777

As we already knew, Donald Trump was 70 years, 7 months and 7 days on his first full day in office, and won by 77 electoral votes....   and now we learn that it was on his 77th day as President that he kick-started WW3.

How could all these sevens be coincidental? How could they not be Hashem's gigantic hints to the current year 5777 being THE year ? 

Just as an aside, apart from being the 100th anniversary of WW1, it was also the 115th birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe [who passed in 1994] - his birthday is still widely acknowledged by Lubavitchers and Yud Alef Nissan is regarded as a very special day. Seems the Rebbe is still majorly spiritually connected to the world, and to the current White House family, noting the Kushners choice of a Chabad shul in Washington.   And of course the Rebbe's address was 770 Eastern Parkway..... there's those sevens again.

So now the world takes sides, and we continue to wait and see. 

See what? What do we think we're going to see? Rainbows and unicorns, peace and love and hearts in the sky? How do we know what the Geula looks like?  What does the Geula look like?  Find out what will actually happen by listening to this shiur by Rabbi Shimon Kessin,  and prepare to have your mind blown.

What does The Geula Look Like

HT: Rahel

This video was from last year, but it was brought to my attention by Rahel on FB :

Rabbi Shimon Kessin - [brother of Rabbi Mendel Kessin]  ..."What does the Geula look like when it starts---at the moment of initiation"? In order to answer this question, he discusses a concept called "Bread of Shame."

Forgotten Miracles

One of Rebbe Nachman's followers once came to him. He had a serious ailment in his arm and was in such great pain that he could not move it at all. He had his arm in a sling and was totally unable to lower it.

The Rebbe's followers told him that this cripple was very poor and could not afford the expensive salts and other remedies that he needed for his arm.

The cripple was sitting at Rebbe Nachman's table for the Sabbath noon meal. The Rebbe remarked that the cripple certainly had faith, and all those sitting there agreed. He discussed this a while and then repeated himself, asking again if this cripple had faith. Those present again answered "yes".

Suddenly the Rebbe commanded the cripple "Lower your hand!"

The cripple stood there amazed, and everyone else was also very surprised. What was the Rebbe saying? The man had been afflicted for a long time, and it was absolutely impossible for him to move his arm. Why was the Rebbe telling him to do the impossible?

But as soon as Rebbe Nachman gave the order, "he decreed, spoke and it became fulfilled".

His follower removed the man's sling and he instantly lowered his arm. He was totally healed and it was an obvious miracle. He regained full use of his arm, and it remained healthy for the rest of his life.

Many awesome miracles like this occurred from time to time. The Rebbe, however, was compelled to minimize them.

I saw the Rebbe soon after he healed the cripple and spoke to him about it. It was obvious that he was not feeling well. He said "Whenever I am involved with miracles, I always suffer from it. Whenever I do anything like this I pray to G-d that it be forgotten." [This may be the reason why so few of his miracles have ever been recorded]

from "Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom" by Rabbi Nathan of Nemirov, translated by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan z"l

Nissan: The Month of Miracles

Nissan from a kabbalistic perspective with Rav DovBer Pinson

Did You Know......?

Artist Unknown

When you speak lashon hara you give your merits to the one you're slandering and take their transgressions.

[Chofetz Chaim; sefer Shmiras Halashon]

Spreading The Light

A continuous fire shall burn upon the altar; it shall not go out. [Tzav 6:6]

There were two types of fire in the Sanctuary and Holy Temple: one that burned on the outer altar, and one that burned in the menora inside. 

The priest whose job it was to light the menora did so with a flame taken from the outer altar. 

This teaches an important lesson: The outer altar is symbolic of our Divine service with other people; the kindling of the menora alludes to Torah study, as it states in Proverbs, "The Torah is light." 

Thus in order to merit the Torah's light it isn't enough to concern oneself with one's own spiritual progress; the concern should be extended to others as well.

Source: Likutei Sichot Lubavitcher Rebbe

Cyclone Debbie's Destruction

Cyclone Debbie has caused billions of dollars of damage to our beautiful Whitsunday Islands, and the fallout from it is now affecting the entire eastern side of Australia  - there is a 2,000 km line of flooding from the north to the south as the system makes it way down.  Unprecedented flood levels are being seen.

Soul Connections: Roots of Our Souls

Rabbi Dov Ber Pinson explains how our souls relate to one another, why we may feel a ''connection'' to someone we have just met -

''Ever wonder where first impressions come from? Why are we more prone to like one type of people more than others?''

Cyclone Debbie

Bearing down on north Queensland in Australia is Cyclone Debbie which had intensified into a hurricane and is now hopefully classed as a Category 4 but possibly Category 5.   Thousands have been evacuated from the area.   The largest storm to hit Australia since Yasi in 2011.

Cyclone Debbie Descends

Other Peoples' Money

''He shall return the article that he stole, the withheld funds, the article left for safekeeping, the found article.... or anything else regarding which he swore falsely" [Vayikra 5:23-24]

Gedolei Yisrael have always exercised great caution when dealing with the money of others, so that they would not be guilty of the severe transgression of theft.

by Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein

One erev Shabbos, when R' Isser Zalman Meltzer returned from the mikveh, he suddenly realized that he had used two clothing cubbies at the mikveh.

Perhaps I took someone else's space, thought R' Meltzer. I might very well owe the mikveh attendant twice the amount that I usually pay!

One of his family members saw how much the matter was troubling R'Meltzer, so he offered to go to the mikveh and pay the attendant for the extra cubby.

"It is I who must go" replied R' Meltzer. "For the halachah states explicitly that one who steals from his fellow must not only repay him, but he must verbally appease him as well. The responsibility to appease the attendant is my responsibility alone."

Communal Benefits

Art: Xinature

by Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita

One of the questions often asked of the great poskim is how a person can atone for the sin of theft if he cannot remember the people from whom he has stolen!

In the book Tuvcha Yabiu, Rabbi Yitzchak Zilberstein Shlita advises one who wants to repent and atone for the sin of theft to donate some money for the needs of the community.

The Rav Shlita cites an amazing incident that occurred in Israel, an incident that he himself witnessed:

“Someone had placed some comfortable benches next to the grave of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai in Meron. A few years ago, when I went to Meron, I saw a Jew who was lying down on one of these benches, and when he got up he said something like, ‘Oh, how it’s good to relax on these benches!’

“As it turned out, the man who was responsible for placing the benches there had sinned against the very same Jew relaxing on them. Since this Jew had benefited from these benches, it was considered as if the transgressor had atoned for his sin, thereby erasing it. The same applies to returning a stolen object: If we do something for the community by donating things that the public needs, and if we also pray to Hashem so that those against whom we have sinned will forgive us, we will attain atonement and forgiveness for our sin.”

Pesach: Will we go out of exile this year?

Rabbi Alon Anava

Korea: Rabbi Nachmani's Prophetic Words

This is a re-blog, for the readers who have not ever seen it, inspired by the latest post from Dov Bar Leib.

Rabbi Levi Saadia Nachmani zt''l, speaking in 1994 [about a month before he passed away], warning us about Korea's nukes.

Waiting for You

Artist Unknown

"For hundreds of years, perhaps since the beginning of Creation, a piece of the world has been waiting for your soul to purify and repair it.

And your soul, from the time it was first emanated and conceived, waited above to descend to this world and carry out that mission.

And your footsteps were guided to reach that place. And you are there now."

Rabbi Tzvi Freeman

Real Love

Real love is reciprocated: "As in water, face reflects face, so is the heart of man to man" [Proverbs 27:19]. Reflections in water are an apt metaphor for the reciprocity of feelings.

The Hebrew word for "water" - mayim - is a reflection of itself: it is the same read forwards or backwards.

Love is reciprocated, though, only if it as strong as the love of father for son, brother for brother, or husband for wife. Weak love might not be returned.

"Love your neighbour like yourself" - love him so strongly that he will naturally reciprocate with love like you have for him.

from the writings of the Ben Ish Chai

The First Tablets -v- The Second Tablets

There are a number of key differences between the first and second tablets:

The Tablets themselves: The first tablets were ''the work of God'' [Ki Tisa 32:16], whereas the second tablets God told Moshe to ''carve for yourself'' [34:1]

The writing:  The Talmud states that only the first tablets possessed the quality of ''God's writing'', which would have caused the words to be forever engraved in Israel's heart and never forgotten [Eruvan 54a and Rashi ibid]

The spiritual level of Israel: By the first tablets, the Jewish people were tzadikim [saintly], whereas by the second tablets they were ba'alei teshuvah [penitents].

The spiritual level of Moshe:  Moshe was given ''one thousand lights'' as a present when the Torah was given, but with the sin of the golden calf they were taken away.

The second tablets had the advantage that (a) they were given with ''halachot, midrash and aggadot'' and (b) Moshe's face shone with light when they were given.

Source: Lubavitcher Rebbe Hayom Yom 17 Tamuz

Why We Cling To Tzadikim

Art: SRG

This is a re-blog from 2012, as once again we have had commenters who are confused about why we pray at the graves of tzadikim.


The Lubavitcher Rebbe would often answer requests by saying that he would pray for the person at the grave of his father-in-law, the previous Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak.

The following is extracted from "Not Just Stories" by Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski MD

Published by Shaar Press

Every person has a direct line with G-d, and we are not permitted to pray to intermediaries. Indeed, the propriety of prayers where we appear to be asking for blessings from angels or for their intervention on our behalf, is the subject of debate, and must be interpreted in such a way that does not violate our basic belief that we relate only to G-d as the One from Whom everything emanates.

Yes, there is also the concept of faith in a tzaddik, which is derived from the verse in Exodus [14:31] "They had faith in G-d and in Moses, His servant". The sages derived from this verse that believing in the leader of Israel is equivalent to believing in the Creator [Mechilta]. In addition, the Talmud states that if there is a sick person in one's household, let him go to a chacham [a wise man] to pray for his recovery [Bava Basra 116a]. Inasmuch as everyone has a direct contact with G-d and we do not work through intermediaries, why is the prayer of a tzaddik more potent that one's own prayer?

There are several ways in which we can understand the concept of faith in a tzaddik. First and foremost is that the opinion of a wise man, a tzaddik, as a Torah authority, must be accepted and followed even if we are in disagreement with it [Sifri, Deut 17:11].

There is also a concept of receiving a blessing from a tzaddik and this has its basis in a statement from G-d to Abraham "And you will be a blessing" [Gen 12:2] which the Midrash interprets to mean that G-d gave Abraham the power to bless people, and that gift has been given to other tzaddikim as well. Nevertheless, a person must understand that even though the tzaddik conveys the blessing, the origin of the blessing is G-d.

A woman once came to Rabbi Mordechai of Chernobel, pleading for a blessing to have a child. To the amazement of the bystanders, the Rabbi, who was exceptionally kind and benevolent, said brusquely to her "I'm sorry, I cannot help you". The woman left the room tearful and broken hearted.

Noting the bewilderment of his chassidim, Rabbi Mordechai said "Just wait a few moments, then go find the woman and bring her back here." The chassidim did as they were told and when the woman came back, the Rabbi asked her "What did you do when you left here?"

The woman replied "I turned my eyes to Heaven and I said "Dear G-d, the Rabbi refuses to help me. Now You are my only hope. Bless me that I have a child."

Rabbi Mordechai said to the chassidim "This woman believed that I had magical powers, and she was trusting in me rather than in G-d. When I refused her request, she placed her trust in G-d where it belongs. She will now be blessed with a child."

The primary function of a tzaddik is to assist people in the proper service of G-d, to help them recognize their character defects and show them how to do teshuvah.

The power of a tzaddik is in his strong belief in G-d, and anyone who has that strong a belief can bring about similar results. When the tzaddik prays for a sick person, for example, and says that G-d is the healer of the sick, his belief is so strong that it actually brings down the Divine healing upon the person. In fact, said Rabbi Mordechai, the prime reason for having a relationship with a tzaddik is to learn how to perfect one's belief in G-d.

Reb Shaya'le's Awesome Power

Recently someone asked me how to get rid of ants.  I remembered a story I heard about a famous rabbi whose picture, when hung in the room, would rid the house of pests, notably mice but also other kinds of vermin.  Although I have not had a chance to test this myself, I am assured that it does work. [If you're going to try this, print out the photo below and perhaps laminate it, and put it in the room where the pests are bothering you] 

Reb Shaya'la of Kerestirer [1851- 1925] was a famous chasiddic Rebbe from Hungary in the early Twentieth century. [His yarzheit is on 3 Iyar] Many make the trip to his Kever and spend Shabbos at his house in northern Hungary. His picture is believed by many to be a segulah and a amulet of protection. Many stores have his picture to keep away mice. 

The Famous Mouse Story

Affectionately known as Reb Shaya'le [Rabbi Yeshaya Steiner of Kerestir], the Kerestirer Rebbe lived around the beginning of the 20th Century. He was a very pious man and extremely humble, always referring to himself in the diminutive [Shaya'le]. He was known as a "miraculous" person. His greatest pleasure was to host a very elaborate Melave Malka, the meal that follows Shabbos, on Saturday night. Often he would have his chassidim shecht fresh chickens for his meal.

Reb Yeshaya'le Kerestirer

One motzei Shabbos, while Reb Shaya'le was eating this special melave malka meal, a chossid came to him with an urgent request. He was a man who had a warehouse full of foodstuffs and he made his living by buying and selling food. For the past number of months, his warehouse had been taken over by mice who were eating his grain and other commodities and his entire livelihood was threatened. He asked Reb Shaya'le for a blessing that the mice should leave his warehouse. 

At that time, each small town in Europe was ruled by the local church pastor. Some of the pastors were kind towards the Jews and others were very harsh. Reb Shaya'le asked the chossid if the pastor of the town he lived in was kind or harsh. The chossid replied that he was very harsh toward the Jews. Reb Shaya'le then instructed the chossid to go to his warehouse and to tell the mice, "Reb Shaya'le says to go to the estate of the pastor." The chossid followed the Rebbe's advice and instantly hundreds of mice raced out of the warehouse all heading in the direction of the pastor's estate. 

The chossid's business was saved and ever since Jews who have been plagued with this problem have used Reb Shaya'le's picture to accomplish the ridding of mice from their homes.

Source: Jewish Gen

From Delight to Affliction

From the teachings of the Ben Ish Chai

Anyone who speaks lashon hara - afflictions come upon him. [Arachin 15b]

A lashon hara speaker changes the order of letters.  By causing a falling out between friends, he turns לשׁון - "tongue" into נשׁול - "fall".

By ruining a precious vessel - "the lips of knowledge are a precious vessel" [Proverbs 20:15] - he turns יקר "precious" into קרי - "impurity".

Measure for measure, ענג - oneg -"delight" will turn into נגע - nogah - "affliction" - and afflictions will come upon him.

The Pink Before The Storm

''Red sky in the morning, shepherds' warning....''

This morning we had a stunning pink sky, the calm before the supercell storm, which is currently hitting eastern parts of Australia.