Torah Learning with Ari

The election of Barack Obama is for me a source of interest and what I would describe as an emotion bordering on the edge of excitement. Why? Because Hashem is clearly guiding our paths each day and each moment, both individually and nationally, and this election is bringing the final redemption closer. What makes me…

We’ve all heard that during the plague of darkness in Egypt, directly preceding the redemption, at least four-fifths of the Jewish people perished. We have also heard that the final redemption will parallel the redemption from Egypt, thus leading us to conclude that at least four-fifths of our people will Chas V’shalom not make it…

The passuk uses the words “והיה ביום ההוא” in numerous places to refer to the time of Moshiach. On the surface these words are quite innocuous. The gematria of these words is 101, which would seem to be insignificant. It gets interesting when you break down the letters as follows: וי”ו ה”י יו”ד ה”י (והיה)…

In the parsha this week, the passuk says the famous line: והיית אך שמח Interestingly, the gematria of the consecutive letters in bold is תשס”ט corresponding to the year 5769 that begins on the 30th day of September. Someone commented on the last gematria post that אליהו התשבי is also תשס”ט I also had mentioned…

The concept of Simcha – Joy – is mentioned six times in this week’s parsha, always in connection with family and the Beis Hamikdash. This week’s parsha podcast explores why. running time is approximately 16 minutes. Join over 400 people listening weekly be’H.

I don’t know if everyone is aware of how the current sack and ashes movement began. A few months ago, I came out of the Beis Medrash of my kollel, and as usual, there were a number of different books for sale. One book caught my eye. It was Daniel‘s book. Daniel is an autistic…

Should we be scared of a nuclear Iran? I present for you a beautiful piece from the Yalkut Shimoni (Yishaya 60): אמר ר’ שמעון בן פזי באותה שעה מגביה הקב”ה למשיח עד שמי השמים ופורש עליו מזיו כבודו מפני אומות העולם מפני פרסים הרשעים. אומרים לו אפרים משיח צדקנו הוי דיין על אלו ועשה בהם…

As I was saying the Kinos on Tisha B’av day, I was struck by something very interesting in the eighth Kinah. It goes like this:אילותי לעזרתי תרתי חזות, אימתי בכל שנה אומרת היא השנה הזאת, אידע לכל כי מודעת זאת, אם לא כי יד ה’ עשתה זאת The Artscroll translates:I seek to witness [the fulfillment…

I’m going to tell you a secret that will change your life. It was the 16th of Adar – Purim in Jerusalem, 5768. I had played a long dance set with my friend Yehuda David on the guitar, and myself on the keyboard and vocals for a small American Yeshiva in the neighborhood of Ezras…

Today I went with my family to a little park we call the “Shady Park,” which is a five minute drive from our home. We spent some nice time together, and then I went off for a few minutes of alone time. As I was walking along, I came across a group of ants, busily…