Real Women, Real Torah Batsheva Learning Center

Join Mushky Kovesh and Menucha Minkowitz, students at the Brooklyn Beis Midrash, in a 'Chavrusah Shmooze'. In their lively conversation, they explore the concept of sin, redefining Hashem's intention in creating the world. They discuss how our ability to choose between right and wrong comes from our unique connection with Hashem, the piece of divinity within us.

The ideas discussed in this episode are based on the maamar באתי לגני תשל"א. This episode has been released in honor of Yud Shvat, the day of the passing of the previous Rebbe, and the day the Rebbe assumed leadership.

Torah Ohr Parshas Vayechi

Each of Leah’s first four sons are named to reflect her deep desire to connect to her husband, Yaakov. On a deeper level, each of these sons embody a pathway through which the Jewish soul connects to her ‘husband’, Hashem.

This maamar walks us through four steps in building a relationship with Hashem, each one reflected in another part of our daily prayer. The climax is shemoneh esrei, where we achieve the ultimate unity with Hashem through the quality of surrender embodied by Yehuda.



ד״ה יהודה אתה יודוך אחיך

Torah Ohr Parshas Vayigash


This foundational maamar explores the dynamic between Yosef and Yehuda as a model for two core perspectives that shape the value system of Judaism. 

When Yehuda approaches Yosef to plead on Binyamin's behalf, it’s more than a face-off between two brothers; it’s a meeting of two worldviews. Yosef's is one that values spiritual self-growth as the ultimate pursuit. Yehuda sees value in submission to a purpose beyond himself. Both perspectives portray an angle of truth, but only one can hold center stage at a time. While Yehuda started as the more powerful brother, selling Yosef into slavery, Yosef, now the king of Egypt, seems to dominate Yehuda. But ultimately, in generations to come, Yehuda will triumph as the tribe from which Jewish monarchy will descend. At the end of days, it is his perspective that will come out on top.

ד״ה ויגש אליו יהודה

Torah Ohr on Chanukah

The celebration of Chanukah centers not around the military victory over the Greek army, but a spiritual victory of the soul, represented by the lights of the menorah.

This spiritual battle is one we experience every day, as we fight to ignite a fire of love inside our hearts. This maamar retells the story of Chanukah on a personal level, exploring the metaphor of a candle as a model for developing a relationship with Hashem.

ד״ה ענין חנוכה

Torah Ohr Parshas Mikeitz

Parshas Miketz begins with Pharoah’s dream of the seven healthy cows being swallowed by seven sickly ones. This dream gives a powerful imagery for the fleeting nature of inspiration. Why does our excitement for spirituality seem to slip away as quickly as it comes?

This maamar offers an answer by looking at the end of the previous parsha when ‘the butler forgot about Yosef’ as the root of the problem. We’ll explore the symbolism of each character in this story and the role they play in our personal service of Hashem.

ד״ה ויהי מקץ

Torah Ohr Parshas Vayeishev

Life in exile is a lot like a dream; an alternate reality in which contradictory experiences coexist and nothing seems to make sense. But dreaming has another side to it. It’s a time of infinite imagination that transcends the limits of reason and accesses the deepest parts of the psyche. This maamar explores the recurring theme of dreams that appears multiple times at the end of Sefer Bereishis and why Yosef is considered the ultimate dreamer.


ד"ה שיר המעלות