Decoding the Shofar Code

This class (in easy Hebrew) decodes the difference between the t'kiya and t'ruah sounds (shvarim is just another t'ruah, as written in the Talmud), giving many practical examples from everyday life where these two sounds are differentiated. This fits in perfectly with other philosophic and kabbalistic ideas on the topic.

The Road to Heaven is Paved with Good Intentions

Our sages say that God "counts" good intentions, but doesn't "count" bad intentions. On the other hand, the Talmud Yerushalmi adds that this is only for Jews, not gentiles, where the opposite is true. And the obvious question is: why? If intentions are serious, they should always "count", and if not, they should never be considered! Rav Kook explains that Teshuva is the easiest of all mitzvot, where even a thought is enough to erase decades of mistakes! On the other hand, it's also difficult, and we must analyze the differences.(Ayn Aya Shabbat v, 32)

Was It Worth Creating The World For Me?

Rosh Hashana is the anniversary of the creation of the first man. It's also the day on which God judges the whole world. What is the connection between the two?

Good In-Tuition

When Rabbi Amman was left alone burying a man he never met in a cemetery in Staten Island, he never imagined how much divine intervention was really at play.

Praying for Barak

An amazing story of Betsy and Barak, and how a prayer touched a heart across the world.

What Shofar Is About?