Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh's blog
Posted in Noach on Oct 19th, 2012
In Parashat Noach, humanity undergoes two great catastrophes. The first is the flood – the holocaust that annihilates all of humanity and all land-life except those who survive in Noach’s ark. The second catastrophe is the dispersal of humanity to all ends of the earth as a result of the collapse of the Tower of [...]
On Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, we traditionally eat foods whose names carry a positive symbolic connotation. Just as we taste foods as positive symbols at the festive table on Rosh Hashanah, so we can find good signs in the year’s number too. As Rosh Hashanah 5773 (ה’ תשע”ג) approaches, let’s take a look [...]
Posted in Ki Teitzei on Aug 30th, 2012
Elul is the month of Divine compassion, the month in which we hear the blast of the shofar and are inspired to return wholeheartedly to God. The Ba’al Shem Tov, founder of the Chassidic movement, who was born on the 18thof Elul, taught us that our return to God (תשובה) should be achieved through an [...]
Posted in Va'etchanan on Aug 3rd, 2012
On the verse in this week’s parashah, “You have begun to show your servant…” the Zohar asks, What beginning is the verse referring to? It is certainly referring to Moses as being the first to be whole and complete. Though Jacob too was whole to a certain extent, Moses was crowned by greater wholeness, with [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Jul 19th, 2012
Patience, alacrity, Torah and mitzvah In a previous article, we discussed the swiftness with which Pinchas acted and in contrast we saw that Joshua did not complete the task of conquering the landof Israelbecause of his excessive patience. From the fact that Pinchas was appointed to lead the war against Midian, the sages learn that, [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on May 18th, 2012
Four Types of Eggs in the Talmud Four different types of egg are mentioned in the Talmud, and they each have a different status in Jewish law. The four types belong to two different groups: 1) eggs that were laid by a hen and 2) eggs that were found inside a slaughtered chicken. The Talmud [...]
Posted in peace on May 11th, 2012
Life is worthless without peace In the Torah portion of Behar, we read that as a consequence of observing the sabbatical and jubilee years, God’s promises us, “…You shall settle the land securely… and you shall settle securely upon it.” This twice repeated promise recurs a third time at the beginning of the next Torah [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Aug 9th, 2011
The Seer of Lublin once said, “Between mentor and mentor (Rebbe and Rebbe) I can’t differentiate and I don’t want to differentiate. Between disciple and disciple (talmid and talmid) I can differentiate but I don’t want to differentiate.” The two mentors he was referring to were the Arizal and the Ba’al Shem Tov. The two disciples he was [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Aug 9th, 2011
The Seer of Lublin passed away, at the age of 70, on the 9th of Av 5575 (1815), a day of national mourning, but also, according to the sages, the birthday of the Mashiach. Long before his passing he hinted to his followers that he would pass away on the 9th of Av. The Seer [...]
Posted in Rectifying the Sense of Sight on Jul 25th, 2011
Both the mind and the heart possess an “inner eye.” On Shabbat the inner eye of the mind opens to see Godliness in contemplative meditation. In the Temple the inner eye of the heart opens to see Godliness in heartfelt prayer. The verse says, “And they shall make for Me a sanctuary and I shall [...]