Blog

Baruch Shem Kivod Malchuto IX: Lechem Rav

We recite “Blessed is the Name of His glorious kingdom for all eternity,” whenever we may have recited God’s Name in vain. We even recite this verse after reciting the blessing

A Celebration of Possibilities

I received the best birthday gift of all last night: A group of people made a very special party. It was a celebration of possibilities. I meet with these people every two weeks and we study all sorts of topics and subjects. The last time we...

Mishlei: As A Parent To A Child

“Hear, my child, the discipline of your father, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.” (Proverbs 1:8) If you divide the book of Proverbs into three sections, as does the Gra,

Baruch Shem Kivod Malchuto: Akeidat Yitzchak: Process

The Midrash says: A trusted servant who had the complete run of the king's household, once determined to give his sons the status of free men and to tell them where the documents

Pesukei D’Zimrah: Ashrei: Ateret Yehoshua

The 11th of Tevet is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Yehoshua Horowitz of Dzikov, author of Ateres Yehoshua. (1912) “”The will of those who fear Him He will do; and their cry He will hear,

Baruch Shem Kivod Malchuto VIII: Divine Influence

“Blessed is the Name of His glorious kingdom for all eternity.” We only recite this verse aloud on Yom Kippur, as has been explained in earlier postings, and hopefully will be explained

Baruch Shem Kivod Malchuto VII: Rav David Taubel

“Blessed is the Name of His glorious kingdom for all eternity.” Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin explained the verse, “God reigns, God reigned, God shall reign for all eternity,” that seems to be

Baruch Shem Kivod Malchuto VI

“Whoever offers his evil inclination and confesses his sins, has honored Me in two worlds.” (Sanhedrin 43b) On Yom Kippur we recite ten confessions, and, in our abstaining from

Baruch Shem Kivod Malchuto V: Aruch HaShulchan

All our hopes and aspirations are for God to reveal His Unity to the entire Creation, when all will see and acknowledge God as King of the Universe. Baruch Sheim is the expression all the

Baruch Shem Kivod Malchuto IV: Rav Yosef Passi

“And Jacob called his sons, and he said, “Gather and hear.” When Jacob asked them to gather, he was referring to physically gathering. When he asked them to hear, he was addressing

Baruch Shem Kivod Malchuto III

When we mention God’s Name we are describing what we limited human beings can understand about God, Who is Infinite. In this verse, we describe God’s “Kavod,” or Glory, only

Baruch Shem Kivod Malchuto II

The Rabbis say, when Moshe ascended to heaven he heard the ministering angels saying to God, “Blessed be the Name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever.” Moshe brought this

Baruch Shem Kivod Malchuto Introduction

One of the most famous verses we recite as part of Shema appears in the Talmud (Pesachim 56) and Midrash on this week’s portion. The Foundation Stone™ presents a special

Prayer Tools: Nechemiah: To Whom Are You Speaking

"I then prayed to the God of Heaven, and I said to the king" (Nehemia 2:4-5). Meaning, although he actually spoke to King Artaxerxes, in his heart, Nehemia intended those words

Unmasked

What did Joseph feel at the moment that he revealed himself to his brothers? Was there a sense of relief? Was there anyone else in the world with whom he could be himself? Were there others who could understand Yosef as a human being, the...

Tags: man & man, Prayer, Vayigash

The Tenth ofTevet VI

“They that trust in God shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abides forever. Jerusalem is surrounded by mountains, and God surrounds His nation, from now and

Tags: Tehillim

Tzon Kodashim: Torah Study of Korbanot

The 9th of Tevet is the Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Avraham Shor of Belz, author of Tzon Kodashim,. He died on January 16, 1684. One who studies the laws of the Chatat Offering is considered

Mishlei: The Wisdom To Listen

“Hear, my child, the discipline of your father, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.” (Proverbs 1:8) How interesting that after King Solomon’s elaborate introduction

Amidah: Refuah: Wholeness

The eighth blessing is the blessing of Refuah, or Healing. The reason why the eighth blessing describes healing is because of the mitzva of circumcision. Refa’enu Hashem v’neirafei –

Rabbi Moshe David Vialli: Vayigash

The 7th of Tevet is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Moshe Dovid Walli (Vally; Vali) (1697-1777). The foremost talmid of Ramchal in Padua, Italy, he practiced as a physician in Padova. When

The Holy Ishbitzer: Vayigash

The 7th of Tevet is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Mordecai Yosef Leiner of Ishbitz (1800-1854 [1878, according to some], founder of the Chassidic Court at Ishbitz after leading a group of

Fasting As A Prayer

(Kings II Chapter 25) "It happened in the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylonia, he and his entire army, came to wage war against Jerusalem and encamped near it, and built...

Tags: Jeremiah, The Tenth of Tevet

Categories