Behar 5784: When Hashem Becomes Your Relative
In the Torah it says, “If your brother becomes impoverished…” That means, the redeemer goes to the guy who bought the achuzah and gives him money and then he gets his relative’s field back for him. The passuk continues, “and…
Emor 5784: Out of this World Experience
The Torah tells us a story about a person in the midbar who cursed Hashem and they put him in prison. That was a very rare occurrence. The prison system wasn’t common. It wasn’t common at all in Klal Yisrael…
Kedoshim 5784: Focusing on Proper Growth (Part 2)
In this week’s parshah, it says “and Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: ‘Speak to all of Bnei Yisroel…” (Vayikra 19:2). You have to know that this is a very rare introduction. There’s “speak to Bnei Yisroel” but “speak to all…
Acharei Mos 5784: Is Your Entertainment Kosher?
Today’s subject, to some people, is going to be a sensitive one. Most subjects that are sensitive to people are usually subjects in which people are challenged by the topic. For example, if we’ll speak about the importance of giving…
Metzora/Pesach 5784: The Exile and Redemption of the “Mouth”
There is an interesting Ibn Ezra on the pasuk in our parsha: “This shall be the law for a metzora at the time of being purified, when he’s brought to the Kohen” (Vayikra 14:2). This is the law of the…
Tazria 5784: The Depth of Mishpat Hashem
Chazal say in masechta Eiruchin (8b), “Rav Papa says, it says, ‘Your benevolence is like the mighty mountains’ (Tehillim 36:7). Hashem’s tzedakos are like tall mountains. What does that refer to? The gemara says these are nega’im discussed in this…
Shemini 5784: Strict Judgment vs. Rachamim
Parshas Shemini is broken up into two sugyos. Sugya number one is about the miluim. The parshah begins by relating what took place on the eighth day of the miluim, the inauguration of the Mishkan. You know when that was?…
Tzav 5784: Understanding the Roles of the Husband and Wife
Special Topics: Moshe Rabbeinu and Elazar Hakohen were commanded to count the Bnei Yisrael (Bamidbar 26:4). The next passuk says: Reuven, the eldest son of Yisrael: the children of Reuven; Chanoch, the family of the Chanochi: of Pallu, the family…
Vayikra 5784: Destroying Our Inner Amalek
Most people are aware of the general story of Purim. There was a fellow named Haman, who plotted with King Achashveirosh to annihilate the Jewish people in one day. But the story holds a much deeper meaning for each and…
Pekudei 5784: Have You Done Your Accounting Lately?
The parshah begins by saying “these are the cheshbonos, the accountings, of the donations for the Mishkan”. The word “pekudei” means counting. When you have a lot of different things to take into account and keep track of, that’s called…
Vayakhel 5784: Ambition – The Secret to Success
In this week’s parshah, it says that Moshe Rabbeinu told Klal Yisrael to come forward with their donations for the Mishkan. The passuk (Shemos 35:21) mentions two classes of people. There were people who were naso libo and there were…
Ki Sisa 5784: What Do You Really Yearn For?
fter the sin of the cheit ha’eigel, Hashem Yisbarach was quite upset at Klal Yisrael, to say the least, and Moshe Rabeinu appeared as a tremendous shaliach of the tzibbur, to plead for us, to beseech Hashem for us. It…
Tetzaveh 5784: The Purpose of Suffering
In this week’s parshah, Hakadosh Baruch Hu begins by talking to Moshe Rabbeinu and telling him “You shall command the Bnei Yisrael, and they should take for you, pure olive oil, crushed, for the lighting.” (Shemos 27:20)…Why when it’s talking…
Terumah 5784: The Purpose of American Wealth and Prosperity
In this week’s parshah the subject is Hashem telling Moshe to tell Klal Yisrael about the Yidden donating money and goods to the Mishkan. One of the keilim in the Mishkan was the Aron. It says regarding the Aron “you…
Mishpatim 5784: The Importance of Tikkun Hamiddos
Rav Yisrael Salanter is known as the father of the mussar movement. What was the nekudah that Rav Yisrael introduced to the world? What was he trying to accomplish? Was he trying to be mechazek people in a certain area…
Yisro 5784: Transform Your Learning and Tefillah With This!
The subject we’d like to discuss today is an important one because many people pose the following question. The Torah says: I created an evil inclination, and I created Torah as its antidote (Kiddushin 30b). So that means to say…
Beshalach 5784: Are You Living in the World of Reality?
The Torah relates that after Klal Yisrael came out of Mitzrayim, they witnessed the greatest historical event and the greatest revelation up to that point in the history of the world. They saw myriads of makkos, hundreds of makkos. They…
Bo 5784: The Foundations of Our Emunah
At the end of Parshas Bo, there’s a very, very important and fundamental Ramban that describes how the principle beliefs of our emunah were revealed at the time of Yetzias Mitzrayim. Every single Yid must know what are the yesodos…
Vaera 5784: The Key to Curing Addictions
There is a fellow in Eretz Yisrael who is the editor of the Hebrew Yated Ne’eman. His name is Yisrael Friedman. He was extremely close with Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman. He was in his house many times. One day, eighteen…
Shemos 5784: Shovavim: Addressing the Challenge
Yesterday, we spoke about the power of the yetzer hara, where he comes and he challenges each and every one of us, and presents us with new things. He has innovations. He offers us opportunities for new, imaginary horizons. And…
Vayechi 5784: How Frum Do You Have To Be?
Today, I want to discuss an interesting question that was posed to me. It is something that I experience quite often when meeting people. The question is: “What is the level of Yiddishkeit, of frumkeit, of religion that Hashem expects…
Vayigash 5784: Torah Conversations
One of the great tovos that Hashem did with me is that He guided me to learn by my great rebbi, Rav Meir Halevi Soloveitchik, the son of none other than Rav Yitzchak Ze’ev Halevi Soloveitchik, the last Brisker Rav…
Mikeitz 5784: Beis Haleivi on Bitachon vs. Hishtadlus
Rabosai, what we’re about to share with you today is a subject which is a subject that sits in darkness. It’s shrouded in a lot of obscurity. Everybody feels he’s entitled to weigh in on this subject based on his…
Vayeishev 5784: A Life of Facing Challenges
here’s a famous medrash that Rashi brings on the meaning of the word וַיֵּשֶׁב יַעֲקֹב, namely, that the term vayeishev insinuates that Yaakov Avinu wanted rest (Bereishis 37:2). He wanted מרגוע (restfulness). He had been in galus for many…
