Community Magazine April 2013

Dear Kollel rashbi, Although I had always believed in the power of Tefillah, the following story really strength- ened that belief. My nine-month old son was playing with his toys, when I heard a horrible scream from him. He had stuck his face on a portable, plug-in heater and there were marks on many places of his face; on his forehead, above his entire eye, above his nose, below his nose, his cheek and his entire upper lip. Everything was blistered and a lot of liquid came out over the next day. Hatzalah and his pediatrician thought they were second degree burns, but when we got to the Saint Barnabus Burn center, we were told by the burn surgeon/specialist that they were in fact third degree burns. They were worried about scarring, and more importantly, the affect it could possibly have on his eyesight. My husband and I decided to give money to the Kollel, knowing very well that we would have Tzaddikim davening for our baby. With much thanks and gratitude to Hashem and those members of the Kollel, my son’s face is not only healed, but there was absolutely no damage to his eyesight either. It has only been three weeks and the third degree burns are barely even noticeable! Yours truly, Rabbi and Mrs Reuven Gidanian P.S. If you would like to hear the story first hand call the Kollel for our number. » Learning the night of the Vach Nacht » 40 Days of Shir Hashirim between Alot and Netz » Siyum Mishnayot for Sheloshim or Yartzhiet » Hazkarat Ketoret after the whole night of learning Hagaon HaTzadik HaRav Yaakov Meir Shechter Shlita Become a Partner in the Learning of Kollel Vatikin VeRashbi Limud Hatorah by Talmidei Hachamim during the post midnight and predawn hours Call: 917-282-3333 Real people with real yeshuot... Hamlatzat U’Birchat Kollel Vatikin Finishes: Plus Kollel Vatikin Offers: KOLLEL Vatikin VeRashbi Limud Hatorah by Talmidei Chachamim during the post midnight and predawn hours    Hagaon HaTzadik Harav Yitzchok Nosson Kupershtuk ZT”L Hagaon HaTzadik HaRav Moshe Salant Shlita Hagaon HaTzadik HaRav Zundel Kroizer Shlita » Talmud Bavli and Yerushalmi » 4 Chelke Shulchan Aruch » Kol HaTorah Kula ....... as a Zechut As a Segula for Refuah Sheleima, Shidduchim, Parnasah and any Yeshuah. OUR SYRIAN HERITAGE PROVES THAT MIRACLES COME FROM LEARNING AT CHATZOT In the work Likedoshim Asher Ba’aretz by Rabbi David Laniado, the author describes what he calls “the miracle of the blood libel at Aleppo.” He quotes from a book en- titled Ohel Yesharim by Rabbi Avraham Antebbi: The following story happened to a rabbi from the Dayan family who lived near the synagogue. The custom was that the keys of the synagogue were left with the rabbi so that he could go before midnight to open the building for those wishing to learn until early morning. One night, the rabbi dreamed that the Torah scrolls were on fire. However, upon arising from his bed he saw nothing amiss. Half an hour later, he had the same dream: Again, he jumped up from his bed – and again, nothing seemed to be unusual! The rabbi said to himself that if he had this dream twice, there must be a reason. He took the keys and went down to the syna- gogue. Upon entering, the rabbi looked around and still saw nothing amiss. When he came to the ark where the Sifrei Torah were kept, he did notice something strange: One of the Torah scrolls was left open. When he tried to close it, he noticed that a bottle of blood had been hid- den inside the sefer Torah . So, he took the bottle of blood from the ark, spilled it out, and cleaned it thoroughly. Then the rabbi substituted red wine for the blood that had been in the bottle, and he put it back into the sefer Torah where he had originally found it. He then returned home and went back to sleep. Shortly thereafter, a high-ranking government minis- ter and his officers came to the rabbi’s house, woke him up, and asked him for the keys to the synagogue. He then followed them to the synagogue. He saw that they were looking for something, and when they arrived at the ark, they proceeded to go to the open sefer Torah , in which they found the bottle containing a red liquid. Upon receiving the bottle from his officers, the minis- ter exclaimed, “See! I told you! Every year the Jews kill a gentile in order to use his blood. First they hide it in a sefer Torah in the synagogue, and afterwards they use it to make their matzot for Pesah.” One of the officers then asked, “Shouldn’t we at least check if it’s really blood? Maybe it’s not blood at all.” He spilled a few drops on the palm of his hand, and it smelled like wine! They grew terribly upset at the informer who had lied to them and caused them to disturb their own sleep in order to embark on this futile mission – and they killed him. The next morning, the rabbi announced that a miracle had occurred for the Jews of Aleppo, and he recount- ed the events of the previous night. He subsequent- ly declared the day to be one of feasting and rejoicing. Reprinted from The Sephardic Heritage Haggadah, published by Artscroll