Yerida L'tzorech Aliyah

There is no ascent [aliyah] without a prior descent [yeridah]. The lower the descent, the higher the potential ascent.

Red Alert to Klall Yisroel in the name of HaRav Moshe Sternbuch, shilita

The Jewish people are witnessing miracles in Israel. The missiles fired at us have the power to level buildings, yet miracles are taking place and we were spared from mass destruction. Even the most secular newspapers report that there is no way to explain these events according to natural law.

While the word "miracle" has been liberally splashed around by the media, neither the secular nor the religious press grasped the vital message of the hour. The situation arouses an urgent and critical obligation for each Jew to ask himself: "Why is Hashem performing these miracles for us? How should I be conducting myself in these extraordinary times?

If we do not deal with these questions immediately, this current security crisis could – Chas Veshalom – escalate into the most dangerous period in Jewish history. Hashem performs miracles for the Jewish people so that we will become more aware of His Presence in our lives. In recent days, He has made perfectly clear that He alone wields power in the world and that no missile can harm so much as a hair on the head of a Jew without His consent. Every rocket has an address that He predetermines, though the terrorists may believe that they can aim at a particular target.

Miracles are Hashem's alarm bells, "a red alert" that we must wake up and become truly conscious of Hashem's hashgachah in our daily lives. If we ignore these messages and conclude that miracles are just a natural part of living in Israel, the tables w could – Chas Veshalom – quickly turn.

We could – Chas Veshalom – in fact be handed over to natural law, and the missiles inexplicably could – Chas Veshalom – begin to hit their targets with greater frequency. And that means that the lives of our fellow Jews – our brothers and sisters living in Israel – could – Chas Veshalom – be in mortal danger.

We must learn this lesson from the story of the meraglim (spies). When they returned from Eretz Yisrael they claimed this land was a place where miracles were apparent on a daily basis, and therefore an extremely high spiritual level would be demanded of those who dwelled there. There was no way that Klal Yisrael as a nation could maintain such a level, and therefore the spies, who were all Gedolei Yisrael, ruled that the people should not enter the land.

The opinion of the meraglim was brought before the Sanhedrin, and they concurred with their ruling. It may seem, on the surface, that their reasoning was sound, and logic dictated that it was unwise to enter Eretz Yisrael. Yet we see from the grave punishment incurred by that generation that they could not have been further from the truth. What was the mistake in their reasoning?

The answer is simple. If Hashem told us to enter Eretz Yisrael, He obviously knew that we would ascend to the spiritual level necessary for a nation that sees miracles on a daily basis. For this reason, the claim of the meraglim was heresy, and we suffer from its bitter consequences to this very day.

In more recent times, Rav Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg once told Rav Sternbuch about a meeting of secular non-Jewish and Jewish professors to discuss the authorship of the Torah. Their conclusion was that while the Torah was far too complex to be man-made, they were not ready to attribute it to a Divine source that they knew nothing about. Like the meraglim, they perceived the significance of the Divine influence, but refused to follow through by accepting the full import of this conclusion.

During the current military operation, we are facing the very same challenge. Hashem is sending us a message that we must make real changes in our lives and raise our level of consciousness of His Presence, to the point where we are worthy of such supernatural treatment. If we rise to the occasion and raise our level of emunah as a result of these miracles, then we will pass the nisayon (test), and it is very likely that Moshiach will arrive shortly.

Chazal offer us practical advice in this area, and write that reciting a hundred brachos every day and saying Amen yehei Shmei Rabba has the power to annul decrees. Reciting Tehillim is important, but we need to make sure that our tefilah is also said with the proper kavanah. Everyone should take upon themselves to do something small to raise their level of emunah.

We must consider ourselves warned by the lessons of our history: If Hashem shows us miracles and we do not respond by strengthening our emunah, His mercy could – Chas Veshalom – turn to fury and we are handed over to the forces of natural law. We dare not speak about what this could could – Chas Veshalom– lead to, but we all understand the ruthless nature and implacable hatred of the enemy we face.

Now is the time, while Hasehm continues to shower His miracles upon us, to recognize His hand in our lives on a national and individual level, to turn to Him in tefilah and teshuvah, and eagerly watch the redemption unfold before our eyes.

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

The Secret to Making Miracles

“Lo Yachel Devaroi, K’Chol HaYotzai MiPicha Yaaseh”, do not profane your words; do as your mouth spoke. The Torah tells us that we must keep our word and not violate it. Rav Levi Yitzchok MiBerditchev in the Kedushas Levi makes a play on the words to explain how mortal people can perform miracles.

He reads the words as follows. If “Lo Yachel Devaroi”, you do not profane your words, then they will be holy and meaningful. Therefore, “K’Chol HaYotzai MiPicha Yaaseh” whatever comes out of your mouth will happen. This is the concept of “Tzadik Gozer, VHaKadosh Boruch Hu Mikayem”, a tzaddik decrees and Hashem makes it happen.

He further explains that this why the Parsha is called Matos. Matos also means to turn (Netia). When a person watches his mouth, Hashem turns the Midas HaDin into Midas HaRachamim.

Source: Revach.net

Grocery List

This is just one of those chain emails someone sent me, but this one is worth reading.

---------- Forwarded message ----------

Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store.

She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries.

She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food.

John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store at once.

Visualizing the family needs, she said: 'Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can.'

John told her he could not give her credit, since she did not have a charge account at his store.

Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family. The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, 'Do you have a grocery list?'

Louise replied, 'Yes sir.' 'O.K' he said, 'put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries.'

Louise hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.

The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down..

The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, 'I can't believe it.'

The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more.

The grocer stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement.

It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer, which said:

'Dear Hashem, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands.'

The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in stunned silence.

Louise thanked him and left the store. The other customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to the grocer and said; 'It was worth every penny of it. Only God knows how much a prayer weighs.'

THE POWER: When you receive this, say a prayer. That's all you have to do.

Just stop right now, and say a prayer of thanks for your own good fortune..... Then please send this to all your friends and relatives..

I believe if you will send this testimony out with prayer in faith, you will receive what you need Hashem to do in your and your families' life ..

So dear heart, trust Hashem to heal the sick, provide food for the hungry, clothes and shelter for those that don't have as we do.

Don't break this, please! Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive.

There is no cost but a lot of rewards.

I AM CLAIMING THIS FOR YOU Three things will happen to you this coming week: bli neder!

(1) You will find favor with someone you don't expect;

(2) You will be too relevant to be ignored;

(3) You will encounter God and you will never remain the same, (?)

May you never be 'wanting' Amen.

My prayer for you today:

The eyes beholding this message shall not behold evil, the hands that will send this message to others shall not labor in vain, the mouth saying Amen to this prayer shall laugh forever. (Beholding the ingathering of the Diaspora to her Homeland, Israel).

Have a lovely journey of life!

Trust in Hashem with all your heart and He will never fail you because He is Awesome!

TAKE 60 SECONDS and send this on quickly and within hours, you will have caused a multitude of people to daven to Hashem for each other.

Amazing stories of Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu zt'l

The following are excerpts from the book "Avihem shel Yisrael" on Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu of blessed memory

Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu (1929-2010) was one of the greatest torah scholars and kabalists of our times. He was elected chief rabbi of Israel in 1983, a post which he originally rejected, but Rabbi Yisrael Abuhatzeira (Baba Sali) convinced him to accept the office. He was exceedingly humble, and was beloved by a wide range of Jews. The following are some of the tens of thousands of stories told over by eyewitness accounts.

Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu zt'l was very careful to guard himself from all forms of avodah zarah (idol worship). Once he was on a visit to Canada, and the mayor invited him to the museum which had all sorts of christian statues which are essentially idols of silver and gold. When they came out of the museum, Roni, the driver, saw the Rav lift his eyes to the heavens and say "Master of the world, please clean me from this tuma now". They started to drive away and suddenly the car slipped on the snow and fell into a channel. Everyone came out of the car and saw that, thank G-d, nobody was hurt. But when they returned, Roni heard the Rav say "Master of the world, thank you."

The wife of Rav Yitzchak Kaduri (the late chief sefardi kabalist) told over that one time she arrived at the home of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu, and saw him learning with a man dressed in white who had an extremely impressive appearance. Since she did not want to disturb their learning, she decided to return the next day. When she returned the next day, she told the rav that she came the day before but didn't want to disturb his learning with the man in his room. The rav asked surprisedly, "you saw him?" she answered "yes, why is the rav surprised?", "if so", he answered "you merited to see Beniyahu ben Yehoyada!" (see Shmuel II ch.23:20-22)

"Several times, the Rav came to me in dreams to tell me what to do. One time I needed to drive the Rav but did not arrive. I fell asleep and didn't wake up. Twelve minutes before I was supposed to arrive at the home of the Rav, I see the Rav in a dream, saying to me "Roni, where are you?". I jumped from the bed, and arrived at the home of the Rav at the exact time we were supposed to leave. One time, I wanted to take my daughter out of her kindergarten and to move her to a different kindergarten. The Rav was not happy about this. Because this would have hurt the first kindergarten teacher, and she was a woman with a difficult financial status. But, for me it was difficult with her, and I decided to move her to the other kindergarten. At night, the rav came to me in a dream and said to me "don't cause hurt to the kindergarten teacher. She doesn't have parnasa (money) and your daughter won't be damaged". I was shocked, and in the morning I asked the Rav what to do. He answered me, "Like I told you in the dream".

Source and more at: Daf Yomi Review

Shomrei Emunim Rebbe's Out of Body Experience

HT: Yaak

“I got there and I simply witnessed the medical miracle. A man who was pulseless was alive and alert the very next day, propped up in bed. There is no explanation other than a miracle”.

Read about it at: The Yeshiva World

Rabbi Meir Baal HaNess - Master of the Miracle

Yarzheit: 14 Iyar - 6 May 2012

Ohel of Rabbi Meir Ba'al HaNess

By simply saying the phrase אלהא דמאיר ענני "Eloka d'Meir aneini" three times , which means "the G-d of Meir Answer me !", a person will be saved from trouble, if they promise to give charity to the poor and needy in the memory of the soul of Rebbe Meir Baal Haness . Donations can be made at Rabbi Meir Baal HaNeis.com

The Chida says that the source for this custom is the Gemara [Avodah Zara 18a-b] where Rebbi Meir bribed a guard to release his imprisoned sister-in-law. The guard asked what happens if he's caught and Rebbi Meir told him to say ''G-d of Meir answer me'' and he would be saved, and that's what happened. From there comes the custom of donating money or oil for the neshama of Rebbi Meir, saying Eloka D'Meir Aneini, three times.

Rebbi Meir Baal HaNess said he would help those that gave to the poor of Eretz Yisroel, for the sake of his neshama.

Reb Dovid of Dinov points out a fascinating allusion: 

Mishlei 12:25 says דְּאָגָה בְלֶב-אִישׁ יַשְׁחֶנָּה - if one has worry in his heart, he should suppress it.

Mesechta Sanhedrin 100b explains this as ישיחנה לאחרים, tell it over to others. Mesechta Horios 13b says אחרים refers to Rebbi Meir. Putting it all together – if one is in a time of trouble give tzedaka for the neshama of Rebbi Meir Baal HaNess.  [Source: Tzemach Dovid]

Anytime, and especially on the yahrzeit, it is a big zechus to give tzedaka or light a candle li'luy nishmas Rebbi Meir Baal HaNess. 

There is a custom that when something is lost, a person immediately promises to give some money to the Tzedakah of Rebbe Meir Baal Haness in the merit of finding what was lost, and say the following [red text in picture below]

Against All Odds: Carla's Story

In honour of Yom HaShoa [Holocaust Remembrance Day] an inspiring story from 2008.

Carla Schipper

Someone was pounding on the door, and when she peeked out her attic room window, Carla Andriesse realized her worst fears had come true. Gestapo agents were coming for her husband, Andre. "You cannot go to the synagogue," she told him. "I have to go," he said, "because the community counts on me." Several hours later, Andre Andriesse, a cantor for a synagogue in the city of Enschede in Nazi-occupied Holland, was captured by the Gestapo while leading a prayer service for the upcoming holiday, Rosh Hashanah.

He and the other men with him were marched into the street that day, Sept. 14, 1941, a day that burns in his wife's memory. Clutching their 2-year old daughter she watched him being led away."I never saw him again," Carla Schipper, now 91, recalled in an interview Tuesday [in 2008] in her Mandarin home.

She survived World War II, married another Holocaust survivor, Bernie Schipper, and moved to America.

"On Wooden Wheels" written by Stacey Goldring, tells the story of how Schipper hid herself and her children during the war, with the help of strangers."You can learn perseverance from Carla," said Goldring, also of Mandarin. "You can learn endurance and strength." Her story "helps you see the bigger picture, that your problems are not insurmountable. Once you know someone like Carla, you realize your own problems are quite small."'

Born Aug. 13, 1917, in Groningen, Holland, Carla was the only child of Joseph and Johanna Nathans. She trained to become a nurse after high school, and after marrying Andre in 1938 and the birth of their daughter Channa in July 1939, she looked forward to a comfortable life as wife and mother.

Life was good for the Andriesses in Enschede, a big city close to the German border, where they lived in a spacious house next to the synagogue. But the Germans invaded Holland in May 1940. Soldiers were everywhere, food became scarce and some Jews were evicted from their homes. Then in February 1941, soldiers bearing bayonets came to their door, confronted Andre, and demanded to be taken to the synagogue. Suspecting they wanted the Torah, Andre stalled for time, and Carla scurried with the baby up to the icy, snowy roof to hide.

After what seemed hours of dodging searchlights, she heard her husband call softly, "We have to get out of here." The Germans had left suddenly, taking only jewels and their baby's carriage, but the Andriesses feared they'd be back. Some friends took them into their home, and let them live in their attic room, where they stayed until the Gestapo came for Andre.

When the Nazis ordered the synagogue president and members to come to their headquarters so they could relate what happened to all the men they'd rounded up, Carla refused to go."I'm a very religious person. God was with me at that moment," she said.

God's presence was "what I lived by, and still live by," said Carla, who discovered she was pregnant shortly after learning her husband had died in Mauthausen on Oct. 17.

Her mother had died several years earlier, but her father came to see her in April 1942 when her daughter was born. Her father named the baby Jedidjah, meaning "beloved by G-d" in Hebrew. Soon after, he was captured and taken to the concentration camp Auschwitz, where he died.

"They were starting to take women," Carla said. "And I didn't want to be caught." When Carla heard of a Lutheran minister who helped Jews, she went to see him, and he found a family to take little Channa."I had to bring my daughter to a train station and give her to someone I'd never seen in my life," Carla said. "I was not told where she was going. I didn't know if I'd ever see her again."

Several weeks later, a couple from a rural hamlet offered to take Jedidjah and reluctantly let Carla come along to live in their farmhouse in Merle. Carla soon realized they only wanted her baby. She had to stay in a small upstairs room, where for two years she had nothing to do day after day. Subsisting mostly on rye porridge, she became weak and ill, and wasn't permitted to see Jedidjah, because the couple kept her downstairs to raise as their own daughter. "They were afraid of the Nazis, because hiding Jews put them in danger", Carla said. "I was going crazy". Her husband gone, separated from her kids, "I wanted to go to the camps," she said. "I didn't have any reason to be alive anymore."

But the kindness of others gave her the will and strength to survive. When the farm couple left town for several days to attend a wedding, they sent Carla to stay with a nearby sheriff and his wife. To her surprise, she was greeted with open arms, showered with kindness and cookies, and told that if she ever needed their help again, she could count on it. "That sustained me to the end of the war," she said.

After returning to the farm couple, who helped her get a false identification card, they told her she'd have to go, and leave her baby behind. She found shelter in a city in the center of Holland, where she was supposed to work as a maid, but she was so weak and sick she couldn't work for long. A sympathetic doctor helped her get well, people in a soup kitchen fed her and she decided to go back to the sheriff and his wife, so she could be near her baby again. She found a truck going in the direction of Merle, hitched a ride, and was almost captured by the Gestapo at the entrance to a bridge.When they asked for her identification card, she spoke to them in German, which her mother had taught her, and they let her go."That was my great luck," she said.

So was reaching the sheriff's house. After the truck ride, she walked for hours, rang the sheriff's bell, and was greeted by the "highly pregnant" sheriff's wife, who, knowing Carla was a nurse, told her she'd been "sent by G-d." Carla helped deliver the baby and stayed with the couple for several weeks, until it became too dangerous. She then went to hide with a nearby farmer, who had a radio, and learned that the Germans were close to defeat and the war was ending.

But when she went to get her baby back, the couple said they were keeping her. In the chaos of those postwar days, Carla decided to go to Enschede to appeal to the minister who had originally helped her, and sought a way to get there."The Germans had taken all the rubber from bicycle wheels," she said. "Somehow I got a bicycle with wooden wheels."

After the minister convinced the couple to give Jedidjah back, Carla was also reunited with Channa, who'd been cared for by a couple in another town.

After marrying Bernie Schipper, who'd survived the war by hiding in a barn, they had a daughter, Ruth, and then moved to the United States in 1953. In 1957, their son Jonathan was born, with Downs Syndrome. When doctors advised Carla to put Jonathan in an institution, she refused.

Carla, who was widowed in June, still talks to her son, now 51, every week on the phone. He graduated from school, lives in a special home in New York and has a job in a workshop for people with disabilities. Channa and Ruth also live in New York, Jedidjah lives in Israel and Carla has many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She travels to schools, libraries and special events to tell her story. She hopes people learn from her story about endurance, persistence, hope and faith. "Her survival is miraculous....She's a very positive person," said friend, Rosalina Platzer. "She's an affirmation of life."

"On Wooden Wheels" by Stacey Goldring is available at AllbookStores

Behold, Days Are Coming

HT: Joe

Passover Miracles? You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet! 

by Rabbi Tuly Weisz 

While we all love and enjoy Passover, Jewish tradition says something surprising about the future of this beloved holiday. According to one opinion in the Talmud, at the end of times, we are not even going to talk about the Exodus from Egypt anymore because those miracles will be entirely overshadowed by what G-d has in store for us. Blood, frogs, lice… that’s nothing compared to what the Almighty has planned for the future redemption of the Jewish people. How could there be any miracles greater than the 10 plagues?! How could anything top the splitting of the sea?! 

The answer lies in a close reading of Jeremiah 23: ’Behold, days are coming’, says the Lord, ‘when they will no longer say, ‘As G-d lives, who brought the Jews out of the Egypt,’ but, ‘as G-d lives, who raised and returned the Jews from the northern lands and from every country into which I had driven them, and they will dwell on their own Land.’ 

What will make the future redemption even greater than our Exodus from Egypt is that it will be accompanied by the greatest biblical miracle ever imagined: the In-gathering of the Exiles. 

After 2,000 years of separation from the Land, it would be historically unprecedented if even a small number of Jews were to rediscover our ancient homeland. However, Jeremiah promises that Jews will return, not only as an isolated community here and there, but from all four corners of the world! On the most basic level, this pipe dream would have been logistically impossible just one century ago: the communication and transportation challenges were insurmountable. 

There was no one language to communicate with all of world Jewry, and even if there was, there was no way to reach all of them spread out to the far flung corners of the earth. And even if you could reach them, there was no good way to get to the Promised Land, and even if somehow large numbers of Jews got there, there was not even the most basic infrastructure to absorb them: there were no modern roads, plumbing or any other kind of industry to speak of. The list goes on and on. Who would have imagined that in the last century entire Jewish communities have picked up and resettled in the Land of Israel, just as the prophet described, and for for the first time since Jeremiah spoke those words, a majority of the world’s Jewry lives under a Jewish government, in one of the most advanced countries in the world?! 

The first Israeli Chief Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook zt"l [1865-1935] explained that this is precisely why the miracle of our future/current redemption is even greater than the miraculous Exodus. It would have been easier for G-d to break the laws of nature like He did with the Ten Plagues and the Splitting of the Sea, than to orchestrate our return to Israel through natural means. Yet, He has begun to do just that with the miraculous restoration of the Hebrew language, the in-gathering of Jews from Arab and African countries, the upheaval of the Holocaust and the rebirth of the Jewish State after 2,000 long years of exile. 

Passover is our time to explore the miracles that G-d performed for us long ago and appreciate His active role in our own lives as well. Those of us fortunate enough to live in this generation where we see with our own eyes the fulfillment of these grand Biblical prophesies were put here for a reason and must not merely stand by as passive onlookers. This Passover, make a commitment to connect with Israel, pray for Israel, support Israel and play a leading role in the most exciting drama of human history and the greatest Biblical miracles ever described.

The Time for Miracles

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Rabbanit Yemima Mizrachi brought this down during her shiur this week:

A faucet of miracles – at your seder

We’re at an amazing time – “a moment of affection”. The month of Nisan – the time of nissim, miracles. What does the Chatam Sofer say? There’s a difference between a ko’es, one who is angry, and a ka’asan, one who is by nature angry; the difference between a spender and a spendthrift. One’s momentary, the other existential. The same thing with a nes, a miracle. God split the Sea of Reeds, ים סוף , once, and that’s it – so what?... But Nisan – that’s the nature of the season. A gate of miracles opens up this week. The nature of the time is miracle after miracle, and all I ask, says God, is that הַרְחֶב פִּיךָ וַאֲמַלְאֵהוּ – open your mouth wide and let Me fill it1; שְׁאַל 1 Psalms 81:11 מִמֶּנִּי – וְאֶתְּנָה – Ask of Me and I shall give  [Psalms] All I want from you is for you to ask. That’s it.

At the beginning of Nisan the angels overseeing your fortune changed their shifts. If you’ve felt stuck, locked in, closed – God called for a shift change, and now you have new angels supervising your fortune, your constellation. What’s a constellation? A mazal – from the word nozel, meaning to flow. They cause a flow of changed fortunes. I so much want to give you all hope, because if you don’t believe it you’ll never see the miracles. So we must pray, because salvation is getting closer. We must have faith to receive the miracles. 

And Rabbi Arush’s thoughts on Rosh Chodesh Nissan.  This is a word for word translation:

We must prepare ourselves for a really important time. The month of Nissan. Rebbe Nachman writes that there are two months of teshuva – Tishrei and Nissan. In Tishrei we do teshuva because we are afraid – but in Nissan, we do teshuva because we love Hashem. All of that month, all of those days, are Yamim Tovim. They are festive days. The first twelve days, are days that there were sacrifices of the princes of Israel, 13th is isru chag for the Nissim, 14th is the sacrifice of Pesach, then 7 days of Pesach, then Isru Chag – one month of holidays!

This month it’s going to be a new beginning for the rest of the year. It’s the month of the Geula. Rabbi Nachman of Breselv writes in Likutei Moharan that this is the first day of the year for the kings. On this day Hashem is deciding all of the kings that are going to be. So there is an aspect that Rosh Chodesh Nissan is more important than even the first day of Rosh Hashanah in Chodesh Tishrei! On Rosh Hashanah Hashem judges us all individually. Each and every one, He is judging Him on his actions. But on Rosh Chodesh Nissan Hashem is judging generally – all of the world itself. Who is going to be the kings and so on. On Rosh Chodesh Nissan, Hashem is going to decide when Moshiach is going to come. There is not for no reason that our Rabbis say that Moshiach will come in Nissan. It’s because on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, Hashem is going to decide if the king is going to be Moshiach, so he’s going to come in Nissan. This is why everyone has to realize how important these days are and put in the effort, and especially on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, to pray that Hashem is going to put His kingdom on top, that He is going to be the King, and if you Hashem are not going to bring the Moshiach this year, please appoint good kings that it’s going to be good for us.

Hashgacha Pratis: Guidance from Above

by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis

Loshen HaKodesh, the holy tongue, is different from all other languages. Every word is definitive. For example, when you say in English "it happened," the connotation is a random happening - a happenstance - but the same word in loshen hakodesh - "mikreh" - places a totally different twist on the concept. The deeper meaning behind the word mikreh is "kara mei Hashem"  - "It happened from G-d," meaning that the world is not run by random forces without rhyme or reason, but that G-d`s guiding Hand is constantly with us.

This is not only detected in world events, but in our own personal lives as well, hence the concept of Hashgocha Pratis. Even if we are not aware of it, even if we do not see Hashem’s guiding Hand, it is there. Every morning, when we acknowledge our blessings and thank the Almighty for His many bounties, we recite the brocha of “Hamaychin mitzadei gover– “We thank the Almighty who firms men’s footsteps...”  We need only allow ourselves to see and hear G-d`s messages. Most people have difficulty discerning His call since His messages are hidden behind many veils. On occasion however, Hoshgocha Pratis is so clear and obvious that even a blind man has to see it, even a deaf man has to hear it.  If we allow ourselves to see and hear that which befalls us in our daily lives, we will be able to detect this Divine plan in our own lives. Most of the time, these messages are hidden behind many veils, but once in a while, HaShem’s Hand is so obvious who hears it has to be awed by it. Allow me to share with you a spectacular story that illustrates the veracity of this Hashgocha pratis.

Meet Yedidya - an eight year old yeshiva boy. Yedidya is a bright, sweet, young boy. He carries his name proudly - Yedid-Ya, which literally translated, means “friend of the Almighty". From the day of his birth, his parents imbued him with the awesome responsibility of that title, but in certain situations, he prefers that his English name, Jed, be used, and such was the case when he made his first visit to the orthodontist. He was with his beautiful mom, Shannon, and as in all doctor’s offices, a form had to be filled out. As Shannon started to write, Yedidya whispered, “Mommy, write down my English name, Jed.” When Shannon questioned him, he explained that he wanted to avoid all of the fuss that his Jewish name evoked.  Following the session with the orthodontist, Shannon hailed a cab for their return home. As they settled in the taxi, Shannon looked at the little box that indicated the driver’s name. What she saw there left her non-plussed. She looked again, and then again.... perhaps she read it wrong. Was she making a mistake? But no - amazingly, there it was in big, bold letters Yedidya! “How did you get this name, Yedidya?” he asked the driver.

“My parents gave it to me,” he explained. “ I always loved it and I was always so proud of it, but in Russia, we were not permitted to use our Jewish names, so when I came to America, I made myself a promise that, in this country, where everyone can live by his faith, I would proudly proclaim that my name is “Yedidya” and that I am a Jew. “Shannon couldn’t believe her ears. What are the chances of her finding a Jewish taxi driver in Manhattan? And more, what are the chances of his being called Yedidya? If you think about it, you too would be left non-plussed. You too would realize that the probability of such a happening is almost nil, Shannon was awed as she absorbed this enormous hashgocha protis. But more importantly, her son, who just an hour ago was uncomfortable with the name, Yedidya, was given a lesson that no school, parent, or rabbi could have given, and from that moment on, he never again wanted to be called Jed.

Skeptics might put all this down to random happenings that no intelligent person could seriously consider, so I invite those skeptics to read chapter two of the story.

Yedidya has a twin brother, Yaakov, and the day after the story with Yedidya unfolded, Shannon once again found herself hailing a taxi and even as she did so, the story with Yedidya kept replaying in her mind. As she settled in the cab, she once again looked at the little box identifying the cabby, never expecting any message, any new wisdom from the Heavens above. Incidents like this cannot be repeated, but lo and behold the little box identifying the taxi driver once again blew her away. There it was in bold letters – the name of the driver was “Yaakov” – not Jacob , mind you, but Yaakov, Yedidya’s twin brother! This hasgocha pratis, occurring twice, one right after the other, could not simply be dismissed even by the most cynical.

I now invite you to read chapter three of the story.

Should you wonder how Shannon and her amazing husband, Andrew, were zoiche to merit such an awesome happening, it goes back to another taxi ride, one that happened some years ago in Prague, Czechoslovakia. The story started with Shannon when she came to Hineni for the very first time and discovered the majestic world of Torah. Her heart, mind and neshama quickly ignited and she asked to study more... Her thirst for Torah was unquenchable, so I put her in touch with my children who are the Hineni Rabbis and Rebbetzins - Torah teachers. Then one day, Andrew a young man with a winning smile and keen bright mind came along. For him too, this was his first Hineni experience, and something told me that they would make a perfect shidduch so I suggested that they date. On those dates Shannon inspired Andrew to join her in Torah study with our family.

That year we made a Jewish heritage trip to Eastern Europe and convinced Shannon and Andrew to join us. It was on that trip in Prague that Andrew started to wear a yarmulke regularly. It was his very first yarmulke and he held it dear. On one occasion, instead of boarding the tour bus, Shannon and Andrew decided to take a taxi. No sooner did the taxi drop them off at the hotel than Andrew realized that his yarmulke was not on his head. In a panic, Andrew chased after the taxi with the swiftness of a marathon runner, all the while calling out to the cabby to stop. The driver heard his cries and waited for Andrew to catch up. Out of breath, Andrew opened the door of the cab.. And there, on the seat, was his yarmulke..... and not just that, he also found his international phone, which in those days was very expensive item, but what is significant is that it was not after the phone that Andrew chased, but his Yarmulke.

Recently, while visiting Shannon and Andrew, I heard the incredible story of Yedidya and Yaakov. Immediately, the scene in Prague which happened so long ago flashed through my mind. I connected the dots, Yedidya and Yakov’s taxi miracle started in Prague when their father chased after the taxi for his yarmulke. ...From a taxi in Prague to a taxi in New York - it’s one straight line – And that is the story of Hineni.

I now ask you to multiply that miracle a thousand times and span it over 45 years of Hineni kiruv, and you will realize the awesomeness of the miracle of a nation that, in an instant can close the gap of centuries and make the journey from New York to Sinai. And that is the story of Hineni,.... Here we are, Am Yisrael, Our neshamas are forever bound to our Torah bequeathed to us at Sinai. HINENI, HERE WE ARE!

Source: Hineni

The Miracle that is Israel

A special 19min presentation that highlights the true miracle that is and will eternally be Israel.
Please share this video around to encourage, remind and inspire others that Israel truly is not only a gift to all of us, but a living miracle.

Esther: Some Things You Should Know

Art: John Cox

Reprinted with permission from Tzaddik Magazine

written by Esther Bashe

Esther is a ''precious stone''.  She descended into the depths on a secret mission.  Her very name means ''hidden''.  Only when her mission was accomplished did she and Mordechai record the events on a scroll called Megillat Esther.  Written with ruach haKodesh [Divine inspiration] the contents of this scroll are read every Purim around the world, testifying to the hidden and miraculous presence of G-d in the darkest of moments.  A prototype of hidden redemption, the Purim story is especially relevant to our generation.

Sometimes there are dilemmas so enormous that the mind cannot fathom a way out.  In this case, there is only one solution to circumvent everything.  Go to the microcosmic source that holds the root of everything.  The Foundation Stone [Even HaShetiyah] in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem had this quality, lying beneath the Holy of Holies - a place radiating unparalleled spiritual symmetry and beauty of irresistible attraction.  This innermost point was hidden inside Esther, as well as other great tzaddikim and tzidkaniyot throughout history. Redemption during periods of great peril is sometimes brought about through a lone individual.  Other times it involves the interaction between a pair of redeemers, as in the case of Mordechai and Esther.

The potency of Esther's power lay in its hiddenness: it flowed from the all-inclusive good point she possessed.  It wasn't just any good point, it was the microcosmic hub found within every woman who played a redemptive role in Jewish history - for instance, the three matriarchs Sara, Rivka and Rachel, as well as Ruth, Devorah, Yael, Rabbi Meir's wife Bruria, Rabbi Akiva's wife Rachel, and many others who remain hidden.  Evil individuals seeking to harm or destroy the Jewish people often met their downfall through women who put their body and soul on the line for the sake of the Jewish people.  Esther cried out in profound distress: Hatzila M-cherev Nafshi - Save my soul from the sword!  [Psalms 22:21 This entire chapter in the Book of Psalms is attributed to Esther] The first letters of this verse spell ''Haman''.

Since Esther's innermost point included the root of every soul, she is said to have encompassed Klal Yisrael.  She was also the living spiritual paradigm of ishah yirat Hashem - the ''G-d fearing woman'' [Proverbs 31:30] spoken about extensively in our holy writings.  Her humility formed the basis for every salvation, and allowed her to resist the empty lure of fame and recognition - something that would have undermined her success entirely.

A Timeless vs Time-Bound Beauty
There is another deeper aspect to Esther's powerful influences that involves time itself. [Toras Noson on Esther]   All suffering is the result of existing in a realm bound by time. Exile in particular personifies the pain and anguish of life under the constraints of time. We are unable to see the whole picture, something reserved only for the higher timeless consciousness of the World to Come. [Berakhot 34b et al]

But at extraordinary moments in history the two realms intersect, bringing redemption.  The reality that exists above time is miraculous because it suffers no lack or damage of any kind. Everything is whole and complete, and as such, holds the key to all healing and perfection. The essence of the Purim miracle [as well as that of Chanukah] came from this timeless realm and penetrates deeply into our world every year during Chanukah and Purim.  It is the same place from where Mashiach pulls down his strength to repair a very troubled and diseased earth. Because Esther possessed this microcosmic good point in her generation, by straddling both realms, she was the conduit of salvation for the entire Jewish people during Purim.

When she descended into the depths of evil, the Other Side rejoiced, figuring it had won the biggest prize by capturing the ishah yirat Hashem, the quintessential G-d fearing woman herself. She now would be lost along with everything else she held within her.  Vi-ka asher avaditi avaditi - And if I perish, I perish - she wept [Esther 4:17].  Taken into the inner chambers of Achashverosh, she was submerged in the constraints of time - the ultimate expression of exile.  However, the profound humility and righteousness of Esther prevented the wicked Achashverosh from accessing her inner essence. [R'Chaim Vital: Etz Chaim, Sha'ar Klipat Nogah 4-5; Ma'amar Ha Nefesh 11:3].  She nullified herself entirely and remained unaffected by any contact with him.  Her purity protected her during her descent, enabling her to elevate and restore the sparks of holiness that fell into the lowest time-bound realm of evil.

Esther's ''capture'' and exile to the lowest time-bound realm of Haman and Achashverosh was intended to suppress all hope for redemption rooted above time.  This supra-temporal level is where the Jewish people draw their strength.  Therefore, since the dimension of time had engulfed Esther, to prevail over her meant prevailing over Israel - since they were all rooted in her soul.  Yet she overcame everything through her heroic efforts on behalf of the Jews.  In so doing, she prevailed over the time-bound astrological calculations of Haman to annihilate the entire people on the 13th of the Hebrew month of Adar [the day preceding Purim, observed as the 'Fast of Esther' today].  Instead, the tables were completely turned on Haman and his supporters when the day earmarked for the destruction of the Jews brought devastation to Israel's enemies.  The redemptive light of the timeless realm converted everything into good - all in the merit of Mordechai and Esther, the redemptive duo of Purim.

''For the Jews there was light, gladness, joy, and honor - so may it be for us.'' [From the prefatory verses of the Havdalah ceremony recited at the conclusion of Shabbat, based on Esther 8:16]

No Pain No Gain

נס - Nes - Miracle

ניסיון - Nisayon - Trial

"All the affairs of the world, whether for the good or for the bad, are trials [nisyonos] for a man"… [Mesilas Yesharim [Path of the Just] Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto]

When a person is destined to reach a level which is much higher than his present rung, it is necessary for him to undergo a descent first. [Lubavitcher Rebbe]

Before a person experiences a miracle - נס - , he is given a trial - ניסיון. There is no ascent [aliyah] without a prior descent [yeridah]. The lower the descent, the higher the potential ascent.

G-d tries the righteous, for knowing that the righteous will do His will, He desires to make them even more upright, and so He commands them to undertake a test, but He does not try the wicked, who would not obey.

Thus all trials in the Torah are for the good of the one being tried. [Nachmanidies, Commentary on the Torah; Genesis, p. 275; Chavel translation; ]

From here, we learn a number of important points. First, the purpose of a nisayon is not to reveal anything new to G-d, but to increase the spiritual reward of the person by bringing forth his or her latent greatness into actual deeds of righteousness.

Second, a person is only sent a nisayon that he or she has the potential to "pass," provided the person uses his free will properly.

Third [and this is implicit in the first point], the nisayon is intended for the good of the person—to elevate the person spiritually.

Nes can also be translated as "banner": The test is meant to "lift a banner" and reveal to the world, and to the person himself, the potential hidden within a human being.

Adar: The Sweet Smelling Month

Source: Bnei Yisaschar - Revach.net

The Arizal says that each month represents a part of a person's head. The month of Adar represents the "nose". Sweet smell, says the gemara Brachos [44b], gives pleasure not to the body but rather to the Neshama. The Bnei Yisaschar explains that when Adam and Chava ate from the Eitz HaDaas [Tree of Knowledge] they used all their senses for the aveira [sin] except their sense of smell. The pasuk says: she saw, she listened, she touched, and she tasted. But nowhere does it say that anyone smelled. Therefore the sense of smell has a certain purity that is unmatched by the other senses.

It is therefore appropriate that for the great Nes [miracle] that took place in the month of Adar, the month of smell, that both of the heroes of Purim, Mordechai and Esther had names referring to smell. Mordechai's name says the gemara Chulin [139b] is hinted in the name of the fragrance used in the Ketores called Mor Dror or Mira-Dachya as translated by Unkelos. Esther's real name, the Megila tells us [2:7], was Hadassa - the sweet smelling myrtle tree. Since a person's name represents their true inner self, Mordechai and Esther with their lofty purity were able to avoid the pitfalls of Achashveirosh and his materialism during his party and even while living in his palace. During the special month of Adar where these qualities reign supreme, these two pure tzaddikim saved Klal Yisroel from destruction.

Wake Up! An Almost Nuclear Iran!

by Yochonon Donn     [HT: Shawn]

Harav Moshe Wolfson, shlita, spoke Tuesday night in a rare mid-week assembly for his kehillah, Emunas Yisroel in Boro Park, asking bluntly why there is no greater uproar within the community over the potential for war over Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “Why are we quiet? Where is the awakening? Why is everyone so apathetic?” asked Rav Wolfson, who is also mashgiach of Yeshivah Torah Vodaath. “Everyone is busy with narishkeiten, we don’t hear the alarm? We don’t know that we have to pierce the heavens for rachamim from the Ribbono Shel Olam?” 

Rav Wolfson told the packed beis medrash of nearly 1,000 people that the potential for a war encompassing Iran, Israel, Europe and the United States over the next few weeks is a real one, and Klal Yisrael must prepare itself spiritually. “Everyone knows that there is currently a growing danger from Iran – and it is a great error for whoever does not know this,” Rav Wolfson said. “Why should a Yid not know what is happening to [other] Yidden? Everyone must know what is happening in regard to other Yidden. Everyone must know what is happening in Eretz Yisrael.” 

Rav Wolfson began talking this past Shabbos about the dangers from the Iran crisis, when he stopped and said that it was not a subject to discuss on Shabbos. He said he would continue the topic during the week. The last time he called for a special asifah during the week to discuss current events was in 1991, prior to the Gulf War. 

Rav Wolfson started his address, which was carried live by Kol Halashon, with the famous Rambam, who writes that it is a mitzvah to daven during troubled times. “If you don’t daven,” the Rambam says, “then it is a cruelty, since it will get worse.” “The leader in Iran says clearly – he repeated it this week – that he wants to kill, Rachmana litzlan, every Yid in the world, just like Haman,” Rav Wolfson said. “If he will be successful, chas v’shalom, in getting the nuclear bomb – and experts says he will have it by the summer – it will be a great danger for Klal Yisrael.” 

“A good part of the world’s Jews live in Israel, and the government there says that they will attack Iran first, before they could get the nuclear bomb. If that happens, everyone knows that that will cause a world war.” Rav Wolfson said that he heard that Harav Yosef Rosenblum, Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshivah Shaarei Yosher, spoke recently about the crisis with Iran – he said that during this eis tzarah, “Hashem is judging us on every klal and on every prat.” 

Rav Wolfson quoted the Pesikta, who says that the year when Moshiach will come all nations will battle each other. The spark that will set it off, according to the Medrash, will be when the king of Paras – which is modern-day Iran – will threaten “Arabia,” presumably Saudi Arabia, such as is happening today. Arabia will go for an alliance with Edom – the culture of Edom is today’s Western world, Europe and United States. Paras will then destroy the world and the Yidden will be thrown into turmoil. Hashem will then say: “Do not fear, the time for your Geulah has come.” Rav Wolfson noted how eerily similar this Medrash is to what is occurring today. “We don’t have to be in a panic,” Rav Wolfson said, “Hashem will perform miracles for us. But efsher takeh. Maybe the time for the Geulah has arrived. We must prepare for the Geulah.” 

Rav Wolfson said that since the Holocaust, Hashem has performed great miracles for the Yidden. Eretz Yisrael, which today hosts most of the world’s Yidden and most of the Torah world, merited supernatural siyatta diShmaya during its wars. When the Palestinians shoot missiles from Gaza, they land mostly in empty areas and cause little damage. When then-Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein shot 39 Scud missiles during the Gulf War, only one Yid was killed – that man had previously received a klalah from the Chazon Ish. “This a hashgachah niflaah that is reserved only for Yidden who learn Torah, who keep the mitzvos and who will ultimately do teshuvah,” Rav Wolfson said. “Hashem wants to do nissim for us. Israel is surrounded by 300 million Arabs and we are still there; that means Hashem wants to do yeshuos. We must prepare for yeshuos.” 

But just like Eliyahu had to daven on Har Hacarmel even though Hashem had already promised to bring rain, Hashem still wants the tefillos of Klal Yisrael today, even though He had promised to bring yeshuos. In order to qualify for these miracles, Rav Wolfson said, we must strengthen in Torah, tefillah and chessed. He specifically suggested saying Tehillim 46 every day, adding that he is asking his own kehillah to have the kapitel printed out and stuck to the back of every siddur. During the Suez campaign in 1956, the Belzer Rebbe asked that people say that particular kapitel, since it is a segulah to prevent warfare. “Everyone has to be mispallel that Klal Yisrael should be saved from chevlei Moshiach, that he and his family should be saved,” he said. 

Rav Wolfson also spoke about kevias ittim for Torah, not interrupting even “if the cell phone rings.” “I heard from the Lubavitcher Rebbe, zt”l, that when a Yid sits down to learn it should be like Shabbos,” Rav Wolfson said. “That is the only time that one is pattur from work.” “In a beis medrash it is Shabbos. … If someone interrupts his learning and he picks up the phone, he brings the marketplace, he brings the office into Shabbos. He is mechallel the Shabbos.” 

But above all, Rav Wolfson said, Yidden should keep in mind that we live in momentous times, and we should prepare for the upcoming era with emunah and bitachon. “In the next couple of weeks there will be news,” Rav Wolfson said, “and with the help of Hashem, it will be good news for Yidden.”

Source: Rabbi Eli Goldsmith

A Miracle Within a Miracle

''There was hail and fire flaming amid the hail'' [Va'eira 9:24]

The Midrash states that the Plague of Hail was a miracle within a miracle: the hail did not extinguish the fire and the fire did not melt the hail.  Rather, both elements joined forces in smiting the Egyptians.

R' Acha compared this to a king who had two very powerful legions of soldiers. To find greater favor in the king's eyes, each legion tried out-doing the other when they went out to war. The competition between the two legions escalated to the point that they hated one another.

This hatred continued for some time until a major war threatened to break out in the king's land. The king summoned both legions to appear before him, and he told them the following:

''I know'' said the king, ''that you are both very powerful and dedicated to my service. I usually send only one of you at a time to the battlefront. But now a major war looms on the horizon, and I need assistance from both of you. But what shall I do about your mutual hatred? You must make peace between yourselves and go out to war united. Then we will be victorious!''

So it was with the Plague of Hail. Hail and fire cannot co-exist because the nature of fire is to melt hail and the nature of hail is to extinguish fire. But in this instance, Hashem made peace between them and together they struck at the Egyptians.

Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein

A Titanic Victory and a Small Cruse of Oil

Eyes Fixed on Eternity

By: Rabbi YY Jacobson

David Brooks, in an engaging but superficial article on Hanukah in the New York Times [The Hanukah Story, NY Times, December 10, 2009], sheds light on the brighter side of the Greeks who emphasized the power of reason and the importance of individual conscience and brought theaters, gymnasiums and debating societies to the cities. He also illuminates the darker side of the Maccabees, who liberated the Jews from barbaric Syrian-Greek oppression, but whose own regime became corrupt, brutal and reactionary. The Maccabees became religious oppressors themselves, fatefully inviting the Romans into Jerusalem.

While admiring the Greek contributions to civilization -- its politics, philosophy, art and architecture – it is easy to forget what Greek society was really like. Mr. Brooks fails to discuss the barbaric daily practices in the Hellenist culture -- infanticide, pedophilia, pederasty, the "Spartan Lifestyle," and the glorification of torture in many instances. None other than Aristotle himself, the teacher of Alexander the Great, argued in his Politics (VII.16) that killing children was essential to the functioning of society. He wrote: "There must be a law that no imperfect or maimed child shall be brought up. And to avoid an excess in population, some children must be exposed [i.e. thrown on the trash heap or left out in the woods to die]. For a limit must be fixed to the population of the state."

But let us focus here on the actual Hanukah narrative. A brief historical introduction is important.

The festival of Hanukah commemorates an extraordinary victory -- of the Maccabees, a relatively small and dedicated force of fighters, against one of the great imperial powers of classical antiquity, the Seleucid branch of the Alexandrian empire.

This story takes us back 2100 years ago, to the year 164 BCE, some 150 years before the birth of Christianity and two centuries before the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans. Israel was then under the rule of the empire of Alexander the Great. A Syrian ruler Antiochus the 5th ascended the throne and he was determined to impose his values on the Jewish people. He forbade the practice of Judaism, set up a statue of Zeus in the Temple, and systematically desecrated Jerusalem's holy sites. Jews who were caught practicing Judaism were tortutred to death. This was tyranny on a grand scale. Sadly, he was helped in this endeavor by two Jewish high priests, Jason and Menelaus, who assisted him in banning the Jewish lifestyle and turning the Temple into an interdenominational house of worship on Greek lines.

To put it into historical perspective, had Antiochus succeeded, Judaism would have died. Its daughter religions -- Christianity and Islam –- would have, of course, never come to be.

A small group of Jews, led by the elderly priest Matityahu and his sons, rose in revolt. They fought a brilliant campaign, and within three years they had recaptured Jerusalem, removed sacrilegious objects from the Temple, and restored Jewish autonomy. It was, as we say in the Hanukah prayers, a victory for 'the weak against the strong, and the few against the many.' Religious liberty was established and the Temple was rededicated. Hanukah means "rededication."

This was a remarkable event and an extraordinary triumph. We, the Jewish people, are here today only because of the courage and vision of this small group of determined Jews who would not allow their G-d and their Torah to be reduced to the dustbins of history by the Syrian-Greek tyrant.

Yet astonishingly, the Talmud, the classical text of Jewish law and literature, gives us a very different perspective on the Hanukah festival.

“What is Hanukah?” asks the Talmud [Talmud, Shabbat 21b].  The answer given is this:

“When the Greeks entered the Sanctuary, they contaminated all its oil. Then, when the royal Hasmonean family overpowered and was victorious over them, they searched and found only a single cruse of pure oil that was sealed with the seal of the High Priest—enough to light the menorah [candelabra] for a single day. A miracle occurred, and they lit the menorah with this oil for eight days. The following year, they established these [eight days] as days of festivity and praise and thanksgiving for G-d.”

So, according to the Talmud, the festival of Hanukah is less about the military victory of a small band of Jews against one of the mightiest armies on earth, and more about the miracle of the oil. The Talmud makes only a passing reference to the military victory [“when the royal Hasmonean family overpowered and was victorious”], and focuses exclusively on the story with the oil, as if this were the only significant event commemorated by the festival of Hanukah.

This is strange. The miracle of the oil, it would seem, was of minor significance relative to the military victory. Besides the fact that this was a miracle that occurred behind the closed doors of the Temple with only a few priests to behold, it was an event concerning a religious symbol without any consequences on life, death and liberty. If the Jews would have been defeated by the Greeks, there would be no Jews today; if the oil would have not burnt for eight days, so what? The menorah would have not been kindled. Would the latkes taste any worse?

Let us grease the question with a contemporary touch.

Imagine that following the extraordinary Israeli victory of the 1967 six-day war, during which six Arab armies were determined to exterminate Israel and its three million Jews, a candle located in a Jerusalem synagogue would have burned for six days. Sure, it would have added a nice sentimental touch to the euphoria of Israel’s salvation, but would have this, rather than the deliverance of millions of innocent human beings from a second holocaust, been the cause of celebration? Would this detail even make it to the front page of the media?

Similarly, the burning of the Temple candelabra for eight days was, no doubt, a heart-warming follow up to a great victory. It was a demonstrative sign that G-d cherished the sacrifice of His children and had rewarded them with an astounding miracle. Yet it is clear that this was merely the icing on the cake, a coup-de-grace to a historical momentous victory on the battlefield. Yet the Talmud turns this minor detail into the decisive motif for the Hanukah celebration?

What is more, the miracle with the oil is the only element of the Hanukah events that we commemorate to this very day. We have no custom or ritual commemorating a miraculous triumph. What we do have is the kindling of a menorah for eight days, commemorating the fact that the oil in the Temple menorah lasted for eight days. How are we to understand this?

The answer allows us to appreciate the essential ingredient that has defined 4,000 years of Jewish history. The military victory was extraordinary; yet it didn't last. The dynasty of the Hasmonean family became entrenched in civil war and corruption. 210 years after Hanukah, in 68 CE, the Temple was destroyed, this time by the Romans. Jerusalem was plundered, Israel was decimated and the Jewish people exiled. It was the beginning of a period of Jewish powerlessness, dispersion and persecution which had lasted almost two millennia.

Unfortunately, the political and military victory of Hanukah did not last. What lasted was the spiritual miracle -- the faith which, like the oil, was inextinguishable. Strength that is founded on military power alone is temporary. It may endure for long periods of time, but ultimately, its might will wane and it will be defeated by another power. Strength that is founded on moral and spiritual light can never be destroyed.

The sages who instituted the Hanukah holiday keenly understood this truth. With their eyes focused on eternity, the rabbis of the Second Temple era grasped that the timeless core of Hanukah was not the victory on the battlefield alone, but rather the fact that this military triumph led to the re-kindling of the sacred light and the moral torch. The military victory was an enormously significant event that we must be deeply grateful for. Yet what makes Hanukah a vibrant and heart-stirring holiday thousands of years later across the globe is the story of a little cruse of oil that would not cease to cast its brightness even in the darkest of nights and among the mightiest of winds.

David Brooks writes that “Rabbis later added the lamp miracle to give God at least a bit part in the proceedings.” He missed the point. The oil miracle constitutes the very foundation of the Hanukah holiday.

For more than two millennia, Jews have been gathering around their Hanukah candelabras, kindling each night an additional candle. As they gazed at the dancing flame atop their menorahs they can hear the candles sharing their story. It consisted of a simple punch line: The flame of Jewish faith, the flame of Torah, the flame of the Mitzvos, would never be extinguished. The candles were right: Judaism lives.

Imperial Greece and Rome have long since disappeared. Civilizations built on power never last. Those built on care for the powerless never die. What matters in the long run is not simply political, military or economic strength but how we light the flame of the human spirit.

Source:  The Yeshiva.net