There are two sayings of Pirkei Avos that come to mind this week to give us guidance, support and strength as we face the trials and tribulations of the Baalei Teshuva.

The first is that of Yehuda ben Taima, who said, “Be bold as a leopard…”, meaning that we have to be bold to do the right thing, to do what the Torah requires in every situation. It’s often difficult in that we face pressures both from where we came and from our current environment. But we have to go through the process of determining what the right thing is and then be bold and do it, no matter what the challenges. I give thanks to one of my first Rebbeim, Rabbi Tzvi Kramer, for reiterating this lesson time and again.

The second saying is that of Ben Hai Hai who said, “According to the effort is the reward.” For the Baal Teshuva many things that may be relatively easy for those born into observant homes are a real struggle. But the key to Torah Judaism is to constantly grow through our struggle. Every obstacle we face, every effort we make contributes to us fulfilling the purpose for which Hashem put us in this world. This world is one of struggle and the effort we make overcoming challenges, enables us to build our own eternity.

The entire text from Perek 5 is down below.

Here is the link for an English Translation of all six Perakim culled from Rabbi Dovid Rosenfeld’s translation and commentary at Torah.org.

Read more Pirkei Avos for the Baalei Teshuva ›

This week is the fourth Perek for Pirkei Avos which includes:

1. “Ben (the son of) Zoma said, who is wise? He who learns from all people…Who is strong? He who conquers his evil inclination…Who is rich? He who is satisfied with his lot…Who is honored? He who honors others…
20. “Rabbi Yaakov said, this world is like an entrance chamber before the World to Come. Prepare yourself in the entrance chamber so that you may enter the banquet hall.”
27. “Rabbi Elazar HaKappar said, jealousy, lust and the [pursuit of] honor remove a person from the world.”

The entire text from Perek 4 is down below.

Here is the link for an English Translation of all six Perakim culled from Rabbi Dovid Rosenfeld’s translation and commentary at Torah.org. Torah.org also has some of the Maharal’s commentary for Pirkei Avos. And Aish has lot’s of good articles on Pirkei Avos penned by two Beyond BT contributors Rabbi Yonsason Goldson and Yaakov Astor.

The full text in Hebrew can be found here.

Read more Who Is Wise, Strong, Rich and Honored – Pirkei Avos Week 4 ›

L’ILuy Nishmas Yaakov Eisenberg

A year or so ago, I drove into Manhattan to pick up my mother’s second cousin from Israel, Motty, and drive him to the airport. I had felt guilty after barely seeing him during his short trip. Even though he is only my mother’s second cousin, he treated me like his own son when I visited with him in Israel some 15 years ago (going out of his way to get kosher food, etc.). So, the least I could do was drive him to the airport.

Earlier that morning I had gone to a gemorah shiur I had been attending at the time and I must have left directly from there since my gemorah was on the back seat of the car. When Motty opened the back door, he asked “David, do you learn Tal-mud Bav-Li?” I responded “I try.” “Oh”, he said “I have something for you”. He explained that an uncle of his, the only living religious member of his family, had recently passed away. Amongst his belongings were many sifrei kodesh. The attorney administering the estate gave them to Motty and told him he should probably throw them away. Motty then said to me “I am not dati (religious) but I know what his kodesh (holy). Also, I come from a family of publishers so all books are important to me. I will send these books to you.” I thanked him as graciously as possible.

Approximately one month later, three large boxes were delivered to my home. They included an entire set of Shas (the Talmud), a set of Mishnah Yachin and Boaz (the six orders of the the Mishnah with commentary) and two sets of Mishneh Brurah (the Chofetz Chaim’s authoritative work on Jewish Law). I carefully placed the Shas and Mishnayos on my bookshelf and sent my brother one of the sets of Mishneh Brurah and donated the other to a Jewish outreach library.

This year, my son has begun learning Mishnayos in school. When we learn together, I try to use this particular set of mishnayos in the hopes that it will be of merit to this distant, distant relative that I never met.

Our sages teach that “Torah mechazeres al achsanya shelah”–The Torah returns to its lodgings–which has been explained to mean that even if the Torah leaves a family, it will return within three generations.

Welcome home, I hope you find us to be gracious hosts.

This week is the third Perek for Pirkei Avos. Here is the link for an English Translation of all six Perakim culled from Rabbi Dovid Rosenfeld’s translation and commentary at Torah.org. Torah.org also has some of the Maharal’s commentary for Pirkei Avos, which happens to be my personal favorite which you can purchase here.

The full text in Hebrew can be found here.

Frequent BeyondBT contributor, Rabbi Yonason Goldson has great pieces on Mishna 3.1 – “…consider three things and you will not come to sin…” and Mishna 3.2 – “…Pray for the welfare of the government, for without the fear of it, man would swallow his fellow alive…”.

Read more This Week in Pirkei Avos ›

As we mentioned on Friday, Daf Yomi is learning Arvei Pesachim, which deals with issues of Brochos and whether you have to say a new brocha when you change from one place to another. R’ Moshe Schwerd, the maggid shiur in Congregation Ahavas Yisroel in Queens on Sunday asked the following classic halachic question, “Can a Jew walk and check gum at the same time?”.

Here’s the explanation. The halacha is that if you change to a different location for eating, you have to say a new brocha rishonah (before brocha), if you are eating food for which you don’t have to go back to the place you ate for the brocha achronah (after beracha). This would be the case for all foods over which the brocha achronah is Borei Nefeshos (ie, fruits, vegetables, gum).

So if you say a beracha and begin eating an apple in your house and then go to the park and continue eating the apple, you would have to say a new brocha. But how about foods that you continually eat, like sucking candies and gum? In that case if you said the brocha in your house on the gum and continued chewing it, you would not need to say a new brocha if you walked outside.
Read more Can a Jew Walk and Chew Gum at the Same Time? ›

Beyond BT contributor, Ilanit Meckley brings to our attention a website called www.oneg-shabbat.org where people can register to be either be Shabbos hosts or Shabbos guests.

Here’s the link for Rabbi Goldson’s Aish article on Mishna 2.2:

“Rabban Gamliel the son of Rabbi Yehuda the Prince said, Torah study is good with a worldly occupation, because the exertion put into both of them makes one forget sin. All Torah without work will ultimately result in desolation and will cause sinfulness.

All who work for the community should work for the sake of Heaven, for the merit of the community’s forefathers will help them, and their righteousness endures forever. And as for you, God will reward you greatly as if you accomplished it on your own.”

Read more Some Torah Links For Your Pre-Shabbos Reading Pleasure ›

A few months ago we posted and article Why I want to go to Yeshiva, Part 1 the Question. Today we bring you the sequel – Why I want to go to Yeshiva, Part 2 – Answers.

Now that the question’s been cleared up in my own mind, I think I can start to put down the answer for myself. And those two words are key – for myself. Because no matter what explanations I may come up with for this decision, ultimately if it’s something that I don’t believe in deeply then nobody else is going to accept it. And even if others aren’t going to accept it, I can feel a sense of pride and self-satisfaction in knowing I’m making the right decision.

As an Orthodox Jew, I have a sincere belief that there is an All-Powerful, All-Knowing Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. I also believe that this Creator wrote and transmitted directly to man what is known as the Torah – both Oral and Written – and furthermore that this Torah is not simply a history book or a set of tales, but rather it contains wisdom for living. It is a Divine instruction manual for how me are meant to lead our lives. These beliefs are not based, as many would assume, on “blind faith” but rather are a form of knowledge. They are the logical and rational conclusions at which I have arrived on my search for truth. I would be happy to share exactly how and why I arrived at these conclusions but that is beyond the scope of this post. So for the moment, we will just assume them to be true.
Read more Why I want to go to Yeshiva, Part 2 – Answers ›

With Shabbos only a few hours away and not that many Rashis to go over in this week’s parsha, we thought we’d share with you one of our favorite Shabbos treats – the Internet Parsha Sheet

It’s compiled every week by R’ Chaim Shulman of Teanack and we really admire his taste in Torah.

Pick up your copy at your local printer and have a Great Shabbos!

American Jewish Spirit magazine recently interviewed Mortimer Zuckerman, the well- known Jewish activist and Chairman of U.S. News & World Report and the New York Daily News. The focus of the interview was Jewish learning and Jewish Unity. Mr. Zuckerman clearly recognizes the importance of Jewish learning as evidenced by the following rhetorical question he asks and then answers:

“You have to ask yourself, how is it that the Jewish community has survived? As the only community that survived through the ages? I would argue that a great part of this is based on a simple foundation and it is Jewish learning. I mean this in several ways – it is because the Jewish community has always respected learning and especially Jewish learning that has enabled the yeshiva scholar and the scholar in general to be considered so important within the Jewish community.”

Take a look at the entire piece here and see Mr. Zuckerman’s impressions upon visiting a yeshiva for the first time. Inspiring.

Hat Tip: Steve Brizel

I was reluctant to post on the topic of learning because the obligation is so different for women. I’m pretty sure that that’s when Mark posted the topic “Practical Ideas to Increase Learning,” he was looking for men’s advice about how to arrange daily sedarim in their busy lives. I have no advice on the matter, so men, feel free to ignore this post. I’m gearing this toward women.

The teshuva process is as much intellectual as emotional. Most of us spend a few intense years attempting to make up for a religious education that FFB’s receive in twelve. And then, just like with tefilla, kids enter the picture and learning is by necessity pushed to the back burner. Some women might miss it immediately while others are too busy with new responsibilities to think of other things. Sooner or later, though, we all begin to miss learning. And while many women I know opt for babysitters and periodic shiurim, on a day-to-day basis, I live on Torah tapes.
Read more Learning as a Mother ›