Online Torah Classes with Rabbi Mendy Goldberg: Recent Episodes
Rabbi Mendy Goldberg
Torah Classes on a variety of subjects, including the weekly Torah portion, meditation, the afterlife, and contemporary Jewish ideas. These classes will give you the tools to have a more meaningful and spiritual whole life.
These are live recordings of classes given at Lubavitch of the East End.
For more information visit www.Jewishli.com or info@Jewishli.com
BAHALOTECHAFinding True SatisfactionWhy does Moshe seemingly give up on the Jews when they complain about the menu?What was wrong with asking for a variety of foods to eat in the desert?Moreover Moshe the leader and lead defense for the Jews seems to throw in the towel on this one, more then any other time.
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NASO
A Blessing With Love
What is the purpose of the Priestly blessing? Why is such a procedure necessary to receive abundance?
Think about it: if it is decreed for us on Rosh Hashanah to receive a certain abundance according to our deeds, then Hashem who is good and upright, will pay our reward without blessings, like an honest employer who pays salaries on time. And if it is not decreed on Rosh Hashanah that we will receive abundance, what good is the blessing? Can it give to someone who does not have prepared abundance in their account?
Secondly, why specifically the kohanim? If for any reason a blessing is required, let us go to those to whom we go to receive blessings, perhaps a tzadik, by the virtue of the power of the Torah, but a Kohen? All a kohen possesses is his pedigree-- he is a descendant of Aaron HaKohen. So what kind of credential is that for dispatching brachos?
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BAMIDBAR
The Pressures of Prestige
The natural desire of a father who succeeds in his field and business is that his sons will continue in his path. He aspires for them to continue building what he has established and perpetuate his legacy. This aspiration is doubly emphasized in the Jewish world, which is so family centric.
There is only one exception in the entire lineage of the patriarchs of the nation. One man does not pass on the staff to his children, and his children disappear from the Torah narrative. We speak, of course, of the greatest educator and teacher who educated the entire people, but ironically, his children vanish from the continuum. This is the mystery of the children of Moshe Rabeinu
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Bechukotai
Bitter or Sweet? You Decide.
A novel idea the material world, the physical dimension of reality, is downstream from its spiritual source; in other words - materiality derives from spirituality.
And as such, when facing a situation of any kind in our material life, we must look deeper, or higher at its spiritual source for a solution.
This is true especially regarding one’s life conditions which are directly related to one’s embracing of his or her spiritual purpose.
A Jew is a servant of the Almighty; his life is designed to fulfill a role in the world, and therefore his circumstances are also a reflection of this purpose. When one performs his or her role properly, they gain strength and success, whereas when he tarries in fulfilling his purpose, his wellbeing, sustenance, etc., may weaken, G-d forbid.
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Decisions of Fate:
Your Jewish Compass for Navigating Questions of Medical EthicsLesson 2
Extending Life
How does Judaism balance the desire to preserve life with concerns of reducing suffering? See how Jewish values inform a dignified approach to end-of-life care and advance medical directives.
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Decisions of Fate:
Your Jewish Compass for Navigating Questions of Medical EthicsLesson 1
Experimental Treatments
When emerging treatments offer hope of recovery, when is the risk justified? Discover the Jewish ethics of risking your life in the hope of extending your long-term prospects.
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Lag Baomer
The Gift of Mysticism
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai passed away on Lag B’Omer, and is buried in Meron.
Why is he so ‘famous’? What earned Rashbi this notoriety almost unique among his contemporaries?
In this class, we will discuss two ideas about the contributions of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai.
The first deals with redemption from the guilt of sin, which can otherwise burden and weigh down one’s connection with Hashem.
Then, we will delve into the secretive world that Rabbi Shimon opened for us all through the Book of the Zohar, and reveal the ladder that leads to the higher worlds.
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EMOR
Dying just because you are a Jew, sanctifying G-d’s name.Dying rather than violating a cardinal sin; or in some circumstances even, any sin.It may be obvious why dying for one’s cause is noble, even sacred.But in Judaism, a religion that hallows and celebrates life above all, it seems quite peculiar.We know that Torah’s injunction that the mitzvos are for us to ‘live by’, and not die for, as the sages explain; so where does martyrdom fit in all this?The Jew is a living manifestation of the Divine. All our actions are to glorify the Divine as the sole and absolute reality.And since the value of a thing is determined according to the price paid for it, those who sacrifice themselves pay the highest price, elevating the sanctity of Hashem’s Name as a unique truth.Their courage and strength of spirit are the foundation upon which our nation stands. They are the pillars of fire and torches of the way, infusing the sanctity of the Divine and elevating us above and beyond the apathy of routine.
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KEDOSHIM
My Mission in Life
People often wonder, “How can I know what is my mission on life? Life is full of troubles and I cannot solve them all. “
Were I to be constantly helping others I would be forced to neglect my own issues; yet every decent person feels that there are times one must stop and go help others.
How, then, can one know to discern?
How will I know when it's a problem that divine providence intends for me and when it's a problem belonging to the whole world?
When The A-lmighty placed you in that place, and you are the person upon whom divine providence relies to solve the problem. The A-lmighty speaks to us through the situations that fall into our path, and the fact that things happen here, around us, indicates that heaven has assigned them to us.
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Seeing the Light, When It's Dark
PESACH
Jews are no strangers to persecution; its stories fills the pages of our history books from the very dawn of our people’s existence.
But what makes us unique, is that unlike others, we get ‘better’ with each passing tragedy. The worse the persecution the stronger and harder we become.
Counterintuitive.
Like the egg of the Seder plate, which the hotter it is boiled, the more it hardens, defying the regular process.
Which brings us to a puzzling story in the Haggadah: how and why did several saintly rabbis, trek all the way to Bnei Barak to discuss the Exodus, and had to be reminded by their students that the night was over?
The key word is precisely that. Night.
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TAZRIAYour Untapped Potential What do our wounds say about us? What do our negative habits, addictions, and unresolved weaknesses convey?Unconventional take: flaws are in truth symptoms of greatness. In many cases, they are an expression of an inner ability that has not been expressed and is pleading for attention.The Chassidic perspective on this stems from a great message in the Torah readings of Tazria-Metzora.The skin diseases of tzarat is much more than warning signs for Loshon Hora. They are evidence of immense energies that have not yet come to fruition.
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Why Do Jews Follow the Lunar CalendarHachodeshFor some time, Jews followed the ‘regular’ solar calendar that everyone followed and which was synced to their agricultural practices, only to then receive a mitzvah to a establish a new -lunar- calendar; something which seemed hardly helpful.Why?
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Tzav- Parah
The mitzvah of the Parah Adumah is known to be one of the most enigmatic and obscure. Even Shlomo Hamelech was compelled to admit that, his unmatched wisdom notwithstanding, he could not grasp the depth of this enigmatic commandment.What – then- are we to make of it? What lessons can it offer us in our lives?Let us elaborate on two profound concepts that are alluded to within the secret of the Red Heifer.
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Vayikra - Sacrifices and Relationships
Most common question is: How do we bridge the gap between ourselves and others? Religiously oriented people might even ask: How do we draw closer to the Creator? How do we become more holy and less materialistic? Men and women ask: How do we rise above our differences and achieve unity? Even parents and children wonder how to leave behind conflicts and arguments and come together.The answer to all these questions is one: “Bring a sacrifice”. Sacrifice is the way to closeness.Sacrifice is the way to transcend ourselves, to create a common united for both of us. Sacrifice is not about ignoring oneself, but about diminishing the individual ego, the bossy and primitive and revealing the greater "I" that leaves room for two.In practical terms: Sacrifice means seeing the other. Being less self-centered and putting them in the center of our lives and giving them what they need. This is the most significant method for empowering divine and human relationships.
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Advice for Life: The Lubavitcher Rebbe's Guidance for Leading a More Purposeful LifeSpiritual HeightsDiscover a unique approach to realizing our most profound potential and achieving real spiritual growth that combines lofty goals with remarkably practical guidance.
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PEKUDEI
Harnessing Your Inner Strength
When a person loses everything, they are forced to dig deeper within themselves to tap into new reservoirs of energy.
Deep down somewhere, there is a wholesome and pure core, and nothing can harm it. It nurtures within us an eternal divine spark, which cannot be taken captive or shot. This divine essence only hopes to fulfill its unique divine mission.
When a person is faced with the true depth of their potential, to a power they didn't know existed, and to an unfulfilled need. Self-discovery is akin to another birth, and there is no going back to our old selves. Nothing will ever be the same. When a person discovers what they are capable of – nothing can stop them.
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SHEKOLIM
Feelings DO Matter
Why did Moshe get confused when he heard about silver? What was not clear about the commandment of giving half a shekel, that Moshe needed explanations and demonstrations from above about what was being talked about?
Why did Hashem show him in response "a coin of fire" and say "this they shall give - like this they shall give"? Why a coin of fire and not a regular metal coin? Who gives coins in fire?
Moshe did not understand how silver atones for the soul?
How does matter repair the spirit?
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Commentators have always been puzzled by Moshe's actions: How could he possibly shatter the luchos, which he received directly from Hashem?
Especially considering that the loss was irreversible. These tablets were not given again, and the second tablets were merely the work of human hands, hewn from a stone from beneath Moshe's tent?
But precisely herein is the lesson: Moshe needed to get the people to ‘face the music’ and chose unilaterally which path they will embrace. If after so many miracles unlike any before or since, they were capable of betraying G-d in such a disgraceful manner – it seems they hadn't started to mature.
We uncover this important life lesson, by revisiting the play-byplay of the debacle of the Golden Calf, its remedy and the hope for redemption it holds for us all.
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TETZAVEH
A Jew is Never Alone
- That’s how many hostages there still are in the hands of murderous terrorists in Gaza.
Actually it’s 134 – two were miraculously rescued last week in a daring operation, and we – the global Jewish family cried happy tears for the first time in months.
What did we do for these hostages?
On the one hand, we are not politicians or military strategists, and it is not within our power to solve the problem in a material way, but as children of the Almighty we can and must tear open the gates of heaven.
This is no less important than planning physical rescue.
This lesson is about the secret that sustained the people of Israel throughout the generations: a Jew is never alone. He is part of a mighty web of Jewish brotherhood and unity, an entire nation mobilizing to help him.
The bottom line is that everyone must make a firm and daily decision to tear open the gates of heaven for their wellbeing.
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TERUMAH
Being Jewish is Who You Are
What is a Jew?Today we want to attempt to answer this not-so-simple question, which Jews often grapple with, a question that can sometimes tear apart hearts and families.We will explore this through the significance of holiest object in our world: the structure of the Aron in the Mishkan.
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MISHPATIM
Is Public Shaming Ok?
Jewish thought places a great premium on Human Dignity, perhaps even at the top of its priority list.
Human dignity is the essence of who a person is and their value as an agent of the Almighty.
Therefore, an affront to one's dignity is tantamount to an affront to their life and their ability to fulfill their mission in the world.
The importance of this subject is immense and touches us all. Some tend to take lightly the idea of embarrassing others, and it is very easy to falter in this regard.
The lesson for us all is a profound one that rests at the very core of our humanity.
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YISRO
Why Would Someone Convert To Judaism?
Why would name the Parsha containing the Ten Commandments would be named after a gentile, and a decorated senior idolater?
Why was such a great distinction bestowed upon Yisro?
In this class we’ll see that Yisro was no ordinary gentile, but one who ‘connected the dots’ and understood that Hashem was the only true god and one worth worshipping.
And from him, we, in turn, learn the importance of marrying lofty ideas with concrete action.
Believing is important; knowing is fantastic, but acting on that faith and wisdom is supreme.
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BESHALACH
Question V/S Doubt
How is it possible that we are commanded to forget what Egypt did to us, but not to forget what Amalek did? How is it that in the face of the Egyptians who enslaved us for nearly a hundred years and committed gradual murder through the drowning of infants in the Nile, and the Torah commands us to forget and leave behind what happened.
While in the case of the Amalekites, who encountered us with relatively short-lived hostilities that ended at a relatively low cost – we harbor anger and hatred and are not willing to let them exist?
Here, the Torah teaches the difference between conflict and enmity: Amalek, was not bothered by something we did but by who we are, our very existence. They felt that we were overshadowing them. Such hatred cannot be solved, only cast away forever.
Questions are rational events that require a response, while doubts are irrational events that arise from the audacity and coarseness, the only way is to divert attention and move forward.
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BO
So, what’s with Jews and money?Jews run the economy?
It’s all about the Benjamins?
The Jewish lobby?
Even without addressing some of the vilest anti-Semitic tropes, there is definitely something to be said about the tremendous financial success Jewish people seem to encounter everywhere.
More than 40% of Nobel Prize winners in Economics are Jewish.
30% of the 20 wealthiest individuals in the world are Jewish.
Three out of four of the recent Fed chairpersons are Jewish.
So, what’s with Jews and money?
This question is particularly relevant as we look at this week’s Parsha and we see a mitzvah, whereby the Jews were commanded to despoil Egypt prior to their exodus.
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VAEIRA
Getting The Messaging Right
If the entire mission of this leader is to advocate, to eloquently make the case for his people’s freedom in the halls of power, why does Hashem choose Moshe a man afflicted with a speech impediment to be His agent?
And to complicate things further, Hashem instructs that given Moshe’s handicap, it will be Aharon who will deliver the message to Pharaoh in a clear and relatable Egyptian. So why bother with Moshe altogether?!
Moshe's speech impediment does not stem (solely) from physical impediment but from the loftiness of the message. The impediment arises from the gap between his elevated world and the lowly world of Pharaoh and Egypt, which couldn't grasp the height that Moshe aspired to.
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SHEMOS
The Heroes of Today
We take pride in the stark difference that sets us apart from our enemies, namely that where they glorify and seek death, we are a people that cherishes and loves life.
The Torah is a Torah of life; Hashem is the source of life.
So where does a religion so deeply devoted to life and its perpetuation, make room for dying for the "sanctification of G-d name"?
How and why do we imbue our children with the readiness to die for their adherence to the Torah of Life?
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VAYECHI
This Land is Our Land… …Or is it?!
As the ever-present war in Eretz Yisroel rages on, some of us are faced with the age-old question, or, for the assertion that we stole this land from our Arab predecessors, who had lived there peacefully until the alien Jews, who came from so far as Europe or beyond, to ‘colonize’ it and expel them.
There are facts, numbers, names and dates to back up the claim; so…what do you say to that?
Are we indeed thieves? Did we steal the land from its rightful inhabitants? What right or claim do we have to it?
Let us backtrack to when it all began, and when we say all, we mean literally all…as in everything, to the beginning of creation.
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VAYIGASH
Creating A Buffer Zone
Big negotiations today are all about what's going to be "the day after" the war ends, and victory is announced.
One of the greatest issues is the need for a demilitarized buffer zone. This is a key component for the safety and security for any country.
In the fast the Rabbis have set for the mourning of the Holy Temple, the most important one is the for the siege on Jerusalem. Why is the siege more significant then the actual destruction?
How does all this apply to us, as we are not policy makers or in the military?
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The World of Kabbalah:
Revealing How Its Mystical Secrets Relate to YouLesson 6
The Essence of Everything.
Uncover the reality that precedes everything, the essence of the Divine Self, and the surprising purpose of our physical universe. Learn insights into the human self’s deepest motivation and purpose and our capacity to repair wrongs.
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MIKEITZ
Can You Split the Child?
In the Haftorah we read of the famous story, when King Solomon is asked to preside over the case of two women arguing over the guardianship of a child.
The wisest of all men issues a ruling, which has long been hailed as a brilliant solution to the quarrel: let the child be split in half, and each woman will receive her share.
This of course, exposed the legitimate mother, namely the woman willing to forego her ‘share’ of the child, in favor of not cutting him, heaven forbid.
In this shiur we will analyze this episode more in depth, and challenge some if its premises, to extract profound life lessons from it.
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VAYEISHEV
Dreams. Do They Mean Anything?
We read in the Torah the dreams Joseph has recounted to his brothers. Why did Joseph tell these dreams to them, if it would only cerate more animosity, than they already had towards him?
Do dreams actually mean something?
Is there anything true about dreams? Or is is just some wishful thinking? or a just a nightmare?
Explore the Torah's view on dreams and its interoperation. with this we can better navigate the story of Joseph and his brothers.
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The World of Kabbalah:
Revealing How Its Mystical Secrets Relate to YouLesson 5
The Great Concealment.
Explore the process of tzimtzum, or how G-d conceals His infinity to create space for our reality. See how this translates into guidance for empowering others and seeking growth potential in life’s darkest moments.
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VAYISHLACH
The Innocent Civilians
In this week’s Parsha, we study the first military conflict in history that we waged against the enemies who arose against us. This was the first time we took up arms to defend our ownership of the land and deter our enemies. At that time, a moral question arose: Who are we fighting against? Who is defined as an enemy? Should we only target those directly involved in the crime, while the rest are considered innocent, or are those who are not directly involved also implicated in their own way?
As we recall, Dinah was kidnapped by Shechem, the son of Hamor, the ruler of the city of Shechem. While still holding on to her in his home, he appeared before the Yaakov and offered the two nations to merge and marry each other. Shimon and Levi, however, unsheathed their swords, and in a cunning operation, they not only targeted the kidnapper and his father but also all the residents of the city—citizens who were not involved in the injustice committed by one individual.
Interestingly, the Torah leaves the story ambiguous and open to interpretation. The leading biblical commentators throughout generations to present conflicting and opposing views on the matter. It seems that the Torah wants to teach that engaging in violence is a complex and delicate matter, from which no one emerges unscathed. Shedding blood is an event that harms not only the enemy but also the morals of our own fighters.
Thus, we must delve into the depth of the issue and consider it from various perspectives—both physical and spiritual.
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The World of Kabbalah:
Revealing How Its Mystical Secrets Relate to YouLesson 4
The World of Chaos.
Study the primordial spiritual universe of Tohu, its purpose in creation, and its enduring impact on human nature. Discover the roots of inner moral conflict and the key to harnessing our negative natures to achieve fulfillment.
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VAYETZEI
In The Darkest of Times, I Pray.
In recent days, a moment has been publicized that can leave no one indifferent. Since that fateful Simchat Torah morning, there was a solitary moment of happiness, a moment of "light" in a dual sense: the rescue of Ori Megidish from captivity in Gaza, where she was founds alive, and safe. A video was circulated a few days before the rescue: her mother, Margalit Megidish, participating in a ceremony of separating challah for the salvation of her daughter. She stands and pleads with G-d for deliverance and salvation, and suddenly, she utters with a pounding heart, "Hashem, I love you."
But where does this come from? Whom does she love? Her life fell apart; her daughter is in Gaza, in the hands of creatures beyond human description, and she loves the A-lmighty?!
Does she feel Him with her? Does she have energy left to love?! This moment captures the deepest and most profound dimension of our relationship: "And our faith in the darkness."
The faith that G-d does not forsake us and is always by our side. Faith doesn't produce answers and doesn't explain why, but it provides the strength to live with the questions. It awakens an intuition above reason and understanding, that even in chaos, He is present, and even when He seems distant – He is close. And when it seems like He has abandoned us– He is protecting and shielding us as always.
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The World of Kabbalah:
Revealing How Its Mystical Secrets Relate to YouLesson 3
The Infinite Light.
Observe how G-d’s infinite light unites diverse sefirot and how we can replicate this phenomenon to overcome human differences and create harmonious relationships. Plus, see how willpower mirrors infinity and enables us to overcome obstacles.
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TOLDOT
The Wars in Gazza - Jews V/s Philistines
The war raging in the Gazza is not the first time the Jews having war there. The Torah reading of Toldot, tells about the wells that Yitzchak excavates and is successful, while the one's his father explored were all destroyed.
Yiztchak's approach to the enemy then in the land Gazza, is very telling for us about the war raging presently. How do we understand anti-Semitism, and what we can do about it.
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The World of Kabbalah:
Revealing How Its Mystical Secrets Relate to You
Lesson 2
The Dawn of Limitation.
Probe the Divine realm of G-d’s ten sefirot and the corresponding powers of the soul. Discover how knowledge of our soul’s root can clarify individual purpose and provide guidance for maximizing strengths and managing weaknesses.
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CHAYEI SARAH
A Life That Continues After Living
Parshat Chayei Sarah; where is The Life of Sarah? How does it make sense to name a portion that contains nothing about the life of Sarah, starting only after her death?
This is not just a question about the choice of words. It is almost derisive and mocking, saying that the portion recounts everything that is the opposite of the life of Sarah. Sarah is progressively pushed out of the story, it seems as if even her husband, who lived with her for more than a hundred years, moves forward to the next chapter in his life.
Young Ariel teaches us the most powerful way of remembrance: continuity. We don't find rest in engraving the name of our loved ones on a cold stone tablet, or even in donating a square or building in their memory, but rather in giving ongoing commitment to what they started. This transforms their lives into an unbroken chain, upon which floors of eternity are built, and future generations can walk securely.
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The World of Kabbalah:
Revealing How Its Mystical Secrets Relate to You
Lesson 1
The Evolution of Ego.
Examine the three spiritual worlds linking G-d’s initial plan to our physical universe and how they correspond to human thought, speech, and action. Plus, see how this insight helps us sidestep rash decisions and implement habits for intentional living.
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VAYEIRA
The Secret Sauce of Jewish Immortality
During these very hours, the brave soldiers of the IDF are on the front lines to protect Jewish lives.
The entire Israeli society and beyond are also dealing with tension and fears of the unknown. What can we do now to strengthen the wellbeing of our soldiers as well as our own?
What is the foundation of Jewish life: We are a people with a history of 4,000 years. For thousands of years, we have been confronted with an enemy like no other and have survived for thousands of years as no other nation has. All our enemies have become articles on Wikipedia, and we are here to write these articles.
What is the secret of our immortality? And continue to do that.
Because what has proven itself for 4,000 years will work tenfold in our times.
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Lech Lecha
The First Hostage
As the war in our beloved Holy Land enters its third week, and our collective eyes are on the innocent hostages still held by Hamas in the Gaza strip – men, women and children – this week’s Parsha takes us back to a story not foreign to this violence and tragedy.
We find the first (Jewish?) captive, held in the hands of evil people.
Lot, Avraham’s nephew who previously counted himself among Avraham’s own camp, ended up consorting with the wrong people and long story short, he’s now hostage.
His kindhearted, but equally brave uncle Avraham, sets out on a seemingly suicide mission to release him.
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Noach
What Are we fighting Over?
For as long as anyone can remember the Land of Israel has been fought over, debated about and it has been at the center of so much conflict.
Everyone claims it as theirs and wants a piece of it.
But why?
What is so unique about this little sliver of soil?
We will assert that the world needs the Land of Israel as a palace for the divine presence, as the place where heaven touches earth. The Land of Israel is not only for our benefit but also for the benefit of the Almighty as it were. It is the only space in the world where holiness resides physically.
In addition to the physical defense of the land, which is critical and decisive always, we must also make this land worthy of its name. If we want the Land of Israel to preserve us, we must preserve it and its spiritual identity.
This way, we will merit seeing again all the endless miracles that took place here.
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BREISHIT
Why Did Adam & Eve Sin?
What were they thinking? Was there nothing else to eat?
Why were they only embarrassed by their lack of clothing after eating from the Tree of knowledge?
As we explore this episode based on the words of the Chassidic master we come to realize their mistake and the root cause of why we at times sin as well. How to void those pitfalls and stand up to our evil inclination.
This class is in memory of those precious souls slaughtered in cold blood on Simchat Torah. Hashem Yinkom Damam. in the merit for a speedy recovery and safe return of the soldiers and all others in the Holy Land.
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SUKKOTThe Search For Happiness.
Everyone want to be happy. However, how does one achieve happiness, how does one really have the joy and optimistic view in life.
The Torah rarely states the obligation to be joyful, the only time is when it comes to the Holiday of Sukkot.
Why is happiness attached to Sukkot? Why is it such a joyful time when the water was poured in the Holy Temple? How do we achieve Happiness in our lives?
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YOM KIPPUR
Starting With No Strings Attached
The first service and one of the most popular services is the Kol Nidrei. Why? What is so special about this prayer? Why is this seemingly transactional prayer place with such importance at the beginning of the holy day of Yom Kipur?
By exploring the halachic and esoteric meaning of the Kol Nidrei, we will learn to see how we can start the day of YOM KIPUR with no strings attached.
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ROSH HASHANA
When All Else Fails: Shout
There is a known Yiddish adage, which in English goes roughly something like this: “When it hurts, one screams”.
Whether that merely stating an observable fact or suggesting a plan of action is perhaps a matter of interpretation.
As we close in on Rosh Hashana, we want to focus on precisely this phenomenon. That last resort, when one is fresh out of ideas or solutions to battle his inner enemies. What should a person do who has already tried everything and failed? They may feel the ‘Elul energy’ viscerally but the emotional turmoil doesn't seem to ignite their inner strength to break free from the prison of habit and the race of life.
We want to focus on one word: outcry. The importance of crying out against our spiritual state. When a person feels trapped in their own personal dungeon and can't find a way out of the maze, they must rebel against being there. They must not merely examine themselves on a practical level, saying, I tried everything and failed, but rather, tear the inner connection to sin.
The outcry moves mountains, reaches up to the Throne of Glory, and ultimately shatters apathy.
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NITZAVIM
Taking Responsibility
Every person you know is wrestling with something. Each one is hamstrung on other factors that restrain them. The first stage of redemption and healing, the key to true repentance to G-d: the understanding that we -and nobdy else- are responsible for our choices. We alone are the reason we are in the place we find ourselves in, and no one in the world, from within or from without, can force us to be in a place we do not want to be.
When we find ourselves stuck in a particular place, it means we chose to be stuck there.
Sometimes, it is convenient for us to be submissive, bound, helpless, and victims, but this is our choice.
Understanding this is not meant to inhibit change; on the contrary, it is the key to change and correction. Taking responsibility for our choices frees us from them and allows us to change them. If we choose to make a mistake, we can also choose to stop making that mistake and do something differently.
On the other hand, the alternative is to continue blaming others, and then the worst happens: we entrust our fate to others and willingly enter into eternal entrapment.
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KI TAVO
Starting off on the Right Foot
Why is it so important to get it right from the very beginning beyond the obvious reasons?
The beginning is a seed that contains all the details, and the more positive the beginning, the better the chances for what follows. This has significant implications for the days of Elul and Tishrei. These days are much greater than themselves; they determine the fate of the coming year. If we want to succeed in the upcoming year, we must give full focus to the opening of the year.
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KI TEITZEI
Tips for an Everlasting Relationships
Relationships are tricky, and marriage is perhaps the most delicate and crucial of those relationships.
Anyone and everyone has tips for a good marriage. Some of it is sound, but much of it is not.
Book stores are awash with literature by ‘mavens’ and ‘experts’ of all sorts…but what does Torah have to share on this oh-so-sensitive topic?
In this week’s Parsha we find the injunction upon a newlywed man, to remain home for the first year after his wedding and be at his wife’s side.
No other obligation supersedes this. Not war, not business, not education – nothing.
The question that arises naturally is - why?
Isn’t the week of Sheva Brachos enough? Why the need for an entire year?
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SHOFTIM
What's Your Horoscope?
Many scholars believed that astrology is true. The works of our Sages and even the rulings of Jewish law are filled with references that consider astrological influences. Our Sages argue that reality itself proves the existence of astrological influence, as there are people whose lives seem to go smoothly, while others struggle. Some individuals seem to enjoy success, while others face hardships.
According to this perspective, every person has a fate predetermined from the start, and their cards are essentially just to play within this cycle.
Yet, here comes the surprise: the Torah strictly forbids consulting astrologers and stargazers. For Jews, astrology is only a recommendation. It's an invitation to work and make changes. It's a starting point and a leap-board from which we begin our personal world rectification. And crucial and inspiring message emerges; we have more power over the heavens, than they do over us. Jews have been handed the keys to act, to strive, and to change their fate for the better.
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R'EEH
DOING THE RIGHT THING
The Torah reading begins Moshe seemingly giving the Jewish People a choice. To Follow and get blessing and or not and suffer the consequences (the opposite of blessings).
Is it really that easy to "choose" to do the right thing. We are animals of routine, how do we just change, or make the choice to change?
As the month of Elul approaches it gives us the opportunity to reflect and see what and how we can better our relationship with G-d. Moshe's proposal to the Jewish people allows us and to make better choices in the month of Elul.
Learn how this is done.
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EIKEV
Food For Thought
Eating evokes a myriad of emotions: pleasure, desire, loss of control, and disappointment.
We yearn for our meals, fantasize of those all-you-can-eat buffets, spend big money, drive long distances for delicate cuisine; yet, despite all our love for food, feelings of regret and self-reproach often follow: Why did I eat so much? and Where does this insatiable craving for food come from? And the lingering question remains: Why the disappointment after eating?
This inquiry becomes even more perplexing when it concerns the Jewish people. Among all religions, we are unique in celebrating with food. Every holiday centers around delicious meals. While other faiths observe days upon days of fasting to suppress the desire for food, in Judaism, holiness is intertwined with food. The holidays involve festive meals, each with its specific foods, and before every cup of water, we recite blessings, expressing gratitude to G-d for the wondrous creation of sustenance.
However, how does this complex experience align with being a commandment?
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VAETCHANAN
The Authenticity of the Torah
Do you ever wonder “What if?”
What if this whole Judaism thing is one big grandma tale? After all it’s one religion of hundreds, and who’s to say what’s true anyway?
All religions begin with a story of divine revelation from the heavens, commanding the worship of the gods in a specific way, and any other form of worship is considered idolatry punishable by death. But the next religion makes the same assertion, so how do we know the truth? We Jews present ourselves as the Chosen People, devoted to the one and only G-d, and any other form of idol worship is forbidden. On the other hand, Christians say that we were once the chosen people, but God replaced us with them, and their view is entirely different. Muslims also claim that both Jews and Christians are infidels, and only Muhammad speaks the truth.
So, what sets us apart from them, especially considering our smaller numbers? We want to delve deeply into two marvelous verses from the Parsha of Vaetchanan. Moshe provides a strong testimony to the authenticity of the event at Mount Sinai and declares that no other nation can present a similar proof. We want to ponder this claim, challenge it, and understand its remarkable strength.
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DEVARIM
From a Passive Reader, To Being a Great Leader.
Though in the scientific realm, knowledge is constantly evolving, in Judaism, the concept of "descent of the generations" emphasizes that while knowledge accumulates, the closeness to the Divine diminishes. This is seen as a paradox, as the darkness of exile seems to grow stronger as time passes, with fewer manifestations of the Divine presence.
In the present generation, there is a noticeable absence of great visionaries and leaders. The passing of influential figures leaves a void that is difficult to fill, and it feels as though we are nearing the end of an era.
How, then, do we insist that in our present generation, which is comparatively so low and far removed from the greats of the past, Moshiach will come?!
This concept can be understood from the book of Devarim, which we begin studying this week. The book raises questions about the role of humans in relation to the Torah and Moshe’s book being included as part of the Torah. The Chassidic explanation is that throughout history, power has passed from the Divine to the people, and from leaders to ordinary individuals. We are now in the final stage, where each person, even those on the periphery, is required to embody the qualities of Moshe, taking initiative, responsibility, and living a life of sanctity.
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MATOS - MASSEI
Anger Management 101
Anger is a dominant emotion, as it stems from our fundamental need for self-preservation. In the grip of anger, we lose control of rational judgment and cease to see the bigger picture or consider the consequences of our actions. There is a well-known saying, "What love builds, anger destroys."
Let us explore this further through one of the most severe accounts from our sages: "Moshe Rabeinu lost his wisdom and insight three times due to anger." Yes, the great prophet, the giver of the Torah, the man whom the Torah attests had unwavering vision until his last moments, temporarily lost his wisdom due to the emotion of anger. He even issued a misguided ruling and nearly caused a stumble for the entire nation. One of the three incidents of anger led to an unforgivable mistake that cost Moshe the right to enter the Promised Land.
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PINCHUS
Advocating Women's Rights
How should women demand what is rightfully theirs without violating the order of halakha? From a broader perspective, the question is also relevant to men and the entire community: What should a person do when they feel a claim against the conduct of Hashem? In what manner is it permissible to raise a complaint against the laws of God?
The inspiration for this discussion can come from a surprising story in the weekly Torah portion, which requires deep analysis. The big question is how did the daughters of Zelophchad dare to challenge the Divine law? How did five devout sisters muster the courage to challenge the law that descended from Heaven, which states that daughters do not inherit? Especially since they succeed in their endeavor, and the Almighty accepts their challenge and changes the law. The question arises: Where are the boundaries? When is it permissible to change the law?
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CHUKAS - BALAK
The Immortality of a Tzaddik - Defining Jewish Leaders
An intriguing discussion found in the final pages of the Gemara. It is a profound and brilliant dialogue between Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananiah, and a group of exiles who left the Land of Israel for Alexandria in Egypt and regretted their ill-advised choice.
How did the first section of the parsha, from which the entire parsha derives its name, come about?
Our parsha skips ahead 37.5 years to the final year in the desert and the impending passing upon the great tzadikim who led the Jews: Miriam, Aharon, and Moshe. It presents the laws of the red heifer, which purifies from the impurity of death. This is one of the earliest portions that
the Jews heard, which is chronologically completely out of place.
It inspires the Jews to keep going way beyond their natural abilities.
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KORACH
Dealing With Opposition
Some of the more challenging moments in life are when we encounter people who try to belittle us. No matter how kind and patient one may be, he or she can nonetheless cross paths with individuals with interests that aim to weaken us. Not competitors, or people with a different view or approach; rather individuals who seem bent on our destruction for its own sake, not even as a medium for their success.
And here the responses usually range from boycott to open hostility. Many choose to boycott the person who belittles them and completely sever the connection, while others respond with aggression and channel their energy into confrontations.
But could there be a third way? Today we want to discuss an inspiring lesson in Moshe’s response to his long-standing adversaries, Dosson and Aviram.
Why does Moshe engage in negotiation and try to convince them? After all, who better than him knows that they despise him and insult him? They didn't seek personal growth, as they vowed to get in the way of Moshe at every turn. They had been feuding with Moshe since their youth and had never let up on the fight.
So why does he turn to them for a dialogue and almost invite them to attack him?
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Para & Normal
Most people believe in some version of a soul. Do souls continue to exist after death? Can they see us? In this lesson, we will explore what we know about angels, spirits, and extraterrestrial life for insights into our own soul’s nature.
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SHLACH
Give Some Dough
What is this special mitzvah, why is it indeed so special, and -most interestingly – how does it land at the tail end of our Parsha?
We will uncover a deeper layer in this seemingly symbolic mitzvah, that teaches and reinforces in us the knowledge that everything, even that which seems man made, truly comes from Hashem and His kindness.
Which is why we owe all to Him, and there is never room for pride. This unique approach a Jew has, when He brings home his earnings, as taught to us by the mitzvah of Challah.
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BAHALOSECHA
The Strength in Humility
The value of humility of Moshe as described in this weeks Parsha. What is it that G-d vouched for him and praised him with that quality?
Learn how we can harness our G-d given talents with humility and pride.
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Jinx & The Evil Eye
Can telling someone about my good fortune make it go bad? Can their jealousy create problems for my success? It may sound superstitious, but in Jewish thought, there’s a logical reason to be concerned about “the Evil Eye,” and there’s a practical way to ward it off.
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Stars & Signs
Judaism insists we can always influence our destiny for the better. Yet, the popular “Mazel tov” wish literally means “good astrology”! What role does destiny play in a tradition that believes humans have free choice?
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Dreams & Direction
When should we follow our dreams, and when do we say it’s “just a dream”? Let’s explore where inspiration from a lifelike dream can take us. Plus: a time-honored Jewish routine for keeping nightmares at bay.
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SHAVUOT
Got to Kill Some Time?
We squander time, taking our next second, or day or year, for granted. But they are not granted. They are not at all guaranteed.
The secret of a live well lived lies in appreciating this. In truly harnessing each moment of time that we have, infusing each instant with value and meaning. Including – and especially – those pockets of “lost time” during carpool, at the grocery store line, in the doctor’s waiting room.
As we get ready for Shavuos, when we mark what is arguably the most important occasion for our people, there is a burning question about the whole event that begs for answers.
Who holds events in the wilderness? Who ‘squanders’ a grand event like the giving of the Torah in the desolate wilderness?
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BAMIDBAR
Avoiding the Evil Eye
The fourth book of the Torah, which we begin this week, (the Book of Numbers). It is named after the great census that opens it. After the construction of the
Mishkan, Hashem commanded to count the Jews from the age of twenty to the age of sixty.
What even is Evil Eye? And more importantly, where is the justice in Evil Eye? How can a disgruntled and dissatisfied person harm someone else who has achieved success and prosperity honestly, by merely pointing out their achievements?
Conversely, we must also examine the positive aspect of the issue: how can we attain sincerity of heart and free ourselves from jealousy and the troubles of the eye?
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BEHAR BECHUKOTAI
A Life Worth Living
We are living in an interesting time. People now live twice as long as they did during the time of the Mishnah, if not longer.
However, life can sometimes feel dull, empty, and even painful. Some even question the purpose of life and wonder why they should bother with all the effort. But it is important to understand that G-d values and loves life. Life is intrinsically the most important thing and every moment, even the mundane ones, has the potential to produce infinite value.
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EMOR
Instilling Values in our Children
The great educational challenge of our era is to provide a Jewish education that is meaningful and relevant to the younger generation. While this generation is not afraid or intimidated by threats, they seek growth and want to be part of something that is real and life-changing. The future of education depends on our ability to transmit love and appreciation for Yiddishkeit and creating a family story that values the religion. The goal is to create an educational breakthrough by means of a simplified approach.
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ACHAREI
Teaming up with Evil.
How is it that on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year, about which we read in this week’s Parsha, the holiest man in the nation spends considerable time and effort with an offering to Azazel, which is understood to mean the Satan and his agents?!
What worth does the archetype of evil have on this day? Why pay him any attention at all?
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TAZRIA - METZORAH
Be a Good Communicator
Well, you certainly don’t get to choose what happens around you, but you do get to choose what you speak about.
And when you make a concerted effort to deliberately speak well of people, of things, of stories - you are not merely recounting something of the past, but you are actually breathing life into that goodness and allowing it to capture the imagination of your interlocutor.
The power of speech is often overlooked, but it is – in truth- extremely powerful in molding the reality around us. This is learnt by the Torah’s admonition against lashon hara, which is equally potent except in a toxic and harmful way.
Speak well of people, and you will then elevate the goodness inside them allowing it to dominate and drastically change the reality on the ground.
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PESACH
So why the deceit? What's the Rush?
At the heart of the Passover story, a peculiar detail seems to get lost in the noise. Multiple references seem to indicate that the Jews escaped or fled, as though breaking through a prison’s chain link fence. When in truth we know they departed triumphantly at noon’s high sun, without anybody being able to do a thing about it.
We also find that Moshe seems to be less-than-transparent in his requests for liberation to Pharaoh. He asks the despot to allow a three-day furlough for the Jews to travel to desert. As though they would then return to Egypt and business as usual. We all know that was never the plan.
So why the deceit?
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VAYIKRA
Is living with regret a good thing?
Many will tell you things like ‘regret nothing’ or ‘never look back’ but is that a healthy attitude to past mistakes?
On the flip side, we all know that person who’s never been able to move past that professional blunder or a faux pas several years ago, and they seem to wallow in never-ending misery and agony.
So, what is a healthy approach to handling mistakes? Somewhere in between those two extremes.
In this week’s Parsha we open the lengthy description of korbanos; who must bring what animal for what korban. Variables, including the cause, the financial status of the person, their gender, age and other things all contribute to determining what sacrifice they are obligated to offer.
Interestingly, the only korban from a female goat is the chatas- sin offering. Whereas the similar asham, guilt offering and virtually all others, come from male animals.
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VAYAKHEL - PEKUDEI
Are We There Yet
People have forever been preoccupied with the search for G-d. A divine entity that transcends, supersedes, and surpasses all limitations.
Most of these quests have returned with answers of removed and detached spiritual beings which hardly – if ever- interact with the mundane. The spiritual and the material are pitted against one another in a perpetual state of conflict or mutual indifference.
To connect with the Divine is to appreciate that it is found in the marriage of the finite with the infinite, in the fusion of material and spiritual, in the integration of the profane and the sacred.
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BookSmart:
Lesson 6
Kabbalah and Chasidism
Kabbalah is the Torah’s mystical dimension, containing its most powerful and empowering ideas. But for many centuries, the teachings of Kabbalah were carefully guarded secrets, transcribed only in the guise of esoteric terminology and metaphors, and taught only to a small, exclusive circle of mystics in each generation. Chasidism is both an extension of Kabbalah as well as a field of Torah in its own right, revealing the inner “soul” that unites the Torah’s various components and applying its most abstract spiritual teachings in personally meaningful ways.
In this lesson, we survey the history of Kabbalah and Chasidism. We address the question of why these teachings were kept secret, and why and how they were eventually revealed. We then explore one of the core subjects of Kabbalah—the doctrine of the “Ten Sefirot”—beginning with a mysterious passage in the Zohar, followed by a series of Kabbalistic and Chasidic texts that examine the great paradox of G-d’s relationship with us, and the body-soul dichotomy that defines our own lives.
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ZACHOR
Question v/s Doubt. Is There A Difference?
The mitzvah of Zachor, which we will read this week in Shul, always raises eyebrows: Why are we still stuck on an enemy long gone?
Amalek hasn’t walked the face of this planet for several millennia by now, so what’s the burning passion we still have today to stomp it out wherever we might find it?
Amalek today is more than a nation, it’s a condition. It’s that paralyzing doubt that’s freezes you in your tracks, casting aspersions on deeply held truths. Causally invalidating your faith as nothing more than superstition or childish make-believe.
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Lesson 5
Musar and Jewish Philosophy
Musar is the body of Torah teachings that deals with ethics, character development, and spiritual self-improvement. The field of Jewish philosophy, also known as “Chakirah,” includes works devoted to discussing the philosophy and ideology of Judaism. While these constitute two distinct areas of Torah literature, there is also a certain degree of overlap between them; indeed, some of the fundamental works of Jewish philosophy are also works of Musar, and vice versa.
In this lesson, we review the history and the primary authors and works in these two fields. We then study a number of texts covering three related topics in both these fields: the doctrine of creation ex nihilo (“something from nothing”), bitachon (trust in G-d), and the emotion of anger.
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Lesson 4
Halachah
Halachah is the “bottom line” of Torah, where the biblical commandments, rabbinical ordinances, and Talmudic deliberations translate into the dos and don’ts of daily life. Halachah addresses every part of a Jew’s life, from waking to bedtime, from birth to burial, from everyday activities to the most extraordinary situations.
In this lesson, we explore the history of Halachah, from its sources in the Written Torah, through the Halachic Midrashim, the Talmud and its commentaries, the various “codes” compiled through the centuries, and the many thousands of Halachic responsa authored through the centuries. We survey the great variety of issues and dilemmas that Halachah addresses. We then bring it all to life via a case study that traces a Halachic issue from its biblical origins through more than a dozen citations across the entire spectrum of Halachic literature.
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Lesson 3
The Talmud
More than any other work, the Talmud defines “Jewish learning.” In this lesson, we review the history of the Talmud, explore the structure of this intricate and fascinating work, with its 63 volumes of teachings and deliberations by hundreds of sages over a period of six centuries on virtually every subject under the sun. We also engage in the in-depth study of a Talmudic sugya (“subject discussion”) and experience the unique twists and turns of the Talmudic dialectic.
In the process, we discover how Talmudic learning leverages the “flaws” of the human mind—its circuitous reasoning, its contentiousness, and its inconsistencies—to reveal the multifaceted nature of the Divine wisdom and apply it to the complexities of human life.
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Lesson 2
The Midrash
“Midrash” is both a methodology and a body of literature. In this lesson, we explore both aspects of Midrash. We study the various methods by which additional layers of meaning contained within the words—or between the lines—of the Torah are expounded. We also acquaint ourselves with some of the major Midrashic works that record the expositional teachings by the sages of the Talmudic era (approximately 100 BCE to 500 CE).
Midrash includes Halachic (legal) expositions, which extrapolate the details of the Torah’s laws from the text, as well as Agadic Midrashim—moral, philosophical, and mystical teachings, as well as historical narratives and parables. We study examples from both of these varieties of Midrash, including a number of intricate legal expositions, and an esoteric parable relating to a celestial battle over the creation of the human being and the paradox of goodness and truth.
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ADAR - TERUMA
Joy is the Pre-requisite to Life
There is a classic Chassidic saying that goes something like this: ‘Joy is not itself a mitzvah, but it brings to fulfilling many mitzvos. Conversely, melancholy is not itself a sin, but it brings to many sins.’ Joy is the fuel that nourishes our soul. If we are to go about life productively and usefully, we must have a fundamental degree of joy.
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MISHPATIM
Differences, Are The Things we Most Have In Common.
In our age of extreme division in society, political polarization, religious fanaticism and many other ‘isms’ which cause strife, animosity and tension, it’s hard to imagine what upside there might be to arguing. Wouldn’t it all be much better if we all just got along? Of course, it would.
But like most other things in life, deliberations and arguments have a very important advantage, which if harnessed and used properly can set us on the right path to true depth and understanding.
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YITRO
What Are "Segulot"? Mitzvah Remedies Do We Believe In Those?
It’s no secret that being a Jew is full of do’s and don’ts. What is less known, though, is why that is.
In this week’s Parsha the Jews are crowned by Hashem as His ‘am segulah’ His treasure, and we are then given the Torah which of course enjoins us with all the dos and don’ts.
Why does Hashem need us to fulfill so many mitzvos, and with so many details and particular laws. Couldn’t He have sufficed with a few general over-arching rules and call it a day?
Each mitzvah opens a conduit of blessing into our life, and in some cases it’s very clear which mitzvah is a segulah for what exact need we might have.
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Book Smart: Course through Judaism’s Most Important Titles, and the Authors Who Inscribed Them
Lesson One - The Torah
We begin by addressing the question, “What is the Torah?” We discover how the whole of Jewish teaching (“the Torah” in its broader meaning) derives from the Chumash (“the Torah” in its narrower meaning). We also discuss the relationship between the “Written Torah” and the “Oral Torah,” and how these two components of Torah constitute a “partnership” of Divine revelation and human toil of the mind.
We then introduce the twenty-four books of the Tanach. We explain the differences between Torah, Neviim, and Ketuvim, and review the contents of each. We also see how the roots of the different “genres” of Torah—Midrash, Halachah, Kabbalah, Musar, etc.—are all in the “Written Torah,” as will be further demonstrated in each of the next five lessons.
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BESHALACH
Your Place Your Mission
As the Jews leave their former enslavers behind, taking along their wealth and their pride, we find an interesting injunction by the Torah to the newly liberated people. They must never again live in Egypt.
What’s the Torah’s issue with Egypt? Is Egyptian soil any more soaked with Jewish blood than Poland, medieval Spain, or Germany? If the Egyptians were the first to enslave and oppress the Jews, they surely weren’t the last. So why the ban?
We are where we are because that’s where we are needed, and that’s where the Divine Hand has brought us. Our geographic location is an indicator of a mission waiting for us, and an invitation to fulfill it. You don’t happen to be where you are. You are there for a purpose, now go and carry out that purpose.
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BO
Education Is An Experience
Are you Children just not interested?
What's the difference of a Teacher v/s an instructor?
Why is it that Passover is one of the most celebrated Jewish holidays by secular and observant alike?
With looking deeper in this week's Torah reading we will come to appreciate the great teacher Moshe was, and the tools he gave us to make education moe effective and meaningful. You will learn the value of storytelling and experiential impact it has.
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VAEIRA
Fear of the Unknown
In this class, we will examine the differences between the various names of Hashem employed at different times, and how they teach us how to truly be in control of our life, and not panic when we are not, or feel like we are not.
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SHEMOS
Why the Suffering?
As the Jews come into the land of Egypt, their suffering intensifies with the hardships and slavery imposed on them. Why? What did they do wrong? Why wasn't getting easier?
These were Moses's questions to Hashem as well, and the question of many throughout the ages. As the story unfolds we will see the steps that were needed for the Salvation of the Jewish people. The necessary hardships are what made the redemption even greater.
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VAYECHI
Your Struggles Are Your Greatest Assets
Far more people than you think, struggle with persistent feelings of inadequacy. Many who on the outside may appear fulfilled and leading a happy life, are actually battling inner voices that tell them they’re not enough. Not successful enough, not religious enough, not a good enough spouse or parent, or sibling or child.
As we will come to learn, Rochel and Leah are representative of two distinct paths, and while Yaakov may have been fonder of Rochel, there is something unique and special about Leah, that we can apply in our lives and use to assist us in our inner trials and struggles.
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VAYIGASH
The Secret to the Endurance of Judaism
This week's Torah portion tells us of two personalities colliding, Yosef and Yehuda. From this moment, we continuously juxtaposed these two, from waging on Amalek to the spies and the first two kings the Jews had a nation. in all of these, the two tribes' decedents were with each other.
In all scenarios, Yosef is first, with Yehuda coming in next but chosen for eternity, while Yosef is only the first act.
What do Yosef & Yehuda teach us, and why is Yehuda the one who endures while Yosef subsides?
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CHANUKAH
Greeks V/S Jews; The Real War
If we look at the details of the story, we immediately notice that the Greeks did not destroy the Beis Hamikdash, did not attempt to kill us like Haman, and didn’t even attempt to banish Yiddishkeit, quite the contrary: the Greeks were the first to translate the Torah into a foreign language for study.
So what’s the fuss about?
We will learn that the real war was deeper and more about what the Torah is to us as Jews and our relationship with G-d.
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My G-d: Defining the Divine
Lesson 6
Our Relationship
Let’s deepen our understanding of our relationship with G-d:
Why can’t we see G-d? Because we can’t see Him, can we reconcile His existence with science?
Why is Judaism so obsessed with idolatry—is G-d jealous?
Last of all: I’m a spiritual person; do I need to follow the Torah’s “system” to have a relationship with G-d?
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VAYEISHEV
You CAN Make a Difference
Reuven’s Missed Opportunity. We can’t fix all problems, but we can fix the ones we can. This week’s Parsha presents us with a tragic story of missed opportunities. Reuven is the first firstborn of the Torah with whom we can closely identify; he is Yaakov’s son. He’s gentle and dedicated to his mother’s well-being. A deferential person, who is sensitive to his brother’s pain – but in the moment of truth he is nowhere to be found. At the critical juncture, when history hangs in the balance, Reuven is MIA.
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My G-d: Defining the Divine
Lesson 5
His Paradoxes
Let’s delve into some of the deeper Divine mysteries and enigmas:
Can G-d create a rock that He can’t lift? Does His foreknowledge of events preclude my free choice? Is there anything that G-d finds difficult to do? And if G-d has decided to do something, can I change His mind?
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VAYISHLACH
Doing the Right Thing.
It’s no secret that power corrupts. How do we make sure that when we engage in a confrontation, we don’t allow the darkest impulses of man to take over, transforming us into the very thing we were waging against?
This week’s Parsha discusses the episode of Dinah and Shchem. Her brothers’ response to her abuser is perplexed by their father's acknowledgment and lack of condemnation of it, only until later at his passing. What changes between now and Parshas Vayechi, where Yaakov accuses his two sons of having appropriated Esav’s occupation – murder?
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My G-d: Defining the Divine
Lesson 4
His Expectations
Let’s discuss G-d’s expectations of us:
Do I have to believe in G-d to be Jewish? What if I have doubts about G-d?
Do I need to fear G-d? That doesn’t sound very appealing!
Lastly, I’m okay with believing in G-d, but I’m not religious. Can I still have a relationship with Him?
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VAYETZEI
When Jealousy is a Good Thing
We’ve all experienced it at some point: you see the person who seems to have it all; happy family, stable job, popular on the social scene, and just perfect looks. And the inevitable happens; we feel jealous that this isn’t us. Looking at Mr. Perfect invariably invites feelings of inadequacy and resentment.
We will understand this by diving into the story of Rochel and Leah. The kind, forgiving, and deferential Rochel is branded with an apparently very sharp title. Jealous. She is envious of her sister.
Jealousy at its core is a fundamental building block of our growth. It can become a springboard to shatter glass ceilings and self-imposed limitations if used properly.
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TOLDOT
Passion V/S Discipline
In the Torah this week we find a puzzling incident: how could Rivka, a doting mother, decide to deceive her son? How could a kind and loving woman act to prevent any blessing from befalling her own child?! Are blessings transferrable? Yitzchok was bestowing blessings with Esav in mind, can one hijack a Blessing by a mere disguise?
Learning the differences between Yakkov and Eisav and Yitzchak and Rivka we decipher a greater perspective of these greats.
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My G-d: Defining the Divine
His Nature
Let’s learn a bit about how G-d operates:
Does G-d have feelings? Does He communicate with us? Does He ever act illogically? Why does He have so many names? And why is it that many write “G-d” with a hyphen?
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CHAYEI SARAH
Simple Servant, Sacred Moments
We will look at some of the fundamental aspects of life, we are agents of G-d Almighty and have been called upon to fulfill an objective far greater than ourselves. This makes our existence, at once both larger than and transcending the natural order, while simultaneously pecking at the very limits of that order.
How does a nearly anonymous figure, turn out to be so cherished and hallowed? How does an obscure man, who doesn’t even go by his real name, get more time in the spotlight than even Moshe Rabeinu?! We know how frugal the Torah is with words, never beating around the bush or repeating things for poetic license; indeed, entire centuries of existence have been squeezed into one or two verses at times. Yet here, the Torah does not just tell over a seemingly inconsequential story of a servant, his journey, and his own thoughts, but even repeats the story, with nary a change!
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VAYEIRA
The Secret Behind Salt
This week we read about the escape of Lot and his family from Sodom. Lot's family is told not to look back, while Lot's wife ignores the command and is turn punished by becoming a pillar of salt.
Why Salt? Why not pepper or anything else?
In this class, we discover the deeper meaning and relevance of salt, and the best investment you can make, which is all learned from SALT.
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LECH LECHA
My Sister My Bride
One may wonder why in the episode of Avram’s and Sarai’s conversation at the border of Mitzrayim. How does Avram permit himself to abandon Sarai to the mercy of the depraved Egyptians?
How can he worry about saving his own skin, while doing nothing about saving his wife from being abducted and violated? Why is the path to salvation by claiming that she is Avram’s sister? Better yet it would have been for them to deny any relationship whatsoever! After all, a brother would still look after his sister and try to save her from harm, and they might choose to do away with him out of an abundance of caution.
Why does Avram specifically ask Sarai to say that he is her brother, instead of saying forthrightly on his own that she is his sister?
We revisit these ideas understanding them as an allegory of the relationship between man and G-d.
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NOACH
Is Torah Antithetical to Science?
This week we read in the Torah the story of the generation who tried to build the Tower and rebel against G-d. What was their motive? Why were they punished they to be spread around the world?
What can we learn form this story? Were they modern day scientists? How do we reconcile Torah & Science? Are they antithetical to one another?
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Yom Kippur
We Are Not Individuals
Why were the last two commandments given to the Jewish people, the Mitzvah of Hakhel and writing a Torah?
Why do we confess n Yom Kippur for sins we may have not even committed? and why would we say for the sins WE have committed?
Judaism gives a shared responsibility for one another, we are not individuals, but are part of a collective whole impacting each other in more ways you can imagine.
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ROSH HASHANA
Getting the Heavenly Court on Your Side
What is the best way to be sure the ultimate judge is on your side and inscribes you in the book of Life? How are we so sure? Can we even ask? Isn't that a perversion of justice?
Learn Four Tips To Ensure You're Inscribed In the Book of Life.
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KI TAVO
Reframing Our Perspective
When approaching challenges, how do we overcome them and learn to appreciate them. Gleaning from the Torah as Moshe wars the Jews of the Curses that might befall them for their lack of enthusiasm in observance of the Mitzvos.
Why the threatening nature of the curses? Why not use a more positive tone? Why is this read very soon before Rosh Hashana?
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KI TEITZEI
Renewing Your Relationship
How do we keep excited about our relationships? How do we continue to have a passion to love? How do we assure our relationships don't become stale and old?
Our relationship with G-d is in constant need to be invigorated and renewed. This month, the month of Elul is that month of introspection and commitment to help reinvigorate our relationship with the Creator.
By analyzing one word in the first Torah Reading this week, we have the answer to the direction we need to take, to live a more inspired productive life.
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SHOFITM - ELUL
TRIGGER CONTROL
As Moshe tells the Jews to "appoint Judges and enforcement officers in all your gates" Who was he talking to? What does that really mean? Why is it always read at the beginning of Elul?
In Moshe's message, he's giving us guidance on how to properly prepare for the High Holidays preceding the month of Elul. How to safeguard and protect ourselves from our own caused pitfalls, and how we can better connect and transform ourselves for the better, in preparation for the year to come.
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REEAH
Seeing the Entire Picture
At times we have a narrow vision and don't allow ourselves to view further than what is in front of us. We are tempted by the here and now, and are attracted to the shimmering glamour of materialism. Moshe this week, gives us the Jewish people, the gift to see beyond the temptation and allow ourselves to see the motivation.
See the blessings in what may seem the opposite of blessings.
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EIKEV
THE BEST PROTECTION
As we read in this and last week's Torah reading the Mitzva of Mezuza. Our sages extoll the virtue of a Mezuza of it being used as protection for the dwellers in the home. In many cases, people have used Mezuzot for protection and security in a variety of areas.
In this class, we learn the deeper meaning and its application of the Mitzvah of Mezuzah.
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VAESCHANAN - NACHAMU
The Ultimate Optimist
As we read the Haftorah this week, Isaiah comforts the Jewish people after the destruction of the Holy Temple. Similarly, Rabbi Akiva comforts the Sages after seeing horrific scenes of the destruction of the Second Holy Temple. They both used a double terminology of Comfort, Why? How can one even attempt to comfort or console such terrible atrocities and desecration of G-d's name?
Rabbi Akiva & Isaiah were the ultimate optimist, and seeing the situation from a completely different perspective is what brought comfort then, and continues to help us overcome our dependency on the challenges we confront.
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DEVARIM
The Right Way To Rebuke
A valuable lesson in the less-than-enviable task of telling people things they likely won’t want to hear. We will see how an apparently counterintuitive decision of Moshe Rabeinu, holds deep wisdom for us today.
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MATOT- MASEI
The Journey is the Destination
In life we may at times come to experience a decline in enthusiasm, and passion; we start getting sluggish and dull. The counterintuitive solution the Torah offers, is not to coddle ourselves and gently lift ourselves up, rather, the Torah advises to start radically. Do the most uncomfortable thing first, and immediately push yourself out of that pleasant stalemate. Then build on that victory and use the momentum to propel you further.
This theme is endemic across the entire Torah; a broken and demoralized people is lifted from the abyss of slavery to be feared by all nations as invincible. New life is breathed into their lungs, and they learn to believe in themselves, and that they can, and indeed will enter
Eretz Yisroel.
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PINCHUS
Who is Elijah the Prophet?
As we read in the Torah episode of Pinchus, our sages tell us Pinchus and Elijah are synonymous with one another and the same person. Elijah we are told lives for eternity, why would Pinchus merit this great gift? And why would Elijah be the one to answer the unanswered debates in the Talmud?
As we explore their mysterious lives, we come to a better understanding of their accomplishments, as well as the reward given to them.
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BALAK
Exploring the dichotomy of evil prophet Billam.
How can one have the ability to be a prophet on par with Moses, and at the same time so decadent and low?
Billam is not only a personality in the Torah of a story that occurred over 3000 years. It is a contemporary reality that we are all challenged by, the integration of theology, philosophy, and ideas into practicing those ideas and integrating them into our lives.
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CHUKAS
You Are Precisely Where You Need To Be
Why Moshe didn’t enter Eretz Yisroel
In this class, we will uncover important life lessons about embracing our circumstances and not seeking to evade them.
G-d who issued a decree by which Moshe will not merit to enter the land. The person who had led the nation through plagues, rebellion, sea-splitting miracles, the giving of the Torah at Har Sinai – all with the express intent of eventually ushering the people across the finish line and into the promised land, will now instead die in the desert and never see his dream fulfilled.
Why?
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Lesson 6
Beyond Presumption of Innocence
While a presumption of innocence can protect defendants from liability, it is not quite a declaration of uprightness. Jewish law goes so far as to presume every person’s core goodness. See how this view can lead us to a truly upright world.
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KORACH
Is being jealous a bad thing? Korach is often referred to as the epitome of what's wrong with being jealous. If he was that evil, why would there be a parsha named for him?
In this class we learn the positive impact of being jealous, and what we can learn from Korach.
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Shelach
Is it Courage or Recklessness?
What comes to mind when you think of courage? Bravery? We will probe the various dimensions of courage, and draw an important distinction between who appears to overcome fear, and where a reasonable level of fear is ignored when it should’ve been reckoned with.
We will discover that there is a third type of courage, which takes fear head-on and is designed at disarming fear itself; this is the type of courage that is rooted in faith in the capacities of Hashem and in the idea that He does not assign a burden heavier than we can carry.
We will analyze these ideas by first addressing two important questions that arise when studying the story of the Spies.
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BAHALOTECHA
How do you know, when someone "really" means it?
As the Jewish people are about to celebrate Passover, a group of people complains about missing out. G-d then gives them a second chance.
Why is there a chance? and why was this mitzvah the paradigm of a second chance?
When someone is in trouble, what sign will tell you they need real help?
How does G-d know we meant it?
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Lesson 4
Beyond Personal Freedom
With 613 commandments in the Torah and myriad rules expounded in the Talmud, can Judaism ever be called “liberating”? Let’s delve into the Exodus, the covenant, and the ways in which laws can lead to the purest human freedom.
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Lesson 3
Beyond Taking Offense
You may feel a moral urge to speak up against an offensive action. But might you have a legal responsibility to deter someone from certain behaviors? Judaism says: Yes. In this lesson, we discuss why and when.
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BAMIDBAR - Shavuot
There is no one like YOU.
Finding a meaning in life, can be complex. As we glean from contrasting King David and King Saul. We see how each and every one of us is created with a divine plan, mission and purpose, that no one like it was ever created before. It's our task to stay on course, and use our G-d given talents to complete the mission.
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Beyond Right: The Values that Shape Judaism's Civil Code
Lesson 2
Beyond Restitution
In seeking to restore the rights of plaintiffs, Jewish courts actively assist offenders in achieving full repentance too. Why? Discover the advantage of properly undoing damage over mere compensation.
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Bechukotai
The End of days, or the beginning of days. This week the Jews are told the reward and punishments for observance, or lack of it, in following G-d's word. The reward sounds really out of this world, with unfathomable types of change in the nature of the world. An unseemingly possible utopian reality. Can it really happen?
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Beyond Right: The Values that Shape Judaism's Civil Code
Lesson 1
Beyond Good Neighbors
Most laws are designed to protect the rights of people and their property. But Judaism’s civil code is driven by a different goal. Explore how laws of damages and disputes support a uniquely Jewish view of the human mission.
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BEHAR
What is your financial future? How do you plan your income?
Looking at the Torah's description of the Sabbatical Year, one can wonder, "What Was G-d Thinking?" How can we earn or have supply by not working with the ground?
As we look to the mystical teaching of this mitzvah, we learn a contemporary lesson for all, even non-farmers of money investment and management. Where your real profits and gains will come from.
Emor - Sefirat Haomer
During the period of the Omer, we mourn the passing of Rabbi Akiva's 24000 students. How was Rabbi Akiva able to move passed this tragic event? With hi new 5 students he rebuilt the mastery in the Talmud as we know it today. Rabbi Akiva taught us the most important strategy of overcoming challenges and times of duress. Moving on and seeing the real idea in everything in life.
Kedoshim
As Moses gather the Jews together, his first command to them is to tell them to be Holy. How is that at all possible? What does it mean to be holy?
Does holiness mean asceticism? How can we, the average person be "holy"?
Sefirat Haomer
During the time between Pesach and Shavuot, we count the Omer, and we mourn the passing of the 24000 students of Rabbi Akiva. What we can learn from them, and how can we better our relationship with G-d and our fellow, as they are both inter-related and inter-connected.
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Pesach
How many years were the Jews actually enslaved in Egypt? We can find various amounts ranging from 430, 400, 116 or 86 years, so what really was it?
By answering the above, we find a contemporary lesson of how we view what slavery means today. Finding meaning and solace in life, depends on how much out of you comfort zone you are willing to go.
Tazria
Why is the time frame of purity for newborn boy different than for for a girl?
Understanding this, helps us in our perspective for a fundamental principal in education. We continue this theme in the Passover Seder, and how Joseph role modeled this for his brothers.
Tzav
What is a better way to serve G-d, having a routine, or periodic excitement?
The Sons of Aharon passed away due to thein uncalled for sacrifice, or due to being intoxicated, didn't they know better?
The pig will once again become kosher. Why the pig? When will this happen and why?
Purim
The one holiday that has a requirement to be joyous, to the extent of not knowing the difference of "blessed Mordechai and "Cursed Haman."
What does intoxication mean in Jewish thought?
Learn the contemporary message in the story of Purim, and we intoxicate our soul in reaching purity.
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Lesson 6
ACT NATURAL, CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN DO
Those that can't, don't. Those that can, do. And you can. At its core, Mount Sinai is Mountain Do. Physical actions, called Mitzvos by the Creator, engender spiritual and physical change in the universe.
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Vayikra
Does G-d Really Enjoy Sacrifices?
The third book of the Torah deals primarily with sacrifices. Why did G-d ask of us to bring animals as sacrifices? What significance does it have to the person bringing the sacrifice? What is its contemporary relevance to us today?
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Lesson 5
CLUB MED, EAT BETTER, SLEEP DEEPER, WORK HIGHER
All of life is elevated by meditation. Here we zoom in and focus on three of life’s essentials: when we consume, when we repose, when we hustle-bustle.
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Pekudei
It's All About Perception
Why does Moshe go out of his way to detail the donations and expenses of the construction of the Tabernacle?
Should one be concerned what others may think or say? How does one avoid people having the wrong perception about them, or what they are doing though it may be well intended.
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Lesson 4
HERE AND WOW, FREE EVERY MOMENT
Long before living in the moment gained its moment in the spotlight, G-d gifted us the incredible power to live with, live in, live up, and transform every single moment of our lives. It's happening now, at this very moment.
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Vayakhel
Doing the Same Thing Every Day, Isn't that Boring?
Every day in the Holy Temple, Two sacrifices were brought daily, regardless of what other event was going on. Why was it so important for these sacrifices to be brought daily?
The leap year in the Jewish calendar is so the the lunar year is in sync with the solar year. What's the need for both the solar and lunar calendars?
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Lesson 3
DIVINE ANIMATION, JOY VEY
G-d animates everything, perpetually. Discovering G-d is opening ourselves to life's divine animation. Results include but are not limited to increased joy, more resilience, and deeper purpose.
Ki Tisa
After the sin of the Golden Calf, G-d calls the Jews the "stiff neck nation". Moshe in their defense refers to them as the " stiff neck nation."
How can their problem be their redemption? Was being stubborn a good thing, or not? Is anything in this world inherently bad?
How do we deal with the seemingly negative emotions or desires we seem to never get away from?
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Lesson 2
SPIRITUAL AWAKENING, TUNE IN, PLAY ON
What is spirituality and how do I tune into its song? Meditation is the instrument that allows you to play the spirited music of existence, and the voice that enables you to sing the soul of every experience.
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Tetzaveh
Everyone loves nostalgia, looking back and seeing how better it was back then, but was it? Are we that bad? Or were they really Good?
Exploring the absence of Mosesis this weeks parsha, G-D is teaching us a monumental lesson, of the responsibilities of our generation, not withstanding our lack of the greats of yesteryear.
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Lesson 1
MIND CONTROL, I THINK THEREFORE I CAN
Mind over matter—when you mind, life matters. The Torah teaches that our brains don't control us, we control our brains. When we harness our awesome gray matter, dreams become a matter of fact.
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What Are Kids Doing On The Ark?
Terumah
The holiest place in the world, is the Holy of Holies in the Holy Temple. On it were the Kerubim, our sages discuss what these Kerubim were. Many believe they were in the shape of baby boy and baby girl. However why would there be the images of baby boy and girl on the Ark of covenant?
Learn the lessons we can learn from this and much more.
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The Wonders of the Oral Law
Mishapatim
Why did G-d give the written law so vague? Why are there some many arguments within the Oral Law, in trying to understand the Written law?
Can't the rabbis agree on anything? Moreover most common custom and practices in Jewish law are not even mentioned in the Torah?
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Yisro
Why Ask Your Rabbi?
Why do people ask their all kinds of questions, from business advice, health to politics? Does the Torah have all those answers?
Who was the first to ask material needs from a spiritual advisor?
When we understand the story of the giving of the Torah, we will understand and appreciate the fusion of the spiritual and material. How a rabbis guidance in every area of life, is a guiding light in our life.
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Beshalach
What's the most difficult thing for G-d to accomplish?
Our sages juxtapose the splitting of the sea, and the finding your partner in life as the most difficult things for G-d to accomplish.
What do the two have in common? Why for a G-d who can create the universe, do we even suggest has difficulty in putting together a man and woman?
Learn what really happened as the Jews encounter their challenge of the time. What does one do when they feel they are a dead end.
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Bo
In the Torah we find that G-d is referred to by a variety of names. In this weeks Torah reading of Vaiera, G-d points out to Moshe the difference in some of those names. This will help us understand the need for G-d to punish the Egyptians with Ten Plagues, why the Ten not Nine or One.
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Shemos
Through out Jewish History, we find that from Abraham who used Donkey to travel to Mt. Moriah. Now Moshe using a donkey for his family to travel and Moshiach will be using a Donkey.
Is it all the same donkey? Why a donkey aren't horses quicker and better transporter's?
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Parshat Vayechi
Before Jacob's passing he call his children to his bedside, to give them his blessings and last wishes. He very much wanted to tell them the time of the time of the arrival of Moshiach. However, G-d forbade him from doing so.
Why did he want to? Why did G-d not allow it?
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Weekly Parsha Class - Favoritism; Did Rivka Favor Jacob over Esau
Discussing, if and why Rivka would favor Jacob? Why would Issac favor Esau?
What's the real story of Jacob & Esau.
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Weekly Torah Parsha Class
This Class discovers what is it, and why is it that Abraham & Isaac occupied themselves with digging wells.
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Outsmarting Antisemitism: How to Beat it with Purpose, Positivity and Jewish Pride
Lesson 4
Change of Heart
Psychology, neuroscience, and recent history show us that neither friend nor foe should ever be taken for granted. With a bit of subtlety and conviction, and always with trust in G-d, we find that the dark days of the past are no cause for pessimism ahead.
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Outsmarting Antisemitism: How to Beat it with Purpose, Positivity and Jewish Pride
Lesson 3
The Promised Land
Today, hatred of Jews commonly manifests itself as antagonism toward the Jewish State. This class distinguishes all-out antisemitism from some more nuanced sub-strains. It also examines the state of Israel education and the very nature of Jewish nationhood.
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Outsmarting Antisemitism: How to Beat it with Purpose, Positivity and Jewish Pride
Lesson 2
No Apologies
We look at some of the explanations for antisemitism that have been offered throughout the ages to emerge with an important principle: the problem with hating Jews lies not with the Jews but with the haters. Internalizing this hate is not a healthy response.
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Lesson 1
The Eternal People
By taking another look at the statistics, studying our people’s remarkable perseverance, and exploring the concept of Providence, we can find eternal cause for confidence and optimism while we implement plans to secure ourselves and our communities.
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Lesson 4
We’re Getting There
Judaism sees all of history as one connected journey toward a single desired destiny. In this lesson, we look back to identify four distinct epochs that show us how far we’ve traveled on the way to a truly good world.
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Lesson 3
Superhuman vs. Super Humans
Waiting for a Messiah to come save humanity feels a little… un-Jewish. But what if Redemption is a natural reaction to humanity’s own cumulative action? Discover the effect you’ve already had on the reality of the world.
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Lesson 2
Who Needs a Redemption?
Though it will solve every speck of ill in the world, the idea of Redemption is not a response to strife. Rather, it’s an independent and foundational tenet of Jewish belief. See where it fits into the bigger story of Creation.
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Lesson 1
Start with the Science
In a society marked by chaos and discord, it’s hard to believe our world is actually better than it’s ever been. Let’s dive into the data of what’s wrong—and what’s right—with the world.
Lesson 5
Where We Go Again
Reincarnation: more than a fascinating topic, Judaism provides a practical way to imagine this mystical process, and explains why it is important both to departed souls and to our lives today.
Lesson 4
Where We Go
For centuries, human beings have been motivated by the promise of heaven and frightened by the threat of hell. Discover what Jews believe about where every soul goes and how Kaddish aids a soul in reaching true peace.
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Lesson 3
The Mourning After
What is the Jewish grieving process and what is the significance of its various traditions? This lesson provides a meaningful Jewish perspective on grief itself, as well as practical shiva etiquette both for mourners and for those who wish to comfort them.
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Lesson 2
Taking Leave
Is death painful for souls? Is my presence felt when I visit a grave? Judaism’s pre-burial and burial rituals accompany the soul’s gradual transition from a limiting physical life to a completely spiritual one. We discuss those rituals and how, once freed, the soul’s connection to the living continues in new and powerful ways.
Lesson 1
Demystifying Death
Why are humans so anxious about death and dying? For many, the abrupt finality of death makes life itself seem futile. By exploring how our life force—our immortal soul—never ends but merely shifts roles, we begin to view life and death as two harmonious steps on the same journey.
Your life and its goals: are they compatible?
You may love what you do, or where it gets you, but seldom both. Uncover this tension in the strange relationships between Jacob and his wives and between Joseph and his brothers, and explore ways to navigate the delicate balance between personal growth and practical impact.
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Why is inspiration so short-lived?
The worship of a golden calf at Sinai was tantamount to infidelity under the wedding canopy. In some way, this is the story of our lives. Why do New Year’s resolutions barely last a day? We are so easily impressionable, yet our stimulation doesn’t linger. Discover a powerful hack for creating lasting impact from two sets of tablets and the worship of a golden calf.
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Will the real you please stand up?
At some point, we're all conflicted: torn between a drive to do good and the temptation of lust, greed, and power. In this session, you'll meet your inner Jacob and Esau—the recluse and the hunter—and understand their lifelong conflict. Why does Isaac prefer the materialistic Esau? And why does the wholesome Jacob resort to deception to obtain his father's blessings?
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How do you see past another's failures?
If a person you love lets you down, is the relationship over? How do you build a resilient connection that will survive any storm? The secret is buried in the theme of the Great Flood: why G-d created a world only to destroy it, and how He guarantees there will never be a repeat.
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Would you choose knowledge over paradise?
Would you rather be objective and unengaged or passionate and invested? Why is temptation more compelling than reason? What’s the big idea behind Adam and Eve eating the fruit of knowledge and the resulting human struggle with self-consciousness?
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Lesson 6The Gift of Escaping the Cycle
Early societies considered human history locked in an endless cycle of war, conquest, peace, and more war. The Torah insists otherwise: we can, must, and will change the world for the better; war will eventually cease; justice and kindness will ultimately prevail. Today’s world is more eager than ever to hear this empowering message. Our closing lesson will suggest ways we can share it.
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Lesson 5
The Gift of Work/Life Balance
Originally, those who labored did so endlessly. The Torah introduced us to Shabbat, mandating that Jewish people pause from work for a full day each week to focus on life’s purpose, on worship, and on family. As the modern world begins to recognize the benefits of Shabbat, our call to set aside that time of focus is more critical than ever.
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Lesson 3
It might seem axiomatic that human life is valuable, but a hard look at history reveals that the concept was once considered utterly radical. To discover how respect for life became a universal value, we’ll explore the underlying questions: What makes us human? And what are we here to do?
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Judaism's Gifts to the World: How Major Jewish Ideas Evolved Into Universal Values
Lesson 2
Abraham, the first Jew, discovered something that shook the foundations of the pagan society around him: there was one—only one—G-d, Creator of Heaven and earth. Monotheism drastically changed the way humanity has viewed life, purpose, and progress ever since. Discover how.
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Lesson 1
The Gift of Social Responsibility
To the ancients, poverty and suffering were unfortunate facts of life for the unlucky to bear alone. It was the Torah that introduced the radical concept of social responsibility. So, what’s the true nature of that responsibility? Whose is it? And how should I relate to those receiving my help?
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Lesson 5
Living Joyfully
Finding Happiness and Fulfillment
Things are fine—you've got what you need in health, finances, and relationships. But is “feeling fine” the same as feeling truly, energetically happy? By looking at common patterns in chasing inner contentment, Lesson 5 helps us pave a new path to more dependably enthusiastic living.
This is a recording of a live interactive class.
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Lesson 4
Peering Through Pain
Addressing Pain, Anguish, and Anxiety
An optimistic attitude is a noble goal, but the sincere, burning flames of sadness, suffering, or loss can be incredibly difficult to douse. This session embraces the validity of pain while sensitively enhancing our internal perspectives to let the sun peek through despite the reality of our suffering.
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Lesson 3
Rethinking Regret
Addressing Unhealthy Guilt
We all slip, and it’s natural to feel some regret or guilt when we do. But can we focus on past actions without becoming paralyzed by bad feelings? In Lesson 3, we’ll challenge the negativity associated with regret, finding a catalyst for remarkable growth where it’s least expected.
This is a live class, so you will hear interaction from the students, and addressing their question and comments.
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Lesson 2
Embracing Flaws
Addressing Shame, Frustration, and Feelings of Inadequacy
Wrestling with feelings of overwhelm, procrastination, or general not-enough-ness? This session explores the seemingly senseless feelings of inadequacy and charts a course to transform them from adversary to ally.
This is a live class, so you will hear interaction from the students, and addressing their question and comments.
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Lesson 1
Achieving Authenticity
Addressing Impostor Syndrome
When praised for a good deed, 70% of people admit to squirming because they feel their act lacked authenticity. In this opening session, discover a place of objective authenticity within yourself that can weather any self-doubt and help you build confidence in your genuine goodness.
This is a live class, so you will hear interaction from the students, and addressing their question and comments.
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