Three Levels of Forgiveness

Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much. [Oscar Wilde]

Text Source: Based on Likutei Sichos Vol 28 Lubavitcher Rebbe

The people criticized G-d and Moshe: "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There's no bread and no water, and we're sick of this unwholesome (manna) bread." G-d sent venomous snakes upon the people, and they bit the people. Many people of Israel died. The people came to Moshe and said "We have sinned! For we have spoken against G-d and against you! Pray to G-d that He should remove the snakes from us!" Moshe prayed on behalf of the people. [Chukas 21:5-7]

Even after the people criticized Moshe heavily, resulting in a punishment of venomous snakes, we nevertheless find that Moshe did not bear a grudge and prayed for the people to be saved. "From here we learn" writes Rashi, "that if a person asks you for forgiveness you should not be cruel and refrain from forgiving."

This principle is recorded by Rambam in his legal Code, the Mishneh Torah, in three places and there are a number of variations which need to be explained.

1) In Laws of Personal Injury, Rambam describes the method and process of forgiveness. "Once the attacker has asked forgiveness once, and then a second time, and we know that he has repented for his sin and he has abandoned the evil that he has done, then one must forgive him". However in Laws of Teshuvah these details are omitted. Instead, we are told that "When the sinner asks him for forgiveness, he should forgive him with a full heart and a willing spirit." Similarly, in Laws of Moral Conduct: "If the person returns and aks him for forgiveness, then he should forgive."

2) The person who forgives is given a different name in each of the three laws. In Laws of Moral Conduct he is called the "forgiver"; in Laws of Teshuvah a "person", and in Laws of Personal Injury he is called the "injured party".

3) One further detail is that in Laws of Teshuvah a person is told not to be "difficult to appease". Why does Rambam use this phrase, and why only in Laws of Teshuvah?

The Explanation

Forgiveness can be carried out on three levels:

1) When one person sins against another, he becomes liable to be punished for the sin that he committed. In order to be relieved of this punishment he needs to appease both G-d and the person that he sinned against. Therefore, through forgiving a person for his sin, one alleviates him from a Heavenly punishment.

2) A higher level of forgiveness is to forgive not just the act of sin but the sinner himself. i.e. even though one person may forgive another for a particular bad act (thus relieving him from being punished) there still may remain a trace of dislike for the person in general. Thus, a higher level of forgiveness is to forgive the entire person completely for his wrong, so that there remains no trace of bad feeling between them.

3) The highest level of forgiveness is an emotion that is so strong and positive that it actually uproots the sins of the past, making it as if they never occurred at all. After such a forgiveness, the sinner will be loved by the offended party to the very same degree that he was loved before the sin.

It is these three types of forgiveness which Rambam refers to in his three different laws:

1) In Laws of Personal Injury, Rambam discusses the laws of compensation for specific damages that one person causes another. Thus, when he speaks there of forgiveness for a sin, he is speaking of the forgiveness that is required to relieve the sinner from the punishment of that specific sin. Therefore, Rambam spells out the precise method of forgiveness that is required to achieve atonement ("when the attacker has asked forgiveness once, and then a second time, and we know that he has repented for his sin etc. then one must forgive him"), because only by following this precise method can we be sure that the sinner will be acquitted of this punishment.

To stress the point further, Rambam speaks in terms of an "injured party" and the "forgiving" of the injury, as we are speaking here of a specific sin and its atonement.

2) In Laws of Moral Conduct, the focus is not on the actual sin and its atonement, but rather, the character of the forgiver. And, if a person is to be of fine character, it is insufficient to forgive a person just so that he will be freed from punishment. Rather, one should forgive another person completely (i.e. the second level above). Therefore, in Laws of Moral Conduct, Rambam stresses that "When one person sins against another, he should not hide the matter and remain silent" for it would be a bad character trait to harbor resentment, keeping one's ill feelings to oneself. Therefore "it is a mitzvah for him to bring the matter into the open".

Thus, we can understand why Rambam omits here details of the process of forgiveness, for the main emphasis here is not the atonement of the sinner, but the required character traits of the victim.

To stress the point further, the person is termed here not as the "injured party" but as the "forgiver".

3) In Laws of Teshuvah, Rambam is speaking of the highest level of forgiveness which is required for a person to achieve a total "return to G-d". For this to occur, the forgiveness must be done in a manner that is so deep that one uproots the sin totally; as if it had never occurred at all. This is because total forgiveness is a crucial factor in the sinner's overall return to G-d, as Rambam writes: "Sins between man and his fellow man... are not forgiven until... the person has been asked for forgiveness..."

Thus, Rambam stresses here that "A person should be easily placated and difficult to anger, and when the sinner asks him for forgiveness, he should forgive him with a full heart and a willing spirit" (despite the fact that these details are more appropriate to Laws of Moral Conduct), because the goodwill of the victim is a crucial part of the sinner's teshuvah. Only when the victim is completely forgiving - to the extent that the sin is uprooted, as if it never existed - can we be sure that the sinner has returned to be as close to G-d as he was prior to the sin.

To stress this point further, Rambam writes "It is forbidden for a person (not an "injured party" or "forgiver") to be cruel and difficult to appease" - i.e. here we are not talking merely of the minimum forgiveness that is required to relieve the sinner from his punishment. Rather, here we are talking of the victim as a "person". And one can hope that he will not merely "forgive" his fellow who hurt him, freeing him from punishment, but that he will allow himself to be "appeased" completely, thereby helping his fellow Jew to come to a complete Teshuvah.

After Nasrallah, Israel Must Liquidate Amalek the Snake

H/t Dave

Rav Ron Chaya -  29 September Jerusalem

Translation below

After Nasrallah, Israel must liquidate AMALEK the snake: IRAN and its allies in gunsight ? 

Translation of French to English

Hassan Nasrallah was killed yesterday B"H, 83 bombs, each one ton, he and other commanders . It's written that when the wicked die there's joy . On the other hand it's written When your enemy falls don't be joyous -- that is written about Jewish enemies but when goyim enemies, real enemies, who who have spilled Jewish blood fall, it is permitted to be joyous. 

In previous classes we've already talked about Zohar parshat Balak p212b.: 

On the 25th of Ellul that will fall on a Shabbos, will die a leader of Rome . How can we say that Nasrallah who's been killed on that day is a leader of Rome? Because Nasrallah, as the great kabbalists in Israel have said, is part of Amalek.  Hamas too is Amalek. (Jews are commanded to go into war with them and annihilate them.)    Rome is Esav and the grandchild of Esav is Amalek. 

Original version of the Zohar: it will happen on a Friday that falls on Ellul 25 but the commentators say that there can't be a Friday that falls on Ellul 25 because then Yom kippur will fall on a Friday and that is forbidden. So they've correctefdthe version of the Zohar and have said it's a Shabbat. So it's interesting because they killed Nasrallah on a Friday but a little before sunset so it was already Shabbat in Israel . So the Rav says he is very happy that everything corresponds.

Re. The star that has to appear - see previous class, is a Nova, same name as that festival of Oct 7th 2023.   The Jewish people are compared to olives, when you press them the good comes out. So that festival of Hamas .. there's never been so many Jews who are doing teshuva.. it's phenomenal! 

Result: Hashem is doing miracles for us that we haven't seen almost since the Exodus from Egypt. We do teshuva and Hashem saves us and in this week's parsha that we've read this Shabbat : you'll return to Hashem and He will bring all the curses that he wanted to place on you on your enemies Baruch Hashem. 

What's next? Two options: 1. As that Zohar says from that Shabbat Ellul 25 there will be 70 days of war in the world. Can happen very easily. eg. The FM of Iran has said last week that if Israel continues to annihilate Hezbollah Iran won't have any choice than to attack Israel and this will have consequences that can be worldwide. Is logical: before the FM of Iran spoke the US gov had already said that if Iran will attack, the US will attack too. If Iran attacks it will have the support of Russia and China and if the US will react, we risk getting into a world war. 

Why does the Rav think that they will attack: R Yehoshua Eshel of Apta texts from 250 years ago: in the end of days the nations will want to do war with each other and they'll see that the only one who'll benefit from it is Israel, and if Iran will attack Israel, that's great because the US will attack Iran and that is the end and Geulah, so the nations won't attack but the Rav Yehoshua answers that from Heaven they will be dragged into this war until their end, and he says that we can accept that from his mouth as if it comes from a prophet. 

So, understand that what's happening today is miraculous. 

The US refuses that 1) we annihilate Hamas 2) we annihilate Hezbollah ie. the method of divide in order to reign better. The US doesn't want a war and Biden, who always asked for a ceasefire, now says nothing anymore because of the upcoming elections. He's very close to Trump in the statistics and who will make the difference? The Jewish votes ! So now that he knows it's in his interests to be pro Israel he's given a green light for us to kill Nasralla, he's given eight billion dollars to Israel, etc.  Bibi is happy and now we can go into war and attack our enemies till Nov 4 at least.., Hashem's hand. 

So normally Iran will attack Israel, the US will attack too, the end and Moshiach will come. When?

Two options: a) Tikunei Zohar and Vilna Gaon brings that in Sefer Even Shema chapter 11: On Rosh Hashanah it will be the end of the decree of Hashem's enemies . It can happen very fast . If for example Iran attacks tomorrow... b) same Zohar that speaks re the king that will die on Shabbat 25th of Ellul, see above: 60 days of world wide war, a king whose I'd we ignore will rise and will wage war left and right - all the nations, it will bea  big balagan and afterwards : earthquake in Jerusalem, a cave will open, fire will come out of it and Moshiach will reveal himself. Approx on 5th of Kislev. 

So, says Rav Ron Chaya, we have to do teshuva and also wake up others , explain them what will happen and tell them to do teshuva . Yehezkel 36: Hashem will return us to the Land etc.. We see all this happening today so wake up dear friend. When Moshiach will be here not everyone will be able to survive (note: the Rebbe of Chabad, Menachem Mendel Schneerson disagrees with that) , it will be too late. I hope that the bar will be very low but there will be a bar - so return, do teshuva.  

R Yanuka said but the Rav hasn't verified it, that he hopes to be in his sukkah this Sukkot with Moshiach. We hope be'ezrat Hashem. Could be that we're mistaken but everyone understands that the things are moving forward, don't be blind . Baruch Hashem amen and amen.

WAR in the Middle East: ISRAEL will erase THE EVIL embodied by the NAZISLAMISTS

Rav Ron Chaya  

Many thanks to Dave for the English translation below.

English translation as spoken in the video above by Rav Ron Chaya

So we're at war with Hezbollah which is Arabic for G-d's troops. Nasralla is Arabic for the winner in G-d's Name. May their names be erased. In 48 hours 50% of their weapons don't exist anymore, almost all the commanders have been killed, the story of the beepers: 500 blinded, 1000's injured, many dead doubled because they are giving wrong numbers. ie. We're heading towards victory . 

Why is it so urgent for me to talk to you?  Because the Israeli Chief of Staff has said that the IDF hasn't used all it's forces, and yesterday Halevi has said that they were now going to increase their attacking power.  Hezbollah have 250 thousand missiles, now half is gone but they have not yet used their precision missiles which are way more dangerous than the regular missiles that they're using now to attack Haifa, Tel Aviv, Akko etc. and US gov members have written that these missiles are Iranian missiles that were put in Lebanon to be used if Israel were to attack Iran in order to destroy their atomic centres.   These same members of the US government have said that Iran is waiting in case their two platforms, ie Gaza in the south and Hezbollah in the north , now only Hezbollah remains.. the US gov members wrote that if Iran will see that Hezbollah will start to disappear, Hezbollah won't accept that and will start using these missiles. In this case, say these members of US gov, the US will have to attack Iran. But if Iran will start attacking Israel, Israel won't have a choice but to intervene which is why the US has, in the last days, brought many troops to the region . Since Halevi has said yesterday that the IDF will increase it's intensity we are getting there for sure. In a few days or a few hours Hezbollah will have lost, Iran won't let it happen and it will attack , the US will attack, and when Iran attacks it will probably do so with the help of China, Russia, Korea, and the chances are big that we're then heading to a world war. That's the geopolitical analysis.

Gemara, Tractate avodah zarah: two nations will last till the messianic era: Rome and Persia. Rome ie. 

not Rome of Italy but the continuation of the western civilization, ie. America. And chances are big that according to the Zohar that I cited this coming Shabbat or Friday afternoon the 'king of Rome will die' , as written, could be spiritually only, like he loses his power in Heaven. 

Tosfot: impossible that Persia will last till the messianic era because there's a Gemara in Tractate Yoma page 10: Persia will fall in the hands of Rome, Tosfot replies: it will happen just before the messianic era/Moshiach. When Persia will attack Israel, as the US wrote, see above, they'll have to intervene... it's the end,  Moshiach comes! 

So understand that we are there be'ezrat Hashem! Everything aligned: the era, the texts, .. At this weekend must appear a new star in the sky, people wrote to the Rav after his last class wherein he also talked about the Star: an invisible asteroid will circle around the moon for 60 days, not so significant. However there's a Nova , a small star that will explode and will be visible from earth , next to the polar star, and this star exploded 3000 years ago in the era of the giving of the Torah so that now it can appear, and the Zohar the Rav cited last time, p212 Parsha Balak: Ellul 25, ie. this coming Shabbat a new star will start shining in the sky, for 70 days there will be wars in the entire world, and Moshiach will come. That is one of the options. 

Other options that we hope: Tikunei Zohar: on Rosh Hashanah the decree of the enemies of Go-d will end. It can go very rapidly, see part one above about the wars, in a few minutes everything can end. It seems inevitable to the rav. In his last class he has explained why according to Rav Steinman it can happen by Hanukkah but, it can also happen before Hanukkah! ... So, we don't know exactly when it will be. 

Rumor but the Rav hasn't verified it: the Yanuka, hopes to be in his Sukkah this Sukkot with Moshiach be'ezrat Hashem. So, it's very very close. It's up to us to make a very big teshuva, after Moshiach will arrive it won't be possible anymore; To tell everyone listen you don't lose anything, at least do teshuva now for the holy days because  maybe Moshiach will come now, maybe we'll be in a world war, get moving a bit !! 

Now, what will now happen in Israel. The real enemy of Israel is the erev rav, ie. Jews that have a special soul that want the end of the Jewish people and they have the mastery over all key positions in Israel: justice, media, army etc. And the Tikunei Zohar talks a lot about them, says when Moshiach comes, the erev rav will disappear at once but if Iran will attack, there will be a big earthquake, big changes in Israel . 

Other option: Moshiach comes in peace, without any spilling of blood, with peace and happiness, that's what we're hoping and praying for. 

In any case, we've always talked about the coming of Moshiach, now that's it we're there and re geopolitics I just talked about, (see part one above) it's all written: Midrash: R Yitzhak said the year when Moshiach comes, the king of Iran is in conflict with the king of Arabia, ie Saudi Arabia, are Sunites and Iran are Shiites,  they hate each other extraordinarily. The king of Arabia will consult ie ask advice from the west, by Edom.  Arabia has a close alliance with America and they have no army, they have almost nothing. Have done some pact in the past with the Americans, who have committed to protect them .. from there the strong presence of Americans in the region presently. Boats, tanks, Marines etc. 

The midrash continues: Iran returns and destroys the entire world. The Rav asks how possible? Reply: it's enough that Iran attacks the petrol fields of the Saudis and it's over: the stock market explodes, world wide economic crash and finish. .. midrash: and all the nations of the world fall on their faces, like contractions like a woman that gives birth and B'nai Yisrael too, .. panic... and Hashem says "my children don't fear, your time of redemption has arrived , everything I've done I've done for you, don't worry, everything will be alright."   So we see now an attack by Iran that seems very very close..

So, what do we have to do? We've got to get moving, each one of us, and get others to move, and tell those who are far from the Torah that if they're at least progressing they may be saved because not every Jew(ess) will be saved (note from Dave: the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson disagrees with that, he said all Jews would be saved). 

3000 years ago, when one saw a prophet he or she would pass away so/ but now who will be able to see Moshiach?! Merits are necessary!! I (Rav Chaya) think that Hashem will put the bar very low but there's a minimum you need to be at..If someone knows, his responsibility is bigger... We must tell our fellow "listen chances are that it's the end, don't do full teshuva, just one month, start to observe Judaism a little bit," maybe it will save him be'ezrat Hashem. 

Baruch Hashem amen and amen.

Praying at the Kever of a Tzaddik

Art: SRG

by Rabbi Benjy Simons

In Parshat Shelach, the incident of the spies is told over in great length, and we have the first historical record of the concept of praying by a grave site. Rashi mentions that Calev who was the representative of the Tribe of Yehuda goes to Chevron to pray by the graves of the Patriarchs, which later became included in the tribal portion of Yehuda. He was concerned that he may be enticed by his colleagues who wished to disparage the Land of Israel, and unlike Yehoshua who received a name change and specific prayers from Moshe, Calev needed to draw down his own blessings for strength and fortitude (see Sotah 34b). 

While the Halachic commentators debate what exactly is permissible when interceding with those who have passed on, the Gemara (Ta’anis 16a) records the custom to go out on fast days to (Jewish) cemeteries and have those who have passed on to pray on our behalf. The Midrash (Sefer HaYashar Vayeishev Ch. 8) also records that Yosef prayed by his mother Rachel’s tomb when being brought down to Egypt in chains and that Ya’akov himself buried Rachel on the road to Bethlehem to enable her to pray on behalf of her children who would go into exile after the destruction of the First Temple (see Rashi to Bereishis 48:7). The Arizal writes that there exists a special energy at the grave of a Tzaddik and the Chasam Sofer equates the sanctity of a Kever with that of a Shule. 

The Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (128:13) writes in the context of the custom of visiting a cemetery on Erev Rosh Hashanah, that it is important that we not direct our prayers to the deceased, but rather may it be in their merit that we receive blessings and success. He writes that were one to pray to the deceased directly, one may be in violation of the prohibition of ‘inquiring of the dead’, and perhaps connected to why we do not know were Moshe is buried today, due to the concern that it would become a shrine and potentially likened to necromancy. 

The Zohar (Vayikra 70b) writes that when the world needs mercy and we are dwelling in pain, we go and notify those sleeping in Chevron and Hashem will do their desire and have mercy on the world. May we merit that all our prayers are answered and those who have passed on intercede on our behalf.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe would often answer requests by saying that he would pray for the person at the grave of his father-in-law, the previous Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak.

The following is extracted from "Not Just Stories" by Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski MD

Published by Shaar Press

Every person has a direct line with G-d, and we are not permitted to pray to intermediaries. Indeed, the propriety of prayers where we appear to be asking for blessings from angels or for their intervention on our behalf, is the subject of debate, and must be interpreted in such a way that does not violate our basic belief that we relate only to G-d as the One from Whom everything emanates.

Yes, there is also the concept of faith in a tzaddik, which is derived from the verse in Exodus [14:31] "They had faith in G-d and in Moses, His servant". The sages derived from this verse that believing in the leader of Israel is equivalent to believing in the Creator [Mechilta]. In addition, the Talmud states that if there is a sick person in one's household, let him go to a chacham [a wise man] to pray for his recovery [Bava Basra 116a]. Inasmuch as everyone has a direct contact with G-d and we do not work through intermediaries, why is the prayer of a tzaddik more potent that one's own prayer?

There are several ways in which we can understand the concept of faith in a tzaddik. First and foremost is that the opinion of a wise man, a tzaddik, as a Torah authority, must be accepted and followed even if we are in disagreement with it [Sifri, Deut 17:11].

There is also a concept of receiving a blessing from a tzaddik and this has its basis in a statement from G-d to Abraham "And you will be a blessing" [Gen 12:2] which the Midrash interprets to mean that G-d gave Abraham the power to bless people, and that gift has been given to other tzaddikim as well. Nevertheless, a person must understand that even though the tzaddik conveys the blessing, the origin of the blessing is G-d.

A woman once came to Rabbi Mordechai of Chernobel, pleading for a blessing to have a child. To the amazement of the bystanders, the Rabbi, who was exceptionally kind and benevolent, said brusquely to her "I'm sorry, I cannot help you". The woman left the room tearful and broken hearted.

Noting the bewilderment of his chassidim, Rabbi Mordechai said "Just wait a few moments, then go find the woman and bring her back here." The chassidim did as they were told and when the woman came back, the Rabbi asked her "What did you do when you left here?"

The woman replied "I turned my eyes to Heaven and I said "Dear G-d, the Rabbi refuses to help me. Now You are my only hope. Bless me that I have a child."

Rabbi Mordechai said to the chassidim "This woman believed that I had magical powers, and she was trusting in me rather than in G-d. When I refused her request, she placed her trust in G-d where it belongs. She will now be blessed with a child."

The primary function of a tzaddik is to assist people in the proper service of G-d, to help them recognize their character defects and show them how to do teshuvah.

The power of a tzaddik is in his strong belief in G-d, and anyone who has that strong a belief can bring about similar results. When the tzaddik prays for a sick person, for example, and says that G-d is the healer of the sick, his belief is so strong that it actually brings down the Divine healing upon the person. In fact, said Rabbi Mordechai, the prime reason for having a relationship with a tzaddik is to learn how to perfect one's belief in G-d.

The Window and the Gate

Something that the RaMCHaL [Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto] writes about in his “Ma’amar Ha’Geulah” , an essay on Redemption written when he was 23-years-old, a book about the fundamental concepts of Redemption, the stages, etc. 

Here’s what he writes: 

In the beginning of time--so to speak--when the Jews left Egypt, the Divine energy of the sefirot--Divine forces that create realities - came down in a tremendous amount of Ohr--Light. The RaMCHaL calls it the “Sha’ar”--Gate. It was an opening allowing the Divine energy to come down, especially via the Beit Ha’Mikdash which was able to be the residence of the Shechinah--Divine Presence at an unbelievable level. That’s called the “Gateway.” 

When the Temple was destroyed, however, G-D closed the Gate as part of the onesh--punishment to the Jewish people. But wait! If you close the Gate--meaning you don’t allow the flow of Divine energies of the sefirot--if you stop the flow or inhibit the flow, the Creation is destroyed. There has to be a continuous, persistent flow of Divine energy, Light, that comes into Creation in order for it to exist. Shut the Gate and it is the end of all Creation. 

G-d shut the Gate but, before He closed it fully shutting off all the holy energy, He opened “Windows,” making “holes,” in a spiritual sense, so some energy comes down but not as an enormous expanse with great quantity. It’s coming down in a meager flow and that’s the energy we have as a result of our sins. That’s the concept of galut--exile, when the energy comes through Windows instead of an expansive, open Gate. This continues as the Jews sin. 

The Windows begin to lower. It’s like a house with windows that are painted black but are open. As time goes on, they slowly shut until there is almost no light entering the house. As the galut--exile proceeds and worsens as the sins of the Jews get worse, the Windows keep descending. If they shut completely, the entire beriah--Creation dissolves, vanishes. As sin continues the Windows close until the light is a sliver of a slit. That slit will sustain the entire Creation. This is what the galut is and has become. Before the Window closes completely, the Gate opens and the energy of the sefirot comes through the Gate with collossal volume and power. That’s the geulah--Redemption. The RaMCHaL uses this analogy. 

As the Windows close, that is the Darkness we see around us, the encroaching Darkness. Now we understand the concept of the “Windows” and the “Gate” and the galut being about the slow descent of the Windows creating a stark and terrible void, an absence of ruchniut--spirituality.

People don’t know their Torah. That is what “Darkness” is. 

Sources: Excerpt from Rabbi Mendel Kessin's shiur, "Weekly Hashkafa Shiur #90: Rav Chaim Kanievsky ztl-A Living Safer Torah Given: March 28, 2022, torahthinking.com

https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Redemption-Maamar-HaGeulah-Luzzatto/dp/1598265849

Q & A: The Final War, Suffering & The End Of Days

Who will fight the war in the time of Moshiach? Why do bad things happen to good people? 

Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb elaborates in another intriguing Q & A session.

The Suffering of Mashiach ben Yosef Part 2

Rabbi Mendel Kessin

Part 1 can be found here

The Light of the Moon

"... the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold...."  Isaiah 30:26

They are trying to distract everyone by arresting and jailing someone very public, who they've known about for a very long time.... but they were waiting for an opportune time, such as now, in order to distract people from what is going on above their heads.  

Have a look at these two videos of the moon last night.

And here's a few recent photos of the sun, and another object that you can see in the third photo, I guess that's the "asteroid" they talk about, but they said that was next to the moon.... not the sun.... maybe they're confused as well. 

A woman in Belvidere, Illinois took this photo of a
hummingbird, but it's not the hummingbird I'm looking at - it's the sun.

Seattle

Birmingham UK

Upside Down

When the light that enters our eye reaches the back of the lens to form a picture the objects appear upside down and backwards. Only when the image reaches the brain is the image corrected, allowing us to see right side up.

As we know, "nothing is for nothing" and everything was created with Hashem's infinite wisdom. This begs the question of why would Hashem make our visual experience so roundabout? Why would our initial viewing experience be, out of all things, upside down?

The gemara [Bava Basra 10b] tells the story of Rav Yosef the son of Rav Yehoshua who became very ill and lost consciousness. When he awoke his father asked him, "What did you see?" He told his father, "Olam Hafuch Ra'isi Elyonim L'Mata V'Tachtonim L'Mata", I saw an upside down world. The rich people who are regarded here as the upper echelons of society were considered lowly people, while the poor wise people who do good deeds and are considered the lower class here were considered the upper crust over there. His father answered him that he was mistaken. He did not see an upside down world, but rather the world as it truly is. The world we live in is the upside down world.

Every one of our 248 physical limbs mirrors a spiritual limb. Our eyes are our main interface with the world beyond us. Yet the image the world projects is upside down. Only when the image enters our brain and we use our mind to process it, do we make heads and tails of it. The same holds true for the story behind the picture. What we see at first glance without using our Sechel [intelligence] - is always upside down. Just like the brain processes images and straightens them out, so too our brain must use its unbiased intelligence to make sense of the things we see.

Just like flipping an image, understanding the story is meant to be simple and a routine operation as the Pasuk [Koheles 7:29] says, "Asa HaElokim Es Ha'Adam Yashar", Hashem made a person straight. Unfortunately we all have forces within us that interfere with this process, be they poor Middos [traits] or selfish motives. We let these things take over our brain, as the pasuk concludes "V'Heima Bikshu Cheshbonos Rabbim". But the choice is our to see the world with clarity if only we choose to do so.

Source: Revach [a website that no longer exists]

Super Moon Time

I remember a few years ago, I was driving one evening and nearly crashed the car when I saw the moon coming up,  it was so huge I couldn't take my eyes off it. I had to park the car and just stare at it.

It's going to be like that tonight, and tomorrow night : a Super Harvest Blood Moon - and a partial Lunar Eclipse !  

It's going to be huge, closest to the Earth and it will appear 13% larger and brighter, which means it will be extremely bright. Apparently it will also be reddish in colour.

Here are some instructions on how to see this Super Moon

Super Moon Why and When

Before Geula: A Great Roaring of Water

In the past days there has been catastrophic flooding in eastern and central Europe   Africa   Asia 

The streets are like rivers, houses collapsed, many have died, many are homeless.  More and more we are seeing these floods, with instant rivers formed, running through the cities, destroying everything in their path.  

[This was originally published at Yiddishkeit.org by R. Yaakov Nathan]

The prophectic words of the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, from the newsletter HaKria V’HaKedusha [Tammuz, 5704/1944]

Translation from Shmais.com

Psalm 93

The Lord is King; He has garbed Himself with grandeur;

the Lord has robed Himself, He has girded Himself with strength;

He has also established the world firmly that it shall not falter.
Your throne stands firm from of old; You have existed forever.
The rivers have raised, O Lord, the rivers have raised their voice; the rivers raise their raging waves.
More than the sound of many waters, than the mighty breakers of the sea, is the Lord mighty on High.
Your testimonies are most trustworthy; Your House will be resplendent in holiness, O Lord, forever.

This chapter of Tehillim was composed by the G-dly poet regarding Yemos Ha’Moshiach (the Messianic days). He hints briefly at the events which will take place before the geula (redemption). The central theme of the chapter is that the Jews living at that time will understand by means of these events, that the galus (exile) is over and geula (redemption) has begun.

Hashem will be king by wearing greatness! We generally think the world is run by nature and we forget entirely that there is a G-d who rules over nature. It’s only when an unnatural occurrence takes place such as a flood, earthquake, and other terrible upheavals–that we remember that there’s a ruler of the world who rules over nature; Then all will say that G-d is king! He put nature aside and showed his absolute sovereignty over nature.

The poet goes on to speak about the time when Hashem will be revealed in clothes of gevura (judgement) and the world will recognize and acknowledge that He is king. He explains that this will happen during Yemos Ha’Moshiach before the geula because "Hashem wore the gevura" which he girded Himself with in the past. Gevura refers to Torah, and Hashem girded Himself with its strength at the time of the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people at Sinai. At that time there were such strong thunder and lightning that the nations of the world thought the world was coming to an end. Bilaam explained to them that Hashem is giving might to His people–that Hashem was giving his strong Torah to His people, and it has the power to build worlds or destroy them.

Regarding this the poet says that in Yemos Ha’Moshiach, when Hashem will be king by wearing gevura, he won’t do this by wearing a new garment of gevura which is designated for a new purpose. It will be the old garment of Mattan Torah (the giving of the Torah), of Hashem's giving might to His people. Hashem will rise to fortify the Torah in the world, and just as when it was given the first time it ws accompanied with proof that He is the ruler over nature, so too the second time. The process of kabbolas ha’Torah (receiving the Torah) will include displays of gevura whose purpose is that the entire world accepts the Torah. But, continues the poet, He has also established the world firmly that it shall not falter.: many will err and think that Hashem is destroying the world. That’s why the poet writes that the world will remain fortified and it will not falter. It will only be the Jewish people and the Torah which will be elevated once again: Hashem is giving might to His people!

Your throne stands firm from of old; You have existed forever: already before the creation of the world when Hashem was alone You have existed forever – You prepared Your throne of Your kingdom. The purpose of the creation is in order to strengthen Torah and the Jewish people; the Torah –  as the Sages say: "for the sake of Torah which is called 'first,' the world was created". Already back then it was established that Hashem would come enclothed in gevura in order to fortify a place for Torah. This time it won’t be in order to destroy the world, but in order to fortify the Torah, and to bring about the realization of the promise "and Hashem will be king over all the world" through this – that the world will gain knowledge of Torah (and accept it) through the Jewish people.

The rivers have raised, O Lord, the rivers have raised their voice; the rivers raise their raging waves: the literal meaning of the verse is that the rivers will lift up Hashem; the rivers will raise their voice, the rivers will make a lot of noise! This means that the roaring and raging of the rivers will elevate Hashem. The only meaning in this is that Hashem will be uplifted by His making the oceans roar before the geula. Through this noise everybody will understand that Hashem is elevated.

The practical conclusion is that the roaring rivers will bring great changes to the world; for example: they will drown an entire nation or at least a great portion, and this natural disaster will cause a revolution in man’s perspective. They will see this as a G-dly punishment. It’s also possible that this natural disaster will change the world political map by a chain of events which will begin with that nation that drowns.

In summary: before the geula there will be a great roaring of water which will shake the world with its intensity, to the point that the world will return to elevate Hashem. That’s how we can understand the verse–that the waters will elevate Hashem by means of their noise and rage.

More than the sound of many waters, than the mighty breakers of the sea, is the Lord mighty on High: the sound of the many waters will cause the powerful ones to break, and then Hashem will be the powerful One. This means that as a result of the crashing waters, the mighty ones of the earth will be wiped out. World empires will collapse in the face of the water’s strength and then people will acknowledge and agree that Hashem is the only mighty One in heaven.

Your testimonies are most trustworthy; Your House will be resplendent in holiness, O Lord, forever: The ones who relate your testimony are very loyal; holiness suits Your house; G-d–will be forever! The G-dly poet concludes the chapter with a description of the world after all of humanity will acknowledge Hashem’s kingdom. The world will say that the prophecies about Hashem and the geula of the Jewish people were absolutely true. This means that at the time of the complete geula it will be obvious–Jews will return to Eretz Yisrael and the Beis Hamikdash (Holy Temple) will be rebuilt, and all the nations of the world will be drawn there in order to learn G-d’s ways from up close.

The nations will also say–Your House will be resplendent in holiness–holiness suits the Beis Hamikdash; i.e. holiness will return and rest in the Beis Hamikdash as in the past, and the nations will acknowledge this. You have to say that this is the intention of the poet because these promises were not fulfilled yet. Nobody can say "Your testimonies are most trustworthy", that all the prophecies have come true. And nobody can say "Your House will be resplendent in holiness" without it being actually so.

The nations will ask Hashem to continue to have His Presence rest in the Beis Hamikdash forever. This indicates the perfection of the geula of the Jewish people–that the nations won’t bother them at all, to the point that the nations themselves will ask Hashem to continue to have His Presence rest in the Beis Hamikdash.

The poet, as is his way, is brief but that leaves us with little in quantity but a lot in quality. This psalm contains everything about geula, including the eve of geula and the "end of days." The central motif of the chapter are the roaring waters which will demonstrate Hashem’s might and transform humanity entirely in a spiritual way. These roaring waters will be the sign of the beginning of the complete geula. Following it, the glory of Hashem, the Torah and the Jewish people will be elevated in the world until true peace will reign and all the prophecies will be realized in their entirety.

We can only wait for those great stormy waters which will force the nations to admit that Hashem is king–all will have to concede that this is not a natural disaster but an act of G-d.

Note: In the "HaKri’a V’hakedusha" of Tammuz 5704 (1944) which was edited under the Previous Rebbe’s supervision, this article appears under the name G. Zarchi about chapter 93 in Tehillim, based on Midrash and words of the Sages.

Yearning for Geula All Day

Rabbi Daniel Glatstein, who is visiting Australia. 

This one is from Melbourne, and the introduction may be difficult to understand as Lior speaks with an accent that is half South-African and half Australian. 

Anyway, here's Rabbi Glatstein - Torah Down Under - yearning for Geula all day.

A Guard Rail for Your Ego

Photo Geof Kern

When you build a new house, you shall make a guard rail for your roof... [Ki Teitze 22:8]

 A roof, being the highest part of any structure, alludes to the ego, which gives a person an elevated impression of himself.

Thus, in order to prevent a person from ''falling off his roof'' by allowing his feelings of swollen self-esteem to degenerate into selfishness, we are warned to ''make a guard-rail for your roof'' - to carefully control and temper the ego with ''guard-rails''.

Based on Likutei Sichos vol 24 p 140 Lubavitcher Rebbe

Words That Hurt

Onaas Devarim – Words that Hurt

by Rabbi Chaim Morgenstern

It is unimaginable for any G-d fearing Jew to earn a living by cheating (onaas mamom). However in our daily lives, we may be transgressing a more severe prohibition than cheating – onaas devarim. Chazal say that onaas devarim is more severe than onaas mammon because a) a person feels more distressed when his feelings are hurt and b) money earned dishonestly can be returned whereas hurt feelings cannot be undone [Bava Metzia 58b].

When we speak about prohibited speech, the first thing that comes to our minds is lashon hara. Although many of us are aware of the severity of speaking lashon hara, there seems to be a lack of awareness of both the scope and severity of the prohibition of onaas devarim.

General Principles

The Torah commands us "Lo sonu ish es amiso," – do not aggrieve one another [Vayikra 25:17]. Rashi explains this to be a prohibition against causing pain or anguish to another with words, hence the term "onaas devarim." Nevertheless, this issur is not limited to words, hurting another’s feelings in writing or with a gesture is also included in this prohibition [Chafetz Chaim,Chovas Hashemira ; Shulchan Aruch Hagra"z, Hilchos Ona’a] There is a famous homiletic saying on the passuk, "Ki ve’apam hargu ish," [literally, "in their anger they killed a person", Bereishis 49:6] with a mere "twist of the nose (af)," one can kill a person.

One does not have to give another person "a devastating blow" to transgress the prohibition of onaas devarim. The Chazon Ish writes that onaas devarim applies even if the other’s feelings were only momentarily hurt [Letters, Vol. 1 #211]. For example, if a person was distracted immediately after being hurt and does not feel the discomfort or emotional pain anymore. This applies especially with children, who may be easily distracted and then forget their previous distress.

The prohibition applies even when no one else is present, and applies even in the privacy of your home between husband and wife or parents and children [Shaarei TeShuva 3:214, Chafetz Chaim, P’Sicha, Prohibition # 13].

Embarrassing another or hurting another’s feelings in the presence of two other people is a more severe aveira, as it also includes the prohibition of malbin pnei chaveiro be’rabim, shaming another person in public.

Continue at Daf Yomi Review

“One who is careful not to hurt other people, all the blessings mentioned in the Torah will befall him and he will enjoy a pleasurable life in This World and the Next.” [see Letter from Rav Shteinman ]

One Small Step

Art - The Garden of Melancholia: Mike Worrall

from the writings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, translated by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan

There was once a tzaddik who became very depressed and melancholy. This depression caused the tzaddik great difficulty, and it became worse and worse. He fell into lassitude and heaviness, where it was literally impossible for him to move.

He wanted to make himself happy and uplift himself, but it was impossible for him to do anything. Whenever he found something that would make him happy, the Evil One would find sadness in it. Therefore it was impossible for him to do anything to make himself happy, since in everything he found sadness.

He pondered G-d's kindness that "He did not make me a heathen" and realized that this could be a source of great joy, without any sadness.

{The main thing is to make a small beginning. G-d said "Open for Me like the eye of a needle, and I will open for you like the gates of the Temple" [Shir HaShirim Rabbah 5:3]. Thus, no matter how low a person is, if he makes even a single motion to serve G-d, it is something very great on high, and it can bring him back completely. [Likutey Halakhoth, Tefillin 5:43]  The main thing is to make the first move. If one begins even a little bit, one can go very high}

When a person tries to find joy in something that he himself did, it is possible to find sadness in every joy. No matter what he does, he can find shortcomings, and he will not be able to uplift himself and be happy. But in the fact that "He did not make me a heathen" there is no sadness. This is from G-d, G-d made him the way He did, and had pity on him, not making him a heathen. Since this was G-d's deed, there are no shortcomings in it, and hence there is no defect in this rejoicing. No matter what, there is an unimaginable difference between him and an idolator.

The tzaddik began to make himself happy with this. He rejoiced and uplifted himself little by little, continuing more and more, until he came to such a level of joy that he was on the same level of joy that Moses experienced when he went on high to receive the Torah. Through this uplifting and joy, he was able to fly many miles into the supernal universes.

He saw himself, and he was very far from the place where he had been originally. This bothered him very much. He felt that when he descended, he would be very far away from his original place. When it was discovered that he had disappeared, people would consider it a great wonder. The tzaddik did not want such publicity since he always wanted to "walk modestly with G-d". [Micah 6:8]

The joy came to an end, since joy has a limit. Therefore, joy begins automatically and ends automatically. When joy begins to end, it ends little by little. The tzaddik therefore descended little by little, coming down from the place to which he had flown during his time of joy. He eventually returned to the place from which he had ascended. He was very surprised, since he was in exactly the same place where he had been at first.

He realized that he had returned to the exact same place where he had been at first. Looking at himself, he realized that he had not moved at all, or if he had moved, it had been at most by a hairsbreadth. The hair on the head is the gate to the intellect. In Hebrew, the word sa'ar (hair) and sha'ar (gate) are the same. Therefore, if a person improves himself by a hairsbreadth, it can bring him back completely. Similarly, if a person strays from G-d by a hairsbreadth, it can do much damage [Likutey Halakhoth, Choshen Mishpat, Nezikin 4:3]

He had moved so little, that no one other than G-d could measure it. The tzaddik was very surprised at this. Here he had flown so far, through so many universes, and at the same time, he had not moved at all. This showed him how precious in G-d's eyes is even the slightest motion.

When a person moves himself even a hairsbreadth in this world, it can be considered more than thousands of miles, and even thousands of universes. This can be understood when we realize that the physical world is no more than the central point in the midst of the spheres. This is known to masters of astronomy. Compared to the supernal universes, the entire physical universe is no more than a dot.

When lines extend from a single point...

When lines extend from a central point, the closer they are to the point, the closer they are to one another. The further they extend from the point, the further such lines get from each other. Therefore, when the lines are very far from the point, they are also very far from each other. This is true, even though near the central point, they are extremely close to each other.

If one imagined lines drawn from the earth to the upper spheres (the orbits of the planets around the earth: a relativistic geocentric view of the universe) one would see that even if one moved a hairsbreadth, the movement would be reflected as a motion of thousands of miles in the upper spheres. It would be in the same ratio as the spheres are higher than the earth. The spheres must be very huge, since there are stars without number, and each star is at least as large as our planet.

This is all the more certainly true when one considers the supernal universe, compared to which, even the highest astronomical spheres are like nothing. Therefore, the distance between these extending lines in the supernal world is without measure. A movement of less than a hairsbreadth, so small that only G-d can estimate it, can consist of a passage through thousands of universes and thousands of miles in the supernal worlds. How much more so is this true when one travels a mile or more to serve G-d.

G-d's Miracles for Trump

Rabbi Mendel Kessin

The Unconscious Mitzvah

Art Gerhard Nesvadba

''....when you forget a bundle in the field...'' [Ki Teitzei 24:19]

Why should a person be blessed for performing a mitzvah if he unwittingly - and even unwillingly - drops money on the floor, which is later found by a poor person? [see Rashi v.19]

Chassidic thought explains that every Jew, regardless of his status and station, is essentially willing to do all that he is commanded to do by our Torah.  The fact that he might sometimes be influenced to do otherwise is because  his conscious state can be affected by external pressures that induce states of mind and even behaviour which is contrary to his essential nature [Rambam, Laws of Divorce 2:20]

Therefore, if he performs a mitzvah which was not consciously intended, it is nevertheless an act that is consistent with his inner, subconscious desire.  In fact, what has actually occurred here is that his subconscious mind has been able to influence his actions directly, without passing through the conscious state.

So, if a person drops money which is later found by a poor person, he has done an action which is commensurate with his true, inner desire to serve G-d, and therefore he is blessed because of it.

Based on Sefer Hama'amarim Mehukat vol 5 p 50 Lubavitcher Rebbe

3 Elul - Yarzheit Rav Kook

"Before the world of truth can come, the world of lies must disappear" - Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook

It was the first of Elul, 5695 [1935], when Rabbi David Cohen [known as ‘the Rav HaNazir’] arrived at the guest house where Rav Kook was staying in Kiryat Moshe.

Exactly twenty years had passed since their first transformative encounter in Switzerland. This time he held in his hands a special document to show his dying master.

For twelve years, the Rav HaNazir had labored to organize Rav Kook’s writings into a systematic, comprehensive work. As his revered master lay on his death bed, he showed him the beginning fruits of his labor - the title page of the first volume of Orot HaKodesh. Rav Kook rejoiced; and he shed tears.

On the day of his death, Rav Kook motioned to his son, Rav Tzvi Yehudah, to come close. “Please pay off any outstanding debts. I do not want to owe anyone, not even the smallest amount.” He then made a second request: “Please prepare my writings for publication. But take care that the only title given to me is ‘rabbi.'”

With great effort, Rav Kook turned his face towards the scholars in the room. When it became clear that his soul would soon depart, the people cried out, “Shema Yisrael!” Rav Kook whispered after them, “Shema Yisrael,” breathing his final breath with the word echad - one. “The Eternal is one.”

The Rav HaNazir wrote:

“When the Rav passed away, We heard a heavenly voice. The voice called out, “Haim, ad olam!” ‘Life, forever!’ Even after completing life in this world, the soul continues, and it grows even stronger, with blessing, in eternal life.”

[Stories from the Land of Israel. Adapted from Malachim Kivnei Adam, p. 420; preface to Orot HaKodesh, pp. 24, 30.]

Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook was born on the 16th Elul 5625 (September 1864). On the day of his bris, he received a kippah as a gift. From that day on, his parents always kept a kippah on his head. Even while he was sleeping, Avraham Yitzchak's parents did not take the kippah off his head so that he should not be bareheaded - not even for a minute. The little boy would not fall asleep without his kippah. When he turned over and it fell off, he immediately woke up.

Avraham Yitzchak was four years old when he was brought to the cheder (school) in his home town of Geriva, to learn to read. The teacher offered him a siddur and turned to the page with the alef-bet. The child stubbornly refused to learn.

"Why won't you study?" asked the teacher.

"I want to learn from the big books" replied Avraham Yitzchak shyly.

"Which big books?" asked the teacher.

Avraham Yitzchak did not know how to answer. Instead he ran home and brought back a Shulchan Aruch, the Code of Jewish Law, and another large heavy book. The teacher smiled and said to the child: "If you want to be able to learn from the big books, you must first study from the small books." Avraham Yitzchak understood and began to read the alef-bet from the siddur.

In the same cheder, there was a class of older children who were studying Torah. Every Friday, these children were tested on the material they learned all week. One Friday, an interesting thing happened. One of the older children did not know the answer. There was silence. Sudddenly, the voice of a small boy from the youngest reading table was heard. It was the answer, spoken clearly and correctly. Avraham Yitzchak had been listening to the lessons of the older children and had understood them.

Little Avraham Yitzchak invented an unusual game to play with his friends in cheder. He arranged the children in rows. Each child had a knapsack on his back, as if they were getting ready for a long journey. Avraham Yitzchak was their guide. The small soldiers asked: "Where are we going?"

"To Israel, to Eretz Yisrael..."

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

After many years of diligent study, Rav Kook was appointed as the rabbi of Zoimel, one of the small villages in Lithuania. After serving as rabbi of the town of Zoimel, Rav Kook was appointed the rabbi of a large city, Boisk. In Boisk, the Rav could sit and learn Torah for many hours each day. There was a time when he would learn 50 or 60 pages of Talmud in one day.

Many years passed before the Rav went to live in Eretz Yisrael. When the possibility of becoming the Rav of Jaffa arose, he refused all other appealing offers which came from European Yeshivot which asked him to be their Rosh Yeshivah or from great cities abroad, whose congregants wanted him to be their rabbi.

In addition, the congregation of Boisk refused to allow their rabbi to leave, until the Jews of Jaffa wrote to them explaining that the mitzvah of yishuv Eretz Yisrael, settling the land of Israel, takes precedence over everything else.

On Friday 28th Iyar 5664 (10 May 1904) Rav Kook went to live in Eretz Yisrael. He was received at the port of Jaffa with great honours and began his term as Rabbi of Jaffa. At that time, Israel was under Turkish rule and Jewish settlements were first being established. Jaffa was one of the main centers of Jewish settlement.

Hundreds of people from Jerusalem, Rishon LeZion, Rehovot and Petach Tikvah came to welcome the Rav and to form their own impressions of this unique figure, and his wife the Rabbanit Raiza Rivka.

The first World War broke out. The Rav had gone to Europe on shlichut, as an emissary for Eretz Yisrael, and could not return to his home in Jaffa because of the war. He stayed in London and served as a rabbi of the city. But he was constantly worried about the fate of his community in Jaffa and the hardships facing Jews in Israel which was then in a state of siege and famine.

After the war ended, the Rav returned to Eretz Yisrael. The Jews of Jaffa wanted him to continue as their rabbi. At the same time, the community of Jerusalem asked him to become their rabbi. The Rav debated this dilemma for quite some time. He knew that a small part of the Jewish community of Jerusalem did not want him as Rabbi. He did not want to be the cause of fights and arguments in the Holy City. On the 3rd Elul 5679 (29 August 1919), the Rav came to Jerusalem and only after a while did he bend to the will of the community, and become the rabbi of Jerusalem.

Here he established the centre of the world-renowned Yeshiva Merkaz HaRav, the "Centre of the Rav". Later, along with Rav Yaakov Meir Charlop, he instituted the Chief Rabbinate of Eretz Yisrael, with both rabbis acting as Chief Rabbi. All his time and effort was dedicated to the Rabbinate, the affairs of the community, and to the learning of Torah.

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

The author, Tikvah Sarig, tells the following story about Rav Kook:

On the first Yom Kippur eve, after my father passed away, I was not yet five years old. Every morning since his death, my mother would wake me before dawn and wipe the sleep from my eyes with the same words: "Get up, my daughter, my neshama, my soul, to pray for the memory of your righteous father, the tzaddik".

What a tzaddik was, I did not know, but I imagined he looked like this: a kippah on his head, his beard long, his eyes warm and good, the palms of his hands soft, and his voice, melodic. Just like my father who was taken from me.

It was erev Yom Kippur. After the pre-fast meal, my mother took me to the house of Rav Kook. The sun was about to set. We marched quickly to the Rav's house. The streets were filled with worshippers, clad in white, hurrying to the synagogue to hear Kol Nidre, the opening Yom Kippur prayer.

Opening the door, we were welcomed by the fragrance and warmth of burning candles. Rebbetzin Kook and her daughter opened their arms to us and began to cry. My mother patted my head.

"Soon you will go into the Rav's study to receive his blessing" said the Rebbetzin.

With her words, my fear grew. I sighed loudly. Just then, the great door opened and from within, a righteous man, a tzaddik, came out. He was all dressed in white, his gartel was embroidered with gold. On his head he wore a white kippah; his beard was long. His eyes, warm and good, were looking at me with pity and kindness.

"Aba! Daddy!" I cried and clung closely to my mother, hiding my face in her dress, my limbs trembling. I heard my mother's voice through my tears: "Go my child. Receive a blessing from the honoured Rav!"

She led me a few steps towards him. The Rav took my small hands into his warm, soft ones.

"Do not cry, my child" he said, placing his hands on my head. "Do not be afraid of me. I was a friend of your father. Come here and I will bless you on this holy day."

The Rav's hands were soft and warm - just like my father's. His voice was melodic - just like my father's. I felt as if a river of kindness and warmth washed all over me - from my head to my toes - just like when I used to sit on my father's lap.

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

Rav Kook was so righteous that he always forgave his enemies and even loved and blessed them.

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

In his last days, the Rav became very sick. He suffered in terrible pain. It was difficult for him to learn, and it was difficult for him to hide his anguish from his students and relatives.

On the morning of the 3rd Elul, his condition became worse. Even though speaking was very hard for him, he strained himself and demanded of his family and students not to add any titles to his name on the cover pages of his books, not to eulogize him, telling them (do not call me) "Rabbeinu, our Rabbi, and not the "Chief Rabbi of Eretz Yisrael" - "Simply HaRav - the Rav".

A large crowd stood outside the house, where the Rav lay on his deathbed. He raised his eyes to the window in his room. Everyone in Eretz Yisrael knew that a great leader, a teacher, a man of wisdom, was about to leave the land he loved so much.

The Rav grew weaker by the hour. His family, relatives, and a number of his students gathered around his bedside. In his last hours, the Rav's face was turned towards the wall. His students knew that it was written in the Talmud: "If a man passes away with his face towards the wall - it is a bad sign, and if his face is turned toward the people, it is a good sign". With his remaining strength, the Rav struggled and turned himself to face the people. At the last moment, all those who were standing around the Rav broke out saying "Shema Yisrael".

At sunset, on the third day of Elul 5695 (Sept 1st, 1935) the Rav passed away. The news flashed through the Jewish nation with the speed of lightning. The backbone of the Jewish nation was broken. The Rav of the generation was gone, the Rav of the era, the Rav of Eretz Yisrael at the time of her rebirth.

Exactly 16 years (3rd Elul) after Rav Kook ascended to Jerusalem, he ascended to Heaven.

Source: Reprinted from "Stories from the Life of Rav Kook" edited and translated by Masha Fridman

More on Rav Kook at Rav Kook Torah

"A Level of Infinite Divine Bliss"

Uncovering the mystery of Moshiach

Rabbi Y. Y. Jacobson explains in a 13 min interview

"according to all the signs.... this is the time...."

Whoever had an opportunity to commit an aveira [sin] and avoided it, and is saved from the aveira - a miracle will happen to him. [Talmud Kiddushin 40b] 

Happy is the person who hears an offensive remark about himself and remains silent. He saves himself from a hundred troubles! [Sanhedrin 7a] 

When a negative thought enters your mind, think three positive ones. Train your mind to flip the script.

Ten Shirot

Chazal tell us that ten great Shirot were sung to Hashem. Nine have already happened and the tenth is the big one we wait for every day.

1) Shirat Adam - The song Adam sang after Creation was completed: Mizmor shir l'yom hashabbat. To this day, it is part of our Friday night davening.

2) Shirat HaYam - The song at Yam Suf [Beshalach]

3) Shirat Ha'Be'er - Song of the Well in the desert [Bamidbar 21:17] when the Emorim were killed after plotting an ambush and the mountains crushed them. Their blood came up through the Be'er revealing the Nes to Bnei Yisroel.

4) Shirat Haazinu

5) Shirat Ha'Givon in Sefer Yehoshua when the sun remained up through the night to help Yehoshua in his battle.

6) Shirat Devorah in Sefer Shoftim - When Bnei Yisroel defeated the mighty Sisra's and Yael killed Sisra.

7) Shirat Chana in Sefer Shmuel

8) Shirat David - Tehilim 18 when David was saved from Shaul.

9) Shir Ha'Shirim of Shlomo Ha'Melech.

10) Shir HaGeulah - the song that will be sung in the times of Moshiach, as it says in the Book of Yeshayahu: "On that day there will be sung this song in the land of Yehuda.... [26:1]"

There are different versions of this list and other Medrashim say

1. Shirat Mitzrayim

2. Shirat Yehoshafat

Source: Revach

The Suffering of Mashiach ben Yosef

Rabbi Mendel Kessin