Archive for July 2020
The Soul Doctor’s Prescriptions
“Give ear, heavens, and I will speak, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth.” (Devarim 31:2) In Likutei Moharan, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov teaches that the mark of a great tzaddik is his ability to relate to two different kinds of Jews in two very different ways. To a Jew who thinks…
Read MoreI Rejoice Over Your Whisperings
In this week’s parsha we read, “V’Hashem he’emircha hayom lihyos lo l’am segulah” – “And Hashem has affirmed you, this day, to be His treasured people.” The holy Ishbitzer, Rebbe Mordechai Yosef Leiner zy”a, reveals the deepest depths of this “affirmation”. Chazal teach that the two words for “speech” most commonly used in the Torah,…
Read MoreThe Ben Soreh Umoreh’s Final Hope
At the beginning of this week’s parsha, we learn about the fate of the “Ben Sorer Umoreh”, the wayward and defiant son. The Torah teaches that if a child fits the description of the Ben Sorer Umoreh, his parents bring him before a beis din to pronounce his sins, after which he is stoned to…
Read MoreThe “Olam Haba Train”
One of the axiomatic principles of our holy tradition is that this world is merely a preparation for the World to come. Chazal teach that this world is a “hallway” before the ballroom of Olam Haba – only one who prepares himself in the hallway will be admitted to the ballroom to partake in the…
Read MoreDiscovering Unity within Multiplicity
This week’s parsha opens with Moshe Rabbeinu transmitting a message from Hashem to the Jewish nation as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. He says, Re’eh anochi nosein lifneichem hayom beracha ukelalla – “See, I have placed before you, today, a curse and a blessing.” Noting the semantic incongruity of the singular “Re’eh”, “see,”…
Read MoreServe Hashem with JOY!
In this week’s parsha, Moshe tells the b’nei Yisrael, “And it will be, if you forget Hashem your G-d and follow other gods and worship them and prostrate yourself before them, I bear witness against you this day that you will surely perish.” In lashon hakodesh, this pasuk begins with the words, “V’haya im shacho’ach…
Read MoreGranting Our Prayers Wings
The story is told that the holy Baal Shem Tov once traveled with some of his disciples to visit a shul in Eastern Europe. When he came to the entrance of the sanctuary, the founder of the Chassidic movement stopped abruptly and refused to enter. “There is no room,” he said. Looking through the open…
Read MoreThe Depth Behind the Journey
The Degel Machaneh Ephraim notes that whereas the opening verse in parshas Masai, “These are the journeys of the b’nei Yisrael who started out from the land of Egypt, in accordance with their troops, in the charge of Moshe and Ahron” does not reference Hashem’s guiding these travels, the second verse, “And Moshe recorded the…
Read MoreStrengthening the Warriors
In this week’s parsha, the verse states: “Avadecha nas’u es rosh anshei hamilchamah asher b’yadeinu v’lo nifkad mimenu ish” – They said to Moshe, “Your servants have made a check of the warriors in our charge, and not one of us is missing.” Above all the most serious sins in the Torah, our Sages teach…
Read MoreThe Most Desirable Service
One of the foundational teachings of Chassidus is the importance for a Jew to always be aware of just how much more there is yet to be accomplished in one’s avodas Hashem. No matter how lofty the levels a chassid may reach, he is forever striving for deeper perceptions, greater emunah, and more complete self-control.…
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