This is the final essay of a three-part series on “Understanding and Accepting Nechama.” Click here to read Part Two. Guidance of what to say, and what not to say, at a shiva (house of mourning) As helpful as many ideas may be for our personal understanding and acceptance of nechama, it is extremely important to realize that they may be... Read more »
I was eleven years old, and I was thoroughly embarrassed. A week earlier, one of the counselors had asked me if I would share a Torah thought at an upcoming Shabbos camp meal in front of hundreds of others. I was a pretty confident kid, so I agreed. And then I spent many minutes preparing.... Read more »
“Every behavior has a surface level craving and a deeper underlying motive.” James Clear In his book Atomic Habits, author James Clear explains why bad habits are so difficult to break. It’s because we tend to focus on surface-level actions rather than what drives them. Consider the common approach to goal setting and resolutions. Most... Read more »
הוּא (רבי עקיבא) הָיָה אוֹמֵר, חָבִיב אָדָם שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְצֶלֶם. חִבָּה יְתֵרָה נוֹדַעַת לוֹ שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְצֶלֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ט), כִּי בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים עָשָׂה אֶת הָאָדָם. (אבות ג:יד) He used to say: Beloved is man, for he was created in G-d’s image; it is a sign of even a greater love that it was made known to... Read more »
HaRav Yitzhak (Isadore) Twersky’s zt”l (The Talner Rebbi) recent sefer, Torah of the Mind, Torah of the Heart [1], presents the Chasam Sofer’s striking contrast between Chanuch and Avraham Avinu and the implications for every Jew. Rashi (Bereishis 5:24) cites Bereishis Rabba to explain Chanuch’s premature death because he vacillated between righteous and evil behavior,... Read more »
KNOW YOURSELF TO KNOW G-D Knowledge of the self perforce precedes knowledge of G-d. If I don’t understand myself, I cannot understand the ultimate Being beyond myself. We learn this from the story of the prophet Balaam, who was asked by King Balak to curse the Jewish People. [1] As he was riding along, Balaam’s... Read more »
Yom Kippur ended and I took immediate action. To make an important change in my life. I’ve been building my presence on both Instagram and TikTok. I see them as valuable platforms to further expand my reach and grow my coaching practice. But between the time spent on each platform and some of the unsavory content in my... Read more »
This week marks the ninth year since the passing of Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l, renowned Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel, Halachic authority, and spiritual guide of the Shas party. Over seven decades, he galvanized Sephardic Jewry to embrace their rich Jewish heritage. Rav Ovadia zt”l continues to impact the Jewish world – and by extension,... Read more »
What is the proper path that a man should pursue? Whatever is of intrinsic value to himself and also earns him the esteem of his fellow men. [1] Ethics of our Fathers (2:1) ABRAHAM KEEPS G-D WAITING If you had to choose between chatting with G-d Himself and conversing with a mere mortal, what would... Read more »
“Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.” Alan Lakein From the moment we wake up each day, we’re faced with a continuous flow of choices. Many are minor and some are major. Even things that don’t seem so important, like what to take along for... Read more »
This is the final essay of a three-part series on “Understanding and Accepting Nechama.” Click here to read Part Two. Guidance of what to say, and what not to say, at a shiva (house of mourning) As helpful as many ideas may be for our personal understanding and acceptance of nechama, it is extremely important to realize that they may be... Read more » 
