Achieving Great Heights

by Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein


וַיִּקְרָא  "Vayikra - He called" [Vayikra 1:1]

Why is the word "Vayikra" written with a small alef? asked R' Simchah Bunim of P'shischa.

The verse comes to teach us, answered the Rebbe, about the extraordinary humility of Moshe Rabbeinu. Even when he was engaged in conversation with Hashem, the King of the entire world, Moshe remained the most humble of men.

To what can this be compared? asked the Rebbe.  To a man who had scaled an enormous mountain and looking about, he could get the impression that he towers over all those around him.  However, if he is a wise man, he will realize that he is not tall at all, nor does his elevated position point to any personal greatness.  For it is the mountain upon which he is standing that is tall. He knows that he has not grown any taller and that he is still small compared to all the mountains around him.

This is the secret to Moshe Rabbeinu's humility, explained the Rebbe. For even though he had achieved great heights, so much so that Hashem was calling him in order to speak with him, he nonetheless remained humble, as he did not attribute any of his greatness to his own personal strengths.

There is a commonly asked question regarding the word וַיִּקְרָא in this parshah: Why is it spelled with a small alef?

The word Vayikra begins the sefer that deals with sacrificial offerings. The main purpose of bringing sacrifices is to bring atonement to a person who sinned. But that is only accomplished if the person regrets his previous misdeeds and repents wholeheartedly for what he has done.

The mussar masters have taught us that the trait of haughtiness lies at the root of all sin. A humble and subdued person does not sin easily, but one whose heart is filled with pride and arrogance pays little heed to rebuke, so he will inevitably succumb to sin.

The letter alef stands for the word ani - I. "Vayikra" is spelled here with a small alef to teach us that if we make our ani small - if we make ourselves small and act with humility - then we will avoid sins and we will have no need to bring sacrificial offerings.

Never Seen Anything Like It ?

Well I have seen storms just like this. About six months ago when the planets were coming in over Sydney.

Multiple dead after strong storms in Ohio [and across the US]

Skies full of multiple blinking lights, lightning and giant hail which spanned well over 1,000 miles across America.  That's the planets travelling in a swathe over the US.  

If you've experienced this kind of storm/lightning you won't forget it.  I have sat and watched similar lightning go on for HOURS [literally] - non-stop flashing, as though someone up in Heaven is warning us that the show is about to start [or end].  If you watch the video you will see how at one point the lightning and the skies turn into that beautiful purple colour.  That of course means the planet Atu is overhead.

The strobe-like lightning, which resembles a TV on the blink, is caused by the extremely close-passing planets, but they are not as close as they will be, in a few days time they will be even closer.

You'll know when the planets are above you.... first the wind picks up, and it's like a devil wind, unlike normal wind it's much more powerful. Then the rain comes, like someone tipped Niagara Falls on top of you. That's what we call a rain bomb. Courtesy of planets Napisiti and Atu.  Purple lightning and never ending flashing.

Here's the video, which you can watch in it's entirety or just from the 2 min. mark to see what I'm talking about.

Latest Eclipse Alerts

I didn't intend to put any of this on the blog, but there seem to be some skeptical people leaving comments, and this video just randomly came up.   Obviously I do not live in America, I'm on the other side of the world, but this guy usually knows what he's talking about.  

You're asking me why I'm talking about the eclipse.... well first of all it's on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, and we do have a timeline that brings us to Nissan for Geula.   Secondly, there are so many unanswered questions at the moment, such as all the things he's talking about in this video.

As Moshiach Draws Closer Nisyaonos [Challenges] Become More Complicated and Subtle

H/t CS

Rabbi Daniel Travis

Excellent advice on how to avoid feeling anxious as the world descends into madness.

Strange Skies

 This is the new normal.  Just getting started ok.... we're just getting started. 

New Mexico March 13 2024 - blue asteroid lighting up the sun

Snowtown, South Australia - Photo Charlie Lane

this is something extremely strange - Photo Charlie Lane

 -

Minnesota March 12 2024 - Something behind the moon

Two suns?  This is our sun with the giant red halo which is the gas giant Hercolobus, and at the 1 o'clock position is something from the passing solar system

Gaza is Falling... Moshiach is Coming

H/T Sherry

I really want to publicly thank Sherry for all her support and contributions via email - may Hashem grant her a Refuah Sheimah in the merit of her full emunah and devotion to the coming of Moshiach, may it be speedily in our days.

Video: Shmuel from the Torah Channel

Accountability

מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת "The Dwelling of the Testimony" [Pekudei 38:21]

Why, asked the Malbim {R' Meir Leibush Malbim} is the Mishkan referred to as the "Dwelling of Testimony?"

In the pesukim that follow, answered the Malbim, the Torah gives us an accounting of the vast amounts of gold, silver and other materials that were used in the construction of the Mishkan.  It records how much was donated toward the Mishkan's construction and how much was put to use.

The Mishkan itself was the best evidence that there was absolutely no dishonesty in relation to the Mishkan's construction, and that every last donation was accounted for and put to use.  For it is inconceivable that the Divine Presence would ever dwell in a place that was tainted with corruption.  If any of the donations had been misappropriated, the Divine Presence would never have rested there.

[Source: Rabbi Y. Bronstein]

Fundraising and Fraud

"It is not proper to collect money in Israel for institutions that are outside of Israel. The money is needed in Israel. Additionally, every tzedaka fund should have separate people as its fundraiser and director. When it comes to peoples' money given to tzedaka, one needs to be extremely careful to make sure that people will not be suspicious of fraud. This concern is in addition to bearing in mind what G-d says about the use of tzedaka funds." [Igros Kodesh Lubavitcher Rebbe vol. 21 letter 8165]

Two signatures required

"I was satisfied to hear that your tzedaka institution requires two signatures on any cheque written. This is in accordance with the instruction of our holy sages." [Igros Kodesh Lubavitcher Rebbe vol. 21 letter 7978]

The Oscars 2024 - "An Overt Display of Jew Hatred"

 

@noatishby 

Tonight’s Oscars was a subtle and overt display of Jew-hatred. Hollywood stars including Billie Eilish, Finneas, Mark Ruffalo, Ava DuVernay, Ramy Youssef and Quannah Chasinghorse wore red pins that represent the group Artists4Ceasefire. 

Ramy Youssef explained that the pin symbolized “justice for the people of Palestine,” adding, “it’s a universal message of just let’s stop killing kids.” 

Notably absent were the yellow pins representing the hostages kidnapped by Hamas on October 7th. And that’s the point: if you’re calling for a ceasefire without calling for the release of the hostages, you are promoting Hamas’s agenda by questioning Israel’s right to self-defense. 

It was Hamas who barbarically attacked Israel, breaking the ceasefire on October 7th. Since then, Hamas has consistently rejected numerous ceasefire proposals. Hamas is not interested in a ceasefire, it is interested in murdering Jews and sacrificing Palestinians. If these artists cared so much about a ceasefire, they’d be applying pressure on Hamas rather than attacking Israel. 

At its mildest, this is subconscious antisemitism; at its worst, deliberate attacks against Jews. Either way, it’s appalling and needs to be addressed. We cannot allow Hollywood celebrities to be manipulated into furthering Hamas’s hateful agenda around the world.

That was Noa Tishby's IG post today.  She forgot to mention that....

.... not even Jonathan Glazer, the writer/director of 'The Zone of Interest', a masterpiece about the Holocaust — would stand up for Israel. Glazer, in a supreme act of self-loathing, went so far as to renounce his Judaism. Thanking his partners, he said: 'Right now, we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people.'

Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-13183581/worst-Oscars-review-Barbie-palestine-MAUREEN-CALLAHAN.html