BS”D On Tisha B’Av, we face two main, somewhat contradictory themes: aveilus (mourning) and teshuva (repentance). Though the ultimate goal of Tisha B’Av and the three weeks that proceed it is teshuva, the main focus on the ninth day of Av itself is aveilus over the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash. Throughout most of the day,…
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BS”D The three weeks between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av is a period of constriction and introspection. It is a time when we collectively mourn over the destruction of the First and Second Temples and the devastating events that led up to it. It’s a time when we are also forced…
BS”D One of the biggest miracles of Purim, according to Rebbe Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev(z”l), was קִיְּמ֣וּ וְקִבְּלֻ֣, that the Jewish people willingly re-dedicated themselves to the Torah and accepted it anew.1 But why was this such a miracle among all the other miraculous events that took place? The answer gives us a profound insight…
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BS”D I’ve mentioned here before that the main miracle of Chanukah was not the improbable victory over the Greeks, nor the discovery of the one flask of pure olive oil, nor even the fact that the light of the menorah lasted eight days. The biggest miracle was that the Chashmonaim choose to step up to…
Chanukah may fall out at the darkest time of the year. But, the very darkness gives the intense spiritual light Chanukah brings to the world the ability shine its brightest. This light is known as ohr haganuz, the hidden light of creation: וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֖ים יְהִי־א֑וֹר וַֽיְהִי־אֽוֹר And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there…
