There is an expression used by the rishonim that one should “fill one’s stomach with shas and poskim.” Shouldn’t it state that one should fill his mind with shas and poskim since one learns Torah with his mind, not his stomach?
The Kotzker Rebbe explains: A few hours after one eats a meal, he wants to eat again. This is the appetite we need for Torah. We should never be satisfied. We should always be thirsty for more.
Someone who has bitachon will not be afraid when someone opens up another store in his neighborhood. He will even try to help him and offer him good counsel.
How much kedushah is increased in the world when one does kindness for his competitor! Fortunate is he, and fortunate is his generation.” ~ The Chazon Ish
The Beis HaLevi was once near a forest in Brisk, and he heard a businessman say, “Forest! It is because of you that I lost all my money.” The Beis HaLevi replied, “You didn’t lose your money because you bought the forest. You bought the forest because it was destined that you should lose the money.”
Regarding tefillah, it is difficult to daven properly in this world that is full of distractions. One must struggle to have kavanah. But this is what makes our tefillos most precious of all. ~ R’ Elimelech Biderman
How is it that Moshe Rabbeinu, who received the Torah, spoke with Hashem face to face, and was the leader of Klal Yisrael, was “the most humble person in the world?”
Chazal say that Moshe saw Adam HaRishon’s sefer, which lists all people who will be born and all the things that would happen to them. When he saw the final generation, and all the hardships they will need to go through in ruchniyus and gashmiyus, and still be moser nefesh to keep the mitzvos and serve Hashem, he was humbled. ~ R’ Shalom Ber of Lubavitch
In Judaism, life isn’t a right; it’s a privilege.
Life is a privilege granted to a person to grasp and do something with it.
What are we going to do with it? Is it about having a pulse and heartbeat?
Was waking up today worth it? Why? And what about tomorrow?
What are we going to do to be worthy of that privilege?
Let’s make a plan. Let’s be ready when it comes.
~ R’ Shlomo Farhi
Every prayer offered with sincerity and respect is viewed as a prayer of the righteous.
~ Praying with Fire
The main focus of Torah education should be on emunah and midos tovos – having a strong level of belief and mastering positive character traits.
These are the two essential ingredients for observing the entire Torah.
~ R’ Moshe Feinstein zt”l
A lazy person will always discover rationalizations and excuses for his failure to accomplish.
The person with enthusiasm will always find a way to accomplish.
~ R’ Chayim Mordechai Katz zt”l
I once heard a marathon runner explain that often, runners feel that they don’t have the endurance to make it to the finish line. So you know what they do? They pick a close goal, a traffic light or a tree up ahead, and they focus on that. They say, maybe I can’t go another 5 miles, but I can make it to that corner.
What’s the one thing you want to achieve and feel that you can’t?
Take it on. Just get started.
Pick one detail and focus on that, and then move on to the next one.
You’ll get there.
~ R’ Tzvi Sytner
