Learning Mussar
- Excerpts from Chapter 4 “Frumkeit”
- Chapter 13: Summary: Removing the Impediments
- Chapter 14: Summary: A Short Guide to Mussar Study
Mussar Practice
- Chapter 5: Hislamdus [Teaching Oneself / Taking Lessons from Life] (ve’adim)
Intimate Knowledge of G‑d
Compassion Toward People
Splendor in Mind and Heart
Avodah
- Fish and Meat eatingZev Sero: Fish and Meat eating: [...] It's a simple kal vachomer. If simply baking them in the same oven can cause problems, how much more so actually eating them together.
- Fish and Meat eatingMicha Berger: Fish and Meat eating: [...] ... because it is "qasheh latzara'as". And I think the tzara'as connection is key. Because now you have both chamira saqanta mei'issura AND the saqana has a spiritual element. [...] Which says the reason is "qashyeh lericha uldavar acheir", where the […]
- Rupture and Reconstruction ReconsideredRich, Joel: Rupture and Reconstruction Reconsidered: Tradition magazine published a symposium -"Rupture and Reconstruction Reconsidered" (25 years after its original release). Dr. Soloveitchik's article has caused a lot of people to think over the years :-). What follows is my quick summary of the responses. […]
- Fish and Meat eatingRich, Joel: Fish and Meat eating: I’m hoping somebody can help me out with this. We’re looking into the question of eating fish and meat together. The Tur in o”c states that his father, the Rosh, would wash between eating meat and fish. טור אורח חיים הלכות בציעת הפת, סעודה, וברכת המזון סימן קעג […]
- Balancing Observance and the InterpersonalMicha Berger: Balancing Observance and the Interpersonal: By R' Eliezer Eisenberg [...] Thursday, December 05, 2019 Vayeitzei. Reconciling LeChaveiro with LaMakom Overview After Yaakov had a dream where he received nevuas Elokim that told him to leave Lavan, why did he seek Rachel and Leah's advice and consent about leaving? 1. […]
- Vayishlach Brotherly LoveCantor Wolberg: Vayishlach Brotherly Love: One of the most moving scenes in the entire Torah is when Esau and Jacob meet after 20 years. Chapter 33, verse 4, says: "Esau ran toward him, embraced him, fell upon his neck, and kissed him; then they wept." The Netziv points out that all the verbs in this […]
- Tonight (Thursday evening) begin Prayer for RainAri Meir Brodsky: Tonight (Thursday evening) begin Prayer for Rain: Dear Friends, It's that time of year again, when I know many of you are expecting my annual friendly reminder.... Jews outside of Israel should include the request for rain in daily prayers, beginning with Maariv tonight (Thursday evening), December 5, […]
- R' Osher Katz -- Osher Eliyahu ben ShaynaToby Katz: R' Osher Katz -- Osher Eliyahu ben Shayna: Dear Friends and Family, I would not normally send out something so personal but my brother-in-law, R' Osher Katz, was diagnosed with cancer three months ago -- Stage 4 -- and he has not yet begun treatment, because, for complicated reasons, he has no insurance […]
- Is Thursday Night Chulent Permissible?Micha Berger: Is Thursday Night Chulent Permissible?: I would strongly dis-recommend chulent before Shabbos lunch. (Be glad I am not yours or anyone's poseiq.) Here is my argument against. The Shabbos daytime meal is supposed to be more important than Friday night's meal. One is supposed to save their favorite dishes for lunch. […]
- Thanksgiving Harmless Holiday or Chukos HaGoyim?Micha Berger: Thanksgiving Harmless Holiday or Chukos HaGoyim?: Rav Dovid Lifshitz didn't personally eat turkey because of iffyness of saying it fits the requirement for a kosher species of bird to be backed by a mesorah. Not lekhakhah, but as a personal chumerah. And yet R Dovid celebrated Thanksgiving. (Which was a more common […]