The Sofer

The HATE must stop

2010-12-11T10:33:00.000-08:00

I was in Meron the other day, and there was a Minyon getting ready for Mincha and this Ashkenazi fellow went to be Chazan and then this Sefardi fellow starts to yell at him that he should go away and this is a Sefardi Minyan, nevertheless he continued, the guy yelled and got up to him and told him to move away or he will push him away, then the Ashkenazi guy waited to see what the crowd would say, but no one said a word, I looked around at the Sefardi people that were there, they were embarrassed, but didn't say a word, I got up and walked out and I expected more people to go out as well, but that didn't happen...

But I know that the Shchinah went out ...

The hate has to end..

We are all BROTHERS...

Reb Leib Bal Hayesurim

2010-01-15T05:52:00.000-08:00

The Tzadik and the Esrog

2009-10-05T15:16:00.000-07:00

There was a great Tzadik by the name of Reb Yechiel Mechel of Zlotchev. He was very poor and never wanted to accept help from others - and although lots of money came his way, he always gave it to people that he felt were more needy. He wouldn't even go to sleep with money in the house; he would look for poorer people to give it to.One year, Sukkot was coming and the Tzadik didn't have a Esrog yet. He had no money to afford one, but he heard that there was a Jew in a nearby city that had the most amazing Esrog to sell and wanted a lot of money for it. With this in mind, the Tzadik sold a pair of Tefillin that had belonged to his father, and were very important to him, in order to have the money for this beautiful Esrog. Then he sent his students to make the purchase. When they returned with it, he called his children to come see what he had bought. His wife, hearing the commotion, asked what all the excitement was about. Upon finding out, she began to yell: "We don't have money for food or clothing, yet you sell the Tefillin and buy this expensive Esrog! In her frustration she grabbed the Esrog and took a big bite out of it. The children were silent while the waited to see what would happen next.Their father jumped to his feat and began to sing and dance, and he said: The Tefillin, I don't have. The Esrog, I also don't have. Now the Yetzer Horah wants to get me to get angry? No - the Anger I also won't have, and for this I have a reason to be happy -- that I overcame my anger! And he went on singing and dancing

Save your home

2009-08-29T13:12:00.000-07:00

A friend of my father that lives in Monsey came to Tzefat this past week and gave this Mezuzah copy to my father.
He was having floods in his home and kept on calling plumbers to fix it and they could not find the cause to the floods, Then he was told to check his Mezuzas and found that two of them were not kosher, after he replaced them the floods stopped, he had to spend $40,000 to fix the damage..
Please before buying Mezuzas, do a little research on the Sofer and make sure the Mezuza was checked by a Sofer AND by computer.
There are so many sad stories, sick children, trouble and broken homes and a lot of this could be prevented by having a good Kosher Mezuzah…

LIFE FOR LIFE

2009-07-06T09:45:00.000-07:00

Yoni, an Israeli Defense Force soldier stationed in Chevron, was shot by an Arab terrorist. It happened very early in the morning, and no one else was awake to hear it. Yoni passed out and was bleeding steadily, his life heading toward a silent end.

But another soldier stationed nearby heard the shot and went to investigate. He found a fellow Israeli soldier bleeding to death. He tried the best he could to stop the bleeding and called for help. Waiting for help to arrive, he kept applying pressure to the wound--literally holding Yoni's life in his hands.

Yoni was taken to a hospital in Be’er Sheva where he underwent surgery. Yoni's parents were notified and they rushed to the hospital. Imagine the fear of the parents who were only told "your son has been injured and is in the hospital." When they arrived the doctor told them that Yoni was shot but will be alright. However, had it not been for the immediate actions of the other soldier, their son Yoni would have bled to death.

It was a miracle that the other soldier heard what no one else heard, and managed to locate Yoni as quickly as he did. The parents wanted to thank that soldier, but he had just left the hospital after hearing that the soldier he helped would survive.

While recuperating at home, Yoni and his parents called the army to find out the name of the other soldier so they could thank him personally. Unfortunately, that soldier's name was not recorded and although they tried to ask around they simply couldn’t track down who that other soldier was.

Yoni's mother knew that the important thing of course is that Yoni is well, yet she could not help feeling that as long as she couldn’t meet and thank the solider who bravely saved her son’s life--the entire frightening episode would not be fully over. Not being able to thank the soldier continued to give her an empty feeling…but then she had an idea.

The couple owned a grocery store in Kiryat Malachi (a town near Ashdod ), so they decided to put up a sign in the store, describing what happened, figuring that Israel is a small country and eventually they might found out who the mystery soldier was.

Months passed with no response. Finally, one morning about a year later, a woman customer noticed the sign hanging by the door of the store. She recalled how happy her son Yair was when he came home one Friday night and told them how he heard a shot and was able to save another soldier’s life in Hebron . She went back and told the owner of the store. The story matched. The two women now decided to try to reach their sons on cell phones and see if they could meet at the store. Fortunately it turned out that both the young men and even the fathers were able to all meet that afternoon at the store.

The families soon gathered for an emotional "rendezvous". The soldiers recounted army experiences and finally after all this time Yoni’s mother could stand up and thank Yair for saving her son’s life or as she put it, “You saved my world”. She looked forward to feeling “completion” after all this time by thanking the soldier, but little did she know that the story was hardly complete.

After the tearful thank you, Yair’s mother quietly pulled her aside and asked to speak with her outside.. The two women went out alone. And she asked Yoni’s mother: “Look at me-- don’t you remember me?”

“No, I’m sorry did we meet before?”

"Yes,” Yair’s mother replied. “You see there is a particular reason I came into your store today. I used to live here, and this time although I was just passing by, I wanted to give you my business, even though I was only buying a few things.”

“What are you talking about?” Yoni’s mother asked.

The other woman answered, “Twenty years ago I used to live around here and came all the time to buy milk and bread. One day you noticed that I looked really down and you were very nice and asked me why I seemed so down and I confided in you. I told you that I was going through a very difficult time and on top of that I was pregnant and planning on having an abortion. As soon as I said “abortion” you called your husband over and the two of you seemed to forget about your own store and business, and just sat down and patiently listened to me. I still remember clearly what you said.

“You told me that it is true that I was going through a hard time but sometimes the good things in life come through difficulty, and the best things come through the biggest difficulties. You spoke of the joy of being a mother and that the most beautiful word to hear in the Hebrew language is “Ima” (mother) when spoken by one’s child. You both spoke and spoke until I was convinced that I actually should have this baby--so you see G-d paid you back!”

”What do you mean? asked Yoni’s mother”. The answer astounded and thrilled her.

“I had a boy twenty years ago that you saved by telling me to think twice before doing the abortion.” With happy tears she declared, "My beloved Yair wouldn’t have been alive if not for you. He was the one you were looking for. He was the one who grew up to save your son Yoni’s life!"

Note: This incredible story is true. The actual names are on file.

Lag B'omer in Meron 2009

2009-05-24T13:10:00.000-07:00

Passover Pesach the Ten plagues

2009-04-07T12:18:00.000-07:00

Purim 2009

2009-03-11T00:59:00.000-07:00

How to post a Mezuza

2009-01-25T00:40:00.000-08:00

Tzefat in clouds

2009-01-11T10:50:00.000-08:00

Sefer Torah at the Chabad Shull in Mombay india

2008-12-03T13:07:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of the Torah after the terror attack. The place that has holes from the gun shots is where it says about the death of Ahron Hakohen's two children.

Power of a Mitzva

2008-11-23T09:44:00.000-08:00

Rav Yekusiel Yehudah Halberstam (January 10, 1905-June 18, 1994) the founding rebbe of the Sanz-Klausenberg Hasidic dynasty lost his wife and ten of his children in the flames of the living hell called the Holocaust. Throughout those years of terror and horror, Rabbi Halberstam continued to try to spiritually uplift and encourage his fellow prisoners despite his own personal losses. In the fall of 1945, after the liberation of the camps , the Rebbe moved to the new DP camp of Föhrenwald, On Yom Kippur of that year, General Dwight D. Eisenhower visited the camps in an attempt to "asses the state of the Jewish DP's". On that same day the Rebbe was speaking to the tattered remnants of his people.

The Klausenberger Rebbe dressed in a white kittel, the white linen robe traditionally worn on Yom Kippur, and wrapped in a large tallit, looked angelic and pure
With tears in his eyes he began by thanking God for saving the lives of those standing before him from the Nazi hell. He then pointed to his kittel – and began to speak slowly, deliberately, tearfully:
"One of the reasons we wear this kittel is because it is the traditional burial garment, in which we wrap a body before laying it to rest in the ground, as we do when we bury our parents and those that came before us. Wearing a kittel on Yom Kippur thus reminds us of our final day of judgment when we will be laid to rest. It therefore humbles and breaks our hearts, stirring us to do complete Teshuvah (return). The white, linen kittel is a symbol of purity that we achieve through our introspection and efforts to repair all our wrongs.

"Since the kittel reminds us of the burial shroud of those that passed on before us," continued the Klausenberger Rebbe , "why are we wearing a kittel today? Our parents and loved ones were just slaughtered without tachrichim (burial shrouds). They were buried, with or without clothes, in mass graves, or in no graves at all…"

Suddenly, the Klausenberger Rebbe began removing off his own kittel . "No kittel!" he cried out in an anguished voice. "Let us be like our parents. Let us remove our kittels, so that they can recognize us. They won't recognize us in kittels, because they are not wrapped in kittels…"

He continued expounding on the following words from the traditional Yom Kippur prayerbook.

"Ashamnu - Did we sin? Bagadnu - Were we unfaithful?… Were we, God forbid, unfaithful to God and fail to remain loyal to him? Gazalnu - did we steal? From whom did we steal in Auschwitz and Mühl dorf? … Maradnu - We rebelled.. Against whom? …we are guilty of sins that are not written in the machzor… How many times did many of us pray, Master of the Universe, I have no more strength, take my soul "?… We must ask the Almighty to restore our faith and trust in Him. 'Trust in God forever.'… Pour your hearts out to Him."

The Jews, young and old, religious and those that had lost faith all broke down in tears. The utter sadness, the excruciating pain and the humiliation of the past years came pouring out in wailing and sobbing.

General Eisenhower, visibly moved by the words he heard from the translator, approached the Rebbe later. He asked him if there was something he could do for him. The Rebbe simply asked that he help them find lulavim and etrogim for the upcoming festival. The general was taken aback by the simple request and immediately instructed his lieutenant Berl Smith to arrange for the items to be flown in from Italy.

The general of the mighty victorious army confronted with a simple request of faith. Even after the horrors of turmoil of the valley of Death the Klausenberger Rebbe simply wanted to continue with a simple Mitzva .In that simple request lay the spiritual fortitude that bespoke of a power that was greater than the mightier armies.

Shamai HaZaken

2008-03-10T10:57:00.000-07:00

Shamai says: Make Torah study your chief occupation; speak little, but accomplish much; and receive every man with a friendly countenance" (Avos 1:15).

The Talmud (Beitza 16) tells us how Shamai HaZaken would always allocate the best items in his possession to honor Shabbos, while using the lesser items during the week: If he found a quality animal that looked like a good source for meat, he would purchase it for Shabbos; and if he subsequently came across an even better animal, he would eat the first one and save the second one for Shabbos. In this manner he would focus on Shabbos every day of his life.

Snow in Tzfat Jan. 31 2008

2008-01-31T13:59:00.000-08:00

Ruchama Aliza

2008-01-27T04:02:00.000-08:00

Ruchma Aliza has been at home for the last 3 months, (with all of her equipment, machines & ventilator) after the hospital threatened to pull the plug due to Florida law which considers her dead. She is still on a ventilator but is in stable condition. May she have a Refuah.Do a Mitzvah and send an e-mail with a couple of chapters of Tehillim that you will say everyday. (More Information Below)As a Zechus for Ruchama Aliza an e-mail address was setup that people could e-mail there questions and comments. It was mainly setup for the purpose that people could say Tehillim for her. We want to say the whole Tehillim at least once every day.The entire Tehillim is available at this time (Chapters 1-150)-(First Come First Serve).Anyone willing to say a couple of Chapters of Tehillim everyday is asked to e-mail Tehillimforruchamaaliza@hotmail.com .Read the entire story from the time it happened to the present so you will have more Kavana when Davening for her.Remember to have in mind Ruchama Aliza Sarah Chana bas Esther Leiba when Davening and saying Tehillim.May we only hear Simchas and may she and the whole Klal Yisroel have a Refuah Shleimah! May we see Moshiach in the near future, Bemhara Veyamenu, Amen!

A question to the Sofer

2008-01-15T14:03:00.000-08:00

A Simple Jew asks:

As a sofer living and working in the holy city of Tsfat, you are careful to make sure to immerse in a mikva prior to beginning your daily work. It is evident that you take your profession very seriously. How did you decide to become a sofer in the first place?

Rabbi Shmuel Rosenberg answers:

One of the most respected people in the community here in Tzefat is Rabbi Chaim Man, and Baruch Hashem, I have been able to learn with him often. When I was 17 years-old, he advised me to become a sofer (scribe) - before that had I never even thought of it. I started studying "safrus" right away, and soon after, I started writing my first Megilah.Safrus is a very spiritual line of work and both Rav Kenig and the Lelover Rebbe have encouraged me to continue with this "avodas hakodesh" (sacred work). As such, I often go to the kever of the Ari Zal or to the kever of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in Meron. I place my hand on their graves and pray that everything my hand writes should be beautiful and kosher l'katchilah.

Over the years in this profession, there have been so many interesting stories surrounding tefillin that I have written for other people. For example, I once received an email from a fellow in America who wanted to buy tefillin. He never had worn tefillin before and started for the first time in his life with the pair that I sold him. We communicated for awhile afterwards and I asked him if he was interested in learning more about Torah and Yiddishkeit. Receiving a favorable response, I put him in contact with a friend of mine who is a rabbi in Brooklyn. They met in a shul and he later emailed me to tell me that it was his very first time in his life that he visited a shul. Today this special Jew lives in Yerushalayim and is shomer mitzvos!

While safrus is all about writing, one of the most interesting things that we learn from it is the power of speech. When a sofer is about to begin writing a mezuza he must say "L'shem kedushas mezuza" (this undertaking is imbued with the sanctity of a mezuza), and before writing Hashem's name he has to say "L'shem kedushas Hashem" (these letters are to be imbued with the sanctity of G-d's name). If the sofer neglects to say this phrase, the mezuza is not kosher. And, if a sofer writes an entire Sefer Torah, but he cannot remember on just one occasion whether or not he was had said this phrase before writing one of Hashem's names all kinds of halachic questions can arise which can call into question whether or not the sefer Torah is even kosher to begin with. It is entirely possible that the sefer Torah can be rendered pasul if the sofer definitely forgot to sanctify one of Hashem's with this phrase and forgot which of Hashem's names it was.This gives us an insight into the tremendous power of speech. We should always think before saying things – one can build or destroy worlds simply with his words.

A sofer has to be a G-d fearing person; only he knows if he was careful to verbalize this sanctification before writing. For this reason I advise all sofrim to say a special prayer before writing

Elijah the Prophet

2007-12-05T14:36:00.000-08:00

The darkness of the night covered the old alleyways of the city Tzefat; the streets slowly emptied, and the few lights still shining through windows gradually went out.

In one old house there was a simple Jew of Tzefat. He knew how to say the prayers, but not much else. He didn't even know Chumash. There he sat on the floor crying, weeping, over the destruction of the Holy Temple.

He imagined himself in the Temple, drinking with thirst from the holiness, full of spiritual ecstasy, bringing offerings to the Alter, hearing the singing, seeing the holy priest, seeing Jews come for the holidays and the streets of Yerushalaim full with people.

He arises with his heart full of joy and hope, when there is a knock on the door. He opens the door to see Elijah the Prophet enter, as a great light fills the room. He says to our Jew that his prayers went straight up to the Heavens, and that he was sent from Hashem to reveal to him when the Moshiach will arrive – on one condition: he must tell Elijah the Prophet what great thing he did on the day of his Bar Mitzvah.

Our Precious Jew says, "No. I will not say. What I do is just for Hashem and not for anyone to know of."

Elijah the Prophet departs, but in Heaven they tell Elijah to go down to teach him secrets of the Torah anyway. So, it was that he would come to teach this Jew secrets of Torah, and that's how this simple Jew that knew nothing became one of the great Tzadikim of his time, due to his devotion and the personal sacrifice that he had to do everything for Hashem alone.

Happy Chanukah!!!!!

The Arab and the snake

2007-10-18T14:01:00.000-07:00

Among the many things I do, I also light the candles at the cave of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. A Arab worker came to clean up the entrance of the cave when a large snake jumped out towards him. Not surprisingly, he immediately turned white; trembling in fear he told me that after that ordeal he is never coming back in there again.

It's well known that there is a snake guarding the place: When Rav Shimon Bar Yochai passed away they came to bury him there, but there was a snake at the entrance that wouldn't let anyone pass. They told the snake to move aside to allow them to bury Rav Shimon there, and the snake moved. When Rav Elazer the son of Rav Shimon passed on, they came to bury him there as well, and once again there was a snake that wouldn't let anyone pass. Once again, they told him to move aside to allow them to bury the son near the father – and the snake moved. When Rav Shimon's grandson passed on (Rav Yossei), once again a snake appeared. They told it to move, but it didn't, and they were forced to bury the grandson elsewhere.

Shanah Tovah

2007-09-10T12:05:00.000-07:00

I want to bless all my costumers and friends around the world with a Shanah Tovah, a Happy and healthy year with everything we need B'ruchnius and B'gashmius

Yaakov was armed

2007-09-10T12:02:00.000-07:00

It is written in Sefer Tanah D'Bei Eliyaho, that when our forefather Yakov was alone, and the angel of Eisav came intending to kill him, that the angel was unable to succeed because he lacked the strength to overcome Yaakov – and this was because Yakov was armed. And how was Yakov armed? He had Tefillin on his head and on his arm.

May Hashem help us, that we should always be armed, and our enemies always should fail.

A 70 year old man

2007-08-27T12:36:00.000-07:00

A 70 year old man had his Tefillin checked and was informed that they were not Kosher. Naturally, he bought a new pair, but then he called his children and grandchildren to come for a great party. They all came, and at the party he was exceedingly happy. His joy caused them to wonder what was going on, so he explained to them that the source for his great happiness is the knowledge that from now on he will be wearing Kosher Tefillin.

It says in Tikunei Zohar, that when one wears Tefillin and Tzitzis it is as if he did all the 613 mitzvoth. It also says that wearing tzitzis is like preparing a throne for Hashem (so to speak), and the Tefillin is the name of Hashem - it is the King, the G-dliness, that sits upon the throne.

Story about Rav Eliezer

2007-08-22T11:41:00.000-07:00

There were great Tzadikim that would wear Tefillin all the time and didn't go four steps without them, Like the Gemara states about Rav, Rav Zeirah and Rav Yochanan ben zakai as well as many others.
There is a story about R' Eliezer that was once staying by someone's house, and he took his clothing and Tefillin off to immerse in the Mikvah, then his host told him that the other mikvah has better water, so he got dressed and put the Tefillin back on and went to the other mikvah and the distance was only four steps.
We should try to wear the Tefillin as long as possible, if not all day, at least we should leave them on a bit after Praying and study a bit.

The Zohar says: "whoever puts on TEFILLIN a voice calls out throughout all the worlds "give honor to the image of the king," because when a Jew puts on TEFILLIN godliness shines upon him etc.

2007-08-21T14:22:00.000-07:00

There is a story of a eighty year old Jew that came to the Rov of Teveriyah and told him that he is fed up and he had enough of life, the Rov was upset to hear that and he said strongly to this precious Jew, "It's worth living another eighty years even if you would put on Tefillin just one more time, and even the way you put on Tefillin"