Rebbe Nachman taught: It is important to elevate one’s livelihood to the level of the Lechem HaPanim [the shewbread of the Temple]... It was baked on Friday afternoon and miraculously remained fresh until the following Shabbat, nine days later. Thus, the shewbread signifies an easy livelihood, one that comes directly from God (similar to the manna). When a person can elevate his livelihood to this level of “the face” [panim], that is to say, when he has complete faith in God that He will provide, then through his livelihood he brings about forgiveness for sins and reveals Godliness in the world (Likutey Moharan I, 31:9).

Likutey Moharan I, 34:7). Rebbe Nachman thus teaches: The prophet foretells (Isaiah 11:9), “They shall neither destroy nor harm in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with Daat [Knowledge] of God as the waters cover the sea.” The attributes of compassion and kindness depend wholly on Daat, and in the Messianic Future, Daat will be very great. For this reason, when Mashiach comes, there will be no cruelty or desire to harm others. Compassion will spread far and wide. Nowadays, however, there are times when the forces of evil can suck nourishment from compassion... Then compassion becomes distorted. When compassion is distorted, it turns into cruelty, and Daat itself is blemished... When Daat is blemished, passions for illicit relations [such as adultery] are aroused. This is in keeping with what the Sages said (Sotah 3a): “No man sins unless a spirit of folly enters him [and distorts his Daat].” When, on the other hand, Daat is perfected, one is protected from these passions (Likutey Moharan II, 8:2).

What’s in a Name?

By Yehudis Golshevsky

Rebbe Nachman’s fourth daughter was born, he didn’t follow the common custom and name her at the next Torah-reading opportunity. Instead, days and days went by, and he had yet to provide his newest child with a name. T he Chassidim were confused by Rebbe Nachman’s strange practice, and people around Breslov began to whisper that something seemed to be wrong – the Rebbe was withholding his own daughter’s name! Reb Chaikel, one of Rebbe Nachman’s closest students, couldn’t hold back any longer. He went to visit his mentor at home to speak openly about people’s concerns. “Rebbe, if you don’t do something, people will begin to say that the Breslovers no longer name their children!” Reb Chaikel added that Rebbe Nachman already had a number of opponents who were looking for excuses to vilify his followers. Would the Rebbe himself provide his enemies with ammunition? In later years, Reb Noson would say that Rebbe Nachman never made a fuss about something unless it was extremely important to him. Generally, if someone wanted him to do something and it didn’t violate a principle of his, he would accommodate himself to their will. Rebbe Nachman shrugged. “Nu, if you think so ... Let her name among the Jewish people be Chayah!” Reb Chaikel ran out to the synagogue to spread the news. But later that day, unexpected news arrived from Mezhibuzh. Rebbe Nachman’s mother, Feiga, had passed away. Now it all was clear! The Rebbe had only been waiting for the news to reach Breslov before he named his daughter after his beloved mother. Even if he knew by ruach hakodesh (Divine inspiration) that his mother was gone, he couldn’t possibly give the name until the news reached Breslov by natural means. Reb Chaikel was beside himself. What had he done? After a time, Rebbe Nachman had another daughter, and this time he gave the name Feiga right away. But the girl died in infancy. The Chassidim would say, “Perhaps had it been reversed, and had the first girl been named Feiga and the second one Chayah [literally, ‘life’], the second daughter might have lived, too.” Afterward Reb Chaikel lamented, “When, oh when, will I stop mixing into the Rebbe’s business?!” Based on Or HaOrot I, pp. 220-221

Cup of Joe with Jo is tomorrow at 12:45pm CDT. Women of A-T...join us for a time of relaxation, visiting, sharing, etc. Just us ladies enjoying each other's company and getting to know each other better. Hope to see many of you there!

Art Scroll Jaffa Tanach commentary on 1 Samuel 31:12 According to most commentators, they burned Saul's belongings, in accord with the dictum that no one may use a king's possessions. Radak suggests that the bodies had become decomposed and infested, so the people burned the flesh, leaving the bones for burial.

wow this is a tough read....Thoughts comments? Mishnah Torah repentance chapter 3

When the vices and virtues of man are weighed neither the first nor the second time is taken into consideration, but from the third time onward; if his vices from the third time onward exceed his virtues, then those two transgressions, too are added, and he is tried on all; but if his virtues balance his vices from the third transgression onward, all of his transgressions are wiped off one by one, as the third transgression is counted as the first for the two long since had been forgiven, so is the fourth considered thereafter first, as the third long since had been forgiven, and this way till end of the transgressions. That is saying concerning an individual, of whom it is said: "Lo, all these things does God work, twice, yea thrice, with a man" (Job. 33. 29): but concerning a congregation, the first, second and third transgression is held suspended over them, even as it is said: "Thus saith the Lord: For three transgressions of Israel, yea, for four, I will not reverse it" (Amos. 2. 6) and when the reckoning comes up, the reckoning is made even in this manner, i. e. from the fourth transgression and onward. The intermediary category, if there be among the half of their transgressions such sins as never having put on phylacteries, each one is judged according to his transgressions, but has a share in the World to Come. Even so are the wicked whose vices are more than their virtues judged according to their transgressions but have a share in the World to Come; for all Israel have a share in the World to Come, even as it is said: "Thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever" (Is. 60. 21). So, too, do the righteous of among the nations of the world have a share in the World to Come.7

6

And, the following are they that have no share in the World to Come but suffer excision and loss of identity, and are damned for ever and ever for their exceeding wickedness and sinfulness: atheists, infidels, traducers of the Torah, dissenters of resurrection and the coming of a Redeamer, apostates, enticers of many to sin, seceders from the congregation, a public perpetrator of sins emulating Jehoiakim,8 informers, leaders who cast fear upon the congregation not for the sake of God, shedders of blood by defaming people in public, evil-tongued people, he who abolishes circumcision.9

7

There are five categories of atheists;10 (1) he who says that there is no God and no Omnipotence; (2) he who says that there is an Omnipotence but that there are two or more such; (3) he who says that there is One Lord; but that He is corporeal and has a form; (4) Likewise one who says that He alone is not the First Cause and Creator of all; (5) likewise he who worships a star, or planet, or any other as a mediator between him and the Lord of the universe; every one of these five is an atheist.13

8

There are three categories of infidels: (1) he who says that prophecy is altogether an invention, and that no knowledge reaches the heart of the sons of man from the Creator; (2) he who denies the prophecy of Moses our Master; (3) and he who says that the Creator knoweth not the affairs of the sons of man; every one of these three is an infidel. There are three categories of Torah traducers: (1) he who says that the Torah is not God given, even if he says that a single Verse or one word thereof was spoken by Moses on his own authority is, indeed, a traducer of the Torah; (2) he who denies its Oral explanation, that is the Oral Torah, or its exponents, even as Zaduk and Bythos did;14 (3) he who says that the Creator commuted this Duty for another duty and that the Torah had been nullified long ago though it really was God given; every one of these three is a traducer of the Torah.15

now for some gentle picking at the newest family member....LOL

Whereas the Angel of Eisav fights against the Jewish people for its own survival and way of life, the Angel of Yishmael fights for Eretz Yisroel out of extreme jealousy. Eisav is about material desire, but Yishmael is about pride and religious status, and the Jewish people interfere with both. This shifts the battle from Moshiach Ben Yosef to Moshiach Ben Dovid:Once the materialistic aspect and desires are removed from them, then the yetzer hara of pride and status gets stronger. It is against this that Moshiach Ben Dovid, which is Dovid HaMelech—the leader of those who humbled themselves—comes, to humble them for the service of God, may His Name be blessed. (Shem M’Shmuel, Parashas Vayishlach 5671)