Rav AkivaA Jew whose life was extraordinarily difficult and all our Torah is his!!!

Tanya Amar Rav Yosi… Zimna Chada 5738(This is a little different than most Ma’amaroim on this Zohar).RaShbI caused rain through Torah on the Possuk הנה מה טוב ומה נעים שבת אחים גם יחד only after his students came to him.Why this Possuk? (Because it has all of Hishtalshelus in it.)Why his students? Because they caused…

Hemshech Part Two. Three levels of הילולא which means the joy of a wedding. 1) The union of נשמות on high before they come into this world (this is the lowest level even though it is in the spiritual worlds). Example for this from the Mitteler Rebbe’s joy (and his father’s objection). 2) Physical marriages…

This is primarily a ל”ג בעומר Ma’amar. בחוקותי means תורה that results in a physical change in the world as it says ונתתי גשמיכם בעתם the Torah that makes it rain is the level of רבי שמעון בר יוחאי. This is, of course, the story in זהר where through תורה ושבחים of רשב”י it rained….

RaShBI made it rain by saying a Torah on the Possuk Hinai Ma Tov UMa Naim Sheves Achim Gam Yachad. There are three ideas here 1) Sheves Achim 2) Yachad 3) Gam Yachad.

Class One. The first half of this Mugadiker Ma’amar addresses the idea of ‘Shvachim’ (praise or flattery) we give to Hashem to arouse Him to give us (K’vayachol) and how this was reflected in the Tanaim who flattered RaShBI. What is unique to the Rebbe’s version of the Ma’amar is that he explains that the…

This classic Lag BaOmer Ma’amar is repeated here. חיי עולם וחיי שעה- תורה ותפילה, תפילה וברכה Torah from the top down vs. Tefilla from the bottom up. RaShbI was one of those individuals whose Torah could change the world and it is without much effort. He was (both) lifted up and brought down by the…

The day Before (5768).17 IYAR/32 Baomer ends reason. 32 is highest level of (“the 32 alleys of) Chochma. 33 is transcendence. This is part of the idea that this (day 33) is connected to RaShBI. Lag Ba’omer talk (5770). Lag BaOmer parades; how religious is Jewish pride? More than you could possibly imagine.It wakes up…

This Tanna has a Yom Tov (holiday) all his own that all Yidden keep. The question is (still) only why (exactly). 1. RaShBI (5766). The Tzaddik who insisted his histalkus (passing) be a great joy and merited to have his desire continued for nearly two millenium. Some details about this extraordinary Tanna based on a…

The teacher of RaShBI whose students stopped (interrupted their) dying on Lag Baomer. Who was Rabbi Akiva? Based on a series of Maamarei Chazal that reveal this incredibly great Tanna’s life, stuggle and extraordinary success.