Mystical Paths

RSS Feed Homepage

Articles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Chevra Mishnayot Neshamot
2008-03-16 18:25:00
For Iluy Nishmat Devorah HaNevia, a'h, all of Am Israel, and all the Jewish souls that have no one to say Kaddish for them, Reb Yaakov Shlita has began the Chevra Mishnayot Neshamot.If you would like to be part of this very unique and special Chevraya, please send your Masechta request, include name, email, and telephone number, to yaakovshalom@comcast.com?????? ?? ??? ????? ??? ???? ??????Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.

Wow! Secular Court Refers Criminal Case to Sanhedrin!
2008-03-16 10:22:00
This is significant Sanhedrin news!(via Arutz 7 - Israel National News) Tzvia Sariel of Elon Moreh, who has been held in jail since December for refusing to recognize the authority of the secular court system, was allowed to testify before a Torah court set up by the nascent Sanhedrin Friday. The Sanhedrin Court for Matters of People and State ordered her immediate release.The court, headed by Rabbi Yisrael Ariel, heard Sariel?s testimony after a judge from Netanya?s Magistrates Court ordered that she be allowed to attend the hearing on the limits of the youth?s struggle against the Israeli judicial system. It is presumed that Netanya Magistrates Court Judge Samdar Abramovitch hoped the Sanhedrin court would instruct Sariel to put and end to her struggle and recognize the civil courts....?It is no coincidence that the hearing took place on the anniversary of the passing of Moses our teacher, the father of Hebrew law, and close to the days of Purim, when it is said that the Jews reac...
More About: Case , Criminal , Secular

Next
2008-03-16 10:15:00
Received by email...Most Syrians struggle to even read Arabic, much less have a clue about reading English. So, how do a group of Syrian protest leaders create the most impact with their signs by having the standard 'Death To Americans' (etc.) slogans printed in English? Answer: They simply hire an English-speaking civilian to translate and write their statements into English. Unfortunately, in this case, they were unaware that the 'civilian' insurance company employee hired for the job was a retired US Army Sergeant! Obviously, pictures of this protest rally never made their way to Arab TV networks, but the results were PRICELESS!NOTE, the story is NOT true, the picture is Photoshopped (faked), the crowd is (apparently) Pakistani, but still, it's funny.

Action Announcement: March on Terrorist's House
2008-03-15 23:09:00
Received via email, shared as a public service...March to Demand Destruction of Merkaz HaRav terrorist's houseA week has passed since the massacre in the "Merkaz Harav" Yeshiva where eight of our dear boys were murdered by an Arab terrorist, resident of East Jerusalem.The murderer's aunt has been quoted as saying that the entire family and the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabbel Mukhaber are proud of what he did.Unbelievably, the house of the Arab terrorist has not been destroyed yet, even though in many other instances in the past, the Israeli government did destroy houses of terrorists. Why is this not being done now? How can the government not do the most elementary moral and punitive action after such a massacre, which is destroying the house of the terrorist and expelling his family and supporters?In the absence of any effective government, it is the people who must show the way.The bereaved families have called upon everyone who can to take action. WOMEN in GREEN and seve...
More About: House , Action , Announcement

Attacks Spread
2008-03-15 19:40:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsShavua Tov! A good week...hopefully, G-d willing. With Purim this week, Mystical Paths normally turns to silly humor and a bit of wackiness, as is common during the time of Purim. Unfortunately, the situation in Eretz Yisroel is deteriorating significantly, and it's not being reported. Therefore, in the midst of a joyous season, and the hope of the final destruction of the spirit of Amalek from this world, we present you with news tidbits that must get out.- The Jewish West Bank towns of Itamar, Bracha, and Elon Moreh have been partially cut off, as the arab town of Hawarah goes on the rampage. Daily stonings and molotov cocktail (fire bomb) attacks have become the norm. In one incident in which a Jewish driver attempted to defend himself by firing at those throwing fire bombs, he was interrogated and just avoided arrest by Israeli security authorities. (Because, you see, they had missed his car, you can only fire back if you're hit, at which point...
More About: Attacks , Spread

Akiva!
2008-03-15 18:48:00
by Nava at Mystical PathsReb Akiva, your furniture still for sale?Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.

The 8 Kedoshim
2008-03-14 15:11:00
Via Email by Sharon Millendorf (Nefesh B?Nefesh coordinator)Every morning I take the 35 bus line to work. It's a quick ride and usually takes no more than 12 minutes. The third stop after I get on by the shuk is directly in front of Yeshivat Merkaz HaRav. This morning I found myself a bit anxious, unsure of what I was going to see as we passed by. As I looked around, I saw death notices pasted all over the street and flowers that had been brought lined the entrance to the Yeshiva. When the bus pulled up to the stop, the driver shut off the engine and stood. With tears in his eyes he told everyone sitting on the bus that one of the boys killed on Thursday night was his nephew. He asked if everyone on the bus would mind if he spoke for a few minutes in memory of his nephew and the other boys that were killed. After seeing head nods all over the bus he began to speak. With a clear and proud voice, he spoke beautifully about his nephew and said that he was a person who was constantly...

Tzadik of Meah Shearim ATTACKED BY ARABS!
2008-03-13 23:28:00
by Akiva at Mystical Paths(Exclusive to Mystical Paths!)The Breslov Tzaddik of Meah Shearim (Jerusalem, Israel) and author of the popular Jewish sefer The Garden of Emunah, HaRav HaTzaddik HaChossid Rav Shalom Arush, shlita, was attacked together with his 18 year old son, Moshe Dovid, while in intense prayer for Klal Yisroel at Kever Shmuel HaNavi (the tomb of the biblical prophet Samuel) in Jerusalem, yesterday around 11:30 AM (or so).A group of Arabs came upon the Rav during prayer at the holy site and began to viciously assault him. As his son heard the cries and came to defend his father, the group turned upon the son and directed the full force of their attacks, severely beating him.The son's wounds were of sufficient severity to require hospitalization. The Tzaddik himself refused treatment, and was seen briefly slowing and painfully making his way in and out of his yeshiva in Meah Shearim today.With this attack, as with many "small" attacks now occurring throughout Israel,...
More About: Attacked

Ban Caught in Clown Scandal!
2008-03-13 20:17:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsUN Secretary Ban Ki Moon Caught in Clown Scandal (MP) NEW YORK, NY - Investigators today released information showing that United Nations Secretary General has been involved with illicit clown activities for some time. Chief investigator Tim Brown said, "We realized over the past few months that the Secretary General's Israel situation pronouncements could only be made by someone who was either incredibly poorly informed, on the take, or just plain stupid. As an example, take today's statement made while Israel's civilian population was under a barrage of 24 missiles and Israel has made no attacks on Gaza in a week..."'Israel's disproportionate and excessive use of force has killed and injured many civilians including children ... I condemn these actions and call on Israel to cease such acts.'"Now," the investigator continued, "such a statement in blatant contradiction of reality required serious investigation. We closely reviewed the Secretary Gene...

The Kabbalah of Haman - Part 1
2008-03-12 22:21:00
by R. Nati at Mystical PathsIt's parshas Zachor this week, we're supposed to remember to wipe out the name of Amalek. But why this eternal command, what trait is so horrible that it must be eliminated from this world? Rebbe Nachman teaches that for one to have Malchus, to gain rulership or influence over people, one must loath the desire for wealth. Reb Noson of Breslov explains, this is why Amalek seeks to blemish holy wealth, to make a person desirous of wealth, as this will prevent a person from obtaining Malchus of Holiness. (Torat Natan 20)Our goal in this world is to subdue our desire to serve ourselves, to exercise our malchus for our own self gratification, but to nullify that negative desire and use our malchus only to serve Hashem. Malchus is an aspect of gatherer, it can give over nothing of it's own, it only gives over what it has received.Malchus of the Sitra Achra, the reflection of Holiness in the Other Side, gathers up money. Since it's fearful that we might...
More About: Kabbalah , Part

The Song of Minchah
2008-03-12 22:10:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsThe Song of Minchah, a few moments of some beautiful Minchah (afternoon prayer) I encountered in Jerusalem today, with a little musical introduction. I really enjoyed it, and wanted to share.Direct MP3 Download: HERE - - Subscribe to Your iPod: Play it Now: Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.

THE POLICE STOOD BY AND DID NOTHING !!!!
2008-03-12 09:36:00
by AKIVA at Mystical PathsWhoops, the police accidentally reported...(Haaretz) Where did David Shapira, the Israel Defense Forces officer who killed the terrorist, obtain a police detective's cap he wore inside the yeshiva?Police officers had been saying that Shapira got the hat from the first police officer to reach the scene, who decided not to confront the terrorist. But in Monday's meeting it became clear that Shapira had been wearing a special detective's cap, not a regular uniformed-officer's hat.Franco was unable to explain whether Shapira got the hat from the patrol officer or perhaps from a second officer, a detective who was at the scene but who, like the patrol officer, also declined to confront the terrorist.Let me repeat that, LOUD AND CLEAR:A regular patrol Israeli police officer arrived while the shooting was in progress, "declined" to enter the building and attempt to stop the US financed arab terrorist. Instead, he decided to prevent others from entering!Then...
More About: The Police

Faith and Media Manipulation
2008-03-11 15:55:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsNow is the time of emunah (faith). Shamayim (Heaven) itself is telling us so, by removing all the vaunted strengths upon which we normally rely. Truly, we have no one upon whom to rely except our Father in Heaven...(Ynet) Israeli Prime Minister Olmert - 'Grad rocket attacks were not a one-time thing; this has been Israel's reality for the past 60 years,' PM says during visit to Ashkelon, 'we have no way of preventing these attacks from recurring.'The IDF is powerful. But a weapon left lying on the floor for fear of lawyers, or under command of the US State Department, is useless for ones defense. The level of power is of no use when you're afraid to use it.The Israeli government has amazing abilities to accomplish great things. But when it's leaders walk away from everything Jewish, Zionist, and even Israeli, then those abilities are of no use.If we knew it, Heaven is reminding us of it. If we didn't, Heaven is educating us, fast and hard. We ...
More About: Media , Faith , Manipulation

A Bit of Emes Leaks Out
2008-03-11 10:35:00
A brief interview right after the terrorist attack with the hero who killed the arab mass murderer. What's significant is his statement that the weapon used by the 'palestinian' slaughterer of innocent children was given to him by Israeli President Shimon Peres. This is a brief moment of truth leaking out onto the mainstream news.Let it be clearly stated, the weapon used by the US Funded Fatah Terrorist Movement member was provided to the US Backed Fatah Based Palestinian Authority by then Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres at the urging of the US State Department.It should be noted that since making this blatantly truthful statement, the hero of the Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva massacre has been banned from the news. No awards, no recognition, no interviews, no kovod, at least not in this world. But here at Mystical Paths we say, Kol HaKavod and Tizku l'Mitzvot. He saved tens to hundreds of lives that night!
More About: Leaks

Delegitimizing the Holy
2008-03-10 21:46:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsI know I know, with Jews being killed for being Jewish, with Jewish civilians under constant missile attack, with the bodies of holy young Jewish teens still warm in the ground, lets put on the air a segment delegitimizing Jewish Torah lifestyle. We'll find a conflict that seems crazy in an American context and HIGHLIGHT IT...NPR Radio - Jewish Cultures Clash(The picture is of the supermarket Shefa Shuk in Ramat Beit Shemesh Alef, with their Purim stock on display.)Good news, these are clear signs of Moshiach right out of the Gemorah.Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.
More About: Holy

Personal Salvation versus National Salvation
2008-03-10 16:44:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsI received an email today discussing what to do given the current "situation in Eretz Yisroel". Mentions were made of particular personal mitzvah improvements that are known to bring personal salvation. "Never did I see a person who ... and didn't see salvation from above, whether in children, in shidduch, good health, parnasa or bringing up the children."There is no doubt that the general level of the klal (the Jewish people as a whole) has an impact upon the national situation, and whether we befall geziros (verdicts) from above. HOWEVER, once geziros are in place for the klal, _personal_ mitzvah improvements, or for that matter ones personal level of kedushah, do not help alleviate _the klal's_ situation.We see this from Megillah Ester. When the Klal was faced with destruction, the danger was to the talmiday chachamim (the Torah scholars) as much as the am haratzim (the ignorant), and only national teshuvah would suffice. The Megillah tells us the...
More About: Personal , National , Salvation , Versus

When We Are Attacked
2008-03-10 07:41:00
by Reb Gutman Locks at Mystical PathsWhen the Temple was standing and there were sacrifices, only a perfect offering would be allowed to be brought on the altar. If the offering had the slightest blemish, it would be refused. Last week, G-d took eight young Jewish men. These young men were murdered while were learning Torah in the holiest city in the world. Our hearts are broken. We are shocked. We weep. We can never replace this loss. What can we do?This is what we can do. We can, and must fight back. We must fight back with every weapon we have at our disposal. To do anything less would be to surrender to these murderers. But you and I, what can we do? We do not even own a gun, let alone a tank. What are we to do?Do not think like this. Wherever we live, we are all in the army, and each of us has a powerful arsenal to draw upon. We see that the murderers attacked students of Torah, so this is what must be defended. They attacked our youth. So it is our youth whom we must strengthe...
More About: Attacked

Aliyah Update: PPPurim Preparations
2008-03-09 22:07:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsIn the US, while you could somewhat isolate yourself in the religious community, still, come October every store turned orange, come November every store turned brown and yellow, and come December every store turned green and red. The colors were one thing, the music, well, just pervasive. Train station, subway, billboards, you just couldn't get away from it.Well, in Israel it's Chodesh Adar. The grocery stores have tripled the size of their candy isles. Nosh mini-stores have pop'd up. The childrens stores have outside racks of costumes. And the billboards, all have Purim themes. The little children walking home from pre-school come home very day with a made-up hat, or face paint, or a made-up mask. And of course, every bakery is making oznei hamon (hamentashen).All the little girls want to be Ester HaMalka (Queen Ester), or maybe just a kallah (bride). All the little boys want to be Mordechai HaYehuda (Mordechai the Jew), or maybe a really scary ...
More About: Update

Blessed is Haman
2008-03-09 11:24:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsI continue to try to remember that there is truth and reality, somewhere. But not here. Here in this world, we bless Haman HaRasha, the evil Haman who aligned all events to slaughter the Jews, who prepared for genocide.Here in this world, US Funded Terrorist Group Fatah slaughters holy children in a holy place, but the UN does not condemn it nor the US de-fund it. Here in this world, "people" willing to sacrifice their own children (nay, eager to!) fire Iranian missiles from within schoolyards at our children, but the world condemns the return fire _because it's more accurate_ than the outgoing fire (massacre, massacre!!!)There is a Midrash that says in the end of days, we will bring a sacrifice and they will bring a sacrifice, as in the days of Eliyahu (Elijah) HaNavi (the prophet). [In the days of Eliyahu, he challenged the priest of ba'alilalahaha to see who's sacrifice would be accepted, those who prayed to stone and idols, or the one who prayed ...
More About: Blessed

Cut Down
2008-03-07 10:19:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsIn the midst of Spring, in the flower of youth, young flowers have been cut down. I spent the morning on a brief photography tour, learning some lessons of the outdoors and wild flowers.While hiking the hill of Antiyochas ish Socho (from Pirke Avos), which has the ruins of the town of Antiyochas (a press, a sistern, steps carved in the rock, a home carved in the hill), I received a call from R. Nati. Distraught, a former neighbor's son was slaughtered, 16 year old Yehonatan Yitzhak Alder, to the arab murderers last night. He wanted to talk, we spoke for brief moments, then I continued up the hill of Socho (still known by that name).We reached the top and our guide's phone rang. His neighbor's son was murdered by the arabs as well, Avraham David Mozes ben Naftali, a flower of youth cut down at 16. The enemy entered a holy yeshiva, they targeted our future rabbis, they cut down our youth with no mercy. They came prepared to kill hundreds and stole th...

Western Civilian vs. Amalek
2008-03-07 05:07:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsWe're Western and civilized. Few of us know of war and blood, even a cow or chicken being slaughtered is a haunting seen for most. We must eat to live, yet we feel for an animal who's flesh we will consume.We even try to sterilize war. We have conventions and international war laws. Israel strives to be a paradigm of Western-ness. Much of the legal structure is modeled after Western Europe, and some of the business structure after the US. But Israel doesn't live in a Western neighborhood. Her enemies don't subscribe to such niceties...Nowadays, when many of us read the parshat of Amalek, we cringe. When we learn that Shaul HaMelek, King Saul, was dethroned for not committing COMPLETE GENOCIDE, we shiver. The words of the Torah don't match our civilized sensibilities. How could we even consider acting that way in this time?This is how, this is what we are fighting, this is how the enemy will take any hint of kindness or Western scruples and use t...

In Bizzaro World...
2008-03-06 17:25:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsIn Bizzaro world, the government of Israel lets Ashkelon burn while bowing to enemy demands to evacuate Israel...Dear (....), I would like to let you know that the government with two hundred soldiers has descended on the West Bank Jewish town of AISH CODESH early yesterday morning. They are removing the water from the water tank in order to remove the water tank thus making it impossible for life to be sustained there.Please do what ever you can to let the world know what is happening. My grandchildren will be thrown out of their homes. (Corroborating report, here.)In Bizzaro world, arab Israeli citizens protest Israel defending herself against arab attack by attempting to kill representatives of the government, stone major highways, shutdown parts of major cities, and the government does nothing. But, Jewish Israeli citizens who defend themselves or protest Israel not defending herself are locked up without trial.In Bizzaro world, the US Secretary of St...
More About: World

Just a Few Rocks
2008-03-05 23:08:00
This is a Jerusalem municipality car, going about their work duties. This is the arab population performing a peaceful protest with a few little rocks against Israel defending herself in Gaza...
More About: Rocks

Only Flowers
2008-03-05 09:56:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsNo bombs today, only flowers. How do we know? Because there's no mention of Gaza and war today. The news is silent as Israel's defense has gone silent.Arab attacks haven't gone silent, missiles are falling on S'Derot and Ashkelon today. Children run in terror, parents cry in fear, and terror will destroy the chambers of the heart, of even young men and young women, even nursing babies and old men (Parshat Haazinu, Devarim 32:25).But, for the world today, there is only flowers. Jewish children running in terror isn't worth reporting.Spring has come to the Land, and it begins to blossom with tremendous beauty. Which you don't see when you have 15 seconds to get to safety. And Condelizza Rice meets with the Israeli government in Jerusalem, demanding Jewish guns be silent while missiles fall upon Jewish children.For US diplomacy, there are only flowers. And Easov hates Yaakov. But we do not put our faith in potentates, rather, in the Master Garden...
More About: Flowers

Administrative Follow Up
2008-03-04 21:34:00
- Still haven't been able to get Haloscan comments working, so I re-enabled Blogger comments. I don't particularly like them, I think they're a bit harder and more annoying to use than Haloscan. But, they do work. This means some confusion on old articles, with old comments coming up saying "10 comments, here" and then saying "0 comments", the first being Haloscan comments the second being Blogger comments. Best I can do for now, at least until I figure out what the problem with Haloscan is.- It's hard to tell if anyone is using the Social Bookmarking features. It's also hard to figure out which ones are worthwhile. So, I'm trying ShareThis, which consolidates all of them into a pop-out. Try it out, at the bottom of each article.As always, please feel free to let me know about changes, technical or content, that you'd like to see.
More About: Administrative

Jerusalem Palestine Road Sign?
2008-03-04 21:26:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsR. Alkalai commented... "I read this in the "Dreaming of Moshiach" blog, and I am sickened: "Road Sign in Yerushalayim: Palestinian Authority". "A new road sign has been posted on the northern road of Yerushalayim that clearly indicates the intentions of Kadima coalition government to chop up Yerushalayim, our holiest city in the world. The sign says:Pay attention! You are entering territory controlled by the Palestinian Authority. Entrance for Israelis is definitely prohibited."When I read this, I could not hold back my tears. I just sat and cried for an hour. I do not understand any of this. No one wants this, but Olmert, his government, and the arabs. Why is it not being stopped? Someone, please explain this to me.I haven't past through that point in the last month or so, but there are two roads that exit Jerusalem going north. Once leads to the Shomron settlements, the other directly into Ramallah. If this is the one at Ramallah, then the descrip...
More About: Palestine

Administrative Notes
2008-03-04 09:07:00
Just a few blog operation notes...- Comments isn't working correctly right now. Seems new articles aren't getting a comments link from Halscan. I've sent in a support note, hopefully it will be back soon.- Seems my adding the Mini-Blog finally pushed the load time of the main page to an unreasonable point for readers without very high speed connections. To try and make this better I've switched the Mini-Blog link to a widget, and dropped some of the slower loading items from the sidebar. Should be significantly faster now, let me know (via email since comments aren't working).- On the subscribe options (over there on the sidebar --> , free delivery via RSS or email), I've added a link to the mini-blog / twitter.
More About: Administrative , Notes

INSANITY or Defeatism?
2008-03-03 22:27:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsWhile Israel is under full scale missile attack from the Palestinians, while Palestinian forces AND POPULATION in the West Bank threw firebombs (around Pesegot), fired into civilian neighborhoods (at Gilo, Jerusalem), threw rocks at drivers (Beitar Illit), threw rocks on cars entering the tunnel (Gush Etzion), rolled boulders at cars (Telmon), attacked neighborhoods (Hebron), attacked guard posts (Kalkilya and Shechem), rioted (East Jerusalem), attacked policemen (East Jerusalem), tried to cut through a border fence (Hebron area), and threw rocks at non-Jewish TOURISTS (usually xians) on the Temple Mount (non-Jews tour there daily, Jews are not allowed), while all this was happening...*** The Israeli government ordered the water company to CUT water supplies to 13 "unauthorized" small settlements today! The water company arrived and CAPPED water mains to prevent any easy method of reconnection.*** The Israeli government has STOPPED defending itself. All m...
More About: Insanity

Trying Something New
2008-03-03 08:35:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsI'm trying something new with "mini-blogging" (via Twitter), and have these 1 sentence mini-articles posting over there in the sidebar ---->Let me know if you think it's a valuable feature... (note it takes up to 10 seconds after the page display to load, so please wait a moment)Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.

To Know There is a G-d
2008-03-03 06:59:00
by Reb Gutman Locks at Mystical PathsAccording to Rambam,[i] to know there is a G-d is the first of all the 613 commandments.To those who believe that G-d exists, it is hard to understand how others do not. “After all, you can see that there is a creation. Certainly, there has to be a Creator.”And for those who do not believe that G-d exists, it is hard for them to understand how believers ever believe such a thing. “After all, have you ever seen G-d? All you are doing is believing in something that some other believer has convinced you to believe!”If the nonbelievers would learn what the Torah means when it says “G-d,” they would see that they, too, are believers. But belief is just a step along the way. Belief is necessary when we lack knowledge. Believers do not know what G-d is, but they believe that He exists. We believe that things will be good, or that we will live to a ripe old age, but we do not know these things. We know that we exist and that our names are so ...