Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur

This is a great shiur 

Rabbi Daniel Glattstein explains a chiddush from from Rav Yonasan Eibeshitz.  Briefly he says when God was about to create man the angels were saying "Bad Idea, Bad Idea".  Rabbi Glattsetein makes a very interesting point.  Look at how destructive man is.  Isn't that really the basis of the argument against humanity and we look at our world and human history and we see vividly the truth of this statement.  Humanity is currently destroying everying on this planet and himself in the process.

However, the teachings of the Torah and the purpose of the Jewish people aim to somehow lead to the transformation of humanity and our destiny.




The Coronation of the King
Rav Shabtai Sabato

This is a short article that explains the meaning of the shofar from a fantastic Rav.
This is a great introduction also to a wonderful video shiur on teshuva below.

shiur

Rav Shmuel Greenberg: Maharal on Teshuva

GREAT EXPLANATION OF THE WHOLE IDEA OF COUNTING IN TORAH

From: http://dinonline.org/wp-content/uploads/newsletter/en_61.pdf

The word

mispar

, or the root

SeFeR

, includes a number

of variant meanings. On

the one hand, it means to

number—to quantify a given

set of items, as Moshe was

instructed with regard to the

Children of Israel. On the

other, it means a book, or a

story. A third meaning is a

border town, an

ir sefar.

 

What is the common

denominator that binds these

meanings together?

It appears that the link

between these distinct

meanings is the concept

of grouping and joining

together. A book is the

grouping together of

individual pages, and a story

the coming together of

isolated events. Border towns

define the borders of a given

country, and 'group together'

the constituent towns within

the given borders. And the

 

process of counting bonds

members of the group together

in a single, defining count.

This leads us to understand

that the idea of

counting

goes beyond the concept of

numbering

. When we count—

or when we count correctly—

the individual members of the

counted group are united in the

act of the count itself. Each one

is an integral part of the group.

Each member of the nation of

Israel is necessary, vital for the

nation's very definition.

As we come towards Shavuos,

we continue to count the days,

defining the period between

Pesach and Shavuos as a time

of preparation and elevation in

advance of receiving the Torah.

At the same time, the week's

Parashah reminds us that we are

to count not only the days, but

even ourselves. Each one of us,

as an individual Jew, is essential

to the entire group, a status

that demands due respect and

consideration. The presence of

each one is required to ready us

for receiving the Torah.

With this in mind, may we

indeed merit to approach Sinai

"as one man with one heart,"

ready for receiving the Torah.

KEY TO TRUE SIMCHA הרב שבתאי סבתו-סוד השמחה

Video Below (Hebrew)
Here is Summary of profound and wise talk.

This talk was given in honor of Oded Hamdi, a yeshiva student that was killed in a fire while saving his friends.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/150333



Various levels of simcha


Most basic is happy from good things, good news, etc.  Question is what happens to simcha after the news, after the party?  What about the worries we have?  Will this good thing continue?

Kohelet:  Simcha with mitzva or simcha without mitzva.  One continues and one doesn't.  Simcha with mitzva, it doesn't matter what happens.  Nothing can take this good away from you.  This is a mitzva without self.  We do lishma.  Without mitzva is always for self, and so filled with worry.
When doing lishma or for others it is act of chesed. Doesn't matter what happens to me.

Ohr zaru l tzadik yishrai simcha taanit

Tzaddik has conflict
yosher doesn't

simcha is deep from place of soul
concept of helek of eloka lmala

yosher knows the nekuda pnimit of himself, that is why no conflict, that is source of joy

sameach bchelko, what is his not what is of others
eved has no sense of self, everything for adon, always thinking about other, no sense of self, no simcha
sod of pesach, not mentions simcha, it is movement to freedom, condition for simcha
bikorim, what we receive we can rejoice in giving, he now has a helek
moed katan simcha gar betoko
but what is helko?  everything from hashem.  only his ratzon, his freedom...hashem doesn't interfere
when he reveals his true will, then a man is happy
nevua comes only with simcha
navi is shliach
people need to realize what they are shliach for, why they are here, this is the true simcha

tzaddik to yashar to true connection to self and purpose and therefore b'simcha