Avraham ben Yaakov | Torah thoughts from the celestial city of Tz'fat
These letters are sent to you with love, offering Torah insights and paths of empowerment so that we may together make something better out of today’s troubled world.
Let us seek the Unity that underlies our diversity, and learn to respect one another and follow the ways of peace.
“For then will I turn to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of God to serve Him with one accord.” (Tzephaniah 3:9)
“Then they that fear God will speak to one another, and God will listen and hear, and a book of remembrance will be written before Him for those who fear God and think upon His Name.” (Malachi 3:16)
Simcha (Hebrew: שִׂמְחָה śimḥāʰ; Hebrew pronunciation: [simˈχa], Yiddish pronunciation: [ˈsɪmχə]): a Hebrew word that means gladness, or joy A good friend who reads my messages has written to me saying he appreciates my commentaries on the direction of current events in Israel and worldwide, but he is frustrated because he feels unable to do anything practical about the situation. He therefore...
As a believing and practicing Jew, I am duty bound to await Mashiach daily, even if he delays. Yet I cannot help wondering, at this time when Jews in Israel and throughout the world are beleaguered by war, hatred and conflict, whether the present moment is really opportune for him to be revealed. Or does the intensity of our pain and suffering, coupled with our age-old yearning for Mashiach, make...
As I wrote in Part 1 of this message, Jews everywhere instinctively support “Israel” whenever we are under attack, and rightly so. But at the same time, to understand how and where to direct our support, I believe that we must also consider what we need to learn from the seemingly intractable situation in which we find ourselves. Culture clash The specter of medieval Islamic fundamentalism –...
In my recent message, ”I am peace ”, I mentioned the graphic example given by Rambam (R’ Moses Maimonides) in his Iggeret Teiman to illustrate the difference between the Torah and false religions. He compares the latter to man-made stuffed dolls (clones) crafted to resemble a real human from the outside, but without any of the bones, flesh, blood, nerves and vitality of a living person. In terms...
Too long have I dwelt with those who hate peace. I am peace, but when I speak, they are for war. (Psalms 120:6-7) We did not want it. We did not expect it. But now we see all the world hurtling deeper and deeper into wars all over. Here in Israel, we today face active warfare on no less than seven fronts, with the ongoing conflict in Gaza, daily attacks from Lebanon and Syria in the north, terror...
The massive explosions of glaring hatred against Israel, Zionism and Jews all over the world have taken many by surprise. They cannot but remind us of the hatred systematically aroused by the Nazis in the 1930’s culminating in the evils of the Holocaust. We may well wonder where all this may lead. Taunting, cursing and actual wanton violence against Jews are now everyday occurrences throughout...
Further to my last message, “Not nice to have to say, but…”: There are a couple more points that must be added as to how the leaders, rabbis and people of Israel need to return with pride to our true mission. The Children of Noah “Tell His glory among the nations”. Israel are commanded to spread the knowledge of God and the Seven Commandments of the Children of Noah to the people of the world...
B”H Safed, Galilee, Israel, Eve of the New Moon of Adar II, 5784 It is not nice to have to say, but please allow me to discuss certain hard lessons I believe we must learn from the events of Shemini Atzeret 5784 / October 7, 2024 and since. Jews in Israel and across the world are facing war on all fronts. In the words of King David, I am peace, but they are for war” (Psalms 120:7). In...
Thank G-d my family and I are safe and well here in Israel. At this moment my wife and I are staying in Yerushalayim. Our eldest son normally lives with his large family in the southern town of Netivot, which is adjacent to Gaza and was among the targets of the October 7 Hamas terror invasion. However, through G-d’s grace he was not at home when the terrorists struck, as he had taken all his...
My last message was long and somber, so let me follow up with something shorter and, I hope, sweeter. People all over are feeling highly challenged on many levels, yet we will find strength when day by day we repeatedly affirm and re-affirm our EMUNAH: that God rules over all, God is good, and that ultimately everything, down to the tiniest detail, is only for good. For me, the true “Northern...
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