In this week’s Torah portion, the opening of the 5th book of the Torah, Moses recounts the travails of the Jewish People in the desert. In recounting the story of the spies and their return from Israel with a negative report he tells us; “You said, God took us out of the land of Egypt because He hates us and wishes to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites and destroy us.” Self perception is the key to our self worth or lack thereof. The Jewish People’s......
Where do you draw the line? Logic says that we are to sacrifice for the things that are important to us in life. To provide a living for our families we work hard, giving up on potentially enjoyable vacations. We study late into the night to achieve our intellectual goals. We put aside our personal needs for our children. For in the sacrifice we uncover potentials we never knew we had. But, how much sacrifice is enough? In this week’s portion G-d tells Moses to avenge Him through battling......
It’s that time of year again. The seasons of life just flow. Happy times, sad times, introspective times and time of liberation. This is how the Jewish calendar flows as well. This past Shabbos we entered into the period known as the three weeks in which we commemorate the events leading up to and the destruction of Jerusalem. Jerusalem of course represents the essence of Israel and all it stood for and continues to stand for. See last years series on Israel here (Israel 2018 – Why Israel?, Israel......
Shame prevents vulnerability. Honest self awareness helps us overcome shame. Lack of vulnerability causes aggressive behavior. Bilaam was insecure or had shame surrounding his standing with the Balak the King of Moab. When Hashem was standing him up and compelling him to face his own darkness he was unwilling to get vulnerable. When the donkey refused to budge, Bilaam gets angry and says to the donkey, if I had a sword in hand I’d kill you. Why the aggressiveness towards a donkey? Rashi teaches us that Bilaam was......
We all have one or two of those people in our lives, the ones who we really feel are beyond hope. No matter what we do for them or how we do it, nothing seems to work. Worse, they don’t get the message that we can’t help them. Is it mental illness? Addiction? Narcissism? Is all hope lost? Before I address that question, let me pose another one. Do you know that person who many years ago you wrote off as hopeless? Never standing a chance at......
Two brothers, same family, one is a sweetheart the other is a psychopathic rapist and murderer. How does that happen? In his book “The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog” the author Bruce Perry, explains that the mother of this family was somewhat stunted in her mental development. The older son was raised surrounded by family, uncles and aunts and thus as a baby and child he received nurture that developed all of the healthy brain wiring needed for productive healthy relationships. Although the mother wasn’t able to......
How many things need to go right for us to wake up in the morning? How many things need to go right for us to make it safely to work? How many things need to go right for us to be successful at our endeavors? Where indeed do we draw the power to navigate life successfully, to live a spiritually purposeful and connect life? *** We are introduced to a profound idea from this week’s Torah portion. The Jews approach Moses asking to send spies into Israel......
One day the light goes on and you suddenly see the world as you never saw it before. Events and struggles from the past suddenly have clarity. Today with amazing new medical research into the brains neuroplasticity we are able to better understand the development of our world view, our reactions, our strengths and our struggles. One of the fascinating things that have come to light is that much of what we do is driven by the brains development that we had no choosing in. For example, life......
No one likes to rinse and repeat anymore. It’s almost looked down upon. Boring people are stuck in routines. Exciting progressive people are always doing something different, something new. Millennials are the “job hopping generation”. While it is definitely understandable not wanting to get bored in your routine, there is something to be said about routine and its amazing positive spiritual and physical benefits. *** In this week’s Torah portion we read about the gift of the Nesiim, the leaders of the Tribes to the Mishkan,......
Do you feel like you are in the desert? Thirsty, tired, abandoned? Usually the desert represents a wasteland, lack of life. However, in an interesting twist, our Torah portion, called “the Desert” and literally the translation of the word Bamidbar – the Hebrew name for the fourth book of the Torah, teaches a different and profound message. The message is particularly poignant and timely as this portion, The Desert, is always read immediately prior to the festival of Shavous, in which we commemorate the events and revelation at......
It’s a big book of 613 commandments. It’s codified in Maimonides 14 books of his magnum opus. It has responsa stretching from here to there. Why so many laws? Couldn’t we all just get along?! You’ll pardon my bluntness but things are just not working out today with all the political correctness, touchy feely stuff and anything goes approach. Don’t get me wrong, I think in the end it will all work out and we’ll be better for it. But, out of the gate, it just isn’t working. ......
Tis the season for vacation. School is closing up, graduations are wrapping up, summer trips are starting, kids are beginning camp, and the beaches, mountains and other destinations are calling. Like most things in life, vacations can be anxiety inducing. Nuf said? (BTW with kids it’s called “a break”, without kids it’s called a “vacation”) And like most things in life, besides the cognitive therapy methods there is a core faith-based solution. I speak specifically of the stress that many (men?) have justifying taking off work and being......
Do you feel like a hamster on a wheel trying to keep sane? Between all the responsibilities we have in life today, combined with the incessant stream of information some worthwhile, some nonsensical, coming our way and then our own journey of personal development and growth, it is a surprise that any of us are sane. One of the ways to liberate ourselves from this craziness is to be clear about what is in our ability to control and change and what is out of our control. When we......
The teachings are fundamental to the Jewish thought and the guidance of the Baal Shem Tov; sometimes things are not appreciated until we are looking in the rearview mirror. In a recent interview with Rabbi Goldstein on “MyLife Chasidus Applied” some things he shared carried this message in a fashion that gave me a new perspective on these ideas. I’d like to share. Rabbi Goldstein shared how as a young child growing up in Crown Heights he began to slowly appreciate the greatness of the Rebbe. He had......
As the week winds down and we prepare for Shabbos, we breathe out the challenges of the week and breathe in fresh resources for the week ahead. We breathe out the difficulty of the hurdles we jumped over this week and breathe in a prayer for an easier journey next week. This week, as a Jewish People we have a lot of breathing out and a lot of breathing in to do. So many painful thoughts and feelings and at the same time so many thoughts and feelings of......
Matzah, Horseradish, Charoset, the holiday of Pesach is nearing the final stretch. According to Jewish tradition, during these intermediary days of the holiday we only do minimal work that is absolutely necessary. This year in particular we have been enjoying these days spending time with all the children and our new son-in-law. The holiday is coming to an end and for us Chasdim, the end of Pesach has a dominant theme, the coming of Moshiach. Yup, I know what you are thinking, those Chabadniks are doing the Moshiach thing......
Click here to download this week’s article. In each generation and each day one should see themselves as if they left Egypt – today! Passover is all about liberation from the physical slavery of Egypt and the internal limitations that confine us, that hold us back from living fully, from living happily, from having deep relationships, from living freely without angst, tension and frustration. Yup it’s a life-long journey, but either get on the journey or stop complaining. To quote my new favorite leadership guru Brene Brown, “if......
Was today a good day or bad day? Did good things happen or did bad things happen? And in fact were they really bad? Do you have the perspective of time? Jewish thought teaches that since the sin of Adam and Eve there is nothing that is entirely bad and nothing that is entirely good. Each has some of the other. It is up to us to find the good in the bad. A powerful example of this is in this week’s Parsha. The Torah continues its......
Turn it over and turn it over because everything is there – Mishna Ethics of our Fathers This week’s Torah portion tells us how to find a good marriage counselor. (BTW this advice can be used for any meaningful relationship.) In this week’s Torah portion we are introduced to the laws of Tzaras. Tzaras was an affliction that may have appeared to look like leprosy but it was a spiritual skin discoloration intended to be a wake up call. The Torah has a number of requirements......
(In honor of my daughter Shelbelle’s wedding to Leivy Lapidus) In this week’s Parsha we read of the tragic passing of the two sons of Aaron. In the height of the dedication of the Mishkan, on the 8th day of celebration, the Torah tells us they entered with a strange fire, intoxicated and a fire came forth and consumed them and they died. Moses tells Aaron that Nadav and Avihu, his two sons were holy and sanctified G-d’s name. These two seemingly opposite messages as to whether this......
This Wednesday night and Thursday day we’ll celebrate Purim! Yay! Hopefully you’ll be attending a service where you’ll be hearing the Megillah reading. When the reader gets to Chapter 6, the reader will raise his voice as he begins the chapter. The words he reads are “on that night”. That night referring to the night in which the miracle really began to occur, when the balance shifted towards to the Jews and ultimately led to the victory. On that night, the king couldn’t sleep. He asked for some......
How much is enough? How much is too much? How much is not enough? At the very opening of the Megillah – (yup it’s next week! chabadintown.org/purim) – we read a lengthy description of the royal feast that the King threw. The Megillah tells us that the party lasted 180 days (you think you know how to party!) and “there were hangings of white, green and blue, held by cords of linen and purple wool to silver rods and marble pillars. There were divans of gold and silver on......
I try to get out to community events to show my support for various causes. Occasionally, the food served is not kosher and at those times a special meal is ordered that is strictly kosher. While everyone is digging into their non kosher chicken or steak, I’m trying to tear open the plastic for my Challah Roll and the packaging on the salad dressing. I wonder sometimes if I’m better off just sitting there without eating altogether. *** In the Megillah of Purim, in a few......
Did you know that the day that Moses received atonement for the Jewish People after the sin of the Golden Calf was on Yom Kippur? In fact, because of the atonement achieved on that day, the 10th of Tishrei, the very same day, has become a day of atonement for all time. After Moses receives atonement, G-d tells him to carve a second set of tablets and bring them to the People. Indeed on that very day, Moses comes off the mountain with the second set of tablets. ......
This Sunday we had the honor of hosting Amy Speidel a Conscious Discipline trainer. She was hilarious and true to Art Imitates Life. Totally non judgmental, she captured the joys and oys of parenting. One of the funniest things she did all night was a routine where she demonstrates how parents are often so hard on themselves that they don’t allow themselves to correct course. She imitated a parent going in for the finger wagging and anger kill when in middle they realize that they’ve lost it. At that......
The Emmy’s have passed and the Oscars are coming up. Once again everybody is preoccupied with the clothing that the actresses and actors (ok not the actors) are wearing as they walk the red carpet. Long ago, Hashem instructed the Jewish People to build the portable temple that accompanied them in the desert. At that time He also instructed the Priests, the Kohanim to have an exclusive wardrobe to wear during their service. Among the garments was a long apron that had at the end of it golden......
(This is a thought on last week’s Torah portion that I’ve been working on and I wanted to share with you.) I won’t keep you in suspense, the answer is yes. Well kind of. Let me explain. Fundamentally the common mindset; “what is your truth”, ie. that truth is whatever you make it to be is not correct or accurate according to Torah. However, to my knowledge there is no Mitzvah to “tell the truth”. (Please correct me if you know otherwise.) There is a Mitzvah “midvar......
Chabad Intown’s new facility on the BeltLine could be a game-changer for the community. By MICHAEL JACOBS Original Article on Atlanta Jewish Times One of the most important initiatives in Jewish Atlanta is the Front Porch, a Federation-led effort to reimagine what the community can and should be to unlock its potential, but I’ve just seen what could be our vital back porch. Unlike the Front Porch, the back porch isn’t a metaphor; it’s the back of an intown redbrick office building. Like the Front Porch, it has......
Chabad opens its doors on one of Atlanta’s most sought-after stretches of real estate. By RACHEL FAYNE Original Article on Atlanta Jewish Times Chabad Intown may be the first religious organization to grace the Atlanta BeltLine. To celebrate the historic event, the organization welcomed more than 400 guests to its grand opening Dec. 9. The day included a menorah lighting, a dedication ceremony, music, dancing, and a live graffiti mural. There was even a clown, a magician and face painting for younger visitors. Chabad Intown moved from......
Remember this picture? Do you see the beautiful woman or the old lady? Through which lens do you see the world? Here is Torah version of this (perhaps). When you you think of Mt. Sinai, do you think of the Ten Commandments or do you think of the Revelation of G-d, thunder, lightning and booming Divine voice? Is your experience of the Torah, a stringent set of rules that must be obeyed, or are you engaged in a loving relationship with G-d and the Torah is the......
Moses speaks first to the women and then to the men. He affirms a truth evident today more than ever; the Jewish woman is the mainstay of the home. He speaks in terms of conversation, engagement with the women. With the men he speaks in terms of instruction, command. It’s quite obvious without our women, we men would not be here. But, in truth if not for our women we would not only not physically be here but man would have long ago consumed each other. King......
Do you help the needy when they ask for help so that you’ll sleep better or because you really care? Do you defend the defenseless out of guilt because you really are a kind person? Don’t feel bad, you are not alone. All of us struggle with authenticity. That’s because G-d created us with two sides; a right and a left. Traditionally the right is associated with Chesed – kindness, and the left with Gevurah – discipline. You could say that these two are attraction and rejection or......
They looked for it in the 60’s, the 70’s and in our own way we are looking for it in the 2010’s. It is liberation! We are looking to be freed from all external constraints. In essence our soul is calling out to us to be freed so we can connect with our truest purpose. This expedition into freedom and liberation is not reserved for the Passover Seder. In fact, it is every day that one must see oneself as if they are going out of Egypt each......
We all get there, stuck in the rut or slipping down the slope, or whichever other cliche you want to use, it’s all the same; we’ve gotten stuck! The Talmud states that one who is tied up and can’t untie himself. So how does someone who has entered into the stuck zone get unstuck. When G-d appeared to Moses in the Burning Bush in last week’s Torah portion, Moses asks G-d, how will the Jewish People believe in me? G-d answers that Moses is to tell them the......
The Jewish People have always been a sheep among the wolves. That’s part of the Divine masterplan. Why that is, is truly part of the mystery of Creation and a challenge of faith. Nonetheless, that is the way it is and as much as we’ve tried to run from it by attempting to integrate, history has shown that we remain separate. In fact, when we embrace our separateness we end up a lot happier because we have a sense of self of who we are and those around us......
Life is continuous. A seed is placed in the earth, it rots, new life is formed. A soul completes its journey, it journeys to its heavenly abode and starts a new experience there. One job is terminated a new one is born. Endings are hard because they seem to have no future. Transitions are hard because they we fear the unknown. Beginnings are hard because, well you are breaking in new unfamiliar ground. In the last few weeks, a close Chabad participant was laid to rest,......
Sympathy is feeling pity and sorry for someone else. Empathy is being able to share and understand someone else’s feeling. A leader must empathize with the people he or she leads, but at the same time they must be a leader, meaning a separate entity. To be both is quite the challenge. Moses was destined to be the leader of the Jewish People. He needed to relate to them, understand their pain, feel their hardship, in a word, to empathize with them. But he also needed......
Some people wait for the other shoe to drop. Which reminds me of the story; A guest who checked into an inn one night was warned to be quiet because the guest in the room next to his was a light sleeper. As he undressed for bed, he dropped one shoe, which, sure enough, awakened the other guest. He managed to get the other shoe off in silence, and got into bed. An hour later, he heard a pounding on the wall and a shout: “When are you going......
Do you ever scratch your head and wonder; “how did I get here?” How did I end up in this situation?! Or perhaps your question is a faith based one; “why did things get orchestrated the way they did for me to be in this situation?” We don’t usually pause to ask those questions when things are going good. It’s usually in frustration or exacerbation that these questions are expressed or contemplated. In this week’s Torah Portion, Jacob, sets into motion a series of events that are to......
We are gathered here to bid farewell to a special soul – Moshe, Jeff ben Avrohom. I will refer to both Jeff and Moshe in my remarks for the comfort of those that knew him as Jeff as we did initially and then as Moshe once he wanted us to call him by that name. When our great ancestor Aaron heard of the passing of his sons Nadav and Avihu, the Torah tells us, “Vayidom Aaron”: Aaron was silent. I’m sure he cried. I’m sure he was in......
This past week we lost another beautiful soul to the addiction epidemic. Another pointless loss. Another possibly avoidable loss. What struck me was how many of us didn’t know that our friend Jeff/Moshe was in recovery for over two years – the same two years he had been coming to Chabad Intown. Yet at the same time, he had a world of people who had influenced him and whom he had influenced that we didn’t know existed. We’ve speculated about his reasons for not sharing his other world......
Holiness is eternal. That is because holiness is an extension of Hashem who is eternal. What of the physical spaces that become home to Hashem and holiness? This Shabbos we bid farewell to the Chabad Intown building that has served this community for the past 18 years. The building has been sold and it’s time to move out. We are moving upwards to larger and more impactful spaces on the BeltLine. What of the holiness of the space? The Talmud talks about the terms under which......
That which the heart doesn’t allow for, time allows for. This Hebrew saying – which flows much more nicely in Hebrew – captures the feelings many of us have almost two weeks out from the Pittsburgh massacres. The deep rooted pain, anger, disbelief, fear subsides and we are able to go about our days without being consumed by those horrific events. For the families and Pittsburgh community, it will take more time, but they too in time will feel the pain subside. This ability for the acute emotional......
People have called me to cry, and get guidance about this week’s massacre in Pittsburgh. I don’t have a clue about G-d and His ways, but if I had to imagine how things look in heaven, they might look something like this. *** I am standing behind a white curtain, that is shielding an incredibly bright light. So bright, that while the curtain is blocking the direct impact, I can still feel the reverberations of the energy from behind that curtain. I can feel the heat of the......
G-d approaches Abraham after his bris and presents the pending destruction of Sodom and Gemorah to him. “And the Lord said, “Shall I conceal from Abraham what I am doing?” After all, I am going to make him into a great nation and this land I will give to his inheritors. How can I destroy it without letting him know. (Indeed, a fascinating defense motion is put into place by Abraham who argues for salvation for the people of Sodom and Gemorah with the hope that there are some......
More than the Jews have kept the Mitzvot, the Mitzvot have kept the Jew! – A wise person One of the Mitzvot that Jews have observed even when they weren’t observing other Mitzvot is the Mitzvah of Bris Milah – Circumcision. Often times even at great sacrifice and risk to themselves eg. click here. Why indeed is this Mitzvah something that until today, Jews who may not keep kosher, Shabbat or go to shul will still make sure to have their children brissed? The answer lies in......
I was wondering why this week’s Torah portion tells the story of Noah in such great detail (5 plus sections of the Parsha), while the story of creation is told in just a few verses (one plus section). Although the following conclusion is not based on a particular source, the main point is taught extensively in mystical teachings. Perhaps the reason for this disparity is that creation represents arrival into this world which is an important event to be sure, but one that takes up a mere fraction......
It’s been 55 days and counting for this High Holiday season. It starts with the first day of the month of Elul, when we begin to blow the Shofar and culminates with Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan (next Tuesday) when we resume saying the daily prayers of Tachnun (prayers of supplication that we don’t say beginning the day after Yom Kippur in keeping the joyous spirit of the holidays that follow). As the season comes to an end and the High of Simchas Torah wears off 🙂 the reality sets in.......
Tis the season to be dancing! It’s Simchas Torah. Sunday night in Israel they’ll be dancing. In the Diaspora we dance on Sunday night in solidarity with Israel. Monday night we’ll dance again for Simchas Torah and in Israel they’ll dance Hakafot Shniyot (post holiday in solidarity with us). Then on Tuesday we’ll close it out with day time dancing and closing out the reading of the Torah. Lots of dancing. In Chabad with the Rebbe, the dancing of the solidarity wasn’t symbolic, it was full on. Dancing......
From this week’s Torah Portion. [Moses said that G-d would say,] “They are children who [act] uneducated.” By referring to us as his children, G-d let it be known that he would never sever his relationship with us, and that we can never sever our relationship with Him – just as parents can ever separate themselves from their children, and children can ever separate themselves from their parents. The relationship between parents and their children is so essential, so strong, that no matter how seriously it may be tested,......
Some people are passive, others are aggressive. Yet others are passive aggressive. Some people are hard on themselves, easy on others. Hard on others, easy on themselves. The hard on themselves people are pushing themselves constantly and are very unforgiving for their shortcomings. The easy people seem to float through life. They don’t seem to internalize any of it. In just a few days the holy day of Atonement, the day of Yom Kippur will be upon us. Each year between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we have a......
Next week we’ll celebrate Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Hashanah commemorates the creation of mankind. Beginning with Adam and Eve and setting in motion all of world history. The opening verses of the Torah comprise what our Sages call “The Ten Utterances”. These are the ten sayings with which G-d created the world. Even though we can’t literally create worlds with our speech, but the fact that G-d’s speech has that power, indicates to us the importance of speech. This is even more powerful on Rosh Hashanah and Yom......
The traditions that stand out most on Rosh Hashanah include the sound of the Shofar and the Apples in Honey. Another well known but perhaps not as popular is eating a new fruit on the second evening of Rosh Hashanah. What is the meaning behind these traditions? Today I’ll focus on the new fruit. New Fruit – The technical. It is a tradition on the second evening of Rosh Hashanah after the Kiddush is recited to make a blessing of Shechiyanu (renewal) on a fruit that one hasn’t eaten......
www.applesnhoney.com Rosh Hashanah touches on the various senses. For some it is the taste of Apples and Honey. For others it is the smell of the Rosh Hashanah Brisket. For others it is the touch of the Machzor, the High Holiday prayer book. For some it is the sound of the Rabbi’s sermon or the sounds of Shofar. This week I’m going to focus on some prayers and traditions leading up to Rosh Hashanah. In the remaining weeks until Rosh Hashanah, I’ll share some insight into the foods......
Happy birthday world. The world will be 5779 years old this Rosh Hashanah. (To be precise, that takes place on the 25th of Elul. Rosh Hashanah is the sixth day of Creation, the day Adam and Eve were created. That will be the subject of another article.) What is the opposite of old? When we think in terms of people and their birthdays we think the opposite of old is young. When we think of things or perhaps to our topic we can see that the real opposite of......
This Shabbos is Rosh Chodesh Elul. It is the last day of the month of Av and Sunday will be the first day of Elul. Elul is the month of preparation for Rosh Hashanah and the New Year. In preparation for Rosh Hashanah, I would like to explore ideas connected to the High Holiday season. I’d like to journey beyond the apples and honey, beyond the fasting of Yom Kippur and the flag waving on Simchas Torah. Let’s start this week with Rosh Hashanah. What is......
Maybe I’m projecting, but I notice people around me that overall seem happy. They seem like easy going people, but, they also seem to be carrying a lot around with them. And I’m not talking about a few extra pounds. There seems to be a package of sorts (or peckel in Yiddish) of troubles, anxiety, a burden, a weight. Come to think of it, there are very few people who don’t carry a package around. It could be someone in their lives today that is their package. It could......
This is the 4th and final in a series on the importance of Israel, its connection to the Jewish People and its origins in the Torah. “In the beginning G-d created the heavens and the earth…. And G-d saw that the light was good…” The Midrash tells us that the sentence about the light is unfinished. So the Midrash finishes the verse for us. And G-d saw that the light was good and he put it aside for the righteous for the World to Come.” From the beginning......
In recent articles we’ve established the roots of Israel in the Torah and presented its centrality to Jewish tradition and faith. It is because of these, the “why” of Israel, that Israel and the Beit Hamikdash, the Temples in Jerusalem, occupy such a significant part of Jewish life and liturgy. This is also the reason why the destruction of Jerusalem, commemorated these weeks and culminating with Tisha B’av, this Shabbos/Sunday are such intensely sad days. It’s not the stones we mourn but the exile that the destruction brought to......
In last week’s article we established that from the beginning of time, from the opening verse in the Torah, the Land of Israel plays a central role in our tradition and everything Jewish. In this week’s article I want to address why that is. *** For a moment let’s establish what it is not. Israel is not a place for Jews to call their own homeland. Nor is Israel a place where we can run to when the rest of the world doesn’t want us. Israel......
The Torah told us 3300 years ago that we are the smallest among the nations. Not much has changed in that regard since then. And as the Jewish People have faced anti-semitism we continue to do so today. There are many important organizations engaged in Israel advocacy from political (AIPAC) to experiential (Birthright) to religious (many Yeshiva recruiters). All of them are focused on the “how”. Underlying every how must be a why for the cause to be sustainable. As Victor Frankl famously said “those who have a why......
Summer is a nice time to slow down just a little bit. With the big kids away at sleep away camp, the little ones at day camp and the weather in the morning most days here in Atlanta being just right, I like to enjoy a cup of coffee with Dena on our front porch. This Monday as we were sitting there the garbage truck pulled up and the garbage men in full shvitz were going about their work with a skip in their step. We both marvelled at......
This Shabbos is sandwiched between two very important days on the Chabad calendar. The 3rd of Tammuz – the anniversary of the passing of the Rebbe and the 12/13th of Tammuz – the anniversary of the liberation from the sentences of death and exile of the previous Rebbe from Soviet Prison. As mentioned in last week’s article (Korach in Time) there are energies associated with the days of the Jewish calendar and the events that transpired on them. The energy of these two days and these two great......
The mutiny of Korach in our Torah portion is classified as the model quarrel of our tradition. What was Korach’s quarrel is the basis of great discussions worth exploring here. In this article I want to capture a basic aspect of his quarrel and derive a practical message for this Shabbos. I hope you’ll read to the end and capitalize on the unique spiritual energy available to you this Shabbos. Korach, who belonged to the Levite family, challenged the appointment of Aaron to the position of High Priest.......
What is reality? Is there a real truth? The 12 leaders of the tribes go into the Land of Israel to report back on the land; it’s climate, crops, fortifications etc. 10 of them come back with a negative pessimistic view “we were like grasshoppers in our eyes and so we were in theirs. We can’t conquer it.” Two of them come back and say “the Land is exceedingly good!” Which one is it? Which is the truth? In fact there is a truth, one singular truth.......
Perhaps more than any other time in history we live in the era of the individual. Old norms, old structures are being replaced without revolutions. Regular folk making decisions on how they can disrupt industries are succeeding and the world is changing with it. If you are an old folk, you may want to get with the program so you aren’t left behind. If you are a young folk, while it is certainly commendable the changes you are making, it’s important to plug in and anchor the changes......
Have you ever gone through a challenging time in your life (who hasn’t!?)? I have. And a common refrain that I’d hear (in my head or in someones voice) is that someone else has it a lot worse than you. It reminded me of the saying in Hayom Yom that in material matters look towards those that have less than you and in spiritual matters look towards those that are on a higher spiritual plane. I always understood this message as an ideal way of developing a healthy......
Matzah, Shofar, Sukkah, Fasting, Menorah, Graggers – these conjure up warm fuzzies about our Jewish connection. They remind us of those special times during the year when we sit around the table with our family and friends and celebrate our Judaism. But there is one holiday that seems to fall through the crack and there is an element to this holiday that makes it more important than all the other holidays. Relationships: There are two types of relationships; there is the pleasure relationship and the compelling relationship. Pleasure......
When we were your age we used to walk up hill to school – both ways! Adults are always bemoaning the good old days. The way it used to be was better, people were more polite, more respectful, more this and more that. This phenomena has been around for generations. It can potentially affect our collective generational self esteem. How can we do something if we are less than them? If we are not as good as them? In the opening of the first of this week’s......
The joys and oys of life dominate our minds and hearts. Life is filled with challenges; at work, at home, with family, with friends, with finances, and with health. Life is also filled with happy times; births, birthday milestones, graduations, little accomplishments, first bike, big accomplishments, first promotion, weddings, vacations, good books, and the list goes on. Often times it seems that this is the way life is. In fact, we may come to believe that if we just accept that life has ups and downs, you win......
Perhaps the most well known commandment in the Torah is the commandment of “Love your neighbor as yourself”. This is a challenging mitzvah to say the least. In fact, so challenging that it begs the question how could G-d make it a command. In other words, how can you command someone to feel a certain way. Furthermore, if we are commanded to love our neighbor (read all people) “as ourselves”, then why the need for all the mitzvos about how to treat the needy, poor, widow and orphan.......
My brother shared a blog of things… Cut out sugar, white flower and caffeine. Journal every day. Do something scary every day. Eat 20g of protein. Make up with your parents. OMG and the list goes on and on… At first the pressure and the demands of this blog, the things that one would need to do to live this happy life can make you unhappy just from the thought if it! Then I got to thinking that it’s not an everything or nothing game, but rather......
After you’ve read the books, the blogs, listened to the preachers and teachers, the bottom line when it comes to parenting rests on one second or two. It’s the pause that allows you to not react to the situation but incorporate some of the teachings and practices you’ve read about. After you’ve listened to your coach, read the self help book, done the meditation, the bottom line when it comes to effectively managing your employees, getting along with your mother, controlling your impulses, rests on one second or two.......
We’re all very familiar with the four sons or four children of the Seder (you can read a deeper insight into the Seder and the four sons by Dena here). Did you know there’s a fifth son or fifth child? And I have news for you! You actually know that person. You see the fifth child is the child who is not present at the Seder. It’s not that they are not wise and have rationally concluded that there is no need to go to a Seder.......
Over the past generation we’ve seen a decline in world leadership. If you think of the great leaders of developed countries of the past generation, we find people of character, strong leaders, people of moral focus. The same is true of great companies and other institutions. This is true in great part in the Jewish world as well. What has happened is that the role of leadership has passed from the collective to the individual. In other words, leadership is no longer in the hands of a few......
I love studying really practical discourses! This one was about Purim and Haman’s origins from Amalek. There are many explanations about Amalek, his intentions and complexities, but this one was original. Amalek is classified in the Talmud “as knowing his Master and intentionally rebelling against Him”. This begs the question, if Amalek knows his Master (G-d) and witnessed the miracles of the Jewish People (in Egypt and in other times) then how could he intentionally rebel against G-d? When someone doesn’t know when their intentions are not......
I’m not sure the origin but y’all are familiar with the poem about the person who is walking with G-d and sees two footprints and then as the going gets difficult only sees one footprint. Wondering the person asks G-d where were you in the most difficult times? G-d answers I was carrying you. According to Jewish tradition Hashem is always carrying us; in good times and rough times. The challenge is to us to open our eyes to see that indeed Hashem is there. The more we recognize......
Are you enslaved? Enslaved to your emotions or your way of thinking? Perhaps you’re enslaved to something of substance? In any case, most of us are enslaved to our world view. It may be substantive and worthwhile, maybe even holy. But, it’s still the world view that we see from the eyes behind our eyelids. Ever try looking at yourself from the other angle (outside of yourself)? Don’t worry; you’re in good company. It’s pretty hard to do this. So, if we can’t see ourselves from the outside......
“I’m listening, I can tell you exactly what you said”, said every husband to wife. In Yeshiva, sometimes when dozing off in shiur (class) or being preoccupied with some other nonsense the Rabbi would say “du herzt” which means do you hear? The answer would be as above, “of course, I can tell you exactly what you said”. The Rabbi would proceed to ask “du herzt tzi du derherzt”, are you listening or are your internalizing. Both words mean to hear but one is to internalize and......
In this great video on Facebook, this little boy preaches beyond his years about which behaviors do you practice. Whatever you practice you will get good at. So, if you practice complaining you will get good at it and find fault in everything. If you practice anger, you’ll get really good at it and you’ll find every opportunity to get angry even at the smallest things. See this link. It struck me when reading this week’s Torah portion that if you practice faith in G-d you’ll get good......
Have you paid attention to your inbox (digital and mail)? Are you getting those January solicitations to join the gym? Try out the newest diet? Join a new business coaching program? January is a milestone in time; the end of one year, the start of a new one. People reflect on things they wished they had accomplished, feel guilty about the midline bulge and resolve that “this year” it’s going to be different. Hence, the capitalization of your emotional roller coaster by the companies of the world. So......
The weather across the country has been freezing! It’s time for a thaw. Maybe that’s why in this week’s Torah portion the Frogs jump into the ovens?! In plague #2 against Pharaoh and his People, Frogs, an amphibious creature, jumps into the Egyptian ovens as an act of sacrifice. In the plague #1, the cold Egyptian water turns to blood. We have the cold turning warm and the cold putting out the fires. Sometimes in life when we are cold we ought to warm up. This......
I recently heard this nice thought; “listen and silent have the same letters”. I’m not sure who is the author of this statement but it surely reflects two approaches in how we relate to others. Some peoples silence is a simple tactic to get the other person to finish talking so they can fully have the stage when it is their turn to respond. For others, they are actually listening, taking in what the other person is saying trying to internalize and relate or at best sympathize. ......
They have eyes but don’t see, ears but don’t hear… so says King David. One can be alive but not really living. Jacob lives the last 17 years of his life, and although he is reunited with his son Jacob, it is after all, Egypt, the lowliest of lands. And yet, the Torah and the commentators tell us that 17 is the numeric equivalent of Tov = Good. The word that opens the Parsha this week is Vayechi – “and he lived”. In Yiddish you might say “gelebt” which loosely translated would be......
How do we react to challenge? Do we fight back or do we run away? Back in the day when there was ongoing blatant anti-semitism, Jews needed to fortify themselves to maintain their identity so by and large we fought back. Not always with guns and swords but with greater resolve to be faithful to G-d and Judaism. Of course there were those who ran away and attempted to assimilate so as not to “stand out”. Although today there surely is anti-semitism but by and large the world......
This week’s email is dedicated to my father in honor of his 70th Birthday celebrated this week, with wishes for long life, good health and nachas from all his children and grandchildren! The bond between parent and child is profound and unique. When children are young, a parent experiences intense physical love for their child. When children grow into young’uns the intense love may evolve into appreciation for the uniqueness of the child; their smarts, their talents, etc. When they are teenagers…well, it reminds me of the......
I can tell you it is not a virtue that I have naturally or that I have mastered. It is though something I strive for :-). Some people are just more patient, they are “gelasin” that’s a yiddish word for even-keeled. It sounds better in Yiddish. Others are “farhitzed” also a yiddish word, that means cooked or shvitzed (oy vey with these yiddish words). They can’t sit still and need it to happen now! They need the next challenge, next opportunity! The fact is that both are necessary......
Much of life is analogous to a road or journey. As the traveler, we move along, sometimes fast—sometimes slow, as we trek this thing called life. Perhaps some see it as Ralph Waldo Emerson did: “life is about the journey, not the destination.” Educating children is also compared to a journey, according to the teachings of Proverbs. l’naar al pi darko: “Educate a child according to his/her way, so that even when he grows old he will not turn away from it.” “Way” indicates a pathway. A road.......
Do you ever feel completely depleted? You know those days or weeks where it just doesn’t stop and then you pause at a given moment and realize that you’ve been running on fumes. You think to yourself, “I just can’t go on, I don’t know how I’m going to find another ounce of stamina to move forward”. Sometimes, this happens physically and often it happens spiritually. The spiritual engine seems to have idled and it looks like there is no more gas. Funny sounds are coming from places where......
Do you ever want to take a break from yourself? A break from thinking? A break from feeling? The more sensitive and in touch you are, the smarter you are, the greater the desire to take a break, to greater the need to just still the mind. Yoga, mindfulness meditation and regular meditation are all helpful to this end. But imagine living the paradox, where you feel and think and still experience peace of mind and heart?! Meditate on that for a bit :-)! There is help and it......
Discipline, being calculated, stringency are all qualities that we employ in our lives for our personal well-being, as well as those under our purview. Imagine a world where that wasn’t the case. We’d eat whatever we want, we’d say whatever is on our mind, we’d all be nomads living unproductive lives. Conversely, if discipline and calculation rules the day, where is the joy, where is joie de vivre? Is that gloomy world the one that G-d wants? In fact we need a balance between the two. But which......
Do you ever feel all alone? Like no one gets you and your trying to move something along that is meeting human obstacle after obstacle. Or like the entire world has gone mad and you’re the only sane one? (If you answered yes to the last question, I know a good therapist.) Last week I attended a session at the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta called a Fishbowl. Inside the Fishbowl were three entrepreneurs. And we were watching the conversation taking place between these entrepreneurs and the interviewee. One......
Some people live from anticipation to anticipation. As soon as one anticipated event or milestone is reached the next one is on the horizon. It may be 1 month or 6 months away, but the anticipation of that next destination keeps the person going. Being fully present is difficult, living in the present is a challenge. Yes, Chabad philosophy in particular emphasizes the need to be present in everything we do. It is a value par excellence. The first Chabad Rebbe taught us this value in the context......
It’s been a rough week for all of us, it’s time for a hug! The Sukkah walls will hug us beginning this evening and for the next 8 days. It’s the Divine embrace that each of us will draw from for the rest of the year. An embrace that provides each of us with the resources we need to live a more G-dly and goodly life this year! The joy of Sukkos is fully realized on account of the 4 Kinds (Lulav, Ethrog, Hadasim and Aravos). The analogy......
This past week we experienced a calling to open our homes, our lives to share with others. People were in need and we were there to respond. Not everyone gets their name in the paper for their acts of kindness, but they are kind nonetheless. Why is it that people open their homes to complete strangers in a time of need? Perhaps the urgency pressures us to access parts of ourselves that remain concealed in peaceful times. In fact this idea is reflected in the opening of this......
The Mishna states “receive everyone with a pleasant face”. We are being taught in this Mishna the importance of having proper social interactions. You may be in a bad mood but you can always smile to another. Your bad mood is not their problem! Why is the smile so important? I recently read an essay from the Rebbe with a nuanced comment that addresses this question – perhaps. There is a parable given by the Alter Rebbe regarding the month of Elul. In the parable the Rebbe says......
The nature of the human is that the things we can’t have, things that are inaccessible, difficult to achieve or expensive are the those we want most. When things are easily accessible or common we often times disregard their value. *** During the month leading up to Rosh Hashanah, the Holy Baal Shem Tov says that G-d is accessible to each and every one. He uses an analogy of a king who comes out of the palace and goes out to the field where the common man......
After many years of dreaming of taking my family to the beautiful natural sites of the west, the dream came true! Dena and I just got back from a 15 day road trip with all of the kids. The magnificence, beauty and wondrousness of each of the stops would have justified the trip unto itself. Combined together it becomes a thing that fantasy and fairy tales are made of. Among the many fascinating sites (Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands, The Grand Canyon to name a few) we also had......
Hearing the news and seeing the rally marches from Charlottesville, was appalling and frightening. Could it be in the USA in 2017, these words, these actions?! It’s easy to get caught up in one’s political leanings, to blame this party or the other. To blame one individual or the other. I’ll leave that to those that actually get paid to have an opinion on that. For me as a Rabbi and a Chabad Chasid, I attempt to look to the deeper dimension and ask myself what can I......
As Yom Kippur draws to an end, I find myself changing gears from being a spiritual leader to a coach as the players enter the final inning or the last round. People are tired, it’s been a couple of weeks of preparation for the High Holidays and then two days of Rosh Hashanah, a long evening of Kol Nidrai and now after a full day of fasting, everybody (me included) is wiped out. So, as we enter Neilah, the finally prayer of the season, I find myself serving as coach.......