The status of the Jewish people in exile is compared to that of being sold into slavery to non-Jewish masters [see Esther 7:4]. In such a difficult situation a Jew may argue: ''How can I possibly keep all the mitzvot when I have to live in a predominantly non-Jewish world?''
Nevertheless, just like the Jewish slave is required to keep all the mitzvot even in the house of his non-Jewish master, likewise, the Jewish people have been given the strength from G-d not to be perturbed by the challenges of the non-Jewish world, and to observe all of the mitzvot with pride.
Source: Lubavitcher Rebbe: Sichas Shabbos Parshas Behar 5725
In honour of Lag b'' Omer, here are some videos and links, and all about coloured eggs....
Rabbi Alon Anava - Celebrating the Hilula of Rav Shimon Bar Yochai
A Lag B''Omer tish - with Rav Dov Pinson in Flatbush last year. [Tish means ''table'', fahbrengen means ''get together'']
What is the Chabad custom regarding eating browned eggs on Lag BaOmer?
by Rabbi Levi Garelik - an halachic authority in Brooklyn and Brussels who is also Dean of TheOnlineRabbi
1. In Sefer Haminhogim [page 43] it says that the Mitteler Rebbe would eat hard-boiled eggs on Lag Ba'omer.
2. In "Lubavitch Vechayoleho" it says that the Rebbe Rashab would eat hard-boiled eggs on Lag Ba''omer, as well.
3. In "Otzar Minhogei Chabad" it is written that "it is told" that the Rebbe would eat hard-boiled eggs on Lag BaOmer and that their shells were colored brown during the cooking process. However, he does not write any source.
When I was a student in the Yeshiva, I had "heard" something about this but was never able to get to the bottom of this. [In those days no one spoke about customs in the Rebbe's home…] However, when I merited to get married to the daughter of one of the Rebbe's secretaries, Rabbi Binyomin Klein, I was told that a year earlier, on Lag Ba''Omer, my father-in-law called home and told my wife and her sister to quickly prepare "the colored eggs for Lag Ba''Omer." They had no clue what he was talking about and how do you "color" an egg?
So they called "Bubby Shusterman" [the wife of the Rebbe's "Baal Koreh" whose yahrzeit is in these days] who was a source of information.
She explained that on Lag Ba''Omer it is customary to eat eggs that are colored, and that is done by boiling the eggs, and during the boiling process you insert in the water the shells of onions and this turns the eggs to the color brown.
Basically, the eggs are colored because that symbolizes transforming [or "coloring"] darkness - as eggs are a sign of mourning - to light.
May we merit to celebrate this Lag Ba''omer, together with Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai!
What's the reason or meaning of this minhag? It's for the students/ talmidim of Rabbi Akiva and the eggs end up a kind of bloody color. We do this davka on Lag BaOmer because it's the Hilulah [Yahrzeit] of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai [the Rashbi], who emphasized that the day of his death should be a day of simcha.
Another reason for colored eggs is that eggs are for aveilus [mourning], and we ought to mourn the passing of the Rashbi, but because the Rashbi wanted the day to be joyous, we color the eggs. we were told as kids coloured eggs are to remember that no [coloured] rainbow occurred during the life of Rashbi.
Mrs. Yehudis Groner told us last night that a good way to do this is with red onions!!! That is what the Rebbitzen ob''m used to do for the Rebbe.....
And now, apparently, the sun is tilting. That link takes you to the latest Steve Olson video, where he is talking about the apparent tilt of the sun, just as we are aware that the moon has already tilted, and the sun is now setting a few degrees further north-west, or south-west for me, than it should be for this time of year. Steve states that ''they'' are using technology to make the sun appear a certain way, but whoever ''they'' are in his mind, we all know that whatever is happening in the Heavens is being controlled by Hashem.
I have read on another blog some comments from readers who are terrified of Nibiru [the Kochav Yaakov] and its possible effects on earth. We should not be scared, none of you should be worrying about any of the dreadful scenarios being bandied about. Every motzei Shabbat, Jews around the globe sing zmirot, one of which is Amar Hashem LeÝaakovalso known as ''Al Tira Avdi Yaakov'' , and you can clearly see the words:
דרך כוכב מיעקב אל תירא עבדי יעקב
''A star will emerge from Yaakov Fear not, My servant Yaakov''
God said to Yaakov / Fear not, My servant Yaakov
God chose Yaakov / Fear not, My servant Yaakov A star will emerge from Yaakov / Fear not, My servant Yaakov
In Days to come Yaakov will strike roots / Fear not, My servant Yaakov
A ruler will arise from Yaakov / Fear not, My servant Yaakov
Remember these things for Yaakov / Fear not, My servant Yaakov
Delight will come with the salvations of Yaakov / Fear not, My servant Yaakov
Your tents are good Yaakov / Fear not, My servant Yaakov
They shall teach your ordinances to Yaakov / Fear not, My servant Yaakov
For there is no sorcery in Yaakov / Fear not, My servant Yaakov
He perceives no wrong in Yaakov / Fear not, My servant Yaakov
Who can count the dust of Yaakov / Fear not, My servant Yaakov
God made a vow to Yaakov / Fear not, My servant Yaakov
Please forgive the transgression of Yaakov / Fear not, My servant Yaakov
Bring back Yaakov from captivity now / Fear not, My servant Yaakov
God has redeemed Yaakov / Fear not, My servant Yaakov
Command salvation for Yaakov / Fear not, My servant Yaakov
The voice is the voice of Yaakov / Fear not, My servant Yaakov
Sing and be joyous for Yaakov / Fear not, My servant Yaakov
God has brought back Yaakov from captivity / Fear not, My servant Yaakov
Grant truth to Yaakov / Fear not, My servant Yaakov
And here is the video of it performed by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, if you have time to listen on Lag B'' Omer which begins tonight my time.
This blog reaches thousands of people around the world and so I am publishing this heartfelt plea from a reader who is begging someone to be the conduit for a miracle to ease her suffering. Please read her story below and if you, or anyone you know, can help her, either forward the blog post to the relevant person or leave a comment below. Iyar is the month of healing, with Hashem's Will, may it be so.
And everyone, please add the name CHAYA SHAINA CHANA BAS ITCHA to your prayer list, for a Refuah Shleimah immediately, and have her name added to all your Tehillim groups, and if possible, add it to the list of Misheberachs in your shule. If you bake challah, add her name to your prayer list, give tzedaka in her name, do a good deed in her name, you can do something. I want to storm the Heavens to get her a complete and immediate relief. Thank you.
Autoimmune Cranial Neuritis caused by Big Pharma Antibiotics .....
I beg with tears for help please help
Me! I need a decree to restore my health!! Please help me!! Rav Amram Vaknin, Rav Chaim Kanievsky , Rav Meir Shechter , Rav Gamliel Rabinowitz .... Please help me get to them!! Please I need to get help from a great Tzadik please!!!
I cannot feel my entire mouth throat or neck and burn on fire non stop causing paralysis! Please help me! Here is my story!!
I have an autoimmune disease set off by Keflex 29 years ago and biaxin for a tooth infection in February 2015 that threw me under the bus!
My body is attacking my trigememinal and glossopharngeal nerves (cranial nerves) vagus too, neck into my spine in neck down back! My entire mouth throat palate tongue sinuses cheeks occipital (I can feel the swelling of all the nerves in brain and brainstem! I have atrophy in my face from the nerves inside my mouth and swelling near my ears and atrophy with my ears as well! Please help me stop the auto-antibodies from attacking my central nervous system (cranial nerves and spine)!
I need a miracle now please HaShem!! I cannot do this anymore! I'm suffering so much!! Help me now! Answer me now and send me my messenger now and do not forsake me please! I beg with tears for your help! I need to live!! Too much to do!! I want to save lives and help everyone!! Help me please!! Save me now and send my miracle of health completely now!!! Send Moshiach for the entire living world now please!! Peace and health for all life on earth!! Chaya Shaina Chana bas Itcha
[Refinement of Character]
From a Kabbalistic point of view, this “refinement of character” called Tikkun HaMiddot is very much part and parcel of the Divine purpose in creation. Even small improvements are vastly appreciated by G‑d. Every individual “refinement” or “correction” contributes to the general “World Refinement” [Tikkun Olam] which will be precipitated when Mashiach will come.
At 21:00 on the video he explains why it is bad to hold your hands in a certain way, with the fingers interlocking the hands together. I blogged this many years ago, but never had the full explanation of why. Now I do!
One of the reasons for the Sabbatical year is to allow the land to rest for a year, to enhance its fertility [Guide for the Perplexed 3:3] From this it follows that after six consecutive years of intensive agriculture, the land is at its least fertile point in the seven year cycle. So the Torah's promise that the land ''will yield produce (sufficient) for three years'' in the naturally infertile sixth year, is totally irrational, and requires a person to accept an authority which is higher than his mortal understanding.
The Talmud [Sanhedrin 97a] compares the six agricultural years to the six millenia of this world, and the Sabbatical year to the seventh millenium [when the Geula will have arrived].
Since the Jewish people suffer from a gradual regression in spiritual stature as the generations pass, a person might ask ''How could the efforts of the spiritually weak and ''infertile'' sixth millenium bring the true and complete redemption?''
The Torah answers: It is the super-rational self-sacrifice and commitment to Judaism of the final generations of exile that will bring the blessings of the Redemption.
"No man among you may mislead his fellowman, and you shall fear your G-d"[Behar 25:17]
According to the simple meaning of the verse, remarked R' Simchah Bunim of P'shischa, the Torah is only prohibiting an individual from deceiving his fellowman. An individual of true piety, however, will go beyond the letter of the law and refrain from deceiving himself as well.
Yesterday I made a disparaging comment about Trump's choice of Mike Huckabee as the new US Ambassador to Israel. I have now deleted tha...
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"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."
