Lazer Beams

Straight Talk from Rabbi Chaim Richman

My esteemed friend Rabbi Chaim Richman heads the Temple Institute in Jerusalem, and he's probably one of the most authoratative people alive as to the laws of our Holy Temple, may it be rebuilt soon, amen. Here, he responds to those who are tacitly undermining the security and welfare of our people and our country. This is not politics - it's basic survival:

Introducing the Armchair Commando Series

Here's how to stay in shape without leaving your desk:

Like A Rolling Stone

Mick Jagger and a popular avant-garde magazine turned the expression “rolling stone” into a household word. But, did you ever stop and think about what a rolling stone really signifies?

A person is walking down the street; he sees a white, roundish looking stone in the middle of the street. He has an irresistible urge to kick the stone as he’s walking in stride. The stone rolls straight for a few meters, and when our pedestrian catches up to it, he kicks it again. After the third or fourth kick, he ignores the stone altogether, until some other person on foot comes by and kicks the stone. Such is the life of a rolling stone – it gets kicked from person to person and place to place.

What in the world does all this have to do with Shavuot, that's only 9 days away?

Continue reading Like A Rolling Stone in the brand new issue of Breslev Israel Weekly.

Also this week:

Rabbi Shalom Arush: Impressing Others

Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach: Only a Yid

Rabbi Pinchas Winston: Light at the Fingertips

Zev Ballen: What Hurts Daddy?

Rivka Levy: Job's Friend

Racheli Reckles: Manufacturer's Instructions

Chaya Ovadia: Beyond Logic

This week's Torah portion is Nassa.

If you really care about yourself, pick up a copy of the brand-new Garden of Gratitude.

If you're out on the road during Memorial Day weekend, please drive safely. Assume that the other driver will do something stupid, and try to anticipate problems before they happen. You won't be able to concentrate on the road if you're talking on a cell-phone; in most states, that's illegal anyway.

Have safe and wonderful week!

Freeing Gilead Shalit: The Best Way

Rabbi Lazer,

I am the campaign manager for the "Free Gilad Shalit!" Billboard effort. We are trying to raise money to put up this billboard near the UN. I have been in touch with the Shalit family and they want to see it go up. I am looking to reach as many people as possible with this message. I am hoping you could write about my efforts and post the link to the campaign on your blog (also maybe to your facebook and twitter). I also have high profile endorsements from Alan Dershowitz, Nonie Darwish(of Arabs for Israel) and radio show host LiAmi Lawrence (I spoke on his show). Any help with getting the word out is greatly appreciated as are all monetary donations large or small. Feel free to contact me directly with any questions. Here is the link to the campaign. Here is an article written about this.

Thank you,Gal Sitty, Campaign Manager - Free Gilad Shalit Billboard

(818) 929-4118, gsitty@yahoo.com

B"H

Dear Gal,

I have tried to contact the Shalit family several times and never received a response. You won't like my answer, but when you're losing the game, you either change the coach or change the strategy.

The Shalits continue with their political activism, and it has not yielded results. Your billboard project is a continuation of what is in my humble opinion, wasted effort.

Rather than appealing to flesh and blood, all of us should be appealing to Hashem for Gilead's release. If the Shalits would strengthen themselves in emuna - not change their lifestyle or necessarily become observant but simply begin appealing to Hashem and asking others to do so - this would create a magnificent sanctification of Hashem's name that would undoubtedly invoke phenomenal Divine compassion that would lead to miracles.

This is certainly not the response you requested, but if you truly care about Gilead ben Aviva, you'll forward this letter to Noam and Aviva.

Breslev Israel, Emuna Outreach, and I would be willing to do anything we could to help organize an emuna campaign all over the world to get a million people to pray for Gilead's freedom. In any event, as an act of friendship and good faith, I am hereby publishing your letter on the Beams.

With blessings always, Lazer Brody

Image, below: Rabbi Lazer praying at the holy gravesite of the Baba Sali in Netivot for Gilad Shalit's release. Please join us and pray for Gilad ben Aviva - don't stop until he's home safely!

 Photo by David Bader

Bibi cites Rebbe Nachman

All the Israeli media is citing polls that Prime Minister Bibi Natanyahu's popularity has taken a turn from a nosedive 31% approval with full throttle up to a 53% approval after his speech in Congress. Many people are shrugging their shoulders and asking, "What's the big deal? The PM said nothing new!"

I'll tell you what the big deal is - the Prime Minister mentioned Rebbe Nachman of Breslev - quoting the Tzaddik and mentioning his name is enough to turn the scales.

In the clip you're about to see - courtesy of dear friend Yossi Sasson from Ephrat, may Hashem bless him - Bibi is talking his exercise walk with his wife Sara and the bodyguards on the morning before his speech in DC. A few Israeli journalists get to tag along; one asks Bibi how will he possibly pull Israel out of the diplomatic frying pan when the whole world is on our cage. Bibi answers, "Haven't you ever heard of Rebbe Nachman of Breslev? He said that the whole world is a very narrow bridge, and the main thing is not to be afraid at all..."

See for yourself:

I pray that the Prime Minister's coming successes will be the result of an hour of personal prayer a day, Shabbat and tefillin. Bibi comes from good stock; his paternal grandfather was a well-known orthodox rabbi, and from what I'm told, Bibi is a direct descendant of the Vilna Gaon.

Big Beams blessings for a wonderful Shabbat!

Introducing "The Garden of Gratitude"

With Hashems's loving grace, this book is the most significant life-changer since The Garden of Emuna. And congratulations everyone - you can now attain your brand new copy of The Garden of Gratitude here.

 
The Garden of Gratitude by Rabbi Shalom Arush and translated by Rabbi Lazer Brody is an ever-so-bright spiritual light that is guaranteed to illuminate your life in a way you can't begin to imagine. This book is the next step up the ladder of inner peace and self-realization from Rabbi Shalom Arush's multi-million copy international best-seller, The Garden of Emuna.

Written in a reader-friendly and readily comprehensible style, The Garden of Gratitude explains how to make a quantum leap in your personal and spiritual growth – through gratefulness! The attribute of gratitude is a prerequisite to true happiness and success in all of our interpersonal relations, especially marriage.

If life seems to be like a brick wall or a dead end, then learning to give thanks is the key to a new tomorrow. As you'll see in this amazing book, gratitude defies nature and invokes miracles of every type. People surrounded by the darkness of supposedly-terminal diseases or apparently insurmountable debts saw the light of day after taking the advice of this book.

Imagine that your life is digital washing machine with 26 cycles, but you only know how to use 3 of them. The Garden of Gratitude will teach you how to learn the other 23 and get the most out of your life. Reading this unforgettable book will make a dramatic change in your life for the better and will do wonders for your interpersonal relationships. This book is something you owe yourself.

Deluxe softcover, 384 pages.

Beams Bulletin: It's Here!

If Hashem sent Rav Shalom Arush 200 Watts of Moshiach's light with the multi-million copy best-selling Garden of Emuna, then there's 400 Watts of Moshiach's light in The Garden of Gratitude, which we had the privilege of translating and adapting for the English speaking public. The book just arrived in Jerusalem from the printing presses, and will go on sale in the Breslev Israel online store later today. You have no idea what this book will do for you... More details forthcoming soon, G-d willing.