Should Haredim serve in the IDF? Israeli media personality and spokesman of Hevron Rabbi Yishai Fleisher interviews Rabbi Lazer Brody. This interview is not at all politically correct, but truth has nothing to do with political correctness. Here's what we need to know to make an equitable draft law.
Ultimately, all war will be futile. The holiness that accompanies joy will nullify the evil in the world. The nations will bring every exile back to rebuilt Jerusalem, arm in arm.
All of heaven, earth and the world beyond cannot contain Hashem's glory. Yet, in His love for Zion, Hashem chose to make it the eternal dwelling for His Divine Presence. As such, all blessings flow forth from Zion, the place of His Holy Temple.
Today's podcast is an emotional first-aid treatment. People have a terrible tendency people to blame themselves for things that go wrong in life. Taking responsibility for our actions is productive. Self-blame is not. Here's how to avoid it.
The soul in the brain yearns to connect with its source, the Ein Sof, or Divine Light of the Infinite One. Yet if it succeeded, it would be instantly rendered into nothingness. When "Chaba'd" races toward the Ein Sof, the "Keter" stands in the way. A tremendous collision occurs, but something wonderful happens…
You know the old expression: Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me! Whoever coined that never learned Torah and didn't understand much about the human soul. There are plenty of adults walking around today with deep emotional scars that never healed because of a derogatory nickname that someone gave them when they were young. If that someone was a parent, it takes a miracle to heal the insulted child's soul, who grows up with a negative self-image that's worse than a ph...
King David describes the future redemption, which we all yearn for. We shall witness the ingathering of the exiles and our joyous return to rebuilt Jerusalem, Then, the centuries of tribulations will fade like a passing dream…
The Creator doesn't do anything without a reason. The fact that He put you on earth means that the world cannot exist without you. If you compete with or compare yourself to anyone, you can't be focused on your life's mission. Here's how and why:
Nur was a naive young Israeli girl who married a handsome young man who treated her like a queen, until it was too late. Her husband, a Bedouin, turned her into an abused slave, forced to milk the goats the day after she gave birth. Every year, Yad Achim rescues dozens of young women like Nur. Now, Emuna Beams has joined forces wih Yad L'Achim...
After our review of the first four parts of Torah 24, we learn that "Keter" is the crown of the ten spheres. It not only illuminates the intellect, but it serves as the regulator, or spiritual limiter, of the Divine light that reaches the brain.
King David repeatedly tells us that the Almighty is our Guardian. But is He close by? Just as your shadow never leaves you, Hashem is right there with you, as close as your shadow…
Every person has a basic human intellect. Yet, when he or she performs the Torah's commandments with a high level of joy, they merit a higher brain. This stems from the Divine intellect that a person attains by way of emuna.
King David describes the times in life when a person must leave the comfort zone. Emergencies are times for action. Determination means paying whatever price the action requires.
A steady flow of IDF soldiers stationed in the area of Gaza use Kibbutz Be'eri's synagogue as their shtiebel. This is a center for prayer gatherings around the clock. On the way to the combat zone, or on the way back, many of the soldiers are inspired to put on tefillin. Yet, for a variety of reasons, their tefillin are not with them or they lack tefillin altogether. Seeing the need for tefillin in the Kibbutz Be'eri synagogue, Emuna Beams financed, prepared and donated two exquisite brand new p...
Blessings flow from the hands. One of the most important blessings that the hands bestow is intellect. Yet, the blessing of intellect can never be effective unless it comes with emuna.
Traversing life on this earth is like walking on a treacherous mountain path at night. Every single step is prone to injury or even worse. King David describes the only proven way to illuminate one's path.
To maintain our emotional and spiritual health, we must look for opportunities to practice daily soul-searching and self-assessment. That way, we open a window to our souls. Let's look inside and ask ourselves why we're not happy...
Events in Israel today are the continuation of a perpetual war that began 22 centuries ago with the war between the Greeks and the Maccabees. Intrinsically, this is the war between human intellect and emuna, between assimilation and loyalty to Torah.
Political correctness and social convention can only prevail when people act like sheep and cast aside truth and morality for the sake of convenience. This is how entire societies succumb to evil. Only the courageous - like the Maccabees - are willing to stand up for what's right, with no fear.
In the academic world, ancient Greek philosophy is society's archetype of intellectual prowess. Spiritually, though, it leads to darkness and confusion. In stark contrast, the light of Torah and its commandments illuminate the soul and bring happiness to the heart. This is the Chanukah juxtaposition of Greek and Maccabee, light and darkness...
A wayfarer encounters an encampment of tents. He immediately knows that these are the tents of the righteous. How? The sound of jubilant music and singing echoes across the valley…
A person needs something badly. Despite looking for all kinds of solutions, he knows in his heart that only Hashem can grant his request. But he doesn't feel like praying. Yet, he knows that even if he does pray, it won't be fervent or sincere. What should he do?
Who bows down to idols anymore? Sadly enough, most of the world does. They devote their lives to serving futility, endeavors of no consequence that cannot help a person in times of trouble.
There are people with upright hearts. They have the desire to perform an important commandment, but for some reason, they are unable to. This desire stimulates the Heavenly heart, which personally comes to the aid of such individuals.
King David pays tribute to our patriarch Abraham, who stood alone against the whole world. Abraham's life is a shining example for King David and for all subsequent generations until Moshiach. It's also the template...
Draft the Haredim? Don't draft the Haredim? First, Israel must decide what type of army they want. A conventional army sometimes wins, sometimes not. An army like Gideon's adheres to one set of rules only, and they're neither conventional nor politically correct.
My cherished friend Rabbi Uri Zohar zatza"l, left an awesome legacy, the "Lev L'achim" organization, which does humongous Torah outreach all over Israel. As a team player, I love cooperating with them. Lev L'achim has a waiting list of soldiers and young people who need and want tefillin but can't afford them. Most of the time, they get donations of old tefillin that are seldom reliably kosher. As part of our Emuna Beams Tefillin Project, we donated 5 brand new pairs of tefillin to Lev L'Achim. ...
"Perek Shira", the "Song of Creation" teaches us that every creation sings its own unique song of praise to the Almighty. Rebbe Nachman adds that when a person prays in the field, all of creation joins in…
David's suffering became a template of Jewish history until the arrival of Moshiach. His prayers for salvation and rescue from enemies are therefore relevant to every generation, especially ours. Doeg the Edomite symbolizes our national nemesis, the offspring of Esau, from the Romans to Haman to the Nazis. Ultimately, they all disappear.
Someone notifies you that your son has been badly wounded, rushed by helicopter from the battlefield to the hospital. Nearly berserk, you get in the car and drive as fast as you can to the hospital too... The most urgent item on our national agenda is not Iran - it's eradicating baseless hate and urgently accepting the mitzva of Ahavat Yisrael. In memory of Rabbi Tzvi Kogan Hy"d, see this 4-minute clip and share it with others. It's a must for our security.
