Sublime

even if the world is full of Esavs, ruled by Edom, we still have to emulate Yakov, perpetually refining ourselves and those around us (“sheep, servants, and maidservants”) for the Ultimate Redemption.

Trust in God, but help yourself; demand justice, but take it one step at a time; save the world, but start with your own family; bleed for humanity, but be sure to preserve your own group because “all of Israel are responsible one for the other.”*

Creator, that one should accustom himself to set a designated hour every day to express his words before Hashem Yisburach in his native tongue specifically. And everything that is with (-on) his heart he should converse before Hashem Yisburach, be it to ask for pardon and forgiveness on the past, be it to entreat for the future that Hashem Yisburac

vayehi life is one in which we passively let things happen. A yehi (“Let there be”) life is one in which we make things happen, and it is our dreams that give us direction.

IN THE REBBE’S OFT-REPEATED words—paraphrasing the Mishnah408—”hamaaseh hu ha’ikar,” which means that the essential thing is the deed, not abstract study. Otherwise, teachings and words, no matter how beautiful, wise, or aesthetic, are devarim beteilim “empty expressions” and their

4) You must be very careful to cultivate a good memory and not to fall into forgetfulness. What is a good memory? It means constantly keeping the thought of the World to Come in the forefront of your mind and never forgetting about it. It would be a very good thing if every Jew were to make it a daily habit, as soon as he opens his eyes in the morn

the chassid thought, “What is more important: my spiritual experience on Yom Kippur or the fact that I can get this family out of the dungeon earlier?” He did not have to think long. His entire life was directed towards others, not to himself.

a true tzaddik has a greater yetzer hara than everyone else, and the consequences of their choices are, therefore, much greater. In this instance, we see that Moshe, who lived his entire life righteously, lost the Promised Land with just one moment of anger.

then, out of the cosmic Nowhere, a voice speaks, using those three most touching words from Moses’ journey up the mountain. Hineh makom itti. “Here is a place, with Me” (Exodus 33:21). There is room for you in My world. I will move over just a bit, reduce My allfilling presence, as it were, to make a space for you.