Talking to Yourself

Art: "Hannah's Reflection" - Jana Bouc





Sometimes when you speak to a friend, your words are not accepted.

Still, you can be motivated by your own words.

A ball cannot enter a stone wall, and therefore bounces back from it.

When your friend refuses to accept your words, they likewise are reflected back to you.  You are therefore influenced by your own words.

These same words may have had no effect if you would have spoken them to yourself.  But when you speak them to your friend and he is not influenced, they are reflected back to you.  You are therefore motivated by them.

Source: Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom by Rabbi Nathan of Nemirov

Translated by Rabbi Ayreh Kaplan

Open Your Eyes and Welcome the Messiah

Rabbi Y. Y. Jacobson on our favourite topic: Moshiach - 12 min video

Mysticism: Manna for All

But the multitude among them began to have strong cravings. Then even the children of Israel once again began to cry, and they said, "Who will feed us meat?  [Beha'alotecha 11:4]

Ordinary bread [''bread from the earth''] which is the product of hard physical labor, is a metaphor for the ''revealed'' interpretations of the Torah [nigleh] found in the Talmud, which require arduous analysis, questioning etc.

On the other hand, manna [''bread from Heaven''] represents the mystical teachings of the Torah, which are of such a ''heavenly'' nature that there is no disagreement or argument.

Logically speaking, a person might think that it is necessary to have a firm grounding in classic texts, and achieve a certain degree of spiritual greatness before one can progress to the study of mysticism.  However, the Torah teaches here that even the wicked individuals who complained to Moshe ate manna.

From this we can learn that it is appropriate for people from all walks of life to study the mystical teachings of the Torah - particularly as they are formulated clearly and methodically in the teachings of Chassidus.

Based on Likutei Sichos Lubavitcher Rebbe

Two Suns Worldwide

Mastercard....

First video, female singing

What's Going On...

This is a photo from East London on June 1st, as you can see there is a red sun with something pink around and above it. 

 

Georgia, June 1st

Yes, I know there are wildfires in Canada and everyone is blaming the sun's appearance on that.... but just check out these videos from the US dated 2nd and 3rd June, and you'll see that it's not the Sun at all, it's a totally different red object.    

"Sunset is over there"

"Not the Sun"

"A Second Sun"

Soul Searching

"A man or woman who distinguishes himself (or herself) by taking a Nazirite vow of abstinence for the sake of Hashem" [Naso 6:2]

Rashi asks "Why was the Torah portion of the nazir put adjacent to the portion of the sotah (a woman who deviated from moral behaviour)? To tell you that anyone who sees a sotah in her disgrace should take upon himself to abstain from wine [by becoming a nazir]."

Whenever a person sees something improper, he must think: "Why has Heaven shown this impure thing to me?" He must do some serious soul-searching and attempt to strengthen himself in his Divine service.

R' Yisrael Salanter once caught a bad cold. The first day of his illness, he spent the entire day worrying.

"Why is the Rav so worried?" asked one of his close disciples. "Baruch Hashem, it's just a cold and it will not pose any serious threat to your health."

"It is not my health that concerns me" responded R' Salanter. "I worry over what it states in Mishlei: "Colds and traps are in the path of the stubborn" [Mishlei 22:5] "This verse is evidence that I was stricken with a cold on account of possessing the terrible trait of stubbornness".

Only once evening had arrived and R' Salanter had thoroughly examined his deeds without finding the trait of stubbornness within himself, was his mind put to rest.

Source: Rabbi Y. Bronstein

Expedite the Coming of Moshiach

Rabbi Daniel Glatstein tells how the Chafetz Chaim wrote a special essay about the coming of Moshiach which could not be published because the censors at the time did not allow it's publication. 

Instead, the Chafetz Chaim had to publish it as a supplement in a journal which came out between 1905 and 1910,  and it is so secret that it is not even mentioned on the headstone of the Chofetz Chaim, where all his other Sefarim are mentioned.

Now for the first time, in English with notations and explanations, Artscroll is publishing Rabbi Glatstein's translation of  "Yearning for Redemption". [not available yet]  If you're interested in sponsorship opportunities there is an email address at the end of the video to contact Rabbi Glatstein.

As we say every day in the Amidah, Hashem please bring the Geula.....It is our yearning for redemption and this Sefer "Yearning for Redemption" that actually brings the Geula.  

The Book of Psalms of King David was written for the Moshiach

HaGaon HaYanuka

Hebrew with English subtitles