12 Tammuz 5744

Our Sages teach us that we should view the Torah as being new every day, not merely renewed. How do we resolve this statement with the reality that lies before our eyes, a world that appears to be the same on awakening as it was yesterday?

Wisdom and Torah are not identical. The Rabbis tell us that wisdom may be found in the world at large, but not Torah. When ethics come from G-d, they are unalterable. Only this formula, based on Torah, G-d’s wisdom, can make true ethical life possible. Ev...

In the Holy Temple, a Korban Olah, a Burnt sacrifice, was offered up twice daily, in the morning and at dusk. Our Sages teach that while we are in exile, “the prayers were established in place of the daily offerings.” ‘Korban,’ offering, shares the same H...

Chasidim sing a nigun that is attributed to the Rebbe Rashab as preparation to the Alter Rebbe’s niggun (Daled Bavos).

A song in Russian: “G-d is One, His name is One, besides Him there is no one.”

When it appears to a person that he is a minority standing against the jungle of the world, he has the example of my father-in-law, the Rebbe: One lone individual who stood against a ruthless, powerful regime - and triumphed, for he had G-d on his side.

“May it be Your will, L-rd our G-d and G-d of our fathers, that the Holy Temple be rebuilt speedily in our days, and grant us our portion in your Torah.” From the daily prayers.

Although Columbus “discovered” America, obviously these lands and their inhabitants existed before he arrived. They were just unknown to those living on the other side of the globe.

The Mishneh Torah was not written only for great Torah scholars. Maimonides himself writes that he composed it in a clear unambiguous style for all Jews – “for small and great alike.”