by Rabbi Yaacov Haber | Jul 15, 2016 | Chukat
The Kotzker Rebbe is reported to have instructed his Gabbai to seek a Chazan with a good heart. A good heart, he said, is so much more powerful than a good voice. Chazal often ask why one particular portion of the Torah is placed next to another, albeit apparently...
by Rabbi Yaacov Haber | Jun 24, 2016 | Behaalotcha
The Spiritual Summit Moshe Rabeinu, into his eighties, has been through a lot in the last two years. He’s been G-d’s messenger to bring the people out of Egypt, he performed miracles, he split the sea, he was the conduit for Torah descending from Heaven to...
by Rabbi Yaacov Haber | Jun 3, 2016 | Behar, Bechukotai
“In memory of my father in law Matisyahu ben Chaim Refael Poliakoff and his father Chaim Refael ben Menachem Mendel, whose Yohrtzeits we are commemorating this week. May Hashem give them a lichtigen Gan Eden.” There are two stark admonishments in the...
by Rabbi Yaacov Haber | May 27, 2016 | Behar, Bechukotai
The Torah tells us in stark terms what the outcome will be if we do not live up to specific expectations. The recurring theme is that we must not do what is described as ‘going with G-d ‘b’keri’ or indifference – casualness. “If you will be indifferent to Me; I...
by Rabbi Yaacov Haber | May 20, 2016 | Emor
There is a Midrash that at Aharon HaKohen’s funeral procession he was accompanied by 80,000 young men. There was a curious fact about all of these young men – they were all called Aharon. They were, in fact referred to as the Aharonim. Why were there so many...
