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This week’s Torah reading includes the mitzvah of eglah arufah, a ritual act whereby the neck of a calf is broken to ato...
13/08/2026

This week’s Torah reading includes the mitzvah of eglah arufah, a ritual act whereby the neck of a calf is broken to atone for the murder of a person slain by an unknown assailant.

A Jew’s life is his connection to G‑dliness. The field refers to a place outside the realm of holiness. It is not innately negative. On the contrary, food grown in a field sustains man. Nevertheless, in the field, one can meet “Esau… the man of the field” and be influenced by him. Once outside the realm of holiness, it is easy to slip into seeking worldly accomplishments and pleasures without a G‑dly intent. This is spiritual death — the cessation of the person’s bond with G‑d.

The calf was brought to absolve the people of the neighboring city for their responsibility for the person’s death. Why are they held responsible? Seemingly, the one who has died is at fault. After all, he left the city, a place of Torah, and went out to the field? Why are the city elders responsible for his death?

The mitzvah of eglah arufah highlights the inner bond that ties all Jews together, connecting us even to those who have made wrong choices and are found “in the field.”

The elders of the city model the obligation that applies to us all by declaring: “Our hands did not spill this blood.” Our Sages explain that they are saying that they did not let the slain person depart the city without providing him with food and an es**rt. “Food” refers to Torah study. Before a Jew goes out to the field, the Jewish community must provide him with spiritual nurture and see that others accompany him, so that he will not face the challenges of the field alone.

Parshas Shoftim is always read in the month of Elul, which starts this Friday. This month, as explained in the renowned analogy of the Alter Rebbe, “the King is in the field.” Every Jew should leave the security of the “city,” the established Jewish community, and extend himself to Jews in the “field,” helping them find their way back to their Jewish heritage. And he should do so with happiness, emulating the King who “accepts all with a gracious countenance and beams a shining countenance to all.”

Shabbat Shalom!

Candle lighting time in NYC: 7:37 PM

This week’s Torah reading contains the commandments to build a Temple in Jerusalem. It describes the pagan practice of o...
06/08/2026

This week’s Torah reading contains the commandments to build a Temple in Jerusalem. It describes the pagan practice of offering sacrifices in many places and explains that the Jews should not worship G‑d in such a manner. Instead, they should construct for Him a Temple and offer their sacrifices there.

The commentaries offer two explanations for this command:
a) that the Jews have a centralized place for worship;
b) that G‑d have a dwelling place in this world, a place where His presence would be revealed and manifest.

Both of these motifs are significant. One of the fundamental principles of Judaism is that our relationship with G‑d is expressed as a people, a nation with a shared identity, not merely a group of individuals. True, the Divine service of every individual is important, but G‑d also looks at the nation as a whole. To emphasize this point, sacrifices may be offered only in one place.

But over and beyond the service of the Jewish people, the Temple exists as — to quote this week’s Torah portion — “the place which G‑d chose to cause His name to rest.” This is the fundamental purpose of the Temple: for there to be a place where G‑d’s presence will be visibly perceptible.

The lack of such a place is the true hardship of exile and the motivation for our hope and expectation for Mashiach’s coming, may it happen immediately!

Shabbat Shalom!

Shabbat Candle Lighting Time in NYC: Friday, 7:46 PM

This week’s Torah reading contains Vihayah Im Shamoa, a passage so central to Judaism that it is included in the daily S...
30/07/2026

This week’s Torah reading contains Vihayah Im Shamoa, a passage so central to Judaism that it is included in the daily Shema and written in tefillin and mezuzos.

This passage mentions the observance of critically important mitzvos: wearing tefillin, studying Torah, and affixing mezuzos. These mitzvos serve as constant reminders of G-d’s presence, keeping Him at the forefront of our lives.

These mitzvot, however, also appear in the first paragraph of the Shema. What makes Vihayah Im Shamoa significant is its promise of reward and punishment.
When we observe G‑d’s will, we will be blessed with prosperity, and if we fail to do so, we will be punished by hardship, difficulty, and exile. The intent is clear. Our deeds determine our future.

Many dismiss this as a childish view of religion. Rewards and punishments may seem suitable for children, but adults often feel G-d is far beyond such a system. He is transcendent, and as such, He is above handing out prizes for good conduct and punishment for disobedience.

How far from the truth! Human accountability is fundamental to Judaism. Without consequences for our actions, life would have no order or design. Alternatively, G‑d would be controlling everything by absolute decree and then it would make no difference how we conduct ourselves.

Instead, man determines his fate through his actions. Just as cause and effect govern the physical world, they also govern the spiritual one.

This is precisely why the idea is difficult to accept: it's easier to deny judgment than to accept that every action has consequences.

This said, G‑d’s scales of justice are determined by His own unfathomable judgment, not ours. He is truly infinite and controls the world as He sees right. As Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev would say: “When I was a young man, I thought I could give G‑d a lot of advice about how to run the universe. As I grew older, I realized that He was doing just fine.” Our mission is to attune ourselves to His will and live in consonance with His standards.

Shabbat Shalom!

Candle lighting time in NYC: 7:54 PM

Our Sages tell us that on the day the Temple was destroyed, Mashiach was born. And our Rabbis note that Tishah B’Av, sta...
22/07/2026

Our Sages tell us that on the day the Temple was destroyed, Mashiach was born. And our Rabbis note that Tishah B’Av, starting tonight, always falls on the same day of the week as Passover, the holiday of our Redemption.

This is by no means coincidental; both days are symbolic of redemption. Although Tishah B’Av marks a national calamity of awesome magnitude, the thrust of the day is not towards descent and tragedy, but towards redemption and return.
Indeed, for that reason, Tishah B’Av is referred to as a moed, festival, and, in the Ultimate Future, will be celebrated as a holiday. Indeed, even in the present age, there are certain dimensions of the observance of the day that are associated with the festive quality that will ultimately be revealed.

These concepts are alluded to in the prophet’s description of the exile with the analogy of sowing seeds, as the prophet says, “I will sow [Israel] unto Me in the earth.” When harvested, the produce that grows from seeds greatly exceeds the quantity initially sown.

For this growth to take place, the exterior husk of a seed must utterly decompose. Only then, can its kernel flourish into a flowering plant. In a similar way, the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash and our people’s exile were intended to strip away all superficiality and allow the Jewish people to blossom into fulfillment in the Era of Redemption.

Moshiach Now!

Shabbat Shalom!

Candle Lighting Time in NYC: Friday, 8:01 PM

This week’s Torah reading describes the Jewish people’s journey through the desert as they approached Eretz Yisrael. Rat...
16/07/2026

This week’s Torah reading describes the Jewish people’s journey through the desert as they approached Eretz Yisrael. Rather than enter the land directly, G-d commanded them to avoid the territories of Edom, Moab, and Ammon. Although these nations were related to the Jewish people, they were allowed to keep their lands.

Our Sages explain that G-d originally promised Abraham the lands of ten nations, yet the Jews inherited only seven when they entered Israel. The remaining three—Edom, Moab, and Ammon—will become part of the Jewish inheritance only in the Messianic era.

The Land of Israel represents more than geography. It symbolizes our Divine service. Kabbalah teaches that creation is structured through ten Sefiros, Divine attributes reflected within every soul. These are divided into seven emotional qualities and three intellectual ones.

Accordingly, the seven Canaanite nations represent the emotions, while the three nations whose lands await the era of Mashiach correspond to the intellect. Our present mission is primarily to refine our emotions, for it is our feelings that most powerfully drive our actions.

The conquest of Canaan therefore symbolizes an inner struggle: will we master our emotions or be mastered by them? The Canaanites embodied selfish, materialistic living. The Jewish mission was to transform their land into a place where G-d’s presence could dwell.

The same is true within ourselves. We will always experience love, fear, and other emotions. The question is whether they will serve our own interests or be directed toward holiness, kindness, and reverence for G-d. Conquering the seven nations means refining our emotional lives so they become expressions of selflessness and holiness.

Shabbat Shalom!

Candle lighting time: 8:07 PM

We are now in middle of the Three Weeks, the period of semi-mourning associated with the destruction of the Temple. In t...
09/07/2026

We are now in middle of the Three Weeks, the period of semi-mourning associated with the destruction of the Temple. In that vein, our Sages relate: “A lion ascended — this refers to Nebuchadnezzar — in [the month with] the sign of a lion — the fifth month (Av) — and destroyed Ariel — “the lion of G‑d” (the Temple) — so that a lion — this refers to G‑d — will come in [the month with] the sign of a lion and rebuild Ariel, for it is written: ‘I will transform your mourning to rejoicing’ and it is written: ‘G‑d will rebuild Zion and gather in the dispersed remnant of Israel.’”

One of the labors forbidden on the Sabbath is destroying a building. Our Sages question this ruling, noting that one is not liable for any labor performed with a destructive intent. They explain that, in truth, the forbidden labor for which one is liable on the Sabbath is not simple, wanton destruction, but destroying with intent to rebuild. For then the destruction is not the goal, but the rebuilding that takes place afterwards. Hence, the destruction is considered as a positive activity.

Now if the lion ascending and destroying the Temple is so that “the lion — the Holy One, blessed be He — will come and rebuild” the Temple, the destruction is, in essence, not a negative act. Certainly, it’s tragic and must be mourned, but it is a phase in a process, not an ultimate goal.

Moreover, in the present era, when we can sense the advent of the Future Redemption, we can proceed with confidence and joy, watching as the light of Mashiach draws closer and anxiously anticipating the rebuilding of the Temple.

Mashiach Now!

Shabbat candle lighting time in NYC: Friday, 8:11 PM

Shabbat Shalom!

This week’s Torah reading begins: “Pinchas, the son of Elazar turned My wrath away from the children of Israel by zealou...
02/07/2026

This week’s Torah reading begins: “Pinchas, the son of Elazar turned My wrath away from the children of Israel by zealously taking up My cause among them. Therefore I have granted him a covenant of peace. He and his descendants will possess an eternal covenant of priesthood, because he zealously acted on behalf of his G‑d.”

Our Sages identify Pinchas with the prophet Elijah. Elijah’s Divine service was also characterized by zealousness, as it is written: “I have been very zealous for the sake of G‑d, the L-rd of Hosts.” When making this statement, however, Elijah contrasted his own conduct with that of the Jewish people at large, whom he criticized for “forsaking [G‑d’s] covenant.”

G‑d refused to accept these words of criticism. He appointed Elijah as “the angel of the covenant” and charged him with attending the circumcisions of the Jewish people for all time to come, so that he would attest to our people’s faithful adherence to G‑d’s covenant.

With this, G‑d was teaching Elijah that his zealousness must be tempered with ahavas Yisrael, love for every member of our people, and that he must endeavor to seek out our people’s virtues. These traits became such an integral part of Elijah’s personal mission that when the prophet Malachi describes Elijah’s return to announce the coming of the Redemption, he states that Elijah will “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers.” Thus when the Rambam describes Elijah’s mission, he states that “he will come solely to establish peace.” To emphasize this direction from the outset, G‑d tells Pinchas that in reward for his zealousness, he is being given “a covenant of peace.” For without that modulating influence, much of the positive value of zealousness will be lost.

Shabbat Shalom!

Candle lighting time in NYC: Friday, 8:13 PM

The Train Mishap That Became a Mission: The Story of an Unexpected MorningMy morning began as a race against the clock. ...
26/06/2026

The Train Mishap That Became a Mission: The Story of an Unexpected Morning

My morning began as a race against the clock. I arrived at the station late, breathing a sigh of relief as I saw the train approaching. "Thank God," I thought to myself, "I caught it." But the train had other plans. It pulled into the middle of the station and came to a dead halt.
One minute passed, then another. For fifteen whole minutes, the train just stood frozen on the tracks. Tension began to rise, and the PA system finally announced what everyone had already figured out: there was a technical glitch, and the train would be delayed by 20 minutes.
I sat there frustrated, staring at my watch in disbelief. This delay weighed heavily on my conscience, especially since I remembered that yesterday I hadn't managed to move the "Tank" (the Mitzvah Tank/vehicle) to its proper spot. Everything felt stuck and stressful.
Ultimately, with an annoying 30-minute delay, the train finally pulled into Manhattan. I rushed out of the station onto the bustling street, hurrying toward my destination, trying to make up for lost time.

The Encounter Outside the Restaurant
Suddenly, a Jewish man walked out of a non-kosher restaurant on the street. He caught sight of me—visibly religious, with an unmistakable Jewish appearance—and looked at me.
"Shalom," he said.
"Shalom, how are you feeling?" I replied with a smile, and immediately asked the natural next question: "Tell me, did you get a chance to put on Tefillin today?"
That question unlocked something deep inside him. He looked around nervously and said with painful honesty that he was very afraid. He explained that lately, whenever he sees a religious Jew walking down the street in Manhattan, he is filled with anxiety that something will happen—that someone will attack him or me.
I looked at him and said, "Right now, more than ever, your job is to put on Tefillin. That is our shield."
He glanced self-consciously at his hands. "But I’m holding non-kosher food right here; I literally just walked out of that place. How can I possibly put on Tefillin like this?"
I smiled at him and said, "Tell me, if someone smokes and knows it’s dangerous and harmful to their health, does that mean they won't go to the doctor to treat the rest of their body? Of course they will. One Mitzvah doesn’t depend on another. Tefillin is your connection with Hashem, completely independent of anything else."

Closing the Circle for Dad
The words penetrated his heart. One thing led to another, and he agreed.
I pulled out the Tefillin, and as we began putting them on him, something inside him completely opened up. He became incredibly emotional. With glistening eyes, he shared a secret with me: "You don't understand... Today is my father's Yahrtzeit (anniversary of passing). Until this very moment, I hadn't done a single thing for the elevation of his soul today."
He continued, his voice trembling, to tell me that he has his father’s original Tefillin at home. Before his father passed away, he explicitly asked him to keep putting them on. But since the day his father left this world, he hadn't touched them or put on Tefillin even once. Until this exact moment.
The emotion on that Manhattan street was at an all-time high. The man put on Tefillin with immense intention, feeling his father right there with him.
Before we parted ways, we shook hands and agreed on one clear thing: next week, he is bringing me his father’s Tefillin so we can send them to be checked by a scribe, and from then on—he is going to start putting on Tefillin regularly.
Suddenly, I understood everything. The train didn’t delay because of a technical malfunction. It delayed because his father in Heaven wanted his son to put on Tefillin on his Yahrtzeit, and I needed to arrive at that exact minute to cross paths with him.

Yehuda Pevzner

This Shabbat is the 12th of Tammuz, the birthday of the previous Chabad Rebbe, the Rebbe Rayatz, R. Yosef Yitzchak Schne...
25/06/2026

This Shabbat is the 12th of Tammuz, the birthday of the previous Chabad Rebbe, the Rebbe Rayatz, R. Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, and the anniversary of his release from exile in Soviet Russia in 1927.

The Rebbe Rayatz spent the last ten years of his life in the United States, but he first visited in 1929. During that trip, he came to Philadelphia.

When word spread that the Rebbe was receiving visitors, several teenage Jewish boys became annoyed. They couldn't understand why an elderly Rabbi was attracting so much attention and decided to investigate.

They rang the bell at the house where the Rebbe was staying and were greeted by a chassid. Seeing others waiting in line, they insisted on meeting the Rebbe as well.

The chassid asked them to write what they wanted to discuss. They wrote that they wished to know how the Rebbe expected them to keep an old-fashioned religion in a modern world.

The note was taken to the Rebbe, who instructed that they be admitted before everyone else. When they entered, the Rebbe rose and arranged chairs for them. Partially paralyzed from beatings he had suffered under the Communists, this simple act left a deep impression.

“You’re probably wondering why I let you in first,” the Rebbe said. “Most people are asking for blessings. One has a sick daughter. Am I a doctor? Another wants success in business. Do I know investments? Out of love for my fellow Jews, I pray for them.

“But you came to ask about Judaism. That is my specialty. That is why you came in first.”

As they prepared to leave, the Rebbe added, “You’re wondering how to be Jews in America. Learn from me.

“There are 613 mitzvos. I do not fulfill all of them, but I do the best I can, and once I take a step forward, I do not go back.”

The Rebbe then encouraged each of them to take on a mitzvah.

The Previous Rebbe made enormous sacrifices to keep Judaism alive. What is one small thing you can do to keep Judaism alive in your life?

Shabbat Shalom!

Candle lighting time in NYC: Friday, 8:13 PM

This week’s Torah reading tells of Korach’s challenge to Moshe: “The entire nation is holy and G-d is among them. Why do...
18/06/2026

This week’s Torah reading tells of Korach’s challenge to Moshe: “The entire nation is holy and G-d is among them. Why do you exalt yourselves over the congregation of G-d?”

Many people supported Korach, Moshe’s cousin, so Moshe proposed a test. Korach and 250 followers would offer incense, as would Aaron the High Priest. G-d would accept one offering, and the others would perish. Aaron’s offering was accepted, while Korach and his household were swallowed by the earth.

At first glance, Korach’s claim seems reasonable. If every Jew possesses a spark of G-dliness, why should one person be elevated above another?

The answer lies in understanding leadership. The people were indeed holy, but holiness alone is not enough. Potential must be awakened, inspired, and expressed. That was Moshe’s role.

A true leader helps others realize and fulfill their potential. Without guidance and inspiration, even great qualities can remain dormant. Although the people possessed an essential G-dly spark, Moshe was charged with bringing that spark into open expression. Time and again, he motivated the nation to rise above its limitations and become who they were meant to be.

Moshe did not seek honor or personal gain. His position was a responsibility. He devoted himself completely to the welfare of his people, continually asking what he could do for them rather than for himself.

This lesson is as relevant today as ever. In every generation, we need leaders who inspire us to develop our strengths and fulfill our purpose. Rather than seeing such guidance as limiting, we should recognize that it enables us to achieve more than we could on our own.

At the same time, leadership is not reserved for a select few. In our homes, workplaces, and communities, each of us is called upon to lead at times. When that opportunity arises, we should follow Moshe’s example—serving selflessly, nurturing others, and using our influence to help them grow rather than to advance ourselves.

Shabbat Shalom!

Candle lighting time: 8:12 (NYC)

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