BS”D On the surface, the days of Sefiras HaOmer seem to have two, somewhat contradictory themes: On one hand, it’s a time a mourning when we limit joyous activities, like making a wedding, listening to music or buying new clothes. According to the Talmud, in the weeks between Pesach and Shavuos, Rabbi Akiva’s 24,000 students died in a…
Read More “Chodesh Iyar: The Key to Unlocking Divine Compassion” »
BS”D Straight after the first day of Pesach we enter a seven-week cycle known as Sefiras HaOmer (the Counting of the Omer). The 49 days from Pesach to Shavous really represent a journey of 49 steps to spiritual growth and emotional refinement that help us renew our acceptance of the Torah on an individual level. On the first…
BS”D These days many of us are living in some kind of quarantine– separated from each other and the daily activities that defined our day. We’re locked in our homes feeling afraid and overwhelmed… worried about getting sick… or the health of our loved ones… or losing work… or how in Heaven’s Name we are…
Read More “Staying Calm and Positive in Challenging Times” »
BS”D Why do we celebrate Tu BiShvat, the Rosh HaShanah La’Ilanot, in the middle of the winter– a time when nothing is growing and the world around us descends into a deep, frost-bitten slumber? It seems to be at the wrong time of the year. Shouldn’t the New Year for the Trees come in the…
BS”D Our Sages tell us that no blessing in this world can materialize without shalom (peace). Shalom is the vessel that holds all the kinds of brocha– whether physical or spiritual– that HaShem can bestow upon us, such as health, happiness, a livelihood, children, and peace of mind. In Judaism one of the most critical…
Read More “The Key to Saving a Troubled Marriage: A Jewish Perspective” »
