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How Obsessive Guilt Can Destroy Your Life

As We Look Back at Our Inner Sedom, We Become Salt

1 hr 16 min

By Peter Kreeft

Class Summary:

This Women's Class was presented on October 31, 2017, Parshas Vayeira 5778, at Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

The story of Lot’s wife is not just an ancient narrative; it continues to play a role in Jewish life. At every Shabbos and holiday meal, we have salt on the table, and we also dip our bread into salt. Why? One of the reasons is to remember Lot’s wife who turned into salt and to rectify her sin. 

But why? Why is the story of Lot’s wife so significant as to be reminded of it at every Shabbos meal for millennia? And how are we rectifying her behavior of looking back at Sodom by dipping our bread in salt?

Why indeed did Lot’s wife look back? Why couldn’t Lot’s wife control herself? What was so tempting about looking back? And why did she become, of all things, a pillar of salt?

A Chassidic discourse by Rabbi Aharon Halevi Horowitz of Strashele, the famed disciple of Rabbi Schuner Zalman of Liadi, presents us with the answer and the practical relevance to our lives.

Please leave your comment below!

  • Anonymous -2 years ago

    Where is the source of this shiur?

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • M

    M.T -2 years ago

    Love the idea; is there a clear source for this idea.
     We’re can I find this idea in the web source?

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • M

    Michelle -3 years ago

    Amazing life lesson. Thank you. Blessings. 

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • Y

    Yosef -4 years ago

    DIPPING BREAD IN SALT

    What a shiur!!! wow! 

    Just one comment. We need to dip bread in salt whenever we eat bread, even during the week, not only on Shabbos on Yom Tov.

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • ML

    M. Litzman -5 years ago

    erased

    Some 32 years ago I went back to visit Sweden where I was born and raised. 
    I specially bought a good 35mm camera to take pictures of my home town, vacation spots and places I fondly remembered. When I came home and took out the film from the camera I realized that the film had jammed and I did not have a single picture of my past. 
    At first I was very upset, but then I realized that it was a sign that my past, being integrated into the Swedish culture (although I never felt truly at home there), had been erased.
    So no looking back.....

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • LE

    Leiba Erlbaum -6 years ago

    salt on challah

    Very powerful!  Thank you!

    So do we put the salt on our challah because that too was a korban?

     

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  • M

    Moshe -6 years ago

    source sheet

    Can you please post a source sheet for this shiur? 

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • E

    Esther -6 years ago

    I listen to this lecture whenever I need encouraging words. 
    Thank you - May G-d bless you and your Family
    Gut Schabbos

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  • Anonymous -7 years ago

    ri mepano says wife of lot will not have gilgul

    where does it says "ad hayom haze" about Idis?

    also question about salting 

    does water of nisuch hamayim get salted or wine of nisuch hayain?

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

    • Anonymous -7 years ago

      ספר גלגולי נשמות להמקובל רבינו מנחם עזריה מפאנו
      עידית אשתו של לוט אין לה גלגול, דכתיב עד היום הזה, ובמשנה ג"כ הרואה אשתו של לוט (מאי) מברך כו', כי נשמתה היא דוממת, וכל מהשמלחכים ממנו הבהמות חוזרה לקדמותה הראשון, ותיקונה הוא על כל קרבנך תקריב מלח, וכן על השלחן שהוא מזבח צריך מל"ח מח"ל לח"ם

      בנוגע לשאלה השניה, לא שמו מלח על מים און יין

       

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      • Anonymous -7 years ago

        thank u

        Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • HD

    Hanoch Dovid -7 years ago

    Amazing!

    Thank you, Rabbi.  This is an amazing shir. One of the most profound lectures I have ever heard. This really helped me understand many things about my life and actions. 

     

    yasher Koach.

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • Anonymous -7 years ago

    Thank you

    Thank you for this inspiring Shiur! 

    it gives lots of Chizuk and so much perspective to work on! 

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • Anonymous -7 years ago

    BEAUTIFUL! HEALING! THANK YOU!

    BEAUTIFUL! HEALING! THANK YOU!

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

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