Why Tzadikim Atone For All of Us

  by Rabbi Elchanan Lewis

Question: How can the death of a Tzaddik become a Kapparah [atonement]?

Answer: The Tzadik is not a personal individual that has an impact only on himself, he is a public figure who impacts on all those around him; the loss of a Tzadik is therefore a public loss, not an individual or family one. The Tzadikim are here not for themselves, rather for others - that is how they live their lives and that is how they also die; Just as the death serves as atonement to the deceased himself, so the departure of a Tzadik does to his community.

The Three Weeks

 

The Three Weeks is an annual mourning period that falls out in the summer. - or winter if you're in the Southern Hemisphere. This is when we mourn the destruction of the Holy Temple and our launch into a still-ongoing exile. With an eye to the future, we also learn about the Third Temple, which is yet to be built. 

The period begins on the 17th of the Hebrew month of Tammuz, a fast day that marks the day when the walls of Jerusalem were breached by the Romans in 69 CE.  This year it begins on the night of July 1st.

It reaches its climax and concludes with the fast of the 9th of Av, the date when both Holy Temples were set aflame. This is the saddest day of the Jewish calendar, and it is also the date that many other tragedies befell our people . . . read more  about Tisha B’Av and the 3 Weeks: click here

Source: Chabad

Fooling Yourself

Art: "Seekers of the Truth" - Mike Worrall

It is told that R' Pinchus of Koretz used to warn his disciples: ‘Never fool yourselves! Above all a Jew must be thoroughly honest with himself!’

Once one of his students challenged him. ‘But Rebbe,’ he said, ‘one who fools himself actually thinks he is being honest with himself. So how are we ever to know if we are being honest, or just fooling ourselves?’

‘You have asked wisely, my son,’ the Rebbe said. ‘The answer, however, is simple. It is written in Tanna d-Bei Eliyahu [an ancient Midrashic source] that anyone who is careful to speak words of truth will be sent a malach [an angel] who shows him the truth. One who speaks words of sheker [falsehood] will be sent a malach who fools and deceives him.

So, if you will be careful to always tell the truth, you will never “fool yourself.” If not, well …’ This is a very telling incident. One can live his⁄her entire life in deception, of others and of himself, and not have even the faintest notion he is doing so. R' Pinchus also used to tell his disciples: ‘It is better to choke, than to utter a lie.’”

R' Raphael said: “The Sages teach that the greatest labor of man should be to avoid self-deceit. But how can a man do so when he is deceived and believes his action to be right? By obeying the counsel of his friend, since his friend cannot profit by permitting the deceit to continue. We are also taught that he who labors for truth creates for himself an Angel of Truth who acts as a monitor to warn him of falsehood.”

R' Pinchas said: “He who is filled with self-importance lies to himself and he fools others to believe his importance."

Purple Lightning..... Purple Skies

I'm a bit late with this one, but I haven't had time to check Tik Tok lately.  

Anyway, here is a very short video of the recent storm over London, after their heatwave.  Notice the purple..... and the strobe lightning, which I showed you in 2025 over Sydney.  The purple is from the planet Atu, which is of course purple.   It also turned purple over Paris, and probably other places as well.  

The Suffering of the Last Generation

Art Gabriele Scholl

Text below was transcribed by Nava from the Dreaming of Moshiach Blog, in 2007.

In Gemara, Chazal tells us that three divisions of sufferings came down to the world. 

The first division of suffering was placed on the generations of the seven holy shepherds: Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov Avinu, Moshe Rabenu, Aaron HaKohen, Yosef HaTzaddik, and Melech Dovid, zs'l. 

The second division of suffering was placed on the remaining generations, excluding our generation.

The third division of suffering was placed on our generation, the last generation. 

The first two sufferings were a gradual process but the last suffering, the third, is the hardest and harshest. Whether it's an illness, unnatural death in a family, livelihood, divorce, finding a spouse, having children, etc....every Jew, regardless where, when, what, who, why, is suffering! 

This is the reason Chazal wrote in Gemara that if a person is not suffering in the generation of the End of Days, know that this person is not a Jew!

If someone tells you he is not suffering, he is not the son/daughter of Avraham Avinu, zs'l. 

Why is this very harsh decree occurring specifically in our generation, all at once and so numerous?

The suffering is a necessity required before the arrival of Moshiach Tzidkenu. Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, zs'l, explains it further in the Zohar HaKadosh, as follows: 

When Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, zs'l, (Rashbi) was hiding in the cave, he wrote the Zohar HaKadosh in Ruach HaKodesh (Divine Spirit). Thru Ruach HaKodesh, he saw that the last generation will be in a large fire and he cried for us and said, ווי לון מאן דגרמי דיוזיל ליה - Oy to the people who will live in the last generation. Rashbi saw that our generation will transgress the Torah and commit adultery, lust, promiscuity, stealing, heresy, secularism, etc. He cried because he saw that we will need to go thru so many tests and suffering. 

But why so much suffering in our generation? Why does the Yetzer Hara (evil inclination) have so much power in this generation, more than in all past generations? 

It is because HKB'H is so merciful and so generous! The Zohar HaKadosh explains: Every soul comes into this world only for the reason to correct past lives for sins committed. HKB'H saw throughout all generations that many souls were unable to correct themselves and remained unworthy to enter Gan Eden. Even though they were reincarnated as humans, animals, in-animates, plants, food, etc., and also placed in Gehenom or Kaf Hakela. Yet, they were still unable to correct their souls. Even after so many reincarnations, these souls were unsuccessful in their tikun and were placed in Heichal HaNeshamot (hall of souls). 

The Zohar HaKadosh continues and says that HKB'H revealed Himself to the souls placed in Heichal HaNeshamot and the neshamot cried to HaShem, "Merciful Heavenly Father, help us correct ourselves, we want to succeed in cleansing our souls, we reincarnated as humans, plants, animals, we went thru Gehenom, Shaol Tachtit, Kaf Hakela... but we still have not properly corrected our souls...". 

When Merciful HKB'H heard this, He said, "I'll place you all in one generation, a generation that will have much confusion, tests, suffering, and hardships, a generation where the truth will be absent, a generation where one will be easily trapped by the evil inclination. There will be many opportunities to get trapped into terrible sins; everything will be available to you in split seconds. It will be a generation that will feel exhausted from trying to do Teshuva, the evil inclination will be very powerful and adultery, lust, temptations, promiscuity, stealing, heresy, secularism, etc. will be everywhere." "BUT, despite all these hardships, all neshamot that will succeed to pass these difficult tests and continue to have Emunah, will be tremendously rewarded and will merit to live in the Geula." 

This is the reason the holy Rashbi also said  "Overjoyed is the person who lives in that generation." Although it's difficult to comprehend, it's important to know:  all people in this generation: you, me, him, her, them.... are all from Heichal Ha-Neshamot. 

Source and more click here

Eliyahu must do these three things right before Mashiach

Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff - 11 min video

Shock Passing of Rav Ron Chaya zt"l

It is with great sadness that I report the passing of Rav Ron Chaya, a well-known Rav who has appeared on this blog many times.  

He will be greatly missed by all of us.  Thank you Rav Chaya for your teachings and videos.

More details at Matzav - thank you Alex for the information.

What incredibly sad news.

The Right Path

"Of Yetzer, the Yitzri family; of Shilem, the Shilemi family" [Pinchas 26:49]

This verse, said the Chofetz Chaim, can be expounded upon in the following manner:

"Of Yetzer" - One who succumbs to the lure of the yetzer hara (evil inclination) will immediately find himself in the company of the "Yitzri family" - the members of the yetzer hara's family are all more than ready to help him along the path of wickedness.

"Of Shilem" - But one who strives for perfection (sheleimus) will find himself in the company of the "Shilemi family" - those who fear Heaven and have achieved spiritual perfection will help him along the upright path.

"In the path that a man wishes to go, he is led" [Makkos 10b]

Do You Think Witkoff and Kushner Were Bribed?

Rabbi Nochum Schapiro

Link to original video on FB

Feeling the Heat

This is quite scary, if you saw it for real you'd probably run for  your life.  But it's just Napisiti, one of the planets that's passing us by.  Napisiti always has the blue/green line. There is nothing else like it. And how do I know it's not AI ? Because it was filmed by a known person, and because we know what Napisiti looks like. Filmed over south east Iowa.

We are currently in the 180 day "close pass" situation, where the visiting planets pass by very close to us, creating scenes just like this.

That is why it's so HOT.  There are two suns above us.  One is obviously further away, but nevertheless we have two suns.  The second sun has 8 planets orbiting it.  This system passes us by approx every 3,500 years, give or take a few hundred, it's not an exact figure because NASA is saying nothing at all.

So which sun is ours?  Our sun is looking very big these days, it's also changing shape, due to the obstruction by the giant size of the planets that are visible from earth.  These planets fill the entire sky.  They do not look like the images shown by NASA, they are not just a circle, they are spheres surrounded by their own atmospheres, and they have different cloud shapes.   

I've been following this for about five years, which makes me an expert at knowing what to look for.  Unfortunately, there is a lot of alien talk associated with this visiting planetary system, and I try to avoid all that because I have no interest in aliens at all, but the information regarding the planets and their changing positions in the sky are all 100% accurate, and foretold every month by planetary expert Samuel Hofman.  He told us months ago that this summer would be the hottest on record, and as  usual he has been proved correct.  You can't argue with his logic, time and time again he proves he knows what he's talking about, which is why the US Gov issued him with an NDA [non disclosure agreement] back in 1979.  That agreement expired in 2010, and he's been talking ever since then.

I could write about this forever, there is so much information, but as most people can't even wrap their minds around such a thing happening, I'm not going to bother.  Just trust me, it's real and it's happening, and I believe it's connected to Geula in some way.

That is why people are seeing things like this video below .... around the sun.

Physical Organs Correspond to Organs of the Soul

Text by Rabbi David Hanania Pinto

“Pinchas son of Elazar son of Aharon the Kohen saw, and he stood up from amidst the assembly and took a spear in his hand” [Balak 25:7]

My holy forebear, Rabbi Chaim Vital, zy”a, states [Sha’arei Kedushah 1:1] that man’s body is comprised of 613 parts, corresponding to the 613 mitzvot. Each part of the body corresponds to a different mitzvah. And just as in the body there are 613 organs, so too, the neshamah contains 613 organs, paralleling the 613 mitzvot. This was very difficult for me to comprehend. The neshamah is a most elevated, spiritual entity. What connection can it have with the 613 physical parts of the body?

I thought over the matter and arrived at the conclusion that the body is physical mass. It is naturally drawn to materialism, not to mitzvot. Since the body does not want to part with its natural urges and temptations in favor of observing mitzvot, Hashem created the neshamah, corresponding to the organs of the body. The organs of the neshamah are spiritual, granting power to the body to overcome materialism and observe mitzvot. If not for these vital organs, the body would never be pulled to do mitzvot. How dreadful that would be! Hashem, Who knows our makeup, created spiritual organs in man’s neshamah. These are what motivate him to keep the mitzvot, which correspond to them.

For this reason, the pasuk [Eichah 3:23] states, “They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” The neshamah, which enters the body anew each morning, fuels it so that it can triumph over its materialistic nature and hurry to accomplish mitzvot. The neshamah, with its powers of purity, descends, sanctifying the body [see Eitz Chaim 29:3].

When Pinchas took note of what was transpiring with Zimri and the Midianite woman, he hurried to grab the spear and, sparing not a moment, killed both of them in one fell swoop. The pasuk [Balak 25:7] states, “He stood up from amidst the assembly and took a spear in his hand.” The Zohar (see III, 237a) states that the word רמח [spear] hints to the fact that Pinchas sanctified the name of Hashem with all his 248 [רמח] limbs.

The gematria of the word בידו [in his hand], adding one for the word itself, is equal to that of the word גידו [his limb]. Pinchas harnessed all his body parts for the purpose of fulfilling the injunction [Shoftim 17:7]: “You shall destroy the evil from your midst.”

From where did Pinchas gain the determination to act so zealously? It was from his neshamah, comprised of 613 organs which affect the physical organs, as explained according to Rabbi Chaim Vital, zy”a.

The Power to Bless

by Rabbi David Hanania Pinto

 "For I know that whomever you bless is blessed" [Balak 22:6]

The Tzaddik Rabbi Meir Abuchatzera zya"a, told over that in his country of origin - Morocco, there was a simple person to whom people used to go to ask for blessings, and many times his blessings were indeed fulfilled.

Rabbi Meir's son, the Admor Rabbi Elazar zya"a asked his father to explain this phenomenon (brought in the sefer 'Pekudat Elazar').

Rabbi Meir replied that true the man was simple and his father too was known as a simple person, but his father was also well known for his charitable acts.

Among all the kind deeds that he performed, he also used his profession as a tailor to this end. He was accustomed to collecting old or torn clothes from people, which he would then take the time to repair so that they were once again fitting to be worn and distribute them to poor people. It was merit of his father's good deeds that gave his son the merit of his prayers to be accepted.

In the same vein, there is a story told about the Alter of Slabodka. When he was ill, he sent a message to various gedolim and tzaddikim, asking them to pray for him. He also asked the town's pharmacist to pray for him. He explained that since the pharmacist helps others by preparing medications which serve to heal them, he has great merits and therefore his blessings will bear fruit, just like the prayers of a tzaddik or holy person.

Could the Chabad Rabbi be Moshiach?

H/t Sherry

Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz with Rabbi Aron Sokol - 13 min video

Just by the way.... Rabbi Breitowitz is not officially "Chabad" at all, and everyone please restrain yourselves from writing any comments which may be deemed offensive, I know this is a controversial topic.... but as it's Rabbi Breitowitz you can all relax.

The Make-Believe World of President Donald Trump

Rabbi Mendel Kessin, new shiur

Sparks

 

"A star will shoot forth from Jacob, and a staff will arise from Israel" [Balak 24:17]

Rambam understood the verse above as referring to King David and Moshiach.  The Jerusalem Talmud, however, uses the metaphor of a "star" in this verse to refer to even the ordinary Jew. 

At first glance, this appears to be a contradiction, for Moshiach represents the highest perfection possible in a human being, whereas the "ordinary" Jew includes every Jewish person, even the most simple.  However, the matter can be reconciled based on the Baal Shem Tov's teaching that every Jew contains within him a "spark" of the soul of Moshiach.  The verse therefore refers to both Moshiach himself and the "Moshiach" within us.

The presence of this "spark" of Moshiach has a twofold implication:

a) The verse states the star will "shoot forth" suggesting that one's personal spark of Moshiach should be revealed and "shoot out" into the world;

b) Every Jew is able to speed up and bring about the actual manifestation of Moshiach through revealing his own spark and adding in Torah and Mitzvot.

Likutei Sichos Lubavitcher Rebbe

Gog Umagog Just Entered Its Final Stage

H/t Sherry

Rabbi Tovia Singer with Rabbi Aron Sokol

It's All Written!

Rabbanit Michal Shoker is speaking on the video.  However, I have transcribed it for you in case you can't hear the English which has been auto-dubbed.  It is very worthwhile to hear this, or read the transcription below, even though we are aware of Trump's plans etc, this sets it out from the prophecies and the Megillah.

If you listen to the video and you can fill in the blanks where I couldn't understand the name of the Rabbi, please leave it in the comments.  Thank you.

Regarding what is happening with Trump now....It is written in the Megillah on page 14 that the king removed his signet ring... Rabbi  ....... Kahane  [?] said that the removal of the ring was greater than everything because it brought everyone back. The King gave the ring to Haman the wicked, and this is exactly what is happening now. 

It is written that in the future there will be a king whose decrees are harsher than Haman's, that is more wicked than Haman and this is exactly what is happening now. 

People of Israel, we all need to wake up to repentence, trust and faith in the Holy One blessed is He, because there is going to be control over the people of Israel. Because of this control, essentially Bibi Netanyahu will not do what Trump desires, but will go and fight where necessary -  whether in Iran or Lebanan - this will make Trump even angrier, and will actually cause all the nations of the world to be angry with us. He will incite everyone against us and we will be very very close to the war of Gog u Magog... SOON ! When? No-one knows. 

But you need to understand now that this whole process is so that the people of Israel will repent. It is written that this is what brought the Jews to repentance during the time of Purim with Haman the wicked, It is written by Rabbi ..... [?] in the Essay of Redemption page 301 Chapter 7 that before the coming of Moshiach, before the people are purified from the Exile, birthpangs will increase, there will be sorrow upon sorrow.  At that time [the angel] Michael will stand up and it will be a time of trouble such as there never was, and at that time the people will be delivered, everyone who's name is written in the Book.  

And it is said that many will purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall continue to behave wickedly and none of the wicked will understand - only the wise will understand. The wise will look forward to Redemption. Those who strengthen themselves in faith and trust in Hashem.  And Hashem will bring the third part through fire. Everyone who will merit Redemption with Hashem's help will be purified through fire, and test them as gold is tested. 

And  if we truly merit the Redemption we will pass through tribulations, we will need to endure them with trust and faith in the Holy One blessed is He.  

It is further said that the son of David will not come until the kingdom of Edom spreads over the Holy Land for nine months. It is said He will give them up until the time that she is in labor [for birth] is brought forth, then the remnant will return to the children of Israel. This means we will see the rule of Edom over the kingdom of Israel for nine months.

So we know the term of pregnancy is nine months, and this too is nine months. So even if it is hard we will all cry out for the Kingdom of Heaven and for David and the re-building of the Holy Temple so that no other kingdom will rule over us, only the Kingdom of Hashem.  Amen !

Messianic Prophecies Unfolding Now—Is Trump Detached?

Rabbi Tovia Singer

And There Arose a New King - וַיָּקָם מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ

 

Shemot 1:8  A new king, who did not know Joseph, arose over Egypt.

Trump Says Only Israel Wanted To Continue Bombing Iran And “Only Fools Would Want That”

Read the article at Yeshiva World News

Gimmel Tammuz

Gimmel Tammuz [3 Tammuz] is recognized in Jewish tradition as an auspicious day for open miracles and divine revelation [nissim geluyim]

The Miracle of Yehoshua: On the 3rd of Tammuz in the year 2488 (1273 BCE), Yehoshua bin Nun commanded the sun and moon to stand still in Giv'on so the Jewish people could complete their battle. The Sages teach that Yehoshua established this date for all generations as a time of open miracles and transcendent light. 

Liberation of the Previous Rebbe: On Gimmel Tammuz in 1927, the Sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, was released from Communist imprisonment in Russia. The Rebbe noted the spiritual parallel between this miraculous liberation from death and Yehoshua's miracle of suspended nature. 

The Legacy of the Lubavitcher Rebbe: Gimmel Tammuz is the anniversary of passing (yahrtzeit) of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Rather than a day of sadness, Chabad tradition marks it as an auspicious day of elevation, highlighting that a tzaddik continues to shower blessings and intercede for miracles in this physical world.

The Rebbe constantly insisted on yearning for and demanding Moshiach's coming, refusing to make peace with an imperfect world.  

Video: In honor of the Rebbe’s yahrzeit, the JEM team presents a new film exploring the Rebbe’s perspective on how to see the world.  "You're Looking at the World Wrong" [5 in video]

12 Minutes ....

H/t Rivka

On a recent blog post "No-one is Prepared for What is Next" an anonymous commenter wrote:

This recent attack israel vs iran lasted 12h, news are calling it the 12h war... 12 day war was before this 12 hour war (remember?)... maybe 12 minute war is coming? Remember what the Gaon of Vilna said about 12m.

Then today, someone called me and told me about a video that had come up on their feed, with a headline saying "It Will Last 12 Minutes".   I remembered I'd posted that video back in August last year, but here it is again, because after reading the anonymous comment, I think she's spot on.... we had the 12 day war, then the 12 hour war.... and the final one will be 12 minutes, as prophesied by the Vilna Gaon.

Rabbi Akiva Tatz on J-TV.

A Vision from the Past

Chodesh Tov!  Welcome Tammuz. Let's hope it's a good one.

About 17 years ago, although I can't remember the exact date... I was living in a different place, so that's the only way I can date it.... I was shown a vision in a dream, and at the time I didn't understand it.  I still don't really understand, but as with every "vision" that I've ever been shown, I believe that it is something that is going to happen.  

17 years ago, I did not know anything about Donald Trump, apart from the fact that he was someone who was a public figure.  He was not running for President, and I don't even think Rabbi Kessin had begun to speak about him yet.   However, in a dream, you always know who you're seeing.  I've never forgotten it, just like I've never forgotten any of the visions I've seen, and they've all actually happened in real life some time after the dream.

So, here I give you an AI version of the vision I was shown.  It was presented to me as an image, and then I woke up, with that image imprinted on my mind.  

I was shown the Sydney Harbour Bridge with a large water spout in front of it, and Trump dressed as a clown in a white and blue clown suit [Israeli colours] and Trump was collapsed on the ground.  I am unsure if he was dead or alive in the vision, but he was "collapsed".

So I'm sharing it here, make of it what you will.... I don't have any major understanding of what is being shown here.

Super-Rational

One of the reasons for the Sabbatical year is to allow the land to rest for a year, to enhance its fertility [Guide for the Perplexed 3:3]  From this it follows that after six consecutive years of intensive agriculture, the land is at its least fertile point in the seven year cycle.  So the Torah's promise that the land ''will yield produce (sufficient) for three years'' in the naturally infertile sixth year, is totally irrational, and requires a person to accept an authority which is higher than his mortal understanding.

The Talmud [Sanhedrin 97a] compares the six agricultural years to the six millenia of this world, and the Sabbatical year to the seventh millenium [when the Geula will have arrived].  

Since the Jewish people suffer from a gradual regression in spiritual stature as the generations pass, a person might ask ''How could the efforts of the spiritually weak and ''infertile'' sixth millenium bring the true and complete redemption?''

The Torah answers:  It is the super-rational self-sacrifice and commitment to Judaism of the final generations of exile that will bring the blessings of the Redemption.

Source: Lubavitcher Rebbe Likutei Sichos vol 27 pp 189-190

"No-one is Prepared For What is Next"

H/t Sherry

Rabbi Tovia Singer

Rabbi Tovia Singer explains why the prophets may have seen this moment coming, and why what happens next could be far more significant than most people realize.

War in the Summer? Redemption in Mercy? It's Up to Us.

This has been auto-dubbed, female voice.... usually I don't like the auto dubs, but the message is worthwhile, as we pray for Geula with rachamim [mercy] not judgment.

"Redemption is a multi-stage process..... We are currently on the scales, and it has not yet been decided in Heaven whether the Redemption will come through mercy or through judgment."

What's Behind The Sun?

There is something behind the sun... presumed to be the gas giant Immaru... whatever it is, it should not be there in the normal course of events.  This is why both the sun - and the moon - often have colours around them, and if you point your phone camera randomly at the sun and take a photo, you may end up with a rainbow effect just like this, and wonder why....

Photo S. Holloway Sydney Australia

And this was the full moon in Maine.   Something big is coming.... the signs are right there over our heads.

Maine

To Remain in the Desert

''You will not come to the Land...'' [Shelach 14:30]

G-d does not issue a punishment to bring revenge on the sinner.  Rather, the ''punishment'' is a form of spiritual ''medicine'' aimed at correcting the spiritual deficiency caused by a sin.

With this in mind, the ''punishment'' given to the Jewish people here is difficult to understand.  Their sin was that they did not wish to enter the Land because they desired to remain in the desert where they could serve G-d without distraction; and yet, their punishment was to receive what they wanted: to remain in the desert [for forty years!]  How would this ''correct' their sin of not wanting to enter the Land?

In truth however, the sin of the spies was not that they were too spiritual, but rather they were not spiritual enough.  To be involved with the physical world and remain spiritually attuned demands the highest degree of attachment to G-d.  So when the generation showed that they were lacking this level of dedication, they were given 40 more years of unrestricted Divine worship, enabling them to reach the level where they would be ready to engage in the world.

Source: Based on Likutei Sichos Vol 33 Lubavitcher Rebbe

23 Sivan Foretold

H/t Yosef Shidler for text and images

 

There is a short video uploaded here by Yosef Shidler 

If you can't access it, I've copied the transcript. 

All right. So the megilla explicitly mentions - in the first column of the megilla - in the first chapter it mentions that this year is 5786 ....what is happening and what is most interesting on what is happening is that this year current events with this whole Iran war, which basically is Persia, the place where the megilla happened, are aligning specifically with the four months that the megilla explicitly mentions.

Teves, the first month that the megilla mentions in the order of things, right? Why Teves is interesting is because Teves is when all the Iranians went out and they started to try and overthrow and cause this uprising, right? Remember this whole scenario? So they were trying to overthrow the government. That happened - the real beginning of that they pinned right to about 8th of Teves and it ended right before the end of Shevat. 

Nothing happens. I remember we were all sitting in Shevat and we're like oh come on. When's this Iran war going to happen? When's this Iran war going to happen? Trump keeps talking about it. Everyone in the media is talking. When's the war finally going to happen? And we were sitting there and nothing's happening. The whole month of Shvat, right? Shvat's not mentioned in the megllah.. 

Then we get to the first date that we can read the megillah... All right, that is when the war begins and it goes all the way until the middle of Nissan. Then there's a ceasefire and it concludes, right - and so we have Teves, we have Adar and we have Nissan - all three months mentioned in the megillah, right? Then we go into Iyar and everyone's like, "Okay, what's happening with this Iran war?" And all this discussion and conversation and everything's going on, right? Nothing happening. Everyone's wondering, "Why is nothing happening?" 

All right, so we're sitting there. We're trying to figure out what's the next step. When's Trump going to act? Finally, 29 Iyar, right? On 29 Iyar, the final day of Iyar, Trump puts up a big post, "the calm before the storm". The storm is coming back, right? We're going to go back into Iran. We're going to do our business right - today is Rosh Chodesh. So literally Trump is saying that I'm about to pick up and he showed the Iranian boats in that picture that he posted. We know that he's going back for Iran.

So essentially you have a pattern where you have months on, then off, months on off right - so what is the mathematical odds that we would get this whole pattern to exactly line up the way it did? 

Also first of all let's just do it in the terms of just this year, meaning that the fact that this year the megilla....you know you have four months that are mentioned in the megilla out of 12 and the factor of all four months lining up specifically to have the megillah calls out those four months. So it says those odds are one in essentially 495 that that happens. 

Then you factor that there's a code in the megilla.. The megilla potentially called out this year of 5786 and that number goes up by like a thousand. Like the mathematical odds that the megilla called out this year and that events are aligning with these months in order is crazy crazy crazy - numbers that are like blown up to the sky type of numbers. meaning that for for this to be predicted or for this to have been predicted and then happen, the mathematical odds are extremely extremely extremely low and very very unlikely to happen. 

So bottom line I guess the month of Sivan is going to be very very telling as to what happens during this month if we perceive and if miracles happen and you know the war continues and I think we have a lot in store for us. I think it's going to be extremely interesting and extremely telling in the general course of events throughout the month. So, I guess pay attention to what happens because it's definitely going to be very very interesting to see that pattern emerge and continue.

Sh'lach - Rejecting the Land of Israel

Art: Jerusalem Landscape by Michoel Muchnik

"And [the spies] began to speak badly about the land that they had explored." [Sh'lach 13:32] 

A dispirited discussion took place at Beit HaRav, Rav Kook's house in Jerusalem, not long after the end of World War II. The Chief Rabbi had passed away ten years earlier; now it was his son, Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah Kook, who sat at the head of the table.

One participant at the Sabbath table had brought up a disturbing topic: the phenomenon of visitors touring Eretz Yisrael and then criticizing the country after returning to their homes. These visitors complain about everything: the heat, the poverty, the backwardness, the political situation - and discourage other Jews from moving here, he lamented.

Rav Tzvi Yehudah responded by telling over the following parable, one he had heard in the name of Rabbi Samuel Mohilever, the rabbi of Bialystok.

The Failed Match

There was once a wealthy man who sought the hand of a certain young lady. She was the most beautiful girl in town, and was blessed with many talents and a truly refined character. Her family was not well-off, so they were eager about a possible match with the prosperous fellow.

The young woman, however, was not interested in the match. Rich or not, the prospective suitor was known to be coarse and ill-mannered. She refused to meet with him.

The father asked her to at least meet with the young man in their home, so as not to embarrass him. After all, one meeting doesn't obligate you to marry him! To please her father, the young woman agreed.

The following Sabbath afternoon, the fellow arrived at the house as arranged, and was warmly received by the father. Shortly afterwards, his daughter made her entrance. But her hair was uncombed, and she wore a faded, crumpled dress and shabby house slippers. Appalled at her disheveled appearance, it did not take long before the young man excused himself and made a hurried exit.

What everyone says about this girl - it's not true, exclaimed the astonished young man to his friends. She's hideous!

Rav Tzvi Yehudah stopped briefly, surveying the guests seated around the table. Superficially, it would appear that the brash young fellow had rejected the young woman. But in fact, it was she who had rejected him.

The same is true regarding the Land of Israel, the rabbi explained. Eretz Yisrael is a special land, only ready to accept those who are receptive to its unique spiritual qualities. The Land does not reveal its inner beauty to all who visit. Not everyone is worthy to perceive its special holiness.

It may appear as if the dissatisfied visitors are the ones who reject the Land of Israel, he concluded. But in fact, it is the Land that rejects them!

A thoughtful silence pervaded the room. Those present were stunned by the parable and the rabbi's impassioned delivery. Then one of the guests observed, Reb Tzvi Yehudah, your words are suitable for a son of your eminent father, may his memory be a blessing!

Seeing the Goodness of Jerusalem

Rav Tzvi Yehudah's response was indeed appropriate for Rav Kook's son. When visitors from outside the country would approach the Chief Rabbi for a blessing, Rav Kook would quote from the Book of Psalms, "May God bless you from Zion" [128:5].

Then he would ask: What exactly is this blessing from Zion? In fact, the content of the blessing is described in the continuation of the verse: "May you see the goodness of Jerusalem."

The rabbi would explain: The verse does not say that one should merit seeing Jerusalem; but that one should merit seeing 'the goodness of Jerusalem.' Many people visit Jerusalem. But how many of them merit seeing the inner goodness hidden in the holy city?

And that, he concluded, is God's special blessing from Zion.

[ Source: Stories from the Land of Israel. Adapted from Malachim Kivnei Adam]

Second Thoughts

Source: "Anatomy of the Soul" - Chaim Kramer - from the writings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov

Guard your thoughts carefully, for thought can literally create a living thing. The higher a faculty, the further it can reach. You can kick something with your foot, but throw it higher with your hand. You can reach still farther with your voice, calling to a person very far away. Hearing reaches yet further, for you can hear sounds like gunfire from a very great distance. Your sight reaches even further, seeing things in the sky. Highest of all is the mind, which can penetrate the loftiest heights. You must therefore safeguard your mind above all else. [Rebbe Nachman's Wisdom]

Knowing that thought can reach the loftiest heights, we must realize that thoughts are never mere thoughts. We must never allow ourselves to entertain the notion that it doesn't matter what we think. Good thoughts are extremely beneficial both to those who think them and to the world at large, while evil thoughts are most detrimental.

Rebbe Nachman taught: In ancient amphitheaters, monarchs used to stage battles between wild beasts and their prey. The same type of battle is waged daily in one's mind: battles between good thoughts and evil thoughts. When the good thoughts emerge victorious from the battle, it causes great pleasure Above. [Likutey Moharan 1, 233]

Rebbe Nachman also explains a related passage from the Zohar [III, 123a]

"Every day contains hidden good. But accompanying each day is an angel that prevents people (who are unworthy) from partaking of this good. This angel can take many forms - darkness, thorns, snakes, scorpions - all of which act as guardians to protect the good of that day and to prevent anyone who is unworthy from benefitting. Indeed, were it not for these guardians, the wicked would be able to freely enter into the mysteries of the Torah (and partake of the hidden good of that day).

"It is for this reason that when someone who is not worthy attempts to gain entrance into the Torah's mysteries, troops of destroying angels, which manifest as darkness, concealment, confusion etc. immediately surround him and confuse his thoughts, preventing him from trespassing. However, when one who is worthy wishes to enter, these guardians assist him.... they bring him to the hidden good and speak in his favour to the Master of the Universe..."

The "snakes and scorpions" are the thoughts that confuse a person when he wants to learn the mysteries of the Torah. Yet if he persists in his desire to find G-d, these very thoughts will assist him, then he will find great good every day.... For a person has the ability to incline his thoughts in any direction he wants. Even when his thoughts stray, it is within his power to harness them and return them to the straight path.

The harmful thoughts that assail people serve as a reminder of the ongoing battle with Amalek, the archenemy of the Jewish people. This is the meaning of the verse "Man's thoughts are rak ra kol hayom [only evil all the day]. In Hebrew, the final letters of these words spell AMaLeK. Evil thoughts represent the Amalek within. Amalek also alludes to doubts and confusion. This is seen in the numerical value of the word Safek (doubt) which is 240, the same as the gematria of the world Amalek. Like Amalek, doubts attack a person stealthily. Even before we realize we are under siege, we find ourselves overwhelmed by conflicting thoughts and emotions. It is therefore a Biblical commandment to remember Amalek, that is to be aware of him and his stealthy manner and to wage a constant battle against him.

The Hidden Code in the Mona Lisa

 Well, this is interesting.  

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The Geula Can Come Any Moment Now. Get Your Act Together

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Why Is It Harder Now To Believe In The Coming Of Mashiach?

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Is Belief In Life on Other Planets Heretical: UFO's, Extraterrestrial Life & Space Travel

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A Collective Responsibility

"A man or woman who commits any of man's sins.... they shall confess their sin.... he shall make restitution for his guilt."   [Naso 5:6,7]

One erev Yom Kippur, R' Moshe Chagiz delivered a derashah in which he said "In Parshas Naso it states: "A man or woman... they shall confess... he shall make restitution for his guilt". The verse begins in the singular, switches to the plural, and then concludes by reverting to the singular. This is to teach us that all Jews form one nation and we are all responsible for one another.

"They shall confess" - on Yom Kippur, an individual is not only required to confess his own sins, but even the sins of his fellow Jew.

To what can this be compared? To a group of individuals who set sail together on a large and magnificent ship. Each one of the passengers received his own quarters for the duration of the trip.

When they had reached the very heart of the sea, one of the passengers began to drill a hole in the wall of the ship.

"What are you doing?" yelled his friends. "You are going to sink the ship!"

"Why is this any concern of yours?" he asked them. "I am making a hole in my quarters, not yours."

"All Jews are responsible for one another" concluded R' Chagiz. "If one Jew sins, the entire Jewish nation is held accountable."

"It is incumbent upon every Jew to keep this great responsibility in mind."

[written by Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein]

If you can understand the above words, you should also be able to understand the entire Torah, which can be summed up in these words from Hillel: "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor: that is the whole Torah while the rest is commentary".

It sounds so simple, and yet so many have so much trouble with it. It seems to be the hardest thing of all for so many Jews.

If you call yourself a "Torah-observant Jew", but you still treat others badly, then I would like to suggest to you that you are not what you claim to be. What is the point of doing all the mitzvos if you cannot even achieve the basic criteria for a "Torah Observant Jew" ?

One of the first questions we are asked upon death is "were you honest in business" - and the answer to that question can tell us a great deal about how we treated others. If you knowingly cheated someone, overcharged him or short-changed him, you are treating him with the utmost disrespect. You are harming him financially, you have lied to him, you have deceived him. You have behaved in a manner totally contrary to Torah - because it can only be assumed that you would not treat yourself that way, and yet you find it okay to do so to others. If you sincerely did not do to others what is hateful to you, you would never even consider cheating in business affairs.

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The Traditions of Shavuot

Text: Rabbi David Hanania Pinto

There exist numerous and varied customs regarding the holiday of Shavuot, ones that we will cite and expand upon below. 

Decorating the Synagogue and the Home 

On Shavuot people usually decorate the synagogue and their homes with greenery and flowers, and they also place trees in synagogue [Rema 494]. The Mishnah Berurah [494 al. 10] states that we do this in order to remember that we are judged with regards to the fruit harvest. The Vilna Gaon annulled this custom because it is similar to the customs of non-Jews. However many poskim have written that there is no reason to take this into account, for our custom has a reason behind it and has spread to Jewish communities everywhere [Da’at Torah 494]. We must simply be careful not to pluck branches from fruit-bearing trees, for some believe that doing so constitutes a transgression of the verse, “You shall not destroy its trees” [Devarim 20:19]. The Ya’avetz described the reason for this custom in the following way: It is done in memory of the giving of the Torah, which took place on a verdant mountain. This is why we use many trees and all kinds of fragrant flowers to rejoice in this great day. The Milin Chadetin states that Moshe was born on Adar 7, and the Torah states: “She hid him for three months” [Shemot 2:2] – until Sivan 6 – at which point “she placed it among the reeds” [v.3], meaning the reeds and greenery that we display in memory of the miracles that were performed for Moshe. The Bnei Issachar states that the customs of the Jewish people must be considered as Torah, and they prepare roses and other greenery on Shavuot in accordance with the following words of the Midrash: “The matter may be compared to the case of a king who had an orchard planted with one row of fig-trees, one of vines, one of pomegranates, and one of apples. He entrusted it to a tenant and went away. Some time later, the king came and looked at the orchard to ascertain what it had yielded. He found it full of thorns and briars, so he brought woodcutters to raze it. He looked closely at the thorns and noticed among them a single, rose-colored flower. He smelled it and his spirits were calmed. The king said, ‘The whole orchard shall be saved because of this flower.’ In a similar manner, the whole world was created only for the sake of the Torah” [Vayikra Rabba 28:3]. 

Studying Torah on the Night of Shavuot 

Yesod VeShoresh HaAvodah states: In the Arvit prayer of Shavuot, we recite the Ahavat Olam blessing with great joy because it is on this day that Hashem chose our forefathers and sanctified them by a Torah of truth and righteous laws. Let us therefore rejoice in our G-d, in His Torah and mitzvot, and may we be careful not to eat excessively on that night, that we may recite the Tikkun. Immediately after reciting Birkat Hamazon, we should quickly make our way to the Beit HaMidrash, without losing a single moment in mundane conversation. The Ya’avetz states that those who stay awake on that night should not involve themselves in useless pursuits. There is no place for joking around or having lighthearted conversations on that night, for in such a case it would be better for them – and everyone else – to have slept. The Pele Yoetz states that the Tikkun on the night of Shavuot effects a great repair for the damage caused by a person looking at forbidden things, as well as by what a person damages by a few nights of working and anger, for he was awake to disturb his Creator by his laughing, lightheartedness, and other detrimental things. 

Milk Products 

The Rema states [494:3] that in certain places people customarily eat milk products on the first day of Shavuot. The reason behind this is for people to take two kinds of food, much like on the night of Passover when we mention both the Passover and Chagigah offerings. Similarly, on Shavuot we eat milk products first and then meat. [See Mishnah Berurah ibid., which explains the remarks of the Rema.] 

The Mishnah Berurah gives a second reason for this custom by citing the words of a great Torah figure, who said that when the Children of Israel stood before Mount Sinai, they received the Torah and went back to their dwellings. However upon returning, they did not find anything to eat other than milk products, for it took a great deal of effort to prepare meat. They had to slaughter an animal with a knife that had been checked, the forbidden fat on the animal had to be removed, and the meat had to be salted and cooked in a new vessel, since the vessels they had used up to that point were now forbidden. This is why they decided to eat milk products. 

A third reason for this custom is given in the Kolbo: In certain places people customarily eat milk and honey because the Torah is compared to these things, as it is written: “Honey and milk are under your tongue” [Shir HaShirim 4:11]. 

A fourth reason is cited by the Magen Avraham: According to the Zohar, for the Children of Israel these seven weeks were like the seven days of a woman’s purification. We know that blood is transformed into milk, meaning that it goes from the color of strict justice (red) to the color of mercy (white). Now the customs of our forefathers must be considered as Torah. 

Mateh Moshe cites a fifth reason: The Torah alludes to the fact that people ate milk products on Shavuot, as it states: Mincha Chadasha L’Hashem B’Shavuotaychem [“A new meal offering to Hashem in your feast of weeks” – Bamidbar 28:26], the initials of which form the word M’chalav (“from milk”). 

Sixth reason: When the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to give the Torah to Israel, the ministering angels wanted to keep it in Heaven. Hashem said to them: When you descended to visit Abraham, you ate milk and meat, as it is written: “He took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had prepared” [Bereshith 18:8]. When a child of theirs returns from school and his mother gives him a meat sandwich and some milk, the child replies: Today our rabbi taught us, “You shall not cook a kid in its mother’s milk.” From here we conclude that by the merit of the warning against mixing meat and milk, Hashem rejected the arguments of the angels. This warning earned us the giving of the Torah, hence we eat milk on Shavuot to demonstrate how careful we are to separate milk from meat. 

Seventh reason: The word chalav (milk) has a numerical value of 40, alluding to the Torah that was given in 40 days. The importance of Torah is such that all the good things of the earth are worthless in comparison to it. To demonstrate how much they love Torah, the Children of Israel adopted the practice of eating milk products, which alludes to this idea. – 

Sources: Rema 494; Magen Avraham al. 6; Mishnah Berurah ibid.; Beit Halevi, Yitro; Baer Heitev 494; Sefer Nezirut Shimshon; Kovetz Mivakshei Torah, par. 187; Sefer HaToda’ah.