Rebbetzin Heller is a senior lecturer at Neve Yerushalayim College in Jerusalem. Amongst her many areas of expertise are the role of women in Judaism and analysis of the lives of women in the Bible. Rebbetzin Heller herself is an example of a woman who has managed to balance her responsibilities as the mother of a large family with her roles as international speaker and author.
Yom Kippur is awesome, but also long and confusing. Rebbetzin Heller reviews the purpose of each prayer one at a time. Hear a concise, meaningful explanation of what to expect during each segment of the day, which parts you should be careful not to miss, and when are the best times to catch a break. After this talk any fear of getting lost in shul on Yom Kippur will be a thing of the past.
How do our deeds define us? A person's soul is endlessly luminous. But as we grow, we wrap curtains of deeds around ourselves that mute or totally dim the power of our glow. And of course, the more a sin becomes engrained, the harder it becomes to uproot. Burnish your soul's dullness back to its original luster by understanding the seder of the Yom Kippur Service.
To better understand who we are, first take a look at who we aren't. Rebbetzin Heller describes the Greek and Jewish cultures with a colorful reflection of contrasts. This will define the responsibilities of a Jew and also the privilege of carrying on the ideals our grandparents lived for, and also fought for.
To get a better idea of who we are, let's first take a look at who we aren't. In a colorful reflection of contrasts, Rebbetzin Heller describes the basic world views of Greek and Jewish cultures, and how this not only defines the responsibilities of a Jew, but also their privilege in carrying forth ideals that their grandparents lived and sacrificed for.
Chanuka is about the violent clash of ideologies between the Greek and Jewish outlooks on reality. Hear Rebbetzin Heller's comprehension of transcendence, and what it means to bring light into darkness at times you feel very far from God. Taking this perspective into the homes you build and the families you create reflects our greater journey towards the Divine.
What do speech, halachah, praise and Chanukah have in common? Delineated are four kinds of speech, and how one can reach a desire to truly serve Hashem. By understanding these concepts, the story of the great risks taken by the Maccabim to fight a hopeless war come into beautiful focus.
Each of the six days of creation symbolized one thousand years of the world's physical existence. Where did the phenomenal powers of Mordechai and Esther originate, and how were they able to use these powers to fight off the negative influences at the times they lived? Hear the Purim story from the very different and deeper vantage point of Rebbetzin Tzipora Gottlieb.
The threads that tied Mordechai, Esther, and Haman together stem from emunah and disbelief. How do we remove the insidious 'doubt' that Amalek poisoned our veins with? Learn about the overt and quiet roles that Mordechai and Esther played, as they used prayer as a way to strip evil of its allure. Rebbetzin Heller explains how to prepare for Purim, and how to keep the meaning of the day up front while enjoying all the festivities.
How did Esther's being an orphan from birth create an awareness of God that molded her into who she became? Hear the significance of her tribal origins, and how her refusal to bow put her center stage.
What brought on our national death sentence during the days of Achashverosh? Hear how superficiality alters how we view even our most important values. Rebbetzin Heller reviews the four mitzvos of this merry day, and the changes they are make within us.