Obama and Tisha B'Av

The thing I love most about Barack Hussein Obama is that Hashem's fingerprints are all over him. How? He's a mere puppet in Hashem's hands, a puppet whose meteorical rise to power defies the normal course of American and world political history.

On July 27th, 2004 Senate candidate Barack Obama spoke to delegates during the Democratic National Convention in Boston. Some call it "The Speech", a 17 minute star-making turn. Obama walked on stage a total unknown and walked off as a superstar. Four months after the convention, Obama won the U.S. Senate seat in a landslide. Senate campaigns cost tons of money; no problem here either - Hashem gave Obama all he needed. Hashem wanted Obama in office...

Now hear this: July 27th, 2004 was the 9th day of the Hebrew month of Av, "Tisha B'Av." This is a perpetual day of calamity for the Jewish people when among other disasters, both Holy Temples in Jerusalem were destroyed. Tonight - Tisha B'Av 5769 - is the 5th anniversary of Obama's rise to power. Who would believe that a freshman senator who had no record and had barely completed half a term would be the world's most influential leader in 5 short years? Is there any similar precedent in history?

Adolf Shicklgruber (aka Heidler, which subsequently became Hitler on his German nationalization papers) was an Austrian-born Lance Corporal in the German Army in WWI. After the war, he became a beer-hall orator and sworn antisemite and German nationalist who unsuccessfully tried to sieze power by force in 1923 with his fellow Nazi rowdies. Within 10 short years, in 1933, he became the elected Chancellor of Germany.

Obama's rise to power has been twice as fast as Hitler's. Their common denominator is their fast tongue - Hitler was and Obama is a classic mass-swaying orator. If this does not stimulate the fear of G-d in your heart, then you need an urgent EKG.

Here's another interesting parallel - today's issue of Time Magazine lauds Obama for saying no to Israel about building in East Jerusalem. This is the same Time Magazine that voted Adolph Hitler Man of the Year in 1938.

Are you still not with me? I don't want to make the doomsday predicitions that the my esteemed friend Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak and the Sefardi Mekubalim are making about what's in store for the Jews on both sides of the ocean from Obama. Whether you believe in the autistics or not, they have blood-chilling forecasts about what's in store for America's Jews. This past week, Rav Eliezer Berland shlit'a said some hair-raising warnings about hostilities that could erupt before Rosh Hashana. We all must make urgent teshuva.

Tonight (Wednesday night, 29 July, 2009) is Tisha B'Av, commemorating the destruction of both our Holy Temples. Obama's rise to power began on Tisha B'Av - this is not a good sign.

I asked my beloved teacher and spiritual guide, Rabbi Shalom Arush, what we can do to turn the tides. He smiled his gorgeous smile, while tears filled his eyes, and said, "We must strengthen our emuna and spread emuna - fast. This and personal prayer will invoke Divine compassion."

Rav Shalom has been doing hours of hitbodedut every day. He's exhausted from pleading with Hashem, but he continues. He can't do this alone - we must help him, and thereby help ourselves.

Few of you will take me seriously. Few of you did when I said on July 24, 2008 - more than three months before the election - that Obama would win. I also predicted, "Mister V [a nickname we coined for Obama] will negotiate (and be buddies) with Iran, Syria, and everyone else, and Israel will stand alone with no one to turn to but Hashem." That has all come down, too.

Ovadiah was given the task of prophesizing about Esau and Edom since he came from Edom. Maybe Hashem is giving me the job of blowing the whistle about Obama because I was born in Washington, DC.

Hashem is doing everything for the best. Obama's job is to hasten the Geula by forcing us all to return to Hashem and return to our Holy Land of Israel. Start making plans now, because you never know when the gates will be slammed shut.

You won't be able to say that you didn't know.

Have an easy fast. May we all see the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the consolation of Zion, amen.

Important Notice - since tonight is Tisha B'av eve, our regular emuna-series lecture for today in the Chut Shel Chesed Yeshiva is cancelled for today, and G-d willing, will be resumed next week.

VISIT http://lazerbrody.typepad.com/lazer_beams/

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The Sick Person - A Must Read

So much of physical health depends on spiritual health. If in olden days emphasis was placed on "mens sana in corpore sano" (a sound mind in a healthy body), in our days it is a matter of general conviction that even a small defect spiritually, causes a grievous defect physically; and the healthier the spirit and the greater its preponderance over the physical body - the greater its ability to correct or overcome physical shortcomings; so much so, that in many cases even physical treatments, prescriptions and drugs are considerably more effective if they are accompanied by the patient's strong will and determination to cooperate.

Note that Rambam stresses how "having a totally healthy body is among the paths of (serving) God", a point emphasized further by the Mezritcher Maggid.

Since physical health depends on spiritual health, if a person becomes ill, G-d forbid, he should search his past deeds to try to identify what shortcoming may have caused the illness. However, this approach should be taken only regarding one's own lack of physical health. When one sees that another person is sick, one should not think that this was caused by a spiritual shortcoming, since we are told "Do not judge your fellow until you have stood in his place" (Avos 2:4, see Tanya Ch 30). One's first reaction to a sick person should be, to the contrary, that his sickness may well have been caused by spiritual health, as he may have weakened his body through fasting, in the process of doing teshuvah (see the Alter Rebbe's Shulchan Aruch).

The statement of the Zohar that "the weakness of the body is the strength of the soul" does not mean to say that a weakening of the body itself brings about spiritual growth. Rather, the intent of the Zohar is that the desire for physicality, for its own sake, is counter-productive to a person's spiritual growth.

Likutei Sichos of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

ONE SHOULD RECITE TEHILLIM/Psalms 41 FOR SOMEONE THAT IS SICK. Preferrably in Lashon Kodesh/Holy Tongue. However, G-d hears our prayers in any language. Please take the time to listen to a shiur/lesson on chapter 41. It is of utmost importance as this Rabbi explains each verse. There are some that visit the sick/injuried and say...."oh, how horrible - I feel bad for you. I pray you get well soon." And in his heart and on their lips they will whisper to others for the sick/injuried's downfall.

Do take time to feed your soul and listen to this lesson that is for everyone. I have also provided a link that has the loshon kodesh and english side by side.

Here is the audio and here is Tehillim/Psalm 41.
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Get Those Midianite Whores Out of Your Home!

Do you think it coincidental that the Torah portion describing Israel’s whoring after the daughters of Midian fell during the week of the Fast of the 17th of Tammuz, which marks the beginning of Jerusalem’s destruction of yore?

The Torah portions of Balak and Pinchus which describe the calamity go something like this:
“And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit harlotry with their filterless computers. And the anger of the L-rd was kindled against Israel. And the L-rd said to Moshe, Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up before the L-rd against the sun, that the burning anger of the L-rd be turned away from Israel. And behold one of the Children of Israel came and brought to his brethren a filterless computer filled with photos and videos of Midianite women in the sight of Moshe, and in the sight of all the congregation of the Children of Israel. And when Pinchus saw it, he rose up from among the congregation and took a spear in his hand, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel and the computer. So the plague was stayed from the Children of Israel. And those that died in the plague were 24,000.”

If you think I am exaggerating when I write about the dangers of immodesty and harlotry, the Torah informs us that G-d was about to “consume the children of Israel in its entirety” for this transgression, until Pinchus rose up and rectified their sin before the eyes of all of the nation (BaMidbar, 25:10).
Even though only Zimri openly committed the act, 24,000 Jews were slain for bringing the immodest gentile women into their homes. The situation is no different today when filterless computers are brought into Jewish homes with their galleries of Midianite strumpets. Looking at them is a sin. Fantasizing about them is a sin. And spilling semen in vain is considered the gravest transgression in the Torah (Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer, 23:1).



And if you want to say that the Torah isn’t talking about Internet pornography, and that immodesty had nothing to do with the destruction of Jerusalem, then take a look at the prophesy of destruction in the Book of Isaiah:
“Moreover the L-rd says, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with outstretched necks and ogling eyes, walking an mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet, therefore the L-rd will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the L-rd will lay bare their secret parts… and it shall come to pass that instead of the sweet smell of their perfumes, there shall be a stench… and thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war, and the gates of Jerusalem shall both lament and mourn….” (Isaiah, 3:16-4:5).

Once again, to be fair, our hapless Jewish men and wonderful women are not to blame. They have been duped by modern Bilaams, the evil cultures, fashions, and mores of western society that have swept through Jewish homes around the world like swine flu. Bilaam knew that the natural trait of the Jewish People was modesty, as it says, “How goodly are your tents, O Yaakov” (BaMidbar, 24:4, see Rashi). He also knew that the G-d of Israel hates licentiousness (Sanhedrin 106A). Unable to curse us with words, or defeat us on the battlefield, his plan to draw us away from, and pollute, our unique Torah culture by infiltrating the immorality of Midian into our midst so that we would no longer be “a people that shall dwell alone and not be reckoned among the nations” (BaMidbar, 23:9). We have been repeatedly warned against this in the Torah, as is written: “Do not walk in the ways of the nations” (Vayikra, 20:23), and “Do not walk in their ways” (Ibid, 18:3), and “Take heed lest you be ensnared after them” (Devarim, 12:30.) The Jewish People are to keep themselves separated from the gentile nations, by living in our own Land and by guarding our own language, customs, and laws, as it is written. “For I have set you apart from all peoples” (Vayikra, 20:26).

Each and every one of you can help in the battle against Bilaam and his followers of today by dressing modestly, by safeguarding the sexual laws of the Torah, and by downloading an anti-porn Internet filter today

find Tzvi Fishman on http://www.israelnationalnews.com/ BLOGS
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Fast of Tammuz 17 - Thursday, July 9

Moses Breaks Tablets (1313 BCE)

The Talmud (Taanit 28b) lists five tragic events in Jewish history that occurred on Tammuz 17, on account of which a fast was instituted on this day

The first of these occurred in 1313 BCE, forty days after the Giving of the Torah on Sivan 6.

1) Upon descending Mount Sinai and witnessing Israel's worship of the Golden Calf, Moses smashed the Tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments which he was carrying down from the mountain.

2) The daily sacrificial offerings (Korban Tamid) in the Holy Temple were discontinued, three weeks before the Babylonians' destruction of the First Temple in 423 BCE.

The other three national tragedies mourned on Tammuz 17 are connected with the Roman conquest of Jerusalem and their destruction of the Second Temple in the year 69 Common Era:

3) The walls of the besieged city of Jerusalem were breached.
4) The Roman general Apostomus burned the Torah and,
5) placed an idol in the Holy Temple.

The fighting in Jerusalem continued for three weeks until the 9th of Av, when the Holy Temple was set aflame.

Links:The Destruction of the Holy TempleThe Three Weeks
Laws and Customs

Tammuz 17 is a fast day, devoted to mourning the breaching of Jerusalem's walls and the other tragic events that occurred on this day (see "Today in Jewish History") and repenting and rectifying their causes. We refrain from all food and drink from "daybreak" (about an hour before sunrise, depending on location) until nightfall. Special prayers and Torah readings are added to the day's services.

For eight hundred and thirty years there stood an edifice upon a Jerusalem hilltop which served as the point of contact between heaven and earth. So central was this edifice to the relationship between man andG-d that nearly two-thirds of the mitzvot are contingent upon its existence. Its destruction is regarded as the greatest tragedy of our history, and its rebuilding will mark the ultimate redemption-the restoration of harmony within G-d's creation and between G-d and His creation.A full three weeks of our year-the three weeks "between the strictures" of Tammuz 17 (July 9) and Av 9 (July 29-30)- are designated as a time of mourning over the destruction of the Holy Temple and the resultant galut-physical exile and spiritual displacement-in which we still find ourselves. -continue
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Tehillim/Psalms - A Must Read

The book of Psalms begins with a guide to life itself. Avoid the influence of evildoers and those who ridicule good, and adopt the study and knowledge of Torah as your main goal. Then G-d will reward you with a life of joy and good fortune.

Chapter 1 verse 2

ב כִּי אִם בְּתוֹרַת יְהוָה, חֶפְצוֹ; וּבְתוֹרָתוֹ יֶהְגֶּה, יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.


Chapter 19 verse 8

Contemplation of nature and study of Torah will both teach man to recognize his Creator. But it is only the Torah that can teach how to relate to G-d and how to achieve spiritual fulfilment.

ח תּוֹרַת יְהוָה תְּמִימָה, מְשִׁיבַת נָפֶשׁ; עֵדוּת יְהוָה נֶאֱמָנָה, מַחְכִּימַת פֶּתִי.
8 The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

Chapter 105 verse 45

G-d guides the course of history; seemingly unrelated events are tied together to bring about a society of all mankind governed by G-d's holy Torah.

מה בַּעֲבוּר, יִשְׁמְרוּ חֻקָּיו-- וְתוֹרֹתָיו יִנְצֹרוּ;הַלְלוּ-יָהּ.
45 That they might keep His statutes, and observe His laws. {N}Hallelujah.

Chapter 119 verse 1

An alphabetical arrangement - eight verses for each letter - that describes the ceaseless striving to faithfully live a Torah-true life regardless of time, place, circumstance or social environment.


א אַשְׁרֵי תְמִימֵי-דָרֶךְ-- הַהֹלְכִים, בְּתוֹרַת יְהוָה.
1 Happy are they that are upright in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.

verse 44

מד וְאֶשְׁמְרָה תוֹרָתְךָ תָמִיד-- לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.
44 So shall I observe Thy law continually for ever and ever;

verse 53

נג זַלְעָפָה אֲחָזַתְנִי, מֵרְשָׁעִים-- עֹזְבֵי, תּוֹרָתֶךָ.
53 Burning indignation hath taken hold upon me, because of the wicked that forsake Thy law.

verse 142

קמב צִדְקָתְךָ צֶדֶק לְעוֹלָם; וְתוֹרָתְךָ אֱמֶת.
142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Thy law is the truth.

DEAR READERS IF YOU ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE TORAH OF HASHEM - YOU WILL BE JUDGED ACCORDINGLY - DO YOU WANT TO RISK THE CHANCE OF NOT HAVING A SHARE IN THE WORLD TO COME? RETURN TO G-D NOW.

HOW IS ONE FORGIVEN OF THEIR SINS?

The Torah Prophets teach us how to seek salvation from our sins.

יט וַאֲמַרְתֶּם, מַדֻּעַ לֹא-נָשָׂא הַבֵּן בַּעֲו‍ֹן הָאָב; וְהַבֵּן מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה עָשָׂה, אֵת כָּל-חֻקּוֹתַי שָׁמַר וַיַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתָם--חָיֹה יִחְיֶה.
Ezekiel 18:19 Yet say ye: Why doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father with him? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all My statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.

כ הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַחֹטֵאת, הִיא תָמוּת: בֵּן לֹא-יִשָּׂא בַּעֲו‍ֹן הָאָב, וְאָב לֹא יִשָּׂא בַּעֲו‍ֹן הַבֵּן--צִדְקַת הַצַּדִּיק עָלָיו תִּהְיֶה, וְרִשְׁעַת רשע (הָרָשָׁע) עָלָיו תִּהְיֶה. {ס}
20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die; the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father with him, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son with him; (Dear christian readers - this means that "J" can not bear your iniquity. You are accountable for your own sins) righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

כא וְהָרָשָׁע, כִּי יָשׁוּב מִכָּל-חַטֹּאתָו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה, וְשָׁמַר אֶת-כָּל-חֻקוֹתַי, וְעָשָׂה מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה--חָיֹה יִחְיֶה, לֹא יָמוּת.
21 But if the wicked turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all My statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

כב כָּל-פְּשָׁעָיו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה, לֹא יִזָּכְרוּ לוֹ: בְּצִדְקָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר-עָשָׂה, יִחְיֶה.
22 None of his transgressions that he hath committed shall be remembered against him; for his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.

כג הֶחָפֹץ אֶחְפֹּץ מוֹת רָשָׁע, נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה: הֲלוֹא בְּשׁוּבוֹ מִדְּרָכָיו, וְחָיָה.{
23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD; and not rather that he should return from his ways, and live?

כד וּבְשׁוּב צַדִּיק מִצִּדְקָתוֹ, וְעָשָׂה עָוֶל, כְּכֹל הַתּוֹעֵבוֹת אֲשֶׁר-עָשָׂה הָרָשָׁע יַעֲשֶׂה, וָחָי--כָּל-צִדְקֹתָו אֲשֶׁר-עָשָׂה לֹא תִזָּכַרְנָה, בְּמַעֲלוֹ אֲשֶׁר-מָעַל וּבְחַטָּאתוֹ אֲשֶׁר-חָטָא בָּם יָמוּת.
24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? None of his righteous deeds that he hath done shall be remembered; for his trespass that he trespassed, and for his sin that he hath sinned, for them shall he die.

כה וַאֲמַרְתֶּם, לֹא יִתָּכֵן דֶּרֶךְ אֲדֹנָי: שִׁמְעוּ-נָא, בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, הֲדַרְכִּי לֹא יִתָּכֵן, הֲלֹא דַרְכֵיכֶם לֹא יִתָּכֵנוּ.
25 Yet ye say: The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel: Is it My way that is not equal? is it not your ways that are unequal?

כו בְּשׁוּב-צַדִּיק מִצִּדְקָתוֹ וְעָשָׂה עָוֶל, וּמֵת עֲלֵיהֶם: בְּעַוְלוֹ אֲשֶׁר-עָשָׂה, יָמוּת. {ס}
26 When the righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall die therefor; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. {S}

כז וּבְשׁוּב רָשָׁע, מֵרִשְׁעָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה, וַיַּעַשׂ מִשְׁפָּט, וּצְדָקָה--הוּא, אֶת-נַפְשׁוֹ יְחַיֶּה.
27 Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.

כח וַיִּרְאֶה וישוב (וַיָּשָׁב), מִכָּל-פְּשָׁעָיו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה--חָיוֹ יִחְיֶה, לֹא יָמוּת.
28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

HEBREW-ENGLISH BIBLE

Chapter Descriptions from The Schottenstein Edition The Book of Psalms with an Interlinear Translation - Mesorah Publishers

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A Time of Terrible Distress

When Hillary Rodham Clinton lost the Democratic Nomination for President to Barack Hussein Obama, many thought that she would disappear from the world stage for years. But her name in Hebrew hinted that something different would happen. Our attention was gained by her unique name expressed in Hebrew letters. Never before did we see the following occur in anyone's name. Hillary הילרי, Rodham רודהם, and Clinton קלינטון each have a gematria of 255. Imagine that a person's first name, middle name and last name all have the same exact value! When the value of the entire name is calculated, the total gematria is 765 (255x3), the same value as עת צרה (Time of terrible distress). This finding indicated that Hillary would not disappear into the sunset so quickly. She would be (as she has become) an influential voice reprimanding the State of Israel.

The term עת צרה comes from the Book of Daniel 12(1) which describes the time when Michael, the guardian angel of Israel, will stand in defense of his people at this time of catastrophe. The atbash gematria of עת צרה is 106, the same value as the letter נ nun, spelled out נון.

No verse in the Ashrei prayer (Psalm 145) begins with the letter נ nun. There are 21 verses in this psalm and each verse (in order) begins with the remaining 21 letters of the Hebrew aleph bet. This is because in the verse that speaks of G-d supporting the fallen, the letter נ can be taken as an allusion to the word נפילה, Israel's future downfall, G-d forbid. King David refused to use a letter to begin a verse that could suggest such tragedy. But knowing that downfalls must take place as they have throughout our history, King David comforted Israel with the verse that begins with the letter ס samech (the letter that follows the nun in the Hebrew alphabet). The full verse beginning with the samech states "Hashem supports all the fallen ones and straightens all those who are bent." With this verse, King David made a guarantee to the Jewish People that even when a dreaded downfall occurs, the people can count on Hashem's support.

Today, the leader of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahou בּנימין נתניהו, has not one, but 4 nuns in his name, representing the 4 exiles of the Jewish People. We have gone from one exile to another, falling down and then being lifted up by Hashem. We kept falling into galus because we would not learn from our mistakes and make adjustments in our lives. The purpose of falling is to arise and lift ourselves to a higher level, not to the same plane. When G-d tests us in our personal lives and we fall down through illness, financial setbacks or person tragedy, we must pull ourselves not only back to where we were before the fall, but to greater heights.
In a previous blog that we posted on 5/25/09 dealing with The Blessing Of The Sun, we mentioned that our calculation of Daniel's famous "Time, Times and a half of Time," resulted in a time being 32, times being 64, and a half being 16. Thus, 112 represents the entire end period. Of course, no one knows whether it's 112 hours, days, weeks or years from a point in time. This will be revealed by Hashem in due course.

The question arises why 3 1/2 and not 4? Shouldn't there be a relationship between the 4 exiles and the final time period releasing us from exile permanently? If the other half (16) would be added on, the total time period would rise to 128 which would equal the word סומך, "to support." Perhaps our redemption is being held up by the imperfect 3 1/2. Perhaps our redemption will be realized when we can turn the imperfect 3 1/2 into 4 (representing all our exiles). How can we do this? When we finally push our arrogance aside and acknowledge that it wasn't because of our merits, or our actions, or the actions of our leaders or our armies that brought us out of our previous exiles, but by the HAND OF G-D that saved us over and over again. Then we can finally change the 3 1/2 time period into 4 complete periods and adjust the total value from 112 to 128. For it has always been Hashem that supports us like a parent encouraging, lifting up and supporting their child learning to walk. It has always been our Father In Heaven, and it's time to acknowledge that. The 16 (1/2 of time) that has been missing equals בּיד (by a hand). We must realize that to survive the terrible Time of Distress that the Jewish People will shortly face, we must grab and hold on to Hashem's Hand.

The letter נ is the 14th letter in the aleph bet. This is the gematria of דוד (David) whose descendant will shortly be sent by G-d to redeem us. May we all dance with joy when that wonderful moment arises.

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