“You don’t learn by having faith. You learn by questioning, by challenging, by re-examining everything you’ve ever believed. And yet, all this is a matter of faith – the faith that there is a truth to be found. It is another paradox: To truly question, you must truly have faith.”… Read More »TRUE FAITH
Each person is due honor and respect just by virtue of being human. Those you love and don’t love, those who wish you well and those who stand opposed to you, each (including yourself) is worthy of honor, embodying a divine soul made in the image and likeness of G-d.… Read More »EACH PERSON IS DUE HONOR AND RESPECT
There was once a dispute between a husband and wife about what to name their baby boy. The husband wanted to name the child after his father who had just passed away months before. His wife, however, was opposed to that name. They had a neighbor who had a child… Read More »THE NAME OF THE NEW BORN BABY IS..
A man, in his thirties, visited Rav Chaim Kanievsky explaining that he could not find a match and asked Rav Chaim for a blessing. Rav Chaim responded, “Your match hasn’t been born yet…be blessed and successful!” The man left in tears, despondent over hearing these words. Months later, the man… Read More »A CONVERT IS A NEW BORN
25 Chesvan 5784 – 9 November 2023 “The goal and purpose of the entirety of the Torah and its commandments is to achieve attachment to Hashem and feeling His closeness…Our holy books teach that all the commandments of the Torah are guidance on how to attach ourselves to G-d.” (Rabbi… Read More »WHAT IS THE GOAL AND PURPOSE OF THE TORAH?
22 Chesvan 5784 – 11 November 2023 A chassid lived alone in the forest in order to chop wood for his livelihood. He came to his rebbe to complain that because of this, he could never pray with the minyan (community) in a synagogue. He cried to his rebbe about… Read More »PRAYING WITH A MINYAN OR NOT
15 Cheswan 5784 – 30 October 2023 I find the story of Akedat Yitzchak, the Binding of Isaac, a difficult one to wrap my head around. But allow me to share a thought that occurred to me this morning. Abraham was promised that he’d be the father of a great… Read More »THE ENTIRE WORLD WILL ONE DAY SEE THE LIGHT
19 Sivan 5783 – 8 June 2023 A baby enters the world with hands clenched, as if to say: The world is mine and I shall grab it. A man leaves this world with his hands open, as if to say: I can take nothing material from this world with… Read More »Clenched Hands and Open Hands
