Have you ever found it hard to get out of bed in the morning? Lying there after a full night’s sleep, is it difficult to get yourself moving? It doesn’t take a genius to know that’s laziness, but the question is: how do we overcome it?

For starters, we need to understand laziness – why we have it and why it drags us down. From there, the solution...

Nobody in the entire Torah was as arrogant as Pharaoh. He actually believed he was the Creator! But his delusion, though in an extreme form, is common in human beings. We’ve seen it in dictators like Hitler and Napoleon. We see it in larger-than-life tycoons like Donald Trump. And sometimes, we see it in ourselves.

With a breakdown of why this...

HASHEM gave everyone a unique set of talents. Some people are strong, others smart, and others musical. But no matter which talents you have, HASHEM gave them to you to help you accomplish a specific mission in this world.

The trouble is, people often lose sight of this. They credit themselves for their talents and even expect praise and honor...

If there’s one thing that makes smart people act dumb, it’s jealousy. When people are caught in its clutches, they forget every other bracha in their lives. Nothing is as important as what the other guy has, whether it be money, happiness, or kavod.

The good news is that jealousy is surprisingly easy to work on. Because it’s so irrational and illogical,...

Getting along with people is the single most important of all life skills. Good human relations are the key to running a successful business, having a loving marriage, and above all, to raising happy kids.

Because people skills are so essential, this Shmuz offers something unique: a mini-course in social relations. With these basics under your belt,...

Often we think of ona’as devorim – of not saying cruel things to people – as referring to big things, like tearing someone down in public. In reality, it’s much more subtle. People hurt each other with callous remarks all the time. And usually, they didn’t even mean to.

Those callous remarks cost. Even when we forget what we’ve said, our victims don’t, and...

One of the most detailed sections in Torah is the description of Avraham Avinu’s chesed to the three angels. Posuk after posuk tells us the minutiae of how Avraham served his guests. But of all his spiritual accomplishments, what is so great about this one? Why does the Torah give it so much attention?

The answer is that chesed is the closest means we...

Respect is the basis of all good human relations, but do we really give others their due? We know that every human is a tzelem Elokim, but how often do we think about that when we’re talking to our friends? Do we even remember it with our spouses?

With stories of the gedolim, including some to make you laugh, this Shmuz shows how respect can work magic in...

We live in times of unmatched wealth and comfort. People now live in more ease and luxury than at any other time in history. So why is there so much unhappiness? Why do the rich and famous seem to be the least happy of all?

The trouble is that we take all this good for granted. And worse, we forget that HASHEM granted it.

This Shmuz trains us in...

Loving our fellow Jews is a beautiful concept, but really feeling one with them often seems far-removed from real life. It’s fine in theory, but in practice? It’s hard to do in the cold and indifferent 21st century.

The story of Yonah is the prime example of ahavas Yisrael. He risked his life and his Olam Habo, all for the love of the Jewish people...

Why is it so important not to be judgmental of others?

How do you not judge other people's words, ideas and actions even when you don't agree with them?

The trick is knowing when to be judgmental, and when to reserve it for later, and when to not judge at all. Every situation needs an independent evaluation. This ability is key in many areas in life...