Nesivos Olam of the Maharal with Rabbi Aryeh Shulman

Episode Notes Generosity exists on a spectrum. Starting from miserliness and progressing to being a doer of kindness and finally to being a nediv. Each state is characterized by an descending degree of attachment to physicality.

Episode Notes Why in the world would we make a beracha on the bad? We spoke learning from Rabbi Akiva and what to say when bad events take place. We also discussed a deeper reason behind using roosters for kaparos before Yom Kippur and how that connects with the deeper part of who we are.

Episode Notes What are we saying when we say Echad in Shema? How does one love Hashem with all of his heart, soul and muchness? How do these relate to the three parts of a person? What is the difference between a carpenter creating a cabinet and Hashem creating items in existence?

Episode Notes What is the difference between the love of a brother vs. friends? For that matter, what is love? Is ahava created by similiarities or opposites? Is there ahava for parent? A Rebbe? For Hashem? How do the 3 festivals represent our lifetime relationship with Hashem?

Episode Notes Which nations get hit and fall and which nation has His quiver emptied into it and remains? Which is a greater test - 50 makkos of the sea or poverty?

Episode Notes How the four sages comforted Rebbi Eliezer while he was suffering. What does one do when good or bad happens? What examples do chazal give to define Yesurim? What does it say about a person if he goes 40 days without any yisurim? What does Noach's Ark have to do with this?

Episode Notes Which three things bring mechilah/forgiveness to a person?

Episode Notes Within the topic of afflictions of love: can leprosy and losing/absence of having children be considered afflictions of love? How do the aspects of private vs. public and Eretz Yisrael vs. Chutz l'aretz play a role in afflictions being out of love?

Episode No What are the 3 gifts to the Jewish people that are acquired only through affliction?

Episode Notes How are yisurim like the working of cowhide? Why would Reb Yochanan pass up yisurim of love knowing they would merit him greater reward?

Episode Notes Some of the things discussed in this episode: The 5 afflictions of Yom Kippur connect to the 5 parts of the soul. We also discussed how the afflictions of the desert helped build the Jewish people. What are the steps one should take when experiencing afflictions. Is there a connections between mussar and afflictions? Do afflictions of love take a person away from Torah and tefillah?

Episode What is the purpose(s) of afflictions? Can afflictions be avoided? Should they be hated? Is there an alternative to experiencing certain afflictions? What do Torah, afflictions and Red Bull all have in common?

Episode Not Who in Jewish history over reached beyond what Hashem gave them? What became of them? What became of the items them desired? ; The deeper messages behind the words used to describe money.

Episode Notes The Talmud brings 4 different opinions on the age old question "who is rich". What is the core disagreement between them?