In Anticipation

The Sefer Chareidim says that one of the 17 parts of a mitzva that you must do in order to fulfill a mitzva completely is to yearn to do the mitzva even if you cannot do it at this moment. For example we should long for the Beit HaMikdash in order to be able to bring korbanot. We should want to live in Eretz Yisroel to be Mikayem mitzvot that are only relevant when planting in Eretz Yisroel. 

Rav Levi Yitzchok MiBerditchev in the Kedushas Levi says that is pshat in the pasuk [8:1] "Kol HaMitzva Asher Anochi Mitzavecha Hayom Tishmirun La'asot" - ''All the mitzvos that I command, you should watch to fulfill''.   Sometimes the word "shamar" [watch], means wait in anticipation, as when Yaakov "watched" to see what would happen with Yosef's dreams. 

Similarly here the pasuk says every mitzva that I command, you should yearn to keep even if you are in Chutz La'Aretz and cannot do it. Then in that merit, continues the pasuk, you will be zocheh to "V'yirashtem Et HA'Aretz"; Hashem will eventually bring you to Eretz Yisroel to realize your aspirations.

Source: Revach.net

''Israel Stands Alone''

The AR"I is cited as saying: "Gog u'Magog has the numerical value of seventy, corresponding to the seventy nations, because Gog and Magog will then rule over seventy nations, and they will all come together against Israel.

The AR"I emphasizes another aspect that is also embedded in the verses of the prophecy and the Haftarah, that of a universal war against Am Yisrael.

.... afterwards will come the definite redemption. [Likutei Torah, Parshat Shemot. Cited in Be'er Moshe by the Ozrover Rebbe]   Source

Yesterday's headlines: Obama Says Israel Stands Alone against Iran Deal

Overwhelmed by Troubles

''....when you see a generation overwhelmed by many troubles as by a river, await him...'' [Sandhedrin 98a]

A new lecture from Rabbi Mizrachi including the suffering of our times and how we are living in The Time Immediately before Moshiach 

Olives to Forget, Olive Oil to Remember

by Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita

It is written, “A land of wheat, barley, grape, fig, and pomegranate; a land of olive oil and date-honey” [Devarim 8:8].

This is surprising. For the first five products on this list, it is the fruit itself (wheat, barley, grape, fig, pomegranate) that is mentioned, but for the olive the verse mentions only what is derived from it, namely olive oil. Why?

The Maharsha cites a statement from the Gemara: “Our Rabbis taught: Five things make one forget one’s learning:

Eating something from which a mouse or cat has eaten, eating the heart of a beast, frequent consumption of olives, drinking the remains of water that was used for washing, and washing one’s feet one above the other. Others say: He who also puts his clothes under his head.

Five things restore one’s learning: Wheat bread, and especially wheat itself, eating a roasted egg without salt, frequent consumption of olive oil, frequent indulgence in wine and spices, and the drinking of water that has remained from kneading. Others say that dipping one’s finger in salt and eating is also included.

‘Frequent consumption of olive-oil’ – this supports the view of Rabbi Yochanan, who said: ‘As the olive causes one to forget 70 years ears of learning, olive oil restores 70 years of learning’ ” [Horayot 13b].

The Trait of Arrogance

וְלֹא תָבִיא תוֹעֵבָה אֶל בֵּיתֶךָ 

Nor should you bring an abomination into your house [Eikev 7:26]

The verse teaches us, noted R' Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev, just how despicable the trait of arrogance truly is.  It is so abhorred that one is forbidden to even allow a haughty individual to enter his home.

We learn this from a verse in Mishlei: ''Every haughty heart is the abomination of Hashem'' [Mishlei 16:5]

We see, therefore, that a haughty individual is referred to as an ''abomination'', about which our verse explicitly states:  "And you must not bring an abomination into your home''.

Source: Rabbi Y. Bronstein

Torah Codes of Malayasian Flight MH370 Proved Correct

On 24 March this year I published Rabbi Glazerson's video [below] where the Torah Codes told us   that the plane was ''ín the sea'' - @ 3:00 on the video.

Now we know that information was correct: see here for story.

The Blue Moon and the Festival of the Future Redemption

Photo: Priya Kumar, Oman, August 2012

This year on July 31 - which is also Tu Be'Av [15 Av] -  we will have a blue moon.... the second of two full moons in a calendar month is called a Blue Moon -  the moon was full on July 2, and it will be full again on July 31. An older definition of Blue Moon is that it’s the third of four full moons in a single season. 

A Moon that actually looks blue, however, is a very rare sight and depends on atmospheric particles from a dust storm or erupting volcano.

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The 15th of Av is undoubtedly the most mysterious day of the Jewish calendar.

A search of the Shulchan Aruch [Code of Jewish Law] reveals no observances or customs for this date, except for the instruction that the tachanun [confession of sins] and similar portions should be omitted from the daily prayers [as is the case with all festive dates], and that beginning on the 15th of Av one should increase one’s study of Torah, since at this time of the year the nights begin to grow longer, and “the night was created for study.” And the Talmud tells us that many years ago the “daughters of Jerusalem would go dance in the vineyards” on the 15th of Av, and “whoever did not have a wife would go there” to find himself a bride.

And this is the day which the Talmud considers the greatest festival of the year, with Yom Kippur (!) a close second!

Indeed, the 15th of Av cannot but be a mystery. As the “full moon” of the tragic month of Av, it is the festival of the future redemption, and thus a day whose essence, by definition, is unknowable to our un-redeemed selves.

Click here to read more essays on Tu B''Av

Pollard: Key to Redemption.....

Jonathan Pollard's release is another indicator of Geula:

''Your release is tied up with the Moshiach Ben David's return to the Land." - quote from Esther Pollard's letter to Jonathan Pollard: Aug 1, 2010 

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''Over time, the Rav shared with us and with a few others who were very close to him that Jonathan’s release is the key to the redemption of all of Am Yisrael.

He taught us how Jonathan’s release is also the key to the release of all of Israel’s captives and MIAs. Once Jonathan is out, all the captives are all out!

Once they are all out, we are all in Geula! Perhaps most significant of all, the Rav always referred to Jonathan as the “Yosef HaTzadik shel doreinu” (The Yosef Hatzadik of our generation.)''

Source: Yeranen Yaakov

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Releasing Mashiach Ben Ephraim

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[video] Rabbi Glazerson's Torah Codes: Jonathan Pollard - Moshiach ben Yosef