Strange Skies

 This is the new normal.  Just getting started ok.... we're just getting started. 

New Mexico March 13 2024 - blue asteroid lighting up the sun

Snowtown, South Australia - Photo Charlie Lane

this is something extremely strange - Photo Charlie Lane

 -

Minnesota March 12 2024 - Something behind the moon

Two suns?  This is our sun with the giant red halo which is the gas giant Hercolobus, and at the 1 o'clock position is something from the passing solar system

Gaza is Falling... Moshiach is Coming

H/T Sherry

I really want to publicly thank Sherry for all her support and contributions via email - may Hashem grant her a Refuah Sheimah in the merit of her full emunah and devotion to the coming of Moshiach, may it be speedily in our days.

Video: Shmuel from the Torah Channel

Accountability

מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת "The Dwelling of the Testimony" [Pekudei 38:21]

Why, asked the Malbim {R' Meir Leibush Malbim} is the Mishkan referred to as the "Dwelling of Testimony?"

In the pesukim that follow, answered the Malbim, the Torah gives us an accounting of the vast amounts of gold, silver and other materials that were used in the construction of the Mishkan.  It records how much was donated toward the Mishkan's construction and how much was put to use.

The Mishkan itself was the best evidence that there was absolutely no dishonesty in relation to the Mishkan's construction, and that every last donation was accounted for and put to use.  For it is inconceivable that the Divine Presence would ever dwell in a place that was tainted with corruption.  If any of the donations had been misappropriated, the Divine Presence would never have rested there.

[Source: Rabbi Y. Bronstein]

Fundraising and Fraud

"It is not proper to collect money in Israel for institutions that are outside of Israel. The money is needed in Israel. Additionally, every tzedaka fund should have separate people as its fundraiser and director. When it comes to peoples' money given to tzedaka, one needs to be extremely careful to make sure that people will not be suspicious of fraud. This concern is in addition to bearing in mind what G-d says about the use of tzedaka funds." [Igros Kodesh Lubavitcher Rebbe vol. 21 letter 8165]

Two signatures required

"I was satisfied to hear that your tzedaka institution requires two signatures on any cheque written. This is in accordance with the instruction of our holy sages." [Igros Kodesh Lubavitcher Rebbe vol. 21 letter 7978]

The Oscars 2024 - "An Overt Display of Jew Hatred"

 

@noatishby 

Tonight’s Oscars was a subtle and overt display of Jew-hatred. Hollywood stars including Billie Eilish, Finneas, Mark Ruffalo, Ava DuVernay, Ramy Youssef and Quannah Chasinghorse wore red pins that represent the group Artists4Ceasefire. 

Ramy Youssef explained that the pin symbolized “justice for the people of Palestine,” adding, “it’s a universal message of just let’s stop killing kids.” 

Notably absent were the yellow pins representing the hostages kidnapped by Hamas on October 7th. And that’s the point: if you’re calling for a ceasefire without calling for the release of the hostages, you are promoting Hamas’s agenda by questioning Israel’s right to self-defense. 

It was Hamas who barbarically attacked Israel, breaking the ceasefire on October 7th. Since then, Hamas has consistently rejected numerous ceasefire proposals. Hamas is not interested in a ceasefire, it is interested in murdering Jews and sacrificing Palestinians. If these artists cared so much about a ceasefire, they’d be applying pressure on Hamas rather than attacking Israel. 

At its mildest, this is subconscious antisemitism; at its worst, deliberate attacks against Jews. Either way, it’s appalling and needs to be addressed. We cannot allow Hollywood celebrities to be manipulated into furthering Hamas’s hateful agenda around the world.

That was Noa Tishby's IG post today.  She forgot to mention that....

.... not even Jonathan Glazer, the writer/director of 'The Zone of Interest', a masterpiece about the Holocaust — would stand up for Israel. Glazer, in a supreme act of self-loathing, went so far as to renounce his Judaism. Thanking his partners, he said: 'Right now, we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people.'

Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-13183581/worst-Oscars-review-Barbie-palestine-MAUREEN-CALLAHAN.html

Into the Caves of the Rocks

 

Isaiah 2:19

19 And men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the glory of His majesty, when He ariseth to shake mightily the earth.

Many of the world’s elite, including hedge fund managers, sports stars and tech executives (Bill Gates is rumored to have caves bunkers at all his properties) have chosen to design their own caves secret shelters to house their families and staff.

Billionaire Bunkers: How the 1% are Preparing for the Apocalypse

Inside Mark Zuckerberg's Hawaii Compound

“The plans show that the two central mansions will be joined by a tunnel that branches off into a 5,000 square foot [464 square metres] underground shelter, featuring living space, a mechanical room, and an escape hatch that can be accessed via a ladder.” The incredible size of the bunker, which has a blast-proof door, is double that of the average Australian home. It will be entirely self-sustainable, producing its own food and water. 

Inside Putin's Bunker [video]

The Secret Network of Tunnels Under Putin's Bunker

The Obama Foundation in New Zealand is busy building Obama "an armoured fortress as an escape". 

The Real Reason Obama Came to New Zealand

The Super-rich ‘preppers’ planning to save themselves from the Apocalypse

They all believe that Earth is about to be hit by a rogue red planet [or something].  

The first half of this video is very interesting as he explains how the US government has funded their bunkers, and shows a map of where they are situated.  [Just rewind it if you want to watch it, I don't know how to stop it playing from the halfway mark.]  Anything in italics below is quoting from the video.

In 1983 a new infrared telescope was introduced which enabled them to confirm what they had already known, that a second solar system was heading towards us, along with a second sun around which the planets orbit, and a giant body named Hercolobus which holds the entire system together.

The second half of the video is probably not worth watching as he's talking about the destruction of the earth from Nibiru, which he believes to be the gas giant Hercolobus behind the Suns.

Make no mistake, the governments of the world are expecting something, which is why they have been building bunkers since the time of Reagan's Presidency.  One of the bunkers they have built can hold 30-40,000 people.

Where did they get the money?  From the Federal Reserve.  Donald Rumsfeld calmly told Congress that $2.3 trillion could not be accounted for.  The story disappeared into the smoke of the Twin Towers collapse.   

Hercolubus is the gas giant behind our sun, it is the binding agent between our Sun and the second [red] Sun.  

Hercolobus is the reason why our Sun has this halo around it all the time, seen all over the world constantly these days. That halo is the size of Hercolobus. 

From what I have learnt, no-one seems to have the complete picture, everyone's got a piece of the puzzle but they're not getting it 100% right. 

I don't know what the complete picture is either, that's Hashem's secret.

The Purim Story Re-Enacted in 2024

Rabbi Mendel Kessin, new shiur

Recent Photos

Some very recent photos of what's going on around the world.

This shows the orbit of the second solar system [sorry about the poor quality of the picture] - we are orbiting Sol and the other planets are orbiting the red Binary star/sun, and are visible from Earth as they pass...[a wheel within a wheel?]

In this image you can see the green asteroid bottom left, and the rainbow effect is caused by colourful asteroids flying by

Rainbow around the sun, caused by asteroids

This is an asteroid in front of the sun

Red sunset caused by planet Isatum

The "Texas Cube" - so called because it was first sighted over Texas. It is a massive cube shape flying around with the planets in the passing solar system

A Passing Planet

Blue= sky / orange =planet
[and if you think Gee that's close... just wait a week or two...
they'll be on top of us]

If you want to go back and re-look at other photos of this passing solar system, click on the Wonders Label below this post.

This is why they keep drawing lines in the sky everywhere. They don't want the people to know about this.

Fact Check: Asteroids

Do you remember that red cloud over Turkey before the 7.8 quake in February 2023?

They have gone to a lot of trouble to DENY that this cloud was caused by HAARP or that clouds in any way cause earthquakes.  It wasn't HAARP, but they'd prefer you to think it was rather than know the truth.  Just have a look at this article on Fact Check:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2023/02/24/fact-check-cloud-turkey-not-connected-haarp-earthquakes/11329920002/

Click on the first link which will take you to Instagram and you will see that the photo has been removed from IG and replaced with a notice saying "False Information: Reviewed by Independent Fact-Checkers".    So now you know that anything "reviewed by independent fact-checkers" may well be UNTRUE.

This cloud is from the Red Asteroid.  The Red Asteroid is just one of many flying around with all the planets.  When they fly by us, they leave the red clouds with a circle, like the photos below. And yes, the closeness of the planets [and asteroids] passing close-by us can cause earthquakes.  

Asteroid trail over Scotland

OCG stands for Object Cluster Group, there's a lot flying around up there, some of it is un-identifiable.

There is a skull-shaped asteroid, and a cube and a long box shape, all flying around with the planets.

Asteroid at base of planet

There are different coloured asteroids: red, blue, green, tan....  they give us rainbow-like patterns in the sky as the fly by.  

This is what it can look like as it's passing.

This is the red asteroid, captured in the middle of the night.

Asteroid trail under Atu's Moon

What Will Life Be Like When Moshiach Comes?

H/t Sherry

A Flawless Mitzvah

"Every generous person shall bring it" [Vayakhel 35:5]

A benefactor donated a large plot of land for R' Meir Shapiro's yeshivah, Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin.  At the ceremony for the laying of the cornerstone of the building, the benefactor was accorded great honor and seated at the head table reserved for the distinguished guests.

Sitting next to the man was R' Yisrael of Chortkov, who turned to him and said "I do not envy you over this mitzvah because it will lead to great honor.  I do envy you, however, for the mitzvah that you performed secretly, the one that lead to this one [see Avot 4:2].  For that must have been a flawless mitzvah if it was capable of leading to a mitzvah as great as this one."

Source: Rabbi Y. Bronstein

 

Not a Movie

This is reality. Planetary close pass. There's more going on up there than you could ever dream of.

21 Adar - Yarzheit Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk

 

The great Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk (1717-1786) was one of the elite disciples of Rabbi DovBer, the Maggid of Mezritch, and a colleague of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi. He is also widely known as the No'am Elimelech, the title of the renowned chassidic work he authored.

Rabbi Elimelech attracted many thousands of chassidim, among them many who after his passing became great chassidic masters in their own right. Most notable amongst them was Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Horowitz, the "Seer of Lublin." Many of the current chassidic dynasties trace themselves back to Rabbi Elimelech.  Rabbi Elimelech was known as "the Rebbe of Rebbes".

More at Chabad

Kever of R' Elimelech

It happened once in the time of the Rebbe Reb Elimelech that the government had a case against a certain Jew. The courts ruled, found him guilty, and he was sentenced to death by hanging. As was the custom, the courts granted him one last request, and he asked that they notify his sons of the verdict.

The sons were notified, and they immediately set out to see their father. On the way they stopped in Lizhensk to see Rebbe Elimelech and ask his advice and guidance. When they related the whole story to the Rebbe, he answered, in his holy manner, that they had nothing to fear - their father would not be hanged. 

They left Lizhensk comforted, reassured by the words of the holy Tzaddik, believing that his promise would come true. However, when they arrived they saw that nothing had changed. On the designated day, their father was brought forth to be hanged and no-one said a word to save him. 

According to the law, before a sentence was carried out, they would read the charges and the verdict that had been pronounced. But when the officials went to retrieve the necessary documents, they could not find any of the papers relating to the judgment and could not proceed with the execution. They hastened back to the courthouse, but they found not a trace of the ruling nor even a memory of the case. The judges themselves were no longer able to recall the case, nor were they able to remember who the witnesses were or what testimony had been given. Everything was totally forgotten. After a lengthy delay and numerous searches, they reluctantly released the prisoner since they could bring no charge against him. 

On the trip back home, the sons, this time with their father, stopped once more in Lizhensk to see Rebbe Elimelech. The Rebbe told them: "I had no other alternative except to make use of the angel of forgetfulness to cause them to forget the whole matter completely." 

 [Ohel Elimelech 283] Source: Mipeninei Noam Elimelech compiled by Tal Moshe Zwecker

Rabbi Travis Talks About the Star and Moshiach's Arrival

Rabbi Daniel Travis from a shiur given on Feb 19, 2016

I have transcribed the relevant part of this shiur, which is from the 12 min mark.  He does speak about Nibiru from about the 9 min mark but I did not think it was necessary to include that here.

Please bear in mind that this shiur was given 8 years ago... but the information is extremely relevant to us right now.

To watch video at Torah Anytime click here

Zohar 

Rav Shimon cried "woe is the person who's going to be at the time of Moshiach and happy will they be at the time of Moshiach.... Why "oy?" Because Hashem is going to look at the world at the time that Moshiach is going to come and see that nobody is worthy, so Hashem is going to have to bring tremendous yissurim upon the world so that Moshiach can come.  It's going to be a test in Emunah.

He who remains with his emunah at that time is going to see unbelievable things - whoever is zocher to Moshiach at that time.

Have you ever seen silver being purified? They put it on a furnace and heat it up until it's very hot, and melt it and take the dirt out... and that's what has to happen. That's what the Zohar says, so that's something to think about.

There will be a 40 day period where there is a pillar of fire in the Galil and after that time Moshiach is going to reveal Himself - there'll be a certain tekufah of 40 days, all the nations of the world are going to attack klal Yisrael and there are going to be tremendous gezeirahs upon klal Yisrael.  At that time, when all these gezeiras come, Melech haMoshiach is going to reveal Himself and from the East there will be a planet or Star with seven satellites [moons or whatever] around it.  This Star which is coming is going to have an effect on this world when it's going to come into the orbit of Earth.

It says everything that's going to happen: there will be tremendous wars, and it's going to be very auspicious times, and that is the procedure which will happen AFTER Moshiach has revealed Himself.

We see that something extraordinary is going to happen - big changes in the world - Reb Moshe always said "why are people going to laugh? because there's going to be such a change in the entire planet that the only thing you can do is laugh."  It's going to be a totally new existence, a new world order you might call it, it's going to be totally different... and even though when we hear about Planet X it sounds like science fiction but the Zohar IS saying that there is something that is going to come and change the entire earth, some kind or planet or Star, so we can't say that these things are mamash crazy.

I'm not saying this will happen, but definitely things are brewing as we might say, and we have to be ready for that.  Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai says the avodah is to remain with Emunah during these times. We're going to see things happening and we have no idea what they could be. It will be things beyond belief. It says it's going to make Yetzias Mitzrayim look like nothing. Every day it's going to be worse, and we're going to forget what it was like the day before [from all the wars that will be going on].

Halevei, if Moshiach comes early we'll be zocher with rachamim. Says Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the nisayon is that whoever has Emunah at this time will be zocher to see the End.  There's different opinions how many people are going to survive this ordeal - some say a very small amount, some say a bit larger, maybe a third or maybe more... but the nisayon is Emunah.  Emunah is with Tehilla, with mussar, with everything that happens...... everything Hashem does is good.

The avodah right now is to build our Emunah so when this happens we'll be ready for it.

When we come to that level of Emunah then we'll be ready for Moshiach.

Why I Believe the Moshiach is Coming

H/t Sherry

Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair - 3 minutes

The Spiritual Ladder

I heard in the name of Rebbe Elimelech that if a person wishes to rise higher in his spiritual level, he must see to it that his character traits are whole and perfect on the lower level. This is because it is impossible to maintain a constant static level.

A person is like the angels called Chayos, which run and return, for sometimes he rises and sometimes he falls.  And if his lower levels are not perfected, how can he return to them?

The Rebbe compared this to a man climbing a ladder.  The wise and intelligent man will first test all the rungs to make sure that they are whole and intact so that if needs be he can retrace his steps and return to them.

[Tal Moshe Zwecker: Mipeninei Noam Elimelech]

Is This The Kabbalistic Meaning of the Israel-Hamas War? (And Will It Bring Moshiach...?)

H/t Leah

This is from Tu b'Shvat but the information in it does not date.  Apart from the obvious mentioning of fruit, Rav Doniel Katz [who is a former Australian, now living in Israel] brings down some interesting facts.  "Moshiach is a process" - "Hashem doesn't want the Geula from Above, He wants the Geula from Below".  He quotes from the Sefer Ma'amar HaGeula.

The Final Tikkun

Written by R. Yaakov Nathan

The generation of the desert, the Dor Hamidbar, was on a very high level. They were a "dor de'ah", a generation of knowledge, on the level of Bina. Yet they committed the sin of the Golden Calf [parshas Ki Tisa]. This sin was a direct result of their own intellectualization, their miscalculation of when Moshe should have come back from his spiritual elevation on Mount Sinai. [The verse says "boshesh Moshe" and Rashi from the Gemara explains that it means "ba shesh" - that they calculated that Moshe should have been back by the 6th hour of the day.]  It was their own intellect which brought them into trouble--they wavered in their trust of Moshe and over-intellectualized the situation.

The midrash states that the Soton showed them Moshe lying on his deathbed, which opened them up to consider the reasoning that Moshe should have already come down. The Ohr Hachayim explains that what they saw was "with the eye of the intellect"--they didn't hallucinate, but rather they misinterpreted the reality.

Amidst this confusion comes the Erev Rav, the Egyptian magicians who left Egypt with the children of Israel, demanding a new leader to replace Moshe -- since they saw that the Jews were wavering, open to the suggestion that Moshe was delayed and could not descend from the spiritual heights he had ascended to. This is the cause of the Golden Calf [see the Ramban--it was a replacement for Moshe, not Hashem].

When Moshe ascended the mountain, the Arizal states that he received 1,000 lights. This is the level of Moshiach. Moshe had been elevated to Moshiach on the mountain, but the people did not withstand the test; their faith in Moshe wavered, allowing the Erev Rav to bring about the sin of the Golden Calf. This caused Hashem to say to Moshe "Go, descend" [32:7], says Rashi: "Descend from your greatness", descend from the level of Moshiach.

The Arizal writes that the final generation is a reincarnation of the Dor Hamidbar. The Lubavitcher Rebbe said explicitly that this applies to us - we are literally the souls of the generation of the desert. In Rambam's "13 Ikkarim" he writes that we believe in the coming of Moshiach "even if he delays".

Why does the Rambam feel the need to mention a delay here? What's the connection between Moshiach and a delay? The first redeemer [Moshe] is the last redeemer [Moshiach] and perhaps our situation now - waiting in the confusion - is the tikkun for the situation the first time around?

The Rambam explains in Hilchos Tshuva that "Tshuva is completed when an opportunity to commit one's original transgression again arises but one doesn't and repents instead." We are the generation of the midbar--we are rectifying our sin by waiting for Moshiach. Despite what the eye of the intellect might think, our obligation is to trust in Moshe Rabbeinu, not to seek a replacement leader. Not to let the Erev Rav within us entice us to find a "new leader" of the Jewish nation, to make a new Golden Calf [G-d forbid].

Moshe Rabbeinu doesn't need to be replaced, and we are playing our role in the final tikkun. Hold on strong with emunah that goes beyond the intellect and "even though he delays, we wait for him every day".

Eclipse and a Planetary Line-Up

Let me be totally honest from the start.... I did not come up with this myself, I found it on a conspiracy site and investigated it, but I'm not an Astrology person, so feel free to do your own investigations and leave a comment if you find out anything important that I've missed. 

Apparently it's not an official "planetary alignment" but nevertheless all the planets will be in a straight line on the day of the Eclipse, which is April 8 - Rosh Chodesh Nissan.

You know about "birth charts".... people pay big money to Astrologers to discover things about themselves from the position of the planets on the day they were born.  Basically, you give over all your information to the Astrologer: time of birth, date of birth and city of birth, and they produce a chart of the positions of the planets corresponding to all that information and then they tell you things about yourself, and what may or may not happen in your life. [Note: Jews are above the Mazalot, our destinies are shaped by our actions, not by the stars]

So.... just now I was reading about the position of the planets on April 8 - the day of the Solar Eclipse - Rosh Chodesh Nissan 5784.  [The same day we will be able to see the Comet we believe to be the Kochav Yaakov]

A generated chart for April 8, using the city of Jerusalem as the "birth place" shows NINE PLANETS LINED UP and Pluto slightly more apart from them.   They are not "aligned" as per the official Space description of an alignment, but they are all in a straight line.  Usually, birth charts show planets all over the place.  Sometimes 4 or 5 may be aligned, but to get all of these appearing just like this is very very rare.  

The symbols are, from the base to the top: Uranus, Jupiter, Mercury, Chiron, the Sun, Lunar Node, Moon, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Mars and then Pluto over to the right. [those other two squiggles on the other side of the circle are not relevant to this]

That chart was generated by Astro-Seek.com but there are many free astro chart sites out there, and you can generate your own -  if you enter in the date of April 8 2024 [time and city don't really matter, but I used Jerusalem] you will end up with something that looks like the picture above. 

The Retribution Before the Messianic Era

New shiur from Rabbi Mendel Kessin

The Fall of Gaza and the Rise of the Third Beis Hamikdash

There was a discussion regarding the post about Moshiach coming when Gaza falls..... and I did ask a Lubavitcher to investigate it for me, and today I received the following.

H/t NK

Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneersohn

*The Fall of Gaza and the Rise of The Third Beis Hamikdash* [Part 2 of 2] - note, I do not have Part 1

This translation was carefully researched and prepared by Rabbi Shmuel Pollen, Shlit”A

BS”D 

The father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Shneerson, makes a comment in his book “Torah of Levi Yitzchack” (page 452) that seems to imply that the fall of Gaza is a harbinger of the rebuilding of the 3rd Holy Temple and the coming of Moshiach. 

He writes that the “doors of Gaza” are 60 cubits and the sanctuary of the Beis Hamikdash is also 60 cubits. 

He further writes: “G-d created the world in such a way that, everything in the realm of good, has an opposing counterpart in the world of evil.” 

This would imply that if Gaza (the side of evil) were to be destroyed, the opposite of that would happen to the Beis Hamikdosh i.e. it would be built. And the Beis Hamikdosh will only be rebuilt with the coming of Moshiach. 

Gaza (in Hebrew: Azah) comes from the word “brazen (face)” As it says “the brazen faced go to hell.” And “dogs have a brazen soul.” Gaza corresponds to the rule of the evil side, Satan and impurity. 

The Talmud states in Tractate of Sotah 10A, “the pillars of Gaza which Samson knocked down were 60 cubits tall. This corresponds to the 60 tractates of Talmud. 

This also corresponds to the 60 mighty Jewish soldiers who guarded King Solomon. The sanctuary of the Beis Hamikdash was also 60 cubits tall. As it states: “The house that Solomon built for G-d was 60 cubits.” 

Once again, we see the fall of impurity leads to the rise of holiness. When Gaza falls, along with the 60 cubit pillars Samson knocked down, the Beis Hamikdash will be rebuilt with, G-d’s help. 

The Gaon of Vilna, peace be upon him, says, the impurity of the Philistines is preventing the Jewish people from meriting the messianic redemption today. 

*What is the connection between the Philistines and Gaza?* 

King David writes in psalm 83 that “within the Ishmalites (the Arabs today) we have mixed in, the Philistines and the Amalekites.” This means, all the evil forces, are together into Gaza: the children of Ishmael, the Amalekim, and the Philistines. 

Shortly before his death, the Philistines poked out both of Samson’s eyes. With no vision, Samson prayed to G-d for one final feat of strength to be able to knock down the columns of the building and thereby kill many Philistines. He asked for this act of revenge, in the merit of the loss of one of his eyes. Why did he ask only for one eye and not both? Many more Philistines were killed in Samson’s death than he ever killed in his lifetime. But the great Rashi tells us, that he wanted to leave the other eye so we can be rewarded with another defeat of the Philistines in the future (we have that merit on our side in our current war). 

When Gaza falls, the redemption will come. And we will build the Beis Hamikdash. And we will merit to see the face of the Moshiach, speedily in our days, with G-d’s help. Azah is related to the word “Azuvah” which means deserted, because “Gaza will be deserted.” Before the day is done, may all the enemies of G-d, be destroyed. 

*Translation by:* Shmuel Yitzchak Pollen 

Note: if anyone wants to email R' Shmuel Pollen, I do have his email address but I'm not publishing it on the internet.  Leave me a comment with your email address, which I will not publish, and I will send you his contact details.

Purim Katan

This Friday, 23 February, will be Purim Katan.

Purim Katan means “Little Purim.” Every year, the Jewish holiday of Purim is held in the Hebrew month of Adar. In Jewish leap years, a second month of Adar is added to the calendar and Purim is celebrated on the 14th of Adar II while the 14th of Adar I is acknowledged as Purim Katan. 

How do Jews Celebrate Purim Katan? 

The primary way to mark Purim Katan is to make one’s meal a little more festive. In addition, it is traditional to refrain from fasting, eulogizing or reciting Tachanun, a series of penitential prayers that are added to the Shacharit (morning) and Mincha (afternoon) prayer services. This is designed to ensure it is a happy day rather than a mournful one. [See the Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 697:1]  The major rituals of Purim — reading megillah, giving gifts, reciting Al Hanisim — are not observed on Purim Katan and are reserved for the full Purim celebration that will take place a month later in Adar II.

Source: My Jewish Learning

A Gaza Dialogue

Ben Shapiro with some truth

“You can stay here until the arrival of the Messiah”

In his memoir released in 2022, Benjamin Netanyahu shares his unforgettable encounters with the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

I went to see the Lubavitcher Rebbe. It had been more than four years since our first meeting, and I came to say good-bye. He was not happy with my decision and tried to dissuade me, while lamenting the situation in Israel.

“There are no good tidings from Israel,” the Rebbe said. “Action is key and there is no action, but maybe you can influence from here the leadership there.” 

“I intend to return to Israel and to try to influence things there,” I answered. 

The Rebbe insisted, “There is still much to influence here at the United Nations…. You know there is a Jewish mitzvah [injunction] to influence the gentiles. This is your job to do.” 

I dodged this diplomatically. 

“I haven’t forgotten our first meeting,” I said, “and I have acted as the Rebbe said, standing proud and strong. Yet I have been here for years.” 

Evidently, this length of service didn’t impress the Rebbe. “You can stay here until the arrival of the Messiah,” he said.

Source: Anash

When Gaza Falls.... Moshiach Will Come

H/t Sherry

He is talking about Rabbi Levi Yitzchak 

The Black Rainbow

For anyone who missed it in the comments yesterday, here it is

Moshiach: Exodus 2.0

"Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice…"

by HaRav Adin Even-Israel [Steinsaltz]

Only the Final Redemption will overshadow the Exodus in its significance.  

The Exodus from Egypt was apocalyptic, not only because of the supernatural events that took place during its unfolding, but also because it sparked an extremely significant change within a relatively short amount of time – and without any warning or preparation. It is true that the events recounted in the Book of Exodus did occur over the course of a few months, but when we think about the amazing transformation that the People of Israel underwent as a result – from a loosely related ethnic group of slaves to a new nation – the redemption from Egypt does indeed seem very sudden and surprising.

While Passover is the festival of redemption, the Exodus from Egypt is commemorated on each of the Biblical festivals and all through the year. Even events in Jewish history as important as the re-establishment of sovereignty in Israel during the Second Temple era are not considered to be equal to the Exodus. Our Sages teach that only the Final Redemption will be able to overshadow its significance.

The Exodus has also become a prototype of redemption for all nations of the world, a model against which other redemptions are measured and assessed. The coming of the Messiah is a momentous event – not only for the Jewish people, but for the entire world. It is not simply a matter of national deliverance, nor even of a Jewish renaissance, but of an intrinsic change in world history. In a certain way, the Final Redemption, as its name implies, marks the "end of history," or, at least, the end of history as it has been for the last several millennia.

We know from Biblical prophecies and from the Talmud that there are two possible scenarios for the Final Redemption. The difference between them lies in a fundamental question: will it be a revolutionary event, or an evolutionary one? The first redemption, the Exodus from Egypt, was a whirlwind of supernatural events, a total revolution. Indeed, many descriptions of the Final Redemption – in Jewish and non-Jewish sources alike – depict the final redemption in a similar way. For example, this approach, "the great and terrible day of the Lord," [1] is a universal earthquake which begins with "darkness, not light" [2] and involves colossal wars between "the children of light and the children of darkness." Like the Exodus, the Final Redemption is, so to speak, a Divine tour de force vis-à-vis the world. When God wills it, all of reality will be torn to shreds, and the new day will shine, as was the case in the Exodus from Egypt – out of "blood and fire and pillars of smoke." [3]

The alternative scenario of redemption is an evolutionary one and is based on human progress – whether slow or fast – toward a higher state of existence: "For you shall not go out in haste, neither shall you go by flight; for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will follow you behind" [4]; or, in other words, "in sitting still and rest will you be saved." [5] While the Exodus from Egypt contained an element of flight, this redemption will be a slow, smooth process and, despite the enormous differences between the present and the future, it will still be possible to discern the steps that paved the way for the redemption. Even the Biblical metaphor that likens redemption to birth – a dramatic event with a clearly defined "before" and "after" – presupposes the long pregnancy that came before it.

Will the future redemption be a revolutionary event, or an evolutionary one?  The difference between these two diametrically opposed scenarios can be explained by the somewhat enigmatic Talmudic saying: "The son of David [the Messiah; in other words, the final redemption] will come only in a generation that is either altogether righteous or altogether wicked." [6] Redemption for an "altogether righteous" generation is preceded by years of preparation in which people work to better themselves. This kind of redemption is just the finale of an evolutionary process. On the other hand, the redemption of an "altogether wicked" generation cannot possibly be an extended, slow process, because such people, by their very nature, make no preparations for it. Therefore it must entail a revolutionary outburst, which, in this case, is not a grass-roots effort but a Divine one. As such, it must shatter the old patterns of existence – a painful, even tragic event.

The future redemption is, in many ways, the continuation and completion of the Exodus. We know from the Book of Exodus[7] that the redemption from Egypt occurred at midnight; the end of the Passover Haggadah includes references to the future redemption as the second half of this night of deliverance. This is not only solace and encouragement in the face of our present trials and tribulations; it is also a logical sequence. The Exodus, then, is a comma in the manuscript of world history, whereas the final redemption is a full stop. But what shape the final redemption will assume depends, to a great extent, on us as human beings. Through the totality of our actions, we will determine whether we are an "altogether wicked" or "altogether righteous" generation and, consequently, if we can expect "blood and fire and pillars of smoke" or salvation through "sitting still and rest." 

 FOOTNOTES 

1. Malachi 3:23. 

2. Amos 5:18. 

3. Joel 3:3. 

4. Isaiah 52:12 

5. Ibid., 30:15. 

6. Tractate Sanhedrin 98a. 

7. 12:29.

How and When Will Israel Build The Third Temple?

Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowicz

The Farmer's Hat

Art Walt Curlee

 

"Speak to the children of Israel, and have them take for Me an offering..." [Terumah 25:2]

Why does the verse state "take for Me a portion" and not "give Me a portion"?

The Torah is showing us the greatness vested in the mitzvah of giving tzedakah.  When we fulfill the mitzvah of tzedaka, it may appear as if we are giving, but in truth we are actually taking (receiving) for ourselves a very great mitzvah.

The Midrash Rabbah elaborates on this idea: "More than what the host does for the poor man, the poor man does for the host."  The host may have given the poor person a perutah for tzedakah, but the poor person has enabled the host to earn a mitzvah that is more valuable than "thousands in gold and silver" [Tehillim 119:72]

Someone who refuses to assist a poor person, said the Chofetz Chaim, can be compared to a farmer who piled up his wagon with wheat and then travelled to a large city in order to sell it. When the farmer arrived at the city, he was immediately met by dozens of eager customers waiting to purchase his produce.  He was afraid, however, that the customers would attempt to deceive him by taking bundles of wheat without paying for them.  He therefore told them "Go ahead and fill your bags with wheat. But each time you fill up a bag, place one copper coin into my hat. When you finish filling your sacks, we will count the coins in my hat, and that way we will know how many sacks you have to pay for."

The customers agreed to the farmer's method and followed his instructions. The farmer's hat was soon full of shiny copper coins.

The farmer saw all the coins in his hat and was overcome by temptation. He quickly stole some of the coins and put them in his pocket.

How foolish is that farmer! remarked the Chofetz Chaim. He may have managed to swipe a few coins, but he will lose much more than he gained because when the time comes to pay for the wheat and the coins are counted, there will be less coins than sacks, and he will lose the payment for all those sacks. This foolish farmer will lose the payment of an entire sack of wheat for every coin that he took for himself!

This is also the case, said the Chofetz Chaim, when someone refuses to give tzedakah.  He may hold on to a coin or two, but he will lose the immense reward from a mitzvah that could have been his.

Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein

Terumah: The Tachash and the Erev Rav

Note: The tachash is known today as "the unicorn".

by Rabbi Chanan Morrison

The Talmud gives an account of the enigmatic Tachash, a mysterious creature whose beautiful multicolored hide was used as a covering for the Tabernacle:

“The Tachash that lived in the time of Moses was a unique species. The Sages could not determine whether it was domesticated or wild. It only appeared at that time for Moses, who used it for the Tabernacle. Then it vanished.” [Shabbat 28b] What is the significance of this unique animal? What was its special connection to Moses, that it made its appearance only during his lifetime? And why did Moses incorporate the colorful Tachash in the Tabernacle, albeit only for its outermost covering?

Mixed Blessings from Mixed Multitudes

The Tachash is said to have had one horn, this picture is
for illustrative purposes only, and not a real Tachash

In Aramaic, the Tachash is called Sasgona, for it was proud (sas) of its many vivid colors (gona). According to Rav Kook, the multihued Tachash is a metaphor, representing Moses’ desire to include as many talents and gifts as possible when building the Jewish people - even talents that, on their own, might have a negative influence upon the people. The metaphor of the Tachash specifically relates to Moses’ decision to allow the Erev Rav - “mixed multitudes” from other nations - join the Israelites as they left Egypt.

The Erev Rav were the source of much grief. They instigated the Sin of the Golden Calf and other rebellions against God in the wilderness. And their descendants throughout the generations continued to bring troubles upon Israel. Nevertheless, at the End of Days, all the troubles these difficult and diverse forces caused will be revealed as having been for the best, as the absorption of the Erev Rav served to enrich the Jewish people.

One disturbing aspect of the Erev Rav is the phenomenon of many dynamic forces abandoning the Jewish nation during its long exile among the nations. Yet this is not a true loss, since only that which was foreign to the inner spirit of Israel is cast off. These lost elements of the Erev Rav were ultimately incompatible with Knesset Yisrael, the national soul of Israel; thus they were unable to withstand the pressures and hardships of exile. It saddens us to lose that which we thought was part of Israel, but in fact, they were never truly assimilated within the nation’s soul.

This outcome benefits the world at large. As these ‘fallen leaves’ join the other nations, they bring with them much of what they absorbed from the holiness of Israel. As a result, other peoples have become more receptive to Israel’s spiritual message.

Could the Tachash be Domesticated?

The Sages were in doubt as to the ultimate fate of the multi-talented Erev Rav. Would they be truly absorbed within Israel, enriching the people and remaining forever a part of it? Or would they only serve as a positive influence on the world, outside the camp of Israel?

The Sages expressed this uncertainty by questioning whether the Tachash was a domestic creature. A wild animal cannot be trained and will not permanently join man’s home. It can only be guided indirectly. A domesticated animal, on the other hand, is completely subservient to man and is an integral part of his household. Would the Erev Rav ultimately be rejected, like wild animals which can never be truly at home with humanity? Or would they be domesticated and incorporated into the house of Israel?

Moses and the Tachash

Just as the Tachash only made its appearance in Moses’ time, so too, this absorption of foreign talents was only possible in Moses’ generation. No other generation could have taken it upon itself to accept alien forces into the nation. Once the contribution of the Erev Rav to Israel is complete, the nation’s spiritual restoration requires that they will be purged from the Jewish people. “I will purge your dross... and then you will be called the city of righteousness, faithful city” [Isaiah 1: 25-26].

We usually avoid destructive forces which may delay and hinder the ultimate good. However, a far-reaching vision can detect the underlying purpose of all human activity, as all actions ultimately fulfill the Divine Will. The great hour of Exodus resonated with the highest vision; the first redemption of Israel initiated the historical process that will culminate with the final redemption. Moses, the master prophet, “the most faithful of all My house,” saw fit to include those varied forces that ordinarily would be rejected. And yet, like the skins of the Tachash, they were only suitable for the most external covering.

“The new heavens and the new earth which I will make are standing before Me.” [Isaiah 66:22] All of the wonderful forces of the future - “the new heavens and the new earth” - are not really new. They already exist. Even now, they are “standing before Me.” By accepting the Erev Rav, Moses planted these diverse gifts within the Jewish people. Like seeds, they decay in the ground; but ultimately they will sprout and bring forth new life. The brilliant future light, with all of its spectacular colors and breadth, is not new; it was secreted away long ago. This resplendent light is hidden, like the multi-hued Tachash, until the time will come for it to be revealed once more. [Sapphire from the Land of Israel. Adapted from Ein Eyah vol. III, pp. 105-107]

Who Blew Up Nordstream?

 TRUMP

PUTIN

DAMAGE CONTROL

The Secret of Adar Alef

What do we know about this 13th month?

Rabbi Alon Anava

Rosh Chodesh Adar I

Chodesh Tov.  Mishenichnas Adar Marbin b'Simcha.  When Adar comes we increase our joy.

Normally, the Jewish calendar year has 12 lunar months and every few years (7 in each cycle of 19 years) we have a “pregnant/intercalated year” (שָׁנָה מְעֻבֶּרֶת) with 13 months. In these years, the first Adar is the intercalated month (חֹדֶשׁ הָעִבּוּר)—the month of ibbur/pregnancy —the 13th month that is added to the year, while the Second Adar is the original Adar that we have every year, which is why Purim waits patiently until we celebrate it during the Second Adar. 

Source Inner

The True Nature of the Darkness Before Moshiach

Rabbi Mendel Kessin