Just a Few Minutes a Day

A few days ago, the newest cycle of the Mishna Yomis began with Maseches Brachos.  By learning just two mishnayos each day, a person completes roughly one seder of Shas every year, and all of Shas in about 6 years, a phenomenal accomplishment. Whether you already have a seder of learning or not, everyone reading this is capable of dedicating a few minutes to this endeavor.

There are a number of apps and other resources available to aide your learning.  Go to www.mishnayomi.com and download the free app on both IPhone and Android.  The app allows you to listen to a shiur which is very clear and concise and even the most difficult and technical subjects are explained in a way that all can understand.  It also includes a reminder function so you can set a reminder to listen to your daily mishnayos and tracking functionality so that you can tick off when you have completed a particular day.

Another great free app that includes the entire Mishna with Kehati can be found in the links below.

Android – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nocker.kehati&hl=en

IPhone – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/kehati/id1059791961?mt=8

Wouldn’t it be nice to one day be able to say that you completed all of Shas?  Now is the time to start.

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R’ Prayda’s Patience

The Talmud (Eiruvin 54b) tells the story of Rabbi Prayda, who had a very slow-to-learn student. So much so that Rabbi Prayda would have to review each lesson four hundred times before the boy understood it. One day, when the student was having extra difficulty concentrating, he taught him the same lesson eight hundred times! A heavenly voice then declared, “Rabbi Prayda, in the merit of this act, you and your entire generation will receive the World to Come.” ~ R’ Yaakov Meir Shechter

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What We Live For

Torah is not something you learn to live with – it’s what you live for. ~ From the book, The 6 Constant Mitzvos

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Longing to Perform a Mitzvah

A person who longs to perform some mitzvah but is unsuccessful will be rewarded with children.  They will inherit his greatness and will accomplish this mitzvah. ~ R’ Nachman of Breslev zt”l

By the way, yesterday began a new 6 year Mishna Yomi cycle.  Learn just 2 mishnayos a day and complete all of shas in 6 years.  There are so many apps and resources available that we should all take advantage of.

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Bitter-Sweet

There are two types of events in life:

Good and very good. Sweet and bitter-sweet.

Why bitter-sweet?

Sweet, because from each event in life we grow.

Bitter, because it is so painful to tear ourselves away from who we once were. ~ R’ Tzvi Freeman

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Desire

To be content means to be satisfied with the material possessions one has.  One who wants more than he has is suffering from “desire.”  All transgressions stem from desire.  Its opposite – contentment – is the basis for the whole Torah. ~ The Vilna Gaon zt”l

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“Time is Money”

The world says that time is money, but I say that money is time.  To earn enough money to satisfy his desires, man must sacrifice so much time.  For me, that sacrifice is too great. ~ Chofetz Chaim zt”l

The answer to yesterday’s “Identify that Tefilah” is Elokai Nitzor at the end of Shemona Esrei.

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Identify that Tefilah #11

“My God, guard my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking deceitfully.”

The answer will be in tomorrow’s post.

Posted in Identify that Prayer, Shmiras Haloshon | 4 Comments

The Day(s) After Purim

Rabbi Meir Shalom of Porisov would make it a point to distribute money to the poor on the day after Purim.  He would say “Since there is a special obligation to give gifts to the poor on Purim, people neglect this commandment the day after Purim.  It is especially important to perform a neglected mitzvah. ~ Derech Tzadikim as quoted by R’ Zelig Pliskin

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All For Your Children

Every day, take one half hour to think about your children and where they’re headed.

Then do all you can about it.

Then do more. ~ I believe this is from R’ Tzvi Freeman

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