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professional psychotherapist
Shalvi Waldman M.Sc.
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Tzimtzum
When things are getting extra dark, sometimes that is an invitation to experience, connect to and reveal a higher level of Divine light.

Before Creation there was only the Divine, Ohr Ein Sof, which of course no image can convey.
HaShem wanted to give of His Goodness and Compassion, and created a world in which it would be possible to be in loving relationship with humans.
In order to make space for creation, HaShem pulled and constricted the light to the sides, creating a vacant space.

The darkness gets bigger and bigger. At times it's hard to remember that there was ever any light.

We each experience this process of constriction and contraction many times in our lives. We can feel swallowed in darkness and dispair. Was there really a light? It seems impossible that it ever existed. Perhaps the light was all a dream...
In that moment of darkness, finding any spark of light, or נקודה טובה is increadibly precious, as any speck of light is an expression and extention of the ultimate light, the אור אין סוף.
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The darkness can feel like a punch in the gut, or a contraction of the soul. "I've worked so hard, done so much, why is this happening? What is expected of me? איה מקום כבודו?" But like any contraction, it brings the message that birth is getting closer...
When we hold strong to our faith, in HaShem and in our selves, the contration becomes exactly the opening that we need to let in the new light, Or Chadash, with all of the blessings that accompany it.


As the light expands, it fills the darkness created in the previously vacated space. Our faith, and willingness to be in relationship with HaShem and with ourselves, can give us vessels to receive this precious light, turning it into a shared experience with HKBH, and bringing us closer to the ultimate Tachlis.
In those moments of expansion we understand that the dark was never real, it was just a backdrop waiting for the light to rip through.

These precious vessels were created specifically from our ability to hold strong in the darkness. The bring us and others blessing in this world and the next.
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וְצָרִיך לְזַכֵּך וּלְצַחְצֵחַ הַנְּשָׁמָה
וְזֶה נַעֲשֶׂה עַל יְדֵי שֶׁמַּמְשִׁיך הַמְשָׁכַת רוּחָנִיּוּת אֱלקוּת לְתוֹך צִמְצוּמִים
שֶׁזֶּה בְּחִינַת שַׁדַּי, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת צִמְצוּם
כִּי שַׁדַּי עַל שֵׁם שֶׁאָמַר לְעוֹלָמוֹ דַי
וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה מְצַחְצֵחַ הַנְּשָׁמָה
וְזֶהוּ: "וְנִשְׁמַת שַׁדַּי תְּבִינֵם"
שֶׁעַל יְדֵי בְּחִינַת שַׁדַּי, דְּהַיְנוּ הַמְשָׁכַת רוּחָנִיּוּת אֱלקוּת לְתוֹך צִמְצוּמִים
עַל יְדֵי זֶה מְצַחְצֵחַ הַנְּשָׁמָה, וַאֲזַי הוּא אִישׁ תְּבוּנוֹת כַּנַּ"ל
כִּי עַל יְדֵי הַמְשָׁכַת רוּחָנִיּוּת אֱלקוּת לְתוֹך צִמְצוּמִים, דְּהַיְנוּ לְתוֹך גּוּפִים
עַל יְדֵי זֶה נִכְפָּל וְנִתְרַבֶּה פַּרְנָסָתוֹ
כִּי כְּשֶׁמַּמְשִׁיך רוּחָנִיּוּת אֱלקוּת לְתוֹך צִמְצוּמִים, דְּהַיְנוּ לְתוֹך גּוּפִים
זֶה בְּחִינַת בְּרִיאָה
כִּי נַעֲשֶׂה עַתָּה בְּרִיאָה חֲדָשָׁה
לקוטי מוהר"ן תנינא ה
"And one must purify and refine the soul,
and this is achieved by drawing down divine spirituality into constrictions (tzimtzumim).
This corresponds to the aspect of Shaddai, which represents constriction,
for Shaddai is named so because He said to His world: 'Enough' (Dai).
And through this, the soul is polished and refined.
This is the meaning of: 'And the soul of Shaddai shall give them understanding' (Job 32:8).
For through the aspect of Shaddai—meaning the drawing down of divine spirituality into constrictions—
the soul becomes refined. And then one becomes a person of understanding, as mentioned above.
For by bringing divine spirituality into constrictions, that is, into bodies,
one's sustenance (parnasa) is multiplied and increased.
Because when divine spirituality is drawn into constrictions, meaning into physical bodies,
this is an aspect of creation (beriah),
as it now becomes a new creation (beriah chadasha)."
When we hold strong through the darkness and pain, we can boldy face the most daunting challenges, and use our pain to build connection, relationship and lasting resilience, bringing ourselves and the world closer to the ultimate tikkun.

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