Lazer Brody's Blog, page 332

Seeing Royalty

When we see a monarch of the nations - a king other than the King of Israel - we make the following blessing: Baruch Ata Ado-nai Elo-henu Melech ha'olam, shenatan mi'kvodo l'basar v'dam. Translated, "Blessed are You, the L-ord our G-d, who bestows His honor on flesh and blood.

The Gemara teaches that we should look at royalty in order to prepare us for the day when we'll greet the King of Israel, upon whom we'll be making a separate blessing, Baruch Ata Ado-nai Elo-henu Melech ha'olam, shechalak mikvodo l'yere'av. Translated, "Blessed are You, the L-ord our G-d, who grants His honor to those who fear Him."

Our good friend Eitan Ashman from Efrat is an emergency paramedic. He has stories to make the most chilling and thrilling books and movies look boring. Here's what he writes about seeing royalty:

I hope this email finds the Rav well.

I wanted to share another Magen David Adom story. Yesterday I was sent to Beit Hanassi to take the "princess" of Thailand to the emergency room after she had been in a car crash earlier in the day. Since she is a VIP it was a call for the ICU ambulance even though she had no apparent injuries. While there I was reminded of the Gemara in Berachot (I don't remember where or the  exact text of the Gemara) which tells us we should go after and see how the world treats their king so that we will know how to act in front of our jewish king latid lavo bezrat Hashem. I never really understood the Gemara until yesterday. The respect and awe that her staff showed her was really remarkable. They bow down on all fours whenever she is moving. Everyone from her most senior staff to the drivers of the cars. Their dress is immaculate, no body dares to talk when they are in her presence not even quick emails or bbms. I can tell the Rav that I seriously started to consider my behavior in front of the king of kings Hashem. Am I careful enough when I daven on my dress, how I sit in shul, talking, etc, etc. Hashem was sending a message in yesterday's call that I have a lot to do in my avodat Hashem. Bezrat Hashem I will remember yesterday and try to apply it to my behavior.

Thanks so much, Eitan. May we merit to see the King of Israel, our holy Moshiach speedily and in our days, amen!

Zillionaire

You may not know it, but you're a zillionaire. Here's how:

If you have trouble seeing the above media player, click here.

The Blue Sky

People are lost in life because they simply don't take the time to stop and think. Have you noticed the blue sky today? You don't have to be a chinchilla on a wheel, as you'll see in the following emuna lesson...

If you can't see the above media player, trying viewing today's lesson here.

SCAR Treatment

Teshuva is an amazing mitzvah. Many people find difficulty in believing that it's for real. Many an email asks me, "Does Hashem really forgive me for what I did?" The simple, categorical and indisputable answer is a resounding and emphatic yes! It doesn't matter what you did or how serious the Torah regards the transgression. Not only does Hashem forgive, but he loves us and trusts us enough to give us a second chance.
 
Teshuva is simple. Sincerity is teshuva's soul prerequisite. Teshuva is spiritual plastic surgery. How? Transgressions scar a person's soul and inhibit the soul's ability to absorb Divine illumination. Teshuva removes the scars of transgression and consequently facilitate the soul's ability to absorb Divine illumination and consequently get closer to Hashem. In fact, the word "scar" helps us remember in an easy and practical way how to do teshuva, as follows:
 
S: Stop – this moment, stop whatever you're doing that's wrong and desire to make a change for the better;
 
C: Confess to Hashem what you did wrong; when a person confesses to Hashem, then the Heavenly Court can't judge him. Hashem is merciful and forgiving, and especially compassionate to those who admit that they erred.
 
A: Apologize to Hashem for what you did; show Him that you realize your mistake. If you committed a transgression against your fellow man, you must apologize to him as well.
 
R: Resolve to do better in the future, and ask Hashem to help you.
 
Bingo! The above four steps of S-C-A-R are all a person must do to completely fulfill the lofty mitzvah of teshuva. It's really that easy! The Yetzer Hara, the arch liar who we know as the evil inclination, will do everything in his power to deter you from the path of teshuva. He'll attack you with all kinds of lies; he'll tell you that if you don't grow a beard or change your appearance, you can't do teshuva. Nothing could be further from the truth.
 
With the four steps of S-C-A-R, you're home free.
 
Unbelievable?

Read more about Pesach Sheni, which is this week on Wednesday, and Hashem's wonderful gift to us in Second Chance, from this week's Breslev Israel web magazine.

Also this week:

Rabbi Shalom Arush with ABC or ZYX.

Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum presents us with Rebbe Nachman on The Faith of our Fathers. 

Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach says Take Time to Think.

Yehudit Levy is busy with Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Zev Ballen with Like a Watermelon.

Chaya Ovadia's son is saved from the New Zealand earthquake in Dodging Disaster.

Rivka Levy is Grappling with Free Choice.

Dovber Halevi talks about True Passion.

This week's Torah portion is Bechukotai. Here's wishing you a wonderful week!

A cloud here and there

So many people crave comfort-zone lifestyles. Yet, you can't be a champion unless you break out of the comfort zone. In spirituality as well as in athletics, pain makes gain.

The difficulties in each of our lives are all from Hashem's lovingkindness, to help as grow and realize our potential. Without the challenges that force us to develop and mobilize our capabilities to the hilt, we'd all probably wallow in the muck and mire of mediocrity. Hashem wants us to be our best, so He sends a cloud here and there to block the sunlight and clear skies.

Sunsets would be boring without a few clouds. The clouds make the suns rays look spectacular.

The periodic difficulties in our lives only make Hashem's salvations look more spectacular. When you think about it, rising to a major challenge really does make life more beautiful.

Praying for Redemption - a daily obligation?

A few people asked to what degree Judaism requires us to pray for Moshiach and redemption. My answer is that at least 50% of our prayers are requests for the future redemption, Moshiach, etc. "That's impossible!", people called out from around the auditorium. I then tossed the audience a question, and asked that they shout back quick answers: "Of our daily Shmona Esrei (Hebrew for 18) prayer, which is actually a compendium of 19 blessings, how many are requests for the Geula, or future redemption?" Voices resounded like gunshots: "Four!" "One!" "Three!" "Two!" Four was the highest bidder. I then opened up a prayer book, and explained the blessings one by one, with the proper interpretation and intent of each one. Here are the results in capsulized table form - they're quite an eye-opener:

#

Blessing

Principal intent

Geula

Present

1

Magen Avraham

Guardian of Abraham, who shall bring the "Goel" (Moshiach) to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob's offspring

*

 

 

2

Mechaye Mesim

Hashem the King who shall revive the dead

*

 

 

3

Kel Hakadosh

Blessing our holy G-d

 

 

*

4

Chonen HaDaas

Request for wisdom

 

 

*

5

Harotze B'Tshuva

Help us return to You Hashem and to Your Torah

 

 

*

6

Hamarbeh Lisloach

Forgive us for our sins

 

 

*

7

Goel Yisroel

Redeem us quickly!

*

 

 

8

Rofeh Cholei Amo Yisroel

Heal the sick

 

 

*

9

Mevorech Hashanim

Bless this year's crops, the land, and give us rain

 

 

*

10

Mekabetz nidchei amo Yisroel

Gather the exiles from the 4 corners of the earth

*

 

 

11

Ohev tzedakka u'mishpat

Send us our judges (the Sanhedrin) as of old, and may we have true justice

*

 

 

12

Shover oivim umachnia zaydim

Destroy the forces of evil soon and in our time

*

 

 

13

Mishon umivtach latzaddikim

Reward those who trust in You, Hashem

 

 

*

14

Boneh Yerushalayim

Rebuild

Jerusalem

(the

Temple

) and dwell among us, Hashem

 

*

 

 

15

Matzmiach Keren Yeshua

Request for Moshiach (scion of David) and salvation

*

 

 

16

Shomea tefilla

Hear and accept our prayers

 

 

*

17

Machzir Shchinaso leTzion

Return Your Divine Presence to

Zion

 

*

 

 

18

Noeh Lehodos

May all of mankind thank and praise Your magnificent name

*

 

 

19

Mevorech es amo b'shalom

Bless your people of

Israel

with peace

 

 

 

*

-

----------------

Total

10

9

As you can see, an amazing 10 out of 19 blessings are requests for the future redemption, while only 9 out of 19, less than half, are requests for the present. By the way, the local Rosh Yeshiva at the institution where I lecture also lists blessing #19 in the Geula category.

As things turn out, more than half of our daily prayers are requests for the Geula. On sabbath and holidays, some prayers - such as the Mussaf - are nearly exclusive requests for salvation, Moshiach, and the rebuilding of the Temple. So, those who thought that only 1, 2, or 3 blessings speak about the Geula haven't understood much of what their lips have been mumbling.

We can only pray from the heart after we fully understand and realize what we're saying. That's why one of the first questions that the Heavely Court asks a person (see Talmud, tractate Shabbos 31a), "Did you eagerly await the Redemption?" Those who pray with intent will be able to answer, "Yes!", and to assume their rightful place in the sublime and indescribably blissful World to Come.

Lipa in Uman: Longing for Moshiach

The Uman Grapevine tells me that Lipa Schmeltzer has become a new person after having prayed by Rebbe Nachman's holy gravesite. Here is a very special clip showing Lipa longing for Moshiach in front of Rebbe Nachman's holy tziyun.

Rav Wolfson on the Death of Bin Laden

In a recent lecture, Rav Moshe Wolfson shlit'a, the esteemed mashgiach (spiritual Dean) of Yeshivat Torah V'Daas said that the fall of a nation is preceded by the fall of it's sar, or administering angel. Once the sar falls, then the nation will fall. This is based on the Zohar (section 2, page 18a - LB) which says that what the Jews saw on the banks of the Red Sea suf was the sar of Egypt dying. Yishmael has 12 sarim (plural for "sar").

Rav Wolfson was also quoted as saying (on Monday after morning prayers), "Osama bin Ladin, being the biggest danger to the entire world, had the biggest sar of Yishmael. During these past few weeks as we saw so many entrenched arab leaders, heirs of Yishmael, fall, it is apparent that their defending sar has already fallen and they will continue their downfalls. It is a great thing when sarim fall. The Princes of Yishmael are falling. Bin Laden had their biggest sar. The way the Maharal puts it, he does not have to be a direct descendant of Yishmael. Bin Laden is from the culture of Yishmael."

The Mashgiach goes on to reference the Zohar which says that when Moshiach comes there will be 2 seven day Passovers - Pesach Mitzrayim, like we have now, and Pesach Moshiach, the Passover of Moshiach. Pesach Moshiach will start on the last day of our current Passover - Pesach Mitzrayim - and will celebrate the miracles involved in the coming of Moshiach.  This is why the haftorah on the last day of Passover deals with Moshiach.  Pharoah's final fall was on the last day of Passover. Bin Ladin was killed on last day of this second Passover, the Passover of Moshiach!  It also happened during the second week of Counting of the Omer, which corresponds to stern judgment, or gevura.

The article that was forwarded to me ends with another quote from the Mashgiach. "The time is very auspicious.  The sitra achra (Dark Side) is falling. The Gemara says that when the ox falls down, slaughter him then and there.  The sitra achra can now be removed. If Jews will concentrate on serving Hashem, purity, and holiness, we can bring the Geula - the full Redemption of our people - because the time is opportune for it."

Our appreciation to Debbie Lebovic from Toronto and to Aneinu Chicago for this post

Our Future is Where our Past is

Remnants of Ashdod's ancient port and fortress; modern Ashdod sprouts in the background.

Today's Ashdod is a blatant microcosm of greater Israel. One part of town is every bit as Chassidic as Mea Shearim in Jerusalem, where a Yiddish speaker doesn't have to know a word of Hebrew to get by. There are round-the-clock prayer minyans, Torah lessons wherever you go, yeshivas, mikvas, and benevolent aid societies for anything you can imagine. My neighbor's wife has a gamach (free loan fund for money or a needed commodity)for pacifiers of all sizes and shapes, so if a baby loses his or her pacifier in the middle of the night or on Shabbat, there won't be crying all night long. Everyone is engaged in some kind of community service.

Israel's only right to exist - in Hashem's own words - is if its people observe the Torah and adhere to Hashem's commandments on this sacred land. The Palestinians can certainly point a finger at those who defile the Holy Land and shout, "Who are they to uproot us from our homes?" They can say that to those who import and promote the Western culture of junk-food hangouts, bars and discos, but they can't say that to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who hold Hashem's deed to this land and who are committed to the uncompromising observance of Hashem's commandments in the Holy Land of milk and honey.

Israel's true independence of foreign powers, dictates, and influences depends on total reliance on Hashem and a return to our roots. Our future is where our past is. Without that past - the tradition handed down to us generation after generation in an unbroken chain since Mount Sinai - there is no future and no true national independence on our beloved Holy Homeland.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe of blessed and saintly memory said Didan Notzach - we'll be (literally, 'ours will be')the winner. He was right about everything else, and he isn't mistaken here. Emuna is spreading like wildfire, all over the world, and Emuna Outreach is pouring as much fuel on that fire as it can. We shall overcome, with Hashem's loving grace, amen.

The Miracle of Ad Halom

"The Pillbox", Hagana Gun Emplacement from 1948, outskirts of Ashdod

Israel's Memorial Day, Yom HaZikaron, begins this year tonight, Sunday evening, May 8, 2011 and lasts until sundown Monday, May 9, 2011. Israel never forgets its debt of eternal gratitude to its sons and daughters who gave their lives for the country's independence and its continued existence. It is a day of collective and personal heartache mingled with awe and honor for our holy martyrs.

One such martyr is Eddie Cohen, of blessed memory. A quiet English-speaking pilot that loved classical music, Eddie was the IAF's first martyr. The people of Ashdod and all of Israel owe him a debt of eternal gratitude. 

When the Egyptians reached the southern entrance to Ashdod in the War of Independence in 1948, the fledgling Israel Defence Forces had almost crumbled. The only physical obstacles that stood between the Egyptian Army and Tel Aviv was a Turkish Bridge over the Lachish River and a small company of Givati Brigade infantrymen who knew it was do or die, not only for themselves but for their nation. Read all about The Miracle of Ad Halom in this week's issue of Breslev Israel web magazine.

One lesson we learn from Israel's wars - there's No Place to Hide.

Also this week:

Rebbe Nachman of Breslev on Purity of Thought.

Trouble in finding a soulmate? Check out the High-Elevated Nose.

If you think Judaism is frowns and stringencies, see Rav Shalom Arush's The Power of Positivity.

Rav Yitzchak Ginsburgh explains why it's good to look at The Faces of Tzaddikim.

Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach says that our faces are A Holy Mirror.

Yehudit Levy reveals Hashem's communication system in Divine Messaging. Rivka Levy compares life to a Moving Target. Dovber Halevi teaches Prayer Focus 101.

Zev Ballen is our front-line correspondent in The Emuna War.

This week's Torah portion is Behar.

The Beams and Emuna Outreach send a hearty Mazal Tov to Yosef Nechama, Breslev Israel's General Director, whose birthday was yesterday (Sunday, May 8) and whose son Shlomo will be Bar Mitzva this week. May Shlomo ben Yosef grow to strength of body, mind and spirit, and succeed in all his endeavors, amen!

Have a wonderful week!