Parshat Vaeira
Among Custer's character flaws was his inability to look inward. When a problem arose he blamed others.
The 10th Of Shevat – A Glorious Day
From the Rebbe’s absolute devotion to his father-in-law, chassidim have learned what the measure of their own devotion – what chassidim call hiskashrus – to their Rebbe should be.
Moshe, The Stutterer
"Moshe's life is inspiring and reassuring to children with learning disabilities and to their parents
Hashem Has Other Plans
Their assumption was predicated on the theory that Hashem operates based on middas hadin.
Redeeming Relevance: How Many of Moshe’s Children are on His Family Tree?
Though they share parents and ancestors, once the two lines diverge, the Torah tells us exclusively about Aharon’s descendants
TORAH SHORTS: Parshat Shemot: Reasonable Danger
The most dangerous thing in the world is to try to leap a chasm in two jumps. -David Lloyd George
Some Leadership Lessons From Moshe
We do not expect those elected to be Moshe Rabbeinu. Still, the parshi’ot that will accompany the election campaign in the weeks ahead should remind us of how, ideally, those in leadership roles should conduct themselves.
Who Could Be Moshiach?
Was R’ Simcha Bunim justified in not bringing Moshiach because of the distress of one individual?
Torah Education: Everyone’s Responsibility
We don’t seek out faults in people to tell them off, but we should always look for ways to help set people on the right path while we ourselves serve as shining personal examples.
A Time to Wed, A Time to Separate: Knowing the Difference
There are times when wrongdoing around us needs to be challenged, opposed, and resisted, and there are times when the wiser reaction is to hunker down and let it pass.
The Sweetness Of Investment
The greatest feelings of accomplishment result from when one invests the most effort in its attainment.
Esav Had No Excuse
The fire of truth burned brightly before Esav, but he was headstrong.
Mama Rachel’s Tears
Yaakov’s service of G-d, at his high spiritual level, required him to be buried with his father Yitzchak and grandfather Avraham in Me’aras HaMachpeilah, a place of openly revealed holiness.
Family, Faith, And Freedom
Genesis is not a hymn to the virtue of families. It is a candid, honest, fully worked-through account of what it is to confront some of the main problems within families, even the best.
The Siyum HaShas
It’s difficult to describe an event of this magnitude in words. But I’ll share a few highlights...
Redeeming Relevance: Parshat Vayechi: Like Reuven and Shimon?!?
Ya’akov’s mistake instructs us to understand that even if something appears to be good, that does not mean there isn’t a different way that might be even better
Moving Forward
Is it better to complain, seek revenge, and hold a grudge? Or is it better to find a blessing within the curse?
Why Yehudah – Not Yosef – Established A Yeshiva
Yosef, on the other hand, was involved in worldly affairs. He was on such a high spiritual level that this involvement didn’t disturb his service of G-d.
Unwavering Faith
The Gemara says that when a guest is escorted out of a city, he is protected from harm along his journey.
Try Speaking
Joseph hinted to his brothers, based on his dreams, what would happen to them, but he did not converse with them.
Heroic Driving
In overcoming our impatience on the road, we perform a truly heroic act.
Take The First Step
The Zohar tells us that Moshe Rabbeinu visits Bisya every day in Gan Eden to inquire after her well being.
Why Was The Kohen Gadol’s Seal Necessary?
In order to prove that the oil was undefiled, wouldn’t it have been sufficient if its seal remained unbroken, even without the kohen gadol’s personal seal?
Thankful For My Dreams
The man before whom the brothers bowed was no longer the youthful dreamer. The reinterpreted Joseph dreampt no longer about himself, the dreams were now about something beyond the dreamer
Redeeming Relevance: Parshat Mikeitz: Was it Good for the Jews?
Is this the only question we should ask?
Yosef HaTzaddik And The Maccabees
Even according to the Rambam, if an exceptionally pious and G-d-fearing man sees that his generation is degenerate in a certain matter, he may sanctify G-d’s name and sacrifice himself even to avoid a minor mitzvah so that people learn from his example.
Parshat VaYeishev
Leaders need to pay special attention to the law of unintended consequences.
Tanya – Three Truths
Here are three crucial truths from Tanya, the fundamental text that Chabad chassidim study in its entirety every year, concluding it on the 19th of Kislev:
Man Is Born To Toil
The redemption and salvation are commensurate with the distress and challenges of galus.
Parshat Va-Yeshev: A Reason to Care About Looks
If we look like an ancestor, smile like them, wrinkle our eyebrows in the way they did, we already carry on more of them than others