Dear GYE family,

as the important and auspicious days of Shovavim are coming uopn us, we give you a shmorgasboard of wonderful resources: Dov's live weekly phone conference, Rabbi Tanenbaum's workshop recordings, and more. Please use this email as a guide as you explore Shovavim during these several weeks.

Best wishes for continued recovery,

Mottel.

Join the Worldwide YEshiva Shovavim Initiative at shovavim.org - "YES we can!"

We are now in the period known as Shovavim, which is a unique and auspicious time to do Teshuvah. The word Shovavim alludes to the verse "Shuvu Banim Shovavim" which means "Return, wayward children!". The word Shovavim is made up of the first letters of the weekly portions, in which we read about the Jewish people breaking free of the bondage of Mitzrayim. The exodus is mentioned no less than 50 times in the Torah, and we are exhorted again and again by G-d to remember the day we left Eygpt. This is because the saga of our exodus from Eygpt is not just an historical antidote. Every one of us has a person bondage. Our entire life's work is to break free from this bondage and for each and every one of us to experience our own personal exodus.

R Tzadok in his sefer Pri tzedek, Vayechi, 4. We say every shabbos, in pesukai desimra "hodu Lashem....Ki leolam chasdo". Within that kepitel of tehilim we say "leosei niflaot...", and subsequently go-on to mention brias haolam and yetzias mitzrayim, and finally kriyat yam suf. The question begs to be asked, how are these 3 an expression of "Leosei Niflaos"? I'll leave you to guess about brias haolam. But yetzias mitzrayim was a "peleh" of a geulah. In-that all other geolas, still left of with a stain of their respective gauls. As the gemara (megilah 14a) says, "we are still subjugated to achashveirosh", in that what his galus repsented still scars klal Yisrael today. However when we left mitzrayim, hashem said "Lo Tosifu lirotam oid", not just their physical decaying bodies, but everything they represented and embodied. And not only will we not see it in them, but we will not see it in ourselves, in our actions, and natural inclinations. This great rebirth happened at Kriyas Yam Suf, ad it was only at that great moment that we became freed. As we say every day in davening "Shira Chadasha shibchu geulim ... and when... Al Sfat hayam!"

Avi Tennenbaum's 7 Week Workshop on SHOVAVIM and INTERNET ADDICTION is available for FREE download (335 MB).

Download Here

Learn many valuable tools on how to deal with the addiction and nisyonos in this important series.

An audion shiur by Rav Aharon Lopian

I received a question recently from a student regarding a class I had taught a few years ago. Because it is a topic that affects every one of us, I figured I would expand the answer I sent in reply and, since for many it certainly falls into the category of “I didn’t know that!” Halachos, I thought I would share the thoughts with all of you. In addition, these weeks of Shovavim [the weeks of the parshiyos beginning with Parshas Shemos (the “Sh” of Shovavim) and continuing through Va’Eira, Bo, Bishalach, Yisro, and Mishpatim – the Roshei Teivos spell “Shovavim”] are traditionally a time that Klal Yisroel uses specifically to focus on our growth and sensitivities in areas having to do with tznius and male/female interactions in general.