The Chasidah Bird

The Chasidah [white stork]

 וְאֵת הַחֲסִידָה  "The chasidah" [Shemini 11:19]

Why is its name chasidah (literally meaning "kind one") asks Rashi. "Because it does kindness with its companions with food."

According to the Ramban, said the Chiddushei HaRim (R' Yitzchak Meir Alter of Gur), the reason why the nonkosher birds are not kosher is because of their cruel nature.  If so, the chasidah should have been a kosher-type bird; after all, it bestows kindness upon its companions!

The chasidah acts kindly towards its companions, answered the rebbe, but it does not act kindly toward anyone else. This is why it is considered not kosher.

The Tests of Wealth and Poverty

Art Tricia McKellar

Excerpts from an article by Nechama Greisman

Sometimes people look at difficulties in life as a punishment. According to Chassidus, when a person has to face tests and challenges in life, this is not because he deserves punishment. Rather, he has to face challenges in order to raise him up to a higher level. HaShem would like him to bring out his emunah — his faith and trust in G-d, or his ahavas Yisrael, his love for a fellow, or for the Torah. Let’s say you have to contend with a very, very unpleasant person. You say, perhaps, “Why did HaShem make me the daughter-in-law of this woman who is so difficult to deal with?” You keep saying to yourself, “My friend has such a nice mother-in-law; how come I got her?”

The answer is that perhaps HaShem wanted… not perhaps. HaShem definitely wanted you to work on a certain trait and you would never know how to work on it if you didn’t have practice. So this difficult person that you have to deal with is a way of bringing out or working or strengthening those middos [traits] that might be weak in you, but not in your friend. That’s why she doesn’t have that test. This is not, G-d forbid, a punishment.

Tests, or nisyonos, can generally be classified into two groups. There are nisyonos of poverty, whether material or spiritual, and there are nisyonos of wealth, whether material or spiritual. In the simplest sense, when a person lacks something in life, whether it’s a lack of money or a lack of personality traits that we would like to have, or lack of husband or lack of parents, or any lack, anything that we think we should have, or want to have and we don’t have, that is called a nisayon of poverty. When a person has wealth, more than other people are endowed with, such as intellectual wealth, good looks, outstanding qualities of some sort, or simply a lot of money — this is a test of wealth.

Each kind of test is given to a person to develop a different kind of middah that is vital for true service of HaShem.

A person could spend his whole life being very discouraged, depressed and angry over his lot in life, and it will lead him nowhere. However, a Jew who is filled with Torah will learn to deal with his situation.

One must realize that if HaShem placed him in a particular situation, this is for a reason. It is something that is clearly necessary for him, and it is certainly for his benefit. There is a story about a man who had a terrible wife. Later on, he found out that in a previous incarnation he was guilty of a sin that carried the death sentence. However, instead of administering the death sentence, the Heavenly Court decided that he would have a wife who would regularly shame him in public. Each time this happened, it removed part of the death sentence. We don’t always realize that when we experience some negative situation, it is part of the account from the past or the present. I once read an article that was written by a famous dancer in the New York City Ballet. She described the painful exercises that she had to go through to keep fit for performing on stage. She described it as actual physical pain. When you read it you say, Ribono shel Olam, who would want to be a dancer? It is such a terrible life. But there were plenty of rewards and that’s why she did it.

Similarly [lehavdil], when a person is imbued with faith in HaShem, he knows that sometimes he has to pay a price for other good things in life. Every painful experience for the body is a tikkun [rectification] for the soul. Suffering cleanses. Of course, this does not mean that one should look for suffering, G-d forbid. But if this happens by Divine Providence, then one must accept suffering with love, knowing that it is for the person’s own good. 

Acceptance is the first thing that the test of poverty is supposed to bring out. To accept it and not say it was a mistake, I don’t deserve it, this is bad. To say, “HaShem understands why it happened. He knows that it was addressed to me, it wasn’t a mistake, it wasn’t meant for someone else. If I got it, it’s my package, and that it truly is for the good, whether I understand it or not.” 

If anybody here in this room has gone through a difficult time, and I think every one of us has, in different ways, you will know that it isn’t easy to say these words and truly internalize them and believe them. For some people it can be a lifetime task learning to accept with love what HaShem gives us. But you don’t learn that unless you have this test. If you never had a hard day in your life how are you going to learn to accept difficulties? So HaShem gives one person an illness, another one has a child who has a problem, another one is not pretty, or whatever.

Source: Chabad

How can our low generation be the ones to bring Mashiach?

HaRav Yitzchak Breitowitz -1 min.

A Sobering Thought

Art Rob Gonsalves

Everything can change in the blink of an eye. [Rebbe Nachman of Breslov]


"Do not drink wine that will lead to intoxication, neither you nor your sons with you, when you go into the Tent of Meeting, so that you shall not die. [This is] an eternal statute for your generations..." [Shemini 10:9]

There is a view [see Rambam, Laws of Entering the Temple 1:7] that even nowadays a priest [kohen] may not drink a revi'is [86ml] of wine, for this is sufficient to cause some degree of intoxication, and since it is quite feasible that the Holy Temple will be rebuilt within the time it takes for him to become sober, the wine would thus render him unfit for service in the Temple.

Now, according to Jewish law, intoxication caused by a revi'is of wine can be removed by either a short sleep, or by waiting the time it would take to walk a mil. (There are different views as to precisely how long this is: either 18 or at most 24 minutes).

From here we see a remarkable ramification of the above principle: that Jewish law takes seriously into consideration the fact that it is possible for Moshiach to come, with a completed Holy Temple, within a maximum of 23 minutes and 59 seconds, thus requiring the priests to be ready for service immediately!

Based on Likutei Sichos Lubavitcher Rebbe [Gutnick Chumash]

A Frog or an Elephant

Rabbi Y. Y. Jacobson

The Essence of Pesach in 2 minutes: understanding the chametz in yourself and why it was originally added.  

I hope everyone has a meaningful and enjoyable Pesach, chag sameach.

The Deeper Understanding of Pesach and It's Relationship to the Divine Plan

Rabbi Mendel Kessin, new shiur

"Israel: It Should Never Ever Have Been Given Away"

 I'm a bit annoyed with him at the moment, but he just redeemed himself with this:

How To Get Rid of Negative Thoughts

I heard this from Rabbi Daniel Glatstein in this shiur.

This Segula comes from the Ramak and has been explicated by Rav Shimshon Pincus.

Say these words to yourself, over and over again: 

[Parshat Tzav 6:6]

אֵ֗שׁ תָּמִ֛יד תּוּקַ֥ד עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ לֹ֥א תִכְבֶּֽה 

Aish tamid tukad al hamizbeach — lo tichbeh.

 “An everlasting fire should always be burning on the mizbeach — it should never be extinguished.”

Tzav: The Conscious and Sub-conscious Mitzvot

Based on Likutei Sichos of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

Do we really have free choice? Most people tend to view this as a yes-or-no type of question, but the correct answer is in fact, yes and no.

a) The inner core of the soul is totally at one with G-d. At this subconscious level, the soul of every Jew wishes to observe all the mitzvot and to avoid transgressing any prohibitions. There is no desire for evil here; there simply is no other option than doing good.

b) At the conscious level however, where we interact with the more superficial layers of the soul's complex psyche, there is room for both good and evil. Here, the soul's inner desire to observe all the mitzvot is felt only as a weaker 'signal', which is susceptible to 'interference' from the opposing messages of our animalistic instincts. So at the conscious level, we do indeed possess free choice.

In general, the Torah speaks to our conscious mind. We are told to observe the mitzvot with the full awareness of what we are doing, and we are charged with bringing an awareness of spirituality into our normal, daily lives.

However, at this conscious level, we are susceptible to being drawn away from a life of holiness, or stifled by the limitations that the world appears to present. So while most of the mitzvot were given to the conscious part of the soul, G-d saw it necessary to give us some mitzvot which speak directly to the inner core of the soul, helping the soul's unlimited energy and total commitment to good to flow outwards to the conscious mind. These special mitzvot help us stay in tune with our subconscious commitment to Judaism, when our conscious observance becomes strained or limited.

With most mitzvot, G-d told Moshe to address the Jewish people with the term דבר "daber" [speak] or אמור "emor" [say]. While the mitzvot conveyed with these terms are of course obligatory, the more passive, indirect mood of the words "speak" and "say" indicate that these mitzvot are directed at the superficial layers of the soul which possess free choice.

Parshas Tzav, in contrast, uses the more direct imperative term צו "tsav" [command], alluding to a type of mitzvah which speaks to the soul's inner core that does not possess true free-choice; and is simply "commanded" to obey G-d's will. These special mitzvot which are included in this Parsha are aimed at helping our inner identity of unquestioning and uninhibited commitment to the Jewish faith surface in everyday life.

Planets, Tariffs and Iran

Tennessee, Arkansas and Kentucky are copping major weather.  The 180 day close pass of the passing solar system is causing havoc.  Giant grapefruit size hail in Texas, non stop lightning in all the colours of the rainbow that you can imagine, major flooding.  This is all being caused by the close passing solar system - photos of the planet Napisiti below. Notice the distinctive base clouds shaped like little snorkels, teeth or fingers, whatever you want to call them, only Napisiti has these.

Tennessee, photo Ed McHenry

Original photo can be seen here [link to FB]

Ethridge TN 

Donald Trump on Friday approved an emergency declaration for Kentucky as the central US braces for what experts in the region have warned could be a “generational” flooding event, as severe spring storms that have killed at least seven continue to wreak havoc.

 

That's just the storm damage. Now we can talk about the sun.  For everyone in the Northern Hemisphere, you will notice that if you spend any time outside with no protection, your skin will burn in minutes.  The sun is much stronger now.  Try it and see, if you don't believe me.

We've just had our summer, and I'm telling you that a few minutes outside under the sun, my skin was on fire.  I had to go inside.  I've heard this from Americans as well, and it's not even summer there yet.

There's also the body aches and pains which appear out of nowhere and then disappear the next day, or even hours later, depending on when the planets are overhead or if they've moved. They are continually moving, spinning around their sun, which is behind our sun [which is probably why our sun feels much hotter].

All these things are connected to Geula.  

So are Trump's Trade Tariffs.... the stock market crash and the resulting global trade war, all the nations including America's allies are in a turmoil over this.  He wants to make America great but doesn't care that he's likely bankrupting other countries in the process.  Nevertheless, he's fulfilling the prophecy of  "not a penny in the pocket" which is seemingly coming true as prices continue to rise and many people are struggling to make ends meet. Mass protests against Trump and Musk have begun across the US.  [see video below]

 

This would be a really good time for the US/Israel to bomb Iran.... nothing like a war to take peoples' minds off everything else.

That's what many people are saying right now, so maybe here we go.

Sweetening Judgments

Art OceanXGoddess

from the writings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov

When the messengers who bring suffering are despatched, they are made to take an oath: that they will neither set out nor return except on such and such a day, at such and such a time, and only [carry out their mission] by using the designated means. However, repentance, prayer and charity have the power to nullify [the enactment of] this oath.

Reciting the Torah chapters concerning the Choshen, the Breastplate [Exodus 28:15-30; 39:8-21] is a tikkun [rectification] for harsh judgments.

A person who suffers affliction should give charity. This charity will be considered as if it were a fee paid to a judge for his services, which when accepted, nullifies the verdict's validity. And through this his suffering will be alleviated.

When a person rebukes his friend for the right motives, he has a thread of loving-kindness drawn over him.

A person who does not accept rebuke will experience suffering.

To sweeten harsh judgments, recite Psalm 39 and Psalm 77.

When the nations have issued an evil decree against the Jews, Psalm 62 should be said.

A person can determine and understand his sins from the suffering which he experiences.

There are four things which abolish harsh decrees: Tzedakah [charity], crying out to G-d, changing one's name and improving one's conduct.

Crying out to G-d helps the individual only prior to the final decree.

A person's accusers are beaten off by the study of Torah.

A final decree accompanied by an oath cannot be abolished, even for the sake of an entire community.

The effects of a decree against a person apply only in a specific place. He can save himself by changing his location.

A person should tell others of his anguish so that they will pray for mercy on his behalf.

Accepting suffering with love is like bringing a sacrifice.

A person who falls down while walking should see this as a sign of a downfall on a spiritual level. Falling down while walking sometimes serves to nullify a pronouncement of death which has been issued against the person.

A person who finds himself suffering from harsh judgment should make it a habit to gaze at the Heavens.

The Holy One exonerates the person who teaches righteousness to the wicked.

A man of truth receives G-d's lovingkindness undisguised by judgments.

Trust in G-d sweetens judgment and draws down loving-kindness.

Through faith [emunah] it is possible to convince G-d to follow your will.

Purim on Pesach?

Do you know that Purim originally happened at Pesach time?  It was moved forward to the month of Adar so as not to be over-shadowed by Pesach.

The Fast of Esther is perhaps the most misunderstood of the annual public fast days regarding what it represents and why we actually fast. It is not mentioned anywhere in the Talmud, [1] and only makes its first appearance in Rav Achai Gaon’s “Sheiltot”. [2] Contrary to popular misconception, the Fast of Esther is not the anniversary of the original fast that was decreed by Esther. In fact, Queen Esther’s original fast was actually a three-day affair that coincided with the start of Pesach. [3] That’s right – Esther (and the Jews of Shushan) had no Pesach Seder that year. [4] As such, there have been individuals in the past who observed a three day fast (though not consecutively) following Purim in order to better observe, in spirit at least, the original “Fast of Esther”. [5] Today, however, this practice is no longer found. [6] [Source and footnotes]

There is a lot of talk and action right now concerning Iran.   As it is Nissan, we can expect miracles.

I pray that we can also expect Geula.

Why Did The Rebbe Go To His Father-in-Law's Grave?

Amongst the nonsense on the internet which some of you may have heard or read lately, some people are now under the impression that Judaism forbids prayer at the Kever of a Tzaddik.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  

Click here to read why we pray at the graves of Tzadikim and see below to learn the truth about the Lubavitcher Rebbe's prayers at his father-in-law's grave.

The Rebbe would often go to the Ohel, the resting place of his father-in-law, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (the "Rayatz"), of righteous memory. In the first year after the Rayatz's passing in 1950, the Rebbe would take a bus to the Ohel together with the yeshivah students before every Rosh Chodesh (the first day of a new Jewish month). After that year, the Rebbe would travel by car. After the Rebbe's mother passed away in 1964, the Rebbe started going an additional time, mid-month. In even later years, there were times when the Rebbe would go to the Ohel four times a week, nearly every weekday.

I [Yehuda Krinsky] drove the Rebbe almost every time, thousands of times. The Rebbe always had bags of letters with him, filled with requests of every kind that the Rebbe would read at his father-in-law's resting place.

The Rebbe (far left) at the resting place of the sixth Lubavitch Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory.

The Rebbe stood opposite Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak's burial spot the entire time. There was a small room built to protect the Rebbe from the cold, heat, snow and rain. In the summertime, we had an air conditioner, and in the wintertime a heater, so the Rebbe would remain relatively comfortable.

The custom at the Ohel is to tear your letter after reading it, and toss the shreds onto the burial spot. The Rebbe would do this with many of the letters he received. Sometimes, however, the Rebbe would jot a response on a letter and bring it back with him to his office.    

Source: Yehuda Krinsky Chabad

The Poor Man's Offering

Art: Roxana Muchnik

And if a [poor] person brings a meal offering to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour. He shall pour oil over it and place frankincense upon it. Vayikra 2:1

Unlike a wealthy person, who is able to give voluntary offerings in the Temple from expensive animals and birds, the poor man is only able to offer flour. Nevertheless, the Torah attributes more significance to the poor man's offering, as Rashi writes "I consider it as if he has sacrificed his very soul!"

This is because the wealthy man's offering is inevitably connected with a certain amount of self-satisfaction, at the thought of bringing one of the most expensive and impressive sacrifices. The poor man, however, could not possibly be proud of his meagre offering, so his is the most genuine offering of all, dedicated to G-d amidst feelings of humility. Thus, to him, G-d says ''It is as if he has sacrificed his very soul!"

Source: Likutei Sichos Lubavitcher Rebbe

The Truth About The End

Don't believe all the negative prophecies on the internet.


It is easy to prophesy disaster. If the prophecy comes true, then you have spoken the truth. If it does not, then you can say: G‑d relented and forgave. 

A negative prophecy cannot be refuted – but a positive one can. 

If the good foreseen comes to pass, then the prophecy is true. 

If it does not, then you cannot say, ‘G‑d changed His mind’ because G‑d does not retract from a promise He has made of good, or peace, or return. [Yirmiyahu] 

It is therefore only when the prophet offers a positive vision that he can be tested. 

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

In the redemption from Egypt, our Sages explain, only one Jew out of five left. Four-fifths of the people died in the plague of darkness.

In the Future Redemption, by contrast, no Jew will be left behind. Every member of our people will share in Mashiach's coming.

Why the difference? Because at the time of Mashiach's coming, the truth of G-dliness will be revealed. At the core of every Jew lies a soul that is "an actual part of G-d," a spark of His being. When the truth of G-dliness will be revealed, every Jew will realize that G-dliness is the truth of his own being.

By anticipating the Redemption and applying its truths to our own lives now, we can bring it closer. Realizing and focusing on the G-dly spark within ourselves serves as a catalyst for the revelation of G-dliness throughout existence. [Lubavitcher Rebbe]

See No Jew Will Be Left Behind

@ 2:24:20 in this video

Question to Rabbi Kessin:  If one-fifth [of the Jews] went out with Moshe, does that have to be repeated in this Redemption?

Answer from Rabbi Kessin: No.  Because with Moshe Rabbeinu they went out with zchus - they merited to go out because they suffered for 210 years.

Today it's not zchus, it's b'ito [in it's time].  It's the End, and when it's the end everybody goes out.
That's a big difference.
It's the End Time.

At that time they earned the right to be redeemed.  

We must be redeemed because G-d swore he will bring the Redeemer for his Great Name.

And that's why Yaakov wanted to reveal to his kids the acharis yaamim...  that is b'ito.... that is the End.

The Sun is Changing in Front of our Eyes

This is not AI or CGI or anything else fake.  This is an actual video, and I know it's real because I've seen this happen before, many times, in other photos and videos.  Something huge is happening over our heads, and most people are missing it.

I blogged about this in August last year, you can see it again here.

Who Really Decides Your Hebrew Name

Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff - short 15 min video

The Numbers Add Up

אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת

"These are the numbers of the Mishkan, the Mishkan of the Testimony...." [Pekudei 38:21]

Rabbeinu Bechaya points out that the numerical value of the words "HaMishkan"  הַמִּשְׁכָּן and "Ha'eidus"  הָעֵדֻת correspond to the total number of years that the first Beis HaMikdash, second Beis HaMikdash and Mishkan stood.

The numerical value of Mishkan is 410, alluding to the 410 years that the first Beis HaMikdash stood.

The numerical value of the word HaMishkan  (415) plus the five letters that are used to spell it, equals 420.  This alludes to the second Beis HaMikdash which stood for 420 years.

The numerical value of Ha'eidus is 479. This alludes to the Mishkan Ha'eidus which stood for 479 years.

In Maseches Yoma [21b] Chazal enumerate five items that were present in the first Beis HaMikdash but were lacking in the second:

1) The Aron Ha'eidus (the Ark)

2) The Ner Tamid (the Lamp that burned continuously)

3) The Divine Presence

4) Divine Inspiration

5) The ability to inquire of the Urim v'Tumim

This statement of Chazal, said the Chasam Sofer, is alluded to in the verse אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת  The word "haMishkan", containing a hei (numerical value 5) at the beginning, alludes to the first Beis HaMikdash which possessed these five attributes. The word "Mishkan" however, alludes to the second Beis HaMikdash which lacked these five items.

Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein

Yarzheit 21 Adar: The Rebbe of Rebbes

"Today, in our bitter exile, there are people who receive ruach hakodesh more easily than in the time of the prophets." [Noam Elimelech]

Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk [known as "The Rebbe of Rebbes"]  was the student of Dov Ber of Mezerich, the brother of Meshulam Zushia of Anipoli. He was born in 1717, and died on 21 Adar in 1786  [ this year - 21 March]

During the lifetime of Dov Ber of Mezerich he traveled widely with his brother all over Poland to spread Hassidism. After Dov Ber's death, Rebbe Elimelech settled in Lizhensk and attained great fame, thanks to his lofty life. During his lifetime, Lizhensk was turned into a center of Polish-Galician Hassidism. There, many famous Tzadikim and Hassidic activists of Galicia were educated and obtained their inspiration during the 18th century.

Rebbe Elimelech is the author of “Noam Elimelech” [Lvov 1798], a book of commentaries on the Pentateuch. In that book, the role of a Tzadik is set out and explained, and the doctrine of Hassidism is explained in greater detail. This book was subject to an intense investigation by the opponents of Hassidism. Many of his expositions are published in his work “Darche Tzedek”, and other works.

The Melitzer Rebbe shlit'a, a direct descendant of the "Noam Elimelech", stated that Rebbe Yisroel of Ruzhin said that 500 years before Rebbe Elimelech was born, the world received abundance in his merit. Now, after his death, even more so!

It is said that Rabbi Elimelech promised anyone who would visit his grave that they would not leave this world without teshuva.



Kever of Rabbi Elimelech in Lizensk, Poland [Photo: יהונתן וואקסמאן]

Ohel of Rebbe Elimelech, Lizensk Poland [Photo: יהונתן וואקסמאן]

After Rebbe Elimelech passed away, Rebbe Reb Zisha of Hanipoli was approached by his brother’s students to be their new leader. Rabbi Zisha declined and explained his reason with a parable. “The possuk in Bereshis 2:10 states “And a river went forth from Eden to water the garden and from there it split into four paths.”

The Torah is eternal and alludes to all events above and below for all generations. Eden alludes to our holy master the Baal Shem Tov. The river was his student the holy Mezitcher Maggid. The garden refers to my brother the Rebbe Elimelech.

This then is the meaning: a river flows from Eden to water the garden, the Torah flows as water from the Baal Shem Tov by way of the Mezritcher Maggid to the Rebbe Elimelech. From there it separates into four paths: they are :

1.The Holy Rebbe the Chozeh or Seer of Lublin;

2.The Holy Rebbe Avodas Yisrael the Koznitzer Maggid;

3. The Holy Rebbe Mendel Rimanover; and

4.The Holy Ohev Yisrael the Apta Rav.

Stories of Noam Elimelech

The Light of The Rebbe’s Prayer Sash

related by the Rabbi of Madin, grandson of the Ropshitzer

Rebbe Elimelech had a custom that after the afternoon Mincha service he would converse with his close followers. He would then proceed to a special private room to pray the evening Maariv service alone in seclusion, purity and sanctity.

Rabbi Naftali Ropshitzer, a student of the Rebbe always yearned to also be in that room. He constantly wished to see the deeds of his Rebbe and how he prayed at that time. Once he stole into the room unnoticed and hid beneath the bed. The holy Rebbe entered and closed the door behind him. He took his “gartel,” the traditional sash or belt used by Hassidim for prayer and preceded to fasten it about himself.

The first time he wound the sash about his waist the whole house was filled with an awesome unbelievable light. The second time he tied the gartel winding it around, the light grew in intensity until the Ropshitzer could no longer endure it. He grew weak and found himself fainting. He called out in a loud voice.

Rebbe Elimelech heard the cries of distress coming from his student and recognized their source. “Naftali my son are you here?” the Rebbe asked. “Fortunately, you did not remain here for the third and final time I wound the gartel. If you had remained your soul would have surely left your body from the intensity of the great light. Therefore leave now.”

An unusual guest for Tea

related in the name of The Shinover Rebbe

The author of the Hasidic work Maor va’Shemesh was a student of the Rebbe Elimelech. Once he asked the Rebbe Elimelech to be allowed to serve him, thereby learning directly from his Rebbe. Rebbe Elimelech conceded and asked him for a cup of tea. After preparing the tea, the student entered the room to give it to the Rebbe. Inside he saw the awesome figure of an old man sitting beside Rebbe Elimelech. He was overcome by fear, trembling and shaking so much so that he dropped the cup spilling the tea on the floor and ran out.

Later Rebbe Elimelech saw his student and asked him why he hadn’t given him the tea he requested. He answered that he had brought it but when he saw the figure of the old man he was so frightened he spilled the tea. The Rebbe then said to him in Yiddish “Oy vey iz das kind voos ken nisht kiken dem taten in poonim arayn: Woe is to the child who cannot look his own father in the face.” That old man you saw was none other than our forefather Avraham peace be upon him!

More information can be found at : JewishGen

The Ascent of Sin

"He forgives sins.... " [Vayakhel 34:7]

The word for "forgive" here literally means "carry" or "lift". Based on this, the Baal Shem Tov taught that G-d elevates the sparks of holiness in the sin, for nothing - not even a sin - could exist unless it contained a spark of holiness. G-d returns them to their source. This is the essence of forgiveness.

Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi explained this idea as follows: It is indeed impossible to elevate a sinful act; such an act is evil, and the only proper treatment for it is to denounce it. 

In contrast, the power of desire vested in the act is not evil, for it is possible to utilize this power to desire good as well as evil. When we repent properly, we divest our power of desire of its veneer of evil and restore it to its holy source.

from the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

Adapted by Moshe-Yaakov Wisnefsky