Nitzotzos: Inspiration to Keep Your Spark Alive with Rav Mordechai Burg

In this shiur, delivered in Tomer Devorah, Rav Burg explores the Machlokes between Pharaoh and Moshe as to who will leave Mitzrayim. The Pharaohs in our lives teach us that we are unworthy of Kabbalas HaTorah. Moshe Rabbeinu's response teaches us how to confront our inner negativity and take our full selves out of Mitzrayim.

Three of the four sons in the Haggadah are mentioned in Parshas Bo. In this shiur, delivered at the Hakshiva Bnei Aliyah program, Rav Burg explores the three sons and what they mean to us as parents and Mechanchim.

In this shiur, delivered to Aish Gesher for Women on their Yom Iyun for fulfilling your potential, Rav Burg explores the Machlokes between Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel regarding when the Rosh Hashana for trees is. Beis Shammai says it is on Rosh Chodesh Shvat and Beis Hillel says it is on Tu B'Shvat. Rav Burg explains the challenge of the word potential and how it can bring about a deep sense...

In this shiur, delivered in Tomer Devorah, Rav Burg explores the four stages of leaving Mitzrayim and why we drink four cups of wine on Pesach. When we understand the four stages of how Klal Yisrael leaves Mitzrayim, we can understand how we can leave from the personal addictions we suffer from in our own lives.

In this shiur, delivered to the Shana Bet of Sharfmans, Rav Burg explores an idea from the Alter Rebbe regarding how we receive our life force. Life belongs to Hashem and He gives it to us. Embedded in life itself is giving because that's the nature of how we receive life. Those who use life as it meant to be used receive life in its fullest form. Those that consume life naturally receive less...

In this shiur, the final shiur delivered to the Shana Bet of Tomer Devorah, Rav Burg explains (based on a piece from Rav Wolbe zt"l) why Yosef HaTzaddik is singled out as having lived in Mitzrayim. The same Yosef HaTzaddik who was a shepherd for his father, is the same Yosef HaTzaddik who is a king in Mitzrayim. How do we stay authentic irrespective of our environment? In this shiur Rav Burg speak...

In this shiur, delivered in Tomer Devorah, Rav Burg explains (based on a piece from Rav Shaul Alter Shlit"a) how the words Pakod Pakadti are the secret message that reveals to Klal Yisrael that Moshe Rabbeinu was in fact the true redeemer of Klal Yisrael. Only the Rebbe that teaches us that while we may be contained within the exile we are not in truth defined by the exile is the one who can...

In this shiur, delivered at Tomer Devorah, Rav Burg explains why Yaakov felt the need at this specific time to explain to Yosef why he buried Rachel on the side of the road and not in Chevron. Rachel was Mevater and put the needs of her children ahead of her own. This is the secret of redemption. As Hashem sees us putting the needs of others before our own, He in turn puts our needs before His own...

In this shiur, delivered at the Sorotzkin home in Monsey, Rav Burg explores why Yaakov Avinu wanted to reveal the end of days to his children and why in the end he gave them the Berachos that they were destined to receive. Mashiach is not only about the destination but about the journey we discover the redemption within.

In this shiur, delivered at the Feder home in the Five Towns, Rav Burg explores the inner nature of why Yosef HaTzaddik asked everyone to leave the room before revealing himself as Yosef to his brothers. Only by rising above our humanity can we recognize that our pain is building us.

In this shiur, delivered to Mevaseret alumni at Lander College for Men, Rav Burg explains why Yehuda said that their brother (Yosef) had died. Rashi teaches that Yehuda lied to avoid having to produce Yosef. On a level of Drush, Rav Burg explains that to impact Yosef, Yehuda knew that he needed to speak words from the heart. In an honest moment Yehuda came to the recognition that Yosef could not h...

In this shiur, delivered in Stern College, Rav Burg explains how Yehuda approaches Yosef by saying he is like Pharaoh. When we give Mussar (including to ourselves) we must begin with the recognition of their greatness and explain how this behavior doesn't align with their greatness. Additionally, we must always remember that people behave the way they do because they come from somewhere and anythi...

In this shiur, delivered in the Valley, Rav Burg explains why Avraham Avinu chose Golus over Gehenom, the inner meaning of the number seventy, why Yocheved was born between the borders and how Golus transforms us.

This shiur, delivered to the Shana Bet of Midreshet Moriah at the Rosenblum home, addresses the inner connection between Menashe and Chanukah. In these final moments before Mashiach comes we find ourselves deeply connected to those Jews that have the capacity to help Jews remember even as they've forgotten so much.

In this shiur, delivered to the Shana Bet of Michlala, Rav Burg explains the difference between Chinuch (masculine) and Chanukah (feminine). On Chanukah we lovingly embrace our children just as they are. Shiur was followed by a question and answer session.

In this shiur, delivered in Ramat Beit Shemesh to the Nshei of Torat Moshe, Rav Burg explores the story of Yosef and his brothers. Children are playing charades and our responsibility is to listen to their messages. Every child is looking for connection. We must make sure to hear their cries.

In this shiur, delivered in Tomer Devorah, Rav Burg explores the differences between the dreams of the Sar HaMashkim and the Sar HaOfim. How did Yosef know that the Sar HaMashkim would live and the Sar HaOfim would die when the dreams are nearly identical? One who is active in their dreams, enjoys the process and imagines themselves improving every day is truly alive.

In this Yud Tes Kislev Fabrengen at Yeshivat Shaarei Mevaseret Tzion Rav Burg shares a Torah from the Ruzhiner Rebbe regarding Yosef HaTzaddik sharing evil reports about his brothers to their father Yaakov . Why would this cause Yaakov to love Yosef? What type of father loves his son who tells evil tales about his children? The Ruzhiner explains that in truth Yosef HaTzaddik was being Melamed Zech...

In this shiur, delivered in Sharfmans, Rav Burg explains why although Yaakov has his name changed, he continues to be called Yisrael. Though we may find tranquility in our lives, struggle is an inherent part of the process and is always valued.

This shiur, delivered in Aish HaTorah to the Go Inspire Chizzuk Mission, deals with living a life of Emunah in action. The knowledge that our soul is infinite gives us a deep sense of self, the capacity to show up authentically, loyalty, joy and love.

In this shiur, delivered in Tomer Devorah, Rav Burg explores the inner connection between the tragic story of Dinah in Shechem and how she extracted the soul of Rav Chanina Ben Tradyon. What are the lessons that are relevant to us? Even when we find ourselves thrown into the lowest places and suffering tremendously we have deep faith that something meaningful is happening behind the scenes.

In this shiur, delivered in Sharfmans, Rav Burg explains three dimensions of building a relationship with Hashem. 1. Avraham Avinu - Love - Digging Wells 2. Yitzchak Avinu - Fear - Maintaining the Structural Integrity of the Well 3. Yaakov Avinu - Truth - Unplugging the Well

In this shiur, delivered in Tomer Devorah, Rav Burg explained why: 1. Yaakov was attracted to Rachel. 2. Lavan wanted Yaakov to marry Leah first. 3. How Lavan intended to uproot the entire Jewish Nation. We live within the dialectical tension of being ok and yearning for more. On the one hand we need to be ok with our state of Golus so that we can survive. On the other hand we cannot become compla...

In this shiur, delivered at Sharfmans, Rav Burg explains the inner nature of the name Yitzchak and why Yitzchak specifically is described as loving Eisav. Yitzchak laughs because while on the one hand he lives within boundaries, he has the capacity to defy all normal expectations. Some people are able to find light beyond the darkness; Yitzchak can find light within the darkness. Only Yitzchak can...

In this shiur, delivered at Tomer Devorah, Rav Burg explains why it was Yitzchak's Teffilah and not Rivka's Teffilah that was answered when she was unable to have children. Only when we live with a sense of abundance in our lives are we capable of imagining the world in new ways. When we are defined by our past we have an impoverished mentality and our imagination is more limited.