Australia's Prime Minister - A True Friend

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is a true friend of the Jewish people, and of Israel.  In this just-released video, you can see his visit to The Central Synagogue in Sydney in honour of Chanukah.

How to Avoid An ''Evil Eye"

"Ben Porat Yosef, Ben Porat Alei Ayin" [Vayechi 49:22].

Rashi says that this means that Yosef will multiply and be beyond the reach of Ayin Hara [the evil eye]. As a reward for not taking his master's wife, no one will be able, through jealously, to inflict any harm on what belongs to him.

The Shulchan Gavo'a brings from Rav Eliyahu Dessler that no matter how rich a person is, no one is ever jealous of a totally selfless person whose whole life is about giving. An element of jealousy stems from the intended or even unintended flaunting of oneself before others.

Yaakov gave Ephraim and Menashe a bracha "V'Yidgu LaRov" - they should multiply like fish. There are two attributes of fish that Yaakov had in mind. Fish are not seen from the dry land. Moreover the fish live a life totally separated from the inhabitants of the land. They don't compete with them in any way. That is why the Ayin Hara does not affect them.

If a person lives a life of Yosef, where he doesn't want what doesn't belong to him, and he lives and enjoys his material assets out of the public eye, he too will not suffer from any unwanted evil eyes.

Source: Rav Eliyahu Dessler

Why Belief in Moshiach is One of the 13 Principles

"Eternity" by Charnine

Why is the belief in Moshiach one of the thirteen principles of the Jewish Faith? Rabbi Gershon Avtzon, Menahel, Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati answers:

To clarify the question: There are 613 commandments, yet there are only 13 principles. This shows us clearly that not every commandment is a principle. To put things in perspective: Two of the most basic Mitzvos are putting on Tefilin (for men) and keeping Shabbas. Yet, neither of them are part of the 13 principles. This shows us that the principles are more than just basic commandments, they are the pillars of Judaism.

For example: Principle number one is the belief in Hashem. This is understood: One can not claim to be a believing Jew, if he does not believe in Hashem. [A Perspective: For many of the commentaries, there is no Mitzva to believe in Hashem! How can one ask "what are the commandments" if he does not believe in a Commander?]

Another one of the principles is that the Torah was authored by Hashem and only written by Moshe Rabbeinu. This is also understood. Most of the laws of the Torah are learned  from extra letters or words in the Torah. If one believes that the Torah was authored by a human, is it shocking that there are extra letters or words?

If the above understanding of the 13 principles is true, why is the belief in Moshiach one of them? Can't I be considered an orthodox Jew - Keeping Kosher, Shabbas, and just not believe in Moshiach?  

A perspective: The Chasam Sofer [Shalas U'teshuvos on Yorah Deah, letter 356] writes that in truth the belief in Moshiach is not in itself a principle. It is just that being that Moshiach is written about in the Torah, if one denies Moshiach, he is denying part of the Torah! However, the accepted opinions are that believing in Moshiach itself is a principle. For all Mitzvos are written in the Torah, and according to the above, they should all be included.

The Answer: The Lubavitcher Rebbe gives a fascinating explanation [Hadran on Rambam 5746 chapter 10]. In order to understand it, we must first explain a basic Chassidic idea. What do we mean when we say - in the Sh'ma prayer, with our eyes covered - that Hashem is ONE? The explanation: Hashem's oneness - does not only mean that there is no other creator, rather - means that there is no other creation but Hashem. The entire world - even though it seems as an independent entity - is really G-dly.

In the time of exile, this truth is hidden. It seems that the world is an independent entity, and that keeping Torah and Mitzvos are a struggle. When Moshiach comes, the Truth of creation will be revealed. The world will be seen as a place created solely to do Hashem's will.

Chazal tell us [Yalkut Shimoni on Yirmiah Remez 315 and others] that in the messianic era, if one would want to desecrate the Shabbas by picking a fruit off the tree, the tree will "scream" at him to stop.

If one does not believe in Moshiach, then one does not believe that Hashem's true unity will show. He then believes that the world will remain "independent" of Hashem's oneness. It is obvious that such a person is missing in his basic belief in Judaism.

The State of the World and ''Loshon Hara''

A new shiur from Rabbi Mizrachi

Speech Therapy

"Ten things were created on the eve of Shabbat at twilight.... [two of these were] the ketav and the michtav...." [Pirkei Avot 5:9]

Both ketav and michtav could be translated as "writing", but if so, one of them is redundant. Michtav can also mean "speech" as in "The michtav of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness" [Isaiah 38:9].  Hezekiah did not write anything; he spoke of his gratitude to G-d for healing him [Midrash Shmuel].

Why was speech created on the eve of the first Shabbat?

Observant Jews rarely commit the cardinal sins. Our problem today is sins of speech: profanity, lashon hara, falsehood, scoffing, flattery and idle chatter. We tend to take these lightly, but G-d is very particular about our speech. On the day of judgment He will scrutinize every word we ever uttered [or wrote]. To make this point, He created speech on the eve of Shabbat at twilight.

Just as the world was created in six days and the seventh was a day of rest, so the world will last in its present state for six millennia and then enter the Messianic era, the Shabbat of history. 

In our times - twilight on the eve of the great Shabbat - the evil inclination concentrates its attacks on our speech.

from the writings of Hacham Yosef Hayyim of Baghdad [The Ben Ish Hai]

Hail !

We had some weather here today: check out the size of the hail !  Tornado and freak storm

A Geula Shiur for Women

HT: Rivkah Lambert Adler

The Rebbetzin has requested that this video is for WOMEN ONLY.  Obviously this cannot be policed on the internet, but you've been told.

Starting at 30:27, Rebbetzin Orit Esther Riter begins talking about Geula. What should we be looking for when it comes to Moshiach? What is Gog uMagog and why should Jews who are trying to live by God's laws not be overly concerned? What happens to free will when Moshiach comes? And more.

 

It's All Good

Now Yosef could not bear all those standing beside him, and he called out, "Take everyone away from me!" So no one stood with him when Yosef made himself known to his brothers. [Vayigash 45:1]

Yosef could not bear that Egyptians would stand beside him and hear his brothers being embarrassed when he would make himself known to them. [Rashi]

We can learn from the example of Yosef towards his brothers that one should never seek revenge against a person who causes him any form of distress or damage.  Rather, one should repay even a guilty offender with kindness. [Tanya ch.12]

Why should we be kind to guilty offenders?

Because whatever that person did to you ultimately stems from G-d.  The person was merely an agent from G-d, Who decreed that this thing should happen to you.

Thus, since "everything that G-d does is for the good", you must repay the person - who brought this "good" to you - with kindness.

Source: Likutei Sichos Lubavitcher Rebbe

Reincarnation Explained Part 3

Part 3 of Rabbi Alon Anava's Reincarnation Series
Parts 1 and 2 here

 

My Father's Honor

Art by Alec Levin

"Therefore, tell my father of all the honor that is given me in Egypt" [Vayigash 45:13]

The Ohev Yisrael [R' Avraham Yehoshua Heschel of Apta] was travelling with his son, R' Yitzchak Meir, through the neighboring towns. Wherever he went, hundreds of Jews came out to greet him, the gadol b'Yisrael, and showed him great honor.

The Ohev Yisrael was distressed by the amount of honor that he was receiving and, because of his great modesty, he truly believed that he did not deserve it. He therefore turned to his son and asked: "My son, why is everybody honoring me so much, being that I am not worthy of it?"

R' Yitzchak Meir saw how distraught his father was, so he consoled him: "Do not let it worry you, Father. For these people have come to honor me."

"And why do you deserve such honor?" asked the Ohev Yisrael.

"That is obvious" replied R' Yitzchak Meir. "It is because I am the son of the Apter Rav."

The Rebbe smiled, and he said: "This, my son, is what Yosef meant when he stated "Therefore, tell my father of all the honor that is given me in Egypt - for all the fame and honor that I receive in Egypt is only thanks to my father's merit!"

Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein