Simcha Ephraim ben Esther had a heart attack.
Perachiya bas Yalkut passed away this week and Sarah bas Yehudit has not posted on line since Jan. 27th. Nisan Lev Ben Freyda, passed away in his sleep 2/22/2010
It is obvious that now is the time to revise the prayer list:
Please pray for: Men
Asher ben Malka, Avraham ben Devorah, Zvi Yechezkiel ben Leah, Shemayahu Yosef Chaim ben Peshiya Miriam, Ahron Yehuda Lieb en Gittel Feige, Zev ben Miriam, Shalom Charles ben Gracia, Chaim Pincus ben Yaspa, Avraham ben Leah, Bentzion Michael ben Chaya Zipporiah,Eli ben Merel,Zvi Moshe ben Miriam Rachel, (for the next two weeks minimum Sincha Ephraim ben Esther)
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, Nirit bas Mazel, Bracha Zehava bas Baila Leah, Miriam Rivka bas Adina Leah, Chana bas Simcha, Fruma bas Rachel, Tahel Chaya bas Michal
This week started off with my exposing a pro-Muslim anti-Semite named “Robert Andrews” on Facebook. When I wrote about my lovely rest and relaxation to the Dead Sea and watching a number of IAF planes training for a possible strike against Iran he started out with a few curse words and telling me that I was going directly to hell and I would not even get Monopoly Money from passing go. He has an Israeli flag on his FB wall which fools everybody. He then began on my wall a tirade against Israel and how the lovely Muslims are the Saints of the planet. On his wall he had an Israeli Flag but that was just a front. The only other anti-Semite that I found on FB was a UK woman named “Karen Marshall” who made a tirade against Jews on an anti-Nazi site.
HOW & WHEN GENERAL ALEXANDER HAIG SAVED ISRAEL by Emanuel A. Winston, Middle East Analyst & Commentator (Also a Christian Defense Minister Wm Cohen )
I have been listening to main news channels eulogizing General Alexander Haig, who died today at age 85 and his considerable exploits throughout his life. For me there was something missing which should have been there. I did not hear from them about how and when General Haig saved Israel.
In 1973, during the Yom Kippur War, Israel was the target of a secretly planned attack by Egypt and Syria - among other nations in the region. American intelligence knew definitely that the War was imminent but didn’t tell Israel until 2 hours before the surprise attack began - when they knew Israel needed a minimum of 16 hours to mobilize her civilian army. Nixon and Kissinger threatened Israel’s Prime Minister Golda Meir not to pre-empt or to mobilize - or else America would not re-supply Israel if the coming war lasted longer that the miraculous Six Days War, and Israel would have to go it alone.
Israel was also not adequately prepared internally because those who planned Israel’s defense had become imbued with what became known as the "conceptzia". That conception was that none of those countries mentioned above would dare attack Israel, given the losses they incurred in prior wars. The "planners" and Intel agencies that believed in the "conceptzia" were wrong!
The sneak attack of October 6, 1973 was on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year. The surprise attack was effective. Israel had to use a Russian technique of raining down artillery shells on advancing Egyptian armor in the South and Syria in the North. Within a week Israel began to run low on all weapons’ systems and munitions. They pleaded with President Richard Nixon and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger for urgent re-supply but, it was very slow in coming. I recall a report quoting or paraphrasing Henry (Heinrich) Kissinger saying: "Let them (the Israelis) bleed a bit, [presumably, then they would be more willing to surrender their Land for Peace]".
But, there was one man who didn’t agree with that foot-dragging and forcing the Jews of Israel to "bleed a bit". General Alexander Haig, President Nixon’s Chief of Staff, began to open munition stores at American bases in America and in Germany. Out came pallets of artillery shells, TOW missiles and more which were loaded on Galaxy cargo aircraft. Those Galaxies headed toward Israel. As I recall, I had just landed at Ben Gurion Airport at about the time the Galaxies landed and were being unloaded at a fast pace. The planes were carrying artillery shells, TOW missiles and other ammunition I was informed later. (1)
John Loftus, the author of "Secret War Against The Jews: How Western Espionage Betrayed the Jewish People 1920-1992" was a first hand eye-witness on October 6th when Richard Nixon’s chief of staff Gen. Alexander Haig ordered the Infantry Officer Training School at Fort Benning, Georgia to train 40 Israeli commanders to use the TOW (tube-launched, optically-tracked, wire-guided) missile system. Then Loftus briefed the Israelis on the TOW capabilities. The "kill ratio" for the TOW was 97%. Al Haig stripped every TOW missile on the eastern seaboard of America and from Germany and shipped them to Israel. They loaded every TOW in stock on planes. The Israeli commanders were back in Israel by October 14, just in time to repulse a massive Egyptian armored attack in the Sinai with the TOWs. It was the turning point of the war. Haig had saved Henry Kissinger’s reputation by giving Israel the TOWs. (2)
Skipping a few things and days, I found myself in the Sinai Desert, meeting with then General Ariel (Arik) Sharon in what he called: "the killing fields": burned tanks and army trucks dotted the landscape as if they were placed neatly on a giant chess board - with bodies scattered in the sand. Once you smell a dead body, cooking in the sun, you never forget. If not for General Haig's re-supply of weapons and Israel’s extraordinarily brave fighters, that scene could have been repeated all the way to Tel Aviv.
While the U.S. and European news neglected to tell that story on the evening news, nevertheless, it should have been on all the Israeli media. General Alexander Haig should be eulogized in Israel, with special memorials to a great man who saved Israel - one in the South and one on the Golan Heights. Hopefully, Israel’s current Prime Minister Binyamin (Bibi) Netanyahu has the sensibility to tell the Haig story about a righteous Gentile who was a true friend of the Jewish State at what was a strategically perilous time in 1973.
We do need that same kind of hero today in Israel and for Israel. G-d speed dear friend, and may your name be remembered for a blessing. During the Shalom HaGalil operation then Secretary George Schultz and Ronald Reagan had a healthier outlook on Israel.
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"THE JEW ROOM" by Emanuel A. Winston, March 2000: "I wonder how the American people would react if they suddenly found out that our most trusted Intelligence Agencies were conducting their own private war against Israel and filtered out Jewish employees or professors who just might stumble across this terrible secret. Perhaps that is why U.S. Intelligence was withheld about the imminent surprise attack by Egypt and Syria during Yom Kippur 1973, until the very last minute when it was too late.
"Was it an oversight when the U.S. withheld sending counter measure equipment for Israeli aircraft when they were being knocked out of the sky by Russian SAM missiles in Egypt during the 1973 War? Was it an accident that they finally arrived without their operating manuals and Israel had to call back her electronics experts globally to reverse engineer the black boxes to get them to work? Did Caspar Weinberger as Secretary of Defense provide Saudi Arabia with satellite photos of Israel's defenses over the years?" (1.)
1. "The Jew Room" by Emanuel A. Winston Freeman Center for Strategic Studies March 2000 http://www.freeman.org/m_online/mar/00/winston.htm
2. "The Secret War Against the Jews : How Western Espionage Betrayed the Jewish People: 1920-1994 Chapter 14 - The Real Hero of Yom Kippur" pgs. 304; 315-316 by John Loftus & Mark Aarons St. Martin’s Press NY 1996 BTW John Loftus,
Last week, I watched an anti-heat seeking missile device in practice. During the Yom Kippur War, within three days, engineers from an electronics firm in Ashdod had the solution to the SA 2 and SA 3 and it was put on the aircraft already by the third day of the war. This Emanuel did not know in his article. I know the people and my friend Seth was busy unloading a Galaxy Plane when the turnaround was so fast that he almost got a free ride to the States. He is a Native American but would have had a lot of explaining to do if it happened.
Tetzaveh
This I wrote five years ago and I want to reuse it for the introduction: When the golden calf was made, Moshe in his love for Am Yisrael requests from HASHEM Yishborach to blot his name out of the Sefer (Torah) if the nation is destroyed. Now Moshe pays the price for his love for the people. Aaron is mentioned a lot in this week’s Parsha and so is the Bnei Yisrael but Moshe is referred to in second person. “You should command”, “You should make”, “You should dress Aaron”, “You should fix (attach) the precious stones”, “You should place”, etc. so we note that the name Moshe does not appear once in this week’s Parsha.
Many Rabbis have talked for hours in Drashos on the beating of the pure olive oil. The Jew is compared to an olive. When he is full of Torah, the first drops that drip down from the olive are the purest. However, when he has less Torah and Mitzvos, he has to be beaten and cracked open by pressure from HASHEM to bring out the oil. Finally, the stubborn and unlearned Jew has to be crushed in the olive press of live to bring out the “PINTELE Yid” inside of him. Only the best of the people, Aaron and his sons could be Cohanim and only the most learned could be real Torah leaders throughout the generations. (New) It is a pity that HASHEM has to beat the Yehudim when all what is needed is a little repentance, pray and charity for every individual to do. (I am neither for sharing the wealth nor sharing the punishment.)
27:20 And thou shall command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually.
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Pure: Without sediment, as we learned in Men. (86a): “He allows it to ripen at the top of the olive tree, etc.” |
| Crushed: He must crush the olives in a mortar, but he may not grind them in a mill, so that they will not contain sediment. After he has extracted the first drop [of oil], he places them [the olives] into a mill and grinds them. The [resulting] second oil is unfit for the menorah but is fit for meal offerings, as it is said: “crushed for lighting,” but not crushed for meal offerings. -[from Men. 86a]
Rabbi Berel Wein Shlita (Nephew of my Rebbe Rabbi Tovia Wein author of “HaYayin HaTov” ZTZAL) wrote: The purity of oil for the lamps of the menorah/candelabra is emphasized in this week’s Parshas opening verse. It seems clear that the Torah requires the purest of olive oil for the fuel to light the menorah/candelabra not only for the physical and practical reason that the flame should not flicker and be weak but also for symbolic and moral reasons.
The light of Torah is dependent upon the moral purity of its source. Just as dregs and pulp contaminate the oil and prevent a steady light from emerging, so, too, grave imperfections of character and behavior weaken the teachings of Torah to students and to the masses of Israel. Recent events here in Israeli religious and secular society only serve to reinforce this standard.
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21 In the tent of meeting, without the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall set it in order, to burn from evening to morning before the LORD; it shall be a statute for ever throughout their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.
An interesting observation from a modern standpoint is that of all the oils, Olive Oil burns the cleanest, even if the oil fries something it does not break down on the stove and it removes bad cholesterol. This is the oil that is chosen to burn in the Menorah in the Temple and to anoint Cohanim and Kings.
28:1 And bring thou near unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that they may minister unto Me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons. 2 And thou shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, for splendor and for beauty.
Four years ago I wrote this in my Drasha. Rav Shraga Simmons wrote about this in his weekly Drasha with the famous joke (revised by me). Two girl friends go out to choose a dress from one of them to have a prestigious interview with a law firm as a new lawyer. One says to the law graduate: “Here is a great mini which is also low cut. The lawyer says, “Are you crazy, I want them interested in me for my intellectual skills not my extra-office hours.” The other pipes back, “So here you are looking for a job that might last a year to five until you want to move up the ladder. Yet when it comes to getting married to a man whom you expect to be your companion until old age, what do you do? You display your body instead of your personality.” (See below: Why does being single happen to good people?) (New) One could also write displaying tattoos on the body. Instead of boy friend one could think of this as the clothing of the Cohanim who have a Covenant of Salt with HASHEM (Bamidbar 17 and 18 and David HaMelech Divrei HaYamim 2 13:5 which lasts forever aka preserved in salt and will never stink as salt does not stink) so too Cohanim and Kings have to have a certain standard of dress. (Nowadays it is acceptable for royalty and presidents to wear casual clothing while playing Polo or riding around a ranch but clean, newish looking and pressed-I assume this also applied to a battle uniform of a king.)
3 And thou shall speak unto all that are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron's garments to sanctify him, that he may minister unto Me in the priest's office.
To sanctify him, [so] that he serve Me [as a Cohain]: Heb. לְקַדְּשׁוֹ לְכַהִנוֹ-לִי, to sanctify him, to initiate him into the Kehuna through these garment [so] that he would be a Cohain to Me.
4 And these are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a tunic of checker work, a mitre, and a girdle; and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto Me in the priest's office. 5 And they shall take the gold, and the blue, and the purple, and the scarlet, and the fine linen.
The garments of the regular Cohain and the Cohain Gadol are covered in this week’s Sedra. The bells, apron and breastplate are external and important but the most important part of the Cohain’s garment was the pants which were basically underpants. When Iraq was conquered by the Americans one Iraqi lifted up his tunic and point to an exposed part said in Arabic “Let Saddam take this!” It was much easier to perform body functions without pants but pants were need on the altar not to expose an immodest part of the Cohain’s body. The hands of the priest during the blessing and Avodah in the Beis HaMikdash were not supposed to be raised on high especially the Cohain Gadol who wore:
28:36 And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and engrave upon it, like the engravings of a signet: HOLY TO THE LORD. 37 And thou shall put it on a thread of blue, and it shall be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be. 38 And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, and Aaron shall bear the iniquity committed in the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow, even in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.
The Kabbala is full with reasons for each object and cloth and in the same order. The Early Temple was a reflection of the Heavenly Temple.
Regarding the blotting out from the Book that Moshe mentioned: The following came from Rabbi Y. Frand Shlita through the Torah.org and the old Torah.org used to allow quotes for people who give credit; The curse of a righteous person comes true, even if it was only uttered conditionally. Thus, Moshe's words, although uttered conditionally (if YOU do not forgive the people), did not go totally unfulfilled, even though the Jewish people were in fact forgiven. In this small way, Moshe's name WAS erased from G-d's Book, in that his name does not appear in Parshas Tetzaveh.
Rav Obadiah Yosef asks: Why of all Parshiyos in the Torah, did the fulfillment of this "Curse" come to fruition in Parshas Tetzaveh? Rav Obadiah Yosef answers that the statement "Erase me from YOUR BOOK (Sifrecha)" can be broken down to read "Erase me from Sefer Chaf" [Book #20]. Since Parshas Tetzaveh is the 20th parsha in the Torah, it is the appropriate parsha in which to have Moshe's name omitted.
This cute insight only begs the question. Why did Moshe pick the 20th parsha, Parshas Tetzaveh, as the one to have his name removed from?
I saw in a Sefer the following explanation: Many times when a person is being removed from the picture, he feels a need to remind people "You should know that I could have had this job".
There was a famous incident involving Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz. There are usually 3 jobs in connection with a garbage truck - the driver and the two fellows who empty the garbage cans into the back of the garbage truck. The driver has the comfort of driving around in an air-conditioned truck. He does not need to smell or handle the garbage. It is a relatively decent job. The guys in the back need to jump on and off the truck, and handle and smell the garbage, etc. Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz commented that he was once walking in Yerushalayim and he saw a garbage truck. After one of the fellows on the back of the truck did his job with the garbage cans, he noticed Rav Shmuelevitz. The man went over to the Rav and told him in Yiddish, "I could have been the driver, but I'm not looking for honor."
Assembling Portable Cribs and Adjusting Shtenders on Shabbos By Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff
Question #1: I am having a lot of company for Shabbos and we have a small house. During Shabbos, I would like to remove the extra leaves from the table and set up the “porta crib,” and then in the morning fold up the crib and put the table leaves back. May I do this on Shabbos?
Question #2: I have an adjustable Shtender that I usually leave at the same height. May I adjust it on Shabbos?
Question #3: The house is very crowded and stuffy because we are celebrating a Kiddush. May I remove a door or a window to allow some additional ventilation? (I was asked this shaylah in Israel where doors and windows are hinged in a way that they are easily removable.)
Question #4: May I remove the pieces of glass from a broken window on Shabbos?
Before discussing these shaylos, we need to explain the Halachos of construction on Shabbos, and how they apply to movable items such as household furnishings and accessories.
CONSTRUCTION ON SHABBOS
Boneh, building or constructing, is one of the 39 Melachos of Shabbos that are derived from the construction of the Mishkan. Included in this Melacha is performing any type of home repair or enhancement, even if only a minor repair (see Gemara Shabbos 102b). Thus, it is prohibited min HaTorah to hammer a nail into a wall in order to hang a picture (Rashi, Eruvin 102a s.v. Halacha). Similarly, one may not smooth the dirt floor of a house because this enhances the “structure” (Gemara Shabbos 73b).
Sosair, demolishing or razing, is also one of the 39 Melachos, since Bnei Yisroel disassembled the Mishkan whenever they moved it from place to place (Gemara Shabbos 31b). Therefore, any demolition of a building is prohibited min HaTorah if the ultimate results are beneficial, such as razing part of a building in order to renovate it.
If there are no benefits to the demolition, it is still prohibited midirabbanan. Thus, wrecking the house because someone is angry violates Shabbos only midirabbanan (according to most Rishonim) since there is no positive benefit from the destruction (Pri Megadim 314:11 in Eishel Avraham). It is also prohibited because of other reasons, such as Baal tashchis (unnecessary destruction) and being bad for one’s Midos (see Gemara Shabbos 105b).
We already have enough information to answer questions #3 and #4 above, regarding removing a window to ventilate the house and removing pieces of glass from a broken window. Both of these activities are prohibited min HaTorah since they involve the Melacha of Sosair for positive results. Therefore, a Jew may not remove the window or the broken glass unless there is a life-threatening emergency. If the broken window is dangerous (but not life threatening), one may ask a non-Jew to remove the broken pieces of glass.
CONSTRUCTION OF MOVABLE ITEMS
Do the Melachos of Boneh and Sosair apply to movable items, Kelim (sing., kli), as well, or only to buildings? In other words, does the Torah’s prohibition refer only to something connected to the ground, or does it include the construction of a movable item?
This question is disputed in the Gemara and by the Rishonim, who debate whether Kelim are included in the prohibition of building and destroying on Shabbos (Gemara Beitzah 10a). There are three basic opinions:
1. Kelim are not included in the prohibition of Boneh and Sosair.
2. Kelim are totally included in the prohibition of Boneh and Sosair.
3. A compromise position in which total construction or destruction of a kli is prohibited min HaTorah, but minor improvement is not (Tosafos Shabbos 74b and 102b). The halacha follows this opinion (Shulchan Aruch 314:1).
WHEN DOES BONEH APPLY TO KEILIM?
Assembling or improving a kli in a way that involves strength and skill constitutes Boneh, and disassembling it involves Sosair. Therefore, it is prohibited min HaTorah to assemble a piece of furniture in a way that its parts are now extremely tight since this involves strength and skill to do the job properly. Similarly, replacing the handle on a hoe or other appliance is prohibited min HaTorah since it requires skill and strength to do the job properly (Gemara Shabbos 102b).
What is considered tight? It appears from sources that anything as tight as one would nail it together is considered tight enough to be prohibited min HaTorah.
Assembling furniture without tightening the pieces is not prohibited min HaTorah, but is prohibited midirabbanan out of concern that one might tighten them (Tosafos Shabbos 48a s.v. ha; Hagahos Ashri Shabbos 3:23). Therefore, one may not assemble a bed, crib, or table even without tightening the pieces since these pieces of furniture are usually tightened (Kaf HaChaim 313:63). However, there is a minority opinion that permits assembling such an item very loosely (Chazon Ish).
Example:
One may not assemble a crib on Shabbos. Assembling it in a very tight way may involve a Torah prohibition, whereas assembling it without tightening the pieces is prohibited midirabbanan since one might assemble it tightly. (However, porta cribs which are meant to be assembled and taken apart, have a different halacha as I will explain shortly.) According to most authorities, if one usually tightens the crib very tightly, it is prohibited to assemble it even very loosely, whereas according to the Chazon Ish, one may assemble it loosely.
FIXING A BROKEN APPLIANCE
Repairing a broken appliance on Shabbos follows the same guidelines as assembling. Therefore it is prohibited when the repair requires skill and strength even if one repairs it in a temporary way.
Therefore, if the leg of a bed or table fell out, one may not reinsert it even temporarily out of concern that one might repair it permanently (Shulchan Aruch 313:8). In this instance, Chazal decreed that the bed or table itself becomes Muktzeh in order to ensure that someone does not repair it (Rama 308:16). Again, according to the Chazon Ish, one may insert it loosely.
TWO EXCEPTIONS
There are two exceptions to this Rabbinic prohibition, when one may assemble or repair an item in a non-permanent way. The first is on Yom Tov (Tosafos Beitzah 22a; Shulchan Aruch 519:2, Magen Avraham and Gra ad loc.). One may use a temporary repair to fix a furniture item for a Yom Tov need.
Example:
A leg fell off the table on Yom Tov. Repairing the table in a proper way is prohibited min HaTorah, and therefore on Shabbos I may not even reinsert the leg into the table in a temporary way. However on Yom Tov, I may reinsert the leg without performing a proper repair if this is the most convenient table to use.
ANOTHER EXCEPTION
If the broken or disassembled item is usually repaired or assembled without strength or skill, I may repair it in a temporary fashion. Chazal did not forbid this since it is unlikely that it will cause any Torah violation (Gemara Shabbos 47b with Tosafos).
Example:
In the time of the Gemara there existed a type of bed called “a coppersmiths’ bed.” Apparently, it was common that coppersmiths traveled from place to place making their living as iterant repairmen, and took portable beds with them that they reassembled at each destination. May one assemble this bed on Shabbos or is it considered construction? The Gemara quotes a dispute on the subject. According to the Tanna who contends that Kelim (utensils, garments or moveable items that can be stacked one upon another) are totally included in the prohibition of boneh and Sosair, one may not assemble these beds on Shabbos (Shabbos 47a).
However, the conclusion is that one may assemble these beds on Shabbos. That is because these beds were never assembled very tightly and therefore it is not considered Boneh to construct them, nor does it qualify as a rabbinic prohibition. However, an appliance that was assembled very tightly would be prohibited to assemble even loosely since it might be tightened (Tosafos ad loc.; cf., however, Chazon Ish).
Assembling the typical porta crib is similar to assembling a coppersmiths’ bed. Thus, one may assemble a porta crib on Shabbos and fold it up afterwards.
TABLE LEAVES
Inserting table leaves also does not require skill or strength and is therefore permitted on Shabbos. However, some tables have a clamp to tighten the table after inserting or removing the leaf. This might be considered tightening enough to be prohibited and I refer you to your local Posek. Most tables are built that this not tightening but if you see something suspicious consult your local Orthodox Rabbi. For table extensions are built to be put into place quickly and easily. (See screw below)
THE SCREW – AN INTERESTING INVENTION
About three hundred and fifty years ago, the Poskim began discussing appliances held together with screws. Around this time a drinking cup became available where the cup part screwed into a base. Does screwing this appliance together on Shabbos constitute Boneh?
The halacha question here is as follows: Although this cup does not require someone particularly strong or skilled to assemble and disassemble, screwing the base on makes the cup into a well-made permanent appliance. Thus, the screw enables someone who is not particularly skilled to build a strong appliance.
The early Poskim debate this issue. The Magen Avraham (313:12) rules that screwing an appliance together constitutes a Melacha min HaTorah (see Shaar HaTziyun 313:32), Maamar Mordechai disagrees. In practice however, Maamar Mordechai concludes that one should follow the stringent ruling of the Magen Avraham, and this is the accepted Halachic practice. Thus, screwing the cup together is considered manufacturing a cup. If a table extension is held in place by closing a latch that is like a door or window latch however by a screw would be permanent and would be opinion.
Similarly, today one can purchase furniture that one takes home and assembles by oneself. One might argue that assembling this furniture is prohibited min HaTorah even though it is made in a way that an unskilled person can assemble it. Thus, the definition of “skill and strength” is not whether the assembler needs to be skilled or strong, but whether the appliance is made into a permanent, well-made appliance.
BINOCULARS
Focusing a pair of binoculars involves turning a screw to make it tighter and looser. Does this violate Boneh on Shabbos?
The Poskim rule one may focus binoculars on Shabbos (Kaf HaChaim 313:73; Ketzos HaShulchan 119:12). They explain that there is a qualitative difference between screwing the base onto the cup, which creates an appliance, and screwing the binoculars, which is the method of using it. One may use an appliance, just as one may use a house by opening and closing the doors and windows. This is not building an extension onto the house, but is rather considered normal, daily usage. The principle is that the binoculars are permanently screwed together and the turning of the screw is normal use and made for that. It would appear to me that a permanent adjustable awning would fall under this category too. However, one must be careful if it in a private or public domain. (When in doubt CYLOR – consult your local Orthodox Rabbi – this is especially true for certain window awnings in the USA where the top of the awning moved is over a meter high but the bottom wench is open to the street in a large city and less than a meter in height plus other complications. Sometimes it is a matter of a case to case basis. Example if there is a small ledge around the building or not.)
SHTENDER
Many Shtenders are tightened and loosened by the use of a screw. May one adjust the shtender by loosening and tightening the screw? Does it make a difference how often one adjusts the height?
According to Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach and Rav Vozner, one may adjust the height of the Shtender on Shabbos since this is considered using the Shtender, not making a new appliance (Shulchan Shlomo 313:7; Shu”t Shevet HaLevi 6:32; cf. Minchas Yitzchak 9:38, who prohibits).
SALTSHAKER
Question:
I forgot to fill the saltshaker before Shabbos, and now I realize that it is empty. May I unscrew the saltshaker on Shabbos to fill it, or is this considered demolishing and repairing the saltshaker?
Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach ruled that it is permitted to open, refill and close the saltshaker on Shabbos without violating Boneh. Although the saltshaker is indeed screwed closed, it is typically not screwed as tightly as one screws furniture or the cup we described earlier (Minchas Shlomo 1:11:4 s.v. gam nireh). The same applies to opening and closing a baby bottle. Although it is opened and closed by screwing, since it is intended to be opened and closed constantly, it is not considered demolishing and reconstructing it.
CONSTRUCTIVE WORK
We may ask ourselves, why is the screwing of a cup together or removing a window off its hinge considered a Melacha? Both cases only take seconds to complete and are not at all strenuous.
Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch (Shemos 20:10) notes that people mistakenly think that work is prohibited on Shabbos so that it should be a day of rest. He points out that the Torah does not prohibit doing Avodah, which connotes hard work, but Melacha, which implies purpose and accomplishment. Shabbos is a day that we refrain from constructing and altering the world for our own purposes. The goal of Shabbos is to allow Hashem’s rule to be the focus of creation by refraining from our own creative acts (Shemos 20:11). Through not building for one day a week, we demonstrate and acknowledge the true Builder of the world and all it contains.
Remembering Amalek
The original story of the attack by Amalek the same tactics used by terrorist to blow up buses and supermarkets: Shemos 17:8 Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9 And Moses said unto Joshua: 'Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek; tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.' 10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Write this for a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.' 15 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Adonai-nissi. 16 And he said: 'The hand upon the throne of the LORD: the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.'
The Chofetz Chaim tells us that “KES” is written for throne instead of “KESAY” this means that G-D’s throne will not be complete until Amalek is completely destroyed.
Our Sages commented on this and the Brazen Serpent mentioned in Bamidbar. Does the hand of Moshe make war or victory or a Brazen Serpent revive from death? Only when one says that the people who looked at Moshe and the Snake heavenward towards their FATHER IN HEAVEN and placing their trust with HIM did they began to win or survive.
Devarim 25:17 Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way as ye came forth out of Egypt; 18 how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, all that were enfeebled in thy rear, when thou was faint and weary; and he feared not God. 19 Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all your enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God gives thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shall not forget.
“The hand is on the throne of G-d; a war against Amalek generation after generation” (Exodus 17:16). The word for “throne (kes) comes from a linguistic root which means “covering” (kisui). This means that the “hand”, which is related to the concept of Kaf (meaning both the letter Kaf and the palm of the hand), covers (G-d forbid) the light of the divine face, as represented by the name of G-d.
Then the children of Israel receive only a bare minimum of nourishment, as is known, but they do not receive from the light of the divine face. But when, speedily in our days, the verse (about Amalek) is fulfilled, and “he is destined to be destroyed forever” (Numbers 24:20), he and his descendants will be eradicated from the world.
From this, it follows that the way to remedy the Jewish people’s lack of abundance is through emuna, faith. Thus, after Amalek attacked Israel at Rephidim, Moshe waged war against them with his hands, as it is written (Exodus 17:12): “His hands were faith.”
The kaf will not cover the divine face, and beneficial outpourings, salvation, and consolation will be drawn down upon the Jewish people, in the time of Moshiah very soon.
Amen,
Binyamin Jadidi
This was sent to Yaffa by a mutual friend Jackie and Yaffa forwarded this to me: Shabbat Zakhor
"Sabbath of Remembrance", the second of the four special Sabbaths. It is the Sabbath before Purim. The name derives from the additional Torah portion read from Deuteronomy 25:17–19 whose theme is the duty "to remember" what Amalek did to Israel. The traditional belief is that Haman the Agagite was a direct descendant of Agag, the king of the Amalekites (e.g., I Sam. 15:9ff.). In some rites special piyyutim (songs/poetic-chants) are recited.
Purim and Drinking
In the Synagogue in Woodmere Long Island, the Rabbi banned alcoholic drinks at the Shabbos Kiddush. It was not because of the Jewish Adults but because of abuse by minors. Now I ask myself where are the parents? My mother (May I be an atonement for her) would give me a sip or I would give a few drops in a ‘schnapps’ glass to my children and that was that. Asher did not like the whiskey as it was too strong, Chaim did not like sometimes a Smokey taste of whiskey but the smooth taste of bourbon he liked. My grandchildren are given by their mother a taste of banana or chocolate liquor and nothing happens as it is only a LeChaim and not a secret Taboo until the age of 21. That is the recipe for disaster and not saying OK it is something special for Shabbos and you can drink a little too. I don’t guarantee that one will never over drink or have a DUI in their life but chances of being an alcoholic drop tremendously. I believe in use it and not abuse it. – 5767
I want to add by taking the taboo and mystery out of drinking, it is something that a child can have from the parent, the abuse of alcohol diminishes to close to zero.
Halachos and Mitzvos from Danny Shoemann
It's a Mitzva to not do Melacha (certain types of work) on the first day of Sukkoth. 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 the second day of Sukkoth as well, by Rabbinic decree. Applies to everybody, everywhere, always Verse: "The first day shall be called Holy" (Vayikra 24:34) Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer HaMitzvos HaKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 34
One may not give the poor preferential treatment in judgement. A judge may not decide that since the rich person should support the poor, the poor person should win the case. Applies to everybody, always, everywhere Verse: "Do not favor the poor in court" (Shemos 23:3) and (Vayikra 19:15) Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer HaMitzvos HaKatzar; Prohibition 66
A judge may not decide that a sinner deserves to lose the case simply because the other side is more righteous. Applies to everybody, always, everywhere Verse: "Do not pervert the justice of the poor" (Shemos 23:6), where "poor" refers to the spiritually poor. Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer HaMitzvos HaKatzar; Prohibition 67
A judge who decides that a convert or orphan should win (or lose) their case simply because they are disadvantaged has transgressed twice. Once for perverting justice and once for perverting the justice of the convert or orphan - Applies to everybody, always, everywhere. Verse: "Do not pervert the justice of the convert and orphan and widow" (Devarim 24:17Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer HaMitzvos HaKatzar; Prohibition 68
One is prohibited from rendering incorrect judgements; acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent. Included is the prohibition of delaying punishment once a ruling has been rendered. Included is the prohibition of filibustering for the sake of delaying the ruling. Applies to everybody, always, everywhere Verse: "Do not pervert justice" (Vayikra 19:35) Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer HaMitzvos HaKatzar; Prohibition 69
7 Adar is the Yahrzeit of our teacher Moses - Moshe Rabbaynu - and is a Tanis Tzaddikim. Many Jewish Burial Societies [Chevra Kadisha] have their annual meeting today, including fasting and special prayers. Halachos related to Moshe Rabbaynu: When babies start talking one should teach them the verse "תּוֹרָה צִוָּה-לָנוּ, משֶׁה. מוֹרָשָׁה, קְהִלַּת יַעֲקב" and Shma Yisrael...", after ensuring that they are clean while being taught. Moshe Rabbaynu went up to Har-Sinai to get the 2nd set of tablets on a Thursday and came down on a Monday, which is why these 2 days are auspicious for praying - and we therefore add the long "Vehu Rachum" prayer before Tachanun on these 2 days. There's a limit as to how long one may mourn a deceased - but even for a great Torah scholar one may not mourn longer than 30 days, as nobody can be greater than our teacher Moshe for whom it is stated "and they mourned Moshe for 30 days". Sources: Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 58:2, KSA 165:10, 23:9, 215:1
Over 2,300 years ago, two days before Pessach, Haman decreed that all the Jews would be destroyed on 13th Adar, eleven months later. After consulting with her cousin Mordechai, Queen Esther declared a 3-day long fast that lasted through the first days of Pessach, after which she went – uninvited – to the king and invited him and Haman to a wine feast. At the wine feast she invited them to a second wine feast where which she gained royal permission for the Jews to defend themselves. Jews always fast and pray when going out to war, and so they did on Adar 13, 3406 (354 BCE); On Adar 14 they celebrated their victory. Tanis Esther is the only one of the 6 fast days not mentioned in Tanach. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 141:1,8, Esther 2:7, 3:12-9:30
When Purim is on Sunday - like this year - then the fast of Esther is on the Thursday before. If one forgets to fast on Thursday, one fasts the next day - on Friday. Tanis Esther is not as stringent as other fast days, and expecting and nursing mother do not fast, nor does anybody who is unwell. When in doubt, consult with a Rabbi. The custom is to give 3 coins to charity after Mincha on Tanis Esther. Each coin should be half the local currency - half dollar, half shekel, etc. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 141:5
One of the Mitzvot of Purim is hearing Megillas Esther being read at night and again in the morning. One needs to hear every single word to fulfill this Mitzva. The Megilla should be heard in a Schul if possible; the bigger the crowd the bigger the publicity of the miracle. Everybody needs to hear the Megilla including men, women and children old enough to attend without disturbing.
The reading needs to be done from a Kosher Megilla - one that is handwritten by a Sofer on parchment. The entire Megilla - some 20 columns in a standard edition - is unrolled and folded like a letter before it is read. Three Brachos are recited before the Megilla is read (both in the evening and the morning) and a single one after the reading.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 141:7, 9, 10, 11
This Shabbat - the one before Purim - is Parshat Zachor. There is an opinion that it's a Torah obligation to hear Parshat Zachor being read in Schul this week, and if you don't have a Minyan near home you need to go to a town with a Minyan for this Shabbat. If a Minyan cannot be found, Parshat Zachor should be read even without a Minyan. A second Sefer Torah is taken out and for Maftir we read about the obligation to annihilate the nation of Amalek and remember their wickedness. For the Haftarah we read the story of King Saul's attempt to fulfill the Mitzva of annihilating Amalek. (Shmuel-1 Ch. 15) Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 140:2, 3
DARWINISM IS A DAWIN (fairy tale) SAYS ISREAL’S CHIEF SCIENTIST
Recently, we were informed that the chief scientist at the Education Ministry, Dr. Gabi Avital – a religious man who is an aeronautical and space engineering expert – presented a position that rejects the broad agreement on the role of humans in global warming. On the same occasion, he presented the need to teach different views on the creation of life at schools in addition to Darwin’s evolution theory – for example, creationism.
Creationism, for the benefit of those unfamiliar with the term, is an approach that accepts the Biblical description of the world’s creation in the Book of Genesis as a realistic explanation for the creation of the universe, earth, life, and man.
So what is the problem here? In the post-modern era, where the notion of truth is so battered and where every opinion can be accepted and is of equal value to any other opinion, why shouldn’t we present blunt questions in the face of solid scientific conventions? This is also where my attitude to the chief scientist stems from: The confusion he creates.
Scientific uncertainty
Our students (and not only they) are living in a confusing era in various aspects: Morals, behavior, academics, and personal issues. The boundaries between real and virtual are being blurred. The distinction between good and bad and between what is permitted and what is forbidden is becoming more complicated. The tension between psychological childhood and technical-technological adolescence is growing. Question marks about school grow too.
And now, this is complemented by scientific uncertainty.
If the Education Ministry’s chief scientist takes the liberty to say things that completely contradict the textbooks, what would prevent students from declaring to their teachers: This is wrong! You don’t know anything! After all, the chief scientist said so! http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3853857,00.html
The Torah says, “Do not put a stumbling block in the path of the blind” (Leviticus 19:14), which the Talmud interprets to mean that you should not cause another person to transgress.
Mordechai warned Am Israel not to attend the banquet in the palace of Akhashversoh! And they did not listen! And nine years later Haman came about. The Talmud says if the Jews would not obey Hashem he will appoint on them a wicked king just like the Haman.
They should realize the short- term consequences and ignoring the inevitable is a common mistake. The Talmud states that truly wise people look to the future and give serious thought to the ultimate consequences of their behavior, rather than focusing upon the momentary gratification.
Jewish ethical works urge us to regularly undergo a personal accounting. We would be foolish to approach this accounting of our very lives with any less seriousness than we do our business affairs. We should seek out the “spiritual C.P.A.s,” those who have expertise in spiritual guidance, to help us in our analysis.
The love between G-d and Israel is unconditional. Even when Israel behaves in a manner that result in estrangement, that love is not diminished. Israel does not have to restore G-d’s love, because it is eternal, and His longing for Israel to return to Him is so intense that at the first sign that Israel is ready to abandon its errant ways that led to the estrangement, G-d will promptly embrace it.
Song of Songs depicts the suffering Israel has sustained at the hands of its enemies and we can conclude that the Divine distress at this suffering of His beloved Israel is great. Repenting is a long process, but all that is needed for the ultimate relationship is a beginning; a sincere regret for having deviated from His will, and a resolve to return.
The Torah holds us responsible not only for our own actions, but for the spiritual welfare of others. We must be cautions to avoid doing things that may result in the spiritual regression of other people.
Purim Samayach,
Binyamin Jadidi
At the time when the Jews were serving the Golden Calf (Chet HaEgel), Moshe Rabeinu A’H defended the Jews by telling Hashem: You commanded that it shall not be for YOU (lekha) in singular form, to not have other GODS, meaning you only commanded me and not to all the Jews!!!
The Torah explicitly forbids taking revenge, or when doing a favor to someone who had denied your request to say, “You see, I am not like you. I am doing you a favor even though you refused me when I needed your help.”
Solomon goes one step further. He states that passive revenge is also wrong. Even if your enemies have come to grief without your contributing to it in any way, you should not enjoy their downfall.
Solomon’s father David was the victim of a ruthless rebellion let by another son, Avshalom, who drove him from the land. As David was in the process of quelling the rebellion, Avshalom was killed. Although the son had been his father’s mortal enemy, David grieved bitterly for him, going so far as to say, “Would that I had died instead of you” (II Samuel 19:1). He was of course, feeling the paternal love which can prevail over all other emotions.
While it is not realistic to expect anyone to grieve over an enemy’s misfortune as a father might grieve over the misfortune of a defiant son, we can have enough compassion for other human beings to at least not rejoice in their downfall, even if they were our enemies.
Moshe Rabeinu always saved us from troubles and to this day we should follow his path and learn how he did surprises for Am Israel constantly. The numerical value of ahava- love is equal to 13 when two people love one another it creates the value of 26 which is equal to the name of Hashem! To attract the attention of Hashem is based on how we treat and care for one another.
May Hashem in His merit give all of us the strength to give one another unconditional love and unending hope.
Amen,
Binyamin Jadidi
Spying business: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3851492,00.html
Speaking about spying a top secret anti-Iran missile shield was revealed in the foreign press: http://www.thedrakingpoint.com/cartoons/view/248/israel-test-fires-its-warhead
Now back to world wide Jihad and assorted garbage: http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2010/02/the-reporting-of-the-rise-in-jew-hatred-is-void-of-its-root-cause-and-the-prescribed-anti-semitism-in-islamic-teachings.html
Speaking about Jihad: http://standupamericaus.com/author-of-jihad-and-genocide-explains-why-he-wrote-the-book:26350
More stupidity from DC: http://standupamericaus.com/us-envoy-to-syria-another-obama-mistake:26340
From Jeff: B'SD PATROLS NOW!
In a friendly Orthodox Jewish neighborhood called Washington Heights, the "shadow of death" has been walking the streets, for this community composed of many Orthodox Jews that fled the Germany during the Holocaust. This time death took the form of murder for an 80 year old Jew, beaten for 40 dollars and a cell phone by a nameless criminal, 6 foot five inches that was " so brave" he could beat five different elderly Jews in this mostly Jewish area, a stone’s throw from Yeshiva University. The Jewish victim that was beaten into death was Jacob Gersitz, an 80-year-old Jew, very popular in this easy going Jewish community. The criminal targeted Jews because he thinks they are easy prey to rob and hurt. The JDO felt otherwise and had several patrols since this horrible murder of an innocent defenseless Jew, and the numerous other attacks, which the police failed to prevent even after this human crime wave, did other attacks. DO was at the funeral, and in our hearts pledge NEVER AGAIN must Jews in America sit while Jews are murdered. JDO Patrols went out with one powerful conviction, with G-D‘s help WE CAN’T ALLOW ANY JEWISH NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE VICTMIZED AND DESTROYED BY ANTI-SEMITES OR CRIMINALS!
Why patrols? Simple, by having young trained Jews patrol and escort Jews safely makes it harder for the criminal to mug and murder our people, G-D willing. JDO has spread the word to huge numbers of Jews in Washington Heights that they must re-start the patrol they had years ago. Also, Jews of all ages can legally get permits to own mace, which the police have a course in. Mace is powerful spray that can be used in self-defense. The younger Jews there including the huge number of YU alumni as well as the long time Orthodox Jews living there must volunteer and be trained to do serious patrolling. Of course we believe increased prayer to Hashem and Mitzvoth and Torah learning protect Jews. At the same time one must take physical action to protect Jews lives from attack. Even if the criminal had no hate of Jews (we believe he did) still we protect Jews from this because any time a Jew suffers it’s a JEWISH PROBLEM!
When the founder of the Jewish Self-Defense Organization Zev Vladimir Jabotinsky proposed after riots against Jews that Jews everywhere form such defense units (especially in pre-state Israel) and Europe he was questioned by certain Jewish communities, that they had no anti-Semitic violence for years, so why make such Jewish Self-Defense Units? His answer and ours is” there was once a Jewish village (stet) in Europe. It had a volunteer fire department. For 7 years this Jewish village in Europe had no fires for 7 straight years. The Jewish comity said we don’t need a fire department anymore and closed it down. A year later, the eighth year was a huge fire, many Jews were killed. The same applies to patrols be they on Bennet Ave or at YU, or Crown Heights, Flatbush, Los Angeles, Chicago, or anywhere else across the country JDO went to defend Jews and patrol.
There was always someone saying in a different Jewish neighborhood," Why have patrols my house, and my life have not been threatened yet?" JDO has a very simple answer, KOL YISRAEL AREIVIM ZEH B ZEH; Each Jew is responsible for the next Jew! We actually have a Paso (verse) from the Torah AL TAAMOD AL DAAM REYECHA, DO NOT STAND IDLY BY YOUR BROTHER S (fellow Jews) BLOOD! PATROLS NOW IN EVERY JEWISH NEIGHBORHOOD MUST BE FORMED! JEWS SHOULD ALSO GET LEGAL GUNS (first a permit). IN NEW YORK INCLUDING WASHINGTON HTS TO PROTECT THEIR HOMES AND LIVES! JDO HAS FREE TRAINING IN GUNS (legally) AS WELL AS IN STREET FIGHTING, KARATE. WANT TO JOIN JDO SECURITY TEAM AND PROTECT JEWS? JDO awaits your call! CALL 212-252-3383 FOR MORE INFO!!
Israel and the West are perpetrators of a myth that endangers the Jewish State By Caroline B. Glick forwarded with commentary by Emanuel A. Winston, Middle East Analyst & Commentator
When the full history of American Arabists support of Islamic Terror is revealed and understood, it will be similar to the Fascists in the nations’ support of Adolph Hitler. In this I include the Bush dynasty, the Obamas and members of Israeli Governments who knowingly participated in the demise of their own nation. You cannot support Islamic "Jihadist" (warriors for Islam) nations and then claim that America is a Democracy - except when it isn’t.
Caroline Glick’s clear view of emotionally corrupt governments to assist the remnants of Yassir Arafat’s legacy of Terror is inexcusable and shameful. The pretense that Arafat’s confidante and advisor for 40 years, Mahmoud Abbas (aka Abu Mazen) is a moderate and, therefore, not a Terrorist is ludicrous at best.
The Arab League and the European Christian nations (who murdered Jews in their countries for centuries) are once again ramping up their murderous tendencies against the Jewish people and the Jewish State.
Regrettably, they have drawn into their circle, President Barack Hussein Obama and his Jew hating Cabinet, Czars and Czarinas whom he appointed. Sadly, as in the time of Samson, when the pagan temples of the Philistines had their pillars torn down by the blinded Samson - so too, that is happening now.
America should have been spared the destruction but, instead, under Obama America seems to have joined the angry anti-Israel mob with Americans paying a growing price!
Is America on a path toward receiving G-d’s retribution because one hostile President is expressing his Muslim Arabist hatred for the Jewish State? I fear such just retribution is coming at a fast pace.
I received a letter from an Evangelist this week about how sexual promiscuity in the USA is bring on DIVINE retribution. I say that 90% of Congress and the Senate to clean up Washington and then shut down Fanny and Freddie and wipe out the Debit.
What is the Ed-op mind set of Karl Rove from Karl, himself: http://www.rove.com/polling_notes/0000/0087/Polling_News_and_Notes_02-18-10-1.pdf
Pilar Rahola is a Spanish politician, journalist and activist and member of the far left. Her articles are published in Spain and throughout some of the most important newspapers in Latin America.
Why don’t we see demonstrations against Islamic dictatorships in London, Paris, Barcelona?
Or demonstrations against the Burmese dictatorship?
Why aren’t there demonstrations against the enslavement of millions of women who live without any legal protection?
Why aren’t there demonstrations against the use of children as human bombs where there is conflict with Islam?
Why has there been no leadership in support of the victims of Islamic dictatorship in Sudan?
Why is there never any outrage against the acts of terrorism committed against Israel?
Why is there no outcry by the European left against Islamic fanaticism?
Why don’t they defend Israel’s right to exist?
Why confuse support of the Palestinian cause with the defense of Palestinian terrorism?
And finally, the million dollar question: Why is the left in Europe and around the world obsessed with the two most solid democracies, the United States and Israel, and not with the worst dictatorships on the planet? The two most solid democracies, who have suffered the bloodiest attacks of terrorism, and the left doesn’t care.
And then, to the concept of freedom. In every pro Palestinian European forum I hear the left yelling with fervor: “We want freedom for the people!”
Not true. They are never concerned with freedom for the people of Syria or Yemen or Iran or Sudan, or other such nations. And they are never preoccupied when Hamas destroys freedom for the Palestinians. They are only concerned with using the concept of Palestinian freedom as a weapon against Israeli freedom. The resulting consequence of these ideological pathologies is the manipulation of the press.
The international press does major damage when reporting on the question of the Israeli-Palestinian issue. On this topic they don’t inform, they propagandize.
When reporting about Israel the majority of journalists forget the reporter’s code of ethics. And so, any Israeli act of self-defense becomes a massacre, and any confrontation, genocide. So many stupid things have been written about Israel, that there aren’t any accusations left to level against her.
At the same time, this press never discusses Syrian and Iranian interference in propagating violence against Israel; the indoctrination of children and the corruption of the Palestinians. And when reporting about victims, every Palestinian casualty is reported as tragedy and every Israeli victim is camouflaged, hidden or reported about with disdain.
And let me add on the topic of the Spanish left. Many are the examples that illustrate the anti-Americanism and anti-Israeli sentiments that define the Spanish left. For example, one of the leftist parties in Spain has just expelled one of its members for creating a pro-Israel website. I quote from the expulsion document: “Our friends are the people of Iran, Libya and Venezuela, oppressed by imperialism, and not a Nazi state like Israel.”
In another example, the socialist mayor of Campozuelos changed Shoah Day, commemorating the victims of the Holocaust, with Palestinian Nabka Day, which mourns the establishment of the State of Israel, thus showing contempt for the six million European Jews murdered in the Holocaust.
Or in my native city of Barcelona, the city council decided to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the creation of the State of Israel, by having a week of solidarity with the Palestinian people. Thus, they invited Leila Khaled, a noted terrorist from the 70’s and current leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a terrorist organization so described by the European Union, which promotes the use of bombs against Israel.
This politically correct way of thinking has even polluted the speeches of President Zapatero. His foreign policy falls within the lunatic left, and on issues of the Middle East he is unequivocally pro Arab. I can assure you that in private, Zapatero places on Israel the blame for the conflict in the Middle East, and the policies of foreign minister Moratinos reflect this. The fact that Zapatero chose to wear a kafiah in the midst of the Lebanon conflict is no coincidence; it’s a symbol.
Spain has suffered the worst terrorist attack in Europe and it is in the crosshairs of every Islamic terrorist organization. As I wrote before, they kill us will cell phones hooked to satellites connected to the Middle Ages. An yet the Spanish left is the most anti Israeli in the world.
And then it says it is anti Israeli because of solidarity. This is the madness I want to denounce in this conference.
Conclusion: I am not Jewish. Ideologically I am left and by profession a journalist. Why am I not anti-Israeli like my colleagues? Because as a non-Jew I have the historical responsibility to fight against Jewish hatred and currently against the hatred for their historic homeland, Israel. To fight against anti-Semitism is not the duty of the Jews, it is the duty of the non-Jews.
As a journalist it is my duty to search for the truth beyond prejudice, lies and manipulations. The truth about Israel is not told. As a person from the left who loves progress, I am obligated to defend liberty, culture, civic education for children, coexistence and the laws that the Tablets of the Covenant made into universal principles.
Principles that Islamic fundamentalism systematically destroys. That is to say that as a non-Jew, journalist and lefty I have a triple moral duty with Israel, because if Israel is destroyed, liberty, modernity and culture will be destroyed too.
The struggle of Israel, even if the world doesn’t want to accept it, is the struggle of the world.
The real health care solution already exists but it is not what either the Democrats or Republicans want
I always get up to $1,000,000 insurance when I travel so that I will not have trouble. Most of the medical costs are for high fees because of insurance. Here since hospitalization is "free" 5% of our salaries go to our version of Social Security which includes reserve army pay and hospitalization. Another 5% is universal health care from one of four sick funds and then there extra insurance for more expensive medications that are not covered and other items like up to $130 back for a visit to a second opinion specialist or for arches. Since the Arches cost twice that much and the consultation can be $500 that is not much.
However, if I only need in a quarter an Orthopedist, Neurologist, Urologist, etc. each Dr. up to a maximum patient cost is $6 to $7 per quarter if visited.
Unlike Britain or Canada my almost 91 year old mother in a terminal Coma was offered life support. I passed that up for she
saw her mother just before she lost consciousness and yelled "Mom come to me".
I have been talking to the candidates. Did you know that the National Insurance pays for vacations and follow ups with war widows and wounded warriors.
Now for M. Wolfberg’s “Back to Base” and “Happy Purim”
Good Shabbos Everyone. Everybody likes being treated nicely. So, when we treat others kindly and with respect, we fulfill the mitzvah of: “And you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Vayikra 19:18) It may sound obvious that must treat our fellow Jews respectfully and with feelings of love. Why then did Hashem give us a mitzvah to treat others with love and respect? The answer to our question lies in the definition of a mitzvah.
Many people think that a mitzvah is a “good deed.” A “good deed” is optional; it is a nice thing to do. The implication of this definition is that if you want to do a mitzvah, fine. If not, that is also fine. In truth, mitzvahs are much more than just “good deeds.” Mitzvahs are an obligation. This is why we have a mitzvah to be nice to one another. If treating others kindly were just a “good deed” then one may decide that he does not feel like being nice to others because, for example, he was forced to wait too long in a line, or he was not feeling well or he did not have enough sleep. That is why we have an obligation to be kind to one another. It is not just a “good deed” to be kind to our fellow Jew. We must be kind to our fellow Jews.
The Torah discusses the importance of treating others kindly in our parsha this week Mishpatim. Hashem tells us: “Do not oppress the widow and orphan. If you do oppress him, when he cries to Me, I will hear his cry. And I will become very angry and I will kill you with a sword, and your wives will be widows and you sons will be orphans” (Shemos 22:21-23) Rashi explains that this warning not only applies to widows and orphans, rather, the verse applies to all people. This verse is quite amazing. Hashem so much wants us to treat our fellow Jews with love and respect, that Hashem actually threatens to kill us if we mistreat another Jew.
Besides reading the following beautiful and inspirational story, we will also learn some important tips on how to avoid hurting other people’s feelings. We begin with the following true story: Avigdor Ribicoff, a member of a kollel (a yeshiva for married men) in Tiberias, Israel, and his wife had been married many years and had unfortunately not been blessed with children. They sought medical help in Israel and abroad and had undergone various tests and procedures, but sadly, they still had no children. Despondency and desperation, heaven forbid, were beginning to gnaw at the young couple.
They both came from"Litvishe" families and had no connection with chassidic Rebbes. Yet, friends urged Avigdor to go for berachos (blessings) to various Chassidishe Rebbes. Avigdor listened to this advice and went for blessings, if not reluctantly. During the summer vacation, when Avigdor saw his colleagues taking their children on outings, the pain of emptiness was worse than ever. He had to do something. Avigdor decided that he would go to the Nadvorner Rebbe, Rav Chaim Mordechai Rosenbloom (1904-1978), a Rebbe in Bnei Brak. When Avigdor went in to speak with the Rebbe, he broke down and cried.
The Nadvorner Rebbe listened sympathetically and asked Avigdor where he would be davening (praying) on Rosh Hashanah. Avigdor said he planned to daven at a yeshivah near his home in Tiberias, where he enjoyed those he prayed with and felt comfortable with the pace of the prayer service. "Come daven with us," said the Rebbe warmly." The first day of Yom Tov, the Torah reading is, ‘And Hashem remembered Sarah [and blessed her with a child] (Bereishis - Genesis 21:1), and the haftarah is about Chanah (who finally had her long-awaited child, Shmuel) (I Shmuel 1:1). It's a segulah (omen) to have that maftir. Come here for Rosh Hashanah, and with the G-d's help, things can happen."
Avigdor had never heard that it was a segulah to be called for that maftir, but he knew that in many shuls the aliyos were usually sold for substantial sums of money on Rosh Hashanah. Did the Rebbe mean that he should buy that aliyah, or that he would receive the aliyah free of charge? He didn't have the courage to ask; he decided he would cross that bridge when he got there. Besides, if it meant having a child, he would pay anything, even if he had to borrow. Avigdor and his wife made plans to be in Bnei Brak that Rosh Hashanah. On the first night of Yom Tov, the Rebbe's shul was over-flowing with people and as Avigdor scanned the crowd, he wondered if the Rebbe would even remember him or his problem.
After davening, the warm ambiance in the shul was practically tangible. With radiant smiles everyone seemed to be wishing each other the traditional greeting: “May you be inscribed and sealed immediately, for a good year, good life, and for peace.” People stood on line, gradually making their way towards the Rebbe to receive his blessing. Avigdor stood back, allowing the "regulars" their chance to greet the Rebbe first. As he stood off to the side, he noticed another fellow his age, who also seemed to be a visitor. It appeared that the other fellow also knew no one, and he too was waiting for the "regulars" to clear the shul before greeting the Rebbe.
Avigdor approached the fellow and extended his hand in greeting. "Shalom Aleichem," he said. "My name is Avigdor Ribicoff. Are you from around here?" "Aleichem Shalom," came the reply. "I'm Yeruchem Lazar and I'm from Jerusalem. I am here to be with the Rebbe for Yom Tov." "Oh?" said Avigdor. "To tell you the truth," Yeruchem said, "I don't know how it's going to happen tomorrow, but I heard that the Rebbe said that if [I get] maftir, it's a segulah for children. Look at this crowd..." He let his words trail off.
Avigdor was crestfallen. He could not believe what he just heard. Hadn't theRebbe told him to come get maftir tomorrow? That was the only reason he and his wife had come to Bnei Brak for Yom Tov. How could both of them get maftir at the same minyan? For the last month and a half he was waiting for the next day’s Torah reading - and now this? Avigdor did not allow his disappointment to surface. Not wishing to hurt the feelings of another Jew, Avigdor was silent. He continued to make small talk with Yeruchem and wished him well.
That night Avigdor was in turmoil deciding what to do the next day. The next morning Avigdor, in deference to Yeruchem, prayed in another shul. And sure enough Yeruchem had maftir. And within a year Avigdor and his wife had a baby girl. The Rebbe had said that "things could happen." And they did -and all because of Avigdor's extraordinary character in his willingness to relinquish a potential blessing. (Echoes of the Maggid p.39, Rabbi Paysach Krohn, names have been changed)
Instead of arguing with the other Jew and making a fuss, Avigdor put aside his personal feelings and emotions and kept quiet. We can learn from this example to always put first the feelings of another Jew. One of the simplest ways to treat others right is the following: One should make it his business to find out what certain people like and dislike. He should then try always to do those things that the person likes, and not do the things that the person does not like.
We are all children of Hashem, as the verse tells us “You are Children to Hashem your G-d.” (Devarim 14:1) Every parent who has ever witnessed children fighting can testify to how difficult a sight it is. Every parent who has ever witnessed children treating each other properly can testify to how beautiful a sight it is. Similarly Hashem wants very much that his children get along and show love for each other.
Let us make an effort to treat others kindly and with respect. Often the father promises a reward to the children who behave. How much more so will Hashem, our Father in Heaven, reward us for getting along with one another. Good Shabbos Everyone.
Good Shabbos Everyone. Anyone who has ever been to Yerushalayim can testify to the strong feelings a Jew experiences when visiting the holiest city in the world. The center of holiness in Yerushalayim is the Har Habayis, where the Bais HaMikdash stood. Yerushalayim is the main pipeline through which all prayers go up to heaven. And the Bais HaMikdash was the faucet for that pipeline.
Unfortunately the Bais HaMikdash was destroyed and we speedily await its rebuilding every day. Thankfully, Hashem has promised us that even without the Bais HaMikdash, we can still reach Him with prayer. The primary place for prayer is now with a minyan in our shuls.
Our shuls are mini-sanctuaries which temporarily take the place of the Bais HaMikdash in Yerushalayim. As the Prophet Yechezkel tells us “Thus said the L-rd Hashem/G-d: Though I have removed them far away among the nations and though I have scattered them among the lands, yet I have been for them a small sanctuary…“(11:16) The commentator Metzudas Dovid explains the verse to mean: Even though we may be exiled among the nations and we are far away from the Bais HaMikdash in Yerushalayim, we should build small sanctuaries - shuls so that Hashem may dwell among them. Just as the Bais HaMikdash was a dwelling place for Hashem’s holy presence, so too are our shuls the dwelling place of Hashem.
The idea that we must build shuls for Hashem is hinted to in a verse in this week’s Parsha Terumah: "Make for Me a holy house and I will dwell in them." (Shemos 25:8) The simple meaning of this verse according to Rashi, is that the Bnai Yisroel must build the Bais HaMikdash.
Grammatically, it would seem to make sense that verse should say: "Make for Me a holy house and I will dwell in it." Commentators note from the fact that the verse states: “and I will dwell in them," that the verse is hinting to Hashem’s desire to dwell not only in the Bais HaMikdash, but in every holy house that we build for Hashem, namely shuls. That is why the verse uses the plural “them.”
Just as the Bais HaMikdash was a dwelling place for Hashem’s holy presence, so too are our shuls the dwelling place of Hashem. Therefore, walking into a shul we should keep in mind that we are walking into a Mikdash Me’at, a miniature version of the Bais HaMikdash in Yerushalayim. The Bais HaMikdash was so great that merely seeing it had the power to put a Jew on the proper path in his service of Hashem. (Rav Avrohom Shorr) We should therefore be struck with awe (moirah) when coming into Hashem’s house.
After the passing of Reb Menachem Mendel of Kotsk, his Chassidim took upon themselves the leadership of Reb Yitzchak Meir of Ger, who lived at the time in Warsaw. After a few years in Warsaw, Reb Yitzchok Meir thought it preferable that he move to a small town. The number of Chassidim coming to visit him and to hear his teachings had grown to thousands, and he did not think it advisable that the younger scholars should spend long periods in a big city.
The word spread like wildfire, and from all directions came requests from representatives of communities that Reb Yitzhok Meir become their spiritual leader. None of these invitations were accepted, until an invitation came from the small town of Ger (Gora Kalwaria) near Warsaw, and this the rebbe accepted at once.
At first the rebbe lived in the house which the people of Ger kept for the local rav, and his Chassidim studied and prayed in the community's beis midrash. Seeing, however, that this building could not accommodate the thousands of Chassidim who streamed there from all parts of Poland, the more prosperous amongst the Chassidim undertook to build a fitting residence for their rebbe, and next to it a spacious shul for his Chassidim. At the festive dedication of the Shul the rebbe entered the grand edifice for the first time, surrounded by huge crowds of Chassidim, and his joy at the completion of the mitzvah was beautiful to see. His address for the occasion spoke of what entering a beis midrash can do for a Jew.
He began with the Mishnah which explains: that on the day that Rabban Gamliel was removed from the office of nasi, they removed the guard from the door of the House of Study, and permission was granted to all talmidim to enter. When Rabban Gamliel had been nasi, he used to announce: “Any talmid whose inside does not match his external appearance - let him not enter the Bais Midrash.” On the day that Rabban Gamliel left office, many benches were added in the Bais Midrash, because many students who had been denied admission were now let in. Rabban Gamliel saw this and was in distress.
Why was Rabban Gamliel in distress? "Rashi," continued Reb Yitzchak Meir of Ger, "explains this last phrase by saying that Rabban Gamliel was worried that he would be punished for not having allowed those talmidim - students to enter while he was in charge. The question, though, still stands: what changed Rabban Gamliel's thinking? What made him regret his earlier policy of not letting in talmidim who were not inside as they appeared outside?
And the answer is as follows: Rabban Gamliel watched what happened to these latter talmidim as they entered the study hall: their very entry there made them immediately fix their avairas. And this explains Rabban Gamliel’s worry. He regretted not having let them in earlier, for then they might have done teshuvah long before.” (A Treasury of Chassidic Tales on the Torah, p. 264 Reb S.Y. Zevin, Meir Holder, trans.)
With all the turmoil going on in the world, we can look to our shuls and our study houses as “safe houses” where we can go to learn Hashem’s Torah and talk to Hashem.
And as we pray towards Yerushalayim in our shuls, we ask Hashem to answer our prayers and bring better times. As Yishaya prophesied: “And it shall come to pass in the end of days that the mountain of Hashem’s house shall be set over all other mountains and lifted high above the hills and all the nations shall come streaming to it. And many peoples shall come and say: Come let us go up to the Mountain of G-d to the house of the G-d of Jacob and He will teach us His ways and we will walk in His paths. For out of Tzion shall go forth the Torah and Hashem’s word from Yerushalayim.” (2:2-3) Good Shabbos Everyone.
M. Wolfberg’s stories are sponsored by: In Memory of Leah bas R' Dovid Edlen (Wolfberg) 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, a joyful Purim - rest and reflect on the creations and miracles of G-D and keep your alcohol consumption within a health frame,
Rachamim Pauli
