zach shvat bday story

BS"D

once upon a tale where was an old world inventor who set
out to built his own hot balloon.

After months of toil, as he was finally putting his contraption
together, a local simpleton happened upon him and asked what
he was doing. "I'm going to fly!" the inventor said enthusiastically.
Filled with awe, the townsman asked the inventor if he could
join him on his trip.

The inventor was taken aback by the request. He was about to
refuse and then a though occurred to him. "Imagine his expression
when this balloon takes off!" So the inventor consented.

Soon the ballon came to life as the furnace heated the air inside.
The townsman awkwardly climbed into the large basked. He stood
frozen to this place as the mammoth ball on top of them shook
the whole contraption. Then the basked suddenly started lifting off
the ground. Paralyzed with fear, the simpleton grasped onto the
side of the basket for his life.

It wasn't long before they were soaring above the countryside.
Mesmerized, the simpleton couldn't unglue his eyes from the
breathtaking view above which they precariously dangled.

Which was why he was the first to realize that the balloon was
quickly sinking into the forest.
"Mister...Sir...um...we're falling!"
"Nonsence!" the inventor siad. He peered over just to be sure and
saw the tree tops approaching them dangerously. "oh, my!" he excaimed.
"Wh...what's happening?" the simpleton asked.
"Well," the inventor explained, "the air inside the balloon is cooling off."
"I will simply heet up the air again" the inventor said confidently.
But, the reality hit him. There was no more gas left.
The simpleton didn't exactly know what this meant, but he knew it
wasn't good news.
"Is there anything else we can do? the simpleton asked.
"Well, actually there is. If we throw out our belongings then we will
be able to start rising again."
"Throw our belongings out? But what can we get rid of...? We need
everything we have!"
"First we must throw over the heavy items, like extra food and water,
and the pots and pans. If that's not sufficient, then we will have to drop
everything we don't need to survive-even our valuables."
"Our valuables?! There must be another way!"
"I am very sorry, but there is no other way," the inventor insisted.
The simpleton did a quick inventory of all his possessions. Then he
glanced upward at the huge balloon over their heads. He had the
solution!
"Wait, I have an idea!" he exclaimed. "What do we need this heavy
balloon on top of us for? Let's cut the strings and then we we'll able
to keep our possessions and continue in peace!"

A person is a combination of both the physical and spiritual. While
we live in the physical world below, we are carried along through
this world by our connection to our spiritual part above.
At times though, that spiritual part which keeps us elevated
can become cold. The result is that we begin to fall. In order to hold
on to our spirituality and remain uplifted, we must let go of some of
the physicality which is weighing us down. Unfortunately, though,
sometimes we don't understand that this is the solution. Instead, when
we feel 'down' we let go of our connection to our spiritual part
and cling onto more and more physicality. This only drives us down further.

Clearly this is not the correct way.

It is known that chassidut warms the spirit. May the fire of pnimiyut
Torah and more so the tales of of the besht and his disciples, help us
continue rising and never becoming cold.

from-a neverending tale by Gadi Pollack

what i am

one

shalhevet

type poetry

from my inbox

Thank you for your response. I apologize for the delay
and not relating specifically to the different requests
& questions due to thetremendous amount of e mails.

The name of your partner to daven and learn for is
CHAIM BEN YAEL
ITAMAR BEN RACHEL
OVIR BEN LEAH

Also please don't forget to have in mind the kidnapped
soldier, Gilad ben Aviva. It is most impressive to receive
thousands of responses manifesting the tremendous love
of Klall Yisrael for Torah and Eretz Yizroel.

In the Zechus of Yisroel Arevim Ze Loze May Hashem
bring Moshiyach very soon.

Yanki Schneck
Assistant of Chief Rabbi of Rehovot

you

BS"D

as i'm walking through the lines
to analyze the vibes
and put them into rhymes
dis-sect the words
make it into a sword
to slice away the bull
here i never been before
u lost?
let me play it slow
you should know
as a girl i sure don't throw
the way you performed last night
doesn't become you at all
that was low class kid how dare you so
immersed,
fingers moving fast
faster than the train while your locks
swing this way and that
just like that?
so engrossed
your world called 'self'
got u you caught in a stormy web
www.how to successfully ignore
me
beside you
yeah i am typing too
damn right my piece has a face
slicha while i apologize and give you space
the sound of the adriatic doesn't make you sway?
why you can't hear me say?
my gaze
found comfort resting there
again screaming for help
green kicks laced
on the ground
untangle myself from the bound
of this train ride
sound
so mute
how could you
silence my presence repressed
not impressed
got nothing to say while we go to the same place?
was it too many questions i asked to find the way?
was it that i asked the man to come hear you play?
leave me there
while you walk away?
who are you?
spiritual heart surgery that came from you
to be present to gdliness yeah that too
so sensitive to creation that i told you
the man sitting next to me-nah son i don't know you
stay finding yourself kid you falling deep
mambo jambo therapy putting you to sleep
'i am on a new level now yeah hear me speak'
'got new sound, new band yeah'
maspik!
treating people like .........?
lost your grip kid
polluted, uprooted
Gd forbid
it makes me sick
to see you up on screen
while you do your shtick
singing about Hashem
while another yid got dissed?
where is truth in this?
you can go back to your blackberry now,
you are dismissed
letting out a sigh with a piercing wish
for moshiach to come now and reveal this
and that
and that
and that
and bring the geula!

nittel nacht 2?

BS"D

coming back from bellevue
met with charlie on kingston
asked me what's my name where i live
here and there i forget
moved so many times
what's this?
piece of paper he is giving sayin really
june 17 is when jashka was born
how is this my concern?
oh so he tells me then there are 2 nittel nachts?
how can that be? the rebbe would have told us
something before no?
well, then, the gentiles were not ready
it wasn't the time
so now is? i guess.....
the man always leaves me pondering.....

Bamidbar in Motion

BS"D

motzei shabbat as i walk down crown
so much transpired how to write it down
message of the rebbe flowing through my mind
become a vessel, fill it up with light
reveal your essence then it's not a fight
to find your mission
just
be light
be light
and i sigh
friendly face encounter as i say hi
door opens and the words formalize
six foot reggae sensation materialized
boo-ju you hollared my destination reached an end
then you said
"did you meet my friend?"
why hello rabbi,
no i am not shy
used to be far
just like that his music sent me on a
lech lecha
here and there, is where i am from
what's important is where we go
yira-shalem-complete awe
love it how you sat back and absorbed it all
don't think i ever saw you like this before
being so present to creation you have this awe
yasher koach to you m
yeah, let them peyos grow...

Thank You South Africa

BS"D

"the way the sunlight hit the leaves it really caught my eye..."
those where the word sung by a friend of mine that helped me
understand and live what it means to see and hear the environment
and how it speaks to us, helping us in our service to the Aibishter

the alchemist talks about how everything needs to be honored
everything in creation is speaking to us, and we can tune into
that language and comprehend, respond even

it was shabbat, the first one after pesach, as i found myself
in the company of two sweet south african friends, walking along
crown street. i have yet to get into the meaning of it all, but
it is not a coincidence that we live in the highest sfira,
keter elyone
(lo mikre shares the same letters as rak me HaShem)
so here we are, three girls on crown street, dressed shabbat like
three girls, 6 heels
laughing, well mainly joking at miss r, when 6 heels became well 5
there is not much one can do when all of a sudden you find
your most comfortable heel boots, well, heel less - on shabbat!

well this girl, kicks her shoulder back, straightens her back
continues walking, very well balanced, as if nothing broke indeed.

often times we experience moments where just like that, something
goes off, HaShem throws us a curve ball, you find yourself caught
off guard, thrown off....

what does a yid do?

head held high

shoulder back

keep on walking...

hm,, this sounds very familiar to me now....

http://www.algemeiner.com/generic.asp?id=461

Talmud

BS"D

Hashem rewards a person for each and every step
he takes as he walks to shul.

Talmud - Sotah 22a

Conversation with the Flying Rabbi :: Part One

BS"D

maamar tetzaveh in one hand basking in the sun, waiting for the bus

from spoons comes flying out the rabbi

he stops, looks at me, comes closer and says:

forgive for saying this, did i see you before? in yerushalayim? tzfat?

yechi hamelech. i saw you at the record store down the block i tell him

did you get a cd from me? i speak about the lubavitcher rebbe

no i didn't, but you should know you are famous.

ah, don't say those things to me....

yeah, you are on you tube.

(he turns around)

and you are on the ny times

(he raises his hands puts them on his head, walks away)

ppl are looking.

maamar still in my hand

walks back to me, and says:

i shouldn't be starring, you know ppl think all kinds
of stuff, especially since i am talking to a beautiful
yound lady...i shouldn't be looking....you know ppl
here drive their cars, they look at me and think

what that you are crazy?

(he stops talking, looks at me and walks away)

then he comes back and ask me-what are you reading?

a maamar.

(he puts his hands on his head, walks in spoons and comes
back out again)

i want be married.

good, you should get married.

i was married in israel, she was 22 years younger than me....

nu what are you doing here? go back to israel!

yeah? you think i should? i am saving up some money, i want to get married...

a spoon employee walks back in from his brake upon
hearing this starts laughing, our dear rabbi starts laughing
too and takes it back and says---well, not right now....

why not i tell him, if you want to get married so badly
then you should say, i want to get married now! mamash now!
like we should say we want moshiach now!

ppl looking.

maamar still in hand.

flying rabbi flies back in spoons

then of course he comes back out

so i tell him, why don't you write to the rebbe.

in igros?

yes, ask for a brocha and tell the rebbe - this is what
i will do in return; you have to become a keli...

become a vesel...

yes, take something upon yourself and stick to it.

like what?

dunno. maybe you learn a perek of tanya a day, or put
tfillin everyday. choose something and keep to it.

he's thinking.
then he flys away.

the whole time he was flying in and out, he would look at
the floor or to the side, but never directly, well only at
the first encounter. he also felt like he was distracting
me from the maamar i was reading, like he didn't want to
bother me too much. which i found almost touching in
contrast to his 'wild enthusiastic' self.

what i was going over in the maamar was on the sfira of
tiferes-beauty, how the rebbe reveals in us the eztem of
our soul thus connecting us to the Aibishter, this in fact
is the role of moshe rabbeinu and more so connecting the
yidden to one another.
rabbi ginsberg elucidates how the essential point of the
maamar is the unification of the jewish ppl - where each
soul finds his/her unique voice and yet sings in harmony
with other voices.

as he flew away the last time blond peyos and all, he asks:

at least can i know your name?

Daughter of G-d.

Orah Project

BS"D
they asked me to help out with the flyer
this what i came up with.
tell your friends about these 2 days and
Bezrat Hashem raise some funds.

3 Train

BS"D

mind heavy with images snapped during the day
pieces or fragments trying to rearrange themselves
hopefully filling up this white space with cohesive
sentences more to say on this net superhighway
as i am back on this moving 3 train,
blue siddur in one hand trying to elevate the space & myself
yeah i wanna transcend
reality aint about counting dimes
reason i write this because chazal tell us to live with the times
brake through the new york frame of mind
as i am back to the hebrew letters in this sefer of mine
despite the white, black, yellow faces starring with intent
puzzlement and bewilderment with no end
as he took a seat next to me whispering words cutting
through the tense
gaze
as they are trying to comprehend what is going on here
it doesn't makes sense
everything he is uttering is leaving them impressed
with words and hand movements of snapping kids necks,
and 911 deaths
yeah i was a troop they sent
to iraq in the conquest
why they got rid of JFK and the black power theft
and they didn't tell you, yeah you are next
i hope you rot to .....
little girl crying she is scared to .......
her brother starts hollering -
yo you best stop, cut it out son, i ain't fun!
uneasy feeling lingering in the air
first i thought he is just whatever,
it's a new york city train
no one dared move or make a gesture to offend
trembling sized my fingers, as he moved away one chair,
this guy is for real he ain't playing games
but i continued with my best defense to purify the air
next in line was the tfilla Shma Yisroel
i am a yid don't you know i was put here to stay
though this is not the way i intended to start my day
funny how many things can infiltrate and violate your space
on this new york city train
leaving you with the impression that the world is going insane
reality for me is olam haba thru olam haze

From the Office::Part One

BS"D

just one of the conversations that took
place at work today....at the moment i am
the only chabadnick here...rebbe's shlucha...
more to come....

my colleague said::
I went to a new Chabad class series last night.
Six classes every Tuesday night. It was good, but
Chabad classes really take on a very different slant
than regular shiurim. Its very spiritual, and
"otherwordly" etc. You have to really go for that line
of thinking. But its good.

my response::
from my own experience even if i don't
understand everything at least its like a
seed that is planted that eventually with
more learning and Torah watering it will grow.


chassidus has a way to take a pasuk in
the Tanach and take that with you so when
you step out of the house it becomes a
torch, or a candle, lightouse even, shedding
a new meaning to one's life and surrounding

its like when you go watch a 3D movie
and they give you those special glasses,
all of a sudden everything
is shown to you in a more real way

its like if you look at a tree when
the clouds cover it you wouldnt even
notice anything, but once a sunlight
shines light on those leaves, all of
a sudden the tree assumes a different
meaning, then you start paying attention
to how the leaves are glistening, and
you may even gaze at it longer and
appreciate its beauty,

chassidus has a way of recapturing
that curiosity and innocence towards
life that we had once as a youth
as children even, or i should say while
the mainstream runs after plastic
suregry to stay youthful, we have
chassidus that feeds our ever youthful
neshama - lol

it says that we are called bnai yisroel
after yaakov avinu
why not bnai avraham, or bnai yitzhak?
what was the story with yaakov?
all his children were perfect so to speak
with avraham and yitzhak there was a
good son-bad son business,
ishmael and yitzhak, yaakov and esav
right?
so from yaakov avinu we get the 12 tribes=klal yisroel
so all of yaakov children were holy
because the most natural thing for a yid is to be holy
to be immersed in kedusha
and it wasn't until yosef hatzaddik and
later re introduced at Matan Torah
that we can be involved in the gashmiyut
and blend it with the ruchniyut - we can
be in the world and be holy - we can
be involved in the business and remain -
be - kedusha we are spiritual. all of us.

otherworldy yeah, the world that we will
eventually live with the coming of Moshiach.
what chassidus gives us is a preview sneep peek,
you know....like at the movies....

often i tell ppl life is like that movie Truman Show
you've seen it?
and we all know who the Big Boss is.....

her response::
Beautifully written. You should take my job.
I see what you are saying, and
it is an interesting perspective. Perhaps
I will try to view the class in that light.

Nisht tzniyus kinderlach!

BS"D

11:am truly woke me up.
well for a little bit.
sundy allways tuggs at me why aren't i alert

rabbi paltiel teaching a maamar at chabad central
explaining how all the maamarim are actually all
from the alter rebbe, then suddenly something
made him press that stop recording button and
started registering this in my brain.

the benches on the third shul were all occupied
by hungry crown heights women and shluchos from all
over who came in town for the kinus
the benches by the rebbe's room were quiet empty
with the motion of his hands rabbi paltiel does
welcome ppl to come and sit in that area
BUT not just anywhere...

oh here they come
oops here they sat down
on the middle bench right behind him
not so far away and much more closer than
the rabbi liked
oh here he goes:
nisht tzniyus kinderlach!
you should be afraid of a man
granted you will marry one;
he steps away from them as the girls finally rearranged
themselves while the rabbi continued saying how
these thing should be instinctive in our part.
then he brought it down in a not so serious fashion
making a statement how he is indeed afraid of women...
as all probably know rabbi paltiel is very animated
when he speaks and very passionate especially this
day as he was saying those yiddish words.

it just made me think
how comfortable are we when it comes to tzniyus?
how comfortable are we with tzniyus?
am i so comfortable that i don't even blush when i
am in such vicinity of a chareidi man?
a man?
am i so comfortable that vicinity is not a big deal?
(and i am not talking about rush hour on the 3 train.)

.....
midnight i walked home on crown street, a cop apparently
stationed around that area for the kinus walking toward
my way, almost scary looking he was mamash bundled up
all the way. but i kept my head lowered and he said
something to me, through his ski mask cap sounded like-hello-
it's not a brainer really
but what rabbi paltiel said rang so sweet in my ears

Shabbat Shira

BS"D

sing through life
despite
what you may perceive aint right
day and night
trapped in a vision blurred by the sight
of what the world says is right
can't move but you wanna fight
heavy sigh
pushing away the few rays of light
left and right
with all my might
i raise these fists
shatter the cold fright
fragments rearranging
intriguing me to write
make it right!
tune in to the sound of life
or melody
with these notes high and low
ancient song
rushing through these veins of mine
searching to find
as i
exercise my soul
reminding me of something old
yeah watch me grow
as i spread my wings
to the
depths of my core
watch me soar
with this niggun so whole
or holy
worldess chant can
reveal that which words cant
yes you can
breake down the wall
you see life for me is a flow
even that stroll
can elevate the cold
and mold the concrete floor
thats why the neshama made that journey for
down here to transform
the noise into song
my music sheet is the blueprint of the world
but even more
than what i am hungry for
is to
praise the L-rd as i feed another soul
love is not a one size fits all
may our tfilla soar
lift it up
lift it up
lift it up
yeah thanks mat for that
even when the notes are low
i must know
One who holds me down
at all times
Ribbono Shel Olam

Poetry in Motion

BS"D

like the black letters staring back
i attack
as i write
trying to clear the mind despite
heavy fog resting taking its time
i rewind trying to unwind
all the while sweet music creeping in
as i peep,
tzit tzit so discreet
please sit down you may have a seat
wish i can sing so sweet
but it is neat the way the words are
intertwined so deep
going back to the roots
pushing through the thick concrete
breaking through
i am trying to
oh yeah i forgot about the discreet
question
taking me by surprise
while i am being analyzed
at that time
my mind found rest on the face
hunting me from behind
all the time,
couldn't figure out why
would he say hi
on this crowded train
is he allright?
as i blush try to respond and stay
calm whith that image still in my mind
why at this time would you appear
is it not clear?
mazal tov does not belong here
though it is something i hold dear
still not following what is happening here
nor do i care
i declare
Yulia is not my name
interruption by the moving train
wishing i had a sefer to hide away
but you got off and that was all
until you greeted me with another hello!
hiding again by the books
much time passed not the same
diving in the sea of pain
heavy fog still lingering as you
brought up
something else?
how we met?
i forget
your name is zev?
nice to meet ya
give you props for being so
nonchalant
perhaps i will see you around
though not for me,
Hashem has big plans don't you see?
it must have been the new coat on me
pardon me
as i retreat
fingers going through the volumes to read
wishing this splitting ache would recede
as this journey continues for me
who knows what the next stop will be
please G-d
let it be
as we are all parked in 770
and all over
standing tall
but not thanks to me
singing loud
we want Moshiach now!

Mazal Tov to Mazal Tov

BS"D

eastern parkway welcomed me with the most moving
chasidishe melody recognized almost immediately as
i was leaving the subway stairs leaving with it behind
the monotone 9-5, emerging out into the night life
of crown heights.

ah, that niggun
there is something about that niggun
different pulse beating here
beating within

though i was freezing cold, did not want to detach
myself from the chupa. as we heard the mazal tov
the chassidim just burst into a dance.

night life of crown heights
different rhythm beating here
stirring something within as i'm watching the tzitzit
flying, thinking how there is just something out of this
world by seeing a chasid dance.

kingston av greeted me with a british accent complimets
of mr. yonatan:

did you like it?

um, did i like what?

the chupa!

oh, yea it was beautiful (yonatan is our sound guy in ch)

did you find another one?

(no ums on this one) no, not yet. (yonatan went up to
this bochur i liked and just asked his name since i really
really wanted to know...long story)

well, hurry up and find another one so i can make
a chupa for you too!

Bezrat Hashem.

carried those words with me to crown street
smiling,
there are some very good souls here that somehow
care about me, and that love is truly humbling.

getting ready for the chasana

feeling something different

as if it is my wedding i am getting ready for

even my walk was different, like a dance

it must be the kedusha from oholei torah

president street
encounter with the familiar, again
recognized him, right away, cannot comprehend
even in the dark, even across the street, even then
and my heart just ached
but i straightened by back
and lowered my head
and i am just saying - Mazal Tov

maariv in 770
feeling something different
or it was more of a knowing
that i am mamash benched
knowing, one day this will be me

oholei torah
the kallah simply radiant
ah, i know where the kedusha waves came from
my first wedding actually
danced all night
just didnt want to stop

then almost instinctively
i desired to watch the chassidim dance
grabbed the hand of my south african friend
telling her let's go and have a look
standing by the corner slightly hiding
shy'ly behind the mechitza
encounter with the familiar
my hands were almost trembling
my heart felt like it was buzzing
and i am just saying - Mazal Tov

so i grabbed my friends hands
south africa and the balkan beat box
going for a spin

shaking of south africa
once and again
with my back erect
and my head held high
dancing to the rythm of

freedom....

Rosh Chodesh, Pharaoh & Mayonnaise

BS"D

what happens when you try to mix oil
and vinegar together?
not a lot of action huh?
but when you throw an egg into the mix?
we see how this element fuses these
seemingly opposite ingredients.

.........
Bo

HaShem tells moshe,

come, not go

but come with ME to pharaoh

it wasn't about confronting pharaoh

but Bo

come inside,

enter,

room after room,

penetrate the inner essence of the thing
..........

excuse me are you jewish?
chabad classic eh?
equiped with lchaims and shabbat candels we
just slide in, mixing right in into someone
elses life just like that...

ah, its the mayo.....