The Lubavitcher Rebbe in a sicha on parshas Balak said the following: Bilaam attempted to curse the Bnei Yisrael, but G-d caused him to bless them and praise them instead. Extolling Bnei Yisrael’s great merits and their endearment to G-d, Bilaam said, “Who has counted the dust of Yaakov?” According to one interpretation brought by Rashi, Bilaam was […]

With the words "Harei at mikudeshat li" a man and woman get married. What does that mean? the husband is saying that his wife is holy to him, separate, kadosh, special. She is exclusively his. And he of course becomes exclusively hers. And when we do a mitzvah, the wording is similar. "Baruch Atah Ado-nai

It is that time of year again: the month of Elul (yemei rachamim, days of mercy). The Alter Rebbe , the first Chabad Rebbe, gives a moshul (an example) of how accessible G-d is to us during this month. He compares this to a King who leaves his palace and goes out to the fields

What is the difference between living and existing? We all exist. Everyone and everything in this world exists.  But existing does not mean we are living. We can go through all the motions of life: we can pray, we can work, we can do our responsibilities and duties as parents, spouses, friends, children etc. But

Chanukah commemorates the victory of the small group of Jewish fighters, the Maccabees, against the Greeks who defiled the Beit Hamikdash. After winning, the Jews then entered the Beit Hamikdash to kindle the menorah and found miraculously one flask of pure oil with the seal of the Cohen gadol still on it. But how does

This year there are two months of Adar because it is a Jewish leap year. And we know when there are two months of Adar, as the Lubavitcher Rebbe said, the idea of simcha is even stronger. The Rebbe said that simcha poretz geder, breaks barriers. And since there is a concept of botul bshishim

The first days of Pesach (Passover) emphasize the redemption from Egypt (Mitzraim).  But the emphasis of the last two days Pesach is on the future redemption with the coming of Moshiach.  We eat a Moshiach seuda on the eighth day of Pesach (before nightfall we gather our family and we drink four cups of wine

I have been thinking a lot lately.  As the Lubavitcher Rebbe said over thirty years ago on Chaf Ches Nissan: “Do all that you can to bring the Geula in actuality.”  What does that mean exactly?  Of course we need to learn about Moshiach and redemption. That is first and foremost. We need to get

Every person sometimes has doubts in faith. We are only human: this is normal .  But, there is a person who uses doubts to seek his creator and turn his eyes and heart to the heavens, and then his faith grows stronger. And there is a man who takes advantage of doubts to justify his distance

Finally Adar! This is the month when everything changes around. It is the month of laughter. Through laughter you can change everything. So laugh your way through Adar. this year we have two Adars! Double opportunity. 60 days of joy. And as the Lubavitcher Rebbe taught us, when there are 60 days of Adar, all