My God, the Soul you've Given Me is Pure - Elohai Neshama Introduction

There's a beautiful piece of Torah from the Sfaf Emet. He quotes the Kabbalist Isaac Luria, who noted that when Judah begs his brother Joseph to let their brother Benjamin go free from being falsely held for stealing, Judah says

Bi, Adoni. Please, my lord. Judah`s name in Hebrew, Yehudah, contains the letters Yud Hay Vav Hay. That means the phrase could be interpreted to say “In me is YHVH, the Source of Life”.... “YHVH is in me….“* Even through all of Judah’s missing the mark, YHVH was within him…. I believe this spark of God helped Judah realize where he was wrong and act to set things right.

God is within us.

God, You are in us. You “soul” us- You have given a pure soul within us.

“You created me, You shaped me, You breathe me into life..”

Elohai N’shama (Casey Prusher version) - Pam Bassuk guitar & vocals, Page 3, Makom Ohr Shalom siddur

*Sfat Emet on Vayigash

Shared by Rabbi JudiAhavah DelBourgo, Makom Ohr Shalom, Los Angeles. www.makom.org

Parshat Vayigash, Jan 4, 2025