davidsamual14

We have to take into consideration that Hashem didn’t want those things revealed until the late 1800s when the wellsprings came forth. Humans were not ready for this information until the time of the redemption, although Sages who lived beyond this World of Lies had this knowledge beforehand.

Shema Yisrael, Hashem is One. There is only one knowledge that has now burst forth into many different streams and religions all steaming from the one knowledge that was given to us on Mount Sinai.

Not everything said is true although the Torah does say that in the way one goes, he is lead. The Zohar, although, does verify some of the original research done by Raymond Moody.

I also want to add that this is the reason many of our gedollim stressed character refinement. In the words of Rabbi Chaim Vital, “A good character is the primary requisite to fulfilling the 613 mitzvot…Therefore manifesting a faulty character is much more serious than transgressing a command…One must be more heedful of evil emotions than of observing the positive and negative commandments.” (Letter of the Ages, Mesorah)

The goal of our mitzvot are to rectify our character like David Hamelech did.

From a letter by the Rebbe

pixelate, you wrote about the book Heaven is for Real where the author states he saw JC. I haven’t read the book. Did the person on the other side actually say he is JC? The Zohar tells us that we meet Adam (Hadam HaRishon) when we go to the other side (see Cave of Machpela). The author might believe it is JC when it could have been Adam.

Moses was on the other side and so were all our Sages, otherwise they wouldn’t be able to bring Torah knowledge and interpretations to the World of Lies we live in. Even the Lubavitcher Rebbe was there and he talked about it freely.

I think that the reason that OBEs and NDEs are happening so frequently now is because we are nearing a time when the knowledge of G-d will fill the earth and this is one of Hashem’s ways of doing this.

The other side is mentioned not only in the Torah (Ezekiel is one), but also throughout the commentaries time and time again.

Before destruction comes pride (Proverbs 16, 18). (This can work on a personal level, too.) According to the Ramchal antisemitism is preventable.

The point here is that you are talking about my father, whom you might have called a Zionist, because he fought during the 1948 war for the freedom of Israel. For me, he did a great mitzvah because now not only was my son able to study in the Holy land, but we also have numerous yeshivas and prayer groups spreading throughout the country. I know that my father did it because of a deep sense of duty to and love for his people.

Nevertheless, we can agree to disagree.

“especially if you also understand that the State of Israel is a tremendous affront to Him”

HaKatan,where is the proof for this?

In the Secrets of Redemption by the Ramchal, it says the following:

“…the higher Shalom holds on to the lower Shalom, to enable it to be seen and become revealed with abundant power and great intensity…”

I think strife and judgment between us is what causes us great grief and the darkness that remains all around us. The Ramchal talks about a Shalom Level which is required for redemption. I am talking about shalom within our Jewish nation.

I hadn’t been to Israel for over 20 years, but when I took my son there for his bar mitzvah, I was awed by the shalom between the Israelis. This was non-existent when I lived there before. On a bus trip from Haifa to Jerusalem, I felt I was with my family. I felt the presence of G-d everywhere. In Israel, they are learning much quicker than we are to live this peace. As you can see from what the Ramchal says, Shalom is a priority. We have to live this peace to bring it down from above. It’s not easy since we all have different points of view, but it’s a must.

the-art-of-moi, thanks.

HaKatan, Not according to the Torah. Ahav’s generation who practiced idolatry, but spoke no lashon hora won their wars, but Shaul Hemelech’s generation who knew the many different faces of Torah and spoke lashon hora, lost almost all wars.

My feeling about all this is that this is Satan’s way of causing mahlokes between us to keep us away from building the bais Hamikdash.

We needed secular Jews to build the country for one simple reason: Most Torah-true Jews are not warriors. Secular Jews abide by different principles (not that they are right), but that is what makes them able to fight. It is harder for sensitive Torah Jews, who are learners, to fight for land. The HaGra said that we will take the land by force and we did. Now, it’s a matter of bringing back the so-called Zionists to their roots. I am not saying it’s simple, but we can’t do it with mahlokes.

Wonderful school run by amazing people. My daughter went and had a great time.

Korach is in every one of us. Korach is our ego that fights for honor and creates mahlokes.

I think the major problem in shidduchim is the preconceived ideas. Everyone means well, but shadchanim and rebbeim determine who is for whom. Usually they aim to match people who are similar when opposites attract. We tend to complement each other rather than marry those who are similar to us. We also expect perfect families. Do they even exist?