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Rabbi Liff's dvar Torah for the last Shabbos of 5786, with Selichos beginning Motzei Shabbos. He asks who can reach the Rambam's teshuvah sheleimah, and answers with Rabbeinu Yonah as Reb Chatzkel Sarna gave it to the bachur Reb Shlomo Hoffman: the way of teshuvah is to turn towards the road, and the moment of the turn is already the turn — one small tikkun, made completely, in one area.

He reads "Atem nitzavim hayom kulchem" three ways: that we still stand in this galus, that atem is the letters of emes, and that no one stands alone. On "Vayelech Moshe" he takes the Rashi that gives no peirush, with Rav Moshe Feinstein in Drash Moshe, and learns from it that Moshe Rabbeinu is still going with us. In the name of Rav Avraham Gurwicz, zt"l, he explains why the luchos stand five beside five rather than ten in a row, and tells of Reb Shmuel Rozovsky taking off his shoes outside a bachur's dorm room rather than be gozel sheinah. Also Reb Chatzkel Abramsky on "gadol hama'aseh yoseir min ha'oseh," and the Vilna Gaon's wife's friend as written into the pinkas of the Chevrah Kadisha of Vilna.

Rabbi Liff speaks two weeks before Rosh Hashanah on hakaras hatov, built around a Yiddish phrase — "a dank" — and the story Reb Leizer Silver told him at the Kupat Cholim, of Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz putting his head into the paroches to beg for a teirutz, and going back to that same paroches when the answer came, to say two words. He takes up Rashi’s wording on bikkurim, that we are "she’eincha kofui tov," and Rav Meir Simcha at the end of the parsha, who reads the ninety-eight klalos as the consequence of serving without simcha and tuv leivav. He brings the Chovos HaLevavos that the Torah is the greatest tovah of all, and the Lutzk Rav on the "v’hayah" that joins mechiyas Amalek to bikkurim. He closes with the Chofetz Chaim in Radin, and Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz’s words — der gantzer mentsh is hakaras hatov.

Recorded Erev Shabbos Kodesh, 15 Elul 5786.

Sources and stories in this shiur:

• Waiting at the Kupat Cholim with Reb Leizer Silver, and the vort heard b’shem the Vilna Gaon that "a dank" is the gematria of Olam Haba — 156.
• The ma’aseh Reb Leizer witnessed as a bochur in the Mir: Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz, horev in a sugya on a hot Shabbos morning, burying his head in the paroches — "Ribbono shel Olam, rateve mir, I don’t have a teirutz" — and returning to that same paroches when the answer came, to say two words: "A dank."
• Rashi on bikkurim, who writes that we are "she’eincha kofui tov," not a denier of good, rather than that we are makir tov — and the answer that we can never grasp the full measure of what is given to us.
• Rav Meir Simcha at the end of the parsha, with Ben Zoma on Adam HaRishon and the thirty-nine melachos, and the tuv ha’amiti of the mind that can reason its way to a Creator.
• The Chovos HaLevavos and the Ohr HaChaim: the Torah is the greatest tovah of all.
• The Lutzk Rav in Oznayim LaTorah, on the "v’hayah" that joins mechiyas Amalek to bikkurim — hakaras hatov is how Amalek is destroyed.
• The Warsaw Gerer rav who took the aliyah of the klalos when no one else would.
• The Chofetz Chaim in Radin, and his answer to his granddaughter: "Dos machen zey — mir machen mentshn."

Parsha connection: Bikkurim at the start of Ki Savo and the klalos at its end are two halves of one lesson. The first fruits are brought with a whole recitation of what Hashem has done, and the curses follow from serving without simcha and tuv leivav. Rabbi Liff closes with Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz’s words — der gantzer mentsh is hakaras hatov.

Ki Savo opens with "v'hayah," a vav hachibur joining it to mechiyas Amalek at the close of Ki Seitzei. The Lutzk Rav in Oznayim LaTorah asks what Amalek has to do with bikkurim, and answers that Amalek appears at every juncture where Klal Yisrael is about to bind itself to the Ribbono shel Olam. The way to be rid of him is hakaras hatov, not being a kofui tov. From the dvar Torah for Parshas Ki Savo 5786.

Waiting in line at the Kupat Cholim, Reb Leizer Silver tells Rabbi Liff what he saw as a bochur in the Mir: Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz, horev in a sugya on a hot Shabbos morning, burying his head in the paroches and calling out "rateve mir, I don't have a teirutz" — and returning to that same paroches when the answer came, to say two words. From the dvar Torah for Parshas Ki Savo 5786.

שיחת אלול שנמסרה בישיבת עטרת יעקב בשבוע השני של אלול תשפ"ו, ובפתיחתה ניגון חדש על "אני לדודי ודודי לי". הרב ליף אומר דברי זיכרון על הרב מוטקה זאב אדלר זצ"ל מבני החבורה ומביא את הקטע האחרון שלמדו יחד בדרך השם, מספר על שבוע בבין הזמנים ברומניה ועל ברית בישיבה עם הגמרא בברכות "גדולה שימושה של תורה יותר מלימודה", ומגיע לעיקר: האור החיים הקדוש בפרשת כי תבוא על "ושמחת בכל הטוב" — אין טוב אלא תורה.

לרגל מאה שנה לפטירת ר' מאיר שמחה מדווינסק הוא מביא את הספד הרוגאצ'ובר, ואת הסיפור על אביו של הרוגאצ'ובר — נכה שמעולם לא ראוהו הולך, שקפץ מכיסא הגלגלים בשעת שריפה, עלה במדרגות והוציא את אחותו פייגלה: "כשיש brent a fire, הקדוש ברוך הוא נותן כוחות גדולות." זהו הסיפור שנבחר לקטע הנפרד. השיחה מסתיימת בקול השופר — שפרו מעשיכם, עוד יש זמן.

מקורות עיקריים: אור החיים הקדוש על פרשת כי תבוא; דרך השם ח"א פ"ג; גמרא ברכות על שימושה של תורה; משך חכמה ואור שמח.

פרקי זמן

• 00:03 — פתיחה: נתחיל בניגון
• 00:47 — ניגון חדש: אני לדודי ודודי לי
• 05:54 — דברי זיכרון על הרב מוטקה זאב אדלר זצ"ל
• 08:30 — דרך השם: זמן קבלת השכר אחר התחייה
• 12:34 — שבוע בבין הזמנים בהרי הקרפטים
• 16:15 — במטוס, ומעריב בגובה
• 17:53 — רומניה שהתרוקנה
• 21:24 — ברית בישיבה, והשם אלישע
• 23:01 — גדולה שימושה של תורה יותר מלימודה
• 25:27 — פרשת כי תבוא: האור החיים על "ושמחת בכל הטוב" — אין טוב אלא תורה
• 27:33 — מאה שנה לפטירת ר' מאיר שמחה מדווינסק
• 30:18 — האבא של הרוגאצ'ובר והשריפה
• 33:26 — brent a fire: בלי התורה הכל נשרף
• 34:28 — הילד בן שבע והאורים ותומים
• 36:10 — הדפיקה בדלת, ורש"י שלוש פעמים
• 39:13 — החלום: אלול נגמר, ואז רק השביעי
• 40:53 — השופר בן מאה השנים בטבריה
• 42:11 — הבת שנבהלה מקול השופר
• 43:39 — שפרו מעשיכם, ולסיום ברכה לשנת פ"ז

האבא של הרוגאצ'ובר שקפץ מכיסא הגלגלים והציל את פייגלה מן השריפה — מתוך שיחת אלול מישיבת עטרת יעקב.

האור החיים על "ושמחת בכל הטוב" בפרשת כי תבוא, אין טוב אלא תורה — מתוך שיחת אלול מישיבת עטרת יעקב.

הניגון החדש על "אני לדודי ודודי לי" שהרב שר בפתיחת השיחה — מתוך שיחת אלול מישיבת עטרת יעקב.

Rabbi Liff speaks for the first week of Elul on listening — to the voice of the shofar and to the voices of parents and teachers — and on the battle of "Ki seitzei lamilchamah al oyvecha," which is won through the zchus of the Ohel Torah. He shares the Slonimer’s dream of waking to the beginning of Elul, a vort from the Chida, and the Meshech Chochmah’s chiddush on the eishes yfas toar. For the 100th yahrtzeit of Reb Meir Simcha of Dvinsk he tells of the Rogatchover’s words at his levayah, and he honors the yahrtzeit of Reb Chatzkel Sarna and the passing of Rebbetzin Soraleh Yisroelson, daughter of Rav Elyashiv.

Recorded Erev Shabbos Kodesh, in the first week of Elul (8 Elul 5786).

Key sources and stories:

• The Chida on the sofei teivos of "Ki seitzei lamilchamah al oyvecha," which spell "ohalecha" — the tents of Yaakov Avinu.
• The Meshech Chochmah's chiddush that the eishes yfas toar heter applies only at the end of the war, once Hashem has delivered the enemy into your hand.
• The ben soreir umoreh — "eineinu shomei'a b'kol aviv uv'kol imo" — and Rav Shach's answer to the Yishmael contradiction: the key is hearing; Yishmael had the koach of shemiyah.
• The Slonimer's dream of waking to the beginning of Elul, and his dancing — "I still have what to do."
• For the 100th yahrtzeit of Reb Meir Simcha of Dvinsk: the Rogatchover's words at his levayah, on the fire that gives kochos, and the story of Reb Meir Simcha learning the Rashi three times rather than disengage from the Torah.
• Rebbetzin Soraleh Yisroelson, daughter of Rav Elyashiv, niftar this week at 93 — the haaracha that Tatty's learning comes first.
• Reb Chatzkel Sarna's yahrtzeit, and his talmidim who were banim.

Parsha connection: Parshas Ki Seitzei’s opening battle becomes the Elul battle of the yetzer hara; its ben soreir umoreh becomes the warning against not listening; and its mitzvah of te’inah ("hakeim takim imo") becomes the promise of siyata d’Shmaya when we try to better ourselves.

A short dvar Torah from Parshas Ki Seitzei. Rashi’s “lo dibrah Torah ela keneged yetzer hara” is commonly read as a heter in the middle of the battle. Reb Meir Simcha of Dvinsk is medayeik from pshuto shel mikra — “V’nasno Hashem Elokecha b’yadecha v’shavisa shivyo” — that the heter of the eishes yfas toar belongs only to the end of the war.

From the dvar Torah for Parshas Ki Seitzei 5786.

Rabbi Liff speaks of Rebbetzin Soraleh Yisroelson, a”h, daughter of Maran Rav Elyashiv, zatzal, who was niftar this week at 93. He recalls his own visit to her, her place in Rav Elyashiv’s home, and the haaracha she and her sisters had for their father’s learning — that her greatest honor was to bring him a Gemara and to keep quiet while he learned.

From the dvar Torah for Parshas Ki Seitzei 5786.

Recorded on Rosh Chodesh Elul, just after the first shofar blowing of the month, Rabbi Liff opens with family simchos from a trip to Romania and an engagement in his home, then turns to Parshas Shoftim for chizuk in the new season of teshuva. He brings a vort from the Maggid of Kelm on sinas chinam as the root of Klal Yisrael's suffering, a story from Rav Yisrael Salanter tracing the roots of eglah arufah, and his father's mesorah on judging oneself objectively through the parsha's opening call for shoftim v'shotrim. This episode is for anyone looking to enter Elul with practical chizuk on ahavas chinam and honest self-judgment.

Rabbi Liff shares his father's mesorah, going back to Rav Yisrael Salanter, that the Torah's call for judges and officers is first a call to judge oneself. He explains negios (personal biases) as the true shochad that cloud self-judgment, and the lifelong work of becoming objective rather than subjective. A short dvar Torah clip from the Parshas Shoftim episode, for chizuk in the month of Elul.

Rabbi Liff tells the story of Reb Shmuel Rozovsky, Rosh Yeshiva of Ponevezh, who secretly cleaned the beis medrash himself when the yeshiva's workers went unpaid. On his deathbed he revealed to family that this hidden chesed, not his years of shiurim, was the zechus he hoped to bring before the Heavenly court. A short story clip from the Parshas Shoftim episode, for anyone looking for chizuk in quiet, uncredited chesed.

Rabbi Liff shares personal bein hazmanim musings recorded while traveling with his family in Romania, tying the closing days of the summer break to the pasuk “Re’eh anochi nosein lifneichem hayom” and the theme of perspective — re’iyah — as Klal Yisrael moves toward Elul and teshuvah.

Key stories and sources:

• A bein hazmanim story about Rav Chaim Kanievsky ztz”l at the beach in Netanya as a young man, and the shmirah lesson Rabbi Liff drew from it as a yeshiva bachur.
• Examples of gedolim — Reb Yaakov Kamenetsky, Reb Gifter, Rav Moshe Feinstein — getting exercise and reinvigoration in the summer months.
• A vort from Reb Shternbuch on why the pasuk uses the word “hayom,” with the story of Rebbetzin Chasiya Soro Ginzberg and Reb Chatzkel Abramsky in Siberia.
• A chassidishe vort from the Toras Chaim of Kosov on “mashcheihu l’beis medrash.”

Parsha connection: Parshas Reeh opens with “Re’eh anochi nosein lifneichem hayom” — Rabbi Liff connects the lashon of re’iyah, seeing with depth and perspective, to using the final days of bein hazmanim well as Elul approaches.

A short dvar Torah from Rabbi Liff’s Erev Shabbos shmuess for Parshas Reeh.

A vort from the Toras Chaim of Kosov on the Gemara’s instruction to bring the yetzer hara into the beis medrash.

A short story from Rabbi Liff’s Erev Shabbos shmuess for Parshas Reeh.

Rabbi Liff’s bein hazmanim encounter with Rav Chaim Kanievsky ztz"l at the beach in Netanya, and the shmiras einayim lesson he drew from it.

An Erev Shabbos chizuk shmuess for Parshas Ekev, on the 17th of Menachem Av, in the week of Tu B’Av — and on the Shabbos of the bar mitzvah of Rabbi Liff’s grandson, Naftali Tzvi. The central theme is chius: “Lo al halechem levado yichyeh ha’adam” — bread only sustains, but the dvar Hashem, the Torah, is life itself. Rabbi Liff carries that into bein hazmanim (“there’s no such thing as in-between life”), the yirah the parsha asks of every Yid, and the chesed and shidduchim of Tu B’Av.

Key stories and sources:

• Davening at the home of Rav Moshe Sternbuch, over 100 years old, with brachas for the bar mitzvah bochur.
• Divrei zikaron for Reb Mordechai Zev Adler, z”l, his mussar-seder chavrusa, who was niftar suddenly on Tu B’Av — their last limud together: the Ramchal’s Derech Hashem on techiyas hameisim.
• Targum Onkelos’s two translations of “yichyeh” — kiyum versus chaim.
• Reb Baruch Ber Leibowitz: “The Torah is not the oxygen of life — the Torah is life itself.”
• The American bochur and the elderly rosh yeshiva; Rebbe Yirmiyah; Reb Nochum Partzovitz on learning without a jacket; Rav Dov Landau.
• Hakol bidei Shamayim chutz miyiras Shamayim — the two aspects of yirah, and “modeh” before “ani.”
• Rav Elya Chaim Meisel’s “sefer” — his file of obligations to the poor of Lodz — and Rav Chaim Ozer.
• The shidduch of Rav Moshe Shapiro’s parents — the younger sister who opened the door.

Parsha connection: Parshas Ekev’s themes — Eretz Yisrael, the Torah, anavah, and “Mah Hashem Elokecha sho’el mei’imach ki im l’yirah” — are all aspects of the etzem hachaim, the essence of life itself.

A short dvar Torah from Rabbi Liff’s Erev Shabbos shmuess for Parshas Ekev.

On the pasuk “Lo al halechem levado yichyeh ha’adam,” Targum Onkelos translates “yichyeh” two different ways within the same pasuk — miskayeim at the beginning, chaim at the end. Bread is only a hechsher, the means by which a person is sustained, while the dvar Hashem — the Torah — is the etzem hachaim itself. Everything the parsha speaks of — Eretz Yisrael, the Torah, anavah, yiras Shamayim — are aspects of that essence of life.

A short story from Rabbi Liff’s Erev Shabbos shmuess for Parshas Ekev, said over in the week of Tu B’Av.

Rav Moshe Shapiro said over how his parents’ shidduch was made. His father traveled a long way to the town, and the girl who was the meduberes looked through the window and could not bring herself to open the door. Her younger sister said that a Jewish bochur who had traveled so far could not be left standing outside — she opened the door, and that became the shidduch, and from it came Rav Moshe Shapiro.

Rabbi Liff explains Moshe Rabbeinu’s 515 tefillos and what they teach about staying connected to the penimiyus of Eretz Yisrael. Even in galus, our tefillos and our calling out bring us close to HaKadosh Baruch Hu.

Rabbi Liff tells how Rav Shabsi Yudelevich helped a couple divided over putting up a mezuzah. His unexpected compromise teaches the wisdom of finding shalom without giving up what matters.

Recorded Erev Shabbos Nachamu, the morning after Tisha B'Av, Rabbi Liff turns from the mourning of the churban to the comfort of nechama. He opens with the sense of a cooler Yerushalayim breeze the morning after the fast as a physical remez of “Nachamu, nachamu ami,” and reflects on the thousands who gathered at the Kosel through the night. The heart of the shmuess is the koach of tefillah: Parshas Vaeschanan opens with Moshe Rabbeinu's 515 tefillos, and even though he did not enter Eretz Yisrael, he was connected to its penimiyus — a model for how our own lamenting and crying out draws us close to HaKadosh Baruch Hu.

Key stories and sources:

• Rav Shabsi Yudelevich and the mezuzah “peshara” for the kibbutz couple — the gadol's gift for shalom bayis and finding the middle path.
• Rav Zev Leff's Tisha B'Av / Yom Kippur juxtaposition: kinos as keiton (tears) and tinok (a child crying for its parents); the “esrog” remez (emes → teshuvah → refuah → geulah).
• Shabbos Nachamu as mamash a yom tov (Ritva, Yosef Ometz) — turning from zeicher l'churban toward zeicher l'geulah.
• Va'eschanan as a lashon of tefillah (Rashi); the Sfas Emes on “leimor” for the generations; Reb Tzadok HaKohen on the haftaros of nechama entering the heart.
• Being menachem avel by Reb Moshe Lassen z”l of Baltimore.
• Reb Chaim Ozer Grodzinski (yahrzeit): the taxi driver's memory of his simplicity and quiet chessed for an almanah.

Parsha connection: Vaeschanan always falls on Shabbos Nachamu. Its opening — Moshe's tefillos — frames the week's theme: tefillah as the enduring nechama carried into every generation.

On Shabbos Chazon, Rabbi Liff turns to the opening of Parshas Devarim, where Moshe Rabbeinu gives his rebuke only through hints, out of regard for the honor of Klal Yisrael. He draws from this the Torah's blueprint for tochacha — that mussar is given by raising a person, never by shaming him, and is always tempered by the back story of a Jew's merits. Through Rav Shimshon Pincus, the mashal of the two streets of Yerushalayim, and the story of Rav Mordechai Gifter at the Kosel, he connects it all to the avodah of the nine days: that the tikkun for the churban is achdus, seeing the good in another Yid, and drawing close to Hashem through Torah. For anyone seeking chizuk heading into Tisha B'Av.

Rabbi Liff brings a striking insight from Rav Shimshon Pincus on Parshas Devarim: rebuke can never be given in a vacuum. Just as Moshe Rabbeinu recalls Klal Yisrael's failures only through hints, out of regard for their honor, the Torah names each place of sin together with the merit hidden inside it — Bamidbar, the Arvos Moav, the Yam Suf, the man. True tochacha is always tempered by the backstory, by seeing the good in the one you are rebuking.

Rabbi Liff recalls Rav Mordechai Gifter, the Rosh Yeshiva of Telz, who told him that he felt the loss of the Churban more at the Kosel than at Kever Rachel. Having learned in Telz before the war — where his father sold his life insurance policy to send him, and where most of his rebbeim and friends were later killed by the Nazis — he knew firsthand what the loss of Kedusha and Torah truly means. We mourn the Churban most deeply when we grasp the greatness of what was destroyed.

Rabbi Liff tells the story of a wedding that took place this week between two of the chatufim who were held in the Hamas tunnels — Sasha, a Russian Jew who came close to Yiddishkeit only in captivity, and Sapir, who refused to give up her Yiddishkeit. The listener takes away a lesson in emunah and how Menachem Av turns what looked like a korban into nechama.

Rabbi Liff explains why Moshe Rabbeinu sent others to fight Midian rather than lead the battle himself — because Midian had taken him in when he fled Pharaoh, and “one who drank from a pit should not throw a stone into it.” Drawing on Reb Chaim Shmulevitz, he shows how hakaras hatov is a middah shetovah and how Moshe fulfilled the command by ensuring it happened without doing it himself.

An Erev Shabbos chizuk shmuess for Parshas Matos-Masei, Shabbos Mevorchim Chodesh Menachem Av. Rabbi Liff begins with the wedding this week of two October 7th captives, Sasha Trufanov and Sapir Cohen — a story of emunah in which what looked like a tragedy became a simcha — and draws out the meaning of Menachem Av: the Father who instructs is also the source of the greatest comfort. Along the way he shares a shmuess on anava from the Mesillas Yesharim, the lesson of hakoras hatov and ayin tova from Matos, and the 42 journeys and Aharon HaKohen's yahrzeit from Masei, with divrei zikaron for Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, zt"l, and Reb Gedalia Elfenbein, zt"l.

In this episode:

• The wedding this week of two October 7th captives — Sasha Trufanov and Sapir Cohen — and the child's drawing of their wedding smuggled out of Gaza as a sign of hope.
• A shmuess on anava from the Mesillas Yesharim: everything is a matana from HaKadosh Baruch Hu, and “lomeid mechaveirai.”
• Rav Ruderman and the Alter of Slabodka on submitting to a rebbe's mesirah.
• Reb Gedalia Elfenbein, zt"l, who lived his tefillah and gave chiyus to his talmidim.
• Matos: hakoras hatov and Yehoshua's semicha b'ayin tova.
• Masei: Aharon HaKohen's yahrzeit on Rosh Chodesh Av, and the 42 journeys of golus and geula.

In memory of Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, zt"l, whose yahrzeit falls this week, and Reb Gedalia Elfenbein, zt"l.

בשיחה זו, המסכמת את זמן קיץ ונוגעת בענייני החורבן, הרב ליף מדגיש את תפקידן המרכזי של הישיבות כעמוד השדרה של מסורת התורה והחשיבות של ענווה בלמידה מול סכנת הגאווה. הוא משרטט את ההבדל בין חוכמה שמובילה לגאווה לבין חכמת התורה הנבנית על ענווה וביטול עצמי למסורת.

השיחה משולבת בסיפורים מרתקים: הרב דוד יוסף שלמד בפונוביז׳ אצל הרב גרשון פרלמן וזכה לשיעורים בעברית, סיפורו של תלמיד חכם שסטה מדרך התורה בשל גאווה, מעורבותו של הרב משה פיינשטיין עם בחור שתוי בשעת לילה מאוחרת, וגודל כבוד התורה של הרב רודרמן שניקה שירותים לכבוד ביקורו של הרב אהרון קוטלר. הרב ליף מסיים בדברי הרב חיים שמואלביץ על חשיבות ההתבוננות במה שאבד לנו בחורבן הבית, ומדגיש את הקשר ההדוק לתורה כדבר היחיד שנותר לנו.

Rabbi Liff explains why Pinchas is rewarded with a bris shalom, and what that teaches about the limits of kanaus. He contrasts demonstrations that get out of hand with the Seret Vishnitz kollel's public kollel learning seder, showing how protest can remain rooted in shalom, emes, and kavod haTorah.

Rabbi Liff tells the story of a Karlin-Stolin chassid at the Kosel whose tefillah was interrupted by a petek that fell into his hand. The note did not ask for anything; it simply thanked Hashem for health, parnasah, and nachas, turning the moment into a lesson for the Three Weeks.

Rabbi Liff opens with a story from davening at the Kosel this Erev Shabbos Kodesh during the Three Weeks — a petek that fell into the hand of a Karlin-Stolin chassid with a note that simply said "thank You." From there he turns to Parshas Pinchas, exploring why Pinchas is rewarded with a bris shalom rather than praise for the act itself, and what that teaches about the real halachos of kanaus. Drawing on Rav Sternbuch's teaching about Reb Leib Stravisker, the Seret Vishnitz kollel's learning outside the assistant attorney general's office, and stories of Rav Amram Blau and Rav Yechezkel Abramsky, he lays out when zealotry is proper and when it becomes a chillul Hashem. This episode is for anyone thinking about how to respond to conflict — within the frum world or outside it — without losing sight of shalom.

Rabbi Liff explains the bracha of "Ma tovu ohalecha Yaakov, mishkenosecha Yisrael" through Rashi and the Sforno. The ohalim of Torah and the batei knesios are not only good for those inside them; they bring good to all of Klal Yisrael.

Rabbi Liff shares a story from Rav Avraham Shmuelevitz about the Alter of Slabodka saying "good morning" even when the neighbor could not hear him. The story shows that being meitiv to another Yid is not only for the other person's benefit; it is an avodah that shapes the person who gives.

Rabbi Liff connects Parshas Balak to the beginning of the Three Weeks, showing how Bilaam's inner corruption stands opposite the ayin tovah of Avraham Avinu and Aharon HaKohen. The episode turns on "Ma tovu ohalecha Yaakov," explaining that the ohalim of Torah and tefillah do not only sustain those inside them; they bring good to all of Klal Yisrael.

He also reflects on the yahrtzeit of Rav Avraham Shmuelevitz, sharing memories and teachings about being meitiv to others, seeing another Yid's pain, and preparing for the Three Weeks with sincerity rather than comfort. The central call is to see the mailos chaveirecha and rebuild the inner shalom that is the foundation of the Beis HaMikdash.

## Key Sources / Stories

- Mishnah Avos: talmidim of Avraham Avinu versus talmidim of Bilaam HaRasha. - Pnei Menachem on why the Mishnah speaks about the talmidim of Avraham and Bilaam. - Sforno on "Ma tovu ohalecha Yaakov, mishkenosecha Yisrael." - Rabbi Liff's address to kitah ches boys at Toras Moshe in Ramat Beit Shemesh. - Rav Avraham Shmuelevitz on the Alter of Slabodka saying "good morning" even when the neighbor could not hear. - Aharon HaKohen's yahrtzeit on Rosh Chodesh Av and his role as the model of ahavah, achvah, shalom, v'rei'us. - Rav Motta Frank and the need to feel the mesirus nefesh and pain of chayalim and their families. - Rav Avraham Shmuelevitz on the Nine Days menu and the need to feel the churban.

## Parsha Connection

Parshas Balak gives the contrast between Balak and Bilaam's hatred and Klal Yisrael's inner strength: Torah, tefillah, tznius, and ayin tovah. Rabbi Liff uses that contrast to enter the Three Weeks with a focus on ahavas Yisrael and seeing the goodness in another Yid.

We examine how current events remind us that our reliance must be entirely on Hashem, not on political leaders or nations. The parsha teaches us about speaking to the rock instead of striking it, and how even Moshe Rabbeinu had to learn that during times of crisis, we must turn to Torah and Hashem's will above all else. Originally produced by JFoundations.

Rabbi Liff reflects on building a Bayis Nehmeh B'Yisrael, drawing from his recent trip to America for a family wedding. He connects this to the deeper spiritual work needed when establishing a Jewish home and nation, touching on current events in Eretz Yisrael during this time between Shavuos and the Three Weeks. Originally produced by JFoundations.

Rabbi Liff explores why Klal Yisrael slept before Matan Torah and what this teaches us about the nature of Torah study. He shares that Torah is not prophecy but requires our active toil and effort, and reflects on memories of Rav Moshe Feinstein at Shavuos.

Rabbi Liff discusses how Klal Yisrael prepared for Matan Torah through the counting of the Omer, and how the forty years in the desert were a preparation for entering Eretz Yisrael. He shares a personal story from his recent trip to America, including leading a minyan at Newark airport and saying Kaddish at Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim in Baltimore in honor of his mother's memory. Originally produced by JFoundations.

Rabbi Liff shares memories of his late father on his yahrzeit, reflecting on how his father's early loss as a young yeshiva student led him to embrace mussar and become a great talmid chacham. He also tells a story about Rav Baruch Mordechai Ezrahi and the meaning of being a musernik. Originally produced by JFoundations.

Rabbi Liff reflects on where we find ourselves as a nation during this period of uncertainty, drawing from the parsha and the story of Shimon HaTzadik's sons to understand how jealousy and honor can derail us, and how we must continue forward despite the pain of waiting. Originally produced by JFoundations.

The parsha teaches us that real kedusha comes from working on ourselves within our homes and families, not just doing good deeds publicly. Rabbi Liff brings the teaching of Reb Pratzko about how a person's true legacy is measured by the good they actually accomplished in their lifetime. Originally produced by JFoundations.

This week's parsha teaches us about the laws of lashon hara and how to speak with care and truth. Rabbi Liff shares about Reb Chanoch Friedman, a great talmid chacham who recently passed away and was devoted to spreading the teachings of the Chafetz Chaim, and how we can honor his memory by learning these vital halachos. Originally produced by JFoundations.

Rabbi Liff reflects on Pesach in Eretz Yisrael during the current conflict, sharing stories of open miracles—from the reopening of the Kosel to the protection of Israeli airspace—and a beautiful vort on Kos Yeshuos connecting to Tehillim. He emphasizes seeing Hashem's hand in the cup of salvation He gives us. Originally produced by JFoundations.