Rav Yitzchak Berkovits, founder and director of The Jerusalem Kollel (www.thejerusalemkollel.com), is a widely respected authority on Halachah and well known for his telephone tapes on Shmiras Halashon. He is well known as a teacher and lecturer throughout Jerusalem and was ordained at the Mirrer Yeshiva, Jerusalem.
It is very difficult not to gossip. So maybe we should we all just tape our lips closed? Learn which speech is considered prohibited; how to prevent yourself from speaking it; and how to avoid getting caught up in it with others.
Reading the Chafetz Chaim on your own can lead to some unfortunate misconceptions about whom you may or may not speak lashon hara about. Many issues are clarified, such as speaking about a non-observant Jew, or even someone who is anti-religious. And where do non-Jews fit in to this picture? Listen for conclusions you may be unaware of.
Rav Berkovits gives a clear presentation of the laws of lashon hara, rechilus, and motzei shem rah - perfect for when you want to brush up on the halachos.
How does God expect us to deal with people who get on our nerves? And what does the Torah instruct with all the annoying, upsetting, and anger-provoking situations that usually end up ruining your day? Explore the causes of frustration and safe ways to 'let off steam' without causing yourself or others any harm.
If you can find the strength to admit your mistake, you have successfully passed the first hurdle. Join R' Berkovits in exploring the various ways to undo the damage we may have caused. Through real life scenarios, learn how to work your way backwards to a healthy solution, without slipping into further problems while fixing the first ones.
Addressing both teachers and parents, Rav Berkovits defines 'lashon hora', and clarifies what can be discussed about a child, and what not. He sets down halachic guidelines and offers practical advice on how to gently educate children on this topic without stifling them, or becoming overzealous. A great talk!
Ok, now you can hold yourself back from speaking lashon hara in the workplace, but how well can you conduct yourself without being tempted to listen to it? Hear the relevant halachos for the work environment, along with the common situations that easily draw our ears into the traps of hearing or speaking derogatory words.
Care in how we relate to others is not only good, but very wise. Rav Berkovits explains that by watching how easily we forgive our own fluctuating behavior, so we can begin to forgive others. It can happen that the folly of speaking on others may suddenly click.
The joke about 'whenever two Jews discuss a topic, a third opinion inevitably pops up' serves to remind us how much Jews differ. Considering all the outlooks and lifestyles within Jewish life today, how possible is it to consider oneself as part of a cohesive community? Rav Berkovits addresses the range of variables involved in choosing a suitable community and Rabbi for you and your family.
Why isn̢t marriage as smooth sailing after the chuppah as you envisaged it under the chuppah with your beautiful bride? Just consider, if your expectations came about as you'd like, would they necessarily be the best thing for you? This series of talks examines strife within a marriage, and how to correct difficult situations that sooner or later could likely come up.