Parsha Vayakel, Pekuedei, HaChodesh stories in the commentary, Pessach Preparations

Please daven for Eliyahu Heshel ben Sharon. He is a 17 month baby boy who is on life support after choking on a piece of raison bread.

Enora wrote me the following as my knowledge was based on the customs in Eretz Yisrael: "The Ashkenazim and some Moroccan Jews do not eat rice on Pessach"

All Moroccan Jews don't eat rice on Pessach, not "some". HOWEVER R.Ovadia Yossef permits rice for Sephardim residing in Israel (since R. Karo was THE Rabbi of the land...)

Algerians also, do not eat rice. Tunisians only (at least out of N. African Jews) - SOME Moroccans eat chick peas (northern Morocco). The rest of us don't because Homs = chick pea in Arabic (think Hummus, pronounced Hammas) and it sounds like chametz. (Applies to Tunisians too)

The whole Minchag of not eating rice is STRANGE to me! Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri in Brachos 36 B and Pessachim 37B (unless I reversed the Daf from memory) ask if one can make the Matza Mitzvah out of Rice. The Sages told him no because rice is not one of the 5 grains of Eretz Yisrael. There was no doubt by the Sages of the Talmud or Rav Yohanan ben Nuri that one eats rice on Pessach. What happened is that over the centuries the Chumra Conception took over. (Extra strictness or caution) Perhaps a grain of wheat or Barley snuck in with the rice. Also because of worms in the coronel of rice, one is supposed to check each grain for bugs and therefore something that did not belong would be discarded in a quality control inspection. It is similar to the first chapter of Pessachim where there was a possibility that a mouse, rat or weasel stole a bread crumb put out for inspecting the Chometz and bringing it into its hole in the wall or nest on our property. Perhaps it ran to the neighbor or the next farming village. Our Sages said in the Mishna “If so there is no end to this!”.

I was asked by L.S. what do I use on Pessach for Fiber: For fiber there exists strawberries. Fiber is also in other fruits and vegetables and also Metamucil is kosher for Pessach.

Cabbage, Lettuce, Celery, Radish, Beets, Kohlrabi, and others have fiber.

AS A PUBLIC SERVICE ONE CAN SELL THEIR CHOMETZ ON LINE USING THIS FORM, FAX AND ADDRESS UNTIL SUNDAY MARCH 28 MIDNIGHT.

Since it is prohibited to possess chametz on Pesach, any chametz left indisposed must be sold to a non-Jew. [Any chametz remaining in the possession of a Jew during Pesach may not be used, eaten, bought or sold even after Pesach.] Therefore, all chametz that will not be eaten or burned before Pesach and all chametz utensils that will not be thoroughly cleaned by then should be stored away. The storage area should be locked or taped shut to be leased to the non-Jew at the time of the chametz sale. Since there are many legal intricacies in this sale, only a competent rabbi should be entrusted with its execution. The rabbi acts as our agent both to sell the chametz to the non-Jew on the morning before Pesach starts and also to buy it back the evening after Pesach ends.

Sale-of-Chametz Form

I the undersigned, fully empower and permit Rabbi Joseph Korf to act in my place and stead, and on my behalf to sell all chametz possessed by me, knowingly or unknowingly as defined by the Torah and Rabbinic Law (e.g. chametz, possible chametz, and all kinds of chametz mixtures). Also chametz that tends to harden and adhere to inside

surfaces of pans, pots, or cooking utensils, the utensils themselves, and all kinds of live animals and pets that have been eating chametz and mixtures thereof. Rabbi Joseph Korf is also empowered to lease all places wherein the chametz owned by me may be found, particularly at the address/es listed below, and elsewhere. Rabbi Joseph Korf has full right to appoint any agent or substitute in his stead and said substitute shall have full right to sell and lease as provided herein. Rabbi Joseph Korf also has the full power and right to act as he deems fit and proper in accordance with all the details of the Bill of Sale used in the transaction to sell all my chametz, chametz mixtures, etc., as provided herein. This power is in conformity with all Torah, Rabbinic and Civil laws.

Last Name: ______________________________________________

First Name: ______________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________

City: _________________________ State: _________ Zip: ________

Phone Number: __________________________________________

E-Mail: _________________________________________________

Signature: _______________________________________________

It is customary to remunerate the Rabbi for his services. (REMEMBER, the Rabbi is not a retired engineer receiving a pension with his children married off.)

To complete sale of your Chametz send form [and check] to:

Hollywood Community Synagogue-Chabad

2221 North 46th Ave. Hollywood, Fl 33021

954-967-8341-phone 954-237-7115-fax www.hcschabad.org / rabbihcs@aol.com

Parsha Vayakhel and Parsha Pekudei and HaChodesh

This week’s Parsha opens up right after the Golden Calf incident. What happened to the world at Har Sinai was as follows. Upon receiving the decologue upon the very first commandment, the souls left the body upon earing the voice of G-D and then the Angels brought them back to life each time. (Shabbos 88 A & B) The riving of the souls removed death from the world. People with diseases were cured, lost limbs regenerated and from this and his Vision, Yecheziel got his tradition and prophecy of the Valley of Dead Bones and the reviving of the dead.

So much of our faith is based upon the future rising of the dead. (Rambam 13 Principles of Faith – found in the Siddur and one can google this.) The initial death came into this world when the Angel of Death in the form of the primevil serpent had knowledge of Chava in Gan Eden with the idea of tricking Adam unto dying. Upon injecting his filth into her, she persuaded Adam to eat from the tree and bring death into the world.

Death continued to reign in the world until the giving of the Torah and then stopped. In an act of Desparation, the Angel enticed some of the mixed multitude to make the Golden Calf. One should note that the Golden Calf was a monotheistic god like the moon god of Mecca that attracted the masses some 1300 plus years ago. For the people had seen a vision similar to chapter 1 of Yechezkiel: 7 And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot; and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass. … 10 As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four had also the face of an eagle. Thus we have the legs of a cow and the face of an ox. The ignorant masses did not realize the Toras HaSod implications and that of Sefer Yetzira. This sin of the Golden Calf we are still paying for until this day and much of our troubles come from this.

Sometimes before a Gezara of death comes to a certain area the people are warned: “And Shaul said unto the Kenites ‘Go and depart’.” (1 Sam 15:6) other times if a person knows the warning signs, he is extra careful. “In times of peace, the Angel of Death walks along the side of the road and in times of plague and war; he has the right of way in the middle of the road.” This week there was an extraordinary amount of death on the highways in Israel. Not one big auto accident but many. What this foretells I do not know but if one must be on the road, he should take extra precaution. Who were the Kenites also mentioned in the story of Yael and Sisra. They were descendants of Yisro.

The day my father passed away from shoveling snow, 56 people died in New York City. Once Rabbi Shimon told the Companions not to venture outside during the next few days as the Malach HaMaves (Angel of Death) has the right of way – they stayed put in the house and when they emerged they learned that 13 people had died in their small village or town.

35:1. Moses called the whole community of the children of Israel to assemble, and he said to them: "These are the things that the Lord commanded to make.

Moses called… to assemble: Heb. וַיַּקְהֵל. [He assembled them] on the day after Yom Kippur, when he came down from the mountain. This [word] is a hiph’il [causative] expression [i.e., causing someone to do something], because one does not assemble people with [one’s] hands [i.e., directly], but they are assembled through one’s speech. Its Aramaic translation is וְאַכְנֵשׁ. The perpurtrators of the golden calf were dead and the camp had become holy enough for Moshe to teach them Torah – Rabbi Eleazar ben Shimon

2. Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have sanctity, a day of complete rest to the Lord; whoever performs work thereon [on this day] shall be put to death.

Six days: He [Moses] prefaced [the discussion of the details of] the work of the Mishkan with the warning to keep the Sabbath, denoting that it [i.e., the work of the Mishkan] does not supersede the Sabbath. -[from Mechilta]\ When Yisrael violates the Shabbos, THE HOLY ONE BLESSED BE HE can smite at once 390 Firmaments in Heaven for the lack of the Temple and Atonement and because HIS children continue to the violate Shabbos, The Angels too cry and sing: Tehillim 24:1 A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 2 For He hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. 3 Who shall ascend into the mountain of the LORD? and who shall stand in His holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not taken My name in vain, and hath not sworn deceitfully for only the righteous will be able to return to the Temple and the rest will die before their times and fall into the range of the Angel of Death. Yermiyahyu 25:30 Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them: The LORD doth roar from on high, and utter His voice from His holy habitation; He doth mightily roar because of His fold; He giveth a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth. – A combination of the words of Rabbi Eleazar ben Shimon and myself. For isn’t it so that a person defames the NAME of G-D when he violates the Shabbos.

3. You shall not kindle fire in any of your dwelling places on the Sabbath day."

You shall not kindle fire: Some of our Rabbis say that [the prohibition of] kindling was singled out for a [mere] negative commandment, while others say that it was singled out to separate [all types of labor]. -[from Shab. 70a] The Pshat is simple – the most frequent form of work in the house is lighting candles, the stove, etc. therefore in my humble opinion this form of Melacha was singled out. For not everydays does a woman sew or knit or a man sow and do Melacha associated with planting, splicing, removing fruit, gathering wheat and winnowing it or grinding it etc. The same with building and knocking down etc. However, lighting up the house at darkness was the normal state of affairs during the week. Now we leave behind the Golden Calf and the Angel of Death for the Shabbos Violators and return to the tree of life to those that hold on to it.

4. And Moses spoke to the entire community of the children of Israel, saying: "This is the word that the Lord has commanded to say:

This is the word that the Lord has commanded: me to say to you.

5. 'Take from yourselves an offering for the Lord; every generous hearted person shall bring it, [namely] the Lord's offering: gold, silver, and copper;

Generous-hearted person: Heb. נְדִיב לִבּוֹ. Since his heart moved him to generosity, he is called “generous-hearted” (נְדִיב לֵב). I already explained the offering for the Mishkan and its work in the place of their command [Exod. 25 through 34]. A deeply religious person might be willing to give everything unto charity therefore, our Sages limited charity to 20% of a person’s income. There are of course some exceptional stories about people giving more. In Sanhedrin the story goes like this: A rich Jew wanted to visit the wealthiest prostitute of all Rome. She had 7 gold foot stools leading to her bed. The man climed each one and began to undress for his thrills. Suddenly he grabbed his garment with the Tzitzis (fringes) on it. He sat down and began to cry. She asked him if he found fault in her services or beauty. He said of course not. She enquired further and further until she learned of the commandment of Tzitzis and the power of garments to testify against a person in the next world before Beis Din Shel Maalah. Immediately she decided to convert and and sold all her possessions from her ill gotten gain (leagal in Rome but not in the eyes of HASHEM for charity) so she gave the money away to the poor of the city for food and married the man and they lived happily ever after together in a Kosher manner.

6. and blue, purple, and crimson wool; and linen and goat hair; 7. and ram skins dyed red, tachash skins, and acacia wood; 8. and oil for lighting, and spices for the anointing oil and for the incense; 9 and onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate. 10 And let every wise-hearted man among you come, and make all that the LORD hath commanded: 11 the tabernacle, its tent, and its covering, its clasps, and its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets; 12 the ark, and the staves thereof, the ark-cover, and the veil of the screen; And the screening dividing curtain: Heb. הַמָּסָ פָּרֹכֶת. The dividing curtain, [which serves as a] screen. Anything that protects, whether from above or from the front, is called a screen or a cover. Similarly, “You made a hedge (שַׂכְךְתָּ) about him” (Job 1: 10); “behold I will close off your way” (Hos. 2:8). 13 the table, and its staves, and all its vessels, and the showbread; The showbread: I already explained (Exod. 25:29) that it was called לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים because it had faces [i.e., surfaces] looking in both directions, for it was made like a type of box, without a cover. Rashi is describing a standard baking pan in modern terminology where 12 were used to bake the Challos a symbol of the 12 Shevatim (tribes). 14 the candlestick also for the light, and its vessels, and its lamps, and the oil for the light

and its implements: Its tongs and its scoops.

And the oil for lighting: That too required wise-hearted [people] because it was different from other oils, as is explained in Menachoth (86a): he picks it [the olives] at the top of the olive tree, and it is crushed and pure. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

15 and the altar of incense, and its staves, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the screen for the door, at the door of the tabernacle; 16 the altar of burnt-offering, with its grating of brass, its staves, and all its vessels, the laver and its base; 17 the hangings of the court, the pillars thereof, and their sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court; \ Its pillars and its sockets: Heb. אֶת-עַמֻּדָיו וְאֶת-אִדָנֶיהָ. Thus “courtyard” (חָצֵר) is referred to here both as masculine and feminine [since עַמֻּדָיו is a masculine possessive and אִדָנֶיהָ is a feminine possessive], and so are many [other] nouns.

and the screen of the gate of the courtyard: The screen spread out on the eastern side, [covering] the middle twenty cubits of the width of the courtyard, for it [the courtyard] was fifty cubits wide, and fifteen cubits of it toward the northern side were closed off, and similarly toward the south. As it is said: “The hangings on the shoulder [shall be] fifteen cubits” (Exod. 27:14).

18. the pegs of the Mishkan and the pegs of the courtyard, and their ropes;

The pegs: [used] to drive [into the ground] and to tie the ends of the curtains with them into the ground, so that they [the curtains] would not move with the wind.

And their ropes: Heb. מֵיתְרֵיהֶם, ropes [used] to tie [the curtains]. Considering that winds can sometimes get to strong gail force winds in the Sinai and miniature dust devils during a sand storm, this is no simple feat.

19. the meshwork garments to serve in the Holy, the holy garments for Aaron the Kohen [Gadol], and the garments of his sons [in which] to serve [as kohanim].' "

The meshwork garments: to cover the ark, the table, the menorah, and the altars when they [the Israelites] would leave for their travels. These were valuable things. Just like today we have computer cases and special screen protectors for traveling for our lap top computers all the more so for items that are Holy unto the L-RD.

20. The entire community departed from before Moses.

21. Every man whose heart uplifted him came, and everyone whose spirit inspired him to generosity brought the offering of the Lord for the work of the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments.

22. The men came with the women; every generous hearted person brought bracelets and earrings and rings and buckles, all kinds of golden objects, and every man who waved a waving of gold to the Lord.\

With the women: Heb. עַל הַנָּשִׁים, lit., [the jewelry was still] on the women. The men came with the women and [stood] near them. (The reason the Targum [Onkelos] left the passage in its simple sense is that he does not render וַיָּבֹאוּ הָאִנָשִׁים as וַאִתוֹ גַבְרַיָא, and the men came, but he renders: וּמַיְתַן, [and the men] brought, meaning that they brought bracelets and earrings while they were still on [i.e., being worn by] the women, as Rashi writes on “spun the goat hair” (verse 26), [which signifies that the women spun the hair while it was still on the goats].)

Bracelets: Heb. חָח. This is a round golden ornament placed on the arm, and it is the צָמִיד.

And buckles: Heb. וְכוּמָז. This is a golden ornament placed over a woman’s private parts. Our Rabbis explain the name כּוּמָז as [an acrostic]: כַּאן מְקוֹם זִמָּה, [meaning] here is the place of lewdness. -[from Shab. 64a] The last line of Rashi is a surprise for me. It would or could mean some device that would hold some sanitary or hygienic cloths into place as unlike the Goyishe Knights of the Middle Ages there were no chasity devices in Yisrael as women were and have always been considered more G-D fearing than men! Or perhaps these buckles held some under garments in place like a girdle was used by women in the generations preceding mine to tuck in the child birth tummy. (No modern day six pack abs.) For according to Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai the secret of the “Other Side” has no connect with the secret of the human body. These mundane buckles were turned into holy objects. Thus the place of the Mitzvah of be fruitful and multiply became fitting for objects in the most sacred part of the Mishkan and Temple. For it is a tremendous job to bring a child into the world and all the more so a Bnei Yisrael child that has to be raised to be a light unto the natkions. In giving birth and raising a child to become G-D fearing and loving, the women of Yisrael raised the area into spiritual holiness.

23. And every man with whom was found blue, purple, or crimson wool, linen, goat hair, ram skins dyed red or tachash skins, brought them.

And every man with whom was found: Blue wool or purple wool or crimson wool or ram skins or tachash skins, all brought [them]. Where did all the above mentioned Jewelry and artifacts come from and the cloth and Giraffe Skins? I would assume that this came from borrowing items from their Egyptian neighbors mentioned in Shemos between Rosh Chodesh and Pessach for the “Korban in the wilderness”. 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.

24 Every one that did set apart an offering of silver and brass brought the LORD'S offering; and every man, with whom was found acacia-wood for any work of the service, brought it. 25 And all the women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, the blue, and the purple, the scarlet, and the fine linen. 26 And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun the goats' hair. Spun the goat hair: This constituted a superior skill, for they [the women] spun it on the backs of the goats. -[from Shab. 74b] We modern folk cannot imagine this. I assume that like the Bejouin today, our foremothers and the small children tended the sheep and goats while the men learned Torah or did other functions. Each one recognized her goats individually and they were petting animals. So like the women who groom dogs today, these women actually spun the wool while the hair was growing in place.

27. And the princes brought the shoham stones and filling stones for the ephod and for the choshen;

And the princes brought: Heb. וְהַנְשִׂיאִם. Rabbi Nathan said: What prompted the princes [lit., what did the princes see] to donate for the dedication of the altar first [before the rest of the Israelites] while [in contrast] they did not donate first for the work of the Mishkan? This is what the princes said, “Let the community donate what they will donate, and what[ever] they are missing [i.e., whatever is left to be donated] we will complete.” Since the community completed everything, as it is said: “And the work was sufficient” (Exod. 36:7), the princes said, “What are we to do?” So they brought the shoham stones, etc. Therefore, they brought [donations] first for the dedication of the altar. Since at first they were lazy [i.e., they did not immediately donate], a letter is missing from their name, and וְהַנְשִׂיאִם is written [instead of וְהַנְשִׂיאִים, with additional “yud” s]. [from Num. Rabbah 12:16, Sifrei Num. 7:2, Midrash Chaseroth V’Yetheroth p. 268, Midrash Tanchuma Pekudei 11] Just like the short film by Lori below this week, just do it as soon as possible. This is a lesson that one should not delay a Mitzvah unless he is in the middle of another Mitzvah.

28. and the spice and the oil for lighting and for the anointing oil, and for the incense.

29. Every man and woman whose heart inspired them to generosity to bring for all the work that the Lord had commanded to make, through Moses, the children of Israel brought a gift for the Lord

This is the end of the story of the donation of the materials from this point on, we begin to understand the actual building of the Mishkan.

Sometime in the future I will continue with:

30. Moses said to the children of Israel: "See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.

Hur: He was Miriam’s son. -[from Sotah 11b] – He died on Kiddush HASHEM in trying to prevent the golden calf from ever being built.

38;8 And he made the laver of brass, and the base thereof of brass, of the mirrors of the serving women that did service at the door of the tent of meeting.

From the mirrors of the women who had set up the legions: Heb. בְּמַרְאֹתהַצֹבְאֹת Israelite women owned mirrors, which they would look into when they adorned themselves. Even these [mirrors] they did not hold back from bringing as a contribution toward the Mishkan, but Moses rejected them because they were made for temptation [i.e., to inspire lustful thoughts]. The Holy One, blessed is He, said to him, “Accept [them], for these are more precious to Me than anything because through them the women set up many legions [i.e., through the children they gave birth to] in Egypt.” When their husbands were weary from back-breaking labor, they [the women] would go and bring them food and drink and give them to eat. Then they [the women] would take the mirrors and each one would see herself with her husband in the mirror, and she would seduce him with words, saying, “I am more beautiful than you.” And in this way they aroused their husbands desire and would copulate with them, conceiving and giving birth there, as it is said: “Under the apple tree I aroused you” (Song 8:5). This is [the meaning of] what is בְּמַרְאֹתהַצֹבְאֹת [lit., the mirrors of those who set up legions]. From these [the mirrors], the washstand was made, because its purpose was to make peace between a man and his wife. [How so?] By giving a drink from the water that was in it [the washstand] to [a woman] whose husband had warned her [not to stay in private with a certain man] and she secluded herself [with him anyway. The water would test her and either destroy her or prove her innocence. See Num. 5:11-31]. You should know that they were actually mirrors, because it is said: “The copper of the waving was seventy talents… From that he made…” (Exod. 38:29, 30), but the washstand and its base were not mentioned there [among the things produced from the seventy talents. Thus,] you have learned that the copper of the washstand was not of the copper of the waving. So did Rabbi Tanchuma expound [on the matter] (Midrash Tanchuma, Pekudei 9; Num. Rabbah 9:14). And so did Onkelos render: בְּמֶחְזְיַתנְשַׁיָא [“the mirrors of the women”], which is the Aramaic translation of מַרְאוֹת, mirrors in French. So we find in Isaiah (3:23) וְהַגִּלְיֹנִים (sic), which we render: וּמַחְזְיָתָא, and the mirrors. who congregated: to bring their donation.

- As I indicated at the time of the command to make the laver for the Mishkan.

… 39:33 And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the Tent, and all its furniture, its clasps, its boards, its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets; Now they brought the Mishkan to Moses, etc.: Because they could not erect it. Since Moses had done no work in the Mishkan, the Holy One, blessed is He, left for him the task of erecting it [the Mishkan], since no human being could erect it [by himself] because of the heaviness of the planks; and no human was strong enough to put them up, but Moses [was able to] put it up. Moses said before the Holy One, blessed is He, “How is it possible for a human being to erect it [the Mishkan]?” He [God] replied, “You work with your hand.” He [Moses] appeared to be erecting it, and it arose by itself. This is [the meaning of] what it says: “the Mishkan was set up” (Exod. 40:17). It was set up by itself. [This is found in] the midrash of Rabbi Tanchuma. -[from Midrash Tanchuma 11] The equivalent to Pyramid Engineers and Technicians were in the desert yet they did not have the faintest idea on how to erect these heavy sides and hold them into place. Since Moshe is not know for being stronger than Shimon so from here it is easy enough to conject that Moshe touched the board, used the DIVINE NAME and it stood into place. Once the Leviim and the the Am saw how it was built, it was simple enough for a few thousand Leviim to erect the Mishkan and also to Dismantle it. 34 and the covering of rams' skins dyed red, and the covering of sealskins, and the veil of the screen; 35 the ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the ark-cover; 36 the table, all the vessels thereof, and the showbread; 37 the pure candlestick, the lamps thereof, even the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for the light; 38 and the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the screen for the door of the Tent; 39 the brazen altar, and its grating of brass, its staves, and all its vessels, the laver and its base; 40 the hangings of the court, its pillars, and its sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court, the cords thereof, and the pins thereof, and all the instruments of the service of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting; 41 the plaited garments for ministering in the holy place; the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office. 42 According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did all the work. 43 And Moses saw all the work, and, behold, they had done it; as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it. And Moses blessed them … So Moses blessed them: He said to them, “May it be His will that the Shechinah should rest in the work of your hands. And may the pleasantness of the Lord our God be upon us…” (Ps. 90:17), and this is one of the eleven psalms in “A prayer of Moses” (Ps. 90:1). -[from Num. Rabbah 12: Chazak-Chazak v’nit Chazak Haftorah Parshas Hachodesh Yechezkel 45:16 by Rabbi Dovid Siegel This week's haftorah which we read in conjunction with Parshas Hachodesh portrays the upcoming month of Nissan in a brilliant light. It begins with an elaborate description of the special sacrifices which will introduce the Messianic era. The prophet Yechezkel focuses on the dedication of the third Bais Hamikdash and says, "On the first day of the first month(Nissan) take a perfect bullock and purify the Bais Hamikdash." (45:18)The Radak (ad loc.) notes that the Jewish nation will return to Eretz Yisroel long before this. During that time most of the construction of the Bais Hamikdash will be completed leaving only final stages for the month of Nissan. Radak suggests that the inaugural services will begin seven days prior to the month of Nissan and will conclude on Rosh Chodesh itself. He offers with this an interpretation to the classic saying of Chazal "In Nissan we were redeemed and in Nissan we are destined to be redeemed." These words, in his opinion, refer to the events of our Haftorah wherein we are informed that the service in the Bais Hamikdash will begin in the month of Nissan. As we follow these dates closely, we discover a striking similarity between the dedication of the final Bais Hamikdash and of the Mishkan. Historically speaking, each of them revolves around the month of Nissan. In fact, as we have discovered, they are both completed on the exact same date, Rosh Chodesh Nissan. But this specific date reveals a more meaningful dimension to these dedications. The month of Nissan, as we know, has special significance to the Jewish people; it marks our redemption from Egyptian bondage. In truth, this redemption process began on the first day of Nissan. Because, as we discover in this week's Maftir reading, Hashem began preparing the Jewish people for their redemption on Rosh Chodesh Nissan. All of this indicates a direct corollary between the Jewish people's redemption and the erection of the Sanctuary and the final Bais Hamikdash. Rosh Chodesh Nissan, the date which introduced our redemption and afterwards our service in the Mishkan will ultimately introduce the service of the final Bais Hamikdash. In search for an understanding of this, we refer to Nachmanides' insightful overview to Sefer Shmos. In essence, the Sefer of Shmos spans the Jewish people's exile and redemption. It begins with the descent of Yaakov and his household to Egypt and concludes with the exodus of our entire nation. Yet, almost half of the sefer is devoted to the intricacies of the Sanctuary, something seemingly unrelated to redemption! Nachmanides explains that the Jewish redemption extended far beyond the physical boundaries of Egypt. Before they left the land of Israel, Yaakov and his sons enjoyed a close relationship with Hashem. The devotion of the Patriarchs had produced such an intense level of sanctity that Hashem's presence was commonplace amongst them. However with their descent to Egypt, this experience faded away and, to some degree, distance developed between themselves and Hashem. Over the hundreds of years in Egypt, this distance grew and they eventually lost all association with Him. Nachmanides explains that even after their liberation from Egyptian bondage, scars of exile remained deeply imprinted on them. Having left Egypt, they began rebuilding their relationship with Hashem and prepared for a long journey homeward to Him. Finally, with the erection of the Sanctuary, they reached their ultimate destiny and reunited with Hashem. The Sanctuary created a tangible experience of Hashem's presence amongst them, the clearest indication of His reunification with them. With this final development, the Jewish people's redemption was complete. They now returned to the status of the Patriarchs, and were totally bound to their Creator. All scars of their exile disappeared and they could now, enjoy the closest relationship with their beloved, Hashem. This perspective is best reflected in the words of Chazal in P'sikta Rabsi. Our Chazal inform us that, in reality, all the segments of the Sanctuary were already completed in the month of Kislev. However, Hashem waited until Nissan which is called "the month of the Patriarchs", for the erection and inauguration of the Mishkan. With the insight of Nachmanides we can appreciate the message of this P'sikta. As stated, the erection of the Sanctuary represented the completion of our Jewish redemption,their reunification with Hashem. In fact, this unification was so intense that it was tantamount to the glorious relationship of the Patriarchs and Hashem. In essence this present Jewish status reflected that of the Patriarchs in whose merit this relationship had been reinstated. It was therefore only proper to wait until Nissan for the dedication of the Sanctuary. Nissan which was the month of the Patriarchs was reserved for this dedication, because it reflected the Jewish people's parallel level to the Patriarchs themselves. In this week's Haftorah, we discover that this concept will continue into the Messianic era and the inauguration of the final Bais Hamikdash. Our ultimate redemption, as in our previous ones, will not be considered complete until we merit the Divine Presence in our midst. Even after our return to Eretz Yisroel, which will transpire long before Nissan, we will continue to bear the scar tissue of thousands of years of exile. Only after Hashem returns to us resting His presence amongst us will we truly be redeemed. This magnificent revelation will, quite obviously, occur in the month of Nissan. Our final redemption which reflects Hashem's return to His people will join the ranks of our redemptions and be introduced on that glorious day, Rosh Chodesh Nissan. May we learn from them to totally subjugate ourselves to our Creator, thereby meriting the final and total destruction of Amalek and his followers. Credit should be given to the Torah.org and one can subscribe to this Haftarah weekly I also beiieve that Rabbi Siegel lives in or has a home in Kiriat Sefer: Text Copyright © 1998 Rabbi Dovid Siegel and Project Genesis, Inc. The author is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chesed of Skokie. Kollel Toras Chesed 3732 West Dempster Skokie, Illinois 60076 Phone: 847-674-7959Fax: 847-674-4023

Mitzvos and Halachos by Danny Shoemann

It's a Mitzva to not do Melacha (certain types of work) on Shemini Atzeres - the last 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 two last days of Sukkoth (Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah), by Rabbinic decree. Applies to everybody, everywhere, always Verse: "The eighth day shall be a day of gathering... called Holy" (Vayikra 23:37)
Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 37

A judge is not allowed to be afraid of anybody. Even if a defendant is powerful and abusive, the judge is not allowed to be afraid that he will be harmed. A judge may decline from continuing to judge a case, unless the case has progressed to a point where he has figured out who is correct. A student - while watching a court case - who thinks of a reason that will help one of the defendants, but is afraid to speak up in front of his teacher, is included in this prohibition. Applies to everybody, always, everywhere Verse: "Do not fear anybody" (Devarim 1:17) Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer HaMitzvos HaKatzar; Prohibition 72

One witness is insufficient to help the Bet Din decide a court case. Unless there are 2 Kosher witnesses, a case cannot be decided on the basis of witnesses. Applies to everybody, always, everywhere Verse: "Do not decide by the word of one witness" (Devarim 19:16) Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer HaMitzvos HaKatzar; Prohibition 73

A Bet Din may not accept witnesses who intentionally do not keep all aspects of Jewish law. If one knows that the other witness is not Kosher, but the Bet Din do not, then one may not give testimony. Similarly, if one knows that the 2nd witness will lie, one may not testify. Applies to everybody, everywhere, always Verse: "Do not give a hand to a wicked person to be a witness" (Shemot 23:1)Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 75

A Bet Din is not allowed to accept relatives as witnesses. Witnesses cannot be related to each other, nor to the defendant. Applies to everybody, always, everywhere
Verse: "Do not kill fathers by their sons..." (Devarim 24:17) Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer HaMitzvos HaKatzar; Prohibition 74 There is a full discussion on this in Chapter 2 of Tractate Sanhedrin. Also in the discussion is if one of the complainants can use with the agreement of the other his father or the other’s father. For example the son of a Chassidic Rebbe is in dispute with another Chassid can the Rebbe really be impartial? I have that with my grandchildren and had it with my children and this is the way of the world.

The intermediary days of Pessach and Sukkos are known as Chol HaMoed. Some types of work are permitted, others are forbidden. Writing is only allowed in cases of need:
Writing down information so that it won't be forgotten is allowed. Writing letters to friends and family is allowed. The custom is to write the first line at an angle as a reminder that writing is only partially permitted. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 104. I often have to answer cyber net questions on Chol HaMoed. BLOOD BANKS AND DOCTORS write on Shabbos but do the first letter with a change or with the left hand – this is the best way for Chol HaMoed too same with answering the phone on Shabbos like saying Shabbos and continuing.

At the Seder one reads the entire Haggada. However, there's no Mitzva per se, to read the Haggada. There's a Mitzva in the Torah to tell ones children the story of the Exodus from Egypt in Question-Answer format on Seder night. The Haggada gives a framework so that one covers all required parts of the story, which is why it's important to understand and explain all those parts of the Haggada that recount the slavery, 10 plagues and deliverance, in a language that all participants understand.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 119:4

On Seder night there's a Mitzva in the Torah to eat a piece of roasted Korban Pessach on Matza with Marror (bitter herbs). Until the Bet Hamikdash (temple) is rebuilt we only have the Matza and Marror. The minimum Torah requirement is to eat a Kezayit (an olive's worth) of Matza, which is approximately one-third of a square machine-Matza. At a typical Seder it's customary to eat 2 Kezeitim for Motzi-Matza, a 3rd for the Hillel-sandwich and a fourth for the Afikomen. On Seder night there's also a Rabbinic requirement to drink 4 cups of wine. All the above - besides for the Marror - must be eaten while leaning on ones left side. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 119:4, 5, 7
May we merit to eat the Korban Pessach soon, in our lifetime.

The last time the Torah Reading consisted of a double-Parsha was the week before Rosh Hashana; Shabbat Nitzavim-Vayelech. This week we once again have a double Parsha: Vayakel-Pekudei. This year all the "candidates" are doubled except for Chukat-Balak. (In Israel, Chukat-Balak are never joined.) Whenever there's a double Parsha, they are joined during the 4th Aliya. When there is a double Parsha, we usually read the Haftara of the second Parsha. This week is an exception, since it's also Shabbat Hachodesh.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 79:6

This Shabbos we take out 2 Sifrei Torah. In the first we will read the double Parsha of Vayakel-Pekudai and in the second we will read Parshat Hachodesh (Exodus Ch. 12, Verses 1-20). Parshat Hachodesh reminds us of the following upcoming Mitzvos: - The month of Nissan (which begins on Tuesday) is the first month on the Jewish calendar, as the opening words of Parshat Hachodesh proclaim: "This month is for you the first month". - The laws of Korban Pessach; sacrificed on Erev Pessach in the afternoon, it had to be roasted whole and then eaten on the first night of Pessach with Matza and Marror (bitter herbs). - Leftovers had to be burnt on the first day of Chol Hamoed.

- Matza needs to be made carefully to ensure it doesn't become Chametz (leaven).
- The first and last days of Pessach are Yom Tov.
- One may not own Chometz, nor eat it, during Pessach.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 140:2 Shabbat Shalom uMevorach

Non-Edible Durable Items and Pessach

Rabbi A. L. sent me this warning: Shampoos: Aquamarin; Head & Shoulders; Pantene: PANTENE PRO-V shampoo & conditioner Blond, Brunette ARE NOT KOSHER FOR PESACH; other Pantene shampoos are acceptable for Pesach. Revlon Flex; Sebex Shampoo-Topical; Selsun Blue Lotion.

Rat Traps may have Chometz in the Bait so the bait should be put away or the entire trap.

Mouth Wash OUP: CREST Whitening Rinse; FLUROCARE Dual Rinse; LISTERINE: Antiseptic (all flavors), Listermint, Listerine Mouthwash (all forms), Tartar Control;

SCOPE (all); TOM’S OF MAINE: Mouthwash [Kosher], Natural Mouthwash --- Cinnamint / Spearmint [Kosher], Spearmint Tartar control, Peppermint Tartar Control Mouthwash

Tooth Paste OUP: AQUAFRESH: Advanced, Cavity Protection, Dr. Seuss, Extra Fresh, Kids, White & Shine, Whitening Mint; COLGATE Platinum: Gentle Plus, Whitening System Overnight Sys; PREVIDENT: 5000 Plus, Brush-on Gel, mint; SENSODYNE: Baking Soda -Tartar Control, Extra Whitening Formula, Fresh Mint; ULTRABRITE (All);

VIADENT Gel (With Fluoride)

Lipstick OUP: ALMAY: Ideal Lipgloss, Ideal Lipcolor, Ideal Lipliner, One Coat Lip Color, Truly Lasting; Lipcolor; CLINIQUE: Cream Shaper For Lips, Long Last Glosswear Spf15, Quickliner For Lips; COVER GIRL: Continuous Color Lipstick, Lip Pencils, Lipslicks; Outlast Lipstick, Outlast Smoothwear Lipliner, Outlast All-Day Lipcolor; ESTEE LAUDER: Double Wear Stay-In-Place Lip Duo-Basecoat, MARY KAY: Satin Lips Lip Balm; MAX FACTOR: Lipfinity, Lipfinity Everlites, Lipfinity Lustres; REVLON: Crushed Belvet Lip Crème, Midnight Swirl Lip Lustre; Colorstay Overtime Lipcolor, Colorstay Overtime Sheer Color, Colorstay Soft & Smooth

Aluminum Foil, Bleach, plain dental floss = no flavor, paper plates, cups, etc. no Heckshir needed.

Coffee: Only Folgers, Taster’s Choice regular & unflavored No other coffee may be used without Pesach Hashgochah Note: Some decaffeinated and flavored teas may contain Chametz.

Tea Bags: Only regular, unflavored Note: Some decaffeinated and flavored teas may contain Chometz.

Deodorants: ALMAY (roll-on, soft solid, stay dry); HI & DRI: Deodorant Stick, Roll-On Antiperspirant, Solid Antiperspirant;

LADY SPEED STICK antiperspirant & deodorant (all variants);

MITCHUM: Clear Gel, Cool Dry, Cream, Original Roll-On, Smart Solid, Solid;

OLD SPICE: deodorant and antiperspirant;

RIGHT GUARD: Extreme Body Spray (all), antiperspirant, deodorant (all), Sport Antiperspirant/Deodorant (all);

SECRET: deodorant and antiperspirant;

SOFT & DRI: antiperspirant, deodorant (all), Clear Glide antiperspirant, deodorant (all), Powerstripe

Antiperspirant, deodorant;

SURE: Antiperspirant / Deodorant

Denture Cleaners and Paste and Adhesive have certain brands too have Heckshirim

Dish washing liquids need an OUP.

THE FOLLOWING MAY CONTAIN CHOMETZ:

Baby foods and baby cereals: baby foods in general are processed on Chometz equipment Baby Powder may contain oats or starch which may be Chametz

Balloons: the white powder inside may be Chometz

Bath Treatment: Aveeno and Rainbow Light brand Oatmeal Bath Treatment should be put away and sold or disposed of before Pesach.

Charcoal briquettes

Confectioners’ sugar

Citric Acid: Sour Salt

Dextro-Maltose: Domestically-produced dextrose is made of corn; imported dextrose may be Chometz.

Dried fruit

Ensure, Enlive and other liquid supplements appear in the next section together with Infant Formulas

Finger Paints: Elmer’s & Ross may contain Chametz

Glue: All Krazy Glue, Elmer’s and Ross Glue products are made of synthetic ingredients and may be used. Others may contain Chametz.

Hydrolyzed vegetable protein

Insect and rodent traps

Lactaid - both caplets and drops

MSG - monosodium glutamate - may contain Chametz

Mustard

Nescafe with chicory

Paper Plates: Uncoated paper plates may contain

Chometz starch

Paper Towels - The first and last three sections of a

roll should be discarded due to the starch glue

used at those sections.

Peeled vegetables must have a Pesach Hashgochah

Perfumes except those listed in previous section

Play Dough

Rubber gloves or plastic gloves with starch

Splenda contains Kitniyos – One can use Saccharine – after the Nutra-sweet (Aspartame Danger of causing pancreatic Cancer – The Halacha says to avoid it all year around)

Tapioca itself is not Chometz, but Chometz starch may have been added to it

Tea: Some decaffeinated and flavored teas may contain Chometz

Throat Lozenges

Vinyl transparent tablecloths May be coated with a powder which may be Chametz.

Vitamins

Washable paste, vinyl paste and wallpaper paste

THE GENERAL RULE REGARDING MEDICATIONS IS THAT IF THE SPECIALIST HAS GIVEN YOU TO TAKE SUCH A MEDICINE ONE SHOULD CONSULT WITH THE SPECIALIST ABOUT THE CONTENTS OF THE MEDICATION AND IF THERE IS A SUBSTITUTE. ONE CAN ASK IF NOT TAKING IT FOR A WEEK WOULD BE OK OR A HEALTH DANGER (ETC) WE ARE USUALLY IN FAVOR OF WHAT THE SPECIALIST PERSCRIBLED UNLESS THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE.

The Actor with a Glass Eye the underlined part shows that he is a Patriot and not a Pin Head.

I saw somebody’s Facebook Page and he had Peter Falk as his profile photo from a Detective Colombo series: Born in New York City, Falk was the son of Michael Peter Falk, owner of a clothing and dry goods store, and his wife, Madeline, an accountant and buyer.^[3] His father was Polish and his mother Russian.^[4] He is the grandson of Miksa Falk, chief editor of the Budapest newspaper Pester Lloyd.

His right eye was surgically removed at the age of three because of a malignant tumor; he has worn a glass eye for most of his life.^[5] Despite the handicap, Falk participated in team sports, mainly baseball and basketball, as a boy. In a 1997 interview in Cigar Aficionado magazine with Arthur Marx, Falk said, "I remember once in high school the umpire called me out at third base when I was sure I was safe. I got so mad I took out my glass eye, handed it to him and said, 'Try this.' I got such a laugh you wouldn't believe." ^[4]

Falk's first stage appearance was at the age of 12 in The Pirates of Penzance at Camp High Point^[6] in upstate New York. Falk attended Ossining High School in Westchester County, New York, where he was a star athlete and president of his senior class. After graduating from high school in 1945, Falk briefly attended Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, and then tried to join the armed services as World War II was drawing to a close. Rejected because of his glass eye, he joined the United States Merchant Marine, and served as a cook and mess boy. "There they don't care if you're blind or not", Falk said in 1997. "The only one on a ship who has to see is the captain. And in the case of the Titanic, he couldn't see very well, either."^[4] Falk recalls this period in his autobiography:

A year on the water was enough for me, so I returned to college. I didn't stay long. Too itchy. What to do next? I signed up to go to Israel to fight in the war with Egypt. . . . I just wanted more excitement. . . . However, the war, to everyone's amazement, was over in the blink of an eye.^[7]

After a year and a half in the Merchant Marine, Falk returned to Hamilton College and also attended the University of Wisconsin. He transferred to the New School for Social Research in New York City, which awarded him a bachelor's degree in literature and political science in 1951. He then traveled in Europe and worked on a railroad in Yugoslavia for six months.^[8] He returned to New York, enrolling at Syracuse University ^[4], but he recalled in his 2006 memoir Just One More Thing that he was unsure what he wanted to do with his life for years after leaving high school.^[9]

Falk obtained a master's degree in public administration at Syracuse University in 1953. It was a new program designed to train future workers in the federal bureaucracy, a career that Falk said in his memoir that he had "no interest in and no aptitude for."^[10] He applied for a job with the CIA, but was rejected because of his membership in the Marine Cooks and Stewards Union while serving in the Merchant Marine, even though he was required to join and was not active in the union.^[11] He then became a management analyst with the Connecticut State Budget Bureau in Hartford.^[12] Falk characterized his Hartford job as "efficiency expert." "I was such an efficiency expert that the first morning on the job, I couldn't find the building where I was to report for work", he said in 1997. "Naturally, I was late, which I always was in those days, but ironically it was my tendency never to be on time that got me started as a professional actor."

Can Negative be turned into Positive a quote from the Lubavitcher Rebbe from Masha W.? "We don't like it when we lose something, we think, "what gain could there be in loss?" But loss, too, is a way of growth. Much growth is simply learning to let go, to loosen the card that ties you to your "stuff" to your material things, such as this thing you're missing. Only once that is achieved can you emerge onto a higher plane, a plane open wide enough to contain more light and life than before. The divine energy that before brought a loss - can now bring openly and clearly a blessing and much gain.

Rabbi A.L. sent me this which I thought I would share with you because certain things like Kitniyos and other Minchagim can be brushed aside on Pessach to save a human life.

The Rabbi Jacob S. Kassin Memorial Halacha Series
Authored by Rabbi Eli J. Mansour (3/5/2010)

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Description: Violating Shabbat to Administer Medical Care to a Critically Ill Patient

The famous Halacha of "Pikuah Nefesh" establishes that the concern for a Jew's life overrides the prohibitions of Shabbat. The laws of Shabbat may, and in fact must, be violated when this is necessary to save the life of a seriously ill patient. It is critically important for people to acquaint themselves with the detailed Halachos of "Pikuah Nefesh," as when such situations arise, people do not normally have the opportunity to begin searching through books to find the Halacha. These Halachos must be learned so that when one finds himself in a situation of a critically ill patient in need of urgent care, Heaven forbid, he will know exactly what should be done.

The custom of the Sephardim, following the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch, is to have specifically an adult, Jewish male violate Shabbat in situations of "Pikuah Nefesh." If the job is assigned to a gentile, people might mistakenly conclude that a Jew may not violate Shabbat to save a life. Similarly, if the job is assigned a woman, people might think that men should not violate Shabbat in situations of "Pikuah Nefesh." The same concern arises if a child is given the task, which might give the impression that adults may not transgress Shabbat for "Pikuah Nefesh." Therefore, according to Sephardic practice, specifically an adult Jewish male should be called upon to violate Shabbat for the sake of helping a critically ill patient. (It should also be noted that a Jew would presumably exert himself more fully to help a fellow Jew than a gentile would, and for this reason, too, it is preferable for a Jew to tend to the patient's needs.)

Interestingly enough, the Rambam (Rabbi Moshe Maimonides, Spain-Egypt, 1135-1204) goes even further, claiming that the most righteous man available should be the one chosen for the purpose. In order to impress upon people the importance of saving a Jewish life, according to the Rambam, the greatest Rabbi available should be called upon to violate Shabbat to tend to a critically ill patient.

Chacham Ben Tzion Abba Shaul, in one of his published responsa, qualified the Shulchan Aruch's ruling requiring an adult Jewish male to violate Shabbat in cases of "Pikuah Nefesh." He writes that this applies only to the actual administering of medical treatment, such as turning on machines, preparing the intravenous feeding system, and the like. When it comes to needs that are not directly related to administering treatment, however, then it is preferable to either ask a gentile to perform the action in question, or for a Jew to perform the action with a "Shinui" (in an unusual manner). For example, if a heater or light needs to be turned on in the patient's room, then a gentile should be asked to turn the switch, or a Jew should do so in some unusual manner, such as with his elbow. By the same token, if a prescription must be written, this should be done by a gentile, or by a Jew in an unusual manner.

Summary: If a critically ill patient requires emergency medical care on Shabbat which entails violating the Shabbat prohibitions, an adult, Jewish male should be called upon to perform the acts in question, to emphasize the point that the concern for human life overrides the Shabbat prohibitions. This applies, however, only to the actual administering of medical care. When it comes to secondary needs such as turning on a heater or writing a prescription, it is preferable to either ask a gentile or for a Jew to perform the act in an unusual manner.

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More on the Lemba Tribe in Africa: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3858767,00.html

OU Kosher Pre Pesach Webcast - Tuesday, March 23 - 2:30 PM

With Rabbi Yisroel Belsky and Rabbi Hershel Schachter

Focusing on: Selling Chometz, Chometz after Pesach, Seder and Haggadah

Email your questions to: safrane@ou.org

View the webcast at: http://www.ou.org/ouradio/kosher_webcast

Note I write Chametz - Leaven as Chometz is Vinegar and can be Kosher for Pessach. RP

Reminder that Pessach and the rest of the Yomim Tovim this year until Purim next year fall very early Pessach falls this year on the evening of Mar. 29^th and we stop eating and dealing with Chametz in the morning around 9 to 10 O’clock depending on daylight savings time or not CLOR (check with your local Orthodox Rabbi). Also the night of the 28^th we check for Chametz with a candle. Places near inflammable liquids and goods can be checked with a pin point flashlight but normal places are checked with a candle. The 7^th of Pessach starts April 4^th at sunset and in Israel ends April 5^th somewhere between 42 to 45 minutes after sundown for outside of Israel add one more day including people who are living in Galus. Shevous is on the evening of May 18^th and continues until after sundown on the 19^th and for Galus (Hutz LaAretz) add a day. The fast of the 17^th of Tammuz is from June 28^th to 29^th and Tisha B’Av on the 19^th to 20^th of July with Rosh Hashana this year from the night of Sept. 8^th (we make an Eruv Tavshillin and ends as Shabbos comes in. In Hutz LaAretz the Eruv applies for Sukkos and Simchas Torah 2 and 3 weeks later. Yom Kippur is Shabbos Sept. 18^th and people ill eating and drinking less than a Shuir do not make Kiddush!

I was asked by Candidate for Congress Robert Lowry to speak to Americans Against Hate protesting the Arab Lobby CAIR. I gave a three minute phone call to his headquarters and recorded a much longer conversation.

The Lebanese Christians and the Sunnis who welcomed the advancing Israeli troops with flowers and rice in ’82 in the Shalom HaGalil operation had to flee their homes and today it is a Hezballah Stronghold. In 1977 I was a paramedic on border patrol. During the day I would sometimes visit the good fence in Metulla. During that time I saw Lebanese civilians come for help. Men, women and children with shrapnel wounds and many women in fear that needed valium but the doctor would not dope them up because that had to be alert. Instead he gave them Acomol something like Tylenol. I felt sorry for them. After the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon these people were forced to flee their homes and today it is a Hezballah base with rockets pointed at Israeli civilians.

The same thing is happening in the Sudan and in Yemen.

Yemen aka Teman: About 2950 years ago in the days of Shlomo HaMelech, Jewish/Bnei Yisrael traders went to Africa and throughout the Middle-East. The Queen of Sheba aka Malka Sheva came to Yerushalayim because of Shlomo’s wisdom and name. Among other places was Teman which was a trade route via Eilat to India and South Africa. This continued on throughout the first Temple Period then the people intermarried in the course of generations that genetically they were candidates for bone marrow donations. However after living in peace between the pagans in Teman and the Jews or centuries about 1300 the Islamic conquest came and then there was Jihad on the Jews. Now it is becoming a heaven for Al Qaeda and the Jihadist. The Jihadist only know how to harvest terror and murder and are not satisfied until their enemies are driven out or convert for them there is no compromise and this is what we are up against.

This week with Lori: http://www.aish.com/sp/lal/85938332.html

Reincarnation aka Gilgul Neshamos: Ever walk into a place where you make friends and hit it off immediate with somebody like if he/she was your brother or sister or best pal. The same is true for enemies. Virtual friends I have many and true friends too but it only takes a handful of characters to be real enemies. I have a philosophical question that I will only know the answer after 120 years. Did I do something really bad in a past life that these characters are so hateful of me? Some from the very start before we could get together or perhaps they should have been forgiving or they continue in this life groundless hatred of me – one thing is for sure with these characters that I cannot possibly atone to them for a past life if they hate me so much. Or their unprovoked hatred is my atonement for the next world?

Inyanay Diyoma

Beautiful Music Number 2 Taliban Sings: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,588807,00.html

Who are the Al Qaeda 7? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIxg7LmlEQg&feature=player_embedded

When your friend deserts you and your enemies are worried that you might not be strong enough something stinks to high heaven:

Petraeus' comments referred mainly to the two main Persian Gulf state, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In fact, the UAE foreign minister, referring to the assassination of Hamas member al-Mabhouh, noted this week that his country and Israel see eye to eye on the Iranian issue.

Reports of the Biden conversations in Jerusalem Tuesday have reached Riyadh. They reveal that not only is the Obama administration leaning hard on Israel to abstain from attacking Iran, but is even retreating from harsh sanctions. Such penalties have no been put on hold for five months.
The Saudis are as deeply alarmed by the latest American stance on Iran is as the Israelis. http://www.debka.com/article/8640/

When Johnny comes marching home: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/136451

THE SMELL OF ORGANIC FERTILIZER RISES HERE. A SMALL STINK IS FROM THE BULL THE MORE ODOROUS ONE IS FROM THE HORSE: The complaints leveled against Israel by European countries and Australia, regarding the alleged misuse of passports by the Mossad in the assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, ring hollow and smack of blatant hypocrisy. Whoever did kill Mabhouh - whether it was Israel's Mossad or someone else - clearly did have their agents use stolen or forged passports. Big deal.

Every good intelligence agency uses stolen and forged passports. The British have been especially adept at this means of spy craft. No country that uses fake passports in their intelligence operations has the moral authority to complain about the alleged misuse of passports in this case. The only ones that have a legitimate grievance are those individuals whose passports may have been misused without their knowledge.

I guess it's the job of foreign ministries to complain publicly when other nations do what they themselves do secretly. Hypocrisy is, after all, the homage that vice pays to virtue. I'm reminded of the famous scene in Casablanca, when officer Renault declares, "I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!" A croupier then approaches Renault, and hands him a roll of currency: "Your winnings, sir."

The hypocrisy in this case seems even more blatant than usual. Is it because Israel is the alleged offender, and the world has gotten accustomed to singling out Israel for double standard condemnation?

Shortly after the terrorist attacks in Bali, which killed a large number of Australian tourists, I had the opportunity to meet with the Australian prime minister. I was writing a book at the time on preemption, and I asked him whether he would have authorized a preemptive attack on the terrorist who killed Australian citizens, if such an attack would have saved their lives. His response was that Australia would have done anything it could, to prevent these terrorist attacks. Anything, I guess, except misusing passports.

Is there anybody who believes that Australia would not have used forged or stolen passports to prevent the Bali massacres? If Great Britain could have stopped the London subway attack by misusing passports, would M6 have allowed the terrorism to go forward in the name of preserving passport integrity? Of course not. The same is true of Spain with regard to the Madrid bombing and of every other country in the world that seeks to prevent terrorism. Well, if the Mossad did in fact kill Mabhouh, they too did it to prevent the killing of their innocent civilians.

The Israelis are always accused by their enemies, and sometimes even by their friends, of taking "disproportionate" action to stop terrorists. But what could be more proportionate than a carefully planned and specifically targeted attack on an admitted terrorist who boasted of being an active combatant? Whoops! I guess I forgot about those darn passports. That must be the disproportionate action complained about. Saving innocent lives, on the one hand - misusing passports on the other. I guess the right moral resolution, according to some foreign ministries, is to let innocent victims die - at least as long as they're Israeli.

It's interesting, and disturbing, that more criticism is being directed against Israel for allegedly using stolen passports than for allegedly killing a terrorist. That's because no western country wants to appear to be sympathetic to a terrorist. The "victims" of passport fraud are innocent civilians, but the injury they have suffered pales in comparison to the injuries - deaths - prevented by the well-deserved death of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh.

If the deaths of a small number of innocent civilians is deemed "proportional" to the killing of a terrorist combatant, than surely the discomfort of a small number of innocent victims of passport fraud is proportional.

The high dudgeon expressed by foreign ministries over stolen passports is worse than hypocritical. It undercuts the war against terrorism.

There ought to be concern, among western democracies, about how easy it is to use forged or stolen passports. Dubai should be conducting an investigation, but the focus should be on how simple it was for those carrying these phony passports to get into their country. The misuse of passports is, after all, a primary tool used by terrorists to smuggle themselves into western countries, from which they can engage in worldwide terrorism. There are thousands of forged and fraudulent British passports circulating around the world today. Many are in the hands of terrorists. That should be the focus of any investigation, not the occasional and controlled misuse of passports by western intelligence agencies to combat terrorism.

Whomever snuck into Dubai using fake passports may have done that country a service in warning them to tighten up their passport procedures. Next time it may be a terrorist who tries to enter the country. Wait! Isn't that exactly what happened when Mabhouh walked through security using a real passport with his real name? I guess in Dubai you don't have to use a fake passport if you're a terrorist, but you do if you're trying to stop terrorists - at least if the terrorism is directed only against Israel. I guess Dubai is less concerned about letting terrorists into their country with real passports than in letting those who would stop terrorism into their country with fake passports. It's a topsy-turvy world out there. http://cgis.jpost.com/Blogs/dershowitz/entry/an_intelligence_agency_misused_passports

The Iran Threat by Ambassador (ret.) Yoram Ettinger from E. Winston

"Second Thought" Jerusalem Cloakroom # 234, March 7, 2010

1. Iran's super-goal: Domination of the Persian Gulf and its natural resources.

2. Iran's super-enemies: Those who undermine Iran's super-goal.

3. Iran's super-capabilities: Nuclear capabilities are developed in order to advance Iran's super-goal and defeat Iran's super-enemies.

4. Iran's nuclear would be leveraged, mostly, to force US and NATO out of the Gulf and the Indian Ocean. It would be leveraged against Iraq – its arch rival since the seventh century – and against Saudi Arabia, which Iran considers an apostate regime. All Gulf States are perceived by Iran as a key prize, required to control the flow and the price of oil and to bankroll Teheran's megalomaniac regional and global aspirations.

5. US national security and US standard of living would be severely undermined by Iran's domination of the Persian Gulf. The prevention of a nuclear Iran constitutes a top US national security priority.

6. The Sanction Delusion plays into Teheran's hands: Russia and China consider the US their major long-term rival. Their assessment of Iran is dramatically different than the US assessment. Therefore, they (as well as some European countries) will not implement effective sanctions against Iran.

7. Preemption/prevention – and not deterrence or retaliation – is the only effective means to prevent the nuclearization of Iran and to spare the US and the globe devastating cost. For previous OpEds and documents, please visit The Ettinger Report at http://www.theettingerreport.co.il

B'SD
JDO Action Alert
The United States Attorney (government prosecutor) has agreed to give a known convicted Al Qaeda helper Ahmad Afzali a jail sentence 6 months and getting deported! That is
a joke of a sentence for someone who helped Al Qaeda mass murdering Islamic terrorists who have made plans to bomb synagogues as well as blow up innocent people in subways, stores and airports!

THE US ATTORNEY MADE A DEAL of COWARDLY TERROR HELPING ACT OF APPEASEMENT WITH AN AL QAEDA HELPER AFZALI V!!
CALL THE US ATTORNEY BENTON CAMPBELL (718-254-7000) AND DEMAND THAT THE DEAL WITH AL QAEDA HELPER AFZALI BE STOPPED AND CANCELLED AND
THAT AFZALI BE GIVEN A LONG SENTECE IN JAIL!!! CALL US ATTORNEY BENTON CAMPBELL 718-254-7000 FROM 9 A.M. TO 4 P.M. EST – Mordechai Levy.

Believe it or not the dead man revealed his killer at his funeral: http://www.asylum.com/2010/03/04/dick-whittamore-smoking-killed-me-hearse/?icid=main|htmlws-main-w|dl5|link6|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.asylum.com%2F2010%2F03%2F04%2Fdick-whittamore-smoking-killed-me-hearse%2F

I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THE COPY AND PASTE CAME OUT BELOW THE WAY IT DID OR HOW TO CORRECT IT – I AM JUST NOT UP TO WORD 2007 TECHNOLOGY.

New National Security and Military Strategy
By Paul E. Vallely
Why do the United States and its military/political leaders and strategists still languish in failed strategies since the victories of World War II to the present? Fact: Jihadists with small arms and IEDS in faraway places cannot harm the United States so there is no reason to order massive armies that require large and extensive bases and massive logistical support to fight them on their home turf. But that is the essence of failed "counterinsurgency" (COIN) strategies that have bewitched US military political leaders. Yes, we have made great and innovative technological advances in weapons systems in the air, sea and ground, communications, advanced intelligence systems and command and control systems. Yes, we have operational war planners at all levels of command, senior policy and politicos in the White House and Department of Defense, a National Security Team and a multitude of military commands positioned around the globe to guide and lead us in national security. But where are the common sense and rational senior General and Admiral Strategists that we have trained and schooled to be innovative, aggressive and win our nation’s wars quickly and decisively. I rarely hear any of them talking about the valued Principles of War that successful combat leaders in the past have used to achieve success and victory. They cannot even talk in terms of victory, winning and bringing the troops home. Or maybe, they do not want to for politically correct reasons at home.
Unfortunately, American leaders are increasingly trying to transform this magnificent force into one optimized for counterinsurgency missions (when, in fact, we are not, in my opinion, fighting insurgencies but Islamic Jihadis and a fomenting global Caliphate) and conventional war followed on by long-term military occupations. Track back if you will to Korea, Vietnam, and now Iraq, and Afghanistan. It is true that not all political goals are achievable through the use of military power. However, “victory” in war appears lost in the world of political correctness and appeasement. The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan — often seen as proving the necessity for COIN-capable forces as well as a commitment to nation-building — demonstrate in reality that the vast majority of goals can be accomplished through quick, decisive joint military operations. Not all political goals are achievable this way, but most are and those that cannot be achieved through conventional operations likely cannot be achieved by the application of even the most sophisticated counterinsurgency doctrine either. We seem incapable of discerning between the differences in conventional and non-conventional warfare. The war against mainstream Islamic Jihadis forces and a sick ideology has been and will continue to be one requiring unconventional solutions. This is a point that the White and the Pentagon fear to call this war against a pronounced ideology. It is not a war on terror as we first analyzed; it is a war against people subscribing to Jihad and derived ideology from the Koran that has evil global intentions as much as the Nazis and Third Reich.
Why can we not understand that our military is for national security, defending our country and defeating our enemies before they bring havoc and harm to our citizens? Why can we not understand how important our resources are in terms of our trained Armed Forces and assets of our country and not to drain them across the globe in futile nation building operations but to leverage the military to counter threats to our country? And, as well, to realize and understand in a profound way that you cannot Nation Build in an area of conflict until the enemy is defeated. The COIN principle is not based on winning; it is based on political whims and is not a true tenet of warfare. Warfare is, and always should be, about WINNING. Once the war is won, then, like Japan after WWII, real and substantive changes can be enforced. We were able to change Germany and Japan from tyrannical forms of government into thriving democracies with a real constitution and a real change in thinking of the indigenous peoples.
A fundamental challenge in devising a strategy for the use of future American military power is that the world has literally never seen anything like our capability. The U.S. today has military capabilities at least equal to the rest of the world combined. There is virtually no spot on the globe that could not be targeted by American forces, and at most a small handful of countries that could thwart a determined U.S. effort at regime change — and some of those only by virtue of their possession of nuclear weapons. This is the driving point; why are we so worried about what others think? Did these so-called allies not have to be bailed out numerous times for their failed thinking? Why do we want to kowtow to the same intellectual vacuity that caused the greatest conflicts on earth?
As a consequence, the U.S. must adopt a national military strategy that heavily leverages the core capability to break enemy states, target and destroy and destroy the enemy’s capability to bring harm to America. Such a strategy could defeat and disrupt most potential threats the U.S. faces. I will discuss in detail in later follow-up articles where the strategy of joint strike operations and the unheralded “Global Lily Pad” strategy prove to be the best method for success. While America’s adversaries today may prefer to engage the U.S. using proxies and develop radical Islamist organizations and jihadists, there is no rationale in declaring to the people of the United States that we are in a long war and accept that as a reason to not achieve quick and decisive victory. It appears we fight more in agreement with the so called the United Nations, allies and the likes of China and Russia than to stand up for own sovereignty. It is time to relegate these so-called allies to the sidelines. Let them wail and whimper as we achieve the success that is necessary; wiping out and neutralizing Islamic jihad and nation states that support it...
Because our capability is so novel, American strategists lack a clear framework to guide the utilization of this force. They have sought to match capabilities to conceptions of the use of force from a different era, one in which the Cold War made regime change unpalatable due to the risk of escalation and that tended to make localized setbacks appear as loses in a perceived zero-sum competition with the Soviets. Like Reagan, it is time to call their bluff. They know we hold the big cards, so why are we so timid? This only fosters eastern thought that compromise or appeasement is a sign of weakness. A weakness they will turn into an asset and a political card to play to the uneducated masses they control.
Phrasing it another way, jihadis with small arms and homemade explosives (IEDS) in faraway places cannot harm the U.S. and there is no reason to fight them directly. Based on superb intelligence, we can launch required strike operations from any number of secure global sites and bases. True, these Islamic forces pose a major terror threat abroad and at home but we can defeat those efforts as well. The American experience in Iraq and Afghanistan — where insurgents have been able to build and deploy more than 80,000 IEDs while under occupation — calls into question the ability of occupying forces to root out terror networks without hitting the sources and sanctuaries that supply them like Iran. Many describe our efforts as helping to recruit more fighters and more ideologues. This is no way to stop all the threat to our homeland. The only true way to stop this threat is to give them what they respect; pure force of arms and will. Otherwise, they sit in their sanctuaries and count up the moral victories they have achieved, and embolden future efforts. However, significant threats to the U.S., ranging from the military capacity of regional powers to weapons of mass destruction development programs to significant terrorist infrastructures, can be targeted and destroyed by conventional and unconventional military capabilities.
Again, we must stop thinking like westerners, and understand the way our enemy thinks. A lily pad is much more preferable because it gives them no moral high ground to propagandize, but at the same time instills sheer terror in their hearts as they guess at what is coming next. Force of will and resolve is required by our leaders that our enemies indeed respect and understand. Only when we understand that one objective of Global Jihad is imposition--by force or by stealth--of Shari'a (Islamic law) and the other is re-establishment of the Caliphate/Imamate, can we even begin to formulate the enemy threat doctrine and strategic concept to DEFEAT THE ENEMY and WIN the GWOJ (Global War on Jihad).
MG Paul E. Vallely, US Army Retired, is the Chairman of Stand Up America and co-author of “Endgame“and “Operation Sucker Punch”

RUSSIAN PILOTS CALLED BACK FROM IRAN by Emanuel A. Winston, Middle East Analyst & Commentator

Dear Friends:

Something to think about!

Around 8 AM CST in the U.S., CNN ran a line of type across the bottom of the TV screen indicating that the Russians had called back their pilots from Iran.

However, Iran claimed that they had ordered the pilots to leave.

It could be that Russia didn’t ship its newest ground-to-air missiles to Iran and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is in a rage, as usual. But, both Russia and Iran are experts in lying to cover-up whatever they may be plotting, especially in order to mislead Israeli and American Intelligence.

It may be nothing but, the Russians always seem to know what’s going on.

Some miscellaneous facts:

*Russia (then the Soviet Union) lost a number of their aircraft when they were flying for Egypt against Israel in the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

*Russia (the U.S.S.R.) called back their nuclear physicists who were in Iraq, prior to the Israeli bombing of the Osirak nuclear plant supplied by France.

I wonder if Russia has called back their nuclear physicists and technicians who were working on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant or other nuclear sites?

It would be likely that Israel could make a friendly political gesture to Russia before any Israeli mission against Iran.

ALL OF THIS IS SPECULATIVE!

However, if you are an observant Jew, you may wish to add the following requests of Hashem (Schacharis, Mincha and Maariv):

*Pray that any mission Israel undertakes to defend her Nation/State and her people be successful and that all Israelis return safely.

*Pray that any hostile Iranian, Syrian, Hezb’Allah or Hamas response against Israel be defeated.

*Pray that America assists and does not hinder an Israeli strike against Iran’s nuclear sites - which currently threaten Israel, the entire Middle East, Europe and the 500,000 Americans stationed in bases in the Middle East.

*Pray that the nations do NOT use any Israeli action of preventive defense as another unfair reason to attack Israel in any way.

Hopefully, our prayers will be successful and nothing will happen BUT, in case it does, give it your best - with "Ruach" (strong spirit).

From Pamela: http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2010/03/teacher-attacked-by-muslim-student-after-calling-alqaeda-a-terrorist-group.html

This is condensed from Senator Bill Nelson D-FL: From 1942 to 1944, 1,102 female fliers were trained to ferry aircraft, test planes, instruct male pilots, and tow targets for anti-aircraft artillery practice. But nine months before the war ended, the program was disbanded, and the female fliers were told to get home at their own expense and not to talk about their achievements. So, they returned to their previous lives: teachers, nurses, secretaries, waitresses, housewives – even a Ziegfeld chorus girl. Not much was publicly know about their war service until 1977, when Congress granted veteran status to the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II, or WASP.

And today, after some 60 long years, the WASP are finally getting their due as they receive the highest civilian award the nation can give: the Congressional Gold Medal.

One of the 300 surviving WASPS in attendance today was Bernice “Bee” Falk Haydu, who currently lives part-time near West Palm Beach, Florida. Bee recalled getting her nickname because her fellow pilots said she flew like a bumble bee. “It’s unbelievable after all these years to finally be given recognition but, more importantly, to let people know women were flying military aircraft under military orders,” Haydu said, breaking into a huge smile.

On internal Israeli political analysis: MOSHE FEIGLIN: ONE HONEST MAN by Emanuel A. Winston, Middle East Analyst & Commentator

Last night, March 8^th, we attended a dinner honoring Bradley Jacobs, z’l - a great champion for the Jewish Nation and Jewish State of Israel. The guest speaker was MK (Minister of Knesset) Moshe Feiglin of Manhigut Yehudit, the Jewish Leadership Movement.

Years ago I had met Moshe Feiglin at our home in Mevasseret Zion. I accorded him every courtesy in his solicitation for political assistance. However, at that time I had hopes that my friend, Arik Sharon, would rise to political prominence. Well, he did and, to my bitter disillusionment, he adopted a Leftist path, in coordination with U.S. State Department policy to re-partition Israel for the benefit of the Muslim Arab Palestinians. Arik was a great general but, sadly, a failure as a politician in protecting Israel as a sovereign nation.

Which brings me today to Moshe Feiglin. Over the years I have read his statements, interviews and generally agree with his views. Last night as he spoke to a small, intimate crowd, I concluded that I should have paid more attention.

As a professional observer of politicians and the problems that Israel has faced since and before 1948, I saw a man of determination and steel in his spine. I saw in him flashes of Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Shamir, Theodore Herzl and even bits of Arik Sharon when he was a straight forward military man who understood the maliciousness of our enemies as he protected the State.

These were all subliminal cues for me in evaluating the man, Moshe Feiglin. I was left with the sense that Moshe was a man of many parts and all good for a nation which is mired in political scams and weakness. I saw a man of high intellect, a former officer in the first Lebanon War of 1982 and, therefore, experienced in battle. I saw a man of conviction as a proud, observant Jew who could not be swayed by corrupt politics, bribery or interests which were weighted by Arab oil.

But, could Israel actually stand "One Honest Man" after being acclimated to dishonesty by most past Prime Ministers and political parties who preceded Feiglin? They all showed weakness and lack of pride in their own Jewishness when pressed by the world’s greatest Super Power to surrender and abandon our own Land to please the Muslim world.

Do the Jewish people really want a Jewish State or will they settle for one that accommodates her most dedicated enemies, including the nations of the world who also are craven in the face of demands by the 56 Muslim states?

The people of Israel are no longer surprised when their politicians are caught using their official status to cut illegal deals. When we see the Arabist U.S. State Department easily manipulate such people as Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin, Ehud Barak, Arik Sharon, Ehud Olmert and, regrettably, Bibi Netanyahu, there is no shock or surprise because that is what the people of Israel have grown accustomed to.

I concluded that Moshe Feiglin would put a proud Jewish Israel back on the map as a democratic sovereign country - not to be manipulated or used as a political door mat. He wouldn’t wait to deliver a killing blow to an existential nuclear threat that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad threatens.

It’s possible that secular Jews or Leftists might find it hard to accept a truly honest, proud Jewish man as Israel’s Prime Minister. Although many Jews of that description have joined his efforts. Once they believe that Israel can be governed as an honest nation, with courts and Media that are no longer able to conduct legal affairs of State as if they were a political party; no longer siphoning public funds to bribe party hacks; no longer recruiting and training military units (like the Yassam) whose sole mission is to attack Jews and drive them out of their homes - only then will the people of Israel (and the world) understand that honesty and integrity governs. Only when the now officially sanctioned spiral of government corruption is broken that put the world’s demands over the needs of our own people - only then will the Israeli people feel pride in their Government, their nation and, therefore, themselves.

Feiglin’s stated goal is to first win the Israeli primaries for Chairman of Likud. Next, he aims for a re-invigorated Likud to win the election. Then, he plans to "Unite the Right" - form a Jewish Israel bloc with all the parties who identify with Israel as a strong and proud Jewish State - achieving a minimum of 65 seats to lead the State of Israel!!

Feiglin can honestly run under the title of "One Honest Man". While he is a quiet, confident man who has no need to shout or use clever word-games to trick the people, his presence sends a powerful message to those who willing to listen.

That same message sends shivers through the vested Mafia of the corrupt who will fight with every dirty trick possible to keep Feiglin away from their coveted seats of power.

Good luck, Moshe. We believe in you.

The PLO does not wants talks because they know that the moment that they get a State the people will rebel: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/136456

Now for M. Wolfberg’s Good Shabbos Story from last week “A belated Purim Spiel”.

Good Shabbos Everyone. This week we will tell a story which has relevance to Purim, which although we concluded its celebration earlier this week, we are still enjoying the infusion of simcha and emunah which it has brought us. One of the lessons of Purim is that although the Jewish People has suffered through much tragedy and persecution - Am Yisroel Chai, the Jewish Nation continues its march through history. Although there has arisen in every generation a Haman who has sought to destroy the Jewish people, we have prevailed with Hashem's help. The following true story, as told by Solly Ganor, a holocaust survivor, illustrates the Jewish spirit of survival in a poignant way
"Arriving from Auschwitz in groups of 20, they looked like walking skeletons; triangular faces with pointed chins and sunken cheeks, lips shrunken to thin blue lines, large eyes with a strange luminous sheen. They were known in concentration camp slang as “Musselman,” usually the last stage before death.
Their Yiddish accent sounded strange to us Lithuanian Jews. They came from the ghetto of Lodz through Auschwitz, before they were sent to our camp. Our camp was known as the “Outer camp of Dachau, #10,” situated near the picturesque town of Utting by Lake Amersee, in a small forest surrounded by green meadows and beautiful landscapes.
I remember the day we were brought there, I thought to myself, “Can anything bad happen amid all this beauty?” But the beauty was in the landscape only; the Germans were sadistic murderers. The Lodz people fell into the same deceptive trap. After Auschwitz, our camp looked like paradise. Most of them died soon after arriving, from hard labor, beatings and starvation, but they preferred to die here than in Auschwitz’s gas chambers. The Germans must’ve been desperate for workers to send these walking skeletons all the way from Poland.
Around March 1945, only a few remained alive. One of them was known as “Chaim the Rabbi.” We never found out whether he was actually a rabbi, but he always washed his hands and made a blessing before eating. He knew the Jewish calendar dates, and also knew the prayers by heart. At times when the Germans weren’t looking, he would invite us to participate in the evening prayers.
Our Jewish camp commander, Burgin, tried to get him easier jobs. Most people died when they had to carry 100 pound cement sacks on their backs, or other chores of heavy labor. He wouldn't have lasted a day on a job like this. He once told me that if he survived, he would get married and have at least a dozen children.
Around the middle of March, we were given a day off. It was a Sunday. The camp was covered with snow, but Spring was in the air. We heard rumors of the American breakthrough into Germany and a glimmer of hope was kindled in our hearts. After breakfast of a slice of moldy bread, a tiny piece of margarine, and brown water known as “Ersatz Coffee,” we returned to our barrack to get some sleep.
Suddenly we saw “Chaim the Rabbi” standing in the snow and shouting, “Haman to the gallows! Haman to the gallows!” He had on his head a paper crown made out of a cement sack, and he was draped in a blanket that had cut out stars from the same paper attached to it.
Petrified, we watched this strange apparition, barely able to trust our eyes, as he danced in the snow, singing: “I am Achashverosh, Achashverosh, the king of Persia!” Then he stood still, straightened himself up, chin pointed to the sky, his right arm extended in an imperial gesture and shouted: “Haman to the gallows! Haman to the gallows! And we all know which Haman we are talking about!”
We were sure that he had lost his wits, like others in those times. About 50 of us were gaping at the “rabbi,” when he said: “Yidden wos iz mit aich! Fellow Jews, what’s the matter with you?! Today is Purim! Let’s make a Purim Shpiel!”
Back home, a million years ago, this was the time of the year when children dressed up for Purim, playing and eating Hamantashen. The “rabbi” remembered the exact date on the Jewish calendar. We hardly knew what day it was. Chaim then divided the roles of Queen Esther, Mordechai, Vashti and Haman among the onlookers. I received the role of Mordechai, and we all danced in the snow in our Purim Shpiel in Dachau.
But that was not the end of the story. The “rabbi” said that we will get “Mishloach Manos,” our Purim food gifts. That was hardly likely to happen. But, miracle of miracles, that afternoon, an International Red Cross delegation came to our camp. It was the first time that they bothered about us. Still, we welcomed them, because they brought us the “Mishloach Manos” the “rabbi” had promised. Each of us received a parcel containing a tin of condensed milk, a bar of chocolate, a box of sugar cubes, and a pack of cigarettes. It is impossible to describe our joy! Here we were starving to death, and suddenly on Purim, we received these heavenly gifts. Since then, we never doubted the “rabbi.” His prediction also came true. Two months later Haman/Hitler went to the gallows and shot himself in Berlin, while those of us still alive were rescued by the American army on May 2, 1945.
I lost track of “Chaim the Rabbi” on our Death March from Dachau to Tyrol, but I hope he survived and had many children as he always wanted. I recall his Shpiel whenever Purim comes around. 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, rest and reflect on the creations and miracles of G-D and then on Motzei Shabbos get the whip cracking for Pessach cleaning and shopping,

Rachamim Pauli