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Why were the Jews commanded to each contribute half a shekel to the Sanctuary? To teach us that no individual is a complete entity unto himself. Only by joining with another can a person become a whole thing. -- The Chassidic masters

From the Rambam's Sefer Hamitzvot

The Mishneh Torah was the Rambam's (Rabbi Moses ben Maimon) magnum opus, a work spanning hundreds of chapters and describing all of the laws mentioned in the Torah. To this day it is the only work that details all of Jewish observance, including those laws which are only applicable when the Holy Temple is in […]

The Mishneh Torah was the Rambam's (Rabbi Moses ben Maimon) magnum opus, a work spanning hundreds of chapters and describing all of the laws mentioned in the Torah. To this day it is the only work that details all of Jewish observance, including those laws which are only applicable when the Holy Temple is in […]

Chabad Chassidus is an all-embracing world outlook and way of life which sees the Jew's central purpose as a unifying link between the Creator and His world. Written by the Alter Rebbe, the founder of Chabad, Tanya is the central text of Chabad Chassidus. It shows the reader a path to realizing their purpose and […]

Today's Lesson: To’en veNit’an - Chapter 4, To’en veNit’an - Chapter 5, To’en veNit’an - Chapter 6

Today's Lesson: Positive Commandment 246

Today's Lesson: Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav - Chapter 8

Hayom Yom, an expression which translates as 'Day by Day,' is a collection of concise thoughts, often relevant to the season or portion of study when it appears, which gives the reader food to sustain the soul each day of the year.

Today's Lessons: Likutei Amarim, beginning of Chapter 16

Today's Tehillim: Chapter 119, Verses 1-96

Today's Psalms: Chapter 119, Verses 1-96

Parshat Va'eira, 7th Portion (Shemot (Exodus) 9:17-9:35) with Rashi

After 298 Jewish men and women had sat down, randomly paired together in a speed dating event in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y., the dating coach Manya Lazaroff called out a question for them to discuss in their two minutes before being reassigned to another date. “How much money does someone need to […]

The Chabad of Hewlett is looking toward its future, as the new Chabad Center for Jewish Life of Hewlett nears completion. Construction began in 2022 with the demolition of the old structure on Everit Avenue, and there are now plans for a grand opening by the end of this year. Rabbi Nochem Tenenboim and his […]

Chabad of the Beaches serves the Jewish communities of Long Beach, Lido Beach and Atlantic Beach. In many ways, they're a unique community of their own. Back in 2021, the Chabad was broken into, leaving the ark vandalized and two Torahs missing. To help ensure the Chabad is safe and protected in the future, just […]

In an inspiring message of resilience and hope, Rabbi Anchelle Perl of Chabad Mineola calls for the community to combat the rise of antisemitism with a powerful antidote: acts of goodness and kindness. While acknowledging the troubling persistence of Jew-hatred, Rabbi Perl remains optimistic, emphasizing that education, unity, and a commitment to Jewish pride can […]

“Over 30 years that I’ve been here there’s never been that kind of a fire. So we didn’t think in those terms,” Cunin, 55, said in a phone interview from a hotel near the LA airport. He said the Chabad lost two Chevrolet Suburbans and 16 menorahs that he places on display around the city […]

Now, a fundraiser has been launched to purchase a new Community Unity Menorah, which Rabbi Tunk hopes will become a "beacon of light for everyone in the village". "The Menorah is a symbol of peace, light, and unity, and its destruction was a heart-breaking act of hate," he told the Herts Advertiser.

ROYAL OAK — Royal Oak Chabad Jewish Center is getting ready for its sixth annual menorah lighting and brand-new Chanukah Village experience that will take place 4-6 p.m. Dec. 29. Chanukah is an eight-day celebration that begins this year on the evening of Dec. 25 and runs to Jan. 2. The holiday tradition is to […]

To celebrate the 2024 Hanukkah season, Chabad of Paradise Valley will have a Car Menorah Parade starting with a menorah lighting ceremony outside Town Hall Thursday, Dec. 26, beginning at 6 p.m. Mayor Elect Mark Stanton will be honored with lighting the shamash candle, according to a press release. The menorah lighting and parade will […]

“As opposed to other Jewish holidays, Hanukkah’s message is about religious liberty and freedom,” said Rabbi Hirshy Minkowicz of Chabad of North Fulton. “It’s important to celebrate it in the most public way because it’s a message to people that every human being, especially in the land of the free, has a right to celebrate […]

LYNNWOOD—It is important to highlight and celebrate light and freedom in a world so often plagued with tragedy and hate. Chabad Jewish Center of Snohomish County therefore invites you to celebrate the Festival of Lights with the 13th annual Giant Menorah Lighting & Celebration, celebrating the light and joy of our shared freedoms and the […]

The Sonoma Valley Chabad Jewish Center, located near downtown Sonoma, is set to serve as a hub for cultural, educational and religious programming in accordance with the international Chabad-Lubavitch movement. Chabads are a form of Jewish community center, serving community, educational and observance needs. Rabbi Mendy, who co-directs the Center with Chaya , stressed that […]

With nightly menorah lightings, gift giving and delicious fried foods to try, the Hanukkah season is soon approaching, and an Ashland synagogue and a Rogue Valley Jewish center will host community events to celebrate the holiday. The Havurah Shir Hadash synagogue will host Hanukkah Fest, and the Chabad of Southern Oregon will host multiple holiday […]

BRENTWOOD, Mo. (First Alert 4) - There was a lot of construction going on at the Brentwood Home Depot on Sunday. Hundreds of people attended a Hanukkah menorah workshop. Kids got a plastic hard hat and then got busy building their own Hanukkah crafts. This is the 16th year for the event, which is designed […]

With nightly menorah lightings, gift giving and delicious fried foods to try, the Hanukkah season is soon approaching, and an Ashland synagogue and a Rogue Valley Jewish center will host community events to celebrate the holiday. The Havurah Shir Hadash synagogue will host Hanukkah Fest, and the Chabad of Southern Oregon will host multiple holiday […]

Chabad of South Hills held a Chanukah Block Party Sunday at its facility in Mt. Lebanon, with a plethora of different activities for children and families, on Sunday afternoon. The two-hour event had arts and crafts, karaoke, Jewish snacks and educational sessions. Around 50 people attended to learn about the story and importance behind Hanukkah. […]

Hanukkah is right around the corner, but some students on U of I’s campus will be home during the holiday. That’s why the Chabad Center for Jewish Life gave students a head start on the celebration.

Over 2,000 Jewish college students from 176 universities gathered in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y., for Pegisha 2024, an event held from Nov. 15 through 17 and organized by Chabad on Campus.

Friendship Circle of Miami, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing support and resources for individuals with special needs and their families, is excited to announce the opening of the much-anticipated Friendship Campus, home to Chabad Center of Kendall/Pinecrest and Friendship Circle.

Some 6,500 Chabad rabbis and Jewish leaders from around the globe gathered Nov. 27 through Dec. 1 in Brooklyn, N.Y., for the annual International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries, the largest rabbinic gathering in the world. Houston was well represented with more than 18 Greater Houston Chabad rabbis, including Rabbi Chaim Lazaroff, program director of Chabad-Lubavitch […]

The Carmel Veterans Hall became a bakeshop Sunday when dozens of men, women and children of all ages learned the intricacies about baking babka, sweet, braided bread which originated in the Jewish communities of Poland and Ukraine. Chabad of Putnam hosted its annual Community Babka Bake under the direction of Rabbi Avi Korer and his […]

As they walked, a well-dressed man approached them and asked the teacher from Mogilev, “Do you recognize me?”

The plain reading of the text certainly implies that they did.

Great revelation comes through great suffering. The greater the toil, the greater the accomplishment.

How can I turn my lazy, self-centered youngster into a responsible and caring member of this household?

Do you know when Shabbat begins and who the Patriarchs are?

One of the most iconic symbols in the story of the Exodus, used to unleash the plagues and split the sea.

From kings and High Priests to rabbis and communal leaders, here’s a curious look at the unique ways Jewish inaugurations have been marked throughout history.

Join us in praying that the returnees quickly recover from the physical and emotional trauma they have suffered.

This amazing convert shares how Chassidic philosophy took her to a place she never even imagined existed.

A soul-searching conversation—plus tips!—from the woman who showed the world the beauty of the Jewish dating world.

8th Day music star Shmuel Marcus is actually a full-time Chabad rabbi in a distant community. Here's how he stays inspired and makes it all work.

A woman born without a uterus shares her inspiring journey of faith, love, and medical innovation, culminating in the miraculous birth of her daughter.

The oys and joys of moving to Rostov, Russia, and serving a Jewish community that has reawakened after 70 years of Communist repression.

Hear how Chaya Teldon left home at fifteen to pursue her Jewish education and become a Chabad rebbetzin, as well as how she retained her faith in the face of the birth, struggles, and passing of her son, and how and why she joined the chevra kadisha.

Raizy Fried is author and speaker focused on empowering women and fostering personal growth. Outwardly successful, with a great marriage and growing business, she felt empty and cold. When she discovered the "inner Torah," her inner world began to bloom.

Chava devoted years seeking to understand feminism and apply it to her life. She found the answer in the teachings of the Rebbe.

For Devorah Schwartz, performing for just women is a spiritual experience akin to prayer. She opens up on how she became a singer and how it changed her life.

A longtime expositor of the Rebbe's teachings, and author of Toward a Meaningful Life, Rabbi Simon Jacobson shares how he overcame his early skepticism and found his own calling in life.

Chassidic pop star Avraham Fried shares his inner world, including his personal interactions with the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin.

Choosing "what was right" over "what was easy" presented Torah educator, Yaffa Palti with many challenges and unsettling changes. She had to discover a deeper relationship with G-d to create a positive mindset shift and find her deepest self.

In her teens, Tonica Marlow was accepted as the youngest student at a noted Christian theological college, and within a few years, she became an ordained minister. With all of her success within the church, she felt a deep void inside. Tonica Marlow, now Tova Mordechai, shares her extraordinary journey to becoming a Chassidic woman, […]

This special edition features seven voices deeply affected since October 7th, including IDF officers, a volunteer medic, and a father of a hostage in Gaza. Let their stories of resilience and hope inspire you.

While rockets, drones, and mortars fly overhead, Rabbi Sholom Ber Hertzel of Chabad of the Golan Heights together with his family work tirelessly to service the soldiers and members of his community who are bravely stationed along the northern border of Israel.

An IDF officer and his wife open up on turning mourning into growth, living on behalf of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and how the 10/7 Massacre inspired them to pursue a military career.

Learn how evacuees have been supporting each other, finding faith, comfort, and a "silver lining" through it all.

Eitan Mor saved many lives on 10/7 before he was taken hostage to Gaza, where he still remains captured. Hear his father's incredible message of faith, strength, and determination amid these most challenging of times.

Modern English translation of the full text of the Parshah.

Explore the Parshah together with a hundred generations of scholars and mystics, from Moses to today. Includes a detailed summary and overview, and dozens of selected excerpts from the Midrash, Talmud, the Commentaries and the Chassidic Masters.

A modern English translation of the full text of the Parshah with the classic commentary by Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, 1040-1105), universally regarded as the most basic tool for understanding the meaning of the text for schoolchild and scholar alike.

If G-d “gave” us the Torah at Sinai, what room is there for human creativity? If our tradition is perfect, how can there be so many differing opinions in the Talmud? Why does the Torah have an oral counterpart? Learn the Rebbe’s approach here.

The splitting of the sea was more than a utilitarian measure to save the Israelites. Why did G-d choose this method?

[Rabbon Gamliel's] son, Shimon, would say: All my life I have been raised among the wise, and I have found nothing better for the body than silence... Ethics of the Fathers, 1:17 The Talmud goes even further, with the amazing statement: ``What is man's task in the world? To make himself as silent as the […]

There are four types of people: One who says, "What is mine is yours, and what is yours is mine," is a boor. One who says, "What is mine is mine, and what is yours is yours" this is a median characteristic; others say that this is the character of a Sodomite. One who says, […]

Assume a Master for yourself Ethics of the Fathers, 1:6 "And they believed in G‑d and in Moses His servant" (Exodus 14:31). What was the nature of Israel's relationship to Moses? Moses, after all, is a human being. And yet, the Torah uses the very same word to connote Israel's belief in him and in […]

All Israel has a share in the World to Come, as it is stated: “And your people are all righteous; they shall inherit the land forever. They are the shoot of My planting, the work of My hands, in which I take pride.” -Talmud, Sanhedrin 90a (introductory reading to Ethics of the Fathers) Moses received […]

Yehudah the son of Teima would say: Be bold as a leopard, light as an eagle, fleeting as a deer and mighty as a lion to do the will of your Father in Heaven. He would also say: The brazen to purgatory; the bashful to paradise. Ethics of the Fathers, 5:20 Use the shamelessness of […]

Nitai the Arbelite would say: Distance yourself from a bad neighbor, and do not cleave to a wicked person. Ethics of the Fathers, 1:7 On the surface, Nitai the Arbelite appears to be conveying a simple, if redundant, message: Stay away from bad people. In truth, however, a much deeper lesson is implicit in his […]

May it be Your will, L‑rd our G‑d and G‑d of our fathers, that the Holy Temple be rebuilt speedily in our days.... Ethics of the Fathers, 5:20 The Mishnah is a purely halachic, or legal, work, consisting of sixty-three tractates of legal material, arranged by topic in six "orders." Its concise, almost cryptic style […]

Whoever possesses the following three characteristics is of the disciples of Abraham our Father; and whoever possesses the opposite three characteristics is of the disciples of the wicked Bilaam.... Ethics of the Fathers, 5:19 Bilaam's identity as the evil counterpart to Abraham is a reoccurring theme in the Torah. On the verse, "And Bilaam rose […]

Rabbi Elazar of Bartosah would say: Give Him what is His, for you, and whatever is yours, are His. As King David says: "For everything comes from You, and from Your own hand we have given to You." Ethics of The Fathers, 3:7 The gist of Rabbi Elazar's message is clear, and encapsulates the Jewish […]

There is no free individual, except for he who occupies himself with the Torah. Ethics of the Fathers, 6:2 Why the roundabout, "negative" wording of the mishnah? Why not simply say "True freedom is attained through Torah"? Man is a finite being, and everything he possesses and is capable of achieving is likewise finite in […]

Vows are the safety fence for abstinence Ethics of the Fathers, 3:13 Somewhere between the good deed and the moral wrong is the permissible indulgence. How is one to approach these (seemingly) neutral pleasures? The Torah's view on the matter appears to be mixed. On the one hand, the Talmud interprets the injunction "Be holy" […]

Rabbi Elazar of Modi'in said: One who profanes the kodoshim (sacred things), who degrades the Festivals, who humiliates his friend in public, who abrogates the covenant of our father Abraham, or who interprets the Torah contrary to its true intent--although he may possess Torah knowledge and good deeds, he has no share in the World […]

Which is a dispute that is not for the sake of Heaven? The dispute of Korach and all his company Ethics of the Fathers, 5:17 Korach, Moses' mutinous cousin, earned the dubious distinction of father and prototype of all quarrelers and divisors. His very name became synonymous with disharmony and conflict. The Talmud goes so […]

Any dispute that is for the sake of Heaven is destined to endure; and that which is not for the sake of Heaven is not destined to endure. Which is a dispute that is for the sake of Heaven? The dispute(s) between Hillel and Shammai.... . Ethics of the Fathers, 5:17 Why would we want […]

A love that is dependent on something when the thing ceases, the love Also ceases. But a love that is not dependent on anything never ceases. Which is a love that is dependent on something? The love of Amnon for Tamar. And one that is not dependent on anything? The love of David and Jonathan. […]

All that G‑d created in His world, He did not create but for His glory. Ethics of the Fathers, 6:11 "I was created to serve my Creator." With these words, the Talmud sums up the purpose of life. But there is also another version of this talmudic passage, which reads. "I was not created, but […]

A Jew once demanded of the tzadik, Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, “Rebbe! Where is G‑d?” The rabbi answered him, “Wherever you let Him in.” The secular world does not react kindly to the notion of holiness. Holiness creates distinctions. It’s much more expedient to deal with a world flattened into a homogeneous mush. In […]

Read your life from the future backwards.

Introduction The Second Soul If you feel you’ve been left hanging at the end of chapter one, it’s probably because that’s exactly where you are supposed to be. The bar seems to be set very high and, so far, all you’ve got inside yourself to tackle the challenge is a beast that’s barely better than […]

The Divine Soul The second soul in a Jew is “a part of G‑d from beyond” Job 31:2. in actual fact. “Part” here means not a particular part of G‑d, which is absurd, but a particular iteration of a sample of Him. This second soul knows G‑d from her very essence. The Torah describes how […]

וְנֶפֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִית בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, הִיא חֵלֶק אֱלוֹהַּ מִמַּעַל מַמָּשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: "וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים", וְ"אַתָּה נָפַחְתָּ בִּי", וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר, מַאן דְּנָפַח מִתּוֹכֵיהּ נָפַח, פֵּירוּשׁ, מִתּוֹכִיּוּתוֹ וּמִפְּנִימִיּוּתוֹ, שֶׁתּוֹכִיּוּת וּפְנִימִיּוּת הַחַיּוּת שֶׁבָּאָדָם מוֹצִיא בִּנְפִיחָתוֹ בְּכֹחַ: כָּךְ, עַל דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל, נִשְׁמוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל עָלוּ בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה, כְּדִכְתִיב: "בְּנִי בְכוֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל", "בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם" פֵּירוּשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהַבֵּן נִמְשָׁךְ מִמּוֹחַ […]

I used to put my menorah in my window, but since last year I’m scared of having my window smashed.

Your Promise Here is a teaching from the end of the third chapter of Nidah, a book of the Talmud: “Before you were born, the heavenly court made you swear: Be a tzadik and don’t be a rasha. Yet they also made you swear: Even if the whole world tells you that you are a […]

תַּנְיָא [בְּסוֹף פֶּרֶק ג' דְּנִדָּה]: "מַשְׁבִּיעִים אוֹתוֹ, תְּהִי צַדִּיק וְאַל תְּהִי רָשָׁע. וַאֲפִילוּ כָּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ אוֹמְרִים לְךָ צַדִּיק אַתָּה – הֱיֵה בְעֵינֶיךָ כְּרָשָׁע". וְצָרִיךְ לְהָבִין, דְּהָא תְּנַן [אָבוֹת פֶּרֶק ב']: "וְאַל תְּהִי רָשָׁע בִּפְנֵי עַצְמֶךָ". וְגַם, אִם יִהְיֶה בְעֵינָיו כְּרָשָׁע – יֵרַע לְבָבוֹ וְיִהְיֶה עָצֵב, וְלֹא יוּכַל לַעֲבוֹד ה' בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבְטוּב לֵבָב. וְאִם לֹא […]

The title page of a Jewish book is traditionally called its “gateway.” In this case, the author has provided the gateway to his own work, describing in his typically minimalist form the path he wishes to take us on. Collections of Teachings Part One: The Book of the Beinoni Collected from holy books and teachers […]

Before You Enter... If you are seeking a book that will provide immediate inspiration, make you feel good, and guide you on an easy path to self-improvement and spirituality, you have found the wrong book. The Tanya provides a candid picture of the human condition that you may find at times disturbing, certainly uncomfortable. It […]

סֵפֶר לִקּוּטֵי אֲמָרִים חֵלֶק רִאשׁוֹן הַנִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם סֵפֶר שֶׁל בֵּינוֹנִים מְלוּקָּט מִפִּי סְפָרִים וּמִפִּי סוֹפְרִים קְדוֹשֵׁי עֶלְיוֹן נִשְׁמָתָם עֵדֶן. מְיוּסָּד עַל פָּסוּק "כִּי קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאוֹד, בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ"; לְבָאֵר הֵיטֵב, אֵיךְ הוּא קָרוֹב מְאוֹד, בְּדֶרֶךְ אֲרוּכָּה וּקְצָרָה, בְּעֶזְרַת ה' יִתְבָּרֵךְ.

Intro At the dawn of modernity, Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov (1698–1760) came to awaken the smoldering ashes of darkened hearts, to breathe life back into the dry bones of a nation weary from persecution, and to lift from the ground a people buckling under the burden of Torah observance they had carried for so […]

A lucid translation and guide, including fundamental concepts

In any one space, at any one time, endless worlds of perception coincide.

Walk tall as a Jew and fill in the void Zvi Kogan left behind.

If G‑d is everywhere, why can’t He also be in your cottage cheese?

When you use technology without a purpose, you are no longer its master. You are its slave. From limestone to LLM, the truth is the same.

We are all sleeping. But on Sukkot, we can taste what it means to be awake.