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My G-d, the soul You placed within me, it is pure; You created it, You formed it, You breathed it into me, You preserve it within me, You will take it from me and return it to me in a future time... -- From the daily morning prayers

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: Shegagot - Chapter 15, Mechussarey Kapparah - Chapter 1, Mechussarey Kapparah - Chapter 2

Today's Lesson: Positive Commandment 68, 75, 76

Today's Lesson: Kiddush HaChodesh - Chapter 13

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: Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 9

Today's Tehillim: Chapters 140-144

Today's Psalms: Chapters 140-144

Parshat Shoftim, 4th Portion (Devarim (Deuteronomy) 18:6-18:13) with Rashi

Anxious Parshah

The itinerary was prepared, locations were secured, families signed up, and everything was ready to go. There was just one final step: They wanted the Rebbe's blessing.

The Creator of all boundaries is unbounded by any definition. Otherwise, He too would require a creator.

Do you know your aleph from your bet? We bet you can do this one!

They once roamed the Land of Israel and are mentioned quite often in the Bible and Talmudic literature.

A rising performer, Deborah Jacobi pined for spirituality. A meal in a sukkah and meeting the Rebbe changed her course forever.

After she left a Christian cult, she reconnected with her boyfriend--now husband--and embarked on a life journey of sharing Judaism with others.

When tragedy struck, the rabbi needed to find inner strength, faith, and focus to be there for his daughter, his grandchildren, and most of all himself.

When this Air Force chaplain was sent to remote Greenland, he knew it was G-d's will. He also knew he had a lot of preparing to do.

Raised by a mother who was struggling with mental health issues, Leah turned to the church for support. A trip to Israel (and a lot of conversations) finally helped her find her way back to Judaism.

Rabbi Binyomin Scheiman shares about how he sees the good in every person and every circumstance and built a community of ex-criminals.

Now a successful real estate broker and philanthropist, Naomi Streicher shares her personal approach to challenges, charity, setbacks, and faith.

Rebbetzin Hadassah (Schneerson) Carelbach shares about her father's heroism under Communism and during the Holocaust, how they rebuild their lives afterward, and what gives her satisfaction today.

Rabbi Shabse Alpern was a kid from Brooklyn, whom the Rebbe sent to Brazil. Hear how the Rebbe's blessings, directives, and lessons have been the guiding light of his life.

Nikki's turnaround came when a rabbi came into her room with a shofar. She went on to publish his book after he was murdered by terrorists.

Yaakov Schy spent years living and working in rural Asia, where he discovered that everyone had a tribal identity except for him. That led him to rediscover Judaism.

It took a trip to Germany and a lot of self-discovery for Eliana to find her place in the Jewish community. Today, together with her husband, she leads a small Jewish community in South Africa.

Rabbi Kravitz shares how he almost fell prey to missionaries in college and how he devoted his life's work to equipping Jews with the knowledge and confidence they need to stand up for their faith.

After experiencing searing loss, Elissa Felder found comfort in caring for the departed. When her grandchild died decades later, she needed to do the unimaginable.

Cameron was steeped in white supremacy and neo-Nazi hate. In prison, he met a Chabad chaplain, and his life changed forever.

When her husband felt chest pains, Lieba knew something was off. Little did she know how her faith in G-d would play a major role in helping him survive what would come their way.

Katia Bolotin's unlikely journey from Friday night concerts to Shabbat observance had plenty of unexpected twists and turns along the way.

Life lessons from welcoming thousands of visitors to the first ghetto in the world, making connections, and lighting up souls.

Modern English translation of the full text of the Parshah.

A look at the various parts of the tree—roots, trunk, branches, leaves, fruit and seeds—and their corresponding elements within the human being

The Torah instructs that judges and officers are to be appointed “in all your city gates”—wherever Jews live; but that the “cities of refuge” are to be established only in the land of Israel. Why this distinction between judgement and atonement, between the law and refuge from retribution? To explain this dichotomy, the Lubavitcher Rebbe […]

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 […]

The yetzer hara is an instinctive impulse for self-gratification (bad), embodied by the emotional responses of the beast within you.

On the outside, Torah is water. On the inside, it is fire. The text, the instructions, the practical side of Torah--that is water. People come to water. When they are thirsty, they gather around. But what if you have no thirst for Torah? What if you find the water cold? What if dos and don’ts […]

Click here for a printable PDF of Chapter 10. Key Words and Concepts You Will Need For This Chapter Bitul (adj. batel): A state of insignificance within a greater context. A grain of salt is batel within a large soup. A candle’s light is batel held up to the midday sun. A single created being […]

Click here for a printable PDF of Chapter 10. Conquest Now that we know of this internal battle, let’s see how it plays out as five possible states of war and peace. We’ll start with wars that are won. Let’s discuss a person who empowers his divine soul and wages such a war with his […]

The cardinal sins of Torah demanded only 70 years of exile, while hatred takes almost 2000 years!

Pleasure is an abandonment of the awareness that you are here, that you exist.

It’s G-d’s world. Everything He gives is good, the sweetest good. But it is often a good far too great for us to understand. We imagine it is not good, because that’s the only way to make sense of it with our small minds. Yet the truth is, He gives us all the good we […]

In my quest to understand the large language models currently spinning our world around, I recalled a discussion on the topic of human language the Rebbe delivered in 1957 and the brilliant way our teacher, Rabbi Yoel Kahan, delivered it to us. As I reread it and examined the sources provided, it seemed to me […]

Click here for a printable PDF of Chapter 9. Words and Concepts You Will Need for this Chapter Chochmah, Binah, and Da’at: The three forms of intelligence which every soul possesses. Chochmah conceives ideas, binah processes and integrates them, and da’at makes them real. See Chapter Three for more details. Clothes for the Soul: Intellect […]

Click here for a printable PDF of Chapter 9. Animal Headquarters Each soul has her principal place of residence in your body from which she extends throughout, a kind of headquarters and activity hub for her agenda. Now, the place of residence of the animalistic kelipat nogah soul within every Jew is in the heart, […]

Miri and Meni embark on an after-bedtime journey through the universe to discover that there is only G-d.

Ask those questions. Eat bitter herbs. Swallow matzah. Drink another cup of wine. And ask the questions that come from the bottom of your heart.

Everyone's favorite Kabbalist is back, and he has a new grandson! In this episode we learn what it means to "own" the Torah.

Is happiness stupid?

A parable of the Baal Shem Tov: A king had a son who gave him much delight. And he wanted even more delight. Because there are many sorts of delight. There’s delight from cute things your child does. There’s delight from seeing him grow into a true prince. There’s delight from playing, learning, and talking […]