Tag: spiritual growth
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In Parshat Balak (23:10), Bilam says something surprising: “תָּמֹת נַפְשִׁי מוֹת יְשָׁרִים, וִיהִי אַחֲרִיתִי כָּמוֹהוּ”“Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my end be like theirs.” It sounds noble. Who wouldn’t want the peaceful, eternal reward of the righteous? But Chazal expose the contradiction behind his words. Midrash Rabbah says: Bilam said:…
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A man walks into Macy’s and wins a 10-minute shopping spree. The doors open, the countdown starts… and he takes off running. But instead of heading for the jewelry or electronics, he wastes time and gets distracted picking things up along the way like grabbing socks, gum, and cheap T-shirts. By the time his 10…
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Korach’s claim sounded holy: “Ki kol ha’edah kulam kedoshim — The entire nation is holy!” And he wasn’t wrong. Every Jew stood at Har Sinai. We all carry a divine spark.But Korach twisted that truth. Instead of using holiness to serve, he used it to seize. He couldn’t accept that someone else had the role…
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Bnei Yisrael were living a life of open miracles in the desert.They were surrounded by Divine protection—clouds by day, fire by night, manna from Heaven, clothing that never wore out. It was a life completely enveloped in Hashem’s presence. So when it came time to enter Eretz Yisrael, they hesitated.To them, it felt like a…
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You don’t need to believe every lie to be shaped by it. All it takes is one assumption—one unchallenged narrative—to change the way you see the world. And these days, we’re not just surrounded by falsehoods. We’re drowning in them. From health advice that makes us sick to media headlines designed to keep us afraid……
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Complaining vs. Gratitude: A Mindset That Shapes Everything In this week’s parsha, Bnei Yisrael complain. They remember the “free” fish in Egypt, the cucumbers, leeks, onions, and garlic — and they long for it. Not freedom. Not connection to Hashem. Just food. Just comfort. They forget the slavery. The pain. The miracles that carried them…
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Most of us think we’re stuck.We don’t see change. We don’t feel growth.We’re doing the same things, facing the same struggles… and wondering:“Am I even moving forward?” But Hashem sees something you don’t:You’re not stuck. You’re leveling up. Growing up with my siblings, I never noticed myself getting taller. None of us did. We were…
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What Korbanot, Birkat Kohanim, and Shmoneh Esrei Teach Us About Showing Up With Kavana Sometimes, I catch myself in the middle of Shmoneh Esrei and realize… I’m not even there. I said the words. I bowed in the right places. I even remembered to pause before Modim. But my head? Somewhere else entirely. And yet…
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We don’t usually say this out loud, but we all feel it:We want to enjoy life. To wake up with excitement. To move through the day with clarity, purpose, and peace of mind. But here’s the question nobody asks: What if the most enjoyable life isn’t found on a beach or in a bank account…
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Don’t Miss the Point These days, antisemitism is on everyone’s mind.And rightfully so. We’re worried. We’re hurting. We’re searching for answers. What should we do?More security. Better PR. Stronger hasbara.We have to fight back.We have to protect ourselves. And yes — we absolutely need to do hishtadlut.We have a responsibility to act, to defend, to…
