Nitzotzos: Inspiration to Keep Your Spark Alive with Rav Mordechai Burg

By NitzotzosReligion & Spirituality Judaism

Nitzotzos: Inspiration to Keep Your Spark Alive with Rav Mordechai Burg episodes

January 11, 2023 Shemos - Holy Chutzpah
There are various opinions regarding the origin of Moshe Rabbeinu's name. There are those that maintain that it is a Hebrew name while others maintain that it is an Egyptian name. If Klal Yisrael is redeemed in the merit of not changing their names, how could Moshe Rabbeinu himself have an Egyptian name? In this shiur Rav Burg explains the true nature of golus. A light descends into the darkness of golus to emerge greater than before. The Chutzpah of Pharaoh gives rise to an even greater and holier Chutzpah from the daughter of Pharaoh. It is that holy Chutzpah that Moshe Rabbeinu embodies as he redeems us from Mitzrayim.
35 min
January 05, 2023 Parshas Vayechi - The History of the World in 12 Steps
Based on brilliant and novel insight the Lubavitcher Rebbe zt'l, Rav Burg explains how each name of the parshios of Bereishis represents another stage in the development of the history of the world.

37 min
January 04, 2023 Vayechi - We Are Not Our Lowest Moments
The challenge of parenting in today's generation may feel enormous. Yosef HaTzaddik teaches us that even in the most difficult circumstances we are all capable of raising children like Menashe and Ephraim. Our children have two parts: Menashe - the parts they would like to forget and Ephraim - the parts they value. In this shiur, based on the Degel Machaneh Ephraim, Rav Burg explains how we must parent our children to know that the Menashe part of them is not who they truly are. And rather than feeling deeply ashamed of these parts we must understand that we will become great because of them.
35 min
December 29, 2022 Parshas Vayigash - A Father's Love
Yosef HaTzaddik reveals himself to his brothers and asks "Is my father still alive?" Of course he is alive! The brothers have been talking about Yaakov throughout their entire time in Mitzrayim. The journey of life can be terrifying. How do we maintain our strength and resolve? The loving words of a parent can stay with us for a lifetime.
41 min
December 28, 2022 Parshas Vayigash - You Are Enough
Yehuda tells Yosef do not get angry for you are like Pharaoh himself. The worst way to get someone to calm down is to tell them to calm down. Why would Yehuda tell Yosef not to get angry? In this shiur Rav Burg explains the difference between an abundance mentality and an impoverished mentality as it relates to parenting and relationships with our spouses. Yehudas words give us insight into how we can be enough for ourselves.
33 min
December 27, 2022 Aish Kodesh - 10 (Mikeitz)
Yaakov blesses his children that the Egyptian ruler should have mercy on them. The Aish Kodesh asks, why doesn't he bless them that no harm should befall them. Just as Hashem creates an expanding universe and tells it to stop expanding so too there are different types of salvations. Sometimes salvation comes from an expanding process. You go to the doctor who diagnoses an illness, procure the medicine etc... Sometimes, if there is no time for an expanding process, Hashem says enough to the expansion. The salvation must come immediately. This is the deeper meaning of Hashem creating the world with middas harachamim before middas hadin. The mercy of Hashem bring a salvation immediately without any process needing to unfold.
35 min
December 15, 2022 Chanukah - Purity in our Judaism
Delivered to the Shana Bet in Mevaseret for Erev Shabbos Mussar, Rav Burg discusses why the Mitzvah of Ner Chanuka is on the home, the reason for the precedence of Ner Shabbos over Ner Chanukah and the last zman for Ner Chanukah is when the tarmudai would come home from the Shuk.
The outside influences of immorality have made an impact on our community. In order to transmit Yiddishkeit it needs to be pure through and through. Our homes need to be places where Yiddishkeit is pristine. Only when we are ensconced in Torah and Mitzvos can we successfully combat the rebellion of the Shuk.
25 min
December 14, 2022 Yud Tes Kislev Fabrengen in Shaalvim (Vayishlach/Vayeshev)
Delivered in Shaalvim, Rav Burg discusses Dinah going out into Shechem to reveal the hidden spark of Rav Akiva and Yosef losing his begadim in order to discover himself.
The second part of Ra Burg's shmooze begins at the 44 minute mark.
1 hr 26 min
December 14, 2022 Parshas Vayeshev - Finding Connection Within
Chazal tells us that Yosef HaTzaddik would tell Yaakov Avinu about all of the misdeeds of the shevatim. If there was anything to tell, he would run to his father to share with him the bad news. Why? In this shiur, Rav Burg explains that lonely children will push away the very people they want to connect with. The journey of Yosef HaTzaddik is our journey. It is about finding connection within and then being able to connect to others. Rather than push away those who seem to be pushing us way, we ought to see through their actions to the pain underneath.
39 min
December 13, 2022 Yud Tes Kislev Fabrengen - (Parshas Vayeshev) Finding Hashem in Our Loneliness
Delivered to the women of Nishei Neve Shamir, in this shiur Rav Burg explains how the story of Yosef and Eishes Potiphar, the story of Rachav and Yehoshua and the story of the talmid of Rav Chiya and the Zonah are all one story. Not only are they all the same soul, it is a story about people, who from a deep place of loneliness seek out counterfeit connection. And, it is also a story about how that very same loneliness becomes the pathway for true belonging.
53 min