Why Even Try? - Parshas Toldos 5787

Eisav sold the bechorah because he was sure he couldn't live up to it. The Midrash shows us a scared Eisav, not a lazy one - and his mistake is the most modern mistake there is. A word on Parshas Toldos 5787.

Why do we say Mah Tovu the moment we walk into shul? In this episode of the Davening Series, Rabbi Kassorla explores Bilaam's unexpected blessing - 'How good are your tents, Yaakov' - and the idea that coming to shul is 'va'ani berov chasdecha,' a pure kindness from Hashem, not a tircha. Davening is the opportunity to talk to Hashem and to set your intentions - and when you set your intentions properly, the whole rest of your day falls into place like a domino effect.

Every morning is a declarative statement: Hashem believes in you and you have what to accomplish. In this shmuess to his students, Rabbi Kassorla continues through the morning brachos - the reminder that we are souls encased in a body, not bodies that happen to have a soul; tzitzis as enclothing ourselves in Torah u'mitzvos; and tefillin as literally binding ourselves to Hashem's will - "v'erastich li l'olam," a marriage, not a dip. In a culture that dips its toe in and runs, connection is the antidote to the emptiness even the most accomplished people feel.

A mussar shmues from Rabbi Naftali Kassorla for parshas Chayei Sarah.Why did Eliezer give Rivkah the nezem before asking whose daughter she was - and why did he switch the order when he retold the story to Lavan? Rashi's pshat, the negiya Eliezer was fighting, and the quiet, sometimes lonely inner world of a ben Torah whose cheshbonos not everyone understands.

Rabbi Naftali Kassorla's Sunday Halacha shiur on the halachos of nichush (omens) and simanim, from the sugya in Chullin 95b. The story of the two brothers and their recurring dream, Eliezer and Rivkah, Rav and the ferry to Mechoza, and what separates a permitted siman from forbidden nichush.

The way we begin the morning sets the direction for the whole day. Continuing the Davening Series, Rabbi K explores Reishis Chochmah and the morning declarations: seeing life through the lens of Torah, accepting guidance, connecting to Hashem, and hoping for yeshuah.Original recording. A cleaned transcript accompanies this episode.

Why do we say Modeh Ani? The first words of the morning are a declaration that life is worth living - and that the One who returned your soul still believes in what you can accomplish with it. The first in a new series on the meaning and purpose behind the words of davening.