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Adar 23 5781 | Rabbi Shlomo Katz
Chassidic Tales with Rav Shlomo Katz A Zonenfeld Recommendation
In the time that the great Chief Rabbi, Reb Yosef Chaim Zonenfeld, was approached by a new school for a letter of recommendation and he asked them a deep and insightful question, if they felt that their institution could produce Moshiach?
Chassidic Tales
2 min
Adar 23 5781 | Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
based on ruling 80099 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts Refund for Bar Mitzva Cancelled Due to Covid – part I
P'ninat Mishpat The Coronavirus Pandemic
Adar 23 5781 | Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit
Igrot Hare’aya, Letter #18 – part I The Need to Be Connected to our Past
Igrot Hare’aya
Adar 23 5781 | Rabbi Daniel Mann
The Great People Who Could
It would have been wise for the Egyptians,to have developed some of our forefathers into fine craftsmen who could have contributed to society. This would have come in handy for us, especially when we had the necessity to build the Mishkan. I Yet, I am unaware of statements of Chazal that speak of the artisans of the Mishkan having such training, and the p’sukim imply the opposite.
Vayakhel Parashat Hashavua
Adar 23 5781 | Rabbi Daniel Mann
Adding a Shabbat Candle after Forgetting
I am a man living alone. Last week, I forgot to light Shabbat candles. Must I light an extra one from now on?
Bemare Habazak - Rabbis Questions Preparations for Shabbat, Entrance and Exit

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Chapter Twenty One-Part Three Days on Which Tachanun Is Not Recited
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Reciting Brachos in the Presence of Unpleasant Odors
Reciting Brachot, Benching and learning Torah in the Presence of Unpleasant Odors. May one wash for bread in a public restroom? Can one discuss Torah while walking through city streets where there are dumpsters or dog droppings? What if one cannot smell? and more.
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Clean For Pesach And Enjoy The Seder
The Seder Night
Adar 13 5780 | Rabbi Daniel Mann
Drinking during Davening
I showed my surprise to a serious young man who was drinking coffee during Shacharit. He said it helps him daven and is permitted. Can that be correct?
Bemare Habazak - Rabbis Questions Preparation and Guidance for the Davening
Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff
Pizza, Pretzels and Pastry
When is the Bracha Hamotzi and when is it a Mezonot?
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Beit Midrash Jewish Laws and Thoughts

Serving Hashem, Mitzvot and Repentance

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Fear of Hashem Loving Hashem Serving Hashem With Joy Observing Mitzvot Repentance Serving Hashem Praying Spreading the Torah Mesilat Yesharim

Adar 13 5781 | Rabbi Ari Shvat
Mitzvot Which Seem “Outdated” in General or Unfair to Women
All religious (or potentially religious) Jews have difficulty with mitzvot which seem to be outdated. How can a thinking Jew understand & identify with a Torah which allows slavery, bigamy or taking enemy women during war? This class also deals with many questions raised by women or feminists regarding the role of women in Judaism, laws of Aguna, divorce, the brachot of "Shelo Asani Isha" or "SheAsani KiRtzono", etc. Rav Kook, one of the most innovative & brave Gedolei HaDor, writes a lot on this issue of "updating", explaining & identifying with the Torah in a totally Orthodox way (on which no one can disagree), to bring the Torah closer to all. [It is the 1st part of the class on "Mitzvot Which Seem Immoral", also highly recommended!].
Observing Mitzvot
44 min
Adar 7 5781 | Rabbi Ari Shvat
How to Understand Murdering Amalek & Other Mitzvot which Seem "Immoral"?
Every moral & thinking Jew has asked questions about certain mitzvot which don't seem to "jive" with the morality of God & the Torah itself! Rav Kook, as usual, bravely deals with these issues, & explains that "eternity" means that the Torah also had to be relevant to the primitive world in which it was given 3,300 yrs. ago. He differentiates between some actions, like slavery & bigamy, that had to be "allowed" temporarily in the ancient reality, but were never obligated. Nevertheless, 2 obligations (!) which seem "immoral" are regarding Amalek (killing & remembering-Zachor), & conquering the Land of Israel. But upon a closer look, they aren't immoral at all! When we lack prophets & Sanhedrin, the God Who runs History solves many problems!
Amaleck Observing Mitzvot
41 min
Shvat 25 5781 | Rabbi Ari Shvat
Don't Just Be Religious- Be Godly!
Over the last century, mankind is less religious. Rav Kook suggests it's time to raise Torah to a higher level, that of "Being Godly". Ironically, both the rational Rambam & the Kabbalists summarize the goal of Judaism as Imitateo Dei, to copy God. The real "me" isn't my body but my Godly soul. When He finished creating the world, he told us to have children= to also create worlds. Similarly, when we observe Shabbat, it's not just because God said so, but bc He rests on Shabbat & our spark of God should naturally do the same! The Torah is not just commands, but God's ideals & advice how we can emulate His altruism. This eye-opening direction has proven very appealing today for those looking for something "higher" than ceremonious "religion".
Serving Hashem, Mitzvot and Repentance
40 min
Shvat 7 5781 | Rabbi Michael Linetsky
Kiddush Hashem
Kiddush Hashem, sanctifying God’s name, specifically before a gentile all too often is not even about the gentile at all.
Kiddush Hashem
Kislev 23 5781 | Yaakov Asher Sinclair
Inclined to Recline- "And Yaakov dwelled…." Stress is Good For You!
Researchers believe that some stress can help to fortify the immune system. For instance, stress can improve how your heart works and protect your body from infection. But on a deeper level, rising to challenges and overcoming them is the essence of life.
Trial and Difficulties in Life Vayeshev
3 min
Cheshvan 21 5781 | Rabbi Ari Shvat
Ein Aya Shabbat 2, 242 Sickness as a "Wake-Up Call"
As a continuation of the class on "The Different Levels On Which G-d Runs the World", this class is on the different levels of sickness, whether ours or those around us. Just as fast-days are a self-induced weakness, which brings us to analyze our lives, priorities & actions, when God sends a sickness, it's not necessarily a punishment but rather a "wake-up call" to induce soul-searching. Life is comprised of such small incidents, some pleasant & others not, some direct & others less so, to keep us awake that we shouldn't live like robots, but rather utilize our Godly free-will to its utmost extent, keeping our lives meaningful & idealistic. Accordingly, even the "bad" messages are seen by Rav Kook as: The process of gradual good.
Ein Aya Trial and Difficulties in Life
34 min
Cheshvan 2 5781 | Rabbi Ari Shvat
Ein Aya, Shabbat 2, 239 Rav Kook on: "It's Best to be Normal People"
We find various rabbis in rabbinic literature who built their spirituality through fasting and depriving themselves of physical pleasure. Rav Kook explains that this is like "shock treatment" or bitter medicine, which healthy people don't need. In Torat Eretz Yisrael, the Living Torah most applicable to the modern world, the approach of unity is to reveal the harmony between the physical and spiritual worlds. In Israel, where even the physical is spiritual and the atmosphere is Jewish, it's much more conducive to living a life of modern orthodoxy without the dangers of losing our proportions, priorities or getting influenced by western society. Accordingly Rav Kook explains the machloket between Rava & Abaye in Masechet Shabbat.
Additional Lessons Ein Aya
33 min
Tishrei 5 5780 | Rabbi Ari Shvat
Sin is Divisive Chaos While Tshuva is a Life of Uniting Harmony
Rav Kook sees that the nature of Tshuva is among the most basic of ideas to understand life & the world. The sinner lives a life of self-centeredness, who inevitably will have difficulty finding love & lasting relationships, seeing the world as chaotic & pessimistic. Children eventually mature, learning to share & give. Kabbala refers to the pessimists who see our 3 dimensional world as Alma D'Piruda, "World of Division", rather than the believer in Unity & God, Who created a world of harmony. The Torah teaches how to find harmony in a complex world. One can see the violence in the animal world as chaotic, but if one steps back & views the entire picture he sees a harmonic orderly food-chain. All creation follows God's program, & man would be wise to choose so, as well, and "Join the Unity".
Repentance
34 min
Elul 26 6780 | Rabbi Ari Shvat
Rav Kook's Letter on Teshuva to Rav Charlap Why Ba'alei T'shuva Davka Shouldn't Become Anti-Zionists!
There's a common scenario, where someone becomes a Ba'al Teshuva, strengthening himself religiously, & indirectly, davka becomes less Zionist! Rav Kook ironically deals with this issue way before it was common, as part of his overall & innovative understanding of Teshuva, in this classic letter to his student, R. Charlap. Explaining that the concept of Evolution is the basis of Creation, & that constant improvement is the most natural process for the individual & mankind. This central drive is what's behind most of Torah, life and goals. Zionism is the easiest way to see God today, thru how He runs processes of advancement in history, fulfills prophecies, returns Altruism and Nationalism to their proper place, reviving the "Or LaGoyim" etc.
Repentance Exile and Redemption
42 min
Elul 24 5780 | Rabbi Ari Shvat
So What’s the Goal of Life?!!
We all know that if you don't have a goal, you can't score! We all have many goals, but is there one which encompasses and is the common denominator of them all? Such a definition will prevent us from feeling torn between the many goals and roles we have. One theory is that the goal of life is pleasure, which is the common denominator of all people. On the other hand, all those people also have an ideal for which they are willing to forego all of their pleasure, inferring that ideals supersede pleasure! The class suggests that these 2 theories are 1 and the same, for we all want pleasure, but ideals are not 3rd class (short-term) pleasure, nor 2nd class (long-term) pleasure, but rather 1st class, eternal pleasure.
Subjects of Jewish Thougts Additional Lessons
33 min
Elul 20 5780 | Rabbi Ari Shvat
Rav Kook's Orot HaT'shuva- In a Nutshell! Tshuva Can Be Happy- Not Depressing!
Innovatively but based upon the sources, Rav Kook entirely changes our view of T'shuva. The period of Elul until Yom Kippur is unfortunately, seen by most as depressing. Although we know T'shuva is important, we don't enjoy it & don't like changing. The mistake stems from the mistranslation: "Repentence" from "sin". Accordingly, Tshuva has terrible "PR", where the religious see it as something for the non-religious, and the non-religious say it's for the religious! Rav Kook says that the world is based on constant "Evolution" and improvement. Sports records are constantly improving, & toothpaste is always "new & improved!" Mankind and man improve thru "Trial & Error", & the most natural thing in the world is to follow the tide & improve!
Repentance
30 min
Elul 10 5780 | Rabbi Berel Wein
Return and Repentance
Repentance
Sivan 22 5780 | Rabbi Daniel Kirsch
Fiery Passion in Siberia
Observing Mitzvot
Nissan 8 5780 | Michael Rothschild
A Giant Win
How can you learn Betachon from a football game, and how can we learn from it the correct attitude towards the coronavirus?
The Coronavirus Pandemic Faith
3 min
Tishrei 7 5780 | Rabbi Yoel Gold
The Side Door
An uplifting, true story about a jew who missed the "Kol Nidrei" but did not give up, and found the "side door".
Yom Kippur Prayers Repentance
7 min
Av 18 5777 | Various Rabbis
Ha'inu Ke'cholmim motivation video
A motivation video for handling difficulties in daily life, production: Ha'inu Ke'cholmim
Trial and Difficulties in Life
4 min
Shvat 18 5776 | Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff
Make our Mitzvos Count!!
Yitro Observing Mitzvot
Shvat 14 5776 | Various Rabbis
Ein Aya Shabbat Chapter B Paragraph 140-141 Emotional Attachment is Not Enough
There was another story of a non-Jew who came before Shammai and requested of him: “Convert me on condition that you will teach me the whole Torah while standing on one foot.” Shammai pushed him with the amat habinyan (building measuring stick) that was in his hand.
Mesilat Yesharim Ein Aya
Shvat 5 5775 | Rabbi Ari Shvat
Ein Aya Shabat Chapter B Paragraph 53 (p2) Lack of Knowledge Often Facilitates the Goal
Although we strive for wisdom, much of the knowledge hidden from man enables us to focus on the goals rather than the means.
Ein Aya Serving Hashem, Mitzvot and Repentance
35 min
Tevat 6 5775 | Rabbi Ari Shvat
Ein Aya Shabat Chapter B Paragraph 51 (p2) Aveirah Lishma- The Concept of Sinning as Sometimes Helpful
This dangerous concept must be understood in the context of the individual's role in the larger picture.
Ein Aya Observing Mitzvot
41 min