14 Elul – 31 August 2023 Deuteronomy 28 contains G-d’s foreboding admonition of what will happen to the people of Israel if we stray from Him and His instructions. Verse 47 lays out the bottom line about why we may suffer these curses: “Because you did not serve Hashem, your… Read More »DEUTERONOMY 28:47 – WRONG GLADNESS OF HEART
Rabbi Nachman teaches, Everyone should set himself a daily program of Torah study. This applies even to people who are far from holiness and sin regularly. So great is the power of the Torah that it can free them from their sins. If even the worst sinner would take on… Read More »STUDY TORAH – DAILY
“The key to comprehending these prophetic verses is to read them in context, revealing Immanuel as born from a non-virgin. Do not approach with a Christian bias based on Matthew 1:20-23; the truth of the text will become clearer. This analysis delves into Isaiah 7:14, exposing its historical and linguistic… Read More »JEREMIAH 7:14 – IMMANUEL BORN FROM A NON-VIRGIN
Rabbi Nachman teaches, The places that seem lowest of all and furthest from G-d actually contain the most exalted life force of all, albeit concealed: namely the “secrets of Torah”. One who has fallen very far should therefore understand that in the very place in which he finds himself he… Read More »THE LOWEST PLACES CONTAIN THE MOST EXALTED LIFE FORCE
Rabbi Nachman teaches, Once there was a wealthy man who had a shop where he lived and kept his stock of merchandise. Thieves came and robbed him of his wealth and possessions, and he lost a large part of what he had. But he collected together the remains and was… Read More »NEVER DISPAIR
13 Elul 5783 – 30 August 2023 “Cursed is the one who strikes his fellow in secret…” What is meant by striking someone in secret? People know if you have hit them. Rashi explains that striking one’s fellow secretly means to slander him. The Baal HaTurim points out that this… Read More »DEUTERONOMY 27:24 – IN SECRET = WITH SLANDER
Humanity’s nature is to avoid contemplating our obligations in the world. Even though these contemplations are necessary for one’s existence and one’s situation in life, we just do not want to deal with them… The knowledge of one’s perceived smallness versus one’s enormous responsibilities and obligations troubles a person and… Read More »BEING REAL WITH OURSELVES: THE BLESSING OF ELUL
Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8 The Torah Portion mentions a very unique ceremony: When the Jewish people came into the Land of Israel, there were two adjacent mountains – Mount Gerizim and Mount Eival. Six Tribes stood on one mountain and six Tribes stood on the second mountain. A series of Blessings and Curses were recited, to… Read More »PARSHAT KI TAVO – THE CURSE OF TWO-FACEDNESS
בס”ד This discussion challenges the notion of atonement by blood alone, exploring the significance of repentance and the pursuit of justice within the context of the Jewish month of Elul and Rosh Hashanah. We are in the month of Elul, preparing for Rosh Hoshanah, the Jewish New Year. At four… Read More »ATONEMENT BY BLOOD ALONE?
Introduction On Rosh Hashanah, it is a mitzvah for Jewish people to hear the sound of the shofar, as mentioned in Numbers 29:1, where this day is referred to as the “day of the blast.” 1 And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have… Read More »THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SHOFAR ON ROSH HASHANAH
