Rabbi Avi Geller has been a senior lecturer at Aish Hatorah since 1980. He is an alumnus of Lakewood, Be'er Yaakov and Mir Yeshiva and gives a very popular weekly Parsha class in Jerusalem's Old City. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife and 8 children.
The story of Purim has more palace hi-jinks and plot twists than Shakespeare's 'Hamlet'. A proud, foolish king who shocks the world by beheading his gorgeous royal wife; the scheming genocide plan of Haman; the heroic Esther; and Mordechai, the wisest of the generation leading a confused nation in exile. Rabbi Geller's theatrical enthusiasm turns this classic suspense thriller into a '60 Minutes' thriller.
The story of Purim has more palace hi-jinks and plot twists than Shakespeare's 'Hamlet'. The proud, foolish king; a gorgeous royal wife beheaded; the scheming plan of Haman for genocide; the heroic Esther; and Mordechai, the wisest of his generation trying to lead a confused populace in exile. Rabbi Geller's theatrical enthusiasm turns this enjoyable suspense thriller into '60 Minutes'.
Hop aboard the holiday train for a ride through the momentous experience called Shavuos. As one unified heart we as a nation receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai. Get a birds eye view of how we 'heard' the voices and 'saw' the sounds in this lively action-packed rerun of mankind's most cherished event. A Classic overview.
In this comprehensive introductory class, Rabbi Geller explains why Jews mark tragic days of the year by fasting and all the things a fast hopes to accomplish. He also discusses the three week mourning period leading up to Tisha B'Av - the saddest day of the Jewish year.
Listen to the dramatic story of Chanukah - from the first seeds of what bothered the Greeks about Jewish belief to the final triumph of the Maccabees. Hear the inner miracles of the Menorah lights, and how the true light of knowledge, which Jews put their lives on the line for, continues to burn brightly.
Judaism devotes a full day to celebrate the nobility of trees. Rabbi Geller presents an upbeat overview of the comparisons made from trees to man, and from water to Torah. And how mixing these core elements creates great top soil for meaningful growth. The joyous Tu B'shvat celebration is described with using many exotic fruits to accentuate its message.
Imagine viewing a sea split with precision, and twelve tribes marching through twelve channels on dry land, and then crashing down to swallow the Egyptians. Wow! The sages say making a match is equal to that. An exaggeration - or not? Also hear Rabbi Geller exuberantly present some excellent tools for succeeding and coping in marriage from several great matches described in Tanach.
The tongue is a powerful weapon, but unlike a hand gun which can lie idle or cause local damage, words can cross oceans and wreck massive destruction or they can repair and heal in ways nothing else can. How can we be sure to use this multifaceted tool in positive ways? Rabbi Geller gives a basic talk on the laws of Lashon Hara, derogatory speech, and teaches us what to avoid.
How many feel we are sort of entitled to life, or maybe it's more like a bestowed privilege? A simple way to test it is to ask 'if one of my senses suddenly went on the blink, would I feel cheated - or would I feel privileged that the remaining ones were still intact?' Expressing appreciation for all our showered treasures takes practice. Hear an inspiring high energy talk to upgrade your gratitude.
The Sabbath was a special gift to the Jewish people. A supernatural day to step back from our hectic lives, take a deep breath, and refocus on who we are and how we'd like to live. Hear a lively content filled overview of the day - as only Rabbi Geller can deliver.