In this morning’s class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath dove into one of the strangest, most beautiful marriage scenes in the entire Torah, Yitzchak and Rivkah caught “jesting” behind a window. Why does the Torah use a word for laughter to describe intimacy? Why is the first Jew born into the covenant literally named “He Will Laugh” ? And why does Rivkah’s name hint to a yoke of oxen , two forces pulling together toward transformation? Using Rashi, Midrash, Zohar, and the Alter Rebbe’s revolutionary maam...
Nov 19, 2025•30 min
In this morning’s class, Rabbi Bernath explored the timeless lesson hidden in a sleepy Midrash. When Rabbi Akiva saw his students dozing off, he woke them not with rebuke, but with revelation: the story of Queen Esther’s 127 provinces, mirroring the 127 years of Sarah’s life. From this, the Chedushei HaRim teaches that Sarah lived every moment so fully that each second became a kingdom of its own. Rabbi Akiva’s message? Every moment we “sleep through” is a world lost. Through humor, wisdom, and ...
Nov 12, 2025•28 min
In this heart-stirring exploration of the prophet Elisha’s miracle for the destitute widow, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath invites us to uncover our own “cruse of oil” the indestructible spark of holiness within. Drawing from Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi’s profound interpretation, we discover that the widow’s empty vessels are our empty actions, our daily deeds done even without inspiration. When we keep showing up, praying, loving, giving, building those vessels eventually overflow with divine oil. Thi...
Nov 05, 2025•1 hr 2 min
In this heartfelt Ask Me Anything, Rabbi Bernath responds to someone from the Kabbalah for Everyone Community, a lifelong Reform Jew who asks a question many have quietly carried: “Am I less of a Jew because I was raised Reform?” Rabbi Bernath explores how Jewish identity transcends denominational labels. Drawing on teachings from Tanya and Rashi , he reminds us that every Jewish soul is a piece of G-d, unbreakable and equally precious. This conversation becomes more than an answer, it’s an invi...
Nov 04, 2025•18 min
This morning, Rabbi Bernath explored a fascinating question raised by the great medieval sage Nachmanides (the Ramban): Why does the Torah introduce every major biblical figure with their background—except Abraham? Why does G-d suddenly appear and tell him, “Lech Lecha — Go to yourself” , without any explanation of why him ? The Ramban and later Chassidic masters reveal something extraordinary: G-d didn’t just speak to Abraham. He speaks to everyone . The difference is — Abraham heard it. “Lech ...
Oct 30, 2025•42 min
This morning, Rabbi Bernath explored one of the most misunderstood heroes in Torah, Noach. While the Torah calls him a tzaddik , some sages question whether he was truly righteous or simply better than those around him. Why would our tradition, which praises kindness and humility, seem to downplay the one man who saved humanity? Drawing on a 1964 teaching from the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Bernath reframed the question: the Sages weren’t diminishing Noach, they were elevating him. Noach wasn’t pe...
Oct 23, 2025•30 min
In this morning’s class, Rabbi Bernath explored one of the most profound paradoxes in the Torah, the two seemingly contradictory accounts of Adam and Eve’s creation. Far from a textual flaw, this duality encodes the deepest truths about relationships, individuality, and spiritual evolution. The first creation describes Adam and Eve as one, a fused, bi-gendered being. The second describes their separation. From this, Rabbi Bernath revealed a timeless model: every relationship, whether between man...
Oct 16, 2025•59 min
Rabbi Yisroel Bernath delivers a moving Simchat Torah sermon celebrating the miraculous return of the hostages, a moment when prophecy, pain, and prayer converge into pure joy. He draws a profound parallel between this homecoming and the essence of Simchat Torah, a holiday where Jews dance not because of ritual, but because of belonging. Rabbi Bernath reminds us that Jewish joy cannot be taken, it is divine, defiant, and eternal. Through the story of Isaac’s hidden treasure and the timeless circ...
Oct 13, 2025•14 min
When Rabbi Yisroel Bernath spotted a superyacht with an infinity pool merging into the sky, it sparked a journey through one of the most powerful Talmudic stories, Rabbi Akiva’s “sukkah on a ship.” From that image of faith floating on waves, this class dives into the timeless tension between fragility and faith, exploring what it means to build Jewish life and joy even when the ground beneath us feels unstable. Through stories that span from ancient Rome to post-Holocaust Budapest, Rabbi Bernath...
Oct 09, 2025•38 min
Rabbi Yisroel Bernath recorded this sermon before Rosh Hashana as he was preparing and we are sharing it with you... of course it’s nothing close to the magic of Rosh Hashana at Chabad NDG in Montreal. Rabbi Yisroel Bernath’s Rosh Hashanah sermon reminds us that the world doesn’t change through headlines or massive movements alone, it turns on small hinges. From Newton’s apple to Rosa Parks’ quiet defiance, from Elkanah’s changed walking route to Raoul Wallenberg’s forged passports, history is r...
Sep 25, 2025•20 min
Rabbi Yisroel Bernath recorded this sermon before Rosh Hashana as he was preparing and we are sharing it with you... of course its nothing close to the magic of Rosh Hashana at Chabad NDG in Montreal. In this Rosh Hashanah sermon, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath weaves humor, Torah, and Jewish resilience into a message of hope and renewal. Beginning with laughter, he acknowledges the fears weighing on the Jewish heart today, rising antisemitism, uncertainty, and the heaviness of history. But he reminds us...
Sep 25, 2025•27 min
Sometimes it takes a crisis to stop us in our tracks and ask: Who am I? What kind of spouse am I? What kind of person am I becoming? On Rosh Hashanah, Judaism invites us to ask these very questions. And at the heart of the holiday is a mysterious, beloved prayer: Hayom Harat Olam , “Today the world is born.” But did you know? The same phrase appears in the Book of Jeremiah with an opposite meaning, not birth, but never being born at all. Why would our sages choose such a paradox for the High Hol...
Sep 18, 2025•1 hr
In this class, Rabbi Bernath reframed the very idea of confession in Judaism. While most people think of confession as listing sins and failures, the Torah introduces Vidui Ma’aser , a “confession” where the farmer proudly declares to G-d that he has fulfilled every detail of the mitzvah of tithing. Why would the Torah call this a confession? Because true spiritual growth begins not by beating ourselves down, but by acknowledging the good we’ve done. When we confess our strengths, we build the c...
Sep 10, 2025•51 min
In this week’s Torah portion, Ki Seitzei , we learn the law of the firstborn: even if the firstborn son comes from the “unloved” wife, he must be given the double portion. Rabbi Yisroel Bernath explored the deeper Kabbalistic meaning behind this law, revealing that the “beloved” and “unloved” wives are metaphors for two sides of our soul — the inspired, G-d-loving self and the struggling, conflicted self. The Torah teaches that our greatest spiritual “firstborn” often emerges from the parts of o...
Sep 04, 2025•50 min
Rabbi Yisroel Bernath unpacks a fascinating teaching: why does G-d reject the idea of a single-stone altar? At first glance it’s just about ancient rituals, but the deeper message is timeless. Real faith and real life can’t be built on “one stone” one path, one perspective, one style. True oneness comes from many stones joined together. This class explores how individuality and diversity aren’t just tolerated by G-d, they are essential to His plan. Key Takeaways Oneness ≠ sameness : G-d is One, ...
Aug 28, 2025•30 min
The 5-Step Program of Spiritual Courtship, Engagement, Marriage, Honeymoon, and Real Life: Discovering the Divine Romance in Our Lives In this sermon, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath explores the deep and mystical relationship between G-d and the Jewish people, likened to a sacred marriage. Drawing from Kabbalistic and Chassidic teachings, Rabbi Bernath delves into the spiritual phases of this divine union, paralleling it with the milestones of human relationships: courtship, engagement, marriage, honeymo...
Aug 26, 2025•21 min
In this class, Rabbi Bernath drew a powerful line from Hitler’s Germany to Hamas today , using a hidden diary entry of the Lubavitcher Rebbe dated September 11, 1941 . The Rebbe reflected on why kosher fish require both fins and scales , teaching that these symbolize two essential traits for Jewish life: ambition (fins) and integrity (scales) . -Nazi Germany had ambition without integrity — brilliance used for destruction. -Radical Islam represents integrity without ambition — piety warped into ...
Aug 20, 2025•27 min
I just returned from the JLI Retreat in Washington DC, at retreat at around 1:30am on Saturday night, I sat down with Jeffrey Warner, a university student from Arizona who has been listening to my podcasts for a long time. Our conversation about life, love, relationships, and so much more was raw and real, the kind of talk that reminds you what it means to be human. Jeffrey brought honesty, courage, and an open heart to this dialogue. We explored the struggles and joys that come with being young...
Aug 18, 2025•1 hr 2 min
Why was Joseph, the viceroy of Egypt, buried in the Land of Israel, while Moses, the greatest Jewish leader in history, was not? In this timely and emotionally-charged class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath unpacks a Midrashic conversation between Moses and G-d that reveals something deeper than geography: the power of Jewish identity without shame . Joseph never let go of his roots, even when it cost him everything. Moses, for reasons of his own, allowed others to misidentify him. What emerges is not a c...
Aug 07, 2025•47 min
onight, in a darkened room lit only by the soft flicker of individual candles, over a hundred souls gathered in sacred stillness for Eicha by Candlelight . This was not just an event, it was a ritual of remembrance, a meditation on exile, and a quiet act of spiritual defiance. Rabbi Yisroel Bernath opened the evening with a heart-stirring monologue, inviting us not to perform grief, but to hold it. To slow down. To soften. To sit low with history and let the silence speak. Rabbi Yosh Berkowicz t...
Aug 03, 2025•1 hr 4 min
On the night of the 9th of Av, our ancestors cried tears of despair—tears the Talmud calls “ בכיה של חנם ” , baseless weeping. G-d’s response wasn’t punitive, it was prophetic: “You wept in vain, and this day will be one of tears for generations.” But what were they really crying about? And why do we still cry? This class explores the roots of generational trauma in the Jewish psyche, from the fear of the spies to the quiet despair echoing through the Jewish community today. We'll dive deep into...
Jul 31, 2025•42 min
This class explores one of the Torah’s most striking rebukes, Moses’ fiery confrontation with the tribes of Reuben and Gad and uncovers why they chose silence over self-defense. Through this encounter and a powerful Chassidic story about the Sefas Emes, Rabbi Bernath examines why we often recoil at criticism and how to reframe it as a holy opportunity for growth. From Moses to modern marriage, from a misunderstood heretic to the Maggid of Mezritch, we dive into the soul’s secret defense system a...
Jul 24, 2025•46 min
In this eye-opening session, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath explores one of the most profound and misunderstood topics of all time: What is G-d? Moving beyond simplistic childhood images of a supernatural sky-being, we delve into Jewish, Chassidic, philosophical, and even scientific perspectives on the Divine. Drawing from thinkers like Einstein and the Alter Rebbe, this class gently unpacks a paradoxical truth: G-d is not less than personal, but also infinitely more than any person. Whether you’re a bel...
Jul 17, 2025•1 hr 4 min
In this gripping journey through Parshat Balak, Rabbi Bernath reveals the hidden spiritual war behind the political drama. Balak, king of Moav, turns to the infamous prophet Bilaam to curse Israel—but instead, Bilaam becomes an unwitting conduit for some of the most beautiful blessings in Torah. From the fall of Sichon and Og to the rise of Pinchas, this class explores how even our enemies testify to our eternal strength—and how every darkness can be transformed into light. Takeaways Spiritual W...
Jul 11, 2025•32 min
In this heart-open, mind-stretching class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath dives headfirst into one of the most profound questions ever asked: Who wrote the Torah and what do we mean by G-d? Sparked by a challenge from Ilana, a thoughtful soul who just "won the raffle" and then handed Rabbi Bernath some of the hardest theological questions he's faced, this class isn't a debate, it’s a bridge. Drawing from Torah, Talmud, Rambam, Tanya, Harari, Einstein, Spinoza, and Chassidic mystics, we explore traditiona...
Jul 10, 2025•58 min
Purchase a raffle ticket here (there's 32 hours left!) http://www.charidy.com/ndg - I hope you are well. This Wednesday marks something deeply personal for me and Sara. Exactly 20 years ago , we arrived in Montreal with a few suitcases, a tiny apartment… and one big, beating dream: To build a Jewish home for anyone who needed one. Not just a synagogue. Not just programs. But a place filled with warmth, love, and belonging for every soul. In those early days, we ran school workshops and young pro...
Jul 08, 2025•9 min
In this deep and soulful journey through Parshat Chukas, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath unpacks one of the most perplexing and powerful moments in the Torah: the copper snake on a pole. Why did G-d command Moses to use the very symbol of suffering, the snake, as a healing instrument? What does it mean that people had to look up at the snake to be cured? Through timeless Jewish wisdom, vulnerable personal insight, and psychological depth, Rabbi Bernath explores the mystery of pain, the challenge of resili...
Jul 04, 2025•39 min
In this gripping class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath delves into the tragic and turbulent rebellion led by Korach, Dathan, Abiram, and On ben Peles against Moses and Aaron. The narrative unveils not just a mutiny, but a masterclass in leadership, humility, and boundless love for even the most stubborn opponents. Through an exploration of four key episodes involving Dathan and Abiram, Rabbi Bernath uncovers their long history of discord and defiance. Yet the class’s emotional apex comes with Moses’ unex...
Jun 26, 2025•29 min
On the night of Tisha B’Av, the Jewish people cried out of fear, not from a real threat, but from a perceived one. That night became a tragic turning point in our history, not because of a divine punishment, but because fear itself became the seed of generations of sorrow. This class explores the deeper meaning of those "vain tears" through Torah, psychology, and metaphor. From the self-fulfilling prophecy of the spies, to Harvard's famous "Rosenthal Experiment," to the chained circus elephant w...
Jun 19, 2025•31 min
In this weeks class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath reveals the Torah’s timeless wisdom for navigating today’s anxious, high-speed world. Rooted in a single verse from Parshat Behaalotecha, we uncover how the cloud that guided the Jewish people through the desert wasn’t just GPS, it was G-d’s embrace, offering a blueprint for emotional resilience. Drawing on deep Talmudic insight, the story of the Mishkan, and modern-day inspiration like the heroism of Natan Sharansky, this class is a journey into the ey...
Jun 12, 2025•40 min
