Torah

Luring another to sin is worse than killing them because killing only removes the victim from this world, while sin removes one from the next world as well.

Many commentaries differentiate between three different categories of people: wicked, intermediate, and righteous. These commentaries contend that the message to judge favorably just relates to the middle group.

Children can act in ways that are embarrassing, and guests can potentially generate uncomfortable conversations. The importance of keeping calm and kind, even in these moments, is essential.

Rabbeinu Yonah explains that, in addition to our own conditioning (goreret), when we perform a mitzvah, Hashem rewards us (gives sechar) by strengthening our efforts.

Besides for the ethical and prosocial benefits of helping, it also provides new scenarios to observe, interact, and learn.

Though mitzvah observance can sometimes be cumbersome, we should compare the great reward we receive to the (relatively) small sacrifice we make by observing them.

Extrinsic motivators don’t necessarily lead to lasting change. When the incentives or punishments are removed, the behavior often stops.

A good friend shares one’s values, goals and sensitivities. A good friendship involves friends who can be trusted with personal information and care about helping one another.

The bottom line from these two instances and a host of different statements by our Sages throughout the Talmud is that shalom bayit is essential, and apparently one can lie or even erase the name of G-d to achieve this.

So, what is psychology? In its most basic form, psychology is the study of the mind (thought and emotion) and behavior. With this definition, we see that the discipline of psychology really does include almost anything human related under the sun, because what doesn’t incorporate an element of how we think, feel, or act?

There is a natural tension between our focus upon our own needs and goals and our caring for and assistance to others. Rebbi’s point is that we need to strike the right balance between these (often) competing values.

Throughout the world, Jews are successful, prominent and influential way out of proportion to their numbers. Our existence is no longer that of our frightful past of pogroms, expulsions and holocaust.

While the process of change is very personal and needs to be individualized, there are also commonalities and trends that traverse both time and person.

Yashrut (straightness) is one of our central personal growth goals.

Unfortunately, it is too easy to just go through the motions, traversing life without knowing our purpose, cause, and what drives us to get out of bed every morning.

A person who truly values Torah will take full advantage of the opportunity to speak in Torah with anyone they meet.

Friendship is not just a responsibility we have towards others; it is important for our own healthy personal development as well.

Ultimately each and every one of us is responsible for our own actions. Excuses such as “my parents gave me permission” or “my child would never do that” do not absolve someone from responsibility.

The Chasid Yavetz explains that sharing Torah at meals is uniquely important because it defines and expresses how we view our lives. Man, like animal, needs to eat in order to stay alive.

Focusing our Torah and Torah celebration on our children celebrates our passing of the Torah heritage on to future generations.

Though similar to the harvest celebrations of other cultures, ours differs in that it focuses on the Beit HaMikdash (Moreh Nevuchim 3:43). We celebrate lifnei (before) Hashem because we realize that He is the cause of our success.

The conclusion of the Yom Kippur pasuk – the word “tit’haru” – commands us to purify ourselves. The Kohen Gadol used this word at the height of the Yom Kippur atonement service to remind those in the Mikdash of their responsibility to purify themselves.

The Torah tells us that it was Avraham who searched for (“Vayisa Avraham et einav”), found, and decided to sacrifice the ram. G-d had relieved him of his duties, but Avraham continued looking for opportunities to serve.

Bikurim are brought only after Eretz Yisrael has been conquered and the children of Israel are permanently settled in their allotted portions of land.

The Torah emphasizes the importance of our work in its very first parshah, Bereishit. The world’s vegetation was ready to sprout, but did not because there was no man to work the ground.

Rabbi Isaac Bernstein of blessed memory, in his tapes on Chumash, states that chumrahs have had only a deleterious effect upon our people – generating only dissension and arguments, feelings of oneupsmanship and elitism, causing separation and fragmentation between one Jew and the next.

Even when we pray on behalf of individuals, we pray for them as part of the broader community.

The challenge of the shortness of life is compounded by the enormity of the task.

We excuse our lack of action because of our economic concerns and that such a move would compromise our ability to provide for our families appropriately.

One should never be complacent and feel that he has achieved enough. Every moment of our lives can and should be used for continued growth.