Resources for Modesty for Women

The Jewish women too are responsible for many mitzvos incumbent upon them.  But the most important and most challenging mitzvah for the Jewish woman for all time is the miztvah of tznius.  The mitzvah of tznius encompasses not only dress codes but also interaction with society involving speech and behavior.

Luckily, HaKadosh Baruch Hu has provided many many resources for Jewish women to learn about tznius.  Here are some of them (many of these resources come from ModestAnytime.com, a new but serious website dedicated to the mitzvah of tznius, providing custom-sewn modest and refined garments for Jewish women today).

Oz v'Hadar L'vushah -  available on Google Books (80% accessible)
Videos
Lectures

Why is the mitzvah of tznius so challenging today?  Some of the reasons I can think of include, social media network (no thanks to Facebook, YouTube and the like), more Jewish women in the workforce, and co-ed learning institutions, the rise of Modern Orthodoxy, the lack of modest clothing in the market, the rise of irresponsible Jewish clothing shopkeepers who are ignorant of halachos of tznius, etc.  Women are left with very few choices -- work to support their husbands, abandon their children to the care of others, pursue higher education in order to support better job prospects -- the ugly cycle continues. However, this is not very healthy and has to be broken. Those who work in traditional roles are happier and more satisfied than those who pursue secular feministic ideals.  We have to return to our wholesome, Jewish role models -- Sarah Imenu, Rachel Imenu, Ruth HaMoaviah, Devorah haNeviah -- our mothers of modesty, among others, and seek advice from really, kosher, G-d-fearing Jewish women today.

Resources for Daily Mishnayos and Gemara learning

This is for the men.  There are so many resources for learning mishnayos and gemara that you can have in your fingertips every day in order to get closer to HaKadosh Baruch Hu.  Here are some of them.

Mishnayos:

http://dailymishnah.com/
http://mishnadaily.com/
http://www.shemayisrael.com/mishna/
http://613.org/mishnah.html  Rabbi Meir Pogrow

Gemara:

http://www.dailygemara.com/  Rabbi Eli Mansour
http://www.daf-yomi.org/
http://www.dafyomi.org/
http://e-daf.com/
http://www.dafyomi.co.il/

There are no more excuses to not learn Torah She'Ba'al Peh.  Everything is accessible.

Of course, there is no reward for a non-Jew learning the Oral Torah, in fact, he will be punished for doing so.  But it is incumbent upon all Jewish males to do it.

Siyum HaShas, Israel 2012 סיום הש'ס ישראלי

Today's big Google search is Siyum HaShas 2012.  The Israeli Siyum HaShas for Anglos will be held 3 days after the American one.  The registration for the American event has been closed.  But you can still register for the Israeli event.

JERUSALEM – Three days after the 12th annual Siyum Hashas celebration at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey next summer, thousands of English-speaking devotees of Daf Yomi in Israel will descend on Jerusalem’s Binyanei Ha’uma Convention Center to partake in similar festivities.

The Sunday, August 5 event will feature a unique local program produced by Rabbi Mordechai Kornfeld, rosh kollel of Har Nof’s Kollel Iyun Hadaf, with the encouragement of Agudath Israel of America.

Rabbi Kornfeld, a native of Queens, New York, was also the driving force behind the first mass Siyum Hashas celebration ever held in Israel at Binyanei Ha’uma, which paralleled the 11th Siyum Hashas in America in March 2005.

Seven years ago Rabbi Kornfeld was admittedly somewhat skeptical as to how many people would show up.

“We were very surprised by the large numbers of people from across the entire religious spectrum that showed up to participate in the event,” he told The Jewish Press.

“We expected maybe 3,000 people, but when close to 6,000 people somehow squeezed their way into Binyanei Ha’uma in order to have a share in the celebration, it was a tremendous berachah.”

This time around Rabbi Kornfeld anticipates another record-breaking crowd to take part in the celebration, which will be highlighted by a series of inspiring lectures from some of Israel’s leading rabbis.

“Based on the success of the first event in 2005, we are endeavoring to expand the program and feature different speakers. Last time, the celebration was considered a maverick effort. This time around, we are transforming it into a community service. It’s no longer an oddity. We hope to extend the success and provide a greater inspiration.”

Since its founding in 1996, Kollel Iyun Hadaf has played a pivotal role in the development of Daf Yomi in Israel. Kollel Iyun Hadaf’s many experienced scholars, teachers and writers, a number of whom have already served as community leaders and community rabbis, produce free mailings on the Daf Yomi in English and Hebrew.

Rabbi Kornfeld said Kollel Iyun Hadaf has already produced 16 different collections of Talmudic study materials and is constantly generating more texts.

2005 Siyum Hashas at Binyaneu Ha'auma in Jerusalem.

He believes the success of both Daf Yomi and the Siyum Hashas in Israel is linked directly to the growth of the religious Anglo community.

“When we did the first Siyum Hashas,” he said, “the religious Anglo communities in places such as Beit Shemesh, Modiin/Modiin Illit and Jerusalem were relatively new. Today, we also see young, newlywed Mir Yeshiva bochrim staying in the country, moving to neighborhoods across Jerusalem.

“You also have other American yeshiva students studying in Gush Etzion, Sha’alvim, etc., and staying in the country for years. Thus, the Anglo olam no longer feels isolated as it has become a true community.”

As the 12th Siyum Hashas celebration will take place during the height of the summer vacation season for tourists, Rabbi Kornfeld is confident the event will be a hot ticket.

“We know,” he said, ”that religious Anglos will want to take a break from the Summer Olympics in London, while hundreds of religious teenagers from North America who attend the various summer camps across Israel will almost certainly want to be a part of this fascinating experience.”

Editor’s Note: For more information on the Siyum Hashas in Jerusalem, go to www.englishdafyomi2012.com.

Source: JewishPress 

Moshiach, Tisha B'Av 5772, מושיח תשעה באב 5772

Moriya's Place is pleased to post about this shiur before anyone else in blogo sphere.

This shiur is for ladies but is applicable to every Jew, I believe. Mrs Iris Odani Elyashiv speaks about Moshiach coming this Tisha B'Av 5772 and quotes many, many sources, previously hidden from us because we were not ready. Now, grab your seat belt, and listen to the shiur, and be inspired to do teshuva to be ready for Moshiach when he comes. Because, after he comes, there is no more chance to do teshuva. Mrs. Elyashiv also speaks about the upcoming war of Gog u'Magog and according to her will continue for 27 years. I don't understand that part.

UPDATE  -- Thanks to Google, and Yeranen Yaakov (who also links to this post) has a 2011 article explaining the 27 years:

Here, the Zohar speaks about the 27 years until the end of the century, that in the 73rd year, the war against Yerushalayim will begin, and HKB"H will rain down great hailstones upon the nations of the world, and the period of Mashiah Ben David will begin - that he will be energized to fight the wars of Hashem, and these wars will last 27 years until the end of the century, and then will be the complete unification [of Hashem's Name] and the complete ingathering of the exiles.

So, it seems to me that if MBD comes first before Gog uMagog, there is going to be a lot of war going on which, chas v'shalom, will result in 2/3 of the world being destroyed.  If Gog UMagog comes first before MBD, then the war will only last a few minutes.  Hmm... which one would I prefer?  I would prefer the latter path, of course!  I guess, the excitement about Moshiach coming and having to go through 27 years of war and suffering is not the ideal situation.  But since we have lost our merits of deserving MBD achishenah, we will now have to pay the price for it, suffering with Moshiach.

 If you would like to continue learning with her on teshuva by studying the book of Tomer Devorah (not the blogger!), you can do so at TorahAnytime.com, search for Mrs Elyashiv. Her lectures are for women only!

The most important thing is teshuva.  Rabbi Shimon b. Pazzi said: R. Yehoshua b. Levi said in the name of Bar Kappara: "All who observe the three meals of the Sabbath are spared three calamities: the pangs of the Moshiach, the judgment of Gehinnom, and the war of Gog uMagog. 

Maybe some of you will be distracted by the idea of packing up to go to EY.  Well, do not be distracted and just narrowly-focus on this goal.  Returning to EY without teshuva is not going to save you.  Being in EY is not going to save you. In fact, that is where the brunt of the war of Gog uMagog is going to take place. It has its effects all over the world, I'm sure.  The most important thing is teshuva!  For the men, you must focus on Torah learning, the women, you must focus on the mitzvah of tznius, and encouraging your men (husband and sons) to learn Torah.  Even Mrs Elyashiv is not hurrying up to go back to EY, she is spending the rest of the time teaching Tomer Devorah to encourage us to do teshuva.  Yes, we must have in our minds , preparing to return to EY.  But, let Moshiach lead us to EY, not NBN.

Torah Anytime is not really publicizing this shiur as they would other shiurim, in fact, they are keeping a low profile about it and are not explaining themselves why they are keeping quiet. 

Baruch Dayan HaEmes, Ayeles Galena z"l

Ayeles Yakira Galena, z"l

With unstoppable tears and broken hearts we regret to announce that last night around 5AM, after hours of fighting and holding on, our precious Ayelet - the heart of our world, the light and strength for so many, could not fight any more.

Ayelet Yakira Galena Z"L. 

She put up a serious fight, but her lungs collapsed, her blood pressure dropped and the blood could not get to her huge heart.

Baruch Dayan Emes. Her life, her strength, a blessing to so many.


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