THE ROLE OF HEAVEN IN HISTORY — FROM THANKSGIVING TO YA‘AQOV, FROM 1492 TO TODAY
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14:57
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14:57
THE BALANCE THAT CREATES A NATION - Yaakov Ish Tam Vayesse
Ya‘akov Ish Tam — master of balance, not a naïve soul.
This episode explores why HaShem waited for Ya‘akov — and only Ya‘akov — to father the Twelve Tribes. We contrast Avraham’s Chesed and Yitzḥak’s Gevurah with Ya‘akov’s Tiferet, the balanced center that brings holiness into everyday life.
Drawing on a penetrating insight from Rabbi Yissocher Frand, we uncover how Ya‘akov, the “simple man,” could stand toe-to-toe with Lavan the deceiver — and how Esther, the woman of silence, learned when silence becomes a sin.
This is a deep dive into middot, self-mastery, and the Torah’s definition of real strength:
becoming a Ba‘al Middot — the master of your traits, not their servant.
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18:12
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18:12
Eliphaz and the Gates of Gilgul — From Robbing Yaakov to the Voice of Onkelos and why Amalek
This week’s 48-minute lunch class follows Ya‘aqov Avinu on the road out of Be’er Sheva — alone, stripped of everything — and uncovers the hidden drama that Chazal wove beneath the surface. We explored Eliphaz standing over him with a sword, the terrifying choice between Esav and Yitzḥak, the shocking gilgul that transforms Eliphaz into Onkelos, and the painful wound that produces ‘Amaleq. The class brings together Midrash, Zohar, Rema MiPano, and Rashbi to reveal how one hesitant moment of decency can echo across centuries and reshape Jewish destiny.
If you’ve ever wondered how Heaven handles incomplete choices, old wounds, and the thin line between holiness and destruction — this is the class to hear. It’s gripping, it’s sourced, and it will stay with you long after Shabbat.
The class is based on a shiur of Rabbi Pinchas Friedman, but is taken on a long tangent.
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48:18
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48:18
Jacob, Esav, and the Shadow of Lavan
In this mornings class inspired by an insight by our dear friend Terry Oved, we follow Ya‘akov Avinu into the darkest house in the Torah — Lavan the sorcerer — and discover how twenty years of deceit, manipulation, and spiritual danger forged the strength that finally allowed him to face Eisav.
Drawing from Midrash, Zohar, and Pirkei de’Rabbi Eliezer, we uncover the hidden layers behind the words “עִם לָבָן גַּרְתִּי” and how Ya‘akov walked through fire without losing himself.
This is the story of the strength you don’t know you have until the moment you need it.
A powerful lesson for a generation living through its own shadows — and learning, once again, to stand like Yisrael.
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12:09
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12:09
Ya‘akov’s Night, Our Darkness — and the Light of a Home
L’N Rabbi Jay Marcus, HaRav Yaakov Zvi ben Harav Yosef Yechezkel zt”l
In this morning’s class, we walk with Ya‘akov Avinu into the darkness — and discover the spark that has carried our people through every exile.
From Har HaBayit to 1492, from Janowska to today, this is the story of the pintele yid that refuses to die — and the miracle of living in a generation that finally has a home to walk toward with keys in our pocket !
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