1 Sivan 5775
Rosh Chodesh
Day 45 of the Omer
Q. There are rabbis saying to American Jews to get out fast, if not - after this they won't be able to!
A. The Americans, they're like the German Jews before the shoah. They lived very well in Germany. Currently, the Americans are living very well in the United States. Perhaps now it's a bit difficult, but overall they caught the disease called 'eigel-hazahav', and they're drunk on it, and it's hard for them to separate from it. Indeed there are people, good Jews who want to go, but where will they go? What, they will buy an apartment in Israel? There won't even be anything for them to rent! And what will they eat? Also, there is a government of evildoers here, who are not giving the child-payments normally...
[Clearly, Binyamin is speaking facetiously here after "indeed"...]
Q. So, really, on what will they live?
A. Hashem will help. The American Jew who truly believes with all his strength that it's true, that it's really going to be a disaster in the United States, and that it's already the end, and sees that it's 'already-Mashiach', then he'll pick up his pekalach and come, and he'll trust in Hashem. But, these are usually mixed very much with the life there, I'm speaking exclusively about Hareidim, because the rest are in general 'in the clouds', they're not in reality... So, even though they know the truth, the Hareidim, it's hard for them. And for those who know the truth and are standing ready - Hashem will save them, even though they will arrive here - there will be for them [what they need].
Here's the problem I have with this line of thought. Are we to have another Holocaust or Geulah? Geulah is supposed to be Geulah.
ReplyDeleteIf you travel through Lakewood and Brooklyn, you'll see 10s of thousands of frum Jews who aren't considering Aliyah in the slightest. If Moshiach comes they are supposed to be saved, not destroyed.
Devash, please allow me to speak here. This is TidbitsofTorah/ToTs/Zahava P. I called and spoke with The Riminov Rebbe last night. (I typed in the other post that the Rebbe had told my husband what took place with the yungermen.) I asked the Rebbe what my husband and I should do. HE DID NOT SAY RUN RUN RUN to Israel. He told me on the phone that he would speak with my husband BUT he stressed I will tell you what your husband already knows and I will tell him the same thing. MAKE A PLAN. If there is no parnassah lined up - of course you CAN NOT go to Israel. He gave over to me that every time he is Israel he does not want to return. And that everytime he tries to make it work there with parnassah, etc. HaShem blocks it.
ReplyDeleteWe can not be hysterical for crying out loud! HaShem gave us seichel. He knows the hearts of his Yidden. My heart is already in Israel! And when HaShem picks us up to go HE WILL DO SO. Right now, my camp is in Boro Park doing the mission that HaShem has for me to do here. Please post all of this. The Rebbe did not say RUN!
Listen here. Many of us Americans 'would' leave, easy or otherwise. The answer is very very simple. 'Not one' of our gedolim have even hinted at that. Although you'll be quick to respond that the same thing happened before WW2, I'll tell you that that's not really so. Here and there, many Rabbis and Gedolim begged yidden to flee. But,,,,, the rest is History/Hashem's will. I, personally, do not feel comfortable heeding the messages of the autistics (although i certainly am one of the first ones to drink their words thirstily, using it as a springboard for tshuvah) while this is currently 'not' Das Torah by the word of most of the chareidi Gedolim. As is written in the preface to their books, we are not to take action based on what they say, and only use their words as tochachah while heeding the advice of our holy leaders. Rav Kanievsky in his little filmed dialogue in no way states that this 'should' be done. He clearly says that it's a Mitzvah, without saying it as a P'sak for the chareidi world. The first one to say it outright, is that other Rabbi, who by all counts is not a Rabbi for a very large percentage at all. Although I do feel that his words must be based in truth, (and again, he spoke to Floridians and NOT New Yorkers, where he actually lives) especially since it matches with what the autistics say and with current events, I'm with a firm belief that Hashem has many more concrete ways of telling me to go, before he hits us hard. We are Maaminim, and passionately awaiting Moshiach. He will never forsake us!!
ReplyDeleteS.G.
One more point here, please. You most likely come from a very different background than many Chareidim here in the USA who live with a lot of temimus, in a certain sense. Their tznius is impeccable, they have little , if any, inet access, and their primary language is Yiddish. These people live by the letter of the law, and have seen a lot less Shmutz than many (or all) who are open to the live world wide web, whether living in Israel or abroad. I firmly believe that Hashem will save them before He saves so many Israeli Yidden who are unfortunately not living exactly the way He would want them to. You are giving the Mitzvah of settling the land priority, while this is an age old controversy between our biggest men (whether this is an obligatory Mitzvah these days.....)
ReplyDeleteI am in no way minimizing the holy work that you are doing as I am certainly benefitting from your blog. I'm just trying to make you aware of the other side of the coin which is the going beleif in a majority of the true from world.
In spite of what I wrote, I am anxiously awaiting the day when we will all join as sisters and brothers in the land that's truly ours to share, with the true Goel Tzeddek speedily in our days!!!
S.G.
May I remind you all that I did not write these words. I merely translated them. So, any of these comments dorected to me personally are unwarranted.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I will say that to my great sorrow, many, many well-meaning Jews gravely underestimate HKB"H's love for and attachment to Eretz Yisrael and He is very insulted by those who demean it, undermine it or generally fail to properly appreciate it.
It seems to me that they don't see living in Eretz Yisrael in any as being a fullfillment of Hashem's command to accept the Torah and bring it to Canaan, and conquer the land, and settle thereon to fulfill the Commandments given to us on Har Sinai. They still cling to the Rabbis who brought back that negative report that we relive every Tisha B'Av. This is a fundamental flaw in their education. Anyway, that is how I see it. Those who have homes should sell them and come here for a long serious vacation, and not just once a year.
ReplyDeleteIn 'they', you are referring to all of our previous Amoraim and present day Gedolim who disagree with you. As I stated above, this is an age old controversy of times of yore, whether settling the land is a mandatory mitzvah required of us today. I don't know about you, Neshama. But, my Neshamah tells me that I am not of 'their' stature or madreigah to weigh in with my opinion. I'm here merely to fulfill my tafkid, a part of it being rearing 10 beautiful, healthy in spirit and mind, frum children of Hashem. Although Devash is correct with: "However, I will say that to my great sorrow, many, many well-meaning Jews gravely underestimate HKB"H's love for and attachment to Eretz Yisrael......."
DeleteHashem did not command us to 'conquer the land' before its time.
I'm certain, that in due time, all of us who truly yearn for Him and the Holy Yerushalayim, will be included in the ultimate simchah of retrieving it AS HASHEM WANTS US TO.
As an aside, it was very very heartwarming for me to read the other posted messages resonating similar feelings that I've brought out. It makes me feel that I'm not alone in this school of thoughts, even though my heart is steeped in a yearning for the geulah.
S.G.
It's not to conquer, but in fulfillment of HIS plan that we bring together the Torah, Yidden, and Eretz Yisrael to fulfill the reason we left mitzrayim and headed to Mt Sinai!
DeleteNobody knows for sure. But you can use your seichel to decide to come to Israel. The US economy is on the verge of collapse. Many economists are saying this. Reagan's budget director David Stockman is adamant about it. When it does collapse, look out. And the USA has become a cultural sewer. Israel is much better for frum people. Even Tel Aviv doesn't compare to America. I was there a few months ago. For those who say it's worse, they are being dramatic. It's nothing like the USA.
ReplyDeleteAs Deborah told me some time ago regarding the decision, you don't have a choice. I think she's right.
I agree that American rabbis say little about this. It's hard to explain why that is so.
Devash - please know that I am not attacking you - I'm just using CAPS to stress this is what the Rebbe said to me. And you should know that I am in full agreement with what you and Neshama commented on. I have been ready for the past 11 years to hop on the plane without parnasah already lined up or a house to rent! But all I can do is continue to be a nudnik to HaShem with my tefillos and wait to see if HaShem will change my spouses mind! I believe I already have worked lined up for me.
ReplyDeleteAfter burying my sister, and taking care of my Mother until she went to Shamayim, my words to my husband wer that we have spent the first half of our lives in America, and now I think we should spend the rest of our lives in Eretz Yisrael, what we are allowed by HaShem. I felt that this was the way to Honor and Respect HIS goodness to us. Beside the rapidly deteriorating morality and lifestyle in the US. We accept whatever comes our way when living here, difficult at times because we weren't raised in this environment, but also very rewarding in the less tangible way. One needs to look back on recent history to see the handwriting on the wall.
DeleteYou might tell your spouse that the halacha says that when one spouse wants to go to Eretz Yisrael, the other has to obey.
DeleteLiving in America has become like the proverbial frog in the fire. We have gradually been put into a cauldron. Humanity is gone from this place. The entire culture is corporate, phony, utilitarian, greedy. Friendship is dead, intellect is dead. Democracy is gone. It is truly Am Reika, empty nation. It is Egypt. We do nothing but work for corporations who have no loyalty to us, who steal all the money. One can't stay here. There is no just choice in the matter.
DeleteYisrael, we're here already 5 years, anniv on July 28.
DeletePs. I could not coerce in any way my husband about anything. He agreed to go, finally in 2010, and is now learning how to live up to the relocation.
I know people here, in Israel, who literally are lucky if they even have leben in the fridge or chicken on Shabbos. They live on miracles -tzedaka, meager parnassah, but they are happy with their lot! Why? How could this be? I'll tell you it's called "emunah". This is the tikkun of every Neshama in this generation. It's why we all came back, specifically- now -because until we realize everything comes from Him, it will just get harder and harder until we Will have no other option but to trust ONLY in Hashem. It's all in your control, you either trust in Hashem or you stay in the land that you can never truly experience emunah - and that is anywhere outside Eretz Hakodesh. I think that one of the things that the messages said is that we have no one but Hashem. Ein od Milvado! If you think that you have guidance it's not really true - we don't have anyone to lead us everyone has to decide for themselves where they stand. Why do you think the gedolei Yisrael hardly ever speak about the massive tznius problem? A few sign on pamphlets but not the ones most of us know. Rav Wosner ztz"l and Rav Karelitz shlita"h are two that I always seen speaking up about it but why aren't the others screaming and rending their clothes everyday at this bushah that is the standard dress for Chareidi women these days? Every time a new store opens selling treif clothing to frum women they should be sitting out in front in sackcloth! But no! They don't and they won't because just like they aren't telling you how to look like a Jew they aren't going to tell you this is the only place to experience real yiddishkeit! It's not going to come down and fall on you -you have to daven, and beg Hashem to show you what it means to be a real Jew! A real Jew is someone who sacrifices for His nachas even when it's not comfortable, even when there's no parnassah, no food, we still are dancing, singing and saying Thank You! A kanoy L'Hashem with true emunah who lives for the emes! May we all be zocheh!
ReplyDelete-BE
Amen. I agree with all of that. And it sort of makes sense that's how it works in the end of days.
DeleteBE brings up a point that I'd forgotten about because I got so used to my life here.
DeleteI once had the great misfortune to live in one of America's luxury neighborhoods and I was so miserable. And though earning more, I had much less; I was barely making it to the end of the month. And illustrative of America nowadays, though everything was expensive and luxurious from the outside, the inside of the homes were rotten: sudden massive ant-outbreaks, ancient plumbing that suddenly backed up with all bathroom faucets suddenly pouring filth -- without even being turned on! -- home improvements gone wrong (like stairs "improved" in a way that makes them steeper and more slippery, leading to falls), etc.
And that's not even including the corpse they found in one home a couple of blocks away where the elderly lady homeowner had been murdered. No one noticed for months until managers noticed she hadn't paid her fees for a while, her mail was piling up, and neighbors mentioned that her window plants had been dead for some time. (And yes, the murdered lady had children and grandchildren.)
But I digress.
I totally feel the same as BE in that most of us are happier here living on a lower ecomonic standard, and it's not because of hashkafah or working on middot so much as just a gift from a Hashem that you don't feel you need more (or don't need MUCH more, anyway ;).
The olim who have it the hardest here are the ones who try to imitate an American lifestyle and remain emotionally connected to the gashmiut aspects of America (such as the people who constantly talk about American shopping or drycleaning).
I agree 100%, Dassie.
DeleteTrue thoughts, BE, but I beg to differ on one point.
DeleteI live in Boro Park, born and bred here. The typical ultra orthodox chareidi woman. Tznius is a 'massive' issue all over the world, as you've expressed. The reemergence of yiddishkeit after WW2 has unfortunately left us with this huge 'pgam' which is very very hard to fight. And currently the internet desensitizes us and has given a new life to immodesty, which bores holes in our eyes, pockets, hearts and souls!
Here's the point. In the past few years, New York and Lakewood have been the stage for countless gatherings for women with lectures and audio visual stuff on the importance of tznius. A tznius group of women well versed in this field was set up to be on constant call for anybody with questions and there are available hotlines 24, 7 with pertinent tznius information and very inspirational stories. A couple of books have come out on this topic too. The awareness is spreading and I'm personally seeing quiet a difference in myself and many, although we have way to go. The Skolener Rebbe has made it his mission and given his Brachah to start many of these projects.
And by the way, post war, the Satmar Rebbe was the first and maybe only 'fanatic' who embraced this topic with complete vigor, despite the scorn that it earned him. The fruit of his labor is still obvious in some Satmar communities where they dress very modestly.
It helps to keep in mind that Moshiach is almost here, and we will greet him with the clothing that we're wearing. We don't want to be embarrassed!!
S.G.
Me too you are right I was the same way -and miserable until I started to realise my kids didn't like it. They like the Israeli food better -the ketchup, mayo, pickles etc. I got used to it too. And as soon as I started letting go of the gashmius I felt happier. Not that I'm perfect, I still feel that I have more than I need and can't imagine how my Israeli friends live so simply and so besimcha, but thats because they are really in tune with living in this world like they are passing through. We have to work on opening that spot inside us that wants Hashem more than the gashmius. One of the best keys I've found is gratitude. The book "Garden of gratitude " by rav Shalom Arush has changed my life and I highly recommended it.
ReplyDelete-BE
If I may add, BE, what you've mentioned is 'the key' to staying connected to Hashem. Constantly reading books on these topics, from very reliable sources, puts us into a mode of not even 'wanting' too much of that gashmius. Even if it's all around us and we're living with lots of it daily, as a lifestyle by rote, when we learn our hearts are deeply elsewhere all day long. When not learning some kind of mussar every day, we're leaving too much room in our brains for the unimportant stuff.
DeleteS.G.