In this week's portion, Moshe blesses the people "May you be multiplied one thousand-fold and may G-d do for you that which He said about you." What are these two blessings? And why is the second one so vague? Hear the strange story of when the Baal Shem Tov and his students bankrupted a poor man by literally eating him out of house and home. What does this teach us about the need to pray? And how is this connected to the Alshich's explanation of Mother Rochel's tears? Why do we need...

In this week's Haftarah, the prophet Yirmiyahu rebukes his people: "They say to the wood, 'You are my father,' and to the stone, 'You gave birth to me.'" What are the "stone" and "wood" of our day? How do we identify and rectify the idol worship in our own lives? Based on Likkutei Sichos vol. 17, p. 145.

The worship of Ba'al Peor was considered loathsome even by pagans. How were so many Jews in the wilderness attracted to it? The truth is that the core belief of Ba'al worship is very much alive and prevalent today in the worldview known as materialism. How do we combat this popular ideology that reduces all reality to physical things? How do we bring an appreciation for spirituality back to this world? Based on Reshimos #50.

The Torah portion of Chukas describes the passing of Aharon and how his loss was greatly mourned by the Jewish people. Why was Aharon so universally beloved? And what can we learn from this about our own hidden potential? Based on Sichos Kodesh 5741, vol. 4, pp. 439-440.

Why did 250 followers of Korach accept a challenge that they knew would lead to their deaths? And why did Moshe tell them that he empathized with their desire? In preparation for the Rebbe's yahrzeit on 3 Tammuz, we consider the Rebbe's call for every Jew to assume a role of leadership. Based on Likkutei Sichos vol. 18, pp. 187-195.

Why do we have to know that the mission of the Spies took place "in the days of the ripening of the grapes"? What eternal lesson is there for us? How is life like a grape? Why are the Spies described as "men"? What does this teach us about the differences between men and women in terms of their approach to integrating spirituality with the material world? Also, how did Kaleiv know that the spies could no longer be trusted just because they answered Moshe's questions out of...

Every country takes a census. What is unique about the census of the Jewish people is that it is carried out directly by none other than Moshe himself. We see from this that when it comes to anything dealing with the Jewish people, nothing less than the most dignified treatment is called for. This helps us understand the greatness of each individual Jew. We may also apply this lesson to the task of raising children. What meditation did the Rebbe recommend to a young father to help him...

In this week's portion of Bechukosai, the Torah promises us: "And I will remove the wild beast from the land." The Midrash relates an argument between R' Yehudah and R' Shimon as to exactly what this will mean in the times of Moshiach. Will there no longer be wild beasts or will the wild beasts become tame? How does the Rogatchover Gaon explain this dispute and connect it to the prohibition of chametz on Pesach? How does this give us insight into two approaches to managing the inner...

When does Torah say that we need to be forced to give? What did the Lubavitcher Rebbe tell a philanthropist's wife about the secret of giving? What is the difference giving that is human and giving that is G-dly? Based on Likkutei Sichos vol. 17, pp. 255-66.

What do you do when it seems that even Hashem has given up on you? The question arises based on Rashi's commentary that the future Destruction of the First Temple was already hinted to in the Torah. We examine the paradigmatic story of Elisha ben Avuya seemingly being rejected from doing repentance. Based on Toras Menachem 5746 vol. 3, pp. 195-6, 208-9.

Our Sages say that Torah both begins and ends with an act of kindness. Is this only to teach us the importance of kindness or is there a deeper lesson? From a letter written during Aseres Yemei HaTeshuvah 5705, the Rebbe explains an amazing lesson for each of us in our own spiritual highs and lows of life. Based on Igros Kodesh vol. 2, p. 1-3.

Following the Song of Haazinu, it says that Moshe and Yehoshua taught the song together. Rashi explains that this was in order that the people should not later question the authority of Yeshoshua when he became Moshe's successor. Why was this important and why did most people misunderstand who Yehoshua was? Based on Likkutei Sichos vol. 29, pp. 199-202.

The Torah reading of Nitzavim always comes before Rosh Hashanah. How does its opening verse of "all of you are standing today... to pass into the covenant with G-d" teach us the secret for preparing for the New Year? And what's the difference between tolerance and interdependence? Based on Likkutei Sichos vol. 2, pp. 398-401.

In this week's Torah portion, a word appears twice that has no exact parallel in Scripture: "he'emarta" and "he'emircha" in the verses "G-d has set you apart to be his nation" and "You have set G-d apart to be your L-rd." Rashi says that the only similar word in Scripture is in Psalms where it says "the sinners are proud (yisamru) of their sins." Why does this word describing G-d's special relationship with his people appear in a verse with such a negative connotation? Why did the...

The month of Elul is described as a powerful time when G-d is accessible or "the king is in the field." How is this connected to the Torah portion of Ki Seitzei?

Rashi comments on a verse in this week's portion that we should follow the rulings of Torah judges “even if the judge tells you that right is left, and that left is right." Does this mean that if reality is one way, and a rabbi makes a halachic decision the opposite way, the Torah wants us to go against reality? The answer can be found in the difference between laws that respond to reality and laws that create reality. Based on Likkutei Sichos vol. 5, pp. 127-8.

This week's parsha contains the prohibition against destroying even one stone of the Bais Hamikdash. How then, according to His own rules, did Hashem permit Himself to tear down the entire building, unleashing all the pain and tribulations of Exile that came with it? Based on Likkutei Sichos vol. 29, pp. 11-14.

What is the deeper spiritual meaning of the mitzvah to feed one's animals before oneself? The Rebbe unlocks a hidden message in a story from the Talmud (Pesachim 3b) about the wheat and barley harvests and reveals a central teaching about spiritual growth. Based on Sefer HaSichos 5750, pp. 277-280.

This week's Haftorah begins with the prophecy: "Nachamu, nachamu ami, comfort, comfort my people." Why the double expression of consolation? The answer can be found in the strange Talmudic story of R' Akiva laughing upon seeing foxes walk out of the ruins of the Temple. Based on Likkutei Sichos vol. 19, pp. 67-79.

In this week's portion we read: “You are the least of all the peoples." How can something so tiny be so powerful? At a Purim farbrengen, the Rebbe compared the power of the Jew to the power of the atom bomb. Based on Toras Menachem Vol. 2, pp. 313-319.

We look at two perspectives on Jewish identity. What is the difference between being Jewish "in spite of" and being Jewish "because of"? What is the difference between mourning and yearning? And why does Jewish identity, like a car, need to have both a "windshield" and a "rearview mirror"? Based on Shabbos Chazon, Tisha B'Av Nidche, 5748, Hisva'aduyos pp. 114-121.

The Baal Shem Tov taught that each and every one of us will go through forty-two stages in our lives corresponding to the forty-two travels of the Jews in the wilderness. Does this mean that our biography is already written? Is everything "pre-scripted"? Also, some of the incidents in the wilderness were disasters where our forefathers made terrible choices. Does that mean we're fated to make these same choices? Based on a farbrengen from Mattos-Masei 5719.

This week's reading tells us how the tribe of Reuven conquered land from the Emorites and renamed their cities. What is the connection between Reuven and the concept of renaming cities? And what is the connection between this episode and the Three Weeks? To answer these questions, we look at the transformative power of positive language. Based on Likkutei Sichos vol. 33, p. 198.

How does Moshe's handling of the case of Tzelafchad's daughters teach us about the dangers of partisanship and how it can cloud objective thinking? Based on a sicha from the 3rd Night of Sukkos, 5747, Hisva'aduyos pp. 209-211.