A Bridge in Prague

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“You shall not act on the basis of omens or lucky hours.”  “You shall not turn to [the sorcery of] Ov or Yid'oni” (forms of sorcery used to communicate with the dead).  These are just two of the Mitzvot in this week’s double Parsha, alongside “do not steal”, “do not withhold wages,” “do not embarrass anyone publicly,” “love your fellow” and many other person-to-person Mitzvot.


The Mitzvot relating to sorcery and omens and psychic practices, etc., are always important, but they are especially relevant today.  There is a great spiritual awakening in our generation, and many people are seeking enlightenment and meaning in life.  


I often hear about all kinds of new and imaginative practices which attempt to fill this need.  Some sound really good, and sometimes sound similar to Kabbalah, but they are rooted in idol-worship.  Spirituality is at the core of Judaism, yet the Torah warns us in the Parsha called “Kedoshim” – “Holy,” to stay away from practices not based on Torah.


Spirituality and holiness are not the same thing.  Some spiritual practices are actually the opposite of holiness.  Sometimes when someone tells me about this or that practice in glowing terms and describing all the benefits it gives them, I can’t help but wonder how much more they would get from our own tradition.  


The Torah teaches how to truly connect to Hashem on the highest spiritual levels.  How to bring real meaning and inner peace into our lives.  How to satisfy the thirst of our soul in deep, real, ways that give us a sense of fulfillment and knowledge that we are living with authentic purpose and fulfilling our unique mission on earth.


There is a famous story of a man in Warsaw who had a recurring dream, in which he found a great treasure under the bridge in Prague.  After months of dreaming the same dream, he finally traveled to Prague to find his treasure, but he saw that there were police patrolling the bridge so he could not dig.  After a few days of loitering there, a police officer approached him and asked what he was doing there.  He told the policeman the truth about his dream.  The officer laughed at him.  “I had a similar dream,” he said.  “I dreamed that under the oven in a certain house in Warsaw (it was this man’s house) there is a treasure.  Will I go all the way to Warsaw to look for that treasure?”  The man went home and dug under his oven and found the treasure.


The real treasure is right here at home.  The thirst we have for meaning, fulfillment and spirituality can be properly quenched with Torah and its practices, especially through the teachings of Chabad Chassidus.  Try it, I think you’ll really like it.


(By the way, beginning on Wednesday May 3rd I will be teaching a course on Judaism and the supernatural.  Among other things we will talk about spiritual practices that are Torah based and those that are not.  We will pursue the line between the supernatural and superstition, and much more.  Click here for more information.)


This Week’s Live Class Schedule:

Sunday, April 30:

Decoding Chassidus 

6:00 PM (Zoom)


Monday, May 1:

Positive Jewish Living

6:00 PM (In Person)

Please reply to this message or call 650-424-9800 for more information about these classes

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