By Rabbi Amichai Cohen

The 3 week period, which begins on the 17th of Tammuz and ends on the 9th of Av is an intense time where we remeber the calamaties which occured during this time.

On the 17th of Tammuz 5 negative things happened, most importantly the first tablets were broken, the walls of Jerusalem were breached.

On the 9th of Av is when both Temples were destroyed.

This period of time is called "Bein Hametzarim" or "within constrictions". Jewish law maintains that it is preferable not to embark upon new things such as getting married, moving or starting a new job.

The Talmud says "bad does not descend from heaven".  So how do we reconcile with this seeming contradiction?

The Zohar recounts that when Rabbi Chayia, one of the foremost students of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai wanted to enter the academy of Rabbi Shimon in heaven he heard a heavenly voice say "one who does not know how to transform darkness into light and bitterness into sweet has no place in this world". 

By Moshe Reuven Sheradsky

There’s this wonder that has entered the world in the last couple decades, called “The Secret”.

The Secret, they are telling us, is basically this concept that every successful person in history knew (although it's only recently become common knowledge). They knew, but not necessarily did 99% of the rest of the generation know of it. This enabled these leaders to leverage their knowledge of this information over everyone else. The book the Secret shows quotes from a plethora of individuals showing that they believed these things truly.

So what’s the Secret? It’s otherwise known as the law of attraction. That I can will a certain reality into my life with my thoughts. They show people that have made vision boards of their ultimate reality and having fallen upon their boards later in life to see that it’s exactly as they had made their board. In one case, he was in the exact house he had on his board.

Now, the question at...

By Moshe Reuven Sheradsky

4 of 10 Steps

1) Trust versus Faith

In the works of Kabbalah there is a fundamental, while simultaneously, game changing, difference between the Hebrew word, “Bitachon” (meaning Trust) and the Hebrew word, “Emunah” (meaning Faith).

In short, faith begins and ends in the mind, trust digs deep into one’s actions.

One can have faith that the One running the show, is a good G-d, cares about you, loves you, only wants good in the world, while, subsequently lives completely contrary to such thoughts. Doesn’t live a life that bespeaks that there is a Creator that is conscious of life’s content. Doesn’t show that they know things are going in a good direction in life, or even believe it slightly, or even worse, doesn’t hope it to be the case.

How do you see that? They may cheat to get ahead because they don’t believe that G-d gave them the tools, opportunities and abilities to make an honest living....

By Rabbi Amichai Cohen

The Mishna says “Upon three pillars the world stands; upon the pillar of Torah, Teffila and charitable deeds”.

The Talmud asks “what is something that mortals take lightly and don't know the immense power of?- Teffila- prayer”.

The Alter Rebbe said “When I had, with the help of G-d, established myself in the knowledge of the Torah, I sought havanah (understanding). In those days two places were talked about — Vilna and Mezritch. In Vilna one learned how to study, and in Mezritch one learned how to pray. I was in search of the understanding which resides in the heart. So I went to Mezritch and there, thank G-d, I found what I was seeking, and in generous measure.” (Likutei Dibburim III page 483)

Let us be clear that the Alter Rebbe was already one of the greatest geniuses of Torah in his generation and was completely proficient in the Kabbalistic writing of the Zohar, Arizal etc. His entire work of the Tanya and...

Access the next 2 parts of this discourse in our Master Class Chassidic Masters series and the pdf notes on the class. Click here

By Rabbi Amichai Cohen

Characteristics of the month

Permutation of G-d’s Name:  יהוה) הוהי) Hey, Vav, Hey, Yud

Tribe: ראובן Reuven

Letter: ח Chet

Constellation: סרטן Cancer

Sense:  ראיה Smell

Body part: עינים The eyes

Tammuz is the name of Dumuzi, the Acadian sun-god (the Adonis of the Greeks), the husband of the goddess Ishtar. In the Chaldean calendar there was a month set apart in honor of this god, the month of June to July, the beginning of the summer solstice. At this festival, which lasted six days, the worshippers, with loud lamentations, bewailed the funeral of the god, they sat "weeping for Tammuz" ( Ezekiel 8:14 )

How do we resolve this apparent contradiction? Why would a Jewish month be named after an idol? The source of idolatry is the worshiping of the self, the worshiping of the body. Tammuz is a month where someone has the ability to access G-d in the deepest of ways or there is the ability for a person to worship the self and become absorbed...

By: Rabbi Amichai Cohen

The word enlightened by definition means having light. The analogy of light is found across all religions, philosophies and cultures.

In Kabbalah, the analogy of light is extremely important. The book of the Zohar or light, written by Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in the second century, and the book of the Bahir or illumination written in the first century by Rabbi Nechunia Ben Hakanah show the importance of light in Jewish mysticism. 

In Temple times, the menorah- candelabra served as the beacon light which shined the light of Jerusalem- a city of peace to the rest of the world. 

The symbol of the Menorah was so important, that in fact on the famous Titus archway in Rome, the Menorah was etched as a symbol of conquest of the land of Israel. 

The Menorah continues to serve as the symbol of the modern state of Israel and is even more the sign of Judaism than Star of David. 

Aaron The High Priest

In the tabernacle, Aaron, the high priest would...

By Rabbi Amichai Cohen

Do you question if now is the right time to move?

Research finds moving to new locations (and getting married..) as one of the  most stressful events in one's life. Anxiety about so many unknowns consume our thoughts before the move, while the adjustment period takes a mental tole on us as we settle into our new surroundings.

Here are some Torah tips for how to know when the right time to move is and how to mentally prepare.

In the Torah portion of B'halotcha, the Torah discusses the travels of the Jewish people in the desert.

The 12 tribes of the Israelites were divided into 4 camps, each camp consisting of 3 tribes. In the middle of the 4 camps was the Tabernacle, which stored the ark that housed the tablets -the Ten Commandments. 

During the 40 year sojourn in the desert the Jewish people traveled 42 journeys. 

The Ba'al Shem Tov says that just as the Israelites traveled 42 journeys, so too each individual has 42 journeys in their...

 By: Rabbi Amichai Cohen

"For the Unification of The Holy One Blessed Be- He and His Shechina"

In Chapter 19 of the Keter Shem Tov, the Ba'al Shem Tov explains the meditation found before the beginning of the prayers (according to the Alter Rebbe's Siddur of the Ari) and before the performance of Mitzvot called "L'shem Yichud- לשם יחוד קודשא בריך הוא ושכינתי׳ה״". 

What is this unification. The Ba'al Shem Tov explains that "Kudsha Brich Hu", G-d's male aspect which incorporates the first 6 emotional Sefirot called Zeir Anpin in the Zohar (watch class for elaboration) becomes glorified by Malchut or Shechina, the feminine and 7th Sefirah of the 10 Sefirot.

How does is this glorification happen?

The Ba'al Shem Tov explains that G-d created the world via speech. The Mishna in Pirkei Avot (Ethics of Our Father's) say "the world was created through 10 forms of speech (found in the beginning of the Torah in Genesis). 

If we compare speech within our human components we...