Lazer Brody's Blog, page 321

Irene and Iran

Yes, the Geula is coming closer. We must observe what Hashem is doing in the world. In
Israel, we have the constant threat of Iran. Now, the USA is being threatened with Irene. "Irene" and "Iran" are spelled with the same letters in Hebrew - aleph, yud, resh, nun. If you scrabble those letters, you get nun-yud-resh-aleph, which means we must fear.

Yes, we must all fear - that's a law inherent in creation. But if you opt to fear One, then you need not fear anyone else. Emuna and yirat shamayim - true awe of Hashem - are the key words to keep us safe wherever we are, whether on the Mid-Atlantic Coast or on the Eastern Mediterranean Coast.  

Hurricane Irene Alert

Our very good friend Ilya Newman from LA is a meteorologist, and a specialist in sever-storm developments. He is also a man with emuna. Ilya sent me the following email, especially for our cherished friends and readers in the Mid-Atlantic Coast area:

Good evening family and friends, one look at the latest weather forecast data coming in tonight we look at on a regular basis paints a VERY ominous picture for the Mid Atlantic and NE this weekend...Hurricane Irene, now a strong hurricane hitting the Bahamas just may be on a trajectory that few storms have taken in recent memory. 
 
The area from the Carolinas to New England is fair game for a potential brush-by if not a direct hit with the region between Delaware, New Jersey and New York City becoming more and more a SIGNIFICANT threat area tonight. I just had time so far to review one computer model out of several I look at for forecasting but that was enough for me to send this email out. (Update: reviewed latest meteorological charts/models, and they are showing a more ominous picture with a "potential" landfall either along New Jersey or Long Island (including the NYC-Manhattan Metro) sometime Sunday day or evening.) Weather forecasting is very tricky and this is still about 3+ days away so a lot can change but start emergency preparedeness plans now!
 
-make sure you have a supply of non-perishable foods that can last for several days to a week or more including get drinking water stock up just in case
-batteries, flashlights, phone chargers for cell phones
-expect significant power outages and potential looting of stores/businesses so secure valuables
--and most importantly build your arsenal of Emuna, knowing where things come from and Who is in charge. Tefillah, Teshuva, Tzedakah... 
 
We as Jews know Hashem is the Master of the World and He alone is in charge. On the heels of a nearly unprecedentant earthquake yesterday the region may be facing a potential disaster of unknown proportions. IF one has any interests along the coastline in the aformentioned locations this coming weekend I highly recommend altering plans. Also a mass-evacuation may not be out of the picture in the coming days as more info becomes available. Last year's Hurricane Earl spared the area as it turned out to sea just in the nick of time. This time the weather pattern looks a bit different...
 
Stay tuned but be aware. Definitely High-Time for Serious Teshuva to Hashem and quick...looks like the big guns may be coming out.
 
Any questions contact me..
 
Ilya Neyman
661-992-7785 - SevereStorm458@msn.com

Beams Bulletin: Rocket Attacks Renewed against Israel's South

In recent hours, Ashkelon, Beer Sheva, and Ofakim have been under attack. Just minutes ago, Red Alert sirens have again sounded in Beer Sheva. A 9-month old baby in Ashkelon has been seriously wounded from splintered glass that shattered when a rocket fell nearby.

Earlier today, in the day, the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization's Rafiah branch commander in Southern Gaza. An hour ago, the IAF successfully neutralized a terrorist cell launching rockets east of Shuja'iyya in the Gaza Strip. 

The Southern Israel cities are back on high alert after the 48-hour lull, and most public gatherings have been cancelled.

The Fine Line

Here is the video replay of this past week's emuna lesson: When Rebbe Nachman spoke about the narrow bridge, he meant that there's a very fine line between tears of yearning and tears of baseless crying. Listen carefully, because I said this lesson the day before the recent terrorist attacks.

A Sturdy Vessel

Now that the ceasefire is in effect, our job now is to do what we can to rebuild the Holy Temple. To do so, let's learn how to make ourselves a sturdy vessel for Divine light and abundance. 

The Korach Syndrome

What do we do in the bomb shelters while the missiles are falling outside? We tell stories from the Gemara. One of my grandsons came into my office and asked, "Hey, Zaidie - When will there be another rocket attack? I want to hear another story!"

I'll share with you a story from the Gemara:

The Gemara relates an eye-opening incident from the holy study hall of Rav Ashi in Babylon (see Tractate Sanhedrin, 102b): Rav Ashi was speaking about the kings of Israel when he told his students, "Tomorrow, we'll be speaking about our friend Menashe," referring with a condescending tone to King Menashe who sinned terribly by worshiping idols. That night, King Menashe came to Rav Ashi in a dream. Rav Ashi- the magnificent scholar who together with Rabina completed the compilation of the Babylonian Talmud – couldn't answer the few questions in religious law that King Menashe asked him.
 
"So who do you think I am, your buddy or your Dad's buddy, that you refer to me – the King of Israel – with such disdain?" growled King Menashe.
 
Rav Ashi replied, "So since you're so learned, why did you engage in so much idolatry?"

King Menashe answered, "If you, Rav Ashi, were in my generation, you'd have picked up you're the hem of your cape so you could run faster to do idolatry yourself!"
 
* * *
 
Ask any Rosh Yeshiva or community rabbi: "If you had lived during the time of Korach, would you too have revolted against Moshe Rabbenu?" Undoubtedly, all the Rosh Yeshivas and community rabbis would say a resounding "no!" But, they're fooling themselves… 

Continue reading The Korach Syndrome on this week's exciting issue of Breslev Israel web magazine. For the current situation in the South of Israel, check out Missiles and Miracles.

Also featured this week:

Rabbi Shalom Arush: Livelihood and Teshuva

HaRav Kook: Eliminating Idolatry

Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach: Different Eyes

Yehudit Levy: Messages, Madness, and Miracles

Zev Ballen: Abraham's Legacy

Rivka Levy: The Good Point

Dovber Halevy: Anatomy of Forgiving

Yael Karni: Path to Forgiveness

Natalie Kovan: The Soup War

Rav Shalom Arush urges everyone to do what they can to help the war effort in Israel by spreading emuna far and wide. This is an emergency, and we must all shoulder the responsibility. You can now acquire 100 CDs from Breslev Israel for cost - spread them to everyone you know. Rav Shalom says that each CD has the power to neutralize a GRAD missile. You can help save lives in Israel! May we all hear good tidings soon, amen!
 

 

Ceasefire with Hamastan

No, you can't understand the Middle East. The dirtiest Western street fight with chains and broken bottles is Romper Room by Gazan standards.

An hour ago, Hamas announced that it wants a ceasefire. Since then, the Gazans have fired eight missiles at Israel, one which sent us here in Ashdod sprinting to the bomb shelter at 21:22 Israel time. And just for games, Hamas fired a phosphorous warhead at one of the kibbutzim less than an hour ago; such warheads are forbidden by the Geneva Convention, but so is terrorism. Our neighbors don't care about minor details...

If Israel fails to react appropriately, the Arabs will see us as paper tigers. If we do, then the magpies of the world will have excuse to regurgitate their not-so-latent hate for Jews and the Jewish nation. Better we take the initiative and act, soon.

We've restrained ourselves enough. It's time to pray to Hashem for guidance and for assistance, to rev up the tanks, and to move the heavy artillery into position. It's time to retake Northern Gaza for a start. It's also time to put our trust in Hashem and realize that we go through the necessary motions, but He wins wars. Ultimately, we'll have to face a showdown with Hamas, Hizbulla, and Iran anyway. Better that we take the initiative. May Hashem instill emuna in our leaders and give them the ability to make the right and courageous decisions, amen!

A Time for Unity

With rockets still falling this morning in Ashkelon and Beersheva this morning, we must urgently realize that the Three Weeks are far from over. As long as we don't have a Beit Hamikdash, we're still in exile. With true sovereignty over our land, who would dare fire a cap gun at us, much less a GRAD missile? We must strengthen ourselves in three areas, urgently.

1. Giving - it's a time to give more to one another. Remember, giving a warm smile and a "Good Morning" greeting to another person won't cost you a cent.

2. Emuna - it's a time to strengthen our emuna and our connection to Hashem.

3. Unity - it's certainly a time for unity, to begin loving one another despite the differences between us. A brother is a brother, no matter what...

Emuna Outreach's star photographer David Bader has prepared a screen saver with the theme of Jewish Unity - this photo was taken on our visit to the Gaza border a few days before the recent hostilities started. Click on the image to see it full size, download it, then right-click on it and save it as your screensaver. Feel free to pass it on. Blessings for good tidings and a good week.

A Stormy Shabbat in the South of Israel

Hashem continues to do miracles here in the Land of Emuna. The red-alert siren woke us up on Shabbat at 5:45 AM, the same time that a Grad missile fell the day before on Friday. There was a thunderous crash and subsequent explosion, for the missile fell  a little less than a half mile away from my home. Three were injured - illegal Palestinian workers.

An hour ago, a baby and two others were injured in a GRAD attack on Ofakim.

One person was killed earlier this evening in Beersheva.

The Gaza area settlements have been bombarded all day long.

One thing is clear - Hashem has put us in a situation where there's no military solution to this conflict. A full scale operation in Gaza could lead to our Northern enemies - Iran, Hizbulla, and Syria - to jump in the rumble.

So what's the solution? We must spread emuna - and fast. Let's pray for good news.

 

War in the South - Injuries and Miracles in Ashdod

My beloved city of Ashdod has been under siege this morning.

The first Red Alert siren was at 5:45 AM - we could here two muffled explosions from about a mile outside of town in an open area.

The second Red Alert was at 7:45 AM; I was praying Shacharit with the Melitzer Rebbe's minyan. Again, we heard another muffled explosion from about a mile outside of town, once more in an open area.

The third Red Alert was at 8:14 AM; this time we heard two strong explosions and a third which made the floor shudder. The second explosion was a GRAD missile that landed about 800 meters from my home in the courtyard of the "Lev Simcha" Gerrer Yeshiva. At this time, we know of two very seriously injured and 8 more with light shrapnel wounds. The third was a miracle - a GRAD rocket that went through the roof of a Gerrer Synagogue and crashed through the floor in the middle of morning prayers, but didn't explode! The magnitude of this miracle is mind-boggling - one shudders to think what would have happened if it had exploded.

Daily life is changing immediately. Our gorgeous beach has been closed for lack of a proper bomb shelter or take-cover area. Vacationers are leaving our beautiful coastal city.

Israel's Charedi Kol B'Rama radio station will be a "quiet station" on Shabbat - Several rabbis have said that it's pikuach nefesh to leave the radio on during Shabbat, and if G-d forbid there should be vital civil defense information, it will be transmitted via the "quiet station". This is similar to what we did during the Gulf War of 1991. So for those who are asking, it's permissible to leave your radio on - preferably in a closet, out of sight, but keep it tuned to Kol B'Rama's quiet station. In the South of Israel, this is 104.3 FM.

My heart tells me that things won't go back to normal. We all are being called upon to change. More love of our fellow human. More modesty and holiness. More Torah and less aimless waste of time. Those who fail to wake up now - I shudder to think of what coming wake-up calls will be.

Yes, here in Ashdod, the Katyushas are falling. But in the USA, the stock market is falling through the floor. Hashem speaks to each of us in the language we best understand. I repeat what I've been saying every day now - there's no more business as usual. We must prepare ourselves for the dazzling bright lights of a much more spiritual world that's fast on the way. But don't forget - the same light that heals the worthy, burns the unworthy. We all have to get to work and make ourselves worthy vessels for that light. Hashem has patience, but it's high time we get our act together. "Dati" or "Haredi" doesn't mean a thing if your heart is far from Hashem. The way to maintain a healthy heart is to give that heart to Hashem.