Sep 15, 2019

Raize Guttman 09-15-19 (15 Elul 5779)

Elul shiur
We are now 2 weeks before Rosh Hashanah. This should make us excited and it also is good & normal if we have a bit of trepidation, Yiras Shamayim. As David Ha Melech tells us in Tehillim, these are awesome days – days of elevation and feeling so close to Hashem - Days of tremendous rejoicing and Days of Awe.

Rosh Hashanah is a brand-new start for us and the month of Elul is the hachuna (preparation). Elul is about Ani l’dodi v dodi li. It is all about love for Hashem, and before you can make Hashem the King of all the world, you have to love him and make a relationship with him. True love means appreciating the goodness. Everyone talks about Chesbon hanefesh (a spiritual accounting of the soul). By appreciating every thing that Hashem does for us, that is the cheshbon hanefesh, that is the hachuna we need to do during the month of Elul. Coming close to Hashem and loving him and being grateful.



We dedicate our learning today in celebration of the birthday of our dear GEM sister Janet. Yom Huledet Sameach Janet!

Sep 10, 2019

Raize Guttman 09-08-19 (08 Elul 5779)

Elul shiur
Very powerful shiur about the month of Elul:
The 5 Letters of Teshuvah as they apply to 5 steps to higher teshuvah.
Acronyms for Elul.

Sep 2, 2019

Raize Guttman 09-01-19 (01 Elul 5779)

Chayei Sarah - Chapter 24 – Verse 13 - 14

Eliezer prays to Hashem that he find a shidduch for Yitzhak that will serve him water and then some for his camels. Meaning, he know the value of the middot of kindness in a shidduch. A girl who loves to do chesed and bestow kindness on others (not because it is convenient or easy) such a girl is worthy to enter into the home of Avraham.

Tzedakah and chesed are something that define a person and says a lot about who that person is. When a person looks past themselves and says can I do something for you; I can go out of my way for you – this is what we should be looking for in a shidduch as well as in the month of Elul.

The parsha is a source of the halacha of tzedakah. Raize mentions 7 laws of giving tzedakah that we learn from this parsha.