During the times of Rabbi Akiva the Evil Roman Government decreed that it was forbidden for Jews to learn Torah. Rav Pappus ben Yehuda found Rabbi Akiva organizing shiurim and learning Torah in public. He said to Rabbi Akiva, ‘Are you not afraid of the government?’ Rabbi Akiva said to him, ‘Let me tell you […]
Esav is usually compared to the Yetzer Hara who constantly works to destroy everything we have built for ourselves in this world; spiritual or mundane. And in this week’s Parsha we see Yaakov about to meet up with Esav and his prayer is, “Save me please. From the hand of my brother, from the hand […]
Parshas Vayeitzei begins with Yaakov leaving the land of Israel headed for Charan, the home of his mother’s brother Lavan. After travelling all day long, the sun set for him bringing in darkness. And there in the darkness, as we learn from Rashi (on pasuk 11) he created and prayed the Maariv prayer. Yet, what […]
As time passes this physical world tries to bring us further and further from the truth. And unfortunately because of our human nature we are drawn to falsehood, to sin, to evil. It is so easy to do the wrong thing and it always seems like we have to exert much more effort in order […]
A king keeps his most prized possessions in his treasure house. Locked behind thick doors and tough guards are the king’s most precious jewels and treasured items. The Gemara in Shabbos (10b) tells us that Hashem said to Moshe he had a gift for Moshe from His personal treasure house, its name? Shabbos. Besides being […]
It seems like the world had a good first couple of days, and then, early Friday morning Adam and Chava ate from the Eitz Hadas. This was the beginning to where we find the world in Parshas Noach. People had a complete lack of respect for each other, robbery and murder was rampant and God […]
Every morning we awaken; what a miracle! Hashem has returned our soul to us after it ascended Above to give a testimony of how we spent our day; “Well, he may have done this wrong… but look, he didn’t eat non-kosher, he didn’t kill, he didn’t steal. Don’t you see how holy he is! Lord […]
In Parshas Eikev Moshe is continuing his goodbye speech to Klal Yisrael. He cautions us to guard all of the mitzvos, even the ones that seem minor and one could figuratively trample with their Eikev – a heel. He then continues his review of the events of the Jewish nation’s 40 years in the desert. […]
The Baal Shem Tov was once walking with a few Chasidim when they witnessed someone davening with his hands waving all over the place. Some of the Chasidim said he looked insane, but The Baal Shem Tov was quick to respond; “If someone was drowning and they were waving their arms around trying to stay […]
We, together, are in Galus. It was not too long ago that observant Jews in America had to start a new job every Monday because they refused to work on Shabbos. It was not too long ago that Jews, observant or not, were murdered, beaten and worked to death in Europe during and before the […]
