Chai Lifeline

Yet another incredible video about chai lifeline
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0Z1ooG4vjQ

unbelievable clip

click here:

A Tragic Episode

A Tragic Episode

SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM — Laws of Rechilus 6:3-4



The Chofetz Chaim continues his discussion of the prohibition against accepting rechilus as fact. In this segment, he describes a very common scenario in the business world: a case of a buyer who is seeking the lowest possible price for an item.



The story begins with a gentile who negotiates a price with a Jewish wine merchant for several barrels of wine. They conclude on a price and the gentile brings his own empty barrels to be filled by the Jew the next day. That evening, the gentile goes to another Jewish merchant and, without telling him that he had already concluded the deal with the first merchant, prices this particular product. The second merchant is a bit more anxious than the first for some business, so he offers the wine at a slightly lower price. The gentile returns to the first merchant and cancels his order.



The merchant is astounded. “But we had a deal and you even have your barrels sitting here in my house! How can you break the agreement?” The gentile, not wanting to look bad, says, ”I’ll tell you the truth. I met your competitor on the street and he asked me, ‘Why don’t you buy from me? My wine is much better than that fellow’s merchandise and besides, my prices are cheaper!’”



This is all the first merchant needs to hear. “How could he have done such a thing?” he wonders about the other merchant. “He literally took the bread out of my mouth!” Having accepted the gentile’s word as fact, the first merchant harbors great hatred towards his competitor and feels fully justified in launching an all-out-war against him. He tells himself — and his friends — that his competitor is a wicked soul and that it is a mitzvah to speak against him and run him out of business.



Meanwhile, the second merchant responds in kind and a full-scale war erupts. And how did it all begin? By accepting one report of rechilus.



The Chofetz Chaim reflects: Had the first merchant told himself the truth, that the second merchant had no idea that he had already concluded a deal with the gentile, the story could have ended so beautifully. The first merchant would fulfill the positive commandment to grant a fellow Jew the benefit of the doubt. He would avoid transgressing several negative commandments, including accepting rechilus, harboring hatred towards a fellow Jew and seeking revenge. When the second merchant would be told of what the gentile did and of his competitor’s reaction, he would tell himself that in the future he would be careful to check that the buyer has not already concluded a deal with someone else. The result of all this would be: No loshon hora, no price wars, no hatred.



The Chofetz Chaim declares that this path would bring the two merchants blessing and joy both in this world and the World to Come. He cites the verse: “Who is the man who wants life, who loves days, to see good? Guard your tongue from evil…” (Tehillim 34:13-14). The Chofetz Chaim comments: “Who is the man who wants life”— in the World to Come; “who loves days”— in this world.



By contrast, the sin of one who accepts rechilus is even greater than that of the one who speaks it.

Yoel

Tzioni or not, this man is a hero. We can all learn volumes from his strong sense of Ahavas Yisrael and Ahavas Eretz Yisrael.

Happiness =) Rav Noach Weinberg

A young man with an unusually happy disposition once came to meet me in Jerusalem. I asked him, "What's your secret?"
He told me, "When I was 11 years old, God gave me a gift of happiness. I was riding my bicycle when a strong gust of wind blew me onto the ground into the path of an oncoming truck. The truck ran over me and cut off my leg.
"As I lay there bleeding, I realized that I might have to live the rest of my life without a leg. How depressing! But then I realized that being depressed won't get my leg back. So I decided right then and there not to waste my life despairing.
"When my parents arrived at the hospital they were shocked and grieving. I told them, 'I've already adapted. Now you also have to get used to this.'
"Ever since then, I see my friends getting upset over little things: their bus came late, they got a bad grade on a test, somebody insulted them. But I just enjoy life."
At age 11, this young man attained the clarity that it is a waste of energy to focus on what you are missing, and that the key to happiness is to take pleasure in what you have.
Happiness is not a happening; it's a state of mind. You can have everything in the world and still be miserable. Or you can have relatively little and feel unbounded joy.
As the Talmud says, "Who is rich? The one who appreciates what he has" (Ethics of the Fathers, 4:1).
That's why the morning prayers begin with a series of blessings thanking God for the simple and obvious:
Thank you, God, for giving me life Thank God I can see, that I can use my hands and feet, that I can think.
Happiness comes from mastering the art of appreciating and consciously enjoying what you already have.

watch this

Pure Love

i know Channuka has come and gone, but the lesson we learn from this holy holiday is appropriate all year round. Rabbi Wallerstein gave a shir about the neis of Channuka and why we put our menorahs in the window. He said that the reason why we put our menorahs in the window is not for the goyim to see, it is for everyone to see and to remind not only of the neis that Hashem performed for us, but of the love that was so strong during that period in time. Why were we zoche to see such a miracle? Rabbi Wallerstein said that the rabbis of that time said that when the tzibbur is impure, it is muttar for them to use impure oil. the yidden in that generation had such a great love for Hashem that they would not settle for giving their beloved Ribono Shel Olam anything but the best. they had the rebbeims blessing to use that tamei oil but they said NO we will not give Hashem something that is not worthy. they decided as a group to light the menorah with the small amount of PURE oil they had because Hashem only deserved the best. Hashem saw that the hearts of these yidden were SO pure and SO sincere and middah kneged middah Hashem said, if thats how much true and pure love u are showing ME then of course in return i will go beyond for you and let these pure lights burn beyond natures limitations.
Rabbi W asked us.. how often do we do mitzvot because we LOVE Hashem, how often do we do things for Hashem when we dont have to.. so often we find ourselves saying "oh man i HAVE TO bench now, or i HAVE TO go daven mincha now.." back then, the yidden were SO excited to do things for Hashem they had true love and excitement in their avodas Hashem. This is what the menorah in the window shows US. we look at the lights and think back to the time where not only was that pure oil burning for much longer than expected , but there was a pure love that existed and because of that we were zocheh to see miracles.
lets try to show Hashem that our love is still pure so many years later and that we can still do mitzvos FOR Hashem and not for other potential benefits we may gain from that mitzvah.... for example... besamim... it is a mitzvah to make a bracha on besamim so next time u have the chance ... make a bracha having in mind that this mitzvah is PURELY for Hashem's sake and iyHashem in return you will be zocheh to see many miracles in all of your lives
Have a great week and Hatzlacha to everyone who has finals !

Am Yisrael is in NEED.
480 children had to evacuate from their home, Yemen Odre the orphanage in Carmel, Israel.
The buildings were severely damaged. The children's homes, including furniture and personal items were badly burnt. Unbelievably, the two things which were left standing- a shul and an Israeli flag! As tough as the situation, Yemen Odre will rebuild! They want to send their children back to a safe and warm environment; and they need our help.

Elianna Kaufman and Mikhayla Bibi will be baking and selling challah for the upcoming shabbat. All sales will be made through orders.

All donations will be sent to the Yemen Odre orphanage to help rebuild! We can still help thousands of miles away. Am Yisrael Chai!

PRICES:
Rolls- $6 each, $10 for two
Braided- $15
Round/pull apart- $20

Contact for orders:
Elianna Kaufman- 516-353-0070 OR Elianna29@aol.com

Mikhayla Bibi- 516-589-2175 OR MikhaylaBB@aol.com

Great article from Aish.com! MUST READ

A number of years ago, I read Lee and Bob Woodruff’s book, In An Instant, the moving and revealing story of how their lives were affected when an IED went off near the tank Bob was riding in while embedded with the US military in Iraq. The book contains many tales of perseverance, of kindness, and of what marriage, family and friends really mean, some of which I have written about previously.
What I want to focus on now is the title, In An Instant. The book has taken up semi-permanent residence in our restroom and I find myself frequently confronted by the title, In An Instant. And it makes me reflect. Our lives can be changed – dramatically so – in an instant. It focuses me on how precious and important even a nanosecond can be. And how we need to maintain our alertness and consciousness even for the briefest of instants.
Someone I know described how she briefly turned around to hand her child a drink in the car and hit a pedestrian crossing the street. An engineer turned away momentarily to text some young friends and, in an instant, caused a massive train wreck. In a drunken instant a broker may move millions of dollars to the wrong investment and bankrupt himself and his company. In an instant, some fanatic can put their finger on the trigger of a nuclear warhead and destroy the lives of thousands of civilians.
Instants matter. And it’s not just in other people’s lives, in other people’s stories. In an instant we may utter hurtful words that ruin friendships, careers, marriages – words that can’t be taken back. In an instant we can say something demeaning to our children, a harsh line of criticism that may cause serious damage to their sense of self. In an instant, we can give the wrong advice to a friend and grave harm may result. In an instant, we may turn our head away and not see that child run into the street.
Lives are shaped by those instants. And it’s hard to be constantly vigilant. But the yetzer hara – that part of us that tries to trip us up and lower ourselves – lies in wait for those lax moments and we need to be ever battle-ready. In fact, we need to be proactive – on guard, on hyper-alert – and take initiative in a positive direction.
After all, it’s not just negative situations or behaviors that occur in an instant. Positive differences can be made in an instant as well.
In an instant, our smile can brighten someone’s day. In an instant, our “Good morning” can make another person feel noticed. In an instant, our “How are you?” can show a fellow human being we care. In an instant, we can pick up papers that someone else dropped. In an instant, we can put change in someone’s meter so they don’t get a ticket. In (slightly more than) an instant, we can help carry someone’s groceries to their car. In an instant, we can hold open a door or give up a seat or let someone with two items in front of us in line. In an instant, we can invite a new acquaintance to join us for an evening out. In an instant, we can make a lifelong commitment to marriage. In an instant, we can say “I love you” – and mean it. In an instant, we can say thank you to the Almighty for all the blessings He has given us.
Instants are powerful. We shouldn’t dismiss them or treat them cavalierly. Lives – ours and those around us – can be changed - in an instant.

Chanukah!!!!!!!!

Taken from Shirat Devorah on Chanukah!!!

There are four letters on the dreydel. נ - Nun, ג - Gimel, ה - Hay, and שׁ - Shin - These letters stand for "Nes Gadol Haya Sham" - A great miracle happened there.
[In Eretz Yisrael it is a פ - Peh instead of the Shin: A great miracle happened here.]

The four letters stand for:

a) the four parts of man - Nefesh (soul), Guf (body), Seichel (intellect), HaKol (all the rest).

b) the four foundations of the world - fire, water, wind and earth

c) the four nations that put us in exile - Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome The four letters on the dreydel have the Gematria of Mashiach (358). This is also the Gematria of Hashem is King etc. Chanukah is the season when the possibility exists for the light of Mashiach to burst forth. Then, man and the world will be restored to harmonious relationship and the last and most bitter exile of Rome will draw to a to a close, and we will see the fulfillment of the verse that Hashem will be King forever. [Bnei Yissaschar]

Chanukah and Purim have much in common. They are two holidays which will enjoy an exalted status when Mashiach comes. They were celebrations which were decreed by the Rabbis to commemorate events that took place in their time. Since the faith of the Jewish people were instrumental in bringing these holidays about, the Holidays of the Torah will pale in comparison to them, like a flashlight shining on a sunny day.

Both days have their special instrument. Purim the grogger, Chanukah the dreydel. Their use is indicative of the nature of the holiday.

Purim's gregger we hold from below to symbolize that the great Teshuva on the Jews provided an initiative from below which caused the divine initiative to bring about the miracle.

On Chanukah we use a dreydel which we hold from above to symbolize that the principle initiative for the miracle came from above, and our actions brought it to fruition.

Source: Nishmas

(Adapted and translated from Hilchos Chanuka by Rav Yoel Schwartz Shlit"a)

TIME OF KINDLING CHANUKAH LIGHTS

A: Eating, working or learning before kindling Chanukah lights: Half an hour before kindling time, one may not begin a job or a meal. Learning is permissible, while some posskim permit only learning hilchos Chanuka, or attending a regular nightly Torah lesson.

One may taste fruit or less than the size of an egg of cake or bread, even after the kindling time has arrived.

After the time for kindling Chanukah lights has arrived, one may not learn before kindling. (The Yalkut Yosef permits attending a nightly Torah lesson, if there is no possibility of moving it up earlier. Other posskim though maintain that for those lighting outdoors, they should light at the proper time, and not delay it even for a Torah lesson.)

B: Proper time for kindling Chanukah lights: There are various opinions regarding the proper time for kindling Chanukah lights. According to the Gr"a they are to be lit as the sun is setting. This ruling is followed by the Ashkenazim in Yerushalayim.

According to the Igros Moshe (OC vol 4, 101) the proper lighting time is ten minutes after sunset. According to The Chazon Ish the proper time is twenty minutes after sunset.

According to the Beis Yosef, the proper time for lighting is at nightfall, (when stars are visible, which is approx. 13.5-18 minutes after sunset). The Sefaradi custom in Eretz Yisroel is to daven Ma’a’riv immediately after sunset and to kindle Chanukah lights fifteen minutes after sunset.

The Chassidic custom in Eretz Yisroel is to daven Ma’ariv immediately at nightfall and to kindle Chanukah lights right after Ma’a’riv.

If one follows the custom of Rabbeinu tam, to consider "nightfall" seventy two minutes after sunset, he should light then.

If one is lighting before nightfall, he should put in enough fuel for the lights to burn until half an hour after nightfall. (For example, in Yerushalayim the sun sets on Chanukah at 4:40 P.M.. If a person lights then (in accordance with the opinion of the Gr"a), it should burn until half an hour after nightfall, meaning until 5:30.)

If for some reason one won’t be able to kindle Chanukah lights on time, he may light them from p’lag hamincha and on. (P’lag Hamincha is about an hour and a quarter before sunset (An hour in this case is not sixty minutes, but rather one twelfth of the day, depending on the length of that particular day). In Eretz Yisroel at Chanukah time, p’lag hamincha is about 3:35-3:40 P.M.) He should nevertheless have enough fuel for the lights to burn until half an hour after his normal lighting time.

If one kindled Chanukah lights before p’lag hamincha, he must extinguish them, and kindle them again at the proper time and recite the brochas

C: Kindling Chanukah lights on Erev Shabbos:

REMINDER: Shabbos begins no later than sunset on Friday night. Under no circumstances may one kindle Chanukah lights or Shabbos candles after sunset.

On Erev shabbos, Chanukah lights should be kindled just before lighting Shabbos candles.

Shabbos candles should be lit at their normal time, which is eighteen minutes before sunset, after the Chanukah lights were already kindled. (In Yerushalayim, where Shabbos candles are normally lit forty minutes before sunset, on Erev Shabbos Chanukah they are lit twenty minutes before sunset.)

Although the kindling of Chanukah lights on Erev Shabbos is done earlier than other nights, the lights must continue burning until half an hour after nightfall.
For example; In Jerusalem the sun sets during Chanukah at 4:40 P.M.. The Chanukah lights should be kindled at 4:20 and should burn until 5:30 P.M., half an hour after nightfall.
Note that the small Chanukah candles don’t burn that long, and bigger candles must be used.

If a women realizes after lighting Shabbos candles that she forgot to kindle Chanukah lights, she should ask someone else to kindle Chanukah lights for her. If nobody is available, she may light them herself, provided that the sun has not yet set.

D: Kindling on Motzaei Shabbos: On Motzaei Shabbos, one must be very careful not to kindle the lights before Shabbos is over. On the other hand, the kindling of Chanukah lights should not be delayed much later. Some people have the custom to daven Ma’ariv before Shabbos is over, and to kindle the Chanukah lights immediately after Shabbos is over.

Those people who normally wait until seventy two minutes after sunset before ending Shabbos (in accordance with the opinion of Rabbeinu Tam) have various customs regarding the proper kindling time for Chanukah lights on motzaei Shabbos. Some kindle the lights 35-45 minutes after sunset, as most people do, while other’s wait the full seventy two minutes before kindling. (See Igros Moshe OC: vol 4, 62 and Yalkut Yosef pg. 58.)

In Shule the Chanukah lights are kindled before Havdalah, while there are different customs regarding the procedure at home. Some kindle the Chanukah lights before Havdalah, while others recite Havdalah first.

E: Proper time for kindling Chanukah lights in Shule: The custom is to kindle Chanukah lights in Shule between Mincha and Ma’ariv, even though it is still day.

In Yeshivos where the custom is to daven early Mincha, the Chanukah lights are kindled at the proper time (at least ten people should be present).

The custom is to kindle Chanukah lights in shule at Sha’charis. No Brocha is recited when lighting in the morning.

On Erev Shabbos the menorah should be kindled in the shule after Mincha. If Mincha will end after sunset, the menorah should be kindled before Mincha. (Under no circumstances is the Menorah to be kindled after sunset.)

F: Latest time to light: The Gemorah says that the latest time to light is when there are no more people walking outside. In those days it was about half an hour after nightfall. Nowadays, this may be a little bit later, since people do walk around at later hours. (A local rabbi should be consulted to determine the proper time for that specific location.)

If a person is lighting outside, he should definitely make every effort to light within this time period, since lighting later can be problematic.

If a person lights indoors, he may light until dawn, if he has not lit at the beginning of the night. According to the Oruch Hashulchan at least one other member of the household must be present at the lighting, while other posskim require two people present. If all the members of the household are asleep, two of them should be awoken, before lighting. If nobdy else is awake he should kindle the lights without reciting the brochas.
According to the Igros Moshe (OC: vol 4, 105), one may nevertheless kindle the Chanukah lights and recite the brachos.

Tehillim for our Brothers and Sisters in Israel

Dear Friends,

Our joy and celebration of Chanukah is diminished this evening upon hearing of the wild fire that is raging out of control in the North of Israel. In a terrible tragedy, a bus carrying students in the Prison Service's prison guard course who were being brought to evacuate prisoners from the area got trapped and 40 of the 50 prison guards who were on the bus died from the flames. As our families gather this evening to light the Chanukah menorah we ask everyone to keep in mind all those families affected by this fire, many of whom are being evacuated from their homes. We suggest reciting Tehillim after lighting the Menorah on behalf of our brothers and sisters in the North of Israel, particularly chapters 20 and 142. May God bring a quick resolution to this terrible situation.

Chanuka ideas from Shaina Guttman

Sparks of Chanukah

YAY!! It’s Chanukah!!!!! I put together a few beautiful points that I heard about Chanukah that really make me happy, I hope you enjoy :)- Shaina

"Chanukah is beyond there is no words to describe it."- Rebbe Nachman.

On Chanukah we are connected to ohr Haganuz, there is always more to know.

On Chanukah we use our eyes. When were in love, we look at someone for hours, not to see what it they look like but to be able to see beyond. That the way we look at our Chanukah candles. We can tap into beyond.

Chanukah is the only chag that happened in Israel, it’s the only chag you need a house for the mitzvah, and it’s the only chag there is no mitzvah to eat a meal. Why?

Eretz yisroel is our land the center of spirituality. In eretz yisroel a person is able to see things more clear, and in a deeper way. In Israel hashem gives us his eyes to see. on Chanukah we can tap into the same ability.

The home is a very important factor in Chanukah. the house is the foundation. the house represent stability and building. in order to be able to spread your light you have to internalize it first and build your foundation. Chanukah is Chinuch, when a father gives his child the opportunity to light chanukka candles it gives him the light to be able to go out and build his own home.

the home also represents routine we should never forget to add light and newness into every routine.

Eating is limiting to your body. there is no concept like that on Chanukah. Chanukah is all about the beyond we are not limited physically.

8- going beyond

Chanukah is very connected to the number 8. 8 represents above nature

Its a time to tap into the infinite.

-we have 8 candles represents the ain sof. chanukkah is beyond physical.

- Lihodot Ulihalel.- Chanukah is connected to the 8th sfira Hod. hod is giving thanks. when someone gives thanks they are realizing somebody is going beyond for them. We have to always thank hashem for going beyond for us and giving us our every need.

-We light by the door a door is the letter Chet, Chet is 8

-Kislev is represented by the letter Samech. Samech Represents loyalty. two Samechs together make the letter 8.

-Chanukah is a time to ask for things that are beyond. Its a big time to daven for ones zivug. Zivugim are Min Hashamaim.

Light

It was the Cohens Job to light the menorah. The cohen is full of light. Whenever people would come to him he would never give rebuke. He was able to see every single persons light from within them. Even if that person did the biggest sin the Cohen would take the persons light and be able to bring it out. Aaron Hacohen was always able to make peace between two people because he would bring out the light from within people. When the Benei Yisroel sinned with the Golden calf Aaron plead forums saying we did not want to do idols we just want a leader. We should be zocheh to see the good in Everyone . (The Cohen wore 8 garments)

The lights of Chanukah have the Ability to bring back the far removed, and the ability to bring out our real Neshamas. Every time the Baal Shem tov would light his candles he wouldn't say anything he would just cry. We must be like candles. Candles are deeper than words.

The Baal shem tov says every time a Fire is lit something is burned. We can take in the light from the candles and burn our bad middot and bad energy from within us.

Rabbi Shimon Bar yochi talks about our hands to light the candles. Our hands are the only part of us the goes beyond our head its the highest part of our body, representing going beyond

The First blessing of Chanukka lehadlick Ner Shel Chukka is 13 words- 13 is the gematria of love.Chanukkah comes out of darkness, it is also a dark time of year. This teaches us that even in the darkness there is light to it. We have to be strong and when things look dark we must have Emuna that Hashem is there and we are never alone.

Rebbe Nachman talks about the parts of our face that represent the candles that through the light we can transform our whole being. Our mouth, eyes, ears and nose.

We can use the Candelas to elevate our mouth by speaking words of truth and torah. Staying away from talking bad about people and do the opposite and be able to bring people up threw our words. Our mouth has amazing ability to connect to hashem through Tfilla and Hitbodedut.

We can Elevate our eyes but shutting them in the face of evil and to be able to see the good in everyone. We can be elevated by our ears by listening to the words of Tzadikim, and not listening to sheker. Our nose can be elevated by taking long breaths of patients and staying away from anger.

The Baal Shem tov says dont change your personality on Chanukka just light it up.

We can use a candle as much as we want and the fire doesn't get smaller it is the same with our light. Every Jewish Neshama has so much light. We must all meditate on the candles to bring out the light. Chag Sameach!!!! :)

Chanukah additions:

(Below is from Sara Nasirov & me)

1) “Al HaNisim” - Shemoneh Esrei & Bentching .

In Shmoneh Esrei, if forgot and did not yet say H-shem HaTov, can say it then and then continue from V'Chol HaChayim.

If already said H-shem HaTov, do NOT need to repeat (Siddur Kol Yaakov HaShalem). In bentching (acc. to what I learned w/ Rabbi Heber in Maalot), since no obligation of feast for Chanukah, do NOT NEED to repeat bentching.. HOWEVER, if remember before saying Baruch Ata H-shem of next blessing, say Al HaNissim and continue from there. If already sd Baruch Ata H-shem continue bentching and right before HaRachaman Hu Yizakeinu, insert HaRachaman Hu Ya'aseh Lanu Nissim v'nifla'ot ka'asher Asa l'Avoteinu bayamim hahem bazman hazeh then finish bentching (Siddur Kol Yaakov the complete artscroll siddur)

ps- i believe the laws above are same for ashkenaz and sefardim

2)FULL Hallel (*Sefardi women say it without a bracha )

3)After Shir Shel Yom:Tehillim-Perek Lamed:"Mizmor Shir Chanukat HaBayit l'David”

*NO TACHANUN AND SO NO VIDUY ALSO...

*OMIT LAMNATZECH AFTER 2ND ASHREI IN SHACHARIT

Here is a list of tehillim to say while the menorah is burning:

90 (tsaddi),30 (lamed) ,33 (lamed gimmel) ,67 (samech zayin),19 (yud tes),100 (Kuf),133 (kuf lamed gimmel)

Remember it is a special zechus to gaze into the lights of the menorah

Divrei Chizuk e-mail said a beautiful thing for Chanukah :

"Remember Chanukah is a time of Nissim. Look for them, and be mispallel to Hashem to show them to you ."

( *** By the way you can get the divrei chizuk e-mails daily by e-mailing them at : info@divreichizuk.com )

Chanukah additions:

(Below is from Sara Nasirov & me)

1) “Al HaNisim” - Shemoneh Esrei & Bentching .

In Shmoneh Esrei, if forgot and did not yet say H-shem HaTov, can say it then and then continue from V'Chol HaChayim.

If already said H-shem HaTov, do NOT need to repeat (Siddur Kol Yaakov HaShalem). In bentching (acc. to what I learned w/ Rabbi Heber in Maalot), since no obligation of feast for Chanukah, do NOT NEED to repeat bentching.. HOWEVER, if remember before saying Baruch Ata H-shem of next blessing, say Al HaNissim and continue from there. If already sd Baruch Ata H-shem continue bentching and right before HaRachaman Hu Yizakeinu, insert HaRachaman Hu Ya'aseh Lanu Nissim v'nifla'ot ka'asher Asa l'Avoteinu bayamim hahem bazman hazeh then finish bentching (Siddur Kol Yaakov the complete artscroll siddur)

ps- i believe the laws above are same for ashkenaz and sefardim

2)FULL Hallel (*Sefardi women say it without a bracha )

3)After Shir Shel Yom:Tehillim-Perek Lamed:"Mizmor Shir Chanukat HaBayit l'David”

*NO TACHANUN AND SO NO VIDUY ALSO...

*OMIT LAMNATZECH AFTER 2ND ASHREI IN SHACHARIT

Here is a list of tehillim to say while the menorah is burning:

90 (tsaddi),30 (lamed) ,33 (lamed gimmel) ,67 (samech zayin),19 (yud tes),100 (Kuf),133 (kuf lamed gimmel)

Remember it is a special zechus to gaze into the lights of the menorah

Divrei Chizuk e-mail said a beautiful thing for Chanukah :

"Remember Chanukah is a time of Nissim. Look for them, and be mispallel to Hashem to show them to you ."

( *** By the way you can get the divrei chizuk e-mails daily by e-mailing them at : info@divreichizuk.com )

cakes4cause

CHANNUKAH IS A SPECIAL CHAG THAT WE ALL LOVE

ITS THE TIME WE GIVE THANKS TO THE ONE ABOVE

HASHEM MADE A NEIS AND LET THE OIL LAST FOR DAYS

NOW HOW CAN WE EVER GIVE ENOUGH THANKS TO REPAY?

WE KNOW HASHEM LOVES HIS PEOPLE SO MUCH

SO LETS HELP THEM OUT BY MAKING YUMMY THINGS TO MUNCH (on)

PROCEEDS WILL GO TO YACHAD AND CHAI LIFELINE

OUR FRIENDS WILL BE RUNNING THE MILES

AND IF WE DO OUR PART IM SURE IT WILL MAKE HASHEM SMILE

SO LETS GET TOGETHER AND HAVE BAKE SALE NUMBER 3

YOU CAN TAKE THESE TREATS HOME FOR YOUR CHANNUKAH PARTY!!

HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE SALIG HOME THIS SUNDAY THE FIFTH

FROM 11 O'CLOCK UNTIL 2PM ITS SOMETHING YOU DONT WANT TO MISS!

Rav Pincus- Shabbos Kadosh

One of the outstanding characteristics of the Jew throughout the ages was simchah. i once heard in the name of a ceratin, a non-jew, a linguist, that no language in the world has as many expressions of joy as Hebrew does. In engligh ther are only two or three words for "joy". But Hebrew has very many terms, among them, simchah, gilah, rinah, ditzah,chedvah. WHY????? because each group of people emphasizes the things that are essential to their lives. for instance, in the eskamo language there are six or seven synonyms for the word snow but in English there is only one word for "snow" and so too in hebrew. but the eskimos have a lot of words for snow, because they live in snow. Thus they distinguish between dry snow, wet snow, cold snow etc. But snow is not essential part of our lives so we dont need a lot of words for it. Jews throughout the generations lived in happiness and Joy.. it is an ESSENTIAL part of being a yid =)

Parters in Torah videos... you should do it if you have the time

Bilvavi by Ari Goldwag with a nice little vort....

Rabbi Wallerstein 5 min

Mi Kiamcha Yisrael!

I just wanted to share something that happened today that reminded me that I practice optometry in Jerusalem.

I was examining an 8 year old kid. He looked like a regular kid wearing a T-shirt and shorts. I was in the middle of doing his vision evaluation and in the distance I could hear the siren of an ambulance, as I do from time to time.

The 8 year old boy asked me if I could stop the exam. I thought that he wanted to go to the bathroom. But what he did instead was to recite Psalm121 (Essa Einai - I lift my eyes) by heart in Hebrew to pray for the well-being of whoever it was in that ambulance. When he finished, he let me carry on.

please please please daven that the surgeries for binyamin ben chana should go well and he should be happy healthy and safe.
Thanks so much!

He is having a surgery tom (Monday) at 11 am and iyH another one on Wednesday.

I REALLY appreciate it... if you can please put a reminder in your phone calendars...

every single tifela counts...

Rav Raz Hartman

Raz Hartman will be playing, he is an amazing Rav and musician from Eretz Yisroel. Highly recommend you go hear him!
NYU's Bronfman Center 7 East 10th Street.
Sunday Nov 21 730 p.m.

This was taken from Mevakesh Lev---something interesting thank you Rav Ehrman!!!

This was taken from Mevakesh Lev---something interesting thank you Rav Ehrman!!!

Overeating

Rav Aviner in Be'ahava U'bemunah Parshas Vayeitzei - Translated by R. Blumberg


Question: I eat without end although I am not hungry. I tried a diet and it didn’t help, because I eat obsessively. I want to stop but I don’t succeed, and my weight increases from day to day.

Answer: You’re not alone. It’s a pervasive plague. There are a billion people on earth who weigh too much (by the way, a similar number of people are undernourished, and each day 25,000 die of hunger). 350 million overeaters are classed as having an eating disorder. Money spent on abnormal overeating in the U.S. each day equals 250 million dollars. Daily expenditures in the U.S. on various weight-lowering programs equal 110 million dollars. Overeating really is a plague. In Israel, 39% of people are overweight. Of these, 60% are adults, 20% are boys and 19% are girls.Obesity can cause heart problems and many other illnesses, and the reason is simple: The body is taking in more calories than it is burning off. The cure is thus simple: Don’t eat fattening foods. Don’t eat sweet foods like chocolate, cake or sweets, or fatty milk products. Break out of the cycle of overeating: Taking in calories creates a need. It’s not real hungerbut artificial hunger.

And what is the ultimate cause of that uncontrollable desire to eat? There are various causes: psychological factors, loneliness, sadness, or depression, as well as hormonal irregularities and imprecise functioning of the brain, indicating, only after a delay, that a person is already sated, thus leaving an inaccurate feeling of hunger. In any event, the solution is not crash diets that require strong discipline and a great effort, but which generally fail. Rather, a different approach is needed.

Various Strategies

1. Eat a good breakfast, which our sages called “Pat Shacharit” -- one’s “morning bread”.

2. Eat a meal once every three hours, so that one will not be hungry and will not attack the food. Such was the custom of Jews from Germany, and it is linked to their custom of waiting three hours between meat and milk. Then, that three-hour habit will become second nature.

3. Prepare yourself something healthy in your bag in case you feel hungry during the day, like a piece of fruit, a vegetable, or a healthy cracker.

4. Prepare yourself healthy, tasty food at home with which to start your meal, like salad or vegetable soup.

5. Avoid fast food. Usually it’s not healthy

.6. Don’t drink sweet drinks.


7. If you slip, make amends quickly. Keep matters in hand. If someone makes a mistake and suffers for it, should he then make the same mistake and suffer more?

8. If there is healthy food on the table, wait ten minutes before eating so as overcome the strong desire to eat it. It’s like the Chinese saying: Who is brave? He who eats one peanut.” Rabbenu Yona of Gerundi wrote in his book, “Yesod HaTeshuva” in the name of Ra’avad, that in serving G-d one should harness one’s resolve and forego one delicious food every meal. I only said that one should wait.

9. Don’t store unhealthy food at home. We don’t house terrorists.

10. Sometimes a person thinks he is hungry when he is really only thirsty. Watch out for that.

11. Eat enough food to satisfy yourself and wait twenty minutes. That’s how long it takes for the brain to relay the message that you’re satisfied. It’s the time it takes to walk a kilometer.

12. Do a half hour of physical exercise each day. That, too, will take off a bit of weight, butthe main thing is that it’s very healthy.

13. Before participating in a large banquet, decide precisely what you are going to eat. It’slike the instructions a soldier receives before battle.

14. Enlist family support and the supervision of another human being.

Deriving Blessing from Eating Less

Here’s a rule of thumb. The Torah says, “Eat your fill” (Vayikra 25:19), and Rashi comments, quoting Torat Kohanim, that this refers to “eating little and finding blessing in it.” Eat daintily. “One shouldn’t eat voraciously, but the way one eats before a king, for a blessing only rests on one who does not eat voraciously… as when Esau said, ‘Pour that red, red stuff down my throat’ (Bereshit 25:30). Just as the ministering angels eat in holiness and purity, so should Israel” (Torat Kohanim 25).

Turn to Overeaters Anonymous

If all the above advice doesn’t help, turn to Overeaters Anonymous (O.A.). O.A. was founded 50 years ago (5720) to help people with an obsessive, uncontrollable urge to eat, by way of a twelve-stage program. (The same that was used by Alcoholics Anonymous, but with several differences). It includes a personalized program, and treats the various causes of overeating, such as emotional disappointment. They take no medical steps (In case of need, go to a dietician), but work on the person to change himself internally.

TONIGHT!!

Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Weinberg

Tuesday November 16th 2010

Chodesh Kislev- Bringing Down the Light

7:15pm- new time

729 W. 186th St.

Apt. 1A

Tell your friends- and then please RSVP!

Suggested donation $5.

Chairs are welcome... :)

Rabbi Lazer Brody...8:30

Even the Smallest of Actions..

Women's Corner
by Rabbanith Ruth Menashe

Water is one of the most essential and important commodities in the world. All humanity, as well as animals and vegetation, is dependent on it. During the forty years of the traveling of the Jewish nation in the desert, their only source of water was a mobile well, known as the Well of Miriam (Be-er Miriam). The entire Jewish people, a couple of million people, satiated their thirst, day after day, from Miriam's well.

In what merit did Miriam deserve to be the one to provide water for the entire Jewish people?
Miriam, a six year old girl, impressed upon Amram, her father, the importance of remarrying his wife Yochebed, from whom he separated. The decision to separate was in response to Pharaoh's decree to kill all the Jewish baby boys. Why remain married under such devastating circumstances? Miriam claimed that this act made her parents worse than Pharaoh, for as a result of this decision no girls could be brought into this world.

Amram, a leader of the Jewish people, followed his daughter's advice. When the baby boy Moshe was born and had to be hidden from Pharaoh's officers, he was a placed in a basket on the Nile river. And who was the one who watched over him? His loving sister, Miriam.

There is an opinion, that because of this kind act connected with water, Miriam merited to provide the Children of Israel with water in the desert. When she passed away, (on the 10th of Nissan, according to some opinions) as mentioned in this week's Parasha, the well stopped giving water. As it says, "And Miriam died there... and there was no water for the congregation".

My dear friends, every single one of our actions is recorded -- an act of kindness never goes unnoticed. A small step of growth results in extreme joy in Heaven.

a truly inspiring story

At 13, Yitzy Haber decided to have his cancerous leg amputated. He's never looked back.

by Andrea Kahn

Yitzy Haber is the kind of guy you’d want to be stuck with on a broken elevator. Infectiously upbeat, he has a knack for making the best of every situation. He’s had a lot of practice.

In the suburbs of Jersey, Yitzy was a typical boy. He loved the Mets, model airplanes and playing sports. Despite a stout physique, he was the fastest runner in his class. He had a thick, unruly mop of dark, wavy hair, and an irresistible smile that charmed him out of many a mishap. Life was good.

But during little league practice when Yitzy was 11, he suddenly felt pain in his right leg. When it worsened, doctors put him on crutches, thinking perhaps one leg was growing faster than the other. Then came more tests and X-rays. Finally, boy and parents received the diagnosis: cancer. He had osteosarcoma — one of the most common bone cancers in children.

He knew his mother was upset by the mascara streaking her face. But he didn’t take it too seriously; what did he know about cancer? “I thought I’d maybe have a week off of school, lying in bed, watching TV, popping a couple pills,” says Haber, now a trim, bearded 30 year old who still wears an irrepressible grin. But nothing could prepare him for what was to come: multiple surgeries, and a year of chemotherapy and all its side effects — hair loss, excessive vomiting, infections. Throughout the ordeal, he and his family were kept afloat by support from their Teaneck, NJ community, and from Chai Lifeline, an international organization that provides countless services for children with cancer and their families at no cost.

“Chai Lifeline paid for tutors, and they had visitors coming round the clock,” Yitzy remembers. “They provided social workers for me and for my parents, who were going through torture, and even for my siblings. My brother was only six and no one thought he understood what was happening. Then he asked the social worker, ‘Is Yitzy going to die?’”

Yitzy’s treatment, meanwhile, was anything but clear; an allograft (donor bone), more surgeries, more infections, pins, rods. He felt like a puppet. The doctor gave the now 13 year old three choices: insert another allograft from the knee down, leaving his entire leg straight forever; replace his knee and bone with a metal knee and rod, which would leave him at a high risk of infection and require more surgeries to replace the implants as he grew (and which could easily crack, severely limiting any normal boy-action); or amputation from above the knee down. Yitzy’s parents left the decision up to him.

"At that point I became really focused on being happy, even without a leg. I’ve never looked back.”

“I decided on the amputation. I wanted to be able to dance, to play sports. I wanted to be normal.”

Making such a momentous decision was one thing; the shock of waking up one day without his leg, quite another.

“I remember clearly the last time I had my leg. And then not having it,” he recounts. “I can’t even describe the feeling — it was just a shock. But then, in the cancer ward, I saw this gloomy, depressed woman in a wheelchair, and I thought, if you walk around like that, for sure you’re going to die. But if you’re happy, I told myself, your body will want to fight it, and you’ll win. I had always been upbeat, but at that point I became really focused on being happy, even without a leg. I’ve never looked back.”

Of course, all the optimism and determination in the world couldn’t begin to erase the countless challenges. For years Yitzy experienced phantom sensations where his leg once was — from the benign, as if he was wiggling his toes, or an inexplicable itch on a part of his leg he could not locate, to the excruciating, with a searing ache where his calf or ankle once was. The phantom pain has mostly disappeared, but to this day, if he trips in a way that would have caused a sprained ankle, he’ll automatically start limping. “But now,” he says, “I can tell myself that it doesn’t hurt, that there’s no ankle there, and I can stop myself from limping.”

As an adolescent, Yitzy had to begin the arduous process of learning to walk anew, and even how to fall “right,” so he wouldn’t hurt himself. Through it all, he found ways to amuse himself and others. At Chai Lifeline’s Camp Simcha, a free two-week camp-extravaganza in the Catskills for kids with cancer, the mischievous Yitzy loved putting one over on his bunkmates. “I would say, ‘Whoever can put one foot on the floor and one foot on the ceiling at the same time is the head of the bunk,’” he recalls. “They’d all try it and fall over, and then I’d take off my prosthesis and touch the ceiling. I still use that one.”

I gave them hope and that gave me strength.

Yitzy spent five summers at Camp Simcha and eventually became a counselor, learning how much he actually had to offer others. “I had been on the taking side for so long, and it was an amazing feeling to finally be on the other side,” he says. “I knew from real-life experience the living nightmare these kids were going through. I could see that I really made a difference to them, and I gave them hope. And that gave me strength, too.”

Related Article: Pillars of Strength

A Full Life

As Yitzy grew into a strapping young man, he began thinking about marriage. His parents were concerned — would there be a woman who would accept him? But he never worried. “Maybe I was just naïve, but I never thought it would be an issue, and I had my share of dates. Then again, maybe no one wanted to be known as the girl who turned down the one-legged guy,” he says with a wink. Now married with two young children, his leg — or lack thereof — has never presented a problem. “My older son will say, ‘Daddy, put on your leg so we can play.’ They don’t have a point of reference for anything different.”

With the help of his parents, grandparents and others, Yitzy had finally built a full life for himself. But there was more tragedy to come. When he was 20, his mother, Deena Haber, whom he credits with keeping his family together during the worst of his crisis, became sick — with cancer. She had taught Yitzy to appreciate every moment, and now she lived that way throughout her own personal ordeal. One day, he came home from yeshiva and he found her eating a huge ice cream sundae, with sprinkles, chocolate syrup, even a cherry. “I asked her, ‘What’s the occasion?’ And she said, ‘It’s my year anniversary of still being alive.’ She meant it. She really celebrated her life.” After battling the illness for three years, Deena died a year after Yitzy’s wedding.

In many ways, the physical challenges of losing a leg to cancer have been simpler than the emotional. It can be tough relating to those who have never been through any kind of life-changing trauma. “When we first got married, sometimes it was hard for me to understand some of the things my wife got upset about,” he relates. “I didn’t see the big deal. Or when my friends were dating, and one would say that he wouldn’t go out with someone because she had red hair. I couldn’t believe how superficial people could be, how petty.” Many cancer survivors have a difficult time adapting to life after, and Yitzy is now involved with a new support group through Chai Lifeline, or, as he calls it, a “post-treatment-figure-things-out group.” He does what no social worker can — he offers a living example. “When someone is scared, and says to me, ‘How will I ever get married?’ or ‘How will I ever fit in?’ I encourage them; I show them it’s possible.”

Related Article: The Catapult

No Laughing Matter

Yitzy is relentlessly driven to awaken joy in others.

Yitzy is not only determined to nurture and cherish the joy in his own life, he is relentlessly driven to awaken that joy in others. Or, as he puts it, “to get a laugh or a smile, no matter what it takes.” And he’s not joking. He turned an interest in magic that he developed when he was sick, into a high school hobby entertaining at birthday parties, into a profession, and now works about 100 bar mitzvahs a year as a brightly clad “motivational dancer,” encouraging tweens (and otherwise lethargic adults) to get up and celebrate. He parlayed his innate charisma and physicality into doing exactly the thing that nourishes his body and spirit.

“I think all of us, if we look hard enough, can see the good in what happens to us,” says Yitzy, his ever-present smile momentarily fading. “I didn’t love throwing up, or the surgeries, or losing my leg — but if I had to do it all again to guarantee I’d be where I am now, I would do it. It’s not that I consciously think ‘I had cancer so now I’m going to appreciate life,’ but that is what I’ve internalized. I never asked ‘why me.’ It just was me, so now deal with it.

“I have a dream about building a giant, magic one-way mirror. Anyone who is upset about something small — their kid didn’t say please, or their house isn’t perfect — would look in the mirror and see a person like themselves whose life has been turned upside down due to illness or an accident. To make them see and appreciate how much they really have, and how things can change in an instant. If I had a dream, that would be it.”

Meet Two Gorgeous New Jews by Reb Gutman Locks @ Mystical Paths Here are two more small signs that the Redemption is happening, and even speeding up a little. G-d wants Jewish babies. That’s part of the plan. And He wants, at least some of them, here in the Old City. How do I know? Momma (don’t tell anyone) will be 50 on her upcoming birthday, and she has never had any children until these two lovely boys came into her life. As you see, Poppa is not a youngster either. But, G-d decided to bless these lovely people with two lovely responsibilities. And they are flying. Thank G-d.

Make sure to get this new CD fast!

Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Weinberg

Tuesday November 16th 2010

Chodesh Kislev- Bringing Down the Light

7:15pm- new time

729 W. 186th St.

Apt. 1A

Tell your friends- and then please RSVP!

Suggested donation $5.

Chairs are welcome... :)

Rabbi Lazer Brody...8:30

Vayeitze: Yaakov's Dream

Taken from Shirat Devorah on the Parsha! Have the most unbelievable,uplifting,incredible , and holy Shabbos!!!!

Yaakov had a vision of a ladder that extended from the earth to Heaven. He visualized an angel climbing it whom he recognized to be the sar (protective angel) of the Babylonian kingdom. (Our Sages depict each of the 70 nations as possessing its own sar. A nation's downfall is preceded by the downfall of its sar, its spiritual image in Heaven.) The angel ascended seventy rungs of the ladder. Yaakov then understood that his descendants were to stay in the Babylonian exile for seventy years. After the angel had reached the seventieth rung, he fell, and Jacob understood that after seventy years of exile, the Jews would be liberated from the yoke of the Babylonians.

Next, Yaakov perceived the protective angel of Media ascend the ladder. He mounted fifty-two rungs and fell. He understood as a result that the Median exile would end after 52 years.

He then saw the sar of Greece climb up 120 steps and plunge downwards, foreshadowing the length of the Greek exile.

Finally, Yaakov was shown the angel of Edom (our present exile) stepping up the ladder. He climbed higher and higher still, an apparently endless ascent into the very heavens. Jacob did not see him fall and was gripped by fear.

"Will this fourth exile be unending?" he asked Hashem.

"No" Hashem reassured him. "Even if the angel climbs as high as the stars, I Myself will take him down when the time comes!"

Yaakov heard the angels of the nations comment: "This Jacob will in the future dominate the world and subdue all the kingdoms. Let us kill him now!" But Hashem Himself appeared and stood above Jacob to protect him.

Then Yaakov was shown a new vision. In this vision, the ladder represented the ramp leading up to the altar of the future Bais Hamikdash. (The ramp was symbolized by a ladder, since the pleasant aroma of the korbanos rises to Heaven.) He perceived the kohanim, compared to angels, hurrying up and down the ramp of the mizbayach (altar), eagerly performing the avodah. Subsequently Jacob received a prophecy in which he foresaw that the Bais HaMikdash would go up in flames. He then saw the second Bais HaMikdash being built.

Yaakov was given yet another preview of the future: he had a vision of matan Torah, the pinnacle of Creation. The ladder symbolized Har Sinai, ablaze with flames that reached the heavens, and he foresaw that his descendants would stand at its foot to receive the Torah. In this vision, the angels represented Moshe and Aharon who would ascend Har Sinai, Aharon remaining on the mountain and Moshe going up to Heaven to receive the luchos (tablets) from Hashem.

Yaakov was given an additional prophecy. He was shown that the angels climbing upwards were the angels of Eretz Yisrael who had so far accompanied him on his journey. Now that he had reached the borders of the Holy Land, they returned to Heaven and new angels, destined to protect him outside Eretz Yisrael, descended. Suddenly all the angels vanished, and he beheld Hashem Himself who stood on guard above him, announcing: "I am the G-d of your father Avraham and the G-d of your father Yitzchak. The land upon which you lie will be yours and your descendants."

He then experienced a vision in which Hashem folded the whole land and placed it beneath his head just as someone folds a paper map. His head now rested on the land in its entirety. This was a symbol that Yaakov would be given ownership of Eretz Yisrael and that his descendants would conquer it with ease.

Hashem prophesied to him: "Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth. Just as earth is the foundation of the world, so will your children be the foundation of the world. The world will be blessed in the merit of your descendants. I shall guard you wherever you go, in Lavan's house and in Sh'chem."

Yaakov awoke and knew that his dream had been a prophetic one.

Source: "The Midrash Says"