Happy Hump Day

12 FEBRUARY 2026

Shalom shalom Soulmate—

I’m back to trying to figure out how to do my journal posts. At least I have managed to create an actual journal blog post instead of just a web page like I had done previously. That’s progress for me. I have chosen a background image for my pages and some fonts and colors. Now, I’m busy messing it all up with bad design! Hahaha! It’s all an experiment.

I woke up at noon today after being dead exhausted from the big cleaning day with almost no sleep at all. Rachamim had been reminding me repeatedly that we needed to get to my metapelet work office as early as possible because they close at 3:30, so I had to hit the ground running. I did my best and we were out of the house by 1:30. I packed up a couple of bags with clothes that I wanted to take for alterations—-four blazers whose sleeves are too long for me, a pair of slacks that need hemming, and Sofia’s linen pants from way last summer that she wanted me to hem and which I never did. We got to Kiryat Ono and headed straight to the office where I signed the monthly form and had them also change my name to my new name. Then we went to the tailor shop and dropped off all my items. I must say that their prices are reasonable.

Rachamim wanted to go to the place where he bought his hearing aids to have them make some ear plugs for him to wear in the shower because he keeps getting ear infections and his doctor told him to have these plugs made for his ears. I looked around to see if there was some restaurant nearby that appealed to me but I didn’t see anything. I actually hate the Kiryat Ono mall. It’s really grubby and dirty looking and all the street food places outside are even more so. To put it another way, the ambiance sucks there. So I suggested that we head back to Petach Tikva and eat at the Thai restaurant that has become a regular for us. I was so glad that we did that because the surroundings were infinitely nicer and the food was to my liking today. We were going to go to the bank afterwards but we completely forgot and ended out going shopping for some summer shoes for Rachamim. We didn’t find any that suited him but we did get him a lightweight down jacket. He is always complaining about the cold. Every time that there is the slightest breeze, he feels that it’s cold. It reminds me of how my father was when he was old and blind. I thought that that kind of jacket would be quite resistent to wind penetration. After our little shopping spree, we decided to walk home rather than take the train. It was good for me to get out and get a bit of walking in today. I didn’t make it to 12000 steps, but I think that I managed about 10,000.

Since coming home I have been trying to get my online blog organized so that I’m not so overwhelmed by it every night. Maybe I made a little progress. I’m not sure. I plan things and imagine that they will been good and then when I see them in actual practice, I think that they look terrible. This is definitely a work in progress. Grok was my faulty teacher. He makes mistakes but overall, he is useful or he gives me a sense of confidence at least. While I was working on this, I was trying to record and transcribe and translate my web design class that I missed on Monday. There is some problem with my Soniox app and the files are not uploading. That really bums me out because I need that app to work well to follow the course work. I can’t tell you how many times I have been tempted to quit that class the past two weeks. I’m a bit sorry that I took it even though I am learning a lot and it has gotten me started on getting back to my online journal.

Well, it’s time to get to reading some Zohar. I need to get the text and insert it into this journal page. That’s going to be a bit of a project for me so I had better get going. Catch you on the other side.

Always in love and soul devotion

Zohar for Us

וְכַאֲשֶׁר יִשְׂרָאֵל חוֹטְאִים בִּבְרִית מִילָה,
And when Israel sins with the covenant of circumcision,נִפְסַק נְבִיעוֹת הַנְּקֻדּוֹת מֵאוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁכְּלוּלִים בַּשְּׁכִינָה הַתַּחְתּוֹנָה.
the flow of the points from the letters that are included in the lower Shechinah is stopped.וְנִשְׁאֶרֶת יַבָּשָׁה.
And she remains dry.בְּאוֹתוֹ זְמַן מַה כָּתוּב בְּשׁוּרוּק חִירִיק.
At that time what is written? In Shuruk — Chirik.שָׁרְקוּ וַיַּחַרְקוּ שֵׁן אָמְרוּ בְּלָעֲנוּ.
“They hissed and gnashed the teeth, they said: We have swallowed him.”קָמֵץ פָּתַח, זוֹ סוֹגֶרֶת וְזֶה פּוֹתֵחַ.
Kamatz Patach — this one closes and this one opens.אֵלּוּ שְׁנַיִם, הֵם שֶׁסּוֹגְרִים וּפוֹתְחִים מַעְיָנוֹת אֵלּוּ נְקֻדּוֹת, לְגַבֵּי אוֹתִיּוֹת.
These two are the ones that close and open these springs of points with regard to the letters.וְאוֹת ו’ כַּאֲשֶׁר נָטוּי עַל רָאשֵׁי אוֹתִיּוֹת עֶלְיוֹנוֹת נִקְרָא רָפֵה.
And the letter Vav when it is stretched over the heads of upper letters is called Raphe.וְכַאֲשֶׁר הוּא, הוּא בְּאֶמְצַע הָאוֹתִיּוֹת נִקְרָא דָּגֵשׁ.

And when it is in the middle of the letters it is called Dagesh.אוֹתִיּוֹת אֵלּוּ הֵם חַיּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם וְהַחַיּוֹת רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב,
These letters are living creatures, as it is said concerning them: “And the living creatures ran and returned,”רָצוֹא בְּדָגֵשׁ, וָשׁוֹב בְּרָפֵה.
running with Dagesh, returning with Raphe.כִּתְרֵי אוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁהֵם תְּלוּיִים בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה שֶׁהֵם כְּמוֹ הַתַּגִּים.
The crowns of letters that are suspended in thought, which are like the tagin (crowns).נְקֻדּוֹת תְּלוּיוֹת בְּדִבּוּר.
Points are suspended in speech.הָאוֹתִיּוֹת תְּלוּיוֹת בְּמַעֲשֶׂה.
The letters are suspended in action.שֶׁבַע אוֹתִיּוֹת ז’ הֵם כְּמוֹ זֶה י”ו הוּא ז’.
Seven letters Zayin are like this — Yod-Vav is Zayin.לֹא צְרִיכִים תַּגִּים, שֶׁאֵלּוּ אוֹתִיּוֹת נִקְרָאִים תַּגִּים כְּמוֹ זֶה.
They do not need tagin, for these letters are called tagin like this.תַּגִּים תְּלוּיִים בְּמַחְשֶׁבֶת הַלֵּב וְהַמּוֹחַ.
Tagin are suspended in the thought of the heart and the brain.נְקֻדּוֹת בְּדִבּוּר הַפֶּה.
Points in the speech of the mouth.אוֹתִיּוֹת בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הָאֵיבָרִים
Letters in the action of the limbs.וְאֵלּוּ נְקֻדּוֹת וּטְעָמִים וְאוֹתִיּוֹת, עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתוֹ סָתוּם וְגָנוּז כִּסֵּא מְכֻסֶּה עֶלְיוֹן.
And these points and cantillation marks and letters make it closed and hidden — a covered supernal throne.וְעָלָיו נֶאֱמַר אַתָּה ה’ לְעוֹלָם תֵּשֵׁב,
And concerning it is said: “You, Hashem, abide forever,”כִּסְאֲךָ לְדוֹר וָדוֹר,
“Your throne endures from generation to generation.”מַהוּ אַתָּה, אוֹתוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ ה’ אֱלֹהַי אַתָּה אֲרוֹמִמְךָ.
What is “You”? That one concerning which it is written: “Hashem my God, You are exalted.”בְּאוֹתוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ רוֹם יָדֵיהוּ נָשָׂא.
That one concerning which it is said: “He lifts his hands high.”וּבִגְלָלוֹ נֶאֱמַר לְמִי נוֹשְׂאִים כַּפַּיִם לְגֹבַהּ הַשָּׁמַיִם כְּמַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב רוֹם יָדֵיהוּ נָשָׂא.
And because of it it is said: “To whom do they lift hands to the height of heaven” as it is written: “He lifts his hands high.”וּמַה הוּא. יו”ד ה”א וָא”ו ה”א שֶׁהוּא חָכְמָה כֹּ”חַ מ”ה.
And what is it? Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh which is Chochmah — Koach Mah (strength of what).וְעָלָיו נֶאֱמַר כֹּחַ מַעֲשָׂיו הִגִּיד לְעַמּוֹ,
And concerning it is said: “The strength of His deeds He has declared to His people,”וְזֶה הוּא כ”חַ פְּרָקִים שֶׁל יְדֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ הָעֶלְיוֹן,
and this is the twenty-eight joints of the hands of the supernal King,שֶׁהֵם כּוּז”וּ בְּמוּכְסָ”ז כּוּז”וּ,
which are Kuzu bemuchsaz Kuzu,כִּנּוּיֵי הַיִּחוּד הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁהוּא יְהוָ”ה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָ”ה.
the appellations of the supernal unification which is YHVH Eloheinu YHVH.וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִסְתַּלֵּק זֶה הַכֹּחַ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל נֶאֱמַר בָּהֶם וַיֵּלְכוּ בְּלֹא כֹחַ לִפְנֵי רוֹדֵף.
And because this strength was removed from Israel it is said concerning them: “And they went without strength before the pursuer.”יו”ד ה”א וָא”ו ה”א, אֵלּוּ עֶשֶׂר אֶצְבָּעוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם יָדָיו גְּלִילֵי זָהָב.
Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh — these are the ten fingers concerning which it is said: “His hands are rods of gold.”שֶׁבָּהֶם כ”חַ פְּרָקִים, שֶׁהֵם כ”חַ אוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁל מַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית.
In which are twenty-eight joints, which are the twenty-eight letters of the act of creation.וּמִפְּנֵי זֶה ה’ אֱלֹהַי אַתָּה.
And therefore “Hashem my God, You are…”וּמַהוּ אַתָּה.
And what is “You”?אוֹתוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ נָכוֹן כִּסְאֲךָ מֵאָז מֵעוֹלָם אָתָּה.
That one concerning which it is said: “Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting.”וּמַהוּ נָכוֹן, זֶה נֶאֱמָן יוֹשֵׁב וְנֶאֱמָן עוֹמֵד בָּאֶמְצַע,
And what is “established”? This is the faithful one sitting and the faithful one standing in the middle,כְּמַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב כִּתְפְאֶרֶת אָדָם לָשֶׁבֶת בָּיִת.
as it is written: “As the beauty of man to sit in the house.”וּמַהוּ מֵאָז.
And what is “from of old”?אֶלָּא אוֹתוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ אָז תִּקְרָא וַה’ יַעֲנֶה.
Rather that one concerning which it is said: “Then you shall call and Hashem will answer.”וּמַהוּ א”ז, אֵלּוּ ח’ אוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁהֵם יָאֶהֱדוֹנָ”י שֶׁעוֹלִים לְחֶשְׁבּוֹן אָמֵ”ן.
And what is AZ? These are eight letters which are YAh eDoNaY that ascend to the value of Amen.וְזֶה הוּא הָעוֹנֶה אָמֵן בְּכָל כֹּחוֹ בְּאוֹתוֹ כ”חַ.
And this is the one who answers Amen with all his strength with that Koach (strength).וּמִפְּנֵי זֶה נֶאֱמַר הָעוֹנֶה אָמֵן בְּכָל כֹּחוֹ קוֹרְעִים לוֹ גְּזַר דִּינוֹ שֶׁל שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה.
And therefore it is said: The one who answers Amen with all his strength — they tear up for him the decree of seventy years.וּבִגְלָלוֹ נֶאֱמַר נָכוֹן כִּסְאֲךָ מֵאָז מֵעוֹלָם אָתָּה.
And because of it it is said: “Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting.”וּבוֹ אַתָּה ה’ לְעוֹלָם תֵּשֵׁב.
And in it: “You, Hashem, abide forever.”אַתָּה.
You.אוֹתוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ אָבִינוּ אַתָּה.
That one concerning which it is said: “Our Father, our King — our Father, You are.”וּמַה הוּא, אָבִינוּ אַב הָרַחֲמָן.
And what is he? Our Father, the merciful Father.וְהוּא כּוֹלֵל כָּל אוֹתִיּוֹת הַתּוֹרָה.
And he includes all the letters of the Torah.וּמַה הוּא תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב עַמּוּד הָאֶמְצָעִי.
And what is Written Torah? The middle pillar.וְעָלָיו נֶאֱמַר בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה.
And concerning him it is said: “Blessed are You.”וְכַאֲשֶׁר יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹמְדִים בַּעֲמִידַת הַתְּפִלָּה.
And when Israel stands in the standing prayer.הוּא יוֹשֵׁב עַל הַכִּסֵּא.
He sits on the throne.וּבִגְלָלוֹ נֶאֱמַר בְּאוֹתוֹ זְמַן אַתָּה ה’ לְעוֹלָם תֵּשֵׁב כִּסְאֲךָ לְדוֹר וָדוֹר.
And because of it it is said at that time: “You, Hashem, abide forever; Your throne endures from generation to generation.”וּמַה הוּא לְדוֹר וָדוֹר.
And what is “from generation to generation”?אֶלָּא אוֹתוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ דּוֹר הוֹלֵךְ וְדוֹר בָּא וְהָאָרֶץ לְעוֹלָם עֹמָדֶת.
Rather that one concerning which it is said: “One generation goes and another generation comes, but the earth abides forever.”וְאֵין דּוֹר פָּחוּת מִשִּׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא.
And there is no generation less than six hundred thousand.וּמַה הוּא, מֹשֶׁה שֶׁשָּׁקוּל כְּשִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל.
And what is it? Moses who is equal in weight to six hundred thousand of Israel.וְהַדַּרְגָּה שֶׁלּוֹ מַרְאֶה שֶׁמְּאִירָה.
And his level is an illuminating appearance.בְּזֹאת יָבֹא אַהֲרֹן אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ.
“With this Aaron shall come into the holy place.”בּוֹא וּרְאֵה, אֵין אָדָם מַפִּיק רְצוֹנוֹ מֵה’ אֶלָּא בְּזֹאת.
Come and see: no person attains his desire from Hashem except with Zot (this).שֶׁעָלֶיהָ נֶאֱמַר מָצָא אִשָּׁה מָצָא טוֹב וַיָּפֶק רָצוֹן מֵה’.
Concerning which it is said: “Whoever finds a wife finds good and obtains favor from Hashem.”וְזוֹ הִיא עֵת לַעֲשׂוֹת לַה’.
And this is “a time to act for Hashem.”וְכַמָּה עִתִּים יֵשׁ.
And how many times are there?וְעֲלֵיהֶם נֶאֱמַר וְאַל יָבֹא בְכָל עֵת.
And concerning them it is said: “And he shall not come at all times.”וּשְׁלֹמֹה אָמַר עֵת לִשְׂחוֹק וְכוּ’, שֶׁהֵם כ”חַ עֵת.
And Solomon said: “A time to laugh…” etc., which are twenty-eight times.וְעַל כֵּן הַקָּבָּ”ה אָמַר וְאַל יָבֹא בְכָל עֵת אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ,
And therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said: “And he shall not come at all times into the holy place,”שֶׁהוּא קֹדֶשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַה’.
which is the holiness of Israel to Hashem.וְכַאֲשֶׁר הַשְּׁכִינָה שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת זֹאת עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל,
And when the Shechinah that is called Zot is with Israel,כְּמוֹ שֶׁאַתָּה אוֹמֵר וְאַף גַּם זֹאת בִּהְיוֹתָם בְּאֶרֶץ אֹיְבֵיהֶם,
as you say: “And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies,”מַה הֵם אוֹמְרִים לָהּ.
what do they say to her?אָנָה הָלַךְ דּוֹדֵךְ הַיָּפָה בַּנָּשִׁים אָנָה פָּנָה דוֹדֵךְ וּנְבַקְשֶׁנּוּ עִמָּךְ.
“Where has your beloved gone, O fairest among women? Where has your beloved turned aside, that we may seek him with you?”בְּכַמָּה תַּחֲנוּנִים וּתְפִלּוֹת, בְּצִיצִית וּבִתְפִלִּין, בְּשַׁבָּתוֹת וּבְיָמִים טוֹבִים,
With how many supplications and prayers, with tzitzit and tefillin, with Sabbaths and festivals,שֶׁעֲלֵיהֶם נֶאֱמַר בֵּינִי וּבֵין בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹת הִיא לְעוֹלָם.
concerning which it is said: “It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever.”