• Anonymous -5 years ago

  Dear Rabbi YY,I want to say thank u for your great shirurim and chizuk.the most eloquent speech by far is the one you gave to the chaplains many years ago the blessing after the speech, you made a real kidush hashem and made me feel proud of the and how our torah still applys today, torah wiith your deep the torah concepts delivered to the chaplins. I would recommend everyone watching it it has great leadership lesons we can learn from Moshe and Yosef.Two questions I have for you. 1. you suggest learning Nach which by chasidishe chaiders we learn most 20 min a week, but in talumud in Bruches it saysכשחלה ר' אלעזר נכנסו תלמידים לבקרו... למדנו אורחות חיים... הזהרו בכבוד חבירכם ומנעו בניכם מן ההגיון.To which Rashi says not to learn nach. 2. you talk about how Hashem says אהבתי אתכם אמר ה'. And the message to the prophet Hosea. etc. That is the first chapter of Hosea, but the following chapters are all about harsh punishments, which does not sound very loving.Rabby YY I appirciate your shiurinm and chiszuk and the kiddush hashem of your vast Torah knowledge.

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  • RY

    Rabbi YY -5 years ago

    Thanks so much for your kind words.

    Remember also the Mishnah in Avos ch. 5, that from 5 to 10 we learn Tanach. What do we do during those five years if not become fluent in Tanach?!

    (This is the basis of the famous shitah of the Maharal, and the Zilberman method today.)

    See also the Meiri there for his interesting explanation.

    Since there is infinite love, there are also consequences to clean up the soul when it gets dirty. Please watch basics of emunah #4 on theyeshiva.net and also #24-27. It will be clearer.

    When I love you and care for you, I want to ensure your ultimate success. I care if you are destroying yourself. I do not want to punish you; I want to heal you.

    Also, since He loves us so much, we have such power. When the Jewish people betray the covenant, the world goes crazy, because of how powerful the Jewish person is.

    I hope this makes it clear.

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• Y

  Yocheved -5 years ago

  Thank you so much for last week’s shiur #25. As usual I gained tremendously – however: Ok, I get it- I know (cerebrally) that Hashem is our loving G-d etc, but why don’t we feel that love? How can we avail ourselves to experiencing that love? And why did He make it so mighty hard for us to do so? Why couldn’t He make His love more readily accessible and ‘experienceable’?!

  Please please address this in your upcoming shiurim.

  Thank you once again!

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• A

  Aryeh -5 years ago

  The Soul Is Divine?!

  In many of your shiurim you emphasize the preciousness of the infinite Chelek Elokei M'maal, as expressed by the Baal HaTanya.  I wish to clarify what that means?  As a foundation, the dichotomy of eiyan vs. yeish taught by the Tzemech Tzedek in Derech mitzvotzecha mitzvos HaTefilah, ch.23, seems crucial. 

   

  Kelapei Hashem, eiyan, there is no existence outside of him.  In secular terms this is referred to as pantheism, and not what the Torah asks of the Jew who is directed to make many distinctions and separations in his existence of space, time, and soul.  Shabbos, Tefilin, Beis HaMikdash vs beis hakisey, and a myriad more.  So the Torah is speaking K'lapei-us, yeish, where there are different levels of creation: Domem, Tzamech, Chai, Medabeir, and Yisroel.

   

  Some years ago, I knew of an individual who was kicked out of yeshiva for declaring that the table (and everything) is Hashem.  According to Eiyan he's correct; and yet, the Torah largely guides us to yeish- distinctions, and so, no the table is not Hashem according to our perspective.  It contains, is sustained, and is filled by G-dliness, but is not Atzmos Hashem.  And yet we proclaim Ein Od Milvado, there is nothing other than Hashem, eiyan.

   

  And so we travel the balance of both eiyan and yeish.  There really is only Hashem, and yet, i've got 613 mitzvos to do and the world balance is hanging on my distinct individual hishtadlus.  If we perceive existence from eiyan, ein od milvado, then the table is Hashem just as much as the Jewish Neshama.  And if we make perceive existence from distinctions, yeish, then how can i say that i have a piece of Atzmus G-d in me—mamesh. Isn't that k'fira?  So, either everything is Hashem, pantheism.  Or, there are distinctions, and the declaration of having Atzmus Hashem in me is inappropriate.  The Torah seems to be bidding us to dance the balance between living both these existences together.

   

  The Tzemech Tzedek says in Derech Mitzvosecha that even the highest of the highest worlds are like complete physicality compared to pure G-dliness, which is in turn like physicality compared to Atzmus.  So relatively (k'lapei us-yeish), everything- even the Jewish Neshama-Chaya-Yichida & the highest levels of spirituality, compared to Atzmus is like physicality- a table.  And absolutely (k'lapei Hasem- ayin), everything is Atzmus, even the table.  Based on these 2 perspectives, to say that a Jew has a "piece of G-d mamesh" (which sounds like we mean Atzmus) inside him would be incorrect.  Either way you look at it, either the Jewish Neshama is like physicality compared to Atzmus; or, it is part of Atzmus, like everything else in existence.  What we could say is the Jew has a piece of G-dliness inside him, which is a higher level of G-dliness than the rest of existence, which is also ultimately G-dliness.

   

  As a corollary question, some time ago i heard from an adam gadol that another adam gadol commented to him that a certain Tzaddik/Gadol b'Yisroel was an apikorus because he had proclaimed of another tzadik that he contained, or was atzmus Hashem.

   

   

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• Anonymous -5 years ago

  thank you

  having listened to anumber of recent Shiurim, and the tone and tenor of certain groups of comments - it has become clear that both your approach and the group of comments I refer to share - is that they are both thematic.

  Your message is being positive, growth, etc. etc. and the group i am referring to either would love to embrace your message but cannot reconcile it with thier education, upbringing or community that runs on fear, dread etc and those who embrace dread and fear thinking that it is the only way to achieve personal growth - the Depression as a call to arms philosophy. 

  the Tochacha seems to cause people who would love to believe you a level of disconnect. 

  I would point out a few things 

  the torah has a mitzvah of Tochacha - as I understand it, the mitzvah is to speak to those people who are capable of understanding the message- in a way that they understand - and try to influence their behavior. It seems clear in the commentaries that the Tochacha we relay to a fellow Jew should be tailored to what he/she will listen to - the message has to be one that will reasonably affect change.

   

  Is it possible, that the Tochacha of Hashem follows the same contours.  To those who embrace positivity, where encouragement, understanding importance of a Mitzvah and the importance of our mission on this world - people who embrace your basic approach - Tochacha as understood as fire and brimstone - may never be the way 

  However, what happens to those where the totality of understanding is that we do mitzvos to avoid punishment ................

  Possibly, that is what is meant by "Tachas Asher Lo ......... Simcha" the literal harsh Tochacha is specifically because people did not embrace Hashems love 

  It is easier to understand this in terms of parenting - (we ask Hashem to see us as his children)

  we can parent with love, compassion, building our children's self esteem, and embracing the fact that challenges are learing experiences - opportunities - 

  we know every child has unique attributes, capabilities and challenges.

  then there are people whose parenting is based on hitting, threatening, denegrating etc.  no questions - just do it. 

  i could go on but i think i have made my point. 

  please keep on spreading the importance of positivity in our relgious growth and that we are on this planet to confront our challenges - and that we can be intellectually honest 

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• I

  Israel -5 years ago

  First and foremost Hakaras hatov for continuing to carry out what Judaism as a whole so desperately needs despite the critics. Thank you for breathing life, bringing truth, clarity a sense of purpose from the torah into an "olam hafuch, olam hasheker" (tractate Bava Metzia). 
  
  Please never stop what you are doing until your last breath in this world, to be continued in the olam haemes. If listening to one random Emunah class (basic Emunah #25) can alter my perspective on life (I'm still processing it) then imagine how many other lives you touch on a constant basis. Absolutely magnificent work. Thank you.

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• Anonymous -5 years ago

  אכלתי בשבת בה"ב אצל שלחן של מור"י שליט"א האדמו"ר מסוסטשין הגה"צ רב מרדכי זילבער שליט"א, ובתוך הסעודה אמר ב' דברים נכונים מאד מאד בענין התוכחה

  ראשית אמר כי כל הענין מורה על דביקות של הקב"ה עם עם ישראל כי אין דבר שעם ישראל אמר שאינם רוצים לקיים תו"מ והקב"ה אמר "בסדר תלך ותעשה מה שאתה צריך" ולהיפוך הרי הקב"ה קשור ודבוק עם כלל ישראל בקשר עציץ וחזק וכיון שכן אם עם ישראל אינם עושים רצונו של המקום הרי השכינה בצערגדול וממילא מחמת הקשר שביניהם ע"כ צריכים ישראל לצרף לצער השכינה הזו, וכעין מה שכתב ליישב מי שהעיר על השיעור 
  

  ושנית מעשה נאה ויפה אצל האדמו"ר הגה"צ ר' מרדכי מאדברן זי"ע היה בא בכל שנה בפרשת כי תבוא אנשים חשובים רבנים ובעלי תוקע שלא היו יכולים לבא להרבי בר"ה מחמת חיובם להציבור ע"כ באו בפרשת כי תבוא, ומנהגו היה לחלק התוכחה לעליות הרבה וליתן לכל אחד מהם ג' פסוקים והוא בעצמו ציוהאיזה פסוקים ליתן 
  

  פעם היה בעל תוקע אחד שהרבי מסר לו לסיים קריאתו בפסוק והיה נבלתך למאכל עוף השמים ולבהמת הארץ ואין מחריד (אני כותב מתוך זכרון אולי אין זה הלשון ממש)

  ואיש הזה היה בצער כי ניתן לו פסוק כזה והגם כי אחרים גם קיבלו כאלו מ"מ הרגיש הרבי כי הוא בדאבון מאד, וע"כ אמר לו מה לך תשמע את הברכה הזו

  נבל הוא כלי שיר וכיון שהוא בעל תוקע ע"כ השופר שהוא תוקע הוא כמו כלי שיר, ועוף השמים היינו המלאכים למעלה וממילא נבלתך דהיינו תקיעת שופר שלך תהיה מאכל לעוף השמים והם יזונו מזה אבל לא רק ישפיע למעלה בשמים אלא גם בארץ תהיה השפעת גשמית וזהו פירוש ולבהמת הארץ

  וסיים הפסוק ואין מחריד ואמר הרבי ע"כ אין להחריד "למה כל העם חרדים ומזדעזים בעת תקיעת שופר הלא זמן שפע גדול ורב הוא ואין להחריד
  

  

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• Y

  Yochanan -5 years ago

  Yasher Koach for taking the time to respond in shiur form to the many vexing questions that confound people, giving them clarity and greater sense of meaning and purpose in their lives.

   

  We read the toichacha this week. And I was going through it all the while aware of the fact that the greatest blessings are hidden within these curses. I’ve heard the story with the Alter Rebbe and the Mitteler Rebbe about when he had to read the klalos while his father, the Rebbe was away. I’m aware of the Gemara regarding Reb Elazar the son of Rebbi Shimon and the blessings that he received which were equally couched in frightening terms and understand that in order to circumvent the kitrug of the Satan great blessing needs to arrive in unsuspecting circumstances.(Moed Katan 9b; Likkutei Torah Bechokosei.)​

   

  However, what bothers me is that there are many great Torah teachers, scholars and people who it would seem are yerei shomayim who know these gemaros as well but who fail to consider this reality when teaching these ideas to their listeners and students. I feel like it’s a negative to portray G-​d as someone looking to even the score if you don’t obey his laws or learn as much Torah as one is able to. So it’s not a question on faith in G-​d but more accurately faith in Talmidei Chochomim to do justice in portraying G​-​d correctly. 

   

  ​But what is more:

  The Ramban seems to say that the curses are written across two parshios, namely; Bechikosai and Savo, corresponding to the two churbanei Hamikdashos and that many of these curses could be seen in the events that transpired in the aftermath of that watershed event.

   

  The question then occurred to me that if the purpose of the klalos is the Bracha that is hidden within it and it is given in that manner in order to circumvent any obstruction of the Satan then why do the superficial implications of those words need to come to fruition?

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  • RY

    Rabbi YY -5 years ago

    הנקודה בקיצור נמרץ.

     

    הנה פשוט שעל פי פשט הוי קללות ולא ברכות. ולכן מנמיך החזן את הקול. גם בקרב לומדי הקבלה והחסידות שיודעים שבאמת הם ברכות.

     

    היינו הברכות הם רק על פי פנימיות התורה, ולא על פי נגלה דתורה.

     

    ואין בזה סתירה, כי לא הרי החיצ' כהרי הפנימיות.

     

    כלומר: בחיצוניות המדובר על קללות. אבל למה יש קללות? מצד מעלתם של בני ישראל, אשר כל תנועה ותנועה נוגעת ממש בעצמות א"ס ב"ה, ולכן כל מעשה דיבור ומחשבה של כל איש ואשה מישראל "הופכים עולמות" לטוב ולמוטב. ועיין שיחת ו' תשרי תשל"ה, בביאור דברי הרמב"ם על ירבעם בן נבט, ובביאור סיום מס' סוכה על מרים בת בילגה, עיין שם. ומפורש בפסוק בצפני', רק אתכם ידעתי מכל משפחות גו' על כן אפקוד עליכם גו'. והוא ברור.

     

    וידוע גם מ"ש במדרש עה"פ חטא חטאה ירושלים, שהחטא של ירושלים נוגע בשכינה ובכל העולמות כולם. ועי' לקו"ש ח"ט פ' כי תצא סיום על מס' גיטין.

     

    ובזה מובן הפלא ופלא: הקב"ה הוא א"ס ממש. והנברא הוא גבול שבגבול, לגמרי באין ערוך. ומהי גודל ההבהלה אצל ה' אם בן אדם חוטא? הרי זה כמו שיתוש חוטא, ועוד פחות מזה?

     

    אלא כי הוא הוא הברית אשר ה' כרת אתנו, שהתקשר עצמו כביכול בעצמותו ומהותו עם עם קרובו, כמו אב ובן, ועוד יותר קרוב, ומצד זה הנה הנהגתם של בנ"י פועלת בכל העולם כולו ובכל העולמות כולם, עד למעלה מעלה, עד בא"ס ב"ה כביכול, ולכן כשהם עוזבים את הברית ובועטים בהתורה, הנה מעיד הקב"ה שכל הסיסטעם "משתגע" כביכול. 

    ​​

     

    כלומר, התוכחה מבטא גודל הערך והחשיבות של בנ"י, וגודל האהבה וההתקשרות של השם אליהם.

     

    ולכן הנהגתם מעוררת כ"כ הרבה רגשים עמוקים אצל ה', והוא החידוש הגדול שהשם בכבודו ובעצמו כביכול מתחנן אל בנ"י, אם בחוקותי תלכו, ובתו"כ שאין אם אלא לשון תחנונים, כפי ששמעתי כמ"פ מרבינו ז"ל, דער אויבערשטער בעט זיך ביי א אידן: בחוקותי תלכו ואת מצותי תשמרו גו'. וכפי שהסברתי בשיעור כ"ה על אמונה.

     

    ועוד זאת, שהכוונה בכ"ז היא תיקון וטהרה וכפרה וקינוח כל הלכלולים של הסט"א שנדבק לנשמה הטהורה של בנ"י. כדי שהם יצאו טהורים.

     

    [ואם הם עובדים את ה', הנה כוונת התוכחה היא שכל זה יארע להסטרא אחרא, עי' אוה"ת פרשת כי תבוא, נתבאר בשיחת ש"פ תבוא חי אלול תשי"ג]. 

     

    ולכן בתוך כל מלה של התוכחה, אפשר לראות האהבה, והמסירות והנתינה של ה' לכנס"י.

     

    ולכן בחיצ' הם קללות, אבל בפנימיות קללות אלו הם ברכות, כי נובעות מעצם האהבה של השם. ובכל מלה ומלה, אפשר לראות שבעצם יש כאן ביטוי של האהבה עמוקה. (ועי' לקו"ש ח"ל פרשת נח, שחושך שבטו שונא בנו, בפנימיות ההכאה כפי שהיא בלב האבא אינה אלא אהבה אלא שמתבטא בשבטו. ועי' בשיעורנו מג' השבועות, על כ"א יום אך טוב לישראל. ובאוהב ישראל אפטא פינחס, פרשת המועדים, בזמן של ג' השבועות).

     

    ועוד יותר, בעומק יותר, הנה זה גופא צ"ע, למה התיקון על עבירות צ"ל כ"כ חמור. וע"ז הוא הביאור, שבעצם כולם הם אך ורק ברכות עמוקות במאד, אבל ע"ד המבואר בתו"א וישב שעיגולים מתגלים בחלומות שנראים כמו דברי שטות, וכן הברכות הכי עמוקות בחיים מתבטאות בשבירה וכאב, כי הכלי המוגבל אינו כלי לברכות אלו. עי' תניא פכ"ו על יסורים ועלמא דאתכסיא.

     

    ועיין עוד פרי צדיק כמדומני בחקוותי בביאור הפסוק חשבתי גו' ואשיבה רגלי אל עדותיך. בביאור המדרש שהברכות הם כל א"ב והקללות הן בין ה"א ואות וא"ו.

     

    ובזה אקצר ואסיים. ויש עוד להאריך.

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• D

  Daniel -5 years ago

  I heard many of your shiurim, especially about punishment.

  You said this thing about a mother not punishishing a child by chopping off his fingers, or burning him, and that it's a therapy session. But what should I do with all these things that it says in mussar sefarim and meseches gehenom, that if you look at the wrong stuff hashem will hang you by your eyes, and if you speak the wrong stuff then hashem will hang you by your tongue, and by your privates, and how come sometime people lose their olam haba completely, like it says in rambam hilchos teshuva? And what about one who goes to gehenom forever? And what about kares? Can you explain this, because it seems like this mother does even worse than cutting off finger,s and I don't know about you, but I don't know about any therapy sessions like this. I wanna find the truth and I ask this with respect. Please answer.

   

   

   

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• Anonymous -5 years ago

  First off, thank you very much for all your lectures! May the merit of enlighting others and giving meaning to people's life stand for you and all your generations to come! Second, please excuse the poor grammar (I know proper English is a big part of your lecture...) After all I'm from Boro park... The question bothering me arose as I was being maavir sedrah parshas bechikosai. As reached the toycheche I was traumatized! I understand that the world needs some kind of justice system to reward the good and punish the bad, but seriously?! As rashi explains "venesati ponai bochem- poneh ani mikol asukai lehora lochem" are these the words a father uses to rebuke his son?? And throughout the parsha we find punishments that look like they were composed by one of the arch enemies of the Jewish people! More than that- who is more merciful? One who doesn't hit his child often but when he does the kid needs therapy for weeks... Or one who slaps his child every time he gets him angry? So where is God's mercy? Patience?? Patience isn't mercy! He says it himself that when he punishes it will be with the full extend of the law!! He Will make us eat our children!!! Please please clarify the subject! I know you have an answer... It's really hard for me to be at peace thinking of God the way I now do! Thank you very very much!    

   

   

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• Anonymous -5 years ago

  ​This Emunah shiur was really a grand slam. The feedback that I heard on the street was extraordinary.

   

  Unfortunately I can’t make it in person to be part of the public’s energy that I am sure I would be able to feel if I would be there in person. But even listening to it alone at home my wife and kids can sense the excitement in me when I listen to the shiurim. I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t get a dose either at home or in the car or in bed. The only problem is that I sometimes lose sleep because of the adrenaline in my soul that a good shiur brings.

   

  Keep up the great work. And as you write so beautifully in the Omer a day ,your success should bring you more humility and closeness to hashem to continue your shlichus in bringing hope , light , and love to Hashem. 

   

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• L

  Lazer -6 years ago

  Dear rabbi Jacobson. 

  I remember in yeshivah learning muser sefurim רבינו יונה. שערי תשובה, he's talking about of yiras ha'chet (יראת החטא )

   

  After listening to your shiur I'm trying to understand why should I be afraid of an עבירה ? As you explain gihenim is only like a father shleping away his small child from the road . 

   

  Thank you for all your shiurim I listen to almost all of them, it inspires me a lot. 

   

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• M

  Moshe -6 years ago

  השם, אם מה שאעשה אף פעם לא מספיק - אני מפסיק ללמוד' - טור אורח - דעות - בחדרי חרדי

  http://m.bhol.co.il/article.aspx?id=133073&cat=46&scat=34

   

  Just another public example how those who try to inspire with fear fail 

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• Anonymous -6 years ago

  Thank you so much for last week’s shiur #25. As usual I gained tremendously – however: Ok, I get it- I know (cerebrally) that Hashem is our loving G-d etc, but why don’t we feel that love? How can we avail ourselves to experiencing that love? And why did He make it so mighty hard for us to do so? Why couldn’t He make His love more readily accessible and ‘experienceable’?!

  Please please address this in your upcoming shiurim.

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• Anonymous -6 years ago

  הנה מה שכתב הגאון הנצי"ב מוולוזין ז"ל בפירושו על החומש.

  ​​​"אלא הכוונה דיש לדעת דשכר ועונש של המצוות אינם כגזרת מלך שתלוי בדעתו ורצונו

  ​[של המלך] ​בכל שעה לעשות כמו שלבו חפץ, אלא כדבר הרופא המזהיר את האדם ממאכלים אלו שיזיקו, שאין הדבר תלוי ברצונו ​[​של הרופא​], אלא מודיע מה שנעשה בבריאת הטבע. וכך המצוות והעבירות, כך נוסדו מהבורא ית' שיהא שכר ועונש תלוי בקיומן ובבטולן (העמק דבר ויקרא כו:ג).​והם הם הדברים שר' יוסף יצחק הסביר. ה' טבע בבריאה חוקים, אחד מהם זה שמי שמכניס יד לאש נשרף. כמו שאי אפשר לומר שמי שמכניס יד לאש נשרף כך אי אפשר לומר שמי שעושה עבירות נענש

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• Anonymous -6 years ago

  Emunah shiur was really a grand slam. The feedback that I heard on the street was extraordinary.

   

  Unfortunately I can’t make it in person to be part of the public’s energy that I am sure I would be able to feel if I would be there in person. But even listening to it alone at home my wife and kids can sense the excitement in me when I listen to the shiurim. I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t get a dose either at home or in the car or in bed.

  The only problem is that I sometimes lose sleep because of the adrenaline in my soul that a good shiur brings.

   

  Keep up the great work. And as you write so beautifully in the Omer a day,

  ​ ​

  your success should bring you more humility and closeness to 

  ​H​

  ashem to continue your shlichus in bringing hope , light , and love to Hashem. 

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• M

  MZ -6 years ago

  too short too long

  Thank you Rabbi YY for the well developed and sharply focused shiur calearly showing that the concept and a basic cnstruct of Judaism is based on Hashem's constant unconditional and unwavering love of us.  The flip side of that coin is that the challenge of this world is to draw oneself, community, religion and in fact all of humanity closer to Hashem.

  It is patently evident that you demonstrated the concept is not some alt-judaism developed by you - the accusation you were challenged to refute, because this concept is found in too many sources by universally recognized torah giants - the debate seemed to move to another level -- that you pick and choose sources and masterfully weave them into a conept that we neither learned in yeshiva nor saw in our homes - ergo it is posul.

  At a certain point it becomes clear that certain people are not ready to accept any variation of what they learned as children and despite everything you say or prove they show a level of inflexibility that is trully notreworty.  Hashem is the lehavdil the wicked Wolf waiting from his perch so that when his subjects invariably fail to reach potential, this iteration of the mean and vengeful Hashem can take pleasure in punishing the very people he refers to as his children.

  It seems to come down to an either or -- either you go the Rabbi YY way and Hashem is the loving parent or the other way of a vengeful mean supreme power whose pleasure lies in punishing his Subjects.

  For those of you who feel tht the R YY message is anything short of the truth and bolster that position with the admittedly harsher side of torah text I would like to point out a few things.

  1.  despite an earlier commenter asking how may we compare the love of a parent to a child to the love of Hashem to us - i answer that it is in fact a great place to start.  can a parent genuinely love a child and even unconditionally love a child but at the same time be dissapointed, upset or angry.  if we mortals can do that -- it seems that our limited understanding of Hasshem as an amalgym of different forces, eneergies, etc can surely be capable of same within the realm of our understanding.  if you are not capable of understanding this I humbly submit that the help you need come way before shiur 25.

  2.  We learn that the reson we almost exclusively follow Bais Hillel over Bais Shammai is that they mentioned Bais Shammai before their own position.  In other words they vlidated the position of the person they fundamentally disagreed with before before mentioning their own opinion.  In ourcase that would mean that first validate the well sourced position of Rabbi YY, and after careful thought and consideration you are free to disagree (hopefully for better reason than thats not what my yeshiva that i despise taught me)

  2a. some of the rumblimgs are about the tochacha and the horrific episodes jews went through.  If you give this some serious and honest though it comes down to this.  I can not believe hashem loves me until and unless i fully understand why he does what he does.  To this proposition I share two thoughts.  Apparently Moshe Rabbenu after beseeching hashem was allowed to understand Hashem in retrospect and the participant of this shiur thinks it appropriate as a condition precedent for accepting the shiur or the fact that Hashem loves us -- the second propsition is imagine if your young child had positve feelings to you only AFTER you explained exactly why and the justification for  everything the child feels - real or imagined.

  3.  the most powerful argument if favor of the Rabbi YY so called new derech which was in prior generations knows as Chassidus (as opposed to today's cholent , kugel, tisch, desigher shtaimets with gold frosted tips etc.etc. )lies in an understanding of the excel spreadsheets.

  Much of the world id run by very sophisticated computer programs running with many variables and the programs

  as well as excel work on one basic concept --

  THE BOTTOM LINE: WE LOOK AT RESULTS

  in our generation, anecdotal, empirical and scientific study all show that fear is counter productive and at best short lived.

  go to every hang out, drug den, club or even outwardly apparently frum person and get into a non confrontational non judgemental discussion and you are likely to hear stories of abuse, neglect, indifference, lack of care, deprivation (physicsal or emotional) or at a minimum a real lack of self esteem or genuine lack of appreciation of our religion

  LETS BOTTOM LINE IT

  REAL LOVE AND CONCERN, REAL CHINUCH THAT CARE ABUT THE KIDS MORE THAN THE MOSDOS CARE ABOUT THEIR REPUTATIONS, parents who care more about their kids than what peope will think of them RECOGNITION OF THE VALUE Of EVERY YID AND EVERY PERSON WILL ULTIMATELY BRING US CLOSER TO HASHEM TO VARIOUS  DEGREES

  FEAR, INTIMIDATION, DERISION OF THOSE WHO ASK LEGITIMATE QUESTIONS AND HIDING BEHIND HASHEM WHEN WE DONT HAVE ANSWERS WITH MORAL INDIGNATION HAS THE CAPACITY TO CHAS VSHOLOM CAUSE INCALCULABLE DAMAGE

  Thank you Ryy for strting the dialogue.

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• Anonymous -6 years ago

  DU DU DU NIGGUN

  i have heard Rabbi jacobson twice singing the du du niggun. I would love to play it over for a very sick friend. Could I possibly ask which shiurim the niggunim were on or how I can access Rabbi Jacobson singing this niggun.  Thank you. Thank you for all of the wonderfuls shiurim.  I derive tremendous chizuk from each one of them.

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  • Anonymous -6 years ago

     

    Here is a link to a great Chassdic cantor, Reb Zalman Levin, singing this song: http://old2.ih.chabad.info/php/audio.php?action=playsong&id=828

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  • PSF

    P S F -6 years ago

    Basics of emunah number 9 and basics of emunah number 24 

    you can also hear the song on the CD called eternal echoes played by Yitzchok Perlman and sung by Yitzchok Meier Helfgot

    Enjoy!

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• Anonymous -6 years ago

  Both approaches are good

  I listened last night. I was again grateful that after discovering the truth of Torah, in my case by logic, by historical proofs, etc., i realized quickly that were, like Baskin Robbins, even in little New Haven, 31 flavors to choose from.

   

  I am no history maven, but I would guess that being that both  predominant approaches of  ahava and yirah are authentic yiddushkeit and both legitimate, that individuals, groups and the klal have vacillated throughout history.

   

  The whole world seens to be set up with diametrically opposing forces. Rotze v'shuv. Chesed and gevurah. Magnetism. Electricity. Growth and decay. Life and the opposite. Seasons. The inner workings of cells and micobiology. Good cop, bad cop. The list could on and on.

   

  The writers of your letters were raised in the world of gevurah, yirah and punishment. And it didnt work for them. I saw that flavor but chose the world of ahava and chesed instead. It seems that today's generation, especially children and the young, need and can thrive on the chesed ahava approach. The other is legitimate but doesn't work well today, hence your letter writers. Teachers cant "patch" any more. Today, its the carrot, not the stick. Its too easy to leave the fold. The wide world beckons from everyone's pocket. 

   

  Yasher koach for another great shiur on an important and timely  topic.

   

  Do you know of Rabbi ​Yossi Mizrachi, a neighbor I think? He has "divineinformation.com". I used to listen to him at times. Total gevurah, fire and brimstone with sources. It appeals to some. He once said of himself that "wheras others have to compete in the crowded 80% of the baal teshuva market that is ahava and chesed, he has the remaining 20% share of gevurah and yirah to himself! 

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• V

  volvie -6 years ago

  אֲנִי מַאֲמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה, שֶׁהַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ גּוֹמֵל טוֹב לְשׁוֹמְרֵי מִצְוֹתָיו וּמַעֲנִישׁ לְעוֹבְרֵי מִצְוֹתָיו.

   

   

  Isn't this one of the Ani Maamins of the Rambam?

  Aren't we suppose to believe that god will punish one who sins and does not  do tshuva?

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  • RY

    Rabbi YY -6 years ago

    Of course!! And who said not? The emunah in sechar and onesh is one of the principals of faith. In fact, even the Sefer Haeikrim by Reb Yosef Albo, who reduces the Rambam's 13 principals to three, includes reward and punishment as one of them.

     

    This is not a question. The discussion is how do we understand the meaning of reward and punishment? Is it about harshness or about healing and love? Is it punishment as "pay back" or "revenge," or an expression of deep love and affection. 

     

     

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• S

  Sam -6 years ago

  Hello Dear Loving Rabbi YY!!
  
  Being that I attend your shierim as much as possible, I can't thank you enough. Many of the things you say I've heard already here and there, though not all of them, still, my upbringing was very negative, so your classes are refreshing each and every time. Keep it on!!
  
  I will address some of my concerns of your last shier, Emunah #25. To be honest, I have many more questions in general – actually, a lot more! – but I will now focus only my concerns in regards to #25. 
  So here we go. 
  
  Yes, Hashem loves us! In all circumstances. You even mentioned many pesukim, and parts of our tefilos where we mention that love on a daily basis. And truth to be told, there are even more quotes that you didn't even talk about. We say so many times in Shmone Esreh that God is a good God, a merciful God, etc. Some examples:
  
  גומל חסדים טובים
  למען שמו באהבה
  מלך עוזר ומושיע ומגן
  מכלכל חיים בחסד
  כי א-ל טוב וסלח אתה
  כי א-ל גואל חזק אתה
  כי א-ל מלך רופא נאמן ורחמן אתה
  כי א-ל טוב ומטיב אתה ומברך השנים
  מלך אוהב צדקה ומשפט
  יהמו נא רחמיך ה' אלקינו
  כי א-ל שומע תפלות ותחנונים אתה
  כי אתה שומע תפלת כל פה
  על נסיך שבכל יום עמנו ועל נפלאותיך וטובותיך שבכל עת
  הטוב כי לא כלו רחמיך והמרחם כי לא תמו חסדיך
  ויהללו ויברכו את שמך הגדול באמת לעולם כי טוב
  הא-ל ישועתינו ועזרתינו סלה, הא-ל הטוב
  הטוב שמך ולך נאה להודות
  
  And so on. 
  Also at Nishmas, we talk of God like a super good creator, and we say, among others, the following:
  
  ומבלעדיך אין לנו מלך גואל ומושיע
  פודה ומציל ומפרנס ועונה ומרחם בכל עת צרה וצוקה
  אין לנו מלך עוזר וסומך אלא אתה
  המנהג עולמו בחסד ובריותיו ברחמים
  ואילו פינו מלא שירה כים... אין אנחנו מספיקים להודות 
  שוועת עניים אתה תשמע, צעקת הדל תאזין ותושיע
  
  At reciting the Birchas Ha'mazon, we say as follows:
  
  הזן את העולם כולו בטובו
  ובטובו הגדול תמיד לא חסר לנו
  המלך הטוב והמטיב לכל
  שבכל יום ויום הוא הטיב הוא מטיב הוא ייטיב לנו
  
  Anyway, why am I bringing you all these? I'm not here to waste our time, but to make a point.
  
  Do any of us really feel Hashem is that good, loving, giving father to us?
  
  I know I am going into the territory of why did He create such a rude world, which you spoke about last year many times, but it all adds up together and is applicable here as well. In real life, you need to take a magnifier glass in order to see the good things Hashem is doing to us (and some of them, looks to me like answers to questions no one asked, like for example going to the bathroom is so sophisticated and unbelievable magic, for free! But hey, that tree outside doesn't need that, and thankfully they avoid a lot of complications with it so things never go wrong... It never has a diarrhea without a toilet handy... doctors never need to diagnose them and see why things are out of control, etc. So why should I be thankful to Hashem and recite an "Asher Yatzar" every time coming out of the bathroom? I'm actually sometimes upset that he created us like this... OK, this is a small example only. But yes, there are good things in life - you live, you eat, you digest, you breath, those are very nice things if we focus and don't take it for granted. 
  
  But let's not kid ourselves. This is nothing compared to the hardships we go thru, in our personal גשמיות lives (ימי שנותינו בהם שבעים שנה... ורהבם עמל ואון), and in Ruchniyus challenges, and so many issues both בין אדם למקום ובין אדם לחבירו, marriage issues, chinuch issues, you name it! Where are all these great stuff from our father in heaven?? He is the ultimate good creator who loves us by hook or by crook, why don't we experience it?
  
  So I came to the conclusion, that simply GOD hasa different definition on GOODNESS and  MERCY. And let me explain.
  
  The following word is my own CHIDUSH.. We say a lot, כרחם אב על בנים כן תרחם ה' עלינו, and the meforshim ask, how do you dare compare the rachmonus of Hashem to those of a father? After all, a human father has only a fraction of the endless mercy of Hashem? מי תלוי במי. So my answer to that question is the following example. Someone is being sentenced CH"V for 10 years in jail. The father of the defendant will do whatever he can to save his child. He will not spare any money or intercession to save his son, he will give up his meals and sleep, fly all over the world, if there's anyone who can help, whether a lawyer or anyone else. In other words, we see the fathers mercy with our flesh eyes, we feel it physically, we smell it, you can't deny it. But what does Hashem do when someone gets prison time? I don't know, but nothing we can see. And when the man is already in his dark cell, we keep reminding him that everything is for his own "GOOD", and that Hashem definitely have "MERCY" on him, etc. etc... Now of course we don't deny it, but can you compare the רחמים of Hashem to the רחמים of a human father?? Which one would you prefer, honestly??.... That's why we ask Hashem, כרחם אב על בנים כן תרחם ה' עלינו, please, we need that kind of mercy that we see in our human fathers, and not that hidden mercy that you claim you have but we don't feel or expreience it...
  
  Sorry that I'm writing so long, I am just trying to bring out my point. You say, sure, Hashem is loving us, it clearly says countless times!! But this love is like French love when we speak English... We just don't get it! Did you ever heard of the 5 love languages? If someone says "I love you" in French to a Spanish speaking person, the message will never come across! So correct, Hashem says I love you, I am good, I am merciful, but I dont' know, the message doesn't come across to us!!
  
  On the other hand, the bad things in life that God promised us to punish if we do this and that, is completely our language, big time! Yes, we get it, it hurts! We all cry, we have pain, physically, mentally and emotionally, be it financial issues, marriage issues, kids off-the-derech issues, self-esteem issues, just one look in the hospitals and in the prisons what's going on is enough to make us freak out of that "loving God", no single person on earth can claim that s/he is a 100% OK in every area of life; we have sick people, young dying people, we have earthquakes, volcanos and blazing forest fires which destructs billions of valuable houses and goods, tsunamis and hurricanes... Yeah, I know, it's all about our sins..
  
  I once saw a small worm on the floor after a rain (as you know they all appear on the ground when it's raining), and then the sun came out brutally strong and this poor worm had such a painful death.. She didn't sin. She tried to crawl to her safety but unfortunately didn't succeed. I thought then, how can I say המנהג עולמו בחסד ובריותיו ברחמים? How can we say טוב ה' לכל ורחמיו על כל מעשיו? Is it really true? Of course it's true! And how will I explain the cruelty which is going on at the wildlife? I won't even go there now. So the only answer to this must be that Hashem has a total different definition and perspective on mercy, on kindness. And that's not inflicting confidence in me. Yeah, I hope to Him, pray to Him, but He knows better... He's answering me in a different love language which I don't always understand...
  
  So I'm gonna stop right here. It's getting late. My point was that even though you try to encourage us that Hashem is loving us, אהבתי אתכם אמר השם, it's still not promising enough hope. I'm still scared of Him despite Him loving me.
  
  Hope you get me, if not please reply and ask... Or address it at your shiurim...

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  • YD

    Yoel Doron -5 years ago

    I just read the above comment.  Last week, I spent two days in the hospital after a fall. The worst part of it was the time when because they were worried about possible spinal damage, I had to lie flat on my back in bed. Let me tell you: it was hell. Imagine having to use a bottle to excrete waste while lying flat on your back. Imagine putting on tefillin shel rosh in that position. When the scans showed up clear and they told me that I could get out of bed, I was thrilled. I was still stuck in the hospital, still in some pain, but I could daven and go to the bathroom like a mench. It was only then that I appreciated being able to walk around.

     

    Don't get me wrong: I've had plenty of pain in my life. My mother died when she was 51. My youngest brother died when he was 13. I've been hospitalized more than half a dozen times. I still say that there's much more good than pain. Being able to walk is amazing. Being able to see my kids' smiles, being able to play with them, is fantastic. We need to see the white paper surrounding the black dot, not just the black dot. Once we start paying attention, we'll realize that there is plenty of good that Hashem gives us בטוב הנראה והנגלה.

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• Anonymous -6 years ago

  נה לשון רבינו הרמ"ק רבי משה קודובירו מגדולי המקובלים בכל הדורות בספרו תומר דבורה:

   

  הה' - לא החזיק לעד אפו: זו מדה אחרת, שאפילו שהאדם מחזיק בחטא, אין הקב"ה מחזיק אף, ואם מחזיק לא לעד אלא יבטל כעסו אפילו שלא ישוב האדם, כמו שמצינו בימי ירבעם בן יואש, שהחזיר הקב"ה גבול ישראל, והם היו עובדים עגלים, ורחם עליהם ולא שבו, א"כ למה רחם? בשביל מדה זו שלא החזיק לעד אפו, אדרבא מחליש אפו, עם היות שעדיין החטא קיים, אינו מעניש אלא מצפה ומרחם אולי ישובו, והיינו (ישעיהו נז טז): "כי לא לנצח אריב ולא לעולם אטור" אלא הקב"ה מתנהג ברבות ובקשות הכל לטובת ישראל. וזו מדה ראויה לאדם להתנהג בה על חבירו, אפילו שהוא רשאי להוכיח ביסורים את חברו או את בניו והם מתיסרים לא מפני זה ירבה תוכחתו, ולא יחזיק כעסו אפילו שכעס, אלא יבטלנו ולא יחזיק לעד אפו, גם אם אף הוא המותר לאדם, כעין שפי' כי תראה חמור שונאך וגו', ופי' מה היא השנאה הזאת שראה אותו עובר עבירה והוא יחיד אינו יכול להעיד, ושונא אותו על דבר עבירה, ואפילו הכי אמרה תורה עזוב תעזוב עמו שבוק ית דבלבך, אלא מצוה לקרב אותו באהבה אולי יועיל בדרך זו, והיינו ממש מדה זו לא החזיק לעד אפו:

   

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• AL

  Aryeh L -6 years ago

  There is a verse:

  "All their evil is in Gilgal, where I hated them; for the evil of their deeds I will banish them from my house.  I will Not continue to Love them; all their officers are rebellious."

  Hoshea 9:15

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  • RY

    Rabbi YY -6 years ago

    
    How could a prophet contradict what the Torah says explicitly, that even after all their sins, the covenant Will never cease?!

     

    Even after the Tochacha, horrific in scope, the Torah concludes: Even in the land of their enemy, I will not be disgusted with them, to destroy them, and to annul the covenant.

     

    A prophet who undermines what it says in Torah is  considered false! (See Rambam Laws of Basics of Torah chapters 7-9).

     

    What is more, the same prophet is the one to whom Hashem said that the love will never cease, and divorce will never happen, just as his own harlot whom he was told to marry. Pesachim87b. Maharal, Netzach Yisroel chapter 11, based on Kiddushin 36b.

     

    Of course, what he means that Hashem will not express the love in an open way; as the pain of betrayal is so deep. 

     

    All of the prophets express a similar idea. G-d is so in love with the people; He wants to be so close with the people; they matter so so much to him -- that when they stray from Him, the impact is very profound.  

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• RS

  Rabbi Simcha -6 years ago

  Thank you for your nice class and presentation.

   

  I think what people are really asking and you seem to be avoiding is how to properly interpret the 100's of places that seem to convey a picture of a vengeful impersonal G-d and Torah.

   

  I think it would be very much appreciated if you could take all the sources that have been used to impart a corrupt version of yiddishkiet and rationally interpret those pesukim and maamorei chazal in a positive light.

   

  P.s. i personally would appreciate it if it was built through an objective reading of the text and not based on preconceived notions. for example you once gave a nice pshetal of vayichar hashem b'moshe and v'chorah af hashem bochem as meaning that hashem's wrath/passion would be kindled within moshe or the yiddden. That interpretation doesn't seem to stem from an objective reading of the text.

   

  Hatzlocha rabah

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  • RY

    Rabbi YY -6 years ago

    I thought i was objctive...

     

    What did I ignore? Or not address?

     

    I think it is a major geneuine theme of the Tanach.

     

    I failed to mention that the idea of love, is mentioned in the blessin of Ahavas Olam six times. Onw blessng containt the message six times, in order to prepare for Shma Yisroel and Hashem Echad!

     

    1. Ahavas Olam Ahavtanu. 2. Ulekayem es kal... BeAhavah. We ask Hashem that we should be able to experience the Ahavah. 3. Veyached Levavanu Leahavah... 4. V'karavatany... Behavah. 5. Uleahavah es shemecha. 6. Habocher... B'Ahavah.

     

    Is this not telling? interesting? in one beracha, the apex before Krias Shma and shmoneh esreh, they mention and plead and engrain six times of how much G-d loves us, you and me.

     

    I did not make this up, or Shir hashirim, or the rest of Tanach.

     

    Or the thousands of times the Baal shem tov and his students said this!!

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    • RS

      Reb Simcha -6 years ago

      Thank you very much for your quick and lengthy reply.

      Your class was objective. you presented the case that Hashem loves us eloquently. So please let me explain my previous email.

       

      Intellectually speaking I don't believe that Hashem hates us and is out to destroy us chas veshalom. Intellectually speaking it makes sense that a creator loves his creations and there are plenty of sources to back up this truth.

       

      If so how come you are receiving dozens of emails from people who are convinced otherwise? how come 1000's of frum people have a negative view about Hashem and his Torah? I don't think it's because they never heard that Hashem loves them. I think all yidden have stumbled across the 100's of mekoros you have quoted about Hashem's immense love for us.

       

      So what's going on? I don't know the full answer - there are obviously many many factors at play.

       

      Somehow people have a negative attitude to hashem and torah and mitzvos and what makes it much worse is that they have 100's of pesukim and maamorai chaza"l to support their negative views. 

       

      Am i correct? isn't this one of the primary revolutions that chassidus came to address? Somehow yiddishkeit managed to take the G-d who is so kind and compassionate and portray him in the mind of 1000's of yidden as just the opposite of that.

       

      now objectively speaking do you think that some rabbi or individual went through the torah shebiksav and shebal peh and maliciously misinterpreted it's messages to sound less than friendly? I don't think so. 

       

      I'm sure you can articulate better than I can how yiddishkiet went from a having a view of a loving kind G-d to how Hashem is viewed in the modern mind. 

       

      So in addition to your beautiful class which is in the spirit of "asai tov" - demonstrating undeniably the sources that Hashem loves us; I think it is also necessary to address the pessukim and maamorei chaza"l that give credence to the belief that Hashem ch"v hates us.

       

      to be specific please explain how a simple reader of chumash should understand:

      1. Hashem calling himself a G-d of vengance
      2. Hashem's destruction of the world during the flood
      3. destruction of sodom 
      4. Hashem being prepared to wipe out klal yisroel by the egel
      5. parshas bechukosai and ki savo
      6. etc

      I know that each particular posuk can be chassidicly reinterpreted in a positive light and I know that the mittiler rebbe will tell you "az der tatte leint hert men nisht kein klollos". But most people are not masters of kabbalah and not the mittiler rebbe so we remain confused.

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      • M

        moshe -6 years ago

        Dear Reb Simche,

        Let me share with you my perspective on the issue you mentioned in your comment.

        70 Years ago the whole world changed dramatickly...   As im'e sure you know that the pre holocaust system by jews was basicly ''live to survive'', (in fact all the enlightment parties were born in order get rid of all the progroms etc).

        After the war there was a great need to rebuild yidishkeit nearly from scratch... 

        And in order that the system should be running like before, combined with some sort of pressure, some teachers and rabbi's taught their students in a way that would encourage them to  "just behave and don't cause any problems". 

        But the years flew by and today the world changed, and we live in a open world, where people think alot, and this EMERGENCY system fails its purpose.

        But don't worry! it will take some time till some get this message.... were in middle of a big change!!!

         

        "Thats why God blessed our generation with Rabbi yy" 

        With people like him aruond, the world is getting better and better!!! 

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• Anonymous -6 years ago

  פרי צדיק יתרו על אהבת השם לישראל שהיא אהבה עצמית ללא תנאים, סגולה

  פרי צדיק נפלא על והייתם לי סגולה

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• A

  Akiva -6 years ago

  Sources for all you said, Rav Teichtel Mishneh Sachir

   

  

  

  

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• Anonymous -6 years ago

  The difficulty in accepting this

  Sholom uvrocho and yasher koiach for another marvelous shiur,

  I think that the problem that the fellow at the end had with accepting that Yiddishkeit is all about Hashem's love is because he grew up in a Chassidishe environment that was so badly poisoned, that it is inconceivable to him that this is the same religion. 

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• A

  Aonymous -6 years ago

  I listened to your last shiur 2 and half hours, amazing!

   

  You go on and discuss how and why socks go through the harsh process and why rice helps save an iphone​;

   however G-d created a process how to clean socks and how to fix phones​, and the genius was able to figure that out​; but why did 

  G-d had to create such process to clean us​? He could have made it different? And could have

   made it essier?! I understand it is all for our benefit, but its all because G-d created it like this?

  ​

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  • RY

    Rabbi YY -6 years ago

    Great question. The greatest reward one can experience is Kirvas Elokim, Deveikus and intimacy with Hashem, the source, essence, core, and origin of all goodness, the essence and origin of all good and all pleasure and delight.

     

    That is the great Sechar, reward for one's service. This is explained at length in the works of the Ramchal, Derech Hashem, Daas Tevunos, and other works.

     

    In Tanya, another point is added: Sechar mitzvah -- mitzvah, the mishnah says. Each mitzvah we do generates Divine energy in our world and in all the worlds. (Explained at length also in Nefesh Hachaim.) The reward of the mitzvah is the mitzvah itself, meaning, we get to feel, experience and internalize what we created through the mitzvah. We get the feel the actual mitzvah we have performed. And by doing the mitzvah, we generate the energy of Divine light which we then experience and feel in Olam Haba. So the sechar is nothing but the realization of our avodah itself.

     

    The soul on its own is pure and holy, but through its Avodah in this world, in Torah and Mitzvos, it reaches a far deeper connection and oneness with the infinite one.

     

    There is yet another point: The objective of existance was not only connection with Hashem, but also transformation of our world, into a Divine abode, revealing the unity in all the worlds, including our own. This is known as Dirah Betachtonim. (Tanchuma Naso, Midrash Rabah Naso; explained in Tanya ch. 36.) Part of the sechar is the realization of this purpose, in this world, during the era of Techiyas Hamesim. The greatest sechar is the soul being part in fulfilling the ultimate Divine purpose. 

     

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• Anonymous -6 years ago

  I heard the last shiur, and the other shiurim​; they changed the way i think​, and they actually changed me.

  Thank you, keep it up​. You ​are helping many, of all ages, and all backgrounds.  

   

  I think the reason we got messed up has to do with 'nerven'. Also after the Holocaust, many of the Hungarian Rabbonim, even big ones (I learned in Litvish Yeshivas also) were all deeply affected.

   

  Growing up in Willy​, Elul was worse than Tisha B'av.  Thanks again.

   has to do with 

   

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• D

  Dovid -6 years ago

  Thank you very much for uploading/making available both the Women's Tuesday Morn Shiur and Thurs night's Emunah#25 . Both in just a couple of days.I and all my 'customers are very thankful for your efforts.

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• Anonymous -6 years ago

  Can we please get the source sheets for this lecture. Many thanks for ALL the chizuk!

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• YK

  yosef kutner -6 years ago

  Down Load

  I cant wait to watch every week - But it takes a few days to be able to open mp3

  Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

The Emunah Series

Rabbi YY Jacobson

• April 19, 2018
• |
• 4 Iyyar 5778
• |
• 5874 views

Classes in this Series

• 

  1 hr 50 min

  The Emunah Series

  Basics of Emunah #1: Is Judaism Afraid of Questions?

  Three Paths in Jewish History: Reason, Tradition & Emunah
• 

  1 hr 34 min

  The Emunah Series

  Basics of Emunah #2: Can Faith and Reason Co-Exist?

  What is the Meaning of Faith?
• 

  1 hr 19 min

  The Emunah Series

  Basics of Emunah #3: Five Features of a Faith-Based Life

  Confidence, Integrity, Divine Intimacy, Joy and Love
• 

  1 hr 26 min

  The Emunah Series

  Basics of Emunah #4: Why So Many Restrictions? What Is Hell?

  Understanding Reward and Punishment in Judaism
• 

  1 hr 37 min

  The Emunah Series

  Basics of Emunah #5: Can an Intelligent Person Believe in G-d?

  The Spiritual DNA of the Universe
• 

  1 hr 43 min

  The Emunah Series

  Basics of Emunah #6: Can An Intelligent Person Believe That Torah Is Divine?

  How Do We Know That We Heard G‑d at Sinai?
• 

  1 hr 22 min

  The Emunah Series

  Basics of Emunah #7: Can an Intelligent Person Believe the Oral Tradition is Divine?

  How Judaism Developed Over the Ages
• 

  1 hr 41 min

  The Emunah Series

  Basics of Emunah #8: How Judaism Developed Over the Ages -- Part Two

  The Story of the Oral Tradition
• 

  1 hr 42 min

  The Emunah Series

  Basics of Emunah #9: Where Is G-d When It Hurts?

  Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?
• 

  1 hr 49 min

  The Emunah Series

  Basics of Emunah #10: Q& A

  Addressing Diverse Questions on Jewish Faith and Practice
• 

  1 hr 31 min

  The Emunah Series

  Basics of Emunah #11: Why Did Jews Reject Christianity & Islam?

  The Historical “Evolution” of a Mysterious Baal HaTurim
• 

  1 hr 39 min

  The Emunah Series

  Basics of Emunah #12: Are We the Chosen People?

  Can You Believe in Chosenness without Being Racist?