No Tachnun

Today is a very special day for Chasidim. Today is Chai (18th of) Elul, and lots of amazing things happened to the Jewish people, especially the Chasidim. Today is the birthday of the Baal Shem Tov, Aka the Besht, Aka Rabbi Israel Ben Eliezer. It is also the day that Alter Rebbe of Chabad, Shneur Zalman of Liadi was born and also the day special Maamers and Chassidius given over through out their lives. Another notable event today, is the Yaharziet of the Heliga Maharal of Prauge, Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel. This is where the Tachnun comes in, or rather doesn’t come in. As a general Chassidic Minhag that I have taken from my Rav, Tachnun is not said on the Yaharziet of Tzaddikim. This is not a Minhag of Chabad, as they even say Tachnun on their Rebbe's Yaharziets, or so I thought. No, it is not a Minhag of Chabad, but like all groups, you always have a rouge. I don’t mean that in a negative way, but it does make me smirk when someone steps out of routine and gets a comment out of the head Rabbi of my Shul.

There is a Chasid at my shul that does things that conflict with what other Chabad Chasidim feel should be done. One of those things is random times when Tachnun should be said and isn’t. Today is one of those days. The last one happened on the date marking the release of the Frierdiker Rebbe from Russian Prison. He was Shliach Tzibur and didn’t say Tachnun and this started a quiet argument as to "What the Rebbe did". Still, Tachnun wasn’t said. Today the Head Rabbi made an announcement, that "Today is Chai Elul, which is a very important day for Chassidim (Went on to list the reasons) and because of this Rabbi So & So probably wont be saying Tachnun, even though there is no source for this."

Now as a non Chabad Chasid davening in a Chabad shul, there are a few things I do different, and one of those is trying to not make it obvious that I'm not saying Tachnun. I have a calendar that is in the process of being marked on which days not to say Tachnun, because sometimes I forget and then realize later. I usually insert some sort of voluntary prayer that is printed after Shachris in the Art Scroll Sefard Siddur instead. Now don’t think I’m one of those Chasidim that goes No Tachnun Buck Wild. I only omit Tachnun when it is the Yaharziet of a Tzaddik who I have learned some sort of Torah from, not if I have just "heard of him".

This brings me to another interesting event that occurred today. Is it only Chabad or do other Chassidim consider Birthday, Yaharziet, or something monumental involving their Rebbes as Yom Tovim? The same Chasid, who doesn’t say Tachnun on these random days, also wishes everyone a "Gut Yom Tov", and wears his Kaputa. I only find this weird because he is the only one and no one else, not even the Head Shliach of the shul wears his.

Today we should learn Chassidus from the Besht, and the Alter Rebbe, as well as Chumash with Gur Aryeh (Maharal of Prague's commentary on the Chumash). May the merit of these Tzaddikim bring forth Redemption and Moshiach and may their Torah inspire us to engage in Tefillah, Teshuva, and Tzeddakah and be judged in favor by Hashem this Rosh Hashanah.

Me'arat HaMachpela

(painting by Gustave Doré)

Hebron is a very special city for us as Jews, and just like anything truly special to the Jews it is truly special to someone else. Me'arat HaMachpela has always been on my list of places to visit, but something always seems to get in my way. In 2000 just before the intifada we were unable to go and in 2006 during the Lebanon War, I was also told to stay away. Its to dangerous of a place they tell me. The violence between the Arabs and the IDF will put you in grave danger they say. Its just not safe, period I'm told.

Have you ever driven the streets of Los Angeles or Chicago or New York? Let me tell you about the time my wife and I dropped the rent check off in Inglewood. There are cities in America, and the world that are 10 times more dangerous to be in than Hebron. However, because of the media and hearsay, American Jews are panic stricken to go to Hebron.

I sometimes believed the distortion about Hebron, and how the Jews live in fear of the Arabs surrounding them. That was until my parents spent Shabbos in Hebron in the beginning of 2008. In 2005 my parents were taken to Hebron with their community Rabbi. They must have forgot to compare their Jewish Muslim calendars because he took them on the first day of Ramadan. Well after their group was surrounded by a potential mob of hundreds of muslims, they IDF swooped in surrounded the Jews and escorted them to the bus. Not the best idea, but like going anywhere you need to know where you are going and whats going on there. Visiting before Shabbos earlier this year my mother took a taxi with that community Rebbitzen and somehow were dropped off in front of the Palestinian Authority Headquarters and had to walk to their friends home in Kiryat Arba. Not the best idea but they traveled comfortable without any fear evoked by the Arabs living there.

With all this in mind, I traveled with my wife and our friend to Hebron. The bus was bulletproof and the drive into the West Bank was interesting. The view consisted of more than lots of checkpoints, fences, and walls. There were beautiful fields and vineyards and lots of green hills. The Torah says that Hebron, the least fertile area of Israel is seven times more fertile than than the most fertile land of Mitzrayim (Egypt). The bus winded down the narrow rubble filled streets of Hebron up to the military checkpoint. We got off and observe an IDF soldier with his M-16 drawn aimed in the direction of a house behind us. He starts yelling and I wasn't sure If I should run back onto the bus, or run to the Cave. Then he lowered his weapon and we became our walk to the Cave HaMachpela.

I don't think Ive ever seen photos of Me'arat HaMachpela but I knew there was a mosque there. An acquaintance of mine said that its overrated to go there and you feel like you are praying in a mosque and there is no holiness there. His words to me weren't even worth a grain of salt, more like a grain of sand but nothing would prepare me for my first view of the Caves. The mosque is huge, like a fortress, and it was very intimidating as I walked towards it. Once we got inside and saw the tombs I was in awe. Unless you are able to read Arabic, you would never know it was a mosque as Arabic looks like fancy artistic decoration. The holiness was like a weight on me leaving me in awe and my yetzer hara powerless over me. I davened mincha in the kever of Avraham Avinu and Sarah Emanu and it was one of the most joyous times of prayer I have ever experienced. There was an absolute connection between my sour and HaKodesh Barachu in the merit of our Father and Mother. After davening i said the prayer for when you visit Me'arat HaMachpela which brought me to tears as I stared at the Stone Marker of Avraham.

The whole experience was overpowering and so fulfilling for my soul. This experience I recommend for any Jew, especially one who is searching to connect closer to HaKodesh Barachu. Ignore what anyone tells you about the danger because Hashem will keep you safe on your journey and anyone that has actually been there can attest to the experience out waying the apparent risk of coming to Hebron. Chazel and any Chacham for that matter can attest to the benefit of visiting the graves of Tzaddikim, not just spiritually, but also physically. Hebron is a special place that will forever resonate in my heart and mind. I look forward to the next opportunity to visit such a holy place as Me'arat HaMachpela.

Next blog: Tzfas and the Holiest Mikvah on Earth.

Davening with a Minyan

(Courtesy of www.xanga.com/Shlomo_Chizkiyahu)

I davened many a day in my living room. I always tried to say Shema in time, always tried to daven shachris well before the last minute and always tried to have on my tefillin. Day in and Day out I figured that this was what Hashem wanted from my daily teffilah. Missing Torah reading Monday and Wednesday and Rosh Chodesh. Then one day I came upon a quote from the Talmud Yerushalmi stating that davening in your home is like davening in a steel box. Implying that it is nearly impossible for a Yid, especially one of my spiritual stature to penetrate the heavens with prayer alone at home without a Torah or a Minyan. Then I moved .5 miles from the mikvah, .7 miles from the shul, and 1.0 mile from my Rabbi. Prior to that I had never spent a Shabbos where I lived since I moved out of my parents house. It wasnt to bad, but I did miss my bed on shabbos. I decided when I moved that I was going to make some changes. Sleep is for the weak so i started waking up at 5:45am everyday so I could make it to minyan, usually being the first one there and preparing myself even before the main Shul lights were triggered by their timer. I have this thing about being on time and it really gets to me if I am late for minyan. After a month or so, the members of the shul entrusted me with the code to the front door and I now could learn before Mincha and Maariv instead of sitting in my truck till someone came to open the door. Now that I am a regular for minyan my life is in a new direction. I still have the same tests and troubles I did before but now I feel I am stronger when confronting them because of the time I set aside to be in shul and daven with a minyan. Im not sure how to explain it but I would recommend everyone to make it to daily minyans 3 times a day everyday and see how it affects your life. Hashem wants us to daven ten men strong and this is the only way to rectify the sin of the spies, please HaKodesh Baruchu and usher in Moshiach!