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Recent Lessons

Adar 21 5781 | Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu
Moment of Wisdom Purity and Gratitude
The purity of the red calf gives us a warm and feeling heart, that will bring us to our redemption.
Ki Tisa Chukat
4 min
Adar 20 5781 | Rabbi Chaim Avihau Schwartz
The Relevance of the Nation to Torah Study
"Jewish emuna, of course, stems from Torah, but the very foundation begins with Israel, as the Birkot HaTorah [Blessings over the Torah] emphasize. Hashem created and chose Israel, and created Torah as well, and then matched us up together. And from amid this profound connection, we arrive at the true understanding of the connection between Israel and G-d, via the Torah..."
Jewish Thought
Adar 21 5781 | Rabbi Daniel Kirsch
Tooth Sensitivity
With great passion, the rabbi waved his hands for emphasis as he spoke, and… knocked his dentures out of his mouth! Did the people in attendance commit a sin by laughing, or was it considered oness (a forced act)?
The Laws of Ben Adam LeChavero
Adar 20 5781 | Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
How Leaders Fail
Leaders can fail for two kinds of reason. The first is external. The time may not be right. The second kind of failure is internal. A leader can simply lack the courage to lead.
Ki Tisa
Adar 20 5781 | Baruch Gordon
Then the Tabernacle, Now the Land
discussing the campaign found in Ki Tisa for the building materials to construct the Tabernacle and Sanctuary, and tells how we can participate in like construction today.
Ki Tisa
3 min

Popular Lessons

5769 | Rabbi Shalom Z. Berger
Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei
Pkudei Vayakhel
Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff
Writing on Shabbat
May I write my initials on a frosty window on Shabbos?, May I communicate with someone on Shabbos by making the motions of writing the letters?
Laws of Shabbat
Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff
Showering on Shabbat
May someone soak an infected toe in hot water on Shabbos? May I take a quick dip in the pool on a Shabbos when it is 105 degrees in the shade? Is bathing on Shabbos permitted to alleviate a minor skin condition?
Laws of Shabbat
Pesach 19 Nissan 5764 | Rabbi Yossef Carmel
Seeing Hashem’s Face
The Haggadah
Rabbi Avraham (Abe) Abrahami
Abraham’s 10 tests and consequences
The parallelism between the ten trials of Avraham Avinu and other important tens.
Observations on Torah Study

Beit Midrash Jewish Laws and Thoughts Jewish Thought

Subjects of Jewish Thougts

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
Nissan 26 5780 | Rabbi Ari Shvat
Appreciating the Minutiae and Ideals of Rabbinic Mitzvot Why Did the Rabbis Add So Many Mitzvot?
Rav Kook deals with the classic questions asked by any thinking practicing Jew: Why did the rabbis institute so many additional rabbinic laws, which pre-occupy us day and night? Did the Torah not command us enough obligations and restrictions?! In this famous article from Orot called "Chacham Adif miNavi", Rav Kook suggests a totally innovative approach to appreciating the minutiae and ideals of Rabbinic Mitzvot, enlightening and motivating us in their observance.
Rav Kook books Subjects of Jewish Thougts
58 min
Nissan 5 5780 | Rabbi Ari Shvat
About Heaven- Hell- Revival of the Dead- Reincarnation What Happens After We Die?
Why aren't heaven and hell more discussed in the Torah? How can we really believe in Olam Haba if we don' have proof that it exists? Why do we want Techiyat Hametim to happen if Olam Haba is so amazing? Who goes to heaven and who doesn't?
Subjects of Jewish Thougts
45 min
Tamuz 26 5772 | Rabbi Ari Shvat
Ein Aya Shabat Chapter A Paragraph 82 Nature and Nurture And Our Free Will
Genetics, surroundings, experience all contribute to our personality, as well as our spouse's and children's. Nevertheless it all is decided by our destining our fate through decisions.
Ein Aya Subjects of Jewish Thougts
36 min
5771 | Rabbi Ari Shvat
Introduction to Orot HaTshuva The Nature of Evolution and Improvement
Subjects of Jewish Thougts
47 min
Rabbi Berel Wein
How to add more inspiration to our soul More Soulful
In Jewish tradition the house of worship, of prayer, was meant to be a soulful place. It was not meant to be a place of entertainment or even of the mere fulfillment of a religious obligation.
Subjects of Jewish Thougts Prayer
Rabbi Chaim Eisen
Satan and Existence
Does God create only positive things? Is the night an existence or absence of light and what about the devil?
Subjects of Jewish Thougts Balak
60 min
Rabbi Berel Wein
Common sense
The reason that common sense is so often ignored is that it usually leaves one with a painful decision to make. Human nature abhors having to make painful decisions. Hence, common sense is relegated to one’s subconscious and reappears as regret and attempted repentance.
Subjects of Jewish Thougts
Shvat 5773 | Rabbi Ari Shvat
part I The Importance of the State of Israel in the Writings of Rabbi A.I. Kook
Why did G-d create Am Yisrael as a nation and not just a religion? Why, in addition to the mitzvot between individual Jews, and between man and G-d, does the Torah call for a framework of a national land, army, political system, and even coin?
The Torah Perspective Subjects of Jewish Thougts
Shvat 5773 | Rabbi Ari Shvat
part II The Importance of the State of Israel in the Writings of Rabbi A.I. Kook
In the previous part, we asked Why did G-d create an Jewish nation in its own land and not just a religion? We brought two reasons from Rav Kook's writings: an established nation can influence the rest of the nations and So that all should know, that not only outstanding individual can live in the light of G-d, but even entire nations can. In this part, we will see three more ideas to answer our question.
The Torah Perspective Subjects of Jewish Thougts
Shvat 5773 | Rabbi Ari Shvat
Renaming the Movement to "Religious - Zionist - Humanist" What Would Rav Kook Say Today?
If we claim that zionism is an integral part of religion or Torah, then why originate a new slogan ‘religious-zionism’, in place of the age-old title ‘religion’ or ‘Torah’? If there is a reason for the new slogan, is there a need for renaming it - "Religious - Zionist - Humanist”?
Subjects of Jewish Thougts
5772 | Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff
Grave Issues about Graven Images
Is it prohibited to look at articles that merely represent the actual idol, even though they are not themselves worshipped (icons), or is the prohibition limited to idols that are themselves worshipped?
Subjects of Jewish Thougts
5769 | Rabbi Ari Shvat
Rav Kook, Musar Hakodesh Why Must I be Religious to be a Moral Person? - Part I
Rav Kook supports secular morality, in that the conscience and logic stem from the same Creator that wrote the Torah. Nevertheless, he stresses the clear advantages of Mussar HaKodesh, or morality based on religion, for several important reasons.
Subjects of Jewish Thougts
33 min
5769 | Rabbi Ari Shvat
Rav Kookm, Musar Hakodesh Why Must I be Religious to be a Moral Person? - Part II
Additional reasons why secular morality isn't enough.
Subjects of Jewish Thougts
43 min
5770 | Rabbi Chanan Morrison
The Age of the Universe
Subjects of Jewish Thougts Noach
Kislev 5768 | Rabbi Berel Wein
Writing under influence of Shabbat
What is the basic obligation and purpose of living? Why are we here and what are we supposed to do with our existence on earth?
Subjects of Jewish Thougts Additional Lessons
Iyar 5767 | Rabbi Michael Herskowitzs
No Insignificant Concept in the World
It is a mistake to seek to confine Judaism's inner spirit and spiritual content to particular definitions. Its soul contains everything; all spiritual tendencies, revealed and hidden, are concealed in it, as everything is contained in the Absolute.
Subjects of Jewish Thougts
5765 | Rabbi Ze'ev Sultanowitz
A Jewish Look at Christian Beginnings
Paul advances the idea of preferring an organization, a sect, a particular ideology to the natural framework of family, land, nation, and language. Henceforth, he who joins this movement will be redeemed; non-members are doomed to eternal perdition.
Subjects of Jewish Thougts
Rabbi Uzi Kalchaim zt"l
On Creation's Beauty
Rav rules that “it is forbidden to say, 'How beautiful is that idolatress!'” However, the Talmud raises a difficulty: Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel “saw a heathen woman who was particularly beautiful, and exclaimed, 'How great are Thy works, O Lord!'”
Subjects of Jewish Thougts
5765 | Rabbi S. Yossef Weitzen
“It Will Not Come to Pass”
The concept of a “false prophet” only applies to prophecy. The greatness of a Torah scholar does not depend on his ability to predict the future. It depends upon his greatness in Torah, his exemplary character traits, and his devotion to God.
Subjects of Jewish Thougts Gush Katif