The First Step Toward Holiness
It is often asked what the first step should be in order to come closer to Hashem. Should one first purify himself by abandoning his evil ways, or should he engage in acts of holiness?
Freeing Humanity From Egyptian Bondage
Even had Egypt’s dominance on the world stage declined later in history due to natural circumstances, the Pharaonic worldview would have continued to dominate the thinking of man.
I Was A Slave In Egypt
One of the major messages of the Lubavitcher Rebbe was to utilize every situation in which we find ourselves for good.
The Best Pesach Ever
This is the true meaning of Pesach – to restore the unique relationship between ourselves and our Creator, as individuals and as a collective.
Rich Man’s Bread – Pesach
Let us begin with the facts. We were poor slaves in Egypt – fact! We ate matzos when we left Egypt – fact! We eat matzos to remind us of our poverty of slavery in Egypt – fact????
A Talmudic Recipe For Longevity
Indeed, the very name for Heaven, shamayim, is a composition of aish and mayim, fire and water, which though usually in opposition are fused together peacefully in the Heavens.
TORAH SHORTS: Erroneously Humble (Metzora)
Don't be humble, you're not that great. -Golda Meir
Tangible Spiritual Manifestations – Parshat Metzora
While it is unfortunate that even observant Diaspora Jews can be corrupted by the moral values of their host countries, the greater tragedy is that they are not living up to their full potential in life.
The Greatest Shabbat
Why is this Shabbos different from all other Shabboses? On this Shabbos, Israel became a nation unified in our service of Hashem, as was anticipated two weeks ago on Shabbat HaChodesh.
Ways To Welcome The Divine
When one buys or builds a new house, he should make a chanukas habayis. It’s an important act of thanking Hashem . . . a time of dedication when one energizes the holiness of the dwelling.
Tongue in Cheek – Metzora
HKB”H, in most circumstances, tries to minimize the shame caused to the sinner... With lashon hara it is exactly the opposite. The entire procedure is deliberately made as visual and as public as possible.
The Sun Set At Noon: A Reverberation Throughout The World
R’ Chaim chose to sit in the middle of the shul, off to the side. Anyone could have the honor of sitting next to him, something that was the dream of a lifetime for many.
TORAH SHORTS: The Proximity of Being Far (Tazria)
Absence diminishes little passions and increases great ones, as wind extinguishes candles and fans a fire. -Francois de la Rochefoucauld
Eliyahu Will Explain It In The Future
The Gemara explains the discrepancy in the offerings in a beautiful way, to the effect that Israel will bring what they have available and Hashem will accept it.
Grandma’s Tears
Do not allow any bad thought to arise in our hearts, heaven forbid, neither when we are awake nor in a dream.
Changing Ties
We can admire and learn from people who are able to find the extraordinary strength to see the oneg while understanding and empathizing with those who are having a hard time seeing past the negah
Israel’s Larger Goals – Parshat Tazria
The mere existence of life is not sufficient. Life derives its true value and meaning as a tool to be used in the service of the Divine.
Does the Year Begin in Nissan or Tishrei?
Wishing all a Happy New Year-but when?
Happy Hotline – Tazria
Even more curious is the latter part of the Midrash – to prevent becoming afflicted with the nega’im, what should one do? Eat, drink and be happy! Have a continual party – that is the remedy!
Getting Ready For Pesach
On this Night of Heritage, when we have the opportunity to etch the fundamentals of our faith into our children and grandchildren’s memory banks, it behooves us to spend time in preparation for this monumental task.
Three Messages From The Funeral
His son, Rabbi Shlomo Kanievsky touched the crowd with stories of childhood games played with his father, the mastermind, and uncovered a little bit about the relationship with his deceased wife, Batsheva.
Torah Shorts: Parshat Shmini: Instructions Grant Existence
I count life just a stuff to try the soul's strength on. -Robert Browning
Expressing Kedusha – Parshat Shemini
Israel is to participate in - and elevate - every sphere of national life in order to reveal the inner connection of all that exists to the Divine Ideal.
Taking Responsibility For One Another
The rebbi felt terrible that there was a child sitting in his class who was not eating lunch…
It is a Sign – Shmini
HKB”H created most of the human body with redundancy. We have two eyes, ears, nostrils, arms, legs, hemispheres in the brain, chambers in the heart, lungs, kidneys, reproductive organs, etc., the logic being – “if one fails, we have a spare.”
The Seder and Teshuvah
Since Hashem despises the evil person as He is, so to speak, nauseated from the praise of the wicked, it is a good idea to preface our Seder with teshuvah.
The Olah That Stays on the Flame – Parshat Tzav
Israel has dramatically returned to the world stage in what has so far been merely the introduction to a revolutionary process destined to free humankind from a global order that promotes injustice.
Those Who Choose Death Over Life
When our haftara was designated for a week such as this, thousands of years ago, the sages saw fit to add another couple of verses to the end, spoken by Yirmiyahu almost a thousand years before that.
Down To Earth Seeing: The Holiness Of Empathy
The intent of the commandment to clean the ashes was to bring his thoughts down to the people on earth, for him to ‘see’ the hard-working people who were involved in everyday life.
Thanksgiving Matzo – Tzav
I know very few who enjoy matzo year round. Most people can’t wait for Pesach to end, to get rid of all their leftover matzo.