It's a time of year that we reflect and take stock.  Despite all the challenges we've encountered, each of us I pray have blessings in our lives to give thanks and gratitude to Hashem.

It's actually a nice exercise to say the morning blessings and to recognize all the basics that we have; feet, shoes, belts, ability to stand upright, water to wash our face and hands, ability to use the bathroom and the list goes on

Mira and Moshe, Mazal Tov! It’s done! You are husband and wife.

Mira and Moshe, the Rebbe explains that the Shechinah, the Divine presence, hovers over the couple under the Chuppah, with a revelation that is comparable to the revelation of Sinai and that the marriage is a new covenant between Hashem and the Jewish people through each couple. 

Note: We have entered the final month of the Jewish year, the month of Elul. The Alter Rebbe explains its unique energy with a parable: During the year, if one wishes to see the King, he must pass through guards and gates, and only then can he enter the palace. But in Elul, the King Himself goes out into the field. There, every person can approach Him freely. The King greets each one warmly and with a smile.

Judaism has some very obvious unique core beliefs.  Among them is the role that Israel in general and Jerusalem in particular play.

Jerusalem's holiness starts with the creation of Adam and continues with the two Holy Temples that stood there.  It begs the question, although we find references to Jerusalem in the Five Books of Moses (eg. Malkizedek the king of Shalem), we don't find the word Jerusalem/Yerushalayim explicitly mentioned as Jerusalem?

As Yom Kippur draws to its close, I often feel myself shifting roles—from spiritual leader to coach—guiding the “team” through the final inning, the last round. We’re all tired. Weeks of preparation, two days of Rosh Hashanah, the deep solemnity of Kol Nidrei, and now a full day of fasting have left everyone—myself included—exhausted.

Have you experienced loss? Has a part of you been taken out never to be returned? You're not alone. The prayer of comfort we offer in the Shiva home begins with a reference to G-d as Hamakom - The Place.

As a People we've been victims of hatred, murder, rape, destruction.  This Sunday we commemorate the event that spawned the current exile of close to 2000 years where acts against us have been non stop.

This Shabbos is Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av the first day of the new Jewish calendar month.  It also marks the beginning of the period known as the 9 Days, culminating on the 9th day known as Tisha B'Av, commemorating the destruction of Jerusalem and the two Temples.

Talk is cheap, although it seems to come at a big price these days. But really, anyone with an opinion articulates it without fear. That is in part because today everyone feels that speaking your mind is ok no matter the context, language or opinion.

In this week's Torah portion, hired by Balaak the king of Moab, the prophet Bilaam attempts to curse the Jews.  In a series of shaming and even comedic (talking donkey - think Shrek) Balaam is forced to bless the Jews with a series of blessings that are of the greatest the Jewish People have ever received.

It’s a box that I moved into long before I had basic self-awareness. The box is the lenses through which I look at the world.  It’s how I show up for good or for ugly. It’s how I perceive others and judge (sometimes even being judgmental – shocker) what I experience. 

I'm getting it, more and more.  And as I get it, I develop much more compassion towards others, more accepting of their limitations and how that bumps up against me and my jagged edges but also inner strength. 

Let me begin at the end. I have always admired Chabad. Their passion and commitment to every Jew, no matter their level of observance, is one of the most beautiful aspects of this unique and outstanding movement. I have had so many great experiences interacting with different leaders of Chabad that perhaps naively, I thought I knew everything there was to know about Chabad… That was until this past Shabbat.

There is much discussed in the good books about the role we play in our own destiny. Are some people doomed to remain farkvetched (squeezed) while others fortunate to live in abundance? And do we have the ability to change that? I'm going to leave the theological question for others.  

Have you ever gone through a challenging time in your life (who hasn’t!?) I have. A common refrain I hear—whether in my own head or in someone else's voice—is that someone else has it a lot worse than you.

It reminded me of the saying in Hayom Yom: in material matters, look toward those who have less than you; and in spiritual matters, look toward those who are on a higher spiritual plane.

In contrast to their image of the downtrodden Eastern European Jew, the Zionist fathers wanted to train the young in good posture to demonstrate the Zionistic Pride. 

Today, this rejection of the Old Jew and embrace of the New Jew takes on a different form. It revolves around pride in the ingenuity of Israeli's, their role in High Tech, their dedication to helping in crises around the world, being the most moral army, and of course pride in the IDF.

Are you bemoaning your circumstances?  Are you finding the good in it?

What are your discussions about these days?  Israel. Anti Semitism. Are you finding other things to talk about? Are you finding the silver lining?

Non-Jews respect Jews who respect Judaism, and they are embarrassed by Jews who are embarrassed by Judaism.“ — Rabbi Sacks.

Dan Senor in his State of Jewry addressed what Jews ought to be doing in the wake of the rise of antisemitism that we've experienced since October 7, 2023.  And it is...

 LIVE JEWISH!

Why do they hate us so? Many reasons have been given, but after all the discussions, it boils down to the fact that we are G-d's People and they just have a hard time with that.  Own it friend!

Q. How do you make your day a shining one? A. Make each day count or count each day.