Podcasts about sefer hachinuch

In Loving Memory of Zechariah Ben Sarah A'H and to Commemorate Sam and Zach's shared Birthday Sponsored by their Families Friends and Loved Ones Parashat Kedoshim commands us: " לא תקם ולא תטור " —do not take revenge and do not bear a grudge. The Sefer HaChinuch explains that the root of this mitzvah is to help a person internalize that whatever happens to him, even through the actions of other people, is ultimately a manifestation of Hashem's will. Similarly, the Chovot HaLevavot teaches that if someone harms us, we should not attribute it to that individual, but rather recognize it as part of Hashem's plan. Our proper response should be to give the person the benefit of the doubt, accept the hardship as atonement for our sins, and continue treating the person with kindness as if nothing happened. Although this is emotionally difficult and the desire for revenge can be powerful, trusting Hashem's commandments brings far more long-term joy than the fleeting satisfaction of retaliation. While it may take time to see, the righteous response always proves fruitful. A real estate agent named Reuven shared a personal story that illustrates this concept powerfully. He had closed a deal for an old friend, Jack, who then "forgot" to pay the agreed-upon commission. When reminded, Jack delayed, then disputed the fee, eventually avoiding Reuven entirely. Though the amount owed was significant, Reuven decided not to pursue it aggressively. Months later, Reuven prayed Mincha in a shul he didn't usually attend and unexpectedly encountered Jack. Reuven greeted him warmly and gently reminded him about the money. Jack exploded with rage, shouting and accusing Reuven of harassment in front of the entire shul. He hurled insults, and Reuven—devastated and humiliated—left in silence. Though tempted to defend himself, Reuven remained quiet. He later cried from the pain but reminded himself that he was serving Hashem by staying silent in the face of insult. That night, he took a walk and tried to follow the teachings of Chovot HaLevavot . He told Hashem he accepted the experience as a kapara for his sins, gave Jack the benefit of the doubt, and even decided to forgive him fully. Reuven even sent word to Jack that the debt was forgiven. A few months later, on Erev Yom Kippur , Jack called to apologize and offered to pay half the debt. Reuven reminded him it had already been forgiven, but Jack insisted on making partial payment to clear his conscience. Later, Jack struggled to sell his house for over a year. Because of their history, Reuven kept his distance. But when they met again, Jack confided his frustration and desperation. Reuven offered to help sell the house—and Jack, understanding full well what that entailed, agreed. With siyata dishmaya , Reuven sold the house within two weeks and earned a commission forty times greater than the original debt. Had he acted differently—harbored resentment or retaliated—he likely would have received nothing and lost the future opportunity altogether. By responding as Hashem commands, Reuven earned not only immense spiritual merit but also blessing in this world. The lesson is clear: we always win by following Hashem. No matter how difficult the test, if we trust in Him, He will guide us to reward and peace. Shabbat Shalom

Unlock the profound wisdom of performing mitzvahs as we explore the teachings of Parsha Shemini. Discover the powerful story of Dama Ben-Nesina, a Gentile whose unwavering respect for his father demonstrates the true essence of fulfilling commandments for their own sake. This episode will challenge you to reconsider the role of reward and reason in religious practice, diving into the debate over the Sefer HaChinuch and its implications for understanding mitzvahs. Prepare to be inspired by the message that true observance stems from recognizing these acts as the divine will of Hashem.In this thought-provoking discussion, we delve into the intimate connection forged with God through mitzvot performed altruistically (Lishma). We share insights on how actions such as kindness, charity, and honoring parents are expressions of divine command, not merely personal choice. We'll reflect on the historical context of Jewish humility and gratitude, drawing lessons from the manna from heaven as a symbol of Hashem's constant provision. As we celebrate Pesach, we'll recognize God's invisible hand in our daily lives and the sweetness of Torah observance. This episode invites you to engage with the week's Parsha, embracing your spiritual heritage and the eternal wisdom it offers._____________This episode (Ep 7.26) of the Parsha Review Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe on Parshas Shemini is dedicated in honor of our President & in honor of our Holy Soldiers in the Battlefield and our Torah Scholars in the Study Halls who are fighting for the safety of our nation!Download & Print the Parsha Review Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ncaRyoH5iJmGGoMZs9y82Hz2ofViVouv?usp=sharingRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on April 22, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on April 23, 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.tansistor.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.org_____________Please visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#Torah, #Parsha, #Leviticus, #Mitzvahs, #DivineCommand, #Connection, #Kosher ★ Support this podcast ★

Unlock the profound wisdom of performing mitzvahs as we explore the teachings of Parsha Shemini. Discover the powerful story of Dama Ben-Nesina, a Gentile whose unwavering respect for his father demonstrates the true essence of fulfilling commandments for their own sake. This episode will challenge you to reconsider the role of reward and reason in religious practice, diving into the debate over the Sefer HaChinuch and its implications for understanding mitzvahs. Prepare to be inspired by the message that true observance stems from recognizing these acts as the divine will of Hashem.In this thought-provoking discussion, we delve into the intimate connection forged with God through mitzvot performed altruistically (Lishma). We share insights on how actions such as kindness, charity, and honoring parents are expressions of divine command, not merely personal choice. We'll reflect on the historical context of Jewish humility and gratitude, drawing lessons from the manna from heaven as a symbol of Hashem's constant provision. As we celebrate Pesach, we'll recognize God's invisible hand in our daily lives and the sweetness of Torah observance. This episode invites you to engage with the week's Parsha, embracing your spiritual heritage and the eternal wisdom it offers._____________This episode (Ep 7.26) of the Parsha Review Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe on Parshas Shemini is dedicated in honor of our President & in honor of our Holy Soldiers in the Battlefield and our Torah Scholars in the Study Halls who are fighting for the safety of our nation!Download & Print the Parsha Review Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ncaRyoH5iJmGGoMZs9y82Hz2ofViVouv?usp=sharingRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on April 22, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on April 23, 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.tansistor.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.org_____________Please visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#Torah, #Parsha, #Leviticus, #Mitzvahs, #DivineCommand, #Connection, #Kosher ★ Support this podcast ★

Welcome to Daily Bitachon. Pesach is over, and we'd all like to go back to our regular lives; start eating less and whatever else. We'd like to get back to normal . But back to normal doesn't mean forgetting the lessons that we learned over the holiday. It says in Devarim 16:1, where the Torah talks about Pesach, שָׁמוֹר֙ אֶת־חֹ֣דֶשׁ הָאָבִ֔יב וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ פֶּ֔סַח לַיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ כִּ֞י בְּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָֽאָבִ֗יב הוֹצִ֨יאֲךָ֜ יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם לָֽיְלָה׃ In the spring month, slaughter Korban Pesach, don't eat any חמץ for seven days, because Hashem took you out of Mitzrayim, and you went in a rush. And what's the purpose of the this holiday? למען תזכור את יום צאתך מארץ מצרים, so that you should remember the day you got out of Mitzrayim, כל ימי חייך, all the days of your life . Rashi says, what does למען תזכור that you should remember mean? That through the Korban Pesach and Matzah, you will remember. How will you remember? כל ימי חייך . We know from the Haggadah that ימי חייך is the days and , כל ימי חייך is the day and the night. So we have to remember Yetziat Mitzrayim in the day and night. When? When we say Keriat Shema twice a day. So the Torah is clearly telling us that the goal of the seder , and the seven days of Pesach is so that we will remember getting out of Mitzrayim all the days of our life, every day. And we do it, twice a day in Keriat Shema. This is a very important fundamental that we're recharging on Pesach, but Pesach is not the only day. I want to share a beautiful Kaf HaChaim from Rabbi Palaggi, chapter 15, Halacha1, that was shared with me by Rabbi Nathan Kairey. Rabbi Chaim Palaggi is explaining a custom brought down by one of the Mekubalim , known as the Matzat Shemurim, Rabbi Natan Shapira, that before he prays, when a person walks back the three steps, he's supposed to make a little wave to the people that are behind him out of respect. Where exactly does that come from? What's the reason for that? I was always raised on the Ben Ish Chai that tells us that when we pray, we are replicating angels with our feet standing together like angels. And since the about angels, it says נותנים רשות זה לזה, they give each other permission, we mimic the angels and we give permission, so to say, by waving to our friends as if we're asking their consent. Rav Chaim Palaggi brings that as a second reason. But the first reason he gives is his own Chiddush: that in the Keriat Shema of both Shaharit and Arbit, we talk about Keriat Yam Suf the splitting of the sea, and the miracles of Yetziat Mitzrayim. Rashi in Berachot tells us we do this because what brings Hashem close to us, so that we can pray to Him, is the recognition of His miracles of Yetziat Mitzrayim. Rashi cites a beautiful Yerushalmi Mashal that explains why it says you have to be סומך גאולה לתפילה, you can't separate between the words Ga'al Yisrael and the start of the Amidah, and you have to go straight in. It's compared to a person that went to the king's palace and knocked on his door. It takes a minute for the king to get there. Imagine if, before the king gets there, the fellow walks away and he's not there to ask the king his question! He says, similarly, when we're praying, as we mention Yetziat Mitzrayim and the miracles that happened there, we're knocking on the King's door. The King is about to come down, so you can't walk away, you have to be go right into the Amida. We see from this that what brings Hashem down is the mentioning of these miracles. And what do we say, both at night and in the morning? We quote from Az Yashir, Hashem Yimloch L'Olam Va'ed- the ultimate message of Keriat Yam Suf- that Hashem is, was and will be King forever. And therefore, he says, since the rule is that Hashem is only king upon us only when we're united (like it says ויהי בישורון מלך, בהתאסף ראשי עם /When is God king of the Jewish people? When the Jewish people are united and together) . He says, and this is the big Chiddush-since חייב אדם לראות את עצמו בכל פרט ופרט כאילו הוא יצא ממצרים, קריעת ים סוף. Every one is obligated, (not just on the night of the Seder), every day to mimic the going out of Egypt and Keriat Yam Suf. And therefore, as we prepare to begin the Amida, we want to say that right now, together, we're accepting Hashem's kingdom, the yoke of His kingdom , B'Lev Echad/ with one heart, as we go to pray to Hashem. So we give that little wave to one another as a gesture, in order to unite, in one heart, in our accepting God as a King, and then we pray. Similarly, in Minha, he says, we also have the line at the end of Ashrei , where we say, ואנחנו נברך י-ה / We are going to bless God, we together. So in two out of the three prayers, we are reminding ourselves of Yetziat Mitzrayim, and we want to make it real- to the extent that we act out the togetherness that we had at Keriat Yam Suf , by gesturing to each other. This is just an example of how we have to keep Yetziat Mitzrayim alive every single day. Therefore, B'Ezrat Hashem, we are going to continue at least until Shavuot, discussing Yetziat Mitzrayim. There is proof for this practice: The Sefer HaChinuch asks why don't we count up, "Today is the first day of the Omer, the second day of the Omer?" Normally I'd count down. If my wedding is in two months, I'd say, " 59 days to go, 58 days to go. " I wouldn't say, " One day since my engagement party, " " Two days since my engagement party.. " The engagement party is not the main event. I want to get to that end goal of the wedding. So I count down 60, 59, 58. But with the Omer , it's not just about the end goal, it's about the beginning. I am coming from Yetziat Mitzrayim. " It's one day since Yetziat Mitzrayim, two days since Yetziat Mitzrayim…." I'm not counting down, I'm counting up. And therefore I have to build on what I have already. So we definitely have full permission, as long as we're in Sefirat HaOmer and we're really taking it seriously, to continue our feeling of Yetziat Mitzrayim. The goal of Yetziat Mitzrayim was to get to Matan Torah , but not with a split. It's united. So much so that the commentaries say that just like we have the first day of Succot and we have a few days in between till שמיני Shimon Aseret, likewise on Pesach we have the first day of Pesach (the seventh day of פסח is not its own holiday, we don't say a special Shehechianu), and we go until שבועות, which is also called עצרת and it here means the eighth week . So these days are like a Chol Hamoed between the first day of Pesach and Shavuot, but instead of having seven days, we have seven weeks. So we're going to take advantage of those Chol Hamoed weeks to continue discussing the fundamentals of our faith which come out of Yetziat Mitzrayim.

Please support the TORAH 101 Podcasts by donating to our annual fundraiser at giveTORCH.orgThis is our only annual fundraiser.Every donation is DOUBLED!Support the TORCH Podcasts by visiting giveTORCH.org right now and making a generous donation!This is the LINK for the Fundraiser.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –Why do bad things happen to good people? What role does Oral Torah play in Jewish life? Why did the Almighty create two worlds, the world of the bodies and the world of the souls? What is the difference between today and the days of Messiah? These are just some of the questions that are raised in the third and final installment on the introduction of the Sefer HaChinuch in this edition of the TORAH 101 Podcast.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –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 ★

Please support the TORAH 101 Podcasts by donating to our annual fundraiser at giveTORCH.orgThis is our only annual fundraiser.Every donation is DOUBLED!Support the TORCH Podcasts by visiting giveTORCH.org right now and making a generous donation!This is the LINK for the Fundraiser.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –Why did God give us such a precious and holy and profound Torah? Wouldn't it be enough to give us some simple rules to live by? Why is our nation chosen above all other nations? Shouldn't all humans be the same? These are some very advanced question and one that our sages reveal deep insights about. In this Torah 101 podcast, we continue our exploration of the classic sources to talk about Torah philosophy and ideology and we continue with the magisterial introduction to Sefer HaChinuch.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –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 Sinai Revelation was a mass testimony of faith. The only event of its kind saw God revealing Himself to a nation comprised of millions, who heard and experienced prophecy and lived to tell their children about it. The founding event of our religion is historically unchallengeable and completely unprecedented: There is no other religion that even claims to have a National Revelation at its founding. In this TORAH 101 podcast, we study the introduction of Sefer HaChinuch to learn about the mechanism of believing history, the primacy of tradition over scientific and empirical analysis, and how we can have confidence that our religion - unlike other religions - is based on an airtight historical - verified and incontrovertible - Nation Revelation.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –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 ★

Can Super Nanny help here? The Rebellious Son – Fact or Fiction?Rabbanit Shira Marili Mirvis and Rabbanit Hamutal Shoval dive into the topic of the Rebellious Son, education, and the Sefer HaChinuch (a classic Jewish text on mitzvot) in this week's episode of A Daf of Their Own, Hadran's weekly vlog.Join the conversation!#DafYomi #MasechetSanhedrin #ADafOfTheirOwnLearn more on Hadran.org.il

The Sefer HaChinuch discusses why we need so many different Mitzvos to remember Yetzias Mitzrayim, and explains it's because our actions influence our hearts, and the more we do, the greater the influence. Exploring this technique in improving our Middos through the eyes of the Sefer HaChinuch and Rav Yechezkel Levenstein. Have a beautiful Shabbos

In this week's episode we look at the Sefer Hachinuch's comment on the commandment not to destroy fruit trees during a siege. The text presents one of the mitzvot foundational to the Jewish environmental movement, Bal Tashchit, the prohibition against wasting, which has been used to talk about sustainability and resource extraction. We also look at the concept of someone being a “Hasid Mitzvah” or paying special attention to a specific mitzvah. In the text that mitzvah is Bal Tashchit, and in the environmental movement that might be either being careful about everyday things like turning off the lights or reusing bags or finding the niche within the movement that you can become passionate about. Follow along with the source sheet here: http://www.sefaria.org/sheets/575995

Bechukosai is a Parsha where we talk about the importance of working in Torah and developing a life of connection with the Torah. A surprising connection the Sefer HaChinuch makes to Maasar Behaimah, and what we hope to gain from Yerushalayim. Have a good Shabbos

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The Sefer HaChinuch helps us better understand the need for Bigdei Kehuna.

Embark on a spiritual odyssey with us as we uncover the transformative power of Jewish wisdom and the science of habit formation. Together, we delve into the teachings of revered Jewish thinkers such as the Rambam, the Vilna Gaon, and Rav Chaim Vital to understand the role of free will in personal growth. Discover the art of reshaping your character traits and developing the resilience to embrace mitzvahs like Torah study and loving Hashem, even when they counter your natural tendencies. Our discussion leads to an epiphany inspired by the Sefer HaChinuch, revealing how the mitzvah of not breaking a bone in the Korban Pesach transcends time, guiding us toward a life of dignity and self-control.Prepare to be enlightened as we draw a parallel between the ancient mitzvot and cutting-edge discoveries in neuroplasticity. This episode illuminates how consistent, positive actions can reconfigure our neural pathways and fundamentally alter our identities. As we analyze the deeper implications of mitzvot, we realize their potential to infuse our everyday lives with a profound sense of purpose and direction, connecting us more intimately with the divine. Engaging in purposeful behaviors, such as performing mitzvot and cultivating a love for learning the Torah, becomes a pathway to changing how we act and feel—ushering in a new era of spiritual and emotional well-being.Support the show------------------Check out our other Torah Podcasts and content! SUBSCRIBE to The Motivation Congregation Podcast for daily motivational mussar! Listen on Spotify or the new Jewish music and Podcast streaming platform 24six! Find all Torah talks and listen to featured episodes on our new website, themotivationcongregation.org Questions or Comments? Please email me @ michaelbrooke97@gmail.com#parsha #shortdvartorah #thetorahpodcast #motivationalmussar

Yesterday we quoted from the Bet Halevi that Yosef HaSadik is the role model and epitome of bitachon. Therefore he's held on such a high level that even the slightest deviation of over-hishtadlut costs him. Now that we know about that, let's hear more about his bitachon. When Yosef finally revealed himself to the brothers, the brothers were scared- who knows what Yosef was going to do to them. But he started to comfort them, “ Don't worry, don't get upset. You didn't do this. Hashem sent me here in order to supply food for the family. This has nothing to do with you.” This is the epitome of bitachon and that's why Yosef HaSadik is the one to show it to us. This is very important, because, as the Chazon Ish says, there are people who sing the song of bitachon, when times are good, they have bitachon on their lips. But he says, when competition opens up across from you and you're still able to attribute it to Hashem, that is real bitachon. Bitachon that doesn't show up in those extreme cases, might not really be bitachon, and therefore, to show us that Yosef Hasdik is the true Baal bitachon, he's put to test in that area. How do you react with the people who wrong you? And talk about wronged - They sentence him to death! They stole 22 of the best years of his life with his father, growing up from age 17.. 22 years! Any good Yeshiva boy develops in those 22 years. And he was robbed of that life, to grow up in Egypt, without family. Horror of horrors. And yet, he felt not a drop of animosity. It was true brotherly love. He was comforting them. This is Yosef HaSadik, and that is what shows true bitachon. David Hamelech is another good example-When did David Hamelech get uplifted to be one of the four legs of God's table, along with Avraham Yitzhak and Yaakov? David got there when Shimi ben Gerah was cursing him with a horrible curse, calling him a Mumzer a Noef and all kind of horrible things. David had people there that were saying to him, “ Not you do it. We'll do it! Off with the head of the dog. We'll take his head off, don't worry!” But David Hamelech said, “ No, leave him alone. Hashem told him to curse.” That doesn't mean there was a prophecy to Shimi that he should curse. It means that Hashem is the One that made this happen. “ It has nothing to do with him. I have to look at myself. ” This is the source, in the Sefer HaChinuch, that a person cannot bear a grudge or seek revenge, because it had nothing to do with this person. And this is a huge concept. Rabbenu Yonah, in Shaare Teshuva, tells us that bearing a grudge is not when you say, “ I'm not lending you my ax because didn't lend me your ax.” That's vengeance . That's revenge . But if I say “ Okay, I'll lend you the ax. I'm not like you,” that's considered bearing a grudge. Amd what happens if you gave it to him and you didn't say anything? If you just gave it to him, and said, “Here's the ax,” but you thought in your heart , you remembered what he did and you think to yourself, “ Oh, I'm not like him, that he didn't lend it to me. I don't act like that.” That is also included in the negative command of bearing a grudge. Rabbenu Yonah in Shaare Teshuva ( 3 rd gate) writes, “ This punishment is not for what you said, it's for what was in your heart.” Rabbenu Yonah is not the only one who says this. It is also brought down in the Sefer Hachinuch( רמב ( where it says, “ We have to stop from even thinking of it in our heart.” And Rambam, in Hilchot De'ot writes, “ Erase it from your heart and don't bear a grudge.” That's the test of real bitachon. If you're still remembering how this person wronged you, and what he did to you, that is not real bitachon. There are exceptions- if the person insulted you or embarrassed you or hit you, you can have self-defense. But we aren't going through that. We're just talking about the basic concept. This guy opened up a store across the street from you, or anything like that. You were trying to get a house and he got it before you. You gave a bid first and so on and so forth. There's a never-ending lists of grudges that people bear for something that happened 20 or 30 years ago. Not only don't I talk to them, but I don't want my children go to their weddings either. That is not bitachon. So, if you're reading this and it hits a spot, I feel bad, but this is a spot to hit. Real bitachon is Yosef HaSadik, who does not bear a grudge. That's why we use Yosef as the ultimate Baal Bitachon. Have a wonderful day.

HKB"H put in place a two tiered system of nissim nistarim and natural hishtadlus, as described by the Ramban and Sefer Hachinuch. Can't circumvent it.

Today's class is dedicated in honor of the birthday of Eli Kairey, by his family. In this week's Parasha, we have the event of the Gid Hanasheh , where Yaakov Avinu struggles in a wrestling match with the angel of Esav. After a long night of struggling, Yitzhak is limping, and then Hashem miraculously heals him. To this day, we are supposed to remember that event, and therefore, the Jewish people do not eat the Gid Hanasheh as a a way to remember that event. The Sefer HaChinuch asks what the message of this mitzvah is. And he says that it's a hint to the Jewish people that even though we will endure great hardships and great sufferings and exiles in the hands of the nations, specifically the children of Esav, we are Batuach/ we are guaranteed that we will not get lost. We and our children will last forever. The Redeemer will come and He will redeem us. This mitzvah can help us in our Emunah, by remembering Ma'aseh Avot Siman L'banim, the activities of our forefathers are an omen for future generations. The hint here is that the angel of Esav is the symbol of the all of the negative forces that wanted to uproot Yaakov from the world, and his children as well. And that is what is happening in our generations. In the end, he says, we will have a salvation. Just like the sun shined on Yaakov Avinu and he was saved from the angel, so too, the light of Mashiach will shine upon us. He'll heal us from our pain and redeem us, speedily in our days. So this story of Yaakov Avinu is a lesson for us throughout our years of exile. What was Yaakov Avinu's secret? How was he successful in his struggle throughout the long night? The Seforno writes that the angel of Esav saw that he could not overtake Yaakov because Yaakov Avinu was constantly connected to Hashem with his thoughts and his speech, and therefore, Yaakov Avinu was protected from the angel of Esav. Therefore, our protection is our connection, our dveikut , our Emunah and bitachon. And what caused Yaakov Avinu to be slightly influenced and caused his limp was that the angel told him that in the future, there would be sins in the Jewish people. His worry about the future caused a momentary break in Yaakov Avinu's connection, which caused the limp. This struggle is not only a struggle with the physical forces of Esav, it's also the spiritual forces that bring us down, the war of the Yetzer Hara as well. There's a famous thought that says Yaakov's name was changed to Yisrael, כי שרית עם אלוקים ואנשים ותוכל Because you struggled with Godly forces and with human forces, and you overcame . I once heard my father-in-law say, in the name of the Sfat Emet, that the term שרית Sarit refers to the struggle , and ותוכל v'tuchal refers to the success . So why is it that he's called Yisrael after the struggle? Shouldn't he be called Yituchal , because he won? And he answers that Hashem does not demand victory from us. We're not always victorious. but He demands that there's a struggle. That's what He wants from us. The victory comes from Hashem. Our job is the constant struggle- not to give in, and not to wave the white flag of surrender, but to keep fighting against the Yetzer hara. That is the lesson for today, the lesson of remembering the Gid Hanasheh . Remember, in the end, we will survive. We will win this long struggle. The light of Mashiach will heal us. The force that saves us and protects us is our deveikut / our connection to Hashem, and the main thing is to keep struggling and not to give in. Have a wonderful day and a Shabbat shalom.

We continue in the Bet Halevi where he tells us that one who relies on Hashem gets a double benefit. The first benefit is in this world, as we discussed yesterday, that he will definitely get what he's lacking. But beside that, his reward in the next world is immense, because of the rule that there is no reward in this world for Mitzvot . All the benefits that we get in this world are just dividends, just the fruits of our Mitzvot . The true benefit is in the next world . This is an important point, because sometimes people are bothered, “ I relied on Hashem and I didn't get what wanted. Is that a wasted bitachon?” Of course not, because bitachon is a mitzvah like any other mitzvah, and whether you get what you want or not is irrelevant. Of course, it's nice to get what you want, but if for some reason you did not have enough bitachon, if you're not on the Vadai program so you didn't get what you wanted, it's not a waste because your efforts in bitachon will be rewarded like any other mitzvah. Furthermore, Rabbenu Yonah writes in Mishleh that the reward for the bitachon is greater than the item that you wanted to get through the bitachon . For example, it's hard to find parking in Brooklyn. So you're driving on Coney Island Avenue and you need a spot. And sure enough, you rely on Hashem, “ Please Hashem, get me a spot, ” and a spot opens up. Beautiful! You got the spot. But what happens if you didn't get the spot? What's the value of a spot? You could have parked at a pump. Those are not always available either, but let's say the pump was available but you didn't park at the pump because you didn't want to get a $200 ticket. So what's the parking spot worth to you? $200. Well, the reward that you're going to get for relying on Hashem for that spot is definitely worth more than the $200 value of the spot. You're definitely going to end up getting more by relying on Hashem than you would've gotten for actually getting what you want. So, it's a win-win situation. Whether you get what you want or not, you're ahead of the game, because the reward for bitachon is immense. There's another point, which is that if there's no reward in this world for Mitzvot, then why do I get what I want when I rely on Hashem? The answer is, you're not getting what you want as a reward for your bitachon. You're getting what you want because Hashem is kind, and if you rely on somebody, that person is going to come through for you. That's the way the world works. If you rely on somebody, he's going to come through for you. There's a famous question about Maaser. When it comes to giving Maaser, God says, “ Test Me with this. I'll open up the windows of the heavens and I'll bless you and I'll give you all kinds of blessing.” How does that work, if there's no reward in this world for Mitzvot? Why is maaser an exception? There are different answers. The Sefer HaChinuch answers that when you give maaser , there are two things going on. There's the Mitzvah of maaser , and for that you don't get rewarded in this world. But there's also a financial deal. God needs money, so to say. He says, I'm short on cash. Could you give that poor man money and I'll pay you back? So, there's a financial deal here. That's why with maaser , you can test Hashem. The Hovot Halevavot gives a different answer. He says that the whole concept of maaser is an act of bitachon. I'm giving 10% of my wealth, or 20% of my wealth, and I'm relying on Hashem that I'm not going to lose out. That reliance in Hashem, that Bitachon is what gives you the blessing. And a bitachon blessing is not cashing in to your bank account, you're not emptying out your Schar Hamitzvot/reward for Mitzvot, because it has nothing to do with the mitzvah. Bitachon in itself gets you what you want, and that's one of the reasons why that it has nothing to do with how many merits you have. It's just a natural concept. To the point that the Chafetz Chaim said, as we mentioned recently, that Lot told the people of Sedom not to hurt the guests because, “ They came to my house. They're relying on me.” If someone's relying on you, you come through. That is just plain old reliability. It has nothing to do with a reward for a mitzvah. It's just common decency. If you rely on Hashem, He's going to come through for you. And that is the concept of bitachon being rewarded both in this world and in the next. Have a wonderful day.

You attend a wedding and beneath the chupa, you witness three couples: the enamored, excited bride and groom, and the emotional, teary-eyed parents of the bride and groom. Who possesses a greater love for one another: the parents or the newlywed couple?Good morning! In Chapter 24:14 of last week's portion, the Torah discusses those exempt from serving in battle and outlines three types of exemptions, including someone who has recently married. The Torah states that this individual should be free to be home, with no other responsibilities, in order to celebrate the person they just married.The Sefer Hachinuch explains that love takes time, and by remaining together and avoiding separation for any reason, their bond will solidify. This closeness will naturally foster attachment and attraction between them.There is an interesting discussion regarding the Torah's use of the word "celebrate" or "rejoice" in relation to the woman. Does it mean to rejoice with her or to make her rejoice? Targum Yonatan suggests rejoicing with her, while Rashi dismisses this interpretation, asserting that anyone who claims otherwise is mistaken. The Zohar supports his view, stating that it's not referring to your own joy but to cause your bride to rejoice.Perhaps Rashi's strong words are intended to debunk a common misconception that marriage is a beautiful box filled with all the things one desires, such as intimacy, companionship, and friendship. The Torah's instruction to cause her to rejoice suggests that marriage is an empty box that requires something to be put in first. Romance doesn't automatically exist within marriage; it must be infused into the relationship. "Cause her to rejoice" means learning the art of loving, praising, and giving in order to keep the box full.Support the show

Why do we keep a mitzva we don't understand? The quintessential "chok" is Para Aduma at the beginning of Parshat Chukkat. Rabbi Dunner turns to Sefer Hachinuch for an answer, but before he does -- he presents a list of every one of the Sifrei Hamitzvot: the works that list all the 613 mitzvos of the Torah. Who were their authors, and what makes each one of these works unique?

*** This Halacha deals with topic of Yichud. Yichud is the concept that a man may not be secluded with a forbidden woman. Please read all the Halachot on this topic as there are conditions and exclusions that must be fully understood before accepting Lema'ase. ***[There are many direct quotes in today's Halacha. Please listen to the audio clip to hear the quotes verbatim from the various sources. The transcription below does not include the transliterations of the quotes, but rather an explanation of the quotes.]The question was recently asked about the topic of Yichud. This is the law restricting seclusion among men and women. Men are not allowed to be alone with women. The details of this concept are very complex, and today we are just going to discuss an overview and focus on the seriousness of this Halacha.The Rambam (Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon {Maimonides} 1135–1204 ) writes on this subject in the laws of ‘Isure Bi'ah" in perek 22. He writes that the biggest cause of elicit relations stems from neglecting the principal of Yichud. Being alone with a woman will lead a man to promiscuity. The Rambam further writes that many great Chachamim used to tell their students to warn and alert them in the event they are secluded with their daughter in law. The Chachamim themselves went out for their way to show their students that the Yetzer Hara (evil inclination) is strong and that everyone must be careful and avoid Yichud.The Meiri (Rav Menachem Meiri, born in Provence in 1249) was one of the Rishonim, and he commented on the Gemara in Kidushin which talks about Yichud, and he says that violating the laws Yichud is the key that opens the doors that leads to sin. Rabbeinu Yona, in his book Sha'arei Teshuva (a work on ethics and repentance) in the Sha'arei Shelishi, part 7, writes that a man is considered Yir'ei Shamyim (G-d fearing) if he is careful to follow the laws of Yichud and avoids being alone with a woman for he is concerned that he might commit a sin. He fences himself in, and shields himself from possibly committing transgressions, and thus he is deemed Yir'ei Shamyim. The Sefer HaChinuch, a popular work that explains the 613 Mitzvot which is believed to have been written by the Ra'ah (Rav Aharon Halevi) gives the rationale behind the Mitzvah of Yichud in Mitzvah number 188. There, Yichud, the prohibition of seclusion, is discussed at length. There's a story that is told about a Rabbi by the name of Rabbi Ya'akov Lorberbaum of Lissa (died 1832). He authored a Sefer called ‘Netivot Hamishpat,' and a book called Chavat Da'at. He had a granddaughter that was engaged, and one day his daughter and granddaughter journeyed in a wagon of a gentile to a nearby city to buy items for the upcoming wedding. The driver veered off the road knowing that they had money, and took them to his house. He, along with some co-conspirators robbed them of their money and prepared to burn them in order to suppress any evidence. But suddenly the door opened and in came German officers into the house. The gangsters escaped, and the Germans saved the ladies and returned their money. This was a miracle. That night, Rabbi Ya'akov of Lissa appeared to his daughter in a dream, and he said that he was in heaven and he saw what happened. He then went to one of the levels in heaven to plead for her salvation, but he was rejected because she had transgressed the sin of Yichud, as she was alone with the wagon driver. So the Rabbi then went to a higher level in heaven and pleaded his case in front of Bore Olam, and beseeched that in the merit of the books that he wrote that his daughter and granddaughter be saved. That worked, and thus the ladies were saved. So you see from this story, how important it is to be careful and not treat Yichud lightly. This is a very serious prohibition that must be followed. You can see from this story that that observance of this law is monitored very closely, so much so that it can jeopardize one's safety and well being. So today's Halacha is just an introduction to this topic. In the upcoming days, B'ezrat Hashem, we will talk about some practical Halachot on this topic. Today was just about an introduction to show how serous Yichud is. It's brought down by all the Rishonim, and it's actually from Gemara Kidushin on Daf 80, and B'ezrat Hashem we will elaborate in the upcoming Daily Halachot.It is requested that all the Halachot on the topic of Yichud be read in order to understand its complexities, leniencies and inter-associations. There are conditions and exclusions that apply that are addressed throughout our series of Yichud Halachot. If you read only one Halacha you might only be getting part of the story. Do not to take any of these Yichud Halachot Lema'ase (to action) until we complete the series, and until you have had the chance to review all the Halachot on this subject.

We all know whatever happens to a person is always m'et Hashem. Even when it seems like people use their free will to do things that affect us, the Sefer HaChinuch in mitzvah 241, as well as the Chovot HaLevavot in the Shaar HaBitachon , both write that people have no control over other people's lives. Whatever they do is ultimately coming from Hashem. The sefer HaBeit Yehudi writes, a person could say he believes b'emunah shelema that everything in his life comes from Hashem, and he accepts everything that Hashem does with love, yet when it comes to something so fundamental, like his spouse, it doesn't even enter his mind that she is also from Hashem. And even if he does believe that, he doesn't accept it with love. We have heard people experiencing shalom bayit problems saying too often, about their spouse, “I deserve better,” or “I can't handle this anymore.” They look back at their decision to marry this person and make different excuses of why it was the wrong decision. They may say, “My parents pushed me into it,” or “I was blinded by certain factors,” or “I was tricked by the shadchan ,” and the list goes on. When it comes to marriage, the Gemara says, there are proofs from the Torah, from the Nevi'im and from the Ketuvim that מה' אשה לאיש – marriages are made only by Hashem. If when it comes to something like someone taking our parnasa or hurting our feelings, we are obligated to say, “It wasn't them, it was Hashem.” How much more so when it comes to shidduchim . Shadchanim don't make marriages; parents don't make marriages; it is only Hashem who makes marriages. And every single person gets the spouse that Hashem chose for them based on their purpose in this world. And therefore, even if a marriage is not going the way a person planned, it does not mean that he married the wrong person, and it does not mean that he should stop trying to make it work. He is supposed to say, “I accept, Hashem, that this is the marriage that you want me to have, and I am going to do my best to make it work.” The real understanding of the words shalom bayit is אני משלים עם הבית שהקב"ה נתן לי – I accept with happiness the will of Hashem to live in this house with this spouse that Hashem gave me. It is definitely much easier for a person to admit that a lost business deal came from Hashem, or even that a broken limb came from Hashem, but to say that his marriage is from Hashem is very difficult. Yet, it is basic emunah. מה' אישה לאיש . This does not mean that a person has to suffer in marriage. If there are problems, whatever happened until now was part of a larger plan, but going forward, a person is encouraged to make his best hishtadlut to work things out so that the marriage will bring happiness, whether that means going for counseling, learning more about the subject of shalom bayit , acting in a nicer way, or whatever it may be. This is strongly encouraged. But the first step to making a marriage work is to recognize that it was brought about by Hashem and only Hashem, and no other people are to blame. It is Hashem who wants us to put in all the efforts into making it work. And if we view this as an avodat Hashem, it will be easier to accomplish. And if we believe it is what Hashem wants for us, it will be easier for us to accept. May Hashem help us do His will and make our marriages into the best marriages possible.

What can we learn from Tzaraas today? Lessons in Hashgacha Pratis from the Sefer HaChinuch. Thanks for listening. Have a good Shabbos

Tonight we have a mitzvat aseh from the Torah to relate the story of Yitziat Mitzrayim to our children. The Sefer Hachinuch writes that this mitzvah is a foundation of our emunah. I once heard this point developed in a class delivered by Rabbi Asher Wade, a former Methodist pastor, who ultimately converted to Judaism with his wife and became a rabbi. He had questions about Catholicism, which led him on a journey of studying different religions, a journey that ended when Rabbi Wade came to the conclusion that Judaism is the only religion with real proof to its authenticity. Other religions are based on claims of dreams and private revelations to a single individual. Judaism, however, had Hashem reveal himself to three million people, through the miraculous plagues in Mitzrayim , the splitting of the Yam Suf and the giving of the Torah on Har Sinai. And since then, we have been commanded to retell the story and convey this information year after year to our children. The very first year after Yitziat Mitzrayim , Moshe Rabbenu himself related the story to his own children who were in Midyan the previous year and did not witness the miracles themselves. And from then on, it has been passed down from one generation to the next, from parent to child, for over 3300 years. 3300 years might seem like a long period of time, but in truth, assuming an average person gets married around the age of 23, it only takes a transmission of some 144 parents to children to create the chain from Yitziat Mitzrayim until today. We could think of it as a large banquet hall with 48 tables, each of which sits three people, except one which seats four – you, your father, your grandfather, and your great-grandfather are seated at table 1. And your great-grandfather can turn around in his swivel chair and speak to the next table, which seats his father, grandfather and great-grandfather. And that great-grandfather can then turn around to the table that seats his father, grandfather and great-grandfather, and so on. The 48 th table will have people on it who witnessed Yitziat Mitzrayim and ma'amad Har Sinai . This is concrete proof about the authenticity of our religion. It is a chain that began with eyewitnesses and was then transmitted from father to son, father to son, until today. And tonight we will be continuing this transmision, teaching our own children that Hashem is actively involved in our lives just as He was then and He governs the world with absolute precision. The Chatam Sofer writes, each and every brick that Bnei Yisrael laid during the 210 years of slavery was exactly calculated by Hashem. They did not lay one single extra brick, they did not endure one moment of extra suffering beyond that which Hashem had decreed and they left Mitzrayim בעצם היום הזה precisely on the day that it was decreed that they would leave 430 years after the prophecy to Avraham Avinu informing him of that slavery. The night of Yitziat Mitzrayim is called Leil Shimurim , the night that Hashem had anticipated from the outset. During the 210 years of suffering and oppression, Bnei Yisrael may have thought that Hashem forgot about them, but in truth He was involved every step of the way. Likewise, the punishment administered to the Mitzrim was precisely calculated according to the level of their wrongdoing. Some descended into the sea like lead, others like stone, and others like straw, depending on the extent to which they tormented Bnei Yisrael. Everyone received exactly what they deserved. This is hashgacha pratit, and this is the message we need to convey to our children. We related a story a couple of weeks ago about a woman named Robin Meyerson who saved her uncle from being cremated though an amazing string of hashgacha pratit . And she went on to dedicate her life to doing the same for others. The day that the message was sent out, this woman called me to say she was in tears listening to the story as she relived every moment of it. And then she informed me of the ongoing hashgacha that she is still experiencing from that episode. The day that they ultimately managed to bury her uncle was Rosh Chodesh Nisan, which now, years later, was the exact same day that she heard the story being told back to her on this platform. Furthermore, her son who was born on her uncle's actual yahrtzeit, she named Azriel Mordechai, and a rabbi pointed out to her that the numerical value of her son's name is met mitzvah , the mitzvah she was involved in then and the one she now dedicates her entire life to. Hashem is involved in every last detail of our lives. Tonight is the night designated for imbuing this message into ourselves and our families. B'ezrat Hashem we should be zoche to do that, as well as all of the other mitzvot of the night, in the best way possible. Chag Kasher v'Same'ach.

With many struggling in business at this time, people are asking what they could do spiritually to improve their financial status. We know the Sefer Hachinuch writes in mitzva 430 that whoever is careful to say Birkat Hamazon properly will have his sustenance given to him in a dignified manner for his entire life. The Sefer Ta'ameh Haminhagim u'Mekoreh Hadinim writes that saying Birkat Hamazon out loud with joy is a segula for wealth. A rabbi from Yerushalayim related that this past year he has had a lot of struggles in parnasa and Baruch Hashem, his daughter got engaged, which meant a lot more expenses. His friend encouraged him to start eating bread every single day and utilize the wondrous segula of saying Birkat Hamazon . The rabbi told this friend that his diet only allowed him to eat bread one day a week on Shabbat. But the friend insisted that the segula has been tried and tested and told him to eat just the bare minimum necessary to say Birkat Hamazon on a daily basis. Later that day, the rabbi went to the Kotel to pray Arbit and there he saw a Hashgacha Peratit newsletter. On the first page was a writeup from Rabbi Pinchas Shafer about a man who was struggling with parnasa, who began saying Birkat Hamazon and saw amazing yeshuot . The rabbi was convinced and he and his rebbetzin both accepted upon themselves to start eating bread every single day. The first thing the rabbi said was how much he enjoyed saying Birkat Hamazon and truly concentrating when thanking Hashem. Less than two weeks since they started, a wealthy friend of his came over to him one day and said, "I want to help with the upcoming wedding of your daughter. And then he handed him an envelope with 10,000 shekels inside. The rabbi became emotional, seeing how Hashem had just helped him in such an open way. That Friday, he told all of his children of the recent developments and asked them to each begin saying Birkat Hamazon with kavana from a siddur . He also told them that we don't do mitzvot just for a segula and proceeded to tell them what a zechut it was to thank Hashem properly for all of His goodness and chesed, especially during the mitzvat aseh of Birkat Hamazon . That Shabbat, they were all inspired to say Birkat Hamazon the right way. During that upcoming week, the rebbetzin who had been unemployed found an easy and pleasant job. The rabbi who learned during the day and had a job at night, seeing all of the Heavenly help with parnasa, decided to ask for a raise at his job. The very next day, he was told that the raise was approved. Furthermore, one of his children needed a new pair of shoes and went to the store to buy them. When he picked out the shoes he wanted, the salesman said, "Those are free." He explained that someone returned them after wearing them for an hour. He told that customer they couldn't take them back after they were worn. And so the person said, "No problem, just give them to someone who needs them." He put a mark on the box and that was the pair that this boy picked out. Another one of the rabbi's children needed a new suit, and he heard there was a sale at a popular store. The regular price of a suit is about a thousand shekels. On the outside of the store, it said some suits were as much as 50% off, but when he saw the selection, he did not like any of those suits. He took the suit he liked to the register, and there he was told that on that suit there were two sales and the price came out to only 360 shekels. Those are the stories that happened to them in just the last two months. The rabbi said the greatest gift he got from all of this is a new appreciation for saying Birkat Hamazon and thanking Hashem in general. We could all benefit from saying Birkat Hamazon the right way, and truly thanking Hashem the way we are supposed to.

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מצות השבת אבידה רומזת לתחיית המתים Rabbeinu Bechaya (pg. 1108)   דיני אבידת גוי וטעותו Rambam, Hilchos Gezeilah V'Aveidah 11, 3-5 (pg. 1109) [06:40]   טעמי מצות שילוח הקן Moreh Nevuchim 3, 48 (pg. 1109) [10:27] Ramban (pg. 1110) [15:30] Sefer HaChinuch 545 (pg. 1110) [18:03]     To join this shiur live each week… Continue reading Yesodei HaTorah Series 2 (pp 1108-1110) – Ki Seitzei

The Sefer HaChinuch in mitzvat 430 explains the kavana we're supposed to have when we say the word יתברך – it is a request that Hashem should put into the hearts of all people the recognition that all of the blessing they have comes from Him and that that recognition should motivate them to properly praise and thank Hashem for what He has given them. He writes further that it is our heartfelt thank yous which cause more blessing to come down into the world and that, kavayachol , enables Hashem to fulfill His greatest desire which is to give us more. The first part of thanking is recognizing – we have to be in tune with how much Hashem does for us at every moment of the day. Part of the lesson we are supposed to take from a hashgacha peratit story is to see how much Hashem is involved in our littlest needs and then, on other occasions when they get taken care of in the natural way of the world, we will still recognize that that also was Hashem in disguise. A Rabbi who has an over 30 minute walk to his shul on Shabbat told that this past week, suddenly during his walk home from shul, he felt a strong urge to use the bathroom. He had at least another 15 minutes to go until he would arrive at his house and there were no places for him to stop off on the way. He was contemplating knocking on the door of a random home, but he felt too embarrassed to do so. Just then, a city truck stopped right in front of him and put a portable bathroom just a few feet away from him. The workmen explained that they were preparing for a marathon that was going to be held the following day and that he was more than welcome to use it if he wanted. The Rabbi was in awe of how Hashem took care of his needs so quickly and in the best way possible for him. A man related that he rented a large home for Pesach to fit his entire extended family so that they could come have the Sedarim together. His wife prepared the food for a full month in advance. Finally, that night arrived. They were all sitting around a huge table, excited to start the Seder . The man asked his wife where the haggadot were. That's when her heart dropped. She realized she forgot to pack the box which had all of the haggadot in it. Here they were, with all the people and all the food, but no way of conducting a proper Seder . Just then, there was a knock at their door, it was a neighbor from a house down the block, he had a halachic question. After they answered him, they asked him if by any chance he happened to have any extra haggadot . Now, to put it into perspective, all of the homes in this area were rentals and it is highly unusual for people to bring more books than they need to on a plane. However, this particular man said, “For some reason, we brought 12 extra haggadot ,” and just like that, this family's Seder was saved. Hashem sent the man who brought the extra haggadot right to their doorstep to help them in their time of need. A Rabbi related, he usually doesn't get to sleep on the night of the Sedarim before 2:30 am. On Pesach , his shul specifically starts Shacharit at a later time to accommodate all of those who go to sleep so late on the previous night. The Rabbi needs to be in shul by 8:40 in order to start the tefila on time, and so he set his Shabbat alarm clock, which rings for one minute and then shuts off automatically, for 8:10 to ensure he'll arrive on time. The first day when the alarm went off he woke up feeling like it was the middle of the night. Yet, he rose like a lion and got to the shul on time. As he was going to sleep after the second Sedar at close to 3:00 in the morning, he realized he hadn't set the alarm for the second day. How was he going to get up on time? He said, “Hashem, please help me.” And he made a heartfelt tefila for Hashem to wake him up at 8:10, as the shul was depending upon him to start the tefila . The next morning, when the Rabbi opened his eyes, he looked at the clock and was overcome with gratitude when he saw it was exactly 8:10 on the button. He also felt like he got a full night of sleep. Hashem helps us with all our needs and the more we recognize it, the more we'll thank Him.

Welcome to Embrace Shabbat. In his sefer Daat Chochma u'Mussar (Volume 1, page 130), Rav Yerucham Levovitz cites one of the fundamentals of preparing for Pesach: חייב אדם לראות ולהראות את עצמו כאילו יצא ממצרים - in every generation a man is obligated to regard himself as though he personally had gone forth from Egypt . The main goal on the night of Pesach is for a person to attain the level of feeling they personally were liberated from Egypt. בעבור זה עשה ה' לי - G-d did it for me . All of the preparations and laws of Pesach are to bring a person closer to this goal. Rav Yerucham Levovitz questions why there are so many external acts if the ultimate purpose is just to cultivate a feeling. For example, in the Sefardic communities, there is a minhag to say MiShaarotam . After breaking the middle matzah, the afikoman is carried on their shoulders, questions are asked, and the whole scene is acted out. Can't a person just sit in their house and imagine leaving Mitzrayim ? What is the purpose of all of these acts? He explains that these ציורים - pictures, actions, and images that we create- are extremely powerful in changing us and are therefore employed often in our avodat Hashem . For example, there are many external actions that the Rabbanim would perform to welcome in Shabbat. The Gemara in Bava Kamma 32b says that Rabbi Chanina would go out on Leil Shabbat to greet the Shabbat queen. Rashi states that this is similar to a person who goes out to greet a king. Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz says that these practices seem laughable! Is Shabbat walking in through the back door?! Why is Rabbi Chanina going out to the field to greet Shabbat? It is not a person! Wouldn't it be better for a person to relax in their house and accept Shabbat serenely? We live in a world called עולם המעשה - the world of doing. Chazal teach that through our actions, we come to understand and accept Shabbat. We must go out to the field in order to feel like Shabbat is literally coming into our home. Rav Yerucham teaches that anyone who does not understand this is ignorant of the concept of how to internalize these critical ideas. These external actions prepare our inner world, our penimyut. The Sefer HaChinuch teaches that there are so many preparations and activities on Pesach because our efforts impact us. This idea can be applied to Shabbat, as well. We go out to greet the kallah by Kaballat Shabbat. In our shul, we have a custom to turn around by Lecha Dodi. This can be compared to a person turning around at a wedding to see the bride come in. Some people argue that it is not their custom to turn around by Lecha Dodi, however this is not a custom! People just naturally turn around to see the bride walk in, and therefore we should naturally turn around to see the “bride”- Shabbat- enter; it is not a halacha! The כוח הציור , the power of imagery, is a powerful tool for Pesach, Shabbat, and for so many other critical areas in our life. Going through the imagery and acting things out has the power to change us. Before taking three steps back in the amidah , the Syrian community has a custom to wave to one another. This is based on the fact that during the amidah, we are like angels. (This is why we keep our feet together.) It says: עושה שלום במרומיו , there is peace among the angels . We want to imitate the angels, and therefore we wave a sign of friendship to each other as we are about to start the amidah. That is the כוח הציור . Have a wonderful day, a Shabbat Shalom, and a Chag Kasher v'Sameach. Lastly, a reminder for those who want to give to Lev Chana, an organization which gives cards to needy families that they can redeem in certain clothing stores. Anyone who wishes to participate in this special mitzvah can: ● Click on the link below. ● Send a check to Lev Chana c/o Rabbi David Sutton 1059 E. 10th St. Brooklyn, NY, 11230 ● email me: rabbisutton@gmail.com with your pledge and we will bill you. ● Quickpay rabbisutton@gmail.com

SEFER HACHINUCH

Welcome to Embrace Shabbat. The Sefer HaChinuch brings a beautiful explanation for the reason behind a mitzvah in this week's Parsha (Parshat Re'ah): ושמחת בחגך , rejoicing on holidays. He explains that by nature, a person must experience times of joy, just as they need food, rest, and sleep. Hashem, in His kindness, commanded us with mitzvah of ושמחת בחגך in order to provide us with an opportunity to accrue additional mitzvot. He specially chose to place this mitzvah of happiness in the context of the joyous holiday season, a time when we express our thanksgiving for the miracles that Hashem performed for us. He commanded us to support our physical body and give it what it needs, in order to make it “happy,” thereby allowing a person to focus on true happiness: rejoicing with Hashem. The Rishonim discuss whether this mitzvah is also extended to rejoicing on Shabbat, and reasons are brought to support both sides. For example, the Ibn Ezra, in his song כי אשמרה שבת , refers to Shabbat as יום שמחות , a day of happiness . The Baal Shem Tov questions why this mitzvah of ושמחת בחגך includes a component of satiating the body, such as with eating meat and drinking wine on Yom Tov. If the whole purpose is to help the soul rejoice, why is any time and effort devoted to helping the body be “happy?” He explains with a mashal : A pious man was thrown into jail on trumped up charges. He found himself surrounded by the lowest of the low: drunkards, bandits, and hooligans. Like Yosef HaTzaddik, the man became friendly with his fellow inmates and developed a close relationship with them over time. One day, a family member was getting married and he had such a desire to express his שמחה של מצוה . However, his friends had no way to appreciate his lofty happiness. How could they understand the concept of rejoicing for a holy event ? In an attempt to include his friends in his happiness, the man bought a bottle of vodka and invited the inmates to join in and rejoice. Soon, they were all drinking and dancing, of course for their superficial reasons, induced by the alcohol that they drank. However, now, he could dance alongside them, celebrating this joyous mitzvah. Our simple body does not connect to the high and lofty aspects of the yamim tovim . Therefore, we feed it with meat, wine, and other items of Oneg Shabbat . Of course, the ultimate goal is not merely to provide wine to the drunkard. Rather, it is to feed the physicality so that the soul can free itself from the shackles of his physicality and enjoy the true Shabbat Kodesh by singing zemirot and saying divrei Torah. ושמחת בחגך tasks a person with feeling happy, but with a rejoicing that is connected to spirituality. This concept applies equally to our weekly observance on Shabbat, a job that does not just end with enjoying the body, but with igniting the soul, as well. Have a Shabbat Shalom.

One of Mitzvot in Parshat Re'eh is the Mitzva of Tzedakah. The Jewish people are expected to take care of their "destitute brother" and to ensure that all those in need are provided for. There are a number of curious anomalies in the verses describing this Mitzva, while the Rambam, Ramban, Sefer HaChinuch, and Ma'or Va'shamesh all underscore how important this Mitzva is - as important as all the other Mitzvot in the Torah combined. Rabbi Dunner shares a Nesivos Sholom that offers a comprehensive explanation for the centrality of Tzedakah in Judaism.

All of the prohibitions mentioned until now were assuming the speech was truthful, however, if it contains an element of falsehood then there's a transgression of (Shemoth 23:7): "From a thing of falsehood keep far" and this speech is referred to as "Motzei Shem Ra". We explained earlier that all lashon hara is called false because when speaking not in the subjects presence there will always be some distortion. There is nothing more despicable than lying since its opposite, truth, is the signet and hallmark of Hashem. Blessing can only take effect on those who are truthful like Hashem. This is why the Torah uniquely commands us to "be far away" regarding dishonesty as opposed to just "not lie". Chofetz Chaim, Introduction (Asei) וְכָל זֶה שֶׁדִּבַּרְנוּ עַד עַתָּה הוּא אֲפִלּוּ אִם הוּא מְסַפֵּר דְּבַר אֱמֶת עַל חֲבֵרוֹ, אֲבָל אִם בְּתוֹךְ הַלָשׁוֹן הָרָע אוֹ הָרְכִילוּת שֶׁלּוֹ נִתְעָרֵב (יג) תַּעֲרֹבֶת שֶׁל שֶׁקֶר בְּמִקְצָתוֹ עוֹבֵר גַּם כֵּן עַל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה (שמות כ"ג ז'): ''מִדְּבַר שֶׁקֶר תִּרְחָק'', וְגַם נִשְׁתַּנְּה שְׁמוֹ לִפְגָם עַל יְדֵי זֶה לְהִקָרֵא עַתָּה בְּשֵׁם מוֹצִיא שָׁם רָע, וְעָנְשׁוֹ חָמוּר הַרְבֵּה יוֹתֵר מִסְתַם לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וּרְכִילוּת. Sefer HaChinuch 74 כי השקר נתעב ונאלח בעיני הכל, אין דבר מאוס ממנו, והמארה והקללה בבית כל אוהביו, מפני שהשם יתברך אל אמת וכל אשר אתו אמת, ואין הברכה מצויה וחלה אלא במתדמים אליו במעשיהם, להיותם אמתיים כמו שהוא אל אמת, ולהיותם מרחמים כמו שידוע שהוא רחום, ולהיותם גומלי חסדים כמו שהוא רב החסד. אבל כל מי שמעשיו בהפך מדותיו הטובות והם בעלי השקר שהם בהפך מדותיו ממש, כמו כן תנוח עליהם לעולם מה שהוא הפך מדותיו, והפך מדת הברכה שהיא בו היא המארה והקללה, והפך השמחה והשלום והתענוג שהם אתו, הוא הדאגה והקטטה והצער, כל אלה (איוב כ כט) חלק אדם רשע מאלהים. ועל כן הזהירתנו התורה להרחיק מן השקר הרבה כמו שכתוב מדבר שקר תרחק. והנה הזכירה בו לשון רחוק לרב מאוסו מה שלא הזכירה כן בכל שאר האזהרות. Please send any feedback for any of the episodes to ekuritsky1@gmail.com

This fear of consequences we mentioned is based on the Rambam and the Sefer HaChinuch. However the Rambam in Hilchos Teshuva that says it's inappropriate to serve Hashem based on fear and it's for ignorant people to hold on to until they can be educated to serve Hashem from love. The Rambam appears to be contradictory, on the one hand he says it's a mitzvah to have a fear of Hashem yet he also tells us its not proper for us. Perhaps similar to a child-parent relationship, the primary motivator should not be based on a fear of consequences but there should be an underlining understanding that if certain lines are crossed there will be ramifications. Therefore in a tough situation where the primary motivation isn't enough then he can have this option to turn to as a backup strategy. The Iyun Yaakov asks why the Gemorah tells us to focus on the day of death as a final option and not as the initial one (which is to learn Torah and then recite Shema). The reason is because remembering death and consequences can bring one to hopelessness if utilized as a central drive and is only used when all else has failed. Sefer HaMitzvos 4 היא שצונו להאמין יראתו יתעלה ולהפחד ממנו, ולא נהיה ככופרים ההולכים בשרירות לבם ובקרי אבל נירא ביראת ענשו בכל עת וזהו אמרו את ה' אלהיך תירא Sefer HaChinuch 432 וזאת אחת מן המצות התמידיות על האדם, שלא יפסק חיובן מעל האדם לעולם, אפילו רגע אחד, ומי שבא דבר עברה לידו חיב להעיר רוחו ולתת אל לבו באותו הפרק, שהשם ברוך הוא משגיח בכל מעשה בני אדם, וישיב להם נקם כפי רע המעשה. Mishneh Torah - Hilchos Teshuva 10:1 אַל יֹאמַר אָדָם הֲרֵינִי עוֹשֶׂה מִצְוֹת הַתּוֹרָה וְעוֹסֵק בְּחָכְמָתָהּ כְּדֵי שֶׁאֲקַבֵּל כָּל הַבְּרָכוֹת הַכְּתוּבוֹת בָּהּ אוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וְאֶפְרשׁ מִן הָעֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁהִזְהִירָה תּוֹרָה מֵהֶן כְּדֵי שֶׁאֶנָּצֵל מִן הַקְּלָלוֹת הַכְּתוּבוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה אוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא אֶכָּרֵת מֵחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. אֵין רָאוּי לַעֲבֹד אֶת ה' עַל הַדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה, שֶׁהָעוֹבֵד עַל דֶּרֶךְ זֶה הוּא עוֹבֵד מִיִּרְאָה וְאֵינָהּ מַעֲלַת הַנְּבִיאִים וְלֹא מַעֲלַת הַחֲכָמִים. וְאֵין עוֹבְדִים ה' עַל דֶּרֶךְ זֶה אֶלָּא עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ וְהַנָּשִׁים וְהַקְּטַנִּים שֶׁמְּחַנְּכִין אוֹתָן לַעֲבֹד מִיִּרְאָה עַד שֶׁתִּרְבֶּה דַּעְתָּן וְיַעַבְדוּ מֵאַהֲבָה: Brachos 5a אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי בַּר חָמָא, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ: לְעוֹלָם יַרְגִּיז אָדָם יֵצֶר טוֹב עַל יֵצֶר הָרַע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״רִגְזוּ וְאַל תֶּחֱטָאוּ״ אִם נִצְּחוֹ — מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו — יַעֲסוֹק בַּתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אִמְרוּ בִלְבַבְכֶם״. אִם נִצְּחוֹ — מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו — יִקְרָא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עַל מִשְׁכַּבְכֶם״. אִם נִצְּחוֹ — מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו — יִזְכּוֹר לוֹ יוֹם הַמִּיתָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְדֹמּוּ סֶלָה״. Please send any feedback for any of the episodes to ekuritsky1@gmail.com

Since people are naturally drawn in their attitudes and actions after their friends and neighbors we must be careful to connect with righteous people and always reside amongst Torah scholars to learn from them. If such an area doesn't exist he should live alone and if he can't then he should flee to a desert. Similarly the mitzva of blowing shofer makes it easier for the master to free their slaves when they hear the public all freeing them, this is because "nothing strengthens the heart of people more than the action of the many". The Chazon Ish relates that the present day desert to escape to is the Yeshivas. Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Deos 6:1 דֶרֶךְ בְּרִיָּתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם לִהְיוֹת נִמְשָׁךְ בְּדֵעוֹתָיו וּבְמַעֲשָׂיו אַחַר רֵעָיו וַחֲבֵרָיו וְנוֹהֵג כְּמִנְהַג אַנְשֵׁי מְדִינָתוֹ. לְפִיכָךְ צָרִיךְ אָדָם לְהִתְחַבֵּר לַצַּדִּיקִים וִלֵישֵׁב אֵצֵל הַחֲכָמִים תָּמִיד כִּדֵי שֵׁיִּלִמֹד מִמַּעֲשֵׂיהֵם. וִיִתִרַחֵק מִן הָרִשָׁעִים הַהוֹלְכִים בַּחשֶׁךְ כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִלְמֹד מִמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶם. וְאִם הָיוּ כָּל הַמְּדִינוֹת שֶׁהוּא יוֹדְעָם וְשׁוֹמֵעַ שְׁמוּעָתָן נוֹהֲגִים בְּדֶרֶךְ לֹא טוֹבָה כְּמוֹ זְמַנֵּנוּ. אוֹ שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לָלֶכֶת לִמְדִינָה שֶׁמִּנְהֲגוֹתֶיהָ טוֹבִים מִפְּנֵי הַגְּיָסוֹת אוֹ מִפְּנֵי הַחֹלִי יֵשֵׁב לְבַדּוֹ יְחִידִי כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איכה ג כח) "יֵשֵׁב בָּדָד וְיִדֹּם". וְאִם הָיוּ רָעִים וְחַטָּאִים שֶׁאֵין מְנִיחִים אוֹתוֹ לֵישֵׁב בַּמְּדִינָה אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן נִתְעָרֵב עִמָּהֶן וְנוֹהֵג בְּמִנְהָגָם הָרַע יֵצֵא לַמְּעָרוֹת וְלַחֲוָחִים וְלַמִּדְבָּרוֹת. Sefer HaChinuch 331 לפי שידוע כי קול השופר יעורר לב בני אדם אם לשלום ואם למלחמה, וענין שלוח העבד שעבד את אדוניו זמן רב הוא קשה מאד בעיני אדוניו, על כן לעורר לב הבריות על הענין ולחזק נפשם ולהזהירם על המצוה בשמעם את קול השופר, בראותם כי הדבר השוה הוא בכל הארץ ושהכל עושים כן נצטוינו על זה, שאין דבר שיחזק לבות בני אדם כמו מעשה הרבים, וכמאמר החכם צער רבים נחמה (עי' דברים רבה ב כב). Please send any feedback for any of the episodes to ekuritsky1@gmail.com

The Sefer HaChinuch tells us the reason the cities of refuge for an inadvertent murderer was located in the tribe of Levi is because of their exemplary character traits which allowed them not to be hostile toward the murderer. They were able to view the truth that although he caused harm it was done inadvertently. This ability to see the reality without getting overloaded by our emotions is incredibly important. A strategy based on Rabbenu Yona is to habituate us to start recognizing the other persons perspective in less significant situations which will then allow us to cope when the stakes are high. Sefer HaChinuch 408 ועוד טעם אחר בדבר כי בהיותם אנשי לבב ידועים במעלות המדות וחכמות נכבדות ידוע לכל, שלא ישטמו את הרוצח שינצל אליהם ולא יגעו בו, ואף כי יהרג אחד מאוהביהם או מגואליהם, אחר אשר בפתע בלא איבה יהרגנו, ועל השבט הזה הנבחר נאמר (דברים לג ט) האומר לאביו ולאמו לא ראיתיו כלומד, שלא יעשו דבר בעולם, זולתי מדרך הישר ועל כוון האמת, ולא יטה לבם אחר אהבת אדם, ואפילו אהבת אב ואם ואחים ובנים שהטבע תחיב אהבתם ותכריחם, וכל שכן אהבת שאר בני אדם. ועוד כתבתי בענין, עוד טענה אחרת בסדר בהר סיני (מצוה שמב). Please send any feedback for any of the episodes to ekuritsky1@gmail.com

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The seeming contradiction of Sefer Hachinuch with our Gemarah. Source Sheet --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/yechezkel-hartman/support

Many times a person will put down his friend while with him about previous mistakes, family issues, not being so learned, etc. This will overwhelm him and he will be unable to respond, even if there are no others around it's a transgression of "And you shall not wrong, one man his fellow". The Sefer HaChinuch tells us that if there was a hanging in a family, we need to be sensitive not to even mention the word 'hang' to him in any context. The Gemara says that a sincere smile is greater than giving a glass of milk, the Alter of Slabodka depicts this in a scenario where its sweltering outside and the person is salivating for a refreshing cold cup of milk, yet still the respect that is given over with a smile and acknowledgement that I'm happy to see you is worth more. We should also note how it doesn't cost us anything to perform this kindness and it is still worth so much. Chofetz Chaim, Introduction (Lavin) וּפְעָמִים הַרְבֵּה מָצוּי עוֹד לָאו אֶחָד, וְהוּא לְפִי מַה שֶּׁרְגִילִין הַרְבֵּה פְּעָמִים לְבַזּוֹת לַחֲבֵרוֹ (יג) בְּמַעֲשָׂיו הָרִאשׁוֹנִים אוֹ בִּפְגַם מִשְׁפָּחָה אוֹ בְּמִעוּט חָכְמָתוֹ בַּתּוֹרָה אוֹ בִּמְלַאכְתּוֹ, כָּל אִישׁ לְפִי עִנְיָנוֹ, אֲשֶׁר נֹאמַר לוֹ דְּבָרִים, אֲשֶׁר יַכְעִיסוּהוּ וְיַבְהִילוּהוּ, וְלֹא יוּכַל לְהֵעָזֵר מֵהֶם, אֲפִלּוּ אִם הָיָה הַדָּבָר בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין עַצְמוֹ, עוֹבֵר עַל לָאו (ויקרא כ"ה י"ז) דְּ''לֹא תוֹנוּ אִישׁ אֶת עֲמִיתוֹ'' דְּאַיְרֵי בְּאוֹנָאַת דְּבָרִים, כִּדְאִיתָא בְּבָבָא מְצִיעָא (דף נ"ח:), וְקַל וָחֹמֶר אִם הָיָה זֶה בִּפְנֵי אֲנָשִׁים. וְנִמְצָא לְפִי זֶה, שֶׁהַמְגַנֶּה לַחֲבֵרוֹ בֵּין בִּרְכִילוּת וּבֵין בְּלָשׁוֹן הָרָע בְּפָנָיו וּבִפְנֵי אֲחֵרִים, מִלְּבַד שֶׁיֵּשׁ עָלָיו לָאו דְּלָשׁוֹן הָרָע וּרְכִילוּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ לְעֵיל, עוֹבֵר גַּם כֵּן בְּלָאו זֶה. Sefer HaChinuch 236 ובפרוש אמרו (ערכין טו ב) בלשון הרע. שממית האומרו והמקבלו [ו] שנאמר עליו, והמקבלו יותר מכלן, והזהירו הרבה עליו עד שאמרו דרך משל (ב''מ נט ב): מאן דאית [ליה] זקיפא בדקתיה, לא לימא זקוף ביניתא Kesubos 111b דאמר ר' יוחנן טוב המלבין שינים לחבירו יותר ממשקהו חלב שנאמר ולבן שנים מחלב אל תקרי לבן שינים אלא לבון שינים Ohr HaTzafon - HaMelachas Chaver Please send any feedback for any of the episodes to ekuritsky1@gmail.com

In terms of the previous mentioned transgression of "Taking Revenge" we mentioned it applies even if someone is verbally assaulted, however if one is attacked of course the Torah allows for them to defend themselves. In such a case the "revenge" that the Torah prohibits is after time has passed from the initial interaction and his anger has passed. However there is a greater group that we aspire to be a part of and they disengage rather than respond because they don't want to get angry. The Torah describes them as loving Hashem and are willing to control themselves for the sake of doing what's proper. Sefer HaChinuch 338 ואולם לפי הדומה, אין במשמע שאם בא ישראל אחד והתחיל והדשיע לצער חבירו בדבריו הרעים שלא יענהו השומע, שאי אפשר להיות האדם כאבן שאין לה הופכים, ועוד, שיהיה בשתיקתו כמודה על החרופין. ובאמת, לא תצוה התורה להיות האדם כאבן, שותק למחרפיו כמו למברכיו, אבל תצוה אותנו שנתרחק מן המדה הזאת ושלא נתחיל להתקוטט ולחרף בני אדם ואולם יש כת מבני אדם שעולה חסידותם כל כך שלא ירצו להכניס עצמם בהוראה זו להשיב חורפיהם דבר, פן יגבר עליהם הכעס ויתפשטו בענין זה יותר מדאי, ועליהם אמרו זכרונם לברכה (שבת פח, ב) הנעלבין ואינם עולבים, שומעין חרפתם ואינם משיבין עליהם הכתוב אומר (שופטים ה לא) ואוהביו כצאת השמש בגבורתו. Be'er Mayim Chaim 8-9 וסברא נכונה היא דבעת מעשה החירוף א''א בטבע האדם להיות כאבן שאין לה הופכין אם לא מי שברכו ה' במידות קדושות וכמ''ש החינוך במצוה של''ח עי''ש, אבל אח''כ שכבר נח רוגזו אסרה התורה להעיר רוחו ולנקום ממנו ואפילו רק לנטור השנאה בלב אסור אלא בהרחב זמן מעט אח''כ צריך לשכוח הדבר מלבו Please send any feedback for any of the episodes to ekuritsky1@gmail.com

At times by speaking Lashon Hara, the speaker could be transgressing the prohibition of "bearing a grudge and taking revenge". This would occur in a case in which the speaker felt harmed or hurt from another. Originally he would harbor it in his heart until an opportunity presents itself to get the offender back, in this example by ruining his reputation. The perspective toward overcoming the desire to take revenge comes from an awareness that every pain or insult from another person was really tailor made from Hashem for me because it was decided this is the exact difficulty that's necessary for me to fulfill my mission and reach my potential. The main point is recognizing that no other person has the ability to harm me unless it was decided by Hashem we need it. Very often we need this hurt to help get us back on track to better ourselves. Chofetz Chaim, Introduction (Lavin) וְלִפְעָמִים שֶׁהַמְסַפֵּר עוֹבֵר גַּם כֵּן (ח-ט) עַל לָאו (ויקרא י"ט י"ח) דְּ''לֹא תִקֹם וְלֹא תִטֹר'', כְּגוֹן שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ שִׂנְאָה עָלָיו עַל דָּבָר, שֶׁבִּקֵשׁ מִמֶנּוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ טוֹבָה בִּדְבַר שְׁאִילַת מָמוֹן וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה (כְּמו שׁכָּתַבתִּי בִּבְאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים, בְּשֵׁם הָרְאֵ''ם) וְלֹא הֵיטִיבוֹ, וַעֲבוּר זֶה נוֹטֵר לוֹ שִׂנְאָה בְּלִבּוֹ, וּכְשֶׁרוֹאֶה אַחַר כָּךְ עָלָיו שׁוּם דְּבַר גְּנַאי, מְפַרְסְמוֹ בִּפְנֵי אֲנָשִׁים. וְהוּא עוֹבֵר מִתְּחִלָּה עַל הַנְּטִירָה שֶׁבַּלֵּב, עַל לָאו דְּ''לֹא תִטֹר", וְאַחַר כָּךְ כְּשֶׁנּוֹקֵם מִמֶנּוּ, וְסִפֵּר עָלָיו עֲבוּר זֶה הַדִּבְרֵי גְּנוּת שֶׁרָאָה עָלָיו, עוֹבֵר עַל לָאו דְּ''לֹא תִקֹם'', אֶלָּא צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּמְחֶה הַדָּבָר מִלִּבּוֹ. Be'er Mayim Chaim 8-9 אבל מדברי ספר החינוך במצוה רמ''א משמע דמה''ת נאמרו הלאוין דלא תקום ולא תטור אפילו אם ציערו צער הגוף דז''ל במצוה הנ''ל שלא לנקום כלומר שנמנענו לקחת נקמה מישראל הענין הוא כגון ישראל שהרע או ציער לחבירו בא' מכל הדברים ונוהג רוב בני העולם הוא שלא יסורו מלחפש אחר מי שהרע להם עד שיגמלוהו כמעשהו הרע או יכאיבוהו כמו שהכאיבם ומזה הענין ימנענו הש''י באומרו לא תקום, ולשון ספרא עד היכן כוחה של נקימה. Sefer HaChinuch 241 משרשי המצוה. שידע האדם ויתן אל לבו כי כל אשר יקרהו מטוב עד רע, הוא סבה שתבוא עליו מאת השם ברוך הוא. ומיד האדם מיד איש אחיו לא יהיה דבר בלתי רצון השם ברוך הוא, על כן כשיצערהו או יכאיבהו אדם ידע בנפשו כי עונותיו גרמו, והשם יתברך גזר עליו בכך, ולא ישית מחשבותיו לנקם ממנו, כי הוא אינו סבת רעתו, כי העון הוא המסבב, וכמו שאמר דוד עליו השלום (שמואל ב טז יא) הניחו לו ויקלל כי אמר לו יי. תלה הענין בחטאו ולא בשמעי בן גרא. ועוד נמצא במצוה זו תועלת רבה להשבית ריב ולהעביר המשטמות מלב בני אדם, ובהיות שלום בין אנשים יעשה השם יתברך שלום להם Please send any feedback for any of the episodes to ekuritsky1@gmail.com

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The following is a letter from Rabbi Kivelevitz . Shalom Ubracha- It is quite unnecessary to state here how stressful the last ten months have been. As Klal Yisroel places an immeasurable value on learning and intellectual growth, many of us have weathered this storm by entrenching ourselves deeper into our rich literary heritage, discovering insight and inspiration and using the pause of hustle bustle activity to savor new texts and articulate probing questions. The tools of teleconferencing have generated the bracha of wide attendance in Shiurim and access to the world's finest Torah teachers. Energized by these positives, I am humbly offering to partner with all of you on a venture of discovery. Over twenty-five years ago, I listened with rapt attention as Professor Haym Soloveichick eulogized his father. He said the Rambam,Maimonides, was the Girsa DaYankusa of his father, which the prodigy grew up memorizing like nursery rhymes, with all of Mishna Torah etched in his memory and flowing easily from his lip. However,it was in that other Moshe, Nachmanides, that the elder Soloveichick discovered his intellectual approach and soul. It can be assumed that Rav Soloveichick's flowering as the premier Talmudist of our times was built in great part by contrasting the words of each of these Medieval teachers in areas they had both worked on, or where Ramban levels his often withering criticism of Rambam's position. There are scores of examples throughout Shas,and in particular in the work Nachmanides dedicated to staking his disagreements with his Egyptian counterpart-Hasagos to the Rambam's Sefer HaMitzvos. In his classic towering Perush on Chumash,Ramban forcefully attacks many of Rambam's explanations of mitzvos and interpretations of biblical events. In the coming weeks, we can together discover anew these diamond like gems of codification, inquiry analysis and poetic barbs that issued from these giants.....-armed with the salient texts, and buoyed by an enthusiasm to discover, I relish the prospect of learning with you. This podcast is powered by JewishPodcasts.org. Start your own podcast today and share your content with the world. Click jewishpodcasts.fm/signup to get started.

Does speech channel aggression or elevate our instincts? There are current raging arguments in Israel about the vagaries of social distancing and the fierce post-election political debates in the USA. The common feature in all of these is a sense that the parties are yelling at each other rather than talking to each other, sharing new information, or exchanging perspectives. R. Kivelevitz structures this phenomenon as an apparent breakdown in communication, using it as a stimulus to examine the psychology and sociology of argumentation in general. Pursuing this end, Prof. Juni brings in findings and concepts from the Arab-Israeli Roundtables he chaired for a decade and from his extensive diagnostics of warring families and clans. Dr. Juni explains the Psychology of Maladaptive Arguments by detailing the concepts of Disqualification (where adversaries focus on each other's illegitimacy or credibility, rather than on the issues) and Punctuation (disagreements on defining the source or scope of the problem. In such conditions there is no communication, since each combatant is only interested in being heard while there is no pretense of wanting to understand the other's perspective. Explaining the construct of Cognitive Dissonance Theory, Prof. Juni argued that adversaries often do not argue rationally because most people who adhere to a cause do so because they have been habituated to into a group with behaviors while not really understanding the logic of their beliefs at all. In this context, R. Kivelevitz engages Dr. Juni in the position of the late Chabad Rebbe that doing mitzvoth engenders the igniting of the Neshama of any Jew. R. Kivelevitz raised the possibility of alternative narrative interpretations of a specific situation, analyzing how this may dovetail with – and how it contrasts with – the Talmudic adage of אלו ואלו דברי אלוקים חיים, bringing in interpretations from R. Samson Raphael Hirsch and Sefer Hachinuch. R. Kivelevitz discusses the thesis of Unkeles which verbal communication as a higher level interaction quality of humans. Dr. Juni takes exception to this categorization, claiming that humans tend to use language as a civilized alternative to claiming right by fiat, while the language they use merely belies the irrational quality of their interpersonal behaviors. Doctor Samuel Juni is one of the foremost research psychologists in the world today. He has published groundbreaking original research in seventy different peer reviewed journals, and is cited continuously with respect by colleagues and experts in the field who have built on his theories and observations. Samuel Juni studied in Yeshivas Chaim Berlin under Rav Yitzchack Hutner, and in Yeshiva University as a Talmid of Rav Joseph Dov Soloveitchick. Professor Juni is a prominent member of the Association of Orthodox Jewish Scientists, and has regularly presented addresses to captivated audiences. Associated with NYU since 1979, Juni has served as Director of MA and PhD programs, all the while heading teams engaged in important research. Professor Juni's scholarship on aberrant behavior across the cultural, ethnic, and religious spectrum is founded on psychometric methodology and based on a psycho-dynamic psychopathology perspective. He is arguably the preeminent expert in Differential Diagnostics, with each of his myriad studies entailing parallel efforts in theory construction and empirical data collection from normative and clinical populations. Professor Juni created and directed NYU's Graduate Program in Tel Aviv titled Cross-Cultural Group Dynamics in Stressful Environments. Based in Yerushalayim, he collaborates with Israeli academic and mental health specialists in the study of dissonant factors and tensions in the Arab-Israeli conflict and those within the Orthodox Jewish community, while exploring personality challenges of second-generation Holocaust survivors. Below is a partial list of the journals to which Professor Juni has contributed over 120 articles. Many are available on line Journal of Forensic Psychology Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, and Trauma. International Review of Victimology The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease International Forum of Psychoanalysis Journal of Personality Assessment Journal of Abnormal Psychology Journal of Psychoanalytic Anthropology Psychophysiology Psychology and Human Development Journal of Sex Research Journal of Psychology and Judaism Contemporary Family Therapy American Journal on Addictions Journal of Criminal Psychology Mental Health, Religion & Culture As Rosh Beis Medrash, Rabbi Avraham Kivelevitz serves as Rav and Posek for the morning minyan at IDT. Hundreds of listeners around the globe look forward to his weekly Shiur in Tshuvos and Poskim. Rav Kivelevitz is a Maggid Shiur for Dirshu International in Talmud and Halacha as well as a Dayan with the Beth Din of America. Please leave us a review or email us at ravkiv@gmail.com This podcast is powered by JewishPodcasts.org. Start your own podcast today and share your content with the world. Click jewishpodcasts.fm/signup to get started.

There are current raging arguments in Israel about the vagaries of social distancing and the fierce post-election political debates in the USA. The common feature in all of these is a sense that the parties are yelling at each other rather than talking to each other, sharing new information, or exchanging perspectives. R. Kivelevitz structures this phenomenon as an apparent breakdown in communication, using it as a stimulus to examine the psychology and sociology of argumentation in general. Pursuing this end, Prof. Juni brings in findings and concepts from the Arab-Israeli Roundtables he chaired for a decade and from his extensive diagnostics of warring families and clans. Dr. Juni explains the Psychology of Maladaptive Arguments by detailing the concepts of Disqualification (where adversaries focus on each other's illegitimacy or credibility, rather than on the issues) and Punctuation (disagreements on defining the source or scope of the problem. In such conditions there is no communication, since each combatant is only interested in being heard while there is no pretense of wanting to understand the other's perspective. Explaining the construct of Cognitive Dissonance Theory, Prof. Juni argued that adversaries often do not argue rationally because most people who adhere to a cause do so because they have been habituated to into a group with behaviors while not really understanding the logic of their beliefs at all. In this context, R. Kivelevitz engages Dr. Juni in the position of the late Chabad Rebbe that doing mitzvoth engenders the igniting of the Neshama of any Jew. R. Kivelevitz raised the possibility of alternative narrative interpretations of a specific situation, analyzing how this may dovetail with – and how it contrasts with – the Talmudic adage of אלו ואלו דברי אלוקים חיים, bringing in interpretations from R. Samson Raphael Hirsch and Sefer Hachinuch. R. Kivelevitz discusses the thesis of Unkeles which verbal communication as a higher level interaction quality of humans. Dr. Juni takes exception to this categorization, claiming that humans tend to use language as a civilized alternative to claiming right by fiat, while the language they use merely belies the irrational quality of their interpersonal behaviors. Doctor Samuel Juni is one of the foremost research psychologists in the world today. He has published groundbreaking original research in seventy different peer reviewed journals, and is cited continuously with respect by colleagues and experts in the field who have built on his theories and observations. Samuel Juni studied in Yeshivas Chaim Berlin under Rav Yitzchack Hutner, and in Yeshiva University as a Talmid of Rav Joseph Dov Soloveitchick. Professor Juni is a prominent member of the Association of Orthodox Jewish Scientists, and has regularly presented addresses to captivated audiences. Associated with NYU since 1979, Juni has served as Director of MA and PhD programs, all the while heading teams engaged in important research. Professor Juni's scholarship on aberrant behavior across the cultural, ethnic, and religious spectrum is founded on psychometric methodology and based on a psycho-dynamic psychopathology perspective. He is arguably the preeminent expert in Differential Diagnostics, with each of his myriad studies entailing parallel efforts in theory construction and empirical data collection from normative and clinical populations. Professor Juni created and directed NYU's Graduate Program in Tel Aviv titled Cross-Cultural Group Dynamics in Stressful Environments. Based in Yerushalayim, he collaborates with Israeli academic and mental health specialists in the study of dissonant factors and tensions in the Arab-Israeli conflict and those within the Orthodox Jewish community, while exploring personality challenges of second-generation Holocaust survivors. Below is a partial list of the journals to which Professor Juni has contributed over 120 articles. Many are available on line Journal of Forensic Psychology Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, and Trauma. International Review of Victimology The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease International Forum of Psychoanalysis Journal of Personality Assessment Journal of Abnormal Psychology Journal of Psychoanalytic Anthropology Psychophysiology Psychology and Human Development Journal of Sex Research Journal of Psychology and Judaism Contemporary Family Therapy American Journal on Addictions Journal of Criminal Psychology Mental Health, Religion & Culture As Rosh Beis Medrash, Rabbi Avraham Kivelevitz serves as Rav and Posek for the morning minyan at IDT. Hundreds of listeners around the globe look forward to his weekly Shiur in Tshuvos and Poskim. Rav Kivelevitz is a Maggid Shiur for Dirshu International in Talmud and Halacha as well as a Dayan with the Beth Din of America. Please leave us a review or email us at ravkiv@gmail.com

חיוב להאמין בבורא עולם

The following is a letter from Rabbi Kivelevitz .Shalom Ubracha-It is quite unnecessaryto state here how stressful the last ten months have been.AsKlal Yisroel places an immeasurable value on learning and intellectual growth, many of us have weathered this storm by entrenching ourselves deeper into our rich literary heritage, discovering insight and inspiration and using the pause of hustle bustle activity to savor new texts and articulate probing questions. The tools of teleconferencing have generated thebrachaof wide attendance inShiurimand access to the world's finest Torah teachers. Energized by these positives, I am humbly offering to partner with all of you on a venture of discovery.Over twenty-five years ago, I listenedwith rapt attention as Professor Haym Soloveichick eulogized his father. He said theRambam,Maimonides, was theGirsa DaYankusaof his father, which the prodigygrew up memorizing like nursery rhymes, with all ofMishna Torahetched in his memory and flowing easily from his lip.However,it wasin that otherMoshe, Nachmanides,that the elder Soloveichickdiscovered his intellectual approach and soul.It can be assumed that Rav Soloveichick's flowering as the premier Talmudist of our times was built in great part by contrasting the words of each of these Medieval teachers in areas they had both worked on, or whereRambanlevels his often withering criticism ofRambam's position.There are scores of examples throughout Shas,and in particular in the work Nachmanides dedicated to staking his disagreements with his Egyptian counterpart-Hasagosto theRambam'sSefer HaMitzvos.In his classic toweringPerushonChumash,Rambanforcefully attacks many ofRambam's explanations ofmitzvosand interpretations of biblical events.In the coming weeks, we can together discover anew these diamond like gems ofcodification, inquiry analysis and poetic barbsthat issued from these giants.....-armed with the salient texts, and buoyed by an enthusiasm to discover, I relish the prospect of learning with you. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast is powered by JewishPodcasts.org. Start your own podcast today and share your content with the world. Click jewishpodcasts.fm/signup to get started.

January 12th, 2021

סיפור יציאת מצרים

Upon completing the hakdamah to the Sefer HaChinuch, Rabbi Stark's FUNDAMENTALS moves on to the hakdamos of the Ramban on the Torah. The Ramban has a different hakdamah for each of the 5 books of the Torah, and each hakdamah introduces that specific sefer. FUNDAMENTALS with Rabbi Stark begins the hakdamos of the Ramban with his hakdamah to Sefer Bereshis. To follow along inside click HERE.

In FUNDAMENTALS, episode 4, the hakdamah of the Sefer HaChinuch addresses the principles of our "faith." To follow along inside click HERE.

In episode 3 of FUNDAMENTALS, Rabbi Stark covers the ideas, in the Sefer HaChinuch's hakdamah, of yissurim and Olam Haba. To follow along inside click HERE.

In episode 2 of FUNDAMENTALS, Rabbi Stark covers the portion of the Sefer HaChinuch's hakdamah which addresses why Hashem gave us the Torah to begin with. To follow along inside click HERE.

In this new series—aptly named "FUNDAMENTALS"—Rabbi Stark goes through the hakdamos to various primary sources of Torah principles. This teaching style allows the audience, who are encouraged to follow along inside, to become more knowledgable and familiar with the foundations of our Torah belief. Rabbi Stark appropriately kicks off the FUNDAMENTALS series with the hakdamah to the Sefer HaChinuch, as it lists all of the Mitzvos and the "reasons" behind them. To follow along inside click HERE.

החינך

www.sefaria.org/sheets/274974

Prohibition Of eating the sciatic nerve and the Mitzvah of Sanctifying the New Moon-The connection between them

www.sefaria.org/sheets/174744 ספר החינוך

Weeks of lockdown, quarantine and social distancing has generated a reexamination of society's dress codes across the gamut of industry, social services and politics.in this episode the Rabbis debate whether a cudgel and chisel should be taken to the firmly established expectations of appearance in the Orthodox world.Rabbi Worch cites the mantra of the Sefer HaChinuch how persons are altered by consistent external actions into elevated noble beings.Rabbi Kivelevitz dismisses the application of the Chinuch's social theory to inherently illogical strictures, and argues for Rabbanim and Talmidim to be revered or vilified due to their behavior, and not beard length or shirt color.He cites Rav Aharon Lichtenstein as a paradigm of a Gadol,lamdan and Tzadik who did not sport a beard even in his later years when he was recognized as the leader of Dati Leumi Judaism,and respected in all corners of the Yeshiva intellectual world.Worch feels that it was precisely due to Lichtenstein's superior mind and moral character that he could dispense with the norms of culture, while the general populace needs to adhere and support what has arisen organically as the expected uniform for the field of endeavor and community a person chooses to be a part of.Kivelevitz feels that Lichtenstein should serve as an example that we should return to a pre World War II model, where the goatees and light colored suits that adorned the Lithuanian Yeshiva students and their Rabbinic mentors, thrived alongside the long beards and severe black frocks of the insular Chasidic community.The loosening of what are often arbitrary demands of appearance,can lead to the incorporation of a much larger swath of committed persons into a unified Klal Yisroel.Please leave us a review or email us at ravkiv@gmail.comfind out more about this podcast fromyeshivaofnewark.jewishpodcasts.org See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast is powered by JewishPodcasts.org. Start your own podcast today and share your content with the world. Click jewishpodcasts.fm/signup to get started.

As the world lives in quarantine-the Jewish community faces unprecedented halachic challenges.Rabbi Kivelevitz in this video-conference discusses the status of the Torah readings that are being missed and if there is a way to make them up in the future.He quotes the Rema,and the Vilna Gaon,as well as the debate between Rav Chaim Brisker and his Mechutan-Rav Elya Pruzhaner.The Shiur then takes up the proper actions for a person in medical isolation in performing the Seder-The lecture delineates the opinions of the Rosh and the Sefer HaChinuch in explaining the passage of "Shoel Latzmo"in Pesachim 116touching on the famous question of why there is no Bracha on the Haggadahand concludes with a discussion of the Psak of Rav Herschel Schachter on the dangers of being sequestered and whether a telephone can be turned on before Yom Tov allowing a shut-in to listen to a Seder,or watch through a video chat.Please leave us a review or email us at ravkiv@gmail.comFor more information on this podcast visityeshivaofnewark.jewishpodcasts.org See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast is powered by JewishPodcasts.org. Start your own podcast today and share your content with the world. Click jewishpodcasts.fm/signup to get started.