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For some time now, Rabbi David Halevi Segal, author of the Turei Zahav (Taz, 1586 to 1667), had been restless. True, his rabbinate was thriving. His community in Ostroh, in western Ukraine, accepted his authority without question. The rulings of the rabbinical court he headed were accepted by all. His book had been received throughout the Jewish world and had become a guiding light for every rabbi and halachic decisor. And yet he felt incomplete.

1The following are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel on the east side of the Jordan River, regarding the sins they committed in the desert, in the plain, opposite the Sea of Reeds, in the Paran Desert, for having maligned the white manna, regarding the sins they committed at Chatzerot, and with their abundance of gold.

Question Somewhere along the way, I misplaced G‑d. The other day I realized that I hadn't seen G‑d in quite a while—probably not since childhood. And it's not just that I can't find G‑d—I also seem to have lost my sense of what G‑d is... Why did this happen? If I had Him when I was a child, why shouldn't I have Him now? Answer You've got one clue, but you missed the other. It has to do with your language.

Is the news getting you down? Are you in a rut? Or just feeling low? We’ve all been there. How does a person “turn that frown upside-down?” There are a bunch of things that usually help. Exercise. A good night’s sleep. Connecting with a friend. All of these – and many more – are solid suggestions. But sometimes, a person may need an extra pick-me-up. Take me, for instance. A few weeks ago, I was feeling … shall we say … “low-energy.” I hadn’t had a break in a long, long time.

For over 800 years, the Holy Temple was the center of Jewish life. It was home to the Ark of the Covenant, the Menorah, the Altar, and other sacred items, and Jews would pilgrimage there three times a year. Although over 1,950 years have passed since its destruction, its memory remains very much alive in the hearts and minds of Jews worldwide.

One phrase — and more than a phrase, a concept — that has lodged itself deep in our collective consciousness is: Fake News. True or not, it has become an easy and effective way of countering a narrative espoused by others. With the introduction of this phrase into the political discourse, elected officials and journalists and others we used to believe have become suspect.

Test your knowledge of Deborah, the prophetess and judge.

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Chana Weisberg is host of the Ordinary People, Extraordinary Stories podcast and curator of advanced learning experiences on Chabad.org. She lectures internationally on issues relating to women, relationships, meaning, self-esteem and the Jewish soul. She is the author of six books. Her latest book, Shabbat Delights, is a two-volume series on the weekly Torah portion. More from Heshel Mangel © Copyright, all rights reserved.

More from Nissan Dovid Dubov © Copyright, all rights reserved. If you enjoyed this article, we encourage you to distribute it further, provided that you comply with Chabad.org's copyright policy.