Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Parsha Va'era, halachos and stories

Leah bas Rivka needs prayers

A quote that I saw this week that can be applied to the Israeli-Arab conflict too. "The cause we are engaged in is so just and righteous that we must try to rise superior to every obstacle in its support.". General George Washington. December 1775

My cousin Shmuel aka Samuel puts out his own Torah Drasha and although this is from last Shabbos it is well worth reading: Rav Sabato Shlita addresses Moshe's humble beginnings in this week's Parsha:

The book of Shemos opens with a quick background on the state of the nation living in Egypt followed by the birth of Moshe. Within just a few chapters a selection of several events from Moshe's life are covered, starting from his birth and leading up to his return to Egypt at the age of 80. Clearly the remainder of his life and his leadership of the Jewish people will be the focus of the rest of the Torah and thus the Torah provides a mere glimpse of his life before the age of 80. However, why did the Torah choose specifically the events it did from Moshe's childhood? Certainly many things happen over the course of the first 80 years of one's life, but the Torah only selected a few anecdotes from Moshe's earlier years. How did the Torah choose these?

The answer that we will try to present here is that the qualities that Moshe ended up utilizing as a leader in the remainder of his life have their basis among these selected events. We can break down Moshe's defining qualities into five:

1) First of all, he was a prophet. And while it is hard for us to know exactly what that means, we know that one of the climactic moments of his entire career was receiving the Torah at Har Sinai where he interacted with G-d "פנים אל פנים," face-to-face (anthropomorphically).

2) His second defining characteristic was that of a savior and redeemer of the nation.

3) Moshe's role as a leader of the nation over the course of their 40 year journey from Egypt to the Land of Israel.

4) He served as a judge, the highest judge in the nation (as is detailed later in Parsha Yisro).

5) Lastly, he represented the nation before G-d, advocating on their behalf, such as at times when G-d was preparing harsh punishments for the Golden Calf and the spies.

A further trait, on a more personal side, was his trait of extreme humility -- as the Torah describes: more humble than anyone else in the world (see Bamidbar 12:3).

If we go through the early events of Moshe's life with these defining qualities in mind, we will see that each quality was present even from before he became a leader.

The first event the Torah describes is told as follows (2:11-12): וַיְהִי בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם, וַיִּגְדַּל מֹשֶׁה וַיֵּצֵא אֶל-אֶחָיו, וַיַּרְא, בְּסִבְלֹתָם; וַיַּרְא אִישׁ מִצְרִי, מַכֶּה אִישׁ-עִבְרִי מֵאֶחָיו. וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה, וַיַּרְא כִּי אֵין אִישׁ; וַיַּךְ, אֶת-הַמִּצְרִי, וַיִּטְמְנֵהוּ, בַּחוֹל. -- 'It was in those days that Moshe grew up and went out to his brothers and saw their suffering. And he saw an Egyptian man strike one of his Ivri brothers and looked this way and that and saw that there was no one there and struck the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.' This short anecdote already describes Moshe as a savior, even before he is commanded to serve as such by G-d. From the beginning of his life it is already clear that when he sees a problem he does not wait to try to fix it but rather takes action. It is also worth noting the first portion of the verse: that he saw his brothers' suffering -- a leader must understand the issues of his people in order to be able to serve them.

The following two Pasukim display yet another trait (2:13-14): וַיֵּצֵא בַּיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי, וְהִנֵּה שְׁנֵי-אֲנָשִׁים עִבְרִים נִצִּים; וַיֹּאמֶר, לָרָשָׁע, לָמָּה תַכֶּה, רֵעֶךָ. וַיֹּאמֶר מִי שָׂמְךָ לְאִישׁ שַׂר וְשֹׁפֵט, עָלֵינוּ 'He went out on the second day and there were two Ivri men fighting. He said to the evil one: "Why are you striking your friend?" And [the man] replied: "Who made you a ruler and judge over us?"' Here, Moshe is already finding himself serving as a judge for Bnei Yisrael, picking out the one who he views as the aggressor and speaking up. And soon afterwards, when Moshe flees to Midian, he again plays a role in law enforcement as he saves Yisro's daughters from the hands of the other shepherds at the well (see 2:17). This demonstrates the true pure desire within Moshe to pursue justice, not only within his own nation but for anyone. A person with a pure desire to do good wishes to help the underdog in any situation not only within his own people.

In the next phase of his journey, Moshe serves as a shepherd for Yisro’s sheep. This demonstrates Moshe's ability to lead -- to shepherd an entire nation.

His shepherding brings him, one day, to the burning bush, the סנה. A number of similarities make this event a clear parallel with receiving the Torah at הר סיני. It is at the bush that Moshe first receives prophecy at the location that the rabbis tell us is indeed הר סיני -- little does Moshe realize at that moment that he will return there not too long afterwards for the greatest prophecy of all time.

All in all, Moshe's defining characteristics are demonstrated one after the other in these few short chapters that open the book of Shemos, introducing Moshe as the leader of the Jewish people. When G-d commands him to take these skills with him back to Egypt to free Bnei Yisrael, he does not quickly agree -- portraying his extreme humility.

The principle here is true in every individual: a person's early years and the practices of their early life will stick with them and will impact the rest of their life. When a person defines what those characteristics will be early in life, it is important to do so with this in mind as those characteristics ultimately define the remainder of life as well. In the first chapters of Shemos, those events that helped define Moshe and the rest of his life as a great leader are chosen to teach exactly that.

Shabbat shalom,

Shmuel E.

Parsha Va’era

Parsha and my Drasha for this year, I have plenty to add and even more points than only that the first 7 plagues would allow me to write or even talk about even a an hour’s lecture so I want to attack things from a different angle. I wanted because of the new readership and even to remind myself of past thoughts to use my own old words on Chapter 8 was from 4 years ago with one or two additions.

6:2 And God spoke unto Moses, and said unto him: 'I am the LORD;

The Tetragrammation is used for the first time. This is the Compassionate attribute of the L-RD.

3 and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, as God Almighty, using the names ELOKIM and KAIL SHAKKAI judgement and all powerful or all mighty but by My name YHWH I made Me not known to them.

Last week in the Tzimtzum (condensing) of the L-RD to come to people instead of a lofty tree only in a bush, the name used is “I will be what I wish to be”.

For even though Adam and Kayn were able to speak with G-D and obtain mercy, they were more in awe and fear of HIM and Noach and his generation too. For even though the Yod-Kay-Vav-Kay is a more awesome name, the ALL MERCIFUL FATHER is a different concept to mankind.

4 And I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their sojournings, wherein they sojourned. 5 And moreover I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered My covenant.

Anybody who asks “Where was G-D in the holocaust?” has the right to question but the answer if one rereads the two Pasukim above is quite sufficient. For G-D is with us all the time, everywhere, the whole earth is full of HIS GLORY and yet at times he hides himself from us. Why? What for? I cannot answer this whether it is a test or a punishment but these facts exist. It can be compared to a small child playing in the sandbox and either daddy or mommy peeking out the window keeping a watchful eye on them. HASHEM of course does not take a random look at us but can monitor us all the time. Until the advent of surveillance cameras we would not have been able to imagine this in our mind.

6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel: I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments; 7 and I will take you to Me for a people, and I will be to you a God; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God,

In case there was any doubt whatsoever, now you would have none not of ME nor MY MIGHT but you shall see the power and the salvation.

who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

For 210 years, the people were under the influence of the god-king Pharaoh. He was a power to be feared. 600 chariots was a massive army and enough to suppress a bunch of fearing slaves with their slave mentality.

8 And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning which I lifted up My hand to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for a heritage: I am the LORD.'

Another statement of power, justice and mercy.

9 And Moses spoke so unto the children of Israel; but they hearkened not unto Moses for impatience of spirit, and for cruel bondage.

10 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 11 'Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.' 12 And Moses spoke before the LORD, saying: 'Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?' 13 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

This time HASHEM is involving Aaron as Moshe is losing it and he needs Aaron to reinforce himself.

The following narrative starts off as the natural order of things. First comes Reuven, Shimon and then Levi but we don’t continue with Yehuda or the other tribes at this point so why is it brought down? The only few reasons that I can come up with to answer this question is that even though the tribes are equal so we show two ordinary tribes and then Levi; still the whole narrative is only to introduce us to the family background of Moshe and Aaron as they are playing the major part in the Chumash from here onwards.

14 These are the heads of their fathers' houses: the sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel: Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. These are the families of Reuben. 15 And the sons of Simeon: Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman. These are the families of Simeon. 16 And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon and Kohath, and Merari. And the years of the life of Levi were a hundred thirty and seven years. 17 The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families. 18 And the sons of Kohath: Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel. And the years of the life of Kohath were a hundred thirty and three years. 19 And the sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations. 20 And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses. And the years of the life of Amram were a hundred and thirty and seven years. 21 And the sons of Izhar: Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri. 22 And the sons of Uzziel: Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Sithri. 23 And Aaron took him Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, to wife; and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 24 And the sons of Korah: Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites. 25 And Eleazar Aaron's son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites according to their families. 26 These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom the LORD said: 'Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their hosts.' 27 These are they that spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt. These are that Moses and Aaron. 28 And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spoke unto Moses in the land of Egypt,

Moshe essentially got married very late in life as his two children were very young when he was 80 as we saw last week with the circumcision.

29 that the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 'I am the LORD; speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I speak unto thee.' 30 And Moses said before the LORD: 'Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?'

Moshe with his speech defect is too shy to talk and usually laughed out in crowds so you can imagine his fear of speaking before Pharaoh and his ministers.

7:1 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'See, I have set thee in God's stead to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.

Aaron is not as a prophet but as a translator into a strong cohesive statement which is completely clear before Pharaoh. (An example of this can be with my being in Israel for 40 years similar to Moshe being in the Sinai region for 40 years. Moshe did not have communications there were no TV programs up dating his old language skills. When I left the states people were told that one feels well but this generation only feels good. There was no give me a hi-five, rap, break-dance and other forms of communication.) Just imagine Moshe being trained in his language skills over seven decades previously with a living language and culture – besides his speech impediment, he would be facing a different language, different meaning and additional vocabulary and idioms.

2 Thou shalt speak all that I command thee; and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. 3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.

The first thing a child asks is why didn’t HASHEM make (or force) Pharaoh to let the Bnei Yisrael out? The Torah comes along and tells us to multiply signs and wonders. However, I am thinking this is not only for the land of Egypt but for our mixed multitude and the people who would question the L-RD in the future. For knowledge of what would happen in Sefer Bamidbar, HASHEM knew in the beginning before it happened. Of course there was free will and it could have turned out differently. HASHEM is better and bigger than the creation. HE could foresee what would happen to Korach if he rebelled and if he didn’t rebel for both scenarios or even a combination was thought out like a rebellion and a repentance so that one could not squawk against what the consequences were as we have now written down in the Torah. The free choice was out there. Even up until the sixth plague Pharaoh essentially had free will after that HASHEM hardened his heart.

4 But Pharaoh will not hearken unto you, and I will lay My hand upon Egypt, and bring forth My hosts, My people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt, by great judgments.

Egypt was destined to enslave Yisrael but not to afflict the Bnei Yisrael in the way they did. Because of the affliction and murders of the male babies it was now time for retribution to be paid.

5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth My hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.' 6 And Moses and Aaron did so; as the LORD commanded them, so did they. 7 And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spoke unto Pharaoh.

Moshe speaks and Aaron interprets and Moshe performs the miracles such as the Rod, blood, etc.

8 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying: 9 'When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying: Show a wonder for you; then thou shalt say unto Aaron: Take thy rod, and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it become a serpent.' 10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so, as the LORD had commanded; and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers; and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did in like manner with their secret arts. 12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents; but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

Pharaoh’s magicians used real serpents that were charmed and Moshe a real rod. This is the amazing thing that a real piece of wood could be turned from the plant realm into the animal realm and back. This is a genetic secret of creation that only the L-RD knows.

13 And Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken. 14 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Pharaoh's heart is stubborn, he refuses to let the people go.

At this point Pharaoh is as stubborn as a mule or ox that does not want to do his master’s bidding. Pharaoh views himself as the god of Egypt and most likely was worshipped too. What happens under dictators like in Romania, Iraq and in North Korea today is that they poster themselves up for the people to praise and propagandize everybody. Even Pharaoh believed his own lie.

15 Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goes out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river's brink to meet him; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thy hand. 16 And thou shalt say unto him: The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, hath sent me unto thee, saying: Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness; and, behold, hitherto thou hast not hearkened; 17 thus says the LORD: In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD--behold, I will smite with the rod that is in my hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. 18 And the fish that are in the river shall die, and the river shall become foul; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink water from the river.'

Why is Pharaoh and Egypt being punished with the river? For this we have to go back 80 years ago to the period of 80 years previously. Jewish male babies are thrown into the river. Now the river and Egypt will be punished measure for measure for this crime. Pharaoh would go and defecate in the morning and a god should not do these things. He would hide everything in his morning bathe and Moshe came at that time to confront him. Now speaking about embarrassing moments for the man god.

19 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Say unto Aaron: Take thy rod, and stretch out thy hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their ponds of water, that they may become blood; and there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.'

Now this is either a complete miracle and the water literally turns to blood or it is some other factor. For many years I suggested red clay earth in large amounts being swept into the river. However, earth would not accumulate like that in vessels. So again we have to turn back to blood or under natural causes one finds some algae or virus that chemically turns all the water into a blood like color.

20 And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.

As we see that under Hakaras HaTov (obligation for a good deed) Moshe was saved by the river and the river turned red when he entered the water therefore he could not smite the water. However, Aaron had no such a relationship with the inanimate river and therefore he could smite the river. We also see that with the dust because Moshe covered up the dead Egyptian in dust.

21 And the fish that were in the river died; and the river became foul, and the Egyptians could not drink water from the river; and the blood was throughout all the land of Egypt.

Have you ever been to a lake where a fish has died from being hooked and thrown back or killed by a fisherman and the small of a small fish can be dreadful. Now multiply this by hundreds of thousands maybe millions of fish and what a stench it must have been.

22 And the magicians of Egypt did in like manner with their secret arts; and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken. 23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he lay even this to heart. 24 And all the Egyptians dug round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river. 25 And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten the river.

Even the earth or sand could not filter out the blood or blood like color of the water so the magicians succeeded in turning hydrochloric or other clear acid and phenolpthalic solution into ‘blood’ but they could not succeed in reversing the process..

26 And the LORD spoke unto Moses: 'Go in unto Pharaoh, and say unto him: Thus says the LORD: Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 27 And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs. 28 And the river shall swarm with frogs, which shall go up and come into thy house, and into thy bed-chamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into your ovens, and into thy kneading-troughs. 29 And the frogs shall come up both upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants.'

Frogs are under the guidance of HASHEM and at HIS command and with no free will, they will jump into ovens and as a reward HASHEM might make them into a mammal in a future life. The frogs which often children grab and capture for fun became disgusting from their odor, noise and the interference with everyday tasks such as walking, cooking dressing. Nobody likes frogs crawling in their clothing at all times or jumping into bed with them or choking them by jumping into their mouths as the people slept or talked.

More often than none I don’t have time to look back at previous posts to see that I do not repeat myself but sometimes and somethings after four years are worth repeating:

8:1 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Say unto Aaron: Stretch forth thy hand with thy rod over the rivers, over the canals, and over the pools, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt.' 2 And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. 3 And the magicians did in like manner with their secret arts, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.

The magicians mastered the use of negative spiritual forces found usually in Shaddim (forms created after mankind and not completed before the Shabbos entered Gan Eden they are often mistranslated as demons). By harnessing Shaddim one could do a lot. The only positive legends of Shaddim are with Yosef Shaddah who was harnessed by our Sages in Talmudic times and became ‘Dumb Yossele the Golem of Prague’.

4 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said: 'Entreat the LORD, that He take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice unto the LORD.' 5 And Moses said unto Pharaoh: 'Have thou this glory over me; against what time shall I entreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, that the frogs be destroyed from thee and thy houses, and remain in the river only?' 6 And he said: 'Against to-morrow.' And he said: 'Be it according to thy word; that thou may know that there is none like unto the LORD our God. 7 And the frogs shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy people; they shall remain in the river only.'

As you wish, I will remove the frogs but I know what will happen once the pests are removed. You maybe the king, but you are no better than the Hakaras HaTov of the wine steward to Yosef for two years.

From Rav Frand Shlita: Rashi on this Pasuk [verse] teaches that it was Aaron, rather than Moshe, was commanded to initiate this plague because the Nile protected Moshe when he was thrown into it as an infant. Therefore, Aaron initiated the plague of Blood and the plague of Frogs (in which the Nile was also smitten). The Gemara comments on this: A person should not cast stones
into the well from which he has drunk.

This is the principle of Hakaras HaTov [recognizing a favor]. We learn from here that Hakaras HaTov applies even when the doer of the favor is only doing what he is supposed to do anyway. The Nile merely floated the basket. That is the nature of water. It is a law of physics that something lighter than water floats on water. The Nile thus did not go out of its way to do anything special for Moshe. It just did what it has been doing since the beginning of time.

And yet, we still learn from here that there is an obligation of Hakaras HaTov. This dispels a common practice among people. It is the nature of people to say: "Why do I need to say 'Thank you'? Why do I need to have Hakaras HaTov? –- He had to do it anyway!"

Hakaras HaTov is not measured by the benefactor's efforts. It is measured by the impact on the recipient. When someone benefits from someone else –-
whether the benefactor did or did not need to provide the benefit, he did or did not have to do it, whether it was or was not a bother for him, the beneficiary has a responsibility to recognize that he owes a debt of gratitude. The proof is the Nile River. It merely did what water does and yet Moshe Rabbaynu felt a sense of Hakaras HaTov
.
RavFrand, Copyright © 2006 by Rabbi Yissocher Frand and Torah.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Speaking about Hakaras HaTov, note that earth covered up the dead Egyptian in Parshas Shemos and so it protected Moshe so here below we continue with the theme that Aaron brings on the plague. In modern Hebrew “KINNIM” is lice and not gnats. 12 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Say unto Aaron: Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the earth, that it may become gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.' 13 And they did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and there were gnats upon man, and upon beast; all the dust of the earth became gnats throughout all the land of Egypt. 14 And the magicians did so with their secret arts to bring forth gnats, but they could not; and there were gnats upon man, and upon beast. 15 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh: 'This is the finger of God'; and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken. This is the first time the magicians cannot hypnotize snakes or use trickery or witchcraft to move frogs and they have to admit that G-D is involved here. Why didn’t they realize it when Moshe’s staff swallowed their snakes and turned back into a snake – I figure that it must have been either fear of Pharaoh or losing their position with Pharaoh.

16 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him: Thus says the LORD: Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 17 Else, if thou wilt not let My people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses; and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are. 18 And I will set apart in that day the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end that thou may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth. …

The separation from the land of the Bnei Yisrael and the Egyptians on how the plague effected the populace. “You will not get any of the plagues of Egypt”.

21 And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said: 'Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land.' 22 And Moses said: 'It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God; lo, if we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us? The Egyptians worshipped sheep. 23 We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as He shall command us.' 24 And Pharaoh said: 'I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away; entreat for me.' 25 And Moses said: 'Behold, I go out from thee, and I will entreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.' 26 And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the LORD. 27 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and He removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not one. 28 And Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go. Just like some of the politicians today Pharaoh reneged on his promise as soon as things were smooth sailing for him. The J.H. Hertz Chumash indicates that it was beetles. However, the standard Midrashic commentaries report this was a mass migration of wild African Animals. If the lion or tiger has a choice of hunting a Zebra or Giraffe or a domesticated animal guess which he’ll hunt. The Midrash goes on to say that the Egyptians locked themselves in their houses and a giant octopus or squid put its tentacles inside via the window slot and unlatched the door so that the jungle could come inside. As you know many Egyptians lived by the river for eating, drinking, agriculture and toilet. Anybody for a pack of gibbons in your house, a few large man eating snakes in town or male chimps chasing after female humans? People were literally going Ape! Put a tiger in your tank anybody?

9:1 Then the LORD said unto Moses: 'Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him: Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews: Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 2 For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still, 3 behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which are in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the herds, and upon the flocks; there shall be a very grievous murrain. 4 And the LORD shall make a division between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt; and there shall nothing die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.' 5 And the LORD appointed a set time, saying: 'Tomorrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land.' 6 And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died; but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.

Maybe would enquire why the Bnei Yisrael are not suffering and you are could it be?

7 And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not so much as one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was stubborn, and he did not let the people go. Here was a golden opportunity the Egyptians who feared the L-RD put their cattle inside and they lived and those who did not lost their cattle outside.

8 And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron: 'Take to you handfuls of soot of the furnace, and let Moses throw it heavenward in the sight of Pharaoh. 9 And it shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.' 10 And they took soot of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses threw it up heavenward; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man and upon beast. 11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boils were upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians. 12 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.

Note the first 5 plagues there was a chance to let the Bnei Yisrael go by free will. Pharaoh hardened his own heart after this his heart is hardened for him. Up unto now Pharaoh and his immediate family were not affected now his wives and children will cry out unto him for fear of the terrible storm about to come. Any cattle that will be out that is the end of them. There were electrical fires within the hail from lightning. The oldest weather forecast in history:

18 Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the day it was founded even until now. 19 Now therefore send, hasten in thy cattle and all that thou hast in the field; for every man and beast that shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.’ 20 He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses; 21 and he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field.

I am sure that I must have mentioned that even though the normal order of things would be that if the fish died in large quantities in the plague of blood that the tadpoles might not necessarily had been affected and without natural enemies, the fish, to attack them it would be natural for their population to grow. But what would make them cover the land like they did or get into every spot. The fact that the fish died at the tadpole development season was perhaps more than ordinary. The combination and timing of natural events makes it a miracle. Like the two or three incidences of babies crying and mommy picking them up in Gilo, near Schem, during the Gulf War and perhaps another case in Kiriat Shemona when almost instantaneous either a bullet or shrapnel landed on the crib. It is a natural event for a baby to cry and a mother to pick up the baby but just in time to save the baby’s life is something else.

Halachos from Danny Shoemann

Between my own medical hiatus during Chanucha and Danny taking a week off, we missed out on two weeks of Halacha. I felt last week that it was too late to post Hilchos Chanucha or Yod Teves.

If one is happy when seeing a very dear friend (including spouses, parents, siblings and teachers) after not having seen them for 30 days, one makes the Bracha of Shehechiyanu:
"Blessed... who has kept us alive, sustained us and permitted us to reach this occasion."
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', אֱ-לֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
שֶׁהֶחֱיָינוּ וקִיְּמָנוּ והִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמָן הַזֶּה
One can make this Bracha even if one received letters from them during this time. If one has not seen them for more than 12 months one makes this Bracha instead:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', אֱ-לֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִים
"Blessed... who revives the dead".
This is because anything 12-months-old is considered to be forgotten. Therefore, if one communicated with them - or received regards from them - during the past 12 months, one says Bracha of Shehechiyanu. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 59:20


It is forbidden to hit a fellow Jew.

One who hits another Jew has transgressed a Torah prohibition.

Even one who simply lifts his hand with the intent to hit, is called "wicked" as we learned in last week's Parsha (Shmot); "[Moshe] said to the wicked one: Why are you going to hit your friend?" - even before he hit, he was referred to as the wicked one.

Hitting back in self-defense is permitted, if there are no other options.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 184:1

The Blizzard by R’ A.L.

The Northeastern United States has just experienced a winter blizzard of immense proportions, with the amount of snow that fell giving all those who experienced it a better sense of infinity. Perhaps one of the most incredible lessons to learn from the snow which seemingly blanketed a wide area relatively evenly and steadily in the tremendous degree of individualized Hashgacha Pratius that each and every person experienced with the storm. One person was able to go to Schul with great Mesirus Nefesh, another person went to Shul or Minyan that he usually does not go to, and third person was unable to go to Schul at all. One person's flight was cancelled so he was unable to travel to Israel as planned, another person's flight due to arrive in New York City was diverted to another city, where he had to stay for a day, and a third person made a swell of unexpected money by digging out his car and bring people to the airport to wait for flights. Those with the most powerful of cars realized that it is not in the might of the horse or the capabilities of the chariot that one relies, as they were stuck trying to turn into unplowed streets or spun their wheels on patches of snow or ice. This person's street was plowed, that one's were not; this person's neighbor had a snow blower and cleaned his walk so well, that person's son had to clean his walk and injured himself in the process, and a third person had to hire cleaners for a pretty penny. This person made it to the Chasuna and, as a part of the select few there, was able to be the Mekayem Simcha Chosson in an incredible way, that person's wife went into labor and not knowing what to do began boiling water ("we will never forget this"), and a third person was able to go to the store and help the four elderly couples on his block with food. Many viewed the opportunity as a gift from Hashem to learn extra hours (while others only used the opportunity to sort through papers). Some appreciated what it means to have the gifts of a roof over your head, gloves, a winter coat and hot soup, and others ignored the entire as "part of the winter", knowing that it would blow over and preferred to think about the summer, refusing to realize it as a unique challenge and test-with the billions of snowflakes especially designed by Hashem in His Omniscience for each individual in his own particular way. For those in the Northeast, the snow is still here, and there is much Avodas Hashem still to be done. For those outside of the area, they need not wait for a snow storm to be awakened to Hashem's Presence in each and every one of our lives.

Everybody who knows me personally knows that since the financial crises started my Kollel in Kiriat Sefer is basically up the creek without much of a paddle. I have never taken a penny for it and donated of course thousands of dollars. Being a former soldier with a son who was also front line the following hit home hard to me that I decided to write it of course my Kollel needs a few thousand dollars to get through the next few months Rav Mimram 5/2 Rehov .

To all my friends and clients,

Hi all,

Thanks for all your good wishes. Now that I am feeling better I need to get back to doing something constructive.

My wife recently returned from a mission trip to Israel on behalf of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces. During the mission, the participants try to identify first hand the needs of the Israeli soldiers who so diligently fulfill their duty of protecting the State of Israel from terrorism. This is a way of life in Israel.

Unequivocally, the soldiers stationed along the West Bank, the ones who have to go into villages and seek out insurgents door to door, said that if they could have a fleece jacket, (one which is authorized by the army) to wear during the winter, it would make their jobs a bit easier. The Israeli army provides the standard field jacket which is heavy and cumbersome and makes it very difficult for the soldiers to conduct their operations effectively. Instead, they choose to go without jackets and the winter in Israel is bitter cold and wet.

Upon hearing this, I went a little crazy and asked the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces to commit me to 500 jackets. They have ordered the jackets through a manufacturer in Israel who will deliver the jackets at a cost of approximately $16 a jacket. A pittance for the benefit to be received by those soldiers who will wear those jackets.

I am therefore asking each and every one of you to help get me out of this bind! This is the season for giving and we have all been so blessed by the Almighty. Please decide if you can help me and see how many jackets you can take off my hands.

The jackets are needed now. Winter won't wait.

Please decide how many jackets you can underwrite on behalf of these wonderful young men and women and send me a check payable to the FRIENDS OF THE ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES for the proper amount at $16 per jacket. Your donation is tax deductible.

God bless you and your families during this holiday season as you help me help those who are truly in need.

I love you all!

Sincerely,

Isaac

Inyanay Diyoma

You will not find this story of Israel in the main media: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4003931,00.html

Sometimes some news is good news: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4004150,00.html

Re-election bid: http://www.debka.com/article/20497/

Not a punching bag: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4005178,00.html

From Nancy: Napolitano appoints radical Muslim, Eibiary, to Homeland Security! Perhaps the hardest thing for Elibiary to explain away is his sharing the podium with a rabid anti-American and anti-Jewish speaker who has publicly pledged his loyalty to ...the Iranian regime, but he has offered several fantastic explanations for appearing at the December 2004 conference honoring the life and works of the "Great Islamic Visionary" Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Now for Matis Wolfberg’s Story: The tenth man: I would have jokingly called the Tzenter fielder in the game.

Good Shabbos Everyone. The Mensheviks (not to be confused with the Evil Communist Bolsheviks) took over the Russian government after the first World War. For the first time in decades Russian Jews could breathe a little and they enjoyed freedom. Everyone way happy; people were earning a living, especially those Jews who were fortunate enough to be in the diamond and jewelry business. The following story is told by a Jew who lived in that era.
"I, myself, was in diamond trade and things were going very well indeed, Every morning I was at my office in the diamond exchange at eight o'clock, and I was busy all day. One morning I happened to get up early and decided to go to my office to get some paper work done. I had my valise of diamonds and jewelry with me as usual.
As I was walking, I heard someone yell out, "A tzenter, a tzenter!" I turned and saw a man standing outside the small doorway of a tiny synagogue. He was looking for a tenth man to complete a minyan (prayer quorum of ten males over thirteen). When he saw me turn towards him, he shouted to me, "Come in, come in, we need you for a minyan!"
Realizing that I had some time to spare, I went in to be the tenth man. But, when I got inside, I saw that there were only three other men besides myself and the man at the door, who by now had resumed his searching for a "tzenter."
"What's this?" I said . "I'm not the tenth, I'm the fifth. It will take all morning to get ten men in here'" "Now don't worry!" he called back. "Lots of Jewish people walk these streets every morning. We'll have a tenth man in no time.
Frustrated that he had "trapped" me, I began reciting Tehillim (Psalms) for the next ten minutes. By that time all he had managed to find was one more person. I began to leave, but he started pleading with me. "Listen, it's my father's yahrzeit; I have to say Kaddish. Please stay. I'm trying to get the minyan together as fast as I can."
"I can't stay any longer," I protested. "I must be in my office at eight o'clock. And that's right now!',' At that point the man became nasty. "Listen," he said, "I'm not letting you out! I have yahrzeit; I have to say Kaddish! As soon as I get ten men together, we'll get it over with and you'll be able to go!"
I didn't want to agitate him any more, so I reluctantly went back to saying some Tehilim, another ten minutes passed and he had corralled only two more men. I began making my way towards the door again. This time he turned around from the doorway just as I was making my way past him. He pointed a finger at me and said, "If you had yahrzeit for your father, then you would want me to stay! Right? And I would stay I Now I want you to do the same for me!"
His pointing out to me how I would feel if I were in his shoes suddenly made me feel different about the situation. I resigned myself to losing part of the morning and decided, come what may, I would remain. About 8:30 he finally got his ten people together. I thought he would say a mishnah and then Kaddish. But no, he started near the beginning of the davening, right after Korbanos, with the first Kaddish D'Rabanan.
Impatient and exasperated, I looked at my watch and calculated at this rate I would not get to my office until well after nine o'clock. A number or times I looked around to see if an eleventh man had wandered in, so that I could leave and there would still be a minyan. No such luck. I was stuck there until they finished davening.
Once we finished, the man who had yahrzeit thanked all of us profusely, served some cake and whiskey and then let us leave. I began making my way to the office, still carrying my valise full of jewelry. When I came within two blocks of my building, a man I knew ran over to me, frantically waving his hands.
"Quick, get away!" he yelled at me wildly. "The Bolsheviks took over the government today and some of them came in and killed the Jews in the diamond exchange. They're now busy looting as much as they can. Run for your life!"
I did run for my life. I remained hidden for a few days and eventually I was able to get out of Russia. That was my reward for the mitzvah of being part of a minyan. You can well imagine what would have happened to me had I left the minyan early!" (P. 34 The Maggid Speaks, Rav P. Krohn)
We read about he power of prayer in this week's parsha. The Torah tells us about how the Jews cried out to Hashem in prayer, due to the oppression they were experiencing in Egypt. As the verse tells us, "..they cried out. Their outcry... went up to Hashem. Hashem heard their moaning and Hashem remembered His covenant with Avrohom, Yitzchok, and with Yakov." (Shemos 2:23-24) From here we see the that Geulah, the redemption from Mitzrayim - Egypt, began when the Jews cried out in prayer to Hashem.
The ideal place to pray is in a shul with a minyan. In fact, the Rambam, of blessed memory rules that "prayer with a minyan is always heard [by Hashem], even if the minyan contains sinners, Hashem will never be disgusted by the prayer of the many [in a minyan]. Therefore one must join a minyan, and must not daven alone as long as he can daven with minyan... [furthermore,] any person who has a shul in his town and does not daven there with a minyan, is deemed to be a bad neighbor." (Hilchos Tefilla 8:1)
The Chofetz Chayim writes in the Mishna Berurah that one who davens with a minyan will merit long life. (Shulchan Aruch, Oruch Chayim 90, M.B. 39). We saw this concept in the amazing story which we told above. Let us all therefore dedicate and rededicate ourselves to davening with a minyan whenever possible. Through davening with a minyan, Hashem will surely take us out of this Golus, just as He took out the Bnai Yisroel from Mitzrayim through their prayers.
Good Shabbos Everyone.

M. Wolfberg’s stories are sponsored by: Refuah Shleima to Mordechai Menachem Mendel ben Tziporah Yitta Refuah Shleima to Tsviah bas Bracha Leah Refuah Shleimah to Chana Ashayra bas Dodi.

Have a wonderful Shabbos and hopefully next week during my travels I will succeed in distributing more Torah

Rachamim Pauli

Friday, December 24, 2010

Parsha Shemos, stories

Pray for the ill: Men: Asher ben Malka, Avraham ben Devorah, Zvi Yechezkiel ben Leah, Naphtali Moshe ben Tzipporah, Shaul ben Sirel, Yaakov Dovid Ben Chaya Gittel, Shalom Charles ben Gracia, Bentzion Michael ben Chaya Zipporah, Zvi Moshe ben Miriam Rachel, Chanan ben Shlomit, David Yosef ben Feige Perel, Yoel ben Esther, Avraham Yehida ben Esther, Zev ben Rachel, Adin Yisrael ben Sarah, Please note I have removed some names where I lost the source - one more week pray for Zuriel ben Naomi THANK YOU ALL WHO PRAYED FOR ME AND WROTE ME THEIR CONCERN AS I AM B”H HEALING AND REGAINING MY STRENGTH SLOWLY BUT SURELY.

Women:

Keren Neshama bas Esther Ruth, Chaya Melecha Rachel bas Baila Alta, Zviah Simcha bas Devorah Yached, Bryna bas Gina Sarah, Rachel bas Chana, Fiege Rachel bas Taube, Hodaya Nurit bas Mazel, Chana bas Simcha, Chaya Miriam Bas Leba Rivka, Charna Tzipora bas Miriam Shoshana, Dina bas Hinda Golda

I personally pray all these names during the week usually twice a day so I do appreciate updates from those people who send me names.


Parsha Shemos


This is the first of a series of events that would repeat throughout history. We were welcomed into Egypt as saviors of the country from famine. Yosef had reached the highest level for a non-Pharaoh. In Spain the Jews were ministers and advisors to kings. Berlin in the late 1800’s was the Jerusalem of the west. Only to have the same country turn around and like Egypt and Spain before it become a death machine. Trotsky and other revolutionaries were Jewish and three of the four wives of Stalin were Jewish and yet he blamed the Jews in the famous “Doctor’s plot”. Can it happen in America – with the built in safe guards of the constitution one would perhaps think not. Yet 70 years ago in WWII (Movie – A bad day at black rock) Japanese Americans were interned. Often I hear anti-Semitic comments by the extreme left and the old National Socialists – American Nazi Party even has a radio station in Denver and a Klu Klux Klan group here or there. It does not take much for the Mel Gibson types to come forward. Jews are too assuring of themselves and go blasting off their big mouths. All it takes is one Madoff and a few other Jewish names in finance to put us all under the microscope. Jonathan Pollard is rotting away in jail suffering from Cancer for a crime that should have had him out of jail two decades ago. I don’t know the answer to everything but it looks from my own Torah view and Inyanay Diyoma view that the Jews and Israel may be the sacrificial lamb of the Goyim. The Halacha is that we keep up our patriotism for our host country and obey the laws and the Torah way is make a home in Eretz Yisrael and preferably over the so-called Green Line to settle and rebuild the land for the coming of the Moshiach.

1:1 Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt with Jacob; every man came with his household: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls; and Joseph was in Egypt already. 6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. 7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.


As much as the Bnei Yisrael were loyal to Pharaoh and part of the citizens of the country and contributing fully, they were still different.

8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph. 9 And he said unto his people: 'Behold, the people of the children of Israel are too many and too mighty for us; 10 come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there befalls us any war, they also join themselves unto our enemies, and fight against us, and get them up out of the land.'

Somebody had poisoned the thoughts of this Pharaoh. A few generations of citizenship in the country and making their homes in the country, it would be only natural for the men to participate in the army and work for the government civil service. It might have been politically expedient for Pharaoh to blame the Jewish. One of the slogans of the Nazis that one can view in Yad Vashem translated from the German reads “The Jews are our misfortune”.

11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh store-cities, Pithom and Raamses.

They started out with tax collectors then Pyramid building conscription until full scale slavery.

12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And they were adread because of the children of Israel.

Man thinks and G-D laughs. They used the excuse about the Bnei Yisrael few in numbers and then the Bnei Yisrael had multi-births for HASHEM had other plans.

13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor. 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field; in all their service, wherein they made them serve with rigor.

In the Bris that HASHEM made with Avraham, the future Bnei Yisrael were to be slaves – working hard but not with rigor. The Egyptians added that by themselves and for that the Bnei Yisrael left early and were given rewards from the people of Egypt with a ruined land of Egypt which would take a few centuries to recover.

15 And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah; 16 and he said: 'When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, ye shall look upon the birthstool: if it be a son, then ye shall kill him; but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.' 17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men-children alive.

The meaning here is that in order to facilitate his plan, Pharaoh built a maternity hospital for the Bnei Yisrael.

18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them: 'Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men-children alive?' 19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh: 'Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwife come unto them.'

The midwives were supposed to be Miriam and Yocheved, the first would have been a young child and that makes me wonder like three year old Rivka watering the camels but a 14 year old Rivka or a teenager Miriam would be credulous.

20 And God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. 21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that He made them houses. 22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying: 'Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.

Astrologically he saw a threat to his reign and therefore even the Egyptian male babies were to be sacrificed to preserve the Pharaoh Regime.

2:1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.

Rashi took from the Sages that it meant that Yocheved was literally a daughter of Levi and 130 years when Moshe was born. And he took the daughter of Levi: it was spread from Pharaoh's decree (and took back. and that he went, he went on the advice of his daughter told him Gezaira difficult than Pharaoh, Pharaoh decreed if the males, not the females and you make the Gezaira on both. Yocheved was a hundred and thirty years was born in Egypt reflection inside the walls, and two hundred and ten years we'll have a name, and when she was eighty years old Moses. If so it appears that Yocheved was a hundred and thirty calls her daughter of Levi:OTOH, my mother was a bas Levi and was 31.5 when I was born. In my humble opinion, I would prefer to read her as being a woman from the tribe of Levi.


2 And the woman conceived, and bore a son; and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. 3 And when she could no longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and laid it in the flags by the river's brink.

Why could she no longer hide him? After all he did not cry so loud as to reveal himself according to the Medrash. The reason being is that perhaps she was six months pregnant when she was really nine months pregnant to the Kapos and Pharaoh spies would give her a chance. There was no choice in this totalitarian gulag but to get rid of the baby either by adopting out or fleeing Egypt and perhaps risk being pursued by the Pharaoh Army.

4 And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him. 5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe in the river; and her maidens walked along by the river-side; and she saw the ark among the flags, and sent her handmaid to fetch it. 6 And she opened it, and saw it, even the child; and behold a boy that wept. And she had compassion on him, and said: 'This is one of the Hebrews' children.' 7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter: 'Shall I go and call thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?' 8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her: 'Go.' And the maiden went and called the child's mother. 9 And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her: 'Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages.' And the woman took the child, and nursed it.

G-D again laughs. You idiot you had the babies thrown into the river and now I have turned the river red as a sign but my Moshiach will grow up not as a slave but live the life of a prince and diplomat in your house under your personal protection and be raised by your daughter. Also since the river had turned red, the Gezaira of Pharaoh was rescinded.

10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses, and said: 'Because I drew him out of the water.' … But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well. 16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. 17 And the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.

They came after the girls for Yisro was placed under a ban because he only believed in one G-D and not all the gods. Another possible account is that they treated the unprotected girls with teasing and perhaps attempted abuse – but the first commentary is based on Rashi and the second based on my speculation of human nature and the behavior of Arabs towards females.

18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he said: 'How is it that ye are come so soon to-day?' 19 And they said: 'An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and moreover he drew water for us, and watered the flock.' 20 And he said unto his daughters: 'And where is he? Why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.' 21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man; and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. 22 And she bore a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said: 'I have been a stranger in a strange land.'

A cultured person and a good Shidduch for Tzipora!

23 And it came to pass in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died; and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God saw the children of Israel, and God took cognizance of them.

This was the first time that the Bnei Yisrael actually had time to pray hard with fervor in a Minyan since the slavery started.

3:1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the farthest end of the wilderness, and came to the mountain of God, unto Horeb. 2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3 And Moses said: 'I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.' 4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said: 'Moses, Moses.' And he said: 'Here am I.' 5 And He said: 'Draw not nigh hither; put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou stand is holy ground.' 6 Moreover He said: 'I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. 7 And the LORD said: 'I have surely seen the affliction of My people that are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their pains; 8 and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 9 And now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto Me; moreover I have seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayt bring forth My people the children of Israel out of Egypt.' Chabad translation: So now come, and I will send you to Pharaoh, and take My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."

Rather than a complete command both translations indicate persuasion.

11 And Moses said unto God: 'Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh,…

Moshe the stutterer and humble one questions himself but it is also unbeknownst himself a question of G-D’s decision.

18 And they shall hearken to thy voice. And thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him: The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, hath met with us. And now let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. 19 And I know that the king of Egypt will not give you leave to go, except by a mighty hand. 20 And I will put forth My hand, and smite Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in the midst thereof. And after that he will let you go. 21 And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. And it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty; 22 but every woman shall ask of her neighbor, and of her that sojourns in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment; and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.'

Moshe was stuttering humble and shy and was afraid to take on such responsibilities. G-D is giving him a prophecy of the future but he perhaps at this point is too upset and scared to even fully comprehend what has been told him.

4:1 And Moses answered and said: 'But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice; for they will say: The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.' 2 And the LORD said unto him: 'What is that in thy hand?' And he said: 'A rod.' 3 And He said: 'Cast it on the ground.' And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. 4 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Put forth thy hand, and take it by the tail--and he put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand-- 5 that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.' 6 And the LORD said furthermore unto him: 'Put now thy hand into thy bosom.' And he put his hand into his bosom; and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, as white as snow.

The serpent was the cunning talker and not Moshe. The rod is a steady support and the hand turning to Leprosy is because of his Lashon Hara questioning the belief of Am Yisrael.

7 And He said: 'Put thy hand back into thy bosom.--And he put his hand back into his bosom; and when he took it out of his bosom, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.-- 8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. 9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe even these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land; and the water which thou take out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.' 10 And Moses said unto the LORD: 'Oh Lord, I am not a man of words, neither heretofore, nor since Thou hast spoken unto Thy servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.' 11 And the LORD said unto him: 'Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh a man dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? is it not I the LORD? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt speak.'

At this point he begins trying the patience of HASHEM and still could have obtained the Kahuna for himself and his seed but instead it is given to Aaron as indicated in “Thy brother the Levite”.

13 And he said: 'Oh Lord, send, I pray Thee, by the hand of him whom Thou wilt send.' 14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and He said: 'Is there not Aaron thy brother the Levite? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee; and when he sees thee, he will be glad in his heart. 15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. 16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people; and it shall come to pass, that he shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him in God's stead. 17 And thou shalt take in thy hand this rod, wherewith thou shalt do the signs.'

18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said unto him: 'Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren that are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive.' And Jethro said to Moses: 'Go in peace.' 19 And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian: 'Go, return into Egypt; for all the men are dead that sought thy life.'

Still as much as the Prophecy and meeting with HASHEM is, Moshe still had obligations to Yisro in this world and needed permission of his father-in-law (superior) to leave. Unlike Lavan and Yacov, Moshe and Yisro were in good standing between them and this continued with the elders of Yisrael in Parsha Yisro. Therefore there is absolutely no reason to flee Yisro and Yisro being a G-D fearing man on the highest level will believe what happened on the “Mountain of the L-RD”.

20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt; and Moses took the rod of God in his hand. 21 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'When thou goest back into Egypt, see that thou do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in thy hand; but I will harden his heart, and he will not let the people go. 22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh: Thus saith the LORD: Israel is My son, My first-born. 23 And I have said unto thee: Let My son go, that he may serve Me; and thou hast refused to let him go. Behold, I will slay thy son, thy first-born.'-- 24 And it came to pass on the way at the lodging-place, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a flint, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet; and she said: 'Surely a bridegroom of blood art thou to me.' 26 So He let him alone. Then she said: 'A bridegroom of blood in regard of the circumcision.'

Now one question remains how is Aaron the Levite going to suddenly get up to meet his brother whom he has not seen for at least 40 years? The answer is now supplied.

27 And the LORD said to Aaron: 'Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.' And he went, and met him in the mountain of God, and kissed him. 28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD wherewith He had sent him, and all the signs wherewith He had charged him. 29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. 30 And Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 And the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had remembered the children of Israel, and that He had seen their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

The caliber of faith of the generation to be redeemed was not like us today. They believed but try this today with a bunch of Yale, Harvard and Columbia Jewish Scholars and see what their reception would be to the signs of Moshe.

Chapter 5 is a classic case of totalitarian suppression until instead of giving up a little like a 3 day feast, one loses all forever. For example if Saddam had let the Inspectors from the UN in after 9/11; he could have kept on being President of Iraq and he along with his two sons would be most likely alive today. Pharaoh would have given them a three day vacation under supervision they would not have left Egypt in the manner in which they did. Instead he put a harder burden on the Bnei Yisrael.

5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said unto Pharaoh: 'Thus saya the LORD, the God of Israel: Let My people go, that they may hold a feast unto Me in the wilderness.' 2 And Pharaoh said: 'Who is the LORD, that I should hearken unto His voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, and moreover I will not let Israel go.'… 22 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said: 'Lord, wherefore hast Thou dealt ill with this people? why is it that Thou hast sent me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Thy name, he hath dealt ill with this people; neither hast Thou delivered Thy people at all.'

6:1 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh; for by a strong hand shall he let them go, and by a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.'

In the end you will not leave via permission but be kicked out with riches.

Jewish Grapevine Updates

Madoff and the ultra-rich Reform Donators being knocked for a loop have caused partially the closing of 800 Reform Synagogues in the past year. Most closed due to the elderly Reform Jews just passing on and the lack of new congregants and the up keep was too much. One such Synagogue out in the South-West was given over to the Orthodox who opened up a Mikvah and a Kollel and revised Judaism in a community.

PEANUTS ON PESSACH: Recently the Yeted Neeman Newspaper had a series of letters regarding a story about Rav Moshe Feinstein allowing the use of Peanuts on Pessach. R’ Yacov Elephant, a relative of Rav Moshe, told me that at the American Agudas Yisrael Convention in the early 1950’s Rabbi Aaron Kutler and Rabbi Moshe Feinstein agreed that since the US Jewry was a new community and mainly non-observant it would be a good idea to those who had no roots from Europe to be relieved of the Kitniyos (legumes and rice) restrictions of the old European Customs. Rabbi Landau the elder and Rabbi Moshe allowed people to eat peanuts on Pessach. Also Cottonseed oil was used in Israel and 41 years ago on Pessach, one could get corn oil margarine in the States on Pessach with a Heckshir.

If one does not have a Minchag in his/her family it is preferable to following the ruling of these Torah giants rather than burden oneself with extraneous customs that neither the Sephardic or Yemenite communities held by. Rice was eaten in Pessach evidenced by the statements of Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri in Berachos 36 and Pessachim 37 about rice on Pessach. Since there was a possibility by old farming methods that wheat or barley grains might get mixed with the rice people began to get strict with it. However during the time when disease was rampant in Poland, Rabbi Diskin, himself, eat rice before his Congregation on Pessach so that from the whole rice, they would get enough vitamin B to build up their immune system defenses. Therefore if one went according to the Pasakei Dinim of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein one may take fresh peanuts and add them to his Pessach Cookies, Pessach Cakes and even grind them up to make homemade Glatt kosher Peanut Butter. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO TAKE ON AN OBLIGATION THAT ONE’S FAMILY DID NOT FOLLOW.

There are certain exceptions to my rule above. If one became a Baal Teshuva and then decided to take upon himself all the Halachos of Rabbi so and so and the Rav was his guide for everything then that Rav should be consulted and his ruling accepted even over Rav Moshe Feinstein and Rav Aaron Kutler as the Rav has become is complete Torah guide. (Example Rabbi J.B. Soleveichik and his son-in-law student Rabbi Lichtenstein.)

Utterly Ridiculous: One of my nurses in the hospital was telling me of a very wealthy area in Maryland perhaps a section of Columbia MD where the people are very wealthy. Instead of taking out the trash the rich hire somebody else to haul their trash from the house to the street. Instead of walking the child one block to school the mother waits with the child outside on a perfectly nice day for a school bus that invariably comes late to the school. NOW for the JEWISH CONNECTION – the intermediate school has girls and boys reaching the age of Mitzvos. Unlike my daughter who had about 10 to 12 friends over to our house for a private ceremony or my granddaughter who had a Bas Mitzvah with three other friends (one, her twin, did not even have one with friends); these people dress up their kids and have rehearsals and limousines with up to 300 children out of a school of 700 children participating. It becomes expensive as a wedding or more so and Bar Mitzvos can go further. I have to just think of people collecting in the poor neighborhoods of Israel money to buy the poorest Maturna baby formula for infants or used clothing from the poor for the poorer. Jews do yourself, your children, Am Yisrael and HASHEM Yisborach a favor and make a small party and let the money instead go to the poorest of Jews where it is really needed. I have a gut feeling that one Bas Mitzvah would more than pay for my day and night Kollelim for a year.

The unusual dream: I rarely dream as I work and sleep exhaustedly and it is too much for me to capture a dream. This past Shabbos, I had a dream and it went like this: I was going to lecture a group on the Tanach even though I am not an expert. My friend at the same time was giving a lecture in Hebrew. I told my wife to go to my friend’s Shuir seeing that I was giving mine which she would know and he had something to teach her. I began my lecture with “Koa Amar HASHEM” (Thus says the L-RD) and talked and then at the end I began talking about the Iranian situation and I ended the Drasha with either – “B’Krov Krov Meod yeheh Milchama Neyoum HASHEM (or) B’Krov Meod-Meod” – Soon, very soon there will be a war (or) very-very soon…The (word) Speech of the L-RD. I said, “Wait a minute, I am not a Prophet nor the son of a Prophet” and I kept muttering Neyoum HASHEM again and again. I asked myself perhaps this is a message from a dream and then I awoke. A warning or just a weird dream? To be on the safe side always be prepared!

Just when I thought that I had finished this column, I read from a reliable source of a bunch of Jewish Women falling under the influence of a cult like leader calling himself Rabbi who are going around attack Christians in the States that is as crazy as some Islamist in the States.

The Master Key A story: From Rabbi Y. Y. Jacobson Shlita


One year, the Baal Shem Tov said to Rabbi Zev Kitzes, one of his senior disciples, "You will blow the shofar for us this Rosh Hashanah. I want you to study all the kabbalistic meditations that pertain to shofar, so that you should meditate upon them when you do the blowing."

Rabbi Zev applied himself to the task with trepidation over the immensity of the responsibility. He studied the kabbalistic writings that discuss the significance of the shofar and its mystical secrets. He also prepared a sheet of paper on which he noted the main points of each meditation he needed to reflect upon while blowing the shofar.

Finally, the great moment arrived. It was the morning of Rosh Hashanah and

Rabbi Zev stood on the platform in the center of the Baal Shem Tov's synagogue, surrounded by a sea of worshippers. In a corner stood the Baal Shem Tov, his face aflame. An awed silence filled the room in anticipation of the climax of the day -- the piercing blasts and sobs of the shofar.

Rabbi Ze'ev reached into his pocket and his heart froze: The paper had disappeared. He distinctly remembered placing it there that morning, but now it was gone. He searched his memory for what he had learned, but his distress over the lost notes froze his mind. Tears of frustration filled his eyes as he realized that now he must blow the shofar like a simpleton, devoid of spiritual meaning and ecstasy. Rabbi Zev blew the litany of sounds required by Jewish law and returned to his place, an emptiness etched deeply in his heart.

At the conclusion of prayers, the Baal Shem Tov approached Rabbi Zev, who sat sobbing under his tallis. "Gut Yom Tov, Reb Zev!" he exclaimed. "That was a most extraordinary shofar-blowing we heard today!"

"But Rebbe... Why..."

"In the king's palace," said the Baal Shem Tov, "there are many gates and doors leading to many halls and chambers. The palace-keepers have great rings holding many keys, each of which opens a different door. The meditations are keys, each unlocking another door in our souls, each accessing another chamber in the supernal worlds.

"But there is one key that fits all the locks, a master key that opens all the doors, that opens up for us the innermost chambers of the Divine palace. That master key is a broken heart."

Trying to change history:

Besides trying to change the land of Israel to the land of Ishmael and a few other falsities, the Arabs via the UN has made Jews into Goyim:

A Jewish family comes home to discover their house festooned with holiday lights. By Jonathan Rosenblum

Rabbi Berel Wein was once invited to a meeting with the editor of the Detroit Free Press. After introductions had been made, the editor told him the following story.

His mother, Mary, had immigrated to America from Ireland as an uneducated, 18-year-old peasant girl. She was hired as a domestic maid by an observant family. The head of the house was the president of the neighboring Orthodox Schul.

Mary knew nothing about Judaism and had probably never met a Jew before arriving in America. The family went on vacation Mary's first December in America, leaving Mary alone in the house. They were scheduled to return on the night of December 24, and Mary realized that there would be no Christmas tree to greet them when they did. This bothered her greatly, and using the money the family had left her, she went out and purchased not only a Christmas tree but all kinds of festive decorations to hang on the front of the house.

When the family returned from vacation, they saw the Christmas tree through the living room window and the rest of the house festooned with holiday lights. They assumed that they had somehow pulled into the wrong driveway and drove around the block. But alas, it was their address.

The head of the family entered the house contemplating how to explain the Christmas tree and lights to the members of the shul, most of whom walked right past his house on their way to Schul. Meanwhile, Mary was eagerly anticipating the family's excitement when they realized that they would not be without a Christmas tree.

After entering the house, the head of the family called Mary into his study. He told her, "In my whole life no one has ever done such a beautiful thing for me as you did." Then he took out a $100 bill -- a very large sum in the middle of the Depression -- and gave it to her. Only after that did he explain that Jews do not have Christmas trees.

When he had finished telling the story, the editor told Rabbi Wein, "And that is why, there has never been an editorial critical of Israel in the Detroit Free Press since I became editor, and never will be as long as I am the editor."

The shul president's reaction to Mary's mistake -- sympathy instead of anger -- was not because he dreamed that one day her son would the editor of a major metropolitan paper, and thus in a position to aid Israel. (Israel was not yet born.) He acted as he did because it was the right thing to do.

That's what it means to be a Kiddush Hashem, to sanctify God's Name. It is a goal to which we can all strive.

An oldie and goodie: I do not know if the following is a "true" story but the lessons of the story rings true to me. B'shalom, Wendy

Two Choices

What would you do...you make the choice. Don't look for a punch line, there isn't one. Read it anyway. My question is: Would you have made the same choice?
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:

'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does, is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?' The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like Shay, who was mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.'

Then he told the following story:

Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning…' Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt.. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?

Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball. However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact.

The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher. The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman.

Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game. Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates.

Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first! Run to first!' Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!' Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball . The smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team.

He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay' Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to third! Shay, run to third!' As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!'

Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team 'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world'.Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

There are some Rabbis who deal with missionaries and attacks on Judaism by outside sources or Jews for Yeshu etc. I received an e-mail from a person last week asking me why I don’t believe in this extraneous source. What might keep the Goyim from Idolatry and other things is not necessarily something good for Jews. So I wrote the person off of my head in about four or five minutes the following: There are a number of reasons why we do not believe in Yeshu. 1) He did not end Roman rule of Judea.

2) He did not make the Jewish Peace and no more war in the world

3) He was not announced by Eliyahu HaNovi

4) He did not solve the Talmudic problems

5) He was a young Rabbinical student in his day and a bit of a renegade.

6) He was not on the level of a Sage yet

7) All his followers were boors and common folk who did not even observe the Holy Shabbos (picking grain on Shabbos)

8) He did not make the miracle of the loaves of grain but it was loaves of figs that was the son of Yehuda ben Prachya etc. etc. etc. (as I mentioned in the past the off shoot of the tree is in the Abu Synagogue in Zefat.

The Gospels are written by people who lived later except the one of Yehuda Ish Krayos who is not canonized either by the Goyim or the Jews.

There are no existing documents in Hebrew outside of the Talmud and it is not a flattering picture of the person.

I did not write her about the “Only son” bit and showed her Shemos 4:22 above.

Inyanay Diyoma

Hamas: http://www.debka.com/article/20478/ http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4002668,00.html

Bombing empty buildings back: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4002589,00.html

Pollard is going to have Netanyahu as force to help him get released soon. But is it very late in the game: http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=200547

It is only because he is fighting Cancer: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/141312 http://christianactionforisrael.org/isreport/septoct99/pollard.html

From Valerie in Belfast N. Ireland: Do you know what I find so interesting R.P. President Clinton especially when he was in office, had no problem whatsoever in encouraging known terrorists, and not only known terrorists, but the godfathers of the Irish Republic Army, to become representatives in our local Government.
We have killers, and those who commanded others to kill women, men and children, sitting in high office at Stormont, our Government here in Northern Ireland.
Yet, he would not issue a pardon for Jonathan, who did not murder or instruct others to kill. Jonathan Pollard is a hero and he has been my hero for a very, very long time.

Scary: http://www.wreg.com/news/wreg-electronic-pickpocketing-story,0,5636726,full.story

This can cause foreign species invasions in nature: http://www.ynetnews.com/home/0,7340,L-3082,00.html

Iranian Guards and Hezballah: http://www.debka.com/article/20484/

Something that I have been noticing prior to my leaving Israel – PM Netanyahu is trying to please everybody rather than firmly stand on the principles of the Likud and as a result he pleases nobody and just makes enemies: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4003497,00.html

Guest Editorial: It is time to get tough on Iran

The following op-ed was published by USA Today:

Iran continues to defy the international community in its drive to acquire nuclear weapons. Arab leaders in the region rightly fear a nuclear-armed Iran. We suspected this before, but now we know for sure because of leaked diplomatic cables. King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia "frequently exhorted the U.S. to attack Iran to put an end to its nuclear weapons program," according to these communications. Officials from Jordan said the Iranian nuclear program should be stopped by any means necessary. Officials from the United Arab Emirates and Egypt saw Iran as evil, an "existential threat" and a sponsor of terrorism. If Iran isn't stopped from obtaining nuclear weapons, it could trigger a regional nuclear arms race in which these countries would seek their own nuclear weapons to protect themselves.

That wouldn't be the only catastrophic consequence for American interests in the Middle East. Our credibility and reputation would suffer a serious blow if Iran succeeds in producing its own nuclear weapons after we've been claiming for years that such an event could not and would not be tolerated. A nuclear-armed and violently anti-American Iran would be an enormous threat to us and to our allies. Israel in particular would face the gravest threat to its existence since its creation. Iran's leaders have repeatedly called for Israel's destruction, and Iran already possesses missiles that can reach Israel. Once these missiles are armed with nuclear warheads, nothing could stop the mullahs from launching a second Holocaust. It's only a matter of time before Iran develops missiles that could reach U.S. territory.

Even without nuclear weapons, Iran has provided arms used to kill American soldiers and Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan. Iran is also the biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world. It has shielded al-Qaeda leaders, including one ofOsama bin Laden's sons. Imagine how much worse it would be for us if this regime acquired nuclear weapons.

Toughen up

President Obama once said a nuclear-armed Iran would be "unacceptable." Yet, Iran's nuclear progress still continues unchecked. Russia continues to support Iran's Bushehr nuclear reactors. It also continues to sell arms to Iran — despite the Obama administration's much-touted "reset" policy with Russia. The administration trumpets the United Nations sanctions passed earlier this year, but those sanctions are not the " crippling" ones we were promised. Much more can be done, such as banning insurance for shipments to Iran, banning all military sales to Iran, ending all trade credits, banning all financial dealings with Iranian banks, limiting Iran's access to international capital markets and banking services, closing air space and waters to Iran's national air and shipping lines, and, especially, ending Iran's ability to import refined petroleum. These would be truly "crippling" sanctions. They would work if implemented.

Some have said the Israelis should undertake military action on their own if they are convinced the Iranian program is approaching the point of no return. But Iran's nuclear weapons program is not just Israel's problem; it is the world's problem. I agree with the former British prime minister Tony Blair, who said recently that the West must be willing to use force "if necessary" if that is the only alternative.

Standing with the people

But we also need to encourage a positive vision for Iran. Iran is not condemned to live under the totalitarian inheritance of the Ayatollah Khomeini forever. There is an alternative — an Iran where human rights are respected, where women are not subjugated, where terrorist groups are not supported and neighbors are not threatened. A peaceful, democratic Iran should be everyone's goal. There are many hopeful signs inside Iran that reveal the Iranian people's desire for this peaceful, democratic future. We must encourage their voices.

When the brave people of Iran take to the streets in defiance of their unelected dictatorship, they must know that we in the free world stand with them. When the women of Iran rise up to demand their rights, they must know that we women of the free world who enjoy the rights won for us by our suffragist foremothers stand with our sisters there. When Iranians demand freedom of religion, freedom of conscience and freedom to simply live their lives as they choose without persecution, we in the free world must stand with them.

We can start by supporting them with diplomacy and things such as radio broadcasting, just as we did with those who suffered under the former Soviet Empire. Most of all, we should support them with confidence in the rightness of the ideals of liberty and justice.

Just as Ronald Reagan once denounced an "evil empire" and looked forward to a time when communism was left on the "ash heap of history," we should look forward to a future where the twisted ideology and aggressive will to dominate of Khomeini and his successors are consigned to history's dustbin. - Sarah Palin Disclaimer the publication here does not mean at this time that I am endorsing her over other pro-Israel Candidates in the Republican Primary.

We do not celebrate Xmas or the Nativity Holiday as it is called in Hebrew. However in protecting our rights not to celebrate Xmas we don’t want to trample on people who do. Dear Friends,

An Executive Order that I issued last year encourages the celebration of Christmas and Hanukkah and prohibits any censorship of these religious holidays.

As you may know, in the past, state and local officials in Arizona (and elsewhere) have attempted to strip both Christmas and Hanukkah of their meaning, including establishment of policies forbidding state employees from placing religious items of celebration at their desks, re-naming of Christmas trees as “holiday” trees, and renaming of Menorahs as “candlesticks.”

Under my administration, I will call things what they are...a Christmas Tree and a Menorah... and will gladly allow both Christmas and Hanukkah to be celebrated at the State Capitol. I encourage my colleagues and fellow elected officials to do the same.

Finally, during this Christmas season, make a difference in our community by volunteering your time or making a donation to a worthy cause. An organization that I support, Hope & A Future, is making a difference this Christmas by providing gifts and clothing to foster children. I encourage you to learn more about Hope & A Future and make a difference in our community through this charity or another charity of your choice.

Merry Christmas! May God bless you, your home, and all of Arizona.

Sincerely,

Jan Brewer
Governor

Have a great Shabbos,

Rachamim Pauli