Orthodox Rabbi, and the founder and first Rebbe of Chabad
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In 1725, Rabbi Zalman Hena published Shaarei Tefilah and sparked controversy by calling for a complete stop to the use of taam ha'elyon—the unique system of trop traditionally used for reading the Aseres Hadibros. Rabbi Yaakov Emden wasn't having it and fired back forcefully in his Luach Eresh. This class unpacks their debate, the sources they cite, the Alter Rebbe's position, and what we know about the two competing systems of trop for reliving Matan Torah. Up High or Down Low? The Battle Over the Proper Trop for the Aseres Hadibros
Rabbi Jacobson will discuss the following topics:What is the connection between this Omer period, Lag B'Omer and the weekly Torah portion? Revealing the hidden and deeper good even in negative experiences What is the central theme of this week's Torah chapter? Is Judaism rigid or flexible? Static or dynamic? What personal and global lessons does it offer us for our times? Why are some blessings so great that they have to be hidden within curses? Is it appropriate to get an aliya when they read the tochacho? Why did the Mitteler Rebbe not learn from the Alter Rebbe's previous readings that the curses are actually blessings? Can we say that the only reason we are still in golus is due to the pleasure Hashem gets from our effort to overcome the darkness and the challenges it presents? What is the difference between Lag B'Omer and Yud Tes Kislev? Should Israel be relying on America for protection? What can we learn from Rashbi's criticizing the Roman government? Why does Lag B'omer, the Mattan Torah of the Inner Torah, precede Shavuos? Is the Zohar the source of Chassidus? Why did Rabbi Akiva's students stop dying? Why are we allowed to sing during the days of Sefirah? What is the difference between sefiros and partzufim? What is the personal application of Yesod? Is this week a good time to receive blessings to conceive healthy children?Can you share a few stories about his relationship with the Rebbe?
התוכן עה"פ [ברביעי דפ' אמור] "ובקוצרכם את קציר ארצכם לא תכלה פאת שדך בקוצרך וגו'" מפרש רש"י "אמר רב אבדימי ברבי יוסף מה ראה הכתוב ליתנן [הענין דמתנות עניים] באמצע הרגלים . . ללמדך שכל הנותן לקט ושכחה ופאה כראוי מעלין עליו כאילו בנה בית המקדש והקריב עליו קרבנות בתוכו". הביאור בזה שרש"י בחר גירסה זו שבתורת כהנים (מקור דבריו), ולא גירסה הנפוצה "כאילו ביהמ"ק קיים והוא מקריב קרבנות בתוכו": אף שנתינת הצדקה בכלל נחשבת כמו ש"נותן חיי נפשו לה'" כיון ש"במעות אלו הי' יכול לקנות חיי נפשו" (אדה"ז באגה"ק), אבל בזה גופא ישנה מעלה מיוחדת במעות "שאדם נותן מיגיע כפיו", וזהו המעלה שבנתינת פאה ולקט וכיו"ב שהאדם מתייגע בחרישה וזריעה וכו' עד שהשיגם – "בזיעת אפך תאכל לחם", והוא נותן א"ז לעניים אפי' קודם שהוא בעצמו נהנה מהתבואה. ולכן אף שנתינת הצדקה סתם ה"ז (רק) כהקרבת קרבנות אבל נתינת פאה וכיו"ב ה"ז גם "כאילו בנה בהמ"ק וכו'".ג' חלקים משיחת מוצש"ק פ' אמור ה'תשל"ח ל"הנחה פרטית" או התרגום ללה"ק של השיחה: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=14-05-2025 Synopsis On the verse (in revi'i of parashas Emor) “When you reap the harvest of your land, you must not fully reap the corner of your field during your harvesting…” Rashi states: “Rabbi Avdimi the son of Rabbi Yosef said: Why did Scripture see fit to place this in the middle of the festivals…To teach you that whoever who gives leket, shik'cha and pe'ah properly is considered as if he built the Beis Hamikdash and offered up his sacrifices in it.” Rashi's wording differs from the common version of the source text in Toras Kohanim, which states, “as if the Beis Hamikdash were standing and he were offering up sacrifices in it.” The reason Rashi uses the less common version is because while a person who gives tzedakah in general is considered as though he is “giving his soul's life to Hashem,” since “with this money he could have purchased his soul's life” (as the Alter Rebbe says in Iggeres HaKodesh), nevertheless, there is a unique quality to the tzedakah one gives from money he earned from the toil of his own hands. This is the special quality of pe'ah and leket etc., where a person necessarily has labored for it by plowing and sowing etc. – yet he gives it to the poor even before he has a chance to benefit from the produce himself. Therefore, while ordinary tzedakah is considered (only) like offering up sacrifices, giving pe'ah etc. is also considered “as if he built the Beis Hamikdash.”3 excerpts from sichah of Motzaei Shabbos Parashas Emor 5738 For a transcript in English of the Sicha: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=14-05-2025 לע"נ ר' אליהו ב"ר יוסף מנחם מענדל ע"ה טענענבוים ליום היארצייט שלו ט"ז איירתנצב"הנדבת בנו ר' לוי יצחק שי' טענענבוים ומשפחתו שי'
The Wrong Advice We Give People Suffering from AnxietyThis text-based class is the Sixth & Last of a series on a Maamar (discourse) by the Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, Sos Tasis, Likkutei Torah Parshas Tazria (said by the Alter Rebbe at the wedding of his grandson, Reb Nachum, in the winter of 1811). This class was presented on Monday, 14 Iyar, 5785, May 12, 2025, Parshas Emor, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.View Source Sheets: http://portal.theyeshiva.net/api/source-sheets/9683
Sometimes I Need to Feel that I Lost Everything to Discover that I Have EverythingThis text-based class, the fifth of a series on a Maamar (discourse) by the Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, Sos Tasis, Likkutei Torah Parshas Tazria (said by the Alter Rebbe at the wedding of his grandson, Reb Nachum, in the winter of 1811). This class was presented on Friday, 111 Iyar, 5785, May 9, 2025, Parshas Acharei Mos/Kedoshim, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.View Source Sheets: http://portal.theyeshiva.net/api/source-sheets/9682
Only When You Experience the Infinite Love Can You Surrender EverythingThis text-based class is the fourth of a series on a Maamar (discourse) by the Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, Sos Tasis, Likkutei Torah Parshas Tazria (said by the Alter Rebbe at the wedding of his grandson, Reb Nachum, in the winter of 1811). This class, exploring the love we experience from Hasshem when we are open to our profound longing for Him, vs. the love we experience when He arouses it from above, was presented on Thursday, 10 Iyar, 5785, May 8, 2025, Parshas Acharei Mos/Kedoshim, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.View Source Sheets: http://portal.theyeshiva.net/api/source-sheets/9678
התוכן הוראה בענין "ואהבת לרעך כמוך" [בשני דפ' קדושים] מסיפור הבא: לאחרי הסתלקות אדה"ז היו לצ"צ כמה ספיקות שרצה שאדה"ז יפתור לו, אלא שלא הצליח בזה וכו', עד שפעם א' נגש אליו יהודי לפני התפלה ובקש ממנו הלואה כדי שיוכל לקנות בו עגל עבור פרנסתו (זה הי' יום שוק), הזדרז הצ"צ והלך מיד, לפני התפלה, לביתו והביא לו את ההלואה וכו'. כשחזר - נראה אליו אדה"ז בפנים מאירות ופתר לו את ספיקותיו. והרי בודאי קיים הצ"צ בפועל כל יום את מה ש"נכון לומר לפני התפלה הריני מקבל עלי.. ואהבת לרעך כמוך" ואת הענין של "יהיב פרוטה לעני והדר מצלי", ולאידך - לא הי' כ"כ חשוב שיתן לו את ההלואה דוקא לפני התפלה, והי' יכול לטעון שמספיק לאהוב את השני "כמוך" והוא הי' דוחה א"ז עד לאחרי התפלה, ומ"מ דוקא הזריזות לעזור לשני יותר מ"כמוך" - זה מה שפעל שאדה"ז נראה אליו וכו'!משיחת אור לכ"ט אלול ה'תשל"ו ל"הנחה פרטית" או התרגום ללה"ק של השיחה: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=08-05-2025 Synopsis A lesson regarding the mitzvah to “Love your fellow like yourself” (in sheini of parashas Kedoshim): After the histalkus of the Alter Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek had a number of questions he wanted to ask the Alter Rebbe, but he didn't merit for the Alter Rebbe to appear to him until one day a Jew approached him before davening and asked for a loan so he could purchase a calf from which to earn his livelihood (it was market day). The Tzemach Tzedek hurried back home – before davening – and leant him the money. When he returned to shul, the Alter Rebbe appeared to him with a radiant face and resolved his questions. Now, the Tzemach Tzedek undoubtedly kept the practice of “accepting upon myself the positive mitzvah to love your fellow like yourself” and “giving a coin to a pauper” before davening every day. Moreover, there was an argument to be made that it's enough to “love your fellow like yourself” – and since he wouldn't have dealt with his own livelihood until after davening, he didn't have to take care of someone else's livelihood until after davening either. Nevertheless, it was specifically this alacrity in helping another Jew even more than “like yourself” that caused the Alter Rebbe to appear to him etc.Excerpt from sichah of night of Erev Rosh Hashanah 5736. For a transcript in English of the Sicha: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=08-05-2025 לע"נ מרת שרה זיסל ב"ר משה הלוי ע"ה וויינבוים ליום היארצייט שלה י' אייר. ת.נ.צ.ב.ה.
The Rebbe expresses surprise at the lack of updates since the writer's wedding, emphasizing that marriage should not interrupt one's mission, especially in spreading Chassidus and involvement in Tzeirei Agudas Chabad. He encourages a detailed report and reminds that, per the Alter Rebbe's ruling, one can and should continue learning after marriage https://www.torahrecordings.com/rebbe/igroskodesh/015/008/5387
What Does It Feel Like in the Body to Be Completely Subsumed Inside Hashem?This text-based class, the third of a series on a Maamar (discourse) by the Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, Sos Tasis, Likkutei Torah Parshas Tazria (said by the Alter Rebbe at the wedding of his grandson, Reb Nachum, in the winter of 1811). This class was presented on Monday, 7 Iyar, 5785, May 5, 2025, Parshas Acharei Mos-Kedoshim, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.View Source Sheets: https://portal.theyeshiva.net/api/source-sheets/9677
You Can Experience Yourself the way Hashem Experiences You: As Absolute infinityThis text-based class, the second of a series on a Maamar (discourse) by the Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Schnuer Zalman of Liadi, Sos Tasis, Likkutei Torah Parshas Tazria (said by the Alter Rebbe at the wedding of a grandson, Reb Nachum, in the winter of 1811). This class was presented on Thursday, 3 Iyar, 5785, May 1, 2025, Parshas Tazria Metzora, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.View Source Sheets: http://portal.theyeshiva.net/api/source-sheets/9664
Better an Open Beating Heart Feeling Pain, than a Closed, Lifeless Heart that Went NumbThis text-based class, the first of a series on a Maamar (discourse) by the Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Schnuer Zalman of Liadi, Sos Tasis, Likkutei Torah Parshas Tazria (said by the Alter Rebbe at the wedding of a grandson, Reb Nachum, in the winter of 1811), was presented on Monday, 30 Nissan, 5785, April 28, 2025, Parshas Tazria Metzora, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.View Source Sheets: http://portal.theyeshiva.net/api/source-sheets/9647