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You can learn about emuna from all the stimuli in your environment and in your daily routine. "Flight 613", a little 2-minute inspirational shot of emuna, is the product of my thoughts on the plane last week from Atlanta to Washington, DC. I hope you enjoy it.
As you all know, I don't give out endorsements lightly. Nevertheless, I'm delighted to announce that one of Breslev's leading minds and spiritual guides, my esteemed and cherished friend Rav Avraham Greenbaum, may Hashem bless him always, will be coming soon to the USA and Canada. He will be lecturing in places where many of our friends are, such as Alabama, Los Angeles, the Bay area, Oregon, and Toronto. I strongly recommend that you go see and hear him. Introduce yourself and ask him for a blessing too - not only is he a wise man, but a righteous one too. Rav Greenbaum is the type of spiritual leader that brings honor to Rebbe Nachman's name. You'll not only be dazzled by his brilliance and delivery, but by his ability to teach the loftiest ideas in a way that everyone can comprehend.
His itinerary is as follows:
U.S.A.
CANADA
You can see a detailed schedule of times and places for Rav Greenbaum's lectures here. When you see him, give him my warmest regards.
Condi is planning to sell us down the river in Annapolis. She ought to see this:
Neither Condi or Achmedinejad worries me. Assimilation does. Learn who you are, and come home. Our future is where our past is, close to Hashem.
I came home from abroad to a stack of second-marriage-blues mail. Not long ago, we published one. The Melitzer Rebbe told me that most people fall into second marriages with little or no preparation and coaching, yet a second marriage requires much more effort for success than a first marriage does.
Dear Rabbi Brody,
I remarried five years ago. For my new wife, this is her first marriage. We have a three-year old daughter. I have two teenage sons from my previous marriage, who live with their mother. My wife begrudges every penny I spend on them, and every time I come home from seeing them, we have a major confrontation. My life has become unbearable, and I'm literally being forced to choose between my wife and my boys. What do I do? Need your urgent advice, RA from Ohio
Dear RA,
A woman yearns to have her husband all to herself...
If a husband is wise enough to devote the first year of marriage to building bonds of communication, consideration, attention, and understanding with his bride, then the wife feels secure and calm for the next seventy years. Our sages teach us that no woman feels better anywhere other than in the home of a loving husband. Learn this rule of thumb: Even if a wife is a nuclear physicist, she basically has only two major concerns: One, that she's number one in her husband's life, and two, that he loves her unconditionally. Look at Hillary Clinton - apparently, she has everything - money, fame, and career success. Yet, she's miserable, because Bill doesn't meet the above two criteria.
Your wife feels like an underdog competing with your teenage sons. You've known them a lot longer than you've known her. She sees you looking forward to the exciting Sunday mornings with them, yet you come home to her with a long face. You feel ripped apart? How do you think she feels? She cooks, cleans, runs the household, and raises your daughter; does she receive the same smiles and presents that your sons get? Heck no, but she's the one that deserves the goodies. Rather than feeling sorry for yourself, empathize with your wife. Start acting like a first-year husband. Eat your meals together, stroll in the park together, and converse for hours on end. Don't let me catch you in a bowling league or in a Tuesday night poker game until you get your act at home together. Marriage is like a bank account: If you don't make any deposits, how can you expect to withdraw anything? Start investing in your wife.
Include your wife and daughter in your bimonthly plans with your sons. Be one happy family. The minute your wife begins to feel marital security, she'll be running to buy the birthday presents for your boys, and spending a lot more on them than you would have. The love and attention you lavish on your wife is the thread that'll mend the emotional holes in Mr. RA. I guarantee you, the better you get to know her, the more you'll love her. By the way, when's the last time you thanked G-d for such a wonderful wife?
I strongly suggest that you listen to our CDs on shalom bayit, especially Respecting Your Wife, First Place, Peace in the Home, All in the Family, and The Family Connection. It's never too late to make a new beginning. You won't be sorry. Blessings always, LB
Back in the old days, my high school wrestling coach hung a sign on the ceiling of the workout gym. It said, "If you can read this sign, you're losing!"
It's not a good idea to be pinned on your back either in scholastic wrestling or in life. Sadness and depression pin you down; in other words, if you're sad and depressed, you're losing the match.
Most losers need to do one of two things to turn the tables around and become winners: Either they should start listening to their coach's advice, or else get a new coach.
For beating the Yetzer and sadness, there's no coach like Rebbe Nachman of Breslev.
Hey, why the long face? What's got you down? Why are you afraid? We've got Hashem, we've got the Torah, we have the richest spiritual inheritance in the world. Let's get moving - we have such a power!
"And they shall keep the ways of Hashem" (Bereishit 18:19).
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov teaches that by virtue of emuna, the complete and steadfast faith in Hashem, a person merits children (Sichos HaRan, 34). At a superficial glance, Rebbe Nachman's teaching seems odd. After all, the entire world has children; yet few have attained true emuna. Rebbe Nachman's intent must therefore be much deeper than what appears on the surface, as we will explain:
When the Torah states, "And they shall keep the ways of Hashem" the Torah is testifying that Avraham's (Abraham) offspring will guard and observe Hashem's commandments.
Continue reading here at BreslovWorld.
With Hashem's loving grace, I landed on the soil of my beloved homeland a few hours ago. Just breathing the air of Israel was like lining my lungs with a honey-scented silk - indescribable.
Thanks to all of you in Canada and the USA who came to see me. Each and every one of you are in my heart and prayers.
I'm sorry for the foul-up of our 4-part lecture here on the Beams while I was away. Apparently, the Google codes were fouled up and two lessons came up twice. The Yetzer has to get his grubby fingers in the pie...
Have a wonderful Shabbat! Meanwhile, warmest regards from sunny and much-too-dry Ashdod.
Dear Rabbi Brody,
Six months ago, I married off my youngest daughter. My mother's intuition tells me she's having problems with her husband. I've been suspicious of his loyalty to her, and I'm sick with worry. What should I do? Thank you for your attention.
Yours truly, Y.S. from the UK
Dear Y.S.,
Buy yourself a new engraved hankie, and from this very minute, keep your nose in the hankie and not in your daughter and son-in-law's personal affairs. Meddling parents wreck more marriages than any other cause.
From my experience, the only emotional ordeal more difficult than one's first year in the army is one's first year in marriage. Marriage demands that two totally opposite beings - a man and a woman - mesh together in harmony. That's not an easy task, and every single couple on earth has problems. Your daughter is no exception. Leave her alone, and with Hashem's help, everything will work out. As far as your suspicions, they are unacceptable in any court - religious or civil. The Talmud teaches that if you suspect an innocent person, you receive a bodily affliction. I want you to stay healthy, so let the young couple work things out on their own. You can take my word that your son-in-law is a fine human being who'll make a good husband and father.
I wish you joy and happiness from all your children and grandchildren. Blessings always, LB
This is the 4th and concluding part of our "Easy Road to Teshuva" series, based on Rebbe Nachman's Likutei Moharan, Part 1, Torah 6. Many people fail to believe that rolling with the punch of a verbal insult is sufficient to cleanse the soul. Rabbi Mordechai Sasson Ajami, the famed "Kol Sasson" Kabbalist of 19th Century Baghdad of saintly and blessed memory, explains how this is possible. Today's segment has a cherry on top, a song from my cherished friend and spiritual brother, Yosef Karduner.
A delightful story by Rabbi Lazer Brody and beautifully written and illustrated by Rebecca Shapiro, the Worry Worm teaches children the concept of emuna. This book is now offered at a subsidized price to enable more and more children to learn that there's a Master to this Universe.
This is the internationally best-selling life-coaching manual by Rabbi Shalom Arush and translated by Rabbi Lazer Brody that's taking the world by storm. You owe yourself the gratification that this book will give you. (Softcover, 251 pages)
280 pages. "This book turns you into the best person you can be." (Tamar Yonah, Israel National Radio - Arutz 7)
Here's the delightful family book of the weekly Torah portions, enhanced with Rav Lazer Brody's original parables. A must for every Shabbat table! Kalcom Publishing, 254 pages.
