Pesach

I'd like to share a Pesach story I heard that I think can give us a good perspective on our struggle with the Yetzer Hara. There was a Yid who was not a chossid, but he was a G-d fearing Jew and he put in tremendous effort in preparing for Pesach. He was makpid on all the chumros, and he hired no...

Pesach is approaching Freedom anticipating Preparation the prerequisite In advance of the bondage exit Cleaning the house physically Cleansing the neshama spiritually All chametz is burnt On all sins repent Seder night we enter royally As befit those granted freedom eternally We follow the order ...

I struggled with shmiras einayim for years. I tried every trick in the book, every kind of inspiration, but nothing lasted for the long term. Until I finally gave up. ; Surprisingly though, it was actually when I gave up that things finally changed. I came to the realization that I just can't bea...

During the hundreds of years that the Children of Israel lived in the land of Egypt, they gathered and elevated sparks of holiness that were hidden there. Our ancestors did what they had to do while enslaved in the lowest place on earth, they were ultimately successful in their mission. Once the ...

; Dov, who is clean in SA since 1997 (see his story here), replies: Gorgeous! ;At the Seder, we say, "afilu kulonu chachomin/nevonim/know the Torah and the whole story - mitzvah aleinu ;l'saper" ;- 'sipur' means ;to tell someone else ;a thing we already know. First, it is to the child on his or ...

The fact that we can't 'beat' lust is a very important lesson. It's incredible how it underpins everything. Someone with an allergy would be very stupid to fight the fact that he has it and still try and eat the peanuts without causing an effect. So too with us. The 'peanuts' are everywhere. I c...

I want to share this thought while I am feeling a massive urge to go back to my old ways. I am 9 months in recovery. ; In the past, when I used to feel stressed and anxious - which caused me to feel vulnerable - I would turn to "adult entertainment," which I thought would bring some enjoyment in...

; I offered to divide the preparations for Pesach equally with my wife. The Pasuk says, "For seven days you shall eat Matzos and there should be no Chametz found in your houses." I told her that I will be in charge of buying the Matzos and she will be in charge of making sure there is no Chametz...

Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Barditchov (1740-1810) was one of the great spiritual masters of his generation. One Passover, following an emotionally charged Seder, the Rebbe was told from heaven, that Mosheleh the water carrier's Seder was superior to his. "This year," he was informed from above, "G-d'...