Lazer Brody's Blog, page 339

Polar Shift

The US Geological Survey has reported that the recent 8.9 RS earthquake in Japan moved the entire main island 8 feet and shifted the earth's axis by 4 inches.

Severe shifts in the earth's axis is like taking a glass that's half full of water and tilting it - parts of the glass that were exposed are now under water, and parts of the glass that were under water are now exposed. That means that a shift in the earth's polarity - like tilting a glass of water, could put some coastal cities under water and in other places, expose land that is now under sea.

There are basically two types of shift in the earth's polarity, or axis:

1. A geological or axial shift - this is where the Earth's crust literally slips around its molten core, something like a loose shirt shifting on your body, so now, the buttons are no longer aliged in front. By the same token, a geological shift alters the positions of land masses with respect to the planet's rotation on its axis. This could happen by a few degrees or by many degrees. You know what that means? Panama or Miami could be the new North Pole, and Winnipeg, Manitoba or Anchorage, Alaska could be on the equator. The effects on our civilization could be devastating.

2. A Magnetic Pole Shift - science doesn't fully know how magnetic polarity effects flora and fauna. By observing birds in migration and perfect-precision swimming of fish undersea, with Hashem's loving grace, I've come to the conclusion (my own observations, undocumented, but my personal prayers and my heart tell me I'm right) that birds and fish have innate sensitivity to electromagnetic influences and use the earth's magnetic field - particular magnetic north - as a means of navigation during migration. That's how they know how to travel north and south in the fall and spring. The changes in the earth's polarity would explain the recent inexplicable death of hundreds and thousands of birds and fish in Maryland, Arkansas, Louisiana, Washington, Italy and Switzerland. They get some type of "avian vertigo," lose spatial orientation, and just fall out of the sky. Again, this is my own theory, but it fits as far as birds, bees, and fish go.

What does the Polar Shift mean? It could mean more quakes, volcanos and tsunamis. Why is it happening? King David gives the answer in Psalm 77: "You, Hashem, do wonders. You have made Your might known among the nations." How true - just look at the media clips of how the tsunami threw bridges, houses, cars and ships around like plastic toys.

All these messages are designed to put the awe of Hashem on our faces. I don't envy a person who ignores these phenomena and returns to business as usual. There's still a little bit of time to make teshuva out of love. Don't wait to make teshuva out of fear - it's worth much less. This week before Purim is a great time to come back to Hashem.

Hashem runs the world according to the ATFAT principle - a turn for a turn. If we live upright lives, the world remains upright. But if folks are crooked, the world's axis goes haywire too, then look out...

It's teshuva time folks. Teshuva is one thing that we don't want to put off until tomorrow. G-d bless.

Messianic Labor Pains

We live in awesome times – anyone who doesn't strengthen himself in emuna could be an immediate candidate for stress, anxiety, and even worse, Heaven forbid.

Just this past Sabbath evening (Friday night, 11.3.11), terrorist murderers brutally stabbed to death the Fogel Family of Itamar - Rabbi Udi (36), his wife Ruth (35), and their children Yoav (11), Elad (4) and Hadas, 3 months. Words cannot describe the loss and the pain of these beautiful souls who symbolized everything beautiful about the Jewish People and the Land of Israel.

Even though there's much room to criticize how the self-deprecating non-emuna government and the media have forsaken our beloved brothers and sisters in Judea and Samaria, and even though we know that there is no difference whatsoever between the Hamas murderers in Gaza and the Western-supported murderers known as the Palestinian Authority, we here at the Beams and Breslev Israel don't play blame games or point fingers. Why? Everything is from Hashem and He wants us to open our eyes.

After seeing the 8.9-level earthquake in Japan and the subsequent tsunami that tossed merchant ships up in the air like toy boats, does anyone still doubt Hashem's might? The media's declared fatality rate of some 9700 is a joke as well, because entire square miles of rubble have not yet been cleared. At the time of this writing, at least one nuclear plant in Japan has been damaged by the quake and is leaking radiation - how much, no one yet knows...

The Arab world continues to be ablaze from Morocco in the west to Yemen in the east. World powerhouse names Mubarrak are become nothing more than chaff in the wind. And, if the political upheavals aren't enough, just look at all the recent earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes and typhoons, mudslides, and the abnormally harsh winter the world just experienced. Something is happening; people can no longer ignore what's going on in the world, sticking their heads in the ground like an ostrich because the ground is trembling…

What's happening in the world, and why? What's the connection between the chaos in the camps of Ishmael in the Middle East (which will eventually spread to the camps of Ishmael in Europe and other points west) and between all the natural disasters? The answer is simple: the earth is trembling, and all the trembling are Messianic labor pains. As in labor before childbirth, the world now experiences excruciating contractions and pains, which ultimately lead to the birth of a new and more spiritual world, the world of Moshiach, Redemption, and our Holy Temple, soon and in our days, amen. That's why our sages called this era chevlei Moshiach, or the era of Messianic labor pains, for the challenges of this generation resemble the pains of childbirth.

In light of the above, we should ask ourselves two questions:

1. What's our task with all the chaos surrounding us?

2. How can we safely weather these difficult times?

Continue reading Messianic Labor Pains at this week's edition of Breslev Israel web magazine.

My beloved rabbi, teacher and spiritual guide Rav Shalom Arush has an important message on child education in Hijackers of the Soul.

Breslev Israel is proud and priveleged to host Rabbi Nissan Dovid Kivak who gives us an eye-opening lesson about Purim in The Turnaround.

In these difficult times, Adi Aharon and Tal Rotem write about The Breslev Melodies of Old to sooth our aching souls. There are sample tracks to hear, too - don't miss them at the bottom of the article.

What a great staff of writers we have. Rivka Levy writes From the Heart. Dovber HaLevi doesn't need a Loyalty Check. Racheli Reckles could have been Miss Miami if she wanted to, but she chose the path of Shomer Nagiah - Touchguard. Yehudit Levy is just as special off as she is On the Playing Field.

The Deathliners is Part 58 of Warriors of Transcendence, by Rabbi Erez Moshe Doron.

This week's Torah portion is Tzav. Let's hope for a week of joy and better tidings, amen.

The Movie That YouTube Doesn't Want You to See

YouTube won't let you see this movie, but the Beams will (not recommended for child viewing - parents, please use discretion).

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Read how the mythically moderate Falsestinian Authority has been inciting its people to murder. Israel must heed one voice only - Hashem's. Let all others sell their concessions elsewhere.

A Public Sacrifice

While we were fast asleep Friday night, brutal inhuman terrorists infiltrated the village of Itamar not far from Shechem and barbariously slaughted Rabbi Udi Fogel, 36 and a tank officer in The IDF reserves, his wife Ruth, 35, and three of their six children - Yoav (11), Elad (4), and Hadas (3 months).

The words to describe this tragic loss and massacre defy my sorely-limited lexicon. The Fogel family was symbolic of the most beautiful aspects of the Jewish People and the Land of Israel - there is no replacement for them. This is a gaping wound that any Jew anywhere should feel, if he is truly a part of our people.

As with everything that happens to us and around us, we must try to interpret the Divine message here, for everything is from Hashem.

As hard as you look at the Fogel family, you won't find a blemish. Public sacrifices in the Holy Temple must be unblemished.

The Gemara teaches us (see tractate Moed Katan 28a) that the death of tzaddikim - the righteous and the pious - atones for Israel just as the public sacrifices did at the time of the Holy Temple. The Fogels were undoubtedly a Korban Tzibbur - a public sacrifice. They died on Shabbat Vayikra - the Shabbat of the exact Torah portion that describes how to perform a public sacrifice.

We now must do some serious soul-searching as to why we needed such a terribly high-priced public sacrifice to atone for us. Anyone who fails to do this is Poraish min haTzibbur - shirking his or her shouldering of mutual public responsibility, a serious offense. Was it our lack of emuna? Was it our intramural hate? Was it our shady practices in commerce? Was it our failure to keep our word? Was it our unwillingness to observe Hashem's commandments? Each one of must do his or her own self-evaluation and subsequent efforts to improve. Emuna and teshuva are the key words...

Although I detest the secular media's self-deprecation and the Israeli Government's fear of foreign powers rather than of Hashem, this is not the time to point fingers and to play blame games. The biggest sanctification of the Fogel Family's is for each of us to try and better our ways. May Hashem avenge their holy blood, amen.

Massive Quake and Tsunami in Japan

While the ink hasn't dried on our Geula - Hastened or On Time post, a massive 8.9 quake and 30-foot high tsunami has hit the coast of Japan. The quakes, volcanoes, and storms around the world unprecedented frequency suggests that the earth is undergoing a major change (more on that after Shabbat, G-d willing). As King David says (Psalm 98:7), "The seal and all its contents shall roar, as will the earth and all its inhabitants." Rashi says that the Geula will begin with the trembling of the sea. It's awesome to see Hashem raising the volume of His wakeup calls. See for yourself:

 

Geula: Hastened, or On Time?

The Prophet Isaiah refers to the full redemption of our people and says in the Name of the L-rd, "In its time, I shall hasten it" (Isaiah 60:22), b'ita achishena. Rashi explains that if the people of Israel are worthy, then the Geula will be hastened (achishena). And if not, G-d forbid, the Geula will come on time (b'ita).

"On time" is liable to be a rough scenario, when the people of Israel haven't woken up from their spiritual slumber, forcing Hashem to bring the redemption with a harsh and heavy hand. 

My beloved rabbi and teacher Rav Shalom Arush spent almost the entire day today out in the field pleading with Hashem. He told me yesterday that as much as he hates doomsday prophecies, there is a severely stern judgment hovering above our people around the world. But he also told me that this is the month of Adar, a time conducive to teshuva from love. If each of us does what he or she can to strengthen and spread emuna - starting with ourselves and our families, then friends and the broader community - we can overturn the gzera kashe - the severe decree. The Geula doesn't have to come with strife - it can come with singing and dancing. 

A compassionately hastened redemption depends on masses of people turning to Hashem in emuna and personal prayer. This is the alternative to a Geula "on time" that defies the scariest adjectives in our lexicon. That's why I'm knocking myself out running around the world trying to spread emuna as fast as possible. Once the missiles start flying, everything else will be meaningless. Let's avoid that.

Beloved brothers and sisters, you will be asked in the Heavenly Court what you did to spread emuna in your area. What will you answer?

Try Psalm 137: "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, may my right hand wither!" Here's Meydad Tasa singing it...

Children Know the Score

Children, when they're still young enough, have crystal clear intellects and the ability to absorb truth. They lose it once they're contaminated with the type of garbage that TV and movies injects in their brain.

Any doubts? Here's a letter from Mrs. FSB from the Los Angeles area:

Dear Rabbi Lazer,

As my 3 year old was lying in bed - to go to sleep, he called out for a drink. When my response took longer than a few seconds, he immediately turned to ask Hashem. He told Hashem that he's only a toddler, and he needs a drink.

We have been listening to your Emuna CDs in the car and although I try not to have them on when he's in the car so that I can spend the time talking to him. Recently, the lessons have been so good that the few times that I just can't get myself to turn them off, seems to be rubbing off on him. I couldn't believe the way my 3-year old was actually doing hitbodedut and talking to Hashem! Maybe I should have him listen to the CDs more often...

Anyway, I thought it was adorable, maybe just cuz he's my son and I was there at the time. I just wanted to share and let you know that even a 3 year old is gaining Emuna from your CDs. With gratitude, FSB

Dear FSB,

Thanks for the delightful email. Yes, let your 3-year old listen to the CDs - they'll ingrain emuna on his pure little soul. Blessings and tons of joy from all your children (those here and those on the way), LB

The Big 4: The Train's Almost Here

According to the Gemara in tractate Shabbat, many folks will be in for a big surprise and a rude awakening when their time's up down here on earth. The Heavenly Court judges don't care about what most people consider important down here; they'll ask four main "make it or break it" questions:

1. Did you negotiate fairly? Were you honest and did you keep your word? Did you pay your bills on time? Did you knowingly cheat or swindle other people? Did you pay your workers fully and on time?

2. Did you set aside time for learning Torah? Did you utilize all your after-work hours for Torah? Did you waste time on the web and watching DVDs? Were you more familiar with Facebook than you were with a holy book?

3. Did you eagerly anticipate the Redemption? Did you care whether the Divine Presence (Shechina) was in exile and we didn't have a Holy Temple? Did you beg Hashem for Moshiach? Did you do your utmost to move to Eretz Yisrael with your family or did you look for more excuses to remain in exile? Did you beg Hashem for Moshiach? Did you care whether Hashem's Holy Name was exalted or not? Did you help spread emuna in the world?

4. Did you marry and have children? Did you use your body for the mitzva of marriage and raising a family, or did you use it for debauchery? Did you maintain personal holiness? Did you dress, act, and speak modestly? Were you a faithful spouse and loving parent?

Why do the Heavenly Court judges ask these particular questions? The reason is that positive responses to the above "Big 4" expedite the Geula, the full redemption of our people, while negative answers prolong the exile and delay the redemption.

When a person is more concerned about the new bathroom tiles and the brass door handles in his Diaspora home, he delays the Redemption for everyone. But, there comes a time - which the spiritual leaders of our generation say is sooner than we can imagine - when the train of Redemption will leave the station. Anyone who misses it will be sorry forever. People get ready, 'cause the train's a' comin'...

Here's an oldie but goodie - Curtis Mayfield singing "People Get Ready". This was a favorite of mine way back when. (Lyrics Below)

People Get Ready, by Curtis Mayfield

People get ready, there's a train comin'
You don't need no baggage, you just get on board
All you need is faith (emuna!) to hear the diesels hummin'
You don't need no ticket you just thank The Lord

People get ready, there's a train to Jordan
Picking up passengers coast to coast
Faith (Emuna!) is the key, open the doors and board them
There's hope for all among those loved the most

There ain't no room for the hopeless sinner whom would hurt all mankind
Just to save his own
Have pity on those whose chances grow thinner
For there is no hiding place against The Kingdom's Throne

People get ready there's a train comin'
You don't need no baggage, just get on board
All you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin'
You don't need no ticket, just thank The Lord

Creating a Soul

This week's 45-minute emuna lesson explains current events and gives you a better understanding - and a lot of encouragement - about what's happening in the world. You can see Creating a Soul here. If the link doesn't work for you, click here.

The Water on the Roof

We all know the classic anecdote of the man and the flood: it rained for forty-eight hours straight, and the water was up to the man's front doorstep. A rescue-squad van with a loudspeaker drove through the neighborhood calling for everyone to vacate their homes and offering assistance to those who might need help. The man didn't budge. He was waiting for Divine assistance, not a helping hand from flesh and blood.

The rain fell for another forty-eight hours straight, and the man's living room was now flooded so he took refuge in an upstairs bedroom. This time, the Coast Guard sailed around the neighborhood streets in a rescue boat, calling for the diehards to vacate their homes and offering assistance to anyone who might need help. The man still didn't budge. He wanted Divine assistance, not a helping hand from flesh and blood...

Continue reading The Water on the Roof in this week's edition of Breslev Israel web magazine.

My beloved rabbi, teacher and spiritual guide Rav Shalom Arush says it's Adar and Moshiach is on the way; so, We Can Dance.

Rivka Levy lights a Candle in the Darkness. If you'd like to know how special baking your own challas is, read Racheli Reckles's Challicious. Yehudit Levy asks if emuna is really the Easy Way Out. Dovber Halevi says we are all entitled to Freedom from Distraction. Zev Ballen tackles a really sensitive subject in Co-Dependent. Natalie Kovan examines the Model Life.

The Tunnels of Time is part 57 of Rabbi Erez Moshe Doron's Warriors of Transcendence.

This week's Torah portion is Vayikra. Breslev Israel and the Beams wish you a great week and a wonderful new month of Adar Sheni.