Kabbalah for Everyone

Send us Fan Mail In a world that rewards being right, being strong, and holding it all together, the Sefirah of Hod invites us into a very different kind of strength. In this heart-open class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath explores the power of humility, not as weakness, but as the courage to soften, to acknowledge truth, and to release the need to control. Drawing from Kabbalah, Chassidic teachings and real-life experiences, this session unpacks how Hod shows up in our relationships, our inner dialogue, and our spiritual growth. When we stop defending and start listening, something shifts. Hod is where we become more honest, more connected, and ultimately, more whole. Key Takeaways: Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s being honest enough to let go of defensiveness Why “being right” can quietly damage relationships and what to choose instead The difference between healthy humility and losing yourself How to say “I’m sorry” in a way that actually heals Letting go of control as a path to deeper connection How Hod creates space for others, for truth, and for growth The role of acknowledgment in emotional and spiritual maturity #Kabbalah #SefiratHaOmer #Sefirah #Hod #Spirituality #TreeofLife #humility #EmotionalGrowth #lettinggo #Authenticity #Relationships #InnerWork #chassidus #JewishWisdom #spiritualgrowth #Connection #healing #RabbiBernath A Brand-New Four Part Kabbalah Series - Turning Walls into Doorways Access HERE https://www.jewishndg.com/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=102 Available now: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6 Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4tPFZhV Support the show Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.com Single? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone. Donate and support Rabbi Bernath’s work http://www.jewishndg.com/donate Follow Rabbi Bernath’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernath Access Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Send us Fan Mail What drives you to keep pushing forward and when does that drive begin to drain you? In this class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath explores the Sefirah of Netzach, the inner power of endurance, ambition, and resilience. Through a blend of Kabbalah and Chassidic insight and real-life application, we uncover the difference between healthy perseverance and destructive overdrive. This session invites you to rethink what it means to “win” and how true victory comes not from force, but from alignment with your deeper purpose. Takeaways: How to recognize when your drive is coming from strength vs. insecurity. The hidden cost of pushing too hard and how to avoid burnout. A deeper definition of “winning” rooted in purpose, not ego. Tools to access sustainable resilience in your daily life. How Netzach, when balanced, becomes a force for transformation, not exhaustion A Brand-New Four Part Kabbalah Series - Turning Walls into Doorways Access HERE https://www.jewishndg.com/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=102 Available now: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6 Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4tPFZhV Support the show Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.com Single? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone. Donate and support Rabbi Bernath’s work http://www.jewishndg.com/donate Follow Rabbi Bernath’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernath Access Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Send us Fan Mail How to Love Without Smothering and Set Boundaries Without Wounding Why do our best intentions so often hurt the people we love most? Because love without boundaries can suffocate… and truth without compassion can wound. As we enter the week of Tiferet in Sefirat HaOmer, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath explores the Kabbalistic art of emotional balance, the sacred harmony between Chesed (kindness) and Gevurah (strength). Tiferet is not compromise. It is not weakness. It is the mature, beautiful ability to give people not what we want to give, but what they actually need to receive. This class offers a practical roadmap for developing emotional attunement, relational wisdom, and the courage to live from the heart rather than from ego. Key Takeaways Tiferet is emotional maturity, the balance of kindness and discipline. Intent matters, but impact matters too. Love can hurt when it is driven by control, anxiety, or ego. Truth becomes dangerous when it is weaponized instead of harmonized with compassion. Compassion is not giving what flatters the giver, it is giving what fits the receiver. Real beauty emerges when opposing traits work in harmony. Healthy relationships require attunement, not just good intentions. A holy “no” can sometimes be more compassionate than a misplaced “yes.” The path to Tiferet begins with pausing before reacting. Spiritual growth means becoming integrated, centered, and safe for others to experience. — A Brand-New Four Part Kabbalah Series Turning Walls into Doorways How to Transform Life’s Obstacles into the Path to Your Greatest Growth Why do we keep hitting the same emotional walls? Why do certain fears, insecurities, patterns, and painful circumstances keep showing up in our lives, despite our best efforts to change? What if the obstacles in your life are not interruptions to your purpose… but the very path to it? In this transformational four-part course, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath explores one of the deepest ideas in Jewish thought: That life’s struggles are not punishments. They are invitations. Through Kabbalah, Chassidus, Torah psychology, and deeply practical tools, this course will help us understand: Available now: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6 Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4tPFZhV Support the show Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.com Single? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone. Donate and support Rabbi Bernath’s work http://www.jewishndg.com/donate Follow Rabbi Bernath’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernath Access Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Send us Fan Mail What if the last days of Pesach aren’t about how the story ends… but about how your story begins? In this deeply practical and soulful class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath explores the hidden power of the final days of Passover, where we stop remembering freedom and start living toward it. Through the lens of the splitting of the sea, the mysterious idea of Moshiach as a “Caesar,” and the transformative ritual of Moshiach’s Seudah, this class reveals a powerful truth: You’re not as stuck as you think, you’re just one doorway away. Blending Chassidus, storytelling, and real-life application, this session gives you the tools to move forward, soften what feels frozen, and begin opening the doors that lead to your own personal redemption. Key Takeaways Not every closed door is locked… sometimes what you need isn’t force, it’s warmth. Pesach doesn’t end, it evolves… the last days are about tasting the future, not closing the past. Moshiach isn’t just a belief, it’s a breakthrough…. the power to open what feels impossible. Redemption isn’t becoming someone new… it’s uncovering who you already are. You don’t need to split the sea… just take one real step forward. Small acts open big worlds… a message, a moment, a gesture can be someone else’s redemption. #Pesach #Passover #Moshiach #Redemption #Breakthrough #JewishWisdom #Kabbalah #chassidus #spiritualgrowth #InnerFreedom #MindsetShift #FaithInAction #FromStuckToFree #JewishInspiration #RabbiBernath Available now: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6 Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4tPFZhV Support the show Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.com Single? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone. Donate and support Rabbi Bernath’s work http://www.jewishndg.com/donate Follow Rabbi Bernath’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernath Access Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Send us Fan Mail We’ve all been to a Seder. We know the songs, the matzah, the wine… and somehow, we still walk out the same person. But what if the Seder was never meant to be a ritual you attend, but a process you go through? In this class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath uncovers the Seder as a 15-step journey of real transformation. A map for getting unstuck, from old habits, inner resistance, fear, and emotional baggage. Not just leaving Egypt… but finally letting Egypt leave you. This isn’t about doing the Seder better. It’s about becoming different because of it. Key Points: The Seder isn’t a story, it’s a step-by-step process of inner freedom Why we start with holiness before fixing ourselves (Kadesh before Urchatz) The power of being “broken” (Yachatz) as the beginning of real growth Why we eat matzah (freedom) before maror (pain) and what that says about healing How each step of the Seder reflects a stage in emotional and spiritual transformation Identifying your personal “Egypt” what’s actually holding you back How to walk into your Seder this year with intention and walk out different #Passover #Pesach #Seder #JewishWisdom #Kabbalah #InnerFreedom #spiritualgrowth #personalgrowth #LetMyPeopleGo #FromStuckToFree #chassidus #JewishLife #MindsetShift #HealingJourney #Transformation #RabbiBernath #chabad #PersonalExodus Available now: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6 Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4tPFZhV Support the show Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.com Single? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone. Donate and support Rabbi Bernath’s work http://www.jewishndg.com/donate Follow Rabbi Bernath’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernath Access Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Send us Fan Mail Download Rabbi Bernath's Haggadah HERE https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/98kilqi70z1cpqcn47jo0/Rabbi-Yisroel-s-Passover-Haggadah-Version-6B.pdf?rlkey=2gbd5i1u1fx0787fochlrpj6b&dl=0 Most people prepare for the Seder like they’re hosting a dinner. The food is ready. The table is set. The Haggadah is in place. But the Seder was never meant to be something you run. It’s something you enter. In this class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath reframes Seder preparation, not as logistics, but as inner work. From the wine to the matzah, from the questions to the story, every detail becomes a doorway into something deeper: presence, identity, freedom, and transformation. Because the real preparation for Pesach isn’t just cleaning your home. It’s clearing space within yourself. This class walks you through how to prepare not just your table… but your mindset, your heart, and your story—so when the Seder begins, you’re not just going through it… You’re living it. Key Takeaways 1. The Seder isn’t a performance, it’s an experience: You can do everything “right”… and miss the point. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s presence. Come as you are and step in fully. 2. Freedom is personal: Everyone has their own cup of wine—because everyone has their own Egypt. The question isn’t just what happened back then. It’s: Where am I stuck right now and what would freedom look like for me? 3. Matzah is not just food, it’s truth: Flat. Simple. No fluff. Freedom begins when you stop performing and start being real. Less image. More honesty. 4. The Seder holds opposites and so can you: Pain and gratitude. Bitterness and growth. Slavery and freedom. Real growth isn’t choosing one over the other. It’s learning how to hold both. 5. Curiosity is the gateway to freedom: The Seder is built on questions. Not because we don’t know, but because we’re still growing. The moment you stop asking… you stop moving. 6. You don’t need everything to begin: We break the matzah and tell the story over the smaller piece. Because transformation doesn’t start when you “have it all together.” It starts with what you have right now. 7. The story only works if you’re in it: If there’s no personal connection… it’s just history. The Seder becomes powerful when you realize: You’re not telling their story. You’re telling yours. 8. Freedom is built in small, intentional choices: Not one dramatic mo Available now: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6 Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4tPFZhV Support the show Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.com Single? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone. Donate and support Rabbi Bernath’s work http://www.jewishndg.com/donate Follow Rabbi Bernath’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernath Access Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Send us Fan Mail There’s something about this time of year… As we prepare for Pesach, cleaning, cooking, setting the table… we’re also being invited into something deeper. Not just a historical remembrance… but a personal awakening. Because the real question of the Seder isn’t “What happened then?” It’s “Am I free now?” In this special pre-Passover episode, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath shares an exclusive preview from the audiobook of The Forgiveness Experiment Chapter 9. A look into the “Mitzrayim” within, the inner narrowness, the old voices, the quiet fears that still hold us back long after we’ve “left Egypt.” Drawing on timeless Torah wisdom, including the teaching that “in every generation… a person must see themselves as if they personally left Egypt” , this episode invites you into a different kind of Exodus: One that happens not all at once… but step by step. Breath by breath. Choice by choice. You’ll explore: This episode is deeply personal. Honest. Whether you’re sitting at the Seder this year wondering if anything has really changed… or you’re ready to take one small step out of your own inner Egypt… This is your invitation. Listen to this special preview now… And if you’re ready to go deeper, the full audiobook of The Forgiveness Experiment is available on Audible https://www.audible.com/pd/B0GMS5DCKH/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-495504&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_495504_rh_us Take a breath. Open your heart. And begin the journey together. Available now: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6 Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4tPFZhV Support the show Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.com Single? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone. Donate and support Rabbi Bernath’s work http://www.jewishndg.com/donate Follow Rabbi Bernath’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernath Access Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Send us Fan Mail What if the line in the Haggadah isn’t history… but a diagnosis? “If G-d hadn’t taken us out of Egypt, we would still be there.” Not physically. Psychologically. Spiritually. Emotionally. In this heart-open Kabbalah class, Rabbi Bernath unpacks the deeper meaning of Egypt, not as a place, but as a mindset. An inner voice that says, “This is just who I am.” A life shaped by patterns we stopped questioning. Discover how the Exodus introduced something the world had never known before: the possibility of change. A new language. A new identity. A new way to see yourself—not as a product of your past, but as a soul with infinite capacity to grow. This isn’t about leaving Egypt. It’s about realizing you were never meant to stay. Takeaways: Egypt isn’t a place, it’s a mindset of limitation and resignation The deepest slavery is when you stop believing change is possible The Exodus gave the world a new “language of freedom” Every inner shift, from fear to courage, from stuck to growth, is a personal Exodus You don’t need to become someone new, you need to remember who you already are Freedom begins the moment you challenge the story that says “this is just me” #Judaism #Exodus #Pesach #Passover #PesachEnergy #InnerFreedom #BreakTheCycle#YouAreNotStuck #spiritualgrowth #JewishWisdom #Kabbalah #MindsetShift #EmotionalHealing #FromEgyptToFreedom #chassidus #PersonalTransformation #LetMyPeopleGo Available now: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6 Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4tPFZhV Support the show Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.com Single? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone. Donate and support Rabbi Bernath’s work http://www.jewishndg.com/donate Follow Rabbi Bernath’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernath Access Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Send a text In this deeply real and liberating class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath explores a striking idea from Parshat Vayikra: the Torah doesn’t say if a leader will fail, it says when. Why? Because growth, leadership, love, and even spirituality all require stepping into a messy, imperfect world. Through the lens of Kabbalah and Chassidus, you weren’t created to be perfect, you were created to transform imperfection. Your mistakes are not interruptions to your journey… they are the journey. This class reframes failure, guilt, and self-doubt and replaces them with responsibility, growth, and deep self-compassion. Takeaways: The Torah’s radical view: failure is not a flaw, it’s part of your mission Why people who never “mess up” often never fully show up The difference between guilt that crushes… and responsibility that elevates A Kabbalistic perspective on why G-d wants an imperfect world How to stop fearing mistakes and start using them as fuel for growth The secret to leadership, in your home, your relationships, and your life Why accountability (not perfection) is the real goal #Kabbalah #JewishWisdom #TorahLife #spiritualgrowth #SelfGrowth #MindsetShift #EmotionalHealing #Forgiveness #Leadership #PersonalDevelopment #chassidus #Vayikra #JewishLearning #purpose #GrowthMindset #InnerWork #LiveWithMeaning #RabbiBernath Available now: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6 Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4tPFZhV Support the show Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.com Single? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone. Donate and support Rabbi Bernath’s work http://www.jewishndg.com/donate Follow Rabbi Bernath’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernath Access Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Send a text Did life turn out the way you imagined it would? Most of us quietly carry two versions of our lives, the ideal one we dreamed about and the messy, imperfect one we actually live. In this Wednesday morning Kabbalah class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath explores a powerful insight from Parshat Vayakhel–Pekudei and Chassidic teachings: why the Torah repeats the story of the Mishkan twice, and what that reveals about our own lives. Drawing from the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe and Tanya, the class examines the difference between the “heavenly sanctuary” of our dreams and the “earthly sanctuary” we build through our struggles, relationships, and imperfections. The surprising message? G-d does not dwell in the perfect life we imagine. G-d dwells in the real life we build. This class offers a calming and empowering perspective: the challenges, disappointments, and imperfections of our lives are not obstacles to holiness… they are the very materials through which we create it. Key Takeaways Every person lives with two realities: the life we imagined and the life we are actually living. Western philosophy often values the ideal over the real, but Torah reverses that assumption. The Torah repeats the story of the Mishkan to teach that the earthly sanctuary is not a copy, it is the true destination. G-d’s deepest presence is revealed not in perfection, but in the human effort to transform imperfect reality. Your struggles, scars, and disappointments are not detours from your purpose, they are the building blocks of your spiritual home. Holiness is not found in escaping life’s imperfections, but in transforming them. True beauty emerges when we build meaning, faith, and love within the life we actually have. #Kabbalah #JewishWisdom #VayakhelPekudei #chassidus #Tanya #spiritualgrowth #purpose #JewishLearning #InnerPeace #FaithInAction #TorahInsights #RabbiBernath #JewishNDG #MeaningfulLife #MindfulLiving Available now: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6 Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4tPFZhV Support the show Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.com Single? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone. Donate and support Rabbi Bernath’s work http://www.jewishndg.com/donate Follow Rabbi Bernath’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernath Access Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Send a text Why did Moses smash the tablets and why were the broken pieces placed in the Holy of Holies alongside the whole ones? In this heart-open class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath explores one of the most powerful and surprising teachings in Torah: that brokenness is not the opposite of holiness, it can be its doorway. Drawing on the story of the Golden Calf, the teachings of the Talmud, Midrash, and the Lubavitcher Rebbe, this class reveals how Judaism embraces both the “whole tablets” and the “broken tablets” of our lives. Together we explore how pain, setbacks, doubt, and struggle can become catalysts for deeper connection, compassion, and spiritual growth. The message is both radical and comforting: the fragments of our lives may contain the deepest light. Key Takeaways Holiness is not limited to moments of perfection; it can emerge from our struggles and broken experiences. The broken tablets in the Ark teach that failure and fracture still belong in the sacred space of our lives. Sometimes our deepest connection to G-d happens not when we feel strong, but when we feel vulnerable and searching. Brokenness can soften our hearts and deepen our compassion for others. The Torah teaches that new wisdom and deeper growth often emerge after moments of spiritual collapse. Our lives contain both “whole tablets” and “broken tablets” and both are part of the sacred journey. #Judaism #Kabbalah #Jewish #BrokenTablets #Moses #GoldenCalf #JewishWisdom #spiritualgrowth #JewishInspiration #FaithInStruggle #TorahInsights #chassidus #personalgrowth #healing #resilience #MeaningInSuffering #RabbiBernath #JewishNDG #TorahClass Available now: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6 Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4tPFZhV Support the show Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.com Single? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone. Donate and support Rabbi Bernath’s work http://www.jewishndg.com/donate Follow Rabbi Bernath’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernath Access Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Send a text This wasn’t just another Shabbat. This was the kind of Shabbat that reminds you history isn’t something we read, it’s something we walk into. At Chabad NDG in Montreal, a Persian-themed Shabbat table became something deeper: a meeting point between ancient Persia and modern Iran. Between the story of Haman and the voices of real Iranian activists fighting for freedom today. Between fear… and courage. Then came the moment no one planned. Walking to synagogue the next morning, before even hearing the news, the streets began to speak. Neighbors stopped, embraced, thanked. By the afternoon, the entire area around Chabad NDG filled with music, celebration, life. And suddenly, an ancient custom, making noise for Haman felt different. Because this isn’t just about a villain from 2,500 years ago. From medieval children smashing stones with his name, to the teachings of the Rebbe, to a Midrash where noise literally drives away darkness—this episode explores a powerful idea: Sometimes holiness isn’t quiet. Sometimes, the most spiritual thing you can do… is make noise. Not noise of chaos. Noise of clarity. Noise that says: Didan Natzach. We are still here. Key Takeaways Haman is not just a character, he’s a pattern. Every generation meets its version of Amalek. The question isn’t if, it’s how we respond. Noise can be holy. From ancient Jewish customs to Midrashic stories, making noise isn’t childish, it’s spiritual resistance. It’s the soul refusing to be silent in the face of darkness. Joy is not denial, it’s defiance. The celebrations outside weren’t ignoring reality. They were transforming it. That’s the deepest Purim energy: turning fear into song. The street became a synagogue. When neighbors hug you, when music fills the air, when gratitude replaces tension, you realize holiness doesn’t only live inside walls. Children understand something we forget. They bang, they stomp, they erase Haman without overthinking it. There’s a purity in that. A clarity adults sometimes lose. “Didan Natzach” is not just a phrase, it’s a posture. It means: we don’t wait for darkness to pass. We confront it. Together. Loudly. Joyfully. Available now: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6 Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4tPFZhV Support the show Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.com Single? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone. Donate and support Rabbi Bernath’s work http://www.jewishndg.com/donate Follow Rabbi Bernath’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernath Access Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Send a text The Megillah opens with one of the most extravagant, unnecessary parties in history and somehow, it’s there to teach us how to live. In this class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath discusses a powerful insight from the Rebbe: even a foolish king understood something many of us forget, that life is not meant to be lived halfway. Through the lens of Achashverosh’s over-the-top feast, we explore what it means to stop playing small, access our full potential, and show up to our lives, our relationships, and our purpose with everything we’ve got. Takeaways: Why the Megillah goes into such vivid detail and what it’s trying to tell you The danger of living a “half-lived” life How to shift from holding back → showing up fully A practical way to identify where you’re playing small What it means to live “all in” without burning out How your unique gifts are meant to impact the world #Jewish #Judaism #Kabbalah #Purim #Megillah #LiveFully #AllIn #JewishWisdom #spiritualgrowth #purpose #StopPlayingSmall#PersonalDevelopment #TorahInsights #chassidus #Mindset #MeaningfulLiving #JewishLife Available now: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6 Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4tPFZhV Support the show Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.com Single? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone. Donate and support Rabbi Bernath’s work http://www.jewishndg.com/donate Follow Rabbi Bernath’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernath Access Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Send a text Parshat Terumah introduces the Ark, Judaism’s holiest object and reveals a radical truth about the human soul. The Ark wasn’t one solid piece. It was gold on the inside, wood in the middle, gold on the outside. In this class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath explores how the Ark becomes a map of the inner life: A core that is pure and untouchable. A middle that feels messy, emotional, contradictory and an outer life that still has the power to shine. Drawing from Tanya and Chassidic psychology, this episode reframes guilt, self-judgment, and spiritual exhaustion and offers a deeply compassionate model of growth. It’s about learning how to live from your gold even on wooden days. Key Takeaways You are not defined by your moods, struggles, or inner noise Your essence is intact, even if your emotions feel chaotic You don’t need to feel holy to act holy Conscious behavior can reflect Divine light, even when feelings lag behind Growth doesn’t require repression, only honesty and choice Nothing and no one can ever damage your inner gold #Judaism #Torah #Kabbalah #RabbiBernath #ParshatTeruma #Jewish #JewishSpirituality #YoureNotBroken #YoureLayered #ParshatTerumah #KabbalahForRealLife #InnerGold #TheBenoniLife #JewishWisdom #chabad #Tanya #SpiritualPsychology #ShowUpAsYouAre #HolinessInRealLife Available now: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6 Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4tPFZhV Support the show Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.com Single? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone. Donate and support Rabbi Bernath’s work http://www.jewishndg.com/donate Follow Rabbi Bernath’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernath Access Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Send a text In this morning’s class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath explored one of the Torah’s most psychologically honest teachings: what to do when our emotions and our values don’t align. Through the mitzvah of helping an enemy’s fallen donkey, we uncovered Judaism’s middle path, neither repressing emotions nor surrendering to them. Drawing from halacha, Kabbalah, and Chassidus, the class reframed emotional maturity as the ability to feel honestly while choosing responsibly, and offered a practical way to act with integrity even when the heart resists. Key Takeaways The Torah acknowledges emotional resistance without letting it dictate behavior Feeling something does not automatically make it true or actionable Jewish Law validates emotions but prioritizes responsibility and mitzvah Helping an “enemy” is about freeing yourself from the grip of impulse In Kabbalah, the mind is meant to guide emotions like a wise parent, not silence them Sometimes the heart follows the hands, action can lead emotion #Judaism #Kabbalah #Jewish #Torah #TorahLessons #TorahPortion #Bible #BibleStudy #KabbalahForEveryone #EmotionalWisdom #torahpsychology #MoachShalitAlHalev #InnerWork #JewishMindfulness #SpiritualMaturity #HalachaAndHeart #chassidus #RabbiBernath #chabad Available now: Paperback (US): https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638 Paperback (Canada): https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1069217638 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6 Support the show Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.com Single? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone. Donate and support Rabbi Bernath’s work http://www.jewishndg.com/donate Follow Rabbi Bernath’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernath Access Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Send us a text Why would a powerful, respected spiritual leader abandon comfort, status, and certainty to join a nation of former slaves in the desert? In this morning’s class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath explores the story of Jethro—not as ancient history, but as a living mirror. Through a surprising Talmudic question, we uncover what Jethro really heard that compelled him to move from observer to participant. This class weaves together three forces that define the Jewish story, irrational hatred, the moral genius of Torah, and the supernatural resilience of the Jewish people and asks a deeply personal question: What does Judaism ask of us when it’s easier to stay comfortable? Jethro’s journey challenges us to stop watching Jewish life from the sidelines and start stepping into it with intention, courage, and responsibility. KEY TAKEAWAYS Being inspired is easy. Showing up changes everything. Irrational hatred is often the shadow cast by something deeply holy. Torah isn’t just tradition, it’s a radical moral framework that reshaped civilization. Jewish survival defies history, logic, and probability. You don’t need to be born into greatness, but you do need to choose it. Judaism isn’t meant to be admired from a distance, it’s meant to be lived. The real question isn’t what did Jethro hear? It’s what are we hearing—and what are we doing about it? #Jewish #Judaism #Torah #Bible #BibleStudy #TorahLessons #Jethro #FromFanToPlayer #JewishIdentity #TorahLife #PurposeOverComfort #LivingJudaism #JewishResilience #WhyBeJewish #KabbalahForEveryone #RabbiBernath #JewishNDG #MeaningOverConvenience #StepIntoTheStory Available now: Paperback (US): https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638 Paperback (Canada): https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1069217638 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6 Support the show Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.com Single? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone. Donate and support Rabbi Bernath’s work http://www.jewishndg.com/donate Follow Rabbi Bernath’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernath Access Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Send us a text You don’t often see a book launch feel like a collective exhale. This recording is from the Montreal launch of The Forgiveness Experiment, featuring the author Rabbi Yisroel Bernath in conversation with Ilana Zackon. Ilana Zackon, an award-winning actor, writer, and filmmaker. Together, they dive into the heart of the book: why forgiveness matters, how it changes us, and what it means to live with open hearts even in a fractured world. Expect laughter, honesty, vulnerability, and plenty of inspiration. Held in the days leading up to Yom Kippur, this wasn’t just a discussion about forgiveness, it was an exploration of freedom. Together, Rabbi Bernath and Ilana unpack the heart of The Forgiveness Experiment: Why forgiveness isn’t about excusing harm. Why it’s not spiritual bypassing. And why, sometimes, forgiveness is the bravest form of self-respect. What unfolds is honest, funny, vulnerable, and deeply human. Stories are shared. Assumptions are challenged. And the room slowly softens. This conversation and the book weaves together Jewish wisdom, lived experience, and psychological insight, offering a grounded, compassionate approach to letting go of pain without losing your truth. If you’ve ever wondered: Why is forgiveness so hard? Is it possible to forgive without minimizing what happened? What if forgiveness is something I do for myself, not for them? This conversation is for you. Since that night, The Forgiveness Experiment has become a #1 bestseller on Amazon, and Rabbi Bernath has traveled across North America sharing its message. Recorded live at the Montreal Book Launch at Rohr Chabad NDG on September 28, 2025 Filmed and recorded by Yehuda Chiche Available now: Paperback (US): https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638 Paperback (Canada): https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1069217638 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6 It's also available on Amazon just about everywhere else, UK, Australia, Europe... The audiobook is on the way and will be released next week. If you’d like to take this work a step further check out www.forgivenessbook.org If this conversation resonates, consider subscribing, sharing, or leaving a review. Your voice helps this message travel further. #Forgi Available now: Paperback (US): https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638 Paperback (Canada): https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1069217638 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6 Support the show Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.com Single? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone. Donate and support Rabbi Bernath’s work http://www.jewishndg.com/donate Follow Rabbi Bernath’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernath Access Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Send us a text One of the first things we did together as a people wasn’t march, organize, or strategize. We sang. Standing at the edge of the sea, fresh from fear, not yet healed, still unsure where we were going the Jewish people lifted their voices in song. But the Torah leaves us with a mystery: how did three million people sing one song together? Was it led by Moses? Echoed by the people? Or did each person discover the song within themselves? In this class, Rabbi Bernath explores an ancient debate that turns out to be a timeless conversation about leadership, growth, and personal responsibility. Is a leader meant to be followed, echoed, or outgrown? And what does it mean to stop repeating someone else’s song and finally sing your own? Key Points The Song at the Sea as the birth moment of the Jewish voice. Three models of leadership hidden in one ancient song The difference between submission, discipleship, and empowerment. Why real transformation doesn’t come from echoing, but from ownership. What it means to be given a match, not a melody. Takeaways True leadership doesn’t create followers, it awakens leaders. Unity isn’t sameness; it’s shared purpose with individual voice. You don’t need permission to sing what’s already inside you. The most enduring influence is what continues after the leader steps back. Your voice matters, not later, not someday, but now. #Jewish #Judaism #Bible #Torah #chabad #Rebbe #YudShevat #SongAtTheSea #Leadership #FindingYourVoice #ShiratHayam #personalgrowth #JewishWisdom #ParshatBeshalach #Beshalach#InnerFreedom #EmpoweredLiving #SingYourSong #RabbiBernath Available now: Paperback (US): https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638 Paperback (Canada): https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1069217638 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6 Support the show Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.com Single? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone. Donate and support Rabbi Bernath’s work http://www.jewishndg.com/donate Follow Rabbi Bernath’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernath Access Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Send us a text In Parshat Bo, G-d tells Moses something unexpected: “Come to Pharaoh.” Not go… but come. In this episode Rabbi Yisroel Bernath explores a profound teaching from the Zohar and Chassidic thought: when we face a “Pharaoh” in our lives… fear, resistance, heartbreak, failure, or a person who seems to block our freedom… we are never sent alone. G-d says: Come with Me. Even more startling, G-d adds: “Because I hardened his heart.” The resistance itself is Divine. Not to stop redemption, but to reveal it. Through Torah, Kabbalah, psychology, and powerful stories (including the donkey in the pit and a letter from the Rebbe), this class reframes life’s hardships as portals, not barriers. What feels like opposition is often the very force meant to uncover our deepest strength, courage, and soul-power. This is a class about fear, faith, resilience and discovering that the path forward is often a winding one, but it always leads upward. Key Takeaways You never face adversity alone. “Come to Pharaoh” means G-d walks with you into your hardest moments. Resistance is not random. Some of the strongest opposition in life is part of the redemption process itself. Pharaoh is not in control. What looks overwhelming is often a tool, not a tyrant. Obstacles are portals. Life’s blockages are invitations to excavate hidden strength. Growth is uncomfortable by design. Muscle only grows by tearing and so does the soul. The dirt can bury you or elevate you. Shake it off. Step up. Rise. Your hardest challenges may reveal your greatest light. You discover who you truly are not when life is easy, but when it demands more of you. #Judaism #chabad #Kabbalah #ParshatBo #Torah #TorahPortion #TorahLessons#ComeToPharaoh #NotAlone #FaithOverFear #KabbalahForLife #SpiritualResilience #PortalsNotBarriers #InnerFreedom #DivinePlan #SoulStrength #JewishWisdom #TheZigZagPath #Redemption #chassidus #RabbiBernath #lubavitch #Rebbe Available now: Paperback (US): https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638 Paperback (Canada): https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1069217638 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6 Support the show Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.com Single? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone. Donate and support Rabbi Bernath’s work http://www.jewishndg.com/donate Follow Rabbi Bernath’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernath Access Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Send us a text One of the most surprising details in the Exodus story is that Moses, the redeemer of Israel, did not grow up as a slave, but in Pharaoh’s palace. In this morning’s Kabbalah class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath explores why Divine Providence chose such an unlikely path for Israel’s future leader and what it reveals about the nature of freedom. Drawing on Chassidic insights into the word sivlot“ burdens” that also mean tolerance, this class reframes redemption as a psychological and spiritual awakening. True liberation begins not when suffering becomes unbearable, but when we refuse to accept it as normal. Through the lens of Moses’ outsider perspective, the Israelites’ cry in Egypt, and our ongoing experience of personal and collective exile, the class challenges us to examine what we’ve learned to tolerate in our own lives. With warmth, depth, and practical reflection, this session invites participants to rediscover holy dissatisfaction, reclaim dignity, and begin their own daily Exodus from narrowness to possibility. Key Takeaways Redemption begins internally: Before freedom can happen externally, we must stop tolerating what diminishes us. Tolerance is not always a virtue: Sometimes patience becomes a prison that keeps us stuck in unhealthy patterns. Moses could lead because he never internalized slavery: Growing up in Pharaoh’s palace gave him the clarity and courage to challenge injustice. The cry matters: Change begins when we allow ourselves to feel the pain we’ve been numbing and cry out honestly. Exile becomes dangerous when it feels normal: Personally and collectively, redemption starts when we remember that brokenness is not the natural state. Standards shape destiny: What we accept defines what we become, raising our inner standards opens the door to transformation. Every day is an Exodus: Leaving Egypt isn’t a one-time event; it’s a daily practice of refusing limitation and choosing growth. #Jewish #Kabbalah #Torah #Exodus #TorahPortion #Bible #BibleStudy #Moses #moshe #ParshatVaera #SlaveMentality #Mitzrayim #Tolerance #freedom #PersonalRedemption #chassidus #SlaveMentality #innerExile #EmotionalHealing #spiritualgrowth #Moshiach #Geulah #humandignity #BreakingPatterns Support the show Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.com Single? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone. Donate and support Rabbi Bernath’s work http://www.jewishndg.com/donate Follow Rabbi Bernath’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernath Access Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi