Interpreting Signs of the 'End of Days'

by Rabbi Pinchas Winston

Then Ya’akov called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you at the end of days.” [Vayechi 49:1]

We have arrived at 2012. You know, the year that the Mayans predicted would be the last one, because they didn’t refer to one after 2012. But, it is probably all just hype, a storm in a teacup as my English neighbor says. I think they just ran out of Inca. Just kidding.

Acharis HaYomim—the end of days—is a very fascinating topic. It is appropriate to discuss it here, because the end is near. The end of Sefer Bereishis, that is.

Though some people prefer to avoid it altogether, every culture seems to have embraced it, at one time or another, believing that history as we know it will come to end, and lead to something else. Whether it is mankind himself who will cause it to happen, some rogue meteorite, or even a massive solar flare, either way, most probably believe that the end will only be a transition to another period of history.

Of course, the Torah point of view is clear, though many Jews are not so clear about what it is. Some are even less clear about why it is even important to be clear about such ideas, and why Ya’akov Avinu felt compelled to share such information with his sons just before he died. Going over some of the more basic points may make that a little bit clearer, and what is called the “End of Days.”

First of all, according to the Talmud, what we call Olam HaZeh—this world—is destined to last 6,000 years:

This world will last for 6,000 years, and for 1,000 it will be destroyed. [Sanhedrin 97a].

So, Armageddon is at Year 6000? No. According to Kabbalah, destroyed does not mean destroyed in the Armageddon, End-of-Days-type of way. Rather, it is more like what happens to adolescence when a person becomes an adult: he moves on. The previous period of time isn’t destroyed, just left behind as life advances to more sophisticated stages.

Likewise, Kabbalah explains, at 6000, existence is elevated to a higher spiritual plane, and this world ceases to be as it presently is. Year 6000 marks the beginning of what is called Olam HaNefashos—the Soul World—in preparation for even higher spiritual planes of existence.

But, not before passing over the threshold of the Great Day of Judgment, which, apparently, is at the end of the seventh millennium—not that conventional time will be operating then—at Year 7000. That is when we are judged for how we lived our lives—all of them—and it is decided whether or not we require additional rectification before assuming our eternal positions in the World-to-Come.

At that stage of existence, the body is no longer physical as we know it today. Just to reach Olam HaNefashos, the body will have to be more like a soul than a body, because after 6000 the world is more spiritual than it was for Adam HaRishon in the Garden of Eden before the sin. Death will no longer be a reality in Olam HaBah, which raises the issue, when does the resurrection of the dead take place, if there is no need for it after Year 6000?

The obvious but not-so-well-known answer: Before 6000, as the Leshem, quoting the Zohar, explains:

The duration from death to resurrection will be the same for everyone, but the time of death will not be the same for everyone, and thus the period of time of the deaths and resurrections for the entire generation will continue for a long period of time. However, righteous people who have died previously will resurrect immediately after the 40 years from Kibbutz Golios—the ingathering of the exiles. This is what it says in Midrash Ne’elam [Zohar, Parashas Toldos 140a]: There will be many resurrections, and the duration of time will be, according to Rebi Yehudah, from 40 years after Kibbutz Golios, at which time the first resurrection will occur, and the resurrections will continue from then until the last resurrection for 210 years. According to Rebi Yitzchak, 214 years ... [Drushei Olam HaTohu, Chelek 2, Drush 4, Anaf 12, Siman 9]

Kibbutz Golios is not a term used with respect to the World-to-Come, because at that time, there will be no need to ingather Jewish exiles from around the world. There will be no Diaspora anymore after Year 6000, when the world is elevated to a whole new spiritual level. Rather, it is a term used by the Torah as follows:

And it will be, when all these things come upon you the blessing and the curse which I have set before you that you will consider in your heart, among all the nations where the Lord your God has banished you, and you will return to the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul, and you will listen to His voice according to all that I am commanding you this day you and your children, then, the Lord, your God, will bring back your exiles, and He will have mercy upon you. He will once again gather you from all the nations, where the Lord, your God, had dispersed you. Even if your exiles are at the end of the heavens, the Lord, your God, will gather you from there, and He will take you from there. And the Lord, your God, will bring you to the land which your forefathers possessed, and you will take possession of it, and He will do good to you, and He will make you more numerous than your forefathers. [Devarim 30:1-5]

Kibbutz Golios clearly belongs to our side of history, to this side of 6000, which means that Techiyas HaMeisim, the resurrection of the dead, also belongs to this side of Year 6000. Indeed, the Leshem says this specifically:

Likewise, Yom HaKippurim, which is the level of Binah, is the sod of the World-to-Come of the Seventh Millennium, of which we say, “the entire day that is Shabbos,” as it says in Rosh Hashanah [31a]. Therefore, Shabbos, Yom HaKippurim, and Purim, which allude to periods after Yemos HaMoshiach, to periods of the World-to-Come and to eternal lights, will remain [as holidays] in order to allow access to their lights and revelations of the future. However, all the [rest of the] holidays allude only to lights of rectification of Yemos HaMoshiach after the beginning of the time of Techiyas HaMeisim onward until the end of the 6000 years. [Drushei Olam HaTohu, Chelek 2, Drush 4, Anaf 12, Siman 10]

Elsewhere, he explains that the whole point of resurrecting our dead bodies is to restore them to their former glory, back before the first man sinned and caused the physicalization of Creation. Once, our skin was like light, not opaque and physical as it is now, and how it will have to be in order to get through the gate to the World-to-Come at 6000. In other words, the period called The Resurrection of the Dead has to be before 6000, because it is necessary to prepare us for after 6000.

According to the Zohar, the entire period of time allotted for Techiyas HaMeisim is between 210-214 years in advance of 6000. These are not the opinions of obscure rabbis, but of Rebi Yehudah HaNasi, the author of the Mishnah, and Rebi Yitzchak, a central figure of the same time period. They are, therefore, mainstream opinions, with which no one argues, at least not in the Zohar. As hard as this may be to fathom, that Techiyas HaMeisim may be only 14-18 years away, there really is no reason not to believe it.

And, according to the Zohar, that begins after 40 years of Kibbutz Golios, which makes the beginning of it 22-26 years ago, around 1986-1990. So, if Kibbutz Golios lasts 40 years, and Techiyas HaMeisim comes at its conclusion, then Yemos HaMoshiach—the arrival and reign of Moshiach—must be part of the period of time called Kibbutz Golios, of which there is only 14-18 years left, according to Rebi Yehudah and Rebi Yitzchak.

Hence, if ever a period of history was called Acharis HaYomim, it is ours. This week’s parshah took place at the end of Ya’akov’s days, in the year 2255, or 1506 BCE, but it is referring to the end of our days, some 3,517 years later. That may be hard to believe, but this is what the information says.

“But,” some may say, “there is a 167 year discrepancy between the Jewish and Western dating systems. Even if the timeframe provided by the Zohar is correct, how do we know where we are, historically, within that timeframe?”

I’ve never quite understood why so much credibility has been given to the Western dating system when it comes to ancient events, given how that system began. It wasn’t until Roman times that secular historians started to record history with any kind of accuracy, since doing so in the past could have been considered treason by ancient rulers, at least when it came to recording their political mistakes and military defeats.

Yet, as early as 2448, or 1313 BCE, the Jewish people were given the mitzvah of keeping track of the months and years. And, the people who usually did this were the talmidei chachamim of society, not very likely to fudge the dateline. It is possible, but unlikely, given the fear of God for which they are known.

In any case, I dealt with this in my book, Talking About the End of Days. ArtScroll also dealt with the issue at the back of one of their history books. And all of this is before getting into the Kabbalah aspect that basically mandates that the Jewish approach to dating history is correct, and that we can assume that we are actually in the year 5772.

Even still, what difference does knowing this information make to any of us, that Ya’akov Avinu wanted to reveal it to his sons? The answer may be all the way back in Egypt, and back in time.

It is well known that 80 percent of the Jewish people did not leave Egypt with Moshe Rabbeinu, dying instead in the ninth plague of darkness. They thought that they could choose to stay behind in Egypt, and not go out with the Jewish people, as if remaining in Egypt had been an option. Perhaps it was, but not the way they had planned, for all of them died at that time, leaving behind only one-fifth to make the exodus from Egypt historical reality.

Many have asked why so many Jews would choose to stay behind in Egypt rather than leave with Moshe Rabbeinu and the rest of the nation. There are a few answers, one of which is that after witnessing eight plagues, and after watching Pharaoh relent each time, they found it hard to believe that the end was near. Even though Moshe Rabbeinu had told them that they would only leave after the tenth plague, still many found it too hard to believe that the redemption was at hand.

People act differently when they know what is happening is part of the final act. They start thinking about what’s next, and what to do in the meantime. And, when it comes to Keitz HaYomim—the end of days —those are important questions to answer, since according to the prophets, the transition from our period of time to the next is not destined to be a smooth one. It already isn’t.

Furthermore, we have a habit of getting caught in the storm. Historically, the Jewish people have usually been forced to go through bouts of anti-Semitism rather than flee them. Individuals have seen the writing on the wall and reacted to it in good time, but the masses have always, almost without exception, fared far worse. If Jews in 1938 knew that Kristallnacht had been the beginning of far worse to come, they might have fled with only what they could carry rather than lose everything in the years that followed.

Because God gives signs. Exiles do not come to an end overnight. They take time. Events develop, and as they do, they give us messages about where history is heading. That’s the way Heaven works. God takes no pleasure in springing anti-Semitism on us and bringing exiles to an ugly and abrupt end. In fact, anti-Semitism occurs to avoid that. Unlike regular racism, anti-Semitism is Divine in origin, designed to inform the Jewish people that the present exile is coming to an end. That is the basis of a different book and seminar called, Geulah b’Rachamim.

Cutting to the chase, it means that Ya’akov Avinu wanted to give us the signs by which to recognize through the events of our day that history, as we know it, is coming to an end. He wanted to give us the signs so that we would not misunderstand the events of our time, so that we could use them to help us prepare for the end of days, and allow us to take advantage of the opportunities of our time. But, alas, he was denied the prophecy, and we, the signs.

However, the truth is, though we were denied the prophecy, we have not been denied the signs. The signs are still there. The fundamental difference is that we have to create the prophecy for ourselves, as a function of our own understanding of Torah and our connection to the national goals of the Jewish people. That is what provides us with the spiritual glasses necessary to properly interpret the physical vision, each person on his or her own level.

So, as everyone today looks at the situation facing the Jewish people and interprets it for themselves, they have to consider whether or not certain options are as optional as they seem to be. Back in the 1930s and 40s, we didn’t seem to understand that idea very well, and paid a heavy price for it in the years that followed. Must we always make the same mistake, or can we finally learn from Jewish history, and see the signs as signs, and respond appropriately?

Rabbi Winston's site: ThirtySix.org
Original article (c) Torah.org

Navigating The Storm Part 2

by Rav Ephraim Kenig shlit'a

Reprinted with permission from Tzaddik Magazine

[Part 1 can be found here]

Rebbe Nachman describes how a kernel of grain turns into a field of wheat.  Only after it completely decomposes beneath the ground and becomes nothing, does it begin to develop into something.  A blade of grass sprouts, and what happens? It gets drenched by rain and then battered back and forth by the wind.  Such is the growth process.

It is commonly known in the world of sports that the biggest star athletes don't usually come from tranquil backgrounds. Davka they come out of poverty-stricken neighborhoods.  Growing up in the midst of dire need taught them how to deal with life and prove themselves.  This is not a new phenomenon, it is how the world is set up. Fortunately, this was revealed to us in advance by the tzaddikim, which opens our eyes to the challenges ahead.  Sometimes, we want to take off in a certain direction, but suddenly all sorts of unexpected disturbances crop up and hold us back.  If you know in advance that the world is a place of constant adaptation and adjustment, it is easier to navigate.  It simply doesn't go any other way in life.

Someone who faces no challenges should know they are receiving their olam haba [future world] in this world.  In other words, HaShem is paying their reward to them here in this world - and woe unto us if this is the case. The Talmud writes that whoever G-d doesn't want to see in olam haba, he compensates in this world for whatever good they may have done.  King David refers to this phenomenon in Psalm 73. He laments how the wicked seem to have a good life, since they don't work or sweat for their livelihood. They appear to have everything, and even more than they want. ''My feet almost slipped, I nearly lost my foothold, for I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.''

According to the Gemara, witnessing this paradox can cause a crisis in faith.  At the end of the same chapter, King David says ''G-d is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.''  We understand this to be an issue of emunah [belief] and see how his heart was straightened out after he received insight into how the world really works.

G-d acts out of love, not because He wants to cause suffering. He wants to bring us to the true good, the abundant good hidden away for us in the future.  In order to get there, we must traverse a path wrought with challenges, because without it, we will get nowhere.

The Talmud relates a story about a sage who became anxious if thirty days passed without some misfortune, even as small as a glass breaking.  He feared a portion of his olam haba was being taken away if he experienced no trouble.  We see from this that at least the tzaddikim, if not the Jewish people themselves, knew very well that there is no such thing as a trouble-free life.  It is something only for the tzaddikim in the world to come, where they will ''sit with crowns [on] their heads, basking in the light of the Shechina''. [5]  This can only occur in the future world.  In this world, we must be prepared to work hard.

Don't say to yourself  ''So what? What is the worst that could happen? So I won't work so hard - I just won't have such an olam haba -'' ...With these thoughts, you think now you'll have some quiet here? You still won't have tranquility, because we are all born with a fixed amount of difficulty that we need to undergo in our lives.

''Happy is one who trusts in HaShem.''  Sometimes a sleepless night is decreed upon a person. Although it can't be known in advance, if it happens, someone with a little intelligence will get up, take a holy book and learn something, thus passing the decree of the sleepless night.  Someone else, however, can have a toothache decreed and be kept awake all night. Both situations are from Heaven. In other words, everyone is given a prescribed measure of suffering in the world that can't be avoided. Someone who doesn't suffer here should know that it waits for him in the future world - and they need the most compassion of all.

It is absolutely vital to realize we now live in a period well after the terrible conflicts that plagued the time of the Baal Shem Tov, and then afterwards with his students and their students. Yet today, unfortunately, fierce arguments and conflicts still occur between various groups and we sometimes think ''HaShem, until when?  How much longer is it possible to suffer?'' However, if we know about the challenges of drawing nearer to G-d in advance, it is much easier to navigate through them without wallowing in the pain or being drawn too deeply into the experience.  Whether it is external difficulties or internal issues of satisfaction in life, children, or health etc. it is important not to get ovely caught up with the difficulties.  Rather be thankful and know that they are directly from Heaven.

Tzaddikim who are on a high level don't experience life's difficulties as suffering, because they know everything is for the best.  They are able to say ''This too is for the good''. [6]  They don't just believe in the concept, they clearly see and feel the good. In time, maybe we will also feel how everything we go through is for the best, that it is mamash for the good.  In the final analysis, this is how we divest ourselves of the bad within us. When we recognize the good in everything, then it is all actually transformed into good. There will be no tragedies or evil in the world. We must deeply instill within ourselves faith in the tzaddikim, such faith certainly exists in the world today, Baruch Hashem. However there is still the need to strengthen ourselves even more with it.

When we want to truly draw a little closer to Judaism or Chassidut, barriers will be experienced.  The obstacles aren't necessarily only on the outside. There are also the internal doubts which sprout up and seem overwhelming, G-d forbid. It helps a great deal to remember that this world is a place of purification and tikkun [correction], meant to refine us. Happy is the person who realizes and accepts this as the true nature of how the world operates.

May we be blessed with progressively higher levels of awareness of how everything is for the good, and the knowledge of how to successfully navigate through life's sea of challenges.  May G-d grant us the ability to draw close to Him along with the strength and courage to weather any storm surrounding the truth. May we merit the complete redemption speedily in our days. Amen.

Translated and adapted from a talk given to Sydney Australia from Tsfat.
Rabbi Ephraim Kenig shlit'a, is CEO and Rosh Yeshiva of the Nachal Novea Mekor Chochma institutions as well as the head administrator at Talmud Torah Magen Avot, in the Old City of Tsfat.

Footnotes:
1. As Abraham and Sara did while in Haran, see Genesis 12:5
2. Based on Likutey Moharan 228
3. Yevamot 47a
4. Ibid.
5. Berakhot 17a
6. Taanit 21a

Navigating The Storm: Why There Will Be No Converts In the Time of Moshiach

by Rav Ephraim Kenig shlit'a

Reprinted with permission from Tzaddik Magazine

When Hashem examines a soul before it is born and sees that it can make converts to Judaism and influence mankind to return to God [1], He sees to it that this soul is surrounded by controversy.  Looking at the world today, we see examples of people who possess this quality and are, in fact, successful in arousing people to do teshuvah, and even making converts.  Hashem himself ensures that there is a certain stormwind encircling such a person. [2]

This stormwind exists before the soul is born, and as well as after it enters the world.  It is a tumult that manifests itself in many different ways, coming from any direction.  We are witness to how all types of controversy are played out in the world. The controversy surrounding a greater person is expressed at a higher level.  For instance, certain people may say he/she is acting improperly according to the Kabbalah, or that he/she is out of line according to a particular subtle religious issue.  Someone of lesser stature may be maligned via more material issues, such as financial matters. Or, for example, in the case of a simple Jew who has the quality to bring people back to G-d, others on a similar simple level might say, "Who do they think they are? You know what? They're not so great! After all, we are simple people!" All kinds of lashon hora [evil talk] surround this soul.  Even further, although it is for the good, G-d sees to it that this type of slander is readily accepted as fact.

I'm using these examples because we've already experienced them, especially during the time of the Baal Shem Tov.  At that time, G-d directed the controversy in a way that the lashon hora was accepted.  In other words, it wasn't slander that just hung in the air without adhering to the person. It caught on and was accepted as fact. This is what is meant by controversy.

Why must this soul be surrounded by controversy? Rebbe Nachman answers the question by quoting the Talmud: ''Converts are not accepted in the time of Mashiach or in the days of King Solomon.'' [3]  For a significant period during Solomon's reign, the Jewish nation ''sat each under their grapevine, each under their fig tree'', meaning that it was a time of tremendous goodness and peace.  It is difficult for us to imagine a world without war, political strife, or raging conflict, but during this specific period of Solomon's reign, everything was quiet and tranquil.  A Jew would arise in the morning amidst a sea of tranquility, having enough time for all of his devotions - to immerse in the mikveh and then pray properly with a settled mind.  Afterwards, he would eat breakfast and go out to work.  Tremendous blessing rested on everything at the material and spiritual level, and was the embodiment of  ''each under their grapevine, each under their fig tree''.

It was also a time when King Solomon sat upon what is called G-d's Throne, Kisey HaShem.  It is also know as the heavenly Throne of Glory.  According to the Talmud, Solomon ruled over the inhabitants of the upper and lower worlds.  By associating the term Kisey HaShem with King Solomon, it indicated that he ruled not only over the entire earth, but over additional worlds as well.  For this reason, the angels were frightened of him. They knew that when G-d commissioned them to bring shefa [bounty] into the world, they were obligated to fulfill their function.  No opposing forces hindered the abundant blessing, because they were afraid of Solomon.  The shefa itself was one of spiritual and physical calm.

According to all the holy sources, the same conditions will exist during the days of Mashiach, when the unique beauty of the Jewish people will be revealed to the nations of the world.  This revelation is one of the reasons we look forward to the time of Mashiach.  Obviously, during a time of such magnificence, there will be those from the nations of the world who will desire to be a part of the same honor. However, they won't be accepted, since converts to Judaism are accepted only before Mashiach's arrival, when the Jewish people have a lowly standing in the world.  It is written that during the time of Mashiach, everything will be set out like a king's table, which will attract those desiring to convert.  However, their motives will not be based upon love for G-d and His Torah, or the belief that Am Yisrael is the chosen people, who obey a higher calling.  Rather, their motives will be driven solely by the greatness of Israel which will then be apparent to all.  The essence of choice for a true convert is when they convert when Israel is poor and downtrodden; this is the only time converts can be accepted.  Under these conditions, if someone nonetheless says "Be that as it may, I still want to be part of this chosen people'', they are accepted. [4]  Thus, it is written: ''Converts are not accepted in the days of Solomon or in the days of Mashiach'' when the Jews are at the apex of their glory.

Tzaddik Magazine: click here

This is why, according to Rebbe Nachman, a soul which has a strong ability to positively arouse others to good and cause converts, by definition, enjoys no peace.  It must be surrounded by controversy.  This ensures sincere motives on the part of those who come close or convert through the influence of this soul.  The situation of unrest applies both to this influential soul as well as to those who are influenced.  If there was no turbulence, it would be considered in the category of ''not accepting converts in the times of Mashiach; when motives for conversion are not genuine.  It is now clear why a commotion must surround this soul.  It is simply another test for those who desire to come closer to G-d.  Someone will whisper in their ear: ''You are associated with this individual? Stay far away!''  They are tested at every step. They have no quiet, which serves to check if their love is authentic. If they prevail nonetheless, it will be clear that their motives are proper and genuine, and they will be allowed to draw near.

You may encounter someone who is gifted with the ability to speak in such a convincing manner that there is no room for argument, since you know they are right. In this case, it seems you have little choice but to draw near.  Nonetheless, if you know in advance that this same person will be bombarded by all sorts of things said about them, you can come to the proper conclusion and draw near nonetheless. When you overcome the challenge, it proves the purity of your motives. That is how it works. The world is like a gold refinery that purifies us to the extent we allow. This is our work here and the purpose of our lives.

to be continued.....  

Iran: 'We are not in the habit of warning more than once'

Iran tells U.S. not to send aircraft carrier back to gulf after missile test

Iran has threatened to take action if a U.S. aircraft carrier returns to the Persian Gulf.

The USS John C. Stennis, along with another vessel, left the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz last week after Iran launched a series of military exercises.

Tehran has also threatened shutting the strait - through which 40 per cent of the world's traded oil is shipped - if foreign powers impose sanctions on its crude exports.

'I advise, recommend and warn them [the Americans] over the return of this carrier to the Persian Gulf because we are not in the habit of warning more than once.'

Read more: Daily Mail

Gog u'Magog in 5772 - Torah Codes

Only By Their Merit

Art: Vladimir Kush

He saw a resting place, that it was good, and he land, that it was pleasant, and he bent his shoulder to bear... [Vayechi 49:15]

Rashi offers the following explanation: "He saw that tranquility was good" - He saw that his portion [in the Land of Israel] was blessed and good for producing fruit.  'Yet he bent his shoulder to bear' the yoke of Torah."

Yissachar saw that the land it had been granted was fertile and blessed, capable of yielding luscious fruit and bringing it great wealth.  Yet he chose to make do with little and to dedicate his life to the study of Torah.

The Chofetz Chaim compared this to the story of a high-ranking official who took a trip by sea.  The ship that he was sailing upon was the epitome of beauty and luxury - even the crew aboard the ship were dressed elegantly. The official strolled along the deck, and was overcome by the ship's magnificence.

Then the official became curious of how the ship worked, so he requested to be shown exactly how it operated.  The captain of the ship took the official down below the deck of the ship. The official was shocked by what he saw. He saw dusty engine chambers filled with black soot, machines producing a horrible noise, and filthy crewmen covered with grease and fuel.

"There you have it" said the captain to the official.  "This is what enables you to ride upon such a smooth-sailing ship."

This is not what I expected, thought the officer.  That such a magnificent ship is operated by workers in soiled garments who look more like beggars than anything else is an absolute disgrace!

The official commanded the captain to clean all the engines and not sully them ever again with grease or fuel.

Obviously, an engine that does not have fuel or oil in it cannot move the ship at all.

The same idea can be applied to the world in which we live, said the Chofetz Chaim. The world is blessed with beautiful trees and springs - it is such a marvelous creation!  But it is important for us to realize that the entire world only exists thanks to the talmidei chachamim [Torah scholars] who sit in the batei midrash [study halls] and engage in Torah study, sufficing with the barest minimum. The world runs only by their merit!

Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein

So here we are

"In the days before Moshiach.......wisdom shall be putrid; the pious shall be despised........."

'Treatment of haredim – like Nuerenberg Laws'

Eda Haredit member who participated in 'Holocaust display' during Jerusalem rally claims 'persecution of haredim resembles race laws passed in Germany against Jews'; slams secular Jews for 'making Hitler proud by acting like goyim'

After images of kids wearing yellow patches and striped pajamas during haredi protest in Jerusalem shocked many across the country, some participants wished to explain the move.

Warsaw 1943, Jerusalem 2011 [Photos: Jürgen Stroop, Noam Moskovich]

Moshe, a member of the Eda Haredit sect and resident of Jerusalem's ultra-Orthodox Mea Shaarim neighborhood told Ynet he does not regret participating in the "Holocaust display."

Moshe, who attended the rally along with his eight-year-old nephew, noted that the sect leaders supported the demonstration, even if they did not personally participate. "They didn’t publicly call to attend the rally because they feared that the police might employ violence and rubber bullets, and that haredi blood would be spilled."

The Eda Haredit member attempted to explain the rationale behind the display of Holocaust symbols, saying it was important that secular people understand the campaign that is being conducted against their community.

Source and more: Ynet News

Also see:  Jerusalem - Hundreds Board Segregated Buses to Protest Exclusion of Women

The Quintessential Quality of the Jewish Mother

Art: Sharon Tomlinson

Rachel lost her own spiritual luxury - the privilege of being buried in the Cave of Machpeilah - in order to help her children. This represents the unparalleled quality of the ''Jewish mother'' who is always willing to sacrifice her own needs, spiritual or physical, for the sake of helping her children.

And this is the inner reason why Jewish identity follows the maternal and not the paternal route. For even though the father possesses a greater degree of spirituality - since he has the privilege of observing more mitzvos than a woman - the quality of a Jewish mother is nevertheless greater, that she is willing to forego much of that spirituality in order to enable her to raise a family with tender loving care. And since this quality is even more quintessentially Jewish than the spirituality of the man, it is the mother than actually makes her children Jewish.

Source: Likutei Sichos Lubavitcher Rebbe [vol 30 pp 239-240]

Holy Channels

Yosef the 'Upper Tzadik' and Binyamin the 'Lower Tzadik'

A tzadik [perfectly righteous individual] is a person who causes G-d to be revealed in this world.  Generally speaking, there are two possible ways of achieving this goal.  One approach is that the tzadik can act as a holy 'channel' through which Godly revelation is brought into the world from the heavens above.

A second approach is for the tzadik to work with the earth below, transforming the world itself to become open and receptive to Godly revelation from above.

This, says the Zohar [1 153b] is the key distinction between Rochel's two sons Yosef and Binyamin.  Both were tzadikim who brought revelation to the world. But Yosef was the 'upper tzadik' who channeled that revelation from heaven to earth, whereas Binyamin was the 'lower tzadik' who worked to render the earth itself receptive to spirituality.

These spiritual characteristics were also recognizable in their physical lives.  Yosef was the 'provider' of Egypt, who channelled G-d's immense blessings into the world, to feed and sustain millions of people.  Binyamin, on the other hand, is described as a ''grabber' [see v. 27 and Rashi ibid] since his holy task was to ''seize'' hold of the physical world and win it over to the side of holiness.

Source: Based on Likutei Sichos Lubavitcher Rebbe vol 25 pp 281-2 and sources cited

2012 -

Welcome to what could turn out to be the most interesting year of our lives....

The Mystical Light Of The Baal Shem Tov

Art by Marcus Aurelius

In a letter[1] written by the Baal Shem Tov to his brother-in-law, Rabbi Gershon of Kitov, it states: "I asked my Master and teacher[2] to go with me, for it is exceedingly dangerous to ascend to the highest of the upper worlds and since that time I arrived at my present spiritual level, I had ascended to such places.

I went up, level after level, until I entered the palace of Moshiach, where he studies Torah with all the Tannaim[3] and the Tzaddikim,[4] and with the Seven Shepherds.[5] I beheld very great joy there, but I did not know the reason for this extreme happiness.

I thought this joy was, G*d forbid, because of my demise from this world. But they told me later that I was not deceased and that they derived tremendous pleasure when I performed yichudim[6] in the physical world by means of the Torah. But as to the meaning of this great rejoicing, I still do not know.

And I asked Moshiach, 'When are you coming, my Master?'

He answered me, 'By this you shall know it: Once your teachings become publicly known and revealed throughout the world; when your wellsprings have overflowed beyond, imparting to others what I have taught you and you have grasped; so that they too will be able to perform yichudim and Aliyahs of the Neshama[7] as you do. Then all the kelipos will perish, and it will be a time of favor and salvation."

I was bewildered at this response. I felt great anguish because of the length of time that Moshiach implied it would take until he came.

However while I was there, I learned three Segulos[8] and three Holy Names which were easy to learn and to explain to others and which would allow them to perform yichudim and Aliyahs of the Neshama. So I felt reassured, and I thought that perhaps, using these Segulos and Holy Names, my Chavurah,[9] might also be able to attain my spiritual level. That is, they would be able to practice Ascents of the Soul, and learn and understand the Supernal Mysteries as I do.

But I was not permitted and I am under oath not to reveal them during my life."[10]

[1] Called THE EPISTLE

[2] Achiyah HaShiloni

[3] Jewish Sages of the Mishnah 10-220cCE

[4] Righteous people

[5] Adam, Seth,Methuselah,Abrama,Moses and King David

[6] Contemplative unifications

[7] Ascents of the Soul

[8] Charm or remedy of spiritual potency

[9] Inner circle of followers

[10] Keser Shem Tov

The Incitement Against the Orthodox Jews in Israel - Torah Codes

Rabbi Matisyahu Glazerson Parts 1 and 2

Simplicity

Rely on nothing and no-one but God. This is true simplicity.
Anything else means pursuing a complicated course of action.

[Rebbe Nachman of Breslov]

The Aptly Named George Soros

"Soros' latest Israeli project is a subversive attempt to gain influence and undermine the country"

Read the article at: Soros' Latest Israel Project

Also see:  The Secret Force Behind Obama

Israel Needs a Reality Check

Violent clashes between Israel Police forces and ultra-Orthodox activists amid a public outcry over the exclusion of women from the public sphere is damaging the image of the Haredi community in the United States, Brooklyn community leaders told Haaretz on Tuesday.

New York Democratic New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind added that "if a young Hasidic man would have spat on or hurt a girl in Borough Park he would have been immediately arrested and handled in the most stern of way."   [Source: Haredi violence is damaging Israel's image, U.S. rabbis say]

Exactly !

And in Australia..... they'd be arrested and charged with assault.....

So my question is:  Israel.... why are these men allowed to get away with abusing women and young girls?  What a chillul Hashem and total embarrassment for all of us.

Elvis and the Lawnmower

It's summer holidays in Australia.... I'm not doing too much typing, so please forgive the lack of Torah posts lately... things will return to normal soon.

but in the meantime, here's a tale of a crocodile named Elvis and a lawnmower:

A huge saltwater crocodile has charged at two workers at a reptile park north of Sydney and stolen their lawnmower.

The five-metre croc, named Elvis, attacked the staff at the Australian Reptile Park at Gosford after they went into its enclosure about 9am (AEST) today.

The men used their lawnmowers as a barrier when the hulking beast lunged. They escaped unharmed.

The 50-year-old croc lost two teeth in the encounter and is now guarding one of the lawnmowers.

"Elvis is sitting at the bottom of the lagoon with the lawnmower next to him. He's guarding it," said park spokeswoman Libby Bain.

"Obviously we have to go in and retrieve the mower.

"It's not something we think he would eat but it's encroaching on his territory and he believes it is his."

Source: News.com

Jewish Extremism : Out of Control

BEIT SHEMESH, Israel (AP) – A shy 8-year-old schoolgirl has unwittingly found herself on the front line of Israel's latest religious war.

Naama Margolese is a ponytailed, bespectacled second-grader who is afraid of walking to her religious Jewish girls school for fear of ultra-Orthodox extremists who have spat on her and called her a whore for dressing "immodestly."

Her plight has drawn new attention to the simmering issue of religious coercion in Israel, and the increasing brazenness of extremists in the insular ultra-Orthodox Jewish community

Source: Israeli Girl's Plight Highlights Jewish Extremism
More at : Beit Shemesh Gone Wild

Beaches Closed

HUGE surf smashed the NSW coast yesterday, closing beaches up and down the state.

At Snapper Rocks, on the Queensland and NSW border, were dwarfed by 3m waves, generated by a storm in the Coral Sea. This picture was taken from the Queensland border looking back into NSW waters.

Source: Dwarfed by power of an angry sea

Iran: "Israeli strike would be suicide"

Brigadier General Vahidi says 'Zionist regime is completely isolated,' threatens deadly strikes from Iran, should Israel attack.

Iran's defense minister said Sunday that any Israeli strike on Iran would constitute suicide, the official news agency IRNA reported.

“The Zionist regime is completely isolated and under no circumstances it can attack Iran unless she wants to commit a suicide," IRNA quoted Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi as saying. "It is due to the fact that it will receive deadly strikes from Iran which will make it unstable."

Source and more: Israeli Strike would be a Suicide Mission


[Just ignore the JC headline on the video below, it's not part of the feature]

Take care

Personal Encounter

by Rav DovBer Pinson

Parshas Vayigash

The Torah reading of this week begins with the dramatic encounter between Yehudah/Judah and Yosef/Joseph.

There is a famine in the land of Israel and Yosef’s brothers journey to the land of Egypt to purchase food, where unbeknownst to them, Yosef has risen to power after they had sold him into slavery years before. Upon encountering each other Yosef’s brothers do not recognize him as their brother but Yosef knows who they are. Yosef accuses his brothers of being spies and threatens to take the youngest brother as his slave.

The Torah reading opens with the words “Vayigash- Then Yehudah approached him [Yosef] and said, "Bi Adoni/ Please, my master, let now your servant speak something into my lord's ears…for you are like Pharaoh.” [44:18]

The word Vayigash means to encounter.

There were years of misunderstanding and anguish between the brothers until this moment. At this juncture Yehuda, leader of the brothers, approaches Yosef and says – ‘Bi Adoni’ - “please, my master”

Somehow, following this statement, they are finally able to encounter each other in a true and meaningful way, thereby enabling Yosef to reveal himself to his brothers and beginning the eventual reconciliation and reunion with the entire family.

‘Bi Adoni’ can also be translated more literally as – “You are within me, my master.”

To encounter another, we need to first identify with them completely.

When Yehudah says “Bi Adoni,” Yosef is moved, because at this juncture Yosef feels that Yehudah is finally identifying himself with Yosef, and his struggles. Yehudah is finally seeing the “other” as someone close to him, finding the other within himself, and himself within the other.

Yehudah says “for you are like Pharaoh”, which is to say, “we are all part of each other”

When Yehudah is moved to truly encounter another and move toward Yosef, Yosef is also moved forward, and reveals himself as their brother.

In the words of Kabbalah, Yehudah experiences Hiskalelus/intermingling with Yosef, and then Yosef can experience Hiskalelus with them.

I see you and experience you, this is a true encounter.

The Energy of the Week

The Torah reading this week infuses us with the power to have true and meaningful encounters.

We are gifted with the ability to experience a true encounter with another.

In resolving all matters, whether personal and business – one must be fully present in person. In this age of ‘virtual communication’, we need to remember to make real ‘face time.’

We need to take the time to truly encounter the other person and see ourselves within them.

When we focus on that which is similar between us and another whom we are encountering, we begin to see the possibility of resolution.

Look into the other person and see that we are all deeply interconnected. As deeply as we know ourselves, we can know another. From our own reserves of experience and emotion we can relate to the experience and feelings of the other person.

Let us all take some time out to put down our external communication ‘devices’ and use our own G-d given devices, of sight, sound and empathy to relate to another person and truly encounter them in ‘real time.’

Violent Storms hit Melbourne

Australia: Storms pelted Victorians with hailstones as big as billiard balls during a wild Xmas Day barrage.

The damage bill could run into tens of millions of dollars after hundreds of cars were bombarded, windows in homes and businesses were smashed and roofing was torn away.

Read more: News.com

Photo Gallery

The Hidden Inner Light

If one would look deeply enough into the dark, one will see a light. It is the inner light, the soul of man.

"The candle of the Lord is the soul of man, exploring all of the inner chambers" [Mishlei 20:27]

This is not meant as fanciful poetry or empty words. Those who have experienced the inner glow know that its radiance is very real, very meaningful... it comes in flashes of truth and self-knowledge. And it is, indeed, a very splendid thing.

Our codifiers also recognise the validity of flashes in the dark. The Rambam teaches [Hilchos Talmud Torah] that although one is obligated to study the Torah at all times, the major portion of a person's wisdom is acquired in the still of the night. Torah study is, among other things, an exercise in self-discovery and improvement, and it should be studied in undisturbed nocturnal atmosphere. This inner light is very sensitive and must be carefully preserved: "A hasty step reduces the light of a person's eyes... This light may be regained at the Kiddush" [Shabbos 113a]

The man who is engrossed in the frantic pursuit of all that he sees around him is doomed to lose sight of the candle that burns within him. Only the serene sanctity of the Shabbos, its tranquil cessation of activity and hot pursuit, can restore to man his awareness of the precious inner light of his vision and his soul.

No Jewish holiday so lends itself to the challenges of the Age of Illumination as does the holiday of Chanukah, the festival of lights. If in doubt as to which lights are being celebrated, the outer or the inner - one need only to consult our sacred literature and find that these eight days are dedicated specifically to these latter lights, the internal illumination that brightens the soul.

The Rokeach, Rabbi Eliezer of Worms, a noted medieval scholar and authority, pointed out that a total of 36 candles are lit during the eight days of Chanukah. This corresponds to the first 36 hours of creation when a special unearthly radiance lit the universe. This spiritual light was quite different from any light we know now. But its potency was too intense to serve man's everyday, earthly needs and G-d hid it from view. Yet that light still exists - in the Torah - and it is for this reason that the Aramaic term for Torah is Oraisa - source of light.

One may wonder - if it was destined for concealment why did G-d ever create this advanced form of light? The answer to this is classically Jewish - better a hidden light than no light at all. For even though it was hidden, the light does exist and can be revealed to anyone who sincerely strives to find it. Those few who have succeeded in perceiving this light are the legendary lamed-vav 'niks - the 36 righteous men concealed from recognition in every generation.

Actually, one need not be a lamed-vavnik to uncover at least a portion of this hidden light, for anyone who studies Torah with sincerity may discover its splendour.

Source: "Seasons of the Soul" edited by Rabbi Nisson Wolpin

Australia: Cyclone threat upgraded

On December 24 1974, the Australian city of Darwin was wiped out by Cyclone Tracy , which killed 49 people and a further 22 who perished at sea.. 37 years later, the residents of Darwin anxiously await the arrival of Cyclone Grant.

Weather forecasters have upgraded the threat of a cyclone for Australia's northern coast on the weekend.

A Category Two cyclone strong enough to damage buildings and threaten lives is forecast to hit the Northern Territory coast on Boxing Day, but Darwin is likely to be spared a direct hit.

Read more: News.com

Happy whatever-you're-[not]-celebrating

Half asleep when I read the title of the blog post below [Titanic Victory and A Small Cruse of Oil], and I thought I had the perfect photo to go with it....  and then  I was really disappointed that obviously the essay contained nothing about The Titanic, so I didn't give it a picture at all...

Here's the photo I wanted to put - it's perfect for now when everyone's gone away and the internet has slowed down to a slow trickle.... I'll be here over the holidays, finishing some work I should have done during the year but could never really focus on, and now there's only a week left to complete it, I have finally motivated myself.

Enjoy the holidays wherever you are!  I'll have a Gin and Ti-tonic thanks....

and then there's this one.....  

A Titanic Victory and a Small Cruse of Oil

Eyes Fixed on Eternity

By: Rabbi YY Jacobson

David Brooks, in an engaging but superficial article on Hanukah in the New York Times [The Hanukah Story, NY Times, December 10, 2009], sheds light on the brighter side of the Greeks who emphasized the power of reason and the importance of individual conscience and brought theaters, gymnasiums and debating societies to the cities. He also illuminates the darker side of the Maccabees, who liberated the Jews from barbaric Syrian-Greek oppression, but whose own regime became corrupt, brutal and reactionary. The Maccabees became religious oppressors themselves, fatefully inviting the Romans into Jerusalem.

While admiring the Greek contributions to civilization -- its politics, philosophy, art and architecture – it is easy to forget what Greek society was really like. Mr. Brooks fails to discuss the barbaric daily practices in the Hellenist culture -- infanticide, pedophilia, pederasty, the "Spartan Lifestyle," and the glorification of torture in many instances. None other than Aristotle himself, the teacher of Alexander the Great, argued in his Politics (VII.16) that killing children was essential to the functioning of society. He wrote: "There must be a law that no imperfect or maimed child shall be brought up. And to avoid an excess in population, some children must be exposed [i.e. thrown on the trash heap or left out in the woods to die]. For a limit must be fixed to the population of the state."

But let us focus here on the actual Hanukah narrative. A brief historical introduction is important.

The festival of Hanukah commemorates an extraordinary victory -- of the Maccabees, a relatively small and dedicated force of fighters, against one of the great imperial powers of classical antiquity, the Seleucid branch of the Alexandrian empire.

This story takes us back 2100 years ago, to the year 164 BCE, some 150 years before the birth of Christianity and two centuries before the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans. Israel was then under the rule of the empire of Alexander the Great. A Syrian ruler Antiochus the 5th ascended the throne and he was determined to impose his values on the Jewish people. He forbade the practice of Judaism, set up a statue of Zeus in the Temple, and systematically desecrated Jerusalem's holy sites. Jews who were caught practicing Judaism were tortutred to death. This was tyranny on a grand scale. Sadly, he was helped in this endeavor by two Jewish high priests, Jason and Menelaus, who assisted him in banning the Jewish lifestyle and turning the Temple into an interdenominational house of worship on Greek lines.

To put it into historical perspective, had Antiochus succeeded, Judaism would have died. Its daughter religions -- Christianity and Islam –- would have, of course, never come to be.

A small group of Jews, led by the elderly priest Matityahu and his sons, rose in revolt. They fought a brilliant campaign, and within three years they had recaptured Jerusalem, removed sacrilegious objects from the Temple, and restored Jewish autonomy. It was, as we say in the Hanukah prayers, a victory for 'the weak against the strong, and the few against the many.' Religious liberty was established and the Temple was rededicated. Hanukah means "rededication."

This was a remarkable event and an extraordinary triumph. We, the Jewish people, are here today only because of the courage and vision of this small group of determined Jews who would not allow their G-d and their Torah to be reduced to the dustbins of history by the Syrian-Greek tyrant.

Yet astonishingly, the Talmud, the classical text of Jewish law and literature, gives us a very different perspective on the Hanukah festival.

“What is Hanukah?” asks the Talmud [Talmud, Shabbat 21b].  The answer given is this:

“When the Greeks entered the Sanctuary, they contaminated all its oil. Then, when the royal Hasmonean family overpowered and was victorious over them, they searched and found only a single cruse of pure oil that was sealed with the seal of the High Priest—enough to light the menorah [candelabra] for a single day. A miracle occurred, and they lit the menorah with this oil for eight days. The following year, they established these [eight days] as days of festivity and praise and thanksgiving for G-d.”

So, according to the Talmud, the festival of Hanukah is less about the military victory of a small band of Jews against one of the mightiest armies on earth, and more about the miracle of the oil. The Talmud makes only a passing reference to the military victory [“when the royal Hasmonean family overpowered and was victorious”], and focuses exclusively on the story with the oil, as if this were the only significant event commemorated by the festival of Hanukah.

This is strange. The miracle of the oil, it would seem, was of minor significance relative to the military victory. Besides the fact that this was a miracle that occurred behind the closed doors of the Temple with only a few priests to behold, it was an event concerning a religious symbol without any consequences on life, death and liberty. If the Jews would have been defeated by the Greeks, there would be no Jews today; if the oil would have not burnt for eight days, so what? The menorah would have not been kindled. Would the latkes taste any worse?

Let us grease the question with a contemporary touch.

Imagine that following the extraordinary Israeli victory of the 1967 six-day war, during which six Arab armies were determined to exterminate Israel and its three million Jews, a candle located in a Jerusalem synagogue would have burned for six days. Sure, it would have added a nice sentimental touch to the euphoria of Israel’s salvation, but would have this, rather than the deliverance of millions of innocent human beings from a second holocaust, been the cause of celebration? Would this detail even make it to the front page of the media?

Similarly, the burning of the Temple candelabra for eight days was, no doubt, a heart-warming follow up to a great victory. It was a demonstrative sign that G-d cherished the sacrifice of His children and had rewarded them with an astounding miracle. Yet it is clear that this was merely the icing on the cake, a coup-de-grace to a historical momentous victory on the battlefield. Yet the Talmud turns this minor detail into the decisive motif for the Hanukah celebration?

What is more, the miracle with the oil is the only element of the Hanukah events that we commemorate to this very day. We have no custom or ritual commemorating a miraculous triumph. What we do have is the kindling of a menorah for eight days, commemorating the fact that the oil in the Temple menorah lasted for eight days. How are we to understand this?

The answer allows us to appreciate the essential ingredient that has defined 4,000 years of Jewish history. The military victory was extraordinary; yet it didn't last. The dynasty of the Hasmonean family became entrenched in civil war and corruption. 210 years after Hanukah, in 68 CE, the Temple was destroyed, this time by the Romans. Jerusalem was plundered, Israel was decimated and the Jewish people exiled. It was the beginning of a period of Jewish powerlessness, dispersion and persecution which had lasted almost two millennia.

Unfortunately, the political and military victory of Hanukah did not last. What lasted was the spiritual miracle -- the faith which, like the oil, was inextinguishable. Strength that is founded on military power alone is temporary. It may endure for long periods of time, but ultimately, its might will wane and it will be defeated by another power. Strength that is founded on moral and spiritual light can never be destroyed.

The sages who instituted the Hanukah holiday keenly understood this truth. With their eyes focused on eternity, the rabbis of the Second Temple era grasped that the timeless core of Hanukah was not the victory on the battlefield alone, but rather the fact that this military triumph led to the re-kindling of the sacred light and the moral torch. The military victory was an enormously significant event that we must be deeply grateful for. Yet what makes Hanukah a vibrant and heart-stirring holiday thousands of years later across the globe is the story of a little cruse of oil that would not cease to cast its brightness even in the darkest of nights and among the mightiest of winds.

David Brooks writes that “Rabbis later added the lamp miracle to give God at least a bit part in the proceedings.” He missed the point. The oil miracle constitutes the very foundation of the Hanukah holiday.

For more than two millennia, Jews have been gathering around their Hanukah candelabras, kindling each night an additional candle. As they gazed at the dancing flame atop their menorahs they can hear the candles sharing their story. It consisted of a simple punch line: The flame of Jewish faith, the flame of Torah, the flame of the Mitzvos, would never be extinguished. The candles were right: Judaism lives.

Imperial Greece and Rome have long since disappeared. Civilizations built on power never last. Those built on care for the powerless never die. What matters in the long run is not simply political, military or economic strength but how we light the flame of the human spirit.

Source:  The Yeshiva.net

The Hidden Greatness of Yosef

וַיִּקְרָא פַרְעֹה שֵׁם יוֹסֵף צָפְנַת פַּעְנֵחַ

And Pharaoh named Joseph "Tzafnas Pa'neach" [Miketz 41:45]

Rashi explains: "Tzafnas 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 Tzafnas Pa'neach. Tzafnas - because he went to great lengths to hide his greatness ["tzafnas" - the hidden one], "paneach" - he merited to decipher hidden matters.

Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein

A Message from Heaven

[HT: Yaak]

A Tale Of Hashgacha Pratis and A Chesed Shel Emes; All The Way To The Supreme Court!

On Sunday, December 11th, Dr. Brian Grobois decided to go hiking. The 54 year old doctor, who was a psychiatrist and lived with his family in New Rochelle, loved to hike. He was in Washington State at the time because of a simcha, and he planned to wrap up his trip with a vigorous walk on the scenic and picturesque trails of Mount Rainier.

But something went terribly wrong.

Dr. Grobois lost his way during the hike, eventually succumbing to hypothermia and losing his life. His passing is, of course, a tremendous tragedy. But it is also the beginning of a remarkable story of courage, perseverance, and a burning desire to be mekayem rotzon Hashem. The heroes of the story are the niftar’s family, a Chabad Rabbi in Tacoma, Chabad Headquarters in Crown Heights, a local attorney, Gary Torgow of Detroit amongst other noted askanim across the country, and an organization called Chesed Shel Emes. The Doctor’s passing, as unfortunate and heartbreaking as it was, served as a catalyst for a powerful and dramatic tale of hashgacha pratis and Kiddush Hashem.

Continue reading at: The Yeshiva World

"This was the goal of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Zt"l  says Rabbi Heber,  "when he sent out shluchim to the far flung corners of the world. Wherever a Jew finds himself, there will always be a Chabad center nearby ready to assist in any way possible."

Alone? You're in good company

Written by Tsivya

I went to a shiur-class last night given by Rabbi Alperin. One of the things that the Rabbi said was that geula comes through loners.

Avraham, Yitzchak, Yosef, Moshe, Esther, David, Rut were all unique in that they were alone in their situation. Therefore, they cried out to HaShem and each merited to bring the geula-redemption-in their own way. And it says that at the end of days that every nation will turn away from the people of Israel. All that will be left is us and the Creator of the World.

That is why, the Rav said, at this time before Moshiach, there are so many people alone and lonely. We all need to be crying out to HaShem in order to speed the geula.

The Seven Souls [video]

The Seven Souls that correspond to the seven branches of the menorah: Rabbi Simon Jacobson

North Korea's link to Terrorism in the Middle East

While the death of North Korea’s leader in the past 17 years, Kim Jong Il, may seem like it is not connected to Israel, Attorney Nitzana Darshan-Leitner who heads the Shurat HaDin organization, reminded on Monday of the connection between North Korea and terrorism in the Middle East.

Source: Israel National News

Chanukah Sameach

It sounds so romantic in French.....
billboards across Paris, courtesy of Chabad
.

The Dreidel Explained

The Dreidel Players: Elena Flevora

There are four letters on the dreydel. נ - Nun, ג - Gimel, ה - Hay, and שׁ - Shin - These letters stand for "Nes Gadol Haya Sham" - "A great miracle happened there".

[In Eretz Yisrael it is a פ - Peh instead of the Shin: A great miracle happened here.]

The four letters stand for:

a) the four parts of man - Nefesh [soul], Guf [body], Seichel [intellect], HaKol [all the rest].

b) the four foundations of the world - fire, water, wind and earth

c) the four nations that put us in exile - Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome.  The four letters on the dreydel have the gematria of Moshiach [358].  This is also the gematria of Hashem is King etc. Chanukah is the season when the possibility exists for the light of Mashiach to burst forth. Then, man and the world will be restored to harmonious relationship and the last and most bitter exile of Rome will draw to a to a close, and we will see the fulfillment of the verse that Hashem will be King forever. [Bnei Yissaschar]

Chanukah and Purim have much in common. They are two holidays which will enjoy an exalted status when Mashiach comes. They were celebrations which were decreed by the Rabbis to commemorate events that took place in their time. Since the faith of the Jewish people were instrumental in bringing these holidays about, the Holidays of the Torah will pale in comparison to them, like a flashlight shining on a sunny day.

Both days have their special instrument. Purim the gregger, Chanukah the dreydel. Their use is indicative of the nature of the holiday.

Purim's gregger we hold from below to symbolize that the great Teshuva on the Jews provided an initiative from below which caused the divine initiative to bring about the miracle.

On Chanukah we use a dreydel which we hold from above to symbolize that the principle initiative for the miracle came from above, and our actions brought it to fruition.

Source: Nishmas

Also see:  The Kabbalah of the Dreidel and Playing with the Dreidel

Korea and Rabbi Nahmani's prophecy

As the world is put on Nuclear alert as Little Kim to rule North Korea ......

North Korea last night dramatically marked the sudden death of its despot leader Kim Jong-il by firing a short range missile, putting nervous world leaders on nuclear alert.

......10Rainbow reminded me of this scary prophecy about Korea from Rabbi Levi Saadia Nahmani zt"l [check out the date on the video..... exactly 17 years ago]

Instant Salvation

"And they rushed him out of the dungeon" [Miketz 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 Miketz", 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

You're Jewish?

Yakov Jacobson was doing pre-Chanukah mivzoim [outreach] in Laguna Beach, CA, when he happened upon a familiar character who - he was surprised to find out - is a Jew! The man had never put on tefilin before, a 'Karkafta,' and Yakov helped him do the mitzvah for the first time in his life.

Source: Crown Heights Info