Lazer Brody's Blog, page 11

Parshat Bo: Are You Crazy, Pharaoh?

Pharaoh is suffering setback after setback; his entire country is on the verge of collapse yet he is still intransigent. What's wrong with him? We learn from Pharaoh that those who create a lie, then live it, are on a collision course with Hashem and reality. Let's see:

The Rod and the Staff

King David declares to G-d, "Your rod and your staff ��� they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4). "Staff" is a leaning stick, like the cane that an old man leans on. As such, "staff" symbolizes the comforting presence of G-d, which King David could lean on during all his troubled times. "Rod" symbolizes the punishment stick. King David in effect says to G-d, "Whether You console me and resemble a staff, or whether You torment me and resemble a rod, I am comforted by Your presence." Such a righteous man knows the value of the "rod", which is nothing other than the seemingly bad.

King David, as a three-year old shepherd, killed both a lion and a bear that threatened his flocks. As a twelve year old, he killed the giant Philistine warrior Goliath. David remained undaunted. Only one thought scared him: "Don't cast me away from you, G-d, and don't remove your spirit of holiness from me" (ibid. 51:13). King David's only fear in life was losing the proximity of G-d.

Just as a gold-medal Olympic sprinter cannot be a world champion without supreme effort, King David could not have become G-d's anointed, the head of the messianic dynasty, and role model for subsequent generations to this day, without the many arduous experiences in his life.

When you're able to treat the trying situations of your life as precious gifts designed to enhance your spiritual and emotional growth, then you're well on the way to inner peace.

Getting Past the Peel

It's easy to peel an orange, but it's not so easy to peel away the many layers that we hide behind or disguise ourselves with.

The vast majority of society puts much more emphasis on external facades and impressions - the peel - rather than on the inner dimension, the true commodity of worth - the fruit. By doing so, people not only waste potential but lead unhappy lives. G-d willing, today's lesson will help us change all that and get a much better understanding of who we really are and where we need to go in life.

Don't miss today's emuna lesson and live broadcast from Jerusalem entitled "Getting Past th Peel", which will take place, G-d willing, on the ground-floor main sanctuary of the Chut Shel Chessed Yeshiva on 13 Shmuel Hanavi Street in Jerusalem at 7 PM Israel time; the shiur is open to the public - both men and women are invited. You can see today's lesson here - the broadcast, as well as our lessons posted from now on - are Mac and iPod compatible. If you tune in too early to the live broadcast link, you'll be sent to the main page of the Breslev Israel website, so try to tune in on time.  If you are not able to view today's broadcast live, then G-d willing, you'll be able to see the video tape of it later this coming week on Lazer Beams. 

Thank You, Hashem

There is so much to be thankful for, both on a national level and a personal level. Hashem has been doing awesome miracles for us; if we had the slightest inkling, we'd be dancing all day long. At this moment, He continues to do awesome miracles. I want to share one of the most widely viewed video clips that Emuna Outreach ever made - as of today, it's been viewed over 1.8 Million times! It's the type of clip you can see dozens of times, and never get tired of it. In the same manner, when we never tire of thanking Hashem, we know that our souls are healthy.

Pass this clip on to your friends and relatives, especially if they're still far from Hashem. If it doesn't warm their hearts, then send them for an urgent EKG. Chodesh Tov!

Where's Daddy?

The little cutie in the above photo doesn't know where Daddy is. To make things worse, all types of things in the environment are frightening him - a barking dog, a police siren and people with mean looks on their faces. Our toddler didn't intend to lose connection with Daddy when curiosity called and lured him to wander away. The world looked like a lot of fun; but now, without Daddy near, it's ever so scary...

The above is a mere parable.

Our souls are just like the toddler in the above photo, with tears of trepidation trickling down our spiritual cheeks. No wonder our emotions aren't on an even keel, because emotions come from the soul.

So what's the solution?

Return to Daddy!

The prophet cries out to us in the Name of Hashem, our Daddy Above: "Return, mischievous children!" (Jeremiah 3:14). The word he uses for "mischievous" is shovevim, the acronym of the six-week period that we are in the midst of, a most opportune time to return to Hashem. Do yourself a big favor and read Return, Mischievous Children, my feature article in this week's special new issue of Breslev Israel web magazine.

Also featured this week:

Rabbi Shalom Arush - Don't Blame the Child

Rabbi Nissan Dovid Kivak - Say "Cheese" for Hashem

Gedale Fenster - Attitude of Gratitude

Racheli Reckles - Is He the One?

Rivka Malka Perlman - Clinging to the Rock

David ben Horin - Regression Analysis

Dennis Rosen - All for the Best

Aleeza Ben Shalom - 4 Dating Tips from the Torah

Enjoy, and have a great new week; but hold on - don't go away:

Have you heard about "Emuna: Where Body and Soul Meet", our upcoming USA speaking tour? If you're in the USA south - Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada or California - and you'd like Rabbi Lazer Brody to visit your community, give us a shout right away at staff@breslev.co.il -

 

The Planted People

Shavua Tov! Why did the Men of the Great Assembly who codified our liturgy use the term plant us within our borders rather than settle us within our borders or place us within our borders? Today's lesson will tell us much about the best way to maximize our personal and national potential:

Parshat Va'era: Prayers for Posterity

Rashi is exacting in his elaboration of this week's Torah portion: Hashem revealed His Name of mercy to our holy forefathers, but He didn't reveal Himself to them as totally and exclusively merciful. Enjoy and have a lovely Shabbat!

Backflips and Geula

Everyone in Israel, as well as Israel's friends abroad, are in shock today; that is, except for our cherished friends - may Hashem bless you - who read the Beams. No one (except us) can believe that POTUS Trump just now handed Syria on a platter to Iran.

We know that the Geula is happening fast, but it looks like that Hashem has just shifted into a higher gear. Just two days ago, we wrote here that Trump is very similar to Achashverosh in a number of ways, especially in his topsy-turviness. Yet, today's backflip would win a gold medal if there were Political Olympics; look at this:

Exactly a month ago on Dec. 4, 2018, the Atlantic quoted the Trump Administration and said that American forces would remain in Syria as long as Iranian troops are outside Iranian borders, and that includes Iranian proxies and militias. Yet yesterday, a mere 4 weeks later, POTUS Trump said Iran can do whatever they want in Syria, because American troops are going home.

Have you ever seen a more complete backflip than that? 9.98 rule the judges, Gold Medal for Mr. President...

I have a secret for you - Trump did not initiate the backflip; Hashem did. King Solomon says so: "The king's heart is in the hand of the Hashem...He turns it wherever He wants" (Proverbs 21:1). Hashem doesn't want Israel depending on America or on American troops to protect against Iran, who will now complete its control over and presence in Syria our next-door neighbor, so Hashem is pulling the USA out of Syria.

Rebbe Nachman of Breslev explains that a lack of emuna is what delays the Geula (see Likutei Moharan I:7). Hashem wants us all to believe in Him, not in any flesh-and-blood of any shape or form.

This week's Haftara, Ezekiel 29, is the real news - Israel thought that Egypt would protect them against Nechadnezzar and the Babylonian army; Hashem tells Israel that leaning on Egypt is like leaning on a reed; in other words, undependable.

I remind everyone once more what we said two days ago: to quote Sota 49b, we have no one to lean on but Hashem. The sooner we internalize that, the quicker we'll say the splendor of Geula, speedily and in our days, amen.

Rav Shalom Arush: The Magic Formula

Rebbe Natan said that a person who is happy always will never see the face of purgatory. Rabbi Shalom Arush in this priceless clip teaches the magic formula for happiness always...

Garden of Wisdom, Lesson #79: The Miracle Worker

The Clever One falls lower and lower, losing his money and his prestige. In his blind arrogance and stubbornness, he continues with his quest of heresy, not only refusing to believe in the king but in the miracle worker too���