Rabbi M. Kessin on Moshiach ben Yosef

This is an old lecture, from 2015, which has been put up on You Tube along with several other older lectures.

Erev Supermoon

 

This is a photo of the moon setting at 4.45am in Australia this morning.

It's huge, and it has an orange aura around it, reflecting something from the sun.

Tonight is the actual supermoon.

Photo by Dianne Rankin

Behold the Sun

 

So first we had the fires that destroyed Lahaina, which means "cruel sun", and now we have a hurricane called Idalia bringing "once-in-a-lifetime strength and storm surge levels" to parts of the state's Gulf Coast.

"Idalia" means "behold the sun".   

According to Google, the Hebrew Adalia means "G-d is my refuge".

These are of course man-made names. 

Also man-made is the huge problem of gas being contaminated with diesel fuel in Florida,  So of course the conspiracy theorists are claiming that the US government is trying to get as many people stuck in Florida as possible, to be trapped in the hurricane.  The water temperature is the highest it's ever been and that is not good news as far as hurricanes are concerned.

It's not easy to distinguish between the man-made evil, and the weather events themselves.  To all my Floridian readers, we are thinking of you and pray that you are safe.

************************************

Back to the sun:   All over the world people have been taking photos of "two suns", as well as multiple planets/moons near the sun.  

Here's a few photos and videos I've been collecting. Once again these are not photoshopped, and the videos are obviously taken by random people, no big productions here, just people filming what they are seeing.

Florida

                                                 Chile: Multiple objects next to the sun

Italy

Denver Colorado

Mexico

Bulgaria

Mexico

Show Time

Do you remember going to a show at the theatre or any kind of production.... [seems like 100 years ago I did that]... but anyway, just before the show is about to start, they flick the lights on and off to let people know it's about to begin.    

When I see this lightning, the kind of lightning we have never seen before - purple and blue .... and I saw it here in Sydney not so long ago, I sat and watched it for hours... it just went on and on..... and this is happening all over the world.  I feel this is a sign that something is about to begin.

The Gate of Tears

by Rabbi David Pinto Shlita 

It is written, “Because you did not serve Hashem your G-d amid joy and goodness of heart” [Ki Tavo 28:47].

Rabbi Yossi said, “It is written: ‘Serve Hashem with joy, come before Him with joyous song’ [Tehillim 100:2], for in His service there is no room for sadness. It may be asked: What if a man is deep in sorrow and tribulation, and has no heart to rejoice, and yet his trouble forces him to seek compassion from the Heavenly King? Should he refrain from praying on account of his sorrow? What can he do? He cannot help being heavy-hearted!

The answer is, ‘All gates have been closed since the destruction of the Temple, but the gate of tears has not been closed’ – and tears are an expression of sadness and sorrow. The celestial beings appointed over the gate of tears break down all the iron locks and bars, and let these tears pass through. The prayers of the afflicted penetrate and reach the holy King…. Thus the prayers of the afflicted person do not return to him empty, and the Holy One takes pity on him. Blessed is the man who in his prayers sheds tears before the Holy One.”

– Zohar II:165ab

The End of Doubt

One of the asteroids currently visible from Earth is the skull-shaped asteroid known simply as "the skull". This is the only picture I could get - we see it in the shape of clouds, which is exactly how Earth looks when seen from outer space. All planets/moons/asteroids have their own clouds around them. The asteroid itself looks exactly like a skull.

After I saw this photo, I then saw the article below and it seemed like a perfect match.

The following text by Gal Einei Institute [Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh]

He [Hillel the Elder] also saw a skull floating upon the water. He said to it: “Because you drowned others, you were drowned; and those who drowned you, will themselves be drowned. [Pirkei Avot 2:6]

This mishnah[1] is in the name of Hillel the Elder and quotes Hillel the Elder. The Holy Ari says that this is an allusion to Hillel being a reincarnation of Moses. Hillel actually has other important soul roots, such as Aaron the High Priest, King David, and King Solomon. Indeed, in the tractate of Avot, we can find a number of Hillel’s teachings that can be associated with each of these important soul roots. 

In the tractate’s first chapter, we find him mentioned in the following mishnah: “Hillel says, be counted among the disciples of Aaron,” a clear expression of his soul’s root in Aaron the High Priest. Later in that chapter, he is quoted, “If I am not for myself, who is for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?”[2] associating him with his root in King David whose Psalms center on the rectification of the “I,” the sefirah of kingdom. Later, in the 2nd chapter, Hillel says, “The more flesh one has, the more worms [i.e., decay, he will suffer from]”[3]—which is similar to many statements found in Ecclesiastes, and thus a clear allusion to its author, King Solomon. 

In his book, Notzer Chesed, the Komarna Rebbe presents a wondrous teaching on our mishnah. The skull (pronounced: gulgolet) is an allusion to the level of gulgalta (i.e., skull) in the Supernal Crown referring particularly to the highest “head” in the crown, known as the Unknowable Head (Radla). The structure of the Unknowable Head incorporates essential doubts known as the “five doubts in the crown.” In the future, however, when prophecy returns to Israel,[4] the Unknowable Head will be revealed. This is hinted at in the words, “Because you drowned others, you were drowned” (עַל דַּאֲטֵפְתְּ, אַטְפוּךְ), which can also mean, “Because you were the source of prophecy, you will give more prophecy [in the future].”[5] 

When this state is reached in the future, freedom of choice will not figure prominently in the human condition because the freedom of choice is a byproduct of these essential doubts found in the Unknowable Head. As long as there are doubts or questions that cannot be satisfactorily addressed, we human beings are forced to choose between the various possibilities. When there are no doubts, however, there is no free choice and everything is clear, as it is currently before God. 

When we experience the fulfillment of the prophecies, “All will know Me”[6] and “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of God,”[7] then (says the Notzer Chessed), “It will be known, that which is in this ‘head,’” referring to the Unknowable Head in the sefirah of crown. Hence, the term “the Unknowable Head” is temporary. Ultimately it will be known as “the Knowable Head.” There is a beautiful gematria hiding here: the value of “the Knowable Head” (רֵישָׁא דְּאִתְיְדַע) is 1000, the secret of the thousand lights that were given to Moses (of whom Hillel is a reincarnation) at Mt. Sinai, and then taken away after the Israelites sinned with the Golden Calf. It is also the secret of the soul of Rabbi Yisrael Ba’al Shem Tov (יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּעַל שֵׁם טוֹב), who began to reveal the thousand lights.

Source and Footnotes click here

Causing Someone Else to Suffer

וְעֵינֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ כָּֽבְד֣וּ מִזֹּ֔קֶן לֹ֥א יוּכַ֖ל לִרְא֑וֹת Yaakov was no longer able to see." [Vayechi 48:10]

Chazal tell us various reasons why Yitzchok became blind. but why did Yaakov become blind?

Rav Shlomo Zalman Zelaznik Ztz"l. the Rosh Yeshiva of Eitz Chaim. explained with the principle that if someone suffers on your account, you are punished, even if you have done nothing wrong. In Yaakov's case we find two people whose eyes suffered on account of him. The first was Yitzchok. who Chazal say became blind so that Yaakov would be able to fool him and take the blessings. The second is Leah. whose eyes were swollen because she was destined to marry Eisav. while Rochel was supposed to marry Yaakov.

 "Either of these two occurrences," says Rav Zelaznik, "were enough cause to warrant Yaakov losing his eyesight despite his complete innocence of any wrongdoing. If such is the Midas HaDin when we are completely innocent of any wrongdoing, certainly, if we actually play a part in the suffering of another person, we are in huge trouble."

Source: Revach.net

What Does G-d Really Want From Us?

Rabbi Efraim Palvanov 

Is faith in God enough to attain redemption and salvation? Or must one punctiliously fulfil God's Law? Can the Torah's 613 commandments be summarized into one? And if faith is enough, how does one attain true faith anyway? Find out what the Talmud has to say in a fascinating short passage.

Face of a Dog

 

Art by Kurt Wenner

The Gemara [Sotah 49b] states that one of the tragedies that will occur during the pre-Messianic era is that "the face of the generation will be like the face of a dog". 

The Chafetz Chaim explains in the name of R' Yitzchak of Volozhin that if one throws a stone at a dog, it will pounce on the stone, not understanding that it was not the stone that hit him but the person who threw it at him. 

Similarly, people will blame various causes for their distress, failing to understand that everything comes from Hashem.

3 Elul Yarzheit Rav Kook

"Before the world of truth can come, the world of lies must disappear" - Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook

It was the first of Elul, 5695 [1935], when Rabbi David Cohen [known as ‘the Rav HaNazir’] arrived at the guest house where Rav Kook was staying in Kiryat Moshe.

Exactly twenty years had passed since their first transformative encounter in Switzerland. This time he held in his hands a special document to show his dying master.

For twelve years, the Rav HaNazir had labored to organize Rav Kook’s writings into a systematic, comprehensive work. As his revered master lay on his death bed, he showed him the beginning fruits of his labor - the title page of the first volume of Orot HaKodesh. Rav Kook rejoiced; and he shed tears.

On the day of his death, Rav Kook motioned to his son, Rav Tzvi Yehudah, to come close. “Please pay off any outstanding debts. I do not want to owe anyone, not even the smallest amount.” He then made a second request: “Please prepare my writings for publication. But take care that the only title given to me is ‘rabbi.'”

With great effort, Rav Kook turned his face towards the scholars in the room. When it became clear that his soul would soon depart, the people cried out, “Shema Yisrael!” Rav Kook whispered after them, “Shema Yisrael,” breathing his final breath with the word echad - one. “The Eternal is one.”

The Rav HaNazir wrote:

“When the Rav passed away, We heard a heavenly voice. The voice called out, “Haim, ad olam!” ‘Life, forever!’ Even after completing life in this world, the soul continues, and it grows even stronger, with blessing, in eternal life.”

[Stories from the Land of Israel. Adapted from Malachim Kivnei Adam, p. 420; preface to Orot HaKodesh, pp. 24, 30.]

Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook was born on the 16th Elul 5625 (September 1864). On the day of his bris, he received a kippah as a gift. From that day on, his parents always kept a kippah on his head. Even while he was sleeping, Avraham Yitzchak's parents did not take the kippah off his head so that he should not be bareheaded - not even for a minute. The little boy would not fall asleep without his kippah. When he turned over and it fell off, he immediately woke up.

Avraham Yitzchak was four years old when he was brought to the cheder (school) in his home town of Geriva, to learn to read. The teacher offered him a siddur and turned to the page with the alef-bet. The child stubbornly refused to learn.

"Why won't you study?" asked the teacher.

"I want to learn from the big books" replied Avraham Yitzchak shyly.

"Which big books?" asked the teacher.

Avraham Yitzchak did not know how to answer. Instead he ran home and brought back a Shulchan Aruch, the Code of Jewish Law, and another large heavy book. The teacher smiled and said to the child: "If you want to be able to learn from the big books, you must first study from the small books." Avraham Yitzchak understood and began to read the alef-bet from the siddur.

In the same cheder, there was a class of older children who were studying Torah. Every Friday, these children were tested on the material they learned all week. One Friday, an interesting thing happened. One of the older children did not know the answer. There was silence. Sudddenly, the voice of a small boy from the youngest reading table was heard. It was the answer, spoken clearly and correctly. Avraham Yitzchak had been listening to the lessons of the older children and had understood them.

Little Avraham Yitzchak invented an unusual game to play with his friends in cheder. He arranged the children in rows. Each child had a knapsack on his back, as if they were getting ready for a long journey. Avraham Yitzchak was their guide. The small soldiers asked: "Where are we going?"

"To Israel, to Eretz Yisrael..."

*************************************

After many years of diligent study, Rav Kook was appointed as the rabbi of Zoimel, one of the small villages in Lithuania. After serving as rabbi of the town of Zoimel, Rav Kook was appointed the rabbi of a large city, Boisk. In Boisk, the Rav could sit and learn Torah for many hours each day. There was a time when he would learn 50 or 60 pages of Talmud in one day.

Many years passed before the Rav went to live in Eretz Yisrael. When the possibility of becoming the Rav of Jaffa arose, he refused all other appealing offers which came from European Yeshivot which asked him to be their Rosh Yeshivah or from great cities abroad, whose congregants wanted him to be their rabbi.

In addition, the congregation of Boisk refused to allow their rabbi to leave, until the Jews of Jaffa wrote to them explaining that the mitzvah of yishuv Eretz Yisrael, settling the land of Israel, takes precedence over everything else.

On Friday 28th Iyar 5664 (10 May 1904) Rav Kook went to live in Eretz Yisrael. He was received at the port of Jaffa with great honours and began his term as Rabbi of Jaffa. At that time, Israel was under Turkish rule and Jewish settlements were first being established. Jaffa was one of the main centers of Jewish settlement.

Hundreds of people from Jerusalem, Rishon LeZion, Rehovot and Petach Tikvah came to welcome the Rav and to form their own impressions of this unique figure, and his wife the Rabbanit Raiza Rivka.

The first World War broke out. The Rav had gone to Europe on shlichut, as an emissary for Eretz Yisrael, and could not return to his home in Jaffa because of the war. He stayed in London and served as a rabbi of the city. But he was constantly worried about the fate of his community in Jaffa and the hardships facing Jews in Israel which was then in a state of siege and famine.

After the war ended, the Rav returned to Eretz Yisrael. The Jews of Jaffa wanted him to continue as their rabbi. At the same time, the community of Jerusalem asked him to become their rabbi. The Rav debated this dilemma for quite some time. He knew that a small part of the Jewish community of Jerusalem did not want him as Rabbi. He did not want to be the cause of fights and arguments in the Holy City. On the 3rd Elul 5679 (29 August 1919), the Rav came to Jerusalem and only after a while did he bend to the will of the community, and become the rabbi of Jerusalem.

Here he established the centre of the world-renowned Yeshiva Merkaz HaRav, the "Centre of the Rav". Later, along with Rav Yaakov Meir Charlop, he instituted the Chief Rabbinate of Eretz Yisrael, with both rabbis acting as Chief Rabbi. All his time and effort was dedicated to the Rabbinate, the affairs of the community, and to the learning of Torah.

*******************************

The author, Tikvah Sarig, tells the following story about Rav Kook:

On the first Yom Kippur eve, after my father passed away, I was not yet five years old. Every morning since his death, my mother would wake me before dawn and wipe the sleep from my eyes with the same words: "Get up, my daughter, my neshama, my soul, to pray for the memory of your righteous father, the tzaddik".

What a tzaddik was, I did not know, but I imagined he looked like this: a kippah on his head, his beard long, his eyes warm and good, the palms of his hands soft, and his voice, melodic. Just like my father who was taken from me.

It was erev Yom Kippur. After the pre-fast meal, my mother took me to the house of Rav Kook. The sun was about to set. We marched quickly to the Rav's house. The streets were filled with worshippers, clad in white, hurrying to the synagogue to hear Kol Nidre, the opening Yom Kippur prayer.

Opening the door, we were welcomed by the fragrance and warmth of burning candles. Rebbetzin Kook and her daughter opened their arms to us and began to cry. My mother patted my head.

"Soon you will go into the Rav's study to receive his blessing" said the Rebbetzin.

With her words, my fear grew. I sighed loudly. Just then, the great door opened and from within, a righteous man, a tzaddik, came out. He was all dressed in white, his gartel was embroidered with gold. On his head he wore a white kippah; his beard was long. His eyes, warm and good, were looking at me with pity and kindness.

"Aba! Daddy!" I cried and clung closely to my mother, hiding my face in her dress, my limbs trembling. I heard my mother's voice through my tears: "Go my child. Receive a blessing from the honoured Rav!"

She led me a few steps towards him. The Rav took my small hands into his warm, soft ones.

"Do not cry, my child" he said, placing his hands on my head. "Do not be afraid of me. I was a friend of your father. Come here and I will bless you on this holy day."

The Rav's hands were soft and warm - just like my father's. His voice was melodic - just like my father's. I felt as if a river of kindness and warmth washed all over me - from my head to my toes - just like when I used to sit on my father's lap.

*********************************

Rav Kook was so righteous that he always forgave his enemies and even loved and blessed them.

*********************************

In his last days, the Rav became very sick. He suffered in terrible pain. It was difficult for him to learn, and it was difficult for him to hide his anguish from his students and relatives.

On the morning of the 3rd Elul, his condition became worse. Even though speaking was very hard for him, he strained himself and demanded of his family and students not to add any titles to his name on the cover pages of his books, not to eulogize him, telling them (do not call me) "Rabbeinu, our Rabbi, and not the "Chief Rabbi of Eretz Yisrael" - "Simply HaRav - the Rav".

A large crowd stood outside the house, where the Rav lay on his deathbed. He raised his eyes to the window in his room. Everyone in Eretz Yisrael knew that a great leader, a teacher, a man of wisdom, was about to leave the land he loved so much.

The Rav grew weaker by the hour. His family, relatives, and a number of his students gathered around his bedside. In his last hours, the Rav's face was turned towards the wall. His students knew that it was written in the Talmud: "If a man passes away with his face towards the wall - it is a bad sign, and if his face is turned toward the people, it is a good sign". With his remaining strength, the Rav struggled and turned himself to face the people. At the last moment, all those who were standing around the Rav broke out saying "Shema Yisrael".

At sunset, on the third day of Elul 5695 (Sept 1st, 1935) the Rav passed away. The news flashed through the Jewish nation with the speed of lightning. The backbone of the Jewish nation was broken. The Rav of the generation was gone, the Rav of the era, the Rav of Eretz Yisrael at the time of her rebirth.

Exactly 16 years (3rd Elul) after Rav Kook ascended to Jerusalem, he ascended to Heaven.

Source: Reprinted from "Stories from the Life of Rav Kook" edited and translated by Masha Fridman

More on Rav Kook at Rav Kook Torah

Signs in the Skies Right Now

 "The visiting star's red dust rushes over the Earth's atmosphere and changes the colour of the sky."

Is this the Kochav Yaakov?  It's red, it has a weird shape, a long tail, and it's visible.

Apart from the red star, there is the gas giant behind the sun, as well as the second sun with it's own solar system.  The planets of this solar system are rotating between the Earth and our Sun, and whilst they appear very close they are still 45 million miles away, if we believe the science of our Sun being 93 million miles away.

Hungary - sunset

Hungary - sunset

Moon with infra-red camera

Italy - sun

Corpus Christi, Texas: sun infra-red

Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt"l on The War of the End of Days and the Two Mashiachs

HT: CS

Rabbi Daniel Glattstein

Curses on the Primordial Serpent

Rabbi Efraim Palvanov 

What were the ten curses that God decreed upon the Nachash, the Primordial Serpent in the Garden of Eden? How do they relate to the curses on Adam and Eve, and what does it all have to do with the Sabbath and the coming Messianic Age?

This video is an excerpt from a full-length class on Feminism and Judaism, available here

For more on the connection between the serpent and Moshiach click here

Prayer from the Yanuka for Peace of Mind

 

This is a prayer given by the Yanuka to someone who was suicidal, with instructions to read on a daily basis, as well as to sniff besamim [fragrant spices].  It was sent to me by someone who wishes to remain anonymous.   I don't have an English version, sorry.  If anyone does, please leave a comment.

The Manchurian Candidate

Until five minutes ago, I thought a Manchurian Candidate was just the name of a movie.  I didn't know it was an actual THING.  A Manchurian Candidate means "puppet".

That's what Trump has just called Biden in his latest address to the world.

This is the man who is facing 713 years in jail - 713 just happens to be the gematria of Teshuva.

So I'm thinking Rabbi M. Kessin is correct.... and Trump is the tov she b'Eisav - the good side of Eisav.

When evil people do things.... such as rig an election..... and who doesn't remember all the votes from the DEAD folks in the 2020 election?  Everyone must remember that.  That election was rigged by the Democrats.  Trump has the proof.  But what is happening here is that they have turned the tables and are saying Trump did exactly what THEY did.  That is typical narcissistic behaviour.  They blame you for what THEY have done.  

So here is the video, and if you don't like Donald Trump then I'm sorry but I need to blog this event, because it's relevant to everything going on right now.  Evil is currently winning, it's the Satan's last stand.... 

Two Suns

There are currently two suns ...and the second sun is bigger than our sun.  Meanwhile,  the smaller object shown below next to the sun, is a planet [or a moon], not the second sun.  But for people who don't believe in the second solar system passing by, then it's just the "second sun".  Are things weird enough for you these days?

In this video, from the 4.56min mark. 

Just a couple more showing another planetary object near our sun. 

And here there is a planet next to the moon.

The Mystical Aspects of Shabbos

New shiur from Rabbi Mendel Kessin

Opening the Gates

''Karma'' is the word given to the Hebrew term ''midda kneged midda'' - measure for measure

Judges and police officers you shall appoint in all your cities..... [Shoftim 16:18]

This verse can be understood in the light of the teaching found in the Talmud in Berachos [61b] that "Tzaddikim are judged by their yetzer tov [good inclination] and the wicked are judged by the yetzer hara [evil inclination]. The average person is judged by both."

The righteous have an admonisher inside them who reproves and reprimands them even about the good deeds that they perform. He points out the defects and shortcomings of their actions, how they are lacking and how they should have been performed for the Almighty Creator. In this way they are "judged by their yetzer tov".

The wicked are just the opposite. Not only do all their actions appear good in their eyes, but their evil inclination shows them that even the evil deeds they do are good. Thus, the wicked are judged by the yetzer hara.

But the average person is judged by both, and as the Tanna taught, "we are average people" - that a person should always consider himself a beinoni, average, as someone who walks on both paths. On the one hand, he should constantly rebuke himself, debating his own actions; he should consider himself to be falling short of properly serving Hashem and fulfilling his obligations. When doing mitzvos, he should understand well that he has not acted properly with true clarity and purity as befitting the service of the Almighty; he should be humble and lowly in his own eyes.

Even so, one should not consider himself wicked, Heaven forbid, as our Sages taught: "Do not be wicked in your own eyes" [Avos 2:18] Otherwise if one does consider himself wicked, he will have no motivation to perform the mitzvos, not to learn Torah or pray or perform any good deed. He will give up hope, resigned that he is not worthy enough to do these things. Therefore, one must hold on to both paths at the same time in order to be complete. Then he will fulfill the teaching of our Sages "With all your heart" [Devarim 6:5] - with both inclinations. This is the meaning of "we are average people" and the "average person is judged by both".

Thus it says "Appoint for yourself judges and police officers". This refers to the two judges we spoke about, the good and evil inclinations. The good inclination is an "officer" since it polices the nation, preventing them from committing any offence, and so the good inclination admonishes and rebukes man for his misdeeds and shortcomings in serving G-d.

"In all your cities" [literally "gates"] - every mitzvah and holy act has its own gate. When a person learns, prays, or does any other act of holiness in this world, he opens the gates to that specific mitzvah above.

Source: Mipeninei Noam Elimelech
Translated by Tal Moshe Zwecker

Hawaii Conspiracy vs Reality

Conspiracy theory is that the fires in Lahaina Hawaii were started by a DEW - a Directed Energy Weapon.  To see photos of these DEWs, enter the term into Google and click on Images.

I don't think it was a DEW.... but it was a similar thing that happened, however it came from Hashem.

Here are some photos of what people are talking about. [this is not my concept, I am taking it from people who know a lot more than I do about these things]

"Geostorm" is a movie, I haven't seen it, but it has nothing to do with this.

These photos are actually showing something called an "ion bleed off" from another planet.

Here are some more, taken at other places in the world.

The reason why the fires became so intense from this ion bleed off in Hawaii is because of winds from Hurricane Dora.  It was perfect timing. Only Hashem can do this.

I remember the fires in Australia, a few years ago, the winds were insane, and I was nowhere near the fires, I live in the city.  The wind felt strange, it was angry, I felt Hashem's power in that wind. 

I don't believe that any fire so huge as to destroy an entire city can be anything other than the Hand of G-d.  

This man is explaining how the wind fanned the fire, and from what he is saying, it is obviously the Hand of G-d.  In the same way it happened in Australia, first there was a drought, no rain and very dry vegetation, and then the fire starts, fanned by incredible wind.

Now if you're still having trouble believing in a second solar system passing by us, I have more photos and videos to put up, but that will be in another blog post.  

The 18 Decrees of Beit Shammai

Rabbi Efraim Palvanov

Two thousand years ago, two Jewish academies dominated the Judean landscape: Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai. While Jewish law is said to always follow Beit Hillel, there was a time when Beit Shammai managed to forcefully vote in 18 decrees. The Talmud states this day was as terrible for Israel as the day of the Golden Calf. 

What really happened at that fateful event? What were the 18 laws? And why do we still observe them

 today?

For a written summary of this class and lots more information click here

 

Individual Tests

I searched my blog for this image... and then saw it was on a post for the current Parsha Re'eh... 

and I needed to blog this today, because I know I was being tested last week when I had to

block anonymous comments, and I think I learnt something huge. 

''...for the Lord, your God, is testing you...'' [Re'eh 13:4]

One of the basic teachings of the Torah is that God does not expect of a human being anything which is beyond the human capacity to carry out.  This is quite understandable, for even a human being, who is very far from absolute perfection, would not expect of a tool that he has fashioned any more than he has put into it.

Certainly God, the Creator of man, knows man's capacities.  From this, it immediately follows that when a person faces any kind of a test of faith, it is certain that he has been given the capacity to overcome it.  And the more difficult the test, the greater are the individual's capacities.

The reason that an individual is tested is not because God wants to know how he will acquit himself, but in order that this person be afforded the opportunity to realize his potential, even that which is unknown to him.

And when one's potential capacities are released and activated, they become part and parcel of his or her arsenal, to be used for personal as well as communal benefit.

Source: Excerpt from a letter of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

The Role of the Body and Soul in this World and the Next

Rabbi Shimon Kessin

Hashem Will Bless You

Art Barbara Rochlitz

Text by Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita

It is written, “Because of this thing, Hashem your G-d will bless you” [Re'eh 15:10].

The term hazeh (“this”) has a numerical value of 17.

The Sages say, “He who gives a small coin to a poor man obtains six blessings, and he who speaks comforting words to him obtains eleven blessings” [Bava Batra 9b]. 

Hence the verse states, “Because of hazeh [this] thing, Hashem your G-d will bless you.”

Source – Kol Eliyahu

Melbourne's Meteor

They are calling it a meteor but no-one really knows what fell from the sky last night.

Melbourne, Australia.

When is Moshiach Really Coming?

HT: Sherry

Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff

Blessings in Disguise

Art Mike Worrall

"See! I am giving to you today a blessing and a curse" [Re'eh 11:26]

Hashem did not want the soul to eat "bread of shame" [i.e. sustenance given gratuitously, without having been earned by the recipient]; He therefore made it possible for man to serve Him in a meaningful way with toil of body and soul. Through our endeavors in avodah [service of G-d] we are Divinely enabled to earn all manner of goodness.

The difficulties, trials, and tests of life are themselves the means by which we are to attain our ultimate objective - that the soul achieve the lofty spiritual level it once possessed before it descended into the body: "The soul that you have given me is pure."  The purpose of life is for the soul to regain that level of original "purity" and even transcend it - for one hour of teshuvah [repentance] and good deeds in this world is worth more than all the lifetime of the spiritual World to Come [Olam HaBa].

So you see that life's trials, tragedies, and difficulties actually bring us closer to our goal, our raison d'etre; they are part of the Divine system of toil and endeavour enabling us, finite mortals, to reach the highest levels of rewards and goodness - which can only be earned by meaningful "labor" and effort.  It follows that one must not allow the difficulties of life's trials [or even one's failure from time to time] to overcome the double joy of being G-d's children and of having received His promise "Your people are all righteous".

Source: Excerpt from a letter written by the Lubavitcher Rebbe

New Heavens and a New Earth

Singapore

Birmingham, England
rainbow colours from coloured asteroids
and gas giant behind our sun and second sun

Fruita, Colorado
lightning discharge from planet

Isaiah 65

16 So that he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself by the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from Mine eyes. 

17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create; for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. 

19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in My people; and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. 

25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox; and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, saith the LORD

Two Doors

 

Art Jorm Sangsorn

Hashem created two doors: one in Shamayim and one in the heart of man.

When one opens his heart to the needs of his fellow man, then the corresponding door in Shamayim is opened to hear his cry. 

Vilna Gaon

The Power of Tu b'Av and Rebirth after the 9th

 

Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz

Final Credits

Illui nishmat Mordechai ben Menachem

Artist Unknown

Every commandment that I command you this day you shall keep to do, that you may live and multiply, and come and possess the land that the Lord swore to your forefathers. [Eikev 8:1]

The lesson that one who completes a mitzvah is credited with it [see Rashi] is particularly apt for our generation.

For according to all the signs which were given by our Sages, we are presently in the last generation of exile, which will become the first generation of redemption.

Thus, it is greatly encouraging to know that despite the fact that the Torah study and observance of mitzvot in previous generations greatly surpassed that of our more humble efforts, nevertheless one who completes a mitzvah is credited with it.  

Mashiach will come in the merit of our mitzvot, which are performed in the last moments of exile.

Based on Likutei Sichos vol 9 pp 104-5 Lubavitcher Rebbe

Morning Moon and Night

Photographer Samuel  took these photos of the moon in Toowoomba Queensland Australia. The first one was taken last night.

and this one was taken this morning

Sometime in between those two photos, the moon looked like this

Photo: William in Raby NSW Australia