Lazer Beams

Prayer of Thanks

My beloved rabbi, teacher, and spiritual guide Rabbi Shalom Arush, may Hashem bless him always, says that if you haven't seen miracles today, it's because you haven't said "Thank You" to Hashem.

This is the eve of a very special Shabbat - Shabbat Zchor. Purim, will be Saturday night and Sunday all over the world and on Sunday night and Monday in Jerusalem, Shushan, and the other walled cities. The bright spiritual light of Purim and miracles is shining already: ask Hashem for whatever you want and begin by saying "Thank You." To make life easier, Emuna Outreach prepared the following film clip - pray along with us. This clip is guaranteed to mitigate harsh judgments and invoke Divine compassion. Have a wonderful Shabbat and a Happy Purim.

The Evil Haman or the Bright Light

We're here to tell the story of our miraculous survival. Our enemies ultimately disappear. Here at the Beams, we're in Purim-preparation mode - join us!

Kiddush Hashem, Bluegrass Style

There's nothing we like better than seeing Kiddush Hashem, the sanctification of Hashem's name. Adar is the time of enhanced joy, so a pre-Purim Kiddush Hashem is an especially happy snctification of Hashem's name.

Bluegrass's (the Jazz folks say Jazz's) leading Baal Tshuva, Andy Statman, sure makes a foot-tappin' Kiddush Hashem here: Proudly wearing a plain black kippa, he plays "Rawhide" in the following clip alongside the world's foremost country music names - Ricky Skaggs, Kentucky Thunder, and the Cherryholmes family. Watch Andy solo at 2:12 on the clip.

A mutual friend told me that Andy was trying to contact me in NYC this past week, but we were only there for 24 hours. Maybe next time.

Apropo Bluegrass, a little bird tells me that I'll might be in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama this coming August.

A tip of the Yamulka to Robbie Zev Ludwick for sending us the video clip.

Erez's Song

Emuna Outreach presents this special tribute to Erez Levanon, of saintly and blessed memory, on the occasion of his third yahrtzeit, today, 7 Adar. Erez was a gentle and unblemished tzaddik that loved his God, his rebbe, his people, and his homeland. The voice and music is his, and the photos are of our gorgeous and hallowed Land of Israel. Come walk down the same paths where Erez walked...

For those who don't remember, Erez was brutally ambushed and murdered by Palestinian terrorists when he was in the middle of hitbodedut (personal prayer) in an olive grove below his home in Bat Ayin.

Sing Your Own Song

Don't try to fit into any mold that others make for you - sing your own song and have a wonderful Shabbat and weekend. Hashem loves you and so do we, so be happy!

The Holiest Day

With Purim less than two weeks away, today's Emuna-series talk centers around our spiritual preparations for Purim, The Holiest Day.

Bullseye

A person can score a bullseye in one of two ways. Either he/she can invest years of effort and training to become a champion archer, or he/she can be a slouch, grab a bow, shoot an arrow in the general direction of the target, and then draw the bullseye around wherever his arrow lands.

Clearly, the first way is a true bullseye and the second way is a lie.

A true truth-seeker searches for truth, and does everything in his/her power to live life accordingly.

A slouch first decides what he or she wants, whether it's the neighbor's spouse, money from a shady transaction, or a forbidden food or substance, and then builds an imaginary truth that accomodates the slouch's urges and bodily appetites.

Nothing is more embarrassing in the next world up at the Heavenly Court when the judges show a person that he or she lived their life like a slouch and painted a fictitious bullseye around their errant pursuits.

One is so much better off being a real archer - search for the bullseye of absolute truth, train with dedication, and hone in on the target.

With Hashem's loving grace, we're home safely from the USA. Our weekly shiur in English at the Chut shel Chesed Yeshiva, Shmuel HaNavi 13, Jerusalem, resumes today, Wed. Feb. 17, 2010, at 5 PM Israel time.