Rabbi Moss: Do You Remember Your Past Lives?

Question of the Week:

If it is true that we are all reincarnated souls and have been here before, why don't we remember our previous lives? Wouldn't it be helpful to know what you were in a past life so you know what to fix in this one?

Answer:

Personally, I find it hard enough to remember where I put my car keys five minutes ago, let alone what I did in a previous life. But there have been very holy individuals who were aware of their past lives. One example is Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum of Ujhely, who said he remembers his past three lives.

Previous to his current life as a Rabbi in 18th century Hungary, he said he lived in the times of the first Temple in Jerusalem in 587 BCE. He was the prophet Jeremiah, who foresaw the destruction of the Temple. For that reason Rabbi Moshe was famous for his constant yearning for the redemption and rebuilding of the third Temple.

He also recalled an even earlier incarnation, when he was a witness to the debate between Moses and Korach, which took place during the Israelite sojourn in the desert, some three thousand years ago.

But Rabbi Teitelbaum remembered further back, all the way to the time of the patriarchs. He said that when our forefather Jacob tended the sheep of his father-in-law Lavan, his flock numbered 600 000 sheep. They contained the souls of the future nation of Israel. Your soul and mine were there. We just don't remember. But Rabbi Moshe did.

"I remember being a sheep in Jacob's flock," Rabbi Moshe told his students. "I even remember the song Jacob would sing to gather us together." And he would sing this most beautiful and haunting song, the song Jacob our forefather sang to our souls hidden in the sheep. The song is still known to this very day.

Rabbi Moshe is an exception. Most of us have no conscious memory of our previous lives. But somewhere deep down, we do remember. We have a sense of what our mission is and what we need to fix. Our mission is usually found in the very area of life that we find the most challenging. Our soul knows that this is what we have to face. That's why it's so daunting.

There are certain people in our lives who push our buttons. There are particular weaknesses in our character that we loath to face. And there are mitzvahs that we know we have to do but are scared to do them. These are the faint memories of our past lives. These are what we need to fix in this life.

And if you're not sure that you believe in all this, listen to Jacob's song. Its heavenly melody just might arouse some hidden memory in the recesses of your soul. Tell me you're not moved by it.

We may not remember exactly who we were before, but one thing we know. We are all Jacob's sheep. We each have a soul that matters, we each have a mission to accomplish, and we each have a song to sing.

Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Moss

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To help you recreate the holy energy of shul in your home, here are recordings of the Friday night tunes we sing at Nefesh, created by the super-talented Zalmy Okunov. Download and listen to them during the week, so when it comes to Shabbos, you can be the chazan! Note: they are not to be played on Shabbos itself - nothing can replace your own voice on Shabbos.

CLICK HERE OR ON THE IMAGE BELOW. ENJOY!

SHABBOS SERVICES & COMMUNITY INFORMATION: SHABBOS BEHAALOSCHA

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The Nefesh community looks forward to getting back together! In the meantime, make your Shabbos special by doing your own little service at home. Here are some instructions. Page numbers are from the blue Chabad Siddur. Don't have one? You can download it here and print it.

We will run a minimal Friday Night Service tonight and minyan with Torah reading tomorrow. To register CLICK HERE

Friday 12 June - 20 Sivan

Light Candles.............. 4:35pm

Before 4:53pm:........... Mincha p101

After 5:21pm............... Shabbos evening service p154

Kiddush....................... p179

Saturday 13 June - 21 Sivan

Morning Service for Shabbos:

p5-25, p181-219, Torah reading Behaaloscha, Mussaf p234, Kiddush p248.

Virtual Lechaim 1:30pm - raise a glass and have us all in mind!

This week's Virtual Lechaim sponsored by Michael & Karen Martin in honour of Harper's Birthday- Mazal Tov!

Before 4:53pm ................. Mincha p253

Pirkei Avos ...................... Chapter 2 p273

After 5:21pm ................... Maariv p161

Shabbos Ends................... 5:34pm

Havdala p297

Latest Shema this week...... 9:24am

MAZAL TOV

Gilda Cohen-Shapira and Jon Shapira on the birth of a grandson in London! Mazal Tov to parents Natalia and Robert and sister Maya.

BIRTHDAYS

Harper Martin............. 21 Sivan/ Saturday 13 June

Michelle Streimer........ 21 Sivan/ Saturday 13 June

Justin Rosenberg........ 26 Sivan/ Thursday 18 June

Sarah Weisz.............. 27 Sivan/ Friday 19 June

ANNIVERSARIES

John & Linda Isdale.............. 27 Sivan/ Friday 19 June

Wendy & Barry Steinberg...... 27 Sivan/ Friday 19 June

Claudia & Murray Foltyn........ 27 Sivan/ Friday 19 June

Ben & Melissa Schwarz......... 27 Sivan/ Friday 19 June

YORTZHEITS

Tania Hasanoff for her late aunt Thelia Hasanoff,

Tzela...21 Sivan/ Saturday 13 June

Larnce Gold for his late grandfather David Goldbaum,

David ben Baruch...22 Sivan/ Sunday 14 June

Robyn Tsipris for her late mother Anne Brandon,

Channah bat Bension...23 Sivan/ Monday 15 June

Jonathan Shapira for his late father Miron Shapira

Meir ben Yosef...24 Sivan/ Tuesday 16 June

Anne Sarzin for her late mother Bertha Elizabeth Levy, (aka Betty)

Elisheva bat Avraham...25 Sivan/ Wednesday 17 June

Jackie Regos for her late father Paul Vertes,

Henanya Meyer ben Shmuel Yehuda...25 Sivan/ Wednesday 17 June

Jerome Stern & David Stern for their late mother Gerda Stern,

Yehudith bat Mordechai...26 Sivan/ Thursday 18 June

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