Things Are Not How They Appear – Short Term Pain Vs. Long Term Gain

During a stopover in Sacramento, on a flight from Seattle to San Francisco, sat a blind man with a guide-dog lying quietly underneath the seat in front of him.

It became obvious to the passengers on board that the man had flown this very same flight before when the pilot approached him and calling him by name said, “Keith, we’re in Sacramento, would you like to get up and stretch your legs?”

The blind man replied, “No thanks, but perhaps the dog would like to stretch.”

Picture the scene at the gate when travelers waiting to board the flight, looked up and saw the pilot, who happened to be wearing sunglasses, coming down the gangplank lead by a guide-dog!

Not only have the passengers scattered within seconds, scrambling to change planes, many insisted on not flying the same airlines!

Sicha of the Rebbe – Parshas Pinchas

The Rebbe says:

1. This week’s Torah portion tells us the famous story regarding Pinchas (Phinehas) and how he killed Zimri the prince of the tribe of Shimon (Simeon), thereby pleasing Hashem greatly Who declared that Pinchas deserves a reward for, “zealously avenging My vengeance”.

2. Our Sages tell us regarding the Oral Law (Torah Shebal Peh) that “it is impossible for scholars of the Study Hall to conduct a session without expounding a novel teaching”. If this is the case regarding the Oral Law, surely regarding the Written Law (Torah Shebichsav), from which our Sages learn numerous laws from even one letter, there must be a novelty in the story of Pinchas.

(3. Here is a summary of the story about Pinchas which is told at the end of last week’s Torah portion (Parshas Balak):

A Synagogue Saved by the Previous Rebbe & the Rebbe

The Avner Institute presents an extraordinary encounter with a Rabbi Rabinowitz, formerly of the Jewish Center of Highbridge, who describes meeting the Previous Rebbe under somewhat unusual circumstances. Special thanks to Rabbi Michoel Vishetzky for sharing with us this encounter, to learn more about the Rebbe visit: www.portraitofaleader.org

Thank You Shalom Mordechai – A Truly Blessed People

Baruch. . . Shehecheyanu V’kiy’manu V’higiyanu Lizman Hazeh.

If you’re wondering what prompts the preceding invocation of thanksgiving and gratitude – normally reserved for particularly pleasing intermittent occurrences – that’s a good sign. It means that you’ve taken the bait. But don’t feel too bad, you can be sure that there is more to the invocation of this prayer, at this seemingly mundane and uneventful time of year, than mere attention grabbing.

The reason for the Shehecheyanu is because I, among others, have experienced this week something more moving and more pleasing than anything I have witnessed in my entire half century of residency in this world. I offer the Shehecheyanu in recognition of that deep soul rending occurrence.

Ten Minute Video Class! – Parshas Balak

We are pleased to present our fifth online class in the “Torah in Ten” series, presented by the editor-in-chief of Kol Menachem, Rabbi Chaim Miller. To get this class to your inbox visit: www.torahinten.com

ParshaPix: “A Completely Red Cow”

ParshaPix is a new feature brought to you by CrownHeights.info and AwarmFocus.org; which features photos submitted by anyone that relates to the weekly Sedra. Editing by AvrohomDesign.com

Higher Authority – The Pitfall Of Self Deification

Walking along a steep cliff, Jake accidentally came too close to the edge and, alas, off he went. Grabbing at a tree branch, he was luckily able to break the fall, but Jake new his troubles weren’t over. There was no way he could climb back up the steep cliff; neither could he hang on much longer. No wonder that a single glance at the canyon’s 1,000 foot drop, elicited a frantic cry for help.

After calling for some time, a responding voice could finally be heard: “Jake? Is that you there?
“Yes, yes, it is I! Where are you, I can’t see you?
”I am the Lord, Jake. I’m everywhere.“
”Oh G-d, is that really You?
“Yes son, as much as it’ll ever be!”
“Lord, I promise I’ll be a good person… I’ll never sin again; I’ll be a loyal servant for the rest of my life… Just get me out of this place! Please!”

“Easy on the promises son. First let’s get you out; then we can talk. Now listen carefully, here’s what you need to do.

Sicha of the Rebbe – Parshas Chukas

The Rebbe says:

1. This week’s Torah portion tells us of the passing of Aharon HaKohen (Aaron the High Priest) and Miriam the Prophetess.

2. Our Sages tell us that the three sustaining elements of the Jewish people while they were in the desert were in the merit of their three leading characters- Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our teacher), Aharon HaKohen, and Miriam. The Manna was in the merit of Moshe Rabbeinu, the Clouds of Glory were in the merit of Aharon Hakohen, and the Well of Water was in the merit of Miriam.

Our Sages continue on and say that when Miriam died the Well dried up and when Aharon died the Clouds of Glory disappeared. However they both returned solely in the merit of Moshe Rabbeinu.

Special: The Rebbe Corresponds with Mr. Irving Stone

This letter from the Rebbe, זי”ע, is addressed to Mr. Irving I. Stone, of blessed memory, the eldest son of Jacob Sapirstein. Jacob founded the American Greeting card company in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1906, selling picture postcards from a horse-drawn wagon. Together with his two younger brothers (all of whom Americanized their surname to Stone), Irving transformed American Greetings from a small family business into the world’s largest publicly owned greeting card company.

The Rebbe Thanks the Rebbetzin’s Doctor!

When his wife Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson, of righteous memory, was cured of a sickness, the Rebbe did more than pay the physician. He thanked him for his success, which came from the true “Healer of all flesh and Performer of wonders.” With Gimmel Tamuz approaching, The Avner Institute presents this letter, courtesy of Rabbi Sholom Ber Weinberg and Mrs. Rishe Deitsch, where the Rebbe elegantly writes of the physician’s role and remittance due to level personal and professional care.

ParshaPix: The Earth Opened & Swallowed

The earth beneath them opened its mouth and swallowed them and their houses, and all the men who were with Korah and all the property.

Sicha of the Rebbe – Parshas Korach

The Rebbe says:

1. In this week’s Torah portion the Torah tells us about how Korach incited the people against Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our teacher) and his brother Aharon Hakohen (Aaron the High priest). This comes after last week’s story of the Miraglim (the spies) who had their own agenda and reported to the Jewish assembly that the Land of Canaan was not for them, even though Hashem (G-d) had promised to take the Jewish people into the Land of Canaan.

The basic thrust of Korach’s argument was that if every single Jew is a part of one, “Holy Nation”, as Hashem calls us, why is there only one Kohen Gadol (Aharon)? Korach said, “Why do you exalt yourselves over the congregation of Hashem?”

What finally pushed Korach to fight publicly with Moshe Rabbeinu was when Moshe appointed his younger cousin Elizaphan to be the Prince (Nassi) of the tribe of Levi and not Korach.

Holy Idealism Or Good Old Mischief? – The Tell Tale Signs of Destructive “Machlokes”

The following mindboggling incident, involving the saintly Chafetz Chaim, is related in the name of Rabbi Berel Wein:

Two people have become embroiled in an obsessive argument. The ugly dispute grew so out of control that it consumed their very lives and affairs, yet there was no end in sight, even after the sudden death of some of the quarreling partners’ children R’L.

Upon learning of the mysterious deaths, the Chafetz Chaim saw fit to personally intercede. He is said to have engaged one of the partner’s pleadingly: “Do you not see how this is harming your children! Don’t you think it is time to stop?”

The following is the answer that the man is purported to have given: “I will bury all of them, but I am going to win.”

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“He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak.”

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ParshaPix: Spy Out the Land

Moses sent them to scout the Land of Canaan, and he said to them, “Go up this way in the south and climb up the mountain.” (Parshas Shelach, Perek 13, Possuk 17)

ParshaPix is a new feature brought to you by CrownHeights.info and AwarmFocus.org which features photos submitted by anyone that relate to the weekly Sedra.

Can G-d Have it Both Ways? – Faith Vs Realism!

If only G-d would give me some clear sign! Like making a large deposit in my name at a Swiss bank. – Woody Allen (Without Feathers)

Abraham wants to upgrade his PC to Windows 7. Isaac is incredulous. “Pop,” he says, “you can’t run Windows 7 on your old, slow 386! Everybody knows that you need at least a Pentium or Celeron chip with a minimum of 3 GB of memory in order to multitask effectively with Windows 7.”

Antagonizing Our Evil Inclination – The “Misoninim” Syndrome

Amongst the varied items for which we seek forgiveness in the confession prayer recited on the holy Yom Kippur, is a somewhat odd class of transgression: “The sins which we have committed before You with the ‘Yetzer hara,’ (evil inclination).”

“But,” as my early days spiritual mentor would rhetorically muse, “Aren’t all sins preformed with the evil inclination? Surely there are no sins committed with the ‘Good inclination?’”

“The sins which we have committed with the evil inclination,” he would offer as a rejoinder, “Refers not to sins which the evil inclination had managed to drag us into, but rather to sins into which we had managed to drag our evil inclination.”

Torah in Ten – A New Insightful Ten Minute Torah Lesson!

Brooklyn, NY [CHI] — Kol Menachem, the organization behind the critically acclaimed series of English Judaica, is announcing a new venture – Torah in Ten. In this go, go, go world we live in, it can be difficult to sit down and find time to study the weekly parsha. And when shabbos rolls around, we all wish we had studied more and could contribute to the conversation at the shabbos table. Not to mention our children, don’t we all wish we could provide them beautiful insights into the weekly parsha?