Lazer Beams

Straight to Miron

Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai was a “fifth-generation” Tanna, or scholar of the Mishnaic period, around 135 C.E. - 170 C.E. He was a student of Rabbi Akiva, and a contemporary of Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel II, who was the Nasi, the Scholar-President, and of Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yehudah ben Ilai, and Rabbi Yossi ben Chalafta. His main achievement was the authorship of the “Zohar,” the Torat HaNistar, or hidden Torah that he received orally from his teacher, Rabbi Akiva. The latter is described in the Talmud as the only one of a group of four outstanding Torah scholars who attempted to enter the “Pardes,” the Orchard, a metaphor for the depths of Kabbala (Jewish Mysticism), who was able to emerge safely.

Once, when Rabbi Shimon was together with Rabbi Yehudah ben Ilai and Rabbi Yossi ben Chalafta, Rabbi Yehudah praised the Romans for their construction of markets, bridges and bathhouses. Rabbi Yossi remained silent. But Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said that all those engineering marvels were made for their own self-interest. When the Romans heard this, they rewarded Yehudah by appointing him to a position in government. Rabbi Yossi, for not supporting him, was punished by exile. For his disparagement of the Romans, Rabbi Shimon was condemned to death.

To escape this punishment, Rabbi Shimon fled with his son Rabbi Elazar to a cave. There they remained for thirteen years, studying Torah together, both the Revealed and the Hidden Torah. Rabbi Shimon wrote down the latter material for the first time in a book called the “Zohar,” Splendor, or Radiance.

Rabbi Shimon and his son, Rabbi Elazar, are buried in Miron, quite close to the cave where they hid and learned for 13 years. This is a very holy place where prayers are readily answered. As soon as I got off the plane from the USA earlier today, I met my wife and daughter and we headed straight for Miron, in honor of Lag B'Omer, Rebbe Shimon's yartzeit, when more than half a million people make the pilgrimage here.

Erez Levanon, of saintly and martyred memory

Monday night and Tuesday, the 7th of Adar, is the 2nd Yahrtzeit (anniversary of the death) of my beloved friend and brother, Erez Levanon, a hidden tzaddik of this generation whose beautiful young life-flame was extinguished by the bloody daggers of two terrorists who ambushed him when he was in the middle of personal prayer in an olive grove in the valley below Bat Ayin. You'll hear Erez's voice in the following clip, singing one of his original songs, "Lev U'maayan", based on a parable by Rebbe Nachman of Breslev.

A Tribute to Rabbi Noah Weinberg, zatza"l

I'm amazed to see the sunrise once more each day; it's simply hard to imagine that the world keeps going without our beloved Rabbi Noah Weinberg, of saintly and blessed memory. Who can count the tens of thousands of souls that Rabbi Noah brought home to Hashem? Singlehandedly, he built a prodigious outreach army that includes yeshivas, kollels, synagogues, seminars, adult education, and entire communities all over the world.

I'd like to describe a very poignant, personal, and unforgettable moment I had with the Rosh Yeshiva, of blessed memory. We were thirteen graduates in Aish Hatorah's Rabbinical graduating class of 1992. Before we received our ordination during an impressive ceremony at the Ramada Hotel Ballroom in Jerusalem, Rabbi Noah talked to each of us privately. When it was my turn to enter his hallowed office, he told me, "Lazer Raphoel, from this moment on, I want you to imagine that every non-observant Jew you meet is on the train to Auschwitz. You have a minute or so to pull him off. If you fail, there may be no one to save him from the spiritual gas chambers. It's all up to you. Don't ever let up..."

That's the way the Rosh Yeshiva was. He taught us that we were responsible for the whole world and particularly for the Jewish people. He also taught us never to pass the buck, and to believe in our ability to change the world.

This week's Breslev Israel editorial is a tribute to the Rosh Yeshiva, entitled Rabbi Noah and the Big Six.

Rebbe Nachman of Breslev says that this world fools us completely. It makes a person think that he is constantly earning. But in the end he has nothing. Most people who work for years in business and trade in the end have nothing to show for it. Even if a person does accumulate money, it is taken away from him. A man and his money cannot remain together. Either the money is taken from the man, or the man is taken from the money. But one never finds that a person remains together with his money... Accurate, or what? Is Rebbe Nachman Laughing at the World?

Apropo money, Rabbi Shalom Arush talks about making a No-stress Income.

David's Story is a must read. Batya Rosen writes about Hashem's Special Forces. Our ever-so-popular Noahide correspondent Alice Jonsson tells how to Love the Mess you're in. The Melitzer Rebbetzen describes the delightful little things that happen Only in Israel.

This week's Kabbalah lesson is The Light of the Four Names.

Breslev Kids are treated to Part 20 of The Boastful Buck.

This week's Torah portion is Mishpatim. Big Bright Beam Blessings for a wonderful week!

In Loving Memory of Rabbi Noah Weinberg, Rosh Yeshiva of Aish Hatorah

The entire Jewish world is still numb with pain. Our brains can't register the magnitude of our loss. Rabbi Noah Weinberg, of sacred memory, Rosh Yeshiva of Aish Hatorah and one of the world's greatest Jewish outreach leaders of all time, left this earth this past Thursday. Yet, his legacy is eternal, having left hundreds of offspring and tens of thousands of students, one of whom is yours truly.

Deborah's Song

This Shabbat is "Beshalach", also known as "Shabbat Shira", the Sabbath of Song, since the Torah portion tells how Moses and the Children of Israel sang to Hashem after having been miraculously saved from the Egyptians at the Red Sea. The "Haftorah," or weekly Prophetic reading, also talks about song, particularly the Song of Deborah the Prophetess (see Judges, Chapter 5), after Israel miraculously defeated formidable invading enemies.

Last year at this time, I made a special trip to Tel Kadesh in the Upper Galilee some 350 meters from the Lebanon border to pray by Deborah's gravesite. Several miracles happened shortly thereafter:

1) Our neighbor's daughter inlaw, named Deborah, still had no children after several years of marriage. 10 months after I prayed for her at Deborah's gravesite, she gave birth to a healthy son.

2) Rebbetzen NB here in Ashdod had a history of miscarriages and very difficult child-bearing. When I arrived at Deborah's gravesite, Rebbetzen NB was again in the hospital, this time in labor for 14 hours. She was in danger and so was the unborn baby. The doctor's were preparing for an emergency Caesarian - before they had the chance, Rebbetzen NB suddenly gave a quick an unexpected natural birth to a baby daughter. At first, the doctors thought that there was damage to the baby's lungs. Shortly afterward, that proved wrong too. Today, this healthy baby girl is named Deborah.

3) Itai the son of Deborah, hit by a car the week before, came out of a coma.

That wasn't all...

Rabbi Zvi Aryeh Rosenfeld, of saintly and blessed memory

Tonight is the 30th yahrtzeit (the day of passing) of the greatest, most unassuming, and righteous Breslever rabbi that the USA ever knew, Rabbi Zvi Aryeh Rosenfeld (1922-1978), of blessed and saintly memory. Rabbi Rosenfeld, among other things, had a weekly chavruta (learning partnership) and a strong mutual admiration with the Lubavitcher Rebbe, may his holy merit protect us. Rabbi Rosenfeld's two son in-laws, Rabbi Chaim Kramer and Rabbi Nosson Maimon, are two of Breslev's leading scholars, rabbis, and teachers today. 

Breslever Chassid and Emuna Outreach activist Bobby Rosenberg from New York City (now living in Yad Binyamin, Israel) was a talmid of Rabbi Rosenfeld, who accompanied the rabbi on dangerous trips to Uman when Rebbe Nachman's gravesite was still behind the iron curtain. I asked Bobby to write an article for the Beams in honor of Rabbi Rosenfeld's yahrtzeit. Bobby simply could not. Bobby writes:

Rav Lazer Brody asked me, as a student of Rabbi Rosenfeld z"l, to write a short article to commemorate the 30th Yartzeit. Rabbi Nachman says in Sichot Haran that when it comes to certain perceptions of holiness - words can no longer be adequately used to communicate. To be honest, no one could ever do justice to the memory of Rabbi Rosenfeld z"l - and certainly not me. Thirty years ago at the shloshim for Rabbi Rosenfeld z"l, a Sephardi businessman named David Asulin got up and with utter purity and passion accomplished what I couldn’t even begin to convey in writing. Please take 14 minutes to listen to the clip embedded here. I can personally guarantee – you have heard nothing like it.

I agree with Bobby. The following audio clip of David Asulin's eulogy of Rabbi Rosenfeld, together with slides from the rabbi's trips to Russia, Ukraine, and Israel, is a must-hear. May his blessed memory invoke Divine compassion and mercy for all of us, amen.

You Don't Need to Change

In this eye-opening video clip - one of the best I've seen yet of the Lubavitcher Rebbe - the Rebbe addresses those of our brothers and sisters that say they can't be observant because of their secular backgrounds. The Rebbe says, "You don't need to change, only to return to your true essence." This one sentence contains everything a person needs to know. The Rebbe also speaks about the significance of life's difficulties, which are all tests from Hashem. His holy words are just what we need to hear now. This is required viewing.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe on Israel's Security

בן יכבד אב - This post is dedicated to my beloved father of blessed memory, Yaakov ben Yitzchak, whose yahrtzeit is today, Shoshan Purim Katan.

How symbolic - today is "Little Purim" and the Haman of this generation is again threatening to annihilate us. People are now saying what Emuna News has been saying for nearly 2 years now that Iran will soon be in nuke assault mode. No Wonder that IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi is preparing the troops for war.

Now's the time to strengthen our emuna in the generation's true tzaddikim. Notice that every tiniest detail of everything the holy Rebbe said is happening before our very eyes. accordingly, I was thrilled to receive from my friend Yosef K this amazing clip of the Lubavitcher Rebbe's warnings against territorial compromise and concessions. I had shivvers up my spine listening to his every holy word. Listening to the Rebbe's voice and seeing his face can cleanse one's soul. Take a coffee break and see for yourself:

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Melitzer Saturday-Night Live

From time to time, we here at the Beams enjoy sharing with you an inside glimpse into Israel's Chassidic world. Today's clip shows last week's Melave Malka (Saturday night festive meal, literally "escorting the Sabbath Queen") at the Melitzer Rebbe's Shul in Ashdod, which was a 4 in 1 festivity: Melave Malka, Siyyum (The Melitzer Rebbe's festive completion of a Talmudic tractate), Sheva Berachot (one of 7 feast days for bride & groom), and Yahrtzeit Seuda (festive meal commemorating the anniversary of the Rebbe's grandfather's departure from the physical world). Enjoy! Blessings and Chodesh Tov, a wonderful new month of Shvat.

A Visit to Chabakuk and a New Look for the Beams

Every once in a while, we like to gave the Beams a facelift. This new look is our answer to the U.S. Presidential Seal. On the left side of the banner at the top you see the Breslev flame emblem, which is made up of Hebrew letters that say "my flame." Under it is the phrase, "Shall burn until the coming of Moshiach." Together, it quotes Rebbe Nachman who said, "My flame shall burn until the coming of Moshiach." The phrase on the top is a quotation from the prophet Chabakuk who said, "And the tzaddik will live by his emuna." That's the whole ballgame, folks.

I got the idea for the new Beams appearance when I was praying at Chabakuk the Prophet's gravesite in the hills of the Upper Galilee. Chabakuk's gravesite is a very special place to pray for emuna.

Photo 1: Praying on Chabakuk's gravesite

Photo 2: Another view of Chabakuk's tomb

Photo 3: Chabakuk's gravesite from the outside