Sincerity

One day, Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov arrived in Tarnow. This was before the chassidic master had revealed himself to the world, and he appeared as a simple itinerant, but with a gift for telling stories . . .

Realness. Authenticity. Sincerity. Are these all lost qualities in our day and age?

An audio recording of a class on Big Book and Judaism - Authenticity

On Shabbat morning I would sit beside my grandmother in synagogue, and the exhaustion of the week would melt as we prayed. But as soon as Shabbat ended I would go back to my struggle to create a picture perfect life instead of a real one...

She smiled brightly at me. Her smile was contagious. She couldn't contain her excitement anymore and I put down my book to listen...

The story of a sage assisted by angels in lifting a boulder leads to a discussion of how much can really be accomplished if one only makes a sincere effort. Guest Expert: Rabbi Manis Friedman. (From "Messages" -- Season 4, Episode 6)