Lazer Beams

Only Prayer

Reb Nati from Mystical Paths interviews Rav Lazer, who gaves an amazing spiritual explanation about the threat against Israel and how to deal with it.

Everywhere I Walk, I Walk in the Land of Israel

In continuation of our Eretz Yisroel series this week, here is a clip of Guy Tzvi Mintz and I singing Rebbe Nachman's famous quotation, "Wherever I walk, I am walking in the Land of Israel." A basic tenet of Breslever Chassidic thought is to strive to move to the Land of Israel. Even if one can't, one should yearn so much for the Holy Land, that one's thoughts and feelings are actually here. The more you love someone, the more you think about them.

This week's Torah portion is Vayakhel. Here are wonderful commentaries that you can use for your Shabbat table, including a Chassidic Pearl and a Chassidic story. The Beams and BreslovWorld wish you a wonderful week.

Rebbe Natan's Yahrtzeit

Today, the 10th of Teveth, is the 163rd anniversary of Rebbe Natan (Nosson) of Breslev's passing from this world. Rebbe Natan is dear to us beyond words. My editorial this week at BreslovWorld is about him, and there're 3 other fantastic articles about him there written by Rebbetzin Debbie Shapiro.

Here at the Beams, we're commemorating Rebbe Natan's Yahrtzeit with some photos we took in Breslev, Ukraine this past summer.

Photo 1: Rebbe Natan's Gravesite

Photo 2: View of the Ukranian countryside from Rebbe Natan's gravesite

Photo 3: The River Bugg, here Rebbe Natan would pour his heart out in personal prayer

Photo 4: Lazer praying at Rebbe Natan's gravesite

Photo 5: A Breslever sunset - fire in the sky over Rebbe Natan's gravesite

Lev Tahor - A Pure Heart

Rebbe Nachman of Breslev says that hearing the music of an upright musician is beneficial to one's soul and spirituality; that's why it's so good to hear the music of my very dear friend and "brother", Guy Tzvi Mintz, may Hashem bless him always. Even if you don't understand the Hebrew, you'll find the music lifting you higher. G-d willing, the Jewish music world will be hearing a lot more from Guy Tzvi - he's as pure and as invigorating as the late afternoon breeze in the Judean Hills.

This song is entitled "Lev Tahor," and based on Likutei Moharan I:156. Enjoy it!

Hamilton, Ontario Kiddie Sing-along

Where there are no lambs, there certainly won't be rams. That's why Emuna Outreach places such a big emphasis on kiddie outreach, as you'll see in the clip below:

Rebbe Nachman's Lecho Dodi

Rebbe Nachman's niggun for Lecho Dodi that we sing during the Kabbalat Shabbat service on Friday night makes any Breslever start swaying and yearning for Hashem. It's definitely one of my favorites.

A jackal, a bullfrog, and a Breslever

Here's a rare two-minute clip where you'll hear the sounds of the night by the riverbank of Nachal Lachish, east of Ashdod, one of my favorite spots for hitbodedut, or personal prayer. There's also a personal message for you, too. Special thanks to my cherished friend, Rav Yosef Karduner, for his exquisite background music.

Rebbe Nachman's amazing allusion to the death of Erez Levanon

Section from page 53 of Rebbe Nachman of Breslev's classic work, "Likutei Moharan", first section, Discourse 38:7

200 years ago, Rebbe Nachman of Breslev told us that his fire would burn until the coming of Moshiach. He wasn't kidding...

* In Likutei Moharan, first section, Discourse 38:7, Rebbe Nachman makes several astounding allusions to the untimely death of his disciple, Erez Levanon of saintly and blessed memory. First, Rebbe Nachman quotes the Gemara from tractate Bchorot 57 that says, "Erez fell in our place"; terrorists murdered Erez in the groves right below his mountaintop home - "in our place" - in other words, he was a holy public sacrifice for all of Israel as an atonement for the nation's sins.

* Rebbe Nachman writes, "...the tzaddik is known as the Erez (Hebrew for cedar - LB) of Levanon (Heb. for Lebanon - LB).

* Rebbe Nachman mentions "Bat Ayin", the name of Erez's settlement, twice. The second time he mentions Bat Ayin, he juxtaposes it to "Arba Parshiot" - Erez was murdered during the time of year that we call "Arba Parshiot", when we read the "parshiot" of Shekalim, Zchor, Para, and Chodesh.

* Rebbe Nachman says, "The illumination of his face was revealed." Earlier today, I heard the details of the two young men who found Erez's body; their story sends chills up your spine: Sunday, February 25th after dark, when Erez didn't come home, they organized a search for him. They began searching in the orchard where Erez liked to go for hitbodedut (personal prayer). The night was cold, dark, and foggy with poor visibility; in the distance, between the trees, they saw a glow. Erez lay in a pool of his own blood; there was barely a place on his lean and holy body that wasn't pierced by terrorist daggers. Yet, his face was unscathed. Erez was lifeless, but his face glowed like that of Moses when he descended from Mount Sinai.

Moses? Erez was killed on 7 Adar, the anniversary of the death of Moses. Erez Levanon is the numerical equivalent of Moshe, Hebrew for Moses. (משה עם הכולל = 346, ארז לבנון = 346). Erez was undoubtedly a spark of Moses' soul.

Here's something even more mindboggling: Erez used to teach lessons in Likutei Moharan at Bat Ayin. The very last lesson he said in his life was - you guessed it - Likutei Moharan, first section, Discourse 38:7! 

My heart tells me that I'm not even scratching the surface. May Erez's blessed memory arouse Divine compassion for his exile-weary people, amen.