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Tag: the long short way

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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Internalizing a Mission

Internalizing a Mission

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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

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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

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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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