Baruch Hashem

I have scanned through so much nonsense about this Covid 19 lately, and a lot of it is coming from people who should know better.  They are still researching and putting so much energy into proving that it is all one giant conspiracy to rid the world of excess and unwanted people.  I don't understand their reasoning as some of these same people claim to be orthodox Jews.

It is plainly obvious to me, and many others such as Rabbi Anava and Rabbi Kessin, just to name two..... that this is from Hashem... it is not a conspiracy or an over-reaction on the part of world governments, and it is not a Bill Gates orchestrated bio-weapon.

Hashem wants us to go home, into our houses, and stay there, at least for the first night of Pesach.  What happens after that, I cannot say.  But we will be home for Seder night, and that is the Will of Hashem. 

Then there is the fact that I had a discussion with an Israeli man a few weeks ago, and he told me that as I was living outside of Israel, I had very little chance of survival.  Lo and behold, Australia's Covid cases are lower than Israel's !   Judgment came to the world, and innocent people got caught up in it, wherever they live and whoever they are, we're all in this together. 

The only way to protect yourself and your family is to stay away from infected people.  Stay home, stay safe.  That is Hashem's Will. 

Take your vitamins, take Vitamin D if you are spending a lot of time inside, and whatever else you feel your body needs.  Eat healthy food and try to get some exercise.  Give tzedaka.  Learn Torah.  Do teshuva.  Spend this time reflecting on how to make peace in your world and reconnect with people via the internet or phone.  Check up on the elderly and the sick, just a phone call could change their day.   This is Hashem's Will for us now, and let's go with it and stop blaming Bill Gates and China. 

Meanwhile, here is Rabbi Mizrachi's latest video ''Disaster Hit Us, Where do we go from Here?'' , which I haven't yet listened to, it's still very early in the morning here and I plan to go back to bed, because I can !  Enjoy your home time, and thank G-d you have a roof over your head and everything else you need.

Guarding the Tongue

Here is a link to three shiurim by Rabbi Shimon Kessin, on Shmiras HaLashon.   Recommended listening while sitting at home.

Click here to listen

Jerusalem: Shofar Blasts at Midnight

Last night the sounds of the Shofar were heard in Jerusalem at midnight, apparently asking Hashem to heal the world from coronavirus.

Must Read

Two Geula Statements Heard Recently

When the Lubavitcher Rebbe Self Quarantined for Seder

Art Ann Kremnizer

If you're feeling nervous about spending Seder night alone, you need to read this article about the time the Lubavitcher Rebbe did exactly that.

Click here to read

''Native to the Land''

For those of us outside of Israel, we have often been ordered to return by various commenters, bloggers and rabbis - but here we see from the Vilna Gaon's Gorel that those of us who cannot return are also included, just as the Rebbe told us.

Rav Elyashiv, the Vilna Gaon’s Lottery and Coronavirus

by Josh Wander

There is a ancient Jewish tradition, that in more modern times is attributed to the Vilna Gaon, called the “Goral HaGra”.

It is a lottery which is done at times of extreme need. When divine assistance in required to answer a question of national significance. Great rabbis have passed down this tradition, which allows for a query to be made via a specific protocol and then a Chumash is opened to a random page and a Pasuk is pointed to. This verse is understood to be the answer to the query that was posed.

It was used during the Holocaust to determine in which direction the Mir Yeshiva should escape to (eventually leading them to Shanghai) and again by Rav Aryeh Levin z”l to identify the remains of the mass grave of Jews killed in the Old City of Jerusalem during the War of Independence.

There are very few rabbis alive today who are knowledgeable and qualified to conduct this ceremony. But it was performed this past week in Jerusalem by none other than Rav Aryeh Levin’s grandson and son of the famous Posek, Rav Binyamin Elyashiv Shlit”a.

Rav Binyamin Elyashiv is recognized as one of the poskim, leading Halachic deciders, in the Haredi community in Israel today.

Rav Elyashiv was asked by a American Jewish supporter of Torah institutions how they should be responding to the CoronaVirus in this time of crisis and whether they should relocate to Israel. The response received by the divine lottery was nothing less than miraculous.

The verse that was chosen came from Deuteronomy 1:8, where it states, “See, I have set the land before you; come and possess the land which the Lord swore to your forefathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them and their descendants after them.”

This led the holy rabbi to explain to his grandson that this is a revelation and a clear sign that it is time for world Jewry to make their way back to the Land of Israel. “Israel is the safest place for a Jew to be now,” the rabbi said, “We are very close to the final redemption. It will all be over very soon here.”

He also said that those who are left outside of the Land, but continue to support her, will also be recognized as being native to the land.

Please click here to see original article and video

Fear and Loathing

There is a very good reason why I do not publish comments which are full of their writer's proposed dreadful scenarios and written in a way that is designed to promote fear and terror.  Keep your curses to yourself, we do not want them here.

Instead, I would like to present you with a guide to surviving the current times, WITHOUT fear.

Thank you to Rivka for sending me this link from the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

"In the current circumstances, as the Coronavirus pandemic sweeps the globe, we share 10 letters which provide advice and guidance on how to deal with uncertainty and worry. The overriding message is one of trust and faith in G‑d. Yes, take all appropriate measures. However, the most important thing is to recognize that there is a G‑d who actively controls everything in this world. We sincerely hope that soon this episode will be relegated to the chronicles of history and we will merit only revealed blessings!"

Click here to read a selection of letters from the Rebbe on Faith.

Erasing the Old World

How do you explain to a teenager that the old world order is being ERASED and DELETED, and that the final cosmic RESTART has begun? Read Rabbi David Samson's illuminating explanation on Pg 32 of this week's Jewish Press.

Click here for E-Edition of the Jewish Press

Navigate to page 32  ''Is Moshiach Around the Corner'' to read full version, magnify the page on the right below the page.