Sunday night at midnight marks the exact time when The Almighty split the Red Sea for the children of Israel. As such, the 7th day of Passover makes for a very inspiring day.
The same G-d who performed miracles 3325 years ago is still around today, performing miracles. Just because a miracle is subtle doesn't make it any less of a miracle. If you examine your own life carefully, you'll find endless miracles.
What's a bigger miracle than the human heart? Guess what - the same G-d that split the Red Sea is personally massaging your heart and mine this very second. No, He didn't create the world and then retire upstairs. He's still with us performing miracles, every second of the day. He's the same One that was at the Red Sea. Blessings for a wonderful Yomtov holiday!
This Shabbat is Shabbat Chol HaMoed Pesach, the interim Sabbath of Passover. In the south of Israel, the citrus trees are in full blossom. The weather is perfect. Hashem has taken us out of physical and spiritual bondage, for each Passover is our renewed freedom that we never take for granted, for every day, we thank Hashem shelo asani aved, for not making us slaves. This is a time when our hearts overflow with the love of Hashem; to express this love, we all recite King Solomon's Song of Songs this Shabbat before the Torah reading. As it is, many people sing the Song of Songs every Friday afternoon to welcome the Shabbat.
I'd like to share with you a beautiful taste of traditional Yemenite Jewish prayers. Here is a moving segment of Rabbi Yehuda Gamliel shlit'a reciting Shir HaShirim, the Song of Songs. It's hauntingly beautiful. Have a wonderful Shabbat and a continued joyous Passover!
Here at the Beams, we're concerned with strengthening our emuna. With emuna, you know that Hashem does everything for the very best, so you don't concern yourself with such "fowl" things as politics.
Passover and preparing for Passover Seder night begin with Breslev Israel.
Rav Shalom Arush sends us his Passover message in Rather Sing than Suffer. Yours truly talks about a Kosher-for-Passover mind in The KP Brain. Rabbi Berel Wein tells about The Fifth Son that we find at contemporary Seder tables. Tal Rotem reminds us of Rebbe Nachman's approach to Passover in Loving Lenience.
Don't be overwhelmed by Pesach; stick with us and everything will fall into place. First of all, the Pesach Overview is a brief summary of the basics in preparing for and observing the holiday. The Seder overview will help you prepare for and understand the Seder. In our Pesach Page, you'll find dozens of articles and stories to enrich your holiday, as well as an entire list of Breslever customs for Pesach. Enjoy!
People ask, “What’s all the commotion about Shmura matzas? Why should I pay $20/pound for matza?” Read the eye-opening answer here. Also, if you'd like to tell a delightful parable to your family at the Seder table, explain to them why this is G-d's Favorite Night.
Another great story for the Seder table is Rebbe Nachman's Bitter Herb.
The Beams and Breslev Israel wish you a most meaningful Seder Night and a joyous Passover!
Maybe the reason kids nowadays don't respect their parents is because they learn in school that their great grandparents were orangutans.
This Monday night is Passover Seder night. Seder night is a family affair when children, parents, grandparents and great grandparents get together to refresh our awareness that we are descended from holy ancestors whom Hashem delivered from bondage in Egypt. The more we go back in time, the closer we get to our monumentally holy great grandparents. That's why we have so much regard for previous generations. Have a look:
The Gemara (tractate Sanhedrin 97b) says that the Nation of Israel (aka the Jewish People) will be redeemed as soon as they make teshuva, in other words, return to Hashem and the ways of His Torah. The Gemara then asks, what happens if the Nation of Israel doesn't make teshuva? Rebbe Yehoshua answers that if Israel doesn't make teshuva, then Hashem places them under the influence of a wicked king whose evil decrees are as severe as Haman's, and then they make teshuva.
We cannot fathom The Almighty's love for us and His infinite mercy. Despite the fact that we haven't made Teshuva from Love, which is what we need to do in order to be redeemed, and despite the fact that our own misdeeds put us under the boot of each generation's wicked kings, Hashem has made an eternal promise to deliver us from their hands. That's the V'hi She'amda prayer that we recite each year in the Haggada.
Let me share with you something additional about Hashem's love for His people: The Heavenly Altar and Throne is known as Upper Jerusalem; it is situated directly above Mount Moriah, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, which is known in the Zohar, Midrash, and Gemara as Lower Jerusalem. Hashem refuses to dwell in Upper Jerusalem until His permanent dwelling on earth - the Holy Temple - will be rebuilt in Lower Jerusalem (see Gemara tractate Taanit 5a, Midrash Tehillim 122, Vilna Gaon's elaboration of Zohar, Safra DeTzniuta, ist Chapter). Many evil world leaders are denying our right to the area of our own Holy Temple. Once again, we have no cause to be angry at them, for as soon as we make real teshuva, they will crumble. But, until we make teshuva, those evil leaders should be forewarned that by disenfranchising Israel from what they call East Jerusalem, they are in effect trying to disenfranchise The Almighty. Cherished brothers and sisters, that won't happen, period.
Hashem has no gratification by forcing us to make teshuva. When we strengthen our emuna and seek Hashem on our own accord, we sanctify His Holy Name. Let's wake up, beloved brothers and sisters. It's either nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles or emuna books and CDs; the choice is ours.
V'hi She'amda is a Passover song whose words come from the Haggada. It conveys a very timely message for the Jewish people: He who stood by our forefathers stands by us to deliver us from the hands of our enemies in every generation.
One of Jewish music's favorite sons, Yonatan Razael, wrote a beautiful melody for this song, which he sings here with the king of Jewish singers, my very special friend Yaacov Shwekey. You'll get shivers up your spine and tears in your eyes listening to them. We're sure you'll enjoy this musical treat as much as we do. G-d willing, we'll be singing this same melody on the Brody seder table this coming Monday night. Meanwhile, have a wonderful Shabbat HaGadol and Pesach!
