One Favor

A soul may descend to earth and live seventy or eighty years for the sole purpose of doing a favor for another.  A spiritual favor, or even a material favor. ~ The Baal Shem Tov zt”l

Posted in Chesed, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Don’t Wait

If you wait until you find the meaning of life, will there be enough life left to live meaningfully? ~ The Lubavitcher Rebbe zt”l

Posted in Emuna, Mussar, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Giving Praise

Praising a person in a situation where someone present is likely to temper such praise with criticism is another form of avak loshon hora… ~ The Chofetz Chaim zt”l

Posted in Shmiras Haloshon | Leave a comment

Always Optimistic

The Ponevezhher Rav, R’ Yosef Kahaneman, escaped from the impending Nazi inferno and later went to Israel, where he immediately began planning to rebuild the Torah glory of his town.  Standing on a hill in Bnei Brak (present-day sight of the Ponevezher Yeshivah), he declared his intention to build a yeshivah.  German Field Marshall Erwin Rommel’s army was knocking on the gates of Palestine at that time, and the prospect of building a new yeshivah seemed impossible, even insane.  Skeptical bystanders said to him, “Rebbe, you are dreaming.” He replied, “You are right, I am dreaming – but I am not asleep.” ~ The Pirkei Avos Treasury

Posted in Stories of Tzaddikim | Leave a comment

Teshuva

Teshuva is not becoming better; it is becoming different. ~ The Alter of Slabodka

Posted in Teshuva | Leave a comment

Simply for being Jewish

During the war, our people were indiscriminately hated, simply for being Jewish.  After the war, we must respond by indiscriminately loving all Jews, simply for being Jewish. ~ The Bluzhover Rebbe, R’ Yisrael Spira, zt”l who lost his wife and children and endured terrible suffering in the concentration camps during the holocaust.

—

The answer to yesterday’s “Identify that Prayer” is Baruch Hu Elokeinu which could be found in the latter portion of Uva Letzion before Aleinu during Shachris as well as some other places.

Posted in Mussar, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Identify That Prayer #12

Blessed is He, our God, Who created us for His glory, separated us from those who stray, gave us the Torah of truth and implanted eternal life within us.  May He open our heart through His Torah and imbue our heart with love and awe of Him and that we may do His will and serve Him wholeheartedly, so that we do not struggle in vain nor produce for futility.

The answer will be in tomorrow’s email.

Posted in Identify that Prayer, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

A Good Book

I would rather think of life as a good book.  The further you get into it, the more it begins to come together and make sense.  ~ R’ Harold Kushner

Posted in Emuna | Leave a comment

By Mistake

Certain opportunities and potentials are so lofty, that they cannot be accessed by the conscious self; they can only come about “by mistake.” ~ The Maggid of Mezritch

Posted in Emuna | Leave a comment

House of Slaves

Regarding the Exodus, the Torah states that God redeemed us from the House of Slaves. The Egyptians were initially a House of Slaves – a lowly nation. God transformed them into a superpower only for the sake of the Jewish people. He raised Pharaoh to the greatest height in order to magnify his fall, thereby proving God’s power to the Jews and to the world. G-d did the same with Haman, Sancheriv and others. Regarding the final redemption as well, God will grant great powers to rulers and nations only to magnify their collapse, so that all will recognize God’s mighty acts on our behalf. ~ Eitz HaChaim

Posted in Spirituality | Leave a comment