Shaping your environment | Parsha with the Chief: Ki Teitzei

Self-awareness is the gateway to success. When we see ourselves clearly - strengths and weaknesses, victories and mistakes - we know where to double down, and where to improve.  But how do we be objective about ourselves? Drawing on Pirkei Avot, with an illuminating idea in this week’s parsha Ki Tavo, Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein reveals three pathways to transcending our inherent subjectivity and achieving objective self-assessment. First, through genuine dialogue with others: learning to listen, respond appropriately, and admit ignorance when necessary. Second, through Torah study with others, which forces us to seek wisdom external to ourselves and develop the humility to receive criticism. Third, through cultivating awe of God and living with awareness that we will one day stand before Hashem and account for our actions, cutting through all rationalizations and self-deception. Key Insights: • Vidui (confession) includes declaring both our mistakes AND our successes — complete self-awareness requires knowing what we're doing right so we can amplify it. • Avot teaches us to avoid rationalising and spinning our own narrative when assessing ourselves • True dialogue requires listening before speaking, addressing points in order, and having the humility to say “I don't know.” • Torah study with chavruta (study partners) naturally develops objectivity by forcing us to seek wisdom external to ourselves and receive input from others. • Living with yirat Hashem (awe of God) provides the ultimate objective perspective — imagining how our actions appear before the ultimate Judge who sees through all subjectivity. • The goal isn't perfection but rather developing— appropriate self-awareness in relation to others and to Hashem. #KiTavo #SelfAssessment #ObjectiveThinking #JewishWisdom #PirkeiAvot #TeshuvaTechniques #CharacterDevelopment #TorahLearning #SpiritualGrowth #YomKippurPreparation

Environment - physical and human - shapes our actions and worldview. What if you could design it to work for you instead of against you? The key is not to passively accept the environment as we find it, resigned to the status quo. The question we need to ask is this - how do we proactively shape our environment for success. This talk by Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein on the Parsha of Ki Teitzei, from the perspective of Pirkei Avot, explores the Torah's wisdom on building protective boundaries around what matters most. From the mitzvah to build a fence around your roof to the deeper principles of creating environments that foster growth and protect against harm. The parsha reveals how Torah approaches environmental design: not just physical safety, but moral, spiritual, and emotional culture, values and context that enable flourishing. Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein examines how ancient wisdom aligns with modern understanding about context, habit formation, and the power of surroundings to shape character. Key insights:  - Why building boundaries is a Torah obligation  - How environment shapes character and choices  - The connection between physical and spiritual fences  - What the Rambam teaches about protective structures  - How to design contexts that promote growth #KiTeitzei #Torah #Boundaries #Environment #JewishWisdom

Decisions that lead to growth, success, and lasting happiness depend on clarity. Clarity in how we think. Clarity in how we see. Clarity in how we judge people and situations.  But that clarity is constantly undermined by human bias, which distorts how we see the world and how we see ourselves. How do we overcome it?  This week’s Torah portion Shoftim, together with Pirkei Avot, presents a practical Torah framework for recognising bias, restoring clarity, and making decisions that are grounded in truth and guided by values. Drawing from the laws of justice and the concept of prophecy, it reveals the hidden connection between character refinement and clear thinking. Why do even brilliant people fall for obvious lies? Why do we make the same mistakes repeatedly? Because bias isn’t just about external pressure—it lives inside us, invisible and inescapable. But Torah offers more than diagnosis. Through the framework of prophecy as clarity, Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein shows how intellectual mastery and moral greatness can help us see reality more clearly.   Key insights: Why complete objectivity is impossible for humans How character flaws distort our perception of reality The difference between procedural and substantive justice What the Rambam teaches about prophecy and clarity How refining character leads to better decisions #Shoftim #Bias #DecisionMaking #Torah #JewishWisdom

Is the world a place of survival of the fittest, fighting for scarce resources, or Divine abundance where everyone can thrive? These opposing perspectives are at the heart of how we relate to others. Do we see people as competitors whose success comes at our expense, or as partners in creating something greater together? In this teaching on Parshat Re’eh, Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein explores a Mishnah that reveals four character types, and how they shape the way we see others. Are people our competitors for limited resources, or partners in Divine abundance? The Torah’s approach to giving, competition, and relationships flows from a deeper question: do we live with a mindset of scarcity or of abundance? Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein unpacks why the highest character trait is wanting others to thrive — and how that reflects Hashem’s own way of giving.   Key insights:  - The four character types around “mine” and “yours”  - Why scarcity thinking drains the soul  - How abundance transforms relationships  - The deep link between giving and divine character  - Why wanting others to succeed lifts everyone #Reeh #Torah #Character #Giving #JewishWisdom

We live in a world of constant change - nothing stays the same. This can lead to fear, anxiety, or the opposite: denial of reality and damaging overconfidence. The Torah offers a different path.    In this uplifting talk, the Chief Rabbi explains how awareness of Hashem grounds us with the strength and humility to face the unknown. The key is not control - it is faith. In this discussion you will learn about how to hold confidence and caution together without tipping into either extreme. Drawing on wisdom from Pirkei Avot, the Rambam, and the Maharal, he reveals why overconfidence and anxiety share the same source. Key insights: Why hubris and fear share the same source What it means to truly remember what matters most How to live with uncertainty without anxiety The difference between confidence and arrogance #Eikev #Wisdom #Hubris #LifeLessons  

Information and knowledge stream everywhere. In a world overflowing with ideas and content, what makes Torah different? In this week's message on the Parsha of Va'etchanan, Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein explores what sets Torah apart in the knowledge economy. While the world now prizes information and insight, Judaism has always placed Torah learning at the top. Yet the real distinction isn't just in how much we value learning, but in the qualitatively  different kind of knowledge that Torah offers. Torah is not human wisdom. It's Divine. It doesn't just inform. It transforms. From the mitzvah of Talmud Torah, to the values of Pirkei Avot, to the transformative nature of Halacha, this teaching explores how Torah reshapes our actions, character, and worldview. Key themes: What makes Torah fundamentally different from all other knowledge Why Torah study transforms the learner The Midrash on wisdom vs. Torah among the nations Halacha as action-oriented transformation How Torah becomes the story of our lives #Torah #Knowledge #Transformation #Vaetchanan

Why doesn't Pirkei Avot mention the prohibition against Lashon Hara? The ultimate guide to Jewish ethics never brings up one of our most discussed interpersonal laws. In this transformative Tisha B'Av teaching, Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein reveals that this apparent oversight actually holds the key to understanding what Torah life is really about. In this shiur: The profound difference between avoiding sin and building spiritual greatness How the Chafetz Chaim's teachings connect to Pirkei Avot's deeper mission Why character development forms the invisible foundation of Torah observance The link between sinat chinam, the Temple's destruction, and our personal growth A practical approach to becoming someone who naturally lifts others up This goes far beyond improving our speech. Rabbi Goldstein shows how we can become fundamentally different people through the patient work of humility, inner refinement, and genuine concern for others. The lesson speaks directly to anyone wrestling with spiritual growth, students exploring mussar and Jewish ethics, those reflecting during the Three Weeks, or people curious about applying ancient wisdom to modern character challenges. The shiur offers something rare: a fresh perspective on familiar concepts that actually changes how you approach your own development. Instead of focusing on what not to do, it maps out who to become. Listen now and discover the inner work that transforms more than behavior. It transforms souls. Subscribe for Torah insights that challenge surface-level thinking and reveal the deeper currents of Jewish wisdom.

Anger is never isolated — it draws strength from across our inner world. By understanding its true nature, we begin to reclaim control, heal relationships, and grow in ways that truly matter. In this talk, Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein explores the root of anger through the lens of this week’s parsha Matot-Masei, and the teachings of Pirkei Avot. He shows how it is never isolated. Anger is one of the most powerful — and most dangerous — forces in the human heart. Left unchecked, it can fracture relationships, destroy inner peace, and block us from becoming who we are meant to be. But where does anger come from? What are its roots? And how do we understand and overcome it, rather than suppress it? Topics covered:  The psychology and character roots of anger  How Judaism views anger as a spiritual challenge  Tools for overcoming destructive emotions  How to build inner peace, self-awareness, and personal greatness 📖 Based on Parshat Matot-Masei  🎙️ Part of the Parsha with the Chief series #JewishWisdom #EmotionalGrowth #ParshaWithTheChief #OvercomingAnger #TorahInsights #InnerPeace #PirkeiAvot #PersonalGrowth #JewishLeadership

When to be bold, and when to be gentle? When to challenge and when to pacify? When to speak up, and when to step back? These are some of the trickiest questions we face in leadership, parenting, business, and everyday life. In this shiur on Parshat Pinchas, Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein explores the tension between moral courage and emotional sensitivity—between boldness and humility. Drawing from the story of Pinchas, the mishnas of Pirkei Avot, and the teachings of the Tur, Rambam, Sforno, Rabbeinu Bachya, and others, the Chief Rabbi shares a powerful roadmap for navigating complex human relationships. It’s not about being right.  It’s about doing what’s right - with conscience, compassion, and the courage to act from a higher place.

There is more to achieving success than intelligence, strategy, charisma, or hard work. Pirkei Avot and this week’s parsha, Balak, reveal a three-part formula for holistic success in family, career, happiness, and legacy. A powerful mishna offers a striking contrast between two individuals: Bilam, brilliant but broken, and Avraham, humble and lasting. Through Pirkei Avot, Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein explores how character, not just competence, determines our ability to thrive. We unpack three core traits that shape who we become: generosity vs. jealousy, humility vs. arrogance, and restraint vs. desire. Success, the Torah teaches, isn’t about building status. It’s about building self. When our values align with timeless truth, we flourish — in this world, and the next.