The Gate of Trust - Shaar Ha'Bitachon

from Chovos Halevavos - Duties of the Heart
by Rabeinu Bahya ibn Paquda
translated by Rabbi Yosef Sebag © 2012

Level: Intermediate
permission granted to redistribute this in any format for non profit Jewish purposes

Contents
Translator's Foreword
Introduction - benefits of trust
Chapter 1 - What is trust
Chapter 2 - The criteria for trusting someone
Chapter 3 - The factors which would obligate one to trust in G-d, and the obligation to engage in a livelihood.
Chapter 4 - When trust applies and when it does not
Chapter 5 - The difference between one who trusts in G-d in earning a livelihood and one who does not.
Chapter 6 - Obligation to refute those who promote delaying the service of G-d until reaching sufficient material prosperity.
Chapter 7 - Things that damage one's trust in G-d, and a summary of the matter of trust.

Click here for full document: Daf Yomi Review

The War and More

Rabbi Yossi Mizrahi presents a new video: The War and More
HT: Joe

The Shmira Project - For Soldiers and Residents in Danger

This grassroots program pairs individual Jews worldwide with an Israeli soldier or resident in danger. By you doing acts of kindness, prayer and learning Torah in their name it adds to the spiritual merit of that soldier. It’s simple, it’s one on one and it’s powerful.

In times of crisis Jews come together. As seen when over 100,000 people joined the first project of this kind during Project Cast Lead.

Israeli soldiers and recently also civilians are in the line of fire. The army trains them to think in terms of their unit, first and foremost. In the same way, we have to think in terms of our unit as well: the Jewish People. The only way we can overcome our enemies is if we band together.

This is a person to person match that everyone can do.

The families of the soldiers would enjoy the reassurance that Jews around the world are spiritually supporting their children. All participants are helping to bring about unity, connectedness and the spiritual growth of the Jewish People.

Everyone wins.

Join The Shmira Project. It’s personal. It’s important. It’s one name at a time.

It’s guard duty for the rest of us.

This new project is inspired by Rav Simcha Kook and the Bostoner Rebbe, zt”l and supported by many other Great Rabbis in 2009. It's been led by parents of a lone soldier. Let’s join together, now take a name and make a difference.

If you want to participate or sign up a soldier, click here

Massive Superstorm : Just the beginning

Australia: A damaging storm has turned "day into night'' in Brisbane, as lightning and winds brought down powerlines and left more than 6000 homes and businesses without electricity. Meanwhile, another severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for other parts of the state. Story: News.com

Killed on Mumbai Anniversary

The victims of Thursday's attack in Kiryat Malachi were identified as Ahron Smadga, Yitzchak Amsalam, and 25-year-old Mira Scharf (nee Cohen), who was pregnant.

By COLlive Staff

The victims

 Three Lubavitchers have been killed in a grad rocket attack on a Chabad neighborhood of Kiryat Malachi, Israel Thursday morning.

The victims were identified as Ahron Smadga, 50, Yitzchak Amsalam, 27, and Mira Scharf (nee Cohen), 25, who was 7 months pregnant.

Scharf's husband Shmuel was critically injured, as were their 3 children.

The Scharfs were active in the Jewish community in New Delhi, India.

Her funeral will take place Thursday at 8 pm from Shamgar Funeral Home in Jerusalem.

Today, Rosh Chodesh Kislev is the yahrtzeit of Mumbai Shluchim Rabbi Gabi and Rivky Holtzberg obm, murdered in a terrorist attack in 2008.

50-year-old Ahron Smadga leaves behind 3 children, a set of twins and a 2 year old baby, which were born after 14 years of marriage.

His funeral will take place Thursday at 8 pm from Nachlas Har Chabad.

Six others were injured in the attack, including two infants, one of them eight months old. An additional victim, a four year old boy, was taken to Tel Hashomer hospital in central Israel for treatment. along with his father. The boy was in serious condition, and the father in moderate condition.

Altogether, seven people were injured in the Kiryat Malachi attack. Six others were treated for shock in the attack.

Please say tehillim for: Shmuel ben Chaya Sarah Yehudis, Yosef Yitzchak ben Mira Rut, Chana bas Mira Rut, Geulah bas Mira Rut.

The victims were killed and injured when a Grad rocket hit an apartment building in Kiryat Malachi. The dead were among a large group that had taken refuge in an old building that suffered a direct hit from a Grad rocket.

Pillar of Cloud

And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to cause it to lead them on the way and at night in a pillar of fire to give them light, [they thus could] travel day and night. [Shemot 13:21]

The Limits of Tolerance

A recent news story about the wealthiest rabbis in Israel raises questions of when rabbinic behavior becomes unacceptable. Even the most tolerant of people recognize that at some point they must object to deviant, borderline criminal, behavior. However you define your red line, there is some person or group who lies beyond it, past the threshold of unacceptability. Engaging in that tricky business of rejection is a necessary part of tolerating those within the bounds. If every group is acceptable, even cults and criminals, then inclusion is meaningless.

A little over ten years ago, R. Shlomo Aviner published a collection of his letters against a cult rabbinic figure in the book Bein Or Le-Choshekh: Bein Chakhamim Amitiyim Le-Admorim Mezuyafim. Without naming anyone (in the book), R. Aviner reproduces his attempts to convince adherents that the charismatic leader of a specific religious group is a fraud. Watching R. Aviner walk this tightrope of opposition is a profound lesson in the limits of tolerance.

Special Powers

The specific leader claimed paranormal powers, the ability to see into people’s lives, tell the future and communicate with the dead, which he attributed to prophecy and messianic claims. I would have objected that he is merely tricking people but this would probably have proven unsuccessful. R. Aviner, instead, accepted that he performs these amazing feats. However, he argued, it is all irrelevant because it proves nothing.

Paranormal powers are documented among many different people, including those non-religious and non-Jewish. Police investigators sometimes even consult with such seers. This man’s abilities only demonstrate a rare gift, not prophetic power. R. Aviner quotes two incidents of apparent prophets, one from Vilna and the other Kovna, about which R. Chaim Volozhiner testified that the Vilna Gaon denounced as non-prophetic activities (introduction to Sifra De-Tzeni’usa; Keser Rosh, Ma’amarim 6-8). Similarly, a student of R. Tzvi Yehudah Kook was amazed by someone who could tell him intimate details of his private matters. R. Kook dismissed the entire matter.

Continue reading at Hirhurim


HT: Josh

New Storm Hitting Sandy-Battered NYC, NJ, CT

A nor'easter is hitting New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, with snow, rain and heavy winds. The storm is knocking out power to thousands, including some who just had it restored.
 

 See Article: Winter Storm Athena on the East Coast

 Message from Moishela Parts 1-3 click here
 Part 4 here