Lazer Beams: Recent Episodes
Lazer Brody
Emuna and body-soul health with one of the world‘s foremost holistic wellness coaches and spiritual guides, Rabbi Lazer Brody
Nations and the media accuse us of disproportionate responses. Hashem runs the world measure for measure. Could it be that we unjustly accuse Him of the same? Here is an important message for the upcoming month of Elul.
Rebbe Nachman teaches that a person must always remember that he or she is Hashem's beloved child. We can take advantage of this status and speak to Him whenever we like. Such a privilege is the product of His unconditional love for each of us.
Joy is a person's primary remedy in life. We find joy beyond our intellect, in the realm of emuna. There, we discover that Hashem loves each of us unconditionally. His love knows no limits, and there are no boundaries to his compassion, mercy, and loving-kindness.
When it's stormy outside, or under fire when the bombs are falling, in other words, when life is a rocky road, a person learns very quickly who his or her true friends are. That's not the case when you're on top of the world. Then, all the fair-weather friends pop up like mushrooms after the rain...
Rebbe Nachman says that worldly pleasures are like sunbeams in a dark room. They may actually seem solid, but he who tries to grab the dust motes from the sunbeam finds nothing in his hand. The same is true of all worldly desires…
The Almighty gave us eyes, not only for physical eyesight, but to observe and pay attention to what we see.
After we review parts 1 and 2, we see the completion of the dramatic turnaround. The Simple One becomes a wise and successful national leader who rises to the pinnacle of success. The Clever One falls into ignominy and finds himself neck-deep in the evil-angel's swamp...
Why bother learning emuna? Why bother searching for truth at all? What difference does either make? Modern society says, "Let me enjoy my life and don't bother me with the details." The problem with that type of attitude is that a life oriented toward appetite – fulfillment and material enjoyment - never attains what it seeks, let alone lasting happiness and fulfillment.
Guide for the perplexed: Rabbi Lazer Brody explains why Israel had no other alternative than making an immediate preemptive strike against Iran, its military infrastructure and its nuclear facilities. This is a current-events report with an emuna orientation.
An interviewer once asked me what I most like about Lebanon. I answered: the cedar trees. He asked me what else. I answered: the mosquitoes, between JabJennine and Sultan Yacoub. In 1982, they saved my life. Here's the story.
The evil inclination with its three layers resembles an almond. On the outside, there's a course shell. Once you break through that, there's a thin husk that clings to the meat of the nut. Yet on the inside, there's a fine biochemical – glycoside – that's dangerous, because the body breaks it down into cyanide. That's a metaphorical insight into the angelic evil inclination that wants us to do premature things that ultimately cause damage. They must be mitigated and purified.
Imagine that a rich man is cruising on his yacht. He's a billionaire with every amenity in life. Yet, he's always complaining. That's the "whine-o", addicted to whining and the biggest ingrate imaginable. On a national level, such behavior is catastrophic…
As a person moves up the ladder of spiritual awareness, his or her evil inclination is no longer down at the level of coarse lust and animal-urge temptation. People on high levels of emuna and observance of Torah rise to a level where their evil inclination is a holy angel. On a very high level, we find lofty type of angel that fought with Jacob. A similar angel pounced on King David, in the episode of BatSheva.
King David reviews the magnificent miracles that Hashem did for the Jewish Nation since the dawn of its history. Psalm 105 is also the certificate of birthright that Hashem grants His chosen people – the deed to the Land of Israel.
There are times when a person suddenly contemplates a desire to get closer to Hashem. At that cherished moment, he becomes an upright individual. Don't ignore such a magnificent gift from Above.
Today's Psalms are a cure for body and soul and especially cogent for healing the sick. A mere superficial look at the beauty of the Almighty's creations is sufficient to gratify the soul. A closer look makes the soul break out in joyous song. Let's take a moment to contemplate Hashem's glory and pay attention to the remarkable favors He does for each of us, just like King David did all day long.
The body is responsible for natural functions whereas the soul is responsible for spiritual functions. Both fight for control of the emotions as we'll soon see. When the soul prevails, emotions gravitate to the right side of the heart but when the body prevails, the soul gravitates to the left. Wholeheartedness is perfect harmony between body and soul. The special day of Shmini Atzeret is conducive for just that.
Hashem is always with us, wherever we are. But there's a chance - once a year during Succoth - to be with Him. What's the difference? It's tremendously different when Hashem is with us in our domain than when we're with Him in His domain...
The call of the shofar is the hallmark of the most important events in Jewish history, from our ancient past to the future. Happy is the nation that knows the call of the shofar. Today's lesson explains the significance of blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashana. We also see a dramatic repeat of ancient history unravelling this very day.
Once a person attains more emuna, he or she must be careful. They have succeeded in learning more Torah or purified the way they conduct their business affairs or both. Now, they have more Divine illumination. Just as ants in the kitchen are attracted to sugary substances, the dark-side forces will try to attach themselves to, feed off of and hijack our emuna. We therefore must guard our emuna like the royal guard in Buckingham Palace guards the Hope Diamond.
In my old army days, I was on a lone navigational maneuver at night deep in the Negev Desert. No one was around. I suddenly heart a scream in the night, like a young person in dire distress. It was unnerving, to say the least. Then I saw the rustling in the branches of a lone acacia tree not far away…
Imagine that during Rosh Hashanah of last year, an angel world would suddenly appear and reveal everything that would happen this year. What would you do if you had advanced knowledge of the Hamas onslaught on Simchat Torah, the hostages and the impending war?
It's not enough to guard our brains from so-called intellectual disciplines that are outside the realm of holiness. We must renew our intellect constantly. Rebbe Nachman shows us how.
Imagine the age of Moshiach and the Holy Temple. After He subdues Amalek and triumphs over Gog and Magog, Hashem will no longer hide His countenance. In the presence of His power and majesty, all the earth will be singing a new song.
Rucking is the dream exercise that combines both cardio and resistance training. People of any age can ruck. It even appeals to people who don't like exercising. Just take a walk on your favorite riverside or wooded path with a weighted rucksack on your back. Here's more about this great activity:
We recite the "Etz Chaim" prayer after reading the Torah portion, when we return the Torah scroll to the ark. I love trees and the imagery that our Torah is a tree of life. Before I became a rabbi, I was a tree-fruit farmer. Even the symbol of my old IDF unit is a very famous Israeli oak tree that overlooks the Sea of Galilee. With that in mind, I composed this melody, which I hope you will find soothing and inspiring. In this recording, I am playing the native-Israel flutes. Yosef Karduner and Guy Tzvi Mintz are playing guitars and singing. Enjoy this.
The human brain is quite similar to the hard disc of a computer. Just as your computer has a certain memory capacity, so does your brain. Professionals are careful in protecting their computers from needless files and programs that waste memory space. All the more so, people must protect their computers from worms and viruses. The same goes for the brain.
The forty-foot-high waves crashing down on the Pacific Coast are a tiny testament of Hashem's power and glory. The power and glory of the Creator is His royal garment, which no one possesses but the King Himself.
For busy people, here's an important message in 28 seconds; here's how to stay young until 120.
A lack of motivation leads to laziness. That's only the beginning of the downward spiral because laziness leads to sadness. If a person lacks the power to persevere in any endeavor, he or she can forget about success. Perseverance requires motivation. So where do we acquire motivation, especially in spiritual endeavors? Rebbe Nachman provides the answer.
Star Wars is nothing compared to the battles that a soul must endure. If people had completely spiritual eyes, they couldn't live long. They'd faint in fright. The atmosphere is full of toxic enemy and lethal forces, both physical and spiritual. The "Protective Force" is our only safeguard.
The Maglan* commandos of the IDF are one of Israel's most elite units. They're far from the limelight and few people know what these quiet yet powerful heroes do. Rabbi Lazer Brody was their guest yesterday; here is a 6-minute segment of the inspirational talk he delivered there. It's especially timely for the month of Elul. The talk is in Hebrew, with English subtitles.
*Hebrew for "Ibis", a quietly determined bird
There are two types of love. One is based bodily-oriented. It's therefore finite like the body and often is as brief as last night's dinner. But the other, which stems from the soul, is a lasting love that also brings a person to inner peace.
Caesar's daughter couldn't understand how the great Rebbe Yehoshua ben Chanania was so scholarly yet so unsightly. He answered with an interesting comparison, as told here (based on the Gemara, Tractate Nedarim 50b)...
The sound of the Shofar invokes unfathomable Divine compassion. As such we blow the shofar and Rosh Hashanah. But that's not all. The shofar heralds the arrival of Moshiach and the reestablishment of David's kingdom, our prayer in Psalm 89.
In our prayer for Redemption, we plead with Hashem to uplift us from the pit of exile. We yearn for our holy homeland. Where the Torah is observed on earth, truth permeates the land. Where there is truth below, justice reflects from above.
A lack of responsibility leads to a breakdown of any relationship or society. The backbone of responsibility is accountability. With that in mind, here are the "10 Commandments of Accountability," all firmly grounded in Torah sources. Fulfilling them is crucial for a healthy relationship.
Doubters ask how there could possibly be a loving Divine Creator in the world, especially with all the strife and sorrow in the world. Here is our 3-minute answer.
Where's the attack from Iran and Hezbolla? Someone, somewhere, did something really special. One good deed of altruism with no fanfare or ulterior motives can potentially save a person, his family, an entire city, or even an entire world. Our acts of compassion invoke measure-for-measure for ourselves, our families and our communities. A shining example from the Talmud is the story of the old brick oven...
Emuna teaches that everything is from Hashem and His glory fills the world. The more a person has emuna, the more he or she knows that Hashem is everywhere. The more a person has emuna, the closer he or she gets to Hashem. The closer a soul is to Hashem, the more it feels at peace, like a baby in its mother's arms. So with emuna, no matter what Hashem does, we're at peace with it.
In our prayer for Redemption, we remind Hashem that a bird will always return to its nest. Despite nearly 2,000 years of exile, we, the indigenous people of the Holy Land, yearn to return to our true nest. May Hashem in His mercy, terminate the exile and return us to our rebuilt Holy Temple in Jerusalem, soon.
A Ukrainian villager had a pain in his hand. Three visits to the country doctor didn't help at all. He finally traveled to the big city and scheduled an appointment with the big professor... This is an old Chassidic parable that explains Tisha B'av and exile.
Until people discover how to find peace within themselves, all the amenities in the world won't make them happy. Rabbi Nachman teaches us how to find the inner tranquility that we all dream of.
In every generation, marauders – like a pack of hungry wolves - attempt to devour us alive. Only Hashem can redeem us. In His mercy, He will, soon.
Today's Emuna News analysis shows where the current conflict is rooted in history and how it repeats itself today. Strategy and military defense are only a small determining factor in the outcome of the war. The political and military leadership of Israel are so far clueless to the spiritual efforts the country should be making, especially in light of the Nine Days that lead up to Tisha B'Av. Here's what we must do.
During these 9 days, Hashem's Holy Temple was destroyed. Let's invoke Divine compassion and build a sanctuary for Hashem in Kibbutz Be'eri, which was also destroyed. The synagogue is a stone's throw from the Gaza border, meant to serve the kibbutz, neighboring villages and the IDF in Gaza. We want to turn the the temporary prefab cabin-like structure into a permanent building that can meet the growing needs. With our help, both will be rebuilt soon, G-d willing. Donate here: https://my.israelgives.org/en/members/23853
When a soul prays properly, it strolls through a supernal garden of wildflowers. Every word of prayer is itself a rare wildflower. The entire prayer is a most exquisite and aromatic bouquet, the soul's gift to its Creator. Today's lesson concludes and summarizes Torah 65.
Despite the repeated times when the nation strayed from faith and became entangled in worldly lust, the Almighty shows endless mercy and compassion. All we have to do is to remember His wondrous acts.
When your throat is parched, you drink. Negative emotions are a sign that the soul is parched. It feels weak. Here's how to quench its thirst.
From the holy gravesite of Rebbe Eliezer ben Yaacov in a cave near Meron, here is a timely message about our enemies and how to defeat them.
Rebbe Nachman teaches us how to train our minds to remain positive in any circumstance. A suffering soul is a thirsty soul. Focusing on the physical world heightens tribulations and suffering. On the other hand, a person who focuses on life's ultimate purpose experiences much less pain, if none at all.
King David foresees the seemingly endless exile, where it appears as though there is no longer Divine mercy. Then he remembers the melodies that he would always play at midnight and his soul finds meaning.
Fleeing from the horrific Hamas Nukba-force assault on the Nova festival in Re'im forest, 16 young people took refuge in the "Migunit" at the adjacent bus station. A "migunit" is a small above-ground concrete shelter that shields people from missile attacks. 16 young people crowded into this small space. Hamas terrorists logged grenades inside, but a young hero - Aner Shapira - picked them up and threw them back. He succeeded 7 times, but the 8th grenade killed him. You can see the concrete migunit full of shrapnel holes. The inside walls are covered with graffiti, messages loved ones to their holy martyrs.
The holy Idra is the semicircular cave where Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai would teach the secrets of the esoteric Torah to his disciples. In the northern Galilee not far from the Lebanese border, its surroundings bear witness to the current conflict with Hezbolla.
In one of Rebbe Nachman most uplifting teachings, he explains that suffering comes from Hashem, like everything else in life. Therefore, when a person experiences difficulties in life, he or she should focus on the ultimate purpose. Since the ultimate purpose is Hashem's will and intention, it's all good. So, by focusing on Hashem, one's suffering becomes much lighter. Indeed, he or she will feel joy as a result of the abundant good that comes from connecting with Hashem. That's the ultimate good.
Since the dawn of history, even the great tzaddikim had near breakdowns of emuna. Moses couldn't understand why the evil had great lives while the righteous were suffering. King David had difficulty in grasping why the wicked succeed when the upright have so many setbacks. So many good people limp along while the crooks ride in Cadillacs…
Instead of all the news that brings you down, listen to this 84-second message that will lift you up. In short, don't look at anyone else and concentrate on performing your own special mission in life.
Seeing the grassroots spiritual arousal of our soldiers on the Gaza border is heartwarming. Their morale is phenomenally high. What's more, there's unity down here, and emuna too. They are my people and my country. I bless them all day long. Regards from the Gaza border.
Rebbe Nachman describes an exquisite field full of exotic and indescribably beautiful plants and trees. There is a Master Gardener who tends to this field, giving each plant and tree what it needs. When they bear fruit, his eyesight is far-reaching. But, if they don't bear fruit, his eyes become dim. The secrets of prayer...
Sometimes, a person looks around and simply cannot find a single friend, ally or anyone else to depend on. Yet, that's really a blessing in disguise. Alone, with no friend or allie and on the verge of certain death, King David had no one to turn to but the Almighty, his Rock and Redeemer.
Imagine that a stranger knocks on your front door. You look through the peephole to see who it is, and before you know – without your permission – he walks right through the door as if it were thin air. Right away you understand that this is no human. It's an angel. He identifies himself: the head debt-collection angel from the Heavenly bank and he looks serious. Here's how to avoid situations like this...
Imagine that a stranger knocks on your front door. You look through the peephole to see who it is, and before you know – without your permission – he walks right through the door as if it were thin air. Right away you understand that this is no human. It's an angel. He identifies himself: the head debt-collection angel from the Heavenly bank and he looks serious. Here's how to avoid situations like this...
Imagine that 40 Nakba special-ops Hamas terrorists are occupying your home. You are locked in the house bomb-shelter and they know it. Explosions, screaming, shouting in Arabic, a raging battle outside - and you are living this nightmare. Hear the first-hand story of Racheli Fricker, who miraculously survived the Be'eri massacre of Simchat Torah, October 7, 2023. See how the merit of charity, Sabbath observance and building the synagogue at Be'eri all stood as a protective force for Racheli and her family.
We visit a grueling reminder of the atrocities from October 7, 2023 Hamas attack against the south of Israel. Outside of Tekuma, near the Gaza border, is a car graveyard. Yet it's different from any other car graveyard. Here, all the cars are covered with bullet holes, broken glass and ripped metal. People tragically went to their deaths in these cars. This is a painful reminder why we are at war. It's an existential war, fighting for our lives and our homeland.
Rebbe Nachman tells of a field where exquisitely beautiful trees and plants grow. The splendor of this field is indescribable. Where is it?
With the sounds of war in the background, Rabbi Lazer interviews Racheli Fricker, who built and founded the synagogue at Be'eri. A totally secular kibbutz right on the Gaza border, Be'eri lost 101 of its residents on October 7, 2023, victims of the Hamas onslaught and atrocities. The terrorist abducted another 30 residents and took them to Gaza as hostages. 150 homes were burned and destroyed. In the middle of this devastation, the synagogue remained unscathed. Here is the amazing story.
When we feel that the floodwaters of tribulations are about to drown us, we turn to Psalm 69. And when we can no longer withstand the fierce currents of life's raging rivers, we call for immediate help in Psalm 70.
Rebbe Nachman teaches that the melody of an upright singer or musician inspires people to better their service of Hashem. Yet, there are few kosher musicians around. So, how does one correct the detrimental effects of hearing music from a less than upright source?
Psalm 68 describes Hashem's magnificent reign over creation. King David prophetically describes how in the end of days, Hashem will bring Moshiach, subdue His enemies and establish His holy Sanctuary in Jerusalem.
This is the amazing story of how a newly observant IDF war veteran - Lazer Brody - spent four days with the Lubavitcher Rebbe of saintly and blessed memory. The story begins with the First Lebanon War of 1982 and then moves to 770 in Crown Heights, Parshat Korach, 5747/ June 25-28, 1987. The Rebbe's unforgettable eyes...
Emuna is not at all blind faith. It's about actively choosing to trust in God and rely on Him, even when things don't make sense. It's like having a friend who always has your back, no matter what. So, next time you're feeling lost or overwhelmed, let emuna be your guide. It's your GPS...
Boris lost his leg in a fierce battle in Gaza City ten weeks ago, but he came out alive. His other crew members lost their lives. Yesterday, while visiting the Rehabilitaion Center of the Tel Hashomer Hospital outside of Tel Aviv, Boris shared his miraculous story with me. Is there really intervention from the upper worlds?
Everything our soul ingests affects our spirituality. We pay much attention to the kashruth of food because of its effect on the soul. Music penetrates our souls much faster than food does. For that reason, Rebbe Nachman stresses that a person must listen to music of upright musicians.
Psalm 67 resembles the 7-branched menorah of the Holy Temple. When we recite it, we kindle our souls. King Solomon said, "Hashem's candle is the human soul" (Proverbs 20:27). Therefore, kindling our souls is tantamount to lighting the actual menorah of the Holy Temple. This is only one of the many spiritual powers of these two psalms, which King David wrote for all of mankind.
Don't let society tell you that the important things in life are the curves in your figure or your six-pack abs. Health is important, but a healthy body is not everything. Most horses are much healthier than we are and stronger too. So what makes us any better than a horse?
Each good point within you, every mitzva and good deed you do is like a musical note. These notes come together to created exquisite niggunim, your own beautiful melodies. Today's lesson is a time-tested lifesaver from sadness and depression. In positive terms, it's Rebbe Nachman's master key to happiness.
In the face of peril, King David yearns to be constantly closer to Hashem. He delights in the thought of the Holy Temple and foresees the future of his offspring. He sees that his descendent, the Prophet Daniel, will be facing identical dangers that he faced. King David not only prays for Daniel, but for each of us as well.
The Torah commands us to judge everyone fairly. Even if a person is seemingly evil, we can always find some good quality if we look hard enough. Likewise, we must search for the good points within ourselves. Our good points are like musical notes. When they come together, they create beautiful melodies.
Despite no respite from both internal and external enemies, King David succeeds in maintaining a tranquil soul. What is his secret?
The first 32 days of the Omer obligate us to curtail joy and joyous occasions. Then comes the 33rd day, 18 Iyar, the anniversary (yahrtzeit) of Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai's departure from the physical world. Everything turns completely around with singing, dancing, rejoicing and festive meals. What's behind all this?
When newcomers enter in to the service of Hashem, it looks like Hashem is pushing them away. They're hit with all kinds of problems that they never had before? Why?
King David suffered unspeakable emotional and physical hardships. These included imminent death in captivity on more occasions than one. Prophetically, he felt our pain and wrote these Psalms for us too.
The heart has a spiritual self-cleaning mechanism that is capable of cleansing it from all forms of impurity. Rebbe Nachman teaches us how to activate it.
Sometimes our troubles are so tormenting that we'd be happy to sprout wings like a dove and just fly away to a place of peace. King David felt exactly like that when he had no rest from enemies, both foreign and domestic. Prophetically, he felt our pain and wrote these Psalms for us too.
There are those who claim, and seemingly rightfully so, that the Gaza War would have been over in 8 weeks, were it not for the interference of the Biden administration. Biden and Blinken forced Israel to enable the so-called "humanitarian aid" that enabled Hamas to recover from a near knockout. That may sound logical, but it contradicts the truth of emuna. Emuna tells us that everything is from Hashem, and that includes the Biden administration and Hamas. As such, today's broadcast helps us understand the emuna message of current events.
The closest distance between two points is a straight line. In spirituality, straightness means simplicity and honest innocence. The two traits, which are really one, makes a person beautiful. They also create the closest distance between the person and the Creator.
Confessing one's wrongdoings to the Almighty does more than merely cleansing one's soul. It rejuvenates the spirit. A rejuvenated spirit is a healthy spirit, and a healthy spirit is a happy spirit.
Why all the chaos in the world and in each of our lives? The Gemara teaches us an amazing lesson: before enhanced abundance and joy, there's chaos, both physical and emotional. We are taken out of our comfort zone in order to accustom us to a new and better reality. That's the key to understanding current events. It's also proof that Moshiach is imminent. Here's how:
During the Omer, Rebbe Akiva's 24,000 students died because they didn't properly respect one another. We still mourn them, almost 2,000 later, because we haven't yet corrected their sin. We're all still guilty of intramural hate. Do you know why? Let me explain, with an amazing story from over sixty years ago, about my father, of blessed memory...
Most people misunderstand the essence of Rosh Hashanah. Today's lesson, a video playback of Rabbi Lazer's talk in Great Neck, NY earlier this week, prepares us for a meaningful New Year.
The Gemara says that a prohibition done for Hashem's sake is greater than a mitzva that's not done for Hashem's sake (Nazir 23b). Here's a story that I told in the Ojai, California Chabad house about something that the Heavenly Court would certainly consider to be a "kosher" tattoo. Unlike us, the Heavenly Court takes all considerations into account.
"The body is a fence to the soul. To find our true selves, we must jump the fence." ~Rabbi Lazer Brody. Enjoy today's 3-minute message.
The Hebrew month of Elul includes the 4 weeks that precede the High Holidays. At this time, Hashem - the King of Kings - is especially accessible.
In this terribly long exile with never-ending troubles, many have lost hope. They don't believe that their prayers will ever be answered or they don't believe in prayer altogether. They confuse apparent Divine concealment and think that Hashem has forsaken them. Rebbe Nachman, while interpreting one of Rabbah bar bar Chana's cryptic allegories from the Gemara, proves that the opposite is true.
Love is like atomic power. The positive aspects of love can illuminate the world but its negative aspects can destroy the world. In today's lesson on Chapter Four of "Orchus Tzaddikim" (The Ways of the Righteous), we learn an important lesson for life. There are seven main types of love. Each has a misplaced application as well as a positive one. We also learn important holistic health advice when learning the proper way to love ourselves.
This week we learn the ability of powerful prayer. It can rejuvenate and illuminate a soul as well as invoke tremendous Divine abundance.
Chutzpa is the Hebrew word for audacity. When we activate our chutzpa in the right place, we gird ourselves in strength and are able to take a bold stand against evil. On the other hand, chutzpa in the wrong place sends a person into a self-destruct mode. Today's lesson on Chapter Four of Orchus Tzaddikim - Ways of the Righteous - teaches us to differentiate between "holy chutzpa" and the unholy type.
I was alone in the Negev Desert, a prime place for personal prayer. I was facing a hill. Upon it was a majestic creature, an Israeli desert wolf (Canis Lupus Arabus). The didn't budge; it just gazed at me calmly. Suddenly, it gave a proud howl that echoed across the desert. It seemed to say, "I'm the chief of this region." I tool my Land-of-Israel reed flute out of my backpack and started playing the melody that the wolf seemed to inspire. The melody came out with a native-American flavor. Enjoy it, and may we soon see the days when the wolf dwells with the lamb (Isaiah 11:6), amen!
Today's lesson teaches us the secret of effective prayer and how to avoid the negative elements that hinder us during prayer.
Would you do whatever you want behind closed doors if you knew that no one would see you or catch you in the act? Would you allow your spouse to see your computer's or smartphone's surfing history? There's a healthy type of shame that indicates to emuna and spiritual intelligence. This is the subject of today's lesson on the "Gate of Shame", the third chapter of the classic "Ways of the Righteous."
Our host tonight is 7th Degree Blackbelt Taekwondo Master Sunny Levi who is also a Certified Emuna Coach. With her group of "Personal Prayer Bootcamp" graduates, she holds a lively Q&A session with Rabbi Lazer Brody. Anyone can relate to the amazing questions asked here. What should we pray for? Are angels real? Can a person truly overcome PTSD? How does a woman rid her life of anxiety? And, much more...
I don't know how to express my concern for my beloved country that is now the victim of unprecedented intramural hate and discord, so I invented Old Charlie. He's the type of leader we need.
Where does Moshiach get his power from? How will he conquer the world? What will change in our lives once he arrives and is in our midst? Rebbe Nachman reveals these deep secrets and more.
Humility is a wonderful trait, the opposite of arrogance. One who attains humility saves himself untold grief and circumvents many of evil's ensnarement. The Almighty cherishes every morsel of effort that a person invests in seeking humility, as we learn in today's lesson on the classic book of ethics, "Ways of the Righteous."
Once we find the harmony within ourselves, we can make the world more harmonious. This newly released book, "Emuna and the Noahide" by Lazer Brody will help us on both counts. Available online here.
Where does the soul of Moshiach come from? What is the source of Moshiach's power? Will he really be able to triumph over the whole world? How? Today's lesson answers this and other important questions...
Arrogance is the first "gate," or chapter, of the classic ethics book "Ways of the Righteous," which we learn in today's lesson. The author addresses this character trait first because it's the root of many additional character flaws. In fact, it's the most damaging of negative character traits. Learning how to avoid it is therefore the foundation of character refinement.
A bloke in the back was drinking his beer. One of the patrons in the pub hushed up the party: "The king's in the pub!" His mates thought that he was daft... This is an encouraging parable about life's difficulties.
The Gemara speaks cryptically about a majestic wave in the ocean with a white fringe of fire at its crest. Rebbe Nachman warns that the wave, which appears to be so beautiful, is none other than a killer rogue wave, the evil inclination in disguise. The white fire at its crest is a lethal dark-side angel. Today, we learn how to fend off the danger.
"The Ways of the Righteous" is one of Judaim's prime guidebooks to character refinement and improvement. We humans have the bodies of mammals but the souls of angels. The more we strive to refine character, the more our souls can channel our bodies in the upright path. This wonderful book teaches how to do just that. Today's lesson introduces us to the art and challenge of improving our character.
A pilot's life depends on his trusting his instrument panel rather than trusting his own logic. For a person to survive emotionally, he or she also must depend on a much more reliable source than their own clouded judgment.
When a person speaks words that shine with charm, they glow in the heart of the listener. That glow makes a deep impression in the listener's heart. Words of prayer that emanate from a soul with with emuna - malchut - attain charm when coupled with the wisdom of Torah - chochma. Together, they glow and make a lasting impression Above.
A Noahide's prayers are not written in any prayer book. They are written on the walls of the Noahide heart.
On Sabbath Day after the Torah reading, we return the Torah scroll to the ark and sing "Etz Chaim", two moving passages from Proverbs 3:17-18. This is King Solomon's metaphor that the Torah is a Tree of Life. Here is an original melody that came to me during hitbodedut (personal prayer) under the starry sky of one beautiful Sabbath evening here in the south of Israel. This recording features Guy Tzvi Mintz on guitar and vocal with yours truly on Native Israel flutes and background vocal. I hope you enjoy it, for it's a piece of my soul that I'd like to share with you. Feel free to download as you like, courtesy of Emuna Beams.
To enable you to sing along, here are the lyrics, by King Solomon, in Hebrew, English transliteration and English translation.
עֵץ-חַיִּים הִיא, לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ; וְתֹמְכֶיהָ מְאֻשָּׁר
דְּרָכֶיהָ דַרְכֵי-נֹעַם; וְכָל-נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם
Etz chaim he, lamachazikim ba; v'tomcheha m'ushar.
Dracheha darchei noam; v'kol netivoteha shalom.
She is a tree of life to those who cling to her; her ways are ways of pleasantry and all her paths are peace.
The forces of light and holiness engage in a constant fierce battle with the forces of darkness and evil. The moon symbolizes this battle, which is also the individual struggle of each one of us.
The 6th and 7th Noahide Laws are easy to uphold. The 6th is the prohibition of eating the flesh of a live animal. This law also encompasses the laws of kindness to animals, which is the main focus of today's lesson. The 7th is a law that is a societal obligation, that of forming of judicial system. Today's lesson also includes the additional commandments of Torah that a Noahide may observe on an elective basis.
We often see things that seem outrageous, either grossly unfair or extremely negative. Yet, we don't understand the Divine wisdom that's behind life's unpleasant moments. So, as soon as understanding kicks out, emuna must kick in. Even if something seems bad, emuna tells us that it’s really good. How? We have a loving Father in Heaven Who does everything for the very best. So put a smile on your face, listen to this 6-minute podcast and be happy...
The light of inherent Divine wisdom is so dazzling bright and intense that it requires preparing a suitable vessel to merit it. Rebbe Nachman teaches how.
The prohibition of theft has a profound impact on maintaining a harmonious society. Buying, selling, service-providing and exchanging goods play such a significant role in our daily lives. The prohibition of theft is therefore designed to protect people's property and assets. In the absence of such a prohibition, chaos prevails. Beware: the evil inclination first gets a person to do some slight misdemeanor. Then, the road is to financial felony is much shorter...
Today's podcast is an emotional first-aid treatment. People have a terrible tendency people to blame themselves for things that go wrong in life. Taking responsibility for our actions is productive. Self-blame is not. Here's how to avoid it.
The Almighty instilled in every creation its own unique inherent wisdom. This wisdom is the Divine illumination within that creation, which gives it its vitality and enables it to fulfill its potential and function on earth. Humans are no exception. To know yourself or anything else, you must connect to the inherent wisdom. Rebbe Nachman teaches how.
To understand the severity of adultery, look at liberal American law. To this day, treason remains the highest crime, punishable by the highest penalty. Even in the state of Michigan, where capital punishment is outlawed, a person who commits treason may be put to death. Is not adultery domestic treason?
It's a pleasure to answer the request of a charming person, especially when his or her requests are full of charm. Where does one attain that charm?
Our souls are tiny sparks of the Creator. We call Him "Father in Heaven" because we all inherit His spiritual DNA. Each of us has the potential of greatness and righteousness. Snuffing out a human soul is tantamount to destroying an entire universe. It's as if the murderer extinguishes a spark of Godliness, Heaven forbid.
Torch and Emuna Beams are delighted to invite you to a brand new and stimulating podcast on "Likutei Moharan", the classic teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslev. Beginning Thursday, June 1, 2023, the podcast will be broadcast live on Torch Podcasts at Torchzoom.com at 10 PM Israel, 8 PM London, 3 PM NYC, 2PM Chicago and 12 noon LA. The replay will appear on the Emuna Beams Podcast at www.emunabeams.com - looking forward to seeing you!
In today's false world of shidduchim (matchmaking) with these ridiculous resumes that people demand, an Avraham Avinu or a Rebbe Akiva wouldn't have a chance. How many people today would refuse a shidduch with King David, because his great-grandmother was a convert? How many people today would refuse a shidduch with King Solomon, because his mother his mother was a divorcee? If you're looking for a soulmate for yourself or for your children, here is some vital food for thought.
Maybe you're thinking that this commandment is superfluous. A decent person asks himself, "Who in his right mind would blaspheme? Who could possibly be so blatantly insolent that they'd curse the Almighty?" You'd be surprised...
The twelfth of our Thirteen Principles of Emuna requires us all to eagerly anticipate Moshiach. I don't think that there's anyone, religious or not, who doesn't want Moshiach, so where is he? Let's find out.
Since emuna and idolatry are mutually exclusive, the first Noahide Law that prohibits idolatry is actually a law that obligates emuna. Without emuna, a person is vulnerable to all types of idolatry, some in very subtle forms. In spirituality, there is no vacuum; where there's no emuna, idolatry fills the void.
A wagon master had a faithful donkey who worked hard and never complained. He decided to take his donkey on vacation, so he took it to the luxurious Hilton Hotel by the beach... A parable about life in the Land of Israel.
An automobile company's new-car warranty is only valid if the owner cares for car as stipulated in the owner's manual. But if the owner never reads the manual, how can he or she know how to care for the car? For sure, they can expect problems. The same goes for the soul, which is much more intricate than an automobile. Today's lesson introduces us to the Seven Noahide Laws, the owner's manual for the maintenance of a smooth-running soul.
There are repeated time in Jewish history when a single woman's heartbeat was the only difference between physical and spiritual survival and annihilation. Today's podcast is a tribute to Rabbi Zecharia HaCohen Wallerstein zatza"l, who departed the physical world on Rosh Chodesh Iyar, 5782 (2 May, 2022).
The 210 years of exile and 116 years of slavery in Egypt ended with on the eve of the 15th of Nissan, 2448 in the Hebrew calendar. This was the year 1312 BCE. Hashem gave a most difficult command to the Israelites. Each family had to slaughter a lamb, which the Egyptians held sacred as their prime deity. This was an act of total dedication to the Almighty, where emuna had to prevail over logic and fear. Such dedication triggered the final exodus from Egypt, in a remarkable chain of events that we learn in todays lesson.
The health of a body, a soul or even a nation depends on maintaining a proper balance of left and right. The current social and political ills of Israel result from a critical imbalance. Today's podcast shows to bring back the balance.
When Moses relayed Hashem's message of "Let My people go" to Pharaoh, the Egyptian monarch snarled back, "Who is Hashem that I should listen to Him? Besides, I've never heard of Hashem before" (Exodus 5:2). With such unprecedented insolence, Pharaoh was begging for punishment. The punishment came quickly. There were ten different plagues. Each one was a precise measure-for-measure response to the suffering that Pharaoh and the Egyptians meted out to the Israelites, as we see in today's lesson.
How did a fierce, proud and independent people like the Israelites fall into slavery in Egypt? Why did they have to suffer unspeakable atrocities? Here, in first of our 3-Part "Story of Passover," we gain a deeper appreciation of the Passover holiday and of true freedom.
Both the growing terror in Israel and the internal strife between right and left are like wildfires that are out of control. How can we extinguish them? Here's a two-minute solution.
Rabbi Lazer Brody's new book is a guide to marital bliss line none other. Based on emuna, two soulmates are more than mates; they are two inseparable halves of one soul. This knowledge is vital in building a loving and lasting relationship. The Bond of Emuna is available online here.
From the pristine beach of Israel's southern Mediterranean coast, Rabbi Lazer provides a basic and effective plan for personal prayer. Nothing is so gratifying as your own personal relationship with the Almighty. Relationships begin with communication...
A chassidic parable teaches us that we don't have to live a third-class life when there are available upgrades for everyone.
Here's an important and practical message about Jewish unity. "The Toothpick Test" is something that anyone can do, especially at the family Purim table. We cordially invite Prime Minister Netanyahu and opposition leaders Gantz and Lapid to join us in this test.
The Book of Esther tells the story of Purim, when the Jews faced threat of annihilation. History is repeating itself right now. This behooves us to learn the lessons of Purim 25 centuries ago and apply them immediately. It takes a true leader to rise above sectorial interests and unify a divided nation.
Rabbi Lazer Brody tells the complete story of Purim in a manner that anyone can understand and appreciate. We see here how the Book of Esther transpires a timespan of thirteen years. This historically precise story is actually the template for the Geula, the full and final redemption.
February, 2023 has been a tragic month for Israel. We cannot allow the blood of our cherished sons and martyrs to cry out in vain. It's easy to blame others but that won't stop the bloodshed. Here's what each of us must do, right now.
With Emuna, we know that every tiny amenity that we have in life is a huge blessing. Who can take every little sip of water or every breath of air for granted? These and a myriad of other blessings in life - every moment - are products of Hashem's magnificent Divine Direction. These gifts are customized for each one of us. By simply pondering them, we're immediately happy.
Imagine the tragedy of throwing away a rare vintage acoustical guitar simply because it's out of tune. Even more tragic is disposing of a soulmate because the relationship is out of tune. Here's a time-tested way to return the harmony to a marriage. And, if there never was a harmonious relationship, we learn here how to build one.
Sea Cucumbers are invertebrates from the echinoderm family, like starfish and sea urchins. They look like a fat aquatic caterpillar. Found mainly in the Far East, they live on the ocean floor. Although many humans consider them a delicacy, they are bottom-feeding scavengers who eat anything, especially waste materials. Their 10-12" bodies are tubular, with a hole on one side for eating and a hole on the opposite side for excreting. Let's ask ourselves: what makes a human any better than a sea cucumber?
What do we do when we're not sure what path to take? Whose advice do we seek? Here's a simple but very cogent way to clarify the truth in our minds.
One of the prime ways that outstanding achievers became great was through their utilization of time. To fulfill our maximum potential, we must cherish every single minute in life. Time is one commodity that's irreplaceable...
Rebbe Nachman of Breslev lauds the virtue of personal prayer, especially at night and away from the beaten path. He writes that when a person speaks to the Creator in his or her own words, all of creation joins in. I took my flute at midnight to a hill in Judea where King David used to pray. A melody came into my head that I never heard before. I could feel that the midnight breeze was singing with me. It was sweet, calming and innocent. Allow me to share this poignant experience with. Here's the melody, and you're welcome to download the mp3 free of charge.
A realtor can work 200 hours and show 60 houses in a month and not sell a single one. On the other hand, his colleague works part-time as a realtor for an hour or two every evening. The colleague's wife was having a baby so he couldn't work much that month. His evenings were devoted to caring for his children. He showed one house that month and sold it. The commission he earned was sufficient for the entire month. Spiritually, what's going on?
In two words, the Torah tells a parent how to educate and raise emotionally-healthy children. The converse of these same two words shows what a parent should avoid doing.
Walking is the king of exercises for all ages. For walking to safest and most beneficial, we need a proper warmup. Warmups are not only vital for strenuous workouts like sprinting or weightlifting. Without a warmup, muscles are cold, tight and prone to strains, pains and pulls. So, for your walk to be healthy and pleasurable, follow this 5-minute, 5-step stretching warmup.
Music for me is a form of prayer. Where the words end, a melody from deep down begins. This is the song of the soul. The Land of Israel countryside, flaura and fauna inspire my flute. This particular melody describes an eagle who circled over my head during a personal prayer session in the Negev Desert. Enjoy and feel free to download it, no charge, compliments of Emuna Beams.
The Cord of Three Strands symbolizes the bond of emuna, the marriage that's built on the deep and durable foundations of emuna. The triple-stranded cord represents the Creator, the groom, and the bride. Together, intertwined, they form a braid that symbolizes the fusion of one man, one woman, and the Almighty in the marriage. This is the lasting bond...
Both Moses and the Egyptian sorcerers had sticks that turned into snakes. But, there was a big difference. They threw their sticks on the floor. Moses simply spoke to his stick. What do we learn from this?
Sometimes, what appears to be a worst-case scenario is really the best. Without our realizing, the person who we think is our worst adversary is really our best advocate. We're in for a big surprise and even a bigger shock, something we never expected…
Here's how to maximize your potential. From this moment on, stop comparing yourself to anyone else on earth. Get to know your unique talents and aptitudes. They are the tools that help you reach your personal peak, your mission and goal in life. The Path to Your Peak has helped thousands of people do just that. It can help you too.
There's nothing healthier for body and soul than a new beginning, making a fresh start. The spirit influences the body. So, when the spirit declares a fresh start, the body becomes rejuvenated! By removing the focus from our setbacks and disappointments, we avoid sadness and depression. And if we messed up by committing some transgression, we simply ask forgiveness from Hashem and promise to do our best to improve. Once we've made teshuva, the past is wiped away – the transgression no longer exists! Therefore, by declaring a new start, we destroy sadness and depression, especially the depression that follows a transgression.
How do two soulmates merge? What holds them together? Today's lesson provides a deep insight into the soul itself and the way it connects with its mate.
In the final chapter of Genesis, Joseph gives his brothers a lesson in emuna. This lesson is vital for every one of us to this day. There's absolutely nothing to fear...
Although the world is rife with suffering and tribulations, few are the fortunate individuals who know how to cope with indignity. King David was one of them. We now have the opportunity to learn his secret of "The Serene Soul."
In Kabbalistic teachings, we learn that a man receives his income by virtue of the illumination of his wife's soul. He must act like the sun and shine brightly on her. She is identical to the moon. Even her bodily rhythm is lunar. And like the moon, she does great things with the light she gets from the sun. Today's lesson provides a much deeper understanding of the marital relationship.
In one dramatic moment, Joseph suddenly sees the events that brought him to Egypt in a new light. He realizes that his agony of slavery and incarceration was an amazing "act one" of the same drama that catapulted him to the pinnacle of power in Egypt. He sees the Divine Hand that wrote the script. He discovers the exquisite and very intricately-detailed picture of Divine Direction. Joseph gains a rare glimpse of Hashem's engineering of events that is beyond the grasp of the wildest imagination.
A distraught teacher was having terrible disciplinary problems with a boy in his class. He sought advice from the great Rabbi Shmuel Halevi Vozner, of blessed memory...
"Beholden" is a synonym for "grateful". The Oxford Dictionary defines beholden as, "Owing thanks or having a duty to someone in return for help or a service." The sample sentence the dictionary uses is, "I don't like to be beholden to anybody." An attitude like that in a relationship is devastating, whether it's a relationship with the Almighty or with your spouse. Grateful people are never bitter but bitter people are never grateful.
Who do you blame when you missed your train? Don't bother looking for the seemingly guilty factor or person. This week's Torah portion shows how the apparent setbacks in our life are all for the best.
Since Abraham, the first monotheist, the war against emuna has been never-ending. There are times in history when the vast majority of Jews succumbed to political correctness and assimilation at the expense of their faith. One such time was nearly 2300 years ago, when the Seleucid monarch Antiochus IV tried to Hellenize all of Judea. He nearly succeeded, but the Maccabees foiled his plan. Today's Emuna Hour scans the War of Emuna and tells the story of Chanukah. This story continues to this day.
Violence begins with anger and escalates to physical harm, even killing. Sometimes killing is justified, as in self-defense. But, when a person becomes accustomed to killing, he or she is likely to kill when it's not at all justified. Our forefather Jacob didn't want anything to do with anger and violence. His two sons Simon and Levi think otherwise...
True love is a bond of emuna, an unbreakable lasting connection between two souls. Whereas infatuation is bodily and physical, true love and friendship are spiritual. We learn all about building a successful marital relationship from the dove...
In one of the Torah's most dramatic scenes, Esau and Jacob meet after years of estrangement. In this confrontation, the first thing Esau does is to stare at Jacob's wives. We learn here the huge difference between Esau's and Jacob's attitude toward women. The same difference continues today in the opposing attitudes of modern society and the Torah in regard to women.
Brandon (Boruch) Rumann from Houston, Texas is a brilliant aerospace engineer. He works for NASA and is involved in the VIPER Rover project, which is scheduled for a mission to the moon in 2025. He simultaneously works for the "Blue Origin" company on the "Orbital Reef" project, that plans to launch a space hotel prototype in 2027. More amazing than his work is his experience beyond the stars, during an NDE (near death experience) that he shares with us in today's podcast.
A lasting marital relationship, what we call a "bond of emuna", depends on the merger of two souls. A true partner in life is therefore one's soulmate, that special person who will share a lifelong mutual commitment. One cannot find a soulmate if he or she is interested solely in a "bodymate". Physical attributes are short-lived...
The Gemara makes a seemingly strange statement: "No one thanked Hashem until our matriarch Leah said, 'This time, I will thank Hashem' (Genesis 29:35)." Adam, Noah and Abraham all thanked Hashem way before Leah did. So what's the Gemara talking about?
Welcome to our new "Parsha Pearls" series on the weekly Torah portion. This week, we find Isaac and Rebecca haven't yet had children and are begging in prayer to the Almighty to become parents. Why are they so worried? Isaac's father Abraham received a solid promise from Hashem that Isaac would father the entire Jewish People (Genesis 21:12). Isn't Hashem's promise enough?
With so many divorces, something is sorely wrong with western society's concept of marriage. There's a much better game plan, which we learn in today's lesson.
The Torah teaches us the best way to build a lasting marital relationship - first be friends, then be lovers. It's not just a rosy saying but an absolute commandment of Torah...
The things in this world that arouse our fear are reminders that we should fear no one other than Hashem. The things in the world that arouse our love are reminders of just how much we must love Hashem. Both the seemingly good and the seemingly bad in life are messengers from Above...
The insurance company invites you to contact them for a quote. They don't list the prices of their various cardiac insurance policies because you'd be turned off on the spot. But at any rate, what are you getting for the high price of cardiac insurance? Can anyone insure you a healthy heart?
Are you a calm person or a time-bomb of turbulence? How would you objectively rate yourself on a scale of total turbulence at the bottom and total inner peace at the top? Today's lesson enables you to assess your position on the stairway from explosiveness to serenity.
No one strengthens character from eating chocolate ice-cream. Coping with difficulty is like spiritual resistance training that strengthens one's spirit. Therefore, when the Almighty wants to uplift a person to a higher spiritual level, He first sends them some sort of verbal abuse. Verbal abuse breaks a person's heart. Yet, in striving to overcome a broken heart, a person builds an emotionally-stronger heart. Here's a lesson in spiritual resistance training...
Metaphorically, raw gold symbolizes the soul, whose mission on earth is to refine and purify itself from its unrectified blemishes. Extreme heat is not a punishment for the raw gold, but a mode of purification. Extreme tribulations in like manner remove the blemishes from the soul.
Are the Torah's commandments logical? Do they have a basis in intellect? Today's lesson
provides some answers that are missing pieces to a very old puzzle.
Just as cholesterol clogs the arteries, transgressions clog the pathways to the heart and the heart itself. A clogged and hardened heart has no desire to pray, for it cannot feel the Divine presence. Today, we learn how to perform a spiritual stent. Powerful prayer - a silent scream - penetrates the depths of the heart and renews its spiritual health.
A "Gett" in Hebrew is a writ of divorce. That's exactly what we're about to give to all of our regrets in life. They are nothing but iron shackles that hold us down and prevent us from moving forward and climbing higher. Today's lesson is a preparation for the happiest New Year you ever had.
Forgiveness brings up some sticky questions: "How can I forgive someone who’s done me wrong when part of me doesn’t want to forgive?" When you don't forgive, the wound of whatever damage someone did to you festers, and turns into negativity that ruins your day, or even your life. Don't go there, for your own benefit...
There's a common denominator between your most valuable asset and your birthright, which is even more than a basic human right. No person on earth has the right to take either of them away from you. What possibly fits that definition?
In this special preparatory lesson for Rosh Hashanah, we learn that one should avoid judging others altogether, especially during the month of Elul. What's more, when we forgive those who harmed us, we invoke Divine forgiveness for our own wrongdoings.
Yaacov Langer, host of the eminently popular Inspiration for the Nation podcast, interviews Rabbi Lazer Brody. Here's how emuna opens up locked doors for happiness and success.
Preparing for Rosh Hashanah and the High Holidays doesn't have to be a dread. Join us on Sunday, September 4, 2022 in Los Angeles to learn the expressway to a joyous New Year.
Today's lesson sheds light on verbal abuse in families. Why do spouses disparage one another? Children are the greatest gift the Almighty can bestow on a couple. Why do parents tear their children apart with yelling and criticism? Does a family lack an adequate income? Strife in the home is most likely the culprit. More than anything, let's see how verbal abuse damages the soul. Rebbe Nachman says that if you believe you can ruin something, believe that you can rectify it.
People think that a poodle is great for a pet and an Arabian horse is superb for a ride. Both are correct. But much more, they fantastic therapy animals. From the heartland of Israel, multi-talented psychotherapist and animal-breeder Esther Nava Aharony introduces us to animal-assisted therapy.
Today’s Emuna Hour lesson introduces us to the six main types of verbal abusers: the common fools, the scoffers, the highbrows, the archivists, the investigators and the detractors. We learn to recognize them and how to guard ourselves from them.
People think that they can have a life of fun and games with no responsibility or accountability and then expect to earn a first-class seat with all the amenities up in Heaven. It doesn't work that way...
Today’s lesson deals with the thorny types of verbal abuse that a person suffers with no prior triggers or misdeeds. Like the sweet prickly pear, these too are sweet fruit concealed in thorns. They are able to atone for a person’s misdeeds and can uplift him or her to a higher spiritual level. They also strengthen character.
Rabbenu Bachiya then explains that Hashem runs the world in a measure-for-measure fashion. One who encounters trouble in life should immediately assess himself. He who does so sincerely will benefit Divine guidance and assistance so that he'll be able to recognize the caustic catalyst that triggered the trouble.
The key to a relationship is communication, particularly speech communication. When it comes to our relationship with God, prayer – especially intimate, private personal prayer – is the best means of communicating. In that respect, personal prayer is the language of emuna. This type of prayer doesn't appear in any prayer book. It is written on the innermost walls of a person's heart. "The Language of Emuna," Rabbi Lazer's inspiring new book, shows how life-enriching personal prayers can be for anyone, no matter what their background might be.
Although the world is rife with suffering and tribulations, few are the fortunate individuals who know how to cope with indignity. They are able to weather insult without losing their composure. This is not a matter of superficial self-control. It's apparent that their soul remains calm. Let's learn their secret...
This is the moving story of Rebbetzin Rachel Sarna, osb"m, who as a teenager survived the Holocaust and a miraculous confrontation with a senior Nazi commander and his pack of killer dogs.
Since Coronavirus has such a predilection for the mouth and throat, oral hygiene is a determining factor in controlling its spread. Health authorities urge us to protect ourselves and those around us by keeping our mouth cleaner and free of harmful microorganisms. They're correct, but only partially. Everything in the physical world has a root in the spiritual world. Let's rephrase the Health authorities' idea from an emuna standpoint: we can protect ourselves and those around us by keeping our mouth cleaner and free of spiritual microorganisms, the viruses of transgressions.
When it comes to fitness, there are many devices out there from fitness watches to heart-rate monitors to sleep and exercise apps. They all tell us that we need them to be fit and to attain maximum potential. Is that really true? Brodie and Brody look for the best answers and the happy medium.
Every word of sincere personal prayer is far more valuable than the Hope Diamond, which weighs 45 carats and is worth some $250-300 million. There will be many robbers and hijackers lying in the lurk to prevent those words of prayer from reaching the Heavenly throne. These evil forces do everything in their power to prevent a person from building an intimate relationship with God. For practical purposes, we refer to them as the enemies of personal prayer, the antagonists whose purpose is to obstruct our efforts to get close to the Almighty. Since these antagonists are so powerful, the rewards for overcoming them are unfathomable.
This message comes from the holy gravesite of King David on Mount Zion. We examine his autobiographical statement in at the end of Psalm 57. King David tells us what his definition of good is. As a result, we see what the King of Israel’s top priority is.
The more we maintain an even emotional keel, the more we become immune to stress and anxiety. The more we live a stress-and-anxiety free life, the more mental and physical energy we have. That leaves us more resources to devote to productive endeavors. In that respect, there's no stress-buster like daily personal prayer. Today, we learn the art of private speaking. This is our own intimate conversation with our loving Creator.
Life is full of precious little moments that are wonderful for body and soul. In today’s “Brodie Meets Brody”, we learn how to seize them.
Anyone who learns how to fill their prayers with emuna can work miracles and virtually dictate reality. Let's see how...
Many people think that if the don’t have a full hour to spare, they can’t work out. Not true! Brodie and Brody teach us the secret of the “coffee-break workout”, the 5-7 minutes that can put you in shape.
Menachem Brodie is a world-class Strength Coach for Cyclists & Triathletes, head coach of the Israeli Cyclist Team and consultant coach for the NCAA and NBA. Rabbi Lazer Brody is a certified health coach, expert-level Senior Fitness Trainer and Holistic Nutritionist. They team up to provide you with priceless practical health advice.
Can emuna penetrate to every organ and limb of the body? Today's lesson shows how it can. A body full of emuna is a master key to emotional, spiritual and even physical health. You can easily test it on yourself as well.
Filmed in the Shoreshim Outreach Center in Mexico City, this enjoyable 10-minute clip is in both English and Spanish. We learn here about King David's intention when he said, "All Your mitzvoth are emuna."
A person might ask that if the Creator alone did, does and will do everything, then why pray? What do we need prayer for? Isn't everything predetermined? So what difference do my prayers make? These are the questions that today's Emuna Hour answers...
Imagine that every gift in life that we take for granted would disappear. How miserable we'd be! Shouldn't we rejoice when we do enjoy all of life's gifts, especially the spiritual ones?
A semitrailer was cruising down Florida Route 887 on the way to the Port of Miami tunnel. The driver saw a warning sign that fifteen feet was the maximum height for entering the tunnel. He was sure that his rig was no higher than 14'6" – he made a big mistake. The truck was actually 15'1"...
If prayer were a commodity on the futures market, it would be the best investment anywhere. What's more, the dividends are phenomenal as we learn in today's inspiring podcast.
Rabbi Lazer takes us to the holy city of Tzfat where we visit the gravesite of the famed scholar, Kabbalist and poet Rabbi Elazar Azkari (1533-1600). He composed the beautiful melody Yedid Nefesh ("friend of the soul"), which we all sing on Shabbat. Included here are the original Hebrew lyrics in English transliteration and a lovely vocal rendition by Asaf Neve Shalom.
The "Dark Side" does everything in its power to prevent the coming of Moshiach. The Book of Ruth shows the extent that Hashem outmanuevers the forces of evil. Moshiach will come suddenly, in the most surprising of circumstances.
“If you don’t understand anything about horses, you certainly can’t make judgments about tzaddikim” (Rebbe Yisroel, the ‘Yanuka’ of Stolin). If you love horses and you love Chassidic stories, you’ll love this.
We dedicate this lesson in memory of Rabbi Zecharia HaCohen Wallerstein, osb"m. In his famous discourse "Azamra," Rebbe Nachman of Breslev teaches the importance of finding the good within ourselves. That's the only way we'll be able to find the good in others.
Dan was one of Jacob’s twelve sons, the patriarchs of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The great grandfather of the mighty Samson, Dan was a fierce and courageous warrior. But as fierce as he was, he taught his offspring to be kind and compassionate toward others. This message from his holy gravesite is especially important for the Omer period. This is an opportune time to rectify the sin of baseless hate.
Today’s lesson provides practical tools for parents of special needs children. This is the type of living emuna that enables them to cope with the many challenges they face.
The letters of the Hebrew alphabet have a very deep significance. They correspond to 600,000 windows in the sky that reflect 600,000 Divine illuminations. There are 600,000 letters in the Torah, each of which reflects a unique ray of Divine light. Likewise, there are 600,000 roots of souls, each which corresponds to a letter of Torah. These are all indications of how a person's name is so significant. Many secrets of the person's life mission and personality are hidden within one's name, as we learn in today's lesson.
Raising a special needs child is not only a tremendous challenge, but a difficult test of emuna as well. Many parents of special needs children ask, "Why me?" Good question! Let's get some answers...
In the springtime, all of creation renews itself. Renewal, especially self-renewal, is a wonderful process. Renewal is particularly important in relationships, to keep them fresh and meaningful. Communication is also vital to the success of a relationship. With this in mind, this time of the year is ideal to renew our own personal relationship with the Creator. We do that by finding a nice quiet place where we can speak to Him in solitude. Here's how...
The account of the four sons in the Passover Haggadah is like a kaleidoscope where we see many different images. We see how four general types of people relate to emuna. What's more, we learn about four facets that are in each of us. As such, the Passover Seder and the story of the Exodus are as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago.
The most common pre- and post-Passover injuries stem from improper lifting. While changing dishes and frequently lifting heavy cartons, many people come away with sore backs that ruin their holiday. This 5-minute instructional vid will help you avoid straining your back, not only before and after Passover, but all year long.
Our sages have a concept of "zealous hate." They say that the zealot is willing to have one of his own eyes gouged out, just as long as the person he hates has both of his eyes gouged out. This concept is ever so evident in the aftermath of last night's terrorist attack in Tel Aviv...
The Seder night is when we tell the story of our Exodus from Egypt. This is one of the Torah's 613 commandments that one can fulfill only once a year on the first night of Passover. The Zohar and the Gemara laud the amazing attributes of this mitzvah. It strengthens emuna and solidifies the family. In addition, it enhances one's inner joy, especially when we tell of the Exodus as if we were there...
We all want to succeed but success requires concentrated effort. We define our goal and then focus on it. First, let’s learn how to avoid the pitfalls along your road to success. Second, here’s how to maximize your ability to be a top achiever in your chosen endeavor.
What does it mean to negotiate with emuna? It means that our negotiations must be permeated with emuna, with full and complete faith in Hashem. Emuna-filled negotiations mean that the businessperson believes in all the Torah's laws of commerce. Such a person will never touch a cent that is not his. He or she certainly won't swindle or shortchange a client or customer. They won't charge for hours they didn't work or for services they didn't provide. What's more, they'll never lack what they need...
Superficial, exterior looks at people, things or events are always misleading and very inaccurate. The essence of any creation is the Divine wisdom that is inherent in that creation. Once we connect to that Divine wisdom, we connect to the Creator. That way, our insight, intellect and potential rises to a much higher level. We attain fulfillment, success and happiness.
Here's a look at current affairs through eyes of emuna. Emuna wins wars, while lack of it loses wars, both for nations and individuals.
To paraphrase the tire manufacturers, "where the rubber meets the road" is the nit and grit of life. This world is no picnic. The test of our "spiritual tires" is how well we hold up under the challenging conditions of real life. Today's lesson shows how to avoid negative emotions and to maintain a healthy emotional equilibrium.
The Chassidic Movement began in the Ukraine, founded by the holy Baal Shem Tov (1698-1760). Many of the Chassidic Masters came from the Ukraine, such as the Maggid of Mezeritch, Rebbe Nachman of Breslev, Rebbe Zusha of Annipoli and many more. Both my teacher and I are also Ukrainian Jews. We have a rich past of total dedication to the Almighty and His Torah, even in the face of the most dire persecution throughout the ages. But we have a very rich folklore, with poignant stories that teach us life's true values. This is one I cherish, which shows what true riches are.
Washing hands in prescribed ritual manner is called netillas yada'im. It seems like an insignificant mitzva, but the exact opposite is true. There is an amazing connection between netillas yada'imand Purim. What's more, this mitzva is very conducive for strengthening emuna and personal holiness. Our sages promise that those who observe this mitzva will never lack an adequate income.
Avraham Bell didn't let his second-class status in the segregated U.S. South of the sixties to extinguish his dreams. He grew up with a spiritual hunger. He excelled as an athlete and as a musician. He was an honor student in microbiology at Ohio State and went on to do an MBA at Arizona. Avraham is also an exquisite artist. He now pours his power and passion into Torah scholarship and Divine service. Having moved to Israel with his remarkable wife Yehudit, he now raises children and grandchildren in the way of emuna. As phenomenal a human being he is, that's how humble he is. Meet Avraham - you'll love him as much as we do.
The one consolation for all the madness in the world is that our sages foresaw everything. We are now in the birth pangs of Redemption, or Geula. Today's events are simply pieces of the Geula puzzle. Meanwhile, everything is unfolding just as the Torah, Midrash, Zohar and Gemara told us they would. This is the Megilla of today, the story of Hashem setting the stage for Moshiach.
Dynamo is an understatement when talking about the "Rockin' Rebbetzen", Naama Berger. She was Israel's #1 rock drummer in the mid 1990's. She broke the record for Israeli Women's powerlifting when she lifted three-times her bodyweight. She was the 48kg lifter on Israel's Olympic Weightlifting team. And today, as a Chassidic rebbetzen, she's still rockin', full speed. Meet this amazing woman...
Ponder these four important characteristics of a loving parent, as follows:
- The loving parent favors his/her child more than anything else in this world.
- The loving parent focuses on his/her child's good points.
- The loving parent is forgiving.
- The loving parent attends to all the necessary needs of his/her child.
How many parents do you know who can objectively and honestly say that they fulfill the above four criteria? We can't possibly know, but one fact we do know. No parent on earth fulfills the above four criteria so completely as our Father in Heaven does. Let's see how:
Wherever I go here in my cherished homeland, be it the desert, the seacoast or the field, I sense a different melody. Strangely, if I'm playing a beautifully crafted Native American flute produced from the finest North American cedar, nothing happens. But if I take a simple flute, like the one King David played made out of a Land-of-Israel reed, it plays by itself. Here's the melody that echoed from the ruins of ancient Shiloh.
The Creator doesn't do anything without a reason. The fact that He put you on earth means that the world cannot exist without you. If you compete with or compare yourself to anyone, you can't be focused on your life's mission. Here's how and why:
Logic and intellect see things through physical eyes. Just as physical gravity brings an object down, logic and intellect knock a person down. Their interpretation of events is negative and pessimistic. On the other hand, emuna sees through spiritual eyes. Spiritual gravity lifts one up. Emuna is beyond the brain and beyond the realm of negativity. With emuna, there is truly no despair.
Today's interview shares one of the greatest comeback stories ever. A headbanger deep into drugs, booze and heavy metal morphs into a pious Torah scholar and a master artisan, the world's only Chassidic luthier (string-instrument craftsman). Meet Z.Z. Ludwick:
Today's podcast is a parable about the rewards we often fail to see for the good we do. Indeed, not only do we fail to hear a "thank-you", but we get hit on the head. What's happening and why?
Without emuna, life's tribulations look like a lion about to devour us. No wonder so many people succumb to fear and anxiety.
With emuna, life's tribulations still look like a lion. Yet, the lion is only a costume that our loving Father in Heaven is dressed up in. That changes our outlook completely, as we're about to learn.
She's incredible. One of less than ten women in the entire USA who is a 7th degree blackbelt and Taekwondo Grand Master. The only Jewish woman in the world with that distinction and a mother of six as well. She was a Pan Am Games gold medalist and a US Olympic hopeful who became poster girl for United Airlines, Coca Cola and McDonalds. Her agent wanted to strangle her when she gave up a million-dollar Hollywood contract to pursue an Orthodox Jewish lifestyle. Meet this amazing superwoman, Sunny Levi:
Many people are skeptical when I tell them that three words are capable of illuminating the soul. An illuminated soul leads to inner peace. Hard to believe?
Do believe that a diabetic individual sees a dramatic improvement in health by getting off of junk food and sugar? Are you aware that a few minutes of exercise every day also enhances good health? Both are obvious, right?
The same principle applies to the soul. By focusing on three simple words, which constitute one concept, we dramatically enhance emotional and spiritual health.
Welcome to the functional fitness "Brodie meets Brody" series. Here, world-class exercise physiologist, strength and cycling coach Menachem Brodie (NSCA-CSCS, USAC-PBT) teams up with Senior Fitness Trainer, Health Coach and Nutritionist Rabbi Lazer Brody (CHC, CPT, CHN). Today, they show how both women and men can stay fit at forty and beyond, decade by decade.
There's one major difference between people who succeed and people who don't. The ones who succeed are totally focused on their goal. The ones who don't are not. Any marksman knows that you can't hit a target if it's out of focus. Today, we're going to learn what it means to focus on our goal and how to focus.
Few people are able to understand what they see. To paraphrase the old saying, they're in a big area with oak and pine trees all around them but they don't see that it's a forest.
Divine Direction is the Creator's active determination of every detail and occurrence in the world. The more we enhance our emuna in Divine Direction, the more we improve our spiritual eyesight. This lets us see the Creator personally directing our lives. Few things are more rewarding.
There are five main ploys in enhancing our emuna in Divine Direction. These ploys are:
- Realizing that We Don't Run the World – Hashem does
- Learning to be Happy with Our Lot in Life
- Appreciating Life's Countless blessings
- Remembering the Many Salvations we have seen in our lifetime.
- Looking for the Divine wisdom in every creation
Let's examine them, one by one.
Our sages tell of a wise old man who sits at a crossroads and warns travelers, "There's a road whose beginning is rocky and its end is smooth, and there's a second road whose beginning is smooth and the end is rocky." The wise man is relating a fact of life that applies both to material and spiritual endeavors, as we learn in the following thought-provoking parable.
Lower-body flexibility is critical for functional fitness and for athletic success. Warming up the lower body properly improves performance and heightens chances of victories. What's more, it saves injuries. Hamstring tightness causes tight and weak glutes. Therefore, the body compensates and hip flexors become even tighter, especially with men. When the body compensates, posture and power go out the window and in comes such ailments as lower back pain. Don't go there! Do a proper warmup before every workout. Even if you're not an athlete, do these four hamstring-glute stretches that we demonstrate in the vid:
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Hug Yourself while bending forward at the waist and gently rocking from side to side.
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Touch your toes and/or go as low as you can until you can palm the floor.
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Do the Pilates alternate single-leg impulse stretch.
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Do the alternate one-leg kneeling stretch.
Enjoy and be healthy!
Moshe, a sergeant in the Israeli Navy, had beads of sweat on his forehead; tears glistened in his eyes. "The newspapers don't write about the miracles and the Divine Direction that we all saw when that missile hit us. I ran to my bunk on the deck right below the landing pad. It was charcoal; my metal bunk was completely melted down and all my possessions were ashes. If I hadn't been detained in the chapel and in the dining room for Shabbat meal, I'd have been charcoaled too. I haven't stopped thanking Hashem since..."
Israel's turbulent history transcends all logic, military and otherwise. It's beyond nature to the extent that experts in military history and strategy understand everything but Jewish history. That's exactly the subject of our lesson today. Hashem's personal Divine Direction is constantly defying nature and logic.
In this clip from the holy Western Wall in Jerusalem, we learn the true meaning of emuna and how to expedite Moshiach's arrival. Do we really love Hashem? The more one loves someone, the more one thinks about them. Let's ask ourselves how often we think about Hashem. Once a week? Once a day? Once an hour? More frequently? That's likely the first and most important question of self-assessment.
People like me began to learn Torah after completing advanced degrees in higher education. We are keenly familiar with both sides of the fence, secular and academic education versus Torah education. Let's see, objectively, which develops more powerful brain power.
Packed up for their very first outing in their brand new SUV, the family left city limits. As they entered the highway, a speeding truck swerved into their lane and collided with them. Fortunately, the cars airbags functioned perfectly and the whole family wore seat and shoulder belts. The car was a total loss, but the family emerged unscathed. That is, all except their 7-year-old son. He was unconscious with a concussion, and maybe even a fractured skull.
What could possibly be good about the above situation? The family saved up years for the new car. They had not yet clocked two hundred miles on it. Yet now, it's a total wreck. What's more, their little boy is now in the hospital and the situation is critical...
Today, we learn the three words that we must engrave on our hearts, for they will rescue us in times of trouble. You're never alone.
Each of us has a designated path in life that takes us to our destination. What's that? It's the successful accomplishment of our goal and mission in life. We're happiest - and safest - when we stick to our own track. Today's lesson will help you avoid tons of grief, negative emotions and wasted time and energy.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not a professional musician. For relaxation, I play flutes made out of natural materials that grow in the Land of Israel, such as bamboo, almond and olive wood.
The Land of Israel is holy. Divine melodies permeate everywhere you go.
Once, I was under a lot of stress. I needed first aid, so I took a flute and walked to a secluded beach near Ashdod's ancient citadel. I put the flute to my mouth and this is what came out. Seven minutes later, I forgot all about the stress. This melody will calm you to. I use it to sing Psalm 23. That's where the name "Calming Waters" come from. Enjoy it and feel free to download it, courtesy of "Lazer Beams".
Today, we learn all about Divine Direction in making a living. Contrary to what Western society thinks, one doesn't have generate income by working around the clock. We'll also learn four easy ways to assure an adequate income.
It doesn't matter whether there are pandemics, lockdowns and layoffs. Today's podcast is the key to an easy and adequate income.
How does a person find a true soulmate? What is entailed in finding a soulmate? Let's get some answers...
Welcome to the functional fitness "Brodie meets Brody" series. Here, world-class exercise physiologist, strength and cycling coach Menachem Brodie (NSCA-CSCS, USAC-PBT) teams up with Senior Fitness Trainer, Health Coach and Nutritionist Rabbi Lazer Brody (CHC, CPT, CHN). Today, they show how both women and men can maintain a healthy lower back at any age. Most important, we learn how to avoid the day-to-day back injuries the come from improper lifting. What's more, we'll even learn the right way how to pick up a baby. A must-see:
The young man looked in the mirror. He didn't like what he saw. He asked himself, "How can I go to an interview looking like this? It's ridiculous to wear my best when my stubbly face looks like I'm a drunk from the gutter!" Yet, he knew that shaving during the 3 Weeks was a serious breach of Jewish faith, for it shows that the transgressor is apathetic about the destruction of the Holy Temple. He was at war with himself. He felt that his career and his future were at stake, so he decided to ask the great Rabbi Moshe Feinstein what to do...
Is there a contradiction between Divine Direction and free will? If Hashem directs everything, like we learn in the first principle of emuna, what's left for us? We find our answer in a most unlikely place. The frogs come to enlighten us.
Sometimes we need something to pick us up. Few things are better for a tired and aching soul than a melody.
My cherished spiritual brother, sweet singer David Dome from London, is my partner in "emunizing" melodies. We take a pleasant melody and add some soul to it with emuna lyrics and David's rendition.
Here's a taste of what we did to an old Irish ballad by the name of "Wild Mountain Thyme." Emunized, it's now "Neshama, Come Home". Enjoy it.
Lyrics by Rabbi Lazer Brody Music and Vocal by David Dome
Oh Mashiach times a comin' And the trees are sweetly bloomin' And The Voice from the mountain Calls in love and in emuna Come home Neshama Come home....
And we'll all go together To hear The Voice on a mountain And we'll sing a song forever Come home Neshama Come home
I will then say a prayer By yon high and holy mountain My love song for my Father Flows like waters from a fountain Come home Neshama Come home...
And we'll all go together To hear The Voice on the mountain And we'll sing a song forever Come home Neshama Come home.....
Come home Neshama come home Neshama come home
Hashem forever be with me For there never is another And it's His Voice on the mountain Calling you and me dear brother Come home , Neshama Come home......
And we'll all go together To hear The Voice on the mountain And we'll sing a song forever Come home Neshama Come home My brother Come home My sister Come home Neshama Come home....
Most people yearn for a comfort-zone existence. They don't like change and they certainly don't want crises. But the Almighty knows that we're capable of much more. Maybe we lack the courage and confidence to look for a better job or strive to go higher. What does the Almighty do? He throws us a crisis...
Sometimes, two people see an identical situation. There is no change in reality. Yet one person is happy and the other person is miserable. That's the difference between looking at Hashem and looking at causes, or catalysts that trigger events.
"Looking at Hashem" means viewing life's occurrences within the framework of Divine Providence. A person who attributes success and failure, happiness and grief to catalysts – human or otherwise – will never find inner peace.
By ignoring Hashem and attributing one's fate to catalysts, events seem random, senseless and frequently cruel. That not the hand of a loving Father in Heaven, as we see in today's Emuna Hour lesson.
Fitness trainers have an expression: “Get it right!” Any exercise, from simple breathing to the most complex routine, must be done in the best possible form to ensure optimal performance, gain and benefit to the body. Just as doing exercise is a workout for the body, doing mitzvas is a workout for the soul, making the soul strong and healthy. In that respect, good spiritual form is important for fulfilling a mitzva, so when it comes to observing the Torah, we have to "get it right" too.
The evil inclination never rests, so we can't either. If we don't do something every day to strengthen emuna, we won't have the emotional stamina to withstand the the major challenges that face each of us today.
Here's a 90-second message to pick you up whenever you think that you're alone in the world.
The holy Baal Shem Tov attempted to explain to his brilliant students the depth of the concept of Divine Providence. Despite their magnificent minds and comprehensive Torah-learning backgrounds, they just couldn't comprehend. How can Almighty personally supervise and determines every single detail of creation? OK, He makes the sun shine, but what does He care about a tiny insect or an amoeba?
The same pious scholars who knew entire tractates of Talmud by heart were baffled. The Baal Shem Tov decided to take them to his favorite classroom – nature, out in the woods. There, he could teach them all about Divine Providence. This is the lesson we learn in Today's Emuna Hour.
Maybe you think that you're not musical but King David says otherwise. Here's how the events of your life come together to create a beautiful melody that's ever so gratifying to the Almighty. The song of your life is so exquisitely unique, and here's what makes it such a special niggun (melody)...
Suffering severe abdominal pain, Rabbi Shalom of Shatz made a rare visit to a physician. Before the examination, the Rabbi asked the doctor to diagnose the source of the pain. "Doctor, I simply need you to tell me which internal organ is not functioning properly. I don't need any treatments or medication." Today, we learn his age-old secret to self-healing.
In one of the most dramatic episodes of the Torah, Joseph reveals himself to his brothers. At this very moment, Joseph makes a monumental discovery. He suddenly sees the Divine hand of providence involved in every detail of his life. This is a lesson for each one of us, for posterity.
Divine Providence is the Almighty's precision constant supervision and intervention over all levels of creation. This is not only on a wide general scale, but down to the tiniest detail in each of our lives in particular. Both in macro and micro, the Almighty decides the fate of the super-galaxies as well which leaf a silkworm in Japan will eat for dinner. As we shall learn, the awareness of Divine Providence takes us to the highest level of emuna.
The more world events become apocalyptic, the more people begin talking about Moshiach. From time to time, we hear voices that claim to know when Moshiach is coming. Is it possible to really know when Moshiach will arrive? Let's get some answers.
Yisroel Klein was a young man in one of the Nazi death camps where just as many Jews were dying of hunger and sickness as the ones who were sent to the gas chambers. Yisroel survived the Holocaust by virtue of the story I'm about to share with you, about how one compassionate word of love, care and compassion can literally save a life.
Dara had all the gifts that a girl could dream for. She was attractive, personable, athletic, intelligent and very popular. But, nothing in this world is perfect. Dara became so very involved in herself that she developed a lust for prestige. It wasn't enough to be nice to Dara. She expected everyone to drool over her...
This is a real-life lesson about how hate, jealousy and the lust for prestige are like a fire that destroys life's best blessings.
Think about what you'd rather be - a leaf, a branch or a root. This is a parable about our true source of vitality.
Nicknames are dangerous. Our name is by far one of our most important assets and determines so much in our life, as we'll learn today.
There were times in our history when the entire future of Torah and the entire future of the Jewish People rested on the shoulders of one woman...
It's great to be an optimist, but life is even better for an optimalist; here's the difference:
During Chanukah, we recite daily the "Al Hanisim" prayer, which offers our thanks to the Almighty. We say, "And [we thank You] for the miracles, for the redemption, for the mighty deeds, for the saving acts, and for the wonders which You have wrought for our ancestors in those days, at this time." As we learn today, this prayer alludes to the fact that Chanukah was not a lone miracle that happened 2300 years ago. Chanukah is still with us, every generation and every year.
Noahides are truth-seeking people who have exchanged former beliefs for the purest form of faith. The Seven Noahide Commandments, the first of which is emuna, are their guiding lights.
Enjoying marvelous spiritual status in this world and the next, Noahides sometimes feel alone. Some seek to convert to Judaism. Others think they must have a house of worship to attend. They need neither. I do encourage them, though, to network and to develop support groups.
As we learn in this brief and encouraging message, the goal and beauty of a Noahide is cultivating his or her own intimate personal relationship with the Almighty. Nothing is more gratifying.
A hiker, climber or biker will prepare a backpack with all the tools he or she needs to complete their task and attain their goal. Metaphorically, the backpack is each one of us. The tools are the unique talents, skills and aptitudes that the Creator gives each one of us in order to successfully perform our individual mission on earth. Once we learn this important lesson, we're never again jealous of anyone.
Today's lesson teaches us something that most people never learned - how to be yourself! We learn how to live your own life and not according to anyone else's expectations. We don't have to play other people's games by their rules. Then, we're free to play our own game by our rules, what we know and believe is right. While expressing our true individuality, there's no need to compete with others. Indeed, we to compete with ourselves strive higher. That way, we cultivate our good points to the max and fulfill our personal potential in a way we never dreamed of. Let's learn how:
If you can't honestly express your pain and shed real tears to your Father in Heaven, Who really loves you and cares about you, then who else on earth is there to cry to?
Today on "Emuna Hour", we learn how to be at peace with ourselves. Even more important, we learn how to be our own therapist. It's easier than you think and it's ever so gratifying.
So what if the world is round? It means that if you're flying high, don't be arrogant because tomorrow you might not be on top. And, if you're down, don't be depressed because you'll soon be up again.
For peaceful interpersonal relationships, we all must avoid projecting our own weaknesses, insecurity and character flaws on others. Those who see their own faults in their fellow humans look at the world through spiritually-smudged lenses. As such, they arrive at quick judgments and sorely mistaken conclusions, both of which destroy relationships, as we learn today.
Motivation is desire, and desire is strength. When we're aware of our own strengths, we become so much more effective. Direction means that we know where we're going. Nevertheless, we to know where we're going, we must first know where we are. “Where we are” means that we recognize our strengths and our weaknesses. Once we do, even our weaknesses are an asset. Today's edition of "Lunchbreak Series" will put you on the path to greatness.
Our path to inner peace has three segments. The first segment is making peace with the Creator, which we learned in the previous two Emuna Hour lessons. The second segment is making peace with our fellow human, which we learn today. When we're at peace with others, we do ourselves a favor. The third segment of our path is making peace with ourselves, so stick with us!
If the mouth is a gun, then the tongue is the trigger. Not only is it the trigger, but it's the hand that pulls the trigger. What's worse is that the tongue can misfire. When it does, it's every bit as dangerous as a loaded pistol.
This is the first of our new "Lunchbreak Series", thirty minutes of self-empowerment. Today we learn how to believe in ourselves. The principles we learn in this lesson are the difference between success and failure, happiness and depression. Enjoy this, and go forward with a smile on your face.
"ATFAT" is the abbreviation of "A turn for a turn". In other words, The Almighty treats us in the same fashion that we treat others. It's like a Divine mirror which we call, "The ATFAT principle." Like the other magnificent methods that The Almighty uses to run the world, this phenomenon is evident both in the laws of physics and in the laws of metaphysics. Simply stated, you'll find ATFAT both in the material world and in the spiritual world. This is the root of Newton's third law of motion: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Applying this knowledge is the key practical key for staying out of trouble's way..
Here's a brief but especially important lesson in marital peace, designed predominantly for the man of the family. A couple came to me for marital counseling. The husband complained that his wife was a spendthrift who owns 350 pairs of shoes...
Confinement in a jail with an unlocked door is senseless. Yet, people confine themselves to a prison of needless inner turbulence every day. A substantial amount of our suffering in life is self-induced. Therefore, once a person realizes that certain actions induce trouble in life, and learns to refrain from those actions, the trouble disappears. No law says that you have to suffer so much! You can terminate a good portion of the anguish in your life with the ease of walking away from an unlocked jail. Let's learn how:
So many people suffer from stress and anxiety because of overload. Who says that life must be that way, so seemingly cruel and unfair? What law says that you must carry the weight of the world on your shoulders? Here are two minutes of encouragement.
Life's obstacles and difficulties are not punishments from Above. They're part of the Divine GPS that's designed to guide us along a better route that we might not have initiated or even considered on our own.
How do I repay a person who helped me strengthen my faith and make me happier? What's it worth, a million dollars? A billion dollars? There's a big difference between paying back a material favor and paying back a spiritual favor. This time of year is especially conducive to pondering the spiritual side of our lives...
Today's 8-minute podcast is a 4-in-1:
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It's a preparation for Succoth, telling about the significance of the Four Species;
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It tells a traditional story, well known to Iraqi Jewry;
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It's an ethics lesson, and -
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It has a special message about rescinding the harsh decree of the Corona-virus pandemic.
Enjoy it, and feel free to share and download it at no charge, thanks to our wonderful supporters.
The mere idea of Yom Kippur is enough to raise the anxiety level of many people; that's because no one ever explained to them how Yom Kippur is the happiest day in the Jewish calendar. For real? Hear this.
Rebbe Elimelech of Lizensk longed for the coming of Moshiach (Messiah), a day when truth and justice will prevail the world over. He told a parable about a baker sifting flour, which he said would be indicative of Moshiach's imminent arrival. This amazing parable helps us understand current events today.
Today's podcast is entitled, "The Last Minute", and it's an emergency message designed to rescue all of us in the last moments before Rosh Hashanah. Many people don't even know where to begin in rectifying themselves. Oftentimes, they fall into despair and just do nothing. There's good news, though. Here's an effective, last-minute way to grab the train of penitence, to be absolved of wrongdoing and to be inscribed in the Book of Life for a fantastic New Year.
There are forms of Divine abundance that no money in the world can pay for. Divine abundance has a price tag, but it's spiritual. If a person prays profusely and does good deeds, he or she generates spiritual revenue that pays for a portion of the Divine abundance. Even though we must think that everything is a free gift from the Almighty, it's like a line of credit. What we use and don't pay for, we pay in the next world. What we use and do pay for, the credit remains for the next world.
Prayer generates Divine abundance. But sometimes it's not enough. Suffering, tribulation and disparagement – when accepted with emuna – are the tears that bring phenomenal treasures that we would not have attained under any other circumstance.
An adequate income doesn't depend on how much money you make; it depends on the quality of the money you make. Today's podcast is the key to all the money you need.
Modern society is so preoccupied with body that most people don't even know that they have a soul. When people think that life is only body and the physical, they become candidates for depression. Why? For them, each day is a day closer to the cemetery. Is that all one has to look forward to in life? Thank goodness, no!
Champion athletes are highly aware of their bodies. A marathon runner feels what's going on in each muscle of his legs and feet. Yet, an overweight person who never engages in physical activity and barely gets out of the sofa is utterly out of touch with his body. By the same token, one who never engages in spiritual activity loses touch with his soul. Spiritual awareness - awareness of the soul and its Creator - is a prerequisite for happiness and inner peace.
Here's the good news: the soul is a tiny spark of the Creator. Just as the Creator is eternal, so is the soul. A person who prioritizes soul over body lives forever.
Gisel, in her early 30's, suffered from obesity, terrible eczema and feet so swollen that she couldn't get out of bed. She lost her job. The doctors told her she'd need to go on a kidney machine. Then, a friend told her to contact Rabbi Lazer Brody. Here's her testimony, which she shares with the participants of Rabbi Lazer's weekly Zoom class.
Why do we have so many difficulties in life? Is this how a loving Father in Heaven should treat His children? Why COVID 19, financial difficulties and all the grief? In answering these questions, we learn two important principles of spirituality: first, the distancing principle; the second, the end-of-year cleanup. Both are the tribulations we all suffer from, but with a closer look, they're a manifestation of the Creator's absolute love for each of us, as we learn in today's lesson.
Do we have a right to expect our children to sit through lengthy synagogue services like little tin soldiers, without moving a muscle? Do we have a right to expect anything from our children? What's the basis of effective child education rather than force-feeding our kids? In a two-minute message from the holy Western Wall in Jerusalem, Rabbi Lazer explains...
Don't be afraid to ask yourself some serious questions in life. Many people avoid self-assessment, and that's one of the big reasons why they're not happy!
To find our right goal in life, let's ask ourselves five basic questions:
- What gives me the feeling of inner gratification?
- Do I have a goal or am I going nowhere?
- Am I living according to my desires or according to the desires and expectations of others?
- What are my good points?
- Am I performing my task on earth?
By answering the above five questions, we will not only determine where we are in life, but we will be able to choose the goal - that particular path up the mountain - which will bring us to our personal peak.
Today, we begin to learn the three levels of making peace: peace with the Creator, peace with one's fellow human and peace with oneself. One cannot hope of attaining any semblance of inner peace without making peace on all these three levels.
People are surprised: "Peace with the Creator? That sounds weird!" Not at all; if folks would be honest with themselves, they'd see that they harbor all kinds of complaints against the Almighty. "Why did He make me sick?" "Why doesn't He give me enough money?" "Why did He give me such an abusive spouse/boss/neighbor/etc.?" The list is long.
We learn today that in this world, the sweetness and the sting go together, why this is so, and how it's all for the very best.
King Solomon (who loved Egyptian Arabian horses like Kasaba, the 2-year old filly in the vid with Rav Lazer) teaches that the key to good relationships is realizing that the other person is unique. Recognize their uniqueness and don't make them try to fit into your mold. This is the key to successful parenting, happy marriage and healthy friendships. It's also the secret to raising animals and happy pets. Once we know that, we can make ourselves happy in an amazingly simple way, by learning the 3 keys to happiness, which we'll do in today's podcast.
Certain things are useful, even vital, to carry wherever you go. For health of the body, a rubber resistance band in your travel bag will enable you to do a myriad of exercises on the road with no need for a gym or equipment. For emotional health and for instant stress relief, there's something you should carry around in your mind and heart - the spiritual resistance band.
Today's lesson is a practical lesson in Kabbala, how the seven Divine spheres of G-dliness manifest themselves in the spiritually aware soul on a daily basis, thereby directing affecting health, wellness and overall quality of life.
Exercise Physiologist, Strength and Cycling Coach Menachem Brodie (NSCA-CSCS, USAC-PBT) teams up with Senior Fitness Trainer, Health Coach and Nutritionist Rabbi Lazer Brody (CHC, CPT, CHN) to provide amazing insights to healthy eating. Just as there's a Master Creator who created our bodies, He also created the foods that are best-suited to our health needs. Basing our diet on those foods is vital, since eating properly is in fact 80% of conditioning, where the remaining 20% depend on exercise. What's more, fad diets, extremes and stringencies have nothing to do with healthy eating. By rethinking your eating, you'll be rebooting your health.
All over the world - between pandemics, natural disasters and political unrest - people lack a clue as to what's happening to them, especially when they are decent people living decent lives. How do we cope when something painful happens to us, especially when it hits us after we did a good deed or finished praying. What happens when we can neither see nor understand what the Creator is doing to us and why? Today's podcast answers.
Here's a poignant parable about relationships, when unthinking husbands starve their wives emotionally and wake up when it's too late...
By developing spiritual awareness, a person heightens perception to the extent that they can see the Creator everywhere they look. Today's Emuna Hour helps us to see Hashem in everything.
The "Brodie meets Brody" series is a one-of-a-kind, where world-class exercise physiologist, strength and cycling coach Menachem Brodie (NSCA-CSCS, USAC-PBT) teams up with Seniors-Fitness trainer, holistic health coach and nutritionist Rabbi Lazer Brody (CHC, CPT, CHN) to show how both women and men can maintain muscle mass at any age, whether they're in their thirties or in their eighties.
Strong comebacks lead to great achievements and much better second efforts, so don't ever despair when you have a setback. In the next 5 minutes, we learn how to mobilize the strength within us to make a great comeback. It's the real deal. Rejected? Don't be dejected, just listen to this:
Spiritual awareness enables us to hear and understand the Creator's personal messages to each of us, as the elements of our environment relay to us all day long. A lack of spiritual awareness is like being in a foreign country where you don't understand the directional signs...
Today's podcast is an emotional rescue squad for anyone who is feeling down, depressed or disappointed, no matter what the reason, with this high-pressure proven ploy.
Did you ever stop and ponder Hashem's magnificent creation of Planet Earth, with all its wonders like the Northern Lights, the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls and much more? That vast Planet Earth of ours is only a miniscule part of the solar system, and only one-millionth the size of the sun. Yet, our entire solar system is like a grain of sand within the Milky Way Galaxy, which in turn is like a fleck of dust within the vast super-galaxies that extend beyond our imagination. Now stop and think: Hashem momentarily turns aside from His entire vast universe to create a rain drop, make a flower blossom and help a newborn chick hatch out of the egg. Imagine what He does to perfectly direct every tiny facet of our lives in mind-boggling Divine Providence. Why? Because He loves you so very much, more than you can ever imagine.
A few minutes of daily centering is the key to inner peace, as you'll hear in today's podcast.
Spiritual awareness is one of life's most vital assets, but surprisingly few people have it. Spiritual Awareness is the key to tranquility. Once we become spiritually aware, we easily overcome anger, stress, anxiety, and depression and we pave the way to phenomenal personal growth.
Maybe you think you're having trouble losing weight because you eat too much, you snack too much or you don't get enough exercise. Surprisingly enough, overeating, unhealthy eating and lack of exercise are not always the culprits that prevent a person from losing excess weight. Have you ever heard about cortisol? That's the stress hormone, public enemy #1 to body and soul. Here's how to get rid of it.
The reason people are delayed in shidduchim is because of one of two reasons: either their egos get in the way, or they want something that Hashem doesn't want for them. Hashem wants us to look for a good heart, good character, emuna, piety and modesty. But when a person looks for the wrong thing, they miss their train and end up waiting for the next train and it just might not come so fast. Today's podcast casts a whole new light on the subject of shidduchim, dating and marriage.
Israeli society has been torn apart since the recent election, and the verbal venom and hate legislation in the government and Knesset are unprecedented. What's worse, this is the time of the notorious Nine Days before Tisha B'av, when we need national unity more than ever. None of Israel's different political parties represent the true nation of Israel or national unity; that's why I don't support any of them. In stark contrast to them, I'll tell you a moving story from my army service days about my unit in the IDF that portrays the real nation of Israel, the Israel that is about to bring Moshiach.
"If we knew that a rare gift was concealed within our difficulties, we could laugh; but with emuna, we start laughing even before we discover the gift."
An old parable about a donkey in trouble gives us a different perspective on life's difficulties. Here's two-and-a-half minutes of encouragement:
Our sages tell us that we don't have to learn how to hate - that comes natural to a person because of innate egotism. Loving someone else, on the other hand, is something we all must learn to insure our emotional and physical health.
The world is utterly confused between narcissism, a definitely undesirable trait, and loving yourself, which is a key to your happiness, success and emotional health in addition to being the vital element in your relationship with yourself, with others and with the Creator.
How would you like to love someone so much and be loved back a hundred times more, to the extent that you no longer care what anyone thinks about you or says about you? How would you like to be so confident in your love that nothing worries you and you're in a constant state of inner peace?
Emuna is not only believing in Hashem, it's believing in ourselves. Here's what belief in yourself means and how it so dramatically improves your life and your realization of maximum potential.
In today's Emuna Hour, we review the first nine levels along the emotional turbulence - tranquility continuum, and then learn Level Ten, the ultimate level of inner peace, as we see in Old Isaac.
We are delighted to present our debut functional fitness film of the new "Brodie meets Brody" series, where world-class exercise physiologist, strength and cycling coach Menachem Brodie (NSCA-CSCS, USAC-PBT) teams up with Holistic Health Coach and Nutritionist Rabbi Lazer Brody (CHC, CPT, CHN) to show how both women and men can maintain muscle mass at any age, whether they're in their thirties or in their eighties.
Here's a heads-up for an amazing new health & fitness series featuring world-renown Cycling, Strength and Triathlon coach Menachem Brodie with author, spiritual guide and Senior Fitness & Health coach Rabbi Lazer Brody. This series is designed to keep everyone functionally fit and feeling your best, whether you're 25 or 85.
This is the replay of Emuna Hour where we learn the ten levels on the emotional continuum of turbulence to tranquility.
Suddenly, on Monday morning June 7, 2021, the ground of Jerusalem opened up into a tremendous sinkhole. What could possibly be the message that Hashem is conveying here?
In Psalm 27, King David expresses the desire to sit in the House of the Lord all the days of his life, but then he requests to be able to visit the Lord's palace. Doesn't that sound like a contradiction? If you're somewhere all the time, why must you ask to visit that same place? It's not a contradiction at all; here's why:
We are all accountable; not even a Prime Minister can circumvent the Heavenly Court. How will you answer these questions, Naftali?
A soul is just like a flower; if it gets thirsty, it begins to droop and wither - water it and see how it blossoms.
An emotional survival course: Here's how to deal with the abusive people in our life and how to rid ourselves of abusive tendencies.
From the holy Western Wall in Jerusalem, here is an emuna-look at the current political situation in Israel.