Author: Rabbi Yitzchak Shmuel Ackerman, LMHC

September 14th, 2021

Some people seem to be unsure of the meaning of one of the brachos we say every morning. When putting on shoes say [the bracha] she’asah li kal tzarki, Who has made for me all of my needs.   (Brachos 60b) What does putting on shoes have to do with providing all of my needs?  All I need is a pair of shoes?  That cannot be why the gemara associated this bracha with shoes. The Avudraham says, the reason for this bracha [bei …
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Author: Rabbi Yitzchak Shmuel Ackerman, LMHC

September 8th, 2021

This article, in its original form, was written in November of 2011. I spoke with the protagonist,  “Mirel,” last week.  Baruch Hashem, her daughter is now 13 and having the tantrums typical in form and to be expected of an adolescent.  Mirel is coping well and her daughter is the beneficiary. Here’s what I wrote, ten years and what seems a lifetime ago: I did not have a tantrum yesterday but if I were younger I j …
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Author: Rabbi Yitzchak Shmuel Ackerman, LMHC

September 8th, 2021

A person only connects to the higher levels through speech, it is the entire honorable part in him.  It is called the "living soul" of a man since the rest of the parts of the body die. And if a person loses this good part, the body remains dead and like an unwanted vessel. Therefore we are required [by halacha] to keep our word b’divrei Shamayim... And regarding all other matters, even though there is no positive or negative mitzvah a …
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Author: Rabbi Yitzchak Shmuel Ackerman, LMHC

September 8th, 2021

V’amarta bilvavecha koechi v'otzem yadi asah li es hachayil hazeh. And you will say in your heart, “My strength and the power of my hand have given me this success.” (Devarim 8:17) What do you think in your head after you’ve said that in your heart? You think, you realize, that the strength and the power came from Hashem. What about you?  What was your role in your success? Hashem gave everyone a vital role in succes …
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Author: Rabbi Yitzchak Shmuel Ackerman, LMHC

August 30th, 2021

Akavia ben Mehalalel’s son said to him, “Father, commend me to your colleagues.” Akavia said to him, “I will not commend you.” He said to Akavia, “Have you found something wrong with me?” Akavia said, “No.  Your deeds will cause you to be accepted, and your deeds will cause you to be distanced.”  (Eduyos 5:7)   He was telling his son that he should engage in maasim tovim in orde …
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Author: Rabbi Yitzchak Shmuel Ackerman, LMHC

August 24th, 2021

Vay’yisrotzatzu habanim b’kirba, the children ran [figuratively] inside of her.  (Braishis 25:22) Vay’yisrotzatzu habanim b’kirba: When she [Rivka Emeinu] stood at batei knesses and batei midrash, Yaakov moved convulsively to go out...  And when she passed by houses of idolatry, Esau ran and moved convulsively to go out.  (Braishis Rabbah 63:6) Stood at batei knesses and batei midrash: With reference to bate …
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Author: Rabbi Yitzchak Shmuel Ackerman, LMHC

June 12th, 2021

The Rebbe of Peasetzna, ZTZ”L HY”D, wrote about the difference between symptomatic treatment and healing. An analogy would be someone with a gastric infection that causes him to regurgitate. If he visits a quack doctor who treats only the symptoms, the infection itself will not be healed. The infection will continue to spread, pus and poisoned blood will increase. The underlying causes will overcome the suppressing drug, and the patie …
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Author: Rabbi Yitzchak Shmuel Ackerman, LMHC

June 3rd, 2021

It may be that the Hebrew word m’funuk and the English word finicky are cognate.  Even if they share an origin, they have parted company in meaning. Rashi defines the term istenis as m’funuk.  (Sotah 11a) Finicky people are picky and often unsatisfied.  They complain more than they suffer. An istenis suffers. Rabbi Yannai says: All the days of the poor are terrible (Mishlei 15:15); this refers to one who is an istenis.& …
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Author: Rabbi Yitzchak Shmuel Ackerman, LMHC

May 27th, 2021

Rabbi Yehuda of Kefar Giboraya, and some say of Kefar Gibor Chayil, taught: What is the meaning of that which is written: “For You silence is praise” (Tehilim 65:2)? The best medicine is silence.  When Rav Dimi came from Eretz Yisrael to Bavel, he said: In the West [in Eretz Yisrael, which is west of Bavel] they say: If a word is worth one sela, silence is worth two.  (Megillah 18a) The best medicine is to refrain from sayin …
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Author: Rabbi Yitzchak Shmuel Ackerman, LMHC

May 6th, 2021

Okay, the title is not quite accurate.  Rabbi Elimelech mi’Lizhensk did not draw this flowchart.  I drew it, based on the Noam Elimelech on Parshas Vayeira and Parshas Shemini.  (Pages 60 and 341 in Pe’ar Mikdoshim edition, 5774) The above diagram shows the hashpaah flowing from Hashem to the parents, who in turn, channel the shefa of Hashem to their children.  The children, seeing, hearing, and feeling Hashem&rsqu …
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