http://www.shaareitzedek.org Orthodox Judaism in Downtown Toronto Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:30:38 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en [From the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe] The Torah portion of Lech Lecha relates that Avraham built three altars to G-d.1 Rashi , basing his commentary on the Midrash2 , explains that Avraham built the first altar “upon hearing G-d’s promise that he would have children, and that they would inherit ... http://www.shaareitzedek.org/2008/11/06/three-altars/ Parshat Lech Lecha 5769 © Rabbi David Lapin, 2008 (http://iawaken.org) Yesterday does not predict tomorrow Timeless values rather than transient, political events are the subjects of these essays. But this week's events in the United States are not transient and they are far more than political. They call for comment. The US elections are ... http://www.shaareitzedek.org/2008/11/06/lech-lecha-yesterday-does-not-predict-tomorrow/ Parshat Bereishit 5769 ©Rabbi David Lapin, 2008 (http://www.iawaken.org) The Wisdom of Trust The creation of Adam and Chava on the sixth day, inaugurated a short period of intellectual and spiritual grandeur for man, a grandeur that lasted for no more than six hours.[1] Then it was shattered - not by Chava or Adam ... http://www.shaareitzedek.org/2008/10/24/man-and-woman-the-invincible-team/ [via Rabbi Yitchzak Ginsburgh, inner.org] The holiday of Sukkot ("Tabernacles") is the most joyous holiday of the year. There are four levels of joy on this holiday, corresponding to the four letters of God's Essential Name, Havayah. The Celebration of the Drawing of Water (Simchat Beit ... http://www.shaareitzedek.org/2008/10/17/sukot-four-levels-of-joy/ [via Rabbi David Lapin, http://iawaken.org] On Rosh Hashanah we take a break from Selichot. Rosh Hashanah is not about begging for forgiveness. Begging for forgiveness focuses on the past whereas Rosh Hashanah focuses on the future. Rosh does not mean beginning; it means much more than that. Rosh Hashanah means the ... http://www.shaareitzedek.org/2008/09/28/the-head-of-the-year/ With gratitude to Rabbi Lazer Brody and his blog, Lazer Beams: A week doesn't go by without three or four people asking me what to do about the chatter in the synagogue, especially among the "big wigs". Since it's easier to correct ourselves than it is to correct someone else, ... http://www.shaareitzedek.org/2008/09/11/talking-in-shul/ Parshat Ki Teitzei 5768 © Rabbi David Lapin, 2008 (http://www.iawaken.org) "The Power of Pride" I was the second speaker of the day. I walked up to the podium with a knot in my stomach. I was following immediately after Ian Thomas, an inspiring wildlife guide turned public speaker. His topic is "The Power ... http://www.shaareitzedek.org/2008/09/11/radiating-joy/ Parshat Shoftim 5768 © Rabbi David Lapin, 2008 (http://iawaken.org) Last evening I wrote a list of my incomplete tasks and projects. I wrote down everything I could think of that was awaiting decision, action, completion or abandonment. Stunned by the length of the list I understood why I was feeling so drained, ... http://www.shaareitzedek.org/2008/09/05/procrastination-the-decision-to-do-nothing/ Please join us on Sunday, August 24, 2008 at 5:00pm to hear one of our generation's greatest Torah minds and author of over 60 books. Harav Yitzchak Ginsburgh will be speaking on "The Kabbalah of Gold and Monetary Standards." (Download PDF) Are we headed towards another Great Depression? Worried about the future of ... http://www.shaareitzedek.org/2008/08/18/the-kabbalah-of-gold-and-monetary-standards/ [via inner.org, Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh] The names of all the months in the Hebrew calendar are originally from Babylon. The Jewish people adopted these Babylonian names during the 70 year exile in Babylon. Yet, of all the Babylonian names adopted, Tamuz stands out as peculiar: it is the name of an ... http://www.shaareitzedek.org/2008/07/25/tamuz-%e2%80%93-time-for-transformation/