמו בשלשה ספרים בספר ספר וספור: (ספר יצירה א:א) [HaShem] created His universe with three ספרים (sefarim):סִפרָה (symbol) – the Torah of Bereshitסֵפֶר (scroll) – the Torah of Sinai, andסִּפוּר (story) – the Torah of souls. [SY 1:1] The Torah, says Sefer Yetzira, is really three in one. There’s the Torah of Bereshit, the Torah of Sinai, and the Torah of souls. Our job, says the Baal Shem Tov, is to unify these

…To Women Far and Wideto Participate in a Ground-Breaking, Soul-Awakening Event:The 31st Annual “Purim High Council Prayer and Meditation Happening for Women”(that, for the second time, will be available to the world, via Zoom) Because Shushan Purim is on Erev Shabbat this year which makes it difficult for even Yerushalmim to get back and forth from the Rova, and because people are still concerned about Corona, we are hoping to conduct a zoom Purim High Council Prayer Ceremon

Inspired by R. YY Safrin—Komarna Rebbeכתם אופיר—ביאור משולב Every moment is a communication between HaShem and our soul. Yet, in the fuzzy interface of transmitter and receiver, an enmeshment occurs which makes it sometimes difficult to discern who’s mashpia and who’s mekabel anymore. “The king is entangled in the tresses…” [SHS 7:6]המלך אסור ברהיטים… “King” indicates the lowest aspect of Divine transcendence—the end of a progressive sequence of constriction and concealment,

Every month comes with a bounty of lights, blessings and challenges that are its particular gift to the year. And this fourth month of Tammuz is filled with paradox, in part because of its infamous distinction as the beginning of our fall from grace. The Torah starts its counting of months with Nissan (and Pesach), for that was our birthday as a people. And so, the year begins with a surge of exhilaration, we escape 210 years of slavery and witness the most mighty and corr

Sarah is the Matriarch of the Jewish people. Tradition ascribes superiority to her Divine Inspiration over Avraham’s.

The STILL SMALL VOICE PASSOVER HAGGADAH, thirty years in the making, is now available for public enjoyment. This full color, book-size (6.25″ x 9.25″), 321 page, soft cover Haggadah is rich in content and beautiful in presentation. It provides clear instructions for creating a Pesach seder and brings short but meaningful teachings about each step of the way (highlighted in green). Additionally, as a Teaching Haggadah, it presents more extensive commentary on each stage of the

Excerpt From A Shockingly Relevant Teaching About Purim From Years Back. Sarah Yehudit Schneider Below is a Purim teaching from some years back that addresses our multi-millennial battle with Amalek and what might be at least one point of all that. It’s a glimpse into the bigger picture that makes it a little easier to stretch and hold the horror of the present. It was written at another time, in another context, so its a little more dispassionate than if it were to be writte

Zohar on the Mystery of Echo and the “Three Cries” as a Model of Trauma What’s presented here, is a direct translation of the Zohar (appearing in bold) along with an elaborated commentary which explores the implications and applications of the text in regards to trauma. The complete Zoharic text, without commentary, appears in Hebrew and English at the end. This is a longer teaching that what usually appears on this site. A PDF version is available for your convenience. Speec

The month of Shevat brings tools to address gluttony (לעיטה), a trait that is closely related to envy which is a frequent precursor to sinat chinam (baseless hatred). HaShem is the master of timing. As the war enters its phase-2 and we settle a bit more into normalcy, there’s the danger of settling back into our bad habits as well. It’s going to take a conscious commitment to preserve the precious upsurge of national unity that has been our strength for these difficult months

Rosh HaShana, reprint אמר רבה, אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא: אמרו לפני בראש השנה מלכיות זכרונות ושופרות. מלכיות ־ כדי שתמליכוני עליכם, זכרונות ־ כדי שיבא לפני זכרוניכם לטובה, ובמה ־ בשופר HaShem declares: …Recite before Me the verses of kingship to make Me your king…. Recite before me the verses of remembrance, that your remembrance shall arise before Me for good. And through what? Through the shofar. (RH 34b) Our universe began as a thought in the mind of God—a vision, of the gloriou

Classes Starting Up Sarah Yehudit is back to teaching, but with a reduced schedule. She is teaching one zoom class and one in-person class on her new book: “Dark Matters of the Soul ~ The Kabbalah of Shame.”An exploration of the origin, purpose and mystery of shame as viewed through a Torah lens BENEATH EACH SUMMARY IS A BUTTON THAT WILL ADD YOU TO THE EMAIL LIST FOR THAT CLASS. YOU WILL RECEIVE THE ZOOM LINKS, PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS AND SOUND FILES FOR THAT CLASS. The plan is

Pesach 2025 / 5785 (reprint)The Four QuestionsA Pesach Teaching From the Sod Yesharimas presented by A Still Small Voice The hagada is transmitting lights and instructions on many levels. There is information about history and many deep secrets about how the universe works and what freedom really means. For example, according to Sod Yesharim, the hagada seeks to convey, emphatically, the importance of questions in the transformation process. The first obvious place that thi

The Collaboration Between Judith Margolis and Sarah Schneider in Creating the Beautifully Presented Omer Counter, Countdown to Perfection Sarah Yehudit Schneider Judith and I started learning together some years ago, because people kept commenting on how her art had so many religious symbols and biblical allusions. She was just painting from her innards, and didn’t realize that her images often had religious significance. So she would show me a series of paintings and I woul

TISHA B’AV–A POTENT MEDITATIONby Sarah Yehudit Schneider Everyone knows that Av is the month that includes the most fateful day in the Jewish calendar, Tisha B’Av (the 9 of Av), which is distinguished by its extremely fallen state and yet its extremely great potential. It is the month where our collective heart is wrenched from our midst, twice, for as everyone knows both of our Temples were destroyed on the ninth of Av. It’s the month where we hit bottom.And yet, as everyone

The gates are closing for the Dark Matters of the Soul~The Kabbala of Shame intro classes that are starting soon:In-Person Class: Thurs, Dec 5, 12, 19 3:00 – 4:15 PM In-Person Class–Register Now Zoom Class: Sunday, Dec 8, 15, 22 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM EST10:00 AM – 11:15 PST6:00 – 7:15 England Time8:00 – 9:15 PM Jerusalem Time Zoom Class–Register Now ZOOM LINK TO ACTUAL CLASS WILL FOLLOW! This will be the last communique to the entire mailing list. From this point on em