FC with Binyamin and Daniel Jun.17.2007

 (FC no 18)

Daniel is being released from the Tel Hashomer hospital today. All along the way, my heart was crying as I watched him - in and out of awareness, slow reactions... I had felt that pain before, the last time he was hospitalized.

One never really gets used to these things but we have to find a way to go on.

You really need to be "brave" to go into the private ward and see all the people that have been committed. I don't blame my wife for preferring to wait outside.

After meeting with the doctor to get instructions on treatment and medications, we got in the car and drove to Jerusalem.

The usual group were already there; Shmuel, Binyamin, Yisrael, the guy in charge and the communicator. I laid the table with some refreshments and drinks we had brought with us and turned on my two recorders.

I usually spend a couple of days preparing questions before each session, but ever since Daniel's hospitalization, let's just say 'my mind's not quite there'.

Moreover, at Daniel's request, I have been spending a lot of time preparing his next book, so unfortunately, I could not prepare my usual set of questions and at the FC place, I came up with only a few. My apologies, but I do hope to have more ready for the next session.

I usually like to begin the sessions with Binyamin, who is the oldest one of that group.

Here it is:

Abba: Is Daniel a reincarnation of the prophet Daniel?

Ben: Yes, that would be very fitting for the situation, but I'm not aloud to say. It is very fitting, though.

Abba: If the answer is "no" can you tell us "no"?

Ben: If it wasn't clear, I could have told you but then you would know the answer.

Abba: In other words you are not allowed to tell me who Daniel is a reincarnation of?

Ben: I'm not allowed.

Abba: I understand from our previous session that the second Lebanon war happened in order to prevent the impure parade [the gay parade]?

Ben: Not only because of that. However, this impure parade is symbolic; it's symbolic to the degeneration of the world, of all the impurities that have weaved their way into every corner of the world. And the last straw, was taking the filth and parading it through the Holiest of Holy places [Jerusalem]. It is the biggest chutzpah [insolence] there has ever been.

Abba: Binyamin, you said "not only", meaning there were other causes for the second Lebanon war, aside from the impure parade?

Ben: Again, it's not just the parade that brought on the war; it's all our sins, particularly the sins of the Jews. The parade is a symbol of our many sins.

(I told Binyamin that I heard that a lot of Ultra Orthodox Jews did not want to join in the fight against the parade because they don't even know of such horrible things and why drag pure, innocent people into that world of filth?)

Ben: True, there are innocent Torah-learning men who have never heard of such things before but there are many who have and a lot of Yeshiva men know about these things. Moreover, you don't have know exactly what it is; people don't have to know all the little details in order to fight against it. And if they don't know... how can they not know that such a thing exits? Everything is written in detail in the Gemora.

(I'd heard that the Badatz [religious justice system] of the Eidah Hacharedis [the Ultra Orthodox community] had organized a huge supporting-convention in Jerusalem with 70,000 participants to demonstrate against the parade.

At the convention they said Tehillim [Psalms], blew shofars, and various Rabbis lectured about modesty and doing teshuva [repentance].

I also made reference to Binyamin's previous harsh message. I understood that it was directly related to the impure parade, in other words that something terrible, Heaven Forbid would happen in order to stop the parade from happening.)

Ben: I don't think there's a connection between the tragedy and preventing the parade, but Hashem is the Omnipotent. If He decides to prevent it, He will. But I fear that if He does, it will be like last year - with great tragedy, Heaven Forbid.

Abba: Meaning, we won't know if He will or not until Thursday?

Ben: That's right.

Abba: I read that the Ultra-Orthodox Badatz cursed anyone who participates in the parade including the police. Does their curse have any validity?

Ben: What do you mean, does it have validity? If Tzaddikim [righteous men] put a curse on people who hate Jews, who hate Hashem, Heaven Forbid, then their curse certainly has validity.

(A relative was present at the FC session, who was worried that she would not get accepted to the seminary she wishes to attend next year.)

Ben: You are afraid they won't accept you to the seminary?

Let me tell you a secret. If they don't accept you it doesn't mean anything, it doesn't mean that they are right. But what does matter is that you must do real teshuva. You must decide to live like a real Jewish girl and not like a girl off the street - the street which is filthy and immodest.

You are a very important soul, very gentle and very good. You must follow the way of Hashem. Whether you get accepted or not [to the seminary], don't be upset. But you should feel bad if you don't follow the way of Hashem.

Abba: what's going on with Daniel?

Ben: This is part of his rectification, he is a big Tzaddik. You shouldn't lower the dosage of his medications now because you can't endanger the people around him.

Abba: The dosage is double what it was before.

Ben: Of course, because this time you lost the balance and when you lose the balance you have to start from high and then lower it to an effective dosage, as low as possible as long as it is effective. You have to continue with this dosage now and slowly, slowly the doctors will be able to lower the dosage to a more normal one. First, though, you have to see how his body digests this dosage and then see what would bring him closest to normal.

Abba: DO you have a message for the people?

Ben: Just the message from Motzaei Shabbos (chapter 30). There's not much more to say now, just to wait, but while people are waiting they should pray that they should be able to repent and follow the path of Hashem.

Daniel is not feeling well.

(From here we continued the session with Daniel)

Abba: Daniel, Binyamin says you are not feeling well. What can we do to help you?

Daniel: You can't help me and I want to answer questions.

(How could I tell him that I hadn't prepapred any questions for him?)

Abba: Is the medicine helping you, Daniel?

Daniel: I don't know why but I know that with all the suffering, I must have the medication. I'm afraid to be without it because I don't want to lose control again and that scares me more. Really, don't lower the dosage now, I'm really afraid, I'm afraid, afraid, don't lower it now. Please.

Daniel: Oy vavoy, Oh no, oh no, the Jewish people are deteriorating, oy vavoy!

Abba: Daniel, what do you think about the book [the first "Daniel"]?

Daniel: I'm very pleased.

(We spoke about Moshiach- the Messiah)

Daniel: I don't know when exactly, but it is close, G-d Willing.

But there really is a fear (that something will happen) in this month. It is Rosh Chodesh Tammuz (the first day in the month of Tammuz) and there is great fear particularly during the three weeks (from the fast of the 17^th of Tammuz to the fast of the 9^th of Av).

... but I know what my sins are and what Hashem wants of me and I know that we are only in this world to work, not to have physical and materialistic fun; we need to grow spiritually.

Abba: How can we grow spiritually?

Daniel: We must understand that life is short; even 120 years go by so quickly. There is not time and it's all for the purpose of rectification.

We must rectify. I know you love me and I'm happy about that.

(Although I didn't prepare questions for the session, I did suddenly remember two.)

Abba: A guest asked if the answers you give are intended for the person asking alone or are they intended for the whole nation?

Daniel: Every answer is general (for the nation) and specific (for the asker as an individual).

Abba: Can a person who does not done complete repentance still help with zikui harabim [meriting the people] by doing things such as handing out CDs, etc. (with these messages)?

Daniel: Of course he can, why not? It doesn't mean he'll get to Gan Eden that way, but it might encourage him to fully repent.

(I asked about relatives who suffer from illnesses and financial difficulties)

Daniel: They are righteous, why do need to tell you this?

This is a generation of suffering. We must suffer without letting ourselves fall in spirituality. Hashem will help.

Abba: Do you have a message to give to all the visitors who sent you their blessings and pray for you?

Daniel: I want to thank everyone who wrote "Get well, Daniel."

I also want to tell you that the end is very near and the Jews must all repent. Also the gentile nations must repent.

And I want to bless all those who blessed me that, G-d Willing, you should receive our righteous Moshiach [Bimhera beyamenu] soon, in our time.

Daniel: My entire suffering is rectifications and punishments and the medications I receive are also connected to this.

(Out loud:) I am very sad, the Jewish nation is deteriorating, because we could have been redeemed a long time ago already, and where are the Jewish people?

Daniel: Tell ... that he should not be afraid. I pray for him all the time.

(We returned to the topic of the impure parade)

Abba: The impure parade is planned for this Thursday. Even if thousands of Haredim [Ultra-orthodox men] would come and demonstrate against the parade, there are thousands of police men there who would brutally beat people... I think this matter is out of our hands.

Guest: Impure parades have been permitted in only two countries: Holland and Israel. When such a parade took place in Russia... the police gave the [impure] people such a beating... and they had the government backing them.

Daniel: yes, what can we do? Our entire society has been affected somehow by this impurity. What will help? I do not know. But Jews must protest. Woe to those who do not protest.

(We returned to the topic of reincarnation)

Abba: Daniel, are you a reincarnation of the Prophet Daniel?

Daniel: A spark.

Abba: And Binyamin is a spark of whom?

Daniel: I can't tell you, he doesn't allow me to tell anyone.

Abba: Do you want to ask me any questions?

Daniel: We don't have to talk all the time. Chitchat is also not a good thing, I am through.

(Daniel stood up and then I remembered that Daniel mentioned to me several times that he was afraid and I wanted to ask him what he was afraid of so Ben answered)

Abba: What is Daniel afraid of?

Ben: He is afraid to go off balance. He realizes that you love him so much and that you don't want the medication to harm him. But he also knows that with Hashem's help the medications will give him some kind of balance and therefore he must have the medications. Although the medications do have side effects, sometimes Hashem helps that they should be right for the tzaddik.

He is very unbalanced and he must be balanced.

This type of suffering is preferable to others.

Abba: What is the difference between a spark and a reincarnation?

Ben: A reincarnation is really the whole soul, entirely, and a spark is only a part of the soul.