Lubavitcher Rebbe; translated by Yosef Loebenstein

The siege of Jerusalem on the tenth of Teves teaches there can be no rapprochement between Jerusalem and Babylon; the distinction between the sacred and the profane must never be blurred. When a Jew’s fear of G‑d — the “Jerusalem” of the soul, is besieged...

The Chanukah lights commemorate not only the miracle of the oil, but also the salvations, miracles and wonders wrought by G‑d. The display of mesirus nefeshby Jews on Chanukah elicited a Divine response transcending even the miraculous. The festival of Ch...

Chassidus not only infuses life and warmth into the practice of Judaism, but, as the means whereby a Jew unites with G‑d, it also is a “taste” of the revelations of the Messianic era. The nineteenth day of the month of Kislev marks the release of R. Schne...

The Mitteler Rebbe, like Rashbi, revealed the secrets of Torah to all. The license to do so is alluded to in the Torah phrase, “this mound shall be a witness.” The ninth day of the month of Kislev, which marks the passing of R. Dov Ber of Lubavitch,Second...

While the month of Kislev contains various concepts, it has one central theme: illumination. Both Chanukah and the nineteenth day of Kislev celebrate events when spiritual darkness gave way to the light of G‑dliness, preparing the way for the Messianic er...

The twentieth day of the month of MarCheshvan marks the birthday of the Rebbe Rashab, fifth leader of Chabad. The great emphasis he laid on disseminating Torah, exemplified by the founding of the Yeshivah Tomchei Temimim, teaches the vital importance of s...

Whereas service to G‑d during the month of Tishrei pivots around its many festivals, that of the rest of the year deals primarily with everyday matters. The latter service, alluded to in the phrase “Yaakov went on his way,” is the realization of the Jew’s...

The unity between Jews engendered by Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah is superior even to that of Sukkos. It is symbolized by the dancing with the Torah when all Jews rejoice as one with G‑d. Of Shemini Atzeres, the festival immediately following Sukkos,...

The all-encompassing nature of the mitzvah of sukkahsymbolizes the all-encompassing bond between Jew and G‑d, a bond which expresses itself in everything a Jew does, mundane pursuits as well as Torah study and the observance of mitzvos. During Sukkos, as ...

The atonement procured by Yom Kippur is loftier even than that obtained through repentance, for on this day Jew and G‑d are absolutely one. The quintessence of the Jew blazes forth, uniting with his G‑d to reveal a bond untouchable by sin. Yom Kippur is t...