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Rebuking a Relative?

Practical Parshah—Lech Lecha

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Rebuking a Relative?: Practical Parshah—Lech Lecha

How, when and if to speak up for what’s right, when the people who are acting improperly are your own family members.
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Topics: Parshah, Lech-Lecha
By Mendel Kaplan
Rabbi Mendel Kaplan is the Spiritual Leader and Executive Director of Chabad Flamingo in Thornhill, Ontario, serving one of Canada’s most dynamic Jewish communities. He also serves as Chaplain of the York Regional Police Service. He is an active member of Toronto’s Vaad HaRabbanim (Council of Orthodox Rabbis), and a voting member of the COR Kashruth Council of Canada’s executive rabbinical board. Rabbi Kaplan is featured regularly on many local television and radio shows. He is a sought after speaker, with hundreds of lectures on Chabad.org. He and his wife, Faygie, are blessed with eight children. Artistically endowed, the rabbi enjoys drawing, sketching and creating charcoal portraits.
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9 Comments
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penny robinson November 12, 2016

So much appreciate your teachings..this one was very poignant. I tried comforting a friend who wants so much to have a relationship with brother, but can't because he has threatened to kill her and has done evil things. She knows he once walked with G-d, but has turned away. I told her to not give up on him, stay safe, but keep trying to reach out with love. Praying that G-d will touch his heart and bring healing and restoration.. Reply

Anonymous europe February 25, 2013

cajnik is not jidish cajnik is still (slovan language) name for this kind of untensil
and this kind of untensil still existi in all europe Reply

Anonymous via chabadtomsriver.com February 13, 2011

Forgiveness Many times it is not about forgiveness. I believe you can forgive, but you also have a responsibility to your emotional health. If a family member has the power, or insults your person time and time again or slanders you etc. You can forgive them in your heart because you know there is something wrong with them obviously, however you should not subject yourself or deliver yourself to them on a silver platter. Sometimes it is better to forgive and safer to love them from a distance and just pray for them. Reply

Mr. David Morris January 21, 2011

The joys of family What a wonderful exploration of this fabled story. New levels of understanding hidden away now unlocked.

If only this depth of teaching could spread to all the children of God on this rapidly consuming planet Reply

Jonathan K Christchurch, New Zealand via chabadnz.org November 26, 2010

Awesome. Wow, I like listening to Rabbi Medel Kaplan delivering his sermons.

Thank you - Till tomorow. Reply

Anonymous Montgomery, Al October 26, 2010

Great Speaker, Very Clear to the Point Hi, I wish I could go by what the Rabbi stated. I would love to speak to Rabbi Kaplan, my situation is not the same. What do you do when you honor your Father and Mother and you have relatives who do not care, in fact you get in a legal battle and they take your Father and put Him in a nursing home, against his will, meanwhile you are fighting the corrupt system and all they see are dollar signs, so do your relatives. Then you lose your Father because of the neglect, when he wanted to live in peace with you. Even after losing your Father, they do not even come to the funeral, in fact they try to cancel it. My father was not buried for over 30 days after his passing. I loved both my Parents with all my heart and soul and would trade places with them, they are both in Heaven. How can you forgive greedy family members who also make false statements against you, when all you wanted was to go by your father's wishes. My Father was a great man, he was disgraced, how can you forgive? Reply

Mrs. Lana Gordover, NJ October 22, 2010

Great speaker! Great speaker! Reply

M.Elizabeth Sacramento, CA/USA October 13, 2010

Practical Parshah Thank you. I heard last week's sermon last night. All day long your words of wisdom resonated in me helping me to take a hard look at my life and my actions. May each day we grow closer to G-d.
Peace to you. Reply

Richard Raff October 12, 2010

Rebuking a Relative? Great talk on proper damage control not too little and not too much, makes for a nice balance. Reply

The Practical Parshah
Each week, Rabbi Mendel Kaplan will delve into that week's Torah reading to bring out a practical lesson for life and explain the Biblical sources for the customs, laws, practices and ethics of our people.
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