We Can Be Great

Welcome to our shiur blog.

We have a tremendous opportunity to grow both in our learning and in our appreciation of learning. It is my sincere hope that we use this blog to enhance our shiur conversations, clarifying and refining the learning we begin in shiur.

To keep us motivated and positive let us keep two things in mind. First, it is a tremendous privilege to learn Torah. To access God's word, to study God in the best way possible, to perfect ourselves by learning the precepts through which He has instructed us to live, to continue the centuries long dialogue between Hashem and the Jewish nation. To paraphrase what we have already seen, praiseworthy are we and fortunate is our share, because we are privileged to be of those who study God's Torah. The angels on high are jealous of our studies. They look at us with wonder and they grant us prestige. They turn one to another and they ask 'who are these people shooting words of holy fire from their mouths? who are these people whom God is pleased with more than anything in the world?' (Chovas HaTalmidim Chapter 1) Second, we can accomplish our goals. The Torah is not too difficult for us to master. It is not in the Heavens, and it is not on the other side of the sea. It is very near and accessible to us. (Devarim 30) If we apply ourselves and invest our energies in learning we will find success. (Megilla 6b)

We can do it, we can be great. We can make tremendous strides in our learning , and we can enjoy the process.

I pray that God make the words of His Torah sweet in our mouths, and that we ascend to the status of grandeur which is destined to us by excelling in our learning.

Thank you Yaacov Dov and Aaron Ozer for setting up this blog.