Sha’ar 2:14 – Teshuva on Yom Kippur
Mitzvas Aseh to do teshuva on Y”K. What’s added beyond mitzvas teshuva of all year? 1) There is a chiyuv to engage in cheshbon hanefesh and uncover cheit that we were unaware of until now 2) On Y”K the Torah
Ikar hadin & Middas Chassidus in Shiflus
Deepest simcha generated by shleimus that comes from hisbatlus. Why? Because that shelimus is more internal/intrinsic. Shiflus keeps us away from Ga’ava. Rambam holds that not replying at all to bizyonos is a middas chasidus. It’s mei’ikar hadin according to
The Role of Nisayon in Living up to our Potential
The role of nisyonos in pushing us to grow. Adversity as an opportunity. Setting realistically ambitious goals for ourselves to achieve that which we are capable of.
Sha’ar 2:14: Life and Teshuva are Both Gifts
Sha’ar 2:14: “l’hapil techina”, like v’eschanan – asking for a matnas chinam. All of life is really a matnas chinam. We, however, incorrectly live with a sense of entitlement. The matnas chinam of teshuva even surpasses the matnas chinam of
Sha’ar 4:14: Yirah and Simcha
Rina & tefillah. Why would he be singing rina, praise, in a time of fear, i.e. during Aseres Yemei Teshuva and Y”K? The flip side of machiyos / din of Aseres Yemei Teshuva is HKB”H making himself close / available
Sha’ar 4:14: Activities and Feelings at a Time of Teshuva
Rabbeinu Yona is describing how one acts during Aseres Yemei Teshuva, but the elements listed are for any time one feels a need to make such a cheshbon. When one takes away from his sleep to daven, he is sacrificing
Sha’ar 2:14: To have yiras Shomayim one simply has to be in touch with reality
If we take things at face value and respond appropriately, that will result in the yiras Shomayim required of us. Have to simply not deny reality; yiras Hashem itself is natural, and results from being attuned to, recognizing, and responding
Sha’ar 2:13: Identifying with What We Learn
Sha’ar 2:13: We must delve deeply into Torah, and there must not be any gap between us and what we’re learning. We must completely identify with the Torah we learn, e.g. with what we learn in Navi, mussar, etc.
Avos 4:4: Being Extremely Careful Regarding Ga’ava and Ka’as
Ga’ava (delusion / arrogance) and Ka’as (Anger) are both extremely volatile traits, and as such we must go to an extreme to avoid them. However, it must be done in a way that does not lead to outcomes that the
Why Rabbis Shouldn’t Endorse Candidates. The Importance of Voting and of Keeping a Low Profile in Chutz La’aretz.
The Rav zt”l refused to endorse political parties. Figuring out who to vote for involves venturing outside Torah (into politics, economics, etc.), and when people venture outside of Torah in the name of Torah, Torah becomes politicized, which it shouldn’t