Lazer Beams

Aliya: Like Cleaning for Pesach

My cherished and esteemed friend Doctor Arie Keehn, who is also a key partner in spreading emuna, send us a wonderful thought:  He was walking home from synagogue at the termination of Passover with his friend, Jay Wolf. Jay had mentioned that this was the time of year that they hung up a sign in his house that says: "Dust is not Chamentz and the Husband is not the Korban Pesach" (Pascal lamb). Arie asked if he could explain why people were not stressed to put away their Pesach dishes etc. in one night, but are overwhelmed for at least one month prior to the holiday.

Jay then related the message he gives to our brothers outside of The Holy Land. He likens Aliya to cleaning for Pesach. Everyone stresses out for that month prior to the holiday, but even though we are tired, at the end we get to celebrate the holiday of our freedom. Even more so with Aliya. Aliya is stressful during the preparation process, but in the end, we get to celebrate our freedom in our homeland. Every year we prepare for Pesach, but you only need to make aliyah once.

PS - The best preparation in the world for Aliya is reinforcing your emuna. Time to come home...

Time to Come Home

Before Shabbat, my beloved teacher and spiritual guide Rabbi Shalom Arush told me the following:

1. Despite all the threats against Israel, the Land of Israel is the safest place to be and no Jew will be hurt here, as we witnessed with the recent 220+ missile attacks in the South of Israel and no Jew was hurt other than minor scratches.

2. The Jews outside of Israel should start making a serious effort towards Aliya.

3. Hashem knows what's in your heart - even if you can't make aliya at this time for whatever reason, you should be praying to Hashem every day to enable you to make aliya.

Have a wonderful week!

Aliya: All on the Table

This post is an answer to the many (Thank G-d, many!) inquiries I have been receiving recently about aliya. I'll address, with Hashem's help, the spiritual side of the issue. For the practical side, see my cherished friends and their fact-filled website at Nefesh B'Nefesh.

Israel today has its problems. Militarily, tens of thousands of missiles are aimed at us right this moment. Iran? Only Hashem knows what'll be. Almost a third of our citizens have experienced rocket attacks. A leftist elite anti-emuna press and oligarchy have systematically deligitimized our dearest citizens who were once proudly called "pioneers" but are now addressed (with a snarl) as "settlers". There is a terrible animosity between much of the Haredi community and much of the secular community, even between the national religious community and the Haredi community. Torah's overall prestige among the genuine populace is alarmingly low. A secular Israeli youth is much more interested in the NBA than he is in Mordechai and Esther.

The Arabs seem to be warming up for a third intifada. Ahlan wa'sahlan, let them start...

And yes, if your kids can't live without American fun and games, they'll have a rough time time adjusting.

Now for the good news.

Israel is in the midst of the biggest spiritual awakening since the days of Mordechai and Esther. The BTs are conservatively estimated in the high 6 figures, if not more.

Anyone that opens their eyes in Israel realizes that Hashem controls everything. The day-to-day miracles here are beyond belief.

People here are real - not superficially polite, but real. Give any two Israelis 5 minutes to talk to each other on a personal level, and they'll bind.

This is our country and our homeland. You here a siren set in to warn that Shabbat is imminent. In all the cities, there are Purim parades. Everyone speaks Hebrew. Kids grow up with different values. No, we don't haveWalt Disney and Fantasy Land - we have Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai and Miron.

Every hill in Israel has its own melody.

If you love being Jewish and you want a life (not easy, mind you) of joy and emuna, come by all means. If you're willing to become an Israeli, aliya is for you. Most people who seek to live an American, Canadian or British lifestyle in Israel are miserably frustrated.

The Gemara says that three things don't come easy: Torah, the World to Come, and the Land of Israel. Be ready to pay your dues with a big smile.

With all the above in mind and you still want to come, the Land of Israel will embrace you like a loving mother. Call NBN, and tell them that Lazer sent you.

Don't Say You Didn't Know...

Many people have written and asked what was the third thing that Rabbi Yehuda Zev Lebowitz said before he died to Rav Shalom Arush. I didn't want to repeat it. But, this past week, Rabbi Nir Ben Artzi said the same thing in his weekly shiur in Hebrew; "There will be a sharp increase of shock in the world and severe hatred of the Jews!" The main points of the shiur are translated to English at Rivka's Bat Aliyah blog.

Meanwhile, if you don't plan to make aliya in the near future, do two things:

1. Start praying every day that you and your family will be able to make aliya;

2. Do what you can to spread emuna - that way, you are Hashem's shaliach (emissary) wherever you are.

Rav Lebowitz ob"m, Rav Nir Ben Artzi, and the autistics have all said the same thing. No one can say that they didn't know.