Simchat Torah 5730 (1969)
As the Rebbe finished one segment of his talk, the crowd looked to the new widower to begin a song. What happened next was one of the most dramatic experiences in the lives of those who attended that gathering.
A Jewel In The Crown Of The King
Adam HaRishon was so exalted that the angels wanted to sing his praises as they did for Hashem, yet he fell very low into sin and changed the course of humanity forever. Nevertheless, Hashem forgave Adam.
Change: The Mission Statement of Life
Now we know that the key to success is change. By changing, by bettering ourselves, we will reach our highest goals. And we also know what gives us the ability to change.
Awake Forever
The beautiful Yomim Tovim of Tishrei have awakened us from our spiritual slumber and reenergized us. Now our job is to make sure we don’t fall back to sleep.
Parshas Bereishis: How Your Words Affect Generations
The lesson to us is as follows: It is critical and crucial for us to realize that each and every person is a constellation! Every single person is a galaxy! Every person is a universe!
The History And Customs Of Adon Olam
Adon Olam is said to have been authored by Shlomo ibn Gabirol, and it made its way into the siddur sometime in the fifteenth century.
The Journey To Yourself
In a journey to the self, all that we know is the starting point; the destination remains to be discovered. We don’t know what we’ll find along the journey, the challenges we’ll face, what people will think, or if we will even succeed.
Must A Child Always Listen To His/Her Parents?
What was once considered reprehensible or considered out of bounds even one generation ago, today passes as normal civility, even though it is not normal, or civil.
The Girl From Last Week
One of the greatest impediments to change is believing that one cannot change.
The G-d Of Creation And The Land Of Israel
Laws shape a society, and a society needs space. A sacred society needs sacred space, a holy land. Hence Jews and Judaism need their own land.
V’Zot HaBrakha – The Hebrew Mission
The Torah is not merely some disjointed ritual precepts but rather the Divine Ideal from before existence placed into this reality for the sake of elevating our world beyond its current limitations.
Daf Yomi
You Are That Man!
‘A Poor Man Looking For A Griddlecake…’
(Kiddushin 59a)
The Shabbos Of Broken Glass
During the long Shabbos afternoon hours, Motty became somewhat bored, and he set his sights on some new activities that he had not tried on his previous visits.
The Fateful Dance
While it is true that a tzaddik can stumble and sin, when he does falter he immediately picks himself up and repents.
Q & A: A Simchat Torah Query: ‘Custom Seems To Void Halacha
Question: I recently learned that one may not dance or clap hands on Shabbat or Yom Tov. If so, how do we dance on Simchat Torah?
Aryeh Josefsohn
Via Email
Succos And Twenty-Two Years Post 9/11
The pasuk completely blows us away with the statement that the enemy will come Ka-asher yideh hanesher – Like the eagle sweeps, a perfect description of the sudden attack of two widespread huge airliners.
The Deeper Purpose of Torah Wisdom
They cannot see your inner world, but they can access it through the outer expressions that you project. The same is true regarding human beings trying to experience Hashem and the spiritual.
Seven Circles
Some of his most important contributions to Jewish mysticism are in the form of diagrams that were particularly unsuited to widespread transmission by the technology of his era.
Shemini Atzeret – A Second Yom Kippur?
Just as the essence of Shavuot is completely different from the essence of Pesach, so too the essence of Shemini Atzeret is completely different from the essence of Sukkot.
Two Surprises
I made light of the loss. I produced a wan smile and announced to my caring Israeli group, Gam zu l'tovah.
The Sukkah’s Stolen Beam
I remember now that one of the beams broke last year, Mr. Baum replied. Our sukkos were placed next to each other; one of my boys must have mistakenly taken a beam of yours.
Total Devotion: An Extended Yom Kippur Fast In Auschwitz
It's the story of two girls in Auschwitz who wanted to fast on Yom Kippur (even though according to halacha or Jewish law they were not, of course, required to do so).
Daf Yomi
The Snatched Zuz
‘None Pay Regard To R. Shimon’s Dictum …’
(Kiddushin 52b)
In the Rebbe’s Sukkah
Rabbi Schneerson was sitting opposite me, speaking pearls of wisdom, and above his head floated the seven holy guests, the ushpizin who visit every sukkah.
Zman Simchaseinu
It is especially at the time of harvest, when we celebrate the abundance of our crops, that the Torah instructs us to leave our secure homes and go into the succah. The succah commemorates the Clouds of Glory, and alludes to the Divine Providence that enveloped the Jewish Nation in the Midbar.
Strategic Improvement
We must know that the Gemara teaches us, Yitzro shel adam misgaber alav b’chol yom v’im ein HaKodosh Baruch Hu ozro, eino yachol lo – A person’s inclination prevails upon him every day and if Hashem wouldn’t help him, he wouldn’t be able to prevail.
The Uniqueness Of Sukkot
The Sukkah represents the singular character of Jewish history, the experience of exile and homecoming, the long journey across the wilderness of time.
All Of Israel In One Sukkah
One who fully comprehends higher truth understands that there are many valid approaches to achieving such awareness, and he loves and respects his fellow who shares this vision but who might have a different individual perspective.
True Simcha
Though it is always easy to focus on what we are missing in our lives, we must use Chag HaSukkot to focus upon and celebrate Hashem’s great blessings that we often take for granted.
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