The Shmuz

While there is much talk today about the importance of self esteem and its effect on a person's attitudes and accomplishments, there is a corollary benefit of understanding the greatness of man -- If I am obligated to respect myself because I was created in the image of HASHEM, then so too, I must respect you, because you also were created in that same image. In fact, Ben Azzai teaches us that if a person wants to improve his interpersonal relationships, a concept that will help him even more than Loving one's neighbor as oneself, is this understanding that All men are created in the image of HASHEM. This Shmuz focuses us on the Torah's view of the true dignity of man, and the profound effect that this concept has on our lives. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

We are creatures of habit -- we act by habit, we react by habit and, to a large extent, we even think by habit. And, in truth, it has to be that way. If we didn't act based on previously established patterns of behavior, life would be unmanageable. If every time we turned a corner we would have to think through the actions involved, our entire mind's focus would be on navigating the basics of living, with no upper brain room left for thinking. For that reason, HASHEM gave us this ability to put things on auto pilot, doing many activities without even giving them a second thought, thereby leaving us the ability to free our mind for more important things.While this reality is a fact of life, it also brings us face to face with one of the core realities of growth: our habits determine who we are and what we become. Assuming that some of my habits are in my best interest and some aren't, the question then becomes, "How do I change".This Shmuz helps us identify those habits that affect us, and then defines the strategies necessary to change them.            In this Shmuz we are introduced to the vital obligation upon every Jew to be involved in Kiruv, and some practical understandings as to how easy it for everyone, not just the Kiruv professional, to have a profound effect on the people around us. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

In 1996 Gordon and Horowitz published a study entitled Will your grandchildren be Jewish? Their conclusion: if one were to view the Jewish Nation as a totality, based on ever decreasing birth rates and skyrocketing intermarriage rates, the odds of any Jews being left by the end of the 21 st century are slim to none. However, one category stands out in stark relief -- the Orthodox. Based on their average birth rate of between 4-6 children per family, and their intermarriage rate of less than 3%, they are burgeoning and ever increasing. We should expect that by the end of this century the Jewish Nation will be alive and vibrant, however strictly Orthodox. The only question that remains is of those Jews alive today: How many will make it themselves, and how many of their grandchildren will be Jewish. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Shmuz INfo Coming Soon.... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

We know that everything is from HASHEM. We also know that we must do our part-- our Hishtadlus. In theory it is easy to find the balance-- I must act in the way of the world, yet knowing all the while that HASHEM runs everything. One of the great challenges of life is actually personifying that tightrope walk between Bitachon and proper Hishtadlus. How hard should I be working? How seriously should I take the medical reports and new findings? When is it appropriate for me to say, "I have done my part, now it is in HASHEM's hands"? Drawing on some very inspiring examples of perfect Bitachon, this Shmuz helps us put our belief system into practice. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

We know that we were put on this planet for a few short years, to shape ourselves into who we will be for eternity. HASHEM has created this world specifically to give us the chance to mold our inner essence. We also know that the Torah and its mitzvahs are the greatest vehicles of self perfection. If so, one of the questions that a thinking person must ask themselves is, why do we need work? HASHEM is quite capable of creating a world where all of man's needs are met. Yet, not only do we labor, it seems that majority of our life is spent earning a living. Why would HASHEM want that to be? If the entire purpose of life is to allow us to grow in spirituality, wouldn't those goals have been better met by putting us in a world where all of our physical needs were met, and then we would have the time and energy to focus on perfecting ourselves? This Shmuz addresses one of the most basic questions a Jew must ask himself: Why does HASHEM want us to work for a living? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

One of the most difficult character traits to work on is humility. Not only is it considered the most pervasive of the all of the middos, it is the most misunderstood. On one hand, we are obligated to appreciate the greatness of the human, yet on the other, we must remain humble. One technique to help identify the trait and its pathology is to see it in its extreme. Using the story of Megillas Esther as a backdrop, and particularly some of foibles of Haman, we are able to witness arrogance in its extreme, and thereby find its cure: the understanding that I am a human. This is a highly recommended Shmuz for working on the trait of humility, as well as a good preparation for Purim. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

One of the tools of highly successful people is the ability to stay focused and motivated over long periods of time. Whether in sports, academics, or business, the effort and consistency needed to accomplish long term goalsrequires a high level of motivation and the ability to renew excitement and enthusiasm. Often the difference between a person who reaches great heights and a person who doesn't is the persons self awareness and ability to marshal the inner resources to stay on top of the game. In religion, , we also need the same set of skills to maintain a high level of enthusiasm and focus to prevent our daily actions from becoming merely robotic. In this Shmuz we are focused on one of the Torah's techniques for staying motivated-- ReJewvinating. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

If you were to poll our community, the average parent would admit we probably give our children too much. And while this sentiment may not be clearly spoken out by young parents, once children hit the teen age years, most parents upon reflection would say : I wish we had been more firm with them when they were younger; Weve probably spoiled them; They would have been better off, had they not be given quite so much  We live in permissive times, and parents seem almost afraid to say the word no to their children. Yet intuitively, we understand that we are injuring our children by not being firm, by not setting limits, and following through with consequences when they go past those limits. The challenge for parents is to find the balance between letting our children know that we love them unconditionally and setting limits and educating them in our expectations.  Using the backdrop of some of the most famous personalities in all of history for reference, the Medrash presents to us some of the foundations of effective parenting.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Eleanor Roosevelt has been credited with saying, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." The reality is that most of the battles that we fight are based on complex constructions -- created by us. Whether they be issues of misunderstanding other's motives, or our fight with passions and desire, or understanding our place in the universe - our fights and battles are very real to us. Yet, when you try to explain them to others we often find, many people can't even identify with the challenge nor understand the temptation. This Shmuz focuses on the fight of our generation, and the very powerful psychological forces that help create the fever- pitched battle that it is. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate