Orchot Tzaddikim-part 24- Happiness ii

"What Happens to Us After We Die?"

"What Really Happens After We Die?" Heaven, Hell, Reincarnation & Revival of Dead Many people are curious but are scared to ask, what does Judaism say happens to us after we die? This class deals with the mainstream of Jewish thought as to what happens in heaven? In hell? Do we believe in reincarnation? Who gets into heaven & who's left out? Who is woken in the Revival of the Dead, and who not? What is the order of things after death? What happens in Y'mot HaMashiach (the Messianic era)? This concentrated class cites the sources to clarify many of these puzzling question. Also, why aren't heaven & hell mentioned more in the Tanach?

Orchot Tzaddikim-part 23-Happiness i

This chapter deals with the need to be careful not to mock other streams of Judaism, especially when it can be understood as a general degrading of the religious. Wine is, like all of God's creation, meant to be used for good and positive things- to help open up and achieve happiness, and surely not to be mis-used. As opposed to many topics which present the free-will between good and bad, wine is a choice between super-good and super-bad.

Orchot Tzaddikim-part 22 Callousness iii

We usually speak about refining ourselves and becoming more thoughtful, kind and giving, but precisely because of that, sometimes, like in our war with Hamas, we have to make a conscious decision to "get tough". Even poor people can and must be kind, and can consider their volunteering as charity.

Orchot Tzaddikim-part 21- Callousness ii

The Torah teaches us to be kind to animals, slaves and this is what brought mankind to eventually see slaves as people, and animals as having feelings. The Creator (who gave us a conscience), the Torah-Giver (who gave us many moral details regarding even slaves and animals), and the God of History (who advances mankind through historical and technological evolution), are all One and the same, where everything starts with Him, and leads towards His Godly ideals and morality. The class details many of the surprising and unknown laws that used to apply to slaves.

How Free is Free-Will

Ayn Aya Masechet Shabbat v, 38

Rav Kook describes the strenth of free will and why death was decreed after the sin in Gan Eden.

You Don't Live in a Vacuum!"

Ayn Aya Shabbat v, 37

One of the disadvantages of western culture's obsession with ourselves, is that often we see people who make their daily life decisions, both small and large, as if they live in a vacuum, forgetting their surroundings, families, communities, Am Yisrael and previous, as well as future, generations. The fact that we don't live alone can sometimes be problematic, that it limits our "free-will" and we suffer from others' decisions & actions, but Rav Kook explains that it's also the solution, and we end up gaining a lot more than we lose by being part of something larger.

Death and the Transition Between Worlds

Rav Kook, Ayn Aya Shabbat v, 39

Death should not be scary but rather like a loving Father transferring his child to his bed. The world to come is full of "freedom and exemptions", but only after we gradually rise, through the challenges and mitzvot of this world.

Orchot Tzaddikim- class 18- -Compassion-- part 1

"Compassion, Freedom & Anarchy in Education", When are compassion and mercy great and Godly, and when can they be problematic?. The class relates to the challenge of disciplining children in the modern world, where the stress is on understanding children, patience and freedom. What is the difference betteen freedom which is great, and anarchy which is problematic?

Orchot Tzaddikim-class 17- -A Time to Hate part 2

"A Time to Hate", The class deals with the common various causes of hate, & how to deal with them.

Orchot Tzaddikim-class 16- -Love- part v- -Hate- part l

"Love & Hate": Love is about "surrender", giving, altruism and self-sacrifice. This has been part of our love affair with Hashem since we started until the present war with Hamas. This includes improving on Lashon HaRa & the other more difficult mitzvot

Orchot Tzaddikim-part 15--Love- part lV

This class deals with the problematic love of honor and ego, and how to balance this trait in order to drive us to improve, to accomplish etc. and not to pre-occupy us with honor-seeking, as is found so often in politics and many other fields (including shuls!).

Orchot Tzaddikim-part 14--Love- part lll

The Orchot Tzadikim continues with practical advice how to gain and choose friends.

Orchot Tzaddikim-part 13- Love ii

This class deals with the positive aspects and how to practically achieve love of family & friends as well as how to improve our relationships

Orchot Tzaddikim-part 12- Love

There are many types of love and desire, and each is meant to be used for good, including love of money and other yetzarim. On the other hand, each type of love can be misused as well, even love of family. The Orchot Tzadikim details how to use each type for the good aspects while staying away from the negative.

Orchot Tzaddikim- part 11- Brazenness

Israel is called by our sages the most brazen (chutzpadik) of all nations, and that's why Hashem gave the Torah precisely to the Jews, the "stiff-necked" people. Various approaches to the midah of chutzpa, understanding the classic Jewish mother and the "gentle" Jewish husbands, including the positive aspects of modern "Israeli Chutzpa" according to Rav Kook.

Orchot Tzaddikim part 10-Shame IV

Shame is an important trait which isn't analyzed enough by many of the mussar works. this class deals with many practical examples regarding embarrassing others, using nickname, how to debate (even with your chevruta!) & how not to... When it's allowed to defend yourself verbally and more.

Orchot Tzaddikim-part 9- Shame lll

We shouldn't be embarrassed to observe mitzvot, even if they're not done in your locale, even against negative peer pressure. But what's the difference between this and Yuhara- the prohibition on being "Holier than thou", that you're not allowed to practice religious actions in public in order to "stand out" religiously. Many practical examples are given here. Also we discuss here the severity of embarrassing others.

Orchot Tzaddikim- part 8- Shame -ll

The Orchot Tzadikim continues to develop this often overlooked middah, not dealt with in most of the Mussar classics.

Orchot Tzaddikim 2