My friend from FL and a very popular person in the Jewish Community of Chicago, Joe Ray, has been stricken with Cancer. Yosef ben Chaya Razsha. Yosef Mordechai ben Chaya.
Sometimes I copy and paste something without editing it. I received questions from Laib on Yaffa’s post which I sent to her for an answer that I never received so I did not let that appear.
Ira pointed out some errors which I notice and let go by as it was not my article or writing. Also one or two that I missed that I thought it appropriate to jot down – at least I know that some people read the Drasha which despite my haste before Shevous made me happy to get the slip throughs.
One may not eat aquatic insects including frogs and crabs.
That is cool. Frogs and crabs have become insects. Frogs are Amphibians and crabs are Crustaceans and I have known this since I was about 7 or 8 just ran out of time and did not edit it as I saw the error and raced for my personal deadline for parts of Asia before Yom Tov came in.
One should also eat meat, since – like every Yom Tov – there’s a Mitzva to eat to meat on a Chag.
Perhaps one should make up one’s mind, whether the requirement is to eat meat on all days of a hag or only on yomtov. (Example: The hag of Pessach is 7 days, of which 2 are yomtov.)
In the time of the Bet Hamikdash (may it be rebuilt speedily in our days) all men above Bar Mitzva have a Mitzva to appear in the Bet Hamikdash thrice yearly; during the Yom Tov of Pessach, Shabuoth and Sukkoth.
Now you have the opposite mistake. Not yomtov, but hag. Actually the Torah says Chag HaPessach, Chag HaShevous and Chag HaSukkos. I will write this to Danny as he receives this from his Rabbis.
Preferably this Mitzva should be fulfilled on the first day of each Yom Tov. If the first day of Yom Tov is Shabbat, or if the person has other reasons to delay, then the Mitzva can be done during the remaining days of Sukkoth and Pessach.
Same error.
After the 49 days of Counting the Omer, after ... See More having fully achieve dinner renewal
Is this English? Could you translate it into English? Do you bother to read the material tHat you send out? Yes but sometimes brush over things from Kosher sources when I have a 2.3 day writing dead line.
Terrorists infiltrating terrorists and smuggle in weapons into the USA:
What language is this? Headlines my friend headlines!
A short film about the late Bostoner Rebbe from Rabbi Aryel Nachaman ben Chaim Shlita: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udnTrMfgFAg
Parshiyos Naso 4 Stories in the Drasha and Behaaloscha
I taught for two evenings between Mincha and Maariv Ruth on Shavous. On Parsha Naso, I spoke for 12 or more minutes on a few items skipping the section of Bamidbar 4:21 to 5:10
Going into the sections 5:11 to 6:27 –
The third Seder of the Mishnah and Talmud is called “Nashim” meaning women. In this section are the laws of the Marriage Contracts, Marriages and Divorces. In the middle of the Seder are three Mechectas Nederim (vows), Nazirim, and Sotah. The Sages said that if one sees a Sotah in her degradation one should vow to be a Nazir which causes him to be extra pure and off strong drink and wine for a minimum of a month. What is a Sotah according to Rabbi Edward Davis Shlita it is a women who has ‘stut’ (nonsense) in her head. I say we view a Sotah as a sotay or one who has gone off course like sotay min or sexual pervert. According to many thinkers her behavior by consulting and laughing too much with men brings her to do nonsense with a rouge. Rabbi Yacov London TzZA”L used to say one does not sin until a spirit of folly enters him and he becomes Meshuga.
However, sometimes a man is jealous due to his own insecurity due to the fact that his wife is too beautiful or extrovert for his own tastes. He does not trust her and I heard of one case where the idiot asked his wife to photograph with her cellphone where she was at any moment.
Such jealousy becomes a sickness. It once happened that in Elta there were two Benny Solomon’s working there. One was a close friend of mine whom I had invited to my house with his new wife for the Pessach Seder and I went to his son’s Bris and Pidyon HaBen redemption ceremony. The other was an acquaintance and I knew his modest wife. One year he became jealous even though they worked in different spots in the same company. He went mad with jealousy and false accusations as her girl friends told. One Shabbos, the blood went into his head and he murdered her and committed suicide. My close friend’s phone began ringing off the hook from phone calls asking about Benny Solomon – All this because either she or he got some stut or nonsense into ones head or actions.
A few hundred years ago the Chidah Rabbi Chaim David Azulai HaCohain called a man and wife into his office. He told the man that he had to immediately divorce his wife as she was forbidden to him. The man inquired as to why and Rabbi Azulai read to them 5:11 – 28. As the couple left the Rav’s office as they were on the street without drinking anything: 27 And when he hath made her drink the water, then it shall come to pass, if she be defiled, and have acted unfaithfully against her husband, that the water that causes the curse shall enter into her and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall fall away; and the woman shall be a curse among her people.
Sometimes it is a matter of a simple action that can drive men after a woman. There was a woman in Ashdod who had two ultra-Orthodox brothers a very religious mother and an uncle who ran the Shemita store. She did not cover her head. I mentioned to her that it is a cause for the Yetzer in men and that her family was very religious. That went on until one day she came to work after dying her hair and changing her hairstyle. The Rouges started going after her. She quit her job, covered her head and because a secretary in a Yeshiva. Later on she returned to her higher paying job but not a hair on her head was uncovered. She had understood what I had warned her about on her own. She of course was far from a Sotah but had made a bad choice in the beginning.
The Nazir is a special person. Unlike Shimon who was commanded through the Angel to be that way all his life so that he could cut his hair once a year and be defiled for the dead, he was still a Nazir from wine, grapes and vineyards. That is why his parents cut through the vineyard while walking around it, he met the lion. The standard period for being a Nazir was 30 days without wine, becoming Tumay and cutting one’s hair. However, sometimes due to contact with the dead or messing up of his counting the period continues and he has to bring more and more Korbanos.
Shimon HaTzaddik was not only leader of the Sanhedrin but also Cohain Gadol (he greeting Alexander Macedonia). He would never partake or eat of a Korban from a Nazir because he was afraid that the motive of becoming a Nazir was not pure. The Nazir was trying to be as holy as or more holy than the Cohain HaGadol. However, in the particular where he did partake he met a youth. He saw this Nazir who was so handsome with long hair that he asked him why have you vowed to become a Nazir seeing that now you will have to have a haircut and shave. The youth replied that I am a simple Shepherd and never looked into beauty or thought much about it. One day I was tending the flock and took them to a watering hole that I had not been to before. I noticed my reflection in the water and how handsome I was. I said, “Empty one do you want to lose your eternal life in the true world because of nonsense in your youth. Immediately I vowed Nazir so that I would be shaved bald after 30 days.” Seeing that this Nazir because a Nazir for the right reasons like the Torah wants one to do, Shimon HaTzaddik ate from his Korban.
With all this I finally figured out why the Torah put here the Cohain’s blessing: 22 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 23 ‘Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying: On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel; ye shall say unto them: 24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee; 25 The LORD make His face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. 26 The LORD lift up His countenance upon thee, and give you peace. This is not in Vayikra where the priestly chores are taught but here to teach us that despite the vows, jealousy or adultery and trying to be holier that others; HASHEM is there to bless us.\
# # #
The first chapter of our second Parsha deals with the Menorah is the Mishkan and later in the Temple.
9;1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying: 2 'Let the children of Israel keep the Passover in its appointed season. 3 In the fourteenth day of this month, at dusk, ye shall keep it in its appointed season; according to all the statutes of it, and according to all the ordinances thereof, shall ye keep it.' 4 And Moses spoke unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the Passover. 5 And they kept the passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at dusk, in the wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel. 6 But there were certain men, who were unclean by the dead body of a man, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day; and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day.
These were the Leviim who buried the bodies of the two sons of Aaron on the 8th day which also was the 8th of Nisan and need 7 full days to be pure including the 15th so that they could not in any way offer up the Korban Pessach.
7 And those men said unto him: 'We are unclean by the dead body of a man; wherefore are we to be kept back, so as not to bring the offering of the LORD in its appointed season among the children of Israel?' 8 And Moses said unto them: 'Stay ye, that I may hear what the LORD will command concerning you.' 9 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 10 'Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: If any man of you or of your generations shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the Passover unto the LORD; 11 in the second month on the fourteenth day at dusk they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs; 12 they shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break a bone thereof; according to all the statute of the Passover they shall keep it. 13 But the man that is clean, and is not on a journey, and forbears to keep the Passover, that soul shall be cut off from his people; because he brought not the offering of the LORD in its appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.
THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR A MAN NOT TO OBSERVE THE PESSACH UNLESS HE IS FAR AWAY OR TUMAY. (There appears to me another case and that is he is hospitalized and women are exempt but can participate on a voluntary basis.)
14 And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the Passover unto the LORD: according to the statute of the Passover, and according to the ordinance thereof, so shall he do; ye shall have one statute, both for the stranger, and for him that is born in the land.'
The Ger mentioned here is not a Ger Toshav like the Druze but a Ger Tzeddek and therefore a full fledged Jew in every sense of the word.
15 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, even the tent of the testimony; and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until morning.
The second purpose for this Rashi says is being the tent of meeting.
There was over the Mishkan: Heb. יִהְיֶה. In the sense of being continuously over the Mishkan. Such [is the meaning of] the expression in the entire passage.
16 So it was always: the cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night. 17 And whenever the cloud was taken up from over the Tent, then after that the children of Israel journeyed; and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel encamped.
If you look at the passages where the journeys and camping are mentioned there were most of the journeys in the first and last year of the 40 years. The other times it was basically grazing in the same areas until the grass ran out and then they moved on.
18 At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they encamped: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they remained encamped.
Nobody thought of traveling by himself only according to HASHEM.
19 And when the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not. 20 And sometimes the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they remained encamped, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed. 21 And sometimes the cloud was from evening until morning; and when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they journeyed; or if it continued by day and by night, when the cloud was taken up, they journeyed. 22 Whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, abiding thereon, the children of Israel remained encamped, and journeyed not; but when it was taken up, they journeyed.
The next sentence which we say every time we open up the Synagogue Ark is like a book in itself so instead of Bamidbar being one Sefer it would be three or 7 books of Chumash.
23 At the commandment of the LORD they encamped, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed; they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
Now the standards moving in the following order occurred – eastern troops which was Yehuda’s Camp and their Leviim and then the south side which was Reuven’s Camp – then Ephraim’s Camp in the west and finally the camp of Dan in the north. 10:11 And it came to pass in the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, that the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle of the testimony. 12 And the children of Israel set forward by their stages out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud abode in the wilderness of Paran.-- 13 And they took their first journey, according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses. 14 And in the first place the standard of the camp of the children of Judah set forward according to their hosts; and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar. 16 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon. 17 And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who bore the tabernacle, set forward. 18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their hosts; and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur. 19 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel. 21 And the Kohathites the bearers of the sanctuary set forward, that the tabernacle might be set up against their coming. 22 And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their hosts; and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni. 25 And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan, which was the rearward of all the camps, set forward according to their hosts; and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ochran. 27 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan. 28 Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their hosts.--And they set forward. 29 And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law: 'We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said: I will give it you; come thou with us, and we will do thee good; for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel.' 30 And he said unto him: 'I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred.' 31 And he said: 'Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou shalt be to us instead of eyes. 32 And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what good soever the LORD shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee.' 33 And they set forward from the mount of the LORD three days' journey; and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them three days' journey, to seek out a resting-place for them. 34 And the cloud of the LORD was over them by day, when they set forward from the camp. 35 And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said: 'Rise up, O LORD, and let YOUR enemies be scattered; and let them that hate Thee flee before Thee.' 36 And when it rested, he said: 'Return, O LORD, unto the ten thousands of the families of Israel.'
Now comes the sorrows of being a Bnei Yisrael and different from the Nations. Other peoples can go into a Mac Donald’s and enjoy themselves. We have to squirm around with tuna, crackers, fruits and vegetables instead of a fast meal. We cannot tour with some groups because of the travelling on Shabbos. We have to give up our foods such as meat that is from a koshered animals but not slaughtered and cleaned properly. So the live to eat people started complaining until they were mob like. They were not used to one boring type of food.
Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach of pious memory was given with his sister the bread to eat and once or twice a week an egg when they were growing up in Yerushalayim. The whole idea of a slave having such good food as in the complaint was beyond them.
11:1 And the people were as murmurers, speaking evil in the ears of the LORD; and when the LORD heard it, His anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and devoured in the uttermost part of the camp.
The people were looking to complain: Heb. הָעָם. [The word] הָעָם, the people, is used only in reference to the wicked. Similarly it says,“What shall I do about this people (הָעָם) ?” (Exod. 17:4), and it says, “this evil people (הָעָם)” (Jer. 13:10). But when they are virtuous, they are called עַמִּי, My people, as it says,“Send forth My people (עַמִּי) ” (Exod. 8:16);“My people (עַמִּי), what have I done to you?” (Mic. 6: 3). - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:1]
were looking to complain: [The term] מִתְאוֹנְנִים denotes a pretext. They were seeking a pretext to turn away from the Omnipresent. Similarly, it says regarding Samson,“that he sought a pretext (תֹאֲנָה)” (Jud. 14:4)
evil in the ears of the Lord: A pretext that was evil in God’s ears, for they intended that it should reach His ears and provoke Him (Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:1). They said, Woe is to us! How weary we have become on this journey! For three days we have not rested from the fatigue of walking. — [Midrash Aggadah]
2 And the people cried unto Moses; and Moses prayed unto the LORD, and the fire abated. 3 And the name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the LORD burnt among them.
The name of the place was desire as they were craving for real meat not that there nourishment needed it.
4 And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting; and the children of Israel also wept on their part, and said: 'Would that we were given flesh to eat! 5 We remember the fish, (which are plentiful on the Nile and would be a source of great proteins) which we were wont to eat in Egypt for nought; the cucumbers, (vegetable portion) and the melons, (dessert portion) and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic; (more vegetables which added various flavors to the meals) 6 but now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all; we have nought save this manna to look to.'-- 7 Now the manna was like coriander seed, and the appearance thereof as the appearance of bdellium.
which we ate in Egypt free of charge: If you say that the Egyptians gave them fish free of charge, does it not already say, “Straw shall not be given to you” (Exod. 5:18)? Now if straw was not given free of charge, was fish given to them free of charge? So what does “free of charge” mean? Free from [the burden of] precepts. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:5]
Draw your own conclusions what Rashi is telling us about food subsidiaries. My conclusion is that for a free handout you have to be a slave to your government.
8 The people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in mortars, and seethed it in pots, and made cakes of it; and the taste of it was as the taste of a cake baked with oil. 9 And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.—
This is what could be done with it and it could have any taste from bacon with or without cheese, a burger with or without cheese. Nothing was missing.
10 And Moses heard the people weeping, family by family, every man at the door of his tent; and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; and Moses was displeased. 11 And Moses said unto the LORD: 'Wherefore hast Thou dealt ill with Thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favor in Thy sight, that Thou lay the burden of all this people upon me?
It was like Adam in Gan Eden until he ate from the tree he was happy being nude and did not care as he had no Yetzer whatsoever. The same with the people who ate the Mann up until the mixed multitude complained there was no problem for them. But when they thought of normal watermelons and other foods they began to crave them.
12 Have I conceived all this people? have I brought them forth, that Thou should say unto me: Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing-father carries the sucking child, unto the land which Thou didst swear unto their fathers? 13 Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they trouble me with their weeping, saying: Give us flesh, that we may eat. 14 I am not able to bear all this people myself alone, because it is too heavy for me. 15 And if Thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray Thee, out of hand, if I have found favor in Thy sight; and let me not look upon my wretchedness.' 16 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Gather unto Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou know to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with thee. 17 And I will come down and speak with thee there; and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone. 18 And say thou unto the people: Sanctify yourselves against to-morrow, and ye shall eat flesh; for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying: Would that we were given flesh to eat! for it was well with us in Egypt; therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. 19 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; 20 but a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you; because that ye have rejected the LORD who is among you, and have troubled Him with weeping, saying: Why, now, came we forth out of Egypt?' 21 And Moses said: 'The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand men on foot; and yet Thou hast said: I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month! 22 If flocks and herds be slain for them, will they suffice them? or if all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, will they suffice them?
I once mentioned to Rabbi Zvi Drapkin Shlita (or Rav Simcha Kuk Shlita) that from here nobody could say that Moshe was a learned man so that he could make up our wonderful Torah this proves that he had no logic seeing that they were well fed and satisfied by the exploiting leaders. However, the Rav viewed it as their Yetzer. If we look at the desire index of a Yetzer of a whole nation can we not say that flocks and herds will not satisfy eyes that are bigger than the stomach’s capacity.
23 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Is the LORD'S hand waxed short? now shalt thou see whether My word shall come to pass unto thee or not.'
G-D was kind again on this occasion and granted the people more than they could ever imagine.
24 And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD; and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the Tent. 25 And the LORD came down in the cloud, and spoke unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and put it upon the seventy elders; and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, but they did so no more. 26 But there remained two men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad; and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were recorded, but had not gone out unto the Tent; and they prophesied in the camp. 27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said: 'Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.' 28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses from his youth up, answered and said: 'My lord Moses, shut them in.' 29 And Moses said unto him: 'Art thou jealous for my sake? would that all the LORD'S people were prophets, that the LORD would put His spirit upon them!' 30 And Moses withdrew into the camp, he and the elders of Israel. 31 And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought across quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, about a day's journey on this side, and a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and about two cubits above the face of the earth. 32 And the people rose up all that day, and all the night, and all the next day, and gathered the quails; he that gathered least gathered ten heaps; and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. 33 While the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the anger of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.
The people were so gluttonous that they began eating the meat basically raw not even rare. It turns out that the flying quail produce a toxin in their muscles from prolonged flights and therefore have to rest. They had to be baked, boiled, grilled, fried or a combination of the cooking methods. By eating the food raw or rare immediate after flight and in quantity of gluttony, the toxins were enough to kill people.
34 And the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, Hebrew the town or area of desires/lust, because there they buried the people that lusted. 35 From Kibroth-hattaavah the people journeyed unto Hazeroth; and they abode at Hazeroth.
1 And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a Cushite woman.
The Lashon Hara that Miriam spoke is not what we sometimes hear muttered in circles: “What is a nice Jewish boy marrying a Schwatze woman?” but rather as follows: Here life was blacked by not having a warm hugging and loving husband as he was on call to the L-RD 24/7. Rashi explains this better:
Miriam and Aaron spoke: She spoke first. Therefore, Scripture mentions her first. How did she know that Moses had separated from his wife? [See below] R. Nathan says: Miriam was beside Zipporah when Moses was told that Eldad and Medad were prophesying in the camp. When Zipporah heard this, she said, “Woe to their wives if they are required to prophesy, for they will separate from their wives just my husband separated from me.” From this, Miriam knew [about it] and told Aaron. Now if Miriam, who did not intend to disparage him [Moses] was punished, all the more so someone who [intentionally] disparages his fellow. — [Tanchuma Tzav 13]
The Cushite woman: [Moses’ wife was a Midianite, not a Cushite, but] Scripture teaches that everyone acknowledged her beauty just as everyone acknowledges a Cushite’s blackness. — [Tanchuma Tzav 13]
2 And they said: 'Hath the LORD indeed spoken only with Moses? hath He not spoken also with us?' And the LORD heard it.-- 3 Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men that were upon the face of the earth. 4 And the LORD spoke suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam: 'Come out ye three unto the tent of meeting.' And they three came out.
Suddenly: He revealed Himself to them suddenly, when they were ritually unclean following marital relations, and they cried, “Water, water!” [They needed water to purify themselves.] He thus showed them that Go out, all three of you: This teaches us that all three were summoned with a single word, something impossible for the [human] mouth to utter and the ear to grasp. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:4] Moses had done right in separating from his wife, since the Divine Presence revealed itself to him frequently, and there was no set time for Divine Communication. — [Tanchuma Tzav 13]
HASHEM can call people everywhere at once or specific people.
5 And the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the door of the Tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forth.
Rashi explains it is as if HASHEM was physically outside of the tent in the cloud and they were called out.
6 And He said: 'Hear now My words: if there be a prophet among you, I the LORD do make Myself known unto him in a vision, I do speak with him in a dream. 7 My servant Moses is not so; he is trusted in all My house; 8 with him do I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD doth he behold; wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses?' 9 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and He departed. 10 And when the cloud was removed from over the Tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow; and Aaron looked upon Miriam; and, behold, she was leprous.
This teaches us the punishment for the sin of Lashon Hara and that is making a person have Tzaras so that they will be removed from the camp.
11 And Aaron said unto Moses: 'Oh my lord, lay not, I pray thee, sin upon us, for that we have done foolishly, and for that we have sinned. 12 Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb.' 13 And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying: 'Heal her now, O God, I beseech Thee.'
The shortest prayer in the Bible and it is 3 words in Hebrew.
14 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'If her father had but spit in her face, should she not hide in shame seven days? let her be shut up without the camp seven days, and after that she shall be brought in again.' 15 And Miriam was shut up without the camp seven days; and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again. 16 And afterward the people journeyed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran. This is very close to the borders of Eretz Yisrael today.
Halachos and Mitzvos from Danny Shoemann
It's a Mitzva to ensure that the Cohen is ready to serve in the Bet Hamikdash - even against his will. E.g.: One must ensure he doesn't come in contact with a corpse. It's also a Mitzva to honor the Cohen: He reads first in the Torah, he should be served first at meals and he should be honored with the Zimun; to lead the Grace after meals. The above applies to male Cohanim, even if they are handicapped and cannot serve in the Bet Hamikdash Applies to everybody, everywhere, always
Verse: "..And sanctify him" (Vayikra 21:8) Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer HaMitzvos HaKatzar; Positive Mitzvah 50
Roasted grain from produce which sprouted roots before the 2nd day of Pessach may be eaten as soon as it's harvested. Roasted grain from produce which was not planted before the 2nd day of Pessach, or had not yet taken root, may not be eaten until after the 2nd day of Pessach Applies to the 5 types of grain, traditionally translated as "wheat, barley, spelt, oats and rye". At the time of the Bet Hamikdash, new grain becomes permitted after the Omer sacrifice is brought on the 2nd day of Pessach. Nowadays, until the Bet Hamikdash is rebuilt, new grain is forbidden the entire 2nd day of Pessach. Applies to everybody, always, everywhere according to some opinions; in Israel-only according to other opinions Verse: "...and roasted kernels and fresh grain do not eat until this day" (Vayikra 23:14)
Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer HaMitzvos HaKatzar; Prohibition 102
Fresh grains from produce which sprouted roots before the 2nd day of Pessach may be eaten as soon as harvested. Grain which was not planted before the 2nd day of Pessach, or had not yet taken root, may not be eaten until after the 2nd day of Pessach Applies to the 5 types of grain, traditionally translated as "wheat, barley, spelt, oats and rye". At the time of the Bet Hamikdash, new grain becomes permitted after the Omer sacrifice is brought on the 2nd day of Pessach. Nowadays, until the Bet Hamikdash is rebuilt, new grain is forbidden the entire 2nd day of Pessach. Applies to everybody, always, everywhere according to some opinions; in Israel-only according to other opinions Verse: "...and fresh grain do not eat until this day" (Vayikra 23:14) Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer HaMitzvos HaKatzar; Prohibition 103
One may not eat Chametz during that time when one could bring the Pessach sacrifice. Therefore one who eats Chametz on Erev Pessach after noon deserves 39 lashes by Bet Din. By Rabbinic decree one is forbidden to derive benefit from Chametz already two hours before midday, and one may not eat Chametz from as early as 3 hours before midday on Erev Pessach. These hours are calculated by dividing the daylight hours by 12. Applies to everybody, everywhere, on Erev Pessach afternoon. Verse: "Do not eat on it Chametz" (Devarim 16:3) Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer HaMitzvos HaKatzar; Prohibition 104
One may not eat fruit from a tree during its first 3 years after being planted. In Israel: if one is unsure if the tree is more than 3 years old, the fruit is forbidden. Outside Israel: only fruit that definitely came from a tree in its first 3 years is forbidden. Applies to everybody, always, everywhere Verse: "Three years it shall be forbidden, not to be eaten" (Vayikra 19:23) Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer HaMitzvos HaKatzar; Prohibition 105
One is forbidden to eat in the manner of a rebellious son, in a gluttonous and drunken way, as this may lead to bloodshed. It's also forbidden to eat from an animal after it was slaughtered before it's completely dead. It's also forbidden to eat a meal before morning prayers; before having prayed for one's life. Applies to everybody, everywhere, always
Verse: "Do not eat on the blood" (Vayikra 19:26) Source: The Chafetz-Chaim's Sefer HaMitzvos HaKatzar; Prohibition 106
The day after Yom Tov is called Isru Chag. Isru Chag is today - Thursday - in Israel, and on Friday everywhere else. One may not fast on Isru Chag and no Tachanun is said on Isru Chag. Some do not say Tachanun for the entire week after Shavuot since the Korbanos you had to bring when coming to the Bet Hamikdash on Yom Tov could be brought for the entire week after Shavuot. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 22:8, 103:14
If a Jew's Kosher animal that has never given birth gives birth to a male, the calf has Kedusha (some holiness) and needs to be given to a Cohen, even nowadays. This first-born animal may not be used for any work, and its wool may not be sheared, nor used if it fell off. In the time of the Bet Hamikdash (Temple) the animal is brought as a sacrifice, with most of the meat being eaten by the Cohen. Nowadays the Cohen needs to keep it until it gets a permanent blemish, at which time anybody can help eat it. The Cohen may not blemish it. It's a Mitzva to sell part of all first-time pregnant Kosher animals to a non-Jew so that the calf - if it's a male - will not have any Kedusha; avoiding the possibility of it not being treated properly. Source Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 177
The Torah says that a firstborn male donkey has Kedusha (some holiness) and may not be used until it is redeemed; by giving a Cohen a sheep or goat in its stead. The result is a donkey for the owner and a sheep (or goat) for the Cohen, both without any Kedusha. The sheep or goat can be male or female, of any age and any physical condition as long as it's alive. If one does not want to redeem the firstborn donkey, the Torah instructs one to chop off its head and bury it. It is preferable to redeem it rather than killing it.
A firstborn male donkey belonging to a Cohen or Levite does not need to be redeemed. (As opposed to a firstborn Kosher animal that has Kedusha even if belonging to a Cohen or Levite.) One should not sell (part of) first-time pregnant donkeys to a non-Jew, as one would be exempting oneself from the Mitzva of redeeming it.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 178
The Torah forbids one to act based on superstitions. (Vayikra 19:26) Saying "Because the bread fell out of my mouth / my walking stick fell / a deer crossed my path, therefore I will/won't do something" is forbidden. Similarly, when being asked for a loan at the beginning of a week / month one is forbidden to answer "please don't make me start the week / month by lending money". Refusing to walk under a ladder for fear of injury is a Mitzva; looking after your wellbeing. Source Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 166:1, 33:13
The Torah prohibits charging interest and paying interest to fellow Jews. The Torah allows charging interest and paying interest to non-Jews.
A person who lends money to a Jew and charges interest, has transgressed six Torah commandments and - if he doesn't repent - will not awaken at Techiyas Hameitim resurrection of the dead - when the dead will be revived at the End of Days. The person who borrows the money transgresses three Torah commandments. The scribe, witnesses, co-signer and middle-man all transgress one Torah commandment. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 65:1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10
Sometimes pages of a book accidentally become stuck together at the edges with paint or glue during the bookbinding process, or as a result of something sticky falling onto the pages when using the book. On Shabbat one may separate pages that are stuck together at the edges. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 80:50
The Principle Idea
I was in the elevator the other day talking to a woman in her 70’s I said happy Shevous and she told me her grandson was being confirmed on Shavous. I wished her Mazel Tov and then remembered my own private story.
All my friends when for a Bar Mitzvah in the local Conservative Schul and then continued being traditional or non-religious. My mother did not like the Conservative Schul because they prayed in Hebrew and wanted the Reform ‘Free Synagogue’. I got tired of riding 45 minutes each way back and forth to the Synagogue and wanted to be with my friends. So eventually, as my grandfather passed away in Apr. ’57, 10 year old Richard was sick of riding the subway without any real encouragement except the membership and Hebrew school cost a lot of money – so I quit. I was a bit down and out that I had never gotten a Bar Mitzvah so at around the age of 14, my mother decided that I should go to the ‘Free Synagogue’ of Flushing, NY which was only 30 minutes away.
In the Synagogue I met this nice girl in my confirmation class named Peggy and I got my first puberty crush but like most 14 year olds was too shy to tell her how I felt. I sat and listened to the older ‘Rabbi’ intensively. The son of the president of the Schul was also in my class and from time to time would cut class to make out with some girl on the stairs. I found that grossly unfair that he would get the same degree as I. I only remember that his name also was Richard. One day the old ‘Rabbi’ wanted to break-in the new assistant ‘Rabbi’. He began to teach. I had questions against the Orthodox and the separation of the sexes and he told me that in ancient times when women had periods they were ritually impure so the separation. The libido was not mentioned to me. However, that reason alone made sense to me regarding the Orthodox over our practices. I gave the Orthodox a victory here over our mixing of the sexes.
The ‘Rabbi’ began trying to explain all miracles as accidents, natural events etc. which actually does not contradict the Rambam but the timing and probability was not taken into account. He started spouting what he believed in and that was atheism and archeology and whatever else he wanted on our impressionable young minds. I went to the Reform Temple (Judaism only had two in Yerushalayim but idolatry had many). The atheist ‘Rabbi’ was of course no help. So I was lost like hundreds of other youths. The seeds were sown for me under a friendship of a young communist to become a right of center patriotic atheist at the age of 16 about half a year after my hero JFK was gunned down in Dallas. For when JFK was killed,
With all the making out and atheism in the Synagogue, there was nothing for me there so before I would go on to be Confirmed, I quit as it was not worth the ceremony and hocus pocus to me. I would always have that gap of not learning in my youth how to pray in Hebrew or to lean the Torah and Haftarah properly. But precisely that gap and lack was to be instrumental in me moving into Orthodoxy and Shomer Shabbos in my senior year of College.
I have known for years that the Labor Party used the IDF as its pawns. Truck loads of Arabs were transported on Army Trucks when Shimon Peres ran against Netanyahu in 1996 but it did not help. When the government made a devaluation of the Lira in 1974 or 1975 there was a call-up of troops on Friday afternoon to Shabbos to 1) make it look like external trouble so that everybody would not talk about the devaluation (2) not detract from a working day and (3) get some Orthodox Jews to violate the Shabbos as a side benefit.
IS THIS GOD'S ISRAEL? by Barry Chamish
In the summer of '82, I fought in the Lebanon War for the Israel Defense Forces. I was shot at a few times, survived some artillery barrages but came home in one piece. To celebrate
survival, I joined my very lovely friend, Michelle Benishu, for beers at a Jerusalem pub. Her family's experience of the war dampened my selfish joy. Her brother was a member of a religious armored brigade ordered by Ehud Barak into a Syrian ambush above Lake Karoun, ten miles from my position, in a wadi called Sultan Yakob. Before the brigade could be extricated, 23 soldiers had died and twice as many had been wounded. Her brother fell into the latter category, suffering severe shell shock. If that sounds minor, don't tell him that. He was hospitalized for weeks until he recovered enough to go home. Seeing two dozen killed will do that to you.
I asked Michelle, "So being religious has nothing to do with survival in war?"
Without hesitation she answered, "Not a thing."
It was only 15 years later that I discovered in Israel, being religious does have much to do with survival. It decreases the odds. I learned the real facts of the Sultan Yakob massacre as told by her brother's brigade commander Avigdor Ben Gal to the newspaper Kol Ha'ir. He set out on a jeep tour when two lower officers, took over the brigade command radio against all orders. Both would become leaders of the Labor Party; Amram Mitzna and Ehud Barak.
This was not a Labor Party war; it was initiated by the newly powerful Menachem Begin and his Likud Party. If the war went well, Labor wouldn't see power again for the foreseeable future. So Barak and Mitzna were ordered to sabotage it by killing Jews. But not Labor secular Jews. Only the religious would serve their purposes. So with the maps in front of them, they deliberately sent a religious brigade to its doom.
Also in on the dirty political game was Gen. Ariel Sharon. Eight years before, he created a secular left party called Shlomzion. After leaving the Yom Kippur War as the only hero, he was invited to New York for a meeting with Henry Kissinger. It was then, in Jan. '74, than Sharon was strongly urged to unite his party with Menachem Begin's Herut to form what became the Likud. After the debacle of the Yom Kippur War, it was understood that Labor's days were numbered. Sharon's goal would be to nullify the effect by destroying the Herut from within.
In September of '82, he had his chance. As Begin's Defence Minister, he ordered his supposed Christian allies, to attack the Palestinian population centers of Sabra and Shatilla on their own. Without the IDF to mollify them, the Christians massacred some 800 people. The attack began on a Friday, reports of the slaughter were publicized on Saturday and Sharon did not order the Christian troops out until Monday.
By then, Begin was all but finished as a leader of Israel. And the connivers against the Jewish and Christian troops, Barak, Mitzna and Sharon would all run for the job of the Prime Minister of Israel and Sharon and Barak would get the post. Pushing murder was its own reward.
The results of Israel's last elections showed that the vast majority voted for a Right-Religious government. The Labor Party led by Barak received all of 8% of the popular vote. However, with a clear majority at his disposal, PM Netanyahu turned away the religious parties and invited Barak and Labor into his government. The same thing happened when Sharon was elected Prime Minister. He snubbed the religious parties and made the hugely corrupt Shimon Peres his Foreign Minister.
The religious have no genuine say about Israeli politics. Nor were they ever supposed to.
Do you believe in Angels? An hour and 10 minute lecture if you are interested: http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/media_cdo/aid/1181743/jewish/Do-You-Believe-in-Angels.htm
Two Articles on the Orthodox World: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3892341,00.html http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3891257,00.html
Inyanay Diyoma
From BKLYN: I may not be going ‘cold turkey’ on my microwave yet but it is food for thought: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/18/microwave-hazards.aspx
The 5th Column: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/137722
The winds of war latest update: http://www.debka.com/article/8810/ http://www.debka.com/article/8807/
Anybody remember New Year’s Day 1960? It issued in a new decade with hope and a chance to change BUT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCpUxoseopY&feature=youtu.be
Obama seeing the out maneuvering of Iran to Sanctions responds: http://www.debka.com/article/8794/
One Facebook page that I found offensive even though I was not particular in agreement with the other religion, I would not associate with the page – the “Religion of peace” in my book is the religion of hate of the moon god, zin, of Mecca: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3891574,00.html
Jewish rights groups say Arizona law not Nazi - Wiesenthal Center dean says those comparing tough new law against illegal immigration with rise of Nazi Germany are going too far, diminishing Holocaust: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3890411,00.html
Water solution is finally at hand. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3891163,00.html
Just a stone’s throw from the nearby Arabs: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/137606
Jewish Congress men and women: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/137614
Weapon System: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3892176,00.html
Terrorist attack prevented: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3892316,00.html
This is a big problem: http://www.debka.com/article/8802/
This is a smaller problem but could be very costly: http://www.debka.com/article/8803/
A little common sense at last: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/137651
Anti-Semitic ‘peace crusaders’: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3892605,00.html
Jews did not read or did not believe Mein Kaumpf – B. Hussein Obama – I will stand with the Arabs: http://www.conservativecrusader.com/articles/b-hussein-obama-i-will-stand-with-the-muslims
Us is out gunned in Afghanistan: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/05/25/army-outgunned-afghanistan/?test=latestnews
Story told to me by Gail: A black man working in the State Dept. sat next to an Orthodox lady on a plane to Israel. He told her that he worked in the State Dept. for 20 years and President Obama IS NO FRIEND OF ISRAEL! Those who understand will understand she could not get anything further information out of the man.
OY Gewalt very bad news for Israel: http://www.politico.com/blogs/laurarozen/0510/Wexler_for_Israel_.html
Ground Zero Mosque a jab in the eye of NYC: http://standupamericaus.com/ground-zero-mosque-founder:33002
From Adam: From someone who moves in high circles in Israel
Tonight I heard very disturbing information – we heard it from a consultant to the United States who meets once a month with the President in the White house. He is in the know. This is what actually has happened with the relationship with Israel and the USA and it is not pretty:
1. Israel during the Bush and Clinton Administrations – had landing rights in Turkey , and in the USA bases in the middle east and more recently under George Bush, in Iraq . This was in case they were invaded by Iran , or Saudi or any other Arab country. Obama has withdrawn those landing rights. Israel now has nowhere to refuel in the middle east.
2. Netanyahu was instructed to come to the white house for a meeting. He was brought in through a servants entrance – the only head of state ever in US history to be given that disgraceful treatment. He was not offered even a cup of tea – but was lectured to by Obama who told him that he is not permitted to attack Iran and that he has to withdraw all forces from the West bank and may not build any more settlements ( neighborhoods) in East Jerusalem.
3. Israel found out that there were four terrorists meeting in Dubai . As they have done for the past 62 years, they informed the US of that and said that these terrorists had to be dealt with. Obama said under no circumstances. Israel decided to go ahead. They killed the one terrorist who showed up. However the CIA was sent there to film the entire event by Obama – and then a concerted PR campaign was waged by the White house to discredit Israel and what they did – this kind of action has taken place with US support for the past 62 years since we have common enemies.
4. Obama has refused to oppose Syria ’s re arming of Hezbollah and Hamas – Israel now sits in imminent danger from the amounts of missiles that can be sent into her territory.
5. Israel will never tell the US again of its plans – since they cannot trust us.
6. Israel intends to attack Iran – there are over 30 installations of which 4 have underground bunkers that contain nuclear weapons. Israel cannot wait any longer. The US is no longer supporting Israel ’s self defense.
7. This is the same man that gave the White House a full file on the 9.11 attack – his warnings and proof were laughed at.
8. He believes that the next attacks in the USA will be mass transportation – subways and malls – especially the largest malls where the most people can be killed - and that Vegas and wherever there are conventions of employees will be a huge target. We are not prepared and are naïve in our lack thereof.
9. Once Israel attacks Iran, every Jew and Jewish institution will be at risk – temples, religious schools etc. We must be prepared.
10. This kept a room of 200 people spellbound. It is not fiction. It is fact.
Manchurian Candidate by Emanuel A. Winston, Middle East Analyst & Commentator
Are all Muslims taught to be candidates for becoming "Manchurian Candidates", some knowingly, some unknowingly? (The original movie by this title has American soldiers held hostage by the Chinese Communists, being brainwashed to become killers and mentally implanted with the post-hypnotic suggestion that, on a given signal, they/he would assassinate the American President.)
When a young Muslim is taught Koranic Law in a "Madrassa" (school for strict Islam), repeating his lessons by rote day-after-day, year-after-year, these lessons of Islam’s superiority and violence are deeply implanted and never to be forgotten. Add to that the lessons he is taught about Mohammed, both his proclamations as recorded in the Koran and how he lived his life with instructions written in his "Hadith" (Oral Teachings).
Few Muslim children (or adults) can resist what psychiatrists would call "post-hypnotic suggestion", otherwise called "reduced cues" or "subliminal cues". These strong inner motivations create a call to action, hence: the "Manchurian Candidate", under the post-hypnotic suggestion and instruction to attack America(ns), Israel(is), the un-believers of Europe and the rest of the "infidels" (non-Muslims).
Once imprinted, such a manipulated brain cannot be cleaned. Like attack guard dogs, they cannot be de-programmed with any reliability that they will not attack when triggered.
Clearly, Muslims seem to have multiple personalities that range from friendly (at times) but which can quickly change to anger and then to being willing killers. They exhibit the face they want you to see at any given time.
"Jihadists" (holy warriors for Islam), such as Dr. Humam Khalil Abu al Balawi who was thought to be a reliable agent for the CIA and Jordan apparently had many faces. He used his Muslim Killer face when he exploded himself among ranking CIA agents in Afghanistan, killing 8 (7 American CIA agents and 1 Jordanian). Balawi was a Jordanian doctor - sometimes - when he was not being an Al Qaeda recruit. (1)
Recall the 6 Muslim doctors who mounted failed car bomb Terror attack in Britain and Glasgow? British Police confirmed a Palestinian doctor and an Iraqi physician, plus a Muslim doctor arrested in Australia. July 2, 2007 (2)
A group of 45 Muslim doctors threatened to use car bombs and rocket grenades in terrorist attacks in the United States during discussions on an ‘extremist’ internet chat site. (3)
Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri was a co-conspirator with Osama Bin Laden, an Egyptian doctor who became a master of Terror - ‘interested’ in the use of biological and chemical warfare - like anthrax. Bin Laden paid Chechen mobsters millions of dollars in cash and heroin to obtain radiological "suitcase" bombs left over from the Soviets. (4)
America’s two most recent 2 Muslim Terror attacks killed 13 American soldiers at Fort Hood by the base psychiatrist Dr. Nidal Abdul Hasan and the failed underwear bomber on Flight 253, December 25, 2009, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab whose underwear fire bomb was put out by irate and brave passengers. Christmas was chosen deliberately as the day for such an attack as the most "meaningful" time to inflict pain on America. Perhaps the date for Fort Hood was chosen because it was so close to Thanksgiving.
Remember, the dates the "Jihadists" have chosen always seem to resonate with some esoteric meaning. 9/11 four planes hijacked and exploded into Twin Towers Trade Center (a virtual symbol of American capitalism’s superiority), the Pentagon. Flight 93 may have been aimed at the White House or Congress but was taken over by the brave American passengers and deliberately crashed in Pennsylvania. 3/11/04 Madrid commuter trains was exactly 911 days after 9/11. 7/7/05 London subway commuter trains and buses. 7/11/06 Mumbai, India, another "terrorist" train bomb killed 209 (2+9=11) commuters. Those who study numerology can find many more "coincidental" numbers.
Did you read about the Palestinian, Mansor Mohammad Asad of Toledo, Ohio - on a Detroit-bound Delta flight in Miami who, as it was taxiing away from the Terminal, began making loud anti-Semitic comments and chanting in Arabic, saying to the Miami-Dade police: "I am a Palestinian and I want (to) kill all Jews," according to witnesses. (5)
Passengers at U.S. airports have been jolted by at least two dozen disruptive security incidents since the failed Northwest #253 December 25. The TSA (Transportation Security Administration) has tallied - 24 incidents at U.S. airports from Dec. 27 to Jan. 3; 37 incidents during the previous week; and 18 the week before that. (6)
We often hear from at least two Presidents coming to the defense of Islam and Muslims - usually after a Muslim Terrorist attack. Remember that all the Terror attacks in the past 2 decades have been by Muslim "Jihadi" (warriors for Islam) Terrorists. In 2009 U.S. Intelligence reports that there were at least 139 such attacks. Presumably, that does not include attacks thwarted by the FBI and others of America’s 16 Intel Agencies.
Are Muslims merely ticking bombs, some awaiting instructions to go into action as "sleeper cells", while some unknowingly have altered attack brain cells, tucked into the dark recesses of their mind that springs into murderous action when circumstance calls it up?
Presently, there is a new awareness in the West, namely, in America, England, France, the Netherlands, the Scandinavian countries and others about so-called home-grown Muslim Terrorists, some of them second or third generations coming out of their host countries. Seemingly ordinary, even well-educated and well-to-do young men suddenly sneak off to Yemen, Pakistan, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan to learn attack methods - including suicide bombing techniques - "how to burn" for the cause of Islam.
To their victims it doesn’t matter one whit if they are well-taught Manchurian Candidates or merely subliminally implanted with Koranic teachings that surface sometimes in their adult life. The Victims are dead and the radical Islamists cheer their success, handing out candy in their rejoicing - then they go on to recruit more volunteers. Some have forgotten their cheers after 9/11's ‘success’ in the Muslim communities around the world, including so-called peaceful, moderate Muslims in America.
Among the Muslim Arab Palestinians, they were giving out candy and dancing in the streets, celebrating the 3,000 viciously murdered innocent souls. In places like Chicago - Flint, Michigan - Los Angeles, their parties were a bit more subdued (lest they be noticed).
Many people are deeply concerned now about President Barack Hussein Obama’s birth to a Muslim father and early education as a Muslim, with all that entails. Some wonder why Obama was selected by an American black convert to Islam, Khalid al-Mansour (principal adviser of Saudi billionaire Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal), so Obama was approved to receive considerable funding to attend Harvard University. These funds reportedly came from Saudi Arabia.
Why was Obama profiled for greater things by Islamic leaders?
What was there in his person or personality that brought him to the attention of the Saudis - among other Muslims?
We still await the full story of why Antonin Rezko, a born Syrian, who changed his name to an Italian style, Tony, was so helpful in further funding Obama. Rezko is now in jail, having been convicted for kick-backs from companies seeking State Pension fund business through Governor Blagojevich. He also assisted the Obamas in a real estate hustle.
I cannot help but wonder how many Muslim Americans have been funded for education and elections because they can operate freely inside the American system?
How many second and third generation Muslims who pass as typical American but harbor plans to one day destroy America from the inside?
In effect, all Muslims may be potential Manchurian Candidates who can be activated to kill for the cause of Islam - unless they already have. Something is pathologically twisted in the blood cult of Islam through Koranic teachings that leaves them slaves to whatever violence is demanded of them.
In the "Madrassas", mostly funded by the Saudis, the Mullahs and Imams speak disparagingly about the ungodly American ways, therefore, the Americans are deserving of conversion to Islam and strict "Sharia" laws. Also, that America, in its entirety, is destined to become an Islamic nation. Their preferred method of conversion is by the sword -which in today’s age of advanced technology means sophisticated bombs.
But, first the sleeper cells and the programmed Manchurian Candidates must subvert the targeted nations (America), weaken her financial system, have her ;military undermined through P.C. (Political Correctness), have her Courts similarly converted to judicial decisions compatible to Islam and Sharia laws. This is happening already in England, France, Canada, the Netherlands and other supposedly democratic "Free West" nations as the critical mass of Muslims grow in those nations and pressure their governments to ‘lean’ toward Islam.
In Israel, one of the key targets of the "Jihadists" (holy warriors for Islam), we observe enormous pressure coming from the regime of President Barack Hussein Obama and the Arabist U.S. State Department to accept the Arab demands to surrender to their fate.
Sadly, we also see Israeli politicians accept their ‘diktats’ under U.S. pressure, to surrender Land - our Biblical Jewish Homeland, given to the Jewish people by G-d in perpetuity - including ALL of Jerusalem, our Eternal Holy Capital for 3500 years. With these surrenders, so goes our sovereignty as the only Jewish Nation/State in the world. This would be just to please Obama and the Leftists in Israel and Europe. Obama’s hostility toward Israel while he is appeasing Iran, Syria and local Muslims is no longer conjecture but solid, observable fact.
How can an American President and his wife be "Manchurian Candidates" who hate American ways, America’s democratic system of government and America’s once successful, capitalistic financial system?
Why has Obama been so protectively cocooned by the State Department and America’s 16 Intel Agencies?
Why does Obama flaunt this protective barrier about his true life and past history?
We all thought the President and the Government’s job was to protect the American people from all enemies - domestic and foreign. Do they agree that America is destined to become a Third World nation where the non-workers are to be supported by the industrious - with their entitlements written into law?
Obama promised during his eloquent election speeches to "Change" America and to "redistribute the wealth". Why does he pick the pockets of industrious, hard-working Americans who built this nation and who is actually guiding his fingers?
Perhaps there are many different breeds of Manchurian Candidates - each with a separate mission which, in the end, serves the ultimate Muslim goal of harnessing a once great nation to the wagon of Islam.
Remember that the Muslims are taught their goal is to create a Global Caliphate for Islam. And also, remember that Not All Muslims Are Suicide Killers - But All Suicide Killers Are Muslims.
JERUSALEM: THE WINSTON DEFENSE COLLECTION! by Emanuel A. Winston, Middle East Analyst & Commentator
Following are some of the many articles we’ve written about defending Jerusalem over the years. Some are lost to computer glitch, but we will try to send one every so often over a period of time.
Many peoples and civilizations that have attacked the Land of Israel over the past 3000 years may have conquered and controlled it for a time and then they disappeared from history.
Since June 6, 1967 Israel has been the sovereign country of her Eternal Ancient Capital, Jerusalem. Under Israel’s control, all other peoples and religions have freedom of their own religions and religious sites - which hasn’t been true under most of the conquering powers.
Only after June 6, 1967 has Jerusalem been claimed as Muslim’s "third holiest city" by the dregs of Yassir Arafat’s PLO regime in order to create a fictitious history for a mix of Muslim Arabs, most of whom migrated into Eretz Yisrael for the work and health benefits the Jews had brought in.(1) Arafat’s PLO later joined the hostile Muslim Arab States surrounding the newly born Jewish State who had waged war against the Jews from before the State of Israel was born.
In 1964, the Egyptians created the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) - before the 1967 war liberated the territory Egypt and Jordan had captured, occupied illegally and desecrated during the 1948 war. Yassir Arafat became its head and was the father of modern Terrorism of today.
Mahmoud Abbas (aka Abu Mazen), Arafat’s lieutenant, companion, financier, aide de’ camp, etc. for 40 years - has now succeeding his former master as Head of the PA - "Palestinian Authority". Abu Mazen and the PA are supposedly moderate, but they also run the Al Aksa Martyrs’ Brigades, Tanzim and the Palestinian Militias.
Several essays defending Jerusalem as Israel’s wholly Eternal, Ancient, Jewish Golden Capital which we have written over the past 20 years will be sent out as possible. The following is a short list:
JERUSALEM: "I HATE THE GROUND YOU WALK ON" October 1996
ETERNAL JERUSALEM March 16, 1997
WHO WANTS JERUSALEM? EVERYONE! April 27, 1999
THE FINAL STATUS OF JERUSALEM May 6, 1999
JERUSALEM UNDER SEIGE...AGAIN May 23, 1999
WHOSE JERUSALEM? July 31, 2000
THE GREATEST LIE EVER TOLD ABOUT JERUSALEM January 2001
ARABS GRABBING JNF LAND IN JERUSALEM With Helen Freedman of AFSI October 19, 2006
THE MYTH OF AL AKSA MOSQUE February 15, 2007
CAMPAIGN TO SAVE JERUSALEM, THE CAPITAL OF ISRAEL - "IF I FORGET THEE, O JERUSALEM..." BY Elyakim Haetzni October 12, 2007
WE’VE BEEN HAD! (THE JERUSALEM PLOY) October 30, 2007
OLMERT SAYS ISRAEL MUST INTERNATIONALIZE DIVIDED JERUSALEM by Herb Keinon & David Horowitz - with interspersed comments by EA Winston January 1 & 4, 2008
DARE TO DIVIDE JERUSALEM January 21, 2008
U.S. AMBASSADOR: JEWS WILL JUST HAVE TO LEAVE JERUSALEM: "JUDEN RAUS"! JEWS - GET OUT! March 20, 2008
CREEPING ARAB ANNEXATION IN JERUSALEM March 8, 2009
EU REPORT CRITICIZES ‘ILLEGAL ANNEXATION’ OF EAST JERUSALEM March 13, 2009
BEHIND THE POLITICS OF DISPENSING OF JERUSALEM March 15, 2009
###
1. "From Time Immemorial: The Origins of the Arab-Jewish Conflict Over Palestine" by Joan Peters Harper and Rowe NYC 1984
Today Bob posed to me his prediction that both the Middle East and Korea will be at war this summer and I fear it is because of weakness of the USA as presented by the President. History shows that strong Presidents like Kennedy, Nixon and Reagan avoid war while weaker ones like FDR, Carter etc. avoid peace. It is not a matter of Saber rattling but that of strength.
THE WAR OBAMA AND HIS ADVISORS NEED TO STAY IN POWER By Emanuel A. Winston, Middle East Analyst & Commentator
President Barack Hussein Obama seems to be an anomaly – in the general scheme of politics. We know that Obama has no military experience but, those he chose to advise him supposedly have both the military expertise and the global experience as high ranking political players from past regimes. It has been observed that Obama and family have a repugnance for the American military, political speeches of approval notwithstanding.
In the lore of political history, when leaders are losing the confidence of their people, starting or participating in wars has often been the preferred method of maintaining power. The people at large are generally loath to change rulers just before or during a war. There are several reasons why a war would be beneficial to the Obama regime and his currently dominant Democratic Party. Note that the upcoming November mid-term elections already show a high probability of the Democrats losing control of Congress and their 'right' to spend without restraint.
Unfortunately, Obama has shown that he is not competent to lead or protect America from normally occurring disasters, whether they are financial meltdowns, natural or man-made disasters like the oil contaminating the Gulf of Mexico, or from a nuclear-armed rogue state such as Iran or North Korea or the Taliban in Pakistan….
His deliberate bumbling to stop Iran from going nuclear within a very few months is reminiscent of a second-rate prize fighter agreeing to take a dive in a certain round.
Obama’s advisors are “experienced” in making threats for public consumption but, dealing under the table to insure they would never have to live up to their bluster.
We have observed Obama and Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, bluster about how they will pressure Iran to behave and not to advance their nuclear plans. But when Iran ignores every threat with impunity, Obama shifts the blame over to Israel.
As Muslims around the globe attack every outpost of the West, including their infiltration of radica Muslims Terrorists into democratic nations’ areas of vulnerability and influence, Obama and his cohorts find ways to blame Israel.
While Israel is barely a dot on the map of the Middle East and Obama is representing the world’s major Super-Power, he genuflects in Muslim style to a people who pledge to make America adopt Islam as part of their goal for a Global Caliphate. In addition, as always, the radical Islamist Muslims proclaim they will wipe the Jewish Nation/State of Israel off the map – with fire.
Obama gets daily briefings on the advanced state of weaponry accumulated by Iran and Syria who duly pass much of it on to Hezb’Allah (now a controlling hostile force in Lebanon) and Hamas (ready to begin a Third Intifada in Israel). Much of these weapons’ systems originate in Russia or China and North Korea.
But, Obama bows, scrapes and genuflects to all of these nations while attacking Israel’s right to defend herself. Obama even has top ranked General Keith Dayton training the Muslim Palestinian paramilitary forces to attack Israel when the time comes. Let’s not forget Egypt’s recent war-game exercises called “Badr 2010”, where the targeted enemy was known to be Israel – despite the supposed Camp David peace treaty. ["Badr" refers to the first military victory of Mohammed in 624 CE which damaged Meccan prestige and established Islam as a viable force. (1)]
Many experts in analyzing the prospects for imminent war are deeply aware that Iran and Syria are preparing for all out war, using their proxies of Hezb’Allah and Hamas to start the action. Obama must know this but, to protect his political behind here in America, he has sent some minor munitions to Israel so he can brag: “See, I am protecting Israel as I promised.”
Reports coming in speak of three American aircraft flotillas heading toward a position off the coast of Iran. The next questions:
Are there orders to attack Iran’s Nuclear facilities or to strike a potential Israeli attack formation, claiming that America is keeping the peace?
Is Obama to be trusted with the life or death of Israel?
I personally would not trust Obama and his advisors – like James Baker III, Zbigniew Brzezinski, or any of his court Jews, such as Rahm Emanuel and David Axelrod with any semblance of protection for a Jewish ally.
Note! This lack of trust does not apply to the American people or the American Congress, who have demonstrated that they are stalwart allies and supporters of Israel.
Regrettably, the American government is filling up with Arabists whose loyalties lie with hostile Arab nations who just happen to be sitting on pools of oil.
If there is a war this summer between Israel vs. Iran, Syria, Hezb’Allah, Hamas, the pertinent questions are:
1. Whose side will the Obama Arabists stand with?
2. Will Israeli aircraft on their way to strike Iranian Nuclear facilities be attacked by American aircraft – as demanded by Zbigniew Brzezinski?
3. Will General Dayton’s trained Muslim Palestinian fifth column be ordered to attack Israeli soldiers and hit civilian targets?
4. Will Congress be forced to move to impeach President Obama as a clear and present danger to America and to America’s allies?
Therefore, is Obama’s intention, on advice from his Arabist advisors to rescue Israel when it no longer exists or is too weak from inside attacks to resist surrender in compliance with Obama’s Middle East plans to assist the Muslims’ declared goal of a Global Caliphate?
The next questions are:
1. Will Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu accept these results?
2. Will Netanyahu be tricked?
3. Would Obama, in linkage with the Muslim Arabs dare to attempt to take over Israel with such a ruse?
###
(1.) "Battle of Badr" (Islamic History) Britannica Online Encyclopedia http://britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/48575/Battle-of-Badr
Now for M. Wolfberg’s stories: Shevous, Uplifting and Light me up.
Good Yom Tov Everyone. Let us begin our discussion with the powerful words of the Mishnah: “Rebi Yossi ben Kismah said: Once, I was walking on the way and a person met me and greeted me and I greeted him back and he said to me: Rebi, where are you from? I said to him: I come from a large city of scholars and scribes. He said to me: Do you want to live with us in our place and I will give you thousands of gold coins and precious stones and pearls? I said to him: [Even] if you were to give me all the silver and gold and precious stones and pearls in the world, I would only live in a place of Torah. As it is written in the Book of Psalms by King David: “The Torah of Your mouth is better for me than thousands of gold and silver.” (119:72) And not only that, but at the time a person departs from this world, neither silver and nor gold nor precious stones and pearls escort him, rather Torah and good deeds only...”(Avos 6:9) The last shirt we wear on this earth has no pockets. We take only our spiritual accomplishments with us to the next world.
The following two stories illustrate how Jews have learned Torah under the most trying circumstances.
When the entire Nevardok Yeshiva was placed behind prison bars by the Communist government, the main intent was to prevent them from learning Torah and serving Hashem. Religion was frowned upon, especially the intense observance found among the young men in the Novardik Yeshivah. The prison guards attempted to weaken the resolve of the students by depriving them of basic physical needs. They were served only enough food to barely stay alive and they were constantly damp and cold due to the stone walls and floors of the prison cells. They had neither coats nor blankets and the temperature was usually well below freezing. But what pained them more than anything else was that they were robbed of their most prized possessions: their Talmud.
Amazingly, the boys' families were allowed to bring food packages, and one of the young men came up with a clever plan. At the time of their arrest, the yeshivah students had been learning the tractate of Makkos, one of the shorter tractates. The entire tractate was only twenty-two pages long.
The "prisoners" sent word to their families that they needed packages of cheese: twenty-two packages to be exact, each wrapped in another page of Gemara (Talmud). In this way they would able to smuggle in the entire tractate and share the Gemara. The unwary guards never suspected a thing and before long the young men from Novardik had their entire tractate.
The question arose as to how they were allowed to disgrace the pages of Gemara by using them as wrapping paper for cheese if the halachah clearly states that the honor of Torah is even more important than Torah itself. Rav Eliezer Rabinovitch, the Rav of Minsk, answered that not learning Torah for these boys was a matter of life and death and for matters of life and death it is permissible.
Perhaps the following story will help us to understand why these yeshiva students learned with such self-sacrifice and resolve. It was their Roshei Yeshivah who were role models and provided the inspiration.
Reb Chaim Efraim Zaitchik, the Novardik Rosh Yeshivah, had been exiled to a Soviet labor camp in Siberia for the "atrocity" of learning and teaching Torah. The food rations were sparse and the hunger pains which gnawed at the men were a constant reality. The water which they drank was brought from a spring located three kilometers away in a thick forest. Carrying the water was a thankless job as the pails were heavy and the path treacherous.
But one day Reb Chaim volunteered for the position of water-carrier. Why? Because he had heard that there was a village at the other end of the forest where there might be another Jew. He made his way through the forest and after a few hours reached the spring, put down his pails and trekked to find the village.
Seeing a clearing in the distance he made his way to the small town. Searching door to door, Reb Chaim was thrilled to finally find a little hut that had a mezuzah on the doorway. He knocked softly and the door was opened a small crack by a poor middle-aged woman who obviously did not have much extra food in her home.
Nevertheless, she slipped an extra slice of bread through the small crack and sent Reb Chaim away. But Reb Chaim persisted. "It is not food that I want. Please just give me a sefer to learn from." The woman called her husband to the door and he greeted Reb Chaim. "I'm sorry but I'm not a very learned man. I own only one sefer and I'm not about to part with it."
Reb Chaim pleaded with him, "Please just give me a page of the sefer. I'll take any page, even the opening page. I beg you. I'm starving for learning. Don't send me away with nothing!" The sincerity in Reb Chaim's pleas moved the poor villager and finally he brought the sefer.
"I'll tell you the truth. The sefer is a Gemara, with two tractates in one, Nedarim and Nazir. I'll give you one." Reb Chaim tore the volume in two and gave Reb Chaim the tractate Nedarim. He hid it under his clothing and thanked the man profusely for his priceless gift.
Returning back to camp with the buckets of water, Reb Chaim's body was sore and his bones ached. But the smile on his face would not go away because as he held onto his Talmud he knew that he had acquired something much more valuable than anything else in the world. ( R' Yechiel Spiro p. 188 Touched by a Story."
The lesson of these stories are especially important on Shavuos. Shavuos commemorates the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. The moment that the Children of Israel received the Torah, we became the Jewish Nation. Because, it is only the Torah which distinguishes us from the nations. In truth, every day we have the opportunity to receive the Torah. If we take time out of the day, even for five minutes, to learn a little more Torah, then we will be affirming our membership in the Jewish Nation. Good Yom Tov Everyone.
Good Shabbos Everyone. In our Torah portion this week Nasso, the Torah tells us how Hashem commands Moshe to count the Jews. When commanding Moshe to count the Jews, the Torah uses the word “Nasso." The word “Nasso," can also mean "to uplift." It is therefore possible to understand the verse in the following spiritually uplifting way: Hashem is giving Moshe Rabeinu (our teacher) the power to uplift the Jews. Since the time of Moshe Rabeinu, Hashem has appointed in every generation Tzadikim (the exceedingly righteous) to lead Klal Yisroel. Just as Hashem gave Moshe Rabeinu the power to uplift the Children of Israel, so too does Hashem gave the spiritual leaders of every generation the power to uplift Jews. The following story will inspire us to believe in the power of Tzadikkim.
In a certain area of Jerusalem many years ago, some Jewish stores were open on Shabbos. Rabbis and lay leaders tried to convince the proprietors to close their stores before sunset Friday afternoon. Eventually they were successful with all the storekeepers except one -but no amount of pleading or pressure could get this particular Jewish grocer to close his store. Business was good, and to his mind, profits outweighed any regard he may have had for Shabbos observance.
Reb Aryeh Levin, of blessed memory, heard about the stubborn grocer and was pained that a fellow Jew would willfully desecrate the Shabbos. One Friday afternoon, R' Aryeh dressed early for Shabbos, donned his shtreimel (fur hat worn on Shabbos), and went to the store. It was well before sunset when R' Aryeh entered the shop.
He walked quietly through the store, eyeing the goods on the shelves and watching the brisk flow of customers and purchases. He sat down on a chair near the back of the store and observed the activity.
The owner recognized R' Aryeh but didn't say anything to him, thinking that perhaps the elderly rabbi was resting and would soon be on his way to shul. As sunset drew near, however, the grocer wondered why R' Aryeh made no effort to go. He began to feel a bit uncomfortable at the great rabbi's presence in his store so close to Shabbos. The proprietor was busy with his customers, but every once in a while he would steal a glance at R' Aryeh, who seemed to be sitting there for no apparent reason. Finally the grocer approached R' Aryeh and said, "Rabbi, I see you have been sitting here for a while already. Can I do something for you? Are you feeling all right?"
R' Aryeh stood up and, after exchanging pleasantries, said to the grocer, "I heard that you keep your store open on Shabbos. I know that others have spoken to you about it, but I wanted to come and see for myself how difficult it is for you to close for the holy Shabbos. Now I know without a doubt how hard it is for you to close and give up so much business. Honestly, I feel for you - but what can I say? Shabbos is Shabbos!"
The grocer was silent for a moment, and tears welled up in his eyes. He said, "My dear Rabbi, you are the only one who took the time to come over here to see the situation from my point of view. It means so much to me that you came to my store. Everyone else just criticized me from a distance." Warmly, he shook R' Aryeh's hand and said, "I promise you that I will do what I can to see if I can close the store on Shabbos.” R' Aryeh wished the grocer, "Good Shabbos.”
Within weeks, the store was closed by sunset every Friday afternoon. Only after R' Aryeh was in "the grocer's shoes" did he undertake to reprimand him, and even then he did so only with great sensitivity. No wonder people listened to R' Ariyeh's words. (Along the Maggid’s Journey, R. Pesach Krohn, p.113)
Throughout the millennium, Tzadikim have led the Jewish Nation: the Kohanim Gedolim (high priests), the Prophets, the Kings and the Sages have all served as spiritual conduits to funnel holiness and wisdom from heaven. Our current generation also has its Tzadikim which lead Yisroel. Many of us have the merit to live in close proximity to some of the biggest Tzadikim active today. Hundreds of thousands of Jews flock to Tzadikim yearly for advice on everything from business concerns, medical issues, family issues, marriage proposals, and suggestions on spiritual growth.
It can be very time-consuming to seek the counsel of a Tzadik. In addition, the time we are allotted to speak with the Tzadik may be limited to a few minutes. However, it is well worth the wait. Because, a few minutes with one of the Tzadikei HaDor (the spiritual leaders of the generation) is worth much much more than hours and hours with less qualified people. This is because the words of a Tzadik are the closest thing to divine inspiration that we have today. In other words, the best chance we have to receive heavenly inspired answers to life's issues is by asking Tzadikim.
Therefore, when we go in to ask a Tzadik for advice, it is important to listen very closely to his holy words. As we mentioned, the advice the Tzadik gives is the closest thing to coming directly from Hashem. Why then should we be so foolish as to contradict this heaven-sent advice? By seeking the advice of Tzadikim we are guaranteed to live happier, less worrisome lives. Good Shabbos Everyone.
Good Shabbos Everyone. In this week’s portion Beha’aloscha Hashem commands Aharon through Moshe to light the large Menorah in the tabernacle. In commanding Aharon, Hashem uses the interesting word "Beha’aloscha." Rashi explains that the word “Beha’aloscha” contains the root meaning “to go up,” (as in “an aliyah to the Torah.”) Thus the Torah chose the term “Beha’aloscha,” to indicate that when applying fire to light the Menorah, one should make sure that the flame on the Menorah goes up -- “aliyah,” and burns on its own, before removing the source flame from the Menorah. If lighting a candle with a match, for example, one would leave the match burning on the candlewick until the flame of the candle burns high.
When we look deeper into the symbolic meaning of the verse, we begin to see a beautiful, spiritually uplifting meaning of “Beha’aloscha...” We read in Proverbs that “The soul of Man is the lamp of Hashem.”(Mishlei 20:27) We see that the soul is compared to a lamp. Similarly, the Talmud tells us that the soul of a man is called a candle.(Shabbos 30b) We can now begin to delve into a deeper mystical level of understanding of the verse “Beha’aloscha Es Ha-Neros...” -- “when kindling the lamp...”
Every Jew has a soul which is a spark of Hashem From On High. Hashem is the Origin of the Holy Fire, which is the Source of Life. Hashem keeps the pilot light of the soul alit as long as we are alive, however, we as individuals are responsible for making sure that the Holy Flame of the soul burns high. Let us now re-read the verse based on our new-found understanding... “when kindling the soul, you shall make sure that the flame of the soul burns high...” Let us hopefully be inspired by the following story.
As a young man, Yaakov Yisroel confronted by many major challenges and obstacles. He was one of the many Orthodox Jews who were sadly coerced into joining the Russian army, which meant that Yaakov Yisroel had to spend time with soldiers who were violent and vicious men. The Russian soldiers' sinister attitudes toward him had filtered down from the commanding officer, who made no effort to hide his dislike for Yaakov Yisroel and his annoyance over all the problems this Jewish soldier had caused.
From the food that he refused to eat to the special days he made himself unavailable for work and duty, Yaakov Yisroel threw a monkey wrench into the scheduling, order, and the regulations, which are so fundamental to army lire.
Constant adjustments were required to accommodate this one Jewish soldier and his fanatical religious belief. But since the resilient Yaakov Yisroel combined his staunch, unfaltering convictions together with a sensible low profile, more often than not he was able to stay out of harm's way. The additional guard duty he accepted upon himself coupled with some extra sharing of responsibilities enabled him to obtain furloughs and to avoiding working on Shabbos and Yomim Tovim.
But when a certain Officer Karlenkiev watched this soldier rest while others were working, it made his blood boil. And finally he decided he would do something about it. He would make life miserable for the Jew. The next Saturday, Karlenkiev made it his business to cross paths with the Jewish soldier. As was customary for his Shabbos duties, Yaakov Yisroel was keeping guard duty without violating any of the thirty-nine Shabbos prohibitions.
Suddenly Karlenkiev appeared. Without explaining why, he ordered Yaakov Yisroel to aim his gun at a target located fifty meters away. It was not a day designated for target practice and there was no valid reason for Karlenkiev to have issued the order other than to disturb the Jewish soldier's day of rest.
As the startled Yaakov Yisroel mulled over his options, the spiteful commanding officer added that he should continue shooting until he hits the bull's-eye in the middle of the target. This demanding feat was no easy task for a seasoned marksman, let alone a novice like Yaakov Yisroel.
The young Jewish soldier wanted to avoid the desecration of Shabbos at all cost. He remember what he had learned about the laws of Shabbos. Namely, one who does a prohibitive action on Shabbos in the usual way, the way in which that action would be performed during the week, that person has violated a Torah prohibition of keeping Shabbos. However, one who does a prohibitive action on Shabbos in a different way than the normal way, has only violated a less stringent Rabbinical prohibition. Should he shoot with his dominant right hand, and thereby violate the Torah? Or perhaps, should he shoot with his weak left hand and merely violate a Rabbinic prohibition. He decided to shoot with his left hand. This would mean that he was shooting with a shi'nui - a difference, and therefore creating less of a desecration of the Shabbos, as it would only be an issur d'Rabbanan.
But shooting with his left hand, he knew, would likely greatly lower his changes of ever hitting the mark. Thus he was left in a quandary — violate one Torah prohibition or several Rabbinical prohibitions?
At first he attempted to defy the order. But Karlenkiev promptly informed him that disobeying a command from a superior officer could result in a severe punishment, possibly even death! Left with no choice, Yaakov Yisroel prepared to shoot. He deliberated and then quickly resolved to fire his gun with his left hand.
True, in all probability would not succeed and would be forced to shoot many times. However he determined that it is was his responsibility to do everything within his power to reduce the gravity of his sin. He knew that he most probably would be forced to discharge his firearm many times but he hoped and prayed that Hashem would have his bullet meet its mark. Yaakov Yisroel aimed his gun and prepared to shoot.
Karlenkiev noticed that the Jew was not shooting with his stronger hand, instead he was using his weaker one! What a fool! He thought to himself. Doesn't he realize he'll be forced to shoot many times until he hits the mark?”
But when the gun discharged, all present were shocked to discover that the bullet had indeed hit the center of the target! Yaakov Yisroel tried to hide his smile. He was certain that the Hand of Hashem had guided his hand to shoot the gun so that the bullet landed exactly where it needed to.
The only one who was more surprised than Yaakov Yisroel was the menacing officer who had orchestrated the plot against him. Karlenkiev stared at the Jewish soldier as it dawned on him that this was no religious fanatic, rather someone who was guarded and blessed by a Higher Being.
From that moment on, Yaakov Yisroel was treated like a hero. Karlenkiev watched out for his well-being and. ironically, became his greatest proponent. However, since he now would no longer work at all on Saturdays, the other officers felt that it would weaken the morale of the other soldiers to have an individual around who was not fulfilling his duty.
Thus the only logical solution was to give him an honorable discharge from the army. The Jewish soldier eventually made his way to Eretz Yisroel, where he grew in Torah and mitzvos to become a leader of many — for Yaakov Yisroel was Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel Kanievsky, the renowned Talmid Scholar the Steipler Gaon. All because of a gunshot — the shot heard 'round the world.' (Touched by a Story 3, p. 198, R' Y. Spiro)
The highest spiritual growth a Jew can obtain in this life is on Shabbos. Let us take advantage of the gift... Good Shabbos Everyone.
Shabbos Everyone.
Mr. Wolfberg’s Shabbos sponsored by: Refuah Shleima to Mordechai Menachem Mendel ben Tziporah Yitta Refuah Shleima to Tsviah bas Bracha Leah
In memory of Shosha Malka bas R' Avrohom 21 Cheshvan Refuah Shleimah to Chana Ashayra bas Dodi
Have a great and peaceful Shabbos,
Rachamim Pauli
