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

Three Suns in Brazil

This video of sunset in São Thomé das Letras, Brazil was posted on Facebook by Arnaldo Costajr Redeluz: recorded on December 12 - I did try to blog it last week but couldn't find the YouTube.... today I searched for it under the Brazilian town name and found it. Thank you Moriah for reminding me.

Rabbi Kessin: Chanukah 5777

Where We Focus

  

Dreams and Their Interpretation

A very interesting lecture by Rabbi Kin on the interpretation of dreams as expounded on in the Talmud and Kabbalah. 

For Every Action There is A ReAction

Torah portion of Vayeshev. Action and Reaction. Learning to be Patient.
Rabbi DovBer Pinson

Judging Others

 וַיְהִי אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה  - And it came about, after these words....  [Vayeishev 40:1]

The "words" that are referred to here are those of Potifar's wife, who bad-mouthed Yosef throughout Egypt.

From the actions of Potifar's wife, we can learn a powerful lesson about judging other people:

At first glance, Potifar's wife's actions appear to have been utterly evil.  Not only did she cause Yosef to be sent to prison, but furthermore, she spoke badly of him so that his name was blackened throughout Egypt.

Rashi however enlightens us to the truth, that even these actions were intended for the sake of Heaven! Despite the fact that she was brought up in the corrupt, idolatrous atmosphere of Egypt her intentions were pure, to the extent that our sages compared her to Tamar, the mother of "strong ones and righteous ones" [Rashi]. 

From this we can learn the importance of not judging other people by their first appearances.

Source: Sichos of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
Art: Abraham Leon Kroll

Who Am I? A Tale of Two Souls

Rabbi Y. Y. Jacobson's famous series "a journey through the fundamentals of chassidus''.  This is just an introduction to the entire series, if you are interested, you can learn the entire Tanya with Rabbi Jacobson by downloading all the MP3s at this link.

Yud Tes Kislev

The Alter Rebbe - Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi author of The Tanya

The 18th of Kislev marks the completion of the annual cycle of daily readings from the Tanya. The 19th and 20th of Kislev are the "Rosh HaShanah of Chassidus".

On Yud-Tes Kislev we re-commence the annual cycle of daily readings in Tanya, as divided by the Rebbe Rayatz.

It is the anniversary of the release of the Alter Rebbe - Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi [Hebrew: שניאור זלמן מליאדי], the first Rebbe of Chabad, who was informed upon by misnagdim in Russia and arrested on trumped-up charges of supporting the Ottoman Empire.

His informers pointed to the fact that he would urge his followers to send money to the Land of Israel as "evidence" of his alleged insurrectionist aspirations [in fact, the money was sent to support poor Jews]. At the time, the Land of Israel was a part of the Ottoman Empire, which was at war with Russia.

Rabbi Shneur Zalman was charged with treason, and released in the secular year 1798 on the Jewish date of Tuesday, 19 Kislev.

The 53 days of Rabbi Shneur Zalman's imprisonment are said to correspond to the 53 chapters of the first section of the Tanya.

19 Kislev is also considered to mark the day upon which Rabbi Shneur Zalman was conceived, for he was born exactly nine months later, on 18 Elul. [Shemu'os Vesippurim, Refoel Kahn, vol. 1, p. 39]

Rebbetzin Menuchah Rachel born [1798]

On the very day that Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi was liberated from prison, a granddaughter was born to him -- the daugher of his son Rabbi Dovber and his wife Rebbetzin Sheina. The girl was named Menuchah Rachel -- "Menuchah", meaning "tranquility" [Rachel was the name of a daughter of Rabbi Schneur Zalman who died in her youth].

In 1845, Rebbetzin Menuchah Rachel realized her lifelong desire to live in the Holy Land when she and her husband, Rabbi Yaakov Culi Slonim [d. 1857], led a contingent of Chassidim who settled in Hebron. Famed for her wisdom, piety and erudition, she served as the matriarch of the Chassidic community in Hebron until her passing in her 90th year in 1888.

The 19th of Kislev is also the yahrzeit of R. DovBer, the Maggid of Mezritch, who [as successor to the Baal Shem Tov] was the mentor of the second generation of the chassidic movement - from 5521 [1761] until his passing on the third day of the week of Parshas Vayeishev, Yud-Tes Kislev, 5533 [1772]. His resting place is in Anipoli.

Rabbi Dov Ber was born in Volhynia in 1710, according to the Jewish Encyclopedia, though other sources say his year of birth is unknown. Little is known about him before he became a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov. A Hasidic legend states that, when he was five years old, his family home burst into flames. On hearing his mother weeping, he asked: "Mother, do we have to be so unhappy because we have lost a house?" She replied that she was mourning the family tree, which was destroyed, and had begun with Rabbi Yohanan, the sandal-maker and master in the Talmud. The boy replied: "And what does that matter! I shall get you a new family tree which begins with me!"

How aptly those words described the role he was later to play; for the boy was destined to become the successor to the Baal Shem Tov.

Source: Chabad

Five Life Lessons

The Alter Rebbe: Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi
[1745-1812] The Founder of Chabad

Written by Rabbi Dov Greenberg


Five Life Lessons from one of the greatest Jewish mystics: the Alter Rebbe

1. Don't worry about the state of someone else's soul and the needs of your body,
    Worry about the needs of someone else's body and the state of your own soul.

2.  The bite of the snake doesn't kill you, it's poison does.
     The bite is the sin itself; the poison is that voice inside us that whispers ''You are a loser''.
     Ignore that voice and move on.

3.  Having faith in G-d means having faith in other people, and the measure of our righteousness
     lies in how many people we value, not in how many we condemn.

4.  A little bit of light dispels a lot of darkness.

5.  Heaven is nice, but on the best things like acts of loving kindness, earth has exclusive rights.

Rebbe Nachman's Tikkunim

Art by Ben Goossens

Rebbe Nachman said he knew the roots of every Jewish soul. At first he said that he knew them in the written Torah, but not in the Oral Torah. He later said that he knew the root of each Jewish soul in the Oral Torah as well. He knew how to provide each person with a remedy [tikkun] based on the place where his soul was rooted.

There were many things he told us to do. These did not involve deep intentions or the unification of the transcendental worlds through Yechudim. The things he told those close to him to do were simple acts of piety.

Rebbe Nachman told his followers not to fast at all unless he prescribed it. He might tell one person to fast for a certain interval. He might tell another person to stay awake one night and abstain from eating animal products for 24 hours. There were many whom Rebbe Nachman told to fast on erev Rosh Chodesh. He told many people to study 18 chapters of Mishneh every day. He prescribed many courses of study, a different one for each person.

There was one course of study, however, that he prescribed for all, and that was the daily study of the codes. Rebbe Nachman said that even when one has no time, he should still study at least one law in the Sulchan Aruch each day, no matter where that law might be. He said that this is an important obligation for every Jew.

Another practice that he universally prescribed was for us to seclude ourselves in prayer each day [hitbodedot]. He told us to express our thoughts before G-d and ask that He have mercy and allow us to achieve true devotion. This secluded prayer was to be in the language we normally spoke.... This is already discussed at length in Rebbe Nachman's printed works.

Rebbe Nachman would look at the root of a man's soul and prescribe the practice necessary to correct each blemish. Each person then required a specific practice. Most of the practices seemed very simple. However, they were all prescribed on the basis of awesome hidden mysteries and were very far from simple in their effect. Rebbe Nachman did not reveal any of these mysteries. He simply prescribed a routine and did what was necessary with it. He said "Everything I prescribe is helpful as a remedy both for the past and the future, as well as after death, in the Messianic Age, during the resurrection, and in the Future Life."

Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom

translated by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan

Chazak u'Baruch - Strength and Blessing

by Rabbi David Hanania Pinto

Previously, we expanded on the enormous reward in store for one who answers Amen, as presented in the words of Chazal and in the Midrash, that He opens the gates of heaven and brings down an abundance of spiritual and material blessings. Consequently, the reward for one who answers Amen is like the dividends, since his reward is guaranteed also in this world, aside from the principal, which is reserved for the World to Come, eternally.

There is an amazing story that took place in Baghdad in the days of Rabbi Yosef Chaim, zya”a, the Ben Ish Chai:

There were two partners who lived in Baghdad who dealt with old clothes. Once, they heard of a gentile family offering old clothes for sale, and they went together to purchase them.

On the way they passed by a Beit Haknesset where they sought a tenth man to fill the quorum in order to say Kaddish. One merchant replied that his time was short and he separated from his partner. However the other one abided by the words of Chazal who say “A mitzvah that comes your way, do not delay performing it.” He entered the Beit Haknesset and answered the Amens after the Kaddish and immediately continued on his destination. When he arrived, he discovered that his fellow had already bought most of the clothes, besides for some tattered rags. Nevertheless, in order not to return empty-handed, he bought the rags and left.

A surprise awaited him at home. Among the tattered rags there was an old pillow. When he tore open the seams to remove the feathers, he found a precious gem inside. Immediately he ran to the jeweler who estimated that it was worth fifty gulden, and he gave him the money for it in cash on the spot. But, when the merchant’s wife heard about this, she began to persuade her husband that the jeweler had swindled him, since the gem was worth a lot more, and he should fight to get the jewel back.

The merchant decided to consult the “Ben Ish Chai,” zt”l. When the Rabbi heard the entire story, he replied: According to Chazal [Chulin 87a] it seems that the reward for every Amen is worth ten gulden. If so, when you heard a half Kaddish and answered five Amens, according to the letter of the law, you deserve fifty gulden in this world, while the principal is reserved for you in the World to Come. Therefore, do not appeal the bargain you made!

Omitting Amen reflects a lack of faith

On the other hand, we should note the inspiring words of the “Moreh Mikdash” in the name of the Mahara”m Schiff, zt”l:

Every Jew must be aware of the magnitude of the prohibition of speaking mundane matters in the Beit Haknesset. In the holy Zohar it states that one who speaks [idly] in the Beit Haknesset, causes division – since his soul does not bond to the G-d of Israel, and also he harms his faith; meaning, that since he is engaged in chatter, he is not careful to answer Amen because he does not pay attention to the conclusion of the blessing. And even if he does pay attention, ultimately he does not know for what he is answering Amen (especially by the repetition of the Chazzan, if there are not ten men to answer Amen, then it is a blessing which is in vain). Since the one who answers Amen is called “guardian of faith – שומר אמנים”, then one who is not careful with this harms his faith.

What is Going on with the Moon ?

This guy is posing the same questions that I have.  What exactly is going on with the Moon lately?  It is too bright, it has a large aura around it that is also very bright, and we keep seeing these blood moons.  The moon talk is at the beginning of the video, for the first 4 minutes approx.  I wouldn't bother with the rest of the video.

If you don't like Steve Olson, then don't watch this, but please don't complain about it either, unless you can explain the moon's weird positions and appearance - in which case I'll happily replace Steve with you !

Obama, Trump and the Messiah [audio]

Dov Bar-Leib joins Tamar Yonah and tells her that if Obama goes to the UN in order to ‘abstain’ on a UN Sec Council resolution recognizing and establishing a Palestine state, and he does this during the Hebrew month of Tevet [Dec/Jan] it could start the 9 month count-down to the war of Gog and Magog, and the arrival of the Moshaich.

He gives interesting possible links to past Biblical characters that he thinks could link to Obama and Trump.

Click here to listen.

Noahides and Conversions

I get quite a lot of emails, and some comments, from Noahides who want to convert or don't know whether they should convert.

The thing is, I don't know either.  I am totally unqualified to give advice on this issue.

If you have any useful information  or  you can recommend a good website that could help other Noahides, please leave a comment below.   

I definitely do not want to be giving out advice on something I know very little about.

If you do leave a comment, please also explain how this Rabbi or website has helpful to you.  

Self Sacrifice

Serving G-d requires us to have Mesirut Nefesh [Self sacrifice] even for the smallest thing. In this video Rabbi Anava explains it in depth.

Emunah

from the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov translated by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan

Faith is a very strong thing, and it can greatly fortify your life.

If you have faith, then you have a source of comfort and inspiration even when troubles strike. You realize that all troubles are ultimately for your good and are an atonement for your sins. You know that G-d will be good to you in the end, both in this world and the next.

The faithless skeptic, on the other hand, has nowhere to turn when troubles strike. He is utterly alone, without comfort or inspiration.

It is impossible to put everything into writing, but an intelligent man should be able to build upon this himself.

The main thing is innocent faith. With it, one can have a portion both in this world and the next. Happy is he who has such faith, for he shall never be moved.

There are souls conceived in absolute holiness. When such a holy soul comes down to this world and is not tainted with sin, it results in a person with perfect faith. Such a person never has any doubts.

Others can express their skepticism in such a man's presence, but his faith is no way disturbed. He is totally oblivious to all doubts. His ears are deaf to all their speculation and confusion.

Even one who is not endowed with such an extraordinary soul can realize that the average person's questions are mere foolishness. Upon close examination, their questions turn out not to be questions at all.

Many people are disturbed by questions for years, not realizing that their questions are actually answers. It is only their lack of intelligence that makes them seem like questions in the first place.

They have questions like those one might ask a child: "If we have a broken window, why replace it with a pane from the next window if a bird can then fly through the remaining empty frame?"

Such a question actually includes its own answer. But a child does not realize this and considers it a very difficult question. He will ponder it and not know what to reply.

But the question itself is really very foolish. The question about the bird is really the answer to the first foolish question. The reason why we do not use the adjacent pane is precisely because it leaves a space through which a bird can fly.

A young child does not have enough intelligence to realize that the answer is included in such a question. For this very reason, the question seems very difficult to him.

The same is true of many people. A foolish question enters their mind, and they have no idea that this question actually includes its own answer. It seems like a difficult question, but only because of their lack of intelligence. Understand this well.

Consider all this and be strong in faith. Flee from this foolishness and confusion, and cast all questions and doubts from your mind.

''The Light of the Sun Shall be Sevenfold''

And the light of the moon shall be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold as the light of the seven days, on the day the Lord shall bind the fracture of His people, and the stroke of their wound He shall heal. [Isaiah 30:26]

I know some of you do not like it when I post videos from Steve Olson, who talks about the approach of Nibiru and the changes we are seeing in the skies, but I could not resist this one.

Apart from the fact that Venus is now blue - with a hole in the centre - the sun is apparently ''picking up extra electrons from the iron dust around it, causing it to burn helium instead of hydrogen'' - which will have the effect of the sun's brightness being increased SEVEN times, as described in the prophecy of Isaiah above.

The relevant part of the video begins around 3:45 mins.  This is Steve Olson's new You Tube channel, he was evicted from his old channel but has re-appeared here.

A Tzaddik Sees both the Past and the Future

Story source: COLLive

Do you believe in coincidences? Do you think the world is run by random forces, without any meaning or purpose? Then please read this.

Exactly 28 years ago, in the Hebrew month of Kislev, of the year 5749 (1988), R’ Aron Amzalak of Sydney Australia was in New York. He had come for the engagement of his daughter Miriam to a young man from Venezuela, Moshe Moskowitz.

On the day they got engaged, Thursday 22 November, Amzalak went to inform the Rebbe of the good news. Thousands of people of all walks of life would line up to see the Rebbe, receive a blessing and a dollar to distribute to charity. In the brief moment that each person had with the Rebbe they could ask a quick question or make a short request, and the Rebbe would respond, as the line of people moved forward and the next person would have their turn.

As Amzalak comes before the Rebbe he tells him with a beaming smile, “My daughter became a Kallah (a bride) today.” The Rebbe gives him a dollar and blesses him that the wedding should take place at an auspicious time.

Amzalak continues walking and the next person in line, R’ Mendel Itkin of Los Angeles, comes before the Rebbe. But the Rebbe calls Amzalak to come back to him. He is holding another dollar that he wishes to give Amzalak in honour of his daughter’s engagement. But Amzalak does not hear this, and so there is a moment of confusion: the Rebbe is standing with dollar in hand, the line has stopped, Mendel Itkin is waiting in limbo, watching the Rebbe and trying to call Amzalak back.

In the commotion, the dollar that was going to be for Amzalak is given to Itkin instead. A moment later Amzalak returns to the Rebbe, who gives him another dollar, saying “This is for the bride.” Then the Rebbe takes another dollar and says to Amzalak, “For the groom.” But before giving the dollar to Amzalak, the Rebbe takes yet another dollar and gives both to Amzalak, asking him, “Kest?” a Yiddish word that means “dowry,” financial support that a father-in-law provides his son-in-law.

Amzalak smiles and receives these additional two dollars, then moves on. At this point the Rebbe seems to laugh and say, “He doesn't know what kest means!”

What is going on here? The Rebbe gave Amzalak four dollars, one for himself, one for his daughter, and two for his son-in-law. And a fifth dollar that the Rebbe had intended to give to Amzalak instead went to some guy from Los Angeles.

This mysterious exchange makes sense when we fast-forward 13 years. In 2001 that guy from Los Angeles, Mendel Itkin married Amzalak’s other daughter Aviva.

So the dollar that was meant for Amzalak’s daughter went to his other daughter’s future husband, who out of the thousands of people there that day just happened to be next in line. And the extra dollar “for the groom” was because another groom was being arranged for the Amzalak family that day.

And the Rebbe can’t help laughing, because indeed, at the time nobody knew what this all meant.

But there’s more. This is all captured on video but the characters in the story knew nothing about it until two weeks ago.

In yet another one of those accidents, someone stumbled upon the video on You Tube, recognized Amzalak and sent it to him. The family was amazed to see that future father-in-law and son-in-law had stood next to each other without knowing it, and the Rebbe had made the match so many years in advance.

And the timing of this discovery couldn't have been better. Because Mendel Itkin is right now battling for his life with a terrible illness. He needs our urgent prayers. But he just received that dollar and blessing from the Rebbe all over again. And we have all received a reminder that there are no accidents.

Update: Minutes after I blogged this, I heard of the passing of Mendel Itkin BDE

Moshiach will be revealed from the Epitome of Sheker

What is Sheker? שקר  Sheker is lies, deceipt.    Even the letters are out of order from their correct listing in the alef bet [ק-ר-ש].

“And that’s how Moshiach is going to be revealed. Moshiach needs to be revealed from the epitome of sheker, Moshiach and his people. They’re not going to be pulled by the sheker. The sheker wants to take everyone. The sheker says: ‘I didn’t say enough sheker. Maybe I’ll say a little bit more, maybe I’ll succeed in saying something else, a different way.’  - “The more falsehood there is, the more truth will be revealed in a clearer way”

These days you need to search very hard to find your own truth.  There is an abundance of Rabbis Impeding the Redemption.  There is an abundance of sheker.

I heard from my teacher and father-in-law, who was the chief disciple of Rebbe Yechiel Michal of Zlotchov, that once when the Baal Shem Tov was traveling on the road, he stepped into a wooded area to pray the afternoon prayer. His disciples were dumbfounded to see him hitting his head against a tree, crying and screaming. Afterward, they asked him what had happened. He explained that he had seen, with divine inspiration, that in the generations before the coming of the Moshiach there would be a multitude of rabbis, and that they would be the very ones who would impede the redemption. [Otzar Chayim]