As you may be aware, many Israelis are unable to earn any money at the moment due to the war.  So it seems like a good time to advertise this children's book which was written and illustrated by a  a talented 21 year old Israeli Ashira Sekel and is for sale on Amazon.

If you have children in your life, this is a great way to buy them a gift and do the mitzvah of giving tzedaka at the same time. 

Gnome shows us how he and his friends from the animal kingdom on the land, under water and in the air, take care and sustain our gorgeous planet.  

If you're interested, please click here.

Zot Chanukah

Text: Rav Nissim Makor

The last day, Zot Chanukah, is one of the most powerful days of the year. 

The Admor from Ruzhhin teaches, that what a simple man can accomplish on the 8th day of Chanukah, even great Tzadikkim cannot accomplish with their Tefilah during Neilah of Yom Kippur. 

What is so special about the 8th day of Chanukah? 

On Rosh Hashanah we are judged, on Yom Kippur the judgement is sealed and on Hoshana Raba it is delivered. We still have one chance to change things until the 8th day on Chanukah., after which everything is final and the decrees start to be carried out. (The judgement process is 122 days long). 

The last days of Chanukah are the antidote to the heaviness of this month. The Chanukah lights can repair our spiritual vision, letting us see the blessings we have. Therefore, it is a very special day to beg Hashem for mercy for all that we need, and that we should have only good decrees upon us. 

Remember, Zot Chanukah is a day above nature and certainly a day of miracles!!! Take advantage of this special day. Don’t let it just come and go. Use it!!!!

Leaving the World Behind

So the Obamas are the Executive Producers of a Netflix movie called "Leave the World Behind".  I only watched it for research purposes.... it was not a good movie in any sense of the word.  However, it is very interesting because Obama reportedly had a lot to say - he sent "a lot of notes" to the director.

Unsurprisingly, it's about the End of the World.... but at no stage does the movie tell us exactly how the world will actually end.  

But.... there is a hint in the clothing worn by the two children

Obey NASA.

Oh please, NASA has been lying to us for so long !  We have an entire solar system passing us by, it is the greatest show on earth for those who are seeing the daily uploaded images from around the world.

"They" are getting the world ready for some big events. [but their expectations and the reality of what Hashem has in store are two very different things]

Here is a sample of what you are missing if you are not part of the sky watching crowd. I've left some of the info on the photos so you can see these people don't even realize what they are photographing. Both of these images show a planet extremely close to Earth.  

There is no need to be scared, even if the Obama-produced movie wants us all to be terrified....  the planets are not going to crash into us, but big things are going to happen, there's no doubt about that in my mind anyway.

"Not By Chance"

New Argentinian President Javier Milei, says it is not by chance that he was sworn in during the festival of Chanukah, the Festival of Light.  Rabbi Berel Solomon says this is a sign before Moshiach. 

The Hidden Greatness of Yosef

וַיִּקְרָא פַרְעֹה שֵׁם יוֹסֵף צָפְנַת פַּעְנֵחַ

And Pharaoh named Joseph "Tzafnat Pa'neach" [Mikeitz 41:45]

Rashi explains: "Tzafnat Pa'neach - mepharesh hatzefunos [decipherer of the cryptic]"

If that is the meaning of Yosef's title, asked the Sefas Emes [R' Yehudah Leib Alter of Gur], then would it not have been more appropriate to reverse the order of the words and refer to him as "Paneach tzefunos"?

Yosef, answered the Sefas Emes, merited his unique ability to reveal that which was concealed on account of the fact that he acted with extreme modesty, always concealing his own righteousness from the eyes of others.

It is for this reason, he concluded, that he was referred to as Tzafnat Pa'neach. Tzafnat - because he went to great lengths to hide his greatness ["tzafnat" - the hidden one], "paneach" - he merited to decipher hidden matters.

Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein

Chanukah Segulot

Art: Michoel Muchnik

It is considered important to sit opposite the lit Hanukkah candles for a full half hour after lighting and to look at the flames. This action is regarded as a Segula for the healing of one’s soul and one’s fears. It is related that the light of the Hanukkah candles is connected to the light that G-d created at the time of creation that was hidden away and will be revealed only at the End of Days - because this unique light was created before the idea of fear was brought in to the world, looking into the Hanukkah lights is supposed to alleviate fears.

Rabbi Yair Chaim Bacharach (1639-1702) promised that women who sit by the Hanukkah candles for a half hour will merit peace of mind for the entire year, a rare commodity in our days…

It is also related that the very first half hour of when the Hanukkah candles burn is considered an especially auspicious time for prayer - the angels are believed to sit above the candles and take the prayers directly up to Heaven.

The Slonimer Rebbe wrote that for those who have seen immodest sights- which is unfortunately almost unavoidable today - looking in to the flames of the Hanukkah candles erases those images from one’s memory.

It is considered important to use olive oil when lighting the Menorah, as olive oil is known for blessing the user with a good memory, wisdom and children who will rise above others in their wisdom in the same way that the olive oil floats above the water.

The Rabbi of Rodzin explained that there is a tremendous Segula on the eighth night of Hanukkah for those wanting an easy childbirth or children. He said that the things that the most righteous could not get granted at Neilah on Yom Kippur can be asked for by the simpleton on the eighth night of Hanukkah. Those who wish to be blessed with children should recite the verse from Psalms 80 that reads, “G-d of Hosts, return, we beseech You, look from the heaven and behold be mindful of this vine.” The vine is in reference to the woman who wishes to be as fruitful as a vine.

Source

The True Essence of Chanukah

New shiur from Rabbi Mendel Kessin

'Anyone who hates Israel is considered to be like Amalek'

 

'We have a lot of enemies, but the accepted name for Amalek today is Hamas,' says Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh. 

Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh, dean of the Od Yosef Chai yeshiva in Yitzhar, spoke at a special gathering about the war with Hamas. 

"According to the simple explanation, there is no longer this nation, Amalek. But halakha (Jewish law - ed. says that anyone who hates Israel and wants to destroy the Jewish nation is considered Amalek," Rabbi Ginsburgh said. "This is how the Brisker Rav ruled." 

Amalek, he said, "changes its name. In the previous generation, it was not called Amalek, it was called, 'Nazi.' Now, with us, we have a lot of enemies, but the accepted name for Amalek today is really Hamas."

He added in that in gematriya - a system which gives numeric value to each Hebrew letter - the word, "Hamas," is equal to the words, "v'ani evtach bach," which translate to, "I will trust in You." 

"Therefore, now, we will sing this even more powerfully than before - 'v'ani evtach bach,' and each person who says these words eliminates one Hamas terrorist," he said. 

"From everything we have said now, we can create an operation - especially for the soldiers, who will sing, 'v'ani evtach bach,' with the simple intention - they can fulfill it while singing." 

Rabbi Ginsburgh added, "If you are a yeshiva dean or give Torah classes, when you say, 'v'ani evtach bach,' you need to kill one of the leaders of Hamas. But sometimes it's just luck that even a simple person will score a direct hit on the leader of Hamas, of the snake."