Lazer Beams

Readers Interpret "The Prince and the Mountain Man"

Here are some choice reader interpretations of our allegory from the day before yesterday, about The Prince and the Mountain Man:

Eliana from Florida: The mountain man represents observant Jews who have grown up in the ways of Torah. Through out history they have maintained their Jewish their heritage and have been the protectors and guardians of Torah.  But sometimes we are so vigilant in being the gate keepers that we become unbalanced.  It's not enough to guard the ancient ways. We need to balance it with emuna and a close relationship with our King. The traveller grew up in the world yet, he was always seeking. Perhaps he is not so well versed in the beauty of a Torah observant life but through HaShems loving grace he grew in Emuna. He found the path and is determined to make it all the way back to the palace where he belongs. If the two travel together they will become one. The traveller will gain the pieces stolen from him and the mountain man will recover his true pupose-- the why in his faithfullness to Torah. They will both balance each other and become one. In doing so not only will they reach the palace and be reunited with the King, but they will hasten the coming of Mashiach when all the Kings children will be reunited and live with emuna, Torah, and the King himself.

Leah Rivka: The King is our merciful Hashem. His Palace could be heaven, olam haba, or in my mind I viewed it as the level of having total emuna. The Mountain Man (or the prince that was guarding the palace) was an angel who already lives in Hashem's Palace and so he already has the special understanding or "power/illumination".  This prevents him from being able to really grow more like the Prince is able to. And the Prince is representing the Jews, in particular, those that have lost their way from Hashem, those that lack faith/emuna in Him, or those who have been "kidnapped" and must run away from the robbers (or in our case the yetzer hara and the idol worshiping that we have in our times=money-hollywood-tv-drama-etc...). These Princes who are really Hashem's precious children all have special souls that reflect a tiny part of Hashem's greatness. 

Debbie from Atlanta: We are all sons and daughters of Hashem. Some of us have been given different paths. We all need to reach out to one another, and despite it being scary (being threatened by a gun - in the story), we have to find the strength in ourselves to connect.

Perla from France: Every child of Hashem has the power to shine, and as Rav Shalom Arush Shlita says in the garden of yearning, when a person doesn't have anymore this will to study, and doesn't yearn anymore to Hashem, spirituality, kedusha, his face doesnt shine anymore. As Rebbe Nachman, said when a person comes closer to Hashem, study, and prays, his face is illuminated by Divine Light. The same with hitbodedut, as you said once. Therefore, we should keep our yearning, and for that, praying and asking in our every hitbodedut, the yearning. that we always, yearn for more spiritual, and a higher level. And as you said once, hitbodedut bring us divine light. The palace in your allegory may be, the Garden of Yearning. And the yearning is fundamental. The only fact to yearn, is great itself as Rebbe Nachman said.

David from London: The brothers are a person and the Tzadik ... they share the same scars, Their souls are bound to each other. The Tzadik is returning to The King and it wants to bring the person with him....to inspire him with light to make teshuva. They have to take it higher , to ascend the mountain...to rise above . This is the mountain. The mountain is Torah.The woods are this world without Emuna. The mountain man knows the woods very well. Initially the mountain man is sceptical and mistrusting. HIs personal space is threatened , the Yetzer Hara wants to eliminate any threat but it's knocked off guard by the Tzadik's statement " I am your brother. " The mountain man cries when he sees the scars ( life's hardships) and that the tzadik suffered too, the same tests , the same pain but different consequences. The gates of tears are always open...his prayer begets illumination from the windows of the soul, the eyes. The Tzadik's knowing eyes give much illumination once it becomes known who he is. Suddenly the mountain man is seeing for the first time. His heart is open. The man can see  past the woods , the world isn't dark and he realises that it never was. The man learns that this light can come from him too by returning to the King, follow the Tzadik 's ways and make teshuva. The Tzadik came from the same place as the mountain man. Every blow and hardship he received in the woods managed to help him learn how to defend himself until they became weights he used to make his emuna stronger and stronger.

Danny from Jerusalem: The Mountain Man was raised far away from holiness and doesn't realize his own strength - the power of illumination of the Jewish soul that his eyes represent. The Prince also grew up that way, but has long since fought his way back to the castle. Now, he's doing sorties back in the woods to bring other lost sons and daughters home to The King - Hashem. The whole thing sounds like an allegory about Reb Lazer or Rabbi Arush or one of the Outreach rabbis.

* * * * *

Lazer's comment: The allegory was a vivid dream that I had some while ago. Thank you all for your wonderful participation.

When Ten People Say...

The old Yiddish expression says that when ten people say you're drunk, go to sleep.

Beams readers jumped down my throat for this post. Especially convincing was Ephraim's letter from Los Vegas: "Reb Lazer, you think that you're getting your hands muddy with politics. Maybe your take on the situation has strengthened my emuna even more than your direct posts about emuna. Please, you're one of a kind. I believe that if Rebbe Nachman were here today, he'd tell you to continue with the emuna news analyses, at least once a week..."

Toby from Manchester commented, "... Perhaps I can go so far as to say that the personal struggle for Emuna and Bitachon we all face mirrors the national one and Emuna news is an access point to the Torah true way of viewing Hashem and His World which then leads on to the personal efforts to build Emuna."

Mark from Crown Heights adds, "...truth, objectivity, straightforwardness, and simplicity are four qualities that are non-existant in the Israeli media. Rabbi Lazer, if Hashem gave you the ability, the tools, and the background to do emuna news, in my humble opinion, you must continue..."

Without making any promises, I'll try to do a weekly emuna news analysis or roundup. This has been difficult also because of so many demands on my time. But, after receiving additional letters from readers who expressed opinions similar to Ephraim, Toby, and Mark, I must admit that you won, dear readers. You're the greatest, and I sincerely appreciate the feedback.

Where's Emuna News?

Dear Rabbi Lazer,

I truly miss your emuna-based news commentaries. Nobody analyzes Israeli current events like you do. What happened to weekly emuna news? May Hashem give you strength for all you do. With appreciation, Harry J. from Washington, DC

Dear Harry,

You can now hear my weekly emuna-based news analysis every Sunday as part of Tamar Yonah's weekend show on Israel National Radio at 4:30 PM Israel time and 9:30 AM EST time. I prefer not to write negative things about people, but an anti-emuna corrupt regime that rigs investigative commissions, plans to surrender more of our holiest places, and uproots Jews from their homes doesn't give me much room to be complimentary. Who needs more depression? The Beams is all about emuna - love, soul, and joy. Thanks and blessings always, LB

Keeping Blood Pressure Down

Dear Rabbi Lazer,

I treasure your CDs. I'm collecting your best quotes in a notebook - one or two are always on my fridge. Here is one of your best that I'd like to share with my fellow Beams fans. May Hashem give you strength. Most respectfully, Marnie from Toronto

"The ability to forgive, it keeps our bodies healthier, it keeps us out of hospitals and doctors' offices, it keeps our blood pressure 120 over 80. It allows us to go around smiling..." - Rabbi Lazer Brody

Child Abuse: The Worst Sin

"Ricki" from New England has been corresponding with me for over two years now. She's a very talented Baalas Teshuva, attractive, smart as a whip, and her potato kugel is just as mean as her tennis backhand. She could easily be Miss Jewish America, but she's no longer a Miss since her wedding three years ago. She has one other problem - her heart is deeply scarred from a nightmare childhood with an abusive father. We can't even write about  10% of what Ricki went through with her father.

Ricki's first year of marriage was stormy to say the least. But, since she's been in contact with me, we've been trying to heal those scars with emuna. Ricki no longer takes tranquilizers or sees an analyst. Her courage and willpower are deserving of praise. She consented that I share her latest letter to me with you:

Rabbi, I just finished listening to “Family Connection” and “Hashem Loves Me” while preparing Shabbos dinner. The good news is that my husband was amazing tonight and helped around the house, spent 30 minutes with me over dinner, and cleaned up after the cooking with a smile and amazing attitude.

I would like to comment/get feedback quickly, if you don’t mind (I'm crying as I write this):

Family Connection: THANK YOU for being totally forthright about the importance about getting away from abuse! Time and again I hear stories of Rabbis trying to keep a wife with an abusive husband, or children told they need to continue to honor him and live with him. It doesn’t surprise me, but thank you for taking a stand! People don’t seem to understand that no connection is better than abuse – “family first” can't be husband over safety of others.  Seeing an abusive family member isn’t worth “having contact” because it’s too destructive.  I wish someone had told my mom, and I wish my step-mom would listen – Get away, stay away, and keep your kids away! Don’t think he won't do it to them because they’re his kids! HE WILL!!!

In terms of your comment about tearing down kids, that they’re “like living dead” – Rabbi, this is a sore spot for me. Those are EXACTLY the terms I use to explain how I feel. I feel like my main goal right now is to attempt to come back to life because inside. So much is dead having been the victim of parental abuse, there is such thick heaviness around my heart. I'm so limited in my abilities due to the abuse I suffered…and it feels so alienating, because most people don’t know how to deal with a walking dead person. Sometimes I just get this overwhelming sense of – “you just don’t get it. You think I'm alive! Can't you see that I'm really dead?” For the most part, they don’t really want to know. Too scary and tears down their little gingerbread house. Even my husband has a hard time understanding, especially with my issues, and mind you he tries really hard. I wish it could all just feel normal and painless. I wish I could feel anything besides pain.

Anyone who says that murder is the worst sin in the is a liar.  Child abuse is, especially severe, especially physical and sexual abuse. At least with murder the person is dead and doesn’t have to suffer such excruciating pain for their entire life. The child doesn’t even get to know what life is before it’s taken from him/her, and then has to fake it and act like they’re alive in a world that doesn’t want to know the truth and doesn’t want to be reminded of it. I'm trapped in a body that is constantly reliving my death. I must be dead because this is certainly hell.

Which leads me to Hashem Loves Me – what an amazing CD, I think your best ever. SO inspiring and moving. Your explanation of Psalm 3 was unbelievable, and by the end of the CD I was sitting on the floor crying like a baby because someone loves me! It seems so silly in writing but honest I never really believed it until just now. It’s hard to believe but deep inside I don’t believe I'm lovable. I was told in no uncertain terms as a child, over and over again, that I was garbage, that I belonged in the garbage, that I was a monster and horrible words I won't repeat.  You mean I don’t have to be the biggest tzedakis on earth in order to deserve love? I can be imperfect and that’s OK, just keep trying and do your best and that’s enough? Making a mistake doesn’t prove that I really am a piece of sht? I don’t have to beat myself into perfection? I'm still bawling.

Thank you. Good Shabbos.  Sorry if this was a little heavy but those CDs opened up so much… Thank you for being there... Ricki

The Boring Beams

Dear Rabbi Brody,

In all due respect, your blog has really become a stupid bore. Last week, two wonderful Jewish soldiers are mercilessly slaughtered in Hevron, and all you can write about is acne? That's pretty disgusting. Sorry, but that's how I see it. Rachel from Maale Edomim

Dear Rachel,

The two soldiers were beautifully eulogized all over the web. When I get a letter from a young lady of 23, and another from a young lady of 26 - neither of whom has yet found a husband because of severe acne problems, my heart breaks. So, helping them became my highest priority. At least two dozen other people have written and conveyed their appreciation of the post. I do what I have to do.

Many people have asked me to return to more political commentary like I did during the Lebanon War. My esteemed teachers and spiritual guides - true tzaddikim of this generation - have told me to concentrate of emuna and and helping others live a happier life - that's what we do here on the Beams. Blessings always, LB

Rebbe Nachman's Gift to David

Harry and Susie Zettel, originally from Toronto and now in Ramat Bet Shemesh, are a magazine-cover couple and an Aliya success story. Just yesterday, I received this amazing letter from them that I'd like to share with you:

Dear Rabbi Brody,

Two years ago, I took my eldest son who was 12 to Uman for Rosh Hashanah as a pre- Bar Mitzvah present.

Baruch Hashem, we have 5 children. One of our children, David (age 10, left), is developmentally delayed and suffers from epilepsy. Despite all the doctors negative predictions for David, David has continued to exceed all our expectations. His progress has made the doctor's predictions look silly. We made Aliyah almost 5 years ago from Canada; we thought that David would take 10 years to learn Hebrew, but thank G-d, his Hebrew today is better than some of my "Normal Children".

David has always had a very spiritual soul, he loves music and loves to dance (especially on his father's shoulder). However, David also has an uncontrollable streak, where he is subject to bad temper tantrums, where his teachers and mother have had a hard time controlling him.

Last year, when it was getting close to Rosh Hashanah, I asked my wife if she would mind if I went to Uman again this year. I was planning on taking our 7 year old boy with me this year. My wife said that I could go but I had to take all our boys (ages 13, 10 and 7) as she would find it hard to cope with all the boys, especially David without me being home. Financially this was a big struggle, but I thought it would be a great opportunity to bond with the children and to give them a great spiritual experience.

Most of my friends thought that I was nuts to travel with David to Uman, as he needs constant supervision. Well, we all traveled to Uman. I was able to pray while David played with other children. Daily we visited the Kever of Rebbe Nachman and sang and danced at night. We even took a full day trip to visit and pray by the graves of Rabbi Natan, The Baal Shem Tov, and Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev.

My wife has commented to me on many occasions that since the trip to Uman, David has been a lot more calm and his tantrums has decreased dramatically.

My wife and I believe that David received a very spiritual gift in Uman , the gift of being more at peace and calm with himself, which has also paid dividends to the family as a whole.

Best regards, Harry from Bet Shemesh

Anne's Story

When I first started visiting "Lazer Beams", I had never heard of "Rabbi Rambo" or of his accomplishments. I simply found it accidentally one day while I was browsing through various blogs. It quickly became a regular feature of my lunch time internet break. I was simultaneously fascinated and annoyed at Rabbi Lazer's confidence about everything and especially the way he often answers people's sticky questions, like the second-marriage type (boy, did that hit home). "He must make this stuff up!", I thought. "You can't just come up with a happy ending to this many different problems! It just isn't that easy." After all, I should know. My life had become a dreary blur. Due to what seemed to me to be a very tragic twist of fate, my hopes for a normal, happy life with my 2nd husband and our children (his, mine, and ours all under one roof) became a bitterly unattainable dream, especially now that my husband was laid off his job after 18 years (the plant where he worked closed down).

All the comforting words of my friends and family fell flat, and at times I felt so crushed that it was difficult to summon the will to breathe. I thought my soul would flee my body from sheer despair. I was enraged at G-d for inflicting this situation on me. My life lost direction. I couldn't face other people without a stiff drink so that I could work up a smile. The bottle became the focal point of my life to fuzz out the problems. I was sick of myself with tons of guilt too. Then, on an impulse, I decided to contact Rabbi Lazer. I had no real expectations, but I had nothing to lose, either. To my absolute amazement, he wrote me back, almost immediately. He sent me a gift - The Trail to Tranquility and his CD No to Drugs - and said it was compliments of Emuna Outreach.What was even more amazing is that the book and the CD really helped! I began to consider that perhaps endless suffering isn't really what Hashem intended for me. I continued to write to him, and in a very short time, years of pain began to fall away. Now, although my situation has not changed, I am no longer angry, no longer drinking, but instead am trusting in Hashem's care. The best part is that I have enough happiness to share. I am looking forward to a new life focused on bringing comfort and joy to other people. Anne G, USA

A formula of pure and simple faith, together with enhancing her own personal relationship with Hashem, has turned the tables for Anne. It'll work for the rest of us, too.

Don't Leave us Hanging! (Testimony for Generations, part 2)

Dear Rabbi Lazer,

The Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak clip from yesterday was awesome, but it left us all hanging right in the middleof the action. Isn't there a continuation of that lecture? Thanks so much, Eva from Miami

Dear Eva (and others who wrote similar emails),

With Hashem's help, we found a follow-up clip. Enjoy it! Blessings and thanks for writing, LB

Frequent Flyer

When things sometime approach the overwhelming point, Hashem sends me something extra-sweet, like this email from last night:

Dear Rabbi Lazer,

Your two minutes of Flight 613 did more to bring me close to G-d than 100 sermons. I watched it a dozen times, cried, laughed, and everything in between. I got chills up my spine seeing how accurately it describes my whole life. Rabbi, you can sign me up as a frequent flyer aboard any craft where you're at the helm. May you be blessed for your holy work and the light you spread to all people. With deepest gratitude, Ellen from Wisconsin