Finding Our Way Home

Episode 024 

This is a teaching on exile, the exile of the soul, of the world and of the Divine itself. Oftentimes we think that teshuva - the return to God - is about overcoming our own shortcomings, and repenting for our sins and misdeeds. But the Piaseczner Rebbe reframes teshuva, not as a narrowly focused battle with ourselves, but as something much more fundamental: our deep need and desire to return home. Beneath all of our prayers, there is a single, persistent prayer, “God, why have You abandoned me?” If we can feel into the painful reality of this separation, it can become the corridor to lead us back together, to walk together with God, even in exile, and to come home. As always, Rabbi Ami masterfully navigates these questions and ideas, and more. (This recording was adapted from a preexisting video and therefore has lower sound quality than usual. However, we felt that the power of the content outweighs the audio levels, and hope that you feel similarly.) 

Sources: Derech Hamelech, Rosh Hashana first night, תרצ״א

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This podcast is supported in part from a grant from the Hadar Institute.

Music is by Rabbi Daniel Kohn. To purchase, go to his cdbaby page.

Audio is by David Kwan.