Friday, November 2, 2012

Letter from Lakewood

Received via email from a reader:

Dear Brothers and Sisters of Lakewood

With much of Lakewood still without power for days, I humbly feel that Hashem is trying to send us a message that "we" are putting out the light of the beauty of Lakewood, the largest town in the US of Torah learning. The light of the Kedusha the light of thousands of Torah learners right here in our town of Lakewood is being distinguished by us with our actions.

We have more Yeshivas and Mesiftas than in any other town or city in America BY"H so we have more responsibility to keep Hashem happy with our way of life.

It's time for all of us to make a Cheshbon Hanefesh and see what could be corrected to bring back the light of the Schinah to Lakewood the town of Torah and Chessed.

If we don't take this storm seriously who knows what other difficult message Hashem might have to send us in order to wake up and do Teshuva?

Take a moment and think...are we living a spiritual life at least similar to our great grand parents, the way they lived when they arrived in America some 70 years ago? or are we indulged in our clothing, i.e. shoes, jewelry, belt, coat, & mink coats, handbags, boots, shopping, hunting for bargains, living in restaurants, redoing our kitchens every so often, always planning our next vacations, now Leshem Mitzvah we are busy planning our winter vacation, and of course don't forget Motzai Shabbos hot Pizza & fries, eating it in the pizza shops in mixed company, we have turned into a major planning board not leaving enough time to see and plan our lives as "how to serve Hashem better”.

Lets be honest it's almost impossible to walk the streets and keep our eyes clean, and yes, I am referring to neighborhoods of Bnai Torah and Chasidim, not in Harlem, Miami Beach or Las Vegas.

This "FrankenStorm" has been felt by many of us we are all suffering because of it in one way or another, but..... The million dollar question is: are we waking up to Hashems cry?

Now let’s be strong and say to Hashem: OK we are ready to change our ways of life, our materialism lifestyle that we have lived up to now will change!!! We’ll start getting ourselves ready for the coming of Moshiach by living a true Torah life. BTW When Moshiach arrives there will be nothing left of all our Gasmius, so get a head start...and get rid of it now lets be more careful with all of the Halocos and Mitzovos of our special sweet Torah.

p.s.  I would like to ask everyone to take this Frankenstorm warning from Hashem very seriously.

29 comments:

Unknown said...

Look further, move to the Holy Land, make your impact felt there. It is time.

Anonymous said...

B'H
Perhaps moving to ERETZ ISRAEL is what will cure all the ill's ?

pshat
yid

ariela said...

So deeply sorry for your inconvenient loss of power, HaShem wants all of you to get out of your house and help those in need around you, show your light in a huge way. Shalom

Anonymous said...

as a noahide, i cant say i know as much as any jew. however, the person wrote of returning the schinah to lakewood. that the torah academies have to go on as not all jews have the means to go back, some may even be caught with loans and its immoral and illegal to leave without settling one's debts. however, the ones who can afford, should leave. why live in a place as an immigrant citizen, when Hashem has given you all the Homeland. i have studied that the schinah will return to israel and prepare for the coming of the children of israel to the Holy Land. so i dont understand how any jew can write about returning the schinah to lakewood or any of the gentile nations. Hashem's Presence is everywhere, but not at the level as in israel. i feel very sad what happened, i cant imagine being in the middle class grou p here, with my savings diminishing on my husband's colon cancer chemo, waking up and seeing my only home and belongings gone. its devastating. but what we should pray for is to end the exile of the schinah and the children of israel since both go hand in hand. when israel, the heart of the universe is at peace, so will the rest of us be.

lisa said...

I am pretty sure that the extinguishing of the light in Lakewood is much more than a reminder, it is a very firm statement. last one out turns out the lights! pack your bags and get out of the US. if HaShem can tell you that in very clear language, why can you only think of materialism as the problem? it is not the problem, it is only a symptom. your remaining in the US is a taunt to HaShem, an insult to the One who prepared a beautiful home for you. Who has promised us a Land (not the US). if you want to be a beacon for fellow Jews, pack your bags and lead the way back to your own Land. btw, we are having beautiful weather here.....

Anonymous said...

"none of the wicked shall understand that the end of the age is upon them"
not a leaf falls from a tree with out it being the will and purpose of HaShem,know every act hastens our redemption, how mighty are your works my G-D, the universe nay all declare your holliness, remember faith is personall and powerfull can not be bought nor attained, it is the sweet knowledge and love felt when you have the exilerating experience of serving HaShem. HaShem never has and never will make a mistake, all is meant, all is intended and all is to the glory of the Master Of The Univese.blessed be HaShem for all eternity

Devorah Chayah said...

Please forward this to the author of the letter.

Quoting Rav Yisachar Shlomo Teichtal...

The Tosefta comments on the verse And I will truly implant them in this Land with all My heart and with all My soul (Yirmiyah 32:41):

If they are not upon the Land, they are not truly implanted before Me, neither with all My heart nor with all my soul. (Tosefta, Avodah Zarah 5:4)

It is striking that the Holy One Blessed be He says that when the people of Israel are not in Eretz Yisrael they do not cling to His heart and soul! Therefore, we should not be astonished by what has happened to us in our times, or by the lack of Divine Providence that we are experiencing, for we live in the lands of the nations and do not cling to God's entire heart and soul. However, when we strive to return to Eretz Yisrael, we will immediately cling to His entire heart and soul.

(End quote)

Anonymous said...

There's another storm on the horizon in 3-4 days. Time to return to Eretz Yisrael is now. It's bright, sunny and dry - and Hashem and His people are waiting for you. Start packing before the waters rise higher.

Anonymous said...

Forecasters: “New, Storm on the horizon that May Hit East Coast”

Heartbreaking to see, but I guess if we didn't wake up enough with the first warning with the Franken-storm Hashem sent us, so we have to suffer another storm, not nice to compare but Pharaoh and the Mitzriyim also didn’t wake up from the Makos, so Hashem had to keep on pounding them with many more hardships till they eventually drowned

The storm and the warning we just had wasn't very harsh to many of us, even though many suffered and some are still suffering, i.e. no phone service, no electric, long lines at gas stations and after waiting four hours in line they tell us “sorry body no more gas left” etc. I don’t get it haven't we just lived through a massive storm of destruction, how can we ignore it? Hashem is literally begging us to make big changes in our lives in all aspects; he is trying so hard to wake us up from our deeeeep sleeeep, why we are still ignoring him? The proof that we are still ignoring him is that he is sending us another storm

There are sections of the region that were damaged so badly beyond recognition, houses burned to the ground, basements flooded, structures damaged beyond recognition, no refrigeration, no freezer, no hot water for Erev Shabbos showers, no stability, Thousands are trying to find a place for Shabbos, Boruch Hashem web sites have been set up for Brooklyn and Lakewood to help them, but it’s not enough to handle the thousands who still don’t have power, who will be spending Shabbos in the cold and dark, many are freezing not being able to sleep because it’s so cold without the heating that we have this time of the year

We have lost so many Rabonim, Roshai Yeshiva,s Gedolim, Rebbes, young children, young parents, so many NEW orphans, who are filling up our Shuls and saying Kaddish for their loved ones at such a young age, that’s enough to break my heart and make me cry out to Hashem saying “Hashem we are ready to live like a true Yid” get rid of our bad hobbits that the Yatzer Hora implanted inside of us

The list goes on and on, how about the financial situation? NO JOBS, The rising cost of our simple everyday needs, like water, FOOD, batteries, gas, tuition, clothing, many services that we took for granted are becoming unaffordable

We have entered a new era, a time that the world has changed completely from the way it was for the past 5772 years, our Hishtadlus is almost worthless, don’t we realize that with all the money in the world that thousands of us are ready to spend to get their electricity back on still they are totally helpless? No matter how wealthy we are, we are still helpless? For the big Chachomin (smartypants) who think they can control Hashem and the storm will not affect their electricity, by having generators, do they have sufficient gas or oil to run the generators? We all know that the answer is absolutely NOT; to them too Hashem is sending a message saying your money is worthless I won't enable you to purchase enough gas or oil to run your generators, because I want you to turn back to me and do Teshuva!!! Help me to bring the Golus to an end hoping to see the Geulah and Moshiach today

Take a quick look (online) to what happened at NYU they prepared all kind of generators and back ups, but at thee end it “all” failed and had to evacuate hundreds of sick patients

Now a new storm is being forecasted and if we do real Teshuva we can at least prevent it from hitting our region, I beg you my family and friends, Klall Yisroel of all ages, please wake up now before we loose many more homes etc. before we encounter more tragedies so we can make Hshehm proud of our new Derech our new and improved way of life to enable us to see the Bais HaMikdosh instead of another powerful rainstorm Chas VeSholom
**************

Please copy this and Email it to your friends and paste in public places and blogs as a Zechus to save yourself and your families, get out of the US and head into Israel A.S.A.P.

Thank You

Anonymous said...

You are essentially living assimilated in America despite all your Torah learning. How is it you are so comfortable in the flames of galus? Light your candles, open your books and most importantly have your children in the land G-d gave to you..

Anonymous said...

There are those who still believe that Moshiach will bring the Jews back to Israel. As long as Israel is still under the control of the Erev Rav, it's just as bad, if not, worse. Don't delude yourselves to think that living in EY is more comfortable or safe. There will be no place to run. Iran / Persia is watching over you.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps this link will help you see that running to Israel is to face other types of dangers.

Which is better, natural disasters or deaths under the Arabs?

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Blogs/Message.aspx/5060#.UJQitcWDH6w

Anonymous said...

It has been the tradition for Jewish americans to donate to Israeli Jewish causes. Now is the time for Israeli Jewry to return the favor.

http://yeranenyaakov.blogspot.com/2012/11/helping-sandy-victims.html

Leah said...

Hmmmmm...a mink coat: nope
restaurants: nope
vacation: snicker snicker, what's that?
hot pizza and fries on moetze Shabbos: nope
etc. etc.
Nope, however, I do hear you on the fact that we should pull together and learn and end the machloches and make alyah...
I think I get tired of being lump summed into the mental picture of what some jews may be thinking that other jews are for sure doing.
Now, if I had the mink coat, I would sell it and pay tuition bills...but alas, it is a pipe dream...

Anonymous said...

Brace for round two: Powerful nor'easter winter storm bears down on East Coast still reeling from Sandy’s devastation
Storm will hit northern New England bringing snow and winter winds
New York and New Jersey can also expect winds and rain
Although storm will not have impact of Sandy, it could disrupt Election Day


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2226618/Brace-round-Powerful-noreaster-winter-storm-bears-East-Coast-reeling-Sandy-s-devastation.html#ixzz2B6bzHNH9

Anonymous said...

EY is the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey - a unique vessel for Am Yisrael to accomplish its destiny. EY is kedusha. Chu"l is tuma. Being in EY is a reward. Being among the nations is a punishment. Being in EY advances the redemptive process. Being among the nations delays it. Keep in mind that when Hashem first commanded us to enter the land it was occupied by the seven Canaanite nations. First, we come home and then we clean house.

Anonymous said...

sorry anon, first I clean home then I live in it. I think the land has to be purified from all kind things during these years, starting from homos to gezel. You can follow your rabbis who say what you say, I follow those who say Mashiah will gather us from 4 corners when it will be time. By the way I prepared my documents just in case if it will hit(G-d forbid), but I will not make aliya based on Shabatai Tsvi theory to come immediately and that it will advances redemptive process and the opposite will delay the process. At the end of days there will be no place to run and every one will get what he needs to get for his tikkun.

Anonymous said...

America is truly the worst galut, because frum American Jews are completely oblivious to the fact that they are even in galut. I live in Israel, and here we are keenly aware of our our galut. All over the world it can be seen that the shechina is leaving the galut. The goal is not to keep the shechina in galut but to move yourselves out of galut. At the time of Moshiach, and the final ingathering of the exiles, the newly arrived Jews will be given every material possession they had ever dreamed of but will be jealous of the spiritual level of the Israeli Jews. And they will be told that they have been given what was important to them.

But seriously, what is stopping you from making aliya?

Anonymous said...

are you safe? I hope you are.

Anonymous said...

just my humble opinion. unless more and more orthodox jews return, when there is a way for them to return, i feel they should. we should be very careful how we speak of the holy land. its the land where Hashem places special love on. this is the home of the jews. dont wait for others to 'clean ' it up. if one has the means, so be it. Hashem is not happy to see the wicked die, rather He wishes them to do teshuva. so lets not judge the homosexuals and others. if Hashem has not judged them , and we know that since they are alive, and is giving them time to change, who are we to judge them so adversely.
""
Shlach: Rejecting the Land of Israel.
"And [the spies] began to speak badly about the land that they had explored." (Num. 13:32)
Shortly after the end of World War II, at a Shabbat table in Jerusalem, the discussion turned to the deplorable phenomenon of visitors who tour the land of Israel and then return home disparaging the country. 'These tourists complain about the heat, the poverty, the backwardness, the political situation — and discourage other Jews from moving here,' lamented one of those present.
The room became quiet. Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah Kook, son of Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook, the first chief rabbi, responded by relating the following parable.
So too, the Land of Israel does not reveal her beauty to all who visit. Not everyone is worthy enough to merit seeing the unique qualities and special holiness of Eretz Yisrael. It may appear as if the dissatisfied visitors are the ones who reject the Land of Israel. But in fact, it is the Land that rejects them.
Seeing the Goodness of Jerusalem
Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah's response was most appropriate for the son of Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook. When visitors from outside of Israel would come to the chief rabbi for a blessing, Rav Kook (the father) would quote from Psalms 128:5, "May God bless you from Zion." And what exactly is this 'blessing from Zion'? The blessing is described in the continuation of the verse: "And may you see the goodness of Jerusalem."
Rav Kook would then note: it does not say that one should merit seeing Jerusalem, but that one should merit seeing "the goodness of Jerusalem." Many people visit Jerusalem, but not all merit seeing the goodness hidden in the holy city.
(Adapted from "Malachim Kivnei Adam" by R. Simcha Raz, pp. 227-278, 230)""

this is not to disparage anyone. with the chaotic situation in the world, even to speak loshon hara among us noahides or gentiles, we worry greatly, what more on the holy land of israel.


Anonymous said...

Seriously, in the time of Shabatai Tsvi many people sold everything and moved to EY, they were so naive to believe that man and they regret because they lost everything even relations in their families. There are x-tians who also believe that as soon as all Jews will be in EY, yoshka will come and they even sponsor and help Israelis to make everything possible to make that move happen. Only truly Mashiah will gather us from all 4 corners of the earth, but you will only damage to force us to move when most people can't. It will be chaos if everybody will move now, because there will be no miracles, but only suffering.
America is NOT truly the worst galut anon, we have many yeshivas, we can live Jewish lives, Hashem blessed this country that we can help other poor countries. I pray that Hashem bless Ameirca and we american Jews will live and sing the last song with Mashiah beSimha.

Devorah said...


Below is a first-hand account by Rabbi Chaim Eli Welcher regarding his experiences helping out Achiezer with cleanup from the Hurricane.

--
Dear Friend,
I just came back from Yeshiva Shar Yoshuv. A couple of friends and I decided to take the day and help people in Far Rockaway clean out after the flood. We called Achiezer this morning and they said come to Shar Yoshuv and we will send you out. When we got to Shar Yoshuv the sight was unbelievable. At the entrance to the campus was a truck accepting Shaimos. In front of the main entrance to the building was a truck accepting family’s laundry to be washed. The dining room was set up to serve lunch and supper. Supper was starting at 3:30 P.M. so people could get home before dark. The gym was set up with racks of cloths for men, women and children. Teams were being sent out to pump water out of people’s homes. We came to the volunteer station and we were asked to help people unload Shaimos from their cars into a big truck. The line of cars coming to drop off ruined Seforim was nonstop. People were pulling up with cars, minivans and even a pickup truck loaded with full libraries of seforim. I with my own eyes saw thousands of Seforim that were ruined. I spoke to a woman who asked if we could send help over to her house to bag up her ruined Seforim. She came with a stroller with bags full of dirty laundry, together with her children so they could eat lunch. She said that she came on foot because she was afraid to use her car and run out of gas. She said that she just had no energy left to deal with the ruined Seforim. What I experienced was just dealing with the Seforim that people lost. I did not see their dark cold homes; some still will many feet of water in them, others full of water damaged possessions. It was clear that many regular people are in need of lots of help. Boruch Hashem here in Kew Gardens Hills things are fine, but a few short miles away things really are not. We have to do what we can to help our brothers literally dig out of this. If you have time to volunteer call Achiezer at 516-791-4444. If you can make a donation to the Hurricane Relief Fund you can do so at Achiezer.org. In the Zechus of the unbelievable Chesed going on may all o fAcheinu Bais Yisroel have yeshuos bekarov.
Yours Truly,

Chaim Eli Welcher

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately, your comment just proves my point. You have it so good, that you don't even feel that you're in galut, and you don't even understand what I'm talking about. The reality of shabtai tsvi has nothing to do with today, and who cares what some xns think. What is your point, that you shouldn't make aliya in case it will help their prophesy come true? It's pretty lame.

Anonymous said...

I just wanted to add that I totally feel for all the people suffering from this terrible storm. Also that it is great that people are helping each other out. My grind is the lessons that are being learnt: one is that we should reject or tone down our materialistic lives, and the other is wow, what unity and what a kiddush Hashem we are. What is it going to take for people (frum people that is) to start saying, maybe the message is that we shouldn't even be here at all. It's time to go home.

With hope for the geula berachamim (redemption through mercy) and not suffering.

Anonymous said...

You don't live in America and you don't see how much Hesed done here in New York, I see many not frum families sees the hand of Hashem and they talk about it, they help those who lost their houses, they send clothes etc. It is the part of teshuva, I believe that trough this act Hashem will send his Mashiah with mercy and this is what we pray that this storm is be the last kappara for all Am Israel, and through this Hesed that we do He will send his Mashiah with mercy. We have to finish our tikkun here and then when it will be time we will go to Israel. But right now many have parnassa here and over there it is not garanteed that I can give to famaly what they need. It is easy to say that it is time to go home, but it is not real for all Jews to come because you or me want that. it reminds me the story of Matrona, who wants to marry her slaves to each other in order to be like Hakadosh Baruhu, and we know it was more damage to them that she thought she can do the same act like Hakadosh Baruhu did, who is the One who works on Shiduhim. Here also, I see people say :"come home, come home" , you don't understand that is the job of Mashiah who will garantee livehood for all Jews, but you can't guarantee, you can only say and dream that all Jews to come immediately, we all come home when Hashem will say to Mashiah that he can enter the gates of Rome to gather us from all 4 corners.

Anonymous said...

sorry, you are out of context. thoughts just to confuse . Erev rav? Shabbetai Zvi? Moshiach ? Dangers? Now or Latter? Thoughts without meaning . Only one think counts . Your love for HaKadosh Baruch Hu and His Land. How many gedolim of the past gave their lives for Eretz HaKodesh !!!!!! Rambam, Ramban, Yehuda Halevi, Josef Caro, Arizal, Ramchal, Baal shem Tov, Gra, ....... Nobody started thinking all this holly stugiot. On difficult times , not today , when the doors are open for the Jews to come and live in Eretz HaKodesh

Anonymous said...

all gedoley you just listed they came by themselves and they don't push others saying "Time to go home" like you saying, and that does not mean that we all have to come because it is Mashiah time like you saying!

Anonymous said...

All anti Zionism have Shabtai Tzvi sparks, I am very sorry for you.

Anonymous said...

Great post thanx