You are all right, but now is the time
This blog is in response to a few letters that I have received lately. Some correctly fretted about the lack of resources to make aliyah or even to make an expensive trip to Israel this summer to help bring Mashiach ben Yosef. Others simple disagreed, simply suggesting that the avodah to stop the disengagement is just as appropriate from America as it is from here. Here is my response:
You are right. It is very difficult here to live amongst the klipot (husks of spiritual impurity) that want Klal Yisrael to self-destruct. America was by an large founded by G-dly men inspired to do his will (as long as it did not get in the way of America making money). This country, on the other hand, was founded primarily by atheists and Bolshevicks, the children of great-grandmothers who were raped by Chielminitzky and his Cossacks. Institutionally America is a fairer country, less likely to engage in genaivah (thievery) against its individual G-d fearing citizens. This does not apply to those whom the Constitution said that they could not join the "Citizen Club" (such as Indians who were still free at the time to live on their resource laden native lands) or those who were considered by the above document to be 3/5th of a human being. Nevertheless, for the vast majority, the American Citizens' Club was rightfully blessed at the End of this Age. This blessing, sadly, has reached its end. The choice is stark: A cheap oil based economy which is disintegrating as the price of oil slowly (soon to be more quickly) bankrupts America and makes it a prisoner to someone else's foreign policy (the Saudis for example) on one hand or G-d's promise of a dew based economy (where our sustenance only comes from the mouth of G-d) here in the Holy Land on the other hand. The turn over from one world order to the holier one according to Rav Kaduri and the Vilna Gaon and the gemorrah in Sanhedrin is a seven year process which began with Gog W.'s invasion of Afghanistan on Hoshana Raba in the first year of the shimittah cycle in 5762 (2001), right after Sept. 11th. The oil-based economies at the end of this process will be destroyed because of their marriage to Basemath the daughter of Ishmael (See my blog: 6 Million for Makhtzit haShekel). The G-d blessed economy here will become more apparent with the rise of MBY (Mashiach ben Yosef), G-d willing by Rosh HaShana of this year. The attempted destruction of Gush Katif and Jewish communities in the Shekhem/ Jenin corrider (the road to Dothan) will be the backdrop of the hopefully peaceful revolution that will take place here.
We expect total economic isolation when that revolution occurs at the hands of the oil-based Edomite economies. This isolation will be the healthiest thing that the Jewish people has experienced for 2000 years. We will be totally dependent upon His (G-d's) benevolent Hand, not on the largesse of the corrupt gentile world. (Note: This does not mean, of course, that the righteous gentile world does not have a significant role in the Ge'ulah. Of course they do!) There will be a spiritual revolution here in the 5th year of the Shmittah cycle, just as the Gemorrah in Sanhedrin says that there should be. Don't you want to participate in it? At least come here this summer to participate in the events of the summer. Ask your rabbi. Get a p'sak. "Should I just stay in America and daven?" "Should I come to the middle of some busy intersection in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to say Tehillim with hundreds?" "Should I go to Gush Katif, as a guest in someone's home and do the same or as a guest in the still open Gush Katif hotel (The Palm Beach (Hof Dekalim) Hotel next to Neve' Dekalim) to do the same, to say Tehillim with thousands?" Keep in mind if your Rav answers you to stay in America and daven, when you have the time and the resources to come now, you may be left holding your Chafetz Chaim travel bag[1] when you could have been here to observe the ge'ulah with your kavod, your possessions that G-d gave you to serve him. Come when your dollars will get you here with your possessions. Why wait until America falters, for when that happens you may not get here with your kavod!! Also keep in mind that living here has to be your choice not your Rav's choice. I would suggest that speaking to a Rav here in the Holy Land will help guide your decision about where to settle. Most Rabbaim in Chu"l (outside the Land of Israel) are ill-equipped at this time to advise you on where to settle, and they themselves will admit this and will refer you to a Rav in Israel to get started.
When I, the writer of this blog, made Aliyah, believe me I asked my Rav, and his response was simple after he investigated the preliminaries such as our financial situation. He asked, "Do you believe that your avodat HaShem will be enhanced by moving to Eretz Yisrael?" My answer was yes. My question to all readers: "Are you sure that you can live in America under the protection and blessing of a government of kindness, knowing the cruelty of pressure to not respond to the murderers and terrorists amongst our enemies exists in order to keep the price of oil as low as possible?" “Can you stomach that quandary that your “prosperous” lifestyle in America comes at the cost of Jewish blood in the Holy Land?” I personally became physically ill from the beginning of the Al Aksa Intafada until I left America because I understood the gravity of this quandary. It slapped me in the face that it was G-d himself giving every Jew including yours truly a choice. I knew from the outset that this was the quandary of the spiritual battle of Gog and Magog. Did I want my personal prosperity to continue to come at the expense of the quality of life and life itself here in the Holy Land. From my birth until the onset of the Al Aksa Intafada I had never faced such a daunting question. The interesting thing, though, is that every Jew who has enough savings to get started here has the same daunting question facing him or her. This is the ultimate bekhol meodecha question. Remember according to the Chofetz Chaim, WW1 was a service bechol levavcha (a choice of the heart between Judaism and Bolshevism and a choice not to speak lashon hara (gossip), another Avodah of the heart.) WW2 was a service bechol nafshekha (with all of your lives). Here the Creator made the choice easy. For those who perished, He in his infinite Understanding of the end of the matter, did not give them a choice. But alas, we of the last Gog Umagog War have a choice. Please for G-d’s sake Come with Kavod!!! If you have the resources, come now. Support Nefesh B’Nefesh and organization which helps Jews make Aliyah who do not quite have the resources to do so. Help your fellow Jew get out of debt if you can so that he can come too. If the resources just are not there yet, form a club of others in your position. Have Nefesh B’nefesh come and speak to you about what they can do to help. Make it happen if you can. Participate! Bring what you have, and you will be passing a tremendous test, the main test of our generation!! And if you cannot close up your affairs right now, for G-d’s sake try to plan to be here within the coming year. The time is coming when even having children in middle and high school will become an improper heter (exemption) to delay Aliyah. Time is just too short. The greatest redemption in history will keep your high school and jr. high school kids from straying from G-d’s path while staying in America will bring with it all the dangers of a self-destructing civilization.
A test by definition involves either no help from heaven or equal doses of help from heaven to make either a right or wrong choice. The choice is not your Rav's. It is ultimately yours and your family's alone. True there are many reasons to take it slow, at least, in the past there have always been these reasons. Finances, jobs, high-school children, and severe illness which requires American expertise to treat are genuine reasons to take it slow and only come if you can with your Chofetz Chaim travel bag. The problem though is that time is running out. We are over half way through the Shmittah cycle of the coming of Mashiah ben David. He could come early, but especially if he does not, the economies of Edom are headed for ruin. I believe that the events of this summer will lead to the rise of Mashiach ben Yosef. We will rage war successfully against the mixed multitude (descendants of untrue converts) who daily wake up and check to see if the world loves them yet. He will also lead us in war against Amalek, who tries to create doubt of G-d's very existence in the world either by his vile behaviour (Osama bin Laden, Hamas, et al.) or because his system is rooted in essential G-dlessness (United Europe for example). In this process Gog W., who is not a G-dless man, will be none too happy about the turn in events. He will fight us tooth and nail the entire time. A true alternative to serving G-d for the purpose of making money is not in his plan for the New World Order. Yet, by fighting us he will be removing America from the Source of All Blessing. As Jews, do you want to remain under this deteriorating spiritual situation? If you can pull your resources together, by all means LEAVE before Gog and friends confiscate your bank accounts for writing contributions to Jewish organizations which support the rise of Mashiach ben Yosef.
Of course the alternative is disastrous. Burying your head in American prosperity while your brethren here in the Holy Land are struggling to rise above the husks of spiritual impurity imposed from the Erev Rav here and our enemies throughout the world, you will not be passing the test of this generation. This is not to accuse all or even most who cannot come of doing the above, but a valid self-assessment of your financial and health situation as a family and as an individual is required at this time before your choice to come is taken away from you. Are you serving G-d bekhol meodecha, with all your resources, or are you running away from G-d's vast but infinitely finite patience to pass your test? As patient as G-d is, the day is coming to pay the piper. And the piper is heading toward Azezel.
(Here are a list of sites dealing with the subject of the upcoming Crash when the world economy reaches Peak Oil. Within the next year or two world demand for oil will outstrip world supply. This information is a must read! I thank one of the readers of this blog for the names of all these sites. See the comments section for this blog entry. Thank you Andrew. http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/Index.html
http://www.spinninglobe.net/crash.htm http://www.energybulletin.net/
http://www.peakoil.com/ http://www.dieoff.org/ )
Keep in mind everything above is written with love for all Jews in the dispersion of the foreign lands of our exile. I write this out of a deep desire that Jews in America and the other lands of the free world not suffer from the coming financial collapse of Malchut Edom which is prophesied to come at the end of our exile. (See medrash on Eliphaz son of Esau's confrontation with Ya'akov as Ya'akov is fleeing to Haran. Also see medrashim on Avraham's purchase of the Cave of Machpela for 400 shekels from Efron the Hittite.)
[1] The Chofetz Chaim and other great Tzaddikim always had a travel bag packed with everything that they would need just in case Mashiach showed up on any particular day.
You are right. It is very difficult here to live amongst the klipot (husks of spiritual impurity) that want Klal Yisrael to self-destruct. America was by an large founded by G-dly men inspired to do his will (as long as it did not get in the way of America making money). This country, on the other hand, was founded primarily by atheists and Bolshevicks, the children of great-grandmothers who were raped by Chielminitzky and his Cossacks. Institutionally America is a fairer country, less likely to engage in genaivah (thievery) against its individual G-d fearing citizens. This does not apply to those whom the Constitution said that they could not join the "Citizen Club" (such as Indians who were still free at the time to live on their resource laden native lands) or those who were considered by the above document to be 3/5th of a human being. Nevertheless, for the vast majority, the American Citizens' Club was rightfully blessed at the End of this Age. This blessing, sadly, has reached its end. The choice is stark: A cheap oil based economy which is disintegrating as the price of oil slowly (soon to be more quickly) bankrupts America and makes it a prisoner to someone else's foreign policy (the Saudis for example) on one hand or G-d's promise of a dew based economy (where our sustenance only comes from the mouth of G-d) here in the Holy Land on the other hand. The turn over from one world order to the holier one according to Rav Kaduri and the Vilna Gaon and the gemorrah in Sanhedrin is a seven year process which began with Gog W.'s invasion of Afghanistan on Hoshana Raba in the first year of the shimittah cycle in 5762 (2001), right after Sept. 11th. The oil-based economies at the end of this process will be destroyed because of their marriage to Basemath the daughter of Ishmael (See my blog: 6 Million for Makhtzit haShekel). The G-d blessed economy here will become more apparent with the rise of MBY (Mashiach ben Yosef), G-d willing by Rosh HaShana of this year. The attempted destruction of Gush Katif and Jewish communities in the Shekhem/ Jenin corrider (the road to Dothan) will be the backdrop of the hopefully peaceful revolution that will take place here.
We expect total economic isolation when that revolution occurs at the hands of the oil-based Edomite economies. This isolation will be the healthiest thing that the Jewish people has experienced for 2000 years. We will be totally dependent upon His (G-d's) benevolent Hand, not on the largesse of the corrupt gentile world. (Note: This does not mean, of course, that the righteous gentile world does not have a significant role in the Ge'ulah. Of course they do!) There will be a spiritual revolution here in the 5th year of the Shmittah cycle, just as the Gemorrah in Sanhedrin says that there should be. Don't you want to participate in it? At least come here this summer to participate in the events of the summer. Ask your rabbi. Get a p'sak. "Should I just stay in America and daven?" "Should I come to the middle of some busy intersection in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to say Tehillim with hundreds?" "Should I go to Gush Katif, as a guest in someone's home and do the same or as a guest in the still open Gush Katif hotel (The Palm Beach (Hof Dekalim) Hotel next to Neve' Dekalim) to do the same, to say Tehillim with thousands?" Keep in mind if your Rav answers you to stay in America and daven, when you have the time and the resources to come now, you may be left holding your Chafetz Chaim travel bag[1] when you could have been here to observe the ge'ulah with your kavod, your possessions that G-d gave you to serve him. Come when your dollars will get you here with your possessions. Why wait until America falters, for when that happens you may not get here with your kavod!! Also keep in mind that living here has to be your choice not your Rav's choice. I would suggest that speaking to a Rav here in the Holy Land will help guide your decision about where to settle. Most Rabbaim in Chu"l (outside the Land of Israel) are ill-equipped at this time to advise you on where to settle, and they themselves will admit this and will refer you to a Rav in Israel to get started.
When I, the writer of this blog, made Aliyah, believe me I asked my Rav, and his response was simple after he investigated the preliminaries such as our financial situation. He asked, "Do you believe that your avodat HaShem will be enhanced by moving to Eretz Yisrael?" My answer was yes. My question to all readers: "Are you sure that you can live in America under the protection and blessing of a government of kindness, knowing the cruelty of pressure to not respond to the murderers and terrorists amongst our enemies exists in order to keep the price of oil as low as possible?" “Can you stomach that quandary that your “prosperous” lifestyle in America comes at the cost of Jewish blood in the Holy Land?” I personally became physically ill from the beginning of the Al Aksa Intafada until I left America because I understood the gravity of this quandary. It slapped me in the face that it was G-d himself giving every Jew including yours truly a choice. I knew from the outset that this was the quandary of the spiritual battle of Gog and Magog. Did I want my personal prosperity to continue to come at the expense of the quality of life and life itself here in the Holy Land. From my birth until the onset of the Al Aksa Intafada I had never faced such a daunting question. The interesting thing, though, is that every Jew who has enough savings to get started here has the same daunting question facing him or her. This is the ultimate bekhol meodecha question. Remember according to the Chofetz Chaim, WW1 was a service bechol levavcha (a choice of the heart between Judaism and Bolshevism and a choice not to speak lashon hara (gossip), another Avodah of the heart.) WW2 was a service bechol nafshekha (with all of your lives). Here the Creator made the choice easy. For those who perished, He in his infinite Understanding of the end of the matter, did not give them a choice. But alas, we of the last Gog Umagog War have a choice. Please for G-d’s sake Come with Kavod!!! If you have the resources, come now. Support Nefesh B’Nefesh and organization which helps Jews make Aliyah who do not quite have the resources to do so. Help your fellow Jew get out of debt if you can so that he can come too. If the resources just are not there yet, form a club of others in your position. Have Nefesh B’nefesh come and speak to you about what they can do to help. Make it happen if you can. Participate! Bring what you have, and you will be passing a tremendous test, the main test of our generation!! And if you cannot close up your affairs right now, for G-d’s sake try to plan to be here within the coming year. The time is coming when even having children in middle and high school will become an improper heter (exemption) to delay Aliyah. Time is just too short. The greatest redemption in history will keep your high school and jr. high school kids from straying from G-d’s path while staying in America will bring with it all the dangers of a self-destructing civilization.
A test by definition involves either no help from heaven or equal doses of help from heaven to make either a right or wrong choice. The choice is not your Rav's. It is ultimately yours and your family's alone. True there are many reasons to take it slow, at least, in the past there have always been these reasons. Finances, jobs, high-school children, and severe illness which requires American expertise to treat are genuine reasons to take it slow and only come if you can with your Chofetz Chaim travel bag. The problem though is that time is running out. We are over half way through the Shmittah cycle of the coming of Mashiah ben David. He could come early, but especially if he does not, the economies of Edom are headed for ruin. I believe that the events of this summer will lead to the rise of Mashiach ben Yosef. We will rage war successfully against the mixed multitude (descendants of untrue converts) who daily wake up and check to see if the world loves them yet. He will also lead us in war against Amalek, who tries to create doubt of G-d's very existence in the world either by his vile behaviour (Osama bin Laden, Hamas, et al.) or because his system is rooted in essential G-dlessness (United Europe for example). In this process Gog W., who is not a G-dless man, will be none too happy about the turn in events. He will fight us tooth and nail the entire time. A true alternative to serving G-d for the purpose of making money is not in his plan for the New World Order. Yet, by fighting us he will be removing America from the Source of All Blessing. As Jews, do you want to remain under this deteriorating spiritual situation? If you can pull your resources together, by all means LEAVE before Gog and friends confiscate your bank accounts for writing contributions to Jewish organizations which support the rise of Mashiach ben Yosef.
Of course the alternative is disastrous. Burying your head in American prosperity while your brethren here in the Holy Land are struggling to rise above the husks of spiritual impurity imposed from the Erev Rav here and our enemies throughout the world, you will not be passing the test of this generation. This is not to accuse all or even most who cannot come of doing the above, but a valid self-assessment of your financial and health situation as a family and as an individual is required at this time before your choice to come is taken away from you. Are you serving G-d bekhol meodecha, with all your resources, or are you running away from G-d's vast but infinitely finite patience to pass your test? As patient as G-d is, the day is coming to pay the piper. And the piper is heading toward Azezel.
(Here are a list of sites dealing with the subject of the upcoming Crash when the world economy reaches Peak Oil. Within the next year or two world demand for oil will outstrip world supply. This information is a must read! I thank one of the readers of this blog for the names of all these sites. See the comments section for this blog entry. Thank you Andrew. http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/Index.html
http://www.spinninglobe.net/crash.htm http://www.energybulletin.net/
http://www.peakoil.com/ http://www.dieoff.org/ )
Keep in mind everything above is written with love for all Jews in the dispersion of the foreign lands of our exile. I write this out of a deep desire that Jews in America and the other lands of the free world not suffer from the coming financial collapse of Malchut Edom which is prophesied to come at the end of our exile. (See medrash on Eliphaz son of Esau's confrontation with Ya'akov as Ya'akov is fleeing to Haran. Also see medrashim on Avraham's purchase of the Cave of Machpela for 400 shekels from Efron the Hittite.)
[1] The Chofetz Chaim and other great Tzaddikim always had a travel bag packed with everything that they would need just in case Mashiach showed up on any particular day.
posted by Dov Bar-Leib at 6/24/2005 04:56:00 PM
25 Comments:
Dov,
Please bring the words of tzaddikim to support your outrageous assertions.
"This is the test of the generation"--show us tzaddikim of this generation speaking like this!
I accuse you of making things up to suit your own hashkafa, and making threatening statements to well-intentioned Jews who do not know better. Shame on you for that.
I knew when I wrote this blog entry that I would encounter some derision. The concept of moving to the Holy Land at this time in history is frightening indeed. I do believe that those who have a genuine heter not to be here will not be held accountable by the great test that is upon the rest of us. Illness requiring expert treatment in the lands of our dispersion is a genuine heter. A severe lack of funds is another heter that exists and obviously if the dollar collapses, those who are in debt or have no savings will have lost nothing and cannot be held accountable for a fool-hardy decision to move their families here while they were penniless. On the other hand, there have been many Tzaddikim and pioneers who came here with nothing and have prevailed. An accurate and serious self-assessment is required before one makes a decision for themselves and their families and is incumbant upon all.
You ask for a Tzaddik who says that this is the test of our generation. I present to you Rav Matityahu Glazierson, sage and Kabbalist of the highest order, who years ago in the mid 1980s was explaining to his students why this generation, the 111th since Sinai, will be given an unprecedented opportunity to redeem the premier sin of the desert, the Sin of the Spies. The 111th generation (the thirty year period between 5748 and 5778) according to Rav Glazierson would be the reincarnation of that desert generation, most able and accountable to the decision to reject the hardships of Eretz Yisrael for some serious learning in the desert. I know he said this, for you see, I was one of his students.
In addition, to Mr. Anonymous, I believe that I presented my position honestly and forthrightly. I have nothing to gain from making an enemy out of you or anyone else for that matter. Yet, I would not hold myself blameless if I stuck my head in the sand and let people make potentially the greatest error in their lives without speaking up at least once. How you choose to respond to my wake-up call is up to you.
I specifically wrote on this matter now because it is of great urgency to respond to the devolving situation in the West now while most Jews there still have the prosperity to act accordingly. Over the next three and 1/4 years, the economies of the West will deteriorate as the price of oil goes through the roof. One's ability to come with Kavod will deteriorate too. The exact process of this deterioration is in G-d's hands. The fact that it will occur is already promised to us by the prophets of Israel who wrote extensively about our generation in their times.
By the way, this type of wake-up call will not become a standard feature of this blog. I believe what I had to say in this entry will not be effective if I repeat it over and over again. Once is enough to get the message to those who are willing to accept it, and people who understand the message loud and clear have responded positively to my e-mail. I stand by what I wrote above in my post, and I do not feel at all ashamed for having written it.
As promised, my next post will be about why most of the hubub this year will climax between Tisha B'Av and Rosh Hashana. Again it has to do with the Vav in HaShem's name.
What do you think people who live in Israel but have money invested in the American Stock Exchange, and retirement funds in AMerican banks should do with their monetary affairs? Is this the time to sell out everything? WHat to invest in here in the Holy Land?
If you are coming with kavod or have your kavod in American markets, invest in the following and in the following order:
1. faithful home in Eretz Yisrael for you and your family
2. Torah learning for your family and those learning full time in Kollel
1 and 2 can be reversed if you do not come with enough to buy a home or an apartment.
3. poor people to start businesses and to have needed surgeries either here or in Chu"l. This can often be a free loan which can be written off later if necessary.
4. If you have excess after 1-3 and if you have money to invest in more real estate, invest in the territories or in the Gallilee. It has the most potential for growth as an investment.
5. If you do not have enough to invest in real estate, Gold will ride you through and will keep its value into the next Era. Gold will not save you, but it is a good investment during the period of instability of the next three years.
When to pull out is a very good question. I, personally do not have a very good track record at recognizing highs. If I had been good at this, I could work like Warren Buffet. I thing the Dow is maxing out, and at least for now is in decline. Iranian elections where the fundamentalists have swept are setting up a foreboding future for the price of the bubbling crude. The Dow could rise again on some false hope for Peace on Earth if the international bumbleheads in the media report that negotiations with this group of terrorists or with that group of Iranian thugs seems to be bearing fruit. This is where I get lost as far as investing is concerned, for on any particular day I do not know how gullible the American public is. The dollar as of today is at or near its highs for the year= 4.53 shekels per dollar.
I spoke to a mekubal on our yishuv about this. He said that this is a good time to invest in Israel. I asked him when the American economy would begin to disintegrate. He was very circumspect, but he did say that after Rosh HaShana everything would be in flux. He would not be more specific, perhaps because the Creator holds the keys to the Wealth of Nations which is determined anew every year on Rosh HaShana.
Anonymous - I don't know why you need a source at all for Dov's statements about what to expect in Chutz la'aretz (though he did provide a mekubal's quote for you) since the chumash itself promises, "And you will find no rest among the nations." That posuk has always proven true eventually. Whether it took a few months or a few centuries for the "honeymoon" to end, the nations have always expelled us without our property. So you know for a fact that there is some end date for the good times for Jews in America. Dov is simply letting you know when he, and many mekubalim and leading rabbis, believes that end date is coming. Kol hakavod, Dov. [By the way, Rav Antelman is a signatory to a p'sak din joined by over 100 Rabbonim of EY calling on Chutz La'aretz Jewry to immediately come home; and R' Tzadok of Chicago (who has the heter of being involved in kiruv to stay in chutz) repeatedly tells his kehila that they need to listen to the Rabbonim of EY who have warned them against staying in Chutz at this point].
For all of those who have issues with spiritual predictions, maybe you are more inclined to listen to the geologists instead. I suggest you study up on Peak oil and learn the ramifications that will bring the end to the Western society:
http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/Index.html
(online version to view at http://www.spinninglobe.net/crash.htm)
http://www.energybulletin.net/
http://www.peakoil.com/
http://www.dieoff.org/
Is it the internet? I don't know. The responses are full of everyone's own imagination of what is said, not what has really been said.
Jews have a job to do in exile. When our job is done, we will be taken home by Mashiach, as stated all over the place in Torah sources. Trying to leave early is like trying to retire early without enough "$kavod" in the retirement plan. Fortunately, the Eybershter is keeping his loving eye on each one of us (not tapping his foot impatiently, as you would have it, Dov http://otzar770.com/cgi-bin/imgserv.exe/convert?ilFN=C:\HOME\ocr_files\main\tora\51\2\B0117.tif&ilIF=G&ilSC=40).
Maybe you guys only know the "comfortable Americans" and thats where your stereotype comes from. Well, although it might be based on truth, it still lacks all ahavas yisrael despite what I'm sure will be your collective insistence to the contrary.
There are many American Jews who drive old cars too small for their families, can't afford vacations, and dont think Mashiach might be George W.
And among them you've got those like myself who have long anticipated the collapse of the oil economy (the Rebbe warned against remaining beholden to Arab oil), and the fall of Esav's cities by natural or supernatural means (recognizing that they are one in the same, of course). None of that translates into the false hashkafa that a Jew in exile must pick up and live in the Holy Land. "Not by our power were we put into exile, and not by our power will we be taken out."
But this business of the "Chafetz Chayim travel bag" and golden "kavod" is a big laugh especially, since anyone who knows anything about the saintly Chafetz Chayim knows that he didn't value worldy rewards at all. His idea of wealth was pure and simply: Torah and Mitzvos. And as if to overturn the whole apple cart here, he kept his worldly travel bag ready because takka he was living in exile! He was ready at any moment for Mashiach to come and take him from exile back to Eretz Yisrael - but he didn't attempt to do it himself!
We know what happened in the past to the ones who tried that, like the bnei Ephraim or the Jews of last week's parsha who got beaten down by Amalek, r"l because they didn't listen to Moshe Rabbeinu. Listen to Moshe Rabbeinu, Yidden! Don't try to be your own Rebbe! Shaul haMelech was head and shoulders above the rest, and he also fell because he made his own calculations!
Hashem should bless every Jew, on every continent, because every one of us still in exile. You want out of exile? Double up and triple up on the ahavas yisrael.
L'chaim!
And I would add that everyone here who is capable should take a half hour to learn the sicha from the Lubavitcher Rebbe, called "Kutnres Bais Rabbeinu shebeBavel." Among other wonderous insights, the Rebbe proves from pesukim and mamarei chazal that the shechina and the 3rd Temple will first be revealed in the place of exile, and only from there will they travel to their place in Yerushalyim. Don't take my word for it, learn the sicha. And then you'll be able to be content living in the Land of Israel without the burden of a mistaken hashkafa that leads to misplaced criticism on the Jews who don't live their yet.
And besides that it's very geshmak!
View the sicha in Hebrew here, from page 413 through 425.
There's an English translation by sichos in English, but it summarized a lot and leaves out some stuff. Only for those who have trouble with the Hebrew.
Dear Anonymous:
At least I think that you are anonymous.
All right. G-d willing after the events of this summer, you will have a positive reason to come here. I just pray that these events unfold before the housing bubble in America bursts. It did in Great Britain, and it will soon do so in America, now that the price of oil is smashing new records. Let us all pray that every Jew that has the wherewithal to come with what they have in America will come after getting full market value for their homes, and that we especially help other Jews who do not have savings to come at this time so that they can come. Nefesh B'Nefesh has proven itself as an organization to do the latter.
You mention that the Chofetz Chaim did not come, but the Vilna Gaon himself tried to come and ended up sending his students to come at a time when Eretz Yisrael physically existed in desert like conditions. In addition as you know many Chassidic groups also came in the wake of the students of the Gaon. All of this was done in the first half of the 19th century. Perhaps they knew something then that some of us have forgotten.
In addition to the above, I believe that the Chofetz Chaim lived in the 107th and 108th generations after the Giving of the Torah. His avodah was against Bolshevism and Lashon Hara. He fought a glorious battle against both which has succeeded in our time. The Lubavitcher Rebbe's battle was against rampant assimilation. He, too, met with tremendous success in his generation and in ours. Yet, he passed away at the onset to our generation, the 111th generation after the Giving of the Torah. Our avodah is different than the avodah of the Giants that came before us. Our avodah in this generation is at least in part to be a tikkun for the Sin of the Spies. Consider the optimal way to participate in that avodah.
Finally I was just at www.yiddishkeit.org. I would like to thank Y. Nathan for publicizing the Gush Katif countdown to evacuation. G-d willing prayer from all over the world, but especially acts of prayer and sacrifice here in the Holy Land, will annul this evil decree.
didn't the Chafetz Chaim attempt to make aliyah and instruct his son to purchase a house for him in Petach Tikvah?
Unrest 'could double' oil price
A warning of a possible near doubling in the cost of oil was issued yesterday as UK prices rose to more than £4 a gallon and the AA Motoring Trust said the price of diesel was approaching £5 a gallon.
Further rises were expected next week, it said.
The price of crude oil could soon reach $100 a barrel, compared with the present historic high of $60, if there was further supply disruption in Russia or a political upset in Saudi Arabia, a leading German institute said.
The IFW World Economics Institute in Kiel said that any number of "unwelcome developments" could provoke a crisis. Given that the industry was already producing at full capacity to meet soaring demand in China and India, there was almost no margin to absorb a sudden supply shock.
http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/06/27/noil27.xml
Housing bubble trouble
The bubble hasn't burst, but the air may be leaking out.
...Karl Case, a Wellesley College economist, said ``people are really getting spooked'' by media talk of a housing bubble. ``People are getting cautious with their bids. So it's partially a self-fulfilling prophecy.''
He said continued low interest rates, a low housing supply and strong demand are keeping the market going. But sooner or later those dynamics are going to change, he said.
``I think it's in part the real McCoy,'' he added of a possible fundamental market shift already underway. ``We're not growing the economy very strongly. But if you mean, `Am I anticipating a big price decline?,' I still don't expect that to happen. I don't think (a) crash . . . is likely.''
While no one can give an accurate answer to the big question - If there is a housing bubble, when will it burst?
http://business.bostonherald.com/businessNews/view.bg?articleid=91340
"Everything is in the hands of Heaven but fear of Heaven."
The Oil Wars have begun. America started it by invading Iraq. Now China is taking the next step. The world's largest consumers of oil, in a bid to stave off the collapse of their own economies, are trying to stake out their claims to the quickly-diminishing supplies which are left.
"Alarm in United States as Chinese Special Forces Troops Begin Arriving In Venezuela As American Plot to Assassinate President Chavez Discovered --- Russian Intelligence Analysts are reporting today that the Military Leaders of the United States have become alarmed over the transporting of Chinese Special Forces Troops to the South American Country of Venezuela.
The contingent of Chinese Special Forces, ... arrived in Venezuela during the early morning hours of June 24th in an apparent response to Venezuela’s President request to prevent his assassination by American backed agents.... Investigations being conducted by Venezuela Security Forces are increasingly showing that this latest South American assassination plot is being organized by the United States... Of the determination of China to protect its vital interests in Venezuela, or anywhere else in the world, the American peoples are not being made aware of, even to China’s determination to use military force, and as we can read as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle News Service in their article titled "China on global hunt to quench its thirst for oil"...."
Two things:
1. It always sounds to me as if Jews in chu"l are producing reasons for why they don't "have to come" to EY, rather than bemoaning the fact that because of whatever situation they don't "get to come."
2. I am truly amazed at the willingness of so many American Jews to martyr themselves and their families for the sake of what's left of American Jewry. I have to commend such utter selflessness. It's amazing.
I wish it were selflessness, but I think that it is fear. Fear of being isolated by Humankind and living in a place where that is the case.
In addition, the valid complaints against the State's corrupt institutions because they were set up by Bolshevicks and atheists, is a genuine reason to have stayed away in the past. The cure for this would have been for entire communities in America to arise like a wall and to make aliyah enmasse, forever swamping the corrupt Bolshevicks that founded this country. Things, G-d willing, are about to change.
Sorry, Dov. I should have written it thus:
[sarcasm] I have to commend such utter selflessness.[/sarcasm]
Anonymous said...
Sorry, Dov. I should have written it thus:
[sarcasm] I have to commend such utter selflessness.[/sarcasm]
Ahavas Yisroel at its misnagishe finest. Nebach.
May be living in Eretz Yisroel,
But it smells like Chutz L'aretz
The same applies to those who come and argue that they want to travel to the place that "Einei Hashem Elokecha bah mei'reishis hashana ve'ad acharis shana"; why must he remain in the diaspora and struggle (mutchen zich), when he can flee to Eretz Yisroel.
We tell him, "not by your will are you in exile, and not by your will shall you leave exile, this is G-d's matter, therefore, since this is according to G-d, you should not flee from here, because where you are, you are by Divine decree."
But since he was given free choice, he can choose to be where he wants. He has the option to buy a ticket and travel to Eretz Yisrael--this was not withheld from him. We don't change the natural order because of (fools). But what is happening with him? He hasn't fled from chutz laAretz to Eretz Yisrael, but he has taken along with himself the atmosphere of chutz laAretz to Eretz Yisrael, and there finds himself in the atmosphere of chutz laAretz.
It is brought in Chasidus in the name of the book Asara Ma'amaros that around every Jew the atmospheres of Gan Eden and of Geihinom spread. When for the "mipnei chata'einu" (on account of our sins, as we say in the tefilla of Musaf of the Yomim Tovim) that he has not yet rectified, he must remain in a state of (the continuation of that prayer) "galeinu mei'artzeinu" (we were exiled from our land) also in the literal sense, and he goes of his own and travels to Eretz Yisrael, then he takes along with him into "the land upon which G-d's eyes are on it" the atmosphere of Geihinom. For he has fled from the place where he must still be in order to rectify his portion in the cause of the Churban and the exile, and this causes the rectification to be prolonged, etc.
When he is in Chutz laAretz (his atmosphere of Geihinom is not so terrible, because)--"they (Chazal) decreed on its land and atmosphere (as being impure)." But the atmosphere in Eretz Yisrael is pure, and he takes along with him the atmosphere of Geihinom into the King's Palace.
[Likutei Sichos v. 2, p. 619]
Dear Rebbe Anonymous:
But since 5750 in general, G-d has been calling Klal Yisrael home. It is time to be home for Shabbos. Shabbos is really two words. Shev Bayit. Return Home! The shofar blew that year and in came Russian and Ethiopian Jewry.
The shofar blew at the end of the year 5760 in a different way. Jews started to be maimed and to die in Eretz Yisrael in large numbers. It was hard to hear that blast for all we could see was the blood of our brothers. Just to let us know that that teruah was for us, though, before the end of the year 5761, disaster struck the beloved haven of our last exile. It struck the Twin Towers, the pillars of our financial success amongst the gentiles. No longer could we purify ourselves amongst the gentiles and spread Gan Eden while doing so while facilitating World Trade. We had brought Mankind to the 33rd level of purity in the 3300 years since Sinai. For 2500 years our primary source of income in our exile was to facilitate international commerce. The world has benefited from our efforts and our mitzvot. But with the destruction of the Two Towers, that time came to an end. We were reminded that from that time forward any financial success enjoyed in Chu"l comes at the expense of life and limb in Eretz Yisrael. To bring the world to the next levels of purity (34-49) we need to be together in our holy place.(It is no acident that Saudi Arabia wanted to give NYC one billion dollars to recover, which the righteous gentile mayor refused to take.) You see, America has benefited from our presence in their midst. Neither we nor America can benefit from each other any longer, though. Reb Yid, G-d is giving us seven years to pack up our things and come home.
Do not expect leadership from the Gedolim on this. Of all the sins of the desert generation, the one for which gedolim were equally culpable with the nation was the Sin of the Spies. We all need to repent together.
So good to have one who can discern the supernal intentions so clearly < rolleyes >
Yated Neeman, Agudah, etc. can call whomever they want "Gedolim". In this era, being a boki in Shas does not make one a ro'eh Yisroel (shepherd of Yisrael). But neither does running a blog. ;-D
Hashem does not leave his children without leadership. Without tzaddikim who are informed of His desires vis a vis inyonei d'yoma (events of the day). Beware of advocating the very attitude of day 40 at the foot of Har Sinai, Dov! Even the mighty Shaul haMelech was done in by his "cheshbonos" as to what Hashem really wants. The avodah (service) of our generation is temimius--simple kabbalas 'ol (acceptance of the kingship of heaven).
The world we know (and which too many of us love) is indeed coming to its conclusion. Even it might be dramatic and shocking, but it is all a manifestation of Hashem's great love for his only child, Yisroel. Rather than giving fodder to the mekatregim, Dov, why not use your talents to inspire. We need mitzvos not sevoras. The best investment is not gold...it's tzedakah. And unlike all these questionable chochomos, tzedakah mekareves hageulah (tzedakah brings closer the geulah).
Bimheira b'yameinu, amen!
I think that I mentioned tzedaka number one or two depending on whether you have money to buy a house. The excess beyond tzedaka which can be used for savings should be invested in E.Y. if you have enough. Gold is last on the list, and necessary if you want to have savings to support ones family and later on to purchase kobanot or to make a contribution to the Beit HaMikdash.
On the other issues, there are individual gedolim advising us to come home. Talking to one here in Israel will help one come to terms with our decision to come. I do not expect this decision to come from gedolim in Chu"l. I am told the Amshinover Rebbe might help one make a clear decision on this matter. I myself consulted with him while deciding on Aliyah. I remember driving to Rehov Frank in Bayit VeGan at three o'clock in the morning and davening Shacharit at sunrise. It is hard to keep up with a Tzaddik who is also a night owl. He said by all means come, and move to my present address. Thus we did after confiding with two more sages. I figured that moving beyond the green line required a beit din and at least one mekubal.
The point of this personal story is that there are great men to talk to here about the decision to come. Don't expect the order to come from Chu"l before it is too late. G-d willing everyone gets out of this present exile anyway. (Some before Mashiach comes and some after.) The question is: Do you want to leave with what G-d has blessed you with, or do you want to come with a small suitcase after heaven knows how much hardship in Chu"l?
In my mind this debate will not be solved in one day of writing. As Reb Yid said, "Let us get back to doing more mitzvot."
There is one additional investment, though, for anyone who is interested. A new source of energy other than fossil fuels, to be developed here when Edom comes crashing to the ground.
1. based on the production of water from hydrogen
or
2. based on vegetable oil converted to biodiesel. Most of the high boiling point oils are considered pure for Shabbat and will therefore be useful in the upcoming Messianic Era. Mixed with lye and methanol, a diesel engine will run perfectly on the product.
If anyone wants to help develop this for mass use, you will be doing Mankind a tremendous service. As a matter of fact, why not develop it here!
Dear Rav Bar-Leib,
Can you elaborate on the significance of the 111th generation and where do we know that a generation is 30 years?
The way Rav Glazierson described the number 111 is as follows:
Remember that he was lecturing at Yeshivat Dvar Yerushalayim in the summer of 1984 (5744) when I went to a two week long series of his lectures:
After a long fascinating discussion about the year 5760, (that's right the year 2000) where he demonstrated how in that year Israel would enter a very troubling period of its history, he digressed into a discussion about the 111th generation after the giving of the Torah. He first showed how the word and letter aleph is composed of three letters aleph, lamed, and pey whose gematriah is 111. He showed how the word itself represents the Dor HaDeiah (The generation of knowledge in the desert). The Aleph represents the spark of thought which I assume comes from the Aleph of Elokus (G-dliness). The lamed represents the heart which comes into the process of learning only after the mind has absorbed the spark of inspiration. The Pey is the mouth. Here he inverted the word aleph. And told us to look at the word aleph as pelah which means wonderment in Hebrew. He said that Pelah is when the mouth opens, because one is emotionally uplifted only after one begins to understand. Therefore the correct way to learn is for one to understand, allow oneself to be emotionally uplifted, and then for the mouth to open. This was the way of learning in the Dor HaDeiah. (Here my notes are slightly confusing because I was unclear about whether the Dor Hadeiah learning went in the direction of Aleph or Pelah.) But one thing he was clear about was that the 111th generation will be like the Dor HaDeiah, the generation that was in the desert. This I understood very well.
His explanation of why the year 5760 was part of the 111th generation was matter of fact. I remember at the time thinking to myself that a woman's child bearing years are between 15 and 45, meaning half of her children are born before she is 30 and the other half are born after she is 30. Later on I remember learning that a generation while it is still alive is 40 years long. Yet, the number of years between generations that is from one generation to the next one is 30 years because of the above explanation.
Learning from Rav Glazierson was a real pleasure. I am in awe of the accuracy of Kabbalah. Just think. In 1984 a Kabbalist was telling me that in the year 2000 Israel was going to enter one of the most troubling periods of its history! It shook me to the core to experience that.
While the year 5760 started significant turmoil relative to the preceding years, it was hardly the most troubling if we compare it to Churban Europe or the Crusades or the Shabtai Zvi false Moshiach or Bar Kochba or Churban Bayis Shani and Rishon. Of course...the process of trouble is just starting so maybe we ain't seen nuthin yet, but hopefully we can get educated ourselves from scholars instead and avoid having to experience traumatic events. We have to be thankful for the opportunity to live and visit Eretz Yisrael, not to see the tourist spots but to drink in with thirst the words of the scholars who live there.
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