If you're in Israel, here's your chance to meet the Melitzer Rebbe shlit'a and to get a blessing from him. Monday night, 19 Tishrei (1 Oct., 2007), at 8:30 PM, there'll be a Simchat Bet HaShoeva (Intermediate-day Succoth celebration with chassidic music and dancing) at the Melitzer shul, HaRotem 29, Rova Chet, Ashdod. Yours truly will be there too, G-d willing. Bring the whole family!
Midreshet Be'erot Bat Ayin, one of the best women's Judaism seminars I know, is especially suited for young women who want to discover and cultivate their Jewish spiritual potential to the hilt. Not only is it a fantastic place for ba'alot Teshuva (young women who are striving to get closer to Hashem) on all levels, it's also a great place for non-Jewish women who are looking for a conversion-studies program. Rebbetzin Chana Bracha Siegelbaum is an outstanding educator with a superb staff. This is the perfect place for a creative, spiritually-thirsty young lady that seeks true fulfillment in life.
I just found out that Midreshet Bat Ayin is accepting new students. Contact Rebbetzin Siegelbaum, and tell her that Lazer sent you. You won't be sorry.
Kerem Pearlman of Bat Ayin sent me this poignant photo she took of Erez Levanon walking Bat Ayin children to school with guitar accompaniment; this gives you a tiny idea about the type of tzaddik Erez was. Do you know of anyone else that says Tikkun Chatzot every midnight in the forest? Erez did.
Contributions: I'm proud of my close friend and publisher, Yaakov Kalati. He has almost extra-sensory perception. When I called him earlier today to ask what he can do for the Levanon family, I discovered that he has already established a fund for the widow and orphans, which for the time being is known as "Keren Erez". So, in answer to all of the wonderful people that are inquiring about donating, please contact Yaakov by email, at: yaakov(at)kalcom.com, and he'll tell you the best and easiest way to donate, with no administration costs and 100% of your donation money to the widow and orphans.
Consolations: With Hashem's help, I''ll be visiting Bat Ayin on Wednesday afternoon. If you want me to take your consolation message personally to the Levanon family, send it to me by Tuesday midnight, EST, or by Wednesday at 7 AM Israel time. If you don't have my personal email address, send your consolations to emuna.outreach(at)gmail.com .
May Hashem console the Levanon family among all the mourners of Israel and Zion, amen.
Dear Rabbi Brody,
In response to yesterday's post about the unemployed Gush Katif families, I would like to offer a small ounce of hope. My husband is in the process of buying a business that manufactures baked goods in Tel Aviv and is looking for a manager/baker and is willing to train. If you think that this is a good opportunity for any of the GK families please feel free to contact my husband David at 050 875 9254. May Hashem grant shalom bayit, health and parnasa tova to all of these families. Sincerely, The Abrams Family
I certainly believe this is a good opportunity! A good baker never lacks work, with Hashem's loving help. If you know someone in Israel, particularly a Gush Katif family, that looking for a promising job, give David Abrams a call. Thanks and blessings of success to David and Arlene Abrams and family.
Yisroel Chaim, the star of yesterday's Beams, shot to the top of our reader-feedback list. Loads of folks want to know his full name so they can daven for him.
With Hashem's help, I spoke to the wonderful people at the Zichron Menachem Association, the support group for cancer-stricken children and their families that produced yesterday's video clip. Efrat, Zichron Menachem's friendly spokesperson told me, "His full name is Yisroel Chaim ben Shoshana, but thank you, rabbi - we no longer need prayers for his recovery..."
It turns out that the film clip from yesterday is a year old; since then, Yisroel Chaim has received a completely clean bill of health. The nasty Big C has disappeared.
In my humble opinion, Hashem's blessing was enhanced by Yisroel Chaim's unshakable emuna, and by the phenominal efforts of Zichron Menachem. They do wonders for children like Yisroel Chaim, as you can see here.
Established in 1990, Zichron Menachem (ZM) is named in memory of Menachem Ehrental, an Israeli boy who battled cancer for over 14 years - from age 18 months until his young death. Drawing on their vast experience as parents of a cancer-stricken child, Menachem's family founded ZM as a non-profit organization aimed at easing the suffering of young cancer patients and their families. They are doing phenominal work.
Often, we receive inquiries from people looking for worthwhile charities. Put Zichron Menachem on your list, and be a partner in saving lives and putting smiles on the faces of children that are so courageously fighting for their lives.
Looking for something to do this weekend? If you're anywhere near the Washinton DC - Maryland - Virginia area this coming Sunday, November 19, pile the family in the car and drive out to the beautiful Shady Grove Campus of the University of Maryland for 6 hours of free entertainment (that's right - free admission!) at the Jewish Folk Arts Festival, 2006.
At 4:30 PM in the Building 1 auditorium, you'll be able to hear one of Jewish music's all-time greats, Avraham Rosenblum, playing a blazing guitar-mandolin duet with Robbie Zev Ludwick. You don't want to miss that. Here's a sample of Avraham and Robbie playing a really sweet down-home niggun together, Mikol Melamdai. (Click the little button on the bottom left side of the screen to start the flick). Enjoy it! If you attend the show, Give Avraham and Robbie warm regards and blessings from ol' Lazer.
Avraham Rosenblum: Jewish country-rock music at its very best
Chesed Dollars is a creative new way to raise needed funds for the Yeshiva Ketana of Passaic New Jersey. Its a website that features a Daily Deal and a searchable database of online coupons. Anyone can search for a product or service, click thru one of the banners, and get whatever they want at a discounted price.
So, what's the big deal about that? The big deal is that Yeshiva Ketana of Passaic New Jersey gets 10% of the profits from this website. This is a real win-win situation for everyone. The consumer wins by getting a discount and saving money, and the Yeshiva wins by getting 10% of the profits from the website. The website also has a community discussion forum. Check it out. This is a delightful and easy way to support Torah, one of the loftiest mitzas there is.
Grand Rabbi Naftali Asher Yeshayahu Moscowitz, the renown "Melitzer Rebbe" shlit'a - one of this generation's leading scholars, tzaddikim, poskim, and author of the "Peros HaIlan" halachic discourses and the "Nefesh Chaya" linear interpretation of the Book of Psalms, will be arriving in London this coming Thursday for a two-and-a-half week stay.
During the week of Parshas Chayei Sara, the Rebbe shlit'a will be the guest of the Shapira family in Golder's Green, and will be available for advice and blessings. You can arrange an appointment by calling 208-458-4248.
During the week of Parshas Toldos, the Rebbe shlit'a will be the guest of the Glick family in Stamford Hill, and will be available there too for advice and blessings. You can arrange an appointment by calling 208-800-5679.
The Melitzer Rebbe shlit'a is the grandson of the Shatzer Rebbe of London, of blessed and saintly memory, and a 7th generation son-after-son descendent of Rebbe Yechial Michal of Zlotchov. His saintly grandfathers also include the Baal Shem Tov, The Degel Machane Ephraim, The Noam Elimelech, Rebbe Meir of Promishlan, Rebbe Naftali of Ropshitz, and other great tzaddikim. He is fluent in Hebrew, Yiddish, and English.
If you're in the UK, this is an opportunity you don't want to miss. The Melitzer shlit'a is one of the true tzaddikim of our generation.
My friend Reb Simcha from Yerushalayim writes: "There are many young English speaking people today that have developed an interest in the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov as well as mysticism and spirituality. The problem is that there is no Shadchan who specializes in this field. As a result many of these young people sit around with out shiduchim or eventually marry someone who does not share and may even be opposed to their interests... After seeing this happen to a number of close friends, I decided that some kind of Breslov Shadchan Service was needed. I set up www.breslov-shadchan.com as a free service to help people who fit the above profile find their zivug."
If you haven't yet found your partner in life, try giving Reb Simcha a call (contact info here). We here at the Beams wish Reb Simcha and all his clients - both current and prospective - tremendous success and many lasting matches, amen.
image courtesy of www.allartdirect.com
"Sticky-subject day" here at the Beams; with a heavy heart but with a public responsibility, I must post the following distasteful post. If it leads to preventing even one tragedy, it's more than worth it:
Shalom Rabbi Brody shlit"a,
Regarding the issue you mentioned on your blog recently, about gilgulim from the dor hamabul and arayos [reincarnated souls from the generation of the flood and lewdness - LB]: I have become aware of several cases of child molestation in the frum community. It is just so revolting and heart-breaking. Completely pure, innocent children having their lives ruined by a seemingly frum Jew. In one situation, the perpetrator was driven out of town by some rabbanim that I know personally and deeply respect. Unfortunately, he committed more abominations in another town. It hurts me to say so, but I feel these great rabbanim mishandled the situation and that the person should have been reported to the police. I have heard of other cases were talmidei chachamim, apparently out of concern for chilul Hashem, were not aggressive enough in correcting this issue and more children were destroyed.
How does one make peace with this? How does one maintain their emunas chachamim and yet realize that there is a real problem here that needs to be addressed?
Thank you for your thoughts, Michael K., USA
Dear Michael,
This is not an easy subject; I didn't want to deal with this in public, but after having to advise a heartbroken Baal Tshuva in the USA what to do when a blue-blooded Cheder Rebbe molested his beloved child, we can no longer remain quiet.
Please excuse my delay in answering you; before I wrote this letter, I sought the guidance and advice of two leading Israeli rabbinical personalities whom I hold in high regard.
First of all, a child molester is the lowest form of villain. If he carries an appearance of being religious, such as a warped cheder rebbe, he's lower than low by causing chilul Hashem, a defamation of Hashem's name, for which there is no atonement. The minute he lays a hand on a child - or on any other human - he gets the judgment of "rodef", literally "chaser" or attempted murderer. Any person has the right to kill a "rodef" on the spot. By molesting a child, the villain is literally maming the child's tender soul for life.
Unfortunately, as you say Michael, many community leaders are not aggressive enough against this cancer. By not acting and protecting children from molesters, those leaders are "standing on their blood", a severe transgression of Torah. Here's what we do over here, with iron-fist rabbinical approval:
The minute a molester (or potential molestor) is identified, he gets a "house call" by 2 or 3 good ol' boys with long payis and very big biceps; they don't lay a finger on the villain, but put a good 10 pounds of fear in his heart and inform him that he must do the following: 1) Tshuva; 2) Resign immediately from the cheder, and to never teach children again; 3) No severence pay; 4) To stay put, so he doesn't move to another town and begin molesting children there. 5) Pay damages to the injured party; 6) Mandatory counseling and emotional rehab. The villain then falls under close scrutiny, and if he even looks at a child, somehow bad things begin happening to him. Such a system prevents Chilul Hashem and is usually adequate.
If however, the villain tries to hide behind his "meyuchas" relatives or weak rabbis, or fails to make tshuva, we turn him over to the police. Child molesters in Israel get 18 years in the slammer. I used to be the Rav of a prison - I can tell you that the other inmates hate child molestors, and make their lives unbearable. As such, the fear of a stint in an Israeli prison is also a deterrent. Yet, not long ago, one second offender that didn't heed a rav's warnings was sent up the river for the full 18; he went to jail with a cast on his right arm, too.
Although the thing I love most is "Kiddush Hashem", and the thing I hate most is "Chilul Hashem", protecting the life of a child comes before Chilul Hashem considerations. Hashem is willing to have His holy name erased to make peace between a husband and wife - all the moreso to guard the life a child.
Rebbe Nachman of Breslev teaches that not all rabbis - especially in these times before Moshiach - are not exactly worthwhile. If your local rabbi doesn't come down like a ton of bricks on a child molestor - or seek the aid of others that will - don't have faith in him.
Parents - look for the early warning signs! Don't ever let your child stay after school alone with a teacher, and beware of a teacher that seeks to be alone with a child. Teach your child about the sanctity of the body, and that no one is allowed to touch it.
Yes, Michael - this abomination is in the tradition of the Flood Generation. May Hashem wipe these villains from our midst.
May we merit to talk about happier subjects always, yours with blessings, Lazer Brody
A delightful story by Rabbi Lazer Brody and beautifully written and illustrated by Rebecca Shapiro, the Worry Worm teaches children the concept of emuna. This book is now offered at a subsidized price to enable more and more children to learn that there's a Master to this Universe.
This is the internationally best-selling life-coaching manual by Rabbi Shalom Arush and translated by Rabbi Lazer Brody that's taking the world by storm. You owe yourself the gratification that this book will give you. (Softcover, 251 pages)
280 pages. "This book turns you into the best person you can be." (Tamar Yonah, Israel National Radio - Arutz 7)
Here's the delightful family book of the weekly Torah portions, enhanced with Rav Lazer Brody's original parables. A must for every Shabbat table! Kalcom Publishing, 254 pages.
