Chassidic Thought

Moses sacrificed career and comfort to fight tyranny. He exposed himself to danger when he came to the rescue of a poor slave in distress. This week's Torah portion shows us the selflessness of a true leader who cares about every single human being. A poignant story about the great Rebbe Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov shows how our true leaders follow in the footsteps of Moses.

Rebbe Elimelech of Lizensk longed for the coming of Moshiach (Messiah), a day when truth and justice will prevail the world over. He told a parable about a baker sifting flour, which he said would be indicative of Moshiach's imminent arrival. This amazing parable helps us understand current events today.

The things in this world that arouse our fear are reminders that we should fear no one other than Hashem. The things in the world that arouse our love are reminders of just how much we must love Hashem. Both the seemingly good and the seemingly bad in life are messengers from Above...

“If you don’t understand anything about horses, you certainly can’t make judgments about tzaddikim” (Rebbe Yisroel, the ‘Yanuka’ of Stolin). If you love horses and you love Chassidic stories, you’ll love this.

We dedicate this lesson in memory of Rabbi Zecharia HaCohen Wallerstein, osb"m. In his famous discourse "Azamra," Rebbe Nachman of Breslev teaches the importance of finding the good within ourselves. That's the only way we'll be able to find the good in others.

Superficial, exterior looks at people, things or events are always misleading and very inaccurate. The essence of any creation is the Divine wisdom that is inherent in that creation. Once we connect to that Divine wisdom, we connect to the Creator. That way, our insight, intellect and potential rises to a much higher level. We attain fulfillment, success and happiness.

The Chassidic Movement began in the Ukraine, founded by the holy Baal Shem Tov (1698-1760). Many of the Chassidic Masters came from the Ukraine, such as the Maggid of Mezeritch, Rebbe Nachman of Breslev, Rebbe Zusha of Annipoli and many more. Both my teacher and I are also Ukrainian Jews. We have a rich past of total dedication to the Almighty and His Torah, even in the face of the most dire persecution throughout the ages. But we have a very rich folklore, with poignant stories that teach us life's true values. This is one I cherish, which shows what true riches are.

The holy Baal Shem Tov attempted to explain to his brilliant students the depth of the concept of Divine Providence. Despite their magnificent minds and comprehensive Torah-learning backgrounds, they just couldn't comprehend. How can Almighty personally supervise and determines every single detail of creation? OK, He makes the sun shine, but what does He care about a tiny insect or an amoeba?
The same pious scholars who knew entire tractates of Talmud by heart were baffled. The Baal Shem Tov decided to take them to his favorite classroom – nature, out in the woods. There, he could teach them all about Divine Providence. This is the lesson we learn in Today's Emuna Hour.

"If we knew that a rare gift was concealed within our difficulties, we could laugh; but with emuna, we start laughing even before we discover the gift." 
An old parable about a donkey in trouble gives us a different perspective on life's difficulties. Here's two-and-a-half minutes of encouragement:

When you go to a shiva house, you learn all types of things about the deceased person – the biggest thing you learn is that you never really knew the individual or the greatness that was within him. That's why King Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes that it's better to go to visit a shiva house than a nightclub. The difference is that in a nightclub, all you see is glitter, makeup and outer dimensions. In the house of a mourner, there's no glitter and outer dimensions, only inner dimensions. Today's podcast is a tribute to the 45 holy victims of the Meron tragedy on Lag B'Omer last week.

This world is just like a restaurant - there are no free meals. Indeed, the seemingly free meals end up being the most expensive ones. Enjoy this parable about the evil inclination.

How does Hashem expect us to prepare for Passover and to observe Seder night with all the challenges and limitations of the Coronavirus pandemic? Here is your encouraging answer...