Is Judaism Stifling or Liberating?

הנה יעויין לשון הגאון הרגצובי בצפע"נ על הרמב"ם הל' שבת פ"א ה"א: ועי' עירובין ד' ל"ה ע"א ור"ה ד' ל"ב ע"ב, מוכח דדבר דבעיא מרא וחצינא אף דאינו מלאכה, מ"מ אסור מן התורה. והטעם משום שביתה מטירחא. וזה ר"ל הך דר"ה ד' ל"ב בקדשהו כו' ע"ש ובחגיגה ד' י"ח ע"א. והן מצוה ביוהכ"פ ליכא", וע"ש עוד באריכות בענין זה, וכן בפירושו לפכ"א דהל' שבת. הרי ברור מללו של הצפע"נ שהאיסור אינו משום תולדה דחורש אלא מחמת טירחא, כלומר, ביטול המ"ע דמנוחה בשבת.

Is there a source for this distinction between "chofesh" and "charus?"

Wow Great essay. As someone who struggles with depression, the following words were powerful: ''They would prefer to be slaves in a country that makes decisions for them rather than become truly autonomous and independent human beings, as a “kingdom of princes and a holy nation.” ...... Rabbi how do we overcome this. Its scary!

Thank you David and Eda Schottenstein. G-d bless you!

thank you for a very inspirational and informationan sicha kol kavod I enjoyed your virtural farbrengen on yud aleph nissan thanks it means so much to me

b''H
Very...nice Shiurim. HaShem Yaarich Yamecha ve'Chayecha be'Tov. Amen. Amen. Amen...!!!!
Writing you from Cordoba, Argentina.

Beautiful! Excellent! I need to listen to this again to absorb a liitle more of what you said. Thank you

Sources are good. Material is well put together. Problem is the reception Rabbi Jacobson starts and stops..Going into shabbat so turning you off but Really wanted to give over the whole shiur at the SHabbat Table..Still I love listening to the shiur and it gives a Godd Chassidut shiur here in Gush Etzion./Efrat.

Under the video there is the option to play as a lower resolution. That may work better for you.

each and every time i listen to any of the videos it is wonderful..to learn and listen
thank you for that
in my wish list if i can share it with you...
a thursday night ..Torah Or..Likutti Torah shir with you on video...
thinking of this idea ..gevald gevald
to bring Torah Or to so many people.... with your particular animation..and beautiful passion..your special way that you connect with people ..with this medium of video..it works..it fits
it has value..it has possibilities..it has its own importance.
thank you for letting me share

Questions and Exercises

1. The Rambam (Maimonides) links the remembrance of Exodus to the remembrance of Shabbat. Why?

May be because he foresaw that his works would reach the era of information revolution where “TWO IN ONE” is very attractive and appealing, so instead of long description about dos and don’ts he pointed to the core of its vertical and horizontal plains.

2. There are two separate commandments on Shabbat : “refraining from work” and “resting”. Is Shabbat for you all about cessation of work, or is there something more? What does it mean for you to “relax”?

Vertically, “resting” and “refraining from work” can be comprehend all ways up to TAYINUG and ROTZIN of our essence (From very few that I know about them: small children  when left to play games on their own are gravitate to come in touch with their  core, that give them a taste of true freedom ).
 Horizontally, we stumble with nonsense: if a person is out of a real work how he or she can refrain from what they do not do, as for resting without responsibility it can be more correlated with people in the cemetery… Hope they would not be insulted with my metaphor…

3. Is freedom my natural passive state of being, or does it require conscious effort? If exempted from all responsibility, obligation, and external influences, am I then automatically free?

…Obvious stagnation is the only thing that differ those people in the cemetery from passive beings.

4. Is it possible for me to be enslaved to myself?

Sure! What do you think I am doing right now during these exercises?
Try to find an addiction or impulse that you find compelled by, against your better judgment?
What is  it,“ better judgment”? Where is it? Okay I have new answer for Q. # 4: Freedom is nothing else then awareness and satisfaction of my soul’s needs.
Empirical trial of this particular thesis should be ready only by the end of my … experiment and I will share the results with you later…

5. Does real freedom entail a certain measure of discipline?

May be,
but for me it’s more about humility, because true freedom is coming from your essence that beyond emotions. Though Discipline comes before Balance, my preferences are still with Tiferet as an expression of Truth or Beauty.

6. The Rabbis tell us that real freedom is attained through adherence to Torah. But isn’t that just another form of subjugation and submission?

If it helps to focus on my soul’s a need and bring peace to my essence why should I ignore the Laws that required certain discomfort for me?

7. Honestly, do you find Judaism liberating or stifling?

It may be the only way for my personal liberation, but it’s easy to misuse it and turn into “smotherator”.
Why?
Because in Judaism we have compass- it calls BITLE or humility, without it you may find yourself stuck in, far away from your destination, from your soul’s needs or inner essence and no money, luxury, connections are able to fill the gap.

8. Do people who have less responsibility in life have more freedom in their life?

For me people without responsibility are nothing but Zombies (neither newborns nor very old people are counted); it’s not that they have no freedom- it’s that they have no life where freedom can be implement.    
 P.S. Dear Ida and David Schottenstein  we are very grateful for your unprecedented contribution in the research of our essence.
Be blessed with multitude times more for long and happy life!