To Touch the Divine

Unsung HeroinesA businesswoman saves thousands from the Inquisition and rebuilds Jewish life across the Mediterranean, and a female Torah scholar shapes Halachic discourse while raising a family, feeding students, and caring for the sick—see the secret ways women shaped Jewish history.

Heroes and HostagesFour rabbis are captured by 10th-century pirates, Germany's foremost Jewish leader is held for ransom, and thousands of East European Jews languish in Ottoman slave markets—how did Jewish communities respond?

SHAVUOSAre we "really" the chosen ones?How can we declare that Hashem "chose us from among all nations and gave us the Torah," when in fact He offered the Torah to other nations first, and only gave it to us after theyrefused?Even more puzzling — how could He offer it to others after already telling us in Egypt, "I will take you to Me as a people"?

Influential JewsSpain's top Torah scholar leads a Muslim Army, an Amsterdam rabbi with a printshop talks England into readmitting Jews, and a rabbi teaches a Catholic scholar and saves Central Europe's Jewish books— how did they integrate Judaism into their influence?

BECHUKOTAIDon't Just Learn – Sweat!Health requires hard work. A healthy person is one who puts in effort, breaks a sweat at the gym, and exerts his body, beyond what is comfortable. In contrast, a person who lives the couch-potato easy life, is more prone to injury, and just general debilitation.In much the same manner, spiritual health also depends on toiling in Torah Parshat Bechukotai promises God's immense blessings specifically to those who toil in Torah—not just those who study regularly, although that too is significant. The extraordinary blessings are promised to those who push their limits and study Torah with effort, beyond their comfort zone.

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is a singular phenomenon throughout the generations.There is no other gravesite or yahrzeit of an individual that draws the masses as Rashbi, Meron, and Lag BaOmer do. Compare this to Rashbi's teachers and colleagues: few visit the grave of the great sage of the generation during the time of the Beis Hamikash's destruction, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai. Not everyone visits the grave of the great Tanna Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Shimon's own teacher. Yet the holy site in Meron is the second most visited religious destination in Israel—after the Kosel.What is the uniqueness of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai?

A Roman prince outwits his uncle to study Torah, an Italian priest studies his way to a new life, and a Polish noble meets an old Jew studying Talmud on a Paris park bench—see their journey to Judaism and what came next.

ACHAREI - KEDOSHIMHow to agree with those that disagree with you.It is no secret that we are living in a highly polarized era. Everything is treated as a zero- sum game. It's either you think like me, or you are unworthy of existence.Surveys show that people boycott businesses and products because of opposing views.Another survey shows that hostility within the Jewish people today is greater than the hostility between Jews and their sworn enemies.Is this the right path? Is a person defined by their views and deserving of being erased when those views are dangerous and unacceptable?This difficult question arises in a personal and intimate context as well: in the relationship with one's children. Can a parent sever ties with their child if the child is a source of anguish?

TAZRIA-METZORAWhy Gossip SellsWhat makes gossip, or lashon hara so irresistible, to the point that, as the sages say, “it is impossible to be saved from it”?What's the pleasure in Gossip? Why do we feel compelled to vent and share every flaw we discover in others?We must dive deeper and understand a revolutionary fact: lashon hara fulfills a psychological need.It is an essential tool for coping with self-criticism.Once we redefine lashon hara as meeting an emotional need, we can develop a new method to deal with this internal pressure.Man is a mirror, taught he Baal Shem, and when the reflected image is flawed, the problem is in the observer, not the mirror.Thus, when a person sees a flaw in another and makes a commotion about it, stirring everyone around over that flaw — it indicates that the problem lies within himself.If the flaw were not present in himself, he would address it quietly and productively. The fact that he focuses on the sickness and loudly defames others is primarily a reflection of his own inner issue.

SEFIRAT HAOMERYour Journey to Personal RefinementCan a person in our generation attain the feeling to holiness described in so many stories of old? Is it possible to learn to love and reach a level where we rejoice in the merit ofspending money on matzah for Passover, tefillin for a child, or a coin for the poor, just as we do when buying a new piece of furniture?The question also arises in the opposite direction: Is it possible to distance ourselves from the love of that which is forbidden? To reduce desires for transgressions and negative things?Are we truly in a position to master, indeed change our instincts, and traits?

PESACH / TZAV4 Cups of Wine, 3 Matzot. It's Meaning & Message.The structure of the Seder raises an intriguing question: why does the Seder revolve around the number four, while the most important element — the matzah — specifically comes in a set of three?Four cups of wine… Four different verses command the telling of the Haggadah and teach that the explanation should be directed toward four types of children. Preceding the section of the four sons are four blessings, the child asks THE four questions, and we eat four portions of matzah as a halachic requirement.

VAYIKRADoes G-d Care About My Prayers?As the book of Leviticus begins with and and mostly discusses Sacrifices that were brought daily in the Holy Temple. Today we pray in place of the Sacrifices. How does prayer really take its place? Does prayer really work? Does G-d really care if I pray?

PEKUDEI/ HACHODESHMake Time CountThe Previous Rebbe once said: "The clock is a silent moral preacher." Without uttering a word, the clock pierces the soul and awakens a sense of the elevated life one can live and ofthe fleeting moment that will never return.To learn to listen to the voice of the clock, we will need to dwell on the first question raised in the Torah: How did the mitzvah of sanctifying the new month merit being the firstcommandment given to Israel as a nation? What is primary, fundamental, and essential about it? After all, it is not the first among principles of thought, such as belief in G-d; it isnot the first related to human existence, like procreation; nor is it the first to be practiced in life, like circumcision.We will explore three unique ideas, and the final one will bring us back to where we began: The mitzvah of sanctifying the new month means sanctifying time—treating withseriousness the most fundamental factor in our existence, which influences every decision in life.

Lesson 6The Talmud until TodayDecoding the Talmud: Inside the Story, Substance, and Significance of the Book that Defines JudaismTalmudic literature and fifteen centuries of constant study.See how and why the Talmud became the core of Jewish law and discover the vast literature of responsa, legal codes, and commentaries that continue the conversation until today.

VAYAKHEL An Oasis in TimeWhy does Shabbat take precedence over building the Mishkan? Why was resting more urgent than constructing a home for Hashem and atoning for the sin of the Golden Calf? Especially since the ongoing service in the Mishkan—such as offering sacrifices and lighting the menorah—does override Shabbat, yet its construction did not.Another paradox: The 39 prohibited melachot (labors) of Shabbat are derived from the work done for the Mishkan. On one hand, even light, enjoyable, or convenient activities—like riding in a car or using an elevator—are forbidden. Yet strenuous physical exertion, such as walking long distances or carrying a child up flights of stairs, is allowed. What defines a forbidden work?Chassidic thought teaches that Shabbat is a preview of the future—a visit to the destination before it is complete, like stepping into a model home to spark anticipation for the final dwelling.

Decoding the TalmudInside the Story, Substance, and Significance of the Book that Defines JudaismHow the Talmud ThinksA unique method of logic—and why it matters.Understand the Babylonian Talmud's rigorous mode of legal reasoning, how it balances dueling principles to arrive at clear legal boundaries, and how its elegant logic fuels deeper learning.

PURIMIt's Time To Step UpThe first miracle of Megillas Esther is Esther herself. Nowhere else in the Torah do we find a story quite like hers: a woman dragged against her will into a gilded cage, who in a single moment overturns her fate and takes command of her people.When Mordechai rouses her to rise and fight against the decree, she reacts with astonishment? The orphan who never knew her parents?! The outcast whom the king has not summoned for thirty days?! The woman living a life fraught with challenges?!But something happens, and Esther spreads her wings. From being acted upon, she becomes the one taking action, setting the entire world into motion. First, she moves Mordechai into action, as the megillah stunningly states: "And Mordechai did all that Esther commanded him" She is crowned as the leader of the people, then, she shifts her focus to dealing with Achashverosh and Haman.

TETZAVEHWhat You Wear, MattersThe entire world watched in astonishment at the confrontation between Trump and Zelensky over the weekend. Media reports indicated that one of the reasons for Trump's anger was the attire Zelensky wore to the White House. Instead of a suit and tie, as befitting a high-level diplomatic meeting, Zelensky arrived in the black shirt he has worn since the beginning of the war—a symbol of his ongoing battle rather than a step toward the peace agreement the American president sought.The question is: how important is clothing in world-changing disputes? More broadly, why do we invest so much energy in the garments we wear?Even in the Torah, in this week's Parsha we might find a similar curiosity. Why does Parshas Tetzaveh dedicate a lengthy chapter—43 pesukim, to instructions on designing the priestly garments? What is so important about clothing that it warrants such extensive detail?Moreover, the sages teach that throughout history, people have sought to lay their hands on the priestly garments. From Adam, to Yaakov and Esav, to Achasverosh—each adorned himself with these sacred garments. This naturally raises the question: what is the significance of donning these garments? Does wearing the priestly clothing turn Ahasuerus into a priest?

Decoding the TalmudInside the Story, Substance, and Significance of the Book that Defines JudaismLesson 4To Create the TalmudHow the sages shaped its structure and substance.Meet the pivotal sages in the Talmud's story—from Rav and Shmuel's first academies to Rav Ashi and Ravina's final text—and see how they wove in stories as well as ethical and philosophical teachings.

TERUMAHWhat the Holiest Thing You Can Do?Some may say, to be holy, you need to pray all day, learn Torah all day and night or spend the maximum amount of time in the Synagogue. While this may be true this week we discover another and of equal importance way of being holy and bringing holiness in this world.As G-d ask us to build the Tabernacle, with a laundry list of items to contribute.Why do we need to build it can it just come from heaven? Why the details and so many items?

Decoding the TalmudInside the Story, Substance, and Significance of the Book that Defines JudaismDecrypting the MishnahHow the sages studied, debated, and understood the Mishnah.Discover the tools, methods, and principles the sages employed in the centuries-long effort to unpack the Mishnah's full practical implications.

MISHPATIMOpposites AttractWhat is the issue with cooking meat and milk together? After all, these are two strictly kosher, healthy, and nutritious foods, each perfect on its own—so why does mixing them make them forbidden?On the other hand, alongside the prohibition of meat and milk, there is a similar prohibition where the halachic ruling is different: Although it is forbidden to weave wool and linen together due to the prohibition of shatnez, this combination is permitted for a mitzvah. The question is, what is the difference between this and meat and milk? Why is cooking meat and milk not permitted for the sake of a mitzvah?

Decoding the TalmudInside the Story, Substance, and Significance of the Book that Defines JudaismThe MishnahThe origins, authors, and contents of Judaism's first legal code.See how Jewish law shifted from oral tradition to written code and encounter the Mishnah's precise style, tight structure, and tolerance for debate—and its spiritual significance in Jewish life.

TU BESHVATIt's What You Don't See, That Matter Most.Climbing to a higher level requires disconnecting from the previous place and declaring that we no longer desire it. One cannot ascend to a new level while remaining full of the previous one. Only after emptying oneself of the old way of life can one become a vessel for the new way of life. This is a powerful and essential message for every stage of growth in life. No one likes to leave their comfort zone, but growth is impossible without being open, free, and flexible in our fundamental assumptions.

Decoding the Talmud Inside the Story, Substance, and Significance of the Book that Defines Judaism Lesson 1 Why Jewish life orbits a book of law. Jewish law's ultimate record is the Talmud, but what is Jewish law? Explore its nature, scope, and roots in the written Torah and Oral Law—and see learning's central role in Jewish practice and culture.

BESHALACH Taking a Risk The world belongs to those who take risks and take action. To those who believe that a person must do their utmost, and Hashem adds His utmost. They do not seek certainty and statistics; rather, they create the small medium, that will contain the great miracle. But those who wish to know everything in advance and live in a world without risks – they get nowhere. Because such a world simply does not exist. Certainty exists only in the World to Come, and until then, there is much to accomplish...

BO Mindfulness Nurture a Healthy State of Mind How can we reach the lofty goal – to subjugate the mind and heart to Hashem and to control impulses and desires? Is the heart truly under our control, acting in accordance with directed orders?! After all, we must not only be refraining from doing wrong but not even wanting wrong. It requires mastery over the stirrings of the heart, not even desiring forbidden actions. The question is profound: Is it possible not to want? To suppress the impulses of the heart?! A profound secret lies within the folds of the tefillin. Its importance extends across all areas of life, both spiritual and in combating distorted thinking, doubts, and intrusive anxieties. Today, we will address the great gateway of consciousness: mastery of one's thoughts.

VAEIARA The Frog Phenomenon Much like physical ailments, in the spiritual realm too, there is a "silent killer"—a mindset that may not appear overtly as insidious like other negative thoughts, but is no less dangerous. This refers to "silent heresy" the feeling of disconnection from the greater meaning of life. A person who sees themselves as a "random number" lacking uniqueness and a noble purpose. They might believe that Hashem is great, but they themselves are small—a mere independent creature not meant to change anything. This mindset is more dangerous than its loud, atheistic counterparts. It blocks the very flow of life that drives action, turning everything cold, distant, and meaningless. This week's Torah Reading; What was the purpose of the plague of frogs? Why was there a need for such a harmless and seemingly insignificant plague that could never have broken Pharaoh?

SHEMOS It's All About Trust There are two paths in the journey of life. One can travel the natural path, living a life according to the laws of nature. However, one also has the ability to ascend to the path of trust (bitachon), relying on the goodness of the Almighty, and then matters align in that direction against all odds. Thus, instead of following the course of fate, one can recreate fate through cleaving to Hashem's love for us. Of course, the concept of bitachon raises a fundamental question that has occupied the minds of the greatest thinkers: How can a person be certain that Hashem will deal kindly with them? Perhaps they are undeserving, and Hashem has, Heaven forbid, other plans.

VAYECHI First in or Last Out Parents and educators carry two responsibilities: to present to their children or pupils a goal that needs to be reached and to manage the path to it. In other words, they must connect the destination with the current point where the student stands and make the student understand that the goal is relevant and attainable. How could Yaakov not believe Yosef? How can we understand the fact that Yaakov does not trust his son's promise, "I will do as you have said" and demands that Yosef take an oath to ensure he would bring him to the Eretz Yisrael? Yaakov knew that Yosef had a different view about the definition of a leader's role. While Yaakov demanded to be brought to Eretz Yisrael, Yosef asked his children for the opposite—to leave his coffin in Egypt until the Exodus. This reflects a sharp difference between Yaakov and Yosef regarding the essence of leadership responsibility: Is a leader the first to leave, pointing the way to the loftiest goal, or the last to leave, connecting the ultimate destination to the students; present reality? Of course, both roles are necessary and are part of the educator's overall mission.

The Art of Forgiveness: Restoring Relationships through Reconciliation How can we rebuild after hurt? Explore a realistic approach to forgiveness that addresses wrongs while overcoming resentment, rescuing connections, and rebuilding relationships.

VAYIGASH The Antidote to Life's Hardships What if you could find a switch, a hidden key, that would enable you to bypass all of life's hardships, and end up safely on the other side? The idea is that a Jew must rise above and beyond themselves. Hashem does not compromise on fulfilling our purpose and demands that each of us live and breathe our life mission. Therefore, the more a person elevates themselves above their own ego and accepts the yoke of Hashem, there is no need to bring them closer through negative means. To fully understand this concept, let us raise a question central to our history: How did most of the years in Egypt become comfortable and even pleasurable? How did the severe decree of 430 years of slavery in Egypt end up being reduced to just one-fifth of that—86 years—while the remaining years were more comfortable than life in the Land of Israel? The answer is powerful: They had the wisdom to choose a more comfortable form of servitude. They chose to dedicate themselves to Hashem through the sweet path of Torah study in the yeshivah. By doing so, there was no need for painful slavery in Egypt. However, after many years passed and the last of Yaakov's sons who had descended with him to Egypt died, the next generation, born in Egypt, abandoned the yeshivah. At that point, G-d was compelled to fulfill the decree of slavery in its literal sense. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support

CHANUKAH Combating Darkness, How? On Chanukah we kindle the Menorah, each lighting one candle more than the day before. Why not light the entire Menorah every night? The talmud debates this method? We look at the various opinions and glean some very practical lessons in how we combat the darkness in us and the world around us. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support

The Art of Influence: Guiding Others with Love and EffectivenessLearn the limits of “live and let live.” See how Jewish texts chart a kind, considerate, and effective path for offering critique and guidance grounded in genuine love and respect. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support

VAYEISHEV Follow Your Dreams Yoseph's path to greatness is paved with dreams: he dreams dreams, he interprets dreams, and he brings dreams to fruition. At first, he dreams on his own; then, he interprets the dreams of the chief cupbearer and chief baker and advances them toward fulfillment; and finally, he actively becomes the person who brings Pharaoh's dreams to reality, thus beginning to fulfill his own dreams. This class in memory of Michoel Kazennelenbogen Hy"D. Yartzeit 15 Kislev. Killed in communist Russia 86 years ago. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support

The Art of Positivity: Uncovering More Good in Those around Us How can we stay connected to flawed people? Learn to identify biases that misconstrue our view of others, and unlock the tools Jewish thought offers for seeing the goodness hiding in plain sight. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support

VAYEITZEI Nurturing V/s Coddling When delving deeper in the story of Jacob we see the education Yitzchok gave his children and grandchildren. We glean from here the methods to nurture our children without coddling them, helping them grow through the challenges life brings without resentment. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support

Lesson 3The Art of Disagreeing: Navigating Differences with Respect and UnderstandingDoes love conquer all? Explore when direct communication on hard topics is healthy, and when it's not, and see how to sidestep personal offense, maintain grace, and achieve growth while navigating conflict. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support

TOLDOT Loving the Wayward Child After years of painful infertility and childlessness, Yitzchk and Rivka are finally blessed with –not one, but- two children. Yaakov, we know is the dream boy. Perfect even in the womb. Esav, on the other hand, must've been every parent's worst nightmare. Chazal teach us that by age 15 he'd already violated the three capital sins of Yiddishkeit, and was a ruthless killer. How do Yitzchak and Rivka handle this? How does every parent, faced with a wayward child, manage the challenge? There's the threat he or she poses in terms of bad influence on the younger siblings. There's the shame, the personal injury to one's own parenting, and of course stigma. Yitzchak shows us the way, and it's not what you might think. Is your child rebelling? Love him/her extra hard – squeeze them extra tight. The Rebbe taught to love every single Jew, especially those struggling with their faith. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support

The Art of Listening: Enhancing Connection through Mindful Communication See how your attention shapes every relationship. Discover the power of attentive listening and why every word shared is worthwhile, and gain practical tools for effective, active listening. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support

VAYEIRA To Decay, or To Germinate? Energy in a Lifeless Matter There's an interesting detail in the story of the passing of Sarah, that goes almost unnoticed in a superficial read of this week's Parsha. Why is Sarah buried in Chevron? Was she living there? An important lesson comes to fore: the emphasis on the sanctity of life, and the sanctity of the human body. We'll learn that Avraham went to great lengths to afford Sarah a dignified resting place, and we will draw out important life lessons for ourselves today. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support

The Art of Empathy: Nurturing Soulful Bonds and Deepening Relationships Unlock the source of all great social connections and see how Judaism's understanding of empathy enables deep, meaningful friendships that nourish your soul. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support

VAYEIRA Tapping Your inner Core What are we to make of this enormous challenge thrown to a father who had a child in – his only child- in his old age? At the peak moment of the test of the akedah, when Yitzchak lies on the altar with the knife raised at his neck, Avraham hears the angel call, “Do not stretch out your hand against the boy.” Avraham looks out into the distance and sees “another ram caught in the thicket by its horns.” Avraham takes the ram from the bushes and sacrifices it in place of his son. The act of the binding explains the essence of a test and the tremendous opportunity it presents to a person. A test is not an examination or obstacle, but a springboard that elevates a person beyond superficiality. It removes all secondary motives for existence and activates the true source of strength within us. Understanding the essence of a test gives a person the power to overcome it with ease and maximum success, much like the perfect analogy presented in the commentary. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support

LECH LECHA From Brother To Foe Looking at the current state of affairs in world, the war, the casualties, the hate and all the rest, it's tempting to wonder…what if? What if Isaac and Ishmael were never pitted against one another, unleashing animosity that would outlive many empires until our present day? Or –deeper yet- what if Yishmael had never come along altogether?! In many ways, the seeds of the problem were sown in this week's Parsha, when Avram, upon Sarai's instruction marries Hagar and fathers Ishmael, and the rest is history. We will discover an almost prophetic teaching by Rabbi Chaim Vital, that appears to be talking about our current predicament. We will connect the dots of history, and unearth an entirely different understanding to this war, and our place in it. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support

NOACH A Light Onto the Nations The responsibility of the Jewish people to spread faith and the Seven Noachide Laws to all of humanity. Through their unsolicited leap onto the world stage, the people of Israel have an opportunity to fulfill their historical mission to be a light unto the nations and a guide to recognizing faith in G-d. This difficult war is being fought on several fronts. The world marvels at Israeli strength, and intelligent, unbiased people ask themselves: What is the story of this tiny nation performing wonders that even superpowers cannot achieve? These questions can lead to a reflection on Jewish history, which cannot be understood without belief in Divine Providence that intervenes in history and guides nature. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support

SUKKOT A G-dly Embrace Why is Sukkot celebrated in the fall, after the High Holidays? What are we actually commemorating? As we explore the mystical meaning of the Holiday of Sukkot we will come to appreciate the G-dly embrace we each receive during the festival of Sukkot. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support

YOM KIPPUR CHANGING THE PAST ‘Pretend it never happened.' Many times that's our first instinct when we are faced with conclusive proof of our own misdeed. We wish we could sweep those ugly moments under the rug, or perhaps turn back time; but we can't. So what are we to make of a transgression we've committed? We're not just talking about how to learn from the mistake, or how to nor repeat it. We are asking, if it's possible to rectify those moments in the past. And if yes, how? Transgressions are not accidents that need to be stuffed in a drawer, but rather a call from heaven for a new beginning. A transgression is an opportunity sent from above to step on painful spots and thereby energize the strongest thirst and longing for creating fundamental change. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support

ROSH HASHANA How To Raise Great Children Rosh Hashanah is the Day of Judgment, on which our fate is decided for the upcoming year. An intriguing fact is that among all the requests and needs, the request for children is placed at the center. This is particularly evident in the two Torah Readings and the two Haftorahs on the two days of Rosh Hashanah. While on all the Holidyas we read about the day's themes, Rosh Hashanah stands out as an exception: the reading for the second day does indeed discuss the Akedah which is related to the theme of judgment, but the reading for the first day and both Haftorahs on the two days focus on a personal and intimate theme: parents and children. Since this is the case, we want to delve into the secrets of the two women from the two Haftarot: How does one merit the miracle of having wishes granted as they did? How did Chana merit to give birth to and raise a giant of a son like Shmuel Hanavi? And what in Rochel's actions earned her the immense and greatest promise of all— the redemption of the children, And the children shall return to their homes? --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support

NITZAVIM G-D Believes In You. The power of sincerity lies therein that it cannot be faked; or at least not easily. Try reading a scripted apology to a friend you've hurt – it's not going to go over well. But what if you've become a pro at sincere routines? Is that still genuine enough to count? Each year on Rosh Hashana we promise Hashem the world; ‘ I will change – I promise' ‘This time it's for real' and then of course, life derails our plans to varying degrees and one year later we are back making promises we already didn't keep once. Which begs the question: how do we do this with a whole heart? How can we commit to accepting the yoke of Heaven on Rosh Hashanah? After all, we've tried ten times and have not succeeded. G-d believes in us because we truly do intend to change. In that moment we truly are sincere and wholehearted, notwithstanding our checkered past and broken promises. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support

TAVO The Hardest Word to Pronounce We live in a generation that does not admit to mistakes. Therefore, we must elaborate on one of the fundamental principles of the mitzvah of repentance: the recognition that I am responsible! The understanding that I am responsible for my choices. Responsibility means that no force in the world – external or internal – can make me do something I do not want to do, and if I did something, it is because this is the place where I am comfortable being. This understanding does not weaken but, on the contrary, grants immense power to correct. It keeps control in my hands and says that if I made a mistake, I will also know how to rise and change. On the other hand, the opposite perception, which attributes my actions to others, ties me to the actions of others and eternally entangles me in the cycle of sin. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support

TZEITZEI How To Win The War The Torah frames our reality in just one word at the beginning of our Parsha:"When you go out to war over your enemies, Hashem your G-d will deliver them into your hands." Over your enemies&—not against or facing your enemies. Our Chassidic Masters explain this important detail as follows: this is the secret of all secrets: there is no comparison between us and the enemy. This is not a struggle between two equal forces where sometimes one wins and sometimes the other, but a battle between holiness and a facade, between truth and a temporary test designed to make us rise beyond ourselves. Therefore, it is promised that if we go to war with divine confidence and are worthy of miracles—we will win. This applies both to the general war and to the personal war against the internal enemy: we get swept away and drawn by the allures and temptations of pleasure produced by the evil inclination, out of fear that we are missing out on real pleasure. But the truth is that it is a test and a springboard to reveal the inner strengths of the Jew. The evil inclination itself is a holy divine creation, meant to lead to victory in the realization of the purpose of creation. Therefore, all that is required is to close our eyes and ears, leap over it, and immediately discover how all that is a just lie. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support