The Land of Giants

by Tzvi Fishman
Excerpted from the book, “Lights on Orot” by Rabbi David Samson

If we could dissect a soul, what would we discover inside? What would a microscopic examination reveal? What are a soul's components? Its atoms? When we probe as deeply as we can into the anatomy of the soul, suddenly under our high-powered lens, an Alef comes into focus. Then we see a Mem, and a Taf. If a soul had a genetic make-up, we would discover that its DNA helix is made up of Hebrew letters.

Hebrew Letters - the DNA of Creation

In the wisdom of the Kabbalah, letters are understood to be powerful, life-giving forces. The Gemara teaches that the Hebrew letters were used to create the heaven and earth (Berachot 55A). Bezalel knew how to combine the letters which were used in Creation. It was this secret wisdom which enabled him to build the Mishkan (Ibid).

Just as the Hebrew letters are the building blocks of Torah, and of the world, they combine to form the molecular blueprint of the soul. What atoms are to the physical world, Hebrew letters are to the spiritual.

Rabbi Kook writes:

“The soul is filled with letters which are infused with the light of life, full of knowledge and will, full of spiritual seeking, and full existence," (Orot, 1:7).

The soul is filled with letters which contain the Divine life-force which grants us existence. They themselves have knowledge and will and a quest for spiritual inspiration. All of a Jew's primary activities, whether his thought, will, deed, and imagination, stem from the letters of his soul. Different combinations of letters make for different types of souls. There are high-powered combinations, and there are souls of lesser might. According to the brilliance of these life-giving letters, a man's soul radiates with more and more energy.

Not only is the soul filled with Hebrew letters, mitzvot are filled with them too. Rabbi Kook writes:

"Upon approaching a mitzvah, the mitzvah is always full of the light of life of all of the worlds - every mitzvah is filled with letters, big, incredible letters from among all of the 613 precepts” (Ibid).

The mitzvot are the channels which enable letters to flow from their Divine source to the soul. The life-force in the mitzvot adds vitality to the life-force in man. They are the circuits and conduits of life. And they too, like the letters, are microcosms of existence, bursting with the energy that G-d supplies to the world.

When a Jew performs a mitzvah, he receives a new dose of energy and life. When the letters of his soul collide and combine with the letters of the mitzvah, an explosion occurs. Like a fusion of atoms, new life is released to the soul and to all of the worlds. The union of the soul and the mitzvah is what gives the world its constant renewal. And because each individual mitzvah is integrally connected to all of the 613 precepts of the Torah, when we perform one mitzvah, we release the power of them all in a chain reaction which sends waves of holiness and light throughout the universe. This is the mechanism which brings life to the world. Thus, our Sages have taught that if the Jews were to stop learning Torah, G-d forbid, for even a moment, the whole world would come to an end (Shabbat 88A).

This is how Rabbi Kook describes it:

"As soon as we approach a commandment's performance, all of the living letters which constitute our essence expand - we grow bigger, and become stronger and more forceful in the light of life and sublime existence which is resplendent and rich with the wealth of universal holiness and with the light of Torah and of wisdom....and all of the universe is renewed with light and life. The judgment of the world turns meritorious because of our deeds; light and truth, good will and inward satisfaction grace every face."

When a Jew performs a mitzvah, the letters of his or her soul are magnified with an accelerated life-force. Letters of Torah from the upper worlds of existence merge with the letters of the individual soul. This "wedding" between the upper and lower worlds causes a union of splendor and joy. Our will and G-d's will become one. We and the world are filled with supernal strength, wisdom, holiness, valor, harmony, and joy. The same wholeness which returned to the world upon the giving of the Torah now returns to our souls. In the meeting of man and the mitzvah, the purpose of life is achieved. Man stands in line with G-d's will for existence. The soul cleaves to G-d. Worlds merge, and the union brings rebirth to all of Creation.

Because of the soul's connection to all the world, each seemingly small mitzvah is, in truth, a cosmic deed which fills the world with untold blessing. The performance of a mitzvah fills the world with Torah, and with inner goodness and truth. We hold in our hands the fate of existence. Our good deeds infuse the world with merit. By observing the commandments of the Torah, we not only elevate our own life, we make the world a better place. In the Heavenly court, G-d's judgment is sweetened.

In effect, the Almighty has put in our hands the key to existence. Divine blessing and life are released in the world according to what we do (Nefesh HaChaim, Gate 1:3).

Now, my friends, fasten your seat belts.

IN ERETZ YISRAEL, THE LETTERS OF OUR SOUL GROW BIGGER. THEY ARE MAGNIFIED THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF TIMES, EVEN WITHOUT DOING A MITZVAH, BECAUSE JUST BEING IN ISRAEL IS A MITZVAH IN ITSELF.

Rabbi Kook writes:

"In Eretz Yisrael, the letters of our souls grow bigger; there they reveal shining light; they are nurtured with independent life from the light of life of the whole Congregation of Israel; they are directly influenced from the secret of their original creation."

In simple language, Rabbi Kook is saying that if there were a Geiger counter which could measure the existence of Hebrew letters, it would start to crackle with a thunderous noise the moment it approached the borders of Israel. For Eretz Yisrael is the land of gigantic, 3-D letters. It is the land of indigenous ALEFS and BETS. Like the giants which the Spies encountered in Hevron, and the gigantic fruit they found in the Land, the alphabet of Eretz Yisrael dwarfs the Lilliputian alphabet of the Diaspora. The letters thrive in the air of Israel and draw body-building nutrients from its holy soil. In contrast, the letters of Chut'z L'Aretz (outside of the Land) are stunted, like plants grown outside of their natural climate.

When a Jew makes Aliyah to Eretz Yisrael, his letters shift into high gear and multiply in size. All of his being gets bigger. He grows closer to G-d. Compared to the person he was in Galut, he becomes larger than life. He transforms into a giant, filled with greater valor, greater holiness, greater happiness, and wisdom.

Jew from Israel (right) with friend from the Diaspora

What is the secret of this change?

IN ERETZ YISRAEL, OUR LETTERS, LIKE OUR SOULS, BECOME THE GIGANTIC LETTERS OF CLAL YISRAEL. They are no longer small, private, individual letters of the Diaspora, living private individual lives - THEY MULTIPLY AND MULTIPLY THROUGH THEIR UNION WITH THE NATION OF ISRAEL. IN THE LAND OF CLAL YISRAEL, OUR LETTERS MERGE WITH THE MEGA-SOUL OF THE NATION, and not just with the neighborhood shul.

In his connection to the NATION, the Oleh (immigrant) to Israel becomes a more complete Jew. He becomes a co-builder of the Jewish NATION. He becomes independent in his own Land. His aspirations are filled with idealism. He becomes an architect of history, an active partner of Redemption. His outlook and psyche are exponentially expanded by his new identification with the NATIONAL aspiration and will.

Because he is living in Israel, his whole life is a mitzvah. A mitzvah which is equal in weight to all of the mitzvot of the Torah (Sifre, Reah, 12:29). Divine life flows and flows into his being through the infinite channel of his new mitzvah life. His house is a mitzvah, his job is a mitzvah, every step which he takes in the Holy Land is a mitzvah, every four cubits earns him a greater share in the world to come (Ketubot 111A). Every holy breath he takes fills him with holy life. Letters and letters of Torah pour into his soul.

In his essay, Rabbi Kook quotes a verse from the book of Isaiah:

"And it shall come to pass, that he who is left in Zion, and he that remains in Jerusalem, they shall be called holy, everyone in Jerusalem who is written to life" (Isaiah, 4:3).

In Eretz Yisrael and Jerusalem, the letters of our souls are inscribed for eternal life. Like the Land's giant letters, the mitzvot of the Land are giant mitzvot too, performed where the commandments are supposed to be performed, as the Ramban writes: “For the essence of all the mitzvot is that they be performed in the Land of Hashem (Ramban of the Torah, Vayikra, 18:25; also Kuzari, 5:22). They burst with energy and life through the full force of their value. In Israel, the performance of the mitzvot is pure, without static and pollution, when performed in the land of G-d. In Israel, each mitzvah reverberates through the myriad of souls of the Clal, multiplying beyond measure, echoing through the universe, filling the world with harmony, completeness, and order. When the nation is living its true Torah life in Israel, G-d's will for the world is fulfilled. The vaults of heaven spread open, and Divine blessing flows uninterrupted to all of creation.

So too, the Torah of Eretz Yisrael is the complete Torah. As our Sages teach: “There is no Torah like the Torah of Eretz Yisrael” (Midrash Tehillim 105). The Torah in Israel is the all-encompassing Torah, the Torah of the nation, the Torah of the Clal, none of whose mitzvot or letters are missing. In the Land of Israel, The Torah is in its true place, radiating its influence in intimate pleasantness, its heavenly letters glowing with the light of the Shekhinah (Ketubot 75A).

I ask you my friends, could anything be better than this?

The Very Good Land

by Tzvi Fisher

Everyone knows that one of the keys to Torah learning is reviewing what one has studied. So we won’t worry about sounding repetitive by explaining something from this week’s Torah portion which we have discussed in the past.

More than anything else, Moshe wanted to be in Eretz Yisrael. He prayed to Hashem again and again, hundreds of times, to be allowed to enter the Land, as it says, “I pray thee, let me go over and see the good Land that is beyond the Yarden, that good mountain region and the Lebanon” (Devarim, 3:25).

Rabbi Shalom Gold, who came on aliyah from New York, points out the Moshe employs the word “good” two times in this verse. Moshe is asking Hashem not only to enter the good Land, but also to continue to see it in a good light once he was there.

This is because there is an evil inclination to see the Land of Israel in a negative light. The Spies succumbed to this “yetzer” when they brought back an evil report of the things they saw in the Land. Their description of great walled cities, giants, and non-stop funerals, discouraged the nation and turned their hearts away from making aliyah – perhaps the greatest sin of Jewish history, the sin which ultimately led to the destruction of Jerusalem, and the expulsion of the nation from Eretz Yisrael to the sewers of galut. Only Joshua and Calev spoke out in praise of the Land, and only they, out of all of the men, merited to enter it.

This “yetzer” of seeing the Land of Israel in a negative light is very much with us today. Some complain about the arrogant Israelis. Others complain about the irreligious. Others about the obligation to serve in the army. Still others about the dangers of terrorism. Yet others claim you can’t make a living.

All of these negative claims stem from this evil inclination of saying bad things about Israel. The people who say these things are unaware that they have fallen prey to this terrible, invisible yetzer. They believe they are right. They believe they are justified. They don’t see or understand how they have fallen to engage in the sin of the Spies. They don’t realize that they are adding to the embers of destruction, preventing the Temple’s rebuilding, and prolonging the curse of galut.

From the tragedy of the Spies, we learn that a Jew should be extremely careful not to speak badly about the Land of Israel. Rather, he or she should always strive to see the good aspects of the Land. And they are many indeed. For instance, there are more Jews in Israel than anywhere else. There is more Torah learning in Israel than anywhere else. There are more Torah giants in Israel than anywhere else. There are more organizations dedicated to Hesed (charitable organizations) than anywhere else. There is less assimilation than anywhere else. Not to mention the staggering achievements in science, technology, agriculture, medicine, computer wizardry, and a dozen other fields.

Of course, there is always room for constructive criticism and suggestions on how to improve things, but to find fault and reject living in Israel because of it, this is way of the Spies.

As we learn from Joshua and Calev, the commandment to live in Israel applies even if there are giants and idol worshippers all over the country. It applies even if there are non-religious Jews, and lefties, economic fluctuations and wars. In fact, the halachah states that a Jew should always live in the Land of Israel, even in a city where the majority of the residents are pagans, rather than live in the Diaspora, even in a city where the majority of the residents are Jews.

We live in the Holy Land because it is the Holy Land. The mitzvah to live here doesn’t depend on the politics of the government, nor on whether a person is afraid to serve in the army, or whether he likes falafel or not. There is a mitzvah to live in Eretz Yisrael, period, which is not dependent on any others factors. Certainly not on the personal opinions and preferences of this Jew or that.

We have said this all before, but the review is important, again and again if need be, until the learning sinks in.

In the meantime, may all of the Jews in Diaspora come home to Israel today, so that the fast of Tisha B’Av will be canceled and transformed into a feast of joy.

It's Rosh Chodesh Tammuz

Tammuz is the fourth month of the Jewish calendar. Tammuz begins the summer season. It is a challenging season for the Jewish people. Each month of the year is governed by another combination of the four letter name of G-d; the name that governs the month of Tammuz is ה-ו-ה-י, which is the opposite order of the way G-d's name is usually written (י-ה-ו-ה). This, according to Kabbalah, alludes to the Midat Hadin - the attribute of judgment. The three months of summer: Tammuz, Av, and Elul, begin with the challenge of severity and judgment, but end with the gift of teshuvah (return, often translated as repentance) and rachamim (mercy).

The letter that is crowned in the month of Tammuz is the letter Chet (ח) which means sin in Hebrew. Tammuz is the month of the sin of the golden calf, which resulted in Moses breaking the tablets that held the ten commandments. The day of the breaking of the tablets - the 17th of Tammuz - begins the three week period (Bein Hameitzarim) which commemorates the time leading to the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. That period began with the breaking through of the wall surrounding the holy city and culminated in the destruction and burning of both Temples (in different eras) on the ninth of Av.

(You can read more here.) Chodesh Tov!

Spies - Past and Present

by we want mashiach

Today, during the reading of the Torah, I found the words of the spies (in America, we read Shelach today) very intriguing. In fact, after reading Rabbi Pinchas Winston for so long, I have come to notice much of our own "spy" mentality quite well.

When the spies came back and began to describe the land, they actually started off pretty nicely. They described the land as flowing with milk and honey, just as Hashem had promised. They explained the might of the nations living there, but also discussed their locations, seeming to say that the land was in fact conquerable. This was the first part. It did not seem like anything "bad" was said about the land, at least not overly so.

What happened immediately after that was the shocker. Calev says 'let us go up into the land and inherit it'. Suddenly the spies changed their story. It was suddenly impossible to capture the land - there were giants; the land was 'eating its inhabitants'; the people are stronger than us (or as pointed out by Rashi and several other places, c"v stronger than Hashem), etc. That seemed to be the main part of the Lashon Hara spoken about the land.

What triggered their reaction? I believe it can be said that the forthright attitude of Calev actually got them scared. It was as if the land was a nice thing they would deal with later at some point. But the moment Calev said let's go up now, they were suddenly struck by fear. Huh? Wait?! We're not ready!

It is well known (explained by Rabbi Winston) that the ARIz"l explains that the generation that will greet Mashiach is the reincarnation of the generation of the Desert. Mashiach ben David is actually Moshe Rabenu as well. The same test that was given to them, would therefore be given to the generation of Mashiach. They failed, we will need to pass.

Today, it is exactly the same. We have all kinds of people who are "Zionists". They love Eretz Yisrael; they make Bar Mitzvahs there; they go to the Israel Day Parade to "show support"; make mock "shuks" in school; make plays for Yom Ha'Atzmaut, etc...But what happens when you tell them that we are ignoring a precious opportunity to do the will of Hashem and move to Eretz Yisrael? You get "it's impossible to live there; there's no business; the taxes....; the government; the army; the bureaucracy, etc".

Isn't it the same? On the one hand, we "love Israel", yet the moment we are pressed to act upon that "love" we c"v deride the land. It seems just the same as the spies and it's quite scary.

We're living in a time where it's no longer just a idealistic thing to do, it's becoming more of a safety concern. While we were promised bloodshed explicitly in TaNaCh before Mashiach, we were at the same time promised safety in Eretz Yisrael (see Yoel 3:5 and Malbi"m). Those days do not seem far away, as anyone listening with even half an ear can attest.

Rejection of Eretz Yisrael is a prime source of Divine punishment, c"v. Not to say that some people don't have legitimate concerns, but the casual rejection is stunning. When it rains on the first night of Sukkot, almost nobody just brushes it off and eats inside. They wait and try to eat in the Sukkah, etc. But yet those same people can casually brush off the Divine will of Hashem to live in the Land or at least aspire to and try to attain that goal. I sometimes wonder if people actually realize what they are praying for. If they did, they would realize that we ask Hashem for the Land more than our health, or Parnassa or anything else. It's in almost every prayer from Al Hamichya and Birkat Hamazon (several times) to every Amidah (also several times).

Maybe we need to realize that our "priorities" (especially if we are the reincarnation of the spies) is not usually [naturally] in line with Hashem's priorities. If we correct the sin of the spies, we will surely merit to see the redemption sprout forth quickly, and painlessly, Amen.

Settling the Land of Israel

by Rabbi Eliezer Melamed

An eternal, never-changing Torah commandment.

Equal to All of the Mitzvot
The sages teach (Sifri, Re'eh 53), "The mitzvah of settling the Land of Israel is equal to all of the other mitzvot in the Torah." This is due to the fact that, in addition to its own inherent value, the mitzvah of settling the Land of Israel serves as a foundation for the healthy national existence of the Jewish people. Such an existence allows the Jewish people - a people whose task it is to spread faith in God and the Divine word - to bring about the perfection of the entire world. It is for this reason that the prophets of Israel prophesied at length regarding the settlement and burgeoning of the Land of Israel; the poets crowned her with a thousand crowns, and all of the great rabbis longed to reach her soil.

This mitzvah also embodies the principle of unity and love among the Jewish people, because it is fulfilled by the people and for the people.

So central is the commandment to settle the Land of Israel that the Torah instructs us to risk our lives in order to conquer and hold on to the Land (Minchat Chinukh 425). The Torah even permits violating certain aspects of Sabbath in order to hold on to her - even if just to purchase one house (Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chaim 307:5). In extreme cases, the Torah even allows for divorce in order to fulfill this commandment (Shulchan Arukh, Even HaEzer 75:4).

Religious Zionism
The commandment to settle the Land of Israel - i.e., that the Land be in our hands, and not left barren - has always served as the foundation and underpinning of religious Zionism's approach to Aliyah (Jewish immigration to Israel), settlement, defense and state. It lies behind our viewing today's events as the "first flowering of our redemption" as foreseen by the prophets.

True to this philosophy, all religious-Zionist educational institutions educate toward love of the nation, the land and the state; they advocate sharing the burden of military service, economic and social responsibility, and participation in all aspects of Jewish life, and in the entire Jewish world. In the words of Rabbi Moshe Sofer, the Chatam Sofer (on Sukkah 36): Any action or enterprise that serves to advance Jewish settlement in the Land of Israel is included in this mitzvah.

Joining Forces With Irreligious
With the appearance of modern Zionism, an intense dispute arose among rabbis. The debate centered on the question: Is it permissible to join forces with irreligious elements of the Zionist movement?

Because of the great importance of the mitzvah of settling the Land of Israel, and despite the great difficulties involved, our prestigious and eminent rabbis concluded that such cooperation was indeed necessary; this was the path that must be taken in order to settle the Land and harken the redemption of Israel. This was the position taken by renowned Torah authorities such as Rabbi Kook, Rabbi Reines, Rabbi Herzog, Rabbi Amiel, Rabbi Uziel, Rabbi Adaya, Rabbi Ratah, Rabbi Charlap, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook, and others.

Prohibition Against Uprooting
It is clear, then, that participating in any sort of action that aims at violating this great mitzvah - a mitzvah that guides our every step and for which we are willing to sacrifice so much - is forbidden.

Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook and Rabbi Shlomo Goren, of blessed memory, thus ruled that it is forbidden to hand over portions of the Land of Israel to non-Jews, not to mention uprooting a Jewish settlement for this purpose.

When, in time, the question arose as to what ought to be done in a situation where a ruling of the Israeli government clashes with the essential commandment to settle the Land of Israel, it was declared that there is clear and unquestionable preference for the law of the Torah. Eternal, never-changing Torah commandments take precedence over any type of government decision, which, by its very nature, is given to change.

This principle holds true not only regarding the commandment to settle the Land of Israel; it is the case
concerning all of the mitzvot of the Torah. It is forbidden to follow the law of a king or government that negates the word of the Torah. Then-Chief Rabbi of the Israeli Defense Forces, Rabbi Shlomo Goren, z.t.l., publicized this ruling and, despite the rebuke of the Chief of Staff, refused to reverse it. The precedent for this ruling can be found in Sanhedrin 49a and in Yad HaChazakah, Hilkhot Melakhim 3:9.

Clearly, it is preferable to do everything possible via the Knesset, the government and the public, in order to prevent the emergence of a ruling which negates such an important mitzvah. Yet, if this is not successful, then it becomes necessary to stand in adamant, passive opposition to the government ruling - a ruling which, in the words of Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook, is "null and void in comparison to the eternal law of the Torah."

Yet, even if we accept the fact that not all Knesset members understand the Halakhic prohibition involved here, how can anyone even consider commanding a Jew, for whom the mitzvah to settle the Land of Israel is so central, to destroy a settlement and to displace its residents? How is it possible to order a Jew to uproot with his own hands the very foundation of his faith? Could their hearts be so hard? Would they even command a person to dislocate his own parents? Are they not ashamed to command a person to assault that which is most dear to him?

Poor Public Image
Many are concerned about the bad image that resistance is liable to cause the settlers of Judea and Samaria. True, the issue of public image must be taken into account; the advice of rabbis and experts must be sought so that people know in what manner to speak and how to act. On the other hand, it must be remembered that it is not always the short-term effect that needs to be taken into consideration; sometimes the value of the long-range lesson is of greater importance. Sometimes, an act which results in severe short-term damage serves the important role of making a clear statement concerning the importance of settling the Land, and impresses upon all the preference of Divine law over transient political rulings.

Even if our efforts to settle the Land do not produce the sort of fruits we would like them to, we, in our determined stand, have at least established the desired goal - and eventually we will reach it. Indeed, Judaism and Torah leaders have followed this path numerous times throughout history.

Fear of a Rift in the Nation
The media's ranting that resisting settlement evacuation causes a rift in the nation is simply untrue. How can passive resistance to participating in civil action possibly have such extreme repercussions? The religious community is overly sensitive to these sorts of attacks and the leaders of the Left, along with the media, take advantage of this sensitivity.

The more we allow ourselves to be flustered by such accusations, the more they will be hurled at us. The more that we argue amongst ourselves and make biting allegations against one another, the more accusations will be made against us by the media. We will be labeled inciters, agitators, and criminals. This is precisely what the media did to Effie Eitam. He made rational and pointed remarks concerning the mass desecration of Sabbath, yet was portrayed as an inciter.

It is important to note that all of the accusations insinuating that somebody permits using violence against soldiers, police officers or anyone are complete lies. Only passive resistance was permitted by rabbis.

And if the Left should Choose to Refuse?
Do we not run the risk that our refusal to follow orders on Halakhic or patriotic grounds will bring in its wake a refusal on the Left to take part in protecting the settlers or conquering the Land of Israel?

In this matter, one must make a distinction between truth and falsehood. Our position is genuine, and based upon both Torah and human rationale. Their position, on the other hand, is based upon mistaken human leanings - of the sort which at one time led men to prostrate before Stalin, the "Sun of the Nations," or later to kiss and embrace Yasser Arafat and his cohorts. We come in the name of moral values that build the nation. Values that call for uprooting settlements and refusing to do battle with the enemy are outright destructive and undermining.

In the same respect, such people could claim that if it is permissible for Jews to sacrifice themselves for Torah
and faith, it is permissible for idolaters to sacrifice themselves for the sake of their beliefs. All of the prophets of Israel cried out against such rationale, for they were able to distinguish the essential differences. We pray to the living God; they pray to wood and stone. Countless sources could be cited to this effect.

The Present Dispute
During the reign of the Rabin government, a practical question arose: Does Halakha permit taking part in the dismantling of settlements and army bases? Leading rabbinical authorities, amongst them Rabbi Goren, Rabbi Yisraeli, Rabbi Yosef Kapach, Rabbi Nerya and Rabbi Shapira ruled that a Jew was obligated to refuse participating in such an action. At present, the question is slightly different: Is the dismantling of outposts considered a definitive act of Torah violation?

There are those who hold that where the intention is to uproot a settlement in order to hand it over to Arabs, then it is clearly a violation of the mitzvah to settle the Land, and one is obligated to refuse participation in such an act; when, however, an outpost whose site will not be given to Arabs is at issue, and opposition to its existence stems from formalities alone, the government's order does not contradict the Torah, and it is permissible to carry out such an act.

Other rabbis, among them myself, hold that the intention of the present dismantling violates the mitzvah to settle the Land of Israel, for it uproots vibrant Jewish settlements and leaves their locations barren. The fact that this act is being carried out, as some claim, for political reasons, certainly does not make it any more acceptable.

At any rate, in light of the above dispute, the Committee of the Rabbis of "Yesha" (Judea and Samaria) publicized the following statement: "We call upon all soldiers to approach their commanding officers with the request that they be released, on conscientious and faith-related grounds, from any activity connected to the evacuation of outposts." In addition they declared that "every outpost in the Land of Israel is seen as a fulfillment of the mitzvah to settle the Land; accordingly, it is forbidden to evacuate such outposts."

What, though, does a soldier do if his commanding officer refuses to respect his request? In this regard there are differing opinions among Halakhic authorities, and each individual must follow the decision of his own rabbi. The Committee of the Rabbis of Yesha plan to convene again in order to reach a clear and unified position on this issue.

Try It! You'll Like It!

by Tzvi Fishman

The first thing G-d instructed our forefather, Avraham, was to leave his birthplace and come to the Land of Israel. This was to be an example for the Jewish People for all time, as our Sages teach us, “The deeds of the forefathers are signs for the children.”

This was at a time when there were only dangerous heathens and idol worshippers living in the Land. Nonetheless, Avraham came, without hesitation, without complaining, and offering excuses, even though there were no kosher restaurants in Israel, no synagogues with Saturday Night Bingo and Sunday mornings breakfasts with all the bagels and lox you could eat. Avraham came because living in the Land of Israel is not dependent on what kind of government is in power, or how many religious Jews live there, or whether you can find the kind of beer you prefer. A Jew is commanded to live in the Land of Israel – period – because it is the Holy Land. As the classic book, the “Kuzari” attests, someone who truly wants to serve G-d in the most complete fashion will do everything in his or her power to go there (Kuzari, 5:23).

The second thing that our forefather Avraham was commanded was to live his life in sexual purity, as exemplified by the commandment of circumcision. Along with living in Israel, this commandment came to distinguish the Jewish People among all other peoples on earth. Living in the Holy Land and living a holy life go hand in hand. Just a few weeks back, we saw in the Torah portion, “Achre Mot,” that the punishment for sexual transgression is exile from the Land.

This connection is highlighted in the Torah portion we read this Shabbat. Perhaps the foremost of the great Moroccan rabbis was the saintly, Rabbi Yaacov Abuchatzera, the grandfather of the holy Baba Sali. In his commentary on the Torah, he writes that all of the terrible curses of exile that are described in the portion, “Bechukotai,” stem from sexual transgressions, known as transgressions to the Brit.

The Torah states:

“But if you will not hearken to me, and will not do all of these commandments, and if you shall despise My statutes, or if your soul abhor My judgments, so that you will not do all of the commandments, but that you break My Brit, I also will do this to you: I will appoint over you terror, consumption, and fever, that shall consume thy eyes, and cause sorrow of heart, and you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. And I will set my face against you, and you shall be slain before your enemies; they that hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when none pursue you.... And if you will not be admonished by Me as a result of these things, but you will walk in contrariness (keri) to me, then I will also walk contrary to you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins. And I will bring a sword upon you that shall avenge My Brit; and when you are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you, and you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy...” (Vayikra, Bechukotai, 26:2-25).

Rabbi Abuchatzera writes:

“As is known, someone who blemishes the holy Brit, even though he observes all of the Torah, his doings are for naught. As the holy Zohar writes, a person who does not have fear of sin in matters of the Brit, has no fear of G-d in anything he does. This is because his body which performs the commandments is blemished. Thus, everything which he does is blemished.

“Both the Rishonim (early Rabbincal authorities) and Achronim (later Rabbinical authorities) have stated that the majority of man’s sufferings, whether through pestilence, the sword, or famine, result from transgressions to the Brit. And whatever mitzvot and good deeds that a person does, as long as his Brit is blemished, it all goes to the forces of evil, may G-d have mercy.

“Therefore, a person who comes to serve G-d should first rectify any blemish to the Brit in the proper fashion, and afterward begin to serve G-d” (From the book, “Abir Yaacov,” section, Pitochei Chotam; Bechukotai).

Transgressions to the Brit include forbidden sexual relations, pre-marital relations, sexual relations with gentiles, and beasts, homosexuality, masturbation, improper marital relations that lead to spilling semen in vain, watching pornography on the Internet, and the like.

Over and over in the Torah potion of “Bechukotai,” we are warned not to relate to G-d in “keri.” The standard English translation implies that we should not relate to G-d in a contrary, happenstance manner, as if He isn’t always overseeing our lives and expected us to fulfill His commands. However, the Hebrew word “keri” קרי also means a forbidden seminal emission. This is why Rabbi Abuchatzera attributes the frightening punishments in the Torah portion to sexual transgression. We are warned that if we don’t safeguard the holiness of the Brit, “Your strength will be spent in vain,” where the Hebrew for “spent in vain” is ריק whose letters are an inversion of the word קרי.

This week, our counting of the Omer brings us to the sefirah of Yesod, which is identified with holiness and the proper use of sexual energies. As Rabbi Nachman of Breslov also teaches, anyone who wishes to put his life and character traits in line with the Torah must sanctify his sexual life, which is the foundation of our nation ever since the time of Avraham Avinu. This is why he called his rectification for sexual sins the “Tikun HaKlali,” or the “all-encompassing rectification.”

Get yourselves out of the doghouse!

Now that we have posted the “Tikun HaKlali” on the Internet, along with other helpful tikunim and guidelines for living a healthier sexual life, there’s a ladder for everyone who needs help to make a new start.

Sorry to Disappoint You

by Tzvi Fishman


I will try to be as polite as I can and sensitive to the feelings of my beloved brothers and sisters in the Diaspora. I don’t mean to strike out at anyone, nor burst anyone’s bubble. But look what we have here this Shabbat! A Torah portion that pertains unequivocally, completely, 100%, exclusively to the Land of Israel! That’ right, ladies and gentlemen, if you didn’t believe me before, this week’s Torah portion, “Behar,” proves that the Torah was given to be performed in the Land of Israel alone!

Take a look for yourselves! The whole Torah portion details the laws of Shmittah and Yovel, which cannot be performed anywhere else! That’s right! Only in the Land of Israel! Not in Brooklyn and not in France. Only in the Land of Israel! It’s one and only Land that has its own Sabbath!

For those of you who may not be familiar with the Hebrew, “Shmittah” means the Sabbatical Year, and “Yovel” means the Juuuuuuubilee.

Let’s take a look at a few things in the parsha. G-d says to the Jewish People:

“You shall perform My decrees, and observe my ordinances, and perform them, and you shall dwell securely on the Land” (Vayikra, 25:18).

In other words, we are to perform the Torah’s commandments and do them in the Land. The Torah and the Land and the Jewish People go together. It’s what is called a package deal. If something is missing, it’s not the real thing.

Even the most diehard defenders of galut have to face it. There is no such thing as Shmittah or Yovel in the Diaspora. Zero. Effes. They don’t exist. So if a Jew wants to keep the Torah, and not just snips and snatches of it, he or she has to be in Israel.

Isn’t that clear? Can someone possibly not understand this? That is what is written in the Torah itself for everyone to see. It isn’t a secret. I didn’t make it up - so don’t get angry at me.

Here’s something else. Look at this Rashi. He wasn’t known as a Kabbalist, so don’t try to dismiss it as some mystical magic. The Torah portion states:

“I am Hashem your G-d, Who took you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan to be your G-d” (Vayikra, 25:38).

Rashi explains the meaning of “to be your G-d” by writing:

“For whoever resides in the Land of Israel, I am a G-d to him; and whoever leaves it is like one who worships idols” (Rashi, there).

Booooo! Booooo! Booooo to Rashi!

How can he say something like this? Well, for one thing, it is also written verbatim in the Talmud (Ketubot 110B). Also because he understands that the Torah was given to be performed in Israel. Since scores of the commandments can only be performed there, like Shmittah and Yovel, you would think that’s obvious. But Rashi, far far away in France, feels a need to nail the point home, so that the Jews of Paris won’t forget.

Several blogs back, we gave the Ramban’s explanation of this, regarding the angels who preside over the lands of the gentiles, but even without this esoteric understanding, we can grasp the fact that whoever leaves the Land of Israel is like someone who turns his back on the Torah, because he won’t be able to perform many of the mitzvot which only can be performed in G-d’s chosen Land. Rashi makes it clear even for people who don't believe in the secrets of Torah.

And for those of you who want to squawk, “Rashi himself lived in France and didn’t move to Israel,” Rashi lived a thousand years ago when aliyah was extremely difficult. If there had been El Al Airlines back then, you can be sure he would have come!

If we don't realize by ourselves that we don't belong, the goyim sooner or later remind us.

It's Good News Week

When you see today's 60-minute lesson entitled Good News, you're bound to walk away with a smile on your face. Enjoy it!
Lazer Beams

Next Year in Jerusalem!

by Tamar Yonah

I believe we are moving fast towards redemption. Just as we have lessons in the Pesach Hagada (Passover guide book) we need to reflect on how we relate to history and our future redemption today. Will we leave our Exile and go with Moses or will we be one of the majority who found excuses to stay behind where we thought we felt more comfortable?

Reflect:

Who is your Pharaoh?
Who is your Pharaoh?

a) Barak Obama

b) Materialism / Comfort Zone

c) Your career

d) G-d is your only, Only, ONLY, Master.

What are your goals in striving towards freedom?

a) To make as much money as you can and sped it on fun things

b) To laze around on the couch and drink beer and watch and cheer a ball game

c) To fight for your beliefs so you are allowed to live by them

How can you best serve G-d?

a) Staying in the Exile and 'practicing' Judaism but not living and embracing it.

b) Suffering what you have to do because of 'obligation' and the rest of the time feeding your desires

c) Just talking to G-d, striving to be his servant, bringing the holy to the mundane, and making the mundane holy.

Perhaps these are questions we should be asking ourselves and relate them to today at the same time.

Is Materialism our pharaoh, keeping us enslaved?

Do we view freedom as what we were taught it was through western standards and western eyes, and not through what G-d tells us in the Torah?

Are we trapped in golden cages in the Exile, not wanting to leave 'Egypt' (america) because we are frightened of what it will be like on a journey in the 'wilderness' until we get to the Promised Land, and so we choose to stay in our comfort zones, not leave, and miss our chance at redemption and being embraced by G-d in His Land?

I would just like to re-post this video, and show you the miracles that G-d made for us, the Jewish people, His Chosen Ones. When you see the sea split, think to yourselves, "Look how much G-d loves us, G-d didn't do this for any other nation except us. He really, really loves us!"

And to sum up, I wish all of the friends of the Jewish People to stand strong, be at peace, and be blessed with all good things. As for all of my Jewish brothers and sisters in the Exile, I pray you have a wonderful, happy, and kosher Pesach. May you learn from our rich history and Holy Torah, and may you yearn, and accomplish, our fervent prayer, "Next year in Jerusalem!".

Mashiach Musings

According to Kabbalistic sources, the miracles we will experience as Moshiach approaches will be similar to – but even greater than – the miracles witnessed at the Exodus from ancient Egypt. The purpose behind the miracles in Egypt was to save the Jews from their Egyptian oppressors, and enable them to set out on the road to Mount Sinai, where they received the Torah and officially became a nation. But if that was the only objective, then what was the point of all the pyrotechnics and melodrama that came with the Exodus? Obviously, G‑d could have contrived a much simpler, peaceful way to get the Jews out of Egypt. But the redemption from Egypt also had an ulterior motive. Like the vast majority of the civilized world at the time, the ancient Egyptians worshipped a pantheon of gods that each had dominion over a certain element of the natural world. The Jewish claim that there was one G‑d whose will supersedes the entire natural order was not something that the nations of the world at the time could relate to. Thus, the miracles of the Exodus demonstrated beyond a doubt that such a being indeed exists, and that He is quite capable of overturning the natural order that He created. A similar process is unfolding as we approach the era of Moshiach, only this time the recognition of G‑d will be more
complete as the world, through science and other forms of wisdom, comes to realize the presence of G‑d inherent within the natural order. In the Exodus from Egypt, the material reality of the world was in opposition to recognizing G‑d, and so that material reality had to be shattered for it to acknowledge the spiritual truth. Our world is a much more refined one – a world in which the materialism and human wisdom itself recognizes spirituality. Therefore, the great epiphany of Moshiach's era will come through the materialism not against it, and the recognition of G‑d will become a permanent part of earthly reality.

Exodus Magazine

Rabbi Meir Kahane Tells It Like It Is

"The exile is the pinnacle and essence of Chilul Hashem. Indeed, the liquidation of the exile is a Kiddush Hashem, and regarding this mitzvah all of Israel are commanded."

What it comes down to is – either you are a part of the solution, by being in Israel and working to rebuild it along Torah ideals; or you are a part of the problem, by remaining in the exile and thereby prolonging its existence.

(The following is a condensed excerpt from his book, “The Jewish Idea,” Vol. 2:)

WE HAVE no clearer picture of the degradation and abhorrence which Israel face in the exile and which result in Chilul Hashem (desecration of G-d). In response to this Chilul Hashem, G-d comes in anger and wrath to take revenge against the nations and sanctify His name which was profaned through Israel’s abject state.

It, therefore, says, “I had pity for My holy name which the house of Israel profaned among the nations, whither they came” (Ezek. 36:21). When the time for redemption arrives, G-d has pity on His holy people, profaned among the nations by Israel’s very presence in exile among them, living under them, subject to and dependent upon them. Even when the nations allow Israel to live in peace among them, Israel still depend on their goodness and tolerance, and that, too, is a Chilul Hashem. The fact that Israel live as a minority constantly dependent on the kindness of the nations, itself diminishes the glory of Israel, and of G-d, so to speak.

This is the intent of Targum’s rendering of the verse, “There [in the exile] you will serve other gods” (Deut. 28:36,64): “There you will serve nations that worship idols.” Israel, by being subject to these nations, even if this just means living under their sovereignty as a minority in the territory of the alien majority, magnify and exalt the gods and culture of the nations, and belittle G-d’s omnipotence, not to mention where the nations humiliate, murder and exterminate them.

G-d, thus, intends to blot out the Chilul Hashem among the nations, occurring through Israel, in the only way that the nations will understand, namely, Israel’s redemption and their victory over the nations who blasphemed G-d.

Therefore, although Israel are unworthy of redemption in terms of their deeds, which are insufficient, still, a certain “time” arrives in G-d’s calculations when He has compassion for His holy name, profaned among the nations.

“And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in the midst of them. The nations shall know that I am the L-rd, says the L-rd G-d, when I am sanctified through you before their eyes” (Ibid., v. 23). Read more

By Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz

The Exodus from Egypt was apocalyptic, not only because of the supernatural events that took place during its unfolding, but also because it sparked an extremely significant change within a relatively short amount of time – and without any warning or preparation. It is true that the events recounted in the Book of Exodus did occur over the course of a few months, but when we think about the amazing transformation that the People of Israel underwent as a result – from a loosely related ethnic group of slaves to a new nation – the redemption from Egypt does indeed seem very sudden and surprising.

While Passover is the festival of redemption, the Exodus from Egypt is commemorated on each of the Biblical festivals and all through the year. Even events in Jewish history as important as the re-establishment of sovereignty in Israel during the Second Temple era are not considered to be equal to the Exodus. Our Sages teach that only the Final Redemption will be able to overshadow its significance.

The Exodus has also become a prototype of redemption for all nations of the world, a model against which other redemptions are measured and assessed. The coming of the Messiah is a momentous event – not only for the Jewish people, but for the entire world. It is not simply a matter of national deliverance, nor even of a Jewish renaissance, but of an intrinsic change in world history. In a certain way, the Final Redemption, as its name implies, marks the "end of history,” or, at least, the end of history as it has been for the last several millennia.

We know from Biblical prophecies and from the Talmud that there are two possible scenarios for the Final Redemption. The difference between them lies in a fundamental question: will it be a revolutionary event, or an evolutionary one? The first redemption, the Exodus from Egypt, was a whirlwind of supernatural events, a total revolution. Indeed, many descriptions of the Final Redemption – in Jewish and non-Jewish sources alike – depict the final redemption in a similar way. For example, in this approach, "the great and terrible day of the Lord" (Malachi3:23) is a universal earthquake which begins with "darkness, not light" (Amos 5:18) and involves colossal wars between "the children of light and the children of darkness." Like the Exodus, the Final Redemption is, so to speak, a Divine tour de force vis-à-vis the world. When God wills it, all of reality will be torn to shreds, and the new day will shine, as was the case in the Exodus from Egypt – out of "blood and fire and pillars of smoke" (Joel 3:3).

The alternative scenario of redemption is an evolutionary one and is based on human progress – whether slow or fast – toward a higher state of existence: "For you shall not go out in haste, neither shall you go by flight; for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will follow you behind" (Isaia 52:12); or, in other words, "in sitting still and rest will you be saved" (Ibid., 30:15) ). While the Exodus from Egypt contained an element of flight, this redemption will be a slow, smooth process and, despite the enormous differences between the present and the future, it will still be possible to discern the steps that paved the way for the redemption. Even the Biblical metaphor that likens redemption to birth – a dramatic event with a clearly defined "before" and "after" – presupposes the long pregnancy that came before it.

The difference between these two diametrically opposed scenarios can be explained by the somewhat enigmatic Talmudic saying: "The son of David [the Messiah; in other words, the final redemption] will come only in a generation that is either altogether righteous or altogether wicked" (Tractate Sanhedrin 98a). Redemption for an "altogether righteous" generation is preceded by years of preparation in which people work to better themselves. This kind of redemption is just the finale of an evolutionary process. On the other hand, the redemption of an "altogether wicked" generation cannot possibly be an extended, slow process, because such people, by their very nature, make no preparations for it. Therefore it must entail a revolutionary outburst, which, in this case, is not a grass-roots effort but a Divine one. As such, it must shatter the old patterns of existence – a painful, even tragic event.

The future redemption is, in many ways, the continuation and completion of the Exodus. We know from the Book of Exodus (12:29) that the redemption from Egypt occurred at midnight; the end of the Passover Haggadah includes references to the future redemption as the second half of this night of deliverance. This is not only solace and encouragement in the face of our present trials and tribulations; it is also a logical sequence.

The Exodus, then, is a comma in the manuscript of world history, whereas the final redemption is a full stop. But what shape the final redemption will assume depends, to a great extent, on us as human beings. Through the totality of our actions, we will determine whether we are an "altogether wicked" or "altogether righteous" generation and, consequently, if we can expect "blood and fire and pillars of smoke" or salvation through "sitting still and rest."

Are we Yaakov or Esav?

This video says it all:

Why Here?

The Kotel is not the holiest place in the world. The Har HaBayit (Temple Mount) is. The Temple Mount is on the other side of the Kotel, to the east of it. The lower rows of the Kotel stones are a remnant of the western retaining wall of Herod’s Temple. Herod completely reconstructed the Second Temple around 2,000 years ago. It was destroyed eighty years later. The Second Temple was originally built by Jews who returned to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon centuries before Herod’s time. The First Temple was built by King Sholomo on this mount and this is the very place where the Third and final Temple will stand, may it be today.

The first question has to be, since G-d is everywhere, why come here to pray? Not only do we come to the Kotel to pray, but wherever we are in the world, we face here when we pray. G-d is equally everywhere. So why direct our prayers to G-d only at this place?

Yes, G-d is equally everywhere, but it is here that He allows His Presence to be more easily found. Avraham called this place, “The mount where Hashem will reveal Himself.”[i] Why does G-d do this? He is directing us to His Torah, His Service and His Mitzvoth. The Temple represents our prayers, our spiritual avodah (service). We are all searching, searching for those essential blessing in our lives, and G-d is telling us that when we follow His ways we will be blessed.

So why then are we praying at the Kotel? Let us go up to the Temple Mount where it is most holy. There are two reasons generally given as to why we do not go there, just yet. As with all Torah subjects there are various opinions about this, too. Whereas the vast majority of Torah authorities alive today instruct us not to go up to the Temple Mount, there are a handful of rabbis who say that we definitely should go up, and these Jews do go up today!

The first reason given for not going up is due to the spiritual uncleanliness of our bodies. Those who go up say that this uncleanliness can be cleansed by going to the mikvah (ritual immersion) and waiting until sunset.

The main reason given for not going up is that we are not sure of the locations of the various holy areas of the Temple. This means that if we go up we risk walking where only spiritually pure priests are allowed to go. We might very well trespass on the area of the Temple that is Most Holy and reserved only for the High Priest! Some say that even if we know the location of the holy areas, and even if we only go up to the safe areas now, we could become careless and end up going into the holy areas, too. Others argue that since the destruction of the Temple there is no holiness at all on the Mount, so we can go wherever we want!

Those who go up say that they know the locations of all the holy places. And when they go up they stay to the edges where they feel comfortable that no forbidden areas lie. The majority remind us that there are at least four “authoritative” maps of the Temple Mount and that we do not know which, if any, is actually correct.

There is another reason, and in my mind a much more important reason not to go up now. When the Kotel was first returned to Jewish hands in 1967, there was such wonderful awe surrounding this place. When we approached the Kotel, we did so with great reverence. Then, as the years went on, this level of awe and reverence decreased and decreased until the Kotel has, for most people, become just another place to visit. Without going into the gruesome details, the vast majority of Jews, and certainly non-Jews have absolutely no change in their attitude or behavior when they visit the Kotel today from when they are on any other tour in Israel.

When the Redemption finally comes, there will be a worldwide increase in spiritual awareness accompanying it. If we go up onto the Temple Mount today, without waiting for this increase in G-d’s revealed Presence, we will take today’s very troublesome attitude with us. This should not be allowed to happen.

What should we do? When we see virtually all of the leaders of the generation doing something, or, as in this case, not doing something, then to follow the handful who go against them is not worth the possible loss. If they are correct and our treading on the Mount now is a desecration … who would want to bring such a thing upon ourselves? If the tiny minority is correct and we do not go up, they say that we will have lost a spiritual opportunity … the opportunity to experience more holiness now. If the vast majority is correct, and we go up, we stand to lose a lot more than an opportunity.

Obviously, G-d wants us in Israel now. It is clear that we are being brought Home from all corners of the world. Should we just go up on the Temple Mount now and start building the Final Temple, or should we wait for the Moshiach to guide us in it construction?

My feeling is that we should exert every effort possible right now to do whatever we can do spiritually to build the Temple. This means that we should increase our spiritual efforts with ourselves and with all those around us. If G-d is waiting for us to cooperate before He brings the Redemption, then there is no better way to cooperate than to increase our joy in serving Him and our efforts to help bring others to His lovely ways.

[i] Genesis 22:14
by Reb Gutman in Mystical Paths

Rabbi Lazer Brody: Eyes of Holiness

This week's emuna (faith)-series lesson gives a master-key for the very best blessings, especially good income and peace in the home. Don't miss it - it tells why men must guard their eyes and why women should dress modestly. It's all about Eyes of Holiness.

JUDAISM IN A "NUTSHELL" WHAT IS JUDAISM "EXACTLY"?

What is Judaism really all about? When did it begin? Is it just another religion?
Judaism, contrary to popular belief, is not in fact a religion. One may feel the need to call it a way of life, but it goes far deeper. Before we can begin to understand what Judaism is, we need to agree on one thing. Without this, there is simply no way to progress, to appreciate Judaism, and to be prepared for what it demands of every single Jew – and even of every non-Jew.

A story is told of an atheist. While he had no belief in G-d, he was a master artist. A perfectionist if we could go so far as to say! He approached a learned Sage on an occasion and began insulting him for his belief in G-d. “Do you really believe there is a G-d?” he asked. “Do you really believe there is Someone who created the world? Someone who watches over us, expecting we behave in life according to a certain code? Someone who knows what we do every moment and will bless us for the good we do and who cares if we don’t behave ourselves?! Surely the world came about through a Big Bang! There must have been a cataclysmic explosion of sorts that made everything, bringing all into existence!”

The Sage told the atheist-artist to return the next day, as he needed some time to think over these serious questions. The next day, the artist returned expecting plausible answers – if not more – to his intricate questions. The Sage presented the most exquisite painting to the artist – as a gift! He was overwhelmed at the beauty of the painting. Every detail of a life-scene had been painted to perfection. People could be seen walking… buildings, perfectly painted. The faces of people reflected well who they were. The buildings – even clearer than the real thing!

“Who was the artist who painted such a beautiful image?” asked the artist. The Sage replied, “There was none. A funny thing happened to me yesterday. After you left, I had thought over your question. I had placed a large piece of paper on my table – where all my own paints were, and had thought best how to answer you. I was just about to write down my thoughts on the page, when suddenly, as I bumped the table, the paints spilled all over the canvas. What you see is the result!”

Insulted at the Sage’s answer, the artist explained to the Sage that such beautiful images cannot just happen of their own accord. There certainly must have been an artist who painted such an amazing image! “Likewise,” replied the Sage, “This world too could not simply have come about through some sort of mystical explosion. Rather, in this situation too, there must be an Artist behind the creation. And He must certainly have had good reason to create things in the perfect state as He has.”

Truth or myth?! To begin the road to connecting with the Creator, means before anything, the real approach of realizing that there certainly is a Creator – Someone who has brought creation into existence, just the way He wished – for just the reasons He wants it to be this way. It is really perfect – although missing just a few pieces. Things we need to fix on our own.

We could liken His creation to a fruit or a nut – “coated” and covered over by a hard shell with the luscious fruit inside. Of course, the fruit is perfect just as it is. But it has a layering over it which must be removed before enjoying the sweet taste inside.

So too has the Creator made His world. Everything good can be found in it. But before this good is revealed, there is much work needed to remove the outer layer (there for the good of the fruit of course!) and finally enjoy the sweet fruit hidden beneath the shell and peel created deliberately by the Creator for very good reason.

Who better to remove the shell than the very first man who G-d would create to attend to His world. He failed, breaking the shell into fragments which concealed even more of the tasty fruit. The task would be given to his children. But his son would destroy things even further, and so life continued right until the time of Noah. Noah well knew what the Creator wanted, and did his share to correcting the world, but his generation rebelled, leaving the world in a gigantic mess! And so, the Creator allowed Noah to be saved – together with his family, in the hope that he would repair everything. The task was too great, and Noah erred too. Life continued with each generation doing its best to correct the flaws each had added to the other.

One man took the task of world-refinement most seriously. His name was Abraham. Abraham realised that there was only One G-d in charge of the universe. Acknowledging Him, and trying to convince others of their important role in creation, he began the path that all Jews would follow – serving their Creator, bringing goodness and kindness to the world, and encouraging all the other nations to come closer to G-d. Naturally, whoever wished to could take part in the process of refinement, but seeing the task ahead, all eventually dropped out one by one, until the mission of the refinement of the world would be passed on to Isaac, then to Jacob and his twelve children. They would enter into Egypt – the nakedness of the world itself, a place filled with the most polluted impurity possible. It was there that they would become slaves serving another “god” called Pharoah. Having achieved much refinement there, however, they were taken out by Moses – the servant of G-d, and lead through the desert for 40 years, until ultimately entering the Holy Land. During their trek, they would pass through Mount Sinai, where they received the Torah – the ultimate guide of life. The guide that would teach them everything necessary to do, in order to perfect the world.

With the Torah, G-d gave additional commandments to the nations of the world too. Commandments which had already begun on the first day of creation. While a total of 613 commandments were given to the Jewish people, 7 commandments were given to the rest of the world. A deal had been made with the world. The task of the Jewish people would be to bring refinement into the world through the observance of all 613 commandments. The nations were by no means exempt from their own task, which required the complete observance of 7 commandments.

And so, the history of Jewish life continued, as Joshua lead the Jewish people into the Land of Israel. There would be Judges and Prophets who would lead the Jewish people. There would be Kings and other leaders who would advise – some for their good, and others for their downfall.

The Jewish people would experience the freedom of building a Temple, and seeing its destruction because they had drifted off the path set out for them. G-d granted them another Temple, but through their drifting off the path, losing touch with their obligations, this Temple was destroyed as well. From here, it would be a long wait until the Final Temple would be rebuilt.

This Temple will be miraculous in nature. It will be built by the Righteous Redeemer, a man steeped in Torah as King David himself was. A man who does not depart from the Torah, neither to the left, nor to the right. A man filled with kindness, who brings only good things to the world. Only peace.

What does this mean to each of us? Right now, every person has the obligations imposed upon him. Those who are Jewish, must observe the 613 commandments given to them. Through these commandments, the outer shell concealing G-dliness in the world is stripped away revealing the “tasty fruit” inside. But let no non-Jew feel he is exempt, that he is any inferior – that he has no duty. He too must do what is necessary – 7 commandments (the 7 commandments of Noah, as they are known.) Through these, he too takes part in the rectification of the world, something which began 5769 years ago.

We are all to take part in this process to ultimately bring redemption to the world, where we will all be blessed with a goodness – the likes of which none of us has ever seen or known about before.

There is no fallacy – nor is there any myth. There is just One G-d. He has given the world rules to live by. Through them we get a glimpse into His desire. They fill each person with a sense of satisfaction at life – and a sense of accomplishment. They fill him with a sense of purpose. A sense of love and goodness about everything. They bring peace to oneself, and peace to the world.

Most of all, they bring all to realise the necessity of understanding that life is nothing – without the Torah.

Source

Rabbi Lazer Brody: Hashem is King

This week's lesson gives the two keys of success: one, knowing that Hashem is King; and two, knowing that you are His uniquely beloved son or daughter, and that there's no one else like you. For an hour of emotional pick-up, watch this video.

Torah Sites for Audio/Visual Learning

Rabbi Yosef Y. Jacobson has a new site with shiurim each week, together with his various articles: http://theyeshiva.net

Lots of videos and many different teachers at http://naaleh.com

Rabbi Yosef Mizrahi has lots of lectures at http://divineinformation.com and is included with other rabbis at http://puretorah.com

Rabbi Sitorsky's lectures on the parsha can be found at http://rabbisitorsky.com

Rabbi Elazar Meisels has lectures on just about everything at http://lidrosh.com

BOKER TOV (Good Morning)

The first thing we are told in this week's parsha is when Pharaoh let us go... Hashem did not lead us in the 'normal' way, the shortest or the most logical from our stand point. And, we were armed (with what)? And that Moshe took the bones of Yosef HaTzaddik.

Hashem was leading us night and day. Literally. We saw visually the pillar fire and cloud. Obvious and overt leading of us night and day... So?

Then we are made privy to a personal conversation: "Hashem spoke to Moshe, speak to the children of Israel"... and tell them exactly whats going to happen next. No surprises my dear people, I'm telling you what's going to happen IN ADVANCE...

Pharaoh is going to come after you and I'm going finish him off and the Egyptians once and for all.

Then this is exactly what happens and... Israel panics! Why? What are we missing here? Were we not told exactly what was going to happen? And if that's not enough, we're armed! The key is right in the next pasuk....

"The children of Israel raised their eyes, and they were very frightened; then they cried out to Hashem, (Ah, there is something here), then they said to Moshe "Were there no graves in Egypt so that you took us out to die in the wilderness? COMPLAINTS!!! "Is this not what we said to you while we were still in Egypt when you came to take us out... "Let us be and we will serve Egypt". Better to be slaves than to disrupt your daily lives, we like our suffering.

What happened from the time of the miracles of the geulah mitzrayim (the exodus from Egypt) until now? How is it that we fell from the level of emunah that we experienced on the night of Pesach (Passover) when we saw the open manifestation of Hashem's ratzon (will)?

How? From this: We raised our eyes, we wanted to believe again in determinism (derek hateva), the seemingly natural events of the world. We chose to close our eyes to ratzon Hashem and opened them to our own determinism. When we realized we could not handle it, we started to doubt all over again. Then the mixed multitude looked up to us and saw we were wavering and started to complain. We did not guard our eyes, we began to look around at the world and as soon as we did we fell from our Emunah. We are told to guard our eyes!

We are told we did not deserve to go out from Egypt on our own merit, so in fulfillment of the promise to our forefathers Hashem added to our Daat to increase our Emunah so we we could leave. A free undeserved gift. Hazal tells us that 'a prisoner can not free himself on his own, he must have assistance from without'. But as soon as we went out we lost our lofty Daat. Then they had to re-earn it through emunah in Hashem, and now we must do the same, through guarding our faith in Hashem.

We can not and must not trust what we see, especially in the media! Or we hear in the news! What lies! To have Emunah is to not look at the media wrapped events of this world with their commentator-talking-head explanations of it's happenings. Emunah is knowing the only commentator to whom to listen is the Torah, and the only explanation is Hashem.

In the She'ma we are told in the third perek "They shall be to you as tzitzit (fringe-strings), and you shall look at them (big hint) and remember all the commandments of Hashem and to fulfill them and not to follow after your heart and after your eyes by which you go astray..." We are told to specifically not use out sekel (intellectual understanding) or to trust our eyes! WHY? Because we start to think our own hagasot in our chochmah, broken chochmah, then we start to look into how we can go about doing it without Hashem. This is what Adom HaRishon (Adam the first man) did, he thought he could fix the shevat hakelim (broken vessels of divine energy) himself.

Every time we think we can do it on our own we have fallen into self generated heresy. We make ourselves into gods and try and remove Hashem from the throne. It is much easier to just listen and do than to try to be a king.

Moshe said to the people "Do not fear! Stand fast and see the salvation of Hashem that He will perform for you today..." Why 'the people' and not 'the children of Israel'? What happened? Or is Moshe speaking to someone else?

The answer is both: we got out of our troubles and said 'thanks for the help we can take from here, we'll call you if we need you.' Unfortunately this seems to be a recurring theme in our national history.

When we KNOW that Hashem sustains all, that the Hand of Hashem runs all, then we will have expanded Daat (knowledge of Hashem) such as was on the night of the first Pesach (Passover) and the exodus from Egypt. And then, may it be today, we will open the door to the next and final geulah.
Mystical Paths

Why Rainbows did not exist before the Flood

The rainbow is shaped like an archer's bow. The Nevi'im tell us that when Moshiach comes, the Keshet or bow will no longer be an instrument of battle and death, it will be used to help mankind sustain life by working the ground.

Similarly, says Rabbi Yehonoson Eibushitz, when Hashem is battling us, Chas V'Shalom, the bow would be facing downwards to the earth, to shoot arrows. His promise after the Mabul is that if He wants to battle us, he will flip the bow upside down. This shows that we are the ones fighting Hashem but in his mercy he will not punish us.

The rainbow, says Rabbi Yehonosson Eibushitz, is a natural phenomenon made up of dirty cloudy air, struck by the rays of the sun. These two elements symbolize a human being's two main excuses for failure to live up to his mission in life of keeping torah and mitzvos.

First is that we are made of earth which dirties and clouds our pure and clean neshama. Our second excuse is that we were born with bad mazal. Our inborn traits prevent us from doing Hashem's will. Mazal is represented by the sun. Therefore when Hashem is angry, He looks at the rainbow and consoles himself over human failings and does not vent His wrath upon us.

Before the Mabul the air was always crisp and clear. A rainbow was not possible. Only after the Mabul when the atmosphere became less pure was a natural rainbow possible.

from the writings of Rabbi Yehonosson Eibushitz