The Library

Yosef HaTzadik is teaching us an approach in life – be a minimalist!  Many try for perfection.  We feel that anything short of perfection is not worth it.  Yosef is saying “Not true.  Accomplish whatever you can accomplish, even if it does not solve the problem, even if it is not a foolproof plan.”  Doing something is better than doing nothing!

I happened to read in the Kaf Hachaim (5) that Vasikin is mechaper for Zera L'vatala! What hashgacha pratis! Hashem obviously wanted me to daven vasikin to send me a sign that my Teshuva is accepted!

Jewish tradition, however, does not see sex , per se, as sinful. In fact, in the right context, and when engaged in with conscious purpose, sex is seen as a positive commandment,

Incredible vort on Megilas Rus. The Alshich Hakadosh brings that Machlon was zoche that through the "yibum" of Boaz, Machlon's neshama came back in Oved - the grandfather of Dovid Hamelech. And his almanah Rus produced malchus. What zchus did he have? And why not his brot...

On Lag Baomer, we joyfully sing: "Omar R‘ Akiva, Ashreichem Yisrael! Ma hamikva metaher es hat’meim kach Hkb’h metaher es yisroel.“ Why was it necessary for R’ Akiva to tell us this? The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains: As we know, there are no extra words in Mishnayos. There...

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 etern...

First, thanks for lighting up my life and for showing me that I am not the only one with this nisayon and there's a beautiful shining hope! I had such an intense experience this Yom Kippur, and I feel the need to shout from the rooftops that Hashem loves all of us so very...

In the beginning of "Machshivos charutz," R' Tzadok Hacohen of Lublin explains the deepest secrets of milchemes hayetzer. He explains that there are two "drachim" in milchemes hayetzer that are both legitimate but only when used together. IE: Although some people have mor...

In the spirit of Purim, I figured I would share a thought of Torah with everyone here. The Bnei Yisaschar (Rav Zmi Elimelech Shapiro of Dinov) points out something very interesting about Purim. In naming the Moadim, the Torah refers to each particular holiday with a name ...

"Fortunate is he who did not sin!One who did should returnAnd will be forgiven" This is the song that was taught at the annual "Simchas Beis Hashoeva" festivities in the Beis Hamikdash (1) Which sin are they referring to? And why was the the song of choice? They were hint...

Dear Lost, Regarding your very important concern about changing our lives vs living only one day at a time, there are a few things I'd like to share with you. One is that Hashem cannot possibly be naive. And since He sees us make the same mistakes over and over while a...

When I was seven years old I had the privilege of hearing the Chavler Rov, one of the biggest Geonim [geniuses] in the world. He said to my father, imagine that a big Rosh Yeshiva is walking down the street. Suddenly on the other side of the street there is a very beautif...

Shacharis. Shabbos morning. I'm not really feeling it. My mind wanders... before I know it, I'm holding by birchos krias sh'ma which speaks of the holy angels who praise Hashem..." It dawns on me, hey, does Hashem really need me? What am I, one small creature in a huge un...

Listen to a short message of Chizuk regarding Pesach Sheini (3.5 min).

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...

The Klausenberger Rebbe zy"a after the war was in the DP camps and it was Purim and he was at the seudah surrounded by many people, each one with a tragic story, this one lost a wife, this one his parents, this one his children and so on. the matzav ruach was very low. th...

Did Mordechai really suspect that Esther would do something so low? hamispalel ba'ad chavero vehoo tzarich leee'oso davar hu nenah techila. There is a power in a tefila that comes from a lev nishbar. A persn who needs something and his heart is broken because of it, and e...