Body-Soul Health

Most people dread the thought of Yom Kippur and fasting for 25 hours. That is bodily-oriented dread. As far as the soul is concerned, it's the happiest day of the year. Let's connect to our souls and find out why.

"The body is a fence to the soul. To find our true selves, we must jump the fence." ~Rabbi Lazer Brody. Enjoy today's 3-minute message.

The Hebrew month of Elul includes the 4 weeks that precede the High Holidays. At this time, Hashem - the King of Kings - is especially accessible.

A flat tire is definitely not the end of the race. You can change it! Rebbe Nachman of Breslev says that if you believe you can ruin something, then believe that you can rectify it. This is not just a pleasant expression, but a signed promise in the Torah and a fact of life. The second chance we all get is a much more effective way to beautify and overhaul ourselves than plastic surgery, and a whole lot cheaper...

If the mouth is a gun, then the tongue is the trigger. Not only is it the trigger, but it's the hand that pulls the trigger. What's worse is that the tongue can misfire. When it does, it's every bit as dangerous as a loaded pistol.

Suffering severe abdominal pain, Rabbi Shalom of Shatz made a rare visit to a physician. Before the examination, the Rabbi asked the doctor to diagnose the source of the pain. "Doctor, I simply need you to tell me which internal organ is not functioning properly. I don't need any treatments or medication." Today, we learn his age-old secret to self-healing.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not a professional musician. For relaxation, I play flutes made out of natural materials that grow in the Land of Israel, such as bamboo, almond and olive wood.
The Land of Israel is holy. Divine melodies permeate everywhere you go. 
Once, I was under a lot of stress. I needed first aid, so I took a flute and walked to a secluded beach near Ashdod's ancient citadel. I put the flute to my mouth and this is what came out. Seven minutes later, I forgot all about the stress. This melody will calm you to. I use it to sing Psalm 23. That's where the name "Calming Waters" come from. Enjoy it and feel free to download it, courtesy of "Lazer Beams".

Fitness trainers have an expression: “Get it right!” Any exercise, from simple breathing to the most complex routine, must be done in the best possible form to ensure optimal performance, gain and benefit to the body. Just as doing exercise is a workout for the body, doing mitzvas is a workout for the soul, making the soul strong and healthy. In that respect, good spiritual form is important for fulfilling a mitzva, so when it comes to observing the Torah, we have to "get it right" too.

Modern society is so preoccupied with body that most people don't even know that they have a soul. When people think that life is only body and the physical, they become candidates for depression. Why? For them, each day is a day closer to the cemetery. Is that all one has to look forward to in life? Thank goodness, no!
Champion athletes are highly aware of their bodies. A marathon runner feels what's going on in each muscle of his legs and feet. Yet, an overweight person who never engages in physical activity and barely gets out of the sofa is utterly out of touch with his body. By the same token, one who never engages in spiritual activity loses touch with his soul. Spiritual awareness - awareness of the soul and its Creator - is a prerequisite for happiness and inner peace.
Here's the good news: the soul is a tiny spark of the Creator. Just as the Creator is eternal, so is the soul. A person who prioritizes soul over body lives forever.

Maybe you think you're having trouble losing weight because you eat too much, you snack too much or you don't get enough exercise. Surprisingly enough, overeating, unhealthy eating and lack of exercise are not always the culprits that prevent a person from losing excess weight. Have you ever heard about cortisol? That's the stress hormone, public enemy #1 to body and soul. Here's how to get rid of it.

Our sages tell us that we don't have to learn how to hate - that comes natural to a person because of innate egotism. Loving someone else, on the other hand, is something we all must learn to insure our emotional and physical health.

Your entire health depends heavily on good standing posture - a strong and stable spine, your balance and your breathing, just for starters. Did you know that your mood sinks when you slouch and you become prone to back pain and headaches? Bad posture weakens a person, and he or she becomes easier prey for muggers, anti-Semites and worst of all, the evil inclination that wants to weaken our connection with Hashem, Heaven forbid. This instructional vid will teach you the 6 steps to proper standing posture, and it will undoubtedly enhance both body and soul health.