This class, explaining the secret of Kal Nidrei, and exploring the theme behind all of the holidays of Elul and Tishrei, was presented to women on 6 Tishrei 5778, September 28, 2017, at Ohr Chaim Shul, Monsey, NY

Kol Nidrei -- When Your Soul Discovers Its Wings

Tuesday Women's Yom Kippur/Sukkos Class

The Journey of Elul/Tishrei: Courtship, Engagement, Marriage, Intimacy, Honeymoon, And...

This women&#39;s class was presented on Tuesday, 21 Elul 5777, September 12, 2017, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

The class explores the debate in the Mishnah about the shape of the shofar and the debate if we take a breath between the Shevarim and the Teruah -- on a deeper emotional, psychological and spiritual level. Delving into the Attachment theory in psychology and in Judaism, the class explains two states of consciousness, Igulim and Yosher, oneness and separation, and how ultimately, it is in the synthesis of both that we can find our wholesomeness and meaning in life.

The Shofar Curved Or Straight? One Breaths or Two Breaths? A Debate on Shofar Captures the Journey Between Our Need for Attachment and for Independence

Tuesday Woman's Rosh Hashanah Class

The Attachment Theory in Psychology and Judaism 

This women's class was presented on Tuesday Parshas Ki Savo, 14 Elul, 5777, September 5, 2017, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim, Monsey, NY.

Confessing Your Sins Reflects Your Infinite Majesty

Women's Ki Savo/ RH YK Class

You Can Only Do Teshuvah If You Get Rid of Guilt

This women&#39;s class was presented on Tuesday 2 Av, 5777, July 25, 2017, at Ohr Chaim Shul, Monsey, NY

When Our Dignity Is Gone, We Fall Apart

9 Days/Shlach Women's Class

I Matter

This women&#39;s was presented on Tuesday Parshas Balak, 10 Tamuz, 5777, July 4, 2017, at Ohr Chaim shul in Monsey, NY.

It is one of the strangest stories in the Torah&mdash;when the donkey suddenly opens its mouth. But why the need for this strange and funny miracle? What was the point of a donkey seeing an angel, Balaam beating it because he could not see anything in front of him, and then the donkey opening its mouth? Why the need for this strange and humorous miracle? What exactly do we gain from knowing that the wicket Balaam managed to hear a donkey speak? Many commentators have offered various perspectives. Today we will offer one insight (I heard it from Reb Avi Fishoff).

The Torah here is using a striking parable to convey a vital and critical message about education, mentoring and parenting. It is a message that can be a game changer today as we encounter so many young men and women giving up on themselves.

Last week, a young 21 year old woman from Brooklyn died from overdose. Malky struggled for years with a terrible learning disability and when she was expelled from schools that were clueless, she lost her dignity and ultimately, after many a struggle, fell prey to drugs. She was a brilliant artist, a spunky and fun girl, with a heart of gold, but surrounded by clueless educators she lost faith in herself, though her family was as loving and supportive as anyone can be.

What Did I Do To You? Why Did You Beat Me Three Times?

Balak Women's Class

The Journey of a Young Woman from School Expulsion to Overdose

This women&#39;s class was presented on Tuesday Parshas Korach, 26 Sivan, 5777, June 20, 2017, at Ohr Chaim, Monsey, NY

Two Types of Leaders: Those Who See Crisis & Those Who See Opportunity

Women's Class Korach

What Does it Take to Be a True Jewish Leader?

This women&#39;s class was presented on Tuesday Parshas Behaaloscha, 12 Sivan 5777, June 6, 2017, at Ohr Chaim, Monsey, NY

 Rashi and Rambam Have No Power Over Me; But What Influence!

Behaaloscha/Korach/Pinchas

Who Influenced You Most In your Life?

This women's class was presented on Tuesday, 29 Nissan 5777, April 25, 2017, at Ohr Chaim Shul, Monsey, NY.
Rabbi Akiva taught his students to love. But they could still not learn to respect their colleagues. Why?
There are people you like but don't love; there are people you love but may not like. There are people you love and like, and there are people, well, that you don't love and don't like either. You love your parents. You love your brothers. You love your sisters. But you don't necessarily like them&hellip; Sometimes, you love your husband, but you have a hard time liking him.
What is the difference between "liking" and "loving"? What is the difference between anti-Semites who hate Jews and Jews who dislike Jews? Why do we count both the "day" and the "week" in the counting of the Omer? Why are there so many couples who &ldquo;fall in love,&rdquo; but after some time, they find themselves so far apart?
The class explores two concepts: Love vs. respect. The Hebrew word for love, Ahavah, is the same numerical value as the word Echad, meaning oneness. Love grows out of our oneness and sameness. Respect grows out of appreciating our differences. Both are crucial in relationships between families, communities and nations.

You Love Other Jews, But Can You Respect Them?

Women's Sefira/Lag Baomer Class

You Love Your Wife, But Do You Respect Her? You Love Your Children, But Do You Respect Them?

This class was presented to women on Tuesday, 1 Nissan 5777, March 28, 2017, at Ohr Chaim, Monsey, NY. It is part 1 of a 2-part series exploring the 15 steps of the Passover seder in our personal lives.

15 Steps Toward Personal Emancipation

Your Psychological Seder #1

This women&#39;s class on Purim was presented on Tuesday, 9 Adar, 5777, March 7, 2017, at Ohr Chaim, Monsey, NY.

The most special of the four mitzvos we are obligated to do on Purim&mdash;listening to the Megillah, sending gifts of food to a friend, and enjoying a feast&mdash;is &ldquo;Matanos La&rsquo;evyonim,&rdquo; giving gifts to the poor. Yet there is something amiss here: Why did the Bible, in the book of Esther, as well as the all of the Talmudic and halachik literature, designate the term &ldquo;matanos laevyonim,&rdquo; gifts to the poor, rather than use the standard version&mdash;&ldquo;tzedaka laevyonim,&rdquo; charity to the poor?

The Talmud relates that G-d says He needs an &ldquo;atonement&rdquo; every month for diminishing the moon. If G-d feels guilty why does he not repair His actions? But how can G-d even do anything &ldquo;wrong?&rdquo;

According to the Midrash, King David requested from G-d to streamline the entire world. David said: Master of the universe! Let everyone sit equally before you, both the rich and the poor. Let all people have equal means. Imagine! Thousands of years before Karl Marx, King David could not understand why is our world divided between the rich and the poor?

The handicapped young man was abandoned by his parents as an infant. He has never seen them or spoken to them. After 30 years he finally met them. These were his words: &ldquo;Mumma, Puppa&hellip; I, I am not perfect. You, too, you are also not perfect. I have forgiven you. Can you forgive me?&rdquo;

This class, based on a talk of the Lubavithcer Rebbe, Purim 1971, explores the essence of the human struggle on earth and the unique experience of giving charity on Purim.

How to Give Charity on Purim -- And All Year

The Perfection of Imperfection: The Secret of Matanos L'aevyonim

This Women's class about Purim was presented on Tuesday, 2 Adar, 5777, February 28, 2017, at Ohr Chaim, Monsey, NY.&nbsp;
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 120%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Four sages, Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yehudah, Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Shimon, debate how much of the megilah must be read on Purim. Three of them suggest starting at the point in the story where the Jewish angle begins. Either from mid chapter two, where Mordechai is introduced. Or from chapter three where Haman is introduced. Or from ch. 6 where the king has a sleepless night and decides to reward Mordechai. Yet the verdict and Jewish tradition till this very day follows Rabbi Meir who says that we must read or listen to the entire book of Esther, in order to fulfill our obligation on Purim.
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 120%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">But this view&mdash;and verdict&mdash;seems strange. Why would there be a religious obligation to listen on Purim to the story of a Persian King&rsquo;s feast? Of how he executed his first queen? These are interesting historical stories, but why the obligation to listen to them on Purim? Why is it that we fulfill the mitzvah of hearing the Megillah only if we learn of the detailed designs at the King&rsquo;s 187-day party? True, if Vashi would have not been killed, Esther would not have become queen and would not be able to save her people. Yet, this is only the prerequisite to the story&mdash;not the story itself. Why is it that if someone decides to skip ch. 1 and go straight into ch. 2, they have to rehear the Megilah, as they have not fulfilled the mitzvah? We all know that you can get away reading a novel and mastering it even if you skip the introduction&mdash;the details that describe events prior to the main story and plot?
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 120%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">The very name Purim, which in Persian means a &ldquo;goral,&rdquo; a &ldquo;lot,&rdquo; seems strange. Haman has cast a random lot to determine the right day in which to kill all of Jews. But then why do we call it Purim in the plural, not Pur?
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 120%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">&nbsp;
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 120%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">In 1840 the First Opium War took place between China and Britain. It was essentially a conflict about foreign trade in China. Finally in 1842, the treaty of Nanjing was signed, which essentially turned Shanghai into an international city, open freely for trade for people of all countries. If you were reading a newspaper in 1842, you would not see in this story anything essential to the story of the Jewish people and our mission in the universe. Just another bloody and tragic conflict in the East. But exactly 100 years later, we all discovered that this was part of a tapestry of events that saved generations of Jews.
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 120%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">The Megillah teaches us how to view world-events. The story of Purim is not that G-d saves the Jews from annihilation. It is a much deeper story: that the lavish feast of a mighty King is part of a vast cohesive plan. In Judaism, small fragmented details of our lives are all part of an integrated tapestry. One warm good morning by a prisoner changes history.

The Impact of One Good Morning & the 1840 Opium War

Purim Teaches Us How to Understand History & Our Own Lives

This class was presented to women on Tuesday, 8 Nissan 5777, April 4, 2017, at Ohr Chaim, Monsey, NY. It is part 2 of a 2-part series exploring the 15 steps of the Passover seder in our personal lives.

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pesach

seder of pesach

your psychological seder

15 steps

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Passover (Pesach) celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt.

Your Psychological Seder #2

15 Steps Toward Personal Emancipation

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