Harnessing the Power of the Enemy

And Yaakov left Be'er Sheva and headed towards Charan....

We will understand this based on the verse "And Yehoshua weakened Amalek and his nation by the sword" [Shemos 17:13]. The only reason that Esav (from whom Amalek descended) has any power over the Jewish people is because he performed one mitzvah: kibbud av - honoring his father, Yitzchak. Esav honored his father by using his sword to hunt for him. This is why Yitzchak blessed Esav that he should "live by the sword" [Bereishis 27:40] - through the mitzvah of honoring his father that he performed using his sword, he merited some power in this world. This is why the verse says "al charbecha" - "by your sword" and not "b'charbecha" - "with your sword" - by way of your sword; because of what you did with it, you shall live.

When the Jewish people wish to weaken the strength of Esav, they need not use the power of all of the 613 mitzvos, since even in the one mitzvah from which Esav draws power, the Jewish people surpass him. The Torah teaches us that Yaakov honored his father more than Esav - the Midrash relates [Targum Yonasan 27:31] that Esav could not find game to hunt so he brought a dog instead and planned to feed that to his father. This is the meaning of "and Yehoshua weakened Amalek and his nation by the sword" - even by the power of the sword that symbolizes Esav's one mitzvah of honoring his father, Yehoshua (representing the Jewish people) weakened and surpassed Amalek.

This then is the meaning of "and Yaakov left Be'er Sheva" - literally "the well of the seven". It is known that Be'er Sheva alludes to the high spiritual levels that Yaakov had achieved, since he rectified all the seven character traits, as explained in the holy writings.

The seven traits are the seven lower sefirot: Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod and Malchut - translated as Kindness, Strength, Beauty, Victory, Splendor, Foundation and Kingship. Perhaps the Noam Elimelech is teaching us that Yaakov was able to use all of these traits to serve the Almighty.

When Yaakov faced both Esav his brother and Lavan his uncle, he didn't need to use all his lofty spiritual powers against them, rather he came with the power of "be'er sheva" - the well, or foundation, of the other seven character traits that he had rectified. "And he went to Charan" implies that he used their own power against them. Thus it says: "And he went to Charan" - with this power he faced them and defeated them. This is easy to understand.

Source: "Mipeninei Noam Elimelech"  Translated by Tal Moshe Zwecker

Cyclone Yasi: Live Webcam

Townsville - Tropical Cyclone Yasi as it approaches Nth QLD. View from West End looking ENE towards Castle Hill. 


Free video streaming by Ustream

UFO over Temple Mount #3

Third and final video: proof that it is a hoax (right again Josh)

Divorced - but still married

There's a lot of Jews out there who have divorced under the civil law, but not according to Jewish law - that is, with the husband writing out a gett (Jewish bill of divorce) for his wife.  Actually, he doesn't write it, the rabbi does, but he has to hand the document to her.  The original ketubah (marriage certificate) is then torn up, and the couple are formally divorced.  If this hasn't happened... then they are still married, both according to Jewish law and according to Heaven, and all the laws of a married couple are still applicable. 

Jews who divorce without a gett cause themselves a multitude of problems: not the least of which can be a rapid descent into poverty for them both or singly, or even severe illness. This is because they are still married under Heaven's eyes, and their living arrangements as "divorcees" are not in accordance with their halachically "married" status.  Every day they continue in this manner, they are bringing more and more judgments upon themselves.

The following is written by Rabbi J. Forsythe (c) 2002

When a Jewish married couple decides that they are no longer able to live together as husband and wife, Jewish law requires that they separate from each other promptly and, in a reasonable period of time, terminate the marriage with a document of divorce, called in Hebrew, a "get." This applies whenever a Jewish man and Jewish woman have entered into marriage with each other.

Some people do not realize that their marriage remains fully intact as long as there is no get. A get is mandatory and inescapable to end a Jewish marriage. The Torah makes very clear that once a Jewish marriage has been created, only a kosher get, executed by a kosher bais din [Torah court], can undo it. The Torah refers to the get as the husband giving a "document of cutting off." The choice of words teaches 1. that the marriage is not at all terminated until this document is given by the man to the woman as the conclusion of the divorce procedure and 2. by the Torah's not using the literal name of the document ["get"], we should strive to refrain from ending a marriage [i.e. avoid coming to a get, just as the Torah avoids saying the word "get"] and we should consider it painfully sad when a marriage has to die and divorce has to come.

This is something which is not affected at all by a person's religious affiliation, philosophy, observance-level or marital-strife level. A civil divorce or agreement to be unmarried is not enough. Without a kosher get, executed by an authorized bais din, there has been no removal at all of the marriage status.

If a woman is separated from her husband, or has a secularly legal divorce, she might MISTAKENLY consider herself free to have a relationship with a man other than the husband with whom she had a Jewish marriage. However, THIS WOMAN IS NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER WOMAN MARRIED UNDER JEWISH LAW and her involvement on any level with any other man is adulterous. She may not be alone with another man, may not have physical contact with him, may not be without her body covered thoroughly by modest clothing or without her hair covered when in his presence, and she certainly may NOT have any intimate relations. A child born from such a union is a "momzer" which is an uncorrectable taint and distortion (on the soul of the child born from this union), which will be continued and passed on in all offspring through all generations. A "momzer" may not marry a "regular Jew," and his or her descendants will never be able to marry a "regular Jew" till the end of time.

If you know someone whose religious commitment is not strong, or who is not religious; whose marriage is essentially over but the couple is without a get, it is crucial that you bring to bear any influence or assistance to have the couple execute a KOSHER GET FROM AN AUTHORIZED ORTHODOX BAIS DIN WHICH IS UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED BY TORAH LAW AUTHORITIES. Generations are at stake - not just the couple. A Jewish marriage is holy and is in "rumos shel olam (the heights of creation)." Its violation; no matter how antagonistic or alienated the relationship is; is serious and treasonous trampling on the sacrosanct, is punished by premature death and is, in many ways, "playing with fire."

This is just a small extract; the entire article can be found here: Shalom Bayis Issues

In the Final Judgment

Who is rich? He who is happy with his lot, as it is written "When you eat of the labour of your hands, you are fortunate and all is well with you" [Psalms 128:2]. "You are fortunate (in this world); "and all is well with you" (in the world to come). [Avot 4:1]

In the world to come, says the Mishpat Tzedek, when a person who always desired more than he had is judged, G-d will say to him "On earth, you always wanted lots of money, lots of clothing, lots of food. Now, show us lots of Torah that you studied, lots of mitzvot that you performed." And the person will be judged with full strictness.

But if a person has the trait of contentment - if he accepts poverty and hardship with love while thanking G-d for all he has, and does not waste his life chasing after wealth - he will be judged leniently. When he comes to the final judgment, G-d will tell the Heavenly tribunal: "He was content with the little that I gave him, and he considered it much. I, too, am satisfied with the little Torah he learned and the few mitzvot he performed."

We see from here that a person who considers his lot ample, even if it is minimal, will reap profits in the world to come, where his merits will also be considered ample. He benefits now, in this world also, for he is spared the anguish of a person who feels he has less than others.

When you eat of the labour of your hands - when you are happy with what you have and don't look at what others have - you are fortunate and all is well with you. "You are fortunate in this world" for you are not eaten up by worry and jealousy; "and all is well with you in the world to come" - for you will be judged favourably.

Source: from the writings of the Ben Ish Hai

When We are free, We will Free Palestine and Destroy Israel

Here we go.....

Egypt´s Islamic Revolution: When We are free, We will Free Palestine and Destroy Israel

The Farmer's Hat

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein

Monster Cyclone Yasi

Q: What's 500km wide and has a giant 100km eye?

A: Cyclone Yasi - the worst cyclone in history - authorities are warning people to evacuate and to "batten down the hatches for monster storm".

It's bigger than anything we've ever seen here, and it's terrifying the poor people of Queensland who are still cleaning up after the floods. It is tipped to cross the coast sometime before Thursday.

Last night, the category-one system was 1780km east northeast of Townsville and was moving west towards Queensland at 30km an hour.

It is expected to intensify when it crosses the coast delivering gale-force winds of more than 250km/h and up to 1m of rain in some areas.

Hamilton Island began flying guests out yesterday. By this afternoon all 3000 staff and guests at every island resort in the Whitsundays will have been evacuated and the resorts closed.

Read more: North Queensland braces for Yasi

 

See the size of it at the satellite image here: NOAA (It's HUGE !)

A weather satellite image shows Cyclone Yasi passing near the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu heading toward the coast of Australia on Monday