Mar 2nd, 2010
by rabbifink.
Last night I was invited to be a part of A Night for the Family at Pepperdine University. It was a memorable evening in more ways than one. (Read about it here: A Night for Family.)
I was asked to speak before a crowd that had just enjoyed seeing the life of Corrie ten Boom performed.
One message of that story is that is good, moral decisions do not happen in a vacuum. Children learn from their parents.
But how are we to instill the lessons we want our children to learn?
I was supposed to try and answer that question in 20 minutes.
Decide for yourself if I was mildly successful…
Dec 13th, 2009
by rabbifink.
As part of the festivities of our Chanukah Party on the beach, I addressed the attended with a speech on Chanukah and this week’s parsha, Miketz.
It was an addendum to my Shabbos drasha, which I hope to publish shortly.
Enjoy the class. Audio is below.
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Nov 22nd, 2009
by rabbifink.
Today’s class was another really informative and relevent topic.
We learned about fear, worry and anxiety.
With anxiety affecting tons of us it was interesting to find sources bemoaning the difficulty of dealing with anxiety as well as its debilitating nature.
Very enjoyable class, as always.
Audio is below.
All audio classes are available by clicking podcasts on the top of this page. Or just click here.
You can also subscribe to all classes in iTunes by clicking here.
Nov 2nd, 2009
by rabbifink.
Prayer is something so basic to all faiths and religions. Jewish ideas of prayer are decidedly different from other cultures. It is very important to learn about the Jewish approach to prayer.
I began the class by announcing that this was a topic I longed to discuss for a very long time. I finally felt that the time was right.
We asked all the basic questions about prayer. We asked some advanced questions about prayer.
Using ideas from Rabbi Chaim Volozhin and others we pieced together a rational approach to prayer that made sense to us.
It was a very exciting class with outstanding participation and a very alert listening audience.
I really recommend giving this class a listen.
All audio classes are available by clicking podcasts on the top of this page. Or just click here.
You can also subscribe to all classes in iTunes by clicking here.
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Oct 26th, 2009
by rabbifink.
Two words with very different meanings were discussed tonight.
Truth on the one hand and faith on the other.
In Judaism these are really two phases of life’s various challenges. Our discussion ranged from Abraham to smokers to ferrets.
It was quite an adventure and I invite you listen.
All audio classes are available by clicking podcasts on the top of this page. Or just click here.
You can also subscribe to all classes in iTunes by clicking here. (more…)
Oct 20th, 2009
by rabbifink.
At Connections this week we learned a lot about ourselves.
We began with a quote from Messilas Yesharim. The purpose of life is to perform mitzvos, to serve and to be tested. To be tested is the purpose of life?
We then discussed ordeals and tests in a traditional and more novel way. You will enjoy the approach. You can listen below.
I even managed another decent Seinfeld reference…
All audio classes are available by clicking podcasts on the top of this page. Or just click here.
You can also subscribe to all classes in iTunes by clicking here.
(more…)
Oct 18th, 2009
by rabbifink.
After a Holiday break, the Mesillas Yesharim class returned today. Today’s class was a bit shortened due to the extra long Rosh Chodesh prayers.
What was short on time was long on content. The end of the Seventh Chapter of Mesillas Yesharim contains what I find to be the most profound insight in the entire text.
We all are familiar with the common idea that if “one doesn’t feel ‘it’” we don’t feel comfortable acting that in way. We even call people who act in a way not consonant with their feelings hypocrites. The Ramchal has a completely different perspective and I strongly recommend listening to today’s class.
Audio is below.
All audio classes are available by clicking podcasts on the top of this page. Or just click here.
You can also subscribe to all classes in iTunes by clicking here.
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Sep 14th, 2009
by rabbifink.
This week we learned about the actual nature of the judgment of Rosh Hashana.
Using a unique approach from Rav Dessler, we resolved a difficult contradiction in Jewish philosophy and enjoyed great questions and insight from all the attendees.
This was our final class in the Preparing for Rosh Hashana Series.
All audio classes are available by clicking podcasts on the top of this page. Or just click here.
You can also subscribe to all classes in iTunes by clicking here.
Listen to the class here.
Sep 2nd, 2009
by rabbifink.
As we continue our journey through Elul, marching towards Rosh Hashana, Connections returned the Pacific Jewish Center.
Our approach was that if we are “preparing” for Rosh Hashana, we need to understand just what Rosh Hashana means. What is a succesful Rosh Hashana and how do we get there?
We analyzed one angle of Rosh Hashana that can help us this year on Rosh Hashana and throughout the year.
All audio classes are available by clicking podcasts on the top of this page. Or just click here.
You can also subscribe to all classes in iTunes by clicking here. (more…)
Aug 30th, 2009
by rabbifink.
This week we completed Chapter 6 of Mesillas Yesharim.
We began with a great discussion about Truth. We talked about how people fall into two categories. There are those who choose what they do and base their decision on what they believe to be the “truth” and there are others who merely follow the path in front of them and do not choose that path.
Another point of emphasis was the understanding that our natural state as humans is to be stationary. We are naturally lazy. Our task is to rise up from that laziness and elevate our lives to the point that we are thinking and choosing the life we live.
There’s plenty more of interesting Torah in the audio.
All audio classes are available by clicking podcasts on the top of this page. Or just click here.
You can also subscribe to all classes in iTunes by clicking here.
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Aug 16th, 2009
by rabbifink.
I returned to Venice after a short Summer break and today we resumed our Mesillas Yesharim class.
Highlights today included a very interesting insight from Maimonides regarding laziness and the “Golden Path”. My father told me that in the Shmona Prakim, Maimonides gives a very surprising opposite to laziness.
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Last night I was invited to be a part of A Night for the Family at Pepperdine University. It was a memorable evening in more ways than one. (Read about it here: A Night for Family.)
