Lazer Brody's Blog, page 298

More Rocket Attacks on Ashdod

Now on the third day straight of missile attacks from Gaza, Ashdod was attacked twice this morning, at 10:15 AM and at 10:35 AM. Hashem continues to perform miracles; to the best of our knowledge, there are no casualties. Schools are still closed today in Ashdod. Let's hope for only good news.

Update, 2:25 PM, Israel

Two more GRAD missiles have just been fired at Ashdod. 

Update, 2:45 PM Israel

We've just been attacked again, and this time one of the missiles landed in a heavily populated area, damaging stores, a residential building and cars. An elderly woman has been injured and several people are being treated for shock.

Update, 3:15 PM Israel

I'm in my studio, trying to record a new emuna CD, but the siren has gone off again and another two missiles have been fired at Ashdod. Look at the lengths the Yetzer Hara will go to try and prevent us from spreading emuna. He won't succeed.

These missile attacks are bringing everyone together in Ashdod. People of all backgrounds are taking cover together in the same shelters. Ashdod is a city without zealotry, where people get along with one another in mutual respect.

Update, 5:00 PM Israel

The Red Alert siren has just sounded, and two more rockets have been fired at Ashdod. We are now in the 4th day of consecutive rocket attacks.

Sweet Subjugation

This coming Shabbat is "Shabbat Parah", when we read about the Red Heifer and the spiritual purification process.

King Solomon was the wisest man who ever walked the face of the earth. He knew all the secrets of creation. He could understand what two chirping birds were talking about. He had a deeper insight into human nature than a thousand social scientists put together. He was just as familiar with the spiritual realm as he was with the material world. But he couldn't understand the mitzvah of the Red Heifer. In Ecclesiastes, he says, "I have become wise, but this is far from me;" he was referring to the mitzvah of the Red Heifer.

We read the Torah's commandment of the Red Heifer between Purim and Pesach, because during the time of our Holy Temple, one was not allowed to fulfill the mandatory mitzvah of eating from the Pascal Lamb unless he or she was ritually pure. A ritually impure man or woman could not complete his or her purification process without being sprinkled with the Mei Chataat, the purification water that was made with the ashes of the red heifer. A such, the red heifer played a key role in our people's spiritual preparations for Pesach (Passover). Without it, on cannot fulfill one's obligations on Pesach.

Since we have no Holy Temple today, or ritual sacrifices, red heifers, or Pascal lambs, our prayers and rituals serve as a substitute. That's why we must read the Torah's account of the Red Heifer to prepare us for Pesach.

The Red Heifer defies all logic. The Cohanim (priests of the Holy Temple) who participated in the process of slaughtering the red heifer, burning the carcass, collecting the ash and preparing the purification water all were rendered ritually impure. Yet, when the purification water was sprinkled on a person with the worst type of spiritual impurity, he or she would become pure. This is the only mitzvah of the Torah that causes a pure person to become impure and an impure person to become pure. It makes no sense!

Continue reading Sweet Subjugation in this week's issue of Breslev Israel web magazine.

Also featured this week:

Rabbi Shalom Arush: A Drop of Humility

Rabbi Avraham HaCohen Kook: Technology and the Sabbath

Racheli Reckles: The Police States of America

Dr. Zev Ballen: Standing Alone

Rivka Levy: Moshiach Hide and Seek

Chaya Ovadia: Restoring Harmony

Chaya Ovadia, for Breslev Kids: The Parpar, the Butterfly

Dovber Halevi: Solid Bridge

Bracha Goetz: Tuning in Late

Here's wishing you a wonderful new week from the Beams and Breslev Israel!

5 More Rocket Attacks on Ashdod

Updated, 11 AM Israel Time

GRAD rockets continue to be fired from Gaza toward Ashdod. We had 5 Red-alerts this morning, at 6:30 AM, 8:15 AM, 8:35 AM, 10:07 and just now at 10:55 AM. Once again, the Iron Dome missile defense system succeeded in intercepting two of the rockets that were headed toward population centers. We thank Hashem for His constant protection.

Tonight in the Golan

Here's news for all our friends in the North of Israel: G-d willing, we'll be giving an emuna shiur in the Golan tonight, Sunday, March 11, 2012, at 8 PM in Moshav Yonatan. For further details, contact Shmuel Goldman at 0524838914.

Stormy Shabbat: South of Israel Sustains over 100 Rocket Attacks

Motzaei Shabbat (Saturday night), 9:15 PM Israel Time:

We had a very stormy Shabbat here in the south of Israel and particularly in my beloved hometown of Ashdod. Last night at 9:55 PM, multiple red alert sirens sent us scurrying for cover. Ashdod and surrounding areas were hit with nine GRAD missiles fired from Gaza. Subsequent attacks occurred at 12:25 AM, 2:50 AM, 6 AM, and 7:10 AM. The 7:10 AM attack caught me in the mikva; thank G-d, that's a spiritually safe place to be...

The day was quiet more or less, except that everyone was sleepy in the synagogue from being up intermittently all night. In the middle of praying Shmona Esrai during Maariv at the termination of Shabbat, there was a sixth attack on Ashdod, namely at 6:30 PM. There was an additional attack an hour ago at 8:15 PM.

The Iron Dome missile defense system has worked superbly in Ashdod, knocking down several missiles that were headed for the center of town. Miraculously, all the other missiles landed in open areas and on the outskirts of town.

Tomorrow, school has been cancelled in Ashdod, Ashkelon, Beer Sheva, and the Gaza-periphery settlements.

The chaos began after the IAF killed Zuheir al-Qaisi, the head of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), on Friday. Al Qaisi was killed following intelligence that the PRC was about to launch a deadly attack on Highway 12, which straddles the border with Egypt. He was the villain who planned the terrorist attack on the Egyptian border several months ago that killed 8 Israelis.

To the best of our knowledge, eight Israelis have been wounded by the rockets this weekend. Most suffered light to moderate wounds. One, a foreign worker, was seriously injured.

Hamas claims to be sitting on the sidelines, but most surely is doing nothing to hinder the PRC.

Let's hope for better tidings; meanwhile, Shavua Tov from the south of Israel. 

Shabbat Shalom

This week's Torah portion is Ki Tisa. Enjoy our weekly Torah portion sheet. and have a great Shabbat!

My Pop, of Blessed Memory

My beloved father, Yaacov ben Yitzchak of blessed memory, left this earth on the 15th of Adar Aleph, 5760, twelve years ago. Pop's yahrtzeit - this anniversary of his death - is tonight and Friday. This post is dedicated to him.

Pop was born in Winnipeg, Canada in 1921. His father came from the Ukraine, a shtetyl called Yanov, half way between Breslev and Berditchev. Like a lot of immigrants, my grandfather left observant Judaism behind in the Old Country, so my father was born into a secular home. Yet, he spoke perfect Yiddish and was the warmest Jewish heart you'd ever want to meet. He gave loads of his money to charity; he supported widows and poor Torah scholars. He loved everything Jewish, from traditional food to music. He had no problem polishing off a bottle of vodka with a plate of herring and black bread. He had the voice of a cantor, and when he'd sing, the neighbors would ask what radio station we're listening to.

Pop was the only Jewish combat pilot from Western Canada in the RCAF in WWII. He had a double enemy - the Nazis and the antisemitic Canadian peers who more than once tried to sabotage him.

He wasn't religious, but my Pop had a love for Israel, for his fellow Jews, for widows and orphans, and for Hashem. He had more emuna than most. His famous expression was, "Wait to worry." He never ever complained about pain or discomfort, and profusely thanked Hashem for every new day. Pop's legacy includes three generations of Torah-observant Jews in Israel and more on the way, G-d willing...

I miss you so much, Pop. I miss your hug and your strength. Please forgive me for not doing enough to honor you properly.

Here are two treats in Pop's loving memory: The first is one of his favorite Yiddish melodies, Oyfen Pripitchik, played by violinist Boris Savchuk. The second is a beautiful Dvar Torah written by my youngest brother - also a Baal Teshuva - ZZ (Zeev Zalman). Enjoy both and have a great Shabbat!

Zev Zalman's Dvar Torah in Loving Memory of our Father, may he rest in peace:

On the 15th of Adar 5772, it will be 12 years since my Papa was Niftar (passed away) Alav HaShalom (May The Peace Be Upon Him). May this D'var Torah elevate his Neshama (soul)!

This weeks Parsha, Ki Tisa, has so many memorable moments, I will focus on one that I can apply to my life and embodies a part of who my Papa, Yakov Ben Yitzchak, Zechrono L'Vracha (May His Memory Be For Blessing) was. He was a Baal Chesed (someone who epitomizes loving kindness) and was always very generous in giving Tzedaka for Israel's well being!

It says at the beginning of the Parsha ,"Vayidaber Hashem el Moshe laymor, Ki Tisa et rosh Bnai Yisrael lifkudayhem V'NATNOO eesh kofer nafsho laHashem bifkod otam v'lo yihiyeh vahem negef bifkod otam" ("Hashem spoke to Moses saying, when you take a head count of the Children of Israel according to their numbers, THEY SHALL GIVE, every man shall, an atonement for his soul to Hashem when counting them, so that there will not be among them a plague when counting them.") Hashem says you cannot count a Jew in a normal fashion, you must collect a Machatzit Hashekel (Half Shekel) which will be used for the building and upkeep of the Mishkan (The Tabernacle) and these Shekalim will be counted. Rich and poor alike, the same amount is to be collected, symbolizing everyone has an equal share to the Mishkan and the Torah. What is so amazing is the language that is used. The Baal Turim (Author of "The Turim" or "The Tur" -Rabbi Yakov ben Asher), Zechrona L'Vracha,) points out that the word, "V'NATNOO" (they shall give) is a palindrome. It is read the same forwards as backwards, symbolizing that whatever you give, you will get back. This was referring to the Tzadaka, but let's take it a step further. Giving is a means to really connect with Hashem! When we are selfless with our Spouses, our Children, our Parents, and our Communities, it gives Hashem much nachas from his Children. Why was the amount a half shekel and not a whole? To show that when we do things on our own we are not complete, and most times neither are our tasks, but when we come together, showing unity and a communal purpose , we can accomplish anything! When we daven alone, we are scrutinized, all of our faults are magnified, but when we come together with one voice of Tefillah, the communal good is focused on by Hashem. This Kehilah (congregation), Minchas Yitzchak, is a beautiful model of this.

We have people from many different places in life, different professions, different incomes, different religious minhagim (customs), but we come together and in unified song and Tefillah, we reach the upper portals where I believe our Tefillah is accepted due to our communal good! By the way a "Tzibur" (community or congregation), consists of 3 letters ; Tzadi, Beit, and Raysh. Tzadi stands for a Tzadik, (a righteous one) Beit stands for Benoneem, (people in the middle, neither righteous nor wicked) and Raysh stands for Rashayim, (wicked ones). Thank Hashem no one at Minchas Yitzchak falls into this last category, even so, all are part of the Machatzit Hashekel!

A beautiful vort (word, thought) brought down from Rabbi Moshe Chaim Levinson, Zechrona L'Vracha, talks about the Half Shekel. The word that is used for half is "Machatzit" which consists of 5 letters ; Mem, Chet, Tzadi, Yud, Taf. The Ztadi in the middle of the word represents the Tzadik, the two letters surrounding the Tzadi on each side are Chet and Yud, which spell, "Chai" (life) the two letters farthest away on each side are Mem and Taf, which spell, "Met" (dead). When we connect to and surround The Tzadik we are spiritually alive. When we distance ourselves from The Tzadik we lose our spiritual life!

Let us always be connected to The Tzadik and always remember how much we need our Spouses, Children, Parents, Families, and Community in order for us to be whole, and may we take part in giving Half Shekalim with the building of the Third Bais Hamikdash and the coming of Mashiach, speedily in our days, Amen.

A Happy Purim from the Beams

Purim Chassid

Look who's become a Breslever Chassid this Purim... Happy Purim!

Do You Need a Miracle?

My cherished friend emuna-oriented psychotherapist Dr. Zev Ballen heard from Rav Shalom Arush shlit'a how to obtain your miracle.

Rav Shalom Arush's Prayer Before Drinking each Glass of Wine:

English - עברית