Rabbi Yehoshua Alt
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לעילוי נשמת שמואל אביגדור בן יצחק מאיר
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Rabbi Alt merited to learn under the tutelage of R’ Mordechai Friedlander ztz”l for close to five years. He received Semicha from R’ Zalman Nechemia Goldberg ztz”l. Rabbi Alt has written on numerous topics for various websites and publications and is the author of the books, Fascinating Insights and Incredible Insights. His writings inspire people across the spectrum of Jewish observance to live with the vibrancy and beauty of Torah. He lives with his wife and family in a suburb of Yerushalayim where he studies, writes, and teaches. The author is passionate about teaching Jews of all levels of observance.
Listen to the short Fascinating Insights podcast at https://jewishpodcasts.fm/
Identify
We are comprised of a body and soul. The question is what do we identify with? Here is the litmus test to know if we are listening to the voice of the soul or body. Following the lower self always feels good for the moment and rotten after the fact, while listening to the soul can be challenging for the moment but ultimately will be uplifting.
One way R’ Noach Weinberg advised to identify with the soul and not the body is to speak of the body in the third person. For example, instead of saying, “I’m hungry,” say “my body wants some food.” Instead of saying “I’m tired” say “my body wants to sleep.”
If one identifies himself with the body, the separation of body and soul will be hard. This is just as a widow who lived with her husband for 50 years and will now live alone. However, if one identifies himself with his soul, then the death experience isn’t difficult since the separation of body and soul will be like changing clothes.[1]
R’ Noach Weinberg was once sitting with a secular Jew attempting to convince him to come to Aish Hatorah. R’ Noach asked if he thinks he has a soul. After pondering the question for a few minutes, the secular Jew replied that most likely he does have a soul. R’ Noach retorted, “You are making a mistake. You are a soul and you have a body!”
Author of the books Fascinating Insights and Incredible Insights
