Saturday, January 26, 2013

How Strong Are You?

Art by Paul David Bond
Words by Rabbi Michoel Gourarie

In Pirkei Avot [Ethics of the Fathers] there is a passage that reads: Ben Zoma said, Who is strong? He who conquers his evil inclination as it says, 'He who masters his passions is better than one who conquers a city.' The message here is clear - dealing with, and changing negative behavior is extremely difficult. Why does discipline and self control need so much strength?

The mystics explain that every one of us is operated by two forces - the animal soul and the Divine soul. The animal soul is the source of our ego and encourages hedonism, aggression, laziness and emptiness. The Divine soul is the source of moral reasoning and spiritual consciousness. It inspires an awareness of a higher purpose and gives us the ability to think rationally and objectively, making decisions for ethical behavior and appropriate responses to everyday experiences.

Each soul has its own dominant force. The animal soul is driven by instincts that are highly emotional, whereas the Divine soul is dominated by the power of intellect and reason. Both souls fight for control of the person. Both struggle to shape our personality and define our identity.

This is where the challenge of self control lies. The animalistic force is quick. It is emotional and instinctive and prompts a very swift response. The Divine soul is intellectual. It needs time to cognitively process the appropriate and moral response. So when we are insulted or provoked or presented with temptations and ethical dilemmas, the immediate response will be the feelings generated by the instincts and explosive emotions of the animal soul. We are tempted to get angry or do the wrong thing before we give the moral reason a chance.

Self control therefore needs the incredible strength of restraint. It requires holding back for just a few seconds between the things that happen to us and our response, creating a little space to think and process the point of view of the Divine voice. It is what Stephen Covey calls the "pause button between the stimulus and the response".

We need to train ourselves not to act quickly and instinctively. We need to use the unique ability of the human being to stop and ask ourselves the question - is this wrong or right? It takes amazing strength to wait a few seconds, but those few seconds can be the difference between an animalistic act and a divine one..

Next time you are faced with a challenge, give yourself a few seconds for the voice of the soul to be heard.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

HafTorah Beshalach: The Victory Song of Devorah

Written by Reuven Gavriel ben Nissim Ebrahimoff

Read from the Book of Shoftim or Judges

Chapters 4 [The story] and 5 [the Song] for Ashkenazim, Just Chapter 5 for Sephardim.

Deborah commissions Barak to rid Israel of Cannanite oppression. The Prophetess brings about a spiritual regeneration.

The Story Line: 4:1-3 Bnai Yisrael sins by worshipping idols and are subdued by the Cana'anim [Cananites]. 4:4,5 The Prophetess Deborah, wife of Lapidot, becomes the leader of the Jews. 4:6-9 She sends Barak a prophetic message to wage war against the enemy. Hashem confuses Sisera's camp. 4:10-16 The enemy is defeated, just one person remains - Sisera. 4:17-22 Yael kills general Sisera by driving a spike through his head. 4:23-24 Bnai Yisrael kills King Yavin.

Devorah's Song - 5:1-3 Introduction: Praises to Hashem. Torah study and observance brings victory to Bnai Yisrael. 5:4-5 Without Torah they loose and with it they win. 5:6-13 Deborah's Song begins with the description of Matan Torah [The Giving of the Torah]. Start doing circumcisions again and Hashem will bless you. When you want evil decrees to be reversed, Praise Hashem. Thanks to Hashem for the most recent victory and protection from the enemy. 5:14-18 Praise for the Jews who joined the battle and condemnation of those who did not. 5:19-22 The miracles of the war. 5:23-27 Meroz is cursed and Yael is blessed. 5:28-30 False hopes in Sisra's camp. The Conclusion. This event broke the power King Yabin had over the Israelites.

The Haftorah's Connection between the Parsha and Haftorah: The Parsha of Beshalach contains the song that Moshe sang at the Yam Suf [Sea of Reeds], after Hashem rescued the nation of Israel from the Egyptian army. The Haftarah contains the song that was sung after Deborah defeated the Cananites.

The Biography of Deborah: Deborah was one of the seven Prophetesses, and knew the secret of Divine wisdom. She was a Shofettet [female judge] and war leader that led Israel from foreign oppression.

She lived in the latter half of the 12th century BCE.
Her husband was called a Lapidot [Wick Maker] She prophesied for 40 years.
Deborah was independently wealthy, she owned palm trees in Jericho, Orchards in Ramah. Oil producing olive trees in Beit-el.
She sat under a palm tree in order to avoid seclusion with men.
The Mishkan was in Shilo at the time.
Six miracles occurred on this day.
She came from the tribe of Naftali
She lived in Atarot.

Timeline: This story occurred about 3135 years ago.

The location of this Haftara is Mt. Tabor.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

The Last Song



The Mechilta states that "there are ten songs" beginning with the song at the sea led by Moshe, and concluding with the tenth song which will be sung with Moshiach. All the [nine] songs mentioned in scripture are written in the feminine [shirah] since their rejoicing was followed by ["gave birth to"] further servitude. The tenth song of Moshiach is written in the masculine [shir] to indicate that it is permanent.

Chassidic teachings explain that the first nine songs emphasized primarily a desire to come closer to G-d from a distance, like a woman who longs to come closer to and receive from her husband. However, the tenth song of Moshiach will be sung from a feeling that G-d is already close and found openly in our midst, like a husband who is gracefully endearing himself to his wife.

Source: Sichas Shabbos Parshas Beshalach 5752, Lubavitcher Rebbe

Monday, January 21, 2013

Parshas HaMann: Segula for Parnossa

Art: Heidi Malott

Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Riminov [1745-1815], a disciple of the Holy Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk, instructed everyone to read "Parshat HaMann" specifically on the Yom Shlishi [Tuesday] of Parshat [Torah portion of] Beshalach in the "Shnayim Mikra v'Echad Targum" format, i.e. reading the Hebrew verses twice and the Aramaic translation of Onkelos once.   This year it will occur on Tuesday 22 January.

Not to be confused with the evil villain of the Purim story, Parshat haMann [The Chapter of the Manna] is found in the 16th Chapter of the Book of Exodus: verses 4-36. This Chapter details the episode of the miraculous "Manna" [bread from heaven] that sustained the Children of Israel during their 40-year journey in the desert.

Rav Yosef Caaro, the "mechaber" [compiler] of the monumental Halachic text, the Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 1:5, instructs us to recite it daily. Other giants of Halacha also point to the importance of reciting it daily: The Tur 1; Aruch Hashulchan 1:22; Shulchan Aruch HaRav 1:9.

By so doing, every Jew acknowledges that his/her livelihood comes from only from Hashem. Reciting the Parshat HaMann daily strengthens one's Emuna and Bitachon [belief and trust] in HASHEM, and is a "Segula for Parnassa" [auspicious for having a healthy income].

To read Parshat haMann in Hebrew [with the Aramaic translation of Onkelos], please visit: Tefillos.com

English version here: Ou.org

Friday, January 18, 2013

Sydney: Hottest Day on Record


As fires burn around the country, Sydney reached 45.8 degrees [that's 114.4 Fahrenheit] - thankfully a cool change is expected this evening. Read more: Sydney's hottest day on record as mercury hits 45.8 degrees

Friday, January 11, 2013

Why Do You Need to Control Me?

"Let My People Go!" But Can They Let Themselves Go?

by: Rabbi YY Jacobson 

Three Boys
Three boys are in the schoolyard bragging of how great their fathers are.
The first one says: "Well, my father runs the fastest. He can fire an arrow, and start to run, I tell you, he gets there before the arrow".
The second one says: "Ha! You think that's fast! My father is a hunter. He can shoot his gun and be there before the bullet".
The third one listens to the other two and shakes his head. He then says: "You two know nothing about fast. My father is a civil servant. He stops working at 4:30 and he is home by 3:45"!

The First Commandment
The Biblical account of the Jewish Exodus from Egypt has been one of the most inspiring stories for the oppressed, enslaved and downtrodden throughout history. From the American Revolution, to the slaves of the American South, to Martin Luther King’s Let Freedom Ring, the narrative of the Exodus provided countless peoples with the courage to hope for a better future, and to act on the dream.

Moses’ first visit to Pharaoh demanding liberty for his people only brought more misery to the Hebrew slaves; the Egyptian monarch increased their torture. The Hebrews now would not listen any longer to the promise of redemption. Now let us pay heed to this strange verse in the weekly portion, Vaeira:

So G-d spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and He commanded them to the children of Israel, and to Pharaoh the king of Egypt, to let the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. [1]

G-d is charging Moses with two directives: Command the people of Israel and then command Pharaoh the king. However, the verse is ambiguous: What did G-d command Moses to instruct the people? The message for Pharaoh is clear: Let the children of Israel out of Egypt. But what is it that Moses is supposed to command the people themselves? The Jerusalem Talmud [2] says something profoundly enigmatic:

G-d instructed Moses to command to the Jewish people the laws of freeing slaves.

The Talmud is referring to a law recorded later in Exodus: [3] If a Jew sells himself as a slave, the owner must let him go after six years. He is forbidden to hold on to the slave for longer. This was the law Moses was to share with the Israelites while they were in Egyptian bondage.

The Basis for the Commentary
The Talmud bases this novel and seemingly unfounded interpretation on a fascinating narrative in the book of Jeremiah: [4]

Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: So says the Lord G-d of Israel; I made a covenant with your fathers on the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slaves, saying: "At the end of seven years you shall let go every man his brother Jew who has been sold to you, and when he has served you for six years you shall let him go free from you."

The question is, where do we find a covenant made by G-d with the Jewish people when they left Egypt to free their slaves? In a brilliant speculation, the Talmud suggests that this is the meaning of the above enigmatic verse, “G-d spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and He commanded them to the children of Israel, and to Pharaoh the king of Egypt, to let the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.” The commandment to the children of Israel was to set free their slaves.

Yet this seems like a cruel joke. The Children of Israel at this point were crushed and tormented slave themselves, subjugated by a genocidal despot and a tyrannical regime, enduring horrific torture. Yet at this point in time G-d wants Moses to command them about the laws relevant to the aristocrat, the feudal lord, the slave-owner?! [5]

What is more, as the Torah puts it: “G-d commanded them to the children of Israel, and to Pharaoh the king of Egypt to let the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.” It seems like the two instructions—the one to the Israelites and the one to the Egyptian king—are linked. And furthermore: the commandment to the Israelites preceded the commandment to Pharaoh. But what does the commandment to the Jewish that they free their slaves one day in the future have to do with the mission to Pharaoh to set the Hebrews free from bondage?

Who Is Free?
The answer to this question is profoundly simple and moving, and is vital to the understanding of liberty in the biblical imagination.

Before Pharaoh can liberate the Jewish slaves, they must be ready to become free. You can take a man out of slavery, but it may prove more challenging to take slavery out of a man. Externally, you may be free; internally you may still be enslaved.

What is the first and foremost symptom of bring free? That you learn to confer freedom on others.

The dictator, the control freak, or the abusive spouse or parent, does not know how give others freedom. He (or she) feels compelled to force others into the mold that he has created for them. Uncomfortable in his own skin, he is afraid that someone will overshadow him, expose his weaknesses, usurp his position or make him feel extra in this world. Outwardly he attempts to appear powerful, but inwardly his power is a symptom of inner misery and confinement.

Only when one learns to embrace others, not for whom he would like them to be, but for whom they are, then can he begin to embrace himself, not for whom he wishes he was, but for whom he is. When we free those around us, we are freeing ourselves. By accepting them, we learn to accept ourselves.

Who is powerful? He who empowers. Who is free? He who can free others. Who is a leader? He who creates other leaders.

“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power,” Abraham Lincoln said. Ask yourself, do you know how to celebrate the soaring success of your loved ones and constituents? Do you encourage them to spread their wings and maximize their potentials? Can you allow others to shine?

Pharaoh may set you free physically. But former slaves can become present tyrants. People who were abused often become abusers themselves. It is what they know about life; it is the paradigm they were raised with. They grew up in abuse and slavery, so they continue the cycle with others. The first Mitzvah the Jews had to hear from Moses before even he can go the Pharaoh to let them go free was: One day you will be free. Remember that freedom is a gift; use it to free others.

Source and footnotes: click here

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Obama’s ''Mask Off’'' with Hagel Nomination

Hat tip: Joe

BEN SHAPIRO, BREITBART NEWS:

“You know, the truth is that I’m sort of OK with Chuck Hagel as the Secretary of Defense for a simple reason. I sort of like the mask off this administration. He’s dramatically anti-Israel, he’s borderline anti-Semitic. He’s been very clear about his lack of support for the state of Israel. Look at his voting record; he’s one of only four senators who refused to sign a letter in support of Israel in October of 2000, when the Palestinians launched violence against the state of Israel. In 2001, in the middle of a war, as the PLO is waging war against Israel, there were only 11 senators who wouldn’t sign a letter urging Bush not to meet with Arafat. Hagel was one of those people.

In 2005, there was a group of 27 senators, including Hagel, there was a letter to President Bush to pressure Palestinian authorities to ban terrorist groups from participating in elections. So Hagel was fine with terrorist groups participating in elections. That, no doubt, worked out extraordinarily well in the Gaza Strip, where Hamas is now in charge. 2006, there were 12 senators, only 12, who refused to sign a letter asking that Hezbollah be designated a terrorist organization. He was against that. Hezbollah, obviously, has been launching rockets on Israel for years, and years and years. Beyond that, when it comes to Iran, this is a guy has opposed sanctions on Iran. He doesn’t like sanctions on Iran. He thinks we ought to be having direct, bi-lateral negotiations with a terrorist regime in Iran.

So, here’s my conclusion: I’m happy with him as Secretary of Defense because I’m sick of all of these people Obama trots out pretending to be pro-Israel, and all of these Jews who deceive themselves by pretending he’s pro-Israel. Let them nominate somebody who is obviously anti-Israel and borderline anti-Semitic and then we’ll at least know where he stands.

Also see Yeranen Yaakov's take on this: for those who can't read Hebrew, the gematria of Barack + Hagen equals ''Gog and Armilus''.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Extreme Weather

Severe weather that hit Israel and the region over the weekend is set to continue this week. Torrential rain has blocked roads in Jerusalem and flights to Tel Aviv have been re-routed, with sandstorms expected in Israel's southern regions. Hail and snow are also forecast. Story: Israel battered by Storms



Australia: National heat record expected
Weather analysis to be released today is expected to show Australia is sweltering through its hottest days in history.

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Egos and the Laws of Forgiveness

A wise person understands that everything he sees or hears should be carefully considered: everything we experience, and everything that is brought to our attention, is for a purpose.

I guess it is not a coincidence that last Friday afternoon I found myself with some spare time and listened to Rabbi Mizrachi's latest lecture Personality Issues and in the following 36 hours I found myself confronting other peoples'egos and their effect on those around them.

There seem to be so many people struggling with their egos, and in the process, severely hurting other people.  Perhaps if they would stand back and look at the situation through the other person's eyes, and realize that other people matter, and it's not all about ME.... they would behave differently.   Try telling that to an egocentric person, and watch him become extremely angry.  It doesn't matter how intelligent, learned or ''orthodox'' they are, when it comes to their own ego, they are as stubborn as mules.

If someone upsets you, for example, passes you in the street and doesn't acknowledge you..... you may decide to become angry with that person and assume he is deliberately ignoring you.  Your ego will come to the conclusion that he is upset with you.  Instead of assuming the worst and relating his behaviour to YOU, try and give him the benefit of the doubt.  Perhaps he is so absorbed in his own worries, he did not even see you!  Is that so hard to do?  For some people, it seems it is.  Most of us spend our time worrying about ourselves and relating everything to ME, when actually we should be going out of our way to understand that other people have problems too, and it's not always about US..... it's about THEM.  

Egocentric people see everything as an attack against THEM, no-one else's problems matter as much as the fact that their own ego has been hurt.   If we can climb down from our own pedestal and realize that other people have problems too, and try to focus on helping them, instead of getting angry with them and assuming they are attacking us, we would all find life much easier.  

Is it okay to hurt someone else just to prove a point and win an argument? No.
Is it okay to bear a grudge against someone, even though that person has already apologized to you? No.
Is it okay to behave in a nasty way because you believe someone has offended you? No.

I remember going to a function many years ago, and as we entered the room, we were frantically summoned by an elderly aunt...... she forcefully told us ''don't talk to Sarah''  -  ''Why?'' we said...... ''because Sarah isn't talking to me!''she replied.  

How many people do you know who you no longer speak to because of something that happened years ago?   This kind of situation is all ego-based, and it is something that can be fixed, if only we have the courage to fix ourselves first.


Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much. [Oscar Wilde]

The people criticized G-d and Moshe: "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There's no bread and no water, and we're sick of this unwholesome (manna) bread." G-d sent venomous snakes upon the people, and they bit the people. Many people of Israel died. The people came to Moshe and said "We have sinned! For we have spoken against G-d and against you! Pray to G-d that He should remove the snakes from us!" Moshe prayed on behalf of the people. [Chukas 21:5-7]

Even after the people criticized Moshe heavily, resulting in a punishment of venomous snakes, we nevertheless find that Moshe did not bear a grudge and prayed for the people to be saved. "From here we learn" writes Rashi, "that if a person asks you for forgiveness you should not be cruel and refrain from forgiving."

This principle is recorded by Rambam in his legal Code, the Mishneh Torah, in three places and there are a number of variations which need to be explained.

1) In Laws of Personal Injury, Rambam describes the method and process of forgiveness. "Once the attacker has asked forgiveness once, and then a second time, and we know that he has repented for his sin and he has abandoned the evil that he has done, then one must forgive him". However in Laws of Teshuvah these details are omitted. Instead, we are told that "When the sinner asks him for forgiveness, he should forgive him with a full heart and a willing spirit." Similarly, in Laws of Moral Conduct: "If the person returns and aks him for forgiveness, then he should forgive."

2) The person who forgives is given a different name in each of the three laws. In Laws of Moral Conduct he is called the "forgiver"; in Laws of Teshuvah a "person", and in Laws of Personal Injury he is called the "injured party".

3) One further detail is that in Laws of Teshuvah a person is told not to be "difficult to appease". Why does Rambam use this phrase, and why only in Laws of Teshuvah?

The Explanation

Forgiveness can be carried out on three levels:

1) When one person sins against another, he becomes liable to be punished for the sin that he committed. In order to be relieved of this punishment he needs to appease both G-d and the person that he sinned against. Therefore, through forgiving a person for his sin, one alleviates him from a Heavenly punishment.

2) A higher level of forgiveness is to forgive not just the act of sin but the sinner himself. i.e. even though one person may forgive another for a particular bad act (thus relieving him from being punished) there still may remain a trace of dislike for the person in general. Thus, a higher level of forgiveness is to forgive the entire person completely for his wrong, so that there remains no trace of bad feeling between them.

3) The highest level of forgiveness is an emotion that is so strong and positive that it actually uproots the sins of the past, making it as if they never occurred at all. After such a forgiveness, the sinner will be loved by the offended party to the very same degree that he was loved before the sin.

It is these three types of forgiveness which Rambam refers to in his three different laws:

1) In Laws of Personal Injury, Rambam discusses the laws of compensation for specific damages that one person causes another. Thus, when he speaks there of forgiveness for a sin, he is speaking of the forgiveness that is required to relieve the sinner from the punishment of that specific sin. Therefore, Rambam spells out the precise method of forgiveness that is required to achieve atonement ("when the attacker has asked forgiveness once, and then a second time, and we know that he has repented for his sin etc. then one must forgive him"), because only by following this precise method can we be sure that the sinner will be acquitted of this punishment.

To stress the point further, Rambam speaks in terms of an "injured party" and the "forgiving" of the injury, as we are speaking here of a specific sin and its atonement.

2) In Laws of Moral Conduct, the focus is not on the actual sin and its atonement, but rather, the character of the forgiver. And, if a person is to be of fine character, it is insufficient to forgive a person just so that he will be freed from punishment. Rather, one should forgive another person completely (i.e. the second level above). Therefore, in Laws of Moral Conduct, Rambam stresses that "When one person sins against another, he should not hide the matter and remain silent" for it would be a bad character trait to harbor resentment, keeping one's ill feelings to oneself. Therefore "it is a mitzvah for him to bring the matter into the open".

Thus, we can understand why Rambam omits here details of the process of forgiveness, for the main emphasis here is not the atonement of the sinner, but the required character traits of the victim.

To stress the point further, the person is termed here not as the "injured party" but as the "forgiver".

3) In Laws of Teshuvah, Rambam is speaking of the highest level of forgiveness which is required for a person to achieve a total "return to G-d". For this to occur, the forgiveness must be done in a manner that is so deep that one uproots the sin totally; as if it had never occurred at all. This is because total forgiveness is a crucial factor in the sinner's overall return to G-d, as Rambam writes: "Sins between man and his fellow man... are not forgiven until... the person has been asked for forgiveness..."

Thus, Rambam stresses here that "A person should be easily placated and difficult to anger, and when the sinner asks him for forgiveness, he should forgive him with a full heart and a willing spirit" (despite the fact that these details are more appropriate to Laws of Moral Conduct), because the goodwill of the victim is a crucial part of the sinner's teshuvah. Only when the victim is completely forgiving - to the extent that the sin is uprooted, as if it never existed - can we be sure that the sinner has returned to be as close to G-d as he was prior to the sin.

To stress this point further, Rambam writes "It is forbidden for a person (not an "injured party" or "forgiver") to be cruel and difficult to appease" - i.e. here we are not talking merely of the minimum forgiveness that is required to relieve the sinner from his punishment. Rather, here we are talking of the victim as a "person". And one can hope that he will not merely "forgive" his fellow who hurt him, freeing him from punishment, but that he will allow himself to be "appeased" completely, thereby helping his fellow Jew to come to a complete Teshuvah.

Source: Based on Likutei Sichos Vol 28 Lubavitcher Rebbe

Friday, January 4, 2013

The Flame is in the Thorns

The Story of the Soul That Never Stops Burning
by Rabbi Y. Y. Jacobson

Irritation, Aggravation, and Frustration
A boy asks his father to explain the differences among irritation, aggravation, and frustration.
Dad picks up the phone and dials a number at random. When the phone is answered he asks, "Can I speak to Alf, please?"
"No! There's no one called Alf here." The person hangs up.
"That's irritation," says Dad.
He picks up the phone again, dials the same number and asks for Alf a second time.
"No--there's no one here called Alf. Go away. If you call again I shall telephone the police." End of conversation.
"That's aggravation."
"Then what's 'frustration'?" asks his son.
The father picks up the phone and dials a third time:
"Hello, this is Alf. Have I received any phone calls?"

The Vision
This coming Sunday, the 24th of the Hebrew month of Teves, marks 200 years from the passing of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi [1745-1812], the man who revolutionized the landscape of Jewish thought, synthesizing the rational, legalistic and mystical streams of Judaism into a unified, comprehensive program for life, in a system known as “Chabad Chasidism.” [TheYeshiva.net will be hosting Saturday night and Sunday all day an 11-hour webcast, with nine teachers exploring the works of this spiritual and intellectual giant. Click here to tune in to the program Saturday night and Sunday morning.]

For this occasion, I will share today an insight by this spiritual giant on the weekly Torah portion, Shemos.
The inaugural vision in which Moses was appointed to become the molder of the Jewish Nation and its eternal teacher, we should assume, contains within it the essence of Judaism.

Moses, shepherding his father-in-law's sheep in the Sinai wilderness, suddenly sees a blazing thorn-bush. "G-d's angel appeared to Moses in a blaze of fire from amid a thorny-bush," we read in this week's portion, Shemos (1). "He saw and behold! The bush was burning in the fire but was not consumed. Moses said to himself, 'I must go over there and gaze at this great sight—why isn't the bush burning up from the flames'". When Moses approaches the scene, G-d reveals Himself to him, charging Moses with the mission of leading the Jewish people to redemption.

What was the spiritual and psychological symbolism behind the vision of a burning bush?

Human Trees and Bushes
"Man is a tree of the field," states the Torah (2). All humans are compared to trees and bushes. Just like trees and bushes, we humans contain hidden roots, motives and drives buried beneath our conscious self. Just like trees and bushes, we also possess a personality that is visibly displayed, each in a different from and shape (3).

Some human beings can be compared to tall and splendorous trees, with strong trunks enveloped by branches, flowers and fruits. Others may be compared to bushes, humble plants, lacking the stature and majesty commanded by a tree. Some individuals may even see themselves as thorn-bushes, harboring unresolved tension and unsettled turmoil. Like a thorn, their struggles and conflicts are a source of constant irritation and frustration, as they never feel content and complete within themselves (4).

All people—all trees and bushes—are aflame. Each person has a fire burning within him or her, yearning for meaning, wholesomeness, and love. Just as the flame of a candle is forever licking the air, reaching upward toward heaven, so too each soul longs to kiss heaven and touch the texture of eternity (5).

Yet, for many human trees the longing flame of the soul is satisfied and ultimately quenched by their sense of spiritual accomplishment and success. These people feel content with their spiritual achievements; complacent in their relationship with G-d, satisfied with the meaning and love they find in their lives.

The human thorn-bushes, on the other hand, experience a different fate. The thorns within them never allow them to become content with who they are, and they dream for a life of truth that always seems elusive. Thus their yearning flames are never quenched. They burn and burn and their fire never ceases. Since the ultimate peace they are searching for remains beyond them, and the reality and depth of G-d always eludes them, their internal void is never filled, leaving them humbled and thirsty, ablaze with a flame and yearning that is never satisfied and quenched.

With the sight Moses beheld in the wilderness, he was shown one of the fundamental truths of Judaism: More than anywhere else, G-d is present in the flame of the thorn-bush. The prerequisite to Moses' assuming the role of the eternal teacher of the people of Israel was his discovery that the deepest truth of G-d is experienced in the very search and longing for Him. The moment one feels that "I have G-d," he might have everything but G-d.

The Master Key
A story (6):
One year, the Baal Shem Tov (7) said to Rabbi Ze'ev Kitzes, one of his senior disciples, "You will blow the shofar for us this Rosh Hashanah. I want you to study all the kabbalistic meditations that pertain to shofar, so that you should meditate upon them when you do the blowing." Rabbi Ze'ev applied himself to the task with trepidation over the immensity of the responsibility. He studied the kabbalistic writings that discuss the significance of the shofar and its mystical secrets. He also prepared a sheet of paper on which he noted the main points of each meditation he needed to reflect upon while blowing the shofar.

Finally, the great moment arrived. It was the morning of Rosh Hashanah and Rabbi Ze'ev stood on the platform in the center of the Baal Shem Tov's synagogue, surrounded by a sea of worshippers. In a corner stood the Baal Shem Tov, his face aflame. An awed silence filled the room in anticipation of the climax of the day -- the piercing blasts and sobs of the shofar.

Rabbi Ze'ev reached into his pocket and his heart froze: The paper had disappeared. He distinctly remembered placing it there that morning, but now it was gone. He searched his memory for what he had learned, but his distress over the lost notes froze his mind. Tears of frustration filled his eyes as he realized that now he must blow the shofar like a simpleton, devoid of spiritual meaning and ecstasy. Rabbi Ze'ev blew the litany of sounds required by Jewish law and returned to his place, an emptiness etched deeply in his heart.

At the conclusion of prayers, the Baal Shem Tov approached Rabbi Ze'ev, who sat sobbing under his tallis. "Gut Yom Tov, Reb Ze'ev!" he exclaimed. "That was a most extraordinary shofar-blowing we heard today!"
"But Rebbe... Why?..."

"In the King's palace," said the Baal Shem Tov, "there are many gates and doors leading to many halls and chambers. The palace-keepers have great rings holding many keys, each of which opens a different door. The meditations are keys, each unlocking another door in our souls, each accessing another chamber in the supernal worlds.

"But there is one key that fits all the locks, a master key that opens all the doors, that opens up for us the innermost chambers of the Divine palace. That master key is a broken heart (8)."

1) Exodus 3: 1-3.
2) Deuteronomy 20:19. Talmud Taanis 7a.
3) Cf. Likkutei Sichos vol. 6 pp. 308-309. Igros Kodesh of the Lubavitcher Rebbe vol. 1, pp. 247-250.
4) See Tanya chapter 15, 27, 29, 30, 31.
5) See Tanya chapter 19, based on Proverbs 20:27.
6) Week In Review (VHH, 1996, edited by Yanki Tauber) Vol. 7 No 51.
7) 1698-1760. The Baal Shem Tov was the founder of the Chassidic movement. This year marks the 250th anniversary of his yartzeit.
8) This essay is based on a discourse by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812), founder of the Chabad school of Chassidism. The kernel of this discourse he received from his mentor, Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezrich (d. 1772), who heard it from his teacher, the Baal Shem Tov.

During a public debate that took place in 1783 in the Russian City Minsk, between Rabbi Schneur Zalman and the great Lithuanian scholars who fiercely opposed Chassidism, Rabbi Schneur Zalman explained how Moses' vision of the burning bush served as the nucleus of the Chassidic contribution to Judaism. He pointed out that this quality of an unquenchable flame embodied the uniqueness of the simple Jew who's heartfelt prayer was filled with an Insatiable yearning for G-dliness, vs. the accomplished Torah scholar whose fire has been quenched by his intellectual creativity and innovations (The complete episode around the debate was related by Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch in 1942 and published in Sefer HaSichos 5702 pp. 46-47; Kesser Shem Tov, 1998 edition, section b, pp. 19-21).

Thursday, January 3, 2013

The Chamber of Wealth

24 Tevet: Yarzheit of the Alter Rebbe

The founder of Chabad Chassidism, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi - "the Alter Rebbe" [1745-1812], passed away on the eve of the 24th of Tevet, at approximately 10:30 pm, shortly after reciting the Havdalah prayer marking the end of the Shabbat. The Rebbe was in the village of Peyena, fleeing Napoleon's armies, which had swept through the Rebbe's hometown of Liadi three months earlier in their advance towards Moscow. He was in his 68th year at the time of his passing, and was succeeded by his son, Rabbi DovBer of Lubavitch.

The Alter Rebbe would often repeat in the name of the Baal Shem Tov that wealth can be Gan Eden (paradise) or it can be Gehenom (purgatory). The Alter Rebbe explained this saying as follows. If one uses his wealth for charitable purposes, then it is paradise. If one uses it for self-indulgence or holds it treasured away in order not to give charity, then it is purgatory.

The Mitteler Rebbe, when he was just 7 years old, asked his father "Why are wealthy people so haughty? Even those who are not born into wealth, yet when they become wealthy they change nature and become conceited."

The Alter Rebbe responded "God set up a system in which wealth inherently causes conceit. The chamber of wealth, in Heaven, is found between Gan Eden and Gehenom. There are two doors to this chamber. One opens to Gan Eden and the other opens to Gehenom. Ze le'umas ze asa Elokim - God made one opposite the other.  [Source: Chaim Dalfin: The Seven Chabad Lubavitch Rebbes]



Monday, December 31, 2012

Within Reach



"She sent her maidservant and she took it" [Shemot 2:5]

Chazal inform us that the basket carrying Moshe was too far for Pharoah's daughter to reach from where she was standing. Still, she stretched out her hand (amasah) in the direction of the basket and Hashem miraculously lengthened her arm for her.

R' Meir Shapiro, the rosh yeshivah of Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin, called for an emergency meeting of the leaders of Lublin to discuss a certain person whose life was in danger.  R' Shapiro demanded of them to do something to save his life.

"This matter that you speak of" responded one of the leaders, "is beyond our capabilities.  We regrettably do not believe that we can carry it out."

"In this week's parsha" replied R' Shapiro, "the Torah states: "And she sent her maidservant".  Chazal teach us that the arm of Pharoah's daughter was miraculously lengthened in order for her to take hold of Moshe's basket.

"I wonder" continued R' Shapiro, "why did Pharoah's daughter even attempt to retrieve the basket in the first place?  After all, if it is obvious to an individual that something is not within his reach, does he waste his energy trying to obtain it?"

"We see from here" concluded R' Shapiro, "that when a person is expected to accomplish something, he should not deliberate whether or not he is capable of succeeding - he must try! Let him first make an effort, and then Heaven will assist him."

Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

How to Avoid an Evil Eye


"Ben Poras Yosef, Ben Poras Alei Ayin" [Vayechi 49:22]. Rashi says that this means that Yosef will multiply and be beyond the reach of Ayin Hara [the evil eye]. As a reward for not taking his master's wife, no one will be able, through jealously, to inflict any harm on what belongs to him.

The Shulchan Gavo'a brings from Rav Eliyahu Dessler that no matter how rich a person is, no one is ever jealous of a totally selfless person whose whole life is about giving. An element of jealousy stems from the intended or even unintended flaunting of oneself before others.

Yaakov gave Ephraim and Menashe a bracha "V'Yidgu LaRov" - they should multiply like fish. There are two attributes of fish that Yaakov had in mind. Fish are not seen from the dry land. Moreover the fish live a life totally separated from the inhabitants of the land. They don't compete with them in any way. That is why the Ayin Hara does not affect them.

If a person lives a life of Yosef, where he doesn't want what doesn't belong to him, and he lives and enjoys his material assets out of the public eye, he too will not suffer from any unwanted evil eyes.

Source: Rav Eliyahu Dessler

Friday, December 21, 2012

Jews in the West Bank?

by Rabbi Aron Moss

Question of the Week:

As a believing Christian, I made a recent pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I was profoundly disturbed by the Jewish state and its criminal occupation of the West Bank. The international community has condemned this time and time again. How can you justify usurping land that belongs to others?

Answer:
You are entitled to your opinion on the matter. But I hope you are consistent in your beliefs. Being that you oppose a Jewish presence on the West Bank, I assume you will not be participating in any Xmas celebrations during the coming days. According to your view, there is no reason to be merry on December 25.

The Christian holidays celebrate an event that you have named a criminal act - the birth of a Jewish baby to a Jewish family in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. Your views should not allow you to have any part in this cheer, for if you did you would be giving retroactive approval to a Jewish settlement on the West Bank that dates back more than two thousand years.

Perhaps you will be joined by the UN and other humanitarian organizations around the world condemning any celebrations that are connected with this controversial birth, as such events would be recognizing the rights of a Jewish family to live on what you see as occupied territory.

However I must warn you, by espousing this view and not celebrating, you will be vastly outnumbered. The international community, by celebrating Xmas, expresses support for the fact that the West Bank has always been the home of the Jewish people.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

The Mayans and the Jewish Midrash

The biblical Enoch was the son of Yered who was the great great grandson of Seth, a son of Adam. Enoch lived 365 years, from 622 to 987 on the Jewish calendar. The beginning of the long count Mayan calendar is taken to be in August of the year 3114 BCE, [-3113]. This corresponds to the year 647 on the Jewish calendar. After the Rosh HaShanah holiday in the year 3114 BCE, the year on the Jewish calendar would be 646. From these dates, we can infer that the beginning of the Mayan calendar occurs during the life of Enoch.

According to the Midrash in Seder Hadorot, [Vol 1, p. 89], Enoch served God and despised the wicked people of his generation. He separated from them and hid himself away. One day when he was praying, an angel of God spoke to him telling him to go out from his house and teach the people about the ways of God and the correct ways to live. 

In the book Sefer Hayashar, we read about Enoch:

He gathered people around him and taught them about God. Word was sent around everywhere announcing that whoever wanted to know the ways of God and the good life should come to Enoch for instruction. Hungry for the truth, people eagerly gathered around him and he taught them the wisdom of God. Thus the people served God all the lifetime of Enoch. Rulers, princes, and judges, all came to hear him. He was loved and respected so much that three hundred rulers proclaimed him king over them. With gentle persuasion he was able to establish peaceful relations between all these rulers. He reigned for two hundred and forty-three years guiding all people in the ways of God.

Seder Hadorot tells that Enoch was the first one to write a book on astronomy. In the pseudepigraph Book of Enoch, a compilation of books detailing the experiences, the prophecies, and teachings of Enoch, there is a book entitled The courses of the Heavenly Luminaries. This is chapters 72 through 82 of the Book of Enoch, and they are devoted to describing the changing times for the rising and the setting of the sun through the solar year, the waxing and waning of the moon through the lunar month and year.

The ancient Greeks identified Enoch with Hermes Trismegistus. The Greeks wrote that Enoch taught the sons of men the art of building cities, the knowledge of the Zodiac, and the course of the Planets. We also find Enoch's association with astronomy and arithmetic in Sefer Yuhasin. In the Book of Jubilees, Enoch was the inventor of the art of writing. This is also so according to Masonic lore. The correlation of these accomplishments of Enoch and the meaning of the term Maya in different cultures is immediately apparent and surely not a coincidence.

The Midrash explains how Enoch obtained his knowledge. In The Zohar, Rabbi Aba said, A book was sent down to Adam through which he discerned and comprehended the supernal wisdom. [This is the book of The Generations Of Adam.] This book later came into the hands of the sons of Elohim, the sages of their generation, who were priviledged to learn from it and to glean the supernal wisdom. They grasped it and comprehended it. This book was brought down by the guardian of the secrets who is the angel Raziel and was given to Adam in the Garden of Eden. Three guardian angels went before him and guarded the book so that the external forces would not have access to it.

When Adam was expelled from the Garden of Eden, he still held on to the book. Yet as he stepped out, the book flew away from him. He prayed and cried out to his Master, and the book was returned to him again so that this wisdom would not be forgotten and the people would endeavor to attain knowledge of their Master.

We have been told that Enoch had a book, which originated from the same place as that of the Generations of Adam. And this book contains the inner secrets of wisdom.

Continue reading at: Real Bible Codes

Suffering, Passing Tests, and Miracles

Rav Isaac Sher - The Beauty of Suffering and the Torment of Gehinom

Chazal tell us the a lifetime of suffering in this world is less painful than even a moment in Gehinom. How can we compare suffering in a physical world to the suffering in a spiritual world, it is not a real comparison. Are we really comparing degrees of heat?

Rav Isaac Sher explains that there is a big difference between suffering in this world and suffering in the next world. Gehinom he says merely cleanses you of your aveiros [sins]. Once you are clean however, you are the same person you were before, only without the stains of your misdeeds. You are on the same low level.

Not so with suffering in this world. Through our suffering we grow and can reach new heights. We contemplate our pain and open new vistas of understanding of Hashem and our purpose in the world. Each step of our purification brings us closer to Hashem in ways we would have been unable to without the pain.

Maybe this resolves our question. While suffering in the next world is a punishment for our sins, suffering in this world is an opportunity for advancement. Therefore all the pain in this world which is steeped with opportunity cannot be compared to even a single moment of the hopeless of Gehinom.

Rav Chaim Zaitchek - The Nes of Passing a Nisayon [The miracle of passing a trial]

What defines a miracle? Everything in this world is controlled by Hashem. There is no difference between Hashem's ability to make plants grow or split the sea. What differentiates the two? The answer is that Hashem created a natural order in the world to allow people to believe that Hashem does not exist. An event that breaks the rules is called a miracle. It is Hashem showing us a glimpse of His total control. Nature is called Teva from the word Tava or drowning. The everyday miracles that Hashem performs in nature and to us individually are drowned beneath the surface, and out of our field of view unless we use our mind to perceive them. The word for a miracle is Nes. Nes means a flagpole. It is an event that stands out in plain view for all to see, unless one chooses to look the other way.

On a similar note the world was created to challenged us to choose good. The word for these challenges is Nisayon. Nisayon has the word Nes in it. What is the connection? The answer says Rav Chaim Zaitchek, is that we all are born with great potential for good. Our challenge is to dig deep down and use these abilities. We are tested as a means to bring this potential out into the world. A Nisayon is an opportunity to show ourselves, Hashem, and the universe the good buried within us. By passing a Nisayon we have created a Nes!

Source: Revach

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Ani Yosef

"I am Yosef!" [Vayigash 45:3]

The Chofetz Chaim offered the following explanation of this verse: 

When the brothers had initially arrived in Egypt, they were treated harshly by Yosef, who accused them of being spies.  The brothers were startled by what was happening to them, and they asked one another: "Why is this happening to us?  Who among us is guilty of a sin that would have brought this upon us?"

On the brothers' second trip to Egypt, they once again asked one another: "What is this that Hashem has done to us?"

However, continued the Chofetz Chaim, when the brothers heard but two words: "Ani Yosef" - I am Yosef - all of their questions were answered.  Suddenly, everything was clear - all of their misfortune had occurred as a result of having sold Yosef.

Today, as well, concluded the Chofetz Chaim, there are many people who question the way that Hashem runs His world.  "Why do the righteous suffer?" they ask.  "Why can the wicked prosper?"

However, at the End of Days, when the entire world hears Hashem utter but two words: "Ani Hashem" - I am Hashem - all of the questions will vanish.

Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein





Wednesday, December 5, 2012

The Obama Codes

Way back in 2008, Joel Gallis a"h and Dr Robert Wolf presented an article outlining the events that would occur via Obama during the ''End of Days''. [See Obama and the Evil at the End of Days]

Today, R'Dov bar Leib has shown us some more on this subject, with the coded name of Obama appearing in the Torah where it discusses the Kings of Edom:  וְאֵלֶּה הַמְּלָכִים אֲשֶׁר מָלְכוּ בְּאֶרֶץ אֱדוֹם  .... ''And these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom''...  [Vayishlach 36:31]
The red letters, re-arranged, spell אובאמה - Obama.

You can read Dov bar Leib's post here: The Last King of Edom

Re-post: Mayan Calender, December 21 and Judaism

Extracts from The Mayan Culture and Judaism by Rabbi M. Glazerson and Professor R. Haralick

click here
Reprinted with permission. I have extracted only a small portion of the information in the book.....I strongly recommend you purchase it  to fully understand all the concepts.


The Mayan calendar counts time until the year 2012, after which we encounter a situation of no more time from their point of view; a time when there will be complete knowledge.  We will have the power to heal, to create and to change everything.

According to Mayan astronomy, our galaxy orbits the Pleiades every 26,000 years*.   In 2012 there will be a completion of the cycle.... and there will be a new dawn for mankind.  In space there will be a situation in which the planets are directly aligned [an occurrence which happens once every 26,000 years], including the earth, the sun, the Milky Way, the Pleiades, Sirius and others. This will happen at exactly 11am on December 21, 2012,  and at 11:11 there will be a stream of new light of pure awareness that will shine without interference from the planets.

*It is important to point out that even though the calculations of the number of years in the Mayan tradition comes to numbers higher than the maximum 6,000 years of Jewish tradition, there is no inherent contradiction to the Torah of Israel. As the Ramban says in his commentary on the Torah [Genesis, 2], the world is supposed to continue for 6,000 years that mirror the six days of creation.  This refers to the physical world created within the system of time.... according to the teachings of relativity in science, the passage of time exists only in the physical world.... the greater the central mass the slower time moves, when the universe began to expand, the meter of time increased its rate. [Similar to the concept mentioned here] 


The Gemara in Nedarim [8:2] states:
Reish Lakish states: ''In the World to Come, there will be no Gehinnom [hell]. Rather, Hashem will remove the sun from its sheath, and the righteous will be healed by it, while the wicked will be punished by it, as it says [Malachi 3:19] ''A sun will come which will burn like a furnace; all the wicked and all the evildoers will be like straw, and the sun will incinerate them... But a sun of kindness will shine for those who fear Me, with healing in its rays.''

The Abarbanel explains this verse:
''The sun performs opposite actions and, depending on the circumstances, it will burn or heal. It whitens laundry and browns the ski, it melts wax and freezes salt, and therefore, whereas the evildoers who are empty and dry like straw will be burnt, the righteous ones who are damp and moist, will be healed.''

 וְעֵת-צָרָה הִיא לְיַעֲקֹב, וּמִמֶּנָּה יִוָּשֵׁעַ
''...and it is a time of trouble unto Jacob, but out of it shall he be saved'' 

It is interesting to note that the gematria of the words ''and a time of trouble'' is 772, which equals the value of the words ''time of clarity''.  This reinforces the idea that at that time it will be a time of tzara [trouble] for the wicked, and it will conversely be a time of tzohar [clarity] for the righteous.

According to the Mayan calendar, the year 1992 is the first year of the last phase [period 20] of the final stage [13th stage] of the great cycle. It is striking to note that the year 1992 was the year תשׁנ''ב  -
5752 years from the creation of the world, which was the beginning of the time after midday Friday, [on the cosmic clock] when the special Shabbat atmosphere began to descend on the world [according to the holy Arizal]. The Mayans refer to these 20 years as the purification of the earth.  During this period, the earth will become completely purified, including the hearts of the people. Evil will be uprooted and goodness will prevail.  The cycle will culminate on the 21st of December 2012, effectively ending the characteristics of civilization as we know it.  After this, humanity will advance into a new type of civilization.

Rav Kushilevsky comments that when discussing the year 2012, one must take into consideration the wellknown fact that the Vilna Gaon considers the birth pangs of Moshiach to be of 70 years' duration.  In the same vein, there are 70 words in Psalms chapter 20 which include ''May Hashem answer you on the day of trouble''.  In the year 5702, the Holocaust began in full force and, as the Aish Kodesh wrote:  ''The terrible tragedies and horrible, unnatural deaths that the cruel Nazi beasts inflicted upon the House of Israel in the year 5702, in my scope of knowledge of the words of the sages and the Book of Chronicles, there has never before been such suffering...''

From this we infer that the year 5702 began the birth pangs of Moshaich. If we add another 70 years from 5702 in order to get to the date of the actual ''birth'', we get the year 5772 - 2012.

In this time of the ''footsteps of Moshiach'' the aspect of the mixed multitudes [Erev Rav] will be strengthened and the leaders of Israel will emerge from the Erev Rav, as it says in the holy Zohar in various places. This has proven itself true when, in recent years, the government of the State of Israel has consisted of parties and ministers who are committed to fighting against the Torah values of Israel. The Rabbis in the Talmudic tractate, Sanhedrin [98:1] discussed this: ''the kings will turn into heretics'', and as it is said in the commentary, this is also referring to the kingdom of Israel.

The sages tell us in the Talmud that this state of affairs will bring Israel to recognize that ''We have no one to lean on except our Father in Heaven'', as is evident in our days when Israel is having such difficulty fighting off our enemies. This will result in the complete return [teshuvah] of the Jewish nation to their heritage, which is the foundation of the final Redemption, ''Because Israel will only be redeemed if they return''. [Sanhedrin 97: 2]

Please note: the date of December 21, 2012 is thought to be significant by many people and religions.  But Redemption can come at any time, and we hope for Moshiach every day.  The information contained in this blog post is not a prophecy or a prediction, merely a distribution of knowledge that is currently available to us.  Things can change in the blink of an eye. [More to come on this topic, stay tuned]

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Letter from Rav Chaim Kanievsky On Current Matzav

Translation by a commenter: original can be found at Matzav.com

Letter from the Rav Gaon Gadol R’ Chaim Kanievsky Shlit”a
8th of Kislev 5753 [Nov. 22nd]

Tumultuous Time for Ya’akov
Eretz Yisrael needs mercy from Hashem due to the seriousness of the current situation. Mercy’s also required for our brethren in the United States to deal with the aftermath of the serious storm. Hashem is sending us a message…”the voice of Hashem breaks the cedars” [Ps. 29]

What is it that Hashem wants from us now? What do we need to improve in?
Teshuva!
Hashem is telling us to do Teshuva. The beginning of the judgement of man are the words of Torah. We need to strengthen ourselves in the area of Torah learning.
Bnei Torah need to learn with tremendous dedication.
Ba’alei Batim need to make a serious point of setting time to learn daily.

The reward of Torah is very great, The Torah will save us and give us the success we need.
The merit of Torah will benefit us spiritually, materially and give us success in both the World to Come and this world.

May the Redeemer come to Zion soon, amen.

HT: Creed of Noah

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Sydney Australia: Blood Red Ocean


Several popular Sydney beaches, including the iconic Bondi, have been closed after patches of red algae were spotted in the water. 

Patches of the red algae, a natural phenomenon that can be exacerbated by certain weather conditions, have been sighted between Bondi Beach and Maroubra Beach this morning. 

Both Bondi Beach and Clovelly Beach are closed while authorities conduct tests in the water. 

Gordon's Bay was also closed due to the algal bloom, with Beachwatch posting a photograph on Twitter showing water the colour of tomato juice. 

Read more: News.com and Herald Sun



Friday, November 23, 2012

Tikkun HaKlali

A beauiful video of the Tikkun HaKlali [Complete Rectification] - Psalms sung in Hebrew. Thank you Stella for forwarding the link.

 

Watcher Angels



By Rabbi Ariel bar Tzadok

This week's Torah portion is called Vayetzei [Genesis 28:10-32:3]

In this week's Torah portion we read about the building of the family of Jacob. Because of the recent episode where Jacob tricked his brother Esau out of his patriarchal blessing, Jacob is forced to leave his family and to seek a wife from his wife's brother Laban.

In travel, Jacob settles down for the night and has a fantastic dream. He not only sees God, who makes promises to Jacob, he also sees angels ascending and descending on what Jacob describes as a ladder going up to Heaven. Although dream language is archetypal in nature and is thus never literal, nevertheless Jacob saw a spiritual reality which is most revelatory. While many thinkers wish to interpret angels as being only symbolic representations, Jacob's dream reveals that indeed, these are actual entities, and apparently they have regular purpose for being here on Earth.

Continue reading at Kosher Torah

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Red Alert to Klall Yisroel in the name of HaRav Moshe Sternbuch, shilita

The Jewish people are witnessing miracles in Israel. The missiles fired at us have the power to level buildings, yet miracles are taking place and we were spared from mass destruction. Even the most secular newspapers report that there is no way to explain these events according to natural law.

While the word "miracle" has been liberally splashed around by the media, neither the secular nor the religious press grasped the vital message of the hour. The situation arouses an urgent and critical obligation for each Jew to ask himself: "Why is Hashem performing these miracles for us? How should I be conducting myself in these extraordinary times?

If we do not deal with these questions immediately, this current security crisis could – Chas Veshalom – escalate into the most dangerous period in Jewish history. Hashem performs miracles for the Jewish people so that we will become more aware of His Presence in our lives. In recent days, He has made perfectly clear that He alone wields power in the world and that no missile can harm so much as a hair on the head of a Jew without His consent. Every rocket has an address that He predetermines, though the terrorists may believe that they can aim at a particular target.

Miracles are Hashem's alarm bells, "a red alert" that we must wake up and become truly conscious of Hashem's hashgachah in our daily lives. If we ignore these messages and conclude that miracles are just a natural part of living in Israel, the tables w could – Chas Veshalom – quickly turn.

We could – Chas Veshalom – in fact be handed over to natural law, and the missiles inexplicably could – Chas Veshalom – begin to hit their targets with greater frequency. And that means that the lives of our fellow Jews – our brothers and sisters living in Israel – could – Chas Veshalom – be in mortal danger.

We must learn this lesson from the story of the meraglim (spies). When they returned from Eretz Yisrael they claimed this land was a place where miracles were apparent on a daily basis, and therefore an extremely high spiritual level would be demanded of those who dwelled there. There was no way that Klal Yisrael as a nation could maintain such a level, and therefore the spies, who were all Gedolei Yisrael, ruled that the people should not enter the land.

The opinion of the meraglim was brought before the Sanhedrin, and they concurred with their ruling. It may seem, on the surface, that their reasoning was sound, and logic dictated that it was unwise to enter Eretz Yisrael. Yet we see from the grave punishment incurred by that generation that they could not have been further from the truth. What was the mistake in their reasoning?

The answer is simple. If Hashem told us to enter Eretz Yisrael, He obviously knew that we would ascend to the spiritual level necessary for a nation that sees miracles on a daily basis. For this reason, the claim of the meraglim was heresy, and we suffer from its bitter consequences to this very day.

In more recent times, Rav Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg once told Rav Sternbuch about a meeting of secular non-Jewish and Jewish professors to discuss the authorship of the Torah. Their conclusion was that while the Torah was far too complex to be man-made, they were not ready to attribute it to a Divine source that they knew nothing about. Like the meraglim, they perceived the significance of the Divine influence, but refused to follow through by accepting the full import of this conclusion.

During the current military operation, we are facing the very same challenge. Hashem is sending us a message that we must make real changes in our lives and raise our level of consciousness of His Presence, to the point where we are worthy of such supernatural treatment. If we rise to the occasion and raise our level of emunah as a result of these miracles, then we will pass the nisayon (test), and it is very likely that Moshiach will arrive shortly.

Chazal offer us practical advice in this area, and write that reciting a hundred brachos every day and saying Amen yehei Shmei Rabba has the power to annul decrees. Reciting Tehillim is important, but we need to make sure that our tefilah is also said with the proper kavanah. Everyone should take upon themselves to do something small to raise their level of emunah.

We must consider ourselves warned by the lessons of our history: If Hashem shows us miracles and we do not respond by strengthening our emunah, His mercy could – Chas Veshalom – turn to fury and we are handed over to the forces of natural law. We dare not speak about what this could could – Chas Veshalom– lead to, but we all understand the ruthless nature and implacable hatred of the enemy we face.

Now is the time, while Hasehm continues to shower His miracles upon us, to recognize His hand in our lives on a national and individual level, to turn to Him in tefilah and teshuvah, and eagerly watch the redemption unfold before our eyes.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

The Gate of Trust - Shaar Ha'Bitachon

from Chovos Halevavos - Duties of the Heart
by Rabeinu Bahya ibn Paquda
translated by Rabbi Yosef Sebag © 2012

Level: Intermediate
permission granted to redistribute this in any format for non profit Jewish purposes

Contents
Translator's Foreword
Introduction - benefits of trust
Chapter 1 - What is trust
Chapter 2 - The criteria for trusting someone
Chapter 3 - The factors which would obligate one to trust in G-d, and the obligation to engage in a livelihood.
Chapter 4 - When trust applies and when it does not
Chapter 5 - The difference between one who trusts in G-d in earning a livelihood and one who does not.
Chapter 6 - Obligation to refute those who promote delaying the service of G-d until reaching sufficient material prosperity.
Chapter 7 - Things that damage one's trust in G-d, and a summary of the matter of trust.

Click here for full document: Daf Yomi Review