039 - Vayechi 2 by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe

04 - Bereishis - Two Levels of Emptiness by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe Download the class handout.

04 - Lech Lecha - Avraham's Life's Work- 1st Aliyah by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe Before Avraham's time, the world needed to be destroyed because of its corruptness. Avraham saved the world in his time through an internal transformation, by bringing the presence of Hashem down onto this earth. We are called a G-dly nation because we call out to Hashem and He responds. This is what Avraham's life mission was, and what we must perpetuate, working to sanctify the name of Hashem and bring His presence down onto this earth.

04 - Vayeitzei - Yaakov's Broader Horizons by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe

05 - Bereishis - Let There be Light by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe Download the handout for this class.

05 - Vayeira - The Bris of Chessed- 1st Aliyah by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe There are 2 covenants associated with Avraham Avinu-the bris of chessed, and the bris milah. Although we usually associate the bris milah as symbolizing the relationship between man and Hashem, chessed also shows this connection, through the person emulating Hashem. A Jew is identified by both of these covenants. Even when a person has strayed far from Judaism, he can still be connected to Avraham Avinu and the Jewish people through the bris hachessed and bris milah.

05 - Vayishlach - Yaakov's Maariv by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe When Yaakov Avinu davens to Hashem as he prepares to meet Eisav, he quotes Hashem's promise to him from when he originally left his parents' house. He changes Hashem's wording and emphasizes that Hashem will do good with him. We explore the meaning and purpose behind this change of words.

06 - Bereishis - Separating Light from Darkness by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe Download the handout for this class.

06 - Chayei Sarah - Not Just Dust- First Aliyah by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe In the first aliyah of Parshas Chayei Sarah, Avraham Avinu buys the land of Mearas Hamachpelah from Efron. Avraham saw that this was the place where Adam and Chava were buried, and recognized its radiance and beauty coming from the neshamos. Efron merely saw it as a dusty plot, as he did not recognize that the Divine soul lives on after death. Sarah's death is connected to Akeidas Yitzchak, when Yitzchak himself experienced resurrection of the dead, which will happen on a more global scale.

07 - Bereishis - Vayikra Elokim - Giving Names by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe

07- Toldos - Yaakov & Eisav: Oppositional Twins- First Aliyah by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe In the first aliyah of Parshas Toldos, we learn about the twins Yaakov and Esav. They represent two opposite worlds, with Esav dominating the physical and Yaakov the spiritual. We struggle with these two worlds within ourselves, but within Yaakov and Esav, they were completely separate. Therefore, when one thrives, the other falls, as they are complete opposite dynamics-the drive of the guf (body) versus the drive of the neshama.

08 - Bereishis - Evening & Morning One Day by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe

08 - Vayeitzei - Yaakov's Broader Horizons-First Aliyah by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe In the first aliyah of Parshas Vayeitzei, Yaakov is on the run from his home. Even though Yaakov was leaving Eretz Yisroel, he was not subject to the curse of the earth. He knew that Hashem is there, all of the way, anywhere--therefore, he was able to expand outside of Eretz Yisrael. In Eretz Yisrael, it is easier to see the connection with Hashem. Yaakov shows us that even in golus (exile), it is possible to bring Hashem's presence down to this earth.

09 - Bereishis - Dividing Heaven and Earth by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe Download the class handout.

09 - Vayishlach - Yaakov's Confrontation- First Aliyah by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe In the first aliyah of Parshas Vayishlach, Yaakov prepares for his encounter with Eisav. Yaakov is very scared for his encounter with Eisav, as he represents the opposite of what Yaakov stands for. Yaakov is deferential to Eisav in this world, but he is afraid of the rah, bad, of Eisav. In Yaakov's world, everything that Hashem is and does is good, and he needs to experience it as such in this world-therefore, the bad of Eisav is frightening.

1 - Lech Lecha -The Mystery of Lot- 3rd Aliyah by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe The third aliyah of Parshas Lech Lecha discusses Lot, a mysterious, enigmatic personality. Although he starts off subordinate to Avraham, learning from him as a student, after they go to Mitzrayim he separates from him and goes to live in Sedom. He enjoyed the immorality of Mitzrayim and the fact that it is not connected to Hashem for rain, and saw that Sedom had similar aspects. This immorality became part of his existence in a significant manner. The nations that came from him, Amon and Moav, came about through this kind of immoral behavior. As Klal Yisroel, we are the opposite-we celebrate our dependence on Hashem and the fact that we build relationships of connection and meaning.

10 - Bereishis - Dividing Heaven and Earth II by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe

11 - Bereishis - Clearing the Waters by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe

11 - Mikeitz - Machlokes and the Ambiguity of Dreams- First Aliyah by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe The dreams that we learn about in the first aliyah of Parshas Mikeitz are the last in the series of 3 dreams that Yosef deals with. The dreams always come in pairs, and are ambiguous-the same dream can be given two opposite interpretations. Dreams do not have the same clarity as prophecy, and can result in a split. The story of Yosef and his brothers is a manifestation of this-two groups with different interpretations of what Hashem wants, splitting the Jewish people. In the times of Chanukah, machlokes (arguments in Torah) was introduced, which creates the positive aspects of different people working together, but also allows for the danger of intense friction.

12 - Bereishis - The Sin of the Earth by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe

13 - Bereishis - The Fourth Day and the Luminaries by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe

14 - Bereishis - The Power of the Sun by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe Download the class handout.

15 - Bereishis - The Sun the Moon and the Eclipse by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe Download the class handout.

16 - Bereishis - Moons, Women and Kings by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe Download the class handout.

17 - Bereishis - The Creation of the Sea Creatures by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe

18 - Bereishis - The Leviasan Part II and the Birds by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe

19 - Bereishis - The Creation and the Blessing of the Animals by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe Download the class handout.

2 - Toldos - Yaakov and The Pintele Yid by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe We continue learning about the parsha with a focus on the theme of returning back to Gan Eden. Yaakov Avinu was the first in the chain to have all of his children remain part of the Jewish people. Avraham began this process of working to return back to Gan Eden, but the process was not completed through him, and some of his children were removed from the picture. Only through Yaakov is the "pintele yid" established, ensuring that all of his descendants will continue on the path of working to return to Gan Eden.

2 - Vayeira - Lot, Sodom & Self Improvement- 3rd Aliyah by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe In the third aliyah of Parshas Vayeira, we learn about the destruction of Sodom. Although the malachim (angels) are treated with hostility from the start, the fate of Sodom is not sealed until after Lot tries to convince the people not to act in a despicable way. The people do not want to hear rebuke, and say that Lot has no right to speak to them in that way. This character trait is what blocks a person from teshuva (repentance) and self-improvement, as they will never be open to change. Lot originally saw this in Mitzrayim, and lived in Sodom because they had a similar attribute, one which he still carried with him even after he was saved.

20 - Bereishis - Let Us Make Man by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe

21 - Bereishis - Tzelem Elokim Part I by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe Download the class handout.

22 - Bereishis - Tzelem Elokim Part II by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe Download the class handout.

23 - Bereishis - Tzelem Elokim Part III by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe Download the class handout.

24 - Bereishis - Tzelem Elokim Part IV by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe Download the class handout.

25 - Bereishis - Male and Female He Created Them by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe

26 - Bereishis - The Mandate of Conquest by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe

27 - Bereishis - The Mandate of Conquest Part II by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe Download the class handout.

28 - Bereishis - The Pyramid Structure of Creation by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe

29 - Bereishis - It Was Very Good by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe

3 - Chayei Sarah - Rivka's Kindness- Third Aliyah by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe Eliezer sets up a test of chessed to see if the girl he will find is the right one for Yitzchok. Rivka meets the requirements exactly, and Eliezer is thrilled to find the perfect match for his master's son. Yitzchok's avodah to Hashem was in the form of giving himself over, as opposed to Yishmael, whose tefillah was asking for things. Therefore, Yitzchak needed a wife who would also have a giving nature, in order to serve Hashem as true avadim.

3 - Vayeira - Children of All Kinds- 4th Aliyah by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe There are many stories in the 4th aliyah of Parshas Vayeira, and they all have a common element. After Sodom is destroyed and Lot is saved, he has children with his daughters. After Sarah is taken by Avimelech and he repents, Avimelech is able to have children, and Sarah gives birth to Yitzchok. All of these children are born through different relationships. We learn about the different aspects of relationships in terms of genuine chessed, true giving and expansion of oneself, and chessed meaning shame, a lustful relationship that is self-serving. We want to access the chessed of Avraham-true giving and expansion of self-which is the antithesis of Sodom.

3 - Vayeira - The Partner's Prayer- 2nd Aliyah by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe In the second aliyah of Parshas Vayeira, Hashem tells Avraham about the planned destruction of Sodom. Hashem consults with Avraham on this matter because Avraham is his partner in the world, working to bring Hashem’s presence down. As a partner in creation, Avraham has a say about what will be, and asks Hashem to act according to din and not destroy the righteous along with the wicked. Beyond that, he asks for the wicked to be spared along with the righteous, so that he can continue his job of bringing recognition of Hashem to this world, as a partner.

30 - Bereishis - Yom HA-shishi by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe

31 - Bereishis - Completing Creation by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe

32 - Bereishis - The Day of Rest by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe

33 - Bereishis - Shabbos as Tachlis by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe

34 - Bereishis - Blessed and Sanctified by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe Download the class handout.

35 - Bereishis - He Created To Make by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe

4 - Chayei Sarah - G-d of Avraham; G-d of the Earth- Second Aliyah by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe We explore why Avraham Avinu specifically describes Hashem as "G-d of the Earth" here, in the parsha of finding a wife for Yitzchak and what the connection is to Yitzchak not leaving Eretz Yisroel. "G-d of the Earth" reminds us of Hashem's constant involvement in the world.

4 - Chayei Sarah - The Conversations of the Avos Servants- Fourth Aliyah by Hauer, Rabbi Moshe The fourth aliyah is mainly repetitive, as Eliezer describes the story of how he got to this point, in the house of Rivka. Chazal teach us that the conversation of the servants of the avos is more beautiful before Hashem than the Torah of the children. We explore three explanations of what Chazal mean. There is something very powerful and deep about the conversations of the servants of the avos that teach us about our own service of Hashem, in the posture of an eved, given over completely to serve Hashem.