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I am withdrawing my support for Lt. Col. Shlomo Eisner: I received
eye witness reports of the fact that he beat Jewish Settlers one of the
witnesses is on the Likud Central Committee. When he beat settlers he had the
backing of his superiors but when he hit the anarchists and anti-Semites he
lost support. HASHEM gave him measure for measure – you want to advance by beating
MY CHILDREN, I will withhold your advancement from you!
I do not know what happened to my computer this past week that it
did not copy and paste in color like usual and one of the things important to
me is to separate my green comment from the purple of Rashi and the color of
others. One story that I was interested in but was too long to copy and paste
and breaking it up for a series of weeks would ruin it is a story of two
Titanic(s) one and arrogance of this world and one a humility of the next world.
http://meaningfullife.com/oped/2012/04.20.12$SheminiCOLON_A_Tale_of_Two_Titanics.php
Parsha Acharei Mos – Kedoshim
The OU Torah Tidbits supplied me with the following statistics:
Acharei: 28 of the 613 Mitzvos; 2 positive, 26 prohibitions Kedoshim: 51
Mitzvos; 13 positive, 38 prohibitions which is a lot ground to cover in one
week. We have everything from the Yom Kippur Service in the Mishkan to Shatnez
with a whole slew of forbidden relationships.
16:1
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when
they drew near before the LORD, and died; 2 and the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Speak
unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place
within the veil, before the ark-cover which is upon the ark; that he die not;
for I appear in the cloud upon the ark-cover. 3 Herewith shall Aaron come into
the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin-offering, and a ram for a
burnt-offering. 4 He shall put on the holy linen tunic, and he shall have the
linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with the linen girdle, and
with the linen mitre shall he be attired; they are the holy garments; and he
shall bathe his flesh in water, and put them on.
We learn here that familiarity brings contempt. It is not as bad
as we might think the separation of husband and wife during the days of
separation for absence makes the heart grow fonder. Here we have a respect and
holiness building of the inner sanctum of Kodesh HaKodeshim. Because when the
Cohain will go from ordinary holiness to the holy of holies he will go to the
Mikvah and change his garment to be even purer than his normal purity. It is
like on a Motzei Shabbos (this year Shavuos in Yisrael) where we bless HaMavdil
ben Kodesh le Kodesh.
17:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 Speak unto Aaron,
and unto his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them: This
is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, saying: 3 What man soever there be
of the house of Israel, that slaughters an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp,
or that slaughters it without the camp, 4 and hath not brought it unto the door
of the tent of meeting, to present it as an offering unto the LORD before the
tabernacle of the LORD, blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed
blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people.
Who slaughters an ox, a lamb, [or a goat]: Scripture is speaking
of [slaughtering] holy sacrifices [not of slaughtering ordinary animals], for
Scripture continues, “to offer up as a sacrifice” (next verse). - [Torath
Kohanim 17:91] inside the camp: But outside the Courtyard. — [Torath Kohanim
17:89; Zev. 107b]
Ye OLDE English translation had it as kill-eth an animal. The mere
killing of an animal would make it Trafe and this would be so for a profane
animal and not a sacrifice. I do not catch all of these mistranslations all of
the time just like the state of Niddah is not an illness so neither do we just
kill animals. The people who chop off the heads of chickens kill the chicken
but to perform ritual slaughter is a different process.
5 To the end that the children of Israel may bring their
sacrifices, which they sacrifice in the open field, even that they may bring
them unto the LORD, unto the door of the tent of meeting, unto the priest, and
sacrifice them for sacrifices of peace-offerings unto the LORD.
At a certain point in Jewish history sacrifices could be performed
on a Bamos or high place by a Bechor (first born) later only by a Cohain and
once the Temple was established only in Yerushalayim. The one exception was the
Gezaira of Prophecy when Eliyahu fought
the priests of baal on Mt. Carmel.
… 10 And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the
strangers that sojourn among them, that eats any manner of blood, I will set My
face against that soul that eats blood, and will cut him off from among his
people.
Any blood: Since Scripture says, “[For it is the blood] that
atones for the soul” (next verse), one might think that a person is liable only
for [eating] the blood of sanctified things, [which effects atonement].
Scripture, therefore, says here, “any blood” [to include even the blood of
ordinary animals]. — [Kereithoth 4b] I will set my attention: Heb. פָנַי. [The word פָנַי here is to be understood to mean] My פְּנַאי, i.e., My leisure. [God is
saying,] “I will make Myself free (פּוֹנֶה)
from all My affairs, and I will deal with this person!” - [Torath Kohanim
17:108]
The Ger mentioned here is not a Ger Toshav which would be a Ben
Noach but the Ger that lives amongst the Bnei Yisrael or a full convert.
11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it
to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood
that makes atonement by reason of the life.
For the soul of the flesh: of every creature is dependent upon
the blood, and therefore, I have given it to atone for the soul of man. [In
this way,] one “soul” [namely, the blood of a sacrifice] shall come and atone
for another soul.
12 Therefore I said unto the children of Israel: No soul of you
shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourns among you eat blood.
None of you: [This phrase] comes to warn adults regarding minors
[not to feed them blood]. — [Torath Kohanim 17:110; Yev. 114a]
The blood is tasty and instead of being merciful one becomes a
blood thirsty individual and the primitive instincts are revived in a normally
civilized man.
13 And any man of
the children of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who traps a
quarry of a wild animal or bird that may be eaten, and sheds its blood, he
shall cover it [the blood] with dust.
who traps: [Had the verse stated only this phrase,] we would know only
[that this law applies to] creatures that require trapping. But how would we
know [that the law includes also] geese and roosters, [which do not require
trapping]? Scripture, therefore, adds [the word] צֵיד -a quarry, meaning in any way [even if not
trapped]. But if so, why is it stated, “who traps”? [To teach us] that one
should not eat flesh except with this preparation, [meaning, that just as one
does not go out to trap every day, neither should one eat meat regularly at all
his meals, as if he had to go out and trap it]. — [Torath Kohanim 17:111; Chul.
84a] אשר יצוד:
אין
לי אלא ציד, אווזין ותרנגולין מנין, תלמוד לומר ציד, מכל מקום. אם כן למה נאמר אשר
יצוד, שלא יאכל בשר אלא בהזמנה הזאת: that may be eaten: [This comes] to exclude unclean
creatures [which are prohibited to be eaten, that their blood does not require
covering]. — [Torath Kohanim 17:112]
The original translation was hunting and that is wrong as the
animal has to be ritually slaughtered and cannot be mortally wounded or
rendered Trafe one would have to coral the animal via a trap into an area where
it could be slaughtered properly. A deer, duck, quail, etc. that is kosher has
to be trapped. Therefore the animal had to be caught in a non-damaging trap and
nothing which would injure the animal like falling into a pit or a bear trap. A
North American Bison would pose a great problem as one would have to secure the
head by placing the food in front of it and having the head protrude outside of
the trap so that it could not harm the Schochet or ritual slaughterer. These
animals could only be slaughtered if one had earth or sand to cover over the
blood. Even if one was to domestically grow deer, elk, moose for food and
skins; the person would have to cover the blood for these animals are
considered wild.
14 For as to the life of all flesh, the blood thereof is all one
with the life thereof; therefore I said unto the children of Israel: Ye shall
eat the blood of no manner of flesh; for the life of all flesh is the blood
thereof; whosoever eats it shall be cut off.
Eating of blood cuts one off from his people.
15 And every soul that eats that which dies of itself, or that
which is torn of beasts, whether he be home-born or a stranger, he shall wash
his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even; then
shall he be clean. 16 But if he wash them not, nor bathe his flesh, then he
shall bear his iniquity.
For Trafe or Nevaila one does not get Kares like with the blood
but Tuma so therefore these two Pasukim come to teach us this rule.
18:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 Speak unto the
children of Israel, and say unto them: I am the LORD your God. 3 After the
doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do; and after the
doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do; neither
shall ye walk in their statutes. 4 Mine ordinances shall ye do, and My statutes
shall ye keep, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God. 5 Ye shall therefore
keep My statutes, and Mine ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live by
them: I am the LORD.
Now logically, I should think this way on my own. However, each of
us have a Yetzer HaRa and we do always think of or want to follow the Statutes,
Ordinances or Commands. This does not have to be only with Mitzvos or Torah; it
can be in school, the army or at work sometimes in our life we are
anti-something. A woman worried about her looks may choose to ignore the Melacha
of dying (coloring or painting). I have been a guest in Schuls in the States on
Shabbos and if the Rabbi has never given a Shuir regarding this one will find
women putting on rouge, lipstick or what the Gemara calls blue color around the
eyes with various mascara or eye shadows. There are 24 hr. lipsticks and nail
polish can be put on before Shabbos. Or if the woman is lacking or carefree of
the laws of modesty, she will be walking around with nail polish on her
toes.
6 None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to
uncover their nakedness. I am the LORD.
In 5769 I opened up this section with this introduction: The
L-RD despises sexual lewdness contrary to modern media and movie propaganda. If
a man uncovers the nakedness of a close female relative the sex leads to Kares
the cutting off the soul(s) of the perpetrator and stoning if caught, warned
and brought before a Sanhedrin. These acts may lead to the land vomiting the
people out but note the words abominations or perversions are not used.
However, homosexuality especially among males is considered an abomination
while females should not marry Cohanim if they have done such acts. (Tractate
Shabbos). The word perverse is used for bestiality. The Torah does not mince
words. If incest is not perverse or abominable then these acts are the vilest
of the vile acts that a lewd person can do. If the Torah thinks these acts are
the lowest of the low then how can certain Reform and Conservative Rabbis
approve of this. Or even the non-Jews who have this reiterated in their book of
Roman (perversions and abuse) appoint a Bishop or Clerk to a post as I have
seen in the States. Let me tell you that Samael has been given the ability to
tempt people just before the Moshiach to weed out the pure from the impure
Neshamos. Do not be astounded when you see the wicked thrive or be afraid of
sudden fear because we have G-D.
The laws of incest and intra-family relationships are discussed.
It was not uncommon for Pharaohs to marry their daughters or sisters. This was
more for the preservation of the dynasty than really sexually related. By the
time the Pharaohs ruled the laws of Noach were long forgotten by most of the
nations.
No man shall come near: Heb. תִקְרְבוּ לֹא. [This comes] to admonish the
female as [it does] the male. Therefore, it is stated in the plural form. —
[Torath Kohanim 18:136] I am the Lord: faithful to pay a reward [not only for
fulfilling positive commandments but also to the one who saves himself from
sinning]. — [Torath Kohanim 18:145]
7 The nakedness of thy father, and the nakedness of thy mother,
shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her
nakedness.
The nakedness of your father: This [refers to] your father’s
wife. [But how do we know this?] Perhaps it is only to be interpreted literally
[as an admonition against relations with one’s father, in addition to the
general admonition against pederasty]. [The answer is:] It says here, “The
nakedness of your father,” and it says further, “has uncovered his father’s
nakedness” (Lev. 20:11). Just as in the latter verse, Scripture is speaking of
his father’s wife [as that verse begins with, “And a man who cohabits with his
father’s wife”], here, too, [Scripture is speaking of] his father’s wife. -
[Sanh. 54a] or the nakedness of your mother: [It comes] to include [in the
prohibition,] his mother who is not his father’s wife. — [Sanh. 54a]
Later on we shall see the sister from the father and the sister
from the mother which also includes a sister from both the father and mother.
8 The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is
thy father’s nakedness. 9 The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy
father, or the daughter of thy mother, whether born at home, or born abroad,
even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.
Whether born to one who may remain in the home or to one who
must remain outside: מוֹלֶדֶת בַּית אוֹ
מוֹלֶדֶת חוּץ, lit. born in the house or born outside.
Whether they say to your father, “[You may] keep her mother [as your wife],” or
whether they say to your father, “[You must] send her mother away,” for
example, a mamzereth, or a nethinah [an offspring of the Gibeonites (see Josh.
9:327)]. — [Yev. 23a]
10 The nakedness of thy son’s daughter, or of thy daughter’s
daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover; for theirs is your own
nakedness. 11 The nakedness of thy father’s wife’s daughter, begotten of thy
father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
Previously we were going back in generations now we are going
forward where you become a father or mother who is forbidden to uncover the
child.
12 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister:
she is thy father’s near kinswoman. 13 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of
thy mother’s sister; for she is thy mother’s near kinswoman. 14 Thou shalt not
uncover the nakedness of thy father’s brother, thou shalt not approach to his
wife: she is your aunt.
The Torah then returns to the siblings of one’s parents. There is an exception an uncle from the side
of the father (not the mother) and the niece.
15 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter-in-law:
she is thy son’ wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
Just as with the parent’s husband/wife the same applies to the
child’s husband/wife.
16 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it
is thy brother’s nakedness.
There is an exception here and that is the Mitzvah of Yebum or
Levirate Marriage to build up the brother.
17 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her
daughter; thou shalt not take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter,
to uncover her nakedness: they are near kinswomen; it is lewdness.
Chabad translates for modesty sake lewdness as evil council. You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and
her daughter: Scripture prohibits [relations with the second woman] only
through a marital tie with the first one [whether the woman or her daughter].
Hence, Scripture says, לֹא תִקַּח,
denoting “taking (קִיחָה)
in marriage.” Similarly, when it comes to stating the punishment [of those who
transgress this matter, Scripture says], “[And a man] who takes (יִקַּח) a woman and her mother [in
marriage…they shall burn him and them in fire]” (Lev. 20:14), [also using] the
expression of קִיחָה,
“taking [in marriage].” But if he raped a woman, he is permitted to marry her
daughter. — [Yev. 97a] they are close relatives: Heb. שַׁאֲרָה הֵנָּה, they are related to one
another: evil counsel: Heb. זִמָּה,
counsel [like the word זָמַם,
plotted]; as the Targum renders: עֲצַת
חֶטְאִין, counsel of sins, which your [evil]
inclination has counseled you to sin.
18 And thou shalt not take a woman to her sister, to be a rival to
her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her lifetime.
After what happened to Rachel and Leah this is Chessed to the
sister and for the orphans that the aunt loves them and they know her and can
adjust to her. This happened to two daughters of the Maharal of Prague when one
sister passed on the other married the husband.
19 And thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her
nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness.
A wife being bone of bones, flesh of flesh must be forbidden to
the husband under the penalty of Kares until she does Tevila in the Mikvah.
This includes a bride who gets married during her menses and must have escorts
until they can properly consummate the marriage after Mikvah.
20 And thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbor’s wife, to
defile thyself with her.
HASHEM is repulsed by the swingers groups or even on the sly hanky
panky between a married woman and a man other than her husband. Literally make
one into an impure state and Tuma before the L-RD.
21 And thou shalt not give any of thy seed to set them apart to Molech;
neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD. 22 Thou shalt
not lie with mankind, as with womankind; it is abomination.
Up until now we have seen the forbidden cases of incest, married
women, women who are Tumay and even Idol Worship but they were not called
abomination or is bestiality ranked that way but male Homosexual activity is.
This activity is considered in the Torah as the lowest of the low. From here we
learn that if an adulteress has relations like the homosexuals it still carries
the death penalty.
23 And thou shalt not lie with any beast to defile thyself
therewith; neither shall any woman stand before a beast, to lie down thereto;
it is perversion. 24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things; for in
all these the nations are defiled, which I cast out from before you. 25 And the
land was defiled, therefore I did visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the
land vomited out her inhabitants. 26 Ye therefore shall keep My statutes and
Mine ordinances, and shall not do any of these abominations; neither the home-born,
nor the stranger that sojourn among you–27 for all these abominations have the
men of the land done, that were before you, and the land is defiled–28 that the
land vomit not you out also, when ye defile it, as it vomited out the nation
that was before you.
And let the land not vomit you out: This can be compared to a
prince who was fed obnoxious food, which could not stay in his intestines; so
he vomited it out. Likewise, the Land of Israel cannot retain transgressors
[and thus, it vomits them out]. — [Torath Kohanim 20:123] The Targum rendersוְלֹאתָקִיא, as: וְלֹא תְרוֹקֵן as:, denoting “emptying out” (רִקּוּן), i.e., the Land empties itself
of the transgressors.
Eretz Yisrael which is inanimate must be holy when the land
becomes defiled unlike other lands and nations it was ordained with the
property of vomiting out the ones that defile it and defile holiness.
29 For whosoever shall do
any of these abominations, even the souls that do them shall be cut off from
among their people.
All of these sins carry Kares the cutting off. Because one of the
sins has been classified as an abomination the Torah brings us a Haykesh (one
of the 13 principles of learning Torah – because it says here it should be the
same there). Since the land will vomit out the sinners and one of these
disgusting acts is called an abomination so all of them are.
30 Therefore shall ye keep My charge, that ye do not any of these
abominable customs, which were done before you, and that ye defile not
yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.
And you shall observe My charge: This [clause come] to admonish
the courts regarding the matter. — [Torath Kohanim 18:151] and you shall not
become defiled by them. I am the Lord, your God: But if you do become defiled,“
[says God,] ”I am not your God, and you will be cut off from Me. What benefit
will I have from you? Moreover, you will deserve annihilation.“ Therefore, it
says, ”I am the Lord, your God." - [Torath Kohanim 18:151]
19:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 Speak unto all the
congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them: Ye shall be holy;
for I the LORD your God am holy.
HASHEM gives us an example. In the Israeli Defense Forces it used
to be the commander who leads the charge to set an example. Holiness or
Kedushah is above the profane. We refrain for the average person not to eat 2nd
degree Tuma or Teruma 3rd degree and for Korbanos 4th
degree.
3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and ye shall
keep My Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.
Again the honoring of ones parents and the holiness of the Shabbos
is brought down by the Torah due to the utmost importance that HASHEM wants us
to see. In 5769 Fearing a mother is
hard to do. She help you with a bottle or nursing you at nights and changed
your diapers yet you as an adult perhaps taller and stronger than she is have
to fear her and be awed by her presence. One’s father is easier as while
growing up he was the strength and disciplinarian of the family. Despite
the honor and fear of the parents if they as one to violate the Shabbos, since
they too are bound by the laws of Shabbos; they can be ignored. Therefore
honoring parents which increases one’s days are on one level of Mitzvos and
Shabbos which has the penalty of death by stoning for violation by Mayzeed
(willingly and wantonly) or Kares if there is only one witness and a Korban
Chatas if by Shogeg or accident has precedence.
Or as Rashi puts it: And you shall observe My Sabbaths: Scripture juxtaposes [the
commandment of] observing the Sabbath with [that] of fearing one’s father [and
mother], in order to state [the following principle]: “Although I have
admonished you regarding the fear of your father, nevertheless, if he tells you
to desecrate the Sabbath, do not listen to him.” And this is also the case with
all the [other] commandments. — [B.M. 32a] [This is indicated by:]
4 Turn you not unto the idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods:
I am the LORD your God.
According to the Agadda in the Talmud there were creatures called
Shaddim who performed so called magic for Pharaoh’s servants and did through
enchantments work and false miracles for the idols. They are mentioned in
Perkei Avos Chapter 5 Mishnah 6 Ten things were created at twilight of
Shabbat eve. These are: … And some say also the spirits of destruction …!
Such a creature named Yosef was used by the Maharal of Prague to make the Golem
for he had learned the wisdom of Shlomo HaMelech and other great sages on how
to manage these creatures. For no normal human could believe that something
made from stone or wood could produce a miracle. But an idol run on enchantment
of these creatures could seemingly do things. I cannot attest to the validity
of UFO sightings or landings but many might be caused by these impish creatures
as they occur mostly in deserted areas.
… 9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not
wholly reap the corner of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleaning of
thy harvest. 10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou
gather the fallen fruit of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and
for the stranger: I am the LORD your God.
The commandment of leaving over something for the poor to gleam
and gather is illustrated in the field of Boaz in Sefer Ruth.
11 Ye shall not steal; neither shall ye deal falsely, nor lie one
to another.
Oy it is so easy and sometimes tempting to steal and lie from
others. Once upon a time there was a town called Luz where nobody would die
before his time and one upon reaching a very old age would leave the town in
order for the Malach HaMaves to have power over him. The Talmud views how
serious a lie is by bringing down this story which follows: Rebbe Meir Baal
HaNes (the famed Rebbe Meir from our Mishnayos who had the power to work
miracles) went to live in the town. One day is wife was washing her hair and
the neighbor lady came to speak to her. Instead of saying the truth or that she
was indisposed at the moment; he said that she was not home. On Shabbos two of
his sons died. The town’s people heard that he had lied and brought the Malach HaMaves
into town they ran him out of town.
12 And ye shall not swear by My name falsely, so that thou profane
the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
You shall not swear falsely by My Name: Why is this stated?
Since Scripture says, “You shall not take the Name of the Lord (יהוה), your God in vain” (Exod. 20:7), one
might think that a person is liable only regarding the special Name [of God יהוה]. How do we know that included [also in
this prohibition] are the כִּנּוּיִין
[i.e., all the ancillary Names that represent various attributes of God, thus
adopting the status of a “Name of God”]? Because Scripture says here, “You
shall not swear falsely by My Name”- [meaning,] any Name that I have. — [Torath
Kohanim 19:27]
13 You shall not oppress your fellow. You shall not rob. The hired
worker's wage shall not remain with you overnight until morning.
Part of holiness is being honest in business. Not to swindle
customers and certainly to pay your workers a proper salary.
14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling-block before
the blind, but thou shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.
As our parents grow older some lose their keen hearing and sight
which they had when we children were younger. It is sometimes very hard not to
laugh at mistakes that they make in words of similar sounds and all the more so
to be ignorant enough to curse or joke about a deaf person. Bullying a deaf or
blind person or having fun on their account neither shows our maturity, love,
kindness or understand and rather it shows the reverse and reflects upon our
own weakness and faults. For this reason Ashkenazim do not go with their
Tzitzis out in a Cemetery as it is like poking fun at the dead as if to say
ha-ha we have the Mitzva of Tzitzis and you have none.
15 You shall commit no injustice in judgment; you shall not favor
a poor person or respect a great man; you shall judge your fellow with
righteousness.
In Communism there is a fair deal and fair shake for everybody
even at the expense of the other. In Judaism one must be just for just as the
rich man can oppress the poor man so can the poor man try to lie and cheat
something out of the rich man that he never owned or even worked for!
16 You shall not go around as a gossipmonger amidst your people.
You shall not stand by [the shedding of] your fellow's blood. I am the Lord.
This is one of the laws regarding Lashon HaRa that I brought down
last week.
…20 And whosoever lies carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid,
designated for a man, and not at all redeemed, nor was freedom given her; there
shall be inquisition; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.
In the Deep South in the days of slavery in the United States
blacks were treated perhaps worse than the owner treated his animals. The
Master of the House claimed the right to do whatever he wanted to his female
slaves and they had no recourse. They were no better off than the people in
modern days in Darfur or other parts of Africa when tribes make war.
…29 Profane not thy daughter, to make her a harlot, lest the land
fall into harlotry, and the land become full of lewdness.
Just as the Canaanite Slave has dignity so does your daughter and
a general rule is that the L-RD hates promiscuity.
…33 And if a stranger
sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not do him wrong. 34 The stranger that
sojourns with you shall be unto you as the home-born among you, and thou shalt
love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD
your God.
The first is a Ger Toshav or somebody who excepts the rule of the
Bnei Yisrael here and the 7 Mitzvos of Noach and the second is a Ger Tzeddek
who shall be like a Jew to you in everything (sorry to those Baal Teshuva and
Gerim who have experience bigotry but boorish Jews – I can only say that on my
watch I have not gotten through to them yet).
35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meter yard, in
weight, or in measure. 36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just
hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of
Egypt. 37 And ye shall observe all My statutes, and all Mine ordinances, and do
them: I am the LORD.
When a society is establish there has to be laws in place and an
enforcement body and also just weights, measures and standards.
20: …. 6 And the soul that turns unto the ghosts, and unto the
familiar spirits, to go astray after them, I will even set My face against that
soul, and will cut him off from among his people. 7 Sanctify yourselves
therefore, and be ye holy; for I am the LORD your God.
There is a difference if a dead Tzaddik or relative contact
somebody in a dream or vision and one go out hunting through séances to meet
somebody who died.
8 And keep ye My statutes, and do them: I am the LORD who sanctify
you. 9 For whatsoever man there be that curses his father or his mother shall
surely be put to death; he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood
shall be upon him.
One thing is honoring the parents and one thing is dishonoring the
parents. The modern protests that began in the 1960’s and Marcuse’s sexual
revolution undermine American Society and the hierarchy. When the Moroccan Jews
came the Israeli Socialists broke down the family unit and the same with the
Yemenite Jews. The parents were called primitive and the children left without
any moral foundation. As a result the Israel Jails were filled with members of
these broken down families who disrespected their elders and the Torah. After
this failed experiment, the Israelis left the other immigrants alone when they
came with their leaders such as the Ethiopians and their integration into
society has not filled the jails although some husbands felt dishonored and
committed suicide or murders their spouses – most have found their place
despite a lot of bigotry not in Chashmonayim – Ramat Modiin but in other
places.
10 And the man that commits adultery with another man’s wife, even
he that commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the adulterer and the
adulteress shall surely be put to death. 11 And the man that lies with his
father’s wife–he hath uncovered his father’s nakedness–both of them shall
surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. 12 And if a man lie
with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death; they have
wrought corruption; their blood shall be upon them.
Again the Torah re-emphasizes the laws of lewdness as the Yetzer
is great for perhaps the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence.
13 And if a man lie with mankind, as with womankind, both of them
have committed abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood
shall be upon them.
Again homosexuality is view as a perversion by the CREATOR that it
is called again an abomination for HE created male and female of each kind and
commanded them to be fruitful and multiply and fill up the land and this is a
violation of the first permanent Mitzva that the L-RD gave to mankind.
14 And if a man lays with his wife also her mother, it is
wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no
wickedness among you.
The burning by fire vs. the punishment of stoning, strangulation
or sword is particularly painful and used in the most wicked or vicious of
crimes. There is nothing written in the Torah about a rape of any of the
forbidden relations mentioned in Chapters 18 or 20 or the getting drunk or
drugging like the daughters of Lot with their father.
15 And if a man lies with a beast, he shall surely be put to
death; and ye shall slay the beast. 16 And if a woman approach unto any beast,
and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall
surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Unless the beast or animal is trained by the male or female for
such activity, it is forcing the man upon the beast. However, since the man is
put to death for the honor of mankind, the poor beast is put to death. Such
behavior occurred before the flood and there is one story about Sodom in the
Medrash.
17 And if a man shall take his sister, his father’s daughter, or his
mother’s daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness: it is a
shameful thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the children of their
people: he hath uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.
18 And if a man shall lie with a woman having her confinement, and shall
uncover her nakedness–he hath made naked her fountain, and she hath uncovered
the fountain of her blood–both of them shall be cut off from among their
people. 19 And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister, nor
of thy father’s sister; for he hath made naked his near kin; they shall bear
their iniquity. 20 And if a man shall lie with his uncle’s wife–he hath
uncovered his uncle’s nakedness–they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless.
21 And if a man shall take his brother’s wife, it is impurity: he hath
uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless. 22 Ye shall
therefore keep all My statutes, and all Mine ordinances, and do them, that the
land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, vomit you not out. 23 And ye shall
not walk in the customs of the nation, which I am casting out before you; for
they did all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.
Again the Torah tells us how HASHEM hates lewdness.
24 But I have said unto you: ‘Ye shall inherit their land, and I
will give it unto you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey.’ I am
the LORD your God, who have set you apart from the peoples. 25 Ye shall
therefore separate between the clean beast and the unclean, and between the
unclean fowl and the clean; and ye shall not make your souls detestable by
beast, or by fowl, or by anything wherewith the ground teems, which I have set
apart for you to hold unclean. 26 And ye shall be holy unto Me; for I the LORD
am holy, and have set you apart from the peoples, that ye should be Mine. 27 A
man also or a woman that divines by a ghost or a familiar spirit, shall surely
be put to death; they shall stone them with stones; their blood shall be upon
them.
The message in these two Parshiyos is clear and the repetition
serves to strengthen it. Be Holy in your ways both in public and in the room of
rooms where only the couple is present.
Chapter 9
Halacha 1
Six precepts were commanded to Adam:
a) the prohibition against worship of false gods;
b) the prohibition against cursing God;
c) the prohibition against murder;
d) the prohibition against incest and adultery;
e) the prohibition against theft;
f) the command to establish laws and courts of justice.
Even though we have received all of these commands from Moses and,
furthermore, they are concepts which intellect itself tends to accept, it
appears from the Torah's words that Adam was commanded concerning them.
The prohibition against eating flesh from a living animal was added
for Noah, as Genesis 9:4 states: 'Nevertheless, you may not eat flesh with its
life, which is its blood.' Thus there are seven mitzvot.
These matters remained the same throughout the world until
Abraham. When Abraham arose, in addition to these, he was commanded regarding
circumcision. He also ordained the morning prayers.
Isaac separated tithes and ordained an additional prayer service
before sunset. Jacob added the prohibition against eating the sciatic nerve. He
also ordained the evening prayers. In Egypt, Amram was commanded regarding
other mitzvot. Ultimately, Moses came and the Torah was completed by him.
Halacha 2
A gentile who worships false gods is liable provided he worships
them in an accepted manner.
A gentile is executed for every type of foreign worship which a
Jewish court would consider worthy of capital punishment. However, a gentile is
not executed for a type of foreign worship which a Jewish court would not deem
worthy of capital punishment. Nevertheless, even though a gentile will not be
executed for these forms of worship, he is forbidden to engage in all of them.
We should not allow them to erect a monument, or to plant an
Asherah, or to make images and the like even though they are only for the sake
of beauty.
Halacha 3
A gentile who curses God's Name, whether he uses God's unique name
or one of His other names, in any language, is liable. This law does not apply
with regard to Jews.
Halacha 4
A gentile who slays any soul, even a fetus in its mother's womb,
should be executed in retribution for its death. Similarly, if he slew a person
who would have otherwise died in the near future, placed a person before a
lion, or starved a person to death, he should be executed for through one
manner or other, he killed.
Similarly, one should be executed if he killed a pursuer when he
could have saved the latter's potential victim by maiming one of the pursuer's
limbs. These laws do not apply with regard to Jews.
Halacha 5
There are six illicit sexual relations forbidden to a gentile:
a) his mother;
b) his father's wife;
c) a married woman;
d) his maternal sister;
e) a male;
f) an animal.
These prohibitions are derived from the verse Genesis 2:24:
'Therefore, a man shall leave his father and his mother and cling to his wife
and they shall become one flesh.'
'His father' - alludes to his father's wife;
'his mother' - is to be understood simply;
'cling to his wife' - and not his colleague's wife;
'his wife' - and not a male;
'They shall become one flesh' - this excludes a domesticated
animal, beast, or fowl for man can never become 'one flesh' with them.
The prohibition against relations with a maternal sister is
derived from the verse Genesis 20:13: 'She is my sister, my father's daughter,
but not my mother's. Thus, she became my wife.'
Halacha 6
A gentile is liable for relations with his mother even though she
was seduced or raped by his father and never married to him. She is,
nevertheless, his mother.
He is liable for relations with his father's wife even after his
father's death.
He is liable for relations with a male whether a minor or an adult
and with an animal whether young or old. In the latter instance, the gentile
alone is executed and not the animal. We are only commanded to kill an animal
with which a Jew engaged in relations.
Halacha 7
A gentile is not executed for adultery with his colleague's wife
unless they engage in relations in the normal manner after she had engaged in
relations with her husband at least once. However, if she was merely
consecrated or had undergone a wedding ceremony, but had never engaged in
relations with her husband, one is not liable for engaging in relations with
her, as Genesis 20:3 states: 'For she has been possessed by her husband.'
When does the above apply? When a gentile engages in relations
with a gentile woman. However, a gentile who engages in relations with a
married Jewess is liable whether their relations were carried out in a normal
or abnormal manner.
Similarly, a gentile who engages in relations with a Jewish maiden
who has been consecrated is stoned to death because of her as is the law
regarding Jews. If he engages in relations with her after she has undergone the
wedding ceremony, but has not engaged in relations with her husband, he is
strangled to death as is the Jewish law. However, if he engages in relations
with a Jewish woman after she engaged in relations with her husband once, he is
sentenced to be executed by decapitation as if he had engaged in relations with
a gentile woman.
Halacha 8
A gentile who singles out one of his maid-servants for one of his
slaves and, afterwards, engages in relations with her is executed because of
her for violation of the prohibition against adultery. However, he is not
liable for relations with her until the matter has become public knowledge and
everyone refers to her as 'the wife of X, the slave.'
When do relations with her become permitted again? When he
separates her from his slave and uncovers her hair in the market-place.
When is a gentile woman considered divorced? When her husband
removes her from his home and sends her on her own or when she leaves his
domain and goes her own way. They have no written divorce proceedings.
The matter is not dependant on the man's volition alone. Whenever
he or she decide to separate, they may and then, are no longer considered as
married.
Halacha 9
A gentile is liable for violating the prohibition against theft
whether he stole from another gentile or from a Jew.
This applies to one who forcefully robs an individual or steals
money, a kidnapper, an employer who withholds his worker's wages and the like,
even a worker who eats from his employer's produce when he is not working. In
all such cases, he is liable and is considered as a robber. With regard to
Jews, the law is different.
Similarly, a gentile is liable for stealing an object worth less
than a p'rutah. Thus, if one gentile stole an object worth less than a p'rutah
and another gentile stole it from him, they are both executed because of it.
Halacha 10
Similarly, a gentile is liable for violating the prohibition
against eating a limb or flesh from a living creature. This applies regardless
of the amount involved, for the specification of minimum amounts only applies
to Jews.
A gentile is permitted blood from a living creature.
Halacha 11
The prohibition applies to a limb or flesh that is separated from
either a domesticated animal or a beast. However, it appears to me that a
gentile is not executed for eating a limb taken from a living bird.
Halacha 12
Though one slaughters an animal, even if one severs the two signs
that distinguish it as having been slaughtered in a kosher manner, as long as
the animal moves convulsively, the limbs and meat which are separated from it
are forbidden to a gentile because of the prohibition against a limb from a
living creature.
Halacha 13
All prohibitions that apply to a Jew regarding a limb from a
living creature also apply to gentiles. Furthermore, there are instances where
a gentile would be held liable and a Jew will not for a gentile is liable for a
limb or flesh from a living creature whether from a domesticated animal or a
beast, whether from a kosher or non-kosher species.
Similarly, a gentile is forbidden to partake of a limb from a
living creature for a limb or flesh which is separated from an animal that is
moving convulsively even though a Jew has already severed the two signs.
Halacha 14
How must the gentiles fulfill the commandment to establish laws
and courts? They are obligated to set up judges and magistrates in every major
city to render judgement concerning these six mitzvot and to admonish the
people regarding their observance.
A gentile who transgresses these seven commands shall be executed
by decapitation. For this reason, all the inhabitants of Shechem were obligated
to die. Shechem kidnapped. They observed and were aware of his deeds, but did
not judge him.
A gentile is executed on the basis of the testimony of one witness
and the verdict of a single judge. No warning is required. Relatives may serve
as witnesses. However, a woman may not serve as a witness or a judge for them.
Bina By Moshe Miller
The word bina is related to the word livnot, meaning "to
build", for this is the essential quality of bina. The abstract,
non-dimensional, incomprehensible point that represents chochma is expanded and
built into a three-dimensional structure, sometimes compared to the physical
dimensions of length, breadth, and depth. In the context of sefirot they
signify three aspects of bina, each with its own unique relationship to the
other sefirot.
1) The "depth" of bina is the aspect of bina which
expresses its relationship to its source in chochma. The depth of bina derives
from chochma; thus chochma and bina together are called "the two beloved
friends that never part," for where there is chochma, bina invariably
follows. The Zohar therefore describes the relationship of chochma and bina as
"the supernal point (chochma) within its palace (bina)."
2) The "breadth" of bina signifies the aspect of
expansion, which is the definitive characteristic of bina. In this context, the
sages of the Talmud (Chagigah 14a) describe bina as "hameivin davar mi
toch davar" -- "understanding one thing from another". In other
words, what is contained within one concept (the word toch in Hebrew means
"within") in chochma, is expanded into an entire conceptual framework
of inter-related ideas in bina.
3) The "length" of bina describes its relationship to
the sefirot below it. The extent to which bina effects the other sefirot is
called its "length". Obviously, the further bina has to reach in
order to affect the lower sefira, the more powerful it must be in its original
state.
Thus bina can be defined as the expansion of the initial point
of chochma into a full-blown and comprehensible revelation of the Divine Light.
…the stream
becomes
a mighty river
An analogy is used in Kabbala to describe the relationship of
keter, chochma and bina: From the great depth of waters, called in Hebrew the
tehom rabba, which reside under the earth (signifying keter), a spring of water
spurts out. The spring is connected by hidden channels to the great depth of
waters, and the spring is their first revelation; the spring represents
chochma. The bubbling spring forms a trickle, and the trickle becomes a stream
and the stream becomes a mighty river; the river represents bina. The source or
depth of the river is the spring of chochma, and corresponds to the power of
the flow out from chochma. The breadth of the river is the amount that the
river expands over a wide area. The length of the river is the distance from
its original source, via many levels and stages (signifying the other sefirot),
until the river eventually flows into the sea, which represents malchut, as
will be explained.
There is another analogy used to explain the relationship
between chochma and bina: A drop of semen, which potentially contains the life
of hundreds, and even hundreds of thousands of people, is analogous to chochma.
And the womb which receives the drop of sperm is analogous to bina, which expands
and develops and builds that single drop of potential life into a fully
developed person with all the necessary limbs and faculties.
A further analogy: Imagine that you are walking in an unfamiliar
place on a very dark night. Suddenly, a flash of lightning illuminates the
whole area, and for an instant you can see everything with absolute clarity.
But, a moment later, the night is just as dark. Now you have to reconstruct
what you saw in that momentary flash of lightning in order to find your way home.
The lightning flash is akin to the activity of chochma, which flashes in and
out of existence. Reconstructing what it was that was revealed when the
darkness was briefly illuminated is akin to the functioning of bina.
Again, bina is the expansion and extension of the initial
point-like revelation of G-d into a comprehensive system.
Bina is the expansion and extension of the initial point-like
revelation of G-d into a comprehensive system.
The remaining seven sefirot are called the seven middot (singular:
midda). The word "midda" in Hebrew means a measurement or an amount.
This is precisely the function of these seven sefirot -- to distribute the
light and life force of a particular plane of reality, a particular world,
according to its proper measure. They are also called in Kabbala "the
Seven Days of Creation", for it is essentially through them that
constitution of each of the planes of reality is built. If bina is analogous to
the builder, or to the process of building, as explained previously, then the
seven middot are analogous to the structure itself.
Each one of these seven sefirot also corresponds to one of the
seven days of Creation. The sefira of chesed corresponds to the first day of
creation, the sefira of gevura to the second day, and so on, until the seventh
sefira, malchut, which corresponds to Shabbat. The nature of each of these
sefirot can be understood by examining the seven days of creation as a paradigm
of the activity of these sefirot.
Chesed, Gevura, & Tiferet By Moshe Miller
Chesed
The word chesed means kindness or benevolence. It denotes the
unbounded loving-kindness with which G-d created the worlds and with which all
of creation is permeated, as the verse states, "The world was built with
chesed" (Psalms 89:3).
Kabbala explains that kindness was, in fact, the reason for the
Creation. Since G-d's "nature" is absolute benevolence and
loving-kindness, He created the worlds so that He would have upon whom to
bestow His kindness, as is written in Etz Chaim, "It is the nature of He
who is good to do good."
Light was created on the First day. Light is revelation, as
explained previously. This light was infinite, as our Sages say, "The
light that was created on the first day shone from one end of Creation to the
other". Or, in the language of Kabbala, "In the beginning, an
infinite, uncompounded light filled all of Creation." This is the light of
chesed which permeates all of Creation and through which all of Creation is
built.
Gevura means restrictive power
Gevura
Gevura means restrictive power
Since the infinite and unlimited chesed of G-d is intended for
finite creatures unable to absorb infinite kindness and yet remain in physical
existence, the attribute of chesed is controlled and limited by the aspect of
gevura. Gevura means restrictive power, the power to limit and conceal the
Infinite Light so that each creature can receive according to its capacity.
Thus, gevura is also an aspect of G-d's kindness, for if the outpouring of
infinite kindness were to remain unrestricted, finite creatures would become
instantly nullified in the infinite revelation of divine love. Therefore the
sefira of gevura is the manifestation of G-d's power to restrict and conceal
the light so that His creatures can receive His loving-kindness, each according
to its capacity.
On the Second day of Creation, separation of the higher waters
from the lower waters was introduced. In the Torah, this is called the
firmament (rakia). In Kabbala, water signifies kindness, chesed. The separation
of the waters means that the infinite chesed of G-d, referred to as "the
higher waters", is separated from "the lower waters", signifying
finite chesed, which has the ability to permeate the lower worlds.
Tiferet…merges the benevolent flow of chesed and the
Tiferet
The sefira of tiferet represents the harmonious blending of
varying colors and forms, producing a work of great beauty. The word tiferet is
derived from the Hebrew word pe'er, meaning "beauty". The attribute
of tiferet blends chesed and gevura, so that a proper mixture of the two can
produce a bearable revelation of chesed to finite created beings. In other
words, tiferet is the attribute which merges the benevolent flow of chesed and
the restrictive severity of gevura so that each creature will receive its proper
measure of Divine Light and life-force. This is why tiferet is also called
"compassion" or "mercy", for it enables chesed and gevura
to balance each other so that G-d's benevolence can be absorbed by the limited
world without its ceasing to exist.
On the third day of Creation, water and land were separated, and
the vegetable kingdom was created. The Third day, related to the third most
elevated sefira, tiferet, sets a balance between water and land, so that the
vegetable kingdom (and thus the animal and human kingdoms also) can be
sustained by both of them, each plant according to its needs.
The power of one Jew perhaps not religious but all the
more so if he had been Frum.
Lori sent me this story from the Wikipedia of a Toronto Landmark
that closed down with the demise of the owner: Edwin “Honest Ed” Mirvish, OC,
CBE (24 July 1914 – 11 July 2007) was a Canadian businessman, philanthropist
and theatrical impresario who lived in Toronto, Ontario. He is known for his
flagship business, Honest Ed’s, a landmark discount store in downtown Toronto,
and as a patron of the arts, instrumental in revitalizing the theatre scene in
Toronto.
Born in Colonial Beach, Virginia, the son of Jewish immigrants
from Lithuania (his father, David) and Austria (his mother, Anna). His parents
gave him the Hebrew name, Yehuda, but at the urging of a cousin, they added a
more American name, Edwin. Mirvish often told the tale of his bris; there was
no Mohel in Colonial Beach, so the family hired one in nearby Washington, D.C.,
to come down to perform the ceremony. The Mohel chosen was Rabbi Moshe Reuben
Yoelson, the father of Al Jolson. Mirvish credited this as his introduction to
show business.
The family later moved to Washington, D.C., where Mirvish’s father
opened a grocery store. The grocery store went bankrupt in 1923, and David
Mirvish moved his family to Toronto where he worked as a door-to-door salesman
– peddling, among other things, Fuller Brushes and the Encyclopedia of
Freemasonry – until he opened a grocery in the Toronto Jewish community, on
Dundas Street. The family lived above the store, sharing their tiny apartment
with a Hebrew school. Mirvish would often joke that it was his dream in those
days to someday have a bathroom he didn’t have to share with 50 others.
In June 2006, Ed and Anne Mirvish marked their 65th
wedding anniversary with a party at the Princess of Wales Theatre. The mayor of
Toronto, the chief of police and other public figures delivered congratulatory
speeches, followed by a program of vocal music by some of Toronto’s opera and
theater stars. In July 2006, Mirvish celebrated his 92nd birthday
with a lavish party at Honest Ed’s. In honor of this occasion, many items in
the store were on sale for 92 cents.
On 11 July 2007, the Mirvish family released a statement to
announce the death of Ed Mirvish after midnight at St. Michael’s Hospital,
Toronto. The funeral service was held at the Beth Tzedek Synagogue in Toronto.
Mirvish was buried at Pardes Shalom Cemetery in Maple, Ontario. His store was
closed and its lights were dimmed, as staff bid farewell to the former owner. A
similar gesture was made by theatres on Broadway, which dimmed their lights for
one minute at 8pm on July 13. Toronto Police provided ceremonial and mounted
units (including the horse Honest Ed) for his funeral. Flags at Toronto civic centers
were lowered to half-mast.
On August 12, 2007 The City of Toronto had granted a closure of
Bloor Street between Bathurst and Markham Streets to accommodate a celebration
in honor of Ed Mirvish. Ceremonies began with Mayor David Miller, who proclaimed
August 12 “Ed Mirvish Day” in the City of Toronto.
In response to his death, Jones Cane Sugar Soda issued bottles of
their soda with a picture of Honest Ed on them, with “Honest Ed Mirvish
1914–2007” placed where normally a photo credit lies.
Mirvish lost his father at the age of 15. He dropped out of school
to manage the store, becoming the sole support of his mother, his younger
brother, Robert (who became a successful novelist and short-story writer) and
sister, Lorraine. The grocery business did not do well, and Mirvish closed shop
to reopen as a dry-cleaner, in partnership with his childhood friend, Yale
Simpson. The shop was known as “Simpson’s”. When the well-known downtown
Toronto department store “Simpson’s” attempted to force him to change the name
of his business, Mirvish pointed to Simpson and said, “Here’s my Mr. Simpson.
Where’s yours?” The dry-cleaning business did no better than the grocery,
however, and Mirvish soon abandoned it to take a regular job working as a
produce manager and buyer for Toronto grocery store entrepreneur Leon
Weinstein. Now financially stable, Mirvish bought a Ford Model T and began to
court a radio singer from Hamilton, Ontario, Anne Macklin, whom he married in
1941. In 1945, their son, David, was born.
During World War II, Ed and Anne Mirvish opened a dress shop known
as The Sport Bar. They ran this business until 1948, when Mirvish cashed in his
wife’s insurance policy to open a new business, a bargain basement known as “Honest
Ed’s”, stocked with all kinds of odd merchandise purchased at bankruptcy and
fire sales, and displayed on orange crates. This unique no-credit, no-service,
no-frills business model was an immediate success. Mirvish claimed to have
invented the “loss-leader”, below-cost discounts on selected items designed to
lure buyers into the store. “Honest Ed’s” gradually expanded to fill an entire
city block. Billing itself as “the world’s biggest discount department store”,
it was soon bringing in millions of dollars a year. The store expanded and, in
the late 1950s, Mirvish started buying up houses on Markham Street running
south from Bloor. When his application to tear down the Victorian structures in
order to build a parking lot was rejected by the city Mirvish, at the urging of
his wife and son, rented them out at low rates to local artists and the street
soon became a community of artists studios, galleries, boutiques and niche
shops known today as Mirvish Village.
Mirvish was renowned for getting free publicity, doing everything
from riding elephants, to hiring protesters to picketing his own restaurant
over its dress code. Every Christmas, Mirvish gave away ten thousand pounds of
free turkeys in his store to shoppers who stood in line for hours. A tradition
since his 75th birthday has been the annual birthday bash outside
the store, with free food, entertainment and children’s rides. In 2003, Toronto
Mayor Mel Lastman proclaimed Mirvish’s birthday “Ed Mirvish Day”.
A sign in the store read: “When Ed dies, he would like a catered
funeral with accordion players and a buffet table, with a replica of Honest Ed
on it made of potato salad.”
In addition to Honest Ed’s, Mirvish was known in Toronto for his
theatres and restaurants. His first purchase was the Royal Alexandra Theatre,
an Edwardian landmark building slated for demolition. Mirvish purchased the
building in 1962 and refurbished it, revitalizing the Toronto theatre scene. To
liven up the neighborhood and provide patrons with a place to go before and
after performances, Mirvish bought and renovated a nearby warehouse building,
which he turned into a restaurant. To cut costs, Ed’s Warehouse at King Street
West and Duncan Street, served a set meal: prime rib, mashed potatoes and peas.
Along the same street, Mirvish later opened Ed’s Seafood, Ed’s Folly, Ed’s
Chinese, Ed’s Italian Restaurant and Old Ed’s, which attracted local residents
to the previously neglected King Street area and served 6,000 meals a night.
One by one, the restaurants closed down. The last was Ed’s Warehouse, which
shut its doors in 2000. In 1993 the Mirvishes built the Princess of Wales
Theatre, the largest new theatre – and first privately financed theatre – in
North America in the span of thirty years. In 2001, Mirvish Enterprises signed
a management contract to run the Pantages Theatre, renamed the Canon Theatre,
for Clear Channel Entertainment (now Live Nation), which had bought up the
assets of the bankrupt theatre company, Livent. The first show under the
Mirvish banner was a touring production of Saturday Night Fever.
I was asked by my friend Miriam to try to explain the following: "The
reason why most of the learned individuals oppose the Tzaddikim is because the
former study the Oral Law with great haughtiness. Consequently, the Oral Law
empowers their mouths to 'speak arrogant words, proudly and contemptuously,
against the righteous'. The true Tzaddikim, however, elevate and rectify all
their evil words and restructure the letters of those same words into laws.
Precisely through this, the Tzaddikim cause great delights to ascent to G-d.
Those who study Torah with ulterior motives - especially the Oral Law - are reduced
to speak arrogantly against the true Tzaddikim. When those learned individuals
who oppose the Tzaddikim attack and speak evil against the Tzaddik, they
simultaneously hate and pursue the Tzaddik in the upper world - namely, the Tzaddik
who originated the Torah teachings that the Tzaddik in this lower world is now
studying. The main source of the attacker's power is the fact that he is
learned in the Talmud and Codes. But 'One who studies without understanding
(da-at), but rather to show off and to argue, is worse than a carcass.'(Vayikra
Rabbah 1:15). When the Oral Law - which is the Divine Presence - comes into the
learned individual's mouth, it is termed 'the exile of the Divine Presence'. A
Torah scholar like this is a 'Jewish demon' - he does not see the truth and he
becomes an enemy and an opponent of the true Tzaddik."
Historically from the time of the first Rebbe from Chabad and the
Vilna Gaon there was a dispute between the Chassidim and the Misnagdim. Most of
the Chassidic movement started in order to revive the common folk after the
disasters of Shabbtai Zvi and Jacob Frank. The first Rebbes were Talmidei
Chachamim who went according to the Zohar and emotional feelings of the common
people. The Misnagdim had seen the effects of the Zohar on the followers of the
two false Moshiachs and distanced themselves from it. It is interesting enough
that both the Vilna Gaon and Rav Chain Soleveichik were well versed in the
Zohar. The fact that Dembowski, the Catholic Bishop of Kamenetz-Podolsk, that
they rejected the Talmud and recognized only the sacred book of Kabbalah, the
Zohar, which did not contradict the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. They
stated that they regarded the Messiah-Deliverer as one of the embodiments of
the three divinities.
Rav Schach mentioned to his close followers that all his life he
never understood why the Gaon had rejected the Alter Lubavitcher Rebbe when he
tried to visit the Gaon until he saw what happened with the followers of the
last Rebbe of Chabad when they proclaimed him Moshiach and the boors among them
danced and sang that he is still alive. Rav Schach then understood. For Rav
Schach, who was also a Tzaddik, did everything for the sake of heaven. He
recognized the Talmud Chacham and Tzaddik of the Rebbe and fasted and prayed
when he took ill.
However, it is not all the Tzaddikim that are jumped upon today by
the followers of mostly Halacha. HaRav Eliyashiv who is the greatest Halachic
Scholar in the Ashkenazi Yeshiva World once sent somebody to his younger
son-in-law Rav Chaim Kanyefski for he is a man of Segula or hidden treasure of
HASHEM. And not every Chassidic Rebbe even though his Talmidim call him the
Helige Rebbe has any semblance of holiness. I was one in my younger days with
two people who would become Chassidic Rebbes at the Sukkah of the Pittsburgher
Rebbe. At that time young Motti Leifer who is now a big Tzaddik and the
Pittsburgher Rebbe Shlita and censored a person of a larger Chassidic group who
inherited the post from birth just as Menashe inherited the kingdom from
Hizkiyahu.
The original dispute as I see it from my knowledge of Jewish
history and love of both Rav Schach and the Lubavitcher Rebbe was instituted as
a defense or (fence) Geder against too much mysticism and fear of being drawn
into over whelming yearning for the Moshiach instead of becoming a fully
Halachic Jew and letting HASHEM redeem us for completely adhering to Halacha.
The fact that all of the original Chassidic Rebbes built up dynasties and
producing some of the unworthy even unsavory characters made them even more
suspicious of even true Tzaddikim.
So we end up with Rebbe Nachman making the above statement for he
considered each Rebbe and Talmid as a Tzaddik as he followed Perkei Avos “Judge
everybody for his merit”. While the Misnagdim having seen the disasters of
Shabbtai Zvi and Yacov Frank became suspicious of all Chassidim even if they
were big Tzaddikim and Talmidei Chachamim.
BLAME THE ENVIRONMENT OR BAD EDUCATION FOR THE TZADDIK HATRED.
Rabbi Yacov Mizrachi was a Tzaddik who did everything for the sake
of heaven. He, Rabbi Simcha HaCohain Kuk Shlita and I were among the few people
who loved both Rav Schach and the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Unfortunately, the dispute
which started perhaps in the days of the Baal Shem Tov continues unto this day.
While certain Chassidim have gained Talmid Chacham status with the Misnagdim
such as the Gerer Chassidim and Vizhnitz Chassidim because of their learning of
the Daf Yomi; the Lubavitch Chassidim with the Rebbe as Moshiach has brought
about a tremendous hatred.
My oldest grandson at the impressionable age of 15.5 sees all the
disputes in Kiriat Sefer and the accusations of the majority against the
Lubavitcher Chassidim due to the Rebbe Moshiach group. I told him that during
the life time of the Rebbe all of his followers were hoping that he was or
would be Moshiach. When he passed away, the majority moved on and were real but
a minority continues to give them a black eye. I told him that I go to the
Chabad Schul on Friday night to hear the Drasha of Rav Kochavi Shlita for it
contains a lot of wisdom and points.
This is my own oldie but goodie: Check out Daniel 8:13 Then I
heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said unto that certain one who
spoke: 'How long shall be the vision concerning the continual burnt-offering,
and the transgression that causes appalment, to give both the sanctuary and the
host to be trampled under foot?' 14 And he said unto me: 'Unto two thousand and
three hundred evenings and mornings; then shall the sanctuary be
victorious.' Now the first Temple was
destroyed in the year 3338 and 70 years in exile = 3408 and 2300 years not days
is 5708 or in non-Jewish terms 1948
Ayn
Kemach Ayn Torah v' Ayn Torah Ayn Kemach – Avos (No flour no Torah but no Torah – there will
not be flour Rabbi Ovadia Yosef speaks up in favor of the IDF: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/155122#.T5jrl16PafM
Inyanay Diyoma
Some of the people in the statistics I knew in private life before
the Yom Kippur War or after and some in the army and some I met their widows: Remembrance
22,993 fallen soldiers, terror victims Photo: Hagai Dekel, Yonatan Tzur 2012:
Number of Israel's fallen stands at 22,993 Total of 126 names added to sad list
of fallen soldiers, victims of terrorism in past year. Government to discuss
plan to build memorial hall in Mount Herzl http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4219062,00.html
CAIR - The original letter was posted by Chaya E. and went out to
me. I posted this further on Facebook and it is going viral: http://www.votersopinion.com/?p=4650 Since
the original post, Best Buy has removed their support but I have other places
to purchase things from like Office Depot, Staples and Radio Shack.
Beijing has distanced itself from the Assad regime, according to a
secret exchange of messages with the Obama administration, revealed here
exclusively by debkafile. China will no longer be a problem for America in
dealing with Assad. That leaves only Russia, said the last message. Washington
counts this change as a return on its nuclear appeasement of Tehran. The
Chinese decided to accommodate US policy on Syria now that the loosening of the
embargo on Iranian oil is in sight. Assad has started selling off gold reserves
in Dubai.
Until now, Israeli leaders talked about a final decision to go to
war on Iran’s nuclear bomb program in terms of months. This timeline is
suddenly shrinking. DEBKA-Net-Weekly in its coming issue out next week explains
what is behind this change and what drove Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz
to state this week: "In principle, we are ready to act," when asked
if the IDF was ready to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Don’t
miss these insights into Israel’s pressing calculus on Iran - and more
exclusives on some of the burning issues of the day. http://www.debka.com/article/21937/
Earth Day April 22 look up Lenin in the Encyclopedia and find out
why the day was chosen no accident. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Lenin
Now for M. Wolfberg’s Good Shabbos Story “To Drink or not to
Drink”
Good
Shabbos Everyone. In this week's portion
we read about the tragic deaths of Nadav and Avihu, Aaron's sons. One of the reasons given for Nadav and
Avihu's deaths at the hands of Hashem, was that they went in the Mishakan (Holy
Tabernacle) and performed unauthorized sacrifices while being drunk. Performing the service of Hashem while drunk
was seen as a horrible profanation of Hashem's name. Thus, the two were taken from this
world. From here we see the Jewish outlook
on drinking excessively.
Let us now explore briefly the issue of
Judaism's view on this issue of excessive drinking, by bringing sources from
the Talmud, and retelling a story from Me'am Loez. With limited exceptions, (Purim for example,
according to some opinions, and the 4 cups of wine at the Pesach sedar) Judaism
frowns on drinking to the point of inebriation.
The Talmud tells us that excessive
drinking has caused problems from the very beginning of time. The Tree‚ from which Adam ate was a
grapevine, for there is nothing that brings calamity on a person more than
wine. (Sanhedrin 70a-b) Noach and Lot,
also got into a lot of trouble through drunkenness. Rava said that the result of alcohol
consumption is bloodshed and Rav Kahana added that improper consumption [of
wine] impoverishes. Rava adds that it [drinking] destroys a person (Sanhedrin
70a).
If a person becomes drunk, he is no
longer in his right mind. Even such great people as Nadav and Avihu, who were
in many ways as great as Moshe and Aaron, had these terrible things happen to
them merely because they were drunk. When a person is drunk, he does not have
the clarity of mind to serve Hashem. He wakes up late and does not say his
prayers or recite the Sh'ma at the proper time. The Talmud teaches us for
example, that a drunk person should not pray; and if he does pray, his prayer
is an abomination. (Sandhedrin 64a) A
drinker can also become involved in so many other sins that they cannot be
counted.
A person who becomes drunk also loses
all his status in the eyes of his fellow man. They laugh at him as they would
at a monkey, which causes anguish to his relatives. The Midrash tells about a
certain Tzadik (righteous person) whose father was a drunkard.
Every day the man would go to the bar and
get so drunk that he would fall in the street. Children would come and make fun
of him, teasing and bothering him to no end. They would yell after him,
"See, there goes the drunk."
When the Tzadik saw his father being
humiliated, his heart cringed inside and he wanted to die. He said to his
father, "Don't go to the bars. Have some respect. Sit at home. I'll bring
you all the wine you want until it is coming out of your mouth. You can live in
peace at home. This is causing tremendous humiliation, both to me and to
you." (ed. admittedly, this is not the current conventional wisdom
regarding helping relatives who have drinking problems.)
The son would urge his father every
day, until the father agreed not to go to the tavern. Each day the son would go
to the trouble of bringing him all the food and drink he wanted. Then the son
would lay him down in bed to sleep.
One day the Tzadik went out in the
street and saw a drunk lying in the middle of an open sewer. The water was all
over him and children were busy at their childish pranks of teasing the
drunk.
The Tzadik said to himself, "Now
is the time to bring my father to see this drunk. Let him see with his own eyes
how denigrated one is when he becomes drunk. Maybe this will change him, and he
will not waste all his days at the taverns."
The Tzadik went and brought his father
to the drunk in the street. They passed by the drunk lying in the open sewer,
and they saw all that the children were doing to him.
When the old man saw the drunk, he
went up to him and asked him, "In what tavern did you get such good wine?
I would also like to get some."
His son said to him, "Father, I
brought you here so you should see a drunk and learn a lesson! I wanted you to
see with your own eyes his great humiliation, and to avoid taverns."
His father then said, "My son, by
my life, in all the world I have no greater joy than to be in such a
situation."
This story tells the evils that can
come from alcoholism. Besides the fact that drunkenness can lead a person to
all sorts of sins, it can even bring one to shed the blood of his relatives.
Family members are miserable when they see one so close to them suffering and
in such a humiliating position. One is certain to be judged for this in the
next world, and he will be severely punished for excessive drinking.
Therefore, anyone who has pity on his
soul will not drink too much and will not become so drunk that he is no longer
aware of what he is doing.
The opinion that Nadav's and Avihu's
sin was drunkenness has support in the narrative itself. After the Torah tells
us that Nadav and Avihu died, it states that Hashem told Aaron and his
surviving sons, "Do not drink wine or intoxicants, you and your sons with
you, when you come to the Communion Tent, and you will not die. This shall be
an everlasting decree for your generations" (10:8). This teaches that they
were not to drink wine when they came to perform the Divine service, and that
they were not even to enter the Tabernacle if they were drunk. This is evidence
that the sin of Nadav and Avihu was that they had gone in to perform the
service while drunk." And their
punishment is well known.
The Sages tell us that the challenge
of Jew in this life to sanctify himself through those things which are
permissible to him. (Yevomos 20a) Meaning, that a Jew must control his desires
for physical pleasures and he should use physical pleasures as a vehicle to
serve Hashem. This does not mean that a
Jew should deny himself physical pleasures; rather, it means that a Jew should
use physicality, such as eating and drinking, to serve Hashem. For example, it is ok to have a lavish meal
with good wine, but have that meal on Shabbos or Yom Tov in honor of those
special days, and even then, don't eat and drink excessively! By working on ourselves and helping others
overcome their eating and drinking addictions, we can all sanctify ourselves to
be able to serve Hashem properly. Good
Shabbos Everyone. . Matis Wolfberg’s stories are sponsored by Refuah
Shleima to Reb Mordechai Menachem Mendel ben Tziporah Yitta Refuah Shleima to
Tsviah bas Bracha Leah In memory of R' Yaakov ben Naftoly, of blessed
memory
As Israel Independence Day closes I
wish all a wonderful, blessed and peaceful Shabbos,
Rachamim Pauli
