New shiur from Rabbi Mendel Kessin
Wednesday, June 16, 2021
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Sunday, June 13, 2021
Prayers to the Tzaddik: Gimel Tamuz 5781
Article written by Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski obm
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.
Published by Shaar Press
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.
Thursday, June 10, 2021
A Lesson in Fund-raising
Rabbi Zusya of Hanipoli once came to a city to raise funds for charity. Two local young men were very eager to share in this great mitzvah by doing the legwork of going from door to door. There was a wealthy man in town who always gave a very generous donation to every good cause. They decided to approach him last, because his large donation was guaranteed.
After a long hard day of knocking on doors, the two volunteers succeeded in raising nearly 50 rubles, a very respectable sum. Bone tired but very optimistic, they approached their final, affluent prospect, expecting him to match the entire amount they had amassed. How chagrined and shocked they were when he gave them only the few rubles necessary to round out the full 50 rubles. All of their pleas for a more generous contribution fell on deaf ears. They could not believe it! Why had this philanthropist's heart suddenly turned to stone?
The two collectors returned to Reb Zusya and complained bitterly about their acute disappointment. The Rebbe silenced them saying "My dear sons, there is no reason to be upset. At the very moment a supplicant arrives in a city, a Heavenly decree pronounces how much money he will raise. Once the decree is issued, it cannot be changed. The poor man will not take from this city a penny more or a penny less."
Reb Zusya continued: "The moment I set foot in this city I heard a celestial voice crying out that I would raise exactly 50 rubles for charity. Had you approached the rich man first, he would certainly have given you a lavish donation. However, since you saved him for last, he could not give you more than the few pennies you were shy of 50 rubles."
From this story, the Stretiner Rebbe derived an essential lesson in fund-raising. Often people discourage a fund-raiser, saying that a certain person or group of people have been solicited time and again and they are probably sick and tired of giving, or have exhausted their charity account. This is absolutely false. For every new cause a new Heavenly decree determines how much will be raised. It makes no difference how many times these people were approached. As long as there are people willing to collect, the preordained sum will be raised.
In this vein the Ponevezher Rav would say "Ess felt nit kein tzedakah gelt in der velt, ess felt nemers!" - "There is no shortage of charity funds in the world; there is only a shortage of collectors!"
Nor should someone be upset when a donor gives a disappointing gift. It is very possible that it was decreed that no more money could be donated to this cause.
Source: Maamarei Tzedakah by Rabbi Aaron Roth
Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Monday, June 7, 2021
When Will Eliyahu Ha Navi Show Up ?
No-one gives a shiur like Rabbi Jacobson.
When will Eliyahu Ha Navi show up indeed.... and what will he do?
For Source sheets click here
Sunday, June 6, 2021
Korach's Mistake
According to Chasidic thought, Korach's rebellion occurred at this point in time since it was prompted by the sin of the spies. The inner reason why the spies did not want to enter the Land of Israel was because they preferred the exclusively spiritual life of the desert to a life of serving G-d and physical concerns, such as the need to earn a living. The downfall of the spies thus sent a powerful message that Judaism prioritizes physical action over spiritual and intellectual pursuits.
Upon hearing this, Korach protested to Moshe "Why have you made yourselves elite over G-d's assembly?" [Korach 16:3] "I can appreciate" argued Korach, "that you are a more spiritual and holy person than us, but since we now see that Judaism makes physical action the priority, how are you better than anybody else? Aren't your actions the same as ours?"
Korach's mistake was that the Torah does not demand lifeless action, but rather deeds that shine with inspiration and spiritual enlightenment. Thus, the two mistakes of the spies and Korach teach us that a healthy equilibrium is required: One must not shy away from physical life, like the spies. But on the other hand, Judaism's emphasis on action must never lead to a life of meaningless ritual and spiritual bankruptcy. Every mitzvah should be carried out with the highest levels of spiritual consciousness.
Our struggle to harmonize physical action with spiritual contemplation is fought on three fronts:
a) the need to ensure that one's intentions do not remain in the realm of wishful thinking and that concrete action takes place;
b) that one's actions should always be dictated by the Torah's value system;
c) that action should never be overglorified, and that one should always aspire to be more spiritual.
Our Sages taught that the world was made with the letter ה. This is because its shape represents the equilibrium between the more spiritual dimensions of thought and speech, versus physical deed. Korach's name - קרח - is spelled by letters that are all distortions of the left side of the letter Hei, indicating how he wished to upset this equilibrium in the area of deeds.
In the ches ח the gap between deed and thought/speech is closed, suggesting that the physical no longer looks up to or aspires to the spiritual - which is why Korach rebelled against the spiritual leadership of Moshe and Aharon.
In the kuf ק deed has extended below and is no longer dictated by the thought and speech of Torah.
And in the raish ר, deed is missing altogether.
In short, it is relatively easy to be entirely spiritual and aloof, or entirely physical and mundane. Our challenge is to harmonize both these qualities in our daily life, thus making a home for G-d below.
Based on Likutei Sichos, Lubavitcher Rebbe
Friday, June 4, 2021
Praying by the Graves of the Righteous
by Rabbi Benjy Simons
As an individual is taking leave of the cemetery after visiting his dearly departed mother, his attention is diverted to another man in the distance. The man seems to be praying with profound intensity and keeps repeating, “Why did you have to die? Why did you have to die?”
The first man approaches him and says, “Sir, I do not wish to interfere with your private grief, but this demonstration of pain is more than I’ve ever seen before. Who are you mourning? A child? A parent?”
The mourner takes a moment to collect himself, then replies, “My wife’s first husband.”
In this week’s Parsha 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.
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Thursday, June 3, 2021
23 Sivan: A Special Day for Salvation
Special prayer for the 23rd of Sivan [Thursday 3 June]
On the 23rd of the month of Sivan (כג׳ סיון) the decree of Haman (At the time of Mordechai and Esther) to annihilate the Jewish nation was nullified.
The holy books teach us that this day is a very powerful day for prayers to nullify decrees and anything bad, evil and horrible against us. In the same way that from that day the situation of the Jewish nation changed and became good, and “Mordecai left the king’s presence with royal raiment” (Esther 8/15) … “and the city of Shushan shouted and rejoiced” … and as a result the Megila says… “The Jews had light and joy, and gladness and honor” – The holy books teach us that this day (Sivan 23) is a powerful day to revoke and nullify any decree against you (Sickness, death, poverty, infertile, etc.)
Therefore on this powerful day there are a few things you want to do:
Light two (2) candles for Esther and Mordechai
- Give three (3) coins to charity. The coins should be held with both hands at the same time when placing in the charity box
- Read chapters 22, 83, 130, 142 of Tehilim – Find text at link below
- Read chapter 8 from the Megila of Esther – Find text at link below
- Read Avinu Malkeinu (Without a blessing, just the text)- Find text at link below
- Pray from your heart with your words anything you want and need – Ask from Hashem
- Recite the short prayer – Find text at link below
- Take upon yourself a good decision to add a Mitzvah to your daily schedule
IMPORTANT NOTE: Make sure all the above is done and read on the 23rd of Sivan during the day from dawn till sundown!
**All text available at Rabbi Anava's site: click here
Wednesday, June 2, 2021
Current Events [Moshiach] and the Existence of God
New shiur from Rabbi Mendel Kessin
He also responds to the controversial comment at the end of his last shiur regarding Gerim. [you can hear this within the first 10 minutes of the lecture] - and for those who tried to comment on that on this blog, I did not publish those comments as I thought it was just extending the lashonhara even further.
Thursday, May 27, 2021
Eclipsing the Wonders of Yetziat Mitzrayim
[text received via WhatsApp - author unknown]
The most significant thing is that the blood moon Joel 3:3 should be very familiar to everyone because it appears in our Haggadah in the signs and wonders that will eclipse [pun intended] the signs and wonders of Yetziat Mitzrayim to herald in the Final Redemption.... May it be so !
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| Timelapse over Sydney Opera House: Hirsty Photography |
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
New Video from Rabbi Alon Anava: Message of Meron
"Stop Stepping on Others"
After the devastating disaster in Meron on Lag Ba'Omer, Rabbi Anava points out the sources in the Torah referring to the disaster and the message G-d is sending us that we need to address.
Total Lunar Eclipse
Tonight in Australia we will be able to see the full lunar eclipse: for full details of how to see it in your country click here.
The last time the moon turned red, I saw it with my own eyes, although the moon was quite far away and just a small red dot in the sky. This time the moon will be much closer to us, and as the weather is fine here I'm hoping for an amazing sight.
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Mysticism: Manna for All
But the multitude among them began to have strong cravings. Then even the children of Israel once again began to cry, and they said, "Who will feed us meat? [Beha'alotecha 11:4]
Based on Likutei Sichos Lubavitcher Rebbe
Ordinary bread [''bread from the earth''] which is the product of hard physical labor, is a metaphor for the ''revealed'' interpretations of the Torah [nigleh] found in the Talmud, which require arduous analysis, questioning etc.
On the other hand, manna [''bread from Heaven''] represents the mystical teachings of the Torah, which are of such a ''heavenly'' nature that there is no disagreement or argument.
Logically speaking, a person might think that it is necessary to have a firm grounding in classic texts, and achieve a certain degree of spiritual greatness before one can progress to the study of mysticism. However, the Torah teaches here that even the wicked individuals who complained to Moshe ate manna.
From this we can learn that it is appropriate for people from all walks of life to study the mystical teachings of the Torah - particularly as they are formulated clearly and methodically in the teachings of Chassidus.
Based on Likutei Sichos Lubavitcher Rebbe
Monday, May 24, 2021
War of Words
It seems that the more we try to defend ourselves, the worse it gets for us. [These are just my thoughts, you are welcome to disagree with me.]
In that vein, I refer to an ad in the NYTimes by the World Values Network which is headed by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach - an ad which seems to have only inflamed the situation. If you go looking for that ad on Google, all you will find is a mass of links to sites condemning the NYTimes and the World Values Network for publishing such a thing.
This is the ad:
For those who may not be aware, Bella and Gigi Hadid are top models, and Dua Lipa is not only a mega pop star, but also dating Anwar Hadid, brother of Bella and Gigi. Between them all, they have over 100 million followers.
In response to the ad in the NY Times, all three women have unanimously rejected the notion that they are in any way anti-semitic: Lipa said "I utterly reject the false and appalling accusations that were published today in the NY Times ad.... this is the price you pay for defending Palestinian human rights.... I take this stance because I believe that everyone - Jews, Muslims and Christians - have the right to live in peace as equal citizens... the World Values Network are shamelessly using my name to advance their ugly campaign with falsehoods and blatant misrepresentation....." [see full text here]
I believe everything Dua Lipa says about her beliefs. She, along with Bella and Gigi, see Israel as a ruthless entity intent on wiping out her people. In her young mind, she does not equate her anti-Israel sentiments with an anti-Jewish feeling.
They are not alone in these thoughts. A former close friend of mine also feels the same way, and she is definitely not an anti Semite I can promise you that.
Why can these people not see what is really happening here?
It is not for lack of intelligence, they have plenty of that.
Another question I have is why Hashem saw fit to bless these three women with good looks, talent, fame and fortune [and millions of followers]. Why? Obviously Hashem knew that they would use their platforms to defend the Palestinians, considering that Bella and Gigi's father is Mohamed Hadid, a well known personality, lately most famous for building an impossible mega-mansion and losing a great deal of money in the process. Make no mistake, the opinion of these three women is having a major detrimental impact upon the Jewish people, and increasing anti-Semitism around the globe.
The only conclusion I can come to is that Hashem wants this to occur. And there can be only one reason why Hashem wants this to be so.....
....it is to unite the Jews.
If we cannot unite in good times, then we must be forced to unite in bad times. And famous faces such as the three women above, are being utilized for this purpose.
Bread of Shame
Rabbi Mendel Kessin's latest shiur [audio]: Nahama d'Kesufa
A transcript of this shiur can be found here
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