Popular Shows by Rabbi YY Jacobson הרב יוסף יצחק יעקבסון
495 episodes
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Name
Release Date
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301
The Abraham Accords: A Biblical Perspective
The Abraham Accords: A Biblical Perspective
Oct 21, 2021
1:34:12
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Chayei Sarah, 20 Cheshvan, 5782, October 26, 2021, live at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
302
Why Did Christianity Turn a Jew into a Deity?
Why Did Christianity Turn a Jew into a Deity?
Oct 28, 2021
1:28:12
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Toldos, 27 Cheshvan, 5782, November 2, 2021, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. The class explores a fascinating commentary by the Italian Rabbi, Doctor and Kabalist, Reb Moshe David Vali (1697-1777) how Yitzchak's words to Eisav "you shall worship your brother" intimates the future religion of Christianity, choosing a Jew as the son of G-d, and is a sign for the times of Moshiach when the Divinity of each Jew will emerge in its full splendor. The class discusses and explained the very delicate topic of the strange fact that Judaism attributes the name of G-d to certain human beings. How can we explain this? And what does this teach us about our lives today?
303
Sometimes, We Hate that Which We Need Most
Sometimes, We Hate that Which We Need Most
Nov 5, 2021
1:41:18
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayetzei, 5 Kislev, 5782, November 9, 2021, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
304
The Oak of Grief: The Untold Story of Rivkah’s Wet Nurse
The Oak of Grief: The Untold Story of Rivkah’s Wet Nurse
Nov 11, 2021
1:40:39
Weekly Women's Class: She is one of the most anonymous figures in the Torah, yet the Torah dedicates space in Vayishlach to discuss her death, burial, and the tears following her passing. This is Rivkah's wet nurse, Devorah. But who was she? Why is she important to our story? Why did everyone grieve her death? As it turns out, she shaped the future of the Jewish people and the destiny of history. According to the sages, Devorah the prophetess led and taught the Jewish people at her burial plot, and she was also a reincarnation of Tamar. All of these details come together to create one of the most remarkable reflections on the timeless role of the Jewish woman in history, from then to this very day. Rabbi YY Jacobson unravels the mystery of one of the most anonymous figures in the Torah, Rivkah's wet nurse, Devorah, bringing to life a narrative of profound emotion, courage, resilience, and faith, still carried on by our mothers and daughters. This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayishlach, 12 Kislev, 5782, November 16, 2021, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
305
To See the Hidden Light
To See the Hidden Light
Nov 26, 2021
1:18:44
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Miketz, 26 Kislev, 5782, November 30, 2021, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
306
What Yosef Taught His Brothers About Guilt & Anguish
What Yosef Taught His Brothers About Guilt & Anguish
Dec 3, 2021
1:48:28
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayigash, 3 Teves, 5782, December 7, 2021, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
307
The 10th of Teves: The Day That Changed Jewish History
The 10th of Teves: The Day That Changed Jewish History
Dec 11, 2021
1:06:08
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayechi, 10 Teves, 5782, December 14, 2021, at his home in Monsey, NY.
308
He’s Not Defiant; He’s Just Thirsty. Don’t Blame; Just Be Curious
He’s Not Defiant; He’s Just Thirsty. Don’t Blame; Just Be Curious
Dec 16, 2021
1:08:15
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Shemos, 17 Teves, 5782, December 21, 2021, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
309
Chaim Walder & the Cover-Ups in Our Communities
Chaim Walder & the Cover-Ups in Our Communities
Dec 23, 2021
1:21:37
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vaera, 24 Teves, 5782, December 28, 2021, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. The class explores an incredible discourse by the Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the author of the Tanya, on how at the end of history before the coming of Moshiach, the most acute crass and filth mixed into the "wine" and the "silver" gets exposed, hence allowing the soul of Israel to shite in its pristine goodness and glory. The class explores the cover-up of child abusers in our communities for decades, claiming so many untold victims. This is the age of healing and transformation, which includes exposing the evil and putting an end to a culture of lies and cover-ups. Truth prevails.
310
Do I Have Free Choice? It Depends
Do I Have Free Choice? It Depends
Dec 29, 2021
1:47:45
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Bo, 2 Shevat, 5782, January 4, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. It explores how free choice works, and do we really even have it?
311
Four Responses to Trauma: Resignation, Disconnect, War, and Paralysis.
Four Responses to Trauma: Resignation, Disconnect, War, and Paralysis.
Jan 5, 2022
1:34:40
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Beshalach, 9 Shevat, 5782, January 11, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
312
Yisro Vs. Moshe: Judaism Without Elitism
Yisro Vs. Moshe: Judaism Without Elitism
Jan 12, 2022
1:21:45
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class by Rabbi YY Jacobson was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Yisro, 16 Shevat, 5782, January 18, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
313
It’s Not the Trauma or the Sin; It’s the Shame that Destroys
It’s Not the Trauma or the Sin; It’s the Shame that Destroys
Jan 19, 2022
1:38:29
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Mishpatim, 23 Shevat, 5782, January 25, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
314
Even In Darkness, We Soar On the Wings of Eternity
Even In Darkness, We Soar On the Wings of Eternity
Jan 26, 2022
1:19:17
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Terumah, 30 Shevat, Rosh Chodesh Adar I, 5782, February 1, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
315
Don’t Amputate Any Part of Your Self
Don’t Amputate Any Part of Your Self
Feb 2, 2022
1:34:35
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Tetzaveh, 7 Adar I, 5782, February 8, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
316
The Debate Between Mordechai & Esther: Do We Include All Jews?
The Debate Between Mordechai & Esther: Do We Include All Jews?
Feb 9, 2022
1:45:20
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday Parshas Ki Sisa, Purim Katan, 14 Adar I, 5782, February 15, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
317
The Soul & History of Ukrainian Jewry; Our Calling Today
The Soul & History of Ukrainian Jewry; Our Calling Today
Feb 23, 2022
1:24:34
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday Parshas Pekudei, 28 Adar I, 5782, March 1, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
318
Can You See Your Life as a Symphony?
Can You See Your Life as a Symphony?
Mar 2, 2022
1:18:24
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday Parshas Vayikra, 5 Adar II, 5782, March 8, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
319
Do We Really Want People to Lose Their Minds on Purim!?
Do We Really Want People to Lose Their Minds on Purim!?
Mar 9, 2022
1:37:12
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class on Purim was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Tzav, 12 Adar II, 5782, March 15, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
320
Eulogy for Rav Chaim Kanievsky: The Power of Torah
Eulogy for Rav Chaim Kanievsky: The Power of Torah
Mar 14, 2022
1:36:02
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Shmini, 19 Adar II, 5782, March 22, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. The class was dedicated to the recent passing of HaGaon Reb Chaim Kanievsky (1928-2022), on Friday, Shushan Purim, 5782, March 18, 2022, at his home in Bnei Brak, at the age of 94. The funeral on Sunday brought together some 750,000 mourners from all over the Holy Land.
321
Elisha, Naaman the Leper, & an Abducted Jewish Girl
Elisha, Naaman the Leper, & an Abducted Jewish Girl
Mar 23, 2022
1:42:10
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Tazria, 26 Adar II, 5782, March 29, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
322
The 3 Names of Pesach Reflect the 3 Steps to Freedom
The 3 Names of Pesach Reflect the 3 Steps to Freedom
Mar 31, 2022
1:29:12
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Metzora, 4 Nisan, 5782, April 5, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
323
The Sickle and the Ax
The Sickle and the Ax
Apr 27, 2022
1:27:36
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Kedoshim, 2 Iyar, 5782, May 3, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
324
Why Do We Make Blessings on Food? To Redefine Who We Are
Why Do We Make Blessings on Food? To Redefine Who We Are
May 6, 2022
1:13:51
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Emor, 9 Iyar, 5782, May 10, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. This class is based on an address delivered by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, on Shabbos Parshas Yisro, 22 Shevat, 5740, February 9, 1980; and on Tuesday Parshas Shlach, 19 Sivan, 5747, June 16, 1987. This second address was presented to the graduating class of Beth Rivkah girl's school, and to the counselors of the girls camp, Camp Emunah.
325
In G-d’s Ecosystem, We Are All Givers and Takers
In G-d’s Ecosystem, We Are All Givers and Takers
May 12, 2022
1:25:02
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Behar, 16 Iyar, 5782, May 17, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
326
A Tale of Two Loves: Amnon and Tamar Vs. David and Yehonasan
A Tale of Two Loves: Amnon and Tamar Vs. David and Yehonasan
May 20, 2022
1:45:56
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Bechukosai, 23 Iyar, 5782, May 24, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. King David—whose yartzeit is on Shavuos—remains one of the most fascinating, perplexing, and majestic figures in Jewish history. The combination of wisdom, humility, honesty and spirituality coupled with courage, power, passion, and leadership, and all of them with incredible intensity, conferred upon him the status of the ultimate Jewish king, leader, and poet. Two of the most powerful stories of love in the Tanach are also associated with him and one two of his children. They are summarized succinctly by our sages in the Ethics of the Fathers ch. 5: “What is an example of a love that depended on something? The love Amnon had for Tamar. What is a love that did not depend on anything? The love between David and Jonathan." Let us recall these two narratives of love. Let us also understand why the Mishnah needs to find illustrations for two models of love from two ancient stories, when both of these models play themselves out in each of our lives on a constant basis? At a “farbrengen” in the spring of 1973, Shabbos Parshas Bechokosai 5733, the Lubavitcher Rebbe offered an explanation to the Mishnah. As was his style, he demonstrated how the answer to the above enigma lay in what seems like a discrepancy of a single world. It teaches us a novel idea about how family members need to nurture relationships between themselves and also what type love we are capable of achieving with our spouses and even toward strangers. The riveting stories of how Amnon violated Tamar and how Jonathan loved David illustrate what we are capable of and what we must be caution of in the volatile and complex world of love.
327
You Are the King
You Are the King
May 27, 2022
1:17:55
Weekly Women's Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Bamidbar, 1 Sivan, 5782, May 31, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
328
If Her Father Spat in Her Face: Miriam and Her Parents
If Her Father Spat in Her Face: Miriam and Her Parents
Jun 9, 2022
1:30:15
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Behaaloscha, 15 Sivan, 5782, June 14, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
329
What Most People Don’t Get About Trauma
What Most People Don’t Get About Trauma
Jun 19, 2022
1:15:10
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Shlach, 22 Sivan, 5782, June 21, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
330
The Symphony of Nature: The Rock Gets It; Why Don't I?
The Symphony of Nature: The Rock Gets It; Why Don't I?
Jul 1, 2022
1:24:32
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday Parshas Chukas, 6 Tammuz, 5782, July 5, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
331
The Day of the Breaking of the Ax
The Day of the Breaking of the Ax
Aug 2, 2022
1:26:35
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Va'eschanan, 12 Av, 5782, August 9, 2022, at 18 Forshay, Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
332
The Mind Once Enlightened Cannot Become Dark
The Mind Once Enlightened Cannot Become Dark
Aug 2, 2022
1:29:17
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Eikev, 19 Av, 5782, August 16, 2022, at 18 Forshay, Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. Why do the Broken Tablets remain such a great source of inspiration to the point that we took them to war? Why did Moshe feel the need to break the tablets? Why do we compare the death of the Tzaddik to the breaking of the tablets? Why the restlessness so many of us possess? Come on a journey into the types of relationships that redefine you at your core, because they are engraved in your soul. Once I taste infinity, once I see truth, there is no going back. This class is based on an address presented by the Lubavitcher Rebbe on 20 Av, 5732, July 31, 1972.
333
Searching for the Donkeys: Five Qualities of Jewish Leadership
Searching for the Donkeys: Five Qualities of Jewish Leadership
Aug 15, 2022
1:25:52
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Shoftim, 3 Elul, 5782, August 30, 2022, at 18 Forshay, Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
334
IFS and Judaism
IFS and Judaism
Sep 1, 2022
1:23:56
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Ki Savo, 17 Elul, 5782, September 13, 2022, at 18 Forshay, Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
335
How Can You Despair on a Life That Is Not Yours?
How Can You Despair on a Life That Is Not Yours?
Sep 5, 2022
1:08:36
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Ki Seitzei, 10 Elul, 5782, September 6, 2022, at 18 Forshay, Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
336
Can Anxiety Become My Friend?
Can Anxiety Become My Friend?
Oct 21, 2022
28:35
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Noach, 30 Tishrei, 5783, October 25, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
337
The Keyword of the Akeida: "My Father"
The Keyword of the Akeida: "My Father"
Nov 5, 2022
1:32:23
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayeira, 14 Cheshvan, 5783, November 8, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
338
Why Wasn’t Yitzchak Angry With Rivkah? The Path to Inner Peace
Why Wasn’t Yitzchak Angry With Rivkah? The Path to Inner Peace
Nov 5, 2022
1:26:35
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday Parshas Toldos, 28 Cheshvan, 5783, November 22, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
339
Can You Make Space for My Struggle? Why Yaakov Had to Marry Leah
Can You Make Space for My Struggle? Why Yaakov Had to Marry Leah
Nov 26, 2022
1:31:41
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday Parshas Vayetzei, 5 Kislev, 5783, November 29, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. The Midrash relates that when Jacob discovered the switch between the two sisters, he told Leah, “You are a liar, the daughter of a liar,” his way of saying that the apple did not fall far from the tree. “Why did you deceive me?” Leah responded to Jacob’s accusation: Every craftsman creates students. Even a barber inspires students who learn from him the skill of cutting hair. My father and I, too, had a mentor who taught us how to deceive. Some time ago, Leah said, there was an old man, who wanted to bless his oldest son but was deceived by his younger son.. On a simple level, Leah was teaching Jacob the rule of “what goes around comes around.” He deceived his father, causing the blessing reserved for the older son to go instead to the younger son. What he did to his father and brother, was now done to him. Scathing indeed, but deeply disturbing. Let’s assume for a moment Jacob was wrong in taking the blessings—how does that exonerate Leah and Laban in deceiving him? Can I deceive you in a business deal, because you deceived your brother in a deal seven years earlier? Yet, a deeper reflection reveals a profounder reading of this narrative. The deeper dimension has been revealed by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812), founder of Chabad, known as the Alter Rebbe, in a discourse of 1811, during the last year of his life; his colleague, Rabbi Yisroel Hopstein, known as the Kozhnitzer Maggid (1737-1814), in his work Avodas Yisroel; and by the third Rebbe of Ger, known as the Sefas Emes (1847-1905). It was all brought together in an address by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, on Shabbos Parshas Toldos 5741, and Shabbos Vayishlach 5747 (1987). The Avodas Yisroel and the Sefas Emes discuss the meaning of the actual Midrash. The Alter Rebbe and the Rebbe explore the inner soul of these ideas. Coupled together we have an outstanding tapestry woven together, with profound lessons for our lives today. The class explores why Yaakov wept when he met Rachel? Why Leah wept when people said she would marry Eisav? Why was Yaakov given a name for holding on to his brother’s heel? And why do we define Eisav as wicked when he was already struggling in his mother’s womb, completely beyond his choice? We discover how Judaism views the struggles and traumas we need to contend with.
340
Chamor & Yaakov: The Donkey and the Ox
Chamor & Yaakov: The Donkey and the Ox
Dec 2, 2022
1:36:21
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayishlach, 12 Kislev, 5783, December 6, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
341
How Did Yaakov Manage to Keep All His Children on the Path?
How Did Yaakov Manage to Keep All His Children on the Path?
Dec 27, 2022
1:54:55
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayechi, 10 Teves, 5783, January 3, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
342
Why the Need to Lie to Pharaoh?
Why the Need to Lie to Pharaoh?
Jan 12, 2023
1:13:01
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Va'eira, 24 Teves, 5783, January 17, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
343
The Sleepers
The Sleepers
Jan 20, 2023
1:35:42
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Bo, 2 Shevat, 5783, January 24, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. It is a fascinating law in this week’s portion. If I am eating the Afikoman and I fall asleep, when wake up I can’t continue eating it. Because it is as though I am beginning a new, second meal, and the Passover offering meal, as well as the Afikoman, have to be eaten in one single uninterrupted meal. The above law applies if a person was conducting a seder alone. But what if he or she is eating the Passover offering or the afikomen with a group of other Jews, then even if he or she falls asleep, they can continue eating after they awake, as long as some members of the group remained awake. The logic is clear. If I am eating in your company, then even if I fell asleep, my meal has not been interrupted, because you are awake. As long as you guys are awake, when I resume consciousness, I am right back in the game. The fact that I took a nap for an hour or two does not mean that my meal has ceased. At first glance, it seems like a technical law, even if quite fascinating and also a bit of a stretch. It was on the 20th of Teves, 5750, January 17, 1990, when I heard from the Lubavitcher Rebbe the deeper emotional and historical meaning of the above law. I still recall how emotional and moving the Rebbe’s explanation was, including of how marvelous it was to see a seemingly technical law reflecting such a splendid insight into Jewish history. It also contains timeless lessons on how we view our brothers, sister, and children, who at some point feel detached from the story of Judaism and the Jewish people.
344
Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn — and the Invincible Self
Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn — and the Invincible Self
Jan 20, 2023
1:22:31
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Beshalach, 9 Shevat, 5783, January 31, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
345
How Can a Father Sell His Daughter as a Slave?
How Can a Father Sell His Daughter as a Slave?
Feb 11, 2023
1:43:02
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Mishpatim, 23 Shevat, 5783, February 14, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
346
Saluting Parents Who Show Up Each Day for Struggling Children
Saluting Parents Who Show Up Each Day for Struggling Children
Feb 14, 2023
1:15:23
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Terumah, 30 Shevat, 5783, Rosh Chodesh Adar, February 21, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
347
The Sages Debate How to Heal from Deep Trauma
The Sages Debate How to Heal from Deep Trauma
Mar 8, 2023
1:24:03
Weekly Women's Class: This women’s Pesach Class, explaining a few parts of the Haggadah, was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Tzav, 6 Nissan, 5783, March 28, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. Right after we enumerate the ten plagues that befell Egypt, pouring out a little wine for each plague, we read of a debate that took place between three of the foremost sages during the second century CE, Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yoisi from the Galilee. Rabbi Yoisi HaGlili says: “The Egyptians were struck in Egypt by ten plagues… Rabbi Eliezer says: “... Every plague that G-d brought upon the Egyptians in Egypt was comprised of four plagues...Thus they were struck by forty plagues;” Rabbi Akiva says: “... Every plague that G-d brought upon the Egyptians in Egypt was comprised of five plagues... thus they were struck by fifty plagues.” What is this supposed to mean? The Torah states that Egypt was struck with ten plagues. Why would the Talmudic Sages debate this simple fact? Do we have to argue about everything? And what is the meaning of their views that each plague was comprised of four or five plagues? And what is the relevance to us? The sages were addressing a big question: How deep can abuse, trauma, corruption, and evil penetrate a society collectively and each person individually? How messed up can you and I become? How sick can we become? How deep can the dysfunction run? And what is the path of healing? Is healing even always possible? In Judaism, psychology and ethics are reflected in practical law. It is fascinating that the above dispute, finds expression in the world of Halacha: How do we treat our Chametz on Pesach? How did Reb Yoisi Haglili treat his ex-wife who made his life miserable? How did Reb Akiva understand that trauma can affect your formless core? What did he teach us about the path toward healing from profound abuse and dissociation? This class is based on the talks of the Lubavitcher Rebbe on Pesach of 5711 (1951), 5714( 1954), and 5718 (1958). Published in Likkutei Sichos, vol. 16 pp. 87-93.
348
How to Empower Our Children & Students? A Must-Watch for Every Educator & Parent
How to Empower Our Children & Students? A Must-Watch for Every Educator & Parent
Mar 20, 2023
1:30:35
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Tazria-Metzorah, 27 Nissan, 5783, April 18, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
349
The Emotional Cannibal
The Emotional Cannibal
Apr 20, 2023
1:37:16
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Acharei-Kedoshim, 4 Iyar, 5783, April 25, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. We learn in the third chapter of Pirkei Avos: Rabbi Chaninah, deputy to the kohanim, would say: Pray for the welfare of the government, for were it not for the fear it inspires, every man would swallow his neighbor alive. Rabbi Chaninah son of Tradyon would say: If two sit together and there are no words of Torah [spoken] between them, then this is a session of scorners ... Two who sit and exchange words of Torah, the Divine Presence rests amongst them... The basic meaning of (the first) Rabbi Chaninah's words is that for a society to be civilized its members must submit to the rule of government and law. The need for "fear of authority" may seem an insult to our sophistication and intelligence, but the fact remains that without it there would be nothing to check the worst in man, and the anarchic rule of the jungle would prevail. The question, though, is how this passage made it into Pirkei Avos, the Ethics of the Fathers, which is a book of character-building, of going “beyond the letter of the law.” In these chapters you will not find a prohibition of murder, theft, deception, or adultery. For that we have the Torah and the other tractates of Mishnah. Yet here we have an astounding exception. Suddenly the Mishnah tells us that we must do what we can to avoid people eating each other alive! A second enigma is this. The Mishnah rarely if ever employs poetic language. It is not a book of poetry, but of law. Why does the Mishnah use this phrase, “every man would swallow his neighbor alive,” not the ordinary and straightforward term in Torah and Tanach, “every man would kill his neighbor.” There is a third enigma. Rabbi Chanina was not only addressing the non-Jewish world, but also the Jewish world. In the words of Maimonides in his commentary on this Mishnah: “If not for the fear of government we would swallow each other alive.” But this seems unfair and harsh. Jews, who are born and bred with the values and mitzvos of the Torah, have rarely been involved in murder. Till today, no Jewish school in the world where Torah is taught has a metal detector. Is it really true that if we had not fear of government, we would murder each other? Finally, what is the juxtaposition between this clause of the Mishnah and the following one: “Rabbi Chaninah son of Tradyon would say: ... Two who sit and exchange words of Torah, the Divine Presence rests amongst them.” They seems disjointed. Why were they put together in one Mishnah? It was at a farbrengen Shabbos Parshas Shlach 1975, when the Lubavitcher Rebbe offered a marvelous and extremely relevant explanation into this Mishnah which answers all the above questions—and teaches us how to live. We also tell the story of a horse by the water, two groceries in Crown Heights, the arrogant scholar, the dignity of a child, and Rabbi Lau’s Bar mitzvah.
350
The Shocking Truth about the Greatest Jewish Heretic
The Shocking Truth about the Greatest Jewish Heretic
Apr 28, 2023
1:48:38
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Emor, 11 Iyar, 5783, May 2, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. In the fourth chapter of the Ethics of the Fathers, we read the following Mishna: Elisha the son of Avuya said: One who studies Torah as a child, to what is he compared? To ink written on fresh paper. And one who studies Torah as an old man, to what is he compared? To ink inscribed on erased paper. There are a few questions on this Mishnah. First, what’s the novelty? This is self-evident. Second, I can understand encouraging parents to teach Torah to their children when they are young and their minds are fertile. But what’s the point of the final clause in the Mishnah? If I am an elderly man or woman, and I never had the opportunity to study Torah, why would the Mishnah try to discourage me and make me give up before I even begin?! Finally, there is something else amiss here. Of the more than one thousand Rabbis cited in the Talmud, only one became a heretic. His name was Elisha ben Avuya. Due to this tragedy, his ideas and teachings are never quoted in the Mishnah. Save in this Mishnah. What happened suddenly? Why did this Mishnah decide to quote him? And why was this particular idea the one chosen to be conveyed to all generations in his name? He was, by all accounts, one of the outstanding Jewish sages of the second century, a contemporary of Rabbi Akiva, and the teacher of Rabbi Meir, the leading scholar of his generation. Elisha moved so far from Jewish tradition that his colleagues stopped referring to him by his name but rather called him Acher, “the other”, the outcast, the renegade. Only his student Rabbi Meir remained loyal to the man who had once been his master, sought out his company, and still believed that he might one day repent. Against this backdrop, we find a deeply moving scene in the Talmud. It is Shabbat, and Elisha ben Abuya is publicly desecrating the holy day by riding on a horse. Walking alongside him is Rabbi Meir. Heretic teacher and faithful disciple travel together along the road arguing and debating Jewish law. Rabbi Meir, the pious Jew, has become so immersed in the conversation that he has not noticed they are nearing the limits beyond which one may not walk on Shabbat. “Acher”, the apostate, realizes this and says: “Meir, turn back. I have measured the distance we have walked by the paces of my horse, and we have reached the Shabbat limit. Beyond here, you are forbidden to walk. Meir replied: “You too turn back.” “I cannot turn back,” says Elisha. “One day I was riding on my horse. It was Yom Kippur, which in that particular year fell on Shabbat. I was roaming behind the Holy of Holies, when I heard a heavenly voice saying: ‘Turn back to me, O lost children, except for Acher... ’” What is the message of this story? That G-d indeed does not forgive all humans who want to repent? That some must truly be condemned forever? This would contradict a fundamental idea in Judaism that nothing stands in the way of repentance. Furthermore, if G-d did not want Elisha to repent, why did He communicate with him at all? Why did the heavenly voice begin with words of love and encouragement “Turn back to me, O lost children,” and end with the fearful decree “except for Acher”? This class will analyze the tragic story of Acher, the mysterious call to him on Yom Kippur, and his misinterpretation of it. We will explore the moments before his death, and why he had only one student who remained with him even after his betrayal of his faith. It will teach us about the pain and destiny of our own lives, how to view our own brokenness and wounds, and those of the people around us.
351
Why the Wisest Jew Committed Suicide: The Three Ego Traps
Why the Wisest Jew Committed Suicide: The Three Ego Traps
May 2, 2023
1:45:01
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Bamidbar, 25 Iyar, 5783, May 16, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
352
Judaism’s Incredible Guide to Parenting
Judaism’s Incredible Guide to Parenting
May 2, 2023
2:03:54
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Naso, 10 Sivan, 5783, May 30, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
353
Reb Akiva’s Life-Changing Advice on Challenges & Struggling Children
Reb Akiva’s Life-Changing Advice on Challenges & Struggling Children
May 10, 2023
1:52:26
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, 3 Sivan, 5783, May 23, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
354
The Dance Between Attachment and Authenticity In Relationships, Psychology & Spirituality
The Dance Between Attachment and Authenticity In Relationships, Psychology & Spirituality
May 30, 2023
1:30:26
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Behaloscha, 17 Sivan, 5783, June 6, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
355
Power of the Shofar: How Animals Can Teach Us the Secret of Life
Power of the Shofar: How Animals Can Teach Us the Secret of Life
May 30, 2023
1:25:21
Weekly Women's Class: This women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Nitzavim/Veyeilech, 19 Elul, 5783, September 5, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
356
Where Is Paradise? Why Women Don't Grasp the Sin of the Spies
Where Is Paradise? Why Women Don't Grasp the Sin of the Spies
May 30, 2023
1:26:42
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Shlach, 24 Sivan, 5783, June 13, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
357
Korach Vs. Moshe: The Great Debate How to Integrate Heaven & Earth
Korach Vs. Moshe: The Great Debate How to Integrate Heaven & Earth
Jun 7, 2023
1:50:12
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Korach, 1 Tamuz, 5783, June 20, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
358
Moshe & The Rock: The Mystery of Pain
Moshe & The Rock: The Mystery of Pain
Jun 20, 2023
1:40:57
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Chukas, 8 Tamuz, 5783, June 27, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
359
Am I Using Religion to Cover Up My Issues? The Story of Pinchas the Zealot
Am I Using Religion to Cover Up My Issues? The Story of Pinchas the Zealot
Jun 29, 2023
1:43:16
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Pinchas, 15 Tamuz, 5783, June 26, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
360
Climbing Your Second Mountain: The Journey from Fakeness to Authenticity
Climbing Your Second Mountain: The Journey from Fakeness to Authenticity
Sep 3, 2023
1:35:55
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, 26 Elul, 5783, September 12, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
361
Returning to the Garden of Eden: The “Four Plants” & the Sukkah
Returning to the Garden of Eden: The “Four Plants” & the Sukkah
Sep 6, 2023
1:35:08
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented by Rabbi YY Jacobson on Tuesday, 11 Tishrei, 5784, September 26, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. Sukkos is called the “Festival of Joy”, but what exactly is so joyful about it? The other major holidays are named after their very essences: Passover is the “Festival of Our Redemption,” and Shavuot is the “Festival of the Giving of Our Torah.” What’s the deep connection between joy and Sukkot? And how can we understand the mystery of the four plants we shake on Sukkos? If someone unfamiliar with our tradition were to stop you today walking down the street with your four species and say, what are you holding in your hand? You would say: “This is my ritual bouquet!” Then they ask: What do you do with it? “Well, we shake it.” Hu? What is more, the Torah states that when you take these four plants, “you shall rejoice before your G-d seven days.” Why? How does holding on and shaking these four plants generate happiness? Who was the first person to take a fruit from a beautiful tree? Of course, Eve and Adam. What fruit was it? The Midrash says: the Esrog. It would appear that on Sukkos we are repeating the same story: we are again taking the Esrog off the tree, but this time around, we take it, shake it, swing it, but don’t eat it. It is almost like G-d is telling us, I want you to do this over again. In the case of Adam and Eve, they were cursed with sadness. This time around we are blessed with joy. Also, after Adam and Eve eat the fruit they feel like they have to hide from G-d. On Sukkos, when we take the fruit, we “rejoice in the presence of G-d.” What is going on here? The class (based on this wonderful class by Rabbi Ami Silver: https://www.alephbeta.org/playlist/arbaminim) provides us with a deep reflection on how Sukkos and the Four Species can help us calm our nervous system, reorients our brains, change our paradigms, and ease up the tension in our life, by going away from dissociation to connection. The Sukkah is the virtual “Garden of Eden,” and the four plants allow us to repair what happened millennia ago in the original Garden of Eden, once again reclaiming the joy and ecstasy of life. The story of the raffle that happened in the IDF captures the timeless unity of our people who were chosen to unite the entire world under the sovereignty of Hashem.
362
In This War, We Are All Soldiers on the Frontlines
In This War, We Are All Soldiers on the Frontlines
Sep 6, 2023
1:16:44
Weekly Women's Class: This women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Bereishis, 25 Tishrei, 5784, October 10, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. The class took place three days after Hamas breached the fence and attacked Jewish towns near Gaza, on Shabbos morning, Simchas Torah, 5784, October 7, 2023. 1300 Jews were murdered, thousands were wounded, and more than 100 were taken as hostages to Gaza.
363
War in Israel: The Power of Every Single One of Us
War in Israel: The Power of Every Single One of Us
Oct 12, 2023
1:28:25
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Noach, 2 Cheshvan, 5784, October 17, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
364
The Cognitive Dissonance of Jews with Allegiance to the Left
The Cognitive Dissonance of Jews with Allegiance to the Left
Oct 23, 2023
1:26:10
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayera, 16 Cheshvan, 5784, October 31, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
365
Israel at War: How to Show Up Without Anxiety & Fear
Israel at War: How to Show Up Without Anxiety & Fear
Nov 1, 2023
1:21:58
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Chayei Sara, 23 Cheshvan, 5784, November 7, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
366
Hamas-Israel War: Remaining Anchored in Truth and Love During Insanity
Hamas-Israel War: Remaining Anchored in Truth and Love During Insanity
Nov 11, 2023
1:27:45
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayetzei, 8 Kislev, 5784, November 21, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
367
Israel-Hamas War: Can You See the Light Shining on the Jewish People?
Israel-Hamas War: Can You See the Light Shining on the Jewish People?
Nov 24, 2023
1:34:34
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayishlach, 15 Kislev, 5784, November 28, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
368
Yosef’s Evolution: The Day You Let Go, You Can Begin to Live
Yosef’s Evolution: The Day You Let Go, You Can Begin to Live
Nov 25, 2023
1:54:05
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayeshev, 22 Kislev, 5784, December 5, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
369
Decades Have Passed Since the Abuse, But Has My Family Changed?
Decades Have Passed Since the Abuse, But Has My Family Changed?
Dec 10, 2023
1:39:29
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayigash, 7 Tevet, 5784, December 19, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. Finally one of the most dramatic stories in the Torah reaches its climax. Yosef reveals himself to his brothers and ultimately reunites with his beloved father after 22 years of heart-break and suffering. The brothers are first shocked, embarrassed, and then finally relieved. But let us take a step back. Yosef had recognized his brothers immediately, yet chose to conceal this fact. Instead, he accused them, imprisoned them, and forced them to and from Egypt, ultimately tearing beloved Benjamin away from Yaakov, and causing his elderly father more unnecessary prolonged suffering. If he forgave them, then he should have revealed himself immediately, and reunited with his father?! And finally, only after this whole ordeal does he choose to do what he should have done initially, identify himself. Why did he do this? Was it revenge? Or to exact punishment on his brothers? This class will show how Yosef’s actions show us the depth of true healing, and define the process of true repentance. Yosef was not manipulating his brothers; on the contrary, he was guiding them. It was only due to his superficial ‘heartlessness’ that sincere, heartfelt, reconciliation became possible. Healing, or Teshuvah has three irreplaceable components: remorse for the past, resolve for the future, and finally, a moment, a déjà vu, when that resolve is fully actualized and proven. Joseph wanted to ensure that his brothers experienced all three so that a new chapter in history can begin. The lessons today, as the Jewish people are at war, are powerful. This is a time for internal transformation.
370
My Thoughts Go Everywhere, But My Self Remains Anchored
My Thoughts Go Everywhere, But My Self Remains Anchored
Dec 21, 2023
1:31:11
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayechi, 14 Tevet, 5784, December 26, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. On his deathbed Jacob speaks to Joseph: “A charming son is Joseph, a son charming to the eye; the women strode along to see him. They made his life bitter and they quarreled with him; archers despised him.” Rashi explains: “The women of Egypt strode out on the wall to gaze upon his beauty." What is Jacob trying to bring out? Literally, that Joseph’s beauty was dazzling. Not only was he appealing to any eye that saw him, but even the Egyptian women were enthralled by his figure. They ascended the walls and fortresses of Egypt to be able to gaze at him. But why is this relevant on the deathbed of Jacob? For this we have to understand what was at the root of this conflict in the first family of Israel? Could it be that a multicolored coat or a favorite son’s share of his father’s affections should generate such profound strife? Something deeper was at stake. Joseph and Judah embodied two divergent worldviews. They possessed different approaches on the meaning of Judaism, which was just beginning to bud, and how we achieve a state of transcendent oneness. There is a remarkable law in Talmud: While when the Temple existed in Jerusalem you can only eat the meat of the sacrifices within the Jerusalem walls, when the Tabernacle stood in Shilo, in Joseph’s territory, you can eat the meat of the offerings as far as the eye could behold the Tabernacle. This law captures the magic and revolution of Joseph which we must emulate today. We explore the unique role of women in gazing at Joseph, and the power of the woman to reveal Divine oneness within the material fragmented reality. The class explains how our daily lives must integrate the visions of Judah and Joseph, so that even as our thoughts can pull us in all directions, we remain anchored in the "solar core."
371
What Does It Take to Create a Moshe? Six Women!
What Does It Take to Create a Moshe? Six Women!
Dec 29, 2023
1:32:56
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Shemos, 21 Tevet, 5784, January 2, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. Why Moshe? Why was he chosen as the first and greatest Jewish leader, teacher, and prophet? The Torah does not provide an explicit reason. But it does give us a clue. Often people ask me why the Torah focuses so much on men. The question is strange, because in Genesis, almost every important history-changing decision is made by a woman. And in Shemos, it is six women who are responsible for the entire story of the Egyptian Exodus: Shifra, Puah, Yocheved, Miriam, Pharaoh’s daughter Batya, and Tziporah. These six extraordinary people refused to bow their heads to the inevitable; they are giants in the story of mankind and in the story of the Jewish people. They were also, it seems, the role models who molded, crafted, and mentored Moses; they taught him how to live, how to think, how to act. The three stories the Torah shares about Moses, which made him the man suitable to be the greatest leader ever, are essentially all stories inspired by these women who impacted his life, who—like our mothers, wives and daughters to this very day—helped him become the person who would change history forever. The class concludes with a life-changing message by Einav Efrat Danino, the mother of Ori, 24, who was taken captive by Hamas on October 7th 2023, may we see his redemption, and the redemption of all the hostages, very soon.
372
The Night Before Redemption, We Needed to Confront One Final Demon
The Night Before Redemption, We Needed to Confront One Final Demon
Jan 12, 2024
1:20:44
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Bo, 6 Shvat, 5784, January 16, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
373
Crème De La Crème: The Brisker Rav on Israeli Soldiers
Crème De La Crème: The Brisker Rav on Israeli Soldiers
Jan 19, 2024
1:19:44
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Beshalach, 13 Shvat, 5784, January 23, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
374
Why You Should Be a Proud Jew Today: Crash Course on Jewish History
Why You Should Be a Proud Jew Today: Crash Course on Jewish History
Jan 24, 2024
1:46:51
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Yisro, 20 Shvat, 5784, January 30, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
375
Why Do I Crave Compliments? Why Does My Ego Require Constant Resuscitation?
Why Do I Crave Compliments? Why Does My Ego Require Constant Resuscitation?
Feb 1, 2024
1:22:19
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Mishpatim, 27 Shvat, 5784, February 6, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
376
How to Live in Bliss: If I Can’t Feel the Pain, I Can’t Feel the Joy
How to Live in Bliss: If I Can’t Feel the Pain, I Can’t Feel the Joy
Feb 8, 2024
1:50:25
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Tetzaveh, 11 Adar I, 5784, February 20, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. The class explores the end of the Code of Jewish Law on the availability of constant bliss, the joy of the month of Adar, and the grief of the month of Av. We explore the enigmatic Talmudic story of Reb Akiva's visit to Rome and why he laughed, the explanation of the Alter Rebbe on bliss and pain, and the exchange between the Rebbe and Eli Wiesel on the question of the Holocaust, and why Jews have not lost their faith, even in the face of such adversity. We finally explain how pain and joy merge together in the profoundest experience of the soul's bliss.
377
Can You Give Yourself A Standing Ovation for Showing Up? Learning to Appreciate Ourselves
Can You Give Yourself A Standing Ovation for Showing Up? Learning to Appreciate Ourselves
Feb 21, 2024
1:29:36
Weekly Women's Class: This Women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Ki Sisa, 18 Adar I, 5784, February 27, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. In the conversation between Hashem and Moshe after the sin of the Golden Calf, G-d says something shocking: “On the day I make an accounting, I will bring their sin to account against them.” G-d, it seems, is telling Moses He will never forget this sin. And whenever He is going to make an accounting, this sin will be included in the “package.” This is deeply enigmatic. It is one of the foundations of Judaism that Teshuvah, repentance, atones for all sins and wipes them away completely. Every Yom Kippur, we declare that Hashem “removes our sins every year again.” No matter how many times we commit a sin, if we repent, we are forgiven. Teshuvah removes all guilt. It’s over. Yet here we are told that G-d will never let go of this transgression? The most marvelous answer was presented by the famed Chassidic master and one of the greatest lovers of Israel, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchov (1740-1809). In a daring interpretation, classic to the Chassidic approach toward Judaism, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak becomes the great “advocate” for the Jewish people, as he always was. The class explores two models of education, one based on outer behavior and control, and the other one on connection and trust, and developing an internal relationship which allows a child to feel understood and empowered. We focus on the need to appreciate our successes, not only our failures.
378
The Last Lecture of the Lubavitcher Rebbe: How to Love
The Last Lecture of the Lubavitcher Rebbe: How to Love
Feb 27, 2024
1:48:35
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayakhel, Parshas Shekalim, 25 Adar I, 5784, March 5, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. This Sabbath, Jews the world over will read, in addition to the weekly Torah portion, an extra Torah portion, known as Parshas Shekalim, or the "portion of the coins." This section of the Torah records the mitzvah incumbent upon the people of Israel, to make a yearly contribution of a half shekel to cover the cost of all communal Temple offerings. A shekel was a specific weight of silver (about 16 grams) that was the standard coinage used by the Jews in the desert. The Jewish people were instructed to contribute a half-shekel coin, which was a silver coin weighing about 8 grams, to the Temple. The Torah is extremely particular about the amount of the contribution: "The wealthy shall not increase and the destitute shall not decrease from half a shekel." I do not think there was ever again in Jewish history an appeal made setting a limit to the contributions of the rich! What is baffling about this mitzvah is the Torah's insistence that the contribution consist of a half-coin, rather than a whole, complete coin. Why would G-d instruct the Jewish people to give a contribution that is not complete? Especially considering that the Torah demands all elements connected to the Temple service be as complete and perfect as possible. In his final address, two days before he suffered a stroke, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, presented a profound explanation. This was Shabbos Vayakhel, 25 Adar I, 5752 (1992). It explored the question if a human being in his deepest place is a lonely creature, struggling with a mysterious and complex self in a way that nobody else can really understand or appreciate? Many philosophical and spiritual disciplines eloquently describe the sense of solitariness that comes hand in hand with one's journey into the inner chambers of the self. The deeper you go, the lonelier you become. But the Rebbe presented a very different view, one which helps teach us how to live with love and joy, despite the pain and disappointment.
379
The Most INSANE Purim Story: When Rabah “Slaughtered” the Ego of Reb Zeira
The Most INSANE Purim Story: When Rabah “Slaughtered” the Ego of Reb Zeira
Mar 5, 2024
1:46:19
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Pekudei, 25 Adar II, 5784, March 12, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. In one of the most bizarre Talmudic stories (Megilah 7b), two of the greatest Talmudic sages feast on Purim together. They are inebriated and one of them slaughters his friend. The next day he brings him back to life. The following year he invites his colleague for another Purim meal. This fascinating class, based on an address of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, re-invents the meaning of the story, and applies it to our daily opportunity to link heaven and earth. Purim represents the gift to experience an ego-death, the portal to true inner connection and bliss.
380
How Queen Esther’s Banner of Pride Can Transform Every Victim’s Narrative
How Queen Esther’s Banner of Pride Can Transform Every Victim’s Narrative
Mar 13, 2024
1:36:10
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayikra, 9 Adar II, 5784, March 19, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
381
How You Can Use Your Darkness to Light up the World
How You Can Use Your Darkness to Light up the World
Mar 19, 2024
1:20:52
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Tzav, 16 Adar II, 5784, March 26, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
382
Can You Be Grateful for Each of Your ‘Four Children’? Can You Listen to the 4 Children Inside of You?
Can You Be Grateful for Each of Your ‘Four Children’? Can You Listen to the 4 Children Inside of You?
Mar 19, 2024
1:46:05
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Tazria, 1 Nissan, 5784, April 9, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. Who are the four children of the Haggadah? What’s this great hullabaloo about them? Why four and not five, six, or ten? Why are they central to our Passover experience? What are their questions, and why are these questions so important? The premise to answering these questions is that the four children are not external to us; they are within each of us: Within each of our hearts, there are “four children” who ask four distinct questions. What are four big questions on Judaism? 1) The strange laws that we simply cannot wrap our brains ahead. 2) How can small people believe that G-d cares about their lives and actions, especially in a painful and scary universe? 3) I lead my own life and define my destiny; I don’t need G-d. 4) I don’t care. The Haggadah addresses each of these four powerful questions, with which each of us struggles in one way or another. Erev Pesach in Bergen Belzen. The Bloshever Rebbe sacrificed his life to obtain matzah. But when the Nazis discovered the matzah bakery, all was gone besides a few matzos. He decided the elderly would get them. Until a woman's voice was heard: “Binaranu ubezkananu,” the youth must come first.
383
Can You Be Grateful for Each of Your ‘Four Children’? Can You Listen to the 4 Children Inside of You?
Can You Be Grateful for Each of Your ‘Four Children’? Can You Listen to the 4 Children Inside of You?
Mar 19, 2024
1:46:05
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Tazria, 1 Nissan, 5784, April 9, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. Who are the four children of the Haggadah? What’s this great hullabaloo about them? Why four and not five, six, or ten? Why are they central to our Passover experience? What are their questions, and why are these questions so important? The premise to answering these questions is that the four children are not external to us; they are within each of us: Within each of our hearts, there are “four children” who ask four distinct questions. What are four big questions on Judaism? 1) The strange laws that we simply cannot wrap our brains ahead. 2) How can small people believe that G-d cares about their lives and actions, especially in a painful and scary universe? 3) I lead my own life and define my destiny; I don’t need G-d. 4) I don’t care. The Haggadah addresses each of these four powerful questions, with which each of us struggles in one way or another. Erev Pesach in Bergen Belzen. The Bloshever Rebbe sacrificed his life to obtain matzah. But when the Nazis discovered the matzah bakery, all was gone besides a few matzos. He decided the elderly would get them. Until a woman's voice was heard: “Binaranu ubezkananu,” the youth must come first.
384
How We Develop Our Coping Mechanisms and How We Set Ourselves Free
How We Develop Our Coping Mechanisms and How We Set Ourselves Free
Apr 11, 2024
1:37:32
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Metzora, 16 Nissan, 5784, April 16, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
385
How to Clean My Mind From Pesach Anxiety
How to Clean My Mind From Pesach Anxiety
Apr 16, 2024
1:12:00
Featured Lectures: Zoom by Rabbi YY for Fresh Start Alumni with Q & A on Tuesday 8 Nissan, 5784, April 16, 2024. This was moderated and facilitated by Yochanan Polter & Tova Korn of "Fresh Start" Fresh Start Retreat, Their flagship program, Fresh Start Retreat, is a 7-day intensive retreat helping participants understand their past to create a brighter future. https://jewishfreshstart.com/home
386
How We Develop Our Coping Mechanisms and How We Set Ourselves Free
How We Develop Our Coping Mechanisms and How We Set Ourselves Free
Apr 16, 2024
1:37:32
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Metzora, 16 Nissan, 5784, April 16, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
387
Self Care Is Not a Crime; It's a Mitzvah
Self Care Is Not a Crime; It's a Mitzvah
May 7, 2024
1:21:16
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Kedoshim, 29 Nissan, 5784, May 7, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
388
We All Need to Get Married a “Second” Time to Experience Real Love
We All Need to Get Married a “Second” Time to Experience Real Love
May 21, 2024
1:39:22
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Behar, 13 Iyar, 5784, May 21, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. The Midrash recounts that in the second century, in the famous seaport town of Sidon, on the coast of Lebanon, there lived a married couple blessed with wealth and an honored position in the community. There was, however, a great void in their lives. Although they were married for ten years, they had no children. The couple decided to get divorced. They turned to the great Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai for advice. He looked at the couple for a long time, and then he said to them, “I ask only one thing of you both: If you must part, then just as you wed with celebration, so should you part from each other with celebration.” They took his advice and arranged a great feast. During the evening, the husband raised his cup and said to his wife, who would soon leave, “True, this is the last meal we shall share. Before you go, look around at the treasures of this house, choose the most precious jewel your heart desires, and take it back with you to your parents’ house.” The wife did not respond to his offer. Instead, she mixed and spiced the wine, and they drank a lot. The candles burned low in the room, and the husband fell asleep, overcome by heavy drowsiness. While he was asleep, the wife told her servants to lift him on a bed and carry him to her parents’ house. As dawn broke, the husband opened his eyes in a daze and discovered he was in unfamiliar surroundings. Astonished, he asked, “Where am I?” “In the house of my parents,” she said. “Why?” he asked. “This is where you asked to be taken. Did you not say to me last night, ‘Take with you the most precious thing your heart desires?’ To me, dear husband, there is nothing in the world more precious than you. They had found each other again. They now fully realized how strongly they loved each other. The next day, the couple of Sidon appeared again before Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. He prayed for the couple, and after a joyful year, they were blessed with a child. What is the message of this story? And why didn’t Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai pray for them in the first place? The story of the couple of Sidon, says the Alter Rebbe, is not only about them; it tells an eternal truth about every marriage and the enduring power of love. When the couple first came to Bar Yochai, their love for each other was conditional and goal-oriented. If the marriage was not producing a child, there was ultimately no point in it. But then as they were about to part, they discovered how deeply they loved each other. They began to celebrate the intrinsic value of love. So, the couple returned to visit the rabbi, not because they had a solution, but because they knew they wanted to be together. Paradoxically, when the couple began to understand the purity of love that has no ulterior motive, their relationship bore fruit. The class explores how our first marriages must morph into second marriages, even with the same partner, and how the setbacks and betrayals we experience are often cries of the soul for a deeper, more authentic, and more vulnerable relationship. We can grow from a superficial relationship to one in which the very relationship means more than anything else. The same is true also in our relationship with Hashem. We tell a story of the Lubavitcher Rebbe saving a marriage, even after divorce, when the husband discovered he was not a Kohen.
389
How To Be Present In Life, Showing Up to Every Moment and Every Experience
How To Be Present In Life, Showing Up to Every Moment and Every Experience
May 28, 2024
1:29:16
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Bechukosai, 20 Iyar, 5784, May 28, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
390
What Did You Need to Hear When Your Embryo Was First Formed?
What Did You Need to Hear When Your Embryo Was First Formed?
Jun 4, 2024
1:39:25
Weekly Women's Class: This Pre-Shavuos Women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Bamidbar, 27 Iyar, 5784, June 4, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
391
Pre-Shavuos Childrens' Program with Rabbi YY
Pre-Shavuos Childrens' Program with Rabbi YY
Jun 9, 2024
1:41:32
Featured Lectures: Amazing & Inspiring Kids Program with Stories, Science, Davening, Learning, and Live Q & A with Rabbi YY. Ask any question here or text or Whatsapp (718) 977-5279.
392
What We Do With Our Loneliness: Why Rachav Married Yehoshua
What We Do With Our Loneliness: Why Rachav Married Yehoshua
Jun 25, 2024
1:36:18
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, 19 Sivan, 5784, Parshas Shlach, June 25, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
393
Obedience Vs. Emotional Well-Being: Bridging the Generational Divide
Obedience Vs. Emotional Well-Being: Bridging the Generational Divide
Jul 2, 2024
1:28:40
Weekly Women's Class: This class was presented on Tuesday, 26 Sivan, 5784, Parshas Korach, July 2, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.
394
LIVE Gimmel Tammuz Farbrengen, 30th Yartzeit of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
LIVE Gimmel Tammuz Farbrengen, 30th Yartzeit of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
Jul 9, 2024
6:18:48
Featured Lectures: Tuesday, July 9, 8:30 PM: Gimmel Tammuz Farbrengen Honoring the 30th Yartzeit of the Lubavitcher Rebbe LIVE at 20 Forshay Road, Monsey NY.
395
Yom Kippur Without Anxiety
Yom Kippur Without Anxiety
Sep 23, 2023
1:55:14
Featured Lectures: Does Yom Kippur Cause You Anxiety? -Live Blunt conversation with Rabbi YY, Motzai Shabbos, Parshas Haazinu, September 23, 2023.
396
Strength in the Struggle - Empowering Preemie Fathers
Strength in the Struggle - Empowering Preemie Fathers
Sep 24, 2024
55:18
Featured Lectures: "Wee Care Preemies" will Host a Webinar with Rabbi YY Jacobson specifically geared for the Fathers of Preemies
397
How Can I Experience a Blissful Yom Kippur?
How Can I Experience a Blissful Yom Kippur?
Oct 9, 2024
1:21:55
Featured Lectures: On Wednesday evening, 7 Tishrei, 5785, Oct. 9, 2024, Rabbi YY Jacobson addressed questions from Fresh Start Participants, concerning Yom Kippur, guilt, forgiveness, confession, and finding the bliss and joy in an authentic relationship with G-d. Fresh Start Retreat, Their flagship program, Fresh Start Retreat, is a 7-day intensive retreat helping participants understand their past to create a brighter future. https://jewishfreshstart.com/home
398
LIVE Childrens' Program with Rabbi YY: Let's Make This Year Awesome!
LIVE Childrens' Program with Rabbi YY: Let's Make This Year Awesome!
Nov 17, 2024
2:03:42
Featured Lectures: Amazing & Inspiring Kids Program with Stories, Science, Davening, Learning, and Live Q & A with Rabbi YY. Ask any question here or text or Whatsapp (718) 977-5279.
399
Maybe Our Generation Has Deeper Resilience than We imagine?
Maybe Our Generation Has Deeper Resilience than We imagine?
Dec 16, 2024
2:07:23
Featured Lectures:
400
Yud Shevat Farbrengen
Yud Shevat Farbrengen
Feb 8, 2025
4:45:15
Featured Lectures: Yud Shevat Farbrengen with Rabbi YY Jacobson Motzei Shabbos, February 8th, 20 Forshay Rd, Upstairs. Hot food will be served Livestream will begin at 9:00 PM