Holidays by Rabbi YY Jacobson

Chassidus: Likkutei Sichos Rosh Hashanah #1: Rabbi YY Jacobson presented this class on Monday, 25 Elul, 5783, September 11, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. This is part oneof a text-based class in a Sicha, a public address by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, presented on Shabbos Parshas Nitzavim-Vayeilech, 23 Elul, 5749 (September 23, 1989), published in Sefer Hasichos 5749 vol. 2, exploring the true meaning of not blowing shofar when Rosh Hashanah coincides with Shabbos. How is it possible that we dont coronate G-d as King when Rosh Hashanah is Shabbos? The Rebbe explores three states of Bitulof alignment with the Divine oneness. The first is the way it can be experienced on Rosh Hashanah during the weekdays; the second is the experience of Shabbos Rosh Hashanah, and finally, the experience in the Beis Hamikdash, where they blew shofar even on Shabbos. The first level is about surrender of self; the second, deeper level, is the complete fusion of self with Divine oneness, without any act of surrender, thus not blowing the shofar is far deeper than blowing the shofar. Then there is the third state, when nothing needs to be negated, not even a sense of identity and self. That is why in the Beis Hamikdash we did blow shofar on Shabbos Rosh Hashanah. There is you. There is not you. And there is the space where you need not be negated, so that you can be you. Transcendence and infinity can also be a trap, and dont capture the ultimate reality. Whenever we negate something, He is not finite, I am not my ego, we are still defined by it, albeit in a negative way. In the ultimate truth, the self is not a contradiction to oneness.

Pre-Selichos Farbrengen 5783: Live Selichos Event, Motzei Shabbos, 24 Elul, 5783, September 9, 2023,In Person at 20 Forshay Rd, Tent 3 & Live Stream.

YY Moment: Watch full class here

Women's Shavuos Class: This class waspresented on Tuesday, 3 Sivan, 5783, May 23, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

Purim Farbrengen: Grand with Rabbi YY Jacobson, live at 18 Forshay Road, downstairs.

Womens Purim Class: This class waspresented on Tuesday, Parshas Terumah, 30 Shevat, 5783, Rosh Chodesh Adar, February 21, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

Workshop for People With Anxiety and Pain Around the High Holidays: by Rabbi YY Jacobson, Streaming Live, Motzaei Shabbos, Erev Rosh Hashanah, September 24, 9:30 PM ET

Pre-Selichos Farbrengen 5782: Live Selichos Event, Motzei Shabbos, 22 Elul, 5782, September 17, 2022,In Person at 20 Forshay Rd, Tent 3 & Live Stream.

Women's Shavous Class: This weekly women's class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Bamidbar,1 Sivan, 5782, May 31, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

Womens Pirkei Avos/ Shavuos Class: This weekly women's class waspresented on Tuesday, Parshas Bechukosai,23 Iyar, 5782, May 24, 2022, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY. King Davidwhose yartzeit is on Shavuosremains one of the most fascinating, perplexing, and majestic figures in Jewish history. The combination of wisdom, humility, honesty and spirituality coupled with courage, power, passion, and leadership, and all of them with incredible intensity, conferred upon him the status of the ultimate Jewish king, leader, and poet. Two of the most powerful stories of love in the Tanach are also associated with him and one two of his children. They are summarized succinctly by our sages in the Ethics of the Fathers ch. 5: What is an example of a love that depended on something? The love Amnon had for Tamar. What is a love that did not depend on anything? The love between David and Jonathan." Let us recall these two narratives of love. Let us also understand why the Mishnah needs to find illustrations for two models of love from two ancient stories, when both of these models play themselves out in each of our lives on a constant basis? At a farbrengen in the spring of 1973, Shabbos Parshas Bechokosai 5733, the Lubavitcher Rebbe offered an explanation to the Mishnah. As was his style, he demonstrated how the answer to the above enigma lay in what seems like a discrepancy of a single world. It teaches us a novel idea about how family members need to nurture relationships between themselves and also what type love we are capable of achieving with our spouses and even toward strangers. The riveting stories of how Amnon violated Tamar and how Jonathan loved David illustrate what we are capable of and what we must be caution of in the volatile and complex world of love.