Freelancing to Eternity
Freelancing is a lesson in humility with zero expectations. But the upside potential is also that much more. If only we could freelance with God…
Menachem Av and Elul
Featured Articles
Five Steps to Elul Success
Frustrated that you make the same goals every year with little change? Here are simple steps to ensure a favorable judgment for the coming year.
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God’s Total Dominion
The moon is concealed, yet we affirm our belief in god even when He does not reveal Himself. When we can declare, by faith alone, “God is King...
Selichot in Berditchev
"I don't know you, my friend, but have you no God in your heart? Would I drink mashke before I've washed my hands? Would I eat before I have said my morning prayers?
Just One Little Favor
Where else can we ask for one little favor, and get away with requesting a whole shopping list? This is the time to do it...
Elul: Love and Fear
How can a person both feel the fear of someone, and yet the love of that person at the SAME time? Don't parents and children struggle with this very question?
The King and the Woodsman
This is Rabbi Lazer's adaptation of an old Chassidic parable that he heard in Yiddish from the Melitzer Rebbe. Hidden within the parable are the secrets of Elul and Rosh Hashana.
The Judgment Trap
Who would be so daft to agree to a guilty verdict against themselves? You're right - no one. Yet, we get tricked into incriminating ourselves constantly…
Vassily’s New Clothes
Vassily rescues the King from the band of ruthless robbers. The King is overcome with gratitude, and decides to adopt Vassily as his very own son...
High Treason
As minister of internal security, Puzhnikov ran a crooked reign of internal terror based on bribery and protection; he swore to dispose of Vassily at all costs...
Why the Window?
Why does a Baal Teshuva need the special window in the letter “heh” ? Why doesn't he simply climb back in through the bottom hole through which he fell?
Final Request
A noose is about to be placed around Vassily’s neck, but first he is granted his final request and allowed to don his forest clothes and address the King and Parliament...
The Secret of the Shofar
After having told the story of "The King and the Woodsman", here is a brief interpretation of the underlying imagery.
The Ultimate Battle
Have you ever felt that your mind was being bombarded with all sorts of images “forcing” you to engage in impure fantasies?
Livelihood and Teshuva
People used to “believe” in the banking system, or “believe” in the stock market, or “believe” in the dollar. But, every week, you read about another major financial disaster…
Morality and Money
Elul is a gift: when we do teshuva and clean up our souls, we are also removing obstacles that prevent us from enjoying an adequate and easy income…
Confession: A New Perspective
Confession also encompasses simply telling Hashem about all the falls that we’ve gotten used to, to the point that we can’t imagine for ourselves living differently…
Forgiving and Forgetting
For transgressing the laws between man and G-d, such as keeping kosher, we can repent to Him directly. But for hurting our fellow man, Hashem will not forgive us...