The Positive side of life

Drop-out

The youth that drop-out are very lofty souls who long for spirituality
Rabbi Morgenstern shlita is known for his remarkable brilliance in the revealed and hidden Torah, erudite in all areas of learning. His piety, evident from his youth, attracts to him a growing group of devoted and attached "Chassidim" from all corners of the world that revere his every word and do not make any decision with out him. His daily schedule involves continuous learning, delivering profound shiurim in Torah, both revealed and in mystical teachings, in his Yeshiva "Torat Chaim", writing innovative Torah discourses, private audiences with the general public and pious devotion only witnessed in earlier generations.
In a rare conversation Rabbi Morgenstern reveals his approach in education which includes words of guidance, inspiration, encouragement for the holiday of receiving the Torah. (Y. P. Tirenower)

“Unfortunately the problem of the youth, which have dropped out of the community, is increasingly widespread in our generation. What is the source of this problem? What can we do to prevent this from happening?
These dropouts are mainly very elevated souls which are longing for spirituality, for a deeper meaning in life and haven’t found it. Subsequently, because of their futile search they have fallen to external husks, the unholy forces which exist in this world. This enables sin and transgression to attach easily to these souls. This combination deteriorates these lost souls and has kept them away from any matter of holiness.
The only way for them to find a way back is for them to find meaning in matters of Torah and Mitzvot. They can only do this is by delving into the depth of Torah through Chassidut which can give them the deep infinite significance and meaning that exists in every detail of Torah.
Normally, the emphasis in Yeshivot is for them to concentrate mainly on mastering Gemara, which of course is the most important learning. However, they encounter difficulty in this, because when they look superficially, they fail to sense any connection of Gemara to G-d. The G-d who gave us the Torah.
Today, when immorality hails, we are plagued with so many souls manifesting so many spiritual ailments. We must challenge these disorders with more substantial ammunition. Deep and yet again deeper we must delve into the secrets of the Torah to give them profound meaning in devotion to G-d and a direct, intimate connection with Hashem. We need the teachings of Chassidut and the books of Avodat Hashem that will provide genuine meaning and magnitude for every nuance of each observance. Subsequently, they themselves will return to learning with vigor Gemara.”

Excerpt from “Kehiloth” magazine (no. 35) – A European Rabbinical periodical
The illustrious Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Morgenstern shlita, of the great Cabbalists in our generation. 5769

Enter The Other's World

When talking to someone who thinks very differently than you, especially when the person is being irrational, enter the other person's world and answer him according to his line of reasoning. If you have any hope of your communication being accepted, you must try to reply in a way consistent with the other's way of thinking -even if you feel it is distorted and illogical.

This is the principle of entering the world of the person you are communicating with.
(see Vilna Gaon - Proverbs 26:5; Rabbi Pliskin - "Consulting the Wise")

Finding Light in the Dark

by Shalvi Weissman


My house is a mess, my head is a mess. Before, all three kids were crying; now the house's soundtrack is noticeably quieter, a strong contrast to the images that meet the eye. Dirty dishes, a sewing project on the living room floor (the only surface in the house big enough to lay out fabric to cut)--once clean, new fabric and patterns, now covered in dusty footsteps of four different sizes; on the table, together with the lunch leftovers, lie papers waiting to be filed, bills post due, lists of urgent phone calls waiting to be made.

My head is reeling The baby is on my lap as I type—she wakes up and screams for half an hour any time I try to put her down. I got some very harsh news today. My head is reeling. Someone I love is in pain. The clean laundry is on my son's bed; I'd better put it elsewhere soon or he will just lie down on top of it and it won't be so clean anymore.

You should know, none of this is my fault. I paid a babysitter to take my kids to the park for the afternoon in order to avoid the exact scene that I'm describing. Oh well, so much for that.

At the height of the excitement before the kids fell asleep, I was running around in circles, trying to make some progress on all of the projects mocking me in each direction I looked. I started opening and closing kitchen cabinets. It's not there. Maybe in the fridge. The freezer? Something that will give me the strength, endurance power and patience to deal with the disturbances in my home and in my heart. No, this is too big even for chocolate. I go into my room, close the door. It's dark. Just me and You, G‑d.

"I need help. I'm so broken-hearted over her suffering. I wish I could help, but I can't. I can't even handle the home front, never mind battles far afield. I don't want my family to suffer because I can't get it together. I'm a little embarrassed to even turn to You in this state, but You know what? You created me with my strengths and weaknesses. You made my baby a light sleeper with a super sensitive stomach. You deemed it fit for me to be told today about the abuse that went on in my student's home as she was growing up. You run the world, not me. If You delegated this little corner of the world to me, You must think I am capable, or at least capable enough. Please give me whatever it is that I need to get through this and make You proud."

Ahhh. Better than chocolate.

I feel my faith being stretched by life and experience There are some very dark places in the world. Dark, sad, lonely, frightening places. When we find ourselves in them, what do we do? A person of moderate faith has little trouble finding G‑d in the face of a newborn baby, a beautiful sunset, a spring butterfly. But what about on skid row, in the oncology unit, or the orphanage? When life dishes up a bitter brew, what do we do? When a baby is crowning, can the body widen enough to allow for new life? I feel my faith being stretched by life and experience. It feels like it might break me, but is there any option other than pushing forward?

The ideal way to light the Chanukah candles is to place them within ten handbreadths (called t'fachim) of the floor. The Gemara tells us that the Shechina, the Divine Presence, never dwelled below ten t'fachim. On Chanukah we are bringing the light of the Divine Presence where it had never been before.

Imagine living in the time of the Chanukah story, watching the Greeks grow in power and influence over the years, until the point when Torah cannot be learned in pubic without fear of torture and death. The Holy Temple, The House of G‑d, the place we would go to renew the purity of our souls, is now overtaken by idolaters. It's one thing for the Greeks to take over the mall, the media, the world of the body, but once the home of my soul has been invaded, where can I turn? What possibility is there to connect to the Divine? How can I serve a G‑d that has allowed His very own home to be overtaken by evil? What a dark place to live in. What bravery and faith the Macabbees had to bring light to such a place, to put their lives on the line for a G‑d that had, it seemed from their human perspective, abandoned them.

I could use some of that. A young woman asked me this week why G‑d gave her an eating disorder. Her friends are enjoying the pleasures of youth, looking forward to marriage and sweet hopeful horizons. She struggles every moment for her health and sanity. She is young. She doesn't remember ever asking for this. She prays every day for healing, for a normal life. She wants me, her teacher, to tell her why G‑d is making her suffer, to tell her why G‑d is not answering her prayers.

Let's create some light here I take a deep breath. I am holding my month-old baby in my arms. "When I gave birth it hurt. Birth is tough. If someone had come to me when I was screaming and sweating with pain and given me a technical or logical explanation for why I was suffering, I might have chopped off his head. There are no answers for someone in the midst of suffering so great that it stretches the boundaries of their survival. I can only hold your hand and tell you that I believe that there will be a baby.

"I don't know why you are suffering. I do know that G‑d hears you every time that you cry out. I believe that you can overcome this. I believe that G‑d believes that you can overcome this and that you will be much greater from the experience. You are surrounded by darkness that you cannot chase away, so let's just do our best to create some light in here. We can't see G‑d's goodness with sunshine clarity from within your pain, but our faith can be a candle that gives enough light to see where the next footstep belongs."

Chanukah comes when the days are short and cold, the days when we need light the most. There are dark places in all of our lives. A candle in the sunshine is useless. A candle in the dark is a powerful tool. I can't take away all the pain and suffering, but I can try to carry colorful candles in my heart and leave strands of the Divine light in my wake.





Written by my good and special friend Shalvi Weissman
Shalvi Weissman is a mother, teacher, singer and writer living in Jerusalem with her husband and four children.

Just give it a try....

The Talmud tells us that, in Heaven, the gates of salvation are never locked – they are always open to the prayers of the broken-hearted. Rabbi Simcha Bunim of P’shischa once asked his Hasidim, “If the gates are always open, then why did God put gates there? What purpose do they serve?”

He explained, “The gates keep out those who do not even try. Seeing the gates, some immediately assume that the way is barred, and they turn back. If only they would give the slightest push, God Himself would swing the gates open wide and clear the way before them.”

Posted by Moshe Kranc

Successful Treatment of Psychiatric disorders

During one of his lectures on psychiatric disorders, our professor Dr. Z told us that every once in a while a patient would come to him and he could not pinpoint what was exactly the matter with the person. In such a situation he would prescribe a wonder-drug called Obecalp. Obecalp was an effective agent against depression, pain, and a host of other common conditions. Although this drug is no longer available for clinical use (nowadays it is solely used in research), when Dr. Z was practicing as a young doctor many decades ago, he was friendly with a nearby pharmacist and this pharmacist would privately formulate Obecalp. Nowadays the drug name has changed (they spell it backwards), but even today, before any new drug is approved the drug manufacturer must prove that his drug is more effective than Obecalp. Recently, researchers are finding the Obecalp is becoming even more effective, yet no one knows how Obecalp works. One leading theory raised by proponents of Lubavitcher Hassidism is that Obecalp works via the "tracht gut vet zein gut" mind-body pathway. However the scientific community is wary of possible side effects that may result via the "tracht shlecht vet zein shlecht" mind-body pathway and are still waiting for more conclusive results before making Obecalp available for widespread use.

written by blogger gavha the Hunchback

Satisfaction

Some Hasidim of the Maggid of Mezheritz came to him. "Rebbe, we have a problem. It says in the Talmud that one must thank God as much for the bad , as for the good. How can that be? What would our gratitude mean, if we gave it equally for the good and the bad?"

The Maggid replied, "Go to Anapol. Reb Zusya will have an answer for you."

The Hasidim undertook the journey. Arriving in Anapol, they inquired for Reb Zusya. At last, they came to the poorest street of the city. There, crowded between two small houses, they found a tiny shack, sagging with age.

When they entered, they saw Reb Zusya sitting at a bare table, reading a volume by the light of the only small window. "Welcome, strangers!" he said. "Please pardon me for not getting up; I have hurt my leg. Would you like food? I have some bread. And there is water!"

"No. We have come only to ask you a question. The Maggid of Mezheritz told us you might help us understand: Why do our sages tell us to thank God as much for the bad days as for the good?"

Reb Zusya laughed. "Me? I have no idea why the Maggid sent you to me." He shook his head in puzzlement. "You see, I have never had a bad day. Every day God has given to me has been filled with miracles."

Character traits

The Baal Shem Tov taught:


And G·d said to Abram, "Go out from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you." (Genesis 12:1)

"I will make your nature known in the world" (Rashi).



I heard from my Master in the name of Rav Sa'adiah Gaon, that a person is created in this world solely to break his negative, inborn character traits. Through this, he raises up the level called "your nature" [i.e. what is natural for you] "in the world" - [i.e. into the world] Above." It is called "world" (olam) from the word "hidden" (he'elam) and "concealed."


Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Shore

Saliva : an unbelievable substance .................

Article resent: because of Lech lecha and the first Brit mila.


Leviticus: 12-3: And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
Did you know that the 8th day is the safest day for the child to be circumcised??
The " rofe kol basar " ["the Healer of all flesh"] knew this of coursevery well and may have probably engineered -so to speak- the system of every newborn this way.
Of course these kind of medical facts are just an example of the wonderful ways in which we may recognize our creator.
On this day the clotting factors in the blood are super-optimal.
Before that date and after that date they are or sub-optimal or just "normal".

Do you know that metsitsa /metzitza [ sucking by mouth] of the blood during/after the brit[circumcision ]is the best and safest method there is to regulate the bleeding after the circumcision[and not by a tube]?

This was highly recommended by chazal and many rabbis of the past and today still hold the same opinion as far as I know.
That some/most Mohalim use a tube to day is probably because of fear for infections in our changing/changed world.

It has been shown that morning saliva [the first saliva in the morning, before rinsing the mouth and before eating or drinking anything makes the chance of transferring diseases nil. [even Aids!!]

How proper could it be -for this medical reason alone- to do the brit early in the morning ,even without rinsing the mouth before hand and not drinking anything!! and to use metsitsa instead of a tube.
I am speaking pure medically and not criticizing any other opinion or habit or stating any halacha.

For the same reason I advise people with severe acne to dab [litfoach] there face ,as first thing in the morning ,with the morning saliva ,directly after netilat yadayim] , without rinsing theri mouth first and before drinking anything.
The antibacterial [antiviral] effect of the first morning sputum is tremendous!!

A clever way to take care of yourself

An Incredible Story:
Following is an incredible true story that happened recently: An elderly lady in a nursing home in the Midwest passed away. Her children, who always visited her and took care of her, did their duty and did a proper Jewish Tahara and burial.

On the 5th day of sitting Shiva, the phone rang and the daughter sitting Shiva answered the phone. On the other end of the phone was her mother who she just buried. The daughter, in shock, immediately fainted. The phone rang again and it was her mother again, complaining that no one came to visit her that week.

The family then rushed to the nursing home and it turned out there was a mix up at the nursing home and it was her roommate that passed away and not this lady. So now the nursing home had the grim job of informing the children of the other lady that their mother died five days ago. The nursing home called and was trying to break it to these children slowly but before they could even tell the children what happened, the children callously answered if this call has anything to do with our mother they are not interested. These children said "All day long our mother wastes her time and just prays and prays and says Psalms". The children then added- "And the one thing she prays for is that when she dies she should have a proper Jewish burial". But, the children cruelly said, "We will outsmart her and when she dies we will spite her and make sure she will not have a proper Jewish Burial".

The nursing home staff then explained to them it was too late as she already received her proper burial!

Look at the power of prayer and to the extent Hashem will turn the world around to answer a prayer. Here this pious religious lady only prayed for one thing, a proper burial, knowing it was almost impossible, yet she didn't give up. So Hashem orchestrated this whole mix up to respond to the prayers of this lady.

Any of our prayers can have the same potential and power!

(This true story was recently told by a Menahel who heard it first hand from one of the Children)

Israel's peculiar position....

THIS WAS WRITTEN IN 1968 41 years ago - Astonishing!

You probably don't remember the name Eric Hoffer. He was a longshoreman who turned into a philosopher, wrote columns for newspapers and some books. He was a non-Jewish American social philosopher. He was born in 1902 and died in 1983, after writing nine books and winning the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Eric Hoffer was one of the most influential American philosophers and free thinkers of the 20th Century. His books are still widely read and quoted today.

Here is one of his columns from 1968 -- 41 years ago! Some things never change.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ISRAEL'S PECULIAR POSITION...by Eric Hoffer - LA Times 5/26/68

Deja Vu

The Jews are a peculiar people: things permitted to other nations are forbidden to the Jews. Other nations drive out thousands, even millions of people and there is no refugee problem. Russia did it, Poland and Czechoslovakia did it.

Turkey threw out a million Greeks, and Algeria a million Frenchman. Indonesia threw out heaven knows how many Chinese and no one says a word about refugees. But in the case of Israel , the displaced Arabs have become eternal refugees.

Everyone insists that Israel must take back every single one. Arnold Toynbee calls the displacement of the Arabs an atrocity greater than any committed by the Nazis.

Other nations when victorious on the battlefield dictate peace terms. But when Israel is victorious, it must sue for peace.

Everyone expects the Jews to be the only real Christians in this world. Other nations, when they are defeated, survive and recover but should Israel be defeated it would be destroyed.

Had Nasser triumphed last June [1967], he would have wiped Israel off the map, and no one would have lifted a finger to save the Jews.

No commitment to the Jews by any government, including our own, is worth the paper it is written on. There is a cry of outrage all over the world when people die in Vietnam or when two Blacks are executed in Rhodesia.

But, when Hitler slaughtered Jews no one demonstrated against him. The Swedes, who were ready to break off diplomatic relations with America because of what we did in Vietnam, did not let out a peep when Hitler was slaughtering Jews. They sent Hitler choice iron ore, and ball bearings, and serviced his troops in Norway.

The Jews are alone in the world.

If Israel survives, it will be solely because of Jewish efforts and Jewish resources. Yet at this moment, Israel is our only reliable and unconditional ally.

We can rely more on Israel than Israel can rely on us.

And one has only to imagine what would have happened last summer [1967] had the Arabs and their Russian backers won the war, to realize how vital the survival of Israel is to America and the West in general.

I have a premonition that will not leave me; as it goes with Israel so will it go with all of us.

Should Israel perish, the Holocaust will be upon us all.

Torah’s View On Iran, Eretz Yisroel, America & Moshiach

October 19, 2009 [By Rav Yitzchok Fingerer] As Iran becomes more vehement in their cataclysmic threat, inching imminently closer to nuclear power, there are questions that gnaw every thinking person’s conscience: What is Iran’s ultimate motive? Who will preemptively strike Iran? Will it be Eretz Yisroel or America? Will we survive retaliation? How does this tie in to the grand scheme of Hashem’s plan for the Jewish people? Where does the Torah prophesize this?

The Roots of Iran in the Torah:

The prodigious histories of Babylonia and Persia, modern day Iraq and Iran, may be traced to postdiluvian civilization. Shem, Cham, and Yafes, Noach’s sons, were bequeathed distinct divine missions. While some of Cham’s descendants were cursed to be slaves, Yafes’s descendants were ordained with a twofold mission—to be the aesthetic developers and monarchs of the world and the facilitators and catalysts of the spiritual ascendancy of Shem’s progeny. Finally, Shem’s descendants were charged with being the world’s spiritual and moral beacons.

Ancient civilization lived in relative unanimity until Nimrod, Cham’s grandson, unilaterally crowned himself monarch, an act of brazen usurpation. Nimrod appropriated Yafes’s endowed role and established an empire in Babylonia. According to Rashi; Seforno; Rokeach; and others; Ashur, Shem’s grandson, protested this illicit seizure of power, and left the Mesopotamian environs. Nimrod’s eventual successor in Babylonia was none other than Nebuchadnezzar II, who destroyed the first Beis HaMikdash.

Almost two hundred years before the Churban Bayis Rishon, Yeshaya HaNavi prophesied that—in the future—a descendant of Yafes, namely a king of Persia named “Koresh”, would supplant Babylonia as the world power, restoring Yafes’s natural rights to the world monarchy. Yeshaya further astoundingly prophesied that Hashem would commission this “Koresh”, a gentile king, to redeem the Jewish people and rebuild the Beis HaMikdash. Yeshaya’s words proved accurate—Babylonia was destroyed, Koresh ruled the world, and the Jews were redeemed from exile.

There was one critical problem: Only 42,360 Jews returned to Israel. The rest stayed in exile. Koresh didn’t do enough to facilitate the Jewish redemption, nor did he completely rebuild the Temple. Koresh ordered that sections of the Temple be constructed out of wood, lest the Jews rebel and the Temple could then easily be burned to cinders. Alas, Noach’s blessing and charge to Yafes wouldn’t be fulfilled through Koresh the Persian. Instead, Yafes’s illustrious legacy would be assigned to his other offspring, Greece, and eventually, Persia’s arch nemesis—Greek’s successor—Rome.

Not only did Persia (modern-day Iran) forfeit its position as Yafes’s spiritual heir, it also attempted to destroy the Jews. Only a short while later, Haman, Prime Minister of ancient Persia, plotted to annihilate the Jews. As the Zohar teaches, history must always come full circle. Therefore—in the End of Days— kings and nations will be reincarnated and Persia will threaten the world and, in particular, the Jews.

As stunning prophecy from Rav Yonoson Eibushetz:

The Talmud in Avodah Zara and Yoma portends that the final world war will involve Persia and latter day Rome, which Ben Ish Chai identifies as the Western Super-Power—America. The Talmud cites two opinions concerning the ultimate victor in this war. One opinion is that Persia will defeat modern-day Rome because of Persia’s role in constructing the second Beis HaMikdash. The dissenting opinion posits that although Persia helped build the second Beis HaMikdash, they will suffer ultimate defeat. In the words of the Talmud, even though this seems incongruous, “It is a decree from Hashem.” Interestingly, Rav Yonoson Eibushetz (in Yaaros Devash) seems to side with the latter opinion. He emphatically claims that a prerequisite for Moshiach’s arrival is Persia’s downfall. Regardless, it is clear that Rome—or America’s—role as the catalyst of the ascendancy of Shem (i.e. the Jewish people), and the third Beis HaMikdash, remains to be determined. Will America live up to its destined mission or fail?

America & Eretz Yisroel

A fascinating Medrash (Yalkut Shimoni, Yeshaya, 499) further clarifies the apocalyptic events:

Rabbi Yitzchok said: The year that Melech HaMoshiach will be revealed, all the kings [leaders] of the nations will be struggling against each other. The leader of Persia will contest with the leader of Arabia, and the leader of Arabia will go to Rome [the leading modern-day Western superpower] to get council from them. The leader of Persia will respond and act to destroy the entire world. All the nations of the world will be trembling and shaking and falling on their faces. They will be seized by labor-like pains.

The Jewish people will be trembling and quaking and saying: “Where can we go? Where can we go?” And [Hashem] will say to them: My children do not fear! Everything I did, I did only for you! Why are you frightened? Don’t be afraid-— the days of your redemption have arrived!”

Shiites and Sunnis:

What is interesting is that the Medrash contrasts Persia with Arabia. Why would the Medrash make a distinction between Arabic Iran (Persia), and another Arab country, Arabia? Why would the Medrash speak about a war amongst kindred Arab nations? And finally, why would Arabia consult with the leading Western superpower?

This Medrash is startling and mind-boggling. While Iranians are Muslim, they are not true Arabs, i.e., they are not Semites; they stem from Yafes and are Indo-European. This is precisely why the Medrash contrasts Iran, non-Arabs, with the rest of the Arab world. The Iranians are largely Shiite Persians. Arabia may refer to Saudi Arabia, the leading Sunni country in the Middle East. The Saudis and Iranians both seek to dominate the Middle East and lead the Muslim world. Their growing rivalry is a major factor in world politics.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s nuclear ambitions, combined with Iran’s sponsorship of the Shiite Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, its backing of Hamas, and its uprisings in Iraq, is proof to Arab leaders that their old Persian rivals are determined to reshape the Middle East (and the world). As early as 2004, Jordan’s King Abdullah warned of a rising Shiite “crescent” running from Iran through Iraq and Syria to Lebanon.

Saudi Arabia is concerned about a nuclear Shiite Iran. Therefore, they are dependent on America, the leading country attempting to stifle Iran’s nuclear pursuits, which could explain the part of the Medrash in which Arabia consults modern-day Rome. This Medrash patently teaches that the Iranian threat is a definite signpost and prelude to Moshiach.

Moshiach can come in one of two ways:

1. We will earn Moshiach peacefully by following Hashem’s law.

Or

2. The plight of humanity will become critical and desperate, necessitating Moshiach to salvage the world from chaos.

We have two choices: We can ignore all the prophecies in a binge of self-assertion and hope to survive the outcome of the war on terror or we can allow Moshiach to come in peace and serenity by changing and improving ourselves, personally and collectively, living up to our mission as Hashem’s chosen nation. The power to choose is in our hands.

(Rav Yitzchok Fingerer - YWN)

Do Not Worry - Israel

A few sentences from the Ne-ila [closing service of yom kippur],

after the Shofar blowing at the very end.

יז כָּל-כְּלִי יוּצַר עָלַיִךְ,
לא יִצְלָח, וְכָל-לָשׁוֹן תָּקוּם-אִתָּךְ לַמִּשְׁפָּט, תַּרְשִׁיעִי; זֹאת נַחֲלַת עַבְדֵי יְהוָה וְצִדְקָתָם, מֵאִתִּי--נְאֻם-יְהוָה

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their due reward from Me, saith the LORD.

Go, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a happy heart, for G-d has now accepted thy works.

[Book of Prayer: According to the Custom of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews David de Sola Pool, New York: Union of Sephardic Congregations, 1979]

5770

Last night, the Sudilkover Rebbe told me that 5770 (תש"ע) will a year in which Hashem will express His rachamim (compassion) and ratzon (desire). He explained that this is hinted to in the fact that the letters that make up this year תש"ע can be rearranged into the word שְׁעַת that is found in the tefilla of Avinu Malkeinu:


אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ תְּהֵא הַשָּׁעָה הַזּאת שְׁעַת רַחֲמִים וְעֵת רָצון מִלְּפָנֶיךָ


posted by simple jew

Mind over Matter

In the Torah we read that Sarah and Abraham are going to have child. When Sarah hears this she starts to laugh. Sarah's' laughing wasn't cause she was doubting G-d. As the commentaries say that Sarah had more faith and trust in the almighty G-d master of the universe then did Abraham.

The laugh she had was in realizing and knowing in everything we go through, the almighty G-d master of the universe is going through it with us all.

The first paragraph tells us that G-d came to visit Abraham after his circumcision. It is interesting that that the last two words are kichom hayom at the heat of the day. This is to teach us that as the sun is located in the heavens and it is able to affect and heat the the lower worlds.

So is true with a person that is spiritually connected to the almighty G-d master of the universe. The spiritually connected person is physically on this world but his thoughts and ideas come from the place called the garden of Eden.
In turn he is able to channel the connection to others seeking his assistance amen.

Mind over matter. Through the mind we have the ability to connect to the almighty
G-d master of the universe. As we know that the purest thought is from the mind and not the heart.

By Mordechai Gutman

Parent Job Description

This is hysterical. If it had been presented this way,
I don't believe any of us would have applied!!!

Position:
Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma
Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop
Job Description:
Long term, team players needed, for challenging
permanent work in an
often chaotic environment.
Candidates must possess excellent communication
and organizational skills and be willing to work
variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends
and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.
Some overnight travel required, including trips to
primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities!
Travel expenses not reimbursed.
Extensive courier duties also required.
Responsibilities:
The rest of your life.
Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily,
until someone needs $5.
Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
Also, must possess the physical stamina of a
pack mule
and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat
in case, this time, the screams from
the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.
Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges,
such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets
and stuck zippers
Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and
coordinate production of multiple homework projects.
Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings
for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.
Must be willing to be indispensable one minute,
an embarrassment the next.
Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a
half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.
Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
Must assume final, complete accountability for
the quality of the end product.
Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and
janitorial work throughout the facility.

Possibility for Advancement & Promotion:
None..
Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills,
so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.
Previous Experience:
None required unfortunately.
On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.
Wages and Compensation:
Get this! You pay them!
Offering frequent raises and bonuses.
A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because
of the assumption that college will help them
become financially independent.
When you die, you give them whatever is left.
The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that
you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.
Benefits:
While no health or dental insurance, no pension,
no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and
no stock options are offered;
this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth,
unconditional love,
and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

Forward this on to all the PARENTS you know, in appreciation for everything they do on a daily basis,
letting them know they are appreciated
for the fabulous job they do...
or forward with love to anyone thinking of applying for the job.

** AND A FOOTNOTE**

THERE IS NO RETIREMENT -- EVER!!!



.

Netanyahu at his best

Even those who aren't particularly sympathetic to Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, could get a good measure of satisfaction from this interview with
British Television during the retaliation against Hamas' shelling of Israel.

The interviewer asked him: "How come so many more Palestinians have been killed in this conflict than Israelis?" (A nasty question if there ever was one!)

Netanyahu: "Are you sure that you want to start asking in that direction?"

Interviewer: (Falling into the trap) Why not?

Netanyahu: "Because in World War II more Germans were killed than British and Americans combined, but there is no doubt in anyone's mind that the war was caused by Germany's aggression.
And in response to the German blitz on London, the British wiped out the entire city of Dresden, burning to death more German civilians than the number of people killed in Hiroshima.
Moreover, I could remind you that in 1944, when the R.A.F. tried to bomb the Gestapo Headquarters in Copenhagen, some of the bombs missed their target and fell on a Danish children's hospital, killing 83 little children. Perhaps you have another question?"

Don't We All Need Help?

I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car. I had just come from the car wash and was waiting for my wife to get out of work. Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a bum. From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money. There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered. This was one of those "I don't want to be bothered" times.

"I hope he doesn't ask me for any money," I thought. He didn't. He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop but he didn't look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus. After a few minutes he spoke.

"That's a very pretty car," he said. He was ragged but he had an air of dignity around him. His scraggly blond beard kept more than his face warm.


I said, "Thanks," and continued wiping off my car. He sat there quietly as I worked. The expected plea for money never came. As the silence between us widened something inside said, "Ask him if he needs any help." I was sure that he would say "yes" but I held true to the inner voice. "Do you need any help?" I asked.

He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget. We often look for wisdom in great men and women. We expect it from those of higher learning and accomplishments. I expected nothing but an outstretched grimy hand. He spoke the three words that shook me. "Don't we all?" he said.

I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a bum in the street, until those three words hit me like a twelve gauge shotgun. Don't we all?

I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day.

Those three little words still ring true. No matter how much you have, no matter how much you have accomplished, you need help too. No matter how little you have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without money or a place to sleep, you can give help. Even if it's just a compliment, you can give that. You never know when you may see someone that appears to have it all. They are waiting on you to give them what they don't have. A different perspective on life, a glimpse at something beautiful, a respite from daily chaos, that only you through a torn world can see. Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was more than that. Maybe he was sent by G'd to minister to a soul too comfortable in itself.

Maybe G'd looked down, called an Angel, dressed him like a bum, and then said, "Go minister to that man cleaning the car, that man needs help."

Don't we all?

Do Not Be Sad

People walk around sad because they don't know what to do with their future. You have this minute right now. What are you going to do with it?

The difference between sadness and joy is very simple. Sadness always tells you: 'Oy vey! What are you doing to do in ten minutes? What will you do ten years from now?'

If you are really filled with joy for one minute, then you will know what to do the next minute also. What is G-d giving you? He is giving you this minute. He hasn't given tomorrow. Of course I don't know what to do tomorrow, because I didn't receive it yet.

Sadness is very much concerned with what I don't have, and I really don't have tomorrow yet. The truth is, I am always standing before nothingness, because I am nonexistent yet for the next minute. I'm not there yet. Time isn't there. The world isn't there!

The world is here...right now!

-- Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, zt"l

Do not be broken when one is depressed - By Reb Asher Freund zt"l

The main thing is simple faith and stubbornness, so as not to be broken when one is depressed.

With the same breath that G'd reveals Himself to you, you should live with Him in his distress of His children, who live with needless hatred and in all the different evil ways which disturb G'd's connection with us.
Then G'd brings upon us an awakening of His pain, so that we can participate in His pain and so that there will be a place for Him in the world of asiyah, our world, from which the life force of all the worlds stems.
When G'd does not have a part in this world below, we have no nurturing powers from above, and all the springs are stopped up. And as G'd has mercy on his creatures, He causes us to have pain and suffering, so that we will cry to Him and arouse His mercy on His nation, and redeem us soon.Rather than crying out from the depth of our hearts that there should be an end to all our troubles and that we should remain silent about all our pain and suffering which is the pain of G'd's love, we cause ourselves to descend into depression and cling to the Evil inclination which is the opposite of holiness.

The reason for this is because how little we are submissive, and we waste our lives without any soul searching and descend very low. Because of that we harden our hearts and waste away our soul and our length of days, and lose both our worlds, this one and the next.

We therefore have to be constantly on guard and not to forget for even a single breath about our cleaving to the Creator wherever we are, and to cry out to Him until He takes pity on us and takes us out to the great light. Even from the deepest of the depths He hears our voice ("because You hear the prayer of every voice").

Words written by Reb Asher Freund zt"l
Menachem Av 5738

The Month of Elul, the number 40 and Teshuva.

By: Chaviv Danesh

The period of time between the first day of Elul until Yom Kippur is 40 days.

The number 40 occurs in Judaism quiet often. If we look closely we will see that every time the number 40 is used it is in connection with a transformation of one sort or another. Let’s look at some examples:

The flood lasted 40 days and 40 nights. The Midrash along with many other sources state that the world became radically different after the flood. From the nature of the people to the land everything changed. In a sense the world was reborn and given a second chance for their misdeeds.

The Jewish people were in the desert for 40 years. The time the Jewish people spent in the desert was a punishment for the spies who searched the land for 40 days and for the people believed their bad report. Therefore, here the 40 years were 40 years to compensate for the mistake they made and get them spiritually clean of that sin so that they can enter the land. Here again we see the number 40 transforming the Jewish people from guilty for the sin of spies to being forgiven for it and along with that being given a second chance.

The number of Makot (lashes) that a person received in the times of the beit hamikdash for certain sins is 40 (40 minus 1 according to chachamim). The lashes transformed a person from being guilty to innocent and thereby purified him of sin.

The number 40 also represents the 40 days and nights that Moshe Rabbeinu spent on the mountain before coming down with the Torah. The second time he went up he went on the first of Elul and came down 40 days later on the tenth of Tishrei which is Yom Kippur. Incidentally this is why Yom Kippur is on the tenth of Tishrei; because there is a special energy of forgiveness in the world at that time originating from when Moshe rabbeinu came down with the tablets the second time; symbolizing the fact that Hashem had forgiven them for the making of the golden calf.

There are many other examples of this as well. The amount of water in a kosher mikveh (a well of water which transforms a person from impure to pure) has to be 40 seah. The number of days until a baby is formed according to the Gemara is 40 days (this was scientifically proven as until 40 days the electrical charge of the body is not present), and there are many many more examples.

Moreover, the first letter of the words that are associated with the ideas mentioned previously is the letter “mem,” i.e. Mikveh, Matan Torah (giving of Torah), Makot (lashes), Midbar (desert), Mabul (flood), Moshe. The letter “Mem” in Hebrew has a numerical value of forty. An intelligent person would not attribute this to chance.

As we can see the number 40 has associated with it the power to transform. Therefore, these 40 day we must transform ourselves into righteous people by becoming stricter in following the mitzvoth.

It has been a tradition to do something extra on Elul that you don’t do the whole year. This could be praying with more kavana (concentration) or doing acts of kindness for others, fixing some character flaws which one might have or anything else a person feels like he/she must do to elevate themselves.

It is interesting to note that the word Elul is also found in Megilat Ester. In the verse (9:22) where it talks about giving gifts to the poor Ish lereihu omatanot laevyonim, the first letters of that verse spell Elul. Therefore giving more tzedakah in this month is also very important.

In this month one should do teshuvah. The Rambam says that the mitzvah of teshuvah has three steps: confession, regret and saying that one would not do it again. It is important to note that all three steps have to be said out loud. There are many reasons for this and one is that just like the sin was done with a physical act so too the teshuvah for it has to be done with a physical act in this case being speaking.

What shall a person take out of this practically? In the month of Elul one must feel like he/she has no place. Just like the person who is in a city of refuge has no place one must feel that in the month of Elul. One must feel like he/she is on a shaky bridge and any false move would tip it over. Therefore we must take every precaution not to treat this month lightly and on the contrary to utilize the transforming power of this month and these 40 days to hopefully transform ourselves into the kinds of people we know we can become.

A short overview of Jewish History

BAD PARENTING

A short story about sensitivity

There is a story told of a person who came to a great rabbi with a question. Can one fulfill the obligation of drinking the four cups on Pesach with milk? The rabbi thought a moment and then went into his safe to take out money to give to the fellow.

As the rabbi handed the money to the fellow to use to purchase wine the rabbi gave him extra to purchase chicken and other foods. The man bewildered asked the rabbi how is it that you know that I didn't even have chicken for pesach?.

The rabbi answered if you are asking me about using milk for the four cups then as well you don't have any chicken!!! For we know that one doesn't eat milk and meat together.

The struggle for unity is found in all areas of our lives

Written by Rabbi Avraham Moshe Kiper - Founder of Neve Ziviya

This year we read Parshat Bamidbar on the day preceding Rosh Chodesh Sivan. Let’s look for the connection between this Parsha and the giving of the Torah. In chapter 1 verse 19 it is written, “ According to G-d’s command to Moshe he counted them in the desert”.
The Kedushat Levi asks why this verse is written as it is. We might think that it should have been written the other way, that is, “He counted them in the desert according to G-d’s command to Moshe.” Why is the verse seemingly reversed?
He then explains that our sages teach that there are six hundred thousand letters in the Torah, corresponding to the six hundred thousand souls of the Jewish people. Moshe Rabeinu knew which letter each and every person corresponded to. Therefore when he was counting the Jewish people, he was also learning all of the letters of the Torah. That is why the verse hints to us, “According to G-d’s command to Moshe.”
It is telling us that in the process of counting, Moshe was reviewing the whole Torah- ‘G-d’s command to Moshe’ from within the souls of the Jewish people.
Before we received the Torah it is written, “And he encamped there before the mountain.” (Shmot 19:2)
The sages teach that ‘he’ is written instead of ‘they’ even though we think of the Jewish people as plural, because we were as “One man with one heart”. Once the Torah existed through the united souls of Israel it was able to come into the world in it’s actualized form.
Just as in those days we were able to reach our potential by uniting as a nation, also today it is through uniting together that will reach our goals, The coming of Moshiach and bringing the world to it’s fruition.
The struggle for unity is found in all areas of our lives; between friends, within the Jewish people, between man and his wife, unity within the home with one’s children and family.

The Angels and Us

by Shalvi Weissman

There are angels in the world who tell us that we're not good enough – and they are right! As perfect beings, angels hold up perfection as their standard of measurement, but their measurements have been getting us humans into trouble from the very beginning.

When G‑d decided to create the world, in His humility He asked the angels what they thought. The answer was, of course, "No! Don't do it! They will tell lies, they will break the rules, they will make mistakes, and it's not worth it!"

G-d never expected perfection G‑d, however, decided that despite the risk, it was a worthwhile investment- and Adam and Eve were created. His explanation to the angels was that we would be kind to each other.

When it was time to give the Torah, the angels didn't want Him to entrust it to us. Moses was in heaven for forty days and forty nights learning the Torah and preparing to bring it down to the Jewish people. The angels came to G‑d and said, "What's this lowly mortal doing up here?"

"He's come to receive the Torah and bring it down to the Jewish people."

"What?! You've got to be kidding! You are giving the greatest supernal celestial delight to a bunch of lowly human beings?! They will surely profane it! They are not deserving!"

G‑d told Moses, "Answer them."

So Moses asked them, "What does the Torah say?"

"Well, it says to honor your father and mother."

"Do you have a father and mother that you must honor? What else does it say?"

"Not to covet."

"Do angels have possessions that you need to be warned not to covet? What else?"

"Not to commit adultery…"

Moses was able to convince them that the Torah, full of laws about money, food, and relationships, clearly belonged among us and not them, but they still wanted to burn Moses up with their fiery breath. G‑d told Moses to hold on to His holy throne, and by doing so, Moses was saved and was able to deliver the Torah.

It's made for usAny spiritually sensitive individual realizes that keeping the Torah in its entirety is a near-impossible task. The angels were right. We mess it up. We make mistakes. However, that's nothing new to G‑d. He knew from the get-go exactly who he was dealing with. He made us!

How many times have you intended to help out a friend, do something special in honor of Shabbat, give your kids a better Jewish education, work on having a better relationship with your parents, etc., but when you thought it through, it seemed too hard, impossible to do perfectly/ completely/ consistently- so you forgot about it altogether?

It is almost as if we can hear the angels making their arguments against us. What they're saying is probably true. But there is a deeper truth- the truth of the truth is that even if you do one good deed one time, you have created spiritual progress that will last for all of eternity. You are bringing nachas, joy, to your Creator and holiness into your own life. The effort that you invested will never be lost.

This is something that angels don't understand. How can we get credit for what seem to them to be small successes? But they don't have to deal with the kind of stresses that humans deal with on a daily basis.

Once, G‑d decided to show them. Three angels came to visit Abraham after he was circumcised, to tell him that he was going to have a son. Abraham made them a meal to remember: veal tongues in mustard with fresh bread and the works. G‑d gave them the ability to eat just this once. For a moment those angels enjoyed sinking their teeth into a succulent meal, and they were so immersed in the pleasure of it that they lost touch with their spiritual reality a little. Ever have that happen? Of course! Food and all of the other physical pleasures can bring us closer to G‑d, but they can also make us forget ourselves and our Creator. At that moment the angels understood what it means to be human and to have to deal with the challenges that we deal with. It took them a hundred and something years to recover from the spiritual fall of that one meal and to return to heaven. It wasn't until three generations later, in the days of Jacob, Abraham's grandson, that those angels where able to go back up to heaven (this is one of the meanings of Jacob's dream of the ladder with the angels going up and down- it is said that Jacob was witnessing the return of those three angels to Heaven.)

Even Moses had to deal with doubts caused by the angels' grumblings. The Midrash teaches us that when G‑d first appeared to Moses at the 'burning bush' and asked him to go to redeem the Jewish people, Moses said no. They spent a week arguing about it. Sounds like chutzpa, but Moses really had a point. He said that he knew that although he would be able to bring the Jewish People out of Egypt to receive the Torah and go into the Land of Israel, he would not be able to purify them spiritually enough for them to attain complete redemption. He knew that they would sin after he died and be sent into an exile similar to the one they were already in. So why bother?

Sound familiar? But G‑d wanted him to go anyway. That's what we have to do as well. What Moses was saying was true, but the truth of the truth is that we must go anyway. Do the will of G‑d in this moment and don't think too much.

The truth of the truth is that this Shavuot we are going to receive the Torah. Before the holiday is over, whether we wanted to or not, most of us, in some way, will probably have violated it. G‑d still knows what He's doing when He gives it to us. You see, it's made for people who might want to steal, covet, or run amuck following their own self-will. It's made for us! We're the ones who need it, and G‑d loves us so much that He gives it to us – knowing that we're going to make mistakes, but also knowing that we will be kind to each other. Maybe a small part of that kindness is to stand by our friends' side in their moment of weakness and remind them that it's okay to be human – G‑d made us that way.

Shavuos, the less one claims Torah, the more he has of it.

Shavuos marks our personal relationship to Torah. In his wild quest to locate who stole the Torah, Satan turns to Moshe (Shabbos 89a) and asks where it is. Moshe responds to the Satan: Who am I that God would give me the Torah.

Ultimately, Satan accuses Moshe of lying. Moshe responds: True, I have the Torah – but it is not mine, for how can I possibly own God’s Torah? Hashem corrects Moshe: precisely because you diminish yourself, you now become its proprietor.

In effect, Hashem is saying that to acquire Torah, humility is the requisite trait. The great paradox of owning Torah now becomes: the less one claims Torah, the more he has of it.

A sthikle Torah on the heilige middah of kvetching from Shalvi

I'm sure that you believe in G-d. When it comes down to it, most people do. If they don't, then they say "Maybe there's a G-d." But our souls know, and when we are honest with ourselves, we know too. So where do all of the doubts come from? We all have doubts sometimes. If part of us believes in G?d, then where do these doubts seep in? The doubt is really a doubt in ourselves.

We know all of our faults and failings better than any other human alive. We know our weaknesses, our fears, our moments of utter failure.

Sometimes situations arise that seem to demand from us much more than we have: more strength, more willpower, money, patience, wisdom, holiness… If I were… If I had… then I could handle this situation. But I'm not and I don't and I can't. So there! But the situation doesn't go away! It keeps on pressing, demanding, insisting. Maybe it occasionally lets up, but before you're finished taking a deep breath it's back with a vengeance.

Imagine a guy crossing a narrow bridge over Niagara Falls. All of a sudden he feels the bridge vibrating. He looks up and sees a Mac truck racing at him at 70 mph. The truck is knocking the railing on either side, and clearly he cannot escape to the right or to the left. He turns around to run back in the direction in which he came and sees a band of African warriors racing at him screaming and fiercely brandishing blades. Opting for the most painless way out, he flings himself over the side and begins the 100 foot fall…

Okay, maybe this is an extreme example, but bear with me.

Certain death right? He's headed right for where the falls hit the water, when a powerful gust blows him about 50 feet south. He sees a tourist boat and he's headed straight at it! He screams like he's never screamed in his life, curls up in a ball and mentally says goodbye. All of a sudden he feels his back make contact. The surface seems to give a bit, and then flings him 15 feet into the air. He opens his eyes, looks down, and sees a huge trampoline surrounded by a hundred or so kids, a few clowns, and a juggler. Off to the side are balloons and a birthday cake. What?!? He comes down again with a little less force, does a summersault in the air, bounces twice more and stands up. The kids clap their hands and shout. They've never seen such a stunt. The guy climbs off the trampoline and mutters, "G?d, I owe you one!"

The next week the rent is due, and our friend doesn't have it. Work's been tough, bills are high, and he just doesn't know what to do. His best friend is getting divorced, his mom needs an operation, and his girlfriend dumps him. He gets a little depressed. He says to himself, "How could there be a G-d if I'm in such a mess?"

You want to scream at him, right?! "Stupid! G-d just saved your life in a most bizarre and miraculous manner. How could you possibly question Him?"

On the other hand, we all know and have experienced this dynamic. There are times that it's clear as day to us that there is a G-d. There are also times when we wonder and question. Often, in the times that we question, it is ourselves that we doubt more than G-d. When we're pounded against the wall, we give up. It seems that nothing could possibly improve the situation. Even G-d.

Let's look at the Parsha. Similar to our friend in Niagara, the Jewish people found themselves stuck between mortal enemies and the sea. G-d told them to walk into the water, they did, the waters split just long enough for them to walk through, and then returned to their place to drown the Egyptians. They sang to G-d in praise, men women and children, elders and babes all cried out together, "Who is like You among the heavenly powers, Hashem! Who is like You, mighty in Holiness, too awesome for praise, Doer of wonders!" In the next scene, food falls from heaven, delicious nourishing and miraculous. In the third scene, the nation arrives in a place called Refidim, which has no natural source of water. The people complain to Moshe, even though they still have water in their vessels. Moshe asks them why they are contending with him and testing HaShem. They come back two days later when their water has run out and say, "Why have you brought me up from Egypt to kill me and my children and my livestock through thirst?" G-d then commanded Moshe to hit the rock in Horeb with his staff and water would come out. Then the place is given a new name, Massa U'meriva, which means "test and contention," because the people tested HaShem, saying, "Is HaShem among us or not?" In the next scene, the Amalekites come and make war with the Israelites.

Now the Jewish people may be many things, but stupid we aren't! What kind of question is it for them to ask, "Is Hashem among us or not?" To paraphrase the Holy Zohar, they saw the Divine presence revealed in their midst. The clouds of glory surrounded them. These were the people who just moments ago saw the radiant glory of their King at the splitting of the sea. The selfsame people who experienced a year of miraculous plagues that convinced the Egyptians to set them free, yet had left the Jews unharmed. What kind of ridiculous question were they asking? They had eaten bread from heaven for breakfast that morning! Did they really think that G-d wouldn't give them water to drink? And when they noticed that there was no water, why did they complain instead of just praying to G-d for water?

Obviously something else is going on here. These people were spiritual giants. The sages say that there never was, nor will there ever be, a generation as great as the one that received the Torah. We must try to understand.

The Megaleh Amukos teaches that all of the tests, trials, and difficulties that every one of us endures were all dealt with by our grandmas and grandpas in the forty years that they wandered through the desert between leaving Egypt and entering the Holy land. Like the forty weeks of gestation, these were the years of potential before the birth of our nation was complete. Back then, the Jewish people were endowed with the strength they would need to survive thousands of years of exile. Kind of like a vaccine, they experienced a taste of all of the pains, suffering, doubt, fear, and indecision that is part of our everyday lives, and somehow they prevailed. Maybe we can learn from them.

At the splitting of the sea, the Jewish people saw their enemies killed before their eyes. All of the riches and glory that had once belonged to their oppressors was now their own. Miracles the likes of which had never occurred in the history of the world had happened before their very eyes. Probably they were feeling a little overwhelmed. Imagine a poor peasant girl who lived her whole life in hunger and poverty. One day the prince sees her and takes her and her family to his palace, all the while treating them like royalty. The peasant girl becomes a princess overnight when the prince declares his intention to marry her. On one hand she's thrilled, but on the other hand this obligates her to responsibilities and positions that she is totally unfamiliar with. She is afraid that she will not be able to live up to what is being asked of her, and instead of admitting her fear and vulnerability, she begins to criticize the prince and the accommodations that are so different from home. The fancy food does not sit well with her, the baths are drying her skin. The real question is, are you ready to take on a role greater than anything you ever imagined? Are you willing to take the risk that you might make a mistake and have to deal with the consequences? The stakes are high. Are you up for it?

Each day that passes, we saw how much G-d was investing in His relationship with us. Obviously He meant business. We were also learning more and more Torah every day. Six hundred and thirteen commandments?!? With all of the details of each and every one, we're talking millions of rules that may not always be easy to live with! How can a human being accept upon himself such a thing? For sure we will fail! And then what? Isn't it better that we don't receive the Torah, than to accept it and then fail to live up to its standards? The Torah life is hard! Besides all of the detailed obligations, HaShem wants a personal relationship with every one of us. He brings us to a place without water just so that we need to turn to Him and pray. Is this how it will be with our children? It's too much. It's hard enough for us, who are strong, but what about the generations to come who will have to suffer pain, affliction, and exile, in order to purify themselves and build a relationship with HaShem. Is it really worth it? The commentators explain that the original name of the encampment, Refidim, hints that their hands 'rafu' from the Torah. Their hands felt weak; they did not have the strength to uphold the Torah. The lifestyle demanded more than they had to offer, and they were scared. They thought it would have been better to die in Egypt than to receive the Torah, not be able to fulfill it, and die in punishment as total failures. So it wasn't that they lost their faith in G-d, rather, they had lost their faith in themselves. Torah is compared to water, and as they had abandoned the Torah in their hearts, water was not manifest in their lives. They didn't turn to G-d in prayer because it was that very relationship that they were scared of. The question that they asked, "Is G-d among us or not?" can also be read as, "Is G-d within us or not?" Is our connection deep enough that no matter how low we fall or how greatly we fail Him, He will still love us and cherish us? That was the essence of their fear. Not that G-d wouldn't be there for them, but that they (and we) would not be there for G-d in the way that befits a people meant to be a light unto the Nations.

So what did G-d do? He told Moshe to hit the rock of Horeb, the same place where they would receive the Torah in a few weeks time. The physical water was a representation of the water of Torah that would soon flow forth. It nourished and revived them, and made them aware of the holiness that already filled and sustained them. The staff that Moshe used to hit the Nile and cause devastation in Egypt was the same staff that Moshe used to hit the rock and bring blessing to us. The events in our future that might seem as scary and painful as a staff that strikes would eventually bring us strength and blessing, like the staff that nourished. It is one and the same.

HaShem was trying to show us that we needn't be afraid of failure. The path of Torah is not easy, but there is no other that is as fulfilling. The hardships themselves help us and strengthen us, form us into a stronger, greater version of who we are.

I recently joined a gym, and the instructor told me that I shouldn't do the weight machines every day, but only every other day. When we use our muscles and strain them more than they are used to bearing, the tissue breaks down a bit, but over the next day of so it regenerates and becomes stronger. The same is true for us! Whatever weakens us temporarily, strengthens us in the long run. Whatever doesn't kill us makes us stronger!

In order to bring this lesson home, G-d sent Amalek to do battle with us. The numerical value of Amalek is the same as the value of the word safek, doubt. G-d sent us a physical manifestation of our own doubts, that we might battle them and prevail. We saw that we are capable of overcoming hardship. We saw that G-d was with us, and desired the relationship enough to carry us through.

Life is hard. If you don't agree, don't bother to continue reading; I'm not talking to you. In fact I don't know how you're reading this, or how you even exist, because I haven't yet met anyone who "had it easy." Nobody, including myself, likes to hear that the hard stuff is for our benefit, but too bad, it is. The question is, what do we do with these situations that press us so hard that we begin to doubt our ability to function, and maybe even our sanity?

When we are feeling weak and afraid, and we began to doubt the very basis of the life that we live, we can look to our ancestors for strength. They knew pain, worry, and fear. They knew that they were full of mistakes – mistakes of the past, and mistakes just waiting to happen. We are not infinite, all-powerful beings. It was never part of the deal. Our part is to have faith in HaShem, and faith in the faith that He invested in us. He created us. He sustained us until this moment, through great and many hardships. He loves us and continues to sustain us. The pain we are feeling may just be G-d himself pinning us to the wall and waiting for us to call out to Him to bring a salvation beyond our wildest dreams.

Shabbat Shalom,
Shalvi

The Talmud describes the Pigs Flu (Ta'anis 21B)