This week's Torah portion describes the last of the 10 plagues: Death to all firstborns in Egypt. Rav Noah describes the harshness of the decree, and the price every Jewish firstborn had to pay to be excluded from it. Hear the vital lesson this plague teaches us, and the choice we all have to escape it.
At Kiryas Yam Suf G-d bestowed enormous prophetic vision to His beloved Jewish nation. Soon after Moshe leads them into the hot and dry dessert for three days - without water! They ask Moshe “What should we drink?” Under the circumstances is this how they should have addressed Moshe? Rav Noach explains the nature of and correction for this corrosive attitude.
On the eighth day after assembling and disassembling the Ohel Moed the people asked Moshe when will God appear? Moses said today. And sure enough Hashem sends down a fire and ‘licks up’ their heartfelt sacrifices. Then suddenly a tragedy occurs. Nadav and Avihu were smitten by a different fire that God sent. Why? What is the message? What did we leave out ?
The story of Korach's rebellion is mystifying. We hear about a nation that saw Hashem talking to Moshe at Har Sinai, and soon afterwards they directly challenged him. And the frightening punishment facing them made no difference. Rav Noach brings out a beautiful point regarding 'arguments and evidence', and how the simple flowering of Aharon staff showed a simpler, softer way to deal with disputes.
A person’s name is much more than just a name. In fact the name Moshe was not given by his father or by God. And rarely were his other nine names used. Rav Noach looks into the concept of how our ‘intentions’ will change the way our lives unfold.
The well of Miriam stopped giving water the moment she died. Is it necessary to hear frightening outcomes that shake us up? Would you agree that God's world in general runs amazingly smooth with bumps along the way. Rav Noach makes some distinct points about cause and effect, and the lack of sensitivity to how our actions affect others.
Would Midyan have tried to seduce any other nation with the same malicious venom they directed at Jewish spirituality? "Of course not" says Rav Noach. The world at large has a special dislike for the Jewish worldview which brings in its wake higher consciousness. So he asks "Do we hate ourselves as well, and in the same way?"
Fast days commemorate a specific event in history. They are also a special time for introspection, change & correction. Hear Rav Noah's account of what the 10th of Teves is about, and our opportunity to affect a tikun.
Our holidays are times of growth and opportunity. Rav Noah points to an opportunity of growth this Chanukah and how to appreciate the miracle. If you are looking for an inspirational challenge this Chanukah, this may be an interesting place to start.
If you could get more pleasure in life, how much would you go for? Would you say ‘the sky's the limit' like Rav Noah does? In his classic talk on the 5 levels of pleasure, learn how counterfeit pleasures attract your attention but saps your energy, while true pleasure fills you with vitality and joy. Hear what the quantum leaps in pleasure are from one level to the next. An important class.