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

October 29, 2022 Aish Kodesh - 8 (Vayishlach)
In this shiur the Aish Kodesh asks two questions:
1. Why does Yaakov Avinu insist on being blessed by the Malach of Eisav when he had already been blessed by Hashem?
2. Why does the Malach ask Yaakov Avinu his name?
The Rebbe explains that it is not enough simply to leave our state of pain. True redemption only occurs when we have gained something fundamental from our pain. Our pain brings a whole new level of salvation. Furthermore, we rule over ourselves under all circumstances.
38 min
October 26, 2022 Parshas Noach - Rooted in the Past, Securely Attached in the Present
The story of Migdal Bavel is a perplexing one. What is the connection between this story and the story of the flood? What exactly were they attempting to do by building a tower? Why is it a fitting consequence to babel their language? In this shiur, Rav Burg explains how being firmly rooted in the stories of our past gives us the capacity to handle what life throws at us in the present. Those who are rooted in their origin stories have an abundance mentality that allows for true expressions of their individuality rather than fake conformity.
41 min
October 20, 2022 Bereishis - Begin Again
Bereishis means in the beginning. The word Bereishis can also be understood as Beis Reishis, two beginnings. But Hashem only created the world once. Why does the Torah allude to a second beginning? In this shiur Rav Burg explains how every story has not one but two beginnings. It is up to us to choose to begin again.
35 min
October 16, 2022 Hoshana Rabbah - There is Nothing Simple About Simple Jews
Delivered at Yeshivat HaKotel's Vayichan program on Hoshana Rabbah, based on a sicha from the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rav Burg explains how it is the simple Jews that reflect Hashem's essence in this world. Complexity hides Hashem's simple presence in creation. The greater the complexity, the greater the concealment. The simple Jew who serves Hashem simply because they're Jewish lacks the concealment of more complex Jews. The Aravos of Hoshana Rabbah are different than the aravos of the dalet minim. Though they both represent the simple Jews, the aravos of Hoshana Rabbah are not impacted in any way by the sophistication of the other minim. In that way, Hoshana Rabbah highlights the beauty of the simple Jews.
34 min
October 06, 2022 Aish Kodesh - 7 (Vayeitzei)
As Yaakov Avinu is sleeping and dreaming of the malachim going up and down the ladder, Rashi explains that it is Hashem who is guarding over him.
The Aish Kodesh asks, why is it Hashem guarding over Yaakov and not a malach? Why does it repeat that he is being guarded twice?
The Malachim of the ladder represent the nations of the world who are at war with each other. When they are fighting, Klal Yisrael is in danger. In these times we need the special shemira of Hashem Himself. When we have no zechusim of our own, we are still the children of the Avos and Hashem watches over us in their merit.
The Rebbe explains that there is a difference between that which is written and that which is spoken. That which is spoken does not last but that which is written can be taken with us. The Rebbe calls upon us, in times of great struggle, to write our inspiration on our hearts so we can take it with us.
36 min
September 21, 2022 Parshas Nitzavim - Growing Up, Choosing Hashem
In this week's Parsha, Moshe Rabbeinu, for the first time in history, renews the Bris between Klal Yisrael and Hashem. Up until now it was always Hashem that made a Bris with humanity/Klal Yisrael. Why the change? Based on an essay from Rabbi Jonathan Sacks ob"m, Rav Burg explains that truly inspired Judaism comes from choosing to participate in a relationship with Hashem.
40 min
September 20, 2022 Aish Kodesh - 6 (Toldos)
In this shiur the Aish Kodesh explains two different types of giving. 1. Hashem simply gives because He is giving, not because we are deserving. 2. Hashem pays back a "debt" so to speak and gives us what we are owed for the performance of our Mitzvos.
The Rebbe teaches that there are two types of Jews, those who are lost and those are completely unrecognizable. In 1939 the Rebbe addresses those Jews that have completely lost their sense of self because of the persecution of the Nazi's. The Rebbe speaks to how Hashem will restore these Jews to their previous pristine state.
35 min
September 05, 2022 Aish Kodesh - 5 (Chayei Sarah)
In this shiur the Aish Kodesh explains that while it is true that suffering purifies it is also true that suffering too much can be too much to bear. In this exceptional piece we learn how Sarah Imeinu opened up her heart to all of the pain of the Akeida so that the pain would teach Hashem (us and the world at large) how even a great tzadekes like Sarah could not live in the face of such suffering.
53 min
August 07, 2022 Tisha B'Av - Eli Tzion (kinnah 45) - Grief is Unexpressed Love
This kinnah, the last of the kinnos, is a kinnah of hope. It speaks about the pain of a woman in labor and the pain of a young bride who lost her husband. The cry of labor is a cry that understands that while this may be exceptionally painful it is for an ultimate purpose. The cry of a young bride is a cry that speaks to the absolute chaos of this world. In her grief, as she refuses to let go of her husband who has passed on, she is giving language to her eternal love and the hope that she will one day be reunited with her husband. We are tasked to live within the tension of both cries, both of which give us an infinite sense of hope. (This kinnah was given over in NCSY Kollel)
16 min
August 07, 2022 Tisha B'Av - Feeling Hashem's Pain
The challenge of Tisha B'Av is that we are being called upon to feel the pain of the loss of the Beis HaMikdash when we have never experienced the Beis HaMikdash. What we can feel is the pain of the shechina who longs to have a place in our world once again. Feeling the pain of another requires a strong sense of self which can only come from tapping in to the Godly soul that dwells within each of us. In this shiur, delivered at NCSY Kollel on Tisha B'Av, Rav Burg takes us through three stories, the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza, the story of Tur Malka, and the story of Beitar, amd shows how in each of these stories a lack of self expressed itself in the lack of feeling for another.
58 min