Why does the donkey hold such prominence in the story of Bilam and in Jewish history? Bilam’s donkey was apparently created on the first Friday of history. Then, we are taught that Moshe used the same donkey once used by Avraham. And that Moshiach will come riding on that same donkey! Moshiach's donkey has a long, prestigious history. But why is it the donkey that features so prominently? What is the symbolism?

Time and again, the donkey makes its appearance through the generations, surfacing at key junctures of the messianic process. Each time we see it fulfilling the same function, but in a slightly different manner -- reflecting the changes our world undergoes as it develops toward its ultimate state of perfection.

This class on Parshas Balak, presented in Mayan Yisroel Flatbush, presents different interpretations to the poetic words of Bilam "How lovely are your tents, O Jacob! Your Dwellings, Israelz!"

Why was Bilam in awe of the Jewish Tents? Because of four things he observed: 1) Boundaries. 2) Individuality. 3) Power of a small gesture. 4) The struggling Jew.

When the Daughters of Tzelafchad come to Moshe and ask for their inheritance, it says that Moshe forgot the halacha. Rashi explains that there were two reasons for this 1) He forgot. 2) Hashem wanted that the halacha should come through the Daughters of Tzelofchod. The Rebbe has 5 questions on this Rashi.

A)  his isn’t the first time that moshe forgot a halach, all the other times we assume Moshe wasn’t taught yet. Why here do we have to say he knew it and then forgot it?

B)  Here is the only place that Rashi brings down the reason why Moshe wasn’t taught the halacha yet (he wanted that the halacha should come through the Daughters of Tzelafchad)?

C)   Why does Rashi feel the need to quote the words “Es Mishpotom”  

D)   By the story of Pesach Sheini we only bring the second answer in Rashi, why here does Rashi feel the need to bring both?

E)   Why does Rashi feel that one of the answers isn’t good enough to answer this question why the need for both answers?

This text based class explores the nature of circumstances surrounding this event. This clarifies the reasoning behind this story.

This text-based class on Likkutei Sichos vol. 18 Balak, explains an enigmatic story in the Talmud. Zimri comes to Moshe demanding permission to marry a Midianite princess, Kozbi. “If you say it is prohibited, who allowed you to marry the daughter of Yisro?!” Zimri challenges Moshe, who also married a woman from Midian.

But this does not seem to make sense. Moshe married his wife before the Torah was given! What was Zimri thinking? And why did no one answer his challenge?

As it turns out, his question may have been deeper than we would imagine on the surface.

The class finally teaches us how to distinguish between questions that require answers vs. questions that we ought not to answer, not because we don’t have answers, but because they are not real questions, only excuses.

Live Lecture at Tzemach Tzedek in Monsey for Gimmel Tammuz 5775, on Sunday June 21, 2015.

At last, the great moment had arrived. For forty years, the Jewish People had wandered together through the desert. The older generation had already passed on. Even beloved Miriam was no more. By now, under the leadership of Moses, the young nation of Israel was finally ready to enter the Promised Land. But an incident occurred that would transform the nation's destiny.

The people run out of water. They cry to Moses, who turns to G-d. G-d commands Moses to produce water from a rock miraculously, by speaking to it. Instead, Moses hits the rock twice, which indeed produces water. It is the most subtle and enigmatic ‘sin’ in the entire Torah, yet because of it Moses’ greatest dream is shattered and he is denied entry into the Land of Israel.

What exactly was Moses’ sin? There are dozens of divergent interpretations. The common denominator behind all of them is that somehow this was a rebellion against G-d or a demonstration of an apparent flaw in Moses. But maybe we have to read the story differently?

It was the Rogatchover Gaon, Rabbi Yosef Rosen (1858-1936), who reframes the story completely. Moses’s error consisted of using Aaron’s wooden staff, rather than his own made of rock. As a result, Jewish women did not have a mikvah for a while and peace in the home was effected. The class explores this original insight and shows its parallels in the teachings of Kabablah and Chassidus.

Gimmel Tammuz 5775 - The Maamarim of the Rebbe

Korach relates the tragic story of the mutiny staged by a man named Korach (Numbers chapter 16), who organized a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, chosen by the Almighty to serve respectively as the Prophet and as the High Priest of Israel. The rabbis in the Midrash made a strange observation. “Korah was clever,” the rabbis declare, “so why did he commit such a folly”? What propelled the wise Korach to declare war against Moses and Aron.

Their question is intriguing. How did the rabbis know that Korach was clever? Never has this person or his wisdom been mentioned in the Torah before? Whence the certainty that Korach was a wise man? Perhaps he was a fool. The answer, of course, is that the rabbis discerned the wisdom of Korach from this very incident. The very mutiny of Korach against the authority of Moses and Aaron, demonstrates wisdom and perception. But why? On the surface, the mutiny seems to be a symptom of good old jealousy, of an unbridled ego craving power and fame.

The class explores and dissects the deeper argument of Korach. “The entire community is holy,” argued Korach to Moses and Aaron in this week’s portion, “and G-d is within them. Why do you exalt yourselves above the community of G-d?”

These are powerful words. G-d is within every person. Why does anybody consider themselves spiritually superior to anybody else? Truth and holiness are embedded in every soul; within every pulsating heart flows the cosmic energy, so why is Moses telling people what G-d wants? 

Where did Korach go wrong? We explore the nature of unity, diversity, and leadership in Jewish thought. And why the story of Korach is alluded to in the word “chatzaros,” which means courtyards. The laws of making an Eiruv Chatzaros, combining all the homes in a courtyard, capture the essence of Korach’s error and the meaning of true leadership. 

This text based class on Likkutei Sichos vol. 18 Korach, explores the unique punishment for all those involved in Korach's mutiny. What is the connection between the sin and the punishment? This class dissects different perspectives on unity and how diversity and harmony can co-exist. Korach actually wanted all Jews to be  equal as they are in their source in the "womb" of G-d, seemingly a noble cause. What was his mistake?