MEIR ETTINGER’S NEW ARTICLE – : כדי לטהרנו מקליפותינו ומטומאותינו

Meir Ettinger’s new article

כ"ג ניסן התשע"ז   19.04.2017 17:55

ניתן לראות בימי ספירת העומר (הרצוף בחוויות לאומיות) העוסקים בבניין המלכות, הזדמנות להתעכב על פרטי התיקון הנדרשים בדרך לכינון מלכות ישראל.

א.      בניין המלכות.

מ"ט ימי ספירת העומר הם ימים של תיקון, דרך שאותה אנחנו עושים מחג הפסח שמסמל את ההחלטה לקבל עול מלכות שמים ועד לקבלת התורה. מוכרים לכולם הכוונות שנוספו בתפילה הנאמרת לאחר הספירה על פיה בכל יום מכוונים לתקן 'התכללות' של אחת משבע המידות.

שבעת המידות – כמו בכל דבר בנפש הם לא חד גווניות אלא מורכבות ומלאות פרטים, כך כל ספירה וספירה, כל מידה או רגש מורכבת מהתכללות של כל שבעת המידות האחרות. זו הסיבה שבתיקון מעמיק לא ניתן להסתפק רק בתיקון החסד למשל, אלא צריך להתעכב על כל התכללות של ספירת החסד עם שבעת הספירות האחרות. חסד שבחסד, גבורה שבחסד וכן הלאה.

במקביל לתיקון האישי ניתן לראות בימי ספירת העומר (הרצוף בחוויות לאומיות) העוסקים בבניין המלכות, הזדמנות להתעכב על פרטי התיקון הנדרשים בדרך לכינון מלכות ישראל.

גם בתיקון עניינים שנוגעים לחיי הכלל, ניתן לשים לב שאי אפשר להצביע על נושא אחד שבו תלוי העיוות המוכר מהשלטון הזר. כל סטייה מדרך היהדות בתחום אחד של החיים הציבוריים משפיע גם על כל שאר התחומים, וממילא התיקון הנדרש הוא לא תיקון קוסמטי בלבד, המהפכה הדרושה לנו היא מהפכה מקיפה שמתעכבת על כל פרט ופרט. 

אי אפשר להסתפק בטיפול בנקודה אחת שנדמה לנו שהיא הנקודה העיקרית או הבעיה החמורה ביותר כיום, מכיוון בחיי הציבור כמו בחיי הנפש יש לכל תחום השלכות על כל שלל התחומים האחרים. תיקון המדינה יהיה רק בשינוי מהפכני להליכה בדרך התורה בכל תחומי החיים הציבוריים.

לאור תובנה זו בימי הספירה אני אנסה להקביל את הספירות אותם אנחנו מכוונים בכל יום לפרטי תהליך תיקון המדינה.

שבעת הספירות היסודיות בפרטי התיקון הלאומי הם:

חסד – יישוב הארץ (החלת הריבונות והתיישבות בכל גבולות הארץ)

גבורה – יד ישראל תקיפה (מלחמה נחושה מול אויבי ישראל)

תפארת – החזרת המשפט העברי.

נצח – עידוד עליית כל היהודים לארץ ישראל.

הוד – סילוק הגורמים העויינים (עידוד ההגירה ומלחמה בהתבוללות)

יסוד – תיקון האקדמיה (איחוד התורה והמדע וניתן להוסיף גם את מערכת החינוך)

ומלכות – כינון מלכות ישראל (שינוי שיטת הממשל) ובניין המקדש.

[רק עד כאן מבוסס על הספר 'תיקון המדינה' של הרב גינזבורג, מכאן זהו נסיון שלי לשרטט את ה"התכללות" על אחריותי בלבד.]

ב.      שבוע החסד – יישוב הארץ.

נתחיל מלהשלים את השבוע הראשון של ספירת העומר – שבוע החסד.

בתיקון המדינה שבוע החסד הוא חידוש האהבה לארץ, אם בימים עברו אהבת הארץ הייתה נחלת רבים גם של אלו שאינם שומרי המצוות, כיום ברור שאהבה אמיתית לארץ יכולה להיות רק מתוך אמונה בה' שנתן לנו את הארץ הזו באהבה.

חסד שבחסד – התיישבות שמונעת מכל מיני שיקולים חיצוניים בין אם אלו טיעונים בטחוניים או פלפולים משפטיים, לא יכולה להתגבר על השיקולים הריאליים והחשבונות הפוליטיים 'איפה נרוויח יותר ו'נוותר על קצת כדי להרוויח יותר' וכדו'. לא לחינם בתנ"ך אהבת הארץ  נמשלה לאהבת איש ואשה "כאשר יבעלוך בנייך", הקשר שלנו עם הארץ צריך להיות מלא באהבה שהיא הרבה יותר מכל החשבונות והחישובים הרציונאלים.

גבורה שבחסד – הסכסוך הארוך בינינו לבין יושבי הארץ גרם לעייפות וכבדות בעם ישראל, עד שלאט לאט הדעות של השמאל הקיצוני הפכו לנחלת הרוב, עד שהיום אפילו במפלגות שנחשבות להכי ימניות כבר מדברים על וויתור על חלקים מארץ ישראל. לכן, אהבת הארץ דורשת גם עוז וגבורה במלחמה מול האוייב. כמו שאומר רש"י "והורשתם אותה – וישבתם בה" – "והורשתם אותה מיושביה ואז וישבתם בה תוכלו להתקיים בה ואם לאו לא תוכלו להתקיים בה".

תפארת שבחסד – התפארת זה תיקון מערכת המשפט הפוגעת שוב ושוב בשלמות הארץ. כל עוד מנסים לעגן את ההתיישבות בארץ ישראל על פי חוקים זרים ומוזרים. מוכרחים להתיישב בארץ רק על פי חוק! לפי חוקי המשפט העברי הקובעים שכל ארץ ישראל מוחזקת לנו מאבותינו ו"אין כאן אדמות של ערבים".

נצח שבחסד – אחד הטיעונים הצפים תמיד בדיבורים על שלמות הארץ הוא חשש (אמיתי או מזוייף) של אנשי השמאל מפני אובדן הרוב היהודי אם נחיל את הריבונות היהודית על שטחי יהודה ושומרון – התשובה לזה היא עידוד העלייה! גם עם קום המדינה היה רוב של לא יהודים בנגב ובגליל העלייה היהודית ההמונית מארצות הנכר הפכה את המאזן. גם היום עלינו להחיל את הריבונות ולהשקיע את כל המאמצים בהבאת כל יהודי העולם אל ארץ היהודים.

הוד שבחסד – הצד השני של המטבע הוא עידוד ההגירה של הנוכרי אשר בקרבנו, השלמת מצוות יישוב הארץ היא בקיום המצווה "לא ישבו בארצך – פן יחטיאו אותך לי", כפי שאהבת הארץ נמשלה לאהבת איש ואשה, כך גם האהבה לארץ צריכה להיות אישית ואינטימית.

יסוד שבחסד – הרוח שנושבת באקדמיה ומשם אל מערכת החינוך היסודית מפקפקת בזכותנו על הארץ ורואה אותנו ככובשים בארץ מולדתנו. טענת ה"גזולים הם בידכם" של אומות העולם שגורה היא בפיהם של אלו שלומדים את חכמתם, תיקון היסוד – איחדו התורה והמדע באופן של לימוד המדע כך שיגלה את האמונה בבריאת העולם, תביא להבנה ש"כח מעשיו הגיד לעמו (ע"י התבוננות בנפלאות הבריאה) לתת להם נחלת גויים".

ומלכות שבחסד – גם לאחר שכבשנו את כל חלקי הארץ כל עוד "פלטרין של מלך" שמם, העיקר חסר מהספר. ארץ ישראל היא ארץ המקדש, וללא המקדש היא כמו גוף בלא לב. גוף כזה הוא מת ואינו מסוגל לתת חיים למתהלכים בו, רק כאשר ייבנה המקדש נראה כולנו את החן האמיתי של ארץ ישראל, ורק אז גם באמת נוכל לשבת עליה לבטח. כמו שכתוב: "תבאמו ותטעמו בהר נחלתך, מכון לשבתך פעלת ה'".

המשך בפעם הבאה, בלנ"ד...

Haftara to Parshas Shemini – II Samuel 6:1–19

Haftara to Parshas Shemini 

II Samuel 6:1–19

The Battle with the Pelishtim (Philistines) and the Capture of our Aron

The story of our haftarah begins in the days of the prophet Samuel. The Jews had been battling their principal enemy, the Pelishtim (Philistines). Unfortunately, the war was being lost to the Philistines, with thousands on the Jewish side falling on the battlefield. As a result, the elders of the people decided to take the aron (the holy ark) out of the Tabernacle that stood in Shiloh, and bring it to to the battlefield. This, they thought, would surely provide protection and victory, for the Divine presence always rested upon the aron. But even this was to no avail. G‑d had already decreed this fate of the Jews in His first prophecy to Samuel. In the end the Philistines were victorious, and captured the aron, bringing it back to to their land in captivity.

The Philistines now had the upper hand over the Jews, but the aron brought them no good at all: every place to which they brought the aron was immediately stricken with a horrible plague. Seeing this, the Philistines eventually decided to return the aron to Israel. They sent it back on a new carriage harnessed to a pair of cows. Along with it they sent gifts of gold, so that the G‑d of the Jews would be appeased.

The Pair of Cows

The wagon made its way to the Jewish town of Beit Shemesh. The people of Beit Shemesh did not act with the proper respect to the aron, and a devastating plague struck the town. Realizing the problem, the people of Beit Shemesh sent word to the town of Kiryat Ye’arim, asking if they would take the aron into their midst. The townspeople agreed, and the aron was brought with great respect to the home of a man named Avinadav, who together with his son Elazar were designated and sanctified to watch over the aron.

David Brings the Aron to the City of David, Jerusalem, the capital of the United Jewish Kingdom

An eventful twenty years passed. After King David had become ruler over all of Israel, David felt that it was proper to bring the aron to the City of David (now Jerusalem), the capital of the united Jewish kingdom. He gathered thirty thousand of the most prominent Jews and assembled them in Kiryat Ye’arim. The aron was put onto a new carriage and paraded from the home of Avinadav up to the capital. During the procession, however, there was a sudden tragedy. It started when the oxen that were drawing the carriage caused the aron to shake. Fearing that it would fall, Uzza, a son of Avinadav, reached out and held onto the aron. In an instant Uzza fell down dead.

The Tragedy of Uzza

Our sages explain that Uzza had forgotten about the unique properties of the object he was attempting to rescue, which had been demonstrated on an earlier occasion in Jewish history:

The Jews entered the Land of Israel by crossing the Jordan River, which miraculously split for them. The way this happened was that the kohanim who were carrying the aron walked to the edge of the river, and as long their feet were dipped in the water, the river flowed vertically (the incoming water piling up along an invisible barrier), allowing the Jews to cross. Once this had happened, the kohanim stepped back and the river began to flow normally again. Now that the kohanim and the aron needed to cross over, the aron lifted itself and its carriers in a flight over the Jordan, safely landing in the Promised Land on the other side.

The Aron Carried its Carriers

Given that “the aron carried its carriers,” Uzza should have understood that the aron itself was in no danger of falling. Uzza was a great tzaddik, and was held by G‑d to an intense level of holiness. Being in the presence of the aron of G‑d yet at the same time doubting its capabilities was the cause of Uzza’s death. The Talmud notes that the wording of the verse indicates that Uzza entered Gan Eden (paradise) immediately upon his demise.

Like that of the Sons of Aaron

This part of the haftarah constitutes the connection to the portion of Shemini. We read in this Parshah how the children of Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, perished in a similar way as Uzza: they too had acted out of line in the service of the Tabernacle. Like Uzza, the children of Aaron were immensely holy people, for which reason they were held to such an intense standard.

Our sages note that the incident was actually a result of an oversight by David himself. The verse in Numbers states clearly that the aron was not to be carried through the wilderness on wagons, but on the shoulders of the levites. The Talmud notes that David had forgotten a law which any child could quote. It was this mistake that was the direct cause of the death of Uzza: had the aron been carried as it should have been, the entire event would have been avoided.

David Forgets a Law

The Talmud explains that David forgot this clear verse in retribution for a previous error of his. In one of his psalms2 David speaks of the Torah, comparing it to sweet music that provided solace to him in his time of distress: “Your statutes were to me as songs in the house of my sojournings.” The overtones of this statement are troubling, though, since it suggests that the Torah can be viewed as just a sweet “feel-good” medium. In truth, the Torah must be studied with an immense amount of effort and strain, for any lack of attention to it can result in forgetting or misunderstanding its true intent. G‑d wanted to drive this message home, and therefore caused David to forget a most obvious and explicit law that any child knows. This would correct any such attitude, for David himself and for generations to come.3

Seeing what happened to Uzza, David feared to take the aron to the City of David, and had it detour to the home of Oved-Edom the Gittite. Oved-Edom was a Levite who David knew to be capable of treating the aron with the proper respect. Indeed he did so, and in the three months that aron was in his home, G‑d blessed Oved-Edom with great riches and many children. The Talmud4 tells us that Oved-Edom’s wife and eight daughters-in-law all became pregnant at that time, and later each gave birth to sextuplets!

After three months, David was told that G‑d had blessed Oved-Edom, and it was therefore safe for him to bring the aron to the capital. David was at least as spiritually capable as Oved-Edom with regard to the safekeeping of the aron, and the event with Uzza could be taken as an isolated incident. The parade that had been disturbed with the death of Uzza was now rearranged to include the primary component previously missing: the aron was now carried by the Levites on their shoulders. Sacrifices were offered after the first six steps that they took, and a continuum of additional sacrifices was brought as they took each sixth step, and even more after each six sets of six steps taken.5

David’s Joy

David’s joy knew no bounds. He donned an ephod, the kind of apron worn by those who would lead their lives as prophets. David sprang and danced with all his might amidst shofar and trumpet blasts, as the parade went on. His wife Michal, the daughter of King Saul, was looking on from the window, and was not impressed: in his exuberance, David had displayed total disregard for the dignity of his position, and she thought this to be improper. (In the verses following the haftarah, she confronts her husband over this, and he explains that such self-denigration is indeed right and proper when done in honor of G‑d. “I would have done even more than I did,” he added.)

David designated a special tent for the aron in Jerusalem. It might have seemed more befitting to put the aron in a permanent structure, but he did not do so. This was because he knew prophetically that a permanent Temple for G‑d would soon be finally built in Jerusalem, but he did not yet know the exact location. It was only many years later, after the prophet Gad told David to purchase the threshing floor of Aravnah the Jebusite—later to become the Temple Mount—that David was let in on the place of the future Temple. It was for the same reason that the aron was not taken to the Tabernacle that stood at the time in Gibeon. David wished that the Temple would be built in his days, and had the aron brought to Jerusalem with this in mind.6

Hodu l’Hashem kir’u vishmo

At the time when the aron was brought into the tent, David composed the prayer beginning Hodu l’Hashem kir’u vishmo (“Give thanks to G‑d, call out in His Name…”),7 to be sung daily before the aron. (Later, this passage was included at the beginning of the daily morning prayers.) Sacrifices were offered, and David blessed the people. Each man and woman present received a fine share of bread, meat and wine in celebration.

Footnotes:
1. Talmud, Sotah 35a.
2. Psalms 119:54.
3. See Tanya, Kuntres Acharon, Essay 6, for a chassidic perspective on why calling the Torah a "song" was a mistake on David's part, why this was punished specifically with forgetfulness, and why this is specifically connected with the carrying of the aron on the shoulders of the Levites.
4. Talmud, Berachot 63b.
5. Talmud, Sotah 35b.
6. Radak ad loc.
7. I Chronicles 16:8–36.

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Source: Chabad.org

Parshas Shemini

Parshas Shemini

by Rabbi Pinchas Winston Shlit”a

It is an Action Parsha that ends off on a low. First we are treated to one of the most spectacular moments in history: God’s Presence descending onto the handiwork of man, the Mishkan. It sounds like no big deal, but it makes cold fusion look like child’s play.

Then, we are hit with the disastrous deaths of Nadav and Avihu. It is like falling off a high emotional cliff, straight down at breakneck speed. It’s like doing a “180” on a dime at 150 miles an hour. Who can’t help but mourn with Aharon HaKohen over the sudden and tragic loss of his two oldest sons—on the greatest day of his life?

Then, as if nothing unusual has just happened, the Torah slips into a discussion about kosher and treif animals. That’s like standing next to someone at a funeral who insists on telling you about his dietary habits. 

Of course, that is only the way it seems. The Torah is the handbook of derect eretz and social sensitivity. If the laws of kashrus follow the story of the deaths of Nadav and Avihu, it has to fit into its idea of both. If it doesn’t seem to, it is because WE’RE out of place, not the Torah.

Conflict is universal. Rarely does any relationship remain even-keeled at all times, and some of the best of them end up in some kind of divorce or another. Allies can quickly and surprisingly become mortal enemies.

What causes this to happen? What tips the balance and leads to disaster? It’s a good topic to discuss as we make our way from the redemption of Pesach to the Torah of Shavuos, via the mourning period of the Omer.

The rabbis teach in Pirkei Avos the following:

The Tablets are the handiwork of God, and the script was God’s script charus—engraved—on the Tablets. Do not read “charus,” but “cheirus”—freedom. For, you can have no freer person than one who engages in Torah study. (Pirkei Avos 6:2)

Granted it is only a play on the word “charus,” but the message is 100 percent serious. The rabbis mean exactly what they say. The freedom we cherish as people can only be achieved by living within the guidelines of Torah. One of the greatest ironies of life is how Torah restrictions provide the greatest freedom.

Of course, society in general does not buy this. On the contrary, they believe just the opposite. An Israeli reporter recently called Charedi Jews more dangerous than Arabs. Assumedly it is because of the Charedi lifestyle and the restrictions it creates for non-affiliated Jews. Freedom? As far as the reporter and others like him are concerned slavery not freedom was engraved on the tablets.

Yet, the same society has and follows its own “Torah.” They have created many restrictions and follow them quite meticulously. Some are national laws, like do not steal, do not murder, and do not run red lights. Others are self-imposed, like get a job, be on time, and exercise regularly. 

Dieting has its own pretty serious set of regulations and restrictions. There are support groups and partners to help police one another to make sure that members stick to the rules at all times. When someone does “sin,” they make a point of “repenting.”

There are many examples in life of the same idea. There are also examples of people who refuse to live according to rules and restrictions, and they tend to be criticized by others and are those who tend to accomplish little in life. Many end up in prison for one crime or another.

The bottom line? We know from experience that human beings need guidelines and restrictions to help them accomplish in life. We know that worthy goals are only reached with discipline. People understand that it is well thought out restrictions, that pick up the psychological and emotional slack when they themselves cannot. 

It’s like water. A liquid wants to flow wherever it can, but when it does, it is usually destructive. Only when the water is channeled and it remains within its boundaries is it most useful and glorious. The Great Flood of Noach’s time made this point quite clear.

It is the same with people. Sometimes a person is objective enough to figure out the right response to a moment. Very often he is not, and every fiber of his being screams out to do something that, in the long run, is inappropriate. Very often it is a guideline that keeps him in check, and saves his future.

No one questions the motivation of Nadav and Avinu when they brought their unauthorized fire offering in this week’s parsha. It was clear then and now that they were caught up in the spiritual ecstasy of the moment, and wanted to engage in it even more. They were zealous for God, but in the wrong way.

It can, and has happened to many throughout history. The road to Gehinom is paved with good intention for a reason. Just because someone has the right feeling and a great intention does not mean he will act in the correct manner. This is especially if he tries to figure out his response in the heat of the moment. 

That’s where the end of the parsha and the details of kashrus come in. It teaches this very lesson. It says that zealousness for truth is amazing and to be lauded and encouraged. It will not find its proper outlet however if a person does not first take the time to familiarize himself with the nitty-gritty details of Torah law. 

This means that halachah must become part of a Jew’s everyday consciousness. Only then will he or she be able to, in the heat of a moment, be properly channel his or her inspiration and energy in the correct. 

Human relationships depend upon this as well. Everyone is a story unto him- or herself. We all come with “baggage,” and this is true all the way up to the level of nations as well. It is rules and regulations that help us to protect our relationships, by maintaining a mutual and productive status quo.

The Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu: A Clear Halacha

Rabbi Eliyahu Clarifies When Issues are not Clear to the Government – A Clear Halacha

Rabbi of Tzfat Shmuel Eliyahu reacted to the public debate concerning the matter of supplying humanitarian aid to Gaza - at a time when Hamas is holding the bodies of IDF soldiers.

“At a time when the bodies of IDF soldiers are in Gaza, there is a clear halakha [ordinance of Jewish law] on the matter. To stop passing supplies to Gaza. These are the true values, and anyone who tells you differently - it’s fake,” 

The Rabbi also addressed the issue of the terrorists currently on hunger strike in Israeli jails.

“Regarding the terrorists demanding conditions, steak, and pizza, the clear halakha is that if a man deserves the death penalty and it is not possible to impose the penalty, you put him in jail and feed him scant amounts of food and water - until he kills himself.

“Make his life miserable until he chooses death for himself. According to the true law, we must give them only scant amounts of food and water. We need to say these things to the country’s leaders. The public does not identify with this lax treatment of terrorists, as if they will become better people in the future,” […]

Sefiras HaOmer II – Gevurah

Sefiras HaOmer: Week 2

Tuesday, April 18, at Nightfall begins the second week of the Omer

WEEK 2 ― GEVURAH: JUSTICE, DISCIPLINE, RESTRAINT, AWE

After the miraculous Exodus from Egypt, the Jewish people spent 49 days preparing for the most awesome experience in human history ― the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Just as the Jewish peoples' redemption from Egypt teaches us how to achieve inner freedom in our lives; so too, this 49-day period, called 'Sefirat Ha-Omer' the Counting of the Omer, is a time of intense character refinement and elevation.

During this time, the aspect of the human psyche that most requires refinement is the area of the emotions. The spectrum of human experience consists of seven emotional attributes, or sefirot. This week we continue Sefirat Ha'Omer, utilizing the seven dimensions of the seven emotional attributes. The first week after Pesach was dedicated to examining the aspect of chesed, loving-kindness. The second week corresponds to the emotional attribute of gevurah, discipline or justice.

If love (Chesed) is the bedrock of human expression, discipline (Gevurah) is the channel through which we express love. It gives our life and love direction and focus. Gevurah ― discipline and measure ― concentrates and directs our efforts, our love in the proper directions.

Day 8 ― Chesed of Gevurah: Loving-kindness in Discipline

The underlying intention and motive in discipline is love. Why do we measure our behavior, why do we establish standards and expect people to live up to them ― only because of love. Chesed of gevurah is the love in discipline; it is the recognition that your personal discipline and the discipline you expect of others is only an expression of love. It is the understanding that we have no right to judge others; we have a right only to love them and that includes wanting them to be their best.

Ask yourself: when I judge and criticize another is it in any way tinged with any of my own contempt and irritation? Is there any hidden satisfaction in his failure? Or is it only out of love for the other?

Day 9 ― Gevurah of Gevurah: Discipline in Discipline

Examine the discipline factor of discipline: Is my discipline reasonably restrained or is it excessive? Do I have enough discipline in my life and in my interactions? Am I organized? Is my time used efficiently? Why do I have problems with discipline and what can I do to enhance it? Do I take time each day for personal accounting of my schedule and accomplishments?

Day 10 ― Tiferet of Gevurah: Compassion in Discipline

Underlying and driving discipline must not only be love, but also compassion. Compassion is unconditional love. It is love just for the sake of love, not considering the others position. Tiferet is a result of total selflessness in the eyes of God. You love for no reason; you love because you are a reflection of God. Does my discipline have this element of compassion?

Day 11 ― Netzach of Gevurah: Endurance in Discipline

Effective discipline must be enduring and tenacious. Is my discipline consistent or only when forced? Do I follow through with discipline? Am I perceived as a weak disciplinarian?

Day 12 ― Hod of Gevurah: Humility in Discipline

The results of discipline and might without humility are obvious. The greatest catastrophes have occurred as a result of people sitting in arrogant judgment of others. Am I arrogant in the name of justice (what I consider just)? Do I ever think that I sit on a higher pedestal and bestow judgment on my subjects below? What about my children? Students?


Day 13 ― Yesod of Gevurah: Bonding in Discipline

For discipline to be effective it must be coupled with commitment and bonding. Both in disciplining yourself and others there has to be a sense that the discipline is important for developing a stronger bond. Not that I discipline you, but that we are doing it together for our mutual benefit.

Day 14 ― Malchut of Gevurah: Nobility of Discipline

Discipline, like love, must enhance personal dignity. Discipline that breaks a person will backfire. Healthy discipline should bolster self-esteem and help elicit the best in a person; cultivating his sovereignty. Does my discipline cripple the human spirit; does it weaken or strengthen me and others?

The Counting – Sefiras HaOmer I – Chessed

Sefiras HaOmer

With the mitzvah of counting the 49 days, known as Sefirat Ha'Omer, the Torah invites us on a journey into the human psyche, into the soul. There are seven basic emotions that make up the spectrum of human experience. At the root of all forms of enslavement, is a distortion of these emotions. Each of the seven weeks between Passover and Shavuot is dedicated to examining and refining one of them.

The seven emotional attributes are:

Chesed ― Loving-kindness

Gevurah ― Justice and discipline

Tiferet ― Harmony, compassion

Netzach ― Endurance

Hod ― Humility

Yesod ― Bonding

Malchut ― Sovereignty, leadership

The seven weeks, which represent these emotional attributes, further divide into seven days making up the 49 days of the counting. Since a fully functional emotion is multidimensional, it includes within itself a blend of all seven attributes. Thus, the counting of the first week, which began on the second night of Pesach, as well as consisting of the actual counting ("Today is day one of the Omer...") would consist of the following structure with suggested meditations:

Upon conclusion of the 49 days we arrive at the 50th day ― Mattan Torah. After we have achieved all we can accomplish through our own initiative, traversing and refining every emotional corner of our psyche, we then receive a gift ('mattan' in Hebrew) from above. We receive that which we could not achieve with our own limited faculties. We receive the gift of true freedom ― the ability to transcend our human limitations and touch the divine.

We have just finished Week One: Chesed – Loving Kindness (and their attributes):

Day 1 ― Chesed of Chesed: Loving-kindness in Loving-kindness

Love is the single most powerful and necessary component in life. It is both giving and receiving. Love allows us to reach above and beyond ourselves, to experience another person and to allow that person to experience us. It is the tool by which we learn to experience the highest reality ― God. Examine the love aspect of your love.

Ask yourself: What is my capacity to love another person? Do I have problems with giving? Am I stingy or selfish? Is it difficult for me to let someone else into my life? Am I afraid of my vulnerability, of opening up and getting hurt?

Day 2 ― Gevurah of Chesed: Discipline in Loving-kindness

Healthy love must always include an element of discipline and discernment; a degree of distance and respect for another's boundaries; an assessment of another's capacity to contain your love. Love must be tempered and directed properly. Ask a parent who, in the name of love, has spoiled a child; or someone who suffocates a spouse with love and doesn't allow them any personal space.

Day 3 ― Tiferet of Chesed: Compassion, Harmony in Loving-kindness

Harmony in love is one that blends both the chesed and gevurah aspects of love. Harmonized love includes empathy and compassion. Love is often given with the expectation of receiving love in return. Compassionate love is given freely; expects nothing in return ― even when the other doesn't deserve love. Tiferet is giving also to those who have hurt you.

Day 4 ― Netzach of Chesed: Endurance in Loving-kindness

Is my love enduring? Does it withstand challenges and setbacks? Do I give and withhold love according to my moods or is it constant regardless of the ups and downs of life?

Day 5 ― Hod of Chesed: Humility in Loving-kindness

You can often get locked in love and be unable to forgive your beloved or to bend or compromise your position. Hod introduces the aspect of humility in love; the ability to rise above yourself and forgive or give in to the one you love just for the sake of love even if you're convinced that you're right. Arrogant love is not love.


Day 6 ― Yesod of Chesed: Bonding in Loving-kindness

For love to be eternal it requires bonding. A sense of togetherness which actualizes the love in a joint effort. An intimate connection, kinship and attachment, benefiting both parties. This bonding bears fruit; the fruit born out of a healthy union.

Day 7 ― Malchut of Chesed: Nobility in Loving-kindness

Mature love comes with ― and brings ― personal dignity. An intimate feeling of nobility and regality. Knowing your special place and contribution in this world. Any love that is debilitating and breaks the human spirit is no love at all. For love to be complete it must have the dimension of personal sovereignty.

Source: Aish
See next post on the Second Sefira, Gevurah.

Three Year Old Becomes Autistic – Amazing – Disney Films Brings Him Out and Back Again

A Three Year Old Boy all of a sudden stops talking and behaving as he did up until then, and is then diagnosed with Autism. Parents cannot believe what is happening. What happens next is truly amazing and wondrous.  Read more below:

In 2014 the Jewish-American author and former Wall Street Journal reporter wrote “Life, Animated” about his autistic son, Owen Suskind, who was 20 years old at the time. It depicted how the Suskind family — including Ron, his wife Cornelia, and their older son Walter — used Disney movies to connect with Owen.



From Prince Charming to Peter Pan, Mowgli to the Little Mermaid, Owen has loved watching Disney movies since childhood. But after he stopped talking at the age of three, animated films became an unexpectedly important way for the Suskind family to connect with him. The family even employed this mode of communication at his bar mitzvah — although in that case it was a Universal film, not a Disney one.

“Owen, once he got speech, would say it over and over again, like a song. It made him feel centered. We would sing with him. He would say a certain line, ‘Knowledge and wisdom,’ from ‘The Sword in the Stone,'” Suskind said.

“It was a progression,” he said. “You knew he was feeling his way.”

The year after Owen’s “juicer-voice” breakthrough, he repeated a second phrase — “Beauty lies within,” from “Beauty and the Beast.”

As he started rediscovering his voice through Disney, he identified with sidekicks such as Iago, the Gilbert Gottfried-voiced parrot from “Aladdin,” and Sebastian, the talking lobster of “The Little Mermaid.”

Suskind writes in the book that in “American Tail” Feivel “has lots of sidekicks helping him fulfill his destiny, most of them among a set of Jews/mice that pretty much match — mouse for Jew — my ancestors who came through Ellis Island. After several viewings, this offered a strong opening hand: ‘The Jews, Owen, have always been history’s sidekicks.’ That, he definitely got!”



Fascinating Interview with Owen Suskind



Video Explaining


PART 2 HERE





Source Article: TimesofIsrael
YouTube Source: YouTube

Double Sunset from Opposite Ends of Horizon

Double Sunset from Opposite Ends of Horizon-Red Planet Hercolubus Appears-Extreme Weather Escalates
[Skywatch Media 4/15]

See especially the drone view (at 15-16min.)of massive flooding in Australia (from Debbie)!

"There are many strange and unexplained events taking place in our sky in these times. The Second Sun Phenomenon is one that has sparked considerable interest among the internet community, and it seems even the scientific community is baffled by the appearance of two suns, questioning whether it is possible that our solar system is actually a binary system where a brown or red dwarf star is lurking. Evidence is further demonstrating that there is something out there that is real, that cannot be seen by the naked eye, but that is having a tremendous impact on this planet and our neighbors across the solar system."

Har Bracha Visits Temple Mount – And 25,000 Visit Hevron

Har Bracha Children and Adults Visit Temple Mount on Pesach

"The children woke up very early in the morning - before the sun even rose,” [. . .] "They were very excited to join their parents and to celebrate Pesach (Passover) on the Temple Mount.

"We are meriting to ascend the Temple Mount in a large group of both children and adults. We will see the place where our Holy Temple once stood, and fulfill the Torah commandment to make a pilgrimage during the Pesach holiday."

"Thanks to the local police, the visit went smoothly and well, as is fitting for a visit to such a holy place.”

IY”H We should see all the towns and cities full of believing and loving children and adults visiting the Temple Mount with BE”H Mashiach!

Over 25,000 Jews visited the Patriarchs' city of Hevron over Pesach (Passover).

The visitors toured various historical sites in the city, enjoyed the "Lagaat Banetzach" (literally, "to touch eternity") exhibit, and were even able to visit rarely-open sites, such as the grave of the first Biblica Judge, Otniel ben Knaz and the ancient "Kasbah" neighborhood.

Hevron Jewish Community Spokesman Noam Arnon said that despite having to cancel the main event due to forecasts of rain, people flocked to the city in droves.

"Thank G-d, this year we merited to see complete families, from all sectors of Israeli society: secular, traditional, and religious," Arnon said. "This is part of our goal: to emphasize Hevron's tourist sites and attractions, which are appropriate for the entire family.”

Baruch Hashem, the children get to see much of Beautiful Eretz Yisrael:

1800 Jews Ascended Temple Mount Over Passover

Blessed is He Who Kept His Promise  to Israel – Blessed Is He!  "And I will stretch forth My hand and smite the Egyptians with all My wonders that I will wreak in their midst, and afterwards he will send you out." (Exodus 3:20) With these words, spoken to Moshe at the burning bush, G-d explains His plans for the children of Israel. He is referring specifically to the ten plagues which He will visit upon the Egyptians to prepare the way for the exodus from Egypt, but not just. The splitting of the Sea of Reeds, receiving Torah at Mount Sinai, manna from heaven, water from a rock and all the other miraculous wonders that accompanied Israel throughout the desert were also part of the plan. Today, we are privileged and blessed to live in an historic era in which G-d's manifold wonders are manifest and literally visible to anyone who wishes to open his eyes and see. The establishment of the state of Israel from the ashes of the Holocaust and the flames of pogroms in Muslim lands, the creation of the first army of Israel in more than 2000 years, the ingathering of the exiles and the rediscovery of long lost but not forgotten tribes of Israel, the liberation of Jerusalem and the return to the Temple Mount, resting place of G-d's Shechinah and location of the Holy Temple, are all wonders wrought by G-d, as His hand shapes and directs our destiny. Here in the land of Israel, even the small things are living proofs of the wonders G-d works each and every day. The opening of a single flower is the fulfillment of prophecy. Rain from the sky and dew on the morning grass are signs that G-d is near and that He cares. The plan that G-d revealed to Moshe at the burning bush continues to unfold before our very eyes and we are part of that plan. The Haggadahthat we read at our Seder meal on the first night of Passover which recalls the story of the exodus from Egypt instructs us that "In each and every generation it is a person's duty to regard himself as though he personally went out from Egypt." Recalling the miraculous history of our forefathers is not enough. We must regard ourselves as leaving the slavery of Egypt for the freedom of being a nation in whose midst dwells G-d. We are the people on whose behalf G-d smites the tyrants and enslavers of our day. And we are the people who must exhibit in our actions the courage of the Hebrews who followed G-d's command, slaughtered the Pesach lamb, painted their doorposts with blood and left Egypt at midnight.  G-d still has a plan and we are still His partners in making that plan a reality. Chag Sameach - Happy Passover!

JEWISH WORSHIPERS FLOOD THE TEMPLE MOUNT OVER THE PASSOVER HOLIDAY

According to police records over 1,800 Jews have ascended the Temple Mount since the Passover holiday started four days ago.

Day by day, and holiday by holiday, the Temple Mount is returning as the central focus and place to be for the nation of Israel.

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SOURCE: (from the Passover Haggadah) Nisan 18, 5777/April 14, 2017, The Temple Mount Faithful

Nibiru – Hercolubus – A Very Very Interesting Video

Nibiru: The Greatest Evidence - The Final Countdown (From 6)

Strange Things are Happening . . .

Strange things are happening in both outer and inner space.

Link Nemesis

 Scientists are discovering that the Solar System, the sun, and life itself are mutating in totally unprecedented ways. They are reporting changes that are being recorded in space that have never been seen before. Studies show that the Sun and the planets themselves are physically changing at an accelerated pace. Most notably, they are undergoing major changes in their atmospheres. Awaken

Let's begin with the Sun. The Sun is the center of our Solar System, and all life that is on this Earth came from the Sun. If there were no Sun, we would not be alive. This is simply scientific fact. And so any changes that occur in or on the Sun will eventually affect every person alive.

We know that the Sun's magnetic field has changed in the last 100 years. There's a study by Dr. Mike Lockwood from Rutherford Appleton National Laboratories, in UK. Dr. Lockwood has been investigating the Sun, and reports that since 1901 the overall magnetic field of the Sun has become stronger by 130 percent.

Moon: Earth's moon is growing an atmosphere . Around the moon, there is this 6,000- kilometre- deep layer of Natrium that wasn't there before. Sirius/Moon

Mercury: Unexpected polar ice discovered, along with a surprisingly strong intrinsic magnetic field.

Venus: 2500% increase in auroral brightness, and substantive global atmospheric changes in less than 40 years.

Mars: “Global Warming,” huge storms, disappearance of polar icecaps.

Jupiter: Over 200% increase in brightness of surrounding plasma clouds.(Huge belts in the giant planet's atmosphere have changed color, radiation hotspots have faded and flared up again, and cloud levels have thickened and dissolved, all while space rocks have been hurtling into it the gas giant.) Journal Nature

Saturn: Major decrease in equatorial jet stream velocities in only ~30 years, accompanied by surprising surge of X-rays from equator.

Uranus: Big changes in brightness, increased global cloud activity (This planet used to have a very calm atmosphere.

Neptune: 40% increase in atmospheric brightness. Triton/Neptune

Pluto: 300% increase in atmospheric pressure, even as Pluto recedes farther from the Sun. Pluto

Earth: Substantial and obvious world-wide weather and geophysical changes. Earth's Axis has changed. On Earth, the overall volcanic activity increased 500 percent from 1875 to 1975, while the earthquake activity has increased by 400 percent since 1973. Dr. Dmitriev says that comparing the years 1963 to 1993, the overall number of natural disasters — hurricanes, typhoons, mud slides, tidal waves, etc. — has increased by 410 percent.

The Earth's magnetic field has been decreasing. This decrease actually began 2000 years ago, but the rate of decrease suddenly became much more rapid 500 years ago. Now, in the last 20 years or so, the magnetic field has become erratic. Graham Hancock


Unexplained Lunar Phenomena - Something Strange is Going on (with the Moon)



After hundreds of years of detailed observation and study, our closest companion in the vast universe, Earth's moon, remains an enigma.

Six moon landings and hundreds of experiments have resulted in more questions being asked than answered.

bibliotecapleyades.net - Strange Moon Facts
Read more here.

Who 'Parked' the Moon in Perfect Circular Orbit Around Earth?
[me:]Hashem parked the Moon where it is




See also:

WHEN DOES ONE PRAY WHEN THERE IS NO DAY
Find out here

The Arctic Climate: Cryosphere

Jewish Law in the Polar Regions

The Inuit in the Polar Region

(click on this map to view its amazing information and this “Northern” Region / Athropolis)