… my kavanah for every bracha was on the level it was when I made a shehakol for my iced coffee at work this morning, after not having coffee yesterday.
Monthly Archives: June 2010
Sunday’s Spark of Mussar
Rabbi Yisrael Salanter
“The test of whether Mussar is being studied properly is whether it evokes a desire to continue learning Mussar.”
From Sparks of Mussar by R Chaim Ephraim Zaitchik
Exclusive: Producer Charges Anti-Semitism in Iowa Tax-Credit Probe
Film producer Wendy Weiner Runge claims that criminal charges brought against her as part of an investigation into alleged abuses of Iowa’s film-tax-credit program may be motivated in part by anti-Semitism.
Read the rest here…
Exclusive: Producer Charges Anti-Semitism in Iowa Tax-Credit Probe
Skwere Rebbe of Boro Park shlita-Currently accepting appointments in Chicago
I am pleased announce that the Skwere Rebbe of Boro Park, Grand Rebbe Yechiel Michel Twersky shlita, is currently visiting the Chicago community until Thursday morning, June 17th, at the home of Rabbi Chaim Goldzweig, 6308 N Francisco Avenue. Phone number: (773) 764-5322.
Since it as Shabbos Rosh Chodesh last Shabbos, I got a wonderful package sent to me from the Rebbe shlita. It was a beautiful and extremity tasty Challah and an onion kugel and a luchson kugel. It was a great surprise to me an my family and a real chessed. I felt truly honored that the Rebbe shlita remembered me.
To read about the last time the Rebbe shlita, came to Chicago, click here.
Sunday’s Spark of Mussar
Rav Yisrael Salanter
His disciple, Rav Simcha Zissel testified: “Our master, of blessed memory, lit up the eyes of the exile with his investigations and knowledge in the laws of money, theft and damages. In this he was unique in these generations.”
From Sparks of Mussar by R Chaim Ephraim Zaitchik
Parshas Korach: More than a feeling
Rav Mordechai Eliyahu and my brush with greatness

My friend, who is Sephardic, and his family were actually very close with Rav Eliyahu and we were invited to come downstairs to his sukkah for lunch (on what was my first day of Yom Tov). Throughout the meal he welcomed guest after guest, it was non-stop. He was friendly and truly “received everyone cheerfully”. For me it was a fairly quite meail, since I wasn’t fluent in Hebrew. Rav Eliyahu’s wife offered me a side-dish, I think it might have been some type of spicy carrots and I thought I would be super-slick and decided that I only wanted “a little”, so I proudly said: Katan, b’vakasha.
She smiled, realizing that I REALLY didn’t know Hebrew and she attempted to explain to me that I should have used the word “ktzat” instead of “katan“. I sort of got the drift of what she was teaching me, but more importantly, I wasn’t embarassed or made to feel like I knew nothing.
After lunch Rav Eliyahu had someone go into his living room and bring out a beautiful book with amazing photos of different shuls in E”Y. The Rishon L’Tzion then had me sit next to him and he spent about 20 minutes going through the book with me and telling me the locations of each shul. I felt so honored that he would invite me into his sukkah, let alone spend his precious time with me. Despite the language barrier between us, the sensitivity and creative way he used to engage me as stayed with me over the years. My oldest child knows this story, not because his abba once had a meal with the “Chief Sephardic Rabbi”, but because it illustrates true Gadlus in how to interact with a person and make them feel special. That, to me, is one of the traits of a true Adom Gadol.
(A summary of this post was originally left as a comment here)
Sunday’s Spark of Mussar
Rav Yisrael Salanter
“Someone who cannot shut down a yeshiva cannot open one either.”
From Sparks of Mussar by R Chaim Ephraim Zaitchik
Rabbi Lazer Brody in CHICAGO next week and Shabbos
Biking the Drive
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Avraham ben Zorah a”h
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Rivka bas Chaim Yosef a”h
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Dan Halevi ben Ovadia a”h
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Pesha bas Shmuel a”h
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Yakov ben Rav Avraham Yosef a”h
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Efraim ben Shlomo a”h
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Reuven ben Tova Chaya
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Esther bas Sara
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Yenta Tzarna bas Etya
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Ayelet bas Nurit
After resting for some of the day, we all drove to Six Flags, since the kids didn’t have school on Memorial Day, and hung out for the evening. It was a great way to end perfect day.
I biked a total of 45 miles (I tied with only one other person for the the longest distance biked) and my sponsorship totaled over $2,800.00, which was the highest amount raised in Chai Lifeline’s Bike the Drive history…thanks to all of my sponsors.
As I had previously written, I dedicated this year’s ride to the memory of my father, Al Harris a”h, who passed away in early November. He not only sponsored me, but was always amazed by my commitment to Biking the Drive and was very proud of my efforts both in terms of biking and also in attempting to help an important organization like Chai Lifeline. I know he would have been very proud of what was accomplished on Sunday.
For those of you who sponsored and encouraged me, thank you!!!