Tidbits of Torah

Explaining the One

2012-02-10T11:31:00.000-08:00

http://thereisone.com/thereis.htm

VISUAL PRESENTATION

EXPLAINING THE ONENESS OF GOD

A Model for Relating to God

2012-02-08T07:44:00.000-08:00

Part 1of the conversation between The Mind and the Soul (Initial Queries of the Mind to the Soul) can be found here.

Part 2 of the conversationis located here: Renouncing Contemptible Qualities

The Mind: Theruling principle and sum of the matter is that you assume toward He Who isabove you all those obligations which you would want to be assumed towardyourself by one beneath you, given the inequality of your relationship. Takewhat would please you or displease you in the conduct of the one beneath you,and commit yourself to that same code of conduct toward the One above you.

The Soul:Carry on and explain.

The Mind:Think of God’s graces towards you – those which you share with others, andthose with which you are specially favored. Then, imagine that you had bestowedsimilar favors upon your servant, whom you had acquired. The kind of conduct onhis part toward you that would please you accept upon yourself toward yourCreator; and what would seem to you to be improper conduct on his part you tooshould regard as improper conduct on your part toward your Creator.

The Soul: Ihave understood in a general way what you have said to me. Do me a kindness nowand explain it to me in detail.

To BeContinued…. do come back

click here to see all posts for Duties of the Heart / Soul and Mind

Geulah b'Rachamim AND The Big Picture

2012-02-05T11:46:00.000-08:00

Rabbi Pinchas Winston presents the first part of the Geulah b'Rachamim Seminar, dealing with the question why the Jewish people seem to overstay their welcome in exile.

Rabbi Pinchas Winston presents the second part of the Geulah b'Rachamim Seminar, dealing with the question why the Jewish people seem to overstay their welcome in exile. This part looks at the story of Ya'akov Avinu, who not only taught us how to survive in exile, but how to leave it while it is still safe to do so.

Rabbi Pinchas Winston presents the third part of the Geulah b'Rachamim Seminar, dealing with the question why the Jewish people seem to overstay their welcome in exile. This part looks at the concept of Nitzotzei Kedushah—Holy Sparks—and what they have to do with the Jewish people, exile, and redemption, and ultimately, anti-Semitism.

The continuation of: What must we do to mitigate the impact of anti-Semitism, but only after a discussion about Holy Sparks.

This is the Introduction to Rabbi Pinchas Winston's magnum opus, THE BIG PICTURE: THIRTY-SIX SESSIONS TO INTELLECTUAL & SPIRITUAL CLARITY. The entire project can be purchased online at www.thirtysix.org.

INTRODUCTION PART II

INTRODUCTION PART III

Rabbi Pinchas Winston presents the first part of the Geulah b'Rachamim Seminar, dealing with the question why the Jewish people seem to overstay their welcome in exile.

Day 3 - Satans Accomplice

2012-01-27T08:18:00.000-08:00

Shmiras Haloshon Yomi

3 Shevat, 5772 / January 27, 2012

Day 3 - Satans Accomplice

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM Preface(Continued)

The Chofetz Chaim hasstated and proven beyond any doubt that the sin of loshon hora, whichwas the cause of the Second Temples destruction, is the factor which up to thisday has prevented us from being redeemed through Moshiachs arrival. Thequestion is, why? How could this one sin be so destructive?

To understand the severityof loshon hora and its ramifications, one must first understand thejudicial system in Heaven through which the Jewish People are judged. TheChofetz Chaim explains that the Heavenly judicial process is initiated by wordswhich Jews speak on this world. Our negative conversations are the key whichopens the door for Satan to prosecute.

As Zohar states, (ParashasShelach), this sin brings plague, sword and murder to this world. Woe tothose who awaken this evil force, who do not guard their tongues and pay noheed to this! They do not realize that the ways of Heaven are reflective of theways on this world, both for good and for bad. [Through evil talk,] Satan isaroused to voice accusation against the entire world.

In this vein, the ChofetzChaim explains that the teaching (Arachin 15b), Whoever speaks loshonhora raises sins to the Heavens, should be taken literally. When we speaknegatively of our fellow Jews, this causes the sins of our people to be notedin Heaven, where they are brought before the Heavenly Throne for judgment. Wethink were merely chatting, when in reality, were delivering the days caseloadto Satan.

The Chofetz Chaim offers asecond reason why loshon hora is so damaging. Because loshon hora utilizesthe power of speech to do its damage, it corrupts this faculty and prevents ourTorah and tefillah (prayer) from ascending Heavenward. The Chofetz Chaimenvisions the sacred words that pour forth from a mouth corrupted by loshonhora. He sees them heading upward toward our Heavenly bank accounts, butnever quite getting there. We believe we have accomplished somethingspiritually, but thats not what happened. The Chofetz Chaim says, Allthe words of Torah and tefillah are hanging somewhere between heaven andearth, suspended in the air. He concludes: if our Torah and tefillah arenot being credited to us, then, From where will we acquire the necessary meritto bring Mashiach and the Final Redemption?

A daily lesson from the Chofetz Chaim: ADaily Companion/Mesorah Publications.

To subscribe or unsubscribe: e-mail us at dcompanion@chofetzchaimusa.org with subject subscribe/unsubscribe.

To order tapes, books, learning programsand our free catalog call us at 866-593-8399.

Please treat printed version with therespect due Torah materials.

Redemption to Redemption

2012-01-25T16:34:00.000-08:00

Based on thebook Redemption to Redemption by Rabbi Pinchas Winston, these lectures examinethe deep connection between the holidays of Purim and Pesach. Even though Purimoccurred after the close of the Torah, nevertheless, it is our preparation forthe holiday of Pesach. If one understands the true opportunity of Purim, andtakes advantage of it, then he will be in better position to experience theredemptive power of Pesach. And, to this, we must first better understand thestory of Yosef and his brothers, as it relates to the Mishkan. Listen Now.

Redemption to Redemption: Introduction

Why is it so important to celebratePurim in the month immediately before Pesach, even in a leap year?

http://program.ouradio.org/audio/winston/redemp_intro.mp3

A Mouthful and Redemption

We may take our ability to speak forgranted, but, as we will see, it was and is central to the concept and realityof redemption. Pesach: Chapter One from Redemption to Redemptionby Rabbi Pinchas Winston.

http://program.ouradio.org/audio/winston/redemp_pass1.mp3

The Centrality Of Speech

Embodied in the concept of speech isthe entire purpose of man’s existence. Pesach: Chapter Two from Redemptionto Redemption by Rabbi Pinchas Winston.

http://program.ouradio.org/audio/winston/redemp_pass2.mp3

Adam and The Donkey

As it turns out, the separation betweenthe Jewish people and the Egyptians has a primordial beginning, and matzah isthe link between the two. Pesach: Chapter Three from Redemption toRedemption by Rabbi Pinchas Winston.

http://program.ouradio.org/audio/winston/redemp_pass3.mp3

Heavenly Bread and Amalek

... And the connection of the munn, themiraculously Heavenly bread, to Haman. Purim: Chapter Four from Redemptionto Redemption by Rabbi Pinchas Winston.

http://program.ouradio.org/audio/winston/redemp_purim4.mp3

When Fifty and Speech Meet

Understanding better the centrality ofspeech, we can now look at its connection to the Nun Sha’arei Binah—the FiftyGates of Understanding— and see how Pesach is the redemption that Purim leadsto. Pesach: Chapter Four from Redemption to Redemption by Rabbi PinchasWinston.

http://program.ouradio.org/audio/winston/redemp_pass4.mp3

Seventy and Da’as

The role of the number seventy and itsconnection to Da’as is also an important key to unlocking the spiritualpotential of Purim. Purim: Chapter Five from Redemption to Redemption byRabbi Pinchas Winston.

http://program.ouradio.org/audio/winston/redemp_purim5.mp3

Da’as Moshe

This was the level of intellectual claritythat Moshe Rabbeinu achieved, which is why, incidentally, Bris Milah was suchan issue for him.Pesach: Chapter Five from Redemption to Redemption byRabbi Pinchas Winston.

http://program.ouradio.org/audio/winston/redemp_pass5.mp3

Toward A More Perfect Vision

The “bottom line” is one’s vision, thatis, one’s ability to see not only with one’s physical eyes, but with the mind’seye as well. We see this from the story of Yosef and his brothers. Purim:Chapter Six from Redemption to Redemption by Rabbi Pinchas Winston.

http://program.ouradio.org/audio/winston/redemp_purim6.mp3

Bris Milah: Covenant Of The Word

In fact, speech is so central tocompletion of the human being and achieving godliness, that, the centralcovenant of the Jewish people - Bris Milah is named for it. Pesach: Chapter Sixfrom Redemption to Redemption by Rabbi Pinchas Winston

http://program.ouradio.org/audio/winston/redemp_pass6.mp3

Twenty and Mishkan

The number twenty, it turns out,represents an intellectual blindness, one which the Mishkan came to cure. Purim:Chapter Seven from Redemption to Redemption by Rabbi Pinchas Winston.

http://program.ouradio.org/audio/winston/redemp_purim7.mp3

Avraham and Inspiration

Following this train of thought cameonly to Avraham, and the zealousness with which he served G-d, which is themeasure of one’s devotion to the Creator and His plan for creation. Pesach:Chapter Seven from Redemption to Redemption by Rabbi Pinchas Winston.

http://program.ouradio.org/audio/winston/redemp_pass7.mp3

The Inside Story

Having understood all of this, it isnow possible to see how the day of Purim, and its various mitzvos, act as aspiritual springboard to the freedom of Da’as. Purim: Chapter Eight from Redemptionto Redemption by Rabbi Pinchas Winston.

http://program.ouradio.org/audio/winston/redemp_purim8.mp3

B’Yad Ramah

This realization is what elevates aperson out of the everyday mundane reality, into the realm of the supernatural,and empowers a person to become a partner with G-d in his own self-completionand perfection of the world. Pesach: Chapter Eight from Redemption toRedemption by Rabbi Pinchas Winston.

http://program.ouradio.org/audio/winston/redemp_pass8.mp3

TheRite Of Passage
Redemption,Part One is complete, and it provides the bridge over which to cross over intothe ultimate redemption of Pesach. Purim: Chapter Nine from Redemption toRedemption by Rabbi Pinchas Winston.

http://program.ouradio.org/audio/winston/redemp_purim9.mp3

Seder Night and The Haggadah

How the Seder puts all of this intopractice, and activates the proper "switches" to bring the Holy Lightto us. Pesach: Chapter Nine from Redemption to Redemption by RabbiPinchas Winston.

http://program.ouradio.org/audio/winston/redemp_pass9.mp3

Renouncing Contemptible Qualities

2012-01-22T20:33:00.000-08:00

Part 1 of the conversation between The Mind and the Soul (Initial Queries of the Mind to the Soul) can be found here.

The Mind: If what you have said is true, then bear with thepain of the treatment, and endure the bitterness of the medicine and isunpleasantness, after first giving up the bad food to which you have grownaccustomed.

The Soul: What is the bad food to which I have grown accustomed?

The Mind: It is the contemptible quality which hasoverpowered you from the start and the forces that have strengthened it from theearliest years of your growth.

The Soul: Which quality is this, and what are the forcesthat strengthen it?

The Mind: You have many contemptible qualities, but their rootand foundation are two. One of them is love of bodily pleasures – eating,drinking, sexual relations, and the other bodily needs. You have acquired thisquality from your bad neighbor, namely, your body. The second quality is thelove of power and status, arrogance, haughtiness, and jealousy – this is whatleads you to fall short in properly repaying your Benefactor. You acquire thisquality from your neighbors, among whom you have grown up, namely, yourbrothers and relatives.

The Soul: And what are the forces that I need to keep farfrom me?

The Mind: The forces of the first quality are excesses ineating and drinking, dress, sleep, rest, leisure, and the like. The forces ofthe second quality are excessive talking and too much socializing with otherpeople, trying to please them, loving praise and honor from them, jealousy oftheir worldly possessions, pressuring them in regard to their property,ridiculing them, harping on their faults, and so forth. If what you have saidis true, then keep far from you, with all your strength, the forces andqualities that I have mentioned to you. Then I will promote you to anotherlevel of treatment.

The Soul: It will be difficult for me to renounce thesevices, since I have grown used to them for so long. Therefore, be kind enoughto show me how this might be made easier for me.

The Mind: Surely you know that a sensible individual finds iteasier to agree to the amputation of a part of his body and the loss of one ofhis limbs – if it s attacked by some disease which he fears will spread andaffect his other limbs – when he understands the difference between the two[alternative] conditions, and realizes the inequality of the two evils. So itis with you. If you want to make it easier for yourself to renounce that whichis hard to relinquish, then take to heart and weigh in your mind the good youwill attain from the renunciation, as opposed to the evil which will befall youif you continue with it. Renouncing contemptible qualities, difficult to partwith, will then be easier for you.

The Soul: What is the good that I will attain fromrenouncing it, and the evil that will befall me if I continue with it?

The Mind: The good will be your tranquility and relief fromthe gloomy darkness of this world, the pleasures of which are mingled withsadness, its lust brought to an end. This will bring you to recognize – with thefull force of your recognition – the place of your repose [the life hereafter],to work for it, and to be concerned about it. This is one class among the manyclasses of virtues on which your salvation and your life depend.

The evil is recurring worry, compoundedsorrow, and constant grieving at the non-fulfillment of your worldly desireswhich – even if you were to attain them – would only bring you what is futile, fleeting,and transitory; for it will undoubtedly pass on to someone else. Nothing willremain with you of this world, nor will you secure the next world. What ismore, despite your lengthy efforts, you will fail to attain your desires.

The soul: I haveunderstood what you have said, and I hope that, as a result, it will now beeasier for me to renounce what has previously been difficult for me to partwith. Continue now to lead me to the second parts of the curative methods,which will teach me what I want to learn of the service of God.

Conversation to be continued - do come again.

SOURCE

Va'eira: God's Name

2012-01-19T11:45:00.000-08:00

Rav Kook on the Net: RavKookTorah.org

This week's Dvar Torah: RavKook.co.nr
This Dvar Torah: VAERA63.htm

Why do we find different names for God in the Torah?

Different names reflect different aspects by which God is revealed in the world. The Tetragrammaton, the special name composed of the four letters Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey, corresponds to a level of Divine revelation that was concealed before Moses' time.

"I revealed Myself to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as El Shad-dai[God Almighty]. But with My name Y-H-V-H, I was not known to them." (Ex. 6:3)

What is the significance of these two names of God? Why did only Moses' generation merit knowledge of the Tetragrammaton?

In the same prophetic communication to Moses, God contrasted the Patriarchs with their descendants in terms of their ties to the Land of Israel. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were only travelers and foreigners in the Land:

"I made My covenant with them, giving them the land of Canaan, the land of their wanderings, where they lived as foreigners." (6:4)

Their descendants, on the other hand, are destined to settle permanently in the Land: "I will give it to you as an inheritance"(6:8).

Is there some connection between the different names for God and residence in Eretz Yisrael?

A Higher Level of Providence
Dwelling in the Land of Israel means living with a higher level of Divine providence. It is "a land constantly under the scrutiny of the Eternal, your God; the eyes of the Eternal your God are on it at all times" (Deut. 11:12). God gave Eretz Yisrael to the Jewish people as an eternal inheritance, so that this unparalleled level of Divine providence will always be associated with them. God's providence will never leave the people of Israel; their history is beyond the laws of nature.

This level of Divine guidance was only possible after they became a nation. Individuals, even the most righteous, may waver and stumble. Therefore, the Avot could only be sojourners in EretzYisrael. They could only merit the Land's preternatural providence in a temporary, sporadic fashion.

The name Shad-dai comes from the root shiddud, meaning 'intervention.' It implies occasional intervention in the natural realm. This was the level of Divine providence that the Avotexperienced. They lived in a world of natural forces - with occasional miracles. They were but travelers in the Land of Israel. Thus God was revealed to them as El Shad-dai.

With the formation of the nation of Israel, however, the miraculous providence of the land of Israel became their permanent inheritance. The generation of Moses merited a higher revelation of God and His providence, as is reflected in the name Y-H-V-H. This Divine name comes from the root "to cause to exist." Their world was no longer a universe ruled by the forces of nature. They merited a constant, direct connection to the One Who continually creates and gives life to of all existence.
(Adapted from Midbar Shur, pp. 293-297)

Makes One Think - Don'tcha Think?

2012-01-15T07:24:00.000-08:00

My video Answers to a Pastor is stirring up a lot of interest. It has been translated into several languages, and all combined, it has had more than 120,000 views. Along with the many positive responses of those who have enjoyed it, have also come complaints from the “believers,” who do not like to see their messiah/man-god shown to be a myth. Here are a few of the many comments, and my answers to them… by Reb Gutman Locks

Shemos - Birthpangs of Redemption

Why does the plight of the Jewish people worsen with Moshe's revelation as redeemer? What is the reason for this pattern repeating in subsequent redemptions - before the second temple and in the final redemption? Why does Hashem reveal Himself in a bush? Why does the giving of the Torah immediately follow the Exodus, and why does it take place on Mount Sinai, in the wilderness, and not in Israel on Mount Moriah?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 22:29

When the Jew channels all his desires to serving Hashem, he becomes a vessel for G–dliness to enter him. Moreover, he also becomes a vessel for material prosperity, which also comes only from Hashem’s blessings. As our sages say, “An empty vessel holds.”[1]

However, our sages continue, “a full vessel does not hold.” This means that when the person is full of desires for physical pleasures and indulgences for their own sake, rather than to connect to G–dliness, he is “full,” for he desires to receive from Kelipah. Thus, he is not a vessel to receive blessings from Hashem. READ IT ALL AT A CHASSIDISHE FARBRENGEN

The sinking of the Costa Concordia brings this parable to mind;

and this from reader Joe, in the comment section of Shirat Devorah's blog regarding: Italian cruise ship 'Costa Concordia' carrying more than 4,000 people ran aground and keeled over off the Italian coast near the island of Giglio in Tuscany, Italy, last night

Peace has been shipwrecked on the submerged rocks of human greed and delusion.

Concordia : the ancient Roman goddess of harmony or peace.

In Roman religion, she was the goddess who was the personification of "concord," or "agreement," especially among members or classes of the Roman state. She had several temples at Rome; the oldest and most important one was located in the Forum at the end of the Via Sacra ("Sacred Way"). After 121 BC, when the construction of the largest temple was ordered, the Senate frequently met at the temple in times of public uproar. The temple was restored under the emperor Augustus by his eventual successor, Tiberius, in 7 BC. Tiberius placed many works of art there, and the temple became a kind of museum and tourist attraction during the Roman Empire. Concordia often appeared on coins as a matron holding a cornucopia(used as a horn shaped symbol of an abundant, overflowing supply in her left hand) and either an olive branch or a patera (a dish used in sacrifices) in her right.

Shabbat's Haftarah reading yesterday was on the Shofar ha Gadol (Yeshayahu 27 v 13) announcing the Geulah .......interesting, huh ?

The horn of the goat Amalthaea sinks and the Shofar of Yitzchak will have the last laugh or blast.

Mashiach now !!!! read all comments here

Initial Queries of the Mind to the Soul

2012-01-14T16:37:00.000-08:00

[The Mind] asks the soul: Is it clear to you and firmly understood that you are pledged to your Creator for His kindness and belong to Him because of His abundant grace and great favor?
[The Soul] Yes.
[The Mind] Is it your intention to repay [at least] part of what you owe the Creator?
[The Soul] Yes.
[The Mind] But how is this possible for you, when your longing for Him is weak? For only he who longs for health can bear the bitterness of the medicine; but he who does not long for health will not submit to the severity of the treatment.
[The Soul] My desire is strong and my concern is great to repay as much as I can of what I owe my God. Therefore, continue to encourage me.
[The Mind] If you are telling the truth in what you are saying, the treatment may be successful in your case; but if the truth is not as you put it, you will succeed only in deceiving yourself. For when a patient lies to his physician, he only deceives himself, wastes the physician's efforts, and aggravates his illness.
[The Soul] And how can it be determined whether my longing is strong or weak?
[The Mind] If your longing for Him comes after the clear realization of how great is the debt you owe Him, how little it is in your power to repay it, and that your neglect of it brings your ruin, while your diligence in it secures your salvation and your life, then your longing is genuine and your desire ardent; but if not, it is false.
[The Soul] So long as I was prompted by the history of former ages gone by, my desire was never other than weak, and my longing was a deception, until the truth of what you have spoken became clear to me intellectually. At first it became clear to me by way of the Torah's inspiration, and afterwards by way of rational demonstration. It was then that my longing became genuine, and my desire pure.

PART II in the conversation: Renouncing Contemptible Qualities

source: Duties of the Heart

Sabbath Forever

2012-01-11T13:07:00.000-08:00

Exodus 31:12 Then the LORD said to Moses, 13 “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy. 14 “‘Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people. 15 For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death. 16 The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. 17 It will be a sign between me and the Israelites FOREVER, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”

WHAT PART OF FOREVER DO XTIANS NOT UNDERSTAND?
This is a binding commandment just as all commandments are binding for all times.

Paul however, preaches differently.

I had a xtian on Facebook to tell me that in the passage from 1 Corinthians 9, Paul was not using deception at all. (He stated this is reference to Philippians 1:18 In every way, whether in pretence or in truth, J is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.) This person said - he (Paul) was indeed a Jew, yet was not bound by the Law because he was in Messiah. Paul had the freedom to follow the Law for the sake of connecting with Jewish people, or to not follow it for the sake of reaching the Gentiles.

Let us read:

Deut 13:1 If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, 2 and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” 3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.

Who is right? G-d or Paul?

Their Hollow Inheritance

2012-01-11T10:55:00.000-08:00

FREE ONLINE BOOK

2012-01-10T13:56:00.000-08:00

Introducing Mariano (Moshe) Otero – Converting to hasten Moshiach and Redemption

Posted on March 17, 2010 by Gev

Mariano (Moshe) Otero is a Cuban-American ex-Pentecostal minister in his late forties who promotes Noahide evangelism amongst Gentile Christians and kiruv evangelism amongst what he calls wayward and lost Jews. In his own words he states. “I am a former ordained Christian minister who has returned to (Orthodox) Judaism, the faith of my forefathers.” Otero says he always knew [he had no evidence, just a feeling] he was Jewish and had a special connection with the Jewish people. One day he got documents showing his maternal grandmother was Jewish, then he decided to convert to Judaism.

Mariano (Moshe) Otero

Otero is Founder and Director of the Spanish speaking Los Caminos De Israel (The Roads to Israel) in Hollywood, Florida, initially helping Cuban families in Miami track their religious roots. He leads the Ways of Israel and Noah’s House. He is a member of the First Covenant Rainbow Foundation. Otero hasChabad connections as we also see with the YouTube clip at the end of this post which is festooned with references to the rebbe. Chabad Hollywood also partner with one of Otero’s prjoects.

Otero runs a radio show in Costa Rica aimed to convert Gentiles to keep Noahide laws. “The goal of TSHUVAfm is to be a means of communication for the Remnant of Israel in the Diaspora to have a real chance to reconnect with their true identity, and for non-Jewish people to discover the Seven Noahide Laws, as a precursor to the coming of the Messiah and the Redemption (Geula)“

Otero’s eschatological excitement is tangible in his comment here: “ The Christian world seems to be moving into a new direction. And I pray it will be one which will bring them closer to their first century roots: in which non-jews were Noahide observers–Yirat Shamayim. This fact alone herald the imminent coming of the Moshiach.”

Converting lost Jews to Judaism is seen as a trigger for the coming of Moshiach as we read in his comment here: “No one can doubt that Jewish Community is experiencing a wave of converts, and I expect this trend to grow with more intensity as we move closer to the time of the advent of the Mashiach.”

It seems that Otero has not changed much of his Pentecostal missionary zeal or beliefs about the imminent coming of Moshiach, only who that Moshiach will actually be!

The Great Debate!

2012-01-10T10:14:00.000-08:00

Although the Jews for Jesus movement is a relatively recent development in its present form, the groundwork for it was laid by the “ecumenical” movement. “Ecumenicism”, however, does have ancient and,for the Jew, dangerous precedents.

ECUMENICISM AND DIALOGUE–1263 C.E.

By Berel Weinpgs 20-25

From 1228 to 1250, a series of anti-Jewish economic edicts were issued by the king which helped foster a climate of anti-Jewish feeling in the land. In 1254, the famous trial of the Talmud in Paris occurred, and the Talmud was found guilty of stating calumnies against Christianity and cartloads of Talmudic manuscripts were burned by the order of Louis IX of France. When this coercion had little or no effect on the Jews or on their reverence for the Talmud, the Dominican friars of Spain, beneﬁting by the lesson of their French colleagues, changed their strategy.

No longer was the Talmud criticized, it was rather extolled. The Midrosh now became an accepted source book of accurate portrayals, and Jewish scholarship was no longer publicly reviled. The reason for this was ingeniously simple—the truth of Christianity would now be proven, not from Christian or other non-Jewish sources, but rather from the Talmud and the Midrosh themselves! It was their obstructionism that prevented the Jews from seeing the light of Christianity emanating from their own holy books. This new approach was spearheaded by an apostate Jew who had become a leader in the Catholic church of Aragon, Pablo Christiani. Because of his zeal to convert his fellow Jews, he goaded Raymond, the king’s confessor, to convince James to order a public debate regarding the proofs from the Talmud as to the veracity of Christianity. The burden of defending the Talmud and the Jews fell upon the venerable shoulders of one of the greatest of all Talmudists, Rabbi Mosheh ben Nachman. On the 20th of July in 1263, at the Court of James I of Aragon, this dialogue began. It was to last until the 31st of July, though actual debating sessions occupied only four days of this time. The shock of this debate was to leave scars on the memories of both protagonists which have lasted to this day.

The Debate

The record of the debate that forms the basis for this article is one written by one of the protagonists himself—the Ramban.2 Written in a clear and lucid Hebrew style, it presents a picture of the debate and a record of the polemics as seen and heard by the Ramban.

At the outset, Mosheh ben Nachman insisted that he be granted the right of free speech throughout the debate. This right was guaranteed to him by the king, and because of this right, the Ramban at all times spoke boldly, incisively, and openly. It was the presence of this guarantee that made this medieval debate in reality a modern one wherein both sides speak their minds without intimidation. Such an open debate was a rarity in Christian Europe until our own times. Later events proved to the Ramban how costly the exercise of this freedom would prove to him personally. I would presume to state that this freedom of expression is what uniquely characterizes and ennobles this discussion and precludes any comparison with the earlier debate of Rabbi Yechiel of Paris3 or the later encounter at Tortossa.4 For here, perhaps for the only time in the annals of medieval Christian European history, Jew meets Gentile as equal, and for the majority of the debate is not the defendant or apologist but rather presses home his criticism and disbelief of Christian concepts and principles.

Rabbi Mosheh ben Nachman summarized one main historical argument against the acceptance of Christianity by the Jews of Aragon and, in so doing, he attempted to entirely avoid the necessity of debating Talmudic or Midrashic references to Jesus. “It has been proposed to me that the wise men of the Talmud themselves believed that Jesus was the Messiah, and that he was a man and a god, and not merely a mortal man alone. But is it not a well known fact that the incidents and events of Jesus occurred at the time of the Second Temple and that he was born and died before the destruction of that Temple? (70 C.E.) And the Rabbis of the Talmud, such as Rabbi Akiva and his colleagues, died after the destruction of the Temple ... and the editor of the Talmud, Rav Ashi, lived almost 400 years after the Temple’s destruction. If it would be true that the wise men of the Talmud believed in Jesus and in the truth of his religion, how then did they themselves remain faithful to the religion and practices of the Jews? For they lived and died as Jews, they and their children and their disciples unto this very day. And they are the ones who have taught us the faith of Judaism, for we are all Talmudic Jews ... And if they believed in Jesus, as you are trying to impute from their words, why did they not behave as Friar Paul (Pablo Christiani), who evidently understands their words better than they (and themselves convert)?”

His argument resounds through the halls of time—the classic answer of Jewish tradition: “If our forefathers, who witnessed Jesus, saw his works, and knew him, did not hearken unto him, how should we accept the word of our king (James I), who himself has no ﬁrst-hand knowledge of Jesus, and was not his countryman as were our forefathers?” Here the Ramban puts into awful clarity the basic point of contention between Jews and Christians. The stubbornness of the Jew stems not from his “perﬁdy” but rather from the fact that he is convinced of the truth of his own belief and not the slightest convinced of the truth of Christian belief.

The current Vatican schema on the Jews remains unclear as to whether Christianity has yet come to grips with this fact. For it does not yet specify the cause of the Jew’s afﬁrmation of the one and denial of the other—it merely hopes through better social relations to soften, if not to reverse, that afﬁrmation and denial.

The Dominicans were not deterred from their purpose by the Ramban’s onslaught. They brought numerous passages from Talmudic and Midrashic literature to prove the truth of their faith. The Ramban stated that he did not consider himself bound by the “agadoth” of the Talmud, 5 and therefore no proofs could be deduced from them. However, he said that even if he granted their accuracy, they in no way agreed with Christian thought or belief. His strength in swimming in the sea of the Talmud easily refuted his antagonists who were not nearly as erudite in the subject matter as he. And he used every opportunity to return to the offensive against his opponents. “Does not the prophet say regarding the Messiah ‘that he shall reign from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth’ (Psalms 72:8)—and has not your empire (the Roman empire), declined since it accepted Christianity? Do not your enemies, the Moslems, rule over a greater empire than yours? And does not the prophet also say that at the time of Messiah ‘they shall not teach their friends war, etc’? (Jeremiah 31:33) and is it not written (Isaiah 11:9) that then ‘the world shall be full of knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea’...? And from the days of Jesus till now, the entire world is full of robbery and pillaging, and the Christians have spilled more blood than any of the other nations, and they are also sexually immoral. How hard it would be for you, my great King, and for your knights, to survive if there

would be an end to warfare!”

This indictment of the status of the Christian, or, as we call it today, the Western world, is even sharper in our time when over ﬁfty million people have been destroyed by war in the past century alone, and when all of the economies of the great powers of the world rest on a foundation of defense spending and war preparation.

The Ramban further stated that the basic dispute between Christianity and Judaism is not regarding the messianic mission of Jesus himself as much as it is regarding the entire Christian concept of Divinity and belief.

“Listen to me, my master, my king,” said the Ramban, “Our contention and judgment with you is not primarily concerning the Messiah,6 for you are more valuable to me than the Messiah. You are a king and he is a king. You are a Gentile king and he is a king of Israel, for the Messiah will only be ﬂesh and blood as you are. When I serve my Creator under your sovereign rule, in exile, poverty, oppression and humiliated by the nations that constantly insult us, my reward for this service is indeed great: For I bring forth a voluntary sacriﬁce to G-d of my own being, and through this shall I merit a greater portion of the world to come. However, when there will be a king of Israel, abiding by my Torah, who shall rule over all the nations, then I shall be involuntarily compelled to retain my faith in the Torah of the Jews, and therefore my reward shall not be as great (as it is now). However, the main dispute and disagreement between the Christians and the Jews is in that you have some very sorry beliefs regarding the essence of Divinity itself.” Thus did the Ramban emphasize clearly that the fundamental differences between Judaism and Christianity are not those of detail and history but rather those of deﬁnition and understanding of the nature of Divinity and His relation to man.

The question of Original Sin was also touched upon in this debate. Both Pablo and King James asserted that all men had been condemned to Hell because of the original sin of Adam, but that the advent of belief in Jesus had released man from this state of eternal damnation. To this the Ramban retorted with bitter irony: “In our province we have a saying— He who wishes to lie should be sure that the witnesses to the transaction are far away. There are many punishments mentioned in regard to Adam and Eve—the earth was cursed, thorns and thistles shall grow there from, man shall earn his bread by the sweat of his brow, that man shall return to the dust, and that woman shall suffer the pain and travail of childbirth. All of these conditions yet exist to this day, and anything tangible that can be evidenced, as the alleviation of any of these conditions, has yet to appear, even since the advent of your messiah. But the curse of damnation to Hell, which Scripture nowhere records, this is the punishment which you say was relieved (by Jesus coming), for this is the one matter which no one can disprove. Send from your midst someone, and let him return and report to us! G-d forbid that the righteous should be punished in Hell for the sin of the ﬁrst man, Adam. For my soul is as equally related to the soul of the wicked Pharaoh as to the soul of my father, and I shall not be punished by the damnation of my soul because of the sins of that Pharaoh. The punishments that accrue to mankind because of the sin of Adam were physical, bodily punishments. My body is given to me by my father and mother, and therefore if it was ordered that they be mortal and die, so will their children forever be mortal and die, for such is the law of nature.” But, he stated, the soul of man, which is given to him by the Eternal Creator, is not damned because of the sins of others, even of his ancestors themselves, unless he himself continues in their evil ways.

The Ramban thereupon entered into a theological disputation regarding the theories of the Virgin Birth and the Trinity. He proved them not to be Jewish in origin and that therefore “the mind of no Jew could understand or accept them.” He stated that “your words (regarding the Talmud and the Messiah) are therefore for naught, because this is the kernel of our disagreement, but if you wish to discuss the concept of Messiah, I will bow to your wishes.” He told the king that “you believe this bitter thing regarding divinity (the Virgin Birth and the concept of the trinity) because you are born a Christian, the son of Christian parents,and you have been indoctrinated your entire life by priests who have ﬁlled your mind and marrow with this belief, and you now accept its truth, by basis of habit alone.” His criticism of these tenets of the Roman Catholic faith placed in sharp focus the reason for the Jew’s refusal to accept Christianity from its very onset. Its notion of G-d was, and is, foreign to Jewish tradition and logic. Nothing has yet occurred to change this status either for the Jew or the Christian.

The Debate ended rather abruptly. It was never formally closed, but the king recessed it, apparently out of fear of rioting by fanatical mobs stirred up by emotional sermons of certain Dominican friars.7 The king himself took an active part in the debate and one is struck by the fairness and tolerance of James I. It was only the deceitful friars who distorted the teachings of the Talmud. He is quoted by the Ramban as having told him that “I have yet to see such a man as you, who, though being wrong, has yet made an excellent presentation of his position.”8 The Ramban also notes that he received a gift of three hundred coins from James, evidently as reimbursement for his expenses. The Ramban states that “I departed from [the king] with great affection.” Mosheh ben Nachman remained in Barcelona for over a week, and was present for a sermon in the Synagogue on the following Sabbath delivered by a Dominican priest, in the presence of King James, calling on the assembled Jews to convert to Christianity.9

The Dominicans, angered by the Ramban’s successful defense, turned their wrath against him personally. He was sentenced to temporary exile from Aragon and had to pay a ﬁne for speaking blasphemy. In his old age, broken by the ordeal of his persecution and by a vision of the sorrows that would yet befall the Jews in Spain, Rabbi Mosheh ben Nachman emigrated to the Land of Israel in the year 1267 and on its holy soil he expired shortly thereafter.

Conclusion

The importance of this encounter between the Jews and the Christian world is not to be minimized. It would be many centuries before Jews dared to speak so openly to their Christian fellow countrymen about the fundamental differences that separate them. To our very day, no other Jewish religious leader of the caliber of the Ramban, responsible and responsive to his faith and tradition, has ever presented our case. Those who presume to speak for Judaism in today’s dialogues would do well to read the record of this dialogue seven centuries ago. I do not believe that the case for Jews and Judaism can be better stated, with as much candor, compassion and truth, than the manner in which it is reﬂected in the words of Rabbi Mosheh ben Nachman. Both Jew and Christian would proﬁt by a study of that record from Barcelona before plunging headlong into any new dialogue or ecumenical discussion. The issues and the world itself has changed little from the days of James I of Aragon. Neither has the people of Israel.

Improvising on Oral Torah

2012-01-08T06:37:00.000-08:00

the following post is from a website I visit almost daily. Do bookmark

I occasionally surf over to Reform Jewish sites to see what stuff they're putting out. They represent our modern-day "Hellenists" and we have to nudge these good people over to Torah truth ever so carefully and gracefully, lest we shove them further away. Usually my comments get censored out. (Reform "bouncers"). Here's one that made it through.

I responded to a commenter, who knew some Hebrew, who said the following:

"There are no vowels in the Torah. Thus, את השמים ואת הארץ ( heaven and earth) can also be read as, “At hashamaim ve at haaretz”, meaning: "You are heaven and you are earth."

I wrote back:

You can say the same thing about ויהי ערב ויהי בקר יום אחד, "And it was one day and one night; Day one." (Gen. 1:5); You can say, since vowels are missing, what it really says is, "There was a crow and there was cattle, one day". Because crow and evening, and cattle and morning, contain the exact same letters, respectively!

There's obviously a problem here. Vowels are a part of oral Torah! The problem is - that part of oral Torah you do accept, as when you accept ויהי ערב ויהי בקר יום אחד to mean, "And it was evening and it was day; Day one," but another part of oral Torah you unwittingly deny - by creating your own "oral Torah" - namely, "You are heaven and you are earth."

That's not to say Torah cannot be explored in unique ways, but it must be done under certain guidelines, otherwise you "short-circuit" perfect code and make preposterous sense. This happens when we leave it to our own machinations, instead of relying on our sages.

You cannot twist text where it suits you and leave the rest intact. There are 13 particular ways to expound Torah, as our sages specify. (We read these specifications in our daily morning prayer.) In fact, even our sages carefully trod where no one trodded before. You see this often in Talmud where one sage says something by quoting another sage, in the name of yet another sage.

"For the rest, go here, .

Looking Forward to Purim 5772

2012-01-06T08:08:00.000-08:00

We are NOT Xtians

2012-01-04T19:32:00.000-08:00

the following is from TomerDevorah's wonderful site - do bookmark

We are not Xians who are bidden to "turn the other cheek." We are Jews - Almighty G-d's representatives in this world; a kingdom of priests. We are under His absolute authority and must at all times clearly and truthfully represent His will in His world. We are not authorized to bend or break or misrepresent His will or His commandments or the terms of the covenant that was made between Him and us.

If our fellow Jew is limping along the same path as we are, heading in the right direction - TOWARDS HKB"H, then we should be willing to help in any way possible and treat them gently and kindly. But if our fellow has turned AWAY from HKB"H and is in outright rebellion against Him, it is our duty to separate ourselves from him, letting him know that he will be welcomed back immediately if he will do teshuva and turn his life around, but if he persists, he must be ostracized and I will prove to you through the Hanukah story that this is the correct action, not an all-embracing free love which condemns nothing, and no one but the righteous.

It was the anti-religious Jews who started it all...

I Mac. 1:11-15 In those days certain renegades came out from Israel and misled many, saying, "Let us go and make a covenant with the goyim around us, for since we separated from them many disasters have come upon us." This proposal pleased them, and some of the people eagerly went to the king, who authorized them to observe the ordinances of the goyim. So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, according to Goy custom, andremoved the marks of circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant. They joined with the goyim and sold themselves to do evil.

And they were not going to stop until we had been completely consumed and assimilated into the prevailing goyisch culture...

41-53 Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people, and that all should give up their particular customs. All the goyim accepted the command of the king. Many even from Israel gladly adopted his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the Sabbath. And the king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the towns of Judea; he directed them to follow customs strange to the land, to forbid burnt offerings and sacrifices and drink offerings in the sanctuary, to profane Sabbaths and festivals, to defile the sanctuary and the priests, to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to sacrifice swine and other unclean animals, and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane, so that they would forget the law and change all the ordinances. He added, "And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die." In such words he wrote to his whole kingdom. He appointed inspectors over all the people and commanded the towns of Judea to offer sacrifice, town by town. Many of the people, everyone who forsook the law, joined them, and they did evil in the land; they drove Israel into hiding in every place of refuge they had.
It wasn't enough for them that they had rid themselves of G-d's law. Those who claimed to want tolerance for their lawlessness refused to extend tolerance to their brothers. who only wanted to continue to keep the covenant and obey the Lord in peace ...

54- 64 Now on the fifteenth day of Kislev, in the one hundred forty-fifth year, they erected a desolating sacrilege on the altar of burnt offering. They also built altars in the surrounding towns of Judea, and offered incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets. The Torah Scrolls that they found they tore to pieces and burned with fire. Anyone found possessing the book of the covenant, or anyone who adhered to the law, was condemned to death by decree of the king. They kept using violence against Israel, against those who were found month after month in the towns. On the twenty-fifth day of the month they offered sacrifice on the altar that was on top of the altar of burnt offering. According to the decree,they put to death the women who had their children circumcised, and their families and those who circumcised them; and they hung the infants from their mothers' necks. But many in Israel stood firm and were resolved in their hearts not to eat unclean food. They chose to die rather than to be defiled by food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. Very great wrath came upon Israel.The "religious" Jews of that time would not fight their "brothers." So, they fled from them and went into hiding. They did not go on a campaign to right the wrongs of their "brothers." They tried to separate themselves into small enclaves just hoping to be left alone. But see how well that turned out...

I Mac 2:27-38 Then Matityahu cried out in the town with a loud voice, saying: "Let every one who is zealous for the law and supports the covenant come out with me!" Then he and his sons fled to the hills and left all that they had in the town. At that time many who were seeking righteousness and justice went down to the wilderness to live there, they, their sons, their wives, and their cattle, because troubles pressed heavily upon them. And it was reported to the king's officers, and to the troops in Jerusalem the city of David, that those who had rejected the king's command had gone down to the hiding places in the wilderness. Many pursued them, and overtook them; they encamped opposite them and prepared for battle against them on the Sabbath day. They said to them, "Enough of this! Come out and do what the king commands, and you will live." But they said, "We will not come out, nor will we do what the king commands and so profane the Sabbath day." Then the enemy quickly attacked them. But they did not answer them or hurl a stone at them or block up their hiding places, for they said, "Let us all die in our innocence; heaven and earth testify for us that you are killing us unjustly." So they attacked them on the Sabbath, and they died, with their wives and children and cattle, to the number of a thousand persons.

Finally, thankfully, the leadership came to the corrrect conclusion. They had to start fighting back.

39-41 When Matityahu and his friends learned of it, they mourned for them deeply. And all said to their neighbors:"If we all do as our kindred have done and refuse to fight with the goyim for our lives and for our ordinances, they will quickly destroy us from the earth." So they made this decision that day: "Let us fight against anyone who comes to attack us on the Sabbath day; let us not all die as our kindred died in their hiding places."

Not only did they fight back against the Gentiles, but against their Jewish brethren as well. And not only for their own right to obey the Law of G-d, but they began to "coerce" the rebellious Jews as well...

44-48 They organized an army, and struck down sinners in their anger and lawless men in their wrath; the survivors fled to the Gentiles for safety. And Mattathias and his friends went about and tore down the altars; they forcibly circumcised all the uncircumcised boys that they found within the borders of Israel. They hunted down the arrogant men, and the work prospered in their hands. They rescued the law out of the hands of the Gentiles and kings, and they never let the sinner gain the upper hand.

The war went on for many years. And many were the traitors in our midst ...

1 Mac. 7:21- 25 Alcimus strove for the high priesthood, and all who were troubling their people joined him. They gained control of the land of Judah and did great damage in Israel. And Judas saw all the evil that Alcimus and those with him had done among the sons of Israel; it was more than the Gentiles had done. So Judas went out into all the surrounding parts of Judea, and took vengeance on the men who had deserted, and he prevented those in the city from going out into the country. When Alcimus saw that Judas and those with him had grown strong, and realized that he could not withstand them, he returned to the king and brought wicked charges against them.
Only one of the five brothers survived to see an end to hostilities and this is is how it is described...

I Mac. 13: 41-48 In the one hundred and seventieth year the yoke of the Gentiles was removed from Israel, and the people began to write in their documents and contracts, "In the first year of Simon the great high priest and commander and leader of the Jews." In those days Simon encamped against Gazara and surrounded it with troops. He made a siege engine, brought it up to the city, and battered and captured one tower. The men in the siege engine leaped out into the city, and a great tumult arose in the city. The men in the city, with their wives and children, went up on the wall with their clothes rent, and they cried out with a loud voice, asking Simon to make peace with them; they said, "Do not treat us according to our wicked acts but according to your mercy." So Simon reached an agreement with them and stopped fighting against them.But he expelled them from the city and cleansed the houses in which the idols were, and then entered it with hymns and praise. He cast out of it all uncleanness, and settled in it men who observed the law.
I Mac. 14:4,11-14 The land had rest all the days of Simon. ...He established peace in the land, and Israel rejoiced with great joy. Each man sat under his vine and his fig tree, and there was none to make them afraid. No one was left in the land to fight them, amd the kings were crushed in those days. He strengthened all the humble of his people; he sought out the law, and did away with every lawless and wicked man.

It is the Torah which unifies us and our willingness to submit ourselves in obedience to its demands. Those who flaunt the law and have no fear of Heaven are not part of us. They have removed themselves from their people. It is those who claim to be Orthodox who must put aside trivial differences and come together as one under the banner of Torah truth. But again I say, there can be no "unity" with rebels and sinners who refer to chareidi Jews as leeches and parasites and worse!

This war is being fought again...today.

To read the rest visit here

No Coffee Tomorrow, Jewish Fast Day, Tenth of Teve...

2012-01-04T12:29:00.000-08:00

Shiloh Musings: No Coffee Tomorrow, Jewish Fast Day, Tenth of Teve...: Tomorrow is the Tenth of the Jewish Month of Tevet , aka Asara b'Tevet. It's a fast day, a day of mourning and grief. It should be a lesso...

FLY with us

2012-01-04T12:01:00.001-08:00

Olam Haba [future world]

2012-01-04T07:45:00.000-08:00

Someone who faces no challenges should know they are receiving their olam haba [future world] in this world. In other words, HaShem is paying their reward to them here in this world - and woe unto us if this is the case. The Talmud writes that whoever G-d doesn't want to see in olam haba, he compensates in this world for whatever good they may have done. King David refers to this phenomenon in Psalm 73. He laments how the wicked seem to have a good life, since they don't work or sweat for their livelihood. They appear to have everything, and even more than they want. ''My feet almost slipped, I nearly lost my foothold, for I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.''

According to the Gemara, witnessing this paradox can cause a crisis in faith. At the end of the same chapter, King David says ''G-d is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.'' We understand this to be an issue of emunah [belief] and see how his heart was straightened out after he received insight into how the world really works.

G-d acts out of love, not because He wants to cause suffering. He wants to bring us to the true good, the abundant good hidden away for us in the future. In order to get there, we must traverse a path wrought with challenges, because without it, we will get nowhere.

The Talmud relates a story about a sage who became anxious if thirty days passed without some misfortune, even as small as a glass breaking. He feared a portion of his olam haba was being taken away if he experienced no trouble. We see from this that at least the tzaddikim, if not the Jewish people themselves, knew very well that there is no such thing as a trouble-free life. It is something only for the tzaddikim in the world to come, where they will ''sit with crowns [on] their heads, basking in the light of the Shechina''. [5] This can only occur in the future world. In this world, we must be prepared to work hard.

read part 1 and part 2 @ http://shiratdevorah.blogspot.com/2012/01/navigating-storm-part-2.html

Navigating The Storm: Why There Will Be No Convert...

2012-01-03T18:52:00.000-08:00

Shirat Devorah: Navigating The Storm: Why There Will Be No Convert...: by Rav Ephraim Kenig shlita Reprinted with permission from Tzaddik Magazine When Hashem examines a soul before it is born and sees that it...

THE BIG PICTURE: Gog and Magog

2011-12-31T20:04:00.000-08:00

The sins of befriending non-Jews and learning their culture

2011-12-24T21:27:00.000-08:00

Rabbi Yehoishophot Oliver

“The sins of the Jewish people in the time of the Greeks were: befriending the Greeks, learning their culture ... ”[1]

Just a minute, an outsider might ask. It’s a sin to befriend a non-Jew?! Isn’t Judaism a religion of peace and love? If anything, that should be considered a Mitzvah, no?

Well, no. Jews should not be “buddy-buddy” with non-Jews. It’s not that we dislike them. We just know that we ought to ... keep a distance from them. Ours is “a nation that dwells alone.”[2] We have our role in the cosmos, and they have theirs. When we draw too close, those lines become blurred.

A friendship is a two-way relationship. You influence him, but he also influences you. A non-Jewish friend will naturally share his values and feelings with you, and precisely because he is your friend, his company will influence you with his non-Jewish attitudes and culture. We don’t want this because it may weaken the Jew’s devotion to Torah, and even bring him to abandon it altogether, G–d forbid. Thus, we find a concern in Halacha that a close friendship between a Jew and a non-Jew may lead the two to make a deal to marry off their children to each other (known as “chasnus”), which the Torah considers a normal outcome of a very close friendship. (Along similar lines, a religious Jew should even take care not to overly befriend a not-yet-observant Jew—see here.)

In general, although he may do business with non-Jews, a regular ehrleche (fine) Jew is not tempted to befriend non-Jews, and the reason is not just that that he can’t discuss Tosafos with them. He simply can’t relate to them, because he doesn’t live in their world. The cross-cultural divide is too great, and that is a good thing.

However, this is not to say that a Jew should act in an unfriendly or rude manner toward non-Jews, G–d forbid. On the contrary, since non-Jews are created in the image of Hashem, they deserve to be accorded the utmost respect, and even cherished.[3] This is also not to say that one should not have any form of contact with non-Jews; rather (in addition to maintaining contact for the purpose of shared business interests, or the like), one should do so where necessary, but with a clear awareness of the purpose of the interaction in mind. The nature of the relationship between Jew and non-Jew is one of teacher and student, with the Jew inspiring the non-Jew indirectly through his fine moral conduct and wholesome family life, or directly, by teaching him the Noahide laws.

However, the second item mentioned in HaYom Yom, learning secular culture, is a temptation that is lamentably all too common in our times.

Many frum people feel that they must read the newspaper every day, follow the sport, politics, and even gossip, and generally be “up with the latest” amongst the non-Jews. Many immerse themselves in study of secular topics purely for the sake of knowing them, and send their children to schools with a very good record in secular studies even if the Torah studies there are poor; they then insist that their children go to college, and not just in order to earn a good living (despite the severe dangers that their children are exposed to there), but in order to “be a man amongst men” by being au fait with the culture of the western world, finding their prestige from secular academic recognition and titles, and the like. Many indulge in “entertainment” by exposing themselves to supposedly “neutral” novels, television shows, and movies, despite the fact that doing so involves violating the prohibitions of exposing oneself to heresy or immorality). And so on.

The numbers of such people are not small, and probably greater than we estimate. And although not all of the behaviors listed above are necessarily strictly forbidden (except when they involve consciously exposing oneself to heresy or immorality, as above), they are sins in the sense that these are not befitting behaviors for Jews.

“But,” the advocates of “normalcy” clamor, “what’s so terrible with it? Why are you being sofanatic? It’s harmless!”

But it’s not. These influences are saturated with subtle and not-so-subtle inappropriate messages that desensitize us to holiness, true refinement, and actualizing our spiritual potential. They may lead one to start adopting certain typically non-Jewish behaviors, which is in itself forbidden. Ultimately, when imbibed frequently and for a lengthy duration, such influences may entice the Jew to give up Yiddishkeit altogether, may G–d save us.

And above all, preoccupation with the non-Jewish culture, even the most supposedly harmless cartoon, distracts the Jew from what he should be really focused on if he has any free time—Torah study. The Torah is Hashem’s timeless wisdom. It is a priceless gift from Above. A Jew has the constant obligation and privilege to study it, and neglecting it is considered a severe sin.

As the Mishnah exhorts us: “Ben Bag-Bag used to say of the Torah: Turn it and turn it again, for everything is in it. Pore over it, and wax gray and old over it. Stir not from it, for you can have no better rule than it.[4] Everything a Jew could want to know is in the Torah, and it is what should preoccupy him whenever he has a “spare” moment.

_____________________

[1] HaYom Yom, 29 Kislev.

[2] Bamidbar 23:9.

[3] Avos 3:14.

[4] See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Idolatry, 11:1—

One may not follow the rites of idolaters, nor imitate them in dress, hairstyle, and the like. As the verses say: “And you shall not follow the rites of the nation that I evict from before you”;[a] likewise, “And do not follow their rites”;[b] “Beware lest you be lured by [their ways].”[c] The import of all these verses is the same: We are warned not to imitate [non-Jews]. Rather, a Jew must be separate from them and distinguished in his dress and in his other affairs, just as he is different in his doctrines and beliefs. As the verse says, “I have separated you from the nations.”[d]

[a] Vayikra 10:23.
[b] Ibid.18:3.
[c] Devarim 12:30.
[d] Vayikra 20:26.

[5] ibid. 5:22.

This post was dedicated by Rabbi Shmuli Markel and family (Shmuel Leib ben Esther and Sara Rochel bas Chaye Nechomoh).

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Not a Good Year for JC!

2011-12-22T19:19:00.000-08:00

Shirat Devorah: 'Vicious' Christchurch earthquake: Rocks fall from a cliff in the Christchurch suburb of Sumner. Photo: Reuters Christchurch has been hit by a major 5.3 aftershock, aft...

ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT "STEEPLES" LABEL
http://shiratdevorah.blogspot.com/search/label/Steeples

Daily Prayer / Your Soul's Purpose

2011-12-20T20:18:00.000-08:00

Reincarnation and Afterlife

2011-12-20T18:13:00.000-08:00

Toward a Meaningful Life with Simon Jacobson
Radio Show Transcript - August 1, 1999

Dedicated by Sharon

Mike Feder: Okay, thank you very much, Mr. Announcer. Here we are again and we are talking tonight about Reincarnation and the Afterlife.

First of all, let me mention, before we plunge into the program, that last week we got some really great calls, and we want you to call again. The number to call at WEVD is 212-244-1050 . Okay, let’s start right off.

Simon Jacobson: Well, first let’s say hello.

Feder: Hello!

Jacobson: I must second that it was really gratifying to hear calls come in last week.

Feder: So let me start by asking you the first question.

Jacobson: Let’s plunge in as usual.

Feder: As usual. I’ll ask you straight out. Is there an afterlife and is there a thing called reincarnation and what is it from your point of view?

Jacobson: Okay. I remember when we were planning this topic that I said it was going to be a heavy topic and I do hope that it provokes many responses, but I think I should say at the outset—I always have to begin with my disclaimers (I do apologize for them but they’re necessary) particularly with a topic like this—there are certain axioms that I believe I should state for the record because based on those premises, our discussions can really flow from there.

Jacobson: So to begin with a disclaimer, it’s going to be difficult to cover this topic in the allotted time. But as we hope this show is going to be a long-term educational process for ourselves and for the listeners, if we set the tone and cover certain basics, we can always do a follow-up show to embellish and elaborate. That’s one statement.

Now, regarding the issue of reincarnation and the afterlife, I think the first thing that should be stated is that this is built and predicated on the concept of a soul. If there’s no soul, then there’s no afterlife and there’s no reincarnation.

Feder: Well, your body as it is now doesn’t go to some other place, only your soul does, right?

Jacobson: Yes. And I think I should define for myself and for all of us how exactly we’re interpreting the word “soul.”

There are many different issues. What does a soul mean? You hear the cliché today, that the soul is like spirit, like soul music, the soul of music, or the soul of the matter.

I would say that the soul is more than just a spirit, more than just an energy. In the context of the mystical teachings of the Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism, the concept of a soul, is essentially the reason for our being.

Let me give an example. When someone writes a book, the words on the page are the body, the expression. But the soul is the message and the vision, the feeling, the energy of the author (or musician for that matter) that’s between the lines. Actually, musical notes are an even better example. Musical notes on a paper are static, inanimate. But when you play them, something called music comes to life.

So to use that as a metaphor for “existence,” you, Mike, myself, every one of us is a musical note. Our bodies are the physical manifestation/expression of that note, the way it looks on a page, but when we live up to our calling, to our destiny, our soul emerges. And that is usually not expressed or experienced in a very tangible way…

Feder: I was going to say, this is an intangible essence…

Jacobson: Exactly. As music is intangible comparatively speaking to the note on the page. The note is very tangible: Someone will say, I see the note, but what does the music look like? And you’ll say, you can’t see music, you have to listen to it.

So in life I would say the same is true. You can see the human body, the human personality, but where do you see the soul express itself? In love, in sadness, in tears, in joy…

Feder: Maybe in the expression of art.

Jacobson: Yes. Generally in the creative energies and experiences that are, what we call, the sublime.

So essentially, each of us has a soul. That soul is that spirit or energy, the purpose of your being. So we can live a “body” life, which really means you’re driven by materialistic concerns, materialistic drives and needs: I need to eat, I need to sleep, I need shelter, I need to drink, I need some other physical needs.

Then there are spiritual needs, soul needs. Love, nurturing, the need to give, to build something that’s bigger than selfish personal gain. That essentially is the soul being nourished. And each activity that we do, whether it’s a meal that we eat, or how we deal with our friends or associates, in each of those areas we have those two choices. And those two choices are essentially between the self—those that are materialistically driven— and those driven by the soul and spirit, a more selfless and transcendental dimension.

Now, that being said, if we ask, for example, the question, “What is reality?” is it our material bodies, is it the food we eat, is it the musical note on the page? Or is it the spirit that the note imbues us with, expresses, when you play the music?

So in music no one will argue of course that the notes are simply vehicles. The same would be, for instance, with the human body. The body is just an inanimate corpse without a spirit. So love is expressed when you have that sublime, transcendental element.

But because we are material human beings living in the material universe, we can be distracted and we can live for the here and now and neglect or forget that there is another, let’s call it, reality.

Feder: I’ve heard some people described as “soulless” people sometimes. No animation, no higher feelings.

Jacobson: Exactly. Like on days when you just trudge along and you can barely lift your head. But the reason I’m elaborating—you’ll see I’m leading up to reincarnation and afterlife—but because of this shroud, or ability for us to live in a very materialistic reality, we can almost forget—because of our daily needs for survival—that there is another reality.

But generally the concepts of souls, spirit, and by extension, afterlife and reincarnation are very exotic and difficult to relate to because that’s not the reality that we see here and now. It’s not the reality of Wall St., it’s not the reality of vacationing, it’s not the reality of the headlines that we read every day and we see on TV.

Spirit is a reality that’s experienced in a completely different environment, for which we need to create a conducive scenario for us to be able to be receptive to it.

When you are struggling for survival, it’s very difficult to pay attention to the sublime. Yet, clearly, the soul is the essence of what life is really all about, and I don’t even say this in a religious context, I say it in a human context, a universal one, that everyone has a need for soul experiences, transcendental experiences.

Some call it G-d, others call it art and music, or some other form, but it’s clearly not the morass of the mundane.

Now, the connection is, of course, that once you understand this and say “Yes, I can relate to the fact that there is another reality called ‘soul,’ now let me hear what that reality looks like?” This is where we enter into a world of a discussion like this evening, a discussion about reincarnation and afterlife.

Feder: Well, for someone who is a complete an utter skeptic, they would say, and which they do all the time, “Well, prove it to me. Where is the evidence?”

Jacobson: Okay. I was about to say something along that line. I’m glad you and I think alike. And this is a show for skeptics and seekers, and often they overlap. We can be a skeptical seeker and a seeking skeptic. So it’s a very legitimate question but I must say that to really get into that requires a different discussion, because for a show about reincarnation and afterlife, you have to accept that the concept of soul is a given.

If you don’t, then we should do a whole show about the “Soul ” instead.

Feder: Okay. So let’s presume today, because I believe it enough, that there’s a soul, so now let’s talk about that.

Jacobson: I want to add one thing. I don’t believe that there always exists empirical evidence, mathematical proofs for different things. But there are issues in life that I believe of us don’t require proof and evidence in quite the same way.

If someone says to you, “Prove to me that this investment is going to be a good investment, or prove to me that 2+2=4 and not 5,” that’s one thing. But if someone says, “Prove to me that human beings need love,” or “Prove to me that we feel bad when innocent people suffer,” or “Prove to me why are you feeling so sad that you’re crying about something” -- all these are dealing with an area of life that’s sometimes irrational and emotional, and frankly, I think intelligent people know that asking for proofs when you’re dealing with the sublime is like asking to see a microscopic subatomic particle with the naked eye. It’s a different world, a different realm, and you need different tools.

Feder: And yet almost everybody would agree about the things you just talked about, that they are absolute requirements to exist in the world.

Jacobson: Exactly. And therefore I’d rather not get into a long discussion on evidence, but suffice it with what I just said.

Feder: Okay.

Jacobson: So, with that being said, then essentially there’s the science of materialism. The science of materialism is the laws of economics, the laws of history, the laws of science in general: social science, physical science, and political science. Then there’s the science of spirituality, the study of the soul.

The study of the soul is, in a way, as complex, if not more complex, than the study of the body. Doctors can give us an anatomical or physiological map of the structure of the human being. That we know is complicated. Take the circulatory system. Someone will say, in the circulatory system there’s the heart: the heart beats and the blood circulates all over the body. That sounds simple but we all know it’s quite complicated, for example, what happens when there are clogs.

Take any element in the human body, any system, and it’s very complicated, to the point that most doctors, all knowledgeable doctors will say that with all our knowledge, we still know very little.

Now, I’m not even discussing the brain. So the soul too has its own science, its own journeys. The journey of the soul is essentially our topic of discussion here. Reincarnation and the afterlife: the journeys and the understanding, the science, the psyche of the soul. By understanding that, you begin to relate to the idea of how the soul transmigrates, where is the soul before we’re born, what happens after we die?

Feder: So redefine quickly, so we understand what we’re talking about: the soul is that special essence in each person which is from the Creator, and it comes from before you were born and it lasts after you die, right?

Jacobson: Well, I’ll summarize with an analogy. It’s the vision of the cosmic architect called G-d in creating us, similar to the vision of the musician internally in his or her soul, before he or she puts down on paper the musical notes. Because musical notes are just an expression of a feeling, as music is a certain expression of a passion, of a mood, of a venue and so on.

Feder: So, therefore, each soul is distinctly and invisibly different from every other soul, right?

Jacobson: Exactly. Like every musical note. So in that sense you can say that our bodies are the actual note and the soul is G-d’s vision, the energy that makes us be who we are, the essence of the human being.

Now, are we ready for step two?

Feder: Okay. The soul moves on…

Jacobson: Well, here’s the key, and here I ask myself, and you, and all our listeners, to put yourself in a different mindset than the one you are accustomed to, because it’s a prerequisite to really appreciate this.

You see, we think again in terms of the tangible. Our sensory tools are our most dependable and primary tools: sight, sound, taste, touch and smell. From the perspective of the senses we can ask the question, “Where does the soul go after it dies, after the human being dies?”

And my response is, and this is the springboard of our discussion, “What do you mean, where does it go? You make it sound like we are where it’s at and the soul has to go somewhere. Maybe the soul is where it’s at, and we go somewhere.”

Feder: You have to explain this.

Jacobson: Of course. But I see from your smile that you get it somewhat. But let me explain. Where does electricity go when an appliance is shut off, or when you pull the plug (no pun intended)? Where does electricity go? If a child asks that question, the parent will say that electricity doesn’t go anywhere. It goes back to its natural environment, which is everywhere. On the contrary, electricity was with us from the beginning of time, and at some point in history, human beings just learned to tap it, whether it was an accident, or from one of the different legends…Benjamin Franklin with the kite and the lightning, whatever it may be.

We then learned that there’s a power in the air, so to speak, called electricity. We learned to build generators. We learned to tap that electricity, to generate it, to transmit it through wires, and bring it to homes and cities and light up our homes and energize appliances.

Feder: We also learned how to turn it on and off.

Jacobson: Exactly. But what do you mean by turning it on and off? You’re not destroying electricity when you turn it off, it’s just that the circuit is closed so the electricity doesn’t continue to flow in your direction. It’s as if you built a dam and didn’t allow the water flow, the electric current to continue.

Feder: But it’s still there.

Jacobson: Right. Exactly. So what happens is as follows: you plug something in to an outlet, you turn on a switch, the circuit is now open and the current can flow through, and it energizes the light bulb which is now shining. The air conditioner is on, the refrigerator is cooling. You shut off the switch or you pull the plug and essentially electricity goes back to its natural state, which is in a very “non-tangible” state, and it is now not energizing this particular appliance.

So now let’s apply the analogy to the soul and body. And I beg you to indulge me: the soul is not like electricity but it’s a similar idea.

The soul is a form of energy, upon conception, upon birth, the body, which is the appliance, is now suddenly connected to the circuit, to this electric current. The flow enters the body, the body is vivified and energized, and lives its life. Upon death, what happens is essentially the equivalent of the switch being shut, where the body ceases to be connected to that flow of energy.

So the soul goes back to its essential state before it entered this appliance or box called the body.

Feder: And what is that state?

Jacobson: Okay. The thing is, the more spiritual we are, the more we can relate to that state. But clearly, it’s a state of being that is difficult for us to relate to because and while we are in the box. When you are here in the appliance, think of it from the perspective of the refrigerator. The refrigerator will ask you (meaning electricity—obviously I’m speaking here in metaphor), “What are you? Where are you? I understand when you enter me and you allow me to cool and I can cool the food that I carry inside of me. Or I light up the room as a lightbulb. But where are you?”

The answer is, I’m in a different world than you are, and we don’t really communicate. The only place where we have some interaction is when I enter you, and you see me through the evidence of my expression. You see that you’re alive.

The difference between a corpse, G-d forbid, and a live body—even if the corpse is completely intact: eyes, ears, a heart and a brain—is that it does not have that electric flow called the soul or the spirit.

So it’s hard for us, people of bodies and people of the material world, to really fully comprehend that existence. That is precisely why reincarnation and afterlife are very exotic and non-spatial and difficult concepts to relate to. And that’s also one of the reasons that when it is discussed, it’s always discussed by people who are familiar with the topics with the disclaimers that this requires a good understanding of souls and spirituality. You shouldn’t just jump into it.

Now, for most of us, we often hear someone say, “Okay, reincarnation. Great. What was I in a previous life? Was I a frog, a caterpillar?”

Feder: Richard Nixon? You could be anything, right? But listen, let’s take it for granted that the people who are listening now, and myself included, all have the faith that this exists—let’s make the leap of faith—and then we can go on to just say, where is the soul before and where does it go after?

Jacobson: No, no. I intend to discuss it. But to tell you the truth, when I speak about this, I don’t feel like I am educating others, I’m speaking also to myself when I say this.

Feder: Or asking a question out loud.

Jacobson: Right. It’s like thinking out loud. I’m always trying to relate to a world where, remember, when you look around, you see a room, you see chairs, you see people, you see bodies. You see materialism. And you can sense something more, but it’s always something elusive, so I speak to myself as well when I say it’s not something that you can easily travel in.

Feder: You know, maybe unfortunately, the first time that I ever really believed absolutely that there was something called the soul is when my mother died, and I went to see her, and there was her body. She had just died a couple of hours before. And I looked at her body and I realized that whatever it was that was essentially her was absolutely gone. And it was the lack of something, the missing quality, that made me realize that that thing existed, if you understand what I mean.

Jacobson: For sure. Because what you loved in your mother was not her eyes and her arms and her legs, it was her person.

Feder: But it was so totally gone that I realized it must have been some kind of special essence. And it was the first time I ever realized that. Maybe other people have had that experience.

Jacobson: Okay, so what you’re saying really testifies and demonstrates the point I made, that you needed to actually see that…

Feder: In front of me with my own eyes…

Jacobson: And the truth is, I hope we all can appreciate this in life and not have to wait to see it in death. In other words, when you look at someone you love, and they’re lying there or they’re awake, but they’re here alive with us, that appreciation, what you are loving, is not just a body, it’s not just arms and legs, it’s not just their limbs and organs. You’re talking about a person, a contributor, a person who has a special unique musical note, essentially. You love the musical note that they’re playing, and even when the music isn’t always perfect or something irritates you, it’s the person you love, it’s not just their actions, not just the sum of the parts. It’s something that every one of us knows is not tangible.

You know how profound love can be. You can’t even point your finger at it. What do you really love in the person? Is it their eyes, is it their physical body, is it their mind, their heart?

Feder: It’s almost impossible to express that.

Jacobson: Exactly. That would be the best example of us entering that soul world. But the thing is, it does remain hard to articulate, because you hug the person or in some other way embrace them, and for you, that’s an expression of love, you don’t need to analyze it with your mind and say, “What exactly is this?” That’s also the point. It’s not even necessary for us to understand it fully.

Yet that doesn’t mean we don’t discuss it, because we do want to educate ourselves in a way that we rise to the occasion.

Feder: It seems ironic to me that oddly enough, the things that are the most intangible, the things that have the least evidence, are the things that people talk about more than anything else.

Jacobson: The things that are most real to us are the things that are the hardest to articulate. That’s the law of human nature.

Feder: So let’s talk about something that is easy to articulate, which is that you are listening to Rabbi Simon Jacobson, and this is Toward a Meaningful Life with Simon Jacobson. My name is Mike Feder and we’re here every Sunday night from 6-7pm and you’re listening to WEVD, 1050AM in New York City.

This show is an outgrowth of the Meaningful Life Center in Brooklyn, and this show is also based very much on Rabbi Jacobson’s book called Toward a Meaningful Life, in which almost every subject that you hear discussed on the air here is discussed in the book.

We really want to thank everyone who has emailed us or written or called us. Here are some of the ways you can get in touch with us, and we want to hear from you. The most important thing is the telephone number: 1-800-3MEANING or 1-800-363-2646 . You can also email us atwisdomreb@aol.com. You can always write to us at The Meaningful Life Center, 788 Eastern Parkway, Suite 303, Brooklyn, NY 11225.

I’d like to also tell you that we have a new website where you can download transcripts of this program, and previous and future programs. It’swww.meaningfullife.com.

Let us move on. Say whatever you have to say, otherwise I have some questions I want to ask you.

Jacobson: I do want to say one thing about afterlife and reincarnation that may preempt your questions or may lead to them. After this preface, I do want to get to the heart, or meat of the thing: “Where’s the beef?” as they say.

So to sum up, the soul’s transmigrations, or the understanding of that spiritual reality, essentially, allows one to really relate to the concept of afterlife. So the question was asked, where does the soul go after death?

And my answer was, it doesn’t go anywhere. It essentially goes back to its initial state, and for a while, in between birth and death, it energized the appliance, the box called the body, which was energized by the soul.

Now, of course, it’s not like just turning the clock back, life will never be the same. Because once the soul did enter the body, and they did live together, and they did good deeds, and mitzvos, which means they fulfilled G-d’s Will for them, body and soul together, they are partners forever. And in some way, which is really another discussion but part of this one in a way, they even remain connected after death.

Feder: That’s something that obviously needs more explanation.

Jacobson: But I want to say this. Really, I would change the word “afterlife.” I would say what happens as the soul’s life continues.

Feder: The life of the soul continues, even if that of the body doesn’t.

Jacobson: Correct. So afterlife essentially means that life continues but on another dimension. Now the soul continues to travel on its own journey, but it has been transformed by the experience that it had together with the body.

Feder: Oh, now that’s interesting.

Jacobson: Okay, so with electricity, for instance, electricity leaves the appliance but the electricity doesn’t change. The appliance may change. But the electricity just goes back to its natural state. It is dispassionate and impersonal and is unaffected by the time that it energized the light bulb.

Feder: But the soul has been changed or adjusted or altered in some way by its encounter with your body as it moves ahead in its journey.

Jacobson: In both ways. If a person lived up to his or her destiny, the soul is enriched and empowered, and you could even say more, that it has been actualized. Because look at the soul (now I’m going beyond the electricity analogy) the soul is like a reservoir of resources and energy.

In a person’s life, when you allow that potential to actualize itself through love, through giving, through graciousness, through kindness, the soul is actually “exercised.” It’s like any talent. You can have a muscle, but if you don’t use it, it will atrophy. It’s the same with the soul. When you don’t use that resource called love, or that resource called compassion, what happens is the soul remains untapped and therefore in some way stagnates.

In other words, when you stretch out your arm to lend a helping hand, or you walk somewhere to visit a sick person, or you speak nicely, kindly, you give good advice, or any other way that you’ve used your appliance called the body to express soul experiences, the soul is then nourished by that and is exercised and cultivated.

Feder: So you’re implying then that there is a purification or almost an upward journey that the soul can take, or it can even go down.

Jacobson: Precisely. If the soul, for example, was used by the body in a negative way, let’s say someone used their mind or heart to hurt someone else, they used their ingenuity to be destructive, or they used their arm to raise it against a friend or a stranger. Or they used their mouth to libel someone or to hurt someone. Then what happens is the soul, in a sense, is negatively influenced and impacted by it. Mind you, not the essence of the soul, but definitely many of its forms of expression have been affected by the, so to speak, body’s misuse of that soul.

Now, interestingly, the word in Hebrew for reincarnation is gilgul. Gilgulmeans a cycle. The word galgil in Hebrew means a wheel. This alludes to the fact that the journey of the soul continues on. If the soul has not fulfilled its calling, if that musical note did not play its music fully or completely or in some way played some distorted music, it then needs to return to this world again to complete, fulfill, complement, or in some other way, correct or repair what was missing.

So, in a sense, the science of gilgul, the science of reincarnation, is a spiritual immune system so to speak that makes sure that the soul will continue to transmigrate and go through its journeys and return to this world. That’s why you find in many cases—from the holy AriZal and the Kabbalah—situations where a person may come back to do just onemitzvah, one good deed that they missed in a previous life. They return and are given a new opportunity and once they accomplished the mitzvah, the soul achieves peace because the wheel, the cycle is complete.

That is essentially, in brief, the concept of reincarnation.

Feder: Okay, we have a caller. Allen from New Jersey. You’re on the air.

Caller: Can you explain please, Rabbi, the concept of the luz, the bone in the body that’s responsible for reincarnation, and also how the soul and body will reunite in the future?

Jacobson: Very good questions, Allen.

Feder: You’ll have to explain that word.

Jacobson: Luz. Luz is a word in Hebrew. It’s called the “etzem luz” which refers to a bone, and there are two opinions as to which bone that is: some say it’s the top of the spine, and some say that it’s the bottom of the spine. It’s a bone that even after the body decomposes and deteriorates in the earth, the Talmud says that that bone always remains intact. And the reason being, it’s almost a testimony, a witness to eternity. Even the bodycontinues on, remains somewhat intact, because this refers to the concept that Allen was referring to which is resurrection, which really is an extension of reincarnation, the belief that because the soul and body did live a life together in this world, there is a belief in Judaism that one day they will reunite and live on together.

Feder: In which case, part of that body would have to be preserved, right?

Jacobson: Exactly. So the Talmud says that this luz bone will be the basis upon which the rest of the body will be rebuilt. Actually, I must say as a footnote, particularly for the skeptics, I don’t know about the seekers…

Feder: You’re talking to one right now, because I find this one a hard one.

Jacobson: Well, Mike, that’s why we need to dedicate another show to resurrection, but I’ll say this. There was a book last year that was about resurrection and science, and essentially, even the idea today of cloning DNA is not so strange (Jurassic Park was based on that), but medicine and science do not preclude the possibility that we will be able to extract that DNA from even a hair follicle and reconstruct and rebuild a life through that. So it’s not as wild as it sounds.

But I must say, we should really dedicate a different show to that because otherwise, we’ll really go off on a tangent here. And that’s why I prefaced this by saying that this show will lead to more questions than answers.

Feder: Well, speaking of questions, we do have one person who’s been holding on for quite a while. Okay, we have Angel from New Jersey.

Caller: Yes, good evening, Rabbi. The question I have is, in my reading of the Old Testament up until King Saul’s time, I had the impression that after the body dies, the essence of the person goes to rest, and that everybody thought that that was it. There was nothing that was going to happen afterwards. And I was wondering where the idea of reincarnation came from.

Feder: In other words, where in the Scripture or in the books does it appear first?

Jacobson: Very fair question, Angel. The truth is, there are opinions and questions about where the idea of reincarnation originates from, because in the Talmud you don’t find any direct reference (although there are many allusions). But essentially, even when there are differences of opinions among the Sages, ultimately there are usually trusted authorities that are relied upon. Essentially, the Kabbalists are the experts and authorities who can talk about gilgul. Those who deal with halachah, or the laws, deal with the legal aspects, and gilguls or reincarnation doesn’t necessarily have legal applications or implications.

Feder: You’re losing me a bit here with the legal thing.

Jacobson: What I’m trying to say is that ultimately we rely upon the authorities, from a Jewish perspective, and these are the Kabbalists, Jewish mystics, who talk about the gilgul, and primarily I mentioned the Zohar, the Book of Splendor, the classical text of Jewish mysticism, authored by Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, who has an entire section in the chapter of Mishpatim(the chapter in Exodus called Mishpatim), where he talks at length about what he calls Toras hagilgul, the Torah or the science, the study of reincarnation.

Now, the reference in the actual Bible is obviously based on the concept of the soul. How does G-d create man, meaning Adam and Eve? “And He blew” and imbued or instilled a breath into the earth, and that created the human being.

So clearly, that breath of energy, that breath of life is not something that was created at that moment, clearly it is a spiritual nature, and doesn’t disappear after a person dies.

Feder: Is that another word for the soul then, that breath?

Jacobson: That’s what it is in Hebrew. Nishmas chaim means the breath, the breath of life. Remember that in Hebrew neshamah (soul) is the same word as breath actually. So essentially the concept of a soul is clearly referred to in the Bible.

Now the concept of reward and punishment is also based on the fact that if a human being has a relationship with G-d, and to simply say that that relationship ends upon death is essentially negating the whole idea of achieving something eternal from what we accomplish on this earth.

Feder: When you say “reward and punishment,” are you referring to the upward and/or downward journey of the soul after…

Jacobson: Precisely. I’m also referring to the idea that when you do a good deed in this world, Mike, something lives on forever, it’s not just while you’re here.

Feder: And if you do a bad deed?

Jacobson: It’s exactly the same. You’ve done something that needs to be repaired. With a bad deed, we say that it goes on forever until it’s repaired, because obviously the goal is to have a second chance which is the concept, again, of reincarnation.

But the questions are really good and I must say, and I hope you’ll mention, that I invite Angel and Allen and all the listeners to look up the show, once it’s a transcript on the website, and continue to ask questions…

I think reading the transcripts on the website is a great opportunity, particularly on a topic like this which is so dense, to understand the basics of these concepts, and I invite the listeners to visit the website and follow up with more in-depth questions (I’ll be happy to answer individual questions on line and perhaps we can create a follow-up show) but both Allen and Angels’ questions were very good questions.

Feder: Let me ask you a question which follows the path that we’re taking. When you were talking about the transmigration of souls, the movement of a soul from one body to another level, or another body which is reincarnation, this is a question a lot of people ask and wonder about.

Does a soul have a remembrance or recognition of itself in a former incarnation? Like when I die and am reincarnated and my soul goes to another place, do I know it’s me and do I remember what I was like and what I’m all about and what my lesson is to be?

Jacobson: Excellent question. I’m glad you asked that, as always, because it follows from where we were. Now, I want to distinguish between two things. Often when people who are interested in issues such as reincarnation, past lives, and destiny, ask me questions, it’s important to distinguish between sensationalism and the search for exotica, and real practical application.

Often, we human beings like the sensational, we like the unknown, and I don’t want to analyze it or criticize it, but I believe that this is perhaps because in a way it absolves us of responsibility. Like if someone says they can read your palm, or they read your stars…

Feder: Your destiny.

Jacobson: Yes. In a way it’s like, “Oh this is my destiny.” So it’s an excuse to say that I’m not completely responsible. That’s why when you go to a true Kabbalist, a true mystic he will refuse to reply to a sensational question or one that comes merely out of curiosity. (I’ve often made the statement that the people who really know, don’t say, and the people who say, don’t know, usually) because someone who really knows is very wary and very skeptical that this shouldn’t be used or abused.

Like someone will say, Okay, can you tell me where I reincarnated? Now a person who really knows that answer will usually not answer because the real question would be, why is it important for you to know? To make you a better person? Would you become more responsible? Would you be able to resolve issues you carry with other people

Now, in certain exceptions thi information will be shared if the person who’s asking the question is responsible and will definitely use it in a positive way. But if it’s just to satisfy some type of curiosity, then there is no legitimate reason to get into it.

Feder: Well, it’s like these psychic hotlines on TV that you see all the time. Will I get a new watch next week? Will I get a raise? Will my boyfriend this that and the other thing.

Jacobson: In Judaism, we’re very careful and respectful of human dignity and responsibility, and this means that you’re responsible for your life. So we shouldn’t over-rely on reincarnation and the concept of soul alone, but rather, it ultimately comes down to: are you going to live a better life? What kind of person are you going to be?

But with that qualification, I will say the following:

There’s no doubt that the effects of the soul in the previous lifetime or let’s say its journeys on the path, definitely have an impact on our lives today.

It may be an impact on our personality, on opportunities that come our way, in the way you deal with problems. It’s not necessarily coming from that place, because clearly according to the nurture/nature argument, there are many factors that shape us.

Feder: So what you’re saying is that the essence of my soul, or whatever it was before it entered my body and became my life, will affect who I am?

Jacobson: To some extent. There are several factors that shape who you are. One, of course, is your genes, your genetic make-up, which are your parents. Now that, of course, is also complicated, because often you see that these things can skip generations, for example, if you have a red-headed grandfather and red hair has skipped a generation.

So clearly genetics is complicated, it’s not just black or white.

Now, the second thing that impacts who you are, of course, is nurture: your education, the attitudes, for good or for bad, that you had in your environment, in your home, in your schooling, and so on.

In addition to all of that, there are definitely elements in the human personality, the human experiences and opportunities that G-d may present for you. He may give you opportunities to repair or to complement or to fulfill something you may have missed in a previous lifetime.

So the attitude essentially would be, like the Baal Shem Tov said in a very powerful, beautiful way, “Sometimes the soul comes down to earth for 70 or 80 years, just to do a favor for another person.”

Feder: For one person, in one moment.

Jacobson: In other words, the concept of reincarnation, when it comes down to the practical, is developing the sensitivity we have to have every moment for every opportunity that comes your way.

You meet someone today, tonight, tomorrow, it may be a stranger, it may be someone you know, that’s an opportunity for you to accomplish something, And you do not know, perhaps whether your soul came to this life for you to fulfill something in your interaction now, some good deed, to say a good word, to do a kind gesture, that in some way fulfills something the soul missed in a previous part of his journey.

So it’s a very powerful message.

Feder: So this is a way that I could look at my life and transcend what might be immediate or short-sighted suffering. If I look at all my sufferings, I can wonder and curse it and blame it on everybody, but if I look at all my sufferings as not a new thing, but as an opportunity to repair something that didn’t go right the last time, it’s a way of looking at it, right?

Jacobson: Yes. And it’s a way of saying that there is never despair, there’s always hope, always another chance. It may not be about people, it may be the fact that you gravitate to a certain part of nature, it may be that you are suddenly brought to a location and you don’t know why you are there. You may have gone traveling for vacation or for business purposes and you meet someone unexpectedly. It’s opening your eyes to possibilities and horizons, so to speak.

So though we may not be able to point our finger at where we have reincarnated from, those opportunities, in a way, are like the soul speaking to you, to us, saying, “You’re here for a reason. Listen to my call. Listen to my beckoning.”

Feder: Could the reason be that you are here to meet the particular person who you are truly to fall in love with and then repair something that went wrong last time?

Jacobson: Yes. Repairing doesn’t always mean that you did something wrong. It could mean that something wasn’t completely fulfilled, consummated, or other situations. Love is often very much that way. Love between two people really, when it’s on a profound deep level… it’s almost like they feel that they knew each other somewhere. It’s that uncanny feeling of, “How did that person know that about me?”

Feder: Okay, we have one more call before we have to approach the end of the program. Caller, you’re on the air.

Caller: My wife was sick for 36 years with cancer, she suffered a lot. She was a tzedeikis (a righteous woman). She passed away more than a year ago. Afterwards I felt that she was around me. I couldn’t separate from this feeling. I have grandchildren and great grandchildren and they have the same name as my wife. I feel that her soul is in these children, but the person who lived and did good deeds, the soul lives in them, as the Rabbis explain. That’s my feeling, what’s your opinion about it?

Jacobson: First of all, I want to share my feelings of both condolence and compassion for your loss. But at the same time for your gain, as you just described it. It’s very powerful and a clear demonstration of what we say, you know, when we name someone for a grandmother or a mother or father, G-d forbid, who have passed on, or other relatives, that naming in a way is a way of channeling the soul energy of that person into that child’s life. Because a name has power to it. A name is a channel for spiritual energy. The spirit of your wife, as we know in Jewish faith, never died. The sad part is that it is disconnected from our perception, that we can’t see it, like there’s a curtain that doesn’t allow us to see it, which is the sad part.

But when you see grandchildren and people who have been moved and inspired and who continue the legacy…

There’s an entire chapter in the Bible called Chayei Sarah, “The Life of Sarah,” about the wife of Abraham, and interestingly, when you read that chapter, the chapter begins with her death: how she lived 127 years, how Abraham went and bought her a plot in Hebron, and so on.

So the question is asked, her life was described in the previous chapter.That’s the chapter we should call “the life of Sarah.” But why is the chapter called “the life of Sarah” after she passes? Because how do we see if a person is truly alive? Not when they’re walking around biologically breathing, but when you see their eternal impact and influence on the people they left, on Abraham, on Isaac, in the case of Sarah.

So in a way, many people who are great moguls, who are powerful, etc., and people tremble before them… once they’re gone, no one remembers them, except if they build a memorial. But there are people who, even when they’re not here physically, their spirit is so imbued and so inspiring to others, that you really see that their life lives then in a way that was not apparent during their lifetime. During their lifetime, their physical presence was there.

Feder: You know, I hate to do this, but this show went so rapidly—I think because it’s so meaningful and so interesting—but we are right about at the end, and I want to say a few details that we usually say at the end, and ask you a final question.

You are listening to Toward a Meaningful Life with Simon Jacobson. This is Mike Feder and we thank you very much for your calls. Write down the number, engrave it somewhere, 212-244-1050 , because we want you to call in. We’re here every Sunday from 6-7pm.

We’d like to mention that this program is based on the book Toward a Meaningful Life, written by Simon Jacobson and available at bookstores everywhere. These programs are brought to you by you, by the listener, and our underwriter for tonight’s program, the person who brought it to us, is Sharon, and we thank her very much for helping us bring the show to you.

And also I’d like to say before we end that we have received many requests, in fact, from people asking how they can donate to the Meaningful Life Center, which is the organization that brings you all this, the radio show and the web site among other things. The Meaningful Life Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing a sense of peace, light, inspiration and meaning into the world. All its activities are made possible by donations of listeners just like you who receive the center’s publications and tapes and who listen to this program and visit the website.

When you contribute to the Meaningful Life Center, you become a partner in the work that we’re doing here, so we ask you to please consider funding these radio programs, sending us money. It’s a great opportunity for honoring someone you love perhaps, or bringing meaningful inspiration to thousands of people that we’re trying to reach.

You can dedicate a program to the memory of a loved one, someone’s birthday for instance, wedding, or any kind of occasion. But the spiritual value is there. That’s what you’re investing in. And believe me, we really do need your help. A donation of any sort, a dollar, or we’ll take $100,000 would be greatly appreciated.

Please call us at 1-800-3MEANING ( 1-800-363-2646 ). When you pledge, make sure you ask to receive our newsletter, Meanings. And remember, we don’t have commercial sponsors, you are our sponsors. We count on you the listener to make this show possible.

Next week we’re going to talk about a nationwide plague, something that’s touched everybody: depression and mental illness. And let me ask one more question before we go on:

If the spirit, the soul, is moving on an upward or purifying path, what is its ultimate journey, or destination?

Jacobson: The ultimate destination… I’ll cite a Talmudic statement that says, “Tzadikim (righteous people) and talmidei chochamim (Torah scholars), true, refined human beings, don’t have peace, not in this world and not in the World to Come.”

And let me qualify that. It doesn’t mean they have no peace in a negative way, it means a restlessness. And it cites a beautiful Psalm from King David that says “The journey, the travel, is from strength to strength, from level to level.” True spiritual journeys really never end, and that does not mean (I don’t want to scare any of the listeners or ourselves) that we never come to any plateau, it means that true growth is like an infinite journey of goodness, it’s like, when you love someone, can you ever say “I love them to the fullest capacity?”

No, love is a continuous journey that continues on. And in that sense, the soul always continues in its journey. So I would not say that there’s an ultimate destination. But the first destination is reached by our efforts, and with our spiritual input, that when you use your options, and opportunities, to be more spiritual instead of more selfish, when you travel somewhere (now it’s vacation time), when you meet people today or tomorrow, and you use it not just for personal gain but for some spiritual growth, that is soul travel.

The ultimate goal, in a way, is creating a chain reaction where people, spirits, all over the world bond with one another, and we each allow our personal light to shine, and connect with the light of others. In Jewish faith this is the concept of Redemption, a personal redemption, a universal redemption, a world where spirituality is the priority and materialism is just a means toward that end.

And from there, you ask me where we go? It’s only upward. Instead of being a battle between good and evil, it should be a battle between good and better, as the Yiddish expression goes: “If good is good, is better not better?”

Feder: Thank you very very much.

Jacobson: Thank you, Mike. See you next week.

http://www.meaningfullife.com/spiritual/soul/Reincarnation_and_Afterlife.php

"Why are the Righteous Being Taken Away?"

2011-12-19T11:25:00.000-08:00

Yitzchak Izik
12 Cheshvan 5772

Isaiah 57:1 - " The righteous man has perished, but no one takes it to heart, and men of kindness are taken away, with no one understanding that because of the evil the righteous man has been taken away."

A great Tzadik departed from this world on the yahrtzeit of Rachel Imeinu, a"h. [Jeremiah 31 - "Rachel weeping for her children...."] This Jew has made a huge self-sacrifice for the sake of the Torah. And he's only one of the many tzadikim who, in the last months, have disappeared from the world. Sometimes more than two per day; tzadikim, who, some of them are well-known like HaRav HaGaon Rav Natan Tzvi Finkle, ztz"l, and apart from this, very many lesser-known tzadikim in Olam Hazeh, but very distinguished in Heaven. This is the most fearful situation, because what will we do without tzadikim!? And the Tzadikim who are called gedolei hador - the great of the generation - the majority are much older Jews, and we tremble over their health daily. The question is asked: Why!? Why, at this moment in history, are we standing and observing daily how the magnificence of Am Yisrael is simply disappearing. [reference] What is the reason? Very simple. We are really right before the complete redemption, with G-d's help. And Am Yisrael is in a very difficult situation. If we give Am Yisrael too much musar, then Am Yisrael won't want to listen, usually.

[Tehillim 50:17 - "For you hated discipline and threw My words behind you."] And more than this, Am Yisrael is angry at those who tell them the truth, and run away instead of drawing close. Therefore, HKB"H is bringing down upon the Jews hard blows. In the last years, the blows upon Am Yisrael are big and hurt very much. Many Jews who died in a sudden manner, or in traffic accidents, lo aleynu, or in various other ways, lo aleynu, or from many difficult illnesses, lo aleynu. And we bury them and continue onward. We forget and go on, but we do not return in teshuva especially. [Isaiah 42: 25 - "And He poured out upon them the fury of His anger and the strength of battle, and it blazed upon them all around and they did not know, and it burned among them and they did not take heed."]

There are indeed some Jews who have returned in teshuva for real, but the majority continue to move away, and I'm speaking about the chareidim. They continue to move away, continue to drown within the Olam Hazeh and Eigel Hazahav. Indeed, they continue to stick hechshers on it, but it's treif, and it brings only to the end of life, so that a person will lose eternity, chas v'shalom.

But, HKB"H sees that it's not helping - so, He sends the tzadikim from us. Because without the tzadikim, we have no feeling of security at all. And the moment that they disappear from the area - then, everything is the most frightening. It's correct that in Heaven, they will pray for Am Yisrael, and it will help, but every single Jew is obligated alone to make a connection with HKB"H. And this is what will help us. And there won't be for us tzadikim to help, because they almost don't exist here. A little longer and we will really be orphans, Hashem have mercy, and like it is written, that at the end - before Mashiach - it will be a generation of orphans, orphans from rabbis, from tzadikim who direct us and give merit to the generation.

What can I say? Almost twenty years we're speaking, and there are people who are beginning to understand, but they're not the majority. They're continuing to fight Jew-against-Jew about nonsense; Jews doing against other Jews all kinds of evil acts, only from zealotry and hatred and all kinds of negative emotions. 'Machloket' - it's a name for a contest. And the situation is going to get worse. There is violence in the chareidi street and the situation is that whoever wants to raise children to Torah and mitzvot and good works, there is really almost no chance for a child to arrive at true yiddishkeit. Therefore, there must now be an end to the exile. There must be an end to the exile now! This moment! Because there is almost no hope for the future. We feel that the Shechinah is already no longer present all over the world. Many Jews are suffering in the worst way, but we're not waking up. We continue to be happy with ourselves, learning, keeping Shabbat - good Jews, but without heart. For the majority, they are without heart. Also, the yeshivas, also the Beit Yaakovs. Learning and learning, where is HKB"H on the horizon!? Where is HKB"H!? Not in the heart. Not in the heart of the majority of Jews.

Am Yisrael, what I'm saying is not new. Just one thing I want to say: Very dark clouds are on the horizon. [Zephaniah 1: 15 - "That day is a day of wrath; a day of trouble and distress; a day of ruin and desolation; a day of darkness and gloom; a day of clouds and thick darkness;..."] The dark clouds, it's war. The third world war. And this war will be the hardest. Hundreds of thousands and maybe millions will be killed. Two-thirds of the world will be destroyed. [Ezekiel 7:5,6,7 - "So said the Lord God: An evil, a singular evil, behold, it comes. An end has come; the end has come, it has awakened against you; behold, it comes. The dawn has set against you, O dweller of the land; the time has come; the day is near, confusion and not the shout of the mountains."] And Eretz Yisrael will not be destroyed, but the Jews, also in Eretz Yisrael, those who do not return in teshuva, those who continue their loitering in Olam Hazeh, they will not survive. That's not to say that there won't be anything in Eretz Yisrael, there will, but Eretz Yisrael will not be completely destroyed. I can only bless all Am Yisrael that we will return in complete teshuva and that our end will be the complete redemption, and that we will merit to this, because it will be the joy of all joys of the Olam Hazeh. But, I'm very worried that until we arrive to this, the world will be a ruined place. Really destroyed. Hashem will completely destroy all the evil, all the falsehood, and will bring us to the World-of-Truth. Without the yetzer hara. But - only with the truth.

Choose, Am Yisrael, choose. There's not much time. This war is standing before us. It's possible already to see it from afar, that it's advancing quickly toward us. A weapon - we shouldn't know of such - is in all the lands. Evil and falsehood are administering the world. There is no logic at all. The Satan leads them. The yetzer hara, the snake, rules over them. But at the end of the thing, in huge miracles, Hashem will erase them from existence. And to wait, even one minute, it's the most dangerous thing. We're obligated at this moment to change direction to the direction-of-truth, and to take out all the falsehood that you have in your lives.

http://palmtreeofdeborah.blogspot.com/

Great Posts to Read

2011-12-18T14:40:00.000-08:00

The Chanukah that has erupted unto the world Jewish scene in all its childishness, asininity, shallowness, ignorance and fraud – is not the Chanukah of reality. The Chanukah that came into vogue because of Jewish parents – in their vapidness – needed something to counteract Christmas; that exploded in a show of “we-can-have-lights-just-as-our-goyish-neighbors” and in an effort to reward our spoiled children with eight gifts instead of the poor Christian one; the Chanukah that the Temple, under its captive rabbi, turned into a school pageant so that the beaming parents might think that the Religious School is really successful instead of the tragic joke and waste that it really is; the Chanukah that speaks of Jewish Patrick Henrys giving-me-liberty-or death and the pictures of Maccabees as great liberal saviors who fought so that the kibbutzim might continue to be free to preach their Marx and eat their ham, that the split-level dwellers of suburbia might be allowed to violate their Sabbath in perfect freedom and the Reform and Conservative Temples continue the fight for civil rights for Blacks, Puerto Ricans and Jane Fonda, is not remotely connected with reality.

This is NOT the Chanukah of our ancestors, of the generations of Jews of Eastern Europe and Yemen and Morocco and the crusades and Spain and Babylon. It is surely not the Chanukah for which the Maccabees themselves died. Truly, could those whom we honor so munificently, return and see what Chanukah has become, they might very well begin a second Maccabean revolt. For the life that we Jews lead today was the very cause, the REAL reason for the revolt of the Jews “in those days in our times.”

What happened in that era more than 2000 years ago?

[ Ongoing Geulah speculation, where we try to align current world events with specific hints from the parsha, the navi’im, midrashim, as well as prophetic hints in the Gemora and kabbalistic sources, as well as bringing associated statements from gedolim, tzaddikim and mekubalim. ]

We truly are at the end of history. There is no more Achishena (before it’s time) moments, even b'itah (in it’s time before it’s time). The topic of Mincha Gedolah of the 6th Millennium means that the process of the coming of Moshiach ben Yosef and Moshiach ben David is a pretty set process with minor deviations because of HaShem's Rachmanut (mercy) because of all that we (the Jewish people) have already suffered.

Things like the lack of gut wrenching suffering in 5771, the 3rd year of the Shmittah cycle, were from His Rachmanut because we have suffered enough. Yet, I believe in the general redemptive process as outlined here because while there are tests for individuals, there are no more tests on the Klal. The train of redemption is moving full speed ahead and no one can stop it this time around.

There is a reason for all this.

One of the things Geula-bloggers (including myself) do is follow news events that point to Hashem's plan for the Final Redemption unfolding little-by-little. There is ample basis for this view - most notably, Shir Hashirim Rabba 6:16.
However, there is another view out there that Mashiah will come suddenly. Rabbi Reuven Cohen's book entitled "Livyas Chein" on Parshat Vayeshev quotes Rav Yaakov Kamenetzky ZT"L as taking this approach. He says that it is useless and a waste of time to follow news events to show that Mashiah will be coming soon as there is absolutely no way to predict his arrival. This is, according to him, because his arrival must be sudden - and an integral part of Mashiah coming is the suddenness of it all.

One example from the Torah that shows its suddenness is the birth of the twin baby boys of Yehuda and Tamar -

Should Chanukah Be About Shopping for Presents?

2011-12-15T06:06:00.000-08:00

This is a great write-up from Shiloh Musings blog.

I wonder where the Chanukah gift custom came from. How old is it? Is it a long-time custom for Jews who had been living in Moslem countries, like in North Africa or India? If you can answer that question, please do in the comments, thanks.

Working in Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin, I can attest to the fact that that local Arab Muslims buy presents to celebrate all sorts of Moslem holidays. The Rami Levi commercial empire certainly benefits from that custom. Moslem holidays "travel around" the calendar, because it's a totally lunar calendar without solar adjustments. The Jewish Calendar combines solar and lunar, so holidays will always fall in the right season.

Chanukah and Christmas coincide, give or take a few days or a week or so. In an early pre-leap month Jewish year, Chanukah will end a week or so before Christmas, but in most years Christmas will fall in Chanukah. Please don't forget that Judaism predates Christianity and both predate Islam. I think that fact is a very important one to remember. Of those three major religions, Judaism is the most veteran, the oldest. The other two, Christianity and Islam, base much of their histories and territorial claims on Judaism in a double-punch attempt to replace Judaism, aka identity theft.

All Jewish Holidays revolve around food and eating. There are lots of jokes giving that as the punch-line.

Would Chanukah presents for the kids, spouse and more be the custom if the holiday didn't coincide with xmas shopping season?

There's an awful irony if the answer to that question is "NO!"

Chanukah is the Jewish Holiday that celebrates the fight against assimilation to foreign, non-Jewish cultures. In the media and commercially dominant western Christian culture of today, this is shopping and gift-giving season. I don't see all that shopping as being connected to the Jewish Holiday of Chanukah. During Chanukah we're supposed to add the Al HaNissim, Because of The Miracles to all of the prayers we say during the eight day holiday. It explains what we're celebrating and why:

תפילת "ועל הניסים" לחנוכה

על הניסים ועל הפרקן ועל הגבורות ועל התשועות ועל המלחמות שעשית לאבותינו בימים ההם בזמן הזה:

בימי מתתיהו בן יוחנן כהן גדול, חשמונאי ובניו, כשעמדה מלכות יון הרשעה, על עמך ישראל, להשכיחם תורתך ולהעבירם מחקי רצונך, ואתה ברחמך הרבים, עמדת להם בעת צרתם. רבת את ריבם, דנת את דינם, נקמת את ניקמתם, מסרת גיבורים ביד חלשים, ורבים ביד מעטים, וטמאים ביד טהורים, ורשעים ביד צדיקים, וזדים ביד עוסקי תורתך, ולך עשית שם גדול וקדוש בעולמך, ולעמך ישראל עשית תשועה גדולה ופרקן כהיום הזה. ואחר כך באו בניך לדביר ביתך, ופנו את היכלך, וטהרו את מקדשך, והדליקו נרות בחצרות קדשך. וקבעו שמונת ימי חנוכה אלו, להודות ולהלל לשמך הגדול

Translation:
And [we thank You] for the miracles, for the redemption, for the mighty deeds, for the saving acts, and for the wonders which You have wrought for our ancestors in those days, at this time—

In the days of Matityahu, the son of Yochanan the High Priest, the Hasmonean and his sons, when the wicked Hellenic government rose up against Your people Israel to make them forget Your Torah and violate the decrees of Your will. But You, in Your abounding mercies, stood by them in the time of their distress. You waged their battles, defended their rights, and avenged the wrong done to them. You delivered the mighty into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few, the impure into the hands of the pure, the wicked into the hands of the righteous, and the wanton sinners into the hands of those who occupy themselves with Your Torah. You made a great and holy name for Yourself in Your world, and effected a great deliverance and redemption for Your people Israel to this very day. Then Your children entered the shrine of Your House, cleansed Your Temple, purified Your Sanctuary, kindled lights in Your holy courtyards, and instituted these eight days of Chanukah to give thanks and praise to Your great Name.

That's what the Chanukah holiday is all about.

http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2011/12/should-chanukah-be-about-shopping-for.html

Comments from Shilomusings post

Shalom!
http://www.aish.com/h/c/b/48965221.html

Read the comments too. The first comment outlines the deterioration of the way in which Hanuka is celebrated.

Hadassa said...
another link
http://www.kolel.org/pages/holidays/Chanukah_customs.html

I'll quote the last paragraph here:
It is should be noted that the practice of gift-giving was only added in modern times in communities where Christmas was predominantly observed, with its associated custom of giving Christmas presents. Traditionally, Chanukah "gelt" (now chocolate coins) were distributed. Jews adopted the practice of gift giving as a way of avoiding their children's jealousy of their Christian friends. Today, especially in North America, it has become a fairly widespread practise, extending, in extreme cases, to the giving of an additional gift each of the eight nights. Some families have a tradition to make one night "book night" one night "arts & crafts night", one night "tzedakah night" etc.

Hadassa said...
Shalom!
From the Midrash Ben Ish Chai http://www.midrash.org/halakha/hanukkah.html

The children are trained in the Miswah of giving money in charity. Ashkenazim have the minhagh of giving Hanukkah money [and presents] to the children. Although there is a source for it, this is not the prevalent custom among Sephardim.)
15/12/11 09:04

The 11th Hour

2011-12-08T05:56:00.000-08:00

The eleventh hour is a colloquial expression meaning "a time which is nearly too late". So says
Wikipedia.... but there are some other origins of this expression, notably: This expression comes from the Bible. The 11th hour is the last hour before the end of the world.

Interesting...that number Eleven again ....even more so when you listen to Rabbi Winston's
shiur about Moshiach and the 10th Hour. (I know a lot of you don't have the time, so I've typed up the relevant bits)

Disclaimer: Any mistakes are mine, not his.[the following is taken from Rabbi Winston's shiur with a few added clarifications from me in blue]

5750 was a major turning point in Jewish history, as the Vilna Gaon explains:

Each 1000 years represents one day of Creation. The first thousand years represent Day One of Creation, the second millenium is Day Two.... and so on. Therefore this current millenium represents Day Six, the eve of Shabbat. And we know that Moshiach needs to come before Shabbat, before the end of 6000 years.

History Repeats

Everything that occurred at the time of Creation is going to have a corresponding reality in each millenium....each event will present itself again, in some way, every thousand years. History
literally repeats itself - on a different level - during each "day" (a "day" being a thousand years).

Knowing this, we can actually calculate the time Moshiach will arrive, so to speak, even though we are not permitted to calculate the date of His arrival, we can come close. {The Zohar says that as we come closer to the Geulah, even children will know how it will be.}

Moshiach's arrival is about tikkun - rectification. Therefore, Moshiach's arrival will correspond with the ideal time for tikkun as set out at the time of Creation.

The only reason we are all here is to rectify the original sin of Adam HaRishon in the Garden of Eden - the eating of the forbidden fruit. Adam ate from the tree of knowledge at the time of the
10th hour of day six of creation.

The gemara explains that during the 9th hour he was warned, and during the 10th hour (just before Shabbat) he ate the fruit.

The ideal time for tikkun/Moshiach will be in the period in history that corresponds to when he ate the forbidden fruit. 5750 was when the world entered that period of time - the time that
corresponds to the 10th hour of the sixth day of creation. (see Rabbi Winston's books at his website for all the details) 5750/1990 was the turning point, and the 10th hour lasts for 83.6 years (from 1990).

What happened in 1990: as a starting point, Russia imploded, Jews were allowed to leave: some went to Israel, some to America. Soon after in 1991 we had the Persian Gulf War. 10 years later, Y2K and then 911 when the world really did change for all to see.

The book that can change history

The one book that tells us what we're supposed to do at the end of history is Kol HaTor (The Voice of the Turtledove) based on the manuscripts of the Vilna Gaon and passed down through his talmidim until today. People don't talk about it, it gets pushed to the side, but that's the
book that can change history.

The Zohar tells us that Techias Hamaisim - the revival of the dead - takes place 210-214 years in advance of the year 6000, and the Zohar further says that Techias Hamaisim takes place AFTER the 40 years of the ingathering of the exiles. So according to the Zohar, history has to wrap itself up within 15 years from now. Techias Hamaisim is within 15 years. Hashem is bringing the end very fast.

I'm sure Moshiach ben Yosef has already come and gone, and there's reasons for that opinion - the Gra says that the job of Moshiach ben David is to conquer Yishmael - and this is the age of Yishmael - when Moshiach comes, Yishmael will go down. Before then, there are gevurahs (strict
judgments) which have to be rectified (sweetened). For example...last week's murder of the Fogel family in Itamar represented a bucket-load of gevurah.

The Gra says ultimately it depends on what we do. We should be talking about Moshiach, informing people... and reading Kol HaTor.

copied from Shiratdevorah.blogspot.com - do visit

A Wise and Insightful Individual

2011-12-06T19:47:00.000-08:00

will distill from this world the knowledge of its spirituality and subtle
things, and, using [this knowledge] like a ladder, he will attain proofs of the
Creator of all, May He be exalted, and devote himself to God's service....

Next, he will select for himself - from the physical elements of the world
- the things that support his body and promote his material well-being, but ONLY
ENOUGH to meet his needs and provide for his livelihood. He will give up the
luxuries and precious things of this world, which turn the heart away from God,
and try to work for his final home and destination after death. The world and
its possessions he regards as a means of providing for his appointed day and
latter end, and so he takes from it only what may accompany him on his
journey.

Reflection: Chapter 3 Duties of the Heart

You Have Been Warned

2011-11-19T19:16:00.000-08:00

The prophet has already warned us that we should be careful not to think that God has any form or likeness, saying: “Watch yourselves most carefully, since you saw no image” (Devarim 4:15); “But you saw no image – there was only a voice” (ibid. 4:12). “Watch yourselves…..carefully” means: be careful – in your thinking and imagination – not to represent the Creator by any shape, nor to conceive of Him in any image or likeness, for your eyes beheld neither image nor form when He spoke to you, as it says: “To whom, then, will you liken the Almighty? What likeness will you compare to Him?” (Yeshayahu 40:18); “To whom, then, will you liken Me, that I should compare to?’ says the Holy One” (ibid. 40:25); For who in the skies can be compared to God? Who is like God among the heavenly beings?” (Tehillim 89:7); “There is none like You among the gods, HaShem, nor are there works like Yours” (ibid. 86:8); and there are many similar passages. (source pg. 133 Duties of the heart)

The Divine attributes of action are those that are ascribed to the Creator as a result of His actions. It is possible that in attributing these qualities to Him, He is made an associate of some of His creatures [to whom they are also attributed]. Nevertheless, we are permitted to ascribe these qualities to Him, because of our urgent need to know Him and recognize His existence, so that we may assume His service. We find extensive use of this kind of Divine attribute in the Torah and the books of the prophets, as well as in the praises offered by the prophets and the pious. Such attributes are used in two ways:

1) Attributes are ascribed which indicate image and bodily form, as in the following examples for Scripture: “And God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him” (Bereshis 1:27); for in God’s image did He make man” (ibid. 9:6); “By the mouth of God” (Bamidbar 9:18); “My hands alone stretched out the heavens” (Yeshayahu 45:12); “in God’s ears” (Bemidbar 11:1); “and under His feet” (Shemos 24:10); “O arm of God!” (Yeshayahu 51:9); who has not sworn falsely by My Name” (Tehillim 24:4); “in the eys of God” (Bereshis 6:8); “and God said in His heart” (ibid. 8:21) and there are other similar attributions of bodily organs to God.

2) Attributes are ascribed to God which indicate movements and bodily actions, as it says: “God smelled [the pleasing fragrance]” (ibid. 8:21); “God saw…regretted…and He was saddened at heart” (ibid. 6:5-6); “God came down” (ibid. 11:5); “God remembered” (ibid. 8:1); “God heard” (Bemidbar 11:1); Then God awoke as one that had slept” (Tehillim 78:65); and there are many other similar attributes to Him of human actions.

The foolish and ignorant person will conceive of the Creator, may He be exalted, according to the literal sense of the Scriptural phrase.

(source: pg 131 Duties of the Heart

For Nurse Colleen - Her Voice.....

2011-11-13T18:03:00.000-08:00

.......is like a Nightengale. Dearest Colleen, replay over and over. I am sure you will be able to sing these songs beautifully. Here are the links for you to see the Hebrew.

http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt26c1.htm

And here is Psalm 23 http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt2623.htm

And here is Psalm 150 http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt26f0.htm

AHUVA GRAY PRODUCTIONS

Learn the Six Constant Mitvos/Commands

2011-11-09T20:06:00.000-08:00

Six Constant Mitzvos - Charlie Harary Videos

Introduction: click here for video

Mitzvah 1 - Know There Is a G-d: click here for video

Mitzvah 2 - Refrain From Idol Worship: click here for video

Mitzvah 3 - Oneness of G-d: click here for video

Mitzvah 4 - Love G-d: click here for video

Mitzvah 5 - Fear G-d: click here for video

Mitzvah 6 - Do Not Stray After Your Heart and Your Eyes: click here for video

More Charlie Harary Videos

For more videos on a variety of topics: click here

The 31 Prohibitions and Positive Commandments Relating to Lashon Hara

2011-11-09T19:59:00.000-08:00

The following is adapted from pages 13-26 of Guard Your Tongue – A Practical Guide to the Laws of Lashon Hara based on the Chofetz Chaim by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin; Gross Brothers Printing Co., New Jersey - publishers (1975):

PROHIBITIONS

1) “You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people” (Vayikra/Leviticus 19:16)

2) “You shall not utter a false report” (Shemos/Exodus 23:1)

3) “Take heed concerning the plague of leprosy” (Devarim/Deuteronomy 24:8)

4) “Before the blind do not put a stumbling-block” (Vayikra/Leviticus 19:14)

5) “Beware lest you forget the Lord, your G-d” (Devarim/Deuteronomy 8:11)

6) “You shall not profane My Holy Name” (Vayikra/Leviticus 22:32)

7) “You shall not hate your brother in your heart” (Vayikra/Leviticus 19:12)

8-9) “You shall not take vengeance nor bear any grudge against the children of your people”

(Vayikra/Leviticus 19:18)

10) “One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity or for any sin”

(Devarim/Deuteronomy 19:15)

11) “You shall not follow a multitude to do evil” (Shemos/Exodus 23:2)

12) “You shall not act similar to Korach and his company” (Bamidbar/Numbers 17:5)

13) “You shall not wrong one another” (Vayikra/Leviticus 25:17)

14) “(You shall rebuke your neighbor) and you shall not bear sin because of him”

(Vayikra/Leviticus 19:17)

15) “Any widow or orphan shall you not afflict” (Shemos/Exodus 22:21)

16) “You shall not pollute the land wherein you are” (Bamidbar/Numbers 35:33)

17) “You shall not curse the deaf” (Vayikra/Leviticus 19:14)

POSITIVE COMMANDMENTS

1) “Remember what the Lord your G-d did unto Miriam by the way as you came forth out of Egypt” (Devarim/Deuteronomy 24:9)

2) “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Vayikra/Leviticus 19:18)

3) “In righteousness shall you judge your neighbor” (Vayikra/Leviticus 19:15)

4) “If your brother be waxen poor and his means fail him when he is with you, then you shall uphold him” (Vayikra/Leviticus 25:35)

5) “You shall rebuke your neighbor” (Vayikra/Leviticus 19:17)

6) “To Him shall you cleave” (Devarim/Deuteronomy 10:20)

7) “You shall fear My Sacred Place” (Vayikra/Leviticus 19:30)

8) “Before the gray-haired you shall rise up, and you shall honor the face of the old man”

(Vayikra/Leviticus 19:32)

9) “You shall sanctify Him” (Vayikra/Leviticus 21:8)

10) “Honor your father and mother” (Shemos/Exodus 20:12)

11) “The Lord your G-d shall you fear” (Devarim/Deuteronomy 10:20)

12) “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and you shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up”

(Devarim/Deuteronomy 6:7)

13) “From a false matter you shall keep yourself far” (Shemos/Exodus 23:7)

14) “Walk in His ways” (Devarim/Deuteronomy 28:9

source:

Religious Jew's Vocabulary

2011-11-09T19:51:00.000-08:00

Ahavas Chesed = loving kindness

B’li Neder = without making a formal commitment

Bitachon = trust in Hashem

Chesed = kindness

Chizuk = moral support

Davening = praying

Hakaras HaTov = gratitude

Kavanah = concentration

Klal Yisrael = the Jewish people

Lashon Hara = evil tongue (speech) - any derogatory or damaging (physically, financially,

socially, or stress-inducing) communication

Midah, Midos = character trait, character traits

Mitzvah = a commandment

Mussar = ethical teaching

Neshamah = soul

Nisayon = a test

Ona’as Devarim = causing hurt through the spoken word

Parnasa = livelihood

Rechilus = gossip-mongering - any communication that generates animosity between people

Refuah Shleimah = a complete recovery from an illness

Sefer = a book

Shidduch = a match of two eligible and marriageable Jewish singles

Shiurim = classes

Shmiras HaLashon = guarding one’s tongue

Siddur = prayer book

Siyata D’Shmaya = Divine Assistance

Talmid, Talmidim = student, students

Tefillah, Tefillos = prayer, prayers

Teshuva = repentance

Zechus = merit

FEEL FREE TO LEAVE MORE IN COMMENT SECTION

source

Prayer for Siyata D'Shmaya (Divine Assistance)

2011-11-09T19:38:00.000-08:00

IN MATTER OF SPEECH

In his work Chovas HaShmirah (The Obligation of Guarding [one's tongue], the Chofetz Chaim recommends that one recite a daily prayer for Divine assistance in fulfilling the requirements of proper speech. Noting that Sifre (Devarim 24:9) cites a Scriptural source for verbal remembrance of the prohibition against speaking loshon hora, the Chofetz Chaim comments that recital of this prayer is a form of remembrance, which in itself helps one maintain vigilence in shmira haloshon.

The following prayer is drawn from the much lengthier prayer formulated by the Chofetz Chaim. It was prepared by the Manchester Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Yehuda Zev Segal, zt'l.

Master of the Universe, may it be Your will, Compassionate and Gracious G-d, that You grant me the merit today and every day to guard my mouth and tongue from [speaking] lashon hara and rechilus. And may I be zealous not to speak ill even of an individual, and certainly not of the entire Jewish people or a portion of it; and even more so, may I be zealous not to complain about the ways of the Holy One, Blessed is He. May I be zealous not to speak words of falsehood, flattery, strife, anger, arrogance, hurt, embarrassment, mockery, and all other forbidden forms of speech. Grant me the merit to speak only that which is necessary for my physical and spiritual well-being, and may all my deeds and words be for the sake of Heaven.

SOURCE: Chofetz Chaim: A Lesson A Day

VaYeira: The Salt of Sodom

2011-11-09T17:31:00.000-08:00

The Torah vividly contrasts the kindness and hospitality of Abraham's household with the cruelty and greed of the citizens of Sodom. When visitors arrived at Lot's home, the entire city, young and old, surrounded the house with the intention of molesting his guests. Lot's attempts to appease the rioters only aggravated their anger.

Washing after Meals

The Talmud makes an interesting connection between the evil city of Sodom and the ritual of washing hands at meals. The Sages decreed that one should wash hands before and after eating bread, as a form of ritual purification, similar to partial immersion in amikveh (ritual bath). The rabbinical decree to wash hands before meals is based on the purification the kohanim underwent before eating their terumah offerings.

The Talmud in Chulin 105b, however, gives a rather odd rationale for mayim acharonim, washing hands after the meal. The Sages explained that this washing removes the salt of Sodom, a dangerous salt that can blind the eyes. What is this Sodomite salt? What does it have to do with purification? How can it blind one's eyes?

The Selfishness of the Sodomites

In order to answer to these questions, we must first understand the root source of Sodom's immorality. The people of Sodom were obsessed with fulfilling their physical desires. They concentrated on self-gratification to such a degree that no time remained for kindness towards others. They expended all of their efforts chasing after material pleasures, and no energy was left for helping the stranger.

Purifying the Soul When Feeding the Body

A certain spiritual peril lurks in any meal that we eat. Our involvement in gastronomic pleasures inevitably increases the value we assign to such activities, and decreases the importance of spiritual activities, efforts that truly perfect us. As a preventative measure, the Sages decreed that we should wash our hands before eating. Performing his ritual impresses upon us the imagery that we are like the priests, eating holy bread baked from terumahofferings. The physical meal we are about to partake suddenly takes on a spiritual dimension.

Despite this preparation, our involvement in the physical act of eating will reduce our sense of holiness to some degree. To counteract this negative influence, we wash our hands after the meal. With this ritual cleansing, we wash away the salt of Sodom, the residue of selfish preoccupation in sensual pleasures. This dangerous salt, which can blind our eyes to the needs of others, is rendered harmless through the purifying ritual of mayim acharonim.

(Gold from the Land of Israel pp. 44-45. Adapted from Ein Eyah vol. I, p. 21)

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Food For The Soul

2011-11-08T19:54:00.000-08:00

One who guards his mouth and tongue, guards his soul from tribulations (Mishlei/Proverbs 21:23)

Which man desires life, who loves days of seeing good? Guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit... (Tehillim/Psalms 34:13-14)

Loshon hora (lit., evil talk) is defined as information which is either derogatory or potentially harmful to another individual. A derogatory statement about someone is loshon hora, even if it will definitely not cause that person any harm. To focus on the short comings of another person is in itself wrong.

A statement that could potentially bring harm to someone - be if financial, physical, psychological or otherwise - is loshon hora, even if the information is not negative.

(It should be noted that the term loshon hora refers even to true statements which are derogatory or harmful. Negative statements tat are untrue or inaccurate are termed hotzaas hem ra, slander - See Day 31.)

LEARN THE LAWS OF GUARDING YOUR TONGUE - SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON - Chofetz Chaim - A Lesson A Day (Artscroll Series)

The Meaning of Your Name - Do You Know Who You Are?

2011-11-06T10:06:00.000-08:00

Your Name is Your Essence and I discovered more about mine - what my name means and the influences it has and has had on my life. Your name is your essence, it is not just a random bunch of letters.... do you know what your name really means? Not just your first name, but all your names as a whole.

If you've ever been curious about it, or wondered why your life has taken certain twists and turns to bring you to this point, you may be amazed to find it's all encoded in the name you were given at birth. Nobody is given a name by accident, parents have ruach haKodesh when naming their children. Your name tells a story, and you are the main character.

Rabbi David Katz from Tsfat is sharing his knowledge and skill in decoding names - both Hebrew and english for those who don't have a Hebrew name. Every name in any language has a meaning, and there's a reason why you got yours.

AND NOW MY FOR MY NAME: I have posted exactly what Rabbi Katz sent me and posted on his website. I am not posting this to "puff" myself up - I am simply amazed at what he was able to extract from Torah which applies to my name. And keep in mind when you read the following - that my husband and I have a beautiful (bl'h) son by the name of Yosef.

Here is one example of a Beautiful Neshama of a Giuret Tzedeket:

On Tefillin, we have two Shin's ש...one with 3 arms, another with 4 arms. It is said, the 4 arms are: Kohen, Levi, Yisrael, and The Ger Tzedek; Holy and Righteous Converts.

זהבה בת שרה אברהם / Sondra Christine Brenner [Bas] Edward Earl
זהבה = Gold ; Sondra = Man's Defender ; Christine = "Past Observance" ; Brenner = Burner ; Edward = Wealthy Guard ; Earl = Nobleman [other names that will figure in the reading: Avraham = Father of Nations ; Sarah = To Strive ; Yosef = To Add]
Initial letters: א''ש זב : Heaven and Earth united, Pouring out; the concept of Jerusalem above and below, with one lifeline of Divine Shefa, " A Land Flowing With Milk And Honey".

310 א''ש זב ; This is a depiction of a Shin ש and a yud י. In a system of Remez/Hint, the shin and yud are interchangable; The Arizal says the word חיים /Life becomes Moshiach/ משיח When we exchange a yud with a shin as in the ALBAM METHOD : אלבמ alef-beis...and lamed-mem...; We also see the word itself, יש / "to have"...this soul is not empty, or without, rather, "yesh / of having possessions." To be with a possession and not be overly proud, is called Yesh [Amiti]. For a convert to come into Klal Yisrael having left it all behind, and to be a Jew with a strong Yesh, shows tremendous Beracha...and God's active Providence revealed.

End Letters: התמה, "The one (f) who is Perfect / Wholesome / Righteous / Straight / Inncoent."

Full spelling of Zahava: = 499 = There are 499 levels of evil to the left and to the right; thus to reach 499, is to rise mida kineged mida against evil; God will then complete the 1000th level, 500 to his ה and 500 to his ו shown in the word, "תקוה" / (Hope), which is 500 + ו & ה ...Hashem gives us Hope when we rise to reach the Beracha, to go up to, "499", Hope: and Hashem completes us at 500, where evil can not reach. with the ה and ו it corresponds to Man and Woman, thus this Beracha of 500 (from 499) reaches 2, as 1.

Take away 19, called Milui Nistar (the initial letters), gives us 480: the Power against the evil feminine seductive forces that plague the world, as seen by the Drum of Miriam; Miriam's Drum = 480, that in the merit of righteous women,we left Egypt and were Valiant at the Sea's Split...thus Miriam led the women in Dance and Song.

End and Beg. Letters value: 760: נס / Miracle ; To have Miracles regular in our lives; they are there, we can have a Beracha to witness them.

The Secular Name : "A follower of the old way, to be man's defender, and that way was/is destroyed, burned; as I am now A WEALTHY Guard and a Nobleman."

יהוסף בן זהבה : = 232, the value of the 4 main gematrias of Hashem, showing fullness of Hashem in revelation ; to be added, by means of "zahava" ; to be at the threshold of God - to be with God till the End - To have Hashem go to war for us = Yeho/Sof = God will + "all the terms listed above" = Yehosef (Yehosef, and not Yosef, as Yosef sanctified hashem's Name in private, revealing the silent Heh in his name), Also To Acquire...all these traits, by being Bas Zahava..Zahava makes this possible, to be a Ben "Yehosef".

Each Letter, one placement downwards = דוד - א : One Beloved ; One Companion, The Nourishment form One/1000 [Alef can be 1, or 1000 (500+500)].

זהבה בת אברהם : 669 = Bechor Emes, The true First Born, Israel, or a literal true first born Blessing; 669 = 391 + 278 = יהושע / עזרע : The 2 archetype souls of coming into the Land: from Farming or Conquest, the Eternal Craft of Israel, in its Yishuv Ha'Aretz, that will bring us to Beis Hamikdash, to be a Kingdom of Priests, in Peace..Taking our place as the True Bechor, Firstborn of God.

זהבה בת שרה : is 926: כוץ, which is to shrink: Sarah said she had shrunk (עדנה) , how could she give birth to Isaac? Thus זהבה is זה בה , this is in her, bas Sarah: Sarah bore Isaac. Isaac is 208, the Gematria of, "Ben Yosef".

Avraham and Sarah came to Israel with Lech Lecha : And this name is Zahava / Gold. Thus Zahava, The Gold of Bas Avraham and Sarah, as it says, " The Gold of the Land is Good....Zahava, Bas - Avraham and Sarah (the Gold of THEIR Land)...POssession of Eretz Yisrael, the Gold of our Forefathers.

This is a Very Holy Soul...B'H..One We Can All Learn From.

VISIT SOUL MAZEL AND TORAH: LIGHT to learn more and to also get the reading of your name

The Rebbe's Letter to a Prospective Rabbi

2011-10-31T14:21:00.000-07:00

.....thinking xtians, muslims, mormons and the like should consider this also.....

By the Grace of G-d
23rd Adar I, 5717
Brooklyn NY

Mr. _____
Chelsee 50
Mass.
Greeting and Blessing:

I received your letter of February 12th, in which you give a brief account of your background and education, and that you are now considering entering the appropriate institution where conservative Rabbis are trained. You ask my opinion on this matter.

My opinion can only be based on the opinion of the Holy Torah, and as it has been formulated by Maimonides, to the effect that he who admits that the Torah is G-d-given, except for one verse which he holds was given by Moshe Rabbeinu himself, such a person is regarded as denying the whole Torah.

Even without the said ruling of Maimonides, this would be self-evident and logical. For one has to be consistent: Either one accepts that the Torah is Divine, in which case a human being with his limited intellect, inasmuch as all creation is limited, cannot possibly fathom the Divine Wisdom that is in the Torah, and cannot, therefore, select passages from it which appeal to his intellect and discard others which do not.

On the other hand, if a human being is so presumptuous as to use his own discretion with regard to the Torah, and accept or reject accordingly, this means that he regards the Torah as something which does not go deeper or beyond his human understanding. Consequently also, the Torah in his opinion has no greater binding force than that dictated by human reason, which in effect means no binding force at all, since no human being can impose his views on any other human being.

From the above, it is clear that Conservative and Reform Rabbis who follow the approach of reform and compromise on religion, completely misrepresent the true Jewish religion and, moreover, mislead those who are under their influence in believing that their own form of convenient "religion" is the kind for which our ancestors have given their lives for thousands of years. They will have their followers believe that their type of man-made religion is the religion revealed to us by G-d on Mount Sinai, and this is the greatest possible fraud. When a career is made of this type of religion, and human conscience and profoundest feelings are made a "trade-in-stock" in this unholy business, then a greater depravity cannot be imagined.

In view of what you write about your own background, I think it is superfluous to emphasize that there is a great difference between a person falling on occasion to withstand a temptation and therefore committing a transgression, and one who tries to justify such sins of omission and commission by saying that they are not transgressions at all, or that the Torah itself permits one to use one's own judgement, for in the latter case it is nothing but falsification of the truth, which is what Conservative and Reform preach. The fact that a Conservative Rabbi may himself be a thoroughly religious person, and observe in his private life all 613 Mitzvos, does not alter the situation if he represents the Conservative movement and disseminates its doctrines.

From the above, it is also evident that the use of the title "Rabbi" in its traditional sense is completely contradictory when it is applied to a conservative, and is in itself misleading and fraudulent to the unsuspecting congregations. Hence, to select such a career in the first place, in my opinion, is completely out of order.

It is well-known that there are many members in Conservative congregations, and sometimes even so-called spiritual leaders in the movement, who themselves negate completely the Conservative philosophy, accepting and following fully the whole Torah, and, in the latter case, have accepted positions as rabbis in Conservative temples for various reasons. This is also the case with regard to the person to whom you refer in your letter, who obviously does not belong at all in the Conservative movement, nor in the so-called "New" brand of Conservatism, which goes under the name of "Modern Orthodoxy". On the other hand, it is clearly obvious that such a situation is pregnant with constant inner conflicts, which are often even outwardly apparent. Therefore, it is certainly advisable and illogical to select a career which is bound to bring with it constant conflict and friction, both within himself and in relation to the environment, etc.

You write that hitherto you have succeeded in safeguarding your immunity from outside influence. But surely this does not jusify to place yourself in a situation which contains more than the average elements of temptations and trials, a road which is fraught with dangers and pitfalls. Rather the contrary, inasmuch as Divine Providence has been kind to you and has safeguarded you from such influences in the past, you should, once and for all, make up your mind to break away from that dangerous path.

If you are bent on a rabbinical career, surely it would be more desiarble for you to enroll into a proper Yeshivah which prepares and trains for the Orthodox rabbinate. If this seems a more difficult climb, nothing stands in the way of determination and will.
With blessing,
(signature)

found here

Amazing Story of Gilad Shalit and Chabad Family

2011-10-25T09:52:00.000-07:00

The amazing story of how Jerusalem Shlucha Chana Canterman befriended Aviva Shalit and the 20 year old dollar from the Rebbe that resulted in recent blessings.
By COLlive reporter

Aviva Shalit, mother of the now released Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, placed a phone call Monday to Chana Canterman, a Chabad Shlucha in Jerusalem, to update on her son's health.

"He's fine! He's fine!" Mrs. Shalit joyfully said.

The connection between the two who live in the same country but spend time in different spheres began when the Shalit family began campaigning for their son outside the prime minister's residence.

Sgt. Gilad Shalit was captured by Hamas terrorists on 25 June 2006 in a cross-border raid via underground tunnels near the border with Gaza.

Chana and her husband Rabbi Eli Canterman, the Shluchim in the Talbiyeh neighborhood in Israel's capital, were one of the volunteers who provided meals for the Shalits in their protest tent.

The Cantermans had the Sunday shift and have since become close friends with the Shalit family, visiting them often and praying together for Gilad's release from Hamas captivity.

Chana would spend hours shopping and cooking beautiful meals for the family, a friend of the Cantermans said.

"Slowly they had to bring larger amounts of food each week because everyone would visit on Sunday because they loved her cooking," the friend said.

CLOSE BOND

Naturally, they became close friends with Aviva and her husband Noam Shalit, providing not only food but emotional and psychological support during this time.

"When I flew in to New York for the annual Kinus Hashluchos convention on 24 Shvat, I asked Aviva what I could bring her back from the U.S.," recalled Mrs. Canterman in an interview with COLlive.com.

"She told me, 'All I want is Gilad. I don't need presents.' All she thought about was her son."

The Cantermans also made sure to come by for holidays, in addition to the Sunday visit. For Purim, they organized a festive meal for family and guests, and brought them Matzah on Pesach. During Lag BaOmer day, children came to the tent to say the 12 pesukim (holy passages).

On April 17th, the day before last Pesach, Chana Canterman brought a special gift to Aviva Shalit along with her meal: a dollar bill that she had received from the Lubavitcher Rebbe that was to be given to a worthy charity.

"Take this dollar," said Chana, "and may it be a Segulah (merit) that Gilad be released this year."

Aviva accepted the dollar gratefully and carried it with her wherever she went.

"It was a very depressing period for the family," Canterman recalls. "We wanted to give them an opening of hope and strength to continue waiting for the healthy return of their son."

SUDDEN PROGRESS

On the same day the Shalits received the dollar, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Shalits he replaced the official mediator from Chagai Hadas to David Medan.

Miraculously, Medan began to receive messages from the Hamas with signs of Gilad Shalit being alive and in stable condition.

On Rosh Hashana, Rabbi Canterman came by to blow shofar for them. A week later, they heard that Gilad was going to be released on Tishrei 20 - on Chol Hamoed Sukkos.

The next day, Mrs. Canterman texted Aviva Shalit asking her if she can check the date written on the dollar from the Rebbe (Chabad chassidim often write on the bill when it was received).

Mrs. Shalit excitedly replied that the date on the dollar that Canterman received over 20 years before from the Rebbe, was Tuesday, 20 Tishrei, the date that Gilad Shalit was released by the terrorists.

And the year that dollar was given? 5751 - the Hebrew year chassidim spelled out as "the year we will see miracles and wonders."

SOURCE

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2011-10-24T19:06:00.000-07:00

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