story
The Kosel – site of Unity, site of disparity
Last Shabbos, Parshas Vayetzei, I had the privilege to be in Yerushalayim for Shabbos. When I come to Yerushalayim, I am always drawn to the Kosel. If I am there to sing a wedding, I try to make it to the Kosel before I have to be at the hall. It’s always amusing walking down…
Read MoreSensing Kedusha – part two
In a previous post, I spoke about the idea of sensing the holiness of Eretz Yisrael, and quoted the story I heard about the Rizhiner. In it, the rebbe implied to his chossid that the lack of sensitivity to the holiness of Eretz Yisrael was due to a certain lack of spirituality akin to a…
Read MoreSensing Kedusha
A few days ago, I played at a simcha, and had the chance to rent a car. On my way home, I was driving through Ramat Bet Shemesh Bet, and I picked up a chossid to give him a lift. He noticed I was American, and asked about my feelings toward Eretz Yisrael. He explained…
Read MoreFall of the US
Yeah, that title got your attention! It’s so funny, because the last place I would have expected to hear that the US is falling is in the misrad haklitah – the office for absorption. See, my wife and I officially made aliyah a little less than three years ago after living here for over five…
Read MoreSinging for real
I would like to share the following story that has happened on a number of occasions, with slight variations. There is something deep and human about this experience, as you will soon see. As you may know, Hashem sends me parnassah through music – I play and sing at weddings and other simchas. Quite often,…
Read MoreWorth fighting for
My sister in New York shared the following about a Rav and his son who very recently spent time here in Israel. They came to celebrate his Bar Mitzvah, and as part of his trip here, they decided to deliver pizza to the troops fighting in Gaza. As the rabbi and his son were giving…
Read MoreMiracles in Ashdod
My wife attends a weekly shiur in chinuch from a certain Rebbetzin Fried (name changed). Rebbetzin Fried has a son who lives in Ashdod. Her son went to ask Rav Kanievsky if it was wise to remain in Ashdod, and Rav Kanievsky said that it is NOT a danger to remain there. She then told…
Read MoreThere's Hashgacha everywhere
Guest post by Daniel The low number of Jewish casulaties from Hamas rocket fire is a great kindness to klal Yisrael. It is important to recognize such great kindness from Hashem. It is also important to recognize kindness on a personal level. Here is a kindness that was done for me: With my tight budget…
Read MoreGetting the message
I just heard the following story from my rav. A wealthy man came to a certain gadol last week. He told the gadol that he had recently lost thirty million dollars. The wealthy man asked for a bracha for his parnasah. Asked the gadol, “Do you have bread on your table?” “Yes, baruch Hashem, we…
Read MoreMissing the point
I heard the following story in the name of R’ Shimshon Pincus z’l. Rabbi Boruch Adler* was asked to give a shiur to a mixed group of people, comprised of both scholars and unlettered individuals. He was forewarned that he should make sure to explain and translate words or concepts that might be foreign to…
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