Maximize Your Moments
On Jewish festive days we say the Hallel prayer. In it we read a verse which says “Moshivi akaret habayit, eIm habanim smeicha” ” G-d takes a barren wife and makes her into a happy mother” – The Radak, a medieval rabbi, biblical commentator, philosopher, and grammarian (Rabbi David Kimhi) points out that aside from this verse teaching us of G-d’s full control over the world, it also hints to redemption. Rabbi Aaron Pessin shares this fascinating message.
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Why is Purim called Purim? We know that it’s explained in the scroll of Esther (Megilat Esther) that it’s called Purim because of the Pur / the lottery that Haman did. Pur is lottery in Hebrew. However Rabbi Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzahl explains a different reason, in a lighthearted/Purim fashion – Rabbi Aaron Pessin shares the essence of this special Jewish holiday.
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There’s a widely accepted custom when we go to the Synagogue and listen to the reading of Megillat Esther, we bang and make noise when we hear Haman’s name being read. What is the source to this tradition? Rabbi Aaron Pessin shares…
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In the Torah portion of Terumah we read about the construction of the various utensils used for the miishkan / tabernacle / sanctuary in the desert. Like every Synagogue through out history was built by donations, so was the sanctuary in the desert. When collecting money for the sanctuary, the Torah uses the expression “kol nediv leebo” “all those generous of heart” – however this is the only time in this expression is used by donations in the Torah. The question is WHY?
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The Jewish people sing a song of Thanksgiving to G-d as they cross the red sea on dry land. In this song it says “This is my G-d & I will glorify Him” – We learn from this verse that when performing G-d’s commandments we should go above and beyond the bare minimum requirement – we should beautify the mitzvah/commandment, The question is asked: Why specifically is it this verse, of the Jews by the sea, that teaches us this lesson? There are many miraculous events that happened for the Jewish people – what is special about this one? Rabb Ari Enkin shares the lesson…
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Amazing story of Rabbi Shlomo Reichenberg of Bnei Brak. When Shlomo was 16 years old, he entered hell – aka the holocaust. At the concentration camp, 10 men would sleep on 1 wooden plank. One day, as he was walking in the camp, he was beaten up by one of the guys in the camp. They suspected that Shlomo was cooperating with the nazis. Was this true? Rabbi Aaron Pessin shares the story.
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In the Torah portion of Va’era we’re introduced to Moshe (Moses) and Aaron – two greats of the Jewish people. Sometimes Moses is mentioned first in the verse and sometimes Aaron is mentioned first. Why is this so? It’s explained that they were both equally as great. But that raises another question: How could that be? Everyone knows Moses and that he was the great leader of the Jewish people and the greatest prophet of Israel. How could it be that they were equal in greatness?
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In the Torah portion of Shemot, we read about the Jewish midwives. One of their names was Shifra and the other one was Puah. Yet we know that Shifra and Puah were actually Yocheved and Miram – the mother and sister or Moses. These are women who were also leaders of the Jewish people, why did the Torah give them names that represent seemingly menial tasks?
Rabb Ari Enkin shares…
Rabbi Alpren was giving a class about Resurrection of the Dead / Revival of the dead. There are sources in the book of Daniel and Isaiah which talk about this topic. The woman sitting in the front of the class was astonished by something the Rabbi said. What was it? Rabbi Yehonason Alpren shares this true story
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In the Torah portion of Vayigash, Joseph reveals himself to his brothers. Before the brothers leave Egypt, Joseph gives them a gift to take back to his father Jacob. It was an aged bottle of wine. The question is asked: Why an aged bottle of wine – what is so important about this bottle of wine? Did his father need wine at this time? Rabbi Ari Enkin shares the important lesson that we learn from this bottle of wine.
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