Attention: Advertising Opportunity For You, Your Family and friends!

For those who are not already aware I have been working for an online marketing company for the last 7 months named Get Me On Media. I have never really promoted my company or work on my blog, however, my company has got an incentive program running for staff at the moment, offering commissions for customers brought in. I therefore shamelessly / shamefully (not really quite sure, have mixed emotions about this *smile* ) using this blog to get some free advertising space.

Let me just basically state how this works and what our company does:

Our company specializes in Google Adwords, Googles PPC (Pay Per Click) system. Every time you type in a word in Google, along with the search results, on the right hand side and in a blue box at the top are sponsored links (these are Adwords). You pay every time someones clicks on that ad and goes to your site (you pay for someone clicking, not for the amount of times the ad is shown, otherwise known as an impression, so even if no-one clicks you are still geting great exposure!).

It is a great, simple easy way to get traffic to your site. Whether you are a company, blog, multinational, it doesn’t matter, we can service you and bring you quality traffic. You choose your budget, its all entirely up to you. We have clients spending $1 a day up to a couple of thousand dollars per day. Either way, we will get your great results for your dollar.

Why do you need US (or rather me) instead of doing it yourself?

1) Google adwords is complicated, time consuming and requires training
2) The vast majority of people would not know how to write ad copy, choose the right keywords that actually have traffic or choose the right words that actually work.
3) We know what we are doing, we are Adwords Proffesionals!
3) If you have problems you have somone to help you

For those who want to give it a go for $5 (excluding the cost per google clicks) read on here:

– You sign up with the link here (note it has my special cid to track customers)
– It costs $5 for the first month, you signup. We analyze your site, create your keywords, adcopy and prepare your budget.
– We send you an email giving you instructions to activate your account
Warning: You have to activate your account, if you don’t get this email contact us. Our billing system is automatic so therefore if you don’t activate you will still get charged and that will be a real pity because a) you will be really annoyed b) you will cancel and most importantly c) you will not get the oppurtunity to get some traffic to your site
– Once you are up and running, you can be in contact with us and we can help work with you to get the objectives you desire. Here is my personal email address at work (rael at getmeonmedia.com). If you have any problems let me know.

If you like the service you can continue for $59/month. If you don’t, you can quit at any time, there is no contract! So the most it can cost you is $5 (excluding your Google click costs, you specify the budget of what you want to spend a day)

So here is a shameless plea to tell your friends, family, etc. If you have a rich uncle with a massive multinational who wants a great advertising service, let me know!

As I said before, contact me at (rael at getmeonmedia.com) if you have any further questions. That link again to pass around so I get the credit is
http://www.getmeonmedia.com/getonnow.aspx?cid=254

P.S Helping a fellow Jew make a parnassah is a big mitzvah

The END

Working For A Living By R’ Harry Maryles

R’Harry Maryles, a profound and
insightful person whose writings I really respect, has authored a
great piece on the need for Orthodox Jews to work for a living and
the disastrous consequences of not. He clearly shows that the
Hollywood, picturesque representation of a “learning-only”
lifestyle / community as being problem free and a complete paradise,
are clearly inaccurate and misleading. Read it here.



Interesting Articles About Contemporary Media


R’Shmuley Boteach: Fiddling while celebrities burn


R’Tzvi Fishman: Fishman Goes to the Movies
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/6771

R’Tzvi Fishman: The Plague of Internet Pornography
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/6499

R’Tzvi Fishman: Do You Know What Your Daughters Are Reading?
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/6817

R’Gil Student: Television, DVDs and Computer Games
http://hirhurim.blogspot.com/2006/11/television-dvds-and-computer-games.html


100 Posts!

The last post was my 100th post! Hopefully there will  be many more to come :) If there are any comments, requests for particular topics, things you like, things you dislike etc please let me know. My blog wouldn’t be around if it were not for you the readers. Keep, on reading & commenting.

Yours sincerely,

– Rael

(Image from: http://www.familyhood.com/img/index-congratulations-logo.jpg)

Quote: Being and Not Being

He made His world of contradictions, opposites that combine as one.

being and not being,
infinity and finitude,
light and darkness,
form and matter,
quantity and quality,
giving and withholding.

At their nexus, a world is formed: Neither can exist without the other, all function together as a single whole.

They are mere modalities — He Himself is none of them. He mixes them and matches them at whim.

Paradox is our window to beyond.

A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Shevat 20, 5767 * February 8, 2007

Yishuv Eretz Yisrael according to the Ramban


The impetus for this post was brought about through numerous conversations with a Lubavitch friend of mine. It occurred to me that the halachic underpinnings for Rav Kooks thought as well as those of his followers were not clearly known among the broader Orthodox community. This post and the upcoming ones will hopefully dispel some myths, as well as promote some serious discussion and debate.

If there is one passage that in my opinion sums up the thought of the followers of Rav Kook, it is this passage from the Ramban. The Ramban in his commentary to the Rambam’s "Sefer Hamitzvot" (Positive Commandment #4) notes the following.

"That we are commanded to take possession of the Land which the Almighty, Blessed Be He, gave to our forefathers, to Avraham, to Yitzhak, and to Yaacov; and not to abandon it to other nations, or to leave it desolate, as He said to them, You shall dispossess the inhabitants of the Land and dwell in it, for I have given the Land to you to posses it, (Numbers, 33:53) and he said, further, To Inherit the Land which I swore to your forefathers, (to give them,) behold, we are commanded with the conquest of the land in every generation."
(Footnote 48, Pg 112, "Torat Eretz Yisrael", David Samson)


Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook extrapolates upon this Ramban:

"People occasionally ask, ‘Where is it written in the Torah we have to build a State?’ Aren’t they familiar with the words of the Ramban, who determines that we are commanded that this Land be in our hands, and not in the hands of any other nation? That it be in our hands in a national sense. Everyone understands that dominion over a geographic section of land demands political sovereignty and government. All of the Poskim (arbitrators of Torah law) both Rishonim and Achronim [1] [2], decide the law in this fashion, on the basis of this Ramban, that the precept of conquering the Land applies in all generations – and all of them agree it is a commandment of the Torah."
(Page 166, "Torat Eretz Yisrael", David Samson)

[1] See Pitchei Teshuva, Even HaEzer, Section 75, Sub-section 6.

[2] The following is a partial listing of the Halachic authorities who state that the obligation to live in Israel is a Torah commandment binding in all times (Footnote 51, Pg 113, "Torat Eretz Yisrael", David Samson):

Rambam Laws of Marriage Ch 3:20
Rambam Laws of Slaves Ch 8:39
Sefer Haredim Ch 7
Maharit Responsa 2:28
Rashbash 1
Knesset Gedolah Even HaEzer 75, Notes To the Beit Yosef 25
Gaon of Vilna Yoreh Deah 267:161
Avne Nezer Yoreh Deah 454
M’il Tzedakah Responsa 26
Rav Yaakov Emden, Mor Uktziah Section 1 Pg 16
Chida Responsa Yosef Ometz 52
Chida Ya’ir Ozen 10:15
Chachmat Adam, Shar Mishpatei HaAretz 11:13
Paat HaShulchan Ch1, Beit Yisrael 14
Chatam Sofer Responsa Yoreh Deah 233, 235
Rav Haim Palagi, Responsa Nishmat Kol Chai, Yoreh Deah 48
Rav Shlomo from Lublin, in his introduction to the book Mitzvah Yishuv HaAretz
Maharam Shik Yoreh Dead 225
Ohr Somayach, Letter for the book Shivat Zion, printed in Kol Yisrael, 5687
Rav Yitzhak Elchanan Spector, Letters, Shivat Zion
Chazon Ish, Letters 175


[3] See this article by Rav David Samson for elaboration on this topic.
[4]
See this article by Rav Hershel Schacter for a halachic analysis of the sources regarding this mitzvah.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe On “Daas Torah”

Here is an excerpt from a sicha of the Lubavitcher Rebbe ZT"L on the topic of how a chassid should relate to his Rebbe. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

Thoughts On Love From Rav Kook – Part 2

Rav Kook had some profound, awe inspiring words to say about the theme of Ahavah. Here are some excerpts that I found while reading a fantastic sefer by HaRav David Samson “Torat Eretz Yisrael – The teachings of HaRav Tzvi Yehuda HaCohen Kook”.

Read, be inspired and spread the light (Orot)!

The Ahava of mankind requires substantial effort in order to attains its appropriate station of constantly filing every aspect of life. This comes in opposition to the superficial view which arises, at first glance, upon a cursory investigation of Torah and conventional ethics, which seem contradictory to this Ahava, or at best, apathetic to it. The most exalted level of Ahavah for mankind must encompass the love of the individual, and includes every person, regardless of all of the differences of religion and belief, race and locale. One must endeavor to understand fully the mentalities of the various peoples and communities, to study, as thoroughly as possible, their characteristics and attributes, in order to know how to base human love on practical foundations.

Only a person rich in Ahavah for mankind, and for each individual man, can attain a love for his own nation in its most noble dimension, and for its spiritual and material grandeur. The myopic vision, which views everything outside the boundaries of a particular nation, even that which is outside the boundaries of Yisrael, as ugly and impure, is a part of the awful darkness which causes the utter destruction of the universal spiritual goodness which every sensitive soul longs to see:


(Midot HaRiyah, Ahavah, 10. HaRav Avraham Yitzhak HaCohen Kook)
{Footnote 97, Pg 86, “Torat Eretz Yisrael”- HaRav David Samson}

My father ZT”L said that since groundless hatred (Sinat Chinam), caused the destruction of the Second Temple, we must increase unconditional Ahavah (Ahavat Chinam), to bring about the Temples rebuilding. This Ahavah isn’t dependent on anything. It is like Hashem’s love for Israel, which is an eternal Brit. Ahavat Chinam doesn’t aspire to attain an added level of Divine service, or to do a good deed. Ahavat Chinam comes when there are no personal advancements to be won. This Ahavah exists regardless of any shortcomings in the beloved, and without any conditions that have to be met. Even with all of the deficiencies and imperfections in people, Ahavah must be total. And let none of your device evil in your hearts against his neighbor. There can be great differences in personalities, or disagreements in learning, or debate over the right thing to do, but, true Ahavah transcends all of this, and surrounds all of the Children of Israel. This is the eternal love of Hashem for his people.


(Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook, pg 63, “Torat Eretz Yisrael")

Chok L’Yisrael

There are many different  learning cyclces that are out there whether Amud Yomi, Daf Yomi, Mishna Yomi, Rambam Yomi, etc. Which program is appropriate for you really depends on what you hope to achieve and how much time you have available. For myself, personally, I prefer breadth over depth, bekiut over biyun. For that reason I have to recommend the Chok L’Yisrael learning program for anyone who wish to achieve mastery over large portions of Torah.

What is Chok L’Yisrael?

Chok L’Yisrael is a daily learning program, with the core text being the parsha of the week along with the commentary of Rashi. The daily portion of Rashi is not structured according to aliyot, but according to a number of pesukim which varies each day. The number of pesukim learnt based on a kabbalistic number system which I do not have direct knowledge of. This is followed by a portion of Neviim, Ketuvim, A perek of Mishna, A sugya in Shas, Zohar (for those on the level), halacha (from Shulchan Aruch or Rambam’s Mishne Torah), and some mussar (taken from various seforim and ethical treatises). The accompaning sections of Torah are intented to be relavant to the portion of Chumash Rashi.

Quote: Some Words of Mussar From Rocky

 Like most people I know, I was brought up watching the Rocky movies. Although I will not be watching the new Rocky Balboa film, I was curious to see what the plot would be about. I checked out the plot summary on Wikipedia and came across some interesting dialogue from the movie which I thought I would share. Robert (Rocky’s son) is trying to convince Rocky not to participate in the upcoming fight. Rocky responds with the following:

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean, and nasty place an’ no matter how tough you think you are, it’ll always beat you if you let it. It ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! If you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hits and not pointin’ fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that, and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!"


Kind of reminds you of Proverbs (24:16)For a righteous man can fall seven times and rise, but the wicked shall stumble upon evil:)