The Humility of Moshe and Moshiach

Moshe initially declined his mission saying ''Who am I, that I should go to Pharoah, and that I should bring forth the people of Israel out of Egypt?'' [Shemos 3:11]

The answer to this question was hinted to by the verse ''A poor man is riding on a donkey'' [Zechariah 9:9].  The poor man is a metaphor for the profound humility of Moshiach.  Likewise, the fact that he is riding on a mere donkey also points to his humility.

So, we have here an answer to Moshe's question:

Just like Moshiach was chosen by G-d due to his great humility, so too it was with Moshe.  Thus, the fact that Moshe humbly declined the mission proved he was the right person for the task.

Source: Likutei Sichos Lubavitcher Rebbe

Rabbi Winston on the Erev Rav [video]

The Erev Rav, or the Mixed Multitude, seems to be a side show in the exodus story. However, as Rabbi Pinchas Winston explains, they are more of a main event with ramifications even until today.

''Chareidi Extremists are Animals''

Jerusalem - A well known Rosh Yeshiva who is also a popular figure in the Sephardi kiruv world had nothing but contempt and scorn for Charedi Israeli extremists.

Rabbi Rafael Zar, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Ohr Dor – Ohr Yehuda, a noted baal mussar and considered by some as a spiritual leader, had strong words for those who resort to extreme measures, in the name of tznius.

“They are the worst kind of evildoers, far worse than the most secular individual,” said Rabbi Zar. “If I could I would break their arms and legs. This is not just my opinion, it is the opinion of Chazal. They would catch them, give them lashes and break their bones for their appalling behavior.

Spitting on women? I am appalled by this and any true Ben Torah feels the same way about this garbage. The people who do this are nothing more than garbage and they bring a foul stench to the scent of Torah in this world. It is repulsive. To spit on a Jewish Girl? Who do you think you are?

Anyone whose middos are so corrupt, is not a Jew in my eyes. He is an animal.”

“Someone who commits a Chilul Hashem like this does not deserve to have a beard. It is an embarrassment. According to the Holy Tazdik Baba Sali Zt’l there are Jews that when they will go to gehenim, the fire will start from their beard, because they don’t deserve to have a beard.”

Source, video and full article at: VIN News

The Mystery of Pain: Why Was Moses Afraid to Gaze at G-d?

World-renowned teacher Rabbi YY Jacobson presents a fascinating class on why Moshe Rabeinu refused Hashem's offer to understand the mystery of pain.

This week's class explores that unbelievable teaching of our Sages that at the burning bush Moshe forfeited a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Hashem offered to reveal to Moshe the greatest revelation of all: The mystery of human suffering.

The greatest minds, and the greatest believers, have grappled with this throughout history to no avail, yet Moses unequivocally refused the once-in-a-universe chance.

Why?

The answer sheds light on the true meaning of leadership, and on the depth of Moses' relationship with the Jewish people.

To listen to the shiur, click here: TheYeshiva.net

Against Our Will

Art: Kimberley Applegate

Pirkei Avos: Vilna Gaon - Because You Will Die Against Your Will

The Mishna in Pirkei Avos [4:22] says that a person is created against his will, he is born against his will, he lives against his will, and he will die against his will. The Vilna Gaon asks, if a person's entire existence is against his will, how can he be held accountable. It is like hiring a person to do your bookkeeping who says he doesn't know anything about bookkeeping. At the end of the year when the books are a mess, can he blame the bookkeeper? Similarly if we never accepted the challenge of life this world willfully, can we be held accountable?

The Vilna Gaon's answer is explained with a Mashal from the Dubno Magid. There was a ranting women who was not able to find someone willing to marry. She was also blind. They finally found her the perfect shidduch, a deaf man who never got married because he was deformed beyond belief. They got married and lived in perfect harmony. He couldn't hear her curses and rantings and she couldn't see how ugly he was.

One day a famous doctor came to town who had a special potion to restore vision and hearing. The couple excitedly went to the doctor who charged them a fortune of money and gave each one special drops. Miraculously they were both cured, but what tzorus it caused! He couldn't believe the cursing coming from his sweet wife and she couldn't stand the site of her deformed husband.

They took the Doctor to Din Torah demanding their money back and then some, for the trouble he caused and the marriage he ruined. The Rov asked the Doctor if he'd like to defend himself. He said there was no need to. He has special drops that can return them to their original state, and he will give it to them for free. At this point they started to scream, no! no! If so said the Doctor, they were satisfied with his treatment and he deserved his pay.

It's true that we we were put on earth against our will. However when it is time to leave the world none of us are happy to go and we fight death with all our might. If so we are happy here and must pay the price of the damage we caused while we are here. The Mishna tells us that we were born against our will but we also are dragged to our grave against our will and that is what does us in.

Source: Revach L'Neshama

Shemot: Names

[Source: Likutei Sichos of the Lubavitcher Rebbe]

The word "shemot'' means ''names'', as in the verse ''these are the name of the children of Israel who came to Egypt'' [Shemot 1:1]

A person's name is an extremely personal matter. Whenever a person hears his name called out, the word resonates in his heart, and lifts his spirits.  People feel so strongly for their names that they will pay fortunes to have their names written on buildings, as they yearn for their identity to be perpetuated in stone. 

In fact, a name is such a deep-rooted entity that, if a person faints, whispering his name into his ear can actually bring him back to consciousness.

Rashi comments [1:1] that naming is the best sign of affection.  Seemingly there are greater signs of affection than mere naming. A parent can show love to a child through giving a gift, or through words of affection, or through physical embracing. Why did G-d show His affection to the tribes through repeating their names?

However, these other signs of affection are all relative to the situation at hand. For example, what might be a generous gift for one child would be an insult to another. Similarly, words of affection must be specific for a particular child at his level. And while a hug may always seem appropriate, it requires the presence of the child and his conscious alertness. Only the calling of a name breaks through these barriers and is applicable in all circumstances.

Consequently, when the Jewish people were immersed in the idolatrous culture of Egypt, they had few merits and so the only possible sign of affection was to repeat their names.  This teaches us that G-d's love for a Jew is unconditional.

[Lubavitcher Rebbe]

Iranian war fears spark closure of Israel reactor

HT: Miguel

ISRAEL is preparing to shut its nuclear reactor at Dimona, where it makes nuclear weapons, because of the site's vulnerability in a war with Iran.

The decision, taken by the Israel Atomic Energy Commission and the country's civil defence authorities, follows a realisation that the facility could be vulnerable to a missile attack.

The Haaretz newspaper quoted officials last week as saying they had concluded the reactor was no longer impenetrable in the event of war.

Deactivating the reactor in the southern Negev desert would minimise the dangers of nuclear fallout in the area "should it be targeted by missiles from as far away as Iran".

The official explanation is that work on the reactor is conducted for research and does not need to be carried out around the clock.

According to defence sources, the shutdown at Dimona would begin before the launch of any Israeli or US assault on Iran's nuclear facilities.

Source: The Australian

The Obama's [Secret] Mad Hatter's Tea Party

Never one to miss a chance to blog Alice in Wonderland, I couldn't resist this one:

A White House “Alice in Wonderland” costume ball — put on by Johnny Depp and Hollywood director Tim Burton — proved to be a Mad-as-a-Hatter idea that was never made public for fear of a political backlash during hard economic times, according to a new tell-all.

“The Obamas,” by New York Times correspondent Jodi Kantor, tells of the first Halloween party the first couple feted at the White House in 2009. It was so over the top that “Star Wars” creator George Lucas sent the original Chewbacca to mingle with invited guests.


The book reveals how any official announcement of the glittering affair — coming at a time when Tea Party activists and voters furious over the lagging economy, 10-percent unemployment rate, bank bailouts and Obama’s health-care plan were staging protests — quickly vanished down the rabbit hole.


“White House officials were so nervous about how a splashy, Hollywood-esque party would look to jobless Americans — or their representatives in Congress, who would soon vote on health care — that the event was not discussed publicly and Burton’s and Depp’s contributions went unacknowledged,” the book says.

Read more: NY Post


"But I don't want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.
 "Oh, you can't help that," said the Cat: "we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad." 
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice. 
"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."