Write-Up Spirit of the Law Elul: Kitzur Shulcan Aruch Chapter 128 Completed

Deeper Dimension on Elul: Chapter 128: #1-16 1) The days of Elul are days of spiritual favor… We all wish to take advantage of the holy days of Elul, but wonder how we may do so? The Chidushei Harim and the Bas Ayis, explain that the Hebrew word, Elul makes up two words, לא לו which means not and for him. The message here is the more one is nullified to Hashem, the more he is able to take in G-dliness and connect himself heart and soul to Hashem. But sometimes this takes a pure hearted reminder. Rav Moshe of Kobrin recounted that when he was a child he was playing with other children when his older sister, who was the firstborn, said something that made an indelible effect on him. “Don’t you know that today it is already Elul and even the fish in the sea tremble out of fear of the upcoming Day of Judgment? How can you play with your friend’s like usual today?” She said this in such with such palpable fear and love of Hashem, that I was immediately filled with trembling for several hours. And I have never forgotten this warning.” In this vein we find that the Chazon Ish would say that yiras Shamayim cannot be learned from a book alone. Like a candle that must be lit from another flame, one must receive yiras Shamayim from someone who already has it.” But it is never too late to start again! 2) The custom is to blow the shofar during this month... The Chidushei Harim, zt”l, explains that we blow shofar during Elul as a kind of drill for the real thing, on Rosh Hashanah. It is only by preparing during this month by allowing the daily shofar blasts to slowly enter our heart, that we will feel a powerful inner movement to teshuvah when the shofar is blown on Rosh Hashanah.[1] Rav Yisachar Dov of Belz, zt”l, explained differently. On Rosh Hashanah we are so filled with dread that it is only on account of having blown the shofar in the course of the month of Elul that we can possibly fulfill this holy mitzvah on Rosh Hashanah. [Of course this fear must be balanced and must bring one to a feeling a great alacrity and care not to lose the great spiritual opportunities of these days, upon which our entire year is hinged. 3) It is the custom of Anshei Ma’aseh, people who embody the spirit of holy action, to check their mezuzos and tefilin, during this month... Although this is an excellent practice, it should never cause us to forget about the essentials. First and foremost we must rectify ourselves by repenting our sins and improving our character. Sadly, some people are not anshei maaseh at all but they use practices such as checking their mezuzos etc, since they prefer to focus on such things, then to even acknowledge their painful character defects. For someone who does not consider the results of his actions, there is truly no limit to the irreparable damage he can cause. Rav Wolbe, zt”l, recounted that when he was in Mir he stayed with a certain baal habayis for quite a while. When Elul came around, this man re-inspected all of his mezuzos and tefillin to ensure that they were 100% mehudar. When the young Rav Wolbe saw this he was frankly jealous of the man’s scrupulous attention to mitzvos. One day, when the lady of the house returned home, she confessed to her husband that she had paid quite a bit extra for vegetables in the market. Disregarding the young scholar’s presence, the man became livid and embarked on a tirade which lasted an hour. His beleaguered wife was terribly distressed by his outburst, and soon complained of a headache. She excused herself and went to lie down. A short time later, the poor woman died. Hashem Yishmor! Years later, Rav Wolbe was known to comment on this tragedy, “For an extra twenty cents spent on tomatoes this man indulged his terrible temper and killed his own wife, Rachmanah litzlan! Even with all of his attention to mitzvos, the fact that it was Elul didn’t mitigate his bad middos in any way at all!” 4) During the seven weeks from after Tisha B’Av until Rosh Hashanah we read a different haftorah of comfort... Even if Rosh Chodesh Elul falls on a Sunday we do not recite the usual haftorah of machar chodesh, which is recited when Shabbos is the day before Rosh Chodesh, since it does not discuss the comfort of Jerusalem... During Tisha B’Av we confronted the negative within which each of us which prevents the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash. But our great focus on the negative could bring to feelings of despair. For this reason we are so careful to specifically recite the seven haftoros of comfort. We each have to understand that eventually every Yerushalayim will be rebuilt and we will merit true teshuvah. As Rebbe Nachman cried out, “there is no despair at all.” Rav Tzaddok Hakhain of Lublin explains that the seven weeks of comfort correspond to the seven lower Sefiros[2] which correspond to the emotional drives in every person: joy and expansiveness, fear, pride, the will to prevail and the desire to show off one’s attainments. But of course, each of these can be used to serve Hashem. One can serve Hashem with love and fear. He can feel proud to be a Jew and give Hashem pride as it were. He can work hard to be victorious over the evil within and feel grateful to Hashem for his spiritual attainments. Through the holiness of each Shabos we build another one of these drives and are enabled to clarify them and use them to serve Hashem.[3] 5) We begin Selichos from Sunday... Most people begin to say selichos, either after midnight on motzei Shabbos or early Sunday morning. Rav Yissachar Dov of Belz, zt”l, explains that we start to say selichos after Shabbos, even if it means almost a week more than the four days minimum, because we want to begin to say the selichos while the light of Shabbos still shines upon us. We can also explain that the Zohar writes that one cannot feel holiness without preparation. What better way to find time to prepare to begin the selichos, then to have a full day of spiritual pursuits to focus on this mitzvah. 6) ...One should at least stand while reciting Kel Melech yoshev and the thirteen attributes of mercy... Rav Nosson of Breslov explains[4] that when one says the thirteen attributes of mercy, he should especially focus on Hashem’s kindness, in that he judges us favorably even though we have sinned. This is the deeper meaning of notzer chessed l’alafim, which literally means that Hashem rewards for good deeds until a thousand generations. Rav Nosson explains that Hashem guards the little bit of good a person has done and uses this to sweeten even thousands of accusers. Of course he must repent the evil he has perpetrated but Hashem waits for him to do so. This is the meaning of the rest of the sentence, nosay avon vafesha v’chata’a v’nakey. He carries sin, blemish and iniquity and cleanses it. This means in our context that Hashem supports the evil offspring of the sins, and waits for one to do teshuvah.[5] 7) One should choose the most worthy person to act as the prayer leader for Selichos and the high holy days... These prayers are so powerful and important that we should be very careful to find the best person to represent us. Yet the Baal Shem Tov said, that if one knows that his prayer leader is not worthy, he should make efforts to pray with as much concentration as he can muster and rely on Hashem. Although it is certainly fitting to daven in a place where the prayer leader is worthy, one should not worry overly much if his leader is unworthy. As always, he should just do what he can and hope to Hashem. 8) A mourner should not be the prayer leader if there is another as worthy as he is... The cantor in the Maharil Diskin’s shul, died shortly before the month of Elul leaving a widow and children. Strangely when the gabayim approached the Rav to discuss finding a new cantor, he put them off and would not discuss this. Since they knew that their Rav had certainly thought it through before reacting in this manner, they let this issue slide. When the first day of Rosh Hashanah arrived they asked the Rav who he had in mind to daven. To their great surprise he replied that the deceased cantor’s son should daven. After the services they asked the Rav how he had ruled against the Shulchan Aruch which states clearly that a mourner may not be a cantor when there is another as worthy. “After all, there are many people as worthy as he is, who could have served as cantor.” But the Rav disagreed. “Think of the widow of our old cantor. She is surely feeling her loss very keenly just now. How would she feel if instead of hearing her husband’s davening as she has been accustomed to do for all these years, she heard a stranger daven. Surely this would have caused her untold grief. The only replacement which would not pain her is her own son. Surely this is also a case where there is no one else who is as worthy as the son!” 9) Someone who says selichos without a minyan may not recite the thirteen attributes of mercy... Rav Nosson explains that the thirteen attributes of mercy give a person a balanced understanding of true mercy, through which he learns when to act with audacity and when not to.[6] This is a degree of tremendous understanding, which can only be attained through carefully examining one’s motives over and over again. One must have holy brazenness but only when this is appropriate. It is for this reason that we recite this prayer many times. This is also why one who has no minyan may not recite this prayer since it is only in through connecting to a “Jewish community” of at least nine other Jews that one can access this level of mercy and learn holy audacity. As our sages say, Hashem does not despise the prayer of the many. 10. A mourner may not leave his home to recite selichos except on Erev Rosh Hashanah . As is well-known, mourner have many restrictions, but many are unaware that mourning is an avodah. One reason a mourner may not leave the house is since this is likely to distract from his avodah. Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, zt”l, imparts some of the avodah of a mourner. “I hadn’t heard that your mother, a”h, had passed away. When you were here I understood that she bore severe suffering in her illness. And now she has gone to the place of her menuchah. “Mourning is surely a great avodah for you. Your main work is to strengthen mightily the realization that your mother is not gone—she lives in the world of truth and she requires your help. Your avodah, Torah and mitzvos are of more importance to her now that she has gone and can no longer help herself. In the next world she has to face din and mishpat and her eyes are to you to save her from the judgments with your good deeds. The year of mourning can—and must!—be a year of ascent and spirutal chizuk for you.” Since the lengthy avodah of selichos on erev Rosh Hashanah will surely uplift a person, it is permitted for a mourner to leave home to join them. Since the rest of them are relatively short, the likelihood of distraction that is not rectified by the selichos is too great and this is forbidden. He should definitely say the selichos at home, but it is better to avoid the distraction of a social scene except during the very uplifting atmosphere of selichos erev Rosh Hashanah. 11. A sheliach tzibur and the toke’ah on Rosh Hashanah should separate himself from anything that leads to impurity from three days before the holiday, learning as much as possible about the davening and the halachos of teikyas shofar. They should also learn works of mussar… Once, before Rosh Hashanah, the Chozeh of Lublin, zt”l, ordered all baalei tokei’a to come see him. It was time to decide who would blow the shofar that year and to instruct him in the deep significance of this holy mitzvah. Rav Simchah Bunim of Peshischa, zt”l, joined the group of hopefuls even though he had no training and couldn’t blow the shofar. When the Chozeh saw him he was very glad. He said, “In Rosh Hashanah 29 we find that blowing shofar is a chochmah. Rav Bunim is a chacham, so he should blow shofar for us.” The two met privately and the Chozeh taught him all the kavanos, the mystical intentions, of blowing shofar. At the end of their last session, the Chozeh offered a shofar to Rav Simchah Bunim saying, “Take a shofar to be mechaven with.” Rav Simchah Bunim demurred, “But I don’t know how to blow.” The Chozeh got angry with him. Rav Bunim really was a chacham. He said, “How can the Rebbe be angry with me? I learned this hanhagah from Moshe Rabbeinu. First, Moshe said to Hashem, ‘What will I tell them if they ask me Your name?’ After Hashem answered, Moshe Rabbeinu said, ‘I am not a man of words,’ and asked Hashem to send someone else!” The Chozeh looked at him in a marked manner and said, “How can you compare yourself with Moshe Rabbeinu?” Rav Bunim shot back, “The Rebbe is also not Hashem…” When Rav Shamai Ginzberg, zt”l, told this story over he said, “Although this seems a difficult ma’aseh to understand on the face of it, there is a source for it in Yevamos 105b: When Rabbi Yishmael arrived in the beis medrash of Rav Yehudah HaNasi as a disciple, he said, “…I am Yishmael b’Rebbi Yossi, and I have come to learn Torah from Rabbeinu HaKadosh.” Avdan asked him, “Are you worthy to learn Torah from Rebbi?” Rabbi Yishmael answered, “Was Moshe worthy to learn Torah from Hashem himself?” “Are you Moshe?” was Avdan’s immediate response. Rabbi Yishmael shot back, “Do you think Rebbi is Hashem?” 12. Many people fast during the ten days of teshuvah. Since they are missing four days they also fast during the four days we recite selichos… [Note: in most places today people do not fast a full day when this is not required. At most they fast half a day, generally on Erev Rosh Hashanah as we find in the beginning of seif 14] Someone once asked Rav Shmuel Avraham Shapira of Slaviyta, zt”l, why the prevalent custom is not to fast voluntarily. “If a person feels that he can tolerate fasting, why shouldn’t he? Especially since the Gemara in Taanis 11 concludes that one who can tolerate extra fasting is indeed considered holy. It is only one who cannot tolerate such additional fasts who is considered a sinner!” The Rebbe replied, “My grandfather, Rav Pinchas of Koritz, zt”l, said something which answers your question quite well. He explained that sometimes the word גוי, gentile, can be read as body, as in the Hebrew word geviyah. This is one way to explain the verse in Tehillim (83:5): ‘אמְרוּ לְכוּ, וְנַכְחִידֵם מִגּוֹי וְלֹא-יִזָּכֵר שֵׁם-יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹד.’ Imru refers to the evil inclination, who says: ‘Let us uproot them from their bodies, mi’goy/mi’geviya.’ How does it accomplish this? By destroying the health of person with a weak constitution through tempting him to observe extra fasts. ‘…And the name of Yisroel will not be mentioned anymore’—because the Jew who persists in this debilitating behavior cannot do anything then to serve Hashem!’” “Now you have your answer,” explained the Rav. “Today, it is forbidden to fast and engage is self-mortification since the generation is weak. This is certainly the advice of the yezter hara and will not lead to more holiness, which is the natural outcome of true Torah and avodah. On the contrary, this will only keep us from actualizing our potential. Instead of fasting, learn more and daven with more concentration!” 13. It is customary to visit the graves of Tzaddikim on erev Rosh Hashanah… It is an ancient Jewish tradition to visit the graves of tzaddikim or of one’s ancestors especially on erev Rosh Hashanah. The Chidah, zt”l, records that as a very young man, he accompanied his rebbi, the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh, zt”l, to the graves of tzaddikim in Yerushalayim. When Rav Yonasan Eibeschitz, zt”l, was appointed Av Beis Din of Metz, he arrived much later than the community in Metz had anticipated. Since he expected that his knew community would be waiting for him, he sent a message forward to Metz to explain his tardiness. “I have a chovas gavrah, a personal duty, to go to Eibeschitz in distant Silesia to prostrate myself at the graves of my forefathers. They will surely petition Hashem for mercy on my behalf.” The Chasam Sofer, zt”l, recounted that before the Gaon, Rav Mordechai Bennet, zt”l, died he said, “If the community needs anything after I am gone, they should come to pray at my grave…” When commenting about the status of a cemetery the Chasam Sofer remarked, “It is likened to a shul, since the living often pray there.” The Maharil, zt”l, writes that although the custom is to pray at the holy graves of tzaddikim, one must be very careful not to place his trust in the dead. One should petition Hashem in the merit of the departed righteous. Although this is brought in the Chayei Adam and the Mishnah Berurah, when someone once asked Rav Shmuel Hominer, zt”l, regarding this issue he said, “I never understood this psak. In Sotah 34 it says clearly that Kalev went to the graves of the Avos and said to them, “My fathers! Plead for mercy from on high that I be saved from the wicked advice of the meraglim!’ Rav Huminer concluded, “We see from here that one may even ask the tzaddik to daven on his behalf as Kalev did. Surely if there was anything improper about this the gemara would have mentioned it!” 14. On erev Rosh Hashanah everyone fasts until after mincha. They eat afterwards so as not to enter the holiday while suffering. He should use this precious day to learn Torah, do mitzvos and repent. This is especially true regarding sins between man and his fellow man. He should not wait until erev Yom Kippur instead asking his friend to forgive him today… The Chazon Ish, zt”l, was wont to say: “The velt divides the Torah into two parts: mitzvos between man and Hashem, and mitzvos between man and his fellow. This division is not precise, however, and is misapplied for the most part. “The truth is that the main difference between these two groups is mere semantics... Every person must understand that if we transgress an interpersonal mitzvah, we create a barrier between ourselves and our fellow human being, which raises a barrier between us and Hashem. If we have no compassion on our friend’s Divine image, we are automatically distanced from Hashem. “This explains why Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah learns that Yom Kippur doesn’t atone for sins between man and his fellow man from the verse, ‘lifnei Hashem titharu’--'You will be purified before Hashem.' One who sins against his fellow man is not considered lifnei, before Hashem, due to the barrier formed by his sin. The verse states that those who are before Hashem are purified, not him.” Nevertheless, even if one cannot ask forgiveness, we need to wait and beg Hashem to assist us, as is clear from the following story: Rav Zalman of Volozhin, zt”l, was a child prodigy. At fourteen he learned in the great beis medrash in Vilna, and was well known for his brilliance. Once, a certain man came to him and expressed a desire to say over a, “peirush tov on a Mishnah in Maseches D’mai.” Since the man, like so many Lithuanian Jews of that time, pronounced his shin as a sin, what he said sounded like, “peiros tov.” The young Rav Zalman heard his visitor out, but he felt that the man’s interpretation was off. He felt a bit annoyed at having such bitter “peiros tov” thrust upon him, and he responded sharply after the man finished, “That isn’t peiros tov—it’s peiros d’mai!” Meaning, this is the awful “fruit” of the scholarship of an ignoramus. As soon as the abashed man left, Rav Zalman was filled with remorse. How could he shame a fellow Jew who was talking in learning to the best of his ability? Even though they had spoken one on one and Rav Zalman hadn’t shamed him in public, there was no excuse for such behavior. He frantically started to search the town for the man to beg his forgiveness but to no avail. The man was nowhere to be found. Rav Zalman searched for this man for well over a decade but still couldn’t find him. It was only with great difficulty that Rav Zalman’s son-in-law was able to stop him from undertaking a personal exile and taking up wandering throughout Lita so that he could admit his sin in every shul throughout the land in the hope of finding the wronged man. When the Vilna Gaon heard about this, he summoned Rav Zalman to try and comfort and encourage him. The Gaon closed their conversation by saying, “You did everything you possibly could to find the wronged party and make amends. About just such a case the Chovos Halevavos writes in the tenth chapter of Sha’ar Hateshuvah, “If a person earnestly repents after having sinned against his friend bodily or monetarily, Hashem will cause a broad-mindedness and a love to enter his friend’s heart until he forgives him….” Such was Rav Zalman’s faith in the Gaon, that although he certainly was already familiar with these words of the Chovos Halevavos, he was instantly comforted as soon as the Gaon uttered them! 15. We immerse and don Yom Tov garments… The Ben Ish Chai, zt”l, imparts the kavanah of the mikveh on erev Rosh Hashonah. “One reason for the custom to immerse erev Rosh Hashonah is to bring in the sanctity of the Yom Tov so we live a good, long and peaceful life. The first immersion one should have in mind that he wants to purify himself for the holiday. The second immersion focus on fixing any time you were angry. Think that you want to sweeten the judgments while immersion for a third time. One should meditate while doing the fourth immersion that he is removing the weekday garb of his soul. He should have in mind that the year and its cursed aspects should cease. The fifth immersion is to take on the sanctity of Yom Tov. While doing this immersion one should intend that the New Year with its blessings should begin.” [7] [Ben Ish Chai, Year I, Nitzavim] 16. It is customary to annul vows on erev Rosh Hashanah The deeper works explain that this is similar to teshuvah since it removes all hold the other side has on one. Many Kabalists annul vows each week before Shabbos and before Yom Tov for this very reason. One explanation of the connection is that complete teshuvah is all about nullifying oneself completely as illustrated in the following: The Ramasim Tzofim, zt"l, brings a fascinating exposition on teshuvah. "The Arizal reveals that when we say, 'Forgive our sins, ki rav huh, for they are great,' we are actually referring to the halochah that Rav says in Bava Kama 64. There we find that one who admits that he is obligated to pay a fine and then witnesses come to court and obligate him he is discharged from the fine. Since his confession obligated himself to pay the principle he need not pay the fine. Similarly, one who confesses obligates himself and is therefore patur, discharged from his sin. "Yet this is somewhat difficult. Although one who merely repents in his thoughts is a complete tzaddik, this is only if he had a deep awakening, as we find in Brochos, taking something to heart is stronger than one hundred hits. This shows that true teshuvah must move one on a very deep level, from the depths of his heart. "Now we understand why the Rebbe, Rav Bunim of Peshischa, zt"l, said that teshuvah is literally like killing oneself. If one does not reach this level he has to put in vast efforts to atone for his sins. "The Rebbe of Kotzk, zt"l, similarly declaimed that he is unsure if there is a true ba'al teshuvah in his generation. For one who does teshuvah must leave this world completely and ascend to the place of teshuvah. But on another occasion he said that teshuvah is a small level like a shoe. "We can explain this apparent contradiction when we realize that he was talking about two different types of teshuvah. Teshuvah from love is the higher form of teshuvah he was unsure if anyone in his generation truly reached. The lower level of teshuvah from fear, is the level of a shoe. For the only way to truly attain teshuvah through yirah is to be humble before all, like the dirt beneath everyone's shoe. If teshuvah from yirah does not bring one to this level of profound humility it is incomplete." [Ramasim Tzufim, p. 342]

Komarna, Rav Tzaddok and Rav Nosson on Ki Savo

Komarna Is simcha a mitzvah? Rav Tzaddok: How are the curses a sign for the Jewish people? The avodah of the curses. Rav Nosson: The avodah of Bikurim and why we dip in honey on Rosh Hashanah

Maseh Choshev-Arizal Pesach

Pesach 1 (1 hour duration) Pesach 2a (9 minutes duration) Pesach 2b: (9 minutes duration) Pesach 2c: (9 minutes duration) Pesach 2d: (5 minutes duration) Pesach 2e: (recap, 12 minute duration) Pesach 2f: 10 minute duration Sorry about the many parts in part 2. All six parts are a total of 55 minutes long. Enjoy!

Rav Nosson, Komarna on Tazria; Rav Tzaddok on HaChodesh

Rav Nosson: (6 minutes long) powerful chizuk when things are hard Komarna (13 minutes duration) Avoiding arrogance in thought, speech and action that is tzaras Rav Tzaddok: (11 minute duration) grasping the light of redemption from Rosh Chodesh Nissan

Rav Nosson, Rav Tzaddok Komarna on Shemini

Rav Nosson: Meaning of Mikveh More about Mikveh: If the main thing is an internal movement to teshuva etc, why does one need the water and if not, why do we need the internal avodah? Rav Tzaddok: How the four animal with one siman allude to the four nations the Jewish people endured exile in Komarna: Vayidom Ahaorn, a simple level and a deep one; One needs to experience pain in the wake of hardship and only then to go back to dveykus

Komarna, Rav Tzadok & Rav Nosson on Tzav

Rav Nosson on salting sacrifices Komarna on Pigul and dealing with illicit thoughts and desires Rav Tzadok on how the Olah atoned for the sins of Yerushalmi's if Olah doesn't atone for transgressions

Arizal-Maseh Choshev al pi Chasidus; 4 minutes on Connecting to Purim Komarna and Rav Nosson

Arizal-Maseh Choshev Purim part 1 (40 minutes long) Arizal-Maseh Choshev Part 2: (15 minutes long) Connecting to Purim Komarna and Rav Nosson (4 minutes long)

Komarna & Rav Nosson on Terumah; Rav Tzaddok on Adar Aleph

Rav Nosson: Komarna: Rav Tzaddok on Adar Aleph:

Komarna, Rav Tzaddok and Rav Nososn on Yisro

Komarna: (15 minute duration) Philosopher-Priest asked Ba'al Shem Tov: Since you believe Hashem is revealed everywhere, why can't you worship in church? Ba'al Shem Tov, for this Hashem made that every human needs to excrete waste. Sometimes you reveal G-dliness by rejecting something; Bechirah and Yediyah and Ishbitz; If one learns Ishbitz and feels his yirash shamayim slipping he is not learning it right; Rabeinu Bachayah when a person thinks about money matters during davening he transgresses the prohibition to have gods of gold and silver; Being wary of similar transgressions Rav Tzaddok: (10 minutes long) Amalek came before matan Torah since we always need a yeridah, descent before we attain an aliyah ascent; Rebbe Nachman's strategy that any fall can be converted into a descent for the sake of ascent; One reason why this is how things are is that we need humility to come to the next level; why is arrogance worse than other sins? Beis Avraham that any other sins are countered by the good we do while if one has the wrong attitude he just puffs himself up more making gavah worse; story of young man who refused all proposed matches and was told to work on humility. Later he was even harder to set up, "Now that I have humility, she is certainly not fitting.." Two stories about Rabbi Akivah Eiger's profound and apparently incomprehensible humility; Rav Shach's explanation that humility is an attitude, not what you know in your head Rav Nosson: (16 minutes length): Torah makes a clarification of fallen sparks; This takes much time so we should never be discouraged by it; tikun habris is connecting to Torah by learning lishmah; "If only they would leave Me but learn My Torah"; Learning can fix all sins if we have in mind that we want the light in torah to return us to good; Gra, Shem M'Shmuel and many others that one cannot immediately come to lishma; Rav Chaim Voluzhiner that becoming l'shmah is like climbing a many storied building, the main thing is to go in the right direction and eventually we reach the top

Rav Tzaddok on Tu B"Shvat part 1-2 (33 minute total duration)

Rav Tzaddok Tu B'Shvat (30 minutes long) Why we don't make Tu Bishvat earlier since the year s longer; Tuv B'shvat is a spiritual illumination; Rav Tzaddok that during this time we can fix tavas achilah; the seven minim in avodah: Mekor Chaim from Zohar that Chita is 22 since it is Torah and se'orah is sha'ar vav, mishnah and the avodah of this; Rimon to know we are filled with mitzvos as our sage say even Jewish sinners are; VItebsker they are called sinners since they do not appreciate the wealth of good they have and so fall to sin; te'enah is harvested day by so so represents being regular in avodah like Yehoshah; that being regular in learning protects from sin like Rebbe Nachman said, and this is why Adam and Chava covered themselves with fig leaves; dates tamar is the chamber of exchanges; wine is gematria sode since it brings us high if we merit it as the sages say tirosh, can read tiheyeh rosh; but be careful of wine since it can also makes one destitute, tihiyeh rash; "teshuvah makes one a new person!" and the avodah of tu bishvat Tu B'Shat part 2 (3 minute duration) kasis l'meor zayit using pressures to generate light; choosing the connection of shemen while overcoming the distance of difficulty

Rav Nosson and Komarna on Beshalach Rashash Yahrtzeit shiur

Rav Nosson on Beshalach (18 minutes long): Komarna on Beshalach (18 minutes long) aleph is Alufo shel olam; Erdof, asig achalek shalal all start with aleph since even when the other side pursues, overtakes and divides spoils, Hashem is right there; We deal with difficulty by remembering it is from Hashem; Meshoch chasdecha l'yodech Kel kanoh v'nokem, Ei is Meeting Rav Pinchas of Koritz and catching a thief Rashash Yahrtzeit Shiur: (25 minutes long) Rashash and avodah; why is the language so hard 3 answers; chidah that he was a reincarnation of Arizal; a few stories about his greatness; the frog and the chicken and what it means to be Jewish; Proper way to relate to non-Jews and Maharal on what it means to be a Jew; Rav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach that lo sichanem does not apply when we admire a non-Jew who is admirable from a Jewish perspective

Chessed L'Avraham-Arizal Mikveh 2

Mikveh II from Maseh CHoshev Harimon Hasheni (29 minnute duration) Rabbi Eliezer of Djikov: kavanah of a mikveh is to undress, immerse and dress; Rabbi Chaim Tzanzer praised this since he meant we need to remove the soiled garments of sin, renew ourselves in the water and redress in new unsoiled garments; Rabbi Solom Kluger and that most authorities seem to oppose his view; Hashem has many names since we call Him how we view His actions (Midrash, Nefesh Hachaim etc); We are all an expression of constriction and we need to be a vehicle to divine names by connecting to the spiritual level that can be reached through them; A way of avodah to attain the spiritual level reachable by the divine names A"B Sa"g Ma"h and Be"n; A"B is seventy-two the numerical value of kindness since this level is an absolute divine kindness; It is the level of Cochmah that connotes nullifcation to Hashem (Rebbe Nachman) and a deep feeling of tranquility and serenity that you cannot explain to anyone (Ramad Vallie); How to attain this bitul; Sa"g is the level of Binah where a person applies what he felt during Chochmah and gets to a higher level of teshuvah through it; Mah is 45 the same number as Adam, man since it means emotional states of love, fear and dveykus and the resonance of those (Ba'al HaTanya); Ben has the same numerical value as beheimah, animal since it connotes dealing with the animal soul

Rav Nosson, Komarna and Rav Tzaddok on Bo

Rav Nosson (14 minutes long) Rebbe Nachman's explanation of waking a person who is sleeping his life away through stories from ancient days; story of a person who was aroused by hearing the stories; How the story of the exodus in Egypt can wake us from spiritual slumber Komarna (18 minute duration) Not leaving over from the Korban Pesach; Pesach night is leil shimurim a night of protection; Rav Pinchas Epstein that even the impurity during the night is limited during this time; story about stuff left under the bed; Story from Avraham ben Avraham of Vilnah; Klasenberer Rebbe, we all have the same problem of dealing with the body; The Broken Vessels and giving the other side its due; Mayim achronim is one example of this; On Pesach we do not give them anything so we cannot leave over from the Pesach sacrifice; The same is true when we feel a great light don't fall later and give any of it to the other side; So Shabbos and after davening we need to be especially vigilant in this Rav Tzaddok: The deep emunah in every Jew even if he converted from Judaism as a way to rebel against G-d; Rav Zushia once rebuked a community "God loves every one of us so much. How can we do things against His will?"; Non-Jewish wagon driver asked Rav Zushia to help pick up hay and Rav Zushai said he can't, the wagon driver said "You can pick up the hay but you don't want to." Rav Zushia learned that this was from heaven. If we want to pick up the Hei the Shechinah we can can but we don't want to; Person who taught Ishibitz to someone who went off the derech did not understand it properly; Rav Morgenstern that Ishbitz is a focus on yeidiya but the level of bechirah is also always true; we do not understand how we the two are both true at the same time; Rav Nosson says to focus on bechirah before a fall and that it is from Hashem after not because the other aspect is not just as relevant; It is a strategy to help us in the practical realities of our situations. generally one who fell cannot deal with his error immediately, so better to focus on yediyah and repent later when you can; before a fall it is better to focus on bechirah

Arizal-Chessed L'Avraham Part II--Imbuing Shabbos in the week; Mikveh

Maseh Choshev Taking Shabbos into the days of the week; Shnayim mikra; Chayay Adam that you will feel the light of Shabbos after the mikveh; that the Ramchal did not go to the mikveh erev Shabbos and what he writes about this; Today you cannot have kavanos in the Mikveh room but you can under the water (didn't go into Rav Shlomo Kluger about this, maybe next time)

Komarna, Rav Tzaddok and Rav Nosson on Vaeirah

Komarna on Vaeira (11 minutes long) Hashem is right there with us in exile and takes us out of Egypt when we realize that at every instant, in every movement He is right there with us; Through this emunah we sweeten judgments with kindness; This is an aspect of tikin habris the main avodah of Shovavim Rav Tzaddok: The Ten Makkos, the Ten Sefiros and the Ten Kochos Hanefesh in us; Arizal on how the ten Makkos relate to birth; Spiritually birth is actualizing and miscarriage is failing to do so; Ramak on Isur Nidah; Arizal that sweating for a mitzvah like preparing for Shabbos or baking matzos fixes keri; The sympathetic labor camp supervisor who sent for a blessing from the "Kofetz Kaim" and the Chofetz Cham's reaction; Rav Zusia that they could not replicate Kinim since it is small teaches that when one diminishes himself with anavah evil has no hold on him Rav Nosson (8 minutes) shemad gematrai 344, ratzon 346 Moshe is the bridge between the two; Avoiding Bila'am; Remembering the tachlis; Power of visualization; bechirah what we want to happen usually does; Connecting to Moshe--tzaddikim; Chacham and Tam; explaining emunah; emunah is using sechel to understand what one should believe it; Rav Nosson from Yerushalmi--no one looks at things only with his intellect---otherwise you could never take any risk, like marriage or a job where you need to trust another; Bilam from Lavan --Lev Nun, since everything is whitewashed by Lavan; the antidote to Lavan is emes

Arizal--Chessed l'Avraham bringing Shabbos into the week 1

Kenaf Renanim Shabbos Rimon 26 (25 minutes) We can make havdalah until Tuesday since the influence of Shabbbos extends until then; One who focuses on the following throughout his week will not sin and shuts up the yetzer hara from any accusations; Sunday we bring in neshamah-thought, Monday ruach-dibur and tuesday nefesh, action; Pischei Sha'arim on what that is; Did Hashem make two equal light sources originally? Ibn Ezra: No merely two huge bodies that were the sun and moon; Maharal: yes they were equal; Pischei Sha'arim yes; the four yesodos of fire, air, water and earth and how they relate to the soul and the worlds; the meaning of the name Hashem told Moshe in our parsha and other names; the "seven Margalin, pearls"; the forty-two name in anah b'koach

Rav Tzaddok Komarna and Rav Nosson on Shemos and Shovavim

Rav Tzaddok Shemos (17 minutes long) Rashi says (from Pirkei d'Rebbe Eliezer) Moshe used the donkey that Moshiach will ride and that Avraham rode but how old can a donkey be? Rav Tzadok explains that chamor alludes to chomer materialism since they overcame their material selves. But what about when Avraham says to Eliezer and Yishmael to stay with the chamor implying that it is not good? the chamor was the body and it can be used for holiness or a person can let it bring him down; Maharal in Gur Aryeh and Gevuros Hashem makes very similar point but somewhat different and proves that Avraham, Moshe and Moshiach are exceptional since Hashem took them above the world; Maharal explains that the ability to transcend nature was created between weekdays-nature and Shabbos-above nature; How Maharal diverges from Rav Tzaddok; Possible explanation of the creation of the negative donkey bein hashemashos according to Rav Tzaddok that Hashem also created Sheidim bein hashemashos; Zohar that every person has shin daled in him that must be tempered with a yud to form Shakai holy limits by channeling the yetzer hara in the correct way Komarna Shemos (14 minute duration) Rav Tzaddok so much of Torah was is commemorating the exodus since we were slaves on the 49th level of impurity and G-d redeemed us nevertheless this teaches that we should never despair; Zohar about Yechezkel's prophecy in chutz l'aretz to encourage the Jewish people that Hashem was with us in exile; Komarna What is His name? Ehekeh asher Ehekeh; Ramban from MIdrash that this means how you act to Hashem He acts to you; Maharal in Gevuras Hashem from Midrash that Hashem revealed Himself in a bush to teach that the DIvine Presence is everywhere; The importance of marital harmony to bringing the geulah; Ish and Isha have the shem Hashem in their name since He is there when there is shalom bayis; We bring the redemption and rebuild the beish hamikdash by marital harmony; why one who is unmarried lacks completion--this is compared to how he could be at his best but an unmarried man could be way beyond his married friend Rav Nosson Shemos-Shovavim (11 minute duration) Everything that the Jewish people suffered in Egypt we endure in our spiritual exile; They got through it by crying out to Hashem and so do we; Crying out to Hashem is the main avodah of Shovavim; Shovavim is tikun habris but bris is synonymous with emunah, simcha and anavah; Ba'alei Tosefos that the Jewish people only cried out when the king died since they were relying on the old king's decree to die with him and this limited them; Rav Tzadok the main time to access the light of Shovavim is on Shabbos;

Likutei Halachos and Rav Tzaddok-Komarna on Vayigash

Rav Tzaddok and Komarna (13 minutes long) Alter of Kelm Yosef tells the brothers to go up to their father since Eretz Yisrael is the highest land; This means spiritually, not higher in physical space; Yosef sent the best of Egypt; We pick up the sparks in exile and redeem them; It's like wine that is good when used correctly but very detrimental when misused; Dispute between Chovos Hatalmidim from Rav Elimelech and Rebbe Nachman whether most should use alcohol in avodas Hashem except Kiddush, havdalah and very rare occasion; What is the main thing?Story about tikkun chatzos and l'chaims; Komarna Yosef tells the brothers to hurry several other examples of this; if we knew the Shechinah was in exile with us we would hurry to do whatever we could in avodah Rav Nosson (13 minutes long) The Secret of Galus; Hashem is always with us and difficulty is the pathway to redemption; Changing a descent into an ascent; How? Tzifsei Tzaddik parable how teshuvah completely cleans out the other side; Chofetz Chaim on why baalei teshuvah are higher that they can explain that material pursuits are empty from experience; Because we bring light into the far places we were in before; Since we need a descent before ascending we can transform any descent into ascent; Teshuvah from love; Every good thing is forever; teshuvah from love

Chanukah Continues after 8 Days and Parshas Vayigash

Expanding Chanukah (18 minutes long.) From Alter of Kelm that Chanukah continues to shine until 30 days after 8; Divrei Chaim and Yesod Yosef prepared for Chanukah from at least 30 days before; Chanukah is shining a light into the darkness by channeling the yetzer hara for good; Mekor Chaim that the yetzer hara ferments bread since it is the main element in our avodah and why; Zohar that every person has a shin daled inside that we need to imbue with a yud by channeling it correctly; Rav Nosson that even after the days of Chanukah higher supernal illumination is available but we have no vessel to receive it now so we cannot keep lighting; if Chanukah was less than we would like we can always fix this after; Alter of Kelm deeper reason why we light eight days even though we had oil for one--that nature is from Hashem; His lesson that we need to work on internalizing our avodah and not merely going on what we got naturally since this can easily be lost or diverted; Rashbam and Rashi on our Parsha's verse that Yaakov saw the wagons and was revived; That Rashbam merely revealed a pshat aspect but never meant to nullify drash or the words of our sages; Bris, emunah, simcha and anavah are all one aspect; Bris means connection and that is its main element

Rav Tzaddok Komarna and Rav Nosson on Vayishlach; Arizal on Chanukah with Chasidus

Komarna Vayishlach (20 minutes long): Why were the people of Shecehm killed? Hakesav V'hakabalah since Dina heard them threatening to kill Yaakov and the tribes and sent word to them; Komarna explains why Dina and Shechem were attracted to each other; the tikkun of their union and the death of Shechem and the twenty four thousand from Rema of Pano; Ramad Valie that despite the rectification Shimon and Levi still should not have killed anyone Rav Tzaddok Vayishlach (14 minutes long): Why Yaakov was punished for failing to give Dinah to Eisav; Alter of Kelm because he didn't feel conflicted about refusing to give her to him; Lubavitcher Rebbe, because we need to do anything for kiruv; Rav Tzaddok because Yaakov needed more confidence in himself; Rebbe Nachman that true emunas chachomim encompasses confidence in ourselves and the importance of our avodah Rav Nosson on Vayishlach (22 minutes long): Yaakov tells Eisav that he must go slowly teaches that although we need to have alacrity in divine service we also need to beware of going too quick; Gra and Chovos Halevavos-Zohar on negative results of going too fast; Rav Nosson that we Daven to make keilim, vessels so we cannot rush since we need to daven more to create vessels to hold the blessing in a good way Arizal with Chasidus on Chanukah From Chessed L'avraham's summary Maseh Choshev Part 1 (25 minutes): How the tikun of Chanukah and Purim is different than that of Shabbos and Yom Tov; Chanukah teaches that Hahsem reaches us in the darkness; Rav Nosson that Chanukah Hashem's bikur cholim to the Jewish people; that the further away we are from Him the more we should appreciate every good thing we do; That Chanukah and Purim sustain the Jewish people in exile; Netach-Hode in Avodah; Tal Oros on why the lower levels of what is higher builds all levels of the lower aspects

4 Video Shiurim on Bechukosai

Ramchal beautiful explanation of why the verse begins with Hashem's bris with Yaakov and only then mentions the other avos; Why it says, Avos and the significance of Hashem remembering the land ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Komarna Story sfas emes, chidushei harim; the greatness of these inyanim; Komarna on how we become a new creation through keeping mitzvos ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Rav Nosson: Hashem will never abandon us since we are filled with longing for Him; Yesod means connection and we bring this out by longing for Hashem ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Rav Tzaddok: Curses in Bechukosai and Ki Savo; Why one is in singluar and one is plural; why we read this every year two shabosim before Shavuos and Ki Savo two shabosim before Rosh Hashanah P.s. in the shiur I mention that there is no Zohar on Bechukosai and a comprehensive exploration of the avodah of the Klalos is available in Ramad Valie's masterful discussion. This was an error since there is a short Zohar on Bechukosai (Ki Savo has no regular Zohar on it). Yet the point stands, since it does not deal with the klalos (expect the encouragement mentioned in the piece on Rav Nossn and why the tochacha is called divrei habris and a bit more.) So if you want to understand the avodah aspect, you need Ramad Valie.

Connecting to Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai

Lag Baomer shiur: The word "Shimon" forms "Mash Avon"--"depart sins";Alludes to really hearing and internalizing as in Shema Yisrael; the greatness of Rebbe Shimon

Video Shiurim Vayikra and Parshas Hachodesh

Rav Tzaddok on Parshas Hachodesh: The avodah of Rosh Chodesh, accessing the light of redemption especially available during this during Nissan Connection of above piece to Parshas Vayikra: Based on Rashi and Maharal on upper and lower water Komarna on Parshas VAyikra: Deeper dimension of sacrifice. Preparing for Pesach and About Rav Tzadok: About Rav Tzaddok and preparing for Pesach Rav Tzaddok on Parshas Vayikra: That Hashem calls all of us and we need Him to fill us with the light of Torah Rav Nosson on Parshas Vaykra: restoring what we put out of place due to sin

Rav Tzadok on Vayakel and Para; Komarna on Vayakel; Rav Nosson on Pikudei

Rav Tzaddok on Vayakel and Pikudei: Do not make a fire on Shabbos also alludes to the fire of jealousy, desire and honor; Three of the four parshios fix each of these aspects respectively while hachodesh enables a deep sense of renewal Komarna on Vayakel: Not making fire o motzei Shabbos before kidusha d'sidra and havdalah; making clarifications during the six days of the week Rav Nosson on Pikudei: why the Mishkan traveled through the desert; we reveal the Mishkan through holy longing

Rav Nosson on Ki Sisa: People are harder to deal with than the yetzer hara; patience with ourselves and others no matter what Komarna: Accepting the light of Shabbos and keeping it during the six weekdays; the detrimental effects of chilul Shabbos; the nature of Shabbos and the Jewish people's bond to the Jewish people Rav Tzaddok: The providence of Hashem: what we can understand and what we cannot; Only retroactively can we sometimes see the advantage of suffering like after we left Egypt

Komarna, Rav Tzaddok and Rav Nosson on Purim

1) Komarna: : I go with this avodah each Purim and it never fails to helps focus on getting into and experiencing Purin; Profound but very powerful. Never fails to deepen and enhance one's Purim experience; Pesachya all gates open on Purim; How to access the elusive light of Purim 2) 4 minute Purim Shiur: Power of prayer on Purim and Chasidus behind Hamentashin 3) Rav Tzaddok on Purim:: we learn holy chutzah from Amalek; the avodah of Purim 4) Rav Nosson on Purim Part I: 5) Rav Nossno on Purim part II All beginnings were from Pesach but now are from Purim (Rebbe Nachman) what this means; why we drink? How Purim is a preparation for the avodah of Pesach; giving life to one's own sparks of holiness that is trapped in materialism A Freilichin Upliftin' Purim!

Short Shiurim on Titzvaveh, Zachor and Tanis Ester

Rav Tzaddok and Rav Nosson Parshas Zachor Who is Amalek? Can one renege on being Amalek? What it means that Amalek cooled us on the derech, way. Holy and unholy derech and how to overcome Amalek Komarna on Parshas Titzaveh and Mekor Chaim on Tanis Ester: eating and fasting as atonement; the avodah of eating as a sacrifice; what it means that the kohain eats and atones for us; how is the fast of Ester different from other fasts? Rav Tzaddok on Parshas Titzvaveh: Moshe and this Parshah; What the Bigdei Kehunah, kohanim and shemen hamishcha, the sanctifying oil had in common; Why do we need kohanim? The avodah of ketores Rav Nosson on Titzvaveh: The Menorah's oil alludes that we need to shine with holiness, especially when we are engaged in them; And the good point that must be actualized by focusing on it

Rav Tzaddok and Chidushei Harim on Month of Adar

What is the avodah of the month of Adar? Adar=Aleph the Primal Cause dwells with us so Aleph reid that is G-d comes down to us especially during this month; the joy of Adar Determent of lack of joy

Rav Tzaddok, Komarna and Rav Nosson on Terumah

Rav Tzaddok: The Aron; never giving up; the more desperation, the more inspiration, the harder the challenges the greater the person Komrana Mikdash is the same gemarria as midos (without the vav) since this is the avodah of the mikdash Rav Nosson: making a mishkan

Rav Tzaddok, and Komarna on Mishpatim; Rav Noson on Shekalim

Rav Tzaddok Rav Tzadok: Tefilah and Dveykus in the parsha; Using all days and that a b'aal teshuvah will restore all his lost days; shovevim and mishpatim; mishpatim begins with slaves to teach that even a person enslaved to his desires will be redeemed; even if he wants to stay a slave he will also be redeemed Komrana: Not to hurt a convert with word's or monetarily--one who does so limits divine bounty on the world Rav Nosson on Shekalim: Mishkal means weigh, we need to learn to constrict the light to serve Hashem in a balanced way

Komarna, Rav Tzaddok and Rav Nosson on Parshas Beshalach

Komarna: Emunah in G-d and Moshe: Living Emunah that everything is from Hashem thereby sweetening judgments Rav Tzaddok: Emunah-Dveykus stories relating to Komarna shiur; Why it tells us that Pharoh sent the Jewish people away; Why this week is called "Shabbos Shira"; The main Avodah of Shovavim is on his Shabbos Rav Nosson: Crying out to G-d--Practical Advice for Sweetening Judgments 1) Finding the positive in our situation so we open our mind and focus, coming to joy and transforming anguish and worry to joy; 2) Arousing good desire to overcome the negative desires that enable painful situations

Komarna, Rav Nosson and Rav Tzaddok on Parshas Bo

Komarna--dealing with negative thoughts Rav Nosson--Who is a Tzaddik and what about those who follow people who are not righteous; the Greatness of sincere desire evne if one is incorrect Rav Tzaddok: contrasting Egyptian mores with Jewish morality; Three types of humility to combat thee sins

Rav Nosson, Rav Tzaddok and Komarna Video and a write up of Shem Mishmuel:, "I am Dirt and Ashes"

I must apologize that the person who posted mistakenly labeled three of these videos. They are on Vayera and present some powerful Torah that are short and sweet.
Rav Nosson Vayera 1
Ayeh and the Akeida
Rav Nosson on Vayera 2
Zohar on Anar, Eshkol and. Mamre; The Chamber of Exchanges

Rav Tzadok Kometz Hamincha on Vayera
Lott, his wife; redeeming soul of Moshiach through his daughters' pure intentions

Komara
The joy of Avraham during the Akeida; the Greatness of the Akeida; The Avodah of the Akeidah

The Anavah of Avraham

The Shem MiShmuel, zt”l, offers a brilliant explanation of a Mishnah in Bava Kama 21. “We find in the mishnah that if a dog or goat jumped from the roof and broke vessels, the owner pays full damage since it is mua’d, expected for this animal to act in this manner. The Kabbalists reveal that this mishnah alludes to Kayin and Hevel. We can explain this in light of how we have explained elsewhere that the very name, Kayin and Hevel allude to their essence. ‘Kayin’ means kinyan, acquisition, since he was full of himself and felt he was a real acquisition for the world. ‘Hevel,’ means breath or nothingness, since that is how Hevel felt about himself. He did not have the audacity to bring a sacrifice on his own, only after he saw that Kayin brought his.

“Each of these character traits has an important place in avodah. Surely, one must feel important and understand that what he does makes an indelible impression on the world to be successful. As our sages revealed in Avos, one must be as bold as a lion in his Divine service. He must ‘uplift his heart in avodas Hashem,’ as we find in the verse. We all must say that the world was created solely for me, as our sages tell us in Sanhedrin. This is why Chava called him Kayin, saying, ‘I have acquired a man with Hashem.’ She meant that he use this faculty of kinyan for avodas Hashem. In such matters, one must feel that he is a real acquisition and have immense self-confidence.

“Similarly, the character trait of Hevel is imperative for sincere avodah. Avrohom declared that he was dust and ashes and Moshe and Aharon said, ‘V’nachnu mah?’—‘What are we?’ Whatever wisdom has to crown its head, humility uses to adorn its heel. Yet one must beware the danger of inappropriate humility that leads to great despair, indolence and coolness in avodas Hashem. 

“This is why the mishnah tells us that they leaped from the roof. These character traits must be used in proper balance as appropriate. If one misuses one, he jumps from the roof of his potential to the lowest point, since misusing these character traits causes deep, great falls. Hashem should protect us and show us the right way to serve Him sincerely!”

[Shem MiShmuel, Chanukah, p. 208]

Videos of Rav Nosson and Komarna; Write Up of Rav Tzaddok on Lech Lecha

Here is the first video: Rav Nosson on Lech Lecha
The Seven Nations were in Israel before Yisrael to reveal deep divine kindness. This is also why we leave the arla seven days before doing a bris milah
Here is the second: Komarna on Lech Lecha
The common denominator between Kayin, Korach and Sedom: Justice without Mercy

Never Despair!

Rav Tzaddok Hakohein of Lublin, zt”l, explains that one should never despair. “We may wonder why the Exodus is such a central part of the Jewish experience. It is the foundation of every holiday and we are supposed to feel this in the deepest part of our heart. What is the lesson from these numerous halachos?

“The answer is that in Egypt we were in the lowest possible place, the forty-ninth level of defilement. One would have thought that our situation was hopeless but Hashem delivered us from bondage and made us His nation. Our very first lesson at the inception of our peoplehood was that one should never despair, no matter what. G-d took us out then, and He can deliver us from any spiritual bondage no matter how hopeless it seems. No matter how depraved a Jew may be, what he has done or where he has been, it is never too late. He is definitely not as depraved as the hopeless slaves in Egypt. We need to know completely that Hashem will definitely deliver us, just like He delivered them!

"This was one of the lessons of Avraham's actions in Parshas Lech Lecha. There we find that Avraham pursued the powerful armies of the four kings with only three hundred and eighteen men. It seemed that he was doomed to lose, yet somehow he prevailed. This happened to Avraham, the father of the Jewish people to teach an important lesson. The quintessential character of a Jew is that we never give up, no matter what the odds. It is certainly singular that the numerical value of yiush, the Hebrew word for despair is 318, the number of men Avraham took on this seemingly hopeless quest. ”

(Pri Tzaddik, Parshas Mishpatim)

Shor tshiurim on Nitzavi-Vayelech

Komarna Parshas Nitzavim
Chassam Sofer: what is in our power: How bechirah works; Torah is the secret of Teshuvah
Rav Nosson Pashras Vayelech
Ayeh, the search for Hashem; How to get through difficult times

Four Short Video Shiurim on Ki Savo

Rav Tzaddok on Bikurim (Length 14:18)
Komarna on Similar Language of Blessings and Curses (Length 14:47)
Rav Nosson on Joy in Ki Savo; incidentally Rav Tzadok on Why Amalek is Adjacent to Bikurim (Length 14:47)
Rav Nosson Part II the Language of Joy in Ki Savo and How to Attain Joy (Length 10:31)

Torah in 10 Rav Tzadok on Parshas Balak

Rav Tzadok on Balak
Nevuah of Bilam; the Cheshbon of Balak; the soul source of Jews who are distant from Hashem; All Jews are intrinsically connected to Hashem and the Torah; all distance is solely on the outside

Torah in Ten Minutes Parshas Chukas from Likutei Halachos

Hilchos Krias Shema, III: 4

Torah in Ten Minutes: Likutei Halachos Parshas Vayakhel

Dealing with negative thoughts; Can we think two thoughts at once? What is the best way to attain purity of thought? Thoughts come one at a time like a train or a ticking clock; On Shabbos we cease creative labor; We cease harmful thoughts by redirecting our train of thought and thinking about somerthing else Parshas Vayakhel shiur

Torah in Ten, Likutei Halachos Parshas Ki Sisa

Machtzis Hashekel--the Fiery Half-Shekel; tempering enthusiasm so the flame endures; everyone has a contribution to make; shekel means weight; weighing nad measuring our actions; balancing accceptance and action Shiur here enjoy and have a great Shabbos kodesh! p.s. hopefully other shiurim will resume next week.

Komarna, Rav Tzaddok, Zohar on Parshas Terumah

Komarna: Why are there two accounts of building the Mishkan? Where did the Jewish people reach at Sinai? Was it good that we insisted on hearing from Moshe instead of G-d? Rav Tzadok: What can we give the Creator? The Mishkan compared to Shabbos Zohar: The world is sustained by the light that was created on the first day was hidden for the righteous; How to access this light shiur Enjoy and check out the new "Torah in Ten" shiur on a piece of Likutei Halachos on the parshah, in the post below. In that short space of time Rav Nosson explains that: Every good point is eternal; Every person has an essential contribution to make to the Mishkan through his or her good points; Through every good deed, word or desire we generate our reward in the ultimate future

Torah in Ten--Likutei Halachos on Parshas Terumah

sorry abou tthe hiatus. The shiurim were given same as always but could not go up for technical reasons. First, this new series called "Torah in Ten," are powerful shiurim just ten minutes long. Here is a piece of likutei halachos on the parshah: Torah in Ten Parshas Terumah

The Shofar and the Sap of Tu B'Shvat

On Tu B'shvat the sap rises in the trees. The word for Sap is Sraf. It is spelled shin reish fei. The same letters spell shofar, since the influence of Rosh Hashanah is what empowers trees to grow. It is also Reshef, which alludes to negative spiritual forces. We must chose our way in this life. Will we be like the holy shofar which sounds and sweetens judgements or like those who loudly cry out in a way that is not positive? This is one reason we pray for an esrog on Tu B'shvat. Our sages likened the esrog to our heart. Everything depends on what we do with our heart. When Rav Nosson spoke about the heartiness of Avrohom Avinu, someone demurred. "But he had such a special heart!" "You also have a special heart," retorted Rav Nosson. "But you do not yet use it correctly." Hashem should help us find our heart and use it correctly from this day on! [This piece was inspired by Rav Yitzchak Moshe Ehrlinger, shlita. Today in shiur when asked about Tu B'Shvat he said, "I know nothing at all. Just that the letter seraf spell shofar and Reshef..." This is some of what I understood.]

New Year of the Tree

Rosh Hashonah 14 discusses the argument between Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel regarding the exact date of the new year for trees. According to Beis Shammai it is on the first of Shevat. Beis Hillel disagrees. They hold that Tu B’shvat is the Rosh Hashonah for trees. The Chiddushei HaRim, zt’l, teaches the deep significance of their dispute even today. “On Tu B’shevat the seraf or sap rises in the trees. The word seraf is an acronym for shishim ribo pirushim, six hundred thousand explanations. On Tu B’shevat we draw down the ability to say chiddushei Torah for the entire year. The Avnei Nezer, zt”l, adds, “Although the halachoh follows Beis Hillel, Beis Shammai is also correct regarding special people who serve Hashem in an aspect of the middas hadin. They draw down this special influx from the first day of the month of Shevat.” Rav Tzadok Hakohein of Lublin, zt”l, explains why it is customary to eat fruit on Tu B’Shevat. “Tu B’Shevat is a day when we fix the sin of Adam and Chavah partaking of the Eitz Hada'as and lowering the entire world. We eat fruit and can draw such great holiness in our food that we fix every time we ate improperly for the entire year.” [Chidushei HaRim; Pri Tzaddik]

Komarna, Rav Tzaddok and Zohar on Parshas Beshalach--Video Shiur

Parshas Beshalach Shiur Parshas Beshalach: Rav Tzadok: The deeper meaning of Hashem not taking us through the Plishtim; Why this week in particular is called Parshas Shirah while Yisro is not known as "Parhsas Matan Torah?"; Why not call it "Parshas HaMan"? The common denominator between Shabbos Shuva, Hagadol, Nachamu and Shira; The main Avodah of Shovavim--Tikun Habris is internalizing our intrinsic connection to Hashem Komarna: Plishtim are mockers; Avoiding wasting time; The problem with politics is we forget Hashem Zohar: The power of the Shira; Torah study nullifies decrees

Parshas Bo

Parsha Shiur Rav Tzaddok: Plague of hail; Mitzvah to sanctify the new Month; do we sanctify Shabbos? Komarna: Parable of the Baal Shem Tov from Degel Machaneh Efraim; Why Moshe pleaded with the Jews to take the wealth of Egypt Zohar: Chometz and Matza

Parshas Vaeira Shiur

Parhsas Vaeira Shiur It begins with the Komarna on what it means to know Hashem. He wonders why we learn deeper concepts since the true essence of G-d is not graspable. He also explains that when we internalize our knowledge of Hashem, we are able to leave the staits of spiritual or material Mitzrayim, Egypt. Pri Tzaddok explains the first seven plagues in a deep way. I expanded on it, but perhaps it is deeper than it should have been. Zohar teaches techiyas hameisim from the staff that transformed into a serpent. Enjoy and see the new Spirit of the concluding Chapter 1 of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch. Have a joyous and illuminating Shabbos Kodesh!

Spirit of the Law, Kitzur I: 5-6

Spirit of the Law Video Shiur I: 5: Why we should not recite verses-written Torah by heart; Rav Nosson explains the essence of Torah written on parchment and the oral law I: 6: The immense spiritual repucussions of a brochah and the negative effects of a brochah said in vain

Shemos-Shovavim Parshah Shiur

Parshas Shemos-Shovavim Komarna: Using the delight of dveykut, cleaving to the Creator to trascend pain and bitterness; We are the Staff--Snake; The seven aspects of life: Chessed--Kindness, expansiveness, Gevurah--Might, constriction, Tiferet--Truth, Torah; Netzach--Victory, the Capacity to win; Hod--Gratitude, Praise, Yesod--Foundation, what I do counts, Malchut--Kingship, Making Creator King when things are Difficult; Remembering we are G-d children in every aspect of our existence; Proper Balance of Body and Soul Rav Tzaddok: Shemot begins Shovavim; When is the best time to work on purity during Shovavim? Attaining Genuine Brit; Purity is only thorugh Positivity; Kushios, hard questions are for halachic works, not people Zohar: The Power of Tears; Why is there a gate of tears if tears open all gates? The Tikkun of Childlessness; A Segulah for having Kids Enjoy and have a great Shabbos!

Parshas Vayechi, Komarna, Rav Tzaddok and Zohar

Parsha shiur Komarna: The power of Hope; The power of a minyan Rav Tzaddok: The essence of each tribe Zohar and Chessed L'Avraham: Vayechi Yaakov