Rabbi Motti’s Minute

They Can’t Take Away Your Cry — Which Can Pierce the Sky

Through pandemics, wars, personal loss, and uncertainty, one truth endures: our cry can pierce the sky. This episode — delivered at the Bas Mitzvah of Tzippy Wilhelm — reflects on a Rosh Hashanah birth, the Shofar’s timeless message, and the power of a unique voice. They can’t take away your unique cry, and that cry can break through to the heavens.

Ki Teitzei – From the Source: A Jewish Approach to War

In this class, we explore the Torah’s perspective on warfare: the call for peace before battle, the preparation of soldiers, the laws of siege, the treatment of captives, and the charge to preserve holiness within the camp itself.

Shoftim – The Centrality of Justice in Jewish Life

In this class, we explore the importance of the legal system in Jewish thought: the role of the Sanhedrin, the Torah’s call for judiciousness in every area of life, and how the parsha of Shoftim speaks to today’s major halachic debates.

Pleasant, Not a People Pleaser: Humility, Truth, and Holiness in a Distracting World Pirkei Avot Chapter 3, Mishnayot 10–18

In this episode, we explore the delicate balance between being affable and authentic. How do we remain humble and kind without compromising truth? How can we guard our time and energy from what drains us while staying connected to our deepest sense of purpose and holiness? From people-pleasing to people-respecting, from distraction to discipline, these Mishnayot guide us in building a life of integrity and spiritual clarity—rooted in Torah, humility, and inner strength. Join us as we unpack timeless wisdom for navigating the tensions of modern life with grounded joy and intention.

Torah as Lifeline and the Prerequisites to Wisdom (Pirkei Avot 3:8–9)

Why is forgetting Torah seen as so severe? What makes intelligence spiritually risky? In this episode, we explore Torah as our spiritual lifeline, the transformative power of repetition, the origin of the yarmulke, and the true foundation of wisdom: a fear of losing one’s connection with Hashem and the resolve to turn learning into action.