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....