Friday, September 28, 2012

Perceptions - Parshas Haazinu

Can we do תפילות prayers for:

Rabbi Pinchas Winston and Torah.org?

So that through them The האור Light, רפואה The Healing and The ואהבה Love of ישועת יהוה Yeshuath YHWH may come back to הארץ The Land of Israel?

	Perceptions
	by Rabbi Pinchas Winston
	Print Version

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Parshas Haazinu

I know what they will do by how they behave right now, even before they enter the land I promised to them. (Devarim 31:21)

Of the many things that we said on Rosh Hashanah, these verses are from the section of the Mussaf Prayer called Zichronos—Rememberings:

Praiseworthy is the man who does not forget You, the human being who takes strength in You, for those who seek You will never stumble nor will those who take refuge in You ever be humiliated.

This is quite a promise. If you are someone is who tired of stumbling, or of being humiliated (is there anyone who is not?), then these verse are for you. All you have to do to take advantage of them is to not forget God, and to take strength and refuge in Him. If you do that, He will take care of the rest. However, it seems to be easier said than done.

I once asked someone why he takes such a long time during his Rosh Hashanah Amidah. In general, he takes his time during prayer, and he is known to be a sincere person. But, on Rosh Hashanah, he takes an extraordinary amount of time to finish his personal Amidah, and I wanted to know what he does while in it.

He explained to me that it takes him a long time to build up the kind of focus and concentration that allows him to feel the Presence of God. He makes a point of saying each word slowly and clearly, with the goal of being able to feel its meaning in his body, not just in his mind. Once he finally reaches that level of intensity, he then feels tremendous love for God and the opposite for his previous mistakes. He knows that he has “arrived” when his fear of life becomes greater than his fear of death.

What he meant by that, he explained, was that after feeling such a closeness to God, one that he did not want to end ever, and knowing that the moment he stepped out of his Amidah and back into the world of everyday life that he would become distracted, he felt safer dying and going to Heaven that returning to a life that could be far from Heavenly:

For there is not a righteous man on earth who does only good and never sins. (Koheles 7:20)

Staying in his Amidah as long as he did was a way of prolonging the Heavenly experience.

This person suffers from the same problem from which most of us suffer: translating into everyday life what we are able to achieve during our greatest spiritual moments. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are inspiring days that allow us to rise our mundane realities and connect to God on high levels; who doesn’t want to maintain such a connection and level of spiritual growth on an ongoing basis?

If so, then what does one have to do to do so? How does one translate intellectual spiritual growth into emotional growth as well? This week’s parshah advises as follow:

Remember the days of old, understand the many generations that have passed. Ask your father, and he will tell you; your elders, and they will say it to you. (Devarim 32:7)

To appreciate these wise words, a person has to understand that there are two types of memories: intellectual and emotional. Though intellectual memories can stay with us for years, emotional memories, often, disappear over time. It doesn’t mean that they cannot be reinvigorated, but it does mean that, over time, they cease to be automatic.

The Talmud says that God made the world that way because if He hadn’t, a person might mourn the loss of a loved one the rest of his or her life. How debilitating. Thus, in spite of the fact that we don’t intellectually forget deceased loved ones, after a while, we do cease to feel the loss on an emotional level.

The down side of that is that people, forgetting the pain of earlier times, often repeat their mistakes and suffer all over again. Someone I know who is recently divorced is doubting his decision because he has already forgotten, emotionally, the pain he had suffered daily that drove him to divorce in the first place. Now being out of the marriage the pain has subsided and therefore is being overshadowed by the pain of living the life of a divorcee.

Therefore, when the Torah says that we should recall what happened to previous generations for living spiritually meaningless lives, it isn’t talking on an emotional level. Every year we review those stories and still it does little to change the lives of most people. Rather, the Torah is advising us to recall such stories on an emotional level as well, so that they impact us and inspire positive change.

In the past, previous generations had help from their local anti-Semites, who made a point of stopping by and making the lives of the local Jewish population miserable, if not outright dangerous. There was usually never a large enough time gap between one pogrom and another to allow Jews to forget how bad the situation can get during times of exile and separation from God.

The Israeli government, to try and help the local population and visitors to emotionally recall how much blood has been spilt to secure the country, has strategically placed collections of damaged war vehicles throughout the country. At least for those who believe in God, it is an ongoing and blatant reminder of Israeli vulnerability and the need for God’s protective help.

Personally, I experienced how easy it is to manipulate emotions when working on my first novel, “Not Just Another Scenario,” which is an End-of-Days scenario, which I wrote back in the summer of 2001, because the attack on the Twin Towers. Since the world was still quite peaceful at the time, I had to image the entire plot in mind, and writing it caused me to become emotionally engaged in the story.

In fact, so-much-so that even after taking a break from the writing, I would still feel the emotional impact of the story. I remember walking out my front door on many occasions and looking up at the sky with an uneasy feeling, as if missiles might start falling at any moment in time. I had to verbally tell myself, “No, that is only a fiction you are working on. This is the real world, and for the time, there is no war, so, chill.”

This showed me how if you create the right environment and perform specific activities, the emotions can be aroused and made to respond to a reality that may exist only in a person’s mind. In fact, to such an extent that a person can actually spiritually change even in an environment that discourages such spiritual growth. My friend, by creating an environment that mimics, to some degree, the one in which he achieved during his Amidah, he can maintain his connection to the Divine Presence in spite of the distractions occurring all around him.

This is what Avraham Avinu was able to achieve. The commentators point out, on Parashas Vayaira, that it is better to act like God than to talk to Him. We learn this from the way Avraham interrupted his conversation with God to take care of the wayfarers, before returning to his conversation with God again.

But did he really stop talking to God once his guests showed up and he ran to take care of them, or did he simply just change the mode of communication. In other words, taking care of the guests was not a distraction away from God, for Avraham Avinu, but a way to perceive God on a higher level. He may have taken care of angels-dressed-as-human guests, but every action he took was just another form of communication with His Creator, especially since with every step he took, he felt the pain of Bris Milah he had just performed to cement his relationship with God.

This takes planning, and in truth, it is really a good portion of one’s avodas Hashem—personal service of God. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is the time we clear our minds in order to come to terms with what our priorities in life should be. The environment of the Aseres Yemai Teshuvah is to provide an artificial spiritual environment that supports teshuvah, to give us a taste of what it means to pursue and find God.

Succos takes that environment out of the shul and brings it one step closer to the outside world, so that he can be to practice to create it on our own on a daily basis, something that is easier to do in Eretz Yisroel. For, as the GR”A said, the only two mitzvos to totally encompass a Jew are succah and Eretz Yisroel, and they both function in a similar way.

After that, a person has to look at the world in which he lives, and identify what is lacking from his everyday environment necessary to promote the kind of spiritual growth that was achieved in the more perfect spiritual environment. A person has to ask himself, “What can I add, or take away, from my everyday life so that I will have an easier time relating to God and the mitzvos I am doing?”

Some of the answers will be obvious, but some will be novel. In some extreme cases, people have even changed jobs or communities, and were delighted to find out how quickly they were able to grow once they did. Just the fact that a person asks such a question in the first place invokes Divine assistance, which usually results in all kinds of insights necessary to get an emotional handle on the situation.

This is what it means to walk with God. This is what it means to be a chariot for the Divine Presence. 

Perceptions, Copyright &copy 2012 by Rabbi Pinchas Winston and Torah.org.

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Please Say Yes to Abba Yahweh and His Laws.

It is written in the Koran:
‘1. Surah Al-Fatihah:

1. In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
2. All the praises and thanks are to Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).
3. The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
4. The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection)
5. You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).
6. Guide us to the Straight Way
7. The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews), nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians).

This is the 'start' in the Koran......

For more, what the Koran is teaching about: ‘Muslims Hate Jews, Christians all other faiths’ ‘Their Guide Book says to kill, behead and burn all non-believers’ click:
Index of The Quran (Satanic Verses of violence to us)

For more information about the development of these ‘Chaldean’ in our days go to our News-Blog: http://thewatchmenfromisraelnews.blogspot.co.il/

Please read the Mitzvoth go to: Positive Commandments and the Negative Commandments), easy to read. It is very important to know them. I don’t ask you this to become a good Jew! But to learn who you really are. That you can find your real identity. In a good understanding of the rest of The Scriptures. And that you understand that Rabbi Shaul is talking to a real Israel,

1Co 10:1 I do not want you to be without da'as (knowledge), Achim (brothers) b(in) 'Moshiach, that Avoteinu (our fore Fathers, you Yehudah and Ephraim! Nobody else.) all were under the anan (cloud),

(‘Achim (brothers) b(in)Moshiach are Yehudah and Ephraim who were all under the anan (cloud). The seed (literal) of Abraham, Yitzhak and Ya’acob) read it for yourself :)

Exo 13:21 And Yahweh went before them (Yehudah and Ephraim -Israel) by day in an ammud anan (‘Pillar of a cloud), to guide them haderech (the Way); and by lailah (night) in an ammud eish (‘Pillar of fire), to give them ohr (light); so they could travel yomam valailah (day or night);

Exo 13:22 He took not away the amud heanan (‘Pillar of a cloud) by day, nor the ammud haeish (‘Pillar of fire) by night, from before HaAm (the people, Yehudah and Ephraim) and passed through the sea.
Exo 14:22 And the Bnei Yisroel (Yehudah and Ephraim) then went into the middle of the yam (sea) upon the yabashah (dry land); and the mayim (waters) were a chomah (wall) unto them on their right, and on their left.

Exo 14:23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the middle of the yam (sea), even kol sus (all horses) Pharaoh, his chariots, and his parash (rider).

Exo 14:24 So it came to pass, that when came the watch of the boker (morning), Yahweh looked down on the machaneh Mitzrayim (camp of Egypt) through the ammud eish (pillar of fire) and of the anan (cloud), and caused confusion over the machaneh Mitzrayim (camp of Egypt),

Exo 14:25 And turned awry their chariot wheels, that they drove them with difficulty; so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the presence of Yisroel (really when Yehudah and Ephraim where together, not like today); because Yahweh fighting for them against the Egyptians,
So let we further listen what Rabbi Shaul has really to say:)

1Co 10:2 And all into Moshe Rabbenu were given tevilah (a ‘mikwah’ immersed) in the anan (cloud) and in the sea,

1Co 10:3 And all of the same spiritual okhel (food) ate [SHEMOT 16:4,35; DEVARIM 8:3; TEHILLIM 78:24-29],

1Co 10:4 And all of the same spiritual drink drank, for they were drinking from a spiritual TZUR (Rock) following them [SHEMOT 17:6; BAMIDBAR 20:11; TEHILLIM 78:15; 105:41], and that TZUR was Moshiach (Yeshuah – Yeshuah Yahweh).

And now one of our neviim:

Hab 2:3 For the chazon (vision) is yet for a mo’ed (an appointed time); it speaks of HaKetz (the End), and does not lie; though it tarry, wait for him

Moshiach— see: Sanhedrin 97b, ‘It has been taught; R. Nathan said: This verse pierces and descends to the very abyss:11 For the Vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though he tarry, wait for him (Moshiach); because it will surely come, it will not tarry.12]; because he (Moshiach) will surely come, and will not tarry.

(11) Just as the bottom of an abyss cannot be reached, so is it impossible to grasp the full purport of this verse (Rashi).
(12) Hab. II, 3.

Believe…..

Hab 2:4 Hinei (behold), his nashamah (soul) which is puffed up is not upright in him; but the tzaddik (righteous) shall live by his emunah (believe).

Through Moshiach, Yeshuah from Yahweh who give you emunah (believe)…..

Gen 15:6 And he believed in Yahweh; and He credited emunah (faith)] to him as tzedakah (righteousness).

Please read the whole book of HaNavi Habakuk?

The Koran teaches us that you have to die…….

But, please Yudah (Jews) and Ephraim (most Christians) Listen to His Voice:

Hab 1:12 Art thou not mikedem

(‘everlasting’ also said of Moshiach, indicating Moshiach’s eternal divine nature: Dan 7:14 And there was given Him (Moshiach) dominion, and honor, and sovereignty, that all people, Goyim, tongues, should pey-lammed-chet. [1] (worship as deity) (see Dan 3:12, serve, reverence as deity Him (Moshiach). His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His (Messianic) Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.] see Michah 5:1[2];)

Yahweh Elohai (my Elohim) Kedoshi (my Holy One)? We shall not die. Yahweh, Thou hast appointed them (these Chaldean) for mishpat (ordinance); O Tzur (Rock), Thou hast ordained them (these Chaldean) for reproof.

Maran Rabbeinu Yeshuah and Rabbeinu Shaul are teaching that you, Yehudah and Ephraim all Israel, come together to the same point as where you were when you said:

Deu 5:27 Go thou near, and hear all that Yahweh Eloheinu (our Elohim) shall say; and speak thou unto us all that Yahweh Eloheinu shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it.

But don’t ‘make’ from one of them Rabbeinu Yeshuah, Rabbeinu Shaul or Rabbeinu Mosheh another ‘mighty one’ but accept them in your live for what they really are….

Please take it serious what Abba Yahweh is telling us in:

Deu 18:15 Yahweh Eloheicha (your Elohim) will raise up unto thee a Navi (prophet) from among thee, of thy achim (bretheren), kamoni (like me.....

Exo 32:30 The next day Moshe said to the people, "You have committed a terrible sin. Now I will go up to Yahweh; maybe I will be able to atone for your sin."); unto him ye must listen;

Deu 18:16 According to all that thou desired of Yahweh Eloheicha (your Elohimin) Chorev (to be burnt dried up, ruined, wasted) in the Yom HaKahal (day of the congregation), saying, Let me not hear again the voice of Yahweh Elohav (your Elohim), neither let me see this eish hagedolah (‘great fire’) any more, that I die not.

Deu 18:17 And Yahweh said unto me, They have well-spoken that which they have spoken.

Deu 18:18 I will raise them up a Navi (prophet) from among their achim (brethren), like unto thee, and will put My words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

Joh 10:18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have samchut (authority) to lay it down, and I have samchut to receive it again. This mitzvah I received from HaAv (the Father).

Deu 18:19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not listen unto My words which he shall speak Bishmi (in My Name), I will require it of him.

Joh 8:28 Therefore, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, When you perform the hagbah (lifting up) of the Ben HaAdam, you will have da'as (knowledge) that Ani Hu [YESHAYAH 41:4; SHEMOT 3:14-16], and from myself I do nothing, but as HaAv (the Father) of me taught me, these things I speak.

Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiah Yeshuah – is Yeshuah Yahweh. Like it is said in:

Gen_49:18 I have waited for Thy Yeshuah (Salvation), Yahweh.

Exo_15:2 Yahweh is my oz and zimrah (song of praise), and He is become to me Yeshuah (salvation); He is Eli (my Elohim), and I will praise Him; Elohei Avi (the Elohim of my Father), and I will exalt Him.

And not a half-god, or another mighty-one who came between HaShem and us! (Not, ‘It Suph’!) I believe many of us (Jews and Ephraimites!) have to learn that!

[1] Dictionary of the Talmud. M. Jastrow p. 1178 פלח

Please let us come together in Prayer (by singing/praying The Song of Moshe and The Song of The Lamb) and Teshuvah in the Love of Yeshuath YHWH. Yehudah, Ephraim and all 'the called out ones',
Until comes in fulfillment,

Zec 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David (The whole House of Israel, Jews and Ephraim), and upon the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourned for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Isa 11:13 And the envy of Ephrayim shall turn aside, and the adversaries of Yehudah be cut off. Ephrayim shall not envy Yehudah, and Yehudah not trouble Ephrayim.
If you have a Prayer Request for yourself, family, friends, kehilah or the State of Israel. It can be brought to the Feet of The Mountain of Yahweh. (For Free) Click: Prayer Request