Oil Spill - Gematriot

Just a few quick points that came to mind. Would love to hear your take on this.

1) Oil spill happened in the water, in Hebrew: Yam=50. It happened during Sefirat HaOmer where we count 50 days from Pesah to Shavuot.

2) Oil in Hebrew: Shemen = 390 + Water (Yam) = 50 = Total of 440. 440 is "Met" in Hebrew (dead). This may be hinting to something America needs to worry about.

3) As Jews, we are compared to oil and the nations of the world to water. While the nations are plentiful, we are small. Oil and water don't mix. They may mix temporarily when shaken, but quickly separate when left alone. The oil spill can be hinting to the sorry state of intermarriage or even just the state of mingling with non-Jewish ideas. Both of which need to stop. The mention of "death" in #2 above may also be referring to the state of a Jew who so defiles himself.

When the Chafetz Chaim was asked about who will see the Mashiach and the redemption, he replied anybody who's an "Ehrliche Yid" - as he explained a Jew who has no non-Jewish ideas, behaviors, habits, music and even fashion. Not an easy feat, especially in the Galut.

With the news coming in about imminent war on Israel and Iran's current plans - it is just really frightening.

Rabbi Lazer Brody explains how a miracle this past Monday night prevented an Iranian attack on Israel. He also describes how there are concrete plans by our enemies to attempt to destroy us this coming summer. My guesstimate is during the "three-weeks". See interview with General Paul Vallely for the real verified military info.

Before Mashiach comes, everybody's Emunah in Hashem will be thoroughly shaken and tested. The one's who can hold strong will see the redemption. We're witnessing this "shaking" now and while it seems unbearable, it seems like it's only the beginning. Hold on tight!

Interesting hint in the name Al Qaeda

Today, I "happened" to notice something really interesting about the name "Al Qaeda". In Arabic it means "the base" according to Wikipedia. However, transliterated into Spanish, it means "to fall" (google translate).

What exactly that hints to is open to interpretation. I wonder if it signals the downfall of the world as we know it - particularly, Western civilization. Or maybe America as its representative, being that it attacked America and started a chain of events that have significantly altered the course of the country - putting it on a slippery downhill slope.

Either way, I'd love to hear what you have to say about it. Comment below and share with your friends.

Shavua Tov!

US Air Force Launches Secretive X-37B

Yesterday, NASA launched a payload for the US Air Force aboard an Atlas V rocket - the secretive X-37 unmanned space-plane. It seems that this is similar to the Predator drone, except that the X-37 is in space.

After the launch the military went silent and would not further discuss what the craft is/will be doing. I speculate that this may have something to do with reconnaissance on Iran. Whether true or not, Iran likes to take issue at anything it remotely imagines to be a threat. I cannot imagine this launch would be any different.

With Iran flexing their muscles with war games and this launch taking place on the same day - it seems that each nation is flexing their muscles. As we all know, this will all lead to a showdown - with Jerusalem being the center of attention. May Hashem protect us all!

Mussar Lesson from Neil Cavuto

Don't really want to post this, but I think it has an important lesson for us all. All the more so during these tough times that we know [almost] everyone is going through.

After an interview with Dr. Jack Kevorkian - an infamous doctor who has assisted many patients with severe medical problems, commit suicide, Neil Cavuto has a powerful lesson. The lesson is one we all need to drill into our brains and hearts daily. Our happiness and zest of life is in our own hands (read: minds). We control not only how we feel now, but our future happiness as well. Being positive and remaining steadfastly connected to Hashem will only bring us continued Beracha and happiness. Chas VeShalom, being down and depressed will only bring more of that as well.

Being happy is not just a state-of-mind - it actually is deeply rooted in our souls and their ability to be a vessel capable of accepting Hashem's blessings. Rabbi Winston has a whole book dedicated to explaining this in detail - Be Positive is not just a blood type. I highly suggest everyone read it. I'm on it for the second time now and know people who keep it in their pocket like a Tehilim. It's that important to be positive and realize that everything is truly from Hashem and for the best.

Neil Cavuto's Message:

In Response to How Jews are Seen - America versus the World

In response to the article by Harry Maryles, in his article How Jews are Seen - America versus the World I felt the need to write this (what originally started as a comment). Please read the article first to understand the flow.

First of all, I appreciate the article's thought provoking insight. In no way do I want to detract from it, rather to clarify some things that may not be as apparent to all.

I must say that there is an apparent flaw in the thinking that Esav Soneh Le'Yaakov means only to physically oppress Jews. As the Holocaust and history has proven - it is the most common form, however spiritual oppression is even more powerful and permanent. This point connects what I see as two flaws in thinking together - the fact that Jews are not subject to Anti-Semitism in America and the fact that Jews intermarry and are accepted by gentiles can be considered as a yardstick to measure Anti-Semitism.

America allows Jews to live and be free; to have rights just as much as everyone else. This in turn has all-too-often caused (or even just enabled) the American Jew to abandon his heritage and his religion. While many of the generations sprouted from these original Jews are actually not Jewish, since their mothers were not Jewish, they will always be referred to as Jews. Much of Hollywood do have Jewish names, but are they all Jewish? Mostly not.

When the assimilated Jew intermarries, it may seem to be an acceptance of the Jew - which one may believe is not anti-semitism. Again, many of those "Jews" are really Goyim - and even if they are truly Jewish, what is worse Anti-Semitism than being so happy that the Jew has dishonored his own religion.

Esav gives us the rope to hang ourselves and that is how they destroy our SOUL. Nobody can argue with the fact that R' Akiva was murdered for Anti-Semitic reasons (teaching Torah publicly); yet he departed this world with his soul completely in tact - which cannot always be said of the American Jew - even some of the most religious. That is why the real Esav Soneh LeYaakov hatred is much worse today than ever. Although on the surface it seems so nice that the Jews feel comfortable in America; and the Israelis feel comfortable that America is [somewhat] behind them, there is always an agenda under the surface.

For example, regarding the Evangelicals that were mentioned: they are completely selfish, believing that when we have our own land and live there, their own savior (JC) will come as Messiah - and that he cannot come until that fact comes to fruition. That is why they fund Aliyah and are staunch supporters of Israel. No doubt part of a Divine plan to get us moving there for the REAL Geula, yet they themselves will be punished for their actions regardless as was Pharaoh even though he caused us to cry out to Hashem and pray for redemption.

America has their own agendas and even a quick glance at the book - The Secret War against the Jews can get your blood boiling. It might not always be clear, but there surely is one.

We need to walk away with the knowledge that America is the wolf in sheep's clothing. The world has tried to oppress us for years and years - physically - in ghettos, in concentration camps and gas chambers. We were warned about this in the Torah - if we waver in our faith and Torah, Esav will rise up against us. The true purpose is to make us stronger in our faith and commitment to Hashem and Torah, which often happened. Today, they have found a new way to kill us, permanently - destroying our souls. This has proven most effective as we can all attest to in one way or another. The intermarriage rate alone is staggering.

I fervently pray that Hashem open our eyes to see the truth and not be caught up in the winds of freedom that have proven so dangerous. May we all merit to see the ultimate redemption appear through peaceful means, very soon, Amen.

Erlau Rebbe on Volcanic Ash

The Erlau Rebbe says the halting of flights by the volcanic ash is a message world leaders: Hashem is the ruler of the world...

[via: YWN]

Volcanic Ash = Ominous Dark Cloud

Sometimes, things just look a certain way because they are. The ominous dark ash cloud covering much of Northern Europe right now, may be a sign of [bad] things to come for those nations.

If we consider the recent treatment Israel has been receiving from America, as well as the threats from Iran, Syria, Lebanon and Gaza on Israel, there are additional "dark clouds" in the air.

Maybe we are all in denial as Rabbi Winston writes in this past week's Perceptions. If so, we must realize that Hashem is showing us a sign over Europe. Many boys attempting to get back to Yeshiva have been stuck - unable to fly. Despite all our good intentions regarding making Aliyah to our homeland - the time may just come where that is no longer possible. While up until now it has seemed far-fetched, maybe we are being sent a message that it is not so. Who in their right mind would have believed such a remote possibility - grounding tens of thousands of flights in an instant?

Rabbi Winston has been writing about the "window of opportunity" for many years. It seems clear that the window is closing. The only comfort that I have, is that it has Baruch Hashem not happened yet. But those clouds and their sudden appearance have got me quite scared.

....It all happens for us to learn. Will we ever?