Purim

A tedami benafshech lehimalet.

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 even so he gives away that power of lev nishbar to his friend who also needs the same thing. It is only fitting that he should not lose that power for his own needs and he is answered first.
Mordechai told Esther, don't think you can escape the decree, you are in trouble just as much as everyone else and you are 'tzarich le'oso davar' and that is why your tefila can have the desired effect.

Pachad Yitzchok

Parshas Shmini

Vayehi bayom hashmini...

Shabbos is a time of cleansing, renewal and rejuvenation. A yid stops running around like a chicken without a head trying to bring in parnassa and has time to think, daven, learn and spend time with family. Shabbos should be a new beginning and the day after Shabbos should be 'Day One' of a new lease on life. The Gemara says that 'Vayehi' is an expression of pain. If the day after Shabbos feels like the eighth day of the week....

Likutei Imrei Chaim

Happy Sunday FirstDay!!!

today is actually SecondDay....

Parshas Tazria

Vera'a hakohen es hanega

When someone goes to a tzadik or a mentor, he should not present his best characteristics and good qualities. Rather he should reveal his flaws and shortcomings, with the intent and hope that he can find succor for his ailing through the assistance and guidance of the tzadik.

Rebbe Shlomo Karliner zy'a

Pesach

Revava k'tzemach hasadeh nesatich

Revava ke'tzemach hasadeh: the path for you to grow is similar to the growth of a plant. The seed is transformed, not retaining it's form at all, becoming entirely sublimated into the new growth. But you (klal yisrael), wanted it done differently, vatirbi vatigdeli, you were great and important in your eyes, vatavo'ee badi adayim, with jewels and adornments, shadayim nachonu use'araich tzimayach, with bodily pleasure and luxury, ve'at airom ve'erya, you stayed bare and undeveloped.

Arvei Nachal

Pesach

Rasha ma hu omer, ma ha'avoda hazos lachem.
The rasha reffered to is not someone who doesn't believe in Hashem, rather someone in the grips of his desires and temptations. He feels that they are insurmountable and feels that surely he is not expected to be able to overcome them. Ma ha'avoda hazos lachem, lachem velo lo, he feels excluded. That is 'kafar be'ikar', Hashem will definitely assist him in overcoming his desires.

Rebbe Moshe Kobriner zy'a - Toras Avos

Parshas Metzora

Vehizartem es bnai yisrael meetumosom

Purifying thought leads to pure actions and pure actions lead to pure thought.
Adam mekadeish atzmo me'at mekadshin oso harbeh, thought is alluded to in the word 'me'at', as thought is not visible to the eye, in contrast with the physical body, alluded to in the word 'harbeh', which manifests itself fully to the viewer. Adam mekadaish atzmo milmata, referring to physical action, mekadshin oso milmala, referring to thought. each one purifies the other.
the Zohar says the word vehizartem can be translated as 'zar' meaning a stranger or as 'zayr' meaning a crown. A person who makes himself a stranger to tuma'a in actions purifies his thoughts as well, the zayr, alluding to his thoughts.

Degel Machaneh Ephraim

Rav Shach, zt”l, once traveled to the Kotel with a close student. He was obviously very moved by the visit and offered a very heartfelt prayer. When they were on the way home Rav Shach explained what had touched him so deeply. “I remembered that a certain person is very ill but I also recalled the Nefesh Hachaim who writes that Hashem renews the world every instant of each day. I pleaded with Hashem, ‘Master of the world! Just like you renew creation at all times, you can make it that this man will have a complete recovery. After all, the world is completely recreated. Surely in this new world You can cause that he feels entirely better!”

fire-in-breslov.blogspot.com/2011/04/nighttime-offering.html

I don’t know where I am in the world. All I know is how distant I feel from You, and how much damage I have done. From the time I was young until today, I’ve not had a single day I could call perfect and flawless. Even on those occasions when You helped me arouse myself and start trying to serve You, I was never able to persist and keep following the path of holiness for more than a short while. Even when You have helped me, I’ve not had pity on myself. I’ve not tried to stand firm for even a single day.
(Likutey Tefillos #13)

asimplejew.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post.html

And don't forget how the person who wrote that conducted himself in his youth... :'(

Rationalization

In Bardichev, there was a Jewish maid who was engaged to be married. It was discovered that she was pregnant out of wedlock and the town was in an uproar. She was brought before Rebbe Levi Yitzchok and the people of the town presented the story to him.
After they presented the facts the woman called out "It's not my fault. I didn't do anything wrong. It is the Rebbe's fault. It is known that when the Rebbe says 'Kesser' all the barren women are given a yeshua and become pregnant..."

(this story was recounted by R" Chaim Brisker at a meeting of gedolim regarding a gov't decree and one of those present used a story to prove his point. R' Chaim used this story as a rebuttal. from a sefer written by the father of R' Yoel Kahan called Shmuos Vesipurim)

The Apex of Beauty

One of the residents of Yerushalayim was once fleeing for his life from a non-Jew who was out to kill him. In a panic, he ran to the Maharil Diskin, zt”l, and asked what he should do. The Maharil gave him advice that seemed strange. “Learn maseches Middos and you will be saved.”
This man immediately fled to the safest place he could think of and learned through maseches Middos. Surprisingly, the non-Jew completely gave up on him and went home. Many local talmidei chachamim heard about what had happened and wondered if there was some kind of source for the Maharil’s directive, but no one could find any teaching of chazal that shed light on the subject.
When the Satmar Rav, zt”l, visited Yerushalayim in תרצ"ב, everyone was astounded at his vast bekiyus and deep understanding. Eventually he was asked if he knew of a source for this strange segulah.
“Of course,” replied the rebbe without a moment’s hesitation. “When Dovid fled from Shaul, the verse in Sefer Shmuel tells us that Dovid sat with Shmuel in Ramah. The gemara explains that Dovid sat in that ‘high place’ and occupied himself with building the Beis Hamikdash, the apex of beauty in the world. He worked to find and prepare its location.
“I believe that this was the Maharil Diskin’s source. Just like when Dovid was chased he learned Middos and was saved, the same is true for all time. The reasoning behind this is that the Beis Hamikdash was above nature. It follows that one who needs a supernatural salvation should learn about the Beis Hamikdash!”

fire-in-breslov.blogspot.com/2011/04/apex-of-beauty.html

some great lists from revach.net

50 miracles at the Yam Suf
revach.net/lists/article.php?id=24&nl=1

7 reasons for breaking the matza at the seder
revach.net/lists/article.php?id=37

10 Makos - mida kneged mida
revach.net/lists/article.php?id=21&nl=1

Reasons for wearing a kittle
revach.net/lists/article.php?id=35&nl=1

reasons for stealing the Afikoman
revach.net/lists/article.php?id=36&nl=1

Pesach

Hakol Beseder

The Imrai Chaim of Viznitz zy'a - whose yartzeit it is today - was especially fond of the mitzvos and minhagim of the Seder. He once took a taxi in Eretz Yisrael and when asked how he was doing the driver responded "hakol beseder", meaning everything is alright. The Rebbe stopped and said, you answered very well, everything, all spiritual riches, can be found in the Seder (of Pesach night).