A Chassidic story: A wealthy merchant would regularly visit the Baal Shem Tov and would donate large sums of money for the Rebbe’s charitable causes. Eventually his fortune changed and his business failed, leaving him nearly penniless. When he went to visit the Rebbe again the Baal Shem, undoubtedly aware of the man’s dire...
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The High Holidays present us with a paradox. On the one hand, we stand before the heavenly court in judgment, unsure of our verdict, anxious about our fate for the coming year. On the other hand, we celebrate Rosh Hashanah and the day before Yom Kippur with joyous feasting in a festive atmosphere. How...
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It was told that in the shul of the great Chassidic Master, the Chozeh (Seer) of Lublin, they sang and danced on the night of Rosh Hashanah. When the Misnagdim, the anti-Chassidic proponents, heard of this they were taken aback. How could the so called great Rebbe allow dancing on the awesome Day of...
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The Talmud tells us that the two happiest days in the Jewish calendar are Yom Kippur and the fifteenth of Av (Tu B’Av) because on those days the single woman of Jerusalem would go out into the vineyards wearing borrowed (so as not to embarrass the poorer girls) white dresses and call out to...
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At the Seder we read about the four sons and learn how to relate to each of them. When the wise son asks us to explain the laws and customs of Passover, we respond by teaching him the laws beginning with the regulations relating to the Afikomen. Out of all the fundamental laws relating...
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The Kabbalah categorizes miracles as those that are completely initiated from the heavenly realm, and those that are initiated or “pulled down” by actions in the physical world. The splitting of the Sea of Reeds during the Exodus was purely a heavenly initiative since, according to the Midrash, the Jews were no more deserving...
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Simchat Torah is quickly approaching and soon the UWS will be filled with thousands of singles seeking their soulmates. After participating in this mating ritual for nearly fifteen years, I can say with confidence that Simchat Torah on the UWS is an amazing opportunity to further your search for that special person. There are...
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I recently heard the following Torah thought, from a local UWS rabbi, to answer the question of why the Sukkot holiday directly follows Rosh Hahsana and Yom Kippur. He quoted a Midrashic source that explains that since there exists the possibility that the Jewish nation was judged unfavorably and deserving of Galut (exile), we...
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Today I built a Sukkah on the terrace of our apartment, on the 18th floor of a Manhattan building. The views from the terrace are stunning. Unfortunately, I’m afraid of heights. I still enjoy the views, but only from several feet behind the railing. I envy those guests who walk right up to the...
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