Thursday, December 19, 2019

Vayeishev - Expression, blinders and the future





Text by R. Yosef Serebryanski


 *** May these brief words be enough to open you up to the truth of what is deep in your heart. *** May you develop the strength to overcome the course of disruptions and/or disturbances that happen along your journey…

Colors are an amazing part of our lives. In school we are taught basic colors. As we progress through life we learn of their many variations. Yet how often do we sit to contemplate either the depth or the brevity that they reflect? In reflection we find that we are affected in different ways by fluctuations in color.

Color affects people’s states of mind. Feelings or expressions of jealousy, anger, happiness and moodiness are all reflected by color. These are external manifestations. White and black are reflections of the internal. Sometimes color is used as part of the healing process in order to generate or change moods; i.e. to “open” or “close” people as is called for by the situation.

We are often blinded by love, anger and/or jealousy. Since all of us are imperfect, we must retain this awareness in order to be able to accept our limitations and blind spots. When we get beyond the need to see ourselves as perfect, we will no longer have to define ourselves as being imperfect. Then we can all truly be whoever we are.

Through the medium of light, white is a combination of all color and black is the lack of all color. Through the medium of pigments, white is the lack of all color and black is a mixture of all colors. Either way white or black reflect a higher or deeper state of consciousness. Colors are used to reflect spiritual expressions, yet the spiritual realm itself does not have colors.

Jacob made a multi-color coat for Joseph. His brothers saw that the father loved him more than all the brothers and they hated him, and they could not speak about or with him in a peaceful manner [Genesis 37:4]. They looked for a way to rid themselves of him. This was a reflection of their personal issues.

In our society whenever a person is different, they are shunned and judged poorly. When the differences between that individual and society are too dissimilar, a person may be drugged in an attempt to “normalize” his/her behavior. These actions safely identify and separate a person from normal society. In the most extreme cases, individuals are institutionalized — some in order to protect themselves and others, and some simply because their differences provoke uncomfortable guilt to others. History is full of stories about political and spiritual people who were jailed or institutionalized in order to prevent them from spreading their so-called illness to others.

Some of the people who are perceived as being abnormal may carry within them messages that the rest of us would do well to heed. When a person has deep insight, it is an overwhelming and awe-struck experience that might well detach him/her from others. It simply reminds us that enhanced forms of knowledge do not simply emerge without cost to the users. The prophecies and dreams that most people have about the future are generally things that will not happen. By and large they often are perspectives that have been created or “joggled” by events in the past.

People who do not want to deal with their shortcomings often resort to artificial comforts in order to hide from those things that they dislike in themselves. Utilizing any method to run away from truth results in a form of slavery, whether it is to a pact made with enemy protection, drugs or alcohol usage. For the short term life becomes a honeymoon of sorts, with the individual actually believing that life has improved. However, in the long run, when the friendly advances of the enemy, be it a person or a substance, have “hooked” the individual, the party is over. No longer is there any reason to play a game. The kindness disappears, the good feelings are replaced by addiction, and the misery of running away from the truth settles in for what it truly is. There are no paths around the truth that lead to the truth. Whatever you send out into the world and universe eventually comes back to you. This applies to both good and to evil. People orchestrate things in an attempt to make themselves look good or feel powerful. This is the kind of short-term vision that is typical of the leadership that exists in the world today. They operate on a system that gives them instant gratification without considering the consequences for future generations.

These are the kind of people to whom society assigns power. Then they do not understand when the results they hope for are never achieved. People have become so comfortable with living their lives in a form of “imprisonment” that they have lost the ability to discern enemy from friend, right from wrong, and goals that benefit the greater good from those based upon greed. They willingly accept the abuse that is a byproduct of hate, rather than love, by those who were entrusted to protect them.

Meanwhile much change is happening. The sensitivities within people’s hearts and bodies are beginning to stir simultaneously. A Temple is coming together on a higher spiritual plane. The lower spiritual levels are a confusion of movements, but the higher plane is simple and clear.

When this Temple becomes complete it will manifest itself into this realm, causing an instantaneous change of reality. Then the only thing people will be able to do is to completely open the doors of their hearts and minds.

This manifestation will remove all fear, doubt, impurity and purity, bad and good, right and wrong, etc. In the resulting open space, each individual will understand exactly what to do with each thought and feeling. There will no issues of personal ownership, no jealousy or fighting. Everyone will see and understand that we are all one.

It will not be a spiritual or physical world. Rather it will be an integrated existence. The inner oneness will shine and the outer oneness will do the same. People ask what will the future be like. Yet to describe it is far beyond their comprehension.

Until the proper time arrives, please do your best to join others in love and oneness while the world moves on its journey. Get ready for that instantaneous transformation that awaits all of us.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Judging Others


 וַיְהִי אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה  - And it came about, after these words....  [Vayeishev 40:1]

The "words" that are referred to here are those of Potifar's wife, who bad-mouthed Yosef throughout Egypt.

From the actions of Potifar's wife, we can learn a powerful lesson about judging other people:

At first glance, Potifar's wife's actions appear to have been utterly evil.  Not only did she cause Yosef to be sent to prison, but furthermore, she spoke badly of him so that his name was blackened throughout Egypt.

Rashi however enlightens us to the truth, that even these actions were intended for the sake of Heaven! Despite the fact that she was brought up in the corrupt, idolatrous atmosphere of Egypt her intentions were pure, to the extent that our sages compared her to Tamar, the mother of "strong ones and righteous ones" [Rashi]. 

From this we can learn the importance of not judging other people by their first appearances.

Source: Sichos of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
Art: Abraham Leon Kroll

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Acquiring Purity



''Since he was a son of his old age'' [Vayeishev 37:3]

The acronym of the word ''zekunim'' - זְקֻנִים - [old age] says the Baál HaTurim, alludes to the five orders of mishnayos that Yaakov taught Yosef:  Zera'im, Kodshim, Nashim, Yeshu'os [Nezikin] and Mo'ed.

On this comment by the Ba'al HaTurim, the Imrei Emes [R' Avraham Mordechai Alter of Gur] asked the obvious question: There is one more order of mishnayos that the Ba'al HaTurim ignores - Taharos [purity]. Why did Yaakov not teach Yosef Taharos?

Seder Taharos, answered the Rebbe, cannot be taught.  Purity can only be acquired after an individual strives and exerts himself to achieve it on his own.

Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Friday, December 13, 2019

The Essence of Chanukah

Rabbi Kessin from 2017

Financial Advice from Yaakov Avinu

by Rabbi David Hanania Pinto

"So he divided the people with him, and the flocks, cattle, and camels, into two camps" [Vayishlach 32:8

Ya'akov Avinu a"h prepares himself for a meeting with Esav with a three-pronged strategy - gifts, prayer and battle.

In preparation for the battle that awaits him, he divides his wives and children, livestock and all his possessions, into two camps. In this way, if Esav smites one camp, then the remaining camp will survive.

The sefer 'Eved Hamelech' points out an important foundation: The Torah uses this incident to teach us a strategy for life. A person should not invest all his money in one place. From whom do we learn this? From Ya'akov Avinu as it says, "So he divided the people with him".

This guidance on protecting one's assets also appears in Chazal [Baba Metzia 42a]: "A person should always divide his money into three, a third in property, a third in business and a third he should keep in his possession."

Ya'akov Avinu's approach imparts a practical lesson on how to protect one's possessions. If one divides one's belongings, with each part being guarded in a different way and different place, then if he loses one half, or it disappears or is stolen, he will still be left with the remaining half.

In connection to this idea, Harav Munk shlita, in his sefer 'Darkei Noam', quotes a wonderful story that is brought in Chazal, about the shrewdness and wisdom employed by one who was exploited, in order to retrieve his money:

A certain merchant traveled to a distant place and took with him a considerable amount of money. He debated what to do with this sum. On one hand, he was afraid to walk around with such a large amount, but on the other hand, he was afraid to entrust in the hands of someone he hardly knew.

In the end, he decided to dig a pit in the ground and he hid his money in that pit. But what he didn't realize was that a pair of envious eyes was watching his every move from the house next door…

As soon as he left, the neighbor discreetly dug up the money.

Sometime later, the merchant returned to the place where he had hidden his money yet to his dismay – the money was no longer there!

He looked all around and noticed that there was a hole in the wall of the neighboring house, from which one could observe the entire area, including this part of the ground where he had hidden his money… He hurried over to the house and poured out his 'predicament' to the owner:

"My dear acquaintance, I recently came to stay in this area and I am still not familiar with the local people. I possess two wallets, one contains five hundred zehuvim and the second one contains one thousand zehuvim. I hid the first wallet in a secret place, and now I am debating what to do with the other wallet. Is it worth hiding it in the same place as the first wallet, or is it better that I give it over to one of the locals for safekeeping?

"The best thing to do," advised the owner, who was already picturing one thousand zehuvim falling into his hands, "is to hide it in the same place as the first wallet."

As soon as the merchant left his house, the neighbor realized that his advice would not serve him at all. In just another moment, the merchant will uncover the hole and discover that all his money has disappeared! Then he will certainly not hide his second wallet in the same place!

He came up with a grand idea…

He took out the wallet which was still full of money and quickly replaced it in its original hiding place. The merchant, who was waiting for this to happen, then approached the pit, took the wallet that had been returned and hurried home…

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Trump Signs Order Targeting Anti-Semitism


President Donald Trump signed an executive order to interpret Judaism as a nationality, not just a religion, that allows the Education Department to withhold federal funding from colleges and universities if they fail to combat anti-Semitism. He made the remarks at a White House Hannukah reception, flanked by first lady Melania Trump.