THE HOLY TANNA, REBI MATIA BEN HARASH

A story is told of Rebi Matia Ben Harash, who was both wealthy and G-D fearing, and like Rebi Meir his teacher, spent all his days learning Torah in the Beis Midrash. His face radiated light like the sun. And his countenance resembled that of the ministering angels. It was said of him, that he never gazed at a woman in his life.

It once occurred that Satan passed by and became quite envious of [Rebi Matia]. He asked: Is it indeed possible to find a TZADDIK in the entire world who has never sinned? He immediately ascended to the higher realms and stood before HASHEM and asked:

HASHEM, what is your opinion of Matia Ben Harash?

[HASHEM] responded: he is a perfect TZADDIK.

[Satan replied]: grant me permission to Test him.

[HASHEM] responded: you don't stand a chance! Nevertheless, HASHEM granted him permission.

Seeking him, [Satan] immediately found [Rebi Matia] sitting and learning Torah. [Satan] appeared to him as the most beautiful woman, the likes of which were not seen on Earth since the time of Na'ama, the sister of Tuval-Cain who seduced the Fallen Angels.

[Satan] stood before him.

As soon as [Rebi Matia] saw [Satan] assume the female form, he immediately turned, facing the opposite direction. [Satan] stood suddenly in front of [Rebi Matia].

[Rebi Matia] attempted to once again turn away from him, yet the Satan immediately followed. Upon realizing that she follows him in every direction, [Rebi Matia] said to himself "I fear, lest my YETZER HARA get the better of me and I transgress."

So what did this TZADDIK do? He called over one of his pupils who would care for his needs, and told him: "Son, fetch me a torch and some nails!"

Upon receiving them, Rebi Matia thrust the glowing nails into his eyes, bling himself completely.

Satan, upon seeing this, was suddenly overcome by intense trembling and did backward flips [in complete awe of Rebi Matia's action]. He immediately left him.

At that very moment, HASHEM summoned REFA'EL, the Healing Angel. HE to him: "Go heal the eyes of Rebi Matia Ben Harash!"

He stood before him.

Rebi Matia said: "Who are you?"

He responded: "I am the Angel REFA'EL. HASHEM sent me to heal your eyes!"

Rebi Matia replied: "Leave me be. What happened is already in the past".

REFA'EL returned to HASHEM and reported "This is what Rebi Matia Ben Harash said to me..."

HASHEM replied: "Return to Rebi Matia and tell him that henceforth he is not to fear, for I guarantee that the YETZER HARA will never harm you, so long as you live!"

Upon hearing this from the Angel, Rebi Matia accepted the healing and recovered.

Midrash Tanchuma (Buber): PARSHAT Chukat; Yalkut Shimoni Midrash Avchir: Breishit 161

~ התנא הקדוש רבי מתיא בן חרש ~

מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַ' מַתְיָא בֶּן חֶרֶש, שהָיָה עָשִׁיר וִירֵא שָׁמַיִם וְיוֹשֵׁב כָּל יָמָיו בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וְעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה כְּרַ' מֵאִיר רַבּוֹ.

וְהָיָה זִיו פָּנָיו מַבְהִיק כְּזֹהַר הַחַמָּה וּקְלַסְתֵּר פָּנָיו דּוֹמֶה לְמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת. וְאָמְרוּ עָלָיו, שֶׁמִּיָּמָיו לֹא נָשָׂא עֵינָיו לְאִשָּׁה בָּעוֹלָם.

פעַם אַחַת עָבַר הַשָּׂטָן וְנִתְקַנֵּא בּוֹ, אָמַר: אֶפְשָׁר צַדִּיק בְּלֹא חֵטְא בָּעוֹלָם?

מִיָּד עָלָה לַמָּרוֹם וְעָמַד לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא

ואָמַר: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מַתְיָא בֶּן חֶרֶשׁ מַהוּ לְפָנֶיךָ?

אָמַר לוֹ: צַדִּיק גָּמוּר הוּא.

אָמַר: תֵּן לִי רְשׁוּת וַאֲנַסֶּנּוּ.

אָמַר לוֹ: אֵין אַתָּה יָכוֹל לוֹ! -אַף עַל פִּי כֵן נָתַן לוֹ רְשׁוּת.

מִיָּד הָלַךְ וּמְצָאוֹ יוֹשֵׁב וְעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה. נִדְמָה לוֹ כְּאִשָּׁה יָפָה שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה כִּדְמוּתָהּ מֵעוֹלָם מִיְּמוֹת נַעֲמָה אֲחוֹת תּוּבַל קַיִן, שֶׁטָּעוּ בָּהּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת. עָמַד לְפָנָיו.

כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה אוֹתוֹ, הָפַךְ פָּנָיו לַאֲחוֹרָיו.

חָזַר הַשָּׂטָן וְהָלַךְ כְּנֶגֶד פָּנָיו.

הֶחֱזִיר פָּנָיו לְצַד אַחֵר וְהַשָּׂטָן כְּנֶגֶד פָּנָיו.

כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה שֶׁמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת לְכָל הַצְּדָדִים, אָמַר בְּלִבּוֹ: מִתְיָרֵא אֲנִי, שֶׁמָּא יִתְגַּבֵּר עָלַי יֵצֶר הָרַע וְיַחֲטִיאֵנִי.

מֶה עָשָׂה אוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק? קָרָא לְאֶחָד מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁהָיָה מְשַׁמְּשׁוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ: בְּנִי, לֵךְ וְהָבֵא לִי אֵשׁ וּמַסְמְרִים. כֵּיוָן שֶׁהֱבִיאָם לוֹ, הֶעֱבִיר הַמַּסְמְרִים בָּאֵשׁ וּנְעָצָם בְּעֵינָיו.

כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה הַשָּׂטָן כָּךְ, נִזְדַּעֲזַע וְנָפַל לַאֲחוֹרָיו, וְהָלַךְ מֵעָלָיו.

בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה קָרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִרְפָאֵל שַׂר שֶׁל רְפוּאוֹת, אָמַר לוֹ: לֵךְ וּרְפָא עֵינָיו שֶׁל מַתְיָא בֶּן חֶרֶשׁ.

בָּא רְפָאֵל וְעָמַד לְפָנָיו.

אָמַר לוֹ מַתְיָא: מִי אַתָּה?

אָמַר לוֹ: אֲנִי הוּא רְפָאֵל הַמַּלְאָךְ, שֶׁשְּׁלָחַנִי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְרַפְּאוֹת אֶת עֵינֶיךָ!

אָמַר לוֹ: הַנִּיחֵנִי, מָה שֶׁהָיָה הָיָה.

חָזַר רְפָאֵל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא,

אָמַר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, כָּךְ וְכָךְ אָמַר לִי מַתְיָא בֶּן חֶרֶשׁ

אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: לֵךְ וֶאֱמֹר לוֹ מֵהַיּוֹם וְאֵילָךְ אַל תִּירָא, אֲנִי עָרֵב לְךָ בַּדָּבָר שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁלֹט בְּךָ יֵצֶר רַע כָּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ.

כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁמַע מַתְיָא בֶּן חֶרֶשׁ מִפִּי הַמַּלְאָךְ קִבֵּל רְפוּאָתוֹ וְנִתְרַפָּא.

מדרש תנחומא - בובר: פרשת חקת, הוספה א'; מדרש אבכיר בילקוט שמעוני לבראשית: רמז קס״א.

Posted at SHOVAVIM ~ TIKKUN HaYESOD.

Zeyde and the Hidden Mine “A Story About Friendship, Summer Adventure and Histoy”. Book Review

A while ago, I received this little book of my friend and author; Rabbi Nachman ben Chaim Aryel. Thank God for more this Hashem’s gift to us!

Well, the first impression by its cover "hides" the great teachings that can be studied by children but also by adults. Yes, although the stories are based on relationships and adventures of children, I could find many times a stimulus for us to find ourselves in such stories. For those who had the taste to appreciate Rabbi Nachman’s Stories, could find interesting "Zeyde and the Hidden Mine".

This book is divided into Chapter Fourteen relying on relationships, the surprises of life, the obstacles and the terrors like the Holocaust. Showing all sides that one must go through, and there are solutions in the challenge itself.

Each of the characters come from different branches of Judaism, which each of them wants to investigate the world, but will need the group support, and still have the Zeyde advice it would be like his grandfather, it looks a lot like a Rabbi for give advices.

The central base is mutual respect, unity to overcome problems and gladden the hearts with Jewish wisdom that is linked here.

The 128 pages is a classic of Chassidic story.

Who Is Aryel Nachman?
Many people call him Rabbi, some even call him Rebbe, and he is the founder of Der Alte Weg Chassidus. When asked this question, Aryel said: I am a follower of the Baal Shem Tov (zt’l), my Rebbe is Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (zt’l) and I derive great inspiration, strength and comfort from the Grand Rebbe of Kaliv, Menachem Mendel Taub (shlit’a).

The House of Seven Beggars Synagogue 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rabbi.a.chaim

Website: http://sevenbeggars.com

Pearls of Wisdom… A Word for the Ages בס"ד

Rebbetzin Margulya was the mother of the Gaon, Rav Meir Shapiro, zt”l,

the Rav of Lublin and the Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin.

She devoted her life to ensuring that her son would eventually grow into a

Gadol B’Yisroel, and every day she reminded him that a day without learning

Torah is a day wasted. When Rav Meir Shapiro began to learn Chumash,

Rebbetzin Margulya prepared a beautiful Seudah for the local Rabbanim, as an

indication of her great love for Torah. Reb Meir Shapiro once told a childhood

story about his mother. “When I was a boy, my family was forced to move

several times from house to house, and from city to city. The constant moving

did not bother my mother, but only one thing would disturb her— my Bitul

Torah, when I was not able to learn Torah! On one occasion, as we were again

preparing to move, my mother contacted the Rebbe of the town to which we

were moving, and arranged that he would meet me by the gate of the city so that

he could be able to learn with me immediately when we arrived at the town.

When we finally reached our destination, we searched and searched, but the

Rebbe was not there. My mother sat down in despair next to the wagon and

cried for a long time. I tried to calm her down by saying, ‘Mommy, why are you

crying? I’ll learn tomorrow!’ My mother answered me, ‘Meir! You don’t yet

know how to appreciate the meaning of one day of Torah learning, and what

wasting a single day of Torah learning really means!” (Chaim Sheyeish Bahem).

From Torah U'Tefilah newsletter.