Building your inner world

Standing for the truth in a Confusing world

what does it mean Rachel has a child and finally  has someone to blame?? 

This weeks Viral story of Emma Platt

How do we define a good life?

We often say I am married and have kids and have money and have a good community. I have a good life.

They tell a story of a Lady who lived a long time ago and her father gets thrown into a fire and burned alive. She then leaves that town and has no idea where she is going to live and she goes with her husband and when they get there the economy collapses and they have nothing to eat and then she gets kidnapped and is almost raped and then her brother gets taken captive and once he is Bh saved she says I can’t have kids and gives her husband to another woman to have a child and they do and she feels like 2 cents. Then she finally has a kid and is so happy and everyone is happy for her but behind her back she hears how she is too old to raise a kid and then even her kid is taken to be executed. You would say she had a bad terrible life but it says this is the life of Sarah and Rashi says they were equally good. Kulan shavin letova. How could this be?

I get this question often.

"I feel so unworthy. How can I face Hashem on Yom Kippur?"

Beautiful moshul ❤️

Understand a different way to approach the entirety of Yom Kippur.

What did Reb Yisroel Salanter Recommend? 

What did Rav Shlomo Heiman, the rosh yeshivah of Torah Vodaath, ask a few bachurim on Erev Rosh Hashana? 

A parent punishes a kid – but deep down you want to teach him a lesson and but you still slip in a present to make sure that they are looked after.

Less than a year ago Rebbe mothers was נפטר. Rebbes father was left alone. After the Shiva Rebbe asked him how do you feel? He answered – “If I want to I can be miserable”. That is so true; there are so many situations that you can justify being miserable. Go ahead you have the right to be miserable. But that isn't what you really want. You also have the ability not to be miserable. You have to realise that Hashem is there. And He is reminding you that all the difficulties are coming from the same person who is leaving you all these little presents. It’s your choice – you don't have to be angry and bitter. People came out the holocaust. Some were angry and bitter for the rest of their lives and some walked away with גבורה and built their lives. The ברכה is always there. We are מפונקים it doesn’t take much to get us down. There is depression and anger. Every situation big or small – if you want to be miserable fine. But Hashem gives ברכה. All you are doing is hurting yourself. Hashem is always there. And the more you recognise the ברכה the more you have to thank Hashem and say a beautiful פסוקי דזמרה. You have to master this if you want to help others. Rebbe has spent some time in the old age home (visiting his parents) and some people are happy- even though everyone has צרות, and there are bitter people there. Its not because that they have suffered more. It has nothing to do with it.

What is it that are supposed to feel during Bein Hamtzarim? 

This story reflects how we can interpret things based on our perspective. Every situation and person can be viewed in different ways, influencing what we see. Even though the spies witnessed miraculous events like the splitting of the sea and heard Hashem's words, they still couldn't see Hashem's plan. It's a matter of choice and perspective.

Some people complain and find fault in everything, while others find excitement and beauty in life.

It's like the astronauts who saw space differently—one found no trace of God, while others marveled at the wonders of creation. We are all made of dirt with a Tzelem elokim within us, and how we perceive others determines whether we see their greatness or shortcomings. Recognizing greatness in others is a sign of greatness within oneself.

We must remain open, objective, and see beyond our agendas. It's easy to find flaws, but we must also appreciate beauty, see greatness, and have a positive perspective.

Many people struggle with self-doubt, and a simple compliment can make a significant difference in their lives. By believing in and uplifting others, we can change humanity. We have the power to rectify the sins of the spies and bring all Jews back to EY.

Its all a matter of perspective 

The answer – is to communicate the challenge the Jews faced in the desert.

which is a bit surprising, because in כי תשא we read that we aren’t allowed to count Jews unless commanded. Counting Jews isn’t a good thing. Therefore they were counted through the half shekel,

Are we supposed to be counted or not?

The הפטרה last week began מסםר בני ישראל, the number of Jews – היה מספר בני ישראל כחול הים אשר לא ימד ולא יספר they can't be counted. so how can it be a number? If it's beyond numbers then why is it called a number. do we have a number or not? How can it be a number that cant be counted? 

So, what are Jews' numbers or not?

The answer is we are both. of course, the Jews aren’t numbers. every Jew is a soul, a brain, personality, that is unique. every one of his experiences is personal and shapes who and who he is. his morals and values are all unique.

The yochid and klal.

 That fact that everyone is different isn’t a mistake. Its not that hashem keeps trying to make a perfect yid, and it hasn’t worked yet, rather there is a need for every yochid, and each one is different. So to look at Yid as a number is a terrible thing.

On the other hand every Yid needs to know that its not for him to do his own thing alone. He is part of KY. It's finding your individual mission life as part of KY.

This is why there is a dichotomy.

If you just think about the needs of the nation you will be overlooking what you were given.

If are busy with whom you are – you forget KY.

What really you are is both! An individual and part of the klal.

Practically – how should one do this?

Rabbi Tatz – imagine I go and drop you off at a construction site and I say I’m going to pick u up at 10pm, its 9am now. you look around and you have no idea what’s going on, you have never been to a construction site in your life, I drop you off, I say get to work. you are confused what does he want me to do? so you start looking around – plumbing, electrics, brick, everything half done, you don’t have google…! you have nothing to help you out. so, some might try and see if they can figure out wats going on. but what if I drop you off at the work site with a toolbox, first thing you should do is open the toolbox and let’s see what’s inside! What talents, abilities, strengths – what do you have, that all paints a picture of the direction of where you are supposed to be going with your life. It’s really amazing!!  

 Rabbi Sacks said "Where what you want to do meets what needs to be done, that is where God wants us to be."

Hashem this week needs to sell the Torah to Klal Yisroel. Hashem doesnt mention reward in this world or the next. Just one thing, "You will be to me a ממלכת כהנים וגוי קדוש.”  

Rebbe Chaim of Chernovitz presents a beautiful analogy to explain why Klal Yisroel had to experience a taste of the sweetness of Shabbos before being presented with the rest of the Torah’s commandments.

(CREDITS: Rabbi Yaakov Klein https://lpitorah.org/eilecha-weekly/) 

The obvious question is why was the fact that she waited for Moshe such a praiseworthy action so much so the entire nation waited for her for seven days in the desert?

It seems that her maintaining hope was the key to her future reward.

Whatever the situation, as long as one keeps his hope alive, there remains a potential cure, or a potential redemption, or a potential salvation to the crises. One must maintain hope in order to have a chance to see that salvation come to fruition.

Had Miriam given up hope, then the last connection to the future deliverance of the Jewish people would have been severed. This is why her act of faith was so crucial”.

Credits - Rabbi Y. Gefen for bringing down the idea 

Yosef had reframed his entire past. He no longer saw himself as a man wronged by his brothers. He had come to see himself as a man charged with a life-saving mission by God.

Everything that had happened to him was necessary so that he could achieve his purpose in life:

To save an entire region from starvation during a famine, and to provide a safe haven for his family. This single act of reframing allowed Joseph to live without a burning sense of anger and injustice. It enabled him to forgive his brothers and be reconciled with them. It transformed the negative energies of feelings about the past into focused attention to the future.

*(quoted from Rabbi Sacks convenant & conversation) 

Rashi explains,  Arab merchants back in the day didnt sell spices. They would be carrying oil. However, Hashem wanted Yosef to have a pleasant trip down to Eygpt. 

Isn't that odd? Do you think it makes a difference to a person being carted to jail whether he travels in a limousine or a golf cart? He was going to jail? Do you think it makes a difference whether he had a few nice spices to smell?

Rav Chaim Shmuelevits here shares a powerful idea...

The Chovos HaLevavos writes in the Shaar HaBitochon that the essence of Bitochon is the peace of mind experienced by the one who possesses it. The people who know and feel that Hashem is in full control of every situation and always doing what's best for us will always be calm. 

Rabbi Sacks writes 

"Abraham and Sarah…survived whatever fate threw at them, however much it seemed to derail their mission, and despite everything, they found serenity at the end of their lives. They knew that what makes a life satisfying is not external but internal, a sense of purpose, mission, being called, summoned, of starting something that would be continued by those who came after them, of bringing something new into the world by the way they lived their lives. What mattered was the inside, not the outside; their faith, not their often-troubled circumstances."

Thus, the Torah tells us, ואברהם זקן בא בימים וה' ברך את אברהם בכל .In Avraham's old age, he looked back and

understood that every stage of his life was good. This was Avraham's way, to recognize that everything is a blessing.

What do Chessed and Emunah have to do with one another? 

An incredible story with Rav Yaakov Weinberg & Reb Meir Zolotowitz 

What is this mission statement? 

p.s Apologise for the croaky voice. Recovering from Simchas Torah :) 

Why does the Torah promise reward and punishment in this world and not the next world? 

Rosh Hashana is kind of confusing. It's a Yom Tov where we sing, but it's also serious. What then is Rosh Hashana? 

In the first 3 minutes, we explain Rav Hersh approach to this.