Physical Organs Correspond to the 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.

Part 2: The Significance of May 12th and May 14th 2018

In Yehezkel 38 and Zechariah 14, it talks about the last war, which is Gog from the land of Magog. There are all types of prophecy, but this clearly is the last war.  What is the logic of Gog and Magog? What does it all mean?  

In order to understand this, you have to go back to Egypt.  Evil has two phases: one is that it tries to destroy good.  Specifically it tries to destroy the Jewish people from doing the tikkun, mitzvos and teshuvah. There is no question about that.

However, there is a Phase Two.  When evil has been vanquished, they arrive for a last push. It's like a star before it dies.  It takes in all its energy and gives out a monumental cataclysmic explosion.  A nova can outshine galaxies..... and we are talking about one star in a billion stars, yet that nova will outshine the whole galaxy.  Can you imagine how much energy is in that star?    

Evil does the same thing.  Before it dies, and while it is dying, it can take it all the energies it has and then explode in a fiercesome explosion.  That is the story of Egypt.  The Krias Yam Suf [splitting of the sea]. Hashem destroyed Egypt with the ten plagues, but that wasn't enough... they had to come back after the Jews.  That is Phase Two.  

First they kept them as slaves for hundreds of years, and then when they were finally destroyed they went after them again by Krias Yam Suf.  So the splitting of the sea was really the last attempt of evil to subdue good.  That's why when the Satan is dying he tries to gather all his kitrugim [prosecutions] and find any evidence he can to destroy the Jews.  There is the famous one where the angel of the Egyptians [who was working as a helper to the Satan] says ''why do you want to save the Jews?  The Egyptians worship idols and the Jews worship idols.''  We see that the Satan made a monumental attempt to save the Egyptians.

All the people trying to topple President Trump is the result of the Satan dying. The Satan is trying to get everyone on his side to stop this man.  Why?  Because they know that Trump is going to drain the swamp.... or rather drain the sewer, which is basically Washington DC.  But that is not the only reason why they are all going crazy.  

The real reason why is because Trump is going to do something for Israel which has never been done before.

That is the concept of the resurgence of evil to try to destroy good. And that is the concept of Gog from the land of Magog.... an individual who gathers the 70 nations of the world [the gematria of Gog u Magog is 70 representing the 70 nations].... to go against the Jewish people and especially Moshiach ben Yosef.... and that is the last attempt of the Satan to again wipe out the Jewish people.

Gog and Magog is nothing more than a repeat attempt of Krias Yam Suf.

Hashem can change the form of Gog and Magog, and it is not a person.  As far as I am concerned, Gog and Magog is the United Nations, who have representatives of the entire world sitting there trying to destroy the Jewish people.  The United Nations is Gog u Magog and they are trying to destroy Israel.

Zechariah talks about not just trying to destroy Israel but specifically the Jews in Jerusalem, because Jerusalem is their major spiritual city. When President Trump wanted to declare Jerusalem the capital, 139 nations voted against it.

If the United Nations is Gog and Magog.... then we will not have a war of Gog u Magog.  You should know that a war of Gog u Magog against the Jewish people would be horrendous, as it says in the Gemorrah only one or two families of a city would survive.  That sounds like a holocaust.

Hashem split the wars of Gog u Magog into three parts.  The Chofetz Chaim says this, by the way.  Phase One was WW1 which destroyed hundreds of Jewish communities, even though it wasn't directly against the Jews, it changed Jewish life in Europe forever.  The second phase was WW2 where Hitler yemach shemo [as Gog] united a great deal of the world against the Jews, and there you had the brutality where only one or two families from a city survived.  Hashem brought the real brutality of Gog u Magog towards the Jews in WW2.  So Gog u Magog already happened twice.  

When you read the Novi, you can see that the war of Gog u Magog comes in three phases.   The final stage will not be so brutal, it will be in the form of confrontation, which is much milder.  We are already seeing that in the form of the United Nations.  It will be far less brutal as Hashem has split it into three parts.

Let's look at Phase Three.  If the United Nations is Gog and Magog, where do we see this ending?  On May 14 something is going to happen that is beyond belief.

The major claim of Gog/Magog is that Jerusalem does not belong to you, and Israel does not belong to you, and therefore they are going to conduct a war.  People don't make war just to say I want your money or your territory... today that is rare.  People have to dress it up and masquerade it as some virtue, such as ''you gotta give everything back to the Arabs''... they can't just attack you and kill you and say we want your cash.  These days Congress has to be justified with some virtuous statement.  So they say ''it belongs to the Arabs, you have to split it in half...''

On May 14, which is the 70th anniversary of the Jewish State on the English calendar....there is something happening which is beyond belief, and I don't think anybody realizes it.  We know that 250 individuals from America, congressmen, senators... are going to Jerusalem to open up the Embassy in Jerusalem.  It's incredible that there's going to be an Embassy of the United States in Jerusalem.  So if somebody is born in Jerusalem, it will no longer say that he is a citizen of Jerusalem, it will say that he is a citizen of Israel because now Jerusalem becomes Israel. That is incredible.

The second idea is that in making Jerusalem the capital, it is the stamp of approval and it legitimizes the whole area, and that Eretz Yisroel belongs to the Jews.

President Trump has said he will go the opening. Why would the President go to the opening of an Embassy? Think about that.  Presidents generally don't go to openings of an Embassy, they send the Diplomats.  Why would Trump say that he would go?  It means that Edom now realizes that the Jews are the legitimate owners of the Land of Israel.  By making the Embassy in Jerusalem, they are making a statement that Jerusalem belongs to the Jews.

It's interesting that there are many nations that are going to follow... we already have Guatemala, Czechoslovakia.... and many other nations will follow and there will be a rush, and it means that the world will recognise that Israel belongs to the Jews.  If that's the case, then there can no longer be a Gog and Magog because the argument that Jerusalem does not belong to the Jews is already over.  If all the countries are slowly going to put their embassies in Jerusalem.... then there is nothing to talk about !  That's an admission by every country that Jerusalem is the capital, so it takes away their whole claim... and if that's the case, then there's no Gog u Magog.

The King of America, Donald Trump, a Messianic figure of Edom, who represents Eisav, is now admitting to the Jewish people that Jerusalem is the capital and belongs to them.  What he has done is single-handedly stopped Gog u Magog.

Lag B'Omer Wonders

Iyar 18, the 33rd Day of the Omer aka Lag b'Omer, is ALWAYS either Moon in Sagittarius or Moon in Capricorn (depending on where it falls in the 19-year Metonic cycle upon which the Hebrew calendar / Jewish Year is based). 

Sagittarius is "keshet," represented by the bow and arrow of the archer. The symbol of the bow and arrow is historically synonymous with the holiday of Lag b'Omer. Capricorn is ruled by Saturn ("Shabbtai"), the planet associated with the Jewish People for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the association of "Shabbtai" to Shabbat. 

So either way, via the bow and arrow of Sagittarius or the Saturnian "Shabbat" energy of Capricorn, Lag b'Omer is a holiday literally written in our stars as well as in our story.

Source: AstroloJew 

.....we find that this Lag B’Omer 5778 corresponds in multiple ways with the recent findings of Rabbi Glazerson’s Torah code searches, correlating it with Moshiach.

See more at Kabbalah Secrets: Auspicious Dates 

Video: Rabbi Kessin: The Secret of Lag B'Omer

Moshiach's Rainbow and Lag B'Omer 

Lag B'Omer: An Inward Focus 

And This is Your Sign

And this is your sign [that the Redemption is close]: When you see that the Nero of the East who is in Damascus has fallen, the kingdom of the children of the East [Yishmael] will fall, and then the salvation for Israel will sprout.

 נרון מזרחי [Nero of the East] is the same gematria as בשאר אסאד [Bashar Assad] - plus the words.

See: Yeranen Yaakov

The Psychic Breastplate

Picture: Rabbi Mordechai Becher

"And Aaron shall carry the names of the Children of Israel in the Breastplate of Judgment over his heart, when he enters the Holy Place, as a rememberance before G·d at all times........ And you shall place the Urim and the Tumin (a parchment containing G-d's name) into the (fold of the) Breastplate of Judgment so that it will be over Aaron's heart when he comes before G·d . . "

[Tetzaveh 28:29-30]

The Breastplate of Judgment was a prophetic device, worn by the High Priest, through which questions could be asked of G·d. When the king or the High Court (Sanhedrin) would ask a question, the Priest would see various letters sparkle or bulge out. Using Divine Inspiration, he would then be able to combine the letters to spell out the answer. [See Aryeh Kaplan, Handbook of Jewish Thought, vol. 1 (New York: Moznaim, 1979), 6:36 and fn. 110, for more on this subject]

There were twelve precious stones set in the Breastplate of Judgment. They were engraved with the names of the Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the names of the twelve tribes, and the words "tribes of Yeshurun." Certain letters, such as the gimel or the zayin, were written only once. [Yoma 73b]

As our Sages have said, the Breastplate barely contained all twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Therefore, when they had to ask a question that used several of the same letters, such as "Should I go to Bavel," how were they answered?

The question "Should I go to Bavel?" contains two letters beit, and three lameds. However, it is likely that the author was only using this as an example of a phrase with repeating letters, because there were at least five beits and four lameds in the Breastplate - enough to spell out these words.

There is a very great mystery in this . . . I heard from my grandfather [the Baal Shem Tov], that each of the twenty-two letters [of the Hebrew alphabet] contains within it all the other letters of the alphabet - these can be attained by spelling out each letter in full. For instance, writing out the letter aleph in full provides a lamed and a phey. Furthermore, each of these letters can be further expanded, to produce even more letters, until the entire Hebrew alphabet is reconstituted - except for the letter mem which, when written in full, will not produce any additional letters.

Since G·d commanded that all twenty-two letters be inscribed on the Breastplate, when the priest would be enwrapped in Divine inspiration, the letters would shine in their expanded forms. This enabled the priest to receive everything he needed to know. This is the meaning of "shoham stones and filling stones "avnei miluyim" for the apron and for the Breastplate" [Tetzaveh 25:7].

"Avnei miluyim" read alternatively as "stones that are filled out" - meaning that the engraved letters shone in their expanded forms. In a number of other lessons on this theme, the Baal Shem Tov explains that additional letters can be derived from a single letter by using the techniques of gematria (numerical value of the letters), or by dividing the letters into their component parts. It is possible that those approaches were originally mentioned with this lesson, since there are a number of other letters, such as the gimel, zayin, ches, tes and samech that could never be derived from the other letters, no matter how many times they are spelled out.

Source: From the writings of the Baal Shem Tov

Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Shore

Tzedakah Brings Moshiach

by Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita 

It is written, “When you lend money to any of My people” [Mishpatim 22:24]

Here we see an allusion to what our Sages have said in the Gemara: “Great is tzedakah, for it brings the Redemption closer” [Bava Batra 10a].

The expression, “When you lend money to My people” has the same gematria [numerical value] as: “I will quickly send you Mashiach the son of David.”

– Imrot Tehorot

Ploughing Together

Art by Vitaly Urzhumov

One of the Torah’s 613 commandments is the prohibition of ploughing a field, harnessing an ox and donkey together. Many reasons and insights have been presented to explain this mitzvah.

The Zohar reveals to us some of the mystical depth behind this commandment. It writes that the shor (ox) represents Esau and the Western world, while the chamor (donkey) represents Yishmael and the Arab world. The Torah is alluding to us in this commandment that if these two powers join together – i.e. the “ox” and the “donkey” plowing together - they can destroy the entire world.

The Mystics add that if the Jewish people do a collective teshuvah and repent from our errant ways, as the prophet exhorts us: “Shuvu banim shovavim …Return, O wayward sons…” [Jeremiah 3:14], we will reach shleimus (perfection) and thus be able to eliminate the power of the shor [Esau] v’chamor [and Yishmael], which will ultimately lead to Bias HaMoshiach, the Coming of the Messiah, speedily and in our days.

To prove this connection they point out that the Hebrew words “Shuvu banim shovavim”, “shleimus”, “shor v’chamor”, and “Bias HaMoshiach” all have the exact same gematria (numerical value) – they all equal 776 - and are thus related to each other on a mystical level.

Source: Torch Torah Weekly

Moshiach's Password ''5778''

In his latest shiur, Rabbi Kessin tells us of the special code words given by Moshe Rabbeinu that identified him as their saviour sent by Hashem to take the Jews out of Mitzrayim.  Those words are פָּקֹ֤ד פָּקַ֨דְתִּי֙ - [pokod pokadeti] I have surely remembered you

Shemot 3:16 ''Go and assemble the elders of Israel, and say to them, 'The Lord God of your forefathers has appeared to me, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, "I have surely remembered you and what is being done to you in Egypt."

You can read more about these words by clicking here.

These are the words used by the Redeemers: Moshe  and Moshiach.

Now Rabbi Kessin gives us some extra information.

The gematria of  פָּקֹ֤ד פָּקַ֨דְתִּי֙ is 778.  This may represent the year 778.....  but how do we know that this could actually be the year 5778?  Because there is a Vav missing from the word פָּקֹ֤ד , and Vav is the number 6, representing the sixth millenium - 5778.  So those words are quite possibly hinting to the fact that when the Moshiach arrives with these special code words, it could very well be this year 5778.

Converts and Soul Roots

 

And Abram took Sarai his wife, his nephew Lot, and all their belongings, as well as the souls that they made in Haran; and they left to go into the land of Canaan [Lech Lecha 12:5]

When a person is in a state of small-mindedness (mohin d'katnus), he gives birth to the souls of converts. (1) This is the meaning of: "the souls that they made in Haran," which is the three aspects of Elokim in Smallness, having the numerical value of the word Haran (2).

(1) This idea, found throughout the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov, is based upon the principle of root and branch souls. When a root soul falls to a lower level, it is in order to raise up the "branch" souls that are connected to him, who themselves are on a low level. Although converts may have very high souls - according to the Talmud, they observe the mitzvos with more exactitude than born Jews - before their conversion, their souls are locked in a Gentile body. A similar teaching can be found in the writings of the Baal Shem Tov concerning ba'alei teshuva - returnees to Judaism. Their ability to repent comes from the influence of a Tzaddik who has fallen to a lower level and raised himself again.

It is necessary to understand why G·d created a situation in which a Tzaddik falls from his level. It would certainly be better for him to remain constantly on his level and serve G-d with an expanded consciousness and to love Him perfectly. The Baal Shem Tov and my Master, Rabbi Dov Baer (the Maggid of Mezritch) explained it as follows. When the Tzaddik falls from his level and endeavors to regain his strength, he creates the souls of converts. This is like someone who wants to take his friend out of the mud. He also has to go down into the muck to raise him up." [See Kedushas Levi, by R. Levi Yitzchok of Berditchov, on the verse: "Your ointments have a goodly fragrance" (Song of Songs 1:3)]

(2) G-d's Name "Elokim" has the numerical value of 86. When multiplied by three, gives the number 258, which is the numerical value of the word "Haran." The implication is that when Abraham and Sarah were in the land of Haran - in a state of small-mindedness - they gave birth to the souls of converts: "the souls that they had made in Haran."

[See R. Yitzchok Luria, Etz Chayim, Sha'ar HaKelalim, chapter 13.3]

Sefer Baal Shem Tov: The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on the Torah

Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Shore

5778 is Upon Us

This is perhaps one of the most incredible things I've read on the internet.   I'm not even sure if the website is regarded as ''kosher'' - but the information contained is actually mind-blowing.

Here is an extract:


Text by Jeffrey [Ezra] Meiliken

The year 5778 is finally upon us and the entire world has been witnessing the changes over the past year with the ominous signs recognizable to all.

For 5778 years the Earth has been circling the Sun at 66,600 miles per hour, or 107,000 kilometers per hour if you use that system.

Most people will recognize 666 as an apocalyptic sign but be that as it may, it is also a deep Kabbalistic concept and the numerical value of 2/3.

Rav Ashlag of blessed memory used that principle to determine the year of 5778 as the time of the geula (final redemption), and the Arizal hinted at its use to determine a specific date within the year 5778.

Equally significant is that the sum of the integers from 1 to 107 is also 5778 and that there are 107,000 letters in the Torah preceding the 10 Commandments, which were given in the 70th Chapter in the Torah, but that has already been written.

Since the beginning of consciousness, the biblical birth of Adam, the Earth has been hurtling through space at 66,600 miles per hour, and when it traveled exactly 1,666,666,666,666 miles, King David was born. 35 years later, at the midpoint in David’s 70-year lifespan, in the year 2889 HC, we reached exactly the midpoint to the year 5778. Let that sink in for a moment, and connect to the journey that began with Adam, paused with David, and brought us to this fateful point in time. The ancient kabbalists told us that ADAM (אדם) stands for Adam-David-Moshiach(א–ד–ם).

Continue reading: click here

for a critique on this article  see Mashiach is Coming in 5778 - or is He?

Hurricane Irma Prophecy in the Torah

Rabbi Yaron Reuven

Note for non-Jews: when Rabbi Reuven speaks about "Jews'' it is understood by me to also include righteous non-Jews, Noahides et al., just bear that in mind if you watch this.

Hashem Will Bless You

Text by Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita

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

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

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

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

Source – Kol Eliyahu

The 50th Gate

The Kabbalah speaks of "50 gates of spiritual understanding", 49 of which can be achieved by a person as a result of his own initiative.  The final 50th gate is then granted by G-d from Above.

When Avraham had circumcised himself, he had reached the greatest degree of spiritual perfection that he could possibly achieve as a human being - the 49th gate - and he became "sick" yearning for the 50th gate.  This is alluded to by the fact that choleh חולה [the Hebrew term for "sick person"] has the numerical value [gematria] of 49.  Then "God appeared to him", revealing to him the 50th gate of spiritual understanding, which cured his spiritual sickness.

And, being that his physical sickness was a reflection of his spiritual dissatisfaction, the Divine revelation healed him physically too.

Based on Sichat Shabbos Parshas Vayeira 5750 - Lubavitcher Rebbe

Why Learning Torah Is So Great - The Pnimiyus of Torah

Rabbi Mendel Kessin - Ramchal's Yahrtzeit 5777/2017

Don't know where to start with all the wonders of this shiur..... you really need to just listen to it. Some incredibly fascinating insights into angels and white magic [!] aka practical kabbalah.  Rabbi Kessin has a unique way of explaining everything and you need to hear this one.

A Sign from The Angel Micha'el ...?

This is a photo of the final resting place of the car that ploughed through pedestrians at Times Square NY earlier today.  As you can see it is underneath a sign that says 1515 Broadway.  There was some speculation on a conspiracy site that this sign weirdly suggested ''ISIS" - but a quick search on the internet for the gematria of 1515 came up with the following:

From Rabbi Ginsburgh:

1515 = 15 x מיכאל  [Micha’el]. We have previously noted that Micha’el [מיכאל ], whose numerical value is equal to 101, is considered the angelic minister of the Jewish people, Israel. The numerical value of Israel- ישראל is 541. Amazingly, the 101st prime number is 541!

Let us examine the names of the angels in context of their mission: Micha’el came to give Sarah the news of Isaac’s upcoming birth; Gavri’el came to destroy Sodom; and, Repha’el came to heal Abraham. Taking the sum of the angels’ names with the objects of their mission, we get that:

מיכאל שרה ┴ גבריאל סדם ┴ רפאל אברהם = 1515 = שרה שרה שרה

Now, the numerical value of Sarah [שרה] is 505, which is 5 times the numerical value of Micha’el [מיכאל]:

שרה = 5 · מיכאל , or 5 · 101

Therefore, it follows that 1515 = 15 · מיכאל , or 15 times Micha’el.

Click here to see Rabbi Ginsburgh's original article, with a lot more info.

And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time; and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. Daniel 12:1 

Also see Revered Rabbi's Deathbed Message Invokes Angel Michael Bringing End of Days

The Seventh of Adar

"And you will command the Children of Israel" [Tetzaveh 27:20]

The Vilna Gaon asks why the verse begins with Hashem instructing Moshe "And you will command..." without first stating the standard opening "Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying..."

The answer, said the Gaon, is as follows:

The day of Moshe Rabbeinu's passing [and day of his birth] was the seventh of Adar. In most years, this day falls out during the week in which Parshas Tetzaveh is read. Now, in the entire Parshas Tetzaveh, Moshe's name is not mentioned, even once. This alludes to the fact that Moshe's demise took place during this week.

However, continued the Gaon, even though Moshe's name is not mentioned explicitly in Tetzaveh, it is nevertheless there in a hint:

There are 101 verses in the Parsha. If the letters that comprise the name "Moshe" - משׁה -are spelled out in their entirety, we would have the following:

מ the letters comprising Mem are מ מ -

שׁ the letters comprising Shin are שׁ י ן -

ה the letters compring Hey are ה א -

Total numerical value: 446

If we add up the numerical value of all these letters, and then subtract the numerical value of משׁה [Moshe: 345] - we will be left with the number 101 - the exact number of verses in the parsha.

Source: Rabbi Y. Bronstein

Torah Codes Confirm Gog U'Magog - 70 Nations - Paris

''The Conference in Paris for Palestinian State''

''When Jews do not follow the Torah, our enemies will judge us.''  

The names Barak [Obama] and [John] Kerry are combined in this Torah Code, with both sharing the letter ק

The year 5777 and also the word Moshiach is found in this Code, as well as the words ''Moshiach will take revenge on the enemies''.

The following is from Rabbi Glazerson's book ''Above The Zodiac''

According to Rabenu Bachaya the nation associated with the sign of the month of Teves [Capricorn] is the Philistine nation.  For this reason Shimshon [Samson], from the tribe of Dan, gave his Philistine wife a goat as a gift.  He wanted to purify the evil influence of the Philistine at the root.  The Philistines were always a problem for the Jewish people and as is stated in the books of Joshua and Judges, when Israel did evil in G-d's eyes they were delivered into the hands of the Philistines.

The Power of stern Judgment within the Philistines is indicated in the numerical value of their name - Pelishtim - 860 - which is ten times the Divine Name Elokim [86] - the name that denotes Judgment.  Corresponding to this stands the tribe of Dan, with Shimshon at its head, who wanted to put an end to their evil influence.  However the time was not yet ripe, for Israel had not yet achieved a high enough spiritual level.  Perhaps the problems that Israel has currently with the Palestinians are a carry over of the previous problems with the Philistines.  [It is interesting to note that the PLO was founded during the month whose sign is Capricorn - Teves].  The solution to this problem is assured only by the return of the Nation of Israel to walk in the ways of G-d and observe the Torah.  Thereby the negative influence of Capricorn will be transformed to the realm of holiness.

Gematria for Beginners

In this video, Rabbi Simon Jacobson explains gematria [numerology of the Hebrew letters].

5777: The Year of the Olive Branch and Eternal World Peace

Art Barbara Harmer

by HaRavi Yitzchak Ginsburgh

Today we're going to devote our thoughts to the coming year. The number of the year has many allusions. This coming year is 5777, according to the Jewish calendar, the number of years from creation. The way we usually count it is as 777, the 5000 being set apart. It is customary to create an acronym out of the letters that spell the 777, which are תשעז .The acronym which is customarily given starts with the two words, "May this be a year of…" [תַ נְ שׁ אֵ הֵ תּ ]And what we are asking for is to interpret the two final letters, which in our case are עז .So the full acronym depends on what the letters עז stand for.

Click here to read the entire article

Click here to watch the videos

The War of Thoughts

Everything starts in the spiritual world and then it manifests down to the physical world.

The Zohar says that at the time of Gog u Magog, we are going to be controlled by our thoughts.  It is ''Milchement Giggim'' - the war of thoughts. [click here to see video of Rabbi Anava on this topic: from 29 mins onwards]

In every generation there is a ''Haman'' who comes to destroy us.    Haman is a descendent of Amalek - Amalek is a nation, but it is also a kelipa, a spiritual impurity caused by a negative act, which comes like a virus to attack you. When the Jews left Mitzrayim, Amalek came to attack them straight away. It came from the rear, to cool them down.  The gematria of the word Amalek is the same as the gematria of the word ''safek'' - doubt.  Amalek comes to cool you down and make you doubt the truth.

Rabbi Anava says that these days it is the war of the screens, and we are controlled by our screens: our computers and our phones.

So here we all are, on the internet, where everything is available in an instant, and while we can choose what to look at, in the process we may get side-tracked and end up reading something that causes us to doubt the truth.  This is the spiritual side of the war of Gog u Magog, the spiritual Amalek causing us to doubt.  Ten minutes ago we were excited about some new Torah we had learnt, and then we read a comment from an Amaleki which causes us to doubt that same thing.

This is Amalek, and it comes in many different guises, Rebbe Nachman commented that at the end of days, the whole world would be flooded by such a huge amount of heretical ideas and theories, even rabbis would have ‘heresy dripping out of their pockets'. 

We need to be extremely careful who we listen to, and what we read.   Amalek is always there, waiting to pounce on us from behind.