Kahal Chasidim She'aris Yaakov Pico's Only Nusach Sefard Shul
Hagaada: Who Knows Four? (Sons, That Is) Let us contemplate one of the central themes of the Pesach seder, the parable of the four sons. How do we engage all types of people – chacham (wise), rasha (wicked), tam (commonly understood as simple) and she’eino yodeya lishol (ignorant)? It has been cited in the name …
Reb Aharon Hagadol of Karlin zy”a Born – 1736 Died – 19 Nissan 1772 Karlin, Belorussia Reb Aharon Hagadol was the first Rebbe of the Karlin-Stolin Chassidic Dynasty. He was one the foremost students of the Maggid of Mezritch. He helped the rapid spread of chassidism in Eastern Europe, and was the founder of the …
Sipurei Tzadikim Reb Meir Leifer the Nadvorna-Clevelander Rebbe Born – 2 Nissan, 5641 (1881) – Bochnia, Poland Died – 12 Nissan, 6701 (1941) – Los Angeles, California Reb Meir Leifer the Nadvorna-Clevelander Rebbe passed away on the 12th of Nissan, 1941, in Los Angeles, Ca. He is buried in the Agudas Achim cemetery on 1022 …
פרשת תצו שבת זכור How to Defeat Amalek Chazal declared Parshas Zachor to be read on the Shabbos prior to Purim. Haman (a direct descendant of Amalek) and his followers were defeated during the miracle of Purim. This defeat was, in part, a fulfillment of the Divine command and promise to eliminate Amalek [1]. How …
Sipurei Tzadikim Reb Yisroel Sochet zt”l Born: August 13, 1934 (21 Av 5693) Died: February 26, 2001 (3 Adar 5761) Reb Yisroel Sochet was born in 1934 in the Inglewood section of Los Angeles, California. His parents were Reb Yaakov zt”l (known to all as Reb Yankel) and Nechama Sochet a”h. They were first cousins …
פרשת תרומה Parshas Terumah What Can We Give to Hashem? The Medrash (Tanna Dibay Eliyahu chapter 17) brings a Pasuk from the beginning of this week’s parsha that reads: “Bisha’ a She’amru Yisrael Naase Vinishma Miyad Amar Hakadosh Baruch Hu Viyikchu Li Terumah (Shemos 25:2).“ When Bnei Yisrael said ‘We shall do and we shall …
Sipurei Tzadikim Reb Leib Sarah’s Born: circa 1730, Rovno Died: 4 Adar, 5541 (1791) Yaltushkov, Podolia Rabbi Aryeh Leib’s father’s name was Yoseph, but he was known as “Leib Sarah’s”, as in son of his mother. This unusual form of identification is hinted in the form of a prayer in the mystical Book of Razie …
Sipurei Tzadikim Reb Yitzchock Shapiro of Neshchiz, zt”l Born: 1789 in Neshchiz Passed away: 21 Shevat 5628 (1868) Reb Yitzchock was born to the great and holy tzadik Reb Mordechai of Neshchiz. Rebbe Mordechai was a close disciple of Rabbi Levi Yitzchock of Berditchev (whose granddaughter he married) and also of Rabbi Baruch of Medzhibozh …
פרשת משפטים Parashas Mishpatim שבת שקלים Fulfilling All 613 Mitzvos and Its Relation to the Half-Shekel Toward the end of this week’s parsha, the Torah returns to its narrative of Matan Torah (the giving of the Torah). The pasuk says (Shemos 24:7), ויאמרו כל אשר דבר ה’ נעשה ונשמע – and they said ‘All that Hashem …
פרשת יתר Parashas Yisro Go Out and Learn The Pasuk says,”וַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע יִתְר֨וֹ כֹהֵ֤ן מִדְיָן֙ חֹתֵ֣ן משֶׁ֔ה אֵת֩ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ לְמשֶׁ֔ה וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַמּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־הוֹצִ֧יא יְהוָֹ֛ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָֽיִם – Yisro, the minister of Midian, the father-in-law of Moshe, heard everything that Hahsem did to Moshe and to Yisroel, His people that HaShem had taken Israel out of …