Monday, November 12, 2012

For My Thoughts are not Your Thoughts


This simple quote from the prophet Isaiah (55:8) is a very profound message to the people of the world.  Human thought and human logic is flawed.  We do not live according to Hashem’s reality but our own evaluation of each situation.  There are concepts in this life that we think we know exactly what the truth is and how we should react to a situation.  But, we find that the Torah advises us in a completely opposite direction and we are perplexed when our way fails.  Hashem is running the show.  His plans are what work.  Our thoughts, as logical as they may be, are incorrect and in many cases, dangerous.  One of the most glaring examples in history is assimilation.  Throughout history, when we went into the countries of the non-Jew we often tried to blend in; act just like the local populous.  But, we found them turning on us – discriminating against us and even killing us.  Why?  We were acting nice; we were friendly and in many ways contributing to their society.  But, the Torah tells us to keep separated and do not do the ways of the nation.  We are on this Earth “to be a light unto the nations,” to teach the world Hashem’s messages but to stay separate and not blend in.  Why?  When we assimilate, we go away from Hashem.  We go away from doing the mitzvot – not keeping Kosher, not observing the Shabbos, not dressing properly, not educating our children and ourselves properly, etc, etc.  Yes, it doesn’t seem logical but when Yaakov is studying Torah (and living Torah), Esav can’t touch (or kill him).

We also have a very distorted view of history believing the nonsensical interpretation of what the history books say.  Many have argued that the Jews of Europe in the 1930’s were very religious and yet they suffered greatly.  The fact is in Germany over 90% of Jews were assimilated and completely away from their Jewish heritage.  Many had even converted to Xtianity in an effort to blend in.  They were shocked at how their so-called dear friends and neighbors turned against them when the Nazis came.  In other words, it happened as the Torah said, not as the human logic dictated.  I grew up with Holocaust survivors who tried to stay Jewish in the face of danger.  I remember one individual telling me that he knew exactly why he had spent four years in 13 different labor camps.  He told me exactly where in the Torah it said so.  But, he also told me stories about how he survived because he still had Hashem with him and how others didn’t survive because they were angry at Hashem.  It is ironic to be angry at the One Who gives you the information on how to survive but you are angry because you ignore His advice.
 
The most profound story that I was told was by a very pleasant, observant Jew in Lakewood that I davened with.  He was in Auschwitz and was actually led to the gas chamber along with about 200 other men.  They were put in  and locked in awaiting death.  He started to chant the verse we say in Hallel:  “The dead do not praise G-d, nor do those who go down into the silence of the grave.”  They all joined in and repeated it to Hashem over and over again.  How can we serve Hashem if we are dead was all they had in mind.  Nothing happened.  They waited 5 minutes, ten minutes, twenty minutes (my friend described it as an eternity).  All of a sudden the door opened and the guards said “we need a work detail, everyone out.”  My friend and all those who turned to Hashem that day survived as members of a labor camp that they were taken to.  My friend had no doubt what had happened and spent the rest of his life in total service to Hashem.

Why am I telling you all this?  We have received messages from Hashem in recent days through Moishela.  Some of the information was not according to human logic; of course not, it was from Hashem.  I have received an abundance of Emails and comments telling me how much these messages just don’t make sense or are undoable or are impractical.   My Thoughts are not Your Thoughts applies here.  Do you want information from Hashem that will work or is much more comfortable and will not work?  I decided to post the comments received with the answers I gave. In every case the comment may seem totally logical but as you will see in my answer to the comment, I always try to answer the question:  What is Hashem’s opinion about this?  Read these with an open mind and realize that it is may not be the best answer that I can give but just the correct answer for your benefit.  Don’t argue with success, just thank Hashem for the information.

Are you sure this is an autistic kid talking? Sounds more like a crazed kollel Charedi from Eretz Yisrael.
No I am sure it is a message from Hashem. Show some respect -- Hashem is watching you. We know you as Anonymous -- Hashem knows everything about you. Read my answer below to Owlbay.
Do you people ever stop with the guilt? It's quite oppressive. Look in the mirror sometime.
Who exactly are "you people?" Please read my explanation that I provided this past Thursday as to why Hashem uses the effective guilt trip. It works and has throughout history. Since you seem to be affected by it, maybe you need to look in the mirror. If it cracks, Hashem is sending you a very personal message that you need to start living the truth, do some very serious teshuvah and buy a new mirror.
Sounds like he's just echoing the thoughts of his community. Is this a low functioning person? If so, why are his sentences so complex. If not low functioning, then he is not a shoteh and his communications are not different than yours or mine.
The person I believe is severely retarded. This is one of the reasons we know that his words are from Shamayim. There are documented cases of children answering in a language that they were never exposed to since the facilitator was foreign.  If these children can answer in any language, we know the messages are not originating with them. Ben Golden has told us that he can only say answers that Shamayim gives him. He knows no answers himself. People have asked him questions that he said Hashem will not disclose that information.
Autism doesn't mean retarded. He may be severally autistic but I do not think he's mentally retarded. His mind is on a higher level because he does not know sheker. His thoughts are pure and innocent.
Facilitated Communications has been used on many types of individuals that are not cognizant of the reality of this world. FC is not talking to the physical individual but the spiritual individual -- his or her soul. Autism is only one type. Galia, as an example, was not able to communicate because of retardation, yet provided many predictions that came true. FC has even been used on individuals in a Coma. There was a very interesting case of FC used on a baby. The physical may not be able to communicate; but, the soul has complete knowledge from Shamayim and that is what FC taps into. Once again, I believe this individual is not Autistic but suffering a severe state of retardation. In the US, I was friendly with two Psychologists who used the FC method and were fascinated by its effectiveness. They are also observant Jews and knew very well what the source of the information was that they were taping.
"Explain to them that this terrible storm came to wake up the Frum community to the fact that Gashmius is something that can disappear with a strong wind, rushing water, or fire etc. But Yiddishkiet, true Yiddiskiet Torah and Mitzvos is Eternal"


Thank you Moishela I could not have said this any better!!! the thing is that you speak to much to the point, every time I read your post I say to myself "Moishela is right" I'm ready to change my entire life around, but as soon as I go back to Shul work etc. I can't find a single person who I can share this with.

Perhaps we should set up workshops in different neighborhoods worldwide to get to the bottom of why we are not ready to except the truth? After all we all know that "the end is here as you know it" and it's going to be over soon, sooner then we can imagine.

I am not blaming anyone but myself for not being strong enough but as I keep on reading this stuff I hope one day I will be a better and stronger person in the eyes of Hashem.
Well put. One thing to keep in mind is Hashem knows our deepest intentions even when we don't succeed. If we sincerely want to help our fellow Jews, Hashem gives us credit for our efforts. The more important thing is not to get discouraged, but continue even if it is an uphill battle. Know that in the end Hashem will help all good people to succeed. I have always said during the decades of doing Kiruv, the only One Who really does Kiruv is Hashem, we are only agents who want to help because of our love for our fellow human being and, of course, our love for Hashem.
I can understand to some extent that the old ways are better in many respects (be it social, legal, etc) compared to today's Westernized world, yet it is worth mentioning that the Jewish people wherever they have dwelled for the past few millennia in exile have always been influenced culturally by other peoples (be it customs, foods, music, dress, language, etc) so how far back does he want the Jewish people to go?

What rubs me the wrong way is the impression that he believes the ideal ways of our forefathers originate from Eastern Europe rather than the Land of Israel (while omitting Jews from other backgrounds as if their status as Jews is questionable) as well as the fact that I feel the main issue is not so much the "tools / objects" themselves (be it technology, food, music, etc) but the fact that some people (sheltered or not) are immature enough to misuse them.

I agree that we should prepare of a time where what we currently take for granted suddenly disappears though I fail to see how Pizza, Falafel, Spicy Foods and other certified Kosher foods are considered sinful as many of the foods Jews have eaten in the past were essentially Kosher versions derived from the locales they stay in.
Since I remember the 1940's and 1950's which were much simpler times when being observant was a completely different situation. Yes, throughout history, the Jews lived in every country and assimilated, but there were many fewer ways available to get into trouble. As a young child I didn't have a television since just about no one did have a television nor were there any programs available to watch. Even movies were all rated G with no violence, sex, foul language, etc. I was 17 years old before I even knew what a pizza was. Fast food was a very secular invention; since, Jews were used to sitting down with a loving family to a hearty meal. Even going to a restaurant was a very rare occasion and would usually be for a simcha. Yeshivahs had to use books since there were no electronic substitutions available or even in existence. What Moishela is saying is how much easier it is today to act secular even if you are in an observant atmosphere and how the human psyche allows us to justify every secular move we make (it was Kosher, I only use a Kosher web service, I only use a Kosher phone, etc, etc, etc). It is much easier to deceive ourselves today into thinking we are doing Hashem's will, by taking many shortcuts that are questionable.
But where does one draw the line when it comes to acting secular? 

Rabbi Pinchas Winston is the view that the internet or modern technology itself is the Tree of Knowledge while Rabbi Ariel Bar Tzadok is of the view that "Tools / Objects / Mediums" such as the internet / modern technology are not to blame for people lacking the common-sense to use them in moderation since just about everything in this world can be used for good or evil and throwing the baby out with the bathwater is not really going to help matters, though I agree that Television / Digital / Popular Culture is more trouble than it’s worth (for the utter decadence and biasness against everything Jewish / Israeli / Godly alone).

The obvious reason that Fast Food exists and is easily accessible is due to people living a fast time-constrained lifestyle (the inevitable result of advances brought about by the Industrial come Technological Age) that has impacted the Jewish community for decades, even if some people are now beginning to appreciate the benefits of living a wholesome low-velocity lifestyle. 

Still amongst the Jewish people I do not understand why a symbiotic Issachar/Zebulun relationship between Religious and non-Religious Jews cannot still be maintained.

It is worth mentioning that in my own case it was electronic substitutions to books that ultimately brought me back into Judaism and even allowed me to buy books to further enhance my own learning so there are both sides to the coin regarding relationship between technology and Yahadut along with the use / misuse of the former, for some people electronic substitutions are the only way people can connect to the world and maintain their connection to Judaism in absence of a nearby community. 

My main concern in both the secular and religious worlds is with regard to the rampant misandry, the disintegration of the family unit, the courts being used to promote legal / social injustice and the alienation between the sexes (with many men both religious and secular becoming increasingly risk adverse to the prospect of marriage, children and even co-habiting). 

Fwiw, one of the things that I notice when it comes to the Gevurah-section of the Moshiach Blogosphere is that there appears to be a time delay or lag between something that is foreseen and when it actualises into reality (ranging from within seconds to many years as in the case of Noah).
You speak very logically about what people should do but let me add my psychology education into the picture. We have a yetzer tov and a yetzer harah guiding us. The human psyche dictates that we do things with the least effort and, unfortunately, with total justification when we give into temptation. Human beings are very weak. If we would always do what is best for us, according to the Torah, you are absolutely correct. So, what is wrong with coming into the 21st century and using all its facilities. We not only abuse this modern lifestyle, we sin greatly by passing it on to the next generation. I stated that I grew up in the simpler times that Moishela speaks of but I also grew into the electronic, fast food age of today. My comparison definitely has shown me how we so easily fall into the Klipah of today. Even in the secular world, the tremendous lack of discipline due to gadgetry has made much of the western world lazy, fat, ignorant, miserable and much less productive. We don't have to think anymore, we have computers doing it for us. We don't have to take care of our young anymore we have television, electronic games, computers, etc babysitting for us. We don't have to prepare meals anymore, we just order out. We have lost the human factor as proven by the fact that the family unit is a thing of the past.
Now, let me tell you the total solution to the problem. Come to the city that I live in and see the 1940's atmosphere. There is no TV cable service here and the beautiful Judean Hills block TV signals from Yerushalayim. There is a staunch requirement that homes with school children cannot have a computer and definitely not the web service (visible to the children since there are those who use the computer for parnasah). If a family is found to have the web available where the children can see it, they are expelled from school. If families have children that are off the derech, they are asked to move from this city. Fast food is very sparse here but never, never is a fast food establishment allowed to be a hangout for the children. Almost always, the fast food is being served to the family. One would think that this is so archaic in nature, but now let's talk about results. This is a Torah city of about 45,000 observant Jews and, believe it or not about 150 Shuls, Yeshivot, Kollelim, in other words places to daven. The entire theme of this city is Avodas Hashem and doing His mitzvot. The results, family life is at its best, children are happy, children are very intelligent (they are not lazy about learning), divorce rate is extremely low, drug problems don't exist (do you think I am being naive, no I have 9 of my grandchildren (I said 8 yesterday but my daughter-in-law gave birth this morning to number 9) living here and they don't even know what that means), teen pregnancy -- what is that?  considering boys and girls are never together -- in school or socially (dating starts when they are ready to get married), the people here know almost nothing about the world problems and it political situation (the local government -- Mayor and his staff -- are all Rabbis with total chesed as their job description). I can go on, but suffice it to say, by living the Moishela scenario in this modern day and age, I am in Geula surrounded by the happiest most loving people on Earth and I love it, bli ayin harah. Neighbors can't do enough for neighbors. There is no police force since there is no crime. Stores leave merchandise out over night or get most of their deliveries before they open and nobody takes anything. Are my neighbors human beings with all the weaknesses in life and all the frailties that the yetzer harah makes us give into? Absolutely, but no one has told them that they have these frailties or shortcuts in life, so they work hard to serve Hashem the old fashion way and life is great. After Moshiach is introduced, the whole world will be happy just like my hometown just a Moishela described.  I should add that there are many communities and even neighborhoods in big cities in Israel like this city – we are not unique.
I agree that it is a part of human nature to take the path of least resistance and always taking a self-centered pragmatic cost/benefit view of life, unless for whatever reason we act irrationally.

Your hometown is an ideal in theory though how would such a society deal with people who are currently left behind in the secular world and rejected through no fault of their own by the religious world along with people who are simply disillusioned with the religious world, assuming that such a society were up-scaled to include the whole Land of Israel in the Messianic era? 

However, it is not yet all roses since it has been reported in throughout the web / media (both impartially religious as well as those with a biased anti-religious agenda) that the religious world has its own problems that it’s trying to deal with, along with constantly dealing with issues of transparency that simply does not project a good picture of the ideal society that you are promoting.

It has the Zebulun aspect sorted yet the former on its own is not enough if the Zebulun aspect is maligned / unappreciated / omitted from the equation in building / maintaining a healthy society.
Once again you are speaking very logically and in tune with the reality of the world. The entire point is that we still are responsible measure for measure for ourselves (and even the chinuch of our offspring) and the purpose of Torah study is to try as much as possible to help us approach the ideal situation. Moishela is not saying ignore everything; make a 180% change in your life; because, that is not humanly possible. But, work on improving your situation every day as much as you can.
I was born in the month of Zebulun and my son was born in the month of Issachar. I lived that arrangement for many years since I was the professional member of the family working, and he was the one who desperately wanted to study Torah. I greatly desired limud haTorah too, but I not only had the obligation, but the merit to help my son, even when he got married and started a family. I studied Torah hours a day but I worked many hours a day also. The limud haTorah of my children and grandchildren gave me such nachas that living a part of my day in the secular world to serve Hashem was a joy to me. Since I returned home to Lakewood, New Jersey every day, and lived as frum a life as possible in Chutz L'aretz, Hashem rewarded me and my family with aliyah. Instead of using secular activities as an excuse to avoid Yiddishkeit, I stayed as observant as possible even at work. Read the book Lt Birnbaum. Meyer Birnbaum, who I had the privilege of knowing for years, was drafted into WW2, went to Germany through the worst of it all and stayed totally observant, against all odds, for the four years he served in Europe. He was so involved with Yiddishkeit, when the war ended and he was told it was time to go home, he volunteered to go to concentration camps to help liberate his fellow Jews. His Yiddish speaking skills and Kiruv that he provided for these Jews, who went through hell, was such a Kiddush Hashem that he too wound up in Eretz Yisroel for a very happy and meaningful life. Hashem sees our efforts, knows our temptations and judges our performance, not on how easy it was to serve Hashem, but how determined we are to succeed when it isn't easy. We have every excuse in the world to be more secular (money, time, environment, etc) but we have no excuse not to do our utmost to serve Hashem and do His mitzvot since it is greatly to our benefit. Only Hashem judges us, but also Hashem helps us. When we truly make the best effort, it does become easier. When we use every excuse we can, Hashem will make it even more difficult. Why? It does help us when we stray to have Hashem send us in the right direction; it is part of our chinuch. The message from Moishela (actually it is a message from Hashem) is part of the help. If life is too overwhelming, all Hashem asks is do your best and He will help you with the rest.  It worked for me, Meyer Birnbaum and many, many Jews worldwide once they caught on to the system.
We must take these messages with caution. There is no such thing as nevuah these days. So they are messages but not to the most accurate level.
I disagree. Go to Bava Basra 12b where it says that nevuah will be given to the children and the shotim, usually translated as deranged people but Rabbis agree that it is talking about those who are not able to speak (those using FC qualify). The more important thing is the test for a prophet in the Torah. If what and individual says comes true, then the word came from Hashem. In the 15 years that I have been following those communicating with FC (since 1997), everything that was said has happened or is happening. There are books written on the subject with 100's of pages with such predictions.

Final note:I received these messages from an individual who is involved with Dani18 the excellent blog that has given us the messages of Daniel, Ben Golden and others.

I wrote to this individual with this message:

On Fri, Nov 9, 2012 at 4:59 AM, Rav Menachem <absolutetruth613@gmail.com> wrote:

With everything pointing to our being this near to the end of the end of days and Geula and Moshiach, is there a possibility that Daniel and Ben Golden might be talking to us again?  It seems like the important messages that Moishela gave should be enhanced and fortified by others.  I keep a page view count on my blog and I had the largest yesterday since I started the blog in March, 673 page views, with 268 new readers showing up.  The interest shown by my readers and the large number of comments and Emails that I received (all positive) all tell me how Yidden are starving for proof of imminent Geula.  If possible, mention this to the families of other FC individuals.  Let me know if you think this may happen -- I am ready to post everything they say to help our fellow Yidden.Thank you,Menachem .I received the following response:

You can post it, but real facilitation is not forced only when the handicapped person indicates that he or she wants to write.

On Sun, Nov 11, 2012 at 4:00 PM, Moishela Moishela <moishelafc@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Rav Menachem,

I am glad that Moishela's messages are making such a positive impression on people. From what we understand from Moishela in the near future many  interesting and mind boggling events are going to occur in what was once known as the USA and all over the world and in Eretz Yisroel as well. As events unfold there will probably IYH be messages by other handicapped people as well, trying to explain what we are supposed to understand about all these very frightening and unusual happenings. This is all to help Am Yisroel to pass through this most difficult time before Moshiach reveals himself with the least amount of suffering. Time is short and we have a lot of Teshuva to be done in order to prepare ourselves to receive Moshiach Ben Dovid.I bench you and your loved ones and all Am Yisroel that we should be able to greet Moshiach Tzidkainu Bsimcha Uvirachamim


I am hoping to here from other FC users soon and look forward to passing on this vital information to my readers.


6 comments:

  1. It's said that all the prophesy in Navi is/was applicable to every generation. I have heard from scholarly, serious Jews who live in Israel, experts in Navi that America is Tzor. What do you think?

    Ezekiel 28:

    Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyre: Thus saith the Lord GOD: because thy heart is lifted up, and thou hast said: I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the heart of the seas; yet thou art man, and not God, though thou didst set thy heart as the heart of God--

    Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel! there is no secret that they can hide from thee!

    By thy wisdom and by thy discernment thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures;

    In thy great wisdom by thy traffic hast thou increased thy riches, and thy heart is lifted Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD: because thou hast set thy heart as the heart of God;

    Therefore, behold, I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations; and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness.

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    1. It is an interesting possibility but I really don't know. I saw a very interesting write-up from the Azamra organization: http://www.azamra.org/Bible/Isaiah%2023-24.htm
      which gives several possibilities for Tzor. Tzor has the same gematria as ha'eretz which כדור הארץ (literally the ball of earth) is translated as Earth, globe, world. This could give a connotation of Tzor being the entire globe, where all the goyim are. After all it is the 70 nations that in the end will go up in battle against Klal Yisroel. (This interpretation was strictly from me -- I saw it nowhere).

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  2. That children and shotim have navuah doesn't mean navuah mamash. If it did, we'd be going to children for advice. It means that occasionally they make utterances that have special truths to them. Not that they make long speeches that are the voice of God. Always be careful when you think you have the truth, that others do not, and that you got it from God.

    However, these are special times, so you never know.

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    1. The Navi'im only told the people exactly what Hashem wanted them to say. The FC individuals only tell the people exactly what Hashem wants them to say. There have been many questions asked of the FC individuals that they have answered with "I don't know; Hashem doesn't want me to talk about that." They are being treated like the Navi'im of old, mamash. I know this since I have friends who know Ben Golden and family personally and they have told me exactly the way it works. If you think I don't have the truth give me specifics about my error with justifiable proof from scriptures, otherwise, avoid inaccurate opinion -- it helps no one, especially you.

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  3. No, I am offended by sweeping guilt, which is really a device that some people use to control others. If you want to be the town musar giver then focus on objective wrong, like stealing and hurting others and violating shabbos. But you shouldn't be giving musar when people don't think or talk like you do. There's no 'disrespect' in saying that some rabbis are crazy. In the end of days, we have 'rabbis without Torah' and eruv rav in positions of power. It's fine to call them out, in general, without names.

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    1. Let me repeat the answer I gave to Elliot:
      Why don't you write a letter to Hashem and tell Him that the method that He has succeeded with for thousands of years doesn't agree with your flawed human logic. Please, please don't try to give me or Moishela credit for Hashem's flawless plan. When things get so bad in the near future, come back and tell me how many atheists we still have remaining in the foxholes. If human's were doing things the way they should, these tactics wouldn't be needed. It is all for our good since Hashem knows exactly what He is doing. Trust Him!!!!!

      I think it is comical how I mentioned how people these days (as it says in Soto 49 and other places) don't want musar, no matter how much they need it and how much it may save them from suffering. You proved my point -- I rest my case. By the way "when people don't think or talk like me" what does that mean considering I always try to give Hashem's opinion? If you think that I am saying something that Hashem wouldn't agree with, give me tangible references from the word of Hashem, not your opinion. I am always ready to hear about any error I may make -- it is part of my teshuvah process -- but the error has to be pointed out very specifically and substantiated.

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