Dearest friends, Over the years, many have reached out in the days leading up to Purim asking if I could share some ideas, kavvanos, and avodas that can enable us to get the most out of the Purim experience. This year, I decided to sit for a while and compile a few of the thoughts…

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11 Adar Aleph is the yahrzeit of Rav Avrohom (ben Zev Nochum) Bornstein of Sochatchov zy”a, author of sefer Avnei Nezer (responsa) (by whose title he is bets known), and Eglei Tal (on the 39 melachos). His Rebbe and father-in-law, the Kotzker Rebbe, told his chassidim that the reason Reb Zev Nochum of Biala merited having a…

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The Chida passed away Friday night of Shabbos Zachor, 11 Adar 5566/1806. Rav Chaim Yosef Dovid (ben Refael Yitzchok Zerachia) Azulai zy’a was a talmid of very great tzaddikim, including the Ohr Hachaim Hakodosh and Rav Sholom Sharabi. He was a great-great-grandson of the great Mekubal, Rav Avrohom Azulai, author of Chessed L’Avrahom. Originally interred…

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Believe it or not, it’s that time of year again! Winter will soon be losing its icy grip on the world as the days grow longer and the warmth of spring begins to cautiously emerge. Even the most stubborn snowdrifts will soon be melted away, forgotten by gleeful children whose parents (to their great relief)…

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Shalom friends! I hope you had the most beautiful Shabbos Rosh Chodesh Adar! I know we are already gearing up for parshas Terumah, but I want to share a thought I had over Shabbos on the opening pesukim in parshas Mishpatim. (The tzaddikim teach that the first three days of the week draw their energy…

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Mishnas Chassidim Rav Immanuel Chai (ben Avrohom) Riki zy”a, H”yd was murdered on 1 Adar 5503/1743. He is the author of Mishnas Chassidim, the name he is best known by, and many other seforim. (I’ve seen the name Refael added before Immanuel, but don’t know why. None of his seforim I have seen include Refael,…

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Rav Shabsei (ben Meir) Hakohen Katz zy”a, best known as the Shach, (an abbreviation of Sifsei Cohen), his monumental commentary on Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah and Choshen Mishpat, passed away 1 Adar Aleph 5423/1663. He also authored several other seforim.  The Shach passed away at the young age of 41. It is difficult to understand…

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26 Shevat is the yahrzeit of Rav Dovid (ben Shmuel) Halevi Segal zy”a, author of Turei Zahav – Taz, one of the primary commentaries on the four sections of Shulchan Aruch. He also wrote a super-commentary on Rashi to Chumash. He was a son-in-law of the Bach. In his introduction to Yoreh Deah, the tzaddik…

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25 Shevat is the yahrzeit of Reb Yisroel (ben Zev Wolf) Lipkin zy”a, better known as Reb Yisroel Salanter, the father of the Mussar movement. He passed away Erev Shabbos Mishpatim 5643/1883. It has been pointed out that the date of the tzaddik’s passing is no coincidence, as Mishpatim teaches the laws of dealing with peoplein…

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22 Shevat is the yarzeit of Reb Yehuda Zev (ben Moshe Yitzchok) Halevi Segal zy”a. My Rebbe, Reb Shlomo Kupetz zt”l was a talmid of his, and I heard numerous first-hand accounts of his greatness and his great level of kedusha, which he imparted to his talmidim. As is well known, Rav Segal inspired and…

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