Chanukah's Electrifying Secret

 Rabbi Efraim Palvanov

Instant Salvation

"And they rushed him out of the dungeon" [Mikeitz 41:14]

In the Chofetz Chaim's later years, the Communist Revolution raged in Russia.  One of the aims of the wicked Communists was to stamp out any trace of Judaism from the hearts of the Jewish people. They spared no effort at trying to achieve this goal. They mercilessly leveled harsh decrees against the Jews, and only thanks to the mercy of Heaven were Jews able to remain firm in their faith.

"Look at what the Torah states in Parshas Mikeitz", said the Chofetz Chaim to one of his students.  "The verse says that 'Pharoah sent [messengers] and called Yosef, and they rushed him out of the dungeon.'  For twelve years Yosef languished in prison and no one paid any attention to him.

'But when the moment that Hashem had designated for Yosef's salvation finally arrived, he was immediately rushed out of the dungeon.'

''We are in a similar situation. Our predicament appears to be hopeless: the Communist regime, in their cruelty, will stop at nothing to sever our ties with the holy Torah. Yet when Moshiach comes and our moment of redemption arrives there will be no delays and we, too, will be rushed to our Land.''

Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein

The Essence of Chanukah and It's Tikkun

 Rabbi Mendel Kessin

Who is Mashiach?

[published motzei Shabbat]

Rabbi Efraim Palvanov 

What is the true role of the Messiah, and how can we properly identify this person? What are the 5 key qualities that Mashiach must possess? And who were the 5 major figures in Jewish history that had a messianic movement associated with them? 

Find out in this class, where we also explore Jacob’s transformation into Israel, the spiritual power of music, the greatness of King David, and the timeline of events in the forthcoming Messianic Age.

 *Background image of the Third Temple under construction courtesy of The Temple Institute.

A Deeper Understanding of the Story of Yaakov and Esav

 New shiur from Rabbi Mendel Kessin

The Mystery of the Animals Walking in Circles

 Rabbi Yosef Biton talking about the recent news of animals walking in circles.  It is in Hebrew but below is a rough translation/summary by Rahel. Thank you so much Rahel, those who can't understand all the Hebrew really appreciate it.

Title 

Title Translation: *Mystery Animals Have Been Walking in Circles for 14 Days in a Row." 

This shiur is about the Kabbalah on the animals circling around for many days. There is a phenomenon that many animals, all different species have been going round in circles; Sheep in CHINA, have made the headlines, but many other species are involved. 

The Ari Hakadosh says in his book Gilgul HaRuchot that after the destruction of the 2nd Beit Hamikdash the holiness went into the klipot and prophecy ceased. 

Animals and SHOTIM i.e. simple people, e.g. autistics, and young children can obtain prophecy.

The animals are controlled by ministering angels who can pass messages to them. All the animals are capable. The fact that animals can sense earthquakes before they happen is not only a natural phenomenon. 

Kabbalah describes that there is the world of circles (Igulim) and the world of straightness (Yosher) This is described in Etz Hachayyim from the Arizal via Rabbi Chaim Vital. 

We are in the ikvota D’Mashiach, the foot steps of the Mashiach, approaching the year 6000 - this is Yosher (straight); this continues up to the day when Mashiach will come and we will go into Shabbat, Rabbi Nachman says in Torah 7 this is Egla (circular), Shabbat is circular; this will occur when the Jewish people will return from exile and sing at Har Amana in Israel, which is the mountain of faith – L.M. Torah 7. 

Circles are completion, unity, everyone is equal, men and women, there is no yatzer hara as we will go into Shabbat. There is no free will in this circular state. 

This circular concept is similar to “all of AM Yisrael with all Humanity” serving Hashem shoulder to Shoulder the prophecy in Zephania which Rabainu mentions in Likutei Moharan (L.M.). 

Rabbi Biton reads Rabbi Nachman’s message the meaning of : “Ad shetichleh Prutha ma Hakis,” until there are no coins in the pocket – in the Talmud. This means the klipa that makes everyone define miracles as part of nature will no longer define them as part of nature – THE KLIPA will be broken/destroyed. We will see there is no nature – only Hashem — Ayn Od Milvado. 

This Shiur of Rabbi Yosef Biton has the approval of Rabbi Shalom Arush who says he is full of joy by this omen we are nearing the Geulah. 

Please bear in mind my translation is a very rough, brief summary, and cannot do this magnificent Shiur which encompasses information from the Shaar Haruchot and Etz Chaim from the Ari Hakadosh, Rabbi Tzaddok of Lublin and Rabbanu, true Justice!!

Receiving Prophecy in a Dream

 

by Rabbi David Hanania Pinto

"He encountered the place and spent the night there because the sun had sent" [Vayeitze 28:11]

The Midrash says that the words "because the sun had set", teach us that Hashem made the sun set before its time, so as to speak with Ya'akov privately. 

The Midrash explains this using the mashal of the king's beloved friend who came to visit him on occasion. When he arrived, the king said, "Turn off the lights, extinguish the lamps, for I wish to speak with my beloved friend privately". So too, Hashem made the sun set before its time so as to speak to Ya'akov intimately. 

Rabbi Shmuel Florentin of Salonica, in his sefer 'Minchat Shmuel', points out the following difficulty. On the verse, "And G-d came to Avimelech in a dream by night", the Midrash says that Hashem especially reveals Himself to the nations by night, as it says, "G-d came to Bilaam at night". We also find with Lavan that Hashem came to him in a dream at night, but Hashem reveals Himself to the Jewish prophets by day, as it says, "Hashem appeared to him in the plains of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of the tent in the heat of the day", as well as other examples. So why does the above Midrash say that Hashem made the sun set to speak to Ya'akov intimately, implying at night? 

He answers according to the Moharash Yaffe, who says that prophecy by day comes only to a prophet who is accustomed to Hashem speaking to him, while to a prophet who is unaccustomed to prophecy, Hashem only reveals Himself at night. This explanation fits in with the precise wording of the Midrash, "it can be compared to the king's beloved friend who comes to visit him on occasion".

Esav: The Fourth Av

New shiur from Rabbi Mendel Kessin