Thinkingaboutme.org
9 years of Parasha articles.
A JEW OF ANOTHER LEVEL
click vayetze 2017 for pdf download A JEW OF ANOTHER LEVEL Parashat Vayetze Rachel gave her sister, Leah, the Simanim. She taught her the laws of family purity, of challah and of lighting candles. She could not bear to see her sister go through the embarrassment of Yaakov’s discovering that it was Leah, not Rachel, under…
Read More
THE FULLY CHARGED LIFE
Click toldot 2017 to download PDF THE FULLY CHARGED LIFE Parashat Toldot Everyone who walks theארץ , the land, has a רצון, a will. Ask anyone you meet what would be the greatest thing that he could achieve over the next 5 years. You will always get some sort of answer, of some sort of dream,…
Read More
AN 18 YEAR OLD SHAWARMA
Click chaye sarah 2017 to download AN 18 YEAR OLD SHAWARMA Parashat Chaye Sarah Coaching yeshiva students is my life’s passion. Usually, students fall out of “ben Torah performance” because of two factors: lack of academic achievement and lack of social blending. If one of these two is still in force, the academic or social factor,…
Read More
MEETING WITH G-D
Click vayera 2017 for PDF download MEETING WITH G-D Parashat Vayera There was a great man I remember from my childhood, Jack Adjmi, of blessed memory. He was my best friend’s grandpa. He gave substantial amounts of charity to the shuls I grew up in. I remember how, when eulogizing him, one of his sons quoted…
Read More
IN THE MERIT OF EMUNAH
click lech lecha 2017 for pdf download IN THE MERIT OF EMUNAH Parashat Lech Lecha Last week, at the Shabbat meal, my son came back from shul and told us all this incredible story: There was a philanthropist from America who was very close to R’ Elyashiv, and every time he came for a visit, he gave…
Read More
HEAVYWEIGHT WHOS
HEAVYWEIGHT WHOS Parashat Noach Television, radio, advertising, movies, the Internet, newspapers, magazines, all reflect and create the culture we live in. Our emotions, opinions, and behaviors are all dependent on the culture we are part of, and our choices are dependent on whatever is the status quo of our emotions, opinions and our behaviors. The result…
Read More
YOM KIPPUR, SHABBAT AND HYDROGEN BOMBS
click yom kippur 2017 for PDF download YOM KIPPUR, SHABBAT AND HYDROGEN BOMBS Yom Kippur Too often in life, we focus on the “what”, and forget about the who, the when and the where. So many times in life, it is not about what you did, it is about who you are that did it, when and…
Read More
THE EQUILIBRIUM HOLIDAY
click rosh hashana 2017 for pdf download THE EQUILIBRIUM HOLIDAY Rosh Hashana Rosh Hashana is the holiday of mixed emotions. It is a day of precise judgment, but yet a day of joy. A day to tap into our humility, while we celebrate it as a holiday. I always had a hard time figuring out what state…
Read More
THE CHAFETZ CHAIM’S FEAR
ki tavo 2017 pdf download THE CHAFETZ CHAIM’S FEAR Parashat Ki Tavo I wanted to test-drive this article with a mother of children; at first, she said she didn’t want to hear anything about it. But, in the end, she was happy she listened… I started with the Rambam. השמחה שישמח אדם בעשיית המצוה ובאהבת…
Read More
OLAM HABA EYEBALLS
ki tetze 2017 pdf download OLAM HABA EYEBALLS Parashat Ki Tetze I recently realized what my biggest life problem is. Why I can’t focus in davening and learning. Why I can’t forgive and forget. Why I can’t make those important decisions in life when faced with crisis, or deal with conflict and chaos. It is…
Read More
Oh My G-d!
Oh My G-d! Parashat Shoftim One of the most powerful parts of Selichot is, שומר ישראל שמור שארית ישראל ואל יאבד ישראל האומרים בכל יום שמע ישראל. Oh! Watcher of Israel, Watch over the remainder of Israel, and do not allow Israel to be lost, those who say each day, Shema Yisrael. The power we…
Read More
JUDAISM 50% OFF
JUDAISM 50% OFF Three Weeks In this week’s Parasha, the Midrash says אֶ֚לֶף לַמַּטֶּ֔ה אֶ֖לֶף לַמַּטֶּ֑ה לְכֹל֙ מַטּ֣וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל תִּשְׁלְח֖וּ לַצָּבָֽא: When Moshe sent men from the Tribes to fight against Moab, G-d told him to send out a thousand from each Tribe, a thousand from each Tribe, for all the Tribes of Israel, you…
Read More
RELIGION OR RELATIONSHIP?
RELIGION OR RELATIONSHIP? Parashat Pinhas Many rabbis are of the opinion that Eliyahu Hanavi was originally Pinchas. The Baal Haturim points to the words in the beginning of this week’s Parasha, לָכֵ֖ן אֱמֹ֑ר הִנְנִ֨י נֹתֵ֥ן ל֛וֹ אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י שָׁלֽוֹם and makes note of the small letter Vav in the word שלום . The Vav is mentioned…
Read More
THE WAY HEAVEN WORKS
THE WAY HEAVEN WORKS Parashat Balak There is a power that is the greatest power in the Universe. It is a power that we all have at our disposal, 24/7. With this power, we are able to change our destiny. We are able to accomplish the unconceivable. We are able to change the world. The…
Read More
ALLOWING G-D TO DO HIS THING
ALLOWING G-D TO DO HIS THING Parashat Hukat לעושה נפלאות גדולות לבדו כי לעולם חסדו To the One Who does great wonders alone, for His kindness is everlasting. (Tehillim 136) The Zohar asks, Why does it say that G-d does His miracles alone? Of course He does everything alone! The answer is that G-d does…
Read More
YOU CAN’T HAVE THE JOB
YOU CAN’T HAVE THE JOB Parashat Korach וקרח שפיקח היה מה ראה לשטות הזה? אלא, עינו הטעתו – ראה שלשלת גדולה עומדת הימנו, שמואל ששקול כמשה ואהרן שנאמר(תהלים צט): ‘משה ואהרן בכהניו ושמואל בקוראי שמו’ … עשרים וארבעה משמרות עומדות מבני בניו שכולם מתנבאים ברוה”ק… אמר אפשר כל הגדולה הזאת עתידה לעמוד ממני ואני אדום? Korah…
Read More
WITH R’ ARUSH IN THE FOREST
WITH R’ ARUSH IN THE FOREST Parashat Shlach Not listening to music in Sefirah is something I have difficulty with. I need music to relax while driving, to block out noise when writing in my house, and so I asked a friend what he listens to in Sefirah. He pulled a disc out of his…
Read More
DO LESS. BE MORE.
DO LESS. BE MORE. Parashat B’haalotcha The other day, I was speaking to the head of a yeshiva of about 150 boys. He sounded so calm and collected on the phone. So, I asked him how he stays so relaxed. How does he manage his stress? I wished I could be less stressful, myself! What…
Read More
WISHING TO BE A JANITOR
WISHING TO BE A JANITOR Shavuoth Shavuoth is more than a holiday. It is a day of judgement. The Talmud tells us that on Shavuoth the world is judged, regarding the trees (Rosh Hashana 16a). And we know,כי האדם עץ השדה For Man is the tree of the field (Shoftim 20;19). According to the Zohar,…
Read More
GET OFF MY TRICYCLE!!
GET OFF MY TRICYCLE!! Parashat Behar Behukotay I remember the first time I decided to help out teenage kids at risk. A certain teenage boy from a religious family, who was “on his way out” of religion, came into my life. I wanted to know whether or not I was wasting my time trying to…
Read More
A Lag B’Omer Lesson
A Lag B’Omer Lesson Parashat Emor I got a call the other day from New York. It was from a girl who was dating, who was confused. “I want to marry a boy that is learning. The boy I am dating wants to learn in Kollel for a few years. But I do not want…
Read More
THE MITZVAH OF TACT
THE MITZVAH OF TACT Parashat Kedoshim Subtle or seemingly minor grammatical changes can give a completely new meaning to words. The laws of dikduk of the Hebrew language are extremely important, and unfortunately, most people who know Hebrew neither learn them nor know them. A common mistake people make about Lashon Hakodesh is believing that…
Read More
YOUR BIGGEST LIE
YOUR BIGGEST LIE Purim There is a mysterious personality in the Purim Story. Hatach. A.k.a. Daniel, the Prophet. He was sent back and forth from Esther to Mordechai, to relay messages. Suddenly, Hatach disappears. Where did he go? According to the Midrash, Haman saw Hatach going back and forth, and he suspected that something fishy…
Read More
LAUGHOTHERAPY
LAUGHOTHERAPY Hodesh Adar Humor is such a powerful tool. It can be used to do the worst things possible, like making a good, kosher, modest woman into a Sotah. (Sotah 7a) And it can do the best possible thing, like getting people interested in learning Torah. (Shabbat 30b) The Baal HaTanya (Chapter 7) writes how…
Read More
WHEN MINORITY WINS
WHEN MINORITY WINS Parashat Mishpatim The Grammar laws of the Hebrew Language are so important. אחרי רבים להטות (23:2) Does not mean Follow the majority. Rather it means “Incline toward the majority.” What is the difference? Why does the Torah use the word incline and not הרוב קובע, the majority wins? Because the majority does not always…
Read More
WHY NOT LIE? Parashat Yitro In his book The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty, Dan Ariely, professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke University, scientifically tested in great detail how and why humans lie, and what makes it easier or harder for them to keep to the truth. His research was done on college students.…
Read More
ELEPHANT IN THE LIVING ROOM
ELEPHANT IN THE LIVING ROOM Parashat Beshalach Rabbi Meir the Great, of Premishlan (1703–1773), disciple of the Baal Shem Tov has a great Hassidic twist on the words we say every day in אז ישיר. זה א-לי ואנוהו אלקי אבי וארממנהו. This is my G-d and I will glorify Him, the G-d of my father and I will…
Read MoreTHE THREE DRIVES OF MAN
THE THREE DRIVES OF MAN Parashat Bo Over the last few years, psychology has discovered and revealed what the Torah has been teaching about human behavior for thousands of years. First, psychology taught that material desires were the main motivation for a person’s actions. Later, an equally powerful drive, that of the ego, was recognized. …
Read More
BEHIND THE BLUEPRINTS Parashat Vaera The wisest of men said, in Kohelet, (קהלת ב) ופניתי אני לראות חכמה והוללות וסכלות כי מה האדם שיבא אחרי המלך את אשר כבר עשוהו. And I turned to see wisdom, folly and foolishness, for what is left for a man to do, a man who comes after the…
Read More
BEING G-D’S FIRSTBORN Parashat Shemot The hardest question to answer as a religious Jew is, if G-d is everything, and G-d is good, then why is the world so messed up? Why is there so much bad in the world? Couldn’t G-d create a world in which things would just make more sense? The answer…
Read More
SOMETHING FOR THE KIDS Parashat Vayechi Someone asked me a few days after Hanukah how my vacation was. I answered that I am still בחפש. (I am still on vacation.) He asked me why I am still on vacation a week after Hanukah. I told him בחפש is also the acronym for the four things…
Read More
A JEW COVERED IN FISH GOOK
A JEW COVERED IN FISH GOOK Parashat Vayigash One of the greatest psychological challenges we all deal with throughout life is defining who we are and discovering our value. G-d made Man with a need to feel he has value. This is why when Man cannot find an intrinsic value within himself, he searches for…
Read More
PREPARED FOR THE WORST
PREPARED FOR THE WORST Parashat Miketz The most powerful way to teach someone a lesson, to change his story, his perspective, is through the power of a parable, a mashal, a story of some imaginary, made-up man. Because when someone tries to change how we think, we are too close to our own perspective,…
Read More
GALUT AMERICA
GALUT AMERICA Hanukah In the days of the wicked Greek rule over Israel, it was decreed that every Jew whose house had a beam (to lock the door, as was the custom in those days) had to inscribe on it that he has no portion in the G-d of Israel. Immediately, the Jews got rid…
Read More
I DON’T CARE ANYMORE
I DON’T CARE ANYMORE Parashat Vayishlach I coached someone who once had a lot of money. We had a heart to heart discussion about those years when EVERYONE was his best friend. He would take guys out to restaurants, on trips, and pay for all of his “friends’” expenses. He told me, “Yosef, none of…
Read More