Thursday, April 30, 2020

Rabbi Kessin Summary


For those I know who cannot sit and listen to lectures......

Rabbi Mendel Kessin's latest shiur has been summarized by Robin Diamond, you can read it here

Pandemic as Pivotal Part of Messianic Process Part2

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

The Blind Mashiach

Art Vladimir Kush


by Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh


The month of Iyar is the month of light. Even its name, Iyar, is cognate to the Hebrew word for ‘light,’ or. In the Bible, the month of Iyar is called the month of Ziv, which also means ‘light.’

How did this month merit such a luminous name? First of all, Iyar comes to us after a long, cold, cloudy winter. The month of Nissan blazes the trail to the spring, followed by Iyar, which is all light. We thank God for the light of the sun, but it is upon us to be mindful of the spiritual light, as well. Light is a wondrous allegory for Divine revelation, God’s illumination and benevolent abundance.

The Torah is also equated to light, “For a mitzvah is a candle and Torah is light.”[1] This is particularly true of the concealed, inner dimension of the Torah, the wisdom of Kabbalah of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in his book, The Zohar. This is another connection to Iyar, for Lag Ba’Omer, the day of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai’s passing, is on the 18th of Iyar. In addition, on the 14th of Iyar we commemorate the day of passing of Rabbi Meir Ba’al Ha’nes in Tiberias. The redemption is also likened to light, and at the Pesach seder we bless God for taking us out of “darkness to a great light.” In the merit of the Torah and the secrets of the Torah the redemption emerges.

Love in the Soul

While all of this is very nice, the fact is that there is still much darkness in the world – hatred, wars, troubles and illnesses. Even in our own communities, the situation is far from perfect. The same is true of our interpersonal relationships and even in our relationship with ourselves. This state of affairs can make it seem like we are light-years away from the redemption.

How do we emerge from the darkness of the exile to the light of the redemption? The main rectification for this time period is love for others. The students of Rabbi Akiva died during the days of the Omer – which we count during the entire month of Iyar – because they did not act with respect toward each other. It is upon us to rectify that blemish and to fulfill Rabbi Akiva’s teaching: “Love your neighbor as yourself – that is a great principle in the Torah.”[2]

How can we truly love our fellow man – even those who seem to be so different from us? Are we supposed to be blind and not pay attention to the distance between us and even the shortcomings and faults of others? Yes! We are supposed to be blind to those shortcomings!

Sometimes, it is good to close our eyes. This world is full of passing sights, replete with smoke and mirrors, old news, breaking news and a flood of input. It is all dizzying, blinding, confusing, superficial light. Stop! It is ok to release the tension, to step off the speeding train and relax. Close your eyes and take a look inward.

A blind person does not see superficial colors and shapes. This is specifically why he can sense something much more internal and essential. Quite a few Jewish Torah giants were blind and it was they who could sense the footsteps of Mashiach:

The Talmudic sage Rabbi Sheshet, who was blind, was the first of his colleagues to perceive when the king was coming by. It was the blind Talmudic sage Rav Yosef who declared: “May the Mashiach come and may I merit to sit in the shadow of his donkey.” (The numerical value of Rav Yosef equals ‘Mashiach’). Isaiah the Prophet says: Who is blind, but My servant? Or deaf, as My emissary whom I send? Who is blind as he who is wholehearted, and blind as God’s servant?[3] God’s servant, His emissary, the Mashiach, seems blind and deaf because he is focused inward.

The blind person sees the inner light, the light of the soul and the redemption. There is a deep connection between the Hebrew words for ‘light’ (or -אור) and ‘blind’ (iver – עור ). The blind person sees the light beneath the surface. It is no coincidence that in Aramaic, a blind person is called ‘sagi nahor,’ which means ‘much light.’

This is the way to love our fellow man: We must ignore his external appearance and focus on the inner dimension that unites us, seeing the connection between all the souls of Israel. This love banishes darkness and melts estrangement and hatred.

May this be an illuminating and healthy month for all!

[1] Proverbs 6:23.

[2] Leviticus 19:18, Sifrei ad loc, Jerusalem Talmud Nedarim 9:4.

[3] Isaiah 42:19

Monday, April 27, 2020

The final war - What has been is what will be - The fall of the new world order


Rabbi Alon Anava - live


With no doubt we are heading towards the redemption. But on the way there will be a force, an evil power that will do anything to stop it... You need to WAKE UP and recognize who we are dealing with and what is their agenda!


Reb Sha'ayle's Awesome Power


For the Yarzheit of Reb Sha'ayle


Recently someone asked me how to get rid of ants.  I remembered a story I heard about a famous rabbi whose picture, when hung in the room, would rid the house of pests, notably mice but also other kinds of vermin.  Although I have not had a chance to test this myself, I am assured that it does work. [If you're going to try this, print out the photo below and perhaps laminate it, and put it in the room where the pests are bothering you] 

Reb Shaya'la of Kerestirer [1851- 1925] was a famous chasiddic Rebbe from Hungary in the early Twentieth century. [His yarzheit is on 3 Iyar] Many make the trip to his Kever and spend Shabbos at his house in northern Hungary. His picture is believed by many to be a segulah and a amulet of protection. Many stores have his picture to keep away mice. 

The Famous Mouse Story

Affectionately known as Reb Shaya'le [Rabbi Yeshaya Steiner of Kerestir], the Kerestirer Rebbe lived around the beginning of the 20th Century. He was a very pious man and extremely humble, always referring to himself in the diminutive [Shaya'le]. He was known as a "miraculous" person. His greatest pleasure was to host a very elaborate Melave Malka, the meal that follows Shabbos, on Saturday night. Often he would have his chassidim shecht fresh chickens for his meal.
Reb Yeshaya'le Kerestirer

One motzei Shabbos, while Reb Shaya'le was eating this special melave malka meal, a chossid came to him with an urgent request. He was a man who had a warehouse full of foodstuffs and he made his living by buying and selling food. For the past number of months, his warehouse had been taken over by mice who were eating his grain and other commodities and his entire livelihood was threatened. He asked Reb Shaya'le for a blessing that the mice should leave his warehouse. 

At that time, each small town in Europe was ruled by the local church pastor. Some of the pastors were kind towards the Jews and others were very harsh. Reb Shaya'le asked the chossid if the pastor of the town he lived in was kind or harsh. The chossid replied that he was very harsh toward the Jews. Reb Shaya'le then instructed the chossid to go to his warehouse and to tell the mice, "Reb Shaya'le says to go to the estate of the pastor." The chossid followed the Rebbe's advice and instantly hundreds of mice raced out of the warehouse all heading in the direction of the pastor's estate. 

The chossid's business was saved and ever since Jews who have been plagued with this problem have used Reb Shaya'le's picture to accomplish the ridding of mice from their homes.

Source: Jewish Gen

Sunday, April 26, 2020

Moshiach is a Process.....


....and it's happening right now.

A Must Listen 


Thank you Yosef Shidler 

Rabbi Zechariah Wallerstein
full lecture can be seen at Torah Anytime


...and why the shuls had to be shut down



Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Tzedaka

Amongst the many calls for help these days, this one caught my eye:


For many years, Rebbetzin Toiba Jungreis was the main breadwinner in her house. She juggled the responsibilities of caring for her growing family and paying the bills in order to allow her husband, the Tchenger rebbe of Boro Park, pursue a life of spreading Torah and of avodas Hashem.

The vicissitudes of the coronavirus, however, came down hard on the esteemed Jungreis family. The rebbetzin, the backbone of the family, was abruptly taken away on the second day of Chol Hamoed, during the worst of the pandemic. She had been suffering for awhile with the debilitating ALS disease, requiring the family to expend enormous sums for her support and medical expenses.

Her husband, Rav Asher Anshil shlita, is a quiet but strong influence on his kehillah. He has been known since his youth as a holy man, a gaon and tzaddik who is dedicated to his shiurim and yiras shamayim.

Nothing in the rebbe's life has swayed him from this single-minded focus, not even when he lost one child, and then another. When the dreaded ALS diagnosis came, he and his children mustered an extraordinary reservoir of strength to be a bulwark of support for their mother and to keep themselves strong at the same time. The household was totally restructured to ease her pain and suffering.

But now, the rebbe and his children face their biggest test yet. How will they remain a solid unit when the glue that kept them together is no longer with them? How will the rebbe raise his young children while simultaneously worrying about tuition, utility bills and other expenses? How will he marry off his children when still burdened by crushing medical debts arising from years of caring for his rebbetzin?

We must not let this latest tragedy bring him down! We cannot allow the passing of the rebbetzin undo decades of her work to build up a bayis ne'eman b'Yisroel!

You will be the family's savior!

We established a goal of raising $500,000, which askanim estimate is the amount needed to put the Jungreis family on a firm financial footing.

The rebbe is a namesake and successor to the holy Menuchas Asher of Tchenger zt"l, who was renowned for his brachos on behalf of the sick and needy. He will surely be there for those who help his descendant during his direst hour.

May all the generous donors who help the rebbe and his family overcome these challenges be blessed with all types of brachos and yeshuos.

Click here to donate [Verified Campaign, The Chesed Fund]

Social Distancing



Rabbi Shimon Kessin on Covid 19

Audio only - thank you to whichever Anonymous sent it to me

Please note, this is not Rabbi MENDEL Kessin, it is his brother Rabbi SHIMON Kessin


Sunday, April 19, 2020

Locked Up or Locked Down?


Having just read a rant by an Israeli blogger who believes the Covid19 lockdowns are sinister and have nothing to do with the disease, which is harmless...... and no worse than a normal flu.... perhaps that blogger needs to spend some time in an emergency ward in the UK.

Just checking the statistics, and although many Israelis would leave us to believe that Israel is doing very well comparatively [which it is B"H] it is not exactly beating other countries in the war against Covid19.

From the Statista statistics at April 18:

Israel comes in at number 37 on the list for example with 158 deaths, while Australia is much lower at number 53 with 69 deaths.
Burundi has the lowest amount: 1 death
USA the highest at 37,175
[although I believe China would be much higher than that, they are just not telling the truth]

So whilst some countries have a massive amount of casualties, others have relatively few.  Why?  I tend to think that countries such as Israel and Australia handled the situation very quickly and locked down before it got out of control.  Australia had advance warning, as did New Zealand [showing as 11 deaths], and certainly Israel took action very quickly.  

I can't understand why some people think this is all a giant conspiracy toward some evil end.  And even if it is, don't you think G-d knows what's going on and will take care of it in due process?  

Meanwhile we enter Lockdown Day Something, I've lost count.  I rarely know what day of the week it is anymore.  



Monday, April 13, 2020

These Are The Days of Moshiach


Recently, Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto, shlita, the head of the “Shuvu Israel’ institutions, and Av Beit Din of the Jewish community in Morocco, gave over another message, about what Am Yisrael can expect over the coming weeks and months.

Rav Pinto said: “YOU SHOULD KNOW, WE ARE IN THE DAYS OF MOSHIACH – THE YOMIM SHEL MOSHIACH!


We need to strengthen ourselves [spiritually], there will be hard times, and people will die.

After this, another period will begin, an earthquake.

A big Rabbi will die, and then there will be a war.

And after this, there will be Moshiach Tzidkaynu, our Righteous Redeemer.



Loneliness


Never succumb to feelings of loneliness. No matter where you are, God is close by.

Remember: Feeling distant from God is subjective, not objective; it is just your own feeling, not reality.

[Rebbe Nachman of Breslov]

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

What Do We Need To Do Now?


A few words from Rav Ephraim Kenig, Breslev Tsfat


What Do We Need To Do Now?

There is no question that we need to pay great attention to what is going on around us right now. As the Rambam writes, when things like this happen, don't say it is by chance or a rare occurrence, and then let it pass as if nothing happened. If so, the Rambam says, God will need to send an even more difficult warning to get our attention, God forbid. So what do we need to do? Right now, without delay, take a good honest look inside yourself to fix whatever you know needs repair. God knows the heart and mind of each one of us and knows if we are really learning the correct lesson from what is going on right now. Whatever we understand that we need to improve in our lives, it is important to put it into immediate action. The main thing is to fix the relationship between us and others, whether it be family or friends, or anyone else with whom we interact. Ensure there is no grudge, malice or hard feelings between you and anyone else.

Likewise, it is time to take a deeper look at our relationship with God. Regarding prayer, we are now in a situation where it is already impossible to pray with a minyan. I think the message is for anyone who has perhaps taken prayer in a minyan lightly. Thus we now face what is described in Pirkei Avot, that whoever neglects the Torah in wealth, will ultimately neglect it in poverty. We see that for all sorts of reasons, we are being told not to pray in a minyan. The advice for this is also found in the same Mishnah, that whoever fulfills the Torah in poverty, will ultimately fulfill it in wealth. (Pirkei Avot 4:9) In other words, it is time to strengthen ourselves and do whatever we previously found difficult—all of those things we avoided doing until today. Yes, fulfill them, yes, strengthen ourselves in those things we previously belittled or disparaged. Yes, be spiritually stronger and have greater focus in prayer. Then, of course, God will have compassion and give us the ability to fulfill the Torah in wealth, in many different ways: practical mitzvot, mitzvot connected to thought, and those dependent upon speech. God should bless us all with whatever we need in order to do what He desires, according to halacha. If we fulfill God's desire, He will most certainly fulfill our own holy desires as well, and we will see immediate deliverance and redemption.

How to Celebrate Pesach This Year

Apparently, we need to celebrate Pesach this year in a way that we’ve never celebrated before, at least as things appear at the moment. God can do anything, and everything can be transformed into good in a second. Nonetheless, we need to be prepared—and if we must make Pesach under certain different circumstances, so these are exactly the circumstances that God wants. As I’ve mentioned before, if it isn’t going the way you want, then want the way it is going. This means that everyone needs to see to it that they will observe Pesach this year. Ensure there is matzah and maror (the bitter herbs for the seder plate) at home, along with a joyous atmosphere and the holiday meals. Make sure to read the Passover Haggada, which leads us through every aspect of the Pesach seder—how and what to do. Of course, everyone has their own family customs, and whatever you don’t know or are unclear about, you can ask someone. Or ask other family members regarding your family traditions or anything else that you need. In this way, little by little, we will all pass through the holiday calmly and in a settled manner—exactly in the way that God wants for this moment.
 
We were redeemed in the month of Nisan, and the future redemption will also be in Nisan. We hope that it will be immediately, this year, as the verse says, “You are all alive today.” HaShem should bless us all with a chag kasher v’sameach, and a holiday of total freedom. Amen.

Pesach: Pink Super Moon


This is my dream...... the moon becomes pink. 

Wishing you all a Chag Kosher v'Sameach and may we see the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu speedily in our days.  
[If anything interesting turns up, I'll keep blogging until Yomtov - note: Thursday, Friday are Yomtov, followed by Shabbat, iy''H blogging resumes Sunday.]
Photo Randy Small Photography

Mysterious Shofar Sounds in Sweden


It's not a train, there are no trains near where this was filmed.  Sounds like a shofar.... in Sweden.... if you can't hear it on your PC, play it on your phone [my phone's volume is much louder and better than my computer's is, don't know about yours]


Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Bibi Invokes 800 Year Old Prophecy


Jerusalem Post

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday evening announced tough new restrictions on public movement, prohibiting all travel between cities from Tuesday at 4 p.m. until Friday at 7 a.m.

A complete lockdown and increased enforcement will begin on Passover Eve from Wednesday at 6 p.m. until Thursday at 7 a.m. Citizens will be required to remain in their homes amid fears that going to someone else’s house for the Seder or during Passover’s intermediate days could lead to the spread of coronavirus.


A Couple of Links



'Coronavirus heralds the end of Globalization'
French-Israeli philosopher and sociologist Shmuel Trigano sees the pandemic as a stark reminder of the limitations of nations and humanity itself.
Very interesting, to read click here


Audio: Rabbi Akiva Tatz on why CV and other interesting facts


Monday, April 6, 2020

Positivity from Rabbi Wallerstein


Someone sent me these short clips from a Torah Anytime lecture.
Rabbi Wallerstein can say it in 60 seconds.  Standing ovation for this man.



Fear of CV May Bring our Redemption


“It's astounding in many ways how one topic can completely consume the entire planet but that's what's happening. Of course I'm talking about the coronavirus pandemic. The question is how do we understand what's going on. Is it possible to understand why Hashem is doing this?” 

Rabbi Mendel Kessin, a leading expert on the Ramchal, spoke from the isolation of his home on the inner meaning of today’s events in a profound lesson taught last week, pointing out that worldwide phenomena are not happening “coincidentally.”

Sunday, April 5, 2020

The Epitome of Sheker


Who to believe?  Every rabbi has a different scenario. 
Listen to one rabbi and have hope, listen to another and have despair.
Everyone is confused and truth is absent.

What is Sheker? שקר  Sheker is lies, deceipt.    Even the letters are out of order from their correct listing in the alef bet [ק-ר-ש].


“And that’s how Moshiach is going to be revealed. Moshiach needs to be revealed from the epitome of sheker, Moshiach and his people. They’re not going to be pulled by the sheker. The sheker wants to take everyone. The sheker says: ‘I didn’t say enough sheker. Maybe I’ll say a little bit more, maybe I’ll succeed in saying something else, a different way.’  - “The more falsehood there is, the more truth will be revealed in a clearer way”

These days you need to search very hard to find your own truth.  There is an abundance of Rabbis Impeding the Redemption.  There is an abundance of sheker.





I heard from my teacher and father-in-law, who was the chief disciple of Rebbe Yechiel Michal of Zlotchov, that once when the Baal Shem Tov was traveling on the road, he stepped into a wooded area to pray the afternoon prayer. His disciples were dumbfounded to see him hitting his head against a tree, crying and screaming. Afterward, they asked him what had happened. He explained that he had seen, with divine inspiration, that in the generations before the coming of the Moshiach there would be a multitude of rabbis, and that they would be the very ones who would impede the redemption. [Otzar Chayim]

The Solution for Corona


Rabbi Alon Anava

What is the cause for the virus and what should we be focusing on!

While the entire world is 'under attack' by the Corona Virus... Is the virus really the problem? are we over reacting? are we focusing on the the REAL problem or are we fooled...

Don't be fooled!

 And remember: Truth can only be seen by others with truth within them! He who does not have truth in his heart will always be blind to truth!

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

This Will Bring Tears to Your Eyes

Shared true story from Chaya

***** if anyone would like to share this story, please attach my Zaidy's name, Moshe Ben Amrom/Moshe ben Chaya Grunwald yes that is Zaidy's actual name, same as Moshe rabbeinu, who is known for anivut, a middah that also exemplified Zaidy*****

 I want to share something that happened today. Something that if today was a normal day, could have never happened.

We were told that the funeral would be at 10 am sharp. Don't be late or we will miss it. The funerals are very minimal. And quick. Mamash a minyan and a kapittle of tehilim a kel maale rachamim and done.

The avelim came up to the aron, they begged mechila. They started the tehillim. They got to almost the end when a funeral aide walked in and took a peek in the aron. It wasn't my grandfather. We had conducted a funeral over someone else.

Everyone was shocked, horrified, dumbstruck. They sent the family out. I was in the car outside, so my sister came to tell me what had happened.

About 20 minutes later they started all over again this time with Zaidy present.

I have to admit I was so upset that this had happened to my Zaidy. The man who was loved by all. Who deserved so much kavod, who had to die alone due to a pandemic, who had to have this embarrassment of a funeral, who couldn't have a befitting burial, or shiva. This was the final insult. I was so upset, I started to laugh and cry simultaneously. I couldn't believe I was living in a time where there are so many bodies, that they mixed them up.

And then my mother called me. And she says I won't believe this story, I told her I already knew about the mixup. She said "You don't know the rest!"

The body that was brought in, it was a meis mitzvah [in Jewish law a meis mitzvah is a person that is found dead, or for whatever reason does not have family to bury him. It's the obligation of the community to bury him in a dignified way] he was dead alone in his apartment for 4 days before he was found. This man had no one there. No one to be sad, no one to say tehillim, or give him a minyan. Through a weird twist of fate, he ended up with a beautiful funeral, a minyan, something under normal circumstances he would not have had.

And then I remember my Zaidy, my Zaidy was always honored but he ran and hid from it, he never wanted the spotlight. My cousin posted that we would send people to follow him in to chupah to make sure that if they gave him a bracha he'd be there. That was part of us ensuring he got what he deserved. Even then he always thought there was someone greater than him that deserved the honor.

Well Zaidy, as usual got the last laugh. We couldn't chase him to the front of the funeral home. Even in death he gave his kavod for someone else. This is the most Zaidy like thing to ever happen.

A meis mitzvah got a funeral. I can just imagine the laugh in Zaidy's eyes as he watched this. His chesed and hachnasat orchim knew no bounds. I know in my heart my Zaidy did in death what he always did in life. Instead of my horror of earlier today I am filled with pride. As Zaidy's neshama continues to give even in death.

May Hashem heal the world quickly, so no one suffers anymore. May we celebrate smachot soon.

Haggadah Online


Suddenly realize you don't have a Haggadah at home?

Don't worry, Chabad and Breslov have you covered.

Click here for Chabad Haggadah download

Click here for Breslov Haggadah download

Is God Angry At Us?




A short message regarding the current situation from Rav Ephraim Kenig, shlita, of Breslev Tsfat

When a person goes through hard times, or any other more general type of trouble such as where we find ourselves in the world today, know the following: God is the One Who controls everything, and He knows exactly what He is doing. Not only does He know, but whatever He does, actually comes down to manifest itself in our lives, which is proof enough that it is the right reality for us at the moment.

Just don’t think that God brought this upon us because He is angry, God forbid, since the fact that He brought it shows the exact opposite. Even if God was indeed angry, the fact that He put us in this situation is already part of the tikkun—it is already repairing any anger He may have had.

Precisely times like these show that God is relating to us in order to fix and elevate us, so there will be no need for anger again. In other words, His anger has already passed. We are now in the phase of God’s desire, as it were, which shows that He is looking at us and our actions. This should make it easier to come to all sorts of decisions to improve ourselves, since God is waiting for us—not out of anger—but out of the desire and love that He has for us.

If you can take a swift hold of your life today and bring yourself to a better path on every level, God is waiting for you with open arms. If we can all awaken ourselves in teshuva, this awakening will most certainly ascend to Heaven and shut the mouth of the Accusing Forces. Through this, a shefa of life, health, healing and nachat will come down to us—shefa for everything we need. Amen.

Baruch Hashem

I have scanned through so much nonsense about this Covid 19 lately, and a lot of it is coming from people who should know better.  They are still researching and putting so much energy into proving that it is all one giant conspiracy to rid the world of excess and unwanted people.  I don't understand their reasoning as some of these same people claim to be orthodox Jews.

It is plainly obvious to me, and many others such as Rabbi Anava and Rabbi Kessin, just to name two..... that this is from Hashem... it is not a conspiracy or an over-reaction on the part of world governments, and it is not a Bill Gates orchestrated bio-weapon.


Hashem wants us to go home, into our houses, and stay there, at least for the first night of Pesach.  What happens after that, I cannot say.  But we will be home for Seder night, and that is the Will of Hashem. 

Then there is the fact that I had a discussion with an Israeli man a few weeks ago, and he told me that as I was living outside of Israel, I had very little chance of survival.  Lo and behold, Australia's Covid cases are lower than Israel's !   Judgment came to the world, and innocent people got caught up in it, wherever they live and whoever they are, we're all in this together. 

The only way to protect yourself and your family is to stay away from infected people.  Stay home, stay safe.  That is Hashem's Will. 

Take your vitamins, take Vitamin D if you are spending a lot of time inside, and whatever else you feel your body needs.  Eat healthy food and try to get some exercise.  Give tzedaka.  Learn Torah.  Do teshuva.  Spend this time reflecting on how to make peace in your world and reconnect with people via the internet or phone.  Check up on the elderly and the sick, just a phone call could change their day.   This is Hashem's Will for us now, and let's go with it and stop blaming Bill Gates and China. 

Meanwhile, here is Rabbi Mizrachi's latest video ''Disaster Hit Us, Where do we go from Here?'' , which I haven't yet listened to, it's still very early in the morning here and I plan to go back to bed, because I can !  Enjoy your home time, and thank G-d you have a roof over your head and everything else you need.