HaMakom

The word "HaMakom" is Hebrew for "The Place".  That may sound like a pretty ordinary word until you see how it is used. Following the death of a loved one it is Jewish custom to say this blessing of comfort to those who are left behind, "May God console you among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem (Ha'makom yenahem etkhem betokh she'ar avelei Tziyonvi'Yerushalayim)." The word  HaMakom, means, the (ha), and  place (makom). God himself is at times called "HaMakom", it is one of His names.  May you be comforted by the one who is the place where your loved one has gone. Sounds like the New Testament where Paul said that when we die our spirit returns to God who made it.  HaMakom (the place) The place is God Himself.  We are here In a journey to return to "the Place",  return to the one who made us. Some of us spend our entire life trying to run away from home. Running away from God, running away from the one who made us.  No place will feel like "home " until you return to the one who made you.  HaMakom :)

An Offering of You

Reading about the sacrifices brought to the Temple.  In the book Torah Studies Rabbi Schneerson, talks about the sentence "if any man brings an offering of you..." He says it Seems to have a misplaced word, however this is never the case in the scripture! When a word seems misplaced or out of the ordinary it is there for a purpose, placed there in that way by G-d. Man himself is the sanctuary of G-d, man himself is the sacrifice offered to G-d. First the sacrifice itself was an animal, "from the cattle, the herd and the flock". This represents the animal nature, human nature, the flesh. We are to bring an offering to be consumed or to be licked up by the flames of the purifying holiness of a righteous G-d. The sacrifice to be offered was first inspected to make sure that it was without blemish. When we bring ourself before the LORD as a sacrifice to "draw near" to Him, we must use self examination. Offering ourself "spiritually" is one thing but to offer up the animal side of our selves is another. This is how we sanctify our earthly nature. When we offer our flesh to the service of the LORD there is a transcendence of the heavenly to the earthly. When we bring our earthly "animal body" or "old man" into subjection with G-d's will and service then the "kavod" glory of G-d can be revealed in the world. How do we see the glory of G-d? We have seen it "in the face of Jesus Christ". In other words when we submit our body, to the will of G-d we enable the will of G-d to be revealed in the earth. This is how the world will see Jesus. His glory must transcend the spiritual or heavenly to the earthly or flesh and blood realm. We are not walking in the unity of the Spirit if our "body of flesh" is not put under the feet of Jesus. The world, our family, our husband, our children, our friends, our enemies will not see Jesus or the love of G-d if they do not see the "kavod" glory of Jesus in our human faces. If your soul is saved and your spirit is born again they will not see it unless your earthly frame shines with a radiance of an "animal sacrifice" (allowing our human nature) to be
  consumed in the fire of G-d's Holiness

Hey!

This is so cool.  The Hebrew language!  The little letter hey (ה) is a quiet letter but packs quite a punch.  In ancient Hebrew the letter hey was a little man with his hands outstretched (upwards).  The hey makes the sound of "h" in English. The sound of breath.  The Jewish sages say that by the single letter "hey" the world was created.  "By the Word of God the heavens were made, and by the breath (by the hey) of his mouth all their hosts." (Ps. 33:6) The letter by itself means "behold".  When placed in front of a word it stands for the word "the" like saying HaEretz (the land), HaShem (The Name) etc.  it literally means "behold, look, behold, take notice, pay attention".  Now the part I think is cool!  The word for trouble is Tzoros in Hebrew.  It is also connected to the word Tzur which means rock, hence I think this is where the phrase "between a rock and a hard place" comes from.  The word tzoros literally means a narrow, confined restricted place.  Being "hard pressed" by an enemy or by circumstances.  Now the word for light, brilliance, something shining bright, the glistening of olive oil is tzohor.these two words come from the same root, and in Hebrew that is significant.  By adding the little letter "hey" to the word for trouble you get enlightenment, you get shining bright like the glistening of olive oil.  The lesson I see in this is that in the midst of troubles, in a narrow, constricted, restricted place, between a rock and a hard place.  Where you are "hard pressed" for answers or a solution if you add the little hey and like the little hey approach God with outstretched arms, and "behold, look, pay attention" to Him, He will bring enlightenment and shine bright like glistening olive oil and come to you in the midst of your situation.