יום שני, כ״ט חשוון תשפ״זMonday, November 9, 2026
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The condition of an enlightened mind is a surrendered heart. -Alan Redpath
When you come to shul, don’t hang out in the hall. If you paid money to go to a concert or a sports event, you would not idle the time away outside in the hallway. When you come to the House of G-d, surely it should be no different.
Much of the end of David’s life is marred by battle between the brothers and even occasionally between the brothers and their father over who will rule once David is gone.
Instead of Avraham donning his “superman cape” and praying to Hashem for help, he defers all responsibility to his wife, Sarah. Avraham seems powerless and totally dependent on Sarah for their salvation.
Time to wash our feet of the illusion that busyness=productivity
If I am indeed correct that each of the four descriptions of Yitzchak represents a different aspect of the test and Avraham is only congratulated for two, could it not be that Avraham did not pass the two aspects of the test that went unmentioned?
A deep understanding of events helps us appreciate how Avraham’s transgression provided the opportunity for him to ascend incredible heights through an unbelievable act of tshuva m'ahava.
After preparing the delicacies, Avraham then waited on the guests, serving milk, butter and the three tongues in mustard sauce. The Malbim says that first Yishmael served the milk and butter and after that, Avraham served the meat, to separate milk and meat according to halacha.
Our sages tell us that throughout history, the Jewish nation have always “sat at the entrance” of the countries as they settled in exile, apprehensive of the uncertainties of galus.
Rabbeinu Bachye teaches that it is dangerous for a person to be counted as an individual, rather than to rely upon the communal prayers and collective welfare.
Fathers should bless their children – giving each one a moment of unique attention. Children have testified that they avoided temptations by conjuring up the loving image of their father blessing them before Kiddush.
It is precisely Avraham’s valiant behavior in battle that proves the authenticity of his compassion to all of HaShem’s creatures, presenting a model of true kindness for the Hebrew nation to uphold.
No sooner has G-d told Avram that the land of Israel belongs to him and his descendants, there is a famine in the land and Avram finds himself on the road to Egypt. This is one of the tests of faith he undergoes to see whether he will question G-d.
A soul without a high aim is like a ship without a rudder. -Eileen Caddy
The Zohar tells us that the 248 positive Torah commandments correspond to the 248 limbs of a person. The numerical equivalent of Avraham’s name is 248, to tell us that Avraham Avinu achieved that level of subservience where all his limbs were dedicated to fulfilling the will of Hashem.
According to the version that Og saved his mother, it would explain why Og had such longevity, living all the way to the time of Moshe Rabbeinu, since he did such valiant kibud eim, honoring his mother, clutching her for a full year through the tumultuous flood.
The covenant that was made between Hashem and Avraham still stands and Hashem intends to honor it.
After the flood, Hashem forged a covenant with the inhabitants of Earth that even if they sinned as much as the generation which lived prior to the flood, Hashem would still shine His light upon them penetrating the spiritually polluted clouds.
The study of emuna infuses us with the vision to see history’s ultimate goal, as well as the confidence that we will succeed in bringing this goal to fruition.
Passions are vices or virtues to their highest powers. -Johann von Goethe
Although Yafes participated with Shem in covering their father he did not act with the same devotion.
Since Hashem’s syllabus for life starts off with so many warnings about jealousy, it is obvious that Hashem, our Manufacturer, is informing us that one of the ugliest pitfalls to avoid is the sinful trait of coveting that which is not ours.
Noach was a wise man from the last letters, going backwards – meaning that after everything has happened we can look back and see that he was the best one around.
Noach was a tzaddik; his generation had sinned, had not repented, and had been wiped out. This caused Noach extreme grief, not because he now had to contend with a post-apocalyptic world but because he felt that perhaps he did not do enough to prevent it.
Rashi explains that all acts of creation that took place on the first five days were suspended in a state of limbo until that sixth day of Sivan, when the Torah was given, and only thereafter, did they come alive.
We are never like angels till our passion dies. -Sir John Denham
Each one of us relates to the text in a way that is unique from one to another as well as being unique and singular to our new selves; we are not the same as we were last year, last month, or even two hours ago.
A narcissistic person can become self-absorbed to the extent that he believes he doesn’t have to value others who are not as important as he is. Such an individual is mistaken.
One would not expect earth and heaven to remain locked together in just such a manner that enables life to flourish, and this has only been done for the purpose of allowing the human being to grow and to thrive in this environment.
The Torah is not merely some disjointed ritual precepts but rather the Divine Ideal from before existence placed into this reality for the sake of elevating our world beyond its current limitations.
Since the principal focus of this festival is peace, I would like to share some thoughts I had about the shofar that are helpful tips on how to promote shalom in our lives.
Unlike a regular celebration where one hires professional performers, the entertainment in Simchat Beit haShoeva was provided by the Gedolei Hador – the tzaddikim and wise men of the generation.
We learn not only from classes and lectures; we educate ourselves through internalized experiences and events.
You are my candle, Hashem, and Hashem brightens my darkness.
We need to guarantee that we are not complacent with our prayers. Therefore, we must constantly work on better kavanah and focus, learning the meanings of the words and working on a sincere belief that our prayers will really make a difference in our daily lives.
The first place that Am Yisrael traveled to after leaving Raamses in Egypt was Sukkot. If we go with this method, that Sukkot was a place, then what was so special about the place Sukkot that warrants us remembering it and celebrating an entire festival around it (according to R’ Akiva)?
We can imagine the outpouring of prayers, the heart-rending tears and devotion that preceded the manifestation of their atonement. It is harder to envision the joy and elation that erupted when the outcome was positive.
We're going to talk about something that is probably one of the most practical pieces of advice for today. We're talking about handing over leadership.
Although he had been raised in Pharaoh’s palace and had never in his life actually seen Eretz Yisrael, Moshe was held accountable for allowing himself to be referred to by others as “an Egyptian man.”
After all Moshe was the most humble person ever; he had no ego and did not need an official title.
Even when Hashem doesn’t cause rain to fall and feed our crops, he provides moisture and sustenance through the dew of the earth.
The creation of the unique “mouth of the donkey” established the fundamental principle of the significance of viduy – admission of one’s sins – in the process of doing teshuva.
In his merit, and to our benefit, let's try to work on speaking less lashon hara.
When giving charity it is much more effective if we give it with a smile and a kind word.
Everything we do on Yom Kippur is for the purpose of elevating us to the status of angels.
It's important to recognize that this kind of competition involves a serious investment of time.
When it comes to someone’s time, there is little that one can do to extend their divinely allotted ration of life. But tzedakah can accomplish even this...
Being a forgiving person is not a one-time deal... It demonstrates that the person is a man of faith because he understands that the fault does not lie with the one who insulted him. It is his own soul that needs refinement.
So long as a person is capable of self-renewal they are a living being. -Henri Frederic Amiel
More than merely fostering personal piety among Jews, tshuva that begins with a reawakening of Hebrew identity will lead Israel to express kedusha in every sphere of national life.
Raba bar Rav Shila taught: “You will arise and be compassionate to Tzion because it is time to show her chen, the occasion has come.” (Tehillim 102:14).
We have minhagim to eat various different symbolic foods on the night of Rosh Hashana, somewhat resembling a Pesach Seder. There is one minhag, however, that is universal throughout Am Yisrael and that is eating apple dipped in honey. What is the origin of this minhag?
Bikurim are brought only after Eretz Yisrael has been conquered and the children of Israel are permanently settled in their allotted portions of land.
Or told her that in Judaism it is appropriate to say a blessing upon meeting a king or queen. He asked her if he could make the blessing and she agreed.
The performance of our Torah's ritual precepts must be contextualized & experienced within the larger meta-narrative of Israel's story & mission.
In every phenomenon, the beginning remains always the most notable moment. -Thomas Carlyle
Work your schedule; don't let your schedule work you.
A time will come when the world and all its inhabitants will be lost in darkness (ibid. 60:2). In the midst of this darkness, Hashem will shine His light upon Israel, and upon Israel will His glory be beheld.
One of the greatest problems at this time of the year is that the Yetzer Hara tells us to put off doing teshuva. But we must act now, before the deadline. Our version of April 15 is approaching fast, and we must pay our due.
It was during the latter part of the hot days of August when the significance of the mitzvah of tzedakah hit me square in the face.
Everyone willingly and eagerly went to the Beit HaMikdash, even for two olives and two figs, because when they brought the bikkurim, they could ask Hashem for whatever they wanted, and it would be granted.
The murderer explained that his downward spiral began with the theft of that trivial eraser. After that, he stole a pencil box, and then he stole objects of greater value until he advanced to stealing money and eventually murdering people.
Malbim on this pasuk says that she should rejoice because she will become a mother without the travails of childbirth.
The biggest failure is to ignore failure. My approach is that failure guides me.
You have no idea what a poor opinion I have of myself; and how little I deserve it. -W. S. Gilbert
Israel’s Torah is not some man-made 'religion' but actually the Divine Ideal implanted into our world for the purpose of uplifting all Creation through sanctifying every area of human existence.
Bilam’s advice was that Amalek stood no chance against the spiritually strong in Am Yisrael, but they did have a faint possibility to inflict damage on those in Am Yisrael who were spiritually weak.
Nearly every connection can be severed. A friendship can fade away, a marriage can end in divorce, a contract can be breached – but the ties between parents and children can never be undone.
The navi tells us that when Hashem decides to act to redeem Israel, He will do it in a way that all of the nations of the world will be forced to take notice.
If you are pained by external things, it is not they that disturb you, but your own judgment of them. And it is in your power to wipe out that judgment now. -Marcus Aurelius
Different times of the year represent different actions. In order to succeed in life, one must learn the art of the times.
At times of war one must strengthen one’s emunah to acknowledge that the outcome is not contingent on his own strength and vitality.
A Hebrew leader must embody the aspirations of his people to the extent that he becomes a microcosm of the entire nation of Israel and his personal identity is absorbed into that of the national collective.
Since the Tree of Knowledge had sinned and not obeyed Hashem’s directive, by all rights it should have been uprooted and destroyed, but that is not what happened.
We must believe and know with absolute certainty that ultimately everything will turn out well, the rabbi proclaimed.
Some people get angry at the Jewish calendar. It takes away their ability to decide when they want to rejoice, when they want to mourn and when they want to repent. While narrowing our choices is true of halacha in general, there is something about the calendar that can feel especially oppressive. But even without […]
Prefacing his writings, the author beseeches people to study his books and promises that those who do so will be granted family, life, wealth and honor in that merit.
The essence of Ahavat Yisrael is the willingness to take responsibility for Israel’s future. It is being prepared to sacrifice everything for the defense of the Jewish people and liberation of the homeland.
The soul's emphasis is always right. -Ralph Waldo Emerson
Since caretaking is a twenty-four/seven occupation, the smart caretaker needs to learn how to delegate often and wisely. Save your strength and time for when you are needed most.
What is this mysterious place that Hashem wants us to find? Why doesn’t Hashem provide the coordinates for it? Why not give an address for Moshe to plug into his GPS?
For this reason money is compared to the wisdom of the nations of the world without Torah. It is merely a collection of shiny things.
A genuine smile is a form of energy, an inner light radiating out from the soul.
When facing our enemies, it's often necessary to don a ruthlessness seemingly at odds with our inner nature. The 'hands of Esav' can sometimes be utilized to achieve the goals of 'Yaakov's voice.'
Make a portion of your Torah a part of me so that I do not waste my time reading articles and hearing analysis based on guesses and futile evaluations that pop up all of a sudden and are just as quickly proven wrong.
It is obvious that to maintain the patient’s mental health, the caretaker has to help their charge be as pain-free as possible. This can be a daunting task when dealing with something as thorny as cancer breakout pain.
Human beings hardly ever learn from the experience of others. They learn; when they do, which isn't often, on their own, the hard way. Robert A. Heinlein
True emunah is when a person lives by the principle of ‘cast your burden upon Hashem, and He will sustain you.’
As Malbim explains, the Land will be expanded in order to accommodate all those who return from the long exile. There will be room enough for everyone.
When we go shopping, we stock our pantries for a week or more and go to bed in the secure knowledge that at least when we wake up the following morning, there will be food to eat.
As characters participating in one of history’s most incredible chapters, we focus our efforts on the specific challenges facing our generation.
The reference was absolutely intended to lure unsuspecting individuals to foreign worship, a practice that dated back to biblical times.
If a father has to punish his son, he always holds back a measure of what the boy deserves because he loves him. After the punishment he still worries that maybe it was too harsh.
As much as possible, it is also important to give the patient as much hope as possible. When caring for someone with a specific disease, try to find someone who battled it successfully and have them visit your patient to give them encouragement.
Steering clear of hazardous objects and environments are obligations no less than the above in preserving our bodies and souls.
Our sages warn us of the possibility that great Torah scholars can lead Israel away from serving HaShem.
We mourn because upon the return of the spies from the Land, the people of Israel mourned and we have still not recovered from that moral failure, and because in the times of the second Beit HaMikdash people couldn’t treat one another with simple kindness.
One of the things he said that really moved me was this: 'Do you know what is so beautiful in all of this? That you seem so free and are having so much fun'.
Initially feeling very overwhelmed is normal for a caretaker. It is, after all, often a 24/7 obligation, often with no light at the end of the tunnel.
It is for this reason that the halachos of mourning are relaxed somewhat after chatzos, the time of day when the Holy of Holies was burning to the ground. It signifies, to some extent, a mo’ed, because the Shechinah was freed to be with us in exile all these many years.
November 6, 2026 
