Rabbi Nachum Braverman Introduction to Torah Study I. Life is for pleasure Tell your class: “It is a principle of Jewish understanding that G-d created us because He wanted to give us pleasure. Illustration: When you have children you’ll see, or if you already have children you
Read more →Author: Tools for Yiras Shamayim (Hakdama) From Av of 5760 until Rosh HaShanah of 5761, Rabbi Asher Resnick and Rabbi Shaul Rosenblatt, in consultation with the Rosh HaYeshiva, HaRav Noach Weinberg shlita, began a project within Aish HaTorah to coordinate a widespread effort to work on Yiras Shamayim.
Read more →Introduction to Torah Study I. Life is for pleasure Tell your class: “It is a principle of Jewish understanding that G-d created us because He wanted to give us pleasure. Illustration: When you have children you’ll see, or if you already have children you know that all
Read more →I. KNOW THERE IS A G-D 1) Feel His Presence – realize it is a choice to let Him in. (He’s here, ask Him for help) 2) G-d loves you. (He’s your father) 3) Count on Him (trust him) 4) When you’re frustrated, listen to Him. (Role-play relying on G-d) 5) Take pleasure in
Read more →#1 – Know There Is A God – Leida SheYesh L’Olam Eloka 1. Knowing G-d Exists is the Goal of Living “Tzaddik Be’emunaso yichyeh” — The point of all of Torah is to strengthen your faith in G-d. 2. SEVEN Steps to Building Bitachon True awareness of
Read more →A goal is a state of being. The means to achieving your goal is the process that helps you attain your desired state of being. For example, a businessman’s goal is to be rich. Trading stocks or investing in real estate is the means to help him
Read more →1. “Lo Sasuru” Is Fighting the Temptation To Assert Your Ego The last of the six constant mitzvos is “Lo sasuru acharay levavchem v’acharay aynaychem” “Don’t turn after your heart and your eyes.” Notice that this mitzvah contains two instructions, one concerning the heart and one concerning
Read more →A Perspective on Fear “When you go out to war against your enemy and you see horses and chariots, an army greater than you, do not fear them, for the Lord your God, Who took you out of Egypt, is with you.”(Deut. 20:1) How can we possibly
Read more →Our parsha as well mentions the mitzva of Yiras Hashem a few times. The Rambam seems to define Yiras Hashem in 2 different ways in the Sefer HaMitzvos and in the Yad. In the Sefer HaMitzvos, the Rambam says that we must be afraid of Hashem and
Read more →1. Defining Yiras Shamayim Is Living With Reality As we mentioned before, each of the six constant mitzvot is a goal mitvah. It is an end in itself. However, Yiras Shamayim is not only a goal mitzvah, it is the means to acquiring the other five constant
Read more →“First, I was dying to finish high school. Then, I was dying to finish college. After that, I was dying to get married. Then, I was dying to have children. Then, I was dying for the kids to get older so I could marry them off and
Read more →1. What Does It Mean To Love G-d? The fourth of the six constant mitzvos is to love G-d. “Ve’ahavta es Hashem Elokecha b’chol levavcha u’vchol nafshecha u’vchol meodecha.” Ahavas Hashem means love of G-d. There are three aspects to the mitzvah of love of G-d: “B’chol
Read more →Rav Yaakov Weinberg zt’l responded to a question at Aish Hatorah, concerning reward for mitzvos, as follows: True reward is not you did this, and this is your reward. True reward is the reality. G-d created the world. It couldn’t have come about by itself. We don’t
Read more →1. What Do We Mean By “G-d is One?” The third of the six constant mitzvos is found in the Shema, Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad. “Hear O Israel,” the Torah says, “Hashem is one.” We are commanded to say Shema twice a day. It has
Read more →1. What Do We Mean By Other G-ds? The second of the six constant mitzvot is “Lo yi’heya lecha elohim achairim.” We are not allowed to believe in any other gods. What do we mean by “other gods?” Believing that there is any power in the universe outside of
Read more →An excerpt from Rabbi Kaplan’s Handbook of Jewish Thought. God is defined as the Creator of the universe, as the opening verse of the Torah states, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). God likewise said, “I am God, I make all things”
Read more →1. Knowing G-d Exists is the Goal of Living The Gemara in Makos states: The Jewish people were given 613 commandments to fulfill. King David took these commandments and distilled them into thirteen principles. The Prophet Yeshaya further distilled the commandments into eleven principles. Finally, the Prophet
Read more →The Nile will swarm with frogs, and when they emerge, they will be in your palace, in your bedroom, and [even] in your bed. [They will also be in] the homes of your officials and people, even in your ovens and kneading bowls.” (Exodus 7:28) The second
Read more →A goal is a state of being. The means to achieving your goal is the process that helps you attain your desired state of being. For example, a businessman’s goal is to be rich. Trading stocks or investing in real estate is the means to help him
Read more →The First Commandment…(or is it?) Emunah (Belief) Many people were introduced to the Ten Commandments via Charlton Heston’s famous movie of the same name. The truth be told, this is one of those times where the book is a ‘heckuva’ lot better than the movie. The Torah
Read more →Author: Rabbi Kornbluth The First Commandment…(or is it?) Emunah (Belief) Many people were introduced to the Ten Commandments via Charlton Heston’s famous movie of the same name. The truth be told, this is one of those times where the book is a ‘heckuva’ lot better than the
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