The Book of Psalms are deeply powerful. They enter the heart effortlessly. What gives them such power? What has made them beloved throughout the world? Also, why is King David constantly engaged in struggle? David was the king of Israel,…
A meal made lovingly by a mother or grandmother carries far more than taste. Within it are care, warmth, attention, and a sense of belonging. Then, what nourishes us is not the food itself, but the feeling behind it. According…
Another stage is approaching in human evolution, a time when the kind of love we know in our world will disappear. Reciprocity will fade, attraction will weaken, and people will no longer find fulfillment in the relationships and pleasures that…
The principle of “Love your neighbor as yourself” is not simply a beautiful idea or moral instruction. It is the only gate through which humanity can enter its corrected state, i.e., a state where we enjoy a harmonious, peaceful, eternal,…
– Kabbalist Baruch Ashlag (RABASH), “Concerning the Hanukkah Candle.” This is why the sages taught that one who did not toil on the eve of Shabbat, what will he eat on Shabbat? The effort required is the effort to leave…
The lighting of Shabbat candles symbolizes our desire that our family and the people of Israel attain wholeness, and that we all feel like one family. The light of the candles hints at perfection and the great abundance that will…
Israel is a unique country, a microcosm. A gathering of exiles that, to this day, has not found its way. These are not easy times internally, and hostile winds are also blowing from outside. One small question keeps nagging at…
The weekly Torah portion points to the corrections we must undergo in our relationships with one another. Every portion reveals different challenges and provides guidance on how to deal with them. These instructions direct us to attain love for all…
Our entire life, history and evolution is to transition from unfounded hatred, which is our inborn egoistic nature, i.e., a quality of wishing to enjoy ourselves at the expense of others, and to achieve the love of others. In order…
The spiritual work of the six weekdays begins with what we call “recognition of evil.” We come to understand that the purpose of development is to become completely connected “as one man with one heart,” while recognizing that our nature…
How should we relate to a person’s passing from this world, to a funeral, and to comforting mourners? From a spiritual perspective, the great goal of our development is to realize the principle, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” to connect…
Shabbat symbolizes a corrected humanity, which exists in delight, what is called “the delight of Shabbat” (“Oneg Shabbat”), in a state of rest. It is a state of us human beings having completed the transition from narrow egoism, where each…