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Here's a taste of an unforgettable evening under the crystal clear sky of Moshav Yad Binyamin this past Monday. Bobby Rosenberg, who so graciously hosted everyone on the lawn of his new home, summed it up beautifully: "I wished this evening would have lasted forever." Thanks to Chanoch Turner and Emuna Outreach Films, more clips are on the way, G-d willing.
With Hashem's everloving grace, Kalcom Publishing and Emuna Outreach are proud to introduce The Worry Worm, the first of an exciting new series of Children's books aimed at children between the ages of 2 to 200. The Worry Worm is a wonderful, non-denominational story by Lazer that brings the concept of emuna to a level that 3 and 4 year-olds can understand, as well as strengthen the emuna of adults as well. Lazer's story about two worms in an apple has been beautifully written to rhyme and illustrated by Rebecca Shapiro of Hamilton, Ontario. G-d willing, the book is now available on line here at Emuna Beams and at Lazer Beams. Judging from the warm reactions of our test readers - children, teachers, and parents on both sides of the Atlantic - The Worry Worm will find its way into many homes and many hearts, G-d willing.
With Hashem's help, The Worry Worm isn't a one-time flash in the pan, but the first of Kalcom's new "Little Lazer" series. Kalcom is doing its part to help Emuna Outreach further its child-outreach program that's aimed at teaching emuna to children. If there're no lambs, there're no rams.
The Worry Worm, like Rebecca Shapiro says, is a book for growing kids with growing minds.
This week's lesson is especially timely, since the Shmitta, or Sabbatical year begins in two weeks. A farmer that allows his fields to be idle this year - as Torah requires - needs an extra measure of emuna and trust.
And blessed are you in the field (Devorim 28:3).
The simple interpretation of the above passage is that one is truly blessed when he receives his livelihood for an entire year by way of minimal effort in the field. Contrastingly, Adam was cursed after he sinned and ate from the Tree of Knowledge. Hashem told him (Breshit 4:17-19), "Cursed is the soil because of you; through suffering you shall eat of it all the days of your life … thorns and thistles it shall sprout … by the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread!" Since the Torah calls severe toil a curse, then we can certainly conclude that the opposite - "eating our bread" through minimal effort - is the Torah's blessing.
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov teaches that we are all capable of attaining the blessing of an ample livelihood without breaking our backs from sunup until sundown. On the contrary, Rebbe Nachman suggests that we heed the Torah's advice and spend minimal time and effort trying to make money. At this point, most people raise a skeptic brow and argue, "If I don't put in a solid day's work, my family will starve! Even at ten hours a day, I'm not making enough to make ends meet!" Such a reaction is the perpetuation of the curse, "By the sweat of your brow you shall eat…"
True, one can't decide to stop work and to go fishing or play golf all day and expect to see an outright miracle of money falling out of the sky and into his hand. Rebbe Nachman lists four conditions that one must meet in order to merit the Torah's blessing of ample livelihood with minimal effort. They are:
1. Trust in Hashem: By trusting in Hashem, and not in one's own efforts, a person creates a suitable spiritual vessel for Divine abundance so that he receives his livelihood at all times, whenever the need arises (Likutei Etzot, Bitachon, 2).
2. Torah and Prayer: One shouldn't let the worry about making a living confuse or bother him, rather he should invest his time in Torah and in prayer (Likutei Etzot, Bitachon, 4).
3. Tikkun HaBrit, or Guarding the Holy Covenant: Lewdness and licentiousness damage one's livelihood; the opposite, holiness, assures an ample livelihood with minimal effort (Likutei Etzot, Mamon, 2).
4. Sufficiency: By making do with what one has, one invokes further Divine abundance (Likutei Etzot, Mamon, 27).
The Yerushalmi Talmud (Peah 35a) tells the story of Rebbe Yochanan Ben Nuri, who'd go out to the field once a year after the harvest, after all the poor people would glean the leftover wheat grains. Notwithstanding, he'd collect enough grain to eat all year long.
Continue reading here at BreslovWorld
Our special friend Baruch (Ken) Becker, talented Disney illustrator and the father of Nachman Emuna, has been worried about the various headlines lately: talk about relinquishing parts of Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria to the PA, tension on the Syrian border, threats from Iran, Hizbolla, and the Hamas, and the constant media barrages against the religious public in Israel. He wrote me and asked me what he can do. I told him that the only way to win all the wars is with emuna - putting all our trust in Hashem. This is a two-fold battle - strengthening ourselves, and helping to strengthen others by doing whatever we can for Jewish outreach. Baruch wrote back, "Fine, I'd like to volunteer for Emuna Outreach's recruiting office, calling people to get closer to Hashem." I didn't exactly know what Baruch meant until he sent me this:
When a person really desires truth, he or she finds it, as you'll see in the following letter:
Dear Rabbi Lazer,
Until six months ago, I was a member of a xtian church here in Tennessee. Our pastor, a highly respected individual with a PhD in Divinity, wrote a hand book describing the main doctrines of the church, because so many people in the congregation were confused about what they were supposed to believe in. Shortly after I read about how exactly I'm supposed to believe, I had a business appointment with a colleague in Alabama. I drove to Montgomery, arrived at his office, and saw this eye-catching book on his desk. The name of the book was "Garden of Emuna". By the way, my colleague is not Jewish; he's a Noahide. I had never heard the term Noahide before, and he explained to me that these are non-Jews that simply believe in the Jewish concept of the One God, with no additions or subtractions. My colleague (JP, who you know well) is no fool and certainly not the type for fad religion.
Anyway, I ordered a copy of the book for myself, which by miracle arrived within 96 hours to my home. I read it three times. The truth simply felt like a glove that fit. But, years of conditioning left me with doubts. I took the book's advice and went down to the river for secluded personal prayer. I held the pastor's manual in one hand, and the Garden of Emuna in the other hand. I cried, "Dear Lord, please show me the truth!" I thought that an hour went by, but by the time I finished praying, 3 hours went by. I never felt so exhilerated in my life. Such simplicity - The Lord, emuna, and me. All the pieces of the vast puzzle just came into place in my mind. I didn't have any lightning-struck revelation, but I walked away knowing the truth. I threw the pastor's hand book in the river. Then, I immersed myself in the river and declared myself in my heart a pure believer of God, nothing more and nothing less.
Gradually, the near-disappointments set in. I was ostracized by my old friends, yet no local Orthodox rabbis were interested in talking to me. I tried my luck and started writing you, never dreaming I'd get an answer. You really surprised me with your warm and speedy reply.
I owe you a big note of thanks, Rabbi, for making yourself available to a non-Jew like me. Rebbe Nachman of Breslov and his modern-day disciples like you are truly the light unto the nations. Thanks from the bottom of my heart. JT, Nashville
JT's letter shows just how hungry people are for the real deal in spirituality. If you'd like to read another very special essay from a very special Noahide, our friend Alice in Georgia, skip over here to visit the Dixie Yid.
People get ready, 'cause the train's a-comin'!
English Lectures in Uman: In the days preceding Rosh Hashanna, there are plenty of wonderful Torah lectures to listen to in the Kloiz, the main synagogue in Uman. I've received initial word from the Central Breslov office in Jerusalem that three English lectures are planned for Tuesday, 28 Elul (11 Sept., 2007) in the Sephardi section (lower floor) of the kloiz, as follows: 11 am - Rav Lazer Brody, 12 noon - Rav Nosson Maimon, and 1 pm, Rav Chaim Kramer. G-d willing, we'll announce these lectures and any changes before Rosh Hashanna.
Sunday night, 19 Elul / 2 September, the Carlebach Shul, Ramat Bet Shemesh A, 8 pm: Last night, I received word that Eliezer Kosoy will be joining us with his guitar and golden voice. Hopefully, Yonason Hill will join us too. Don't miss it!
More good news to come, G-d willing...
The Torah tells about a poor person that needs an urgent loan. The lender – rightfully so – asks the poor person for collateral. The poor person has nothing to offer but the shirt on his back. The lender asks, "Do you sleep in that shirt?" The poor person says no. The lender says, "Fine - give me your night garment as collateral" (See Shemot, chapter. 22).
The Torah allows the lender to take the night garment (a men's version of a nightgown) as collateral, but then commands the lender to return the nightgown to the poor person every day at sundown, so that the poor person will have something to sleep in. The poor person in turn must return the collateral to the lender the next morning at dawn with no excuses and no delay.
The Torah tells the lender, "Fine; you want to demand collateral from this poor guy? No problem; you are allowed to take his one and only possession – his night clothing." At this point, Hashem adds a stiff warning: "Return it [the night garment] to him [the poor person] every evening, because if you don't, and the poor person cries out to me in desperation, I will listen, for I am compassionate" (Shemot 22:26).
The Torah is revealing to us one of the most powerful foundations in emuna – the pure and complete faith in Hashem. Whenever a desperate person cries out to Hashem from the bottom of his or her broken heart, Hashem listens. Always!
This is not a messenger speaking, not an angel or a prophet. Hashem himself promises: "I will listen, for I am compassionate."
Continue reading here at BreslovWorld.
Nouriel Kalati, of blessed memory, 1932-2007
Emuna Outreach and I wish to convey our heartfelt condolences to our cherished friend, Kalcom Publishing's general director Yaakov "Eddie" Kalati, on the sudden loss of his beloved father, Mr. Nouriel (Nouri) Kalati of blessed memory, who died from a cardiac arrest yesterday, 12 Elul 5767, in Queens, New York.
Nouriel, the son of Menashe and Dina Kalati, was born in Mashad, Iran in 1932. He moved to Israel in 1969, and then moved to the USA in 1981. He was a warm and loving person with an uncompromising old-world ethic for truth and fairness. He was a highly respected member of the Mashadi Jewish community in New York, a man with a charitable heart and concern for his fellow man. He is survived by his wife Rachel, his three sons Andy, Yaakov "Eddie," and Alan, and four granddaughters.
If you'd like to make a condolence visit - mitzvat nikhum avelim - please call 972-52-5549626 for details.
May Hashem comfort the Kalati family among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem, amen.
Lazer explains to a Nachal Haredi soldier at a Jordan-border checkpoint about saying Tikkun Klali and Perek Shira.
No rest for the weary. Just like harvest season is the busiest time of the year for a farmer, Elul or "teshuva season" is a rush time for Emuna Outreach. We now have 3 new books in different stages of printing (Garden of Yearning, The Worry Worm, and Little Nachman), 4 new CDs about to be released, and numerous public speaking commitments. In addition, we are doing our part, with Hashem's loving grace, to help enhance our soldiers' emuna, for emuna is not only Israel's best defense, it's Israel's only defense.
This coming Shabbat, G-d willing, I'll be leaving the comforts of my air-conditioned flat in Ashdod to spend Shabbat with a group of Nachal Haredi soldiers in the 102-degree weather of the Jordan Valley. Not only will we be praying together and learning together, but I'll be visiting the soldiers at their various duty stations along the Jordan border.
Next week, at a time and place that I'm not allowed to publicize, I'll be meeting a special group of Israeli airmen to pump some high-octane emuna into our air force.
Emuna Outreach wants to thank all of you who have been supporting "Operation Emuna," our activities within the IDF. May Hashem bless you with a happy and prosperous New Year 5768.
Don't forget to join Yosef Karduner and me tonight (Monday, 27 Aug / 13 Elul) at 8 PM in Yad Binyamin, to prepare for Rosh Hashana the pleasurable way. Rav Shalom Arush says, "If you're not smiling, then you're not doing real Teshuva." G-d willing, we hope to have a great time.
A delightful story by Rabbi Lazer Brody and beautifully written and illustrated by Rebecca Shapiro, the Worry Worm teaches children the concept of emuna. This book is now offered at a subsidized price to enable more and more children to learn that there's a Master to this Universe.
This is the internationally best-selling life-coaching manual by Rabbi Shalom Arush and translated by Rabbi Lazer Brody that's taking the world by storm. You owe yourself the gratification that this book will give you. (Softcover, 251 pages)
280 pages. "This book turns you into the best person you can be." (Tamar Yonah, Israel National Radio - Arutz 7)
Here's the delightful family book of the weekly Torah portions, enhanced with Rav Lazer Brody's original parables. A must for every Shabbat table! Kalcom Publishing, 254 pages.
