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On the night of the 9th of Av, our ancestors cried tears of despair—tears the Talmud calls “בכיה של חנם”, baseless weeping. G-d’s response wasn’t punitive, it was prophetic: “You wept in vain, and this day will be one of tears for generations.” But what were they really crying about? And why do we still cry?

This class explores the roots of generational trauma in the Jewish psyche, from the fear of the spies to the quiet despair echoing through the Jewish community today. We'll dive deep into the psychological and spiritual scars left by centuries of exile, oppression, and self-doubt and discover how fear can shape reality more powerfully than facts.

Using Torah, Talmud, Chassidut, and modern psychological insight, we’ll unpack how vain tears become real sorrow—and how breaking the cycle starts with reclaiming our Divine power. From elephants in the circus to Harvard psychology experiments, this session will challenge you to reframe your internal narrative, discard inherited limitations, and begin the long-awaited journey from grief to redemption.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• The Origin of Tisha B’Av: Understand the deeper meaning behind the “vain tears” of our ancestors and why this night became one of generational grief.
• Trauma as Inheritance: Discover how Jewish despair today is often rooted not in current events, but in stories, beliefs, and fears passed down through generations.
• The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Learn how our perception of self shapes our destiny—and why seeing ourselves as grasshoppers ensures others will too.
• From Powerlessness to Purpose: Gain tools to shift from victimhood to empowerment, and how G-d never asks us to face a challenge without first giving us the strength to overcome it.
• Healing the Diaspora Spirit: Explore how our generation can begin to break the cycle of inherited fear and transform Tisha B’Av into a festival of light.

#TishaBav #VainTears #GenerationalTrauma #Bible #BibleStudy #spies #TorahLessons #TorahPortion #Torah #Devarim #Deutoronomy #inneregypt 

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This class explores one of the Torah’s most striking rebukes, Moses’ fiery confrontation with the tribes of Reuben and Gad and uncovers why they chose silence over self-defense. Through this encounter and a powerful Chassidic story about the Sefas Emes, Rabbi Bernath examines why we often recoil at criticism and how to reframe it as a holy opportunity for growth.

From Moses to modern marriage, from a misunderstood heretic to the Maggid of Mezritch, we dive into the soul’s secret defense system and how to disarm it with self-worth, humility, and Chassidic wisdom.

Takeaways:

1. The power of silence: Sometimes, it’s more spiritually transformative to listen to criticism than to justify ourselves, especially when it comes from someone wise.
2. Criticism doesn’t define you: When you know your core worth, you can absorb criticism without collapsing.
3. Not all rebuke is rejection: Moses’ rebuke was intense, but it came from leadership and love.
4. Marriage tip: Your spouse’s critique might not be a judgment, it might be a chance to expand your perspective.
5. The Maggid’s wisdom: True self-esteem is found when neither praise nor criticism defines your value.
6. Criticism is holy rain: It should nourish, not erode. But to receive it, we need rooted self-worth.

#Bible #Torah #criticism #TorahPortion #TorahLessons #BibleStudy #Moses #selfesteem #God #self-esteem #sefasemes #maggid #solomonmaimon #humility #personalgrowth #Spiritual #spiritualleadership #emotionalresilience #torahwisdom 

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In this eye-opening session, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath explores one of the most profound and misunderstood topics of all time: What is G-d? Moving beyond simplistic childhood images of a supernatural sky-being, we delve into Jewish, Chassidic, philosophical, and even scientific perspectives on the Divine. Drawing from thinkers like Einstein and the Alter Rebbe, this class gently unpacks a paradoxical truth: G-d is not less than personal, but also infinitely more than any person. Whether you’re a believer, skeptic, or somewhere in between, this is a class that will stretch your mind and open your heart.

Takeaways:

Not All “G-ds" Are the Same
The God that many reject may not be the G-d Torah and Kabbalah actually describe.

Beyond Supernatural vs. Natural
Judaism sees G-d not as a supernatural being outside nature, but as the source and essence of all existence, both within and beyond nature.

Personal and Infinite
G-d is not a person, but also not less than personal. The Divine is both the cosmic Author and the intimate Listener.

Language & Metaphor Matter
The Torah uses varied metaphors to relate to G-d, each revealing a facet, none capturing the whole.

G-d Is Experienced, Not Just Explained
You may not "prove" G-d like a theorem—but you can encounter G-d in awe, in kindness, in Torah, and in the quiet moments of the soul.

#God #theology #thegodquestion #chassidus #Kabbalah #chabad #Spinoza #einstein #jewishphilosophy #Faith #personalgod #infinite #soul 

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In this heart-open, mind-stretching class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath dives headfirst into one of the most profound questions ever asked: Who wrote the Torah and what do we mean by G-d? Sparked by a challenge from Ilana, a thoughtful soul who just "won the raffle" and then handed Rabbi Bernath some of the hardest theological questions he's faced, this class isn't a debate, it’s a bridge. Drawing from Torah, Talmud, Rambam, Tanya, Harari, Einstein, Spinoza, and Chassidic mystics, we explore traditional belief, academic scholarship, and the honest soul-searching that sits between them.

Is the Torah a divine blueprint or a human masterpiece? Or… could it be both?

Together, we walk a path between Sinai and the seminar room, from ancient revelation to modern doubt and discover that sometimes, the questions themselves are the invitation to a deeper relationship with truth.

Key Takeaways:

1. Traditional Belief Holds Depth: Torah mi-Sinai means Moses recorded divine revelation over 40 years. It's not simplistic, it’s layered and deeply rooted in Jewish collective memory.
2. Modern Scholarship Brings Honest Challenges: Thinkers like Harari argue that the Torah was assembled over centuries, reflecting political and social needs. These critiques must be addressed, not ignored.
3. Kabbalah and Chassidus Provide a Bridge: Divine revelation doesn’t exclude human expression. The Torah flowed through Moses’ voice and personality, G-d worked with human vessels.
4. Assumptions Shape Interpretation: Believers and skeptics alike interpret the same data through different axioms. Acknowledging this fosters respectful dialogue rather than defensiveness.
5. The Torah’s Endurance Is Itself a Testament: Its moral vision, power to unite, and enduring relevance across time and culture hint at something more than human genius, it points toward the Divine.
6. This Is Not About “Winning” an Argument: It’s about honesty, humility, and the courage to explore big questions together.
7. The Torah Is a Living Document: Beyond history or philosophy, Torah continues to speak—not just inform, but transform. That may be its greatest proof of all.

#Torah #God #Judaism #sinai #Moses #Divinerevelation #Documentaryhypothesis #YuvalNoahHarari #Kabbalah #Jewishtradition #BiblicalCrticism #Tanya #Spinoza #chassidus #Faith #theology 

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Purchase a raffle ticket here (there's 32 hours left!) http://www.charidy.com/ndg

-

I hope you are well. 

This Wednesday marks something deeply personal for me and Sara.

Exactly 20 years ago, we arrived in Montreal with a few suitcases, a tiny apartment… and one big, beating dream:

To build a Jewish home for anyone who needed one.

Not just a synagogue.

Not just programs.

But a place filled with warmth, love, and belonging for every soul.

In those early days, we ran school workshops and young professional events, saying yes to every opportunity to bring a little more light into the world.

And then 17 years ago, we opened our own little centre in NDG.

That dream — it grew.

Today, thanks to the incredible community we’ve built together, that small seed has become something beautiful:

-JMontreal our matchmaking service (212 engagements and counting!)

-A Jewish centre where everyone is welcome.

-Montreal’s only Jewish shelter for young adults in crisis

-Mental health and life coaching for those struggling

-A hospitable oasis for Jewish Students facing anti-semitism at Concordia.

Some of you know me from Instagram or the Kosher Love documentary.

But this… this is the heart of my life’s work.

And now, we’re dreaming even bigger.

We want to grow the shelter.

Support more young people.

Make more matches.

Create more space for joy, healing, and Jewish connection.

But we can’t do it alone.

That’s why I’m writing to you today.

This Wednesday, our 20-year anniversary is also the last day to buy a raffle ticket.

Your ticket is more than a donation. It’s a vote of confidence.

It says: "I believe in this. I want this to grow."

And yes, you can also win big!

Buy your raffle ticket here

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being part of this journey.

Let’s build the next 20 years — together.

With love and gratitude,
Rabbi Yisroel Bernath

P.S. If you’ve already bought tickets — thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Your support means the world to us, and you’re helping us make this dream grow stronger every single day.
Please consider forwarding this email to a friend who might also want to be part of something meaningful.

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In this deep and soulful journey through Parshat Chukas, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath unpacks one of the most perplexing and powerful moments in the Torah: the copper snake on a pole.

Why did G-d command Moses to use the very symbol of suffering, the snake, as a healing instrument? What does it mean that people had to look up at the snake to be cured?

Through timeless Jewish wisdom, vulnerable personal insight, and psychological depth, Rabbi Bernath explores the mystery of pain, the challenge of resilience, and the spiritual art of transforming darkness into light. You’ll walk away with a new perspective on your own struggles and perhaps, a new path to healing.

Key Takeaways:

Transformation, Not Avoidance:
True healing doesn’t come from avoiding our pain, but from facing it with courage and elevating it with meaning.

The Snake Above vs. the Snake Below:
The same experience can be seen from a higher or lower perspective. One brings despair; the other, depth.

The Poison Is the Cure:
Just like antivenom is made from venom, your healing may emerge from the very thing that once hurt you.

Don’t Run, Look Up:
When we stop running from the “snakes” in our lives and look upward—to G-d, to our higher selves—we discover the blessing buried in the bite.

Every Crisis Holds a Blessing:
Like Jacob wrestling the angel, we can say to our struggle: “I will not let you go until you bless me.” That’s Jewish resilience.

You Are Sacred Even in Pain:
Sometimes the deepest truth is not an answer to your question, but the awareness that your soul is Divine, loved, and never alone.

#healing #Judaism #Jewish #coppersnake #healingthroughpain #TorahPortion #TorahLessons #Torah #torahpsychology #JewishResiliance #struggle #Redemption #divinepurpose #traumatotransformation #trauma #God #snake #parshatchukat #spritualgrowth 

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In this gripping class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath delves into the tragic and turbulent rebellion led by Korach, Dathan, Abiram, and On ben Peles against Moses and Aaron. The narrative unveils not just a mutiny, but a masterclass in leadership, humility, and boundless love for even the most stubborn opponents.

Through an exploration of four key episodes involving Dathan and Abiram, Rabbi Bernath uncovers their long history of discord and defiance. Yet the class’s emotional apex comes with Moses’ unexpected final act: rising to personally appeal to his bitterest enemies, even after G-d commanded their separation. Why? Because Moses could never give up on the potential for peace—even with those who never sought it.

Drawing from the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s insights on Parshas Korach, this class challenges us to ask: When is the pursuit of unity too much? And what makes someone truly worthy of leadership?

Takeaways:

1. True Leadership Is Relentless Love:
   Moses teaches us that real leadership isn’t about titles or power, it’s about never giving up on people, even those who oppose you.
2. Some Quarrels Are Lifelong—Still, We Try:
   Dathan and Abiram weren’t new to conflict; they had a history of opposition. Yet Moses still pursued peace, one last time.
3. “Do Not Keep Up a Quarrel” Isn’t Just a Nice Idea—It’s a Lifesaving One:
   The Talmud’s teaching, rooted in Moses’ actions, reminds us that unity is sacred—even if it means swallowing our pride.
4. The Power of One Final Attempt:
   “Moses stood up and went to Dathan and Abiram.” That one verse becomes a model for all of us: Don’t assume it’s too late to make peace.
5. We Each Carry a Spark of Moses:
   As the Tanya teaches, every Jew carries a part of Moses’ soul. That means we each have the capacity to rise above ego and reach out in peace.
6. Peace Doesn’t Mean Passivity:
   Pursuing peace doesn’t mean tolerating abuse, it means knowing when to fight injustice and when to humble yourself for healing.

#Torah #Moses #Judaism #Bible #BibleStudy #Korach #ParshatKorach #humility #Rebbe #mosesleadership #Peace #TorahLessons #TorahPortion 

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On the night of Tisha B’Av, the Jewish people cried out of fear, not from a real threat, but from a perceived one. That night became a tragic turning point in our history, not because of a divine punishment, but because fear itself became the seed of generations of sorrow.

This class explores the deeper meaning of those "vain tears" through Torah, psychology, and metaphor. From the self-fulfilling prophecy of the spies, to Harvard's famous "Rosenthal Experiment," to the chained circus elephant who forgot her strength, we see how fear and self-image can imprison entire generations.

But we are no longer that generation. We are living in a time of healing and empowerment. This Tisha B’Av, we are called to rewrite the script. To cry no more. To rise with resolve. To finally break free and bring healing, light, and redemption to our world.

Key Takeaways:

Fear isn’t always logical, but it’s always powerful.
Even miracles won’t help if we don’t believe in ourselves.

Vain tears become real pain.
When we cry over imagined powerlessness, we invite genuine suffering, because we surrender our G-d-given strength.

We see ourselves as grasshoppers and so does the world.
The way we perceive ourselves shapes how others treat us.

Belief creates reality.
Like elephants chained by false memories, we stay stuck not because we are weak, but because we think we are.

This is the age of healing.
We’re not grasshoppers. We’re not victims. We are a generation with tools, strength, and clarity. It’s time to remember who we are.

Tisha B’Av will be transformed.
With courage, truth, and unity, even our day of weeping will become a day of joy, with the coming of Moshiach.

#fear #healing #Jewish #Judaism #shlach #TorahPortion #Torah #TorahLessons #Bible #BibleStudy #TishaBav #Spirituality #Moshiach #Spiritual #lubavitch #RabbiWisdom 

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Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at [email protected] or http://www.theloverabbi.com

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In this weeks class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath reveals the Torah’s timeless wisdom for navigating today’s anxious, high-speed world. Rooted in a single verse from Parshat Behaalotecha, we uncover how the cloud that guided the Jewish people through the desert wasn’t just GPS, it was G-d’s embrace, offering a blueprint for emotional resilience. Drawing on deep Talmudic insight, the story of the Mishkan, and modern-day inspiration like the heroism of Natan Sharansky, this class is a journey into the eye of the storm… where true serenity lives.

Takeaways:
* The "Magic Pill" for Stress: A single Torah verse can reframe your entire emotional state.
* G-d’s Embrace Is Constant: Just like a baby in its mother’s arms, we can move through chaos and feel held.
* Work ≠ Work: The Torah’s definition of melachah (creative labor) holds spiritual secrets for how to balance doing and being.
* The Sanctuary Within: Whether building or dismantling, stillness comes from knowing you’re in the same Divine space.
* Tehillim as a Lifeline: Learn how Psalms became the spiritual oxygen for Natan Sharansky—and how they can be for you, too.
* Don’t Just Know the Psalm. Know the Shepherd.

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Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at [email protected] or http://www.theloverabbi.com

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In this deeply moving and timely class, Rabbi Bernath opens with a heartfelt prayer for the victims of the Boulder attack and a reminder that silence in the face of evil is complicity. From the courtroom of Judgment at Nuremberg to the Torah portion of Naso, we journey through history, law, and soul.

We explore the legacy of Joseph, alone, enslaved, and tempted and how a single vision of his father reminded him: One action changes everything.
Joseph, who kept Shabbat even in Egypt, is rewarded not with rest but with purpose, his descendant offering a sacrifice on Shabbat itself, transforming a personal act into a communal revelation.

With wisdom from the Lubavitcher Rebbe and reflections on our divine spark, we are reminded that every choice we make is a nuclear reaction of holiness. We are not small. We are not powerless. We are G-d’s partners in redeeming this world.

Key Takeaways

We begin with a prayer for those wounded and shaken by the hate-fueled Anti-Jewish violence in Boulder. We must never grow numb to evil nor dismiss the power of standing up for what's right.

Moral failure begins the moment we excuse the first injustice. As seen in Nuremberg and echoed in our lives, passivity is complicity.

Joseph’s strength came not from Torah laws, but from internalizing his worth. His vision of Jacob, representing all of humanity reminded him that his actions mattered deeply.

You are not a chemical reaction, you are a nuclear reaction. One spark of holiness from you can ripple outward infinitely.

Keeping Shabbat in Egypt wasn’t just ritual—it was a declaration: Even in exile, I matter. Even in isolation, my light changes the world.

You are the world. As the Lubavitcher Rebbe taught: One human, one deed, one moment, can shake the heavens and awaken redemption.

#Jewish #Judaism #Bible #BibleStudy #Shabbat #Nuremberg #MoralCourage #humandignity #Shabbat #Joseph #TorahLessons #TorahPortion #Torah #Rebbe #LubavitcherRebbe #jewishethics 

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Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at [email protected] or http://www.theloverabbi.com

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