Torah

In addition to fulfilling mitzvot, we should want what Hashem wants, value what He values, and even feel what He feels.

The Gemara (Meseches Megillah) wonders why Esther invited Haman to a private feast. How could she have sat at a private meal with such a monster?

Haman assassinated Daniel, one of the great gedolei ha'dor, and it's very likely that his death atoned for the nation.

Another answer for why Yosef is considered so great is that while it's true that the vision of his father came from Heaven, it only came after he exhausted every effort at his disposal. When those weren’t enough, Hashem stepped in and gave him Divine assistance.

Those Jewish souls that society had given up on as lost were cast into the vast ocean of apathy and indifference.

Though the Yamim Noraim should also be a time when we draw close to and strengthen our love of Hashem, they begin with recognizing that He is judging us and determining our fate for the upcoming year.

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.

I am particularly discouraged and disappointed with the so-called “Women of the Wall” and their monthly actions which disturb the prayers at the Kotel, creating a chillul Hashem.

Let us take encouragement from the way Hashem responds to Aharon in reminding us that our children have the right to make their own decisions, and we are not to be blamed for these decisions.

We are meant to realize that our success hinges on working together – not just to defend ourselves but also to realize our joint mission in Hashem’s world.

If we do things right, this year might even be the year of the final redemption!

It was Hashem’s goal in creation and the ultimate goal of our personal development . . . G-d does not seek our fear; He seeks our appreciation.

One of the reasons we may have trouble noticing blessings is that there’s a human tendency to always want more. Yes, I have some money, but I could always have more.

In Parshat Vaetchanan, we learn that someone who kills another by accident must flee to a city of refuge for protection. The Talmud contains a fascinating addition to this law: If a student is forced into exile, his teacher must go with him.

The Torah teaches us eternal heavenly truth, wisdom and direction. Its study gives us the ability to free ourselves from contemporary fleeting perspectives.

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 power of 'lost and found'

The first person to die in Tanach is Hevel, who is killed by his brother Kayin. Kayin’s name comes from the concept of acquisition.

Children mimic what they see, and often the child who strays is driven by the inconsistencies and contradictions of his parents.

The Sanhedrin tended to be a group of like-minded individuals who were in charge of making very important decisions in high-stress situations, many of which had life and death consequences.

The difference between living in Israel verses outside of Israel is that in Israel, Judaism is the basis of the country’s daily operations.

We must therefore constantly remind ourselves that it’s the Jewish way to stand by the side of a mate through thick and thin.

We often take the battle against temptation head on and eventually lose to that delicious looking piece of chocolate cake.

What does it mean to have a good heart? It is common in the modern era to associate the heart with emotions, and contrast that with the mind, which represents thought.

We must remind ourselves that everything, including suffering, emanates from Hashem. Though Hashem is the source of ultimate good and wants the best for us, we know that grief also comes from Him: a person does not stub his toe below unless it was declared from above (Chullin 7b).

Often times when I pray and the chazzan chants a haunting melody, I close my eyes and it seems as if I am singing with the Shechina of Almighty G-d.

For some reason, people seem to strongly believe that being alike improves communication. But is that really so?

The use of Aharon as a model is illustrative. Pirkei Avot is filled with advice from many Talmudic sages, but most don’t invoke a Biblical precedent to prove their point.

The Rebbe says that Noach trained himself to see the good in all people, and therefore he was even able to see the good in the degenerate people of the generation of the flood.

When looking back into our history we often find examples of people being in the right time and place, and making history that gave meaning and purpose to their entire existence.