Things Aren’t Always What They Seem

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion’s guest room. Instead the angels were given a space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it.

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The Power to Forgive – A “Mengele Twin” Shares Her Story of the Holocaust

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Parshat Noach – The Value of One Cent and How Theft Lead to the Biggest Flood in the World

Just one Parshah ago – Bereishit – we saw God creating the entire world from nothing. We cannot know why, but it was the wish of the Creator to have a physical world in which to manifest Himself. Here, He would allow an infinite array of physical beings to inhabit His physical creation, enjoying the benefits He had created for it. In fact, it seems, this was His deepest wish. He wanted a physical world – a lowly place for a Being infinitely above even the highest of spiritual beings possible. His ultimate desire, that they should make for themselves a dwelling place below for this Being! Then – just as fast as it all began, the entire world would be destroyed – just one Parshah later! What happened that caused God to so drastically “change His mind” about the Creation He had made?

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And You Should be Happy Before Hashem Your God

As the festival of Sukkot approaches, let us remember the beautiful teaching regarding the essence of this festival.

The Torah teaches, “And you should take for yourselves on the first day (of Sukkot) the fruit from the Hadar tree (Etrog), date palms (a palm branch), a branch of a braided tree (three myrtles), and willows of the brook (two branches from the willow tree), and you should rejoice before Hashem your God” (Leviticus 23:40).

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Yeshivat Shaar HaShamayim – a Genuine Kabbalistic Yeshivah in the Centre of Jerusalem

Yeshivat Shaar HaShamayim - for the study of Kabbalah — Yeshivat Shaar HaShamayim – for the study of Kabbalah

GATEWAY TO HEAVEN

Introduction

In the heart of the holy city of Jerusalem, there sits an elderly Torah Sage teaching Kabbalah – the mystical texts and understanding of the Torah – to a large group of Torah scholars. The name of this great Sage, beloved and respected worldwide by all segments of the Torah community, is Rabbi Yechiel Fischel Eizenbach shlitah, the Rosh HaYeshivah (Dean) of the renowned Torah academy Sha’ar HaShamaim.

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Choose Good – a Video Thought from Rabbi David Aaron for Yom Kippur

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Zohar – Parshat Vayakhel – Jonah Enters the Giant Fish – The Soul Entering the Body

ZOHAR PARSHAT VAYAKHEL Daf 199a
Matok Midvash pp. 230-232
Translation and notes: Rabbi Eliyahu Shear

YONAH ENTERS THE GIANT FISH
THE SOUL ENTERING THE BODY
SOMETHING FISHY!

[On Yom Kippur we read the story of the Prophet Jonah. He is commanded by G-d to inform the people of the city of Ninveh to repent. Not wanting to obey G-d’s command, Jonah takes a ship to Tarshish, and while in the middle of the journey, leaps off the ship he is on, into the sea where he is swallowed by a giant fish (whale.) In fact, as this Zohar points out in a discourse over many pages, “Jonah” is the soul of every Jew that is placed into the body. The story of Jonah is actually the story of every Jew’s entire life, until death… and even onwards…]

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Zohar – Parshat Ha’azinu – When I Call in the Name of God

ZOHAR PARSHAT HA’AZINU Daf 297a
MATOK MIDVASH pp 542-543
Translation: Rabbi Eliyahu Shear

Calling in the Name of God

[The Zohar begins its commentary on a passage from Deuteronomy, chapter 32 vv 3-5. This is the song that Moses sang to the Jewish people just before he died, bringing heaven and earth to act as witnesses to the calamities that will befall the Jewish people if they sin, and the ultimate reward that awaits them at the final redemption. The language of verse 3 is not clear, since it speaks of calling out in the Name of G-d. When one calls, one usually calls directly to G-d Himself. Why the need to call ‘In the Name of G-d’? What do the extra words ‘In the Name of’ come to teach and add in understanding the process of calling to G-d?]

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My Journey to Become a Sofer – Part 6 – Finding a NEW Teacher

[Please become a member of our site and gain access to my story of becoming a Sofer. Your support will assist me to complete my studies. Thank you.]

I was really excited! I had had my first lesson! I now also had the money to pay for the lessons ahead. I saw good things ahead! It seems however, that it wasn’t to be… Within a week, my teacher had got sick. It looked like he wouldn’t be able to teach me. Unfortunately he was to leave this world from the disease. Not knowing how bad he was at the time, I still waited hoping that thing would improve, though they didn’t! It was a loss for all of us, as I look back and realise that had I only been able to complete my studies with him, I think I would already be writing successfully. In fact, I would have been writing within a couple of months tops! I know that it was definitely his joy to see the pupils he had made – and I am sure he would have felt proud at being responsible for turning me into a Sofer too.

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My Journey to Become a Sofer – Part 5 – Lessons Begin!

Part of Megillah - Practice work - Eliyahu Shear - My Journey to Become a Sofer Part 5! — Part of Megillah – Practice work – Eliyahu Shear – My Journey to Become a Sofer Part 5!

[Please become a member of our site and gain access to my story of becoming a Sofer. Your support will assist me to complete my studies. Thank you.]

I was finally going to get started studying! I’d found a teacher! Now, let’s be clear – it’s not that there are no teachers around. There must surely be 100 000 Sofrim worldwide. There must surely be a school of sorts…

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