Podcasts about Chazal

The story of the Mekoshesh is placed next to the parsha of Tzitzis to teach that Shabbos is as valuable as all the Mitzvos. Chazal tell us that the Mekoshesh had noble intentions, but he was still stoned to death for being Mechallel Shabbos. Some thoughts on the value of Shabbos and how seriously we must view it.Have a good Shabbos

Chazal teach that a person should not take leave of his friend through ordinary conversation, laughter, lightheadedness, or idle words, but through a dvar halacha because through that, “he remembers him.”Why are endings so spiritually powerful? Why does the Gemara specifically require halacha, not simply Torah? And why is the Gemara's example connected to Adam HaRishon, Bavel, and the palm trees of Babylonia?In this final shiur of the Tomer Devorah year, Rav Burg explores the inner meaning of goodbye. A goodbye is not merely the end of an encounter. It is a threshold, the delicate space between presence and absence, where memory is formed and meaning is encoded.When we part from another person, we can escape the vulnerability of the moment through joking, distraction, or empty chatter. Or we can leave them with something life-giving. A dvar halacha is Torah that becomes movement, a path forward. It says: I may be leaving, but I am not leaving you empty.Through the image of the palm tree, Chazal reveal the secret of healthy attachment: even when branches spread outward, there remains one heart. Even in Bavel, the place of exile, confusion, and fragmentation, there can still be inner unity.True connection does not create dependency. It helps another person internalize light, direction, and strength. And sometimes, the people we meet awaken Torah within us that we did not even know we were carrying.

Korach's claim that "everyone is holy" sounds noble, but Rabbi Asaf Aharon Prisman explores why Chazal saw it as spiritually lethal. Drawing from the Tolner Rebbe, he shows how Korach's vision of sameness attacked the very structure of creation itself.This week's Prism of Torah reveals how real unity comes not from erasing differences but from each person fulfilling their precise role, like instruments in a single symphony. Rabbi Prisman closes with a moving true story from the Gaza border about painted bomb shelters - and the power of individuality that saves lives.Listeners walk away seeing Shalom not as sameness, but as perfect harmony in difference.

Welcome to our Daily Bitachon series. We are at the end of Sha'ar HaBechina [The Gate of Reflection], where the author tells us a beautiful mashal [parable] to show the greatness of Hashem. He compares us to a child who was raised in a jail cell and has no concept of the king who runs an entire empire; the child thinks the whole world is just that jail cell. And that is us in this world. We only have a small glimpse of what the real picture is and what God can truly do, living here on this small little planet. The Chovos HaLevavos tells us to develop this mashal . And we will do just that, based on the Chafetz Chaim in his sefer Shemiras HaLashon (Volume 1, in the section called Sha'ar HaTvuna , Chapter 10). He gives the following mashal to explain how we can rely on Hashem even when we are living in an era where we don't clearly see Hashem's control—where it looks like the world is running wild. It's fascinating how he uses this mashal to build our Bitachon [trust], because ultimately, as we've said, our understanding of the world is what leads us to serve Him, which ultimately brings us to Bitachon . And here we go: There was a king who had total global control. He was a superpower, and he ruled his kingdom beautifully. He had more than enough food and sustenance to provide for his entire kingdom, for all of his generals, and for everyone under his rule in a highly respectable way. Yet, as can happen on a small, isolated island with a tiny group of people, a few servants decided to stage a minor rebellion out of pure arrogance. The king heard about it. Okay, his men would handle it, no problem. Right after the news reached the king, he went for a walk in his vineyard, not feeling threatened by this rebellion at all. While walking, he heard a beautiful bird chirping. It looked nice, it sounded beautiful, and he told one of his servants, "I'd like to have that bird in my palace so we can listen to its beautiful singing." And so they did; they put the bird in a cage and brought it to the king's palace, where it sang in a beautiful, sweet tone. One foolish man saw the bird and said, "You poor bird, I feel so bad for you. You know, you're going into the king's palace because you have a beautiful voice, but you're really going to suffer there because you won't have any food." The bird asked, "Why not?" The man replied, "Because I heard that there are people rebelling against the king!" Another, smarter servant overheard this and said, "What a fool! Our king rules the entire world. He has endless treasure houses. Taking care of this bird is a joke to him. And he loves the chirping of this bird! Do you really think he can't manage to find a few morsels of grain every day to sustain this bird just because there are a few rebels in some far-off little town?" That is the mashal . For the nimshal [the lesson], the Chafetz Chaim says that this analogy doesn't even compare one-in-a-million to what is really going on. God created this physical world, but He also created the upper worlds. The spiritual realm consists of many worlds. There are four basic spiritual worlds: our world is called Olam HaAsiya [the World of Action], and above it are the worlds of Yetzira , Beriah , and Atzilut . We aren't kabbalists to go into exactly what all these levels mean. But the point he is making is that when we see a "rebellion" happening down here in this tiny physical world, we are viewing everything through limited, physical eyes. We don't see what is truly going on; we have no idea of the full scope of the universe. And we are like that little bird—that tiny, teeny bird—worrying, "How is the king going to take care of me?" Who is the bird? The bird is us, the Jewish people, whose voices God loves to hear. As the verse says, " Yonati bechagvei hasela "—"My dove in the clefts of the rock." He wants to take care of us! Yet, we worry because we see rebellions going on, because there is Hamas, because there is Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, and Hezbollah. We worry because we see a few rebels. Do you know what our King can do? The Chafetz Chaim says we should be more shocked at our own anxious attitude than at the attitude of that foolish servant telling the bird that the king can't feed him. That is huge. He says that all we need to do, every single day, is think about this. When we think about this, it will strengthen our Bitachon . And again, this is exactly what Sha'ar HaBechina is all about—seeing God's power and understanding how He is completely unlimited, and using that clarity to reach Bitachon . I will not stop stressing this point: You cannot jump to Sha'ar HaBitachon without going through Sha'ar HaBechina . You must first appreciate who God is, and then you can rely on Him. And even then, you can't just jump straight to relying on Him; you have to first commit yourself to serving Him. Your first reaction to God's greatness isn't supposed to be, "Wow, look how strong God is, look what I can get from Him!" No. It should be, "Look how strong God is—what do I have to do to reciprocate?" And how do we reciprocate? How will we find the tools and abilities to do so? That is where Bitachon comes in: rely on Him, and He will take care of you. The absolute fundamental of Bitachon is that Hashem takes care of His servants . You need to be a servant first. This is the path of Sha'ar HaBechina . That is what the author is telling us. We have a clear track. When you get to the end of this gate, you have to realize what the next step is, but never forget the foundation. As we say, you constantly have to go over this foundation again and again, every single day. He notes that this is the deeper meaning of the verse in Yeshayahu (26:4): " Ki b'Y-H Hashem tzur olamim ." Chazal [the Sages] tell us that God created the worlds with two letters of His Name: a Yud , which created Olam HaBa [the World to Come], and a Heh , which created Olam HaZeh [this world]. What does this verse say? Once we know that Hashem created both worlds and that He is a tzur —a rock, meaning He is completely reliable, the rock in whom we find refuge ( tzur achasayu bo )—the verse commands us: " Bitchu v'Hashem adei ad "—"Trust in Hashem forever and ever." What does "always and forever" mean? The Chafetz Chaim explains that "always" means even in our times, when it looks like a massive rebellion is going on. Rely on Him always! Why? Because you know how powerful He is: " Ki b'Y-H Hashem tzur olamim "—because God is the Rock of worlds , plural. Let's repeat this verse one more time: Bitchu v'Hashem adei ad . Rely on Hashem forever and ever. Why? Because Hashem is the Rock of the worlds. He is the Rock, meaning He is reliable—the ultimate Rock of Gibraltar. He is reliable, and He is the Creator of all the worlds. Regardless of what it looks like is happening downstairs, it is only a drop in the bucket. And from this, to quote the Chafetz Chaim: " Nuchel lehavin et godel habitachon she-yesh l'adam livtoach b'Hakadosh Baruch Hu "—"Through this, we can understand the immense scale of trust that a person must place in the Holy One, blessed be He."

Everyone comes into this world with a unique set of circumstances. Some people are blessed to grow up in homes filled with love, encouragement, and great role models. Others, however, face challenges right from the beginning. They grow up in difficult environments, experience hardships, and lack the opportunities that other people had. It's so easy for a person to look at his background and feel that he was placed at a disadvantage. He may think, "If only I had grown up differently, I would have been able to accomplish so much more." But that is not the way Hashem wants us to view it. Hashem does not judge people based on where they started. He judges them based on what they did with the circumstances He gave them. Every person is sent into the exact situation that he needs to fulfill his mission here. The challenges are not there to prevent him from succeeding. They are there to help him reach a level of greatness that could not have been achieved any other way. Imagine two people climbing a mountain. One begins halfway up while the other starts from the bottom. The one who started lower has a much harder climb. But when he reaches the top, his accomplishment is far greater because he had to overcome so much more to get there. The same is true in our spirituality. Someone who had to struggle against negative influences or painful experiences is not at a disadvantage. It's just the opposite. Every step forward in his life is worth so much more because of what it took to achieve it. So many of the greatest people who ever lived overcame tremendous obstacles. Their greatness was not despite their challenges; it was because of them. The very difficulties that could have been used as excuses became the tools through which they rose to the greatest heights. While it is true that some people begin life with very big disadvantages, our rabbis teach us that our circumstances do not determine our destiny. They merely determine the nature of our test. The Torah tells us about the Megadef, the blasphemer. Chazal explained that he was born into a very difficult situation. His father was an Egyptian and his mother was a yatzanit, someone who would speak to everyone in the marketplace, including men. He was not accepted by society. He never felt that he belonged anywhere. He hoped that at least when he came before Moshe Rabbeinu, he would finally be accepted. However, when the matter was brought before the Beit Din of Moshe, it was ruled that he would not be allowed to camp among Shevet Dan because the tribes followed the father, and his father was a goy. Therefore, he did not have a tribe. He left the Beit Din disappointed and rejected, and from there he deteriorated until eventually he blasphemed Hashem. Looking at his life, a person might say, "How could he not become bitter? Look at what he went through. Nobody wanted him. Nobody accepted him. Under his circumstances, it's understandable." However, perhaps one of the reasons the Torah records this incident is to teach us the opposite lesson. Although his circumstances were difficult, he still had a choice. His background only explained his struggle, but it did not excuse his actions. The Ishbitzer Rebbe contrasted the Megadef with David HaMelech. David also grew up feeling rejected. Chazal tell us that his own family did not recognize him. His father looked at him differently than all his other sons, and his brothers looked down upon him. Even when he rose to greatness, Shaul HaMelech tried to kill him. He was forced to run from place to place. Even after becoming king, his suffering did not end. His own son Avshalom rebelled against him and tried to kill him. David could have spent his life asking, "Hashem, why did You put me in such a world? Why am I facing so much rejection and pain?" But instead, whenever David faced hardship, he turned to Hashem. Whenever he felt alone, he picked up his kinor and sang songs to Hashem. While he was running for his life, he sang to Hashem. When he was betrayed, humiliated, and attacked, he sang to Hashem. Those songs became Sefer Tehillim. The very pain that could have destroyed him became the source of his greatness. The very hardships that could have filled him with bitterness became the inspiration for some of the most beautiful words in all of Tanach. The difference between the Megadef and David HaMelech was not their circumstances. Both experienced rejection. Both experienced pain. Both had reasons to feel hurt by the world around them. The difference was in the choice they made in response. One allowed his hardships to push him away from Hashem, while the other allowed his hardships to bring him closer to Hashem. Every person faces challenges that are unique to him. Some begin life with advantages, while others face obstacles that seem overwhelming. Our greatness will not be determined by where we started. It will be determined by what we did with what we were given. The more difficult the challenge, the greater is the potential for greatness. Someone who overcomes very big obstacles can reach heights that others may never attain. When a person refuses to use his background as an excuse and instead uses it as a springboard for growth, he transforms his struggles into achievements. Nobody chooses the circumstances into which he is born, but everyone can choose how he responds to them. And the choices we make can make all the difference between, chas v'shalom, becoming a Megadef or becoming someone like David HaMelech.

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.

Why would Tzelafchad desecrate Shabbos for the sake of Heaven?Chazal reveal that the mekoshesh eitzim was not acting out of rebellion, but out of desperation. Klal Yisrael thought that after the decree not to enter Eretz Yisrael, perhaps they were no longer bound by mitzvos. Tzelafchad wanted to create a moment so shocking that it would force clarity.But that is exactly where the danger lies.Shabbos teaches us that the world does not need to be held together by our anxiety, our force, or our need for control. Public chillul Shabbos is compared to avodah zarah because it relocates power from Hashem to man. And tragically, in trying to protect Shabbos by forcing the issue, Tzelafchad cracked the very consciousness that Shabbos was meant to create.In his shiur, delivered in Sharfmans, Rav Burg explores the deep psychological message of the mekoshesh, the frightening words of Tosafos that had Klal Yisrael kept that second Shabbos no nation could ever have ruled over them, and the beautiful tikkun found in the daughters of Tzelafchad.A powerful shiur about Shabbos, anxiety, control, leadership, emunah, and learning how to care deeply without trying to control everything.

Shelach | The Children of Lot, The "Sin of the Spies" and Tish'a b'Av by Yitzchak Etshalom Why did Chazal anchor the tragic history of Tish'a b'Av in the events of this week's Parasha (Parashat Shelach)? Chazal famously anchor the tragedies of ט' באב in the "חטא המרגלים" - which was really the sin of those who were persuaded by the "תרים את הארץ" and wept "that night" and wanted to appoint a new leader to take them back to Egypt. How was this frightened and impulsive reaction a catalyst for the series of deliberate and horrific catastrophes that make up the history of Tish'a b'Av?

As geopolitical tensions persist and inflation concerns resurface, equity markets remain resilient while bond markets signal a more cautious outlook. Richard de Chazal unpacks what's driving this divergence, the durability of the U.S. consumer, and why quality may be coming back into focus.

This class explores when Hashem instructed Moshe about the Korban Pesach and Pesach Sheni, analyzing debates among Chazal and commentators. The discussion highlights how Torah's ambiguous timing leads to deep analysis of halacha and narrative, encouraging ongoing Torah study. https://www.torahrecordings.com/classes/by_parsha/004_bamidbar/003_behalosecha/016

Rabbi Shulman explains the well-known Chazal on the juxtaposition of *Sotah* and *Nazir*: seeing a *sotah* “in her disgrace” should motivate a person to abstain from wine. Beyond the simple concern of avoiding moral desensitization, he highlights a deeper link—both *sotah* and *nazir* are defined by hair: her hair is undone as shame, while his hair becomes *נזר אלוקיו* (a holy “crown”). The broader מוסר: when a person “sees” spiritual failure that truly registers, it is not enough to avoid the wrongdoing; one must actively elevate and sanctify that very area as a תיקון. Outline: https://danielggordon.github.io/ateresami/naso-see-something-do-something-20260529-031901-outline-20260529-031933.pdf

On this week's episode of Sense by Meg Faure we explore the fourth trimester with honesty, warmth, and practical wisdom. This conversation is proof that less is more, and your baby will thrive when parents feel genuinely supported. Meg Faure is joined by Tove de Chazal Gant, COO of Parent Sense and seasoned mum of three, who takes the hosting seat and asks the questions every new parent is actually thinking.The First Six Weeks: You Are Not FailingThe first six weeks are brutal. Meg says it plainly. Feeding cycles feel relentless, sleep is fractured, and the baby seems to do very little and yet everything at once. Just keeping your baby alive is ticking every single box. Nothing more is required.Milestones: Windows, Not DeadlinesMilestones happen across wide ranges of normal. One late milestone is not a red flag. What matters is the sequence and trajectory. Consistent delay across a developmental bucket, or a gut feeling that something is off, is when parents should seek support. The Parent Sense app lists milestones with ranges in the play section.Sensory Overload: The Times Square EffectA newborn goes from the perfectly regulated womb directly into overwhelming sensory input. Meg compares it to landing on Times Square after living on a quiet savannah. Signs of overload include looking away, falling asleep, grimacing, and inconsolable crying. Tove shares her daughter Nova's story: born six weeks premature, Nova's development stalled not from inability but from a noisy home environment. Turning off background noise made all the difference.Less Is More, and Your Baby Will ThriveThe heart of this episode. Less social pressure, less stimulation, less obligation. The only stimulation that genuinely matters is quiet eye contact, serve and return connection, and touch through massage, swaddling, and carrying. Your baby has 45 minutes of awake time between sleeps. Being alive in the world is enough.Regulating Yourself to Regulate Your BabyBabies cannot self-regulate. Parents must co-regulate. Meg offers two practical tools: square breathing (six seconds in, hold, out, hold, repeated three times) and using feeding as a mindfulness moment. Even five seconds of intentional presence at the start of a feed can shift your physiological state.Listen NowThis episode is essential for every parent in the fourth trimester. Meg Faure reminds us that less is more, and your baby will thrive in an environment of calm, connection, and realistic expectation. Download the Parent Sense app for daily guidance through every stage of your parenting journey.About Tove de Chazal GantTove de Chazal Gant is an entrepreneur, the COO of Parent Sense, and a mother of three. Having navigated the NICU and raising a child with a rare genetic condition, she brings profound personal insight and business-scaling expertise to her role. She also chairs Happy Heroes, a charity for children with additional needs. LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tove-de-chazal-gantConnect with Meg Faure Web: megfaure.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/megfaure Parent Sense App: parentsense.app

This sicha discusses the distinctiveness of Sefer Devarim within the Torah. The Rebbe explains how it reflects Moshe's teachings and is dubbed 'Mishneh Torah' by Chazal. It serves both as a review and carries unique laws, highlighting its dual role of reminiscence and originality. https://www.torahrecordings.com/likutei-sichos/004/013

The Rebbe addresses two apparent contradictions in Chazal: the status of a Nazir as both praiseworthy and a sinner, and the meaning of 'empty ones among you are full of mitzvos.' He clarifies these issues with references to Tosefos and context. https://www.torahrecordings.com/rebbe/igroskodesh/015/010/5503

Welcome to our daily Bitachon. Today is Erev Shavuot and we will begin with something we normally don't do: a brief halachic discussion. The Halachic Discussion: Meat on Shabbat vs. Yom Tov Does one have to eat meat on Shabbat? According to both Chacham Ovadia Yosef and Chacham Ben Zion Abba Shaul, it is not halachically required. If you enjoy meat, eating it is a wonderful fulfillment of Oneg Shabbat (Shabbat pleasure). However, if you simply do not like meat and it is not your cup of tea, you can certainly have a wonderful fish meal instead. Of course, the meal must still be respectful—like a wedding. You shouldn't just put tuna fish and crackers on the table. It should be elegantly set up. Just as a wedding features high-quality salmon, you can choose to serve fine dishes other than meat at your "Shabbat Queen's" wedding feast. It all depends on your personal enjoyment. If you are a meat eater who enjoys a steak on Thursday night, don't suddenly decide to go vegan on Shabbat. But if you are someone who avoids meat all week for dietary or health reasons, Shabbat is no different. When it comes to Yom Tov (the holidays), however, the rule is reversed. On Yom Tov, eating meat and drinking wine is an obligation. The Torah states, "V'samachta bechagecha" (You shall rejoice in your festival), and Chazal teach: אין שמחה אלא בבשר ויין "There is no joy without meat and wine." The Rambam writes in Sefer HaMitzvot (Aseh 54) that rejoicing with meat and wine is a positive commandment from the Torah. To fulfill this joy, women should receive clothing or gifts that make them happy, children should be given sweets, and men are meant to have meat and wine. The Shavuot Challenge This brings us to a common challenge on Shavuot: Isn't Shavuot supposed to be a dairy holiday? The tradition to eat dairy does not mean your entire meal must be dairy, nor does it mean you can forget the mitzvah of eating meat. Ideally, one should eat meat both night and day on Yom Tov. If that is too difficult, the daytime meal is the more critical time for meat. How do you balance both dairy and meat? You must eat your dairy foods first. For example, you can have a dairy Kiddush or light meal in the morning when you return from Shul, and then eat your meat meal for lunch. Alternatively, you can eat a dairy lunch and then have a meat meal later in the afternoon before Mincha. The Spiritual Essence: Two Types of Joy Now, let's transition into our usual focus on Bitachon and the spiritual essence of the day. There are sources that suggest we do have a requirement of simcha (joy) on Shabbat. The Sifrei (Bamidbar 10:10), commenting on the verse "Uveyom Simchatchem" ("On the day of your gladness"), states that this phrase directly refers to Shabbat. The Baal HaTurim even finds a gematria (numerical hint) showing that the word Simchatchem ( שמחתכם ) has the exact same numerical value as Gam Beyom Hashabbat ( גם ביום השבת - "also on the day of Shabbat"). Furthermore, the Shibbolei HaLeket (Chapter 82) notes that we recite "Yismchu Bemalchutcha" ("They shall rejoice in Your kingship") in the Shabbat prayers based on this very concept. On the other hand, Tosafot (Moed Katan 23b) states that there is actually no formal requirement of simcha on Shabbat. The proof is that if someone, Heaven forbid, is in mourning, Shabbat counts as part of the Shiva mourning period, whereas a holiday puts mourning on hold. This is because you are not halachically obligated to actively rejoice on Shabbat; you are only forbidden from being visibly sad. So, how do we reconcile this? Is Shabbat a day of simcha or not? The Acharonim (later commentators) explain that there are two distinct types of joy: Yom Tov (External Joy): This requires outward actions of joy. You must actively do things that bring happiness, namely eating meat and drinking wine. Shabbat (Internal Joy): Shabbat is called Yom Simchatchem , meaning the day itself is inherently joyful. You do not need to perform external actions to force it; rather, the happiness resides naturally in your heart. Because Shabbat is a deeply spiritual day, its joy is internal. We say in the prayers, "V'yismechu b'cha Yisrael" —we rejoice in You . Our happiness on Shabbat is a direct connection to God. Practical Takeaway Rav Wolbe used to say that Shabbat is a day of pnimiyut —an internal world. Therefore, it requires no external performance. The joy of Shabbat is found in serenity, calm, and menuchat hanefesh (peace of mind). It is the quiet happiness of connecting deeply with Hakadosh Baruch Hu. The practical takeaway is that every single Shabbat, we should walk around feeling that this is our internal day of happiness. This week, we are blessed to experience Shabbat and Yom Tov coinciding. We have both of these beautiful concepts merging into one day—the outward celebration of the festival and the deep, serene intimacy of Shabbat. Have a Chag Sameach and a Shabbat Shalom!

The latitude of Chazal in their Halachos.Source Sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1r_cfG73LqFhW_V-8C00_y8KSNQNoDpWp/view?usp=share_link

Before Boaz meets Rus, before the story of David HaMelech begins, before the roots of Moshiach are planted, Megillas Rus pauses to tell us something that seems almost unnecessary:Boaz greeted his workers with the Name of Hashem.Why does that matter?Chazal reveal that this was not just good manners. It was one of three moments where Beis Din shel Mata acted, and Beis Din shel Maalah agreed. Something shifted below, and Heaven said yes.In this shiur, delivered in Ba'er Miriam, Rav Burh explores the deep connection between Kerias HaMegillah, greeting another Jew with Hashem's Name, and the takanah of maaser. All three reveal one central truth: Hashem does not want to overwhelm the world from Above. He wants us to make space for Him from below.Megillas Esther teaches us to find Hashem inside concealment. Boaz teaches us to find Hashem inside an ordinary human encounter. Maaser teaches us to bring Hashem into our possessions, systems, and responsibilities.Moshiach begins when the field is no longer just a field, workers are no longer just workers, and a poor outsider gathering forgotten grain is seen as carrying the presence of Hashem.Before redemption begins, someone has to learn how to say hello.

Rav Yosef celebrates Shavuos with a third-born calf and declares: “If not for this day, how many Yosefs would there be in the marketplace?”At first glance, it sounds like Rav Yosef is simply thanking Hashem that Torah made him into someone more than an average man in the street. But beneath the surface, Chazal are revealing something much deeper.Without Torah, a person can be pulled apart by the many voices inside of him — desire, fear, ego, insecurity, ambition, pain, approval, and instinct. Each one claims to be the real “I.” That is the inner marketplace.Matan Torah revealed that the world has an inner Cause, that Heaven and Earth are not separate realities, but expressions of one Divine truth. And once the world discovers its inner Cause, a person can discover his own inner center.In this shiur, delivered in Ba'er Miriam, Rav Burg explores the deeper meaning of Rav Yosef's calf, the power of “three,” the hidden formation of the self, and how Torah transforms the animal soul from a force of fragmentation into a partner in becoming whole.

Bitachon is more than a source of comfort — it is a way of seeing the world. It allows a person to face life with clarity instead of fear, confidence instead of anxiety, and a profound awareness that every moment is guided by Hashem. But genuine bitachon does not happen automatically. It must be cultivated, strengthened, and brought into the heart. Chazal and our great Torah leaders reveal a remarkable method for doing exactly that. The Talmud Yerushalmi, the Zohar, the Maharal, and many other sources teach that regularly reciting verses of trust in Hashem has the ability to reshape the way we think and feel. The Maharal writes that these pesukim carry extraordinary power, serving as a source of blessing, protection, and spiritual strength. In this inspiring Inside ArtScroll interview, Rabbi David Sutton discusses the timeless wisdom behind his second volume of, A Daily Dose of Pesukim of Bitachon. He explains how these carefully chosen pesukim can help us deepen our emunah, strengthen our relationship with Hashem, and approach life with greater peace and confidence. Filled with practical insight, Torah wisdom, and uplifting stories, this interview offers a meaningful glimpse into the transformative power of living with bitachon.

In this episode in the “From Binah to Daas” Series, I explore Shiras HaYam not merely as a historical song sung after the splitting of the sea, but as a daily framework for dismantling the illusion that the systems, pressures, and powers we encounter in life operate independently from Hashem. By walking line by line through Az Yashir, we uncover how the Torah trains us to reinterpret moments where reality appears closed, overwhelming, or fragmented, and how Kriyas Yam Suf becomes an ongoing internal experience that transforms intellectual belief into lived awareness. This episode is designed to help listeners deepen their perception of Divine unity, move through fear and uncertainty differently, and understand why Chazal placed Shiras HaYam at the climax of Pesukei D'Zimrah immediately before prayer.Join the Conversation! Be part of our growing community—join the Shema Podcast for the Perplexed WhatsApp group to share feedback, discuss episodes, and suggest future topics. Click here to sign up. 

Are we shaped by who we truly are, or by the people surrounding us? The Torah's description of the Jewish people encamping around the Mishkan teaches the enormous influence a neighbor and environment can have on a person. Chazal explain “oy l'rasha, oy l'scheino” — woe to the wicked and woe to his neighbor. Some opinions understand this influence as external, where people get swept into the atmosphere and actions around them, as happened with Shevet Reuven near Korach. Others explain that an environment can affect a person much more deeply, even transforming someone internally, while another view says it simply reveals qualities already hidden within.Yet the Torah emphasizes that the influence of goodness is far stronger than the influence of negativity. “Tov l'tzadik, tov l'scheino” — good for the righteous and good for his neighbor. Because Yehudah, Yissachar, and Zevulun camped near Moshe and Aharon, they absorbed Torah, greatness, and holiness. Their closeness to Kedusha awakened the Tzadik already hidden inside them. This פרשה is always read before Shavuot, teaching that the greatest vessel for Torah is אהבת ישראל and strong connection among כלל ישראל. The people around us shape us profoundly, which is why a person must strive to surround himself with holy, uplifting people and especially a Tzadik, who can awaken the deepest goodness within the soul.לקו״ש לג-ב

As we get closer to Shavuot, part of our avodah in preparation is to fully appreciate the priceless gift of Torah that Hashem has given us. The Torah existed even before Hashem created the world. Chazal teach that the entire creation was contingent upon Am Yisrael accepting the Torah. It is Hashem's most treasured possession, and He yearns for us to learn it. Imagine a man telling his friend that he worked tirelessly for years writing a book that could guide people through life. He asks his friend, "Please read my book." Then imagine he sees that friend every day busy with countless other activities while the book remains untouched on the shelf. How painful that would be. Now imagine it is not merely a friend, but a father who invested his entire life, pouring all of his energy, wisdom, and heart into writing that book for his son. This father supports his son, cares for all of his needs, and asks for only one thing in return: "Please read the book I wrote for you." How hurtful it would be if the son never opened it. Hashem told us that the entire creation of the world was worthwhile for the Torah. He gives us every breath, every blessing, and every opportunity in life, and He asks us to learn the Torah that He wrote for us. The Gemara says that when a person leaves the Torah closed and occupies himself with other things when he could be learning, Hashem cries in Shamayim over it. On the other hand, imagine the joy and honor a father feels when his son studies his book carefully, lives his life according to its teachings, and tells others how magnificent his father's wisdom is. There is no greater honor. If we want to honor Hashem, we can show appreciation for the Torah He gave us. Every moment spent learning Torah is an expression of kavod Shamayim. If there is a shiur Torah taking place and only a few people attend, it is a dishonor to the Torah. But if someone says, "I know I'm tired and I would rather rest, but I'm going to get up and go learn so there will be more people honoring Hashem's Torah," he should realize that this itself is an extraordinary mitzvah. Honoring Hashem is unimaginably precious. I read a story about a man from Bnei Brak who we will call Aharon who went to a very early minyan on the morning of Sukkot. There was a very small crowd there, and before Keriat HaTorah, the gabbai began auctioning off the aliyot. Nobody was bidding. Aharon felt a sense of pain over the apparent lack of honor being shown to the Torah. So when the gabbai announced the opening price, Aharon raised the bid and purchased the third aliyah. When the next aliyah was auctioned, once again nobody responded, so Aharon raised the bid again and purchased that aliyah as well. When shelishi came around, Aharon took the aliyah for himself, and afterward they asked him whom he wanted to receive revi'i. Aharon looked around the shul and noticed a distinguished-looking man who made a fine impression on him, and he instructed the gabbai to give the aliyah to that individual. After tefillah, Aharon was preparing to leave when he suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder. It was the man who had received revi'i. The man introduced himself and asked Aharon why he chose him for the aliyah. Aharon replied simply, "You looked like a respectable person with yirat shamayim." The man then explained that he was from London and was extremely wealthy. "People honor me all the time," he said, "but only because of my money. This is the first time someone honored me simply for who I am, without expecting anything in return." Aharon answered that he was happy he had the opportunity to make another Jew feel good, and he began to leave. But the wealthy man stopped him and said, "Because you honored me, I want to repay you." Aharon politely refused, but the man insisted. "Tell me something you need, and I will help you." Aharon hesitated. Then he thought about the many gemachim and loans he would soon need in order to marry off his daughter. He said, "Honestly, anything you could contribute toward my daughter's wedding would help tremendously." The man asked him what the total expected cost would be. Aharon answered, "About one hundred thousand shekel." The man responded immediately, "No problem. Come to my apartment after Yom Tov and I'll give you a check." After Yom Tov, Aharon went to the address he had been given, and the man handed him a check for the entire amount. Aharon made a small monetary gesture simply to honor the Torah, and Hashem paid him back thousands of times over. Everything we do to honor the Torah—especially learning it—goes an extremely long way.

In this week's episode, we start properly examining R Menashe of Iliya's written works. We start by looking at his Sefer on Tanach, Binas HaMikra. We will be able to have a solid understanding of his attitude towards Chazal from this sefer. We also start looking at his first printed work, the Kuntress Pesher Davar. We examine who he is referring to when he divides the Rabbis into three groups. Which groups does he put together? What can we learn from this? Are the Kabbalists he refers to only the Chassidim? You can now help Rabbi Wittenstien  create new and original content via our non profit  'The Jewish History and Tanach Foundation'.  Your support and partnership is greatly appreciated. Zelle : jewishhistorytnchfoundation@gmail.com Credit Card : https://thechesedfund.com/thejewishhistoryandtanachfoundation/support-r-wittenstein-s-tanach-and-jewish-history-project The Jewish History and Tanach Foundation is a registered 501-3c.  EIN : 33-485 5627 Donor's Fund account number: 2642025 Nach Yomi: Join R' Wittenstein's Nach Yomi on WhatsApp. We learn a perek a day five days a week, with a nine minute shiur covering the key issues. Click here to join!  For tours, speaking engagements, or sponsorships contact us at jewishhistoryuncensored@gmail.com PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS

In this episode, Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe and I explore one of the deepest questions in Judaism: what is tefillah actually doing? If Hashem already knows everything, why do we need to ask? Does prayer change reality, change us, or both? We discuss why tefillah was built into creation itself, why structured prayer matters, how hishtadlus and bitachon fit together, and what it means when tefillos seem unanswered. If you've ever struggled to connect to davening or wanted a deeper understanding of what Chazal believed tefillah truly is, this conversation will fundamentally reshape how you think about prayer.Join the Conversation! Be part of our growing community—join the Shema Podcast for the Perplexed WhatsApp group to share feedback, discuss episodes, and suggest future topics. Click here to sign up.

War-driven energy shocks, sticky inflation, and an unusually split Fed are back at the center of the macro conversation. In this month's Monthly Macro, William Blair macro analyst Richard de Chazal assesses what those dynamics, and the growing influence of AI, mean for bonds, equities, and portfolio risk.

Why do we celebrate Lag Ba'Omer on a day born from tragedy?Chazal teach that Rabbi Akiva's students stopped dying on this day. But the Pri Chadash offers a piercing twist: they stopped dying because there was no one left.And yet the Torah didn't disappear.In this shiur, delivered to the Chizuk Mission, Rav Burg explains how from total devastation emerged five students who rebuilt the future of Torah.We dive into the deeper idea that even at the edge of complete collapse, what some describe as the “fiftieth level”, there remains an irreducible point that cannot be extinguished. A hidden spark. A place where Hashem is never absent.Lag Ba'Omer is not just a pause in tragedy.It is the revelation that even in the darkest place… something essential remains.And from that place, everything begins again.

The Torah says we start counting Sefirah from the day after Shabbos. Chazal said it means the day after Yom Tov, the Tzedokim said it means the Sunday after Pesach. Why did the Torah write it that way, and why did the Tzedokim hire false witnesses and the like to pick this specific battle?Have a good Shabbos 

The Torah tells us again and again that Hashem has separated us from the nations of the world to be His people. We have a different set of guidelines for how to live our lives, and we are meant to remain distinct, not influenced by foreign societies. At the end of Parashat Kedoshim, on the pasuk וָאַבְדִּל אֶתְכֶם מִן הָעַמִּים לִהְיוֹת לִי , Rashi brings from Chazal that Hashem says: when you separate yourselves from the nations, then you are Mine. We must recognize that we are a nation that is self-sufficient— הֶן עָם לְבָדָד יִשְׁכּוֹן וּבַגּוֹיִם לֹא יִתְחַשָּׁב . We do not need anyone's help in this world, because we have the One Who runs the world. Throughout history, we have often found ourselves surrounded by powerful nations, facing challenges that seemed impossible to overcome. Yet, time and again, we have seen that our survival, our success, and our redemption did not come from alliances or from human strength. They came only from Hashem. One of the criteria necessary to receive our final redemption is to know with clarity: אין לנו להישען אלא על אבינו שבשמים . We do not rely on any human being for help—only on Hashem. When a person feels that he needs a certain individual or a certain country to help him, he is lacking in this belief. History has shown us this lesson repeatedly. The Jewish people once lived in Egypt under the leadership of Yosef, who saved the entire country from famine and made it the wealthiest empire in the world. Pharaoh owed everything to him. And yet, the Torah tells us: ויקם מלך חדש אשר לא ידע את יוסף . A new king arose who forgot Yosef, and the slavery began. The same pattern repeated itself in Spain. Initially, the country was struggling, and the Jews helped elevate it with their wisdom and wealth, until that era became known as the Golden Age of Spain. The great Rabbi Yitchak Abarbanel served as Minister of Finance. The Jews were deeply connected and highly respected. Yet suddenly, everything turned. A new leadership arose that did not know Don Isaac Abarbanel, and on Tisha B'Av in 1492, a decree was issued: either renounce Judaism or be exiled. They expelled the Jews and confiscated their wealth. All of their connections did not help them in the slightest. Centuries later, the same thing happened in Germany. Jews were leaders in banking and deeply integrated into society. They felt secure and established—but that did not protect them when everything changed. It is true that Hashem sometimes uses messengers to help us. But we must remember that this is all they are—messengers. If a person feels that he needs a specific individual in order to succeed, then he is placing his reliance in the wrong place. When someone says, "We must accomplish as much as possible while this leader is still in power, or else we will be in trouble," that is placing trust in a human being. Hashem alone takes care of us. He can use whoever He wants as His messenger, or He can accomplish everything without any intermediary. We must never feel dependent on any person. We are a nation unto ourselves. ה׳ אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה , and אֵלֶּה בָרֶכֶב וְאֵלֶּה בַסּוּסִים וַאֲנַחְנוּ בְּשֵׁם ה׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ נַזְכִּיר . How fortunate we are to have Hashem with us. We are on the winning side. We know the future. We know the glory that awaits us. Our task is to do our part and to feel that we already have everything we need, because we have HaKadosh Baruch Hu. He is our Savior. He is our King. He is our Father. The more we rely on Him, the closer we come to bringing the Geulah.

How fortunate we are to be the children of Hashem. He is there to help us twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and He loves each and every one of us more than a parent could ever love a child. We should feel proud to merit being the ones who follow His Torah. The pasuk says: כִּי הִיא חָכְמַתְכֶם וּבִינַתְכֶם לְעֵינֵי הָעַמִּים . When we live our lives according to the Torah, we are showing the world what true wisdom is. The Torah makes us a nation of kings and queens, and it is our greatest privilege to serve Hashem. Therefore, we should never be embarrassed to follow any mitzvah. If a gentile buyer asks a person to go to a non-kosher establishment, he should not say, "I'm not in the mood for that kind of food right now." Rather, he should say, "I'm sure the food is great, but my religion only permits me to eat in kosher establishments." If an executive asks for a meeting at a time that would cause a person to miss his set time for learning Torah, he should not be embarrassed to say, "I set aside time every day to learn and cannot miss it." All success comes from Hashem, and when we stand up for His honor and follow His Torah, He sends His blessings. The pessukim tell us about Daniel, who was taken as a young man to serve in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar. An official in charge told him he had to eat the finest foods from the royal table—rich meat and wine—so that he would appear strong and refined for service. Daniel said he wanted only grains and water, for kashrut reasons. The official explained that he would get in trouble if Daniel did not look robust like the other servants. Daniel suggested a ten-day test: give him grains and water and compare him to the others. At the end of the ten days, Daniel looked healthier, stronger, and more vibrant than the servants who ate the king's finest delicacies. Health and appearance come from Hashem, and He is the only One who needs to be impressed. Chazal tell us that because Daniel kept kashrut under duress, he merited protection later, even when he was thrown into the lion's den. Anyone who knows who the real Boss is will never compromise any level of Torah for any reason, especially in business. On the contrary, he will keep Torah even more carefully, knowing that success comes only from Hashem. Once a year, the largest retailer in the world, Walmart, holds a massive gathering for its top 1,500 suppliers, including Apple, General Mills, Frito-Lay, Procter & Gamble, and many more. They give awards for the best suppliers in each category, culminating in the Vendor of the Year award. At the last gathering, there were many Jews in attendance but an overwhelming majority of gentiles. The top award went to a religious Jew who keeps all halachot meticulously. On stage were many executives, including women, who normally extend their hands to congratulate winners—but in this case, they were instructed by the executive vice president to respect his religion and not do so. When he spoke, he did not praise his product or his skill. Instead, he said, "I attribute all of our company's success to the One Above." Later, other gentile vendors expressed how impressed they were that he publicly recognized G-d. This man does not own a smartphone. He appeared on that stage with a full Omer beard and does not compromise his Torah learning for work. Over the decades, many people have felt pressure to compromise standards to impress companies like Walmart—but this is unnecessary. Companies will respect Torah principles. In this instance, Walmart was more concerned with respecting his religion than he was with impressing them. All success comes from Hashem. If we are proud to be His people, we should also be proud to follow His Torah. True success comes not from pleasing people, but from standing strong in Hashem's Torah—He will make all things prosper.

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.

During these days of sefirat ha'omer , we are supposed tobe working hard on improving our mitzvot ben adam l'chavero . Chazal tell us shalom is so great that Hashem allows His sacred Name to be erased justto help bring peace between husband and wife. Bringing peace between people isthe vehicle that is going to bring the Shechina out of it's long exile. Chazal also say there is no vessel that can hold beracha other than shalom. Itis incumbent upon us to be mivakesh shalom. We have to humble ourselvesand forgive people, and humble ourselves and treat people with respect. Shalomopens all the gates of beracha . Rabbi Yaakov Shaish told a story which I most probably have toldonce before because I recognized it when I heard it, but hearing it againinspired me, so it can't hurt to repeat. It began when a representative from acertain yeshiva in Israel came to Montreal to collect. Every year this Rabbimade his regular stops and collected enough for the yeshiva to operate. Oneyear in Montreal at a wealthy man's home, he noticed the man looking verydepressed. He inquired about it and then the man broke down saying, "Lookaround, I have the most beautiful home but it's empty because Hashem did notbless us with children." The Rabbi started telling the man about differentorganizations that help with fertility. And then the man interrupted himsaying, "Rabbi, you don't understand. The doctors told us there is nothingwrong with me and there is nothing wrong with my wife. I'm pretty sure I knowwhy this is happening to us. When I was in yeshiva in Israel one year on Purim,I was a little drunk and I started humiliating one of my friends there. I wenton and on until that boy was too embarrassed, he couldn't even show his facethere. Later on I begged for forgiveness, but he adamantly refused. I have beentrying year after year, but this person, who is now a man, refuses to even talkto me". The Rabbi asked for this person's information and said he would try tobring about shalom between them. When the Rabbi got back to Israel, he went to that man's house.The moment he mentioned the reason for his visit, the man politely asked him toleave his home. The Rabbi said, "Please, this man regrets what he did, he issuffering now. He has no children and he desperately wants you to forgive him." The man said, "I hope he never has children! Please leave." As the Rabbi was walking out, he said "please allow me to tellyou just one more thing. I know that after 120 you are going to face theHeavenly Court and at that time, any humiliation you ever went through willappear totally insignificant, it will not bother you in the slightest bit.Hashem is going to tell you, There was a Jew in Canada who desperatelywanted to have children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren and he wasbegging you to help him. It was your hakpada that prevented all of thoseneshamot to enter into the world in his family. And when you're there, Iknow you're going to regret not forgiving him. But, it's never too late. Now,you still have a chance to do it." The man was silent and he asked the Rabbi to give him a minuteto think. Fifteen minutes later he said, "Okay, I forgive him." The Rabbi said, "No, that's not enough, you have to tell him.Can I get him on the phone?" He said, "Okay." The Rabbi dialed the number and then told thewealthy man he was there with his friend and he was ready to forgive him. Theman took the phone and he said, "I don't want to talk to you, but I want totell you that I forgive you." The wealthy man from Canada immediately beganapologizing and expressing his remorse again and again. Then he asked if hecould please give him a beracha to have children. At first this man saidno way, but then the wealthy man began crying and begging. Finally the managreed and he said, "May it be Hashem's will that you have children." By the end of that year, this man was holding his first child.There is nothing in the world that can hold blessing like shalom.

A peddler walks through Tzipori offering the ultimate cure: “Who wants life?”Chazal reveal: it's not a potion. It's a perspective.In this shiur, delivered in Tomer Devorah, Rav Burg uncovers the deeper root of the metzora: not negative speech, but negative vision. When you only see the surface, the world looks broken and you speak accordingly. But when you learn to see deeper, to find Hashem within the world, everything changes.Rav Yannai thought life meant stepping away from the world. The peddler teaches him the opposite: real life is found when you engage in this world. Life is not about avoiding sin. It's about learning how to live within the darkness of the world and still see the light.

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

William Blair macro analyst Richard de Chazal unpacks the market implications of the U.S.–Iran conflict, discussing how the war is reshaping inflation and growth risks and challenging central banks' playbooks, and why markets may be underpricing the possibility of a more prolonged disruption. Richard also touches on emerging stress in private credit beneath the surface.

Yesterday we spoke about the feeling of rejection when it comes to relationships between people. Unfortunately, there are those who feel rejected by Hashem as well. They have been praying and improving for years, yet they have not seen the results they were hoping for. They begin to wonder if Hashem truly appreciates their efforts, and some even entertain thoughts of stopping. There are those who have already stopped praying altogether, thinking that Hashem is not interested in their tefillot. If they would only know how much they are accomplishing with their tefillot and good deeds, and how much Hashem cherishes everything they do, they would be running to continue. Not being answered is not an indication that Hashem does not love their tefillot — it is just the opposite. Sarah Imenu was not answered for decades, and Chazal teach that Hashem delayed because He desired her prayers so much. When Kayin felt rejected by Hashem, he committed a terrible aveirah. Yet Hashem Himself told him, " למה חרה לך ולמה נפלו פניך… אם תיטיב שאת " — why are you upset? I am not rejecting you. All you need to do is improve. Hashem never rejects anyone. At one point, a heavenly voice was heard regarding Elisha Acher, saying that everyone is welcome back except him. Acher had committed extremely grave sins. Yet the Reshit Chochmah writes that even that heavenly voice did not mean that Hashem did not want him back. In the end, he was accepted in the upper worlds, even without doing teshuvah — and certainly had he done teshuvah, he would have been accepted even more so. That heavenly voice was a test. He was meant to respond, "No — I still want to come back." As Chazal teach, כֹּל מַה שֶׁיֹּאמַר לְךָ בַּעַל הַבַּיִת עֲשֵׂה, חוּץ מִצֵּא , whatever the Baal HaBayit tells us to do, we must follow — except if he tells us to leave, then we do not go. Hashem is the ultimate Baal HaBayit, and even when it appears as if He is pushing us away, it is only a test. Hashem desires every Jew to be close to Him. His love for us is beyond comprehension. We may not understand His ways, but we know with certainty that He always wants us. If we would understand even a fraction of how much He desires our avodah, we would serve Him with far greater enthusiasm. Rabbi Ephraim Wachsman told a story about a man we will call Reuven, who hired a well-known singer to perform at his daughter's wedding. A few weeks later, another man, Yehuda, called that same singer to ask if he was available for his daughter's wedding — which happened to be scheduled for the very same night. The singer declined. Yehuda wanted this singer very badly and asked for Reuven's number. He called Reuven and offered to pay for another singer if he would be willing to give up his booking. Reuven politely declined. Yehuda then offered to pay part of the wedding expenses. Again, Reuven declined. Eventually, Yehuda even offered to pay for the entire wedding — and still, Reuven refused. Yehuda was astonished and asked him to explain. Reuven answered that when his father had been ill, his mother cared for him tirelessly, day and night. The entire family felt tremendous gratitude toward her. When she heard the name of this singer, she remarked how meaningful it would be if he could perform at the wedding. "For me," Reuven said, "having this singer at the wedding is kibbud em. There is no amount of money that would make me give that up." The singer later said that when he performed at that wedding, he sang with more heart and enthusiasm than ever before, because he understood how much they wanted him and what they were willing to give up for him to be there. When a person feels wanted, his performance is on an entirely different level. If we would only realize how much Hashem wants our avodah, we would serve Him with that same excitement. Hashem never rejects anyone — it may appear that way sometimes. In truth, He is waiting to see that even without the results we hope for, we continue striving to come closer. And when we do, our reward becomes infinitely greater, allowing us to merit closeness to Hashem for all eternity.

In response to a letter proposing that identifying certain nations as lost tribes could hasten Moshiach, the Rebbe emphasizes that our direction must come from Torah and its clear guidance. Rather than pursuing speculative approaches, our focus should be on what Chazal teach—that redemption depends on teshuvah and good deeds. PDF Link: https://www.soulwords.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/30-letters-30-days-23.pdf

In response to a letter proposing that identifying certain nations as lost tribes could hasten Moshiach, the Rebbe emphasizes that our direction must come from Torah and its clear guidance. Rather than pursuing speculative approaches, our focus should be on what Chazal teach—that redemption depends on teshuvah and good deeds. PDF Link: https://www.soulwords.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/30-letters-30-days-23.pdf

The Gemara says, " בניסן נגאלו ובניסן עתידין להיגאל ." In Nisan we were redeemed from Mitzrayim, and in Nisan we will be redeemed again. Just as the אורות הגאולה shone at the time of Yetziat Mitzrayim, so too every year those same lights return, making the month of Nisan an especially auspicious time for geulah. Chazal also teach us that the geulah will come בזכות האמונה . It is through our emunah that we will ultimately merit redemption. We are living in historic times. So much is happening in the world, and especially in Eretz Yisrael. We hope and pray that this will be the month of the final geulah. Now is the time to strengthen ourselves in emunah — emunah that the geulah will come, and emunah that Hashem is controlling everything and doing everything for our good. People who invest time learning emunah and listening to emunah classes become transformed by it. They gain the ability to rise above their circumstances, and their words and attitudes bring tremendous kavod to Hashem. A woman recently described the many hardships she had endured over the past seven years. Naturally, one would expect such a person to break down in tears. Yet instead, she spoke about how much she loves Hashem and how she understands that all of her struggles are shaping her into the person Hashem wants her to be. Her words were incredibly precious. Such strength can only come from deeply internalized emunah. A man shared that last year he flew across the country for crucial business meetings at a time when it seemed his entire livelihood was on the verge of collapse. When he arrived, he was so overwhelmed with anxiety that he could not think clearly. Someone advised him to listen to emunah classes. He locked himself in his room for twenty-four hours, listening continuously. He barely ate or slept, stopping only to pray. By the end of that time, he said he felt emunah flowing through his veins. Strengthened and calm, he entered his meetings with complete trust in Hashem — and he witnessed open miracles. What began as a frightening trip turned into the most successful business experience of his career. A woman told me that a few years ago, her daughter had begun drifting away from her connection to Hashem. Then, on Rosh Chodesh Nisan, while riding an electric scooter to work, she was struck by a car. She was thrown off and lost consciousness. Hatzalah rushed her to the hospital, where doctors discovered five hematomas in her brain. One doctor told the mother that there was a strong chance her daughter would not survive. The mother responded with unwavering confidence: "I know she will live." She explained that she had previously received berachot from Gedolim assuring her that she would yet see nachat from this daughter. "I haven't seen that nachat yet," she said, "so I know she will live." Her Emunat Chachamim was steadfast. That very evening, the girl regained full consciousness. The attending specialist said that in such cases, most patients do not survive, and those who do usually suffer permanent damage. For her to be completely fine was nothing short of an open miracle. The experience awakened something deep within the girl. She chose to spend a year in Eretz Yisrael, where she reconnected and began to grow rapidly. Today, she brings her mother immense nachat — just as the Gedolim had promised. This is the power of emunah. It gives strength, clarity, and brings tremendous kavod to Hashem. Let us take advantage of these powerful days of Nisan and strengthen ourselves in emunah. And with Hashem's help, may we merit to see the complete and final geulah במהרה בימינו אמן .

We look at what our sages teach us concerning Yiftach and his ill-fated vow

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.

The Torah isolates the Issur of lighting a fire on Shabbos. Why is it singled out from all the other 39 Melachos? Halachic and Mussar ideas Chazal teach about this Mitzvah.Have a good Shabbos

In this uplifting episode of Inside ArtScroll, Rabbi Shlomo Landau sits down with Rabbi David Sutton to explore The Bitachon Haggadah – With a Daily Dose of Preparation, a sefer that transforms the way we approach Pesach.  At its heart is a powerful yet simple idea: true freedom doesn't begin on the night of the Seder — it begins thirty days earlier. Rabbi Sutton shares how this unique “two-in-one” work serves both as a 30-day daily reader and a complete Haggadah with commentary, gently guiding readers through a month-long journey of emunah, bitachon, and inner growth so they can arrive at Pesach calm, centered, and spiritually ready. Drawing on the wisdom of Chazal, Rishonim, and later Torah giants, Rabbi Sutton explains how Yetzias Mitzrayim is not merely a story of the past, but a living, personal experience meant to renew our faith each year. Interwoven with meaningful insights and heart-stirring stories, the Haggadah brings warmth and depth to the Seder table while strengthening one's connection to Hashem long after Pesach has passed.  This conversation offers a refreshing perspective on preparation, showing how anticipation itself can become a pathway to serenity, clarity, and true cheirus.

The Zohar HaKadosh writes in Parashat Vayakhel that people do not realize how powerful tefillah really is. Tefillah has the ability to pierce through the heavens and open gates that previously could not be opened. Rabbeinu Bachya writes in Parashat Ekev that tefillah has the ability to change nature, to save a person from danger, and to nullify harsh decrees. The Maharsha writes in Masechet Shabbat ( דף קנ״א ע״ב ) that even though Chazal say a person's lifespan, number of children, and parnasah depend on mazal, tefillah has the power to change mazal. When a person prays during an et ratzon, a time of divine favor, the tefillah becomes even more powerful. David HaMelech asked Hashem that his prayers should reach Him during such a time, as it says: ואני תפילתי לך ה׳ עת רצון . The Midrash asks regarding the pasuk that says Eliezer ran toward Rivka: why was he running so quickly? It answers that once Eliezer realized he was experiencing an et ratzon, because Hashem had already performed a miracle for him by shortening the journey, he hurried to take advantage of that special moment and seek even more heavenly assistance. Rashi writes in Parashat Ki Tisa that when Moshe Rabbeinu saw that his requests were being answered, he understood that it was an et ratzon. He therefore continued asking for more in order to gain the greatest benefit from that special time. The Bnei Yissaschar writes that there are angels appointed in Shamayim to bring our tefillot upward, and they examine the prayers to determine if they are worthy. However, during an et ratzon the tefillot do not require their assistance. They ascend directly without scrutiny. The Mashgiach, Rav Yechezkel Levenstein, said that there is no greater et ratzon in Shamayim than when a person overcomes his yetzer hara. This means a person can actually create his own et ratzon and then use it to ask Hashem for whatever he needs. For example, if a person feels a strong yetzer hara to look at something inappropriate and overcomes it, he should realize that at that moment he has created an et ratzon. We have heard many stories about people who were publicly humiliated but chose not to respond and instead gave a blessing to a person in need of salvation. And those blessings brought about salvations. Why does this work? One explanation is that when a person is humiliated, the yetzer hara strongly pushes him to respond with anger. If he overcomes that impulse, he creates such a powerful et ratzon that his tefillot and blessings become especially potent. People are constantly tested—through anger, jealousy, and many other challenges. If we can motivate ourselves to overcome those tests, we can create moments of divine favor that we can then use to pray for what we need. The Keter Shem Tov brings from the Baal Shem Tov that when a person truly feels pain for another person's suffering, that creates an et ratzon. Even greater than that is when a person can genuinely feel happy when another person experiences success. And even greater still is when two people both need a salvation and one receives it while the other does not. If instead of complaining and asking why he was not helped, the person can feel sincere happiness for the other's simchah, that creates an extremely powerful et ratzon. At that moment he can pour out his heart to Hashem and ask for what he needs. Tefillah is always powerful, but during an et ratzon it becomes even more powerful.

Shemot Rabba 48:3,4- Chazal illustrate the special lineage of Betzalel and how it contributed to his wonderful qualities

William Blair macro analyst Richard de Chazal and co-head of technology, media, and communications research, Jason Ader, unpack the sharp selloff in software stocks and the growing fear around AI-driven disruption. They explore why the “software apocalypse” narrative may be overblown, how AI could ultimately expand the software market, and what investors should watch as winners and losers begin to separate.

The pasuk says that Amalek attacked the Jewish People when they were in רפידים and Chazal tell us the reason Amalek was able to attack was because רפו ידיהם מן התורה – the Jewish People became weakened in Torah. Rabbi Menashe Reizman quoted from the Shem M'Shmuel who said in the name of his father the Avnei Nezer that Amelek attacked around the 29 th day of Iyar, just about a week before the Jewish People received the Torah on Har Sinai. At that time, they were counting Sefirat HaOmer , they knew they were rising each day out of the 49 th level of tuma they had been in and they knew they were going to reach the highest levels of kedusha , so how were they able to become weakened in Torah at a time like that? The answer is because they didn't feel any tangible change inside of them. They weren't feeling more spiritual. More than 40 days of the counting had passed and yet they still felt the same as they did before. That caused them to become weak and that was how Amalek was able to attack. The Tiferet Shlomo writes the same thing is happening during this long galut . Without a question we are at the doorstep of Mashiach and when he comes, the Navi tells us, ישפוך ה' רוחו על כל בשר ונבאו בניכם ובנותיכם – Hashem is going to bestow His spirit upon us and our children are going to be nevi'im. We would think that at this time we should feel 99% of the way there, we should feel imbued with the spirit of Hashem, ready to receive prophecy. Yet, in reality, we don't feel that way. The reason, he says, Hashem did it this way is because if we felt like the level we were actually on, it would take away our free will. The enjoyment from those feelings would make it too easy for us to choose good over evil. We are always going to have the Amalek inside of us saying, You're not accomplishing anything. See, you don't feel it. This attitude has caused so many people to become weak in their avodat Hashem. The Jewish People didn't feel the growth that they had a week before Matan Torah , but how great were they in actuality? The following week they received the ultimate level of prophecy, they reached the ultimate level a person could possibly be on, hearing the voice, kavayachol , of HaKadosh Baruch Hu . They had a misunderstanding, they really were on a high level, it's just that Hashem didn't allow them to feel that way, so He could balance their free will. The same applies to us today. A person who is learning and growing might say to himself, I don't feel any change. The Amalek inside of him is saying, you're not growing, the Torah's not affecting you. And because in reality the person doesn't have the feeling he is looking for, he believes Amalek. We must strengthen ourselves and realize, every avodah we do is making us so great. We are rising higher and higher in anticipation of greeting the Mashiach . Specifically because we live in such a depraved world, it makes our avodah that much more valuable. If we stay the course, we will see how much of an effect Torah and mitzvot really is having on us. B'ezrat Hashem, we should merit that glorious day when the Mashiach will come and Hashem will rest His spirit upon us.

The pasuk says in this week's Parashat Terumah, וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם Hashem commanded the Jewish people to make a Mishkan so that He could rest His Presence among them. Obviously, the Presence of Hashem cannot be contained in a physical building. Perhaps one of the lessons we can learn from here is that if we make a place for Hashem to come into our lives, He will reveal His Presence to us in ways that can transcend nature. How do we make that place? By believing in His control and His abilities. The Be'er HaParasha related a story that recently took place, heard directly from the man involved. A man whom we'll call Yehuda had just merited his first baby after four years of marriage. Last year on Chol HaMoed Pesach he was learning the sefer Netivot Shalom, and there he read that if a person has proper emunah — namely, that nothing is hard for Hashem and He can always help no matter what the issue is — then he can merit his own personal Keriat Yam Suf. The sefer advised having those thoughts and feelings especially on the seventh day of Pesach, when Keriat Yam Suf occurred. Yehuda came home that day very excited to put into practice what he had just learned. He was going to work on believing that Hashem can do anything, including giving him and his wife a baby. He also invited his sister to stay with them for Shevi'i shel Pesach, as she had been struggling with shidduchim for almost seven years. He wanted her to also have this emunah so she could have her very own Keriat Yam Suf as well. They read stories about emunah and statements of Chazal about Hashem, and they truly took to heart that Hashem could help them in an instant. They felt so strong in their emunah that they could already feel the joy of salvation. Now, less than a year later, on the Sunday of Parashat Beshalach, this sister celebrated her wedding. And on Tuesday of Parashat Beshalach, Yehuda and his wife celebrated the birth of their very first baby. True belief in Hashem's salvation can do wonders. A woman told me she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and was instructed to schedule surgery immediately to have it removed. The doctors sounded very negative and instilled a great deal of fear in her. She is a woman who learns emunah daily and refused to let the diagnosis overtake her. She focused on emunah, on Hashem, and on praying, and two weeks later the surgery was done. They told her they believed they removed everything, but she would need months of chemotherapy going forward. She asked them to please take a biopsy before starting any chemo. They told her it was ninety-nine percent certain cancer and she would definitely need treatment. She answered, "I am going to be from the one percent. Please check it." She then went and strengthened her emunah even more, reviewing articles she had saved about how doctors' prognoses are meaningless when it comes to Hashem. She even sent them to her family to strengthen them as well. At the next appointment she asked again if they had taken the biopsy. Once again they told her it was ninety-nine percent a problem, but they had done the test and were waiting for results. Once again she said, "Ninety-nine percent means there is one percent that it is fine, and I believe Hashem can put me in that one percent." The next day, Erev Shabbat, she received a call from one of the doctors who told her, "Your prayers must have been answered. Everything is fine. You don't need any chemotherapy." She felt the greatest feeling — the feeling of Hashem's salvation, the feeling that her emunah was rewarded. She was overwhelmed with gratitude. The more we want Hashem in our lives, the more He reveals Himself to us. Shabbat Shalom.

As mentioned previously, one of the reasons Hashem may give a person suffering in this world is to save him from something far worse. Sometimes a person endures such hardship that he cannot imagine anything being worse. It is important to remember that there are endless reasons why a person may have to suffer, even if he is completely righteous. The Chovot HaLevavot in Shaar HaBitachon lists several possibilities and then cautions that we will never be able to determine why any individual is experiencing what he is going through. Hashem has a different calculation for every person, and only He knows the true reasons. What we do need to know is that whatever the reason may be, when a person eventually discovers why Hashem dealt with him this way — whether when Mashiach comes or when he reaches the next world — he will be grateful for every moment of the life Hashem gave him. If he can trust in Hashem now and accept it with joy even before understanding, his spiritual level will rise tremendously and his reward will be beyond imagination. One of the explanations given by the Chovot HaLevavot for why a tzaddik may suffer in this world is that through that suffering, Hashem grants him a far greater Olam Haba. We know from Chazal that even the faintest taste of Olam Haba is more pleasurable than all the delights of this world combined. And Olam Haba is eternal, while this world is temporary. But how does suffering here produce a higher Olam Haba? One explanation is based on the teaching of Chazal that one mitzvah performed with difficulty is worth far more than the same mitzvah performed easily. When someone is going through hardship, illness, or pain and still manages to perform a mitzvah, still manages to pray, still manages to learn, everything he does carries infinitely greater value. One minute of his avodah may outweigh hours of effortless service. Two people may be praying in the same shul, learning in the same class, appearing identical in this world. Yet in the next world, one may stand far higher than the other — because the effort required of him was so much greater. For him, getting to shul or opening a sefer demanded real sacrifice, while the other person had it easy. We do not ask for hardship, because we fear we may not accept it properly. But if hardship does come, we must understand that it carries within it a golden opportunity to earn reward beyond anything we can imagine. It may be that someone who appears to be an ordinary Jew in this world is in truth among the greatest of the generation — not because of how much he accomplishes , but because of what he must endure to accomplish whatever he does manage to accomplish. He keeps going with a smile. He keeps doing mitzvot even when it is painfully difficult. He keeps his emunah in Hashem even when life feels unbearably hard. This may also explain the Gemara which tells that when Rav Yosef became ill, his soul briefly departed and then returned. Afterward he said he saw an upside-down world — those who appeared lowly here were elevated there, and those who appeared elevated here were low there. His father told him, "You saw a clear world." A person who looks like a simple Jew down here may occupy the highest place in the upper world because of the enormous difficulty he faces in serving Hashem within the life he was given. There are infinite reasons for suffering in this world. For now, our task is to trust that every one of them is for the best. If a person can accept that Hashem is doing what is best for him and continue to serve Him with joy, he will merit the highest places in Olam Haba for all eternity.

When a person experiences any kind of suffering, he must understand that it comes only from the great love that Hashem has for him. The Tanach as well as Chazal are filled with statements attesting to this truth. When a person internalizes this and wholeheartedly accepts that Hashem is actually helping him when he has a difficulty, it is a wondrous expression of emunah, which is heavily rewarded in the next world. We must remind ourselves of this again and again, because when a person is hurting, he naturally wants to complain and bemoan his fate. There is a story brought down in the introduction to the sefer Divrei Yechezkel Shraga about Rabbi Yosef Teitelbaum, who served as the rav of a large city in Europe before the Holocaust. He took care of all the city's religious needs, and they paid his rent and supported him. One day, his non-Jewish landlord informed him that he was selling their apartment and they would have to vacate within the month. At that time, there were no other apartments available for rent in the city, and this meant the rabbi would not only lose his apartment, but his entire community and life's work, as he would have to move to a new city. A few days later, an argument broke out on a street corner between two women from the community. They were each saying hurtful words to each other. At one point, one of the women said to the other, "You are a difficult and terrible person. Even the rebbetzin said you're a dangerous woman." The other woman, hurt by this accusation, was filled with anger toward the rebbetzin for supposedly saying that. She immediately went to the rebbetzin's house and knocked on her door. The rebbetzin answered with a pleasant smile, but the woman burst out loudly and publicly, "How dare you say I'm a difficult and bad woman? Shame on you. You're a miserable woman yourself." The rebbetzin froze in shock. She had no idea what this woman was talking about. She told the woman she had never said anything of the sort, but the other woman was so swept away by her emotions that she continued mercilessly attacking the rebbetzin with harsh words. The rebbetzin could not bear the shame. She ran to her room, locked the door, and burst into tears. She sobbed bitterly. "Ribono Shel Olam I can't endure all of these hardships. First we find out that we have to leave the kehillah that we invested our entire lives in, from which we earn our livelihood and feed our children. And now this terrible pain and humiliation that is unbearable. Why so much suffering?" The rebbetzin cried until she fell asleep. Suddenly, the image of her holy father, Rav Yechezkel Shraga, appeared to her in a dream. He said, "I am ashamed of you, my daughter. Your crying and complaining is bringing me shame and pain in the upper world. "There was a harsh decree, and you were supposed to pass away. I exerted all of my strength to be an advocate for you and your children to annul the decree and keep you alive. After begging and pleading for mercy, my request was accepted. "It was decided in Shamayim to replace the decree with suffering instead. Your landlord would cause you distress by telling you he was going to sell your apartment so that you would have to leave behind your entire life and livelihood for an unknown future. As well, you would be shamed in public. "This was to give you a new life for years to come. How could you be crying and complaining?" The rebbetzin woke up in a sweat, remembering every detail she had just seen. A few minutes later, the woman returned to apologize. She had found out the other woman made it up, and she felt horrible for the way she acted. The rebbetzin told her not to worry. It was all for her best. A few hours later, the landlord came to say that he had decided not to sell the apartment and they could stay living there. The rebbetzin then shared with her husband all that had happened and felt terrible for not accepting her suffering with love. Rabbi Tzvi Nakar quoted the Baal Shem Tov, who said that every time suffering befalls a Jew and he accepts it without complaining, he builds immeasurable structures for himself in Shamayim. He elevates Hashem's honor and brings tikkunim that could not have been accomplished any other way. We always have to remember that Hashem is acting in our best interests, even if sometimes it hurts.