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Author: Moshe Delerb

Moshe Delerb studied in Lubavitcher yeshivos in Jerusalem, Crown Heights and most recently, Morristown. He spent two years in Wilkes-Barre; one year as a student-teacher and the other as both student-teacher and elementary school teacher. Moshe Delerb founded The Long Short Way in the spring of 2015. He currently lives in Crown Heights with his wife and studies in kollel.
Let’s Be Windows

Let’s Be Windows

Let’s Be Windows Why do we need to do mitzvos everyday? Can’t the mitzvah be done tomorrow? Can I do a whole bunch of mitzvos today and not do any tomorrow? This is the first installment of the Rebbe’s ma’amer, V’Avraham Zokein 5738 (1977). This ma’amer was said in the Rebbe’s room and was published on motzoey Shabbos Parshas Chayei Sarah. Download the PDF here.      בְּסִיּיַתָּא דִשְׁמַיָא. מוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּת פַּרְשַׁת חַיֵי שָׂרָה, מְבָרְחִים הַחֹדֶשׁ כִּסְלֵו – בְּחֲדָרוֹ –…

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Joy: The Long Short Way

Joy: The Long Short Way

This is an updated version of the essay that sparked The Long Short Way over a year ago. It happened when Rabbi Simon Jacobson, a while after his My Life: Chassidus Applied videos came out, made an essay contest to encourage people to tackle an issue head-on. I didn’t win or even come close, but the idea stuck with me. Joy: The Long Short Way Download the PDF here. Many wonder what the key is to happiness. Is happiness really an “inalienable…

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Drip Like Rain

Drip Like Rain

Does learning Torah require personal understanding? Or does it require the absence of ego? Download the PDF here. בְּסִיּיַתָּא דִשְׁמַיָא. יוֹם שִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה ה’תשכ”ג* “תּוֹרָה צִוָּה לָנוּ משֶׁה מוֹרָשָׁה קְהִלַּת יַעֲקֹב,” (1) “The Torah that Moses commanded us is a legacy for the congregation of Jacob.” Rain and Dew ג) ״יַעֲרֹף כַּמָּטָר לִקְחִי תִּזַּל כַּטַּל אִמְרָתִי,”(15) “My lesson will drip like rain; my word will flow like dew; like storm winds on vegetation and like raindrops on grass.” דְמָּטָר בָּא מֵהָעַנָנִים שְׁנַעֲשִׂים…

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Water and Wine

Water and Wine

What is joy?  Water and Wine וּשְׁאַבְתֶּם מַיִם בְּשָׂשׂוֹן מִמַּעַיְנֵי הַיְשׁוּעָה.(בישעיה י”ב). “And you shall draw water with joy from the fountains of the salvation” Download the PDF here. הִנֵה בְּכָל הַשָׁנָה הָיָה נִיסוּךְ הַיַיִן עַל גַבֵּי מִזְבֵחַ וְהוּא מְפוּרָשׁ בְּתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּכְּתַב בְּהֶדְיָא בְּכַּמָּה מְקוֹמֹות. וּבְּחַג הַסוּכּוֹת הָיָה עוֹד גַּם נִיסוּךְ הַמַיִם עַל גַבֵּי הַמִזְבֵחַ כָּל שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הֶחָג. Throughout the year, wine was poured on the altar in the Holy Temple, as is explained in many places in Scripture….

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Love the One You’re With

Love the One You’re With

Does love have a limit? What if I’m just not inspired? If I force myself to do mitzvos I’ll run out of energy…I’ll just keep the minimum requirements. How can I have a genuine love for G-d? In the Rebbe’s ma’amer, Shuva Yisroel, he answers these questions and more. This ma’amer was said on the 6th of Tishrei 5737 (1976) and is the first of two ma’amorim in a series. In this ma’amer, the Rebbe explains the meaning of the verse, “Shuva Yisroel,” from the…

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Two Halves make a whole

Two Halves make a whole

Who can contain G-d if He is infinite in all ways? Why would He create a world of darkness? Why us? Download PDF ״וּבְיוֹם שִׂמְחַתְכֶם וּבְמוֹעֲדֵיכֶם וּבְרָאשֵׁי חָדְשֵׁכֶם וּתְקַעְתֶּם בַּחֲצֹצְרֹת עַל עֹלֹתֵיכֶם וְעַל זִבְחֵי שַׁלְמֵיכֶם וְהָיוּ לָכֶם לְזִכָּרוֹן לִפְנֵי אֱלֹקֵיכֶם אֲנִי ה׳ אֱלֹקֵיכֶם:״ ״On the days of your rejoicing, on your festivals and on your new-moon celebrations, you shall blow on the trumpets for your ascent-offerings and your peace sacrifices, and it shall be a remembrance before your G-d; I…

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It’s All For Us

It’s All For Us

What happens when we accept someone exactly as they are? What if there’s something wrong with them? Won’t our acceptance be confused with approval? The Rebbe answers this and other questions in his ma’amer Ani L’dodi of 5726 (1966). This is the final installment of this ma’amer. Read the previous installments here: Part One: Elul — Being Proactive Part Two: He Doesn’t Wake You, He Waits For You Part Three: He Awaits you, Wherever You Are Part Four: Not Just What You Do, But Who…

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Internalizing a Mission

Internalizing a Mission

Moshe Rabbeinu said the book of Devorim from his own accord to the Jewish people. Our Rabbis tell us, that this book is, “mipi atzmo,” from Moshe himself. Moshe Rabbeinu internalized Hashem’s transmission so well, that the Torah he gave over was also Torah and included in the Five Books of Moses. From the second portion of the parsha, we see that Moshe Rabbeinu attributed the appointment of leader and judges to himself. However, in parshas Yisro, we see that it was Yisro’s…

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Infinity in 40 Years

Infinity in 40 Years

The more personal the more relatable. Moshe Rabbeinu said the book of Devorim from his own accord. That is, Moshe Rabbeinu taught the Torah over from his own understanding based on how deeply integrated it had become with his mind. Accordingly, we can know why this sefer, the fifth book of the Torah, was said at the 40th year. This was complete exposure of the entirety of Torah. The way the Torah was understood by Moshe Rabbeinu caused that it should be understood by the…

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The Road to Perdition is Paved With Good Intentions, But the Opposite is Also True

The Road to Perdition is Paved With Good Intentions, But the Opposite is Also True

In this sicha the Rebbe addresses how even the darkest points in our lives– as individuals and as a whole– have the greatest potential for good. Although the Rebbe touches on free will, it isn’t explained, I believe, because it isn’t as relevant to the discussion at hand. I. The Ba’al Shem Tov (1) teaches us that the 42 journeys of the Jewish people in the desert on the way to Eretz Yisroel have parallel in the life of every Jew. Leaving…

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