Making Moedim Transformational

Making Moedim Transformational

By Esther Mandella

The hot rays of the sun, made the sweat drizzle off her forehead. Yael, Yeshoshua, and Ariel, her three yeledim, toiled, each gathering the wheat into their baskets.  Their energy surpassed their Ima’s, as they sang and played while harvesting the grain.

It was almost time to give Abba the bikkurim, to take to the Beit Hamikdash, the Holy Temple. Hashem had taught them His Appointed Times, and with simcha they weaved through the fields, picking and singing tehillim. Songs of praise filled their lips.  Hashem had provided once again! Now, it was the time to give back to Hashem, the Name above all Names, who chose them as a special and anointed people.

I began this with a story for a special reason.  As you enter the moedim, the appointed times, it is easy to start thinking of to-do lists that can scroll a mile long.  For now, I am asking you to set that aside and travel back to the time of the Beit Hamikdash, the Holy Temple of Yerushalayim.  

Just like the Ima in the story, we are told to serve Hashem with our bikkurim, firstfruits, but now with the firstfruits of our heart.

As Yehudim, we are to always look back.  The Torah is to be as real for us today as the isha in the field, and the ish, man, bringing his tribute to the Temple.  Why so?  By looking back, we are actually looking forward! 

Hashem WILL restore His Temple again! The Beit Hamikdash will stand as a city of praise for His chosen ones and all peoples who love Him!

As the Holidays come closer each calendar day, I want you to go back.  Open your Chumash.  Allow yourself the smell the air of Ancient Yisrael.  See the grape skin wet and purple on your fingers.  See the yeledim gathering with smiles.  They know Hashem is near!

We are close! Do you feel it?  His Moshiach is arriving soon! His Beit Hamikdash is descending.  Each smile you add, each setting you place at your table, builds a stone in the Temple of the Most-High G-d!

May your Moedim be transformational for you, your household, in the Heavens and amongst us all!

What The Torah Says About Intermittent Fasting

What The Torah Says About Intermittent Fasting

By Esther Mandella

Have you heard of Intermittent Fasting? This type of fasting draws the spiritual seeker as well as the person with a desire to be fit.  Judaism has many ta’anitot, fasts, so I was curious to see what I could find out about intermittent fasting and if it truly is something that fits into a Torah lifestyle.  What I found opened my eyes!  Come along on the journey!

Let’s begin talking about what intermittent fasting is and what it is not.  You might not realize it, but you are already practicing it!  Every night you go to sleep you are actually fasting from food.  That is unless you wake up in the middle of the night for that midnight nosh!  When you arise in the morning, you sit down for breakfast, where you literally break your fast!  The simplest form of intermittent fasting simply takes this up a notch!

Instead of breaking your fast in the morning, you hold off your eating until noon.  Next, you stop eating in the evening, giving yourself plenty of time for your body to restore itself between meals.  In Judaism, when we fast, we don’t drink any fluids.  However, with intermittent fasting, liquids such as water or tea are allowed and even welcomed!

Overeating is a common phenomenon that we have all fall prey too.  You are not alone with having devoured that half gallon of ice cream without a single helper!  Nevertheless, Hashem can help us feast on His D’varim, word of Torah, and we can be full!

Yechezkel, Chapter 16 says in possuk 49:

Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom: pride, fulness of bread, and careless ease were in her and in her daughters; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Bible_(Jewish_Publication_Society_1917)/Ezekiel

When we are full of bread, stuffed to overflow, we can be careless with the things that will be most satisfying, like serving Hashem.   Can we be helping the needy?  Perhaps the next great idea will come from you on how to truly help those around you!  Is there someone in need of a friend, someone stuck in a corner with no one noticing their need?

Intermittent fasting can encourage us to do other things like using our hands l’chaim, to spread life.  Perhaps a new hobby can be learned during those down times, away from the stove, and the table.  I recently began painting wooden signs with Scriptures on them.  Each time someone enters my home they are enveloped with Hashem’s word.  What will you use your hands upon?  What dream awaits you that you can discover when you fast from decadence, and fill yourself with His abundance.  

May you be filled with His Ruach and be satisfied!

Kosher Keto!

Kosher Keto

By Esther Mandella

You have probably seen it! The Keto Diet has swept the world by storm.  Talk to a friend, pick up a magazine, or surf YouTube and you will see it everywhere! People worldwide are seeing great results on the ketogenic diet!

The Keto Diet focuses on high-fat food options, encourages you to intake a low amount of protein, and instructs you to say no to high-carb foods.  The results can be amazing! Before and after pictures are flooding social media, and your friends look great after only months on this diet!

You want to have emuna, faith, that you will have similar results, but you search the web, and all the meal plans appear with glossy photos of high-fat foods such as bacon, bacon, and more bacon.  Not just that, post after post encourages you to add creamy butter to your steak, or better yet, rich, bleu cheese. What should you do? Can this diet, or lifestyle, be for you? Or do you have to put it away as a non-kosher option, that you need to say no to?

Have no fear! In today’s article we are going to discuss awesome ways to make a Keto diet a kosher diet, and in a way that will not break the bank!

To do this properly, we will have to take a look at another diet, the Mediterranean diet, or as I like to think of it, the Torah Inspired Diet.

In Torah times, our people focused on wholesome foods such as fish, with scales and fins, nuts and seeds, and olive oil.  Oil was used to anoint our kings. They were not slathering butter on their heads!

Fish can be fairly inexpensive.  It is also a food that doesn’t need shchita! Jewish tradition teaches that fish lived in the sea, always closer to their source, so it did not require a kosher slaughter to be fit to eat.  This means your local Walmart or Cost savings store will have scores of kosher options to choose from at an very affordable price. Fish like salmon and trout have all those healthy omega 3 fats your brain is craving, and your body can use to burn for energy!

As mentioned earlier, oil was used to anoint kings, kohenim, and used in sacrifices in the Beit HaMikdash, Holy Temple! In our own home, we can make a mini Beit Hamikdash by glorifying Hashem in everything we do! This can include trading the buttery steak, for a pareve food, rich with extra virgin olive oil and aromatic spices!

In Shir Hashirim, Chapter 6 we read:

11I went down into the garden of nuts,

To look at the green plants of the valley,

To see whether the vine budded,

And the pomegranates were in flower.

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Bible_(Jewish_Publication_Society_1917)/Song_of_Songs

Nuts are found in positive ways throughout the Tanakh! Let’s follow the chochmah, wisdom, of Schlomo Hamelech and choose the low carb, satisfying fats of nuts.  Remember to look for options that are rich in fats yet also super, low-carb. Pecan and macadamia nuts are rich in taste, and extremely low in carbohydrates, weighing in at only about 1 net carb each! Sprinkling nuts on your yogurt for breakfast, or fish for dinner, can taste great and make you look like a gourmet chef!

Remember to do any diet plan under the guidance of a health professional!

Emuna Judaism is all about applying the Torah to your lives!

May you be satisfied with Hashem’s bounty!

Increase Your Emuna!

Increase Your Emuna!

By Esther Mandella

Many people have different definitions of emuna.  I have heard it called faith or trust. I like that! I have also heard emuna described as an inner conviction that “G-d’s got this.” You are going to be alright. In fact, it was all good in the first place.

The following are three “go to ways” I use when my emuna needs an all-important recharge!

1) Teshuvah

Teshuvah, repentance, might seem like an odd thing to start with. We want to feel better, not worse, right? But trust me, repentance can actually feel great. It is like a strong massage that gets down deep and causes healing to begin! Speak to Hashem about the ways you feel you have gone away from His Torah path, which is what He hopes and expects of you. Tell Him you are sorry. Your heart is crying out to be in right relationship with Your Father. Have your own personal, symbolic Tashlich, so to speak. Let the aveiros, sins, go, washed away down the river of G-d’s forgetfulness. It is a great place to start!

2) Todah

Todah, thanks, and praise to G-d. Remember those times you rested in His care and He filled you with His Ruach of shalom? Recall those times now! Taste them in your mind and heart. Praise Him for it! This is when you were truly alive and in line with things above! Reconnect! It was real then and it can be real now!

3) Let G-d’s Vision be Your Vision!

Sometimes we daven, pray, too small. We ask G-d to fix the tire, and figuratively He wanted to get you the new car! Ask G-d to show you His vision for you! Ask Him to lay it on your heart, move mountains in its way. He is already moving them you know, now YOU can to get to be on the moving truck;)

Through teshuvah, praise, and seeking Hashem’s vision for your life, you will feel your emuna begin to grow and blossom in your heart!

Preschool Classes Online Free

Hi! I am collecting awesome comprehensive video preschool phonics, reading, and writing resources!
I am appreciative of these wonderful videos found on youtube embedded below. Make the video larger and you can cast it to your T.V.!

I Did It! Credit By Exam

B"H

Inspired by CLEP enthusiasts on YouTube I took the plunge! I studied for a short time using an awesome program called Study.com for the CLEP exam Principles in Marketing and I passed!

If you are looking for inspiration you will find it here: 

The One-Year Diploma: Start Your Career without Student Loan Debt 

I loved this book! It is helpful and inspiring for catching the vision of this method of learning.

The following was MY experience with credit by exam:

Let's Jump In!

I personally chose to enroll in Excelsior College, a regionally accredited college that is known for having one of the most generous transfer policies around!  I transferred in my college credit from previous colleges I attended in my younger years.  

With a major chosen, I chose a CLEP test, credit by exam, that would fit into my degree requirements.  I chose Principles of Marketing because the subject seemed very interesting to me!

I began the premium plan at Study.com, currently $59.99 a month, which allowed me to watch engaging animated videos from wonderful professors on the subject that specifically prepared me for my CLEP exam.  I chose not to take all the quizzes, after watching the many 5-minute video lessons in full, I took the practice test for the course.  Make sure you search their site for specifically for the CLEP study course of your choice.  You may choose to study multiple courses at once, or you can study one at a time.  I chose one at a time so I could really absorb the information well and learn quickly!

I kept taking the practice exam during my free time until I scored high enough to feel prepared to schedule my CLEP exam.  CLEP exams are given almost every day at local colleges country-wide! You can register for your test here: https://clep.collegeboard.org/exams My test was $87, plus a $30 testing fee I paid to Florida State College, where I scheduled my test.  On the College Board website they will suggest a testing center near your home! Go to the suggested college's website and put "schedule CLEP exam" in their search box.  I was able to schedule my test online through the college website.  On the day of the exam, I arrived at their testing center and took the 90-minute proctored exam.  My husband spent quality time with our kids while I took the exam.  Being away from home for a couple hours is much preferable to this momma, than being away for a semester:)

CLEP tests show that you are proficient in a subject.  They are pass/fail and do not affect your GPA! However, they do award 3 credits, sometimes, more, for college! I saved so much money AND time! I was able to study at home.  The whole process from start to finish was done in just a couple weeks!  

The test was harder than I thought it would be, so I purchased a CLEP practice test guide from Amazon for next time! I will practice the CLEP test at home, as well as my study.com test BEFORE I schedule my next exam.  However, I was successful in passing the test and earning the college credit!

Certain colleges and universities are very CLEP friendly, although almost all colleges accept some amount of CLEP tests, saving you money and time on completing your degree!

Colleges that are especially CLEP friendly are:

1) Excelsior College

2) Charter Oak State College

3) Thomas Edison State University

Excelsior College, for example, allows a determined and diligent student to transfer in almost ALL of their credits by credit by exam.  All of the above are accredited colleges and universities!

If you are someone who wants to earn your degree in a traditional way, this approach is not for you.

I am writing this for people who might enjoy learning of my journey and want to think outside of the box in terms of their education.

Charter Oak State College allows students as young as 16 to enroll!  You can begin BEFORE your student earns their high school diploma. By continuing to learn at home for high school credits, and simultaneously earning college credits, your student will be doing what is commonly called "dual enrollment."  As soon as your student has nine credits, which can be earned by credit by exam, they can enroll in their accredited college and earn their degree early! Many are calling this "homeschooling college!"

Your student will just need a government-issued ID to take their proctored test, I believe.  

Did you know students as young as 13 can take a CLEP exam? You do NOT have to be a student at the school where you take the proctored exam.  You don't have to enroll in any college right away either! You can simply study, take exams, and accumulate credits to be transferred in later to your school of choice!

It was a thrilling moment to get my unofficial score right away after my Marketing Exam! To see a passing mark was so exciting!

I have always learned in a nontraditional fashion.  This method is perfect for me!

Being able to learn at home provides a lovely place to learn and grow without compromise!
This is an added bonus for sure!

I have recently learned of a program called "Modern States."  This program has world class professors for CLEP related courses, all from top universities.  If you take their free courses, they provide you with a voucher to take your CLEP test for FREE! This allows a student to PAY NOTHING for the entire FRESHMAN year of college!  

NOTE: Always check the CLEP policy at your college of choice to see which exams your college accepts.  The college I chose, Excelsior College, accepts CLEPS very generously!

I hope you enjoyed learning about the first step in my journey! I hope to post my next adventure soon!

Preview a Study.com Marketing Course:)

Happy Learning!

Esther

Other great resources:

https://dualcreditathome.com

Please note: I am not affiliated with any of the above programs.  Please see each program,  site and website for restrictions and details:)

The Geula Campaign!

Deuteronomy Chapter 3

23 I entreated the Lord at that time, saying,

24 “O Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your strong hand, for who is [like] God in heaven or on earth who can do as Your deeds and Your might?

25 Pray let me cross over and see the good land that is on the other side of the Jordan, this good mountain and the Lebanon.”

Have you ever worked on a political campaign? Perhaps you were in high school and you got drafted to help at the local office.  The mood was electric. You were with your friends, your classmates, your little brother. You had freshly printed t-shirts that screamed your candidate’s name.  You wore your buttons with pride. You might have even made your buttons with giant clamping machines that pushed your teenage muscles to the limit. You got over your shyness with each knock on your neighbor’s doors. You learned map reading so you wouldn’t miss one house or your ride home.  It feels good to be a part of something larger than yourself.  You made calls, vote for such and such . . . you went door to door. But, as much as your candidate probably was the best thing your town had ever seen, his campaign is now long over, and the buttons you worked so hard to make are probably in a waste pile somewhere in your town’s local history museum   But there is good news! The fun, the passion need not end. It was a taste of your true purpose! That is why it excited you so much!

There is a campaign you can work on now! You might already be doing it! It is the Geula campaign.  Moshe was on the campaign. In Devarim we see him pleading with Hashem to let him take G-d’s people in the Eretz Yisrael.  

25 Pray let me cross over and see the good land that is

on the other side of the Jordan, this good mountain and the Lebanon.”

He was allowed to see it. However, Hashem said no, it wasn’t the right time.  Yehoshua would be the one to lead them in. It is said if Moshe had led them, it would have been geula right then and there!  Timing is everything. And NOW is the time!

It is time to work on the Geula campaign!  Your tichel is your button. Your sheitel is your sign.  Your flowing skirt is your banner! Your morning blessings are your phone call.  Your smile, your simcha in Torah learning, is your advertisement. Each day when you dig inside to find Hashem there just a lGittle more, you are moving us closer to the day Moshiach reveals himself!

We are told we are in the days of Moshiach now.  Talk of him is in the air. Headlines dashed across your screens that scream the timing is now.   Friends making teshuva, you making teshuva, children embracing Torah as their way. You know the timing is close.  

It is time to break out your pens and share, Hashem is King, and His path is good.  It is time to take numbers, invite someone to shul, let them know there is a place for them in the campaign. In fact, they are needed and encourage them to recruit more.  The world will say our people will have no chance, our candidate has never won before.

But, we have something they don’t have, enthusiasm and emuna.  We know the stakes, world peace, G-d’s Kingdom, and we will pound the pavement even harder!  

Fellow campaigners, let’s say it, it is time for Moshiach.  Let’s march!

Scripture from Online English translation of the Tanakh (Jewish Bible) with Rashi’s commentary.

English Translation © copyright The Judaic Press, all rights reserved