Mussar - We all Need a Refresher Course at times

THE MUSSAR WAY

A readers comment is below from Rabbi Menachem
and I do believe it is worth its weight in gold - 
and so I have copied it here - 

Dear brothers, sisters, friends and fellow readers,

     I am saddened to learn that so many people push away the messages that Rav Menachem shares. I understand some of the many reasons as I too hesitated to accept the "doom and gloom" the "conspiracy theories" and all of that. 

•  Can it be that the world, as we know, will EVER come to an end?
•   Can it be that some "truths" we took for granted are not true? 

Could it be the lifestyle we are living is not quite what Hashem intended for us? 

That we need to adjust, large or small, to align ourselves with the Ratzon Hashem - the Will of Hashem.... 

• But I keep Shabbos!?
• But I keep kosher!?
• But I give charity!?
• I host people who need a warm house!?
• But I daven three times a day with minyan!?
• But I learn Daf Yomi!?
• Etc, Etc, Etc

• But I also make Bar Mitzvahs for tens of thousands of dollars.
• But I also don't have Kavana (focused intent) when praying.
• But I also spend most of Shabbos sleeping/drinking/reading magazines/newspapers.
• But I also vacation in places where I should not be exposing my eyes to. 
• But I also open my mouth with anger and hurtful words and Lashon Hara, with words against good people...
• But I also don't spend much time thinking about my relationship with Hashem. 
• But I also look with envy at others. 
• But I also check my phone messages during Daf Yomi...
• But I also do business deals with just a little too much shrewdness...honesty? Halacha? I think it's ok....

Am I PREOCCUPIED with Torah and with what Hashem wants from me? Or am I preoccupied with what I can get out of life and the accomplishments I can make and the money to make and the food I can eat (with high quality hechsher of course) 

Doom and gloom can be harsh. 

But what way can he wake us up?? 

If we don't want to look at the earthquakes and weather and a star or planet that one might think is imaginary, just look around your neighborhood! 

• Kids falling off the derech left and right.
• Marriages collapsing weekly!
• Children sick in the hospital with terrible diseases.
• Couples without children waiting for years to give birth. 
• Singles getting older and older as the Shidduch scene gets narrower and narrower. 
• People burying loved ones from accidents or illnesses or even suicides all too often. 
• Poverty sneaking up on people and losing their homes. 

Isn't that enough? Apparently it hasn't been. 

So either Rav Menachem can sit by and sigh as his fellow creations of Hashem are lost one by one, devoured by this lifestyle of living for THIS world, and having the world to come as a little afterthought each year around Rosh Hashem's time.....or he can risk getting Emails and comments like he is getting, and scream out to people to change their lives while we can. 

Put aside the doom and gloom - are you and I doing Teshuvah daily? 

Are we adding minutes each day to learning or davening or have we corrected our tzniut or our Shmirat aynayim?? 

So if you don't like doom and gloom....try looking at hospital wards or the list of Shidduchim or OTD list or any of the tzarus in the Jewish community....and let's get to work. 

• No one likes to hear that the fires were because of Chilul Shabbos 
• No one likes to hear that bad things happen because men at a Simcha are looking at women who aren't dressed tznius. 
• No one likes Musar. 

No one 

One way or another we have to wake up. 

Hayinu k'cholmim (we will be like dreamers) 

Let's make sure we wake up with a smile and not into an eternal nightmare...

You matter!!!

You're actions thoughts and words matter. This is how we build our personal eternity and how we work as a Tzelem Elokim (in the image of Hashem) - we're creating our eternal reality. 

With or without doom and gloom the truth exists - 

Let's wake up and get going on building our best reality ever, with good deeds, increased delving into Torah, better tznius, deeper Tefillah and authentic Teshuvah, Building a deep relationship with Hashem. 

L'at l'at, but we need to get moving! 

Thank you Rav Menachem. 

Guarding Our Eyes from our Hellenistic Surroundings

V'hayah lakhem l'tzitzit ur'item oto uz'khar'tem et kol mitz'vot Adonai

va'asitem otam v'lo taturu acharei l'vav'khem v'acharei eineikhem

asher atem zonim achareihem

And they shall be tzitzit for you, and when you look at them you will remember all of the Lord's commandments

and do them and not follow after your heart and after your eyes

which lead you astray.

 These cards came home with my son - 

the boys collect and trade in cheder.

Many are found on the streets and the boys 

gather them for their collection.

V'HaKadosh Baruch Hu Matzileinu M'Yadam!"

Back To Egypt

The Book of Maccabees DECEPTION - A RUSE - HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF - 

NOW PLAYING Back to Egypt 1  Chanukah: The Book of the Maccabees Uncovered

A MUST SEE BACK TO EGYPT 2 













A MUST SEE BACK TO EGYPT 3

Is Chanukah just a Jewish version of the winter holidays that every other religion also has - going all the way back to pagan times? What makes Chanukah special? -

Anticipation is Making me Wait

Recall this video below? Stay with me here...read below the video and the picture to see why I am posting it. AND DO STOP THE VIDEO AFTER THE SONG IS SUNG - OTHERWISE YOU WILL SEE a smutty woman (not lady - a lady dresses refine) wishing to show off her wares.

First, we have many rabbis (in Israel) telling the diaspora Jews to come home, right? And gedolim in Israel telling us that Moshiach is at the door - yet not mentioning all Yidden to come home as was done when Cyrus the Great, gave the Jews permission to return to Palestine. We have the rabbis in the States saying instead, don't go - unless you have parnassah -  a place to stay, and a place for chinuch for your children. (This is also said by gedolim in Israel - for example see here)

Or you have other rabbis telling them to "lech lecha" to other locations within the States - as mentioned in my post Aliyah - LechLecha! Oh Yeah?

So what is my point here - or rather what am I bringing up in this post of mine with the anticipation song....... Well, my fellow geula bloggers pretty much know that I have plans to come to Israel.....yesterday. I have cried - I have davened - I have been a nudnik to HaShem like a child asking for a lolly or sticky candy. Oh, yes, I have also sent many resumes out to Israel. (More about this in a moment). Now one of my strong points(???) is that I jump to take action when I desire something that I believe will be good for me. For instance, had I not jumped the fence to the side of emes 12 years ago - I would not have become a Jew. Had I not dived into the swimming pool to drive to New York from N.Carolina without a job lined up and a roof over my head - 12 years ago, I would have to take the longer route to convert. (My husband tells me that I jump in the swimming pool before looking to see that there is water in it!) hahaha. And so this is my character trait. FULL EMUNAH IN THE ONE ABOVE that He is taking care of me. 

So back to my story.... and the ketchup anticipation song. One of the resumes I sent out was in the area of Ness Ziona. Now I thought......wow HaShem....could it be this is the job you have for me? After all, I thought I would be a great asset to their company. Funny that I should have a visitor from Ness Ziona come to my website (and not just one time - I have a repeat visitor from Ness Ziona). I have since removed posts that had my name attached to them. Now, as we all know, a prospective employer can google those interested in employment. I had one follow up call from the "Human Relations" department for the vacancy they had - stating that "so and so" would contact me. ON THE COUNT OF THREE SING WITH ME EVERYONE! Anticipation is keeping me w a i t i n g! After this call - I suddenly get visitors from Ness Ziona. Imagine that - actually I am smiling this way. Though I am a bit disappointed they rejected me because I am religious. Too bad - they truly missed out on having me come aboard their company. 

So now, back to the drawing board. Now that I had to cancel my ticket to Israel (reasons I won't get into) - I will now focus searching for work again. Guys help me out here - I can be great at voice overs (my acting days shine though I never made it to Hollywood) - audio for children's stories, executive administrative work - thought of opening my own business but would need backing). Anticipating emails now of offering to find me work in Israel / do smile

And the fact that cyclones / earthquakes / etc... are noted on mainstream media such as CNN's reporting of Tropical Cyclone Vardah
It makes me nervous that I am close to the water! Because I saw clips several years back of the Statue of Liberty drowning! Can't find the clip. If somebody can find that one -do post in comment. thanks.