Podcasts about avraham

This class explores the theme of forgiveness in Parshas Chukas, examining Rashi's insights, stories from Avraham and Moshe, and the Rebbe's analysis of different levels of forgiveness. Discover how true forgiveness refines character and paves the way for redemption. https://www.torahrecordings.com/classes/by_parsha/004_bamidbar/006_chukas/029

This class explores Bilam's determination to follow his own path despite knowing it was not truly Hashem's will, contrasting it with the persistence of good exemplified by Avraham. Reflections on Gimel Tammuz and the Rebbe's teachings highlight hope, redemption, and spiritual resilience. https://www.torahrecordings.com/classes/by_parsha/004_bamidbar/007_balak/004

The Gemara (Sanhedrin 93a) tells the story of two false Jewish prophets who lived during the time of the Babylonian King Nevuchadnetzar. The king accused them of prophesying falsely, and decreed that they should be thrown into a furnace. He said that if they were real prophets, then they would miraculously survive, just as three righteous Jews – Hananya, Mishael and Azarya – had previously emerged unscathed from the furnace. The two prophets argued that the merit of three righteous men exceeds that of just two, and so this trial was unfair. Nevuchadnetzar allowed them to choose a third person with whom to be cast into the furnace, and they selected the tzadik Yehoshua Kohen Gadol, hoping that his merit would protect them. The three was thrown into the furnace – and Yehoshua miraculously survived, while the two prophets perished. However, Yehoshua's garment was burned by the fire. Yehoshua was asked why his clothes were burned, whereas Avraham Avinu, when he was thrown into a furnace many centuries earlier, emerged completely unscathed, without even his garments being ruined. Yehoshua answered that since he was in the furnace together with two wicked people, the fire was given permission to consume, and so his garments were burned. Avraham, by contrast, was thrown into the furnace alone, and so the fire was not granted the power to consume anything. This story is teaching us a sobering but important truth: when we are in bad company, we get "burned" to some extent. Even if we succeed in "surviving," in maintaining our beliefs and values, we are likely to be affected. Let us take the example of a person who works with people who routinely use foul, vulgar language. He will, hopefully, "survive," and manage to refrain from speaking the way they do – but he will probably end up using words that he should not use; his standards are likely to be compromised in some way. After Korah and his followers challenged Moshe Rabbenu, launching an audacious uprising against Moshe's authority, Hashem told Moshe and Aharon, הבדלו מתוך העדה הזאת – that they must "separate," or withdraw, from this evil group of people, and Hashem would destroy them (16:21). Later, after Korah and his men were killed, the people continued protesting and arguing, and so Hashem commanded Moshe and Aharon, הרמו מתוך העדה הזאת – to "lift" themselves out of this nation, and He would destroy them. Aharon eventually saved the nation by bringing an incense offering. What's important for our purposes is the distinction between these two terms – הבדלו and הרמו . When possible, we are advised to "separate," to withdraw. Sometimes, there is a small group of people that we don't need to be with, or a small event that we don't need to attend. We need to have the conviction to withdraw, to refuse to go where we shouldn't go, to refuse to be in the company of people who pull us down, who cause us to be "burned" in one way or another. But sometimes withdrawing isn't an option. We all have people and settings that we cannot avoid, that are always going to be part of our lives – such as family members or coworkers. Regarding these, the Torah commands us: הרמו . We need to lift ourselves, to have the courage and confidence to keep ourselves high even when others are trying to pull us down. We do not need to be the product of our surroundings, or even be influenced by our surroundings. We have the capacity to lift ourselves above what is going on around us. The Midrash famously comments that the ארבע מינים – the four species we hold on Sukkot – represent the four different kinds of Jews. The etrog , with its delicious taste and pleasant fragrance, symbolizes the righteous person who both studies Torah and performs good deeds. The aravah , which features neither taste nor scent, symbolizes the Jew with neither Torah nor good deeds to his credit. The hadas branch has a fragrant scent but bears no fruit, while the lulav (palm branch) produces luscious dates but has no aroma – symbolizing those Jews who learn but do not perform mitzvot , or who perform mitzvot but do not learn. We bring the four species together to symbolize unity, the harmonious blending of the many different types of Jews. Significantly, however, while the lulav , aravot and hadasim are bound together, the etrog stands apart. It is held closely with the other three species – but is not tied with them. This shows that to be an " etrog " – to achieve greatness – we sometimes need to stand alone, to withdraw, to rise above. The etrog is held together with the other three species because the righteous person must, on the one hand, stand together with the rest of the people, without snobbery or elitism. However, on the other hand, the etrog remains separate – because one cannot be an " etrog " without occasionally pulling away from those who might keep him down. May Hashem give us the strength we need to withdraw when we need to, and to elevate ourselves when we need to, so we can continue to grow and achieve without anyone or anything ever stopping us.

Avraham rushes to host three strangers and personally oversees every detail. Everything, that is, except the water. For that, he sends a messenger.Rabbi Bentzi Epstein and Tom unpack a chain of cause and effect that stretches from Avraham's tent to the rock that Moshe struck, and from there to a question: when you delegate a mitzvah, does something get lost?There is also a tree. One planted by Avraham for the shade of passing strangers. The same wood, centuries later, would be used to build the Mishkan, the portable Tabernacle where the Divine presence rested in the desert. What you do with your hands in this world, it turns out, leaves a longer trail than you think.

Send us Fan MailPDF WORKSHEET HERE https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/euwxk4fy1yzrnskwp3vx2/Lesson-3-Kabbalah-for-Everyone-Sechel-Middot.pdf?rlkey=d8c74r14gkmqmtxidzdwtx9gu&dl=0In Lesson 3 of Kabbalah for Everyone, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath explores one of the most practical ideas in Kabbalah: the relationship between Sechel and Middot — the mind and the emotions.We all know the struggle. Sometimes our mind knows the right thing, but our heart is not interested in attending the meeting. Other times, our emotions are so strong that our mind becomes the intern in the back of the room taking notes. Kabbalah teaches that healthy living is not about shutting down emotion, and it is not about letting feelings run the show. The goal is Middot Al Pi Sechel, emotions guided by wisdom. In this class, we'll learn how intellect can give direction to emotion, how emotion can give warmth and life to intellect, and how real spiritual maturity happens when the mind and heart stop fighting and start becoming partners. Based on the chapter “Sechel and Middos: Intellect and Emotions.”Key Takeaways1. Sechel means the mind: Sechel is our ability to think clearly, step back, analyze, and ask: What is true? What is right? What is really happening here?2. Middot means the heart: Middot are our emotions and character traits — love, fear, anger, compassion, desire, excitement, frustration, and kindness.3. The mind alone can become cold: A person can understand something intellectually and still not be moved by it. Knowing the truth is important, but it has to become alive in the heart.4. Emotions alone can become messy: Feelings are powerful, but without guidance they can go too far. Even love can become unhealthy when it has no boundaries.5. Kabbalah wants partnership, not domination: The goal is not for the mind to crush the heart or for the heart to hijack the mind. The goal is for the mind to guide the heart, and the heart to energize the mind.6. Real love is not always giving someone what they want: Sometimes love says yes. Sometimes love says no. The parent taking a dangerous object away from a child is not being cruel; that is love guided by wisdom.7. Avraham's kindness was not wild kindness: Avraham Avinu embodied chesed, but his kindness was guided by truth and purpose. That is the model of healthy emotion: warm, powerful, and directed.8. Emotional maturity means pausing before reacting: Before we act from a feeling, we ask: Is this feeling true? Is it proportionate? Is it helping me become the person Hashem wants me to be?#KabbalahForEveryone #Rabbiyisroelbernath #SechelAndMiddot #Sechel #Middot #MindAndHeart #chassidus #ChabadChassidus #JewishWisdom #PracticalKabbalah #EmotionalGrowth #spiritualgrowth #InnerWork #Kabbalah #KabbalahForRealLife #kabala #qabbalaAvailable now:Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4tPFZhVSupport the showGot your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.comSingle? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone.Donate and support Rabbi Bernath's work http://www.jewishndg.com/donateFollow Rabbi Bernath's YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernathAccess Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

The very fact that we learn the concept of a minyan from the Meraglim teaches that they were not ordinary sinners. They were holy people with holy intentions. Having just received the Torah, they wanted to preserve their intense closeness to Hashem in the spiritually elevated environment of the מדבר. Their mistake was believing that the ultimate goal was personal spiritual growth. Yehoshua and Calev understood that Hashem's true desire was for the Yidden to enter Eretz Yisrael, engage the physical world, and transform it into a dwelling place for holiness.The Rebbe connects this idea to the Rambam's highest level of serving Hashem. Beyond serving out of fear or even out of love lies the level of Avraham Avinu—doing what is true simply because it is true. Not because of any reward, benefit, or even spiritual closeness, but solely because it is Hashem's will. While not everyone can attain Avraham's feelings of love, every Jew can attain his actions by choosing to do what Hashem wants. The lesson is that true greatness comes not from pursuing our own spiritual experience, but from putting ourselves aside and dedicating ourselves completely to Hashem's truth.לקו״ש לג-ב

Welcome to Daily Bitachon. We are now in Sha'ar HaBechina [The Gate of Reflection], in our final chapter. We are continuing with the lesson the Chafetz Chaim taught us, which builds on what the Chovos HaLevavos told us: our understanding of God in this world is extremely limited. Because of this limited understanding, it can look like the world is haphazard, out of control, or like chas v'shalom [God forbid] God is unable to fix what needs fixing—all because we focus on a minor rebellion in this small corner of creation. The truth is, every single day in our tefillah [prayer], we give over this exact message: Hashem is constantly sustaining a massive universe. The angels recognize this completely, but down here, we don't. We are limited to what God has revealed to us in this physical world, which is primarily His middot [attributes]. We understand the three intellectual faculties of the mind: chochma (wisdom), bina (understanding), and da'at (knowledge). God revealed those three areas of intellect, and He also revealed seven emotional middot : gedula (greatness/lovingkindness), gevura (strength/restraint), tiferet (glory/harmony), netzach (eternity/victory), hod (splendor), yesod (foundation/all-encompassing), and malchut (kingship/kingdom). God revealed these traits to us, and they correspond to the seven great tzaddikim [righteous pillars] who each perfected one of them. As we've mentioned before, Avraham symbolizes chesed (kindness); Yitzchak is gevura (strength); Yaakov Avinu is tiferet (glory/harmony between kindness and strength); Moshe symbolizes netzach (eternity); Aharon symbolizes hod (splendor/shining); Yosef HaTzaddik is yesod (the foundation, which also connects to the phrase " ki chol " from the verse, as they share the same numerical value); and malchut is David HaMelech. These are the divine traits we can actually grasp down here. We read about them and say them every single day. Look inside Vayivarech David : "And David blessed Hashem in the presence of the entire congregation. David said, 'Blessed are You, Hashem, the God of Israel, our forefather, from this world to the world to come.'" Parenthetically, notice how he explicitly mentions "from this world to the world to come"—the two worlds created by the two letters of His Name, just like we discussed in the last class. The verse continues: "Yours, Hashem, is the greatness (1), the strength (2), the splendor (3), the triumph (4), the glory (5), even everything in the heaven and the earth (6). Yours, Hashem, is the kingdom (7), and the sovereignty over every leader." So now it is clear: in this world, God revealed these seven middot to us. The verse continues: " Wealth and honor come from You, and You rule everything. " Right at this point in the davening, there is a beautiful custom to give three coins to charity. Why? Because at the exact moment we achieve total clarity in God's absolute control over the world's wealth, we give tzedakah to show we realize, "This isn't coming out of my pocket. It's Yours, God. You own it all." The prayer continues: " In Your hand is power and strength, and it is in Your hand to make anyone great or strong. And now, our God, we thank You and praise Your splendorous name. " They blessed His glorious Name, which is exalted above all blessings and praise. Then we take the next step: " It is You alone, Hashem, You have made the heaven and the most exalted heaven, and all their legions, the earth and everything upon it, the seas and everything in them, and You give them all life. " What does it mean, " You give them all life " ( v'Ata mechayeh et kulam )? The Chafetz Chaim points out, quoting the Zohar , that the text doesn't say God gave life in the past ( hecheyata ), but rather mechayeh —He is continuously giving life at this very microsecond. We've discussed this concept before from Rav Moshe Cordovero's Tomer Devorah . In the first divine trait of " Mi El Kamocha " [Who is a God like You], he writes that the world doesn't just keep existing today because it existed yesterday. It exists at this exact moment only because God is actively pumping vital energy into creation. The mashal for this is a large, inflatable bounce house that kids play in. It stays upright and full only because an air pump is running continuously. If you pull the plug, all the air is released instantly and it collapses. This world requires constant, active energizing. We don't see that with our physical eyes, and we don't naturally realize it. But the angels above? They see it clearly. The angels see exactly what is going on. They see that Hashem is constantly energizing everything, and that nothing moves without Him. The Tomer Devorah says that even when you bend your finger, that motion is being directly channeled by God's energy. Because they see this reality, the verse says: " U'tzva ha'shamayim Lecha mishtachavim "—"And the heavenly legions bow to You." They understand what we fail to grasp. They know that among the thousands upon thousands of angelic hosts, no angel has ever had a day without "dinner." Do you know how massive these angels are? The Gemara in Chullin (91b) tells us that the angel Gavriel measures an unimaginable size: two thousand parsa . If we translate that, we are talking about an entity that is thousands of miles high. Other angels are even larger, spanning what we would call light-years across the cosmos. Yet, God has absolutely no problem sustaining and fueling these gigantic spiritual entities. The Chafetz Chaim looks at this and asks: How can we—whom he compares to a tiny, insignificant onion peel—worry about where our parnasa [livelihood] is going to come from? Imagine the foolishness of that anxiety! We continue along the same daily prayer track: " It is You, Hashem, the God who selected Avram, brought him out of Ur Kasdim, and made his name Avraham. " The text walks us right through the foundational history of the Jewish people—the bitter times in Egypt, the miraculous Exodus, and the splitting of the Sea ( Kriat Yam Suf ). Then we break into Shirat HaYam [the Song of the Sea], the ecstatic song of praise beginning with " Az Yashir ." As Rashi notes in Tractate Berachos , all of this historical and cosmic imagery is designed to build our awe and get us ready to stand before the King in the Shemoneh Esrei [the standing prayer]. We need this exact reminder every single morning. Imagine if we prayed with this level of kavana [intention] each day. Imagine how it would transform our lives. They gave us this incredible introduction for a reason. Tomorrow, we will continue with a similar lesson on this exact concept—focusing on how great God is, how vast the universe is, and how small we truly are.

Yevamos 70b – Part 1: Why Did Avraham Avinu Wait for the Tzivui to Perform Milah?

BH The enemy of the right idea is a "better idea".In memory of Avraham ben Zecharya zl

In this shmooze, delivered at the final Mishmar of the year in Mevaseret, Rav Burg explores the inner meaning of Techeiles and why Chazal connect it specifically to Avraham Avinu's refusal to accept even “a thread or a shoelace” from the King of Sodom.Why would Avraham accept gifts from Pharaoh and Avimelech, yet refuse anything from Sodom? What is the deeper connection between Sodom's worldview and the mitzvah of Techeiles? And why does the Gemara describe such a long visual process — Techeiles resembles the sea, the sea resembles the sky, the sky resembles sapphire, and sapphire resembles the Kisei HaKavod — instead of simply saying that Techeiles reminds us of Hashem's throne?The answer opens a powerful window into the psychology of possession, desire, and spiritual vision.Sodom represents a world of dry land: what you see is all there is. My possessions are mine, my success is self-made, resources are finite, and therefore even giving without loss feels threatening. Avraham Avinu refuses that consciousness. He raises his hand to Hashem, declaring that even the power of his hand comes only from above.Techeiles is the reward because Techeiles trains the Jewish eye to see differently. The sea teaches us that beneath the surface of reality there is a hidden world. The sky teaches us that beyond what we see, there is height, vastness, and purpose. Sapphire teaches us that when the physical world is used for Hashem, Divine presence becomes crystallized within creation. And from there, the eye is lifted toward the Kisei HaKavod itself.This is the secret of Techeiles: not merely to remind us of Heaven, but to teach us how to look at earth until Heaven becomes visible within it.

#482> To purchase "The Making of the Siddur": https://amzn.to/4dYUdWG>Episode sponsored by Tehillim Unveiled podcast: Apple Podcasts: https://itl.ink/LechuNeranenaApple, Spotify: https://itl.ink/LechuNeranenaSpotify> For update and bonus content: https://qrl.is/Tehillim> Episode sponsored by Mordechai and Michal Neuman in memory of their parents Shimon ben Michoel, Rachel bas Avraham, Dovid ben Shmuel, and Tzirel Mindel bas Pesachya> To join the SeforimChatter WhatsApp community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/DZ3C2CjUeD9AGJvXeEODtK> To join the SeforimChatter WhatsApp status: https://wa.me/message/TI343XQHHMHPN1>  To support the podcast or to sponsor an episode follow this link: https://seforimchatter.com/support-seforimchatter/or email seforimchatter@gmail.com (Zelle/QP this email address)Support the show

#481> To purchase "The Making of the Siddur": https://amzn.to/4dYUdWG> Episode sponsored by Tehillim Unveiled podcast: Apple Podcasts: https://itl.ink/LechuNeranenaApple, Spotify: https://itl.ink/LechuNeranenaSpotify> For update and bonus content: https://qrl.is/Tehillim> Episode sponsored by Mordechai and Michal Neuman in memory of their parents Shimon ben Michoel, Rachel bas Avraham, Dovid ben Shmuel, and Tzirel Mindel bas Pesachya> To join the SeforimChatter WhatsApp community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/DZ3C2CjUeD9AGJvXeEODtK> To join the SeforimChatter WhatsApp status: https://wa.me/message/TI343XQHHMHPN1>  To support the podcast or to sponsor an episode follow this link: https://seforimchatter.com/support-seforimchatter/or email seforimchatter@gmail.com (Zelle/QP this email address)Support the show

Racheli Ofir is the CEO and CTO of Betalin Therapeutics, an Israeli company developing a biological micropancreas that could one day offer a one-time cure for insulin-dependent diabetes — replacing the missing pancreatic function with living cells that sense glucose and respond in real time. Avraham sat down with Racheli to discuss how the technology works, what their animal trials showed, why IP is critical, the challenges of funding a biotech startup in wartime Israel, her advice for founders just getting started and much more. Do you have a great innovation? We'd love to hear from you. Contact us by going to https://jmbdavis.com/startup/contact. Learn more at https://jmbdavis.com and https://jmbdavis.com/startup. Also available at https://soundcloud.com/jmbdavis/ betalin. Listen to all of the episodes at https://jmbdavis.com/podcast.

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!Length: 1 hour 1 minuteSynopsis: This evening (5/27/26), in our Wednesday night Tehilim shiur, we began by reviewing the text and our questions. We then spent the rest of shiur learning the Radak's commentary on the first six pesukim, with forays into the Meiri, Rambam, and R' Avraham ben ha'Rambam. I COULD have rushed in order to finish the perek today, but there were so many delicious ideas in the Radak's commentary that I wanted to savor. Our goal next time will be to learn through his commentary on the second half, and then arrive at a unified understanding.-----מקורות:תהלים צברד"קמאירירד"ק - בראשית ב:גנוסח אשכנז - ברכת יוצר של שבתרמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר המדע, הלכות תשובה י:גרמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר המדע, הלכות יסודי התורה הקדמה; ד:יא-יגר' אברהם בן הרמב"ם - המספיק לעובדי השם-----The Torah content for this month has been sponsored by Meir Areman, l'zeicher nishmas Zelda bas Ziesel, his grandmother, whose yahrzeit is on the 21st of Sivan.-----If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider supporting my work via Patreon, Venmo, Zelle, or PayPal — links below. Even a small contribution helps cover production costs and gives me the freedom to create more Torah content. To sponsor a day's or week's worth of content, or to inquire about tutoring or teaching, reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. Thank you for listening, reading, and supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.Patreon | [Venmo: @Matt-Schneeweiss] | [Zelle/PayPal: mattschneeweiss at gmail]Substack | YouTube | YUTorah | InstagramPodcasts: The Stoic Jew | Machshavah Lab | The Mishlei Podcast | Rambam Bekius | The Tefilah PodcastWhatsApp Content Hub | Old Blog | Amazon Wishlist

It's been three days since Avraham's circumcision. He is in pain, sweating in the midday heat, when G-d comes to visit him. Then three strangers appear in the distance, and Avraham runs toward them, brings them into his tent, and spends hours hosting them. G-d waits.The question at the center of this episode is how that is anything other than a profound act of disrespect towards the Creator. Rabbi Epstein traces what Avraham's actions actually mean.

The Rebbe writes that Avraham's fulfillment of the mitzvah of milah was not only spiritual but also physical. This is a primary intention in the mitzvah, as explained in Torah Or and Likkutei Torah. https://www.torahrecordings.com/rebbe/igroskodesh/015/010/5565

Send us Fan MailShavuos and our relationship with the Torah

Patrocine uma aula e ajude a levar a Torá mais longe: shiurpix@gmail.comA aula explica como o amor e o ódio intensos rompem barreiras e hierarquias, usando os exemplos bíblicos de Avraham e Bilam para ilustrar essa força. O objetivo é ensinar que a paixão e o propósito são os verdadeiros motores para superar os limites da vida e cumprir as leis divinas com alegria.

Full TorahAnytime Lecture Video or Audio More classes from R' Shlomo Landau ⭐ 2,616

Learning weekly Rav Tzaddock HaCohen in Pri Tzaddick on Parsha - Unifying Factor Bamidbar in Light & Darkness, Torah Oral & Written, Moshe & Aharon, Avraham & Yitzchak, the 3 Shabbos meals, Hashem & the Scheinah... Enterning this all into our hearts

How long does the merit of the patriarchs really last?This week on Unperplexed, we explore a striking debate among the Sages—and the Rambam's surprising answer. Why do Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov still matter after generations of failure and exile? And what did they do to merit an “eternal covenant”?More importantly: could we achieve something similar ourselves?

In this episode, I met with Jeremy Avraham, founder of LiftSync, to discuss how all parties working on an elevator installation can work together to save money, reduce stress, and enjoy the process.Resources:Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/Connect With Us: linktr.ee/AllredGroupA Message From Our Sponsor: Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team.  Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights!To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

LIKUTEY MOHARAN TINYANA 7:10 — EATING L'SHEM SHAMAYIM — RABBI RIETTIIn this shiur on Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah 7, Seif 10, Rabbi Rietti unpacks Rebbe Nachman's striking teaching that the main ratzon for Hashem and yiras shamayim is davka b'sha'as achilah — specifically at the time of eating.TOPICS COVERED:• Teshuva and the Power of Change — A correction of the Rambam citation: ein lecha davar she'omeid bifnei ha-teshuvah. Teshuva sits outside nature, can rewrite the past, and when done me-ahavah turns aveiros into zechuyos. The word lecha makes the possibility deeply personal — available to every person.• Avraham Avinu and Food as Kiruv — How Avraham brought the world under one Hashem through meals, wells, and hospitality. Sefer HaMiddos and Midrash Rabbah (via Rav Atia) on how Birkas Hamazon makes Hashem known in the world. Avraham's chiddush: if the guest refused to thank Hashem, Avraham charged for the meal — forcing the guest to think about the true Source of all chessed.• Birkas Hamazon, Receptivity, and Gratitude — Why benching is positioned after eating: satiation creates calm and openness. Rav Avigdor Miller on why Birkas Hamazon includes Bris, Torah, and Eretz Yisrael — gratitude at satiation is the proper moment for the most important "business" of all: thanking Hashem. Every benching brings Hashem into the world as a real metzius.• Thought, Speech, and Reality — Rebbe Nachman's principle that nothing a person does, says, thinks, or even moves is ever lost. Rav Nosson in Hilchos Shechita on how the act and bracha of shechita elevate the animal. Why the spiritual configuration of food and water itself is shaped by the person's thought and speech — and why eating is a lifelong avodah.• Eating, Children, and the First Mitzvah — Sefer HaMiddos: l'fi achilosav shel adam kein banav u-vnosav. The first command in the Torah — mikol etz ha-gan achol tochel — is the mitzvah to eat from Hashem's world. The prohibition on the Etz HaDaas comes only afterward — a warning that the wrong use of eating changes everything.• The Effect of Aveiros and the Future Geulah — How Adam's sin altered creation itself, including the taste of fruits and the productivity of the land. Tehillim and the Radak on how the land in the Geulah will give its produce fully because aveiros will cease. Pure produce in the future as a sign of a repaired world.• Yitzchak Avinu and the Blessing Through Food — Why Yitzchak sought tasty food before blessing Eisav: he wanted to bless from a state of joy and satisfaction. V'nivrechu vecha kol mishpechos ha-adamah — one tzaddik as conduit for all blessing in the world. Yitzchak's derech as the blessing that comes through the ecstasy of eating.• Berachos: Baruch and Atah — Baruch as "thank you," Atah as direct intimacy with Hashem — not distant formality. Melech ha'olam as ruler over both the revealed and the hidden worlds. She-hakol nih'yeh bidvaro — everything comes into existence through His word. The bracha is for the person, not for Hashem.• Malchus, Gevurah, and Eating L'shem Shamayim — Why the highest malchus is self-control, especially over eating — the first and most constant taavah a person faces. The danger of kochi v'otzem yadi. Hashem hiskin mezonosav before creating Adam — meaning everything is already prepared. True malchus is giving sovereignty to Hashem while ruling oneself enough to eat l'shem shamayim.• Shulchan as Mizbei'ach — Likutey Moharan: shulchano shel adam mechapeir k'mizbei'ach. The table atones and can remove kesilus ha-seichel. When a person eats with gratitude and asks Hashem for daas, he can fix foolishness itself and grow in wisdom. B'chol derachecha da'eihu — Hashem can be served in eating, drinking, walking, talking, every moment.• Practical Kavanah During Meals — Rabbi Arush: the ikar birur ha-achilah is to think about Hashem during the meal and how good He is. The Shulchan Aruch's halacha not to be angry during a meal — anger enters the food and then the body. Thoughts, words, music, and Torah at the meal all leave their imprint on the food. Mayim acharonim chova as a practical minimum.• Megillas Esther — Putting the King First — Esther's words: im matzasi chen b'einei ha-melech. Rav Atia: Hamelech is Hashem. Esther invites the king and Haman together — meaning even when the yetzer hara is present at every meal, the king must be placed first. Doing this consistently is how a person eventually removes the sitra achra from the taavah and does only the King's ratzon.• Serving Hashem in All Actions — Shulchan Aruch (Reish Lamed Alef): all of a person's intent should be l'shem shamayim — eating, drinking, marital life, every action. Weighing each action against whether it brings one to avodas Hashem. The fulfillment of b'chol derachecha da'eihu in the most ordinary daily activities.• A Closing Story — A listener shares how, before becoming frum, she invited a woman to her Shabbos table and handed her a siddur to say Birkas Hamazon. The woman was deeply moved, borrowed the siddur, later returned it — and eventually became the speaker's wife and the mother of his children. A living illustration of how a single bracha at a single meal can change a life.

Avraham has already passed nine of his ten tests, and G-d is standing in front of him with a covenant that will be stamped into the flesh of every Jewish male for the rest of history. The questions that come out of this moment are not small ones.Why does the covenant take the form it does? Why does it happen at eight days old, before a child can consent or even understand? Why did Avraham himself wait so long, given that he understood the Torah long before Sinai? The answer to that last question comes from an explanation Rabbi Epstein first encountered in high school, and it turns on a Talmudic principle about commandments and merit. It also points to a short list of mitzvos that share a strange quality with circumcision: they can only be performed once.Then there is Avraham's plea on behalf of Ishmael. On the surface it reads as a father asking that his older son not be cast aside. But Rabbi Epstein traces the request to something far larger: Avraham's understanding of the four exiles, Esau's conditional claim over the Jewish people, and why Ishmael's continued presence in the world may be exactly what allows the Jewish people to be redeemed when the time comes, without having to be perfect first.

Chen Neeman is the Co-Founder and CEO of Enqode, an Israeli startup that protects company databases from quantum computing attacks—wrapping them in three layers of post-quantum encryption to achieve what they call "data immunity." Their system requires no downtime, no special expertise, and is built for any business that holds sensitive data. Avraham sat down with Chen to discuss the quantum threat, why companies need to start protecting themselves today, how Enqode works, the team behind it, their funding and their ambition to become a unicorn protecting billions of businesses worldwide. Do you have a great innovation? We'd love to hear from you. Contact us by going to https://jmbdavis.com/startup/contact. Learn more at https://jmbdavis.com and https://jmbdavis.com/startup. Also available at https://soundcloud.com/jmbdavis/ enqode. Listen to all of the episodes at https://jmbdavis.com/podcast.

Learning Weekly at Shirat David Efrat Likutei Moharan Torah 44 2, Rebbe Nachman ben Simcha Faiga teaches us the power of praying with warmth, enthusiasm, clapping, Koach, purifies the land and world, etc...Cover

The Midrash says at the beginning of Parashat Tazriya, regarding a woman giving birth to a baby boy: give praise to the name of Avraham Avinu, who came from afar, as it says, וַיִּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם מֵרָחֹק . The Mefarshim are bothered: what does Avraham Avinu have to do with this parasha, and why do Chazal refer to him as "the one who came from afar"? The Chidushei Harim explains that starting with the woman who gives birth, the parasha speaks about different individuals who may feel pushed away by Hashem. The woman who gives birth to a boy has a certain form of tum'a. She is not allowed to eat korbanot for forty days, which means if she gave birth before Pesach, she would not be able to bring the korban Pesach—not on Pesach Rishon, nor on Pesach Sheni. She may think to herself: I was involved in performing a great mitzvah, and now I am banned from the Beit HaMikdash. The next parasha speaks about someone who contracts tzara'at. The Gemara says tzara'at is a mizbe'ach kapara—a mizbe'ach that gives the person kapara. Some explain that it is yesurin shel ahava —afflictions of love. Not every case of tzara'at comes as a result of a sin. When a person is suspected of having tzara'at, he must be in quarantine for a week or two. If it is confirmed, he must be isolated away from everyone. He cannot attend shul, pray with a minyan, or answer Kaddish. He may feel: why is Hashem pushing me away like this? Further on, the parasha speaks about other people who become tameh through no fault of their own. They may feel the same sentiments. Imagine a family on their way up to Yerushalayim for one of the shalosh regalim, attempting to bring a korban to Hashem on the Chag, and after their long travels, they arrive at the Beit HaMikdash and discover that the man of the house has become tameh and cannot participate at all. It will definitely feel like Hashem is rejecting him. For those instances, the Midrash tells us to see what Avraham Avinu would do under such circumstances. Avraham spent his entire life teaching the world about Hashem. All he wanted was a child who would continue in the same path. After decades of waiting, he finally received a miracle child at an advanced age. Imagine the love Avraham had for this child. As the child grew, Avraham was able to teach himTorah and the ways of Hashem. Imagine the love Avraham had for Yitzchak at age five—much greater than at his birth. The love he had at age ten was even greater. He invested so much time and energy into Yitzchak, who was to continue his life's mission. Then, when Yitzchak was thirty-seven, in the prime of his life, Hashem told Avraham to slaughter him. In one second, all of Avraham's hopes and dreams were being denied. All of the love he had for his son was about to make this task extraordinarily difficult. He could have felt, "All I am trying to do is promote the name of Hashem in the world, and now He is pushing me away." Yet Avraham said to himself: if this is what Hashem wants me to do, then this is what I want. Instead of feeling rejected, he marched forward with zerizut and did Hashem's will to the best of his ability. This was one of the greatest acts of service of all time. Hashem was not distancing Avraham. He was elevating him. Hashem never distances anyone. A person may feel distanced, but that is only because he does not understand the ways of Hashem. When a person becomes tameh, it is not Hashem saying, "I do not want your korban." It is Hashem saying: "I want a different service from you now. I want you to accept that this is what is best for you, and serve Me from the place I have placed you." For that, a person will gain far more than he would have from bringing the korban. When people feel that Hashem is not interested in their service, yet they still do the best they can, that service elevates them enormously. Hashem may appear to be far from us at times, but He is always close. He always wants our avodah, no matter how it may seem. If we strengthen ourselves during those times and continue to serve Him joyfully, to the best of our ability, we will rise to the greatest levels.

Atzmaut is more self-actualization rather than simple independence. In our quest to understand the meaning of this important day in our time, Avraham can be our heroic guide.

B"H Here is one thing anti-Zionists get right

Avram is 99 years old when Hashem appears to him with a new name for Himself, El Shaddai, and an interesting command: walk before Me and be perfect. Rabbi Epstein and Tom spend this episode unpacking what that actually asks of a person, and why Rashi reads "walk before Me" as something more demanding than walking with G-d, and what separates Avram's path from Noach's.The verse goes on to talk about circumcision, and Rabbi Epstein relates the Talmud's exchange between Rabbi Akiva and a Roman about whether a perfect Creator would make an imperfect creation.Finally, we learn about the three spiritual safeguards of the land of Israel hidden inside the second blessing of Birkas Hamazon, and why the Crusaders lost Jerusalem to a people who shared at least one thing with Avraham's descendants.

The pasuk says that the Jewish people cried out to Hashem in tefillah during their harsh slavery in Mitzrayim, and Hashem heard their tefillot and remembered the treaty He made with Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, and then He redeemed them. Although Chazal tell us many reasons for what brought about the ge'ulah from Mitzrayim—such as the emunah that they had in Hashem, the merit of the righteous women, the fact that they stayed separate in name, language, and dress, that they remained morally pure, and that they did not speak lashon hara—it seems from the pasuk that the final catalyst to bring the ge'ulah was their prayers. It is brought down in the sefer Chafetz Chaim al HaTorah that toward the end of the Chafetz Chaim's life, at a seudah shelishit on Parashat Shemot in front of many gedolim, the Rav said, "that it is known the Jewish people were finally redeemed from Mitzrayim because of their tefillot. And we have a tradition from the Navi Micha that our future redemption will be just like the one from Mitzrayim, as it says: כִּימֵי צֵאתְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם אַרְאֶנּוּ נִפְלָאוֹת In Mitzrayim, everything was ready for the ge'ulah to happen. Moshe Rabbeinu was already born, and everything was in place. Yet it appears from the pesukim that without tefillah, they would not have been redeemed. All Hashem was waiting for was His children to cry out to Him that they wanted to be redeemed. For our ge'ulah, which we hope will come very soon, our tefillot are essential to bring it about. It could be that everything is ready, and all that is necessary is our tefillot to finish it off. Therefore, I am going to travel to the Gadol Hador, Rav Chaim Ozer, and ask him to tell Klal Yisrael to strengthen themselves in prayer for the ge'ulah, and then we will finally be zoche to be redeemed from this long and bitter exile." After seudah shelishit, the Chafetz Chaim told the chazan in the shul to go a little quicker so he could leave to go see Rav Chaim Ozer. In the end, the Chafetz Chaim's family convinced him not to travel due to the life danger it would pose at his advanced age. So the Chafetz Chaim told someone to send a message to Rav Shimon Shkop to tell him to go instead. However, due to technical difficulties, that did not happen either. After the Chafetz Chaim found out that nobody went to Rav Chaim Ozer, he said, "We just missed an opportune time for the ge'ulah." The message of the Chafetz Chaim at that time is actually a Midrash in Shemot Rabbah, which quotes Hashem as saying that when the Jewish people cry out to Me, their salvation will come. That is what happened by the burning bush, that is what happened during the days of Gidon, and that is what will happen for the final ge'ulah to take place. We are still in the month of Nisan, which Chazal tell us is a very opportune time for ge'ulah. There are major things going on in the world at large, with a focus on Eretz Yisrael. Who knows what kind of opportunity we have at this time. It is incumbent upon all of us to strengthen ourselves and pray for the ge'ulah shelemah. We put so much emphasis on praying for things that we need—like parnassah, refuah, and shidduchim. We cry and beg Hashem for salvations, but we must not put any less effort into praying for the ge'ulah shelemah. It is going to be our prayers that will produce the moment that all of Klal Yisrael has been anticipating since the beginning of time. The Mashiach may very well be here and waiting. It is up to us to make it happen. Let us put more focus in the Amidah on the berachot that have to do with the ge'ulah, and be'ezrat Hashem, Hashem will hear His children crying out to Him and give us the Mashiach Tzidkeinu b'karov. Amen

Sharon Barak is the President and Founder of Solutum, an Israeli clean tech startup that is solving the plastic pollution problem by making a biodegradable alternative to plastic. Avraham sat down with Sharon to discuss how she came up with the idea, got funded, the advantages of running a startup in Israel, future goals, tips for startup founders, the challenges of being a woman in business and much more. Do you have a great innovation? We'd love to hear from you. Contact us by going to https://jmbdavis.com/startup/contact. Learn more at https://jmbdavis.com and https://jmbdavis.com/startup. Also available at https://soundcloud.com/jmbdavis/ solutum. Listen to all of the episodes at https://jmbdavis.com/podcast.

Sponsored By: Gary and Malki GartenbergIn memory of Eliezer ben Avraham (rosh chodesh nisan) Pinchus menachem ben Tzvi Harris (2 nisan) and of course Yihoshua Shmuel (Shepsil) (5 nisan)

Chazal tell us that when Mashiach arrives there will be a magnificent seudah known as the Seudat HaLeviathan. At that great meal will be present all the righteous who ever lived—Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, Moshe and Aharon, together with the great leaders and tzaddikim of all generations. At that seudah, David HaMelech will rise and lead Birkat HaMazon. Afterward, the Ramami Pano writes that Mashiach Tzidkeinu will come out and distribute dessert to everyone present. Those desserts will consist of the fruits that have been growing in Gan Eden since the creation of the world. Originally, Hashem commanded Adam HaRishon to eat from the fruits of Gan Eden, but he was banished before he had the opportunity to do so. Since that time, fruits have been growing in the lower Gan Eden that exists in this world, and they will be distributed to all of Klal Yisrael after Birkat HaMazon at that seudah. Then Mashiach will take out almonds that had been growing on the staff of Aharon HaKohen in the Kodesh HaKodashim and he will make the berachah of boreh peri ha'etz upon them. It is known that almonds have the ability to calm a person from anger. At that moment, all the tension and pain that accumulated during the long exile will instantly disappear. Then Moshe Rabbeinu will appear holding the original Luchot that we were meant to receive. In their merit the knowledge of Torah will reach an unprecedented level. Torah will never again be forgotten. The yetzer hara will be nullified and the malach hamavet will be driven away forever. Those will be the most glorious days in the history of the world. After a period of time living in the era of Mashiach, the next stage—Olam Haba—will begin. The Gemara in Masechet Berachot teaches that in that world there will be no eating and no drinking. Rather, the tzaddikim will sit and derive pleasure from the radiance of the Shechinah. The Or HaChayim writes in Shemot that there is no pleasure in this world that can compare to the pleasure of seeing the Shechinah in the next world. Every Jew longs to merit that experience. Our rabbis explain that just as in order to enjoy food in this world our mouth and throat must function properly, so too in order to experience the spiritual pleasure of the Shechinah, the part of the body through which that pleasure is received must also be spiritually refined. That part of the body is the eyes—the windows to the neshamah. The pasuk in Yeshayahu says: עֹצֵם עֵינָיו מֵרְאוֹת בְּרָע מֶלֶךְ בְּיָפְיוֹ תֶּחֱזֶינָה עֵינֶיךָ "One who closes his eyes from seeing evil—his eyes will behold the King in His beauty." The Midrash explains that this pasuk means that whoever guards his eyes from looking at improper things will merit to see the beauty of the Shechinah. The Gemara in Masechet Kallah teaches that someone who turns away from such aveirot—even if he is an ordinary Yisrael—becomes worthy like a Kohen Gadol offering a korban olah on the mizbeach, and he will merit to benefit from the radiance of the Shechinah like the malachei hasharet. One of the ways of Hashem is that when He wishes to elevate a person to an especially high level, He first gives him a very great test to overcome. For nearly two thousand years the world has been waiting for the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash. For generations we have waited for the coming of Mashiach. Now, as we approach the month of Nisan—the time most auspicious for redemption—we are being tested with our eyes more than ever before. Perhaps this is Hashem's call for us to elevate ourselves to greatness and to make our eyes worthy of receiving the ultimate pleasure of basking in the radiance of the Shechinah. Now is our opportunity to shine. If we can guard our own eyes and guide our children away from seeing things they should not see, we can become elevated to the level of the Kohen Gadol. With Hashem's help we will then merit the ultimate reward—our eyes beholding the radiance of the Shechinah for all eternity.

“And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Eliyahu the prophet came near, and said, Yahuah Elohai of Avraham, Yitschaq, and of Yashar'el, let it be known this day that you are Elohiym in Yashar'el, and that I am your servant, and that I have done את all these things at your word. Hear me, O Yahuah, hear me, that this people may know that you are Yahuah Elohiym, and that you have turned their heart back again. Then the fire of Yahuah fell, and consumed the ascending smoke sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, Yahuah, he is Elohiym; Yahuah, he is Elohiym. And Eliyahu said unto them, Take the prophets of Ba`al; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Eliyahu brought them down to the brook Qiyshon, and slew them there.” 1 KINGS 18:36-40 את CEPHER https://linktr.ee/wilsonryan__

Today we address three themes:1. The theme of lions in Bilaam's prophecy, and the balance between peaceful and warlike images.2. Bilaam as a source for the Messiah and the End of Days3. The parallel between Bilaam and Avraham.

Seder Seudas Shabbos – Sidur Im Dach P. 592 This class explores the deep spiritual significance of the Shabbos meals through the lens of Hasidic teachings, focusing on the spiritual energies, divine attributes, and the connection to the three forefathers—Avraham, Yitzhak, and Yaakov. It highlights how each meal corresponds to different divine energies and levels ... Read more

Learning ahead in Likutei Moharan 42 4/5 we get encouragement from Rebbe Nachman ben Faiga Simcha zya for the Youth of TheFamilyMinyan.com etc... To shine like Avraham, Yitzchak & Yaakov, the 3 branched Shin, the 3 names of Hashem in the first posok of Shema etc... The Shem Shakai etc...Cover pic

One of the most influential rabbinical and chassidic leaders of central Poland in the 19th century, Rav Avraham of Chechenov (1784-1875) served as a rabbi of Chechenov for 55 years, while also playing an important role in the development of the chassidic movement in Poland. His descendants founded the prominent Strikov dynasty, among others, and served in crucial roles during challenging times facing Polish Jewry. Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: yehuda@yehudageberer.com

B”H Today, you'll hear what happens when a successful financial professional is helping others build wealth… while secretly drowning in debt and avoiding his own bill collectors. Yes — that's part of my guest's story. In this deeply honest and eye-opening conversation, financial trainer Avraham Byers shares his personal journey — from credit card chaos and financial avoidance to clarity, responsibility, and financial confidence. And in an unexpected plot twist, Avraham shares how choosing Judaism, despite his Catholic upbringing, reshaped not just his faith, but how he related to money. We explore why traditional budgeting often fails, how emotional and spiritual emptiness shows up in spending, and why true financial change begins inside — not in a spreadsheet. Avraham also introduces what he calls the “Magic Number,” his system for finally knowing how much you can actually spend. He explains why couples fight about money even when the numbers make sense, and shares how bitachon, responsibility, and values-based decision-making can transform not just your finances — but your life. Here's Avraham Byers. The post 458: From Financial Shame to Financial Strength with Avraham Byers appeared first on Yael Trusch.

Fluent Fiction - Hebrew: Walls of Wisdom: Friendship and Discovery in Jerusalem Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/he/episode/2026-02-23-08-38-20-he Story Transcript:He: השמש הייתה מוחבאת מאחורי עננים כהים בירושלים החורפית.En: The sun was hidden behind dark clouds in the wintery Jerusalem.He: הקור נגע בלחיים ופזר טיפות גשם קלות על אבני הכותל המערבי.En: The cold touched their cheeks and scattered light raindrops on the stones of the Western Wall.He: יהודית, יהודית, על ראשי החג.En: Yehudit, Yehudit, on my head the holiday.He: היו אלו ימי פורים, וצלילי החג וריחות הסופגניות הציפו את אוויר העיר.En: These were the days of Purim, and the sounds of the holiday and the scent of sufganiyot filled the city's air.He: יעל עמדה מול הכותל עם ספריה ומחברת, שניסתה לסדר ברוח הקרה.En: Yael stood in front of the wall with her books and notebook, trying to organize them in the cold wind.He: יעל הייתה נחושה.En: Yael was determined.He: היא רצתה להכין את הפרויקט הכי טוב לכיתה על משמעות התרבותית של הכותל המערבי.En: She wanted to prepare the best project for class on the cultural significance of the Western Wall.He: אבל היא לא לבד.En: But she wasn't alone.He: לצדה עמד אברהם, עם חיוך רגוע על פניו.En: Beside her stood Avraham, with a calm smile on his face.He: אברהם הציץ מסביב, מתבונן במתחפשים ובשמחת החג.En: Avraham glanced around, watching those in costumes and the joy of the holiday.He: קולות הפורים הסיחו את דעתו מהמטרה המרכזית שלהם.En: The sounds of Purim distracted him from their main goal.He: "יעל, תראי את התחפושת הזו," הוא צחק.En: "Yael, look at that costume," he laughed.He: יעל גילגלה את עיניה אך חיוך קל הופיע על פניה.En: Yael rolled her eyes, but a slight smile appeared on her face.He: "אברהם, חשוב לנו לסיים את הפרויקט," היא אמרה בעדינות אך בתקיפות.En: “Avraham, we need to finish the project," she said gently but firmly.He: אברהם נאנח וביטל את ענייניו החיצוניים לרגע.En: Avraham sighed and dismissed his external interests for a moment.He: "אני יודע, זה חשוב," השיב לבסוף.En: "I know, it's important," he finally replied.He: כך ישבו שניהם מול הכותל, כשאברהם מנסה להתרכז.En: So, they both sat in front of the wall, with Avraham trying to concentrate.He: הם הבינו שצריך גם לשתף ולא רק לעבוד.En: They realized they needed to share, not just work.He: חילופי סיפורים התחילו במקרה - אברהם הזכיר את סבא רבא שלו שפעם עלה לרגל לכותל, ויעל סיפרה על התפילות שהיא אומרת שם בכל שנה ביום כיפור.En: Their exchange of stories began by chance - Avraham mentioned his great-grandfather who once made a pilgrimage to the wall, and Yael spoke of the prayers she says there every year on Yom Kippur.He: בעודם מדברים, הם מצאו עצמם נוגעים באופן אישי יותר בהיסטוריה של המקום.En: As they talked, they found themselves becoming more personally connected to the history of the place.He: הם קלטו שהכותל הוא יותר מאבן עתיקה, הוא מייצג זיכרונות, חלומות ותקוות.En: They realized that the wall is more than an ancient stone; it represents memories, dreams, and hopes.He: הדיון הפך לחברות, להפחתת המתח ולעבודה משותפת.En: The discussion turned into friendship, reducing tension and leading to joint work.He: כשהגיעו לבית הספר והציגו את הפרויקט המוגמר, הוא היה שילוב של עובדות היסטוריות וחוויות אישיות.En: When they arrived at school and presented the completed project, it was a combination of historical facts and personal experiences.He: לימודם לא היה רק על כותל, אלא גם על חשיבות האיזון בין עבודה לחיים, ועל ההקשבה זה לזה.En: Their learning wasn't just about the Kotel, but also about the importance of balancing work and life, and listening to each other.He: יעל הבינה שבזמן שהמטרה חשובה, גם החברות וההבנה חשובים.En: Yael understood that while the goal is important, so are friendship and understanding.He: ואברהם גילה שהיכולת להתרכז ולתרום משמעותית מובילה לתוצאות מרשימות.En: And Avraham discovered that the ability to focus and contribute meaningfully leads to impressive results.He: יחד, הם הראו שלפעמים החגיגות יכולות להעשיר את הלימוד, ולא רק לשבש אותו.En: Together, they showed that sometimes the celebrations can enrich the learning, not just disrupt it. Vocabulary Words:hidden: מוחבאתwintery: החורפיתcheeks: לחייםscattered: פזרdetermined: נחושהcultural significance: משמעות תרבותיתconcentrate: להתרכזpilgrimage: עלה לרגלancient: עתיקהmemories: זיכרונותdreams: חלומותhopes: תקוותdiscussion: דיוןfriendship: חברותtension: מתחjoint work: עבודה משותפתbalance: איזוןlistening: הקשבהimpressive: מרשימותcelebrations: חגיגותenrich: להעשירnotebook: מחברתexternal interests: ענייניו החיצונייםgoals: מטרהexchange: חילופיpersonally connected: נוגעים באופן אישיcombination: שילובmeaningfully: משמעותיתdistracted: הסיחו את דעתוfirmly: בתקיפותBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fluent-fiction-hebrew--5818690/support.

In this powerful lecture marking the shloshim (30-day memorial) of his mother, Rivkah bas Avraham obm, Rabbi Shais Taub weaves personal memory with Torah insight in a way that is both intimate and intellectually arresting. Drawing on his mother's life as a speech pathologist, he explores what it truly means that the human being is defined by speech—how words emerge from the deepest levels of the soul, and how language can shape identity and destiny. Along the way, he shares formative childhood stories, including how she taught him to write, the first (and last) time he ever lied to her, and the quiet moments of parenting that profoundly shaped his inner life. The lecture moves beyond biography into unexpected territory, tracing a line from Tanya and Onkelos' description of the human soul as a “speaking spirit” to modern linguistic theory. Rabbi Taub recounts how his mother found support for Noam Chomsky's ideas about language in the writings of the Alter Rebbe, including a clip from Rabbi Taub's own conversation with Chomsky. He also reflects on her lifelong love of Chabad niggunim—first learned as a teenager from Zalman Schechter—and her remarkable positivity through twelve years of serious illness. Timed to Tu B'Shvat, the lecture becomes a meditation on the power of gratitude and positivity.

In this powerful lecture marking the shloshim (30-day memorial) of his mother, Rivkah bas Avraham obm, Rabbi Shais Taub weaves personal memory with Torah insight in a way that is both intimate and intellectually arresting. Drawing on his mother's life as a speech pathologist, he explores what it truly means that the human being is […]

The First Jew Understood That Creation Is the Desire for the Fusion of the Infinite with the FiniteThis class was presented by Rabbi YY Jacobson on Monday, 15 Shevat, 5786, February 2, 2026, Parshas Yisro, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.View Source Sheets: https://portal.theyeshiva.net/api/source-sheets/9866

A young man told me how deeply he had been hurt by a close family member, and how difficult it was for him to move on. He wished he could forgive and let it go, but it felt almost impossible. I told him that perhaps Hashem was giving him an opportunity to do something extremely difficult, and through that, to access an abundance of blessing waiting for him in Shamayim. We then opened the אור החיים in this week's parashah, Beshalach, on the pasuk " מה תצעק אלי ". There, he quotes from the זוהר הקדוש that when the Jewish people were trapped at the edge of the ים סוף , there was a מידת הדין upon them. They were considered unworthy of salvation because they too had been involved in idolatry like the Egyptians. The זוהר explains that to access the mercy needed to overcome מידת הדין , a person requires great merits. Since Hashem wanted the Jewish people to be saved, He gave them an opportunity to perform a heroic act. They were commanded by משה to march into the sea and rely on Hashem to split it. They would be entering the water until it reached their nostrils, placing their lives at risk. The great emunah and bitachon they demonstrated enabled them to overcome the דין and merit salvation. Similarly, the זוהר writes in parashat Vayera on the pasuk describing the destruction of Sedom, that " וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹקים אֶת אַבְרָהָם וַיְשַׁלַּח אֶת לוֹט ". The זוהר explains that when Hashem has a special love for a person, He sends him a "present." What is this present? A poor and needy individual who requires help. If מידת הדין would come upon that person, the act of chesed he performs can provide the merit needed to overcome it. When Hashem was bringing דין upon Sedom, He first gave Avraham a present in the form of the three angels who appeared as ordinary guests. Through Avraham's extraordinary hospitality, Lot would later be saved. This is the meaning of "Hashem remembered Avraham"—He remembered the chesed Avraham did for his guests. The mefarshim point out that in both cases—the Jewish people at the ים סוף and Avraham Avinu—the opportunities Hashem gave were extremely difficult. Avraham was on the third day after his brit milah, in intense pain at age ninety-nine, on the hottest day, yet he ran to serve his guests like royalty. The Jewish people were asked to walk into a raging sea, relying purely on Hashem. These were not simple acts; they required going far beyond normal limits. Yet they were gifts from Hashem that brought salvation. A man once told a rabbi about a relative who had to care for a sick patient around the clock, and how overwhelming it had become. The rabbi immediately shared these words of the זוהר and said that apparently Hashem has a special love for this relative, and is giving him a great gift through this opportunity. When a person is given a very difficult task, it is often a sign of Hashem's great love, granting him a chance to earn enormous merit. Shabbat Shalom.

1:35 Introduction 2:36 Sefer HaYashar and R' Avraham ben HaGra 7:02 The Ramban on Sefer HaYashar 9:20 Torah Shelemah of R' Menachem Kasher and R' Chaim 11:00 R' Shlomo Buber 11:56 Why This Topic Matters 13:07 Names According to R' Chaim 16:20 R' Moshe Feinstein's Haskamah on Works About Names 17:47 Tzavaas R' Yehudah HaChassid 27:50 The Name Noach 29:14 Naming After a Rasha 33:26 Quoting from Problematic Seforim 37:20 Naming After Figures Mentioned Before Avraham Avinu in the Chumash 39:50 Naming a Man After a Woman and Vice Versa 44:07 Pronunciation of the Name Yissachar 46:20 Naming After One's Father and Bar Kappara

Fire and ice fall from the sky, frogs flood the palace, and yet the most surprising instruction isn't a plague—it's a posture: speak to Pharaoh as Melech Mitzrayim. We dig into Vaera's high drama and ask the hard question: why would Moshe be told to honor a tyrant? Drawing on Rashi's breakdown of Moshe's three objections, a striking Zohar about illegitimate kings, and Rav Moshe Sternbuch's powerful thesis, we explore how public honor reframes Pharaoh's downfall as an unmistakable act of God rather than a political stumble.From there, we pivot to a pragmatic read with everyday stakes. What if that instruction also models a timeless persuasion principle—treat people with dignity and they will hear you? The Ramban's guidance on humility and gentle speech becomes a blueprint for conversations that land. Avraham's hospitality shows how influence is built not with pressure but with honor. And when we bring it home, Rambam's insights on marriage and mutual respect, plus a clear approach to parenting and professional negotiations, turn a biblical moment into a usable playbook: lead with respect, ask with clarity, and watch defenses drop.Expect a fast path from text to life: why honoring the other person doesn't excuse wrong, how to pair conviction with courtesy, and where this approach helps—at home, with kids, at work, and in heated debates. If you're ready to trade volume for influence and friction for traction, press play, subscribe for more source-driven takeaways, and tell us where you'll try this first.Support the showJoin The Motivation Congregation WhatsApp community for daily motivational Torah content!------------------Check out our other Torah Podcasts and content! SUBSCRIBE to The Motivation Congregation Podcast for daily motivational Mussar! Listen on Spotify or 24six! Find all Torah talks and listen to featured episodes on our website, themotivationcongregation.org Questions or Comments? Please email me @ michaelbrooke97@gmail.com

While one source would imply that the underlying cause for the suffrage in Egypt was due to a misdeed of Avraham, another would imply it was due the lacking in his descendants. Which one was it?

In the beginning of this week's Parashat Vayishlach, Ya'akov Avinu is preparing to confront Esav, who wanted to kill him. Rashi tells us that Ya'akov prepared himself in three ways: sending gifts, praying, and strategizing for a potential battle. Why did Rashi list them in this order—placing tefillah second, between sending gifts and preparing for war? The Be'era Parashah explains that Rashi is teaching a fundamental principle about tefillah. Hashem built into the nature of the world that prayer works. And just as giving gifts and preparing for war are normal hishtadlut that people do, so too tefillah operates within the natural order. It is not considered miraculous to have prayers answered. For this reason, the Maharsha writes that although the Gemara teaches that a miracle performed for a person can deduct from his merits, anything attained through tefillah—even the greatest salvations—does not take away any merits, because tefillah is never considered a miracle. This understanding should give us tremendous chizuk. The answering of tefillah is part of how the world was created to function. Tefillot are so powerful that they can change decrees no matter how impossible the odds may appear. Chazal tell us that in Shamayim it had been decreed that Esav would marry Le'ah and Ya'akov would marry Rachel—"the older for the older, and the younger for the younger." The Alshich adds that Le'ah had four overwhelming hurdles preventing her from marrying Ya'akov. First, the heavenly decree had designated her for Esav. Second, the Pasuk testifies to Rachel's beauty. Third, the Pasuk tells us that Ya'akov loved Rachel. And fourth, Ya'akov worked for seven years for Rachel and took great precautions not to be deceived by Lavan. Yet Le'ah prayed so intensely, so persistently, with so many tears that her eyes became tender. And through those tefillot, she overturned the decree and all the natural odds. Chazal say that the greatness of tefillah is such that not only did Le'ah avoid marrying Esav, she even preceded Rachel to marry Ya'akov. And because of those same tefillot, she gave birth to six of the twelve Shevatim—the Bechor, the Kehunah, the Levi'im, the Meluchah, and the lineage of Mashiah—all emerging from her prayers. The Pasuk in Parashat Vayera says that the angels were sent to destroy Sedom while Avraham was still standing before Hashem. The next Pasuk tells us that Avraham prayed for Sedom to be spared. The Seforno explains: even though the decree had already been issued and the angels had already arrived in Sedom, Avraham still prayed, because he understood the ways of Hashem. As Chazal tell us Even if a sharp sword is already touching a person's neck, he should still pray, because tefillah can work no matter how desperate the situation seems. This past year, a woman received the difficult news that she had a tumor, lo 'alenu. At that time, she strengthened herself in guarding her speech and devoted herself to encouraging others to do the same. She was told that she would need the strongest form of chemotherapy. The doctors warned her of every side effect—especially that it was absolutely guaranteed she would lose all her hair. She asked them if there was anything at all she could do to avoid this. Their answer was clear: with the dosage she required, there was a one-hundred-percent certainty she would lose every strand. But she strengthened herself with the knowledge that with Hashem, nothing is fixed. She poured her heart into tefillah—not only for a full recovery, but also that she should not lose any of her hair. Today, Baruch Hashem the tumor has been completely removed. And amazingly, she did not lose even one strand of hair throughout the entire process. The doctors had no explanation. But the explanation is clear. She prayed to the Creator of the world—the One Who decides whether hair falls out or remains. Tefillah is wondrous, and Hashem created it to work as part of the natural order of the world. The more a person recognizes Hashem's power and involvement in every aspect of his life, the deeper, stronger, and more effective his tefillah becomes. Shabbat shalom.