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

In our fifth shiur Rav Burg discusses: 1. Creating healthy dependency in the home.  2. How to elevate a child's self esteem. Tactics include: Praise, Understanding, Role Modeling, Respect, Privacy and much much more. At the end of the shiur you ought to be able to answer the following questions clearly and concisely: 1. Why do children hold on to their parent's as lifeline's of support? 2. Ho...

In our fourth shiur Rav Burg discusses: 1. The various paradigms of children with low self esteem. Thus far we have discussed children who anticipate losing and must avoid it all costs as well as children who feel that nobody can understand them.  2. Parenting the value of the process as opposed to the results. 3. How empathy helps children develop an identity. At the end of the shiur you oug...

In our third shiur Rav Burg discusses: 1. The definition of self esteem. 2. The potential pitfalls of using a moral code to self evaluate. 3. Raising children to strive for completion as opposed to perfection. 4. Signs of low self esteem. At the end of the shiur you ought to be able to answer the following questions clearly and concisely:  1. What is the definition of self esteem (define the...

Chazal make it abundantly clear that the Torah of Eretz Yisrael has a unique quality. One that is superior to the Torah of Chutz LaArutz. What exactly is it that makes the Torah of Eretz Yisrael so special? In this Yom HaAtzmaut shiur, delivered on the Yeshiva University Yom HaAtzmaut program, Rav Burg gives an in depth analysis of the purpose of the creation of the world, the unique position of E...

In our second shiur Rav Burg discusses: 1. What can we control when parenting children. 2. Understanding what a child actually is. 3. The role that empathy plays in the development of the child and in the parent child relationship. 4. Some core responsibilities of a parent. At the end of the shiur you ought to be able to answer the following questions clearly and concisely. Can we control a child?...

In this first shiur Rav Burg discusses: 1. What are our goals as Jewish parents? Why is important for us to have clearly defined goals. 2. The difference between "having" a child, "raising" a child and "training" a child. 3. The potential pitfalls of goal oriented parenting and how to avoid the traps. At the end of the shiur you ought to be able to answer the following questions clearly and concis...

Based on the explanation of the Vilna Gaon, Rav Burg explains how the Chad Gadya song at the end of the Pesach Seder represents the mission of Klal Yisrael throughout history to connect the Reishis and the Acharis, Hashem and this world.

What exactly does it mean that we are in exile? What exactly does it mean that Mashiach will come and we will be redeemed? Do I even want redmeption? In this shiur Rav Burg addresses some of these fundamental questions that will leave you looking forward to the day when Mashiach arrives. May he come speedily in our days.

The following is the list of questions for the Rabbonim: 1. Why do we daven for things like the coronavirus to go away, HaShem knows best? /Why is there a point to davening without any Kavana at all? Shouldn’t people focus more on quality and less of quantity?  2. Thoughts on “neo chassidus” and neo chassidim  3. cellphones and smartphones, what’s better for a religious Jew?  4. I g...

The main Mitzvah of Pesach is the eating of the Matzah. But why only three Matzah's and not four? Why must the Matzah have a specific taste if the Halacha is that you are yotzei without tasting the Matzah? In this shiur, based on a sicha from the Lubavitcher Rebbe, (delivered on zoom to over 300 people!) Rav Burg explains the difference between the simple, natural faith that enabled us to leave Mi...

As many of us find ourselves cut off from our communities, no longer able to Daven in Shuls etc... We must ask ourselves, how will we respond to this tragedy? In this shiur Rav Burg teaches us about how we can use social distancing as an opportunity to look inside ourselves and cultivate our own individuality so that we can return to the Klal with a renewed sense of vitality and purpose. May we me...

In this shiur Rav Burg teaches how every Jew is intrinsically connected to Hashem. No Jew is closer or farther from God. Knowing that makes all the difference.

Hshsh

Free Will is arguably the most important topic in Judaism. Without a belief in free will there is no concept of reward and punishment. But what is free will? Do we really have free will if God already knows what we are going to choose?

Free Will is arguably the most important topic in Judaism. Without a belief in free will there is no concept of reward and punishment. But what is free will? Do we really have free will if God already knows what we are going to choose?

Moshe's parents were Amram and Yocheved. In addition to being the wife of Amram, Yocheved was also Amram's aunt! Post Matan Torah this relationship would be prohibited but because the Torah had not yet been given there was no issur in their relationship. The question is, why was this unique union necessary?  How did it impact the future development of Moshe Rabbeinu? In this shiur (based on t...

Question - To what extent should a person rely on themselves to deal with problems in their lives? Is it wrong to try to work on yourself on your own if you don’t feel connected to any particular Rav/Rebbetzin/ figure to turn to?  Is it even better to because then anything you do really comes from yourself and you come out of a difficult situation even stronger?

Question - What do I do if a friend wronged me several time and I feel that I have a right to be upset with her? I know that anger is a bad middah and I recently learned that a person should actually be grateful to those who offend him because this pain atones for our sins. Should I completely forgive the friend? It is hard to forgive the friend b’emes when I still feel so hurt by her insensitivit...

Question: Rav burg recently discussed The idea that one should not be a mashgiach for their husband. I struggle to find the balance because I married someone that holds himself to a specific standard in yiddishkeit and hashkafa and it’s something that’s top priority to me. I struggle when people say that I shouldn’t be involved or checking in, because if he were to become more lax in certain areas...

This week's Question - Most of the times I find myself struggling with Shalom Bayis it is with the "little things", when I become frustrated with my husband about disagreement of timing or general miscommunications. I find it hard to remain calm and speak nicely and kindly when I find the miscommunications very upsetting. What is your advice to help this?

This weeks question-  Before I got married I would listen to shiurim online and hear Rabbeim tell their talmidim that if their wife wants something then that's it! He should do it for shalom bayis! While I appreciate the strong emphasis that is being placed on shalom bayis, I was wondering what my role is as "the wife". When do I tell my husband he needs to go to a different minyan? He can't...

Yat Kislev is the yahrtzeit of the Maggid of Mezritch and the day that the Alter Rebbe was freed from jail after he was imprisoned by the Czar. It is considered to be the Rosh Hashana of Chassidus. Come celebrate Yat Kislev with Rav Burg who Fabrenged in Mevaseret deep into the night. Rav Burg speaks at the 17 minute mark. Rav Yaakov Klein speaks at the 48 minute mark. Rav Daniel Glanz speaks at t...

Yat Kislev is the yahrtzeit of the Maggid of Mezritch and the day that the Alter Rebbe was freed from jail after he was imprisoned by the Czar. It is considered to be the Rosh Hashana of Chassidus. Come celebrate Yat Kislev with Rav Burg who Fabrenged in Shaalvim deep into the night. Rav Burg speaks at the outset of the recording, at the 26 minute mark and then finally at the 54 minute mark. 

Immediately before Yaakov Avinu's confrontation with Eisav he returns across the river for pachim ketanim, small jugs. Why in this critical moment does Yaakov go back for something of such little value? And why now does he do battle with the Malach of Eisav? In this shiur, Rav Burg explains how Jews are designed to confront the world around us. Should we disengage and close ourselves off from the...

Question: How does one work on finding Halacha to be less of a burden? For example, I have a hard time with not singing in front of men, especially when it comes to the Shabbos table and we may have male guests or relatives and I want to join in on Zemiros? I get frustrated and feel limited by this and want to make peace with it.