On Tisha Ba’av night, I woke up at 3:00 a.m.  (Gulping down cups of water before the fast can have a down side).  In the bathroom, I noticed a mosquito zipping past my eyes. Although many people would just go back to sleep and hope that the mosquito doesn’t bite, in my house it is quite different, since my wife and some of my kids are very sensitive to bites. The bites blow up and they hurt very much.

Even though it was 3:00 in the morning and I didn’t want to "wake myself up", I knew that the right thing to do was hunt down the mosquito, so he doesn't bite anyone else. In order for me to track him better, I immediately put on all the lights in the bathroom. I also immediately Davened to Hashem for Hatzlacha for a quick kill, since I really didn't want to spend the wee hours of the morning in my 8x6 bathroom

I started looking for him and within a minute I saw him flying around. I then lost him as he flew by one of the 2 wooden doors in the bathroom. I spotted him again when he landed on one of the tiles. I then moved in for the kill but to my disappointment I missed. I noticed that this mosquito was smaller and faster than most of the ones I have encountered.  I then lost him but after a long 3 minutes I found him again. I had been looking on the walls and on the ceiling but I happened to notice him as he was landing on my one of my pajama covered legs. Luckily, he landed on the crease of the cloth which wasn't next to my skin and he didn't bite me.

I then realized that the lines between the "hunter and the "hunted' were blured. Who was hunting who?

When I bent down to kill him, he took off and I lost him again. After a half a minute, I found him on the light fixture which doubles as a heater. There was no way that I could kill him there, so I turned on the heater and he flew off. I then lost him again and found him 2 minutes later in the air within the reach of my hands and with the help of Hashem, I ended the hunt by smashing him between my palms.

After a big sigh of relief and a thank you to Hashem, I realized that I wasn't tired, so going back to bed was a waste of time. My first thought was to learn, but I then realized that it was Tisha Ba’av so I couldn’t learn. So I decided that I would go on the GYE site and post what I had read from Rav Shalom Arush on Hischadshus.

As I was writing, I started thinking that this entire episode is a reflection of the battle we have with our Y”H. (Maybe I was spending too much time on this site).   The Mosquito is the perfect Moshol for the Y"H since he wants to take from us our blood, which symbolizes the soul, as it says "Ki Hadam Hu Hanefesh".

Waking up at 3:00 a.m., when nobody is around but you and your computer, can be dangerous. :'( It is  especially dangerous when you are not clear and in a "half asleep" state. Something like "Mochin D'katnus". It is a perfect time for the mosquito to get some of your blood since many times you don't have the strength to fight.

The Y"H (mosquito) chose his battleground very well - of course the Bathroom - the Mokom Hatumah. The battlefield is almost always the same, a small confined space where nobody else is. It might be in a lonely room or it might be in a public venue within the confines of your mind.

But if you are awake enough, you:
1. Realize that you are in for a "battle"
2. Try to bring in as much light as possible by remmembering all that you have learned, think about the consequences of winning or losing the battle, and remmember all the defenses that you use against the Y"H when he starts to attack.
3. Most importantly, you Daven to Hashem for success in the battle

You realize that if you want to win the battle, it will be important to keep track of the Mosquito or he will certainly bite you :'(

You think that this will be an easy battle but it seems that as you get on, the mosquito is much better adept at avoiding being killed than you ever imagined. Instead of killing him, you end up pounding the wall. :-\

The biggest problem is that a good part of the time he fits in with your surroundings, and before you know it, he has already landed on you! But many times you have the chance to rid him before he bites ;D

He then becomes so strong that you feel that you can't reach him. The only solution is to turn up the heat by davening to Hashem for his help. Only then is he within reach and with Hashem's help, you can smash him - at least for now. Instead of going to your computer for something that you shouldn't be doing, you decide to post on the GYE site.

I personally was very attracted to the GYE site on Erev Tisha Ba'av. I was thinking that maybe it was because on Tisha Ba'av, Hakodosh Baruch Hu was separated from the Shechina. If we put "all we got" into Kedushas Haguf and Yichud shel Mitzvah, and we Chas V'sholom don't give our Shefa to the El Acher, then our actions will I"Y"H B'korov bring back the Yichud Kudsha Borich Hu and Shechintai and we will see with our holy eyes of fire, the Bais Hamikdash Shel Aish. B"BA

Pintele Yid

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Perhaps Bardichev should replace the Woodford with bug spray! Personally, both can leave me out cold!

Seriously, Pintele (and Momo's cockroach) show how life is one big learning experience if we can just open our eyes and hearts to absorb the messages.

Nu, waiting for a spider story someone... 

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:-X :-X :-X

PLease dont! If anything can make me squeemish its a spider!

Beautiful Pintale! I put it up on our new site under "anecdotes". See here: www.guardyoureyes.org/?p=1220

How about Bees or Wasps? Anyone? In this week's parsha it says: "If you should say in your heart that the nations (read: Yetzer Hara) are much greater and stronger than us, EICHA UCHAL LEHORISHAM - how can we conquer them?" (notice the word "Eicha", because this question is the root of all the "Eicha's" and churbanos - which come from the original "Ayeka" that Hashem asked Adam after he ate from the eitz hada'as - which is spelled with the same letters of "Eicha", see the Zohar)... Says Hashem: "Do not fear them, remember what Hashem your G-d did to Pharaoh and all Mitzrayim.... that Hashem took you out with great wonders, so Hashem will do to all the nations that you fear before them. And also the BEES (wasps/mosquitoes?) Hashem will send into them, until the last and the hidden of them shall be wiped out. Do not fear them, for Hashem your G-d is within you, a great and awsome G-d!"

Gevaldig! Reb Pintele,

I have one with a Mouse is that ok Rebbitin 7up? lol Just Kidding.

Ben Moshe took a break (hopefully a short one) so I guess Reb Pintele took over.

We got some gr8 talent going on this site.

Keep It comin.

E.L.

WOOD FORD AS BUG REPELLENT

HMM ANOTHER EXCUSE FOR A LCHAIM
b

Heiliga Chevra,

Just had another mosquito battle this morning - although it wasn't much of a battle.

This morning, I was Davening in Emunas Yisroel. (If you want to experience a super-charged Shachris, this is the place). To enhance the Davening and the noise level, Rav Wolfson had asked many of us to Daven together next to the Chazan, so the first few rows near the Chazan are pretty full. Today the Shachris was booming at the "normal" level when during Yehi Chivod, a mosquito appreared just behind the line of Shtenders on my table. (Most people in our shule use Shtenders since we stand for most of the davening).

Can you imagine the Chutzpah of the Mosquito (this Samech Mem) disturbing the Davening ??? The Tanya says that during Davening, even a Banuni could reach the level of a Tzaddik. This is our private audience - what is he doing here?

I first waived him away but he came right back. That was his mistake - on my first attempt, my left hand snatched him and he was laid to rest. This gave me chizuk and I continued booming ;D

This is a public notice to all mosquitoes - you are wanted in the houses of the Yishmaelim. We don't want you in shule!

Pintele Yid

Pintele,

I think I was sitting next to you!

All right - just kidding!  :D ;D

Kedusha,

You are invited to come for Shachris - you will never forget the experience.

Actually Emunas Yisroel is a big place - there is room for all the tzaddikim on GYE.

Just leave your mosquito behind ;D

Pintele

LOL  ;D

This is a public notice to all mosquitoes: Pintale will HUNT YOU DOWN.

P.S. I'm not sure the mosquitoes will notice this post in Pintale's thread. Maybe I should put it in the "Announcements" board?

Very nice moshel, The Yetzer Hara can be disguised into anything , the higeher the level you reach the more you are able to see this...

Seeing the Y"H in the mosquito is very choshuv, no joke.

May everyone here be given the koach and use that koach to defeat all forms of the Yetzer Hara!

Amen.

guardureyes wrote on 04 Aug 2009 21:49:


Why not - maybe they won't bother coming - especially if you tell them that we have a killer spray called GYE

Pintele Yid

Heiliga Yidden,

I had another encounter with a Mosquito two weeks ago in my Bathroom on late Erev Shabbos while I was washing my face and in an instant he was gone - smashed without a contest. Can you imagine Erev Shabbos....what a Chutzpah!

This is a time when we are getting ready for the weekly wedding and will soon be greeting the Shabbos Kallah!

But my holy brothers and sisters, the reason why I am posting at 4:20 a.m. is not because of this Mosquito. And it is also not because of Mosquito number 4 which I don't remmember the battle. Just the result

Please sit back and think about Mosquito battle #5 which happened yesterday afternoon. As I was about to turn over again to sleep, my eyes caught the clock which read 3:58 but my mind said your holy brothers and sisters in Eretz Yisroel might want something extra to go into Shabbos..... I when I told myself but it is only 3:58 in the morning I thought of the holy Reb Shloima Carlbach, and the lesson of the Mosquito turned into a tune. I then knew I had to get up and Post B"SD.

So my holy brothers and sisters, please sit back and "listen" to the story of Mosquito # 5 - especiallly on Erev Shabbos Rosh Chodesh Elul. Oy Oy Oy Oy ....Ah Ah Ah Ah

Yesterday afternoon I was in the middle of an important telephone conversation. Alone in my house I was pacing with the phone glued to my ear. I happened to walk into one of the bedrooms and sure enough there he was.... I thought oh no not again... and then thought how did he get into my house! Mezuzah and all :-[

I immediately closed the door to the bedroom with me inside and I thought I could end the conversation but it wasn't possible. Then I thought I could put the phone on hands free but I thought it wasn't appropriate, because I couldn't concentrate and hunt at the same time...Oy Oy Oy Oy ....Ah Ah Ah Ah

I tried to keep track of him but I couldn't and was looking at myself to ensure that he wasn't attacking me. Finally the conversation ended and Hashem put an idea in my head. Hey, nobody is home but you (everyone is away). Just close the door to the bedroom and don't let him in to the rest of the house! As I quickly opened and closed the door behind me, I remmembered a story that I once heard from my Tanya Rebbi.

There was one a Yid who came to (I  think) the Heiliga Mezritcha Magid and he was crying that his Y"H was driving him crazy and he had to listen to him and he didn't know what to do. Oy Oy Oy Oy ....Ah Ah Ah Ah

The Magid told him that for an Eitza he should go to his Talmid Rav Zev Volf of Zhitomir. The Yid arrived in Zhitomir in the middle of the night. And what a night. It was one of the cold nights...freezing. But the Yid was sure that the holy of holies Reb Zev Volf would surely be awake learning and he wasnt afraid to be out the whole night in the cold. He looked for a lit up house, and sure enough he found one house that was lit. Through the window he saw the holy of holies Reb Zev Volf learning. His face was ablaze and although he was cold, he was instanty warmed up by his holy face. Oy Oy Oy Oy ....Ah Ah Ah Ah

He knocked on the door and then knocked louder but Reb Zev Volf didn't answer. He was getting very cold and he tried and tried but Reb Zev still didn't come. He screamed loud but still no answer. He started getting colder and colder and knocked with all his strength and still no answer. He eventually collapsed at the front door. Oy Oy Oy Oy....Ah Ah Ah Ah

At the break of dawn, Reb Zev Volf came to the door and found the Yid half dead...frostbitten. He took him in and tended to him for three days Layla V'Yom until he got the Yid back to himself. The Yid finally was able to speak to him and asked him 2 questions. Why didn't you open the door...you surey heard me knocking and screaming? I realize from the fact that you tended to me for 3 days, day and night, that you are a big b'aal chesed. So why did you put me in this Matzav to begin with?

Also, you don't know why I came. I was sent from your Rebbi the Magid because I am having problems with my Yezer Horah which is driving me crazy and he told me to ask you how to deal with it. Can you please tell me what to do?

The holy of holies Reb Zev Volf smiled at the Yid and said to him that he knew why he came and he already showed him what to do.....Oy Oy Oy Oy ....Ah Ah Ah Ah

So my dear brothers and sisters let's take this important lesson from the Heilia Magid and his Talmid Reb Zev Volf especially on Rosh Chodesh Elul.

The Y"H can knock and knock and knock and knock and knock and knock and knock and knock and knock ....you get the picture..... But you don't have to let him in.

He could then knock louder and louder and louder and louder and louder and louder and louder and louder.But you don't have to let him in.

He could then scream at the top of his lungs and scream again and again and again and again and again. But you don't have to let him in. :D

Have a Heiliga Shabbos and a meaningful Rosh Chodesh Elul!

Love

Pintele Yid