Life After Life: Where Does the Soul Go?

One of - if not - the most timeless questions we all ask is: What happens to the soul after death? Where does the soul go to? But is the very premise of this question presumptuous? Our life experiences are mostly limited to the physical and the empirical, defined by our senses which serve as our primary tools. How then can these limited instruments grasp supra-sensory experiences, let alone soulful ones?! How can we expect that they define dimensions of reality that are outside of their narrow scope? So then how can we speak about the soul and the ethereal in any meaningful way?

Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this monumental discussion -- essential to anyone seeking to understand the dynamics of the soul and its journey on earth and beyond.

A Message from Thalia a''h

Yesterday, Thalia Hakin a''h was laid to rest in a moving ceremony.  10 year old Thalia was killed by a maniac who randomly ploughed his car into a crowd of people in central Melbourne last week.

The funeral was held yesterday and you can read about that here, but that is not the point of this blog post.

Two years ago, Thalia wrote a letter for a class assignment, which has now been published.  

She wrote:  ''Now the world is dark but soon to be bright for us......and Hashem...... Moshiach will come.''

The Severity of the Sin

Art by Nick Gustafson

Moses cried out to the Lord concerning the frogs that He had brought upon Pharaoh....And the Lord did according to Moses' word, and the frogs died .... [Va'eira 8:8-9]

Why is it, asked the Chofetz Chaim, that at the Plague of Frogs, Hashem accepted Moshe's prayer as soon as he uttered it and immediately stopped the devastating plague, yet when the Jews were in the wilderness and were attacked by fiery serpents, Moshe's prayers did not have an immediate effect?

For, in that case, Hashem told Moshe: ''Make yourself [the image of] a venomous snake, and place it on a pole.'' [Bamidbar 21:8]   Only by gazing at the copper ''snake'' did those who were bitten survive.

Why was it necessary for Moshe to perform an action here in order to save the Jewish people in the wilderness, yet in Egypt, no additional action was required?

This is meant to teach us, answered the Chofetz Chaim, the severity of the sin of speaking lashon hara.

As a rule, prayer is effective for removing all misfortunes and calamities.  Therefore, when Moshe beseeched Hashem to remove the frogs from Egypt, Hashem accepted his prayer and instantly stopped the plague.  However, the fiery serpents were sent to attack the Jewish people as a punishment for speaking lashon hara.  

Since they had committed a sin which the Heavenly Court judges with exactitude, Moshe's prayers were not immediately effective.  Instead, Hashem instructed him to make an image of a venomous snake for the people to gaze at.  This way, each Jew would think of his Father in Heaven and personally repent for his sin.  Each Jew would then be forgiven and granted life.

Source: Rabbi Yisroel Bronstein

Rabbi Kessin: US Politicis and Messianic Process

I've been hanging out for Rabbi Kessin to do a new shiur......  and here it is.

Shiur #14 in the Current Event series.  He talks about the UN Resolution against Israel and Gog u'Magog.  The UN is Magog and Obama is Gog.

When an audience member asked if there would be a big war, Rabbi Kessin answered that he believes the Holocaust fulfilled that part of the prophecy - and in saying that, Rabbi Kessin is in agreement with the Lubavitcher Rebbe, who also said that the Holocaust was the last major war.  [As for all the prophecies of dreadful wars, they do not necessarily have to happen as any prophecy of a negative occurrence is not a definite actuality, and Hashem can avert it.  Only good positive prophecies can be relied upon to actually occur.]

This shiur is a celebration!

And here is the video Rabbi Kessin mentioned =  the 2011 Correspondents' Dinner where Obama mocked Donald Trump.

Yechi !

I was going to do a post about the name Jared, but Neshama already did a great one - check it out here.

When a couple marries, there is a kabbalistic tradition of combining the first initials of both of their Hebrew names and making a word out of these initials.  In the case of Jared and Ivanka Kushner, their Hebrew names are Yoel Chaim and Yael.   Without even mixing up the first letters of each of these names, it spells יחי Yechi - as in Yechi Adonainu Moreinu V''Rabeinu..... Melech HaMoshiach .....

which is the song sung by Lubavitchers to welcome Moshiach.

Another hint to Geula in this new Presidential family.

And here is the Torah Code of  ''Yoel Chaim'' [Jared] Kushner

Overcoming Obstacles

Always remember: You are never given an obstacle you cannot overcome. [Rebbe Nachman of Breslov]

The Rebbe Maharash innovated the concept of "L'chatchila ariber".  The approach of l'chatchila Ariber teaches that if we come upon an obstacle to a task we are involved in, or an obstacle to a mitzva or project or good deed which comes our way (or we pursue), we should overcome the obstacle in the most direct manner. The Rebbe Maharash explained that while some people propose that when confronted with an obstacle the best route is to go around, or under it -- and the Rebbe Maharash says: "And I say one has to go l'chatchila ariber [from the start, go over it]."

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When You Carry Valuable Merchandise

The Ohr HaMeir says that in life there are certain people who have it easy. Everything goes smooth for them and no obstacles stand in their way. They think that they have reached perfection, they are on top of the world. On the other hand some people cannot catch a break. Every time they make a move something goes wrong. Are they traveling on the wrong road?

The Ohr HaMeir explains with a Mashal. If someone is traveling on the road carrying a sack of wheat husks, his trip is easy. He can travel wherever he wants, for as long as he wants, feeling secure and knowing no one will rob him of his goods. However, if he is carrying a satchel of precious stones he sweats every step, knowing that he is a hunted man.

Dovid HaMelech says in L'Dovid Hashem Ori [Tehilim 27:3] "Im Takum Alai Milchama B'Zos Ani Botei'ach" - if the enemy is constantly attacking me, in this I find confidence. Why? If my path in life was devoid of any value I would not encounter constant resistance from the Yetzer Hara. The fact that there is an obstacle in my path at every turn is a sign that I, my actions, goals, and ambitions are very valuable. So valuable that the Yetzer Hara is throwing all his resources at me to stop from accomplishing my dreams.

Source: Revach L'Neshama

Trump Inauguration Speech [Full]

Vertical Clouds

This photo on Instagram taken by a friend of mine in Israel shows vertical clouds - perhaps the same kind that Rivka wrote about in More Weird Things in the Sky - ''There were a lot of thin, wispy clouds that were placed vertically in the sky, like figures with arms, instead of the more usual horizontal layout.''

Looks like Hashem is using a paintbrush.

Anyone else seen these kind of clouds?

Photo: DLea