Lazer Beams

"M'kimi" - the personal freedom song

"He raises me from meager dust, from the trash heap He has lifted the destitute; to seat me with nobles, with the nobles of His people." Psalm 113:7-8

The above passages are the story of my life. Pesach not only is the national freedom holiday, put my personal freedom holiday, when I thank Hashem especially for liberating my soul via Torah, tshuva, and emuna.

"He raises me" in Hebrew is "M'kimi," from Psalm 113 that we'll all be saying during the Hallel prayer on Pesach."M'kimi" is the song that my cherished friend Rav Yosef Karduner and I are singing together in the following clip (click on the embedded video below), our way of wishing you and yours a joyous Shabbat and 7th day of Passover (plus 8th day for our friends overseas) with true freedom of the body, mind, and soul, amen.

I want to send an extra heartfelt thank-you and blessing to all of you who have given so much of your time, talents, and resources to help Emuna Outreach spread the message of hope and faith to the far corners of the world. May Hashem bless you always, and grant you all your heart's wishes for the very best, amen.

"Drosh-Zemer" by Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak

Image, left: Lazer with Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak

The Beams, Emuna Outreach, and I congratulate our esteemed and cherished friend, one of the world's greatest outreach rabbis, Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak shlit'a, for his revolutionary new musical concept that's taking Israel by storm.

Rabbi Amnon told me earlier today that he is gravely concerned for the fate of our people with enemies tightening a noose around us, so he initiated a way to reach tens of thousands of secular Israelis fast. His new concept of "Drosh-Zemer", telling the stories of Torah by way of a popular musical motif, is taking off. The Israeli media has been giving him major exposure, both in newspapers and on radio.

With popular singer Erez Yechiel (of Tikkun Klali fame) singing the lyrics of Rabbi Amnon, their first song entitled "Moses, Faithful Shepherd" is literally off the charts. The Beams is proud to be the first English-language site to introduce Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak's "Drosh-Zemer", samples of which you can hear right here at Shofar.net.

We pray for Rabbi Amnon's success, for his success means expediting the full redemption of our people, soon, amen.

Doron: Story of a True Tzaddik

Doron Mahareta (left) of blessed and saintly memory HY"D was one of the eight Yeshiva students that were massacred last week in Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav in Jerusalem.

Last night, I paid a shiva (condolence) call to Doron's family. Every single type of Jew was sitting together, from Ethiopians to Polish Chassidim, from knit kippot to Yerushalmi white kippot, from jeans and sandals to long black frocks. Too bad that it takes a martyr of Doron's magnitude to unite everyone.

One of the rabbis from Mercaz HaRav told me the most amazing story you'll ever hear about Doron's dedication to learning Torah, a story that competes with the Gemara's account of Hillel's near freezing on the roof of Shmaya and Avtalion's Yeshiva (see tractate Yoma, 35b).

Doron wanted to learn Torah in Mercaz HaRav, one of the best of Israel's yeshivas. But, since his early schooling was in Ethiopia, he lacked a strong background in Gemara. The Yeshiva rejected him. He wasn't discouraged. He asked, "If you won't let me learn Torah, will you let me wash the dishes in the mess hall?" For a year and a half, Doron washed dishes. But, he spent every spare minute in the study hall. He inquired what the yeshiva boys were learning, and spent most of the nights and all of his Shabbatot with his head in the Gemara learning what they learned. One day, the "dish washer" asked the Rosh Yeshiva to test him. The Rosh Yeshiva politely smiled and tried to gently dismiss Doron, but Doron wouldn't budge. He forced the Rosh Yeshiva into a Torah discussion; the next day, he was no longer a dish washer but a full-fledged "yeshiva bachur".

On weekends, when Doron would come home to visit his family in Ashdod, he'd spend the entire Shabbat either in the Melitzer Shul or the neighboring Gerrer shtiebel learning Shulchan Aruch and its commentaries. Three weeks ago, he finished the entire Shulchan Aruch and principle commentaries. Doron achieved in his tender 26 years what others don't attain in 88 years. He truly was an unblemished sacrifice, who gave his life for all of us.

The next time you want to close the Gemara to watch TV, think of Doron. The next time your son doesn't want to do his Torah homework, tell him about the price that tzaddikim like Hillel the Elder and Doron Mahareta paid to learn Torah. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if Doron wasn't a reincarnation of Hillel. May his holy soul beg mercy for the grieving nation he left behind, amen.

Doron, Dearest Doron

Doron (Taruno) Maraheta was 26 and from Ashdod. An Ethiopian immigrant, he and his parents lived right across the street from me in Ashdod. Doron was one of the Ethiopian Jews who preferred to pray with the Melitzer Rebbe's congregation rather than in his community's synagogue on the weekends when he'd come home from Yeshiva. Doron was also the first Ethiopian Jew to be called up to the Torah in the Melitzer Shul.
Emuna Outreach has been especially active within the Ethiopian community in Ashdod. As such, Doron would attend my Friday night Torah Talks for Ethiopian Jewish youth. We became good friends. It was such a pleasure to see him flower as a true Prince of Torah in Mercaz HaRav.
Doron, dearest Doron, your were the epitome of everything that's holy and beautiful. Seeing your personal odyssey from Ethipoia to Ashdod to the hallowed halls of Torah in Jerusalem was seeing the prophecy of Redemption come alive. Only Hashem knows the scar that your sweet memory leaves on our hearts. Please beg Hashem in our behalf to send Moshiach now.

Lev Tahor - A Pure Heart

Rebbe Nachman of Breslev says that hearing the music of an upright musician is beneficial to one's soul and spirituality; that's why it's so good to hear the music of my very dear friend and "brother", Guy Tzvi Mintz, may Hashem bless him always. Even if you don't understand the Hebrew, you'll find the music lifting you higher. G-d willing, the Jewish music world will be hearing a lot more from Guy Tzvi - he's as pure and as invigorating as the late afternoon breeze in the Judean Hills.

This song is entitled "Lev Tahor," and based on Likutei Moharan I:156. Enjoy it!

Abir in the News

Quote of the month: "Most fighters put faith in their power; our power is in our faith!" Abir Aluf Mori Yehoshua Sofer shlit'a

The popular NBA correspondent Eli Seckbach came to Israel to get a first-hand glimpse of Abir and its esteemed Aluf (grand master), my very dear friend Rav Yehoshua Sofer. Among other things, Eli interviewed Rabbi Michael Bar-Ron, who writes:

Abir is something I've researched academically for two years and practiced intensively for one year.  There is enough proof of the authenticity, antiquity and uniqueness of 'Abir' from the Torah literature (from Tanakh all the way through the medieval commentators), history, and ethnographic research to fill a thick book. 

The proof that truly matters is in the incredible difference it has made in the lives of well over a hundred students who have trained in Abir, since it was revealed only a few years ago. Some have developed into fighters of incredible skill; even more have been "Hozer bi-th'shuvah"; being inspired to return to a life of Torah and mitzvoth.  Abir is for the young and the old--with all the benefits of "tai chi" and much more, but clean of the idolatrous roots and character of those arts, and the "kefirah" (apostacy) in newer arts, such as "k'rav maga'".

If you don't think it's cool to be an observant Jew, see Eli Seckbach's 3-minute news clip of Abir, ancient Jewish combat arts, right here:

Shuli Rand and Ushpizin

Award-winning actor and screen star Shuli Rand

Imagine that the leading stage actor in your country walks off the stage and announces that he's walking away from fame and fortune to sit on a broken bench in a run-down building that's freezing in the winter and blazing hot in the summer to learn Torah. Sound like the product of screenwriter's imagination? No - it's real - the story of my special friend Shuli Rand.

At the height of his career eleven years ago, Shuli left the screen and theater to learn Torah in Rav Shalom Arush's yeshiva in Jerusalem. He and his wife BatSheva have sacrificed what others dream of to devote their lives to Hashem.

Shuli as "Moshe" in Ushpizin, in a moving scene of hitbodedut where he's crying out to Hashem

With Rav Shalom Arush's stipulations and blessings, Shuli teamed up with director and producer Gidi Dar to produce the film "Ushpizin", a rare film that has been hailed by people of all backgrounds. Ushpizin is a unique and quite accurate glimpse of Israeli society and the Chassidic - particularly Breslev and Baal Tshuva -  community of Jerusalem. You can read a synopsis of the film here, at the official Ushpizin website.

Photo taken in Jerusalem outside the Chut Shel Chesed Yeshiva; from left, singer and actor Avraham Abutbul, Lazer, Shuli Rand

For your enjoyment here are a few select clips from Ushpizin: clip one, clip two, and clip three. Here's the trailer. Enjoy!

Don't think that Shuli is a lone wolf. When I met him last week in Jerusalem, he told me that more than twenty of his former screen and stage colleagues - Tel Aviv's best known stars - have become Baalei Tshuva (Jews returning to their roots).

Shuli enjoys a laugh with his spiritual guide and teacher, Rav Shalom Arush shlit'a

The Rands and their seven children live in the Ramot suburb of Jerusalem. We wish them limitless blessings of spiritual and material abundance, amen.

Get well, Reb Nati

Reb Nati is one of the Jewish blogosphere's most colorful and favorite sons. He rides shotgun to Akiva over at Mystical Paths; the two of them are award-winning pacemakers and cherished friends of mine.

Reb Nati is a former USMC combat officer who's now a pioneer in Israel and a Breslever chassid. He's a fireball of energy that has been bringing droves of folks closer to Hashem. The Yetzer - the Evil Inclination - has attacked Nati physically to try and slow him down. Like the trooper he is, Reb Nati has been biting the bullet. Nevertheless, I pray that his ailment leave him immediately, and find its way to the anatomy of Nasrulla or Achmedinejad. Please join me and pray to Hashem for the full and speedy recovery of Natan'el Levi ben Chana Sara, amen.

We love you, Reb Nati; we're all pulling for you.

Yosef Karduner and Lazer in Bet Shemesh - a photo essay

Yosef Karduner is the pride of Breslev. Not only is he a giant of giants (for Breslev boasts some of Jewish music's greatest musicians), but he's a true chassid. I don't think that there's anywhere else on earth where one can find such top-of-the-charts talent together with humility, kedusha, and wisdom. It takes a Rebbe Nachman of Breslev to raise a Yosef Karduner.

Last Thursday night's shiur at the Carlebach shul in Bet Shemesh was a highlight. I spoke for 10-minute stints, and Yosef sang in between. His presence and his music added a wonderful uplifting dimension to the shiur.

At the end of the shiur, we sang "M'Kimi" together. Yosef is a cherished friend and brother. His music warms your soul, and brings you closer to Hashem.

With Hashem's help, we hope to receive a video of the shiur soon to share with you. Meanwhile, see and hear Yosef singing "M'Kimi" in NYC, here.

Photos courtesy of our special Beam-team commando in Bet Shemesh, Bobby Rosenberg

Refua Shlema, Bluma bat Rivka

We pray that Bluma bat Rivka will enjoy a full and complete recovery from the operation she is currently undergoing. She is the wife of our esteemed friend, Rav Shlomo Shob shlit'a, the spiritual leader and resident scholar of the Shira Chadasha community in Great Neck, NY.