A Deeper Understanding of the Story of Yaakov and Esav

 New shiur from Rabbi Mendel Kessin

The Mystery of the Animals Walking in Circles

 Rabbi Yosef Biton talking about the recent news of animals walking in circles.  It is in Hebrew but below is a rough translation/summary by Rahel. Thank you so much Rahel, those who can't understand all the Hebrew really appreciate it.

Title 

Title Translation: *Mystery Animals Have Been Walking in Circles for 14 Days in a Row." 

This shiur is about the Kabbalah on the animals circling around for many days. There is a phenomenon that many animals, all different species have been going round in circles; Sheep in CHINA, have made the headlines, but many other species are involved. 

The Ari Hakadosh says in his book Gilgul HaRuchot that after the destruction of the 2nd Beit Hamikdash the holiness went into the klipot and prophecy ceased. 

Animals and SHOTIM i.e. simple people, e.g. autistics, and young children can obtain prophecy.

The animals are controlled by ministering angels who can pass messages to them. All the animals are capable. The fact that animals can sense earthquakes before they happen is not only a natural phenomenon. 

Kabbalah describes that there is the world of circles (Igulim) and the world of straightness (Yosher) This is described in Etz Hachayyim from the Arizal via Rabbi Chaim Vital. 

We are in the ikvota D’Mashiach, the foot steps of the Mashiach, approaching the year 6000 - this is Yosher (straight); this continues up to the day when Mashiach will come and we will go into Shabbat, Rabbi Nachman says in Torah 7 this is Egla (circular), Shabbat is circular; this will occur when the Jewish people will return from exile and sing at Har Amana in Israel, which is the mountain of faith – L.M. Torah 7. 

Circles are completion, unity, everyone is equal, men and women, there is no yatzer hara as we will go into Shabbat. There is no free will in this circular state. 

This circular concept is similar to “all of AM Yisrael with all Humanity” serving Hashem shoulder to Shoulder the prophecy in Zephania which Rabainu mentions in Likutei Moharan (L.M.). 

Rabbi Biton reads Rabbi Nachman’s message the meaning of : “Ad shetichleh Prutha ma Hakis,” until there are no coins in the pocket – in the Talmud. This means the klipa that makes everyone define miracles as part of nature will no longer define them as part of nature – THE KLIPA will be broken/destroyed. We will see there is no nature – only Hashem — Ayn Od Milvado. 

This Shiur of Rabbi Yosef Biton has the approval of Rabbi Shalom Arush who says he is full of joy by this omen we are nearing the Geulah. 

Please bear in mind my translation is a very rough, brief summary, and cannot do this magnificent Shiur which encompasses information from the Shaar Haruchot and Etz Chaim from the Ari Hakadosh, Rabbi Tzaddok of Lublin and Rabbanu, true Justice!!

Receiving Prophecy in a Dream

 

by Rabbi David Hanania Pinto

"He encountered the place and spent the night there because the sun had sent" [Vayeitze 28:11]

The Midrash says that the words "because the sun had set", teach us that Hashem made the sun set before its time, so as to speak with Ya'akov privately. 

The Midrash explains this using the mashal of the king's beloved friend who came to visit him on occasion. When he arrived, the king said, "Turn off the lights, extinguish the lamps, for I wish to speak with my beloved friend privately". So too, Hashem made the sun set before its time so as to speak to Ya'akov intimately. 

Rabbi Shmuel Florentin of Salonica, in his sefer 'Minchat Shmuel', points out the following difficulty. On the verse, "And G-d came to Avimelech in a dream by night", the Midrash says that Hashem especially reveals Himself to the nations by night, as it says, "G-d came to Bilaam at night". We also find with Lavan that Hashem came to him in a dream at night, but Hashem reveals Himself to the Jewish prophets by day, as it says, "Hashem appeared to him in the plains of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of the tent in the heat of the day", as well as other examples. So why does the above Midrash say that Hashem made the sun set to speak to Ya'akov intimately, implying at night? 

He answers according to the Moharash Yaffe, who says that prophecy by day comes only to a prophet who is accustomed to Hashem speaking to him, while to a prophet who is unaccustomed to prophecy, Hashem only reveals Himself at night. This explanation fits in with the precise wording of the Midrash, "it can be compared to the king's beloved friend who comes to visit him on occasion".

Esav: The Fourth Av

New shiur from Rabbi Mendel Kessin

Blessings You Don't Say but Really Should!

Rabbi Efraim Palvanov

What is the blessing on an elephant? How about an albino? Find out in this class where we explore the power and meaning of the ancient berachot instituted by our Sages. 

Also discussed is the mystical purpose of every Jew’s life, the divine Light of Creation, and an explanation of the 36 perfect tzadikim that exist in every generation.

For a free, printable PDF companion guide with full text and transliteration of all the blessings, click here

For a written summary of this class, click here

The 2022 American Midterm Elections and the Divine Agenda

 Rabbi Mendel Kessin

Who Was Og the Giant? And Other Big Questions in Genesis

 

Rabbi Efraim Palvanov Addressing some big mysteries in Sefer Beresheet, the Book of Genesis, and beyond: 

 - Who was Og and how did he survive the Great Flood?

 - What exactly were the Ten Trials of Abraham? 

- Why is Eliyahu spelled without a vav in the Tanakh 5 times?

 - What is the difference between Chokhmah, Binah, and Da’at (“Chabad”)?

 - Which of the “Cosmic Shemittot” are we in? 

 - Who was the Nachash (the Primordial Serpent) in Eden? 

- Does God create evil? 

- Is the Torah written in ancient Hebrew script or in Assyrian/Ashuri script? 

- How will all of history be revealed in the Messianic Age?

 - Is there a rational way to understand the Great Flood? 

- Where was the Garden of Eden located? 

More on the incredible story of Og (with archaeological evidence): click here

More useful links at You Tube source: click here

Connecting to the Source

Art ''Holy Land'' Michoel Muchnik

by Rabbi David Pinto Shlita

It is written: “Sarah died in Kiryat-Arba, which is Hebron” [Chayei Sarah 23:2]

Rabbeinu Bechaye explained why the text mentions two names for the same place [Kiryat-Arba and Hebron].

Kiryat-Arba is called Hebron because the soul of anyone buried there unites [mithaberet] on high in the city of G-d with the four [arba] camps of the Shechinah.

This is why the Patriarchs sought to be buried in this place, namely that from there, souls merit to be reunited [leit’haber] with their source, which is the Throne of Glory.

Hence the meaning of “Kiryat-Arba, which is Hebron.”

Guests of Honour

"They (pretended) to eat"  [Vayeira 18:8]

The Torah states that the angels ate the food which Avraham served them, on which Rashi comments: "they pretended to eat".

It appears, therefore, that Avraham did not perform a mitzvah by feeding his guests, for ultimately they were angels who did not need to eat.  Thus: a) Avraham interrupted his audience with the Divine Presence unnecessarily, and b) How can we learn the principle that "welcoming guests is greater than welcoming the Divine Presence" [Shabbos 127a] from an incident where there were no real guests present?

Generally speaking, with acts of kindness, the primary focus is on the results of the mitzvah, i.e. the benefits given to the guests - food and drink etc.

The unique quality of the mitzvah of welcoming guests is that the primary focus is not on the benefits received by the guests, but rather on the good will demonstrated by the host.  In this light, it turns out that Avraham did fulfill the mitzvah of welcoming guests, in the most exemplary manner.

Based on Likutei Sichos of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Gutnick Chumash