The Rebbe's Letters

Glasses, Contacts, and Vision Loss

While exploring letters from the Rebbe that describe Segulos for good eyesight and spiritual cures for vision loss, we also discuss the Rebbe's position on contact lenses

Is Fear Part of Judaism?

Exploring the Rebbe's attitude toward "Yira Tata", a baseline fear of G-d that is usually associated with accepting the yoke of heaven and a fundamental fear of sin. In

The Power of Tehillim

Letters, Sichos, and stories from our Rabbeim on the power of Tehillim, covering three major points: 1) The history behind the Previous Rebbe's decree that psalms should

Family Planning

The Rebbe's campaign against family planning. In these letters, the Rebbe describes family planning, birth control, and the choice to space out children as a destructive

Does Tznius Apply to Men?

The importance of tznius is often expressed to women, but less so to men. The Rebbe explains the importance of modesty, and emphasizes that its rules apply to men just as

Bas Mitzvah Parties

The Rebbe emphasizes the importance of a Bas Mitzvah, and often explains it in the same light as a Bar Mitzvah. But when it comes to Bas Mitzvah parties, the Rebbe is les

Refusing to Endorse Books

The Rebbe refuses to issue approbations to books in many letters, routinely citing "the custom of the Rebbe's house" or lack of time to properly review the manuscript. Th

Ancient Torah Scrolls (The Petzua Daka Controversy)

This episode traces one of the most fascinating textual controversies in the history of Sifrei Torah through ancient manuscripts, famous Torah scrolls, and the words of t

The Moon Landing & Space Exploration

The Rebbe's approach to space exploration, with specific attention to how his letters and Sichos addressed religious objections to the Moon landing in 1969, from those wh

Aliens

The Rebbe sees no issue with the idea of extraterrestrials (and maybe even UFOs), but provides three important guidelines for how we are to think about life on other plan

Women's Education (The Rebbe)

A two-part series on the importance of women's education nowadays, and our Rabbeim's particular emphasis on women studying Chassidus. Part 1 focuses on the Friediker Rebb

Women's Education (The Previous Rebbe)

A two-part series on the importance of women's education nowadays, and our Rabbeim's particular emphasis on women studying Chassidus. Part 1 focuses on the Friediker Rebb

Encouraging Shabbos Violation

You may have heard the expression: "if you're going to drive on Shabbos anyway, you may as well drive to shul" or the memorable quote attributed to a great Tzadik: "Come

Benedictine

Benedictine, a sweet and complex brand of liqueur, was present on the Rebbe's Farbrengen table for years until complaints about its Kashrus led to its removal. This Shiur

Alcohol Consumption & Kiddush on Mashke

Letters, Sichos, and private conversations reveal the Rebbe's clear position on alcohol consumption: With very few exceptions, we are not to get drunk, drink more than 3

Taking Spiritual Inventory

Cheshbon HaNefesh--an honest accounting of our deeds--is central to the service of G-d, but only under the right circumstances. In these letters the Rebbe cautions that,

What Makes a Home Jewish

The walls of our homes absorb what happens inside them and, in this series of letters and Sichos, the Rebbe emphasizes the importance of managing that by building a home

Partisan Politics

Chabad is apolitical. And while the Rebbe sees room for Jewish organizations focused on political activism, he insists that the goal of reaching every single Jew without

Guide for the Perplexed (Moreh Nevuchim)

Rambam's philosophical work, Moreh Nevuchim (the Guide for the Perplexed) was initially decried as heretical and kicked off the Maimonidean Controversy that pitted ration

Alternative Medicine

The Rebbe's position on naturopathy, homeopathy, osteopathy, and other forms of alternative and complementary medicine.