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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Happy Hanukkah!



For some great information and background about Hanukkah including the story of Hanukkah please visit,
http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/102816/jewish/The-Sto...

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Happy New Year Announcements!

Hello everyone!

As Director of Awesometorah I'd just like to thank you all for faithfully viewing my blog! It sure has been a crazy bumpy ride this past year for the Jewish world as a whole and especially this blog! A lot of you probably feel that there haven't been enough posts lately and i couldn't agree more. I have been extremely busy but due to a recent big change i'll be able to dedicate a lot more time to Awesometorah! In fact I have a new set up plan for the new year! The old plan was simply too time and energy consuming for me to make a video every day however I have found something and all you old school Awesometorah fans will know about this that can make me bringing tanach to you even easier and better! I am bringing to you starting Sunday October 2'nd for bizrat Hashem next three years videos from Becomingjewish.org once a day! Starting with Genesis Chapter 1! So everyone get on your pioneering hats on and lets start this adventure! Now then there will also be if i have time the usual daily video around 5 PM as usual with the exception of Stars1836 who will no longer be featured here on tuesday afternoons. And with that i wish you all a Happy and blessed new year!

All the best!

Moshe.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Re'eh 5771 - Covenant & Conversation - Thoughts on the weekly parsha from Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks



Listen to these stories. Behind them lies an extraordinary insight into the nature of Jewish ethics:

Story 1. Rabbi Abba used to bind money in his scarf, sling it on his back, and place it at the disposal of the poor. [Ketubot 67b]

Story 2. Mar Ukba had a poor man in his neighbourhood into whose door socket he used to throw four coins every day. Once the poor man thought, "I will go and see who does me this kindness." That day Mar Ukba stayed late at the house of study and his wife was coming home with him. As soon as the poor man saw them moving the door [to leave the coins] he ran out after them, but they fled from him and hid. Why did they do this? Because it was taught: One should throw himself into a fiery furnace rather than publicly put his neighbour to shame. [Ketubot 67b]

Story 3. When Rabbi Jonah saw a man of good family who had lost his money and was ashamed to accept charity, he would go and say to him, "I have heard that an inheritance has come your way in a city across the sea. So here is an article of some value. Sell it and use the proceeds. When you are more affluent, you will repay me." As soon as the man took it, Rabbi Jonah would say, "It's yours is a gift." [Vayikra Rabbah 34:1]

These stories all have to do with the mitzvah of tzedakah whose source is in this week's parsha:

If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need . . . Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land. [Deut. 15: 7-8, 10-11]

What we have here is a unique and still remarkable programme for the elimination of poverty.

Shlomo Katz and Rabbi Lazer Brody: Tov Lehodot



Spiritual brothers Shlomo Katz and Rabbi Lazer Brody sing about how good it is to thank Hashem, the opening words of Psalm 92, in an evening of song and inspiration in Ramat Bet Shemesh, Israel

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Israel's protection



the different ways that Israel is protected both physical and spiritual

Pics from my fiancee's trip, Song, V'havienu by Dani Kunstler

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Ekev 5771 - Covenant & Conversation - Thoughts on the weekly parsha from Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks




What is the real challenge of maintaining a free society? In parshat Ekev, Moses springs his great surprise. Here are his words:





Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God . . . Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery . . . You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." . . . . If you ever forget the Lord your God . . . I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. (Deut. 8: 11-19)

You thought, Moses says to the new generation, that the forty years of wandering in the wilderness were the real challenge, and that once you conquer and settle the land, your problems will be over. The truth is, that it is then that the real challenge will begin. It will be precisely when all your physical needs are met -- when you have land and sovereignty and rich harvests and safe homes -- that your spiritual trial will begin.

The real challenge is not poverty but affluence, not insecurity but security, not slavery but freedom. Moses, for the first time in history, is hinting at a law of history. Many centuries later it was articulated by the great 14th century Islamic thinker, Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406), by the Italian political philosopher Giambattista Vico (1668-1744), and most recently by the Harvard historian Niall Ferguson. Moses is giving an account of the decline and fall of civilizations.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Ancient Shivta, Negev Desert



Since the vastness of the desert teaches us our insignificance, it is consequently conducive to humility. But, even something so simple and humble as a Bedouin flute - a reed with six holes - can play sweet music when used properly.
In the video, Rabbi Lazer is wearing a Bedouin "kaffiyeh" - this is not making any political statement - it's just good protection from the blazing sun and searing winds of the desert.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Va'etchanan 5771 - Covenant & Conversation - Thoughts on the weekly parsha from the Chief Rabbi




It is one of the great stories of all time, and Moses foresaw it three thousand years before it happened. Here he is speaking in this week's parsha:

See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this is your wisdom and understanding in the eyes of the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people" . . . What other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today? (Deut. 4: 5-8)

Moses believed that there would come a time when the idea of a nation founded on a covenant with God would inspire other nations with its vision of a society based not on a hierarchy of power but on the equal dignity of all under the sovereignty and in the image of God; and on the rule of justice and compassion. "The nations" would appreciate the wisdom of the Torah and its "righteous decrees and laws". It happened. As I have argued many times, we see this most clearly in the political culture and language of the United States.

To this day American politics is based on the biblical idea of covenant. American presidents almost always invoke this idea in their Inaugural Addresses in language that owes its cadences and concepts to the book of Devarim. So, for instance, in 1985 Ronald Reagan spoke of America as "one people under God, dedicated to the dream of freedom that He has placed in the human heart, called upon now to pass that dream on to a waiting and hopeful world."

In his Inaugural in 1989, George Bush prayed: "There is but one just use of power, and it is to serve people. Help us to remember it, Lord. Amen." In 1997 Bill Clinton said: "The promise we sought in a new land we will find again in a land of new promise."

George W Bush in 2001 said, "We are guided by a power larger than ourselves who creates us equal in His image." In 2005 he declared, "From the day of our Founding, we have proclaimed that every man and woman on this earth has rights, and dignity, and matchless value, because they bear the image of the Maker of Heaven and earth."

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Devarim 5771 - Covenant & Conversation - Thoughts on the weekly parsha from Chief Rabbi Lord



Why does the book of Devarim have the structure it does: a mix of history, law, recollection and anticipation?

The sages knew that Devarim had a clear structure. Elsewhere in the Torah some rabbis used the principle of semikhut haparshiyot -- that we can learn something from the fact that passage Y occurs immediately after passage X. Others however did not, because there is a rule, ein mukdam umu'achar baTorah, meaning, the Torah does not always follow a strict chronological sequence. So we cannot always attach significance to the fact that the passages are in the order they are. However, everyone agrees that there is precise order and structure in the book of Devarim (Berakhot 21b). But what is the order?

Second: the sages originally called Devarim Mishneh Torah, a "second law". Hence the Latin name Deuteronomy, which means, the second law. But in what sense is Devarim a second law? Some of the laws Moses states in the book have appeared before, others have not. Is it a repetition of the laws Moses received at Sinai and the Tent of Meeting? Is it something new? What exactly is the meaning of Mishneh Torah?

Third: what is the book doing here? It represents the speeches Moses delivered in the last month of his life to the generation who would cross the Jordan and enter the Promised Land. Why is it included in the Torah at all? If the Torah is a history book, then we should proceed directly from the end of Bamidbar, the arrival of the Israelites at the banks of the river Jordan, to the book of Joshua, when they crossed the river and began their conquest of the land. If the Torah is a book of law, then Devarim should just be a collection of laws without all the historical reminiscence and prophecy it contains.

What kind of book is Devarim and what is its significance to the Torah as a whole.

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Notice: We're downsizing

Hello everyone!

This is Moshe. I'd just like to thank you all for all your support.
Unfortunately we're downsizing in awesometorah. There will no longer be a daily Tanach video. Every day at 5:00 AM a video will come on. Every day has it's schedule. Sunday: Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, Monday: Jews for Judaism, Tuesday: My Fiance, Wednesday: Rabbi Lazer Brody, Thursday: Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks and on Friday: A Tanach video from me. I apologize that I can no longer bring you a Tanach video daily but with a family to feed I simply don't have time. If you want a daily Tanach video than please by all means read it yourself and if it's kosher like from a Kosher company or Chabad.org or you translate it directly than we'll feature you on here.
Due to the fact that it's currently the three weeks there will be some days with no video because we can't listen to music during a period of mourning.

I thank you all once again for all your support.

sincerely,

Moshe.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Masei 5771 - Covenant & Conversation - Thoughts on the weekly Torah portion from the Chief Rabbi





The book of Bemidbar draws to a close with an account of the cities of refuge, the six cities -- three on each side of the Jordan -- set apart as places to which people found innocent of murder, but guilty of manslaughter, were sent.

In early societies, especially non-urban ones that lacked an extensive police force, there was always a danger that people would take the law into their own hands, in particular when a member of their family or tribe had been killed.

Thus would begin a cycle of vengeance and retaliation that had no natural end, one revenge-killing leading to another and another, until the community had been decimated, a phenomenon familiar to us from literature, from the Montagues and Capulets of Romeo and Juliet, to the Sharks and Jets of West Side Story, to the Corleones and Tattaglias of The Godfather.

The only viable solution is the effective and impartial rule of law. There is, though, one persisting danger. If Reuben killed Shimon and is deemed innocent of murder by the court -- it was an accident, there was no malice aforethought, the victim and perpetrator were not enemies -- then there is still the danger that the family of the victim may feel that justice has not been done. Their close relative lies dead and no one has been punished.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

The Lesson of Orla




Rabbi Lazer Brody explains "Orla," the Torah's commandment to refrain from eating the fruit of any tree that's less than four years old. The mitzva of Orla has a deep inner meaning, teaching us the concept of spiritual maturity.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Family quality time



Society is so busy nowadays. However, we should take a moment and spend more time with our family. - Either during the day or evening, anytime. Even just doing something fun like bike riding, or playing a simple game at home. We should treasure each moment

Sunday, July 17, 2011

shlomo carlebach teaching about sadness part /4




...MORE STOREIS ...http://rebshlomocarlebach.blogspot.com/ .r' shlomo carlebach teaching about sadness

שלום לכם חבירי׳ בכל מקום שאתם, אתם יודעים, רבי נחמן אומר כי החטא הגדול ביותר בעולם הוא להיות עצוב, החטא הגדול ביותר בעולם ״שלא להיות מלא שמחה״ בכל רגע.
חבירי׳ וידידי׳, כולנו רוצים כל כך הרבה, ואנחנו צריכים כל כך הרבה. אבל לא מקבלים את זה, בגלל מה? אני אגיד לכם, זה קורה בשביל שכאשר אנו מבקשים משהו משמים. תחשבו, כאשר אתה מבקש משהו מבן אדם, הם לא מתכוונים לשים לך לב, אלא אם כן יש לך לב מלא שמחה. אנשים תמיד שמחים לתת למישהו שהוא מלא שמחה. אז רק לדמיין את זה: אני מבקש מיליוני דברים מן השמים, וכאן המשרת השמימי דופק על הדלת שלי. הוא רוצה לתת לי הכול, אבל כשאני פותח את הדלת ואני עצוב, אני שבור. מי רוצה שום קשר עם אדם עצוב? אז הם זורקים אותי כמה פירורים, ועוזבים מיד. ואפילו יותר מזה, הקב״ה רוצה לתת לך כל כך הרבה אתה צריך המון כוח כדי לשאת את זה, אתה יודע כשאתה מלא שמחה אתה מלא כח, אתה יכול לבצע שום דבר, אתה יכול לשאת את העולם כולו על אצבע האחת, אבל אם אתה עצוב אתה לא יכול לשאת שום דבר, אתה לוקח קצת ואת הדוור השמימי ממריא.
אם תשאלו מישהו לאיזהו טובה ואתה פשוט יושב שם ובוכה, הם לא יכולים להיפטר ממך מהר מספיק. אבל אם אתה מלא שמחה, אם הלב שלך היא רוקדת כל הזמן ואת העיניים שלך נוצצות משמחה, אז אנשים רוצים כל כך הרבה להיות קרוב אליך. אתם יודעים חברים מה שהעולם צריך ביותר, כולם חושבים שאנחנו צריכים שלום, כן, אנחנו צריכים שלום, אבל אתה יודע למה אנחנו לא עושים שלום ״כי אין לנו מספיק שמחה בעולם״ וזה מה שהקדוש רבי נחמן אומר, אנשים שונאים זה את זה, רק בשביל שהם עצובים. זה מה שהוא אומר, לדמיין שיש מישהו בעולם שאני שונא לו המקסימום שאני יכול, אני פשוט שונא אותו אדם, וכל יום אני שונא אותו יותר, ואז לדמיין, נא תברכו אותי, ואני יברך אתכם, שכולנו נזכה בעז״ה להיות אצל החתונה של הילדים שלנו, ולדמיין שהילד שלי מתחתנת, וברום השמחה של החתונה, אני לוקח את יד בני החתן ואנחנו עולים על השולחן ורוקדים ביחד, זה רגע הכי מאושר בחיי, געוואלד, איך אוכל להודות את האחד יחיד ומיוחד הקב״ה, אתה חושב שאני בגן עדן? אהה, הרבה יותר מגן עדן.
ובאותו רגע הדלת נפתחת, והשונא הגדול שלי נכנס, אז אני שואל אתכם אחים ואחיות שלי, מה אתם חושב שיקרה? אתם יודעים מה יקרה? באמצע הריקוד, ואני אמרתי לך שאני מעבר לגן העדן, ומשהו יקרה לי ואני יגיע אפילו גבוה עוד יותר, אני קופץ מהשולחן, ואני רץ אליו ומחבק ומנשק האויב הגדול שלי, ושואלו, תגיד לי ידידי היקר והיפה, איפה היית בסעודת החתונה? ואני לא משקר, כי ברגע הזה יהיה ברור לי, שאנחנו אף פעם לא שנאו זה את זה, אתם מבינים חברים, יש רק דבר אחד שהוא אנטי-שנאה, והוא שמחה!, ואתם ואני אם אנחנו חולמים על יום אחד שכל העולם יהי׳ באחדות, אתם צריכים לדעת, שזה יהיה רק על ידי ״שמחה״.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Pinchas 5771 - Covenant & Conversation - Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks speaks on the weekly Torah



Embedded in this week's parsha is one of the great principles of leadership.
The context is this: Moses, knowing that he was not destined to lead the next generation across the Jordan into the promised land, asked God to appoint a successor.
He remembered what happened when he was away from the Israelites for a mere 40 days. They panicked and made a golden calf. Even when he was present, there was a rebellion on the part of Korach and others against his leadership. The possibility of rift or schism if he died without a designated successor was immense. So he said to God:

"May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community to go out before them and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in. Let the Lord's people not be like sheep without a shepherd." (Num, 27: 16-17)

God duly chose Joshua, and Moses inducted him. One detail in Moses' request, however, always puzzled me. Moses asked for a leader who would "go out before them and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in."
That, surely, is saying the same thing twice. If you go out before the people, you are leading them out. If you come in before the people, you are bringing them in. Why then say the same thing twice?


The answer comes from a direct experience of leadership itself.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

A Tour of the Negev



The Emuna Outreach "Land of Israel" Series takes you on a pictorial and musical tour of Israel's Negev Desert. Music from Shlomo Katz's latest album, "Malei Olam." Photography by Rabbi Lazer Brody.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

secret to happiness




We all want happiness and we think that the more we have, the happier we are. Yes, when we get what we want, we are happy for awhile, But then want more. The way to be happy is to enjoy what we have. It's natural to focus on the negative side sometimes. What helps is to make a list of things you enjoy and are glad to have. Then we notice our blessings.

for my blog
http://abitoflight.blogspot.com

Sunday, July 10, 2011

purim with reb shlomo carlebach, telling a unbelievable holy story




http://rebshlomocarlebach.blogspot.com/ purim with reb shlomo carlebach, telling a story which touch's all jewish hearts

http://rebshlomocarlebach.blogspot.com/


While It's not Purim or even close to Purim i thought this would be a good next Rabbi Carlebach video.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Balak 5771 - Covenant & Conversation - Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks on the weekly torah portion



A People that Dwells Alone?

The dictionary defines epiphany as "a sudden manifestation of the essence or meaning of something; a comprehension or perception of reality by means of a sudden intuitive realization." This is the story of an epiphany I experienced one day in May, 2001, and it changed my perception of the Jewish fate.

It was Shavuot, and we were in Jerusalem. We had gone for lunch to a former lay leader of a major Diaspora community. Also present at the table was an Israeli diplomat, together with one of the leaders of the Canadian Jewish Community.

The conversation turned to the then forthcoming -- now notorious -- United Nations' Conference against Racism at Durban. Though the conference would not take place until August, we already knew that it and the parallel gathering of NGOs would turn into a diatribe against Israel, marking a new phase in the assault against its legitimacy.

The diplomat, noting that the conversation had taken a pessimistic turn, and being a religious man, sought to comfort us. "It was ever thus," he said, and then quoted a famous phrase: "We are am levadad yishkon, the people that dwells alone."
It comes from this week's parsha. Bilam, hired to curse the Jewish people, instead repeatedly blesses them. In his first utterance he says to Balak king of Moab:

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the Lord has not defied? From the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, it is a people that dwells alone, not reckoned among the nations. (Num. 23: 8-9)

Hearing these words in that context I experienced an explosion of light in the brain. I suddenly saw how dangerous this phrase is, and how close it runs the risk of being a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you define yourself as the people that dwells alone, you are likely to find yourself alone. That is not a safe place to be.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Menachem Herman and Rabbi Lazer Brody: Melave Malka jam



Join Menachem Herman and Rabbi Lazer for some Saturday night fun in a little "Melave Malka" jam that includes three songs - Ivdu, Sha'as Rachamim, and Oseh Shalom

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Chukkat 5771 - Covenant & Conversation - Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks speaks on the weekly torah



Chukkim are Judaism's way of training us in emotional intelligence, above all a conditioning in associating holiness with life, and defilement with death. It is fascinating to see how this has been vindicated by modern neuroscience. Rationality, vitally important in its own right, is only half the story of why we are as we are. We will need to shape and control the other half if we are successfully to conquer the instinct to aggression, violence and death that lurks not far beneath the surface of the conscious mind.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

The power of words



The words we say can make an impact either positive or negative. Even if we think a little gossip won't do anything, we don't know what might happen. It could effect people's relationships, or job and so forth. It's like this metephore of a pillow with feathers and the feathers fly away, we can't bring it back. So too, we can't bring the words back once the damage is done. Besides regular gossip, we also need to be careful not use our words as weapon to emotionally hurt others, but instead use our words to positively build people up. If we are careful with this, we can keep relationships strong, and bring blessing to ourselves and all around.
Of course, there are times when one might need to say something, but then you should talk to someone who can take care of it.

blog
http://abitoflight.blogspot.com

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Korach 5771 - Covenant & Conversation - Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks speaks on the weekly torah portion



When we read the story of Korach, our attention tends to be focused on the rebels. We don't give as much reflection as we might to the response of Moses. Was it right? Was it wrong?

It's a complex story. As Ramban explains, it is no accident that the Korach rebellion happened in the aftermath of the story of the spies. So long as the people expected to enter the Promised Land, they stood to lose more than gain by challenging Moses' leadership. He had successfully negotiated all obstacles in the past. He was their best hope. But as a result of the spies, that whole generation was condemned to die in the wilderness. Now they had nothing to lose. When people have nothing to lose, rebellions happen.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Menachem Herman: HaKol LeTova




One of Rebbe Nachman's most important, yet profoundly simple teachings is the key to emuna, to life itself, and to happiness: since everything comes from Hashem, everything is certainly for the best. The original words in Hebrew are: Me'achar vehakol me'Ito Yitbarach, Bevadai Shehakol Letova. A new song by Menachem Herman...

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

seizing our oppertunities




Each day we have a chance to grow and go forward toward reaching our potential. Lets take this oppertunity
blog
http://abitoflight.blogspot.com

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Shlomo Carlebach - Teaching about "Sadness" part 3/4



http://rebshlomocarlebach.blogspot.com/ reb shlomo carlebach teaching about sadness, teaching of the holy master reb nachman of breslov, ..
שלום לכם חבירי׳ בכל מקום שאתם, אתם יודעים, רבי נחמן אומר כי החטא הגדול ביותר בעולם הוא להיות עצוב, החטא הגדול ביותר בעולם ״שלא להיות מלא שמחה״ בכל רגע.
חבירי׳ וידידי׳, כולנו רוצים כל כך הרבה, ואנחנו צריכים כל כך הרבה. אבל לא מקבלים את זה, בגלל מה? אני אגיד לכם, זה קורה בשביל שכאשר אנו מבקשים משהו משמים. תחשבו, כאשר אתה מבקש משהו מבן אדם, הם לא מתכוונים לשים לך לב, אלא אם כן יש לך לב מלא שמחה. אנשים תמיד שמחים לתת למישהו שהוא מלא שמחה. אז רק לדמיין את זה: אני מבקש מיליוני דברים מן השמים, וכאן המשרת השמימי דופק על הדלת שלי. הוא רוצה לתת לי הכול, אבל כשאני פותח את הדלת ואני עצוב, אני שבור. מי רוצה שום קשר עם אדם עצוב? אז הם זורקים אותי כמה פירורים, ועוזבים מיד. ואפילו יותר מזה, הקב״ה רוצה לתת לך כל כך הרבה אתה צריך המון כוח כדי לשאת את זה, אתה יודע כשאתה מלא שמחה אתה מלא כח, אתה יכול לבצע שום דבר, אתה יכול לשאת את העולם כולו על אצבע האחת, אבל אם אתה עצוב אתה לא יכול לשאת שום דבר, אתה לוקח קצת ואת הדוור השמימי ממריא.
אם תשאלו מישהו לאיזהו טובה ואתה פשוט יושב שם ובוכה, הם לא יכולים להיפטר ממך מהר מספיק. אבל אם אתה מלא שמחה, אם הלב שלך היא רוקדת כל הזמן ואת העיניים שלך נוצצות משמחה, אז אנשים רוצים כל כך הרבה להיות קרוב אליך. אתם יודעים חברים מה שהעולם צריך ביותר, כולם חושבים שאנחנו צריכים שלום, כן, אנחנו צריכים שלום, אבל אתה יודע למה אנחנו לא עושים שלום ״כי אין לנו מספיק שמחה בעולם״ וזה מה שהקדוש רבי נחמן אומר, אנשים שונאים זה את זה, רק בשביל שהם עצובים. זה מה שהוא אומר, לדמיין שיש מישהו בעולם שאני שונא לו המקסימום שאני יכול, אני פשוט שונא אותו אדם, וכל יום אני שונא אותו יותר, ואז לדמיין, נא תברכו אותי, ואני יברך אתכם, שכולנו נזכה בעז״ה להיות אצל החתונה של הילדים שלנו, ולדמיין שהילד שלי מתחתנת, וברום השמחה של החתונה, אני לוקח את יד בני החתן ואנחנו עולים על השולחן ורוקדים ביחד, זה רגע הכי מאושר בחיי, געוואלד, איך אוכל להודות את האחד יחיד ומיוחד הקב״ה, אתה חושב שאני בגן עדן? אהה, הרבה יותר מגן עדן.
ובאותו רגע הדלת נפתחת, והשונא הגדול שלי נכנס, אז אני שואל אתכם אחים ואחיות שלי, מה אתם חושב שיקרה? אתם יודעים מה יקרה? באמצע הריקוד, ואני אמרתי לך שאני מעבר לגן העדן, ומשהו יקרה לי ואני יגיע אפילו גבוה עוד יותר, אני קופץ מהשולחן, ואני רץ אליו ומחבק ומנשק האויב הגדול שלי, ושואלו, תגיד לי ידידי היקר והיפה, איפה היית בסעודת החתונה? ואני לא משקר, כי ברגע הזה יהיה ברור לי, שאנחנו אף פעם לא שנאו זה את זה, אתם מבינים חברים, יש רק דבר אחד שהוא אנטי-שנאה, והוא שמחה!, ואתם ואני אם אנחנו חולמים על יום אחד שכל העולם יהי׳ באחדות, אתם צריכים לדעת, שזה יהיה רק על ידי ״שמחה״.http://rebshlomocarlebach.blogspot.com/ .. how not to be sad,

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

The Story of King Chizkiyahu




Rabbi Lazer Brody retells the story of Chizkiyahu the King from the Book of Kings II, Chapter 19 (also Isaiah, Chapter 39), to teach us what it means to trust in Hashem

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Romemu and Ki Heim




Clips from the song Romemu by the group Menucha and Ki Heim by Dani Kunstler, and a few pics of New York from my trip
http://mostlymusic.com

Sunday, June 12, 2011

shlomo carlebach teaching about "sadness" part /2



http://rebshlomocarlebach.blogspot.com/ reb shlomo carlebach teaching about sadness, teaching of the holy master reb nachman of breslov, how not to be sad,

Shalom to you my beautiful friends, wherever you are, let every minute and every second count, Rebbe Nachman says that "the greatest sin in the world is, to be sad, the greatest sin in the world is, not be filled with joy".
My beautiful friends, all of us want so much, we need so much. We don׳t have it, because of what happens when we ask for something from Heaven. Just think, when you ask for something from another human being, they׳re not going to pay attention to you unless you have a joyous heart. People are always happy to give to someone who׳s happy. So just imagine it: I׳m asking for millions of tons from Heaven, and here the heavenly servant knocks on my door. He wants to give me everything; but when I open the door I׳m sad, I׳m broken-hearted. Who wants to have anything to do with a sad person? So they throw me a few crumbs and take off. And even deeper than that, Hashem wants to give you so much you need a lot of strength to carry it, you know when you are full of joy you are full of strength, you can carry anything, you can carry the whole world on one finger, but if you're sad you cant carry anything, you take a little bit and the heavenly mailman takes off.
If you ask somebody for a favour and then you just sit there and cry, they can׳t get rid of you fast enough. But if you׳re filled with joy, if your heart is dancing all the time and your eyes are shining, then people want so much to be close to you. You know friends what the world needs most, everybody thinks we need peace, yes, we need peace, but you know why we don't peace "because we don't have enough joy in the world" and this is what the holy Reb Nachmen says, People only hate when they׳re sad. This is what he says, imagine there is somebody in the world who I hat e the most I cant stand that person, I just hate that person, and every day I hate that person, then imagine, bless me bless me, and I will bless you we should all be by our children's wedding, imagine my child is getting married, and at the height of the joy of the wedding, I am taking them by the hand and I get on the table and I am dancing, that's the most happy moment in my life, gevalt gevalt, how could I ever thank the one the only one for that moment, you think I am in paradise? Ahh, much higher then paradise.
At that moment the door opens and my arc enemy walk in, so I am asking you my dearest brothers and sisters, what do you think will happen? You know what will happen? In middle of the dancing, and I told you I am beyond paradise, something will happen to me and I will reach even higher and even deeper, I will jump of the table, and I will embrace and kiss my arc enemy and will say my most beautiful, most precious friend, where were you at the wedding? And I wont be lying, because at that moment it will be clear me, we never hated each other, Friends there is only one anti hatred this is joy!, and you and I if we are dreaming of one day the whole world being one, you should know, it will only happen with joy.
We all have certain reflexes. They don׳t come from our head, they come from our insides. You don׳t like to shake hands with somebody that has dirty hands. Even if you have to, because you have good manners, you don׳t want to, and you try to take your hand back as fast as possible. If someone has clean hands, you like to shake hands with him. If you love someone you can hold their hands forever. Our holy rabbis teach us, sadness makes us dirty. It׳s the sprit of uncleanness, unholiness descends upon the person. Believe me; most friendships break up because there is not enough joy in them.
http://rebshlomocarlebach.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Shavuot Announcement

Hello, this is Moshe and I'd like to be the first to wish you all a great Shavuot! Shavuot is the day the Jewish people received The Torah which is our constitution. For those of you who don't know Shavuot fallows similar rules to Shabbat and being that I live out in the Diaspora Shavuot is two days and so there will be no more posts until Friday morning I'd also like to apologize for the late arrival of todays post. Also later today would be another musical slideshow from SMB but due to the holyday it will have to wait until next week that's why Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks's class on the weekly Torah Portion was on monday evening. So with that I'd like to wish you all a great Shavuot with lots of joy and good Torah learning and Cheesecake and I'd like to thank you all for viewing us and sticking with us. I look at the growth this blog has seen and it amazes me that we've seen this in a little less than a year! And I owe it all to you! I owe it all to you for sticking by us and spreading the word about us wherever you may be as well as for those of you who have donated your generous donations. People please I urge you to continue to help us grow as you have in the past year. And to spread the word about us in your communities. People I know that these are hard economic times we faces but we need donations desperately. Donations have been far and few but if you could even space a Dollar even the smallest donation would be greatly appreciated. And if you can't afford to donate anything please I urge you to help us grow in your own way. Spread the word as you have, or even if there's someone who's wealthy and willing to give in your own family or community please tell them about us. As many people as we've helped as many lives as we've saved in this past year theres still many that we haven't reached.
Have a great Shavuot and thanks for loyally sticking by us.

I love each and every one of you,
Moshe

Sunday, June 5, 2011

shlomo carlebach teaching about "sadness", part 1



http://rebshlomocarlebach.blogspot.com/ reb shlomo carlebach teaching about sadness, teaching of holy master reb nachman of breslov, how not to be sad,

Shalom to you my beautiful friends, wherever you are, let every minute and every second count, Rebbe Nachman says that "the greatest sin in the world is, to be sad, the greatest sin in the world is, not be filled with joy".
My beautiful friends, all of us want so much, we need so much. We don׳t have it, because of what happens when we ask for something from Heaven. Just think, when you ask for something from another human being, they׳re not going to pay attention to you unless you have a joyous heart. People are always happy to give to someone who׳s happy. So just imagine it: I׳m asking for millions of tons from Heaven, and here the heavenly servant knocks on my door. He wants to give me everything; but when I open the door I׳m sad, I׳m broken-hearted. Who wants to have anything to do with a sad person? So they throw me a few crumbs and take off. And even deeper than that, Hashem wants to give you so much you need a lot of strength to carry it, you know when you are full of joy you are full of strength, you can carry anything, you can carry the whole world on one finger, but if you're sad you cant carry anything, you take a little bit and the heavenly mailman takes off.
If you ask somebody for a favour and then you just sit there and cry, they can׳t get rid of you fast enough. But if you׳re filled with joy, if your heart is dancing all the time and your eyes are shining, then people want so much to be close to you. You know friends what the world needs most, everybody thinks we need peace, yes, we need peace, but you know why we don't peace "because we don't have enough joy in the world" and this is what the holy Reb Nachmen says, People only hate when they׳re sad. This is what he says, imagine there is somebody in the world who I hat e the most I cant stand that person, I just hate that person, and every day I hate that person, then imagine, bless me bless me, and I will bless you we should all be by our children's wedding, imagine my child is getting married, and at the height of the joy of the wedding, I am taking them by the hand and I get on the table and I am dancing, that's the most happy moment in my life, gevalt gevalt, how could I ever thank the one the only one for that moment, you think I am in paradise? Ahh, much higher then paradise.
At that moment the door opens and my arc enemy walk in, so I am asking you my dearest brothers and sisters, what do you think will happen? You know what will happen? In middle of the dancing, and I told you I am beyond paradise, something will happen to me and I will reach even higher and even deeper, I will jump of the table, and I will embrace and kiss my arc enemy and will say my most beautiful, most precious friend, where were you at the wedding? And I wont be lying, because at that moment it will be clear me, we never hated each other, Friends there is only one anti hatred this is joy!, and you and I if we are dreaming of one day the whole world being one, you should know, it will only happen with joy.
We all have certain reflexes. They don׳t come from our head, they come from our insides. You don׳t like to shake hands with somebody that has dirty hands. Even if you have to, because you have good manners, you don׳t want to, and you try to take your hand back as fast as possible. If someone has clean hands, you like to shake hands with him. If you love someone you can hold their hands forever. Our holy rabbis teach us, sadness makes us dirty. It׳s the sprit of uncleanness, unholiness descends upon the person. Believe me; most friendships break up because there is not enough joy in them.

the http://rebshlomocarlebach.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Habakuk the Prophet



As part of Emuna Outreach's "Land of Israel" series, Rabbi Lazer Brody takes us to the Galilee to visit the holy gravesite of Habakuk the Prophet, who said: "The tzaddik shall live by his emuna."

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Bamidbar 5771 - Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks gives thoughts on the weekly torah portion



In English, the book we begin this week is called Numbers, for an obvious reason. It begins with a census, and there is a second count toward the end of the book. On this view, the central theme of the book is demography. The Israelites, still at Sinai at the beginning of the book, but on the brink of the Promised Land by its end, are now a sizeable nation, numbering 600,000 men of an age to embark on military service.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Carlebach Havdala with Menachem Herman and Rabbi Lazer Brody


In Judaism, the new week begins with ushering out the holy Sabbath and welcoming the new week, differentiating between the holy and the mundane. This ceremony, called "Havdala" (Hebrew for "differentiation") was done beautifully in song by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, of blessed memory. Here, Menachem Herman and Rabbi Lazer perform the Havdala in Carlebach tradition.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Bechukotai 5771 - Covenant & Conversation




Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks delivers this week's Covenant & Conversation - Behukotai 5771

There is one aspect of Christianity that Jews, if we are to be honest, must reject, and that Christians, most notably Pope John XXIII, have begun to reject. It is the concept of rejection itself, the idea that Christianity represents G-d's rejection of the Jewish people, the "old Israel".

This is known technically as Supersession or Replacement Theology, and it is enshrined in such phrases as the Christian name for the Hebrew Bible, "The Old Testament." The Old Testament means the testament, or covenant, once in force but no longer. On this view, G-d no longer wants us to serve Him the Jewish way, through the 613 commandments, but a new way, through a New Testament. His old chosen people were the physical descendants of Abraham. His new chosen people are the spiritual descendants of Abraham, in other words, not Jews but Christians.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Rabbenu Bachiya: Duties of the Heart



Rabbi Lazer Brody takes us on an excursion to the Upper Galilee to visit the holy gravesite of Rabbenu Bachiya

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Our gift and oppertunity




Shabbat is a gift from Hashem to us. It is an oppertunity to unplug ourselves from the week and recharge our energy. Plus, it helps us to connect to each other and Hashem

For more info http://www.aish.com/sh/
For a Shabbat meal http://shabbat.com/

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

The Story of Rebbe Mattia ben Charash



Rabbi Lazer Brody takes us to the Lower Galilee in the vicinity of the Arab village Ilaboun to visit the holy gravesite of Rebbe Mattia ben Charash, where we learn about the importance of personal holiness and guarding our eyes

Monday, May 9, 2011

Ethics of the fathers chapter 2 האתיקה של הפרק האבות



For the text of this chapter please visit,
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/680285/jewish/Chapter-Two.htm



PS: Hashem's palace is proud to provide the services we do to our viewers free of charge however we do need money to continue and survive so i ask you to please donate which can be done by clicking donate on the paypal box. Any donation is greatly appreciated even if it's only a dollar.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks speaks on Hamas and the Middle East Peace Process



Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks speaks on Hamas and the Middle East Peace Process" 5th May 2011

"My Lords, I welcome this debate because it allows us to focus on both words of the phrase "peace process". We who pray for peace understand by that word a state in which I recognise your right to exist and you recognise mine. That is what peace minimally means. How can we be speaking about peace when Hamas remains committed as a matter of principle to the elimination of the state of Israel; when it engages in missile attacks against innocent civilians and uses its own innocent civilians as human shields; when it propagates some of the most vicious anti-Semitic myths ever to have inflamed the hatred and to have anaesthetised the conscience of human beings, and two days ago praised Osama bin Laden as a holy warrior; and when it refuses to agree to the fundamental principles laid down by the quartet, not least of which is the recognition of Israel's right to exist? Until Hamas undergoes fundamental change, there may be a process but there will not be peace. Peace is more than a resting place on the road to war. I cannot make peace with one who denies my right to exist.

No one familiar with the history of the Jewish people through its 4,000 years of history can fail to appreciate how deeply Jews within Israel and outside long for peace, pray for peace and long for the ability to live as other people live-without fear, without hate, without being treated as a pariah, without being blamed for the troubles of the world and without being denied the right to exist. That is why I urge the Government to be resolute in their insistence that the path to peace in the Middle East must begin with the unequivocal recognition of the state of Israel's right to be."

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Where is Moshiach?



Rabbi Lazer Brody not only answers why Moshiach isn't here yet, but tells us how to unlock the gates of prayer. This clip is an excerpt from an evening of emuna and inspiration with Jewish music's sweet singer, Shlomo Katz

YouTube - "Shabbat: The Rest of the Story" Season 2, Episode 3

This Lady's video of Shabbos is amazing



It's a day when we can unplug and recharge ourselves, while connecting with others and Hashem

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Ari Goldwag: Ad Ava Bechiya



"Ad Ana Bechiya" are lyrics that come from the Tikkun Chatzot, or Midnight Lamentations. The Jewish people yearn for the rebuilding of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and ask, "How long shall we cry over Zion and eulogize Jerusalem?" This music in this clip is voice only, and permissible to listen to during the Three Weeks.