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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

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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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The Younglings (You’re Not A Hipocryte)

The Younglings (You’re Not A Hipocryte)

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Doing good for an ulterior motive isn’t always such a bad thing… Moshe Rabbeinu reminds the Jewish people about the time they believed the scouts’ report about Eretz Yisroel. He tells them that their children, who didn’t take part in that episode would merit to enter the Land. “[Furthermore,] your young children, [about whom] you said, ‘They will be prey,’ and your children who on that day did not know good and evil, they will go there and I will give…

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But How is He Going to Make a Living?

But How is He Going to Make a Living?

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Pinchas: A Sicha Part 2 Read Part 1 here. But How is He Going to Make a living? It’s a fair question. Your shvigger asked the question about you and your wife will ask it about your future son-in-law. The simple answer is: G-d wants us to have a relationship with materialism and yet remain above it all. Now we can understand why the issue with Pe’or happened before entering the land of Israel after the first generation of Jews in the…

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A Geshmake Tayve

A Geshmake Tayve

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Pinchas: A Sicha Part One :וְהָיְתָה לּוֹ וּלְזַרְעוֹ אַחֲרָיו בְּרִית כְּהֻנַּת עוֹלָם תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר קִנֵּא לֵאלֹקיו וַיְכַפֵּר עַל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל “It shall be for him and for his descendants after him [as] an eternal covenant of kehunah, because he was zealous for his G-d and atoned for the children of Israel.” (Pinchas 25:13) The situation with Pinchas happened after the Jewish people began sinning with the Moabite women and doing serving idols (avoda zara) of Ba’al Pe’or with them. Rashi tells us that…

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12-13 Tammuz, Chag HaGeula: A Sicha in Three Parts; Part Three

12-13 Tammuz, Chag HaGeula: A Sicha in Three Parts; Part Three

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III. Giving Someone who gives, gives out of good will(1) and he gives everything he has. Obviously there are many degrees in quality of giving, but real giver gives completely. A receiver too must receive out of good will: we must receive everything the Rebbe has given us and use it all out. The Frierdiker Rebbe wrote in his letter(2) to all of us he writes that we should use out the yom tov as a day to farbreng—not to…

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12-13 Tammuz, Chag HaGeula: A Sicha in Three Parts; Part Two

12-13 Tammuz, Chag HaGeula: A Sicha in Three Parts; Part Two

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II. G’ula The Frierdiker Rebbe’s redemption on the 12th and 13th of Tammuz came about as a result of being imprisoned. A redemption happens only when there is first some form of imprisonment—and even in his imprisonment, the Frierdiker Rebbe had everyone in mind. The Frierdiker Rebbe incarcerated in the stead of others. In fact, his imprisonment wasn’t because of some personal reason— he was put in jail for spreading Torah and protecting mitzvos. Every Jew in that time a…

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12-13 Tammuz, Chag HaGeula: A Sicha in Three Parts; Part One

12-13 Tammuz, Chag HaGeula: A Sicha in Three Parts; Part One

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I. What is a leader? Simply put, a Jewish leader, the leader of the generation is a neshoma klollis, which means that the majority of his life is dedicated to his non-personal life— he’s life is dedicated to his mekushorim. When the Frierdiker Rebbe wanted to have a sefer Torah written to greet Moshiach, he wanted all Jews to partake in his endeavor. He said that although he could afford the parchment, the ink and the writing, he wanted every…

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Why Daven?

Why Daven?

Likkutei Torah: Parshas Chukas Vaya’as Moshe Part Three: Why Daven? וְזֶהוּ עִנְיָן הַתְּפִלָּה שֶׁבְּגוּף הָאָדָם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶה,   What is the point of davening? As  a soul in a body? In this world? שֶׁהַנְשָׁמָה בְּתוֹךְ הַגוּף סוֹבֶלֶת צָרוֹת וִיסוּרִים, שֶׁרְצוֹנָה לִידָבֵק בְּיוֹצְרָהּ וְהַגוּף אֵינוֹ מַנִיחָה, In this world, the soul in the body goes through hardship and pain, when all she wants is to attach herself to her Maker and the body won’t let. וּכְמוֹ גָלוּת הַשְׁכִינָה שֶׁמוּכְרֶחֶת לַהַחֲיוֹת גַּם הַרְשָעִים, The soul is forced…

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We Daven to Transform Evil

We Daven to Transform Evil

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Likkutei Torah: Parshas Chukas VaYa’as Moshe: Part 2 We Daven to Transform Evil. What Is Evil? ,וְהִנֵה מְבוּאָר בְּזֹהַר The Zohar  tells us, מַאן דְלֹא מְהַפֵּךְ מְרִירוּ לְמִתְקָא, לֵית לֵיהּ חוּלְקָא בְּהַאי עַלְמַא כְּלוּם (עַיֵין בְּזֹהַר בְּרֵאשִׁית דַף ד’ עָמוּד א׳ וּבְּפִּירוּשׁ הַרַמַ”ז שָׁם “One who hasn’t transformed bitterness into sweetness has no portion in this world [the world to come].” כְּי זֶה כָּל הָאָדָם לֹא נִבְרא אֶלָא בִּשְׁבִיל זֶה, שֶׁהַרֵי בְּבַּית רִאשׁוֹן לֹא הָיוּ מִתְפַּלְלִין כְּלַל גַּם בְּבַּית שֵׁנִי…

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Rethinking Evil

Rethinking Evil

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Likkutei Torah: Parshas Chukas VaYa’as Moshe Part 1 Concept Background to the Ma’amer: I. The verse: See for yourself in the preceding verse: Rashi writes that one had to gaze intently at the copper snake for the healing to work. Rashi: Moshe Rabbeinu wasn’t told to make it out of copper, but since Hashem called it a “nochosh” (“snake,” in Hebrew) he made it out of “nechoshes” (“copper”). (Bereishis Rabbah 19:31:8) II. Love and Fear. These are the two extremes…

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