Blessings You Don't Say but Really Should!

Rabbi Efraim Palvanov

What is the blessing on an elephant? How about an albino? Find out in this class where we explore the power and meaning of the ancient berachot instituted by our Sages. 

Also discussed is the mystical purpose of every Jew’s life, the divine Light of Creation, and an explanation of the 36 perfect tzadikim that exist in every generation.

For a free, printable PDF companion guide with full text and transliteration of all the blessings, click here

For a written summary of this class, click here

The 2022 American Midterm Elections and the Divine Agenda

 Rabbi Mendel Kessin

Who Was Og the Giant? And Other Big Questions in Genesis

 

Rabbi Efraim Palvanov Addressing some big mysteries in Sefer Beresheet, the Book of Genesis, and beyond: 

 - Who was Og and how did he survive the Great Flood?

 - What exactly were the Ten Trials of Abraham? 

- Why is Eliyahu spelled without a vav in the Tanakh 5 times?

 - What is the difference between Chokhmah, Binah, and Da’at (“Chabad”)?

 - Which of the “Cosmic Shemittot” are we in? 

 - Who was the Nachash (the Primordial Serpent) in Eden? 

- Does God create evil? 

- Is the Torah written in ancient Hebrew script or in Assyrian/Ashuri script? 

- How will all of history be revealed in the Messianic Age?

 - Is there a rational way to understand the Great Flood? 

- Where was the Garden of Eden located? 

More on the incredible story of Og (with archaeological evidence): click here

More useful links at You Tube source: click here

Connecting to the Source

Art ''Holy Land'' Michoel Muchnik

by Rabbi David Pinto Shlita

It is written: “Sarah died in Kiryat-Arba, which is Hebron” [Chayei Sarah 23:2]

Rabbeinu Bechaye explained why the text mentions two names for the same place [Kiryat-Arba and Hebron].

Kiryat-Arba is called Hebron because the soul of anyone buried there unites [mithaberet] on high in the city of G-d with the four [arba] camps of the Shechinah.

This is why the Patriarchs sought to be buried in this place, namely that from there, souls merit to be reunited [leit’haber] with their source, which is the Throne of Glory.

Hence the meaning of “Kiryat-Arba, which is Hebron.”

Guests of Honour

"They (pretended) to eat"  [Vayeira 18:8]

The Torah states that the angels ate the food which Avraham served them, on which Rashi comments: "they pretended to eat".

It appears, therefore, that Avraham did not perform a mitzvah by feeding his guests, for ultimately they were angels who did not need to eat.  Thus: a) Avraham interrupted his audience with the Divine Presence unnecessarily, and b) How can we learn the principle that "welcoming guests is greater than welcoming the Divine Presence" [Shabbos 127a] from an incident where there were no real guests present?

Generally speaking, with acts of kindness, the primary focus is on the results of the mitzvah, i.e. the benefits given to the guests - food and drink etc.

The unique quality of the mitzvah of welcoming guests is that the primary focus is not on the benefits received by the guests, but rather on the good will demonstrated by the host.  In this light, it turns out that Avraham did fulfill the mitzvah of welcoming guests, in the most exemplary manner.

Based on Likutei Sichos of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Gutnick Chumash

The End of the Dominion of the Erev Rav

 Rabbi Mendel Kessin

The Descent of a Lofty Soul: Moshiach

Art by Andreas

And they gave their father wine to drink on that night, and the elder came and lay with her father, and he did not know of her lying down or of her rising up -  וּבְקוּמָֽהּ

According to the Zohar, the dot in the הּ in the word וּבְקוּמָֽהּ [Vayera 19:33] alludes to the fact that G-d was secretly assisting this event, because Moshiach was to materialize from it [since Ruth, King David's great grand-mother, was a convert from the Moabites].  The latter event, between Lot and his younger daughter [19:35] is written without the letter vav - וּבְקֻמָֽהּ - to indicate that the union did not produce such great offspring.   Rabbi Shimon said "When the verse states that Lot ''wasn't aware'', it means he wasn't aware that Moshiach was destined to come from this union" [Zohar I 110b]

Why should the beginnings of Moshiach occur in such an undignified manner?  Ramak explains that when a very lofty soul is about to descend into the world, the forces of kelipah [“peel” or “shell”—words used by Kabbalah to describe layers of impurity] oppose the soul's descent vehemently. Sometimes, however, kelipah will consent to the soul's descent if it occurs amidst a particularly sinful act.  Thus, we find that from this undesirable act, the ancestor of Moshiach was born.

Source: Lubavitcher Rebbe

Calling for Help

 Rabbi Y Y. Jacobson - 2 mins