Lazer Brody's Blog, page 333

Kosher Bobcats

Thank G-d, Emuna Outreach is penetrating American college campuses. At the University of Arizona, one of the dorms blasts Emuna from the Emuna Project - Avraham Abutbul CD as a wake-up call in the morning. At the University of Alabama, don't be surprised if you find a copy of The Garden of Emuna in the cafeteria, because several dozen copies are floating around campus.

The newest banner on Emuna Outreach's campus map proudly pictures a bobcat - that's right, all you good folks from Cleveland, Cincinnatti, Toledo, and Akron - we're talking about Ohio University. Here's what OU (no pun intended) student Alex L writes:

Dear Rabbi Lazer,

Let me first say that for over a year now I've been hooked on the passion that subsides on your website. With your influence and words of wisdom, I've began to re-adjust to my goals and priorities that are essential to developing my faith and devotion to G-d. So here's the big campus news: In about a month, two girls and 3 guys, including myself, are starting the first Jewish co-op kosher house in Ohio University history. You'll now be able to attend Ohio U and eat kosher. I'm more than excited to be a part of this wonderful opportunity. By virtue of your help, I've given myself the chance to use G-d's help to improve my life, including faith, self-esteem, and the avoiding of unnecessary additions (depression, negativity, drugs, etc.). So, in conclusion, I know that a simple "thanks" could never be enough, but even that for a Rabbi like you, its more than sufficient. So without
further due, from the bottom of my heart, Thank you, with utmost sincerity, Alex L.

That's what Emuna Outreach is all about. No banner headlines, no testimonial dinners, just another college student eating kosher, an American soldier in Afghanistan listening to an emuna CD, a single mother in Georgia scrapping the notion of suicide because she's discovered emuna, or a couple in LA ripping up the divorce file that they opened six months ago. Thank you, Hashem - it's all for You.

Rebbe Nachman's Shabbat Guest - Lipa

My sweet-as-sugar friend Lipa Schmeltzer (center) left JFK yesterday (Thursday, May 5) on an Aerosvit flight to the Ukraine, where he and his buddies will be Rebbe Nachman's special guests for Shabbat in Uman. Lipa is not only a fantastic performer; he does loads of outreach in Brooklyn, particularly with at-risk youth. We wish him a successful trip and a wonderful Shabbat.

Now's the time to make arrangements for Rosh Hashana Inn Uman - we have a great group, and you are cordially welcome to join for the experience of your life. 

Moving an Iron Elephant

A group of mighty seven-foot tall Watusi hunters were walking home to their village at the end of the day's hunt. They reached a narrow clearing, but there path was blocked by a big truck. The chief said to his ten fellow tribesman, "Come, let's push this iron elephant out of our way." They pushed and pushed, but the truck barely budged.

Suddenly, a European-looking man in a safari suit emerged from the jungle. He saw the Watusis trying to push his truck out of their way, and offered in perfect Watusi dialect, "Excuse me, gentleman; I'll be happy to move the truck out of your way. In fact, it will be my privilege to give you a lift back to your village."

The chief and his tribesman were flabbergasted. Not only did they refuse to believe that the frail-looking European could succeed in moving an iron elephant on his own, but to carry them back to their village, all eleven of them? He must be deranged, they thought.

The European produced a key chain from his pocket, and waved it before the chief's nose. "With the aid of this modest key, I shall move the truck and carry you home!"

"Labumba!" said the Watusis to each other, spinning their forefingers around their foreheads, indicating that the stranger was a fool.

The European unlocked the door to the truck, climbed aboard, put the key in the ignition, turned the switch, stepped on the gas, and VARROOOOOMM! Scared out of their wits from the roar of the 425-horsepower PowerMack engine, the Watusis scattered in eleven different directions, mostly up. Now, watching from the treetops, they saw the iron elephant cruise merrily away, with no one even pushing...

To this day, the Watusi chief is still scratching his head: "How could a little key move an iron elephant, when eleven mighty Watusis could not?"

* * *

Hashem gave me the above amusing parable in the middle of one of my personal prayer sessions. Pondering the moral of the story, it has a lot to do with current events.

Most of us aren't much smarter than the Watusis. We think that we can accomplish something only by physical means. Oftentimes we push for something and knock our brains out, yet we achieve minor results, that is, if we don't do damage to ourselves first. It takes tons of explosives to penetrate a reinforced enemy bunker, but if you have a key, you can peacefully walk right in the front door. Oh yes, we all have a general belief that there's a G-d in heaven who runs the show, but few of us really believe in the power of prayer - that Hashem really listens to us. Otherwise, we'd be putting a lot more effort into sincere prayer and spirituality.

Prayer is the tiny little ignition key that can move any mountain or iron elephant where explosives and mighty hunters can not. No, you don't need to get a headache from knocking your head against a wall, no matter what your problem or challenge in life is.

Here's more good news: prayer overrides the heads of state; that is, if we believe in our own tremendous power. The more we believe that Hashem listens to our prayers, the more Divine sympathy we stimulate. The entire decree against Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria is none other than a Heavenly ploy to stimulate our sincere prayers. Remember, when the wicked Haman decreed to destroy the Jewish people, Mordechai and Esther didn't waste their time demonstrating or blocking camel caravans in protest. They prayed, fasted, and urged the entire Jewish People to do teshuva; the rest is history.

King David could look foreign kings in the face with no fear, as he said in Psalm 119, "I shall speak of Your testimonies before kings, and I won't be ashamed." Can our leaders of today make the same claim? 

King David was the master of prayer. His mastery was passed down through the generations to his descendant, our beloved Rebbe Nachman of Breslev, may his holy memory intercede on our behalf, amen. Rebbe Nachman is the Master of Prayer, and we – as his followers - carry the torch of prayer and live by its light.

As soon as we realize that Hashem runs the world, we save so much time and energy and suddenly become at peace with everyone. We can save our homeland by increasing our prayers and strengthening our emuna. Now, just relax and have a wonderful Shabbat! 

Aliya: Like Cleaning for Pesach

My cherished and esteemed friend Doctor Arie Keehn, who is also a key partner in spreading emuna, send us a wonderful thought:  He was walking home from synagogue at the termination of Passover with his friend, Jay Wolf. Jay had mentioned that this was the time of year that they hung up a sign in his house that says: "Dust is not Chamentz and the Husband is not the Korban Pesach" (Pascal lamb). Arie asked if he could explain why people were not stressed to put away their Pesach dishes etc. in one night, but are overwhelmed for at least one month prior to the holiday.

Jay then related the message he gives to our brothers outside of The Holy Land. He likens Aliya to cleaning for Pesach. Everyone stresses out for that month prior to the holiday, but even though we are tired, at the end we get to celebrate the holiday of our freedom. Even more so with Aliya.  Aliya is stressful during the preparation process, but in the end, we get to celebrate our freedom in our homeland. Every year we prepare for Pesach, but you only need to make aliyah once.

PS - The best preparation in the world for Aliya is reinforcing your emuna. Time to come home...

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, "The Blue Sky," based on Rebbe Nachman's teachings about self-composure. It's 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.

Tonight at 8:15 PM, we'll be the Midrasha in Bat Ayin, presenting our monthly shiur to the women of the Gush Etzion area. Come on by!

The Doomsday Coalition

Strange bedfellows: recently, we've been hearing more and more doomsday premonitions and prophecies from a strange coalition of completely polarized camps in the Jewish world, secular politicians and hellfire & brimstone rabbis, each from its own vantage point. The one thing that the Doomsday Coalition does have in common is a lack of basic emuna that Hashem is doing everything for the best. Rather than spreading fear and foreboding, they'd be much better off going back to the basics and learning emuna. The Jewish people are wonderful and they're doing wonderful things. Never in history has there been such a mass movement of teshuva and emuna. Millions of people who never knew what "Hashem" means are calling His name.

For sure, the State of Israel is far from what we want it to be. This coming week is Israel Independence Day, but our Prime Minister won't let anyone in Jerusalem add a tool shed in their garden unless he gets permission from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in DC. And yes, the Tel Aviv debauchery makes the city spiritually dangerous. But that's tiny compared to the spread of Torah and emuna far and wide. Hashem will undoubtedly redeem us once and for all. He's doing it already. Let's see just some of the miracles Hashem is doing:

The Hamas - PA (Fatah) Coalition: This happened out of the clear blue. Why? Hamas's benefector, Assad and Syria, is about to bite the dust. Without Syria's backing, Hamas loses clout. On the other side of the fence, the PA's big backer - Mubarrak - already bit the dust. Their rug was pulled right out from under their feet. So, like the proverbial two dogs who hate each other and join forces to fight the wolf, Hamas and Fatah ran to Egypt to work out an ersatz reconciliation that they think will help them fight us, diplomatically and otherwise. But, the whole world saw yesterday how both the Hamas and the military wing of the Fatah mourned Bin Ladin. So, with the demise of the arch Jihadi, Hashem is exposing the true nature of the Pallys. Jews in Samaria and Judea can now sleep soundly - with Hashem's loving grace they won't be losing their homes. We won't be signing any Peace treaties with the Hamas and the Islamic Jihad.

Syria: Because of the internal strife in Syria, the continued flow of Iranian weapons can't make it into Lebanon. Iran is therefore losing an important link in its arms delivery route to the Hizbulla. Also, the Shiite weapons in Syria just might fall into Sunni hands. Coalition Shmoalition, just like in Libya, the Arabs will continue to be at each other's throats. If we make proper teshuva, Hashem won't give them time to think about bothering us.

Iran and the Nukes: Iran should have had an A-bomb by now. With the virus worms and other setbacks, they can't get their nuclear weapons production of the ground.

There's plenty more. We should all rechannel the energy we waste on worry and begin thanking Hashem for His miracles. Hashem is doing so much for us, yet we're ignoring his loving-kindness: that is the source of our troubles - failing to thank Him!

Stop what you're doing and devote 5 minutes to pondering Hashem's lovingkindness. Now, thank Him for His kindness, both private and public. Wait and see how such gratitude invokes big miracles.

Sleepless Nights for Arch Terrorists

In answer to all the emails asking for my reaction to the demise of arch-terrorist Bin Laden, I wish that all the dancing in the streets were replaced by massive thanksgiving to Hashem. Sure, the US Navy Seals did an expert and courageous job, but a million different details in this very touch-and-go mission that could have gone wrong didn't go wrong. All of us must shed the macho mentality of "We're tough" and "We're the greatest" and realize that all our successes are Hashem's successes. Hashem wanted the mission to succeed, and it did. Congratulations, America. But, there's a price tag to miracles. If miracles are not followed by gratitude, they become time bombs. So, let's all say "Thank You, G-d Almighty," for delivering an arch enemy into the hands of the SEALS.

The only way the USA (or Israel as well) can solve its seemingly insurmountable problems is by stemming the tide of heresy and returning to Hashem. Emuna is the key word. The American Founding fathers founded the USA with emuna in mind. Don't confuse emuna with religion - I'm not referring to any denominational faith, only a simple and pure connection to The Almighty, where we as a nation acknowledge Him, thank Him, and live our lives according to His Ten Commandments.

How did heresy and immorality hijack America? How did my esteemed friend Judge Roy Moore, former Chief Justice of Alabama, get thrown off the docket for displaying the Ten Commandments on top of his court house? Don't they sing the Star Spangled Banner in the USA anymore? Let's refresh our memory and see its last stanza:

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the Heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Way back in 1814, Francis Scott Key said, "Hey guys, let's thank Hashem!" "...may the Heaven-rescued land Praise the Power ("power" with a capital P, he was referring to Hashem) that hath made and preserved us a nation..."

It's time to come home to Hashem and say "thank You." The more we thank Hashem, the more reasons He'll give us to thank Him. Meanwhile, let the world's arch-terrorists continue to have sleepless nights.

The Pin Cushion

Monday, May 2, is Holocaust Day this year in Israel

In the early summer of 1939, a mere two months before the Nazis invaded Poland, Kaila Burda said to her husband Gamaliel, "I'm at wit's end. Chasia wants to go to the summer camp with her girlfriends from school. Why not send her?"

"Kaila, these are troubled times. When will you understand that we can't stay here any longer. Chasia is the only Jewish child in her class. I'd prefer that she stays at home."

"But she has nothing to do but draw. She sits at home and draws pictures all day long! She needs to be outdoors and play with other children."

Gamaliel shrugged his shoulders, "It's not safe, but have it your way…"

Chasia went to summer camp. When her first day was over, she was a bloody mess, escorted home by one of the sixth-grade teachers. "We can't take responsibility for your daughter," she said in Polish to the appalled Gamaliel and Kaila on their front doorstep. "She's the only Jewish girl in our school, and the other little girls know it. They played a game of 'seamstress' and they made your daughter the pin cushion…"

After Kristallnacht in Germany, anti-Semitism in neighboring Poland was fast on the rise too...

Continue reading The Pin Cushion, the amazing story of my own mother, Chasia, may Hashem bless her with long and healthy days, in this week's issue of Breslev Israel web magazine.

Take time to remember our martyrs by reading your choice of dozens of additional moving articles about the Holocaust at Breslev Israel.

Also in this week's issue:

One of the most stimulating aspects of spreading emuna around the world is the people I meet and/or correspond with.

"Malia" was born in Hungary. An idealist, she became a Palestinian activist and married a Gazan. Needless to say, she wanted nothing to do with Jews. Eventually, her marriage soured and she decided to pursue a graduate degree in Islamic studies and comparative religion in Cairo. In her previous correspondence with Breslev Israel, she notes that her entire outlook on Jews has changed ever since she now understands what they really believe in. Since then, Malia and I have been maintaining a lively correspondence. We both agree that emuna is the only way from keeping the world from exploding into smithereens.

Here are some excerpts from our recent dialogs; Malia gives us her reflections of current events. Her updates are real-time and much better than anything that Reuters or CNN can provide. Judge for yourself:

Continue reading Reflections from the Nile also in this week's stimulating issue of Breslev Israel web magazine.

Hold on, there's much more this week:

My esteemed and beloved teacher and spiritual guide Rabbi Shalom Arush with Jacob the Worm.

Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach tells us about The Holy Banker from Odessa.

Rabbi Avrohom Yitzchak Kletzky: Rebbe Nachman's Unique Teachings

Dovber Halevi: Everyone Matters

Rivka Levy: Enough of the Fluff

Racheli Reckles: Round Three

Chaya Ovadia: Birth Pains

A New Dawn is the final installment of Rabbi Erez Moshe Doron's Warriors of Transcendence.

This week's Torah portion is Emor. Big and bright Beam blessings for a wonderful week and happy Month of May.

Trembling with Joy

This week's emuna lesson answers a question that many have been asking lately: How can we possibly be happy with so many threats all around us? Here's your answer:

If for some reason, you can't see the above movie clip, click here. Have a wonderful week with wonderful tidings!

Relating to Non(not yet)-Observant Parents

This week's Torah portion is Kedoshim. The following 9-minute mini-lesson is especially for BTs (baalei teshuva, or spiritually-awakened Jews) and discusses the Torah's view on relating to non (or not-yet) observant parents. Enjoy it, and have a wonderful Shabbat!

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