Rashi says that after Yitro saw Hashem punish the Egyptians Midda K'Neged Midda he then declared, "Ata Yadati Ki Gadol Hashem MiKol HaElokim" - I now know that Hashem is greater than any other power.
What is it about Midda K'Neged Midda that makes Hashem so unique, is it the ingenuity?
Rav Shimshon Pincus explains that every Koach [strength] in the world only has its own power to use. Fire can fight water with fire only, and not water. Aside from the fact that this is its only capability, it also wants to show its opponent what makes it unique. It cannot use power that it doesn't have.
Hashem works the opposite way. To show fire who is boss, Hashem uses fire to fight fire. He uses water to fight water. This unique fighting strategy shows that Hashem is more powerful than any other force. Moreover it shows that He is the only force, and the force behind all forces.
In a way this doesn't counter the above logic, it works with it. Hashem fights each element with His unique force. He is Echad Yachid U'Miyuchad and every possible force is His. And He shows it to everybody as needed.
As most of us are aware by now, Nibiru is causing severe weather disruptions on our planet. In Australia we have just experienced our hottest day EVER, whilst on the other side of the world, there has been an extremely cold winter. The term ''global warming'' is not applicable at all, as obviously there is also a global cooling, depending on your season.
All of these climate issues have come about because of the dwarf star known as Nibiru, and it's accompanying moons. I believe it has seven moons, but whatever the case, it is here and visible.
But it's not just about the climate changes: comets and other bodies in the solar system actually cause massive spiritual changes to the earth, and we are currently in the midst of the seventh and last one of those changes. ''God will ‘change’ planet earth seven times before Moshiach comes [according to the Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer 18] - and we have one big ‘change’ left to come before the End of Days.''
This was received by email, and I do not know the answer. Please comment.
Hi I wonder if you can help me. Every Friday night our family gets together for Shabbat, even though we are not ultra orthodox we keep a traditional Friday night dinner. For the past few weeks my divorced niece has started dating a nonJew and she brings him to the dinner. She has two children from her previous husband and I think she is setting a very bad example to them. The family is not so thrilled about this turn of events but we can't rock the boat, so to speak, and she has spent the past ten years dating Jewish men to no avail and now she has found a very nice nonJew and she does not want to be alone. What is the ruling with something like this? Do we tell her she can't bring him to dinner? That will mean she won't come and her kids will not be able to have Shabbat dinner. It is a very difficult situation. Is there something that says nonJews cannot spend Friday nights with a Jewish Shabbat? Would really appreciate advice as I have no-one else to ask.
People’s names in the Torah all have a special meaning.
In the case of Jethro – in Hebrew Yitro – there are seven names and seven meanings, according to rabbinic midrash.
His two main names are connected with a root that means “additional” – he was “Yitro” because he performed extra good deeds and “Yeter” because he caused extra texts to enter the Torah.
He was “Chovav” because he was beloved of God, “Re’u’el” because he was God’s friend, “Chever” because he was a close associate of the Almighty, “Puti’el” because he abandoned idolatry, and “Keni” because he was zealous for God.
In honour of Tu b'Shvat [which falls on Shabbat this week] - the new year for trees. To learn more about the customs of eating fruits go to The Seven Species of Israel
from the writings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov; translated by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan
Many types of fruit do not grow in some lands, only because people do not understand.
The world has a foundation stone. Channels emanate from this stone, reaching every land. The Midrash teaches us that the wise King Solomon knew the details of these channels and was therefore able to plant all types of trees.
If people knew the exact location of these subterranean channels, they would be able to grow fruit trees even in these lands. They could grow many that never grow there now.
Each channel has the power to stimulate a particular species. Even if a particular channel does not pass through one land, all channels are intertwined and flow into each other. If one knew the exact place, he could plant any type of tree.
If one knew the location of all channels, he could dig a well and know where to plant trees around it. He could then make any type of tree grow.
The foundation stone of the world constantly rises and descends. If one knows its position, then he knows what to plant at a particular time.
All these things are concealed from the world for some things may not be revealed.
People say that the world is gaining knowledge, but earlier generations made the primary discoveries, and this took the greatest wisdom.
Later generations make discoveries only because earlier ones prepared the way. One generation makes the basic discoveries, and later generations apply them, but the latter contribution is really the smaller.
The Talmud says "If you would not have removed the piece of clay, you would not have found the jewel under it."
There are things that may not be revealed, for if they were revealed, later generations would make an idol of them. There is knowledge that may not be revealed, for later generations would use the basic knowledge and continually add to it, often irresponsibly. They could then develop concepts leading to cataclysmic discoveries.
It is written [Lev. 19:23] "When you enter your land and plant any tree... three years shall its fruit be forbidden to you". The Zohar teaches us that the evil forces of klipah dwell in trees duirng these first three years.
Earlier generations misunderstood this and thought that they were obliged to worship a tree during the three years that it was under the influence of the klipah. According to their error it was a logical necessity to make such a tree an object of worship.
Art Laurence Amelie Source: Rav Kook Torah As the Israelites neared the end of their forty-year trek in the wilderness, they lost t...
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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."
