New Beginnings: Parshas Bereishis

B"SD

Something I noticed while learning this weeks Parsha was that starting a new cycle of Torah reading was not the only new beginning. As we read Parshas Bereishis we read how Hashem began to create the world starting on Day One which is Sunday. Last year we completed a Shmitah seven year cycle as well as participated in Birkas HaChamah which is when we bless the sun after it completes its twenty eight year rotation cycle. This year the Sun is back where it began when Hashem created the universe and our world inside it. Sunday during Simchas Torah we read Parshas Bereishis and thus begun a very amazing cycle that I am not sure how often happens or how long it continues. We are living each day of creation in line with the first week of Creation. This Shabbos will coincide with the very First Shabbos. May we all merit a truly elevated Shabbos and a truly elevated year of Torah and Mitzvos not only for ourselves but inspiring others to do the same. With this IY"H Moshiach will be here to end this bitter Galus.

Birthpangs of Moshiach

A Chasid told me a story about the Baba Sali

Before he died he gave a letter to his Shamesh telling him not to open it until Sept 11, 2001. The Shamesh opened the letter on the 11th of September like the Baba Sali had instructed him. Now keep in mind, his Shamesh doesn't use internet or watch TV so there is no way he knows what is happening on the other side of the world when he opens the letter and reads the following.

"Today two buildings will fall. When the third building falls, Moshiach will come."

The story was quite a shock to me and I tried to search the internet to verify such a story. I didnt find it, but what I did find was this website.

Pure Torah Amazing Torah website.

Bircat Ha'Chamah - The Blessing on the Sun - Once every 28 years Since creation, there was only two times that the year we say Birkat HaHamah fell out on the 1st Day of Passover.The first was the year Hashem redeemed Israel from Egypt.The second was the year of Purim, when Hashem saved the Jews from the evil Haman, who wanted to kill and destroy all Jews.This year Birkat HaHamah falls out on the 1st Day of Passover (which will be the 3rd time in history) When it was told to Hacham Ovadia Yosef, that this year Birkat HaHamah falls out on the 1st Day of Passover, he started crying.

*Edit: A commenter on my blog showed me that this is not true. Birkas Ha'Chammah fell on the 1st day of Pesach on April 8th 1925.

Some really amazing stories.

Stories are stories though. We need to do Teshuvah, get others to do Teshuvah and perform Mitzvos with Love and Joy!

Lets bring Moshiach now!!! Amen!

Baal Sheeeevy.

When I first began my return back to Torah Judaism, a friend of mine made an interesting comment and provided some good advice. He said that a lot of "baal teshuvas" get really excited about keeping mitzvos, that as suddenly as they started keeping Shabbos they begin to judge others, criticize and point on faults, and worst of all judge non religious Jews. Its called "Baal Sheevy Syndrome" and it infects thousands of Jews worldwide. Usually, with the help of G-d and also some time learning in Yeshiva or Seminary, they realize their foolishness and begin to truly focus on correcting their own Neshama. Sometimes, though that isn't the case and the syndrome lingers with them for years, even decades.

During Simchas Torah there was a break between Mincha and Maariv and we went to someones house for some food & drink. The food was nice (homemade cakes) and the drink was as well (homemade lemonade). What wasn't nice was the conversation. One thing I cant stand to do is sit around a table and tell "my story" of how I became religious with other frum people. The purpose is nothing more than a contest to show who returned in a more interesting way. Its sometimes good for non religious Jews to hear to inspire them and get them thinking, but even that isn't my method of inspiration. That wasn't the problem its was ensued after.

For the next hour we discussed or should I say, gossiped about and criticized non religious Jews and our interaction with them. What purpose does this serve? Is it bringing Jews back to Torah? Is it elevating our own level of dedication to Hashem? Chabad's who mission is to bring Jews back to Torah, and to learn Chassidus and be Chasidim (Righteous, above the letter of the law, dedicated to Torah), and here I am sitting around a table listening to a bunch of Lubavitchers bash Jews. I guess Ahavas Yisroel only applies to when you are doing Kiruv work, and even then now I question if its genuine. The whole thing was a one up party. Oh Ive been frum for this long, oh I started keeping Chalav Yisroel years ago, Oh this Rabbi ate in my house and he doesn't eat in anyone's house. The best one was "I met the Lubavitcher Rebbe back in the 70's. Oh that was before Dollars." I wondered to myself. is Before Dollars like a time period? Since he is the Messiah I guess AD doesn't stand for Jesus's (the false messiah) death. AD stands for After Dollars. Its a mean spirited joke but it was a product of what I was hearing.

I was trying to figure out how to get up and leave without being rude or making it awkward and I almost got out without saying a word except for thank you to the host for the food. As I was about to leave the question popped "Are you frum since birth?" No... "Oh when did you become religious?" First off, were you paying attention at all? My parents just said they became religious 8 years ago. Am I frum since birth? Yea...I'm married and have a beard, but I'm only 8. OK, OK, give him a break." I told him I became religious about three years ago. His response was "Oh that's not that long ago. Well that was rude. Lets see where I'm at when I'm your age.

I left and went back to shul to continue learning Gemara. I might not be a Talmid Chachum but I figured that not understanding Mesechta Makkos is a better use of time than putting down Jews. When I see and hear my peers (18-30) acting like Baal Sheevy's I kind of just laugh, and remember how many mistakes i made (and continue to make). Its more of me laughing at myself that us Baal Teshuvas in general have so much to work on and yet our Yetzer Hara is so good and getting us to ignore that so we can put down others. When its the 50 and older grown that has been religious for 10-30 years that's when it alarms me.

What would the Lubavitcher Rebbe say about his Chasidim? How the women dress, How the spend their time, What they speak about, How they judge other Jews. Would you go to your Rebbe wearing stiletto high heels, a pencil skirt with a slit in the back and red lipstick? Would you proceed to bad mouth non religious Jews? Why is it ok to do it when you aren't in front of your Rebbe. I thought the point of a Rebbe was to have as a symbol of Emes and Holiness. If you aren't strong enough to ask yourself "Would G-d be happy if I did this, at least you could say "What would my Rebbe think?"

My wife and I need to get out of this darkness because its starting to choke us. Either way, Moshiach is almost here! AMEN!

We are all Angels: Yom HaKippurim

(Courtesy of wikipedia.org)

A women who was speaking to my mother after Kol Nidre said someone told her that she should be happy today and it really got me thinking. We learn from the Sfas Emes who gave over a maamar on Yom Kippur that this day is the happiest day of the year. Unlike the fast of Tisha B'Av which is fast of sadness and mourning, the fast of Yom Kippur is a fast of joy and celebration. Yom Kippur is know as the Shabbos of Shabbosim, and how could we as Jews that are required to be happy on Shabbos but sad on the Shabbos of All Shabbosim? The Sfas Emes gave a really amazing insight that not only gave me a great appreciation for this amazing day, but made it the most spiritual and fulfilling time in my life. Shabbos is said to be 1/60th of Olam Habah, so its only logical that the Shabbos of Shabbosim would be 1/30th of Olam Habah, and that is exactly what it was.
The Sfas Emes quotes the Gemara in Yoma that discusses the procedure of the Kohen Gadol before Yom Kippur. 7 days he separates from his wife and prepares for the one day. This is how the Sfas Emes connects Yom Kippur to being above nature Le'ma'ala min ha'teva, as 7 is nature, but 7 plus 1 is eight and that is above nature. How do we as Jews reach that level of Le'ma'ala min Ha'teva? The Sfas Emes says Fasting and Teshuva. Fasting because it is above our nature to not consume food and drink, and by doing this we are able to reach the level of angels, who not only do not eat, but do not want to eat. We wear white linen based off of Yehezkal's vision, we don't eat, and it is considered meritorious to stand as much as possible as the angels are incapable of sitting. Baruch Hashem I was blessed to stand the whole time except for the reading of Torah. We also become Korbanos as our bodies feed off of our fat and blood like that of the Korban of Yom Kippur.

How is Teshuvah above nature? The Sfas Emes explains that when we do something (like an averah) it becomes natural to us and very difficult to overcome. By doing proper Teshuvah we are able to raise ourselves above the natural process of everyday life. Hashem gives us the opportunity to obtain a higher level of spirituality on this day. This helps us with both these aspect of Yom Kippur and helps us in appreciating the importance of the day and the joy that these two elements should bring.

I held on to these ideas as I prayed to our creator and It was the most intense experience of my life. Not only did I completely ignore the Yetzar Hara who told my I was "starving", but I could have honestly fasted through the night until the morning. I was totally consumed in what I felt was proper Teshuva and striving for a connection with Hashem. There is something special about my parents shul, as its not a typical Chabad shul, its more like a Lubavitch Shtiebel. The Chazzan was a Rabbi from my community in Long Beach, and his voice is the sounds of a neshama trying to leave through the wind pipe. Im not so into the beautiful voice, I am into the powerful voice that cries when we pray that Hashem should have mercy and not take our lives before our time or when we speaks about the tragedy of the 10 martyrs.

Anu V'Ata was my climax, as that prayer gives me such intense concentration and passion. However the climax of climaxes was Shema x1 Baruch Shem x3 Hashem Hu x7. I lost my voice at Hashem Hu #7 and was shaking all over. We finished off right before the shofar with the Chabad Minhag of "the Victory March". Dancing Jumping Yelling around the Bimah I thought I was at a Breslov Shul for a moment.

I smiles, I cried, my soul was so joyful and I pray that my teshuva was sincere and accepted and that I can work to become a better Yid. Someone asked me last night if I made any resolutions. Jokingly I said, Yea not to make vows.

On a serious note, we should all focus on making our performance of mitzvos less routine and really pay attention to the fact that we are performing these mitzvos and although everyday, they are special and unique everyday. We should pay attention to our blessings over mitzvos and food and really be sincere. When someone does something for us we thank them and remember that. When we "forget" if we said a bracha rishon or achron, it is because we didn't properly thank Hashem for what he has given us.

May this year be the year that we grow and raise our spiritual level so that we can bring Moshiach speedily Amen!!!

Dreams of Geulah

B"SD

My wife said it perfect "This gives me the chills..." It brings tears to the rims of my eyes and such words reinforce my dedication to Hashem, His Torah, and our People.

Mystical Paths writes...

The following story is going around within religious circles in Jerusalem...

The famed Rabbi Shachne Zohn, shlita, had an amazing dream about three weeks ago. Rav Shachne Zohn has been the Rosh Kollel of Kollel Kodshim v'Taharos in Yerushalayim for nearly 40 years. Before that, he served as a Rav at Yeshivah Torah Vodaas in Brooklyn. In his youth, he studied at Yeshivos Mir and Kamenitz in Europe. He also studied briefly with the Chafetz Chaim, who had a great impact on him.

About three weeks ago, the Chafetz Chaim appeared to Rav Zohn in a dream. The Chafetz Chaim said to him, "Geula krova lavo. L'farsem, ulehitkonen." (Translation: The "redemption is close. Publicize and prepare yourself.") [The author of this writes...] I have confirmed this story with Rabbi Zohn's daughter in Jerusalem, and his son, Rabbi Elchonon Zohn, Director of Vaad Harabanim of Queens, Chevra Kadisha.


May Hashem bring Moshiach so pull Klal Yisroel from the darkness.