Lazer Beams

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

Rav Michel Dorfman, ob"m

Today, the 5th of the Hebrew month of Av, is the yahrtzeit (anniversary of the passing) of the holy Rabbi Yitzchak Luria Ashkenazi of Tzfat, of sacred and blessed memory, the father of Kabbala.

Today is also the first yahrtzeit of a quiet and modest human with a gigantic character, Rabbi Michel Dorfman, one of the leading Breslover chassidim of this past generation. He was a walking Garden of Emuna, whose faith in Hashem had the fragrance of the most exquisite orchid. Born in the USSR, he stayed firm in his faith against the Russian communists and spent seven years in Siberia because of his Jewish activities. He brought the first people to Uman (Gedalia Fleer, Rav Rosenfeld, and others), which led to reopening the gates to Rebbe Nachman's holy gravesite.

Rav Michel had the quiet, immocent power of faith. As an elderly man in his seventies, he flew to the USA to "seek" an audience with President Carter to ask him to intervene in the Communist's plans to build a building on top of the Rebbe Nachman's gravesite. Not knowing a word of English, through prayer and Emuna, he  managed to reach Carter and have Brezhnyev cancel the plan. Rav Michel was the moving force behind reestablishing the Rosh HaShanna gathering in Uman. He loved ALL Jews, no matter how far they were from Judaism. He lived Emuna. May his pure and blessed soul find eternal rest among the tzaddikim in Heaven, amen.

Melitzer Sheva Brachot

In the Orthodox Jewish world, the 5 and a half weeks between Shavuot and the middle of Tamuz is wedding season. A Jewish wedding is followed by 7 days of festivity, the shiva yamei mishte. Each individual day's festive meal is known as sheva brachot, literally "7 blessings." You are cordially invited to join us at a sheva brachot celebration at the Melitzer Synagogue in Ashdod: the kalla (bride) is the grandaughter of the Rachmastrivker Rebbe of Jerusalem, and the chosson is the grandson of the Melitzer Rebbe of Ashdod and the Machanivka Rebbe of Bnai Brak. Enjoy!

Melitzer Rebbe's Erev Shavuot Message to the Web-viewing Public, 5767

This is the first time in cyber history where a major Chassidic Rebbe specially addresses the web-viewing public.

I was 98% sure that the Melitzer Rebbe shlit'a would refuse when I first approached him with the idea that he address the internet public. His agreement to do so, in order to reach those who may never have the opportunity to see or hear a rebbe in their lives, makes me realize that he is even a greater tzaddik than I thought he was, who fears no one other than Hashem.

Emuna Outreach and the Beams is pleased to introduce you to the Melitzer Rebbe Shlit'a, Grand Rabbi Naftali Moscowitz, who bears a personal message and blessing for each of you. The Rebbe has also allowed us to publish his address, so that anyone who wishes can write and ask for whatever blessings or advice that he or she may desire: Grand Rabbi Naftali Moscowitz, Rehov HaTzivoni 7, apt. 14, Ashdod, Israel, 77571.

Welcome, Melitzer Rebbe:

Moshiach's Best Sellers

It was the day before yesterday, Monday afternoon in Israel and still Yom Tov, so no one in our area had heard the news.

Between the Mincha (afternoon) prayers and the Maariv (Evening Service that ushers out the holiday), the Melitzer Rebbe holds his "Neilat HaChag" tish ("table" in Yiddish, a term for the Rebbe's festive meal), which is very similar to what's known as "Seudas Moshiach" in Chabad. The Rebbe talks Torah, tells stories (the Melitzer is an unbelievable storyteller; many of his stories have been passed down to him by his greatgrandfathers the Baal Shem Tov, the Noam Elimelech, Rebbe Yechiel Michal of Zlatshov, and on down the line), and sings traditional Chassidic melodies.

In the middle of the Tish, the Rebbe was very serious; out of the blue, he suddenly started smiling from ear-to-ear (as in the following photo that was taken right before Pesach):

Something was obviously pleasing him. He began an elaboration of Psalm 117, which calls for the enemies of Israel to praise Hashem, for Hashem miraculously saves Israel from their clutches.

One would ask, "Why should Assad, Hania, and Achmedinejad praise Hashem for rescuing Israel?" The Melitzer Rebbe answers, "No one knows better than they do about the schemes they connive day and night to kill Jews. If we knew the whole truth, we couldn't sleep at night. That's why when Moshiach will come - soon and in our time - the best sellers will be the autobiographies of Israel's enemies, when they'll be forced to reveal the whole truth about their sinister plots against the Jews. Only then will people begin to realize the fantastic miracles that Hashem did and does every minute in thwarting their designs." The Rebbe then laughed, we sang a niggun, and then completed the meal by saying grace.

When the holiday was over, the news that a major massacre had been averted earlier in the day spread all over Israel. It was bizarre - nothing was there to prevent the terrorist from detonating the 200+ pounds of explosives he had succeeded in bringing right into the heart of Tel Aviv. Strangely, he turned around and drove back to so-called Palestinian territory. There, in the town of Kalkilia, the car blew sky high.

Nobody in the media - Israeli or otherwise - has bothered to say, "Thank You, Hashem!" To correct this terrible oversight, we here at the Beams and Emuna News formally declare in the name of the people of Israel and our friends, "Thank You, Hashem, for this additional miraculous act of lovingkindness!"

I don't know whether the Melitzer Rebbe made the news or knew the news. Either way, 150 other people saw and heard what I saw and heard.

As long as terrorists continue to play with bombs and explosives, let's hope and pray that the bombs and explosives continue to blow up in their own faces.

Have a joyous and healthy summer. Warmest regards from sunny Ashdod.

"Dvekus" - a pictorial essay

"Dvekus" literally means "attachment to"; in Chassidic jargon, it describes one's clinging to Hashem. The greater a tzaddik is, the stronger and more constant his "dvekus" to Hashem. With Hashem's loving help, we seized an opportunity to show you the dvekus of a real tzaddik - the Melitzer Rebbe shlit'a. These are fresh pictures of the Sunday night sheva brachos (after a Jewish wedding, we have 7 days of festivity, joyous meals, and celebrating, known as "sheva brachos") at the Melitzer Shul in Ashdod. The Rebbe's grandson Itamar, son of the Bistiner Rebbe of Petach Tikva, married the granddaughter of one of Israel's leading poskim (rabbinical lawgivers), Rav Meir Bransdorfer of the Eda Haredis in Jerusalem.

Here's what the Melitzer looks like, dancing in dvekus:

Photo 1: Melitzer Rebbe with his grandson Itamar, the bridegroom

Photo 2: Holy ecstasy

Photo 3: The fire of holiness

Photo 4: Two of Ashdod's foremost tzaddikim: left, the Pittsburger Rebbe shlit'a; right, the Melitzer Rebbe shlit'a

Below, you can see a 30-second film clip.

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May you all have joy in your own homes, amen.

Mazal Tov to our wonderful friends Antony and Avivit Fields in the UK on the birth of their son.

Mazal Tov to a very special couple that holds a special place in my heart - Ken and Rachel Tzipora Salkover in the USA, on the occasion of their first anniversary.

Hot off the presses: Nachum Kligman, my dear friend from Bet Shemesh and the moving force behind Emuna TV, just now informed me that his wife gave birth to a baby boy - Mazal Tov!

Adar is the month of joy... we're only getting warmed up...

Abir Aluf meets Melitzer Rebbe

 

Our neighbors in the Chassidic Rova Chet neighborhood of Ashdod couldn't figure out whether to panic or rejoice. A Jerusalem-based taxi pulled up in front of the modest apartment where the Melitzer Rebbe shlit'a resides, the door opened, and out came a figure that could have been either Bin Ladin or - vive la differance - our forefather Abraham. Dressed in traditional Habani-Yemenite-Jewish garb was none other than Mori Yehoshua Sofer shlit'a, the Abir Aluf.

The next 45 minutes were spell-binding. The Melitzer and the Abir Aluf sparred in Torah. They traversed the arena of Torah, the Prophets, Gemorra, Jewish ethics, Zohar, the Tosefos, and the Malbim. The Melitzer threw questions at the Abir Aluf, and he answered by heart as if the volumes were open in front of him. It was amazing. The Aluf then told the Melitzer the history of his family, whose documented lineage goes back 100 generations to the first Holy Temple. He told the Melitzer about the Abir tradition and how the secret was preserved in the Sofer family.

 

The Melitzer Rebbe then probed the Abir Aluf about the specific techniques of Abir, the traditional Israelite combat art that goes back to our forefather Abraham. The Aluf discussed not only a variety of techniques, but elaborated on the source of each technique in the Torah.

Abir Ro'im, the father of the Abir Aluf, is blind and 100 years old. Nevertheless, he still exercises daily and - eyesight or not - wields a swift sword.

The Melitzer Rebbe was amazed to see this rare photo from 1922, proof of something that history finds incredible: King Abdulla Ibn Hussein of Transjordan sits under the watchful eyes of his Jewish bodyguards, Habani Yemenite brothers Sayeed, Salaah, and Saadia Sofer (notice Safeed's especially long sidecurls, left), uncles of today's Abir Aluf, Grandmaster Yehoshua Sofer.

The Melitzer was intrigued to hear about the traditions of the Habani Jews, which the Sofer family has so zealously guarded against the winds of time. The Abir Aluf is the type of walking example of azut d'kedusha, the boldness of holiness that our forefathers were known for. The meeting terminated with the Melitzer Rebbe blessing the Abir Aluf, and presenting him with a wholehearted letter of support that endorses the Abir Aluf personally, and implores anyone who seeks to learn combat arts to pursue it in a way that is compatible with with Torah, holiness, and spiritual purity.

For an example of Abir techniques, see the Naftali tribal combat style here.