Lazer Beams

Who Goes First?

Rebbe Natan tells about a dispute between Hashem and the Jewish People that delays the final redemption. Hashem says, “Come back to Me and I will come back to you” (Malachi 3:10). Hashem wants us to take the initiative, awaken ourselves, and repent. Then, He will come back to us and redeem us.

The Jewish people say, “Bring us back to You and we shall return” (Lamentations 5:21). They claim the opposite - first Hashem should bring us back and redeem us and then we will repent. In other words, let Hashem take the initiative.

Hashem wants us to make the first move and we want Hashem to initiate. This dispute is holding up the redemption.

Who's right? Who has to make the first step? Watch this week's lesson, Who Goes First?, and you'll find out.

"I Await His Coming"

We are delighted to share with you a magnificent clip of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of blessed and saintly memory, speaking about Moshiach. Seeing and hearing a true tzaddik is in itself a purification of the soul. Have a wonderful Shabbat and weekend.

The End of Days: Gog and Magog

Do you think your life is difficult? Are you aware that you begged Hashem to come down to this world and experience the challenges that you now have? Hear all about it in this eye-opening 6-minute clip:

Have a wonderful Shabbat B'haalotcha and a relaxing weekend.

The Wheels of Geula

1. Russia to the West: Hands off the Ukraine.

2. North Korea challenges the world.

3. Iran dispatches 6 warships to international waters.

4. Israel: Home front drill not a scenario.

5. US Dollar: Plunging, having fallen 6% in the last 4 weeks.

The wheels of the Geula are already turning...

I'm off to the Ukraine for 5 days, to spend Shavuot in Uman by the holy gravesite of Rebbe Nachman in Uman. You are certainly in my prayers.

Last Generation Before Moshiach

Longing for Beit Hamikdash

You can feel it in the air, here in Israel. It defies words, but something is happening. The scent of Geula and Moshiach is in the air; it's subtle still, but if a person can't smell it, he really needs an ear, nose, and throat specialist.

Rina from Los Angeles sent me a very special email earlier today: "I dreamed that I was on a cattle car with a bunch of other Jews from our synagogue, and they were taking us to a concentration camp somewhere in the Nevada desert. All of a sudden you appeared, Rabbi Lazer. You unlocked the door and started pulling people off the train. You yelled, "There's no time to lose, either jump now or die!" You extended your arm to me, motioning for me to approach the door. I was so afraid. You whispered, "Jump, Rina!" I did, and when I opened my eyes, I was at the Kotel in Jerusalem. The Levites were singing the Hallel for Rosh Chodesh..."

Francis from Singapore also had a dream two nights ago, where he saw me talking about Rosh Chodesh.

Dreams notwithstanding, we long for our Holy Temple, the Beit HaMikdash.

Come on Home!

Holocaust Day this year falls on Monday Night and Tuesday, 20-21 April, 2009.

Many people are asking if there could be another holocaust, G-d forbid, and particularly in the "Land of the Free." For the last three weeks, people have been sending me a steady stream of emails asking for my opinion on Nava's post (Dreaming of Moshiach, one of the most popular Jewish blogs on the web) from April 7 entitled American Jews: Leave Now!, where she brings a number of sources that urge US Jews to leave write away.

Not long ago, Rabbi Shalom Arush said, “Those who don't come to Israel while they still can may be lucky to escape from the USA with a plastic bag and a pair of pajamas in the not so distant future.” Unlike some of the sources Nava brings, Rabbi Shalom says that they shouldn't feel like a gun is pointing at their head, but that all the Jews of the Diaspora - not just America - have an obligation to do their utmost to Come on Home to Israel as soon as they can.  

Rabbi Shalom Arush discusses the root cause of the Holocaust in One Infamous Night, our feature article in this week's Breslev Israel web magazine.

Were it not for a tragedy that happened to my own mother in Grodno, Poland (now Belarus) right before WWII broke out, your friend Lazer wouldn't be here. Read how even tragedies are all for the best in The Pin Cushion, this week's absolutely must-read.

Read about the Death Train and a dozen more gripping original Holocaust Day articles in this week's issue.

Rabbi Erez Moshe Doron says that if one really wants the truth, he or she will find it in Keep Searching.

Rivka Levy talks about what it feels like when all your neighbors are having babies and you're not in Maybe Baby.

Oded Mizrachi tells part 2 of Girl of Sinai and Shlomo Brunell tells us part 6 of his personal odyssey from Presbyterian Minister to Orthodox Jew in Strangers No More.

Alice Jonsson asks a tough question in Who are You to Judge? Sara Azulai writes about this year's Blessing in the Curse. Breslev Kids get more Perek Shira for kids.

This week's Torah portion is Tazria - Metzora. Here's wishing you a week of blessings and success.

And Even Though He Tarries...

All the preconditions that our sages have stipulated for the coming of Moshiach have been fulfilled. The time is especially ripe now, when it's Motzaei Shmitta, the year after the Sabbatical year, and when Birkat HaChama (the blessing of the sun, when it returns to the exact position that it was on the day of its creation, once in 28 years) falls on Passover eve (about once in five centuries, and today is the day).

Despite all the eager anticipation, and even though he tarries, we still wait for Moshiach innocently and patiently with simple faith. "And even though" in Hebrew is Ve'af al pi.

The Rambam's 12th principle of emuna is, "I believe with full and complete faith in the coming of Moshiach; and even though he tarries, I shall still wait for him whatever day he comes."

My beloved spiritual brother Shlomo Katz, himself a kohen (member of the priestly tribe), put the Rambam's above principle to music in his new album, "Malei Olam," an allusion to Hashem, Who fills the universe with His Divine Presence. We strongly recommend that you keep your eyes and ears open for this exquisite new CD. As a treat to Beams readers, here a "Kosher for Passover" taste:

Shlomo Katz: Ve'af Al Pi

 

Meanwhile, we hope to see you soon right here in the Holy Land of Israel in our rebuilt Bet Hamikdash, speedily and in our days, amen. Have a wonderful and joyous Passover!

"Anavim": My Humble Children

The Midrash tells us (Yalkut Shimoni, Isaiah 60:499) that when Moshiach arrives, he'll stand of the roof of our Holy Temple in Yerushalayim and declare, "'Anavim', my humble children, the time of your redemption has arrived! And if you don't believe me, look at my light shining upon you!"

My very special friend Ari Goldwag sang "Anavim" ever so beautifully in an evening of song and inspiration this past week in Bet Shemesh. The Beams is delighted to share it with you:

This week's Torah portion is Yitro. Have a wonderful Shabbat and weekend.

Shma Yisrael

We here at Emuna Outreach and the Beams want to pave the road for Moshiach, so that he'll get here a little faster. We're sure that you want to help. It's a tremendous mitzva and it won't cost you a cent. So what do we do?

Both Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef and the Melitzer Rebbe, may Hashem bless them both, told me that if a million more Jewish children knew how to say "Shma Yisrael," Moshiach would come. Together, we can do it.

Email your not-yet-observant friends and family, and promise them limitless blessings for their children by just saying one sentence before bedtime:

Shma Yisrael, Adonoi Elohenu, Adonoi Echad

Hear O Israel, The Lord is our God, The Lord is One!

The more ambitious can find the entire Shma in Hebrew, English and transliteration here.

Here is a moving filmclip that shows how the Shma prayer alone can protect a Jewish soul:

Emuna Outreach needs your help in this project. This very moment, you can become a full activist in Jewish Outreach by helping us to spread the word. You can't imagine the blessing you'll be invoking on yourself and on your family for every child you tell about "Shma Yisrael". Make it clear to the parents that you're not out to change their lifestyle or anything else, just to teach them and their children the catch phrase that is the secret of Jewish survival since the beginning of time. All you have to do is send your friends a link to this post (click on "permalink" at the bottom of this post for the link), and you're already part of our team.  We welcome you!