Reb Nachman z"ya on traveling.

Being that I'm traveling to the USofA tomorrow morning I figured I would share something I saw recently in Sichos Haran.
A man once asked the Rebbe whether he should make a particular journey. The Rebbe answered that if you have occasion to travel, you should not remain at home and stubbornly refuse to go. Wherever you travel, there are things you must correct. You must only be careful not to sin there. If you do not sin, you can correct things wherever you travel. Even if you are an average person, you will do holy things in each place. You will pray, say a blessing over food, and many similar things. For even the lowliest Jew does holy things wherever he goes.

Each man is destined from on high to be in a particular place at a given time. At that time and place there is something that he must correct. When you have occasion to travel, it is for your own good. If you would not make the journey voluntarily, you would be forced to go in chains, as we learn in the gemara (Shabbos 89:)"Yackov would have had to come to Egypt in chains, but was saved by his merit."

This is true of every man. If you find it necessary to travel, it is a favor from on high. Otherwise you might have had to make the journey in chains.

This is true even of the average person; for as long as he does not sin in any way, he accomplishes great things wherever he may be. (Sichos Haran 85)

I hope and pray that I do not sin on my coming trip and that I accomplish that which I was meant to from on high. I look forward to seeing everyone soon.
peace and joy,
Etan

Debt continued in the words of Rabeinu z"ya!

Free (or at least mad cheap!) tickets to Uman if you never went. This is from America. I will bli neder post the # from Israel as soon as I get it. Hope everyone has a good and productive week.
peace & joy,
Etan

Debts and repentance

If the Torah were written in order, we would know the reward and punishment for every positive and negative commandment.

There are sins for which the punishment is to be perpetually in debt. The sinner may try every possible ploy, but he still remains in debt. He can even cause others to fall into debt too . When these sins are rampant, there are many debtors in the world.

The remedy for this is to repent in general for all your sins and to beg God to save you from this particular sin. The time for such repentance is when you are in a state of expanded consciousness. This is the time to regret such sins, praying to God with complete repentance.

For the debtor's mentality is one of constricted consciousness, as the Talmud teaches: “Ten measures of sleep came down into the world and nine were taken by slaves” ( Kiddushin 49b) . “Sleep” is constricted consciousness, while the “slave” is the debtor, because “The borrower is slave to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7) . The “nine measures of sleep” taken by slaves are the constricted consciousness of the debtor.

This is why the time to repent these sins is when you are in a state of expanded consciousness, because this counteracts the debtor's state of constricted consciousness.

Sichot Haran #112

* * *

Don't lose out because of anger

It would be proper for all Israel to have wealth, but there is one trait that interferes and causes them to lose it. The trait in question is a very bad and lowly trait from which it is very difficult to escape. Sometimes a person wants to escape this trait out of a desire for wealth itself, so as not to lose money, but even so this evil trait attacks him from childhood, causing him to lose the money he should have had.

The evil trait that causes a person to lose the money he should have had is anger. The reason for this is that at its very root and spiritual source , wealth is in the same category as anger. Thus when the evil one sees a flow of influence descending to bring wealth to a person, he turns it into anger, because , at their root , anger and wealth are in the same category: they both descend from God's mighty powers, deriving from the same place. “From the north comes forth gold” (Job 37:22) and “The evil will start from the north ” (Jeremiah 1:14 ) .

Wealth is a “wall” ( ch O mah ), while anger ( ch EY mah ) ruins the wall. Thus when the evil one sees that a flow of wealth – chomah , a “wall” – is being sent to a person – he turns this flow into anger, sending something to make the person angry. Thus the “wall”, chomah , is ruined because of the anger, cheymah . Since anger and wealth are at root one category, the evil one can easily turn the flow of wealth into anger.

And know that even if the descending influence has already reached a person and turned into actual wealth, a “wall”, the evil one can still sometimes tempt the person to become so enraged that he loses even his existing money and wealth. One might have thought that after the blessing has already reached him and turned into wealth, it would be impossible for the evil one to turn it back into anger. The wealth should have been a “wall” protecting him from the evil one and preventing him from succumbing to anger, which is the opposite of a “wall”. Yet the evil one has the power to attack a person with such great anger that he loses even the money he already has.

May God guard and save us from this despicable trait! Amen.

Likutey Moharan I, 68

Parashas Chukas! This is what it's all about!

In this weeks parasha we find the purification process of the "parah adumah/red heifer". A person who became spiritually impure through contact with a corpse becomes pure through this process. While this process purified the person who underwent it, it also caused people who were previously pure to become impure.

"V'tameh hacohen ad haerev/and the cohen is impure until the evening."(Bamidbar 19:7)

Rav Yitzchak of Vorki z"ya says that the essence of the parah adumah is the concept of "v'ahavta lreiacha camocha/love your neighbor like yourself". His grandson Reb Mendel of Vorki z"ya explained that this is because the cohen who was involved in this purification process became impure himself by the same process that purified the person who came to him. When someone loses out himself in order to help someone else, that is the ultimate in love for one's fellow man. (Bais Yitzchak Chukas)

"Zos chukas ha'Torah..../This is the decree of the Torah…a completely red heifer" (Bamidbar 19:2)

A Torah law, or mishpat, is a logical commandment designed to insure the harmony and welfare of a society. Such laws include the prohibitions against murder, adultery, and dishonesty.

In contrast, a chok, or decree of the Torah, is a Torah commandment that defies rationale or human understanding. There are many decrees in the Torah, such as the prohibition of wearing fabrics made from a combination of wool and linen, the prohibition of eating milk and meat, and the prohibition against crossbreeding, just to name a few. Yet, the decree that requires us to use the ashes of a burnt red heifer in the ritual purification process is the only decree that is introduced by the preface of "This is the decree of Torah." Why?

The preparation and implementation of the holy purification water made with the ashes of the Red Heifer have a strange characteristic. All the priests that participate in the slaughter of the Red Heifer and the burning of its flesh become ritually contaminated, or impure. Yet, when the Red Heifer ashes are mixed with the holy water, they purify the ritually impure. So, we have a situation where the fulfillment of this same Torah decree makes the pure become impure and the impure become pure. Confusing?

The decree of the Red Heifer is essentially symbolic of the material world. Things that look real, such as wealth and physical pleasures are nothing but illusions, here today and gone tomorrow. Yet, absolute truth – the existence of Hashem as Creator and sole Ruler of the world, who personally controls everything that ever occurred, occurs, or will occur in the universe – isn't visible at all to the physical eye. So, like the Red Heifer, what you see in this world is not really there, and what you don't see is alive and real.

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov warns us (see Sichot HaRan, discourse 51), "Take my advice and do not let the world fool you."

This world is similar to the decree of the Red Heifer – just as the red heifer is deceiving, for the impure becomes pure and the pure becomes impure – this material world of ours is an optical illusion where fantasy is reality and reality is fantasy. A simpleton that lacks faith often sees Hashem's way of doing things as apparent cruelty. Yet, one of the foundations of emuna, faith, is that Hashem does everything for the very best.

So, don't let the world fool you, as Rebbe Nachman of Breslov warns; when a person trusts in Hashem, ultimately – by virtue of emuna – he or she merits to understand how everything Hashem ever does in their lives was for the absolute best. May Hashem grant all of us unshakeable faith in His holy name, amen.

A wonderfull Shabbos to one and all!!!
peace and joy,

Etan

Ah!!!Boruch Hashem Yiddeshe Nachas!! My first Siddur party as a daddy!

That's my big boy Avraham Elisha! Bli ayin harah! We should only know yiddeshe nachas from our kids!!
peace and joy,
Etan

Rebbe Nachman z"ya on Debt.

No one should know about being in debt. But for those of us who occasionally diddle in the nasty four letter word, Rabeinu comes along as usual to save us! The following is taken from Azamra. And once again, don't forget to check out our new look and additions to the blog. I will bli neder set up a subscription to the blog so that the only e-mail sent out will be the weekly parasha.

The bitterness of debt and its remedy

Those sunk in craving for wealth are constantly in debt. When people are dissatisfied with what they have, they take risks and borrow from others in the hope of making large profits from the investment. This way they become saddled with a mighty burden of debt and end up dying as debtors. Even if they are not literally in debt when they die, they are always effectively in debt to their own appetites.

Many people have more than enough to cover their needs yet waste away all their days in pursuit of profit. They will submit to every kind of effort, risk and inconvenience for the sake of money. They behave exactly like one with actual debts strung around his neck – but they are driven only by the obligation they feel to their own desires. These are so demanding that it is as if they really did owe an enormous sum. In effect they are debtors all their lives and they die in debt to their desires.

Their entire lifetime is not long enough for them to pay off their debts to their desires, which have no limit, for “ No- one in this world achieves even half of what he wants before he dies” ( Kohelet Rabbah 1) . They are worried, bitter and depressed all their days because of their craving for wealth. The greater people's wealth, the greater is their worry and sadness – because they are trapped in the net of idolatry, which is the very source of depression, darkness and death. Their entire lives are consumed with the problems and worries of wealth.

When people make dishonest profits or refuse to give money to charity, this is nothing but a fool's game. The money plays with them in the same way that you can amuse a little child with coins, but in the end the very money kills them. “Who is the fool? It is the ‘other god', the choking child-killer cough. It smiles at them with the allure of wealth in this world and ends up killing them. Why is it called a ‘child'? Because those trapped in it do not have the sense to escape from it” ( Tikkuney Zohar 140a) .

The way to escape the allure of wealth is through the purity that comes through guarding the Covenant and drawing closer to the Tzaddik, who is the very embodiment of purity and of whom it is written, “He who is good and walks before God will be saved” ( Ecclesiastes 7:26) . The Tzaddik possesses true wisdom and understanding, and knows how to escape this trap. Even the greatest of men need deep wisdom and understanding if they are to escape the pain and toil of earning a living. Most ordinary people suffer terrible bitterness all their lives because of this. They lose both worlds: this world and the world to come.

There is no limit to the bitterness of this world. “Were it not for salt, the world could not endure the bitterness” ( Zohar I, 241b) . [Salt neutralizes bitterness.] Were it not for the strength of the Tzaddikim, who observe the Covenant with absolute purity and who are called the “eternal covenant of salt” (Numbers 18:19 ) , the world would be unable to endure at all because of the terrible bitterness caused by the desire for wealth. The closer a person comes to the Tzaddik, the more he can sweeten this bitterness. But those who are far from the Tzaddikim and from personal purity, and especially those who are actually opposed to the Tzaddikim, will be the victims of the full force of this bitterness. How many are sunk in this! Pay heed to these words and perhaps you will escape.

Likutey Moharan I, 23

Next time: Debts and repentance

One for the kids.

I would like to start putting together different ideas about dealing with and educating our children. As usual any and all input would be greatly appreciated. This one as well was taken from one of my favorite blogs A Simple Jew.

In order to reinforce the concept of being sameach b'chelko (being happy with one's lot), I devised a bedtime ritual for my two older children before they say Shema. I sit on the edge of their beds and each night we play a game where we recount at least five things that we are grateful for. As an example, my oldest daughter might say, "Thank you Hashem for the ice cream sandwiches we had for dessert" or "Thank you Hashem that I got to play with my friends today."

While sometimes we may come up with more than five things, I explained to my daughter that we must come up with at least five things to thank Hashem for to correspond with the five fingers on our right hand. Once we have a thank you for each finger we can then place this hand over our eyes and say Shema before going to sleep.

I also explained to her that at times that she was sad or frustrated about something, all she needed to do was look down at the fingers on her hand. They would be a reminder that not all is lost and that she always has at least five things for which she can thank Hashem.

The Bedtime Kriyas Shema

Taken from A Simple Jew.
Excerpt from The Power of Everyday Mitzvot:

The Ari zal states that by reciting the Bedtime Shema before we go to sleep, we have the power to nullify and kill "1125 destroyers," or harmful spiritual forces. Everyone wants to be protected from any sort of mishap, and our holy books clearly tell us how to prevent such things. However, because of our ingrained "commonsense" way of thinking, sometimes we become our own worst enemy. We worry about what practical measures to take in order to be protected from accidents, while overlooking the mitzvot that are vital to our well being.

The education we provide our children must stress the importance of the Bedtime Shema. To recite the entire Shema takes only a few minutes, but we must view this practice seriously, recognizing its power and strength. The Bedtime Shema not only guards us, but it protects the entire world. The Ari zal wants to strengthen our appreciation of what we are doing when we recite the Shema. Imagine what it would mean for the level of good in the world, if every Jew would eliminate 1125 destructive spiritual forces each night through saying the Bedtime Shema!

Rebbe Nachman elaborates on an additional point about the Shema. When a person says the first two verses: "Shema Yisrael…" and "Baruch Shem…" he separates his soul from any admixture of unholiness. In their source, the souls of the Jewish people are "carved out from beneath the Heavenly Throne." There, they enjoy indescribable delight. Thus, it is no simple matter for the soul to agree to descend into this world and become entangled in impurity.

Excerpt from The Path of the Baal Shem Tov:

The Baal Shem Tov taught that before sleep one should recite the words, "Havadai sh'mo, kein tehilaso - His name is Certainty; such is His praise, " from the Mussaf prayer service of Rosh Hashana. This will destroy all forces of unholiness that might seek to harm one during sleep.

And here's one for the kids.

Reb Nachman Horedenker - Rabeinu's Zeidy!

This Monday, 2 Tammuz, is the 246^th yahrzeit of Reb Nachman Horedenker, perhaps, best known as the grandfather of Reb Nachman of Breslov, who was named after him. Reb Nachman Horedenker was one of the great talmidim of the Baal Shem Tov (Besht), and is quoted many times in Degel Machane Ephraim, often next to his Rebbe, the Besht. (See 2 examples here - Parshas Bamidbar and Parshas Behaloscha.) Sefer Mili D'Avos contains his biography and Torah.

Reb Nachman Horedenker was the son of Reb Yitzchok of Zalkova who came from a very illustrious lineage. Reb Nachman was the seventh generation from the Maharal of Prague, who descended from Rav Hai Gaon, a descendant of Dovid Hamelech. He was also the seventh generation from Reb Avrohom Chaim of Apta, the Av Beis Din of Nikolsberg, who was descendant of the Maharshal, a descendent of Rashi, who was the 33^rd generation from Rebi Yochonan Hasandler, a descendant of Raban Gamliel Hazokein, whose lineage extends back to Dovid Hamelech. Some of his other ancestors include Maharam Padua, Reb Shaul Wahl and Reb Naftali Katz, the Smichas Chachomim.

The sister of Reb Yitzchok of Drohbitch (father of the Zlotchover Magid – R' Yitzchok and his father R' Yosef were talmidim of the Besht) asked the Besht to find her a good shidduch. The Besht suggested his talmid, Reb Nachman Horedenker, who agreed to the match, and the shidduch was finalized. The Besht asked Reb Nachman what he would give him as payment for putting together this shidduch. When Reb Nachmam didn't answer, the Besht said that when his own daughter, Udel, has a daughter, and Reb Nachman has a son, they should make a match between them and that would be the Besht's shadchonus payment. Reb Nachman mentioned that he has yichus going back to Dovid Hamelech. The Besht responded by pulling out his family tree and showing how his yichus also goes back to Dovid Hamelech. Of course we know the rest is history; Reb Nachman's son, Simcha, married Feiga, the daughter of Udel, and their son was Reb Nachman of Breslov.

Reb Nachman Horedenker traveled to Eretz Yisroel with his son, Reb Shimshon, but he returned to Europe, leaving his son in Eretz Yisroel. He wanted desperately to settle in Eretz Yisroel permanantely, but the Besht didn't accede to his desire. One time he had such a burning desire to go to Eretz Yisroel and asked his Rebbe for permission to go back to Eretz Yisroel. The Besht told him to first go to the Mikva and then come back to him. After immersing in the Mikva, the Besht asked him: "What did you see in your first immersion?" Reb Nachman answered: "I saw Eretz Yisroel".

The Besht asked: "What did you see in the second immersion?" Reb Nachman replied: "I saw Yerushalayim."

The Besht asked: "And in the third?" Reb Nachman replied: "I saw the place of the Baiss Hamikdash."

The Besht asked: "And in the fourth?" Reb Nachman replied: "I saw the Kodesh Hakodoshim, but I didn't see the Aron."

The Besht replied: "the Aron is in Mezibuz".

Reb Nachman understood that the Besht didn't want him to go to Eretz Yisroel, son he stayed by his Rebbe until the Besht passed away.

Reb Nachman was one of the talmidim that was with the Besht, when he passed away. After the passing of the Besht, Reb Nachman would regularly go daven at the tzion of the Besht, and would speak to him as if he was still alive. He was able to do this because of his great kedusha and separation from the materialism of this world and because of his great attachment and devotion to his Rebbe. Every time he would ask about going to Eretz Yisroel the Besht would answer no. Finally, one day the Besht said he agrees to let him go, and Reb Nachman went away dancing and singing "I'm going to Eretz Yisroel - I'm going to Eretz Yisroel".

He traveled to Eretz Yisroel with Reb Menachem Mendel of Premishlan and other talmidim of the Besht, and arrived there on 12 Tishrei. (The year was probably 5521) He fulfilled his lifelong dream of settling in Eretz Yisroel, where he lived out his final days until his passing on Shabbos, 2 Tammuz 5521/1761. He is buried in Teveria, where, his grandson, Reb Nachman of Breslov went to daven, on his famous trip to Eretz Yisroel.

May the zechus of Reb Nachman ben Reb Yitzchok protect us and all of Klal Yisroel.

An urgent appeal!!!

As promised I am trying my best to revamp the blog and really put a considerable amount of time into it. As this is a new beginning I figured it would be good to start off with a good deed. So here it is: Rabbi Avi Rothenberg was mt dorm counselor in Neveh. I can say that he is a very special person who does great work for the Jews and never turns a person away. Here is a letter that one of his talmidim wrote.

Dear Friends,

I am writing to you to appeal to your hearts and to your pockets. My rebbe, Rabbi Avrohom Rothenberg is in a very dire situation. He has been suffering for several months with kidney failure. Unfortunately he has now lost both kidneys and is in desperate need of a transplant ASAP. My rebbe is a young man, he has three young children and his wife is be’shaah tova expecting their next child. My rebbe is an outstanding Talmid Chocham and Rosh Yeshiva who is moser nefesh to help troubled teens. I am reaching out to you for help. Your donation is extremely important. Please help my rebbe continue to be a father and husband for his family, to be there for the birth of his newest child, and to be there for the troubled teens that he helps.

You can send your check by mail to: Rabbi Avrohom Rothenberg

1572-39^th ST.

Brooklyn, N.Y. 11218

Or you can deposit directly to: Chase Bank

ACCT# 151045700865

The account holder’s information is same as above.

For more information don’t hesitate to contact me: YANKY MARKOWITZ

786-472-1743 or 02-992-3530

And of course please daven for: AVRAHOM TZVI BEN SHAINDEL LEEBAH.

Tizku l'mitzvos, v'maysim tovim. We should all be healthy!!!

Parasshas Korach - Lets not fight!!! A Great Rosh Chodesh Tamuz to one and all!

Lets notHey everybody! I hope this find you all as well as can be!! We'll start off this week with a beautiful thought that I saw this week.

If you spend your week working and aspiring to fulfill HaShem's commandments, Friday morning you will already feel the Shabbath awakening within you, this is a sign that your week was successful in your service of HaShem.

Noam Elimelech - פרשת בשלח

I guess it's easier for us who are zoche to be here in Eretz Yisroel and have off on Erev Shabbos!



"Vayikach Korach/And Korach took..." (Bamidbar 16:1)

Rashi z"ya says that he took himself away from/apart from the community. From here we learn that Korach separated himself from Klall Yisroel, and put a barrier between himself and the faithful people. There is an interesting halacha that we learn out from a gemara in Zevachim (98:). When talking about the laws of purity the gemara says "Blood on the clothing is "chotzetz/a separation",(in other words makes the person impure), but if he is a butcher it isn't chotzetz. Rashi explains over there that chatziztza/separations depend on "kpeida/a persons mindset. So we see from this gemara that the halachcic status can be based upon something spiritual/mental and not on the physical/the facts on the ground.

Shlomo Hamelech z"ya says "As water reflects a face back to a face, so one's heart is reflected back to him by another." (Mishlei/Proverbs 27:19) If a person looks into a pool of water, he will see an exact reflection of himself unless there is a chatziza/separation (which we said doesn't have to be physical but yet could be in a persons mind) which will then cause him to see nothing. So too a true friend , a person whom you love, whose love is not dependent on anything. A true friend who asks only for the good of his friend, is called a friend without separations, a friend without boundaries, and can see into the sould (true needs) of his friend. There is a bond and a true understanding between two friends like these. There is a constant connection between their hearts, hence Shlomo Ha'melech said "ones hearts is reflected back to him by another. R' Hirsch z"ya said on this pasuk "Kindred hearts find their sentiments, feelings and convictions reflected in one another. This was the tragedy of Korach. By his coveting honor and rulership, he created a barrier between himself and Moshe Rabeinu which in turn cause a separation between himself and Hashem which in turn caused him to have such a twisted outlook on the Torah. (This is taken from Pi Ha'bear my Rebbe Rav Brody's hebrew sefer on the parasha. I hope I did justice with the translation.)

May we be zoche to have only "true friends" and may we only reflect good onto one and another.

And for those situations when people can't get along as true friends.

"Va'yishlach Moshe l'Dasan v'lAviram bnei Eliav va'yomru lo na'aleh/And Moshe sent to call Dasan and Aviram the sons of Eliav, and they said, we will not go up" (Bamidbar 16:12)

Rashi brings the gemara from Sanhedrin (110.) that from here we see the principle that one should not keep up a quarrel. Moshe took the initiative to go after them and make peace. Reb Yitzchak of Vorki z"ya said: the sages said that there is no chazakah in a quarrel. A chazakah means that since a situation is a certain way we can assume that it was that way before and will remain that way. If you try to make peace when there is a quarrel, never say that since you tried and it didn't work it will be impossible to make peace. No chazakahs! Theres always a chance for peace.

May we use these lessons to try and make as much peace as possible and make as many true friends as possible and in that merit we will greet the Mashiach who will help us in the building of the third and final Beis Hamikdash! Speedily! In our days! Amen!

A great Shabbos to one and all! And a wonderful Rosh Chodesh! Another chance for renewal!

peace and joy,
Etan


p.s I hope to be spending more time (bli neder) on the blog starting next week. I know I've said this before, but stay tuned! This time it may just happen!

I spy with my eyes...Parashas Shlach...As usual its all about Emunah/Faith

"...Send forth men and let them spy out the Land of Canaan that I give to the Children of Israel..." (Bamidbar 13:2)

In this weeks parasha we find the story of the meraglim/spies that the Jews asked Moshe Rabeinu to send into Eretz Yisroel before we entered from the desert. The Jews stood upon the threshold of the land of Israel and at Hashem's command they were about to enter and conquer the land. At the nation's bidding, Moshe received Hashem's permission to send spies to asses the quality of the land and the military strength of their foes, as a prelude to the actual invasion. Moshe sent twelve spies, one man from each tribe, all righteous and distinguished leaders. Ten spies returned with a very ominous and foreboding report that discouraged and demoralized the people, causing them to lose faith in Hashem and their ability to conquer the mighty Canaanite nations. As a result, the entire generation was condemned to wander in the desert for forty years until those people who had sinned by despairing of Hashem perished. The tragedy of their sin had far-reaching consequences. The nation wept the entire night, which was an expression of their lost faith in Hashem. In response, Hashem declared, "They wept without cause; I will establish [this night as a time of] weeping throughout the generations." That night was the ninth of Av, the date both the first and second Temples were destroyed and the date upon which countless other tragedies have occurred throughout Jewish history.

The episode of the spies was recorded in the Torah not as mere historical notation, but to teach us a little about Hashem's ways. Hashem always orchestrates events in each person's life so that there is the potential for that person to come closer to Him, as illustrated by the open miracles performed in the desert. But at each new turn, our faith must be tested in order to maintain the balance of free choice so that we can earn our eternal reward. We see this in the many trials Hashem placed before the Jews in the desert. If one truly desires to come close to Hashem, Hashem will send him all sorts of hints that lead to the truth. However, people who are not really looking for the truth, because attachment to the truth requires hard work, and because of the desire for immediate gratification, will find themselves more and more attached to materialism and falsehood. Hashem demands that all of Israel discover the truth for themselves. Since Hashem redeemed us from Egypt, He is entitled to demand of us that we fulfill His purpose, which is to endeavor to discover the truth using our free will. Therefore, Rav Noson says that if a person does not work at discovering the truth during his lifetime, he will be reincarnated to a life of suffering which, as is true of all suffering, is designed to alert him to the need for change. In this case, the change is that he must recognize that Hashem runs the universe and so, must have absolute faith in Hashem. A person will thus go through as many reincarnations as it takes until he finally makes the effort to discover the truth, as the verse says, "The Torah of Hashem is perfect, restoring the soul." (Psalms 19:8) The holy Ari explains this verse as follows: The word in the verse for perfect, t'mima, can also mean complete. The word restoring, m'shivas, can also mean 'cause to return'. Thus the verse could be understood as follows: [In order for a Jewish soul to gain entrance into paradise, it has to have first fulfilled the entire Torah], as the verse says, "The Torah of Hashem is complete(" [If a soul is deficient in the fulfillment of any commandment, that lack] "causes the soul to return [through reincarnation, as many times as it takes to complete all of the commandments of the entire Torah]." (Shar Ha'Gilgulim)

As a result of the sin of the spies, Hashem decreed that the future Temple would be destroyed and that the Jews would have to wander for several thousand years from country to country in exile. The episode of the spies demonstrated an inherent flaw within the nature of the Jewish people. It is true that their faith in Hashem far surpassed that of any other nation, but still it was not absolute and not at the level that Hashem had expected of them. Exile was the perfect remedy to develop an unshakable faith in Hashem, to enable them to reach the level of absolute faith that Hashem expected. It was only through their incredible faith that the Jews were able to live in a hostile exile environment throughout the millennia, going from crisis to crisis. They not only managed to survive, but they flourished because of their loyalty to Hashem and His Torah. No other nation can boast of such a feat. Anyone remotely familiar with Jewish history and with the endless threats to their survival in each generation can plainly see that Jewish survival is nothing less than an open miracle. This all came about through their unshakable faith and their determination to attach themselves to the truth. It was the exile experience that would rectify the flaw in their faith that was manifested by the incident of the spies. Rabbi Nachman taught, "Redemption is dependent upon faith. The root cause of exile is a lack of faith." (1 Lekutai MoHaran 7:1)

Rabbi Nachman taught that it is not enough to just have faith in Hashem and the sages, one must have faith in himself as well. A person's faith in Hashem and the sages cannot be complete unless he has faith in himself. If not, it is considered to be flaw in the entire concept of faith. Many people have fallen away from Hashem simply because they did not believe in themselves.

So lets strengthen our belief in ourselves and in Hashem so that we may greet the Mashiach! Speedily! In our days! Amen!

A wonderful Shabbos to one and all!!!

peace and joy,

Etan

Moshiach's Hat - One of my favorites!

'Twas the night of the Geulah, -- And in every single Shtiebel
Sounds of Torah could be heard -- Coming from every kind of Yeedel.
This one in English, -- Some in Hebrew, some in Yiddish.
Some saying P'shat -- And some saying a Chiddish.
And up in Shamayim--The Aibishter decreed:
"The time has come -- For My children to be freed.
"Rouse the Moshiach -- From his heavenly berth.
Have him get in his chariot, -- And head down to earth.

"The Moshiach got dressed -- And with a heart full of glee,
Went down to earth and entered -- the first Shtiebel he did see.
"I am the Moshiach! -- Hashem has heard your plea!
Your Geulah has come! -- It's time to go free!
"They all stopped their learning; -- This was quite a surprise.
And they look at him carefully, -- With piercing sharp eyes
"He's not the Moshiach!" -- Said one with a grin,
"Just look at his hat, -- At the pinches and brim!"
"That's right!" cried another -- With a grimace and frown,
"Whoever heard of Moshiach, -- With a brim that's turned down?"

"Well," thought Moshiach, -- "If this is the rule,
I'll turn my brim up -- Before I go to the next shul."
So he walked right on over -- To the next shul in town.
Sure to be accepted, -- Since his brim was no longer down.
"I'm, the Moshiach!" he cried, -- As he began to enter
But the Jews wanted to know first -- If he was Left Right or Center
"Your clothes are so black!" -- They cried out in fright.
"You can't be Moshiach--You're much too far right!"
"If you want to be Moshiach, -- You must be properly outfitted.
"So they replaced his black hat -- With a Kippah that was knitted.

Wearing his new Kippah, -- Moshiach went out and said:
"No difference to me -- What I wear on my head.
"So he went to the next shul, -- For his mission was dear.
But he was getting frustrated -- With the Yidden down hear.
"I'm the Moshiach!" he cried, -- And they all stopped to stare,
And a complete eerie stillness -- Filled up the air.
"You're the Moshiach?! -- Just imagine that!
Whoever heard of Moshiach -- Without a black hat?"
"But I do have a hat!" -- The Moshiach then said.
So he pulled it right out -- And plunked it down on his head.
Then the shul started laughing, -- And one said " Where's your kop?
You can't have Moshiach -- With a brim that's turned up!
If you want to be Moshiach -- And be accepted in this town,
"Put some pinches in your hat -- And turn that brim down!"

Moshiach walked out and said: -- "I guess my time hasn't come.
I'll just return -- To where I came from.
"So he went to his chariot, -- But as he began to enter,
All sorts of Jews appeared -- From the Left, Right, and Center.
"Please wait - do not leave. -- It's all their fault!" they said,
And they pointed to each other -- And to what was on each other's head.

Moshiach just looked sad -- And said, " You don't understand."
And then started up his chariot -- To get out of this land.
"Yes, it's very wonderful -- That you all learn Torah,
But you seem to have forgotten -- A crucial part of our Mesorah.
"What does he mean?" -- "What's he talking about?"
And they all looked bewildered, -- And they all began to shout.

Moshiach looked back and answered, -- "The first place to start,
Is to shut up your mouths -- And open your hearts.
"To each of you, certain Yidden -- Seem too Frum or too Frei,
But all Yidden are beloved -- in the Aibishter's eye."
And on his way up he shouted: -- " If you want me to come,
Try working a little harder -- On some Ahavat Chinam!"

Keep it up!!! (It's all about the beard ;)!!)

"Vayas ken Aharon./And Aharon did so." (Bamidbar 8:3)
Rashi says "This is to tell the praise of Aharon that he did not change."
The holy Sfas Emes explained that usually when a person starts something new, he feels very enthusiastic about what he is doing. He feels excited, good, and motivated about the good that he is doing. But after a short while passes the excitement and enthusiasm get lost. This was the praise of Aharon. Every day when he lit the Menorah in the Mishkan he did so with the same enthusiasm as on the first day. This is the true test of a "eirlicher yid". Day in day out, we just gotta keep on plugging. And if we dont feel that motivation or enthusiasm and we still do the good deed. That is also great. So lets just keep it up, the end is at hand. Let us daven to Hashem that when the time comes we end up on the right side of the great chasm. And may we merit greeting the Mashiach! Speedily! In our days! Amen!
peace and joy,
Etan

"G-d said to Moses, Gather to Me seventy men from the elders of Israel...I will increase some of the spirit (of prophecy) that is upon you and place i it upon them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you..." (Numbers 11:16, 17)

***

In response to Moshe's (Moses's) complaint that he no longer could bear the burden of leadership alone, Hashem (G-d) commanded him to select seventy elders who would constitute a body known as the Sanhedrin. This was not a new concept, for there had been elders even in Egypt (Exodus 3:16, 4:29) , and Moshe had convened seventy elders before the Torah was given (Exodus 24:1) , but those Sages were killed by a Heavenly fire, sent to punish the rebellious Jews who complained against Hashem. (Exodus 11:1) Those Sages incurred punishment because they irreverently ate and drank while perceiving the revelation at Sinai (Exodus 24:11), an act of the greatest disrespect for the King of the world. Hashem deferred their punishment until this episode, so as not to mar the joy of receiving the Torah. To replace those elders, Hashem commanded Moshe to choose the men who had been the Jewish supervisors of the slaves in Egypt. These men had been beaten on account of their fellow Jews, for when Pharaoh ordered them to force their charges to work harder, they refused, and were beaten as a result. For their act of bravery and dedication to their people, they deserved to be elevated to high positions. Our verse tells us that some of the holy spirit of prophecy that Moshe possessed was placed upon these elders.

There is a rule that whatever is mentioned in the Torah applies for all time. Therefore, that the verse associates prophecy with the elders must indicate that there is some general connection between prophecy and all elders. What is that connection? Why was it necessary for the elders to be given the gift of prophecy? Why could they not fulfill their tasks without prophecy? Western culture tends to view aging and elderly people negatively. Many of the elderly are relegated to nursing homes and await death in relative isolation. The young look upon the elderly as an unproductive segment of society, a nuisance and a burden to their limited resources. Youth and a youthful appearance are worshipped. This is why many middle-aged people try to preserve their fading youthful appearance, attempting to cover up the outward signs of aging through all sorts of artificial methods. Conversely, the Torah does not consider the elderly or the aging process to be a liability. Although old age has ma ny obvious negatives, the Torah considers the elderly to have many advantages as well. Based on the teachings of Rabbi Nachman and his student Rav Noson we will endeavor to explore the dynamics of old age and its connection with prophecy.

THE GLORY OF HASHEM'S KINGSHIP AND THE IMPORTANCE OF MAGNIFYING IT IN THE WORLD

One of the main goals of the creation is that we freely choose to accept Hashem as our King and adhere to His ways. The greatness of a king is dependent upon the prestige and honor he is accorded by his subjects and the world. This not only applies to earthly kings, but to Hashem's Kingdom as well, as the Talmud teaches, "The earthly kingdom resembles the Heavenly Kingdom." (Talmud: Berachot 58a) Rabbi Nachman taught that "Hashem is good for all [things that one might need]." (Psalms 145:9) This means that when a person believes that everything is dependent upon Hashem, such as health, livelihood etc. then the main focus of his efforts are directed to Hashem, rather than upon strategies for chasing after physicality. When a person comes to the realization that everything is dependent upon Hashem, he has fulfilled the purpose of creation and has thus crowned Hashem as His king. In this way Hashem is glorified. Thus, glorification is the acknowledgment of and adherence to one's master. Free choice will come to an end in the Messianic era because Hashem's Glory will be revealed from out of the darkness, and all flesh shall see it--as the verse says, "[For at that time] they [all the nations of the world] will all call upon the Name of Hashem, to serve Him with one consent." (Zephaniah 3:9) Then the nations will say, "Come let us walk in the light of Hashem." (Isaiah 2:5) Hashem's light refers to His Glory, as the verse says, "And the earth was illuminated with [the light of] His Glory." (Ezekiel 43:2) Thus, the verse informs us that when Hashem's Glory is finally revealed and it becomes obvious to all that Hashem is the Master of the world, then there will be universal light, goodness, and peace and the purpose of creation will be fulfilled. But now, since Hashem's Glory is in exile, we must do our part to help bring the Messiah and the universal era of peace by using our free choice to magnify Hashem's Glory as much as possible throughout the world.

Today, the only way to elevate Hashem's Glory is through Torah, as our sages teach, "There is no glory other than Torah." (Talmud: Avoth 6:3) (1 Lekutai MoHaran 14) In other words, all goodness, prosperity, and joy is dependent upon Hashem. In order to reap these benefits, we must reveal Hashem's authority in the world. The more apparent His king ship, the more of His goodness He can bestow upon the world. The more we acknowledge Hashem, the more power and authority He and the side of holiness has in the world, enabling Him to act on behalf of those who adhere to His ways, as the verse says, "[Those who adhere to His ways] give might to Hashem, [i.e. the strength of Israel's commitment gives might to Hashem (Rashbam)]." (Psalms 68:35) In order to reveal Hashem's kingship in the world, it is necessary to magnify His Glory and Honor through the observance of the Torah. Kavod, respect is associated with the spiritual characteristic known as Malchut, rulership. Rulership is dependent upon the acknowledgment of others. A king cannot rule unless his authority is accepted. Prestige and respect are very important because the the greater one is, the more he is listened or adhered to. Therefore, the more Hashem is venerated in the eyes of the world, the more the world follows His ways of righteousness and goodness. People are drawn to evil or unG-dly ways only because of the immense respect evil is given. This diminishes respect for Hashem in the world, resulting in the reduction of the powers of holiness, and in Hashem's ability to bestow His bounty. Thus guarding and preserving Hashem's Honor is exceedingly important.

PERCEIVING DIVINITY THROUGH THE EYES OF
PURIFIED IMAGINATION

All our ideas, creativity, and perceptions are based upon the imagination. An imagination that is impure makes sin seem very appealing because it inundates the mind with a plethora of fantasies, illusions, and falsehoods. Rav Noson says, just as an impure imagination leads one to erroneously perceive sin as sweet, a purified imagination becomes the vehicle for Divine Inspiration and increased faith because through it, we can visualize the inner workings of the spiritual world. Because Hashem and spirit cannot normally be seen with the human eye, acknowledging them comes mainly through faith. Obviously, actually seeing the object of one's faith would strengthen his beliefs immeasurably. So because Divine Inspiration helps a person visualize the deeper, more abstract concepts of Torah via his own imagination, it therefore helps increase his faith. [For example, Divine Inspiration could help a person imagine Hashem's light coming down to nourish the Earth. Through this, his faith would be enhanced.] Once a person merits Divine Inspiration, it purifies his imagination even further.

DIVINE INSPIRATION TO PRODUCE AND SING LOFTY SONGS

Rav Noson says that Divine Inspiration comes to those who honor Hashem by accepting Him, His Torah, and His ways as the ultimate authority, above all else. When we honor Hashem and thus accept Him as our king, we are, so to speak, inviting Him into our domain and drawing Divine Inspiration upon ourselves. Rabbi Nachman teaches that there is a relationship between music and Divine Inspiration. Music is produced by choosing the "good" notes over the "bad", just as Divine Inspiration is the result of sifting good thoughts from bad. When our imagination is purified, it can inspire us to sing lofty songs to Hashem. The following teaching illustrates this point:

There are many Psalms that begin with the words Mizmor L'David, A song to David, and there are many other Psalms that begin with these words in the reverse order, L'David Mizmor, To David a song. The Talmud explains the difference between these two phrases, "Wherever the name David occurs before the phrase, 'A song' (L'David Mizmor), Divine Inspiration came first and the song--which was its outpouring--followed. But wherever the phrase 'A song' preceded David's name (Mizmor L'David), David elevated himself to the level of Divine exultation upon the wings of his own song." (Talmud: Pesachim 117a) Thus L'David, 'to David' is the Divine Inspiration descending to David--sometimes it came before and inspired the song and, at other times, it occurred as a result of the song. In other words, at times King David's imagination was purified through his own efforts and at other times the Divine Inspiration that descended upon him did it. Rav Noson says that regardless of whether the state of Divine Inspiration was induced by King David himself or whether it spontaneously descended upon him, in both instances he uttered song to give honor to Hashem's Glory. From this, we see that in order to receive Divine Inspiration, we must perceive Hashem's magnified Glory and in order to perceive Hashem's Glory, we must first purify our imagination. When one perceives more of Hashem through Divine Inspiration, it naturally increases his faith. Once King David reached a heightened, almost tangible level of faith in and awareness of Hashem, it inspired him to sing. In part, the reason why many people are not enthusiastic about their prayers or about spirituality in general is that they lack this high level of faith, because they are unable to visualize the spiritual realms through their imaginations.

PURIFYING IMAGINATION AND DEVELOPING FAITH
THROUGH ATTACHEMENT TO TZADDIK

Every true leader of Israel has true faith and firmly adheres to Hashem's ways. Their faith comes from a purified imagination, earning them some form of Divine Inspiration. In order to access truly high levels of faith, it is essential that we attach ourselves to such a sage or Tzaddik (saint) and become his follower. Being a follower of such an individual makes it easier to purify our own imaginations and come to pure faith, because we are able to draw the necessary spiritual energies of purity from the mentor. It is the exceedingly rare individual who can eliminate the foolishness from his own imagination without first attaching himself to a tzaddik. The vast majority, even if they study a lot of Torah and perform many commandments cannot break away from an imagination which leads to sin, falsehood, and a lack of faith unless they become a disciple of a proper teacher. Thus Rabbi Nachman taught that one's entire eternity is dependent on attaching oneself to such a holy individual.

A person shows respect to his spiritual guide because he knows that his teacher is the one best suited to reveal Hashem's glory to him and bring him closer to Hashem. Thus, when we honor our spiritual mentor, we are in effect giving honor to Hashem. The more one honors Hashem through his teacher, the more Divine Inspiration the rabbi receives and the more his faith grows. In turn the mentor uses his increased faith and spiritual perceptions to help his follows increase their own faith and spiritual perceptions. So we see that it is imperative to give the greatest respect to our Torah guides. (2 Lekutei MoHaran 8) Rabbi Nachman taught that we find in the Zohar, every time the students of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai praised him and gave him great respect, his Divine Inspiration increased. Through this he was able to perceive deeper spiritual concepts, which he conveyed to his students. (1 Lekutei MoHaran 126) Rabbi Nachman also says that, in a similar fashion, in order to increase the light of Hashem's Presence on Earth it is necessary to sing praises to him. This is why our sages instituted P'sukei D'Zimra, the many Psalms of praise to Hashem which we recite every morning. These songs of praise, written by King David through Divine Inspiration, magnify Hashem's honor and prestige in this world. As mentioned above, Divine Inspiration is dependent upon increasing Hashem's prestige. Therefore, when we utter Psalms, we ultimately draw a touch of Divine Inspiration and purity to our imaginations, which increases our faith in Hashem. King David's holy Psalms are able bring us to ever greater levels of holiness and faith. This emphasizes Rabbi Nachman's earlier point, only through the true Tzaddikim can one truly come to higher levels of faith and purity.

THE PROPHETIC SPIRIT OF THE TZADDIK

Rabbi Nachman taught that the ultimate reason a person is sent into this world is to know and acknowledge the Creator. Amazingly, the soul is unable to achieve this goal while residing in the upper worlds, because it cannot fathom the infinity of Hashem from within infinity. Only through this limited dimension can the unlimited nature of Hashem, His infinite essence be better understood. And it is impossible in this world to attain true knowledge about Hashem without the help of a true Tzaddik to enlighten us. (1 Lekutei MoHaran 39) The prophetic spirit of the true Tzaddik makes it possible for him to purify his imagination and distinguish between illusion and truth. Once a person has found truth, he can come to perfect faith. Faith is complete only to the extent that one has cleansed himself of illusion and falsehood. Genuine faith is the belief that Hashem created the world from nothing and controls its every aspect to the minutest detail. Our finite minds can never grasp the secret of how Hashem created and runs the world. Only through faith--the purified faith we receive from the true Tzaddikim--can we hope to glimpse that which is beyond our intellect. (2 Lekutei MoHaran 8)

THE TACHLIS OF OLD AGE

Now we can understand the reasoning behind the commandment, "In the presence of an old person [who is past seventy, even if he is unlearned] shall you rise [as a show of respect] and you shall honor the presence of a sage [even if he is young] and you shall revere your G-d--I am Hashem." (Lev. 19:32) Rav Noson says that elderly people draw the spiritual energies of old age from the upper worlds and that their physical appearance is a reflection of those energies. The spiritual energies of old age are derived from the same area in heaven as prophecy and the roots of the upper Torah. Rav Noson explains: At the time of the giving of the Torah, the entire Jewish nation reached the level of prophecy and heard the voice of Hashem, as the verse says, "Face to face did Hashem speak with you (the Jews) on the mountain, from amidst the fire." (Deut. 5:4) The Midrash says, "At Sinai [at the giving of the Torah], they (the Jews) 'saw' Him (Hashem) as an elderly, compassionate Father." (Rashi quoting Midrash Mechilta) the juxtaposition of Torah, prophecy, and old age is an indication of their common derivation. So an elderly tzaddik resonates with the spiritual energies of old age which automatically connect his imagination to prophecy, bringing him to a very high level of faith. Rav Noson says that Hashem chooses certain righteous individuals to have a long life just so they can benefit from the spiritual energies of old age, enabling them to develop high levels of faith that come from a purified imagination. These elderly people are supposed to use their faith to guide and influence others to develop higher levels of faith as well, as the verse says, "And even until old age and hoary hairs, Hashem, do not forsake me until I declare Your strength to the [next] generation, Your might, to all who are yet to come." (Psalms 71:18) This same idea is expressed in another verse, "Remember the days of yore, understand the years of generation after generation. Ask your father [about faith in Hashem] and he will relate it to you, and [ask] your elders [about faith in Hashem] and they will tell you." (Deut. 32:7)

ABRAHAM: THE FIRST TO PRAY TO HAVE AN ELDERLY APPEARANCE

The Patriarch Avraham (Abraham) was the very first individual to disseminate faith in Hashem throughout the world. The sages refer to Avraham as "the chief amongst those who have faith." Avraham's perfect faith was one of the crowning achievements of his long life. Rav Noson says that based on our teaching, we can now understand the following Talmudic teaching: "Until Avraham, there was no old age [there was no physical signs of aging, everyone--even the old--appeared young. Fathers and sons looked exactly alike. Thus], whoever wished to speak to Avraham [mistakenly] would speak to Yitzchak (Isaac) [Avraham's son], and vice verse [because they looked exactly alike]. Therefore, he (Avraham) prayed, and old age came into existence, as it is written, 'And Avraham was old and advanced in age(" [The verse emphasizes this fact to teach that at Avraham's time, the signs of age was something new and extraordinary.] (Genesis 24:1) (Talmud: Bava Metziah 8 7a) Avraham wanted to look his age in order to arouse his students' respect for his teachings about Hashem. He began the Jewish yeshiva (school for intensive Torah learning) tradition by establishing and heading a yeshiva, as the Talmud teaches, "Rav Chama bar Chanina said, '...Our father Avraham was an elder and a member of the council of elders, as it says, 'And Avraham was an elder [sage] and advanced in age.'" (Genesis 24:1) (Talmud: Yoma 28b) (Shaarai Yosher) Rav Noson explains that since Avraham's most important contribution to the world was teaching faith in Hashem and he was the very first person to teach such ideas, Avraham felt that it was essential to his life-long mission that he increase his faith and strengthen the channels to disseminate it. As mentioned above, the spiritual energies of old age automatically result in higher levels of faith. This is why Avraham prayed for old age.

THE MEANING OF A WHITE BEARD

Each part of the physical body is associated with and can access lofty spiritual energies from the upper worlds. The holy Zohar talks at great length about the lofty energies that the hair of the beard is able to access. A rule governing spiritual relationships says that things which have a common number share the same spiritual energies. The Zohar mentions that there are thirteen points or areas on the human beard. This relates to the thirteen rules of Torah interpretation which Hashem taught Moshe on Mt. Sinai. Thus the beard resonates with the root of the Torah. There is yet another rule that something's color reflects its spiritual essence. The color white is always an indication of purity. Therefore, the outward signs of old age, such as white hair and a long beard are manifestations of the purity, prophecy, and Torah that a person connects to by virtue of accessing the energies of old age which purify his imagination, bringing him to high levels of faith to pass on to the next generation. Since Avraham's whole life was about spreading faith throughout the world, he therefore prayed to access the spiritual energies of old age. [Note: There is a good reason why old age not only manifests itself with a change in appearance, but also with the deterioration the body, reduction of its strength and its ability to function. All human flesh became spiritually polluted through Adam's sin. As a result, the urges of the body became an impediment to coming close to Hashem. As mentioned above, old age is associated with the spiritual energies of prophecy. Prophecy involves a degree of real attachment to Hashem. The urges of a strong and healthy body would be an impediment to such an attachment. The animal part of man cannot tolerate Hashem's great light. Therefore, except for Moshe, all of the prophets lost control of their senses during their prophetic experiences. Their limbs trembled, their physical strength ebbed, and they became disoriented. This caused their minds to become like a vacuum, enabling them to receive and comprehend Divine messages. Because old age is associated with the spiritual energies of prophecy, the symptoms of old age are much like a prophetic experience. That being the case, the bodies of the elderly are automatically put into weakened state, which is more conducive to receiving the energies of Divine Intuition, a lower form of prophecy. Further note: The weakness of old age discussed here does not refer to the type of weakness that comes with illness. That type of weakness comes from years of neglecting the body/mind--abusing it through improper eating habits, lack of exercise, poor posture, smoking, overmedicating, unwillingness to acknowledge strong "negative" emotions, poor mental attitude, etc. Living a long life does not have to mean living a sick life.]

RESPECT TO THE HOLY ELDERS

As mentioned above, the ability to access the energies of prophecy that lead to faith are increased through receiving respect. The energies of old age associated with exceptionally high levels of faith are also increased due to respect. In addition, when we respect the elderly, we draw to ourselves those very same powers of prophecy and faith, as the verse says, "In the presence of an old person [even if he is unlearned] shall you rise [to give him respect]...and [through this] you shall [come to] revere your G-d(" [The verse associates respecting the elderly with fear of Hashem, teaching that through giving respect, one can access the energies of old age that enables one to come to fear Hashem.]" (Lev. 19:32) This is why we are commanded give respect to the elderly. [In Exodus 6:16-21, which gives the account of the Egypt bondage, the Torah enumerates the ages of death only for the tribal leaders of the tribe of Levi, and not any other tribe. The Sforno explains the reason for this, "The Torah gives the ages of the Levite ancestors to suggest a reason for the superiority of Moshe and Aaron [and the entire tribe of Levi] over the rest of the nation. Since Levi, the founder of the tribe of Levi, outlived his brothers, the founders of the other eleven tribes; and Kohath [Moshe's grandfather] and Amram [Moshe's father], also lived long lives, they were able to play major parts in the education and rearing of their children and grandchildren, a benefit not enjoyed to the same extent by the other tribes. In other words, the reason why the tribe of Levi emerged to be the leading tribe in spirituality is consistent with our teaching. Their spiritual success was mainly due to the fact that for a longer period of time than any other tribe, they were able to draw upon the spiritual energies of old age from their ancestors.] This is why holy elders are so important for one's spiritual growth. (Lekutei Halachot: Yorah Dayah: Hilchot Kovad Rabo V'Talmud Chachom 3:1-5)

The gift of prophecy, which heightens one's faith, became a necessary component for the mission of the elders whom Moshe selected, because as leaders and spiritual guides, their main job was to instill high levels of faith into the next generation. Such a position requires pure faith in Hashem. This is why prophecy was essential for the positions that each elder held. In every generation there are true Tzaddikim and elderly people who are endowed with high levels of purified faith. Since a person's eternity is dependent upon faith, Hashem provides each generation with such individuals to assist all those who want to come close to Him. The fact that Hashem provides us with many forms of assistance and avenues to help us come close to Him demonstrates how much He cares for us and how much He wants us to succeed.

STORY

We mentioned the importance of honoring sages and that the more one glorifies Hashem by reciting Psalms, etc., the more one brings Hashem into his domain. The following true story illustrates this point(When it came time for the holy Baal Shem Tov to reveal himself to the world, he was informed by Heaven that first, he had to fulfill the commandment of serving Torah Scholars. The Baal Shem Tov then proceeded to seek out Torah Scholars so he could serve them and he came across several and served them in many different ways. In one case, he assisted Rabbi Dovid of Kolomal. Once, Rav Dovid lost his way when he was on a trip to collect money in order to ransom Jewish captives. He wandered into the house of the Baal Shem Tov, the greatness of whom at that time was unknown in the world. The Baal Shem Tov's wife welcomed the Rabbi, prepared food for him and offered him a room in which to rest.

In reply to the Rabbi's question regarding the whereabouts of her husband, she said that he would soon return. Earlier in the day the Baal Shem Tov had slaughtered a chicken. The Baal Shem Tov's wife presented the Rabbi with the slaughtering knife for his inspection so that he might satisfy himself in regard to the kosher status of the chicken soup she wished to serve him. The inspection convinced him that the chicken was kosher and he accepted her invitation to join her and her husband for dinner. The Baal Shem Tov meanwhile returned and joyfully served Rav Dovid. He made his bed and prepared water for him to wash his hands. They ate their meal and then went to sleep.

That night, Rav Dovid suddenly awoke to a fire blazing from beneath the stove. Afraid that the blaze would spread he yelled, "Fire! Fire!" grabbed a pitcher of water and ran to extinguish the flames. But when he reached the blaze, he saw an unbelievable sight. The Baal Shem Tov was seated next to the stove reciting Tikun Chatzos, the midnight lament over the destruction of the Temple. Rav Dovid saw the Baal Shem Tov aglow with a bright light about him and fainted from this awesome sight. Rav Dovid lay almost lifeless on the floor until the Baal Shem Tov revived him. Upon awakening, Rav Dovid asked the Baal Shem Tov for an explanation of the strange sight he had seen. The Baal Shem Tov replied, "I was only reciting some Psalms, but it is possible that my attachment to Hashem was so strong that it produced the blazing light which you saw."

That very night the Baal Shem Tov revealed his true identity to Rav Dovid. Rav Dovid swore his allegiance to the Baal Shem and eventually developed into one of his foremost disciples and one of the greatest disseminators of his teachings. (Ha'Besht V'Talmidov)

HITHBODEDUTH (secluding oneself)

Rabbi Nachman taught that as well as reciting the mandatory daily prayers contained in the prayer book, we should also speak to Hashem, just as we would confide in our best friend: in seclusion, in the language and style with which we feel most comfortable. This is based on the advice of our sages, just to mention two sources: "Rebbe Yitzchak said: 'Why were our forefathers barren? Because Hashem desires the prayers of the righteous."' (Talmud: Yevamoth 64a) "Hashem seeks nothing other than to hear the prayers of Israel." (Medrash Tehillim 116:1) The following is an example of such a session: Please Hashem, for the sake of Your Name, do not bring it about that, because of our sins we become distanced from the true Tzaddikim, Heaven forbid! Help us to become strengthened with complete faith in the holy Tzaddikim always. Make us worthy of the benefit of the mercy from the true Tzaddikim, which they should bestow upon us to always bring us closer to them. Inspire the Tzaddikim to descend to our level and help them clothe their great light in such a way that we will be able to draw from it and be nourished from their great wisdom. Inspire the great Tzaddikim to have mercy upon us. Through great love and compassion, they should bring us closer to themselves so that we merit to be eternally bound to them. Help us, through the power of the true Tzaddikim, to know You and come close to You with sincerity, even in this world. (1 Lekutai Tefilos 63)

HALACHA

Based on the advice of our sages (Talmud: Megilah 28b), Rabbi Nachman stressed that everyone should study at least one law from the Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) [or its equivalent, other books which are based on the Shulchan Aruch] everyday without fail. (Sichoth HaRan)It is a positive commandment to stand up before any sage, even if he is not elderly. [One must rise before a sage] even if he is not one's Rabbi. (Maran) [All the above applies] only when [the sage] is greater than oneself and is fit to learn from. (Tur) In addition, it is a commandment to rise before the elderly, who must be [at least] seventy years old. (Maran) [One is required to rise before the elderly] even if the man is ignorant [of the Torah], [however] one should not do so if the elderly person is wicked. (Bais Yosef, Tosfos) When is one required to rise before them [a sage or the elderly]? When they come within one's four cubits [a cubit is between 18 to 24 inches]. [One must remain standing] until they pass from before one's face. It is forbidden to close one's eyes before they [a sage or the elderly] come within one's four cubits, in order to avoid having to rise before them. (Maran) One is even required to give respect to elderly Gentiles, by talking respectfully to them and supporting them if they require a hand to lean on. (Maran) (Shulchan Aruch: Yorah Dayah 244:1-3, 7)
p.s. Dont forget to respect your elders!!