Thursday, January 28, 2010

Letters, Parsha Bo 2, Parsha Beshlach introduction

I was asked to ask people to pray for a little girl - a 7 year old that in the past had cancer and she got it again recently her name is Tahel Chaya bat Michal. Shlomo Zalman ben Rivka


I received another true story based on Lenny’s story last week.


Reminds me of a story that happened in NYC a while ago: Told to me by a doctor, now at another hospital. Some old guy comes into Sloan hospital and asks where can he make a donation. So the information person sends him to the head of donations, and the guy, seeing this little man poorly dressed, calls over one of his aids to handle the gift. The aid asks the man how much he wants to give, but the man is shy. Instead, the man asks the aid how much for one of those placards on the wall? Which one? The little one, so the aid tells him. The man says he can give a little more, so what do those larger placards cost. So the aid tells him. The man asks what types of larger donations are given. So the aid tells him, you can donate a room, or a hall, or a wing. What's a wing, the man asks. So the aid tells him and it's cost. So can someone give a larger donation? Yes, the aid says, you can donate a building but that costs a lot, and he tells him the cost. So the man takes out his checkbook, writes a check for a donated building, and then asks if his name can be put on the building. The aid doesn't know if he's being confronted with a hoax, or a senile old man, or if its real. It was real, and the aid took the finder's fee to the bank. And the doctor telling me the story wondered what the head of donations thought, having pushed off the old man onto his aid. So we can honor the suit or the man. In the army, they honor the suit. While not in the army, we should honor the man. Shalom and Shalom, Laib


I know I mentioned a vacation by making the Drasha by-weekly as I have to gather IRS info and 3000 plus photos waiting photo-shop and a learning curve for Win-7. I guess Rabbis only find time in the next world: Dearest Rachamim, You do deserve a rest, however, the Jewish people can't afford to do without your Torah and articles. We thank you deeply for printing so many of ours. Good Shabbos. All the very best, Gail & Manny Winston


Steve wrote me regarding Haiti: "I was with Ed last night at the DC Works For Us meeting in Coral Springs. He spoke about what he and Robert saw in Haiti and was quite emotional. Karin Hoffman read a letter from Robert who was at a fundraiser for Haiti. She was getting choked up reading Robert's account of the conditions and the incredible leadership that Edward showed while they were there. I've never been so proud to know two men as I am of Robert and Edward."


Shona wrote on the same subject: Did you see the video I posted last night on what Curt Price and Joe Bud did to Ed while he was in Haiti this week? Just despicable! Both men took time off from their campaigns to help down there in any way that they could and these two charlatans take advantage of Ed not being here to defend himself and slander him! Essentially in politics you suspend your campaign to help the people of Haiti and the other side tries to run you over – filthy stuff is politics that was one of but not all of the reasons that I chose not to run this time around.


Bat-Zion sent: Anyone who believes that Saddam did not have WMD is detached from reality. This msg. was supposed to be about Tony Blair but it goes well for those who blame Bush for false information. I have heard from very reliable sources that they did have WMD.


Parsha Bo


Repeating in small letters from last week.

Idol worship vs. Bnei Yisrael Monotheism: The ideas here came from Image Magazine, the OU and Chabad which was the magazine’s source. The form of worship of Idolatry was what Pharaoh was used to. Idolatry consisted of a priest (hood) and the worshippers would come. Most worshippers were male except in fertility cults and in any event children did not participate nor the animals in this endeavor. The worship of Yacov was one of prayer with education for future generations. Thus in Judaism each Jew when he starts saying the blessings becomes a participant and anyone can lead the service if he knows well enough the prayer. This means that a school boy in Heder could lead the prayer of the small things that they say each morning by heart. Thus from pre-kindergarten the children learn prayer before they can read. Every once in a while, I will see a child in Schul or my grandchild take a Siddur and pray whatever he thinks the prayer is. In short Moshe was talking to Pharaoh about our way of prayer and he was talking his version of worship. To this day, Judaism has private confessions and no intermediaries between HASHEM and the Jew.

With this type of thinking in mind, we see what Pharaoh and his advisors through of Moshe wanting all the Bnei Yisrael to leave Egypt.


10:1 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Go in unto Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might show these My signs in the midst of them;


Bo means come and Lech means go in Hebrew. Chabad.org translates this as: The Lord said to Moses: "Come to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, in order that I may place these signs of Mine in his midst, This means essentially – come as I am already with Pharaoh and I await your arrival do not fear for no harm will come unto you.


2 and that thou may tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what I have wrought upon Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them; that ye may know that I am the LORD.' 3 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him: 'Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews: How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before Me? let My people go, that they may serve Me. 4 Else, if thou refuse to let My people go, behold, to-morrow will I bring locusts into thy border; 5 and they shall cover the face of the earth, that one shall not be able to see the earth; and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remains unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you out of the field;


And no one will be able: Heb. יוּכַל lit., and will not be able. The seer [will not be able] to see the earth, but [the text] speaks briefly.


This supposedly according to our Sages was surpassed in the days of Yoel HaNovi when the locusts hit Egypt in force. The fact that billions perhaps trillions of locusts attacked the remaining crops literally ruined the complete harvest for all of Egypt for the coming year. Egypt was not an orphan because they had grain stores from the days of Yosef. This was also a hint to them to remember Yosef and his origins but they did not. The Sages wanted us to know our history well as they wrote: “What happened to the fathers are warnings for the sons.” (Anybody remember the Jerusalem of the west aka Berlin of the late 1890’s which became the Berlin of 1933 to 1945 – this makes me wonder about the current presidential administration and the Jews in the USA.)


6 and thy houses shall be filled, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; as neither thy fathers nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day.' And he turned, and went out from Pharaoh. 7 And Pharaoh's servants said unto him: 'How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God, know thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?'


At this point Pharaoh’s advisors who have not had their hearts hardened turn to Pharaoh. Since Pharaoh is now beyond Tshuvah, he has his heart hardened by G-D see that the women are not to be included. IT IS TO NOTE THAT JUDAISM HAS ALWAYS AND WILL ALWAYS CONSIDER THE WIFE AND DAUGHTER AN INTERGRAL PART OF THE RELIGION. ALBEIT DIFFERENT FROM MALES, FEMALES HAVE THE ROLE OF HALF OF JUDAISM FROM A DIFFERENT STANDPOINT. For men and women are purposely created by G-D with different functions, emotional make-up and logic to complement one another. The man/woman as written in Beresheis is not whole without the other. A woman is not expected to pray three times a day if she is a mother any more than a man is expected to suckle an infant. That does not mean that if one of them is ill or passes away that the other cannot step up and fill in the gap. It means that under normal circumstances each fills complementary functions. The will often tell the husband what to purchase for Shabbos and the husband will bring home the goods. Sometimes the cooking is split or the husband helps hang out or fold up the wash. To each household a different task.


8 And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh; and he said unto them: 'Go, serve the LORD your God; but who are they that shall go?' 9 And Moses said: 'We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds we will go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD.' 10 And he said unto them: 'So be the LORD with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones; see ye that evil is before your face. 11 Not so; go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD; for that is what ye desire.' And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.


12 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Stretch out thy hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.'


G-D says OK Egypt take this and see what happens to those who defy and anger the L-RD. (Let this be a lesson to us all. G-D is very patient. It took 210 years of slavery before HE freed the Bnei Yisrael. The same with Germany which ended up with Dresden and Berlin in rubble for their behavior towards the Jews – as for Iran and many Arab countries draw your own conclusion.)


13 And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all the night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. 14 And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the borders of Egypt; very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.

As I mentioned before concerning Yoel: and after it, there will never be one like it: And the one [the locust plague] that took place in the days of Joel, about which it is said: “the like of which has never been” (Joel 2:2), [from which] we learn that it was more severe than that of [the plague in the days of] Moses-namely because that one was [composed] of many species [of locusts] that were together: arbeh, yelek, chasil, [and] gazam; but [the locust plague] of Moses consisted of only one species [the arbeh], and its equal never was and never will be. Although I am uncertain what these four forms of locusts were they could have been large and small locusts or grasshoppers, katydids, crickets and locusts – the question remains unanswered.


15 For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left; and there remained not any green thing, either tree or herb of the field, through all the land of Egypt. 16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said: 'I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. 17 Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat the LORD your God, that He may take away from me this death only.' 18 And he went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the LORD. 19 And the LORD turned an exceeding strong west wind, which took up the locusts, and drove them into the Red Sea; there remained not one locust in all the border of Egypt. 20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.


21 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Stretch out thy hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.'


and the darkness will become darker: Heb. וְיָמֵֹש חֹש, [signifies] and the darkness will become darker upon them than the darkness of night, and the darkness of night will become even darker (וְיַאֲמִישׁ). will become darker: Heb. וְיָמֵשׁ, [should be interpreted] like וְיַאִמֵשׁ. There are many words which lack the “aleph”; since the pronunciation of the “aleph” is not so noticeable, Scripture is not particular about its absence, e.g., “in and no Arab shall pitch his tent (יַהֵל) there” (Isa. 13:20), יַהֵל is] the same as וְיַאִהֵל; “For You have girded me (וַךְתַּזְרֵנִי) with strength” (II Sam. 22:40) is like וַךְתְּאַז ְרֵנִי (Ps. 18:40). Onkelos, however, rendered it וְיָמֵשׁ as an expression of removal, similar to “He did not move (לֹא-יָמִישׁ) ” (Exod. 13:22): [Onkelos thus understands the verse to mean] “after the darkness of night turns away,” when it approaches the light of day. But [according to Onkelos] the context does not fit with the “vav” of וְיָמֵשׁ because it is written after “and there will be darkness” [and the darkness will turn away, and there will be darkness]. The Aggadic Midrash (Exod. Rabbah 14:1-3) interprets it וְיָמֵשׁ as an expression [related to] “grope about (מְמַֹשֵשׁ) at noontime” (Deut. 28: 29), for it [the darkness] was doubled, redoubled, and thick to the degree that it was tangible. It should be noted that Onkelos is the Hebrewization of Achilles.


This was no ordinary darkness it came out of Gehenna (hell) and had awesome and fearsome qualities about it.


22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days;


and there was thick darkness… for three days, etc.: Thick darkness in which they did not see each other for those three days, and another three days of darkness twice as dark as this, so that no one rose from his place. If he was sitting, he was unable to stand, and if he was standing, he was unable to sit. Now why did He bring darkness upon them [the Egyptians]? Because there were among the Israelites in that generation wicked people who did not want to leave [Egypt]. They died during the three days of darkness, so that the Egyptians would not see their downfall and say, “They too are being smitten like us.” Also, the Israelites searched [the Egyptians’ dwellings during the darkness] and saw their [own] belongings. When they were leaving [Egypt] and asked [for some of their things], and they [the Egyptians] said, “We have nothing,” he [the Israelite] would say to him, “I saw it in your house, and it is in such and such a place.” -[from Jonathan; Tanchuma, Bo 3; Tanchuma, Vaera 14; Tanchuma Buber, Bo 3] three days: Heb. שְׁלשֶׁתיָמִים, a triad of days [a group of three consecutive days], terzeyne in Old French, and similarly, שִׁבְעַתיָמִים everywhere means a seteyne of days [a group of seven consecutive days].


Supposedly the Egyptians were blinded at this time but the Bnei Yisrael could see where the gold and silver of the Egyptians were - a nice Midrash but does not coincide with reality for the land of Goshen was at least 101 kilometers from central Egypt as we know from the Yom Kippur War. Rather I prefer the Rashi which states that 4 out of 5 aka 80% of the Bnei Yisrael were not worthy of redemption and they perished during this plague, were buried and mourned and the Egyptians never knew of the Shiva so that they could not say “Just as we were punished – so too the Bnei Yisrael.”


23 they saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days; but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. 24 And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said: 'Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed; let your little ones also go with you.' 25 And Moses said: 'Thou must also give into our hand sacrifices and burnt-offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God. 26 Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not a hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither.' 27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go. 28 And Pharaoh said unto him: 'Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in the day thou see my face thou shall die.' 29 And Moses said: 'Thou hast spoken well; I will see thy face again no more.'


You have spoken correctly: You have spoken appropriately, and you have spoken at the right time. It is true that I shall no longer see your face. — [from Mechilta on Exod. 12:31]


From this I learn that as Moshe ascended to the heights of heaven he passed by the gates of Gehennom and saw Pharaoh neither in the gate or out of the gate standing there until the Moshiach comes to Judge him and crying “Moshe Emmet u-Torato Emmet.” (Moshe is truth and his Torah is truth.)


11:1 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Yet one plague more will I bring upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence; when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether. 2 Speak now in the ears of the people, and let them ask every man of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold.' 3 And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people. 4 And Moses said: 'Thus says the LORD: About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt;


At the dividing point of the night: Heb. כַּחִצֹתהַלַיְלָה, when the night is divided. כַּחִצֹת is like “when the meal offering was offered up (כַּעִלוֹת) ” (II Kings 3:20); [and like] “when their anger was kindled (בַּחִרוֹת) against us” (Ps. 124:3). This is its simple meaning, which fits its context that חִצֹת is not a noun denoting a half. Our Rabbis, however, interpreted it like כַּחִצִי הַלַיְלָה, at about midnight [lit., half the night], and they said that Moses said כַּחִצֹת, about midnight, meaning near it [midnight], either before it or after it, but he did not say בַּחִצֹת, at midnight, lest Pharaoh’s astrologers err and [then] say, “Moses is a liar,” but the Holy One, blessed be He, Who knows His times and His seconds, בַּחִצוֹת, at midnight. — [from Ber. 3b]


Rashi explains the difference between G-D and man. The astrologers/astronomers can estimate even within a precision of a split second but HASHEM can be 100% accurate. Thus Moshe uses about midnight even though HASHEM told him exactly midnight.


5 and all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sits upon his throne, even unto the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill; and all the first-born of cattle. 6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has been none like it, nor shall be like it any more. 7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog whet his tongue, against man or beast; that ye may know how that the LORD does put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. 8 And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down unto me, saying: Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee; and after that I will go out.' And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. 9 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Pharaoh will not hearken unto you; that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.' 10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land.


12:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying: 2 'This month shall be unto you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.


Now it is time to recall the first Rashi on Beresheis 1:1 - In the beginning: Said Rabbi Isaac: It was not necessary to begin the Torah except from “This month is to you,” (Exod. 12:2) which is the first commandment that the Israelites were commanded, (for the main purpose of the Torah is its commandments, and although several commandments are found in Genesis, e.g., circumcision and the prohibition of eating the thigh sinew, they could have been included together with the other commandments). Now for what reason did He commence with “In the beginning?” Because of [the verse] “The strength of His works He related to His people, to give them the inheritance of the nations” (Ps. 111:6). For if the nations of the world should say to Israel, “You are robbers, for you conquered by force the lands of the seven nations [of Canaan],” they will reply, "The entire earth belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He; He created it (this we learn from the story of the Creation) and gave it to whomever He deemed proper When He wished, He gave it to them, and when He wished, He took it away from them and gave it to us.


3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying: In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household; 4 and if the household be too little for a lamb, then shall he and his neighbor next unto his house take one according to the number of the souls; according to every man's eating ye shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year; ye shall take it from the sheep, or from the goats; 6 and ye shall keep it unto the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at dusk. 7 And they shall take of the blood, and put it on the two side-posts and on the lintel, upon the houses wherein they shall eat it. 8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; its head with its legs and with the inwards thereof. 10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; but that which remains of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. 11 And thus shall ye eat it: with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste--it is the LORD'S Passover. 12 For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD. 13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and there shall no plague be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. 14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial, and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever. 15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; howbeit the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses; for whosoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.


The concept of Kares* Neshama – the cutting off of the soul for eating Chometz, violating Shabbos, having relations with a wife during her period and close relatives is a fundamental one. For not bringing a Korban Pessach (sacrifice) when one had the ability also leads to Kares and is closely related to the other ones. Eating Chometz is vile defiance of G-D and HIS commandments the same goes with Shabbos. Today we see that so many people violate Shabbos it becomes the norm. When I was a child and being beat up by older kids, I was the only Jew on the blog so they called me a sissy a fag. The terms fag, faggot, queer and homo were so derogatory that it kept people from one of the two things in Torah in Vayikra 18 and 20 called an ‘abomination’, G-D did not put the say words in with somebody who had relationships similar to husband and wife between parents and children or siblings as an abomination. Instead we are hit with the term ‘gay’ – when I was young it meant happy and the Flintstones on TV had a ‘gay old time’.


Thus we have to think of eating bread and other leavening on Pessach and violating Shabbos as a disgusting perversion. The Vegans and Vegetarians along with our Medical Doctors will tell us that “ALEYA” and “CHELEV” the tail fat and forbidden fat of the beast are dangerously unhealthy today so most people will not eat these forbidden items. The idea of not bringing a Korban Pessach or not observing Kosher because staying home or eating at the Big Mac instead of going to the supermarket and eating along the way canned goods, fruits and vegetables is a matter of laziness and in the eyes of the L-RD just as disgusting as brazen acts within the family. There is no excuse because a Ben Noach is permitted Lobster and Shrimps that a Jew has to eat them. Most of the non-Jewish recipes except for Vegan mix and milk together so must we do the same and continuing on our cousins the Arabs kill their sisters at a drop of a hat pin for ‘family honor’ – does that mean we should do it?


In short, the cutting off of the soul not only occurs in this world but in the next. Remember whomever observes and guards Shabbos, the mitzvah will guard you. The visa versa is also true or you lose your merits in this world from other Mitzvos.


(*In Israeli Hebrew it is pronounced car-rate but since the majority of my readers are outside of Israel, I use the Ashkenazi intonation and often have to change some of the writing I pick up from an eastern European Chassidic pronunciation to that of have Israeli and half American.)


16 And in the first day there shall be to you a holy convocation, and in the seventh day a holy convocation; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done by you. 17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt; therefore shall ye observe this day throughout your generations by an ordinance forever. 18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even. 19 Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses; for whosoever eats that which is leavened, that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a sojorner or one that is born in the land. 20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.' . … 29 And it came to pass at midnight, that the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the first-born of cattle. 30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. 31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night and said: 'Rise up, get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said. 32 Take both your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.' 33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, to send them out of the land in haste; for they said: 'We are all dead men.' 34 And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading-troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders. 35 And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they asked of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment. 36 And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. And they despoiled the Egyptians.


41 And it came to pass at the end of four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the host of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. 42 It was a night of watching unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt; this same night is a night of watching unto the LORD for all the children of Israel throughout their generations.


43 And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron: 'This is the ordinance of the Passover: there shall no alien eat thereof; 44 but every man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof. 45 A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat thereof. 46 In one house shall it be eaten; thou shall not carry forth aught of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof. 47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. 48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land; but no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. 49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourned among you.' 50 Thus did all the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. 51 And it came to pass the selfsame day that the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts.


Essentially now the first commandment that the Bnei Yisrael received after their liberation is below. The Parsha of the firstborn is one of the four sections of the Tephillin and the rest are the three paragraphs of the Shema. This and the laws of Kares are two features that distinguish Am Yisrael from the rest of the Goyim. For physically the Goyim have stronger and taller people than us. But morally we are “The light unto the Goyim”. We have Kares, Shabbos, Kosher and Family Purity for we are an Am Kodesh (holy people).


13:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 'Sanctify unto Me all the first-born, whatsoever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast, it is Mine.' 3 And Moses said unto the people: 'Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place; there shall no leavened bread be eaten. 4 This day ye go forth in the month Abib. 5 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which He swore unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shall keep this service in this month. 6 Seven days thou shall eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD. 7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee, in all thy borders. 8 And thou shall tell thy son in that day, saying: It is because of that which the LORD did for me when I came forth out of Egypt. 9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thy hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the LORD may be in thy mouth; for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt. 10 Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.


11 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanite, as He swore unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee, 12 that thou shall set apart unto the LORD all that open the womb; every firstling that is a male, which thou hast coming of a beast, shall be the LORD'S. 13 And every firstling of an ass thou shall redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shall break its neck; and all the first-born of man among thy sons shall thou redeem. 14 And it shall be when thy son asks thee in time to come, saying: What is this? that thou shall say unto him: By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage;


From here we see the importance again of our children and the emphasis on all fathers to educate their children. In heaven forbid absence of a father, the mother must take over the education of the child.


15 and it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man, and the first-born of beast; therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that opens the womb, being males; but all the first-born of my sons I redeem. 16 And it shall be for a sign upon thy hand, and for frontlets between your eyes; for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.'


Beshalach Part 1

Am Yisrael is a free people. Rabbi Mimran Shlita reminded me that the Orech Chaim writes that because Pharaoh sent the Jewish people away, he felt that it was his provocative to take them back to Egypt.

17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said: 'Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt.'

Runaway slaves with their slave mentally are not built to become warriors. (On the other hand free men that were enslaved by the Nazis upon becoming free were ready to fight for their freedom.)

18 But God led the people about, by the way of the wilderness by the Red Sea; and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt. 19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him; for he had straightly sworn the children of Israel, saying: 'God will surely remember you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.'

Promises are meant to be kept even over 200 years later. The people who promised were long gone but the promise was not forgotten. Also all the tribes had their coffins carried for burial in Eretz Yisrael.

I AM STILL BEHIND IN MY ADJUSTING BACK TO ISRAEL AND HAVE A TREMENDOUS ABOUT OF WORK – RATHER THAN PUT OUT A WEAK IN QUALITY DRASHA THIS WEEK, I FELT THAT I WOULD HAVE TO BREAK THIS PARSHA UP INTO TWO WEEKS.

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Mitzvos and Halachos


It's a Mitzva to not do Melacha (certain types of work) on Shavuot. Work involving food preparation is allowed, within certain parameters. Lighting fires from an existing flame as well as carrying without an Eruv is allowed. Outside Israel this applies to both days of Shavuot, by Rabbinic decree. Applies to everybody, everywhere, always
Verse: "This day shall be called Holy" (Vayikra 23:24) Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer HaMitzvos HaKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 28


One is forbidden to ask somebody to repay their loan if one knows they do not have the money to do so. In such a case, one is not even allowed to purposely walk by him as a subtle reminder. Verse: "Do not insist on the money" Shemos 22:24 Similarly, a debtor may not tell the creditor to "come back later" if he already has the money to pay, as it says in Mishle (3:28) "Don't say to your friend return and tomorrow I will pay, if you have what to give." It's also forbidden for the debtor to squander the loan, for if he doesn't repay it he is called "wicked" as it says in Tehillim (37:21) "A wicked debtor who doesn't repay". Applies to everybody, everywhere, always - Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer HaMitzvos HaKatzar; Prohibition 52


One is forbidden to be involved with a loan between Jews that will incur interest. This includes being a witness or guarantor for the loan. Applies to everybody, everywhere, always Verse: "Do not be involved in charging him interest" (Shemos 22:24) Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer HaMitzvos HaKatzar; Prohibition 53


One may not lend anything to a fellow Jew if the repayment is larger than the loan. This includes money, goods and even services. The lender transgresses 4 sins. Applies to everybody, everywhere, always Verse: "Do not charge him interest" (Shemos 22:24, Vayikra 25:36; Vayikra 25:37, twice) Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer HaMitzvos HaKatzar; Prohibition 54 There is an exception with a business loan and money invested in the bank, stocks and bonds a special Heter Iskar is used in these cases.


One may not borrow anything from a fellow Jew, if one is expected to repay more than the original loan. This includes money, goods and even services. Applies to everybody, everywhere, always Verse: "Don't borrow with interest" (Devarim 23:20) The borrower also transgresses "Do not put a stumbling block" (Vayikra 19:14), since he causes the lender to sin. Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer HaMitzvos HaKatzar; Prohibition 55


A father must educate his children to do all Mitzvos (Torah and Rabbinical) that are appropriate to their age. One also needs to prevent a child from doing any sin which he is capable of relating to, starting with telling the truth, eating only Kosher and not carrying things on Shabbat (where there is no Eruv.) A child who stole must return the theft, if it exists. If it no longer exists then he needn't return its value even after he becomes an adult. However, in heaven he will be required to account for the theft, so it's recommended to make amends. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 165:1-6


Our Sages have designated the 15th of Shvat - Tu B'Shvat- as the boundary between one year and another, since most of the rains of the previous year have already fallen. Any new growth of fruit after this day, is the result of the blessing of the new year. It is customary to pray for a beautiful Kosher Esrog on Tu B'Shvat Source: The Book of our Heritage, Vol I, pages 346-349


Shabbat will be Tu B'Shvat, and customarily lots of fruit will be served. Which fruit should you choose as the one to hold and make the Bracha on? - If one has a favorite fruit and it's being offered, it should be used to make the Bracha on. - If one has no preference, then one of the "7 species" has preference. - If there are none of the 7 species, then one should pick a whole fruit, as opposed to a cut one. - A Boreh Pri HaEtz has precedence over Boreh Pri HaAdama (e.g. strawberries and bananas) The 7 species are (in order of Bracha-precedence): Bread from wheat, cakes from wheat, Wine, Olives, Barley (baked or cooked), Dates, Grapes (in solid form), Figs, Pomegranates
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 55:1 – 3


This year Tu B'Shvat will be on Shabbos. Tu B'Shvat - the 15th of the month of Shvat - is the New Year as far as tithing fruits is concerned. Fruit from trees that blossomed before Tu B'Shvat belong to the previous year's Truma & Maaser quota. Fruit from trees that blossomed after Tu B'Shvat belong to the current year's Truma & Maaser quota.
Since we do not say Tachanun on Tu B'Shvat, we will not say צדקתך צדק on Shabbat at Mincha.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 22:8, 139:26. Rosh Hashana Mishna 1:1.


House pets or any other animals that depend on you for their food must be fed on Shabbat. Animals that do not rely on you for their food may not be fed on Shabbat, and you may not even throw them leftovers, with the exception of stray dogs. One may not feed pigeons as they are capable of fending for themselves. The custom to put out grain for the birds on Shabbat Shira (this week) is incorrect as birds do not rely on humans for their food. (One may put out grain for them before Shabbat.) Source Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 87:18


How Many Friends Do You Have? On being a Rebbe

The young man was suicidal. When he started being vocal about his feelings, telling anyone who would listen that his death was imminent, his fellow yeshivah students convinced him to inform the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory, of his plans.

At a yechidut (private audience) with the Rebbe, he did just that. The Rebbe listened, and tears began to course down his cheeks. After a few minutes of just standing there and watching the Rebbe cry – the Rebbe didn't even manage to say a word – the young man ran out of the room, shaken to the core.

He told his friends that he no longer planned to end his life. He wanted to live. When asked what had happened in the Rebbe's room, he described the Rebbe's reaction to his words. And then he concluded: "If I would have only known that there exists a person who cares about me so deeply, I would never have contemplated taking my life…"

The effect of the Lubavitcher Rebbe over the last 60 years can be view in a 19 plus minute film: http://www.chabad.org/generic_cdo/aid/1101711/jewish/Sixty-Years.htm


B"H Tu B'Shvat



Festival of the New Year of Trees (15th of Shvat - January 30, 2010)



Jewish National Fund | Plant Trees in Israel


Tu B'Shvat, sometimes called Jewish Arbor Day, is a minor holiday, but one that is filled with festivity and meaning. The name of the holiday comes from the day on which it occurs on the Hebrew calendar, the 15th of Shvat. The Hebrew letters that spell the number fifteen can be pronounced as "Tu".



Just as Rosh Hashanah is the birthday of the world, Tu B'Shvat is like a birthday for trees. In texts dating from the first centuries of the Common Era, we learn that Tu B'Shvat was the day that separated one agricultural year from the next. Today we celebrate Tu B'Shvat to thank G-d for the gifts of creation, especially goods that grow on trees and the beauties of nature we enjoy. The holiday also reminds us of our responsibility to care for Mother Earth that G-d created in order to preserve it for future generations.



One of the ways Tu B'Shvat is celebrated is with a special ritual called the Seder of Tu B'Shvat. The seder is a special celebration that was first practiced in Tsfat, 450 years ago by the students of the holy ARI (Rabbi Isaac Luria). They saw the seder as an opportunity to renew their connection with the Four Worlds of the kabbalah. It was set up along the lines of the Passover Seder. White Tablecloths were placed on the tables with candle light flowing all around. Incense, preferably myrtle, which is taken during Succoth is placed on the tables. Similarly flowers were used to decorate the tables and to give the air a pleasant fragrance. Mentioned in the writings of the great Sephardic scholar, the Chidah, it involves studying throughout nearly all of the night, while partaking of all the fruits available, in particular the fruits of the seven species of the Land of Israel.



"A land of wheat and barley and vines (grapes) and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and (date) honey. And you shall eat and be satisfied, and bless the L-rd your G-d for the good land which He has given you." (Deut. 8:8-10)



Special prayers (not penitential prayers) and songs are recited along with words of Torah from the Tanach and Zohar. The book, Pri Eitz Hadar is a compilation of all of the texts utilized, it is comprised of the many sections from the bible, Mishna, Talmud, and Zohar which speak of fruits, produce and trees.


It is also a custom to plant trees in the Holy Land of Israel. You will find many children spending the day digging and planting, tree ceremonies taking place. Many people purchase trees to be planted in the Land of Israel in honor or memory of someone dear to them. It is a beautiful custom.



This beautiful little holiday of Tu B'Shvat expresses the renewal and awakening of the trees for the spring. Whichever way you celebrate the festival, enjoy the wisdom of our creator and the glory in His creations. There is a season for everything.
Sources: Tanis 25b, Psalms 92:13, Brachos 34b, Zohar, Pri Etz Hadar, Deut. 8:8-10, Ari' Rabbi Isaac Luria, Chidah.


Yaffa



"Beyond all of the differences that stand between us, we are all the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We are all one family, with one land, and one destiny."


From Gene Alberts: A person was once sentenced to be hanged. Right before they were going to hang him, his friend came running. “Stop, stop! It’s a mistake! It was me ! I’m the guilty one!” they took the man down and continued to investigate. They found out that the original man was indeed the guilty man. The king became very upset.


“Why did you say you were the guilty one if you really weren’t?” he asked the friend.


“Because this man is my dear friend. Without him I cannot live. So it is better that you should kill me instead of him!”


The king was very moved by the deep love that these friends shared. “If this is the case”, he replied, “then I too want to be part of your friendship”.


Our natural tendency is to like people who like us and to be kind to people who are kind to us. Conversely, there is a strong tendency not to like people who do not like us, and not to be kind to people who are not kind to us.


Praying for someone’s welfare is an act of kindness-when you pray for someone, you are asking Hashem to help him. King David says that he prays even for those who hate him. This is difficult to do, and yet, it is elevating. A person who can transcend a natural tendency and speak and act in higher ways, raises himself up.


When we have the attitude that all aspects of our lives are from Hashem, and we express this by frequent prayers, we then find it easier to pray for the welfare of even those who do not reciprocate our positive feelings. Our main focus is on Hashem. We do not give other humans, power over us. We do not allow these people to decide how we will relate to others. Rather, we wish people well. We pray that Hashem will enable us to find favor in the eyes of others, even our adversaries, but, even if they still hold on to their negative feelings about us, we dissociate from their negativity and connect with Hashem. From this view point, we wish them well, and when they will grow spiritually, they will surely upgrade their attitude towards us.


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When Rabbi Simcha was very old he had great difficulty walking. Once, after he had walked quite a distance form home, he asked the young man accompanying him to come back with him to his home. “Rabbi,” said the young man, “I know it’s difficult for you to walk back. Let me go back to the house for you and fetch whatever you need. You can wait for me here.” Rabbi Simcha, though, insisted on waling back with him.


When he came home, he went over to his wife and apologized to her profusely, because, unlike his usual practice on leaving his home, this time he had forgotten to say shalom to her. Shalom is the root of shelemoot (completion). When we say Shalom Alekhem it means I’m not able to be complete without you. Isn’t that beautiful, not only it is beautiful, it’s a true fact. That is why we have to answer back right away Alekhem (for your sake) Shalom (my completion).


Shavoah Tov,


Binyamin Jadidi (Boy am I lucky, I am so forgetful that I forgot that I did not say Shalom or bye – bye have a nice Shabbos)


Chana, and her seven sons - The Emperor commanded them to bow down to an idol, or they would be killed. One by one, each son cited a different verse from the Torah and refused to bow down.


After the first six sons were killed, the Emperor told the youngest son that he did not have to actually bow down to the idol to save his life, but rather, the Emperor would throw down his royal signet ring, and the young boy could just bend down to pick it up. He really was only retrieving the ring, but to others it would look like an act of worship. The young boy responded to the Emperor, “You are wasting your time, Emperor.” For emphasis he repeated this statement twice. “You are so concerned about your own honor. How much more so, must we be concerned about the honor of the Holy One, may He be blessed.”


After the Emperor ordered him to be killed, and the soldiers were taking him out to follow the evil orders, the young boy’s mother said to them, “Let me approach my son and kiss him before you kill him.”


The mother approached her son during the last moments of his life, and said to him, “Go to your forefather Abraham, and say to him, “You were ready to give one son as a sacrifice on the altar, and I have given seven sons as sacrifices on the altar.”


“How could a simple woman like Chana reach the level of willingness to sacrifice her seven children, rather than give in to forced idol worship? It is only because of our father Abraham, who was willing to make the tremendous sacrifice of slaughtering his cherished and beloved son. This planted within our hearts such a love for Hashem.


Don’t you ever give up, we’ll see the yeshuah (redemption) very soon.


Amen


Binyamin Jadidi


Iran is making Mince Meat out of the US Intelligence - http://standupamericaus.com/iran-makes-mincemeat-of-us-intelligence-:24681


I disassociate myself with the film clip of General Patton which I would not watch for his language has been offensive to women and Jews.


It is Thursday...Do you have Shabbat plans yet????? WWW.SEEYOUONSHABBOS.COM found more than 100 people places for the third week in a row... we will go over 2800 sign ups today... Please - Please throw this link on you facebook status once a week..SPREAD SHABBAT!!!


Jan 27th marked the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Mindy sent me this: http://www1.yadvashem.org/exhibitions/album_Auschwitz/mutimedia/index.HTML


JStreetPAC - the arm of the self-described ???pro-Israel???, pro-peace lobby that raises and disburses political contributions - released on Thursday a list of 41 endorsements, 39 of them sitting members, of those competing in November's midterm election. The PAC backed the same number in 2008, but pledged to expand the list and total funding over the course of the election cycle. In its first cycle of contributions, in 2008, J Street handed out $578,186.


"This is only round one when it comes to what we're doing for the next 10 months," said J Street spokeswoman Amy Spitalnick.


The 41 endorsees include one Republican, Rep. Charles Boustany of Louisiana, and one of the two Muslim members of Congress, Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota. Eight Jewish members also received JStreetPAC's nod, including representatives Steve Cohen of Tennessee, Susan Davis of California, Barney Frank of Massachusetts and John Yarmuth of Kentucky, as well as the only senator on the list, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin.


The other Jewish representatives were those who participated in J Street's first annual conference in October: Bob Filner of California, Jared Polis of Colorado and Jan Schakowsky of Illinois.


WHO WAS READY FOR THE HAITI EARTHQUAKE? THE IDF (ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES) MEDICAL CORPS DELEGATION by Emanuel A. Winston, Middle East Analyst & Commentator


Although you wouldn’t hear it from CNN until Monday January 18th, the best prepared and first responder country was the tiny Jewish Nation/State of Israel. If you don’t hear it on CNN, you won’t hear it from President Obama either.


Israel flew 2 giant planes in Thursday night Jan.14th, - self-sustained, meaning they had a full operating theater set up by Saturday - the only hospital in Haiti. The Israeli military team of 250 is working flat out in the city's Antoine Izmery soccer field, in 2 fully-equipped operating rooms, intensive care units, children and maternity wards, laboratories, an X-ray facility and a pharmacy, plus 50 metric tons of aid. One-third of the medical team of 40 doctors, 20 paramedics and 25 nurses plus technical staff are reservists who volunteered for the Haiti disaster relief team. They are treating 500 patients a day. Israel had the first mobile hospital on the ground in Haiti after the 7.0 magnitude earthquake Tuesday January 12th.


They also brought units from Israel’s Search-and-Rescue Team and the Oketz Unit dogs, trained in locating trapped persons. They have already rescued a 52 year-old Haitian, a 69-year old Frenchman and a Danish man in the capital Port-au-Prince.


A six-man ZAKA rescue unit which flew in from an earlier recover mission in Mexico. ZAKA members, most of whom are Orthodox Jews, assist ambulance crews, identify the victims of terrorism, and when necessary gather body parts and spilled blood for burial. They also voluntarily provide first aid and rescue services and help in search for missing people. Zaka worked for 38 consecutive hours and pulled eight survivors out of the ruins of Haiti University on Saturday. The team described the conditions on Saturday as "hellish" but, also spiritually inspiring.


The ZAKA team stopped to pray Shabbat services on top of a collapsed building’s roof. The Haitians watched in awe, then came up to thank them and to kiss their tallitot (prayer shawls) after their prayers. The ZAKA team is recognized by the United Nations as a volunteer humanitarian organization that has tremendous disaster relief experience following its work in the aftermath of the Katrina hurricane and the recent East Asia tsunami.


The IDF Field Hospital in Haiti has delivered 3 babies as of Jan.. 18th. Their first delivered baby’s mother was so happy that she named him "Israel".

Another jumbo jet loaded with supplies and equipment is due to set out from Israel to replenish the facility's dwindling stocks.


Perhaps it’s to be expected of the Israeli Jews, given that they have been under constant attack since before their birth in 1948 and have had to develop medical preparedness for the wounded they receive from 7 wars and on-going Terror. Special Search-And-Rescue teams are equipped to pull victims from collapsed buildings, using fiber-optic camera and microphones that can be snaked through the rubble to see and hear buried victims deep inside collapsed buildings. Some will recall Israel’s teams going into Turkey after a huge earthquake, Bam in Iran, etc. Desperate Muslim victims had no objection to being rescued by Israeli Search-and-Rescue teams and Jewish doctors.


A short list of Israeli Global Disaster Relief "Saving the World One Life At a Time" (1) & (2) : 2008: Israel aids Terror victims and families of Mumbai, India; 2008: Sichuan province in China earthquake; 2008: Israel aids victims of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar; 2008 & 2006: Zanzibar; 2003: Israel aids Sri Lankan flood victims; 2001: Israel aids earthquake victims in Peru, India, and El Salvador; 2000 Emergency aid to Ethiopia; 1999: Israel aids Turkish earthquake victims - Kosovo Refugees; 1998 - Israel aids flood victims in Central America; 1998 - IDF Search&Rescue Mission after Al Qaeda bombing of US Embassy in Kenya; 1994 - Operation "Interns for Hope": Israeli medical aid for Rwandan refugees in war-torn Zaire.


Most recently, the IsraAID group and its affiliated volunteer organizations operated in Sri Lanka after the tsunami; flew in to help Samoa after typhoon floods struck there, and gave support to cyclone-ravaged Myanmar, where they continue to supply long-term community aid. After providing immediate aid, it is common for the group to continue with ongoing support, also supplying rehabilitation assistance to help those devastated by natural disasters rebuild their lives. (2)


Granted, other nations shipped in supplies to Haiti but, rescue efforts on the ground have been poorly organized and much of the supplies already off-loaded from incoming planes are still stacked up on pallets around the airport. Transportation on destroyed roads throughout the country is very difficult.


Israel has the quick-response experience developed over the years. She could and has offered her experience and skilled professionals to all the nations which have been hit by such disasters. Regrettably, that help may not be accepted by some hostile nations and, when it is, the world’s Media seems to be deaf and blind to Israelis working to aid others in disaster relief.


It seems as if the hostile nations of the world have been reluctant to recognize Israel’s quick response and organized efforts to help the victims. In the news business they have a saying: "If it bleeds, it leads" - meaning, the story on front page or TV news anchors speak about the crushing tragedy and the blood. Sadly, they seldom get close up to the dangerous work of crawling into tunnels that could collapse momentarily, from ongoing tremblers or the instability of the fallen structures. The Media seems especially blind if the rescue teams are Israelis. The same lack of recognition is true for the 220 plus Israeli doctors who volunteered for this mission and who are now exposed to rioting, disease from the rotting corpses - and more.


Chaim Rafalowski, Disaster Management Coordinator for Magen David Adom ("The Red Star of David"), said "were always taught that when you save one soul, you’re saving a whole world. He emphasized that the mission is continuous and crews would be traveling back and forth between Israel and Haiti for a period of at least 3 months."


Latest reports are that the IDF Medical Corps have treated some 200 injured people in Haiti, performed 25 life-saving surgeries and saved the lives of 140 others and delivered 3 babies, including a preemie. On Sunday night, a resident of Port-au-Prince gave birth to a boy at the Israeli field hospital. In appreciation and gratitude, his mother decided to name her new son "Israel" in honor of the country that helped her.


IsraAID, sent a planeload of food and medical equipment and "Latet" (To Give) – sent a 15-member mission to Haiti, including three physicians, three nurses, and three paramedics. 9 American volunteers from Los Angeles joined the Israeli delegation’s field hospital.


The director of the Haiti field hospital, Col. Dr. Itzik Reis, explained that the IDF delegation is also giving assistance "to people from emergency crews from all over the world, who simply are not capable of dealing with everyone who needs help and giving them treatment. For example, when we understood that the Dominican team is not set up to provide full treatment, we created an order by which they stabilize the patients and we give them the remainder of the treatment."


PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO ANY & ALL MEDIA THAT YOU CAN REACH - & CONGRESS.

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Some photo and video stories can be found on You-Tube and are also on Twitter and Facebook viewed at the following sites:

On A Mission To Haiti On Behalf Of The Jewish People by Yoni Kempinski & Gil Ronen Arutz Sheva - IsraelNationalNews.com .


Video: IDF Search & Rescue Team Saves Trapped Man in Haiti by Yoni Kempinski Arutz 7 http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News/aspx/135559


Video: "Israel" Born In Haiti After IDF Delivers Healthy Baby by Arutz Sheva TV http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/135568

Israel Field Hospital Treats, Operates on Hundreds of Haitians DEBKAfile Special Report Jan. 18, 2010 http://www2.debka.com/headline.php?hid=6461


New IDF Delegation to Depart to Haiti on Monday by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu Arutz Sheva http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/135585


1. "Israelis Save The World One Life At A Time: Israeli Global Disaster Relief" Standwithus.com "When foreign disasters occur, Israel is among the first in the international community to send rescue teams and emergency assistance to devastated areas."

Due to its expertise in the fields of emergency and disaster medicine, Israel’s Center for International Cooperation, MASHAV, has sent numerous teams of experts to foreign countries to train and often drill with local doctors, nurses, medical technicians, administrators and civil services in dealing with mass casualty emergency events. MASHAV has trained almost 200,000 course participants from approximately 140 countries.

2003- Israel aids Sri Lankan flood victims

2001- Israel aids earthquake victims in Peru

2001- Israel aids earthquake victims in India

2001- Israel aids earthquake victims in El Salvador

2000- Emergency aid to Ethiopia

1999- Israel aids Turkish earthquake Victims

1999- Aid to Kosovo Refugees

1998- Israeli aids flood victims in Central America

1998- IDF search & rescue mission after bombing of US Embassy in Kenya

1994- Operation "Interns for Hope": Israeli medical aid for Rwandan refugees in war-torn Zaire


IS EHUD BARAK GOG & MAGOG? 3 Articles from Arutz 7 - Forwarded with commentary by Emanuel A. Winston, Middle East Analyst & Commentator

When a government turns against her own citizens, then it must be overthrown by whatever means necessary. Clearly, the documents of betrayal - as described in brief below - speaks of collusion with a foreign government to drive Jews out of their homes in Judea, Samaria, Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, etc. This is nothing less than high treason against the Jewish Nation/State and the Jewish people - worldwide.

Both Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin (Bibi) Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak (not unlike Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert before them) have colluded with the U.S. State Department to re-partition the Jewish State. Their goal is to disassemble the sovereign state of Israel to benefit the Muslim Arab Palestinians who have sworn in their Charters to eliminate the People and the State of Israel. They repeat these death threats loudly and often.

Promises of "security" for Israel by President Barack Obama’s regime are worthless because he has clearly committed to appease the Muslim Arab nations for their oil and his own bias for the Muslims and against the Jewish Nation/State.

Today’s Government in Israel is a rotten, corrupt regime which must be overthrown and replaced by Jewish patriots. Netanyahu, Barak and Peres are not good for the Nation.

COMMENTARY BY EMANUEL A. WINSTON

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Document Portrays Major IDF 'Battle' Against Yesha Jews by (Israelnationalnews.com) Tevet 3, 5770, 20 December 09

An internal IDF document reported in the media Sunday morning outlines a major IDF operation to prevent Jewish building in Judea and Samaria. The document describes a major IDF "offensive" to prevent protesters from interfering with demolition work against Jewish homes in the affected areas that violate building freeze orders. Large battalions of soldiers, police and other security forces will be sent to the "area of operations," as the document describes Judea and Samaria, in an effort to "shock" residents into compliance. Roads will be closed in order to prevent protesters from moving between sites, residents will be forced to remain in their homes "except under special circumstances," and cellphone communications will be dampened so activists will not be able to communicate with each other.

The Yesha Human Rights Council condemned the document, saying that "it outlines a military operation against a civilian population. We call on the government to rethink its steps before it loses the rights for Israel to call itself the only democracy in the Middle East."

MK Danon: IDF Plan 'Smells of Disengagement' by (Israelnationalnews.com) Tevet 3, 5770, 20 December 09

MK Danny Danon (Likud) said in reaction to the IDF document portraying the large forces to be used to destroy Jewish homes in Judea and Samaria that "the orders have the same bad smell that the disengagement did. Defense Minister Ehud Barak has singled out residents as an enemy, making all actions against them legitimate."

MK Danon, head of the Knesset's Child Rights' Forum, will visit Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria Sunday, where he will review the damage the building freeze has had on children in the region.

MK Eldad: 'Barak Has Gone Insane' by (Israelnationalnews.com)

Tevet 3, 5770, 20 December 09 08:11

In an interview with Israel Radio Sunday morning, MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union) said that the IDF's plan to use large forces to demolish buildings said that "we will resist, and block with our bodies the destroying forces. I recommend that Barak issue a general emergency draft call for as many soldiers as he can. Defense Minister Ehud Barak has gone insane." Eldad added that "this is a double crime – using IDF force against Jews, but not against Arabs. Both Barak and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu are guilty of this crime, and they are being aided by the government's ministers."

MK Michael Ben-Ari (National Union) said that "this shocking document shows that the Likud has gone to war against residents of Judea and Samaria. Netanyahu is continuing in the way of Ariel Sharon, who destroyed the IDF in an internal Jewish war, and left Hezb’Allah a destroyed IDF."

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This is Bibi & Barak Orthodox Jew baiting at its worst. His Yeshiva was burned down in 2000 on Rosh Hashana by the Arabs so they blame him. Reichstag anybody. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3840085,00.html


Teaching Green Jobs for the next generation my son like myself and the generations before me are for preserving the planet. He is for the economics of green projects and energy efficiency not changing weather. http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=893209&TextPage=1


This is how people in Honduras, Poland, Czech and Israel view the current foreign Policy of the USA. http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-EdContributors/Article.aspx?id=166772


New Security Threats: http://www.debka.com/article/8547/ http://www.debka.com/article/8551/


Forced to save is this constitutional? http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/3987403/obama-admin-proposes-plan-for-mandatory-iras/?playlist_id=87185


In Sudan the white or whiter Arabs kill the darker ones. Israel does not know what color is: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3840758,00.html


Agudath Israel Leader Joins Effort to Free Sholom Rubashkin forwarded with commentary by Emanuel A. Winston, Middle East Analyst & Commentator

No doubt, Eric Holder, President Obama’s Attorney General, is well embedded in the anti-Jewish crusade to intimidate all Jews. As previously conducted against AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) intended to silence the legal Jewish lobby in Congress.

Persecuting Sholom Rubashkin further adds to pressuring American Jews to remain silent while Obama and his Czars force Israel to accept a Muslim Arab Palestinian Two-State Solution.

Rubashkin is merely another arrow in Obama and Holder’s quiver.

[See full information in Press Release below Winston Commentary]

Sholom Rubashkin was convicted after a jury trial before Judge Linda Reade in federal court in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, of bank fraud relating to Agriprocessors' loan from First Bank Business Capital of St. Louis, and for failure to pay livestock providers in a timely manner. The bank never filed a complaint and the loan was being paid until U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted a raid on Agriprocessors' premises in May 2008, driving Agriprocessors into bankruptcy. The company was sold and the Rubashkin family is in debt. Charges that Agriprocessors employed illegal aliens have been dropped.

Note some prominent but not complete facts listed below:

1. In May 2008, the U.S. government raided the largest Kosher meat processing factory in America, Agriprocessors in Postville, Iowa. Agriprocessors had brought excellent food to all Jews who kept Kosher. They also brought very profitable jobs to Postville. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested and charged the workers with being illegal aliens.

NOTE THAT CHARGES THAT AGRIPROCESSORS EMPLOYED ILLEGAL ALIENS HAVE BEEN DROPPED.

But, the ICE raid and destruction of Agriprocessors bankrupt the company and the Rubashkins. While they had been paying off their bank loan and their livestock providers in a timely fashion, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ruined a successful business and then charged Sholom Rubashkin with failing to pay the First Bank Business Capital of St. Louis WHICH NEVER FILED A COMPLAINT.

In simple words, two main charges, "Illegal Aliens" and "Default of bank loan" have been invalidated.

So why was Rubashkin convicted and of what?

1. Sholom Rubashkin was taken from his home and family (who were not told where he was) in Iowa, virtually kidnaped to a Federal Court in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. [I don’t know if his family could attend or not.]

2. He was imprisoned for 76 days prior to his trial - although he was clearly not a flight risk. He was denied Kosher food and the ability to obey his religious commandments. When he was first brought to jail, he was forced to strip. He refused to remove his Tallit Katan (the small prayer shawl that an Orthodox religious man must wear in order to walk anywhere). He was denied Kosher food on a regular basis. He has not been able to eat hot food every since he was jailed. He was not able to perform other religious observances that would be available to him only if he were in custody in his own home (under guard).

3. The most heart-rending tragedy of this whole persecution is that he and his wife have 10 children, 6 of whom live at home. They have an autistic 16 year old son who has always been heavily dependent upon his father. If Rubashkin could live at home, he could try to prepare his children for his lengthy absence, if he is sentenced heavily.

Now the Federal Prosecutors (under Attorney General Eric Holder) demand that he be incarcerated before his sentencing - even though the District Judge eventually agreed that the pre-trial detention was "inappropriate". Now Mr. Rubashkin has been held in Linn County Correctional Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa since November 12, 2009, pending his sentencing.

AND: Moreover, his friends and his religious community have offered to pay for a 24-hour private armed security guard that will, in effect, imprison him in his home until his sentencing. A total of approximately 8 million dollars in the equity of 43 homes has been offered as security for his appearance. And to demonstrate the
intensity of their conviction that he will not flee, rabbis have offered Torah scrolls - that may not be assigned except for the most extreme and exigent needs - as security for his presence.


This is a classic case of anti-Semitism at its worst.


Good Shabbos,

Rachamim Pauli