Lazer Brody's Blog, page 8

The Land of Israel: Glittering like Diamonds

Sunflower field in the Jezreel Valley

Our sages mention five special attributes about our beloved Land of Israel, as follows:

1. If a person is on a high enough spiritual level, he'll be able to see that the rocks of Eretz Yisrael glitter like diamonds (Be'er Maim Chaim - Rebbe Chaim of Chernovitz).

2. The soil of Eretz Yisrael is holier than the sky of Chutz L'aretz (lands outside of Israel) (Chasam Sopher).

3. The Gemara says (Berachos 59a) that since the destruction of the holy Temple, the sky has lost its purity; The Shatzer Rebbe ob"m (Da'as Sholom) says that the Gemara is speaking about Chutz L'aretz, and that the skies of Eretz Yisrael maintain their purity forever.

4. The world is like a funnel, where all prayers are channeled into Eretz Yisrael, and arise to the heavens from Eretz Yisrael (Aravei Nachal, Zohar).

5. Eretz Yisrael is so holy, that saying anything derogatory about it is virtually unforgivable; the slander of Eretz Yisrael lengthens the diaspora (Melitzer Rebbe shlit'a).

We here at the Beams send our blessings to all of you who are preparing to make aliya and may Hashem help you be successful. 

You Are A Masterpiece

Why aren't you willing to accept that you're unique and talented, with a whole set of gifts that no one else on earth has?

I'll prove it to you, spiritually and scientifically: see my feature article You Are A Masterpiece on this week's new issue of Breslev Israel web magazine.

Also featured this week:

Rabbi Shalom Arush - Perfect Prayer

Racheli Reckles - Almost Blind

Gedale Fenster - How to Achieve Your Goals

David Ben Horin - The Trampoline and the Tightrope

Dennis Rosen - Gratitude First

Pinney Wolman - Moshiach's Dilemma

Shai Mor - The Newspaper Boy

As you can see in the above lineup, out of 8 articles, only one is written by a woman! Breslev Israel would love to publish quality essays from female writers. If you have something to say in a quality, well-written way, send me an email and I'll send you our submissions guidelines. Write rabbilazer@breslev.co.il - blessings for a wonderful new week!

Rebbe Akiva's Emuna

Shavua Tov! People ask, why did Rebbe Akiva leave his two great teachers, the generation's leading scholars Rebbe Yehoshua and Rebbe Eliezer, to spend 22 years learning from Nachum Ish Gamzu? Today's lesson is an inspiring message for the whole family. Enjoy it, and G-d bless for a wonderful week!

See You Soon, USA!

Parshat Mishpatim: Sharing the Load

Hashem commands us not to harbor hate in our hearts for any other human. Yet in the week's Torah portion, Hashem goes a step further and commands us to help the person we hate (or hates us) carry his load. What's behind this commandment? Enjoy this week's mini-lesson and have a lovely Shabbat!

Rav Shalom Arush: The Perfect Love

You probably won���t believe this, but there is such thing as a perfect love. And you know what? You are the most beloved person on earth! See this:

V'Afilu B'Hastora: Hashem, Don't Hide Your Countenance

Amidst all the uncertainty, infighting and threats from our enemies around us here recently, we beg Hashem to have mercy on us and bring the spirit of emuna and teshuva to the hearts of all us. Above all, we plead to Hashem not to hide His countenance from us.

In uncanny timeliness, the holy words of Rebbe Nachman are now being sung all over the world by every leading Jewish singer in dozens of variations. This niggun comforts aching souls.

Rebbe Nachman of Breslev says in Likutei Moharan I:56 - "Even in a concealment within a concealment, Hashem is certainly there."

In the moving clip below, our esteemed friend and well-known pillar of Jewish music Yochi Briskman made this beautiful arrangement, featuring lead singer Yisrael Werdyger and the Mezamrim Choir. So you can sing along, here are the original words in transliteration, followed by translation (the first line is Yiddish, and the second two lines are Hebrew):

V'afilu B'Hastora - Even in Concealment

(1) Der Aibishter zogt inz, "Kinderlach, Anochi haster panai bayom hahu", ober di Rebbe zogt

Hashem says to us, "Children, I will conceal Myself on that day", but the Rebbe says

(2) V'afilu b'hastora shebatokh hahastora bevadai gam sham nimtza Hashem Yisborach

Even in a concealment within a concealment, Hashem may He be blessed is certainly there

(3) Gam me'achrei hadevorim hakashim ha'omdim alekha, Ani omed.

And behind the the difficult things that stand before you, I stand.

May we all hear good tidings soon, amen!

Rebbe Akiva's Emuna

I have a few heroes in life, but Rebbe Akiva tops them all. He came from a modest background with no silver spoon in his mouth. His native abilities were limited. The high-brows scoffed at him. But he surpassed even the greatest of his generation. What made him so great? His perseverance and his quest for emuna.

People ask, why did Rebbe Akiva leave his two great teachers, the generation's leading scholars Rebbe Yehoshua and Rebbe Eliezer, to spend 22 years learning from Nachum Ish Gamzu?

You'll get an amazing answer in today's emuna lesson and live broadcast from Jerusalem entitled "Rebbe Akiva's Emuna", which will take place, G-d willing, on the ground-floor main sanctuary of the Chut Shel Chessed Yeshiva on 13 Shmuel Hanavi Street in Jerusalem at 7 PM Israel time; the shiur is open to the public - both men and women are invited. You can see today's lesson here - the broadcast, as well as our lessons posted from now on - are Mac and iPod compatible. If you tune in too early to the live broadcast link, you'll be sent to the main page of the Breslev Israel website, so try to tune in on time.  If you are not able to view today's broadcast live, then G-d willing, you'll be able to see the video tape of it later this coming week on Lazer Beams. 

Emuna 2019 USA Tour, Feb. 22- March 12, 2019

Desert Time

Here's another taste of our exquisitely beautiful homeland.

The Negev Desert is a mysteriously beautiful region and one of my favorite places for secluded personal prayer. Thanks to Eyal Bartov, here is a magical taste of the Negev in winter, after the rains have fallen. Enjoy it...