Torah – Page 11 – Study Torah Online: Live and Interactive Torah Learning with Rabbi Eliyahu Shear

Mesillat Yesharim – The Path of the Just – Chapter 1 – Lesson 12 – Man’s Obligation in the World

The study of Mussar is by no means quick learning. Even though we are twelve lessons into our learning – we are still on Chapter 1! We are talking about Man’s obligation in the world – his duty in the world.

Learn Talmud – Berachot – Lesson 34 – Daf 12b Part 2 (Koren Talmud Bavli) – Paragraph 3 of Keriat Shema

After concluding our discussion about the importance of praying for someone who is not well (or really to pray for anyone in need of anything), the Gemara turns to a discussion of how King Saul brought up the soul of Samuel the Prophet in order to find out what would happen to him the next day when he would engage in war with the Philistines.

Mesillat Yesharim – The Path of the Just – Chapter 1 – Lesson 11 – Man’s Obligation in the World

The Ramchal continues his introduction by telling us that this world is just a corridor before we enter into the World to Come. Here is the place where we improve and over there is where we receive our reward for the effort we put into serving God and working on ourselves in this world.

Lessons in Tanya – Lesson 38 – Chap 17b & Chap 18a – This Thing is Very Close to Your Heart to Do it

Continuing Chapter 17 the Alter Rebbe shares with us the manner in which the Beinoni can come to love God in the sense that through his intellect, he draws into his heart the excitement to actually perform the Mitzvot.

Learn Talmud – Berachot – Lesson 33 – Daf 12a Part 2 – 12b (Koren Talmud Bavli) – Pray For Others

The Rabbis instituted the way – the formula – for reciting blessings. As they set out the formula for reciting blessings, it is important that we keep to their formula. If the formula is a long one – a lengthy blessing, then we must recite it that way. We may not shorten it and make it a short blessing. On the other hand, if a blessing is a short one, we may not lengthen it.

Lessons in Tanya – Lesson 37 – Chapter 17 Part 1 – This Thing is Very Close to Your Heart to Do it

The essence of the Tanya is really based upon this famous verse in the Torah, “For this thing is very close to you in your mouth and in your heart to do it.” The problem with this verse, is that it has no real structure to it. Is it coming to teach us about the three garments of the soul – thought, speech and action? We could say that the mouth is speech, the heart is thought and doing it is action. But that makes no sense. Why does the verse indicate our connection with the Torah in a rather confused manner. It goes neither in order of thought, speech to action, nor in the order of action to speech and then thought. Rather, it seems somewhat jumbled up!

Mesillat Yesharim – The Path of the Just – Chapter 1 – Lesson 10 – Man’s Obligation in the World

If a person begins to contemplate deeper into their purpose in this world, they will realise that is fact, all things in the world are created to serve Man. Everything in creation is here singing a song as it desires to serve Man. And of course if that be the case, surely Man is here for a higher purpose too?!

Man has the serious responsibility of uplifting everything in creation to its upper higher spiritual realm. The stones sing their own song, the plants – their song, the animals – their song too. And they are all humming out loud “Use me in your service in serving God – that is what I am here for. I am here to be included in your service of serving God.” All these energies that we gain are then included in holy matters, and the whole of creation is uplifted to a much higher level!

But of course, if we don’t choose to go in that direction, we’ll just bring ourselves and everything down with us! That’s really the choice we all have. Are we going to uplift everything or are we going to bring everything down with us?!

When Yaakov (Jacob) wished to sleep on an important journey when he was outside, all the stones wished for him to put his head on them. Such is the “speech” of nature as it desires to be included in the holy.

Learn Talmud – Berachot – Lesson 32 – Daf 11b Part 2 – 12a (Koren Talmud Bavli) – Blessings

Our page of Talmud teaches us about the wording to be used when reciting the blessing for Torah study. There is a Mitzvah to recite a blessing before engaging in the study of Torah. But the Rabbis debate the exact wording to be used. Ultimately, they agree that all the versions are beautiful and therefore all the versions of the blessing should be used.

Lessons in Tanya – Lesson 36 – Chapter 16 Part 2 – The Beinoni Who Loves With An Intellectual Love

Chapter 16 focuses on the Beinoni who may have trouble loving God like the Tzaddik – who does so with the feelings of love already generated constantly within his heart.

Mesillat Yesharim – The Path of the Just – Chapter 1 – Lesson 9 – Man’s Obligation in the World

The tests in life are real! God has placed a person in this world in order to work through thousands upon thousands of tests. All this is in order to prepare for entering the World to Come.