The Library

The Torah reiterates a number of times that it was "with a strong hand" that Hashem took us out of Mitzrayim. It took much suffering on the part of the Egyptians until they were willing to let us out, and Chazal also tell us that it took the "extra" suffering at the end ...

Thanks for the constant chizuk. B"H I am on day 16 today! Hi, just wanted to share and amazing quote from the Chazon Ish z"l: "מעלתו ויחודיו של האדם אינו בכך שיכול לעשות מה שרוצה אלא בכך שיכול לעשות מה שאינו רוצה"Translation: "The greatness and uniqueness of man is not ...

Torah taken to heart creates a spiritual light that shines within a person. Tzitzis has a similar effect, but on the body. Tzitzis creates a protective light around a person's body and even effects their thoughts. The Bracha on the Talis (the Arizal would make this Bracha...

It was a lesson I learned long ago, when I was a high school classroom teacher. I was new at this line of work, and found that my greatest challenge was to find ways to motivate the students. I tried various approaches, which all were basically attempts to motivate by giv...

Question: It's coming now kabalas hatorah, and I need a paradigm shift in saying "naseh venishma". I am being bothered by something that keeps coming to mind every so often, especially when learning about kedusha/aroyis or saying nase venishma to the whole Torah. Please d...

The great Reb Yerucham used to say that the honey is thick when it comes to intimacy because of the great importance of the purpose. The analogy he would give is that of the mother who smears honey on bread so that her child will eat. The mother is more interested in the ...

Yesod represents the area of Shmiras Habris, so today is a very auspicious day for progress in these areas. The week of Yesod in the Sefirat HaOmer corresponds to the rectification of the holy bris. Shabbos is Malchus She'biyesod. "Malchus" is the all-inclusive day, which...

When we left Egypt, we went from being slaves to being free. But, we are now slaves again - to Hashem! So what's the difference? Chasam Sofer in the beginning of parshas Bechukosai says that the last of the berachos mentioned for following the Torah is 'voeshbor motos ulc...

Question: Pesach is coming up. This means that I will not be able to shave until lag baomer. I have never done this before as I have always been worried about looking weird. Can you give me an idea of how to have an attitude that I will actually keep the omer properly? I ...

An astonishing and sobering contrast concerning the nature of the human psyche captures our imagination in this week's Torah portion (Emor). The Torah prohibits a Kohen, a priest (which includes all descendents of Aaron), from marrying a divorced woman. It also prohibit...

Between seeing everything that we shouldn't do and living in a environment that's contrary and antithetical to what Yiddishkeit is all about (and learning that we shouldn't do all of that), what are we left with to keep us strong? The Pasuk says, "Kedoshim Tih'u, Ki Kados...

After the eigel hazahav (Golden Calf), everyone was downcast because they had lost favor in the eyes of Hashem. The general mood was repentance, remorse, and humility. Yet at that time Moshe Rabbeinu put in some of his greatest requests that he ever made of Hashem. It's...

Yisro said to Moses, “What you are doing is not good. Being the sole judge for a population of millions is sure to exhaust you. Therefore, develop various levels of judges to assist you.” The Midrash says that because Yisro advised Moses to select capable people as judges...

The Torah relates that the Israelites came to Marah, "...but they could not drink the waters of Marah because they were bitter" (Exodus 15:23,25). We understand the verse to mean that the water was bitter. The Baal Shem Tov said that "they" refers to the Israelites, not t...

"One thing I've asked from Hashem, that I dwell in the house of Hashem all the days of my life..." -Psalm 27 "All the days of my life" doesn't mean from now until I go away from this world. It means from the day I was born until the day I pass away from this world. What ...

G-d tells Moses to instruct the Israelites on the mitzvah of redeeming the first-born. Instead of doing so, Moses tells them to always remember the enslavement in Egypt and the Exodus, and only thereafter dictates the mitzvah of redeeming the first-born (Exodus13:1-15). ...

Although we all read the Torah, no one understands the saga of the Exodus as someone familiar with addiction. Pharaoh is warned of serious punishment if he does not allow the Israelites to leave, but he rejects the warning. Then the punishments begin: the Nile turns to bl...

The Torah says that Moses left the royal palace and went out unto his brethren and looked upon their burdens. The Medrash states that he went among the Hebrew slaves and assisted them in their hard labor. While sympathy is a fine trait, it is not enough. Moses wanted to f...