Toldot Tikkunim

According to kabbalistic teachings, Yitzchak corrected the spiritual damage caused by Adam's sin.

Therefore, just like Adam had been led by the ingenious plot of the serpent, the correction of Adam's sin had to come through ingenious trickery: ''Your brother came ingeniously and took your blessing''.  [Toldot 27:35]

Source: Likutei Sichos Lubavitcher Rebbe

The B’nei Yissachar takes this concept one step further. A number of commentators are bothered by the fact that Yaakov had to resort to such deceit in order to receive his father’s blessings. As the legitimate inheritor of Yitzchok’s spiritual legacy, shouldn’t Yaakov have been able to receive what he deserved in a more straightforward manner? 

Citing the Zohar HaKadosh, the B’nei Yissachar explains that Yaakov represented the tikkun [refinement] of Adam and his sins. Yaakov’s arch-nemesis was his wicked twin brother Eisav, who is described by the Torah [25:27] as a “yodeah tzayid” – hunter. The Targum Onkelos renders this phrase “gevar nachshirchon,” hinting that Eisav represented the nachash – serpent. Because the serpent enticed Adam and Chava to sin through tricky, underhanded methods, Yaakov had to rectify its previous triumph by successfully taking the blessings away from Eisav using similarly devious tactics.

The Arizal teaches that Rivkah was a gilgul [reincarnation] of Chava, the first woman. One of the purposes of reincarnation is to give a soul the opportunity to rectify the sins that it committed in an earlier lifetime. In what way did Rivkah correct the sin of Chava and atone for its consequences?

After the serpent convinced Chava to eat from the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge, she immediately gave some to Adam to eat. Rashi explains that she did so out of a fear that after her death, Adam would remain alive and would find another mate. As a result of his sin, Adam was cursed with death and with the pain and difficulty of sustaining himself.

Because Chava ensnared Adam in sin when he listened to her, her descendant Rivkah learned from her mistakes and rectified her sins. In contrast to Chava who caused Adam to eat something forbidden, Rivkah saved Yitzchak from eating from the food that Eisav brought him which was not properly slaughtered, and according to some opinions was dog meat [Targum Yonason ben Uziel 27:31].

Source: ShemaYisrael

Why AI Came Right Before Mashiach

H/t Anonymous commenter

Rabbi Ofer Davidov - 9 min video

Kislev - The Month of Miracles and Dreams

The Month of Kislev: Sagittarius

 

Keshet (bow) is the Hebrew name for Sagittarius. At dawn during Kislev a constellation reminiscent of a bow appears on the horizon - the Keshet, identified by our Sages as the sign of this month.

The bow was used in the past to shoot missiles, such as arrows, at the enemy. In the Midrash, the bow symbolizes the projection upwards of the scorpion from the brambles into which it had been cast. Projection implies shooting upwards from below. In the words of R' Bachyei:

"After the soul has received its judgment in purgatory, it will be projected up from there much like an arrow from the bow. That is the reason for the proximity of Akrav (Scorpio) to Keshet, as alluded to by our Sages (who said "They descend to Gehinnom yelling and crying... and rise".

Source: Gad Erlanger "Signs of the Times"

Text: Rav Yitzchak Ginsburgh  

The Month of Kislev according to The Book of Formation (Sefer Yetzirah) - Kislev is the ninth of the twelve months of the Jewish calendar.

Kislev is the month of Chanukah--the only holiday in the Jewish calender which spans, and hence connects, two months: Chanukah begins on the 25th day of the month of Kislev and concludes in the month of Tevet (either on the 2nd or 3rd, depending on the number of days in Kislev).

The name Kislev derives from the Hebrew word for "security" and "trust." There are two states of trust, one active and one passive, both of which are manifest in the month of Kislev. The miracle of Chanukah reflects the active trust of the Maacabim to stand up and fight against the Hellenistic empire and its culture. Kislev's sense of sleep reflects the passive trust that G-d's providence always guards over Israel.

In the tradition of Chassidut, the 19th day of Kislev, the day of the release and redemption of Rabbi Shneur Zalman, the author of the classic text of Chassidut, the Tanya (the disciple of the Magid of Mezerich, the successor of the Ba'al Shem Tov) from prison (where he was placed for the dissemination of the innermost mysteries of the Torah) is referred to as "the New Year of Chassidut" (implying that it is through the spiritual channel of this day that the inner wisdom of Chassidut and the power to integrate this wisdom into one's daily life is brought down into this world).

The foundation of the way of Chassidut is absolute trust and faith in G-d's omnipresence and the omnipotence of His Divine providence.

Color: Blue-Violet

Letter: samech

The word samech means "to support". The experience of feeling supported corresponds to the trust and confidence in Divine providence associated with the month of Kislev, as described above. So do we find expressed in Psalms: "G-d supports (somech) all the fallen and lifts up all the bent over;" "Even when he falls he will not be let to fall to the ground, for G-d supports (yismoch) his hand."

The shape of the samech is a circle, which represents the all-encompassing omnipresence of G-d and His providence. The "great circle" of G-d's Infinite light is explained in Kabbalah and Chassidut to reflect His "right arm" which embraces (and supports, from beneath) with great, infinite love all of reality, as is said: "And from beneath, the arms of the universe."

Mazal: keshet (Sagittarius--Bow)

The bow of Kislev is the bow of the Maacabim. It symbolizes their active trust in G-d to fight against the empire and culture that then ruled the earth. Though the Chashmonaim themselves were from the Priestly tribe of Israel, the "art" of the bow is ascribed in the Bible to the tribe of Benjamin in particular, the tribe of the month of Kislev.

The Kohanim (and Leviim) are not considered as one of the twelve tribes in the correspondence of the tribes to the months of the year (according to the Arizal). As an all-inclusive manifestation of the Jewish soul, the Kohanim contain and reflect the spiritual source of each of the twelve tribes of Israel. This is especially so with regard to the tribe of Benjamin, for in his portion was the holy Temple wherein the Kohanim served. Thus the relation of the Kohanim to Benjamin is similar to that of soul to body. The Kohanim fight the holy war embodied in the bow of Benjamin.

The bow of war of Kislev is actually projected (shot) from the bow (the rainbow; in Hebrew both "bow" and "rainbow" are identical--keshet) of peace (between G-d and Creation) of the end of the previous month of Cheshvan, as explained above. The two bows (semi-circles) unite together to form the complete circle of the samech of Kislev.

Tribe: Benjamin

Sense: sleep

The sense of sleep is the tranquility and restfulness that comes with trust and security in G-d and His Divine providence. So do we find in the blessings at the end of Leviticus (26:5-6): "And you shall dwell securely in your land. And I shall give peace in the land, and you shall lie down without fear...."

As the word "sense" (chush) is cognate to "quick" (chish), the sense of sleep implies the ability to sleep well but quickly (as is told of great tzadikim who required very few hours of sleep per day).

The very talent of Benjamin to shoot straight at his target depends upon a most tranquil inner spirit. He shoots and hits almost asleep. G-d carries his arrow to its intended destination. A tranquil personality is one with little inner friction and tension. The sense of sleep entails the ability to release stress, confident in the support of G-d.

The sense of sleep entails as well the sense of dreaming. In accord with our faith in Divine providence, especially manifest in relation to the connection between the weekly Torah portions and the annual cycle of months and their events, all of the dreams of the Torah are contained within the portions that are read during the month of Kislev.

When one possesses complete trust in G-d one dreams good dreams of the future. Good dreams at night reflect good thoughts throughout the day, especially the optimistic attitude and consciousness taught by Chassidut (whose New Year is the 19th of Kislev): "Think good, it will be good."

 

BREAKING: U.S. Strikes Iran - Trump Tells Israel To Prepare For WAR With IRGC

 Tousi TV

The Destruction of Europe Before the War of Gog and Magog

Rabbi Yuval Ovadia   -  7 min video

Auto dubbed into English if you watch it on You Tube and adjust your Settings [it's automatically auto-dubbed for me - but you can also get English subtitles if that doesn't work for you]

Governments Say “Stock Up.” Should We Prepare for Emergencies?

 

Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein

Brave New World

 

Art by Schnette

Stress Before Redemption

Text Rabbi Yisroel S. Neuberger

During our Biblical Redemption, the foundations of Egypt crumbled. We don't have to imagine what that means; the world has witnessed it in Japan.

"Several times I heard from the holy Chofetz Chaim that we can learn about the end of our exile from what happened at the end of our exile in Egypt, as it says [Micha 7:15], 'As in the days of your leaving Egypt, I will [in the Final Redemption] show wonders.'" [Rabbi Elchonen Wasserman zt"l as quoted in Redemption Unfolding by Rabbi A. A. Mandelbaum]

Egypt, the world's most powerful country in Biblical times, crumbled like the World Trade Center crumbled on 9/11. But the Final Redemption may take place on an even larger scale. Since the Jewish People are now spread all over the world, our future Redemption will have to be correspondingly gigantic. Do we not ask G-d to gather us from "the four corners of the earth"? During the Final Redemption the entire world structure as we know it may be dismantled, just as the structure of Egypt was dismantled in ancient days.

Redemption does not have to be violent. All decent people hope that Moshiach will come peacefully. But that, after all, depends on us! If the Children of Israel do teshuva, all will be well!

If not ....

One thing should be clear: following the Final Redemption, the world will look completely different. The Maharal writes, "a complete change will come over the world, to the extent that the world of Moshiach will be considered a new creation in comparison to the world as we know it." [Netzach Yisroel, Ch.47] The direction of world affairs will be the Torah! "Ki Mitzvion taitzai Torah u'dvar Hashem miYerushalayim... From Zion will come forth Torah and the Word of G-d from Jerusalem." [Yeshaya 2:3] G-d will be One and His Name One.

The process has already begun. Every area of life is in crisis. As a result, we are exposed to enormous stress, be it financial, medical, psychological, family, children ... the list goes on and on!

"Maase avos siman l'banim... The actions of the Fathers are signs for the Children."

In Egypt eighty per cent perished during the Plague of Darkness because they "did not wish to depart [from Egypt]" [Rashi on Exodus 10:22]. The stress in Biblical Egypt was enormous. So strong was the pull of the surrounding culture that a huge percentage of the Children of Israel were unable to extricate themselves from its influence! This is a message for our contemporary world!

Today, people are under enormous strain. You see it in hair-trigger tempers. You see it in aggressive driving. You see it in lack of proper behavior, as people rush to put themselves first. You see it in desperate attempts to acquire money. You see it in lavish expenditures on vacations and luxuries, attempts to find peace in a world in which there is no peace!

"Moshe spoke to the Children of Israel, but they did not heed him because of shortness of breath..." [Exodus 6:9]. In Egypt, the stress was so great that many of the Children of Israel did not listen to the voice which would have saved them if they had listened. The same danger exists today. We are so panicked that we are not behaving rationally. If we hold on to the unreality of the surrounding culture, G-d forbid, that "support" will break like a flimsy reed and we will perish when that culture goes under! But if we grasp onto the Torah -lehavdil! - we will live forever!

"Moshe said to the people, 'Do not fear! Stand fast and see the salvation of Hashem that He will perform for you today!" [Exodus 14:13]

Let's learn from this! The Torah is telling us what happened in Egypt so that we may survive during the events of the Final Redemption. Our Rabbis have explained: "In the final war before the coming of Moshiach, all the Jews who fear Hashem will survive. Hashem will say to them, 'All those who are removed from the secular, worldly culture ... you are Mine.'" [Rabbi Yechezkel Levenstein zt"l, Leket Rishimos]

THERE IS NO SOURCE OF SUPPORT BESIDE HASHEM AND HIS TORAH!

In Egypt, the tribe of Levi escape slavery because they were completely involved with Torah!

King David's life was in constant danger. How did he survive? He visualized himself as standing constantly before the Presence of G-d. "Shivisi Hashem l'negdi samid... I have set Hashem before me constantly." [Psalm 16]

When we pray, do we envision the Holy Temple? Soon B"H the Presence of G-d will return to Zion, and the HolyTemple will stand before our eyes. If we envision this future event, then we have an "anchor" by which we can steady ourselves as the chaos whirls around us.

Our Rabbis spoke words to sustain us.

"Hashem is with me; I have no fear! How can man affect me?" [Psalm 118]

"Ani maamin be'emunah shelemah ... I believe with complete faith in the coming of Moshiach, and even though he may delay, nevertheless I anticipate every day that he will come." [Rambam, Principle 12]

May we all soon "hear ... for a second time ... in the presence of all the living ... 'I am Hashem your G-d.'" [Shabbos Mussaf Kedusha]

"The year we live in, is erev Shabbos after chatzos, right before Elef Hashvi'i which will be the time of Moshiach, a time that will be higher than time, so we are now living in the last day of time. The current turmoil in the world is similar to the typical chaos that can be found in Jewish homes on Friday afternoons, shortly before Shabbos'' [Tvzi Freeman]

The Plague of Darkness

The comparison between the generation preceding the arrival of Moshiach [the Messianic era] and the period leading up to Yetziat Mitzrayim [the Exodus from Egypt] is a deeply rooted concept in Jewish thought. 

Prophets, Chazal (the Sages), and Hasidic philosophy frequently link these two historical bookends to explain the intense challenges and spiritual dynamics of the modern era. 

The core parallels between these two periods are detailed below: 

1. Spiritual Concealment and "The Double Darkness" 

• Egypt: Before the redemption, Bnei Yisrael fell to the "49th gate of impurity," nearly losing their identity entirely under the crushing weight of Egyptian culture and bondage. 

• Moshiach: The era before Moshiach is described as Ikvetah d'Meshichah [the footsteps of Moshiach], characterized by a spiritual blackout. Faith is tested to its absolute limit, and truth becomes highly obscured [ve-ha'emet tehei ne'ederet]. 

2. A "Haste" in Redemption [Chifazon] 

• Egypt: The Torah emphasizes that the Jews left Egypt in extreme haste (chifazon) because if they had stayed a moment longer, they would have sunk past the point of spiritual return. 

• Moshiach: The ultimate redemption will mirror this sudden shift. The Prophets state, "As in the days of your departure from the land of Egypt, I will show him wonders" [Micah 7:15]. The transition from the depths of exile to redemption can happen in the blink of an eye.

There is a distinct possibility that one of the seven planets orbiting the second sun [the Kochav Yaakov or Star of Moshiach] may block our sun for a period of time, causing DARKNESS.  

Also, for anyone who keeps track of eclipses, we have had many more eclipses than expected, and more are coming up.  These are not being caused by the usual sun/moon combination, no matter what they tell you.

In Jewish tradition [as outlined in teachings on Chabad.org and Chabadpedia], the "three days of darkness" refers to the ninth plague [Choshech] brought upon Egypt in the Book of Exodus [Exodus 10:21–23] before the Exodus. 

Key Aspects of the Plague of Darkness in Chabad Teachings 

• Duration & Two Stages [Total of Six Days]: 

• According to the Sages and Kabbalistic teachings discussed by Chabad, the plague actually lasted a total of six days, divided into two distinct three-day phases: 

1. First Three Days [Sightlessness]: A physical and spiritual darkness so thick that people could not see one another ["a man did not see his fellow"]. 

2. Second Three Days [Immobility / Tangible Darkness]: The darkness grew so dense and heavy that people could not move or rise from their place ["nor did anyone get up from his place"]. 

• Light for the Israelites: 

• While the Egyptians were plunged into a paralyzing, oppressive darkness, "for all the children of Israel, there was light in their dwellings". 

Chabad teachings emphasize that this wasn't just physical light, but a spiritual revelation of God's presence. 

• Kabbalistic/Spiritual Meaning: 

• The First Phase [Sightlessness: Corresponds to a classic, concealing darkness [gehennom] that forces introspection and yearning. During this time, the Israelites secretly buried those among their own people who had chosen not to leave Egypt. 

• The Second Phase [Immobility]: Corresponds to a higher, primordial celestial darkness that transcends ordinary light, bringing a sense of divine contentment and surrender. During this phase, the Israelites used the darkness to discreetly locate the hidden gold, silver, and valuable items of their Egyptian neighbors [fulfilling the promise that they would leave Egypt with great wealth].

Is This The End of Europe?

Rabbi Mendel Kessin

17 Cheshvan: The Great Flood Begins

 

Great Flood Begins [2105 BCE] - Source: Chabad

The rains began to fall on the 17th of Cheshvan of the year 1656 from creation [2105], flooding the earth and rising above the highest mountains. Only Noah and his family survived, in the ark built to that end by Divine command, and a pair of each animal species, who entered with him into the ark. 

The following is a chronology of the Flood, as indicated by the dates and time periods given in the Torah's account and calculated by Rashi: 

Cheshvan 17: Noah enters ark; rains begin. 

Kislev 27: Forty days of rain end; begin 150 days of water's swelling and churning, during which the water reaches a height of 15 cubits above the mountain peaks. 

Sivan 1: Water calms and begins to subside at the rate of one cubit every four days. 

Sivan 17: The bottom of the ark, submerged 11 cubits beneath the surface, touches down on the top of Mount Ararat. 

Av 1: The mountain peaks break the water's surface. 

Elul 10:Forty days after the mountain peaks become visible, Noah opens the ark's window and dispatches a raven. 

Elul 17: Noah sends the dove for the first time. 

Elul 23: The dove is sent a second time, and returns with an olive leaf in its beak. 

Tishrei 1: Dove's third mission. Water completely drained. 

Cheshvan 27: Ground fully dried. Noah exits ark. 

[This chronology follows the opinion of the Talmudic sage Rabbi Eliezer; according to Rabbi Joshua's interpretation, the Flood began on Iyar 17, and all above dates should be moved ahead six months.]

Total time that Noah spent in the ark: 365 days [one solar year; one year and 11 days on the lunar calendar]. 

Link: See the Torah's account of the Great Flood, Rashi's commentary, and insights and interpretations from sages, scholars and mystics through the ages on the Noach Parshah Page

Missiles Frozen in the Sky ???

 

In the widely viewed 2015 Near-Death Experience (NDE) testimony of 15-year-old secular Israeli boy named Natan, he claimed that during the end-times war, a nuclear missile would be fired at Israel but G-d would "freeze it in the sky". 

During his 15 minutes of clinical death, Natan claimed he was shown a vision of a future War of Gog and Magog. 

According to his transcribed testimony: 

• The Freezing Claim: He stated that an atomic/nuclear bomb would be fired at Israel. Instead of detonating upon entry, God would stop it from falling, causing it to literally hang or freeze in the air for a few weeks.

The Descent of a Lofty Soul: Moshiach

 

Art by Andreas

And they gave their father wine to drink on that night, and the elder came and lay with her father, and he did not know of her lying down or of her rising up -  וּבְקוּמָֽהּ

According to the Zohar, the dot in the הּ in the word וּבְקוּמָֽהּ [Vayeira 19:33] alludes to the fact that G-d was secretly assisting this event, because Moshiach was to materialize from it [since Ruth, King David's great grand-mother, was a convert from the Moabites].  The latter event, between Lot and his younger daughter [19:35] is written without the letter vav - וּבְקֻמָֽהּ - to indicate that the union did not produce such great offspring.   Rabbi Shimon said "When the verse states that Lot ''wasn't aware'', it means he wasn't aware that Moshiach was destined to come from this union" [Zohar I 110b]

Why should the beginnings of Moshiach occur in such an undignified manner?  Ramak explains that when a very lofty soul is about to descend into the world, the forces of kelipah [“peel” or “shell”—words used by Kabbalah to describe layers of impurity] oppose the soul's descent vehemently. Sometimes, however, kelipah will consent to the soul's descent if it occurs amidst a particularly sinful act.  Thus, we find that from this undesirable act, the ancestor of Moshiach was born.

Source: Lubavitcher Rebbe

11 Cheshvan: Yarzheit Rachel Imeinu

Jewish Mother's Day The 11th of Cheshvan 

by Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh

One of the most important days in the month of Cheshvan is the 11th, which commemorates the day of passing of our matriarch Rachel. Rachel was Jacob's most beloved wife and was the principal of his household and thus the principal of the entire house of Israel. From the first day of the year, the 1st day of Tishrei, the 11th day of Cheshvan is the 41st day. 41 is the numerical value of the Hebrew word "eim," which means "mother," thus the 11th of Cheshvan is truly the Jewish Mother's Day.

"Rachel cries for her children, she will not be comforted…"

Rachel constantly mourns over the exile of her children, the Jewish people, and the Almighty comforts her with the words: "Withhold your voice from crying and your eyes from tearing, for there is a reward for your actions… and the children will return to their border." Literally, "return to their border" refers to the return of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel. But, more deeply, it refers to the return of our people to our natural spiritual environs: Judaism and our ancestral Jewish nature. These are the borders that truly circumscribe the uniqueness of our people. Amazingly, numerically, the value of the Hebrew word for "border" (g'vul / גבול) is exactly the same as the value of the word for "mother" (eim / אם); both equal 41.

In Hebrew, Cheshvan is written with the four letters: חשון. The borders (the first and last letters) of Cheshvan are chet - ח and nun - ן, which together spell the word chein - חן, meaning "beauty." The word chein - חן, "beauty" equals 58. The 58th day of the year is the 28th day of Cheshvan.

Rachel is described as the most beautiful woman in the Torah. The numerical value of the two middle letters, shin and vov, שו, is equal to isha -אשה , meaning "woman." Thus, the name of the month itself hints at the special and unique grace endowed to women.

King Solomon says that external beauty by itself is deceitful. If external beauty is all that a woman seeks then the name of the month becomes Marcheshvan, which means Bitter-Cheshvan. It is of such a woman King Solomon says: "And I find the woman to be more bitter than death." But, of true beauty, the beauty of a Jewish woman that emanates from within, he says: "The woman of beauty shall support honor." This true beauty is given to us, the Jewish people, by G‑d through the Torah, for "there is no truth but Torah" and "there is no honor but Torah."

It was Rachel, who was first endowed with this real beauty. Rachel is described as the most beautiful woman in the Torah, "She had a beautiful face and a beautiful figure." Thus, Rachel was the embodiment of the verse: "A woman who fears G‑d, she shall be praised," praised both for her grace and true beauty.

The beauty of the Jewish woman is not just a passive agent of spirituality. The sages teach that the offspring of Esau and his grandson Amalek can be defeated only by the children of Rachel.

Who embodies the spirit of Amalek in our day and age? In Hebrew, the words "Amalek" (עמלק) and "doubt" (safek / ספק) have the same numerical value. Thus, the spirit of Amalek that continues to plague each and every Jew is doubt; doubt in our faith, doubt in our Torah, and doubt in ourselves and the moral justification of our path.

But, sometimes the spirit of Amalek becomes bolder and captures a Jew (whether he be a private individual or a political figure) to the point of driving him or her to unconscious or even conscious self-hatred. This can result in a Jew's cooperation with the enemies of our people.

Finally there are the direct spiritual offspring of Amalek: those enemies who threaten the lives of Jews and our return to the Land of Israel.

The sages say that beauty is a woman's weapon. With everything that we have said about Rachel, her role as our matriarch, as the progenitor of Jewish nature, and of her beauty, it should now be clear that our weapon for defeating Amalek is the special beauty and grace of the Jewish mother. Joseph the tzaddik (righteous one) inherited his mother Rachel's beauty and he too is described as having a beautiful face and a beautiful figure. That is why the prophet says about him that "the house of Jacob will be fire and the house of Joseph its flame and the house of Esau straw, and together they will ignite him and consume him; and there will be no remnant for the house of Esau."

True Jewish beauty and grace destroy the enemy indirectly but, beauty is no regular weapon. True grace and beauty work by attracting the sparks of holiness that are bound within the enemy. These sparks are G‑d's will that the enemy still exist. Yet, when they are redeemed by their attraction to true beauty, they escape the enemy's grasp, leaving him void of any Divine source and causing his demise. True Jewish beauty and grace destroy the enemy indirectly by leaving him void of any beauty or grace himself, making him irrelevant and powerless.

The battle against Amalek in our generation must be conducted primarily with our ability to communicate to all around us the true nature of Jewish beauty and grace. It is to this beauty of Jewish nature and character that we return during the month of Cheshvan by reconnecting with our matriarch Rachel, with our own Jewish nature, and with ourselves.

Also visit: Rachel's Tomb

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

Yiddishe Mama

Rachel lost her own spiritual luxury - the privilege of being buried in the Cave of Machpeilah - in order to help her children. This represents the unparalleled quality of the "Jewish mother" who is always willing to sacifice her own needs, spiritual or physical, for the sake of helping her children.

And this is the inner reason why Jewish identity follows the maternal and not the paternal route. For even though the father possesses a greater degree of spirituality - since he has the privilege of observing more mitzvos than a woman - the quality of a Jewish mother is nevertheless greater, that she is willing to forego much of that spirituality in order to enable her to raise a family with tender loving care. And since this quality is even more quintessentially Jewish than the spirituality of the man, it is the mother that actually makes her children Jewish.

Based on Likutei Sichos of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

Parshas Vayechi

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

Mama Rochel understood that tending to a broken heart comes above even Kavod Hashem....

When Rochel, out of frustration, complained to Yaakov about not having children, Yaakov got angry with her. The mefarshim say, based on a medrash, that Yaakov was punished for getting angry at Rochel and telling her that she needs to daven to Hashem and not complain to him.

Rav Moshe Shmuel Shapiro points out that Yaakov was defending Kavod Shamayim (the honor of Heaven) and was correct that Rochel's complaints were unjustified. His mistake was that he addressed the words that she spoke and not the pain in her heart. Had he pierced the veil of her soul, he would have known that because of her anguish, the words escaped her mouth and she was not accountable for them. He should have been slower to defend Kavod Shamayim and faster to understand human suffering.

This he explains was the greatness of Rochel. After the destruction of the first Temple, when Bnei Yisroel went into Galus, all the Avos and Imahos came before Hashem with all their great zechusim but were turned away empty handed. All the heroism of the Akeida, Yaakov's Torah, and lives of pure mesiras nefesh to build Klal Yisroel, did not impress Hashem in that dark moment of history.

The only one who merited Hashem's attention was Rochel Imeinu. What was her great act that warranted this special treatment? That she gave the simanim to her sister and helped fool Yaakov. With this bravery, in her mind, she was sabotaging the history of the Jewish nation since she understood that it was her and Yaakov that were destined to build the nation. Nevertheless she chose to cast aside her own destiny and Hashem's grand plan in order to save her sister from a single embarrassing moment.

Only Rochel, who had such a deep understanding of another person's pain and how it carries more weight than the entire Jewish experience, can be Hashem's emissary to bring his children's pain before Him. Only tears from Mama Rochel can bring the Geula.

The Foundation of the Entire Torah

by Rabbi Yisroel Bronstein

"He trusted in Hashem, and He considered this for him as an act of righteousness" [Lech Lecha 15:6]

Why, asked the Chofetz Chaim, was Avraham's trust in Hashem considered "righteousness" - as though it was something above and beyond what was demanded of him?  After all, Avraham fulfilled every commandment in the Torah; what was so unique about his trust in Hashem?

We see from here, answered the Chofetz Chaim, that trust in Hashem is more than just another mitzvah - rather, it is the foundation of the entire Torah.

To what can this be compared?  To a man drowning in the sea who suddenly sees a tree extending from the shore.  Which part of the tree will he attempt to grab? Not the branches, for they can easily be broken; rather, he grabs hold of the roots.

So too, concluded the Chofetz Chaim, is trust in Hashem.  Trust in Hashem is comparable to the sturdy roots of a tree, which serve as a foundation and a base for the entire tree.

The Final Exile of Yishmael

from the writings of Rav Chaim Vital 

Rabbi Chaim Vital (1542-1620) was unquestionably the leading disciple of the Holy Arizal, Rabbi Isaac Luria, and his foremost interpreter. The Ari himself wrote very little and what is commonly known as the "Ari's writings", were in fact transcribed by Rabbi Chaim.

"You already know that the exiles [from Egypt until the Mashiach] are four: Babylonia, Persia, Greece, and Rome [as represented by the four cups of wine on Pesach, the four beasts in Daniel 7, and many other places. The fourth, Rome stretched out from the 2nd Temple destruction and apparently ended with the Holocaust].

However, the Jewish people are destined further in the end of days to be in the exile of Yishmael, as mentioned in Pirkei D'Rebi Eliezer, and in the Midrashim of our Rabbis, and in the Zohar end of Parsha Lech Lecha. And there in [Zohar] Parsha Lech Lecha it says that being that Yishmael is the son of Avraham, and was circumcised, he is called "Pereh Adam" - "A wild donkey of a man" - [Bereishit 16:12], implying not a full man, because he was circumsized without Priah [an integral part of the Bris Mila]. But the other four exiles are compared to beasts as mentioned in the book of Daniel Chapter 7.

.....and he will cause suffering to Israel, great and terrible sufferings, such that none like these had ever been seen, and we will not know what to do. And we will have no other hope than to trust in His great Name to save us from his hand. And this is what is meant in verse 8, "Our help is in the name of the L-ORD, who made heaven and earth. Which means who made heaven and earth for the sake of the Torah and Yisrael who as in the verse "if not for my covenant day and night [study of Torah], I would not have appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth [Yirmiyahu 33:25]". Therefore He is forced to help us from their hands, and redeem us a full future redemption, in order that there will be a cause for the existence of heaven and earth.

Read the entire essay at Daf Yomi Review

G-d Is Holding Out the Key — Will We Take It?

Rabbi Isser Z Weisberg with Tamar Yonah

Global Unrest

Rioting and protests....global unrest.... spreading far and wide.

A sure sign that the world is experiencing the birth pangs of Moshiach.  

There's little doubt in my mind that Australia will see this soon.   It's going to be everywhere.

Sun Halo

 

Have you seen one of these?  They happen all the time now.  They say it is traditionally a sign of rain within 24 hours, but a lot of the time it doesn't rain at all.  When I saw one, there was no rain.

A few years ago, no-one ever saw this phenomenon.

Eating Fish on Shabbat Noach is a Segulah for a Good Life

 

Text: Rabbi David Hanania Pinto

Eating gourmet fish on this Shabbat of Parshat Noach is a timely act, and is certainly auspicious for a good life. For it became clear that everything that was on dry land died, but the fish of the sea did not die, as the Midrash tells us [Bereishit Rabba 32:11], "'of everything that was on dry land, died', this implies that the fish did not die". 

This wonderful segulah of meriting 'good life' by eating fish on Shabbat Parshat Noach, is mentioned in the name of Rabbi Avraham Eiger of Lublin zt"l ([Shevet m'Yehuda']. It correlates with the wonderful statement that emanated from the pure mouth of the holy 'Ateret Tzvi' of Ziditshov zt"l: "Rabbi Shlomoleh of Karlin would say that one who does not eat fish in honor of the holy Shabbat, should be more concerned than the matter about which Chazal say [Yoma 88a] that one should be concerned the entire year. I add to this that one who eats fish in honor of the holy Shabbat, does not need to worry at all in the coming week." 

The holy Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov zt"l also promises a three-fold blessing to those who eat fish on Shabbat. As he writes in his sefer 'Bnei Yissachar' [Ma'amarei Shabbatot 1:11]: "A reason for this choice mitzvah of eating fish on Shabbat, is that we find in the work of creation that a blessing was given to three things, on three consecutive days. A blessing for the fish on the fifth day, a blessing for man on the sixth day and a blessing for Shabbat on the seventh day. As we know, a three-ply thread will not quickly unravel, so man who eats fish in honor of Shabbat will be blessed with a three-fold blessing and will not quickly be severed." 

The 'Dorshei Reshumot' also explains that this matter is hinted to in the words sung by the sweet singer of Israel [Tehillim 23:2] "In lush meadows He lays me down". The Hebrew word 'דשא ', meadows, is an acronym for 'דגים, שבת, אדם ', fish, Shabbat, man, meaning that these three items enable receiving the three-fold blessing on the day of rest. This is implied by the continuation of the verse "in tranquil waters He leads me", meaning the tranquility of Shabbat. 

Why specifically was fish chosen as a Shabbat delicacy? Rabbeinu Yosef Chaim of Bavel zya"a, in his sefer 'Ben Yehoyoda', quotes the Midrash, "'Of everything that was on dry land, died', this implies that the fish of the sea did not die", and explains that fish was chosen as a Shabbat delicacy to teach us that the fire of Gehinom does not have power on Shabbat, just as the fire of the hot waters of the Flood had no power over the fish, in the generation that was judged with boiling water."

The Star of Moshiach

Rabbi Yuval Ovadia and Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz have put out a video entitled "Nibiru # Star of Moshiach approaching Earth".  [see video at end of this blog post] It's auto-dubbed into English for me, I started to watch it on You Tube, but only saw the first minute..... because as I've told you all before, Rabbi Ovadia doesn't have the complete picture.  

Yes the Star of Moshiach is here, but it's name is not Nibiru.   Niburu is just one of the planets that is orbiting this Star.   "Nibiru" means "planet of the crossing" because these planets and their Sun cross over with Earth's orbit every few thousand years.

The "Star" is the Red Sun.  I've told you many times that we currently have two suns.... our sun which appears yellow but is actually White, and the second sun, which is much larger and is a Red Star.

This Red Star has seven planets orbiting it, Nibiru is one of them.  Nibiru is a large blue planet, bigger than Earth.  All these planets are much bigger than ours, the smallest one is called Napisiti and it is green, and it is causing most of the flooding that we see these days.   

This Red Star, the second sun, has been here since 2010, and has been causing extreme temperatures in various parts of the world at different times.   

The effects of this passing planetary [binary] system include the fact that Earth has tilted and the seasons and weather are all messed up.   Volcanoes going off, earthquakes, massive flooding, houses washing away from rising sea levels.... all these events are being caused by the passing planets.  Most of the world does not know about this.   I've been telling you all for years, but no doubt a lot of you think I'm meshugga..... I can assure you I am not, I've seen some with my own eyes, and so have thousands of other people.

So yes, Rabbi Ovadia is correct about the Star of Moshiach, but he's missing a ton of information, and I only hope that either he or Adam Eliyahu reads this and investigates further.   Meanwhile, most people are missing out on the greatest show on earth.... passing planets, once you recognise them you can't unsee them.  Not just clouds!  

The Star of Moshiach is here, and I pray that we have enough merit to see Moshiach very soon.