Living Torah Archives

The Rebbe urged all people to realize their G-d-given potential in whichever possible way, and when it came to Yeshiva students, it was no different. This presentation highlights the Rebbe's efforts and input in encouraging Yeshiva students to publish Torah journals with discussions, questions, and explanations about their studies.

During the Holiday of Sukkos, we take a palm branch, citron, and branches of myrtle and willow, and wave them together in every direction. In fact, it was the custom of our Rebbes that when waving the lulav, they would not only extended it forward and bring it back, but would move it out in each of the six directions, give it a shake, and then bring it back towards the chest.

This will be for a special blessing to be diligent in your studies. May you study Torah and fulfill the commandments. And this you can give as your first Mitzvah, to give this dollar to charity. (collage)

We see in human nature that when you decisively resolve that for a particular amount of time, you’re completely dedicated to a specific thing – whatever it may be, you can indeed succeed. The same should be true of Torah study.

Torah relates that the Egyptian exile involved hard labor of “chomer u’leveinim – mortar and brick.” Of the current exile, however, Torah explains that the refinement of “chomer – mortar” is acquired through “kal vachomer – in-depth Torah study,” and the refinement of “leveina– brick,” through “libun hilchisa – clarification of Jewish law."

The twenty-fourth of Teves marks the passing of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad Chassidism. He is famous among Jews today as the author of both the Tanya and a version of the Code of Jewish Law. His name, Schneur, hints to his unique ability to teach and expound on both the revealed and the more esoteric parts of the Torah.

We see that the more necessary something is for survival, the more available it is. For example, a house can be expensive, clothing is more affordable, food even more, and air which we need to breathe, is free. The same is true with Torah and commandments. While commandments have their limitations in time and other requirements, Torah study is something which can always be done, pointing to how necessary it really is for our survival.

You say that you wish you had more time to study Torah. I was never elected to any office so I don’t know what it’s like, but surely if you try you can find the time to do both.

The Previous Rebbe gave us a mission: "Stand ready to greet Moshiach." "Everything is already prepared, all that remains is to 'polish the buttons.'"

The Kabbalah states that when the sages of the Talmud ruled on a matter of law, it was a reflection of how the law was applied in the upper realms.

Understanding is required to fulfill one's obligation in studying the Oral Torah, but exceptions apply if comprehension is beyond one's control.

An increase your study of Torah will bring with it success in other endeavors.

Torah describes the symbiotic relationship between the sea-faring tribe of Zevulun and the scholarly tribe of Issachar. Zevulun supported the Torah study of Issachar, and shared in the merit of that study.

The Mishna states in Ethics of the Fathers: “Any Torah study that is not combined with work will not endure.” Elsewhere, the Talmud asserts that man was created for toil in Torah.

Stanley Abramowitz frequently traveled to North Africa on behalf of the Joint Distribution Committee, where he found himself working side by side with Chabad. Impressed, he decided to meet the man behind the operation. (1950s)

The Sages list forty eight qualities that one must possess in order to acquire true Torah knowledge. Among them are: “companionship with colleagues” and “discussion with students.” This means that you cannot be satisfied to be passionate in your own study, rather you must engage everyone you can reach in the excitement of Torah, as well.

The Talmud relates that King David and his general, Yoav Ben Tzeruya, supplemented each other. David was immersed in the study of Torah, while Yoav went out to battle.

Our sages declare that the night was created for girsa – Torah study. They chose their words carefully: Girsa denotes a cursory type of study, intended to cover ground in Torah. It is not necessarily deep. Yet, the sages maintain that nighttime was created specifically for this type of study.

Historically, Jews treated their wisdom in a vastly different way from other nations. In Egypt, for example, knowledge and scientific progress were the exclusive domain of an intellectual elite. The masses obeyed them with blind action. By contrast, immediately when the Jewish people became a nation, G-d’s first action was to give the Torah to all the Jews, of all generations, equally.

Torah relates that the Egyptian exile involved hard labor of “chomer u’leveinim” – mortar and brick. Whatever spiritual refinement G-d intended for the Jewish people through that exile could only be acquired through mortar and brick – otherwise, G-d would never have put them through it.

“When one studies the Torah of Moses, then, like Moses, one’s ‘vigor does not abate, nor do his eyes dim’ — even to the age of one hundred twenty!”

It was taught in the school of Elijah the prophet: “Anyone who studies Jewish law every day is assured a place in the World to Come, as the verse says ‘halichos olam lo’ – the ways of the world are his;’ do not read it ‘halichos – ways of the world,’ but rather ‘halachos – Jewish law.’” – Making Jewish law your own makes the Next World yours as well.

In the early 1970s, Rabbi Meir Tzvi Gruzman sought the Rebbe’s advice on motivating the students of his Tomchei Temimim Yeshiva in their study of Talmud.

The Alter Rebbe instructed that every Jewish community should study the entire Talmud each year. Therefore, it is customary on Yud Tes Kislev to divide up the study of Talmud.

In 1956, Rabbi Eitan Greene had a two hour audience with the Rebbe, in which he asked many questions on Talmud and Jewish philosophy.

Jews must “conquer” the world through increased Torah study – each person according to his own level.

The Sages list 48 qualities that one must possess in order to acquire true Torah knowledge. Among them are: “companionship with colleagues” and “discussion with students.” This means that you cannot be satisfied to be passionate in your own Torah study, rather you must engage everyone you can reach in the excitement of Torah, as well.

What is the theme of Moses’ life—and of his birthday, the seventh of Adar? Moses is Torah. The entire Torah from beginning to end, even the new Torah insights revealed in subsequent generations, derive from what Moses received at Sinai. So the main thrust and initiative of this day is growth in Torah.

Summer vacation must be utilized to grow in one’s Judaism.

After achieving excellence as a Talmudic scholar, Rabbi Zeira fasted in order to forget the Babylonian Talmud before he began to study the Jerusalem Talmud. How could he have prayed to forget a portion of the Holy Torah? The answer: Before one proceeds to an entirely new level of service, he must let go of his current frame of reference. For example: As the soul ascends the ladder of heavenly realms, it must forget the experiences of the lower realm, so the memory will not “hold it back” from fully receiving higher revelations.

In ancient Egypt, the study of wisdom was limited to an intellectual elite – the sorcerers and astrologers. Ordinary people had no independent access to wisdom. When the Jews left Egypt, however, G-d commanded them to journey to Sinai and receive the Torah. G-d revealed the Ten Commandments, which included the entire Torah, directly to three million Jewish men, women and children together.