Tammuz 6, 5772 · June 26, 2012 | Editor's Note:
| Dear readers, Ever study a particular Torah text, only to think the idea seems to repeat itself? I remember one such occasion as a yeshivah student. We were studying a particularly difficult and lengthy chassidic text. I had asked my teacher/guide why three pages were spent saying what appeared to be the very same thing over and over again. He looked at me and smiled, "When the text seems to be repeating itself, it's a sign that you are studying it superficially. Learn it again, focus on the nuances, and you'll notice the profound manner in which this idea is developed." Sure enough, he was right. And this lesson can be applied in so many areas of Jewish life: I just said these words of prayer yesterday . . . Another Seder . . . Didn't I hear this story before? . . . When a prayer, mitzvah, or Torah idea begins to feel stale, it's helpful to ask if we've properly focused on that particular concept and thought about what it means to us at that moment. A good prayer is different from yesterday's. Even though I am saying the same words, my perspective and awareness have been honed. And taking a moment to pause, reflect and focus can bring new meaning and depth to any mitzvah. Enjoy your read! Yisroel Cotlar,
Responder for Ask the Rabbi @ Chabad.org |
 | By Rea Bochner |  |
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By Tali Loewenthal | | | | | As we grow older, we learn to appreciate the beauty and vital necessity of friendship; in hindsight we discover that losing a friend over an inability to forgive is mere vanity.
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| | | | Judaism 101 | | | We are planning the unveiling for my mother. Is it ok to plant flowers on her gravesite?
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By Chaya Sarah Silberberg | | | | | The KGB knew very well what a Tanya is. What plausible explanation could I give if it were detected? . . .
By Yerachmiel Tilles | | | | Audio | | | | | | | Video | | | Mitzvah Boat is ready for a mitzvah adventure but he can't find Sarah and Avi. Can you help him find them? By Dovid Taub | | | | | Is having three people a prerequisite for a "zimun" (invitation to recite Grace), or is it merely ideal? By Mendel Kaplan | | | | | While devoting yourself to helping others, safeguard time for your own spiritual and emotional growth. Focus energy inward as well as outward. By Chana Weisberg | | | | Chabad.org Oldie | | | Why did the Creator have to "speak" in order to create? Wouldn't it be so much more wonderful if we were all just a thought?
By Tzvi Freeman | | | | | |
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