515

by Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein

''I implored Hashem'' [Va'etchanan 3:23]

The Midrash states that Moshe offered 515 prayers to Hashem in order to be allowed to enter the Land of Israel.  This is alluded to in the word ''Va'eschanan'' whose numerical value is 515.

Not only does the word ''Va'etchanan'' equal 515, noted the Chasam Sofer [R' Moshe Sofer], but so does the word ''tefillah'' [prayer].

Furthermore, if we add 26 - the numerical value of the ineffable Name of Hashem [yud, hei, vav, hei] to the number 515, we will get 541 - the numerical value of the word Yisrael.

Also see: What Happens to Unanswered Prayers

What is a Tzaddik?

by Rabbi Aaron L. Raskin

A man living in California once came to the Lubavitcher Rebbe for yechidus (a private audience). He was afflicted with an incurable case of psoriasis and came to ask the Rebbe for help. He told the Rebbe, “I’ve heard great things about you. I’ve heard that you perform miracles and I came to ask you to perform a miracle for me. As for my background, I went through the Holocaust. I don’t pray to G-d and I don’t believe in G-d. But I do believe in tzaddikim (completely righteous people). My father was a Bobover chassid and always went to his Rebbe for blessings, so I’ve always believed in the power of tzaddikim.”

The Rebbe replied that a tzaddik has no power of his own. A tzaddik is merely an extension of G-d here in this world to help people, which he does by tapping into G-d’s powers. “If you don’t believe in G-d, you cannot believe in me.”

The man waved his hand, “Eh! I still believe in tzaddikim.” So the Rebbe told him to take off his shirt and undershirt and stand up. The Rebbe got up from his chair. He took his two hands and put them on the man’s right arm and slid them from top to bottom, upon which the psoriasis disap­peared. The Rebbe repeated the action with the man’s left arm and again the man’s scales receded. Then the Rebbe took his two hands and applied them to the man’s chest and back. The psoriasis fell away. The Rebbe told his visitor that he normally did not perform revealed miracles. Generally, Heav­enly assistance would appear in a more concealed manner. But there are always exceptions to the rule. He hoped that from that day on, the man would once again believe in G-d and begin living a life of Torah and mitzvos.

Design

Tzaddik is the eighteenth letter of the alef-beis.

The design of a tzaddik is a yud on top of the letter nun. One interpretation of the nun is that it stands for ona’ah, deceit and fraud. By nature, most of us have the misconception that it is the physical world that is the source of ultimate truth and pleasure. But the yud, or Divine intellect, is added to the nun to teach us that the material world is ephemeral, and not the source of consummate goodness and joy. Therefore there must be something truer and more G-dly upon which to focus. This heightened intention is the essence of the tzaddik.

The Zohar recounts that when G-d wanted to create the world, every letter of the alef-beis came before Him and said, “G-d, create the world with me.” The tav came first, and then the shin, and so on. Then the tzaddik appeared before G-d and said, “G-d, create the world with me. I am the tzaddik, the righteous one.” So G-d responded, “Yes, but because you are righteous you must be hidden. Therefore, I cannot create the world with you.”

Chassidus asks why this is so. If the tzaddik is righteous, why wouldn’t G-d have wanted to use it to create the world? Every creature in the world would then be upright and pure. Rather than living in a realm of immorality, theft and deceit, we would live in a world that is safe, peaceful and G-dly. What would be wrong with that?

The answer is that it would be too easy. G-d’s intention is that we should be born into an incomplete physical world and strive to perfect it. With the G-dliness that flows from the yud, we can strengthen our ability to overcome the nun, the pleas­ures of the corporeal world. The tzaddik must therefore be concealed in Creation so that one strives for righteousness on his own.

Gematria

The numerical equivalent of the letter tzaddik is ninety. In Ethics of Our Fathers it says: “When one reaches the age of ninety, one is bent over (lashuach).” On a physical level, this means that at ninety, a man is infirm and bowed with weak­ness. On a spiritual plane, it represents the concept of humility. When one reaches ninety, he has become so spiritual and humble that he bends over for G-d. He is no longer an inde­pendent character but an extension of G-d Himself.

At the age of ninety, one has achieved a heightened level of prayer. He has the ability to feel a direct connection to G-d when he prays. Additionally, it is explained in the Midrash Shmuel that the word lashuach means “to pray constantly.” That connection is the foundation of a tzaddik. A tzaddik exists not for his own benefit, but to serve as an offshoot of G-d. We go to tzaddikim to pray on our behalf because we know that the prayers of the tzaddik will be answered.

Meaning

The name tzaddik means “righteous one,” a leader and teacher of a generation. We also know that many tzaddikim are called Rebbe. This tradition began with Moses, the first Rebbe of the Jewish people. Another famous tzaddik known as “Rebbe” is Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, the redactor of the Mishnah. There is a Rebbe in every generation, a tzaddik who is that era’s spiritual leader.

What is the concept of a Rebbe? “Rebbe,” רבי, is an acronym for Rosh B’nei Yisrael, “the head of the Jewish people.” What is a head? The head of a body is its control center. It gives life, nourishment, and direction to the rest of the body. It also feels the pain, desires and needs of every aspect of its body.

A Rebbe, then, is both literally and figuratively the head of the Jewish community. When a person has a dilemma, what should he or she do? Perhaps the problem is whether or not to visit Israel, buy a house, or marry a certain man or woman. That person goes to visit the Rebbe. Just as the head houses the eyes, the Rebbe is the eyes of his community. He has the ability to see things that the lone questioning individual cannot.

A Rebbe’s ability to intervene on behalf of the Jewish people is not magic. It is a natural and organic outgrowth of his right­eousness. Just as it is perfectly normal for the head to feel and respond to the needs of the whole body, it is natural for the Rebbe to feel and respond to the needs of his people.

What sources support the premise that a Jew can get closer to G-d through communication with a Rebbe? Moreover, doesn’t Judaism frown on “intermediaries” between man and G-d? The answer lies in the mitzvah u’ledavka bo, which means to cleave to G-d. The Rambam, based on the words of the Talmud, asks, “How is it possible that one should cleave to G-d? G-d is fire and we are physical. One who touches fire will burn.” The Sages answer,“‘To cleave unto Him’ means that we should cleave to wise men and to their disciples,” i.e., tzad­dikim. We cleave through connection with a tzaddik, who is one with G-d. Furthermore, believing in tzaddikim is based on a verse in Exodus said every day in our morning prayers: “[The Jews] believed in G-d and Moses His servant.” The Mechilta queries, “Why is it important to tell us that the Jewish people believed in Moses His servant? How can we equate our faith in Moses with our belief in G-d?” The answer is, without faith in Moses, or the Moses of every generation, there cannot be belief in G-d.

G-d puts tzaddikim in this world to testify to the fact that He exists. By virtue of our connection to these righteous people and our belief in them, we are provided with a channel to connect with G-d.

The letter tzaddik has two forms. There is the bent tzaddik which occurs at the beginning or middle of a word. Then there is the straight tzaddik which occurs at the end of a word. What is the significance of each? The straight tzaddik represents the baal teshuvah, one who has worked to improve his connection to G-d and returned to his essential holy nature. The bent tzaddik is born righteous, but has not yet reached the level of a baal teshuvah. As we are told, even a complete tzaddik cannot stand in the place of a baal teshuvah. A baal teshuvah stands higher.

What does this mean? How is it possible that a baal teshuvah—one who has sinned all his life and then decides to change—stands higher than a tzaddik? There are two reasons. The first is that the one who has transgressed has already tasted cheese­burgers and lobster, and relished them. Now he must wrest himself from their grip. It is similar to the difficulty experi­enced by a long-time smoker who now wants to quit. There might be a certain temptation on the part of one who has never smoked to try a cigarette. But having never smoked, it is much easier for him to control the temptation. One who has already experienced its physical pleasure, however, might be hooked. It is very difficult to extirpate that aspect from his life, and it requires tremendous strength and commitment. Thus a baal teshuvah who was born to a non-religious home, who never learned anything about Judaism, and lives according to the secular ways of the world creates an elevated connection to G-d when he decides to change. G-d says, “You, My dear child, stand higher than the tzaddik.”

The second reason the baal teshuvah stands higher than the tzaddik is that the wrongdoings of the baal teshuvah are con­verted into mitzvos. Once his past sins have been renounced, they are actually credited as positive command­ments.

How is this possible? The answer to that question requires a discussion of the method by which neutral and impure entities are spiritually elevated.There are two arenas in the physical world: the realm of the neutral and the realm of the impure. The realm of the neutral contains things that are capable of being elevated to holiness, like kosher food, Shabbos candles, and an esrog (citron) for the lulav. Those things that are com­pletely impure (i.e., pork, forbidden relationships) cannot be elevated and are therefore prohibited.

As an example of how the neutral realm can be affected, let’s say that I take an apple or a piece of kosher chicken and make a blessing on it before eating it. What’s my ultimate purpose in eating? Not to satisfy or gratify my selfish personal needs, but to acquire the strength to serve G-d. Making a blessing before one eats empowers the individual to elevate the food. In so doing, the neutral realm of the food has been elevated to the level of spirituality.

Conversely, consider the fact that I’m eating simply because I’m ravenous. I just want to fill my stomach, and G-d is the last thing on my mind. In this instance, I’m taking the neutral arena and drawing it down into the three levels of impurity. This arena of impurity denotes not only that which is prohibited—pork, shrimp, non-kosher meat and so forth—but that which is neutral and debased through improper action or intention.

Now, how do I elevate that which is impure by nature—that which is unable to be elevated under normal circumstances? By resisting it. For example, you’re walking down the street and see a hot dog stand. You have a desire to eat a hot dog even though they are not kosher. The moment you say, “No, I won’t eat one,” you’ve performed a mitzvah. You get credit for a mitzvah by not eating it, by curbing your desire. This is the meaning of fulfilling a negative commandment. Nevertheless, while the credit for fulfilling a negative (passive) command­ment is similar to performing a positive (active) one, it is not quite identical.

Now, to return to the original question, let’s say you’ve transgressed a negative commandment (e.g., done or eaten something prohibited). How do you transform the penalties associated with violating a negative commandment into the rewards generated by performance of a positive command­ment? This is accomplished by the decision to do teshuvah. You say, “G-d, I’m sorry for the past. I want to return to You. I will never sin again.” At that moment, all the accumulated sins become positive commandments.

Perhaps by knowing this someone could say, “Great. Now I can go down to the hot dog stand, eat a few frankfurters, and make up for it by doing teshuvah later.” Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. Anyone who says, “I will intentionally sin and then return to G-d later” is not given the opportunity to repent. A person can’t engage in the teshuvah process in a deceptive, self-serving manner. The essence of the baal teshu­vah’s return is the pure desire to rectify a previous wrong and return to his intrinsic connection to G-d. Can the one who sins in the present with the idea that he’ll repent later, in fact repent? If he is stubborn, yes. Nothing can stand in the way of teshuvah, and even for the worst sins in the Torah a person can repent. But in general, if one sins in order to repent, he will not be given the opportunity to do teshuvah.

It states in the Zohar that when Mashiach comes to the world, he will cause all the tzaddikim to do teshuvah. This means that Mashiach will bring a heightened awareness even to that person who has served G-d perfectly every day of his life. This is the bent tzaddik. This tzaddik will be blessed with an even greater desire and urgency to perform mitzvos than he previously possessed. He will have the ability to go beyond his nature and do more than he did yesterday. Thus the bent tzad­dik will also acquire the qualities of the baal teshuvah, the straight tzaddik.

When a child is born, he is administered an oath, “Be a tzad­dik and do not be wicked.” From birth, every individual has the ability to become a tzaddik. If one constantly recalls the existence of this oath, he or she can undoubtedly bring it from potential into reality.

Footnotes: click here: Chabad.org

Pharoah Obama

This is a re-blog from April 26, 2010, as I was reminded of it by this posting at Palm Tree of Deborah

The Year of Revealed Truths

[Guest post from Daniel S.]

"Just as in the days when we left Mitzrayim, He will again show us wonders" [Michah 7:15]

The Sages in the Zohar Hakadosh [Holy Zohar] write that, in the Last Days, all the major historic enemies of Israel, such as Nevuchadnetzar, Sancherib, Haman [Ahmanedijad], and even Pharaoh, will all be brought back in one generation, as gilgulim [reincarnated souls], to fight against Israel one final time, this time to be destroyed forever, during the last generation of the complete and final redemption.

There are truly so many fascinating parallels one does not know where to begin. The Zohar writes about a general gilgul -- reincarnation [return] of all rishaim [evil regimes] in the End of Days - those who destroyed the Temples and many others as well. The specific return of Nevuchadnetzar, for example, is noted twice in Zohar Parshas Beshalach 58b.

To give you an idea of how the Zohar's words apply to our generation, the last generation:

It is known that Saddam Hussein had often stated that he was Nebucadnezzar II, king of Bavel and had, on two occasions, rebuilt his palaces [due to the damage during the Iraq wars] and engraved images of the ancient king next to his own on the protective outer walls of each. The sole propaganda print media in Iraq, for example, was run by Saddam’s son and was called “Babel.” All of the many tank divisions in his army were named after great Babylonian kings. His most infamous, “feared” Iraqi guard divisions went by the name of “Nebucadnezzar.” Imprinted on all of Saddam's minted coins was the phrase “2500 years of glory: From Nebuchadnezzar to Saddam Hussein.”

Given that Saddam has already fought his wars against Israel and was embarrassed in front of the entire world, and finally executed a few years ago for this and numerous other reasons, I am assured that we are so close to the End.

In that vein, let us speculate who the Sages might say that Pharaoh is in our day. Below are pictures of the final Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, that, all archaeologists agree, brought the millennium-long rule of the Egyptian superpower to a sudden inexplicable close. The actual Pharaoh of the Exodus, named Akhenaten [Adiakim according to one Midrash], ruled for four years from 1312-16 BCE when his kingdom was destroyed and abandoned. This span of time is extremely close to Egypt's own time-line record, as the year of the Exodus indeed occurred in 1312, the year unanimously agreed upon by all of our Sages.

It was his grandmother who likely raised him and his son, Prince Tut [mistakenly called “King” Tut], who died 'suddenly' at the age of 19 from a very rare form of malaria, according to recent DNA testing. This “disease” should actually be called “makas bichoros” -- “smiting of the firstborn”.

According to one Midrash, he intriguingly ruled for just four years [until the Exodus]. Here is a corroborating archaeological record from Egypt7000bc : ”Ekhanaton, or Amenhotep IV, was the son of Amenhotep III. In the fourth year of his rule, he chose the place of the new capital, and proceeded to build it in year five naming his new kingdom... El Amarna.” In Hebrew this means “G-d declared it to be so.” So, by the fourth year of this final regime, they completely decimated and destroyed their own kingdom, all the while not listening to the good advice of all those around them. Their main obsession and focus of their harshness and evil dictates, was solely against the children of Israel from among all the other nations of the world. Sound all too familiar?

Clearly our guy [very tall and thin]:

Now to view some pictures of his partner Michele Obama: Note, these older images, forensically reproduced from her mummified remains, are of when she was Pharaoh's mother, or possibly grandmother. Recall that Obama was raised by his grandmother. Since the world, at the time, was in a state of the 49th level of tumah [impurity] – perhaps they were all married at various points from an incestuous viewpoint. Midah kineged midah – measure for measure - justice, she returns finally as his actual wife. She is literally hand in hand with Akhenaten at religious ceremonies and state occasions in all the artwork left behind.

As President, Obama first spoke to the world from, of all places, Cairo, the capital of Egypt. Using this opportunity to make a global statement to dictate to Israel regarding the disallowing and delegitimizing of building homes for Jews in their own tiny country. "Any nation, including Iran" he shouted, "should have the right to nuclear power, since the US has no right to dictate to foreign sovereign nations" [excepting Israel since in his eyes they are not yet a legitimate nation]  - see video below.

Obama later went on a tour that included the site of the city "El Amarna" built by the last Pharoah, Akhenaten. In Hebrew, "El Amarna" means "G-d declared it so". Akhenaten built this new city in northern Egypt, far removed from his old, dead kingdom full of his idols and palaces, as a testament to his new monotheistic belief in one God, and in the hope of revolutionizing all of Egyptian culture and belief.

Discovered amongst the excavations of the Royal Tomb of Amarna was a letter addressed to Akhenaten from the Canaanite kings. They were begging for last words of advice, as the tribes of Israel had begun to enter their lands. This just shows us how long Hashem allowed Pharoah to live after the Exodus [40 plus years], sufficient time to build a new city dedicated to One God. Many secular people naively call Akhenaten the Father of Monotheism, despite our father Avraham having preceded him by 500 years.

The family: The images of their two eldest daughters, who likely were present during the Exodus (derived from the fact that they alone consistently accompany them in the ancient carvings), were likewise forensically reconstructed from their mummified remains. They are eerily identical in both appearance and age to the first couple's current offspring, Malia and Sasha. [see bottom right of picture below]

More info some of which is accurate, some not, can be found at Tour Egypt

Admittedly, the parallels are truly intriguing. But why has Hashem indeed appointed Obama to be in charge over us at the end?

Midrash Sefer HaYashar 71:12-16: At the point in time when Moshe had to flee Egypt due to Lashon Hara [evil gossip]: “And Aharón his brother alone remained in the land of Mitzráyim, and he predicated to the sons of Yisroel, saying: Thus says Hashem the Mighty One of your fathers: ‘Throw away, each man, the abominations of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the worshipped images of Mitzráyim!’

And the sons of Yisroel rebelled and would not hearken to Aharon at that time. And Hashem thought to destroy them, were it not that He remembered the covenant which He had made with Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakóv.

In those days the hand of Pharaóh continued to be severe against the sons of Yisroel, and he crushed and oppressed them until the time when Hashem sent forth His Word and took notice of them.”

The gematria [numerical letter value] of פרעה [Paraoh] is 355 +1 im hakollel [for the name itself] equals 356- so too does Barak Obama: ברק אובמה

And what about the reason for Ahmanedijad or, for that matter, all the many evil regimes currently poised against us?? See the B'raita in Talmud Sanhedrin 97b and Kol Hator 4:3 - If we don't repent of our own volition: “Hashem will erect harsh enemies like Haman that will rule over them with many decrees, forcing them to come to teshuva, in the End.”

Finally, due to his “illegitimate background” [having possessed unique non-polytheistic beliefs], Akhenaten was erased from the ancient record of Egyptian kings.

To all of you awaiting Mashiach while completing your teshuvah: We are so very close that this has truly been the beginning of the “year of revealed truths,” to become even clearer in increasing stages over the next few years. Watch events carefully as they culminate with the sudden rise of Mashiach ben Yoseph...whose name has the same gematria as Barack Obama...

b'mhaira b'yamainu, Amen.

Daniel S.

The Secret of the Ten Plagues

The following [extracts of a] letter are taken from a pamphlet written by the Tzaddik, Rebbe Shimshon from Ostropoli. He writes at the end of the pamphlet that anyone who studies the wondrous and awesome secrets written here, even one time in a year, and especially Erev Pesach, is guaranteed that he will be saved from any kind of accident or disaster or strange death for the whole of that year, and that everything that he turns his hand to will be successful!

"....as briefly as possible I will answer Your Honor’s question regarding that which I wrote about the symbols DaTSaCH ADaSH BeaChaB  דצ"ך עד"ש באח"ב) ) etc. and how the Redemption is hinted at by these symbols..."

".....all these words of the Ari z”l are obviously the most wondrous and awesome secrets, sealed , closed and locked away from the slightest understanding, for who is there that could explain them? And, in fact, I have been asked many times by some of the greatest Rabbis to explain these words to them, and I refused. However, because of my great love for Your Honor, I will explain them to you as they were revealed and explained to me in a dream."

To read the entire letter go to: Shuvubonim

The Mayan Calendar, December 21 and Judaism

Extracts from The Mayan Culture and Judaism by Rabbi M. Glazerson and Professor R. Haralick

click here

Reprinted with permission. I have extracted only a small portion of the information in the book.....I strongly recommend you purchase it  to fully understand all the concepts.

The Mayan calendar counts time until the year 2012, after which we encounter a situation of no more time from their point of view; a time when there will be complete knowledge.  We will have the power to heal, to create and to change everything.

According to Mayan astronomy, our galaxy orbits the Pleiades every 26,000 years*.   In 2012 there will be a completion of the cycle.... and there will be a new dawn for mankind.  In space there will be a situation in which the planets are directly aligned [an occurrence which happens once every 26,000 years], including the earth, the sun, the Milky Way, the Pleiades, Sirius and others. This will happen at exactly 11am on December 21, 2012,  and at 11:11 there will be a stream of new light of pure awareness that will shine without interference from the planets.

*It is important to point out that even though the calculations of the number of years in the Mayan tradition comes to numbers higher than the maximum 6,000 years of Jewish tradition, there is no inherent contradiction to the Torah of Israel. As the Ramban says in his commentary on the Torah [Genesis, 2], the world is supposed to continue for 6,000 years that mirror the six days of creation.  This refers to the physical world created within the system of time.... according to the teachings of relativity in science, the passage of time exists only in the physical world.... the greater the central mass the slower time moves, when the universe began to expand, the meter of time increased its rate. [Similar to the concept mentioned here] 

The Gemara in Nedarim [8:2] states:

Reish Lakish states: ''In the World to Come, there will be no Gehinnom [hell]. Rather, Hashem will remove the sun from its sheath, and the righteous will be healed by it, while the wicked will be punished by it, as it says [Malachi 3:19] ''A sun will come which will burn like a furnace; all the wicked and all the evildoers will be like straw, and the sun will incinerate them... But a sun of kindness will shine for those who fear Me, with healing in its rays.''

The Abarbanel explains this verse:

''The sun performs opposite actions and, depending on the circumstances, it will burn or heal. It whitens laundry and browns the ski, it melts wax and freezes salt, and therefore, whereas the evildoers who are empty and dry like straw will be burnt, the righteous ones who are damp and moist, will be healed.''

 וְעֵת-צָרָה הִיא לְיַעֲקֹב, וּמִמֶּנָּה יִוָּשֵׁעַ

''...and it is a time of trouble unto Jacob, but out of it shall he be saved'' 

[Jeremiah 30:7]

It is interesting to note that the gematria of the words ''and a time of trouble'' is 772, which equals the value of the words ''time of clarity''.  This reinforces the idea that at that time it will be a time of tzara [trouble] for the wicked, and it will conversely be a time of tzohar [clarity] for the righteous.

According to the Mayan calendar, the year 1992 is the first year of the last phase [period 20] of the final stage [13th stage] of the great cycle. It is striking to note that the year 1992 was the year תשׁנ''ב  -

5752 years from the creation of the world, which was the beginning of the time after midday Friday, [on the cosmic clock] when the special Shabbat atmosphere began to descend on the world [according to the holy Arizal]. The Mayans refer to these 20 years as the purification of the earth.  During this period, the earth will become completely purified, including the hearts of the people. Evil will be uprooted and goodness will prevail.  The cycle will culminate on the 21st of December 2012, effectively ending the characteristics of civilization as we know it.  After this, humanity will advance into a new type of civilization.

Rav Kushilevsky comments that when discussing the year 2012, one must take into consideration the wellknown fact that the Vilna Gaon considers the birth pangs of Moshiach to be of 70 years' duration.  In the same vein, there are 70 words in Psalms chapter 20 which include ''May Hashem answer you on the day of trouble''.  In the year 5702, the Holocaust began in full force and, as the Aish Kodesh wrote:  ''The terrible tragedies and horrible, unnatural deaths that the cruel Nazi beasts inflicted upon the House of Israel in the year 5702, in my scope of knowledge of the words of the sages and the Book of Chronicles, there has never before been such suffering...''

From this we infer that the year 5702 began the birth pangs of Moshaich. If we add another 70 years from 5702 in order to get to the date of the actual ''birth'', we get the year 5772 - 2012.

In this time of the ''footsteps of Moshiach'' the aspect of the mixed multitudes [Erev Rav] will be strengthened and the leaders of Israel will emerge from the Erev Rav, as it says in the holy Zohar in various places. This has proven itself true when, in recent years, the government of the State of Israel has consisted of parties and ministers who are committed to fighting against the Torah values of Israel. The Rabbis in the Talmudic tractate, Sanhedrin [98:1] discussed this: ''the kings will turn into heretics'', and as it is said in the commentary, this is also referring to the kingdom of Israel.

The sages tell us in the Talmud that this state of affairs will bring Israel to recognize that ''We have no one to lean on except our Father in Heaven'', as is evident in our days when Israel is having such difficulty fighting off our enemies. This will result in the complete return [teshuvah] of the Jewish nation to their heritage, which is the foundation of the final Redemption, ''Because Israel will only be redeemed if they return''. [Sanhedrin 97: 2]

Please note: the date of December 21, 2012 is thought to be significant by many people and religions.  But Redemption can come at any time, and we hope for Moshiach every day.  The information contained in this blog post is not a prophecy or a prediction, merely a distribution of knowledge that is currently available to us.  Things can change in the blink of an eye. [More to come on this topic, stay tuned]

The Meaning of Your Name

The Talmud [Berachot 7b] teaches that a Hebrew name has an influence on its bearer. Therefore, it is extremely important to name children after individuals with positive character traits who led fortunate lives and helped bring goodness to the world.

The Arizal writes that the nature and behavior of a person, whether good or bad, can be discovered by analyzing his or her name. For example, a child named Yehudah could possibly be destined for leadership, for Yehudah, the fourth son of Jacob, symbolized monarchy and most Jewish kings descended from the tribe of Yehudah.

It is said that parents are actually blessed with prophecy when naming their newborn babies.

According to the Arizal, even the numerical value of the Hebrew letters in one's name can be indicative of an individual's character. For example the gematria of the name Elisheva is equivalent to the numerical value of the Hebrew words yemei simcha, meaning "days of happiness," perhaps portending a joyous life for a baby girl named Elisheva.

It is precisely because the fortunes and misfortunes of mankind are concealed in the secrets of the letters, vowels and meanings of Hebrew names that a seriously ill person is given an additional name like Chaim, meaning "life," or Rafael, meaning "God heals," in order to influence his destiny. We hope and pray that the new name will herald a new mazel, or fortune, for the stricken individual.

Rabbi Elimelech of Lyzhansk, writes in his classic work on Torah "Noam Elimelech" (Bamidbar) that there is a profound connection between the soul of an infant and the soul of the person for whom he or she is named.

When a child is named after the deceased, the latter's soul is elevated to a higher realm in heaven and a spiritual affinity is created between the soul of the departed and the soul of the newborn child. That deep spiritual bond between these two souls can have a profound impact on the child.

Zocher HaBris 24:4, who also quotes Noam Elimelech on Bamidbar: “If they give him the name of a tzaddik who has already lived in this world, this will cause him also to become a tzaddik, because it has aroused the soul of the departed tzaddik in the Supernal World.

Discover the meaning of your name and your mission in life contained within it: click here
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Just supply your full name, plus the names of your parents [Hebrew names if Jewish, or in English if you do not have a Jewish name] and receive a complete, personal reading using Remez and gematria: the results are astounding - see for yourself.

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Esther and the 72- letter name of G-d

by Rabbi Shlomo HaLevi Alkabetz From "Manos HaLevi"

Translation by R. Carmel Kehati [words in brackets are the translator's additions]

"And thus I [Esther] will approach the king." [Esther 4:16]

Rabbi Yosef Gackon writes, concerning Esther's three-day fast, that Esther [in fasting for exactly three days] had the following kabbalistic intention. Namely, that three days and nights contain seventy-two hours, and "B'chen" ["thus", in 4:16] equals seventy-two numerically [in letter-gematria], corresponding to the [exalted 72-letter] Name of G-d hinted in the three verses [that begin], "Vayisa", "Vayavo","Vayet" [Exodus 14:19, 20, 21, each of which contain seventy-two letters precisely]. It was with the power of this Name that G-d split the [Red] sea and had the Israelites cross over, and He guided them in His protection and they had no fear [of the enemy].

From that Name, [the flow of] the Divine life-force comes to Esther's supernal [corresponding]sefira; for Esther [as our Sages say] was greenish [olive skinned] in complexion [green is a color associated with the sefira Chesed, Divine kindness, as the life-flow descends through the upper worlds]. Esther, with the power of these seventy-two hours, approached [G-d], King of the world, in her prayers; for she was sure of His help [that He would answer her and save the Jews]. Then, in this [lowly physical] world, she approached King Ahasuerus.

Much more at: Secrets in the Book of Esther

[With thanks to Miguel for this link]

The Spiritual Meaning of Snow

by Rabbi Simon Jacobson

[Snow for Israel this weekend... ]

Nothing is as it appears. What lies beneath the enchanting snowflakes floating gently from heaven to earth? From whence do these white angels originate? Is this heaven speaking to us?

Mysticism teaches that everything in the physical universe has a spiritual counterpart. Just as a teardrop is a manifestation of human emotion, and anger is an expression of repressed energy, so physical phenomena actually evolve from and are a manifestation of a spiritual reality. Thus snow is a channel of energy, it is a Divine voice speaking to us through visual imagery so that we can experience it with our bodily senses.

Meteorologists may perceive snow to be a result of pressure systems and precipitation levels; physicists will recognize the subatomic particles that create snow; but the mystic sees the cosmic energy that snow manifests and the facets of our psyche that it illuminates.

Let us explore the spirit within the snow.

Water in all its forms is a symbol of knowledge. Descending water represents the transmission of knowledge from a higher to a lower place, the flow of information from teacher to student. On a cosmic level, rain and snow reflect different ways in which divine energy flows to us from a higher spiritual plane.

Water flowing downward thus describes G-d’s way of transmitting His energy to us and represents the conduit through which our material existence and G-d interact. The purpose of existence is to create unity between G-d and man, so that we, in our limited, material existence can become integrated and unified in an intimate and equal relationship with G-d. To achieve this neither the Divine nor the human can be compromised. Unity achieved on G-d’s terms would annihilate our identities, our existence. Can we (our egos, vanities, and needs) co-exist with G-d who is infinite, uncontained and undefined? And unity attained on our material, finite terms would compromise G-d, because He would have to limit Himself to our existence.

If water - the divine wisdom - were to flow continuously, it would totally submerge and obliterate, not allowing space for any other existence. So water flows in various measures to allow for the transmission to be internalized. Sometimes water flows as rain and sometimes it freezes to different degrees producing snow, hail or sleet, which are all metaphors for the teacher monitoring and transforming the flow into forms that the student can contain and assimilate.

Rain is a transmission that is more on Divine terms. Admittedly it falls in drops which symbolizes some level of contraction, but it flows continuously like a stream of information retaining its fluidity and it is absorbed quickly into the earth.

Ice on the other hand, is a transmission that is more on the recipient’s terms. The information has solidified into a compact state so that the student can internalize it. The flow has ceased and turned into a solid form, so the student is not overwhelmed by the continuous flow of new ideas.

Snow is an intermediary state between fluid water and solid ice. In order to appreciate the spiritual implications of this, we need to examine the properties of snow.

A snowflake needs at least two components in order to form. In addition obviously to cold air, it requires water droplets (vapor), and a nucleus. The nucleus is made up of dust, minerals or other microscopic particles in the air. A snowflake is formed when water takes shape around these microscopic particles and the cold air turns it into ice crystals. Thus snow has two components: water and earth - earth being the particles, and the water being the droplets. Earth is the material world - without any recognition of G-dliness; water is the knowledge of G-d - divine energy without any containers. Thus snow, being half heaven and half earth provides the perfect intermediary between these two worlds.

Snow consists of separate snowflakes that are actually independent properties - each comprised of about 100 ice crystals. Snowflakes cling to each other but they are not intrinsically one. In contrast, water is one unified entity. Although it consists of droplets, each drop joins with another and they become one body of water. What is the symbolism of this in the flow of knowledge?

When a teacher has to reach out to a student who is far beneath his or her level of knowledge and understanding, he or she cannot allow the water to just flow freely, it has to be dressed up in metaphors and it has to be paced. In order for the student to understand a new concept, the teacher needs to create a point of reference by using examples, anecdotes, stories, and analogies. Thus snowflakes represent the need to explain gradually, step by step, in a language that is accessible to the student.

Snow falls gently and silently, teaching us in our own process of educating others and educating ourselves, that we need gentleness. If we educate with a sledgehammer - with unceasing rain pour - it will simply submerge and destroy the crops. Even when it rains on earth, science tells us that on a higher level, the beginning process could have originated in snowflakes. So snowflakes are a symbol of that first gentle step.

Who has not been awed by the beauty of the city or countryside covered in snow? The serenity and whiteness of snow attracts us. We sense the purity of snow when we wake up in the morning and the streets, which are so often filled with grime, are all covered with a white blanket of snow. Snow is a great equalizer - no matter how big the building, or the car, whether a Lexus or a Hyundai, they’re all covered equally by the snow. Snow has the ability to cover over the impurities of life and remind us of our own purity.

So snow is heaven speaking to us - speaking to us through purity, speaking to us gently and gradually on our terms. Snow is the intermediary stage between heaven and earth; ice is a little closer to the level of earth; sleet is in between snow and ice. Thus every weather condition sends us a message and lesson - whether it’s rain, snow, ice, sleet or hail.

Ultimately, the intention is that the snow should melt and turn to water. Once the snow falls and blocks our driveways and streets, we want it to melt. In the education process the student needs to pause which requires a freezing of the water, but then at some point it has to melt and integrate into our system in order for us to grow.

***

The idea of educating through metaphor is further expressed through the numerical secret of snow. The gematria (numerical equivalent) of the Hebrew word sheleg [snow] is 333 [shin=300, lamed=30, gimmel=3]. It says in Kabbalah that sheleg is the gematria of three times the letter alef. When you spell out the letter alef, it is 111. [Alef, lamed, and fei is 1+30+80=111] So 111 times 3 is 333 which is sheleg.

What is the significance? The verse states, “Vayidaber Melech Shlomo shaloshes alafim moshel - King Solomon, [the wise one] spoke in 3,000 metaphors.” The number 3,000, three elefs [elef is one thousand], is snow. [The letter alef also refers to the word elef, 1,000]. So snow relates to the concept of three thousand metaphors.

What’s the relationship between the two? Sheleg, snow, is the concept of metaphor itself. The spiritual dimension of snow serves as an intermediary between Divine energy and the universe. Snow is the concept of explaining knowledge in metaphor. Its cosmic significance is this: To understand the process of how G-d created the universe, G-d could not allow the borders of divinity and spirituality to just flow ceaselessly and annihilate the boundaries of existence. G-d had to contain it, and the way He contained it is reflected in snow.

The mystique of snow is precisely because of its dual quality of heaven meeting earth, water meeting land. Next time you look at the snowflakes gently dropping from heaven, blanketing earth in its white embrace, remember that you are witnessing a kiss – the kiss of the Divine and the mundane.

Source: Meaningful Life

Torah: The Antidote to the Yetzer Hara

The numerical value of "Bnei Yisrael" בּני ישׂראל plus the number 8 - corresponding to the words' eight letters - [an accepted method of gematria] - is equal to that of "Torah" [611]. This alludes to the fact that observance and study of Torah is the very essence of the Jewish nation and the key to its survival. In the words of R' Saadiah Gaon: "Our nation is a nation only through Torah".

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

I have created the yetzer hara [evil inclination] and I have created the Torah as its antidote" [Kiddushin 30b]

It is clear that if the Creator has created nothing but Torah as a remedy against the yetzer hara, then it is absolutely impossible for a person to be cured of this malady without this cure. Anyone who thinks to the contrary is mistaken and will realize his mistake in the end when he dies a sinner.

Who, then, would place this cure aside and take something in its stead in order to live?

Source: Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato

[Mesilas Yesharim ch. 5]

The Dreidel Explained

The Dreidel Players: Elena Flevora

There are four letters on the dreydel. נ - Nun, ג - Gimel, ה - Hay, and שׁ - Shin - These letters stand for "Nes Gadol Haya Sham" - "A great miracle happened there".

[In Eretz Yisrael it is a פ - Peh instead of the Shin: A great miracle happened here.]

The four letters stand for:

a) the four parts of man - Nefesh [soul], Guf [body], Seichel [intellect], HaKol [all the rest].

b) the four foundations of the world - fire, water, wind and earth

c) the four nations that put us in exile - Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome.  The four letters on the dreydel have the gematria of Moshiach [358].  This is also the gematria of Hashem is King etc. Chanukah is the season when the possibility exists for the light of Mashiach to burst forth. Then, man and the world will be restored to harmonious relationship and the last and most bitter exile of Rome will draw to a to a close, and we will see the fulfillment of the verse that Hashem will be King forever. [Bnei Yissaschar]

Chanukah and Purim have much in common. They are two holidays which will enjoy an exalted status when Mashiach comes. They were celebrations which were decreed by the Rabbis to commemorate events that took place in their time. Since the faith of the Jewish people were instrumental in bringing these holidays about, the Holidays of the Torah will pale in comparison to them, like a flashlight shining on a sunny day.

Both days have their special instrument. Purim the gregger, Chanukah the dreydel. Their use is indicative of the nature of the holiday.

Purim's gregger we hold from below to symbolize that the great Teshuva on the Jews provided an initiative from below which caused the divine initiative to bring about the miracle.

On Chanukah we use a dreydel which we hold from above to symbolize that the principle initiative for the miracle came from above, and our actions brought it to fruition.

Source: Nishmas

Also see:  The Kabbalah of the Dreidel and Playing with the Dreidel

Taking Yaakov out of Be'er Sheva

Art: Evelyn Taylor

Yaakov left Be'er Sheva and headed toward Charan [Vayeitzei 28:10]

Rashi comments that the verse could have just read "And Yaakov went to Charan" - why does it mention his departure? It is teaching us that the departure of a righteous person from a place makes an impression. For at the time that a righteous person is in a city, he is its magnificence, he is its splendor, and he is its grandeur. Once he has departed from there, its magnificence [hodah] has gone away [panah], its splendor [zeevah] has gone away, and its grandeur [hadarah] has gone away.

Rashi's words are alluded to in the verse by way of gematria: If we take "Yaakov out of Be'er Sheva" - that is, if we subtract the numerical value of the word Yaakov [182] from Be'er Sheva [575], we are left with the number 393 - the exact numerical value of the words: panah hodah zeevah u'hadarah - "its magnificence, splendor, and grandeur have gone away."

Written by Rabbi Y. Bronstein

Obama and The Evil at the End of Days

This article was first published in 2008.


IDENTIFYING THE EVIL AT THE END OF DAYS - by Joel Gallis a"h and Dr. Robert Wolf

Yaakov [Jacob] called for his sons and said, האספו , gather and assemble yourselves. That is, unify and become a single nation with לב אחד , one heart, and I’ll tell you about your descendants' redemption at the end of days. When you have a לב אחד , [gematria of 45], then you will have a גאולה, a redemption, [gematria of 45] at the end of days. But there was no unity among the brothers. There still were bad feelings and finger pointing among them. They did Tshuvah with respect to their brother Yosef, but with respect to each other, they were separate tribes. And so, Yaakov could not reveal to them what would befall their descendants at the end of days. He thought that perhaps one of his sons had sinned. He then searched the names of each of his 12 sons to see if the letters ח or ט, the main letters of the word for sin, were present in any of his son’s names. He was relieved when he realized that these letters were absent from their names. He then thought that perhaps their lack of achdus was worse than he imagined. If so, their merit to learn about the future final redemption was lost. Yaakov then searched their names again to see if the letters ק and ץ from the word קץ [end] were present in any of their names. Once again these letters were absent from all 12 names.

Yaakov then realized the extent of their disunity and began to give them various brochos. Although he was not allowed to tell about events affecting the Jewish People thousands of years in the future, Yaakov had already hinted at the identity of the evil that would befall their descendants at the time of the end. He also hinted that the lack of unity that they possessed would continue until the final days. For the gematria of האספו is 152, and that is the same as the phrase עד היום הזה [until this day]. For until this very day, there still has not been achdus, or unity, among the Jewish People.

However, there was one brief period of time of a לב אחד , at Mount Sinai when the Jewish People received the Torah. This unity lasted until Moshe’s death, and because of it, Moshe was able to tell the Jewish People before he died what will occur to their descendants at the end of days. He said that the Jewish People would stray from the path of Torah, and that if they angered Hashem through the work of their hands, במעשה ידיכם  then evil would befall them, וקראת , at the end of days. The only other time this word וקראת is used in the 5 Books of Moses, is when Hagar was told that she would have a son, and she should call him וקראת , by the name Yishmael. This word, וקראת , which normally is connected to proclaiming and voicing something, is surprisingly used here to tell us that when evil befalls the Jewish People, it was proclaimed in Heaven and does not happen by chance. So just what is the connection between Yishmael and the end of days? The connection is that the descendants of Yishmael are the evil that will befall the Jewish People at that time. We will anger G-d through the work of our hands, במעשה ידיכם [a gematria of 501], and the evil of the ישמעאלים [also a gematria of 501] will befall us.

So what could we have possibly done with our hands that would anger Hashem? With our very own hands, we finance and work to put the wrong people in power over us. This action results in our downfall. By putting into power leaders in Israel who don’t believe in G-d, we help bring about a spiritual collapse. And by electing dangerous leaders in America and other countries, we assist in bringing our physical and moral downfall. We vote for these people, we put them in power, and we raise money for them. This inappropriate work of our hands will bring evil upon us in the form of Yishmael.

For not only is 501 the value of במעשה ידיכם [the work of our hands], and our punishment, the ישמעאלים , but it is also connected to the next President of the United States that we are helping put in power through Jewish efforts. For 501 is also the gematria of ראש - representing the new head, or leader of America.

So who will be the new ראש of America? Our readers probably will be shocked to learn that 501 is also the gematria of ברק חוסיין אובאמה - Barack Hussein Obama. 

Hashem watches as countless Jews, especially in Hollywood, California, rush to send their money to Obama’s campaign chest. And so, with our own hands we are in the process of taking a descendant from Yishmael and placing him as our Rosh in the White House, just 7 years after 9/11. He is indeed the evil that will befall us at the end of days, the evil that Moses spoke to our ancestors about. 

But there are those who argue that Obama is youthful and energized in his appearance and his ideas. Why shouldn’t we believe him when he says the magic words that he is a friend of Israel? How do we really know he’s dangerous to us? Not only is his name the same gematria as Yishmaelim, evidencing that he is a Muslim although he denies it, but it also has a further connection to a wave of impending evil against the Jews and the rest of the world. At our Passover seders we spill a drop of wine when we mention each of the 10 plagues, and also when we mention the abbreviation of those plagues by saying דצך עדש באחב . Well this abbreviation of the 10 plagues also has a gematria of 501, the same as Barack Hussein Obama and the Yishmaelim.

Obama and radical Muslims will bring as much havoc, destruction, and confusion to the world as all the 10 plagues together brought to Egypt. It’s interesting how Rabbi Yehudah, who made the acrostic or abbreviation of the plagues, took the first Hebrew letter of each plague. However, with respect to the last plague, מכת בכרות , the killing of the first born, he took the bais [the first letter of the 2nd word of the plague], rather than the mem [the first letter of the first word]. Perhaps he knew that in the future, during the end of days, there would be an Obama. Perhaps his message is a warning to us that has been encoded in the Haggadah for nearly 2 thousand years until today.

The foreign minister of Hamas has recently endorsed Obama for president. The Los Angeles Times devoted a lengthy front-page story headlined, “Allies of Palestinians see a friend in Barack Obama.” Ali Abunimah, a resident of Obama’s district, claims that Obama said several years ago when running for the Senate, that he was sorry he couldn’t talk more about the Palestinian cause since his primary campaign had constrained what he could say. Daniel 7 [25] deals with the last king of the 4th beast of exile who will humble 3 other kings. Rav Saadia Gaon stated that the 3 kings or leaders who will be humbled, are from Israel, Greece [representing Europe], and Yishmael [representing the Arab nations]. This haughty, arrogant king will speak words against G-d and the Jewish People, and he will try to change the times and the law. How interesting is it that this very word, change, is the key word used by Obama in his campaign?

The coded, end of days message that Yaakov gave over to his sons was not deciphered by them. But our generation, the generation alive at the end of days, can understand the clues and break the code. In Yaakov’s statement there are four words אשר יקרא אתכם באחרית [that will befall you in the end]. The word אשר that describes the identity of the evil has a gematria of 501 the same as Barack Hussein Obama. And if you look at the word באחרית , in the end, the first 3 letters contain the initials of Obama. The bais is for ברק Barack, the aleph is for אובאמה Obama, and the ches is for חוסיין Hussein. May Hashem protect us from this evil and bring Mashiach speedily in our days.

In the verses below, starting from the א of the first נשיא [President], every 7 letters spell out the name Obama in Hebrew:

Ezekiel 38
יחזקאל פרק לח

א ויהי דבר-יהוה, אלי לאמר. ב בן-אדם, שים פניך אל-גוג ארץ המגוג--נשיא, ראש משך ותבל; והנבא, עליו. ג ואמרת, כה אמר אדני יהוה: הנני אליך, גוג--נשיא, ראש משך ותבל. ד ושובבתיך, ונתתי חחים בלחייך; והוצאתי אותך ואת-כל-חילך סוסים ופרשים, לבשי מכלול כלם--קהל רב צנה ומגן, תפשי חרבות כלם.

[Translation] And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying

Son of man, set thy face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,

and say: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal;
and I will turn thee about, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed most gorgeously, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them handling swords:

Exile and Redemption

Source: Extracted from "Letters of Fire" by Rabbi Matityahu Glazerson [Feldheim Publ]

The Gemara tells us that the sprouting of Mashiach will occur in a lowly and fallen generation, a generation that finds itself in a situation of spiritual decay. [Sanhedrin 95,96]

This "rot" רקב will precede the "morning" בקר of redemption.  From the midst of a decadent, "rotten" generation the sprout of the seed of David will come forth.  This resembles the decay of the outer portions of a seed in the earth, enabling the inner germ to sprout and rise.

The Satan, who is identical with the primeval snake, will reveal its negative power in all its force and scope before the coming of Mashiach.  However, Mashiach will destroy the snake.  According to the Kabbalah, this is shown by the fact that the words נחשׁ (nachash - snake) and משׁיח (Mashiach) have the same numerical value: 358.

For every negative force in the universe, G-d created an equal positive force.  The counterbalancing force to the snake (358) is the Mashiach (358).  One might note that the word Mashiach משׁיח is spelled with the same letters as ישׂמח - "yismach" - "he will rejoice". 

The redemption depends upon the unveiling of all the evil in the world.  This can be explained in accordance with the Kabbalistic teaching that the forces of evil trap people in their net by mixing a little truth into their misleading ways............  this teaches us that the small amount of truth that is joined with evil gives it its power of existence; this deceptive coloration is what entraps people.  In time to come, the Holy One, Blessed is He, will reveal the hidden secrets of evil and show its true content.  The following verse in Ovadyah, referring to the downfall of Edom, alludes to the deceptive guise of truth in which evil clothes itself: "How Esav will be investigated, his hidden things revealed!"

The dispersion of the Jewish people in the diaspora will come to an end with the redemption.  When we add an א to the word גולה (golah - "diaspora") it becomes גאולה (geulah - "redemption").  The brother of the Maharal, in his work Sefer Ha-Chayim, explains that the  א, whose numerical value is "one" (אחד- echad) symbolizes the unity (אחדות - achdut) of the Jewish people, which is an essential ingredient in transforming the diaspora (גולה) into redemption (גאולה).

Before the redemption, the forces of evil will reach their end, as it is written: "I shall cut off the horns of the wicked; the horns of the righteous will be exalted." [Tehillim 75:11]. The word קרן (keren) can mean both "horn" and "corner".  Benei Yissaschar states that this latter meaning is also intended by our verse, which would then read: "I shall cut off the corners of the wicked" [Benei Yissaschar 101a].  The word for "the wicked" is רשׁעים (resha'im); the "corners" of this word are ר and ם.  When these "corners" are "cut off", what remains are the letters of ישׁע  (yesha - "salvation"). The "corners" of the word צדיק (tzaddik) are the letters צ and ק.  Together they spell קץ (keitz - "end").  The remaining letters are די (dai - "enough"), which in reverse order spell יד (yad - "hand").  Thus, when the "corners" of the righteous are exalted, the world will merit to see the End (קץ) of Days, when the Creator of the world will say "Enough (די)!" to Israel's exile.  Then the hand (יד) of Divine providence over the entire Creation will be revealed to all.

The letters רם (ram - "exalted") have the numerical value of 240, which equals that of עמלק (Amalek), indicating the arrogant pride of that wicked nation. Amalek is the root of evil, strengthening the destructive powers among the nations by blocking the eyes of Divine providence from seeing the world.  Cutting off and removing this רם from the world will bring rescue and redemption.  When evil is removed from the world and Mashiach comes, the redeemed people "will find rejoicing and happiness; sadness and sighing will flee" [Yeshayahu 35:10].  This happiness which will arrive with the coming of the Redeemer is expressed in the word משׁיח "Mashiach", whose letters spell  ישׂמח   "he shall rejoice".

The Secret of the Ten Plagues

[Hat tip: Dudi]

The following [extracts of a] letter are taken from a pamphlet written by the Tzaddik, Rebbe Shimshon from Ostropoli. He writes at the end of the pamphlet that anyone who studies the wondrous and awesome secrets written here, even one time in a year, and especially Erev Pesach, is guaranteed that he will be saved from any kind of accident or disaster or strange death for the whole of that year, and that everything that he turns his hand to will be successful!

"....as briefly as possible I will answer Your Honor’s question regarding that which I wrote about the symbols DaTSaCH ADaSH BeaChaB  דצ"ך עד"ש באח"ב) ) etc. and how the Redemption is hinted at by these symbols..."

".....all these words of the Ari z”l are obviously the most wondrous and awesome secrets, sealed , closed and locked away from the slightest understanding, for who is there that could explain them? And, in fact, I have been asked many times by some of the greatest Rabbis to explain these words to them, and I refused. However, because of my great love for Your Honor, I will explain them to you as they were revealed and explained to me in a dream."

To read the entire letter go to: Shuvubonim

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