Correcting a very small error, the following name I put on my prayer list and he B”H has recovered so please remove him. I tend to copy and paste as many names remain. Please remove B”H Avraham Yehida ben Esther. You may recall that I asked to pray about a month ago for a period of two weeks for Benyamin Yehonatan ben Sara Rivka and he has been released from the hospital and recovering nicely at home. He thanks everybody who prayed for him.
On Friday all the Israeli Newspapers had a picture of Sarah Palin identifying herself with Israel on the anniversary of the Six Day War.
Autistic Children Warn Us (rephrased from memory)
The following statements are recorded on paper and because I have not seen or heard this directly from the children, I tend to take things with a grain of salt.
Woe to the religious people who go to the Glatt Kosher Restaurants and eat like gluttons. Woe to the religious women who put on the latest fashion in public and the most expensive wigs, make-up, perfume, etc. as they bring on terrible things on Am Yisrael. The majority of American Jews are more integrated in the American Society and they forget their Jewishness and what HASHEM wants of them. Modern man including too many Orthodox and people thinking that they are ultra-Orthodox are over concerned with the life in this world.
The world as we know it is going to come crashing down soon. The dollar is going to be a second rate currency soon. After that the Euro will collapse and the Gashmiyus World will come tumbling down. If one was to ask a Charedi if he wanted his riches or to be poor with the Moshiach, he would take physical wealth over spiritual wealth. Two thirds of the world will be destroyed soon. Only people of true faith will survive. The world as we know it now will no longer exist.
We cannot imagine the world of Moshiach and the sixth millennium when HASHEM will be KING of the earth. The world will be a spiritual world and our values and pleasures different. I am Autistic and terrible to look at on the outside but inside I am complete and satisfied with my place. Many look wonderful on the outside but are worst inside than I am physically on the outside. When are my Jewish brothers going to wake up?
Wake up from your stupor, in a number of months there will be a war which will change the shape of the world and only one third will survive. After that the survivors will be more spiritual and accretive to the new world order. (Essentially the Autistic asks where are you/we?)
The message of the autistic children could be best described by this anecdote from livingtorah.net: WHAT ARE YOU DOING? June 2nd, 2011
Rabbi Yosef Ber Soleveichik, the rabbi of the town of Slutsk once happened to meet a young man who had been one of his students. “What are you doing these days?” the rabbi inquired. “Thank G-d,” the former student replied. ”I have become a merchant and I’m very successful. I’m making a very comfortable living.” The rabbi looked at his former student, paying close attention to his words and then said, “What are you doing?”
“I hope the rabbi will forgive my asking, but three times the rabbi has asked me what I’m doing and I have answered him.” asked the young man. The rabbi replied with a deep sigh: “You have answered my question three times over, but your answer is not satisfying. In so far as you have accumulated money, that is nothing to your credit, for it all belongs to G-d, as it says, ‘Mine is the silver and Mine is the gold.” It is He who gives you riches, health, and in fact, your very life. “When I ask you ‘What are you doing?’ I am referring to your good deeds, which are wholly your own. Do you give Tzeduka (charity)? Are you kind to your fellow man? Do you devote a set time every day to the study of Torah? These are the only things in this world which are truly your own possessions which you accomplish through your efforts alone. I am asking you what you are doing, not what G-d is doing for you!” The young man was perplexed. Hadn’t the rabbi understood him? But instead of acknowledging his statement, the rabbi only repeated, “What are you doing now?”
Parsha Naso Continued
My original plan was to go into details regarding the work of the Leviim. However, time and circumstances dictate that I cover other aspects of the Parsha that are shorter to write about.
5:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 'Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is unclean by the dead; 3 both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camp, in the midst whereof I dwell.' 4 And the children of Israel did so, and put them out without the camp; as the LORD spoke unto Moses, so did the children of Israel.
This was commanded back in Parshiyos Tazria and Metzora.
5 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 6 Speak unto the children of Israel: When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to commit a trespass against the LORD, and that soul be guilty; 7 then they shall confess their sin which they have done; and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him in respect of whom he hath been guilty.
Rabbi Tovia Bolton wrote: Parshat Naso (5771) Although this week’s Torah portion is the longest in the book, it contains only 18 commandments and one of them is the commandment of confessing sins to G-d. According to Judaism almost any sin can be fixed by genuine repentance and confession. But interestingly there is no commandment to repent - only to confess!!!
This, of course is very misleading. Confession without regret is not only worthless it is exactly what brought a person to sin in the first place!! When Jews feel that Torah is only ‘lip service’ and void of content, they turn to sinning. So how can empty ‘lip service’ confession be the cure for sins when it was the cause? Indeed the question should be the opposite. What possible importance can there be in confessing? The essence of repentance is the FEELING of remorse for rebelling against the Creator? Repentance is in the heart - not in the mouth.
8 But if the man have no kinsman to whom restitution may be made for the guilt, the restitution for guilt which is made shall be the LORD'S, even the priest's; besides the ram of the atonement, whereby atonement shall be made for him. 9 And every heave-offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they present unto the priest, shall be his. 10 And every man's hallowed things shall be his: whatsoever any man gives the priest, it shall be his.
This is misappropriation of holy or set aside objects, food or sacrifices for the Sanctuary or Beis HaMikdash. The object was to be restored, a Korban made and 20% fine was imposed upon the misappropriated value.
11 and the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 12 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: If any man's wife go aside, and act unfaithfully against him, 13 and a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, she being defiled secretly, and there be no witness against her, neither she be taken in the act; 14 and the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled; or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled;
In reviewing the verses below from the suspected-adulterous-woman-ceremony, verses Nu05-15:28 note both the context and the several repetitions, indicated by bold letters:
- Then shall the man bring his wife to the priest,
- And he shall bring her offering for her...
- And the priest shall bring her near, ...
- (A) and stand her before the Lord;
- And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen utensil; and of the dust ...
- (A) And the priest shall stand the woman before the Lord,
- and loosen the hair of the woman’s head,
- and put the offering of memorial in her hands, ...
- (B) And the priest shall swear her by an oath ...
- (B) Then the priest shall swear the woman with an oath of cursing, ...
- And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.
- And the priest shall write these curses in a book,
- and he shall blot them out with the bitter water;
- (C) And he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water that causes the curse; ...
- Then the priest shall take the meal offering of jealousy ...and shall wave ...
- And the priest shall take a handful of the offering, and...
- (C) and afterward shall cause the woman to drink the water.
Rashi paraphrased states: (1) Note the many repetitions indicated by the letters (A,B,C) referring to repeated standing, swearing, drinking of water and (2) note the many degrading procedures such as unraveling of hair, use of dust, and placing heavy objects, like the meal offering, on her hand. This shows that the underlying idea here is to harass her during an interrogation procedure so that she should confess. Nothing was just done once: She was stood up, moved, and stood up again. She was sworn, spoken to, and sworn again. She was forced to drink the water, spoken to (e.g. asked to confess rather than cause the Holy Divine name to be erased), and forced to finish drinking again. Throughout, the intent was to cause her anxiety and break her defenses so that she should confess.
Advanced Rashi: Rashi only speaks about the repetition of standing (#A above). But as can be seen, there are many items repeated. Furthermore, reviewing the Midrashic comments on these items we see hints that they also were done, interrupted, and then repeated. For example, we have explicit Midrashic statements that the woman was admonished not to desecrate the Divine name that is uttered in holiness… An easy consequence of this is that the woman was forced to drink the water, was admonished not to totally destroy the Divine name, and then forced to drink the water again. Thanks to Dr. Russell Hendel Shlita who puts out a Rashiyomi.com
This is the law of a Sotah or woman who as gone astray from the path. Once a woman marries she is forbidden to go astray. This does not give a Heter to break up a marriage or two in divorce courts. It once happened that a man and woman worked in the same building and everyday they would drive from their town together to another town and then back. In the course of time they became attracted to one another and their spouses received invitations to a divorce court out of the blue. The relationship was supposedly kosher and the two married. This is adultery of the heart and mind even if it is within the Torah this is called by the Ramban as “Minuval B’ Reshus HaTorah” which is disgusting within the laws of Torah as gluttony is and even things a husband and wife do in private if carried on to an extreme.
The Torah declares that one should make a Nazir Vow if he sees a married woman who is secretly going astray with a man other than her husband so as to keep himself from sin.
6:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When either man or woman shall clearly utter a vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to consecrate himself unto the LORD, 3 he shall abstain from wine and strong drink: he shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat fresh grapes or dried. 4 All the days of his Naziriteship shall he eat nothing that is made of the grape-vine, from the pressed grapes even to the grapestone. 5 All the days of his vow of Naziriteship there shall no razor come upon his head; until the days be fulfilled, in which he consecrates himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.
Shimshon was allowed to cut his hair once a year as he was a live-long Nazir. However, Delilah gave him to drink and he was over-come by the Plishtim. The last known Nazir was Rabbi David HaCohain of Haifa and his son became the Chief Rabbi of Haifa and his daughter married the man who would become the Chief Rabbi of Yisrael, Rabbi Shlomo Goren Zal.
6 All the days that he consecrates himself unto the LORD he shall not come near to a dead body.
Shimshon being a life time Nazir was allowed to go into battle. Those who took on a temporary vow were forbidden for a short time. Being a Nazir is permitted if for the right reason such as not letting one’
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 thee peace. 27 So shall they put My name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.'
A special Mitzvah given to Cohanim to bless the Bnei Yisrael – this Mitzva has the Cohanim joining the two hands together with the right above the left at lower than the top of the forehead level which forms a shape of a dove. The famous Star Trek Mr. Spock’s Vulcan greeting was taken from this blessing and used with one hand.
7:1 And it came to pass on the day that Moses had made an end of setting up the tabernacle, and had anointed it and sanctified it, and all the furniture thereof, and the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them and sanctified them; 2 that the princes of Israel, the heads of their fathers' houses, offered--these were the princes of the tribes, these are they that were over them that were numbered. 3 And they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen: a wagon for every two of the princes, and for each one an ox; and they presented them before the tabernacle. 4 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 5 'Take it of them, that they may be to do the service of the tent of meeting; and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man according to his service.' 6 And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites. 7 Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon, according to their service. 8 And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. 9 But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none, because the service of the holy things belonged unto them: they bore them upon their shoulders. 10 And the princes brought the dedication-offering of the altar in the day that it was anointed, even the princes brought their offering before the altar. 11 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'They shall present their offering each prince on his day, for the dedication of the altar.'
This Parsha has 176 Pasukim, Baba Basra the longest Tractate has 176 Dafim and Tehillim 119 has 176 verses so this is more than a coincidence. The Minchagim of the Jews of each community and each tribe is different. Sometimes the non-religious Jew is confused by this. Once one takes on a custom it is not easy to shake it off. Chabad Chassidim do not eat rice on Pessach. Once they had to harbor Moroccan refugees on Pessach. The Rebbe ordered the Chassidim to serve them also rice on the Table!!! For all Minchagim are Kodesh. One can under extenuating circumstance nullify a custom as did Rabbi Diskin in Poland during a disease outbreak in which he ate whole rice before the Congregation on Pessach to show them that it is permissible for health reasons. Every man according to his custom is proper no matter how strange as long as it does not violate something in such a way that it is a sin (i.e.; Eskimos lending their wives to male guests). Note: not all Moroccans eat rice on Pessach!
When it was time to donate to the building of the Mishkan, the Princes said that they would make up for the under donations, but Am Yisrael was generous to a fault and the collection of materials were stopped. Since the number of wagons, oxen, dimensions of the Mishkan was limited if fully covered by the donation of the people the Nassim would have not write to donate anything extra. This left the Princes with not donation at all therefore HASHEM gave them the Mitzvah to donate equally from each tribe the same items which is covered in 88 Pasukim (Drasha condensed from the Drasha of Rabbi Barak Kochavi Shlita with my additions).
12 And he that presented his offering the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah; …18 On the second day Nethanel the son of Zuar, prince of Issachar, did offer: … 24 On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, prince of the children of Zebulun: … 30 On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, prince of the children of Reuben: … 36 On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, prince of the children of Simeon: … 42 On the sixth day Eliasaph the son of Deuel, prince of the children of Gad: … 48 On the seventh day Elishama the son of Ammihud, prince of the children of Ephraim: … 54 On the eighth day Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, prince of the children of Manasseh: … 60 On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, prince of the children of Benjamin. … 66 On the tenth day Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, prince of the children of Dan: …72 On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ochran, prince of the children of Asher: … 78 On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan, prince of the children of Naphtali: 79 his offering was one silver dish, the weight thereof was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meal-offering; 80 one golden pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 81 one young bullock, one ram, one he-lamb of the first year, for a burnt-offering; 82 one male of the goats for a sin-offering; 83 and for the sacrifice of peace-offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five he-lambs of the first year. …
84 This was the dedication-offering of the altar, in the day when it was anointed, at the hands of the princes of Israel: twelve silver dishes, twelve silver basins, twelve golden pans; 85 each silver dish weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and each basin seventy; all the silver of the vessels two thousand and four hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; 86 twelve golden pans, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece, after the shekel of the sanctuary; all the gold of the pans a hundred and twenty shekels; 87 all the oxen for the burnt-offering twelve bullocks, the rams twelve, the he-lambs of the first year twelve, and their meal-offering; and the males of the goats for a sin-offering twelve; 88 and all the oxen for the sacrifice of peace-offerings twenty and four bullocks, the rams sixty, the he-goats sixty, the he-lambs of the first year sixty. This was the dedication-offering of the altar, after that it was anointed. 89 And when Moses went into the tent of meeting that He might speak with him, then he heard the Voice speaking unto him from above the ark-cover that was upon the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and He spoke unto him.
All this comes to teach us that an accounting must be rendered by public officials so show that all collections and outlays are honest.
Halachos from Danny Shoemann
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, Shavuot and Sukkoth. This Mitzva includes offering 2 sacrifices; a Korban Re-iya ("appearance sacrifice") which was completely burnt, and a Korban Chaggigah ("festive sacrifice") which was eaten. These sacrifices cannot be offered on Shabbat. 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. Even though Shavuot is only one day long (in Israel) this Mitzva can be fulfilled during the 6 days following Shavuot. This is the reason why some congregations do not say Tachanun during the entire week following Shavuot. Source: The Book of our Heritage, Vol III, Page 50 Such is the Minchag prevalent in Eretz Yisrael.
This year - 5771 - Shavuot will start on Tuesday evening at sundown and end on Wednesday evening after dark. Outside of Israel, Shavuot will end on Thursday evening after dark. It is customary to read Megillas Ruth on Shavuot morning, between Hallel and the Torah Reading. In Israel, Megillas Ruth will be read on Wednesday and in the Diaspora most places will read Megillas Ruth on Thursday. Outside of Israel one has to remember to leave a flame burning (like a Yahrzeit candle or gas range) from before Yom Tov (Tuesday afternoon) so that one can light the 2nd day's Yom Tov candles. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 75, Orach Chaim 490:9
In Eretz Yisrael, Shavuos is one day and Yizkor is said before the Mussaf Service. In the Diaspora, Yizkor is said on the second day.
A few words on Chag HaShavuos
Customs vary and there are traditions regarding the Chag. David the Melech passed away on Shavuos. It is a tradition that he was also born on the Chag. Coming from Ruth HaMoavi, Megillas Ruth is read on Shavuos making it 3 for the three Regalim and one for Purim and Tisha B’ Av. Chanucha did not have the two Sefarim of the Maccabees canonized by the Rabbis so no Megillah is read then. They like the Wisdom of Ben Sira and others are considered outside books.
There is a custom from either Mishnaic or Talmudic times to read an introduction prior to reading the Torah and the Decalogue. The introduction is long and in Aramaic and his very hard to follow if one has learnt Torah all night and is a bit drowsy. Another custom on Shavuos is to read Mishnayos Bikurim for Shavuos is also called Chag Matan Torah and Chag HaBikurim. For the Bikurim are the first fruit of the harvest of the seven species mentioned in the Torah: Wheat, Barley, Grapes, Pomegranates, Olives, Figs and Dates. Usually this was brought by a bunch of farmers from one area on gold and silver plates for the occasion with let us say a decoration of a sheaf of wheat or Omer of barley with the grain and the same for each of the other species.
Each farmer would then read a confession starting with the same words used on Pessach “A wandering Aram fellow as our forefather … and that I have grown this on my own property and have not trespassed into the property of others, etc. (The whole confession and reading is in Bikurim). At first the farmer would read it from the Torah but later as many lacked a full education, it was ordained that the farmer be read to and repeat after the reader.
Many people learn extra Torah on the night of Shavuos. Some stay up all night and go to sleep returning to the Synagogue at 8 – 9 AM depending on the start of the service. Others pray after a night of learning. Still others cannot concentrate or stay awake all night. The night of Shavuos is not like a soldier on guard duty that must keep awake at any cost no matter how drowsy. The night of Shavuos is for learning Torah and learning as if one was going to receive Torah from Sinai. There is no Mitzva involved to be like a Zombie moving about in learning and prayer and not getting anything out of it. For there is no reason to prove to the world or Sergeant that you are awake.
The legend has it that heavens are opened a Halachic Midnight on the night of Shavuos and that special prayers can be answered. The Sephardim say Tikun Leil HaShavuos and a Kabbalistic work. Most people attend Shuirim given by others. There are some on the level of learning Chavrutha and that is the biggest Mitzva.
Because the Torah was not given at the time and nobody knew what meats were permitted or forbidden, it was the custom to eat milk meals. Ashkenazim make cheese blintzes and the Sephardim sort of a small cheese knish called in Modern Hebrew berechas. Cheese cakes in various shapes and forms are the mode of the day. Some eat cheese at night others at breakfast, some both it depends on the individual family and customs. Those with lactose deficiency should learn if goat’s cheese, yoghurt and dairy ease will suffice to perform the custom. The Torah says to LIVE BY THEM and not sicken oneself. I have problems with bees honey and take sugar on Rosh Hashanah and on Shavous go light on the soft cheese and the harder processed cheeses and goat’s cheese affect me less.
The main thing to remember is to pray well and feel as if you are accepting the Torah on Sinai. All other customs are secondary to this. Yizkor is also said on Shavuos so for those who hold one day be prepared to say on the first day even if one is visiting outside of Israel.
The USA owes this Jew a large Debt with interest. This was written by a Methodist hence the quote but it is the truth. http://www.examiner.com/historic-americans-in-national/is-there-a-magen-david-the-great-seal-of-the-united-states
Elisabeth sent me this 5 minute film for beginners: http://www.aish.com/h/sh/t/Crash_Course_in_Shavuot.html
Reb Yisroel’s Joy Posted By Living Jewish On September 19, 2010
Reb Yisrael lived for his Rebbe. That is to say, his Rebbe’s words inspired everything he did in life. Not only did he live according to his Rebbe’s teachings, but he spread his holy words wherever he went.
Although it wasn’t easy, Reb Yisrael traveled to his Rebbe twice a year. A trip to the Rebbe, however, wasn’t like a trip to the market. Certainly not. Reb Yisrael began his preparations months in advance, with daily immersions, constant study of Chasidism, fervent prayer and a course of general self-improvement. Even his children were caught up in the excitement of the impending trip, emulating their father by increasing their own good deeds and Torah study.
Suddenly, with no warning, in the midst of all this flurry of preparation, Reb Yisrael’s youngest son, Yaakov, fell desperately ill. A stream of doctors attended his bedside, but nothing could cure the illness that was sapping the child’s life away.
In desperation, Reb Yisrael hurriedly packed his bags. He would go to the Rebbe and ask for his holy blessing. After all, now it was the month of Elul, the month when the King of kings was most accessible, the month of mercy and forgiveness. The long journey passed in a fog. Hours merged into one another, as the distraught father recited the Book of Psalms. As the houses of the town emerged in the distance, Reb Yisrael began to feel a flutter of hope in his heart. As he entered the study hall, he barely returned the enthusiastic greetings of his fellow Chasidim. All his thoughts centered on his beloved Rebbe and the audience he would soon have.
Meanwhile, Reb Yisrael prepared himself for the holy day of Rosh Hashanah. When the day arrived, Reb Yisrael barely lifted his eyes from his prayer book, for he never stopped beseeching the Almighty to spare his son. By Yom Kippur, Reb Yisrael was even more desperate, his prayers even more intense. Now, added to his pleas for the life of his son was another prayer: that when he entered the Rebbe’s room, his note would be accepted. It was a known custom that a Chasid would place a note containing his requests on a table, and if the Rebbe took the note, it was assured that the requests would be fulfilled. If the Rebbe did not take the note…
As the day of his audience approached, Reb Yisrael became more and more anxious. He stopped sleeping and couldn’t eat. Finally his turn came and there he was, standing in the Rebbe’s room. He placed the tear-stained note on the table and waited for the Rebbe to take it. What seemed like hours passed, and it became apparent there would be no salvation — the Rebbe did not take the note. Somehow, the dazed Reb Yisrael made his way out of the room. His worst fears had come to pass; perhaps his dear son had already left this world.
He wandered until he came to the edge of town, and there, under a tree, Reb Yisrael fell fast asleep. When he awoke, the sun was high in the sky, and he realized that it would soon be Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah. Tears poured from his eyes as he thought, “What is my life?”
Back in town, everyone was rushing to and fro in a tornado of preparation for the festival. But he, like an automaton, proceeded to the synagogue where he sank into a corner, oblivious to the joy which surrounded him.
What caused him to lift his eyes is not clear, but Reb Yisrael looked up for a moment and his eyes locked onto the dancing figure of Reb Shmuel. Reb Shmuel, who during the entire week could barely put one foot in front of the other, was dancing and leaping like a young stag. The town beggar was whirling with a strength that he never before possessed, his face gleaming with holy joy.
As he watched in fascination, Reb Yisrael felt a great yearning well up inside himself. And he thought, “Today, all of creation is joyful. And what of me? When all the angels and all the worlds are rejoicing, should I remain alone in my own private sorrow?”
Reb Yisrael rose from his corner and joined the circle of dancers. Forgetting everything in this world, he whirled and spun and leapt and jumped. He stamped and turned and never stopped until his joy merged with the joy of the universe and he no longer remembered his son, his pain, or even his own name. His entire being was only rejoicing.
Reb Yisrael entered the Rebbe’s room for a blessing on his departure. He had decided not to ask about his son. The Rebbe blessed him and then spoke, “When you came and asked my blessing for your son’s recovery, I saw that Heaven had decreed his death, and so I left your note on the table. But on Simchat Torah, when you annulled your own pain and rejoiced in the Torah in pure joy, the Heavenly decree was also annulled. Your son will live.”
Reprinted from www.LchaimWeekly.org – LYO/NYC
Inyanay Diyoma
Shades of Nazi Germany and the Inquisition in liberal California: http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2011/06/nazi-legislation-for-a-judenrein-jewfree-california-banning-judaism.html
Anti-Semitic group: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4077745,00.html
The death camp was plowed over and 300,000 perished here now the museum to close: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4077944,00.html
This in Syria getting hot again: http://www.debka.com/article/20997/
From Scott: This week, the demonstrations by the left in America against Israel in support of Radial Islam is just a step to destroy both the little and big Satan according to radicals: http://polymontana.com/2011/05/31/america%E2%80%99s-enemies-%E2%80%9Cbleed-the-dragon%E2%80%9D/
I am far from a member of the Democratic Party and do not like Congressman Anthony Weiner’s Political philosophy to say the least but: Weiner is married just about two years it does not make sense that he sent a childish picture to the young woman. According to an analysis by Anthony DE Rosa in his Reuters blog, the EXIF metadata of the linked photograph was different from that of Weiner's BlackBerry camera phone, with which he usually takes his Twitter photographs.
If you believe Syrian TV: http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=223669
http://www.debka.com/article/20999/
Bat Zion sent me this: http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/06/israels_pain_beyond_human_language.html
Big business in Syria where a good salary is a few hundred dollars a month: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4078698,00.html
Maybe not the Arab or U.S. main stream media press but this is the IDF: http://idfspokesperson.com/2011/06/05/naksa-day-rioters-near-majdal-shams-are-warned-not-to-breach-border/
Translated from the article on Maariv’s NRG website by Moshe Feiglin
The lineup of ex-generals and security officials who over the past few weeks have demoralized the country by urging us to roll up our sleeves for the cyanide shot - hundreds of murderers to be injected straight into the bloodstream of Israeli society in exchange for Gilad Shalit - raises some grave questions. Is there some sort of ideological filter on the way up the ladder to the senior command posts in Israel? How could it be that so many senior security officials hold views that are so antithetical to Israel's security?
We all know that the hundreds of terrorists released in the 2004 Tannenbaum deal have sown death and destruction in Israel. So how could people who are supposed to be responsible for our security encourage the same scenario all over again?
Plainly, Gilad Shalit's release is not a military issue. It is simply a question of the willingness of Israeli society to pay the price. The army may not know where Shalit is - a damning admission in and of itself. But it does know the whereabouts of the Hamas leaders responsible for his captivity.
We could make those Hamas terrorists desire to release Shalit. But we do not want a rocket war here and we do not want international pressure, either. That is why Shalit is still in captivity. We could cut off their electricity, but we do not want demonstrations throughout the world and pictures of the hospitals in Gaza working by candlelight. We do not want to pay that price, so Gilad is still in captivity.
We do not want to face off against the bleeding hearts in our justice system, so Israel's Hamas prisoners will continue to receive visitation rights, academic studies and deluxe conditions that they could never dream of getting elsewhere. That is why Shalit is still in captivity. And possibly the most amazing fact of all: We insist on continuing our payments and monthly salaries to Gilad's captors. That is why Gilad is still in captivity.
With just a bit of creativity, we could employ countless actions that would bring Gilad Shalit home without firing a single shot or endangering a single Israeli soldier. But every action bears a price and Israel's leaders assume that our society is not willing to pay it. That is why Gilad Shalit is still in captivity.
The easy solution is to surrender and release terrorists. It seems, though, that Israeli society is beginning to wake up and understand that the release of terrorists also carries a price that it is not willing to pay.
The Shalit campaign has finally understood that they must change their strategy. We are beginning to see some of those changes in the demonstrations that they hold and we can only hope that they will not stop. After all, Treasury Minister Yuval Steinitz has already clearly stated that it is possible to stop the cash flow from Israel to the Hamas. He even stopped it for a short period of time after the unity agreement between the PLO and Hamas.
Now, Steinitz should explain to the Shalit family why he does not withhold that money on a permanent basis until their son is released. Is it because of some sort of ultimatum of the Hamas? A threat to continue to fire missiles at Israel?
Can our leaders explain what price they are not willing to pay to free Gilad?
The time has come to switch strategies. Block the Brinks trucks carrying money for Gaza. Cut off the electricity to Gaza. Cut off the water. Protest against visitation rights for jailed terrorists. Announce it in public and encourage the huge crowds that participated in pointless marches to get involved. This is the type of activism that the entire nation - both Right and Left - will join.
When Israel's leaders will understand that the people are willing to pay the price of Gilad's release but are not willing to send hundreds of others to their deaths in his stead, we will finally see real action to bring him home.
Have a Chag filled with joy and Torah learning.
Rachamim Pauli
