Seeing the Light, When It's Dark PESACH Jews are no strangers to persecution; its stories fills the pages of our history books from the very dawn of our people’s existence. But what makes us unique, is that unlike others, we get ‘better’ with each passing tragedy. The worse the persecution the stronger and harder we become. Counterintuitive. Like the egg of the Seder plate, which the hotter it is boiled, the more it hardens, defying the regular process. Which brings us to a puzzling story in the Haggadah: how and why did several saintly rabbis, trek all the way to Bnei Barak to discuss the Exo ..read more

TAZRIA Your Untapped Potential What do our wounds say about us? What do our negative habits, addictions, and unresolved weaknesses convey? Unconventional take: flaws are in truth symptoms of greatness. In many cases, they are an expression of an inner ability that has not been expressed and is pleading for attention. The Chassidic perspective on this stems from a great message in the Torah readings of Tazria-Metzora. The skin diseases of tzarat is much more than warning signs for Loshon Hora. They are evidence of immense energies that have not yet come to fruition. --- Send in a voice message ..read more

Why Do Jews Follow the Lunar Calendar Hachodesh For some time, Jews followed the ‘regular’ solar calendar that everyone followed and which was synced to their agricultural practices, only to then receive a mitzvah to a establish a new -lunar- calendar; something which seemed hardly helpful. Why? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support ..read more

Tzav- Parah The mitzvah of the Parah Adumah is known to be one of the most enigmatic and obscure. Even Shlomo Hamelech was compelled to admit that, his unmatched wisdom notwithstanding, he could not grasp the depth of this enigmatic commandment. What – then- are we to make of it? What lessons can it offer us in our lives? Let us elaborate on two profound concepts that are alluded to within the secret of the Red Heifer. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support ..read more

Vayikra - Sacrifices and Relationships Most common question is: How do we bridge the gap between ourselves and others? Religiously oriented people might even ask: How do we draw closer to the Creator? How do we become more holy and less materialistic? Men and women ask: How do we rise above our differences and achieve unity? Even parents and children wonder how to leave behind conflicts and arguments and come together. The answer to all these questions is one: “Bring a sacrifice”. Sacrifice is the way to closeness. Sacrifice is the way to transcend ourselves, to create a common united for both ..read more

PEKUDEI Harnessing Your Inner Strength When a person loses everything, they are forced to dig deeper within themselves to tap into new reservoirs of energy. Deep down somewhere, there is a wholesome and pure core, and nothing can harm it. It nurtures within us an eternal divine spark, which cannot be taken captive or shot. This divine essence only hopes to fulfill its unique divine mission. When a person is faced with the true depth of their potential, to a power they didn't know existed, and to an unfulfilled need. Self-discovery is akin to another birth, and there is no going back to our ol ..read more

SHEKOLIM Feelings DO Matter Why did Moshe get confused when he heard about silver? What was not clear about the commandment of giving half a shekel, that Moshe needed explanations and demonstrations from above about what was being talked about? Why did Hashem show him in response "a coin of fire" and say "this they shall give - like this they shall give"? Why a coin of fire and not a regular metal coin? Who gives coins in fire? Moshe did not understand how silver atones for the soul? How does matter repair the spirit? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy ..read more

Commentators have always been puzzled by Moshe's actions: How could he possibly shatter the luchos, which he received directly from Hashem? Especially considering that the loss was irreversible. These tablets were not given again, and the second tablets were merely the work of human hands, hewn from a stone from beneath Moshe's tent? But precisely herein is the lesson: Moshe needed to get the people to ‘face the music’ and chose unilaterally which path they will embrace. If after so many miracles unlike any before or since, they were capable of betraying G-d in such a disgraceful manner – it s ..read more

TETZAVEH A Jew is Never Alone 136. That’s how many hostages there still are in the hands of murderous terrorists in Gaza. Actually it’s 134 – two were miraculously rescued last week in a daring operation, and we – the global Jewish family cried happy tears for the first time in months. What did we do for these hostages? On the one hand, we are not politicians or military strategists, and it is not within our power to solve the problem in a material way, but as children of the Almighty we can and must tear open the gates of heaven. This is no less important than planning physical rescue. This ..read more

TERUMAH Being Jewish is Who You Are What is a Jew? Today we want to attempt to answer this not-so-simple question, which Jews often grapple with, a question that can sometimes tear apart hearts and families. We will explore this through the significance of holiest object in our world: the structure of the Aron in the Mishkan. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mendy-goldberg/support ..read more