From Rabbi Frand of last week. It was
long, I condensed it but 35:26 he came up with a brilliant idea about twinning
the wool on a live goat. Pasuk 26 says “v’chol hanashim” (and all the women).
I will ask a question: Have you ever tried petting a goat? Have you ever tried
grabbing a goat? Whenever I go to the zoo with my grandchildren and we are in
the petting area, I try to grab onto a goat’s little horns. It takes about two
seconds until the goat jerks his head away and I can’t hold on anymore. Can you
imagine taking a goat onto your lap and then starting to spin the goat hairs?
What do you think the goat would say about all this?
People who saw the spaces in the
Torah of last week in the blogspot (now corrected) will know my secret. I do
the blogspot in stages. I plan the places where I think a comment is due.
Sometimes I add, sometimes subtract and last week ran out of time. It is
sometimes a choice of story, comment or news for the reader. One can always go
back in the blogspot for calculations of weights and measures of accounted
items in the Mishkan/Mikdash or other comments from past years. I always start
a fresh and empty commentary each year for over 20years. REVIEWING AND
RELEARNING THE TORAH, MISHNAH, TALMUD OR HALACHA SHOULD ALWAYS BE LIKE NEW. THE
101ST TIME IS NOT THE SAME AS THE 100TH TIME.
Parsha Pekudei
As we come to the end of Sefer
Shemos (Exodus), we shall read that Moshe raised up the Mishkan (Tabernacle).
Did he do it by using the 72 letter NAME of the L-RD or was he the head of the
endeavor and given credit? When we think of the Saturn V Rocket going to the
moon we do not include the thousands upon thousands of scientists and engineers
down to the janitors that made the endeavor possible but names like James Webb
and Werner Von Braun enter our heads. So I prefer the idea that Moshe raised it
like the heads of the project raised the Saturn V.
So with the raising of the Mishkan
will come the dedication of the Mishkan in our next Sefer. The whole period
there is less than a month and will continue until almost to Parsha Shelach
Lecha in the Sefer after that. Then the next close to 39 years continues to the
end of the Chumash. The Timeline for Shemos is 209 years until Moshe goes
before Pharaoh and close to two years until the completion of the Mishkan.
38:21 These are the accounts of the tabernacle, even the
tabernacle of the testimony, as they were rendered according to the commandment
of Moses, through the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, the son
of Aaron the priest.
These are the appointments. In this section, the weights of all the contributions
for the Tabernacle – of silver, of gold, and of copper – are listed, and all
its furnishings are specified along with the service of each. … In the hand of Itamar - i.e., he was in charge of them, to delegate to each
family group (בֵּית
אָב) the task
that it had been assigned.
He was the Financial Manager or
Comptroller of the Mishkan. He managed the workings of all the Leviim prior to
construction. He had to coordinate with the two Engineering Managers Betzalel
and Oholiav as to the distribution from the collection of metals, wood and cloth.
I have just modernized their titles in our terms for easier understanding.
22 And Bezalel the son
of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the LORD commanded
Moses. 23 And with him was Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan,
a craftsman, and a skilful workman, and a weaver in colors, in blue, and in
purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen.
The main woodwork, metal work and
other things came from Betzalel but the weaving, sewing, dying and making
threads came fro Oholiav. Betzalel had to make the rods and loops for the
curtains. The loops were castings filed down.
24 All the gold that
was used for the work in all the work of the sanctuary, even the gold of the
offering, was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels,
after the shekel of the sanctuary. 25 And the silver of them that were numbered
of the congregation was a hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and
three-score and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:
I calculated last year and
mentioned last week that the gold was close to a metric ton of gold.
26 a beka a head, that
is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that passed
over to them that are numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six
hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men.
This counting appears in Bamidbar
(Numbers) Parsha Naso. If one was going in order it would be after the erection
of the Mishkan and therefore the description there is going back to the
collection sometime after Yom Kippur when Moshe came down and brought the
second Luchos and in Cheshvan started collecting and building the Mishkan.
27 And the hundred
talents of silver were for casting the sockets of the sanctuary, and the
sockets of the veil: a hundred sockets for the hundred talents, a talent for a
socket. 28 And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels he made
hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their capitals, and made fillets for them.
Once the
gold is accounted for, we move on to silver and then brass collected.
29 And the brass of the
offering was seventy talents and two thousand and four hundred shekels. 30 And
therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tent of meeting, and the
brazen altar, and the brazen grating for it, and all the vessels of the altar,
31 and the sockets of the court round about, and the sockets of the gate of the
court, and all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round
about.
Each metal had an accounting and
what they were used for.
39:1 And of the blue,
and purple, and scarlet, they made plaited garments, for ministering in the
holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron, as the LORD commanded Moses.
After the metals comes the
materials and their accounting. Note below that the most mailable metal is gold
and it can be beaten into a foil.
2 And he made the ephod
of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. 3 And they did
beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into threads, to work it in the
blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, the work of
the skilful workman. 4 They made shoulder-pieces for it, joined together; at
the two ends was it joined together. 5 And the skilfully woven band, that was
upon it, wherewith to gird it on, was of the same piece and like the work
thereof: of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, as
the LORD commanded Moses.
From the gold foil comes some of
the coverings for holy items and the threads.
6 And they wrought the
onyx stones, inclosed in settings of gold, graven with the engravings of a
signet, according to the names of the children of Israel. 7 And he put them on
the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of
Israel, as the LORD commanded Moses.
One think is to work with metal and
another thing to engrave on stone.
8 And he made the
breastplate, the work of the skilful workman, like the work of the ephod: of
gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. 9 It was
four-square; they made the breastplate double; a span was the length thereof,
and a span the breadth thereof, being double. 10 And they set in it four rows
of stones: a row of carnelian, topaz, and smaragd was the first row.
As I wrote each stone (crystal) has
a certain vibration. The stones combine to produce a spiritual harmony and
resonance.
11 And the second row,
a carbuncle, a sapphire, and an emerald.
12 And the third row, a
jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst.
13 And the fourth row,
a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper; they were inclosed in fittings of gold in their
settings.
Each stone had a healing and
protecting power within it’s vibration energy. In Kabbalah, the inert is
considered matter created by G-D for a purpose. Although we do not consider it
alive, in the multi-dimensional spiritual world we have inanimate, plant,
animal and the highest level is the creature that can speak.
14 And the stones were
according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their
names, like the engravings of a signet, every one according to his name, for
the twelve tribes. 15 And they made upon the breastplate plaited chains, of
wreathen work of pure gold. 16 And they made two settings of gold, and two gold
rings; and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate.
Each stone was the patron stone of
the tribe it represented on the breastplate. It had its harmonic vibration and
healing properties.
17 And they put the two
wreathen chains of gold on the two rings at the ends of the breastplate. 18 And
the other two ends of the two wreathen chains they put on the two settings, and
put them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, in the forepart thereof. 19 And
they made two rings of gold, and put them upon the two ends of the breastplate,
upon the edge thereof, which was toward the side of the ephod inward.
The Ephod or Apron was under the breastplate.
I suggest google Temple Institute + Ephod to view.
20 And they made two
rings of gold, and put them on the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod underneath,
in the forepart thereof, close by the coupling thereof, above the skilfully
woven band of the ephod. 21 And they did bind the breastplate by the rings
thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a thread of blue, that it might be
upon the skilfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not
be loosed from the ephod; as the LORD commanded Moses.
This is where the work of Betzalel
and Oholiav joined together.
22 And he made the robe
of the ephod of woven work, all of blue; 23 and the hole of the robe in the
midst thereof, as the hole of a coat of mail, with a binding round about the
hole of it, that it should not be rent. 24 And they made upon the skirts of the
robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen. 25 And
they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates upon
the skirts of the robe round about, between the pomegranates: 26 a bell and a
pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, upon the skirts of the robe round about,
to minister in; as the LORD commanded Moses.
The bells had to ring for the
entrance of the Cohain Gadol into the Kodesh Kedoshim (Holy of Holies – with the
Aron and Cheruvim) on Yom Kippur.
27 And they made the
tunics of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and for his sons, 28 and the
mitre of fine linen, and the goodly head-tires of fine linen, and the linen
breeches of fine twined linen, 29 and the girdle of fine twined linen, and
blue, and purple, and scarlet, the work of the weaver in colors; as the LORD
commanded Moses.
In about two weeks, a number of
Cohanim will go in such attire to the Kotel and practice slaughtering a sheep
before Pesach. This is instructional practice only for the days of the
Moshiach.
30 And they made the
plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like the
engravings of a signet: HOLY TO THE LORD. 31 And they tied unto it a thread of
blue, to fasten it upon the mitre above; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Once it was on the head of the
Cohain Gadol, it was forbidden to raise his hand or the hands of anybody else
above the height of the HOLY UNTO THE L-RD on the Tzitz (Mitre).
- To pass over the top of the Turban-
and thus by means of the cords the
Forehead-plate was placed over the Turban like a crown. It is
impossible, however, to say that the Forehead-plate itself was upon the Turban,
for we have learned in Tractate Shechitat
Kodashim 1
that the high priest’s hair was visible
between the Forehead-plate and the Turban, where he would wear tefilin,
and the Forehead-plate was worn on the forehead – thus, the Turban was above
and the Forehead-plate below. So what, then, is the meaning of “over the top of
the Turban”?
Furthermore, I had another difficulty regarding this. Here it
says: וַיִּתְּנוּ עָלָיו פְּתִיל
תְּכֵלֶת (lit.) “They put upon
it a cord of turquoise wool,” while in connection with the command it says:
וְשַׂמְתָּ אֹתוֹ עַל פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת (lit.) “You must place it over a
cord of turquoise wool.” Therefore I maintain that the
term “a cord of turquoise wool” refers to cords with which to secure the Forehead-plate onto the Turban – for the
Forehead-plate itself extended only from ear to ear, and how would he secure it
on his forehead? There were turquoise wool cords attached to it at its two ends
and in the middle, with which he secured it so that it hung over the Turban
when it was on his head, and the cords were folded
so as to form two at each end, i.e., one
above, on the Forehead-plate’s outside surface,
and one below, on the surface next to his
forehead, and similarly in the middle, for in this way it was easy to tie it,
and it is not usual to tie things together with less than two threads.
Therefore it says in one verse: “over
a cord of turquoise wool,” and in the other: “upon
it a cord of turquoise wool.” He would then tie the two ends of each thread
all together behind him at the back of his head and thus place it over the
Turban.
Do not wonder why Scripture
does not say פְּתִילֵי תְכֵלֶת “cords of turquoise wool” as there were
more than one, for so we find regarding the
Breastplate and the Ephod: וַיִּרְכְּסוּ
אֶת הַחֹשֶׁן וגו׳ בִּפְתִיל תְּכֵלֶת “They
linked the Breastplate…with a cord of turquoise wool,” and there must have been
no less than two cords, for on the two lower
corners of the Breastplate were the two rings of the Breastplate, and on the
two shoulder straps of the Ephod were the two rings of the Ephod opposite them.
According to the regular manner of.
32 Thus was finished
all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting; and the children of
Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.
All the pieces were brought before
Moshe like a general or king called for inspection.
33 And they brought the
tabernacle unto Moses, the Tent, and all its furniture, its clasps, its boards,
its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets; 34 and the covering of rams' skins
dyed red, and the covering of giraffe skins,
and the veil of the screen;
This was the sections of the
building to be constructed into the Mishkan.
35 the ark of the
testimony, and the staves thereof, and the ark-cover; 36 the table, all the
vessels thereof, and the showbread; 37 the pure candlestick, the lamps thereof,
even the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for
the light; 38 and the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet
incense, and the screen for the door of the Tent; 39 the brazen altar, and its
grating of brass, its staves, and all its vessels, the laver and its base; 40 the
hangings of the court, its pillars, and its sockets, and the screen for the
gate of the court, the cords thereof, and the pins thereof, and all the
instruments of the service of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting;
These items were brought and to be
put into the Mishkan.
41 the plaited garments
for ministering in the holy place; the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and
the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office. 42 According to
all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did all the work.
43 And Moses saw all the work, and, behold, they had done it; as the LORD had
commanded, even so had they done it. And Moses blessed them.
These were the garments for
administering.
40:1 And the LORD spoke
unto Moses, saying: 2 'On the first day of the first month shalt thou rear up
the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.
Moshe was
to make sure that the Mishkan would rise on the first of Nisan 2449 close to a
year after Yitzias Mitzrayim (Exodus from Egypt).
3 And thou shalt put
therein the ark of the testimony, and thou shalt screen the ark with the veil.
4 And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the bread that is upon
it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof. 5 And
thou shalt set the golden altar for incense before the ark of the testimony,
and put the screen of the door to the tabernacle. 6 And thou shalt set the
altar of burnt-offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of
meeting. 7 And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of meeting and the
altar, and shalt put water therein. 8 And thou shalt set up the court round
about, and hang up the screen of the gate of the court. 9 And thou shalt take
the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and
shalt hallow it, and all the furniture thereof; and it shall be holy. 10 And
thou shalt anoint the altar of burnt-offering, and all its vessels, and
sanctify the altar; and the altar shall be most holy. 11 And thou shalt anoint
the laver and its base, and sanctify it. 12 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his
sons unto the door of the tent of meeting, and shalt wash them with water. 13
And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments; and thou shalt anoint him, and
sanctify him, that he may minister unto Me in the priest's office. 14 And thou
shalt bring his sons, and put tunics upon them. 15 And thou shalt anoint them,
as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto Me in the
priest's office; and their anointing shall be to them for an everlasting
priesthood throughout their generations.' 16 Thus did Moses; according to all
that the LORD commanded him, so did he.
It says that Moshe aged 81 did this
heavy lifting but I prefer that he got credit as the head of the Mishkan Project.
17 And it came to pass
in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the
tabernacle was reared up. 18 And Moses reared up the tabernacle, and laid its
sockets, and set up the boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared
up its pillars. 19 And he spread the tent over the tabernacle, and put the
covering of the tent above upon it; as the LORD commanded Moses.
He supervised the raising of the
Mishkan with pulleys that the Leviim used to raise the boards in unison and put
the staves through to hold together each side at the same time or one after the
other to remain steady.
20 And he took and put
the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the
ark-cover above upon the ark. 21 And he brought the ark into the tabernacle,
and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of the testimony; as
the LORD commanded Moses.
It took a number of Leviim to hold
up the Aron with the staves on their shoulders moving into place. Perhaps a
back-up team relieving them.
22 And he put the table
in the tent of meeting, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the
veil. 23 And he set a row of bread in order upon it before the LORD; as the
LORD commanded Moses.
I am sure that this was supervision
each item one after the other.
24 And he put the
candlestick in the tent of meeting, over against the table, on the side of the
tabernacle southward. 25 And he lighted the lamps before the LORD; as the LORD
commanded Moses.
Although the fire on the Mizbayach
(Altar) came from heaven this was a human conventional lighting.
26 And he put the
golden altar in the tent of meeting before the veil; 27 and he burnt thereon
incense of sweet spices; as the LORD commanded Moses.
He showed Aaron (Aharon) how to
light the candles and burn the incense.
28 And he put the
screen of the door to the tabernacle. 29 And the altar of burnt-offering he set
at the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered upon it the
burnt-offering and the meal-offering; as the LORD commanded Moses. 30 And he
set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water therein,
wherewith to wash; 31 that Moses and Aaron and his sons might wash their hands
and their feet thereat; 32 when they went into the tent of meeting, and when
they came near unto the altar, they should wash; as the LORD commanded Moses. 33
And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up
the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work.
One cannot always spread his own
ideas, one must go with wonders and miracles of Moshe and what Rashi writes:
וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּן וגו' - They
brought the Tabernacle [to Moses] - for they themselves were unable to erect it. And
because Moses himself had not done any work for the Tabernacle, the Holy One,
blessed be He, left him the task of erecting it – for no man was able to erect
it because the planks were so heavy that no man could naturally lift them upright, but Moses erected it. Moses said
before the Holy One, blessed be He, “How is it possible for human agency to
erect it?” God answered him, “Apply yourself to it with your hand;
it will appear as though you are erecting it, but it will rise upright and
stand up by itself.” And this is what is meant when it says: “the Tabernacle
was erected,” i.e., it was erected by itself. This is stated in Midrash Rabbi Tanchuma.
34 Then the cloud
covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of meeting, because the cloud
abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Even Moshe, who spoke ‘face to face’
with G-D and not in a dream, could not enter the Mishkan. You can now
appreciate the need for the bells ringing on Yom Kippur of the entrance for a required
ceremony.
36 And whenever the
cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went
onward, throughout all their journeys. 37 But if the cloud was not taken up,
then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.
Whatever HASHEM wanted them to do
either rest or travel, they did.
38 For the cloud of the
LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and there was fire therein by night, in
the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
Direct guidance from HASHEM whether a cloud by day or a pillar of
fire by night to guide them.
Chazak – Chazak v’ nit
Chazak
Parsha HaChodesh
12:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron in the land of
Egypt, saying: 2 'This month shall be unto you the beginning of months; it
shall be the first month of the year to you. 3 Speak ye unto all the
congregation of Israel, saying: In the tenth day of this month they shall take
to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a
household; 4 and if the household be too little for a lamb, then shall he and
his neighbor next unto his house take one according to the number of the souls;
according to every man's eating ye shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your
lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year; ye shall take it from
the sheep, or from the goats; 6 and ye shall keep it unto the fourteenth day of
the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill
it at dusk. 7 And they shall take of the blood, and put it on the two
side-posts and on the lintel, upon the houses wherein they shall eat it. 8 And
they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread;
with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all
with water, but roast with fire; its head with its legs and with the inwards
thereof. 10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; but that
which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. 11 And thus
shall ye eat it: with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your
staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste--it is the LORD'S passover. 12
For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will smite all the
first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods
of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD. 13 And the blood shall be to
you for a token upon the houses where ye are; and when I see the blood, I will
pass over you, and there shall no plague be upon you to destroy you, when I
smite the land of Egypt. 14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial, and
ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations ye shall keep
it a feast by an ordinance for ever. 15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened
bread; howbeit the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses; for
whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that
soul shall be cut off from Israel. 16 And in the first day there shall be to
you a holy convocation, and in the seventh day a holy convocation; no manner of
work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may
be done by you. 17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in
this selfsame day have I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt; therefore
shall ye observe this day throughout your generations by an ordinance forever.
18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat
unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even. 19
Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses; for whosoever eats
that which is leavened, that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of
Israel, whether he be a sojourner, or one that is born in the land. 20 Ye shall
eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.'
Pesach Thoughts
Each year a new thought such as if
you searched and nullified your Chametz but found in a shirt pocket or under
the cabinet a missing piece of Chametz. If during a Chol HaMoed week day then
burn it. {If on Yom Tov it is Mukseh (forbidden to touch). The Shulchan Aruch
says to cover it somehow with a utensil or something until the holiday is over.
But if it came into your hand such as seeing ‘silver’ on the floor. Picking it
up and finding it is a cookie rapper with crumbs inside. You can put it in the
toilet or pour bleach on it to make it unfit for a dog to eat in modern times
and put it into the trash. Sometimes, one must move with the times and
modernize the Halacha but if Chametz does not come into your hands then cover
it up somehow until Motzei Yom Tov.
Kitniyos and Ashkenazim. Kitniyos
are various food items. Sometimes beans, peas, and some grains like corn or
rice. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein and Rabbi Aharon Kotler were at the Agudas Yisrael
Convention in America. They stated that since there is no Mincha of the USA, if
you have not brought one over specifically from Europe, all the oils are
permissible. In 1970 when I had just gotten married, I bought in Borough Park
Corn Oil Margarine, Peanut Butter and many other products that the ultra-fanatic
bullies of today force the Rabbis not to give a Heckscher to. Rabbi Feinstein,
himself, ate peanuts that were permissible in the Baltic States.
My philosophy is not why be
difficult when with a little more effort you could make life completely impossible
for all. My idea is to brain into gear before opening mouth or writing. I am a
Daas Yahid (One man opinion) and therefore can only write what I think.
However, if one is a Ger Tzedek or Baal Teshuva without a custom, you can
follow my idea even though I can’t as I have established a personal custom over
the years. My opinion is that since rice was the staple grain of Bavel, in the
Talmud Brachos I think Daf 36 and Pesachim Daf 37 or reverse, Rabbi Yohanan ben
Nuri asked if one could have rice for Seder Matzos. Today, Ashkenazim do not
eat it but Rav Salant once ate brown rice during a plague in front of his city
as it was lifesaving.
Here is my argument. Just as rice
was the staple grain for Iraq (Bavel and Persia); in the USA it is corn
(maize). I would permit it like Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri with his grain rice. This
would mean corn on the cob, popcorn, cornflour, tortias, etc. all made from
pure corn. Again only for new comers such as Gerim, Reform or Conservative Jews
lost for a generation or two from Judaism.
For your information many of our
Kosher for Passover medicines have cornstarch in them. A heart, cancer,
diabetic or other persons cannot be choosy. I once had to take an elixir with
alcohol in it for curing an internal disease and a special spoon was used. Was
in corn alcohol or grain alcohol, I do not know. If one is moderately to
seriously ill one should consult a Rabbi on what to do or an Orthodox Medical
Doctor who might have a substitute medication. When it comes to health one does
not play games as the Torah says: “Shomor Meod” Seriously guard over your soul
(Nafshecha).
How green peas, string beans, etc.
can be Kitniyos and supposedly mixed us with wheat, barley, spelt, oats or rye
flour is beyond me but for a week, I can do without these things.
Many customs have crept into
Judaism over the years some like knocking on wood come from idol worship.
Others like the red ribbon against the evil eye, you will not see any Roshei
Yeshiva or Rabbis of Cities wearing that as their own fear of G-D and love of
learning Torah over comes such stuff.
Canola Oil – my opinion. It is Glatt
Kosher Le Pesach according to the Charedim. However it is a genetically modified
product of the rape seed. Use anytime at your own health risk of long term
effects of genetic modifications.
Raincoats and Umbrellas on a sunny day in Tiberias
By Rabbi Yerachmiel Tilles
https://ascentofsafed.com/Stories/Stories/5785/1424-26.html
Rabbi Nachman of
Horodenka arrived in Eretz Yisrael in 1764, during a difficult year of drought.
The Turkish ruler of the city of Tiverya (Tiberias), who was always scheming
against the Jewish residents, issued an appalling declaration. If rain did not
fall within three days of his decree, he would expel every last Jew from his
city.
R' Nachman did not
panic. He assured those close to him that, in G-d's goodness, they were going
to have the opportunity to sanctify His Name.
According to the
account written in Tabor Haaretz by the Chief Rabbi of Tiberias, R'
Moshe Klieres, R' Nachman ordered his fellow Jews to go to the cave where R'
Chiya and his sons were buried and to pray there for rain[1]. He went with
them. Though the day was sunny and dry, he advised them to bring along rain
gear.
The left the city
and made their way to the cave, protective clothing slung over their arms and
some with umbrellas in their hands. A government official caught a glimpse of
them at the city gates, and laughed heartily at the raincoats the Jews carried.
Spitting in their faces, he declared that if they returned to the city without
rain having fallen, he would grind the Rabbi beneath his heels.
The Jews, led by R'
Nachman, did not answer him, but continued quietly to the cave of R' Chiya and
his sons. There, they poured out their hearts in prayer.
G-d heard them. Dark
clouds filled the sky, and then a heavy rain began to fall -- so heavy that,
had the men not carried rain gear, they would not have been able to return to
town at all that day.
Upon their return to
Tiberias, the government official was waiting for them at the city gates. He
placed R' Nachman on his shoulders and carried him into the heart of the city,
where the people were overcome with joy at the blessed rains that were falling
at last. G-d's great Name was sanctified, with Jews and non-Jews together
proclaiming, "Who is like You among the gods, and who is like Your people,
Israel?"
This episode raised
the Jews' esteem greatly in the eyes of the populace, and when, some twelve
years later, a large influx of Jews arrived in Tiberias under the leadership of
R' Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, author of Pri Haaretz, and R' Avraham of
Kalisk[2], they were received with the greatest respect and welcomed with open
arms.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Adapted and supplemented by Yerachmiel Tilles from "Stories My
Grandfather Told Me" by Zev Greenwald]
Biographic note:
Rabbi Nachman was a seventh-generation lineal descendant of the Maharal of
Prague. He married off his son, Simcha, to Feiga, the daughter of the Baal Shem
Tov's daughter, Udel. Their son grew up to be Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, named
after his illustrious grandfather. [Based mostly on DailyZohar.com]
Why This week? Israel needs rain, and for a whole week this month the weather
was dry and sunny. Friday (20 Adar) was the anniversary of Choni HaMagil
drawing a circle on the ground during a severe draught and vowing not to emerge
from it until G-d Al-mighty would provide sufficient rain. (Talmud Taanit 23A)
Footnotes:
[1] Why there? Many great sages are buried in Tiberias, such as Rabbi Akiva and
Rambam. Because:
Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi decreed a fast, and the Sages brought Rabbi Chiya and his
sons down to the pulpit to pray on behalf of the congregation. Rabbi Chiya recited
the phrase in the Amida prayer: Who makes the wind blow, and the wind blew. Rabbi
Chiya recited the next phrase: Who makes the rain fall, and rain fell. When he
was about to say the phrase: Who revives the dead, the world trembled.
… Then Elijah the Prophet came back down to earth disguised as a bear of fire. He
came among the congregation and distracted them from their prayers, preventing
Rabbi Chiya from reciting the phrase: Who revives the dead.
[Talmud Baba Metzia 85B - translation from Sefaria.org.il]
[2] The
"Chasidic Aliyah" [which preceded the numbered Zionist aliyahs] took
place in 1778. Most members settled in Tsfat (Safed), but at a certain point
moved down to Tiverya.
Milestone: Rabbi Eliyahu Fink, 43, a prolific writer from Monsey, New
York, known for his widely followed online posts, was killed early Thursday on
the Garden State Parkway in East Orange. After his Tesla was disabled in a
crash, Fink exited the vehicle and was struck by a Jeep Cherokee. He was thrown
into the northbound lanes and hit by multiple vehicles. The crash remains under
investigation. -Charlie B. https://www.timesofisrael.com/rabbi-eliyahu-fink-compassionate-orthodox-voice-dies-in-road-accident-at-43/
Milestone: Max Frankel, 94,
the former executive editor of The New York Times who fled the Nazis as a child.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/max-frankel-jewish-new-york-times-executive-editor-who-fled-the-nazis-dies-at-94/
Milestone: Jeffery Klein, 77, co-founder of
Mother Jones Magazine. https://www.timesofisrael.com/jeffrey-klein-mother-jones-co-founder-led-by-jewish-values-dies-at-77/
Milestone: Stef Wertheimer, 98, Industrialist. Stef Wertheimer
- Wikipedia
Inyanay Diyoma
Mar. 22nd Mar. 23rd Start
of week 77.
Day 533 and Day 534
Friday night and getting my good Shabbos sleep
when 10:31 the phone goes Hoot-Hoot as the Houthis attack and into the shelter.
This evening, the Houthis tried to send a rocket that exploded thanks to the USA before
it could even reach shoot down area. https://www.timesofisrael.com/missile-from-yemen-triggers-sirens-across-central-israel-jerusalem-none-hurt/
Map of Area affected by alert on Shabbos: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-847084
After the shooting at Metula mentioned below,
Israel targeted 50 Hezballah rocket, munitions and military leadership sites.
In Gaza 150 bombs while in northern Gaza along the coast, the IDF
advanced.
07:23 Sunday I should have been in Schul where
the main siren is located but was delayed so I was typing here. A siren goes
off and other rocket downed outside of our border B”H but the cars in rush hour
are supposed to stop. It becomes Rasha (wicked) hour. Alerts Lachish to almost
Hadera. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-847176
Ahead
of Tuesday's conference regarding wounded soldiers, the Defense
Ministry announced on Sunday that the number of injured is expected to
cross the 100,000 threshold by 2030 and that for the current war, it has
surpassed 16,000. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-847209
The
rabbi of Orléans, France, was violently
attacked in front of his son while returning from synagogue on Saturday, French
news outlets France 3 and France Bleu reported. https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-847164
US wants Ukraine-Russia truce my Apr. 20th.
Russia
launched 147 drones overnight targeting several Ukrainian regions, Ukraine's air
force said on Sunday. Ukrainian air defense units destroyed 97 of the drones,
while 25 did not reach their targets, the air force said in a post on the
Telegram messaging app. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-847191
Upgrade soon. The Defense Ministry successfully completed a series of
tests to improve the capabilities of its Iron Dome defense system, the ministry announced
on Thursday. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-847186
US President
Donald Trump announced that Boeing has been awarded the contract to produce the
US Air Force’s
next-generation fighter jet, the F-47. The aircraft, classified as a
sixth-generation fighter, is expected to be the most advanced fighter jet ever
developed. https://www.jpost.com/international/article-847179
When I write UN is Useless Nazis, I mean it. From
the news: A
United Nations staffer currently hospitalized in Israel was found to have two
prominent neo-Nazi tattoos. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/405716
Last week, we got rid of Hamas civilian PM and
other leaders. Now the head of military intelligence. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/405732
Senior
Hamas official Salah al-Bardawil was killed overnight between Saturday and
Sunday in an Israeli airstrike on his tent in the humanitarian zone of
al-Mawasi, near Khan Younis.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/skwdte621l#autoplay
The
Security Cabinet approved Defense Minister Israel Katz's proposal to
establish an administration within the Defense Ministry to coordinate
government ministries' preparations to facilitate the "voluntary departure" of Gazans to third
countries. The proposal was approved late on Saturday night. https://www.ynetnews.com/articleN/bkbnvha3jl
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-said-killed-in-avalanche-near-villaroger-in-france/
Netanyahu’s big bluff. It is impossible for the cabinet
to fire the Attorney General without a review board. https://www.timesofisrael.com/cabinet-schedule-no-confidence-motion-against-ag-sunday-starting-firing-process/
https://www.foxnews.com/us/dead-injured-new-mexico-shooting-police-say
Mar. 24th
Day 535
This morning sometime between 09:30 and 10:00
there was a terror attack at Tishbi Junction. The terrorist, Israeli Arab,
stole a car, had a knife rammed a 70-75year old man and a soldier. Killing the
elderly man and seriously injuring the soldier who was conscious but in
unstable condition. He stole the soldier’s weapon and began shooting at
passer-by cars until the Border Police saw and neutralized him. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-847346 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/405834
Second PM in 5 days turned Shachid. https://www.timesofisrael.com/senior-hamas-official-killed-in-targeted-strike-on-gaza-hospital-as-idf-offensive-widens/
Mar. 25th
Second half of Day 535 and Day 536
Last night as usual, I was learning with Rabbi
Mimran Shlita. This is the third time a rocket has come to disturb our
learning. We were about to end our learning at about 20:05 but at 19:59:51 the
Rav says he hears a siren then I put down my glasses and listened. The phone
then started. I left my glasses and phone on the Table where I was learning.
Ten minutes in the shelter. This time the area was south of Ashdod to Herzliya
plus. Shooting down an incoming missile at the height of 100miles and nothing
landing or damaging is due to Hashgacha of HASHEM as plenty of stuff landed
when the Iranians shot at us but miraculously nobody was killed.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/tel-aviv-jaffa-declares-war-on-urban-jackals/
The IDF confirmed that Al Jazeera journalist Hossam Shabat, who was killed
on Monday by Israeli forces, was a Hamas sniper terrorist, the military
announced on Tuesday morning. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-847488
Egypt to expel released Hamas Terrorists if no agreement
is reached. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-847430
2025 budget approved. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/405911
A
suspected terror attack occurred on Tuesday morning in the Mishor Adumim near
Route 1 and the entrance to Maale Adumim, east of Jerusalem. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/405907
Christopher Rosa, a 37-year-old resident of Waterbury,
Connecticut, was arrested by local police on suspicion of attempting to abduct
an 8-year-old Jewish girl. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/405891
UPenn fires antisemite. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rjf5sggt1g
As the 2025 Major League Baseball season approaches, a
number of Jewish players are poised to make headlines. From seasoned veterans to rising
stars, these athletes are expected to play key roles on their teams and
continue to represent the growing presence of Jewish talent in the league. Here
are five players to keep an eye on this season: https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/syuqtrypjl
Is
North Korea Using Israeli Technology in New Weapons System? - Algemeiner.com
US
Sen. Tina Smith Defends Decision to Vote Against Israel Aid - Algemeiner.com
What
the Media Isn’t Telling You About Mahmoud Khalil and His Possible Deportation -
Algemeiner.com
Syria’s
New Leader Is an Autocrat; Will That Be Good or Bad for Israel and Turkey? -
Algemeiner.com
Roger G. posted this in lieu of Wikipedia going
against Israel last week. Wikipedia
trashes Hegseth, Patel, Gabbard, censors their pages after Trump nominations:
report | Just The News
Arkia to launch business class on NY Route. https://www.ynetnews.com/travel/article/s1nlgmga1l
Prime
Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu on Sunday convinced senior ultra-Orthodox rabbis to withdraw their
threat to topple the government over the IDF draft law, in a phone call on
Sunday. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-847292
A
visibly Jewish man was forced out
of an airplane bathroom in a state of undress and was then subject to a
virulent antisemitic rant. https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-847120
Channel
14 and Walla journalist Yaki Adamker blackmailed high-ranking members of a
well-known religious community for a cash bribe of NIS 12,000, TheMarker
and Channel 12 reported on Thursday. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-847315
70
Gazans with foreign citizenship or family ties abroad departed from southern
Israel’s Ramon Airport on a Romanian military plane bound for Europe. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-847308
Explosive devise detonated in Tulkarm. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/405789
Hamas
issued an official statement condemning Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's
remarks about the expansion of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/405784
Banners
with photos of soldiers who fell in battle during the war, which were hung near
the Hagvura (Heroism) Forum's protest tent in Jerusalem, were vandalized on
Sunday by anti-government protesters.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/405799
Another spies for Iran. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/405794
Trying to dismiss Attorney General. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/405792
Deputy Hamas Brigade Commander dies. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/405808
Electric cigarette explosion critically injures
teen. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/405812
Mar. 26th
Day 537
Last night, the Houthis claimed that
they fired on the USS Harry S. Truman. S.H. wrote me: A second carrier
group, the USS Carl Vinson will join the USS Harry S. Truman, they
should lay waste to the Houthis.
The ‘leaked’ conversation talked about
international shipping and bankrupting the Egyptian Suez Canal. I saw a film of
an explosion yards away from the Truman and the Houthis claimed to have fired
on our military bases. Whatever it was the missile burst in air. [The Iranian
Quality Control is not on the level of Japan, S. or N. Korea or China.]
Two more rockets from Gaza today taken out by
Iron Dome 7 in a few days.
Sergeant Yosef Haim Tzvi Serlin, 19 years old
from Jerusalem, collapsed during a routine training exercise in northern
Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/405945
https://www.timesofisrael.com/houthi-media-report-fresh-us-airstrikes-in-rebel-controlled-yemen/
Finally making Israel more democratic like the
USA.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/released-hostage-ilana-gritzewsky-says-captors-sexually-assaulted-her/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/our-shared-nation-is-under-attack-a-haredi-rabbi-explains-how-to-draft-the-ultra-orthodox/ I was friendly with
him some 50+ years ago.
Kiddush HASHEM young Chassid returns diamonds
to owner. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/405954
The
IDF has decided to prohibit reservists in the Home Front Command from carrying
personal handguns, following incidents of accidental shootings. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/405944
Zamir and Katz meet. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/405930
Left tries to block entrance of right wing
MK’s. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/405939
UK could become an Islamic State with Nukes. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/405946
The ADL’s researchers found antisemitism and
anti-Israel bias in all four of the surveyed models with Meta’s Llama, an open-source
model, coming in worst. “Additionally, Llama is the only model whose lowest
score was on a question about the role of Jews in the great replacement conspiracy theory,” the ADL noted. Llama also performed the most poorly on
questions related to Holocaust conspiracies. AI
Language Models Promote Antisemitism and Anti-Israel Bias, ADL Warns -
Algemeiner.com
When I learned Computing in 1971 it
was all about input and output of data. Garbage in = Garbage out. AI has
advanced to trash & rubbish.
With one exception: https://www.timesofisrael.com/israels-strikes-on-hamas-leaders-in-recent-days-havent-hit-key-military-commanders/
Mar. 27th
Day 538
Top Secret Information vs. Sensitive or
Confidential Information. Defense Secretary has corrected how information is
transmitted to other Cabinet Members. Example I’ll be down to get you in a taxi
be there at half past eight. Is sensitive it does not tell you what type of
taxi or where there is. The same with the number of planes with aircraft units
how many names of targets in the port city and capitol city of the Houthis. The
liberal press is having a field day. Israel announced that the 36th
Division was entering northern Gaza. Where? Which route? How many on Salahuddin
Street and how many in the middle? When? How much land do we plan to take? The
Hamas is not blind they see the units and are waiting with ambushes so the
public knows too – big deal! The announcement was to push negotiations nothing
more or less.
Last night a rocket miraculously
missed a Kindergarten with children and parents in a pre-Pesach (Passover)
Party. No runs, no hits and none injured. https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/rocket-launched-from-gaza-at-southern-israel-but-no-sirens-activated/
Instead of Judges selecting other Judges who
are not elected; now the elected officials will select the judges closer to the
will of the people. https://www.timesofisrael.com/thousands-protest-outside-knesset-ahead-of-final-votes-on-controversial-judicial-bill/
I received an e-mail from Dr. Harry about
exaggerated numbers of Gaza Dead fed to the citizens by Hamas. Media
Parrots Hamas’ Death Toll Lies — Shows No Interest in Fact-Checking or
Accountability - Algemeiner.com
I was at the spring electronics sale at my
former place of work. I had picked up a new Clothes Dryer a week ago and today
another electronic device went after 25years and my wife wanted a new one so
off we went. As we were heading towards the back of the giant tent with the Spring
Sale off went the Siren! The Arrow System has been up-graded and most of it
explodes above the atmosphere but since the Houthis sent two rockets today,
THAAD got involved. The US System had pieces fall near Mevo Modiin and/or Mevo
Horon and near Kiriat Arba. https://www.timesofisrael.com/houthis-fire-two-missiles-at-israel-triggering-sirens-in-jerusalem-tel-aviv/
After this news item, 3 more Hezballah started
moving weapons = Shachidim. https://www.timesofisrael.com/heavy-israeli-strikes-reported-overnight-in-syrian-coastal-city-of-latakia/
Footage of attacks in Syria. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/405973
Trump Administration
Sued Over Policy of Deporting Foreign Pro-Hamas Agitators - Algemeiner.com
CAIR Blasts Trump as the
‘New Biden’ for Continued Support of Israel Amid Gaza War - Algemeiner.com
Why Did the Head of the
Olympic Committee Meet with an October 7 Supporter? - Algemeiner.com
How Turkey Is
Manipulating Syria for Its Own Advantage - Algemeiner.com
Mar. 28th
Day 539 the end of week 77.
I was joking last night about the THAAD landing
in three places. After the
siren went off yesterday, I went to Kelly’s to have a Guinness Stout. He gave
me the reason why the THAAD returned. He told me that the engineer was Irish
and a had a few drinks under pressure during the design. He told me blame Ric O’chet
the Irish man.
Today Hezballah celebrated the last Friday in
Ramadan with two rocket on Kiriat Shemona. One landed in Lebanon and the second
shot down. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/2025-03-28/live-updates-847959
Katz threatens Lebanon. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-847971
Hamas murders “Israeli Collaborators”. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-847975
Israel Provided intel to US on Houthi
Missileman going into girl friend’s house. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-847912
5 stabbed in Amsterdam. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-847880
King Charles ill. https://www.jpost.com/international/article-847944
Israelis in Burma caught in earthquake. https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000pn9s/executive
Skyscraper collapses in Thailand. Watch: Skycraper
collapses in Thailand during massive earthquake | Israel National News
Many
teen boys from around Israel have begun to express interest in obtaining
tefillin (phylacteries), and having them available in schools, following the
tefillin saga in a Ramat Gan school, which saw a student suspended for
putting on tefillin. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/406017
25 rocket launcher found: Troops of the
14th Brigade, under the command of the Gaza Division and guided by the
Intelligence Directorate and the ISA, have been operating in recent days in the
Tel al-Sultan area of Rafah, after completing the encirclement of the area in
just four hours. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/406021
Terrorists capture in Yehuda and Shomron: The forces
eliminated two terrorists, apprehended approximately 80 wanted suspects, and
confiscated dozens of weapons, including explosive devices, munitions, and
additional combat equipment. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/406024
Judea
and Samaria District police and IDF forces, acting under the direction of the
Shin Bet, arrested a 35-year-old Palestinian Arab terrorist from Tulkarm who
fired gunshots at an IDF vehicle in November 2023. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/406060
What
can we learn, if we can learn anything at all, from the demonstrations in Gaza
against Hamas? Is this an authentic sign of civil unrest against an
authoritarian regime, or is it a staged attempt by Hamas to present an image of
tolerance and democracy? We spoke about this with Oded Eilam, a senior
researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs and former
head of the Counter-Terrorism Division in the Mossad. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/406026
Arab
affairs commentator Zvi Yehezkeli claims that the protests against Hamas were
actually orchestrated by the organization. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/406057
Senator
Bernie Sanders announced on Thursday his intention to introduce resolutions
next week aimed at blocking $8.8 billion in arms sales to Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/406053
Iran: "Our
policy is still to not engage in direct negotiations while under maximum
pressure and military threats, however, as it was the case in the past,
indirect negotiations can continue," Araqchi said, according to IRNA.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/406056
Else needed in the House of Representatives. President Trump
cited the need for the Republicans to maintain their slim majority in the House
of Representatives as the reason for the withdrawal of Stefanik’s appointment. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/406054
Your
Left: The police turned to the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court last night
(Thursday) with a request to arrest a suspect who was filmed committing an indecent
act on a female Border Police officer during a left-wing demonstration held
last Tuesday.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/406061
Bipartisan
Group of US Lawmakers Pushes to Sanction Palestinian Terrorist Group -
Algemeiner.com
German
Singer Sues Kanye West for Copyright Infringement Related to His Antisemitic,
Racist Remarks
Iran
Ready for Indirect Talks With US, Khamenei Aide Says - Algemeiner.com
https://www.timesofisrael.com/child-marriage-banned-in-dc-after-push-by-jewish-advocates/
Shabbos times this week: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/shabat
Note: From Sunday only two more
weeks before Pesach. If you have not started your cleaning or plan to sell your
Chametz (Leaven) get moving.
Shop early as the Kosher Markets
get more and more crowded.
Have a healthy, happy, peaceful and
restful Shabbos,
Rachamim Pauli
