The Library

There is often a problem of pritzus even on legitimate web sites, that even with filters, accountability software, etc. you still can run into problems. An example I noticed recently: I was on a site that sold a product. This site is completely Kosher and would not be blo...

Here is some info on the iPhone: How to Disable Safari The iPhone OS is equipped with a "Restrictions" feature which allows you to password protect certain applications. Go to Settings -> General -> Restrictions and you can create a password for Safari. You can the...

Making Nedarim (vows) can be a very powerful tool in this struggle, and Chazal indeed encourage Nedarim for these type of tests. However, vows must be made very carefully and only for short periods of time (at first) to assure that they can be kept under all circumstance...

Shalom Rabbosia- tough day today. My son was sick the entire night and I stayed up with him for most of the night. I woke up late and felt that aimlessness – my wife dropped him off at Gan and ran off to work – and just felt aimless. What now? I can’t be late to learning ...

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov taught... From Reb Nosson's Letters: "Even while the gates are closed and locked on every side and in every corner—so that one ought mistakenly have thought that there was no hope, G-d forbid—I still believe that there remains ple...

Today we begin the cycle of e-mails from the book called "Windows of the Soul", by Rabbi Zvi Miller of the Salant Foundation.   The Image of Hashem The beginning of spirituality is the clear recognition of our good and holy souls - the very essence of our being. The more ...

The Talmud tells us that when Alexander the Great reached the gate of Gan Eden, he called out, "Open the gate for me!" To his chagrin, he was turned away with the response, "This is the gate to Hashem, only the righ­teous may enter." Alexander retorted, "I am a king of g...

When struggling with this issue, most people think they are just dealing with a much larger than usual Yetzer Hara, or simply a lack of self-control. It is neither of these. It is vital to understand that this is an addiction. An addiction is a spiritual and psychological...

By Naomi Wolf in The Times, London   Andrea Dworkin, the anti-porn activist, rose to fame in the 1980s arguing that if we did not limit pornography most men would objectify women more intensively and treat them less as people than as porn stars. The floodgates would open;...

Suppose I were to call one of you on the phone and say the following:Hi, here’s what needs to be done today:First wash my car – scrub it well and rinse thoroughly.Next, my shoes need a perfect shine – make sure to buff them evenly.Third, my laundry needs to be done today....

According to Kabbala, from midnight and on is considered a time of Rachamim (divine mercy) even though it is still in middle of the night. Yet from midday and on is considered a time of Din (divine judgement), even though the sun is still high in the sky. Although this se...

Before I begin, I reiterate that this letter is written by a Yid-little mr. yechida here. Your husband did not know I would write this and certainly didn't ask me to. It's important that you keep this in mind as you read this letter. An important disclaimer: every life an...

What is so bad about admiring women? Shouldn't I appreciate my wife? The source of the restriction of not looking at a woman if she is immodestly dressed is the Biblical verse, "Do not stray after your eyes." (Bamidbar 15:39) The Torah's purpose is not to deny us the j...

"I feel burdened by my past conduct. It's hard for me to believe that Hashem will forgive me." If we have not properly guarded our eyes in the past, we can change our behavior and Hashem will help us to improve our ways. In fact, Hashem sent us an uplifting and encourag...

"And Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying, Speak to all the community of the Children of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I, Hashem your G-d, am holy." (Vayikra 19:2) How can a human being, who has a physical body and earthly desires, become "holy"? At Mount Sina...

"I sincerely want to improve my Avodat Hashem by mastering my eyes. Where do I start?" AvodatHashem - Divine Service - is a general term that embraces a wide range and many levels of To­rah observance. For our purposes, we are defining "Di­vine Service" as compliance with...

Let's now turn towards the writings of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter, whose wise counsel will map out a means for mastering our eyes. Rabbi Salanter was the founder of the Mussar Movement, which in many ways revolutionized modern Jewish thought. In the classic work, Ohr Yisrael ...

In recent years, many of us have become more aware of Torah laws governing Shmirat HaLashon, and now we are careful about what we say and what we hear. When we were first introduced to the laws of Shmirat HaLashon, we might have felt overwhelmed. But with study and practi...