Sivan Rahav-Meir

"Moshe's life is inspiring and reassuring to children with learning disabilities and to their parents

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.

It’s difficult to describe an event of this magnitude in words. But I’ll share a few highlights...

Is it better to complain, seek revenge, and hold a grudge? Or is it better to find a blessing within the curse?

In overcoming our impatience on the road, we perform a truly heroic act.

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:

Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz emphasized again and again when he taught this parshah that Yaakov moving the massive stone from the well was not a miracle. Yet, it was not a matter of physical strength either. It was a matter of heart and faith.

Rachel only related to one purpose, that of giving birth, and ignored the second purpose – to learn, to become worldly wise and pious and, in the process, to bring more goodness into the world.

Rabbeinu Yonah, who passed away 756 years ago this week, wrote prolifically from the city of Girona, in medieval Spain, about repentance and self-improvement.

Shabbat Shalom

More than his guests enjoy the meal, Avraham enjoys fulfilling the mission for which he was created – to help others.

Do we have the courage to swim against the stream? To be in the minority? To be different?

What was Adam missing? After all, he had everything – a female companion, food, a Garden of Eden surrounding him. What was lacking?

Of Rav Nissim Karlitz,(ZT"L) the Chazon Ish said “One day, the entire world will hear from him.” He was right.

Chag Sameach

Our soul wants, to be better, different, true. Now the soul prevails over the body, and in the last moments of this journey, we must take something with us, some 'soul food' for the road ahead.

What we need to think about now – in Tishrei 5780 – is Tishrei 5781...Shana tova!

Lean back but be active

Choosing what really matters

Remembering priorities...

ven with all the news stories about “the best teacher I had” or “the teacher who changed my life,” there is no doubt that the teachers who influence us the most are our parents.

Be smart, go 'DUMB'

What makes someone great, really great? Many commentators say the answer to this question is hidden in the following verses from this week's parshah

“Man reached the moon. But man to man he has yet to reach.”

It is the easiest to only praise, to be "all smiles and hearts," but if you truly care about someone, you do not flatter him. You help him become better.

The Baal Shem Tov told his disciples that all the dozens of journeys detailed in this parshah exist also in each person's life – from the day of his birth to the day he leaves this world. In every journey, one has to move upwards and learn something new.

"Starting today, every child to us is like one thousand children." These words were said by Rabbi Herzog to the Pope after the Holocaust when he went out on a journey to find Jewish children who were transferred to convents and monasteries to avoid deportation to Nazi concentration camps, and were baptized to Christianity there. Rav Herzog wound up returning many children to their faith, people, and homeland.

This coming Shabbat will be the 25th Yahrzeit of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. The mission and legacy he left for us is more relevant than ever

Parshat Korach reminds us that seeing the good we have, and not coveting the good others have, is more urgent than almost anything else.

This week's parshah teaches us that there is almost no such thing as objectivity. We are all subjective. All of us speak from our own world of values.