YOSEF HATZDIK

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  In the Dungeon   In prison, Yosef's problems were far from over. This frenzied woman still would not leave him alone. She visited the prison regularly to weaken his resolve and to tempt him to succumb. She warned him in explicit terms of the consequences of his obstinacy. "So you think this is the last of your woes?" she menaced. "If you don't accede, I will have you bound in iron chains, bent over and unable to stand upright. I will have you blinded," she went on and on. Yosef was as firm, unmoved, and unimpressed as ever, still joyously serving his Maker with love and awe. Going all out to cajole him to look at her even just that once, even for a split second, she found herself powerless against the iron resolve in the wellsprings of his noble soul and never did he mar the perfection of his purity. Now, is it a wonder that we speak of him as Yosef Hatzaddik? Turnabout   Suddenly, there was an astounding turnabout in Yosef's fortune. After twelve long years, his eyes and soul still absolutely clean and untarnished, Yosef was hurried from his incarceration. By order of the king he was hastily groomed, suitably attired, and rushed to the palace to stand before Pharaoh, mighty King of Egypt. At dizzying speed, he was raised from wretched prisoner to the rank of second-in-command of the whole Egyptian Kingdom. The king's signet ring was placed on his finger; he was arrayed in linen robes and driven through the capital's streets. Can you picture the scene in ancient Egypt awaiting the gala procession and entourage? Crowds of jubilant citizens fill the streets. The rejoicing is palpable as the throngs begin their chanting. The Midrash Rabbah (98:18) describes how the daughters of the noblemen peeped out of their windows and threw their fine jewellery, piece by piece, into his royal chariot in the hope that this mesmerizingly handsome new viceroy might chance to look at them. Throughout all this exotic pomp and pageantry, Yosef's eyes remained lowered. His self-discipline is timeless. Targum Yerushalmi tells us how the daughters of the aristocrats exclaimed to one another in sheer amazement, "Oh, see this pious Yosef who does not follow his eyes or the temptations of his heart." Yosef's holy eyes themselves told it all - 100% innocence, pristine perfection like the clearest, most sparkling diamonds. Chazal tell us Yaakov's unstinting praise: "My son," he said proudly, "you did not glance at a single one of those women."

 

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GIVE ME YOUR HEART AND EYES

THE SPECIAL QUALITIES

Part 1

 

Then I Will Know you are Mine

 

A frequent guest in the home of the Shunamis was none other than Elisha Hanavi. She told her husband that this man was holy. How did she deduce that fact about Elisha Hanavi? Simply because he had never looked at her.

Chazal say (Midrash Vayikra 24:6) that in matters of arayos, restraint equals holiness. Just taking care to refrain from looking at the forbidden and from thinking lustful thoughts already earns one the title "kadosh." Rejection of impurity generates holiness. An unfathomable light of holiness envelops the man who conquers his lust - especially when it burns and races inside him.

It is not because Rebbi compiled the Mishnah that we refer to him as Rabbeinu Hakadosh. It's because he never in his life looked at the private parts of his body and, therefore, his soul was kadosh. In addition, he would never unnecessarily lower his hands below his waist; his body, too, was kadosh (Shabbos 118b).

What better way to bolster our resolve than to repeat the wonderful words that Hashem Himself has to say to us, "If you will give Me your heart and your eyes, then I will know that you are Mine," (Yalkut Shimoni, Mishlei ch. 27). Neither look at nor contemplate what is sinful, and automatically you qualify to be lifted beyond the grasp and the smallness of this temporal existence and to have Hashem Himself fill every corner of your life.

NISSIM MAKES NISSIM

http://shar.es/D5kws

HOLD ON TO YOUR DADY"S HAND

Another time "With Emunah" wrote:

 

I just heard an amazing  mushel from Reb Shimshon Pinchus tz'l which I have to share!!!

...when a little boy comes to a very busy street and the cars won't stop but he has to cross, first he gets overwhelmed, panics and then He asks his father, 'can you please help me cross the street....and his father just smiles, grabs his hand and walks his little boy across the street...

 

Am I not the little boy who constantly comes to a very very 'busy' street which I can not cross myself, all I have to do is ask our father in heaven  to grab my little hand and take me across.. and he will gladly do it every time , with a smile.

 

This was so powerful to me because, had the silly little child been conscience of his father all along, he wouldn't have panicked, but immediately reached out to his fathers hand for support and followed his fathers lead across the street.

 

But the little boy thought he could cross by himself and panicked when he realized he couldn't without realizing that his father isn't going to leave him and watch chas v'shalom the worst...

 

Silly little me, had I been conscience of HKB"H all this time, standing there and waiting for me to grab his hand, I would have never gotten into this addiction but rather whenever the temptation would have come my way, I'd simply reach out to him and hold on for support, but now it too late and I have to be taught to stop thinking that I could cross the street by myself.   

 

BUT, I will keep on reaching out for his hand because I know he won't leave leave me by the side walk  and he definitely doesn't want to see me get hit and fall down again

NO COMES IN IF I DONT LET

Anecdote "No One Comes Inside If I Don't Let" By "Tomim" on the forum: Many years ago in Russia, a chossid once complained to his Rebbe that he was having difficulty maintaining control of his eyes and thoughts, and he requested from his Rebbe a lesson that could perhaps help. The Rebbe did not respond to his question. Instead, he was sent to visit the house of another chossid at the outskirts of town. The chossid did as he was told, and began looking for the house he was sent to. It was in the dead of winter, and he was faced with ferocious cold. By the time he had arrived, he could  bare it no more. He quickly ran towards the house and pounded loudly on the door. From inside the house came a sound of an old man's voice. "Who's there?" he said. In response came, "It's Yankle", and he began to explain his his purpose for the visit. Still, the door was not opened.   After some time passed, feeling ignored, the chossid pounded on the door once again, only this time, much louder than before. Again, through the door came the voice of the old man: "who is it?". The chossid repeated his name and once again mentioned his reason for coming. Still, nothing! He wasn't let into the house. This repeated itself over and over several times, till, cold, confused and with nowhere to go, the chossid cuddled up on the doorstep of the house and went to sleep. Early the next morning, the old man, greeting the chossid with a smile, opened the door and welcomed him inside. The chossid angrily shouted out at him: "Didn't you hear me banging on your door yesterday?! Why didn't you open your door when you first heard me?!" The old man smiled and calmly replied: "I'm the baal habayis here. No-one comes inside if I don't let!"

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From Rebbe Shlomo Carlebach Z"L

Sayings of the Day

From Rebbe Shlomo Carlebach Z"L

 

1. To go beyond my mind, I wear a yamulka. G-d spoke to us; we are connected to that which is above - I can literally reach above my head.
 
2. Neshama (soul) comes from the word noshem, to breath. What is the closest to life I get? When I breathe; the breath is always new. A neshama-person is always new, every second.
 
3. Doing an aveira is bad, but feeling guilty is evil, because guilt kills the spirit. 
 
4. You know what G-d showed us when He gave us the Torah on Mount Sinai?  That Heaven and earth are so close!

Click here for the "Bardichev" Niggun Sung by Rav Shlomo.

G-d is in your hearts my sweetest brothers. Gevald!

Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.

 

Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.