Yisro 5785: Ma’amad Har Sinai: A Path to Yiras Shamayim
What is the highlight of Parshas Yisro? Matan Torah. Matan Torah is the greatest event that happened in history. There is nothing that even comes close to that event. In Parshas Vaeschanan, Moshe Rabeinu warns us, in the strongest terms,…
Beshalach 5785: Using Challenges to Build Your Bitachon
In the past, we discussed how having pachad and fears does not help a person get siyatta diShmaya. Sometimes, when we see somebody who looks scared and afraid, our hearts go out to that person and we want to help…
Bo 5785: Teshuva: It’s Never Too Late
In the beginning of the Parshah, Hashem is talking to Moshe and tells him to come to Pharaoh “…For I have hardened his heart…” My Rebbi pointed out that this pasuk says that Hashem hardened Pharaoh’s heart in order to…
Vaera 5785: The Beginning of Our Redemption
In this week’s parshah, we encounter the yetzias Mitzrayim. Pharaoh will tell you, Moshe and Aharon, to show him some miraculous proof that you are agents of Hashem and you are not just saying it on your own. Say to…
Shemos 5785: Tackling Your Inner Pharaoh
This week’s parshah begins by discussing the galus Mitzrayim, followed by the yetzias Mitzrayim. Every time you learn a sugya, you have to know its essence. Yetzias Mitzrayim has so many lessons, but you have to understand what is the…
Vayechi 5785: Bitachon: Our Only Hope
There are a lot of hints that Yaakov Avinu foresaw the future of Klal Yisrael, and he mentioned them in the birchas Yaakov. Chazal tell us that Yaakov Avinu foresaw how Shimshon Hagibor will defeat the enemies of Klal Yisrael…
Vayigash 5785: The Quickest Way Out of Your Challenge
In this week’s parshah, we encounter a life challenge that many of us will face to some degree. Most people lose themselves completely when they face such a challenge. The Torah says that when Yosef finally meets his brothers and…
Mikeitz 5785: Inyanei Chanukah
Many times in our lives, we face different series of challenges, and many times the challenge is not a direct challenge to our Yahadus,but one that sneaks up on us. During yemei haChanukah, we need to understand what the challenge…
Vayeishev 5785: A Bais Ne’eman B’Yisroel
The big sugya in this parshah is the marriage of Yaakov Avinu to Rachel and Leah. There are many things that we need to learn and study and analyze from Yaakov’s marriage because they could be very relevant to us.
Vayishlach 5785: Influences of Universities
In this week’s parshah, Yaakov Avinu is encountering his brother Eisav. And Eisav was quite upset with Yaakov. Eisav came to kill him. And the emes is, you know, that Chazal tell us what really happened. The malachim that Yaakov…
Vayeitzei 5785: The Power Of Yaakov Avinu’s Torah
In this week’s parshah, the Torah tells us about Yaakov Avinu, who found himself in double jeopardy. Number one, he hadn’t yet gotten married. He was no youngster anymore. He was in his sixties. So he was an older gentleman…
Toldos 5785: Beseeching Hashem For Children
The parshah begins with a story out of the life of Yitzchok and Rivkah. It tells us that they – who had gotten married in such a wonderful and miraculous way through the hands of Hashem – had a difficulty…
Chayei Sarah 5785: The Mechanics of Middos
In this week’s parshah, we see a very interesting criterion for a shidduch. Eliezer is sent by Avraham Avinu as a shaliach to bring about one of the biggest shidduchim in history. The Torah tells us that Eliezer davened to…
Vayeira 5785: The Most Powerful Kapparah
We recently spoke about the chashivus and chiyuv of chessed. But the problem is you can talk and talk, and for some reason, very few people actually fulfill this chiyuv, which Rabeinu Yonah calls min hachamuros, from the stringent mitzvos…
Lech Lecha: Breaking Free From Your Surroundings
The Ramban comments on when the command of lech lecha was initially said to Avraham Avinu. He says that initially Avraham was in Ur Kasdim – that’s where they tried to burn him at the stake, and that’s where Hakodosh…
Parshas Noach: Using Opportunities For Avodas Hashem
What we’re going to discuss today is the sugya of the mabul. Now, if you want to study the mabul, the source of studying the mabul is the gemara in Sanhedrin.
The first thing we’re going to discuss today is what…
Sukkos 5785: The Dual Nature of Sukkos
Let us take a look at the end of Parshas Emor where the Torah discusses the Yom Tov of Sukkos. The pasuk says: On the 15th day of this 7th month, it is Chag Hasukkos Lahem. A few pesukim later…
Yom Kippur 5785: Yearning for Real Change and Chiyus
The time period of the year that we now find ourselves is the most unique period of the entire year. There are no other days remotely like this. We’ll start with some words from the Rambam (Hilchos Teshuva 2:6) who…
Parshas Haazinu 5785: The Easy Way to Become a Tzaddik!
We are in the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, and most people are challenged by the yetzer hara about what teshuvah is, and how it works. You realize that the greatest challenge to the yetzer hara is teshuvah. To the yetzer hara,…
Parshas Nitzavim-Vayeilech: Know What to Ask For on Yom HaDin
Somebody did a big avlah to the Brisker Rav. The Brisker Rav was upset. This fellow considered himself the Brisker Rav’s talmid. My rebbi told me, “My father, the Brisker Rav, sent him a message: ‘I won’t have a shaychus…
Parshas Ki Savo: Rosh Hashanah: Accept Your Mission and Break Free
Let’s say a person had challenges this year which were sent to enable him or her to fulfill the mission for which they came to this world. But instead of utilizing them to fulfill their mission they did the opposite…
Parshas Ki Seitzei: The Power of a Kind Word
In this week’s parshah, it says that somebody from the nation of Amon or Moav cannot become part of the Jewish nation. Even after ten generations they can’t come bekahal Hashem forever. Why not? Because of the matter that they…
Parshas Shoftim: Making Elul Great Again!
Today is the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul. A person has to be aware that when Elul comes, he has to get his mind ready. He has to prepare himself for Elul. If you just let Elul come and…
Parshas Re’eh: Bring a Brachah Into Your Life
Moshe Rabbeinu is talking, and he’s says, “See, I am placing before you today a blessing and a curse…” Rashi translates “asher” to mean al manas, on condition. Rashi says it’s a brachah al manas asher tishmau. Now, you have…
