Recommended Price $300.00
Purchase the High Holiday 5785 Bundle for $300, which includes a total of four sermons and two sets of Prayer Insights - Gems. You'll receive two Rosh Hashanah sermons along with Rosh Hashanah Gems, as well as two Yom Kippur sermons and Yom Kippur Gems. This package is valued at $540.
Note: Everything is available for download now except for Yom Kippur Gems and Sermons, which are coming soon.
Rosh Hashanah - 1 (This speech is equally meaningful on both days)
Power of Struggle: How Adversity Shapes Our Greatest Achievements
This speech is all about embracing the struggles that life throws at us and using them as fuel for our growth. It shows you how adversity doesn’t break us — it makes us. By drawing on stories of Moses, Abraham Lincoln, and the power of human resilience, the message becomes crystal clear: you’re not defined by your flaws or setbacks, you’re shaped by how you rise above them.
This message is beautifully echoed in the sounds of the shofar, where the broken notes of shevarim and teruah remind us of our struggles, but the strong tekiah calls us back to wholeness — not just as we were, but stronger, wiser, and more complete.
It’s a powerful call to stop waiting for perfection and start moving forward today!
Rosh Hashanah - 2 (This speech is equally meaningful on both days)
Rising from Ruin: Israel’s Unstoppable Revival
For decades, the Rebbe spoke of Moshiach, of redemption, telling us it was on its way. But let’s be real — many of us are looking around and thinking, “Where’s the progress?” With antisemitism rising and Israel constantly under threat, it’s easy to feel like we’re caught in an endless cycle of struggle.
But what if we are not seeing the moment clearly? What if we are not living in a time of decline, but in a time of extraordinary transformation?
The Talmud tells us that Joseph was freed from prison on Rosh Hashanah, but his journey didn’t end there. He went from being a victim to becoming a leader, someone who would shape the course of nations. But it wasn’t easy. He struggled to learn the languages of the world, yet with the help of an angel, he mastered them all.
This story isn’t just about Joseph — it’s about the Jewish people. Like Joseph, we have been through unimaginable hardship — exile, persecution, the Holocaust. And yet, we stand again, stronger, more resilient, and more capable than ever.
We are living in a Rosh Hashanah moment of Jewish history — a moment of renewal, when we are called not to look at the world with fear, but with hope. Israel is thriving, and Jewish sovereignty and freedom in the Western world together represent unprecedented Divine gifts. The blessings we now possess are not just happenstance; they are signs of something greater unfolding.
This is a time for transformation, for seeing that we are the authors of our history, not its victims.
This speech is about awakening to that reality. The Jewish people have learned new languages: the language of strength, of resilience, of courage. And just as Joseph rose from his prison, we too are rising to shape the world with the values of our Torah, our mitzvot, our vision, and our faith.
Now is the time to recognize this moment for what it truly is — a new beginning in Jewish history.
The ‘Even If’ Principle: A New Approach to Life
Of all the speeches I’ve written for Yimim Norim this year, this one is my personal favorite.
The ‘Even If’ Principle: A New Approach to Life speaks to the heart of Jewish resilience and faith, touching on a truth that has sustained us for millennia: that faith is not merely a response to the good times, but an unyielding commitment to what is right, even when the world seems to crumble.
At the core of this speech is a powerful lesson drawn from the story of Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah—three young men who stood defiant in the face of the Babylonian king’s command to bow before an idol. They declared, “Even if G-d does not save us, we will not bow.” Their words ring through history, challenging us to hold fast to faith, not because of what might happen, but despite what may not.
This principle, timeless and unshakable, finds new life in the story of Oz Davidian, a modern-day hero who exemplified this courageous faith during the terror of October 7, 2023. His bravery, saving countless lives while facing immense danger, mirrors that of our ancestors. It is a reminder that faith is not a guarantee of safety, but a declaration of who we are and what we stand for, even when faced with the gravest of circumstances.
But this speech goes beyond crises. It calls us to bring this ‘Even If’ mindset into every aspect of our lives, asking us to transcend the conditional ‘If’ that so often limits our actions.
“If my circumstances were better,” we say, “then I would act.” The speech challenges this mindset, urging us instead to act even if our circumstances are not perfect—to embrace faith, love, and joy in their truest forms, which do not depend on external guarantees.
Through the lens of Torah wisdom and Chasidic thought, the message is clear: real transformation comes when we choose to live, to act, and to believe, not in the comfort of certainty, but in the courage of the unknown.
This is the faith that has carried our people through history, and it is the faith that will continue to guide us as we move forward into an uncertain future.
Hashgacha Pratit: Divine Providence in Life’s Journey.
At the heart of Jewish life is a concept that has sustained our people through the centuries: hashgacha pratit—divine providence. It’s the idea that G-d is not distant or detached from the world, but deeply involved in our lives, guiding us with purpose and love. This idea is one of the most transformative teachings in Chasidic thought, and it is the foundation of Hashgacha Pratit: Divine Providence in Life’s Journey.
In this speech, we explore how G-d’s providence is present in the small and great moments alike. Whether it’s Rabbi Akiva, who found divine protection in the stillness of the forest, or Viktor Frankl, who saw G-d’s hand in a piece of marble from a destroyed synagogue, the message is clear: what may seem like misfortune is often part of a higher plan.
Too often, we feel that life is happening to us. But the truth is, life is happening for us. G-d’s providence transforms challenges into opportunities for growth, urging us to rise above circumstances and recognize the deeper meaning within them.
Through stories of personal trials and historical tribulations, we are reminded that divine providence is not just about fate—it’s about G-d’s intimate partnership with each of us. This is the message of Yom Kippur: a day not only of reflection but of renewal, where we rediscover our better selves and reaffirm our partnership with the Divine, knowing that G-d’s hand is guiding us toward a future filled with purpose, growth, and light.
Yom Kippur Gems
What if Yom Kippur offered more than atonement—what if it opened the door to profound personal transformation?
These insights, drawn from Chasidic teachings and Torah’s timeless wisdom, show how even subtle shifts—whether in how we approach forgiveness, guilt, or divine purpose—can reshape our lives. Yom Kippur invites us to move beyond mere repentance, to rethink our relationships, rediscover balance, and deepen our connection to G-d.
This day is a chance not only to reflect but to renew, to find in our prayers the seeds of lasting change.
Here's a look at the main ideas in the Yom Kippur Gems collection.
קַבָּלַת שַׁבָּת - Two Wings: Weekday and Shabbat
Life is a journey defined by two movements: the weekday, where we create and shape the world, and Shabbat, where we pause to be shaped by something greater. The balance between these two is not a contradiction but a harmony, reminding us that the true measure of life is not what we own but what we belong to.
לְךָ ה'...הַגְּבוּרָה - Lincoln’s Secret to Turning Foes into Friends
Abraham Lincoln understood a profound truth: the highest form of strength is not defeating enemies but transforming them into friends. Jewish tradition teaches us the same—strength is not in dominance, but in influence, in the power of forgiveness. Yom Kippur calls us to make peace with those we are in conflict with, reflecting the divine call to build bridges, not walls.
יוֹם הַכִּפֻּרִים - Why Yom Kippur Is Really a ‘Day of Atonements’
The plural “atonements” signifies that there is no single path back to G-d. Each of us walks our own journey, and on this day, G-d embraces us all, wherever we are. The story of the Baal Shem Tov reminds us that the purity of intention is what opens the gates of heaven. Yom Kippur is a mosaic of prayers, tears, and hopes, all accepted by the One who knows our hearts.
כֻּלָּם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ - What Spacecraft Teach Us About the Universe’s Purpose
The universe is not a random series of events but a work of profound wisdom, like a spacecraft shaped by human ingenuity. Just as we see the intellect behind the machine, we are asked to see G-d’s intellect behind creation. Science is not a contradiction to faith but part of the same divine narrative of meaning and purpose.
אִמְרֵי פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי - From Harmful Words to Healing Prayers
Rabbi Yonah teaches us that repentance is not merely the cessation of wrongdoing but the transformation of what was once harmful into good. Our words, our actions, our very lives can be instruments of healing, and Yom Kippur is the time to take that leap—from brokenness to wholeness, from harm to healing.
דָּוִד עַבְדֶּךָ אָמַר לְפָנֶיךָ - Is Your Conscience a Faulty Fire Alarm?
Guilt, like a fire alarm, is meant to alert us to danger. But when it malfunctions, it leaves us trapped in endless remorse. King David’s prayer in Psalm 51 reminds us that guilt has a purpose: to drive us to change. When we seek forgiveness and renewal, we move beyond guilt into joy and growth, using our past not as a burden but as a guide for the future.
וְיָנוּחוּ בָהּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל - What a Symphony and Shabbat Have in Common
Shabbat is the collective symphony of the Jewish people. Just as musicians create beauty by following a conductor, the Jewish community creates harmony when it observes Shabbat together. The “rules” of Shabbat are not restrictions but the score that allows for divine music, a symphony of peace, rest, and connection.
