In this deep and soulful journey through Parshat Chukas, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath unpacks one of the most perplexing and powerful moments in the Torah: the copper snake on a pole.

Why did G-d command Moses to use the very symbol of suffering, the snake, as a healing instrument? What does it mean that people had to look up at the snake to be cured?

Through timeless Jewish wisdom, vulnerable personal insight, and psychological depth, Rabbi Bernath explores the mystery of pain, the challenge of resilience, and the spiritual art of transforming darkness into light. You’ll walk away with a new perspective on your own struggles and perhaps, a new path to healing.

Key Takeaways:

Transformation, Not Avoidance:
True healing doesn’t come from avoiding our pain, but from facing it with courage and elevating it with meaning.

The Snake Above vs. the Snake Below:
The same experience can be seen from a higher or lower perspective. One brings despair; the other, depth.

The Poison Is the Cure:
Just like antivenom is made from venom, your healing may emerge from the very thing that once hurt you.

Don’t Run, Look Up:
When we stop running from the “snakes” in our lives and look upward—to G-d, to our higher selves—we discover the blessing buried in the bite.

Every Crisis Holds a Blessing:
Like Jacob wrestling the angel, we can say to our struggle: “I will not let you go until you bless me.” That’s Jewish resilience.

You Are Sacred Even in Pain:
Sometimes the deepest truth is not an answer to your question, but the awareness that your soul is Divine, loved, and never alone.

#healing #Judaism #Jewish #coppersnake #healingthroughpain #TorahPortion #TorahLessons #Torah #torahpsychology #JewishResiliance #struggle #Redemption #divinepurpose #traumatotransformation #trauma #God #snake #parshatchukat #spritualgrowth

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In this gripping class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath delves into the tragic and turbulent rebellion led by Korach, Dathan, Abiram, and On ben Peles against Moses and Aaron. The narrative unveils not just a mutiny, but a masterclass in leadership, humility, and boundless love for even the most stubborn opponents.

Through an exploration of four key episodes involving Dathan and Abiram, Rabbi Bernath uncovers their long history of discord and defiance. Yet the class’s emotional apex comes with Moses’ unexpected final act: rising to personally appeal to his bitterest enemies, even after G-d commanded their separation. Why? Because Moses could never give up on the potential for peace—even with those who never sought it.

Drawing from the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s insights on Parshas Korach, this class challenges us to ask: When is the pursuit of unity too much? And what makes someone truly worthy of leadership?

Takeaways:

1. True Leadership Is Relentless Love:
   Moses teaches us that real leadership isn’t about titles or power, it’s about never giving up on people, even those who oppose you.
2. Some Quarrels Are Lifelong—Still, We Try:
   Dathan and Abiram weren’t new to conflict; they had a history of opposition. Yet Moses still pursued peace, one last time.
3. “Do Not Keep Up a Quarrel” Isn’t Just a Nice Idea—It’s a Lifesaving One:
   The Talmud’s teaching, rooted in Moses’ actions, reminds us that unity is sacred—even if it means swallowing our pride.
4. The Power of One Final Attempt:
   “Moses stood up and went to Dathan and Abiram.” That one verse becomes a model for all of us: Don’t assume it’s too late to make peace.
5. We Each Carry a Spark of Moses:
   As the Tanya teaches, every Jew carries a part of Moses’ soul. That means we each have the capacity to rise above ego and reach out in peace.
6. Peace Doesn’t Mean Passivity:
   Pursuing peace doesn’t mean tolerating abuse, it means knowing when to fight injustice and when to humble yourself for healing.

#Torah #Moses #Judaism #Bible #BibleStudy #Korach #ParshatKorach #humility #Rebbe #mosesleadership #Peace #TorahLessons #TorahPortion

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On the night of Tisha B’Av, the Jewish people cried out of fear, not from a real threat, but from a perceived one. That night became a tragic turning point in our history, not because of a divine punishment, but because fear itself became the seed of generations of sorrow.

This class explores the deeper meaning of those "vain tears" through Torah, psychology, and metaphor. From the self-fulfilling prophecy of the spies, to Harvard's famous "Rosenthal Experiment," to the chained circus elephant who forgot her strength, we see how fear and self-image can imprison entire generations.

But we are no longer that generation. We are living in a time of healing and empowerment. This Tisha B’Av, we are called to rewrite the script. To cry no more. To rise with resolve. To finally break free and bring healing, light, and redemption to our world.

Key Takeaways:

Fear isn’t always logical, but it’s always powerful.
Even miracles won’t help if we don’t believe in ourselves.

Vain tears become real pain.
When we cry over imagined powerlessness, we invite genuine suffering, because we surrender our G-d-given strength.

We see ourselves as grasshoppers and so does the world.
The way we perceive ourselves shapes how others treat us.

Belief creates reality.
Like elephants chained by false memories, we stay stuck not because we are weak, but because we think we are.

This is the age of healing.
We’re not grasshoppers. We’re not victims. We are a generation with tools, strength, and clarity. It’s time to remember who we are.

Tisha B’Av will be transformed.
With courage, truth, and unity, even our day of weeping will become a day of joy, with the coming of Moshiach.

#fear #healing #Jewish #Judaism #shlach #TorahPortion #Torah #TorahLessons #Bible #BibleStudy #TishaBav #Spirituality #Moshiach #Spiritual #lubavitch #RabbiWisdom

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In this weeks class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath reveals the Torah’s timeless wisdom for navigating today’s anxious, high-speed world. Rooted in a single verse from Parshat Behaalotecha, we uncover how the cloud that guided the Jewish people through the desert wasn’t just GPS, it was G-d’s embrace, offering a blueprint for emotional resilience. Drawing on deep Talmudic insight, the story of the Mishkan, and modern-day inspiration like the heroism of Natan Sharansky, this class is a journey into the eye of the storm… where true serenity lives.

Takeaways:
* The "Magic Pill" for Stress: A single Torah verse can reframe your entire emotional state.
* G-d’s Embrace Is Constant: Just like a baby in its mother’s arms, we can move through chaos and feel held.
* Work ≠ Work: The Torah’s definition of melachah (creative labor) holds spiritual secrets for how to balance doing and being.
* The Sanctuary Within: Whether building or dismantling, stillness comes from knowing you’re in the same Divine space.
* Tehillim as a Lifeline: Learn how Psalms became the spiritual oxygen for Natan Sharansky—and how they can be for you, too.
* Don’t Just Know the Psalm. Know the Shepherd.

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In this deeply moving and timely class, Rabbi Bernath opens with a heartfelt prayer for the victims of the Boulder attack and a reminder that silence in the face of evil is complicity. From the courtroom of Judgment at Nuremberg to the Torah portion of Naso, we journey through history, law, and soul.

We explore the legacy of Joseph, alone, enslaved, and tempted and how a single vision of his father reminded him: One action changes everything.
Joseph, who kept Shabbat even in Egypt, is rewarded not with rest but with purpose, his descendant offering a sacrifice on Shabbat itself, transforming a personal act into a communal revelation.

With wisdom from the Lubavitcher Rebbe and reflections on our divine spark, we are reminded that every choice we make is a nuclear reaction of holiness. We are not small. We are not powerless. We are G-d’s partners in redeeming this world.

Key Takeaways

We begin with a prayer for those wounded and shaken by the hate-fueled Anti-Jewish violence in Boulder. We must never grow numb to evil nor dismiss the power of standing up for what's right.

Moral failure begins the moment we excuse the first injustice. As seen in Nuremberg and echoed in our lives, passivity is complicity.

Joseph’s strength came not from Torah laws, but from internalizing his worth. His vision of Jacob, representing all of humanity reminded him that his actions mattered deeply.

You are not a chemical reaction, you are a nuclear reaction. One spark of holiness from you can ripple outward infinitely.

Keeping Shabbat in Egypt wasn’t just ritual—it was a declaration: Even in exile, I matter. Even in isolation, my light changes the world.

You are the world. As the Lubavitcher Rebbe taught: One human, one deed, one moment, can shake the heavens and awaken redemption.

#Jewish #Judaism #Bible #BibleStudy #Shabbat #Nuremberg #MoralCourage #humandignity #Shabbat #Joseph #TorahLessons #TorahPortion #Torah #Rebbe #LubavitcherRebbe #jewishethics

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In this special post-Shabbat sermon recorded for Shavuot, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath takes us on a profound journey through the remarkable history of the Sassoon Codex and the legendary Crown of Aram Tzova. Woven into this tale of ink and parchment is a modern miracle: the voice of a mother reaching her daughter in captivity, reminding us that the Torah is not just a relic, but a living pulse of our people.

From ancient scribes in Tiberias to secret hiding spots in Aleppo, from destruction to redemption, from loss to legacy, Rabbi Bernath reveals how the Jewish People have never just studied the Torah, we’ve carried it. We’ve risked our lives to protect it. And today, as we stand at the foot of Sinai once more, we are called to do the same.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Torah is Not History… It’s Memory:
   Unlike history, which belongs to the past, memory shapes the present. The Torah is our collective memory and it calls us to live with responsibility and purpose.
2. The Crown is More Than a Book:
   The story of the Crown of Aram Tzova reflects the Jewish people’s fierce dedication to Torah. It symbolizes dignity, identity, and spiritual sovereignty.
3. Miracles Happen When We Stay Connected:
   Agam Berger’s story reminds us that even in darkness, light can pierce through. The Torah isn’t just letters on parchment, it’s a lifeline, a soul-connector.
4. Torah is Our Crown—But We Must Guard It:
   Just as communities once locked the Crown in an iron chest, we too must fiercely protect our values, our faith, and our unity.
5. Shavuot is Our Coronation Day:
   Every year, we place the crown back on our heads. Torah is not a heritage we visit, it’s a legacy we live.

#Shavuot #shavuos #Jewish #aleppocodex #sassooncodex #Torah #Sermon #Bible #jewishunity #Judaism #JewishHistory #jewishstories

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What if the future of Judaism depended not on scholars or sages, but on the sippy cups and crayon-covered siddurim of our children?

This powerful class dives into one of the most striking Midrashim about the giving of the Torah: when G-d demanded a guarantor, our ancestors suggested the elders, the prophets, the leaders and were rejected. Only when they offered the children did G-d say: Now we have a deal.

But why children? Why not the tzaddikim, the scholars, the sages? And what does it mean that our children were the only "acceptable" security on the Torah?

Together, we’ll explore a deeply moving interpretation shared by the Lubavitcher Rebbe in 5712 (1952), tracing how this Midrash contains the blueprint for Jewish continuity and our most urgent modern-day call to action.

Through Torah, history, poetry, and tears, this class reminds us: if we want Judaism tomorrow, we must invest in our children today.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

G-d Doesn’t Want Retirement Religion:
Torah isn’t just for the nostalgic elderly or even for the rabbis, it’s for every Jew, of every age and stage.

Children Are the True Guarantors:
When young hearts taste the sweetness of Torah, it becomes a lifelong imprint—and they end up teaching us.

Jewish Education is National Security:
Teachers are the true defenders of our people. Want to protect the Jewish future? Start by elevating Jewish schools.

From Silence to Ruckus:
After the Holocaust, there were no children left to make noise in shul. Today, we must cherish every giggle, every running step, every whispered Shema because that is the sound of eternity.

Show Up at Sinai—Again:
The custom of bringing children to hear the Ten Commandments on Shavuos is not symbolic it’s covenantal. Without them, we can’t receive the Torah anew.

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In the aftermath of October 7, Jews around the world experienced a surge of emotion and identity—an outpouring of Jewish adrenaline. But as the energy fades, the real question emerges: what does it actually mean to live a meaningful Jewish life?

Rabbi Bernath draws from Dan Senor’s "State of World Jewry" Speech and 92Y last week, A.B. Yehoshua’s challenge to diaspora Jews, and the timeless answers offered by our prophets and sages—from King David to the Rebbe. He reminds us that Jewish life isn’t about where you live, but how you live: with integrity, with mitzvos, with visible Jewish pride.

Rooted in this week’s Parshah, the sermon invites us to reclaim the mitzvos that affirm who we are in a world trying to forget us—and reminds us that the most radical act of Jewish survival is living Jewish every single day.

Key Takeaways:

1. October 8th Jews Need More than Adrenaline: Emotional response to tragedy must evolve into sustainable Jewish living—rooted in action, not just feeling.
2. Geography Isn’t Identity: Living in Israel doesn’t automatically make one Jewish in practice. Living Jewishly—through mitzvot and moral clarity—does.
3. Our Prophets Knew the Secret: King David, Isaiah, Micah, and Chavakuk each distilled Judaism to its ethical essence, but only because ritual was then a given. In exile, the inverse is true—we must rebuild our ritual identity.
4. The Rebbe’s Mitzvah Campaign Echoes the Prophets: Strategic mitzvot like tefillin, Shabbat candles, and kosher aren’t just practices—they are declarations of identity.
5. We Must Lead Jewish Lives—Loudly and Proudly: In today’s world, being visibly Jewish is an act of courage and continuity. This is our generation’s mission.

#JewishIdentity #Jewish #Judaism #October7 #October7th #DanSenor #mitzvah #mitzvahcampaign #ABYehoshua #LivingJewish #KingDavid #TorahLessons #BibleStudy #Bible #Exile #JewishResiliance

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