"We Have to Realize Exile is Not Home"

 "Exile Is Not Redemption, No Matter How sweet it is" Rabbi Winston http://www.thirtysix.org/Thirtysix.org/HomePage.html

Tzion

Hashem's shechina will move out of the Galut

First Hashem will return and After he will gather (see last paragraph Thanks to Yeranen Yaakov for the translation!!)

These 5 factors will redeem us again

R' Elazar said, Five factors led to the Israelites redemption from Egypt:

1) suffering: "The Israelites groaned because of their work"
2) repentance: "and their cries reached Heaven...";
3) mercy: "G-d saw the Israelites";
4) the merit of the Forefathers; and
5) the end of the time limit which He had set: " and He knew" (Shemot 2:23, 25)

It will be the same in the future as well: When you are in distress (1) In the end of days (5), you will finally return to Hashem your G-d (2) He is a merciful Power (3) He will not forget your fathers' covenant (4) (Devarim 4:30-31)

All 5 of these components lead to redemption. For example if there was complete repentance, even before G-d's appointed time redemption would follow: "Today if you listen to his voice" (Tehillim 95:7) Yet in an age where there is no complete repentance all five factors are needed for the redemption to come.

The Chafetz Chaim asks how our generation is going to merit being redeemed when previous generations were so much more devoted to G-d. The simple answer he says is that previously the proper time had not yet arrived, and also perhaps their suffering had not reached the climax it has now. He says that as we can hope that all the other aspects of redemption have been already met with a little arousal to repentance we can anticipate that the redemption will approach.

The merit of our repentance will cause G-d to take pity upon us, and to recall His covenant with the Avot and redeem us forever "You will return to Hashem your G-d and obey him. He is a merciful G-d... and He will not forget the covenant of our ancestors." (Devarim 4:30)

He emphasized that each of us on his own must arouse himself to repent and those capable of doing so must arouse others (See also Chomas Hadas, Chaps 1,6)

He also sites a source from The Ramban ( Hilchot Taanit):

Those who do not cry out to G-d over misfortune attributing it instead to chance have developed a cruel attitude. Such people become entrenched in their own evil ways, and further misfortune visits them. "If you remain indifferent to Me, then I will be indifferent to you with a vengeance"

*Source Chofetz Chaim Hagada Let my People Go page 72-73


Am Yisrael, we have to wake up. Reading this Hagadah from the Chofetz Chaim, it as if he is still living and speaking directly to us. The fact that he has come to several Rabbis in their dreams to say that Moshiach is right around the corner, helps us link his words of urgency then to even more urgency now, as we are many more years closer to Moshiach's arrival. Hashem wants us to return to him... to cry out... to ask what we can do to get closer. We do not need any specific tefilot, we just need open hearts and have a desire to connect. Pesach is a time for this prayer as the complete exodus is recreated. If we open our hearts with full longing and desire Hashem will do the rest and may even split the sea for us once again. Am Yisrael there is no time to wait.

Tefila for Pesach (an excerpt link to follow)

I beg of You, my Merciful Father, draw us to You so that we will serve You with a powerful desire, with true longing. On this night, let my soul yearn to race after You, my heart and flesh will pine for You and sing to You. Every fiber of my being will rejoice on this day that You draw me out of exile. You will enclothe me in a pure body from Gan Eden, just as the faithful shepherd Moshe was enclothed in a pure body when You sent him to release Your children from bondage. And when his body returned to its original state, his heart was completely devoted to you. He was drawn after You like water until he ascended to receive the Torah, until he ascended to Your holy chambers.

I beg of You, Hashem, Lord of hosts Who does wonders and knows all, You send down the dew of resurrection on this night to atone for all of our sins and return us to Gan Eden, our source. Oh, Hashem, that we would only really pray on this night, the night when Adam HaRishon called to his children and revealed his secret to them as he trembled! It is a day on which You send down the dew of resurrection, which can cancel out the decree of death. He said, “Please, merciful and beloved children that shine like the very heavens, have mercy on me as well as yourselves. Have mercy on all the coming generations and make your prayers your sacrifices. Pour out your hearts like water before the One who dwells on high.”

If you would like access this incredible prayer written by Ha Rav Elizer Berland shlit"a for
Pesach http://shuvubonim.org/pray2.html . Thanks Zhus Avos Yagen Aleinu

Womens work

A Purim Mantra in Haiku, 1996

To discern G-d's voice
Admist throngs of imposters,
This is women's work
(Purim Bursts, 2000 Sarah Idit Schneider)

The Shem Mishmuel teaches (Based on the writings of Chaim Vital) that mans existence in the physical world is expressed via the 3 levels of the soul

Neshama- machshava (thought)
Ruach - Dibbur (speech)
Nefesh- Maaseh (action)

Mordechai, channeled the power of Kedusha and used the three levels of the soul to save the people

Thought- discern the heavenly decree
Speech- pray for salvation
Action- mourning actions

Haman channeling the power of Evil (Amalek) directed the forces of tumah (impurity) against the Jews allowing him to use the three levels of the soul for sinning.

Thought- Plotted against the Jews
Speech- Spoke to convince Achashverosh of plans
Action- Bribery with money plans for gallows

As we see from above in the physical world there was a standoff between the forces of kedusha and the forces of impurity that is until..... Esther took the scene.

Esther had the ability to utilize a higher level of the Jewish soul called chaya. With this she was able to pull reinforcement from the heavenly sphere, Hashems upper realms where forces of darkness and impurity can never reach. It was also the Heavenly power of chaya that Moshe Rabbeinu harnassed to defeat Amalek in the past. In the past using the energy of the lower spheres our enemies (Bilam and Balak) were defeated, but this required something more Because Amalek personifies evil it had to be combatted with the strongest ammunition possible. Moshe stood on the peak and he did not move and he did not make plans. He used this weapon of chaya.

Jews need to know that we have this power from Hashem to draw on that Amalek can never touch. We need to look inside, dig deep, and harness all our energies for Kedusha. With that, like Malkat Esther we will bring the redemption.

Derived from a shiur from Rabbi Hershel Reichman on Amalek, Purim and Chassidut www.Naaleh.com

Evil and illusion insights into Purim

In Sarah Idit Schneiders profound book Purim Bursts she states:
Amalek(the national identity oh Haman) embodies the deepest and irredeemable root of evil in the universe.

"Evil is here defined as the illusion of separation and independance from G-d. The illusion is significant since nothing can actually be separate from G-d for G-d is one. To the extent that something presents the appearance of self containment, self soverignty and multiplicity, to that extent it partakes of the quality of evil. Conversely to the extent that it communicates through itself the truth of G-ds oneness, compassion, and generosity, to that extent it partakes of the quality of holiness" (Purim Bursts, 2000)

Meditate on this truth and its profound implications for Am Yisrael now and in the future

Reflective waters

Usually when I do my 3 dunks in the mikveh waters, though I let the prayers fill my head without forethought they proceed something like this: 1.My immediate family 2. My extended family and friends 3.Am Yisrael. This past visit all 3 prayers that came forth intuitively were for Am Yisrael.

May we merit the redemption of our whole nation