Contemplating Our Legacy

The Medrash clearly states that contact with a corpse is not what renders one a tamei meis, nor is the water of the Para Aduma what restores one's state of purity, rather it is a Divine decree that does both. That being the case, the question is why? In addition, assuming tumah is negative, how can fulfilling a great mitzvah such as caring for a meis mitzvah result in tumas meis? In this shiur, the Rebbe starts out with these two questions. The second half is about the contemplation that should result from visiting with death. What is our legacy going to be? Most people let life make demands on them and get swept away without ever pausing for long enough to get in the driver seat of their own legacy. While pinpointing our unique mission specifically can be a lifelong endeavor, the Rebbe offered a few general yet extremely insightful and fundamental guidelines for creating a "Jewish legacy."

Seeking the High Ground - Part II (audio)

The recording of the Rebbe's second session in the "Seeking the High Ground" series is now available. This session was about the principle of Thought; the Rebbe explained it simply, in his own inimitable style, and in terms consistent with classic Torah outlook. What is reality? Where does that reality come from? In what ways can I influence my life? These are some of the questions that were dealt with along the way to understanding Thought. The interplay between Chochma and Binah also featured prominently in this session.

Tanya Shiur #27 (RBT)

DOWNLOAD CHAPTER 22 - PART 2

(Running time: 43:30 - Size: 7.46 MB)

DOWNLOAD Source sheet for the shiur (PDF)

Rebbe Quotes: Heaven's Way of Judgement

When Heaven judges a person, not only the person is judged, but everybody who is affected by that person. In a human court, they have to enforce the law against the individual who committed the crime regardless of the circumstances. A human court ignores the fact that he has a wife and children who rely on him; they'll lock him up nonetheless. But in Heaven, they look at the whole picture. If they carry out the sentence against the guilty individual others will be effected, and in truth, no one is an individual.

The Rebbe's Baal Teshuvah

Reaching out to someone in a bad place can sometimes cost you your own well-being and integrity. Whether it's in kiruv, counseling or just listening to a friend's fears and worries, one has to know to what extent he is willing to put himself at risk. In this shiur, the Rebbe, shlit"a, speaks about this question, and in the process, recounts two stories, one from the Baal Hatanya and one from the Rebbe Reb Motele.

Rebbetzin Devorah Leah's Yahrtzeit

Today (Sivan 29) is the yahrtzeit of the Rebbe's mother, Rebbetzin Devorah Leah, a"h. The Rebbe and his brothers, Reb Sheya and Reb Aron, along with a minyan of the chevra went out to her kever to recite Tehilim and write kevitlach. The taking of pictures ensued:

Personal Learning and Following the Leader

אל תעלו כי אין ה' בקרבכם וכו' - במדבר יד, מב

ויעפלו לעלות אל ראש ההר וארון ברית ה' ומשה לא משו מקרב המחנה - שם מד

"Do not ascend for Hashem is not in your midst..." (Bamidbar 14:42)

"And they defiantly ascended to the mountain top, [but] the Ark of Hashem's Covenant and Moshe did not move from the camp." (ibid. 14:44)

The Rebbe, shlit"a, asked: If Moshe already assured Klal Yisroel that Hashem was not in their midst and would not come to their aid in their forced ascent to Eretz Yisroel, isn't it obvious that the Aron and Moshe Rabeinu did not go with them?

Two Niggunim to Learn

Recently, the Rebbe heard two niggunim that he would like the chevra to learn. I posted them on my other blog, Milwaukee Niggunim. (I hope to post there more often...) Here are links to those two so they can be added to the shul's repertoire:

Modzhitzer B'tzeis Yisroel March

Bobover Simcha Nigun

Tanya Shiur #26 (RBT)

Handwritten Tanya

DOWNLOAD CHAPTERS 21-22

(Running time: 38:21 min. - Size: 6.58 MB)

Seeking the High Ground - Part II

Torah Strategies for Acquiring a Healthy Disposition

The Torah perspective on Innate Health from the Rebbe, HaRav Michel Twerski, shlit"a.
 

Tuesday, June 26 - 7:00 p.m. (Central)
Congregation Beth Jehudah, Milwaukee

   

LIVE AUDIO BROADCAST:
 Call (605) 475-4000, access code 1001046#

A recording will be posted following the shiur.

Missed the first part? Listen to the recording here.

Reintroducing the Medrash Shiur

The Rebbe's Weekly Medrash Shiur is back!

Thursdays at 2:15 pm (Central)

Milwaukee - At the Rebbe's home (for men).

Eretz Yisroel - The shiur will be Skyped to one location in Yerushalayim. Call Reb Yankel Twerski in Eretz Yisroel to join that chaburah.

Kol Halashon - In the U.S., call 718-395-2440. In Eretz Yisroel, call 03-617-1111, or 052-718-1818, or 052-999-9777. The shiur will be recorded there. To hear the shiur live, call the above numbers, press * when prompted, and wait for the Rebbe's name.

For previous shiurim in the Medrash series, click here.

Thought and Innate Health

"Thought is like a river..."

DOLEH UMASHKEH EXCLUSIVE: Here is a great opportunity to hear the Rebbe speak about concepts in Chassidus, as well as about Innate Health!

This shiur was given the morning after the Rebbe gave his "Seeking the High Ground" session. (See here for that.)

The topic of thought is frequently discussed throughout all the classic Chassidic works. Sometimes it is mentioned specifically in reference to tefilah or learning as machshavos zaros, "strange" or "foreign" thoughts. In other instances, it is spoken about more universally, as the Baal Shem Hakadosh said, "One is where his thoughts are." Also, the whole concept of hamtakas hadinim b'shorshan, sweetening or rectifying harsh judgement, is dependent on how we view our relationship to our thoughts.

Rebbe Quotes: What to Do for a Living

"Never do what you love for a living because you'll end up compromising on what you love."

-- heard from the Rebbe, shlit"a, in the name of his brother, Rav Shloime Twerski, ztz"l, of Denver

The Rebbe's Tehilim

This Tehilim belonged to the Rebbe Reb Yaakov Yisroel of Milwaukee, zy"a. It is a rarity today as it was printed on the holy press of the famous Slavita printers.

The Rebbe, yblcht"a, said that his father, zy"a, said Tehilim very often, and one can clearly see the use that this Tehilim sustained over the years. The Rebbe himself uses this Tehilim when he goes to his father's tziyun to daven.

Men, Women, Time, Space (audio)

Last week the Rebbe gave a couple of shiurim in the morning that I thought were simply AWESOME! Please pardon my enthusiasm.

The topics revolved around how men and women are built differently and how, if they stick to the way they were hardwired by Hashem, they can actualize their unique potential to the fullest. The particular contribution of men flourishes mostly in the realm of "time", while the unique genius of women comes out and thrives specifically in regards to "space".

This is a wonderful shiur for both men and women as it sheds light on each one's abilities. It helps crystallize individual purpose at the same time as it puts the other side of the coin into perspective, allowing each one to be appreciated as an equally essential component to healthy families and avodas Hashem.

Rebbe Quotes: Time

"Time is a very precious entity, and we take it for granted as though it were some absolutely unlimited commodity. When we are wasteful we have cause to look back upon the fact that we've wasted opportunities."

Tanya Shiur #25 (RBT)

DOWNLOAD CHAPTER 20 (PART 2)

(Running time: 31:27 min. - Size: 5.42 MB)

Previous shiurim are available on the TANYA page.

Seeking the High Ground - Part I (Audio)

The recording from last night's session, SEEKING THE HIGH GROUND, is now available. It was indeed "an unprecedented opportunity to hear the Torah perspective on Innate Health."

In this introductory shiur, the Rebbe clarified many misconceptions about Innate Health within Judaism and the Torah world. He also laid down some vital guidelines regarding the roots the Three Principles have in Torah. He explained the necessity for actively seeking this understanding, how it can boost and bolster our observance of Torah and Mitzvos, and the importance of "choosing life" - living full, enriching, calm lives.

Tanya Shiur #24 (RBT)

DOWNLOAD
Chapter 20

(Running time: 25:54 min. - Size 4.5 MB)

Personalizing Shemonah Esrei

In this shiur from after Shacharis, the Rebbe, shlit"a, spoke about the difference between davening Shemoneh Esrei and other forms of prayer. While one should be connecting to Hashem through prayer all day long as a child to a parent, the way one davens Shemoneh Esrei must reflect an understanding that it is an audience with the King.

"Shemoneh Esrei is an echo of Rosh Hashana; the rest of the day is an echo of Yom Kippur."

Tanya Shiur #23 (RBT)

DOWNLOAD Chapter 19

(Running time: 31:11 - Size: 5.35 MB)

All previous shiurim in this series are available by clicking the TANYA tab.

New Book on Gerim in Chassidus

Bnei Avraham Ahuvecha: Gerim in Chassidic Thought 

Click book cover to enlarge.

Received via e-mail from Dov ben Avraham:

"I am pleased to announce the release of a book that will enthusiastically be sought after by Jews who were not born Jewish, and those on the path to becoming Jewish. The Hornsteipler Rebbe of Milwaukee contributed material to this book and wrote following words in his haskama (approbation):

'I am delighted to recommend the book as a meaningful contribution to the growing body of Torah information available to the Chareidi world. Indeed, the project is intriguing both for its timeliness and for its superb scholarship.'