כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת בַּיָּמִים הָהֵמָּה אֲשֶׁר יַחֲזִיקוּ עֲשָׂרָה אֲנָשִׁים מִכֹּל לְשֹׁנוֹת הַגּוֹיִם וְהֶחֱזִיקוּ בִּכְנַף אִישׁ יְהוּדִי לֵאמֹר נֵלְכָה עִמָּכֶם כִּי שָׁמַעְנוּ אֱלֹהִים עִמָּכֶם׃ — זכריה ח:כג“Thus said Hashem of Hosts: In those days ten men from all the languages of the nations shall grasp the corner of the garment of a Jewish man, saying:…

מלכים ב א חוַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו אִישׁ בַּעַל שֵׂעָר וְאֵזוֹר עוֹר אָזוּר בְּמָתְנָיו וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלִיָּה הַתִּשְׁבִּי הוּא׃“They said to him: ‘A hairy man, with a leather belt girded around his waist.’ He said: ‘It is Elijah the Tishbite.’”מלכים ב א טוַיִּשְׁלַח אֵלָיו שַׂר־חֲמִשִּׁים וַחֲמִשָּׁיו וַיַּעַל אֵלָיו וְהִנֵּה יֹשֵׁב עַל־רֹאשׁ הָהָר וַיְדַבֵּר אֵלָיו אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים הַמֶּלֶךְ דִּבֶּר…

דברי הטור“מצות עשה ליתן צדקה כפי השגת ידו ומאד מאד צריך אדם ליזהר בה יותר מכל מצות עשה… וכל המעלים עיניו ממנה נקרא בליעל… וכל הזהיר בה מעידה עליו כי הוא זרע ברך ה׳… ואין כסא ישראל מתכונן ודת האמת עומדת אלא בצדקה… ואין ישראל נגאלין אלא בצדקה… ולעולם אין אדם מעני מן הצדקה ולא…

The foundation of all berachos and prayers is that we direct ourselves to the One Infinite and Absolute G-d. At the same time, we cannot speak to the completely unknowable Essence of G-d as He existed before creation itself. That level is beyond human understanding and beyond human language.But once G-d created the world, He…

Abba Binyamin says:If two people enter a synagogue to pray, and one of them finishes first, he should not leave his fellow alone in the synagogue. If he leaves without waiting, his prayer is “tossed aside” before him.The Gemara brings the verse:“He who tears himself apart in his anger — do you think the world…

Words are inexpensive. Anyone can declare that he trusts in God. But actions reveal what a person truly believes. The way a person spends, displays, competes, speaks, and lives exposes where he thinks security and importance actually come from.When someone feels compelled to live far beyond the people around him, that lifestyle becomes more than…

“The main way to merit Olam Haba is through guarding one’s tongue. This is greater than much Torah and many good deeds, because the mouth is the Holy of Holies.”This statement shocks many people. How could guarding speech be placed above great Torah learning and countless mitzvos? But the Vilna Gaon was revealing something fundamental…

The Chofetz Chaim taught that respect for another person’s dignity and possessions brings blessing into one’s own life more than segulos or shortcuts ever could.“If people would listen to what I have to say, I would advise those seeking to improve their economic situation to be exceedingly careful regarding lashon hara, and especially not to…

There are two levels of fear in serving Hashem. The first is fear of punishment — a person avoids sin because he fears suffering in this world or the next. This fear is natural, since every person protects himself from harm. Just as people avoid poison because they fear its consequences, so too fear of…

One of the greatest misunderstandings in modern religious life is the belief that if a person technically fulfilled the law, then he fulfilled the will of the Torah.That is not true.There is a major difference between:the minimum legal obligation,and what the Torah expects from a person who truly understands Torah.The law creates the floor. It…