Rabbi Manning – “V’Ahavta L’Raiacha KaMocha” Geneivat Da’at – misrepresentation and disclosure
Rabbi Manning – “V’Ahavta L’Raiacha KaMocha” Ahavat Reim –balancing altruism and self-interest
“Aharon’s Hesitation” by Rabbi Eliezer Kwass
Jewish Study Habits
The Sages’ manual for succeeding in Torah study, the 48 ways of acquiring Torah (Avot 6:5, the Baraita of Kinyan Torah), includes a number of striking elements that are very revealing about the Torah itself. After listing a number of study techniques – learning from a teacher, proper listening skills, verbalizing, and deep understanding – […]
“The Lesson of Yitzhak Avinu” by Rabbi Yisroel Choleva
Mrs. Devorah Rubin – Waiting for Adam’s Prayer
Intelligence, Wisdom, Torah and Humility
The connection between humility and Torah is very well developed in the teachings of Chazal and later rabbinic literature. The nature of this connection, though, demands some elaboration. Being highly intelligent and bright does not, unfortunately, preclude being arrogant. Sometimes it even seems that a high intelligence level feeds an arrogant person’s bloated self-image. Nevertheless, […]
Mordechai: Another Kind of Tzaddik
Humility Alongside the Jewish romantic image of the humble tzaddik — self-effacing, slightly bent-over, hidden, and devoted to all — is an alternate type of Jewish figure — powerful, unbending, strong, and even stubborn. Moshe, when pleading the case of the Jewish people after the sin of the Golden Calf, uses the term stiff-necked people […]
Redirection and Sanctification
Sefirat Haomer and Changing Character During the Omer, the 49 day period between Pesach and Shavuot, Jews have traditionally focused on character development. Our middot shiurim will share this focus during these weeks approaching Shavuot. Redirection and Sanctification The “Omer” itself was a barley sacrifice offered on the morning of the second day of Pesach. […]
Humility and Self-Esteem
Straightening Up After Bowing: Low self-esteem has often been called one of our generation’s main inner difficulties. Rabbi Abraham Twerski, MD has devoted a number of books and countless lectures to the importance of proper self-esteem. He makes a crucial point, very relevant to our discussion of humility – that cultivating self-esteem does not in […]