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| Home » Writings, Speeches, Broadcasts » Daf Hashavua |
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| Toldot 5771 |
| 6/11/2010 |
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Concentration in prayer, kavannah, is not always easy. On one occasion R. Levi
Yitzchak of Berditchev went up to one of his followers after the prayers, held out his
hand and said “Welcome home.” “But I haven’t been anywhere”, said the disciple.
“Your body hasn’t been anywhere”, said the Rebbe, “but your mind has been far
away. That is why I wished it, Welcome home.”
Yet kavannah -- mindfulness, focus, direction of the mind – is of the essence.
Pr... |
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| Noach 5771 |
| 9/10/2010 |
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If we understood the first chapter of Genesis, we might put an end to some of the needless arguments between scientists and religious believers.
The first thing to note is its sheer brevity. It takes a mere 34 verses. The Hebrew Bible takes some fifteen times as long to describe the Israelites' creation of the sanctuary in the wilderness. It is astonishing that the world's greatest and most influential account of the origins of the universe is so short.... |
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| Rosh Hashana 5771 |
| 8/9/2010 |
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There are many interpretations of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah, but none more striking than the one given by the greatest rabbi of the Middle Ages, Moses Maimonides. He describes it as a wake-up call from God. We spend much of our time sleepwalking, says Maimonides, spending time on trivial pursuits that are meaningless in the larger scheme of things. They “neither help nor save.”
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| Re'eh 5770 |
| 7/8/2010 |
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The Talmud tells a fine story about Hillel, the poor scholar from Babylon who became leader (Nasi) of the Jews in Israel. Hillel was known for his calm and forbearing nature. Two people made a bet that they could get him to lose his temper. Whoever succeeded would win 400 zuz.
They waited until Erev Shabbat. Hillel was washing his hair in readiness for the holy day, and time was short. One knocked on his door and asked him a question that was both offensive and poi... |
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