Yaakov Hanokaee

A Prayer from the Depths:

יְהוָה, קוֹלִי אֵלֶיךָ אֶזְעַק,
Hashem, my voice I lift to You in a cry,

אַתָּה יֹדֵעַ אֱלֹהַי,
You know, my God,

כִּי לִבִּי חָפֵץ בְּךָ,
That my heart longs for You,

אַךְ יָדַי רְפוּיוֹת,
But my hands are weak,

וּבְשָׂפָתַי רַק שְׁוָא וְהֶבֶל.
And on my lips there is only vanity and emptiness.

הַשְׁקֵפָה מִשָּׁמַיִם וּרְאֵה,
Look down from heaven and see,

כִּי נַפְשִׁי כַּיֶּלֶד הָרוֹעֵב בַּמִּדְבָּר,
For my soul is like the starving child in the wilderness,

וְגַם אִמּוֹ לֹא תוּכַל לְהַצִּיל.
And even his mother cannot save him.

יְהוָה, תִּתֵּן בִּי כְּלִי חָדָשׁ,
Hashem, place in me a new vessel,

וְתוֹרֵק אֶת־רוּחַ גַּאֲוָתִי,
And pour out the spirit of pride from me,

וּבְמְקוֹמָהּ תִּשְׁכֹּן רוּחַ נִדְכָּאָה,
And in its place let dwell a crushed spirit,

רוּחַ שְׁפָלָה, רוּחַ נֶאֱמָנָה.
A humble spirit, a faithful spirit.

כִּי תַּאֲוָתִי גְּדוֹלָה, אֲבָל גַּאֲוָתִי גָּדוֹל מִמֶּנָּה.
For my desire is great, but my arrogance is greater.

וְרַק צַעֲקָתִי גְּדוֹלָה יוֹתֵר מִכֻּלָּם.
And only my cry is greater than them all.

לֵב טָהוֹר בְּרָא לִי אֱלֹהִים;
Create in me a pure heart, O God

לְמַעַן אֶזְכֶּה יוֹם אֶחָד לַעֲבָדְךָ בְּשִׂמְחָה.
That I may one day merit to serve You in joy.

1 week ago | [YT] | 54

Yaakov Hanokaee

🔥 The Impossible Survival of Am Yisrael 🔥

How do you recognize when Hashem is responding? Sometimes, it’s when the impossible keeps happening over and over again—and there’s no greater proof of this than the survival of Am Yisrael.

Pharaoh tried. Haman tried. The Romans, the Inquisition, the pogroms, the Holocaust… again and again, powerful empires rose up to wipe us out. And yet—they’re all gone, and we’re still here.

Egypt, Babylon, Greece, Rome—these were superpowers, and now they’re history. But the Jewish people? Still learning Torah. Still keeping mitzvot. Still standing.

This isn’t random. It was written in the Torah thousands of years ago.

📜 Vayikra 26:44 – “Even when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or abhor them to destroy them completely, breaking My covenant with them, for I am Hashem, their God.”

Even in the darkest exiles, Hashem promised that He would never allow Am Yisrael to be completely destroyed. We would be scattered, we would suffer, but we would never disappear. And look at history—exactly as He said, we’re still here.

📜 Devarim 28:64 – “And Hashem will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other…”

The Torah warned that Am Yisrael would be exiled across the world. From Babylon to Spain, from Poland to Yemen, from Morocco to Russia—we’ve been everywhere. But exile isn’t the end.

📜 Devarim 30:3-5 – “Then Hashem, your God, will return your captivity and have mercy on you, and He will gather you again from all the peoples where He has scattered you… and He will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it.”

And that’s exactly what we’re seeing. The return to Eretz Yisrael, after thousands of years, is happening before our eyes.

Coincidence? Or Hashem’s promise in action?

We’ve been enslaved, exiled, persecuted, and massacred, yet somehow, we always return. Because the Jewish people are not just another nation. We are an eternal nation.

Am Yisrael Chai. The story isn’t over.

👇 Drop a comment: What’s the greatest “against all odds” moment in your life that keeps you inspired?

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5 months ago | [YT] | 82

Yaakov Hanokaee

It’s incredible how far some people will go to rewrite history and deny Israel’s eternal covenant with God. Here’s a comment I received—filled with misinformation, historical revisionism, and outright hostility—followed by my response, setting the record straight.

I encourage you to take the time to read both the comment and my reply carefully. These kinds of arguments are not new, and they will continue to surface, but the truth remains unchanged. No amount of denial can undo Hashem’s promises to His people.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Am Yisrael Chai and may we witness #peaceonearth in our lifetimes! 🌎❤️

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6 months ago | [YT] | 18

Yaakov Hanokaee

History of the Land of Israel 🌍✡️

• ~2000 BCE: Abraham arrives in the land of Canaan 🐪✨ (Genesis 12).
• ~1200 BCE: Joshua leads the Israelites into the Promised Land 🏹🌾 (Book of Joshua).
• ~1000 BCE: King David establishes Jerusalem as the capital 👑🎶.
• 957 BCE: Solomon builds the First Temple 🕍🔥.
• 586 BCE: Babylonians destroy the First Temple and exile the Jews 😢🏺.
• 516 BCE: Second Temple built after return from Babylon 📜🕊️.
• 70 CE: Romans destroy the Second Temple; Jews are exiled again 🏛️⚔️.
• ~636 CE: Muslims conquer the land; Dome of the Rock is built 🕌🌙.
• 1099 CE: Crusaders capture the land, turning it into a Christian kingdom ✝️⚔️.
• 1187 CE: Saladin recaptures Jerusalem for Islam 🏜️🕌.
• 1517 CE: Ottomans take control, ruling for 400 years 📜🛡️.
• 1917 CE: British capture the land during WWI 🇬🇧🎩.
• 1948 CE: Israel declares independence; the modern Jewish state is born! 🇮🇱🎉.
• 1967 CE: Israel reunifies Jerusalem during the Six-Day War 🕊️✨.

A land of promises, struggles, and hope—still shaping history today! 🌟

7 months ago | [YT] | 20

Yaakov Hanokaee

Why do I believe in God?

The question of why I believe in God feels almost impossible to answer. To me, God’s existence isn’t a belief—it’s simply reality. Just as the sun rises or the air fills our lungs, I know God exists. My relationship with Him is deeply personal and isn’t based on proof or convincing—it’s a connection, as real as the ground beneath my feet.

For me, my relationship with God is everything. It’s like a relationship with life itself. I don’t see the world as a collection of events or lifeless matter—it’s alive. Nature is alive. The universe is alive. It’s how God communicates with us. I speak to Him naturally, as if I’m talking to the air around me or the sky above. I don’t need rituals or formalities to feel His presence in my life. I cry to Him when I’m in pain, I thank Him when I feel joy, and I seek Him when I am lost. The idea of Him is always there in my mind, rooting for me to keep fighting for Him.

My belief is littered by passion and conflict. I don’t think of my relationship with God as calm or passive—it’s fiery, emotional, and alive. I want to live with Him forever. He is my everything. Our relationship isn’t perfect—it’s a work in progress, just like I am. There are ups and downs, moments of disconnection, and times when I feel distant. But I won't stop. I can’t stop.

Every day feels like a battle—a war between my heart’s desires and my higher self, between the chaos of the world and the light of His Torah. This world feels like a battlefield, and yet God never neglects me forever. He is my motivation—the reason I continue despite the pain.

Believing in God isn’t something I base on logic—it’s just reality for me. It’s something I experience every day. I feel His presence in the small things, like the food He provides, the beauty of nature, or the kindness He brings through other people. In the grander moments, I see His hand weaving the threads, like how He guides events to work out in my favor, helps me get through tough challenges, and brings me peace when everything feels chaotic.

God isn’t just someone I pray to; He is the object of my love, the object of my hope, and the reason I keep fighting. He is my everything. 🥹

8 months ago | [YT] | 19

Yaakov Hanokaee

🌟 The Messiah: What It Really Means 🌟

Shalom everyone! Let’s talk about a topic that gets a lot of buzz: the Messiah (Mashiach). Most people think they know what it’s all about, but the truth is, the full picture is even more incredible than you might imagine. Let me break it down for you in an engaging way.


What Happens When Mashiach Arrives? 🕊️
- The Ingathering of the Jews: Every Jew scattered around the globe 🌍 will return to Israel.
- Rebuilding the Beit Hamikdash: The Holy Temple 🕍 will stand again in Jerusalem, becoming the center of divine connection.
- World Peace & Prosperity: No more financial struggles 💰—everyone will live like royalty 👑 with an abundance of resources (Isaiah 60:5-6). Violence? Gone. Calamities? Gone. Imagine a world of peace and plenty (Isaiah 60:18).
- Unmatched Wisdom: The world will be filled with G-dly knowledge like never before.
- Resurrection of the Righteous: All the great tzaddikim (righteous ones) will come back to life. Yes, you’ll meet Abraham, Moses, King David, and even Adam and Eve!


What’s the Catch? 🤔
Before this utopia, the Sages tell us there will be a great world war called Gog U'Magog. This conflict will wipe out two-thirds of the population (Zechariah 13:8). It’s heavy stuff, but it’s also the event that will clear the way for ultimate redemption.


Two Paths to Redemption 🚪
The Messiah can arrive in one of two ways:
1️⃣ By Merit: If we, as a nation, repent and follow Hashem’s commandments, Mashiach will come in a spirit of love and peace.
2️⃣ By Force: Even if we don’t repent, Mashiach will come anyway at a preordained time. The clock is ticking, and we’re closer than ever.


When Will Mashiach Come? 🕰️
No one knows the exact date. That’s the point! If we knew, we might slack off and say, “I’ll repent later.” The Torah keeps it a mystery to encourage us to stay ready every single day.
But here’s what we do know:
- The Jewish year 6,000 is the deadline.
- Right now, we’re in 5784. That’s less than 220 years to go! Mashiach could come today, tomorrow, or a century from now.


A Unified World 🌎
Here’s the best part: When Mashiach comes, the whole world—Jews and non-Jews alike—will recognize Hashem’s sovereignty. As it says in the prayer Aleinu:
"Hashem shall be king over all the Earth; on that day Hashem will be one and His name will be one” (Zechariah 14:9).


Why This Matters NOW 💡
The coming of Mashiach isn’t just about waiting—it’s about preparing. Every mitzvah you do, every act of kindness, every moment of Torah learning brings us closer to that day.

Want to go deeper? Here’s how to start:
📖 Read Derech Hashem (The Way of God) by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto to understand the why behind the Messianic vision.
📖 Learn about mitzvot and their relevance today in The Concise Book of Mitzvoth by the Chofetz Chaim.

Let’s be ready for the most incredible chapter in history. The world depends on us. 🌟

#AmYisraelChai #WorldPeace #Kabbalah #JewishUnity

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8 months ago | [YT] | 33

Yaakov Hanokaee

🌟 To My Jewish Friends Exploring Judaism 🌟

Hey there! Let’s talk mitzvot 🕊️—what they are, why they matter, and how they can bring incredible meaning to your life. Ready? Let’s dive in!

What’s a Mitzvah? 🤔
The word mitzvah comes from the Hebrew root צוה (tzav), meaning "command" or "connection." Think of mitzvot as 613 unique ways to connect with Hashem 🛤️, bridging the physical and spiritual worlds.

While the Torah lists 613 mitzvot, many of them cannot be observed today because we don’t have the Beit Hamikdash (Holy Temple). But here’s the great news: there are still plenty of mitzvot we can and should observe today.

Mitzvot: More Than the Basics ✡️
We often focus on the big mitzvot:

🕯️ Keeping Shabbat
🍷 Keeping kosher
🌀 Wearing tefillin
But there are hundreds more that are just as important! Hashem expects us to fulfill all the mitzvot that apply today, not just the ones we hear about the most.

Your Next Step 📖
Want to know which mitzvot you can observe now? Check out The Concise Book of Mitzvoth (Sefer Hamitzvot Hakasar) by the Chofetz Chaim. This book breaks it all down for you:
✅ 77 positive mitzvot you can do right now
🚫 194 negative mitzvot to avoid today

It’s an amazing guide to help you learn and appreciate each mitzvah—and incorporate them into your life.

Want to Go Deeper? 💡
If you’re curious about the why behind mitzvot, I recommend reading Derech Hashem (The Way of God) by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto. This masterpiece explains:
✨ The spiritual purpose of mitzvot
✨ The soul’s connection to Hashem
✨ How our actions elevate the world

Why It Matters NOW 💪
Every mitzvah you do strengthens your connection with Hashem 🕊️, brings blessings into the world ✨, and helps protect Klal Yisrael and all God-fearing people 🌍. It’s that powerful.

Start small. One mitzvah at a time. Each step matters!

📩 Have questions? Need guidance? I’m here for you. Let’s journey together!

💙 #AmYisraelChai #WorldPeace #Pray4Jerusalem #GodIsOne #MoshiachNow

8 months ago | [YT] | 33

Yaakov Hanokaee

🌟 Zohar I: 210a - Rejoice with Jerusalem 🌟

“Rejoice with Jerusalem and exult in her, all those who love her; rejoice with her in celebration, all those who mourn over her.” (Isaiah 66:10)

📜 Reflection from Rabbi Ḥiyya:

1️⃣ The Destruction of the Temple

• When the Temple was destroyed due to human pride and transgressions, Israel was exiled from their land.
• Hashem withdrew above, not turning His attention to the destroyed Temple or His exiled people.
• The Shechinah (Divine Presence) entered exile alongside the people of Israel.

2️⃣ Mourning the Shechinah

• Both the upper worlds and the lower worlds mourned this tragedy.
• Why? Because power was given to the Sitra Achra (the Other Side, representing evil forces).
• The holy kingdom (Malchut Shamayim) was humbled, while the kingdom of wickedness gained strength.

3️⃣ Our Role in Mourning

• Each person is called to mourn and humble themselves along with the Shechinah.
• Why? So that when the Shechinah rises and the world rejoices, you too will rejoice with her! 🎉

✨ Key Takeaway:
The verse reminds us: “Rejoice with her in celebration, all those who mourn over her.”
Through mourning the pain of the Shechinah, we prepare ourselves to share in her ultimate joy and redemption. 🙌

🕊️ Let’s stay connected to Jerusalem and her destiny. Share your thoughts below! 👇



(Raw text from Zohar ⬇️)

“Rabbi Ḥiyya opened: “Rejoice with Jerusalem and exult in her, all those who love her; rejoice with her in celebration, all those who mourn over her.”

Come and see: When the Temple was destroyed, pride caused the exile of Israel from their land, and the Holy One, Blessed be He, withdrew above, not looking upon the destroyed Temple or His exiled people. Then the Shechinah (Divine Presence) went into exile with them. Because of this, both the upper and lower realms mourned, for power was given to the Sitra Achra (the Other Side). Therefore, since the holy kingdom—Heaven’s kingdom—was humbled and the kingdom of wickedness grew strong, every person must mourn and humble themselves along with her. This is so that when she rises and the world rejoices, they too may rejoice with her, as it is said: “Rejoice with her in celebration, all those who mourn over her.”

8 months ago | [YT] | 56

Yaakov Hanokaee

🌟 The Journey of the Soul During Sleep 🌟

A passage from the Zohar (I:130a)

🛏️ When we sleep, something amazing happens:

• Our souls leave our bodies and wander through the spiritual realms.
• But not every soul ascends to behold the splendor of God.

⚖️ The soul’s journey depends on our deeds:

If a person goes to sleep defiled:
• Their soul is seized by impure spirits.
• These spirits attach themselves to the soul, preventing it from ascending.

🌈 If a person is righteous:

• Their soul ascends and travels through the realms.
• It breaks through the impure spirits, who proclaim:
“Give way, give way, for this one is not from our side!”
• The soul continues to ascend among the holy ones and angels, reaching higher levels of purity and connection to Hashem.

✨ Takeaway: The actions we perform during the day shape the path of our soul at night. Fill your day with Torah, kindness, and sanctity to ensure your soul’s journey is one of light and holiness! 🌟

#peaceonearth #torah ☮️🌎

⬇️

(Raw text from Zohar:)

“When a person sleeps on their bed and souls need to wander the world, departing from the body, not every soul ascends or wanders to behold the glory of the splendor of the Ancient of Days. Rather, as they are continuously drawn and according to their deeds, so their soul ascends. If the person is defiled, they sleep, and their soul departs and all the impure spirits seize it and attach themselves to it, etc. But if the person is righteous, when they sleep and their soul ascends, it travels and breaks through the impure spirits, and they all proclaim and say: ‘Give way, give way, for this one is not from our side.’ The soul ascends among the holy ones, and it ascends among the holy angels.”

9 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 31

Yaakov Hanokaee

🚨 URGENT: MESSAGE OF HOPE 🚨

My dear brothers and sisters, the times we’re living in feel heavy—like the world is on the brink of moral collapse. We see the pain, the conflict, the fear that tries to creep into our hearts. But I’m here to tell you something that you may have forgotten: We must expand every effort to publicize to every Jew and every Noahide that "by his single deed, by his single word, or by his single thought, it can be the finishing touch needed to bring the redemption” (The Lubavitcher Rebbe ZT”L).

The greatest danger we face isn’t what’s happening around us—it’s what happens within us. Despair, that quiet voice that whispers, ‘It’s too late,’ or, ‘You’re too small to make a difference,’ is the real enemy. And here’s the truth: every time we give in to despair, the world dims just a little more. But every time we resist it—every time we choose hope, faith, and trust in God's supervision—the gates of mercy open wider.

You might feel like your actions are small, but let me tell you—they are not. Every tefillin you don, every prayer you whisper, every lustful temptation you restrict, reveals yet ANOTHER spark of light in the darkness. And when enough of us hold onto that light, the darkness doesn’t stand a chance.

We are not powerless. Together, we can cancel the decrees, sweeten the pain, and extend the light of God's mercy upon the world. We are not waiting for redemption—it is waiting for us. For our single thought. For our belief that things can get better. For our actions to make it so.

So I ask you: let’s be that light. Let’s rise above the despair, lift each other up, and remind the world that even in the darkest night, the dawn is only a step away. Together, with the help of our loving God, we can overturn decrees of hardship and bring lasting blessings to our families and future generations.

Love from Nathan Hanokaee. #peaceonearth ☮️🌎

9 months ago | [YT] | 26