Our Core Teachings

The Torah has been described as many things, including our cultural storybook, a code of morality, a list of 613 do’s and dont’s, and a religious doctrine. Really, though, the Torah is our worldly Constitution, the instruction manual for the universe and humanity. As in any instruction manual, the Torah begins by telling us what all the parts are and what the purpose of our gadget is. It tells us quite clearly that everything in this world was created for Humanity, for Adam.

Our sages reveal to us that the letters of the word Adam (אדם) hint at the two aspects of the global mission. Firstly, אדם stands for “אדם דוד משיח”, “Adam, David, Mashiach,” a hint that the world is progressing from the time of Creation towards an endpoint of the Messianic Age. An important aspect of being a human is being a link in this chain, recognizing what things were when they began and where they are heading, and putting your own life into that context. We refer to this analysis of our social and historical context as the study of the Divine Plan.

Secondly, אדם tells us “דע מה אני”, “Know what I am.” It is crucial to discover one’s personal avodah and to live one’s life centered on that avodah, rather than to have dissonance between our values, feelings, and lived experiences. Learning to align our intellect, emotions, and activities is what we call the Architecture of the Soul.

Combined, the Divine Plan and the Architecture of the Soul provide us with a clear picture of our purpose and what tools and settings we have to accomplish it, as well as what challenges may present themselves. In order to realistically apply this information in our lives, our mesorah tells us to focus our attention in four main areas: Physical and financial health, relationships, wisdom, and guidance. We refer to these four areas as the Arba Yesodot (Four Foundations), and keeping each of these four aspects of one’s life healthy is the surest way to live a stable, fulfilling life. Each of the Four Foundations is taught in depth so that anyone can get access to the resources needed to balance their experiences.

Our final category of teachings is what we refer to as Fluid Integration. This category consists of the practical exercises, targilim, from our Oral Tradition that allow a person to begin to experience change within themselves. Sprinkled throughout our other teachings, these practices will help you to apply what you have learned from studying the Divine Plan, the Architecture of the Soul, and the Arba Yesodot with your emotional and lived experiences, aligning your mind, emotions, and body into a singular framework of being.

With Hashem’s help, may these paradigms and practices help you to fulfill your potential and serve Hashem with simcha, ahavah, and oneg.

THE BIG PICTURE

DIVINE PLAN

ARCHITECTURE OF THE SOUL

ARBA YESODOT

FLUID INTEGRATION

Fundamental Teachings

Our Core Teachings