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Friedman, Manis
Rabbi Manis Friedman is a world-renowned author, counselor, lecturer and philosopher; and co-founder of Bais Chana Institute of Jewish Studies in Minnesota. He also served as simultaneous translator for the live televised talks by the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
To purchase classes and other products by Rabbi Friedman, click here. |
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Latest Comments:
In one of his letters, the Lubaviter Rebbe compares the world to a macro body and each nation to an individual organ, Where each organ must fulfiil its function independently yet harmoniously with the other organs. I.e. each nation has its function.
A minor observation
The seven Noachdite, or universal laws are focused at sustaining humanity, at impressing normalcy throughout the world. The Talmud compares a gentile who observes the 7 laws to the high Priest serving in the holy temple on Yom Kippur. Maimonides rules that a Ben Noach who observes the seven laws for the sake of heaven has a share in the world to come.
While the 613 mitzvos are meant to establish a connection between the Physical and the spirtual realms and merge them into one.
Each nation has a purpose and function.
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This is how i understand it to be.
A jew is a human being who observes the mitzvot(who's brought into himself the essence of the divine) in each and every materialistic thing hes encountered in life.
However, if theres a break in this chain(ie; a Jew not observing the mitvot, nor channeling into himself the influence of kavanot) that spiritual chain will have been broken and that Jew(who had the generational accumulation which resulted in his higher soul) would have been reduced to the level of a normal human.
This is how i understand the idea of a Jew having a "higher" soul....
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I like Rabbi Friedman's commentaries, I am a member of a Chabad shul (though I'm not a Chabadnik, per se), and have gotten a lot of good out of my association with Chabad.
However, I find objectionable, no more than objectionable, I find vile and disgusting, the concept that the souls of Jews are somehow significantly different, more G-dly, than the souls of the rest of mankind.
We Jews may be the children of Abraham, but all humanity together are the children of Adam and Eve, and thus share a common humanity. And as a common humanity, we have a choice: to either move forward together as equals towards our common destiny, or fracture into warring tribes and so destroy ourselves.
This myth of a G-d given superiority of the Jewish soul over all others can only lead us to that latter fate, and I urge Rabbi Friedman and all others who hold it to think again.
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Waters of the Flood
Good News or Bad News? |
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The text states: “the people were evil; the flood erased them from the earth”. However the Midrash equates the flood waters with the waters of creation which are pure and holy; is it good news or bad news? Is Torah in heaven or on earth? (29:46) | |
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| In creating the world, G-d moved from nothing to something. In the new world of Noah after the flood, the creation responded by moving from something to nothing.
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| G-d created the world out of kindness; Abraham was the embodiment of that kindness. Chassidut reveals the nature of Abraham's love and fear, and his relationship with Sarah, Yitzchak, Yishmael and Hagar.
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| The G-dly refinement of the world has been going on for three and a half thousand years, counting from Sinai, the refinement is obviously through man’s efforts, and the world must grow from within the natural order. It all began with Yitzchak and his wells...
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| The story of Elisha from a Chassidic perspective.
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| This class unravels the special significance of Akeidat Yitzchak, the binding of Isaac; why this test of self sacrifice stands out from all others?
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| This class teaches the Kabbalistic spiritual significance of the Cave of Machpelah; the resting place of the patriarchs and matriarchs.
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| This class explains the difference between Yishmoel and Eisav through the prism of Chassidus.
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| A deeper look at the biblical story of Yosef being sold into exile by his brothers.
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| This class introduces the unique qualities that Efrayim and Menashe represent according to the teachings of Chassidut.
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| This class details the difference between Moshe and the Avot, our forefathers.
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| This class discusses the unique roles of Moshe vs. Aaron, leaders of the Jewish people, as expressed in the way they spoke to Pharaoh.
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| The spiritual significance behind the miracle of the splitting of the Red Sea upon the Jewish people’s exodus from Egypt.
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| The grave sin of the golden calf and what it really consisted of; for how is it possible that they worshiped idols after all that they just experienced?
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| This class explores the reasons why Moshe broke the luchos, the tablets, and the positive he meant to accomplish through their breaking.
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| This class takes a deeper look at the special significance of the counting of the Jewish people.
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| This class illuminates the story of the meraglim, the spies, in the light of Chassidut.
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| This class expounds upon the special greatness of the tribes Reuven and Gad.
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| The true function of Jewish kings and the unique nature of the kingdom of the house of David.
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| This class analyzes the story of Elijah the Prophet on Mt. Carmel where he challenged the worshipers of the Ba’al.
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| This class describes the outstanding life of the Rambam and the great books he authored.
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