Blessings in Disguise

"See! I am giving to you today a blessing and a curse" [Re'eh 11:26]

How could G-d, who is the very essence of good, issue a curse?  Are we not taught that "no evil thing issues from Above?"

In truth, however, G-d does not issue curses at all, and only blessings are "issued from Above".  The problem lies "below" in our ability to receive G-d's blessings.  If a person is not a fitting receptacle for the goodness which G-d bestows upon him, he will simply be unable to accommodate G-d's blessings.  The result will be that after its downward path through the spiritual worlds, the blessing is received in a way that appears, to our human eyes, as a curse.

As least that is how it appears in the spiritually  dampened moments of exile.  Thus Onkelos, who authored his work amidst the Babylonian exile, interpreted the word קללה as "curse".  However, Targum Yonason wrote his commentary in the Land of Israel during Temple times, when even the average person could easily appreciate that "no evil thing is issued from Above".  Thus he rendered קללה   as חילופּא - "substitute"  - indicating that G-d Himself only issues blessings, but His blessings may later become "substituted" by something else.

And this also explains why, in the Messianic Era, we will not only forgive G-d for the sufferings of exile, but we will thank Him [See Isaiah 12:1 ] for then it will be evident how even G-d's "curses" were in fact blessings in disguise.

Source: Likutei Sichos Lubavitcher Rebbe

Anne Frank Reincarnated

Most of this video is not relevant for us, but starting from 5:49 it gets very interesting, as this woman believes herself to be a reincarnation of Anne Frank.

The Key

All beginnings require that you unlock new doors.

The key is giving and doing.

Give charity and do kindness.

[Rebbe Nachman of Breslov]

To give tzedaka to Israelis in need go to:  Amiti

For The Sake of Giving

נָתוֹן תִּתֵּן לוֹ וְלֹא יֵרַע לְבָבְךָ בְּתִתְּךָ לוֹ 
You shall surely give him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him [Re'eh 15:10]

A poor person appeared before he tzaddik R' Mendel of Rimanov.  He poured his heart out before R' Mendel, sparing no detail of his difficult situation.  The Rebbe gave the man a substantial sum of money. Then, as the man turned to leave, the Rebbe presented him with yet another coin.

''Why did the Rebbe give the man tzedakah twice?'' asked the Rebbe's family.

He answered: ''The first time I gave him it was out of sympathy, as I was very saddened by the severity of his predicament.  The second time, however, was purely for the sake of fulfilling the mitzvah of tzedakah.''

''We find an allusion to this in Scripture'', concluded R' Mendel.  ''For when the Torah tell us to give charity, it uses a repetitive expression ''Natan titein lo''.  This is to teach us that we should ''give and give again''.  

''The first time we give charity, it should be for the sake of ''lo yeira le vavecha'' - that our hearts should not be wicked against our friends.  We must learn to feel compassion in our hearts, then Heaven will have compassion toward us.

''The second time we give, however, we should do so purely for the sake of the mitzvah of giving - ''be titcha lo''.

Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein

Current Events, Suffering and Tisha BÁv

Another great shiur from Rabbi Mendel Kessin - includes timing of ''blood moons'', Iran, ISIS and much more

Recorded on Tisha B''Av

click here to listen on You Tube

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