Category Archives: Judaism

The Sound of the Shofar – The Morse Code Message

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I heard this story from Rabbi Farhi of the Safra Synagogue in Manhattan.

A rabbi sounded the shofar / the rams horn for a group of people apparently for Rosh Hashana. Among them was a Sefardic Israeli man, muscular built, no yarmulke. He heard the sound and burst into tears.

The rabbi asked him why are you so emotional when you heard the Shofar?

The Morse Code Specialist

The man told him that in the Israeli Army he was a Morse code specialist. After traveling the world – looking for meaning – he saw a help-wanted ad in the newspaper for a Morse Code specialist. He had to arrive for the interview process – between 10 am – 12 pm. He arrived at about 11:50. The waiting room was full of applicants. He sat listening to the background music. He got up and walked to the interview room. People yelled – hey, wait in line we were here before you. He burst into the room.

After some time the interviewer came out and said – “Thank you for all coming but we found our candidate for the position. You may all go home now.”

“What? All that waiting for nothing” they thought. “And the hutzpa of this guy to burst into the room before us.”

The man explained to the rabbi how he got the job. In the waiting room they played background music. The man realized that the beat to the song was a Morse code message. It said “Anyone who hears this enter into the interview room.” Thus he heard the message from the beat. There was a message behind the music.

The Message Behind the Music

“When I heard the Shofar the sound resonated in me. It was a message that penetrated my heart telling me to do Tehuva – it resonated deep into my soul – and I burst out crying.”

Our Daily Messages

We hear Hash-m’s / G-d’s messages in the background daily – the observant listens and reacts. We see the beauty of the world, the beauty of our children, the blessings we have – does it resonate or do we ignore the message?

It’s our choice.

The Yield Sign & Judaism

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The Shabbat / Sabbath between Rosh Hashana / the New Year & Yom Kippur / the day of atonement is called Shabbat Shuva. The Shabbat of Return.

Hash-m gives us Seven days between Rosh Hashana & Kippur to fix our faults for that day of the year. What does G-d want from us? If we didn’t put on Tephillin, we start putting it on. If we didn’t go to synagogue on time – we try to come on time. Hash-m basically wants us to advance one step further. Take the next Mitzvah upon yourself.

Balance of Good & Evil for Freedom of Choice

In this world – evil & good exist. They balance each other out. G-d did this to allow a person full freedom of choice. One can do miraculous deeds through purity – and one can do magical deeds through impurity – black magic. If only good had the power to do miraculous deeds – people would abandon evil. If only people who did good would become wealthy – people would become good – but not for the right reasons. They would be good to become rich – not because Hash-m told them to do good.

The Quick Fall

The Jews they were prompted to do the sin of the golden calf – attributing divine powers to a physical object – because the Satan / Evil Force showed them that their leader Moshe Rabeinu / Moses was deceased. They were so despondent they fell quickly to follow after a foreign idol.

A person can fall two ways – the Evil Inclination introduces anti-ethical and anti-Torah ideas little by little. Thus he chips away at a person’s morality – until he or she falls.

Another way is for a person to become despondent and fall very quickly to do evil deeds.

The Quick Rise

On the other side of the coin – a person can rise very quickly. He can become very inspired or motivated to follow Torah ideals.

Or little by little – through learning Torah, Listening to Torah lectures, attending Torah classes at an Orthodox synagogue – he or she grows slowly.

The Steady Path of Self Improvement and Self Growth

Either method to rise is good. Yet the Torah prefers a person to rise slowly. This helps a person stay the course and continue in a steady path of growth.

Yielding to others (Being Mevater) – for things that go not against Torah is a good thing. We yield to others at times – to create peace. We yield our will to the will of Hash-m – that’s how we grow. Like it says in Pirkei Avot (2:4) – on Doing the Will of Hash·m:

He [Raban Gamliel] used to say, make His [G·d’s / Hash·m’s] will as your will in order that He will make your will as His will. Nullify your will before His will in order that He will nullify the will of others because of your will.

God gives us a tremendous opportunity. Let’s use it to grow.

The Secret to Shalom Bayit – Peace at Home

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I wear many hats – literally & figuratively. I wear a black fedora. Sometimes I wear a fez. Both fit – I was born in fez – where they wear those hats. I went to Yeshiva – where they wear black fedoras.

Over Rosh Hashana – I found myself auctioning the mitzvot of the day at the Synagogue. I told them a story – maybe I’ll relate it in another blog post.

I mentioned a Pirkei Avot (2:7) on Materialism & Torah:

7. He [the Great Sage Hillel] used to say –
more flesh, [leads to] more worms,
more property, more worry;
more women, more sorcery;
more maidservants, more lust;
more servants, more theft;
more Torah, more life;
more Yeshiva, more wisdom;
more counsel, more understanding; more charity, more peace.
One who acquired a good name he acquired it for himself. One who acquired words of Torah acquired life in the next world [ie, a portion in heaven].

I didn’t understand – what is the connection of more charity – with having more peace. At the Rosh HaShana Table – someone said – perhaps by you giving tzedaka / charity to a worthy person – they will have less financial stress and they will have peace at home. I heard that one of the main reasons for divorce or stress in the couple is financial concerns.

The Charity Dilemma

I thought and Hash-m enlightened me with an answer. My rebbe asked me a question – what is better – to give $1000 to one person or $1 to 1000 people? It’s better to do the latter. Giving $1 to a 1000 people trains you to be a giver.

Becoming a Givier

If a person gives tzedaka – he or she becomes a giver. One of the reasons for a lack of Shalom Bayit – peace at home is because we feel we have rights. We are due service. The man comes home – dinner is not ready the house is a mess.

The “taker” will say “Why is dinner not ready?” Why is the house such a mess?

The “giver” will take a broom and start cleaning up. He will go in the kitchen and ask if there is any way he can help.

Be a Giver.

The Hot Pot that Broke the Glass Table Cover – Calming Your Anger

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They just installed the glass cover on our table top. Looks nice. I see them install it. Coming home later that day, I see a big crack in the glass. What? The first day we get it?

All is for the Good

Gam zu leTova. Also this is for the good. Perhaps it was a Kapara – an atonement for a deed. This is the lesser bad of two options of atonement.

The Evil Eye

Some will say it is Ayin HaRa / the Evil Eye. If someone sees something and they admire or desire it – they might cause an eventual damage to that object. How? We explained it before – G-d listens to the prayers of people. He also hears the heart of people. If someone wants something that you have – Hash-m pulls out the books of deeds of both people – He judges between them and if the one that lacks the object is more worthy or the one that has the object is unworthy – something happens to the object. Was it Ayin HaRa? Perhaps.

The Hot Pot

I find out someone – it doesn’t matter who – happened to put a very hot pot onto the glass. The tension caused by the heat in the glass caused it to break.

The Physics – A Free Physics Lesson

Heat causes objects to expand. Cold causes things to contract. If one places a Hot object on the glass – the glass heat is expanding the glass. The molecules in the cooler area around it is remaining stable. The expanding area is restrained by the cooler area and it breaks the glass.

A Lesson For Us – Don’t Get Heated Up

We sometimes get into a heated argument. The extreme heat breaks the relationship. It wasn’t worth it for a small matter to break the relationship. How important is the matter to you? Is it important enough to break the relationship? Decide it before the heat breaks the glass. Cool yourself down – don’t add heat to the fire. You won’t have to pay another $250 to replace the glass again or pay for a broken relationship that you will have to rebuild.

4 Types of Temperaments

In Pirkei Avot / Ethics of the Fathers 5:11 it says – There are 4 types of people – one gets angry quickly and calms down quickly. One who gets angry slowly and calms down slowly. One who gets angry quickly and takes much time to appease. One who gets angry slowly and is appeased easily. Let’s make efforts to be like the latter.

Rehearse Reaction to Situations that Anger

How? Rehearse in your mind how to react to particular things that anger you. And how to react in general. Count to 10 before you react. Take a glass of water before reacting. Act don’t react. Control Yourself – don’t let anger control you.

 

The Faster Computer – Is the Grass Greener on the Other Side of the CPU

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I won the auction. The computer’s chip was twice as fast as mine. It had twice the memory. It had a powerful graphics card. Wow.

I bring it home and turn it on. The fan spins a bit then stops. My uncle who sees it says to replace the computer motherboard. So I say ok – let me use some of the parts. The memory does not fit my old computer. The chip also. At least the graphics card will work in my computer. I test it and find my graphics card to be faster.

Yes – I saw glory. A faster computer. But it just ended up as a waste of time.

OK. So what can I learn? Sometimes we covet something that belongs to someone else. We think – If I have it, I will be happy. It turns out that your own situation is better than what you imagined.

In Pirkei Avot / Ethics of the Fathers 4:1 it says “Who is the rich person – the one who is happy with what he has.”

It also says in Pirkei Avot 2:7 “The more possessions – more worries.”

OK. I’ll be happy with my good old Dell Desktop computer.

The Artist & the Ghost Bicycle – Jewish Burial Rites

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Not long ago, a young promising artist was riding a bicycle. In the intersection, came a speeding truck. They met their tragic end. I did not know the person – but I felt very badly for them. I was further dismayed when I learned that the family – not versed in the laws in Judaism – seemingly decided to cremate their body. I knew other families that did the same thing.

Burial vs. Cremation Pamphlet

The other day I was at a funeral of a family friend. At the funeral I picked up a pamphlet by Author Doron Kornbluth entitled “Cremation vs. Burial – A Jewish View.” Among his works, he has a book named the same. It talked about Jewish and secular reasons for burial – like how cremation pollutes the environment.

Our Body Belongs to G-d

Just recently, I was eating breakfast at the synagogue. A man – a car salesman – asked “Rabbi, What does Judaism say about cremation?” I told him that the Torah prohibits cremation. The body of a person is not our property – it belongs to G-d. We use it – but we cannot deface it – like making self inflicted wounds, scars or tattoos. Apparently the verse that prohibits cremation is “From dust (earth) you came and to dust (earth) you shall return.” (Bereshit / Genesis 3:19)

Respect the Person’s Body

He said to me “Yea, I always thought that. It seems like a disrespect to G-d – kind of throwing the body He gave us into the face.” I told him it is a tremendous disrespect for the person themselves as well. In cremation – they crush the bones and burn it at a temperature of 1800 degrees.

Respect the Artist’s Work

It clicked to me. “That’s a very good point you said.” I thought back to the artist who was cremated. Imagine if the mother decided to burn her child’s art. It would be a disrespect for the work of the artist and the artist themself.

I gave him the pamphlet to read.

The Torah says “Hash-m is the greatest artist.” Giving a Jew a proper burial is to respect His creation and His creations.

The Man Who Stole the Ghost Bicycle

Once we were riding in the car. Someone pointed out to me – “Look someone stole that white bicycle.” I thought it was a bit amusing. A last respect memorial to a person is stolen by a thief. Apparently, it was so audacious, I was amused. It was a bit like defacing a memorial to a person or people. The body itself intact is the best memorial of a person – burning it is tantamount to, or much worse than defacing a memorial.

A Last Act of Respect to the Person

Many other reasons exist against cremation. Judaism says respect the person alive and when they pass on. Respect them, respect their body and let the soul rest in peace.

Gratitude to the One Who Gives

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This week’s parasha – Ki Tavo – talks of the first fruits / Bikurim. Farmers bring the first fruits that blossom – of the 7 species special to Eretz Yisrael / the Land of Israel – to the Beit HaMikdash / the Holy Temple in Yerushalayim / Jerusalem.

He says a text and he gives the fruits to the Cohen. The rich people who would bring fancy baskets of gold and silver – the Cohen would return the basket. Yet the Cohen would not return the baskets – made of reeds – of the poor people. Why?

  1. The poor people worked hard to make the basket – Hash-m appreciates the hard work of the common man for a Mitzvah.
  2. The poor people – may have put the best fruits on top and the lesser quality fruits on the bottom – thus we didn’t want to embarrass him by taking out the fruits.
  3. The Cohen was sending a message that I’ll take this basket – so that, with the help of G-d – you will return next year with a gold basket.

The Mitzvah of first fruits is to show that all that we have we owe our first and foremost gratitude to Hash-m. We also do the redemption of first born boys and first born animals showing our gratitude that all we have is a Gift from G-d.

It’s Good – Yes – It’s Good

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G-d is kind. He is our parent. The parent wants the best for the Child & Hash-m wants the best for the child. You are Hash-m’s child.

Though at times it is hard to believe everything is for the good – everything is for the good.

Nachum Ish Gamzu – used to say “Gam Zu Letova” – also this is for the good.

Rabbi Akiva used to say “Kol DeAvid Rachmana leTav Avid” All that the Merciful One (Hash-m) does He does for the best.”

What is the difference between the two statements? One is a higher level than the other. I forgot which is higher – but Nachum ish Gamzu was the Rebbe / Rabbi of Rabbi Akiva – so I would expect that Nachum’s statement was a higher level.

I looked it up and found this on a website:

Gam Zu Letova verses Letav Avdin: [1]

The Gemara [2] states that every person is to accustom himself to recite “Kol Mah Deavdin Min Shemaya Letav Avdin/Whatever is done from Heaven is done for the good”, as was seen with the story with Rebbe Akiva.  Elesewhere, the Gemara [3] states that Nachum Ish Gam Zu would say Gam Zu Letova. What is the difference between these two statements? The explanation is as follows: Every punishment or act of suffering has an aspect of Chesed [/ Kindness] in its root. A person who finds this Chesed ends up sweetening the Gevuros [/ Aspect of Strict Justice], and immediately turns the the severity to kindness. This was the level of Nachum Ish Gamzu. One however who does not know the aspect of Chesed contained within the severity is to say the previous statement.

[1] Keser Shem Tov 33 / [2] Brachos 60b / [3] Taanis 21a

We know the stories – once a King or Emperor asked a gift from countries he ruled. The Jews from Israel sent a box full of jewelry, gold and precious  gems. They sent Nachum Ish Gamzu to bring it to the Emperor. He slept at an Inn. The inn keeper – sneaked into his room and took the jewelry and filled the box with sand. When Nachum got to the king – he found that the treasure chest was filled with sand. Nachum said “Gam Zu LeTova” – also this is for the good. Someone told the king – perhaps this is the same sand that Avraham Avinu / Abraham used to fight the war against the 5 kings. The king had a country he was trying to conquer – he tried the sand. When thrown, the sand turned into arrows and he defeated his enemy. The King richly rewarded the Jews for the gift.

Once Rabbi Akiva wanted to sleep at a town. No one let him stay over their house. He said “All the merciful one does is for the good.” He slept in the forest. He had a candle to read, a donkey to travel, and a rooster to wake him. The candle blew out. The donkey was killed by a lion. The rooster was killed by an animal. He said “What Hash-m does is for the Good”. The next day he went to the village and found that it was ransacked and pillaged by brigands. The townspeople were taken captive.

If he had stayed there – he would have been taken captive as well.

Find the good in every situation.

 

The Message in the Hebrew Language

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Hebrew is the language of creation. With combinations of hebrew letters Hash-m created the world. Hebrew is the mother of all languages. For instance – the word fruit – comes from the Hebrew word “Perot”. The Hebrew letter Peh can also have a sound of “F”. In English – add an “H” after a “P” and it makes the “F” sound – similar to Hebrew.

It is interesting that a scientist developed a program that by saying a particular Hebrew letter – the sound pattern that it makes translated into a graph will form a similar image to the letter.

In another post we wrote of the origin and message of the English language – yes – it was created by Jewish people. Now we present the Message in the Hebrew language.

We learn in Talmud : Tractate Shabbat 104a

Alef beit means learn [elaf] the wisdom [bina] of the Torah.
Gimmel dalet means give to the poor [gemol dalim]. Why is the leg of the gimmel extended toward the dalet? Because it is the manner of one who bestows loving-kindness to pursue the poor.

It continues and tells us how a person is to act.

An Interesting Article that also discusses the topic is at a site for Stam – Sefer Torah, Tefillin, and Mezuzot

Holy Soul – The Travels of a Soul

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A person is composed of a body and a soul.

I like to look at logic. What is the proof?

Let’s investigate. We can say a person has a body. Yes. We see it.

Proofs that a Soul Exists

What about a soul? We don’t see it. How can we prove we have one?

Ask a Doctor – What is the difference between a live body and a dead body? Both can be identical physically – but one is animate – the other not.

Torah says – “When a person passes away – their soul leaves the body.” Thus a proof to the soul. Meaning the only physical difference between a live body and a dead body is not physical – there is a spiritual element that animates it.

Past Life Regression Hypnosis – Proof of Existence of Soul

Another proof – a person can be hypnotized to be able to tell what happened in a past life. The facts spoken by the hypnotized in past life regression hypnosis can be confirmed by checking history. Many documented cases exist.

Reincarnation into Various Forms

In one life a soul can be in a male body and in the next life it can be reincarnated in a female – and vice versa. In one life a soul can be in a gentile body and in the next life it can be reincarnated in a Jewish body – and vice versa. In one life it can be in a healthy body and in the next it can be reincarnated into a non-healthy body (ie, autistic, etc) – and vice versa. In one life a soul can be in a human body and in the next life it can be reincarnated in an animal, plant or rock – and vice versa. A person can be Ashkenzi in one life and Sefardic in another life.

Why does the soul travel?

One of the 13 principles of fact of Judaism brought by the Rambam is – there is reward and punishment. If a person follows Torah – he is rewarded – if not the opposite. So in one life – if a person didn’t reach the mark – they might have to be reincarnated to do a tikun – reparation of the soul.

Extracting the Sparks of Holiness

Sparks of holiness are spread among the nations. A Jew can collect those sparks of holiness. Dina – the daughter of Jacob / Yaakov – was violated by Shekhem ben / son of Hamor. He was holding a spark of holiness of Rabbi Hanina Ben Teradion. She extracted it from him.

Why the Jewish Nation is Spread throughout the World

The Jewish nation is spread throughout the world to retrieve these sparks of holiness and to bring them to fruition. Once a rabbi saw a holy spark in a man. He was not using his time or efforts for spiritual growth. The rabbi invited him to take a drink at a cafe. By giving him a benefit – he was able to extract this soul of holiness.

The Captive woman

In last week’s parasha – Ki Tetze – it talks of the possibility – during a war – for a soldier in battle to marry a non-Jewish woman captive – which is not the case during times of peace. She is called the Eshet Yefat Toar – the woman of pretty appearance. She goes through a whole procedure to make him unattractive in his eyes. He waits a month and after conversion he can marry her. The Ohr haChaim says that the eshet yefat toar is a euphemism for a spark of holiness – hidden in this captive. The man by his act is able to extract that holy spark from her soul.

Why are some people handicapped or look like they do?

People are born with a soul that reflects the deeds of the individual in a previous life. Some people are born advantaged as a reward or incapacitated as a punishment for what they did in a previous life. Some autistic people are highly developed souls – that transgressed in a previous life – and came back handicapped to make a reparation for what they did in a past life.

I heard that the face of the person reflects the deeds of the person in a previous life.

Can a Soul be Born Evil?

A person has freedom of choice. He or she chooses good or evil. A person is born with certain tendencies. These tendencies can be used for good or the opposite. If a person is jealous – they can use it to bring down other people or to bring up themselves. Kinat Soferim Marbe Hochmah – the jealousy (of wisdom) of the scholars increased wisdom.

Is a soul Destined to Be Evil or Good?

Every thing is in Heaven’s hands except for fear of Heaven. Meaning that it is G-d that provides you with all but you decide about your acts to follow good or evil.