G-d's Beautiful Colors

Even though I don't live in the mountains or in Maine, Canada, or other beautiful places in the world, I have discovered many beautiful colors of the changing leaves on the trees. G-d's beautiful creations and designs are all around us at every minute of every day - and we can enjoy them if we just open our eyes and our hearts. Today I am thankful for the colors of Autumn.

Ambushed and Murdered While Going Home From Work

Imagine if you will, driving home at the end of the day. You are sitting next to your husband or wife in your car. You have given a ride to two friends who live in your neighborhood, who are sitting in the back seat of your car. You are chatting happily, discussing the events of the day. Laughing together. Just enjoying your life. You are looking forward to getting in the house, hugging your children, and sitting down to a nice dinner.

Then, imagine that suddenly gunmen come running from the side of the road, shooting into your car. Bullets are flying everywhere. The car stops because the driver’s foot falls from the gas pedal. After the car is stopped, the gunmen come running to the car, open the doors, drag everyone – already injured and bleeding - out onto the pavement, and shoot them at close range – killing everyone.

Then, the cowards run away as cowards always do. They go into hiding. And everyone in the nearby town where they live begins celebrating your deaths.

What I have described here is what happened earlier this week on a roadway in Israel. Hamas gunmen murdered four Israeli citizens in a well-planned ambush. The victims were: Yitzhak Ames, age 47 and his wife, Tali, age 45, who was nine months pregnant, Kochava ben-Haim, age 37, and Avishai Schindler, age 24. These were real live people with families and friends who loved them. They were murdered for no other reason than they are Jews. Jews, living in Israel.

Israel became an independent state in May 1948 after being recognized by the United Nations as a country in its own right. So, these four Israeli citizens had every right to be driving on that roadway. The Hamas terrorists did not have a right to be there for the purpose of killing them.

Less than 24 hours later another couple, Moshe and Shira Moreno, were also shot while driving in their car on a different road. The car was hit at least 10 times and overturned on the side of the road. The couple, in their 30s was able to get out of the car and hide in a ditch, and thankfullyk they survived the attack.

It is sometimes easy to forget that the people we hear about who are victims of terrorist attacks are real live people, with real live families. And sadly, the media oftentimes doesn’t even report on these kinds of stories. This kind of news isn’t popular. It makes the bad guys out to look like – well, bad guys. It is not something that most people want to think about at all.

It’s much easier to watch the news if they are reporting on things like hot air balloon rides. Or some medical breakthrough – which with US healthcare policies, no one will be able to afford anyway. Or some celebrity being arrested for drugs once again. Most people want fluff, not actual news.

It’s really past time for Americans to wake up and smell the falafel, as a friend of mine says. It’s time to stop pretending that Muslims and Palestinians are harmless people. It’s time to face the reality that anyone who refuses to live according to their demands will sooner or later be targeted to be murdered – just as these four innocent people were.

It doesn’t matter if you are Jew or Christian or Buddhist or secular. The goal of Islam (which Muslims and Palestinians are part of) is to kill everyone who does not accept their way of life. It is NOT a peaceful religion like many people would have us believe. It is a religion of hatred and terror. A religion of destruction.


A religion that teaches that it is ok to tape a bomb on your child or your mother or yourself and to kill as many innocent people as possible. A religion that encourages little children to hate people so they can carry on the death and destruction when they grow up. A religion that says it is acceptable to shoot innocent people while driving home at the end of the day.


We, here in America, can’t even imagine the possibility of gunmen running around shooting at our cars for the simple reason that we are alive.

Yes, there are crazies here too, who murder and maim people when they go on a rampage. In fact, we saw a story of one such man yesterday. But even these dangerous, crazy murderers are not in the same category as Hamas and other Muslim terrorists. They have lost their minds – not their souls.

I want to tell you a little about the four people who were murdered by Hamas terrorists this week. I didn’t know them. I had never met them, or read their blogs. I had never eaten a meal in their homes. But I know many other people who live in Israel, as they did, who face the same dangers every day of their lives. And I love them dearly and pray for their safety every day.

So, in honor of the four people who were taken from their families and friends I say, May the G-d of Israel avenge their blood, and may their memories bring blessings to those who will miss them.




Yitzhak Ames was a historian and was writing an encyclopedia of laws, customs, and artifacts associated with the Holy of Holies at the time of his murder. For the past seven years he visited the Temple Mount every month on Rosh Chodesh (the first day of the new month), and was a tour guide who accompanied groups to the Temple Mount area every Wednesday. He dedicated much of his time to studying and learning by heart all the relevant works in the Mishna and the writings of the Rambam.

This week he changed his normal routine and instead of going up on the Temple Mount on Wednesday, he went up on Tuesday – only a few hours before his death.

One of his closest friends was quoted as saying, “Yitzhak’s whole life was the Temple Mount. He worked as a security guard and a dishwasher, but this was his whole life.”

Only a few days before he was murdered he posted what ended up being his final blog entry. In that entry he said that this year on Rosh Hashanah he wasn’t going to pray for a livelihood as he as done in years past, but was going to pray that the Temple will be rebuilt.

Five years ago he moved his family to Gush Katif to show support for the families who were being evicted from their homes by the Israeli government in order to turn them over to the Palestinians in exchange for peace. They lived there for six months. During those six months he opened their home to all the activists who came to the area to protest the expulsion. (I was blessed to be able to go to Israel and attend several protest rallies and prayer rallies, but to my knowledge I never met Yitzhak.) The floor of the Ames home was completely filled with people sleeping there. They provided meals and hospitality for anyone who needed it.

Because of Yitzhak’s activism on behalf of Gush Katif the Israeli government revoked his permit to own and carry a firearm late last year. Had this not happened he would have been armed, and perhaps, could have fought off their attackers when they were ambushed?

Tali Ames worked as an accountant in addition to being the mother of six children. She was due to give birth to her seventh child in only a few days. Yitzhak and Tali celebrated their 25th anniversary two weeks ago.

Their children who were left to mourn them are: Daniel, 24 – Ruth, 19 – Ariel, 16 – Ruchama, 12 – Hodaya, 9 – and Oz, 5.


At the funeral of their parents Ruth said, “I didn’t have a chance to tell you how much I love you both. Mom, I promise you I will take care of the children that will grow up without you and Dad. Dad, I promise that I will continue your work with the Temple Mount. I will make sure families keep coming and that they love it as much as you do.”

Ariel eulogized his parents with these words, “Mother, father, something changed yesterday. You were a natural part of the family, and suddenly you’re not here. I can’t believe that a mother that took such good care of us is no longer here. Come back to me, mother.”


Kochava Ben Haim was married to Momi. She had suffered with poor health for many years, and with great difficulty was finally successful in becoming pregnant. She only had one child, a daughter, who is now eight years old.

Kochava was a special education nursery school teacher. She was on her way home to her family after attending the schools “welcome back” party at which her adoring special students, who are incapable of understanding hatred, decorated new school bags with her just one hour before she was murdered. She was also a very active volunteer in her community. She was always involved in preparing food for people in need. She also worked at preparing study sheets for the community so they could study Torah together.

Momi, a volunteer for Zaka (a community emergency response team), was dispatched to the scene of the attack with his colleagues, when to his horror he discovered that his wife was among the dead. He started crying and screaming, “That’s my wife! That’s my wife!” He was taken to his home, where he had to tell his daughter that her mother had been murdered and would never come home again.

At Kichava’s funeral Momi lamented the loss of his wife, saying, “My Kochava, my love, my partner, how will I say goodbye to you? I’m afraid. I just want you to stay. Monsters, cowards, to shoot innocent civilians – it’s cowardice to shoot a woman in a moving vehicle like that.”


Avishai Schindler had recently completed his army service. He got married a year ago, and was studying at a Hebron yeshiva (Torah school). He and his wife did not have children yet. They had only started their lives together, and now she is left to mourn him. Left to go on alone - never seeing their dreams and hopes come true.

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Palestianians celebrated in the streets after the murders.

Man handing out candy to the children who participated in the celebration.

Man holding his son on his shoulders, while the child waves a gun in the air.


People waving flags in celebration of the murders.

A Test From G-d

"Compassion is the feeling of sympathy which the pain of one being awakens in another; and the higher and more human the beings are, the more keenly attuned they are to re-echo the note of suffering, which, like a voice from heaven, penetrates the heart, bringing all creatures a proof of their kinship in the universal G-d. And as for man, whose function it is to show respect and love for G-d's universe and all its creatures, his heart has been created so tender that it feels with the whole organic world . . .mourning even for fading flowers; so that, if nothing else, the very nature of his heart must teach him that he is required above everything to feel himself the brother of all beings, and to recognize the claim of all beings to his love and his beneficence." (Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, a 19th century philosopher, author, and Torah commentator)

"His compassion is over all His creatures." (Psalm 145:9)

We understand the biblical precept to emulate G-d's compassion when we read Deuteronomy 28:9, "And you shall walk in His ways."

"As G-d is merciful, so you should also be merciful. As He loves and cares for all His creatures, and His children are related to Him because He is their Father, so you should also love all His creatures as your brethren. Let their joys be your joys, and their sorrows yours. Love them and with every power which G-d gives you, work for their welfare and benefit, because they are the children of your G-d, because they are your brothers and sisters." (Rabbi Hirsch)

He also wrote: "Here you are faced with G-d's teaching, which obliges you not only to refrain from inflicting unnecessary pain on any animal, but to help and, when you can, to lessen the pain whenever you see an animal suffering, even through no fault of yours."

G-d made the same covenants with animals as He did with human beings. "As for me, behold I establish My Covenant with you and with your seed after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the fowl, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you; of all that go out of the ark, even every beast of the earth. (Genesis 9: 9 & 10)

Then we read in Psalm 145:9, "G-d's tender mercies are over all His creatures."

"Even in the worm that crawls in the earth there glows a divine spark. When you slaughter a creature, you slaughter G-d. " (Isaac Bashevis Singer, 1902-1991, Polish-born Jewish American author noted for his short stories, winner of the Nobel Prize in literature in 1978)

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A couple of months ago I had a little "test". Sometimes these "tests" come my way to remind me that I need to be compassionate at all times, in all situations, and that the things I learn from my studies in Torah, Talmud, and Kaballah are not to be "filed away" some place in my mind, but to be put into action when necessary.

So what was my little "test"?

I was driving down the street one day about 1:00 in the afternoon. It was very hot, I needed to get home, and my schedule for the day was quite full. Suddenly, the car in front of me hit a dove that was either sitting in the street and flew up when the car came by, or simply flew into the car as it was passing. I didn't see what happened. I just saw the bird fall to the street, flapping around. The driver of the car kept going. I don't see how they could not have known they hit the poor little thing. But maybe they didn't.

Anyway, I slowed down as I drove by the bird, looked, and to my horror saw that it was struggling to get up. There were cars traveling in both directions so I felt sure it would be run over any second. I pulled into the parking lot, thinking to myself, "Are you nuts? What do you think you are going to do?"

But I knew I just could not leave the little creature there to be run over. I thought that I would just stand there with my crossing guard stop sign to keep anyone from running over it and call animal control to come get it from the street. That was the best plan I could come up with.

But to my amazement, I saw the bird struggling frantically trying to get out of the street. Surprisingly, it somehow made it to the curb where it collapsed into a little trickle of water running down the street. I watched from a distance to see if it was dead. I thought it was because it was perfectly still.

But as I took a step closer I startled it and it started back out into the street, so I quickly stepped back.

I remembered that there is a wild life refuge center here in town. I took a baby squirrel there about ten years ago. So I decided that I would go get a box and come back, get the bird into the box and take it to the refuge center.

I went and dug a box out of the dumpster at Dollar General, which was the nearest business. As I was driving back I kept hoping the bird would be gone. I thought that possibly it was not seriously injured but only had the breath knocked out of it and it was temporarily stunned.

But, there it was, still lying quietly in the stream of water beside the curb, breathing heavily.

Then, Hashem sent a hero to save the day. I looked up, and across the street a woman was walking by. She looked over at me, probably wondering what I was doing standing there holding a box. It was very hot that day.

I yelled across the street to her, "Are you afraid of birds?" Thinking back on that moment I'm surprised she answered me and didn't speed up her step and get the heck out of the area in case I was dangerous or crazy or something.

But she said, "No. I'm not scared of birds. What's the problem?" And she started towards me. I sighed a huge sigh of relief. You see, I am terrified of birds. I always have been. I think they are beautiful. I enjoy watching them - as long as they are no where near me - and there is no possibility of them getting near me.

I told her what had happened, admitted my fear of birds, and told her I wanted to try and catch the bird and get it out of the street. Without another word she took the box out of my hand, walked quickly to the curb, scooped up the bird before it could struggle into the street, went over to my car and put the box in the back seat.

She said that it would not be able to fly out because of it's injuries. I thanked her and she smilingly said goodbye and walked away.

Even though she said the bird couldn't fly out I was terrified to get into the car with a bird in an open box. I thought that I would have a wreck if it did somehow fly out, or I would simply jump out of the car and let it crash. So I found a paper bag in the back of my car to put on top of the box just to make sure.

Then we were off to the rescue center. Me, a terrified human, and a bird who was probably even more terrified of me than I was of it. I found myself saying a little prayer for the poor bird as I drove. I kept thinking of how I had heard that doves are mates for life, and that this bird's mate might have been sitting somewhere watching the entire scene - worried or sad about losing his/her mate. Or that he/she would simply wonder what had happened - where had the mate gone if it had not seen what happened. I don't actually know if this is fact or fiction, but I was thinking about it as I drove. I was very sad for both this bird, and his/her mate.

I arrived at the refuge center, took the box out of the car, and was walking towards the drop-off area when a girl came around the building. I told her what had happened and she took the bird out of the box, carefully and gently held it in her hands, looking at it.

As she was holding it in her hands gently stroking it's head I looked at it. It was very beautiful. She said it was a ring neck dove.


She turned it over and began examining it. She determined that both of it's legs were broken and it seemed to be seriously injured. She said that it was not very likely that it would survive it's injuries. She said that if a bird can't use it's legs to help it take off it can't fly any more. She also said she suspected it had internal injuries.

She then assured me that if the staff made the determination that the bird would not be able to recover that it would be given a tiny little bit of medication that would put it to sleep. She said that she appreciated me bringing it in - whether or not it survived. She said that it would have suffered in the heat, and possibly gone back out into the street and been killed. And even if it had to be euthanized it would not suffer that horrible fate.

As we stood there talking about the bird I looked into it's eyes. And I felt that it somehow knew that it was cared for. It did not seem frightened in any way. It looked at me as I stood there talking to the girl.

I know it seems unlikely, but I could tell it was saying thank you by the way it looked up into my eyes. It gave me a good feeling to know that - even if it would die, that it would be in a peaceful, quiet, cool and caring place.

I filled in the paperwork, gave them a donation of a few dollars - all I had in my purse - and left. I was actually very sad as I drove home. I felt good about having had the opportunity to help a poor little bird, but sad that it had happened.

Even though my relationship with this tiny little creature that I was terrified of was brief, I still felt somehow "connected" to it. I was thankful that I was in the right place at the right time to be able to do something good. And I was really really thankful that the woman was there to put the bird in the box for me.

G-d is always watching over His creatures. From a tiny little bird to a plus-sized middle aged woman.

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Here is the link to the place I took the bird: www.spwrc.org

Why I Choose to Replace the o With a Slash When Writing G-d

I have been asked many times why I spell G-d's Name with a slash rather than the letter o. I wanted to explain my reason now. Before giving my explanation though, I want to share some verses from the Bible that are important to me and play a role in my decision making in every area of my life on a daily basis…

“…thou shalt love the L-rd thy G-d with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (Deuteronomy 6:5)*

Serve the L-rd with gladness… (Psalm 100:2)

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might… (Ecclesiastes 9:10)

The fear of the L-rd is the beginning of knowledge but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)

Now for my explanation…

It is customary in Judaism when writing the words “God” or “Lord” as “G-d” and
“L-rd”. This is done as a way of showing reverence and respect for God and His Name. The rabbis teach that God’s Name should not be written in a place where it might be discarded, defaced, or erased. [examples: emails or blogs that might be printed, magazine or newspaper articles, letters, cards, etc. that will be put into the trash, burned, or disposed of as garbage]

This practice does not come from the Bible verses instructing people not to take the Lord's Name in vain, as many believe. “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7)

This verse refers solely to oath-taking and is a prohibition against swearing by God's Name falsely or frivolously. (The word is normally translated as "in vain" but literally means "for falsehood".)

The practice of replacing the letter o with a dash actually comes from Deuteronomy 12:3 & 4: “And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place. Ye shall not do so unto the Lord your God.”

We see here that the Israelites were instructed that when they would take over the promised land, they should destroy all things related to the idolatrous religions of that region and should completely and utterly destroy the names of the local deities. They were then immediately instructed NOT TO DO THAT TO GOD.

We understand from this that erasing the Name of God should be avoided. The general opinion today among rabbis is that this only applies to the sacred Hebrew Names of God and not to the word "God" in English or any other language. But even among the very religious Jews who consider it unnecessary to practice this custom many, nonetheless, write the Name "God" with a dash rather than the letter o out of respect and to avoid erasing God's name even in a non-forbidden way.

There is no actual prohibition in Jewish law from writing “God” in any language other than Hebrew. It is simply practiced as a form of respect for The Holy One and His Name. The Name of God should be treated with respect at all times and in every situation.

The written Name could possibly be defaced, obliterated, or destroyed accidentally by someone who does not know better, so it is best to avoid casually writing it at all.

It is important to understand that words typed on a computer are not permanent . To delete, backspace over, cut and paste, or copy files with God's Name in them is acceptable. However, once a document is printed it becomes a permanent form. That is the reason it is customary to avoid writing a Name of God in emails, message boards, blogs, etc. There is a risk in doing so that someone reading it might print it out, then deface it in some way without knowing that it is disrespectful to God and His Name to do so.

Printed books are considered to be permanent, so the o is not replaced with a dash in bound publications that are used for reading, studying, and prayer. This includes Tanach, Chumash, Siddur (Jewish prayer book), and other holy books.

In making my decision (close to 10 years ago) to write G-d with a dash I did so as an act of “Kiddush Hashem” which means “sanctification of The Name“. I replace the o with a dash as a tiny way that I can increase my respect for G-d numerous times every day. Every time I type that little dash it serves to remind me to show utmost respect for the Almighty - even in my emails and blogs.

*Note: The above mentioned references are from the King James Version of the Christian Bible.


PLEASE DO NOT PRINT THIS BECAUSE I DID NOT REPLACE THE LETTER o WITH A DASH IN GOD'S NAME FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS EXPLANATION.

Parsha Emor - Leviticus 21:1-24:23

Chapter 23 verses 1 & 2: And the L-rd spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: The L-rd's appointed [holy days] you shall designate as holy occasions.

I teach a children's class, made up of children ages 6-11 at our local Noahide study center each Shabbat. I take only one or two ideas from the Parsha each week to teach.

We started this weeks class by reviewing the Seven Mitzvot for Noahides and the Ten Commandments for Jews. I wanted to do this to remind them that G-d gave the Jews additional instructions and instructed them to teach His "rules" to all the nations of the world. I also wanted to remind them that idolatry - whether by Jews or Noahides - is non pleasing to Him.

After our review, we then began discussing what holidays, celebrations, and holy days are. Each child contributed to the discussion. None had heard of most of the holy days as described in Torah. Some had heard of Hanukkah and Passover. All of them had heard of the holidays of Christianity.

I gave each child a coloring book and a worksheet to write down the names of the holy days and holidays that are ok for Noahides to celebrate.




We talked about how it makes G-d happy when people obey His mitzvot and live according to Torah. We also talked about how not doing things the Torah tells us to do makes G-d unhappy.

We discussed how some people think it is ok to make up religious holidays or celebrations even though they are not mentioned in Torah. I was sure to mention that they are not bad people, but that they just have not learned about Torah yet.

Our discussion about celebrating holidays that are not mentioned in Torah led to the opportunity to talk about Hanukkah and Purim. Then American holidays, our birthdays, etc.

We talked about how some holidays make people happy but make G-d unhappy.

By the time class was over we had discussed how just because other people are doing something fun does not make it ok to do if it goes against what the Torah teaches us. We also talked about how it is not always easy - especially when our family and/or friends are doing those things.

I hope that when the "other" holidays roll around each year these children will have the strength with G-d's help, to forego participating.

I also hope that, as they mature each year, they will look forward to celebrating all of the holy days that G-d told Moses to teach to His people, Israel.

May we all - Jew and Noahide - do the best we can to learn and obey G-d's instructions to the world.


I put the commandments on the wall so we could refer to how each holiday falls in line with, or goes against G-d's Torah. (Example: Father's Day and Mother's Day, which are not mentioned in Torah. We talked about how we don't worship our parents, but we love them and want to make them feel special - which means to show them honor. One of the commandments G-d gave to the Jews was to honor their parents. So, because G-d gave that commandment, it is an acceptable thing to celebrate these non-religious holidays.)


As we discussed each holiday I put a picture of a child, along with the name of each Torah holiday on the side of Holiness. I only put a smile face with the name of acceptable celebrations on the same side so the children could easily see which ones are ok to participate in.


On the opposite side of the display I put a picture of a frown face and the word Idolatry. I then put smile faces with the name of holidays that make people happy, but make G-d unhappy underneath. This made it clear to the children that to participate in these holidays and celebrations might be fun, but that it is not what G-d wants us to do.

Why must we follow the Torah?

QUESTION: Isn’t it good enough just to be a good person? Why must we follow the Torah?

ANSWER: And the answer is--Why must you keep traffic laws? Isn’t it good enough to be a good person? How many good people go through red lights? How many good people have killed innocent persons by driving drunk?

Good intentions are not enough to be a good person. A man must be bound by a code. And if he is choosing a code, he might as well take the very best code there is. There is no such thing as a good person without Torah.

A good person can be a mercy killer, he kills his old mother because he cannot see her suffer. A good person can be a selfish man, who thinks he is doing good, when in reality he is only helping himself, because he is blinded by his own desires.

We have to know that nobody is able to live with standards that he himself creates.
...whatever people consider as standards in one generation can change in another generation. It’s only those who live by the eternal standard of Torah, who remain good forever and ever.

"A Moment with Rabbi Avigdor Miller, Z’ tl

Eighth Day of Pesach - Mashiach's Feast

Acharon Shel Pesach/the last day of Passover has a special connection to the coming of Mashiach/Messiah. It is the day we celebrate our hope for the coming of Mashiach.
The eighth day of Pesach is celebrated by eating a special, festive meal, a custom initiated by the Baal Shem Tov, approximately 250 years ago, called Mashiach’s Feast. In the time of the Baal Shem Tov, the main element of the meal was matzah. The custom of adding four cups of wine was added at a later time.

Matzah is poor man's bread, flat and tasteless. Wine, in contrast, not only possesses taste, but also induces joy and delight.

The four cups symbolize, among other things, the four letters of G-d’s Name, which will someday be revealed.

What is the connection between the last day of Pesach and Mashiach? The last day of Pesach is the conclusion of that which began on the first night of Pesach. The first night of Pesach is the festival commemorating the Israelites’ redemption from Egypt by the hand of G-d. It was the first redemption, carried out through Moshe, who was the first redeemer; it was the beginning. The last day of Pesach is the festival commemorating the final redemption, when G-d will redeem the world (both Jews and non-Jews) through Mashiach, who is the final redeemer. The first day of Pesach is Moshe’s festival; the last day of Pesach is Mashiach's festival.

Pesach is the festival that celebrates freedom. The first day celebrates Israel’s’ redemption from the first exile; the last day celebrates the future redemption from the final exile.


Today, the last day of Passover, I spent the day studying about Mashiach and the Final Redemption. I ended the week of Passover by partaking in the Mashiach’s Feast - complete with shmurah matzah and four cups of wine (in my pretty pink wine glasses). I, together with many other people throughout the world anticipate and celebrate the imminent arrival of the Mashaich. [Lance could not be at home for this special time.]

I wanted to share some of the things I learned (or reviewed) about Mashiach today…

*When Mashiach comes the world will rise to perfection. The material world will remain unchanged with all its natural laws and characteristics, and yet, at the same time, people will have a heightened sensitivity to spirituality and be able to perceive the G-dliness in all of creation.

*When Mashiach comes there will be no temptation to do evil. We will no longer have the inclination towards evil within us. We will have the ability of pushing ourselves to the limits. In the Messianic Era “choice” will mean how high we want to soar - how much do we want to accomplish.

*Mashiach is not the eternal domination of one people and the eternal damnation of all others.

*Mashiach is Utopia. The Era of Mashiach will usher in the ultimate pleasure - the pleasure of basking in G-dliness.

*Mashiach is the answer to “Why are we here?” We will no longer suffer from anxiety and depression. We will understand the reason(s) we were born.

*Mashiach will teach the purpose of life to the universe and redeem mankind from meaninglessness. When he comes divine inspiration will be poured out on all mankind and the knowledge of G-d will fill the world like the water in the sea.

*Mashiach will solve the problem of world hunger. There will no longer be famine any place on earth. No one will be starving. In fact, people everywhere will have a higher standard of living than they do today.

*Mashiach will bring peace to the world. There will not be any more wars. No more school shootings. No more bullies. No more terrorist attacks. No more hatred or fighting between people. No more jealousy or gossiping. Even the wild animals on earth will live peacefully with other creatures and humans.

*Mashiach/Messiah (comes from the Hebrew word meaning “the anointed one”) will be a dynamic global leader. All the nations of the earth will recognize him as Mashiach and will accept his dominion as world leader. He will be Jewish. He will be a learned Torah scholar. He will be fully human, born of two Jewish parents. He is not G-d, but will teach the world to know G-d. Any potential Mashiach must be a direct descendant of King David. (There are many people living today who can trace their lineage back to King David.) In every generation there is a person who potentially could be the Mashiach. When G–d decides the time has arrived, He will bestow upon that individual the necessary powers for him to precipitate that redemption.

*All mankind will worship one G–d and live a more spiritual and moral way of life. The coming of Mashiach will complete G-d’s purpose in creation: for man to make a dwelling place for G-d in the lower worlds.


We are living on the threshold of redemption! And every person living and breathing now can do something to bring Mashiach today and bring an end to the suffering of the world. Every Jew, every non-Jew, every man, every woman, every boy and every girl can participate in this awesome and amazing time of working to bring Mashiach. We can all work as individuals and work together to bring Mashiach!

Here is a list of things we can do to hasten the coming of Mashiach because by doing so the world will become a better place:

-Do not participate in idolatry or pagan practices. Honor and worship only the One True G-d.

-Work every day at growing closer to G-d.

-Do not murder, steal, or curse G-d.

-Avoid cruelty to animals.

-Increase our study of the entire Torah – written, oral, and mystical (particularly sections about Mashiach, the future redemption, and the holy temple.

-Be committed to our families by honoring our marriage vows and being faithful to our husbands or wives and by loving our children and providing a peaceful and nurturing home in which Torah is taught and G-d is worshipped.

-Increase our tzedekah (charitable giving).

-Increase our deeds of chesed (lovingkindness).

-Look for opportunities to help people and be willing to step up and offer the help that is needed.

-Increase our prayer time, both hitbodidut and the prescribed prayers.

-Increase our bikur cholem (visiting the sick).

-Become more humble and modest.

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Now that Pesach has ended I lit the havdallah candle, and will now have my first meal with leavened bread.

Seventh Day (Sabbath) Blessing for Children

Giving children a special blessing each Sabbath is a beautiful way to strengthen the bond between parents and their children.

Blessing children on Sabbath after the candles are lit and before the meal is eaten is an age old custom in Jewish homes. (Vayechi Genesis 47:28-50:26)

Each family has its own special way of giving the blessing. In some homes the father gets up from his place and goes to the child's place.In some families each child takes his or her turn coming to the father.

In some homes both the father and mother give the blessing. Grandparents often give a blessing to their grandchildren if the parents are not present or do not have the custom to do do.

When giving the blessing it is done by placing the right hand on the child's head and the left hand around his/her shoulder. This manner of giving the blessing is distinct and different from the manner Jewish parents give their children a blessing. They place both hands on the child's head. (Note: you will develop your own individual custom which feels pleasant and joyful to both the children and the adults with practice and time.)

After giving the blessing you might want to whisper something special and personal to each child. (Examples: if he/she did well on a test, cooperated with siblings, has problem, etc. )

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Sabbath Prayer For Children

May G-d bless you, (insert child's name), to walk with Him among the righteous of the nations.

May He bless you with a good, sweet, and long life.

May He bless you with happiness and peace, both now and forever.

(For boys: May He send you a wife who will love and care for you, and may He help you to be a good husband and father.)

(For girls: May He send you a husband who will love and care for you, and may He help you to be a good wife and mother.)

May G-d hear my Sabbbath prayer today.