The Library

Perek 5 in Mishlei is a chapter I believe every GYE member should memorize. Each word is a gem that can enlighten and inspire us. Click here for the full text and translation. Here are a few of the verses: כִּ֤י נֹ֣פֶת תִּ֖טֹּפְנָה שִׂפְתֵ֣י זָרָ֑ה וְחָלָ֖ק מִשֶּׁ֣מֶן חִכ...

“And you, who are cleaving to G-d, you are alive this day” (Deuteronomy 4:4). Chasam Sofer says that a person’s evil instinct tells him that he can never meet all the Torah’s demands all his life. Inasmuch as that is futile, one may as well give up the battle now. Moses t...

"G-d, your G-d was with you, you lacked for nothing" (Deuteronomy 2:7) The wise King Solomon said, "One who desires money is never satisfied with what he has" (Ecclesiastes 5:9). So it is with all physical pursuits. They are insatiable. An alcoholic saw a sign on a t...

The Rambam (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, "Laws of Repentance", 10,3) writes: "What is the proper love that we must have for G-d? It is to love G-d with an exceedingly great and intensely powerful love until the individual is constantly enraptured by it; he must be stricken ...

Chaza"l say, "Who is strong? He who subdues his evil inclination". A wise man once said. "Someone who serves G-d only with his heart needs to wage great battles to subdue his evil inclinations, but one who serves G-d also with his mind can subdue his inclinations without ...

From the Shaar ha'Tefillah by the Beer Mayim Chayim "And it is not seemly and it is not proper for an intelligent person to run after the filth and desire of this sort, for why is he called man if not for having the spirit of man which ascends above and not that of a bea...

The Sefat Emet writes: It is written MISHLE 23:26: "My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways". Because the one who guards his eyes and his heart, which are the two agents of sin, merits that the Holy One Blessed be He put His eyes and His good heart o...

The Holy Zohar, Kedoshim We have learnt that it is forbidden for man to gaze at the beauty of a woman lest evil thoughts be aroused in him and lead him to something worse. When R. Shimon went through the town, followed by the Companions, if he saw a beautiful woman he us...

Zohar, Bereshit 61b Rabbi Yitzhak was in the presence of Rabbi Shimon. He asked him: Regarding the verse, "And the earth was corrupt before G-d," (Bereshit, 5:11,) if men transgressed, why should the earth be called corrupt? Rabbi Shimon answered him, Because it is w...

The Medrash Yalkut Shemoni (click here) brings Chazal's words: Who ever turns himself away from aveira (sin), then even if he is a Israelite, he is worthy of bringing a sacrifice on the alter like the Kohen Gadol"... "And who ever makes himself lazy from sin and doesn't s...

Shaar haTefillah (Shaar Nipol): "And the person should consider the following account on his soul: What he gains when he engages in buying and selling in the markets against the loss he has when he looks at forbidden things there and the evil thoughts he will have thereby...

Rav Kook writes that midas HaYesod can bring a person to a lower level than he really is at, and the opposite is true as well, it can boost a person to a higher level than he really is, as the Pasuk says "Tzaddik bechol hadoros" (meaning that a Tzadik, i.e. one who guards...

Do not repent. Repentance means to stop being bad and to become good. Instead, return. Return to the essential self and to what is rightfully yours. This is what we call T'shuva. "Net" commented: I'm a lubavitcher chossid, so I know the source of this say...

"Hayom Im Kekolo Tishmau" (Tehillim 95-7) - "Today!! If you heed His voice". This is an important rule in the service of God: One should focus only on today. Whether with regard to livelihood and personal needs, one should not think about one day to the next, as is brough...

"We have learned that it is forbidden for a man to gaze at the beauty of a woman lest evil thoughts be provoked in him and he be incited to something worse. When Rabbi Shimon had to walk through the town, followed by his companions, when he came to a place where beautiful...

From the Shulchan Aruch Ha'Rav Siman 85, Sif 4: "One should think divrei Torah even in a bathroom, if that's the only way to keep thoughts of women out of his head"

When you try to make peace, either for yourself or between two other people, expect setbacks. They are part of the process. Many people are happy, even excited, to make peace when they see steady progress. Even if progress is slow, they are patient. But when they are face...

As they walked along, Rabbi Abba said, What is the meaning of the verse: "They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and have hewn them out cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water?" (Yirmeyahu, 2:13) The meaning of "they have forsaken Me (oti)" refers...