Prayer

Rabbi YY Jacobson answers young people's heartfelt questions about faith, Judaism, unanswered prayers, suffering, authenticity, and finding meaning in religious life. Discover why questioning your fai...

Noah’s exhausting year of feeding the animals teaches that caring for others is not merely a burden but a form of serving Hashem. The lesson extends to prayer as well: even when we cannot personally s...

A young man struggling to return to Judaism receives a simple challenge: to live as a tzaddik for just ten days. Discover how perseverance, heartfelt prayer, and divine assistance led to an extraordin...

Why is the willow branch connected to Hoshana Rabbah, and why is there a custom to remain awake through the night? This short teaching explores the aravah as a symbol of focused prayer and spiritual a...

Why is the main focus of Hoshana Rabbah placed on the aravah rather than one of the other Four Species? This short teaching explains the deeper symbolism of the aravah as representing the lips and rev...

Using the laws of the cities of refuge, this lesson reveals the profound difference between simply going through the motions and acting with true intention. It explores how kavanah can transform mitzv...

What do the Shulchan, Menorah, and Altar of the Beit Hamikdash have to do with our daily prayers? This lesson reveals how the blessings before Shema and the recitation of Shema guide us from recognizi...

What does it mean to truly depend on Hashem, love Him, and fear losing that closeness? This lesson explores the power of heartfelt prayer, discovering Hashem through His creation, and understanding th...

The Rosh Hashanah Haftara tells the moving story of Hannah, whose years of pain led her to pour out her heart before Hashem in prayer. When she is blessed with a son, Samuel, she remembers her vow and...

Drawing on the verse about serving Hashem with joy, the Ben Ish Chai teaches that while life’s challenges may come from God, the additional suffering created by unhealthy worry, sadness, and fixation...