Lazer Beams

Search for Truth

Dear Rabbi,

I am in an unusual situation. Since studying various aspects of Judaism, I find myself drawn more and more into Judaism as the true way to interpret and practice my faith, especially with regards to cleaving to G-d. What makes this unusual is that I am a minister and non-Jewish. Now I incorporate many of these ideas in what I teach because most in my faith seem to pursue the idea of G-d and a general morality more than a desire to know G-d intimately. I believe in prayer and meditation and letting G-d search my heart to deal with things that are not His will, but I also believe that yeshua is Messiah. My understanding is that Yeshua was a Rabbi and did not seek to cancel out the Torah, but lately, I've been having doubts. I honestly do not know what to do, and was wondering if you had any advice. Sincerely, Rev. RT, USA

Dear Reverend RT,

I sincerely appreciate your letter, and highly respect your search for the truth. I want you to know that I religiously refrain from debating religion, not only with my honored Chrisitian and Muslim friends, but with my fellow Jews of all backgrounds as well. Nevertheless, when a fellow human seeks my help, opinion, or advice, I try my best to do what I can.

For the Jewish view on non-Jewish interpretations of the Bible, please check out "The Messiah Truth Project". They have a number of eye-opening articles, which explain quite clearly why Jews don't believe that Yeshua was the Messiah. I also recommend you read "Sing, You Righteous", by Rabbi Avigdor Miller of blessed memory.

Reverend, I suggest you facilitate your search for truth by spending at least a half hour a day in personal prayer to The Almighty, and begging Him to show you the way, putting all your preconceptions aside. The Almighty doesn't need our permission to search our hearts. We need to ask His help so that we can search our own hearts; that's what real soul-searching is all about. Yours with best wishes, Lazer Brody

Rabbinical cosmetology

Welcome to our new readers and visitors. I lot of you have been asking me exactly what kind of rabbi I am; well, I'm certainly not a shul rabbi. In a way, I'm a street rabbi, but maybe a field or beach rabbi is a better definition. For that matter, I'm a woods and park rabbi too.

Here's a better definition - call me a rabbinical cosmetologist. You see, with Hashem's help, I teach folks how to look their best and save them money. How? Here at the Beams, we dish out a lot of advice - for free - to help people enhance their emuna (complete faith in Hashem) and achieve inner peace. No cosmetic in the world can improve your appearance like inner peace does. Conversely, no cosmetic in the world can compensate for the lack of inner peace.

Let me explain how the above principle works: With genuine emuna - meaning that you have a strong, personal relationship with The Almighty - divine light illuminates your soul. A person's eyes and countenance are the windows of the soul. Therefore, spiritually-connected people radiate with an indescribable beauty. Divine light shines from their eyes, mouth, and forehead. Nothing is so conducive to natural beauty as divine light - vitamins from the Creator Himself!

So, if you've had a facial and a hairdo (or if you're Jewish, religious, and you've just purchased a stunning new hair covering), and you're still not looking your best, then pay us a visit here and hopefully you'll walk away with a smile on your face and a guaranteed sparkle in your eyes that Revlon or Helena Rubinstein won't be able to give you. A few rays of divine light will keep both men and women looking young and vibrant. That's what Lazer Beams is all about - to help you achieve your physical and spiritual best.

The Eretz Yisroel Series, Part 2: The Kotel, Emuna, and Redemption

Imagine what it feels like to be here praying in such an atmosphere. Indescribable.

The Divine Presence never leaves the Kotel HaMaaravi, the Western Wall remnant of the holiest place in our history - the Bet HaMikdash. If one needs any kind of salvation, the Divine Presence is available 24/7 - you don't need an appointment. In the holy Land of Israel, especially in Jerusalem, and most of all at the Wall, one feels Hashem's presence.

Our Talmudic sages therefore make a seemingly stiff statement when they say (Kesuvos 110b): "Anyone who lives in Israel resembles a person who has a G-d; anyone who lives outside of Israel resembles a person who has no G-d." Rebbe Nachman of Breslev elaborates on this concept, and teaches (Likutei Moharan 7:1) that emuna, prayer and miracles are dependant on Eretz Yisroel. In other words, outside of Israel, one cannot attain the level of emuna and prayer that one can attain in Israel.

Rebbe Nachman of Breslev also teaches (ibid.) that the redemption of our people is dependant on emuna, the pure and complete faith in Hashem. Conversely, lack of faith prolongs the exile and diaspora.

In the same vain, Rebbe Klonimus Kalman, author of "Ma'or VeShemesh" and prime disciple of the Noam Elimelech, writes (Ma'or VeShemesh, parshas Behar) that the material abundance outside of Israel blocks the light of spirituality, and is therefore counterproductive to emuna, whereas in Israel, the brighter lights of spirituality are at the expense of a lower level of materialism.

In light of the above, living in the Land of Israel is conducive to developing higher levels of emuna and spirituality.

According to the above teachings, anyone who strengthens his or her faith, comes to Israel, or does both is making a direct contribution to hastening the Geula, the full redemption of our people Israel, and the rebuilding our our Holy Temple in a united Jerusalem, soon and in our days, amen.

The Kotel and Temple Mount at twilight

Overcoming Same-sex Attraction

Dear Rabbi,

I am a 28 year old Jewish woman. I became a Baalat Teshuva 6 years ago after a trip to Israel, and 2 years ago, I met my husband, also a baal teshuva. He is truly a wonderful man, yet I struggle with my sexuality. Since I was younger I have felt that I would like to have a relationship with another woman. I have worked very hard on myself to overcome this struggle. I recently gave birth with my first child and have found that this issue has come back to haunt me full force. At times, I fear that I will never stop struggling and this pain of wondering if these thoughts will ever go away. Rabbi, please ,if you have any thoughts on this topic, please share them with me. Please do not judge me. I am trying my hardest to serve G-d with a full heart. I also love my husband deeply, I just feel my soul hurting so deeply over this issue. Please reply asap. Thank you, Lisa, USA

Shalom Lisa!

Thank you for your very courageous letter. Our sages teach us that sharing a problem with a rabbi is already half the solution. Here's why: Negative thoughts contaminate the soul. Rebbe Nachman of Breslev teaches that a lingering negative thought blocks out Hashem's Divine light. Therefore, when you tell your problem to a rabbi that you trust, you in effect release the pressure of the problem (the lingering negative thought) on your soul, and create an opening for divine light to reach you. By the way, I avoid judging people.

This time of the year is known as the "Shovevim", and it's a wonderful opportunity where every little effort in kedusha (striving for holiness) not only pays off big time, but gets extra help from Hashem. In that respect, your letter couldn't be more timely.

In my humble opinion, Here's what you need to do:

1. Talk to Hashem every single day in your own words, for no less than a half hour (preferably an hour), and spill your heart out to Him. Ask Hashem to help you overcome the lewd urges, which are nothing more than a stupid temptation fantasy from the "dark side". This strategy completely disarms the Yetzer Hora (evil inclination).

2. Avoid any secular media, movies, TV, and even newspapers, and immerse yourself totally in kedusha. Gobble up as many mussar seforim as you can.

3. Every day, say Psalms 16, 32, 41, 42, 59, 77, 90, 105, 137, and 150.

4. Think about Hashem and about your husband as much as you can.

5. Remember that the negative thoughts come from the Yetzer; the Yetzer is your enemy - he wants you dead in this world and in the next. This is no joke; life down here (yes, this world is the spiritual pits) is a war, and you have to fight to stay alive. The gays and the lesbians have quit fighting the spiritual battle to rescue their souls, and have utterly surrendered to the Yetzer; you have Torah and mitzvas - you can overcome!

6. The same way that you don't contemplate eating pork or cheeseburgers all day long, you don't have to think about other women. This will be difficult for you at first, because your entire mission on this earth could very well be to lick the battle with homosexual or other lewd tendencies. Every time you repel a negative thought, Hashem will shower on you an abundance of blessings, for only He knows how hard the battle is for you.

7. Double-check yourself that your appearance outside the house is super-modest, and don't try to attract anyone's attention except your husband's. For him, make yourself the most ravishing and appealing female in the world. If you don't get back triple dividends on your investment, write me again and we'll take it from there.

8. Pick up a copy of Outpouring of the Soul and of Rebbe Natan's "Likutei Tefillot" in English; you'll find many prayers that work wonders for the purity of your thoughts and to direct your energies in a spiritually fruitful direction.

9. Remember that on a spiritual plane, same-sex attraction is an "ahava nefula", or misplaced love. All of us are prone to misplaced loves whenever our love for Hashem is faulty or lacking. The more you enhance and enrich your love for Hashem, the more your same-sex attractions will simply disappear. I suggest strongly that you learn "Gate 10, The Gate of Love" at the end of "Chovos Halevavos" (Duties of the Heart).

10. Be very careful about ritually washing your hands as soon as you open your eyes in the morning ("negel vasser").

If you're careful about the above 10 steps, your problem will be a figment of the past within 40 days, G-d willing. May Hashem bless you and keep you and lead you down the right path. Yours always, LB

When the Kassam hits close to home...

Condi should see my mailbox, and then kindly remove her nose from the affairs of our beloved holy homeland. Here's a letter from this past Saturday night:

Dear Rabbi Brody,

We live on a moshav south of Ashkelon. Up until now, terrorism wasn't a daily issue in our lives like it is in Sderot. As long as my wife and I would keep our seven-year-old (our only child, and precious to us!) away from the evening news, he was just as happy and cheerful as any child could be.

Two weeks ago, everything changed. A Kassam rocket fired from Gaza fell on our street just as my son was coming home from school. Thank goodness he wasn't hit, but the repulsion of the blast knocked him off his feet. We took him to Barzelai hospital in Ashkelon for post-shock checkup and treatment, and after a day of observation and tests, he was released home.

Since the trauma, he refuses frantically to go to school. My wife has missed two weeks of work staying home with him. She's become a ball of loose nerve ends, because our son won't eat, and has lost considerable weight. He won't sleep alone in his bedroom, and comes into ours. We don't have the heart to put him back in his own room, but naturally, a husband and wife can't go on forever like this. We've been twice to a child psychologist who has a lot of experience with the children of Sderot, but our son doesn't react. My wife and I are at our wits end. By a stroke of luck, I heard about you from Arutz 7. I appeal to you, give me some urgent advice what to do. Thank you, A.T., Southern Israel

Dear A.T.,

There's no such thing as "a stroke of luck". The people of Israel are above luck and under G-d's never-ending care. The Kassam rocket is The Almighty's way of grabbing your attention. First, I'll give you a few suggestions about what to do for your son, then we'll talk about you.

1. Under no circumstance should a child sleep the night in a parent's bed. Add an additional bed to your son's room, and go to sleep with him. Talk to him and tell him beautiful stories. Buy a book of bible stories, and tell him how G-d has always saves us from our enemies. This month especially, tell him the story of Chanuka, how a family of 5 loyal Jewish brothers fought against the Greeks and a whole nation of assimilationists. Then say "Shma Yisrael" together. After he falls asleep (and he will, because anything out of the Torah will relax his frightened soul, a fact that your child psychologist has overlooked or does not know), move back to your own bedroom. After a week or two, your son will be back to sleeping solo.

2. It's a shame that your seven year-old is an only child. I'm sure you understand my intention.

3. Wean him back to school. For a few days, have your wife take him in the morning and pick him up in the afternoon. Gradually, you'll be able to phase that out and in two weeks, G-d willing, she'll be back to work.

4. Feed your son his favorite foods, but no junk food. Take him to the supermarket, let him pick out the food he likes, and then let him share in the preparation. Turn his meals into a fun experience of family togetherness, and his appetite will be back in no time. Feed him kosher food only and worm-free leafy vegetables.

5. Don't spend his waking hours in front of the TV. Go for walks and hikes, and build his confidence.

6. If you really love your son, and are truly concerned about his emotional welfare, you have to include Hashem in your lives. The more you turn to G-d, the more your son will forget the trauma and overcome fear. Only by learning emuna and trust in G-d, does one gain genuine tranquility of mind and soul. That's the only way that the settlers of Hevron maintain their spiritual and emotional health under constant threats of terror.

A.T., in my humble opinion, The Almighty went to extremes in order to awaken you and your wife from your spiritual slumber. The Kassam missile was a blessing in disguise, otherwise you may have spent the rest of your life chasing material amenities and watching the soccer games on TV. What about your soul? Why rob your son of his rightful heritage? In public school, he'll grow up a spiritual ignoramus.

Listen, I know it's difficult, but if you want my guarantee that your son will be 100% OK (will the child psychologist also give you a guarantee, or just continue taking your hard-earned money?), you need to begin doing three things: First, eat kosher food only. Second, no driving the car or turning on the TV on Shabbat. Third, take your son to the synagogue in your moshav on Friday night, then come home to a festive family meal. If you begin learning about Judaism and teaching your son, you have my word that with G-d's help, he'll be fine. Talk to Hashem in your own words every day. Kashrut, Shabbat, and prayer are three powerful weapons, much stronger than a hydrogen bomb, not to mention a Kassam rocket from some terrorist stable in Gaza. Keep me posted on your son's progress. My heartfelt blessings wishes for your family's success, LB

The Worry Worm Read-along

Children are highest priority here at Emuna Outreach. That's what motivated Kalcom Publishing and us to make such a major effort in publishing our first children's book. Thanks to The Worry Worm's talented writer and illustrator Rebecca Shapiro, we also had a beautiful Sunday-morning Worry Worm book-reading with the children of Hamilton, Ontario. So, call your children and have your own Sunday-morning Worry Worm read-along, and follow along us Uncle Lazer reads. What, your children don't yet have a copy of The Worry Worm? What are you waiting for? Enjoy!

Terror and Truth

It's amazing the way The Almighty maintains a perfect balance of good and evil in the world, in order to allow each of us free choice. Outside the context of free choice, the notion of reward and punishment is meaningless.

Two men of Yemenite origin cause the entire world to tremble at about 9.3 on the seismographic fear scale. Yet, to keep the world in spiritual balance, one is the epitome of evil while the other is the symbol of righteousness. Who are they?

Excuse the juxtaposition, but the evil one is the icon of terror, Osama Bin Ladin, whose goal is to destroy the world. The other is my esteemed friend Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak, the icon of truth, who's trying to save the world from destruction.

As it turns out, people are equally scared of truth as they are of terror. Why? If you acknowledge truth, that the world is not a random happenstance creation and that there is an all-powerful spiritual force who not only created but continues to sustain each and every creation, you simply have to clean up your act in life. Millions of people are terrified at Tshuva, the idea of morally and spiritually cleaning themselves up. By the way, their evil inclinations and Bin Ladin both play for the same dark-side team. The only bigger terrorist than Bin Ladin is one's own evil inclination.

Here's a clip of Rabbi Amnon in action, battling the lies of the Yetzer Hara:

A Site with a Soul

Here's the surprise I promised you before Shabbat: Meet Breslev Israel's newly refurbished English website, BreslovWorld. In addition to weekly articles by Rav Shalom Arush shlit'a and by yours truly, there's a whole cyber gift-basket of new goodies, such as a weekly lesson in Kabbalah, a weekly Breslev Kids page, and a special column for our cherished Noahide friends, that we'll all enjoy reading.

Maybe the biggest surprise you'll have is by meeting Breslev Israel's new English-language editor, right here. Go pay him a visit; you'll be more than welcome, just like you are here at the Beams. Have a great week!

It's Still a Jail...

Rebbe Nachman of Breslev teaches us that a person is where his or her thoughts are. When I used to be Rabbi of the Ramla prison, I would tell the inmates that concrete, iron bars, and barbed wire can jail a body, but they can't jail a soul. When you think about Hashem or when you talk to Him, your soul is free. Since your soul is the real you, you are free too. On the other hand, if you're driving a new Mercedes, but your thoughts center around peer pressure, car payments, money, career, and keeping up with the Jones's, you're worse-off than an prisoner with a ball and chain. A gold-plated jail is still a jail.

A healthy and happy winter to everyone.

Pulling a 180 on Troubles

How does a person seek relief from his troubles? Our troubles are dinim, severe judgments, but we have the power to turn those severe judgments into chessed, or divine compassion. How? When we thank Hashem for our troubles, we are making a statement of emuna: "Hashem, I know that everything You do is absolute loving kindness. And I know that You always do what's best for me. Therefore I know that this trouble is for my ultimate good, to test my emuna and correct my soul. I want to express my appreciation!"

Sound crazy? It's not. As soon as a person talks to Hashem like that . . . Boom! . . . he or she is no longer depressed. A wonderful upward spiritual spiral begins; sadness stops, and so do bad luck and severe judgments. The severe judgments become mercy, divine compassion and loving-kindness. Trouble does a 180 degree turn. All the troubles turn into mercy...

Continue reading here at BreslovWorld