Study Torah Online: Live and Interactive Torah Learning with Rabbi Eliyahu Shear
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There’s a famous story told about a man who wanted to know what the difference between Heaven and Hell was. He was fortunate to have asked his question to a true mystic who had inside-access to the upper worlds. The mystic told him that he would take him on a tour of both places so that he could see for himself what actually happened in each of the worlds.
Continue reading “The Large Spoons of Heaven and Hell (Includes Video)”
Rabbi Alon Anava shares with us his personal story of his near death experience. Living his life as any secular person might, he never imagined the experience of death could be what it was to him. It changed his life, and today he has forsaken his secular way of life and chosen the road to true life – by studying and teaching Torah. Watch this compelling and powerful video and hear his story:
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This short video includes the short story about the Chafetz Chaim’s wishes to come to the Land of Israel. Those who live here, should well value this blessing. For more information about the Chafetz Chaim, see the entry on the Wikipedia – Rabbi Yisrael Meir HaKohein Kagan (1839-1933).
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.
Randy Wagner might have seemed crazy – but he knew what he was doing!
Can you imagine what life was like during the Generation of the Flood? People were going about life as usual, while a lone man spent a year building a massive ark. People would walk by and laugh, “What are you doing Noach?” they would ask. And Noach would tell them, “I’m building an ark. A flood will be coming soon and it will destroy the entire world!”
I often become startled – if not embarrassed when I find myself around those who hate to give. Pirkei Avot 5:13 teaches us that there are four types of givers. There is one who wishes to give but that others should not. He begrudges others! There is one who believes that others should give, but that he does not have to. He begrudges himself! There is one who gives and believes that others should give too. He is a Chassid (pious person)! Finally there is one who believes that he does not have to give, nor should others. He is wicked! When I find a situation of someone asking for help (especially a person dressed in rags – God forbid) other than considering my own responsibility to give, I find myself reciting this Mishnah. Indeed, the Mishnah is telling us the truth!
Once upon a time, two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side-by-side, sharing machinery and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch.
Parshat Balak tells us the story about a king ready to destroy the Jewish people. His reasoning – without any provocation or cause – based on made-up images that perhaps only a lunatic could consider. Having seen that Bnei Yisrael were successful in destroying the two kings – Sichon and Og, he imagined that he was next in line. His plan – to hire a magician to curse the Jewish people into oblivion.
