Rabbi Zushe Greenberg

Paranoia Or Opportunity? What will be our response to the hostage crisis in Texas.   Parshat Mishpatim

Humans like to strive for perfection. However, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the first Chabad Rebbe, wrote an entire book about reaching the level of a ‘beinoni,’ commonly translated as ‘mediocre.’ What exactly did he mean?

The Hostage Crisis (Parshat Yitro) Lessons from Texas.

Yitro: Jungle Or Orchard? Before a person converts, he is told, “Being Jewish is difficult.” Afterwards, he is told, “Being Jewish is great!” What’s going on? Click here for the class handout

Emotional Intelligence #Parshat #Beshalach

Beshalach: Gold Chasers And Grave Diggers Before the Israelites left Egypt, some chased after gold and some chased after graves — both upon the express command of G-d. Who was right? A lesson about priorities. Click here for the class handout

Parshat Bo/Yud Shevat - Reinventing Yourself Covid has forced many of us to reinvent ourselves. Let’s learn how to do it from the experts.

Bo: The Public Declaration The Egyptians who revered cattle as deities, but they were remarkably tolerant of the Jewish tradition of eating meat. But when the jews slaughtered the sheep for the paschal offering, they went berserk. What happened? Click here for the class handout

The Modern Maccabees Ryan Turell gave up full scholarships for Kosher & Shabbos. #Parshat #Va'era

Vaera: Judaism’s Universal Message The Torah gives 613 commandments for Jewish people. But what about the Non-Jews? Does Judaism have a message for all mankind? Class handout

Shemot: What Exercise Teaches Us Why Does Torah Call Moses With A Near Pejorative? How Should We View Our Inner Anti-semite? And Why Do We Celebrate Birthdays? Click here for the class handout

It’s All About Loyalty (Parshat Vayechi)

Parshat Vayechi: The Evil Eye Is there significance to the day of the week I was born? Does Judaism believe in the evil eye? Is there a safe zone? Click here for the class handout

Curing An Open Wound An Israeli doctor’s ingenious cure, and its spiritual reflection. #Parshat #Vayigash

Vayigash: Pay Attention Prophecies, omens, and science. What is the Jewish view? Should we read into the random occurrences in our lives? Should we view scientific advances as questioning our faith? And, by the way — is it possible to jump to the moon? Click here for the class handout

Chanukah: Why The Co n flict? The Greeks are known for the tremendous wisdom they contributed to the world. The Jewish people, for time immemorial, cherished intellect and the pursuit of wisdom as well. Why then, couldn’t we get along?

Tree, Yes But Menorah, No?!?! (Chanukah) What really lay behind the war of the Greeks against the Jewish people?

Chanukah: Have The Winners Been Declared? We All Love To Celebrate Chanukah, The Holiday Which Marks Our Victory Over The Syrian Greeks And The Miracle Of The Oil. Did You Know That It Took The Sages A Full Year To Decide Whether They Were Victorious? Behind The Scenes In The Chanukah Story. Click here for the class handout

Vayishlach: When Success Breeds Humility What causes people to be magnanimous? What’s the right way to handle success? When the first Chabad rebbe bested his opponents and achieved legitimacy for the new Chassidic movement, he wrote a letter to his followers which set their priorities straight. Click here for the class handout

Don’t Mix Simchas From a wedding scandal which resembles the story of Jacob and Leah, and a lesson from King Solomon’s celebration: how are we to celebrate Thanksgiving alongside Chanukah? (Parshat Vayeitzei)

Vayetzei: What Makes A Hero? The Zohar’s Story About Abraham, Rashi’s Story About Jacob, And The Rebbe’s Story About Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. What Do The Stories Have In Common? And What Was The Common Denominator Which Made Them Eternal Jewish Heroes? Click here for the class handout

Never Stop Digging When a young rabbi chanced on a synagogue’s desecration in Siberia, he knew he couldn’t remain silent. (Parshat Toldot)

Torah Class - Parshat Toldot: Turning a new leaf

The Blessing of Adoption (Parshat Chayei Sarah)

A Breakthrough Transplant This week, the news reported that doctors in NYU successfully transplanted a pig’s kidney into a human being for the very first time. Parshat Vayeira