Who’s in Charge: Your Emotions or Your Values?

Send us Fan Mail In this morning’s class, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath explored one of the Torah’s most psychologically honest teachings: what to do when our emotions and our values don’t align. Through the mitzvah of helping an enemy’s fallen donkey, we uncovered Judaism’s middle path, neither repressing emotions nor surrendering to them. Drawing from halacha, Kabbalah, and Chassidus, the class reframed emotional maturity as the ability to feel honestly while choosing responsibly, and offered a practical way to act with integrity even when the heart resists. Key Takeaways The Torah acknowledges emotional resistance without letting it dictate behavior Feeling something does not automatically make it true or actionable Jewish Law validates emotions but prioritizes responsibility and mitzvah Helping an “enemy” is about freeing yourself from the grip of impulse In Kabbalah, the mind is meant to guide emotions like a wise parent, not silence them Sometimes the heart follows the hands, action can lead emotion A Brand-New Four Part Kabbalah Series - Turning Walls into Doorways Access HERE Available now: Paperback: Kindle: Audiobook : Support the show Got your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or Single? You can make a profile on and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone. Donate and support Rabbi Bernath’s work Follow Rabbi Bernath’s YouTube Channel Access Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships

You can listen to Who’s in Charge: Your Emotions or Your Values? online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Who’s in Charge: Your Emotions or Your Values? is an episode from Kabbalah for Everyone by Rabbi Yisroel Bernath.

This episode is 37:40 long.

This episode was published on Feb 11, 2026.

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