Wednesday, April 24, 2013

My "tickets to emuna" story

I sent this story about what happened to me to Mr. Shmuel Greenbaum who runs Partners in Kindness and he sent it out last month. Since I heard it's good to publicize these types of stories, that's what I'm doing.

I had just finished having complaints against an institution for a sort of silly reason and realized I shouldn't let these things get to me. Then I got a call from my credit card company that someone had gotten hold of my number and started charging things to it. They caught it immediately and I never got charged anything, even though if I had it would have been reimbursed.

I was very grateful to G-d for this. Then that day I got a pack of tickets to sell for my kids' school's annual raffle. I had recently heard a video by Rabbi Fischel Schacter where he said in life, you can have complaints or keep on going forward.

So I said enough complaining, I want to try to sell these for G-d because it says somewhere that giving tzedaka (charity) is something you can "give back" to H-shem since it's giving to His children. If He wants to make this successful He will, and however many I sell, I will and if not, not.

I felt like by changing my attitude and trying to put into place what I have been trying to absorb about faith, I saw results in this project. In attempting to sell the tickets, I tried to do what made sense to me, but missing the usual worry I put myself through with doing things. I also got encouragement from the people around me like my husband and my neighbor, telling me not to feel guilty asking people, etc. since it's for a good cause.

With G-d's help we sold all of the tickets we had and I really felt throughout that G-d was "carrying" it. I emailed and called people but I don't have too much experience with this and I really felt like He did the whole thing.

Even though we learn that He does everything, this time I really felt it. That made me grateful for the other experience that I had complaints about as well as the credit card situation (it was interesting sending people to pay via paypal when I myself had no credit card to use in the interim) because it led to this personal breakthrough for me.

The 3rd part to this story - Most of the people who bought raffle tickets from me have little or no connection to my kids' school. Recently my husband had donated to another school that we really have no connection to either other than that they are both religious schools. I told over the story to the tzedaka collector for that school and he seemed unsurprised and said "that's the way these things usually go."



More on Dangers of Nivul Peh from DerechEmet

Awhile back I did a few posts about this subject and this morning I found an email from DerechEmet, who sends out various quotes, about the dangers of Nivul Peh.  Sorry I have not posted in awhile; hopefully I will be posting more often in the future...thanks for reading, Mashiach Now!!

Sefer HaMidot, chapter Nivul Peh:

[1] A person who speaks vulgarity, it is certain 
[literally, known] that his mind thinks evil thoughts.

[2] Through [the sin of] speaking obscene words, 
[the speaker] comes to [the additional sin of speaking 
forbidden kinds of] flattery.

[3] Through [the sin of] speaking obscenities [comes] 
new sorrows and [evil] decrees, and the young men 
of Israel die young, G_d forbid, and [even] orphans 
and widows cry out and are not heard.

[4] He who defiles his mouth by speaking obscenities, 
even if he had a sealed [Divine] decree of 70 good years, 
they are transformed to [70 Divinely decreed] bad [years], 
and Gehinom [Hell] is deepened for him. 

This also applies to he who heard [his fellow Jew speak 
obscenities] and he remained silent [instead of protesting 
against the obscenities, if and when he was able to protest].

[5] [The sin of] speaking [foul language] is more 
severe than [sins involving] physical actions.

CHRONOLOGY: 
Rabbi Nachman of Breslov was born in 1772 CE and died in 1810 CE.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Fantastic Post from Daily Dose of Emuna re Tefillah


Thanks to my friend SLV for forwarding it to me!

BS'D
 
Today's daily dose is dedicated to the refuah shleimah of Shirel Simcha bat Brane a 14 months old girl who is in need of our tefillot.  It's all happening in order to awaken us from our very deep spiritual slumber.  Please Hashem shower Shirel Simcha bat Brane with a complete healing amongst all of Klal Yisrael who are sick and suffering b'karov, b'rachamim, Amen!
One of our dear daily dose readers suggested that we take upon ourselves a mitzvah or increase our kavannah in the bracha "Asher Yatzar" to stand as a zechut for our dear soldiers, it's certainly a wonderful idea, even if it's just once a day. 
If you still haven't called to receive the name of a soldier to daven for, you can sign up to receive a name on their website: www.tfila-idf.com.
Dynamite!  Now that's powerful.  Rabbi Shimshon Pincus ztk"l teaches us that tefillah is compared to dynamite.  And what is it made out of?  Little particles of powder that when they hit a wall.... they crumble it to pieces.  The little letters in the siddur which make up our daily tefillot when combined together with ruach haKodesh can break down spiritual walls.
 
The way to release this immense power is to first realize how much koach they truly hold.  They may seem like small words to us, but they have within them the spiritual ability to move mountains (to cancel harsh decrees).  Think of tefillah as having things frozen in place and not able to move unless we release it with our words.  Our davening sets things in motion.
 
The sly one, the yetzer hara, works endlessly to give us the impression that our accomplishments are due to our own efforts and hard work.  No, No!  Everything is from Hashem we answer him back, but our words are weak in comparison to his devilish ways.  So what do we do?  We daven in order to place ourselves back in our rightful place, a place of humility.  Our tefillot teach us emuna and bitachon and that we just couldn't do anything without the help of HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
 
Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan ztk"l in his sefer, "A Call to the Infinite" quotes a special tefillah from the Chovot Halevavot. One of the things mentioned in the tefillah is: "...You know what is best for me and how to provide for me. I do not express my needs to You to make You aware of them, but so that I be made to realize my dependence upon You, reinforcing my trust in You." 
And if that's not reason enough for us to work on our davening then think of it as a therapeutic session (for free!) with none other than the One who created the dilemma in the first place.  It brings one to achieve a tremendous peace of mind and adds to our total sense of well being.  It's a time to meet your emes, one on one with the One Who is in charge. Now that's dynamite!
 
--
We can only do our best and be our best. The rest is Hashem.
Trust Him and be willing to change your plans.
We choose our life - not our circumstances.

Emuna is knowing that there is a light at the end of tunnel, even though we don't see it and there's no indication of whether it is there.

Truly awaiting Mashiach and wishing everyone only good .... Orit Riter

Moving Thoughts on the Matzav as always from Hakhel


Points and pointers relating to the matzav of K’lal Yisrael at this time:
1. Today, we can see and feel the words of Dovid HaMelech that we recite daily in Pesukei D’Zimra (Tehillim 146:3) “Al Tivtichu ViNedivim Bevenn Adam She’ein Lo Seshuah…do not rely on nobles, nor on a human being, for he holds no salvation.” A ceasefire with the rabid enemy and the assurances of nedivim to put the ceasefire into place are in the real world meaningless. Rather, as Dovid HaMelech continues: “Ashrei SheKail Yaakov BeEzro Sivro Ahl Hashem Elokav…praiseworthy is one whose help is from Yaakov’s G-d, whose hope is in Hashem, his G-d.”
2. Chazal (Shabbos 10A) teach us how we are to daven--especially in an eis tzara--”Ke’avda Kami Marei--like a servant in front of his master.” What does this mean? We suggest that it means with submission, with servitude, with sincerity and with a keen awareness of the meekness and frailty of the servant in front of his All-Powerful Master. We have to stretch out our hand, we have to genuinely plead. After we have done so, we can then remember that we are not only avadim--but are also Banim Lamakom--children of a loving Father, as the Pasuk explicitly states: “Banim Atem LaShem Elokeichem!”
3. It may feel a little bit strange going about our daily business when we know how so many of our brethren first in the northeastern United States who have been affected by the hurricane, and then in Eretz Yisrael have been affected by the bombardments, have not been able to lead their lives in what was their previously ‘normal’ manner or routine. It is obviously Hashem’s Hashgacha Pratis that determines how each person is to serve his life’s purpose and his role in K’lal Yisrael and in the world every day and every moment. One thought, however, is that as we go about our daily business, we can attempt to do so in a more spiritually heightened sense: As we daven, perhaps we can try to focus more--discovering nuances in the words recited, and instilling particular meanings into the words (such asSomeich Noflim--Hashem gives support to those who have fallen, orMatzmi’ach Yeshuah--Hashem makes salvations sprout); maybe our Tehillim recitation should not be as fast; perhaps our learning should be with additional fervor and concentration; and hopefully the previously ‘wasted’moments while waiting for someone on the phone, on a line or at a light can be specifically recaptured as a zechus for Acheinu Bnei Yisrael. If we can accomplish this then it is not their lives that have changed--it is our lives!
4. HaRav Gamliel Rabanovitch, Shlita (Tiv HaEmunah, p.261)teaches that in Tehillim 20 (Ya’ancha Hashem BeYom Tzara), Dovid HaMelech especially adds the phrase: “Neranena BiShuasecha…may we sing for joy at your salvation.” This means that when a person is in a time of tzara and needs a Yeshuah--he should thank Hashem over the Yeshuah that will come. The words become an outpouring of pure Emunah. Dovid HaMelech teaches it all to us:“Tzara VeYagon Emtzah U’VeSheim Hashem Ekrah; Kos Yeshuos Esah U’VeSheim Hashem Ekrah.” We cry out to Hashem in our pain. We cry out to Hashem in anticipation of His salvation!
5. HaRav Shlomo Volbe, Z’tl, (Alei Shur, Vol. I, p.281) teaches of the importance of Eretz Yisrael to each and every one of us. It is the land about which the Torah testifies: “Tamid Einei Hashem Elokecha Bah.” In fact, the Sefer Kuzari(2:14) writes that the entire land is LifneiHashem--present in front of Hashem. Although every other country has a Malach which gives the country and the nation which resides within it its tzuras hachaim--its way of life, the same is not true for Eretz Yisrael--where there is no koach ruchni other than that of Hashem Himself. It is only Hashem Who is mashpiah on the land and its inhabitants. It is for this reason that Moshe Rabbeinu had such a tremendous desire to enter Eretz Yisrael, for although he spoke ‘Peh El Peh’ to the Shechinah in Chutz La’aretz--it simply could not match the madreiga of Hashra’as Hashechina that can take place in Eretz Yisrael. The ruchniyus is so pervasive that theBach (Tur, Orach Chaim 208) writes that in the bracha of Mei’ein Shalosh (Ahl HaMichya,Ahl HaEitzAhl HaGefen), we specifically ask Hashem that He rebuild the Bais HaMikdash, so that we will once again be given the ability of “VeNochal MiPiryah VeNisbah MiTuvah--of eating from its fruit and being satisfied with its goodness”--for by eating its fruits, we will sustain ourselves from theKedushas HaShechinah U’Metaharasah. The land is thus so Kadosh and Tahor, so holy and pure, that upon the return of our exiles, we will ingest great ruchniyus merely by eating. Hakhel Note: Now let us take a step back: The arabs are attacking our people by means of bombs, bloodshed, and hysteria. They are being mevatel our Talmud Torah, and causing a Chilul Hashem in the world by casting our people in a cruel and belligerent light. But they are doing even more; they are taking the land that is Lifnei Hashem, whose essence isHashra’as HaShechinah, and turning it into a terrorist playground, making a mockery of it to the world. For all of this we should cry--even with all the great miracles of Acheinu Bnei Yisrael being saved despite the bombs falling upon them. Let us properly reflect upon all that has happened and fathom its gravity and its intensity. In the Zechus of our doing so, may we be zoche to the nechama of the Torah itself (Devarim 32:43): “Harninu Goyim AmoVechipeir Admaso Amo--nations, sing the praise of His people for He will avenge the blood of His servants and He will bring retribution upon his foes; and He will appease His land and His people!” Bekarov Viyameinu--today--Amein!
-----------------------
Hakhel MIS

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

To Get the Name of an Israeli Soldier to Pray for


OUR PARTNERSHIP--MORE INFORMATION:  To all who joined during the Lebanon war and previous Gaza war in the Elef Lamate project (to pray for a soldier), the project has now begun again. For those who want names or have names to give, please log on to www.shmiraproject.com or call 02-581-1911/fax 02-5400771. In U.S.A please log on the above website or call / text  443-203-8592 / fax  410-558-6408

Hakhel Note:  Chazal teach us that we are to be “Nosei B’Ohl Im Chaveiro--carry the burden with a friend.”  We suggest that this means that we do not look at a group of people together and get lost within all of the faces in the crowd--but rather, carry the burden with each and every individual.  By partnering with an individual soldier, you are helping another person carry his heavy burden--Ashrecha

Rally today in support of Israel (NYC)

A rally supporting Israel's right to defend itself will be held today (Tues. 11/20) across from the Israeli Consulate.


12:30 pm - 2:00 p.m.
2nd Avenue between 42nd and 43rd Streets

The rally is sponsored by Stand With Us and other organizations.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Several Miracles as Reported by World Mizrachi


Update from Israel 58
 
Operation Pillar of Defense

Dear Chaverim
 

I enclose herewith our latest update. The shooting of rockets continues unabated but the miracles are unbelievable.

Two families whose homes received a direct hit that totally destroyed their home came out without a scratch because they ran into their secure room (Mammad).

A man and his wife were in their car, heard the siren, got out of their car and ran to the side of the road and a few seconds later the car took a direct hit and was totally destroyed.

Meanwhile 40,000 reserves have been called up and are waiting at the Gaza border

There has been no let up on the firing of rockets and so far today (4pm) over 70 rockets have been fired on the South.