Rabbi E in 3
77 episodes - English - Latest episode: 9 months ago - ★★★★★ - 13 ratingsGet ready for a short burst of Jewish wisdom! My name is Rabbi Yosef Edelstein ("Rabbi E" for short), and I have been a Jewish educator for many years. I share insights from Jewish sources that help can help us become better people (and Jews) in our daily lives. I grew up the son of two doctors, and while I didn't choose that path professionally, I do hope that these short episodes (from 3 to 8 minutes roughly) will administer a safe and powerful dose of "spiritual medicine," in a friendly and casual way!
Currently, I am the Director of MEOR DC, that brings Jewish inspiration to university campuses in the nation's capital. (Check out the MEOR DC Facebook and Instagram page.)
You can be in touch with me at [email protected], or through Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/rabbi.edelstein, or Instagram: https://instagram.com/rabbiedelstein or https://instagram.com/rabbiein3. You can also connect with me via MEOR DC, the organization I direct DC: https://www.facebook.com/MEORDC and www.meordconline.org.
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Episodes
Our Journeys are Spiritual!
July 14, 2023 16:01 - 4 minutes - 5.91 MBWe go on lots of journeys in this world--small and big, to the mountains and to the beach...and sometime to far-off lands. But we learn from this week's Torah portion, Massei, which describes the Jewish people traveling and encamping in the Sinai desert--that the true purpose of all the journeys that Hashem leads us on in our lifetimes (and He IS leading us) is spiritual: to serve G-d, wherever and however we are--battling our negative traits, and expressing our positive ones, to elevate our...
Focusing on the...NEGATIVE!? The (POSITIVE) Goal of the "Three Weeks!"
July 06, 2023 17:36 - 9 minutes - 6.69 MBToday is a fast day, the 17th of Tammuz, and it ushers in a period of sadness in the Jewish calendar year, culminating in the Fast of the 9th of Av (Tisha b'Av)--the day on which both Temples were destroyed (not to mention other calamities). Is this about wallowing in the sufferings of the past? No, rather, we are truthfully acknowledging that the world is NOT where we want it to be, and coming to terms with how we Jewish people-chiefly through the transgression of sinat chinam (baseless hat...
We are INTERCONNECTED: Lesson from the Canada Smoke!
June 09, 2023 18:57 - 5 minutes - 2.44 MBThere is much to learn from the disruptive effects of the Canadian wildfires on the lives of people (including me, Rabbi E) hundreds and thousands of miles away. One main lesson is that we are profoundly interconnected on a physical (and environmental) level. But Judaism teaches that we are SPIRITUALLY interconnected as well. Every good deed we do (or word we say) helps to create a purer, more illuminated and holy spiritual "atmosphere" throughout all of Creation! And the opposite, G-d for...
Shavuos: Celebrating THE PURPOSE OF LIFE!!
May 25, 2023 20:11 - 8 minutes - 8.14 MBIs there a Jewish holiday that celebrates the very PURPOSE of existence? I'm glad you asked...The answer is YES. (And it begins in a few hours.) Shavuos, the time of the giving of the Torah. We Jewish people relive the awesome and utterly unique event of the Revelation at Mt. Sinai. Our entire nation was elevated to a level of prophecy, hearing the 10 Commandments directly from Hashem (or at least the first two--that's a discussion), and perceiving with absolute clarity that Hashem is the O...
4 Days Until REVELATION! (Shavuos Prep, Part 2)
May 21, 2023 23:11 - 5 minutes - 2.39 MBShavuos is the most underappreciated Jewish holiday, for sure. It's even completely unknown to many Jewish people. TUNE IN to Rabbi E in 3, as we make the final countdown (or count up) to the festival of the giving of the Torah...the (national) Revelation at Mt. Sinai.
10 Days and Counting!! (Shavuos Prep, Part 1)
May 15, 2023 23:00 - 1 minute - 967 KBShalom, everybody. Are you READY to GET READY for what is arguably the most important Jewish (holi)day in the Jewish calendar? It's 10 days from now...that's right...and it's the Jewish holiday you might never have even heard of (I didn't as a kid), or perhaps only have some vague idea about....But it's the holiday that really defines who we are as a Jewish people. We have 10 days to get ready for SHAVUOS: the holiday when we re-experience receiving the Torah at Mt Sinai, the day when we co...
Why So Many RULES on the Night of our FREEDOM?? (Happy Pesach!)
April 05, 2023 13:05 - 3 minutes - 3.59 MBWe have more rules on Seder night than any other night of the year. Is that "freedom?" Absolutely. Tune in as we discuss the deeper meaning of the freedom Hashem granted us when He took us out of Egypt more than 3300 years ago...and allowed us to become His servants
A New Start, and a New Season!
March 23, 2023 19:05 - 3 minutes - 4.31 MBI'm Rabbi E, and I have not put out a podcast episode for weeks and weeks. But today is a new day, the first of the month of Nisan in the Jewish calendar: a day infused with the energy and power of renewal like none other in the calendar year. SO HERE IS A NEW START. A new sound, a new approach, a new commitment to this podcast and its original vision and conception. ENJOY....and may this beca month of renewal and redemption for you!
Message from Poland!
January 07, 2023 04:27 - 4 minutes - 3.71 MBWhy a trip to Poland for a Jew is so important and meaningful, and INSPIRING! Recorded on my phone, live in Poland, while staffing a trip for Jewish students.
Rabbi E Turns 60: Happy Birthday, WISE GUY!
November 03, 2022 15:26 - 8 minutes - 11.3 MBJoin old Rabbi E, as I share insights, reflections and blessings on reaching halfway till 120. The Rabbis tell us that the age of 60 brings "seniority," (older age, if you will), but MUCH more importantly, WISDOM! And the foundation of all wisdom, Judaism teaches, is realizing that we, and the world, have a Creator and that He gave us a life full of so many blessings...in order to BE a blessing in this world! Tune in as I, the now "old(er)" and I hope, "wise(r)" Rabbi E, get into an expansiv...
Won't You STAY A Little Bit Longer???
October 16, 2022 21:30 - 6 minutes - 9.51 MBWon't you stay just a little bit longer?? Tune in for this MUSICAL episode of Rabbi E in 3, as I melodically introduce you to the festival of Shemini Atzeres, the "8th Day of staying back," which takes place at the end of the Sukkot holiday (begins in an hour or two). APOLOGIES TO JACKSON BROWNE, but the very essence of this holiday is about staying in Hashem's presence just a little bit longer...rejoicing with Him and with the Torah (as we complete the yearly cycle of our reading). Chag Sa...
Holy Living: Thoughts to Begin Sukkot!
October 09, 2022 19:45 - 6 minutes - 9.42 MBA few thoughts to start the week of Sukkot, recorded live from the Sukkah of Rabbi E!
Yom Kippur: Day of DEEP CLEANING (all coffee stains gone)!
October 04, 2022 15:47 - 5 minutes - 7.6 MBYom Kippur is an aweome day of return: returning to healthy relationships with others, and returning to the real, pure spiritual essence of who we are. And what makes that possible is both the forgiveness that Hashem (and other people!) lovingly grants us,and the PURIFICATION that we experience. All the "stains" on our souls, so to speak (from the hurtful and negative words, deeds and thoughts we all--as human beings--fell into), are utterly washed away. We are purified through the observanc...
Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur: DAYS OF RETURN!
September 29, 2022 15:14 - 11 minutes - 16.1 MBWe all know that Rosh Hashanah is a special time, and that Yom Kippur is a special time....but we may not be aware that the days BETWEEN Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are also a very special and elevated time! A time when the Jewish people have always tried to multiply their good deeds and mitzvot, their prayer and acts of charity...so that we may be judged favorably by G-d, and inscribed for a good year of life on Yom Kippur. They are days of when the spiritual ice is smoother (Zamboni days...
Rosh Hashanah: CHOOSING LIFE!
September 25, 2022 15:44 - 10 minutes - 15.1 MBRecorded on the last day of the Jewish year, 5782, hours before Rosh Hashnah, I discuss some of the beautiful ideas connected to this magnificent holiday of the new year...and the powerful 10 Days of Return (the first ten days of the year)--ZAMBONI DAYS, smooth and powerful "spiritual skating" days--that culminate in Yom Kippur. The focus is on OUR thoughts, OUR will and OUR desire for the completely new year ahead, and the kind of people we want to strive to be during this completely new y...
Hashem Took Us OUT of Slavery, Right? That's Shabbos!
August 12, 2022 21:52 - 4 minutes - 6.74 MBWe are NOT supposed to be slaves...that is why Hashem took us OUT of slavery. Yet, we all still suffer in 2022 (myself, Rabbi E, very much included!) under a cruel and harsh team of taskmasters. "Work," "Work Mentality," "Cell Phone," "Social Media,"....these are some of the "head honchos" of that group of modern slavedrivers that rob us of our outer AND inner freedom! But, wait, we are meant to be FREE, and we Jews have an unbelievably precious and beautiful key to attaining that freedom f...
Tisha b'Av (9th of Av): A LONG Day of Mourning....and LONGING!
August 05, 2022 21:41 - 21 minutes - 29 MBA long day of fasting and mourning is approaching (after Shabbos, August 6th-7th), the fast of the Ninth of Av (Tisha b'Av), commemorating the many, many tragedies that befell the Jewish people throughout the ages on this day. But this day of mourning is NOT about wallowing in our past suffering, but rather, about looking at (and FEELING) what we are missing right NOW. And about LONGING for the time--may it be speedily, in our days--when we WILL get it a1l back (and more). Please tune in, wh...
LEADING with your WORDS!
July 29, 2022 20:01 - 8 minutes - 12 MBThe word for "word," in Hebrew (davar)is the same as the word for "thing" (with different vowels). Why? Because words have a real weight to them, they are not just so much air. That same word is a1so one of the words in Hebrew for, "leader!" Why? Because our leadership position as human beings in G-d's Creation is demonstrated and expressed largely through our power of speech. (Yes, Judaism teaches that ADAM, humanity, is meant to LEAD this whole huge operation towards holiness and completio...
Feeling VERY ALIVE in Israel...Land of the Living!
July 08, 2022 14:04 - 13 minutes - 12 MBRabbi Edelstein (Rabbi E), of MEOR DC here, and join me as I share my excitement at being in the amazing Land of Israel, after three uninterupted Covid-ravaged years outside! Come visit, whoever you are,--whatever your religion, beliefs or politics. You will be inspired, awakened, excited, stuffed (with amazing food), challenged....and exhausted! I LOVE IT! BARUCH HASHEM!
Jealousy May...WILL...Destroy You! (Based on Parshas Korach)
July 01, 2022 22:23 - 22 minutes - 30.5 MBJealousy, rebellion, a misguided yearning for (spiritual) INDEPENDENCE....and ultimately, tragedy! Rabbi E. discusses some of the amazing lessons of this week's Torah portion, Korach (Book of Bamidbar/Numbers). Tune in, and may we all appreciate and celebrate our OWN portion--talents, gifts, mission--in this world, and not be SWALLOWED up by jealousy and craving/coveting what really belongs to someone else.
Hashem is Leading Us: Embrace the Journey!
June 17, 2022 22:59 - 13 minutes - 17.9 MBJoin me as I discuss how and where we are going, as we are led through life...based loosely on this week's Torah portion, Beha'aloscha (Book of Numbers). And featuring a not-too-out of key introduction (?) taken from a song from the 70's, if my boomer memory serves me well. May we all work on seeing our lives as being LED by Hashem ("NOT WANDERING"), to the Promised Land (both literally, as Jews, and more figuratively, to our own spiritual completion and self-actualization). Sing along with ...
Can Enjoying WINE [& Other Pleasures] Really Be HOLY??!
June 10, 2022 22:11 - 17 minutes - 24.4 MBJoin us for a short exploration of the Jewish attitude towards the (abundant) physical pleasures of this BEAUTIFUL world...including the lovely fruit of the vine, in fermented form.(Based partly on this week's Torah portin, Nasso, second in the Book of Bamidbar.) And the simple answer is, "Yes, it absolutely can!" Physical pleasures in general are a great source of vitality in life (obvioulsy) but also very much part of the Jewish concept of holiness (perhaps not so obviously). IF we keep t...
Are You Ready to RECEIVE? (The Torah...on Shavuos!)
June 03, 2022 21:23 - 10 minutes - 13.9 MBYou may well NEVER have heard of the holy Jewish festival that is coming up this year immediately after Shabbos: "SHAVUOS." How can that be? It arguably should be the MOST acknowledged, celebrated and eagerly anticipated Jewish holiday of all. It's when the Jewish people RECEIVED the Torah, which is--after all--the source of all the other wisdom and laws in our tradition (including those about more famous holidays)! There are probably many reasons...Tune in to this episode of Rabbi E in 3...
Watch Your Words! (No Hurting Allowed)
May 20, 2022 21:48 - 14 minutes - 19.4 MBWith war and pandemic and economic crisis caving down on us, what can we do? Not sure about that, honestly....but at least we can start by not causing harm, pain, or anguish with the words we use each and every day, in each and every encounter, in each and every relationship. Tune in as I discuss the SEVERE AND ALL-IMPORTANT (not quaint!) Torah prohibition of "ona'as devarim," hurting someone else with our words. Is it hard? Well, yeah, I guess it is...but remember: we were sent to this ear...
Don't Wait for "The PERFECT Time!"
May 13, 2022 22:39 - 6 minutes - 8.32 MBWelcome to a most uncharacteristic episode of Rabbi E in 3! I recorded it, even though it was not "the perfect time" (whatsoever) to do it. Not at all! And that's exactly the lesson I want to convey, in fact, and it happens to be a HUGELY important one: We shouldn't wait for the "perfect time" to start to work on a self-improvement project, OR to do a certain kind deed or mitzvah we've contemplated...or to study Torah! As the great Rabbi Hillel tells us, in a classic ethical teaching that I...
WE are leaving Egypt! (Pesach Prep: Part 2)
April 13, 2022 14:33 - 9 minutes - 13.6 MB"In every generation, a person is OBLIGATED to see oneself as leaving Egypt." Those are the words of the Haggadah....What exactly do they mean? How do we achieve this? Clearly, the Passover Seder is meant to be something much more than just a commemoration of an ancient event, however heartfelt. It is also a deeply personal opportunity (and OBLIGATION!) to experience a taste of true spiritual freedom: allowing G-d to grant us freedom from all the forces, external and internal, that hold us ...
Experiencing Freedom! (Pesach Prep: Part 1)
April 11, 2022 14:55 - 12 minutes - 16.6 MBPassover is almost here, so I want to give you something to really think about. On Seder night, we have more rules and regulations--that is to say, we observe more mitzvot/commandments--than on any other single night of the Jewish year by far! ("Eat this, and drink this, and lean this way...," etc.) And notice that this festive meal of our holiday of national liberation is called "seder," which itself means..."order!" Now, let me ask you this ONE simple question (and we can save the famous...
The Revelation at Mt. Sinai, and the 10 Commandments!
January 21, 2022 20:32 - 8 minutes - 12.2 MBEvery person, Jewish or not, should be aware of what's related in this week's Torah portion, Yisro (in The Book of Exodus). It describes the most important event in human history arguably: The Revelation at Mt. Sinai, and the uttering of the "10 Commandments" by G-d to the entire Jewish people. They were the gateway to, and microcosm of, the rest of the Torah, which constitutes the instruction manual to elevate ourselves and the world...and infuse it with righteousness and godliness. And bef...
Put That Pen in Your Mouth...and Start to SMILE!
January 13, 2022 13:37 - 4 minutes - 6.73 MBNot feel like smiling? Yeah, I get it, things are kind of crazy in the world. Frowning seems more appropriate. But hold on: smiles are nice, and we all need to feel (and share) warmth and light as much as possible, in my grumpy opinion. Well, the good news is that sometimes all it takes to get the ball rolling--or the smile glowing--is simply putting a pen in your mouth, thereby artificially positioning your facial muscles into the facsimile of a smile. And then, due to the marvelous unity o...
Lots of Tests!
January 04, 2022 01:03 - 5 minutes - 7.32 MBTalk about an episode of Rabbi E in 3 with lots of TESTS!! (Perfect start for 2022, eh?!) From the uncertain acoustic quality of recording in a new home "studio," to the annoyance of having a swab inserted in my nose to find out if I have Covid...to EVERYTHING else that you and I experience in our lives! All the way from the "big" issues and challenges we face on an ongoing basis, down to the the "small" encounters and incidents that inform our daily experience. Judaism teaches that all ...
ILLUMINATING CHANUKAH: Day 8! (Final Episode: "The Light Ain't Over!")
December 06, 2021 04:53 - 5 minutes - 7.17 MBChanukah is ending, it's true...8 days infused with a special, inspirational "energy"of light, miracles and purity. But don't worry: there is PLENTY of opportunity to still experience light, miracles and purity in our daily lives beyond the holiday...even if we have to work a bit harder to uncover and enjoy them. Listen to this final epsiode of the "Illuminating Chanukah" series as we discuss bringing the treasures of Chanukah with us as we move forward.
ILLUMINATING CHANUKAH: Day 8! ("Taking Our Chanukah Gifts With Us!")
December 06, 2021 03:53 - 5 minutes - 7.17 MBChanukah is ending, it's true...8 days infused with a special, inspirational "energy"of light, miracles and purity. But don't worry: there is PLENTY of opportunity to still experience light, miracles and purity in our daily lives beyond the holiday...even if we have to work a bit harder to uncover and enjoy them. Listen to this final epsiode of the "Illuminating Chanukah" series as we discuss bringing the treasures of Chanukah with us as we move forward.
ILLUMINATING CHANUKAH: Day 7! (Episode 6: "Jewish People, Yes...HOLY People, NO!
December 05, 2021 14:40 - 4 minutes - 6.79 MBThe Greeks were fine with having us be Jewish as an ethnicity (Jewish-Hellenist!) but not Jewish as a HOLY people, with a special mission from the One G-d and special laws (mitzvot) that elevate us--and this world--to a level above mere "nature!" That is why they took special aim at Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh (the new month--our unique Jewish calendar) and circumcision: mitzvot which most vividly announce that we are trying to bring holiness (kedusha) into every aspect of our physical and bodily ...
ILLUMINATING CHANUKAH: Day 5! ("The Power of Self-Sacrifice!")
December 03, 2021 02:33 - 5 minutes - 7.12 MBOne of the central traits of the Jewish people throughout our history has been, "mesiras nefesh," or "self-sacrifice," meaning going to the very limits of our strength in order to Keep the Torah and serve G-d. The whole Chanukah story is founded on the incredible mesiras nefesh of the Maccabees, and the relatively small number of other Jews who joined them in order to resist the decrees of the Syrian-Greek empire. They went beyond what was "normal" and "natural," and consequently, Hashem res...
ILLUMINATING CHANUKAH: Day 4! ("The Battle Within Our Own People...and Within Our Own Hearts!")
December 02, 2021 03:30 - 9 minutes - 13.4 MBPart of the story of Chanukah is, of course, the battle between the Maccabees and the Syrian-Greek armies, or more broadly, between the Jews and a foreign civilization. But a huge part of the back story was the tension within Jewish society at that time itself, between those Jews more loyal to the Torah (and its commandments), and those Jews who were powerfully drawn after the outside Hellenistic culture. This is not just ancient history, but a recurring tension throughout our long history,...
ILLUMINATING CHANUKAH: Day 3!
December 01, 2021 04:54 - 5 minutes - 6.9 MBChanukah is the festival of lights, a time of great illumination--in both the physical sense (as embodied in the candles of the menorah we kindle at nightfall), and in the spiritual sense of (re)opening our eyes and hearts to appreciate the hand of G-d in Jewish history. But as we enjoy the glow of that steadily increasing light--and, indeed, as part of that very experience enjoyment--we also need to think about the tremendous darkness that preceded the miraculous salvation. It was a time of ...
ILLUMINATING CHANUKAH: Day 3! ("Lots of Darkness Before the Lights")
December 01, 2021 03:54 - 5 minutes - 6.9 MBChanukah is the festival of lights, a time of great illumination--in both the physical sense (as embodied in the candles of the menorah we kindle at nightfall), and in the spiritual sense of (re)opening our eyes and hearts to appreciate the hand of G-d in Jewish history. But as we enjoy the glow of that steadily increasing light--and, indeed, as part of that very experience enjoyment--we also need to think about the tremendous darkness that preceded the miraculous salvation. It was a time of...
ILLUMINATING CHANUKAH: Day 2!
November 30, 2021 04:17 - 4 minutes - 6.81 MBThe "small" act of kindling the candles of the Menorah is a very big deal. It's a declaration of individual dedication to the Jewish people (and its history); it's a dedication of one's home to Jewish ideals and to the mission of being a "holy people" and light to the nations...and it's a huge illumination for your OWN neshama (soul)--which is itself likened to a "candle" sent into your body (and this world) to dispel the darkness!
ILLUMINATING CHANUKAH: Day 2! ("Your Little Candles are a BIG Deal!")
November 30, 2021 03:17 - 4 minutes - 6.81 MBThe "small" act of kindling the candles of the Menorah is a very big deal. It's a declaration of individual dedication to the Jewish people (and its history); it's a dedication of one's home to Jewish ideals and to the mission of being a "holy people" and light to the nations...and it's a huge illumination for your OWN neshama (soul)--which is itself likened to a "candle" sent into your body (and this world) to dispel the darkness!
ILLUMINATING CHANUKAH: Day 1!
November 29, 2021 03:45 - 4 minutes - 6.76 MB8 miraculous days of illumination...and 8 (miraculously?) consecutive episodes of Rabbi E in 3! Chanukah is truthfully a far more important and meaningful holiday than many suppose. If we get beyond the latkes and donuts (while enjoying them, of course) to think about it more deeply, we can find much to inspire us. The awesome power of self-sacrifice, the miraculous spirit and survival of the Jewish people through dark times of persecution (and against all odds), the uniqueness of the Torah ...
ILLUMINATING CHANUKAH: Day 1! ("It IS an Important Holiday, Actually!")
November 29, 2021 02:45 - 4 minutes - 6.76 MB8 miraculous days of illumination...and 8 (miraculously?) consecutive episodes of Rabbi E in 3! Chanukah is truthfully a far more important and meaningful holiday than many suppose. If we get beyond the latkes and donuts (while enjoying them, of course) to think about it more deeply, we can find much to inspire us. The awesome power of self-sacrifice, the miraculous spirit and survival of the Jewish people through dark times of persecution (and against all odds), the uniqueness of the Torah...
Birthday Blessings!
November 03, 2021 12:30 - 4 minutes - 5.71 MBWelcome to my birthday edition of Rabbi E in 3! November 3rd is MY special day...the day, to paraphrase a great Sage, when (many years ago, won't say how many just now), G-d decided the world could not exist without me!! (Or this podcast?!) A birthday is an opportune time to realize how supremely important each and every one of us is, and to feel overwhelming gratitude to be alive....and maybe even to bestow some sincere blessings that are inspired by that sense of joy. Truthfully, EACH AND...
Who is REALLY Strong?
October 29, 2021 14:45 - 6 minutes - 8.26 MBThe Jewish definition of strength has nothing to do with bench presses or push ups...though those might help someone get into shape, or at least develop some seriously bulging musculature! (Not that I, Rabbi E, would know...talk to me about treadmills, not barbells.) In Jewish ethical thought, "strength" is defined as the ability to control or check our potentially destructive and damaging impulses, desires, passions. "Ben Zoma says: "Who is strong? One who can subdue an impulse." [Pirkei Av...
The Day is Short, and the Job is Huge! ("But Don't Freak Out!")
October 15, 2021 20:45 - 6 minutes - 8.77 MBA great Jewish Sage, Rabbi Tarfon, summarized the Jewish view of life in a famous and evocative aphorism: "The day is short, the job is huge, and the workers are lazy; the pay is great and the Master is pressing." We have a huge job to do--elevating and rectifying ourselves AND the world--and the instructions to get it done (our Torah and its commandments), and Hashem wants us to do as much as we can (no more, but no less). And we get a tremendous reward for our work...more specifically, f...
#32: It's All About the HEART (LEV)!
October 08, 2021 04:15 - 5 minutes - 6.88 MBIn traditional Jewish wisdom, every letter of the Hebrew alphabet corresponds to a number. Many profound insights can be derived through connecting words and verses in the Torah that share the same numerical value--a method of textual interpretation known as "gematria." Well, when I happened to notice that this would be my 32nd episode since first launching this podcast back in November of 2020, I thought immediately of the Hebrew word, "lev," that has the numerical value of...32. I decided...
Living with JOY: Lessons from the Sukkah!
September 27, 2021 01:00 - 5 minutes - 7.95 MBThe Jewish festival of Sukkot may be just about over...but its precious lessons on how to live our lives with joy (simcha) can stay with us--and guide us--throughout the whole year!
Yom Kippur: A Short and Sweet Overview (of a Short and VERY Sweet Day)!
September 14, 2021 04:30 - 4 minutes - 5.62 MBYom Kippur is an unbelievable gift to the Jewish people, a day not to grumble about how hungry we may be (or think about how our stomachs are grumbling from the fast!)...but to rejoice at the opportunity to RETURN to our deepest selves and to REGAIN our inner purity and freedom. Not to mention the blessing of restoring love and harmony between ourselves and our fellow human beings...and between ourselves and Hashem, who is "Avinu Malkeinu (Our Father, Our King). What are the actual steps w...
Zamboni Days are Here! (Shana Tova)
September 06, 2021 02:30 - 8 minutes - 11.4 MBThe first 10 days of the Jewish year, from Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur, form a discrete unit in time, uniquely powerful in their potential for inspiration, transformation...RE-CREATION! They are known as 10 Days of Teshuva, or "return." The opportunity to reconnect more strongly with our deeper selves, and with our purest desires for a purposeful life...as well as with our fellow human beings, with the Torah and its wisdom...and with G-d! It takes effort, sure, but we can GLIDE FORWARD ...
Returning to Our Roots, Living up to Our NAME! (OR "A Real Rabbi E in 3!")
August 20, 2021 21:00 - 3 minutes - 5.46 MBGetting Back to our roots, and living up to our name! This applies to the present time in the Jewish calendar, with the new year fast approaching. The Jewish High Holidays summon us to the process of "teshuva," or "return," to return to our own personal roots, the deepest spiritual essence and mission that each one of us has. Rosh Hashanah itself is the anniversary of the creation of "Adam," mankind, and that very name (Adam) summons us--his descendants--to keep the "aleph" (which, in one und...
Living up to Our NAME! (This podcast included)
August 20, 2021 21:00 - 3 minutes - 5.46 MBGetting Back to our roots...and living up to our name! This applies to the present time in the Jewish calendar, with the new year fast approaching. The Jewish High Holidays summon us to the process of "teshuva," or "return," to return to our own personal roots, the deepest spiritual essence and mission that each one of us has. Rosh Hashanah itself is the anniversary of the creation of "Adam," mankind, and that very name (Adam) summons us--his descendants--to keep the "aleph" (which, in one u...