Geula-Related Recent Links

Thursday, July 31, 2014

What We Learn From The Last Verse in Parshat Devarim

With the UN once again being irrationally hostile toward Israel, I'm reminded of this old post.

posted by yaak @ 7/31/2014 04:22:00 PM   1 comments

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Devarim 5774

A very-shortened version of Rav Fish's latest:

  • Ahdut
    • Rav Asher Anschel Schwartz Shlit"a brings down on the verse וַיִּסְעוּ, מֵחֲרָדָה; וַיַּחֲנוּ, בְּמַקְהֵלֹת  [And they journeyed from Haradah, and pitched in Makheloth.] that if one wants to journey away from trembling [חרדות] and fear, one needs to encamp in community [מקהלות] and Ahdut.
    • Rav D. Lev adds that מבצע צוק איתן [Operation Tzuk Eitan] is the same gematria as שנאת חינם [baseless hatred - meaning the war is the antidote for it].
  • 5776
    • Kohelet Rabba Perasha 12 compares the Ketz to Moshe's burial place and the fact that no one knows either.  ולא ידע איש את קבורתו is Sofei Teivot תשע"ו.
  • Rav Chaim Kanievsky and the Ketz
    • I [=Rav Fish] heard in the name of Rav Eliyahu Borer Shlit"a who merited to learn as a Havruta with Maran Hagaon Rav Chaim Kanievsky 30 years ago, and he remembers that in his time, Maran said about the Ketz of Redemption, "Whoever knows doesn't say."  This is because there is the Ketz of the Gr"a that some people know about, but don't talk about.  Now, as 30 years have passed, we hear from Maran again and again that Mashiah is at the doorway.  Lich'ora [at first glance, it seems that] this is a proof that indeed the Ketz of the Gr"a has arrived.

posted by yaak @ 7/31/2014 12:30:00 PM   0 comments

KTR in the War

Notice how the Hamas side has the consonant sounds KTR in their modus operandi:

Qatar (KTR) and Turkey (TRK) are supporting Hamas, who use rockets (RKTs) to shoot at Israel, who trek (TRK) through tracks (TRKs) of underground tunnels to kill and kidnap Israeli soldiers, and  who trick (TRK) the court (KRT) of world opinion into believing they are the victims by making a racket (RKT).

Is it any wonder that as a Tikkun, Rav Benayahu Shmueli Shlit"a has advised people to recite the Ketoret (KTRT) and last week started distributing Ketoret booklets to read for the soldiers?

posted by yaak @ 7/31/2014 09:38:00 AM   1 comments

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Interesting Recent Links - Devarim 5774 III

Geula-Related
A rabbi in Moscow told me that years ago, local Jews would ask each other, “How will we know when Moshiach has arrived?” And they would answer, “When we will be able to recite Krias Shema aloud in Red Square and not get killed, we will know Moshiach is here.”
On Erev Shabbos, I stood in Red Square and proclaimed, “Shema Yisroel!”
Are we not living in Moshiach’s times?
Canceling/Shortening Bein Hazmanim

Hassidim cancel vacation, keep studying due to war

Continuing to Study Torah is ‘Part of the Battle’ (related)



War Miracles



War Prayers, Mitzvot, Hitorerut
Is This the End of Baseless Hatred?

Picture of the Day
Two Israeli Tanks






posted by yaak @ 7/30/2014 01:32:00 PM   0 comments

Geula Events Including News of Another Parah Aduma Born

This week's Apiryon Shelomo (p. 1, left column, my translation):

The Arabs want to murder us.  Not just in Gaza, in the whole world!  Muslims are rioting in France, setting up pogroms in synagogues and Jewish homes.  In Britain, there are massive demonstrations and rioting in the streets.  In Turkey, there were 300 Israelis holed up in a hotel when bloodthirsty Muslims surrounded it and were just waiting to murder.  Yonah's tomb in Iraq was blown to bits.  The President of Iran declared, "We have to finish off already this oppressor called 'Israel'".  Hamas made it known that they have chemical weapons and are guarding it for the end.  This Pereh Adam1 wants to quench its thirst with the blood of Jews!

Even the President of the United States is a Muslim2 and is placing sanctions on Israel3. The UN established an investigative committee against Israel. In all the countries around us, there's been uncontrolled slaughter of civilians. In Syria, everyone knows what's happening. In Iraq, ISIS operatives put 100 Iraqi soldiers into a pit, and while they were still alive, they poured concrete on them. In the Ukraine, they're shooting down planes with 300 European citizens on board... and no one opens their mouth! Here, we're trying to protect citizens - not to murder - to protect! And also, we're doing it with tweezers4 and everyone's rising up against us. The noose is getting tighter - we're entering a process of isolation, and just like the Mishna in Sotah5 notes: [things will be so bad] until they'll cry out, "There is no one to rely upon except our Father in Heaven."

Everyone sees this - HKB"H is performing miracles for us that we haven't seen anything like since the days of the Exodus from Egypt.  Catching terrorists who attempt to enter the country, catching a bomb-ridden car at the checkpoint, every attack that they attempt to perform is being thwarted!  And I don't need to remind you what kind of Rosh Hashana it could have been like for us had they not revealed the entire underground city of Gaza.  HKB"H is conducting Himself with us with mercy, there are many miracles, but we need to remember that the Flood also started with mercy - a light drizzle.  However, if we don't wake up quickly, the drizzle could intensify...

In Holland this week, a Parah Aduma was born.  Jews bought it and it's on its way to Israel.  This is the time - we feel it - that the Mashiah is already at the doorway.  But whom will the Mashiah redeem?  Only the religious or also the secular?  Only the Sepharadim or also the Ashkenazim?

ישלח לקץ ימים משיחנו לפדות מחכי קץ ישועתו
[He will send - at the End of Days - His mashiah to redeem those who await the Endtime of His salvation]6

The Mashiah will redeem only those who await him...

Have a pleasant wait.


1. human wild thing, i.e. Yishmael
2. YY - if not in belief, in world-view
3. YY - i.e. undue pressure
4. i.e. by aiming at as few civilians as possible
5. 49b
6. From the Yigdal prayer

posted by yaak @ 7/30/2014 10:50:00 AM   7 comments

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Interesting Recent Links - Devarim 5774 II

War Miracles




War Prayers, Mitzvot, Fasting


Terrible Attack on Beit Shemesh Soldier
Canceling Bein Hazmanim





Interesting Psak: Meat for soldiers during the Nine Days

R Aviner: Shu”t Operation Protective Edge #2 (h/t Torah Musings)

Miscellaneous

(A 61-year old woman gave birth to a son and daughter after Rav Ovadia ZT"L's blessing.  There were complications and the daughter didn't make it while the son needs a Refu'ah - mother's name is Elisheva Leah.)

posted by yaak @ 7/29/2014 04:46:00 PM   1 comments

Rome's Graffiti Artist's Prophecy?

Source: Osservatorio Antisemitismo.  "Jews, your end is near"

Could he מסיח לפי תומו be prophesying that our Keitz is near?

ניבא ולא ידע מה ניבא

posted by yaak @ 7/29/2014 01:39:00 PM   3 comments

Monday, July 28, 2014

Interesting Recent Links - Devarim 5774

Geula-Related
BD"H, Mortar Fire Kills At Least 4 R"L - HY"D


War Miracles

"There IS a God!" (also received via email in Hebrew)




War Prayers, Mitzvot


הרב שלום כהן על קבר הרב עובדיה; "התפלל על חיילי ישראל"


האדמו"ר מבעלזא הוסיף מילה לתפילה למען הלוחמים בעזה
(Belzer Rebbe: Tehillim 56 and 121 and add one word: בצרה ובשביה ובמלחמה to אחינו.)

תקדים: "מי שברך לחיילים" בבית כנסת חרדי בעיר אלעד

גלריה: עצרת תפילה באנטוורפן בגלל המצב בארץ

תיעוד: משפחת מקס שטיינברג הי"ד עלתה לכותל לראשונה בחייה

איילת שקד משבחת את הערבות החרדית לחיילי צה"ל

הגאון רבי משה צדקה באיגרת לחיילי צה"ל: "אשריכם זכיתם"
War







War Humor



New Turkish Flotilla with Warships???




Worldwide Anti-Semitism


Swastikas Painted On North Miami Beach Shul

Anti-Semitic attacks increase in Britain
Anti-Semitic Attacks Scar British Cities

Europe’s Disgusting Display of Anti-Semitism

SHOCK: Jewish students shown ‘photos of ovens and told to get in’ by classmates in Chicago (h/t Neshama)

Open Orthodoxy Farce





Miscellaneous


Among Algerian plane dead, 33 French soldiers, Hizballah high-up


posted by yaak @ 7/28/2014 01:17:00 PM   1 comments

The Children Are Ready III

posted by yaak @ 7/28/2014 11:27:00 AM   2 comments

Friday, July 25, 2014

Interesting Recent Links - Mas'ei 5774 V

Geula-Related

War Miracles - Thank You, Hashem!



The Miracle Grenade (R' Lazer Brody's take on it...)



War Mitzvot



Click to enlarge


War


(Rav Shmuel Eliyahu explains some of the laws of the משוח מלחמה and explains how having the courage to fight a war is in itself an inner miracle.)



The Jews Stand Alone (R' Mordechai Lipskier on ואם לא תורישו)




Oron Shaul, HY"D



Miscellaneous



Officials: ISIS blows up Jonah's tomb in Iraq (it wasn't enough to just dig up one of 4 possible locations for Yonah Hanavi's gravesite, but they needed to blow it up for good measure.  Crazies.)

posted by yaak @ 7/25/2014 12:50:00 PM   4 comments

Interesting Recent Links - Mas'ei 5774 IV

Geula-Related

Rumors (make sure to see my comment too)

(Rav Kanievsky denies rumors that he allowed weddings during the 9 days because Mashiah is coming this year.  He said that this rumor is: "שקר וכזב," but he added: "אמרתי כך שייתכן ואנחנו על סף הגאולה בב"א.")

Shemitah or Yovel?


(Technically, a miracle.  A soldier was called back from Gaza border to be with his wife in Bnei Brak, who gave birth to their firstborn son and he made it just in time.  Besiman tov.)



War Prayers, Fasting, Mitzvot





Israel Advocacy, Rallies


(Rocket siren demonstration at a pro-Israel rally in Vienna)

Parshat Masei 5774  (R' Meir Kahane Z"L on ואם לא תורישו)

Parshat Masei 5774 II (R' Daniel Pinner on ואם לא תורישו)


Combating anti-Haredim and anti-Semitism



Turkey Slams Attempts To Boycott Jewish Writer (who created such an environment to begin with???)


Casualties




Miscellaneous


posted by yaak @ 7/25/2014 02:46:00 AM   2 comments

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Mas'ei 5774

From Rav Fish's latest:
  • Before Mashiah comes, there will develop a war between Egypt and Turkey
    • [As mentioned earlier, Rav Fish heard from one of the Gedolei Yisrael that: 
      The battle that began during these days in Gaza will not cease before World War 3 will develop from it. World War 3 is the terrifying Gog Umagog War that all the prophets prophesied about, through which in the process, the King Mashiah will be revealed and he will redeem us as an eternal redemption.
      ]
      • Rav Gamliel Rabinowitz Shlit"a adds that חמאס [Hamas] is the gematria לגוג ומגוג [toward Gog Umagog] plus the letters - to hint that the war of Hamas in Gaza will bring us the War of Gog Umagog.
    • It appears that we can explain how this comes about according to [what it says in Daniel chapter 11 with the King of the North and King of the South.  A year ago, I brought down] the Ibn Ezra on Daniel 11:36, who said: 
      You should know that Aram is northwest of Israel. Also, Constantinople is north. And at the Endtimes - at the arrival of the end of the King of the North, who will have been successful until the wrath [of HKB"H] is finished [from Israel] - then will come the Endtime of the redeemer, as it will explain. And it does not mention when that will be - it just mentions that this king will go out and wage war against the King of Egypt and capture Egypt and then go to the Land [of Israel] and will then be killed. And after a known number of days from his death, a redeemer will come to Israel.
    • We see from the Ibn Ezra that before Mashiah comes, a war will develop between Turkey and Egypt as the Turks will capture Egypt and will try to go up to Eretz Yisrael, but will fail.  And these days, we hear about provocations for war between Turkey and Egypt surrounding the topic of Gaza and Eretz Yisrael.  And we already saw in the past regarding the Mavi Marmara flotilla that the Turks were prepared to fight for Gaza.  And this war will drag along after it a war of Edom and Yishmael and the whole world since Russia will go to war against Turkey since we know that they are enemy neighbors of each other and differ greatly in regard to Gaza.  And we already brought from the book "Orehot Rabbeinu" about the Steipler (Ikveta Dimshiha vol. 5, p. 73 and close to this in vol. 1, p. 44):
      We have a tradition from the students of the Gr"a in his name: if Russian ships will cross the Bosporus (Dardanelles), we need to wear Shabbat clothes - to tell you that the time is close for the coming of Mashiah.
      And the Steipler ZT"L explained that the idea is that they will capture the area.
      • And [as brought down earlier] it's brought down in the book Kelilat Yofi that 3 prophets prophesied using the same language: The Gr"a, Rav Yisrael of Ruzhin, and the Holy Jew of Pshischa: that when Russia will invade Turkey, we will need to wear our Yom Tov clothes to honor the coming of Mashiah.
  • 13 Golani Soldiers
    • [YY - Rav Fish mentioned last week the connection to the Avot and Imahot]
      • The Ben Ish Hai in Aderet Eliyahu Parshat Lech Lecha tells us that אברהם יצחק יעקב is 13 letters and שרה רבקה רחל לאה is 13 letters.  Each set separately = אחד and together, it = שם הויה.  This tells us that the Zivug of Avot and Imahot together has the aspect of ה' אחד.
      • The book Hayim Shel Torah quotes the Gr"a that אלקי אברהם אלקי יצחק ואלקי יעקב has 26 letters like Hashem's name.
    • Similarly, killed Al Kiddush Hashem were:
      • 13 Jewish soldiers HY"D
      • on the 13th day of the operation
      • who were in Gedud 13
      • and were buried the day after - on the Yahrtzeit of the Rama"k ZT"L who wrote "Tomer Devorah" about the 13 Middot of mercy
      • and this occurred during the 3 weeks, during the 13 days between the 17th of Tammuz and Rosh Hodesh Av.
    • [YY - see more in the pdf about the number 13]
  • More on צוק איתן and 91
    • [Continued from last week]
    • And it's brought down in the "Igrot Hahazon Ish" (vol. 1, 204): "At at at time of war, be accustomed to שיר של פגעים".  This means that it's fitting to say Psalm 91 during wartime at every moment.
    • And I heard from Rav Tzvi Heshin Shlit"a that the verse לא תירא מפחד is gematria 774.
  • Tzuk Eitan
    • צוק is Rashei Teivot צניעות וקדושה - modesty and holiness.  איתן is the same letters as תנאי - condition.  This teaches us that the outcome of the war is dependent upon the verse "For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy; that He see no unseemly thing in thee, and turn away from thee."
  • Hamas
    • R' M.P. adds that חמא"ס hints to חם אין סוף - never-ending heat.  That is, that the heat of the judgments come from the Ein Sof.
    • מחבלי [terrorists] hint to מ"ח בלי - a brain without wisdom, which causes all the troubles - since no one sins unless a spirit of insanity comes over him.  When we conduct ourselves in a crazy manner and sin with sins that are insane, we receive Midah Keneged Midah of punishment from the terror of insanity without wisdom.
      • Also, the name Shujaya [שוג'עיה] is similar to the word שגעון [craziness].
    • Rav Yehuda Schwartz Shlit"a brings down that חמאס is Rashei Teivot אלו סוף חבלי משיח [these are the end of Hevlei Mashiah].
  • Miracles to and via Badatz Mashgihim
    • Badatz Mashgihim needed to find wheat fields whose wheat was not invalid for Shemura Matza and due to the rain around Shavuot time, many wheat fields were invalid.  These Mashgihim were forced to go to fields far away - close to Kibbutz Sufa with other G-d-fearing Jews with tractors to harvest the wheat.  During their work, there were many rocket attacks.  Miraculously, no Mashgihim were hurt doing their holy work.  When they found out later about the tunnel infiltration by terrorists that happened in the area, and that the IDF spotted them and thwarted their plan, the Mashgihim knew what had occurred.  The terrorists' plan was to hide in the very tall wheat that was near the opening of the tunnel, but to their surprise, the tall wheat was gone - it was cut a few days earlier by these people cutting wheat for next year's Matza.  And in fact, one of the farmers in the area called up the Mashgihim and based the entire miracle on the merit of cutting wheat for Matza for Pesah.  ושמרתם את המצות has a whole new meaning now.
  • Iron Dome is a Miracle
    • Rav Eliezer Piltz Shlit"a, the Rosh Yeshiva of Tifrah, instructed his students not to look at the sky during the Iron Dome shooting down rockets since it is forbidden to get benefit from miracles.  He told his students that it's all a miracle and not Kohi Ve'otzem Yadi.
  • Shomrei Emunim Rebbe ZT"L
    • [Rav Fish quotes a few of the things the Shomrei Emunim Rebbe ZT"L said a few years ago.  You can search many of the things he said by clicking here.]

posted by yaak @ 7/24/2014 06:35:00 PM   4 comments

Rav Fish on Learning Zohar - The Cry of the Shechina

From Rav Fish's latest - p. 14 [Geula update to follow later BL"N]:

The Cry of the Shechina

(The words were written after consulting Gedolei Torah.)

How is it possible that all the signs that Ben David will come - until and including the very last one - have come to pass and they still have not established in all the Kollelim mandatory learning for at least a few minutes a day of Zohar to save Am Yisrael?

How is it possible that Jewish blood is spilled like water and we are not trying the sole advice that is brought down in Haza"l that can save Am Yisrael - even in a generation that is completely guilty - to bring the Geula with mercy?

Are we waiting for rivers of blood - G-d forbid - and then we'll wake up?  Why are we not at least trying to show HKB"H that we want the sole advice that is written in the Oral Law via Haza"l and to at least start to learn the revealed parts of the Zohar?

Where are those from Edot Hamizrah, whose forefathers mainly dealt with this wisdom and for this merit, Hitler didn't enter their countries?  Why did they not establish learning Zohar and other books that deal with the inner secrets of the Torah publicly in every Kollel?

How is it possible that myriads of Torah learners reached a situation of great poverty that is just getting worse ח"ו and we still didn't make any Heshbon Hanefesh for what causes this trouble and what HKB"H is asking of us - and we didn't do any rectification of learning the Zohar publicly, which was promised from Haza"l that gives us a shelter, plenty, and sustenance in abundance even during hard times?

How can we ignore the cry of the Shechina over Her children - the Tinokot Shenishbu - who are presently in danger of their lives and we have the power to save them?  Are we able to say, "Our hands didn't spill this blood?" as the Zohar Parshat Naso says:
And because Israel will in the future taste from the Tree of Life, which is this Sefer HaZohar, they will come out with it from the exile with mercy.
Rav Yaakov Tzemah ZT"L (introduction to his book "Kol Berama" on Idra Rabba [YY- couldn't find it here]):
"Rahel cries over her children" who are not busy with this wisdom that hastens the Keitz, and it is for this reason that Mashiah hasn't come - for there is no set study [of Zohar] in every city as there is for studying Talmud.  And therefore, "איננו" [they are not] - her children are not pulling and hastening the Mashiah.
The author of the Hagahot Uvi'urim on Etz Hayim wrote (in his haskama to Eipha Sheleima in Otzerot Hayim) [YY-paraphrased]:
The poor and those killed during exile bring a case in the High Court of Heaven against Talmidei Hachamim who did not learn Kabbala, and punish them for this.
 [At this point, Rav Fish quotes from the Or Hahayim Hakadosh on Vayikra 25:25 telling us that when we down on earth are not doing what we are supposed to do, the Beit Hamikdash remains in the hands of the nations, and the Tzadikim have the power to bring the Geula, so if they don't, they will be blamed.]

Summary:  Every Rosh Kollel, Maggid Shiur, and man who has influence over the masses should establish in his framework a mandatory daily learning of Zohar for a few minutes to save Am Yisrael.  This is from simple faith in the words of Haza"l that this is the solution as promised.  And it would be preferable to have public learning in a Shiur with understanding, etc.  And one whose framework didn't yet establish this rectification should save himself by privately learning according to his abilities.

posted by yaak @ 7/24/2014 04:27:00 PM   10 comments

MH17 and MH370

The crash of MH17 occurred a couple days after the fast of the 17th of Tammuz, when the wall of Yerushalayim was breached, ultimately leading to the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash.  Its wreckage is there for all to see, just like the absence of the Beit Hamikdash and the presence of the Shikutz Shomem is there for all to see.

On the other hand, MH370 disappeared on the 6th of Adar Bet, a day before the Yahrtzeit of Moshe Rabbeinu, which is observed by some as a fast day as well.  370 is the gematria of משה [Moshe] plus כה - which designates prophecy [see Sifri on Matot] and was the first word he was instructed to say to Par'oh.  Regarding Moshe Rabbeinu, it says:  וְלֹא-יָדַע אִישׁ אֶת-קְבֻרָתוֹ, עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה [and no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day].

posted by yaak @ 7/24/2014 11:06:00 AM   3 comments

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Interesting Recent Links - Mas'ei 5774 III

Geula-Related

Apiryon Shelomo: (p. 2, bottom of left column, my translation)
Maran Rav Chaim Kanievsky's Havruta related that Rav Chaim has lately been speaking about Mashiah all the time.  Last week, a Jew from Argentina came to him, wanting to ask about a certain topic, and Rav Chaim didn't answer him.  Rather, he told him, "Gather your family and come to Israel.  Otherwise, there won't be enough room for you on the airplanes."

 Touching Funeral for Max Steinberg HY"D



War Prayers, Mitzvot
("Trusting in Iron Dome and Rav Chaim's Blessings is Avodah Zara".  He explains that all trust should be directed toward Hashem since He controls all.)
Fallen Soldier's Funeral: 'G-d Took You to the Heavenly Yeshiva'




FAA stands for "Forging Ahead Anyways" (b/c this blog is family-oriented)



Oron Sha'ul


More on the Ill Fated Golani Armored Personnel Carrier and Missing IDF Soldier Oron Shaul


Miscellaneous

posted by yaak @ 7/23/2014 01:02:00 PM   2 comments

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Interesting Recent Links - Mas'ei 5774 II




Shocker: UNRWA Finds Rockets in Gaza School……Again



100 Bullet Proof Vests Needed for the IDF, Please Help!

Golani Soldiers Crawled in Dirt to Collect Body Parts R”L



Soldiers


Prayer, Learning, Mitzvot, and Rallies for the War
(one of the soldiers who perished - Ben Oinounou - was part of Rav Yoshiyahu Pinto's organization)

Powerful Camp Kinnus in Chicago

Public Recitation of Tehillim Added to Tonight’s RCCS Flatbush BBQ

Chicago Stands with Israel

Messengers in fighting





DEVELOPING: Efforts To Identify ‘Missing’ IDF Soldier’s Body Is ‘Ongoing’

BREAKING: Hamas Has Begun Negotiations for Info on IDF Sgt. Oron Shaul

Don't Lose the Psychological Warfare battle to Hamas. (The Muqata came out of his absolutely amazing Facebook posts to tell us this important message.)


Chicago News

SKOKIE SHOOTING KILLS 1 NEAR OAKTON, MCCORMICK

ANTI-SEMITIC LETTERS LEFT ON CARS IN PRIMARILY JEWISH NEIGHBORHOOD

posted by yaak @ 7/22/2014 02:30:00 PM   1 comments