Abba Perelmuter, a Lubavitcher Chasid, is the kind of rabbi who knows most people get bored going to shul. So when he gives a sermon he does his best to tell stories people can relate to - "People get bored hearing about some 17th century rabbi they never heard of." Instead he tells stories from his own life, illustrating his point in a way people can find relatable... and funny. Growing up the son of Holocaust survivors, his house always felt heavy. To counter it, he developed a sort of "gallows humor" and it has so permeated his being that sometimes it's hard to get the guy to be serious. While prepping him for the interview in his Sukkah in Long Beach, California - my very first "Life Advice from Clergy" - I had to literally smack the rabbi on the arm and say, "Stop joking around and let's do this already!" I switched the camera on and he told me a story about getting revenge on his children - a theory both insane and funny. But the more he talked, the more I realized there was something deep in his comedy. And while he was joking around, he was actually giving me advice at the same time. And you know what - he has a lot of good advice to give.
Rabbi Perelmuter on Goal Setting:
Rabbi Perelmuter on Procreation:
Rabbi Perelmuter on Marriage:
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10 years ago
