Time for Unity - Reprinted from Lazer Beams

B"H, with Blessings from Rabbi Lazer Brody, please take a look at his recent piece on achdus - H" should bentsch his children in the merit of our attempts to join together!



Time for Unity

(Reprinted with permission from Lazer Beams - http://lazerbrody.typepad.com/)

This post is a personal answer to the dozens of emails that have asked me for further clarification about how we view the Emmanuel affair.

I thank Hashem for my beloved rabbi and spiritual guide, Rav Shalom Arush, may Hashem bless him always. I also thank Hashem for enabling me to be a part of Breslev Israel, Rav Shalom's outreach arm headed by my brother-in-spirit Yosef Nechama, and the Chut Shel Chesed Yeshiva, which Rav Shalom personally heads.

In our Yeshiva, Ashkenazim learn alongside Sephardim. You can find white Jews learning with black Jews. There's no dress code as to the color kippa you wear, but as far as people go, we are religiously and zealously color-blind. The fastest way to get kicked out of our Yeshiva is to say something derogatory about another group or spiritual leader in Judaism, even those who radically oppose Breslev or Rav Shalom. Rav Shalom does not tolerate hatred and discrimination. But, the Yeshiva has very high standards as to personal conduct, academic demands and adherence to religious law that all must uphold.

I am a strong believer in Jewish integration, for I believe that it's the key to ending the intramural hatred that corrodes our people from the inside. My beloved partner in life is a Sephardi; not only is she a dream wife and mother, but she's a brilliant Rebbetzen that's just as home in every shelf of the Jewish-thought library as she is in the kitchen. Since my origins are Ashkenazic, our home is the best of all worlds.

Yes, Jews have the right to continue in the ways of their fathers. Let those who want to have their own schools - teaching in Yiddish, Ladino, English or whatever they please - do so. Let there be equal funding for every child of every taxpayer.

Personally, I believe that the insulation of the closed-door schools leads to selfishness, false pride of superiority, and hatred. The advantages of Ahavat Yisrael and unity in an integrated atmosphere greatly outweigh the any advantages of an elitist Yiddish education. Speaking lashon hara in Yiddish certainly doesn't make it kosher. Personal holiness, excellence of learning, and a high level of religious ethics and morality are what really counts.

If a school doesn't accept your child because of your ethnic background, be happy - Hashem is doing the best for you. Who wants to learn in a place where they're not wanted?

I hope that more and more Torah institutions learn to take the Chut-Shel-Chesed approach. With Lebanese and Iranian boats on the way to our beaches, and the area as tense as a bowstring, who can afford the luxury of intramural hatred and separatism?

The 15th of Av, amongst other things, is a joyous day in the Jewish calendar because it was then that the twelve tribes of Israel were allowed to marry each other. So why revert back to separatism? We have the three dangerous weeks between 17 Tammuz and Tisha B'Av - beginning next Tuesday, June 29 - to traverse before we reach the 15th of Av. We can't afford any more Emmanuel fiascos; I urge the plaintiff to get the case out of civil court and solve it through mandatory Halachic arbitration in the very best rabbinical court. Where there's segregation, discrimination, separatism, and intramural hate, everybody loses.

The Power To Spread Achdus!

You know, I started this blog last year, and after a short while, thought to myself, who can I really reach this way? What kind of a difference can I make by blogging. Perhaps I should just focus on my own avodah, and leave the "reaching out to others" thing to the kiruv professionals. And so I stopped. But the need to spread the word kept nagging at me. As we see in the "velt", in order to reach others, one needs to advertise. I can't take out billboard advertisements to spread the word of achdus, however great that would be. But H" Yisbarach assists when we have a ratzon to spread kedushah in the world. As I sat and watched the world turn upside down in terms of reason, I felt that I just couldn't sit back and watch anymore. I had to do something. And so, I decided to try to spread the message of achdus this way. I started re-blogging yesterday, and have received so much positive encouragement from readers, that I realize once again the siyata d'shmaya that H" gives us when we try to spread His light in the world.

My friends, if each of us did something small like this - an email, a voice mail, a smile, a quick word of chizuk on a bus or train, can you imagine how it would spread. We all see the devastating effects that division causes, and how the media jumps on it. We're bombarded by news from the media of the differences between us. Let's press reset. Like Rebbe Nachman from Breslov teaches, we can all start over, any time, any day, even many times in one day. Let's start over. Let's throw away the differences, and latch onto the shoresh in each other. The G-dliness hiding within each of us.

I have an amazing niece that decided a few months ago that she wanted to make a difference in the world, but couldn't decide how to do it. She wanted to spread the word of Emunah, B"H. She decided to send to a few friends a daily SMS text message with an inspirational Emunah thought. Word spread, and she now has a large list of holy yidden that subscribe to her daily texts. How simple, and pure - an Emunah text. And H" has given her siyata d'shmaya to spread the word. Imagine if we all did something like this. If this spread in our little worlds, in our circles.

Please, each of us can make a difference in our little circles. H" will give us all the strength to change the darkness into light. Just light a candle and you can dispel so much darkness in the world.

H" Ya'azor - all of our efforts should bring about rachamim peshutim, and chasadim megulim from H" Yisbarach onto Am Yisroel, and bring the ultimate redemption, with the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, Bimheira V'yameinu, B'Shalom!

Let's All Get Together - HaRav Amnon Yitzchak - Achdus Inspiration!

This is a fantastic video - HaRav Amnon Yitzchak being mechazek the Oilam in achdus. Yasher Koach, his holy work should spread and inspire others to achdus!

Basic Training - Achdus 101

Over and over the headlines are screaming to us - ikvasa d'meshicha. When a rowboat full of pirates floating on lies headed towards our homeland can gather international support in a matter of minutes, it's pretty clear that the nations are uniting the way the nevi'im have told us.

My friends, the time is now. The Ribbono Shel Olam has taught us the way to protect ourselves. We must unite. The sefarim hakedoshim over the last few parshios have made clear the danger of machlokes. I was learning this morning in Likutei Moharan how a Jew needs to grab onto the Kisei HaKavod in order to stand strong against the turbulence in this world. We do this by uniting with the Jewish people. Jewish Unity. We say every morning before putting on Tallis and Tefillin, "L'Shem Yichud ... B'Shem Kol Yisrael" - "In the Name of All Israel!"

We need now to make all of our thoughts, speech and actions be "In the Name of All Israel!" Let's stop looking for faults in others and instead focus on the Chelek Elokah that is within them. We are all H"s children. Each from different shevatim, from different places, with different talents, different ideas. We need to focus on improving ourselves, in lieu of being makpid on others. A symphony orchestra contains many instruments, many notes, many sounds, and all combine to create beautiful music.

We are H"s children, in the midst of playing out the notes that comprise the most amazing song ever written - the symphony orchestra of creation. As for me, I don't care what Reuven is wearing. I don't care what kind of kippah Shimon has on. I don't care if Levi looks up to his Rebbe, or whether Yehuda thinks that his Rosh Yeshiva has the true mehalech. Each of us is a note being played in this fabulous symphony, and each one is vital to the orchestra.

We're all H"s children. H" wants us to be one. To Unite.

My friends - the time has come to truly unite. Let's put aside our differences, and see the goodness lying inside each of us.

K'Ish Echad BiLev Echad

In Sefer Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh (Alef), Rav Itamar Shwartz, shlita, teaches in Seif 106, that H" is called a "Hidden G-d" (Yeshayahu 45:15). Where does he hide? In a person's heart.

We've all heard droshos on K'Ish Echad BiLev Echad. But if we dwell upon what the Bilvavi teaches here, it can change our world. If H" is hiding in my heart, then H" is hiding in your heart as well. He's also hiding in Reuven's heart, Shimon's heart and Levi's heart. He's hiding in the heart of your neighbor, your wife, your husband, your kids, and even those who you MIGHT find it difficult to get along with. It's our common denominator as Am Yisroel. When you look at any Jew, know that H" Yisbarach is hiding in that person's heart, just as He is in yours. If H" is hiding in his or her heart, then you should love that person "with all your heart".

Each of our soldiers went into Gaza with H" hiding in their hearts. Am Yisroel, with H" hiding in each and every one of our hearts, davened on their behalf. K'Ish Echad BiLev Echad.

Just an observation. No tefillah goes unanswered - look at the headlines in the days following the Operation Cast Lead:

Israel Discovers Gas! (IsraelNN.com) - Published: 01/18/09

Arab World on Verge of Collapse (IsraelNN.com) - Published Jan/19/09

Who knows what will be in the day's ahead? Klal Yisroel! Let's keep davening, keep learning, keep saying Tehillim - and let's look at each other in the Heart - knowing that H" is hiding there, within each of us.

Unite Klal Yisroel - Unite!

A " Group" of Flowers in the Garden

I saw a beautiful piece in Likutei Moharan (Samech Hei) that gave me great hisorerus. Rebbe Nachman Zt"l is talking there about how each word of Tefillah, and each time we daven, we are "gathering" beautiful flowers and roses. He compares it to a person walking in a field, and picking flower after flower to make a bundle - an Agudas Achas. The person then walks some more and makes another Agudah, and joins them together to make a beautiful bouquet. In the same way each letter of tefillah makes a word, and words create sentences, and sentences combine to make brachos, and brachos continue to make sugiyos - of Avos, Gevuros, Kedoshos, and onward... The Rebbe says there how great and wondrous this gathering is, that a person gathers and collects from the words of tefillah.

I was thinking when I learned this piece - if the gathering of letters and tefillos create such beautiful bouquets for the Ribbono Shel Olam, Kal V'Chomer, imagine the Nachas Ruach we give to H" through the GATHERING together of those who speak those letters and tefillos.

Klal Yisroel, Be Karov, Stay Karov - Live B'Shalom, and let's greet Moshiach Tzidkeinu together, B'Shalom.

Achdus in Gaza!

This article needs no explanation - It screams Achdus Yisroel!

Fighters' Jewish Spirit Returns

Tevet 19, 5769, 15 January 09 11:53by by IsraelNN Staff
(IsraelNN.com)

An IDF rabbi shared this personal testimony...

I had the privilege this week [the week before the ground offensive into Gaza - ed.] of accompanying the Golani Brigade's Regiment 12 soldiers. I am the regiment’s rabbi, in reserves, and I was called up to serve just like the all the rest, to “aid Israel at its time of tribulation.”

As a long-time ba'al-teshuvah [returnee to observant Judaism], a rabbi in a yeshiva who usually walks around wearing a jacket and hat, I now had a major change of atmosphere: my black “uniform” became one of dusty dark green, the hubbub of the Torah study hall was replaced by not-so-pleasing army slang, and my wife's delicious food was given up for the “delicacies” of the mess hall, most of which I don’t eat because of one stringency or another.

We spent most of the week in wet tents, with the terrible cold preventing me from sleeping at night. (I apparently wasn’t working as hard as the other soldiers, because they fell asleep the second they hit the pillow.)
My work, as an official of the Army Rabbinate, was to give encouragement and strength to the soldiers, give out Books of Psalms [Tehillim] and distribute special prayers for those who go out to battle.

Psalms for AllAnd what did I discover down there in southern Israel? My brothers! The Golanchiks, about to go out to war, want to hold on to the Rock of Israel! There wasn’t a soldier there who didn’t equip himself with a Tehillim in his pocket or combat vest - but the big surprise we had was when we gave out tzitzit [four-cornered shirt with the required ritual fringes attached]. Usually only the yeshiva guys take them, but this time, every soldier there seemed to want one!

“Rabbi, bring me some tzitzit, my whole tent wants.” “Hey, achi [my brother], take one of these, it’s better than the ceramic vest!” These were the types of calls we kept hearing over and over. Every package of tzizit that we opened was snatched up within seconds.

There was one young fighter who came to the synagogue whose face fell when he heard that there were no tzitzit left. He was totally bereft, until one of the officers who wasn’t going out to battle took off his own tzitzit and gave it to him, saying, “Take it, achi (in the Golani you can’t say something without achi), you need it now more than I do.”

The Ma'ariv evening prayer of Friday night, Parashat Vayigash, was simply unbelievable. The Rabbinate realized that the synagogue was too small to fit all the hundreds of soldiers, and so it turned the soccer field into an impromptu synagogue, with prayerbooks, Holy Ark, and everything else.
Whoever did not take part in that Kabbalat Shabbat [Sabbath Welcoming] service, is like one who never took part in a Kabbalat Shabbat service in his life! Almost the entire Golani Brigade, officers and soldiers, yelling out the Kaddish and Tehillim prayers. If it wasn’t for the uniform I was wearing, I could have almost thought that I was at a Yom Kippur service in one of the large yeshivot!

No Questions AskedOur loving Father, too, was there, enjoying every minute of His sons gathering around Him. Our Father doesn’t ask, “Where have you been until now? Why do you remember Me just when you go out to war?” He welcomes all His children and embraces them with love.
After the Sabbath meal, held in an atmosphere of a great “high,” we were privileged to be able to hold an Oneg Shabbat for the soldiers. Chief IDF Rabbi Avi Ronsky was with us the whole Sabbath, and he warmed our hearts with stories of the Nation of Israel, on compassion, on brotherly love, and more. We sat outside with cake and sunflower seeds in the cold, but inside our hearts it was warm.

During the Sabbath, we had to travel to the places from where the soldiers would leave for Gaza. We arrived and the soldiers were imbued with combat spirit, getting ready, trying to get in a last cigarette. Many soldiers tried very hard not to smoke that Sabbath, after I explained to them the importance of observing the Sabbath. They would come up to me every five minutes and ask if the Sabbath had ended yet.

We prayed Ma'ariv there, recited Havdalah [the Sabbath-ending blessing] over grape juice, a lighter [instead of a candle] and an orange [in place of spices]. And then it was time to go in. The Regiment Commander gathered everyone for last-minute words of strength, and explained to them about the “corrective experience” we were about to impart to the enemy.

When he finished, the Deputy Commander read aloud the prayer before going out to battle. “Repeat after me,” he ordered, and a whole regiment of hundreds of soldiers yelled out, “Ana Hashem hoshia na! Ana Hashem hatzlicha na! [O G-d, save us! O G-d, grant us success!]” After the prayer, the Deputy Commander asked me to blow the Shofar, just as thousands of years ago when we conquered the Holy Land.

Perfect CoordinationThough I’ve blown the Shofar in public before, this particular time was something that will remain with me my whole life. And then, as if I and the Israel Air Force were in perfect coordination, the very second that I finished blowing the Shofar, our planes bombed the enemy area, as if it were a signal to begin the ground offensive.

The soldiers lined up in two columns, and as I parted from them with handshakes, I thought to myself, “What a special nation we have! This is how a Jewish army looks as it goes out to war – not with boastful ‘We will win’ stickers, but rather ‘We will win with G-d’s help.’”

No DisputeI will just end by saying that where I live in Modi'in Illit, we have a clever interpretation of the verse ‘G-d’s voice is powerful’ – the word for power is spelled with the letters kaf and chet, which we say are the initials of kova and chalifa [hat and suit], our usual garb. But as of this week, we now know that they are also the initials of the kumta chuma [brown beret] worn by the Golani soldiers. There, too, the voice of G-d is heard – and “lo pligi” (there is no argument between the two, both are right).

Click here to see a video of tzitzit distribution in the IDF, organized by kulanuachim

translated by Hillel Fendel

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