Shaarei Yosher, sec. 6: Refinement – Part 1
AS A BEGINNING OF this preparation, so that one is ready to acquire Torah, the Torah requires specific conditions. The first condition is toil and contemplation, as our sages explain “‘If in my statues...
Aspaqlaria Blog
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 5: Sharing – Conclusion
This is also how it works with the emanation/assistance, the dew of heaven, of acquiring wisdom. Every person is worthy of grace from the One above some increase in wisdom, to take root in...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 5: Sharing – Part 3
WITH THIS it is possible to get a feeling for the idea that is told in the Talmud in an amazing story about the holy man Nachum ish Gam Zu. One time he did...
A Physics Metaphor for Coming to Terms with Theodicy
As I’ve mentioned in the past, Aristotle believed that motion was caused by an intellect imparting impetus to an object, which then moved until the impetus ran out. Newton replaced this model of physics...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 5: Sharing – Part 2
With this idea one can understand how charity has the effect of enriching the one who performs it, as the sages say on the verse “‘aseir ta’aseir – you shall surely tithe’ – tithe,...
Malki-Tzedeq and Birkhas Avos
Compare these two snippets. I added color to highlight my point. First, Bereishis 14:19-20. A massive regional war just completed, and Avraham joins the kings he fought with. Malki-Tzedeq the king of Shaleim (the...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 5: Sharing – part 1
Similarly it is appropriate to think about all the gifts of heaven “from the dew of the heavens and the fat of the land” (Bereishis 27:38) that they are given to the Jewish people...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 4: Connecting – Conclusion
In my opinion, this idea is hinted at in Hillel’s words, as he used to say, “If I am [not] for me, who will be for me? And when I am for myself, what...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 4: Connecting – part 4
And there are more levels in this of a person who is whole, who can connect his soul to feel that all of the world and worlds are his “I”, and he himself is...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 4: Connecting – part 3
… And above him is someone who can include in his “I” all of his household and family. Someone who walks according to the way of the Torah, his “I” includes the whole Jewish...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 4: Connecting – part 2
The entire “I” of a coarse and lowly person is restricted only to his substance and body. Above him is someone who feels that his “I” is a synthesis of body and soul. …...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 4: Connecting – part 1
Although at first glance it seems that feelings of love for oneself and feelings of love for others are like competing co-wives one to the other, we have the duty to try to delve...
Ten Reasons to Attend Kallah IX
Reasons to Attend Mussar Institute Kallah IX Where: The Mussar Kallah will take place at beautiful and serene Illinois Beach Resort, located in Zion, Illinois, amid 4,100 acres of a protected state park, right...
Like a Strand of Hair
The beraisa repeats a story of Rabbi Lazar bei R’ Tzadoq and Abba Sha’ul ben Batnis, who were storekeepers in Jerusalem. They would fill their measure[d jars of oil] on erev Yom Tov and give...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 3: Self-Interest – Conclusion
In the previous installment, Rav Shimon wrote, “שאם יאמינו שכל חכמתם וקנינם לא להם הוא, הרי אז אבדו כל עשרם, ורק על ידי הכפירה יתעשרו — If they believe that all their wisdom and...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 3: Self-Interest – part 5
One can also feel this way with respect to acquiring a greater thing [than a qav of merchandise], which is wisdom. To elaborate: If a person does not try to the full measure of...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 3: Self-Interest – part 4
In my opinion, this is true despite all the evil and sin that the world is full of because of this middah of self-love. Added to the challenge of wealth, this middah will cause...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 3: Self-Interest – part 3
There are also grounds for asserting that in the very foundation of the creation of Adam, the Creator planted in him a very great measure of propensity to love himself. The sages of truth...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 3: Self-Interest – part 2
For His Holiness is greater than ours. His Holiness is only for the created and not for Himself because nothing was ever added to or could ever be added to the Creator through the...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 3: Self-Interest – part 1
HOWEVER, what of a person who decides to submerge his nature, to reach a high level so that he has no thought or inclination in his soul for his own good, only a desire...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 2: Qedushah – Conclusion
In this way, the concept of separation is a consequence of the underlying basis of the mitzvah of holiness, which is recognizable in practice in the ways a person acts. But with insight and...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 2: Qedushah – part 5
And so, it appears to my limited thought that this mitzvah includes the entire foundation and root of the purpose of our lives. All of our work and effort should constantly be sanctified to...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 2: Qedushah – part 4
2- It is more difficult to understand “My sanctity is higher than yours.” This explanation is incumbent upon us to understand – in truth there is some similarity in the holiness He expects of...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 2: Qedushah – part 3
According to this, it would seem the Midrash is incomprehensible.1- What relevance does the concept of separation have to being similar to the Holy? The verse tells us with regard to this that His...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 2: Qedushah – part 2
And about the foundation of this mitzvah of sanctity the Toras Kohanim has “‘be holy’ – be separate”. Nachmanides, in his commentary on the Torah, explains at length this notion of separation as it...
Just One Small Cry
I had the severely painful experience this past Sunday of attending the levayah for a six year old boy r”l. Reuven Dovida”h went for a walk with his father R’ Yehuda Herbst and R’...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 2: Qedushah – part 1
In my opinion, this whole concept is included in Hashem’s mitzvah “Be holy, [for I am Holy].” The Midrash (Leviticus, Emor, ch. 24) says about this verse: “Can it [truly] be ‘Like Me?’ This...
Portraits in Holiness
We will soon get to Rav Shim’on Shkop’s explanation of the mitzvah “qedoshim tihyu — and you shall be holy.” נלענ׳׳ד, שבמצוה זו כלול כל יסוד ושורש מגמת תכלית חיינו, שיהיו כל עבודתנו ועמלנו תמיד...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 1: Mission – conclusion
[To repeat the first clause of the sentence: So too His Will is that we walk in His ways. As it says “and you shall walk in His Ways” (Devarim 28:9)] כן רצונו ית׳...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 1: Mission – part 3
For everything He created and formed was according to His Will (may it be blessed)[1], [that is] only to be good to the creations. So too His Will is that we walk in His...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 1: Mission – part 2
… so that our greatest desire should be to do good to others, to individuals and to the masses, now and in the future, in imitation of the Creator (as it were). שיהיה אדיר...
Shaarei Yosher, sec. 1: Mission – part 1
Shaarei Yosher was written by Rav Shim’on Shkop (1860-October 22, 1939), and the body of the text deals with the principles by which doubt is resolved in court cases and in legislation, and the...
Modeh Ani (redux)
A while back I blogged a recording of a shiur I gave on Modeh Ani. The sound quality on the recording was too poor for the shiur to be made out by most listeners. I recently...
The Ninth of Av 5761
Elad Fogel, age 4 We say, “משנכנס אדר מרבין בשמחה — when Adar comes in, we increase in joy.” But this year, like too many years, Adar brought with it events that more...
The Ninth of Av, 3830
The second half of parashas Naso is quite repetitious. The head of each tribe brought a gift for the consecration of the Mishkan. Each gift was the same, but aside from some slight but...
Teaching Mussar
I recently commented on a post on Cross-Currents by R. Jonathan Rosenblum (RJR), an article that originally appeared in Mishpacha Magazine on July 30th 2011, titled “Dr. Middos is not Just for Kids“. A...
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