Lazer Beams

Carlebach-style Havdala with Menachem Herman

In Judaism, the new week begins with ushering out the holy Sabbath and welcoming the new week, differentiating between the holy and the mundane. This ceremony, called "Havdala" (Hebrew for "differentiation") was done beautifully in song by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, of blessed memory. Here, Menachem Herman and Rabbi Lazer perform the Havdala in Carlebach tradition.

Why Cover My Hair?

Many women ask me why Jewish law requires them to cover their hair. In a nutshell, the status of a woman's hair changes at the time she is married to her zivug, her soul-mate. The restriction of not displaying her hair to any and all onlookers symbolizes the discipline she brings to herself upon making the commitment to a single male. Through this, she brings phenominal blessings to herself, to her husband, and to her entire family, even affecting the uprightness of her descendants!

My esteemed friend, scholar, and Kabbalist Rabbi Pinchas Winston gives one of the best explanations I've ever seen as to why a married woman should cover her hair in this week's Breslev Israel web magazine.

This coming Friday (and Shabbat, outside of Israel) is Shavuot. Shavuot is also the yahrtzeit of King David and the Baal Shem Tov.

Hashem had to put evil's #1 angel to sleep before He could give the Torah to Israel. Read about it in Our Secret Weapon.

It's better to owe to your wife than to owe to the credit company, as you'll find out in My Wife, the Creditor.

Rebbe Natan explains that adultery results from a spirit of Folly.

Many have asked us about the Breslever custom of the "techelet", the blue string on their tzitzit. Read all about it in our wonderful new series, In Search of Biblical Blue.

Each Jew is a Letter of the Torah.

Fighting the Tide is part 11 of Strangers No More.

Alice Jonsson writes this week that Pity is not Justice.

Breslev Kids are learning Perek Shira; this week, the learn The Song of the Lightning.

This week's Torah portion is Bamidbar (In Israel; outside of Israel, for the next 6 weeks, our overseas brothers will be a week behind us since this coming Shabbat they'll be reading the Torah portion for the second day of Shavuot).

Breslev Israel and the Beams wish you a wonderful week and upcoming Shavuot holiday.

Aishet Chayil: A Woman of Valor

A Woman of Valor, called Aishet Chayil in Hebrew, is a hymn which is customarily recited on Friday evenings, after coming home from synagogue. Aishet Chayil is a twenty-two verse sonnet that King Solomon wrote as a conclusion to the book of Proverbs (Proverbs, chapter 31). The verses of the sonnet are arranged in the order of the Hebrew alphabet, from Aleph to Tav. It praises the woman of valor as virtuous, righteous, and capable. According to the Midrash, Aishet Chayil was originally composed by our forefather Abraham as a eulogy for his wife Sarah.

Singing Aishet Chayil at the Shabbat table after Shalom Aleichem and before Kiddush is very conducive to marital bliss. It's a lofty way for a husband to display his high regard for and his gratitude to his wife. According to Kabbalah, Aishet Chayil refers to the Shabbat Queen, the spiritual soul-mate of the Jewish people. It is also a reference to the Shechinah (Divine presence) and to the neshama, the soul. The fact that Judaism describes these exalted concepts using the Jewish woman as the metaphor shows the enormous regard that Judaism has for women. Aishet Chayil is a tribute to her.

Yosef Karduner and I recorded the following clip so that you'll be able to sing the original Breslever version of Aishet Chayil at your Shabbat table. For your convenience, below the video player are the complete lyrics in transliteration and in translation.

Aishet chayil mi yimtza v'rachok mip'ninim michrah
An accomplished woman, who can find? Her value is far beyond pearls.

Batach bah lev ba'lah v'shalal lo yechsar
Her husband's heart relies on her and he shall lack no fortune.

G'malathu tov v'lo ra kol y'mei chayeiha
She does him good and not evil, all the days of her life.

Darshah tzemer ufishtim vata'as b'chefetz kapeiha
She seeks wool and flax, and works with her hands willingly.

Haitah ko'oniyot socher mimerchak tavi lachmah
She is like the merchant ships, she brings her bread from afar.

Vatakom b'od lailah vatiten teref l'vetah v'chok l'na'aroteiha
She arises while it is still night, and gives food to her household and a portion to her maidservants.

Zam'mah sadeh vatikachehu mip'ri chapeiha nat'ah karem
She plans for a field, and buys it. With the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

Chagrah v'oz motneiha vat'ametz zro'oteiha
She girds her loins in strength, and makes her arms strong.

Ta'amah ki tov sachrah lo yichbeh balailah nerah
She knows that her merchandise is good. Her candle does not go out at night.

Yadeha shilchah vakishor v'chapeiha tamchu felech
She sets her hands to the distaff, and holds the spindle in her hands.

Kapah parsah le'ani v'yadeiha shil'chah la'evyon
She extends her hands to the poor, and reaches out her hand to the needy.

Lo tira l'vetah mishaleg ki chol betah lavush shanim
She fears not for her household because of snow, because her whole household is warmly dressed.

Marvadim astah lah shesh v'argaman l'vushah
She makes covers for herself, her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Noda bash'arim ba'lah b'shivto im ziknei aretz
Her husband is known at the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.

Sadin astah vatimkor vachagor natnah lak'na'ani
She makes a cloak and sells it, and she delivers aprons to the merchant.

Oz v'hadar l'vushah vatischak l'yom acharon
Strength and honor are her clothing, she smiles at the future.

Piha patchah v'chochma v'torat chesed al l'shonah
She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the lesson of kindness is on her tongue.

Tzofi'ah halichot betah v'lechem atzlut lo tochel
She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Kamu vaneha vay'ash'ruha ba'lah vay'hal'lah
Her children rise and praise her, her husband lauds her.

Rabot banot asu chayil v'at alit al kulanah
Many women have done worthily, but you surpass them all.

Sheker hachen v'hevel hayofi ishah yir'at Hashem hi tit'halal
Charm is deceptive and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears God shall be praised.

T'nu lah mip'ri yadeiha vihal'luha vash'arim ma'aseha
Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.

Your wife deserves to hear you sing Aishet Chayil this Shabbat. Wait and see how she smiles at you!

This Shabbat is very special - Shabbat Miketz, Chanuka, and Rosh Chodesh. May your Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Chanuka be especially lovely. Don't forget how much Hashem loves you, and the smile will never leave your face, amen.

Shalom Aleichem

Here's great news for Baal Teshuvas (the spiritually reawakened), for Breslev lovers, and for everyone that enjoys singing at the Shabbat table. Breslev's sweet singer Yosef Karduner is working on a series of new albums that will feature the Shabbat songs by each meal - Friday night, Shabbat morning, and Seuda Shlishit. Once the albums are out (later this year, G-d willing), you'll be able to learn the melodies and give your Shabbat table a real Breslever Chassidic flavor. Rebbe Nachman put tremendous importance on singing at the Shabbat table.

Here's a sneak preview of an ancient Yerushalmi Chassidic melody for "Shalom Aleichem," taught to Yosef by Reb Nachman Burstein, one of Breslev's prominent elders. Enjoy it! This sure beats talking about Madoff, missile fire from Gaza, and Bashir Assad...

Birkat Cohanim: The Priestly Blessing

Close your eyes, and imagine that we're together in the Holy Temple in rebuilt Jerusalem. Here is a blessing for all of our viewers and readers, from the mouth of a "Cohen", a member of Israel's priestly tribe, my cherished friend with the golden honey-coated voice, Shlomo Katz.

Teenage Drinking

Dear Rabbi Lazer,
I belong to a synagogue where refreshments are served after the services, including alcoholic beverages for the purpose of "l'chaim" (a toast - LB). The teenagers often descend like hornets on the vodka, and neither the rabbi nor their parents say a word. It bugs the heck out of me. Am I in the wrong? Is this a legitimate custom? Thanks for your attention. Yours, Marty from LA

Dear Marty,

The custom of "lekach und bronfan" (cakes and whiskey) goes back to Chassidishe Russia, where a person needed a shot of vodka to get his circulation going in the -30 F weather. Also, people were so poor that the little piece of cake that they were served after the daily prayers was often the only thing they ate all day long.

I am firmly against alcoholic consumption at any age and at any place, save for a minimum amount of wine required for a blessing on Sabbath and festivals. Rav Shalom Arush and I make "l'chayim" and "kiddush" on grape juice; we drink wine only twice a year - Purim and Seder night, after saying a long prayer before every glass. Tell your friends at the synagogue not to be so naive to think that their kids will limit drinking to the shul. Once they get used to the sauce, they'll be hiding bottles in their bedrooms.

Vodka is not the proper way to attract young people to the synagogue. Sincere and fervent prayer with plenty of singing and joy is. Blessings for an inscription in the Book of Life for a wonderful New Year 5769, LB

Selichot

Our Sefardi brothers - the Jews of Middle Eastern and Oriental descent - have already started to say the Selichot (forgiveness) prayers every morning in preparation for Rosh Hashana. Here are my dear friends the "Kisufim" trio from Tekoa in the Judean-Mountain area with there rendition of the Selichot melody.

This week's Torah portion is Shoftim. If you haven't yet seen the full-length video of Rabbi Lazer's 80-minute emuna talk in English yesterday at Yeshivat Chut Shel Chesed in Jerusalem, you're invited to see it right here. Have a wonderful Shabbat and weekend!

The Three Weeks

Today is the 17th of Tammuz, a fast day that marks the beginning of the 3-week mourning period that leads up to Tisha B'Av, a day of calamity for our people when both temples were destroyed. This is a time when we should all avoid conflict with our fellow human and to look for the good in other people. May Hashem send the Geula - the full redemption of our people - speedily and in our days, amen.

Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai

With Hashem's loving grace, in a few hours, we'll be off to Miron. I'll be tapping my feet all the way to the tune of "Rebbe Shimon," a lively Jewgrass song written and performed by Robbie Zev Ludwick and The Sinai Mountain Boys, as you're about to hear, together with a slide show from Lag B'Omer of last year.

Birkat Ha'Ilanot: Blessing of the Trees

Once a year, during the Hebrew month of Nissan, we have the special mitzva of making a blessing over (at least two) blossoming fruit trees. According to Kabbala, this blessing is deeply significant, and helps correct the soul that is reincarnated within the tree. That soul is forever beholding to the person that makes the blessing, for he or she has done a great favor in helping that soul attain its tikkun, or correction.

You have only six more days (until Monday, May 5, 2008) to fulfill this wonderful mitzva. All you need are two blossoming fruit trees within reasonable distance of one another (i.e. that you can see both at the time of making the blessing).

For your convenience, here is the blessing,

In English: Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the Universe, who let nothing lack in His universe and created within it good creatures and good trees in order to give pleasure to human beings.

In Transliteration: Baruch ata Adonoi, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, she-lo chisar be-olamo klum v-vara vo beriyyot tovot ve-ilanot tovim lehanot bahem bnai Adam.

In Hebrew:  ברוך אתה ה' אלהינו מלך העולם שלא חסר בעולמו כלום וברא בו בריות טובות ואילנות טובים להנות בהם בני אדם

Thanks to my brothers-in-emuna-arms Reb Nati and Reb Akiva of Mystical Paths, here we are performing the mitzva here in the Land of Israel, in a citrus grove near Moshav Beit Chilkia, between Ashdod and Jerusalem.