Rabbi Noah Weinberg zt"l was the dean and founder of Aish HaTorah International. Over the last 40 years, his visionary educational programs have brought hundreds of thousands of Jews closer to their heritage.
How do we react when we witness an accident, or see people we know distantly in need? All to often we fall into the rubbernecking syndrome – we stop, stare, and then go merrily on our way. We need to push ourselves to help, and of course, to pray. After all, everyone is a human being, just like us. Avraham teaches an age-old lesson about caring for others in his example of praying for Sodom that we would do well to learn from.
The Bnei Cheit are mentioned ten times in the Torah when Avraham was wrangling with them to buy a burial plot for his wife Sarah. Why were these people, who were of little note in the spectrum of human history put into the limelight? Be inspired to see how history is truly being made as we live, and how you can realistically seize an opportunity to change the world.
Avraham earned Hashem’s approval from his ability to be kind to every human being. His daughter-in-law Rivkah also excelled in chesed, despite her sordid upbringing. What lifts a person to such levels of love and reaching out? Follow Rav Noah as he proves that everyone can learn to be a true chesed personality.
Have you ever withheld giving thanks to someone because you didn't want to feel beholden to them? Often, people will cover their discomfort by giving thanks to God instead. The backwards logic of this tendency reveals an interesting insight into our attitude about relationships.
We know that Reuven attempted to save Yosef from death at the hands of his brothers. So why if he tried to save him was he included in the punishment they all received for selling him? A powerful class on how responsibility sharpens your moral sensitivity, and the need to completely finish every mitzvah you do.
Yosef's brothers were speechless and mortified when he revealed himself to them. How could they have missed so many telling signs? Rav Noah makes a powerful point on just how easily we constantly deceive ourselves by ignoring messages sent to us in so many obvious ways.
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.
What did Yisro 'hear' that attracted him to the Jewish camp in the desert? Rav Noah explains the following: 'You are either with the Jews, or against them.' As we gain clarity on the harsh negativity most people have towards Jews, a new power is created to help you make positive changes in your life.
On his decent from Mt Sinai Moshe calls on the Jewish nation to stop idolizing the Golden Calf. Rav Noah asks why was God ready to wipe out the entire Jewish nation, and what prevented it? Hear strategic initiatives you can use today to preempt the necessity of being pushed into action.
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 ?