Monday, January 16, 2006

Travail of "The Shepherd"

Since I started this End of Days project/blog after the South Asian Tsunami, I was not sure how long it would take for events to transpire until an event that is clearly described by one of the prophets of Israel in scripture would take place. As the days continue to pass since PM Sharon’s massive stroke, it is becoming more and more apparent that such an earth-shaking event has just apparently occurred. The famous Haftarah (prophetic reading) for the First Day of the Feast of Booths (Sukkot) is Zechariah 14. It is a cataclysmic description of what will happen when a coalition of all the nations in the world (the U.N.) gets involved in a battle to wrest half of Yerushalayim from the Jews. The leader of the Kingdom of Edom, the principle nation of Mankind will be Gog from the Land of Magog. It has been read every Sukkot since the tradition of reading from the Prophets was first established during the time of Antiochus IV Epiphenes who banned the public reading of the Torah in order to wipe out Judaism from the Jewish people. We have been reading this reading for the first day of Sukkot for a very long time, over 2150 years. It is a majestic chapter of the prophet Zechariah, who describes in it the apocalyptic events of "one great day of the L-rd" after the City has been divided and the spoils of it divided by the invading armies of the United Nations. And half the City will go into exile. Yet, during one particular Sukkot in the near future, an apocalyptic event of such a miraculous nature will take place that the resulting salvation will dwarf the Exodus from Egypt. According to Yirmiyahu the prophet, a day is coming when we will speak of this salvation in greater terms than we speak of the L-rd’s redemptive power when He took us out of Egyptian bondage. Every G-d fearing Jew throughout history has looked forward to that Great Day of the L-rd. Every G-d fearing Jew throughout history has looked forward to when Sukkot represents a historic event that has not yet occurred whose world-wide significance and Joy is greater than Pesach.

It is worth noting that there are really two versions of the salvation of Yerushalayim in the Book of Zechariah. At first glance they seem somewhat at odds with each other, but in reality, they are describing the same event. If we merit, the events in chapter 12 will commence as prophesied. If we lack merit or enough suffering, the events in chapter 14 will commence with all the unpleasantries therein. A third possibility that the Radak (Rav David Kimche) offers up in his commentary is that all of the various types of suffering throughout history are counted as merit, and although the unpleasantries and travail of chapter 14 would normally ensue, they will not occur, for it has all happened already in the first two destructions of Yerushalayim. One can even throw in the modern division of Yerushalayim between 1949 and 1967 as a fulfillment of the prophesy that Yerushalayim would be split in two.

A fourth more unlikely possibility would sadly be that because of our spiritually weakened state of being the world’s punching bag for the last 2000 years, we need the redemption of chapter 12. Yet after witnessing a miraculous redemption of Yerushalayim, if we do not do teshuvah before HaShem takes away free will forever with the Resurrection of the Dead, we might deserve the near destruction of chapter 14, G-d forbid and lo alaynu.

For the purposes of this blog entry, the important event, which is described in detail by Zecharia which occurs immediately before the events of chapters 12 and 14, is the two snippets of the story of an End times "shepherd" who will nearly lead the Jewish people in the land of Israel to total ruin and devastation. This "Shepherd" is supposed to be the last, long-term, semi-independent ruler of the lowly pre-messianic state of ingathered Jewish exiles. The prophet, Zecharia is very clear about this, for he calls him a "foolish shepherd" in chapter eleven. Click on the above link to see this Shepherd’s latest biography which you can now purchase for a dollar off the pre-Chanukah price. Be forewarned, though, that profits from the sale of this book are likely to end up in the pockets of two hard-core criminals, Omri and Gilad Sharon. HaRoeh, for those who do not know, is Hebrew for "The Shepherd".

Let us look verse by verse at the last few verses of Zecharia 13 to see how neatly Sharon fits into his description. Oh sword, arise yourself against My Shepherd and against my (gever amiti) the man who is his colleague, saith the L-rd. At the first stroke on the eve of the 19th of Kislev, a day of tremendous import for the Chassidic world, Sharon and Shimon Peres were having dinner together when the sword of the L-rd took aim. Wherever Sharon seemed to go these days his tag-along colleague seemed to always be present. This, of course applies to when Sharon vacated himself and most other Erev Rav members of the Likud when he established Kadima as the new organ for the mixed multitude of Sinai’s insincere converts. According to Rav Israel Solomon of the http://www.gogumogog.com/ website in his sensationally correct book about the Erev Rav, the duo are none other than the gilgulim (reincarnates) of the Sons of Bilaam who lead the mixed multitude in the desert to engage in the most horrific of their multitude of sins, the construction of the golden calf. These two sons murdered Hur in the presence of Aharon, and declared to him that he was next if he did not do precisely what they wanted him to do. Aharon cried out that "tomorrow there will be a holy day to the L-rd". The two sons of Bilaam had other plans. Using the silver plate which brought Yosef’s coffin out of the Nile, on which was inscribed "Rise, bull rise", these two reprehensible men took the gold, which Aharon simply touched and had thrown into the smelter, and instantaneously formed through sorcery a golden calf. The entire purpose of the sordid affair in the eyes of Israel was that the purpose of serving G-d was to create prosperity. In the minds of the ex-slave nation prosperity was utopia. See my article on American Twilight in the sidebar or in the archives for March 2005 to see how this utopia is most exemplified by the United States today. For Sharon and Peres the modern golden calf is the major source of their vast wealth, accumulated by guaranteeing that the financial interests of the U.S. and Europe are safe-guarded by these two men even to the detriment of their own country. These two sons of Bilaam were talking turkey over a scrumptious dinner when the sword struck.

"Hach et HaRo’eh!," screams the next verse telling us very clearly that of the two men specifically the "Shepherd" should "be struck" or "have a stroke". "Let the flock disperse." This particular half of a verse can have two different meanings. The more obvious meaning is that those wayward Jews from the "mixed multitude" and those who get all of their information about the world around them from Israel’s "Does the world love us today" media will disperse from the Erev Rav’s new political party, Kadima, leaving the wretched refuse known as the Erev Rav with no mass following. The other possible meaning could be bad news for yours truly here in Kochav Yakov. It could mean that all the places that Sharon built up will be made Judenrein for a short while until Yerushalayim is divided and the miraculous salvation commences. You may be asking if I know this why did I move here. Well, the answer is simple. I received providentially applicable advice that Kochav Yakov was safe even from the Erev Rav’s axe, and that I should move here if I love my neighbors, which I do. I received this advice from the Amshenover Rebbe, Rav Yosef Scheinberger of the Eidut Chareidit, and just recently from Rav David Abuchadzeira of Naharia that moving here was a good idea. It is too valuable an asset even for the Erev Rav in their defense of Yerushalayim. My question for them was, what happens if during the War of Gog Umagog the Erev Rav could care more about what the world thought of them than their own lives? Rav Abuchadtzeira said, "Don’t worry. You are not on their sellout list." The question that I did not ask, though, was about the good people of Beth El and Shilo, less than ten to fifteen kilometers further to the north, are they on the Erev Rav’s sellout list? We all know the answer. Let us pray that these good people are on HaShem’s automatic protection policy, and that they will be saved too without having to live in a sukkah or tent for any period of time. Next verse: G-d will turn his hand against the Tzoarim. There is our buddy, Tzoar again. We can only pray that this is what the Torah meant when it said that after "Kirvat Dekalia", the city of Date Palms, Tzoar will be destroyed. (For those who read earlier articles of mine, for the gentiles this is New Orleans, for Israel perhaps it is the (young, green followers of the elder Shepherd). Watch out Ehud Olmert. Apparently, you are on G-d’s list, and it is not a list for handing out Chanukah gifts. This means that Olmert and his twisted cadre of fools will only serve for brief moments. Netanyahu, well, we will just have to wait to see what G-d has in store for him. Lately, he has found his principles that he did not have since he put the Jewish community in Hevron under siege almost ten years ago. All of a sudden he is leaving the government and insisting that all Likudniks leave in response to Olmert’s cowardice before Gog W. Olmert is allowing Hamas to participate in Palestinian elections in Yerushalayim. Thugs and murderers will probably receive landslide support from our wild ass cousins in the Holy City as they stuff the ballot boxes in Israeli Post offices there. All of a sudden Netanyahu, who did not want to give up his Volvo and other perks of the job as Secretary of the Treasury to stop the expulsion of Jews from Gush Katif and the Northern Shomron, has found his long lost principles. Perhaps he thinks he has one last shot to stick up for something venerable before he has to settle his account with the Almighty. Perhaps he will put his wife Sarah’s orange ribbon on the flag outside of Likud headquarters in Tel Aviv. Is it real, or is it more sludge from slick Benny? Time will tell if this past candidate for MBY tries to make amends for himself.

Next verse: "There will be in all the Land (or on all the earth)", thus saith HaShem,"two portions (of the population) will be cut off and perish, and the third portion will be left in it. I will bring that third into fire and purify it as one purifies silver, and I will refine it as one refines gold. (The remaining one-third) will call out in My Name, and I will answer it. I have said,"(This one-third) is My people," and it will reply,"HaShem is my G-d." With G-d’s help this destructive prophesy has already been fulfilled, and we will not need a second go around to try and fulfill it again. I refer to my letter to Rabbi Lazer Brody which he published several weeks ago on his site. Here is the link. It is the December 20th article. It was Yud-Tet Kislev, the day of Sharon’s first stroke.

This takes us to the end of Chapter 13 of Zecharia. The curtain opens on the final showdown in chapter 14. It is no accident that within days of Sharon’s incapacitating stroke, Gog W. comes out of his Fundamentalist Christian closet to divide Yerushalayim in such a public way. He can no longer hide behind the "Shepherd". His charade over Gush Katif was to pretend that it was Sharon’s idea and that he was like Pontius Pilate at the trial of Yesu. Sorry Mr. Gog ben Gog. Some of us saw your ugly spector with a knife at the "Shepherd’s" jugular. I do not know what did it. Was it your threat to try him for War Crimes in the Hague if he did not play ball with the New World Order? Did your father threaten to not give him a star in the One Thousand Points of Light Foundation? Or did you get Israeli Atty. General Mazuz to convince Sharon that if he wants his sons to be recipients of their inheritance while they are not serving life sentences in prison, he should play ball? If Sharon had played it smart, he would have released the goods on your arm twisting to Rev. Pat Robertson who would have reminded you during your final presidential campaign that G-d does not bless nations that curse Israel. Or, better yet, he would have released info. on your arm twisting to Gary Bauer who would have slowed the Christian Coalition's "Get out the vote campaign" to a trickle. Or perhaps Sharon and you have the same boss, the great accusing angel who wrestled with Ya’akov Avinu. If this is the case, you will end up very soon before the same Judge that he has.

Finally, I will have to write some more about the yichus question regarding the "Shepherd’. Is he a Jew, or is he an imposter? If it were my choice, I would rather not open this can of worms. I do not enjoy questioning someone’s Jewish identity, but Rashi’s interpretation of the Targum Yonatan is very clear. The rule of the Shepherd is not considered by the Targum to be a Jewish one. For now I refer everyone to several sources. Rav Berland of Shuvu Banim Breslov Yeshivah in the Old City has emphatically come out and said that Sharon’s mother did not have a true conversion. His father was definitely a Jew, but his mother has a big question mark hanging over her head. According to Sha’ah Tova’s pre-Pesach 5765 edition, Sharon’s mom could not receive a teudat Zehut (identity card) under the Law of Return because the Chief Rabbinate in 1948 refused to certify the validity of her conversion. The proof is in the pudding. In the above linked biography of the Shepherd’s life, it clearly states in the synopsis that he and his parents were ostracized by the community in which he was born, K’far Melal. (Note: Menudeh means ostracized.) The vast majority of Jewish communities in the world do not. as a whole, ostracize a fellow Jew for no good reason. Given that his parents did not do something horrible in a moral sense, there can be only one reason for K'far Melal's residents' distancing of themselves from the Scheinermann (now the Sharon) family. As unpleasant as it is, if Sharon is indeed the Shepherd, the Targum Yonatan is right again. The "Shepherd" is not a Jew. I am sure that this last sentence will create a lot of debate, but since the words of Chazal are at stake here, I am sticking by what Rav Berland has said. At the very least his relationship to the Jewish people as a Jew is in doubt, but there will be no more like him. G-d willing, he was the last true leader of our lowly little state. I pray that we are about to get a rebirth that is from out of this world.

If you would like to present genuine evidence that his maternal grandmother was Jewish, please do so. I will gladly reconsider. It is enough that he is a gilgul of one of the sons of Bilaam according to Rabbi Israel Solomon. His yichus is already bad enough.

24 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Shepherd is not Jewish
and that doesn't matter
because there was God before there were lands and nations that are present now.
To the God
shepherd is a man who waalks on Earth and doesn't matter to be inside any part of his Flock
which is the whole Humanity.
Is the sheperd a sheep of a gruop inside the Big Flock that doesn't matter.It matters to gather all and enteer thee God's Foil.That's it.

1/18/2006 12:07 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

yes sharon's mother was not jewish, most likely a subbotnik from russia and if she converted it was long after sharon was born, this has been confirmed by a number of people, including one who served with sharon in 101

there have been similar cases

1/18/2006 4:59 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If Sharon is not Jewish... why did the Lubavitcher Rebbe tell him to put on tefillin?
Why didn't the Rebbe "see" that he wasn't a Jew?

1/18/2006 10:59 AM  
Blogger yaak said...

This certainly puts a spin on:

Yehudi Lo Megaresh Yehudi

1/18/2006 12:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

In answer to why the Rebbe didn't "see" that Sharon wasn't Jewish, I'd hazard a guess it's because he wasn't omniscient. Only G-D is all-knowing.

Anon

1/18/2006 4:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Eversince the breathtaking and historic TSUNAMI post I have been reading this blog and although it is far beyond me to agree or disagree I know just about as much about Judaism to understand our great internet teacher more or less. I appreciate it very much, thanks a lot for sharing !
Perhaps 200 years from now people will still be reading your work to study what it was like in our days and to see how few people actually knew and understood so much and helped others to strengthen their fate and hold on 'just' by putting their woderfull insights based on Torah knowledge on the net.
If this shepherd piece fits the puzzle at this specific moment in time then so it will be.
Sir, the Hochmah you merrit is unpresidented in our time. You give it time together with your Binah to become wonderfull Da'as. Sharing with us is the finest example of Tipheret.
Greetings and all the respect from
The Haque.
btw ( if you don't mind): in response to a comment made in a previous post about Bush ruling by Marshall law and related timetables; that trick he would only be able to pull when the US of A. came under another serious attack again.
But this in itself would lead to war on a yet larger scale setting more Magog war prophecies in motion. A war that can even escalate into a nuclear conflict that they won't like to see last for 15 years. So, in my 'proud to be hummble' opinion; yes, now is the time!

1/18/2006 5:42 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If Sharon is the "foolish shepherd", who is the "good shepherd" in the same chapter?

I have suspected for a long time that not only George W is GOG but that soon he will lead an international "coalition of the willing" to implement a new arab state on the west bank. Let's see..with Abbas virtually powerless and Hamas dedicated to the destruction of Israel, it might just take about 100,000 "peacekeepers" on the ground. The hook in Gog's jaw might just be the mess that would otherwise result in total bloodshed when Jewish settlers refuse to leave the "unwalled" section. Look for the "mother of all earthquakes" to follow when G-d pounds His fist on the table, and the dishes fly!!

1/18/2006 6:42 PM  
Blogger Dov Bar-Leib said...

A quick note: Another important fact concerning the Lubavitcher Rebbe's gift of tefillin is that he probably did see through Sharon's facades. He probably understood that Sharon would never wear them, but by giving him a pair the odds that his sons, Omri and Gilad, would wear them as an inheritance from their father went up from 0% to something above 0%. Let us not forget that although Ariel is not Jewish, his two sons are, for Ariel's two wives were almost assuredly Jewish. Doing kiruv behind their father's back required the active encouragement of their father. What better than a pair of tefillin that he would never wear, but that his sons might come to wear, considering the fact that they may have a desire one day to look seriously into their identity. From my understanding of the previous generation's Nasi HaDor, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, he never gave up on any Jew. I am sure that when he gave the "Foolish Shepherd" a pair of tefillin, he had Omri and Gilad in mind. Whether he knew about Ariel's yichus is besides the point, for when a Tzaddik gives a gift, it is for all generations that come from that person's loins.

1/18/2006 10:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks for the reply about the tefillin.
And thanks for the great blog.
Yasher koach.

1/18/2006 10:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

BS”D

The fact is that this comment will be about as popular as a snake bite. Nonetheless Torah is about Emes.

There have been many prior predictions as to when Moshiach will arrive…or “how close we truly are.” Rabbi Akiva believed him to be Bar Kochba. Several giants of Torah had calculated the keitz via scholarship. They were mistaken. Shabbatai Tzvi managed to hoodwink a great number of prominent Rabbeim of his generation…etc.

I make a distinction between the belief in Moshiach’s arrival and the calculation of that Event’s imminence based upon interpreted passages. Last year’s Asian tsunami and the string of hurricanes that soon followed against America were pretty dramatic. From my perspective they definitely displayed Gevurah from Heaven. But after much pondering I now concede that seeing those events as irrefutable Messianic signs is quite an interpretational leap and faith-based linkage.

What bothers me is this:- In Halacha we have awesome precision…especially in measurements. A mikveh must have precisely so much water…and no less…to be kosher. Same with a riviis of wine. But when it comes to Prophecy we find such imprecision, multiple possibilities for interpretations from the same passage that one has a laundry list of possible associations to choose from.

Who was The Shepherd and what was his travail in the days of Rabbi Akiva? How can we say with irrefutable accuracy that Sharon’s stroke is what is being spoken of in Zecharia 13? Which person was the “foolish shepherd” in the days of Rabbi Akiva?

Our deep longing for Moshiach is not a permit to see Moshiach in every event that transpires. Neither can we say with irrefutable accuracy that Sharon’s stroke was in any way connected to Gaza. That is an interpretive leap that may feel good…but is it undeniably Torah Emes?
I thinks not.

In fact, even the Hoshanna Raba start of the war on Afghanistan (the actual war
started (the bombs started to drop) in Afghanistan at 9:30 PM on the night of Hoshanna Rabbah, the time when the final judgment on the nations of the world is sealed and execution begun) is not beyond being questioned. Have no other wars in history ever started on a date that corresponded to Hoshanna Rabba of that year? Many probably have.

I raise the above issues not to diminish Faith in nor to discourage belief in Moshiach’s arrival. Rather I wish to see irrefutable evidence (not speculative/interpretive opinions) that Gog is indeed Bush Jr….and that the many associations of several end of days passages with current events are irrefutably referencing these specific current events.

Otherwise we end up with a pick and choose guessing game of who Zecharia 13 is talking about. Tantalizing and inspiring as that may be…it is not irrefutable Torah Emes.
Is there anything, in fact, on the table right now that we can point to and say beyond any other possible interpretation that such and such recent event is the only possible interpretation of this or that passage on Moshiach…and therefore we have irrefutable proof that Moshiach is very near by definition.

Does Yiddishkeit even afford such a certainty possibility aside from the appearance of the Third Holy Temple followed by the ingathering of all Jews to Eretz Yisroel?

Rabbi Moshe Yess

1/19/2006 3:12 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi,

There is a rule in Torah that once a non Jewish line has been included in the Jewish people, it is in fact Jewish. On a deeper level, one can associate such an occurance with a need for Birur HaNitzutzos which were in them, and possibly a Neshama etc...

Man does not know G-d's plan. It says 'Tomim Tihiye Im HaShem Elokeinu', one should be complete (whole, pure) with HaShem- serve and do as Torah explains simply because it is G-d's Torah, not because one understands the 'big picture'. (Of course as explained in various places, if 'understanding the big picture' will help to undo doubts or help in Avodas HaShem, then it is Mutar to study certain things. But otherwise this should not be a main focus.)

In other words, it is not for us to judge someone's Jewishness or whether he should or should not be in place x or position y or z etc., but rather, according to Chassidus and the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov, one should realize who one is, and in areas where one has the ability to bring positive affects, then he is obligated, but otherwise, a person should see how everything is Hashgocha Protis- Divine Providence- and therefore, if one sees something, one must learn from it.

In this case, if one has an ability to influence people- as does everyone- that Israel must not compromise in any way, and that the idea of a man-made peace in the region is not attainable through these means, this is very important to explain. It is vital for one to learn about this and to explain this to others.

However, on the other hand, one should not allow the Yetzer Hora or Animal Inclination to have the ability to use this for its purpose. In other words, one should not allow this to bring one to view certain things or people in a non positive way, and it should not C'V bring a weakness in Emunah in any way.

Who and what the Prime Minister is etc., I dont believe is an issue that we could know or judge- it is G-d's issue. Rather, the issue which is relevant to a Jew is what is being done in practice. And about this he must have a view- and this view should be the Torah view, since this is the only direction to true peace. And this view must be explained and stood by with great dignity, resolve, and conviction, but in a peaceful way as well.

On a deeper level, if one truly wishes to understand how the Prime Minister fits into a 'big picture' etc., one might rather look at the issue itself: what is the drive for 'Peace Now' and this perspective, and how is it incorrect in its conclusions? In other words, to look at the actual points which are relevant and try to bring oneself to a better understanding and conviction on how the Torah view is the sole way to life and peace in this and all other areas.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe has spoken on this subject in hundreds of talks, and speaks on how the conlusion of the 'peace' initiatives are not in sync with reality itself... etc.

I'd like to point out two more things as well:

#1- The Lubavitcher Rebbe is the Nosi Hador (leader) of this generation. And the Moshiach Hador (Moshiach of the generation) as well. And since this is the generation of Moshiach, therefore he is in fact Moshiach.

#2- As RaMBaM states, one should always look at the world as half in merit and half on the opposite, and know that through one good action on his part, he can turn his own destiny and that of the entire world to merit, and he can bring a 'salvation' to himself and the world at large. And this is a very fundamental principle in Juidaism- that ones own actions, speech and even thoughts have a monumental significance on all of Creation. While Judaism and Torah have endless amounts of prophesies etc., however, this is not the focus. Such things can help in ones Avoda and Emuna, but Judaism does not believe in a passive view on life wherein there is simply a religion as ones ultimate belief, and 'events will happen as they will happen'. Rather, if one truly tries to incorporate the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov and Torah in general, into ones life, then the very fact that this moment is created by G-d, and the fact that the person has the freedom of choice at this moment to do x or y, this itself is of utmost importance. And this is also the translation of true Emunah- it includes a very real consciousness on this reality as a G-d-reality of Hashgocha Protis (Divine Providence.)

In other words, I dont believe that it is in the realm of Judaism to simply believe in an inevitable predetermined sequence of events which will guide life, but rather Judaism sees life as an interactive G-dly reality wherein each minute detail is of utmost importance, and no action of thought is without consequence. (While of course Judaism does explain that Moshiach will come no matter what, and this is predermined, so to speak, however, it is within each person's ability to bring it quicker, and to make it a peaceful time rather than the pain which can come during 'childbirth', as is associated with the era of Moshiach. And in this each person has genuine freedom of choice- a single Jew can affect the entire process thereby taking away much of the 'birth pangs' for himself and others, simply by studying more about Moshiach, living with Moshiach, asking and 'demanding' Moshiach etc., and helping others in this as well.)

If we ask of HaShem to bring the final and complete Geulah with Moshiach and the Third Beis Hamikdosh, and we ask it with sincerity- and attach with it concrete actions as well, in all areas of Torah and Mitzvos, and Ahavas Yisroel- then surely HaShem will send Moshiach literally right away and without a moment of delay. It is both within His power, and in His absolute will, that Moshiach be revealed already now, it is only up to us to tell Him that we are truly ready and not only that but we 'demand' it, so to speak, since this is the only way that it can be. We will not settle for Golus- 'we want Moshiach now!'

As the Lubavitcher Rebbe has said, the very act of demanding by HaShem to bring Moshiach this itself will bring HaShem to declare 'Nitzchuni Bni Nitzchuni'- 'you have beaten (won) me my children, you have beaten me' and He will bring Moshiach right away.

May we merit that through living with Moshiach, and through doing all we can to bring others to Torah and Mitzvos in the light of the imminent Geulah, may we merit that truly now and immediately we will see the revelation of Moshiach in a physical way and in a peaceful and joyful way, with the complete and true Geulah, now!

1/20/2006 10:39 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The complete takeover of the Mashiach concept by Chabad and it's dead rebbe have caused me to have very bad thoughts about everything associated with them. Why can't people discuss Torah issues and just cite Torah sources without constantly shoving the dead rebbe upon everyone in reach? Is it possible to talk about Mashiach and the End of Days without bringing the dead rebbe into it??? And why do some feel that they have a mission from G-D to correct everyone else's interest in the subject and to issue dire warnings on it???

Get a clue! Not everyone who is looking for Mashiach and the End of Days reveres the rebbe or is associated with Chabad.

Furthermore, I resent the constant warnings about our faith being in danger and that we have no business trying to figure things out and the prophets can't be understood, yada, yada, yada....

Sheesh! Get a different life!

Anon

1/20/2006 4:17 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi,

Regarding the Rebbe and Moshiach, this is a Halachic issue and not one which a person looks at based on preconceived ideas or feelings on how one thinks it should be- RaMBaM gives a clear description of the person of Moshiach, and the sequence of events. While he also states that we do not know the exact sequence until it happens, there are guidelines which are laid out in Torah.

In other words, this issue should not be one of emotion or the opposite of Ahavas Yisroel, but rather a discussion based on Torah sources.

Regarding the other point relating to delving into the Neviim (prophets) etc...- I am not suggesting that one not try as best as one can to figure everything out, and understand it etc... (This is in fact very importan in Judaism- 'Lo Habayshan Lomed', it is important to ask and study...) But what I was trying to bring up is what is explained in Torah, that a Jew should serve HaShem with the physical and intellect etc., but not serve the intellect or physical itself. In other words, a Jew should utilize the intellect and the knowledge which Torah gives in order to further bring himself and those around him to a higher level, to a level where they are a 'vessel' for G-dliness and the ultimate era of Moshiach, and to bring the world itself to this as well.

Regarding why Chabad has a strong say, so to speak, on Moshiach- I think this is because the Rebbe has been speaking about it for over 50 years, and Moshiach is a (the) driving force and purpose for all life that the Rebbe has given. The Rebbe instucted that every person learn everything possible about Moshiach, and to literally 'live' with Moshiach etc.

Therefore, if someone has studied these topics, and studied what the Rebbe has said, then he surely has much to contribute on the topic of Moshiach, something which is truly central in all of Judaism, and a fundamental part of its foundation.

Since a Jew asks many times a day in during Tefillah, for HaShem to bring Moshiach, it is therefore only logical that one also try and study what it is that he's asking for. And this is very important as well, as the Rebbe has said many times. However, together with this, one must always realize that he is not 'worshipping', so to speak, the conclusion which he came by- the ideas that he received through reading the prophesies etc...- but rather all these concepts and prophesies should only help one to see a great light that is to be in the imminent reality, and to become prepared for it through the ways which Torah outlines.

As I was trying to explain before, Moshiach is described in Torah and Halachah, and should not C'V bring to anything which is in any way the opposite of Ahavas Yisrael. In fact, Moshiach should bring much more Ahavas Yisroel, upon the realization that imminently each and every single Jew will be taken out of Golus and the Geulah (Redemption) will be here in the fullest way, for all Jews, and LHavdil, for all mankind.

May we merit the complete revelation of Moshiach, with the complete Geulah, and in a good and joyful way, immediately!

All the best,
Meir

1/20/2006 4:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

hi all,

how true and how SAD, not everyone is looking for Moshiach.... even when so many jews are suffering, indiviadually and as a community, even when the our physical and spiritual survival is under threat, etc, etc the great majority of jews are not looking for Moshiach!!!

it's all very nice to discuss Torah, while sitting in air-conditioned/well heated study room, and then move to your pc and do some more of the same... but is that all that is required of us??? do you know why there are so many frum teenagers today who are turning away from yiddishkait??? regardless of how "frum" their homes and schools are. it is because this Torah "learning" is not enough for them. it is "all talk" without action for them. they NEED to be looking for Moshiach, they need to be learning about today's situation and acting accordingly. enough of the old routine!!!

thank you Dov for digging deeper and trying to "see" further.

and with regards to the "dead rebbe" comment... only a body can die, the neshama doesn't. one doesn't have to be a Torah scholar to know that souls are eternal. more so, just like many righteous people before him, the Rebbe has left us a lot to learn and be inspired from. everyone chooses to learn from someone. there are many who choose to learn from the Rebbe. that in itself shows that he is far from dead.

regardless of our sources of insiration may we ALL look for Moshiach!!!
Moshach NOW!!!

1/23/2006 3:36 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

http://ledavid.com/deot/viewtopic.php?p=13952#13952

Rebbe didn't "prohecize" that Sharon was Jewish
Posted: 23/1/06

In the wake of a Jersualem Rav's p'sak that Sharon is not Jewish, and Dov Bar Leib's identification of Sharon as possibly being the gentile "Shepard of Israel" from Zecharia 13, http://www.yearsofawe.blogspot.com, I see that Chabadnikim are attacking the idea since ... the Rebbe gave Sharon tefillin.

This is absurd. Even those who want to claim that the Rebbe identified himself as a nuvi, certainly cannot claim that nevua reached the Rebbe 24/7.

I saw the Rebbe speak to a man on the dollars line in Hebrew because the man was behind an Israeli. The secretaries had to tell the Rebbe that the man didn't understand Hebrew.

Likewise, the Rebbe made an assumption that Sharon was Jewish, just like bochurim on mivtzoyim don't do an investigation after someone answers yes to the question, "are you Jewish," before putting tefillin on them. And Shluchim don't do an investigation of a Jew who shows up in shul before giving him an aliyah (on the contrary, before marriage, an investigation is done).

Since the Rebbe was not acting as mesada kedusha for Sharon, the Rebbe followed the halacha and assumed that an Israeli leader was in fact Jewish.

[Also, it has already been posted in Chabad Talk's "tzadikim making mistakes" thread that not only did the Rebbe not know all the information he never came across, but he even forgot some information he actually knew already, e.g., his letter in which he writes that the person's question is answered by a certain book . The Rebbe wrote that he can't remember the name of the book but that if the person will describe to a certain other person, that 2nd person will know the name of it].

As pointed out in another thread (http://www.chabadtalk.com/forum/showthread.php3?t=826), there are a few problems with believing that the Shoftim sicha was a declaration that the Rebbe is a biblical nuvi.

1. The Rebbe refers to a type of prophecy which never ceased and was present in "every generation" on a highler level than biblical prophecy. Since, even according to Rambam's letter referencing a return of prophecy, there was definitely no biblical level prophecy even during the 2nd BHM, let alone the time period up till the Besht. So this type of prophecy was is higher (al pi chassidut) but different (al pi rambam).

2. In the sicha itself, the rebbe, when discussing actual biblical level nevua, says, http://www.sichosinenglish.org/books...lish/49/20.htm:
"To prepare us to be able to receive the revelations of the Era of the Redemption, we must experience through prophecy, a foretaste of the "advice" that will be communicated in that era," again indicating that the nevua he mentioned earlier was not the same as the biblical level nevua, which will return only in "the Era of the Redemption."

3. A question not raised in that thread, is "did the Rebbe Hakodem ever declare that the Rebbe was a nuvi," as the Rebbe says the Rebbe Reshab did about the Rebbe Hakodem?

1/23/2006 3:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

http://ledavid.com/deot/viewtopic.php?p=13952#13952

Rebbe didn't "prohecize" that Sharon was Jewish

In the wake of a Jersualem Rav's p'sak that Sharon is not Jewish, and Dov Bar Leib's identification of Sharon as possibly being the gentile "Shepard of Israel" from Zecharia 13, http://www.yearsofawe.blogspot.com, I see that Chabadnikim are attacking the idea since ... the Rebbe gave Sharon tefillin.

This is absurd. Even those who want to claim that the Rebbe identified himself as a nuvi, certainly cannot claim that nevua reached the Rebbe 24/7.

I saw the Rebbe speak to a man on the dollars line in Hebrew because the man was behind an Israeli. The secretaries had to tell the Rebbe that the man didn't understand Hebrew.

Likewise, the Rebbe made an assumption that Sharon was Jewish, just like bochurim on mivtzoyim don't do an investigation after someone answers yes to the question, "are you Jewish," before putting tefillin on them. And Shluchim don't do an investigation of a Jew who shows up in shul before giving him an aliyah (on the contrary, before marriage, an investigation is done).

Since the Rebbe was not acting as mesada kedusha for Sharon, the Rebbe followed the halacha and assumed that an Israeli leader was in fact Jewish.

[Also, it has already been posted in Chabad Talk's "tzadikim making mistakes" thread that not only did the Rebbe not know all the information he never came across, but he even forgot some information he actually knew already, e.g., his letter in which he writes that the person's question is answered by a certain book . The Rebbe wrote that he can't remember the name of the book but that if the person will describe to a certain other person, that 2nd person will know the name of it].

As pointed out in another thread (http://www.chabadtalk.com/forum/showthread.php3?t=826), there are a few problems with believing that the Shoftim sicha was a declaration that the Rebbe is a biblical nuvi.

1. The Rebbe refers to a type of prophecy which never ceased and was present in "every generation" on a highler level than biblical prophecy. Since, even according to Rambam's letter referencing a return of prophecy, there was definitely no biblical level prophecy even during the 2nd BHM, let alone the time period up till the Besht. So this type of prophecy was is higher (al pi chassidut) but different (al pi rambam).

2. In the sicha itself, the rebbe, when discussing actual biblical level nevua, says, http://www.sichosinenglish.org/books...lish/49/20.htm:
"To prepare us to be able to receive the revelations of the Era of the Redemption, we must experience through prophecy, a foretaste of the "advice" that will be communicated in that era," again indicating that the nevua he mentioned earlier was not the same as the biblical level nevua, which will return only in "the Era of the Redemption."

3. A question not raised in that thread, is "did the Rebbe Hakodem ever declare that the Rebbe was a nuvi," as the Rebbe says the Rebbe Reshab did about the Rebbe Hakodem?

1/23/2006 3:07 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Simple Jew said:

"do you know why there are so many frum teenagers today who are turning away from yiddishkait??? regardless of how "frum" their homes and schools are. it is because this Torah "learning" is not enough for them. it is "all talk" without action for them. they NEED to be looking for Moshiach,"


Dear Simple Jew or anyone else,

How do you expect this to happen? I spent my son's whole life raising him the best that I could...sent him to religious schools etc...after all the hypocracy that he saw, he became a non-believer. You see, there is no place in the religious Jewish school system here on the West Coast for a child who learns differently.

So what do I get for all the years of imbuing Judaism with joy, a child who now breaks shabbos and hangs out with kids who come from dysfunctional homes, promiscuous girls, and druggies.

You want to give me a solution?

How about a simple answer?

1/23/2006 9:14 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

BS"D

The 1st simple answer is that you cannot rob your son of free choice. The 2nd is that his choice is not your fault nor any reflection of your training him. The 3rd simple answer is that we are just before Moshiach's arrival when the frumma nuclear family is a parody of what it was and should be.

Rabbi Moshe Yess

1/24/2006 4:29 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree 100% with Rabbi Yess.
I have pretty much the same complaint as you... my kids are not "frum".... whatever that means these days.
The energy you put into their upbringing may seem "wasted" to you, but as my Rabbi told me, it is definitely not a waste, because even if the child wanders off the path, they know the way back.
Don't give up hope.
Be proud of yourself for everything you did for your kids.
There are a lot of parents in the same boat as you, and we should all be proud of ourselves, and continue to love our kids and not judge them too harshly. It is a difficult world to live in, especially if you are a teenager.

1/24/2006 10:40 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

for all concerned parents I want to say that I have been around; seen that, did this, took that, heard it, said it, felt it all, and after all that: it is all phony and doesn't satisfy the soul.
As somebody wrote: they will find there way back or atleast the majority.
This just a very proud to be hummble opion from a seaport city

1/24/2006 9:21 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

hi all,
anonymous said...
"How do you expect this to happen? I spent my son's whole life raising him the best that I could...sent him to religious schools etc... So what do I get for all the years of imbuing Judaism with joy, a child who now breaks shabbos and hangs out with kids who come from dysfunctional homes, promiscuous girls, and druggies.You want to give me a solution?"

dear anonymous,
i couldn't reply earlier, but if you are still reading...
i'm sorry for the pain you feel watching your precious neshamale being driven further and further away.
unfortunately your story only highlights what i said earlier, that in our days the routine Torah learning, even in the best Yeshivas, is not enough to nurture, inspire, strengthen and connect. children cannot relate to what they are learning. especially when one thing is said in class and a different thing is done in real life. for many, Torah, is just another subject, it is not their LIFE. children need to be taught that this world is theirs and Torah is the ONLY light that they have to survive and make it better. and that can only happen when they are involved in today's struggles. yet, instead they are kept away from real issues, taught Torah as a thing of the past (even in the best Yeshivas Torah is about the time of Avraham, Moshe , queen Esther, not our-time Mordechais and Hamans) and then expected to continue to do mitzvot. what for??? they don't feel responsible for this world, they don't realise that life of a fellow jew may rely on weither they are putting on teffilin, eating kosher, lighting candles, etc. they don't see that the struggles of Gush Katif and Chevron is a reflection of what is happening to Jews all around the world. in their mind it is not their problem. and even if they wanted to participate, they don't know how to apply the Torah that they "know".
i'll give you an example... in august when all the trouble in Gush Katif was happening, our 8 y/o son came home from school one day and said, "i don't think our school cares much about Israel...", mind you he attends a prominent chabad yeshivah. i asked him why he thought that way. his reply was simple, "they don't say anythung about what goes on there"...
how can we expect for our kids to stay connected if we/school do not connected them, do not involve them, do not make them feel resposible for what goes on??? they are not insiped to look for Moshiach!!!
there is no simple solution for you. i hope your son will find his way "home" soon. you can try saving someone else's son, by giving tzedokah to a poor family in Israel and maybe Hashem will save your son in return.
rabbis, who say that kids will just wonder back when the time is right, are gambling big time. now is the time for action. we need to be saving children. if you can't save those who need to be saved spiritually, save those who need to be saved physically. and please, please look for Moshiach!!!
may Hashem save us ALL!!!

kind regards

1/31/2006 3:34 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I wanted to thank everyone who responded to my question about what to do with my teen. A great deal happened in the past week.

A quick story of hashgatis pratis:

My son asked if a child could sleep over. Someone that I never met. I investigated the situation by speaking to his mother. It turned out that she gave me a wealth of unfortunate information that I was unaware of and I went to work. HASHEM lead this boy to me so I could get info from his mother which would in turn help my son!!

So I bought the book, "Going Off the Derech". It is an eye opener. I banned the internet. I took away his cell phone. I grounded him from being with children I didn't approve of. Finally, I found a rabbi for intervention who runs an outreach program.

So how is my son taking this ban of both electronics and the friends I don't approve of? He is bonding more with his family, is more productive and creative, and on top of it, seems happy anyway. Hopefully with Hashem's help he will do techuva one day.

To a simple Jew,

You said:
i'll give you an example... in august when all the trouble in Gush Katif was happening, our 8 y/o son came home from school one day and said, "i don't think our school cares much about Israel...", mind you he attends a prominent chabad yeshivah. i asked him why he thought that way. his reply was simple, "they don't say anythung about what goes on there"...

something similar happened at my boys elem school. One of my boys wanted to distribute a flyer to say the shema during the international time that everyone around the world was saying it before the hitnatkut. The school said no. My son couldn't understand why. I told him that schools are not permitted to get involved in politcally influencing a child. He was happy with that answer.

But I understand your point.

1/31/2006 5:54 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

in the proverbs, it tells us that foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction drives it far off. it is kindness to chastise him when needed and to instruct in righteousness..this is of love and turns them from hell and the lake of fire, away from death toward the way of life.

2/14/2006 1:06 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

instruction in righteousness, that they get understanding. knowlege and wisdom that they may prosper in the land. a meek and lowly spirit of truth, that by grace they may enter into everlasting life. shalom

2/14/2006 1:16 AM  

<< Home