Class One. 1) This Possuk (Acharei…) begins with love, the fear (which is supposed to come first, Tanya Ch. 41) is before this Possuk’s Avoda starts. 2) Walking from below to above is about one’s personal connection with Hashem as opposed to the formal connection through Torah and Mitzvos. 3) all the subsequent steps follow…

Class One. This is the first of two classes on this classic Ma’amar, outlining the stages of the davening journey from submission and acceptance, to feeling, reason (of the animal and then divine Souls and total Bittul in the Amida. Class Two. The second class on this wonderful Ma’amar explains why Davening alone is not…

This Ma’amar said by the Rebbe on his fiftieth birthday deals with the idea of this Possuk which is added at the beginning of the Amida and appears to interrupt the סמיכות גאולה לתפילה. The Gemara explains it using the logic of תפילה אריכתה. The Ma’amar explains that תפילה אריכתא means much more than an…

A short thought on a strange (context-less) statement made in the Avoda service (Musaf) of Yom Kippur. “It’s preferred that we not have been created”. A commentary.

(From the Slichus) of Tzom Gedalia. Horaisa Derech Teshuva Livas Hashoveiva. The poem included in the Tzom Gedalia Slichus (as is the case with much of this Slichus) is more about Aseres Yemei Teshuva than about Gedalia.

Why would one think to start Rosh Chodesh or by day as opposed to by night? Ritva, Abudraham, Maase Nissim, Sicha (5736), Ramak, Shela, Arizal- R. Shabsi and R. Yaakov kopel, Sicha (5716).

The prayer in the Rosh Hashana davening that describes Hashem’s judgment most graphically. A commentary.

Sources: Abudraham, Orchos Chayim, Maharal, Maasei Nissim, R. Avrohom ben HaGra.

Psalm recited before blowing Shofar.