In this week’s Street Farbrengen, Reuven shares a gripping “Hasidic geneiva” Yechidus story that an elder chossid confided to him—how, at his brother’s bar mitzvah, he slipped the Rebbe a three-page letter about a toxic mashpia, his confusion, and the urge to leave yeshiva. The Rebbe’s response was razor-clear: in Lubavitch there are always two mashpiim—find the one you connect with; then “forget the past—have Kabbalas Ol—and your job is to learn.” From there, the conversation dives into Elul...
There”s an old joke about the man shipwrecked on a deserted island who builds the shul he goes to and the shul he'd never step into"? But what happens when both of those shuls live inside the same room, or in the same heart and mind?? In this episode, we dive into the “two shuls within one shul” phenomenon—where some come to daven and others come to schmooze, and the tension it creates in Chabad communities worldwide. Why does this culture of tolerance exist? Is it ...
The awesome and wonderful month of Elul begs participation. It asks for something new from you. A " cheshbon hanefesh” What is it, this "tally of self? Street Farbrengen looks at the control and chaos of making good for a full year by peering into the self from the past year
Are We Living Our Spirituality Dynamically? In this week’s episode of Streetfarbrengen we dive into a thought-provoking question sparked by a morning shul conversation: Do we live our spirituality symbolically, practically, or dynamically? Using the famous Talmudic scenes of Rabbi Akiva at the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, we explore how two different moments — seeing the Temple’s ruins from afar and witnessing a fox emerge from the Holy of Holies — reveal distinct ways of experiencing r...
What does it take to go against the grain? How do you defy the gravity of culture of 'this is the way things are' and lift off into your intended orbit? “Zacharia, I am almost twice your age ", remarks Reuven in this week's episode of Street Farbrengen! "People insist I should slow down and "act my age". Chill out they say! But, I am in a renewal and on a number of new journeys. Today and tomorrow are not yesterday. And, I am just getting going!" What does it take to go against the str...
The 12th of Tammuz highlights courage and sacrifice in the fight for your values and truth - no matter the size and authority of your opponent! In this episode of Street Farbrengen let's tackle how to bridge with the Yud Beis story and ask "Is the behavior of the Rebbe leave me inspired or aspiring!?
Chassidic circles stress the story of the spies' reluctance to enter Israel as the choice for spiritual isolation and comfort over the task of grappling with the physical realities of turning a land ( of Israel) into a heavenly oasis. How is it possible not to be eaten alive by the time consuming and emotional rollercoaster of making a living, raising a family, fighting wars, or the pulling the weeds between the vegetable rows? Street Farbrengen ...
We often call success winning, like when you cross the goal line. We look to the end of the line, to know the end game, and to finding our cherished goal at the “end of the rainbow.” There is the “ end of days.” When Zechariah and Reuven last met they pledged to contemplate for 30 days the scene of Rabbi Akiva by the river seeing a constant drip of water on a rock by the side of the river making an impression on the stone. What is our rock to making an everlasting imprint? W...
A Street Farbengen is a focus on the road; on the path to take after all the talk and exchange between friends. Reuven and Zacharia continue the focus on Rabbi Akiva by the river. A constant drip on a rock burrows an indent. So too, thinks Rabbi Akiva, can the Torah drill a hole in my heart. Sometimes the rock is the dream unheeded and met. Sometimes the water is the dream that shall hit the rock. This episode of Street Farbrengen ends with a surprise; a pact between Reuven and Za...
Rabbi Akiva saw drops of water falling on a stone making a deep hole. What power there is in a drop of water,” thought Rabbi Akiva. “Could my stony heart ever be softened up that way?” Lag B'omer is the Yom Halula of the Holy Rashbi. His teacher Rabbi Akiva gives us the picture of how to approach the 'stones and boulders' along the path's we walk. What are your boulders blocking the road? What is the water that can make a dent in them? Are you willing to embrace the lo...
The letters of the month Iyar are an acronym for “I am G-d your healer.” What is your attitude towards health? Do you believe that good health is a gift from heaven, our days are numbered anyway and health is not your issue; or, is health a gift package from heaven which must be opened, user - manual read, then put in the batteries and press “On”? No surprise, Reuven votes for the latter, he is the founder of Natural Food Certifiers after all. But in the end, are sprouts, veggies ...
What did the Rebbe mean when he said on Nissan 28th “I have done what I can do ... and now I give it over to you?” Was he intimating retirement, or even 3 Tammuz? Reuven suggests that we had it all wrong. The 28th of Nissan is not a lesser relationship between Chassid and Rebbe, but a stronger one more than ever. “ Most of us sat at farbrengens at the feet of the Rebbe like “ the scullery maid at the splitting of the Sea!” It comes down to the pilates spirit of being Chassid...
“If you don’t apply yourself in Avodah ( to grow spiritually) then you are an atheist!” This needs explanation. This segment of Street Farbrengen struggles with the period of Sefiras Ha'omer. Intertwined with the counting of the Omer is the kaleidoscope of emotional traits that make up who we are. How do we take Sefira out of the dark basement and shine a light we can see? It starts with Avodah - (working for inner transformation) otherwise you are like a...
Be it in business, sports, and even in health, there is an emphasis on “The Target”, where is the bullseye, what’s your target? Reuven asks what is the target of a Chassid? We read that a Tzaddik is not the goal, and halavay, it should be a Benoni for an hour! So then do we conclude we have no target?! What’s the target you have in mind for yourself?
We enter the starting gate of the season of leaving Egypt. A Chassid asks him or herself “ what area of slavery do I live in?” Living in slavery is also formed in the mind, with a picture you have of yourself deep within. It creates an often unconscious identity, a glass ceiling, to contradict the very goal and desire you have in mind you to accomplish . Zacharia and Reuven farbreng on ”breaking your glass ceiling “ with an approa...
Present day culture has the Purim bright lights highlighting the Mitzvah of “ mitzvah to intoxicate” (with wine -Rashi) The dropped walls that foster camaraderie around the Purim feast is unique. The costumes allow us to play and act on our own stage is a unique moment in the calendar. But when the lights go out and the music stops Reuven and Zacharia ask “ what is all this ad da lo yada all about anyway!? How is this different than the last Shabbos kiddish you had ...
We live in an economy that a hundred years ago would be viewed as a fantasy! Nevertheless it’s possible to have “wall to wall carpets and California kitchens” and remain a pauper. The difference lays between attitude and focus. In this week’s “Street Farbrengen” Reuven and Zacharia dig into the art of thinking higher!
Do you know people - or maybe even you - who days before are anxious about scheduling their aliyah for the Shabbos before or Shabbos Yud Shevat? Reuven floats a question on this week's Street Fabrengen: I am wondering whether this is provocative, downright insane, against the rules, genius, or maybe all of these? ....We do not mark the Yartzheit of the Rebbe Rashab, the Maharash, and the other Nasi- Leaders like we do with the Previous Rebbe. Is it possib...
Yud Shevat makes sense ? Do you sometimes feel that those special days connected to our Rebbes are “ blasé” or confuse you or maybe give a twinge of anxiety? How do you not feel tzaaamished and feelings of senseless overwhelm , given what we have heard and yet here we are! Street Farbrengen agrees it’s all senseless. And that is exactly each of us is Mendel Futerfas in the making . 5785 - 2025 is 5687 - 1927 .
Action with mitzvahs makes His Ratzon, Will. Not through the spirituality of intention... Maamar 5666 There is “The Thinking Mind” which never stops, especially when it faces the joy of simplicity! Is the search for reasons and meaning behind the latest news an embrace of the Holy or an escape of the Thinking Mind. A Street Farbrengen on Trump, Messianism, and the magic with black magic!