My voice can be used either to scream of sing. Like most things…the choice is mine.
A quick thought
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Rav Hirsch on Asarah B’Teves
This is the beginning of Rav Hirsch’s essay on the month of Teves (Tebeth) from my newly acquired first edition of Judaism Eternal- Selected Essays from the Writings of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (vol one):The Tenth of Tebeth is the first of the four fasts which perpetuate amongst Jews the memory of their twice-suffered catastrophe, the downfall of the Jewish State.The memorial is no mere form.You are not invited to a merely idle mourning, to look back a little, to tie crepe on your sleeve, and to dedicate a tear of sadness to the departed great. The anniversaries of the fall of Jerusalem and Zion find you fasting. This fasting beckons you on. It reminds you that Jerusalem and Zion have not fallen for ever. It reminds you that it lies in your hnds to make “the fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth month and the fast of the seventh month and the fast of the tenth month to become to the House of Judah days of joy and delight”. (Zecharia 8.19.) It reminds you that you have but to will it and Jerusalem and Zion will rise again.For look, you fast on these days of remembrance in order to tell yourself that your fate and your life’s task are still linked with this catastrophe, and you have to go on repeating this fast until your destiny is fulfilled and until you can comprehend and accomplish your life’s task.Your fate is called “Galuth” and your life’s task “Teshubah.”
It turns out that Dr. Yitzchok Levine has posted the entire essay (published in Colllected Writings II, as well) on his website. The short essay is well worth the read and is available here.
The portrait of Rav Hirsch is from a page of Judaism Eternal.
Sunday’s Spark of Mussar
Rav Nosson Ziv Finkel, the Alter of Slabodka
The cough of a talmud broke into a Mussar shmuse. R’ Nosson Zvi immediately stopped speaking, and asked who had coughed. When no one replied, he complained that no one cared about it, and asked in amazement, “If someone cries, do you also remain silent?”
From Sparks of Mussar by R Chaim Ephraim Zaitchik
Kinus Tefilah for Eretz Yisrael
In response to the critical situation in Eretz Yisrael, the Rabbanim of Chicago, in conjunction with the Chicago Rabbinical Council and Agudath Israel of Illinois urge everyone to join in a
Kinus Tefilah on Asarah b’Tevet
(Tuesday, January 6th)
to be held at
Congregation K.I.N.S.
2800 West North Shore Avenue, Chicago
Mincha will begin at 4PM, followed by Tehillim and Maariv.
Moshe Skier show this Motzei Shabbos in Chicago
See the details here.
Frumkeit vs Being Frum-shiur in Chicago this Thursday
Click on image to enlarge
Sunday’s Kelm Classic
When it came time to check up on his son in yeshiva, Rav Simcha Zissel Ziv, the Alter of Kelm, would sometimes simply go into his son’s dorm room to see if everything was in an orderly fashion. If everything was in its place, he knew his son was excelling in the yeshiva.
A must read for anyone who "reaches out"
Beyond BT just posted a true must read titled “What, Judaism Can Actually be Fun?”. For those “kiruv professionals” or the ever growing group of non-professional kiruv individuals, this post is worth the read.
Chanukah Hisbodedus
As the neiros Chanukah increase
So should my connection to the
Source of all light increase
Please, Hashem, let that light be shared by all
Pictures online from the Skwere Rebbe’s visit to Chicago
Yeshiva World News just posted two sets of pictures from the Skwere Rebbe of Boro Park, Grand Rebbe Yechiel Michel Twersky’s visit to Chicago. You can see them here.
