Chayei Sarah - Accessing Revelation

What follows when a great righteous individual dies? How did this spiritual void express itself after the death of Avraham, Moshe, Yehoshua and Shaul? How does this parallel the fact that Yitzchak had to re-dig the wells that his father Avraham had previously dug that had become stopped up? What was the mistake of the nations of the world as regards Hashem's intimate interactions with mankind that Avraham corrected? What initiated the withdrawal of Hashem's Divine Presence from the world, and how was it brought back from the time of Avraham and on through Moshe?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 29:46

Bitachon 233 - Less Efforts, More Trust

We explore together the passuk in Shmuel alef, perek 14 passuk 6, which quotes Yehonasan's statement that Hashem is not limited to our actions, whether we do a little or a lot. The miracles that he sees after this statement are a lesson for us that our efforts in physical matters are not so significant in light of the fact that Hashem is not limited by them. This teaches us that we are to focus more on the spiritual - our Bitachon - than on our efforts to achieve our needs.

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Running time: 24:35

Vayera - Creating a Lasting Impact

Why is Sarah described as a married woman in such an unusual way, which seems to imply that she is the 'director' of her husband? What is meant when the midrash says that Sarah was the 'crown' of her husband Avraham? Why is the yud taken out of the name of Sarah and replaced with a heh before she is able to have a child? What does the midrash mean when it says that the yud was split into two heh's and one was given to Avraham and one to Sarah? What is meant when the midrash says the yud was taken from her and given to Yehoshua? How does she move from being a 'lonely' princess to a princess of the world?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Bitachon 232 - Natural Miracles

We discuss the passuk (Bimidbar 11:23) which speaks about Hashem's response to Moshe when he wonders how the Jewish people might receive a large quantity of meat as they requested. To this Hashem explains that nothing is beyond His power - to even naturally bring a miracle.

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Running time: 22:58

Lech Lecha - Becoming Anointed

Why was Avraham chosen to be spoken to by Hashem directly, as opposed to the ten generations of great people before him? Why did Avraham challenge Hashem's destruction of Sodom by saying that there was an injustice in doing so? How does the world exist, despite the attribute of Hashem's justice? What is the concept of being anointed, and why specifically with oil? Why is it that Dovid is singled out as the author of Tehillim (psalms) if there are a total of 10 authors of the various chapters? Why was Dovid referred to as the 'ne'im zemiros Yisrael' - sweet singer of Israel? How can we become anointed?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 30:21

Bitachon 231 - Nothing is Impossible

We explore the verse in Breishis which speaks of the fact that nothing is beyond the power of Hashem - specifically for Sarah to have a child despite her advanced age, which occurred supernaturally. With Bitachon, we access the impossible.

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Running time: 22:01

Noach - Earning Hashem's Compassion

Why did Hashem want Noach to essentially act as a zookeeper for the year he resided on the ark? Does Hashem have compassion on the animals? Why did R' Yehuda Hanassi have pain in his tooth for 13 years, and how did that pain finally stop? How do the righteous transform Hashem's attribute of Justice into Mercy? How do the wicked do the opposite? How does the focus on being merciful to others draw Hashem's mercy upon the person who does so? Why did Hashem let Rabba bar bar Chana survive his near death experience if it was really his time to leave earth?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 30:01

Bitachon 230 - Trust the God of Jacob

We explore together our final verses in Tehillim in this group of pesukim - chapter 146 passuk 5-6. The passuk speaks of trusting in the God of Yaakov (Jacob) which indicates the special type of Bitachon that he had, and we are to emulate.

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Running time: 22:51

 

Breishis - Protecting Your Power

Why did Hashem specifically 'build' Chava (Eve) from the 'side' or 'rib' of Adam? What was it that Hashem contemplated (binah) as He built (vayiven) her? Why did He not build her from the head, eye, mouth, etc. of Adam? What is the concept of modesty? How does one approach the challenge of using one's power correctly in one's relationships? What is the idea behind the constant 'ringing' of Chava in Adam's mind as he slept? How can we protect our power so it doesn't adversely affect others?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 29:07

Bitachon 229 - The Desired Path

We study together the passuk in Tehillim chapter 143 passuk 8, which speaks of our walking along the path of Hashem, knowing that He is leading us on His desired path - the recognition of which is considered the highest level of Bitachon according to some opinions.

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Running time: 21:36