Parsha with Rabbi David Bibi

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  • 4.7 (15)
  • Judaism
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Join as we explore the weekly parasha from a Kabbalistic perspective and attempt to simplify the secrets of the Torah

  1. 22h ago

    Invisible Threads – The Connections That Restore the World - Pinchas

    This morning's Breakfast & a Class explored the idea that some of the most meaningful lessons in life come through what appear to be ordinary, unrelated events. A fabric sample in our showroom, a conversation in our North Carolina factory, and an unexpected phone call from a dear friend about a jacket he had not worn in two years all converged around one of the Torah's least discussed mitzvot. Were they simply coincidences, or were they gentle reminders to slow down and pay attention? Using Parashat Pinchas as our guide, we explored how Pinchas understood that nothing in Jewish life exists in isolation. One person's actions can strengthen or weaken an entire nation, and one act of courage can restore a broken relationship with Hashem. The mitzvah of sha'atnez became only the thread—not the story itself. The real story was about the invisible threads that quietly connect our lives, our encounters, our mitzvot, and our relationship with the Ribbono Shel Olam. We hope you enjoy this week's class and, perhaps, begin to notice some of the invisible threads Hashem is weaving through your own life.

    11 min

  2. 3d ago

    The Fire We Bring and the Fire HaShem Sends - Pinchas

    This week's parashah returns us to the daily korbanot,the sacrifices that were offered every single day in the Bet HaMikdash. Atfirst glance, these verses can seem distant from our lives. We no longer havethe Temple, no longer bring offerings, and yet our Sages teach that the essenceof the korban was never merely the animal upon the altar. Drawing on aremarkable teaching from the Ba'al HaTanya in Likkutei Torah, we explore howevery Jew still offers a korban each day—through the three garments of the soul:our thoughts, our words, and our actions. The challenge is no longer to placean animal on the altar, but to place our own passions, ambitions, and desiresbefore HaShem, allowing the 'lower fire' within us to be transformedby the 'higher fire' of holiness.     This class is lovingly dedicated in honor of two veryspecial birthdays. To my beloved daughter, Mariyah, may HaShem continue tobless you with abundant health, happiness, wisdom, and every success, and mayyou and your beautiful family continue to be a source of pride and blessing forKlal Yisrael. And to my dear friend, Abie, wishing you many more years of goodhealth, joy, nachat from your family, and continued blessings in all that youdo. May HaShem grant you both many long years, filled with His kindness, andmay we all merit to see the day when the fire once again descends upon theMizbe'aḥ in the rebuilt Bet HaMikdash, bimherah beyameinu. Amen.

    14 min

  3. 4d ago

    The Greatest Danger Is Thinking We Know Better - Pinchas

    This week's parashah opens with Pinchas bringing an endto one of the darkest episodes in the wilderness, but the story really beginsat the end of the previous parashah with the tragedy of Shittim. We oftenassume that the downfall of Benei Yisrael began with temptation and desire. Yetthe Torah and the Sages paint a far more subtle—and far more relevant—picture.Before there was a sinful act, there was a dangerous idea. Before there wasimmorality, there was rationalization. The greatest victories of the yetzerhara are often won not by overpowering our emotions, but by convincing ourminds that wrong is actually right.     In this morning’s Breakfast & a Class, we explore aremarkable thread that stretches from Adam HaRishon and the Tree of Knowledge,to King Solomon, to Zimri, Baal Peor, and finally to Pinchas himself. Along theway, we discover that the greatest danger is not a lack of intelligence, butthe moment we begin to believe that our own understanding stands above thewisdom of the Torah. Perhaps that is the deeper meaning of Na'aseh VeNishma:not the rejection of intellect, but placing it in its proper place—as theservant of Torah rather than its judge.

    22 min

  4. 6d ago

    The Rabbi Who Put His Head Down Parah AdumahNefilat Apayim

    This morning's Breakfast & a Class explores one of the Torah's greatest mysteries by connecting two practices that, at first glance, seem to have nothing to do with one another. Why does the Kohen who prepares the ashes of the Parah Adumah—the very medicine that restores purity to others—become impure himself? And why was Rabbi Yaakov Kassin, the revered Chief Rabbi of the Syrian Jewish community in America, known for lowering his head during Nefilat Apayim when almost no one else in his community did the same? Drawing upon Chazal, Midrash, Kabbalah, and a cherished communal tradition, we discover a profound principle of Jewish leadership: there are moments when a righteous person willingly descends so that others may rise. The Parah Adumah, the prayer of Nefilat Apayim, and the lives of our greatest spiritual leaders all reveal the same remarkable truth—that rescuing another soul often requires entering places that most of us should never attempt to enter ourselves. This class is a powerful reflection on humility, leadership, prayer, and the sacred responsibility of carrying the burdens of others while remaining firmly attached to HaShem.

    14 min

  5. 6d ago

    The Architecture of Blindness - How HaShem Sends Warnings Before We Destroy Ourselves - BALAK

    Sometimes the greatest acts of kindness do not feel kindat all. Sometimes the closed door, the unexpected delay, the painfuldisappointment, or the obstacle we desperately want removed is actually Heavenprotecting us from a road we should never travel. In this week's Breakfast& a Class, we explore one of the Torah's most fascinating episodes—thestory of Bilaam and his donkey—and discover that it is not merely the accountof a wicked prophet who could not see an angel. It is the story of every one ofus.     Drawing on the Zohar, Midrash, Tzeror HaMor, Or HaḤaim,and other classic commentaries, we uncover the 'Architecture ofBlindness'—the remarkable pattern by which HaShem lovingly warns a personbefore allowing him to destroy himself. From the three increasingly urgentwarnings on the road, to the miracle of the speaking donkey, to the profoundcontrast between Avraham saddling his donkey out of love and Bilaam saddlinghis out of hatred, this class offers a powerful perspective on DivineProvidence. The question is not whether HaShem sends us messages. The questionis whether we recognize them before the road becomes too narrow to turn. Joinus for a thought-provoking journey that may forever change the way you look atlife's interruptions, frustrations, and unexpected detours.

    14 min

  6. Jun 24

    When Faith Meets Uncertainty: The Eigel, the Parah Adumah, and the Challenge of Na’aseh VeNishma

    This week, Parashat Chukat introduces us to the mysterious mitzvah of the Parah Adumah, the Red Heifer—the quintessential chok, a commandment that transcends human understanding. Chazal teach that the Parah Adumah comes to atone for the sin of the Golden Calf, but what is the connection between a ritual of purification and one of the greatest spiritual failures in Jewish history?  In this morning’s class, we explore a provocative question. When Beneh Yisraelstood at Har Sinai and proclaimed Na’aseh VeNishma—“We will do and we will hear”—did they fully appreciate what they were accepting? And when Moshe delayed his return from the mountain, was the sin of the Eigelmerely an act of idolatry, or was it the result of something deeper: the struggle to live with faith when certainty disappears?  Drawing on the teachings of Chazal, the Kli Yakar, the Me’orei Ohr, and Rabbi Yissocher Frand, we examine how the Parah Adumah serves as the antidote to the Eigel, restoring the temimut—the simple trust in HaShem—that was lost at the foot of the mountain. Sometimes the greatest test of faith is not believing when everything is clear. It is remaining faithful when the cloud descends, the answers are delayed, and uncertainty becomes part of the journey.

    11 min

  7. Jun 24

    When a Cause Becomes Dangerous - Balak, Bilaam, and the Power of Lishmah

    This morning at Breakfast & a Class we explored a fascinating and somewhat unsettling idea from Parashat Balak. Why did HaShem initially forbid Bilaam from going with Balak’s messengers, only later to permit him to travel? Drawing on an insight cited by Rabbi Yissocher Frand in the name of Rav Shimon Schwab, and a theme often emphasized by Rabbi Abittan, we examined the extraordinary power of lishmah—the force that is created when a person truly believes in a cause and dedicates himself to it wholeheartedly. Along the way we discuss the prayer of the traveling salesman that had to be countered by the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur, the rise and fall of Communism, and why movements built on conviction can sometimes be more powerful—and more dangerous—than those built on money or personal gain. Bilaam teaches a surprising lesson: a man motivated by hatred and ideology may possess a potency that disappears the moment his motives become financial. The challenge for us is to harness that same power of sincerity in the service of Torah, mitzvot, and avodat HaShem. It is a timely lesson about passion, purpose, and the immense spiritual force hidden within genuine commitment.

    10 min

  8. Jun 21

    Father's Day, Bilam's Blessing, and the Secret of Jewish Survival - The Home That Carries HaShem's Name

    The Home That Carries HaShem's Name - Father's Day, Bilam's Blessing, and the Secret of Jewish Survival On Father's Day we naturally think about fathers, grandfathers, and the homes they built. Yet one of the Torah's most powerful lessons about family comes from an unlikely source: Bilam. Sent to curse the Jewish people, he instead found himself gazing upon the camp of Israel and proclaiming, 'Ma Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov'—'How goodly are your tents, O Yaakov.' What did he see that so impressed him? And why did he recognize the Jewish home as the true source of Jewish strength? In this morning’s Breakfast & a Class, we will explore the remarkable connection between Bilam's blessing, the tragic episode of Midian, and HaShem's extraordinary testimony to the purity of the families of Israel. Along the way we will discover why the greatest legacy a father leaves behind is not measured by wealth or accomplishments, but by the holiness, values, and faith that fill his home. A timely Father's Day message about family, continuity, and the secret of Jewish survival.

    19 min
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Join as we explore the weekly parasha from a Kabbalistic perspective and attempt to simplify the secrets of the Torah

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