In Parsha Tetzaveh, the Torah commands us to create clothing, special clothing, for Aaron and his sons, for the Kohanim. And the Torah says the reason for that clothing is l’kavod, for honor, or litifaret, and for beauty. Now, there’s no other mitzvah in the Torah that requires wearing special garments other than the garments of the Kohanim, the pr…

A Chassidic story: A wealthy merchant would regularly visit the Baal Shem Tov and would donate large sums of money for the Rebbe’s charitable causes. Eventually his fortune changed and his business failed, leaving him nearly penniless. When he went to visit the Rebbe again the Baal Shem, undoubtedly aware of the man’s dire straits, asked him for a …

The Book of Devarim teaches us a very important life lesson about overcoming challenges and obstacles. Devarim is different than the other five books of the torah because it is a monologue spoken by Moses during the last few days of his life, while the Jewish People were camped in the Plains of Moab on the eastern side of the Jordan River across of…

A Yartzeit is the yearly anniversary (on the Hebrew calendar) of a person’s death. The day is commemorated by the recitation of the Kaddish prayer by the children of the deceased, and by giving charity, performing good deeds and studying Torah. We commemorate the Yartzeits of parents, spouses, family members and great spiritual leaders. As today, t…

The first prayer in the Jewish siddur is recited when we wake up in the morning, while we’re still in bed. Here is my translation of the prayer, from the original Hebrew: Thank you, oh living and eternal God, for mercifully returning my soul to me, great is your faithfulness. Let’s break down the prayer and dive a bit deeper into its meaning. The f…

In this podcast episode Rabbi Singer discusses the weekly torah portion (parsha) of Vayakhel and explains a couple of major topics discussed in it. You can apply the important lesson you’ll learn from this teaching to your daily life. The post Weekly Parsha: Vayakhel [Podcast] appeared first on Jewish Wisdom.…

In this podcast episode Rabbi Singer discusses the famous song Dayenu that we sing at the Passover Seder and explains the true meaning behind it. You can apply the important lesson you’ll learn from this teaching to your daily life. The post Passover Seder: The Meaning of Dayenu [Podcast] appeared first on Jewish Wisdom.…

In this podcast episode Rabbi Singer discusses the fundamental theme of the holiday of Purim: Hiddenness. It is reflected in the absence of God’s name in the Book of Esther and the reason we dress up in costumes. You can apply the important lesson you’ll learn from this teaching to your daily life. The post The Hidden Lesson of Purim [Podcast] appe…

In this podcast episode Rabbi Singer discusses the idea of focus. Based on a personal story, he explores the tension we all face when our thoughts are torn between focusing on trivial manner and important things like God, family and relationships. You can apply the important lessons you’ll learn from this teaching to your daily life. The post Focus…

In this podcast episode Rabbi Singer discusses the weekly Parsha (Torah portion) of Vayikra. The subject of this teaching revolves around the true meaning of the sacrificial service — Giving. You can apply the important lessons you’ll learn from this teaching to your daily life. The post Weekly Torah Portion – Vayikra [Podcast] appeared first on Je…