Unpack layers of Biblical and rabbinic text to understand the inner mechanics of this sometimes-overlooked but super-important holiday.

It took a trip to Germany and a lot of self-discovery for Eliana to find her place in the Jewish community. Today, together with her husband, she leads a small Jewish community in South Africa.

The Spiritual Codes that Underlie Creation: How the Holy Tongue is different from other languages

From everything that happened the day prior to the Giving of the Torah, the Talmud singles out one detail: Moshe built an altar and offered a sacrifice.

We are still “married” to our ideals and spiritual vision; we simply need to be reunited with our true, inner selves.

The Rebbe delivers his annual pre-Shavuos address to women.

Discover how Torah classes given more than a decade ago continue to enrich lives and touch souls.

Thirteen-year-old guitarist shares his music with the world.

Study the daily lesson of Sefer HaMitzvos for day 111 with Rabbi Mendel Kaplan, where he teaches the mitzvah in-depth with added insight and detail.

Each year, the Rebbe would hold a Farbrengen the night before Shavuot, often touching on topics from Tractate Sotah in the Talmud, which is customarily studied during the Counting of the Omer period, as well as discussing the lessons of the approaching holiday.

How to perform the havdalah ceremony at the conclusion of Shabbat and festivals.

Sarah and Avi find a letter “mem,” and help him find a mitzvah that starts with the letter “mem.”

Eli and Ezzy wonder what life would be like if they were still slaves in Egypt.

A taste of Shazak Parsha, where the weekly Torah portion comes alive! Geared for kids... Great for adults!

A virtuous heroine. A wicked villain. It’s the ancient, true story of Queen Esther, brought vividly to life in a delightfully educational way.

Jono decides to take on a vow of silence, and stop cutting his hair after over-hearing Itche teaching about special vows in the Torah. Hilarity Ensues.

Topics include: Why the Levite family of Kehat carried the Ark containing the Tablets, why a Nazarite must allow his hair to grow and may not drink wine, and a mystical explanation as to why we have ten fingers.

Take an exciting trip back in time to the court of King Ahasuerus and his beautiful Jewish wife Queen Esther as you watch the dramatic story of the Jewish victory over Persian persecution. (Please be advised this video may be too graphic for younger kids.)

There are Jews we love, Jews we avoid, and Jews we quietly write off. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’s teaching about three who eat at one table becomes personal when we look at his own family story: A tzaddik, a controversial son, and a grandson pulled out of real darkness. This class is about a Torah that brings all three to the same table and teaches us how to make space for every kind of Jew.

Watch these simple-to-follow instructions on how to do the mitzvah of wearing a Tallis.

We are still “married” to our ideals and spiritual vision; we simply need to be reunited with our true, inner selves.

A taste of Shazak Parsha, where the weekly Torah portion comes alive! Geared for kids... Great for adults!

Jono decides to take on a vow of silence, and stop cutting his hair after over-hearing Itche teaching about special vows in the Torah. Hilarity Ensues.

Confession, as of contrition and repentance, is not always sincere. But even the most insincere confession retains a special power to put one on the right track.

Yesterday, I messed up. I was completely insensitive to someone I love. But here’s what happened afterwards…

Topics include: Why the Levite family of Kehat carried the Ark containing the Tablets, why a Nazarite must allow his hair to grow and may not drink wine, and a mystical explanation as to why we have ten fingers.

The kohanim are commanded to bless the people. What is the meaning of a blessing given by one human being to another?

This class carefully analyzes the proverbial Birkat Kohanim (the priestly blessings), which appear in this week’s Torah portion, Naso. Learn the answers to why an ordinary person’s blessing can be meaningful simply due to ancient genetics, what do the priestly blessings actually mean on a literal level, and finally insight into why we pray for our dreams during the times these blessings are chanted in synagogue.

The Torah’s identical repetition of the Inaugural Offerings brought by Israel’s tribal leaders, serves to make parshat Naso the longest Torah portion. Perhaps more pointedly though, it seems entirely superfluous; especially in view of the Scripture’s sparing nature. Yet, despite this obvious and glaring biblical anomaly; Rashi – our trusted master of mainstream meaning – appears to provide little rationale and no comfort at all. The explanation ultimately sheds light on Torah-true diversity and the importance of every person’s unique contribution in the rubric of spiritual life and divine service.

Learn the profound connections between the weekly parsha and its related Haftorah.

Why did the leaders of the tribes who were so enthusiastic about donating to the Sanctuary make such a limited contribution? This points to the importance of using our talents well. (Based on Likutei Sichos vol. 28 Naso sicha 2)

The Torah details the different jobs of the three Levite families in carrying the Tabernacle when journeying through the desert. Discover how this symbolizes three models of a Jew’s journey in life.

Torah insists that nothing in this world is extra; everything was created with a specific purpose. In fact, just by virtue of having been created, G-d has declared you an irreplaceable asset in bringing his world closer to a state of perfection. In a fascinating analysis of the Parsha, the Rebbe draws a crucial lesson in the life of a Jew: To achieve your full potential, use your every ability in the service of your Creator.

Learning from the leaders of the twelve tribes at the dedication of the mishkan.

A revealing, Kabbalistic, view of hair. New light on why a married woman, in Torah, covers her hair.

Three perspectives on the definition of Teshuvah and the role of confession. (Based on Likutei Sichos vol. 38, parshas Naso, sicha 1)

“On the second day Netanel Ben Tzuar, the prince of Yissachar, offered. He offered his sacrifice ." (Numbers 7:18-19) Why is the word "offered" (hikriv) written twice? Also, why in the second time it's written is it missing a yud? Discover the connection between the missing yud and the holiday of Shavuot which celebrates the giving of the Torah.

"And it was that on the day that Moses finished erecting the Mishkan, he anointed it, sanctified it, and all its vessels, and the altar and all its vessels." (Numbers 7:1) Learn about the process of readying the newly-built sanctuary for daily use, the inaugural gifts of the tribal princes and the opening ceremonies officiated by Moses.

Study some of the highlights of the weekly Torah portion with insights from various commentaries.

Exploring the weekly reading from the Prophets and its connection the Torah portion of the week.

Learning the story of the birth of Samson.

What we can learn from the way in which Hashem spoke to Moses—with a booming voice that only he could hear.

The Levites' song in the Holy Temple

During the three weeks between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av, we mourn the loss of both Holy Temples in Jerusalem. The Torah tells us, however, that when we study the laws of the Temple’s construction, we are already rebuilding it.

Laws of guarantors

The Levites' song in the Holy Temple

The maidens' Tu b'Av song

Worker's ethics

Testimony verification

When the era ended for various virtues

Constant growth -- in this world and the next

Who is covered by the cantor's prayer?

Laws of muktzeh on Yom Tov

In the first of the “Trilogy of Tribulations,” Jeremiah describes his inauguration as prophet. Although his first prophecy is one of impending doom, it contains within it a hidden message about the power to transform mourning into joy.

In the second haftorah of the “Trilogy of Tribulations” we learn how the prophet Jeremiah’s rebuke of his contemporaries can teach us today how to turn criticism into a powerful catalyst for change.

The Levites' song in the Holy Temple.

Yaakov Schy spent years living and working in rural Asia, where he discovered that everyone had a tribal identity except for him. That led him to rediscover Judaism.

How we created a Yom Tov out of the day after Shavuos. Analyzing Talmudic sources for the Alter Rebbe’s description of Isru Chag.

What is the essential change from before Sinai to after Sinai with the giving of the Torah?

From everything that happened the day prior to the Giving of the Torah, the Talmud singles out one detail: Moshe built an altar and offered a sacrifice.

Marcus Roberts discusses the little known and highly controversial details of the German occupation and Holocaust on the Channel Islands, with an emphasis on Alderney. He describes the attempts to ignore or minimize the atrocities committed there, and his

Watch this cute short on the very basics of the holiday of Shavuot.

Did you know that just before the Torah was given, they experienced their first taste of the revolution the Torah would bring? This we see in Moshe building an altar to bring a sacrifice—the day prior to Shavuuos.

What's the maximum amount of charity you can give? Not all charity is created equal.

Shemitah is a real test of faith, to leave the field fallow the entire year. Yet the words in the verse: "What will we eat during Shemiitah?" is not a question driven by lack of faith.

Choose your neighbors wisely because they’re influence is greater than you imagine.

An incredible insight into the power of the Omer, gleaned from the three layers of the census of the Jewish nation. All from analyzing a Rashi on not counting the Levites in the census.

The positive impact of “great is the righteous and great is his neighbor” is not proportionate to the negative effect of “woe is the wicked and woe is his neighbor”.

Miri and Meni embark on an after-bedtime journey through the universe to discover that there is only G-d.

Watch this cute short on the basics of Lag B’Omer.

Explaining three paradigms behind a law concerning using the new crop for a Mincha offering, teaches that you can't move ahead spiritually before you discipline your inner animal, and yet as we mature in our spiritual development the prerequisites shift.

People mean well. That doesn't mean their advice is right.

A deeper look at why the Rambam in sefer Zemanim deviates from the chronological order of the festival, sheds light on how Yom Tov is relevant and powerful every day, not only on the date it appears on the calendar.

Rabbi Glauberman discusses various complications in determining the weekly Parsha in the Persian period.

Rabbi Brackman presents a talk of the Lubavitcher Rebbe explaining Rashi’s commentary on a verse in Proverbs 15:15.

What is the Torah’s message in ‘Emor’, which simply means to say and speak? It sounds quite generic, yet the instruction is powerful.

Rabbi Reiss provides fascinating background and insight into the famous Purim poem, "Shoshanat Yakov".

The Rambam teaches that honesty in weights and measures is associated with acknowledging the Exodus from Egypt. Don't let your standards slip, even if you think it won't harm anyone else.

Rashi teaches us that bad advice isn't what you think. Here's how to avoid it.

What separates casual dating from a relationship built for marriage? In this episode, we sit down with Mrs. Manya Lazaroff, Co-Director of Chabad TAMU (Texas A&M University) and a public speaker on sober intentional dating, to explore how to evaluate pote

Three things have to happen for food to become impure. They teach us three things about keeping ourselves spiritually safe.

You'd think the more religious you are, the more spiritually protected you are. It's not that simple. Learn the conditions for both susceptibility to impure negative forces and the proper protection against them. (Based on Likkutei Sichos vol. 27, Shemini

The month of Iyar is a time of extraordinary healing both materially and spiritually.

Watch this cute short on the very basics of the holiday of Passover.