B"H

MEET
RABBI YOSSI BRAUN
THE ROV CROWN HEIGHTS NEEDS
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 RABBI YOSSI BRAUN

A FAMILY OF RABBONIM GROOMED FOR RABBONUS

Rabbi Yosef Yeshaya (“Yossi”) Braun As a youngster, R’ Braun attended the
Shlit”a was raised in a family of rabbonim Chasan Sofer and Kochav M’Yaakov-
and geonim. His Tchebin yeshivas, where
grandfather, Rabbi he was recognized
Shlomo Zalman Braun as an unusual iluy.
z”l, a renowned rav and During his teenage
posek, authored the years, he began to learn
“She’arim Metzuyanim chassidus and became a
b’Halacha” on Kitzur tomim, studying first in
Shulchan Aruch. Kiryat Gat, followed by
Oholei Torah, shlichus
The Rebbe highly in Sydney, and 770.
recommended these
Sefarim and used Rabbi Braun had the
them extensively. His privilege of serving as
father, Rabbi Chaim a chozer of the Rebbe’s
Elazar Braun Shlit”a, farbrengens during
serves as the Rav of the early ‘90s and was
the Sha’arei Tzion noted for his precision
community in Flatbush in preserving every
and has continued the word and utterance
“She’arim Metzuyanim of the Rebbe. After
Ba’Halacha” series, marrying his wife
with additional works Yehudis, daughter
on Shas (15 volumes). of the mashpia Rabbi
Berel Lipsker, he continued to pursue his
It was in this atmosphere of rabbinic rabbinic training and received shimush
scholarship and communal leadership, from some of the greatest rabbonim and
coupled with Halachic analysis and poskim of our time, both within Chabad
scrutiny, that Rabbi Braun was raised. Not and without.
surprisingly, his brothers are also noted
talmidei chachomim—Rabbi Moshe Shmuel
Braun Shlit”a serves as a rav and dayan in RELATIONSHIP WITH
Monsey, and Rabbi Avraham Yaakov Braun
Shlit”a, a renowned mekubal, serves as a LEADING POSKIM
mashpia in Mount Kisco. The Mara d’Asra of Crown Heights, Rabbi
Yehuda Kalman Marlow, famous for his short

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 and concise Halachic decisions, utilized Rabbi
Braun’s rare grasp of Halachic knowledge
and his outstanding communication skills to
formulate detailed Piskei Din for publication.
The two spent hours together, delving into
Halachic complexities.
Rabbi Braun remains in contact with leading
poskim and is highly regarded for his
encyclopaedic knowledge of Halacha and
familiarity with the most obscure sources.
The tremendous knowledge that Rabbi
Braun has acquired in various Halachic
fields, as well as in the Rebbe’s Sichos, has
led numerous authors of s’farim to submit
their works to him for review. He has also
participated in editing his father’s series,
“She’arim Metzuyanim Ba’Halacha.”
SERVING HIS COMMUNITY
Fifteen years ago Rabbi Braun moved to
Sydney, Australia, where he served as the
Menahel Ruchni of the Mesivta and lecturer
at the girls’ seminary. Shortly thereafter,
he was chosen to lead the Tzemach Tzedek
Community Center.
In short order, Rabbi Braun became one of
the most distinguished rabbonim in Australia.
He established close personal relationships
with the members of the community, while
concurrently establishing a Yeshiva Gedola
and a Machon for Semicha.
Rabbi Braun serves as an executive member
of the Va’ad haRabonim of Sydney, having
already served a term as vice president of the
Va’ad. Additionally, Rabbi Braun maintained
a special relationship with Rabbi Yitzchok
Dovid Groner z”l, the Rebbe’s shliach to
Australia.
Brochure Braun.indd 3
RENOWNED EDUCATOR
Despite dedicating most of his time
to rabbonus and the leadership of the
community, Rabbi Braun still devotes much
time to chinuch and shalom bayis. He
organized seminars for his community on
chinuch, dating, marriage, and sholom bayis.
Rabbi Braun’s expertise in education has led
the Department of Education of New South
Wales to appoint him as the governmental
representative overseeing the Limudei
Kodesh curriculum for matriculation in all
of its schools.
Rabbi Braun was also one of three individuals
appointed to a committee assigned the task of
developing the curriculum and examinations.
In addition to his Torah studies and Halachic
expertise, Rabbi Braun is a friendly and
sociable family man, who is adept at using
cutting edge technology to better serve
his community. He promptly responds to
Shailos and inquiries from around the world
via email at all hours of the day.
A PEACEMAKER
Rabbi Braun consistently champions achdus
and cooperation. maintains good ties with
the local Shliach, Rabbi Pinchas Feldman,
as well as the rabbonim and leaders of
Australia’s Chareidi and Modern Orthodox
communities.
Notwithstanding the past friction between
the Chabad communities in Sydney, he
succeeded bridging their differences and
promoting unity. In recent years, the two
communities hold joint farbrengens and
gatherings. Rabbi Braun is universally
respected as a rav, a gaon, a teacher, a
mashpia, a problem-solver, a communal
leader, a counselor, a trusted advisor, and a
peacemaker.
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 INTRO
Rabbi Braun is a noted author and
lecturer. His writings range from
scholarly halachic monographs
in the most prestigious rabbinic
journals, to popular inspirational
essays and practical guides to
halachic issues.
selected essays first appeared in
Rabbi Braun’s weekly e-mail to
his Community and Chabad.org.
contents
Tishrei: Yom Tov Overdose...........................4
Tishrei:
Yom Tov
Overdose
BY R ABBI YOSSI BRAUN
Reprinted from Chabad.org
The following
My household cleaning help is getting frustrated.
A yom tov. And then another one. And following
that, a Chol Hamoed, when only some activities
are off-limits. And then again two days off all
forms of work. “Can’t you guys schedule your
festivals in a more organized fashion”?
It isn’t much easier for us either. Cooking,
grating, cleaning, baking, cleaning. Peeling,
peeling, and more peeling. And did I mention
cleaning? So much work just to jam-pack the
stomach with cholent, fish, meat, kugel, ice
cream, salads, and spirits (we’re only mentioning
necessities, okay?). Every day. Two or three
times a day. And then next week all over again...
My wallet and credit cards are also starting
to kvetch under the strain. Loads of fleish,
outfitting the entire family with matching outfits
from head to toe, and prime seats in shul get the
bills skyrocketing in no time.

Broken Resolutions...........................................6 Couldn’t the Master Planner of these holidays

Who Needs a Human Moshiach?.................7
Selfish Desires & Sinful Thoughts................9
iGeneration.........................................................10
Inner Dignity......................................................12
space them out a bit more, giving us a bit of time
to breathe and recuperate before the next one?
Looks like time management is not high on the
list of priorities there.
And then there is the concern of overdosing.
Wouldn’t a monthly conveniently sized spirituality
dispenser with a small dosage to boost our
spiritual circulatory system be just fine?

Why is my Davening so Boring?................14 Here’s the formal answer: The month of Tishrei
is full of festivals, joy, and intensity; the following
month, Cheshvan, does not even have one

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 minor holiday. You need a megadose of holiday
spirituality to help get you through the dull, dry,
festival-free month of Cheshvan.
Somehow, this answer doesn’t satisfy me. That
sounds like really poor planning. Cram up all the
major festivals in the first month of the year and
then follow it with a vacuum—a month devoid
of any parties, new outfits, and stomachaches.
Feels like a spiritual roller-coaster ride. Couldn’t
the descent “back to earth” be gradual, avoiding
unnecessary turbulence and a potential collision
upon landing?
Clearly, this is part of a detailed, direct, and
deliberate plan. Herein lies the paradox of
life: The only way to survive and cope in the
wilderness is by filling your suitcases to the brim
prior to the journey. Yet, the only way to develop
coping skills and experience true independent
growth is by camping in a site devoid of any
amenities, facilities, and resources.
The packing and planning in Tishrei—the first
month of the year—is crucial to the success of
our journey later on. Tishrei can be seen as the
“head” of the year (the Hebrew letters of the
word Tishrei can also spell the word “reishit”- go, with food for the journey and some basic
-beginning and head). The head contains the appliances—i.e., acceptance of G d’s Sovereignty
brain, mouth, nose, ears, eyes, and face— and awe of Heaven (Rosh Hashanah), teshuvah
intelligence, speech, smell, hearing, and sight. (Yom Kippur), joy and festivity (Sukkot), and
All that crammed into one part of the body—the dedication to Torah (Simchas Torah).
head? Couldn’t these vital sensory organs be
spread out over the entire body? But, then it’s time for “real life” in the jungle.
Having a yom tov in Cheshvan would be akin
But that just wouldn’t work. In order for the to hitting concrete pavement while hiking in the
head to conduct all the affairs of the body it countryside. It ruins the experience. This is the
requires those vital tools to work with. Each of time to put to use all our coping and camping
Tishrei’s special days is another section of the skills.
“head”—a source of strength and inspiration for
all the following days throughout the year. So let’s stuff those overweight suitcases, eat to
our fullest, and write out fat checks—loaded
Yet, the actual journey is done with the legs, or with sanctity, joy, commitment, resolutions and
more correctly the heels (the least sensitive limbs aspirations. But, remember: at the end of the
of the body), which take their cue from the head. month the bills need to be paid. Come Cheshvan,
And it’s only the heels that actually “go places.” make sure those checks don’t bounce.
Cheshvan is traveling time.
To get the maximum experience out of our
trip we need to stock up very well before we ji
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Broken
Resolutions
By Rabbi Yossi Braun
Question:
Rabbi, I heard you speak in shul on Rosh
Hashanah about undertaking a deeper
commitment to serve Hashem, and I made
several resolutions accordingly. Yet, it’s nary a
month since Rosh Hashanah, and I have yet again
broken almost every one of my resolutions.
I am starting to think that I should stop making
resolutions altogether, because they only add to
my feelings of failure.
I need your help desperately.
Answer:
Every journey begins with a first step. You are
already at a head start. Asking for help before
frustration and anger takes over is the first and
most crucial step.
Now on to second base: Making resolutions is
very easy. Many of us do it quite often. Breaking
them is even easier. Most of us do that on a
regular basis.
In fact, resolutions are made to be broken. The
very word “resolution” means that we want to
resolve something that isn’t working – or is
failing – for us. Resolving to improve our lives
implies that we are not yet perfect human beings.
It is only predictable that imperfect beings striving
to be faultless will fail in their mission.
So why make resolutions altogether? Aha! That is
the mission – to strive to be flawless and fail at it.
Failing is part of our mission.
If so, should I be happy that I’m falling short of
my aspirations? No way. The moment you stop
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Brochure Braun.indd 6
fretting about it, you’ve conceded defeat and
given up the mission altogether.
Indeed, it’s a vicious cycle. We continue to
struggle in order to win, yet we acknowledge that,
according to the laws of nature – or Murphy’s
Law, we lose more often than win.
And now for the home run: many of us often
complain that our kids are sore losers. They have
a hard time striking out at baseball or losing an
argument with their siblings. Losing can trigger
their anger, shouting, tears, or the common “I
don’t want to play anymore” syndrome. This
makes life very difficult for us as parents. Some
parents steer clear of playing games with their
children because it is just too “traumatic.”
From the child’s perspective, it is indeed very
difficult to lose. Losing a game is the equivalent
of accepting the fact
that they’re not so
So why make good at things. This
resolutions can be too much for
altogether? Aha! a child to swallow.
That is the mission (Adults are no
different. Why are
– to strive to be we so intolerant of
flawless and fail at our children being
it. Failing is part sore losers? Because
of our mission. we have a hard
time accepting our
children’s faults; we
can’t acknowledge the fact that we have failed in
educating our brood).
Certainly, we can fix the outcome and contrive
to let them always win. This can work some of
the time with some of the people. But children
must learn at some stage that in life you win some
and you lose some. Losing is part of life and it’s
important to know how to deal with it.
The aim of the game is not to win. It’s to play
the game attempting to win and then lose (or
win—does it really make a difference?). And then
play again.
“For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises
up again; but the wicked are overthrown by
8/30/2010 2:32:11 AM
 calamity” (Mishlei 24:16). If he has fallen seven
times, why is he still called “righteous”? Because
no matter how painful the fall is and how many
Who Needs
strikes he had, he always picks himself up and
plays again. But one who takes his failings as an
indication that he is a bad player loses the entire
a Human
World Series.
The distinction between winners and losers is that
Moshiach?
winners lose well, and losers lose poorly. We are
so caught up with winning that we have lost out BY R ABBI YOSSI BRAUN
on the lessons of losing. Winning isn’t everything; Reprinted from Chabad.org
losing is.
Yet, there is more to a game than even “losing like
a man.” There is the enjoyment of watching the Question:
game. While some people play tough as if they’re I appreciate the point about the world having a
at war at each other, others realize it’s only a goal and destiny and how the world is evolving
game—a tough game but a game after all. But towards a state of perfection and redemption.
both of them are engaged in some type of warfare But why the focus on a human being as the
– real fighting or playful fighting. Then there are redeemer? If redemption is that crucial, couldn’t
the spectators. Sometimes they don’t even care G d do it on His own?
who wins; they just enjoy watching a good game.
The Midrash says “In the future, Hashem Answer:
will make an entertaining animal fight for the
righteous” (Vayikra Rabba 13:3). This is not In typical rabbi fashion let me explain with a
intended to be taken literally, as Judaism was parable.
never big on bullfights—they are perceived as I’ve recently noticed that mortgage brokers are
cruel and immoral. The Midrash is saying that in sprouting up all over the place. More and more
the future the righteous will appreciate that our people prefer to use mortgage brokers rather
struggle with evil in this world was nothing more than the old-fashioned system of setting up
than a staged game. A real sportsman is not an appointment with their bank. The reason?
out to win the game. Ideally, he shouldn’t even With so many different loans and lenders in the
be thinking about himself. His agenda is solely market, it’s highly advisable to rely on a mortgage
to produce quality entertainment for the World broker to do the
Spectator, the one and only Sponsor, Owner and legwork for you.
leading Fan, Who designed the game to begin Whom do you
with. With a broker, you
propose as have access to a
So even though you fumbled, don’t throw in the the negotiator greater range of
towel. Keep up your game plan with your eye on mortgage options,
the ball. Give it your best shot and carry on with
between both
better service and
your resolutions. Fix them. Improve them. You’ll parties? G-d? He, you can use the
be constantly getting better at the game. as it were, can’t broker to negotiate
There is only one resolution that you should do it on His own. with lenders on your
discard – the resolution not to make any more He represents one behalf. The banks
resolutions. also benefit from
of the parties... this trend, as they

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 can now conserve manpower by outsourcing to time we engage in the physical act of performing
the brokers the task of finding and qualifying a mitzvah we speed up the process of “drawing
borrowers. Most importantly, the broker down” the Divine into our environment.
“understands the language” of both the lenders
Other than us, no one else can do the job. All
and the clients. Thus, the broker acts as a
others have a “conflict of interest” and represent
successful intermediary.
one of the two parties. Whom do you propose as
the negotiator between
both parties? G-d? He,
as it were, can’t do it on
His own. He represents
one of the parties...
We, on the other hand,
possess a soul which is
“part of G-d above,”
yet this G-dly soul is
garbed in a physical
and corporeal body.
We “understand the
language” of both parties
and are therefore the
perfect candidate for the
task of merging the two.
The consummation
of this process will be
realized in the Era of
What if a mortgage broker turned out to be Redemption when every dimension of our worldly
employed by a particular lending institution? existence will be truly permeated by G-dliness. In
Now that’s what we’d call a dishonest broker. the words of our Sages: “Currently we are in a
He would lose his license and possibly be state of betrothal; in the World to Come—will be
subject to a variety of legal penalties. It would the Marriage.”
be like sparring parties finally agreeing to
Moshiach, the one who will usher in the
arbitrate their dispute, only to discover that
redemption, is a “man of this world,” a flesh-
the designated neutral arbitrator has a direct
and-blood human being who undergoes physical
financial or personal interest in the outcome of
challenges such as stress, opposition, and illness.
the arbitration.
Yet, his soul is as pure and pristine as they come;
Same thing with Moshiach. Our duty is to create his ego and intellect nullified, to be consistent
a union between the world’s material substance with the Divine will. He has a good take on both
and its spiritual reality, to marry Heaven and Heaven and Earth.
Earth. Call it arbitration, mediation, brokerage,
Indeed, an honest broker.
or matchmaking. We have been entrusted with
the sacred mission of perfecting this world
by bringing spirituality and G-dliness into an
otherwise ungodly world. Our observance of the
mitzvos all center on this ideal of bridging the
ji
chasm between G-dliness and Worldliness. Every

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Selfish Desires
and Sinful
Thoughts:
Where is
the Meat?
BY R ABBI YOSSI BRAUN
Reprinted from Chabad.org
Question:
ness over my
I find myself feeling hopelessness
spiritual state. As much as I try, I can’t
oughts,
rid myself of inappropriate thoughts,
ehensible
unhealthy cravings, and reprehensible
urges. Are they all here to stay?
ay?
Am I doomed as far as my
piety and religiousness are
concerned?
Answer:
I’m sorry for turning the tables on you, but, in
truth you are one of the luckiest people around.
Selfish desires or sinful thoughts? That’s
fantastic!
Have you ever met someone who feels guilty
about helping an old lady with her heavy
packages, delivering meals to the sick and
infirm, or managing to pray with devotion and
concentration?
Controlling negative temptations is a mitzvah
just like eating matzah on Pesach, taking time
to visit lonely patients at a nursing home, or
dispensing hard-earned money to a worthwhile
cause. Performing a good deed is a cause for
celebration, not the reverse.
Brochure Braun.indd 9
Think about it this way: Different people have
different taste preferences. Some people are born
with a highly demanding sweet tooth; they shy
away from all things spicy. Their preferred diet
is candy, cookies, cake, ice cream, and anything
else full of sugar and sweetness. Others belong
to the clan that can’t tolerate sugary substances
and only consume hot, spicy victuals. The hotter,
the better.
While there is something to be said about that hot
taste on the tongue, there are strong arguments
in favor of the sugary taste bud. We have to
resign ourselves to the fact that there are multiple
interpretations and spins on the concept of “tasty
food.”
G-d, in His infinite capacity, subscribes to all
types of taste preferences. He enjoys the
taste of the struggle-fr
struggle-free, sweet, and darling
sweeth
behavior of the sweethearts and honeys in life.
appreciat the nose-running and
But He also appreciates
react
head-splitting reaction from the tangy and
co
bitter toil of confronting challenges.
Spicy foods rrelieve congestions, clear
the system, and “restore
the soul.” When we
engage in the “bitter
h
herbs” of facing our
temptations and confronting
them, we cause such an intense pleasure
and euphoria above; it provides Him, so to speak,
with an eye-watering experience—an experience
that clears up the Divine System.
So, if you are riding the smooth, calm, and easy
waves of life, possessing no inner struggles and
challenges, you are falling short of providing
your Creator with a mainstay of His diet. Sure,
you can satisfy His sweet tooth, but where is the
meat?
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 matters.
iGeneration: A Chassidic sage was once asked to explain the
distinction between these two forms of timtum.
The Ism of all Isms His succinct response says it all: “’I think’ is
timtum hamo’ach; ‘I want’ is timtum halev.”

BY R ABBI YOSSI BRAUN The mere pronoun “I” is a form of timtum,

contamination and insensitivity.
True, we are naturally inclined to be self-centered
beings. If you ever looked at a group photo,
“I can’t…” be it a class picture or a family picture, you’ll
“I must…” discover that regardless of
your position in the group,
“I need to…” iPod your eyes will consistently
These sentences or outbursts Music > carry you to your image.
were not copied out of my
Photos > Your post-viewing photo-
two-year-old’s temper tantrum
Videos > analysis will always feature,
first and foremost, the ever
Extras >
manual, nor are they renditions Settings >
from the “teen vs. parent” daily Shuffle Songs popular theme of “did I
performance. Rather, they Now Playing > look good?” or any of its
regularly repeat themselves in derivatives.
our hearts and minds. This is an ingrained,
Often, in response to that soft inborn, natural
or silent inner voice gnawing at MENU predisposition. Natural
our conscience, we will protest tendencies, however, are
that we can’t do it any other not precluded from being
way. listed in the Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual
The formula is straightforward of Mental Disorders,
and consistently follows these psychiatry’s encyclopedia.
lines: Think. Want. Blame it on whatever
Must. Can’t. you want—nature,
Spelled out in full, it nurture or neither—
reads as follows: “I think. it is a disorder, and
Therefore, I want. Hence, I of severe proportions.
must. Consequently, I can’t do otherwise.” But we also have an ingrained, inborn, natural
Chassidic literature addresses the wide range cure to this disorder. The soul’s immune system
of spiritual maladies that may confront us constantly produces antibodies to kill spiritual
as individuals. Specifically, it is replete with pathogens.
diagnostic and prognostic information, along While the body is self-centered, the soul is
with suggested cures and solutions to the spiritual anti-body and G-d-centered. So, all our issues,
maladies known as timtum hamo’ach (dullness challenges, and concerns boil down to the
of the mind) and timtum halev (dullness of the million-dollar question: I or Him?
heart). These describe an individual whose mind
and heart have become “contaminated”—i.e., he There is something strange about the English
is rough, insensitive, and unresponsive to spiritual language. The “I” rule. The nominative form of

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 the singular first-person pronoun, “I,” along with
all its contractions (I’ll, I’m, etc.), are always
written in uppercase letters. There’s absolutely no
grammatical reason that the solitary majuscule
“I” should tower above “you,”’ “us” “he” or the
royal “we.” Consider what effect capitalizing “I”
but not “you” may have on English speakers.
The most recent outbreak of this infectious
disease has reached epidemic proportions and
should set alarm bells ringing. I am referring
(sorry, that should have been “i am referring,”
in the lower case; actually who needs the
“I” altogether? That should really be “this is
referring”) to our generation, the iGeneration.
We are a generation which is self-obsessed: iPod,
iTunes, iPhone, iPad, and iBook. Or MySpace.
Gone are the days of email, eBook and eBay;
it’s all about “I” now. (By some fluke chance,
YouTube, the pioneer of the “broadcast yourself”
industry, wasn’t named iTube).
In our blood cell count, the “I” count is very
high. “I need it and I need it now” is the motto
of the day (make that hour, minute, second,
millisecond, microsecond, or nanosecond).
And we better do something about it fairly
quickly… like, NOW.
But, wait a second, isn’t the iGeneration using
the lower-case “i”? Indeed, modern email culture
negates all uses of capitalization (and even
correct spelling, for that matter).
Aha! We just hit the nail on the head.
In the past, people were plagued by isms of all
sorts (e.g., agnosticism, atheism, socialism,
pantheism, etc.). Religion was confronted with
the challenge of tackling with these isms head-on.
Philosophical arguments were postulated, texts
were brutally analyzed, and roles were redefined –
all in an effort to fight the contemporary “ism.”
Nowadays, the “ism” gods have virtually
disintegrated and been buried in the local
junkyard. No longer does the believer feel
threatened by the onslaught of “isms” currently in
vogue.
Brochure Braun.indd 11
The threat comes from somewhere else
altogether—I-ism. While the isms of the past are
fading into oblivion and coming to an end, the
“I” disorder is taking advantage of the vacuum
and rearing its ugly head. The shallowness
and emptiness of past-post-modernism have
created a vanity fair—a world that is completely
self-absorbed and self-obsessed but internally
impoverished, externally successful but
possessing an inner emptiness.
It is an “i,” but in lower case. An “i” that is empty
and void, lacking inner dignity and pride. Ours
is a generation of chutzpah—brazenness and
arrogance, without having a leg to stand on.
This is good news. Why so? Because emptiness
is—guess what—empty. It doesn’t present a
challenge. All that is necessary is to fill the void
with truth and genuineness.
Put simply: Treating a sick person is a daunting
exercise. Aside from being time-consuming and
expensive, you’ve got to know what you’re doing
and, even then, it is uncertain whether you will
succeed. But treating a hungry person is simple.
A drink of water and a morsel of bread is all it
takes to do the job. And you’re a definite winner.
Our generation, the iGeneration, are hungry
souls. Filling ourselves with the sweet waters of
Torah or relishing the taste of approaching G-d in
prayer will immediately fill that craving.
The “i-ism” will go the way of all other “isms.”
The iGeneration will soon be replaced with the
IGeneration, THE CAPITAL AND UPPER CASE
I, referring to the one and only I, the I of all other
i-s.
Our G-d-centered soul will successfully have
fought off our high i-count and will be given the
all clear to go home.
ji
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 Inner Dignity
On Mannerisms
& Modesty

By Rabbi Yossi Braun

Q. My Mom is big into mannerisms. She keeps

on lecturing to me about the role of knives and
forks, sitting upright at the Shabbat meal (I would
prefer to recline...) and how casual wear is not
appropriate.

Does the Torah have what to say about this stuff?

A. The Torah encourages reclining at meals,

dipping your fingers into your food, and wearing
ripped clothing. It is only a question of where and
when.
At the Seder table we are expected to recline
to symbolize freedom; at a bris the mohel dips
his finger into the cup of wine (many follow the
custom of dipping their finger in the havdala wine
too) and mourners are instructed to wear ripped
clothing.
The implication is that, ordinarily, we should sit
still when we eat, eat with forks and knives, and
dress elegantly.
Q. I get you. But is there anything inherently
wrong with being casual and free spirited?
A. Yes, it is a lack of tzni’us (modesty).
Q. Tzni’us? I dress very modestly. I cover my
elbows, knees, necklines, the works... I just prefer
tee shirts and casual style clothing.
A. Torah places an emphasis on dignified
appearance — in dress, in posture, in everything.
Q
Q. I never heard about this
this. Be it as it may
may, what
does this have to do with tzni’us? This isn’t a
neckline and hemline issue?
A. Many people see tzni’us as a rule or a ritual.
Just as we have specific guidelines how to cut out
nails and how to wash our hands, the Torah gives
us technical instructions about how we dress.
In truth, tzni’us has nothing to do with necklines
and hemlines. In other words, one can keep all
the technical rules of tzni’us and miss the essence
of tzni’us. You can cover up from top to bottom
yet expose much more.
The term tzni’us is rooted in the verse “hatznay’a
leches im Hashem elokecha” — “Walk discreetly
with your G-d” (Micah 6:8). This verse describes
our inner relationship with G-d. Tznius,
accordingly, is actually all on the inside.
Q. Why then is the requirement to “cover up”
always referred to as the laws of tzni’us?
A. Because it is our inner dignity that propels us
to dress in a certain way.

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 The manner by which so many people clothe
themselves in public these days reveals a lack of
self-worth that is unfortunately all too common
today. In order to attract attention or in the name
of comfort and informality, people will present
themselves to others in the worst possible way,
against their own self-interest.
literally, a “part of G-d,” as it were. The only
way to enhance this inner dignity is by looking
inward, in search of our inner holiness.
Every one of us is a ben melech, a child of the
King of kings. This is our true source of pride and
the ultimate root of our inner confidence.

Q. Why do you think people are acting like this? The eishes chayil is described by Shlomo
haMelech (Mishlei 31:25) as a woman who
A. Kabbalah teaches that we all possess ten key dresses in “garments of strength and regality.”
character traits, comprised of three intellectual Her strength lies in her persistence and fortitude
faculties and seven emotional attributes. We have in withstanding peer
been granted the intellectual capacity for wisdom pressure. She does
(chochmo), understanding (bina), and knowledge In a value-free not need acceptance
(da’as). And emotionally, our soul possesses the society —free from others. Her
inner gifts of love (chesed), discipline (g’vura), of morals, free self-value comes
harmony (tiferes), endurance (netzach), humility of standards— from the fact that
(hod), bonding (yesod) and dignity (malchus). she is regal; it stems
where virtue and from her inner
While the score for intelligence quotients and purity do not royalty.
perhaps even emotional intelligence might be on readily trade in
the rise, many of us have failed the malchus (inner Q. Okay, back to
dignity) test.
the marketplace, casual clothing and
many also live slouching on the
True, we got nine out of ten on the exam, but we free of feelings couch during the
missed the fine print—that this tenth question is meal...
of self-worth,
worth more points than the other nine combined.
self-respect, and A. So whether
In a value-free society —free of morals, free of dignity. And thus, one dresses
standards—where virtue and purity do not readily one’s dignity can inadequately (non-
trade in the marketplace, many also live free of kosher necklines),
feelings of self-worth, self-respect, and dignity. be violated.
ostentatiously (loud
And thus, one’s dignity can be violated. and gaudy styles) or
casually (untidy and baggy), it is all an expression
Q. So how does one go about ‘getting’ self- of lack of tzni’us. Therefore your posture or table
dignity? manners can equally indicate an awareness of
tzni’us or lack thereof.
A. Self-worth and dignity come from within;
they are rooted in the very depths of one’s You are a walking advertisement. What you wear,
consciousness. They have nothing to do with how you sit, and your manner of eating, will
feeling good about ourselves, nor whether our either advertise your skin-deep physical properties
parents, educators, or friends think highly of us or or display your values and inner royal persona.
not. Letting others establish our standards implies
that we are depending upon someone else’s image,
rather than our own.

Malchus is a sense of dignity and majesty born of

ji
the knowledge that each of us has a soul within—

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 Why is my
Davening so
Boring?
By Rabbi Yossi Braun

Question:
My davening is getting rusty and stagnant. I find
that whether I daven at home or in shul, it is
outright boring and sleep inducing.
What is the secret formula for inspirational
prayer?
-Uninspired

the planet endlessly without a goal in sight, just

Answer:
Here comes the secret formula, passed down
from-generation-to-generation.
You’ll need a coin, a pool of water, a brain, and
some reading material. That should do the job.
First, please allow me to elaborate on the
effectiveness of this well-tried and time-tested
formula.
I agree with you wholeheartedly that worshipping
our Creator should never be boring, drab, and
dull. But, c’mon Mr. Uninspired—I don’t know
what you do for a living, but do you really
think I was in the mood of writing this article?
My desk was piled high with “requires urgent
attention” folders, I had a million things on my
head, my inbox kept on popping and flashing
with new URGENT, IMPORTANT chores and
responsibilities, RED-FLAGGED to deal with
NOW, and, to top it all off, I was in one of those
“I just can’t be bothered” moods.
You know those days where you surf the web or
because you’re not in the mood of work. What
do you do on a bad hair day, those days when
Murphy’s Law is in full swing, when it’s time to
go out to an important business meeting/party/
dinner/shul function?
Here are three tried and tested techniques to get
you rolling and moving:
a. Take a shower.
b. Force a smile “just for so-and-so.”
c. Apply yourself to the task(s) at hand —
and you’re off.
A shower refreshes and invigorates your body.
Forcing a smile for someone else might just put
you in the right frame of mind. Maybe. Just
maybe. Worth a try.
Obviously, it only works if you’re willing to “do
something about it.” Sitting and kvetching about
your fate and mood will get you nowhere. You’ll
remain “sitting and kvetching about your fate and
mood” until you decide to stand up.

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 Same with davening. One must invest in it in How can you
order to get the maximum benefit. As a wise As a wise man put appreciate davening
man put it, “Many people daven for ten minutes it, “Many people if you know
because they find it boring. In truth, they daven for ten nothing about
find it boring because they only daven for ten minutes because it? The study of
minutes”. What you get out of davening is often Chassidus explores
proportional to how much you put into it. they find it boring. your relationship
In truth, they find with G-d and His
Here are three tried and tested techniques that
it boring because relationship with
can ‘get you rolling’ in prayer:
they only daven you, and gets you
Dunk in the mikvah, drop a coin in the pushka, focused on the
and engage in serious study of Chassidus—and for ten minutes”. important things in
you’re on. life. When we get
keyed up about who
A shower invigorates your body; mikvah purifies
He is and what He means to us, engaging him
you soul. Leave the shower and you’re fresh
in conversation will no longer be lackluster. The
and clean—a changed person; come out of the
more time we spend with Him, the greater our
mikvah and your soul is cleansed and purified—a
craving for spending more time with Him.
recharged spirit.
You’ve got the formula; go with it. It works. Just
Recent studies have proven that forcing a smile
don’t keep it a secret.
actually causes the brain to release endorphins,
having a calming effect on you. Ancient studies
have long recognized that tossing coins into a
pushka actually causes the soul to release divine
energy and spiritual vibes. ji

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Brochure Braun.indd 16
Rabbi Braun’s illustrious grandfather
requests a bracha from the Rebbe that his
young grandson Yossi, whom he refers to
as a great lamdan, continue to succeed in
Torah-learning. The Rebbe answers:

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‫ס'איז דאך דא א כלל‬
,‫אז קדושה אינה זזה ממקומה‬
.‫ובפרט קדושת התורה‬
It is axiomatic that
holiness does not depart
from its place—
particularly the holiness of Torah.

8/30/2010 2:42:42 AM
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