Podcasts about Yud

Ches Adar (22:51)

​1)      Further on reviewing multiple Haftoros in Shnayim Mikro: [1]2)      In Tehillim 124, is it pronounced Nishbar or Nishbor? [2]3)      (In relation to Matonos loEvyonim): What is the value of a Prutah in our currency? [3]4)      May I - before Shabbos - place raw chicken in a covered dish, into an oven that has a Shabbos mode setting, to serve for Shabbos day?[4]5)      Until how many minutes after sunset could I wash on Shabbos for Seuda Shlishis?[5]  6)      A gentile enters my store, saying that he wishes to buy a quantity of incense for use in his place of worship. May I fulfil his request?[6]7)      We have a jar of mustard in which a clean meaty spoon was dipped. May I now use that mustard with a dairy food?[7]8)      In some Nuschaos, the preamble to Bentsching finishes with the verse מי ימלל. Why is this not followed universally?[8]9)      Having just finished reciting Boruch sheOmar, should I answer Omein before having begun the recital of Pesukei deZimra?[9]10)  We have a swing that is suspended from a branch of a tree. Is there a way it could be used on Shabbos?[10]11)  For Leftie Tefillin, the Yud of the knot is: a) a mirror image;b) an inverted Yud?[11] 12)  Feedback on Gartel for bentshing:[12]13)  Feedback on position for holding the two loaves for Lechem Mishna:[13]14)  Tevilas Keilim in packed snow: (שו"ע (יו"ד סי' רא סל"א?) מהדורת עוז והדר)To sponsor a Shiur – to honour a special occasion -contact: dayan@lubavitchuk.com[1] שיחת ש"פ משפטים תשל"ז הנדמ"ח.והוא דלא כמ"ש ב'סדור רבנו הזקן עם ציונים מקורות והערות' ח"ב ע' תשיזבהע' 363.[2] שינויים מדפוס לדפוס.הטעם (רביע מוגרש) הוא 'מפסיק' בינוני. מקביל לטעם זקף או לאתנחתא. אבל בפסוק זהכבר יש אתנחתא. בתהלים של רש"ר הירש הוא בפתח, ובתהלים 'מסורת מדוייקת'(צובירי) כתב שהעולם נוהגים לקרותו בפתח. משקל דומה במזמור פב: "כי אתה תנחלבכל הגוים".[3] רא"ח נאה (שיעורי תורה סי' ג סמ"ב)משער ב-140 של גרם של כסף. המחיר של גרם כסף הוא קרוב ל-£2.א"כ P5הוא בערך שיעור פרוטה.[4] בתחלה עניתי שזה לא בסדר, כי צ"ל גרופהוקטומה. שוב אמרה לי ש'מצב שבת' מונע שינוי דרגת החום. סברתי לומר דהו"לכ'קטומה', ושרי. אבל בס' שבת כהלכה פ"ח סי"ז מחמיר גם בזה, כי כיסויהכפתורים לבד אינו נחשב 'קטומה'.[5] ראה שוע"ר סי' רצטס"ב.[6] ראה שו"ע יו"דסי' קנא ס"א.[7] ראה ספר הכשרות (פוקס)פ"י סק"כ ואילך.[8] בשוע"ר סי' נא ס"ו אוסר לומר פסוק זהקודם 'הודו', ומקורו בשו"ת מהרש"ל סי' סד. בלבוש שם ס"ה מתיר אמירתפסוק זה בסוף חרוז של תשבחות. בזה מוצדק אמירת פסוק זה בסוף 'שיר הכבוד'.[9]  בשו"ע או"ח נו:ב כ' לענותאמן לש"ץ. יש חוששים דהו"ל כברכת המצוות (פמ"ג סי' נא סק"ג)כברכת ההלל וכדומה. בשוע"ר לא נראה רמזלזה.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            [10] ראה שוע"ר סי' שלו ס"כ;פסקי תשובות שם אות כג: א) ברגים וכו' נחשבים הכל כיחידה אחת; ב) דברים טפלים אינםמתחשבים כ'צד' נוסף. [11] ראה דברינו בנתיבים בשדה השליחותח"ב ע' 31 הע' 26; ס' דיני איטר ע' 82 ובהע' ה. [12] במוצאייו"כ תשכ"ז נכנס רבינו לסעודה עם סידור בידו וללא 'גארטל'. בס' המנהגים(ע' 74) מובא שבפורים נהג האדמו"ר לחגור גארטל בעת הסעודה – בנט"יוהמוציא ובברכת המזון (ולאמירת המאמר). משמע קצת שהנהגה זו שייכת לפורים דוקא.[13] ס'מזמור לדוד (לר' יצחק הכהן יארמוש נ"י) תשע"ט ע' 77.​

The Rebbe points out that the Alter Rebbe cites Tanya in many places throughout his works and their indexes. He expresses the hope that this interest will lead the writer to take part in the farbrengens of Yud and Yud-Tes Kislev, days of redemption and Chassidic inspiration. https://www.torahrecordings.com/rebbe/igroskodesh/016/003/5899

Welcome to our Bitachon series. We were going through Sha'ar HaBechina now, and he's bothered by why is it that we're not all jumping for joy over all the great things that are in the world, if tov Hashem lakol . And his third reason was that things don't always go right, and we don't appreciate that and therefore, we don't see the goodness. And today we'll spend some time on appreciating when things don't go right. The Ramchal in his sefer Derech Hashem , volume two, chapter eight, says, we all know that all God wants to do is good. That's why He created the world. And He loves us like a father loves his son. But this very love sometimes brings with it a need for discipline. Like the pasuk says, כי כאשר ייסר איש את בנו, like a man chastises his son, Hashem Elokecha meyasreka , God chastises you. And therefore, we have to realize, he says, that the judgment and the justice is coming from a source of love. And God is not coming like an enemy that has a vengeance, but like a father that wants the best for his son. In his sefer Da'at Tvunot , the Ramchal writes in letter 154 that because it comes for love, God's musar , even when it's done, is always softened and sweetened. It doesn't come in cruelty in an overpouring of wrath. But God tempers it in a way that it's palatable. The Reishit Chochma in the section on Anava , chapter five, quotes the pasuk in Iyov where Iyov says, Hashem natan , God gave, v'Hashem lakach , and God took. יהי שם השם מבורך, God should be blessed. And he makes a diyuk and he says, Hashem took and Hashem ... Hashem gave and Hashem took. It should say, Hashem gave, Hashem took. What do we need the 'and' for? And he says when Hashem gave, it was just He gave without any questions. When he takes, and Hashem means He and His court of judgment, which means God has a whole court of judgment to decide whether He should take. It's much harder to take than it is to give. And therefore, we have to bless Hashem and understand, in his words, משפטיו עמנו הוא לטוב לנו. All of God's judgments are for our best interest, l'taher nafshoteinu , to purify us. And he quotes our pasuk again of tov Hashem lakol . And that's why Nachum Ish Gamzu used to always say, gam zu l'tova , because he understood that even the judgment is ultimately for good when you realize that, when you realize it's coming from a good source. I want to end with something that's a little kabbalistic but it's a very nice piece. There's a sefer called Sefer Yetzirah . Some say it was written by Avraham Avinu , that goes through the 22 letters of the alphabet. And it breaks it down to the following three units. The first three letters are the unit of the mass that created the world, Alef Mem Shin , which stands for Alef , avir ; Mem is mayim , and Shin is for eish . Those are the building blocks of the world: water, wind, and fire, leaving out earth. The next letters are what he calls the seven kefulot , the seven letters that have a dagesh in them, which is beged keferet . Even when we don't have a dagesh in the Reish , the Zohar has it as that. That's my second unit, which is the seven days of the week. The third unit is the 12 months of the year. So if I subtract my Alef Mem Shin , which was the first three letters used for the mass, I subtract the next seven, ten, seven letters: Beis , Gimmel , Dalet , Chaf , Pey , Reish and Taf , I subtract the 10, I'm left with 12 letters of the alphabet, 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. So I start with a Hey . That's the first letter that hasn't been used yet. And the next 12 letters, starting with the Hey , correspond to the months of the year. Hey is Nissan , Vav is Iyar , Zayin is Sivan , Ches is Tammuz , Tes is Av , Yud is Elul , Lamed is Tishrei , Nun is Cheshvan , Samech is Kislev , Ayin is Teves , Tzadi is Shvat , and Kuf is Adar . We can give a whole class on this, to whet your appetite. We know Nun , these also corresponds to the letter, the letters in Ashrei . We know there's no nun in Ashrei , because nun refers to nefila . falling. Cheshvan has no holidays, it's the nun letter. Nissan , which is a time we talk about God's greatness, Hagadol , הדר כבוד הודך ודברי נפלאותיך אשיחה we speak about the wonders of God, Haggadah shel Pesach . Now, what is Av ? Av is tet . What's what is the pasuk of Av ? Of all the psukim of Ashrei , the last thing you would think of is our pasuk we've been talking about from the beginning, טוב ה' לכל ורחמיו על כל מעשיו. The month of Av is symbolized by Tov Hashem lakol . And even the number nine is the nine days of Av , which are seen the worst nine days of the year, are really tov . They're the nine of the tet of the letter tov . Because even the worst of times, it's the month of Av . Av is our father. כאשר ייסר איש את בנו, ה' אלוקיך מיסרך like a father chastises his son. So this is the final hurdle that we have in being happy people. Either A, we always want more. B is that we we are used to the goodnesses. And C is we have the difficult challenges. And we have to overcome all three.

In this week's Parasha, Lech Lecha, we begin once again to learn lessons from the lives of Avraham and Sarah. They were both great nivi'im and understood the ways of Heaven. When Sarah saw that she was not meriting to have children, she began to think of what she could do as a special zechut to change her mazal. Chazal tell us that Sarah was not physically capable of bearing children, as she did not even have a womb. She realized that for such a salvation, she would need an enormous zechut. So what did she do? The pasuk tells us: Sarah gave her maidservant Hagar to Avraham as a wife, saying, "Perhaps I will be built through her." What was so great about giving Hagar to Avraham? Sarah knew that Avraham had a mitzvah to have children, but perhaps she was the one preventing him from fulfilling that mitzvah. With tremendous selflessness, she gave another woman to her own husband, solely so that he could fulfill Hashem's will. Moreover, Sarah could have suggested that Hagar be taken as a pilegesh instead of a full wife. But she was concerned for the kavod of Avraham. He was like a prince, and it was not fitting for him to have less than a true wife. We know that the natural longing of a woman is for the attention of her husband. In fact, the Gemara calls a co-wife a tzarah — a rival — because it becomes a rivalry for their husband's attention. For Sarah to voluntarily offer her husband a different wife so he could fulfill the mitzvah was an act of extraordinary mesirut nefesh. Sarah understood that self-sacrifice brings great berachah and yeshuah. And indeed, later in the Parashah, Hashem changed her name from Sarai to Sarah, and announced that she would be blessed with a child — the child who would become the future of Klal Yisrael. The Kli Yakar explains that Hashem removed the Yud from "Sarai" because the letter Yud is masculine, symbolizing that she had been created like a male in that she was unable to bear children. He replaced it with the letter Hei , which is feminine, signifying that she would now be able to bear children in the normal way of a female. But numerically, there was a loss — Yud equals ten, Hei equals five. To restore balance, Hashem created another Hei (five) and attached it to the name of Avram, turning him into Avraham. The mekubalim explain that the letter Hei is associated with reproduction. The Kli Yakar writes that it was Sarah's zechut — the selflessness with which she gave her maidservant to Avraham — that enabled not only herself, but also Avram, who until then was unable to father children, to now have children. The Hei that was added to Avraham's name came from Sarah, because it was in her merit that he gained this ability. From here we see the enormous power of a mitzvah done with mesirut nefesh. Sarah's selflessness was the catalyst that enabled both her and Avraham to have children — and through it, Yitzchak Avinu came into the world. Every extra zechut that a person gains is of immeasurable value. Our Rabbis tell us that when a mitzvah is performed, it creates an et ratzon — a time of Divine favor. The greater the mitzvah, the greater the et ratzon . And tefillot offered at such a time rise even higher. May we all merit, be'ezrat Hashem , to gain the right zichuyot that will bring about yeshuot for all who need them. Shabbat Shalom

The Gemara in Masechet Menahot (43) cites a verse in the Book of Debarim (10:12) in which Moshe Rabbenu turns to Beneh Yisrael and says, "Ma Hashem Elokecha Sho'el Me'imach" – "What does Hashem your G-d ask of you?" Moshe proceeds to explain that Hashem asks that we fear Him and obey His commands. The Gemara, however, comments that the word "Ma" in this verse may be read as "Me'a" – one hundred. This means that we are required to recite 100 Berachot each day, and this is what Hashem wants from us. It seems from the Gemara that source of this obligation is the word "Ma," which is read as though it is written "Me'a." Some commentators, however, understood the Gemara's inference from this verse differently. The Shiboleh Ha'leket (Rav Sidkiya Ben Abraham Ha'rofeh, Italy, 13 th century) noted that this verse contains 100 letters, and thus the Sages found in this verse an allusion to the requirement of 100 daily blessings. In truth, this verse contains only 99 letters, but since the Gemara reads the word "Ma" as "Me'a," which contains an additional letter (an Alef), the total reaches 100. Others explain that this inference is based on the "Atbash" system, whereby a letter can be substituted with its corresponding letter at the opposite end of the alphabet (e.g. Alef is replaced by Tav; Bet is replaced by Shin, Gimmel is replaced by Resh, etc.). In the system of "Atbash," the letters that form the word "Ma" – Mem and Heh – become Yud and Sadi, which have the combined numerical value of 100, alluding to the 100 daily Berachot. Another allusion to this requirement is found in the verse in Tehillim (128:4), "Hineh Ki Chen Yeborach Gaber Yereh Hashem" ("Behold, this is how a G-d-fearing man shall be blessed"). The word "Ki" in Gematria equals 30, and the word "Chen" equals 70, for a total of 100, such that the phrase "Ki Chen Yeborach Gaber" may be read to mean that a man should recite 100 Berachot. As the Gemara inferred this requirement from a verse in the Torah, we might conclude that this constitutes a Biblical obligation, mandated by the Torah. This is, in fact, the view taken by the Ba'al Halachot Gedolot, in his listing of the 613 Misvot. Rav Shlomo Ibn Gabirol, in his "Azharot" poem which lists the 613 Biblical commands following the view of the Behag (and which we customarily chant on Shabuot), makes reference to this requirement ("U'mi'berachot Tasmid Me'at Ha'nigmarim"). By contrast, the Rambam maintained that this obligation was enacted later, by the Sages. The Sefer Ha'yere'im (Rav Eliezer of Metz, France, 1140-1237) similarly maintained that this requirement was instituted by the Ansheh Kenesset Ha'gedola ("Men of the Great Assembly") at the beginning of the Second Commonwealth. According to this view, the inference from the verse in Debarim is meant as an allusion to a law enacted by the Sages, and is not the actual source of this requirement. A third opinion is that of the Shiboleh Ha'leket and others, who maintained that this obligation was verbally transmitted as a "Halacha Le'Moshe Mi'Sinai" – a law taught to Moshe at Sinai, without having been written in the Torah. At first glance, we might question the view of the Behag and Shiboleh Ha'leket based on the Midrash's comment that it was King David who instituted the recitation of 100 Berachot each day. The Midrash relates that a devastating plague ravaged the nation during the reign of King David, killing 100 people every day. David determined that to end the plague, everyone must recite 100 daily blessings. (David later refers to himself as "Hukam Al" (Shemuel II 23:1), which could be read to mean, "the one who established 'Al,' as the word "Al" in Gematria equals 100, an allusion to the 100 Berachot which David instituted.) Seemingly, if this constitutes a Biblical obligation, or a requirement transmitted orally since the time of Moshe Rabbenu, then there would be no need for David to introduce this law. The answer, it would seem, is that the people were lax in their fulfillment of this obligation, and so David ordered the people to be more scrupulous in this regard and ensure to recite 100 blessings every day. A fascinating theory regarding the origins of this obligation was advanced by Rav Aharon Amarillo (1700-1772), in his work Peneh Aharon. He writes that Moshe Rabbenu instituted the requirement to recite 100 Berachot each day at the time of the construction of the Mishkan. The wooden planks that formed the structure of the Mishkan were inserted into "Adanim" – sockets embedded in the ground. In all, there were one hundred sockets, which together formed the base and foundation of the Mishkan. The word "Me'a," Rav Amarillo writes, is an acrostic representing the words "Me'at Adneh Ha'Mishkan" – "the one hundred sockets of the Mishkan." The 100 daily blessings were instituted to correspond to the 100 sockets of the Mishkan. The question naturally arises, what connection is there between the "Adanim" and Berachot? Why are the 100 daily blessings associated with the sockets that formed the base of the Mishkan? We can perhaps answer this question based a discussion by Rav Yosef Salant (Jerusalem, 1885-1981), in his Be'er Yosef, regarding the symbolism of the "Adanim." He writes that the Mishkan itself represents the Misvot that the Torah commands us to observe, and the sockets represent the foundation of it all, the pillar upon which the entire Torah rests. And that pillar, Rav Salant explains, is Emuna – faith in Hashem. Our faith in Hashem as the Creator who governs and controls everything is the foundation upon which all of Torah is based. If so, then we can perhaps understand the association between the "Adanim" and the Berachot that we recite. Numerous times each day, we are required to take a few moments and recite a Beracha, with Kavana (concentration), reminding ourselves of Hashem's involvement in the world and in our lives. Indeed, the word "Beracha" in Gematria equals 227 – the same Gematria as the word "Zecher" – "remembrance." The purpose of Berachot is to remind us of Hashem's existence and control over the world. And, in fact, the verse from which the Gemara derived this obligation tells us that what Hashem asks is "Le'yir'a Et Hashem Elokecha" – that we "fear" Hashem, meaning, that we live with an awareness of His unlimited power and His greatness. Accordingly, the 100 Berachot we recite each day are truly the ''foundation" of Torah life, as they serve to reinforce our Emuna. For good reason, then, the Berachot we recite are associated with the "Adanim," which comprised the foundation of the Mishkan and thus symbolize faith, the foundation of the entire Torah. A number of sources speak of the great reward which one earns through the proper fulfillment of this obligation – reciting 100 Berachot each day with concentration, and pronouncing each word correctly. (For example, one must ensure that the words "Baruch Ata" do not sound like "Baru Chata," and to recite "Melech Ha'olam," and not "Melecholam," skipping the syllable "Ha-.") The Ba'al Ha'Turim (Rabbenu Yaakob Ben Asher, 1270-1340) writes that those who fulfill this Misva are rewarded with long life. Commenting on the verse, "And you who cling to Hashem your G-d, you are all alive today" (Debarim 4:4), the Ba'al Ha'Turim observes the custom followed in some communities to add a crown in the Torah scroll above the letter Kof in the word "Ha'debekim" ("who are attached") in this verse. This crown, he explains, emphasizes that we attach ourselves to Hashem through the 100 blessings we recite each day – as the letter Kof in Gematria equals 100, and the reward for reciting these Berachot is "Haim Kulechem Hayom" – long life. The Seder Ha'yom (Rav Moshe Ben Machir, Safed, 16 th century) adds that when one recites a Beracha properly, the Beracha ascends to G-d in the heavens, and He takes the Beracha and embeds it into His "crown." Hashem's "crown," as it were, is made from the Berachot which we recite properly with Kavana. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Jerusalem, 1910-1995) would advise people experiencing hardship to devote themselves to the meticulous observance of this Misva, and try to recite 100 Berachot each day with proper attention and concentration. The verse from which the Gemara inferred this obligation begins with the letter Vav ("Ve'ata Yisrael") and ends with the letter Chaf ("Nafeshecha"), and these letters have the combined numerical value of 26 – the Gematria of the divine Name of "Havaya." The Hida (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1806) thus writes that the fulfillment of this Misva saves a person from the dreadful punishments described in the section of the "Kelalot" ("curses") in Parashat Ki-Tabo, a section in which the Name "Havaya" appears 26 times. Moreover, this section contains 98 curses, and also includes a warning about "every ailment and every punishment which is not mentioned in this book" (Debarim 28:61) – adding another two curses, for a total of 100. We protect against these 100 curses through the recitation of 100 Berachot each day. Additionally, the Zohar Hadash teaches that we remain in exile because of our failure to properly observe this requirement to recite 100 Berachot each day. It emerges, then, that our commitment to properly fulfill this obligation helps end our long, bitter exile and bring our final redemption. The Arizal taught that the 100 daily Berachot allow us to harness the power of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet – the letters that Hashem used to create the world. The 100 daily blessings are, according to Kabbalistic teaching, associated with the 22 letters, and we thus benefit from the spiritual force of these letters by properly reciting 100 Berachot every day. The Gemara in Masechet Menahot (43b) tells that Rabbi Hiyya went out of his way to purchase special foods for Shabbat and Yom Tob in order to ensure he would recite 100 Berachot. On Shabbat and Yom Tob, the Amida prayer contains far fewer blessings than the weekday Amida prayer, making it more challenging to reach a total of 100 Berachot. Rabbi Hiyya thus made a point of having additional foods on Shabbat and Yom Tob so he would have more Berachot to recite. The Hida, in his work Mahazik Beracha (290), noted the Gemara's implication that this practice marked a special measure of piety on Rabbi Hiyya's part. The Gemara appears to laud Rabbi Hiyya for his piety – indicating that this was not strictly required. The Hida thus suggests that reciting 100 Berachot each day does not constitute a strict Halachic obligation, but is rather a worthwhile practice to follow. The consensus view among the Poskim, however, is that this is indeed a strict obligation. The Petah Ha'debir (Rav Haim Binyamin Pontremoli, Turkey, d. 1872) explains that Rabbi Hiyya was praised for fulfilling the Misva at the highest standard – going out of his way to buy special delicacies, rather than buying simpler foods. But ensuring to recite 100 blessings is a strict requirement, and not just a measure of piety. Hacham Ovadia Yosef adds that there are ways to reach a total of 100 Berachot without actually reciting Berachot, but Rabbi Hiyya chose not to rely on these leniencies, and instead went out to buy food so he could recite 100 blessings on Shabbat and Yom Tob. Indeed, the Shulhan Aruch explicitly rules that one is required to recite 100 Berachot each day. The Poskim indicate that 100 Berachot is a minimum amount, and not an exact amount. Hacham Ovadia notes that from the explanation mentioned earlier associating the 100 daily Berachot with the 100 sockets beneath the Mishkan, one might conclude that we must recite precisely 100 Berachot, and no more, but this is not the Halacha. One must recite at least 100 Berachot, but certainly may recite more. The Rambam, in Hilchot Tefila, brings a custom that some observed to count the Berachot that one recites over the course of the day. This was the practice of Hacham Ovadia Yosef on Shabbat, when it is more difficult to reach a total of 100 blessings, as he wanted to ensure to fulfill this obligation. It is told that the Brisker Rav (Rav Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik, 1886-1959) would count the Berachot he recited every day, following this custom mentioned by the Rambam.

In this first episode of The Hebrew Months Series with Rabbi Pill, we explore the unique energy of Elul, a month of teshuvah and alignment. Our sages teach that the months of the Jewish year are not just markers of time, but windows of opportunity, each with its own avodah and pathway for growth. Elul's symbols, the mazal of the Betulah (Maiden), the letter Yud, the tribe of Gad, the left hand, and the daily shofar blasts, each reveal how to realign with Hashem and our truest selves. But rather than seeing Elul as a season of guilt and repentance, Rabbi Pill reframes teshuvah as a return to alignment: uniting thought and action, living in the present moment, and even the surprising idea of “doing teshuvah on your teshuvah.” If you've heard the standard Elul messages before, this conversation will give you a fresh perspective, and practical ways to channel the energy of the month into lasting transformation.Join the Conversation! Be part of our growing community—join the Shema Podcast for the Perplexed WhatsApp group to share feedback, discuss episodes, and suggest future topics. Click here to sign up.Explore The Art of PrayerDownload a collection of beautifully designed blessings (brachos) including Modeh Ani, Asher Yatzar, Netilas Yadayim and more.  Free to download and perfect for your home by clicking here.Get the Companion Guide: The Power of the MonthsThis free resource outlines the spiritual focus of each Hebrew month — including its mazal (zodiac sign), tribe, Hebrew letter, body part, and unique avodah. It also includes suggested actions you can take to align yourself with the energy of the time. Click here to download and keep this month-by-month guide as a tool for your own growth and reflection.

In our recent learning from the Zohar on Parshat Pinchas (Zohar III:213, Resha Gimmel), we uncover a powerful mystical teaching about Yosef HaTzaddik, temptation, language, and the secret connection between Yosef and Pinchas.The Zohar opens with Rabbi Chiya patach—"Rabbi Chiya opened"—with the verse from Tehillim (Psalms 81:6), “Edut b'Yosef Samo”—“He established it as a testimony for Yosef when he went out over the land of Egypt.” This verse, the Zohar teaches, is not just historical commentary but a gateway into understanding Yosef's deep spiritual test and transformation.Yosef was granted the knowledge of all seventy languages, equal to Pharaoh, who was regarded as the most intellectually powerful man in Egypt. But the Zohar emphasizes something more: Yosef knew one language beyond them all—the Lashon HaKodesh, the holy tongue, Hebrew. This extra language was not merely linguistic but spiritual; it symbolized Yosef's connection to the Divine.The Zohar then shifts to the well-known story of Yosef and the wife of Potiphar. It explains that when she attempted to seduce him, Yosef pretended not to understand her words. Although he already knew Egyptian, he acted as if he was confused by her language—avoiding engagement with her advances day after day. Only when she physically seized his cloak did he become visibly confronted by the test. At that moment, the Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit, cried out within him, invoking the verse from Mishlei (Proverbs), “To guard you from the foreign woman, from the stranger who uses seductive words.”This moment of inner strength and restraint, says the Zohar, became Yosef's greatest testimony. The Adut—testimony—mentioned in the verse refers to his embodiment of the Sefirah of Yesod, the Divine attribute of foundation, which is deeply connected to sexual integrity and moral restraint.Because of Yosef's merit, he was granted an additional letter in his name: the letter "Hey", becoming Yehosef. In Kabbalah, the letter Hey symbolizes the Shechinah, the Divine Presence. It was now integrated into Yosef's very being, testifying that he had become a vessel for holiness.And then the Zohar draws a profound parallel: just as Yosef merited the Hey, Pinchas merited the letter Yud added to his name. Both letters—Hey and Yud—are facets of the Shechinah, representing different expressions of Divine energy. Yosef faced inner seduction and resisted. Pinchas faced societal collapse and acted. Both withstood immense spiritual pressure and aligned themselves with Divine will.Through this, the Zohar reveals a deeper mystery: Pinchas is rooted in the soul of Yosef. Both were alone in their moment of testing. Both chose righteousness. And both merited transformation—Pinchas ultimately becoming Eliyahu HaNavi, the eternal prophet.

In this shmooze, delivered at NCSY Kollel Mishmar, Rav Burg explains the inner meaning of the Hey and the Yud that were added to the names of the families. We are forever Hashem's children.

The Halacha below was derived from multiple classes orated by Rabbi Eli Mansour in the Bekiim B'Halacha series. Click on any of the dates below to hear the original audio files, which are the sources for today's Halacha below. 04/08/25 ; 04/09/25 ; 05/05/25 ; 05/06/25 Should the Yud of the Tefillin Shel Yad Be Touching the Bayit—And How Critical Is Its Placement? The Tefillin Shel Yad is wrapped around the arm and tied with a knot shaped like the Hebrew letter Yud, positioned near the Bayit (box). This Yud is not merely decorative; it carries both Halachic and Kabbalistic importance. But how close must it be to the box? Does its position affect the validity of the Misva? And what happens if it slips out of place during prayer? What Is the Yud on the Tefillin Shel Yad? The Torah uses the phrase "Totafot"—frontlets—when referring to Tefillin. The Halacha teaches that this word alludes to four Parashiot (Torah passages) placed in the Shel Rosh, but also connects to the name of Hashem. The Name of Hashem, as reflected in the Tefillin, appears through the knot of the Shel Yad shaped like a Yud, the shape of the knot of the Shel Rosh (a Dalet), and the Shin embossed on the Shel Rosh. Together, these letters spell out "Shaddai," one of the sacred Names of Hashem. According to Kabbala, this structure must be complete and properly aligned, or it interrupts the spiritual flow the Tefillin are meant to draw. But aside from the Kabbalistic implications, there are real Halachic consequences if the Yud is not properly positioned. Must the Yud Be Touching the Bayit? Yes. The Yud must rest against the Bayit, and the knot should be snug and stable. The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 27:2) rules that the Yud must not be separated from the box, even by a small space. The Yud is part of the Halachic identity of the Tefillin. According to the Hida (Birkei Yosef), if the Yud is not close to the Bayit—if it slips down the strap or hangs loosely—the Tefillin may be considered Pasul (invalid), especially during the Beracha. To fulfill the Misva properly, one must ensure at the time of the Beracha and binding that the Yud is tight and resting directly against the base of the box. Does It Invalidate the Tefillin If the Yud Moves During Tefila? If the Yud is touching the Bayit when the Beracha is recited and the Tefillin are put on, but it later shifts slightly during prayer, this does not invalidate the Misva. The critical moment is the initial placement and blessing. However, if a person notices that the Yud has slipped or become completely separated during prayer, it is appropriate to adjust it immediately and discreetly. There's no need to repeat the Beracha unless it was clearly never positioned properly to begin with. In fact, it is a good practice to check the Yud each morning before putting on the Tefillin. Make sure the loop is tight and that the knot is secure. If the knot is loose or keeps sliding, it may need to be retied by someone knowledgeable in Tefillin construction. Can the Yud Be Placed Under or Behind the Bayit? The Yud should rest alongside the Bayit, not behind it and not underneath. If it is placed underneath the base—wedged between the box and the arm—it may cause the Bayit to sit at an angle, or lift it slightly, which is improper. The Bayit must sit flat against the bicep, not propped up or tilted. The Yud should hug the corner of the Bayit—visible and aligned, not tucked away or hidden. Some people mistakenly wrap the strap in a way that presses the Yud underneath or squeezes it behind the box. This not only distorts the alignment, but also reduces the visibility and symbolic meaning of the Yud. What If the Yud Is Missing or Not Formed Properly? If the Yud is missing altogether—or if the strap is tied in a way that does not resemble the letter Yud—then the Tefillin Shel Yad is invalid. The form of the knot must clearly resemble a Yud. This is why it's important that the knot is tied by a qualified sofer or expert, and not altered by someone unfamiliar with the laws. Even well-meaning adjustments can result in a shape that does not fulfill the Halachic requirement. Also, over time, straps wear out. The corner may fray or stretch, and the Yud shape may become unclear. A person should periodically inspect the Tefillin or bring them to a sofer for checking. How Tight Should the Knot Be? The strap and knot should be tight enough to keep the Yud securely in place, but not so tight that it pulls or deforms the shape of the Bayit. There is a balance between tightness and comfort. One should feel the firmness, but also be able to move the arm normally. Excessive tightness is unnecessary—and even harmful to the Tefillin and to circulation. Summary - The Yud must be placed directly next to the Bayit of the Tefillin Shel Yad. - This position is Halachically required, not just symbolic or aesthetic. - If the Yud slips after the Beracha, the Misva remains valid, but it should be adjusted. - The Yud should be visible and rest on the side of the Bayit, not under or behind it. - A missing or malformed Yud invalidates the Tefillin Shel Yad. - The strap should be tight enough to hold the Yud in place, but not overly tight.

A deep and timely conversation with Ani Lipitz on navigating the intensity of our times through somatic awareness, Kabbalistic insight, and spiritual tools for Geulah. We explore the power of the Yud in Yehoshua's name, nervous system healing, feminine and masculine energy integration, and how to stay present and connected in moments of crisis.

In this shiur, delivered at Yeshivat HaKotel, Rav Burg explains the desire of the Meraglim, the mistake kfof the Maapilim and why adding a Yud to Yehoshua's name made all the difference. Are we guests in Hashem's home or are we the owners? How we show up to Eretz Yisrael means everything.

Welcome to our Perek Shira class. Today's song is the song of אֵלִים שֶׁבַּשְּׁרָצִים ,the powerful strong rodents. And they say . אֶשְׁתְּךָ כְּגֶפֶן פֹּרִיָּה בְּיַרְכְּתֵי בֵיתֶךָ בָּנֶיךָ כִּשְׁתִלֵי זֵיתִים סָבִיב לְשֻׁלְחָנֶךָ: (תהילים קכח ג) Your wife is like a fruitful vine, on the side of your house. Your sons are like olive saplings around your table. (Tehilim 128,3) What do these rodents have to do with this healthy pregnancies and children? So to say? We go back to the Gemara in Masechet Sotah that tells us that in the merit of the righteous woman we left Mitzrayim. What did the righteous women do? They convinced their husbands to have children even in extenuating circumstances with all the challenges that went with being in Mitzrayim with all the back breaking labor. The sefer Kol Rina says that the husbands told their wives, I'm working hard. You are working hard. Who says that your pregnancy will be successful? What, are we doing here?" And the ladies told their husbands, אֶשְׁתְּךָ כְּגֶפֶן פֹּרִיָּה : Your wife is like a vineyard . The Midrash Raba in Shemot Raba perek 16 tells us that one who that sees grapes in a dream, his wife will not miscarry, as the Gemara in Berachot 47A says. So the wife was telling her husband, Don't worry, I'm like a vineyard where the grapes are attached to the cluster very strongly and they don't fall down. And when the husband said, How am I going to support them , his wife said, Don't worry, your sons are going to be like olive saps, as it says, one who sees an olive in his dream will have many children and these many children, סָבִיב לְשֻׁלְחָנֶךָ they will be like olive saplings around your large table. You'll have money to support them. Additionally , the term Sheratzim also refers to the Jewish wives in Mitzrayim (although rodent is a negative term), as it says וּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל פָּר֧וּ וַֽיִּשְׁרְצ֛וּ וַיִּרְבּ֥וּ they multiplied like rodents, six at a time. So –although it doesn't sound nice to us , we're referring to the Jewish woman who had the strength to give birth to six at a time, like these rodents do, with very healthy offspring. Furthermore, the Midrash Raba says on the pasuk Shemot 31 וּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל פָּר֧וּ וַֽיִּשְׁרְצ֛וּ וַיִּרְבּ֥וּ that there is a machloket among the Amoraim. One says, we're compared to the strong Sheratzim, which gives birth to six at a time. Others say it's to the smallest Sheratzim , that give birth to 60 at a time. Regardless, the point is that like little scorpions that come out as teeny little things, but yet strong and healthy, so too we're being told that even though they were six at one time, they were healthy. It wasn't like modern times, where if someone had sextuplets, they'd be weak. פָּר֧וּ וַֽיִּשְׁרְצ֛וּ וַיִּרְבּ֥וּ וַיַּֽעַצְמ֖וּ ׃ They were very strong. They're very powerful. The sefer Kenaf Rananim asks why it says אֶשְׁתְּךָ כְּגֶפֶן פֹּרִיָּה בְּיַרְכְּתֵי בֵיתֶךָ /she's all over the different sides of your house? Because sometimes when a lady many children, she's tired, she's in bed, she's too weak to take care of the household. But here, we're saying, No, she's all over the house. She's taking care of everything. Rabbenu Bachye adds beautiful thought on Bereshit 34,1 from Midrash Tanhuma on Vayishlach chapter six that says that when a lady is , אֶשְׁתְּךָ כְּגֶפֶן פֹּרִיָּה בְּיַרְכְּתֵי בֵיתֶךָ which means she's on the side of her house, she's inside, she's modest, she's sanua . She brings kapara because it uses the term yerech which is the side, and it says in Vayikra 1,11 yerech Hamizbe'ach-, so the lady who's a modest lady is like an altar that brings kapara and she will have children. The next term talks about the olive sprouts because the children will be fit to be anointed with the holy anointing oil, which is made out of olive oil. He continues on, to tell us that Masechet Yoma daf 47 describes the lady called the Kimchit who had seven sons that all became Kohanim Gedolim because of her tremendous modesty. And again, this goes back to the modest woman of Mitzrayim . It says none of them did anything improper. There was only one lady Shlomit bat Divri that was called out. All the other ladies were modest. And that's adds to the, the, the tremendous beracha that came upon the ladies of Mitzrayim and allowed them to raise these wonderful families. In their merit, we were saved from Mitzrayim. So again, this pasuk captures the greatness and the righteousness of the Jewish women at that time. And that is the strength of the rodents. The Chatam Sofer, in his commentary on Tehilim on this pasuk, adds something beautiful. And he says that a lady is compared to a vine because wine is easy. You put the wine in the barrel and you sit it and it develops. SO she'll have children easily, but raising children is not as easy. If you want to turn an olive into olive oil, you have to crush it and smash it and push it. It's not as easy to make olive oil from olives as it is to get wine from grapes (a little hinuch hint) And finally, a beautiful thought from the Midrash Shemuel in his commentary on Pirkei Avot 3,1 He's bothered by the word אֶשְׁתְּךָ which has a segol with three dots rather than the typical spelling of wife which is Ishtecha - with a hirik - which has one dot . He says that there are three partners in a person- a husband, wife and God. And so we put the three dots there to tell you that if you want to have a successful marriage, we need the Shechina to come down. He says, that's why it says כְּגֶפֶן פֹּרִיָּה It could have said porah. Why is there an extra Yud there? Because then פרעה jas a Yud and Heh and as we know, it says that when the Jewish people left Mitzrayim, God Himself testified on the kashrut of the Jewish people. If one would say, " Oh you Jewish people were in Egypt all those years, and you think your lineage is pure?" God testified, הַפָּלוֹי , all the names have a ה in the beginning and a י at the end , and they're called Shivteh Yah tribes of God , עדות לישראל the tribes of God. God came down and testified that, that they all proper couples. And that's why this pasuk specifically referring to those ladies, is Ishtecha not Eshtecha and Gefen Poriah, not Porah . Rashi brings down this point that Hashem testified to the fidelity of the Jewish people. (See Rashi in Bamidbar 26,5 and Tehilim 122,4)

Welcome to our humility series. What was the reason Moshe Rabbenu was the greatest of prophets? What made him so special? The Nefesh HaChaim (gate 1, chapter 15) says that only Moshe Rabbenu merited that his full Neshama entered his body with all of its power and influence. That's why in Devarim 33:1, Moshe Rabbenu was called Ish HaElohim /a man of God. Rav Yaakov Hillel, in his commentary Nishmat HaYam on Nefesh HaChaim, connects this to what the Nefesh HaChaim writes in his third gate (chapters 13& 14), that Moshe Rabbenu stood out in the area of humility. It says in Bamidbar 12,3 וְהָאִ֥ישׁ מֹשֶׁ֖ה עָנָ֣ו מְאֹ֑ד מִכֹּל֙ הָֽאָדָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ Moshe Rabbenu was the most humble of men. Furthermore, in Shemot 16,7 Moshe Rabbenu said about himself, ונחנו מה / What are we? Avraham Avinu said, I am dirt and dust , but even dirt and dust are something . It's not a lot, but it's something. However, Moshe Rabbenu said I am nothing . That's why, says Rav Yaakov Hillel, he was able to connect to Hashem on such a high level and reach such a high level of Holiness to the extent that the Shechina spoke through Moshe Rabbenu's throat, as it says, Moshe Rabbenu was different than all of the prophets . All other the prophets said Zeh Davar Hashem / this is the word of God. But Moshe Rabbenu said Ko Amar Hashem/ this is exactly what God says. It came from his throat as if God was talking through him. Why was this? Because he humbled himself to the extreme, and that humility purified his physicality to a point that no other person ever reached. Rav Chaim Volozhin, in his sefer Ruach Chaim Pirkei Avot (chapter 1, mishna 1) uses this to explain the Mishna that Moshe Kibel Torah M'Sinai/ Moshe accepted the Torah from Sinai in the zechut of his humility, more than any other prophet. That's why he was able to see with what's called a shiny window. Windows have different levels of clarity. Certain windows are tinted and you can't see through them well. The better or clearer the window, the better you can see through it. Since what separates us from God is our physicality, our holding of ourselves as a something (what's what we mean by physicality) interferes. But because Moshe's humility was so high, there was nothing to interfere with his connection to Hashem. The Baal Shem Tov has an interesting commentary on, אנכי עומד בין ה׳ וביניכם I am standing between you and your God. The simple meaning is that Moshe Rabbenu is the intermediary, but the Hasidim read it as, a person's Anochi , his egoism is what stands between him and God . Thus the interference between us and God is our egos. Since Moshe Rabbenu had no ego, there was no separation between him and God. This is a very interesting chiddush because the Rambam, in his Shmonei Perakim , where he talks about this concept of the clear glass and the unclear glass, says that every Middah creates an interference. And we see from here that the all/ powerful Middah that, so to say, cleans away all the dirt and grime from a person's soul, is the trait of humility. That was Moshe Rabbenu's greatness. The same Ruach HaChaim says that when it says, "Avraham, Avraham" in the Torah, there's a break between the two, like a line between the two Avrahams. But when is says Moshe Moshe , it doesn't have that. Why is that? Because one of the Avrahams is the Avraham down here, and the other Avraham is the Avraham above- the soul, or the source. His body and Neshama had some kind of separation, so there wasn't an exact connection (of course we talking about Avraham Avinu, so it was only the slightest little bit, but there was still some difference). Moshe Rabbenu reached even higher level. I saw in Rav Yisrael Eliyahu Weintraub's commentary on Nefesh HaChaim that he askshow we can make it sound like Moshe was greater than the Avot ? He explains that this is a concept we talked about before, of the Nanas/ the dwarf, Al Gaveh Anak standing on top of giants, which means Moshe (who, of course was not a dwarf) was building on what the Avot saw. The Avot were able to see Hashem. They used the term Elohim for Hashem. Rashi says, in the beginning of Vaera , that God appeared to the Avot with the name Elohim . But when He appeared to Moshe, it was with Hashem's Divine name of Yud and Heh and Vav and Heh . What's the difference? Elohim means God is in control of all forces. God's able to change nature. Avraham Avinu went into fire and the fire didn't burn him. That's changing nature. But Moshe Rabbenu was on a higher level. It was not like just changing the fire that it wouldn't burn. When he made the miracle of turning water into blood, and blood into water, that was a new creation. When God opened up the earth for Korach, it was a new creation. That higher level of there is no existence but God, which we call En Od Milevado, happened when Rabbenu gave us the Torah. Moshe Rabbenu reached that level and that connection, and his humility caused him to have that high level of understanding of God (Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 3,perek 13 where he discusses this difference between the two names of Hashem and how that impacted Moshe Rabbenu versus the Avot). Going back to our story of ego and I separating us from God, let's get more practical. We're not talking about levels of prophecy between us and Moshe and the Avot. Many political critics keep track of how many times a president or presidential candidate say I in their speeches. I did this and I did that. And I and I and I. That's the feeling of I am doing. That's the Anochi , the I , the ego . There's a beautiful to story told of Rav Shneur Zalman of Liadi who eventually became the famous Baal HaTanya. He was studying under the Hasidish Rebbe Rav Dov Ber, who's known as the Maggid of Mezerich. Late one night, young Zalman knocked on his Rebbe's door to ask him a question. The Rebbe called out, " Who's there ?" And the young boy responded, " It's me ," confident that he would be recognized. The Rabbi repeated, " Who's there ?" and again, he said, " It's me." After the third time that the Rebbe asked Who's there ? the young student finally said, " It's Zalman." The Rebbe then opened the door and said, " My dear Zalman, the time has come for you to have a self-imposed exile. When you return, we will analyze your experience together." In those days, great people went into exile and for some reason, at this point, it was his time. So he went to a certain inn and that very night, thieves broke in and stole the silverware of the innkeeper. The next morning, the innkeeper was suspicious of this young stranger, Zalman, accused him of stealing the the silver and demanded that he confess. Zalman cried, "It was not me! It was not me!" The innkeeper grabbed him by the neck and accused him again. And again he cried, " It's not me, it's not me!" He then pulled himself out of the innkeeper's grip and fled back to Mezerich. He told the Maggid the story and the Maggid said, " This, my dear Zaman, is a lesson which you should never forget. Do you see how many times you were forced to shout, "Not me, not me?"That was in order to undo the effect of calling out proudly, "It's me!" Yes, of course this is the high level training of a great Hasidic Rebbe who eventually started a great dynasty. But the point for us is that the greater the person is, the less the I is there. Moshe Rabbenu did not possess an I and therefore he reached the greatest of levels. And the opposite, the greater the I, the bigger the interference between the person and God.

The Rebbe affirms the importance of Hakafos, rejects shortening them, and encourages overcoming challenges with confidence. He stresses the vital role of youth minyanim and camps, dismissing doubts about their impact. He urges maximizing Yud and Yud-Tes Kislev for expanding Chabad activities and blesses the recipient for success and Chag HaGeulah. https://www.torahrecordings.com/rebbe/igroskodesh/014/003/4912

The Rebbe acknowledges the letter, appreciates the Chassidus study group, and urges increasing participation, especially among yeshiva students. He stresses Yiras Shamayim through Chassidus, will mention those named at the Ohel, and encourages preparation for Yud and Yud-Tes Kislev and Chanukah. https://www.torahrecordings.com/rebbe/igroskodesh/014/003/4894

The Rebbe thanks for the update and expresses hope that the farbrengen's discussions will influence both speakers and listeners. He references a story of the Rebbe Rashab to highlight the power of such gatherings. He encourages proper planning for Yud and Yud-Tes Kislev, as well as Chanukah, and blesses for success. https://www.torahrecordings.com/rebbe/igroskodesh/014/003/4892

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CURSO TEHILIM - MIZMOR - 119- YUD by Rab Shlomo Benhamu

R' Eade LM II Torah 73 Pt. 4The Mystical Connection between Tehillim, Torah, and Personal RedemptionThis shiur discusses the deep spiritual significance of the times of day when the sun rises and sets, as found in Rabbinic literature. It explores questions about finding one's purpose and connection in the world through the lens of Torah and the teachings of Rabbi Nachman. The importance of Tehillim (Psalms) in guiding one's personal journey of Tshuva (repentance and return to God) is emphasized, along with a discussion on the symbolic meanings of Hebrew letters and their relation to personal mission. The script also underscores the connection between one's name, personal mission, and spiritual tasks in life.Chapters00:00 Sunrise Reflections01:23 Living the Torah: A Deep Dive into Rabbi Nachman's Teachings02:28 The 49 Gates of Teshuva and Finding Your Letter04:26 The Letter and the Gate: A Spiritual Journey06:29 The Power of Tehillim and Spiritual Awakening10:59 The Eternal Life of the Righteous18:12 The Creation of the World Through Hebrew Letters23:23 The Concept of Teshuva and Returning to the Source24:13 The Yud and Olam Haba: A Spiritual Vision25:36 The Profound Beauty of Art30:18 The Significance of Names and Missions37:51 The Journey of Teshuva42:42 The Power of Tehillim45:32 The 49 Gates and the 50th Gate49:20 The Ultimate Purpose: Torah and Creation50:15 Conclusion

This week's parasha begins with the words כי תצא למלחמה על אויבך - when you go out to war against your enemy. The sefarim hakedoshim tell us that besides for its simple explanation, this pasuk is also referring to the war against our evil inclination. The Maor V'Shemesh in parashat Ki Tetzeh writes that the main attack of the yetzer hara is to stop a person from praying properly. A person can become so close to Hashem through tefila and, therefore, the yetzer hara will do whatever is in its power to stop the person from attaining that closeness. One of the causes of people not valuing their prayers is when they see that they tried so hard to do it right and it still didn't help them get what they wanted. The Gemara says in Masechet Berachot: אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא: אִם רָאָה אָדָם שֶׁהִתְפַּלֵּל וְלֹא נַעֲנָה — יַחְזוֹר וְיִתְפַּלֵּל. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״קַוֵּה אֶל ה׳ חֲזַק וְיַאֲמֵץ לִבֶּךָ וְקַוֵּה אֶל ה׳״ . Rabbi Chama, son of Rabbi CHanina, said: A person who prayed and saw that he was not answered should pray again, as it is stated: "Hope in the Lord, strengthen yourself, let your heart take courage, and hope in the Lord" (Psalms 27:14). One should turn to God with hope, and if necessary turn to God again with hope. The question has been asked, isn't that statement obvious? We know there's nowhere else in the world to turn other than Hashem. Of course we should keep praying to Him even though we haven't been answered yet. Rav Bunim of Peshischa explained, there are times when a person needs a salvation so badly. He prepares himself to pray properly. He goes to the holiest places in the world and prays at the most opportune times and then he begs Hashem for help. But after all of that, nothing changes. The person thinks to himself, if that tefila didn't get answered then I can't imagine any other one getting answered. Many times, when a person prays, he doesn't have full kavana , his heart is not into it. And he thinks, naturally, if my good prayers don't help, then how are these going to help? For this, Rabbi Chama b'Rabi Chanina comes to teach us, it's not so. It could be that even though a person's heartfelt tefila didn't get answered, a simple prayer on a regular day in a regular place will get answered. We are not capable of comprehending the ways of Hashem and therefore, although we prayed hard for something in the best place at the best time and weren't answered, that should not discourage us from praying again. One year, the Arizal prayed all of his tefilot on the Yamim Noraim with great kavana . Yet, he was shown from Shamayim that in another city there was a man whose prayers were considered better than his. The Arizal went to visit that man to see who he was. The man was a very simple Jew who didn't even know how to read Hebrew. The Arizal asked him how he prayed on the Yamim Noraim if he didn't know how to read. The man replied he was embarrassed to say it, but he didn't even know the full Aleph Bet. He only knew from Aleph through Yud. He said he walked into shul and saw everybody praying with such deep kavana and felt so bad that he couldn't do the same. So with a broken heart, he began reciting the Aleph Bet until Yud. And when he got to Yud, he started again from Aleph and he kept repeating it the entire tefila . He said to Hashem, "Master of the world, please take these letters that I am offering you and make nice words out of them and let them be pleasing to you." He was so sincere. His simple Aleph Bet accomplished more in heaven than the great kavanot of the Arizal. We don't know which prayer is more valuable than which. We don't know which times our prayers are more accepted and therefore, at all times, we always continue to pray. And even if we think the prayer will be worthless, חזק ויאמץ לבך וקוה אל ה ' we must strengthen our hearts and call out to Hashem anyway. Shabbat Shalom.

This is a sicha recording we learned a few years ago! It's so empowering! Combining Parshas Chukas (&Balak) & the upcoming Yud-beis Yud-gimmul Tammuz mesiras nefesh into one powerful combo of an Identity Focus! (Chelek Ches pg 134)

Many moons ago, we did a series on Pesukei Bitachon, which are pesukim of bitachon gathered by different rabbis. The goal is to say them and strengthen our bitachon. There are segulot brought down, going back to the Maharal, that they used to say these pesukim when the Jews went out to war, for success in business, and the like. Even in contemporary times, I recently spoke to a successful businessman that told me that in his company, before they make any deals or deal with any challenges, all the workers know to say pesukei bitachon ; they say a pasuk three times and concentrate on it and they have many stories of success. The list that we originally used is based on Rav Yosef Zundel of Salant, in the order of Tanach. There's another list, brought down in the Sefer Taharat HaKodesh , by the Maharal, that goes in alphabetical order, which he says is easier to memorize. So this is going to be our new series, for however long it lasts. A pasuk a day keeps your depression away! We will start with tehilim perek מ pasuk ה (40,5) אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי הַגֶּ֗בֶר אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם יְ֭הֹוָה מִבְטַח֑וֹ וְֽלֹא־פָנָ֥ה אֶל־רְ֝הָבִ֗ים וְשָׂטֵ֥י כָזָֽב Fortunate is the one that places Hashem as his reliance. He does not turn to the arrogant, and to people that are liars. The Sefer Avudarham , one of the Rishonim's commentary on Tefila, finds in all our prayers sources in Navi. Our siddur was written by the Anshei Knesset Hagedola, and they based it a lot on pesukim , and he tells us the sources. The blessing that we say every day of Mishan UMivtach L'Sadikim, which is the blessing of bitachon, ends with the words Mivtach L'Sadikim which comes from this pasuk in tehilim, אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם יְ֭הֹוָה מִבְטַח֑וֹ from the one who places Hashem as his reliance. The Kli Yakar ( Bereshit 41,41) is bothered by a question. Why does it say that he places Hashem as his reliance ? He relies on Hashem, not he places Hashem as his reliance. He explains by saying that normally in the way of the world, when a person has a certain quality that is above his friend, he is not interested in someone that's lower than him. He doesn't even talk about him. He's so high and lofty. That is the claim of the philosophers that said that God, due to his great high and exalted position, doesn't look down at this world to anything below the celestial beings. But it says, quoting Chana, “ Don't speak and say that God is high, high. No that's a mistake. Take that out of your lexicon. God knows exactly what's going on, and He's involved down here making everything happen. And therefore Hashem dwells down in the low people.” How did Hashem show this? In our Torah, there's an interesting concept called the milui , which means the fullness of a letter. It's a way to spell the letter. For example, an Alef is spelled Alef , Lamed , Peh Like ABCD is spelled Ay, Bee, Cee, Dee. There's a numerical value to it. Alef א ל פ has value of 91. The letter Bet ב is 412, and so on. The letters that have the smallest value are: Yud יוד -13 Heh הא 11 and Vav וו 12 And these smallest numerical values of our 22 letter alphabet are the three letters that God used to create His name. Because the rule is, as the Gemara in Masechet Megila says, wherever you find Hashem's greatness, you find His humility. So God in His greatness chose the yud and the heh and the vav , and the hey , (which we don't say together) the smallest of letters. Hashem wanted to show that in His name is going to be the proof to dispel that God does not humble Himself. God comes down and lowers Himself. And that's why we say יְ֭הֹוָה מִבְטַח֑וֹ Not in God, but Hashem's name itself is what gives me the ability to rely on Him. That is pasuk number one on the hit parade. אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי הַגֶּ֗בֶר אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם יְ֭הֹוָה מִבְטַח֑וֹ Fortunate is the one makes Hashem his reliance. He makes Hashem his reliance because he realizes that Hashem is humble. It's interesting that the contrast of the pasuk says, וְֽלֹא־פָנָ֥ה אֶל־רְ֝הָבִ֗ים וְשָׂטֵ֥י כָזָֽב He did not turn to the Rehavim- which refers to arrogant people and people that are liars. That's why this pasuk is a claim against Yosef. Why are you turning to ask the Wine Steward, who's arrogant? But according to this Kli Yakar, it's beautiful that we contrast God's humility to the arrogance of the other people that we want to rely on. The people that are arrogant aren't going to help you. They don't care about you. They're high and lofty, they're above you. So, to give us hizuk, we say, אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי הַגֶּ֗בֶר אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם יְ֭הֹוָה מִבְטַח֑וֹ Realize you can rely on Hashem. It's not beneath Him to take care of your problems. And the other options, the other people that you might turn to, are people that are high and lofty. Have a wonderful day.

Hablemos sobre la carta natal de México en base a 16/09/1810 un poco de revolución solar, la casa que será tocada por Plutón en su tránsito por Acuario. Pd. El 10 (1810) en la Kabbalah también habla del Yud (el dedo de Dios en la astrología)

Salmo # 119 -Yud- י el cual trae beneficios y es recomendable entre otros para solucionar y disipar sospechas. El salmo #119 es un salmo que contiene 176 versos, y está dividido en 22 grupos (22 letras) en el que cada grupo tiene 8 versos cada uno y estos 8 versos comienzan con la misma … Continuar leyendo "Salmos133: Salmo # 119 – Yud- י"

The Alsheich HaKadosh writes in parashat Emor that the underlying meaning of us taking the Dalet Minim – the Etrog , Lulav , Hadasim and Aravot - on Sukkot is for us to realize that every last detail of our lives is totally in the hands of Hashem. How do the Dalet Minim teach us this? The Midrash says regarding the pasuk which gives us the command to take the Dalet Minim " ולקחתם לכם פרי עץ הדר " – the Etrog – is also a reference to Hashem, as it says”, הוד והדר לבשת ." the Lulav – “ כפות תמרים " is a reference to Hashem, as it says, " צדיק כתמר יפרח " – the Hadasim – עץ עבות are a reference to Hashem, as it says, " והוא עומד בין ההדסים ." And finally, – the Aravot – “ ערבי נחל "are also a reference to Hashem, as it says, " סולו לרוכב בערבות ." This means, we are taking these four species which are made by Hashem and we are shaking them. But isn't everything made by Hashem? The Alsheich explains further, every blade of grass has an angel appointed over it and the angel tells it to grow. For that matter, everything in the world that grows has its angel appointed over it. However, regarding these four species only, Hashem did not put them the hand of any angel. Every aspect of their growth is done completely by Him. And therefore, Hashem told us to hold these four species and recognize that we, as well, are totally under His Hashgacha . Nothing else in the world can affect us, not even an angel. Nobody has any control to harm us. We are completely b'Yad Hashem. It goes further. Rabbi Menashe Reisman quoted from Rav Yaakov Moshe Panett who brings down the Arizal who said, even though there are only four letters to the Shem Havaya of Hashem, each one of those letters correspond to a different book of the Five Books of the Torah. How is that possible? The fifth book is represented by the kutzo shel yud , the tip of the letter Yud , which is so holy that it cannot be contained in a regular letter. And that tip corresponds to the Sefer Bereshit , the first of all of the Chumashim . The rule is, wherever we find four levels corresponding to the Four Letter Name of Hashem, there is always a fifth and higher level corresponding to that kutzo shel yud . We know it says in the L'shem Yichud that the Four Species correspond to the Four Letter Name of Hashem, but we know we're not allowed to add a fifth species. So what corresponds to that kutzo shel yud ? The Rabbi answered, this is what it means in the beginning of the pasuk , " ולקחתם לכם – take yourselves along with the Four Species." We, the Jewish People, are the ones represented by that kutzo shel yud . We are Hashem's prize possession. All of the mitzvot are there just to elevate us. Hashem has extra hashgacha on those Four Minim, just to teach us that His hashgacha is upon us. And that is what matters to Him the most. So on this glorious holiday of Sukkot, when we are performing these beautiful mitzvot, we should have in mind how precious we are to Hashem and that He is with us with every move that we make. We are totally under His control. Nobody else has any effect on us. The Sukkah is the Sila d'Hemnuta – the shade of Emunah. There as well, we are in the embrace of Hashem. How fortunate we are to be so connected to Hashem, the מלך מלכי המלכים, הקדוש ברוך הוא . Chag Sameach .

Teshuva - aligning your personal Yud with the other three letter of Hashems name

Learning from the Yud

The Yud י is just a dot, the tenth, and smallest letter in the Aleph Beis. In this short meditation, the Yud is explored, and within it a glimpse of the endless fractals of the Wisdom of the Torah. Please like & follow! Thank you. Music credits: Free Meditation Music 528Hz Music - No CopyRight Music - Royalty Free Healing Music - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlnfVgRTMRE&t=0s Self Care - Lee Rosevere - https://youtu.be/oEfnAQyxVgk

Creation is primarily from the Yud, G-d's seminal Wisdom. The physical world emanates from the Hey. The upper Hey, or lower Hey? This portion of Tanya explains.

For a genius to contract all of his great wisdom into one letter, is extremely difficult. Compare this to G-d's great accomplishment to constrict His Seminal Wisdom (symbolized by the Yud) and to continue it from there into a Hey!

The letter Yud represents the Supernal wisdom, and the Hey represents G-d's intellect as it broadens and deepens. The Vav represents descent, as He extends Himself downwards. The Second Hey represents royalty, the element of speech and revelation. The Hey is the source of all sounds in speech.

Because our souls are rooted in the name of G-d HVYH, our souls also have these functions in them. The Yud- is the subconscious intellect, the Hey- is the conscious intellect, the vav- is our emotions, and the final Hey- is our expressive capacities.

Recording Available Via Telephone Dial: (605) 475-4799 | Access ID: 840886# | Reference #: 2382 In parashat Shelach , the meraglim gave a negative report of Eretz Yisrael and caused the entire nation to have to wait forty years to enter the Land of Israel. The midrash quotes Hashem as saying, I told them the Land is good, but they did not trust Me. One example was, when the meraglim saw numerous funerals taking place there, they reported it is an ארץ אוכלת יושביה – a land that eats its inhabitants. In truth, however, Hashem arranged the funerals to take place at that time so the people would be too preoccupied burying their dead and not notice the spies. Hashem said, אני חשבתי לטובה – I planned it for your benefit – ואתם חשבתם לרעה – but you are the ones who looked at it negatively. These words אני חשבתיה לטובה are words that we have to live by. Every single thing that takes place in our lives is Hashem acting for our benefit, even though sometimes it may appear exactly the opposite. The pasuk says, ה' צדיק יבחן – Hashem tests the tzaddikim . And the name of Hashem in that pasuk is Yud-keh-vav-keh , which represents His Name of Mercy. Yet, when Hashem tested Avraham with the Akedah , it says there והאלוקים ניסה את אברהם . There it uses Hashem's Name of Din . The explanation, perhaps, is although when the command came to Avraham to sacrifice his son, it looked like the worst thing. In actuality, it was Hashem צדיק יבחן , it was all love and mercy. Hashem wanted Avraham to reach his potential and become the great individual that he was capable of becoming. That required a hard test that looked like din. It looked like Elokim , but it was really rachamim . Our purpose in this world is to pass our tests. Everyone is tested based on what they came into the world to accomplish. Sometimes it may look like Hashem is trying to push someone away from serving Him, but in those instances, the person must ingrain in his head אני חשבתיה לטובה – Hashem is acting for his benefit. If he overcomes the test, he will rise to great heights. The Rivash writes, if someone is trying to pray and all of a sudden there is a distraction right next to him. For example he was in an airport and needed to pray before the time was up. And so he searched for a private spot to concentrate properly. Then, during the Amida , a man comes by and starts talking loudly on the phone right next to him. The person may think, Why is Hashem disturbing my tefila now? Doesn't He want me to concentrate? I made sure to find a quiet spot, and now this happens? Says the Rivash, that person who came to disturb is the Shechina disguised in the form of a man, in order to make that individual's tefila much greater. If he will strengthen himself and still concentrate, despite the distraction, his tefila would become so much greater. The person should think, especially if the one who is distracting him is a goy , look at what Hashem is willing to do to help my avodah, He is even willing to speak from the mouth of a goy, just to lift me up. It's true, the initial reaction of a person when met with adversity, especially when he is trying to do something good, is to feel like he is being pushed away, but in reality Hashem wants that person's avodah so much, He just wants it to be at the high level that it is capable of being at. The distractions and tests are only there to lift us up. Hashem tells us אני חשבתיה לטובה . If we accept it that way, we will be able to lift all of our avodah to much higher levels. Shabbat Shalom.

Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: 10 reasons why lists of 10 reasons might be a winning strategy, published by trevor on April 6, 2023 on LessWrong. They are really easy to dive into. By making the interesting ideas easy and fun to digest, it is helpful therapy for people who have spent many years with the bad habit of throwing their mind away. It just seems to fit the human mind really well, in ways we don't fully understand, like the orchid that evolved to attracts bees with a flower that ended up shaped like something that fits the bee targeting instinct for a mating partner (even though worker bees are infertile):It might even fit the bee's mind better than an actual bee ever could. But we can't know for sure, because unlike humans and LLMs, we cannot ask bees questions Lots of difficult concepts actually don't require lots of words to explain, the reader's mind is already very well positioned to do most of the work themself. Yud's recent galaxy-brained tweet is an excellent example: The writer is basically prompt-hacking themself into deeply searching their own mind for extremely valuable concepts that are worth communicating (and worthy enough of including in the list). This often includes yielding new concepts in the space that no one has ever thought of before. If you think of new concepts a few days later, you can just post a Verson 2.0, and people will just read that one too, since it's only a minute and it's effortless to digest. As true optimized text should be. You are doing an extremely effective job at competing against all the paragraphs of smart-sounding idiocy on the internet. It doesn't necessarily attract people with short attention spans and repel people with long attention spans, like clickbait articles. Maybe the efficiency that it offers attracts people who are tired from a long day of searching the alignment space for breakthroughs. Or maybe it shortens people's attention spans, like social media does! We need data. You always have the option to write a long post afterwards, and have the list of 10 things be a really good tl;dr at the top (see 5). Thanks for listening. To help us out with The Nonlinear Library or to learn more, please visit nonlinear.org.

Link to original articleWelcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: 10 reasons why lists of 10 reasons might be a winning strategy, published by trevor on April 6, 2023 on LessWrong. They are really easy to dive into. By making the interesting ideas easy and fun to digest, it is helpful therapy for people who have spent many years with the bad habit of throwing their mind away. It just seems to fit the human mind really well, in ways we don't fully understand, like the orchid that evolved to attracts bees with a flower that ended up shaped like something that fits the bee targeting instinct for a mating partner (even though worker bees are infertile):It might even fit the bee's mind better than an actual bee ever could. But we can't know for sure, because unlike humans and LLMs, we cannot ask bees questions Lots of difficult concepts actually don't require lots of words to explain, the reader's mind is already very well positioned to do most of the work themself. Yud's recent galaxy-brained tweet is an excellent example: The writer is basically prompt-hacking themself into deeply searching their own mind for extremely valuable concepts that are worth communicating (and worthy enough of including in the list). This often includes yielding new concepts in the space that no one has ever thought of before. If you think of new concepts a few days later, you can just post a Verson 2.0, and people will just read that one too, since it's only a minute and it's effortless to digest. As true optimized text should be. You are doing an extremely effective job at competing against all the paragraphs of smart-sounding idiocy on the internet. It doesn't necessarily attract people with short attention spans and repel people with long attention spans, like clickbait articles. Maybe the efficiency that it offers attracts people who are tired from a long day of searching the alignment space for breakthroughs. Or maybe it shortens people's attention spans, like social media does! We need data. You always have the option to write a long post afterwards, and have the list of 10 things be a really good tl;dr at the top (see 5). Thanks for listening. To help us out with The Nonlinear Library or to learn more, please visit nonlinear.org.

Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: AI Summer Harvest, published by Cleo Nardo on April 4, 2023 on LessWrong. Trending metaphor I've noticed that AI Notkilleveryonists have begun appealing to a new(?) metaphor of an AI Summer Harvest. Here's the FLI open letter Pause Giant AI Experiments: Humanity can enjoy a flourishing future with AI. Having succeeded in creating powerful AI systems, we can now enjoy an "AI summer" in which we reap the rewards, engineer these systems for the clear benefit of all, and give society a chance to adapt. Society has hit pause on other technologies with potentially catastrophic effects on society.[5] We can do so here. Let's enjoy a long AI summer, not rush unprepared into a fall. (source) And here's Yud talking on the Lex podcast: If it were up to me I would be like — okay, like this far and no further. Time for the Summer of AI, where we have planted our seeds and now we wait and reap the rewards of the technology we've already developed, and don't do any larger training runs that that." (source, time-stamped) Maybe I'm out-of-the-loop, but I haven't seen this metaphor until recently. Brief thoughts I really like the metaphor and this post is a signal-boost. It's concise, easily accessible, and immediately intuitive. It represents a compromise (Hegelian synthesis?) between decelerationist and acelerationist concerns. We should call it a "AI Summer Harvest" because "AI Summer" is an existing phrase referrring to fast AI development — trying to capture an existing phrase is difficult, confusing, and impolite. Buying time is more important than anything else, including alignment research! I believe we should limit AI development to below 0.2 OOMs/year. This metaphor succicintly expresses why slowing down won't impose significant economic costs. The benefits of an AI Summer Harvest should be communicated clearly and repeatedly to policy-makers and the general public. It should be the primary angle by which we communicate decelerationism to the public. Thanks for listening. To help us out with The Nonlinear Library or to learn more, please visit nonlinear.org.

Link to original articleWelcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: AI Summer Harvest, published by Cleo Nardo on April 4, 2023 on LessWrong. Trending metaphor I've noticed that AI Notkilleveryonists have begun appealing to a new(?) metaphor of an AI Summer Harvest. Here's the FLI open letter Pause Giant AI Experiments: Humanity can enjoy a flourishing future with AI. Having succeeded in creating powerful AI systems, we can now enjoy an "AI summer" in which we reap the rewards, engineer these systems for the clear benefit of all, and give society a chance to adapt. Society has hit pause on other technologies with potentially catastrophic effects on society.[5] We can do so here. Let's enjoy a long AI summer, not rush unprepared into a fall. (source) And here's Yud talking on the Lex podcast: If it were up to me I would be like — okay, like this far and no further. Time for the Summer of AI, where we have planted our seeds and now we wait and reap the rewards of the technology we've already developed, and don't do any larger training runs that that." (source, time-stamped) Maybe I'm out-of-the-loop, but I haven't seen this metaphor until recently. Brief thoughts I really like the metaphor and this post is a signal-boost. It's concise, easily accessible, and immediately intuitive. It represents a compromise (Hegelian synthesis?) between decelerationist and acelerationist concerns. We should call it a "AI Summer Harvest" because "AI Summer" is an existing phrase referrring to fast AI development — trying to capture an existing phrase is difficult, confusing, and impolite. Buying time is more important than anything else, including alignment research! I believe we should limit AI development to below 0.2 OOMs/year. This metaphor succicintly expresses why slowing down won't impose significant economic costs. The benefits of an AI Summer Harvest should be communicated clearly and repeatedly to policy-makers and the general public. It should be the primary angle by which we communicate decelerationism to the public. Thanks for listening. To help us out with The Nonlinear Library or to learn more, please visit nonlinear.org.

Ches Adar (22:55)

The 10th ("Yud") of Shevat is the yahrtzeit of the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe and the day that the Rebbe officially took over leadership of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. In this episode, Eliezer and Mendy reflect on the day's significance and its relevance today.

How much FIRE should you put into your next move? Good Morning! This Shabbat is called the Shabbat of strength, Chazak!  What is the strength of this Shabbat about? The title of the Torah portion this Shabbat is Vayechi, "And Jacob lived." The Talmud says that Jacob, our father never died. As his seed, his children are alive, so is he alive. This means that you can see the eternity of Jacob in his children. More, that every Jew is a child of Jacob and is similar to Jacob. If we are like Jacob our offspring, our seeds, are every thing we do say or think, and these seeds will grow. When Moshiach comes we will see the light of every mitzvah and even items that are officially not a mitzvah but are done for G-d's sake last forever.  But how can we make those seeds alive? How can we give them that eternal quality? How can we animate our one time actions to to have impact beyond the here and now? The name of Jacob gives us the answer.  The name of Jacob is made up of two words: Yud and Aikev. Yud- the first letter of G-d's name  And "Aikev" means a heel. Even in the things of our life that are the most heel like, earthy, a Jew is empowered to fully put his or her soul into every thought words or action and create the future of Moshiach. I'll never forget that scavenger hunt  When I was a child in camp in Worcester, A scavenger hunt meant trying to find a green sock in a mall but I'll never forget a far more profound scavenger hunt. I'll never forget a far more profound scavenger hunt. The camp lmaan chay was sent to the Rebbe's 770 shul on a scavenger hunt, they needed to find out what is a chassid? I saw a ten year old boy ask this of the famous Chassidic mentor Reb yekusiel Feldman, he lit up and stood up and said, a chasid is someone who puts the whole fire of his soul in everything he does! And you know, he put fire into those words and that's why they planted a seed in me.Support the show

Come journey with me to the cosmos and engage Yud

This Saturday night is Hoshana Raba, which is connected to Achdut . Rav Yerucham Olshin, in his Sefer Yerach L'Moadim (page 533) explains a fascinating concept. In Parashat Ki Tetzeh (21/13) the Torah tells us about the Yefat Toar, וּבָ֥כְתָ֛ה אֶת־אָבִ֥יהָ וְאֶת־אִמָּ֖הּ She cries over her father and her mother. The Zohar tells us that this is symbolic of the Jewish people doing teshuva , crying in the month of Elul. The father refers to God and the mother refers to Knesset Yisrael, which literally means the gathering of the Jewish people . The Sefer Shelah HaKadosh explains that although the Jewish people down in this world look like they're separate, in the heavens above, in the secret of their souls, they're really united and they're one. So when there's a separation down here amongst Jews, it impacts a separation in the heavens above. As such, there are two aspects of teshuva. One is to fix the sins that impact on our relationship with God, and the other is to fix the sins that cause of the separation between the Jewish people. He says that the first 10 days are Aseret Yeme Teshuva, but there are another 10 days from after Yom Kippur to Hoshana Raba. The first 10 days are to work on our disconnect with God, and the second 10 are to work on the disconnect from man to man. This continues the theme of unity that we've been talking about until now, with the Lulav and Etrog , Aravot and Hadassim that symbolize unity, and also the Succah- as we mentioned, the whole Jewish people could fulfill their obligation with one Succah. He adds a beautiful thought: on Hoshana Raba, which is the final judgment day, we bang the Aravot because symbolize the lips. What do the Aravot have to do with lips? Mainly, we are talking about fixing the divisiveness among the Jewish people, which is all about Sinat Hinam , and the Chafetz Chaim says that the main cause of Sinat Hinam is Lashon Hara. Therefore, our job on Hoshana Raba is to fix our lips. That's the Aravot . And as we mentioned in the past, we are supposed to bang the “lips” on the ground. If someone says something that bothers you, what should you do? Put dirt in your mouth, put a cork in your mouth. Don't respond. That's the fixing of the lips. And he brings down a beautiful thought from the Gaon of Vilna. There are different areas where our speech is made- we pronounce things with our teeth, with our lips, with our palate, and our throats ( the tongue is in a separate category as it's the main part). The letters that come out of the teeth are Zayin, Samech, Shin and Resh. Then we have letters that come from the lips. Bet, Vav, Mem and Peh . Then we have the letters that come from the Palate-the Gimmel, Yud, Chaf, and Kuf . The Alef, Heh, Chet and Ayin come from the throat. (The tongue letters are Daled, Tet, Lamed, Nun and Taf ) He says that the word Succah has a letter from the four enabler units. It has a Samech from the teeth letters, It has a Vav from the lip letters. It has a Chaf from the palate letters and the Heh from the throat letters. The point is that we're trying to fix the different parts of the body that are involved in speech. Because, again, the main theme of Succot is to fix the divisiveness that's comes from speech. One last little tidbit is that on Shabbat Mincha we say Atah Echad V'Shimcha Echad, Umi K'Amcha, Goy Echad B'Aretz. You are One, Your Name is One, and who is like your people Israel, A unique nation on earth? Why do we say this on Shabbat? One explanation is that when the Jewish people are goy echad b'aretz/when we are united, then it brings about that Hashem Echad U'Shmo Echad. Since Shabbat Mincha is a time that symbolizes Mashiach's times, that is why we talk about that concept. (There are three Shabbats, that we've mentioned in the past- the Shabbat of creation, the Shabbat of Torah, and the Shabbat of Mashiach). The Shabbat of Mincha is the Shabbat of Mashiach, so we talk about the Jewish people being united. That will bring about the Oneness of God and the Oneness of His Name. So B'Ezrat Hashem, we will dedicate ourselves, this Shabbat and the following Sunday, to being cognizant and introspective of the concept of Lashon Hara and B'Ezrat Hashem that will give us a good final judgment. Have a wonderful day, Shabbat shalom and a pitka tava , which means a good note because the notes are given out on the judgment day of Hoshana Raba. All the best.

We continue with our explanation of the first pasuk of Keriat Shema. After we say Shema Yisrael, we go on to the next two words Hashem Elokenu, words which need a lot of explanation. This is one of the parts of prayer, where our kavana/intention is vital. We have to know what we're saying. We have to have it not just in our brains, but in our hearts, when we say it. So what exactly does it mean? The first word, Hashem , is spelled yud , heh , vav and heh . Normally, we don't have that in mind. Normally, we just read it as A-donai. When we look at the word, it's spelled with a yud , heh , vav and heh . We aren't supposed to say it out loud, but the pronunciation is like the J-word of “J-‘s witnesses,” which we pronounce as A-donai , which means the Boss . But when it comes to Keriat Shema , we're supposed to have in mind, both what's written and how we pronounce it. So first we'll discuss how it's written. The root of the word yud , heh , vav and heh is Mahaveh/ Brings into existence , Kol Havayot/ all existence. That is what God does. God is the Source- We call it Yesh M'eyin/something from nothing. Everything that's in the world today only exists because God created the matter. It's not like a carpenter who uses wood to make a table. He did not make the wood. Therefore, if he walks away, the table will remain standing. It has its own independent existence. But nothing in this world has independent existence. God renews, in His goodness, Kol Yom/everyday, Constantly Maaseh Bereshit. We can use what I call the Moonwalk Mashal , which the Torah Center people know very well. There is a type of amusement activity, a bounce house, that children climb into and bounce around in. A machine blows air into it, so the kids can bounce on it. But if the machine stops blowing the air, then everything collapses. Similarly, the world is such a machine, but the mashal doesn't quite capture it, because if the air stops, at least you have the plastic, there is something there. But there's nothing that exists at all without God pumping existence, and therefore nothing can happen without Him. There's nothing that He's not aware of, because there's nothing here, that He's not willing to be. Another root of the word is Hayah, Hoveh, V'Yihyeh- Is, was, and will be. He was here before the world and will continue after the world. And currently, He's the only real existence. We also have to look at the way we pronounce it. A-donai , the root is Adon - He's the Boss . He has total control. There is a lot to think about it when we say this word, which is why, as Rav Wolbe quotes from the Rambam, it takes years of practice to get the six words of Keriat Shema right. -Before you start the statement, you have to have in mind, “ I'm fulfilling a positive commandment to say Keriat Shema.” -You also have to have in mind, “ I'm accepting upon myself the yoke of God's Kingdom. ” It's not enough to just say the words. You have to put the yoke on your neck of all that He wants. -You have to understand every word. As we mentioned yesterday, Shema Yisrael means I'm part of the Jewish people , And then come the heavy words, that we just discussed- the word of Hashem spelled Yud Heh Vav and Heh , which we put a lot into: 1-He brought everything to existence. 2- He is , was, and will be. 3- He's the Boss. Today just focused on that word. As we go through these classes each day, we'll go over a small amount of information, so we can slowly practice. The goal is that when it comes to our Rosh Hashana Musaf prayers, we will be able to juggle all these thoughts together at one time. To recap, today's lesson was understanding the meaning of God's name. The name always captures the essence of the thing. But when it comes to God, we can't capture His essence. It's just a way to refer to Him. This word, Yud, Heh Vav and Heh, which is the classic reference to God, has these three important concepts in it, that are fundamental of our faith. It's not enough to just say these words. We have to believe in our heart that: -There's nothing else, but Him -He is, was, and will be - He is in charge There are six words, but this is the first of the four words of faith. To be continued tomorrow….

We continue discussing God's 13 Middot of Mercy, which are necessary for us to act with during the high holiday season. Middah number two on the Arizal's list is Rahum . The question is, if we start off with saying A-donai, A-donai, which is already mercy (because God's name of Yud and Heh and Vav and Heh is inherently mercy), Why do we repeat the word rahamim/mercy ? Tosafot explains that it's because there are two levels of mercy, and in his words (and it's actually a quote from the Gemara), “ Here it's before repentance, and here it's after repentance.” This means that before a person sins, there's a certain level of mercy that God has. Then the person sins. But once he does teshuva, there's a new creation of mercy for after the sin. The rabbis actually connect this to the concept of the two sets of luchot/tablets. The first set of tablets was given to us on Shavuot. They were broken after the sin of the golden calf on the 17 th of Tammuz, and Moshe Rabbenu took two sets of 40 days, until, on Yom Kippur, he brought down a second set of luchot . That means there was a set of luchot before the sin, and a set of tablets after the sin. God gave us a new Torah after the sin, for how to deal with people after sin. With the first Torah, it was assumed that there would be no sin, and no death. Moshe Rabbenu went up for an equal amount of days to create a new Torah, for dealing with the person after the sin. It's almost like saying Has v'Shalom , that someone had a child that went off to rehab because he had an addiction problem. When he comes back, they have to learn a new parenting style. How do I parent him after he comes back? With the same love and the same kindness, but with a different approach. So God has a new approach for after we do teshuva. God, so to say, create a new parenting approach, called the second set of tablets. And with that comes a second name of mercy called Rahum , for after the person sins and comes back. This may a hard one for us to emulate, because sometimes someone sin to us, whether it's a child, a friend, parent, spouse, sibling or business partner… they sin to us and it takes a while for us to get over it. When we finally get over it, we're lukewarm. We don't have that same love. But Rabbenu Yonah says that God does. After our teshuva, He rekindles the same love for us, like we had beforehand. That's difficult. We celebrate Simchat Torah only after we received the second set of luchot . Why don't we celebrate Simchat Torah when we received the Torah, on Shavuot? Because that marriage didn't last. Imagine a couple who get married, then divorced, and then get remarried. When do they celebrate their anniversary, the first wedding or the second wedding? I've never asked anyone that question, but we see from God, that we celebrate the second wedding, because the first wedding didn't really make it that well. We celebrate the second wedding. The after-the-sin wedding; that's the new beginning. And that has to be our celebration with our friends. Even though someone wronged us, there's a new mercy that comes after they repented and came back to us, and that arouses the way God acts with us. These are difficult , difficult things to work on. It's not easy. Anyone who has experienced someone who wronged them and now get along, may still harbor something. It's a life's work, but B'Ezrat Hashem, we will overcome this, because the dividends are great. The the more we do this to others, more God does it to us. Have a wonderful day.

Video version: https://youtu.be/SOh9iIZ7oRM Is it appropriate to wear a Gartel for bentsching?[1] A new utensil that hasn't been Toivelled in a Mikva - is it Muktzah?[2] Cups that change colour when filled with very cold liquid; may they be used on Shabbos?[3] Having touched non-leather shoes, must I wash my hands with water before reciting a brocho?[4] One who davens Shacharis ‘in tandem' with the Chazan who is repeating Musaf, should say נקדישך or כתר?[5] The Mezuzah should be placed in the outer-most Tefach of the doorway. Does this rule apply to interior doorways too?[6] I'm having a coffee and some biscuits. I have several chocolate wafers plus one whole tea-biscuit. Should my brocho of Mezonos be said on the wafers – which I prefer, or upon the biscuit – because it is whole?[7] Is it a sin to cheat in an exam?[8] May we count for a Minyan a man who is married to a non-Jewish woman?[9] The Hand-Tefillin-knot includes the shape of the letter Yud. When tying a knot for a leftie, is the Yud made as a mirror-image or as a regular Yud?[10] [1] ס' תהלת חיים. וע"ע ספר המנהגים-חב"ד ע' 8. [2] פסקי תשובות סי' שח הע' 491. [3] פסקי תשובות סימן שכ ס"ק כח. כשנראה כתב מחמת החימום? [4] פסקי תשובות סי' ד ס"ק כב. [5] משנה ברורה סוף סימן קט. [6] מנחות לג א. שו"ע יו"ד סי' רפט ס"ב. שו"ת מנחת אלעזר ח"א סי' לו; שם ח"ב סי' ??? [7] סדר ברכת הנהנין פ"י ה"א וה"ו. [8] בשו"ת אגרות משה חו"מ ח"ב סי' ל מסיק שיש בזה איסור גניבת דעת, ויתכן גם גניבת ממון. וכן מסיק שו"ת משנה הלכות ח"ז סי' ערה. [9] או"ח סי' נה סי"א. שו"ת מנחת יצחק ח"ג סי' סה. [10] פסקי דינים בהלכות סת"ם מאת הגרז"ש דבורקין ז"ל. ס' תפלה למשה (הלכות תפילין ח"ב) ע' שסב ואילך. ס' זכרון אליהו פט"ז סי' ט-י.

“Rani v'simshci bas tzion”Q1- why are the Jewish people called “bas”?Q2- We need to understand the three levels of (1) bas, (2) achosi and (3) imi.Q3- We need to understand the meaning of “ner Havayeh nishmas adam” and “ki atah neiri Havayeh”.Ner Havayeh nishmas adam:“kol haneshamah tehalel yud hei”: hilul=b'hilo= illumination. “ani Havayeh lo shanisi”: unlike the soul, which is invested in the body and is thereby effected through its various expressions, God is at the same time responsible for the creation and complete providence over the world, without being effected/subject to change. This is the meaning of Kadosh x3: creation comes from God's “speech”, which is represented by the last Hei of Havaya. Each “Kadosh” refers to the first three letters of Havaya, which represent  distinct stages in God's self-concealment to create the world.Yud hei: Olam Habah is the letter hei, and the Or that is the reward in Olam Habah is from yud, Tzimiztum Or Ein Sof, which is the result of the fulfillment of the Mitzvot. “kol haneshamah tehalel yud hei”= causing the yud (Or) to illuminate the hei (OH”B)“neshama”= neshima= ratzu v'shuv: a person draws Godliness into Olam Habah through his experience of ratzu v'shuv (ahavah b'chol medocha+Torah and Mitzvos) in this world.A3- ner Havayeh nishmas adam: the service of RTV”S causes an illumination of Havayeh in OH”B.Ki atah neiri Havayeh:One cannot reach the level of love/ratzu mentioned above on his own. In order for ones neshama to be fully expressed, one needs to do 1) Teshuvah and 2) Torah and Mitzvot.“ata neiri”= Torah (the letters Alpeh through Tof) and Mitzvot (Hei) illuminate the neshama, and dispel the darkness of the animal soul and the body, which prevent one from having an emotional relationship with God (“v'Havayeh yagiah choshki”).A2(1)- this is the level of bas, which has no love of God on its own, but receives it from God. For this to happen, it must “turn away from her father's home”, i.e. its interests in the physical world. This is also the level of Yaakov (yud in ekev)A2(2): Achosi= those who transform and elevate the world through Torah. The act of ruling “pure/impure” elevates that which can be elevated and removes that which cannot. When there is kol Yaakov, i.e. Torah, that dispels yidei Eisav, Kelippah. A2 (3): Torah alone is not enough, one also needs to have Love/Deveikus, which draws down the effects of Torah and Mitzvot into OH”B, as mentioned above. This is the level of Imi. However, in the times of Moshiach, bas will be the superior level of divine service. ConceptsCreation comes from Hei acharonah, Divine Speech.The process of Tzimtzum as expressed in Shem Havayeh.One can only reach love of God through Teshuvah, Torah and Mitzvos.The three levels of bas, achosi, and imi. “Ktzas Biur”Bas=Eved=Mitzvos= Yichud Havayeh+AdnaiAchosi= Sar= Torah= Yichud Havayeh+Elokim (Z”A+Malchus)Imi= (Ben?)=Mesiras Nefesh Bkrias Shemah= Yichud Havayeh+Ehkeh (Chochmah+Binah+Ha'aras HaKesser)When Moshiach comes, Bas will be the highest level. (nautz tchilasan…, sof maaseh…) Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=SVCNKGSMCEANE)

“Rani v'simshci bas tzion”Q1- why are the Jewish people called “bas”?Q2- We need to understand the three levels of (1) bas, (2) achosi and (3) imi.Q3- We need to understand the meaning of “ner Havayeh nishmas adam” and “ki atah neiri Havayeh”.Ner Havayeh nishmas adam:“kol haneshamah tehalel yud hei”: hilul=b'hilo= illumination. “ani Havayeh lo shanisi”: unlike the soul, which is invested in the body and is thereby effected through its various expressions, God is at the same time responsible for the creation and complete providence over the world, without being effected/subject to change. This is the meaning of Kadosh x3: creation comes from God's “speech”, which is represented by the last Hei of Havaya. Each “Kadosh” refers to the first three letters of Havaya, which represent  distinct stages in God's self-concealment to create the world.Yud hei: Olam Habah is the letter hei, and the Or that is the reward in Olam Habah is from yud, Tzimiztum Or Ein Sof, which is the result of the fulfillment of the Mitzvot. “kol haneshamah tehalel yud hei”= causing the yud (Or) to illuminate the hei (OH”B)“neshama”= neshima= ratzu v'shuv: a person draws Godliness into Olam Habah through his experience of ratzu v'shuv (ahavah b'chol medocha+Torah and Mitzvos) in this world.A3- ner Havayeh nishmas adam: the service of RTV”S causes an illumination of Havayeh in OH”B.Ki atah neiri Havayeh:One cannot reach the level of love/ratzu mentioned above on his own. In order for ones neshama to be fully expressed, one needs to do 1) Teshuvah and 2) Torah and Mitzvot.“ata neiri”= Torah (the letters Alpeh through Tof) and Mitzvot (Hei) illuminate the neshama, and dispel the darkness of the animal soul and the body, which prevent one from having an emotional relationship with God (“v'Havayeh yagiah choshki”).A2(1)- this is the level of bas, which has no love of God on its own, but receives it from God. For this to happen, it must “turn away from her father's home”, i.e. its interests in the physical world. This is also the level of Yaakov (yud in ekev)A2(2): Achosi= those who transform and elevate the world through Torah. The act of ruling “pure/impure” elevates that which can be elevated and removes that which cannot. When there is kol Yaakov, i.e. Torah, that dispels yidei Eisav, Kelippah. A2 (3): Torah alone is not enough, one also needs to have Love/Deveikus, which draws down the effects of Torah and Mitzvot into OH”B, as mentioned above. This is the level of Imi. However, in the times of Moshiach, bas will be the superior level of divine service. ConceptsCreation comes from Hei acharonah, Divine Speech.The process of Tzimtzum as expressed in Shem Havayeh.One can only reach love of God through Teshuvah, Torah and Mitzvos.The three levels of bas, achosi, and imi. “Ktzas Biur”Bas=Eved=Mitzvos= Yichud Havayeh+AdnaiAchosi= Sar= Torah= Yichud Havayeh+Elokim (Z”A+Malchus)Imi= (Ben?)=Mesiras Nefesh Bkrias Shemah= Yichud Havayeh+Ehkeh (Chochmah+Binah+Ha'aras HaKesser)When Moshiach comes, Bas will be the highest level. (nautz tchilasan…, sof maaseh…)Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=SVCNKGSMCEANE)

From the Rebbe's Father - ויגש וַיִּפֹּל עַל צַוְּארֵי בִנְיָמִן אָחִיו וַיֵּבְךְּ וּבִנְיָמִן בָּכָה עַל צַוָּארָיו וַיְנַשֵּׁק לְכָל אֶחָיו וַיֵּבְךְּ עֲלֵהֶם וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן דִּבְּרו אֶחָיו אִתּו Questions; A) Why is it written ויבך עלהם, without the letter י, in other places in Torah it's written עליהם, with a Yud? B) Yiosef cried on Binyomin, Binyomin cried on Yiosef, then Yiosef Cried on the brothers, Why didn't the Brother's (the remaining 10 שבטים) cry on Yiosef? And many more questions... מאביו של הרבי וַיִּפֹּל עַל צַוְּארֵי בִנְיָמִן אָחִיו וַיֵּבְךְּ וּבִנְיָמִן בָּכָה עַל צַוָּארָיו וַיְנַשֵּׁק לְכָל אֶחָיו וַיֵּבְךְּ עֲלֵהֶם וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן דִּבְּרוּ אֶחָיו אִתּו שאלות; א) דיוק בהפסוק, כל דבר בתורה הוא מדוייק, למה כתוב תיבת עלהם חסר אות יוד, בכמה מקומות בתורה כתוב עליהם? ב) יוסף בכה על בנימין, ובנימן בכה על יוסף, ואח״כ יוסף בכה על השבטים, ולמה לא בכו השבטים על יוסף? ועוד שאלות ודיוקים בהפסוק. מלקוטי לוי יצחק בראשית ע׳ קצה. ילקוט לוי יצחק עה״ת ויגש סימן צז.

YSY A viene sacando unas sesiones MUY picantes. La última con beat de Bizarrap se viene hipercargada y como saben que tenemos el si musical fácil no nos pudimos resistir a escuchar y analizar "Un Flow del Infarto". Siempre quisiste escuchar a Juana Molina ¿y no sabés por donde empezar? Probablemente su nuevo disco en vivo, en el festival NRML en México, sea la mejor forma. Rocktails estuvo ahí el año pasado y YUD nos contó lo increíble que fue ese recital. También tuvimos tiempo para relajar y bailar con "Bajo la lluvia", el nuevo tema de Lo' Pibitos junto a A.B.R.E. y Greta Dumont, inspirado en un poema de Kenji Miyazawa. Para mirarse adentro, reflexionar y prepárense, porque no lo van a poder dejar de cantar toda la semana. ¡Tuvimos otro invitado especial de Rocktails! En este caso Augusto Telias nos trajo el nuevo tema de la artista chilena Antonia Navarro, esta vez en un plano más house y con mucho sinte como nos gusta. Finalmente nos metimos en el laboratorio de Martín Longoni, un productor que nos encanta, con su nuevo disco CO.LAB con colaboraciones de artistas super interesantes para anotar y descubrir. TRACKLIST COMPLETO DEL PROGRAMA: YSY A x Bizarrap - Un Flow de InfartoLo' Pibitos - Bajo la LluviaAntonia Navarro - HogarMartín Longoni - En Mi Corazón (ft. Aimé Cantilo)Juana Molina - Eras (En Vivo Festival NRMAL 2020) LINKS DATEROS: Lo' Pibitos Instrumento sanshin"Vencer la Lluvia" poema de Kenji MiyazawaJuana MolinaJuana Molina en el festival NRMAL x RocktailsYud Loy Chiu fotógrafa e ilustradora mexicana NUESTRA PLAYLIST CON LO QUE SUENA EN EL PROGRAMA