Rabbi A.L. sent me a cartoon with Moshe holding up the two Luchos HaBris saying – the hard part will be marketing. This have not changed that much and this week’s Parsha we have the repeat and variation of the 10 Sayings aka Ten Commandments. Selling Shabbos, Kashrus, Family Purity, modesty and not to commit adultery is still hard.
Parsha VaEschanan
3:23 And I besought the LORD at that time, saying: 24 'O Lord GOD, Thou hast begun to show Thy servant Thy greatness, and Thy strong hand; for what god is there in heaven or on earth, that can do according to Thy works, and according to Thy mighty acts? 25 Let me go over, I pray Thee, and see the good land that is beyond the Jordan, that goodly hill-country, and Lebanon.' 26 But the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes, and hearkened not unto me; and the LORD said unto me: 'Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto Me of this matter. 27 Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up your eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold with your eyes; for thou shalt not go over this Jordan. 28 But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see.' 29 So we abode in the valley over against Beth-peor.
Moshe loses out on entering the land but gets to see it from the Mountain. I have always wondered if Moshe had been granted the privilege of entering the land would we have conquered up until the Euphrates and the first Temple would still be standing today? Yehoshua Ben Nun took too long and did not conquer all that should have been conquered it is easy for me arm chair quarterbacking at one of our greatest leaders that I cannot even imagine getting up to but compared to Moshe like the soon Yehoshua like the moon did not measure up.
4:1 And now, O Israel, hearken unto the statutes and unto the ordinances, which I teach you, to do them; that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, gives you.
The Torah with all the 613 Mitzvos for Jews and 7 for the Nations of the World is meant to be a living guide not a theoretical book. There is no such thing as guard your life – ho hum anymore than guard the Shabbos ho hum. When one is exhorted on three types of thievery – stealing a person, robbing out right and sneak thieving then why do people rob? It may look delicious to your Yetzer to cheat on your spouse but if you found out the reverse you would not be so happy and it would not be so delicious. Observe the Torah for they are our life and the life of our days not only in this world but in the next!
2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. 3 Your eyes have seen what the LORD did in Baal-peor; for all the men that followed the Baal of Peor, the LORD thy God hath destroyed them from the midst of thee. 4 But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day. 5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the midst of the land whither ye go in to possess it. 6 Observe therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, that, when they hear all these statutes, shall say: 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. … 39 know this day, and lay it to thy heart, that the LORD, He is God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath; there is none else. 40 And thou shalt keep His statutes, and His commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou may prolong thy days upon the land, which the LORD thy God gives thee, forever.
Oops to my leftist friends and the rights of Arabs it does not say Arabs, Chinese, Russians, Americans, Crusaders, Nazis here it says BNEI YISRAEL is given the land!!! But there is a condition to receiving and owning the land - And thou shalt keep His statutes, and His commandments in short, if you do the Mitzvos and follow the Commands then there never ever will be problems with owning the land!
41 Then Moses separated three cities beyond the Jordan toward the sun rising; 42 that the manslayer might flee thither, that slays his neighbor unawares, and hated him not in time past; and that fleeing unto one of these cities he might live: 43 Bezer in the wilderness, in the table-land, for the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites. 44 And this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel; 45 these are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which Moses spoke unto the children of Israel, when they came forth out of Egypt; 46 beyond the Jordan, in the valley over against Beth-peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel smote, when they came forth out of Egypt; 47 and they took his land in possession, and the land of Og king of Bashan, the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan toward the sun rising; 48 from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of Arnon, even unto mount Sion--the same is Hermon-- 49 and all the Arabah beyond the Jordan eastward, even unto the sea of the Arabah, under the slopes of Pisgah.
3 cities were to be for 9.5 tribes and 3 cities of refuge for 2.5 tribes. There is a suggestion by commentators that there was more accidental manslaughter in this area because it was outside of Eretz Yisrael.
I shall be matching up the next chapter with Shemos Chapter 20.
5:1 And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them: Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and observe to do them. 2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. 3 The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day. 4 The LORD spoke with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire-- 5 I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to declare unto you the word of the LORD; for ye were afraid because of the fire, and went not up into the mount--saying: 6 I am the LORD thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
Literally in front of MY FACE or better translated as besides ME. Here the wording in Shemos is exactly the same and the Am heard it there and it is engraved in their hearts.
7 Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, even any manner of likeness, of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 8 Thou shalt not bow down unto them, nor serve them; for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the third and upon the fourth generation of them that hate Me, 9 and showing mercy unto the thousandth generation of them that love Me and keep My commandments. 10 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain.
Up until this point there is no variation in the wording and the people have the words engraved in their hearts and soul.
11 Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD thy God commanded thee.
The first time the Hebrew word Zachor or remember now the word Shamor or guarding/observing is used. 20:7 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. The first is to remember Shabbos each day of the week and prepare for Shabbos and the second is to observe Shabbos which is done on Shabbos itself. They are two different things. One is a constant reminder that today is Shabbos or hang in there during a rough week because Shabbos is coming and rest and relief is on the way.
12 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; 13 but the seventh day is a Sabbath unto the LORD thy God, in it thou shalt not do any manner of work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor your ox, nor your ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou. 14 And thou shalt remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God brought thee out thence by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day.
20:8 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; 9 but the seventh day is a Sabbath unto the LORD thy God, in it thou shalt not do any manner of work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; 10 for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day; wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.
The first time the Sayings are stated, they are a remembrance of the six days of creation and the second time the mitzvah is repeated it is a remembrance of the exodus from Egypt. Some people have the custom to say “In honor of Shabbos Kodesh in remembrance for the act of creation” before the fish and then after having a small amount of bread and washing out the mouth with a drink they say before the chicken or meat “In honor of Shabbos Kodesh in remembrance of the exodus from Egypt.”
Jumping down further this chapter the Torah expresses what one should think on and before Shabbos = 5:28 Ye shall observe to do!
The second set is being taught to people about to enter the land. One might think that only the cattle like an Ox used for plowing could rest on Shabbos therefore the donkey is added or old cows or other animals used to grind flower etc. Also I wish to remind everybody that the 39 Categories of Melacha is not work or labor but a creative or destructive act that will allow to create something better.
Gemara Shabbos Chapter 7 Mishna II.: The principal acts of labor (prohibited on the Shabbos) are forty less one--viz.: Sowing, ploughing, reaping, binding into sheaves, threshing, winnowing, fruit-cleaning, grinding, sifting, kneading, baking, wool-shearing, bleaching, combing, dyeing, spinning, warping, making two spindle-trees, weaving two threads, separating two threads (in the warp), tying a knot, untying a knot, sewing on with two stitches, tearing in order to sew together with two stitches, hunting deer, slaughtering the same, skinning them, salting them, preparing the hide, scraping the hair off, cutting it, writing two (single) letters (characters), erasing in order to write two letters, building, demolishing (in order to rebuild), kindling, extinguishing (fire), hammering, transferring from one place into another. These are the principal acts of labor--forty less one.
Unless you have a garden or into farming you will not be Sowing, ploughing, reaping, binding into sheaves, threshing, winnowing, fruit-cleaning (separating the bad fruit, leaves and pebbles from the regular fruit which in Halacha includes grain).
Grinding, sifting, kneading, baking, With the exception of Pessach – men do not usually to these activities even during the week and some people in the normal society are used to buying baked goods in our spoiled generation:
Wool-shearing, bleaching, combing, dyeing, spinning, warping, making two spindle-trees, weaving two threads, separating two threads (in the warp), tying a knot, untying a knot, sewing on with two stitches, tearing in order to sew together with two stitches, women and tailors have to be careful about the two Melachos after tying and untying. Men have to be careful about not making a double not in a shoe or over tying up his dog on Shabbos.
Hunting deer, slaughtering the same, skinning them, salting them, preparing the hide, scraping the hair off, cutting it are forbidden. The Jewish version of hunting deer is to trap them without injuring them and kosher slaughtering the deer. I don’t know if any one of my readers have ever prepared a hide or hunted an animal in the kosher way.
Writing two (single) letters (characters), erasing in order to write two letters, building, demolishing (in order to rebuild), kindling, extinguishing (fire), hammering, transferring from one place into another. These and the cooking, baking and frying Melachos are areas where we might have contact with on Shabbos. Sometimes even women put in grout into the bathroom tiles to seal cracks or cover over blackness so the building is both for men and women. Now if there is an Eruv or one is in a house regarding transferring it is not Melacha. However to take out a tissue from a private domain to a public domain is Melacha on Shabbos. One can push his piano from the north side of the living room to the south side of the room all day long and sweat bullets but that is not a Melacha. It is as the beauty and the beast song says, “Something there that was not there before” sort of creating something new like the kindling of wood which changes the log to coal or ash.
15 Honor thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God commanded thee; that thy days may be long, and that it may go well with thee, upon the land which the LORD thy God gives thee. 16 Thou shalt not murder. Neither shalt thou commit adultery. Neither shalt thou steal. Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbor.
The Christians got Adultery wrong by thinking that a man who takes a mistress or has relations with an unmarried woman is an adulterer. Adultery can only occur with a woman who is married and a man other than her husband. Sometimes as the Talmud mentions in theoretical cases where it could be incest and adultery. This is not a Heter to go take a permanent mistress tomorrow like Charles Lindberg did flying between his beloved Nazi Wife and family and his legal family. But it is a more a warning to women as some non-Jews say “if he cheated on me then I will cheat on him.” For this logic of a woman who was cheated upon is erroneous and spiritually dangerous for her and her lover. Our punishment is being cut off from our people in the next world if done in secret or with only one witness or death if warned and caught by witnesses. This does not preclude other punishments melted out by the heavenly courts.
17 Neither shalt thou covet thy neighbor's wife; neither shalt thou desire thy neighbor's house, his field, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, his ox, or his ass, or anything that is thy neighbor's.
20:13 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house; thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's.
Note to the generation going into Eretz Yisrael the house is mentioned first then the wife, domestic workers, employment tools like an ox or mode of transportation whether an ass or a Ferrari. One who has a nagging or whining wife will look at the neighbor’s wife and be jealous not to mention having a physically deformed vs. beautiful wife, etc. and the same for the materialistic world. The Torah comes to put us in our place.
18 These words the LORD spoke unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice, and it went on no more. And He wrote them upon two tables of stone, and gave them unto me. 19 And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain did burn with fire, that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders; 20 and ye said: 'Behold, the LORD our God hath shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice out of the midst of the fire; we have seen this day that God doth speak with man, and he lives...
The fear was so great and some of the people who were just under twenty at the time recalled during this speech by Moshe what happened and told their children and grandchildren about the event.
21 Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, then we shall die. 22 For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? 23 Go thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God may say; and thou shalt speak unto us all that the LORD our God may speak unto thee; and we will hear it and do it.'
The fear was so great upon hearing the L-RD that they were breathless and in fear, trembling and awestruck.
24 And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spoke unto me; and the LORD said unto me: 'I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee; they have well said all that they have spoken. 25 Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear Me, and keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever! 26 Go say to them: Return ye to your tents. 27 But as for thee, stand thou here by Me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandment, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it.' 28 Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you; ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. 29 Ye shall walk in all the way which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.
We have finished the description of the receipt of the 10 Sayings and go now to the Shema.
6:1 Now this is the commandment, the statutes, and the ordinances, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it-- 2 that thou might fear the LORD thy God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD, the God of thy fathers, hath promised unto thee--a land flowing with milk and honey. 4 Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one.
The Shema consists of 6 words and yet these six words have held the Jewish Nation together for centuries. We have endured Christian and Muslim torture to give up our religion but these 6 words are our soul glue. The first word Shema is written Shin Mem Ayin. The Kabbala breaks up the word as it is written in some Siddurim – Shin Mem and a large Ayin. It is to the Kabbalists as the NAME – Shin and Mem spelling pronounced shame which means NAME with the Ayin (70 in Gematria) other NAMES of G-D. (Hold the Ayin in your mind for later) Next comes HASHEM which is spelled Yod Kay Vav Kay where of course Kay in Hebrew is written Hay this is the MERICIFUL NAME for Chessed for Avraham, Followed by ELOKAYNU or the G-D of Yitzchak who is judged at the Akayda Sacrifice, Again HASHEM which is compassion for Yacov and the Emmes and followed by the word Ehud or ONE with the Aleph Chet (guttural Ch.) and Dalet which is a large Dalet. When we combine it with the Ayin we get the word Aid which in Hebrew means witness. We are bearing witness that HASHEM is ONE and there are no gods besides HIM. (There is nothing else but HIM.)
But didn’t I write before that the Ayin represented something else so what about the Dalet? The Dalet represents a lot of things too numerous to write in one short Drasha and requires further and deeper study. For example the elements or forms of matter – Air, Fire, Earth and Water or Gas, Plasma, Solid and Liquid and the four types of Kabbalistic forms – inanimate, plants, animals and ‘talking’ aka human. The Dalet further represents the heavens – sun, moon, planets and constellations. The rest is too much to number as I wrote above.
4. The Lord is our God; the Lord is one. The Lord, who is now our God and not the God of the other nations-He will be [declared] in the future “the one God,” as it is said: “For then I will convert the peoples to a pure language that all of them call in the name of the Lord” (Zeph. 3:9), and it is [also] said: “On that day will the Lord be one and His name one” (Zech. 14:9). (see Sifrei)
5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
This is the natural result of one who fears G-D and loves G-D. In short a true believer.
5. And you shall love [the Lord]. Perform His commandments out of love. The one who acts out of love cannot be compared to the one who acts out of fear. If one serves his master out of fear, when the master sets a great burden upon him, this servant will leave him and go away [whereas if out of love he will serve him even under great burden] (Sifrei 6:5). with all your heart. … 6. And these words… shall be. What is this “love” [referred to in the previous verse]? It is that these words [the mitzvoth] shall be upon your heart, and through this, you will come to recognize the Holy One, blessed be He, and will [consequently] cling to His ways. (Sifrei 6:6) which I command you this day. they should not appear to you as an antiquated edict (דְּיוּטַגְמָא) which no one cares about, but as a new one, which everyone hastens to read. The word דְּיוּטַגְמָא means: a royal edict which comes in writing.(Sifrei)
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart; 7 and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house, and upon thy gates. …
11 Thou shalt therefore keep the commandment, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which I command thee this day, to do them.
Also see the following regarding our Parsha: http://www.aish.com/print/?contentID=48964031§ion=/tp/i/ky
Halacha from Danny Schoemann
We mourn and fast on 9 B'Av since the Bet HaMikdash was burned to the ground. The fire was ignited on 9 B'Av in the afternoon and burned throughout the 10th of Av.
Therefore the restrictions of "the 9 days" continue until after midday on the 10th of Av. The custom is to refrain from eating meat and wine, bathing, doing laundry, shaving and haircuts, saying Shehechiyanu and listening to music until Wednesday after noon. One may make a Seudas Mitzvah (like a Brit) in the morning, with meat and wine.
(When 9 B'Av is on Thursday - as will happen in 9 years’ time if the Bet HaMikdash is not yet rebuilt - then these Halachos are slightly different.)
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 124:20-22
Usually the Haftorah is connected to the weekly Torah Reading. During the 7 weeks following the fast of 9 B'Av we read the Seven Haftorah of Consolation from Yeshaya. This Shabbat is named after the opening words of the first of the Seven Haftorah of Consolation: נַחֲמוּ נַחֲמוּ עַמִּי - Hashem instructs the prophet Yeshaya to "Console, console My people". (Isaiah Ch. 40) Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 128:4, 22:8, Shabbat Shalom - Danny
Perkei Avos Chapter 4 Mishnah 15 - 22 http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/682518/jewish/English-Text.htm
Regarding the types of students I only gave half a commentary or Mishnah 14: The sieve rejects the coarse flour and retains the fine flour.
This is the student who sees the Halacha and Mussar under the Agadda.
15. Rabbi Yannai would say: We have no comprehension of the tranquility of the wicked, nor of the suffering of the righteous.
We can only understand this not in this life but in a hereafter where crimes are truly judged and punishment is true and accurate measure for measure with some compassion shown for the weak mortal.
Rabbi Matya the son of Charash would say: Be first to greet every man. Be a tail to lions, rather than a head to foxes.
A Rabbi should greet everybody first (although there are many deep in thought that they notice us not). The second half is good advice and it is also politically oriented. Always be with the stronger Yeshiva Lions than with the lesser quality Yeshivos. Politically it means be the head of a Torah group than the head of the Roman Empire.
16. Rabbi Yaakov would say: This world is comparable to the antechamber before the World to Come. Prepare yourself in the antechamber, so that you may enter the banquet hall.
Anybody who has been to a fancy hotel or banquet knows that as one comes in, he can freshen up grab a hors d’oeuvres before entering the hall for the main festival same with the next world one should freshen up with Torah and Mitzvos.
17. He would also say: A single moment of repentance and good deeds in this world is greater than all of the World to Come. And a single moment of bliss in the World to Come is greater than all of the present world.
This is to let one know the power of Teshuva which can bring about the difference to being a member of the next world or note. The second half informs us that the greatest of our pleasures in this world is nothing compared to the pleasures of the next.
18. Rabbi Shimon the son of Elazar would say: Do not appease your friend at the height of his anger; do not comfort him while his dead still lies before him; do not ask him about his vow the moment he makes it; and do not endeavor to see him at the time of his degradation.
This comes from the grandson of Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai. One cannot calm down so quick a person who has lost his temper so don’t try and one cannot comfort a person while his dead relative is in front of him even if that person died of a horrible disease and is getting relief now. The same about annulling a vow or seeing a person doing a sin.
19. Samuel the Small would say: "When your enemy falls, do not rejoice; when he stumbles, let your heart not be gladdened. Lest G-d see, and it will displease in HIS eyes, and He will turn His wrath from him [to you]" (Proverbs 24:17-18).
We do not have to awaken the heavenly prosecutor against us.
20. Elisha the son of Avuyah would say: One who learns Torah in his childhood, what is this comparable to? To ink inscribed on fresh paper. One who learns Torah in his old age, what is this comparable to? To ink inscribed on erased paper.
He was Rabbi Meir the Miracle Worker’s teacher before he turned to the Roman ways. This was when he was still G-D fearing. Upon his death, his grave was like on fire and Rabbi Meir put his cloak over the body or grave and prayed and the fire of hell subsided.
Rabbi Yossi the son of Judah of Kfar HaBavli would say: One who learns Torah from youngsters, whom is he comparable to? To one who eats unripe grapes and drinks [unfermented] wine from the press. One who learns Torah from the old, whom is he comparable to? To one who eats ripened grapes and drinks aged wine.
When I was in the Yeshiva, I used to learn from the other young people until one day I learned that the Rosh Yeshiva and Halacha was more open for practical living than their fanatical way and sometimes they turned hypocrites while with the easier way I held steadfast. Some can be Machmir all the time for themselves and some can only be Machmir for others.
Said Rabbi Meir: Look not at the vessel, but at what it contains. There are new vessels that are filled with old wine, and old vessels that do not even contain new wine.
This is never judge a book by its cover. There are politicians who promise one thing and positive change only to produce a hopeless situation and a change for the worst.
21. Rabbi Elazar HaKapor would say: Envy, lust and honor drive a man from the world.
If you are always jealous of the neighbor because his car and house are bigger or his wife gets more expensive clothes or jewels and that makes you cheap in the eyes of your wife – don’t be perhaps he is spending everything now and not saving for later just wish him well and go about your way as maybe he got his portion in this world while you have treasures in the next. I could not live with a woman who was jealous of my every move nor would I recommend that a woman stay married to a man for two minutes if he was all the time jealous of here and whom she said hello to on the street no matter the age.
22. He would also say: Those who are born will die, and the dead will live. The living will be judged, to learn, to teach and to comprehend that He is G-d, He is the former, He is the creator, He is the comprehender, He is the judge, He is the witness, He is the plaintiff, and He will judge. Blessed is He, for before Him there is no wrong, no forgetting, no favoritism, and no taking of bribes; know, that everything is according to the reckoning. Let not your heart convince you that the grave is your escape; for against your will you are formed, against your will you are born, against your will you live, against your will you die, and against your will you are destined to give a judgement and accounting before the king, king of all kings, the Holy One, blessed be He.
This should keep you from sin.
This past Friday, I finally made it up to the area of the Castel where Emmanuel and Gail Winston had their Israeli residence. I also was privileged to meet Rabbi Adam Winston and his Rebbitzen and see photos of all the Winston family. I never knew that the working toys in each box of cereal was the design of Emmanuel or a free patent for the Israeli army to making crossing the canal better in the Yom Kippur War. He saw many tank turrets blown off in the Yom Kippur War. He then in a very short time designed for General Tal the special turret defense for the tanks as the RPG’s were knocking off the turrets right and left. The design pushed the RPG’s away. Emmanuel was as the notice said on the Strategic Command and helped a lot of people in Israel. There were plenty more that he did of Israel from cartoons during the Yom Kippur War and other things. Gail gave me some homework which will take quite a bit of time for me to read From Time Immemorial by Joan Peters and The Secret War Against The Jews by John Loftus and Mark Aarons. Since I no longer read at 60 pages an hour and in fact very slow since I am in Israel it will take quite a while as I have well over 1100 pages to read for homework. Some people like Emmanuel can be mostly abroad and part time in Israel with two sons and families living here and yet influence Israeli Defense and Publicity far beyond our imagination.
Joan Peters was asked why she did not write about the Palestinian History and their rights. She answered that in fact that was what she started out to do when she wrote the book only the truth came out. In fact Ms. Peters was very liberal and human rights oriented. She had participated in the Civil Rights Movement and investigated the Ku-Klux-Klan. When she came to Israel after the Yom Kippur War she started investigating everything that came to her view. She met with the Arabs in the West Bank and Gaza and leaders all over. She flew to Beirut after the war and interview Yasser Arafat. She was two years along in her book which was being written from a very pro-Arab angle when she came across some interesting documents.
In fact it took a while before Ms. Peters learned that there were an equal number maybe larger group of Jewish Refugees from Arab Countries. She made many trips back and forth to the Middle East and Kew Gardens where the records of the British Mandate were being released. She came across a document between Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt on Massive Arab Migration to Palestine between 1920 and 1940. Other disturbing facts like tiny Israel was able to absorb more than a half million refugees from Arab Countries and the massive Arab World could not absorb needed workers into Syria, Iraq or other places for their own development.
She came across statements like The people are in need of a great ‘MYTH’ to fill their consciousness and imagination – Musa Alami 1948, Since 1948 have approached the Palestine Problem in an irresponsible manner … They have used the Palestine People for selfish political purposes. This is ridiculous and I could say even criminal. King Hussein of Jordan 1960, and best of all in his memoirs Khalid Al-Azm who was the Prime Minister of Syria in 1948 Since 1948 we have demanded the return of refugees … While it is we who have made it … We have brought disaster upon the refugees by inviting them and bringing pressure on them …
I am less than 20% through the book but I want you to know that the pillage, murder, rape and Islamization of Jews in the Arab Countries and the Dhimmis treatment of Jews after the Christians fled those lands is appalling and perhaps even more outrageous of the slaughter and rape in the Christian World. However, Ms. Peters did bring down that during the Crusades that the 35 Jewish families living in Beirut were butchered by the Crusaders. The horror of individuals raping daughters in front of the family and killing toddlers in the arms of their parents and taking children away from parents is hard for one who is normal to imagine but then Hitler’s Ovens killing 6 to 7,000,000 men, women and children is just as hard. All this slaughter is a result of the exile of the Bnei Yisrael from our Land.
Before I left Gail, we also discussed the imprisonment of Jonathan Pollard and the part Eliyokum Rubinstein played in his arrest and then playing the Tzaddik. Emmanuel up until about three months before his passing was fighting for Pollard’s release and explaining Israeli’s cause. Gail is now continuing in the fight and has over 6000 documents of at least three pages on one computer alone to try to condense into a few books on Emmanuel’s work.
Three True Believers by Rabbi Y. Tilles
The Tzaddik Rabbi Yitzchak of Radvil, having heard of the greatness of Rabbi Avraham Hamalach ["the Angel" - son of the Maggid of Mezritch], decided to travel to see him. He arrived on Erev Tisha B’Av. That night, as everyone sat on the floor of the Schul reading Eicha ["Book of Lamentations"] and mourning the destruction of the first two Holy Temples, a bitter cry suddenly broke out. Rabbi Yitzchak turned and saw "the Angel" sitting with his head between his knees, weeping bitterly. Long after everyone had left, he continued watching Rabbi Avraham, who sat in the same position without moving. When the clock struck midnight, Rabbi Yitzchak retired for the night.
The following morning, Rabbi Yitzchak arrived early to Schul and found Rabbi Avraham Hamalach still mourning, a puddle of tears surrounding him, From time to time, he would lift his holy head and ask in a pained voice, "He's still not here?"
* * * * * * * * *
Other Tzaddikim living during the time of the Tzaddik Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum, the Yismach Moshe, said that he was a reincarnation of Yermiyahu HaNovi [the prophet Jeremiah), who prophesied the destruction of the first Holy Temple. The Yismach Moshe would constantly cry about the exile, especially during the Three Weeks, and his longing for Moshiach was remarkable. Next to his bed, his finest Shabbat clothing lay prepared, and before sleeping he would warn his attendant to wake him the moment the shofar blast of Moshiach was heard. Whenever he heard some bustle in the street, he would run to determine whether Moshiach had arrived.
Once, a notice arrived to his home that on a coming date his beloved son-in-law would be arriving for a visit. This caused a stirring of great joy and everyone prepared for his arrival. The special day came, but the visitor was nowhere to be seen, and the family became restless, imagining possible reasons for his delay. The Yismach Moshe sat in his room engrossed in learning, while some family members stood outside waiting impatiently. Suddenly a carriage was seen in the distance. The Rebbe's attendant ran in to bring the Tzaddik the good news, "Rebbe, he has arrived!"
Hearing this, the Rebbe jumped from his place in excitement, put on his fine Shabbat garments, including kapota (long black frock-coat and shtreimel (elaborate, round fur hat) and ran outside toward the approaching carriage. Seeing none other than his son-in-law descending from the carriage, he was unable to bear the pain and fell to the ground in a faint. When his family revived him, they heard him moaning to himself, "Oy! It's not him. He still has not yet arrived."
* * * * * * * * *
The chief Rabbi (a century ago) of Jerusalem, Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, related that as a student learning in the yeshiva (of the Chatam Sofer) in Pressburg, he once overheard a woman ask her friend what she had prepared for supper.
"Squash," the other replied. "And for tomorrow?" the woman questioned further.
"Chas v'shalom [Heaven forbid]! Don't speak like that! If Heaven forbid Moshiach does not come by tomorrow, then I will make lentils [a food often associated with mourning]."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from passages in Lma'an Yishme'u #72, <avreicheilubavitch @gmail.com>.
Connection: Seasonal - Tisha B'Av.
Biographical notes:
R. Avraham the Malach ("the Angel") [1739 - 12 Tishrei 1776] was the son of Rabbi Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezritch. While still a young man he chose an ascetic and secluded lifestyle, and on his father's passing in1772 declined to assume leadership of the Chasidic movement. He wrote a work entitled Chessed L'Avraham, and died at the age of 37. His only son, Rabbi Shalom Shachna of Probisht, was the father of Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin.
Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum [1759-28 Tammuz 1841], known as the Yismach Moshe after the title of his book of Torah commentary, was famed both as a scholar and wonderworker. A disciple of the Seer of Lublin, he was instrumental in the spread of Chassidus in Hungary. His descendants founded the dynasties of Satmar and Sighet.
Finally the Torah returns to the true owner: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4100992,00.html
IDF film at the end of the film is my cousin David leading the ski patrol of Golani on Mt. Hermon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQuLnXGRPYE
Strange and true: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/146444
Are Women second class citizens in Israel? Not in normal areas but… http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4106419,00.html
Inyanay Diyoma
The following is horrible news: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/146440
In a tell all interview with the Shin Bet: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4107803,00.html
Despite the great economy Israel is guaranteed by the US Treasury for our bonds so our rating is lower. http://www.jpost.com/Business/BusinessNews/Article.aspx?id=232713
Unfortunate things happen both in war and in military exercises and I feel sorry for the families http://www.debka.com/article/21185/
This is a sad story that goes on and on. I would not have spied but what he did was not for an enemy State. Usually the Russians and Chinese get nothing. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4105749,00.html
An organization which supposedly helped seniors ending up selling house, car and medical insurance a real scam in the name of a non-profit organization with a political agenda and that is why I left the group. I still get home mail and e-mail ads from them: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=331449
Syria is still a mystery: http://www.debka.com/article/21193/ which in Syria today is called Natural Death.
Avak Lashon Hara in a bad photo of a woman: Now you know why I don't buy Time, Slime, Grime, Crime mag or Newsweek, blues week on missing a few screws week. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/08/09/bachmann-newsweek-cover-goes-for-insult-but-gets-criticism-in-return/
Bless HASHEM that I was not made a Hoyer: http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=233182
From Barbara Future of energy? http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2011/printable-solar-cells-0711.html
Israelis and social networking: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4098110,00.html
Coke anybody? In the USA these people probably would have gotten through http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4107730,00.html
The USA stopped the Lavi make sure that Israel and the Marines get this plane by writing your Congressman: http://www.f35.com/the-f-35/f-35-overview/multirole-variants/f-35b-stovl.aspx
Remember Ann Coulter’s anti-Jewish remarks a few years ago and my comments on her modesty complaining about Judaism. Now she gets the cream of the cream by supporting a Republican Homosexual Group maybe that is why she never married who knows? http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=332013
Don’t Play Casino with your savings for retirement an editorial for you.
Glenn Beck says “Learn from history as it tends to repeat itself.” All the mistakes that FDR made during the Great Depression were being made over again and with the greed of our current lawmakers and bureaucrats perhaps even worst. When the market dipped under 12,000 in June, I told my wife that when I started investing I could wait 15 to 20 years for the markets to recover but at the age of 64 and wanting retirement income I could not risk it. My wife looked at me when the markets hit 12,600 and said perhaps you sold too early. I told her that I did not have perfect timing or prophecy but a sense of history. I said that this President and Senate would not pass a sane fiscal package that would keep the economy from imploding. I received this from an investment house and I would like to share it with you. In fact I warned in this Inyanay Diyoma a few times that the economy was bad just go to www.rabbipauli.blogspot.com and go back less than 10 issues. I received the following warning from a large investment house:
Are further downgrades possible?
• Yes, S&P stated that in their “downside alternate fiscal scenario” which incorporates higher public debt, GDP growth of 2.5% and inflation of near 1.5%, and the failure of the 12-member Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to agree on a second round of spending cuts of at least $1.2 trillion combined with higher nominal Treasury rates could lead to another downgrade to AA. The likely window for such a move ranges from 6 to 24 months.
• In order to maintain the AA+ rating and achieve a stable outlook S&P’s “revised upside scenario” incorporates a macroeconomic outlook that has GDP growth of 3% and consumer price inflation near 2% annually over a decade, $950 billion of new revenues (in addition to the cuts mentioned above), coupled with other initiatives leading to fiscal consolidation measures beyond the minimum mandate.
• S&P makes no mention of a near-term return to a AAA rating.
• Both Moody’s and Fitch affirmed their triple-A ratings on U.S. sovereign debt last week following the passage of the fiscal consolidation plan. While the market is not focused on ratings cuts along this front in the near term, failure to adequately address these issues could see follow-on actions from these agencies over time.
America is great enough to recover but not with current people calling themselves leaders. Cuts across the board are needed now and cleaning up the waste in the welfare system could save hundreds of billions over the next decade if not a trillion. I am not saying that the ill or helpless don’t need it but food stamps and people claiming the same child among different recipients etc. is a scandal. In Israel one has to fight for things that should come by right such as disability – you are considered a faker until proven disabled. Actually the fakers and cheats make it through the system for they lie with a cunning act while the honest people have to fight because they don’t act but tell the truth.
Do not be fooled by all the ups and downs. There are four to eight people with computers who have programmed reactions from investment firms. Remember when the stock PG went down to half by accident in one day due to an employee at City Bank. As soon as the Federal Reserve Chairman Spoke; the market went from plus 200 to minus 60 and then rose 439 points. The next day down just about 520 points this is roulette. This is not a stable market for long term investment it is a here and now Olam HaZeh Market and not dependent on normal marketing forces. The fact that there will be no rise in interest for two years is good for the banks for cheap loans but is similar in nature to the mortgages with cheap mortgages. Consumer Beware! As for gold one is uncertain if it will continue to rise and how far as many investors have invested already and it could go up one to three hundred dollars and with a stable interest rate drop as people go into bonds for the next few years with steady assured income. I am too small and not that rich enough to gamble with money that is my pension support. If one must invest then look into cheaper stocks in Tel Aviv, China, India and Brazil if that is what you want to do. Europe and America appear over-priced for me for the way their economies are run at present. (Examples are Iceland, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Greece and perhaps Italy with France not too far behind.)
FYI - Economist Marc Faber, publisher of The Gloom, Boom and Doom report, says markets are headed for a short-term rebound. … "The strategists in the U.S., mostly brainless people, who are predicting S&P between 1400 and 1500 by year end, I think they will have to re-adjust their views and I think the markets may actually go lower," says Faber. … "Nobody trusts (anyone) anymore, the Obama administration, the U.S. government, Congress, the people that voted for the debt increase and so on," Faber says. http://www.moneynews.com/ Jim Rogers: Bernanke, Geithner Leading Us Into Fiscal Armageddon http://www.moneynews.com/Headline/economy-rogers-financial-crisis/2011/08/09/id/406710
My readers proceed with caution with your money and spending wall street can be a casino so take it easy.
Just before sending this, I received a note from another expert that we are in a depression already and it is hard for me to disprove it either.
My friend Meir sent me this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYAppQ26E2w&feature=player_embedded
Libyan Jalil's al Qaeda Links - Still, London and Paris transferred $300 m. to Benghazi. – Debka Report
In lieu of Lynette sending me this it is even more important to me that I received the report repeat post below from Gail. In the news: http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/white-house-cleanses-israel-website_588127.html
Subject: Manny Winston saw it in 2009: THE RETURN OF PRESIDENT OBAMA TO THE ISLAMIC FAITH OF HIS FATHER sent by Yacov Levi) forwarded by Gail Winston, Middle East Analyst & Commentator
THE RETURN OF PRESIDENT OBAMA TO THE ISLAMIC FAITH OF HIS FATHER by Emanuel A. Winston, Mid East analyst & commentator
Some will say President Obama never left, despite his seemingly temporary adopting the Christian faith useful in Chicago politics. It appears that President Obama, in his public re-connection to Islam or, as he calls it, "outreach" can be construed to fulfill the pledge of Islamic "Jihadists" (warriors for Islam) to turn all America over to the Islamic faith.
When astronauts or astrophysicists study the cosmos, looking for invisible black holes which cannot be seen, even with the most powerful telescopes, they look for other clues. Those clues are more solid objects, like stars, planets - even light being drawn into this black hole by its irresistible gravitational forces. The behavior of these solid objects can be studied, especially when they behave erratically.
If one looks, even casually, at the people (objects) who Obama has selected to be drawn into his force field, those are the clues which can tell you there is a seemingly "black hole" in the Washington cosmos. (I'm not speaking of personal coloring.)
For example: Look at the solid crowd of Arabists swirling around Obama, leaving little doubt Obama is the center of a pro-Islamic - anti-Israel/Jewish vortex. Granted, the charismatic Obama, with his charming smile and his come-hither speeches that flow like warm chocolate, makes it hard to see his invisible gravitational force. His magnetic force is so strong that, even when the light of truth manages to escape, most of the people observing still ignore the reality of the danger he poses. We delude ourselves that his forceful, smooth speeches are solutions - rather than the emptiness they offer.
If you have any doubt that Obama has returned to the Muslim Islamic faith of his father, look at what he doing as he re-connects with some of the most evil terrorist Islamic, anti-America/anti-Israel nations on the Planet Earth. But first, he needed to select a cabal of Arabists to do his bidding. Some are called appointees, while others are called advisors but all are Arabists and virulently anti-Israel - even (perhaps especially) the Jews among them. We observe such people as Zbigniew Brzezinski, Brent Scowcroft, James Baker III, and Baker's former Jew-boys: Dennis Ross, Aaron David Miller, Daniel Kurtzer with Martin Indyk circling the group.
We watch Susan Rice, appointed to the post of America's ambassador to the United Nations, well-known for her earlier recommendations to use force against Israel. Obama made General James Jones his National Security Advisor (who led Melanie Phillips to use the old phrase: "Obama prepares to throw Israel under the bus". (What does that mean as a practical matter? Is Obama to be Israel's High Executioner?) Rahm Emanuel is Obama's Chief of Staff (an Israeli whose father fought in Israel's 1948 War of Independence) but Rahm is now very anti-Israel - or at the very least pro-Arab adopting Obama's doctrine.
In his run for President, Obama had Syrian-born Tony Rezko assisting his campaign funding but, he is temporarily out-of-the-loop and sitting in prison for financial misdemeanors. We have yet to hear about the financial assistance to Obama in full through the Justice Department. All had a well-defined history of being pro-Muslim Arabs and virulently against the Jewish State. Needless, to say, the U.S. State Department has acquired the confirmed reputations of being the most dedicated anti-Israel "Shadow Government" since Israel was partitioned over the State Department's objections.
One might say the U.S. State Department is like another satellite nation of the Muslim block of 57 Muslim countries (only 22 of which are also Arab). Note! I recommend that you obtain the May issue of THE OUTPOST by AFSI (Americans For a Safe Israel) to get a more complete description of President Obama's inner circle.
One might ask the questions:
Is Obama a selected plant to alter America's democracy and its support for an ally who actually fights Islamic Terror? Is President Obama supposed to alter the U.S. Constitution to accommodate Koranic Sharia Laws as practiced by the Saudi Wahhabism or the Taliban or al Qaeda, "et al"?
Is it Obama who is the invisible "Black Hole" in the Washington cosmos or is he merely a "useful idiot", guided by the "Shadow Government" which cannot yet declare themselves to the public lest they are swept out of power by the citizenry, reclaiming their constitutional rights as in Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness? Under Obama and his scurrilous cabal, Americans are losing their precious freedoms daily.
Something else has just come up. In the Chicago Tribune of May 24th, there's a column by Josh Meyer, entitled "FBI Role In Fighting Terrorism To Expand". If the FBI is actually allowed to fight Terrorism, so much the better. However, in the past the FBI was under excessive influence from the Arabist State Department. Woe unto the FBI agent who began to seriously track radical "sleeper" Muslim Terrorists in the U.S.
If they didn't back off, they were soon assigned a post to nowhere Nebraska - Clearly, the CIA is to be reduced in purpose and efficiency, particularly when it comes to harshly dealing with the Arab-Muslim Terrorists who plan to target American interests and America herself. Why is President Obama erecting a shield for Global Islamic Terrorism while claiming he is going to do a better job than the CIA?
Will the sleeper Islamic cells in the U.S. and suspicious Muslim "Jihadists" be mostly un-investigated under Obama's ideology of reaching out to Muslim "Jihadists" nations well known as Terrorists and enemies of the U.S. (because they so proclaim themselves to be). Obama appointed Leon Panetta as Director of the CIA. Is he supposed to now roll over and play dumb to the Obama FBI ploy? Does Obama and his crowd of Arabist consider the CIA an impediment and, therefore, expendable?
Is the "New" FBI to be a covert policeman - not so much against Muslim Terrorists but, as a friendly organization to protect Muslims in America? That would mean suppressing investigations with the State Department and Obama's Arabist cabal overseeing the program. That would also mean threatening any TV or radio news channel, any newspaper, any commentator who speaks out against Muslim extremism to include Obama's frequent apologies for America so Muslim Arab "Jihadists" will "like" and forgive us white Judeo-Christian folks.
IF the "sleeper" Muslims allowed into the U.S. by the Arabist State Department happens to blow up an American city or release bio-agents, who will Obama then blame?
Will he fall back on the age old excuse for government failure and to re-direct the anger of the American people against his passive appeasement doctrine and blame the Jews of Israel - and America?
He has put Israel into the position of either attacking Iran (which Obama refuses to do) or waiting for a nuclear explosion over Tel Aviv. Then he could absolve himself of blame as the Muslim Islamists continue their attack against non-Muslim governments all over the world, including and especially America.
So, President Obama, who are you really?
Is it merely bad judgement, naivete, a fellow traveler of Islamic ideology or are you a "sleeper" yourself, now come awake as the infamous Manchurian Candidate in a movie by the same name?
Let us hope this speculation is nothing more than that!
Perhaps the reality that Muslim "Jihadists" cannot be appeased, actually grow stronger if imprisoned where they convert other inmates to Islam and Terrorism. Will Obama abandon his father's Islamic faith and start protecting America and her Judeo-Christian heritage?
###
"OBAMA PREPARES TO THROW ISRAEL UNDER THE BUS" by Melanie Phillips
The Spectator SPECTATOR.CO.UK Wednesday, 6th May 2009
As predicted here repeatedly Obama is attempting to throw Israel under the Islamist bus, and he's getting American Jews to do his dirty work for him. White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel reportedly told the Israel lobbying group AIPAC on Sunday efforts to stop Iran hinged on peace talks with the Palestinians. General James Jones, National Security Adviser to Obama, reportedly told a European foreign minister a week ago that unlike the Bush administration, Obama will be "forceful" with Israel. HaAretz reports:
Jones is quoted in the telegram as saying that the United States, European Union and moderate Arab states must redefine "a satisfactory endgame solution." The U.S. national security adviser did not mention Israel as party to these consultations.
Of course not. If you are going to throw a country under the bus, you don't invite it to discuss the manner of its destruction with the assassins who are co-ordinating the crime. As I said here months ago, the appointment of Jones and the elevation of his post of National
Security Adviser at the expense of the Secretary of State was all part of the strategy to centralise power in the hands of those who want to do Israel harm.
Yesterday Vice-President Joe Biden and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry turned the thumbscrews tighter, telling Israel to stop building more settlements, dismantle existing outposts and allow Palestinians freedom of movement.
This is all not only evil but exceptionally stupid. The idea that a Palestine state will help build a coalition against Iran is demonstrably absurd. The Arab states are beside themselves with
anxiety about Iran. They want it to be attacked and its nuclear program stopped. They are desperately fearful that the Obama administration might have decided that it can live with a nuclear Iran.
The idea that if a Palestine state comes into being it will be easier to handle Iran is the opposite of the case: a Palestine state will be Iran, in the sense that it will be run by Hamas as a proxy for the Islamic Republic. The idea that a Palestine state will not compromise Israel's security is ludicrous.
It is of course, by any sane standard, quite fantastic that America is behaving as if it is Israel which is holding up a peace settlement when Israel has made concession after concession, giving up Sinai, giving up Gaza, offering all the territories to the Arabs in return for peace in 1967, offering more than 90 per cent of them ditto in 2000, ditto again to Mahmoud Abbas in the past year -- only to be attacked in return by a Palestinian terrorist entity, backed in its continued aggression, let us not forget, by the countries of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, which has made no concessions at all and is not being pressured to do so.
It is not the aggressor here but the victim of aggression that America is now choosing to beat up. In any sane world, one might think the Americans would be piling the pressure on the Palestinians to renounce their genocidal ambitions against Israel, to stop teaching and training their children to hate and kill Jews, to adhere to the primary requirement in the Road Map that they must dismantle their infrastructure of violence as the first step in the peace
process; one might think, indeed, that they would view Mahmoud Abbas’s repeated statements that the Palestinians will never accept Israel as a Jewish state to be the main impediment to peace.
But no. The repeated professions that America will never jeopardize Israel’s security are stomach churning when Obama is actually blaming Israel for measures it has taken to safeguard its security, the settlements were always first and foremost a security measure, and the travel restrictions are there solely to prevent more Israelis being murdered, and trying to force it to abandon them. Today comes further news that Obama will also try to force Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which would force it to dismantle
its nuclear arsenal which it only has as a last ditch insurance against the attempt to annihilate it to which more than a billion Arabs and Muslims remain pledged.
Of course Obama doesn't care that Hamas would run any Palestinian state. Of course he doesn't care that Israel would be unable to defend itself against such a terrorist state. Because he regards Israel as at best totally expendable, and at worst as a running sore
on the world's body politic that has to be purged altogether (see this bleak assessment by Sultan Knish). His administration is proceeding on the entirely false analysis that a state of Palestine is the solution to the Middle East impasse and the route to peace in the region. What that state will look like or do is something to which at best the administration's collective mind is shut and at worst makes it a potential cynical accomplice to the unconscionable.
So Israel is to be forced out of the West Bank. Far from building a coalition against Iran, Obama is thus doing Iran's work for it.
None of this, however, should come as the slightest surprise to anyone who paid any attention to Obama's background, associations and friendships before he became President and to the cabal of Israel-bashers, appeasers and Jew-haters he appointed to his administration, with a few useful idiots thrown in for plausible deniability.
Almost eighty per cent of American Jews voted for Obama despite the clear and present danger he posed to Israel. They did so because their liberal self-image was and is more important to them than the Jewish state whose existence and security cannot be allowed to
jeopardize their standing with America's elite.
But the ordinary American people are a different matter. They do value and support Israel. They do understand that if Israel is thrown under that bus, the west is next. And it is they to whom Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu must now appeal, over the heads of the
politicians and the media and America's Jews and everyone else. He must tell the American people the terrible truth, that America is now run by a man who is intent on sacrificing Israel for a reckless and amoral political strategy which will put America and the rest of the
free world at risk.
This is shaping up to be the biggest crisis in relations between Israel and America since the foundation of Israel six decades ago. Those who hate Israel and the Jews will be gloating. This after all is precisely what they hoped Obama would do. To any decent person looking on aghast, this is where the moral sickness of the west reaches the critical care ward.
* An earlier version of this post linked to a story in the Jerusalem Post which said an AIPAC delegation to Congress was asking it to lobby for a two-state solution. This story appears to have been wrong.
** Further update: It now appears from that story and this that the AIPAC position may be more ambiguous still.
The Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London, SW1H 9HP. All Articles and Content Copyright =A92007 by The Spectator (1828) Ltd. All Rights Reserved
A JEWISH SOLUTION TO ISRAEL'S HOUSING CRISIS By MOSHE FEIGLIN
forwarded by Gail Winston, Middle East Analyst & Commentator
26 Tamuz, 5771 (July 28, '11)
Who caused Israel's housing shortage? The Left. That sounds demagogic, but let me explain:
The State of Israel's control of most of Israel's land is the result of ideology. Since the Second Aliyah, the Zionist movement - followed by the State of Israel - has been motivated by leftist centrist ideology. This ideology has helped to create the greatest monopoly in Israel today; the monopoly of the Israel Land Authority over almost all of Israel's land.
Ironically, the ideology that created the problem is the same ideology behind the housing protest. The solutions that it proposes will only intensify the problem because the protesters are calling for more of what caused the problem in the first place:
The two major factors that caused the crisis in the construction market are the state monopoly on land and the building freeze on Israel's most natural and logical land reserves in Judea and Samaria.
And what are the protesters calling for? Exactly the same thing: To empower the State monopoly and to flee Judea and Samaria once and for all. They want the State to build houses and to rent them. They want everything to belong to the State, which will decide who will receive housing and who will not. This state of affairs would mean that we, the people, would not have responsibility nor would we enjoy what the Torah prescribes: liberty. Liberty is very different from simple freedom. Liberty means taking responsibility.
The protesters want to empower the monopoly, but they want something else as well. The New Israel Fund that is bankrolling this display of pseudo-anarchism could not care less about the housing shortage. Its real goal is to depose the Likud and to bring about new elections that will complete the process of tearing Israel's heartland out of its borders. This will deal the final blow to any chance to really solve the housing shortage.
The Globes Newspaper website featured a short and simple film that outlined how the building freeze in Judea and Samaria was the straw that broke the camel's back of Israel's housing market. (Click here for this Hebrew film http://www.globes.co.il/news/article.aspx?did=1000602668 )
The film makes the following points:
First came Rabin, Peres, Beilin and Co. and gave Israel's heartland to Arafat.
The Oslo Accords halted the construction of infrastructure in Judea, Samaria and Gaza. (But in Tel Aviv they thought that this was the way to bring peace, while crushing the settlers for good measure, so why not?)
Despite the halt in infrastructure construction and the total elimination of new construction planning in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, construction of housing based on existing plans in the settlements continued. Construction in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, that at some points had provided Israel with more than 20% of its housing reserves, shrunk to approximately 5%.
At that point, there were still housing and construction reserves inside Israel's pre-1967 borders (and in Tel Aviv they thought that housing in tents was strictly the problem of the settlers). Afterwards, they decided to destroy Gush Katif, dispatching another 1,700 homeless families into the housing market. This still did not paralyze the market.
And then came the knock-out that completely blocked the housing channels and threw the entire country into a housing crisis: The building freeze in Judea and Samaria.
The protests of the young generation in Judea and Samaria who wanted to continue to live where they had grown up interested nobody in Tel Aviv. On the contrary – they were only too happy to watch the destruction of the tents and shacks that began to grow up on the hills of Samaria and Judea.
But now, when construction in Judea and Samaria provides only 0.2% of construction in Israel, the Tel Aviv young generation finds itself in tents, as well. When fellow housing protesters had the nerve to declare that the solution for the housing crisis is to build in Samaria, they beat them. All for the sake of peace, of course.
MY SON, A RESIDENT OF MIGRON, IS NOT A LAWBREAKER By Israel Harel
received from Judith Nusbaum, forwarded by Gail Winston, Middle East Analyst & Commentator
ANOTHER PERSONAL STORY ABOUT DORIT BEINISH’S ATTACK ON MIGRON, A LAWFUL SETTLEMENT IN SAMARIA. Comment By Gail Winston
MY SON, A RESIDENT OF MIGRON, IS NOT A LAWBREAKER By Israel Harel
The young people of Migron are modest, pleasant people, who make do with little, fulfill their obligations to the state and the nation, and have not approached the government to make demands.
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Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch yesterday called the people of Migron "lawbreakers," as she ordered the community evacuated and razed by the end of March. This is the most outrageous term in her ruling, which contained no small number of errors and misleading statements.
The young people of Migron are modest, pleasant people, who make do with little, fulfill their obligations to the state and the nation, and have not approached the government to make demands, as seems to be the prevailing custom nowadays.
A significant portion of Migron's residents, like my son Itai, work in professions that help the poor, the weak, the disenfranchised, and those who have dropped out of school. From the little they earn in these poorly paid professions, they scrupulously tithe their income, as Jewish law demands. For them, obeying civil law is reinforced by an ideological dialectic about the religious obligation to obey the law of the land.
An outsider wouldn't understand. But they - and their many counterparts, who can be found everywhere - are among the finest of our nation's young people. And a Supreme Court justice has maligned them. I feel obligated to vehemently protest this, and not just as a father.
Contrary to what Beinisch wrote in her insulting ruling, they settled in Migron at the behest of the state. The Defense Ministry - the administrative authority in the region - approved the establishment of the community and instructed the state settlement bureaucracy to treat it "as an independent community for all intents and purposes, including the matter of budgets and assigning it an official symbol."
One assumes the ministry issued this approval after its legal advisers, if only out of fear of a high court challenge, had done their homework regarding the ownership of the land.
In fact, in the urban building plan for Migron - which was initiated and drawn up by the Housing and Construction Ministry - it is explicitly stated that the owner of the land is the Custodian of Government and Abandoned Property. One can have political objections to government policy (Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, of the left-wing Labor Party, was the defense minister at the time ), but what law exactly did the people of Migron violate?
The state - the real state, not the "state" whose name the prosecution often takes in vain - laid the infrastructure for the town (which Talia Sasson, later a Meretz candidate for the Knesset, turned - with a stroke of a "legal opinion" - from a town into an "illegal" outpost ), and placed caravans there, in which growing families have been living for some 10 years. Yet despite the crowded conditions, no one is complaining about their housing difficulties.
"To date," writes Beinisch, "the residents of Migron have failed to respond or appear before [the court]."
With all due respect, that is not true. Five years ago, with many Migron residents present, there was a hearing before Beinisch. Attorney Hanan Melcer, who is now Beinisch's colleague on the Supreme Court, presented the residents' arguments, while she kept cutting him off impatiently. I was there.
What's worse, in this latest ruling Beinisch doesn't relate to any of the arguments Melcer made at the time, nor to any of the documents he submitted. It's as if they never existed. It's as if only Peace Now's political arguments are relevant.
The issue of Migron's lands is still being examined by the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court, and this court - which, unlike the High Court, examines documents and hears witnesses - has not completed its work.
Given this, why did Beinisch even agree to deal with Peace Now's petition? Let's say that she and I had some kind of property dispute. Would we turn for a resolution to the High Court of Justice? Of course not. The sole address for this type of complaint is the district court, which adjudicates thousands of property disputes annually. What gives Peace Now, Adalah and their ilk the privilege of presenting their case straight to the High Court?
Why did Beinisch rush to order the destruction of the community? Now, after her hasty judgment, which lower-court judge would dare contravene the opinion of the Supreme Court president?
Anyone got any ideas for which court I can approach to look for justice?
This story is by: http://www.haaretz.com/misc/writers/israel-harel-1.436 http://www.haaretz.com/misc/writers/israel-harel-1.436Israel Harel
This is a story from the year 5766 and it is true today: THE THIRD FRONT BY: FERN SIDMAN
While Israel is engaged in heavy fighting with Hezbollah terrorists on the northern front and Hamas terrorists on its southern front, it would appear that Israel's proverbial nemesis, better known as the media, has opened a third front with its incessant assaults on Israel.
While the media may not be launching Katyusha or Kassam rockets aimed at Israeli cities, the rockets that the media launches are instrumental in degrading Israel in the war of public opinion. Case in point would be the drastic difference in the content and modality of reporting between the two major cable networks, CNN and Fox News.
To the average viewer, it would appear that CNN and Fox are reporting the news from two different planets. While it is true that the Ted Turner owned CNN, has its own left wing agenda along with the perfunctory anti-Israel bias that goes with that territory, and Roger Ailes' Fox News has a more conservative, pro-Republican platform, the stark and extreme contrasts cannot be missed. To state that their coverage of the current war between Israel, Hezbollah and Hamas is diametrically opposed would be a gross understatement.
One need only press the button on their television remotes for a period of an hour or so, to gain tremendous insight into the world of media propaganda, distortions and lies. For a truly mercurial experience, just spend an evening with Anderson Cooper and Larry King of CNN and then visit with Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly over at Fox.
The story according to CNN is the following: Israel is murdering Lebanese children and civilians en masse, Israel is not making a dent in Hezbollah's power, Israel is not forthcoming in opening up a corridor for humanitarian assistance to Lebanon, Israel is causing a refugee crisis amongst the Lebanese population, Israel is using phosphorus in its weaponry, Israel refuses to agree to a cease fire, Israel's retaliation against Hezbollah has been "disproportionate", Israel refuses to engage in negotiations with Hezbollah over a prisoner exchange. CNN's conclusion is: World opinion will turn against Israel because of its actions. One can only scratch their heads and ask, is there a pattern developing here???
As we watch Anderson Cooper taking us for tours of hospitals in Lebanon showing the burnt and mangled faces of Lebanese children, while giving platforms to Hezbollah supporters who spew forth their party line which includes accusations against Israel for starting this conflict by occupying Palestine, to scared and trapped Americans who blame Israel for the destruction of Beirut. Repetitive images of Israeli tanks and gun ships shooting missiles into Lebanon fill our screens ad infinitum, while there is never an image of a Hezbollah terrorist shooting a Katuysha rocket into Israel.
If this weren't enough one sided and biased journalism, we are also treated to an hour of Larry King, who gives more than ample time to Hezbollah journalists, Syrian ambassadors, and a whole host of other Israel bashers. King allows them to make hate filled speeches riddled with inaccuracies and grandiose distortions about Israel and her role in this current conflict, while never challenging them in any kind of meaningful and significant manner.
In marked contrast to CNN's coverage of the war, there is a definitely a more "fair and balanced" coverage on Fox News. While far from being totally fair and balanced Fox News takes pains in researching new details from their reporters in the Middle East and presenting a more even handed account of the situation in Israel.
From Sean Hannity to Bill O'Reilly to Greta Van Susteren to Sheppard Smith, one can see that these journalists are dedicated to digging out the truth by ask searing questions concerning the facts of the situation, which are so very often buried under the propaganda and lies of Hezbollah and other Arab spokesmen who are allowed lengthy platforms for their vituperative and vitriolic rhetoric against Israel.
There is no question that Fox News is far from perfect and has on more than one occasion fallen prey to the CNN and New York Times syndrome of making Israel the scapegoat for the world's problems, but by in large, Fox has made a concerted effort, thus far, to reporting the news with a high degree of accuracy.
That is all that we can ask from the media. In general, they always have been instrumental in generating negative feelings towards Israel and have been the biggest asset of the cause of Hamas and Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations in the region. Right now, they represent the third front that Israel must contend with. An enemy that is funded not by regimes predicated on terror but on corporate dollars. It is an enemy that never runs out of rockets or mortars or missiles, for their verbal missiles and subliminal messages are in infinite abundance and these fatal weapons shape a public image of Israel that is more deadly than rockets because they pervade the hearts and minds of their viewers.
For the Jewish people, this is an old story. Since Guttenberg invented his first printing press in the 1600s, words and thoughts have always been published against Jews. The media of today bares little difference to its more in-your-face predecessors. While the facts may be different, today's media is just re-hashing the same kind of Israel hating messages that is has done for close to six decades.
The media is a persistent and resilient foe, almost an implacable one, yet despite this most formidable enemy, we have borne witness to our continued existence as a nation. As with the Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, the Turks, the Nazis, the British, the Soviet Union, the PLO, Hamas and Hezbollah and all the other enemies that I may have forgotten to list, those who sought to vanquish and eradicate the Jewish nation and the Land of Israel, we tell them and the media that they have not succeeded in our destruction and with G-d's help they never will.
Anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism are one in the same and they are a permanent part of and endemic to our society. With G-d's help, we will deal with the media as we have with our other enemies and may we take comfort in the fact that we are a people who fears and obeys only the Almighty G-d of Israel and does not fear the words of mortal enemies. World opinion will always be against the Jewish nation, and fearing it and cowering over the words and threats of world leaders is a futile exercise and a colossal waste of precious time.
Let us utilize our precious time in appealing to the Holy One Blessed Be He, who girds His nation Israel with strength, crowns. His nation Israel in glory and gives strength to His weary nation. For in the end, the media is just another enemy in a huge litany of enemies. Let us turn to Hashem Yisborach at this critical juncture in time, for it is He who marches into battle with us and it is He who will conquer our enemies, if we only recognize His dominion and His glory.
And to the media, we say, just take your place on the back of a very long line. You're not our first enemy and you won't be our last. May we our prayers reach the Almighty G-d of Israel and may we be zoche (merit) to the see our redemption, speedily in our days. Forwarded by Sara: Free chocolates to soldiers: An Israeli soldier for free (courtesy of Elite and the Heritage Affinity Services credit card). Please forward this to others, too. http://www.websense-media.co.il/has_200706/default.asp?gid=friend
Now for M. Wolfberg’s Good Shabbos Story “Testing 1,2,3” This is a repeat story
Good Shabbos Everyone. In this week's Torah portion Parshas Devorim, Moshe Rabeinu (our teacher) reprimands the Jews for their misbehavior during their travels in the wilderness. One of the sins that Moshe Rabeinu mentions, is the sin of the Spies. The Spies went to Eretz Yisroel on a reconnaissance mission to see the condition of the inhabitants, in order to plan an invasion. In essence however, the incident of the spies was really a test for the Jews, to see if they would have faith in Hashem. Hashem had already promised the Eretz Yisroel to the Jewish people in many places in the Torah..
As Moshe Rabeinu says in this week's parsha: "See… Hashem your G-d has placed the Land before you; go up and possess, as Hashem, G-d of your forefathers, has spoken to you. Do not fear and do not lose resolve." (Devorim 1:21) However, as the Torah tells us, 10 of the 12 spies came back with a pessimistic report about Eretz Yisroel, saying about the land that it contains "[a] people greater and taller than we, cities great and fortified to the heavens, and even children of giants have we seen there." (Devorim 1:28) The Jewish people believed this pessimistic report and became fearful. .
This behavior on the part of the Spies and the Jewish nation in general demonstrated a lack of trust in Hashem. The Bnai Yisroel failed Hashem's test. Hashem had promised the Bnai Yisroel that they would take the land easily and they failed to believe in Hashem. For this lack of trust, the generation was condemned to die in the wilderness and not enter Eretz Yisroel. We learn from here how important it is to pass the tests in life which Hashem sends us.
The Rabbis teach us that life is full of tests. In fact, life itself is a series of tests. In order to understand this, we must delve deeper into the spiritual realm. A soul is sent down to this earth in order to fix spiritual shortcomings; shortcomings that the soul failed to fix in a previous incarnation. The Sages tell us that if we see that a certain thing in life is more of a temptation for us, then we should know that that is the shortcoming that our soul has come down to this earth in order to fix. For example, if a person has a great desire to steal, he should know that one of his primary purposes on this earth is to come to respect others' property.
Hashem routinely sends tests to people, in order to see if they are really working on themselves in this life. Following the previous example, Hashem will give the thief opportunities to steal, in order to test him.
Let us now tell an inspirational story, which shows how one Jew withstood a test that Hashem sent his way.
Almost 30 years ago, Mr. Albert Azar was a salesman for a clothing-wear company. Mr. Azar often had to travel around the country for several weeks at a time. Since he was an observant Jew, Mr. Azar usually had a great deal of trouble finding kosher food on his extended business trips. Of course, there were kosher restaurants in New York, New Jersey and in Detroit. However, Mr. Azar had the biggest difficulty when he traveled in the South. After several inquiries, Mr. Azar managed to find a reliable kosher restaurant in Memphis, Tennessee. He was able to stock up on food from the restaurant in Memphis, which would feed him for the next two weeks during his travels down South.
In 1972, Mr. Azar began a business trip in Birmingham, Alabama, planning as usual to wrap up the week in Memphis for Shabbos. In Birmingham, Mr. Azar attempted to sell to a client who had refused to buy from him several times before. Mr. Azar was amazed this time to hear from the president of the corporation who was interested in purchasing clothing from Mr. Azar.
On Thursday afternoon, Mr. Azar rushed to the office of the corporation to discuss the sale with the president of the corporation. The appointment was set for 1 p.m. Mr. Azar arrived on time but he was forced to wait for several hours. Mr. Azar began to become concerned that he would not be able to make it to Memphis by Thursday night. Shabbos was quickly approaching and he did not want to get stuck in Birmingham. As the hours dragged on, Mr. Azar reasoned that he could leave Birmingham early on Friday morning and still arrive in Memphis before Shabbos.
Finally, at closing time, the president of the corporation came out and apologized to Mr. Azar, telling him: that his meeting had lasted longer than he had expected. They set another appointment for Friday morning at 9 a.m.
Mr. Azar arrived the next morning on time to the appointment. Again, the president made Mr. Azar wait. The hours dragged on and Shabbos was nearing. Finally, Mr. Azar called the restaurant in Memphis to order food for Shabbos. The restaurant was closing, they could not make food for him. Mr. Azar was crushed. What would he eat on Shabbos and in the coming two weeks? However, he believed that Hashem would help.
It was really getting late and Mr. Azar could longer wait for the president. Before the receptionist could stop him, Mr. Azar barged into the office of the president. "I am leaving on the next flight out." Mr. Azar told the surprised president. "If you want to place an order, do it now." He said to the president. The president gave Mr. Azar a small order!?!
Miraculously, Mr. Azar managed to catch a flight and arrive in Memphis mere minutes before Shabbos. Still, he would have no food for Shabbos. However, he believed that Hashem would help. As soon as he landed, he made his way to the cheap hotel where his company had made reservations. Mr. Azar made an instant decision. It was bad enough that he had no food for Shabbos but was not going to stay in the dumpy hotel. However, he believed that Hashem would help. He headed across the street to a brand new hotel. By then, it was mere minutes to Shabbos.
The clerk at the hotel desk told Mr. Azar that the hotel was practically empty. He could chose any room that he wanted. Mr. Azar told the clerk that he was running late, so he told the clerk that any room would be fine. The clerk assigned him room 358.
With minutes to sundown, Mr. Azar rushed upstairs to room 358. It was nearly Shabbos and he quickly began to unpack before Shabbos. He had a sinking feeling in is heart. There was nothing to eat for Shabbos. However, he believed that Hashem would help.
He flung open the closet door and began to hang up his clothing. He was shocked but what he saw in the closet. He closed the closet door and opened again, wondering if his eyes had been playing tricks on him. Everything was still there!
Mr. Azar stretched out a trembling finger and touched a bottle of strictly kosher wine. With the wine were two challahs, six different kinds of packaged meats, pickles, olives, potato salad, coleslaw, cookies, soda, and whiskey. It was enough to feed ten people.
As Mr. Azar prayed the Shabbos prayers, he thanked Hashem for the miracle of the Shabbos food. He was able to enjoy Shabbos even under the most difficult conditions.
About three months later, Mr. Azar was at a gathering at the home of a friend Abe Kassen back home in Deal, New Jersey. It was then that Mr. Azar heard the story behind the mysterious Shabbos food. Three months earlier, Abe Kassen and fellow businessman Ike Hillery had been in Memphis on a business trip. They had bought enough food for the coming week. On Shabbos afternoon, Abe began experiencing stomach pains. Not wanting to strange hospital in Tennessee, Abe asked his friend Ike to rush him home. In their haste to leave the hotel, the two left the food in their hotel room, the same hotel room that Mr. Azar happened to receive when he checked into the hotel.(Visions of Greatness p.36 R.Y.Weiss)
Hashem tested Mr. Azar to see if he would lose faith. However, Mr. Azar continued to believe that Hashem would help him, even up to the last minute. Let us be inspired by this story to withstand the many tests that come our way in life. Let us remember that these are all tests from Hashem. Good Shabbos Everyone.
M. Wolfberg is sponsored by: Refuah Shleima to Reb Mordechai Menachem Mendel ben Tziporah Yitta Refuah Shleima to Tsviah bas Bracha Leah
Wishing everybody a peaceful Shabbos. And may we soon be comforted for the mourners of Tzion and Yerushalayim speedily in our Days!
Rachamim Pauli
