Burning Questions

How do we make a right decision? How do we have the faith that we are responding properly to life’s challenges? How do I balance faith with proactivity? These and other important questions are addressed in this class.

Although being chosen is a gift, it does not mean the Jews are better than other nations. Everyone is unique and every nation has a divine purpose. In this class, Rav Binny gives us perspective on what is entailed in the awesome global responsibility of chosenness.

Why have the Jewish People suffered throughout history? How do we grapple with this suffering, and what does the Torah have to say about our suffering? In this class Rav Binny cuts right to the heart of these questions and shows us how the question ‘Why’ can only take us so far, and that Judaism’s main interest is a different question entirely…

From a Jewish perspective, ‘sin’ is defined as having missed the mark, having made a mistake. What can I learn from my mistakes? How can I turn my mistakes into gifts of learning and growth? What do the forefathers have to teach me about becoming the best I can become?

How do the questions about life after death help to change our lives? Do we believe in an afterlife? What is the soul and what does our soul really need? Rav Binny explores these questions through the lives and deaths of some of the most well-known Biblical personalities.

In dealing with the problem and solutions of intermarriage, Rav Binny primarily addresses the underlying questions that any Jew should ask. What value does Judaism have in my life? How do I prepare myself to build a solid marriage? How do I connect to the beauty of being Jewish?

Do the Jews have a right to be in the Land of Israel? Different perspectives from the Jewish sources relating to our claim to the Promised Land are explored, including the story of Abraham, our forefather.

Why do the high moments always die down? How can I make them last? Should I even want to make them last? With examples from the Bible, Talmud, the Kabbalah, Jewish history, and his own insightful life experience, Rav Binny delves into seeking answers for these questions. On the journey he touches upon the struggles of relationships, the difficulty and value of process, and how to see the light of redemption in the seeming darkness.

The title of this class says it all! Rav Binny ‘takes apart’ nature, showing why it is here and what we can learn from it. He also explains what a miracle is and shares an insight into appreciating the miracle of Chanukah.

What is the purpose of pain, challenge, and suffering? Can there be a value to pain? Why does G-d, who loves me so much, give me so much pain? Through glimpses into the lives of Avraham, Rabbi Akiva, the Aish Kodesh, and his own life, Rav Binny gives us new perspectives on how pain can be used as unparalleled opportunities for personal and relationship growth.

“If it is decreed in Heaven that pits must be dug, and jump we must, jump we will.” What is the purpose of the seemingly insurmountable challenges that G-d places before us? In this class, Rav Binny illuminates a three-step process to help us reach the unreachable.

Rituals can easily become lifeless if no relationship is developed between the do-er and the ritual. Rav Binny takes us on a meaning-building journey through a seemingly ‘ridiculous’ mitzvah and gives us a goal to strive for: to work hard on building real relationships with the mitzvot.

Why do people see the same thing and come to different conclusions? Can we ever really see the ultimate reality is behind it all? If we can see it, then what implications will that have on how we conduct ourselves in our lives? How does limitation lead to unlimitedness?

This class is Rav Binny’s insights into a worthwhile goal: to know and to understand that in any relationship, ‘love’ is a verb. But how do I make a consistent practice of turning this knowledge into practical action? Good question…

Why does the all-knowing G-d need to test human beings? How do you define passing a test? How can you figure out why you were given a particular test? Through the story of the binding of Isaac, Rav Binny attempts to answer these questions.

How can we be in joy when life is not going the way we want? How do we deal with evil? Perhaps we need to ask not ‘Why do bad things happen to good people?’, rather ‘How do bad things happen to good people?’ Through the classic Jewish allegory of the sun and moon, Rav Binny addresses these questions, and along the way explores Jewish history, the concept of sacrifice, and the power of silence in relationships.