Pharaoh's Name Hints to the Plague

by Rabbi David Hanania Pinto

"Hashem said to Moshe, "Come to Pharaoh, for I have made his heart and the heart of his servants stubborn" [Bo 10:1]

The Mefarshim wonder how Moshe knew to tell Pharaoh about the plague of Locusts since Hashem did not mention anything about this plague? Here is just one explanation:

The Chatam Sofer brings in the name of the Gaon Rabbi Shimshon of Ostropoli zya"a, that the letters בומ"ף are  pronounced using the lips, and are interchangeable since they are all uttered using the same source. So too the letters אחה"ע  which are all guttural sounds, are also interchangeable.

So, if we change the פ of  פרעה to a ב, and the ע to א, and then re-arrange the letters, it will spell the word ארבה - locust. Through saying בא אל פרעה, Hashem was hinting to Moshe, put the letters בא into פרעה. 

This explains the continuation of the verse, למען שתי אתתי אלה בקרבו, translated as, "so that I can put these signs of Mine in his midst". The word אתת can also be translated as 'letters', meaning 'put these two letters (of  בא) in him', and you get ארבה. This is the plague with which you must now smite Egypt!

Corona Virus and Hints to Moshiach

China Coronaviris accelerating

Today is the first day of the Chinese new year of the Rat, just by the way

The calculations below come from Yeranen Yaakov and I take no credit for any of them.

מצמיח קרן ישועה Coronation of Mashiach 

קורונה [Corona] is how it's spelled in Wikipedia which is the gematria of 367 and is also the gematria of המשיח בא [the Moshiach comes] with the kollel

It originated from snakes, which are in the Parasha and represent the yetzer hara/the satan and were the cause of another famous plague in Parashat Korah

נגיף קורונה (coronavirus, as Wikipedia has it) - if we use the ף as 800 - has the gematria of 1230. 

1230 is the gematria of the phrase in Daniel 12:7 in red below:  And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he lifted up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and swore by Him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have made an end of breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

Quick Blog before Shabbas

There are several things I wanted to blog in the past couple of days but I didn't have the energy.... I had a bad reaction to some medication and I'm waiting for the horrible stuff to get out of my system.

First, this diagram posted on FB by Yaakov Sandler, which shows how a marriage between a man and a woman needs to include Hashem, and without Hashem you just have FIRE.  This is an indication to me that the fires in Australia have been so bad because of the Same Sex Marriage vote some time ago.  How can a marriage between same sex individuals include G-d?  It can't, as the diagram belows shows you.

Unrelated to the above, is an 8 minute extract from Rabbi Kessin's video - Rabbi Mendel Kessin explains that the reason President Trump is being irrationally attacked from before he was even inaugurated all the way up to the current impeachment, is because, as the good part of Eisav, he is here to reverse everything that Eisav himself and his ideological progenitors have done to the Jewish people over the last 3000 years. He is here to elevate Yaakov/Israel. The attack includes accusing Trump of anti-semitism by anti-semites themselves...as well as being accused by Democrats of doing things that they themselves did...ie Russia and Ukraine.

Arrogance is the Root of all Vices

by Rabbi David Hanania Pinto 

“But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and I will increase My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt” [Vaeira 7:3]

Rashi explains: “But I will harden”: Since he [Pharaoh] behaved wickedly and defied Me, and I know full well that there is no delight among the nations to make a wholehearted attempt to repent, it is better for Me that his heart be hardened, so that [I can] increase My signs and My wonders in him… Nevertheless, in the first five plagues, it does not say, “And the Lord strengthened Pharaoh’s heart,” but “Pharaoh’s heart remained steadfast.” These are the words of Rashi. Since Hashem saw that Paroah had intentionally hardened his heart, He reinforced his hardness of heart, but at first, despite all the plagues that befell him, Pharoah persisted stubbornly in his rebellion and was not inclined to do teshuvah, even after seeing the truth before his eyes that whatever Moshe said came true with every plague.

We need to clarify, from where did he get the strength to persist with his wickedness and hard hardness and refuse to let the Jews go. After all, the Egyptians were struck with painful plagues, so why did he not change his mind?

This is because the vice of arrogance was his ruination. Arrogance is the root of all vices.

When a person is proud and arrogant, he is not ready to listen even to true messages that others tell him, even if he sees the truth before his eyes. His arrogance blinds him to the obvious truth; consequently, he becomes trapped by his pride.

On the contrary, when a person behaves humbly and unassumingly, he is a receptacle for all positive virtues. He has a sympathetic ear to hear others and is capable of accepting his fellow’s point of view. If the latter is right, he admits the truth and accepts those who say it, whether they are younger or older than him. However, Pharaoh, the wicked, did not behave in this way. He stubbornly hardened his heart despite the painful plagues.

Genuine Wonder or Optical Illusion

Art: Jacek Yerka

"Provide a wonder for yourselves" [Va'eira 7:9]

Why, asked R' Elimelech of Lizhensk, would Pharoah ask Moshe to "provide a wonder for yourselves"?  Since Pharoah was the one who wanted proof of Moshe's legitimacy, would it not have made more sense for him to say "Provide a wonder for me"?

The difference, answered the Rebbe, between a genuine wonder and one which is no more than an optical illusion is that the illusion amazes only those who witness it.  However, the one who performs the feat is not impressed in the least, since he knows that it was no more than a delusion.  A genuine wonder, on the other hand, amazes not only its spectators, but even the tzaddik who performs it.

This, then, was Pharoah's intention when he said: "Provide a wonder for yourselves" - Provide us with a true wonder, one that will not only dazzle us but will even make an impression upon yourselves."

Source: Rabbi Y. Bronstein

The Brisker Rav's Prediction

The Brisker Rav

Yitzchok Zev (Velvel) Halevi Soloveitchik (Gri"z), also known as the "Brisker Rav," was the last rabbi of the town of Brisk (Brest, Belarus) before the Holocaust. His father, R. Chaim Soloveitchik, was Rosh Yeshiva of the Volozhin yeshiva, while his maternal grandfather, R. Rafael Shapira was its long-time Rosh Yeshiva. He was an extraordinary learner, and was said to have memorized the entire Babylonian Talmud, along with Rashi, by age 16. After the closing of the Volozhin yeshiva, the family moved to Brisk, where his paternal grandfather, R. Yosef Ber Soloveitchik, was Rav. The position then passed to his father and later to himself. He Holocaust forced him to flee to Jerusalem, where he maintained a position of non-participation with the Israeli government, including opposition to receiving government funding for yeshivot. His children and followers founded several yeshivas in Jerusalem, all known as Brisk.  [Source: Sefaria.org]

Yeranen Yaakov translates Rav Fish on the Brisker Rav's prediction for Moshiach 5780/81: click here to read

Psalms to say for Other People

by Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh

Q: Are there certain chapters of Psalms to say when praying for someone?

A: First of all, it is good to say the chapter of the person for whom you are praying, which is his age plus 1, as we learn from the Ba’al Shem Tov. For example, if a person is 23 years old, this means that he is already in his 24th year, so chapter 24 is his chapter for the year. This is the chapter that we should say when praying for him. In addition, various chapters are recommended for specific issues, and are written in some holy books and books of Psalms.

Another way to pray for someone is to spell out the letters of his name according to chapter 119 in Psalms. In this chapter, there are eight verses for every letter of the alef-beit. The correct way to spell out the name is as follows: For every letter of the person’s name, we take the verse that begins with that letter in chapter 119, as per its place in the name. For example, if we want to pray for someone named Moshe David (משה דוד) we read the first verse of the letter mem in chapter 119, followed by the second verse of the letter shin, etc. When we get to the second name, in this case, David, we continue. The letter dalet is the fourth letter, so we would read the fourth verse of the letter dalet, the fifth verse of the letter vav, etc.

If the full name has more than eight letters, we begin again from the first verse of the letter for the 9th letter of the name, etc.

The Bird That Announces Moshiach

Art Veronica Minozzi

As I type this, I hear distant sounds of thunder.... a prelude to the week long rain forecast for a very thirsty Australia.  Thank you to everyone who prayed for us, the rains are here.

Transcribed from a shiur by Rabbi Sholom Zirkind

There is a bird called the ''racham''.  [Sometimes it is called Sherakrak] Why is it called this?  Because when this bird comes, it means that ''rachamim'' - the sign of mercy -has come to the world.  Rashi says this mercy means ''rain''.   The sign is when the bird sits on something and makes a ''sherakarak'' sound.

We have a tradition that if you hear this ''sherakrak'' on the ground, Moshiach will come.

In Zechariah, Hashem speaks about the end of the exile, and says ''I will whistle to them and gather them''.  Acdus [unity] will bring Moshiach.

It was explained by the Sages that the racham bird was sitting on ground that was ploughed and a hail storm came and killed the bird.  So we can see from this story that when this occurred and that bird made the ''sherakrak'' sound it was not the time for Moshiach to come and that bird was a faker.

This bird has been identified as a magpie [very common in Australia by the way], others says there is an arabic name for a bird similar to ''sherakrak'' and still others say it is an Egyptian vulture.  The Arizal writes that the racham bird doesn't make any noise and the sound comes from it's wings when it flies, but when Moshiach comes it will actually be able to shriek.

The sound of this bird is a sign of rain. [In Australia, we have  a bird called the Kookaburra, and when the kookaburras sing, they are announcing rain.]

The Maharal of Prague speaks about this gemorrah and says we should accept it literally.  He explains that different birds have different qualities and give us different messages, they are also able to tell the future - they have spiritual qualities shown by the fact that they can fly. They are more spiritual refined than other  animals that walk on the ground. They are more connected to Heaven, and are more able to relate what is going on than other creatures.

The Maharal continues that in the Shabbas Musaf prayer we see the letters of the Alef Beis reading backwards [and it also says Moshiach will come in the merit of Shabbos].  The sherakrak bird = sherak spelt שרק - are the Hebrew letters backwards from their places in the Alef Beis. This shows us that the letters of the Alef Beis are uniting with each other in unity.  The letters of Shin Reish Kuf  re-arranged also spell the word ''kesher'' - connection.  When we whistle we put our lips together, indicating unity.... the whistle of the sherakrak bird is also a sign of unity.  When Moshiach will come Hashem will have complete unity with creation.

A Person's Name Affects His Essence

by Rabbi David Hanania Pinto

"The name of the first was Shifrah and the name of the second was Puah" [Shemot 1:15]

Why did Pharaoh change Yocheved and Miriam's names to Shifra and Puah, which are Egyptian names?

The Rebbe of Riminov zt"l explains: Pharaoh knew that as long as the midwives, Yocheved and Miriam, are called Jewish names, there is no way he can challenge them with this cruel decree of killing Jewish children. Therefore, he first commanded them to change their names to 'Shifra' and 'Pu'ah', hoping that Egyptian names will have an effect on their state of mind and change their essence and character, to the extent that they will now be capable of murdering Jewish children. Only after that did he order them, "if it is a son, you are to kill him".

A person's name is his essence. It is absorbed in his innermost being and greatly influences his spirit and character.

Taal Volcano in Parsha of the Week

Image: Independent News

HT: Yeranen Yaakov

Tens of thousands of people have fled their homes after lava spewed from a volcano near the Philippine capital of Manila, amid fears a bigger eruption could be imminent. Schools and businesses across the capital were shut on Monday as clouds of ash from the Taal volcano drifted over the city.

From this week's Parsha: [the Hebrew word Taal is highlighted in red]

 וַיְהִי בַיָּמִים הָרַבִּים הָהֵם וַיָּמָת מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם וַיֵּאָנְחוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן הָעֲבֹדָה וַיִּזְעָקוּ וַתַּעַל שַׁוְעָתָם אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים מִן הָעֲבֹדָה.  [Shemot 2:23]

From next week's Parsha:   וַיֵּט אַהֲרֹן אֶת יָדוֹ עַל מֵימֵי מִצְרָיִם וַתַּעַל הַצְּפַרְדֵּעַ וַתְּכַס אֶת אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם  [Vaeira 8:2]

Why Nightmare Scenarios Precede the Geulah

Rabbi Mendel Kessin new shiur given January 11 2020

What Tzaddikim See with their Pure Eyes

by Rabbi David Hanania Pinto

One who studies this Parsha [Vayechi] will notice that the word 'eyes' is mentioned several times. "Now Yisrael's eyes were heavy with age", "Red eyed from wine" and more. Why is this?

Due to Ya'akov's old age, he was no longer able to see, but this only refers to human sight. He was, however, able to foresee all that would transpire in the future with a spiritual vision, for he had rectified his eyes. Since Ya'akov's attribute was truth, as it says (Micha 7:20) "Grant truth to Ya'akov", he was therefore unable to hide what his eyes saw with Divine Inspiration and asked "Who are these?", for even though Menashe and Ephraim were considered tzaddikim, he saw that their descendants will serve idolatry.

The holy Rabbeinu Chaim Pinto zya"a, became blind in his old age yet he could perceive everything using his supernatural wisdom. Although he could not see, he was able to name every person who entered his home.

I recall an incident that happened many years ago, with my esteemed father Rabbeinu Moshe Ahron zya"a. He required a certain medical procedure on his eyes and I was directed to an expert doctor for eye disease, who lived in Manchester, England. I accompanied my father zya"a on this trip and on arriving in England, we took a taxi to the doctor's house. The taxi stopped two streets away from his house since there was no entry for vehicles, and from there we had to make our way by foot.

Wonder of wonders! My father had never been to England and was not familiar with its streets, but when we got out of the taxi he started walking quickly with his face down. He knew exactly where to turn and where to go, and I had to run to try and keep up with him, all the time wondering how he knew the way.

When we arrived at the doctor's house, Abba zya"a stopped and asked me simply, "Is this where the doctor lives?" And indeed it was the right address.

How did Abba zya'a merit attaining these holy levels? Because he rectified his eyes and was most particular to guard them from looking at forbidden sights. This is how he merited seeing things with Divine inspiration. With this spiritual vision, he knew how to get to the doctor's home, without any previous knowledge of the area.

May it be His will that we merit guarding our eyes against looking at improper sights and may we sanctify ourselves with our actions, sight and thoughts. Amen v'Amen.

So Many Sinners, How Can Moshiach Come?

Question:

Can the Moshiach come in our time, even though there are people who have not yet repented and don't keep the Torah?

Answer:

Regarding the coming of the Redemption, our sages taught: “This matter depends only on repentance.” Maimonides likewise writes that “The Torah has promised that the Jewish people will ultimately repent at the end of their exile, and will immediately be redeemed.” However, the Redemption will not be delayed even if this condition is not fulfilled. There are three reasons for this:

1) There is no one who has not had at least one thought of repentance at least a few times in the course of his life. Even one such thought can transform a person from an utter rasha to a perfect tzaddik.

2) Many of those who do not keep the Torah and its commandments were not raised in observant homes, and have not had the benefit of a comprehensive Jewish education. As such, they have the halachic status of victims of duress, and the Torah exonerates them for their lack of observance.

3) The Redemption will come even before the Jewish people repent. It is written in Psalms, “And He will redeem Israel from all its sins.” Commentators explain, “Even sin will not obstruct the Redemption, for He will redeem Israel from sin.”

G-d is merciful and overlooks transgressions, as described in the verse: “Who is a G-d like You, Who pardons iniquity, and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not maintain His anger forever, for He delights in mercy.”

Rabbi David Kimche comments on this verse: “As to those people who remain when the Redeemer comes..... even though their unworthy deeds could make them liable for the punishment of not being redeemed from exile, G-d will not direct attention forever to their deeds, for He delights in mercy.”

[From Exile to Redemption, pp. 128-29. Sicha of Parshat Vayechi 5751. Shabbos 68b. Bava Kama 28b. Tehillim 130:8. Meztudas David, loc. cit. Michah 7:18]

Source: ChabadWorld.net

The Result of Causing Someone Else to Suffer

וְעֵינֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ כָּֽבְד֣וּ מִזֹּ֔קֶן לֹ֥א יוּכַ֖ל לִרְא֑וֹת Yaakov was no longer able to see." [VaYechi 48:10]

Chazal tell us various reasons why Yitzchok became blind. but why did Yaakov become blind?

Rav Shlomo Zalman Zelaznik Ztz"l. the Rosh Yeshiva of Eitz Chaim. explained with the principle that if someone suffers on your account, you are punished, even if you have done nothing wrong. In Yaakov's case we find two people whose eyes suffered on account of him. The first was Yitzchok. who Chazal say became blind so that Yaakov would be able to fool him and take the blessings. The second is Leah. whose eyes were swollen because she was destined to marry Eisav. while Rochel was supposed to marry Yaakov.

 "Either of these two occurrences," says Rav Zelaznik, "were enough cause to warrant Yaakov losing his eyesight despite his complete innocence of any wrongdoing. If such is the Midas HaDin when we are completely innocent of any wrongdoing, certainly, if we actually play a part in the suffering of another person, we are in huge trouble."

Source: Revach.net

Rabbi Pinto's Warning Dream Message

Latest video from Rabbi Glazerson:

''Rabbi Pinto:  In a dream I had on Shabbat, I was informed about a great shock that is going to happen in the coming days, and Jews are required to strengthen themselves in the Torah.''

There Shall Come Forth a Shoot.....

The bushfires are still raging here in Australia, but amidst all the carnage here is a sign of hope.... new growth emerging from a burnt tree.

I don't know why these fires are happening, but I guess it's part of the suffering Rabbi Kessin often talks about that needs to be experienced in order to bring Moshiach.  Australia was chosen to receive fire.  Over half a billion animals have died in these fires, who can even fathom that?

People all over the world are sending aid to Australia, as everyone knows something like this devastation doesn't just affect one country, it affects the entire world.

Australia will survive this and perhaps that's why it was chosen, because our name is ''Oz'' and that means ''strength''.  I have seen so many incredible acts of kindness and strength in the last few weeks, I'm so proud of this country.

There shall come forth a shoot out of the stem of Yishai, a branch shall grow from his roots. 

The spirit of G‑d shall rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of G‑d... 

Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faith the girdle of his reins. 

The wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the kid... the cow and the bear will graze... the lion will eat straw as the ox... the suckling child will play on the cobra's hole... For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of G‑d, as the waters cover the sea. - Isaiah 11:1-9

Hints to Gog u Magog

Prophecy tells us that Persia [Iran] will initiate the final great war of Gog u Magog and will attempt to destroy the world.

Trump says that he has selected 52 targets in Iran should they seek revenge.

Gematria of  מגוג ''Magog'' is 52.

Why The Redemption Seems To Take So Long

Rabbi Kessin is back.....new shiur - Given 1/4/2020 by Rabbi Mendel Kessin We apologize for the music in the background. There was a siyum hashas celebration going on in the room across the hall.

Coincidence?

Received via WhatsApp

19th Kislev [Rosh Hashana of Chassidus] 5777 - December 19 2016 - President Trump is voted by the electoral college to be the 45th President of the US.

11th Nissan 5777/ April 6 2017 - in Israel it was night so already 11 Nissan - the Rebbe's birthday - Trump strikes Syria's Assad forces, his first large military strike.

19th Kislev 5778/December 6 2017 - in Israel it was night time so already 19 Kislev the Rosh Hashana of Chassidus] - it is officially announced to the whole world that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.

Zot Chanukah 5778/December 20 2017 - Shalom Mordechai Rubashkin is commuted, after 8 years and on the 8th day of Chanukah.

28th Sivan 5778/June 11, 2018 - anniversary of the day the Rebbe came to America, which he declared to be the day we begin fixing the lowest elements in the world -  first historical meeting of a US President with the world's foremost dictator Kim Jong Un in an effort to curb nuclear weapons [a work in progress].

Purim 5779/March 21 2019 - the Trump administration recognize the Golan Heights as part of Israel.

11th Nissan 5779/April 16 2019 - the Rebbe's birthday - Notre Dame goes up in flames - the church which was meant to symbolize God's dismissal of the Jewish people in favour of the Xtians.

27th Tishrei 5780/October 27 2019 [in Washington where the orders were given it was still Shabbos the 27th] - Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS killed himself during a US raid by 8 helicopters Shabbos Bereishis 5780, a Shabbat which the Rebbes of Chabad deemed extra special.

20th Cheshvan 5780/ November 18, 2019 - the birthday of the 5th Chabad Rebbe the Rebbe Rashab [who fought for the establishment of a Yeshiva and to fortify the Yishuv in Chevron] - Mike Pompeo annouced an historic reversal of US policy that Israeli settlements are not inherently illegal and that of course includes Chevron [also the Torah portion of that DAY was about Avraham buying land in Chevron].

13th Kislev 5780/December 11, 2019  -Didan Natzach - the day it was decided in 5746 the Rebbe does not need to come to court to testify in the Sefarim trial [Chassidim explained the significance of this is that the Halacha is that a King doesn't testify] - Trump signs executive orders to combat anti-semitism that essentially defines the Jewish people as a Nationality [when there's a King there needs to be a People].

14th Kislev 5780 /December 12, 2019 - anniversary of the Rebbe and Rebetzin's wedding - Boris Johnson leads his conservative party to a stunning victory with a majority of 80 seats in the miracle year of 5780 over the shameful labour party led by the known anti-semite Jeremy Corbyn.

5th Teves 5780/January 2, 2020 - Didan Natzach - day of victory of the Sefarim from Russia - in a surprise airstrike the US killed the top Iranian military commander of the revolutionary Guards Quds force, Gen. Qassim Soleimani, together with his buddy Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis.

So what do all these dates have in common? They are all auspicious days in Chabad.

Prayers for Rain

Australia is burning and we desperately need rain.  Please pray for rain for Australia.

Below is a list of Psalms for various occasions, but right now we need your prayers for rain.



Rebbe Nachman's Tikun HaK'Lali (Complete Remedy) is a set of 10 Psalms [Tehillim] which, when said daily, are of great benefit for all ailments and difficult situations in a person's life.  Rebbe Nachman advised people to say these 10 Psalms daily:

"I am very positive in everything I say. But I am most positive in regard to the great benefit of these ten Psalms."

"These are the ten Psalms: 16, 32, 41, 42, 59, 77, 90, 105, 137, 150."

"This is the General Remedy. There is a specific remedy for each sin, but this is the general remedy."

"Go out and spread the teaching of the ten Psalms to all men."

"It may seem like an easy thing to say ten Psalms. But it will actually be very difficult in practice."

[Rebbe Nachman of Breslov]

Other Psalms and when to say them:
To find a mate (shidduch) - Psalm Nos. 32, 38, 70, 71, 72, 82, 121, 124

On the day of a wedding - Psalm 19

For healthy childbirth - Psalms 4, 5, 8, 20, 35, 57, 93, 108, 142

Upon the birth of a child - Psalms 20,139

On the day of a circumcision - Psalm 12

For recovery from illness - Psalms 6, 13, 20, 22, 23, 30, 32, 38, 41, 51, 86, 88, 91, 102, 103, 121, 130, 142, 143

For livelihood - Psalms 23, 34, 36, 62, 65, 67, 85, 104, 121, 136, 144, 145

For peace - Psalm 46

In times of crisis - Psalms 20, 121, 130

Antidote for rejoicing at an enemy's downfall - Psalm 7

For success - Psalm 112

For protection against an ayin hora - Psalm 59

For the Jewish People - Psalms 43, 79, 80, 83

For thanksgiving - Psalms 9, 21, 57, 95, 100, 116, 138

For Divine guidance - Psalm 139

For repentance - Psalms 51, 90

For help in troublesome times - Psalms 20, 38, 85, 86, 102, 130, 142

Prayer recited when traveling - Psalm 91

Psalm of thanksgiving for a miracle - Psalm 18

Psalm of thanksgiving upon being rescued - Psalm 124

In a house of mourning - Psalm 49

At a gravesite or on a Yahrzeit - Psalms 33, 16, 17, 72, 91, 104, 130

At the dedication of a monument - Psalm 1

For "supernatural" results: 121, 130 or 142 - all three Psalms have eight verses, eight represents "Above Nature" - the time of Moshiach.

Tehillim online: Hebrew and English: Mechon Mamre