The Time of the Redemption: Hidden or Revealed

 

"The hidden things belong to the Lord, our God, but the revealed things apply to us and to our children forever: that we must fulfill all the words of this Torah." [Nitzavim 29:28]

[Written by Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein]

In Maseches Sanhedrin[98a], R'Yehoshua ben Levi poses a question regarding a verse dealing with the eventual redemption of the Jewish people. The verse sates, Ï am Hashem, in its time I will hasten it" [Yeshayahu 60:22]

Asks R'Yehoshua ben Levi: If the redemption will ultimately occur "in its time", then how can Hashem promise the Jewish people "I will hasten it"?

The answer, says the Gemara, is as follows: If the Jewish people will carry out the will of Hashem, then the redemption will, in fact, be hastened.  But if not, then the redemption will occur at its assigned time.

Chazal's words, said the Kesav Sofer [R'Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Sofer, son of the Chasam Sofer] are alluded to in the above mentioned verse: "The hidden are for Hashem, our G-d" - if the Jewish people will not perform the will of Hashem, then the redemption will come at a fixed date, one that is ultimately hidden from us and known only to Hashem.  However, "the revealed are our and our children's [responsibility]" - if the Jews choose to follow the will of Hashem, then the redemption will arrive immediately.

The time of the redemption, therefore, can be revealed and known to the Jewish people, for it is something that can be determined by their actions.

25 Elul: Abu Mazen, Netanyhu, United Nations - Torah Codes

We found in the Zohar (Balak 212b) that in the beginning of the process of the coming of Mashiah, the day of the 25th of Elul - which is the first day of the creation of the world - will fall out on a Shabbat. And in 5771, the 25th of Elul falls out on Shabbat.... [Sept 24]

And on Friday, the Palestinians are expected to announce their state in the UN at a time when it's already Shabbat in the Land of Israel. The implication of this announcement is a declaration of war. All these things are not simple at all when Turkey and Egypt are already in a state of declaration of war. In addition, I heard that Gedolei Yisrael, Maranan VeRabanan, Hagaon Rav Elyashiv Shlit"a, Hagaon Rav Shteinman Shlit"a, and Hagaon Rav Chaim Kanievsky Shlit"a expressed to those close to them that they are very very concerned about the upcoming Shabbat. [extracted from Yeranen Yaakov's Geula update from Rav Fish]

Rabbi Glazerson finds the relevant words and names encoded in last week's parsha Ki Tavo 28:52 :
"And they will besiege you in all your cities, until your high and fortified walls in which you trust come down, throughout all your land. And they will besiege you in all your cities throughout all your land, which the Lord, your God, has given you."

The Voice of the Shofar

by R' Tal Moshe Zwecker

 

In Keren LeDovid, the Puppa Rov, Rav Greenwald has an amazing short but succint message for us Rosh HaShanna:

He begins with a question:

In mussaf on Rosh haShanna we recite a blessing saying "Because You hear the sound of the kol shofar and listen to the teruah blast of the shofar and there is none like You,"

Why does the verse seemingly repeat the fact that Hashem hears us blowing shofar twice, once saying that He hears the kol shofar and once saying He listens to the teruah of the shofar, isn't that saying the same thing twice?

And what does the end statement mean, and there is none like You,? we know that no one and nothing can compare to or with Hashem, what connection does this idea have to the fact that Hashem hears our shofar?

In essence the answer is based on the well known statement of our sages, Chazal tell us that where the baal teshuva, the masters of repentance stand, not even the righteous can stand.

Citing the holy Shel"ah, the Keren LeDovid teaches that there are two distinct forms of blowing shofar and what they represent. The holy Shel"ah says that the kol shofar - the simple basic trumpet like blast - is the sound of a righteous tzadik. Whereas the wailing cries of the teruah represent the penitent baal teshuva,  crying as he repents over his sins and mistakes.

Thus we now understand the symbolism and language, the Puppa Rav writes, that hearing and listening are also different. In Hebrew one can hear (Shomea) from afar, but (Haazana) listening connotes intimacy and closeness.

Thus G-d is saying that he hears the kol shofar, He is saying that He hears and accepts the prayers of the whole and simple righteous tzadik. Yet when it comes to the penitent baal teshuva, the master of return, Hashem listens up close. There is a closeness and intimacy there that the tzadik does not share.

This is why the blessing ends declaring there is none like You Hashem, because normally we would expect that a blameless righteous tzadik should be the closest to G-d, yet Hashem shows us that just the opposite is true, He values the close intimacy of the baal teshuva, thus none is like You.

The story is told about a student studying in a yeshiva for newly devoted returnees to Judaism who himself came from a religious background. He once approached a famous rabbi and introduced himself. "And in which Yeshiva do you learn?" asked the rabbi. "I study in such and such yeshiva," he answered and quickly he added, "but I am not a baal teshuva!" The rabbi smiled looked at him with a piercing glance and asked him "Nu why are you not?"

May we all merit to make this new year our best year, repent and correct our mistakes and learn from the holy words of the advocate for Klal Yisroel the holy Berditchever who declare all month long during Elul, "Today I shall repent and  return Hashem!" "Who are you kidding?" he would berate himself, "thats what you said yesterday." "ya, but yesterday I didnt really mean it, today, I mean it." And thus he would try again and again. let's give ourselves a second chance and we will all be masters of return.

Shana Tova -  A Sweet New Year to you, your family and loved ones

Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim Publishing
Chassidic Classics in the English Language
www.chassidusonline.com


and my favourite shofar video, with the dog in the park [a new year tradition on this blog]

Future Man

A Much Bigger Picture

The gemara in Chulin (63a) says that when Rebbi Yochanan saw a Shalach (a non Kosher bird) he would say the pasuk "Mishpatecha Tihom Rabba", your judgement is like a deep abyss (Tehilim 36:7). Rashi says that the Shalach is a bird that flies over the water and swoops down to prey on a fish, which it plucks from the water. This, says Rashi, shows that Hashem takes revenge on those who deserve to die. What is the significance of this particular act of preying that depicts Hashem's revenge?

Maybe we can conjecture that the fish that the Shalach eats is a predator himself. Yet he knows that in his turf in the ocean no one can exact revenge on him. He is the king of his turf and is protected in his environment. Hashem teaches him a lesson, that although in his eyes the world is limited to his underwater habitat, in reality there is a much bigger picture. There is a world above his cloistered confines. And from that world, from the Heavens above, Hashem can send an angel in the form of a Shalach to swoop down and take revenge, even in his deep water abyss.

We often look around and think that the cards are stacked in our favor and we are protected from Hashem's judgement. But it is not so. Our picture is limited to the confines of our mind. Hashem's world is far beyond our naive outlook. From the Heaven's, Hashem can come down and strike us and we wouldn't even know what hit us.

On the flip side look at it from the small fish perspective. We must realize that even if we are being hunted by a far larger fish and it seems there is no help in sight and we are doomed, there is far more to consider than meets the eye. Even when we think we are trapped and the bigger fish are closing in on us, a Yeshua can come from places far beyond our imagination. Hashem's means are vast. Never lose faith!

Source: Revach L'Neshama

When Silence is Deafening

"The hidden things belong to the Lord, our God, but the revealed things apply to us and to our children forever: that we must fulfill all the words of this Torah." [Nitzavim 29:28]

[Written by Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein]

Rashi explains that a Jew is not expected to offer his friend rebuke for the sins that lie hidden within his heart, for how can he possibly know what another man is thinking?  Therefore, in the case of hidden sins, Hashem exacts retribution from the sinner alone.

On the other hand, a Jew is expected to rebuke his fellow man for the sins he does openly.  Consequently, when Jews overlook other people's misdeeds, Hashem's anger is brought upon all of them.

A terrible dispute broke out in Radin, the Chofetz Chaim's hometown. Though the Chofetz Chaim was by now in his later years, he rushed to the shul and approached the bimah.  From there, he addressed the community.

"My dear brothers!" began the Chofetz Chaim.  "If someone would have offered me 2,000 rubles to deliver a derashah in shul, I would not have accepted it! I am not willing to sell my precious time for money.  However, because of the situation, I am forced to speak.  We must know that there will come a time when each and every one of us will be required to stand before the Heavenly Court and give an account of all the deeds that he performed over the course of his life.

"You must be aware that strife is a very serious matter!  A person may have performed scores of mitzvos in his life, but if he was guilty of causing or involving himself in matters of dispute, then he is like a person who tried filling a bag that had a large hole at its bottom - all the mitzvos he performed will be lost.

"I have no doubt that when the individuals from Radin who were involved in the dispute come before the Heavenly Court, they will attempt to clear themselves by stating the following:

"We cannot be held accountable! For in our city there lived an elderly Jew, by the name of Yisrael Meir, whom we deemed to be a talmid chacham.  He saw all that was transpiring, yet he remained silent."

"Therefore, my dear brothers" concluded the Chofetz Chaim in a voice filled with emotion, "I beg of you - do not mention my name before the Heavenly Court!"

As these words left the mouth of the Chofetz Chaim, he broke down and wept bitterly, and his frail body trembled. This sight made a very powerful impression on the people of Radin, and the dispute was resolved immediately.

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. .... Edmund Burke
Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.....Elie Wiesel

You are where your thoughts are

 

Guest post from a reader:

I woke up feeling unusually happy and full of chiyus today, in stark contrast to the previous weeks of feeling down and utterly physically and mentally drained from all the mishigas happening on the personal, national and international scene.  I had a sense of real closeness to H-shem, and a feeling of overwhelming gratitude. It was the first time in a long time that I said "modeh ani" and really meant it . 

Then, while still in bed, the thought flashed through my mind that we, the Jewish people, were starting a new era, a new beginning in some way. That every Jew had the power to transform the present perceived reality of "doom and gloom" into a reality of  joy and thanksgiving. I had this vision of every Jew being the center of concentric circles of light and positivity radiating outwards and intersecting with all those around them, ripples in a cosmic pond, until the whole world vibrated with this encompassing light. 

The saying from the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe came into my mind: Think good and it will be good. I'd always related to this injunction as a nice intellectual idea, but never really felt it on a gut level.

Today, I believed in my heart that not only could I live this but that all of us could. I decided then and there that when I spoke to the people around me, I would say, "Did you know that today is international "Think good and it'll be good" day?" From the few people that I mentioned this to, I got some amused reactions; nobody took me seriously. But I still figured that change has to start somewhere and it can (and often does) start with one person.  So what's holding any of us back from truly believing in and living this motto? Our fears and doubts, basically. Fears imposed from the outside Amaleks as well as fears and doubts welling up from our internal Amalek. After all, they don't call the Moslem monsters wrecking havoc on the world terrorists for nothing. And they're not the only sowers of terror and hopelessness. The global media, with their constant emphasis on disaster and horror, is doing an excellent job, too. So that at the end of the day, we're drowning in a painfilled, black sludge that masks the vitality within us and obscures H-shem Himself.

Can we overcome this and finally start to believe that we have the ability to change reality? I think so. And not only by thinking positively and changing our personal circumstances (as some New Age gurus emphasize with their magical formulas that "guarantee"wealth, health and personal happiness).  But to be partners with H-shem, in the fullest sense of the word,and through our positive, holy thinking actually bring the Moshiach and the Geulah NOW!!!

Who Is Religious?

Question of the Week - by Rabbi Aron Moss

My brother is very religious and I am not. We are on good terms now, but for a while he disowned me for what he deemed as my straying from the path. Is this the Jewish way, to shun those who are less religious than you?

Answer:

Let me share with you a different view. Here is a story of how a spiritual giant of the last century saw the religious/secular divide.

In the 1940's the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneerson, was looking for a sponsor to publish a religious text. The funding came from an unexpected source. An elderly woman who was known to be completely secular made a large donation to pay for this project. She had come from a religious background in Europe, but had long abandoned the ways of her family and raised her children without the traditions of her people. Nevertheless she maintained certain emotional ties to her past, and would occasionally support Jewish causes such as the Rebbe's.

When the book was published she was invited to a private audience with the Rebbe. He thanked her for her generosity, and then blessed her that her children and grandchildren should go in the path of Torah and be G-d fearing and righteous Jews.

This blessing came as a surprise to the lady. She thought the Rebbe may have mistaken her for someone else. Her children were far from anything Jewish, so why would he bless her that they be righteous Jews? 

She said, "But Rebbe, I am not religious."

The Rebbe looked at her with serious eyes. Then he told her, "We don't know who is religious."

This response is striking. Here is a venerable rabbi with a long white beard telling an assimilated modern woman that we don't really know who is closer to G-d. He was not giving an easy excuse for rejecting Judaism. Rather he was completely destroying the idea of a spiritual hierarchy based on human standards. In true religion, there is no room for snobbery on the part of those who see themselves as committed, nor feelings of inadequacy on the part of those who feel they are on the periphery. We don't know who is religious. So we all need to try harder.

We don't know which mitzvah is the one our soul came into this world to do. We don't know how precious our efforts are in the eyes of G-d, even if they seem small in the eyes of man.

So who is religious?

G-d knows. We don't.

Overcoming All Obstacles

 

Elul - L'Dovid Hashem Ori - When You Carry Valuable Merchandise

The Ohr HaMeir says that in life there are certain people who have it easy. Everything goes smooth for them and no obstacles stand in their way. They think that they have reached perfection, they are on top of the world. On the other hand some people cannot catch a break. Every time they make a move something goes wrong. Are they traveling on the wrong road?

The Ohr HaMeir explains with a Mashal. If someone is traveling on the road carrying a sack of wheat husks, his trip is easy. He can travel wherever he wants, for as long as he wants, feeling secure and knowing no one will rob him of his goods. However, if he is carrying a satchel of precious stones he sweats every step, knowing that he is a hunted man.

Dovid HaMelech says in L'Dovid Hashem Ori [Tehilim 27:3] "Im Takum Alai Milchama B'Zos Ani Botei'ach" - if the enemy is constantly attacking me, in this I find confidence. Why? If my path in life was devoid of any value I would not encounter constant resistance from the Yetzer Hara. The fact that there is an obstacle in my path at every turn is a sign that I, my actions, goals, and ambitions are very valuable. So valuable that the Yetzer Hara is throwing all his resources at me to stop from accomplishing my dreams.

As we start Elul and head quickly towards Rosh Hashana and a new year, contemplate the past year. Did you have it easy? Did you get anything worthwhile accomplished? The Ohr HaMeir would venture to guess that the answer to the first question is not the answer to the second!

Source: Revach L'Neshama

Rav Calls For Tefilos for Critical Situation

Hagaon HaRav Shteinman Calls For Tefilos In Light Of Critical Situation

Wednesday, September 14th, 2011

HaGaon HaRav Aaron Leib Shteinman Shlita is calling upon Am Yisrael to daven, for residents of Eretz Yisrael to increase tefilos in light of the perilous threats facing Eretz Yisrael on many fronts.

The Gadol HaDor’s statement comes in response to a question from HaGaon Rabbi Meir Kessler Shlita, Rav of Modi’in Illit, who called upon Rav Shteinman to ask what we should be doing at present due to the situation.

Rav Shteinman said that each and every person in Eretz HaKodesh should take upon himself to increase tefilos, and Tehillim, especially Chapters 93, 130, 142, and the Mizmor, Ki Yaancha Hashem Beyom Tzora.

[YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem]

A Bit More Salt

"Cursed is he who secretly strikes his fellowman" [Ki Tavo 27:24]

Rashi explains that this curse refers to one who speaks lashon hora - when someone speaks evil, he secretly "strikes" his fellowman.

The Chofetz Chaim was traveling in the company of a well-known rabbi on their way to performing a mitzvah.

After traveling for some time, they decided to rest at an inn.

The woman who owned the inn realized that her two new guests were highly esteemed rabbis, so she quickly set a table and offered them various delicacies.

When they had finished eating, she approached them and asked "How was the meal?"

"It was excellent!" remarked the Chofetz Chaim. "The food was delicious."

"And how did you enjoy the food?" asked the hostess to the other rabbi.

"The food" answered the rabbi, "was certainly adequate, but it could have used a bit more salt."

Their hostess cleared the table and entered the kitchen.

As soon as she left the room, the Chofetz Chaim turned to the rabbi and, with sorrow in his voice, said: "All my life, I have taken the utmost care not to speak or hear words of lashon hora. But now that I am in your company, you have caused me to falter - I am greatly distressed that I have made this trip. I am sure that this trip was not truly for the sake of a mitzvah, for it is impossible that one who has set out to perform a mitzvah should come to violate such a grave transgression!"

"But what did I say?" asked the rabbi. "I said the food was good. I just added that the food could have used a little salt."

"You have no idea," answered the Chofetz Chaim, "of the incredible power of one's words. In all likelihood, the cook is a poor widow who works in this inn to support her family. I am sure that because of your comment, the hostess will go to this poor widow and tell her that the guests are complaining about her cooking. The widow, in defense of her cooking, will deny that the guests have any grounds for complaints. At that point, the hostess will become incensed and shout at her "Do you think the distinguished guests are lying? You are the one who is the liar!" Ultimately, the hostess, in a fit of anger, will fire the poor unfortunate cook."

"Just look at how many sins you have committed with your words: (1) You spoke lashon hora; (2) you caused both the hostess and myself to hear lashon hora; (3) you caused the hostess to relate the words of lashon hora to the cook; (4) you caused the cook to lie in defense of her cooking; (5) you caused the cook terrible suffering."

"Surely you are exaggerating" said the rabbi to the Chofetz Chaim.

"Not in the least" responded the Chofetz Chaim. "Come with me and I'll show you."

The two rabbis entered the kitchen and were greeted with a sorry sight. The poor cook was standing with her head in her hands, sobbing.

The rabbi took one look at the widow, and immediately understood just how correct the Chofetz Chaim had been. He quickly made his way to the hostess and pleaded with her to forgive the cook and restore her to her position.

Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein

Obama's Australia visit: No time for golf, Mr President, you're here to work

"Australians hope Barack Obama's trip to Australia will be a case of third-time lucky, but it probably won't include a round of golf for the US President."  [Obama is scheduled to arrive here November 16-17].

Personally, I hope it's a case of third time unlucky, and he doesn't get here at all.  So far his previous announced visits down under never happened..... and whenever he does travel, volcanoes start erupting.

I guess they'll just recycle that Big O from Oprah's visit......


More on Obama's Australian trip at:  News.com

The Turkish Ships

This is one of those times when I wish I knew more about what I was writing about.... but according to someone who knows more than I do, the ships from Turkey are a huge event:

Turkey is planning to send three warships to the the Eastern Mediterranean to defend against Israeli vessels if necessary and ensure freedom of navigation for Turkish ships....

"Gaza needs humanitarian aid and Turkey has aid to be sent there," Prime Minister Erdogan was quoted as saying by the National Turk. "And i assure every country of the world our humanitarian aid will not be attacked by Israel anymore like it happened to Mavi Marmara last year," he added. 

According to reports, three Turkish frigates from its Navy's Southern Sea Area Command will be deployed with the humanitarian shipments, and if an Israeli military vessel is confronted outside its 12-mile (19-kilometer) territorial waters, Turkish ships have reportedly been ordered to advance up to 100 meters (328 feet) from them in order to neutralize their weapon system. [more here]

Quoting from Parshas Balak:

Ships will come from the Kittites and afflict Assyria and afflict those on the other side, but he too will perish forever. [Balak 24:24]

According to Targum Yonatan, ships from Italy/ Turkey/ Constantine will come to enslave the sons of Ever [Avraham haIvri  = Ever].... and their end will be to fall into the hands of Moshiach.....and they will be lost forever.

Please leave a comment because there's so much more to this that I haven't blogged because I can't remember it.

Blue skies, blue seas....

.... a perfect day to sit and watch the waves rolling in

Bondi Beach, Sydney

Click to enlarge

Katia batters the UK

In the hurricane's tail: Worst storms for 15 years bring blackouts and transport chaos

The swirling remnants of Hurricane Katia have crossed the Atlantic and hit land by this morning, sweeping across large swathes of the country.

Forecasters issued urgent weather alerts for Scotland, Northern Ireland, the North East, North West and parts of the Midlands and Wales as the storm prepares to make its way eastwards.

The high winds have been accompanied by heavy rain and the Environment Agency has issued several flood alerts for inland and coastal areas.

Read more: Daily Mail

True Tefillin

Art: Alex Levin

"And all the nations of the earth will see that Hashem's Name is displayed upon you, and they will revere you" [Ki Tavo 28:10]

In Maseches Berachos [6a], Chazal expound on the above verse: "From where do we know that tefillin are a source of might for Israel? - From the verse "And all the nations of the earth will see that Hashem's Name is displayed upon you, and they will revere you". And it was taught: R' Eliezer HaGadol said "these are the tefillin of the head [sheba' rosh]."

The Sha'agas Aryeh [R' Aryeh Leib from Metz] was once travelling. Throughout the trip he wore his tallis and tefillin and engaged in Torah study.

The wagon driver was also wearing his tallis and tefillin - he was praying while steering the horses.

Suddenly, a band of armed robbers jumped out from the forest and attacked the wagon; they demanded that the driver stop the wagon and hand over all of his money.

The driver was terribly frightened. "Rebbe" he screamed, "we're in danger!"

The Sha'agas Aryeh heard the screaming coming from up front, so he stuck his head out the window to see what was happening. But when the ordinarily bold thieves took one look at the Sha'agas Aryeh, they were overcome with fear and immediately fled.

"Rebbe" asked the driver, "I am both younger and stronger than you. Yet it was you whom the thieves were terrified of. Why did the robbers run away when they saw you?"

"The robbers did not run because of my strength" answered the Sha'agas Aryeh, "but because of the tefillin on my head!"

"But I am also wearing tefillin" responded the driver. "Why did the thieves not run away from me?"

The Sha'agas Aryeh explained: "The Torah says "and all the nations of the earth will see that Hashem's Name is displayed upon you, and they will revere you". The Gemara quotes R' Eliezer HaGadol who teaches that this verse is referring to the tefillin of the head [sheba'rosh]. If you read the words of Chazal carefully, you will notice that Chazal did not say "tefillin she'al ha'rosh" [tefillin that rest on one's head]; rather "tefillin sheba'rosh" [tefillin that are inside one's head]. The holiness of the tefillin must be absorbed into one's head, and then it instills fear into the nations of the world. But if the tefillin are simply lying on top of one's head, then the nations of the world do not fear us at all.

Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein

Pharoah Quotes Psalm 46

Obama's 9/11 speech [video] - stick around the for end, Dubya's face is a treat.




Psalm 46
1 For the Leader; [a Psalm] of the sons of Korah; upon Alamoth. A Song.
2 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
3 Therefore will we not fear, though the earth do change, and though the mountains be moved into the heart of the seas;
4 Though the waters thereof roar and foam, though the mountains shake at the swelling thereof. Selah
5 There is a river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God, the holiest dwelling-place of the Most High.
6 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, at the approach of morning.
7 Nations were in tumult, kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
8 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our high tower. Selah
9 Come, behold the works of the Lord, who hath made desolations in the earth.
10 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; 
He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; He burneth the chariots in the fire.
11 'Let be, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.'
12 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our high tower. Selah 

Spiritual beings in physical bodies

"that you shall take of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you will bring from your land, which the Lord, your God, is giving you. And you shall put [them] into a basket" [Ki Tavo 26:2]

First fruits represent the Jewish souls, as the Midrash teaches that the Divine Thought to create Jewish souls "preceded everything" [Bereishis Rabah 1:4]. In this respect, Jewish souls are "first" and cherished in a way similar to first fruits.

When the soul is in Heaven, before it enters a body, it enjoys an intense, ecstatic relationship with G-d.  Nevertheless, the soul is sent down to earth in a body which conceals its relationship with G-d.  This is not without profit since, through this descent, the soul is able to carry out a mission in the physical world, which can eventually result in an even more intense relationship with G-d.  For G-d's innermost "desire" is for His mitzvot to be carried out specifically in the physical world.

This is the lesson from the requirement of first fruits being placed in a basket.  Although the fruits are the finest and first of the crop, they cannot achieve perfection without a basket. 

Likewise, the Jewish soul, which is G-d's highest priority, cannot achieve perfection without coming down into a physical body, in a world of concealment and temptation, because it is precisely through that descent that an even greater ascent is achieved.

Source: Likutei Sichos Lubavitcher Rebbe vol 29

Also see: Yerida L'tzorich Aliya: Descent for the Purpose of Ascent

Washington: Lightning Jolts Presidential Address

Sept 8: Presidential Address: commentary by Richard Adams, The Guardian:

7.15pm: Now Obama is explaining his American Jobs Act, stressing that every proposal in it has been supported by politicians on both sides:

It will provide a jolt to the American economy ... you should pass this jobs plan right away.

At that moment a huge crash of thunder and lightning is heard over NW Washington.

Source: Guardian

Note: video does not contain the lightning, you don't need to watch it.

A Cure for Arrogance

Related by Rabbi Zalman Shimon Dworkin a"h who heard it from Reb Shmuel Grunim a"h

by Rabbi Rafael Nachman Kahn, translated by Basha Majerczyk

Alter Rebbe

The gaon Reb Avraham of Kalisk was an iluy, a childhood prodigy whose genius was already evident at an early age.  When the boy was eleven or twelve, his father complained to the Alter Rebbe - Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi [Hebrew: שניאור זלמן מליאדי‎], the first Rebbe of Chabad - that although his son was indeed brilliant, it pained him to see that his son's intellectual gifts were making him arrogant.  "Bring him to me" the Alter Rebbe replied, "and I will speak to him."

The next time the father came to the Alter Rebbe he brought his son along. "Do you know how to learn?" the Alter Rebbe asked him.  "Yes" the boy replied.  At that, the Alter Rebbe stood up and brought him a thick volume, a book of Responsa written by the Rosh [Rabbeinu Asher ben Yechiel].  Opening it to a certain passage, he asked the boy if he understood what it meant.  "Yes", the iluy answered.

The Alter Rebbe then brought up a strong contradictory point, and asked the boy to resolve the conflict.  When the boy was unable to do so, the Alter Rebbe provided an answer.

"Is my answer a good one?" he prompted the child.

"Yes" the young Reb Avraham replied, "it is excellent."

The Alter Rebbe then proceeded to destroy his own hypothesis, and showed him why it wasn't sound.  This happened several times, the Alter Rebbe asking the boy for his approval, and after obtaining it, explaining why his line of thought was flawed.

At the end of the interview the Alter Rebbe closed the book.  "You don't know how to learn." the Alter Rebbe pronounced. "Whatever they tell you, you believe."  This remark nipped Reb Avraham's arrogance in the bud.

Years later, Reb Avraham had another yechidus with the Alter Rebbe. This time the Rebbe showed him the Responsa of the Maharam of Rotenburg, who, when asked a certain question, had cited a particular passage in the Gemara as proof.  This proof, however, was extremely tenuous. The Alter Rebbe asked Reb Avraham if he could think of any other Talmudic passages to bolster the Maharam's argument, and he cited five.  The Rebbe then mentioned six other passages, for a sum total of eleven, each of which seemed stronger and more compelling than the one actually quoted by the Maharam.

"Why do you think," the Alter Rebbe questioned, "the Maharam chose that passage, when there are eleven better ones he could have quoted?"  The Alter Rebbe then knocked down each of the eleven, leaving only the original proof cited by the Maharam, which was incontrovertible.

"Don't think" the Alter Rebbe concluded, "that when the Maharam sat down to write his Responsa he considered and then rejected each one of the other eleven passages, and it was only when he reached the twelfth that he was satisfied.  Not at all !  The twelfth passage was the one he thought of first! For that is the advantage of our Rishonim, in whom the light of truth shone openly."