MyLife: Chassidus Applied Episode 175, with Rabbi Simon Jacobson
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With the month of Elul approaching, how can we ready ourselves for this next phase of the year?
Are the Jewish people a self-contained entity, or are we a part of the larger world? If we’re the Chosen People does that make us detached and superior to the rest of the world? How much should we integrate and how much should we stay above?
How does the Rebbe address conflicts that arise between communities and Rabbis?
How can we say that a Rebbe, whom most of the Jewish world doesn’t call their own, is considered the Nasi Hador, the leader of the generation?
Yiddish for the last century has been the language of the Jew. Is there something inherent about the language that makes it meaningful or was it just the regional tongue and therefore adopted by Jews in Eastern Europe? Is it important to the Rebbe that we keep the language alive? What would we lose if Yiddish was lost?
These are among the relevant topics that Rabbi Jacobson will address in this week’s 175th episode of MyLife: Chassidus Applied.
He will also review the winning essays of this year’s MyLife: Chassidus Applied essay contest: “Get the Point” by Moshe Backman; “The End of Envy” by Alexander Zaloum, and “What Makes Us Tick” by Dovid Chaim Hoffman. These and other essays can be read online at meaningfullife.com/essays.
And finally, the Chassidus question of the week: Can you please elaborate on the concept of Meitzar hagaron mentioned often in Chassidus? What does it mean and what are its implications?
This hour-long dose of insights is meant to inform, inspire and empower us by applying the teachings of Chassidus to help us face practical and emotional challenges and difficulties in our personal lives and relationships. To have your question addressed, please submit it at meaningfullife.com/mylife.
The topics in this Sunday’s hour-long broadcast will include:
· Chassidus Applied to Re’eh and Mevarchim Elul
· Conflicts and boundaries between communities and Rabbis
· How is the Rebbe a Nasi Hador if most of the Jewish world doesn’t recognize that?
· How much should Jews integrate with the rest of the world?
· Does chassidus/kaballah coincide with modern astronomy?
· Is Yiddish a lost language?
· Proving G-d’s existence (follow-up)
· The ups and downs of life (follow-up)
· Chassidus Question: What is the meaning and application of the meitzar hagaron?
· MyLife Essays: Get the Point, The End of Envy, What Makes Us Tick
In what has now become a staple in so many people’s lives, MyLife: Chassidus Applied addresses questions that many people are afraid to ask and others are afraid to answer. When asked about the sensitive topics he has been addressing, Rabbi Simon Jacobson commented, “I understand that the stakes are high and great care has to be taken when speaking openly, but the silence and lack of clarity on matters plaguing the community can no longer go unaddressed. The stakes of not providing answers are even higher.”
The on-going series has provoked a significant reaction from the community, with thousands of people viewing each live broadcast and hundreds of questions pouring in week after week. At the root of every question and personal challenge tackled by the series is the overarching question: Does Judaism have the answers to my personal dilemmas?
In inimitable “Jacobson-fashion”, the broadcast answers people’s questions in simple, clear language while being heavily sourced. Each episode is jam-packed with eye-opening advice from the Rebbeim, gleaned from uncovering surprising gems in their letters, sichos and maamorim that address our personal issues with disarming relevance. Simultaneously, Rabbi Jacobson is able to crystallize a concept quickly, succinctly, and poignantly for any level of listener.
All episodes are immediately available for viewing in the MLC’s archive and can be downloaded as MP3s for listening on the go.
Questions may be submitted anonymously at meaningfullife.com/mylife
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