Imposter Sydrome

Disgraced Prince Andrew's daughter, Princess Beatrice, has spoken about her  'imposter syndrome'  which apparently is a psychological disorder defined as a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success.  ''Imposters'' suffer from chronic self-doubt and a sense of intellectual fraudulence that override any feelings of success or external proof of their competence.  I must admit I had never heard of this particular syndrome before now, but it rang a few bells for me.

I often think I'm an imposter, and I shouldn't be on the internet at all.  To remedy this, I immediately put up another blog post.  Of course, I believe it is the yetzer hara trying to prevent me blogging about Moshiach.   Now I have another name for it.... 'imposter syndrome'..... I guess there's a term for everything these days.

You need a thick skin to be a blogger with a wide audience, and I don't have a thick skin, I am extremely sensitive.  I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to delete my blog, or just turn it off and keep it for myself only, use it as a filing system [which is actually how it began - it was my virtual filing cabinet where I would post any article that I wanted to refer to later, which had a relevance to my life].

There are some very disturbed people out there, some just leave nasty comments and others have their own blogs where they attack from the safe comfort of their own site.  I  generally don't read these blogs, but occasionally when I have some waiting time and I check them out, I never fail to be amazed that they are still ranting about the same stuff over and over again, attacking others and getting facts wrong.... deliberately mis-reading and or mis-quoting and sticking a knife into their rival bloggers' latest post.

I used to publish every comment I received, with the exception of the obvious scammers or Xtian links, but over the past six months I've been deleting quite a few because they are cruel.  I guess some of these people have issues with themselves and are venting at the nearest outlet that touches a nerve.... hopefully they will get the point and move on, as their bitterness is not welcome here.

Disagree with me all you like, that's fine, but please do it kindly and I'll publish you. I'm not really sure what I write that needs disagreements anyway, I steer clear of controversy for that reason.  

Imposter syndrome.... a new term for the yetzer hara or, as I choose to think of it, a new term for hateful bloggers and commenters... they are im-posters.

Messianic Headlines We See Today

Rabbi Lazer Brody on the Tamar Yonah Show.

It’s human nature to believe that we control the world. However, as hard as we may try, the Creator of the universe reminds us that He controls all. As Israel faces a possible third election, possibly even held on the Purim Holiday, it looks like G-d will have the last laugh! So what’s really going on in the news that’s happening and affecting us all? What lessons do we need to learn, and what do we have to do in order to bring about a pleasant arrival of the Messiah? Rabbi Lazer Brody joins Tamar and tells us what we all need to do, and what we might see in the future!

Click here to listen

Small in his own Eyes

"[My merits] have become small" [Vayishlach 32:11]

When G-d shows His kindness to a person, it brings that person closer to G-d, causing his feeling of self-importance to diminish, since "everything is like nothing before G-d".

Therefore, it was precisely due to the fact that G-d had been so kind to Yaakov that he became small in his own eyes - for the kindness brought him closer to G-d, and so he felt that he was not worthy of G-d's promise to be saved.

Source: based on Tanya Igeres Hakodesh ch.2

How could Yaakov the patriarch fear that "perhaps... I have become soiled with sin" [Rashi v. 12] when surely he was aware that he had not sinned?

A tzadik is not static - he constantly grows spiritually from one level to the next.  After reaching a higher level, his previous actions are spiritually deficient compared to his current standing. They are thus considered as "sins", metaphorically speaking. [The Hebrew word for sin - chet - can also mean ''deficiency'' [see Kings 11:21]  Thus Yaakov was worried that perhaps due to such ''sins'' he was not worthy to be saved.

Source: based on Likutei Sichos Lubavitcher Rebbe

Who is God? Part One

New Rabbi Kessin shiur

Were You Ever Despised or Treated as Inferior?

I've linked to this post in the comments of another blog post, but it actually deserves it's own blog post as I know some people don't see the comments.

This amazing post at Myrtle Rising is like a gift.  Please go there and read it.

Were You Ever Despised or Treated as Inferior? Then You Need to Read Rav Avigdor Miller's Dvar Torah for Parshat Vayetzei

Eliyahu Ha Navi and the Death of the Satan

The title sounds like a Rabbi Kessin shiur, but it's actually Rabbi Yehuoshua Zitron.  Part 20 in his Moshiach video series.

Leftover Sparks

".... Lavan was informed that Yaakov had fled. He took his relatives with him and pursued him" [Vayeitze 31:22,23]

The Maggid of Mezritch taught: "Yaakov had left behind letters from the Torah which he had not yet extracted from Lavan. This is why Lavan pursued him - to give him the letters which remained with him.  An entire chapter was added to the Torah by these letters."  [Ohr Hame'ir, beg. Parshas Vayeitzei, see Ohr HaTorah vol 5, p.869a]

The "letters of the Torah" which Yaakov left behind were "sparks" of holiness.  In fact, Yaakov had spent twenty years in Lavan's house extracting whatever sparks of holiness he could find there, and when the process was complete, he left. At least he thought it was complete....

In truth, however, Yaakov had left some sparks behind, so Lavan chased Yaakov to give them to him.

Why did Yaakov leave sparks behind?

Chassidic teachings explain that, while most of a person's achievements in life come through his own conscious efforts, there are some "super-conscious" achievements that are so lofty they cannot occur intentionally.  So, while we are usually the ones that choose our own paths in life - to find the sparks which we are destined to elevate - sometimes our "sparks" pursue us, because they are too sublime to be "extracted" solely by our own endeavors.

Source: Based on Likutei Sichos of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Gutnick Chumash

Sydney's Orange Moon

I wish I had a photo.... but there aren't any on the internet right now and I don't have a good enough camera, but tonight's moon here in Sydney is bright orange, due to all the bushfires and smoke in the air turning everything orange.

This is what the sun and the sky looked like today.

Camden, near Sydney

Fires are burning all around Sydney, fortunately not where I live.

Air quality is pretty bad here right now.  We're all praying for rain.

And this stunning photo of the red sun over grape vines

The Purest

A number of young children in a particular community died under tragic circumstances.  Their parents feared that this was punishment for bad deeds they had committed.  They went to the Lubavitcher Rebbe seeking a Tikkun, a spiritual  rectification.

''A Tikkun?'' the Rebbe replied.....  "You must know that you've done nothing wrong.''

The Rebbe continued:  "It is the way of our world that when a slap is given, it is given to the face. Not because the face committed a greater wrong, but because it is the purest representation of the whole individual. The ones who take the hit are the purest.''

Source: Living Torah

The Era Before Mashiach

Rabbi Kessin new shiur

Rabbi Anava's Miraculous Recovery [video]

Rabbi Anava is sharing what he went through and the message behind it. Rabbi Anava had a series of issues that started with a severe infection in his leg that developed to cellulitis and as a result was hospitalized so he could be treated with antibiotics straight into his blood. But very soon after it developed to sepsis and from there developed to a blood clot that traveled to his lungs and caused Pulmonary Embolism with a massive blood clot in the main artery of the lungs that nearly killed him.

The Two Mashiachs: ben Yosef and ben David

Rabbi Yehoshua Zitron

The Why, Where, When How:  Mashiach Ben Yosef and Mashiach Ben David

Miraculous Recoveries x 2

In 1977 the Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneersohn suffered a massive heart attack on Shmini Atzeret. He had a miraculous recovery and returned home on Rosh Chodesh Kislev.

This story is all over the internet on Chabad sites, here is just one link to Wikipedia if you want to read about it.

This year, Rabbi Alon Anava was hospitalized on or around Shemini Atzeret and history has repeated itself, as on Rosh Chodesh Kislev he got up and lectured again about his second near death experience.

One Rebbe, one rabbi and two miraculous recoveries on the same dates.

Rosh Chodesh Kislev is a very auspicious date for the coming of Moshiach.  The Lubavitcher Rebbe was thought to be the Moshiach of his generation.  Rabbi Anava is definitely a candidate for ours.

Photo of Rabbi Alon Anava at Be'er Miriam during a Rosh Chodesh breakfast speaking about his recent illness and miraculous recovery - his second life after death experience!

Trump & Netanyahu – Why is this happening to them?

Apologies for the wrong link yesterday, here is the interview with Rabbi Kessin on the Tamar Yonah Show recorded on November 27.

Tamar speaks with Rabbi Mendel Kessin about the Messianic era we seem to be in. He gives the reasons why U.S. President Donald Trump and PM Binyamin Netanyahu are going through these trials and tribulations, and gives his take on what he thinks might happen in the future which will permit, and set the stage, for the Messiah to finally come. A fascinating show you are going to want to share!

Click here to listen

The Power to Change

Art: 'Triple Self Portrait' by Norman Rockwell

And the children struggled within her, and she said, "If [it be] so, why am I [like] this?" And she went to inquire of the Lord. [Toldot - Genesis 25:22]

Why did the children "struggle inside her"?

How could Yitzchak, our righteous patriarch, have a son whose very nature even in the womb was inclined towards idol worship?

G-d can either make a person's disposition naturally good or naturally bad.  But, even if a person has a natural inclination to evil, that does not mean that he is evil per se, for he is given free choice.

Rather, the reason why he was given such an inclination was to rise to the challenge and overcome it.  Thus, Eisav was given a natural tendency to evil so that he could excel in the Divine service of "quashing" the evil inclination.

Even though he failed in his task, we can nevertheless learn from Eisav that if a person has strong desires to do something bad, it means that he has been given the special Divine mission of overcoming his inclinations.

Source: Gutnick Chumash: Based on Likutei Sichos of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

The Worldwide Reduction of Evil and Netanyahu's Downfall

Rabbi Kessin, new shiur

Abraham's Gift of the Name of Impurity

by Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh

“And to the children of the concubines of Abraham, Abraham gave gifts and he sent them from upon Isaac his son while he was still alive, to the east, to the land of Kedem.” [Chayei Sarah 25:6]. Rashi explains that the gifts that Abraham gave the children of the concubines were “the name of impurity”.

This is the root and source of all the eastern religions, “the land of Kedem”. If we travel to India, for example, we encounter abundant idolatrous impurity – a far cry from Abraham, who shattered the idols. Nevertheless, a holy spark that comes from Abraham is captive within the impurity. It is no coincidence that the highest caste in India is called the Brahmin, a clear allusion to Abraham.

What is this name of impurity? On one hand, a name of impurity sounds very bad. But on the other hand, a gift is supposed to be something good, something that is given with a loving eye and abundance. This is certainly the case if the giver of the gift is none other than Abraham, the great personification of love!

The explanation is that the “name of Impurity” is one of God’s Holy Names. There is a possibility, however – and in some cases permissible – for the nations that have not yet merited the light of the pure faith of Israel to use it while in impurity.

Apparently, the name of impurity from Abraham that reached the East is OM. This is the central mantra in eastern religions (Hinduism, Buddhism and more). The holy source of OM is from the “Name of seventy-two letters” (which is also mentioned in the Talmud). Actually, this Name is 72 permutations of three letters, and this name (spelled with three letters in Hebrew, אום,) is one of them.

OM is like the seal of Abraham himself. Both Abraham’s name and the word OM begin with the letter alef and end with the letter mem. This seal also appears in the expression that explains the meaning of the name Abraham. In Hebrew, this expression is אב המון גוייםthe father of a multitude of nations. The first, middle and last letters of this expression spell OM.

The meaning of OM is further revealed by its gematria, its numerical value. OM (אום) = 47, the same numerical value as bitul, self-nullification. Abraham taught that the entire reality of the world is null to the Creator and that man must also nullify himself to the will of God. Eastern religions mention this nullification, but in a different way that also manifests in a garment of impurity. Nevertheless, a holy spark hides inside the impurity – a point of nullification to the concept of God. Ultimately this spark will emerge from its impure garment and return to its source, as will take place soon, with God’s help.

If so, the rectification for this name of impurity is to recognize and internalize the Holy Name at its source, to reach a true level of self-nullification to God. It is not necessary to travel to India to look for gifts there. You can go straight to the source. Ultimately, everybody will get there.

Source: Inner

Body and Soul

Art: C. Schloe

The Zohar teaches that Sarah represents the body, whereas Avraham represents the soul.  Even after death, the soul still remains related to the body, thus "Avraham - the soul - came to eulogize Sarah - the body - and to weep for her"  [Chayei Sarah 23:2]

Chassidic teachings emphasize the importance of the body as a tool in the service of G-d.  Since the ultimate purpose of creation is to sanctify the physical world, the body has a distinct advantage over the soul, in that it is the means by which G-d's Will is enacted.  Therefore, G-d told Avraham [the soul] "Whatever Sarah - the body - tells you, listen to her voice" [21:12], indicating that there is an inherent superiority to the body, over the soul.

Although the soul is incomparably more refined than the body, nevertheless, in the times of Moshiach we are promised that the superiority of the body will be revealed such that "the soul will be animated by the body".

Based on Likutei Sichos Lubavitcher Rebbe

The Mysterious Sinai Rocks

There is a legend or possibly Midrash that states the rocks of Mount Sinai were imprinted with an image of a bush to commemorate Moses' encounter with the burning bush.

I once heard an explanation in the name of a Midrash: "When G-d sent Moses to Egypt to report to the Jews about the redemption and then to come back to Mount Sinai, Moses asked G-d: 'how will I be sure which mountain to return to?' (since at first, G-d spoke to Moses only from Mount Sinai). G-d made a miracle and all the rocks from Mount Sinai became engraved with the 'burning bush'".

Now, we cannot be 100 percent sure where Mount Sinai is, but there is such a mountain in the Sinai peninsula where all its rocks have fern-like patterns on its sides. Local Bedouins maintain no such autograph appears in any other mountain in the Sinai peninsula.

I have personally seen stones from there and they indeed have this pattern. Some want to "debunk" this Midrash by saying such a phenomena exists elsewhere, i.e. although it is rare, there exists similar patterns on the surface of rocks elsewhere in the world, such as in India and California. The phenomena is called "crystal dendrites". 

However, just because it exists elsewhere does not mean the Midrash is not correct. Perhaps G-d chose a natural phenomena to occur at that particular place. As is known, G-d runs the world in such a way that miracles are minimized.

Read more at Daf Yomi Review

The Deeper Meaning of the Trump Impeachment Hearings

Rabbi Mendel Kessin, new shiur