The Situation
Question:
Here in chutz l’aretz there is a lot of talk in the frum newspapers and between different people about the situation in Israel. What should be our attitude about it? That we are in the exile of the “Erev Rav”? That we are in ikvesa d’Meshicha (directly before Mashiach)? What can we do to make the situation better? Are we supposed to be davening about it, or should we just take our minds off it and just be immersed in learning Torah?
Answer:
Don’t be involved with this at all. Instead, just be aware that we are found in the depths of the “50th Gate of Defilement”, and that is why all kinds of tumah (spiritual defilement) and fallacies are all present, in all of the deeds, emotions, and thoughts, in our external world as well as in the more inner dimension. Everything today [all deeds, emotions, and thoughts of both the external and inner dimensions of reality today] is all a giant mixture. That is the very idea of the Erev Rav, which means taaruvos rabbah, “great mixture.”
We need to scream out to Hashem, with mesirus nefesh, for the complete Redemption.
Purpose of the Rosh Chodesh Series
Question:
I have listened to all of the Rav’s shiurim on the topic of “Rosh Chodesh”, including the series on Avodah of Rosh Chodesh, Mazal of Rosh Chodesh, and Mahus (Essence) of Rosh Chodesh, and most of the shiurim on “Shevet” (Tribe) of Rosh Chodesh. I want to know what the Rav’s purpose was in giving these shiurim. I also want to know if these shiurim are offering an alternative ladder of growth (which seems to begin from the month of Nissan, the beginning of the months).
Also, if someone was born in a certain month, does that mean this personal avodah is closer to the avodah described in the shiurim about the essence, mazal, and tribe of that month? For example, if someone was born in the month of Sivan, does that mean his avodah is more connected with the mazal of “twins” in the month of Sivan, and with all that this implies? And is such a person’s avodah more relevant to the personal correction which that “tribe” of that month (such as the tribe of “Reuven” in the month of Sivan)? Also, are these shiurim a step-by-step program of growth, or is there no particular order to go in, when trying to practically implement these shiurim? Meaning to say, for example, that the avodah of the month of Sivan doesn’t necessarily need to be done before the avodah of the month of Tamuz?
Answer:
There is a mazal for each day as well as a mazal for each hour of the day, and a mazal for the month. Each mazal is a “garment” of one’s soul. There is a way to serve Hashem based upon one’s very soul, and this is the primary service of the Jewish people, who are above mazal. There is also a way to serve Hashem through the “garments” of the soul, such as through the mazalos. The “Rosh Chodesh” series (Essence, Mazal, Tribe, and Avodah) were given according to the order of the months, but this is not a specific order. Rather, it is a possible order to go in for one who wants to serve Hashem based on the order of the months, which correspond to the order of the mazalos. This is because there are many different orderly systems within Creation.
