A Frog or an Elephant

Rabbi Y. Y. Jacobson

The Essence of Pesach in 2 minutes: understanding the chametz in yourself and why it was originally added.  

I hope everyone has a meaningful and enjoyable Pesach, chag sameach.

The Deeper Understanding of Pesach and It's Relationship to the Divine Plan

Rabbi Mendel Kessin, new shiur

"Israel: It Should Never Ever Have Been Given Away"

 I'm a bit annoyed with him at the moment, but he just redeemed himself with this:

How To Get Rid of Negative Thoughts

I heard this from Rabbi Daniel Glatstein in this shiur.

This Segula comes from the Ramak and has been explicated by Rav Shimshon Pincus.

Say these words to yourself, over and over again: 

[Parshat Tzav 6:6]

אֵ֗שׁ תָּמִ֛יד תּוּקַ֥ד עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ לֹ֥א תִכְבֶּֽה 

Aish tamid tukad al hamizbeach — lo tichbeh.

 “An everlasting fire should always be burning on the mizbeach — it should never be extinguished.”

Tzav: The Conscious and Sub-conscious Mitzvot

Based on Likutei Sichos of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

Do we really have free choice? Most people tend to view this as a yes-or-no type of question, but the correct answer is in fact, yes and no.

a) The inner core of the soul is totally at one with G-d. At this subconscious level, the soul of every Jew wishes to observe all the mitzvot and to avoid transgressing any prohibitions. There is no desire for evil here; there simply is no other option than doing good.

b) At the conscious level however, where we interact with the more superficial layers of the soul's complex psyche, there is room for both good and evil. Here, the soul's inner desire to observe all the mitzvot is felt only as a weaker 'signal', which is susceptible to 'interference' from the opposing messages of our animalistic instincts. So at the conscious level, we do indeed possess free choice.

In general, the Torah speaks to our conscious mind. We are told to observe the mitzvot with the full awareness of what we are doing, and we are charged with bringing an awareness of spirituality into our normal, daily lives.

However, at this conscious level, we are susceptible to being drawn away from a life of holiness, or stifled by the limitations that the world appears to present. So while most of the mitzvot were given to the conscious part of the soul, G-d saw it necessary to give us some mitzvot which speak directly to the inner core of the soul, helping the soul's unlimited energy and total commitment to good to flow outwards to the conscious mind. These special mitzvot help us stay in tune with our subconscious commitment to Judaism, when our conscious observance becomes strained or limited.

With most mitzvot, G-d told Moshe to address the Jewish people with the term דבר "daber" [speak] or אמור "emor" [say]. While the mitzvot conveyed with these terms are of course obligatory, the more passive, indirect mood of the words "speak" and "say" indicate that these mitzvot are directed at the superficial layers of the soul which possess free choice.

Parshas Tzav, in contrast, uses the more direct imperative term צו "tsav" [command], alluding to a type of mitzvah which speaks to the soul's inner core that does not possess true free-choice; and is simply "commanded" to obey G-d's will. These special mitzvot which are included in this Parsha are aimed at helping our inner identity of unquestioning and uninhibited commitment to the Jewish faith surface in everyday life.

Planets, Tariffs and Iran

Tennessee, Arkansas and Kentucky are copping major weather.  The 180 day close pass of the passing solar system is causing havoc.  Giant grapefruit size hail in Texas, non stop lightning in all the colours of the rainbow that you can imagine, major flooding.  This is all being caused by the close passing solar system - photos of the planet Napisiti below. Notice the distinctive base clouds shaped like little snorkels, teeth or fingers, whatever you want to call them, only Napisiti has these.

Tennessee, photo Ed McHenry

Original photo can be seen here [link to FB]

Ethridge TN 

Donald Trump on Friday approved an emergency declaration for Kentucky as the central US braces for what experts in the region have warned could be a “generational” flooding event, as severe spring storms that have killed at least seven continue to wreak havoc.

 

That's just the storm damage. Now we can talk about the sun.  For everyone in the Northern Hemisphere, you will notice that if you spend any time outside with no protection, your skin will burn in minutes.  The sun is much stronger now.  Try it and see, if you don't believe me.

We've just had our summer, and I'm telling you that a few minutes outside under the sun, my skin was on fire.  I had to go inside.  I've heard this from Americans as well, and it's not even summer there yet.

There's also the body aches and pains which appear out of nowhere and then disappear the next day, or even hours later, depending on when the planets are overhead or if they've moved. They are continually moving, spinning around their sun, which is behind our sun [which is probably why our sun feels much hotter].

All these things are connected to Geula.  

So are Trump's Trade Tariffs.... the stock market crash and the resulting global trade war, all the nations including America's allies are in a turmoil over this.  He wants to make America great but doesn't care that he's likely bankrupting other countries in the process.  Nevertheless, he's fulfilling the prophecy of  "not a penny in the pocket" which is seemingly coming true as prices continue to rise and many people are struggling to make ends meet. Mass protests against Trump and Musk have begun across the US.  [see video below]

 

This would be a really good time for the US/Israel to bomb Iran.... nothing like a war to take peoples' minds off everything else.

That's what many people are saying right now, so maybe here we go.

Sweetening Judgments

Art OceanXGoddess

from the writings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov

When the messengers who bring suffering are despatched, they are made to take an oath: that they will neither set out nor return except on such and such a day, at such and such a time, and only [carry out their mission] by using the designated means. However, repentance, prayer and charity have the power to nullify [the enactment of] this oath.

Reciting the Torah chapters concerning the Choshen, the Breastplate [Exodus 28:15-30; 39:8-21] is a tikkun [rectification] for harsh judgments.

A person who suffers affliction should give charity. This charity will be considered as if it were a fee paid to a judge for his services, which when accepted, nullifies the verdict's validity. And through this his suffering will be alleviated.

When a person rebukes his friend for the right motives, he has a thread of loving-kindness drawn over him.

A person who does not accept rebuke will experience suffering.

To sweeten harsh judgments, recite Psalm 39 and Psalm 77.

When the nations have issued an evil decree against the Jews, Psalm 62 should be said.

A person can determine and understand his sins from the suffering which he experiences.

There are four things which abolish harsh decrees: Tzedakah [charity], crying out to G-d, changing one's name and improving one's conduct.

Crying out to G-d helps the individual only prior to the final decree.

A person's accusers are beaten off by the study of Torah.

A final decree accompanied by an oath cannot be abolished, even for the sake of an entire community.

The effects of a decree against a person apply only in a specific place. He can save himself by changing his location.

A person should tell others of his anguish so that they will pray for mercy on his behalf.

Accepting suffering with love is like bringing a sacrifice.

A person who falls down while walking should see this as a sign of a downfall on a spiritual level. Falling down while walking sometimes serves to nullify a pronouncement of death which has been issued against the person.

A person who finds himself suffering from harsh judgment should make it a habit to gaze at the Heavens.

The Holy One exonerates the person who teaches righteousness to the wicked.

A man of truth receives G-d's lovingkindness undisguised by judgments.

Trust in G-d sweetens judgment and draws down loving-kindness.

Through faith [emunah] it is possible to convince G-d to follow your will.

Purim on Pesach?

Do you know that Purim originally happened at Pesach time?  It was moved forward to the month of Adar so as not to be over-shadowed by Pesach.

The Fast of Esther is perhaps the most misunderstood of the annual public fast days regarding what it represents and why we actually fast. It is not mentioned anywhere in the Talmud, [1] and only makes its first appearance in Rav Achai Gaon’s “Sheiltot”. [2] Contrary to popular misconception, the Fast of Esther is not the anniversary of the original fast that was decreed by Esther. In fact, Queen Esther’s original fast was actually a three-day affair that coincided with the start of Pesach. [3] That’s right – Esther (and the Jews of Shushan) had no Pesach Seder that year. [4] As such, there have been individuals in the past who observed a three day fast (though not consecutively) following Purim in order to better observe, in spirit at least, the original “Fast of Esther”. [5] Today, however, this practice is no longer found. [6] [Source and footnotes]

There is a lot of talk and action right now concerning Iran.   As it is Nissan, we can expect miracles.

I pray that we can also expect Geula.

Why Did The Rebbe Go To His Father-in-Law's Grave?

Amongst the nonsense on the internet which some of you may have heard or read lately, some people are now under the impression that Judaism forbids prayer at the Kever of a Tzaddik.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  

Click here to read why we pray at the graves of Tzadikim and see below to learn the truth about the Lubavitcher Rebbe's prayers at his father-in-law's grave.

The Rebbe would often go to the Ohel, the resting place of his father-in-law, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (the "Rayatz"), of righteous memory. In the first year after the Rayatz's passing in 1950, the Rebbe would take a bus to the Ohel together with the yeshivah students before every Rosh Chodesh (the first day of a new Jewish month). After that year, the Rebbe would travel by car. After the Rebbe's mother passed away in 1964, the Rebbe started going an additional time, mid-month. In even later years, there were times when the Rebbe would go to the Ohel four times a week, nearly every weekday.

I [Yehuda Krinsky] drove the Rebbe almost every time, thousands of times. The Rebbe always had bags of letters with him, filled with requests of every kind that the Rebbe would read at his father-in-law's resting place.

The Rebbe (far left) at the resting place of the sixth Lubavitch Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory.

The Rebbe stood opposite Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak's burial spot the entire time. There was a small room built to protect the Rebbe from the cold, heat, snow and rain. In the summertime, we had an air conditioner, and in the wintertime a heater, so the Rebbe would remain relatively comfortable.

The custom at the Ohel is to tear your letter after reading it, and toss the shreds onto the burial spot. The Rebbe would do this with many of the letters he received. Sometimes, however, the Rebbe would jot a response on a letter and bring it back with him to his office.    

Source: Yehuda Krinsky Chabad