Re'eh - Choosing the Blessings

What is the idea of the blessings that we get when we keep the Torah, and the curses that come when we do not keep the Torah? Why are we careful to read all the curses without interruption? How does this express that Hashem is with us in our troubles? What is the idea of 'seeing' the blessings and curses and 'hearing' the word of Hashem? How does listening to the commandments of Hashem serve to limit our ego and bring about these blessings? What is the idea of the blessings that come 'of their own accord' when we do the mitzvos?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 26:11

Bitachon 173 - Israel's Success is From Hashem

We continue to study together the passuk in Tehillim chapter 56 passuk 4. There King David speaks of the moment that he is afraid, and turns to Hashem with his powerful Bitachon. The secret to success is not to fear - to remember that every success we have is only from Hashem, without Whose help we can not succeed.

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Running time: 19:59

Ekev - Meriting to Live in Israel

Why does Moshe preface his report of the crossing of Jordan River into Israel with the statement 'Shema Yisrael' - Hear O Israel? What is the concept of 'hearing' in this context? What do we learn from the fact that Hashem redeemed the Jewish people, despite His foreknowledge that they would sin with the Golden Calf? What two 'gems' did Hashem give us when we were betrothed to Him on Mount Sinai, and which did we lose, and which do we still have today? What was Moshe implying when he said that 'you' are going into Israel - what prayer did he want us to pray on his behalf? What did he say when he saw that we did not get 'the hint?' What are the two approaches to staying in our relationship with Hashem when we don't have Moshe to speak up on our behalf?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Bitachon 172 - In Times of Danger, Expect Kindness

We study together the passuk in Tehillim chapter 56 passuk 4. There King David speaks of the moment that he is afraid, and turns to Hashem with his powerful Bitachon. There is a recognition that every situation is from Hashem, and just as He brought us into the difficulty, He will get us out with His fatherly love.

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Running time: 25:00

Va'eschanan - Israel's Prayers Are Answered

What is unique about the prayers of the people of Israel and our relationship with Hashem? Why does King David ask that Hashem not answer the prayers of the Nations of the World? Why are those who worship idols 'close yet far,' while we who worship Hashem are 'far yet close?' Why do we try to preface our prayers for our personal spiritual and physical needs with mention of the Geulah-Redemption of our people from Egypt? Why are we referred to as 'a great nation who is uniquely close to Hashem whenever we call?'

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 28:25

Bitachon 171 - Our Enemies Die Early

We explore the passuk in Tehillim 55 passuk 24 which speaks of the enemies of King David - among them Achitofel and Do'eg - who gave him advice which they hoped would cause his downfall. Yet King David says his enemies would not reach 'half their days' and he himself would not cause this downfall, but rather, his trust in Hashem would be the impetus for Hashem Himself to take care of his enemies.

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Running time: 23:05 

Tisha B'av - We Only Want Hashem

What is the correct focus for the day of Tisha B'av? Why did R' Shimon bar Yochai instruct the couple who was divorcing to make a big party like when they got married? What gift did the woman take with her when she went back to her parents home? What blessing did she receive as a result from R' Shimon bar Yochai? What is the lesson for us in our relationship with Hashem? Why does Tzion insist that she does not care when her children return? What is it that she is waiting for?

Find out in this special edition of the Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 23:05

Devarim - Untold Blessings of Moshiach

What is the concept of the miraculous multiplication of the numbers of the Jewish people? Why does Hashem say He will judge the Egyptians with 'two letters' but then ultimately they are judged with 72 letters? Why did Hashem not reveal to Avraham that his children would eat the Manna in the wilderness for 40 years? Why did Hashem say Avraham's offspring would be 'as great as the stars' but ultimately, they were even greater than that? Why do both Dovid Hamelech and Moshe Rabenu fear coming 'into judgment' with the nation that they lead? What is the idea of the Jewish people being 'like their Master (Hashem)' in the future time? What is the unique blessing that is given to the Jewish people through their trust in Hashem and their study of Torah?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 29:23

Moshiach 18 - Gog Umagog 2024-2025

 

Why does the world need to go through an intense Armageddon in order to lead into the days of Moshiach? Why did the process of this year's leap year seem to fizzle at the end of Adar II and then start to move again as the months passed? Why does the 1500 year old Midrash say 3 times to the people of Israel - do not fear - in the face of a destructive world war involving Iran? What is the concept of two sets of 6 months of the year that reflect two sides of the year's progress - the winter months and the summer months? What other parallels can we find between the years 1948 and 2024, 1929 and 2005, 1967 and 2043? Why did Rav Moshe Shternbuch express such worry in the months leading up to October 7th, and what did he say about how the war in Israel would affect the entire world? Why do we see that the second part of the leap year seems to be when the 'action' happens if we talked previously about the first part of the year being the ibur-pregnancy? Find out all this and more in this 18th edition of the Moshiach Podcast.

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Running time: 51:16

additional notes for this podcast: In the last Moshiach podcast I spoke about 3 time periods: 1. 9 months from Av of last year until end of Adar II 2. 70 days from 25th of Adar II until 6th of Sivan 3. 70 days from Yom Yerushalayim to Tisha B'av we find that in 2005 the Gush Katif debacle was scheduled for Tisha B'av and took place on the 10th of Av, and also in 1929 (which was also the 8th year of the 19 year cycle) the Chevron massacre was on the 17th-19th of Av. but interestingly, and conversely, in 1948, there was a ceasefire from the 11th of Tammuz until the 11th of Elul, only then did the war continue until it finished on 9th of Adar in 1949. There seems to be a broader 76 year cycle that repeats, so 1929 parallels 2005 and 1948 parallels 2024. 1967 and 2063 will also parallel. There are actually two 9 month periods of the leap year (which especially manifests most strongly in the 8th and 19th year of the cycle b/c of close proximity to the previous leap year) one starts in Av of the previous year and culminates at the end of Adar II - this is the Gevurah side of the year - the autumn/winter side. The other starts in Shevat (which parallels Av) and culminates at the end of Elul - this is the Chesed side of the year - the spring/summer side This was sparked in my mind because I was puzzled that at the end of the first set of 9 months (end of Adar II) there was a complete pull out of troops from gaza, and everything seemed to be coming to a standstill and not the huge forward movement I expected. but this would seem to be the first nine month set - the gevurah set coming to a close. then as we progressed into the end of Nissan and on through Sivan, Tamuz the process seems to be expanding, we entered Rafiah, Biden is falling, Iranian president dies, now Haniyeh etc. this is the chesed/positive set moving forward. this would seem to indicate a major expansion of the process into Elul and Tishrei of next year, just as was the case in 1948-49. for reference take note of these dates in 1948-49 War of Independence 1948 - 5708: 5th of Iyar - - 4 Sivan (15th May-11th June) - First Phase 4 Sivan - - 1 Tamuz (11 Jun - 7 July) - First Truce 2 Tamuz - - 11 Tamuz (8 July - 18 July) - Second Phase 11 Tamuz - - 11 Elul (18 July - 15 Oct) - Second Truce 11 Elul 5708 - - 9 Adar 5709 (15 Oct - 10 Mar 1949) - Third Phase Armistice agreements (1949): Egypt: 24 Feb 1949 - 25 Shvat 5709 Lebanon: 23 Mar - 22 Adar Jordan: 3 Apr - 4 Nissan Syria: 20 July - 23 Sivan also note that the Arabs started attacking the Yishuv in 1947 already in November with the UN partition vote.

Matos-Masei - Planning for the Day After

What is the depth of the idea that Hashem decides who becomes rich and who becomes poor, and that sometimes He lowers one person in order to raise up another person? How does this apply in times of war, where one country is lowered and another is raised? Why is the war of Midian placed right beside the description of the wealth of the tribe of Reuven and Gad? How is it that their gift of wealth was clearly a gift from Hashem, and yet they were punished for asking to remain outside of Israel because of that very gift? What is the correct use of wisdom, strength and wealth, and how do we prepare for 'the day after' the current wars that are being fought?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 28:16