(Deuteronomy 6:25) “And it will be a merit for us if we are careful to perform this entire commandment before God, our Lord, as He commanded us.” Rabbi Shimshon Pincus (Days of Awe, page 39) quotes a Midrash (Devarim Rabbah 8:5): “This can be...
(Deuteronomy 6:25) “And it will be a merit for us if we are careful to perform this entire commandment before God, our Lord, as He commanded us.” The Ketav Sofer reads this verse as “We are careful to perform this commandment with the same...
(Deuteronomy 6:25) “And it will be a merit for us if we are careful to perform this entire commandment before God, our Lord, as He commanded us.” The Ketav Sofer reads this verse as “We are careful to perform this commandment with the same...
My father ZT”L explained why Maimonides includes “one who causes others to love God,” in his Sefer Hamitzvot (Book of the Commandments) when he teaches the Mitzvah to love God, but does not include that description in the Laws of the Foundations of Torah:...
My father ZT”L explained why Maimonides includes “one who causes others to love God,” in his Sefer Hamitzvot (Book of the Commandments) when he teaches the Mitzvah to love God, but does not include that description in the Laws of the Foundations of Torah:...
Rabbi Shlomo Freifeld ZT”L would often remind his students that an essential ingredient to achieve true love for God is to remember the Zohar and Midrash Chachamim that describe the Mitzvot as pieces of advice. Treasure each Mitzvah as benefiting from God’s advice. ...
Rabbi Shlomo Freifeld ZT”L would often remind his students that an essential ingredient to achieve true love for God is to remember the Zohar and Midrash Chachamim that describe the Mitzvot as pieces of advice. Treasure each Mitzvah as benefiting from God’s advice. ...
My father of blessed memory would often say: “Commandments are God’s gift to us. Love and awe are what we offer God in return.” ...
My father of blessed memory would often say: “Commandments are God’s gift to us. Love and awe are what we offer God in return.” ...
Haketav V’Hakaballah (Genesis 49:9) describes two different paths in serving God: There is the person who walks steadily with great strength and self-control, and is consistent in his service. There is another person whose heart is so filled with love of God that there...
Haketav V’Hakaballah (Genesis 49:9) describes two different paths in serving God: There is the person who walks steadily with great strength and self-control, and is consistent in his service. There is another person whose heart is so filled with love of God that there...
The Mishna Acharona (End of Tractate Uktzin) quotes the Sefer HaYashar of Rabbeinu Tam, which states that we know that we have succeeded in achieving true love of God when we derive physical pleasure from our love of God. ...
The Mishna Acharona (End of Tractate Uktzin) quotes the Sefer HaYashar of Rabbeinu Tam, which states that we know that we have succeeded in achieving true love of God when we derive physical pleasure from our love of God. ...
(Sefer Chareidim page 71b) We are bound up with God when we are in the womb, when we sleep and disconnect from our bodies and egos. We are bound up with God in the grave and in the Garden of Eden. We can strengthen these...
In a powerful Zohar (Volume 1, page 208a) we are taught a deeper meaning to the verse, “The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their bread in its time”. “A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and...
The Maharsha (Kiddushin 29b) describes effective prayer as a natural part of creation. God instituted prayer, as part of His creation and therefore an answered prayer should not be understood as miraculous, but as a normal part of life. His proof is that Abaye,...
The Beit HaLevi (Genesis 32:11) derives from Jacob’s prayer to be saved from the murderous intentions of his brother, Esau, that one must be specific in prayer. “Please save me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau.” Jacob did not...
The Sefer Chasidim (131) wrote that if one requests anything that brings praise to the Creator, such as for success in Torah study or to fulfill a commandment, that the Holy One, Blessed is He, will respond to the prayer even if the person...
Rabbi Yonatan Eibeshutz (Ya’arot Devash, Part One, Discourse 4, page 28) wrote that it is a proven fact that if a person recited the Shema and prayed the morning prayers with great attention and awareness that he will have a wonderful day. Even if...
The Tanna D’Bei Eliyahu (Chapter 8) describes King Hezekiah as someone who would pray as if he was speaking to a friend. God sent Isaiah to remind the king that if someone has an audience with the king he speaks with fear and trepidation....
The Kav HaYashar (Chapter 71) writes: “A person should be very careful not to mention his name when praying for himself for one who mentions his name calls attention to himself and he is carefully judged to determine whether he merits a positive response....