ESSAYS| 2018

ESSAYSss|

Beyond the Thought to Instinct

F. Chedva Shagalov, Brooklyn, NY

Essays 2018

In today’s day and age, we are taught that everything is about understanding. Therefore, if we don’t understand something to be right – we shouldn’t do it. We are taught that our mind needs to control our heart (מוח שליט על הלב” (תניא”. Yet if such is the case, what do we do at the

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The Power of Speech and Emotion

Helena Peiser, Memphis

Essays 2018

Words of speech what is it? Hashem’s given us the ability to speak, see and hear every bit of feeling that we feel through our emotions and actions. There was a resident of Mezhibuzh who got into a quarrel with another while in the Baal Shem-Tov’s Shul. He shouted to pieces like a fish. The

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Tricky Reality

Aviv Aharon Illoz, Morristown, NJ

Essays 2018

The way we usually understand “Nature” is that G-d runs the world according to the world’s patterns, and they are important to Him. The result of seeing reality in this way could be emotionally, psychologically and even physically harming to a person. If nature is the end all be all, and it tells me that

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Every Moment – A Renewed Creation to Celebrate

Baruch Elkins, Buffalo Grove, Illinois

Essays 2018

בראשית ברא אלקים את השמים ואת הארץ The best manner to begin this humble work is to quote the first 7 words of the Holy Torah. The Chassidic concept of continuous, uninterrupted and unending creation by The Eibishte so beautifully presented by The Alter Rebbe in Chapter 2 of his Tanya’s Shaar Hayichud Vehaemunah is

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You ARE your Struggles

Sara Malka Fox, Pretoria, South Africa

Essays 2018 / Mentor / Stress

The many waters came gushing at him, each one with a heightened force and each one with an ominous name. His arms were flailing as the waters encompassed him. Financial issues, lack of self-esteem, inadequacy, each tidal wave punched him in the stomach and filled him with despair. Drowning. He felt himself succumbing to the

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I Am My Own Greatest Enemy: Shedding Chassidic Light on Destructive Behaviors

Countess Rivka Elkaim, Bal Harbour, Florida

Addiction / Essays 2018

There have been countless stories of death and destruction recently—too many. The pain is real, and it seems as if unfortunately these horror stories are becoming more prevalent each day. This essay is not meant to be a scientific paper analyzing destructive behaviors, but will attempt to give advice based on the teachings of Chassidus in

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Letting Go

Chana Naparstek, Brooklyn, NY

Essays 2018

MyLife Essay Contest 2018 The Struggle Life comes with challenges, and we all try our hardest to ride above the waves. Meanwhile, we struggle, as we feel victim to circumstances that envelop us. We work hard with hopes to see a pay off. The issue is that, often, our efforts don’t meet with success. The

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The Land of Israel

Bitzalel Malamud, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Essays 2018

MyLife Essay Contest 2018 There are two burning issues facing the Jewish people today. 1-Those who seek to destroy us 2-How to hasten the coming of Moshiach They are obviously intimately connected and herein is a solution to both, using Chassidus as the key. Rashi, teaches, in his explanation of the first sentence of the

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I Am HAMAN

Tzvi Schwartz, Granada Hills, California

Essays 2018

MyLife Essay Contest 2018 In this Essay we will discuss the struggle of low self worth and the way to redeem oneself from its pitfalls using the Method described in the Megillah according to Chassidus. Hi My Name is Haman Ha-agagi and in recent events I have swiftly risen to power. I have entered into

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