Torah

As I headed out to the Dirshu World Siyum of Daf HaYomi B’Halacha on Thursday, March 3, I reflected on my endeavors for the previous North American Dirshu Siyum. At that time, I coordinated the entrance for Rabbi Yitzchak Yisraeli, Chief Bukharian Rabbi of the USA and Canada, and Rabbi Aharon Walkin, zt”l, then Rosh HaYeshivah of Chazaq. For this siyum, I joined on behalf of this publication after reading up on the mindboggling amount of work that the Dirshu team takes on. Walking into the CURE Insurance Arena/War Memorial in Trenton, New Jersey, I was immediately taken in by the kavod haTorah and mentchlichkeit paid by each attendee. But for those of us who are not lomdim the daf halachah, the k’dushas haTorah present at the arena was our calling.

There is a strange recurring phenomenon throughout the story of creation: The Torah first describes one model of creation and then proceeds to depict a completely different, even contradictory picture of the same creation. For example:

As we encounter our victory over Haman, let us delve more deeply into the unique spiritual and existential battle that the Jewish People must continue to wage against the philosophy of Amaleik. As a descendant of Amaleik, Haman continued their legacy of Jewish obliteration. As the Maharal explains, Amaleik rejects Hashem’s connection to this world or any connection between the spiritual and the physical. Essentially, Amaleik denies Hashem’s control of this world and the ability for man to uplift himself to the level of the spiritual.

The topic of leadership is both fascinating and fundamental to human society. What is the Jewish approach to leadership, and how does it compare to other perspectives on leadership?

Question: Must one honor all rebbeim the same way?

Short Answer: A person must honor his rebbe muvhak (i.e., primary rebbe) more than his regular rebbe.

Often, when we are in pain – whether it be physical, emotional, or spiritual – we beg Hashem every day, with all our heart, to make the pain go away. We imagine how wonderful life will be when the challenge finally passes, and each day we hold on to that image, cherish it, and hope for Hashem to make that day come more quickly. We cry, we suffer, we push – and just when we think we cannot take it anymore, just when we think we may not make it another day, when every last ounce of strength and hope has faded, the pain begins to subside.