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The Parsha that follows the Revelation at Sinai contains an apparently motley potpourri of subjects: it begins with a wide variety of mitzvos of all types, presented in rapid fire succession. The Parsha concludes with two apparently unrelated subjects: it foretells of the conquest of Canaan and the conditions by which we will acquire it, and it revisits the Sinai Revelation and the events that led up to it. In this special edition of the Parsha Podcast, we explore the surprising layout of the subjects of our Parsha and discover a fundamental and perhaps overlooked benefit of the framework of Torah.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe's PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★
The Sefer Mishpat Tzedek , which has a haskama from Rabbi Akiva Eiger, brings down from Sefer Immanuel that many people enjoy the highest delights in Gan Eden . Yet, when they arrive, they see individuals who, in this world, may have appeared to be resha'im . It is a wonder to them—how could these people possibly be in the same elevated place in Gan Eden ? When they ask how they attained such a high level, the response is astonishing: "Whenever we faced difficulties or afflictions in life, we accepted them with love. We said with a full heart, 'We know we deserve this. We have sins that require atonement, and we fully accept what Hashem has decreed upon us.'" That zechut alone enabled them to reach the loftiest portions of Gan Eden . This is an eye-opening chiddush . We know that accepting hardships with love is a noble trait, but here we see that it is not just good —it has the power to elevate a person to the highest levels of eternity. However, this is easier said than done. A person must truly believe that Hashem is helping him through suffering, to the point that he feels it deeply in his heart. The natural reaction to hardship is to complain, to feel that we are being treated unfairly—especially when we see others around us receiving what they want, even those who may not be as observant as we are. It is incredibly difficult to say, "I know I deserve what is happening to me. I know Hashem is doing this for my ultimate good." A person might experience a crushing disappointment and think, "Why did Hashem do this to me? Everything was going so well—I was about to get engaged, about to have a child, about to get a job, about to be healed. Why did Hashem raise my hopes, only to let me down?" These moments are among the hardest challenges a person can endure. But precisely because they are so difficult, they hold immeasurable value. A person might feel desperate, willing to do anything to receive salvation. The Mishpat Tzedek brings from Chazal that if a person accepts their hardships with love and declares, "Hashem, I know You have given me exactly what I deserve," this zechut can open the gates of mercy, bringing about salvation . Of course, nothing is guaranteed—there may be other factors delaying a person's salvation. But if there are segulot that help unlock divine mercy, this is certainly one of them. And if a person has already faced disappointment after disappointment, that only makes the next act of acceptance even greater. This world is fleeting. It is a world of toil. We are here to work—day and night—diligently accumulating mitzvot , amassing a fortune to earn our place in the next world. And this avoda of accepting suffering with love is so great that it can accomplish what would normally take years of spiritual effort to accomplish. The next time we are tempted to complain or feel down about our situation, we should stop ourselves and recognize the golden opportunity before us. We can turn to Hashem and say: "I know You want only my best. I know You are acting with absolute righteousness." And if we can not only say these words, but truly feel them in our hearts, we will merit the highest levels in Olam Haba .
Welcome to our series on humility. Yesterday we spoke about the concept of Rommemut HaNefesh/ an exalted uplifted soul . Today we'll continue with that topic, starting with a quote from Rabbenu Yonah in Shaare HaAvoda. It's worthwhile to read every word. He says, " The first opening of serving Hashem is that the person who's serving Hashem should know his value and realize his qualities, and the qualities of his forefathers; how great they were, how important they were, how dear they were to Hashem. And they should try and strengthen themselves constantly to keep themselves on that high level and to act on it constantly. And every day, continue to add strength to get even more qualities to connect to their Creator. It'll be slow at the beginning, but he will get even greater as time goes on." And then he says, " This will cause him that when he has a desire to do something negative or he becomes arrogant and wants to do something improper, he'll be embarrassed of himself and of his forefathers and he'll tell himself, 'Somebody great and important like me, with is so many wonderful qualities…I'm the children of the greats of kings of old, how can I do such a thing like this?'" And he quotes a term used by Yosef HaSadik, " איך אעשה הרעה הגדולה הזאת וחטאתי לאלקים /How could I do a sin like this and sin to God?" hinting to that's what saved Yosef. And the word that he uses in Hebrew is, I have qualities that are exalted… And he says the opposite: If heaven forbid, you don't realize your qualities and qualities of forefathers, very easily you're going to go in the ways of the Pritzim/people that breach the proper ways. He says The one that wants to serve Hashem has to constantly try to realize his qualities and the qualities of the Sadikim and Hasidim and how important and endearing they are to Hashem. He has to realize that he too can reach those levels of importance and endearment, as long as he serves Hashem the way they did and uses his time and abilities according to his strengths and talents . As the pasuk says in Devarim 30,14, כִּֽי־קָר֥וֹב אֵלֶ֛יךָ הַדָּבָ֖ר מְאֹ֑ד בְּפִ֥יךָ וּבִֽלְבָבְךָ֖ לַעֲשֹׂתֽוֹ / It's extremely close to you, in your mouth and your heart to do it which means Hashem is not asking you more than you can do. And our great forefathers Avraham Yitzhak and Yaakov served Him according to their abilities." Unbelievable words of hizuk from Rabbenu Yonah, That the first step towards serving Hashem is realizing your hashivut / importance . And again, that's not a contradiction to being humble. On the other hand, Rav Chaim Vital in his sefer Shaare. Kedusha , section 2 gate 4 says almost the same words in contrast, that being down on yourself is the gate of the beginning of the seduction of the Yetzer Harah. Even if you're a sadik, the Yetzer Hara will come to you as a pious man and say, 'How could you even entertain coming close to the Holy King of the world, you piece of dust, worms and maggots?' These attitudes come from the original snake that interacted with Adam and Chava. Last class we spoke about Amalek. Amalek is the evil force that tries to tell us, Rak Rah Kol HaYom/ You're only evil, all day . The pasuk in Yeshaya 14,29 says ךְ כִּֽי־מִשֹּׁ֤רֶשׁ נָחָשׁ֙ יֵ֣צֵא צֶ֔פַע וּפִרְי֖וֹ שָׂרָ֥ף מְעוֹפֵֽף׃ / From the root of the Nachash/snake will emerge a Sefa/viper. These are 2 different types of snakes. And our rabbis tell us that from the root of the snake (referring to the original snake, the sin of Adam HaRishon) will come out a viper- referring to Amalek. The Chida says in Nachal Eshkol , his commentary on Kohelet 10,11, that the numerical value of צפע is 90 + 80 + 70 = 240, the same numerical value as עמלק Amalek. Amalek is that continuation, the embodiment of the snake. And that's why just like in the future it says the snake will be wiped out, so too, Amalek will be wiped out. As we mentioned previously, the epitome of Amalek was Haman . And that's why the sefer Kehilat Yaakov, written by Rav Yaakov Tzvi Yalish (1777- 1825), one of the students of the Chozeh of Lublin tells us that Haman is Rasheh Tevot for ה וא מ שרש נ חש . He comes from the root of the snake. The opposite is Mordechai HaSadik. Haman was there to bring down the exaltedness of the Jewish people and Mordechai brought it up by not bowing. The snake is told, in Bereshit 3:15 וְאֵיבָ֣ה ׀ אָשִׁ֗ית בֵּֽינְךָ֙ וּבֵ֣ין הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה I will put hatred between you and the woman. The word איבה spells is א יש י הודי ה יה ב שושן. Wonder of wonders, that we have this concept clearly brought out that it goes back to the snake who started all our problems. The snake tried to introduce the false Rommemut/ arrogance into man and he continues his mission with Amalek, and with Haman. Let us again go a little deeper into our story: As the Jewish people are leaving Mitzrayim, they're going out ביד רמה with an uplifted hand, with Rommemut. Amalek can't stand that. Amalek can't swallow the fact that we're coming out with Rommemut . Amelek's numerical value 240 is רם as well. Every concept has a negative and positive. The Jewish people are the Rommemeut of Kedusha/ the holy aspect of exaltedness, whereas Amalek is the opposite. He's the contaminated aspect of exaltedness. He misuses this concept of Rommemeut . He's a fraud. He's Haman who makes it look like he's רם Ram/exalted , important. But it's fake, because he is dependent on the world to give him that importance. It's not inherent. He goes wild when he doesn't get his importance because he's not really internally great. He doesn't have internal qualities of greatness. The Elder of Kelm in Shemot , essay 253 tells us that true honor cannot be taken by anybody else. As it says in Mishleh 3,35 כָּ֭בוֹד חֲכָמִ֣ים יִנְחָ֑לוּ l The wise inherit honor. Because they have wisdom, they have inherent greatness. If a person is always complaining and in pain because they don't get outside recognition and constantly feel chased by others, that is a sign that other people own his honor and they can give it or take it away from him. But not the Chachamim . They have inherent honor and no one can take it away from them. Look what Haman ended up saying. When one person, Mordechai, doesn't bow down to him, he says, " כל זה איננו שוה לי This is all worthless to me ." Of course, he can't show it, as it says, VeYitapek Haman. Haman holds himself back. He controls himself, but he knows, inside of him, how much it hurt. The rabbis tell us, based on Gemara in Masechet Megila that Yaakov Avinu requested from Hashem, " Don't let Esav HaRasha get his will. " And that refers, it says to גרממיא של אדם If Hashem would not have held them back, they would have destroyed the whole world. Rav Yaakov Emden, hundreds of years before the Holocaust, says there's a mistake in the text- It shouldn't say גרממיא , it should say גרמניה , Germany . So the Gemara clearly says that Germany is this force that comes from Esav (as does Amelek) that could wipe out the world. The Germans mimic the fake concept of Rommemut as well. As we know, Hitler professed the Aryan race, his pseudoscientific superior race concept. Now that we have DNA and RNA, there's nothing to support this claim. It's what we called pseudoscience. But they believed that they were some special, superior specimen of humankind. They thought they were a master race and they believed that non-Aryans were racially inferior. The term that Hitler used was Untermentsch/subhuman, and he claimed they were an existential threat that had to be exterminated. That was the state ideology that led to the Holocaust. Blonde hair, blue eyes- a made-up, fake Rommemeut . There's nothing there. It's Pseudoscientific. Rav Wolbe writes in his sefer at the end of Parashat Beshalach where it talks about Amalek's attack, that the Jewish people have quality . That we have what's called Azut D'Kedusha. We have a strength of brazenness, of holiness. We don't give up. Like Mordechai, we aren't impacted by outside world opinion. That's why we're still here today. We're called Azin Sh'bUmot the most brazen of nations , and we wouldn't survive without that. But Amalek has the Azut of Tum'ah. As it says, Every nation is in trembling, they were all impacted by the event of Keriat Yam Suf. And who was the one that said, I'm going to be brazen I don't care… That was Amalek. He's not impacted. He doesn't change from anything around him, from anything outside of him. He continues to do what he wants to do. That's the ultimate evil. As long as Amalek is around, Hashem's throne is not complete. He is the antithesis of a Hashem. Shaul Hamelech was the first king to take on Amalek but he didn't do it. Why not? In Shmuel 1, perek 15:24, Shaul excuses himself and says חָטָ֔אתִי כִּֽי־עָבַ֥רְתִּי אֶת־פִּֽי־יְהֹוָ֖ה וְאֶת־דְּבָרֶ֑יךָ כִּ֤י יָרֵ֙אתִי֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וָאֶשְׁמַ֖ע בְּקוֹלָֽם׃ I sinned. I didn't listen to Hashem and to you. Because I was afraid of the people. You were afraid of the people? That's a lack of Azut D'Kedusha. You can't take on Amalek, the Azut of Tum'ah unless you possess Azut D'Kedusha. Lastly, we said there's difference between Ga'ava , which means you think you're great because you're above somebody, and Rommemut , which is inherent exaltedness. We say Romemtanu Mikol Leshonot/God lift us up/exalted us, above all other tongues. But why do we have to be above all other tongues? It should be inherent, shouldn't it? And the answer is, it is inherent. We are greater than all other tongues doesn't mean that we're just greater than all the nations. It means our language is greater, not by comparison, but it's inherently greater. The building blocks of creation were the 22 letters of the Alef Bet. Just like we have a periodical table elements, we have the 22 letters. They call water H2O, two hydrogen and one oxygen. But if you could look with spiritual glasses, you would see water is מים . Mem Yud Mem. That's the spiritual makeup of water, and that's why it's called the Mayim . When you call it water or agua or any other name, it's just a made up word to refer to it. It's not the inherent essence of the word. So the only language that is inherently exalted, because it's talking about the thing itself, is Lashon Hakodesh . That's why we're not just being arrogant about our language, like, " My language is more poetic than yours ." Or, " My language is richer than yours." No, it's inherently exalted. It's Rommamtanu M'kol Leshonot. This concludes our lesson on the contrast between exaltedness and arrogance.
Some atheists are quite intelligent. Some atheists score highly on IQ tests. How can they be so wrong on matters of faith? Where exactly do the atheists go wrong? In this interesting TORAH 101 podcast, we pinpoint the precise area that causes atheists to err. It turns out, a perfectly functioning and competent and capable brain is not enough to arrive at faith. The true cause of faith lies in the heart. If the heart is corrupted, all bets are off.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe's PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★
התוכן 1) הענין דחזרת חסידות בבתי-כנסת צ"ל גם ע"י אברכים, שגם אם חושבים שאינם צריכים את זה לתועלת עצמם – יעשו זאת לתועלת הבעה"ב שבבית-הכנסת. ועד"ז הענין ד"נרות להאיר" בכלל צ"ל גם אצל אברכים שיצאו מכותלי הישיבה, כי גם הם בגדר "בהמות בייתיות" ("הלנות בעיר"), כיון שכאשר נעשה "חושך" חוזרים הם אל הבית... 2) על כאו"א (ובמיוחד הבעה"ב העוסקים בהוויית עוה"ז) לפעול על עצמו את ההכרה שאין שום מציאות מלבד הקב"ה וליובאַוויטש (תורת החסידות, ותורה בכלל), שענין זה יתגלה לעת"ל. 3) ע"ד לימוד לקבלת "סמיכה" להוראה: על הבחורים להשתדל לקבלה קודם חתונתם (כמנהג בית הרב שגילה אדמו"ר מוהריי"צ), ועד"ז אברכים הנשואים – הראויים לזה. ולכל הפחות "סמיכה" באופן כזה שידעו את המעשה אשר יעשון לכה"פ בשו"ע או"ח ויו"ד והל' שבת (וקצת באבן העזר).ב' חלקים מהתוועדות כ"ד טבת ה'תשי"ב ל"הנחה פרטית" או התרגום ללה"ק של השיחה: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=17-02-2025 Synopsis (1) Reviewing Chassidus in shuls isn't just for the bochurim, also for the young married men; even if they think they don't need it for themselves, they should do it for the benefit of the people who daven in the shul. Similarly, being a “shining lamp” in general applies even to married people who have left the confines of the yeshiva; now they are considered “domesticated animals” (“who sleep in the city”), because when it gets “dark,” they return home… (2) Everyone (especially the married people, who are involved in worldly matters) must work to instill within themselves the recognition that nothing exists other than Hashem and Lubavitch (the teachings of Chassidus, and Torah in general), a reality that will be revealed in the future. (3) With regards to studying for semicha: The bochurim should obtain semicha before marriage (following the custom of the Beis HaRav as revealed by the Rebbe Rayatz). Similarly, married people who are suited for it should pursue semicha as well. At the very least, they should obtain a level of semicha where they are knowledgeable in practical matters of halachah in Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim, Yoreh Deiah, the laws of Shabbos, and some of Even Haezer.2 excerpts from farbrengen of 24 Teves 5712 For a transcript in English of the Sicha: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=17-02-2025
Welcome to our class on humility. We continue with the topic of accepting suffering with humility. David Hamelech, in chapter 23 of Tehilim says the famous pasuk גַּ֤ם כִּֽי־אֵלֵ֨ךְ בְּגֵ֪יא צַלְמָ֡וֶת לֹא־אִ֘ירָ֤א רָ֗ע כִּי־אַתָּ֥ה עִמָּדִ֑י שִׁבְטְךָ֥ וּ֝מִשְׁעַנְתֶּ֗ךָ הֵ֣מָּה יְנַֽחֲמֻֽנִי׃ / Even though I go in the valley of death, I do not fear evil, for You are with me. Your rod and Your staff, they will give me comfort. The word shevet / rod is something to hit with. Like the pasuk says, וּפָקַדְתִּ֣י בְשֵׁ֣בֶט פִּשְׁעָ֑ם / I will remember them with a staff for their sins וּ֝מִשְׁעַנְתֶּ֗ךָ is something you lean on, something you get support from. Like we say, Mishan U'Mivtach L'Sadikim The word Mishan is like a cane that you lean on. Hema Ynahamuni/They give me comfort. Rashi says, Shivtecha refers to the suffering , and Mishan means I feel guaranteed in your kindness. Right now I'm going through Din/justice but with that din and justice, I am relying on You that it will turn around. I know that the suffering will cause my sins to be forgiven and therefore I am Batuach/guaranteed that I will go back to my kingdom. David Hamelech said this when he was on the run. So yes, there's a shevet / rod. David Hamelech realizes that he just got whacked, but he knows that ultimately this whack will bring him the good. The Tomar Devorah adds another point, when discussing Nachum Ish Gamzu , who famously said, Gam Zu L'Tova / This is also for the good This also , that looks like it's coming from the bad and looks like justice, is good . He would try to take the bad and say it's going to turn around to the good. Gam zu L'Tova. Rav Shlomo Kluger, in his commentary on the siddur says, It says Hodu L'Olam Ki Tov, we thank Hashem that it's good. Ki L'Olam Hasdo/ His kindness is forever. The Jewish people have to say, Ki L'Olam Hasdo. And if you say it and work on realizing that this difficult situation is for the good, that will turn it into the good. But it starts by accepting that it's difficult, acknowledging that It's hard but I'm going to accept it, although it's difficult. That Emunah, and working through it will turn it around. There's a sefer Rav Yeveh Al HaTorah , by Rav Yaakov Yosef ben Yehuda (1738- 1790) one of the students of the Maggid of Mezrich (who sent his students to hear from Rav Zusha how to make a blessing on the bad and good in the same way). He says because Nahum Ish Gamzu believed (he didn't feel it, but he believed) that everything is Hessed and Rachamim , he was able to take the din , which was justice and turn around. That's what happened when he bought gold and jewels to give to the king as a present. But an innkeeper stole the gold and precious items and replaced them with dust. When Nachum Ish Gamzu got to the king, he discovered that the chest was full of dust and said Gam Zu LTova, and Hashem made a miracle that the dust turned into miraculous dust like the dust of Abraham Avinu. When they threw it at the enemy, it turned into arrows and spears. That it turned into dirt was calamity, and I don't know what Nachum was thinking, but he turned it around. It was justice, he says, but it turned out to good. He offers a nice explanation of the pasuk , " VaYomer Elokim Vayehi Or/God (of justice) says, let there be light." What does that mean? When a person is in a situation of Elokim/ Middat HaDin and he says ' Yehi Or/let this judgment that's happening to me turn into a light ,' then yehi Or/ it will turn into light . I once saw a beautiful quote by Rabbi Moshe Wilson z'l via email ( I don't have the source in a book) when he was still alive. It quoted him as saying that the Mekubalim teach that המתקת הדינים בשקדים which means justice/din is sweetened at its source . What does that mean? He explains that justice emanates from a spiritual world that demands that no spark be left behind, no soul will be lost and that we all must do teshuva. Similarly, Rav Wolbe used to always say that Middat HaDin is Tovea Shelemut/God's justice is demanding perfection. It's not this big mean, angry Middat HaDin . No Middat HaDin is the teacher that says, " Come on Abie, you can do better. I think you could get a higher mark. Take the test again. Study harder, you'll do better. I want more than an 83. I want a 90." That's Middat HaDin It's demanding perfection. In Shemuel 2, 14:14 it says, לְבִלְתִּ֛י יִדַּ֥ח מִמֶּ֖נּוּ נִדָּֽח׃ / So that nobody is pushed away, which is a kabbalistic concept that Hashem works the world that the end everyone will come back. So now the verdict says " Such and such person has to return." They want this soul back. Being way up there in Shamayim , can there anything be sweeter than that? But then when the justice goes out from its root and enters our world, it might be implemented harshly, maybe has v'shalom with an illness, a financial loss or other calamity to pull this Neshama out of its bond with evil and bad character traits etc.. the court decided that's what he needs and the verdict goes forth. But what happens if instead of the judgment coming out of its source and reaching us, we go back to the source of the justice on our own? What if we ourselves realize that since we will anyways be forced to return to our source through suffering, we'll do the work of teshuva and avoid all the pain. Once you take that attitude, everything turns around. That's why it says, If one sees suffering is coming his way. Why doesn't it say When he's suffering ? The Ben Ish Chai in his sefer Ben Yoyada on that Gemara says that Hashem, in His mercy, doesn't bring things on a person immediately. First there are little telltale signs. The financial climate is not good. You get a little scare and you have to go take a test… He sees it coming, but it hasn't come yet. And then he says, " Oh no! I'm humbled. I realize, I have things to fix," and he returns to Hashem- and that's it! It goes away because we fulfilled the purpose and then the justice becomes sweet, because even if the Teshuva demands that we break our ego (that's what it's all about. That's why we're talking about humility) when we do so on our own, even if the process isn't easy, it's very sweet . That's why we say Shana Tova U'Metuka, a sweet new year . The Chafetz Chaim once said , Everything is good, but some things are sweet and some things are bitter. When we say something is evil, it's because it's bitter. Of course it's ultimately good, Gam Zu L'Tova . But I don't want it just to be L'Tova . I don't want to have the bitter that's going to get sweet. I want to have the sweet . And it's sweet when you go back to the source and you say, Hashem, I know why it's happening. I know you want me back. I'm gonna come back on my own. I once an explanation of why we read Maftir Yona on Yom Kippur Mincha. It's because Yona tried to run away from God. Hashem brought a whale. He went under and he came up and he was spit out and the whole story until eventually he goes and does what he has to do. And the lesson is, You're going to get there anyway. Do it willingly . Hashem wants what's best for us. He's trying to get us there. And everything that happens around us is to humble us, accept His will and go further. That's the Jewish outlook on when things are challenging and why it's happening- ultimately, for humility.
Parshas Mishpatim marks a stark change in the rhythm and pace of the Torah narrative. The preceding 17 Parshas contained a total of 41 mitzvos; this week we begin learning the Torah laws en masse. In this single parsha alone we have 53 mitzvos (only three parshas have more mitzvos). Beyond the varied laws, this parsha contains a prophetic promise and guidance regarding the conquest of Canaan, and the completion of the Sinai narrative that began in last week's parsha.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe's PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★
A man told me he believes Hashem runs the world, but sometimes he has a problem fully internalizing it. It's especially challenging when he sees what appears to his mind to be a direct contradiction to that belief. He then told me about an incident that he once experienced. He owns an apartment building and at one time he was having difficulty with some of the tenants paying rent. They refused to pay and they refused to leave. The legal proceedings for something like that would drag on while he wanted them out immediately. Someone suggested to him that he pay people to occupy the units next to the people who weren't paying and have them make it very uncomfortable for those tenants. They would make loud noise at night and bring scary pit bulls into the hallway. The owner said that two wrongs don't make a right and refused to stoop to such levels. In the end, others who tried that method were very successful in achieving the results they were looking for. This man on the other hand did not get his tenants out for another three years. He then said to me, "It seems like nice guys finish last. I asked Hashem to help me get them out in a normal way, but it took three years. I'm sure if I would have used that other method, it would have happened much sooner." I told this man, "It could be that if you did what those people told you to do, you would have gotten them out earlier. Hashem works through the natural way of the world. However, that does not mean that you would have earned even one extra dollar over those last three years or saved yourself from even one minute of aggravation. Hashem has infinite ways of making people gain or lose money and infinite ways of people experiencing difficult situations. Everybody always gets exactly what's coming to them. "If the person who nastily removed those tenants was meant to have a circumstance like that in his life, then something else would come up. And if he wasn't meant to have it, then a simple hishtadlut would have removed the tenants." The man was so relieved when he heard this. This information was able to strengthen him to a higher level of emunah. This concept applies in all areas of life. I read a story in the book Marriage by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin that was told to the author by a certain individual, and this is what he said: "I wasn't satisfied with my marriage. I kept thinking that if only I had married someone else, my entire life would have been much smoother. This thought came to me often and was a constant source of distress. "One sentence that I heard from somebody helped me discard this thought. I was told by an elderly rabbi who I respect greatly, 'If you were married to someone else, you would also have problems.' The saintly scholar elaborated on this theme. 'Many people think that if they had only married a different person, they would be free from all of their present problems, but that is not the way that Hashem runs the world. ' If you wouldn't have had the problems you presently have, you would have an equal number of different problems. Someone might marry a person who is perfectly compatible with him, but if he is meant to have problems, they can come in the form of illness, poverty, or some other life test that can come their way. Whatever number of problems was destined for you will come your way in one form or another. Your task in life is to grow from each challenge.'" What had been a long-standing obsession was erased with this one insight from this elderly rabbi. So many internal struggles in emunah that people go through can be instantly erased with the proper guidance. When we do have the proper emunah, we will be able to overcome our challenges much easier.
Can regret be the unexpected key to transformative growth? This episode challenges the common perception of regret as a negative emotion and reveals its potential as a powerful catalyst for repentance and personal development. Drawing insights from the inspiring teachings of "Orchos Tzaddikim," we unpack the vital role sincere regret plays in true repentance and the acceptance of prayers. Through illustrative scenarios, such as the frustration of a king with repeated transgressions, we explore how genuine regret fosters a meaningful commitment to change. Highlighting the Jewish perspective on confession, we delve into the beauty of a direct, unmediated relationship with God, emphasizing how asking for forgiveness without true remorse is ineffective.But the power of regret doesn't stop at spiritual growth. Discover how it can be harnessed for success in your professional and personal life. By reflecting on past mistakes and transforming regret into motivation, listeners are encouraged to seize current opportunities in fields such as business, investment, and trading. Through practical examples and actionable advice, we inspire a mindset shift, urging you to move beyond past disappointments and embrace a proactive approach to success. This episode is a call to reframe regret, using it as a stepping stone toward a brighter, more fulfilling future._____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)Recorded from a live audience presentation in the TORCH Centre - Levin Family Studios (B) in Houston, Texas on December 16, 2024.Released as Podcast on February 16, 2025_____________DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!_____________SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe:NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com_____________EMAIL your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.orgPlease visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#JewishInspiration, #Regret, #Repentance, #PersonalGrowth #Mistakes, #Confession ★ Support this podcast ★
In this deeply moving episode, we hear the powerful story of Avi Roth, a father who endured the unimaginable—the loss of his young daughter, Chana Ahuva. Avi shares how this painful journey reshaped his understanding of Emunah and Bitachon, transforming his life and career in ways he never expected. Through personal stories, Torah insights, and profound lessons, he reflects on the purpose of life's challenges. This episode is a testament to resilience, faith, and the enduring strength found in trusting Hashem.Support Chana Ahuva's Legacy: To contribute to the writing of a Sefer Torah in her memory, click here or go to https://thechesedfund.com/peoplewhocare/sefer-torah. 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 ★ Support this podcast ★
התוכן מ"ש [בתחלת פ' משפטים] "כי תקנה עבד עברי" לשון יחיד קאי על משה רבינו, שהוא עושה "קנין" בכל יהודי, וע"י שממשיך בו ענין הדעת פועל שה"אמונה" חודרת בכל כחות נפשו עד שזו נעשה "קנין" (גם) בנפשו, גם בנפשו הבהמית שנכנעת לנפשו האלקית, ועי"ז עושים לו ית' דירה בתחתונים. וזה נמשך במעשה שהוא העיקר – "ואלה המשפטים". כאשר יהודי, גם במצב של "אכתי עבדי דאחשורוש אנן", נעמד בתוקף של "לא יכרע ולא ישתחווה", שגם בענינים של "משפטים" שמובנים עפ"י שכל עד ש"דינא דמלכותא דינא" הרי הוא מקיימם מכיון "אשר תשים לפניהם" – נפעל הענין ד"החודש אשר נהפך וגו'" כבר מתחלת החודש, עוד לפני הנס פורים בפועל; הזהירות מהשגת גבול וכיו"ב אינו פוגע בפרנסה, ואדרבה – עי"ז הולכים הרווחים לדברים טובים. דוקא ע"י שמירת ה"הלכות" פועלים "הליכות עולם לו" – שנעשה בעה"ב על ה"עולם" (מלשון העלם והסתר). משיחת מוצאי ש"פ משפטים, מבה"ח אדר ראשון – בחדרו – ה'תשל"ח ל"הנחה פרטית" או התרגום ללה"ק של השיחה: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=16-02-2025 Synopsis The verse states (at the beginning of Parashas Mishpatim), “If you buy a Hebrew servant” – “If you buy” in the singular, referring to Moshe Rabbeinu, who “buys” every Jew: by imparting da'as into a Jew, Moshe enables the emunah to permeate all aspects of a Jew's soul, to the extent that it becomes an “acquisition” within his soul, as well as his animal soul, which becomes subjugated to the G-dly soul, thereby creating a dwelling place for Hashem in the lower worlds. This is expressed in action (the main thing) – “These are the laws that you must set before them.” When a Jew, even at a time when, “we are still servants of Achashverosh,” stands firm and “neither kneels nor prostrates himself,” such that even when it comes to “Mishpatim” – laws that make sense reationally – he fulfills them only because they have been “set before them” by Moshe – that causes “the month to be transformed etc.” already at the start of the month, even before Purim. Not encroaching on others etc. doesn't harm one's livelihood; to the contrary – adhering to these laws ensures that one's earnings will be used for good things. It is specifically through keeping the halachos that “the ways (halichos) of the world are his” – he becomes a master over the “world” (from the expression helem v'hester – concealment).Excerpt from sichah of Motzaei Shabbos Parashas Mishpatim, Mevarchim Adar Rishon 5738 – in the Rebbe's room For a transcript in English of the Sicha: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=16-02-2025 לזכות הרה"ת ר׳ משה הכהן וזוגתו נחמה דינה ומשפחתם שיחיו כהן להצלחה בכל הענינים בגשמיות וברוחניות
In this week's parasha , Yitro exclaimed, " Now I see how great Hashem is, ' כי בדבר אשר זדו עליהם '" Rashi explains that Yitro recognized how Hashem made the Egyptians suffer in the very same way they had tormented the Jewish people. He knew that the Egyptians had drowned Jewish babies, and now, at the miracle of Kriyat Yam Suf , they perished through drowning as well. It had been 80 years since they threw those infants into the river. By this time, many had already forgotten that painful period—but Hashem never forgets. Yitro was amazed at the precision of divine justice. Every action a person takes is accounted for. This world is not a free for all. Though the world may appear as if people can commit terrible deeds without consequence, that is an illusion. Nothing goes unnoticed by Hashem. However, if reward and punishment were too obvious, free will would no longer exist. Hashem, in His infinite wisdom, ensures that every action is repaid—whether for good or for bad—but in a way that does not remove our ability to choose. A person may receive a reward for something he did 20 years earlier, just as we see the Egyptians being punished 80 years after their crimes. Of course, we know that the ultimate reward for any mitzva is reserved for the Next World. However, Hashem often grants dividends in this world as well. At times, Hashem allows us to see clear connections between our actions and their outcomes, knowing that these isolated cases will not disrupt free will. When we do recognize these connections, it strengthens our emunah and reminds us how much Hashem values and records every deed. Last year, a group of people traveled to Israel with the goal of giving chizuk to soldiers. While there, they met a soldier who had been injured in battle. As he spoke with them, he shared his struggle—he was trying to get married but had no way of affording a wedding. He had no relatives who could help, and the financial burden seemed impossible to overcome. Two generous individuals on the trip immediately took it upon themselves to cover the entire cost of his wedding. They gave enough for a beautiful celebration, and they had the zechut of establishing a home in Klal Yisrael. The rabbi leading the group was deeply moved by their generosity. He also knew that both of these men had daughters they were trying to marry off. He told them, "Be'ezrat Hashem, in the zechut of helping another Jew get married, may Hashem bless you to marry off your own daughters." Fast forward one year—just last week—and both of these men celebrated the weddings of their daughters. Not only did both daughters get married, but their weddings took place on the exact same night, down the block from each other. Had their weddings been even months apart, it would have been enough to see Hashem's hashgacha rewarding them for their act of kindness. But the fact that their weddings happened at the same time, practically next door to each other, was a clear hashgacha peratit that Hashem was paying them the dividends for their generosity. So many things in our lives happen as a direct result of our deeds, but most of the time, we do not recognize the connections. As we see, sometimes the results of an action take place 80 years later, and sometimes just one year later. Sometimes they happen instantly, and sometimes not until the Next World. Either way, it is enough for us to know that everything we do matters. Hashem loves us and wants only the best for us. The more good we do in this world, the greater our eternal happiness will be. Shabbat Shalom.
Discover the deeper truths behind worldly events and the divine guidance that steers them. Join us on the Jewish Inspiration Podcast, where we explore the intricate relationship between faith and politics, particularly in light of the recent U.S. President's ultimatum to Hamas. While we recognize the importance of decisive leadership, this episode challenges us to see beyond human decisions and acknowledge the divine orchestration that truly shapes our destinies. Historical figures like Alexander the Great remind us of the lasting impact leaders can have, but our focus remains on maintaining gratitude without elevating them above Hashem's ultimate authority.As we prepare for our Talmud class on prayer, we highlight the essential practice of recognizing Hashem's hand in both small and monumental moments. By seeing each decision, miracle, and global event as part of a grander divine plan, we strengthen our spiritual connection and reinforce our reliance on Hashem as our guide and savior. End your week with a renewed sense of faith and a good Shabbos wish, as we encourage ongoing reflection on these profound spiritual insights. Let this episode be a reminder to place our faith where it truly belongs, fostering a deeper understanding of our roles within the divine tapestry._____________Recorded from a live audience presentation in the TORCH Centre - Levin Family Studios (B) in Houston, Texas on February 14, 2025.Released as Podcast on February 14, 2025_____________DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!_____________SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe:NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com_____________EMAIL your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.orgPlease visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#Trump, #Politics, #Israel, #President, #Hamas, #Hostages, #Hashem ★ Support this podcast ★
The Mashgiach explains how 1 and 10 are really two sides of the same coin and how the journey from 1 to 10 actually bring "everything" full circle.
Discover the deeper truths behind worldly events and the divine guidance that steers them. Join us on the Jewish Inspiration Podcast, where we explore the intricate relationship between faith and politics, particularly in light of the recent U.S. President's ultimatum to Hamas. While we recognize the importance of decisive leadership, this episode challenges us to see beyond human decisions and acknowledge the divine orchestration that truly shapes our destinies. Historical figures like Alexander the Great remind us of the lasting impact leaders can have, but our focus remains on maintaining gratitude without elevating them above Hashem's ultimate authority.As we prepare for our Talmud class on prayer, we highlight the essential practice of recognizing Hashem's hand in both small and monumental moments. By seeing each decision, miracle, and global event as part of a grander divine plan, we strengthen our spiritual connection and reinforce our reliance on Hashem as our guide and savior. End your week with a renewed sense of faith and a good Shabbos wish, as we encourage ongoing reflection on these profound spiritual insights. Let this episode be a reminder to place our faith where it truly belongs, fostering a deeper understanding of our roles within the divine tapestry._____________Recorded from a live audience presentation in the TORCH Centre - Levin Family Studios (B) in Houston, Texas on February 14, 2025.Released as Podcast on February 14, 2025_____________DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!_____________SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe:NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com_____________EMAIL your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.orgPlease visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#Trump, #Politics, #Israel, #President, #Hamas, #Hostages, #Hashem ★ Support this podcast ★
This episode discusses how the concept of Tu Bi'Shvat is to appreciate the fruits Hashem grants us, and the mitzvah of enjoying this world.
Even though the passuk (Shmos 18:13) says Moshe judged from morning until evening, Rashi says that this isn't literal but is teaching us a lesson. Namely, someone who judges a true din, even for one moment, it's as if he is involved in Torah all day and it's as if he's a partner with Hashem in Creation (where it often says, “and it was evening, and it was morning, day x.”)
Esther Shemtov- Part 2: Tests from Hashem by Mayanot
Esther Shemtov- Part 3: Tests from Hashem by Mayanot
Hearing Is Believing What did Yisro hear? What did Yisro do when He came to the Jewish encampment? What did Moshe do in response? How do you eat bread before Hashem?
התוכן זה עתה יצא לאור מאמר של אדה"ז ד"ה תורת ה' תמימה משיבת נפש [מאורע זה, הו"ל של מאמר אחד, גורם שמחה הכי גדולה, ובשנים כתיקונן היו עורכים לכבוד זה התוועדות מיוחדת ועושים "אַ גאַנצן שטורעם" ואומרים "חסידות" באופן ד"גיסן ווי וואַסער", ובודאי בימינו אלו כאשר "מען גיסט חסידות ווי וואַסער"]. תוכן המאמר: כדי שהתורה תהי' "תמימה" צ"ל תחלה הענין ד"משיבת נפש" – שיהודי ישיב את נפשו לה'. ועפ"ז מבאר מאמר רב יהודה "לעולם ילמד אדם תורה שלא לשמה שמתוך שלא לשמה בא לשמה" – שבכך נתן "עצה לתלמידיו . . שיעסקו תחילה שלא לשמה", היינו, "לקרב נפשו אל ה'", ובכך נעשה האדם הלומד תורה אדם השלם, ועי"ז "יכול אח"כ לעסוק לשמה" – "לשם התורה, להעלותה לשרשה", שתהי' "תמימה". וזהו גם מעלת לימוד התורה שלאחרי התפלה – כי לאחרי התפלה, שענינה התקשרות לאלקות וגילוי הנשמה בכל האדם, לימוד התורה הוא בשלימות ע"י אדם השלם.משיחת אור לט"ו בשבט ה'תשמ"ה ל"הנחה פרטית" או התרגום ללה"ק של השיחה: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=14-02-2025 Synopsis The Alter Rebbe's recently published maamar (in past times, the publication of a single maamar was cause for the greatest celebration, and certainly these days when Chassidus pours like water) on the verse, “Hashem's Torah is perfect, restoring the soul” explains that in order for the Torah to be “perfect,” a Jew must first “restore his soul” – bringing his soul back to Hashem. Based on this he explains that's Rav Yehuda's statement, “A person should always study Torah not for its sake, because from doing it not for its sake he will come to do it for its sake” was “advice to his students…that they should first toil not for its sake,” but rather to draw their souls near to Hashem. In this way, the person studying becomes a whole person, so that “afterwards he can toil for its sake” – “for the sake of Torah, to elevate it to its root” and make it “perfect.” This is also the advantage of the Torah study that comes after davening: Because davening connects a Jew to G-dliness and reveals the Jew's soul, after davening the Torah study is whole since it is being done by a person who is whole.Excerpt from sichah of 15 Shevat 5745 For a transcript in English of the Sicha: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=14-02-2025 לע"נ מרת גאלדע רחל בת ר' חייב צבי ע"ה הרשקוביץ ליום היארצייט שלה ט"ז שבט. ת.נ.צ.ב.ה.
Said during the Kollel Nefesh HaChaim TuBshvat seuda
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!Length: 57 minutesSynopsis: This morning (2/14/25), in our tefilah-focused Machshavah Lab series for women, I decided on a last-minute change of plans. After reviewing the main ideas and takeaways we've developed so far, we went back to the beginning of the berachah with the INTENT to analyze the phrase, "Baruch atoh Hashem," but we "only" ended up analyzing what we mean by "Hashem." I now know why I initially decided to skip this part: turns out, it's WAY too easy to go WAY in-depth on what we mean by "Hashem"! Since it's Parashas Yisro, I decided to take this up by reading and briefly explaining the first six halachos of the Rambam's Hilchos Yesodei ha'Torah, in which he elucidates the two most important mitzvos in the Torah: "Anochi" and "Lo Yihyeh Lecha." And before we knew it, shiur was over! Next time (בג"ה), we'll analyze "Baruch" and "atoh," then pick up in the middle of the berachah where we left off.-----מקורות:ברכת אבות נוסח אשכנזעץ יוסףספרונו - דברים י:יזרמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר המדע, הלכות יסודי התורה א:א-ו-----The Torah content for the entire month of February has been sponsored by Y.K. with gratitude to Rabbi Schneeweiss for providing a clear and easily accessible path to personal growth via his reliably interesting and inspiring Torah content.-----Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/Patreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweissYouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweissInstagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com"The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com"The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.comOld Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0HAmazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel
Moshe's father-in-law Jethro is a fascinating and mysterious figure. He was Egyptian and served as an advisor to Pharaoh, but was ousted and exiled when he conscientiously objected to Pharaoh's genocidal plans. Jethro relocated to Midian, where he served as a pagan priest. Jethro was a searcher in relentless pursuit of truth, and came to the recognition of true faith and repudiated idolatry in all its forms. Our Parsha begins with his reappearance, together with Moshe's wife and sons, to join the nation at Sinai. In this special edition of the Parsha Podcast we share several powerful lessons and observations that will enhance our ability to deploy the Torah and our innate superpower abilities to the maximum.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –This Parsha Podcast is dedicated by the Newman, Shapiro, Grossman, and Yudelson families in loving memory and leilui nishmas Baruch Yochanan Ben Reb Ephraim Fischel, Dr. Bertram John Newman. Dr. Newman was a real special man – also a cardiologist and also a Torah scholar – ran a busy NY medical practice and gave a daily Torah class in his shul for over 2 decades. May his soul be elevated in Heaven.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe's PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★
After theeighth makah , Pharaoh told Moshe that the Jewish People could go,but they had to leave back their animals. Moshe replied they were going to goand take everything with them, because לא נדע מה נעבוד את ה' עד בואנו שמה– hesaid we will not know what we need to serve Hashem until we get there. Someexplain this pasuk homiletically as saying, we don't know which serviceis more precious to Hashem עד בואנו שמה – until we will see with our owneyes in the Next World. Sometimespeople feel down about themselves, seeing that they aren't accomplishing asmuch as others in avodat Hashem and that could completely break theirdesire to continue trying to grow. Sometimes a person compares his children tohis neighbor's children and wonders why they are so much more successful intheir learning than his, while he is putting in much more effort in hischildren than they are in theirs. We must constantly remind ourselves, we haveno idea which person's avodah gives more nachat ruach(satisfaction) to Hashem. Hashem does not reward based on results, He rewards based onefforts. Every single person has a different job to do and if he does his jobto the best of his ability, he will be amongst the greatest rabbis of all timein the Next World. Just like every person has different physicalcharacteristics, different shoe sizes, different clothing sizes, so too everyperson is given different spiritual strengths, depending on what his job inthis world is to do. If he is notas "tall" as someone else with his spiritual capabilities, that just means hisjob is different and he doesn't need to accomplish what the other personhas to. If a person doesn't know this, he could easily miss out on the life he issupposed to live. If someone is feeling low, he needs to pray to Hashem to givehim chizuk to continue trying to do his job to the best of hisability. The sefer Ki Ata Imadi repeated a story that was told by Rabbi MoshePluchok, one of the Maggideh Shiur in Yeshivat Derech Chaim in America.Their yeshiva moved locations for a couple of months and in that new location,the Rabbi saw a man who looked like he had just started his path in Judaism. Hewas sitting in front of an Artscroll Gemara and learning with suchenthusiasm, swaying back and forth. When he had a question, he would go and askone of the rabbis learning there. Rabbi Pluchok was very impressed and he wentover to introduce himself. The man told him he was diagnosed with a terminalillness and was told by the doctors that he had just months to live. RabbiPluchok then asked him how he was able to learn with such diligence with thaton his mind. The man explained that just in the past couple of years hediscovered Torah and mitzvot and that is the only thing that gives him peace ofmind. A few weekslater, the Rabbi saw that man learning in his usual place, but he seemed to bedisturbed and much less enthusiastic. The Rabbi immediately went over to himand asked if everything was okay. The man said he was feeling very low. Here hesees outstanding Torah scholars all around him learning at the highest levelsfor twelve hours a day. He started to think to himself, I know Hashem getsso much satisfaction from them, but what about me? What does He need me tolearn for if He has all of these great scholars? " I spend a few hours a daytrying to learn and even with that I only get a few lines of Gemaraaccomplished, and I don't even fully understand them. I'm feeling completelyunnecessary." Rabbi Pluchokproceeded to give the man a fiery speech about how every single person has adifferent, unique job to fulfill and that no one else in the world could dowhat he has to do. And how much pleasure Hashem gets from every word of Gemara he attempts to learn. The man felt renewed strength and energy and continuedhappily learning. The followingyear, the Rabbi saw this man's son and asked him about his father. The boy saidhis father passed away, "but until the end, he went happily to learn every singleday and quoted what you said about how important his job is and how muchsatisfaction Hashem got from him." A few words of chizuk can goa very long way. Every single person has a very lofty mission to fulfill. Wewill not see the value of everyone's avodah, עד בואנו שמה – until theNext World – but we can be confident that everyone's avodah is extremelyvaluable and they should never let up, no matter what anyone else is doingaround them.
After the eighth makah , Pharaoh told Moshe that the Jewish People could go, but they had to leave back their animals. Moshe replied they were going to go and take everything with them, because לא נדע מה נעבוד את ה' עד בואנו שמה – he said we will not know what we need to serve Hashem until we get there. Some explain this pasuk homiletically as saying, we don't know which service is more precious to Hashem עד בואנו שמה – until we will see with our own eyes in the Next World. Sometimes people feel down about themselves, seeing that they aren't accomplishing as much as others in avodat Hashem and that could completely break their desire to continue trying to grow. Sometimes a person compares his children to his neighbor's children and wonders why they are so much more successful in their learning than his, while he is putting in much more effort in his children than they are in theirs. We must constantly remind ourselves, we have no idea which person's avodah gives more nachat ruach(satisfaction) to Hashem. Hashem does not reward based on results, He rewards based on efforts. Every single person has a different job to do and if he does his job to the best of his ability, he will be amongst the greatest rabbis of all time in the Next World. Just like every person has different physical characteristics, different shoe sizes, different clothing sizes, so too every person is given different spiritual strengths, depending on what his job in this world is to do. If he is not as "tall" as someone else with his spiritual capabilities, that just means his job is different and he doesn't need to accomplish what the other person has to. If a person doesn't know this, he could easily miss out on the life he is supposed to live. If someone is feeling low, he needs to pray to Hashem to give him chizuk to continue trying to do his job to the best of his ability. The sefer Ki Ata Imadi repeated a story that was told by Rabbi Moshe Pluchok, one of the Maggideh Shiur in Yeshivat Derech Chaim in America. Their yeshiva moved locations for a couple of months and in that new location, the Rabbi saw a man who looked like he had just started his path in Judaism. He was sitting in front of an Artscroll Gemara and learning with such enthusiasm, swaying back and forth. When he had a question, he would go and ask one of the rabbis learning there. Rabbi Pluchok was very impressed and he went over to introduce himself. The man told him he was diagnosed with a terminal illness and was told by the doctors that he had just months to live. Rabbi Pluchok then asked him how he was able to learn with such diligence with that on his mind. The man explained that just in the past couple of years he discovered Torah and mitzvot and that is the only thing that gives him peace of mind. A few weeks later, the Rabbi saw that man learning in his usual place, but he seemed to be disturbed and much less enthusiastic. The Rabbi immediately went over to him and asked if everything was okay. The man said he was feeling very low. Here he sees outstanding Torah scholars all around him learning at the highest levels for twelve hours a day. He started to think to himself, I know Hashem gets so much satisfaction from them, but what about me? What does He need me to learn for if He has all of these great scholars? " I spend a few hours a day trying to learn and even with that I only get a few lines of Gemara accomplished, and I don't even fully understand them. I'm feeling completely unnecessary." Rabbi Pluchok proceeded to give the man a fiery speech about how every single person has a different, unique job to fulfill and that no one else in the world could do what he has to do. And how much pleasure Hashem gets from every word of Gemara he attempts to learn. The man felt renewed strength and energy and continued happily learning. The following year, the Rabbi saw this man's son and asked him about his father. The boy said his father passed away, "but until the end, he went happily to learn every single day and quoted what you said about how important his job is and how much satisfaction Hashem got from him." A few words of chizuk can go a very long way. Every single person has a very lofty mission to fulfill. We will not see the value of everyone's avodah, עד בואנו שמה – until the Next World – but we can be confident that everyone's avodah is extremely valuable and they should never let up, no matter what anyone else is doing around them.