Emuna

Welcome to our 4-part series on the story of Passover. This series of lessons aspires to give us a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Passover holiday. The more the story of Passover becomes alive in our hearts, the more meaningful our observance and celebration of the holiday, especially Seder night. Our first lesson presents the series of events that led up to Passover, and specifically, how the Israelites became slaves in Egypt.

At times like this, when we are all walking around with hearts that are shattered into smithereens, we face a major challenge to our emuna. The evil inclination yells in our ears, "How can Hashem allow something so cruel, so barbaric and so sadistic as the murder of Shiri Bibas and her two angelic red-headed sons, 4-year-old Ariel and 3-year-old Kfir? Why do such unspeakable atrocities happen to such pure, good and innocent people? Let's get some answers and try to make sense of the insanity that's going on all around us.

"The Holy One, blessed be He, showed David the destruction both of the first Temple and of the second Temple" (Tractate Gittin 57b). David, in his holy spirit of prophecy, laments the destruction of our Holy Temple even before its time. He implores us not to forget Jerusalem ever, not even for a moment.

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.

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.

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...

An interviewer once asked me what I most like about Lebanon. I answered: the cedar trees. He asked me what else. I answered: the mosquitoes, between JabJennine and Sultan Yacoub. In 1982, they saved my life. Here's the story. 

The body is responsible for natural functions whereas the soul is responsible for spiritual functions. Both fight for control of the emotions as we'll soon see. When the soul prevails, emotions gravitate to the right side of the heart but when the body prevails, the soul gravitates to the left. Wholeheartedness is perfect harmony between body and soul. The special day of Shmini Atzeret is conducive for just that.

Imagine that during Rosh Hashanah of last year, an angel world would suddenly appear and reveal everything that would happen this year. What would you do if you had advanced knowledge of the Hamas onslaught on Simchat Torah, the hostages and the impending war?

The Maglan* commandos of the IDF are one of Israel's most elite units. They're far from the limelight and few people know what these quiet yet powerful heroes do. Rabbi Lazer Brody was their guest yesterday; here is a 6-minute segment of the inspirational talk he delivered there. It's especially timely for the month of Elul. The talk is in Hebrew, with English subtitles.
*Hebrew for "Ibis", a quietly determined bird 

The sound of the Shofar invokes unfathomable Divine compassion. As such we blow the shofar and Rosh Hashanah. But that's not all. The shofar heralds the arrival of Moshiach and the reestablishment of David's kingdom, our prayer in Psalm 89.

Doubters ask how there could possibly be a loving Divine Creator in the world, especially with all the strife and sorrow in the world. Here is our 3-minute answer.