NLE Journal Posts | OLAMI Resources

Amongst Jews, genius is found only in the holy man. Ludwig Wittgenstein (notebook, 1931) There are two types of kedushah (holiness). The first is the active generating of holiness through doing the commandments and through sanctifying the material. However, there is another type of sanctity — purity (taharah). [1] Simply stated, purity is achieved through... Read more »

The Year The Jewish calendar is a lunar calendar, based on the cycle of the moon around the earth. This cycle takes twenty-nine and a half days, so the months are alternately twenty-nine or thirty days, except for Cheshvan and Kislev, which can be either twenty-nine or thirty days. [1] There are twelve months in... Read more »

Building upon the previous essay about bitachon, trust in G-d, when it comes to severe difficulties in life, should we always expect that things will improve, or should we sometimes just accept that they won’t get better? And can we pray for one on the verge of death? This is Rabbi Asher Resnick’s second of two essays addressing... Read more »

The heavens will always remain heavens. But the earth we can elevate and make heavenly. Kotzker Rebbe [1] HOLINESS AS A MORAL IMPERATIVE G-d gave us 613 commandments. These are precise activators of holiness. In addition, G-d created man with physical and other needs — taking care of our health or earning a living, for... Read more »

Derech B’Yam HaTalmud has produced a new eBook entitled How Many Sons did Haman Have? (And what became of them?) The eBook explores three primary issues which add great insight to understanding and teaching the story of the Megillah. First, the Gemara brings three opinions regarding how many sons Haman had and how they all... Read more »

Be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Exodus (19:6) THE SWEEPING BREADTH OF HOLINESS Leviticus 19 is one of those chapters that totally changes our perspective on how to live our lives. Moses gathers the entire nation together, [1] and he transmits G-d’s instruction: “Be holy, because I, the Lord your G-d, am... Read more »

When you buy a gift for a loved one, you’re buying something for yourself as well. A meaningful experience. Maybe you’re buying the renewed closeness your gift will bring. Or the security of knowing you’ve made your loved one happy. Or the ability to fulfill their expectations. Whatever it is, you’re getting something out of... Read more »

Adapted to English from the Sefer Be’er Yosef by Rav Yosef Tzvi Salant. Esther called to Hasach, one of the king’s attendants who was assigned to assist her, and commanded him regarding Mordechai, to know what this was, and what this was about. [1] After Haman and Achashverosh’s harsh decree to exterminate the Jews was... Read more »

During an exciting opening Shabbos dinner of the fall semester 24 years ago, two freshmen, whom we’ll call Molly and Susan, introduced themselves and asked if they could stop by my office one day during the week. A common request seemingly to fine-tune their orientation to Jewish life on campus,

<<Dial tone>> <<Dial tone again>> <<You’ve reached the voicemail box of…>> You’ve just called a donor. They didn’t pick up. What do you do now? So many possibilities. You could leave a voicemail. You could leave no voicemail, but call back later. You could try reaching them by email. By text. By whatsapp. But what... Read more »

Pages Categorized: NLE Journal Posts

Sanctification as Purity

The Foundation of the Jewish Year

Bitachon & Prayer with Severe Difficulties

How Does Holiness Work?

New Purim Class: How Many Sons did Haman Have? & Much More!

What Does it Mean to be Holy?

They Give, You Give Back

Purim – The Timeless Torah

Responding to & Teaching Your Students about Mental Health, Suicide & More

Keep the Ball in Your Court

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