ב"ה
Va'era 5770 - January 15, 2010
Living
How Can I Live Without Causing Harm?
With every dollar we spend, we relinquish control of the ethical direction of our money. Taxes on profit will buy bullets, fund factory farming, etc. The only solution seems a self-sustained collective...
With every dollar we spend, we relinquish control of the ethical direction of our money. Taxes on profit will buy bullets, fund factory farming, etc. The only solution seems a self-sustained collective...
The Rest Will Come Later
My grandfather kissed my cheeks and said, "Morty, every morning when you wake up, I want you to look at the mirror and strike your heart three times. While you are striking your heart, recite, 'I was born a Jew; I was raised a Jew; and I will die a Jew.'"
My grandfather kissed my cheeks and said, "Morty, every morning when you wake up, I want you to look at the mirror and strike your heart three times. While you are striking your heart, recite, 'I was born a Jew; I was raised a Jew; and I will die a Jew.'"
Buying Lives
The Canadian musicologist and mother of six supported her household and raised a family while almost single-handedly rescuing 3,228 Syrian Jews. "There were no typical days," recalls Judy...
The Canadian musicologist and mother of six supported her household and raised a family while almost single-handedly rescuing 3,228 Syrian Jews. "There were no typical days," recalls Judy...
Why Hasn’t the Self-Esteem Movement Given Us Self-Esteem?
A healthy self-esteem should give us the confidence to make our own independent choices to be a unique and original being. It should. But it hasn't.
A healthy self-esteem should give us the confidence to make our own independent choices to be a unique and original being. It should. But it hasn't.
How to Drug-Proof Your Kids
Research shows that 80% of children enter first grade with a sense of self-worth, and twelve years later, 80% leave high school feeling defective and inferior. The Victory Technique is the only way to "immunize" our children...
Research shows that 80% of children enter first grade with a sense of self-worth, and twelve years later, 80% leave high school feeling defective and inferior. The Victory Technique is the only way to "immunize" our children...
BlackBerry Distractions
My husband got a Blackberry for work purposes. The problem is that now his co-workers expect him to be on-call 24/7. He is always opening emails in the middle of dinner, while reading the kids a bedtime story, or even while we are taking a walk...
My husband got a Blackberry for work purposes. The problem is that now his co-workers expect him to be on-call 24/7. He is always opening emails in the middle of dinner, while reading the kids a bedtime story, or even while we are taking a walk...
Chassidic Thought
The Physical World: Teachings from Rabbi Schneur Zalman’s Last Days
Which is loftier—spirit or matter? The soul or the body? The teachings of Rabbi Schneur Zalman, founder of Chabad Chassidism, extol the first over the second, and then the second over the first, offering a unique and life-altering vision of reality.
Which is loftier—spirit or matter? The soul or the body? The teachings of Rabbi Schneur Zalman, founder of Chabad Chassidism, extol the first over the second, and then the second over the first, offering a unique and life-altering vision of reality.
Tanya Chapter 32
This chapter presents the chassidic manifesto of unconditional love towards every Jew. how to have it and how to use it.
This chapter presents the chassidic manifesto of unconditional love towards every Jew. how to have it and how to use it.
Faith and Reason
The fact that you cannot rationally understand something is no reason not to study it.
The fact that you cannot rationally understand something is no reason not to study it.
Bonaparte and the Chassid
"You are a spy for Russia!" thundered Napoleon, and placed his hand upon my chest to feel the pounding heart of a man exposed
"You are a spy for Russia!" thundered Napoleon, and placed his hand upon my chest to feel the pounding heart of a man exposed
Parshah
The Warming of Egypt
You could take the Jew out of Egypt, but could you take Egypt out of the Jew? It was Moses’ job to facilitate this transition. One therapeutic technique that he used at G‑d’s behest was orchestrating the ten plagues . . .
You could take the Jew out of Egypt, but could you take Egypt out of the Jew? It was Moses’ job to facilitate this transition. One therapeutic technique that he used at G‑d’s behest was orchestrating the ten plagues . . .
Fight Evil or Do Good?
What of someone who awakens to the realization that he's allowed his evil inclination to assume control, and now wishes to reclaim the love for his G‑dly soul? How does one shake off a well-entrenched enemy?
What of someone who awakens to the realization that he's allowed his evil inclination to assume control, and now wishes to reclaim the love for his G‑dly soul? How does one shake off a well-entrenched enemy?
Prisoners of Patience
Everyone agrees that tolerance is a very important trait. But sometimes we can get too tolerant for our own good...
Everyone agrees that tolerance is a very important trait. But sometimes we can get too tolerant for our own good...
Two Rabbis One Shul
Sound like double trouble? Over-employment? The latest synagogue sitcom? Probably; but Jewish history is never probable.
Sound like double trouble? Over-employment? The latest synagogue sitcom? Probably; but Jewish history is never probable.
My Exodus, Your Exodus
Why is change so difficult? Maybe because, often, we don't really want to change. Ancient Jewish texts describe this problem as a "Pharaoh Syndrome"...
Why is change so difficult? Maybe because, often, we don't really want to change. Ancient Jewish texts describe this problem as a "Pharaoh Syndrome"...
Suspended Hailstones
You're walking down the street when, suddenly, a hard object with sharp edges hits you smack in the middle of the forehead...
You're walking down the street when, suddenly, a hard object with sharp edges hits you smack in the middle of the forehead...
Ten Ways to Destroy Your Life
Each of the 10 Plagues is another destructive trait for us to overcome and eradicate.
Each of the 10 Plagues is another destructive trait for us to overcome and eradicate.
The Parshah in a Nutshell
G-d promises to redeem the Israelites from their oppression. Moses and Aaron repeatedly demand of Pharaoh to let the nation leave. The Egyptians experience the first seven plagues: blood, frogs, lice, wild animals, pestilence, boils and hail.
G-d promises to redeem the Israelites from their oppression. Moses and Aaron repeatedly demand of Pharaoh to let the nation leave. The Egyptians experience the first seven plagues: blood, frogs, lice, wild animals, pestilence, boils and hail.
The Jewish Woman
Tick Tock
Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Glancing up at the clock, The sound it makes resounds within, So many mixed messages lie therein...
Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Glancing up at the clock, The sound it makes resounds within, So many mixed messages lie therein...
The Car Menorah
When you drive with a menorah on the top of your car, you are very in-your-face-Jewish. And I soon learned that every single time I got into my van, no matter where I was going or what I was doing, I was going to be watched...
When you drive with a menorah on the top of your car, you are very in-your-face-Jewish. And I soon learned that every single time I got into my van, no matter where I was going or what I was doing, I was going to be watched...
The Photographer and Me
The last time I saw the photographer, about three hours later, I asked her something that I had been wanting to ask her since I had first witnessed her bleary-eyed at sunrise that morning. "Tell me something, are you enjoying this?"
The last time I saw the photographer, about three hours later, I asked her something that I had been wanting to ask her since I had first witnessed her bleary-eyed at sunrise that morning. "Tell me something, are you enjoying this?"
Emotional Translucency
Emotional translucency means that while every action may cause an equal and opposite reaction, it doesn't cause an overreaction...
Emotional translucency means that while every action may cause an equal and opposite reaction, it doesn't cause an overreaction...
Pulling Away to Draw Close
I wonder if she is comforted knowing that as our relationship evolves Mommy is still here for her. Even though it appears that I’m pushing her away...
I wonder if she is comforted knowing that as our relationship evolves Mommy is still here for her. Even though it appears that I’m pushing her away...
Dear Rachel: I Am Unappreciated
Whenever someone is having a crisis, they call me. The problem is that I am also quickly forgotten. As soon as the person gets back on her feet, I seem to no longer exist. It is not that I want flowers or a gift, but I guess just some kind of acknowledgement for what I did to help...
Whenever someone is having a crisis, they call me. The problem is that I am also quickly forgotten. As soon as the person gets back on her feet, I seem to no longer exist. It is not that I want flowers or a gift, but I guess just some kind of acknowledgement for what I did to help...
I offer thanks to You, O living and everlasting king, for having restored my soul within me; great is Your faithfulness
— The "Modeh Ani" prayer, recited immediately upon waking each morning
Print Magazine
G‑d doesn’t need you to report on the dirt in His world.
He sent you here to search out the jewels hidden in the mud, clean them and polish them until they shine.
And when you bring them to Him, the angels make a crown of them for Him, saying, “Look what Your children have made for You out of the mud!”
New on Chabad.org