The Message of the Mud

HT: Creed of Noah

Regarding the mud-slides in California.... what is the message we can garner from all this?  Perhaps this chassidic story can give us some insights. 

There were two brothers, one a wealthy magnate, the other a pauper but a G‑d-fearing person. When the poor brother’s daughter was of marriageable age, he wended his way to his rich brother to ask him for assistance with the wedding expenses. The rich fellow was happy to see his brother again, and invited him to a lengthy tour of his palatial home.

After a while, though, the poor brother got tired of it, and asked his brother to cut it short.

The latter couldn’t understand: In the future we will be allowed to eat it“Don’t you enjoy the exquisite beauty of every corner of my house?”

“There is a creature,” replied the other, “that wallows in the mud all day. If you ask it what it wants, all it can think of is, ‘More mud!’

“You, too, are sunk in the ‘mud’ of material pleasures, and all you want is more ‘mud’ and more possessions, instead of focusing on the truly important things in life.”

Source: Pigs and Judaism

Baseless Hatred

by Rabbi David Hanania Pinto 

We have learned of the paramount importance of loving one's fellow and how much we have to gain from it both spiritually and materially. Now, let us examine another facet: Let us see what we may lose if the love is replaced by hatred, and if unity is replaced with dispute.

In fact, just as we are commanded in the holy Torah to love our fellow by the mitzvah of "Love your fellow as yourself," we are likewise commanded [Vayikra 19:17], "You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your fellow, but you shall not bear a sin on his account." This implies that hating one's fellow does not only result in losing out on the mitzvah of loving one's fellow, but rather it is an outright prohibition of the Torah in itself.

When we hear of a certain person that got sick with a dangerous illness, G-d forbid, we shake our heads sympathetically: "Oh, how awful! How much bad news there is!" But oddly enough, regarding the dreaded illness of our hearts, we do not grieve over it and do not sense at all. We do not even notice it, and moreover, we do not realize how dangerous it is.

We are actually referring to the dreaded illness of baseless hatred. Yes! It is truly an illness, maybe even a widespread plague! But unlike most illnesses, this disease is an all-embracing disease that affects all 248 organs and 365 sinews of our body.

When one commits a sin, an impure spirit is drawn to that organ involved in the sin, as Chazal say [Ketubot 5b] "A man shall not let his ears hear idle things, because they are burnt first of [all] the organs." This implies that by hearing forbidden speech, a spirit of impurity is drawn upon the ear, and thus ultimately it is burnt first of all the organs. So too, every organ that is used to commit a sin, an impure spirit is drawn upon it, but this is not the place to expound on the topic.

While certain sins cast impurity upon organs that the neshamah is not dependent on, it is nonetheless a great impediment. How much more so is the danger when the spirit of impurity is cast upon an organ that the neshamah is dependent on, such as the heart, which the life of a person hinges. If the person, G-d forbid, lacks a heart, then he is considered dead! Thus, the severe sin of baseless hatred, which lies in the heart of a person, draws the impure spirit upon one's heart. Since it is the central organ of a person, consequently the spirit of impurity gets circulated throughout one's entire body! 

When a disease affects one organ, it can be really dangerous, but still there is a chance to save the patient. However, what happens when a tumor has spread to all the vital organs in the body, such as the heart, brain, and the like? Then the situation is so much worse, and the chance for surviving is almost non-existent.

The Chofetz Chaim elucidates that the same applies to illnesses of the soul. Every transgression affects a certain organ, with which the man sinned. When it comes to a less central organ, then even though the patient's condition is dangerous, there is still a chance to save him. The danger to his life is not immediate. However, when a person sins with an organ that his soul is dependent upon, like when a person harbors baseless hatred, then his condition is far more dangerous, and there is almost no chance of saving him.

24 Teves - The Alter Rebbe

The founder of Chabad Chassidism, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi - "the Alter Rebbe" [1745-1812], passed away on the eve of the 24th of Tevet, at approximately 10:30 pm, shortly after reciting the Havdalah prayer marking the end of the Shabbat. The Rebbe was in the village of Peyena, fleeing Napoleon's armies, which had swept through the Rebbe's hometown of Liadi three months earlier in their advance towards Moscow. He was in his 68th year at the time of his passing, and was succeeded by his son, Rabbi DovBer of Lubavitch.

The Alter Rebbe would often repeat in the name of the Baal Shem Tov that wealth can be Gan Eden (paradise) or it can be Gehenom (purgatory). The Alter Rebbe explained this saying as follows. If one uses his wealth for charitable purposes, then it is paradise. If one uses it for self-indulgence or holds it treasured away in order not to give charity, then it is purgatory.

The Mitteler Rebbe, when he was just 7 years old, asked his father "Why are wealthy people so haughty? Even those who are not born into wealth, yet when they become wealthy they change nature and become conceited."

The Alter Rebbe responded "God set up a system in which wealth inherently causes conceit. The chamber of wealth, in heaven, is found between Gan Eden and Gehenom. There are two doors to this chamber. One opens to Gan Eden and the other opens to Gehenom. Ze le'umas ze asa Elokim - God made one opposite the other.

Source: Chaim Dalfin: The Seven Chabad Lubavitch Rebbes

Yesterday's Massive Storms

I love storms and yesterday's was incredible. 

Was it just a coincidence that yesterday was also the first legal same sex marriage in Australia?

More photos of the storms here.

Massive storm clouds over Bondi Beach - Photo: Jessica Hromas

The Jewish Way to Combat Terrrorism

Someone sent me this video of the Lubavitcher Rebbe speaking about the United Nations - in 1969 !

As you will see, some things just don't change.

The same UN, the same type of enemies, and the same Israel.

''Amazing Events Worldwide''

HT Sherry

Rabbi Yuval Ovadia [in english] - includes current events and Nibiru [Kochav Yaakov] and the eclipse

Rabbi Kessin: The Iranian's Protests, Bannon's Comments & more

Hidden for a Reason

Art: Vladimir Kush

I started to write a long comment on an excellent post at Emunaroma: Two sides of the 'images of women in frum media' debate and then I realized that everything I wanted to say could be encompassed in one sentence from the Talmud: Blessing does not rest upon something that is out in the open, but rather on something that is hidden from the eye.

To expound on this: The negative force only has power over that which can actually be seen by the physical eye. This is one of the reasons that it can actually be a blessing to not be so noticeable in the public eye.  [See Remedy for an Evil Eye]

That is just one reason why I am an Anonymous blogger...

The Components of Creation

Rabbi Kessin elaborates on the different parts of creation as set forth by the Ramchal.

The Donkey in the Pit

by Rabbi Yaakov Lieder 

Once, when one of my daughters was eleven years old, she complained about a pain in her knee. 

Seeing nothing wrong with her knee, I suggested that it was probably growing pains. My daughter didn't like the explanation. "Why can't we grow without pain?" she demanded. 

Unfortunately, in real life, growth is often associated with pain. As the famous saying goes, "No pain — no gain." While we may not have control over the "pain" part, especially when it’s caused by others, we do most definitely have control over the "gain" part. 

Most of our learning and growth in life comes not from the good times but rather from the difficult times. During the good period we are happy and therefore do not want anything to change. It is during the bad times, when we are unhappy with the status quo, that we learn how to change things — how to make our world better than it is. 

When life throws challenges at us, we have a choice. We can feel sorry for ourselves and cry and complain, "Why me?" Or we could stop and say to ourselves: "What can I do, given the new circumstances that have arisen?" 

I once asked an elderly wise person whom I used to approach for advice, "Where do you get such good judgement from?" He answered, "Good judgment comes from bad experience." He related to me the following story, which had a profound effect on me. 

One day, a donkey fell into a pit. The animal cried and whined for hours while his owner tried to figure out what to do. Finally, the farmer decided that since the animal was old, and the pit needed to be covered up anyway, he'd just bury the old donkey right there. He got a shovel and started filling in the pit. The donkey kept up its wailing, but then fell silent. After an hour of furious shovelling, the farmer paused to rest. To his amazement, he saw his old donkey jump out of the pit and trot away! 

At first, when the donkey realized what was happening, he cried even more piteously. But then the wise animal hit on a plan. As each spadeful of dirt hit his back, the donkey would shake it off and take a step up on the growing mound of earth. Eventually, the mound grew high enough for him to jump out of the pit. 

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the pit well is to shake it off and take a step up. We can get out of the deepest pits by not stopping and never giving up. Just shake it off and take a step up. 

Try it, it works! 

Source: Chabad

Super Red/Blue Moon

At the end of January, we are going to see a red blue moon.  

A blue moon is the term used when one month contains two full moons.  However, this time it coincides with a total lunar eclipse, which will turn the moon a deep red colour.

According to Space.com the total lunar eclipse on January 31 will be the first time an event of this kind has coincided with the Blue Moon in over 150 years.

More information at Earth Sky.

The Scope of the Redemption Process

New shiur from Rabbi Mendel Kessin

Rabbi Kessin outlines a general overview of the messianic process as it manifests throughout history.

He discusses the Cosmic Clock timeline [he calls it the Creation Clock], which you can see ticking away [thanks to Yeranen Yaakov] in the left hand column of this blog...which is now just past 12.39pm on Friday afternoon.

The picture below is not connected to Rabbi Kessin, but I thought it was appropriate.

The Month of Tevet

Practical teachings of kabbalah for the month of Tevet: Rabbi Alon Anava

Trump, Jerusalem & Rubashkin: The Hidden Meaning

Rabbi Mendel Kessin - new shiur
Are the astonishing events during the past 2 weeks part of a bigger plan?

The Nations Against

I'm very disappointed in Australia, who abstained from voting.

Here you can see the 128 countries who voted against Jerusalem being the capital of Israel. 

It's all Good

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

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

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

Why should we be kind to guilty offenders?

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

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

Source: Likutei Sichos Lubavitcher Rebbe

Must Reads

If you still doubt that we are in the End Times, please read What is Time?


Also see the latest article from that site: Israel's Borders:  A Divine Gift

Instant Salvation

"And they rushed him out of the dungeon" [Mikeitz 41:14]

In the Chofetz Chaim's later years, the Communist Revolution raged in Russia.  One of the aims of the wicked Communists was to stamp out any trace of Judaism from the hearts of the Jewish people. They spared no effort at trying to achieve this goal. They mercilessly leveled harsh decrees against the Jews, and only thanks to the mercy of Heaven were Jews able to remain firm in their faith.

"Look at what the Torah states in Parshas Mikeitz", said the Chofetz Chaim to one of his students.  "The verse says that 'Pharoah sent [messengers] and called Yosef, and they rushed him out of the dungeon.'  For twelve years Yosef languished in prison and no one paid any attention to him.

'But when the moment that Hashem had designated for Yosef's salvation finally arrived, he was immediately rushed out of the dungeon.'

''We are in a similar situation. Our predicament appears to be hopeless: the Communist regime, in their cruelty, will stop at nothing to sever our ties with the holy Torah. Yet when Moshiach comes and our moment of redemption arrives there will be no delays and we, too, will be rushed to our Land.''

Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein

Donald Trump and the Last War

The Tamar Yonah Show

In this fascinating show, we talk about the spiritual meaning of Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. We also talk about ‘The Last War’ and what we might see happening in the near future. Rabbi Mendel Kessin  joins Tamar and shares his insights into the Messianic process that we are seeing unfold in front of our eyes. A ‘DON’T MISS’ show!

Click here to listen

Are We Doing Enough to Spread the Noahide Laws?

With all the confusion out there regarding this topic, Rabbi Jacobson answers the question: ''Are we doing enough to spread the Sheva Mitzvot Bnei Noach?'' [ @ 24:20 on the video] and ''Can Chassidus be taught to non-Jews? '' ......  also Chassidus applied to Chanukah..... and more topics

Rabbi Simon Jacobson