The Iggeres HaKodesh of the Baal HaTanya states clearly that in our generation, the central avodah is tzedakah—and that a person must force himself to open his heart and give. This is not describing a feeling. It is describing a system to overcome resistance.The halachic direction, rooted in the Rambam, brings it down to action:…

What appears at first to be a strategy for preserving wealth is, in truth, a disciplined way of preserving the soul. Charity is not merely the transfer of money from one hand to another; it is a test of clarity—who is the source, who is the channel, and whether a person confuses the two. In…

If he engages in a certain occupation and does not see success, he should not become discouraged or think that his efforts were in vain. Rather, he should tell himself that it is possible that that day’s sustenance has already come to him beforehand and is already in his possession, or that it will come…

When a person becomes prideful, haughty, and excessively ambitious in this world, he should make an accounting with himself as follows. He should reflect on his position in creation between the supernal and the terrestrial creatures; it will become clear to him that he is small and insignificant among God’s creations, as I explained when…

Prayer is often described in simple terms: a person speaks, asks, thanks, or praises. But the tradition of the sages describes something far deeper. When a person truly prays, he is not merely speaking words into the air. He is entering a higher realm of existence.During the Shemoneh Esrei, a person stands physically in this…

The Torah commands, “to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul” (Devarim 11:13). This teaching, explained by Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, shows that prayer is not simply the recitation of words but a full expression of the nefesh—the soul itself. True prayer must emerge from within, drawing on the inner life-force that…

The main point of creation was that God wanted to create man, who would then have the task of attaching himself to God, thus to enjoy His true good. This is accomplished through the fact that man has two ways before him, one being good and the other evil; and man has the power to…

Below is a full transcription of the visible text, including the Hebrew and the sources at the bottom, exactly as they appear on the pages you provided.1.26 Obstaclesוהנה שמו הקדוש ברוך הוא לאדם במקום שרבים בו המרחקים אותו ממנו —The Holy One blessed is He put man in a place where there are many things…

The sages teach that the Holy One, blessed be He, placed man in a world filled with many things that distance him from Hashem. At first glance this appears to be a contradiction. If the purpose of life is to come close to Hashem, why would the world be constructed in a way that seems…

The Torah repeatedly teaches that the purpose of its instruction is to direct a person’s trust toward God. As it says in Book of Proverbs 22:19, “So that your trust may be in God, I have made these teachings known to you today.” The message is simple but demanding. A person must understand that livelihood,…