Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Obama's Australia visit: No time for golf, Mr President, you're here to work


"Australians hope Barack Obama's trip to Australia will be a case of third-time lucky, but it probably won't include a round of golf for the US President."  [Obama is scheduled to arrive here November 16-17].

Personally, I hope it's a case of third time unlucky, and he doesn't get here at all.  So far his previous announced visits down under never happened..... and whenever he does travel, volcanoes start erupting.

I guess they'll just recycle that Big O from Oprah's visit......


More on Obama's Australian trip at:  News.com

The Turkish Ships


This is one of those times when I wish I knew more about what I was writing about.... but according to someone who knows more than I do, the ships from Turkey are a huge event:

Turkey is planning to send three warships to the the Eastern Mediterranean to defend against Israeli vessels if necessary and ensure freedom of navigation for Turkish ships....
"Gaza needs humanitarian aid and Turkey has aid to be sent there," Prime Minister Erdogan was quoted as saying by the National Turk. "And i assure every country of the world our humanitarian aid will not be attacked by Israel anymore like it happened to Mavi Marmara last year," he added. 

According to reports, three Turkish frigates from its Navy's Southern Sea Area Command will be deployed with the humanitarian shipments, and if an Israeli military vessel is confronted outside its 12-mile (19-kilometer) territorial waters, Turkish ships have reportedly been ordered to advance up to 100 meters (328 feet) from them in order to neutralize their weapon system. [more here]


Quoting from Parshas Balak:

Ships will come from the Kittites and afflict Assyria and afflict those on the other side, but he too will perish forever. [Balak 24:24]

According to Targum Yonatan, ships from Italy/ Turkey/ Constantine will come to enslave the sons of Ever [Avraham haIvri  = Ever].... and their end will be to fall into the hands of Moshiach.....and they will be lost forever.

Please leave a comment because there's so much more to this that I haven't blogged because I can't remember it.


Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Blue skies, blue seas....

.... a perfect day to sit and watch the waves rolling in

Bondi Beach, Sydney
Click to enlarge

Katia batters the UK


In the hurricane's tail: Worst storms for 15 years bring blackouts and transport chaos

The swirling remnants of Hurricane Katia have crossed the Atlantic and hit land by this morning, sweeping across large swathes of the country.

Forecasters issued urgent weather alerts for Scotland, Northern Ireland, the North East, North West and parts of the Midlands and Wales as the storm prepares to make its way eastwards.

The high winds have been accompanied by heavy rain and the Environment Agency has issued several flood alerts for inland and coastal areas.

Read more: Daily Mail

True Tefillin

Art: Alex Levin

"And all the nations of the earth will see that Hashem's Name is displayed upon you, and they will revere you" [Ki Tavo 28:10]

In Maseches Berachos [6a], Chazal expound on the above verse: "From where do we know that tefillin are a source of might for Israel? - From the verse "And all the nations of the earth will see that Hashem's Name is displayed upon you, and they will revere you". And it was taught: R' Eliezer HaGadol said "these are the tefillin of the head [sheba' rosh]."

The Sha'agas Aryeh [R' Aryeh Leib from Metz] was once travelling. Throughout the trip he wore his tallis and tefillin and engaged in Torah study.

The wagon driver was also wearing his tallis and tefillin - he was praying while steering the horses.

Suddenly, a band of armed robbers jumped out from the forest and attacked the wagon; they demanded that the driver stop the wagon and hand over all of his money.

The driver was terribly frightened. "Rebbe" he screamed, "we're in danger!"

The Sha'agas Aryeh heard the screaming coming from up front, so he stuck his head out the window to see what was happening. But when the ordinarily bold thieves took one look at the Sha'agas Aryeh, they were overcome with fear and immediately fled.

"Rebbe" asked the driver, "I am both younger and stronger than you. Yet it was you whom the thieves were terrified of. Why did the robbers run away when they saw you?"

"The robbers did not run because of my strength" answered the Sha'agas Aryeh, "but because of the tefillin on my head!"

"But I am also wearing tefillin" responded the driver. "Why did the thieves not run away from me?"

The Sha'agas Aryeh explained: "The Torah says "and all the nations of the earth will see that Hashem's Name is displayed upon you, and they will revere you". The Gemara quotes R' Eliezer HaGadol who teaches that this verse is referring to the tefillin of the head [sheba'rosh]. If you read the words of Chazal carefully, you will notice that Chazal did not say "tefillin she'al ha'rosh" [tefillin that rest on one's head]; rather "tefillin sheba'rosh" [tefillin that are inside one's head]. The holiness of the tefillin must be absorbed into one's head, and then it instills fear into the nations of the world. But if the tefillin are simply lying on top of one's head, then the nations of the world do not fear us at all.

Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein

Monday, September 12, 2011

Pharoah Quotes Psalm 46


Obama's 9/11 speech [video] - stick around the for end, Dubya's face is a treat.




Psalm 46
1 For the Leader; [a Psalm] of the sons of Korah; upon Alamoth. A Song.
2 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
3 Therefore will we not fear, though the earth do change, and though the mountains be moved into the heart of the seas;
4 Though the waters thereof roar and foam, though the mountains shake at the swelling thereof. Selah
5 There is a river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God, the holiest dwelling-place of the Most High.
6 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, at the approach of morning.
7 Nations were in tumult, kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
8 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our high tower. Selah
9 Come, behold the works of the Lord, who hath made desolations in the earth.
10 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; 
He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; He burneth the chariots in the fire.
11 'Let be, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.'
12 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our high tower. Selah 

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Spiritual beings in physical bodies



"that you shall take of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you will bring from your land, which the Lord, your God, is giving you. And you shall put [them] into a basket" [Ki Tavo 26:2]

First fruits represent the Jewish souls, as the Midrash teaches that the Divine Thought to create Jewish souls "preceded everything" [Bereishis Rabah 1:4]. In this respect, Jewish souls are "first" and cherished in a way similar to first fruits.

When the soul is in Heaven, before it enters a body, it enjoys an intense, ecstatic relationship with G-d.  Nevertheless, the soul is sent down to earth in a body which conceals its relationship with G-d.  This is not without profit since, through this descent, the soul is able to carry out a mission in the physical world, which can eventually result in an even more intense relationship with G-d.  For G-d's innermost "desire" is for His mitzvot to be carried out specifically in the physical world.

This is the lesson from the requirement of first fruits being placed in a basket.  Although the fruits are the finest and first of the crop, they cannot achieve perfection without a basket. 

Likewise, the Jewish soul, which is G-d's highest priority, cannot achieve perfection without coming down into a physical body, in a world of concealment and temptation, because it is precisely through that descent that an even greater ascent is achieved.

Source: Likutei Sichos Lubavitcher Rebbe vol 29

Also see: Yerida L'tzorich Aliya: Descent for the Purpose of Ascent

Friday, September 9, 2011

Washington: Lightning Jolts Presidential Address

Sept 8: Presidential Address: commentary by Richard Adams, The Guardian:

7.15pm: Now Obama is explaining his American Jobs Act, stressing that every proposal in it has been supported by politicians on both sides:

It will provide a jolt to the American economy ... you should pass this jobs plan right away.

At that moment a huge crash of thunder and lightning is heard over NW Washington.

Source: Guardian

Note: video does not contain the lightning, you don't need to watch it.

A Cure for Arrogance

Related by Rabbi Zalman Shimon Dworkin a"h who heard it from Reb Shmuel Grunim a"h
by Rabbi Rafael Nachman Kahn, translated by Basha Majerczyk

Alter Rebbe

The gaon Reb Avraham of Kalisk was an iluy, a childhood prodigy whose genius was already evident at an early age.  When the boy was eleven or twelve, his father complained to the Alter Rebbe - Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi [Hebrew: שניאור זלמן מליאדי‎], the first Rebbe of Chabad - that although his son was indeed brilliant, it pained him to see that his son's intellectual gifts were making him arrogant.  "Bring him to me" the Alter Rebbe replied, "and I will speak to him."

The next time the father came to the Alter Rebbe he brought his son along. "Do you know how to learn?" the Alter Rebbe asked him.  "Yes" the boy replied.  At that, the Alter Rebbe stood up and brought him a thick volume, a book of Responsa written by the Rosh [Rabbeinu Asher ben Yechiel].  Opening it to a certain passage, he asked the boy if he understood what it meant.  "Yes", the iluy answered.

The Alter Rebbe then brought up a strong contradictory point, and asked the boy to resolve the conflict.  When the boy was unable to do so, the Alter Rebbe provided an answer.

"Is my answer a good one?" he prompted the child.

"Yes" the young Reb Avraham replied, "it is excellent."

The Alter Rebbe then proceeded to destroy his own hypothesis, and showed him why it wasn't sound.  This happened several times, the Alter Rebbe asking the boy for his approval, and after obtaining it, explaining why his line of thought was flawed.

At the end of the interview the Alter Rebbe closed the book.  "You don't know how to learn." the Alter Rebbe pronounced. "Whatever they tell you, you believe."  This remark nipped Reb Avraham's arrogance in the bud.

Years later, Reb Avraham had another yechidus with the Alter Rebbe. This time the Rebbe showed him the Responsa of the Maharam of Rotenburg, who, when asked a certain question, had cited a particular passage in the Gemara as proof.  This proof, however, was extremely tenuous. The Alter Rebbe asked Reb Avraham if he could think of any other Talmudic passages to bolster the Maharam's argument, and he cited five.  The Rebbe then mentioned six other passages, for a sum total of eleven, each of which seemed stronger and more compelling than the one actually quoted by the Maharam.

"Why do you think," the Alter Rebbe questioned, "the Maharam chose that passage, when there are eleven better ones he could have quoted?"  The Alter Rebbe then knocked down each of the eleven, leaving only the original proof cited by the Maharam, which was incontrovertible.

"Don't think" the Alter Rebbe concluded, "that when the Maharam sat down to write his Responsa he considered and then rejected each one of the other eleven passages, and it was only when he reached the twelfth that he was satisfied.  Not at all !  The twelfth passage was the one he thought of first! For that is the advantage of our Rishonim, in whom the light of truth shone openly."

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Obama's Palestinian Dream

President Barack Obama is the unlikely star of a new Palestinian media campaign.

Part of a speech Obama gave in 2010 to the United Nations General Assembly is featured in an ad aimed to rally support for the Palestinians upcoming bid for statehood at the United Nations on Sept. 20, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

“When we come back here next year, we can have an agreement that can lead to a new member of the United Nations, an independent, sovereign state of Palestine living in peace with Israel,” Obama said in the 2010 speech in the clip that is played in the radio ad.

Although U.S. officials described Obama’s statement in the 2010 speech simply as an expression of hope, Abbas has called the statement the “Obama promise,” Reuters wrote.

Read more: Politico.com

Meat and Milk: Gevurah and Chesed

"You shall not cook a kid in its mother's milk." [Mishpatim 23:19]

Ramban writes that it is prohibited to eat meat cooked in milk, since it is an act of moral insensitivity.  Rashi points out that not only are we forbidden to eat milk and meat together, but even cooking the mixture is forbidden.  This renders the prohibition of milk and meat unique in that even the preparation of the prohibited mixture is also prohibited by the Torah.

From this we can learn how far we must take care to refrain from being morally insensitive.

According to the Kabbalah, milk and meat may not be mixed as this would cause the negative interaction of opposing spiritual forces.  Meat is a physical manifestation of the Divine power of Gevurah (severity), as suggested by the red color of meat.  Milk has its spiritual roots in the Divine power of Chesed (kindness), indicated by its white color. Being that these two powers have an opposite effect, they must not be mixed.

Bachaye writes that in the Messianic Era, it will become permissible to eat meat that was cooked with milk. This is because, in the spiritual realms, the mixing of Chesed and Gevurah is not counterproductive.  Each Divine power works in harmony with the other, since both powers respect the fact that they emanate from the One God.

In the physical world, this harmony does not persevere, since physical things feel their own existence as paramount, and will not coalesce to a higher purpose.  Therefore, the mixing of meat and milk in the physical world is forbidden for it will result in a "corruption" of the spiritual forces that they embody.

However, in the Messianic Era, we are promised that G-d will be felt tangibly within the physical world.  Therefore, it will become possible to mix Chesed and Gevurah - through cooking milk and meat - even in the physical world.

Source: Based on Likutei Sichos of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Gutnick Chumash

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Free

Art: Michael Sowa
  
To be a person of truth,
be swayed neither by approval
nor disapproval.

Work at not needing approval
from anyone and you will be free
to be who you really are.

[Rebbe Nachman of Breslov]

Easy Riders

Hells Angels they ain't. 

TORAH! TORAH! TORAH! Three of the Rebbe's Riders (from front), Moshe Reitman, Yossi Wolfson and Eli Zissman, help fellow biking Jews who might have strayed from the righteous road. A tough-looking, leather-clad gang of Hasidic bikers who call themselves "Rebbe's Riders" are cruising the tri-state area, bringing God's word to other motorcycle-riding Jews they meet on the road. 

The Riders -- members of the Brooklyn-based Lubavitch sect -- say their love of choppers gives them something in common with Jews who might have strayed onto the Highway to Hell. 

"If a rabbi walks into a bikers club, he doesn't exactly fit in. But if he comes riding up on a bike, doors open to him," said Jonah Halper, 30, who founded the Riders earlier this year. 




"[Some fellow Jews] make comments that what we do is not a Jewish thing. They say, 'How can you ride bikes as Jews and say it's for a Jewish purpose?' " Halper said. 

On the road, the Riders get more respect -- especially from other bikers. 

"No one sees the Rebbe's Riders and says, 'Who are you guys?' " Halper said. "It's not like the Crips and Bloods. There's a certain kind of respect you have for other riders that transcends lifestyle or creed. When we pass a gang on the road, they wave and we wave back." 

They sport cool colors -- T-shirts with a logo of a bearded Hasid wearing a wide-brimmed fedora and badass sunglasses, à la ZZ Top.

Read more NY Post

ZZ Top?  [it's a band from the "olden days" - as my kids would say -  olden days being a world without computers or cellphones, totally unimaginable for them..... anyway this isn't ZZ Top, this is Steppenwolf - 1968 - "Easy Rider"... for all the ex-hippies who morphed into baál teshuvas and read this blog. Enjoy!

Strange, Difficult and Wonderful Times



Received via email: [I have no way of knowing if this is true or not, please leave a comment if you do know]

Dear family and friends,

I hope this email finds you well, and in good spirits, with Rosh Hashana and the Chagim not far away.

The following message is not meant to shock or alarm, but it is intended to provoke a response. I pray that you will not ignore it.

I fervently hope that each one of you will find a way to come closer to Hashem as a result, in any way you can.

A brief introduction is in order, to place into context what follows.

Rabbi Shalom Arush is the Rosh Yeshiva (Head of the Yeshiva) of Chut Shel Chessed, and author of several books. His most well-known book, the Garden of Emuna, has sold well over one million copies, and is printed in 8 different languages. Rabbi Arush is widely respected as one of Israel's foremost religious leaders. People come to him from around the world for blessings, and he is well known to have many miraculous salvations (cures from severe health problems etc..) to his name.

Rabbi Arush gave his weekly address to the Yeshiva yesterday, and said as follows:

- He has been informed by one of the Zadikim Nistarim (hidden zadik) [who he has known for many years], that the 'Gates of Tshuva' are closing soon [ie, there will be no more Tshuva – repentance/returning to Hashem - after that date].

- There is a terrible decree in Shamayim [heaven] that [chas ve'shalom] on 21st Ellul [20th September 2011] six Arab nations plan to send up to 3 million Arabs to march on Jerusalem, un-armed.

- [This might not sound particularly terrible, seeing as they are un-armed. However, Rav Arush stressed that we do not understand how terrible this decree will be and that we must all pray for it to be rescinded.]

- Rav Arush is taking the message from the Zadik Nistar very seriously. He told the Yeshiva that he personally called up non-religious family members and asked them to please start keeping Shabbat, and to put on Tefillin and keep any other mitzvahs they can. Now may be the last time that a person will be able to do Tshuva and return to Hashem.

- Rav Arush then made immediate changes to the Yeshiva. He has changed the normal learning schedule so that instead of learning from 1pm – 5pm, all students at the Yeshiva are to go out at this time to distribute Torah literature, CD's and books. He gave every student of the Yeshiva 200 CD's to distribute, and gave away the Garden of Emuna to the students for just 10 shekel a copy to facilitate distribution.

- Spreading Emunah (belief in Hashem) is one of the only ways of rescinding this decree and bringing Moshiach in a 'sweet way'.

Friends, we may be heading into strange, difficult and ultimately wonderful times.

In order to survive these times, a person needs to pray, to return whole-heartedly to G-d and to keep his Emunah (belief in Hashem) very strong. Our Torah promises a new world of peace and light, but our Rabbis teach us that this may come with difficult 'birth pangs'.

May each of us do what we can to strengthen ourselves and others, and may we be blessed with B'sorot Tovot, only good news.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Katia Now a Category 4 Hurricane

Katia Strengthens To Category 4 Hurricane


Earthquakes and Homosexuality


Among the many possibilities put forward for the underlying reason why [some] earthquakes occur - such as the one last week on the east coast of America - homosexuality is often cited as the main one.  In this shiur, Rabbi Zecharia Wallerstein quotes from the Gemara and explains how and why.


Click here to listen: Torah Anytime [Video] or MP3

Validating the Torah Codes


Rabbinical Support for the use of Torah Codes

Question: Is it allowed to show the truth of the Torah or try to prove its truth in different ways like the words which appear in Torah at equal interval skip distances.

Answer: I was surprised and wondered about such a foolish question. It does not require thought. It is simple. It is a great mitzvah to do it. In every generation the Sages of Israel, who were the experts to answer the atheists, used ways appropriate to their generation to prove the truth of Torah. Look at the tractate Hulin, page 60b. The Sages ask: Was Moses a hunter or did he know all the animals in the world, [to be able to say that the only ones which chew their cud and do have split hooves or which do not chew their cud and do have split hoofs are the ones mentioned in Torah?] The Sages answer from here that Torah is from Heaven. For only G-d knows the characteristics of all the animals. Since the facts show that this kind of proof has a great impact to strengthen the faith that Torah is from Heaven, it is a great mitzvah for those who occupy themselves in these matters. But they must be on a level to properly deal with this on a scientific basis. They must not be like the people who do not know enough who spoil instead of rectifying. All those who occupy themselves in these matters will be blessed by G-d in all blessings which are for those who help others to be more meritorious and bring back those who are far away. Their hands should be strengthened. Heaven forbid, they should not be discouraged by any pious and righteous arguments because those who are arguing out of piety, do not speak with sense. It is better that they should keep quiet.. Blessed will be those who establish words of Torah.

Rabbi Shlomo Fisher This answer was shown to the Gaon Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Oyarbach by Professor Branover. Rabbi Oyarbach said that he would say the same words:
[Click to enlarge]

A number of contemporary Gedolim and Torah sages have repeatedly given their strong support for the use of Codes as a Kiruv Rechokim tool. Included in this prominent group is the renowned Jerusalem Posek and Rov, Rav Shlomo Fisher. In addition to his own 1989 Psak Din stating that "it is a Mitzvah to teach Codes," Rabbi Fisher recently issued a public letter wherein he states that he met with Doron Witztum and Dr. Rips on several occasions, together with Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, Zt'l. He testifies that Harav Auerbach not only gave his unequivocal approval of the Codes research but also strongly encouraged the use of this material in Kiruv Rechokim efforts.

Numerous prominent Roshei Yeshiva and Rabbonim have personally sat through Codes presentations at our Discovery seminars. Among those who have attended - and gone on record as supporting the use of Codes for Kiruv Rechokim - are Rav Yaakov Weinberg, Rav Shmuel Kaminetzky, Rav Moshe Heinemann, and Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan. In fact, Mr. Harold Gans, a former senior cryptologic mathematician with the United States' National Security Agency for twenty-eight years, has had a number of long discussions about the Codes with Rav Moshe Heinemann. Despite the recent controversy surrounding the topic, Rav Heinemann remains emphatic in characterizing the Codes as "absolutely part of our Mesorah, and a Kiddush Hashem to teach."

If you want to read more, click here.

Remember....


If you don't ask forgiveness from a person you have wronged, the whole Yom Kippur davening is pointless. Properly begging forgiveness doesn't mean sending a fax or a message, but personally approaching the person. 

[Rabbi Elazar Abuchatzirah [Baba Elazar] zt"l

Source: Torah Code US

Monday, September 5, 2011

An Elevated Impression


"You shall make a guard-rail for your roof" [Ki Teitze 22:8]

A roof, being the highest part of any structure, alludes to the ego, which gives a person an elevated impression of himself.

Thus, in order to prevent a person from "falling off his roof" by allowing his feelings of swollen self-esteem to degenerate into selfishness, we are warned to "make a guard-rail for your roof" - to carefully control and temper the ego with "guard-rails".

Source: Likutei Sichos, Lubavitcher Rebbe

Friday, September 2, 2011

No Fear

Art: ''Havdalah with the Klausenberger Rebbe'' - Raphael Nouril


When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots, and a people more numerous than you, you must not be afraid of them, for Hashem, your G-d, is with you. [Shoftim 20:1]

Several fortunate students witnessed the fulfillment of this verse in the home of the tzaddik, R' Yosef Yozel Horowitz [the Alter of Novaradok].

During the Alter's later years, a brutal war had broken out in Russia. The battle had taken to the streets, as Russian citizens fought against the marauding bolsheviks.

One motza'ei Shabbos, the Alter stood with a cup of wine in hand, ready to recite Havdalah.

Suddenly, sounds of gunfire and shouting filled the air, as rioters entered the small town of Novaradok. The townspeople were in a panic, and screams of terror could be heard emanating from the houses. The sounds of gunfire and explosions were also clearly heard in the Alter's courtyard.

Yet to everyone's amazement, the apparent danger seemed to have no effect on the Alter. With a calm and pleasant voice, the Alter began reciting Havdalah, displaying a heart full of trust in Hashem.

The students who were present in the Alter's home that motza'ei Shabbos later remarked that in those incredible few moments, they had learned what it means to truly trust in Hashem.


Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein