Yearning for the Redemption

How "convenient" that today's Hakhel email speaks about our general topic of this blog!

Special Note Two: At a recent gathering, HaRav Mattisyahu Salomon, Shlita, spoke on the topic of Tzipisa L’Yeshua--yearning for the Redemption. In light of recent world events, he noted, Yeshua may not be too far away. HaRav Salomon taught that yearning for the Redemption is an Avodah SheBelav--our thoughts must long for the moment. When we recite the important words in Aleinu of “Al Kein Nekave...liros meheira--we yearn to speedily see soon your mighty splendor...to perfect the universe through Your sovereignty”, the words must emanate not from our lips, but from the recesses of our hearts and minds.
HaRav Salomon related in the name of the Chofetz Chaim the story of a man on the street who was impatiently pacing back and forth. When asked by a bystander what it was exactly that he was waiting for, he tersely responded “For my cab--my flight is leaving in two hours and the cab is not here!” Looking around, the onlooker then queried “But I see no luggage--where is your luggage?!” Startled, the man realized he had no luggage because he had neglected to pack! HaRav Salomon explained that we cannot legitimately say that we are “Mechakim Anachnu Lach” unless we have "packed"--for without the luggage there can be no real trip.

The twelfth of the thirteen Foundations of our Faith--the Ani Ma’amins succinctly describes our belief in the Moshiach’s arrival--there are really two elements. The first is BeVias HaMoshiach--that there is a Moshiach and that he will come. There is, however, a second essential belief as well. It is Ve’af Al Pi Sheyismahmaiah--even if there may be delay, nevertheless I anticipate every day that he will come. In other words, it is not enough to believe that there is a Moshiach and that he will come--one must also be a Mechakeh--truly and sincerely yearn and long for him to come daily. When saying the words “Achakeh Lo Bechol Yom She Yavo--I await his arrival every day, one is asserting an essential declaration of faith--that he expects Moshiach to come at any time.

Rav Salomon referred to the Rambam in Hilchos Melachim (12:5) which states that in the time of Moshiach there will not be any famine or war, no jealousy or contention. Everything we need will be plentiful as the sand. The times will be wondrous, as in lieu of physical (and yes, even technological) pursuits we will be involved only in the area of “LoDaas Es Hashem--spiritual elevation and fulfillment--with mankind at its summit. Our Avodah *now* is to yearn for these times--daily. We know that they will come, and that every day that passes brings us a day closer. Each day should be marked by our true and sincere prayers when we recite our Tefillos such as ‘Al Kein Nekaveh Lecha...VeSimloch Aleinu Mehaira…Ki MiChakim Anachnu Lach.” Certainly when reciting the Ani Ma’amin we should visualize the pristine joy of his coming on the very day itself.
We must think and long for the Geulah--for our longing for it will make it a reality!

Ships Crossing the Bosphorus and Mashiach

My husband found the following:

The book חבלי משיח בזמננו was written by רפאל הלוי איזנברג in the 1970s and its revised edition was in 5741 (1980-81), so it was written in the midst of the Cold War. The book promotes the idea that Russia is Gog.
קבלה בידינו מתלמידי הגר"א בשם הגאון: "אם הספינות של מלכות רוסיא יחצו את מיצר "בוספורוס" (ה"דרדנלים") צריכים ללבוש בגדי שבת" לומר לך, שהשעה קרובה אז לביאת המשיח. ודע כי רוב הספינות מרוסיא לארץ ישראל באות בזמננו דרך טורקיה בים השחור מבעד למיצר ה"בוספורוס". כמ"כ בידוע שלאחר חורבן מערב רומי עם בירתה בידי הגרמנים ימ"ש נותרה קוסטנטינא לבדה בשם "מזרח רומי" ומיום שמלך מרוסיא נשא בת המלך האחרון מקוסטנטינא הריהם מחשיבים את עצמם כיורשים של מלכות מזרח רומי ונושאים בדגליהם את סמל הנשר הכפול של קוסטנטינא
We have a tradition from the students of the Gr"a in the (Vilna) Gaon's name: "If the ships of the Russian government will cross over the Bosporus Strait ([and] the " Dardanelles "), we need to wear clothes of Shabbat" to tell you that at that time, it will soon be the coming of Mashiah. And know that most of the ships from Russia to Israel come nowadays by way of Turkey in the Black Sea using the Bosporus Strait.

http://yeranenyaakov.blogspot. com/2008_08_01_archive.html A six-ship convoy carrying aid for Palestinians set sail for Gaza Sunday in defiance of an Israeli-led blockade of the impoverished territory and warnings that it would be intercepted http://uk.reuters.com/article/ idUKTRE64T21120100530

Wow! You know Mashiach is on his way when...

Wow! You know Mashiach is on his way when...Firstly - today's post is dedicated for a refuah shlema for Yocheved Yaakovit bat Leah, Ita Tzipa bas Dveyra Basha and Sorah Rivka bas Yehudis - please have them in mind when davening or saying Tehillim.


Thanks, Davetrek for the following:

http://www.koshertoday.com/ news.asp

New Gadgets Help Some Kosher Consumers
New York…by Tova Ross, KosherToday Features Editor…Keeping kosher is becoming easier, thanks to a number of high tech innovations. Kosher adherents can already use an Apple app “My Grocery Master” to search a database of over 100,000 specialty foods for kosher products in their closest grocery stores. Now comes a new invention: a stick that can detect the presence of pork in any dish. The uni-cultural plastic stick can alert both kosher and Halal eaters to the prohibited pig by using antibodies that react with the non-kosher animal’s muscle tissue. Invented by scientists at the Kazakh National Center for Biotechnology, the stick may not be so necessary for kosher consumers in the US, who rely on some of the 1,000 kosher-certifying agencies and rabbis as well as the FDA to properly ensure their food is not contaminated with pork products. Yet the stick comes in handy for Muslims in Kazakhstan (Islam is the dominant religion there), where chefs often use pork in supposedly Halal dishes because it is cheaper than many other meats. Sources told KosherToday that the stick may be handy for Jews who keep kosher and are frequent travelers around the globe, where food certification standards are not always subject to the strict ones in place in the U.S.

While the stick may not be a practical everyday aid, iBless Food 1.0 by the Davka Corporation can come in more handy. iBless Food 1.0 is a resource guide for Hebrew blessings (brachos) for over 500 different foods. It allows for easy scrolling on an iPod, iPhone, or iPad to discover what type of blessing should be made over fruits, vegetables, and popular snacks and appetizers. The blessing—both for before and after the food being eaten—is shown in both Hebrew and English transliteration and chanted aloud with each word highlighted as it is said. Additional information about the customs of that particular blessing is also shown.

btw go to http://davetrek.com for some fun upcoming events around the NY area!

Shabbat Shalom!
Esther Asna

Let's Run to Greet Mashiach!

From today's Hakhel email: This is about running to do mitzvot and how we should run as if being chased, so that we will not be chased by problems or other things that we would rather not chase us!

Special Note One: Chazal (Brachos 6B) teach that one should run to Shul (at least when he is in close range), citing the pasuk (Hoshea 6:3): "VeNaidah Nirdefa Loda'as Es Hashem--let us know, let us be chased to know Hashem...:" There is a great lesson here. The Navi does not merely tell us to run ('narutza') to know Hashem--but to put that extra effort, that extra gas into the Mitzvah--as if you were not only running-- but 'nirdefa'--as if being chased. It is that little bit of extra effort that makes one among the first to be in Shul, or among the first to be at the Shiur, or among the first to help. It is more, though, than a 'numbers' game of being among the first or earliest--it is the quality of the Mitzvah that is being performed--a Mitzvah with an especial zeal, a real striving, a Mitzvah of added desire, respect and longing. Even if one has difficulty physically running at the 'being chased' level, or even running at all, one can demonstrate his alacrity and eagerness with his timeliness, zest and enthusiasm. It is said in the name of the Chofetz Chaim that as part of one's lot in life he may have to be subjected to 'redifos'--to being chased. Instead, the Chofetz Chaim suggests, of being chased, c'v', by tzaros, or by monetary matters, or by the Yetzer Hora, one may attempt to replace the redifos with chasings by and of Mitzvos and Ma'asim Tovim. At the end of your day, an important question that you can ask yourself is--what chased me today? If you need to fix it the next day--may we suggest beginning with the way you get out of bed and/or the readiness in which you prepare for and begin your morning Tefillos. If a commoner quickens his pace when he nears the bar or restaurant--what should we do when we draw near to Shul or the place where we will be helping someone?!

Additional Note: Although one moves quickly as he draws near to the Shul or the place where he will daven, the Mishna Berurah (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, Introduction to Chapter 46) writes that before actually entering the Shul, one should pause and wait a little in order to feel and appreciate the fearsomeness, the awe and the majesty of the place, and of the moment.

In the Days of Mashiach

Remember "In the year 2000" from the Conan O'Brien show? Kinda silly but it would be great if they had that for "In the Year of Mashiach" or "When Mashiach Comes".

Here is my first entry:

Voicemail message if you are a Kohen: "You have reached Mr. Cohen. Heis not available at the moment. Please leave a detailed message and he will, bli neder, get back to you with alacrity after he finishes his shift at the Beit Hamikdash."

Feel free to give me more ideas - hey maybe I'll even turn it into a blog on one of the blog sites! Meanwhile we're here.

"Moshiach is on his way, in Jerusalem we'll stay!"

Thank you for reading and let's bring Moshiach now!

Esther Asna Cohen