יום חמישי, כ״ד תמוז תשפ״וThursday, July 9, 2026
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By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
Some commentators state that it is simply a way of complimenting his fine character. Others connect the praise more directly to his mother. But why should his mother get the credit for his character?
According to our Sages there are seven layers in Heaven (this is where the expression seventh heaven comes from). The fifth layer is called Ma'on, and it is from this layer that simcha originates.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
Perhaps, instead of framing these as debates in terms of which one is superior (intelligence versus character, fluid intelligence versus crystallized intelligence), it would be beneficial to take a different approach to this issue.
Talmud Torah is not just the world’s purpose; it is also the Jewish peoples. As the mishna in Avot (2:8) tells us, If you have learned much Torah, do not take special credit; it is why you were created.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
In the previous mishna, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai cautioned against the dangers of self-praise. In contrast, here he explicitly praises his students, naming what he perceives as their signature qualities.
When the Kotel was returned to us in 1967, we heard Hashem’s call to reconnect with Him. The state founded 19 years earlier took on new meaning.
Consider the fact that when we pray, we are conversing with the Creator of the universe, the One who holds the key to life and death, the One who can grant our deepest desires. Shouldn’t we be even more focused and mindful during our prayer than during a job interview?
The Sages mistakenly interpreted this refusal as an egotistically motivated desire to maintain a monopoly, and they summarily fired the entire Garmu family.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
Praise is not the goal. The goal is to live a life of values and integrity. Praise may be a byproduct of such strivings, but it is ancillary.
The lists of ten are uniquely significant because the number ten symbolizes something full and complete. These lists appear in historical order.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
The challenge is when perceived reality doesn’t map onto the system of justice. What do we think when confronted with a situation when someone seems to be suffering for no fault of their own?
Ben Azai teaches that it’s best not to consider which mitzvot are greater or lesser in value to the one who performs them because from beginning to do mitzvot one will add on more mitzvot, but if he does an aveira, then G-d forbid he may begin traveling down the other path.
Why do our possessions belong to Hashem? The simplest explanation is that Hashem’s ownership is rooted in His creation of the world and all of its content.
The origin of the bagel is older than you think...
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
To what extent are you in control of your own life? Many early psychological theories assumed that the answer to this question was not much.
We cannot bring these holy souls back to life, nor can we fathom the evil that is in the minds of the terrorists who committed these cruel and cowardly acts of terror, but we can take this moment to introspect...
People often see themselves as worth more than they actually are. Remembering our lowly origins and eventual demise humbles us.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
Rashbatz adds that there is also a positive aspect to social pressure. Fear of social consequences can be an effective motivator to avoid ethical and spiritual violations.
Obviously, our awareness of the constant presence of Hashem’s “eyes” should have an even stronger impact. That is part of what makes religion a force for honest and altruistic behavior and mitzvah observance: the belief that G-d sees what we do.
If you want to understand the origin of something, search for the first time it is mentioned in the Torah.
The Rambam saw the three pillars as modes of personal development. Torah develops our intellectual ability, gemilut chasadim our character, and avodah our observance.
Almighty G-d threatens to destroy the Jewish people for their grave sin. Moses intercedes and tells G-d, If you destroy the Jewish people, then delete me from your Torah as well.
This alternative explanation highlights Hashem’s care for us more strongly. On that fateful night, he did more than just skip over our homes. He actively and personally protected us from danger.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
One of Viktor Frankl’s most essential contributions to psychology was his highlighting the importance of self-transcendence and its contribution to a sense of meaning.
Why should we value the ability to control others? Even if that had value, what difference does that ability make if we cannot control ourselves?
Every year, Jews in America join the rest of the nation in celebrating national Thanksgiving, on the last Thursday in November. However, we Jews have our own “thanksgiving” festival, it is called Pesach! On a regular (non-leap) year, Pesach is always preceded by parshat Tzav, (my bar mitzvah parsha). The Tur says that whenever there […]
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
Throughout Jewish history the advice to be suspicious of governmental authorities was sound and perhaps even life-saving advice.
We are meant to focus our lives and attention on meaningful things. Though we often become distracted, we should never direct our attention to meaninglessness.
During the seven years of plenty in Egypt and before the seven years of famine, the pasuk says that Yosef divided the land up into Kematzim, which Rashi explains as – stockpiling grains Kometz on Kometz, handful on handful.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
We should be so engaged in meaningful and valuable pursuits that we don’t have time to sin.
Rashbag’s conclusion reminds us of the ancient saying quoted by the Gemara: If one word is worth a selah coin, (then) being quiet is worth two (Megillah 18a).
Hashem resorted to Plan B, which began by restoring unity within Am Yisrael, and only when that was in place directing the focus to where it was originally intended.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
Many first violate smaller sins, and that serves as a gateway to more significant violations. To avoid the dangers of such minor infractions, contemplate deeply on what is above you.
It is possible to teach a child a Divine crash course in metalwork or stone masonry overnight, but you cannot give a crash course in childlike innocence.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
If we are deficient in one of these strengths, we cannot sidestep our moral obligation to cultivate them and decide instead to focus on building our sense of humor (no matter how valuable a sense of humor may be psychologically or morally).
After Esther hesitates due to the danger involved, Mordechai responds with sharp rebuke. He emphasizes the personal responsibility she has to use her position on behalf of her people and explains that it is, in actuality, Esther, not the Jews, whose fate hangs in the balance.
Though Israel was his preferred Torah destination, Rav Aharon accepted the mission to travel to America. When he got there, he opened the Lakewood Yeshiva, which has played a central role in spreading Torah across America.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
The assumption behind the theory was that current psychological problems can be alleviated when a patient talks about his or her past history, eventually gaining insight into the root causes of the issue.
The Shulchan symbolizes material wealth, and everything connected with it relates to the morality of wealth and livelihood.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
While we have seen the concept of appointing a teacher before (Avot 1:6), many commentaries differentiate between the two presentations.
Rebbi Yochanan is making a profound statement about poverty. It is not just a challenge to overcome. It should actually assist fulfillment; it is an opportunity to take advantage of.
The Torah here does not say anything about what Moshe ate or drank during those forty days and nights.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
To a large extent, Pirkei Avot and its commentaries serve as a type of educational psychology textbook. Many of the maxims encourage learning Torah and provide advice and guidance as to how to best accomplish this scholastic goal.
Many people cite Yeshayahu’s description of the Jewish people as an or la’goyim – a light unto the nations, as a clarion call for us to enlighten others. But what way of life makes this possible?
The commentaries teach us that the Torah is not a book of stories. It only details things that have a profound lesson to teach us.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
After focusing on personal responsibility, Hillel transitions to social responsibility: When I am for my own self, what am I?
While the mann was an enormous chesed that Hashem did for Bnei Yisrael in the midbar, its main purpose was to be a lesson in faith.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
When you work towards a learning goal, are you motivated for better grades, looking smarter, outperforming others?
Easy come, easy go. Only the Torah that we make sacrifices to learn remains with us years later.
On a chemical level, chametz is a conundrum. The existence of fermentation is not sufficient to define chametz.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
The use of Aharon as a model is illustrative. Pirkei Avot is filled with advice from many Talmudic sages, but most don’t invoke a Biblical precedent to prove their point.
People are often disillusioned by their failures and the strength of their yetzer hara. Instead, we should appreciate how the challenges we overcome add to the value of our successes.
Our Sages say that the reason we whisper the above blessing in Hebrew is that we do not want to openly flaunt a blessing we “stole” from the angels.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
Students take what the sage says seriously. If he is not careful about how he says things, the students can misunderstand.
The Torah teaches us eternal heavenly truth, wisdom and direction. Its study gives us the ability to free ourselves from contemporary fleeting perspectives.
This fact seems to indicate that we did not build the pyramids, as it is unlikely the Egyptians would have fed enormous amounts of meat to their slaves.
How does a person who accepts the yoke of Torah have other responsibilities removed from him?
It is only now that they are no longer alive that I value them more and realize the great personal loss of not having them around to talk to or confide in.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
Shemaiah’s advice in Pirkei Avot bears out this wisdom as he encourages us to love work.
Instinctively, one would think the Torah is more important because it is the reason for the existence of the entire world.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
Empathy, care, kindness, which are all generally cherished interpersonal values, need to be curbed for the sake of justice.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
The overall message of this mishna seems to be one of social caution. If we want to learn and maintain good behavior, we need to stay away from any people that can inhibit that growth.
Luring another to sin is worse than killing them because killing only removes the victim from this world, while sin removes one from the next world as well.
It is clear that Yaakov knew that Yosef was alive and in Egypt. The only question that remains is – did he know that the brothers had sold Yosef into slavery?
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
Many commentaries differentiate between three different categories of people: wicked, intermediate, and righteous. These commentaries contend that the message to judge favorably just relates to the middle group.
Meir Panim notes the principle that the sin of Adam and Chava was comprised of multiple stages, corresponding to the three opinions in the Gemara.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
Children can act in ways that are embarrassing, and guests can potentially generate uncomfortable conversations. The importance of keeping calm and kind, even in these moments, is essential.
Rabbeinu Yonah explains that, in addition to our own conditioning (goreret), when we perform a mitzvah, Hashem rewards us (gives sechar) by strengthening our efforts.
Our Sages say that if you want to understand the heart of a matter, you read the bottom line.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
Besides for the ethical and prosocial benefits of helping, it also provides new scenarios to observe, interact, and learn.
Though mitzvah observance can sometimes be cumbersome, we should compare the great reward we receive to the (relatively) small sacrifice we make by observing them.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
Extrinsic motivators don’t necessarily lead to lasting change. When the incentives or punishments are removed, the behavior often stops.
A good friend shares one’s values, goals and sensitivities. A good friendship involves friends who can be trusted with personal information and care about helping one another.
The bottom line from these two instances and a host of different statements by our Sages throughout the Talmud is that shalom bayit is essential, and apparently one can lie or even erase the name of G-d to achieve this.
This is not the first Pesach Seder mentioned in the Torah; that was when the three angels visited Avraham and he instructed Sarah to make matzos.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
So, what is psychology? In its most basic form, psychology is the study of the mind (thought and emotion) and behavior. With this definition, we see that the discipline of psychology really does include almost anything human related under the sun, because what doesn’t incorporate an element of how we think, feel, or act?
There is a natural tension between our focus upon our own needs and goals and our caring for and assistance to others. Rebbi’s point is that we need to strike the right balance between these (often) competing values.
Throughout the world, Jews are successful, prominent and influential way out of proportion to their numbers. Our existence is no longer that of our frightful past of pogroms, expulsions and holocaust.
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.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
While the process of change is very personal and needs to be individualized, there are also commonalities and trends that traverse both time and person.
Yashrut (straightness) is one of our central personal growth goals.
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.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
Unfortunately, it is too easy to just go through the motions, traversing life without knowing our purpose, cause, and what drives us to get out of bed every morning.
A person who truly values Torah will take full advantage of the opportunity to speak in Torah with anyone they meet.
Friendship is not just a responsibility we have towards others; it is important for our own healthy personal development as well.
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.
Ultimately each and every one of us is responsible for our own actions. Excuses such as “my parents gave me permission” or “my child would never do that” do not absolve someone from responsibility.
The Chasid Yavetz explains that sharing Torah at meals is uniquely important because it defines and expresses how we view our lives. Man, like animal, needs to eat in order to stay alive.
Focusing our Torah and Torah celebration on our children celebrates our passing of the Torah heritage on to future generations.
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.
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)?
Though similar to the harvest celebrations of other cultures, ours differs in that it focuses on the Beit HaMikdash (Moreh Nevuchim 3:43). We celebrate lifnei (before) Hashem because we realize that He is the cause of our success.
The conclusion of the Yom Kippur pasuk – the word “tit’haru” – commands us to purify ourselves. The Kohen Gadol used this word at the height of the Yom Kippur atonement service to remind those in the Mikdash of their responsibility to purify themselves.
Everything we do on Yom Kippur is for the purpose of elevating us to the status of angels.
The Torah tells us that it was Avraham who searched for (“Vayisa Avraham et einav”), found, and decided to sacrifice the ram. G-d had relieved him of his duties, but Avraham continued looking for opportunities to serve.
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.
The Torah emphasizes the importance of our work in its very first parshah, Bereishit. The world’s vegetation was ready to sprout, but did not because there was no man to work the ground.
Rabbi Isaac Bernstein of blessed memory, in his tapes on Chumash, states that chumrahs have had only a deleterious effect upon our people – generating only dissension and arguments, feelings of oneupsmanship and elitism, causing separation and fragmentation between one Jew and the next.
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.
July 3, 2026 
