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

We often hear that not only are our actions important, but our intentions are just as important. How can we work on controlling our intentions?

Klal Yisrael was given a strange commandment before they left Mitzrayim. They were commanded to free an Eved Ivri after six years of service. Why are we given this commandment now? Is this critical knowledge while leaving Mitzrayim? In this shiur, Rav Burg explores the topic of who is truly free and how do we achieve true freedom in our lives. Letting go of control is one of the most difficult bat...

Why does God instruct Moshe to have Ahron throw his staff on the ground so that it can miraculously turn into a snake? Is this such an amazing miracle that Pharaoh will now let Klal Yisrael free? What is the significance of the fact that Ahrons staff swallowed the Egyptian snakes? In this shiur, Rav Burg teaches us fundamental lessons in chinuch of our children and why every Jew is worthy of redem...

Latest episode of Nitzotzos: Thoughts to keep your spark alive

Latest episode of Nitzotzos: Thoughts to keep your spark alive

Based on Rav Wolbe's classic Alei Shur Rav Burg explores Shaar Shlishi - the chapter that deals with knowing yourself.

  Picture the scene. A young woman who is struggling with Judaism is sitting at your Pesach Seder. As you get to the four sons you realize that she is about to hear how we speak to a Rasha. Blunt his teeth, you read from the Haggada. Tell him that if he were in Mitzrayim he would not have been redeemed. You're uncomfortable as you read these words. How can we speak this way to another Jew? Wo...

Question: What relevance does Shmiras Einayim have for women? Is this a hashkafic matter or are there any halachic issues as well?  Check out Nitzotzos.com for Rabbi Lebowitz's full article on the topic of shmiras einayim

  In Judaism speech is not merely a handle to convey ideas. Speech is the building blocks of creation. Pesach is the holiday that commemorates the freedom of speech from its exile in Egypt. In this shiur, Rav Burg teaches us the difference between those who have a difficult time speaking and those who have a difficult time communicating.

Moshe was raised in the house of Pharoah as an Egyptian prince. On the other hand, he was the son of the Yocheved and Amram, the leaders of Am Yisrael. Moshe has a fundamental choice to make in his life. Who is he, Egytian or Jew? In this shiur, Rav Bug expounds upon the value systems in our homes and the importance of nurture over nature.

Latest episode of Nitzotzos: Thoughts to keep your spark alive

Question: How much hishtadlus does one need to put in finding their bashert? What can make the “shidduch crisis” go away? What can we do as a community and what are ideas that could make the process of “waiting to be set up” easier? If it’s all up to HaShem, what does one do in terms of personal effort?

Sefer Bereishis ends with the death of Yosef HaTzaddik and his burial in Mitzrayim. The passuk immediately before speaks about how we will one day leave Golus. Why does the Torah choose to end the Sefer on such a low note? In this shiur, Rav Burg teaches us about those people in our life who are always there for us no matter how far we fall. It is those people that give us the strength to carry on...

Yaakov Avinu instructs Yosef to take an oath that he will bury him in Eretz Yisrael. Does Yaakov not trust that Yosef will do as he says? How do we make real and lasting changes in our lives? We know what we "should" do but often we fail to live up to the expectations we have of ourselves. In this shiur, Rav Burg teaches us that words matter. The way we speak indicates the way we think, which in t...

Why did Yosef wait to tell his brothers that he was their long lost brother? How did he know that now they would accept him? Making real changes in our life is one of the most challenging aspects of being a growth oriented person. What stops us from making lasting changes? In this shiur, Rav Burg teaches us how to open ourselves up to the possibility that our perception is not reality. Only by see...

How do you know when you are taking too much on or not taking enough on? We are always supposed to be growing but to what extent? When should we stop and reflect?

Yaakov sent Yosef down to Mitzrayim with one last shiur - the lesson of the egla arufa. What was the essence of this teaching that gave Yosef the strength to survive in Mitzrayim? What was the message that Yosef sent back to Yaakov when he referenced the last lesson of the egla arufa? In this shiur, Rav Burg teaches us how to stay connected in the golus of our life.

This is part one of Rav Soloveitchik זצ"ל speaking on Yat Kislev. We are still looking for the continuation of the Rav's derasha. If you have any information as to where we can find it please let us know!

Latest episode of Nitzotzos: Thoughts to keep your spark alive

Latest episode of Nitzotzos: Thoughts to keep your spark alive