06 Dec IS THERE PEACE IN YOUR FAMILY?

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 DISASTER One afternoon a man came home from work to find total mayhem in his house. His three children were outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud with empty...

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06 Dec BITACHON AND CONFIDENCE

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In this week’s parashah (34:25) the Torah tells us that when Shimon and Levi attacked Shechem, they possessed bitachon. As it states, ויבאו†אל†העיר בטח†≠†, “And they came to the city with bitachon.” Shimon†and†Levi†were†two†people†fighting†an...

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06 Dec CHANUKAH LIGHTING IN PUBLIC PLACES

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 Chanukah lights are kindled in most shuls. This has also expanded to public Chanukah lightings in many cities throughout the world. There is also a large Chanukah lighting in the...

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06 Dec CAULIFLOWER CHEDDAR LATKES

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INGREDIENTS:  1 lb. Cauliflower, chopped and steamed 1 russet potato, peeled and grated 1 small onion, diced 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs 2 eggs 1/2 tsp. black pepper 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper 2 Tbsp. flour 1 cup shredded cheddar...

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30 Nov NATURE OR NURTURE? THE REMARKABLE STORY OF TWINS SEPARATED AT SIX MONTHS OLD

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As twins, Jack and Oskar shared the same DNA, the same nature, and yet, they emerged radically different people. Born in Trinidad in 1933, they were six months old when...

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30 Nov PARASHAT VAIETZE: FULFILLING OUR MISSION

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 After the birth of Leah’s second son, Shimon, Leah declared, “Shama Hashem Ki Senu’a Anochi” – “Hashem heard that I was unloved” and thus blessed her with children. Leah was...

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29 Nov HAMOTZEI VS MEZONOS

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 The halachos regarding whether a product is a mezonos or hamotzei is complicated. However, one can become knowledgeable in this critical and common area by learning the Shulchan Aruch (with...

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29 Nov SHABBOS POINTERS – PART FOUR

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 Let’s continue with our theme of enjoying and enhancing our Shabbos observances. 25. After the Shabbos davening, there is a beautiful custom: Everyone wishes each other to have a ‘Good Shabbos’...

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29 Nov THE BATTLE OF THE STONES

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 he Yeshiva decided to field a rowing team. Unfortunately, they lost race after race. They practiced for hours every day but never managed to come in any better than dead...

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29 Nov HASHEM’S HASHGACHAH

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The Bas Ayin (Vayigash ד”ה†או יאמר†על†זה†≠†הדרך†“ ®†writes¨†It†is†known that†all†dinim†©troubles®†in†the†world†come†because†people†aren’t†conscious†that†Hashem†watches†over†everythingÆ”†Therefore¨†let†us†take†a†moment†to†think∫†“Hashem†sees†me†right†nowƆHe†sees†what†I†am†doingÆ”†This†thought†took†just†a†second¨†but†it†means†a†lotƆIt†removes†the†dinim†from†the†worldƆTherefore¨†one†should†think†about†this†often¨†as†it†states¨†, שויתי†ה’†לנגדי†≠†תמיד always†remember†Hashemª†always†remember†that†Hashem†sees†youƆThis†awareness†removes†dinim¨†troubles†from†you†and†from†the†worldÆ The†Bas†Ayin†elaborates¨†“If†a†yid†knows†and†believes†that†all†his†movements†and†feelings†are†seen†by†Hashem¨†for†He†sees†everything†that†happens†in†the†world¨†all†dinim†will†vanishƆFurthermore†thereby¨†he†draws†bounty†and†blessings†from†the†source†of†kindnessƆHe†won’t†be†lacking†anything†at†allƆAs†it†states¨†תמים†תהיה†≠†עם†ה’†אלקיך ¨†he†will†be†¨†תמים†complete†and†lack nothing¨†when†he†believes†that†‘ everything†he†does†is†עם†ה†אלקיך†¨†under Hashem’s†surveillanceƆWith†this†focus¨†Hashem†will†bestow†only†good†upon†him¨†and†he†won’t†lack†anythingÆ ‘ Similarly¨†it†states¨†כי†עם†ה’†≠†החסד והרבה†עמו†≠†פדות†‘ ƆThe†translation†is¨†כי עם†ה†¨†when†you†believe†that†Hashem sees†everything¨†this†draws†down†, החסד Hashem’s†kindness¨†והרבה†עמו†פדות†, and Hashem’s†bounty†and†blessings†for†all†of†Klal†Yisrael…” The†Imrei†Chaim†©Devarim†ד”ה†ואת יהושע†®†says†in†the†name†of†the†Rebbe†of Kosov†zt’l†©and†it†is†also†written†in†Mishkanos†Yaakov†written†by†Reb†Yaakov†ben†Na’im¨†printed†in†( תפ”א that†when†Yaakov†was†traveling†to†Lavan’s†house¨†a†place†of†thieves†and†resha’im¨†he†thought†to†himself¨†“How†will†I†survive†thereø†The†resha’im†will†surely†try†to†harm†me…”†His†solution†was, וידר†יעקב†¨נדר†≠†לאמר†אם†יהיה†≠†אלקים עמדי†“ ‘ Yaakov†vowed¨†If†Hashem†will be†with†meÆ’†Yaakov†Avinu†vowed†that†he†will†never†forget†that†¨†אלקים†עמדי “Hashem†is†with†meÆ” Hashem sees me, and he is watching over†meƆAnd†when†one†has†this†emunah¨†he†has†nothing†to†fearÆ Bas Ayin One†of†the†great†chassidic†Rebbes†who†lived†in†Eretz†Yisrael†was†Reb†Avraham†Dov†Auerbach†ben†Reb†Dovid†zt’l†of†Avritz¨†known†as†the†Bas†AyinƆAs†his†yahrtzeit†approaches†©the†12th†of†Kislev®¨†let†us†learn†about†this†great†tzaddikÆ The†wisest†of†all†men¨†Shlomo†HaMelech¨†teaches†©Mishlei†25∫27®¨†, אכול†דבש†הרבה†≠†לא†טוב¨†וחקר†≠†כבודם†כבוד “Eating†a†lot†of†honey†isn’t†good¨†but†searching†for†the†honor†of†the†righteous†is†honorableÆ”†The†Meiri†explains†that†this†pasuk†means†that†although†honey†is†sweet¨†too†much†of†it†will†make†you†sickƆBut†when†it†comes†to†praising†tzaddikim¨†there†is†no†limit†to†how†much†you†can†discuss†their†greatnessƆThe†more¨†the†better¨†because†when†people†hear†tzaddikim’s†praises¨†they†follow†in†their†WaysÆ His Ways The†Bas†Ayin†arrived†at†the†Chaifa†port†in†Eretz†Yisrael†on†Rosh†Chodesh†ElulƆHe†wasn’t†sure†where†he†wanted†to†live¨†but†he†planned†to†go†to†YerushalayimÆ The†residents†of†Tzfas†invited†this†great†Rebbe†to†be†with†them¨†and†he†accepted†the†invitationƆStill¨†he†informed†them†that†after†Simchas†Torah¨†he†would†be†continuing†to†YerushalayimÆ But†then†he†changed†his†mindƆThe†reason†for†his†change†of†heart†was†the†exchange†between†a†woman†and†her†sonÆ On†Hoshanah†Rabba†the†Bas†Ayin†heard†a†woman†tell†her†son¨†“Yerachmiel°†Bring†down†the†carpets†from†the†roofƆTomorrow†Yidden†will†bentch†Geshem¨†their†tefillos†will†certainly†be†answered¨†and†it†will†rain†stronglyƆAll†the†carpets†will†get†wetÆ” After†overhearing†this†conversation¨†the†Bas†Ayin†was†decided†to†remain†in†TzefasƆHe†said†he†wants†to†be†among†Yidden†who†believe†in†tefillah†with†such†certaintyÆ The†Bas†Ayin†hardly†ever†attended†levayos†in†Tzfas¨†but†one†time¨†a†levayah†passed†his†home¨†and†he†went†out†and†walked†with†the†niftar†until†the†burialÆ Everyone†wondered†why†he†did†soƆThe†niftar†seemed†to†be†a†fine¨†regular†Yid¨†but†no†one†knew†anything†outstanding†about†himÆ The†mystery†was†soon†resolvedÆ In†those†days¨†the†niftar†was†put†into†the†Arizal’s†mikvah†before†the†burialƆWhen†the†niftar†was†brought†to†the†mikvah¨†the†chevrah†kadisha†noticed†that†his†legs†were†all†blackƆThey†asked†the†almanah†about†that¨†and†this†is†the†story†she†told∫ When†he†was†younger¨†he†was†working†as†merchant†in†chutz†le’aretz¨†and†was†faced†with†many†difficult†testsƆAt†one†point¨†he†was†about†to†marry†a†non≠Jewish†womanƆIt†was†at†the†wedding†hall†that†his†heart†was†filled†with†fear†of†HeavenƆTo†the†astonishment†of†all†the†assembled†guests¨†this†young†man†jumped†into†a†barrel†full†of†burning†coals†meant†to†heat†up†the†big†roomƆThe†non≠Jews†at†the†wedding†concluded†that†the†groom†was†insaneÆ They†shouted†at†him†and†threw†him†out†of†the†hallƆThis†is†how†he†saved†himself†from†the†aveirahƆAnd†since†then¨†his†feet†have†been†black†from†the†burnsÆ The Bas Ayin said that...

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