ב"ה
An address on the Previous Rebbe's 100th birthday anniversary:
The Midrash teaches that G-d created gold only for the Holy Temple. Why, then, did He place
gold all over the world, where it can also be used for mundane purposes? Similarly, why did
G-d allow His Torah to be lowered from its loftiest heights, to the point that even someone
who seeks to misuse it, can comprehend it?
Most conflict is not about bad people. It’s about vague agreements and selective memory. This class steps into the Beit Din, the court of Jewish law, to examine what happens when expectations stay in someone's head instead of on paper. From ketubahs and gets, to leases, loans, and contractor jobs, we explore how the Torah approaches commitments between two parties. When is a handshake enough? Does “we had an understanding” hold up? And what makes an agreement binding when the stakes are real?
Likutei Sichos vol. 29, Shabbos Chazon
On the Shabbat prior to Tisha B’Av, known as Shabbos Chazon, everyone is shown a vision of the future Holy Temple. The Chassidic masters offer a parable of a precious suit to clarify the significance of this vision. Why does a garment fits better than a home to explain the house of Hashem?
From the fires of destruction to the fires of redemption
The astrological sign of the month of Av is connected with a lion, and represents a month of enormous potential and also great tragedy. Just as healing and redemption follow the fires of destruction, similarly in our lives, our challenges are divine gifts helping us to move forward.
Parsha Devarim
When appointing judges over the people of Israel, Moses confesses that the one quality he did not find in any of them was 'understanding'. But elsewhere the Torah relates that 'men of understanding' helped fashion the Sanctuary and its vessels? In resolving the contradiction, this class analyzes the nature of understanding and offers new insight into the remedy for our current exile. (Likutei Sichos vol. 34, Devorim, sichah 2)
In the fortieth year, on the first day of the month of Shevat, Moses began translating the Torah into the various languages of his time. What is the significance of Moses' translation? Is translating the Torah always a good thing, or can it also have negative repercussions? (Based on Likkutei Sichos vol. 36, p. 38.)
Letters and Numbers of Torah - Devarim
There are three verses in the Torah where a new paragraph begins in the middle of a verse. One of them is found in this week’s Torah portion. The fact that there is a break implies that we are dealing with two opposite concepts, in this case, the people of Esau and Moab. How are Esau and Moab opposites? How is this related to the Nine Days?
Studying Rashi: Parshat Devarim
“The Lord, your G-d has multiplied you, and you are today as numerous as the stars in the sky.” (Deuteronomy 1:10) Were there really as many Jews on that day as stars in the sky? Is this an exaggeration or perhaps a metaphor? Rashi explains why the Jews are compared to the celestial bodies.
A Metaphor for Exile and Redemption
Before the siege of Jerusalem, G-d commanded the prophet Ezekiel to place an iron pot around a brick symbolizing the city's siege. (Ezekiel 4:3) Iron can be a metaphor for the grave character defect of rigidity or for the deep inner strength of the Jewish people that leads to Redemption.
Letters and Numbers of Torah - Pinchas
"Pinchas...has turned My anger away from the children of Israel by his zealously avenging Me... therefore I hereby give him My covenant of peace." (Numbers 25:11-12) In this verse, the letter 'vav' of the word 'shalom' (peace) is written like two separate letters, a 'yud' above and a small 'vav' below. What does this teach us about how to make true peace?
Letters and Numbers of Torah—Matot
G-d tells Moses, “A thousand for each tribe, a thousand from each tribe, from all the tribes of Israel you shall send into the army [to battle the Midianites].” (Numbers 31:4) The Hebrew word for thousand is “elef,” which is spelled the same as “alef.” What is the connection between the battle against Midian, the letter alef, and the Three Weeks of mourning over the destruction of the Temple?
Parsha Matot-Massei
The Torah prohibits constructing the Temple with wood; only stone and brick are admissible. Yet the high priest's chamber, located in the Temple proper, was made of wood. This class will present an analysis of the subject from both halachic and spiritual viewpoints. (Likutei Sichos vol 28, Parshas Massei)
"Studying the dimensions of the Holy Temple is like building it"
The Midrash relates that at the beginning of the Babylonian exile, seventy years before the Jews’ return to Jerusalem, G-d instructed Ezekiel to teach them the dimensions of the Holy Temple, because when they engage in its study, G-d considers it as though they built it.
Study the Book of Lamentations
The Book of Lamentations is a sad song which contains the most heartrending prophecies of Jeremiah about the destruction of the Holy Temple and the ensuing exile. Join us for an informative and uplifting text-based study of this Biblical book, which is traditionally read on Tisha B’av.
Learning Likutei Sichos vol. 33 Shelach sicha 2
The spies were deeply spiritual people with high ideals, yet they were misguided and missed the point. This leads to fascinating dive into the Rambam’s definition of attaining the ultimate level of love of Hashem. A lesson from the spies: The goal of Juda
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