Nitzotzos: Thoughts to keep your spark alive

Parshas Beshalach - Do you dwell on the land or live in the sea?

As Klal Yisrael is redeemed from Mitzrayim we walked through the sea on dry land. But if we are walking through dry land are we really in the sea?  The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains that there are two types of people, those who dwell on the land and those who live in the sea. In this shiur, Rav Burg teaches us that it is through our connection to Hashem and being enveloped in His world that we can develop a healthy ego and a truly unique persona.

Alei Shur - 3

Based on Rav Wolbe's classic Alei Shur Rav Burg explores Shaar Shlishi - the chapter that deals with knowing yourself.  

Parshas Beshalach - Just Keep Swimming

Klal Yisrael finds themselves trapped between the oncoming Egyptian army and the banks of the Yam Suf. An argument ensues. What should we do? One camp says they will never take us alive. Another says let us surrender. Another argues that we should fight till the death. And yet another says let us pray to God. Moshe rejects all of these plans. In life we often find ourselves "stuck" in difficult places. Do we give up? Lower our expectations? Fight till the death? Pray? In this shiur that wa...

The Majesty of Torah

Celebrating those talmidim in Mevaseret who committed themselves to learning shnayim mikra vviechad targum, Rav Burg spoke at a siyum on the topic of the majesty of Torah and how learning Chumash can enhance a persons relationship with Hashem.

Parshas Bo - Midnight Madness

The last plague, the slaying of the Egyptian first born children, is unique in that there is a heavy emphasis on the timing of the plague. What is the inner significance of the fact that Makkas Bechoros takes place at exactly midnight? In this shiur, Rav Burg explains several essential concepts. What is a Jew? What is our Jewish mission? How do we really know who we are? 

Judgement or Judgmental?

Question: As humans, we judge others, sometimes intentionally but often times unintentionally. When I think someone is not a nice person/ doing something bad- whether they are or not, it shouldn’t be something I’m judging them for, and I feel ashamed at myself for judging. How can I go about rectifying this? What is the first step in conquering this bad inclination?

Alei Shur - 2

  Based on Rav Wolbe's classic Alei Shur Rav Burg explores Shaar Shlishi - the chapter that deals with knowing yourself.

Intention Matters

We often hear that not only are our actions important, but our intentions are just as important. How can we work on controlling our intentions?

Parshas Vaeira - Free Yourself from Slavery

Klal Yisrael was given a strange commandment before they left Mitzrayim. They were commanded to free an Eved Ivri after six years of service. Why are we given this commandment now? Is this critical knowledge while leaving Mitzrayim? In this shiur, Rav Burg explores the topic of who is truly free and how do we achieve true freedom in our lives. Letting go of control is one of the most difficult battles we face but when we let go of controlling people, places and things we regain freedom in o...

Parshas Vaeira - Are You A Staff Or A Snake?

Why does God instruct Moshe to have Ahron throw his staff on the ground so that it can miraculously turn into a snake? Is this such an amazing miracle that Pharaoh will now let Klal Yisrael free? What is the significance of the fact that Ahrons staff swallowed the Egyptian snakes? In this shiur, Rav Burg teaches us fundamental lessons in chinuch of our children and why every Jew is worthy of redemption.

Tanya: Shaar HaYichud V'Haemunah - Shiur 15

Latest episode of Nitzotzos: Thoughts to keep your spark alive

Tanya: Shaar HaYichud V'Haemunah - Shiur 14

Latest episode of Nitzotzos: Thoughts to keep your spark alive

Alei Shur 1

Based on Rav Wolbe's classic Alei Shur Rav Burg explores Shaar Shlishi - the chapter that deals with knowing yourself.

Parshas Shemos - Unworthy of Redemption?

  Picture the scene. A young woman who is struggling with Judaism is sitting at your Pesach Seder. As you get to the four sons you realize that she is about to hear how we speak to a Rasha. Blunt his teeth, you read from the Haggada. Tell him that if he were in Mitzrayim he would not have been redeemed. You're uncomfortable as you read these words. How can we speak this way to another Jew? Won't that push them farther away from God? Is harsh mussar the message a Rasha needs to hear? As you ...

Guard Your Eyes

Question: What relevance does Shmiras Einayim have for women? Is this a hashkafic matter or are there any halachic issues as well?  Check out Nitzotzos.com for Rabbi Lebowitz's full article on the topic of shmiras einayim

Parshas Shemos - Freedom of Speech

  In Judaism speech is not merely a handle to convey ideas. Speech is the building blocks of creation. Pesach is the holiday that commemorates the freedom of speech from its exile in Egypt. In this shiur, Rav Burg teaches us the difference between those who have a difficult time speaking and those who have a difficult time communicating.

Parshas Shemos - Identity Conflict

Moshe was raised in the house of Pharoah as an Egyptian prince. On the other hand, he was the son of the Yocheved and Amram, the leaders of Am Yisrael. Moshe has a fundamental choice to make in his life. Who is he, Egytian or Jew? In this shiur, Rav Bug expounds upon the value systems in our homes and the importance of nurture over nature.

Tanya: Shaar HaYichud V'Haemunah - Shiur 12

Latest episode of Nitzotzos: Thoughts to keep your spark alive

Looking For The One

Question: How much hishtadlus does one need to put in finding their bashert? What can make the “shidduch crisis” go away? What can we do as a community and what are ideas that could make the process of “waiting to be set up” easier? If it’s all up to HaShem, what does one do in terms of personal effort?

Parshas Vayechi - A Ship Doesn't Go Down Without Its Captain

Sefer Bereishis ends with the death of Yosef HaTzaddik and his burial in Mitzrayim. The passuk immediately before speaks about how we will one day leave Golus. Why does the Torah choose to end the Sefer on such a low note? In this shiur, Rav Burg teaches us about those people in our life who are always there for us no matter how far we fall. It is those people that give us the strength to carry on even in the darkest of times. 

Parshas Vayechi - Words Matter

Yaakov Avinu instructs Yosef to take an oath that he will bury him in Eretz Yisrael. Does Yaakov not trust that Yosef will do as he says? How do we make real and lasting changes in our lives? We know what we "should" do but often we fail to live up to the expectations we have of ourselves. In this shiur, Rav Burg teaches us that words matter. The way we speak indicates the way we think, which in turn impacts the way we feel and ultimately how we act.

Parshas Vayigash - The Truth Shall Change Set You Free

Why did Yosef wait to tell his brothers that he was their long lost brother? How did he know that now they would accept him? Making real changes in our life is one of the most challenging aspects of being a growth oriented person. What stops us from making lasting changes? In this shiur, Rav Burg teaches us how to open ourselves up to the possibility that our perception is not reality. Only by seeing a larger truth can we begin to make fundamental shifts in our life.

Personal Growth Questions

How do you know when you are taking too much on or not taking enough on? We are always supposed to be growing but to what extent? When should we stop and reflect?

Parshas Vayigash - Feeling Connected in Galus

Yaakov sent Yosef down to Mitzrayim with one last shiur - the lesson of the egla arufa. What was the essence of this teaching that gave Yosef the strength to survive in Mitzrayim? What was the message that Yosef sent back to Yaakov when he referenced the last lesson of the egla arufa? In this shiur, Rav Burg teaches us how to stay connected in the golus of our life.

Rav Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveitchik on Yat Kislev

This is part one of Rav Soloveitchik זצ"ל speaking on Yat Kislev. We are still looking for the continuation of the Rav's derasha. If you have any information as to where we can find it please let us know!

Q&A: Chanukah - Why Don't We Experience Open Miracles?

Guest Chanukah Shiur from Rav Daniel Kalish - Rising Above the Supernatural

Latest episode of Nitzotzos: Thoughts to keep your spark alive

Q&A: The Role of College (and acting with integrity)

Vayeishev/Chanukah - Looking for a Brother

Latest episode of Nitzotzos: Thoughts to keep your spark alive

Vayeishev: Two Sets of Twins

Yat Kislev Fabrengen in Shaalvim

Yat Kislev Fabrengen in Mevaseret

Yat Kislev Fabrengen in Mevaseret

Nitzotzos Melava Malka - Rav Weingot - Finding Your Inner Shemen

Latest episode of Nitzotzos: Thoughts to keep your spark alive

Tanya: Shaar HaYichud V'Haemunah - Shiur 10

Parshas Vayishlach: The Struggle for Authenticity

Parshas Vayishlach: Dina: Indoors vs Internal

Parshas Vayishlach:And the Sister of Lotan is Timna

Parshas Vayishlach: The World's of Yaakov and Eisav

Q&A: Worthiness and Davening After Sin

Sometimes I feel embarrassed to ask for things when I’m davening because I feel like I dont have the right to ask anything of HaShem because of my sins. How can I approach tefilah in a way where I feel “worthy” to ask things of Hashem?

Tanya:Shaar HaYichud V'Haemunah - Shiur 9

Tanya: Shaar HaYichud V'Haemunah - Shiur 8

Q&A Emotions and Emunah

This week's question is: How do emotions work if you’ve built up emunah? If everything in the end is going to be okay, and you believe that everything Hashem does is for the good, how do emotions come into play? Are you supposed to suppress emotions? Will working on this definition of emunah lead to a deletion in negative emotions? Is that healthy? Or do emotions come into play in a different way?

Parshas Vayeitzei: Building A Home For God

How do we build a home for God? How can we make him feel comfortable in this world? In this shiur, Rav Burg talks about the inner nature of Maariv and the different malachim that Yaakov encounters in his travels to teach us how we can find kedusha in the most mundane aspects of this world.

Tanya: Shaar HaYichud V'Haemunah - Shiur 7

Parshas Toldos: Parenting Eisav

As parents we know that all of our children have challenges. Some more than others. How do we parent the confused child? The child who on the outside seems like an Eisav but on the inside knows they are a Yaakov? In this shiur, Rav Burg shares with us some essential parenting tools for all children but especially for children that seem to be two people.