The Dreidel

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

The Kabbalah of the Chanukah Candles

Candles are placed in the menorah from right to left, with the number of candles corresponding to which night of Chanukah it is. There is also one additional candle, which is usually elevated, called the “shamash,” or service candle. The shamash is lit first, and is then used to light the other candles, from left to right.

In other words, the candles are positioned from the right side of the menorah but we light from left to right. [Code of Jewish Law, Orach Chaim, 676:5]

The blessings should be said after lighting the Shamash candle and before the lighting of the rest of the candles:

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and has commanded us to kindle the Chanukah light.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has wrought miracles for our forefathers, in those days at this season.

Note: some siddurim state the words as "Le'hadlik ner SHEL Chanukah", however this is incorrect - As noted by the Hid"a [Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1807], there is profound meaning and significance in this sequence of words, as the first letters of these words - "Lamed," "Nun" and "Het" - are the same letters that begin the three words "Noser Hesed La'alafim" ["He preserves kindness for thousands of generations"]. Therefore, even though some Siddurim print the text of the Beracha as "Le'hadlik Ner Shel Hanukah" one must ensure to recite the proper text - "Le'hadlik Ner Hanukah" [Rabbi Eli Mansour]

This prayer is said on the first night only:

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this season.

The candles should be in an even row, no curves, no height variations. They should be well-spaced so their flames do not appear merged (and if candles, that they do not melt each other). No use should be made of the lights shed by the Chanukah candles, such as reading by their light. For the Friday eve of Chanukah, the lights must be kindled before sunset and before the Shabbat candles are lit. Additional oil (or larger candles) should be provided to ensure that they can burn until half an hour after nightfall.

In the Talmud, the relationship between the menorah and the mezuzah is established: "The Chanukah menorah should be outside of the door on the left side and the mezuzah should be on the right side in order that we should be surrounded by G-d's commandments."

If for some reason there is no mezuzah on the doorpost, the menorah should be placed on the right side. If lighting next to a window, the menorah should be placed on the right side of the window, however there is no point lighting at a window if your windows are so high up that no-one will see the candles.

Although today we place the Chanukah menorah indoors, in the time of the Talmud and today, in Israel, the menorah is placed outside the door.

The menorah is compared to the mezuzah. Both are on the outside. Both are near the door. Yet something deeper is alluded to when the Talmud compares the menorah to the mezuzah.

There are several differences between the two items: the mezuzah is on the outside, but it functions for the inside of the house to protect the inhabitants. The menorah is on the outside with its message for the outside world to proclaim to all the miracle of Chanukah.

In the language of the mystics of the Kabbala, the left and right have deep significance. The left is attributed to gevurah, the concept of strength. The right is associated with chesed, the act of giving. The mezuzah is on the right; it is G-d's protection of our houses so that no evil may enter. That is the chesed, the kindness - that He stands on the outside and guards our house.

The Chanukah menorah is on the left symbolizing Hashem's strength (gevurah) and control of the world and the great miracles He performed for us.

These days we do not put the menorah outside generally for practical reasons or perhaps we are afraid of the people in the street. So we light the candles inside and illuminate the house. G-d's strength and ability to do miracles and wonders are still around. However, we need the menorah inside to tell us that message. It no longer stands outside of our houses relating to the person who is in the dark, that the message of Chanukah is for him. The menorah is now inside the house, and its message is now for us.

The light of the menorah reassures us not to fear the darkness. It is a reminder that the darkest hours come before the dawn, and at a time when we had no friends, G-d helped us overcome our numerous enemies.

Biblical prophecy of the end of days battle and the destruction of evil by G-d

 Rabbi Alon Anava, new shiur

The Trump Obsession

This was sent to me by Yosef... 

I couldn't find it on Torah Anytime so I uploaded it from my phone.  

Even though I still think Trump will be victorious after all the balagan, this video is worth a listen, to get things into perspective.  [video is only 4 mins]

Rabbi Yehoshua Zitron on the Trump obsession.

 

Rabbi Kessin on Moshiach, Darkness and Torah

 Shiur given 7/6/2020

Deciphering the Dream

Art Jacek Yerka

''In three days Pharoah will remove your head'' [Vayeishev 40:19]

The dreams of the chief baker and the chief wine butler, noted the Dubno Maggid, were very similar. Why, then, did Yosef interpret the dream of the chief wine butler favorably - that Pharoah would soon reinstate him to his post - but that of the chief baker unfavorably - that he was about to meet his end?

The answer, explained the Maggid, can be understood with a parable: An artist painted a magnificent portrait of a man balancing a basket full of bread on his head. Two men came to admire the painting. While they stood there, a bird landed atop it and began to peck away at the bread, which it thought was genuine.

''Such a marvellous artist!'' said one man to the other. ''This bird actually believes that the bread is real!''

''No'' responded the other, ''he is not much of an artist at all. For while the bread may be quite realistic, the man carrying it is not, for if it was, the bird would be afraid to approach the painting.''

We are now able to understand concluded the Dubno Maggid, why Yosef interpreted the dream of the chief baker unfavorably. When the chief baker related his dream to Yosef, he said ''And the birds were eating them from the basket above my head.'' Yosef understood that if the birds were unafraid to approach him, it was an indication that he was soon to be executed by Pharoah and was already considered a ''dead man''. For had he been ''alive''', the birds would have refrained from eating the food on his head!

Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein

Who is the Satan? What is his mission?

Who is the Satan? What is his mission?

What is the antidote?

Who are we? What is our mission?

Why did Yaakov call the place ''Pniel'' - the Face of God ?

Rabbi Aaron Dovid Poston has all the answers.

"The Kingdom of Heaven Forever"

Rabbi Netanel ben Yeshaya was one of the great Rabbis of  Yemenite Jewry, he lived approximately 600 years ago.  In his commentary on the Torah ''From the Light of Darkness'', he wrote as follows:

"As is well known, as stated in the dream of Daniel, the fourth Kingdom is the Kingdom of Edom, and it ends in the year 5780.  Then, it seems, that the rule of the nine months will begin, as stated in the Gemara. 

And then afterwards, it will be the time of Redemption and the Kingdom of Heaven forever."

Where We Fall Today on the Creation Clock

 Rabbi Mendel Kessin, new upload but shiur given 15 June 2020

The Year of Wonders

I wanted to listen to this before I put it on the blog, and i'm only halfway through it, but already he is telling us that 5781 will be the year we see amazing things, which confirms the Lubavitcher Rebbe's prophecy from 30 years ago that this will be a year of wonders.

Rabbi Alon Anava ''Do you believe the lies?''

This is a very uplifting video.

Purim on Chanukah? Gog u Magog?

For the past few days, I've been thinking about the connection between Chanukah and Purim.  This is due to the fact that a close relative of mine had a dream about M. [who passed away a few years ago on Purim]. In the dream, M told her that Donald Trump was still President [he'd won somehow] and showed her the TV news announcing his Presidency win.   

In the dream,  M was looking fabulous, very thin and well.  This is why I feel the dream was real... simply because the  person who had the dream had never really known M when she looked that way.... there was a 30 year age gap between them and the only way M had looked in her later years was over-weight and unwell.  This was not an image of someone recalled from the brain, because the dreamer had never even seen M when she was thin and ''fabulous''.  And I don't think she'd seen photos of her either, in fact she told me she'd never seen her look like that before.

So I started to think... why would M come in a dream to this person with this message about Trump, and is there another message that I'm supposed to find.  Is there a connection between Chanukah and Purim?  They are the only two chagim which will be celebrated after Moshiach comes [although some say only Purim].  ''To put it simply, as the famous adage goes, Purim was a fight for the Jewish body, Chanukah for the Jewish soul.''  And on Purim the body of the Jew was saved, whilst on Chanukah it was his soul.

And then over Shabbas the news came out that Iran's top nuclear scientist had been killed and Iran was irate and blaming Israel.

Suddenly the Purim/Chanukah connection became even more real.  

Is this the War of Gog u Magog starting?  Is this the War that will allow President Trump to stay in office [see Moshe's comments here about President staying in office if war breaks out during his Presidency].

For me, this just ties up the loose ends of the dream.   Trump, Presidency, Iran, Purim, Chanukah, V'Nahafoch Hu.  Turning it all upside down, having Purim on Chanukah.  

I don't know, but I am a Geula Blogger, and this what I do.

Prophecy: How the Evil controlling the world will be destroyed at the End of Days

 

Rabbi Alon Anava

Jonathan Pollard: "Key to Redemption"

 

The following is from an article dated July 2015 written by Rivkah Lambert Adler

One of the most prominent personalities who offered Pollard emotional and spiritual support during his decades in prison was Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu. Eliyahu served as a Chief Rabbi in Israel from 1983 to 1993 and had a close and supportive relationship with Pollard for 20 years. Eliyahu passed away June 7, 2010. 

Shortly after Eliyahu’s death, Pollard’s then-wife Esther began to speak out about the spiritual messages the rabbi shared with them. In an article published by The Yeshiva World News on June 11, 2010, Esther shared Eliyahu’s prediction that the eventual release of Jonathan Pollard from prison is connected to the final redemption. 

 “Over time, the Rav [Rabbi] shared with us and with a few others who were very close to him that Jonathan’s release is the key to the redemption of all of Am Yisrael [the Jewish people],” she wrote. “He taught us how Jonathan’s release is also the key to the release of all of Israel’s captives and MIAs. Once Jonathan is out, all the captives are all out! Once they are all out, we are all in Geula [redemption]!” 

 “Perhaps most significant of all, the Rav always referred to Jonathan as the ‘Yosef HaTzadik shel doreinu’ (The Yosef Hatzadik of our generation),” she added. 

This last reference connects Jonathan Pollard to the Biblical Joseph, who was also imprisoned. 

In August of 2010, Esther Pollard sent her husband a birthday letter which he released for publication. In it, she strengthened her husband’s spirits with the words of the recently departed Rabbi Eliyahu.

 “You are a cosmic key to the redemption of the Jewish people. Your release is synonymous with the release of the Shechinah [the Divine presence] from galut [exile]. Your release is tied up with the Moshiach Ben David’s [Messiah son of David’s] return to the Land. Your release is bound to the redemption of the land and people of Israel.”

Toldot Tikkunim

According to kabbalistic teachings, Yitzchak corrected the spiritual damage caused by Adam's sin.

Therefore, just like Adam had been led by the ingenious plot of the serpent, the correction of Adam's sin had to come through ingenious trickery: ''Your brother came ingeniously and took your blessing''.  [Toldot 27:35]

Source: Likutei Sichos Lubavitcher Rebbe

The B’nei Yissachar takes this concept one step further. A number of commentators are bothered by the fact that Yaakov had to resort to such deceit in order to receive his father’s blessings. As the legitimate inheritor of Yitzchok’s spiritual legacy, shouldn’t Yaakov have been able to receive what he deserved in a more straightforward manner? 

Citing the Zohar HaKadosh, the B’nei Yissachar explains that Yaakov represented the tikkun [refinement] of Adam and his sins. Yaakov’s arch-nemesis was his wicked twin brother Eisav, who is described by the Torah [25:27] as a “yodeah tzayid” – hunter. The Targum Onkelos renders this phrase “gevar nachshirchon,” hinting that Eisav represented the nachash – serpent. Because the serpent enticed Adam and Chava to sin through tricky, underhanded methods, Yaakov had to rectify its previous triumph by successfully taking the blessings away from Eisav using similarly devious tactics.

The Arizal teaches that Rivkah was a gilgul [reincarnation] of Chava, the first woman. One of the purposes of reincarnation is to give a soul the opportunity to rectify the sins that it committed in an earlier lifetime. In what way did Rivkah correct the sin of Chava and atone for its consequences?

After the serpent convinced Chava to eat from the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge, she immediately gave some to Adam to eat. Rashi explains that she did so out of a fear that after her death, Adam would remain alive and would find another mate. As a result of his sin, Adam was cursed with death and with the pain and difficulty of sustaining himself.

Because Chava ensnared Adam in sin when he listened to her, her descendant Rivkah learned from her mistakes and rectified her sins. In contrast to Chava who caused Adam to eat something forbidden, Rivkah saved Yitzchak from eating from the food that Eisav brought him which was not properly slaughtered, and according to some opinions was dog meat [Targum Yonason ben Uziel 27:31].

Source: ShemaYisrael

The Solution for the World's Crisis

 

Rabbi Alon Anava 

Corona, Masks, Vaccines, Lockdowns, US elections - Now what??

The U.S. Elections 2020 in the ‘Spiritual Realm’

Tamar Yonah interviews Rabbi Mendel Kessin [audio] 

What’s going on behind the scenes of the lack of a final and official result in the US Elections 2020? Why isn’t there an ‘official’ winner yet, and is there a spiritual aspect behind this ambiguity? 

Rabbi Mendel Kessin  joins Tamar Yonah and talks about what he believes is happening in the Messianic era and why it is happening. He also makes some fascinating statements about when the Moshiach (Messiah) has to come by, as well as ‘the resurrection of the dead.

Kislev: Month of Miracles

How to receive your own miracle in Kislev: a very short video from Rabbi Anava

Calculating the Year of Moshiach

This information is generally known, however I have roughly transcribed it from Rabbi Anava's video today.

Although we are not allowed to calculate the arrival of Moshiach, as we draw nearer to our destination, we are permitted to talk about such things.

When we count the years for Moshiach's arrival, we count from Adam -  the word 'Adam' is an acronym for Adam/David/Moshiach.  David is in the middle of Adam and Moshiach, making it easy to calculate a year for Moshiach's arrival. [The soul of Moshiach appears in every generation, but so far no generation has been worthy of it's revelation]

 אדם 

  דוד 

משיח

Adam was born in the year 0. 

David HaMelech was born in 2854 and became King of Israel in the year 2891.

2854 is the middle year, multiply it by two and therefore 5708 is a year for Moshiach.  Obviously we didn't see Moshiach then but we did see the birth of the State of Israel [1948 on the Gregorian calendar].

We call David "King David'' and therefore we can count from the year he became King:  2891 - multiply it by 2... and we then get 5782.  [as everyone knows we are currently in the year 5781]

That doesn't mean Moshiach can't come before then, but this is the calculation Rabbi Anava was talking about.

Is the End of the World Near ? Torah Secret that Reveals What's Coming

Rabbi Alon Anava, new shiur

Whoever Has Not Suffered

Art Oreshnikov and Milner

From the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov - Yitro

 

"The Jewish people were not exiled until they denied G·d and the dynasty of David." [Yalkut Shimoni, I Samuel #106]

"The only difference between the world at the present and the world at the time of the Messiah is the subjugation to the [gentile] kingdoms." [Tractate Pesachim 68a]

The Baal Shem Tov taught:

The Talmud teaches, "Whoever has not suffered for forty days has received thereby his future reward. And what is considered suffering? Even if one puts his hand into his pocket to take out a golden coin and instead takes out one of lesser value." [Tractate Erkhin 16b]

However, since suffering is only in atonement for liability, how can such minor inconvenience constitute atonement?

The explanation is that since the righteous person lives with G·d, he believes in Divine providence and knows that G·d is guiding all events in his life down to the smallest minutiae, and that all his suffering is an expression of Divine justice - DINA, which is represented by the Divine Name of ADoNaI - on account of his sins.

Hence, as soon as the righteous person suffers however slightly, he immediately [searches his soul and] regrets [any misdoing], and becomes filled with anxiety and fear of G·d. He is thus immediately forgiven, since he believes [that his suffering is from G·d], and he repents and binds his mind to G·d.

Therefore, even when one is only slightly inconvenienced by having not taken out the coin he intended, since this only happened because of his sin, and he [is aware of this and] repents, this constitutes atonement.

This concept is referred to as "David" [made from the letters daleth, vav, daleth] :-  for the Infinite One, Who is referred to as Ayin/Nothingness, is represented by the [first] daleth. "Nothingness" is then conveyed via the vav to the [second] dalet, which represents the nadir of nothingness, which is expressed by a belief that everything that happens is Divine providence from G·d.

However, when a person does not believe that everything that happens is Divine providence from G·d, but rather attributes things to his own actions, this is considered having denied G·d and the aforementioned concept of "David" for he is denying the justice [providence] of the Kingdom of G·d/ADoNaI.

But G·d's Kingdom is hidden and subservient to the kelipoth/shells that cover and conceal G·d's providence from mankind. (1) 

In the future, though, with the coming of the Messiah, who will banish the spirit of impurity from the earth, G·d's providence will be revealed even in the minutest of events.

With this we can understand, "The Jewish people were not exiled until they denied G·d and the dynasty of David" and "The only difference between the world at present and the world at the time of the Messiah is the subjugation to the [gentile] kingdoms."

Understand this well (2) for everything that a person is able to comprehend about G·d is only regarding His Malkhut/Kingdom, but above that cannot be comprehended.

1) These "shells" are the "laws" of nature, the apparent cause-and-effect, and in this case, the statistical but "chance probabilities" that seem to govern whether one picks the gold coin or the copper one from one's pocket.

2) Until here is quoted from the Toldot Yaakov Yoseph, VaYishlach #8. The conclusion is that of the compiler of the Kesser Shem Tov, and its relevance to the rest of the piece is not clear.