Holidays by Rabbi YY Jacobson

Chassidus: Likkutei Sichos Rosh Hashanah #1: Rabbi YY Jacobson presented this class on Monday, 25 Elul, 5783, September 11, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. This is part oneof a text-based class in a Sicha, a public address by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, presented on Shabbos Parshas Nitzavim-Vayeilech, 23 Elul, 5749 (September 23, 1989), published in Sefer Hasichos 5749 vol. 2, exploring the true meaning of not blowing shofar when Rosh Hashanah coincides with Shabbos. How is it possible that we dont coronate G-d as King when Rosh Hashanah is Shabbos? The Rebbe explores three states of Bitulof alignment with the Divine oneness. The first is the way it can be experienced on Rosh Hashanah during the weekdays; the second is the experience of Shabbos Rosh Hashanah, and finally, the experience in the Beis Hamikdash, where they blew shofar even on Shabbos. The first level is about surrender of self; the second, deeper level, is the complete fusion of self with Divine oneness, without any act of surrender, thus not blowing the shofar is far deeper than blowing the shofar. Then there is the third state, when nothing needs to be negated, not even a sense of identity and self. That is why in the Beis Hamikdash we did blow shofar on Shabbos Rosh Hashanah. There is you. There is not you. And there is the space where you need not be negated, so that you can be you. Transcendence and infinity can also be a trap, and dont capture the ultimate reality. Whenever we negate something, He is not finite, I am not my ego, we are still defined by it, albeit in a negative way. In the ultimate truth, the self is not a contradiction to oneness.

Pre-Selichos Farbrengen 5783: Live Selichos Event, Motzei Shabbos, 24 Elul, 5783, September 9, 2023,In Person at 20 Forshay Rd, Tent 3 & Live Stream.

YY Moment: Watch full class here

Women's Shavuos Class: This class waspresented on Tuesday, 3 Sivan, 5783, May 23, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

Purim Farbrengen: Grand with Rabbi YY Jacobson, live at 18 Forshay Road, downstairs.

Womens Purim Class: This class waspresented on Tuesday, Parshas Terumah, 30 Shevat, 5783, Rosh Chodesh Adar, February 21, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

Workshop for People With Anxiety and Pain Around the High Holidays: by Rabbi YY Jacobson, Streaming Live, Motzaei Shabbos, Erev Rosh Hashanah, September 24, 9:30 PM ET

Pre-Selichos Farbrengen: Live Selichos Event, Motzei Shabbos, 22 Elul, 5782, September 17, 2022,In Person at 20 Forshay Rd, Tent 3 & Live Stream.

Women's Shavous Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Bamidbar,1 Sivan, 5782, May 31, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

Womens Pirkei Avos/ Shavuos Class: This weekly women's class waspresented on Tuesday, Parshas Bechukosai,23 Iyar, 5782, May 24, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. King Davidwhose yartzeit is on Shavuosremains one of the most fascinating, perplexing, and majestic figures in Jewish history. The combination of wisdom, humility, honesty and spirituality coupled with courage, power, passion, and leadership, and all of them with incredible intensity, conferred upon him the status of the ultimate Jewish king, leader, and poet. Two of the most powerful stories of love in the Tanach are also associated with him and one two of his children. They are summarized succinctly by our sages in the Ethics of the Fathers ch. 5: What is an example of a love that depended on something? The love Amnon had for Tamar. What is a love that did not depend on anything? The love between David and Jonathan." Let us recall these two narratives of love. Let us also understand why the Mishnah needs to find illustrations for two models of love from two ancient stories, when both of these models play themselves out in each of our lives on a constant basis? At a farbrengen in the spring of 1973, Shabbos Parshas Bechokosai 5733, the Lubavitcher Rebbe offered an explanation to the Mishnah. As was his style, he demonstrated how the answer to the above enigma lay in what seems like a discrepancy of a single world. It teaches us a novel idea about how family members need to nurture relationships between themselves and also what type love we are capable of achieving with our spouses and even toward strangers. The riveting stories of how Amnon violated Tamar and how Jonathan loved David illustrate what we are capable of and what we must be caution of in the volatile and complex world of love.

Purim Farbrengen - 5782/2022: Grand Purim Farbrengen with Rabbi YY Jacobson on Thursday Parshas Tzav, Purim 5782, March 17,2022, at the Ohr Chaim Shul in Monsey, NY

Likkutei Sichos Purim Katan #2: This class waspresented on Thursday, Parshas Tetzaveh, 9 Adar I, 5782, February 10, 2022, streaming live from Rabbi Jacobson's home in Monsey, NY.

Likkutei Sichos Purim Katan #1: This class waspresented on Monday, Parshas Tetzaveh, 6 Adar I, 5782, February 7, 2022, streaming live from Rabbi Jacobson's home in Monsey, NY.

Q and A with Australian Jewish Community: On Sunday, 6 Tishrei, 5782, September 12, 2021, Rabbi YY Jacobson addressed the Jewish community of Australia via zoom. The event was organized by Rabbi Moshe and Dinah Kahn, leaders of Chabad Youth Melbourne, and it featured Michal Oshman, author of the book "What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?", and Rabbi YY, addressing the challenges during the Australian Covid lockdown.

Shavuos Women's Class: This weekly women's class waspresented on Tuesday, Parshas Bamidbar, 29 Iyar, 5781, May 11, 2021, live from Rabbi YY Jacobson's home in Monsey, NY.

Women's Class Pesach: This weekly women's class waspresented on Tuesday, Parshas Tzav, 10 Nisan, 5781, March 23, 2021, live from Rabbi YY Jacobson's home in Monsey, NY.

Purim Baal HaTanya Maamar: This weekly women's class will bepresented on Tuesday, Parshas Tetzaveh, 11 Adar, 5781, February 23, 2021, live from Rabbi YY Jacobson's home in Monsey, NY.

Lecture for South Africa Community: This zoom lecture, arranged by TheArchand TheBase, was presented for the South African Jewish community on Wednesday, 5 Adar, 5781, February 17, 2021, followed by Q and A.

Women's Purim Class : This women's class waspresented on Parshas Terumah, 30Shevat, 5780, February 25, 2020, at the Ohr Chaim Shul, Monsey, NY. The class isbased on Likkutei Sichos vol. 21 Purim.

Women's Purim Class: This women's class was presented on Tuesday Parshas Tzav, 12Adar II, 5779, March 19, 2019 at the Ohr Chaim Shul, Monsey, NY

Women's Purim Class: This women's class was presented on Tuesday Parshas Vayikra, 5Adar II, 5779, March 12, 2019, at the Ohr Chaim Shul, Monsey, NY

This women's class on Purim was presented on Tuesday, 9 Adar, 5777, March 7, 2017, at Ohr Chaim, Monsey, NY. The most special of the four mitzvos we are obligated to do on Purimlistening to the Megillah, sending gifts of food to a friend, and enjoying a feastis Matanos Laevyonim, giving gifts to the poor. Yet there is something amiss here: Why did the Bible, in the book of Esther, as well as the all of the Talmudic and halachik literature, designate the term matanos laevyonim, gifts to the poor, rather than use the standard versiontzedaka laevyonim, charity to the poor? The Talmud relates that G-d says He needs an atonement every month for diminishing the moon. If G-d feels guilty why does he not repair His actions? But how can G-d even do anything wrong? According to the Midrash, King David requested from G-d to streamline the entire world. David said: Master of the universe! Let everyone sit equally before you, both the rich and the poor. Let all people have equal means. Imagine! Thousands of years before Karl Marx, King David could not understand why is our world divided between the rich and the poor? The handicapped young man was abandoned by his parents as an infant. He has never seen them or spoken to them. After 30 years he finally met them. These were his words: Mumma, Puppa I, I am not perfect. You, too, you are also not perfect. I have forgiven you. Can you forgive me? This class, based on a talk of the Lubavithcer Rebbe, Purim 1971, explores the essence of the human struggle on earth and the unique experience of giving charity on Purim.

This Women's class about Purim was presented on Tuesday, 2 Adar, 5777, February 28, 2017, at Ohr Chaim, Monsey, NY. Four sages, Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yehudah, Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Shimon, debate how much of the megilah must be read on Purim. Three of them suggest starting at the point in the story where the Jewish angle begins. Either from mid chapter two, where Mordechai is introduced. Or from chapter three where Haman is introduced. Or from ch. 6 where the king has a sleepless night and decides to reward Mordechai. Yet the verdict and Jewish tradition till this very day follows Rabbi Meir who says that we must read or listen to the entire book of Esther, in order to fulfill our obligation on Purim. But this viewand verdictseems strange. Why would there be a religious obligation to listen on Purim to the story of a Persian Kings feast? Of how he executed his first queen? These are interesting historical stories, but why the obligation to listen to them on Purim? Why is it that we fulfill the mitzvah of hearing the Megillah only if we learn of the detailed designs at the Kings 187-day party? True, if Vashi would have not been killed, Esther would not have become queen and would not be able to save her people. Yet, this is only the prerequisite to the storynot the story itself. Why is it that if someone decides to skip ch. 1 and go straight into ch. 2, they have to rehear the Megilah, as they have not fulfilled the mitzvah? We all know that you can get away reading a novel and mastering it even if you skip the introductionthe details that describe events prior to the main story and plot? The very name Purim, which in Persian means a goral, a lot, seems strange. Haman has cast a random lot to determine the right day in which to kill all of Jews. But then why do we call it Purim in the plural, not Pur? In 1840 the First Opium War took place between China and Britain. It was essentially a conflict about foreign trade in China. Finally in 1842, the treaty of Nanjing was signed, which essentially turned Shanghai into an international city, open freely for trade for people of all countries. If you were reading a newspaper in 1842, you would not see in this story anything essential to the story of the Jewish people and our mission in the universe. Just another bloody and tragic conflict in the East. But exactly 100 years later, we all discovered that this was part of a tapestry of events that saved generations of Jews. The Megillah teaches us how to view world-events. The story of Purim is not that G-d saves the Jews from annihilation. It is a much deeper story: that the lavish feast of a mighty King is part of a vast cohesive plan. In Judaism, small fragmented details of our lives are all part of an integrated tapestry. One warm good morning by a prisoner changes history.

Thic class was presented on Sunday, Rosh Chodesh Adar 5777, Feb. 26, 2017, at Ohr Chaim, Monsey, NY. How did Mordechai persuade Esther to sacrifice her life? At first blush, the rationale he offers seems to digress from strong to weak. Mordechais argument consists of three points. We would expect the third point to offer the greatest motivation for her to go into the king. Yet his third point seems weak relative to the former two points. At this incredibly dramatic, fateful point in the Purim story, Mordechai seems to waver. Who knows? he says. Mi Yodea? Maybe this is the reason you became queen, but maybe not. These arent really the words youd want to hear before marching off into the jaws of death. It isnt quite Patrick Henrys Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death. Couldnt Mordechai have come up with anything a little more rousing? Do you see a pattern in your life? Do you recognize a rhythm? Can you perceive a plan, a plot, a story line? Can you answer what is the ultimate mission of your life? Why did your soul descend on earth? What are you meant to accomplish? Should you even try to answer the question? If you had a chance to ask G-d this question, what do you think He would answer you? Was Esther a tragic figure? At the end of the story, the Jews are saved, but she remains stuck in the palace, married to a drunk, spineless tyrant. How did Esther see her live? How should we see ours? This class is based on an address (a Sicha) by the Lubavitcher Rebbe presented on Purim 5722-1962. It explores a medieval dispute over the rationale behind Mitzvos, and understanding G-ds motives for creating the world. With these ideas, we unlock the meaning of a key exchange between Mordechai and Esther, and thereby discover a new approach to understanding and making peace with the story of our lives. We gain insight into the reason this holiday is called Purim, representing the casting of lots, where there is a mitzvah to drink till you do not know, why we cast lots on Yom Kippur on two twin goats ending up in opposite places, and why the Prophet Elijah cast lots on two bulls to send one to the idols and one to G-d.

Purim Class: In one of the most bizarre Talmudic stories (Megilah 7b), two of the greatest Talmudic sages feast on Purim together. They are inebriated and one of them slaughters his friend. The next day he brings him back to life. The following year he invites his colleague for another Purim meal. This fascinating class, based on an address bythe Lubavitcher Rebbe, re-invents the meaning of the story and applies it to our daily struggle to link heaven and earth. As the wine of Torah flowed like water, the soul left Its container. This class is based on Likkutei Sichos vol. 31 Purim.

In a book famous for its conciseness, the story of Esther stands apart as one of the most detailed and intriguing in the entire Torah. It reads like a novel, filled with suspense, mystery and drama, where events in the opening of the narrative are understood only at its conclusion. The story opens with an unexplained, outrageous and over extravagant affair, thrown by a party-animal of a king, and slowly develops into a breathtaking rollercoaster of sinister plots, unlikely heroes, hilarious ironies, and ultimately, inspiring salvation. The book of Esther, in so many ways, charts the cycle of Jewish history in Diaspora, and provides direction and answers to many contemporary questions. This class will analyze why this is the only biblical book without G-d mentioned even once. It will also analyze a Talmudic debate regarding how much of the story we must read on Purim in order to fulfill the mitzvah of hearing Megillah, and the verdict, that we must read the entire book. Why would there be a religious obligation to listen on Purim to the story of a Persian Kings feast? Of how he executed his queen? These are interesting historical stories, but why the obligation to listen to them on Purim? Why is it that we fulfill the mitzvah of hearing the Megillah only if we learn of the detailed designs at the Kings 187-day party? The class explains how the Megillah teaches us to view world-events. The story of Purim is not that G-d saves the Jews from annihilation. It is a much deeper story: that the lavish feast of a mighty King is part of a vast plan that leads to the objective of existence. The Megilah teaches us how to understand history and how to appreciate the apparent randomness of daily existence. The class explores the significance of the name Purim, and the teaching in Kabbalah that it is even greater than Yom Kippur. We also go on a journey through a fascinating Mishnah about the six days of creation and we discover the unique contribution of Purim and the Megilah to the understanding of existence and destiny.

Purim Class: When studying the Tanach we must be sensitive to nuance. The obvious question is why does the verse state that Mordechai was accepted by most of his brethren" rather than just saying that he was accepted by his brethren. The Torah is obviously trying to make a point. Not everyone liked Mordechai. But why? After all, he was the man who together with Esther was responsible for the rescue of the entire nation. The Talmud presents a fascinating interpretation. Mordechai was the preeminent Torah scholar of his generationhe was the leader of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Supreme Court. With the dramatic unfolding events of Purim, this brilliant scholar became entangled in politics. After Hamans plot was foiled, he was appointed Prime Minister of the Persian Empire. Most Jews adored Mordechaibut not all of them. But why not? The class explores a fascinating story about the Rogatchover Gaon, Rabbi Yosef Rozen (1858-1936), who refused to become a member in a committee on behalf of Russian Jewry, based on an argument between the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmud. It turns out, that Mordechai was a Jerusalem Talmud Jew. The class is based on Likkutei Sichos vol. 16 Purim.

Henry Kissinger may have been the worlds most famous Jewish diplomat, but he certainly was not the first.The Purim Megillah, named for Queen Esther, paints a picture of a smart, resourceful, courageous woman of faith. But a close reading of the story, and a proper analysis of her actions in the story also reveal her to be a masterful tactician and diplomat that even Kissinger would be blown away by. The simple question is the purpose of Esthers two banquets. What was the point of the first? And why wasnt one enough? Why couldnt she have asked what she needed the first time?These questions are answered in the Megillah by the change of a single word. According to the Maharil, the main Purim miracle took place when Achashverosh had trouble falling asleep, yet his insomnia seem to have had no really influence on the Purim story. What actually happened that night? Why could he king not fall asleep? The classexamines the relationship between Joseph Stalin and the ruthless Lavrentiy Beria, and uses it as a parallel for that of Achashverosh and Haman. Understanding this relationship and an in-depth analysis of Achashverosh will help expose the brilliant maneuvering of Queen Esther and the purpose of her two banquets. This class was presented on Sunday morning, 10 Adar, 5775, March 1, 2015, at Beis Medrash Ohr Chaim, Monsey, NY.

Purim: Reality Unmasked: The Sub-Plot of - The Jews were thrilled that they were finally invited to the Persian White House. They forgot who runs the world

Angels or Demons: The Secret of the Cherubs. Haman: A Psychological Profile