Sukkos Thoughts

Protected by… Every Shabbos Chol Hamoed Succos we read the Haftorah (Yechezkel, Chapter 38) about the final confrontation at the end of days between Gog and the nation of Israel. How does Succos connect with Gog, Magog and the end of days? It is ironic to note that after the exodus from Egypt, while travelling [...]

How I Learned to Stop Complaining and Love Yom Tov

Making Yom Tov requires a Jewish woman to be a frugal shopper, an adequate cook, an event planner, an astute student of Jewish law, and a gracious hostess. She needs to be all this while still being a wife, a mother, or often a career woman too. In short, making Yom Tov is an endeavor [...]

Chag Someach to All

Have a wonderful joyful Succos. ____________________________________________ From Derech Emes Directions of Lulav Waivings ____________________________________________ Rashi: left, right, front, back, up, down Tur: front, left, right, back, up, down Beth Yosef and Rema: front, right, back, left, up, down Levush: front, right, left, up, down, back Ari: right, left, front, up, down, back ____________________________________________ To receive [...]

Lessons From the Erev Yom Kippur Tornado

Twenty four hours before Yom Kippur, two tornados hit Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island tearing down and uprooting over 2,000 trees. What lessons did you learn or hear from you Rav after this awesome display of Hashem’s might right before the day of judgment?

Between Yom Kippur and Sukkos – Actions to Match Up to Our Prayers

From Days of Majesty – By Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis On Yom Kippur, the Jewish people were forgiven for the sin of the golden calf and were given the second set of luchos. Yet even after this tremendous act of pardon, we still did not know if we had found favor in Hashem’s eyes. During [...]

Do Teshuva Out of Love This Yom Kippur

Advantages of Doing Teshuva out of Love In the Aryeh Kaplan Reader article titled Yom Kippur Thoughts – A Good Day for Repentance, Rabbi Kaplan points out the tremendous advantages of doing teshuva out of love versus out of fear: 1) Your sins become merits 2) You require no further atonement even though we can’t [...]

Taking Back Last Year’s Neilah

One Yom Kippur, in his drashah right before the Neilah prayer, our rav gave a short but powerful speech. He started off with a tragic narrative of a family that lo aleinu lost a child in a fire. Then he spoke about “taking back last year’s Neilah.” If someone had been through a painful year, [...]

Join the Clean Team. Al Cheit 2010

Today I did something I’d like to delete from my supernal report card. I googled the name of someone I dislike just to take him down. Yes, I’m jealous. X is an uneducated boor, crass, ostentatious, but blessed, it seems with a talent for earning easy money. What my search turned up wasn’t the stuff [...]

A Must Read for Rosh Hashana

I think this is one of the most important articles to read in preparation for Rosh Hashana: Why Judgement – By Rabbi Noson Weisz An excerpt: INVESTMENTS VERSUS REWARDS The very first point that must be emphasized is that contrary to popular belief, Rosh Hashana is not about reward and punishment. The Talmud informs us [...]

Prepare for Rosh Hoshana With These Great Shiurim

Rabbi Welcher on Tekios on Rosh Hoshana 2010 – mp3 can be download here. Rabbi Oelbaum on Teshuva 2010 – mp3 can be download here. Rabbi Yonason Sacks on Teshuva – mp3 can be download here. Rabbi Welcher on Selichos night from 2007 can be downloaded here. Rabbi Welcher on Halachos of Blowing Shofar from [...]

Some Random Thoughts on My Daughter and Son-in-law’s Upcoming Chasanah

Tonight’s the big night and we are grateful to Hashem for this joyous occasion. Here are some random thoughts: – It is possible to go from engagement to Wedding date in under 10 weeks – Getting your response cards in early is really appreciated – Sending a check with the response card, if you’re planning [...]

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