Tag: Teshuva
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In this week’s parsha, Nitzavim, the Torah tells us: “And you shall return to Hashem your God, and listen to His voice… with all your heart and all your soul” (Devarim 30:2). Notice — the pasuk doesn’t say “return from sin”, but “return to Hashem.” Teshuva is not about running away from suffering or punishment.…
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Standing Together in Unity Parshat Nitzavim opens: “Atem nitzavim hayom kulchem” — you are all standing here today. Every Jew, from leaders to water carriers, stood together before Hashem. Chazal teach this is arvut — kol Yisrael areivim zeh bazeh — we are responsible for one another. That unity is not only the opening of…
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Climbing the Right Mountain We’ve all heard of rock bottom — when a person loses everything and only then realizes it’s time to change. But Parshat Shoftim warns of another danger that’s spoken about far less. When you spend so much time climbing the mountain of success — money, fame, luxury — only to reach…
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Hashem wants us to love one another — not only in words, but in how we see, judge, and treat each other.Parshat Shoftim opens: “V’shaftu et ha’am mishpat tzedek” — judge the people with righteous judgment. The Rachmastrivka Rebbe explains that we begin Elul with Shoftim because as we prepare for Rosh Hashana and our…
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A man struggling to make ends meet wants to one day buy his wife a gift. He doesn’t have much, but every night, he empties whatever spare change he has into a jar—nickels, dimes, maybe the occasional dollar. “One day,” he tells himself, “this’ll turn into something special.” Years go by. The jar gets full.…
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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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Living the Purpose of Our Redemption In Parshat Emor, we read a powerful command: “You shall not desecrate My holy name, and I shall be sanctified among the Children of Israel.” (Vayikra 22:32)Immediately after, the Torah reminds us: “I am Hashem who took you out of Egypt to be your God.” Rashi explains: The purpose…
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The Mouth That Destroys, The Mouth That Rebuilds Not long ago, we all felt it.The silence. The distance. The ache of being apart.During the Covid lockdowns, even Pesach seders were held in empty rooms. Shabbos meals with no guests.Some of us were lucky to have family.But too many were completely alone — no one to…
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Parshat Vayakhel begins with Moshe gathering kol adat Bnei Yisrael—every single Jew: men, women, and children. This wasn’t just another speech. It was a moment of unity. The Mishkan would be built through the collective effort of Am Yisrael, but before any work could begin, Moshe emphasized one crucial point: Shabbos. The connection between Shabbos…
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In Parshat Yitro, just before Matan Torah, the Torah describes Bnei Yisrael’s encampment at Har Sinai: “וַיִּחַן שָׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶגֶד הָהָר” – “And Israel encamped there opposite the mountain.” (Shemot 19:2) Rashi famously points out the unusual singular form of “וַיִּחַן” (they encamped), rather than the expected plural, explaining that Bnei Yisrael were united “כְּאִישׁ…
