Mira Neshama

29/09/2026

JOY is a practice.

And for Jews, it is an ethical choice, especially nowadays.

We are in Soukkot, זמן שמחתינו Zman simchateinu, the "time of our joy".

And yet every time, but every time I open social media, I get hurt. Everytime I hear news from the world, I am heartbroken.

The insanity of the obsessive, passionate bullying of my People and country, everywhere globally- in the worlds of Politics, of Sport, of Arts, of Academia, journalism, Youth culture...

And I see, powerless, the rising of this new wave the world basks in, drunk of its own ignorant self-righteousness, selective compassion, and virtuous hatred.

It seems like once again, way too soon after the late thirties, too great a part of human consciousness has tilted to the dark side.
And until they wake up again, I feel speechless, hurt, wounded, powerless.

This is where Jewish wisdom comes to wake me up.

It is sukkot, "the time of our joy," it tells me.

I don't need to let myself be sucked in by the dark side of the world
It is time to reclaim the way I want to leave in it.

The mitzvah of dwelling on the sukkah comes to whisper me: leave the meshuges (insanity)aside.

הבל הבלים 'Hevel havalim"- vanity of vanities, remind us Kohelet, which is read at this time of year.
All is transient.
It seems so real but this too will pass, the screaming ghost will again vanish when humans wake up again.

In the meantime, turn towards Life:

Build a cabin.
Make it home.
It's playful, it's delightful. Then it gets even better
invite friends. Play music, share good food.
Hang out and do nothing, just enjoy.
Lie down and look at the sky.
Look at the fabrics moving in the wind like they too are breathing.
See the shadows of the trees on the other side of the translucid walls of the booth?
Feel the rays of sun, the wind blow?

Within our vulnerability we celebrate, in this mock home outside of the ordinary comfort, a transient one built for only seven days, a liminal space both inside and outside, closer to the sky.

You are at home in the world.

Touch the transient nature of existence. Enjoy every moment.
Because life is now.
And it is beautiful.

24/09/2026

Why build a sukkah?

It all starts by acknowledging that we are alive. Right here, right now.
With Rosh Hashana, we celebrated the birth of the world.
At Kippur, by rehearsing our own death, we called for a true rebirth.

And on the other side of it, when we are atoned, reborn, renewed— what's left to do?

Build a home in this world.
And dwell in it, in joy. A joy made real by sharing it with others.
This is what sukkot is about, and this is why
it is one of the most existential holidays we have.
It closes the arc of the High Holidays with a simple teaching: now that you've reaffirmed your covenant with life — your desire to actually be alive — you have to go build your home in it.

_________

Pourquoi construit-on une souccah ?

Rosh Hashana, c'est la naissance du monde.
Kippour, c'est notre propre renaissance.

Et une fois qu'on est né à nouveau — que reste-t-il à faire ?

Construire une maison dans ce monde. Et y habiter — dans la joie. Une joie qui se construit en la partageant avec des invités.

Souccot est l'une des fêtes les plus existentielles qui soient.
Elle referme l'arc des Grandes Fêtes avec un enseignement tout simple : maintenant que tu as réaffirmé ton alliance avec la vie — ton désir d'être vraiment vivant — il te reste à aller construire ta maison dans ce monde.

Une invitation à se sentir à la maison dans le monde, et à s'en réjouir!

🌿🏡

20/09/2026

KAVANNAH for Yom Kippur.

The way we prepare towards the Holiest day of the year Matters.
It is not usually my style to give advice on “how to experience the holidays well.”

And yet, because Kippour is a spiritual journey that challenges the body, physical and mental preparation matters.

So today I want to share with you a few suggestions for preparing better for the fast and focusing on what matters:

1. Prepare the body mentally. Whisper to it that it is going to fast. That it will be okay.
2. Tell yourself fasting can beeasier than you think. Then it often becomes so.
3. Do not overcompensate in advance by eating abundantly the day before. It is counterproductive.
4. Choose foods that hydrate: cucumbers, watermelons, Coconut water.
5. Choose foods rich in fiber that stay in the body: rice, grapes, chia pudding
6. Favor silence and introspection. Some people also practice ta’anit ha-dibur, the fast of speech, on this day. Feel free not to play the social game.
7. Get enough sleep. There is no point depriving yourself of sleep and then being absent from the prayers. And dreams can accomplish a great deal of tikkoun.
8. True prayer is in the heart. Do not feel obliged to complete the entire siddur. This is not a sport. It is a plunge inward.
9. Take care of yourself. Feel free not to stay somewhere if it does not feel right.
10. Trust the process. A difficult moment can become the most beautiful opening.

I hope it speaks to you.
צום כל. חתימה טובה

19/09/2026

Three starts have lit up in the night sky of Jerusalem.
We are the 9 of Tishrei, the eve of Yom Kippur.
It is my hebrew birthday.

Traditionally, on one’s Hebrew birthday, we bless others.
So I bless you
that your heart may awaken and enlighten you.

And I want to share this song with you.

If you play the song, take 4 minutes to pause, and watch the video clip as you listen:
Just seeing people singing together, these words, gives me more hope than anything else for the world right now.

השיבנו השם אליך ונשובה
ונשובה
השיבנו השם

השיבנו השם אליך ונשובה
ונשובה
השיבנו השם

חדש
חדש ימינו
חדש ימינו כקדם

חדש
חדש ימינו
חדש ימינו כקדם

ונשובה ונשובה
השיבנו

Bring us back
Life Source, to You, and we will return
and we will return
Bring us back, Eternal One

Bring us back
Eternal One, to You, and we will return
and we will return
Bring us back, Life Source

Renew
Renew our days
Renew our days as in days of old

Renew
Renew our days
Renew our days as in days of old

And we will return, and we will return
Bring us back, Source of Life.

As the singer Hanan Ben Ari says at the beginning of the song: “This is for you.”

18/09/2026

https://www.miraneshama.com/post/everything-is-a-miracle-a-kavannah-towards-yom-kippur

We are about to enter shabbat shuvah, the shabbat of "return", named after the Haftarah (Hosea 16.2-3) read on that day

And then the prophet adds:

Take words with yourselves and return to Life Source.

קְח֚וּ עִמָּכֶם֙ דְּבָרִ֔ים וְשׁ֖וּבוּ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֑ה

I love this expression? "take words with you." I read it as a direct invitation to spontaneous prayer.

Please remember. If we have a machzor (the special prayer book we open on Yom Kipur), it is to support it. Not to replace the voice of our heart.
It is to help us find the words, and to give us a common language which is part of the fabric of rituals.
But in the end of the day- or rather, in the beginning of days, as we said in last week's drasha when mentioning Hannah's prayer, read on Rosh Hashana, the first prayer is mine. It is the "offering of my lips." as the prophet says.
The one that comes out of my heart.

Yet sometimes my heart is silent. Sometimes it has a hard time finding ..language, especially when life feels scary, especially when the world hurts.

This is where I really believe Art comes as Grace.

שׁוּבָה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֖ד יְהֹוָ֣ה"Return, Israel, to Life Source"We are about to enter shabbat shuvah, the shabbat of "return", named after the Haftarah (Hosea 16.2-3) read on that dayAnd then the prophet adds:Take words with yourselves and return to Life Source.קְח....

17/09/2026

My prayer for the New Year.
Please watch the video, hear the words- or read the translation below, and take the time to be with them-with us- with yourselfe.
This is a translation of the lyrics.
Gratitude to Aviv.
Amen.

Amen. Aviv Bahar. 2026

"May all the nights open,
may all the days grow longer,
may all the senses awaken,
and may we sing with voices of Amen.
May all the ships arrive,
may all the shores gather,
may all the flowers bloom again,
we will sing with voices of Amen.

Amen, and may words return to being a bridge.
Amen, and may we learn to truly listen.
Amen, and may the children grow up here without fear,
only with curiosity and true love.
Amen, and may nature heal together with us.
Amen, and may we learn to stop time.
Amen, and may everyone who lost someone along the way
find a beautiful reason to continue from here.

May I rejoice in my portion,
may I share my joy,
may I share from my table
with the satisfied and the hungry.
May I be a human being,
in the simple sense — a human being at eye level,
at the level of the heavens,
and may I listen to the voices of Amen.

Amen, and may words return to being a bridge.
Amen, and may we learn to truly listen.
Amen, and may the children grow up here without fear,
only with curiosity and true love.
Amen, Amen,
and may nature heal together with us.
Amen, and may we learn to stop time.
Amen, and may everyone who lost someone along the way
find a beautiful reason to continue from here."

אביב בכר בפייסבוק: http://bit.ly/2HfRHg8אביב בכר באינסטגרם: https:...

17/09/2026

https://www.instagram.com/p/DdZBDIeizIJ/
Today I hold the Daily Sit for the Insititute of .

In honor of Shabbat Tshuvah, we'll open the Haftara and explore the importance of speech- especially when it comes to uttering our own prayers.

And we'll look at it in the light of contemporary piutyim that can be found in unexpected places, such as israeli contemporary popular musica.
bahar thank you for this other incredible song
הכל זה נס
which will be our piyut today.

Registration is free on the IJS website, Daily sit. Will you join us?

Registration link : https://www.jewishspirituality.org/get-started/free-resources-from-ijs/daily-online-meditation-sit/

11/09/2026

04/09/2026

We are less than a week away for the great new Beginning.

Where are you at?
Parashat Nitzavim starts with noticing that we are all standing before something, something big.
A covenant.
With Life.
And it is up to us to renew our covenant with Life in each moment, but also, on a deeper level, each year in the Jewish New Year. The great renewal is happening in less than a week!

What do we need to remember?

As we stand together in this liminal moment before Rosh Hashanah, the Hasidic Master Kedushat Levi is reminding us of the importance of remembering
Chesed—the unconditional kindness—of Life Source- but also what we need to do
in order to truly receive it.

As we prepare for the new year, may we find simplicity and openness in our hearts. Shabbat Shalom!

04/09/2026

https://www.instagram.com/p/Dc3o3O_iu7T/
DERNIER CHABBAT DE L’ANNÉE

Où en êtes-vous ?

La parachat Nitsavim commence par nous rappeler que nous nous tenons tous devant quelque chose, quelque chose de grand.
Notre alliance avec la Vie.

Et c’est à nous de renouveler cette alliance, à chaque instant, mais aussi, à un niveau plus profond, chaque année, à l’occasion du Nouvel An juif.

Le grand renouvellement aura lieu dans moins d’une semaine !

Que devons-nous nous rappeler ?

Alors que nous nous tenons ensemble dans ce moment liminal qui précède Roch Hachana, le maître hassidique Kedouchat Lévi nous rappelle l’importance de nous souvenir du Hessed — la bonté inconditionnelle — de la Source de Vie, mais aussi de ce que nous devons faire afin de pouvoir véritablement la recevoir.

Alors que nous nous préparons à entrer dans la nouvelle année, puissions-nous trouver dans nos cœurs simplicité et ouverture pour recevoir.

Chabbat Chalom !