Seeing Hashem's Hand

It's not only us, the goyim are seeing it too. We must take a lesson to make sure we don't c"v act like Pharaoh, trying to make everything seem like "nature".

Here's two quotes from Mexico (which just suffered a magnitude 5.8 earthquake today)

"I'm scared," said Sarai Luna Pajas, a 22-year-old social services worker standing outside her office building moments after it hit. "We Mexicans are not used to living with so much fear, but all that is happening — the economic crisis, the illnesses and now this — it feels like the Apocalypse."

Co-worker Harold Gutierrez, 21, said the country was taking comfort from its religious faith, but he too was gripped by the sensation that the world might be coming to an end.

"If it is, it is God's plan," Gutierrez said, speaking over a green mask he wore to ward off swine flu. (foxnews)

Reminds me of the Plagues in Mitzrayim. At first they all believed it was "natural phenomena", but by the end, even some of Pharoah's servants brought their animals inside to protect them, just as Moshe warned them. If the goyim are realizing Hashem's Hand - all the more so for us...

Swine Flu

What a weird "coincidence"...Last week, Ari Goldwag wrote about the Pig representing Edom and the relationship between Chazir and Machzir. Suddenly, we're hearing about a swine flu that's spreading like crazy and could reach "pandemic" proportions according to the CDC...

Wow!

When Hashem Warns Us...

As you all know, I'm a big fan of reading into the news. I strongly believe they are Hashem's messages to us, especially when they concern our very near future. So when we get a headline such as "Iran can produce a nuclear weapon within 60 days" - that should be like a shot of ice-water on someone sleeping.

Hashem is not sending us messages because He wants us to get all excited and start coming up with theories of what will happen. The goal is not for us to say "the IDF/Mossad/Shin Bet will get them". Sadly, that is the response some people have. These messages are talking to our heart. They raise our blood pressure and turn on the adrenaline. They are fuel for prayer, supplication and action.

This news coming out the day after Yom HaShoah - Holocaust rememberance day, is a specific juxtaposition for us to realize that we are facing it again. It happened once before and it CAN happen again. It may be a little different this time, since we have a large population of Am Yisrael on Eretz Yisrael - (so they don't need trains). We all understand the implications of Iran having nuclear weapons. But are we going to act?

My fellow Jews, we are being warned. We have been warned again and again. If we don't heed the message, they will get louder. It's just that the volume knob has just a tiny bit room left and it's pretty clear what that means. Rabbi Amnon Yitzhak has been saying it for years. "Kol Dodi Dofek" - the sound of my beloved is knocking - it started with rocks, then molitov cocktails, guns, it further escalated with bombs, mortars, Qassams, then Katyushas, Grad. We have apparently not received (or acted upon) Hashem's message.

Hashem wants us to make Teshuva - for us! He needs nothing from us and derives no benefit at all from anything we do (but He is "proud" of what we did for our sake). He wants us to become better to refine ourselves, for our own sake. We are too stuck in the mud of our daily lives and routines to realize that. But Hashem has provided us with ample reason to wake up and get into action. He's giving us a chance before it's all over. That's what all this is about. The time has come. It may take a while to complete, or it may rush like a raging river - but it is definitely here.

If we wish to help ourselves, we will commit to change - quick. We'll soon see that everything else is worthless. All that will exist is truth and closeness to Hashem. If we want to see it, we better make sure we've been on our best behavior. Close your eyes and imagine the Third Bet Hamikdash, may we all merit to see it THIS YEAR Amen!

Ahmedinejad - Learning from Haman

It seems to many that Ahmedinejad is Haman. He certainly is in the right country for the part. He certainly has been threatening to annihilate Israel and is working steadfastly to accomplish that goal - sort of like building the tree 50 Amot high and going to the king early in the morning.

In fact, the Rabbis tell us that we had already broken through the heavens earlier during the night he arrived at the king (first night of Pesah) and subsequently Haman's downfall began. It is interesting that we made Birkat HaChama just 1 day before Haman announced to the world that Iran is now a nuclear nation. Always, the Refuah (medicine) comes before the Makah (disease).

But if we can learn anything from the story of Haman, is that his wife and family were in on the secret - that is, it's fine to attack Jews and be on top, but once you begin to fall, it all ends quickly in the Jews' favor.

Haman still is second in command in his country just as in the days of Shushan. But as he spoke today at the Durban II anti-Israel conference, a mass of people exited during his speech, causing him to pause his rant and surely embarrassing him. This comes on the heels of Israel releasing word that they are ready to strike Iran within several hours or days of getting the "green light". All adding up to at least the beginnings of a downfall.

But once it starts, it goes really fast....hold on!

Returing to Israel

It has been brought down by many, including Rabbi Amnon Yitzhak that the RaAVaD said that our year - 5769 is Yovel Rabati (the 50th Jubilee). He brings down the Pasuk regarding the Yovel - on that year "Tashuvu Ish El Achuzato..." - each man shall return to his rightful piece of land. Meaning to say that on this year (being that it is the Grand Jubilee) we shall all return to Eretz Yisrael with the coming of Mashiach.

On the other hand, we know that the Rambam establishes Halacha that Am Yisrael will not be redeemed unless we [all] make Teshuva. A very hard thing to imagine under current circumstances.

What came to mind is the word connection. The two words - Tashuvu and Teshuva are spelled almost the same and are actually only one numerical value apart. (תשובו, תשובה)

In fact, the meaning of the word is the really the same - both discussing return. Return to Hashem or return to a piece of land. It just makes me wonder if we can learn the Rambam as saying - if we all return to Eretz Yisrael, we will merit the Geula.

Getting used to things

Just a quick perusal of the headlines on any given day, a staggering number of headlines about Jews and Israel are seen. We all know the phenomenon, but we're used to it. Getting used to things has a numbing effect on our minds. Only when things quickly depart from what we're used to, we say 'hey, what's going on here?'.

Today's news about Israel, durban, ahmedinejad's speech, etc. are something we're used to. It's something we've all come to expect from the world. The shock that should come at a tiny nation's constant position in the limelight is nothing new for us. A people whose number is so small, we should expect to be in the news once or twice a year at most, winds up being mentioned numerous times a day -- and is commonly the feature article.

I'm not saying anything new, this is all known to us already. What I am discussing is our numbness to it. When things happen slowly, we tend to not realize. As the old saying goes 'a watched pot never boils', because the effects are so slow nobody realizes. As we see the blossoming spring outside, it is exactly the same. We don't notice the tiny activity on the tree until it's a big bright-colored green or pink. Maybe that is why Hashem precisely asks of us to say "Birkat HaIlanot" at this time of year. He wants us to notice the new blossoms, but more precisely to pay attention and ask ourselves, 'when/how did this happen?'.

We were taken out of Egypt in Nisan. I quoted an article by Rabbi Avigdor Miller (whose Yahrtzeit is today) several weeks ago discussing how Hashem purposely took us out during the spring-time to increase our joy and happiness - something that we need to still thank Him for even though we would have gladly come out in the rain.

We pray thrice daily 'Et Tzemach David Avdecha Mehera Tatzmiach" - the seed of David Your servant - please make sprout quickly. Our Rabbis explain that the Geula is exactly that, a sprouting. It's hardly noticed. It slowly creeps out of the ground at a rate that the subtle changes are not realized. Nobody pays attention, since it basically looks the same as yesterday. But before long, it is fully grown and blossoming.

We're living it today. It has begun blossoming. We're just too used to it to realize it. If we take a step back and look at the overall picture, it suddenly becomes clear to us. But to everyone who is not paying attention it will come as a complete shock - where did this come from? That's what I think it means when our Rabbis tell us that Mashiach will only come when we are not paying attention (HeSeach HaDaat). Let's learn from Birkat HaIlanot - and be aware of what's transpiring under the surface.

Tricking Ourselves

I strongly believe that we will be greeting Mashiach very soon. It's very clear to me. It's clear to many readers of this blog and others. It's clear to the autistic children, the rabbis [who know a little more than us], the people dreaming about it, the malachim, the universe and the earth (earthquakes?!)...

I just finished reading "Death Train", describing the beginning of one holocaust-survivors' story. The following quote sparked this article:

"This is too incredible, too bizarre to believe!" I argued. "Why would they tell us that we were being sent to a work camp and then send us somewhere else?"

"They lied to us and we all fell for it, perhaps because we wanted to believe we were not in such imminent danger," my husband explained.

It perfectly described the quandary I find myself and others in. We find it too difficult to deal with the truth staring us in the face. We find excuses to calm our minds down, basically just numbing the true feelings inside.

If c"v the situation suddenly turns bad and we find it impossible to escape from exile and get to Eretz Yisrael, we'll truly be kicking ourselves for our inaction. All excuses would be null and void. It wouldn't make a difference to blame the Rabbis or anyone else for not urging us to get out. It would simply c"v be too late.

Lack of funds/job ranks at the top of the list of excuses for not moving to Israel. I say, if it were c"v a life-and-death choice, would that stop us? And what's with the lack of trust in Hashem? Is Hashem only providing jobs or Parnassa in America? Isn't Eretz Yisrael the first stop for delivery before the blessings go out to the world? Why are we so stuck in the quicksand [of modern Egypt]?

This week, as we remember the Holocaust and everyone says "never again", realize that just saying those words does nothing at all. There is no way for us to prevent it from happening again. If that is the will of Hashem, we can do nothing about it. We can only prevent the nightmare of Gog Umagog by getting to Eretz Yisrael with as many Jews as we can bring along with us and holding on to our Emuna with iron fists. Uttering false hopes really does nothing. Action is what Hashem is demanding from us at this time in history.