Netanyahu at the Central Synagogue, Sydney

Yesterday's visit by Benjamin Netanyahu to Sydney's Central Synagogue reminded me of a family reunion.  There is an obviously mutual admiration between Netanyahu and Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull, and the audience at the shul yesterday was enraptured by the presence of both of them. There were standing ovations, yiddish words being tossed about by Mr Turnbull and jokes made about the Central Synagogue being Turnbull's ''local shul''.  See video below.

Rabbi Levi Wolff presented a photo of Bibi with the Lubavitcher Rebbe dating from 1984 when he was Israel's Ambassador at the United Nations. Netanyahu then explained the photo to Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull - "This is the Grand Rebbe of Chabad and He told me "you are going to a place of deep darkness and lies, and if you will light one candle of truth, you will dispel the darkness.''

Australian PM Blasts UN over Israel

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has strongly condemned the UN, accusing it of a prejudiced attack against Israel over a Security Council resolution that accused the Israeli ­government of violating inter­national law with its settlement activity.

On the eve of a historic visit by Benjamin Netanyahu, who ­arrives in Sydney today as the first sitting Israeli leader to visit Australia, the Prime Minister also charged those who promoted or supported a boycott campaign with a deplorable attempt to ­­­de-legitimise the Jewish state.

In an exclusive commentary article published in The Australian today, Mr Turnbull denounces the UN for what he claims is bias, citing 20 resolutions ­between 2014 and 2015 that are critical of Israel when only a ­single resolution had been issued on the Syrian war.

Read the article here.

Also see Israeli Prime Minister lands in Sydney amid controversy

Rabbi Kessin: Part 2 - The Perception of the Divine Prophecy and the Messianic Process

Part One of this lecture can be found here.

Australia Welcomes Bibi

Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull meets with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu is set to become the first sitting Israeli Prime Minister to visit Australia when he arrives for a four-day state visit on Wednesday morning.

Statement from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull:

"I am looking forward, with Lucy, to welcoming the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his wife, Mrs Sara Netanyahu, to Australia.

"This is a historic visit - the first by an Israeli Prime Minister - and it demonstrates the strength of our relationship and its importance to both countries.

"The friendship between Israel and Australia dates back to the establishment of Israel in 1948. It is anchored in our shared values, commitment to democracy and mutual interest in a rules-based international system and an open, global economy. "Later this year we will jointly commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Beersheba, a foundation stone of the relationship. "The Prime Minister’s visit is an opportunity to not only reflect on our shared past, but to invigorate and further deepen the relationship for the benefit of our people. We will discuss expanding cooperation in cyber-security, innovation and science, agritech, energy and resources, and the environment.

"During the visit, our countries will sign an agreement on Technological Innovation and Research and Development, providing a framework for our scientists, engineers and businesses to create the jobs and industries of the future. We will also sign an agreement on Air Services, expanding our commercial and people-to-people links.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu and Mrs Netanyahu will spend 22-25 February in Australia. They will be accompanied by a delegation of business leaders from Israel. I look forward to working with them to further strengthen ties between our countries."

Source: The Australian Jewish News

The World of Eight

We live in a world of sevens:  seven days of the week, seven colours of the rainbow, seven musical notes, seven continents, seven wonders of the world.....   but when Moshiach comes it will be a world of eight.  Eight is the number of Moshiach.

We will have an extra colour added to the rainbow, an extra note added to music - “the harp of the era of Mashiach will be of eight strands” -  and the world will be far more vibrant and alive.

And now we have eight continents!

Recently, it was announced that New Zealand is not an island, it is actually a continent.  The island that we know as New Zealand is just a section of exposed land, which actually is just a section of a much greater part hidden under water. The land mass of 4.5 million square kilometers [1.74 million square miles] is 94 percent underwater and only its highest points - New Zealand and New Caldeonia - poke above the surface. “If we could pull the plug on the oceans it would be clear to everyone we have mountain chains and a big high-standing continent above the ocean crust.” [More at Washington Post]

Photo shows the eight continents: note that here they have joined up Europe and Asia, making ''Eurasia''. By most standards, however, these two are separate: North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and Zealandia. 

Why Is This Exile So Long?

Photo Tim Wolverson

by Rabbi David Pinto Shlita

One day the maggid of Radin, Rabbi Binyamin HaTzaddik, went to see the gadol of the generation, the Chafetz Chaim Zatzal.

The Chafetz Chaim said to him, “Alas, Rabbi Binyamin, what will happen? Such a long exile, such a dark night!”

Rabbi Binyamin responded with a vivid explanation:

“Rabbi, I will give you an analogy: During a rough winter, several ba’alei batim undertook a long journey from Petersburg to Odessa, which was to last several days. Since it was the middle of winter, the journey took place in a special sled that was harnessed to two strong and healthy horses. 

The travelers in the sled were well-prepared for the cold, and they wore heavy coats. The journey began at night, and they traveled for a long time. To occupy themselves, they recited a few psalms and talked among themselves, during which time several hours passed. At that point they took out some wine, and everyone drank to warm their bones. Then they slept. 

In the meantime, morning had come. However in the Russian winter, there were very few hours of daylight, and our travelers slept deeply for more than 12 hours. In fact when they awoke, they noticed that it was still dark out, and they again recited a few psalms, chatted among themselves for a few hours, and took out some more wine. Then they drank and slept once again for another day. This repeated itself, for whenever they awoke, it was dark.

“The travelers started complaining to the driver, ‘Hey, what’s going on here? The night can’t be so long!’ The driver replied, ‘What long night? Day has already come, several times in fact, but you were sleeping!’

“The lesson to draw from this,” said Rabbi Binyamin HaTzaddik to the Chafetz Chaim, “is the following: The prophet Isaiah said, ‘ “Watchman, what of the night?” The watchman said, “Morning has come, and also the night. If you will request, request. Return and come” ’ [Isaiah 21:11-12]. We ask the Holy One, blessed be He, Who is the Watchman of Israel: ‘What of the night?’ Why is this night – this exile – so long? The Watchman replies, ‘Morning has come.’ It was already morning – there was already an end to the exile, several ends to it – ‘but also night.’ You delayed the morning and night came again. Rabbi, what can we do? The only answer is to pray!”

This is how the verse ends: “If you will request” – this represents prayer, as Rashi explains: If you present your requests to hasten the end (“If you will request”), then you must do teshuvah (“Return and come”)!

The Perception of the Divine Prophecy and the Messianic Process

For everyone who couldn't hear the Rabbi Kessin video I posted the other day, here it is again, this time in a professional format.




Part Two can be found here.

''A Lot of Love''

If you haven't already seen this, here's President Trump telling Israeli Prime Minister  Netanyahu that ''you're going to see a lot of a love, a lot of love...''