Living Torah Archives

When the Jewish people returned from their exile in Babylon, there was a shortage of wood for the altar in the Holy Temple.

G-d longs for our physical world to become a dwelling place for Him. This mission can only be accomplished by a living person. Man's aspiration should never be to "escape" this world, and certainly never to endanger his own life. Even Rabbi Akiva, who longed his entire life to give up his life for G-d, did not actively pursue this goal. To the contrary, a person must preserve and safeguard his life, and devote his entire being toward elevating the world around him.

All human beings are commanded to believe in G-d. But must they “trust” in Him, as well?

Classic Torah sources teach two conflicting ideas when it comes to “Trust in G-d”: On the one hand, a person is commanded to rest assured that G-d will deliver him from any predicament, in a way that will be openly and clearly good. On the other hand, he must joyfully acknowledge that G-d is the source of all good, and that everything He does is good - so the present state is also “good.”

The true and complete Redemption depends on “bringing the entire world to recognize the sovereignty of G-d.” Every person must hasten this, and help prepare the world to serve G-d as one.

My father gave his life helping to preserve Judaism in communist Russia; thus his Yahrzeit has great significance for all Jews – especially when we see the fruits of his self-sacrifice continuing to bear fruit today, with countless Jews from the Soviet Union observing Torah and Mitzvos.

G-d promises every Jew: “You shall be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” This is not only a request, but also an assurance that no Jew will ever be lost. No matter how far a Jew may wander, his true place remains with G-d, Torah and the Jewish People. Simply by doing a Mitzvah, a Jew comes home.

Upon the Rebbe’s request, campers from Camp Gan Israel begin a camp song. “Wake up, Yidden, from the dream of Golus, get ready to greet our Righteous Moshiach. Redemption is coming swiftly towards us; ‘Behold he is standing right outside our door.’”

Every morning, we thank G-d for giving us life. But there are many different levels of life. Physical growth and energy are much more apparent during childhood than in adulthood. Since body and soul are closely connected, clearly, a child’s soul, as well, develops rapidly during the formative years.