Tag: Torah lessons
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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…
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What Are You Rooted In? The Secret to Lasting Growth Tu B’Shevat is known as the “New Year for Trees,” a time when we reflect on growth, renewal, and the power of deep roots. But this isn’t just about trees—it’s about us. The Torah tells us, “Ki ha’adam etz hasadeh”—”Man is like a tree in…
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At the beginning of Parshat Bo, Moshe once again delivers Hashem’s message to Paroh: “For how long will you refuse to submit to Me? Let My people go so they may serve Me.” Paroh’s advisors, exhausted by the cycle of plagues and warnings, urged him to give in: “Let the men go and serve their…
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Life is a journey filled with moments of triumph and times of challenge. Yet, it’s during the struggles—the hardest, most humbling moments—that we often uncover our true purpose. Right now, we’re reading the parshiot about Bnei Yisrael transitioning from slavery to freedom, a story we revisit every Pesach Seder. Rav Hershel Schachter teaches that Pesach…
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Have You Ever Been Stuck in the “Planning Trap”? You know the feeling—you’ve got an idea that lights you up. You get excited, jot down every detail, map out how it’ll unfold, and maybe even envision how incredible the results will be. But then… nothing. The idea sits, gathering digital dust in your notes, while…
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Yosef’s story is one of the most incredible examples of emunah (faith) and bitachon (trust) in Hashem’s plan. Despite everything he went through—being betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and thrown into prison—he never lost sight of the bigger picture. Yosef understood that every moment of his life, no matter how painful…
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This week’s parsha begins with a dramatic moment: Yosef is rushed out of prison, cleaned up, and brought before Pharaoh. Pharaoh had been troubled by two unsettling dreams. In the first, seven healthy, fat cows emerged from the Nile, only to be devoured by seven thin, sickly cows. In the second dream, seven ripe and…
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A Personal Storm: When Miracles Seem Impossible A few years ago, a friend of mine faced what seemed like an impossible situation. He had been pouring his heart, soul, and savings into building a brick-and-mortar business. Despite countless challenges along the way, he refused to give up. He leveraged every resource, invested more money, and…
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At the end of parshat Vayeishev, we find Yosef in jail, interpreting the dreams of Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer and baker. Yosef lived with emuna and bitachon—he trusted that everything Hashem does is for the best, no matter how it looked at the moment. Think about Yosef’s life up to this point. His brothers hated him…
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Shalom (Peace) is one of Hashem’s names. We conclude our tefillah with a bracha for Shalom and the word Shalom is the final word of the powerful Birkat Kohanim. Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Levi says in Gemara Taanit Yerushalmi that the whole idea why the Chachamim Set up Eruvei Chatzeirot is for Darchei Shalom, to promote…