Sunday, November 22, 2015

A Comment Answered

                                                                           בס"ד
I received an excellent comment from one of my favorite readers, who has become a long-distance friend. The concern is for righteous non-Jews, but my reply is as pertinent to Jews as it is to any non-Jew. First the comment:

Anonymous
November 22, 2015 at 2:35 AM
Hello Menachem!!!
I would like to ask you two things. First:
Why the Bnei Noach sit as if they were part of Am Israel?! I say this, least the Bnei Noach pello of Brazil, I heard from many that feel like they belong to the Bnei Israel.
For me (and I believe that for many other Bnei Noach), we feel like we're part of Am Israel, even without belonging officially (I mean conversion).

Since I discovered the absolute truth, when I was 13 years old (I'm 27 years old), I have come to love and be faithful Am Israel with all my strength that love and fidelity only grew each day.
I unfortunately still have not converted (after almost 14 years of waiting) because I have no financial conditions, because I am very poor (financially), and in Brazil the conversions cost around $4500 (cost of time of Rav and lessons - in Chabad Lubavitch).

Another question:
Because you think the Bnei Noach are people who belong to the lost tribes?! Please, I know it's a very extensive to be treated here, but I believe it is a great gift of Hanukkah (no size) to the Bnei Noach as I, S.C. and many other hundreds or thousands of Bnei Noach in the world who read your blog. :) Please!!!
My answer to this very special concerned reader and friend:

I could write another book in covering all that you question, but I will try to be concise. First of all, know that as you talk of your love for Am Yisroel, know that all real Jews have a very deep love for you and all righteous non-Jews. The problem is for thousands of years there was no love between us, only persecution, hatred and pain.

The much more important love is that from Hashem. His love is what is important to each one of us, Jew and non-Jew alike. I have mentioned numerous times that this world is the world of testing. Your particular situation is what Hashem has given you because He knows that you need such testing. It is actually good news, since He only give severe tests to those who are worthy of His kindness and mercy. In other words, when Hashem pays this much attention to you, you have to be very special in His eyes. I know from our correspondence over many months that you are very special, as well as many of my readers. The most important thing for you is to have complete faith that Hashem is helping you to a wonderful future, which appears to be imminent. Your testing will not be much longer. I know of several possibilities that would make you very, very happy, but I can't talk about anything until I see the absolute conclusion, especially for individuals like yourself.

The idea of you being a possible member of a lost tribe is my speculation. It is based on the fact that population growth in this world would dictate it. Because we had about 600,000 men (about 2 1/2 to 3 million Israelites) 3328 years ago, who left Egypt, that population would be tens of millions, if not hundreds of millions today. Who are they in the world today? The faithful, the ones who feel the love of Hashem and live to follow His ways. That is definitely not a big number, but when we are looking at 7.3 billion to choose from, hundreds of millions is small. We have a prophecy in Zachariah 13:8 that “Two-thirds of the people in the land will be cut off and die,” which will happen in the end of days, now. Through war, natural disasters, etc, there will only be approximately 2.4 billion people left for the time of redemption and Moshiach. We also know from scriptures that all the wicked will be gone and only the faithful, righteous people will remain. We also know that the wicked are very much ignored by Hashem, since we are on this Earth with this life to perfect ourselves and to achieve the best possible eternity that we can.

Hashem helps the righteous who are destined to a tremendous future. In what form is His help? Testing. As it says at the end of Malachi, the last of the prophets, the righteous will have the toughest times, and wonder why the wicked seem to be thriving. Hashem will judge each individual to see no matter how tough life gets, who stayed faithful to Hashem. The end will be the righteous who worked hard to pass the tests will survive, thrive and reap the reward of a wonderful life beyond our wildest imagination. The wicked, who look like they are getting by easily these days, will be wiped out completely and even punished after they leave this life.

I know I repeat myself, but it all comes down to measure for measure for every individual and even every country. If Brazil is so difficult and so wicked to good people, Brazil will get its just reward or punishment (guaranteed that we are talking about the individual leaders who have caused the evil).

Keep up the good work of turning to Hashem for everything and know the time of change is very soon, B”H.

One last note is that I have never heard of conversion being that expensive even though a proper conversion does take years. My hope is that what the Arizal said is very valid here. He said that anyone who converts for the right reason, a true love of Hashem, is really a Jew from birth. They were Jewish in a previous life, but needed to go through the process of conversion in this life by passing difficult testing. That is how their perfection is achieved. Moshiach will be able to tell each individual that he or she is actually Jewish. The conversion process will not be needed, just a very concise learning program.  This will result in Hashem instilling a higher level of a Jewish soul into the individual; but, if the person had the potential from birth, it is a definite result.  If this sounds different from what Rav Nir Ben Artzi was saying, let me clarify that he was talking about those who may be converting for the wrong reason, such as a love of a spouse rather than a love of Hashem.  Hashem is sorting it all out, and every deserving person will get a deserving future, Jew or non-Jew.

You may be poor financially, but you are rich spiritually and that is the best investment for a very lucrative future.

14 comments:

  1. Beautiful and sensitive comment to the friend from Brazil. Wondering if the local Chabad could help fundraise to cover conversion expenses. There are internet sites that would help him fundraise. Brazilian friend do not lose hope. There has to be a way for you to convert and do alliya if you want to. I lived in Brazil for many years and can attest that things are going downhill pretty fast there. AP ��

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    1. Hello!

      Thank you Mr/Mrs 'AP' for their words. It has been very difficult to maintain the hope of a conversion, even more that Brazil today is a country that is going to the 'bottom' (already spiritually is), the financial situation is worsening increasingly. We are already a communist dictatorship. Now (we Brazilians) we will be "of the trash to sewage", equal to the situation in Venezuela.

      Shalom!

      Luiz Felipe - S.P. - Brazil

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    2. Luiz, please try GoFundMe.com. This is a top fundraising site. Let us know how it turns out. Don't ask for tests. Rather, have daily conversations with Hashem (hitbodedut) asking for guidance and inspiration to find the material resources you need to reach your spiritual objective. Rav Shalom Arush in Israel - Breslov Chassidus - strongly recommends daily hitbodedut. Give it a try. It is an amazing experience. Ms. AP

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    3. B'H!

      Hello!

      Thank you very much for the valuable tips Ms. AP.

      All of good.

      Luiz Felipe.

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  2. He can contact Shavei Yisrael. They might be able to help him.

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    1. Hello!

      Shavei Israel offers assistance to that seek to convert, however it is necessary (money) to fund this 'assistance', something that I do not.

      All good!

      Luiz Felipe - S.P.- Brazil

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  3. Regarding the thought that we Noahides may be a part of the lost tribes, one of my beloved teachers taught that when the Torah was offered to the nations of the world (before it was offered to the Jews), the nations all rejected Torah. However, in every nation there were the people in the back of the crowd who put their hands up saying "Hey, what about us, we will accept Torah, look at us, we want to take it on." Those people are now able to accept their portion of Torah and are becoming active Noahides. Some of us realize that we may not have a Jewish soul but we have a Jewish heart. We do not seek conversion, but we stand by and support the Jews and Torah and Hashem. I wish the very best for our friend in Brazil, and I hope he realizes that if he is meant to become Jewish, he will find a way to do so. As for the cost of conversion, yes, it is expensive. Some of us will require a Bris, the cost of creating a Kosher kitchen, the cost of tefillin and talit all add up to make conversion a very expensive prospect. As in a previous comment, there are ways to raise the cash needed, and many people out there who would be willing to help out.

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    1. Your comment was important enough that I decided to make it today's post with my thoughts on the subject. Thank you for your comment.

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    2. Hello Mr. Stephen Wiliamson!!!

      Thank you very much for your words. They comforted me very much. :)

      All the good!

      Luiz Felipe - S.P. - Brazil

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    3. I am honored and a bit embarrassed at the recognition. Your thoughts on my comment say in a much better manner what I would have liked to have said if I was a better writer.

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  4. B ' H!

    Hello!!!

    First, I would like to thank all the comments and by the message of Menachem. :)

    I understand that in the past decades (and still exist in many places around the world), a lot of resentment, hatred, envy = anti-Semitism by us (non-Jews).

    In my walk for life, even when I was xistian, I didn't understand the aversion of xistians to the Jews, not even when I read all that bullshit you call Ne * Test @ men * or Bible. Until reading this farce I could be next to the Bnei Israel, so I started to question and saw that you (Bnei Israel) have always been certain, it's not accept that ' J.C. ' as Moshiach.

    I don't know where the anti-Semitism in Brazil, because the Brazilians generally believe that all Bnei Israel from Brazil are rich (hahaha, what a lie), plus we have the "social movements" Pro Arabs (fakestinians), and the Brazilian Government (federal) giving money and food to the UN (compared to fakestinians). This (thought of Bnei Israel be Rico-materially) is a legacy of Portuguese colonization, thought of medieval mentality (I say the season, not in sense of ' obscurantism ', how many ignorant people believe this part of the world).

    Yes, in fact this is the world of the tests. I have received many tests, all difficult, but not impossible to overcome.

    I have request For Hashém testing (for all Bnei Israel and Bnei Noach) make us rectify.

    About the evil thrive: Rav Avraham Chachamovits (a Rav non-Chabad-Lubavitch) in one of his shiurim clearly said: "Brazil's spiritual level is very low, extremely low, here thrive only the wicked, heretics". And indeed he's right.

    A question came up: how someone (wicked) can be punished, even after he has died?! Until today, there was only learned with rav Yakov Gerenstadt (Chabad and Gal Einai) that we are punished while we are in this life or next reincarnations. Wow! I didn't know anyone could be punished even after late. Wow!

    The fact that the conversion be expensive in Brazil, is that the Brazilian State (Communist today) is very protectionist, in Brazil the tax burden since the colonial era was already high, this causes the cost is very expensive, already high (cost) for those with financial conditions, for those who have ... it's just a dream (unfortunately) not achievable.

    Felt a bit afraid, because many Bnei Israel live saying: after Moshiach is revealed, will not be possible conversions. So I was thinking, and those who could not convert?! Simply be ignored? Because in Brazil if you don't have much money, you can't convert. Remember to have seen something a shiurim (I won't say the name of the person-of course), but very unhappy:

    " 'a' had money and soon managed to begin your conversion process (chabad), 'b' who had the same desire to ' a ' (but had no money and was for many years ' "waiting" by the cast) received the following response: Oh ... but Hashém doesn't want you become, so you got no financial conditions to today. "

    That sounds somewhat hypocritical (when I witnessed it), but for 'a' who has money? So Hashém wants that (a) you have money convert, and the 'b'?! Oy!

    Thank you all so much. :)

    Shavua Tov and all the good for all!!!

    Luiz Felipe – S.P. - Brazil

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    1. I hear all your concerns and to avoid a lengthy answer I would like to state that Hashem is totally merciful. He is not concerned with who is rich or poor since He is the One Who makes the rich, rich and the poor, poor. Hashem completely helps those who follow His ways, and with the best of intentions those who try to deal with adversities in life. Why? Because it is Hashem's testing that causes the adversity. The most important result is Hashem never fails those who are with Him. The end result is always positive. How ruff a road one must travel to that happiness and success is measure for measure according to what the individual needs.

      Our father Avraham was already at a very high spiritual level and did not need any further testing. Yet, he received testing beyond the capabilities of most human beings. Why? Because Hashem knew that Avraham could handle it and would go to a much higher spiritual level for eternity. The temporary horror of testing and discomfort was absolutely nothing compared to the tremendous merit that Avraham achieved.

      Work with Hashem. He knows exactly what you need and what you can accomplish. Don't, and I repeat DON'T ask for testing. That is the fastest way to failure -- Hashem doesn't like the arrogance of someone thinking he can pass any test. The design of your life is exactly what is best for you. Turn to Hashem for help in everything and He will provide. It is only for a short additional time and the happy ending will come.

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    2. Luiz Felipe, If you want a test, why not test Hashem? There is one test that He gave to the Jews, and I have found that He also gives the same result to Bnai Noach. Hashem said that you will never lose money giving tzedakah, and He even told Israel to test Him and see if He was telling the truth. I have found that tzedakah is never ever missed and Hashem seems to make sure that you will get even more money so you can give more tzedakah. Just don't go broke while giving. You need to take care of yourself and your family first.

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    3. B'H!

      Tsedacá: one of the pillars and practices encouraged byRav Brazilian (that guide the Bnei Noach). I agree, it never hurts (tsedacá).

      Thank you very much for the advice Mr. Stephen Williamson. :)

      All the good!!!

      Luiz Felipe.

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