Does Man Belong To Nature, Or Does Nature Belong To Man?

 

The Biblical Environmentalist

Lush green grass, tall trees and fresh streams framed our journey through God's perfect nature. Sunlight filtered through the overhanging brush, creating patterns on a pine-needle carpet that was rich with activity and teeming with life.

Nature's beauty, unbridled and uncapped, radiated in pristine glory. Untouched by human hand and filled to overflow with insects, birds and wildlife, it was simply a paradise on earth. The animals knew it and we knew it too. We were frolicking in God's own playground.

If only all of the world could be so preserved. If only our planet could become one large conservation. Alas, that cannot be. For humanity to survive we must disturb nature's delicate little petals. We cannot build homes without felling trees. We cannot farm land without turning over soil. We cannot eat without disturbing animal and vegetation.

The Contemporary Question

How much should be disturbed and how much should be preserved? That is the contemporary debate. Should we rob the environment to feed our appetites? Should we deplete our resources to serve unending and unnecessary needs? Should we uproot forests and supplant deserts to make space for suburban development?

The developer says, yes. Growing populations require housing even if it encroaches on the environment. Sprawling population centers require goods and services even if it encroaches on the environment. Despite the cost, humanity's needs must come first.

The environmentalist disagrees. "Leave God's nature alone," he says. Revel in its pristine glory, enjoy its enchanting beauty and cherish its peaceful serenity. If we don't learn to protect and enjoy our environment today, it won't be here to serve us tomorrow.

Whichever way we turn we are forced to choose. For humanity to thrive, the environment must pay a price. For the environment to thrive, humanity must pay a price. In its final form the question is, does man belong to nature or does nature belong to man?

The religious answer is, neither. Both belong to God.

A Hybrid Opinion

In his Monumental work, Horeb, Samson Raphael Hirsh argued that mankind is summoned by God to govern his created earth and to fashion all things in our environment to our own purposes; the earth for habitation, plant and animal for food and clothing.

We are permitted to rule over the world for the six weekdays. On the seventh day, however, we are forbidden, at divine behest, to fashion anything into an instrument of human service. In this way we acknowledge that we have no ownership or authority over the world. Nothing may be dealt with as we please, for everything belongs to God.

R'i Hirsch drafts opposing arguments into his hybrid philosophy. The developer claims humanity's dominion over nature and R' Hirsch grants that dominion. The environmentalist argues that we have no right of ownership over nature and R' Hirsch grants that point as well.

Within these parameters mankind is entitled to inhabit the planet and to utilize its resources as necessary. However, unnecessary destruction of any kind, even picking a leaf from its branch without reason, is a crime against nature and forbidden by God. [Lazer Gurkow]

Why Did God Create Evil And What Purpose Does It Serve?

Good Or Evil - Who Decides?


Perfection Does Not Come Easily
Our sages taught that God created the world out of sheer benevolence. He wanted to bestow goodness upon humanity. Because He is perfect He wanted to bestow perfect goodness. In other words, God wanted to bestow Himself.

He could have made a perfect world with people who emulate their Creator perfectly. But such people would have been a poor emulation of God. They would not have been inherently good; their goodness would have been bestowed from Above. It would have been a borrowed perfection.

Thus God created a world in which goodness and evil are equal options, and He  created humanity with the freedom to choose. Our penchant for goodness is not greater than our proclivity for evil; we are evenly balanced. If we want to embrace goodness we must make a choice, and choices reflect who we are. We are not forced into goodness by powers beyond ourselves. We are moved by our choice, by an inner conviction that goodness is right. This inner resolve reflects the goodness within our souls and comes as close as humanity can possibly come to being inherently good.

God did not create evil so that we could indulge it, but so that we could avoid it. If evil did not exist, choosing against it would not be possible, and perfection would slip from our grasp. That evil is a viable option makes it possible for us to choose against it and affirm our inherent goodness.

A Home for God
Our sages taught that God desired a dwelling place in the lower realm. In spiritual terms, that which perceives itself as closer to God is higher, that which sees itself further from God is lower. The lowest realm is where God is completely unknown and unseen. Where God is absent, as it were, evil exists. Yet it was here, in the midst of a world filled with (potential) evil that God wants us to build a dwelling place for Him.

A dwelling place is where a person feels at home. A dwelling reflects the interests and comforts of the person who lives there. God wants us to transform this lowest realm, this evil-prone and most un-Godly place, as it were, into a dwelling place for Him—a sacred environment where goodness and morality are practiced and where His Commandments drive our choices.

This desire for transformation can only play out in a lower realm. By definition this means a place where sanctity is unknown, where goodness is not compelling and where evil is possible. If this were not a lower realm, God's desire for an abode in a lower realm could not have had been fulfilled here.

God thus created evil. Not so that humanity would choose it, but so that humanity could choose it. Could, but hopefully wouldn't. Inevitably some would fail and choose evil; a lower realm makes immoral behavior possible. But God also knew that not everyone would gravitate to evil. Most of humanity would be upright; they would choose ethics, morality, holiness and Godliness. In this way the lower realm would be transformed into a dwelling place for God.

Two Brothers
We now understand why Rebecca gave birth to twin brothers, one righteous the other evil. From the womb they were pitted against each other; their children locked in perpetual battle. The prophet foretold that "One nation will strive against the other [but in the end] the older [Esau] would serve the younger [Jacob]."

Esau represents evil and Jacob represents holiness. Without Esau this world is not a lower realm. Without Jacob this world cannot become an abode for God. The two are evenly matched, made to struggle against each other. But in the end, Jacob will prevail and Esau will humbly seek entry into the Divine dwelling place: "The older will serve the younger."

The day will come when humanity will transform this lower realm into a sacred dwelling place for God. On that day children will walk about without fear. No longer will children will have to shed their innocence. No longer will they fear the thief, for on that day even the thief will change his ways.

On that day humanity will be inspired by the sparkle and shine of God's holy home. Evil will be eradicated and the Messiah will finally arrive.
[Lazer Gurkow]

Leiby Kletzky's Parents Release Statement To The Public

The parents of 8-year-old Leiby Kletzky OBM  have issued a statement after the tragic loss of their son. Deeply touched by the outpouring of support that has come in from Jews and non-Jews, religious and secular alike, the Kletzky's have a message of thanks and of hope.

They urge people the world over to perform “acts of unity and loving kindness” to keep the memory of their angelic boy alive.

Published on Judaism website chabad.org Mr. and Mrs. Kletzky posted the following:

Statement by Rabbi Nachman and Itta Kletzky Parents of Leiby Kletzky, of blessed memory:

By the Grace of G‑d Tammuz 19, 5771 / July 21, 2011

The traditional seven intense days of mourning ("shiva") for our beloved Leiby are complete, but the ache in our hearts will remain forever.

We thank G‑d for the nearly nine beautiful years that He entrusted us with Leiby's pure soul. We are certain that Leiby is now looking down from heaven and blessing us all.

We would like to once again thank all our friends and neighbors; all the selfless volunteers from near and far; local, city, state, and federal agencies; and all our fellow New Yorkers and beyond who assisted us physically, emotionally, and spiritually--as well as all of G‑d's children around the world who held our dear Leiby in their thoughts and prayers.

We pray that none of you should ever have to live through what we did. But if any tragedy is to ever befall any of you, G‑d forbid, you should be blessed with a community and public as supportive as ours. We feel that through Leiby we've become family with you all.

Many of you have asked us what you can do now in Leiby's memory, and how you can help us find comfort. Looking back at Leiby's all-too-short years among us, here are a few ideas:

Acts of unity and lovingkindness. Let us perpetuate the feeling of collective responsibility and love expressed during the search for Leiby. An additional act of kindness toward your neighbor, or to those less fortunate than you, can go a long, long way toward perfecting our world. Putting a couple of coins into a charity box daily is oneway of tangibly expressing that lovingkindness.

Gratitude. Leiby deeply cherished his siddur, his prayerbook, and praying to G‑d meant the world to him. He was known by his teachers for his concentration in prayer, always being the last to finish. In Leiby's memory, when you wake up each morning take a few moments to pray and reflect and thank G‑d for giving us life ("Modeh Ani" in the prayerbook).

Light. Every Friday evening our family sits down together for Shabbat dinner to the light of the Shabbat candles. A candle shines for each of our children--and Leiby's candle will always be included. On Friday evening, please give a few coins to charity and light the candles before sunset with our beloved Leiby in mind.

Memorial fund. Together with Rabbi Binyamin Eisenberger, we have established a memorial fund to help people in dire need (www.leibykletzkymemorialfund.com), to channel the lovingkindness shown to us and our dear Leiby toward many, many others in need. We welcome your participation.

From the deepest place in our hearts, we thank you all for your help, your support and your prayers. May Leiby's soul live on as a blessing inside each and every one of you.

Sincerely, Nachman and Itta Kletzky

Official Leiby Kletzky Memorial Fund

Coping With Grief By Doing Good

Nachman & Esty Kletzky and children  have set up The Leiby Kletzky Memorial Fund to keep Leiby’s memory alive by helping others. The goal is to raise $1 million through donations. 

Your generous contribution to the Leiby Kletzky Memorial Fund will accomplish all the wonderful things that Leiby would have achieved - had he lived.

The Fund will:
* Help young orphans cope with tragedy
* Help indigent families feed their children
* Help needy children falling behind in school
* Help poor parents clothe their children in dignity
* Help critically ill young children
* Help penniless couples to marry
* Help families going through a critical time in their lives

... and much much more!

Your gift to the Leiby Kletzky Memorial Fund will mean that all the hope and promise that was lost through Leiby's death will be revived through all the kindness and generosity that will be done in his memory.

Please be generous. Please help keep the memory of Leiby Kletzky z”l alive in our hearts and mind. Forever.

The Fund will be managed by Leiby's parents, Nachman and Esther Kletzky, who will oversee distribution of funds along with their esteemed  Rabbi Binyomin Eisenberger shlit"a.

The Leiby Kletzky Memorial Fund has been established under a  recognized 5013c IRS tax exempt non-profit organization, Khal Lev Echad.

You can make a donation online at www.leibykletzkymemorialfund.com 

or by  check payable to the Leiby Kletzky Memorial Fund and send it to:

Nachman & Esty Kletzky
c/o Rabbi Binyamin Eisenberger
1448 56th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11219

Leiby Kletzky HY"D & The Double Rainbow

 

Just before the funeral for Leiby A"H last Wednesday night, there was a (hail) storm in Brooklyn, followed by a double rainbow.

[*How to pronounce Leiby's name - Leiby is pronounced Lay-bee or Luy-bee*]

Some blog readers had questioned what the meaning behind the sudden appearance of the double rainbow coincidentally before his funeral could mean. Was it some kind of sign or message and if so what might that be?
No one can know for sure, but just speculate and theorise. To help inquisitive minds understand this better here is a viewpoint that I hope will be of some comfort and help the healing process somewhat.

It is customary when seeing a rainbow to pronounce the blessing, "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who remembers the covenant, and is faithful to His covenant, and keeps His promise".

Leiby's savage captor (his name doesn't deserve mention) violated 3 of the 7 Noahide Laws as well as of the 10 Commandments. "The Prohibition Of Theft (Kidnap)" -  "The Prohibition Of Murder" and "Do Not Cause Any Kind Of Pain Or Suffering To Any Living Creature".

He also violated giving any ounce of respect, honor and dignity to the deceased and his corpse.

The rainbow is a timely reminder of the value to society that by observing the Seven Noahide Commandments  they serves as a basis of healthy communities and functioning societies as these are the tools and guidance we need to live by.  They are the pillars of human civilization and are the eternal value to uphold an ethnical, moral, valuable, meaningful, truthful, and just society!

That said, Leiby's disappearance, heartless and cold blooded murder and subsequent barbaric mutilation of his corpse affected alot of people who never knew him. The loss was felt around the entire world. His 8 precious years of life cut so senselessly short. (He never reached his 9th birthday which would have been in about 2 weeks time).

Now to address the rainbow. Even in the gloom a rainbow will occasionally appear. The definition of the rainbow is - "A colorful curved band across the sky seen when the suns rays pass through falling mist".

The particular double rainbow seen on Wednesday sometime before Leiby's funeral, the higher arched rainbow represented Leiby A"H  who is up in a holy Heavenly place where all the magical colors in the universe are created . In the middle of the two rainbows is a void. The higher rainbow  separated by the lower rainbow this lower one representing his bretheren - the people of Israel who are down here on the lower realm of the world, planet earth.

Those "suns rays" passing through would be Leibys precious and pure Soul and holy rays brightly shining down and radiating through the entire Universe from one end to the other. 

Leiby's Soul lit a spark in everybody elses. Entire communities got together in unity, a chain reaction that followed from the beginning of Leibys  disappearance and continues even after his untimely and unnatural death. Communities and individuals worldwide took part in prayer services praying for the welfare of Leiby A"H (a complete stranger to most up until that point) while he was missing. Another particular case in point, the food and water that was generously and wholeheartedly donated for the volunteering and official search parties racing against time to find Leiby A"H. We all became a part of  this together united as one extended family - regardless of religion or race.

The colors of the rainbow glisten so pretty in the sky. They color our world in these dismal dark times. Challenging the forces of gloom, in a struggle to keep the world bright and colorful, and to keep our hearts hopeful and happy. Just like the rainbow arches from one end to the other, through courage, kindness and friendship we can bring hope, happiness and healing to everyone at the farthest flung corners of the universe. One good deed leading to another. Changing the world, one simple act at a time.

The "falling mist "- So many countless tears that everyone cried, including Leiby's own tears when he was vunerably at the mercy of his captor.  One can only assume the poor frightened little child had tears rolling down his cheeks as he pleaded for his life to the man he had trusted him to help in his time of need. Now up in Heaven he cries out to God for his slain and slaughtered body and that God avenge his blood that was so callously and senselessly spilled with no regard or respect for the deceased body. Justice for Leiby will never truly be served until God Himself deals with the callous murderer.

The region between a double rainbow is dark. And darkness certainly decended into the community that dismal day when the black news broke and we all learned the unspeakable reality of the barbaric act involved that absolutely no one saw coming - the tremendous shock, pain and anguish gripped with terrible grief.

The Jewish community has one heart, but today the heart is shattered into a million pieces, but that can't be said for our spirit. Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.

Just like light and darkness succeed each other so to after the worst of the worse circumstances we need to believe that better things are sure to come.

Through this horrendous and inexplicable grisly tradgedy that defies human logic, Leiby  actually lit up the world so to speak and put the world in motion through unity and acts of kindness with people taking upon themsleves learning and good deeds that in the merit of the action we are doing Leiby's Soul will be elevated to higher realms. We pray that Leiby's  Soul will have a closer place to God due to our positive actions in his merit.

Altho hardly an easy process , let's focus away from the pain, gutwrench and gruesomeness and take it upon ourselves to do something positive so Leiby HY"D didnt die in vain. Get involved;

Learn For Leiby A"H  http://www.learnforleiby.com/

Be Part Of The Sefer Torah In Memory Of Leiby Kletzky A”H
https://www.misaskim.org/sefertorah.php?aff=olme

In the spiritual reality, nothing is lost: Not the beloved one's purpose, nor their goodness, and nor even their real existence. The Soul continues to exist eternally. At the end of life, every soul returns to its unique "place" in the "world".

To Nachman and Ita Esther Kletzky and daughters (may you live many healthy long purposeful filled years) I say this from the depth of my heart "May the Omnipresent comfort you among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem".

Yehuda Ben Nachman may your precious and pure Soul find comfort in Heaven amongst our Heavenly Father, sisters and brothers. May we all be united sooner than soon with the Righteous Messiah. Amen.

* HY"D - Is the abbreviation of the Hebrew words meaning "May His Blood Be Avenged" *

*A"H  - Is the abbreviation of the Hebrew words Alev HaShalom meaning 'Peace Be Upon Him'*

*How to pronounce Leiby's name - Leiby is pronounced Lay-bee or Luy-bee*
*The name Leiby (Leib) means Lion in the Yiddish language*
----------

By R' Shefa Gold

Our consciousness holds in it a memory of utter catastrophe, of the death and rebirth of this planet. The story of the Flood represents this awareness which awakens us to the preciousness of Life. And the story ends with a great blessing, a great promise.

It is upon this blessing that our spiritual life rests. God touches our memory of devastation and says, "This will never happen again." He makes a covenant with all of life and places a rainbow in the sky as a sign
of that covenant. "I will look upon the rainbow and remember."

The blessing of the rainbow is the remembrance, the assurance, that we are ultimately safe. This deep unquestioned sense of security and trust in the essential goodness and rightness of reality becomes the foundation for the process of awakening. This sense is so basic that changing circumstances and events cannot disrupt it. A. H. Almaas calls this quality, "Basic Trust". Its presence allows you to relax and just be with whatever is.

Basic trust gives us the capacity to surrender, to let go of doubt and step into the unknown. As limiting ego-structures dissolve and we open to an expanded perspective, it can feel as though everything we know is falling apart.

The rainbow reminds us that whatever happens, we are safe. Even when terrible things happen, when the outer structures are destroyed and we are seemingly paralyzed by fear, the rainbow appears and reminds us of a deeper safety. YES, EVEN DEATH IS SAFE! And that sense of safety becomes the springboard for our next step. This innate and implicit trust ultimately manifests as a willingness to take that necessary leap into the unknown.

And so "Basic Trust" manifests in the courage to be with what is, and then instead of being a reactive victim of circumstance, you learn to live your life from a deep wisdom, from a wide perspective.

The portion of Noah (in Genesis) blesses us with yet another Rainbow: The story of the tower of Babel. The tower of our arrogant singular purpose topples and we are given the rainbow of diversity in its place. As we seek to touch the Unity (prompted by a hunger for mastery or control), we are answered with multiplicity. We are sent on the rainbow journey to acknowledge every shade of experience, to recognize the whole spectrum of what it means to be human. We are blessed with complex beauty, confounding paradox, and the opportunity to know and enjoy all the separate colors that together form the magnificent white Light of the One.

The Spiritual Challenge

The Slonimer Rebbe describes the three levels of faith:
There are three rungs of Faith: Trusting Mind, Trusting Heart , but there is a rung still higher, Trusting with your limbs/embodiment: where Faith  penetrates every fibre of your being, where horror can't seize you, for your whole body feels the protective Divine presence.

Complete faith occurs when it unfolds in all three dimensions. As King David said, 'My heart and my flesh [my body] sing to the Living God. Not just the heart, but also the flesh, our skin and our muscles, our bones and limbs also sing to the Living God, for faith suffuses our entire being.

The spiritual challenge is to suffuse our entire being with a sense of ultimate safety, to integrate into our very bodies, the promise of the rainbow.

THIS SENSE OF SECURITY is our inheritance. And yet at some point we become disconnected from our Source and lose our "Basic Trust". We feel betrayed and lose our footing. The spiritual challenge is to re-connect with the truth of our safety, no matter what happens, so that we can again feel "held" by the goodness of Life, the Ground of Being.  Then we can rest in the Divine embrace.

Almaas describes the challenge like this:
"It means experiencing the factors which brought about the profound disconnection from reality, and experiencing repeatedly the fundamental truth of non-separateness, to the point where the soul can again rest in the knowledge of that truth. Each new experience of essential truth deepens the soul's contact with her own basic trust."

As we receive the blessing of the rainbow we are challenged to remember God's promise and dedicate ourselves to living our lives in its light. Whatever blocks that light must be examined with compassion, and dissolved through dedicated practice.

When the tower of our singular will for power topples and we are left with the multiplicity of languages, systems, conflicting stories, and values, our path becomes confused and scattered.

 Yet the spiritual challenge is clear. Diversity must not be ignored as we seek a vision of Unity.  The shining vision of our Unity should not fade as we celebrate our differences. We must not betray the Many for the One, or the One for the Many.

Sometimes experiencing God's faith in us allows us to find our own faith.

When Bad Things Happen To Good People

In todays society, there are many terrible events that occur daily and we try to grapple why. One such tragic event is unfortuneately the discovery today of the body of missing Leiby Kletzky (may God avenge his blood) an innocent and angelic 9 year old from New York  who was brutally murdered and dismembered after he disappeared Monday afternoon after getting lost while walking alone for the first time from his Borough Park day camp and following a man down a busy street, sparking a massive search.

It’s hard to understand why bad things happen to people who have done no harm.

It's not easy to go through terrible pain and continue to bless God. Facing pain is not easy for even the greatest of human beings. Only God is perfect. We are mere human beings. And when we go through pain as we all do it can be overwhelming. We may respond with frustration, bitterness, and even anger and resentment towards God. And that's okay. God understands. We don't know what's going on in Heaven, or what Gods calculations are.

Why do bad things happen to good people?  The question of "why do bad things happen to good people" is one that has been asked of many people for centuries.

"It is not in our hands -- neither the suffering of the righteous nor the comfort of the wicked," says R' Yannai in Ethics of the Fathers, 4:15.

By Aron Moss

Why is this world so unfair? Why do people suffer undeservedly? Any person with an ounce of moral sensitivity is outraged by the injustices of our world.

If this ultimate question were answered, then we would be able to make peace with the suffering of innocents. And that is unthinkable. Worse than innocent people suffering is others watching their suffering unmoved. And that's exactly what would happen if we were to understand why innocents suffer. We would no longer be bothered by their cry, we would no longer feel their pain, because we would understand why it is happening.

Imagine you are in a hospital and you hear a woman screaming with pain. Outside her room, her family is standing around chatting, all smiling and happy. You scream at them, "What's wrong with you? Can't you hear how much pain she is in?" They answer, "This is the delivery ward. She is having a baby. Of course we are happy."

When you have an explanation, pain doesn't seem so bad anymore. We can tolerate suffering when we know why it is happening.

And so, if we could make sense of innocent people suffering, if we could rationalise tragedy, then we could live with it. We would be able to hear the cry of sweet children in pain and not be horrified. We would tolerate seeing broken hearts and shattered lives, for we would be able to neatly explain them away. Our question would be answered, and we could move on.

But as long as the pain of innocents remains a burning question, we are bothered by its existence. And as long as we can't explain pain, we must alleviate it. If innocent people suffering does not fit into our worldview, we must eradicate it. Rather than justifying their pain, we need to get rid of it.

So keep asking the question, why do bad things happen to good people. But stop looking for answers. Start formulating a response. Take your righteous anger and turn it into a force for doing good. Redirect your frustration with injustice and unfairness and channel it into a drive to fight injustice and unfairness. Let your outrage propel you into action. When you see innocent people suffering, help them. Combat the pain in the world with goodness. Alleviate suffering wherever you can.

We don't want answers, we don't want explanations, and we don't want closure. We want an end to suffering. And we dare not leave it up to God to alleviate suffering. He is waiting for us to do it. That's what we are here for.


Ed note:To be a victim is not crime.  But to do nothing to help them may be.  They are worth a hand up.

We work to be part of things. Part of work, part of family, part of a functional society, part of all kinds of things.  Parents are “good” in a child’s eyes, because they provide the essentials of survival and trust, their ability to have significant relationships, to feel good about themselves, to achieve goals, and have hope about the future.  To make them feel loved, secure and safe and to develop a positive attachment and feel protected.

We are living in a society that is nearly paranoid with the possibility of terrorism or violent crime but too many of us completely ignore the facts and numbers of abuse. 

Be attuned to your child (particularly if they're behaving or saying things out of the ordinary). You have a responsibility and obligation toward their personal health and wellbeing.  Listen,believe and trust what they tell you is true.  Very rarely does a child make up a story about this.

No one has the right to deprive, harm or violate anyone. Stand up and fight for your child.  They're the most important and precious beings in our lives. Most importantly TAKE ACTION by reporting it to the appropriate law enforcement authorities! Be procative.To ignore your or someone elses child borders on neglect. Don't fail the child or the system. Never betray your childs trust. Make sure the child knows they will be believed, loved, accepted, protected, and defended no matter what. Children deserve every protection possible from the dangers of our society. Parents number one job is to keep their children safe.

Israel:Jellyfish Threaten Power Plant

Swarm: Hundreds of jellyfish blocked the water-supply grills at the Hadera plant

A swarm of jellyfish is threatening a power plant in Israel.

A huge swarm clogged up the Orot Rabin plant in Hadera, Israel, a day after the Torness nuclear facility in Scotland was closed in a similar incident.

Hadera ran into trouble when jellyfish blocked its seawater supply, which it uses for cooling purposes, forcing officials to use diggers to remove them.

The creatures also wreaked havoc in America during the country’s big holiday weekend. [dailymail uk]

Watch video here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-14038729

Earthquake Shakes Melbourne Australia, Aftershocks Felt

A screen grab from the Geoscience Australia website, which shows the epicentre of the quake (see the red dot, pointed to by the red arrow).

Geoscience Australia says Victoria has been shaken by a significant earthquake.

The magnitude 4.4 quake was centred north of the town of Korumburra, in eastern Victoria at 11:32am (AEST).

Geoscience Australia duty seismologist Emma Mathews says the quake was felt from the Melbourne CBD, to 60 kilometres north and 100 kilometres to the east.

"So by Australian standards it quite significant, it was felt widely in Victoria," she said. "We've had over 100 felt reports from the main shock."

"It's not on the scale of events experienced in Japan and New Zealand but that's to be expected because of the nature of the Australian tectonic plate."

Ms Mathews says reports of aftershocks have already started coming in.

The first one, at 12:37pm (AEST) was magnitude 3.2 and the aftershocks will probably continue for some time.

"So the aftershocks have started. Aftershocks are likely to decrease in magnitude over time," she said.

"Based on historical events in Korumburra, in March 2009, there were over 200 aftershocks recorded in the area."

She says only locals will feel the aftershocks as they diminish in size.
Ms Mathews says Korumburra is an active area for earthquakes.
"Prior to this, the two larger events [were] in March of 2009 and these were 4.6 events," she said. [abc.net.au]

A magnitude 4.4 earthquake, with its epicentre near Korumburra in Victoria's east, has been felt more than 100 kilometres away in Melbourne.

The quake, which struck just after 1.30pm (NZT), was centred 7km west of Korumburra, and 120 kilometres south-east of Melbourne.

The earthquake occurred at quite a shallow depth, a Geosciences Australia spokesman said.

The organisation is still working to determine the exact depth of the quake.

It was followed by several other tremors which were felt across Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs, the Herald Sun reports.

Melbourne resident Vicky Watson, who works in the CBD told ONE News the 11th floor of her building was shaking.

Residents in suburbs including Rowville, Trafalgar, Kilsyth, Hawthorn, Elwood, CBD, Melbourne Airport, South Melbourne, Brunswick, Richmond, Lilydale, Fitzroy, Elsternwick, South Yarra all reported feeling the tremors.

Korumburra Hotel publican Troy Patterson said when the earthquake hit, the pub shook for about eight seconds, accompanied by a loud rumbling.

"The whole place literally shook," he said.

"You would think a truck had driven through the pub."

Many Twitter users have also gone online to share their experiences.

"Cold, Windy, Rainy, Earthquakey, what a bloody miserable day Melbourne," says Rhys McCaig.

''That was a big one,'' tweeted one person from Rowville.

But David Flynn was a bit more flippant about it.

"Melbourne declares state of emergency as earthquake spills lattes, makes scarves & wraps fall off racks along Chapel Street," he said.

There are no reports of damage so far.

The area in Gippsland is prone to small earthquakes, with a number of tremors measuring between 1.8 and 4.6 originating in the same area in March and May 2009. [tvnz.co.nz]

Life's Challenges, Choices And Free Will

There are many ladders in life; each person is given his or her own. The ladders present themselves as life's challenges and difficult choices. The tests you face are the ladders that elevate you to great heights—the greater the challenge, the higher the ladder.

"God sometimes gives us difficult test because He believes we can overcome it, and has endowed us with the ability to do so. Few are presented a ladder as challenging as our own individua life path.

Life is a series of choices and decisions. We're always making choices. Every moment in time is a fork on our life path.  All the roads to an easy life lead a different way. No matter what we choose in life, there will be struggles. But God has given us an invaluable gift: free will. We can suffer for nothing or struggle for something. The choice is ours.

As we go through life we make decisions, and those decisions, in turn, make us. Large decisions, small decisions. Matters of great importance and the details of daily life

However, good versus evil is not the only decision we make in life. There's another sort of free choice too: Good versus better. Obstacles give us excitement. They provide us with a drive for life. It is up to us to make the right decisions and propel ourselves forward. One only need to use will and freedom of choice to decide just how high we want to soar.

The essence of humanity is free will. Free will is the "image of God" in which Adam and Eve were created.

The Source of All has defined absolute moral and conceptual principles. Living a life that expresses these principles is the definition of goodness. At every juncture, however, we are completely free to reject such a mode of life. This freedom gives substance and meaning to our choice when we "choose life".

On rare occasion we are given a glimpse of the truth just so that we know what it is that we seek. But freedom of choice can only truly exist in an environment of natural ignorance that demands discernment and intelligence to overcome. We must live in a world where neither Creator nor creation is obvious. We are then given the ability to use our powers of intelligent analysis and discernment to recognize that this magnificent mural has an Artist, and that our being painted into this mural means that our presence is of fundamental necessity for the entire enterprise of creation to be whole.

We can of course deny the beauty and purpose of the painting and remain in the state of ignorance we are born into. We can, and alas often do, use the beautiful mural of our lives merely to wrap old fish heads before throwing them into the trash. We can use our incredible powers of discernment and intelligence to attain the superficial and ephemeral, all the while making each other miserable in 101 ingenious ways.

If we saw the process of creation and the presence of the Godly in everything, if we saw the flow of energy from the Infinite Source into everything, bringing it into being at every moment, we would have no free choice in choosing the good, it would be obvious.

God expects us to make wise decisions, but ultimately these wise decisions are manipulated and guided by God, who orchestrates the circumstances to ensure that we follow the path which He planned for us. Yet we rightfully pride ourselves in being creatures that possess freedom of choice. But this choice is relegated to the arena of right and wrong, ethics and morals.

Ultimately, our choices in these areas will be our lasting legacy - because in reality they are our only real and un-influenced choices.

So, on which choices will we focus? The "big" ones, over which we have no control, or the "small" ones, which are entirely in our hands?

As is it turns out, it is the small choices which impact the world.
[Shlomo Yaffee/Yanky Tauber]

For Money We Lust - The World Economy & Financial Crisis

With all the discussion on the causes of the current financial crisis I can’t help but wonder if there aren’t additional reasons going on behind the scenes. Can you offer any insight into this aspect of the crisis?


Contrary to popular belief, I am not a prophet. Nor do I wish to be apocalyptic. However, God runs the world, and that things that happen are often directly related to what people do, there might be a connection between our attitude toward money and wealth and what’s happened with the world economy.


Of course, there are real, tangible reasons and explanations for what’s happened. And as you say, that’s what everyone is talking about. Also, in considering the possible spiritual reasons behind the scenes, the key is to view them as what you correctly label “additional” reasons (although they might still be primary). This means one should not be divorced from the reality of the situation, nor should one loose touch with the human element, and should have empathy for those who have lost.


That being said, the Torah position on money is that wealth is a gift from God independent of one’s effort or economic acumen. One person may be very original, astute and hard working and never amass much wealth, whereas another might not have much of these talents yet be very successful. Regardless, a person must view his financial success (or lack thereof) as coming from God. The corollary of this is that the wealth which one has must be used according to the will of the One who bestowed it. For this reason people are expected to be charitable, provide for the needy and in some cases give up to 20 percent of their net income to charity.


In our modern, materially oriented world, global obsession with wealth and financial success may have blinded mankind to the purpose of wealth, namely to be cognizant of God, express our gratitude to Him and to generously share wealth with the less fortunate. Not to proclaim, “By my strength and through the power of my own hands have I acquired all this”, but rather “To God is the glory, the grandeur, the success, and the splendor”. We must view the act of giving as a privilege, an honor and even as a gift itself – “the gift of giving”.


It is my (perhaps naïve) opinion that the early founders of America had all this in mind with the decision to inscribe “In God We Trust” on the money of the United States. The point is clear: Despite America’s wealth of natural resources and the resourcefulness of the early American spirit, it was stated unabashedly with the intention to inculcate to all – it is to God whom we pray and in God whom we place our trust for financial success.


Unfortunately, over time, in the United States and internationally, we have lost sight of this humble yet very powerful creed which has greatly been replaced with egotistical consumption, vice and greed. Perhaps the root of the crisis, then, is God’s repudiation of our trust in money rather than in Him. Perhaps in replacing the motto “In God We Trust” with “For Money We Lust”, by indulging in unnecessary luxuries while others lack the bare necessities, we have forfeited His blessing such that the money upon which we lean has started to crumble. Maybe we need to feel more acutely the precariousness of the needy, to give more to others and to put our mouths where our money is by sincerely proclaiming: In God We Trust! [ohr.edu]

Time Is The Most Valuable Thing A Man Can Spend

Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognize it as such.Time is more valuable than money, you can get more money, but you cannot get more time. As every thread of gold is valuable, so is every moment of time. Realize that now, in this moment of time, you are creating. You are creating your next moment. That is what's real.

The first creation was Time. It began and it will end and then it will be no more. Each breath, each tick, each beat of the heart comes only once. None will ever repeat itself precisely. Every instant of life is a raw but precious stone, beckoning, saying, "Unleash my potential, unlock my secret, do with me something to reveal my purpose of being! For I am here only this one time, and then never again."
And so that is our primary mission: To elevate time and make it holy.

When you take control of your life, the first place to start is with Time: Where have you placed the hours of your day? You cannot control Time until you first take control of yourself:

Where have you placed your heart, your mind and your soul? What is important to you? Why have you entered this world?

When your time for study, time for prayer, time for family, time for the world are anchored with all your being, then all the winds of the world cannot budge them.

In every point of time, all of time is there. After all, at every moment, as the previous moment and all its history is cancelled into naught, He must regenerate the entire cosmos anew out of the void. And so He must renew along with this moment all of its past and all of time from its beginning to its end. If so, He has rendered us masters of all of time in a single moment, of the present, of the future, and of the past as well. Wherever we steer this moment now, there rushes all of time.

Take care of the minutes, for the hours will take care of themselves.

Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.

Until you value yourself, you will not value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.

Those who know the value of time use it in prepration for eternity. Time is the life of the soul.

Make time for God, and He'll make time for you.

The Lighthouse And The Tree

A source of guiding light

By Susan T.

My recovering addict friend says that she loves the image of a lighthouse. During one of our frequent telephone meetings, she shared her wish to envision herself as a lighthouse. Her home is full of photos and paintings of lighthouses. I didn't relate at first. But the very next day, my nine-year old son came home from art class with his lighthouse drawing. Coincidence? It made me think.

A lighthouse is steady and immovable. It is a tower that projects light, enabling ships to navigate the dark seas. The lighthouse is unaffected by powerful winds or strong waves - impervious to rain, snow or hail. Standing alone, proud and firm, the lighthouse calls out: Fear not the dark! My steady light illuminates the way.

We in recovery have certainly sailed some dark, stormy nights, groping blindly for direction and clarity. Sometimes we drifted, frightened or unconscious, not even aware of how we eventually washed up ashore. Today, we know that wherever we find ourselves, we can discover a source of guiding light. For some, it might be a meeting; for others, a program phone call, a reading or a prayer. Each one of us, however, burns with an inner light that we access when we turn to God. He is the One Who created that light within us when He breathed life into us. Our job is to plug in, and to ask Him to help us generate the infinite light within us. Our own light is capable of radiating beams of hope, penetrating the darkness around us, helping fellow souls find their way.

My friend wants to see herself as a lighthouse because she wants to be strong and bright in the face of life's inevitable storms. For me, however, the lighthouse arouses feelings of loneliness and isolation. Seas are scary and vast. The lighthouse radiates an illuminating beam, yet it stands completely alone.

My metaphor for recovery is a tree. It, too, weathers storms, winds and temperatures. A well-anchored tree does not budge. Its branches may sway, its bark may peel, but the tree itself stands strong and grounded, an impartial witness to life. It receives its nourishment from both below and above, like a person connecting Heaven and Earth through his/her very existence. The tree takes in what it needs, and gives back what it can offer - be it shade, fruit or shelter. It adapts to the seasons, proudly bearing itself in winter, as if to invite snow onto its firm branches. It awakens all to the miracle of rebirth with its buds in spring. It transmits the splendor of its lush green abundance in summer. And it proclaims God's majestic palette in fall. The tree is vibrant, connected with its source and with its environment. It is firm yet not rigid. But it needs to be healthy, or it, too, becomes vulnerable to disease and to the elements.

What keeps the lighthouse standing? What keeps the tree healthy? The lighthouse is anchored by cement, the tree by its roots. Each represents a different connection with God. The individual in recovery who has identified his/her source of strength has been working hard, one small drop of cement at a time, laying the foundation for what eventually becomes a tower of light. Every time one admits his powerlessness and surrenders to God, he adds cement to the base of his lighthouse. Each call for Divine Assistance, each abstention from an addictive substance or behavior, each return to program after a slip, each hand extended to help another - each of these add bricks to its tower.

The Torah compares a person to a tree, offering us insight into our own lives. Roots, trunks, branches and fruits of a tree are paralleled in the life of a human being. Faith is the roots of the tree that is a person. A tree with vibrant, strong roots is not easily felled - neither is a person with strong faith. What are our roots? Many of us come from dysfunctional families. We need to dig deeper to access our healthy, life sustaining roots. We are all children of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebeccah, Jacob, Rachel and Leah. We come from seeds that are pure and holy; our source is Godly. We can rely on our spiritual genetics. We can deepen, widen and strengthen our root systems by accessing the faith that is our inheritance. We can produce sweet, delicious fruit.

When we work our programs, we build lighthouses. When we nurture our faith, we build orchards. We are privileged to shine from within and without; we generously share our fruits. As people committed to recovery, we stand proud, strong and solid. We are lighthouses and we are trees.

Lifes Sweet Recipes

Click on this link http://kikkiskitchen.blogspot.com/

The Human Tree - Life's Roots

We are trees, living two lives at once. One life breaking through the soil into this world. Where, with all our might, we struggle to rise above it, grapple for its sun and its dew, desperate not to be torn away by the fury of its storms or consumed by its fires.

Then there are our roots, deep under the ground, unmoving and serene. They are our ancient mothers and fathers.

They lie deep within us, at our very core. For them, there is no storm, no struggle. There is only the One, the Infinite, for Whom all the cosmos with all its challenges are nothing more than a fantasy renewed every moment from the void.

Our strength is from our bond with them, and with their nurture we will conquer the storm. We will bring beauty to the world we were planted within.

The tree's primary components are: the roots, which anchor it to the ground and supply it with water and other nutrients; the trunk, branches and leaves which comprise its body; and the fruit, which contains the seeds by which the tree reproduces itself.

The spiritual life of man also includes roots, a body, and fruit. The roots represent faith, our source of nurture and perseverance. The trunk, branches and leaves are the body of our spiritual lives -- our intellectual, emotional and practical achievements. The fruit is our power of spiritual procreation -- the power to influence others, to plant a seed in a fellow human being and see it sprout, grow and bear fruit.

Roots and Body

The roots are the least glamorous of the tree's parts--and the most crucial. Buried underground, virtually invisible, they possess neither the majesty of the tree's body, the colorfulness of its leaves nor the tastiness of its fruit. But without roots, a tree cannot survive.

Furthermore, the roots must keep pace with the body: if the trunk and leaves of a tree grow and spread without a proportional increase in its roots, the tree will collapse under its own weight. On the other hand, a profusion of roots makes for a healthier, stronger tree, even if it has a meager trunk and few branches, leaves and fruit. And if the roots are sound, the tree will rejuvenate itself if its body is damaged or its branches cut off.

Faith is the least glamorous of our spiritual faculties. Characterized by a simple conviction and commitment to one's Source, it lacks the sophistication of the intellect, the vivid color of the emotions, or the sense of satisfaction that comes from deed. And faith is buried underground, its true extent concealed from others and even from ourselves.

Yet our faith, our supra-rational commitment to God, is the foundation of our entire tree. From it stems the trunk of our understanding, from which branch out our feelings, motivations and deeds. And while the body of the tree also provides some of its spiritual nurture, the bulk of our spiritual sustenance derives from its roots, from our faith in and commitment to our Creator.

A soul might grow a majestic trunk, numerous and wide-spreading branches, beautiful leaves and lush fruit. But these must be equaled, indeed surpassed, by its roots. Above the surface, there might be much wisdom, profundity of feeling, abundant experience, copious achievement and many disciples; but if these are not grounded and vitalized by an even greater faith and commitment, it is a tree without foundation, a tree doomed to collapse under its own weight.

On the other hand, a life might be blessed with only sparse knowledge, meager feeling and experience, scant achievement and little fruit. But if its roots are extensive and deep, it is a healthy tree: a tree fully in possession of what it does have; a tree with the capacity to recover from the setbacks of life; a tree with the potential to eventually grow and develop into a loftier, more beautiful and fruitful tree.

Fruit and Seed

The tree desires to reproduce, to spread its seeds far and wide so that they take root in diverse and distant places. But the tree's reach is limited to the extent of its own branches. It must therefore seek out other, more mobile couriers to transport its seeds.

So the tree produces fruit, in which its seeds are enveloped by tasty, colorful, sweet-smelling fibers and juices. The seeds themselves would not rouse the interest of animals and men; but with their attractive packaging, they have no shortage of customers who, after consuming the external fruit, deposit the seeds in those diverse and distant places where the tree wants to plant its seeds.

When we communicate with others, we employ many devices to make our message attractive. We buttress it with intellectual sophistication, steep it in emotional sauce, dress it in colorful words and images. But we should bear in mind that this is only the packaging--the fruit that contains the seed. The seed itself is essentially tasteless--the only way that we can truly impact others is by conveying our own simple faith in what we are telling them, our own simple commitment to what we are espousing.

If the seed is there, our message will take root in their minds and hearts, and our own vision will be grafted into theirs. But if there is no seed, there will be no progeny to our effort, however tasty our fruit might be. [The Rebbe]

Recipe For Living

 

First, plant three rows of Peas:
Persistence
Patience
Peace of Mind

Next, plant four rows of Squash:
Squash Gossip
Squash Grumbling
Squash Selfishness
Squash Apathy

Then, plant three rows of Lettuce:
Let us be kind
Let us be responsible
Let us be respectable

No garden is complete without Turnips:
Turn up with a smile and
Turn up with a healthy attitude

Water regularly with confidence and love and let your garden bring forth much fruit.

If we all remember to cultivate this, no challenge would be too great, and what a wonderful world this would be!

Everything About You Is An Essential Part Of The Vast Cosmic Plan

The world, and your life, only exists at this moment for one simple reason – because God consciously and intentionally wants it here. Creation is not a passive process; it is active, dynamic and intentional, purposeful in every detail.

Actually, Kabbalah explains that the natural state of the universe is non-existence. Although our world and all of its creatures do exist, our true nature isn't that separate, solid state of being that it seems to be. Our inner essential being is Divine intention – active, fluid and infinitely alive.

This gives the old slogan "Today is the first day of the rest of your life" a whole new meaning. In point of fact, this moment is the first moment of your life. You have literally just been created… and now again… and again… and again. And as you read these words, God is purposefully bringing your body, your memories, your tendencies, and your circumstances into finite being out of infinite Divine potential, because everything about you is an essential part of the vast cosmic plan. Although you do have the choice between right and wrong, good and evil, the results of your choices are not up to you. At every moment, your circumstances, and the growth that they inspire, are orchestrated from Above.

Everything that has happened and will happen for you is on behalf of this plan. You are here for one reason – because you have a specific Divine mission that you and only you are meant to fulfill. For this mission, God created you with your basic nature and tendencies, your strengths and weaknesses, your likes and dislikes. He placed you in the family you were born to and gave you all of the experiences that influenced you from then until now.

Since we are gifted with free choice, we certainly have the power to do the wrong thing. But in the deepest sense, nobody has the power to derail God's plan. We will all get where we're destined to go. But what we encounter along the way will unfold, in large part, according to the choices we make. So, although your choices can't change your destiny, they can definitely change your life.

The point is not that it doesn't matter what you do – quite the opposite. But when you internalize the deep awareness that no matter your mistakes, no matter how difficult your challenges, you are exactly where you need to be right now, you can approach the challenges of life with a profound and encompassing sense of peace, and the awareness that nothing is really wrong. And here's the secret: When you're at peace with what is now, you have the greatest power to create something new. [Shifra Hendrie]

Double Rainbow Appears Over Joplin Missouri After Tornado

Amazing double rainbow seen over Springfield MO just after a deadly tornado rips through Joplin.

Thank you God for the pain
that, like rain,
when filtered through sunshine
paints a rainbow
giving life a touch of beauty,
while reminding me of your promise
that you would never again
destroy mankind through a flood.

And that I need to remember
because sometimes
I feel overwhelmed
by floods which threaten
to engulf me and destroy me,
and leave me sore afraid
when my cries for help
seem lost in the storm.

And then behind me
where I couldn't see
I turn and see a rainbow
adding a touch of beauty to my life
and then I see even if
I don't understand
that as rainbows are painted
by raindrops
so faith, hope, and love
are somehow all painted by pain.

People Are Not Angels

There are different ways that parents praise their children when they are being really good. One compliment parents often give their child is: "you are such an angel."

We use this form of praise because in our minds we have an image of angels as perfect holy beings that never do anything wrong. However, while it is true that angels are very special beings, calling someone an angel is not such a compliment.

We are taught that despite the fact that angels are holy and pure they are stationary beings. They never grow, never improve and never change. Each angel is created with a specific spiritual mission, which it constantly maintains without ever improving or failing. There are angels that serve God with love and those that serve Him with awe. Whatever spiritual personality they are given is the one they will always have, without making it better or worse.

People are not angels. We are not always perfect. We make mistakes, do what we shouldn't and sometimes fail in our mission. But the unpredictability and inconsistency of our personality is also our strength. It means that we never have to stay the same. Just like we can fail, we can also change and improve. Just as we can do that we shouldn't, we can also do more good that we originally expected. We are the only beings that are not limited by our natural instincts or personality. Our potential for growth, improvement and change is endless.

Don't expect your children or others to be angels. We should hope for them to be real humans - people who sometimes make mistakes, but who can always bounce back and become stronger than ever before.

Don't be an angel - just be a good decent human being.