Reb Neuberger – SNAKES

 

SNAKES

Years ago, my wife and I were flying to San Diego for a speech. On the plane, I had an amazing experience where I got a whole drasha from a can of Coke. Yes, Coca Cola! You can see the story in the new book about us – From Sinai to Yerushalayim -- by Rabbi Nachman Seltzer. On page 312 there is a picture of the actual Coke can. (The original is in my study in Israel). 

Hashem speaks to us through every atom in the universe. “The heavens declare the glory of G-d and the expanse of the sky tells of His handiwork….” (Tehillim 19)

Our children recently came back from the park with a brochure about snakes. It is amazing what you can learn from this brochure. No … not about snakes, but about the world of Edom, the world which – as we speak – is collapsing around us. 

The brochure says: “Snake evolution is not fully understood, but it is thought they developed from lizards 100-130 million years ago….”

How interesting! I thought Hashem made the snake at Creation. (See Beraishis 3:1)

Here is another quote from the brochure: “Few animals produce as much apprehension in people as snakes… Perhaps it is their unblinking stare, forked tongue or the way they slither across the ground. Whatever the reason, snakes have paid a high price for our fear. However, it is possible to change this fear into understanding through education. People can learn to appreciate snakes ….”

Hello! Is anyone home? 

The darkness of this world is blinding! Billions of people wander this earth like zombies, blind, deaf and dumb, with no direction, no purpose, and no comprehension why they are here or what they are doing! And, they tell us, they “believe in the Bible!”

Would you like to hear what “the Bible” actually says about snakes? 

“Hashem said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, you are accursed beyond … all beasts of the field. Upon your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring. He will pound your head and you will bite his heel….’” (Beraishis 3:14-15)

The alien culture surrounding us thinks it is filled with wisdom. It tells itself that it is creating paradise on earth, a technological utopia, the world of the future. It lectures Israel on geopolitics and accuses us of all forms of iniquity. 

“Why do the nations gather and regimes talk in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the princes conspire secretly against Hashem and against His anointed…. [But] He Who sits in heaven will laugh and the L-rd will mock them. Then He will speak to them in His anger and in His wrath He will terrify them ….” (Tehillim 2)

The days of summer are upon us. While the world of Edom shoots off fireworks and flocks to the beach, we members of the Holy Nation retreat into out protected havens of Torah so as not to see the goyim in their empty abandon and lewd behavior. The days are coming when we will sit in dust and ashes and mourn for our Holy Temple, when we remember how we were cast out of our land to be trampled upon by the evil nations among whom we suffer to this day. 

My friends, we are walking among snakes and scorpions in a poisoned world. 

“Those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, shackled in affliction and iron, because they rebelled against the word of G-d and scorned the counsel of the Supreme One…. Fools! Because of their sinful path and because of their iniquities [they] were afflicted.” (Tehillim 107)

We are very close to the Geula. The darkness will suddenly be filled with light. We need to hang on to the words of Truth in order to survive this terrible golus. As the Novi says, “Sing and be glad, O daughter of Tzion, for behold … the words of Hashem…. Hashem shall take Yehuda as a heritage to Himself … and He shall choose Yerushalayim again. Be silent, all flesh, before Hashem, for He is aroused from His holy habitation.” (Zecharia2:14-17; Haftaras Beha’alo-secha) 

Hashem has given us His Torah. We really have to distance ourselves from the mountains of sheker around us and submerge ourselves in the Ocean of Torah. We have to escape from this dangerous and polluted world. There is only one place to go and that is to the Great Light of Torah which will protect us. 

“Hashem shall denounce you, O Satan and Hashem Who chooses Yerushalayim shall denounce you again…. On that day, the words of Hashem, Master of Legions, each man will invite his fellow beneath the vine and beneath the fig tree.” (ibid) 

A perfect world is coming. We will merit to see it if we hang on to the words of Hashem, Master of Legions. 

Fireworks

Fig Tree