Irene Threatens New York, Long Island

Time to batten down the hatches if you're on the East Coast.

Threat of Irene exposes New York's vulnerability
* Latest track models suggest Long Island hit on Sunday
* 1821, 1938 storms show potential for severe loss

* Some already warning of $10 billion-plus disaster

NEW YORK, Aug 24 (Reuters) - In the annals of natural disasters, it doesn't get much worse than a major hurricane directly striking New York City and Long Island.

Hurricane Irene is on a course that will take it up the East Coast from the weekend. While there is still uncertainty about where it will hit and when, the forecast models increasingly suggest some parts of the greater New York area will face some type of storm or hurricane impact. 

According to New York City's Office of Emergency Management, the last hurricane to pass directly over the city was in 1821 -- and it caused tides to rise 13 feet in one hour, flooding all of lower Manhattan to Canal St.

Source and more: Reuters

Richard, Kate, His Mother.... and Irene

Hurricane Irene's first casualty was Richard Branson's magnificant island paradise known as "Great House on Necker" which was struck by lightning and burnt to the ground last Monday.

This smouldering wreckage is all that remains today of Sir Richard Branson's luxury Caribbean home after it was razed to the ground by fire. The multi-million-pound Great House on Necker, the Virgin tycoon’s £60million private island, caught fire after it was struck by lightning in the early hours of Monday when the region was battered by Hurricane Irene.

Richard himself "ran naked through the house to rescue Kate Winslet and my mother" [surely he should have said "my mother and Kate Winslet..."] - actually it was Kate Winslet who rescued Richard's mother, so in hindsight his naked dash seems a bit pointless.

Today's Daily Mail gives many insights into life at "Great House on Necker" -  after reading it, some people may not find it so strange that it was hit by lightning and destroyed. Richard, however, plans to rebuild immediately, G-d willing....

Earthquake in Virginia: Torah Codes

Same Hebrew date as Hurricane Katrina.... !

Testing Times

[Eleanor Roosevelt]

One of the basic teachings of the Torah is that G-d does not expect of a human being anything which is beyond the human capacity to carry out.  This is quite understandable, for even a human being, who is very far from absolute perfection, would not expect of a tool that he has fashioned any more than he has put into it.  Certainly G-d, the Creator of man, knows man's capacities.  

From this, it immediately follows that when a person faces any kind of a test of faith, it is certain that he has been given the capacity to overcome it.  And the more difficult the test, the greater are the individual's capacities.  

The reason that an individual is tested is not because G-d wants to know how he will acquit himself, but in order that this person be afforded the opportunity to realize his potential, even that which is unknown to him.  And when one's potential capacities are released, and activated, they become part and parcel of his or her arsenal, to be used for personal as well as communal benefit.

The stronger one's faith in G-d remains even under adverse circumstances, the sooner it will become clear it was all a matter of a test.  But this faith should not be merely a matter of lip service, but must have the full force of conviction.

Some people are born with greater natural capacities, and consequently they are faced with greater challenges and trials.  Others are born with lesser capacities, and therefore the challenges and trials that G-d presents to them are also lesser, in keeping with their strength.... If you truly have great trials, this in itself is proof that you possess a great capacity and strength to overcome them.

When it is seen Above that one is strong in one's faith in G-d, and one rises in the general observance of Torah and mitzvos, the test is nullified and there is an increase in blessing, salvation and success.

Source: Excerpts from letters written by the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

What is the blessing for an earthquake?

The Gemara [Brachos 54a] tells us that whoever witnesses an earthquake, as well as a number of other natural phenomena in which Hashem’s awesome power is apparent, should immediately say either one of the following two brachos:

 

Baruch Atta Hashem Elokeinu Melech ha’olam osei ma’asei bereishis.
Blessed are You, L‑rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who reenacts the works of creation.

Baruch Atta Hashem Elokeinu Melech ha’olam shekocho ugevuraso malei olam.
Blessed are You, L‑rd our G‑d, King of the universe, whose power and might fill the world.

This helps bring into focus how the forces of nature are all truly from G‑d and expressions of His majesty.

Source: Menachem Posner, Matzav.com Newscenter

Hurricane Irene

Projected path of Hurricane Irene as it moves up the East Coast of America.

All you need to know about Irene here: ACCU Weather

Blessings in Disguise #2

"See! I am giving to you today a blessing and a curse" [Re'eh 11:26]

Hashem did not want the soul to eat "bread of shame" [i.e. sustenance given gratuitously, without having been earned by the recipient]; He therefore made it possible for man to serve Him in a meaningful way with toil of body and soul. Through our endeavors in avodah [service of G-d] we are Divinely enabled to earn all manner of goodness.

The difficulties, trials, and tests of life are themselves the means by which we are to attain our ultimate objective - that the soul achieve the lofty spiritual level it once possessed before it descended into the body: "The soul that you have given me is pure."  The purpose of life is for the soul to regain that level of original "purity" and even transcend it - for one hour of teshuvah [repentance] and good deeds in this world is worth more than all the lifetime of the spiritual World to Come [Olam HaBa].

So you see that life's trials, tragedies, and difficulties actually bring us closer to our goal, our raison d'etre; they are part of the Divine system of toil and endeavour enabling us, finite mortals, to reach the highest levels of rewards and goodness - which can only be earned by meaningful "labor" and effort.  It follows that one must not allow the difficulties of life's trials [or even one's failure from time to time] to overcome the double joy of being G-d's children and of having received His promise "Your people are all righteous".

Source: Excerpt from a letter written by the Lubavitcher Rebbe

Rav Kanievsky: Stay Away From Sakona!

HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita has instructed avreichim vacationing in the center of the country not to return to their homes in Moshav Tifrach, in the heart of the area being targeted in the renewed rocket attacks from Gaza.

The avreichim asked the Gadol HaDor what they should do, with the Rav responding “You should not return to the makom sakona, the dangerous area”.

[HT Theresa]

Source: The Yeshiva World