Life's A Beach: Australia

Some winners in the Australia Day Council's photography competition. [Australia Day is celebrated on January 26]

Kookaburra Family by Ken Griffiths NSW

The Bay of Blue Fire by Cally Edmonds NSW

"Having explored the east coast of Tasmania, only a short time ago, The Bay of Fires was a definite highlight. We were expecting to see the bright red lichen rolling over the boulders, in its full glory; instead we were greeted with bad weather and occasional glimpses of light. Australia's unpredictable weather patterns had taken over, but it was a five-minute window of sunlight that allowed me to take this photograph, capturing the aquamarine waters slipping past the rocks, creating a magnificent contrast from the white sand. This photo, I believe, shows so much about not only Australia's hidden gems, like The Bay of Fires, but it also gives an insight in to just how much Australia can shine even on its bad days."

Beached by Robert Baillie NSW

"When I took this photo I thought it really showed the great Australian pride in our country and the laidback attitude of its people. On Australia Day this gentleman had covered his Tinny in Australian flags and had been parading along the water, for the crowd on the bank to enjoy. The outgoing tide must have left him beached but not to be fussed he had settled down for a quick nap. “She’ll be right mate, the tide will come up eventually!”

Full photo gallery can be found here

Midnight: The Threshold

At the dividing point of the night, I will go out into the midst of Egypt... [Bo 11:4]

Rashi comments: At the literal level [p'shat] Moshe informed Pharoah that the plague would start at midnight precisely.

A non-literal [agadic] interpretation is that G-d told Moshe the plague would start at precisely midnight, but Moshe decided not to tell this fact over to Pharoah because he feared that the Egyptian astrologers might err in their calculations of the exact time of midnight. Then, when the plague failed to come at the time they expected, they would come to the conclusion that Moshe had spoken falsely. Therefore, Moshe told Pharoah that the plague would start at 'around midnight'.

Mizrachi comments: The Torah states that Moshe told Pharoah the plague would begin כַּחֲצֹת הַלַּיְלָה. Literally, this means 'around midnight'. However it is unthinkable that G-d should express Himself in such an uncertain manner. Therefore, Rashi understood that כַּחֲצֹת means precisely midnight. This unusual translation was achieved by rendering the word not as a noun but as a verb: ''when the night divides''.

The second agadic interpretation of Rashi solves this problem by explaining that G-d did indeed express Himself in precise terms, but Moshe chose to use a more ambiguous expression, for fear of being misjudged.

Ibn Ezra: The term כַּחֲצֹת הַלַּיְלָה could be rendered 'after midnight' i.e. in the second half of the night [as in Ruth 3:8]

Ramban: Moshe was clearly not trying to tell Pharoah the exact timing of the plague at all, for he did not mention which day the plague would occur. Rather, Moshe was hinting generally that the next plague would cause Pharoah and his servants to arise in the middle of the night.

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Perhaps we could argue that Rashi accepted the problem presented by Ramban that the warning of a precise time seems totally superfluous here, as Pharoah was in any case not informed of the date.

Furthermore, we do not find that most of the other plagues were associated with a specific time. Even in those instances when the dates were specified [e.g. before the plagues of death of cattle and hail] the time was not. So, why do we find that in this final plague, an exact time was given?

[One exception to this rule was the plague of hail. Rashi explains that Moshe drew a line on the wall and said that when the sun would reach the line, the hail would fall [Vaera 9:18]. But in that case, there was a reason for giving a time, so that those who ''feared the word of G-d'' [Vaera 9:20] would be able to put their slaves and cattle under shelter before the plague started. In our case, however, there is no practical reason to mention the time.]

Since the time appears to be of no relevance here, Rashi concluded that the reference to midnight was primarily a descriptive statement which conveyed the unique quality of the impending plague.

We are therefore left with a question: the distinctive feature of the plague of the firstborn is that it was carried out by G-d Himself, as verse 4 states: ''I will go out into the midst of Egypt''. But if we would follow the usual translation of the word כַּחֲצֹת [around midnight] then how would the verse convey the unique quality of this plague, that G-d was involved personally? Surely, one would expect G-d Himself to be of the utmost precision?

[In fact, we find that the plague of hail was enacted with extreme precision. So, it would be unreasonable to suggest that the plague which G-d enacted personally would be around a certain time, and thus less accurate than one of the previous plagues in which He was not directly ''involved''.]

Therefore, Rashi was forced to conclude that, at the literal level, כַּחֲצֹת הַלַּיְלָה must be rendered [not as 'about midnight' but] as ''precisely midnight'' i.e. even though this is an unconventional [and thus apparently non-literal translation] it is nevertheless necessary to preserve the basic implication of the text, that the plague occurred at a specific time to express G-d's personal involvement.

However, since this interpretation resorted to an unconventional translation, Rashi felt it necessary to bring also a second interpretation from agadic sources.

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Midnight as an Expression of Infinitude

It was explained above that Pharoah was informed of the time of the plague of the firstborn primarily as an expression of G-d's personal involvement. This is highlighted by the comment of Rabbi Yehudah ben Basaira in the Mechilta that midnight is not a definitive moment in time, but rather, a threshold. Thus G-d's revelation at ''midnight'' expresses His true infinitude, how He can be simultaneously revealed in our world that is bound by time, and yet, remain aloof from it.

Source: Based on Likutei Sichos Vol 21 Lubavitcher Rebbe - Gutnick Chumash

Rockiah presents The Call

From a reader in Bet Shemesh

The Seventh Day

Art: Miki Karni

Va'eira: An Island in Time

[extracts from "The Curtain Parted" by Robert L. Kremnizer]

In the midrash of Va'eira, Moshe tells Pharoah that the Jews will not work on Shabbat. What is the mystery of Shabbat that is so important that Pharoah is forced to cope with the fact that Jews will not work on this day? For most uninitiated Jews, Shabbat seems an enormous chore: a day without shopping, travelling, television.... who wants to live like this? Who would voluntarily undertake this imprisonment? Intelligent caring Jews shake their heads in dismay and extend their hearts to pity the misguided fanatics involved in this primitive rite, for whom reason appears not to exist.

In truth, it is difficult to communicate the preciousness of Shabbat because to a large extent its joy must be experienced. The apparent restrictions are in fact gates to new, greater and dazzling freedoms. These freedoms, however, become available only after the experience of Shabbat is lived, and lived repeatedly. Those not prepared to invest the time and energy, sadly never discover the wonder of the phenomenon.

We have a saying, that more than the Jewish people have kept the Shabbat throughout our history, the Shabbat has kept the Jewish people. The celestial properties of Shabbat are a necessary ingredient for the spiritual thriving and prospering of a Jew.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe taught that the blessings of Am Yisrael come to us because of Shabbat. Indeed, whoever keeps Shabbat properly obtains these unlimited blessings. Fascinatingly, these blessings come to those who actually fix their boundaries on Shabbat - not of course physical boundaries, but those which a Jew takes on for spiritual reasons. Am Yisrael and Shabbat therefore are absolutely and completely inter-dependent, and without Shabbat we cannot access these unlimited blessings.

Shabbat is best understood in terms of withdrawal from the creative and destructive physical activities into spiritual ones. On Shabbat a Jew abstains from 39 forms of labour and withdraws from the physical into the spiritual, surrendering his dominion over the creative and destructive processes of the world. On the seventh day, a Jew imitates G-d's withdrawal from the creative processes, to journey into touch with Hashem and, in doing so, renews personal vigour and recharges spiritual potential.

The Neshamah

The Jewish soul, the neshamah, has five levels. Three of these levels are enclothed in the body, two are not. The highest of the levels of the neshamah not enclothed in the body is called "Yechidah" - that part of the soul which is bound-up together with Hashem. On the day of Shabbat, the observance of Shabbat reaches that level of every neshamah which is "Yechidah", higher than any revelation of his neshamah in his body.

Anatomy

The three lower levels of the neshamah are revealed in the body. The neshamah has various powers which are revealed through organs of the body. For example, the neshamah has a power to see, and the power to see is revealed in the body. It is revealed in the body even without the organ which is instrumental in doing the seeing.

If a man's eye is impaired, he cannot see, but he still has the power to see. The proof is that we can mend the eye and the sight is restored. Similarly with hearing. Again, there is the power to hear and there is the instrument which hears. If the instrument is faulty, hearing is impaired. Nevertheless while the ear is faulty, the power to hear remains. Separate the neshamah from the body, by death, remove the power to hear, and the best ears in the world will still hear nothing.

The neshamah also has powers which are not enclothed or revealed in the body. The level of the Yechidah, as we have just learned, is not revealed in the body whatsoever. This is the level of the neshamah which responds when a Jew keeps Shabbat. Since this level of neshamah is independent of the physical body, the revelation is equal in all Jews.

As every Jew's Yechidah is part of Hashem Himself, there can be no concept of superiority or inferiority or a quantitive difference in a Jew's Yechidah; and it is specifically this level which is revealed on Shabbat. This is because the Yechidah, bound up and part of Hashem, is exposed and highlighted by the keeping of Shabbat. Not surprisingly, one can actually feel this. Ba'alei Teshuvah often report this phenomenon.

This is what Yaakov was doing establishing the boundaries for Shabbat as an inheritance for Am Yisrael forever. This inheritance is so specific that even Pharoah was bound by it in this parsha. These are the gates to freedom, mistakenly perceived by the uninitiated as limitations on freedom. When keeping Shabbat, a Jew is in touch with the level of his neshamah which is the Yechidah, and by doing so he is directly in touch, in a feeling sense, with G-d.

Obama breaks into song

Well, if he doesn't get to serve a second term as President, he's got a great career as a soul singer....
Obama breaks into song as a tribute to Al Green [video]

So Many Sinners, How Can Moshiach Come?

Question:

Can the Moshiach come in our time, even though there are people who have not yet repented and don't keep the Torah?

Answer:

Regarding the coming of the Redemption, our sages taught: “This matter depends only on repentance.” Maimonides likewise writes that “The Torah has promised that the Jewish people will ultimately repent at the end of their exile, and will immediately be redeemed.” However, the Redemption will not be delayed even if this condition is not fulfilled. There are three reasons for this:

1) There is no one who has not had at least one thought of repentance at least a few times in the course of his life. Even one such thought can transform a person from an utter rasha to a perfect tzaddik.

2) Many of those who do not keep the Torah and its commandments were not raised in observant homes, and have not had the benefit of a comprehensive Jewish education. As such, they have the halachic status of victims of duress, and the Torah exonerates them for their lack of observance.

3) The Redemption will come even before the Jewish people repent. It is written in Psalms, “And He will redeem Israel from all its sins.” Commentators explain, “Even sin will not obstruct the Redemption, for He will redeem Israel from sin.”

G-d is merciful and overlooks transgressions, as described in the verse: “Who is a G-d like You, Who pardons iniquity, and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not maintain His anger forever, for He delights in mercy.”

Rabbi David Kimche comments on this verse: “As to those people who remain when the Redeemer comes..... even though their unworthy deeds could make them liable for the punishment of not being redeemed from exile, G-d will not direct attention forever to their deeds, for He delights in mercy.”

[From Exile to Redemption, pp. 128-29. Sicha of Parshat Vayechi 5751. Shabbos 68b. Bava Kama 28b. Tehillim 130:8. Meztudas David, loc. cit. Michah 7:18]

Source: ChabadWorld.net

The Trapped Soul of the Autistic Child

HT: Moriah

Carly Fleischmann has severe autism and is unable to speak a word. But thanks to years of expensive and intensive therapy, this 13-year-old has made a remarkable breakthrough.

Two years ago, working with pictures and symbols on a computer keyboard, she started typing and spelling out words. The computer became her voice.

"All of a sudden these words started to pour out of her, and it was an exciting moment because we didn't realize she had all these words," said speech pathologist Barbara Nash. "It was one of those moments in my career that I'll never forget." [More at ABC News]

Olympic Games 2012

The 2012 Olympic Games - July 27 to Aug 12 - are shaping up to be a monumental event.  Iran threatened to boycott the Games due to the official Logo, which they say spells the word ZION - and indeed it does spell the word Zion as you can see. Whether it is by Divine Providence as a hint to the Geula..... or some sinister plot, I do not know.

Judging by the preparations currently underway in London, with the Thames looking like a battlefront, the Olympic organisers are taking no chances in attempting to ensure that all goes well.

Terror on the Thames? Thankfully it's just an exercise as armed police and special forces prepare to protect the Olympics in Britain's biggest peacetime security operation. Read more at: Britain's Biggest Peacetime Security Operation

A History of the Games and The Lubavitcher Rebbe's Warning
compiled and written by Rabbi Elozor Reitchik

The Olympic Games began over 2700 years ago and was a religious event in honor of one of the many Greek gods.

- The original Olympic Games took place in Olympia, where temples for idolatry were situated. The modern-day Olympics, which resumed in the year 1896, are directly connected to the ancient games since they begin with the lighting of the Olympic Torch. The Torch is ignited by the sun's rays in the temple on Olympia, and from there it makes its way to the country where the Games are held.

- Even the fact that the Games take place every four years, as well as the Olympic symbol of five interlocking rings, are connected to idol worship. The five intertwined circles represent Venus, which traces a perfect pentacle across the sky every 8 years. To the ancient Greeks, Venus became the symbol of perfection and beauty, qualities prized in athletes' bodies. As a tribute to Venus, the Greeks used "her" 8-year cycle to organize their Olympic Games. The 4-year schedule follows Venus' half cycle.

Sourced in Idolatry

The Olympic Games took place in Munich, Germany in 1972. The Lubavitcher Rebbe referred to this in a sicha on Shabbos parshas Vayeishev, Shabbos Chanuka, 5733, and said that this was an inyan of avoda zara. Free translation follows:

The entire concept of the Olympic Games is connected with idol worship. These games began with the Greeks, who had a custom of going to a certain place and running there, jumping on stones and bones, dancing, fighting, and killing, etc. The modern version is the Olympic Games, but the source is idol worship.

In those days, the Greeks attained very high levels of wisdom, even the wisdom of mathematics and astronomy. After reaching very high levels of wisdom, they began to think -- what about faith?

There was a mountain near the city, and it wasn't a high mountain, but a mountain that goats and sheep, cows and oxen, and people too, could climb. This mountain wasn't in some forsaken place in the mountains of darkness, but right near the city. So the wise men of Greece declared that their two idols were there, that one had hit the other and killed him, and they did all sorts of evil things there. Including every possible bad trait, and even those you can only think of, and they said that these idols were their gods, and were omnipotent -- the name of this mountain was Olympia.

Then they decided, that once every few years they would gather there, and each one would take his cat, etc., with him, and one would strike another, and jump, and celebrate a holiday there.

All this was in the time of the Greeks. In recent years, this became the Olympic Games, which take place every four years. Therefore, the Olympic Games that take place in our generation are sourced in idol worship.

The Olympic Torch

On Chanuka 5732, a few months before the start of the Olympic Games in Munich, the Olympic Torch was carried through Eretz Yisrael on its way to Munich. The Rebbe spoke sharply about this and in a talk said on Shabbos parshas Chayei Sarah he said:

This was the custom of the Greeks 2000 years ago. Nothing remains of the Greeks themselves, aside from their books, and among the things written in their books, is the custom to take a torch and to run with it from place to place. Now they want to take this Greek custom and celebrate Chanuka with it!

The whole point of Chanuka is the Jews' victory over the Greeks, and as we see and all know, nothing remains of the Greeks aside from their language and their books. Now they want to dig up an ancient custom from the cemetery -- not from the "beis ha'chayim" ["place of the living," a jewish euphomism for a graveyard] but from the "beis ha'kevaros" ["place of graves"] -- and resurrect this Greek custom, the opposite of the whole point of Chanuka!

In 5748 (1988), before the bar mitzva of Eliyahu Schusterman, his father, Rabbi Gershon Schusterman of Los Angeles prepared a speech in which he derived Jewish lessons to be learned from the Olympic fire which burned on Mt. Olympia in Greece, from which the Olympic torch was lit to open the Olympic Games.

When he sent in the speech to the Rebbe, the Rebbe crossed it all out and wrote: as was publicized, the beginning of all this was actual idol worship.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe completely negated any Chabad activity in connection with the Olympic Games, since they are sourced in idol worship. And the Games today are connected and associated with the symbols of Greek idol worship.

The Massacre in Munich could have been Prevented

In a sicha given on Shabbos Chanuka 5733, in which the Rebbe explained the connection between the Olympic Games and avoda zara, the Rebbe also referred to the fact that a group of Israeli athletes were called "Maccabi," the opposite of what the Olympic Games are about:

The name "Maccabi" is for Yehuda Ha'Maccabi, who fought the Greeks and everything they stood for, and he won over the Greeks and killed them. How could a group called "Maccabi" participate in Olympic Games and dance before the Greeks of our time?

It's a general question about the whole issue -- what do they need this for, especially when doctors say that running is not healthy for the head and heart? The whole thing is illogical! What do they want from these men? They take away the time they could have used to sit and study wisdom.

The Rebbe also focused on the fact that the Games took place in Munich, Germany. He said that if Israel insisted on sending athletes to the Olympic Games, at least they should have announced that since the Games were taking place in Germany, which is responsible for the murder of millions of Jews, the Israeli athletes would not participate.

During the Olympic Games in Munich, eight "Black September" terrorists abducted 11 Israeli athletes. After killing two of them, they began negotiating. The terrorists and their captives were flown by helicopter to a nearby airfield. There, the West German police tried to overpower them and failed. The other 9 Israeli athletes were killed.