Lazer Brody's Blog, page 330

Armchair Commando Series: Part 2, Lower Body Exercise

These exercises might seem simple, but they'll add years to your life, G-d willing, and make you feel much better. They're not only good for office, school and Yeshiva, but you can do them on airline flight or on the train. Have a wonderful week!

Ani Ma'amin: It's What I Believe

My dear friend Moshe Goldberger from Williamsburg in Brooklyn sent me this exquisite song by Abie Rottenburg of Dvekus fame:

Father please tell me
help me understand
Who made what surrounds us
the sky and land
the water we drink
the air that we breathe
father please tell me what should i believe
Listen my child
put your trust in me
there is a Creator that man cannot see
we owe our existence to no-one but Him
b'reishit bara elokim (In the beginning, G-d created)

it's not just a story, a tale that's been told
a fable a myth a legend of old
it's not someone's fantasy, theory or whim
it's what i believe - ani ma'amin

father please tell me I'm asking of you
why am i different, what makes me a Jew
how am i to know, the right life to lead
father please tell me what should i believe

listen my child, it was long long ago
we stood by a mountain, one nation one soul
and what we received is our very lifes blood
na'aseh v'nishma, umru k'echad (we will do and we will hear - they said as one)

it's not just a story, a tale that's been told
a fable a myth a legend of old
it's not someone's fantasy, theory or whim
it's what i believe - ani ma'amin

Father please tell me, what does G-d intend
will this long bitter exile soon come to an end
or must we continue to suffer and grieve
father please tell me what should i believe

Listen my child the future will bring
a day when the world knows who's king of all kings
today or tomorrow, i don't need to know
achake lo b'chol yom sh'yavo - I wait for him every day that comes

it's not just a story, a tale that's been told
a fable a myth a legend of old
it's not someone's fantasy, theory or whim
it's what i believe - ani ma'amin

Unity and Jerusalem

Hashem in His everloving compassion gave me some amazing revelations during personal prayer earlier today. Ever since the massive pressure began to divide Jerusalem and sever us from Judea and Samaria, I've been begging Hashem that a single Jew should not lose his home anywhere in our beloved holy homeland. 

Hashem helped me understand that Jerusalem is the heart of all the Jewish people. If you cull other Jews or cut yourself off from any group - not only Chassidic, Lithuanian, Nationalistic or Sephardi but Conservative and Reform as well, then you cut yourself off from a part of Jerusalem. No wonder Jerusalem is under the threat of being split! It's all the result of infighting and hate, no matter how seemingly justified it may be. The Chafetz Chaim says that Hashem doesn't want hate or contention in any form, even if you think it's a mitzva. So, if you care about Jerusalem remaining unified, love every Jew. You don't have to agree with his ideology or lifestyle, but you are commanded to love him like yourself.

By the same token, every Jew has a portion of the Land of Israel. 

Large segments of our homeland are in danger, measure for measure with our actions: we cut ourselves off from other Jews, and we get part of our homeland cut away from is. Think about it, for I know it's true.

The unity of the Land of Israel depends on Jewish unity - this should be our goal, now more than ever.

Praying for our Children

Today (Thursday) is the 29th of Iyar according to the Hebrew calendar and the eve of the new Hebrew month of Sivan. Jewish tradition teaches that today is an opportune time to pray that our children grow up in health of body, mind, and soul. The best known prayer that our people have been using for hundreds of years is "A Parent's Prayer" composed by the holy Shl"a, a 17th Century Scholar and Kabbalist who is buried near the Rambam in Tiberias. As a service to our readers, Artscroll.com sent us a PDF with the prayer in Hebrew and English, which you can see here.

We've often said that the most important part of raising happy and successful children is praying for them. The 5 minutes that you take to say the Shl"a's prayer will be one of the best investments you ever made.

Weekly Emuna Live Broadcast

G-d willing, our weekly emuna lesson and live broadcast will take place today (Wednesday) at 6:00 PM local time from the Chut Shel Chessed Yeshiva, 56 Shivtei Yisrael Street, Jerusalem. 

This week's lesson is entitled, "My Brother" and hopefully, it will help you prepare for a meaningful Shavuot. Don't miss today's lesson, because it's the last one until after our coming USA speaking tour.

Today's lesson as always is open to the public, both men and women are welcome. You can see today's lesson live right here at 10:00 AM Mexico and CDT, 11:00 AM EDT, 4:00 PM in the UK, or 6:00 PM Israel time. As soon as we can, G-d willing, we'll post a link to the lesson for all those who couldn't see it live.

 

Yom Yerushalayim: Jerusalem Day

Today commemorates the reunification of Jerusalem in the Six-Day War of 1967. The Arabs tried to annihilate Israel, but Hashem miraculously saved us. May we indeed merit that Jerusalem remains unified, amen.

Here is one of Israel's finest singers, Ben Snoff, who has a voice like an angel. Ben is singing Psalm 137, "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem...". I'm sure you'll enjoy this as much as I do.

Straight Talk from Rabbi Chaim Richman

My esteemed friend Rabbi Chaim Richman heads the Temple Institute in Jerusalem, and he's probably one of the most authoratative people alive as to the laws of our Holy Temple, may it be rebuilt soon, amen. Here, he responds to those who are tacitly undermining the security and welfare of our people and our country. This is not politics - it's basic survival:

Introducing the Armchair Commando Series

Here's how to stay in shape without leaving your desk:

Like A Rolling Stone

Mick Jagger and a popular avant-garde magazine turned the expression "rolling stone" into a household word. But, did you ever stop and think about what a rolling stone really signifies?

A person is walking down the street; he sees a white, roundish looking stone in the middle of the street. He has an irresistible urge to kick the stone as he's walking in stride. The stone rolls straight for a few meters, and when our pedestrian catches up to it, he kicks it again. After the third or fourth kick, he ignores the stone altogether, until some other person on foot comes by and kicks the stone. Such is the life of a rolling stone – it gets kicked from person to person and place to place.

What in the world does all this have to do with Shavuot, that's only 9 days away?

Continue reading Like A Rolling Stone in the brand new issue of Breslev Israel Weekly.

Also this week:

Rabbi Shalom Arush: Impressing Others

Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach: Only a Yid

Rabbi Pinchas Winston: Light at the Fingertips

Zev Ballen: What Hurts Daddy?

Rivka Levy: Job's Friend

Racheli Reckles: Manufacturer's Instructions

Chaya Ovadia: Beyond Logic

This week's Torah portion is Nassa.

If you really care about yourself, pick up a copy of the brand-new Garden of Gratitude.

If you're out on the road during Memorial Day weekend, please drive safely. Assume that the other driver will do something stupid, and try to anticipate problems before they happen. You won't be able to concentrate on the road if you're talking on a cell-phone; in most states, that's illegal anyway.

Have safe and wonderful week!

Freeing Gilead Shalit: The Best Way

Rabbi Lazer,

I am the campaign manager for the "Free Gilad Shalit!" Billboard effort. We are trying to raise money to put up this billboard near the UN. I have been in touch with the Shalit family and they want to see it go up. I am looking to reach as many people as possible with this message. I am hoping you could write about my efforts and post the link to the campaign on your blog (also maybe to your facebook and twitter). I also have high profile endorsements from Alan Dershowitz, Nonie Darwish(of Arabs for Israel) and radio show host LiAmi Lawrence (I spoke on his show). Any help with getting the word out is greatly appreciated as are all monetary donations large or small. Feel free to contact me directly with any questions. Here is the link to the campaign. Here is an article written about this.

Thank you,Gal Sitty, Campaign Manager - Free Gilad Shalit Billboard

(818) 929-4118, gsitty@yahoo.com

B"H

Dear Gal,

I have tried to contact the Shalit family several times and never received a response. You won't like my answer, but when you're losing the game, you either change the coach or change the strategy.

The Shalits continue with their political activism, and it has not yielded results. Your billboard project is a continuation of what is in my humble opinion, wasted effort.

Rather than appealing to flesh and blood, all of us should be appealing to Hashem for Gilead's release. If the Shalits would strengthen themselves in emuna - not change their lifestyle or necessarily become observant but simply begin appealing to Hashem and asking others to do so - this would create a magnificent sanctification of Hashem's name that would undoubtedly invoke phenomenal Divine compassion that would lead to miracles.

This is certainly not the response you requested, but if you truly care about Gilead ben Aviva, you'll forward this letter to Noam and Aviva.

Breslev Israel, Emuna Outreach, and I would be willing to do anything we could to help organize an emuna campaign all over the world to get a million people to pray for Gilead's freedom. In any event, as an act of friendship and good faith, I am hereby publishing your letter on the Beams.

With blessings always, Lazer Brody

Image, below: Rabbi Lazer praying at the holy gravesite of the Baba Sali in Netivot for Gilad Shalit's release. Please join us and pray for Gilad ben Aviva - don't stop until he's home safely!

 Photo by David Bader