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Shabbat Prayers: Shabbat Mevarchim I

“A life in which there is fear of heaven and fear of sin.” Why do we ask for both? Does not fear of sin usually come before fear of heaven? The latter is considered the higher-level. In fact, we usually assume that

Tags: Kiddush Levana, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Rosh Chodesh, Shabbat, Shabbat Mevarchim, The Foundation Stone

Parsha Mitzvot: Tazria: Mitzvah 166 – Concept 455

“Speak to the Children of Israel, saying: When a woman conceives and gives birth to a male, she shall be ritually impure for a seven-day period, as during the days of her separation infirmity shall she be impure.

Tags: Chassidic, Commandments, commentaries, Kabbalah, Midrash, Mitzvot, Parsha, Portion of the Week, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Responsa, Talmud, Taryag, The Foundation Stone

Pesukei d’Zimrah: Divrei Binah: Astonishment

“The deep waters, tehomot, congealed in the heart of the sea (Exodus 15:8).” This is reminiscent of the verse, “watery deep calls out to watery deep to the roar of Your water channels, all Your breakers and Your

Tags: iPraise, Pesukei d'Zimrah, Praising God, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Singing to God, The Foundation Stone

Pesukei d’Zimrah: Divrei Binah: From My Ancestors

“This is my Lord and I will beautify Him; the Lord of my father and I will exalt Him (Exodus 15:2).” Rashi comments on, “the Lord of my father,” I am not the beginning of this holiness, but simply holding on

Tags: iPraise, Pesukei d'Zimrah, Praising God, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Singing to God, The Foundation Stone

Morning Blessings: Divrei Binah: Not Our Righteousness

“Always let a person be God fearing privately and publicly, acknowledge the truth, speak the truth within his heart, and arise early and proclaim: Master of all worlds and Lord of all lords! Not in the merit of our righteousness

Tags: Morning Blessings, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, The Foundation Stone

Tehillim Tools: Psalm 105:4: Unlimited Seeking

“Search out God and His might, seek His Presence always (Psalms 105:4).” [This verse is also found in Pesukei d'Zimrah, “Hodu.”] All our seeking and searching in the physical world is limited

Tags: Bible, Psalms, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, spirituality, Tehillim, The Foundation Stone, Tools for Growth

Tehillim Tools: Psalm 105:3: The Joy of the Search

“Glory in His Holy Name, may the heart of those who seek God be glad (Psalms 105:3).” [This verse is also found in Pesukei d'Zimrah; “Hodu.”] Those who seek God will find themselves in a constant state of joy;

Tags: Bible, Psalms, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, spirituality, Tehillim, The Foundation Stone, Tools for Growth

Shir ha-Shirim VII: Part Two: The Explorer

“The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning upon his lips (Proverbs 16:23).” “Upon his lips,” in Hebrew, “Al,” the learning Solomon added to the words of the Torah exalted him, as it says, “And

Tags: Bible, Pesach, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Shavuot, Shir Hashirim, Song of Songs, The Foundation Stone

Shir ha-Shirim VII: Part One: The Gift of Articulation

Another explanation: in “The Song of Songs.” It is to this verse that the other verse says, “The heart of the wise teaches his mouth (Proverbs 16:23).” If the heart of the wise man is full of wisdom who will call

Tags: Bible, Pesach, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Shavuot, Shir Hashirim, Song of Songs, The Foundation Stone

Countdown to Pesach 23: Parsley Karpas2

Having established that the green vegetable symbolizes the enormous fertility and growth of the Children of Israel in Egypt, why do we then take this symbol of fertility and dip it in salt water?

Tags: Haggadah, Karpas, Mitzvot & their effect

Countdown to Pesach 22: Breaking The Middle Matzah

After Karpas we reach Yachatz – the breaking of the middle Matzah. The three Matzot represent the Kohanim, Leviim and Israel. The middle Matzah represents Levi. It is interesting that the Talmud teaches us that there was a break in Levi.

Tags: Passover, Pesach, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, The Foundation Stone

The Music of Halacha: Nissan Blessings

Blessed are You Hashem, our God, King of the universe, for nothing is lacking in His universe, and He created in it good creatures and good trees, to cause mankind pleasure with them.

Tags: Music of Halacha, Pesach

Parsha Mitzvot: Shemini: Mitzvah 163 – Concept 186

“Everything that creeps on its belly, and everything that walks on four legs, up to those with numerous legs, among all teeming things that teem upon the earth, you may not eat them for they are an abomination (Vayikra 11:42).”

Tags: Chassidic, Commandments, commentaries, Kabbalah, Midrash, Mitzvot, Parsha, Portion of the Week, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Responsa, Talmud, Taryag, The Foundation Stone

Parsha Mitzvot: Shemini: Mitzvah 164 – Concept 187

“Do not make yourselves abominable by means of any teeming thing; do not contaminate yourselves through them lest you become contaminated through them (Vayikra 11:43).” We are forbidden to eat creatures

Tags: Chassidic, Commandments, commentaries, Kabbalah, Midrash, Mitzvot, Parsha, Portion of the Week, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Responsa, Talmud, Taryag, The Foundation Stone

Mishlei Tools: Arrogance

“A man's pride will bring him low, but a lowly spirit will support his honor (Proverbs 29:23).” I use this verse as a tool to battle arrogance: A person who desires true “honor” will understand that the key is “a lowly spirit,”

Tags: Bible, Mishlei, Proverbs, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, spirituality, The Foundation Stone, Tools for Growth

Mishlei Prayer Tools: The Righteous II

“When the righteous exult, there is much splendor, but when the wicked rise, victims are sought (Proverbs 28:12).” This is an excellent verse to keep in mind before praying the 12th and the 13th blessings of the Amidah:

Tags: Bible, Mishlei, Proverbs, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, spirituality, The Foundation Stone, Tools for Growth

Shir ha-Shirim VI: Part One: Emulation

Therefore it is written, “Instead of your fathers, shall be your sons (Psalms 45:17) .” You find cases of a righteous man having a righteous son, a wicked man having a wicked son, a righteous man with a wicked son,

Tags: Bible, Pesach, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Shavuot, Shir Hashirim, Song of Songs, The Foundation Stone

Shir ha-Shirim II: Fueling Our Work With Aspiration

Another explanation, “Do you see a man diligent in his business,” this applies to Moshe our master, in connection with the work of the Mishkan. Therefore, “he shall stand before kings,” the king is Pharaoh, as it says,

Tags: Bible, Pesach, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Shavuot, Shir Hashirim, Song of Songs, The Foundation Stone

Sixth Sense

All the Mitzvot in the Torah were designed as an expression of the Ultimate Will and Infinite Wisdom. They are all beyond human ken and understanding. However, there is one category of laws called “Chok” which are blatantly beyond any human understanding. Parah Adumah is the paradigm...

Tags: Chukat, Parah, The Red Heifer

Parah 6: Killers

Why is the Portion of Parah always read on the Shabbat following Purim? There is physical impurity and spiritual impurity. There is spiritual purity and spiritual impurity. We live in both worlds.

Tags: Parah, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Red heifer, Spiritual, The Foundation Stone

Countdown to Pesach 24: Parsley Karpas

When one looks carefully at parsley, one notices that each stem has multiple green flowers growing, often six or seven flowers per stem. This reminds us of the Midrash that accounts for the exponential growth of the Jewish people from the paltry 70 souls who entered

Tags: Passover, Pesach, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, The Foundation Stone

Categories

Shabbat Prayers: Shabbat Mevarchim I

Parsha Mitzvot: Tazria: Mitzvah 166 – Concept 455

Pesukei d’Zimrah: Divrei Binah: Astonishment

Pesukei d’Zimrah: Divrei Binah: From My Ancestors

Morning Blessings: Divrei Binah: Not Our Righteousness

Tehillim Tools: Psalm 105:4: Unlimited Seeking

Tehillim Tools: Psalm 105:3: The Joy of the Search

Shir ha-Shirim VII: Part Two: The Explorer

Shir ha-Shirim VII: Part One: The Gift of Articulation

Countdown to Pesach 23: Parsley Karpas2

Countdown to Pesach 22: Breaking The Middle Matzah

The Music of Halacha: Nissan Blessings

Parsha Mitzvot: Shemini: Mitzvah 163 – Concept 186

Parsha Mitzvot: Shemini: Mitzvah 164 – Concept 187

Mishlei Tools: Arrogance

Mishlei Prayer Tools: The Righteous II

Shir ha-Shirim VI: Part One: Emulation

Shir ha-Shirim II: Fueling Our Work With Aspiration

Sixth Sense

Parah 6: Killers

Countdown to Pesach 24: Parsley Karpas

P’nei Menachem: Parah

Shabbat Prayers: Mussaf: “Tikanta”

Shabbat Prayers: “Yismach Moshe”

Shabbat Prayer: “Rav Lach Shevet”

Shabbat Prayers: Magen Avot

Shabbat Prayers: Shelah ha-Kodesh: Tree of Life

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