Emuna Beams

Low Clearance

A semitrailer was cruising down Florida Route 887 on the way to the Port of Miami tunnel. The driver saw a warning sign that fifteen feet was the maximum height for entering the tunnel. He was sure that his rig was no higher than 14'6" – he made a big mistake. The truck was actually 15'1"...

The Language of Emuna

If prayer were a commodity on the futures market, it would be the best investment anywhere. What's more, the dividends are phenomenal as we learn in today's inspiring podcast.

Rabbi Elazar Azkari: Yedid Nefesh

Rabbi Lazer takes us to the holy city of Tzfat where we visit the gravesite of the famed scholar, Kabbalist and poet Rabbi Elazar Azkari (1533-1600). He composed the beautiful melody Yedid Nefesh ("friend of the soul"), which we all sing on Shabbat. Included here are the original Hebrew lyrics in English transliteration and a lovely vocal rendition by Asaf Neve Shalom.

Chassidic Horse Tales

“If you don’t understand anything about horses, you certainly can’t make judgments about tzaddikim” (Rebbe Yisroel, the ‘Yanuka’ of Stolin). If you love horses and you love Chassidic stories, you’ll love this.

Finding the Good

We dedicate this lesson in memory of Rabbi Zecharia HaCohen Wallerstein, osb"m. In his famous discourse "Azamra," Rebbe Nachman of Breslev teaches the importance of finding the good within ourselves. That's the only way we'll be able to find the good in others.

Courageous and Compassionate

Dan was one of Jacob’s twelve sons, the patriarchs of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The great grandfather of the mighty Samson, Dan was a fierce and courageous warrior. But as fierce as he was, he taught his offspring to be kind and compassionate toward others. This message from his holy gravesite is especially important for the Omer period. This is an opportune time to rectify the sin of baseless hate.

Special Children, Special Parents

Today’s lesson provides practical tools for parents of special needs children. This is the type of living emuna that enables them to cope with the many challenges they face.

Windows in the Sky

The letters of the Hebrew alphabet have a very deep significance. They correspond to 600,000 windows in the sky that reflect 600,000 Divine illuminations. There are 600,000 letters in the Torah, each of which reflects a unique ray of Divine light. Likewise, there are 600,000 roots of souls, each which corresponds to a letter of Torah. These are all indications of how a person's name is so significant. Many secrets of the person's life mission and personality are hidden within one's name, as we learn in today's lesson.

Special Needs, Special Emuna

Raising a special needs child is not only a tremendous challenge, but a difficult test of emuna as well. Many parents of special needs children ask, "Why me?" Good question! Let's get some answers...

Emuna and the Four Sons

The account of the four sons in the Passover Haggadah is like a kaleidoscope where we see many different images. We see how four general types of people relate to emuna. What's more, we learn about four facets that are in each of us. As such, the Passover Seder and the story of the Exodus are as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago.

The Optimalist

It's great to be an optimist, but life is even better for an optimalist; here's the difference:

The Proper Way to Lift

The most common pre- and post-Passover injuries stem from improper lifting. While changing dishes and frequently lifting heavy cartons, many people come away with sore backs that ruin their holiday. This 5-minute instructional vid will help you avoid straining your back, not only before and after Passover, but all year long.