Created at Twilight

"But if Hashem will create a phenomenon, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them" [Korach 16:30]

Rashi cites the Gemara in Maseches Sanhedrin [110a]: "If the mouth of the earth is a creation from the six days of Creation," said Moshe Rabbeinu, "then fine. But if not, may Hashem create one!"

Why, asked the Chasam Sofer [R' Moshe Sofer], did Moshe Rabbeinu have any doubt as to whether or not the mouth of the earth had been created during the six days of Creation?  For Chazal state [Avot 5:9] explicitly:

Ten things were created at twilight on the eve of the first Sabbath:

the mouth of the earth

the mouth of the well

the mouth of the ass

the rainbow;

the manna;

Aaron's staff;

the Shamir, writing;

the inscription on the tablets of the Ten Commandments;

and the tablets themselves. 

How then could Moshe have overlooked this Mishnah?

One of the ten things enumerated by Chazal, answered the Chasam Sofer, was "Moshe's grave".  This grave, whose location is unknown, was also created at twilight of that erev Shabbos.

Hashem therefore concealed all ten things from Moshe so that he would not hear of his own passing.  Thus, Moshe had to request "If the mouth of the earth is a creation from the six days of Creation, then fine. But if not, may Hashem create one!"

Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein

Prediction: Second Elections Will Fail -Gog u Magog by Tishrei

Rabbi Yekutiel Fish, an expert in Jewish mysticism who blogs in Hebrew under the title ‘Sod Chashmal,’ told Breaking Israel News that the final redemption is very close indeed. He also noted two clear signs that this is so, signs that will be seen in newspaper headlines.

 “According to our calculations, there will be a war by the end of the summer, certainly before the Jewish high-holidays,” Rabbi Fish said.

One of his calculations was based on a section of the Talmud.

The disciples of Rabbi Yossi the son of Kisma questioned him, asking when the son of David (the Messiah) will appear. And he answered: I am afraid you will request from me a sign as well. And they assured him that they would not. He then said to them: When this gate will fall, be rebuilt and fall again, be rebuilt again and fall again. And before it will be rebuilt for the third time the Messiah will appear. Tractate Sanhedrin (78a).

Rabbi Fish explained that the term שער (gate) refers to government or leadership, as seen in a verse in Deuteronomy.

You shall appoint magistrates and officials for your tribes (gates), in all the settlements that Hashem your God is giving you, and they shall govern the people with due justice. [ Shoftim 16:1]

Read the entire article at Breaking Israel News

Reincarnation and Souls

Art Carolee Clark

Questions and Answers from Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh of the Gal Einai Institute

Q: When people see a deceased relative in a dream, is it their own reflection or is it more objective? Is this real communication?

A: It depends. If the person is a tzaddik, it is a real communication. If it is a regular person, it can be something just within himself.

Q: Is there an ongoing subconscious dialogue with the deceased, such as family members? Is it a only in one direction or are the deceased aware, as well?

A: Certainly it is a two way street. Parents are always connected to their children whether they are alive or in the higher world. They are here, they look and take interest in everything that happens in the family. The Rebbe used to write that when the family member has a happy occasion, they know.

Q: If the soul reincarnates, it is still connected?

A: if the soul reincarnates in a different person, there is a distance, but there is still a connection. In physics, it is called entanglement. יי

Q: I was wondering if one’s family members in this life are specifically connected to one’s soul and were connected in previous gilgulim (and will be in the world to come) or if it is more “incidental” so to speak and the souls of one’s family change.

A: According to the Arizal, in the more recent generations, there could be less connection at the source between souls of family members. Certainly, though, there is a connection and a definite rectification in their relationship.

Q: Is there any usefulness in bringing out events in one’s previous life in order to rectify?

According to the Ba’al Shem Tov, it is not appropriate for an individual to try to discover his reincarnations. A person’s service of G-d must be done with temimut, simplicity. This is one of the basic foundations of Judaism. The more that a person connects to G-d on a level of simplicity, the more simcha, joy, he experiences. Joy is the inner trait of Binah, the beginning of the left line of the sefirot. Simplicity, temimut, is the inner trait of hod, which is the bottom of the left line. The joy of Binah spreads down to the simplicity of hod. This is the source of happiness in life. It is not important for a person to know specifically what level he is on, or what reincarnation he must rectify. If his focus is on the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvot, the rectification process will take place without his specific awareness. This is a much more practical way for a person to function in his daily life, and his ultimate goals and rectifications will be accomplished with more joy.

The Wedding Singers

From the Persian Gulf.... to a Persian wedding.... in Los Angeles.

Australian brothers Mendel and Zalman Simons perform Chaim Shel Shalom backed by the YJP Acapella Group. Arranged and conducted by another Aussie, Aron Niasoff.

I just happen to think this is fabulous.

How Can Iran ''Destroy the World''?

Hat tip: Joe

We are all familiar with the Yalkut Shimoni prophecy of the King of Iran destroying the world:

A piece of rabbinic literature [written 800 years ago] known as the Yalkut Shimoni touches on many future scenarios both for the nation of Israel and for the world. In its section on the biblical Book of Isaiah and the prophecies contained therein, a rabbi cited by the Yalkut Shimoni states:

 “That the year the Messiah will arrive when all the nations of the world will antagonize each other and threaten with war. The king of Persia (Iran) antagonizes the King of Arabia (Saudi Arabia) with war. The King of Arabia goes to Edom (The Western Countries, headed by USA) for advice. Then the King of Persia destroys the world. And all the nations of the world begin to panic and are afraid, and Israel too is afraid as to how to defend from this. G-d then says to them “Do not fear for everything that I have done is for your benefit, to destroy the evil kingdom of Edom and eradicate evil from this world so that the Messiah can come, your time of redemption is now.”

But while most of us have thought this would be by way of nuclear weapons, there is a far easier way for them to do it.

As reported by Peter Hartcher in the Sydney Morning Herald today, all Iran needs to do is block oil exports through the Persian Gulf.  Australia, it seems, is the most at risk, having the least amount of oil stockpiled if such a blockage should take place.

The US itself is far less vulnerable - it now imports only a tenth of its oil needs - and could much better withstand disruption to its supply.

From Donald J. Trump ‏Twitter Verified account @realDonaldTrump 13h13 hours ago - China gets 91% of its Oil from the Straight, Japan 62%, and many other countries likewise. So why are we protecting the shipping lanes for other countries (many years) for zero compensation. All of these countries should be protecting their own ships on what has always been....

Opposition to Trump, Netanyahu's Election Failure and Iran's Fall

New shiur from Rabbi Mendel Kessin - [may be some audio issues, trouble with microphone]

G-d in Nature

Signature of G-d in the Universe 
by Yosef Sebag, physicist, electrical engineer 

Did the Creator of the universe attach his signature in nature? Modern science has unlocked much of the mysteries of the universe. We have probed the atom, studied the cell, and peered out to the far edges of the observable universe. Surely if such a signature exists, we should have found it by now.

Read it at Daf Yomi Review

The Greatness of Torah Part 1

New Rabbi Kessin shiur

The Greatness of Torah Part 1