Acrobats - Real Talent at TYS

awsome shabbos at the friedmans in pomona

Some more pictures of Yishiva life

This coming Thursday (Tes Kislev) is the birthday and Yortzeit of the Mitler Rebbe Rabbi Dov Ber the second Chabad Rebbe. Like his Father The Alter Rebbe He was arrested and imprisoned for spreading yidishkite and chassidus. He was released from prison on Yud Kislev the day after his birthday and passing. In actuality this is an even greater reason for celebration than yud tes kislev(the day the Alter Rebbe was released from his imprisonment) because the Mitler Rebbe revealed chassidus in a much more expounded way then the Alter Rebbe, when he was arrested the chassidim understood that the heavenly court would not allow so much chassidus to be revealed and he was therefore imprisoned in this world, however when he was released it was made known to all that the heavenly courts have now permitted the spreading of chassidus without any limitation, this is a reason for major celebration and i guess it is hashkacha protis that it is thanksgiving on that day this year. Another very special thing about Tes Kislev is that it is the birthday and passing of the Mittler Rebbe very few Tzadikim pass away on their birthday and it is a sign that their service to hashem permeated their entire physical being to the point that their day of passing is on the same day as their birth to show completion. Moshiach Now!

KInnus time lapse

The Banquet, 5770 - Setup Time Lapse from Jewish Educational Media on Vimeo.

Some more pictures

Just wow!

Faithful and Fortified Volume 1 from Jewish Educational Media on Vimeo.

Thought for the week: the past-present-future of the soul

I wanted to let you in on a thought developed by Eiton Binstock - a star student in my Chassidus shiur. We were learning that the neshama is so much part of Hashem, that it is compared to a son coming from the father; where both have the exact same "DNA", the same powers and attitudes towards life. Therefore, the neshama as well has a "miniature" of Hashem's powers - which is why a person can bring the dead back to life (as did many Tannaim), split water (Pinchas Ben Ya'ir), and a whole host of other things - provided that the person allows the neshama to run the show. But how about the ability of Hashem to be Hayah, Hoveh, Viyiheye - past, present and future all at once? Where in the neshama does that exist?
The answer is simple - but powerful. A person may feel that whatever he has done in the past is finished and done - and that he can't change it. Obviously there can be improvement for the future, but the harm has been done. But that's not the neshama. Tanya says that even as the person sins, his neshama remains pure. Why? The neshama cannot be judged just by the past and present - but by its potential for the future. If, at one point in time, the neshama will do teshuva and be purified, than retroactively, it has never done any sin - because at the time the person has done the sin, he is existing in the future, where he is purified from sin.
Remember - keep smiling!!

welcome

This is a blog about Tiferes Shmuel as you can probably tell from the tittle. we are a program that is dedicated to providing a place for teenagers to express themselves and receive guidance towards a better future.

Some random pictures from day to day.

weekly dvar torah

This weeks Torah portion begins with the story of Sarah, (Avraham's wife) passing away. She died in Kiryat Arba, which is in Chevron. Avraham returns home to mourn her death, and to eulogize her.

In the Zohar (the original Kabalistic text) it teaches us that Avraham is referred  to as the soul of a Jew, while Sara is referred to as the physical body. When the Torah tells us that Sarah died, it is saying that the physical body died. But the soul lives on, even after the body is gone. Therefore Avaraham, the soul, cried over the fact that Sarah, the body, died.

The place where she died holds significance as well. Kiryat Arba, which in Hebrew means four, refers to the four elements which make up the body: fire, water, wind, and earth.

Now we have a question: in an earlier verse it states that G-d told Avaraham that he must obey everything Sarah tells him to do. Seemingly though, if the soul is greater than the body, why then would Avraham, the soul, be obligated to listen to the body?  Shouldn't it be the other way around?

We will understand this after explaining a verse in the Torah portion of Mishpotim. The verse says, that when you see the donkey of your enemy falling under its heavy load, you are commanded to help it, and work with it, even if you wish to refrain from offering assistance. 

The baal Shem Tov explains it as follows: The Hebrew word for donkey is Chamor. It can also be read as Chomer, which means reflection. When a person will see his reflection (chomer), meaning when you will take a look inside yourself, you will realize that you are your own enemy. Our purpose on this earth is to do good, to fulfill the mitzvot. But sometimes, for whatever reason, we give in to our evil inclination, and we find ourselves sinning. The reason for this is because you won't allow yourself to do good. You hold back, because right now you just want to have fun, enjoy the physical world.

Consequentially, you realize that in life you are falling under your load. The load here refers to learning Torah, and doing Mitzvot  which a Jew is obligated to do. You feel like it’s to much to handle, so you despair. You give up, decide that you might as well forget about trying, because it is too hard for you. You don't want to work with it, you would much rather break it, or neglect it altogether. Be it through fasting or pain, anything rather then facing the issue and working with it.

The verse comes to tell you, no!! You are meant to work WITH IT. Don't ignore it. Work with the gashmiyut (physicality) and turn it over to spirituality. Even though it’s harder and more time consuming, you still need to work with it. Because the body, which is falling under the heavy load, can get to an infinitely higher level then the soul can. The soul needs the bodies help, in order to go higher in it's avodah.

Here's the answer to our question of why the soul was commanded to listen to the body, This is also the reason why Abraham the soul, came to cry for Sarah. The body, in essence, is higher then the soul. The soul recognizes this, which is why the soul is willing to come down to this world in the first place. It knows that within the body it can reach a much higher place then it can ever hope to attain on its own. When the soul is commanded to listen to the body it is because the body is really greater, and can bring the soul to higher levels which were previously unattainable. In addition, this explains why Abraham came to cry, because now that the body is gone the soul can no longer reach any higher.

The lesson from all of this is, that now while we are still alive with our souls in our bodies use THE TIME WISELY. Don't forget that the more we work with our physical body, the higher spiritual plains we can reach. Use it, don't abuse it.

Good Shabbos, from your Shliach Levi Hertzel

Inspiration

Menachem Mendel F

Yankys Speech At the Wilkes-Barre Dinner

בס"ד

Wilkes-Barre Alumni Dinner

Good evening, my name is Yanky Jacobs. I am an alumni and returnee of the Bais Menachem family. Every person has their own journey in life – and it may take many travels. Mine, from my home town Cleveland Ohio to my current shlichus in Lakewood New Jersey – happened to take an interesting, and most deciding twist, when the journey went through Wilkes-Barre. There, I saw and learned a newer and fresher approach to life.

In the world out there, the image of G-d and Judaism that is being taught is not one that appeals to all children. At best, it is misunderstood many times. There is a story about a very religious elementary school, where the children were lined up for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The rabbi made a note, and posted on the apple tray, "Take only one. God is watching." Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies. One child whispered to another, "Take all you want. God is busy watching the apples." Many teenagers feel that the whole G-d thing is oppressive, something to hide from, or easier, to deny.

But it is also in the teenage years, that we all come to look at ourselves in a real, true way. As teenagers, many see a definite hypocrisy – they do wrong things and they are not able to control themselves; so how could they view themselves as observant, committed people?

The answer is in a view that Bais Menachem has taught me, and shows the correct approach to dealing with our own issues, and influencing those around us. And that is, that in fact, we are not influenced by only one way of thinking. As the Alter Rebbe teaches in Tanya, that every Jew has two neshamos – two souls: the nefesh Elokis, the soul purely dedicated to serving Hashem, and another, the nefesh habahamis, which has only instinctive, selfish desires. The earthly desires of the nefesh habahamis, thought they come from us, do not limit or define us. Even if one has machshavos zaros, this in no way means that he is a done deal, that the good side of him does not exist, and will never be able to conquer. In fact, the harder a struggle one has, the more opportunity for growth. And these boys – the ones with the powerful struggle and the unlimited potential – are exactly the ones that come to Wilkes Barre to discover it.

Boys with such struggles have existed in every generation. R Mendel Futerfas, who taught in the dark times of the Russian oppression, loved these boys very much. He relates that in Lubavitch there were these 3 boys who were called the “corridor boys”- as that’s where these boys were mostly found. Instead of memorizing what they were learning, they were busy memorizing the ins and outs of all the hallways in their school. Once, a big fire broke out and was spreading quickly across the school. The situation was dangerous and everyone needed to be evacuated immediately. Everyone broke out into a panic as no one knew where to run. Quickly the 3 “corridor boys” piped up and showed everyone to a back exit of the building. It led to a courtyard that was surrounded by big walls. Then 2 of them proceeded to throw their third friend over the wall and started passing the rest of the school over the wall to him. As it came down to the last few students, the burning flames neared closer and closer. Finally it was down to just the 2 of them and one quickly grabbed his friend and threw him over the wall, but there was no one left to throw the last one over the wall. He perished in the fire. These were the corridor boys.

Recently I was speaking with my mother and she reminded me – it must have been the first time I came back from Wilkes (around the age of 15) –that I had told her that if I ever opened a school in life, it would be like Bais Menachem. Why? Because there they show great love for each student as an individual, and give respect to each of them, realizing that the students have as much a holy mission as the staff themselves.

When I came to Wilkes Barre at fifteen, I saw a staff dedicated to showing their students the beauty and power of Judaism and the beauty and power of their own souls. Through seeing the selfless devotion that Uri, Mendy, Dovid, Pinyeh, all the shluchim and the entire Bais Menachem family have, I developed within myself a love and a feeling for something which I felt none or minimal connection to beforehand.

I like many other boys that came, took this empowerment and used it practically in my own life. Not only did this have such a deep impact that I decided to come back as an older bachur and a Shliach, but it gave me the motivation and the strength continue on to run a yeshiva in Lakewood, with the help and the guidance of the Bais Menachem staff, for the 14 and 15 year old “corridor boys” who find themselves walking the same path as I once found myself and was guided through so loving and caringly.

Somewhere within each and every one of us there lies a corridor boy, who is our driving force to fight and overcome our everyday battles. With Bais Menachem, and the lessons we can take in our own lives of focusing and empowering the good inside ourselves, and recognizing the beauty of our Yiddishkeit, we can truly have the power to fulfill the mission of our Rebbe to bring Moshiach Tzidkeinu immediately, and then we will merit to see with our physical eyes, the Rebbe lead us once again

ונזכה זעען זיך מיטן רבי'ן דא למטה...והוא יגלנו.......לחיים

survival skills

moe showing us how to hide!!!

Ritas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

moe camo from tiferes shmuel on Vimeo.

bochur explaining why he likes ritas.

the kitchen

yanky driving to cherry hill!!!!!!

Some random pictures of the day to day happening in the Yishiva

Test

welcome

welcome to the newly created tiferes shmuel blog. this is a place where you will get updates on the things happening at the yeshiva. we hope to get some of the students and staff to write post for it. there will be pictures updated regularly and video as well. i hope to have a dvar torah up every friday written by either a staff member or a student maybe even both.