Over the years we have sadly stopped teaching children how to read the Torah inside. In fact, in most Jewish circles, the average person literally cannot read from a Torah scroll. The same way we stopped looking inside the actual Torah, we stopped looking inside ourselves, and as a result prophecy was lost.

There are some people who think that this is of little to no concern. They don’t think we need to be well versed in the actual text of the Torah; since we have had great and holy leaders throughout the generations who have told us which direction to head in.

For Judaism as a whole this may indeed work overall; however, for an individual’s Judaism and spiritual life, this can be catastrophic. This is because there is one thing that is not included in the Torah map. There is no red “X” that says, “You Are Here”.

There have been prophets and Kabbalists throughout the years who were able to look at a person and tell them “You Are Here”. (Most notably in the past half a millennium was the saintly Arizal Hakadosh.)

However, the average Jew nowadays is not even aware that such a question exists, let alone dedicating a significant amount of time towards trying to find the solution.

Perhaps this is why the prophet tells us that:

״והיה אחרי כן אשפוך את רוחי על כל בשר ונבאו בניכם ובנותיכם זקניכם חלמות יחלמון בחוריכם חזינות יראו״ (יואל ג,א)

“After that, I will pour out My spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters shall prophesy; your elders shall dream dreams, and your youths shall see visions.” (Joel 3,1)

If we already have the Torah then why do we need to prophesy?

If we already have the map then what’s the point in directions??

Perhaps prophecy will return to let us know where we are; to let us know who we are; to tell us “You Are Here”.

For only then, can we be sure that we are holding the map in the right direction.

Chanukah Sameach!

Yitzy Fink

You Are Here

The King’s Throne-room

The Point of Holiness