What is the unrelenting attraction of Yom Kippur that draws hordes of unaffiliated Jews into shuls to fast and pray? It's the power of change. Learn a effective way to examine yourself and pinpoint which areas are most worthwhile for you to work on.
The war against the Greeks began when Mattisyahu brazenly slew a Jewish traitor. Why did it take so long for someone to stand up? In Rav Noah's last public address before his passing, he reveals the essence of his personal drive and vision - and the miracles that resulted.
We know that for instance, learning Torah will not exempt one from his obligation to pray, to help a friend, or to wear Tefillin. But Rav Noah asks, to what extent will one's intensive Torah study bring one to acquire the fear and reverence of God? Perhaps the mitzvah of fearing God really requires a separate understanding and undertaking?
Each person is more than an individual - each is an independent world. Rav Noah navigates past the roadblocks we erect in front of our potential greatness, and encourages us to reach within our own universe to change in a ways that only we are capable of.
The Rabbis teach that the world was created for you. Wow, to eat and do whatever I want with it? With his typical down-to-earth humor, Rav Noah pokes fun as he encourages us to touch the dormant greatness lying just beneath the surface. Touching your inner potential can unleash a power that can bring you and the world back to its completion.
Ever complain of Divine abandonment - where all you see in life is barren and wasteful? With energy and good humor Rav Noah points out how often we experience God's outpouring of blessings - yet somehow seem to dismiss it. Hear what distracts us from acknowledging all the blessings we have in all we see.
Joy makes you feel good about yourself along with an anticipation that life has great things coming your way. When you have joy you have more energy, motivation and confidence to achieve your goals that otherwise might appear way beyond your grasp. Joy is more than a random happening - learn how to make it a part of your daily experience. This class of Way #8 is on the previous tape or CD.
A valuable tool to succeed in life is the ability to have full concentration by filtering out distracting thoughts or emotions. There are six levels of concentration, some of which we can tap into by understanding how they work, and the others we can reach through a step-by-step process.
The tape or CD of this class contains Way #9 and #10.
Those living in Israel who cherish Yom Ha'atzmaut are faced with a puzzling contradiction. They are glad to be living here and speak about the gift of the Holy Land, yet because of all the internal dissension so many chose to leave. Rabbi Weinberg urges us to think through certain ideals we've taken for granted: What is independence? Why are we here? Why is this land so precious?