Rabbi Dr. Akiva Tatz – Very interesting class on the role of illness and healing on the human body and the human soul and some fascinating perspectives on the importance of what is “normal” in today’s society and how that influences the correct health choices we make.
Rabbi David Yisrael Kalmus – Shares the source of why Breslov Chassidim wake up at Chatzot (halachic midnight) to pray and mourn over the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash (the Temple) in Jerusalem and how this sets up our overall perspective on what is at the forefront of our minds during our life.
Rabbi Moshe Pinto – The “dirt” of life is actually necessary for physical and spiritual growth just like a seed needs dirt to create the environment for growth. So dirt is not a negative and messy but a positive attribute to life itself.
Rabbi Alon Anava – The main theme of this video is that the goal of Jewish living is to reduce our reliance on materalism by taking it and breaking our reliance on it, purify it and elevate it. Great video on the destructive nature of materialism and how prevelant it is today.
Rabbi Chaim Danzinger – Shares an amazing story that could bring anyone to tears about a grown boy who decides to get a Bris Milah (Jewish ritual circumcision) and the heart tugging story behind why he had to do it that very day. In loving memory of Sholom Ben Alexander Shapira whose yahrtzeit was on the 11 of Tevet.
Rabbi Alon Anava – Shares how the story of Yosef Hatzadik can teach us how Hashem’s hand is responsible for those who hate us and if we get this message clearly we can be less angry and more able to forgive others for their behaviors towards us.
Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz – Since today is a fast day (the Tenth of Teves), this video talks about some historical details of many different fast days including the Tenth of Teves and what they mean to Jewish history. Also, the basis for why we fast.
Rabbi Yitzchak Botton – Shares that the concept of reincarnation and the good and bad or us personally and as a Jewish people. We have many second chances to do tshuva and Hashem gives us the gift of reincarnation to help us to make it to the end successfully.
Rabbi Avraham Arieh Trugman – Shares about this “dramatic” parashah coming up with the clashing of two worlds represented by Yehuda and Yosef. The baal tshuva and the religious from birth. The Moshiach ben Yehuda and the Moshiach ben Yosef. Also, the Yosef cried eight times showing the power in being sensitive and emotional even as the most powerful man in the World. How did he learn to cry? From her Mother Rachel. According to Rav Ginsberg – the Hebrew word for tear is dima (dalet, mem, ayin, heh) which is the gematria of 119. Since two eyes drop tears X2 equals 238 which is the gematria of Rachel. Role models for Jewish leadership exemplified in both Yehuda and Yosef (repentance and sensitivity). Rabbi Trugman also shows how much Yaakov and Yosef’s life’s parallel each other throughout the events that they both experienced in their respective lives. Many more details in the video.
There are years during which there are two months of Adar, i.e., Adar I and Adar II. These years are known as leap years: years in which there are 13 months and not 12 months, as is the case in a usual year. Regarding a child born in the month of Adar of a regular year, and whose Bar Mitzvah takes place in a leap year, when would we celebrate that young man’s Bar Mitzvah — during בְּשמחָה Adar I or Adar II? The answer is: Adar II! Likewise, the mitzvah of reading Megillat Esther and all the mitzvot of Purim day are performed during Adar II. However, if a boy was born in Adar I during a leap year, and the year of his Bar Mitzvah is also a leap year, that boy would become Bar Mitzvah during Adar I.
