The week kicked off in the kitchen. Sesame chicken that the boys are convinced is the best in Crown Heights — we won’t argue the point — and then it was back to the beis medrash for a full week of Chassidus, Gemara, Siddur, Wellness, Moshiach Shiur, and Halacha, with art class and a Torah reading along the way.
Sesame Chicken, Arguably the Best in Crown Heights
The week started the way every good week should: with the boys in the kitchen. This week’s cooking class turned out sesame chicken that the bochurim are convinced is the best in Crown Heights — and after tasting it, we’re not going to be the ones to argue.
Ego Means Edging G-d Out
We learned how the sitra achara feels good only because it has a tiny, super watered-down bit of G-dliness inside it — and G-dliness feels good. G-dliness is life and truth; sitra achara is the opposite of that. And ego means Edging G-d Out.
So if we want to actually feel good, it only makes sense to go straight to the source of feeling good — kedusha, where G-dliness shines in a powerful, real, shiny way.
Finishing the Amud
We continued exploring what “ohr” (light) means, looking further into the reasons for only traveling when it’s light outside — and we’re almost finished with the amud, Gemara, Rashi, and Tosfos together!
Reconnecting the Neshama
We discussed how davening is how we reconnect our neshama with Hashem — and how it takes our nefesh habahamis, the part of us that just wants to do whatever it wants, and works with it, shaping it into a beautiful sefer torah, so that it can shine with G-dliness.
This Week’s Creations
Tuesday afternoon’s creative class had the beis medrash looking more like a studio — moonlit skies, a leaf, a tree in bloom, and plenty of focus at the easel.
Needs vs. Wants
We discussed how often we confuse our wants and our needs — and if we start treating our wants as needs, we end up running a never-ending rat race. Needs are what we can’t live without; wants are what we can live without.
We also talked about emotional health: how healthy it is to actually feel, and how the more we feel, the more we heal. When we’re hit with big emotions, it’s time to STOP — Slow down, Take a deep breath, Observe, and Proceed mindfully.
Seeing the Best in Everyone
We discussed how Gideon brought Moshiach by seeing the best in everyone — and if we want to bring Moshiach, we need to do the same. We have such good lives in galus because we’re so close to Moshiach’s coming, and to bring him we just need to do teshuva: to return to who we truly are, loving ourselves unconditionally because we’re each a piece of Hashem, and infinitely valued.
The Torah Morning Routine
We spoke about washing negel vasser, washing our face, and rinsing out our mouth — physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually preparing ourselves for the day, and stepping into a mindset of continuing to work on ourselves to become the best version of ourselves that we can possibly be.
Gathering Around the Torah
A quiet moment together around the Torah — the kind of moment that doesn’t need much explanation.
“Ego means Edging G-d Out.”
8:30 Chassidus · 9:30 Shacharis · 11:30 Gemara Shiur · 12:45 Chazara · 1:30 Daily Special · 3:00 Mincha · 3:25 Moshiach Shiur · 3:30 Halacha · 4:00 Chitas · 5:00 Creative Class · 5:30 Dismissal. Farbrengens every Thursday night.
1:30 Daily Special rotates: Sunday – Sha’ar Habitachon · Monday – Siddur Class · Tuesday – Navi · Wednesday – Siddur Part 2 · Thursday – Wellness Class
5:00 Creative Class rotates: Sunday – Cooking Class · Monday – Music · Tuesday – Art · Wednesday – Dance · Thursday – Krav Maga