Easy Riders

Hells Angels they ain't. 

A tough-looking, leather-clad gang of Hasidic bikers who call themselves "Rebbe's Riders" are cruising the tri-state area, bringing God's word to other motorcycle-riding Jews they meet on the road. 

The Riders -- members of the Brooklyn-based Lubavitch sect -- say their love of choppers gives them something in common with Jews who might have strayed onto the Highway to Hell. 

"If a rabbi walks into a bikers club, he doesn't exactly fit in. But if he comes riding up on a bike, doors open to him," said Jonah Halper, 30, who founded the Riders earlier this year. 

"[Some fellow Jews] make comments that what we do is not a Jewish thing. They say, 'How can you ride bikes as Jews and say it's for a Jewish purpose?' " Halper said. 

On the road, the Riders get more respect -- especially from other bikers. 

"No one sees the Rebbe's Riders and says, 'Who are you guys?' " Halper said. "It's not like the Crips and Bloods. There's a certain kind of respect you have for other riders that transcends lifestyle or creed. When we pass a gang on the road, they wave and we wave back." 

They sport cool colors -- T-shirts with a logo of a bearded Hasid wearing a wide-brimmed fedora and badass sunglasses, à la ZZ Top.

Read more NY Post

ZZ Top?  [it's a band from the "olden days" - as my kids would say -  olden days being a world without computers or cellphones, totally unimaginable for them..... anyway this isn't ZZ Top, this is Steppenwolf - 1968 - "Easy Rider"... for all the ex-hippies who morphed into baál teshuvas and read this blog. Enjoy!

Strange, Difficult and Wonderful Times

Received via email: [I have no way of knowing if this is true or not, please leave a comment if you do know]

Dear family and friends,

I hope this email finds you well, and in good spirits, with Rosh Hashana and the Chagim not far away.

The following message is not meant to shock or alarm, but it is intended to provoke a response. I pray that you will not ignore it.

I fervently hope that each one of you will find a way to come closer to Hashem as a result, in any way you can.

A brief introduction is in order, to place into context what follows.

Rabbi Shalom Arush is the Rosh Yeshiva (Head of the Yeshiva) of Chut Shel Chessed, and author of several books. His most well-known book, the Garden of Emuna, has sold well over one million copies, and is printed in 8 different languages. Rabbi Arush is widely respected as one of Israel's foremost religious leaders. People come to him from around the world for blessings, and he is well known to have many miraculous salvations (cures from severe health problems etc..) to his name.

Rabbi Arush gave his weekly address to the Yeshiva yesterday, and said as follows:

- He has been informed by one of the Zadikim Nistarim (hidden zadik) [who he has known for many years], that the 'Gates of Tshuva' are closing soon [ie, there will be no more Tshuva – repentance/returning to Hashem - after that date].

- There is a terrible decree in Shamayim [heaven] that [chas ve'shalom] on 21st Ellul [20th September 2011] six Arab nations plan to send up to 3 million Arabs to march on Jerusalem, un-armed.

- [This might not sound particularly terrible, seeing as they are un-armed. However, Rav Arush stressed that we do not understand how terrible this decree will be and that we must all pray for it to be rescinded.]

- Rav Arush is taking the message from the Zadik Nistar very seriously. He told the Yeshiva that he personally called up non-religious family members and asked them to please start keeping Shabbat, and to put on Tefillin and keep any other mitzvahs they can. Now may be the last time that a person will be able to do Tshuva and return to Hashem.

- Rav Arush then made immediate changes to the Yeshiva. He has changed the normal learning schedule so that instead of learning from 1pm – 5pm, all students at the Yeshiva are to go out at this time to distribute Torah literature, CD's and books. He gave every student of the Yeshiva 200 CD's to distribute, and gave away the Garden of Emuna to the students for just 10 shekel a copy to facilitate distribution.

- Spreading Emunah (belief in Hashem) is one of the only ways of rescinding this decree and bringing Moshiach in a 'sweet way'.

Friends, we may be heading into strange, difficult and ultimately wonderful times.

In order to survive these times, a person needs to pray, to return whole-heartedly to G-d and to keep his Emunah (belief in Hashem) very strong. Our Torah promises a new world of peace and light, but our Rabbis teach us that this may come with difficult 'birth pangs'.

May each of us do what we can to strengthen ourselves and others, and may we be blessed with B'sorot Tovot, only good news.

Katia Now a Category 4 Hurricane

Katia Strengthens To Category 4 Hurricane

Read more here

Earthquakes and Homosexuality

Among the many possibilities put forward for the underlying reason why [some] earthquakes occur - such as the one last week on the east coast of America - homosexuality is often cited as the main one.  In this shiur, Rabbi Zecharia Wallerstein quotes from the Gemara and explains how and why.

Click here to listen: Torah Anytime [Video] or MP3

Validating the Torah Codes

Rabbinical Support for the use of Torah Codes

Question: Is it allowed to show the truth of the Torah or try to prove its truth in different ways like the words which appear in Torah at equal interval skip distances.

Answer: I was surprised and wondered about such a foolish question. It does not require thought. It is simple. It is a great mitzvah to do it. In every generation the Sages of Israel, who were the experts to answer the atheists, used ways appropriate to their generation to prove the truth of Torah. Look at the tractate Hulin, page 60b. The Sages ask: Was Moses a hunter or did he know all the animals in the world, [to be able to say that the only ones which chew their cud and do have split hooves or which do not chew their cud and do have split hoofs are the ones mentioned in Torah?] The Sages answer from here that Torah is from Heaven. For only G-d knows the characteristics of all the animals. Since the facts show that this kind of proof has a great impact to strengthen the faith that Torah is from Heaven, it is a great mitzvah for those who occupy themselves in these matters. But they must be on a level to properly deal with this on a scientific basis. They must not be like the people who do not know enough who spoil instead of rectifying. All those who occupy themselves in these matters will be blessed by G-d in all blessings which are for those who help others to be more meritorious and bring back those who are far away. Their hands should be strengthened. Heaven forbid, they should not be discouraged by any pious and righteous arguments because those who are arguing out of piety, do not speak with sense. It is better that they should keep quiet.. Blessed will be those who establish words of Torah.

Rabbi Shlomo Fisher This answer was shown to the Gaon Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Oyarbach by Professor Branover. Rabbi Oyarbach said that he would say the same words:

[Click to enlarge]

A number of contemporary Gedolim and Torah sages have repeatedly given their strong support for the use of Codes as a Kiruv Rechokim tool. Included in this prominent group is the renowned Jerusalem Posek and Rov, Rav Shlomo Fisher. In addition to his own 1989 Psak Din stating that "it is a Mitzvah to teach Codes," Rabbi Fisher recently issued a public letter wherein he states that he met with Doron Witztum and Dr. Rips on several occasions, together with Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, Zt'l. He testifies that Harav Auerbach not only gave his unequivocal approval of the Codes research but also strongly encouraged the use of this material in Kiruv Rechokim efforts.

Numerous prominent Roshei Yeshiva and Rabbonim have personally sat through Codes presentations at our Discovery seminars. Among those who have attended - and gone on record as supporting the use of Codes for Kiruv Rechokim - are Rav Yaakov Weinberg, Rav Shmuel Kaminetzky, Rav Moshe Heinemann, and Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan. In fact, Mr. Harold Gans, a former senior cryptologic mathematician with the United States' National Security Agency for twenty-eight years, has had a number of long discussions about the Codes with Rav Moshe Heinemann. Despite the recent controversy surrounding the topic, Rav Heinemann remains emphatic in characterizing the Codes as "absolutely part of our Mesorah, and a Kiddush Hashem to teach."

If you want to read more, click here.

Remember....

 

If you don't ask forgiveness from a person you have wronged, the whole Yom Kippur davening is pointless. Properly begging forgiveness doesn't mean sending a fax or a message, but personally approaching the person. 

[Rabbi Elazar Abuchatzirah [Baba Elazar] zt"l

Source: Torah Code US

An Elevated Impression

 

"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".

Source: Likutei Sichos, Lubavitcher Rebbe

No Fear

Art: ''Havdalah with the Klausenberger Rebbe'' - Raphael Nouril

When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots, and a people more numerous than you, you must not be afraid of them, for Hashem, your G-d, is with you. [Shoftim 20:1]

Several fortunate students witnessed the fulfillment of this verse in the home of the tzaddik, R' Yosef Yozel Horowitz [the Alter of Novaradok].

During the Alter's later years, a brutal war had broken out in Russia. The battle had taken to the streets, as Russian citizens fought against the marauding bolsheviks.

One motza'ei Shabbos, the Alter stood with a cup of wine in hand, ready to recite Havdalah.

Suddenly, sounds of gunfire and shouting filled the air, as rioters entered the small town of Novaradok. The townspeople were in a panic, and screams of terror could be heard emanating from the houses. The sounds of gunfire and explosions were also clearly heard in the Alter's courtyard.

Yet to everyone's amazement, the apparent danger seemed to have no effect on the Alter. With a calm and pleasant voice, the Alter began reciting Havdalah, displaying a heart full of trust in Hashem.

The students who were present in the Alter's home that motza'ei Shabbos later remarked that in those incredible few moments, they had learned what it means to truly trust in Hashem.

Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein