A 24
month of baby needs prayers: Shmuel Naphtali ben Esther Lieba. One can remove
Eden bas Alla and unfortunately Yitzchak ben Chaya Sara passed away.
Parsha Re’eh
This week I came across an abbreviation a few times that being in
Israel and talking in Hebrew I did not encounter. OTD or Off-The-Derech (of
Torah) and perhaps it is this OTD that Moshe was told by HASHEM to set before
Am Yisrael a blessing and a curse. The blessing as we saw in Eikev and
Bechukosai for keeping the Torah is followed by a curse to those who go OTD.
This theme is continues the previous theme. Now I ask all, isn’t it easier to follow the commandments and get wealth, health and
blessings than the opposite? My logic tells me one thing and perhaps my
Yetzer another thing but one should do what is best for him. When I eat and
wash dishes, I put on either Israeli Radio News or listen to Fox News. There
was a black man on the five last night whose name starts with an E and he said.
Those who watch the series “Housewives” lose an hour of their life each week.
Perhaps also me with the News and maybe I should be listening to a Daf instead
of keeping up with the world.
11:26
Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse:
This is the preparation and introduction for the one time Mitzvah
of six tribes standing on Har Gerizim (aka Har Bracha) and the other six on Har
Eval (where little or nothing grows).
Chaim Yitzchok Cohen: “Look, I am giving before you today a blessing and a curse;
the blessing for when you will listen to the commandments of Hashem your G-d
that I am commanding you today, and the curse if you will not listen to the
commandments of Hashem your G-d.”
The verse begins with the word re’ei – look, which speaks in singular form, as if addressing just one person. But then the verse continues with lifneichem – before you, speaking in plural form. This requires an explanation.
Further in the parsha the Torah says: “You are children of Hashem your G-d.” Rav Meir and Rav Yehuda have differing views about this statement. Rav Yehuda says: “When you conduct yourself as befits children to their father you are considered children, and when you do not conduct yourself as befits children you are not considered children.” Rav Meir disagrees: “Whether it is this way or that way you are considered children.” How do we understand this argument? No one can argue that a son is not a son; it is a fact. How can these two sages argue over a fact?
It says in Tehillim: “Afterwards and beforehand I created you.” The Midrash comments: “If a person conducts himself properly, then he is told: ‘Your creation preceded the creation of the world.’ But if he doesn’t conduct himself properly he is told: ‘You were last in creation.’” This Midrash is quite puzzling. Man was created on Friday after the entire world was already complete. This is a fact that doesn’t change according to the person’s behavior.
We can understand this with the following parable:
Once upon a time there was a mighty emperor who ruled many countries. In most of these countries the emperor was respected and admired, but there was one distant country where the people had hardly heard of the king. They were primitive, simple villagers who lived a backward lifestyle and did not pay tribute to the king. The king decided to send his son to that faraway country with a special mission to educate the population. One of the local inhabitants was charged with the task of helping the prince fulfill his mission by showing him around and serving as liaison between the prince and the community.
The prince prepared extensively for this important mission, and then set out on the long journey to that distant place. When he finally reached his destination, he arrived at the home of the contact-person who was supposed to be his host. The person welcomed him warmly and showed him to his room. He urged him to take off his princely garments and take a nap.
When the prince removed his elegant robes, the host was mesmerized by their beauty. While the prince slept, the simpleton secretly put on the royal garments and decided that they suited him quite well. When the prince awoke, he asked him to please let him wear these royal robes for one day. The prince couldn’t refuse the request of his host and agreed. That is how it happened that the simple villager strutted through the streets of the town with royal garments, while the prince wore simple clothes for the day.
When the townspeople saw the royally-dressed person, they assumed that he was the prince whose arrival they had anticipated for weeks. They accorded him royal honor, and the simpleton was quite flattered. Nobody so much as looked at the real prince. After receiving such honor that day, the simple villager decided that he would continue acting as if he were the prince. Why give up the tremendous honor if he had the option to continue playing the part? In order to make sure that the real prince wouldn’t undermine his new position, he enslaved the prince and treated him with disdain. The prince begged to get his garments back, but the simpleton laughed in his face. The townspeople scorned the simply-dressed beggar who claimed to be the prince.
Naturally, the captive prince was unable to fulfill his mission under such circumstances. Several months went by and the king began to worry. What happened to his son? Why doesn’t he write, and why did he not receive any favorable reports about the improvements taking place in that distant country? The king sent several letters to the address where the prince was being held captive, but the illiterate host – for all his play-acting skills – was unable to read the letters and he simply discarded them. When the king received no response to his letters he was really alarmed and decided to send his trusted servant to see what was going on there.
When the servant arrived to that distant country he saw someone dressed as the prince, but he couldn’t recognize him. Could the prince really have changed so drastically in such a short time? He struck up a conversation with the “prince” and he saw right away that something was very wrong. The person wearing the royal garments spoke like a simple villager, without grace or refinement. This couldn’t be the prince!
“Who are you?” he asked.
“Why, I am the prince!” the charlatan replied. “Don’t you see my royal robes? Don’t you see the insignia on my cape?”
But the king’s servant was not fooled. “You are not the prince!” he declared. “How did you procure these garments? Where is the real prince?”
As they argued, the door suddenly opened and the real prince appeared. Although he was dressed like a slave, the king’s servant recognized him immediately. They fell into each other’s arms and wept. The prince told the servant everything that happened from the day he arrived, and described the physical suffering and emotional anguish he must bear every single day of captivity.
This parable is the story of our lives. Hashem sends the Neshama to this world with an important mission, to spread His Name in this world and bring glory to Hashem’s kingdom. But in order for the Neshama to be able to live in this world, he must be accompanied by a physical body. The duty of the body is to enable the soul to fulfill its mission. But upon arriving to this world, the physical body takes over the Neshama and keeps her captive. Instead of being the Neshama’s servant and aide, the body parades around in the royal garments of the soul, serving its own desires and wants. The soul can’t fulfill its mission and suffers terribly. Hashem, the mighty King, sees that His mission is not being fulfilled. He tries to send messages to the soul through words of Torah, but the body has taken charge of the soul and doesn’t let the message through. Finally, Hashem sends a personal messenger to the soul to ensure that His message would get through.
This is the meaning of what Rav Yehuda said: “When you conduct yourself as befits children to their father you are considered children, and when you do not conduct yourself as befits children you are not considered children.” When you fulfill the mission of your soul, the mission for which you were sent here, then you are considered children of Hashem. When you fulfill your mission, then you are a true prince. But if you do not fulfill the King’s mission, and instead you fulfill the whims of the simpleton, the body, then you are not considered children. You are not the prince!
Rav Meir disagrees, because unlike in our little parable, in real life the soul and the body are a combined entity that cannot be separated. If the soul would leave the body the person’s life would end. Therefore Rav Meir maintains that we are still considered children of Hashem, because the part within us that is the prince, child of Hashem, endears us to Him even if the other part of us – the body – overtakes our behavior. “For Hashem does not desire the death of the [sinner] but for him to return from his ways and live.” Hashem wants us to live, and therefore He doesn’t send away the errant servant who keeps our soul hostage.
This is also the meaning of the Midrash: “If a person conducts himself properly, then he is told: ‘Your creation preceded the creation of the world.’ But if he doesn’t conduct himself properly he is told: ‘You were last in creation.’” If the person fulfills his life’s mission properly, then he preceded creation, because the soul, which is a spark of Hashem, existed long before creation. On the other hand, if the person does not fulfill his mission and his body dominates the soul, then he is told that even the insects preceded him in creation; after all, the body of man was the last to be created.
Now we can understand the wording of the verse. “Look, I am giving before you today a blessing and a curse…” The verse begins in the singular and then switches to plural form. “Look,” Hashem says. I am speaking to one man, to every individual, but each person is really two – a body and a soul. I am giving before you – before both of you, the body and the soul, the ability to choose a blessing or a curse! Both of you must join together to fulfill My will. If the soul will lead the body then your life will be a blessing, but if the body leads the soul you are choosing the opposite of blessing.
The month of Elul is almost here. It is time to make a cheshbon hanefesh, a spiritual reckoning. It is time to ask ourselves: “Who am I? Am I a body or a soul?” The soul is a prince, a child of Hashem. The body is just a servant with the duty of providing the prince with all of his needs. We must do a spiritual self-check and ask ourselves: “How much have I done to fulfill my life’s mission? Is my body ruling my soul or am I a real prince?”
If we will enable the prince within us to fulfill its royal mission, we will have chosen “blessing” and we will be inscribed for a sweet new year. Moshiach NOW!!!
The verse begins with the word re’ei – look, which speaks in singular form, as if addressing just one person. But then the verse continues with lifneichem – before you, speaking in plural form. This requires an explanation.
Further in the parsha the Torah says: “You are children of Hashem your G-d.” Rav Meir and Rav Yehuda have differing views about this statement. Rav Yehuda says: “When you conduct yourself as befits children to their father you are considered children, and when you do not conduct yourself as befits children you are not considered children.” Rav Meir disagrees: “Whether it is this way or that way you are considered children.” How do we understand this argument? No one can argue that a son is not a son; it is a fact. How can these two sages argue over a fact?
It says in Tehillim: “Afterwards and beforehand I created you.” The Midrash comments: “If a person conducts himself properly, then he is told: ‘Your creation preceded the creation of the world.’ But if he doesn’t conduct himself properly he is told: ‘You were last in creation.’” This Midrash is quite puzzling. Man was created on Friday after the entire world was already complete. This is a fact that doesn’t change according to the person’s behavior.
We can understand this with the following parable:
Once upon a time there was a mighty emperor who ruled many countries. In most of these countries the emperor was respected and admired, but there was one distant country where the people had hardly heard of the king. They were primitive, simple villagers who lived a backward lifestyle and did not pay tribute to the king. The king decided to send his son to that faraway country with a special mission to educate the population. One of the local inhabitants was charged with the task of helping the prince fulfill his mission by showing him around and serving as liaison between the prince and the community.
The prince prepared extensively for this important mission, and then set out on the long journey to that distant place. When he finally reached his destination, he arrived at the home of the contact-person who was supposed to be his host. The person welcomed him warmly and showed him to his room. He urged him to take off his princely garments and take a nap.
When the prince removed his elegant robes, the host was mesmerized by their beauty. While the prince slept, the simpleton secretly put on the royal garments and decided that they suited him quite well. When the prince awoke, he asked him to please let him wear these royal robes for one day. The prince couldn’t refuse the request of his host and agreed. That is how it happened that the simple villager strutted through the streets of the town with royal garments, while the prince wore simple clothes for the day.
When the townspeople saw the royally-dressed person, they assumed that he was the prince whose arrival they had anticipated for weeks. They accorded him royal honor, and the simpleton was quite flattered. Nobody so much as looked at the real prince. After receiving such honor that day, the simple villager decided that he would continue acting as if he were the prince. Why give up the tremendous honor if he had the option to continue playing the part? In order to make sure that the real prince wouldn’t undermine his new position, he enslaved the prince and treated him with disdain. The prince begged to get his garments back, but the simpleton laughed in his face. The townspeople scorned the simply-dressed beggar who claimed to be the prince.
Naturally, the captive prince was unable to fulfill his mission under such circumstances. Several months went by and the king began to worry. What happened to his son? Why doesn’t he write, and why did he not receive any favorable reports about the improvements taking place in that distant country? The king sent several letters to the address where the prince was being held captive, but the illiterate host – for all his play-acting skills – was unable to read the letters and he simply discarded them. When the king received no response to his letters he was really alarmed and decided to send his trusted servant to see what was going on there.
When the servant arrived to that distant country he saw someone dressed as the prince, but he couldn’t recognize him. Could the prince really have changed so drastically in such a short time? He struck up a conversation with the “prince” and he saw right away that something was very wrong. The person wearing the royal garments spoke like a simple villager, without grace or refinement. This couldn’t be the prince!
“Who are you?” he asked.
“Why, I am the prince!” the charlatan replied. “Don’t you see my royal robes? Don’t you see the insignia on my cape?”
But the king’s servant was not fooled. “You are not the prince!” he declared. “How did you procure these garments? Where is the real prince?”
As they argued, the door suddenly opened and the real prince appeared. Although he was dressed like a slave, the king’s servant recognized him immediately. They fell into each other’s arms and wept. The prince told the servant everything that happened from the day he arrived, and described the physical suffering and emotional anguish he must bear every single day of captivity.
This parable is the story of our lives. Hashem sends the Neshama to this world with an important mission, to spread His Name in this world and bring glory to Hashem’s kingdom. But in order for the Neshama to be able to live in this world, he must be accompanied by a physical body. The duty of the body is to enable the soul to fulfill its mission. But upon arriving to this world, the physical body takes over the Neshama and keeps her captive. Instead of being the Neshama’s servant and aide, the body parades around in the royal garments of the soul, serving its own desires and wants. The soul can’t fulfill its mission and suffers terribly. Hashem, the mighty King, sees that His mission is not being fulfilled. He tries to send messages to the soul through words of Torah, but the body has taken charge of the soul and doesn’t let the message through. Finally, Hashem sends a personal messenger to the soul to ensure that His message would get through.
This is the meaning of what Rav Yehuda said: “When you conduct yourself as befits children to their father you are considered children, and when you do not conduct yourself as befits children you are not considered children.” When you fulfill the mission of your soul, the mission for which you were sent here, then you are considered children of Hashem. When you fulfill your mission, then you are a true prince. But if you do not fulfill the King’s mission, and instead you fulfill the whims of the simpleton, the body, then you are not considered children. You are not the prince!
Rav Meir disagrees, because unlike in our little parable, in real life the soul and the body are a combined entity that cannot be separated. If the soul would leave the body the person’s life would end. Therefore Rav Meir maintains that we are still considered children of Hashem, because the part within us that is the prince, child of Hashem, endears us to Him even if the other part of us – the body – overtakes our behavior. “For Hashem does not desire the death of the [sinner] but for him to return from his ways and live.” Hashem wants us to live, and therefore He doesn’t send away the errant servant who keeps our soul hostage.
This is also the meaning of the Midrash: “If a person conducts himself properly, then he is told: ‘Your creation preceded the creation of the world.’ But if he doesn’t conduct himself properly he is told: ‘You were last in creation.’” If the person fulfills his life’s mission properly, then he preceded creation, because the soul, which is a spark of Hashem, existed long before creation. On the other hand, if the person does not fulfill his mission and his body dominates the soul, then he is told that even the insects preceded him in creation; after all, the body of man was the last to be created.
Now we can understand the wording of the verse. “Look, I am giving before you today a blessing and a curse…” The verse begins in the singular and then switches to plural form. “Look,” Hashem says. I am speaking to one man, to every individual, but each person is really two – a body and a soul. I am giving before you – before both of you, the body and the soul, the ability to choose a blessing or a curse! Both of you must join together to fulfill My will. If the soul will lead the body then your life will be a blessing, but if the body leads the soul you are choosing the opposite of blessing.
The month of Elul is almost here. It is time to make a cheshbon hanefesh, a spiritual reckoning. It is time to ask ourselves: “Who am I? Am I a body or a soul?” The soul is a prince, a child of Hashem. The body is just a servant with the duty of providing the prince with all of his needs. We must do a spiritual self-check and ask ourselves: “How much have I done to fulfill my life’s mission? Is my body ruling my soul or am I a real prince?”
If we will enable the prince within us to fulfill its royal mission, we will have chosen “blessing” and we will be inscribed for a sweet new year. Moshiach NOW!!!
27 the
blessing, if ye shall hearken unto the commandments of the LORD your God, which
I command you this day;
The blessing: on the
condition that you listen [and obey].
28 and
the curse, if ye shall not hearken unto the commandments of the LORD your God,
but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other
gods, which ye have not known.
[If you… depart] from
the way that I command you this day, to follow [other gods]: This teaches that
whoever worships idols departs from the entire path that Israel has been
commanded. From here [our Rabbis] said: One who acknowledges [the divinity of]
pagan deities is as though he denies the entire Torah. — [Sifrei]
29 And it
shall come to pass, when the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land
whither thou go to possess it, that thou shalt set the blessing upon mount
Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal.
You shall place those blessing: As the Targum [Onkelos] renders
it: יָת מְבָרְכַיָא,“those who bless.” Upon Mount Gerizim:
[עַל, usually “upon,” here means] “facing Mount Gerizim.” [The Levites] turned
their faces [toward the mountain] and began with the blessing: “Blessed is the
man who does not make any graven or molten image….” Each of the curses in that
section [beginning Deut. 27:15] were first stated in the expression of a
blessing. Afterwards, they turned their faces towards Mount Eval and began [to
recite the corresponding] curse. — [Sotah 32a]
Bring you into the land to possess it means that it is your
inheritance forever but on contact that you meet the contract that HASHEM has
given you with 613 irrevocable conditions that control your guardianship of the
land. You are given a land which is not just dirt, sand and stones with a river
here and there but a land blessed in Kedusha & Shefa (light, abundance,
support) from heaven.
30 Are
they not beyond the Jordan, behind the way of the going down of the sun, in the
land of the Canaanites that dwell in the Arabah, over against Gilgal, beside
the terebinths of Moreh?
Rashi explains that the other side of the Yarden is towards the
setting sun.
[Near] the plains of
Moreh: This is Shechem, as is stated: “to the place of Shechem, to the plain of
Moreh” (Gen. 12:6).
31 For ye
are to pass over the Jordan to go in to possess the land which the LORD your
God gives you, and ye shall possess it, and dwell therein.
For you are crossing
the Jordan: The miracles [that will occur for you during your crossing] of the
Jordan will be a sign in your hands that you will come and inherit the land [as
promised]. — [Sifrei]
32 And ye
shall observe to do all the statutes and the ordinances which I set before you
this day.
Don’t think in your head that one law, statute or ordinance is
more important than another and that it can be ignored but rather ALL ARE
IMPORTANT and therefore one must observe all that one can.
12:1 These are the statutes and the
ordinances, which ye shall observe to do in the land which the LORD, the God of
thy fathers, hath given thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the
earth. 2 Ye shall surely destroy
all the places, wherein the nations that ye are to dispossess served their
gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every leafy tree. 3 And ye shall break down their
altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and burn their Asherim with fire; and
ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods; and ye shall destroy their
name out of that place. 4 Ye
shall not do so unto the LORD your God. 5
But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes
to put His name there, even unto His habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou
shalt come;
These are idols that we laugh at today but had an awesome grip on
the people in those days. Even in our own day we see the power of Sidra Acher
at work with witchcraft, séances (which have been known to be true – the famed
story of the Baal Teshuva Rami Levy who was told who would die in another year
from his unit in Lebanon) and other things. Just as there is a positive
spiritual world, there is a very negative spiritual world. In the holyland, we
tend to confront these forces on a greater level.
There is a Gemara, I believe in Sanhedrin, that when the Moshiach
comes both the Tzaddik and Rasha will cry. The Rasha because his Yetzer HaRa to
do evil was so small and the Tzaddik because his Yetzer HaRa was so large! What
is more tempting for the Satan to tell a Jew that eats anything that is not
tied down to get breakfast at the MacDonald or Denny or for a hungry observant
Jew to be tempted into failing. The same with Moshe Don Juan vs. a Tzaddik.
… 19 Take
heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou live upon thy
land.
Take heed to give him Maaser as he is a teacher and not a farmer.
… 29 When
the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou go in
to dispossess them, and thou dispossess them, and dwell in their land;
This goes contrary to the Nations of the world and the Israeli
Left but the Torah is Emmes and this is plain simple truth for everybody who
can read to realize.
30 take
heed to thyself that thou be not ensnared to follow them, after that they are
destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying:
'How used these nations to serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.'
Do not go the ways of the Christian or Moslem Arabs but observe
what the Torah has told you and do not be afraid of anybody from the Israeli
Government to the Terrorist but walk steadfastly in the Torah and you will not
be ensnared.
31 Thou
shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God; for every abomination to the LORD, which
He hates, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their
daughters do they burn in the fire to their gods.
This time the word abomination is used not in context to
homosexuality but to idolatry so no “Gay Pride” and no idols before HASHEM
Yisborach.
The path of life is with the Torah. Adam told Chava not to touch the tree so the snake pushed her into the tree. Because Adam added the non-Mitzvah of “Do not touch” we are here today instead of in Gan Eden. Subtracting from observance of the Mitzvos leads also to death for the Torah is our life and the length of our days.
You shall neither add
to it: [e.g., placing] five chapters in tefillin [instead of four], or [using]
five species for the lulav [instead of four], or [reciting] four blessings
[instead of three] for the “blessing of the kohanim.” - [Sifrei]
2 If there arise
in the midst of thee a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams--and he give thee a sign
or a wonder,
[If there will arise
among you a prophet…] and he gives you a sign: Heb. אוֹת, [meaning a sign] in
the heavens, as it is stated in the case of Gideon [who said to the
angel]:“then show me a sign (אוֹת) ” (Jud. 6:17), and then it says
[further],“let it be dry only upon the fleece [and upon all the ground let
there be dew]” (Jud. 6:39).
3 and the sign
or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spoke unto thee--saying: 'Let us go
after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them'; 4 thou shalt not hearken unto the
words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God
puts you to proof, to know whether ye do love the LORD your God with all your
heart and with all your soul.
There is a test of false
prophet even if he works miracles. If he turns people from Torah and G-D he
should get the death penalty for you are being tested by him.
5 After the LORD
your God shall ye walk, and Him shall ye fear, and His commandments shall ye
keep, and unto His voice shall ye hearken, and Him shall ye serve, and unto Him
shall ye cleave.
And cleave to Him: Cleave
to His ways: bestow kindness, bury the dead, and visit the sick, just as the
Holy One, blessed is He, did. — [Sotah 14a]
6 And that
prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath
spoken perversion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of
Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of bondage, to draw thee aside out of
the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put
away the evil from the midst of thee.
[Because he spoke]
falsehood: Heb. סָרָה, lit. something turned away, removed from the world,
which neither existed nor was created, and which I never commanded him to say;
destodre in Old French, to distort. and redeemed you from of the house of
bondage: Even if God had no [other claim] on you other than that He had
redeemed you, it would be sufficient [to demand your obedience]. — [Sifrei]
… 19 when thou
shalt hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep all His commandments which
I command thee this day, to do that which is right in the eyes of the LORD thy
God
14: Laws of Kashrus – I could take up space copying and pasting
the whole chapter. Why does the Torah add not to cook a goat in its mother’s
milk for a third time? To teach us that it is forbidden to eat milk and meat
together, cook milk and meat together or even enjoy benefit from such a
mixture. Example a Goy wants a cheeseburger. I can sell him a wrapped to go
hamburger and a wrapped to go grilled cheese sandwich and if he wants to mixt
the two together that is his problem but I cannot enjoy profit from the
mixture.
Another reason for the repeat of the laws of Kashrus, Modesty and
Shabbos is the importance to the observance of Judaism. When I go out the
National Parks in the States or cities in Europe which once had Jewish
Populations the Yetzer of laziness sees the non-Jews all going into cheap fast
food places and I have to go out of my way to the supermarket and prepare my
own meals. Based on my weight, I have not starved myself on my trips outside of
the Jewish Areas but it is harder for me to get the enjoyment of a relaxed
trip.
A number of things set the Jew apart. One of them is Kashrus for
we cannot eat everything that moves. In fact we cannot even eat beef, poultry
or smaller kosher mammals like sheep, goats and deer without kosher slaughter.
It takes discipline to wait from milk to meat and vice versa. However, the
reward is great. Other things that set a Torah Jew apart is the lack of
tattoos, clothing - you will not see even most non-Orthodox Jews with pants on
the ground, planning for the future (Esav and Yishmael tend to live the
moment). The Jews can be fighters but are not cruel to their enemies.
There are two ways of looking at the laws of Kashrus one is
negative and one is positive. Negative: I am forbidden to eat snakes, geckos,
monkey brains, ostriches, rats, etc. Positive: when there is Kosher Slaughter I
can eat duck, moose, bison, etc. Since our CREATOR gave us the laws of Kashrus
let us take is as both a spiritual and physical benefit to our wellbeing both
in this world and in the next.
The release comes at the end of the Shmita year and therefore the section here ends with inheritance as the land is the main form of inheritance in Israel.
…
The Torah continues on
with the Jewish Servant or “Slave” and his release either in Shmita or the
Yovel Year.
19 All the firstling males that are
born of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the LORD thy God;
thou shalt do no work with the firstling of your ox, nor shear the firstling of
thy flock. 20 Thou shalt eat it
before the LORD thy God year by year in the place which the LORD shall choose,
thou and thy household. 21 And
if there be any blemish therein, lameness, or blindness, any ill blemish
whatsoever, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God. 22 Thou shalt eat it within thy gates;
the unclean and the clean may eat it alike, as the gazelle, and as the hart. 23 Only thou shalt not eat the blood
thereof; thou shalt pour it out upon the ground as water.
This section ends with a reminder of the Mitzvah
of redeeming the first born of the herd or the flock and what constitutes a
blemish in the animal. A new Kashrus Halacha is established that wild kosher
animals that are slaughtered will be done kosher by a kosher Shochet. However, the blood of a wild animal has to be
covered and therefore unless some earth to cover up the blood is prepared
before Yom Tov, we cannot slaughter the animals unless we can cover up the
blood.
14 And thou shalt rejoice in thy
feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man-servant, and thy
maid-servant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the
widow, that are within thy gates. 15
Seven days shalt thou keep a feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which the
LORD shall choose; because the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thine
increase, and in all the work of thy hands, and thou shalt be altogether
joyful. 16 Three times in a year
shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which He shall
choose; on the feast of unleavened bread, and on the feast of weeks, and on the
feast of tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the LORD empty; 17 every man shall give as he is able,
according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which He hath given thee.
A Girl Called Estherke The reward of saving one life. A true story from the Holocaust. By Professor Yaffa Eliach
http://www.aish.com/sp/so/A-Girl-Called-Estherke.html
Reprinted from the
book, "Hasidic Tales of the Holocaust," available in English, Hebrew, Spanish and Russian.
It was the new month of Sivan, 5704, spring 1944. Ida, her
father, mother, brothers, and sisters were ordered to the train station with
the rest of the Jewish community of their Czechoslovakian town. Jews had lived
there for generations, but their history was all coming to an abrupt end with a
single train ride to Auschwitz.
The cattle cars were
sealed. More than 80 people were squeezed into a single wagon. Ida and her
family managed to stay together, and they comforted each other amidst the
choking heat, filth, and fear of the unknown. "Papa, where are they taking
us?" Ida asked."My children, once there was an altar on Mount Moriah in the holy city of Jerusalem. God commanded a father to take his only, beloved son and sacrifice him upon that altar, in order to test his faith in God. As the father was about to fulfill God's command and lifted the knife, the Lord God spoke to Abraham and said, ‘Lay not thy hand upon the lad.'
"Today, my children, there is another huge altar, not on a sacred mountain but in a profane valley of death. There, man is testing his own inhumanity toward his fellow man. The children of Abraham are again a burnt offering, this time by the command of men. But man, unlike God, will not stop the knife. To the contrary, he will sharpen it and fan the altar flames so that they may totally consume their sacrifice. A man-made fire, a knife held by man, must be stopped by man, by a human voice, a human hand. My children, be human in this inhuman valley of death. May the merit of our Father Abraham protect you, for whoever saves one Jewish soul, it is as if he saves an entire universe."
Pretty White Teeth
On the eve of the holiday of Shavuot, Ida and her family arrived in Auschwitz. The skies above Auschwitz were red. Ida's father spoke as if to himself: "On this day, millenniums ago, God came down to man in fire and smoke and gave his commandments. Today, man is commanding in fire and smoke, 'Thou shalt kill!'"The Auschwitz platform separated Ida forever from her father, mother, young sisters, and brothers. Ida and her older married sister passed the selection and were put to work for the German civilian population and the Reich's war machine. Ida sorted the clothes of the gassed, folded them neatly, and placed them in symmetrical piles according to size and quality, ready for shipment to Germany to be used by the German people.
One day, as Ida was sorting the clothes, an SS officer walked over to her and said: "Why do you smile, Jewish pig?" Before Ida had a chance to respond, she saw a black boot flying into her face, felt a piercing pain and the gush of blood, and looked down to behold her front teeth on the floor in a puddle of blood. "Pretty white teeth look better on the floor than in a filthy Jewish mouth," said the SS officer. He commanded Ida to wipe the blood off the boot that knocked out her teeth and cheerfully walked away, humming a tune.
Ida quickly assessed her condition. She realized that a gaping hole in her mouth was a sight that an SS officer at a selection would not cherish. She walked over to the pile where thousands of dental bridges were thrown and hastily selected one. She placed it in her swollen mouth and returned to her assigned spot.
Under the Bed
That night in the barracks it was especially difficult to fall asleep. Heartbreaking screams were piercing the night, mingled with the wailing of children and mothers as they were torn away from each other. Slowly, the screams subsided and gave way to the usual deadly sounds of the Auschwitz night. Most of the girls in Ida's barracks fell asleep.Then there was a noise under Ida's three-tiered bunk bed where 36 girls slept, 12 per bed, packed together like sardines. "All we need are rats, just to give them another reason to shoot us," someone said. "Shut up, I am tired," another voice complained. The noise persisted. "Ida, you are the brave one, go down and see what it is." All the other eleven girls had to turn so that Ida could move from the spot where she had wedged herself in.
Under the bed, in a corner, curled up like a frightened porcupine, was a little girl. She told them that when the children's Aktion began, she managed to run away and hide in the latrine among the piles of chlorine cans. When it became dark, she ran into the barracks and hid under the bed.
The girl's name was Estherke. She had big, blue frightened eyes, beautiful blond curls, and two deep dimples. Ida became instantly attached to the child and kept showing her off to all the others girls, exclaiming: "Doesn't she look like a little actress?" The blockhova told Ida that she must give up the child, otherwise she, her sister, and maybe all the girls in the barracks would pay with their lives for harboring a little criminal.
Ida stood there clutching the child. "I will never give her up," she said with determination. She walked over to the blockhova and asked to speak to her privately. "I know that your boyfriend is Jewish and assumed a false Aryan identity. Killing me, my sister, and others will not help. Other girls, and even men outside of this barracks, know it too. We will all keep quiet if you will help to save Estherke. During the day when we are at work, you must keep Estherke in your private room."
The blockhova agreed. Ida had won her first battle for Estherke's life.
Ida loved the child. All her thoughts focused on Estherke. To save that child became her obsession and purpose for living. Rumors began to circulate that Lager (camp) C in Ida's camp would be evacuated. Ida became frantic. She knew that Estherke would not pass the selection for transfer from one Lager to another. With the help of her older sister, whom Estherke called Grandma, and men from the nearby Lager, Ida worked out a plan.
When the evacuation materialized, Ida wrapped Estherke in a blanket and threw her over the electrified fence into the waiting arms of a male inmate in the adjacent men's camp. Later that afternoon, a package flew once more over the fence into Ida's waiting arms. She got back her Estherke. Ida was now in Zigeunerlager (gypsy camp).
During that selection, however, Ida was separated from her sister, who, with a group of other girls, was taken away to an unknown destination. Again rumors spread in the camp that the eastern front was nearing and the entire camp was going to be evacuated. Ida began to plan once more how to save her little Estherke. On January 18, 1945, the camp was evacuated. Ida put Estherke into a knapsack that she had "organized" for this purpose. With Estherke on her back, she set out with the others on the dreadful death march.
The winds blew, the frost bit, the snow fell, and her stomach growled from hunger, but Ida marched on. At night she shared with Estherke whatever stale bread she had managed to conceal. She comforted the little girl, warmed her tiny frozen hands, and promised her that one day they would be free. After many days of marching and travel in open cattle cars, a few of the original group that began the death march on January 18, 1945, reached Bergen Belsen. Ida and her beloved Estherke were among them.
Reunion in Bergen Belsen
In Bergen Belsen, Ida found conditions even more difficult than in Auschwitz. With the evacuation of camps in the east, thousands of evacuated inmates were driven into Bergen Belsen. Absorbing all the evacuees was far beyond the camp's capacity. Water was scarce; a few crumbs of stale bread and inadequate toilet facilities made life almost impossible. Filth, lice, starvation, and epidemics took over. Ida managed to find a job, for which she was given a piece of bread and a warm drink that they insisted on calling coffee.One day, as Ida was cleaning the latrines, she heard a familiar voice calling her name. She looked around, but saw no one she knew. A face covered with blotches and lice, a body covered with rags, was coming closer to her while calling her name. Ida stepped backward. "Ida, don't you recognize your own sister?"
Estherke was overjoyed. "Grandma" was back, the three of them were once more together, just like in Auschwitz. While Ida was out searching for food, Estherke and "Grandma" stayed together. But their happiness did not last long. "Grandma" succumbed to typhus. Estherke did not leave her side and tried to ease her suffering.
One day, while Ida was trying to get some coffee for her dying sister, the squad that came daily to collect the dead took the sister away with the other corpses. Estherke protested, insisting that her "grandma" was still alive. She pleaded, but to no avail. Estherke followed the squad, and when "Grandma" was dumped on the big pile of corpses, Estherke managed to pull her out from under the corpses and did what she could to warm her body with her own.
When Ida returned with the coffee and discovered that Estherke and her sister had been taken away with the dead, she felt her knees giving way as if she would collapse, but her weakness did not last long. Ida was not one to give in to despair. She took the coffee and began to search for Estherke and her sister, and there, near a pile of corpses, she found them.
Ida wasted no time. She gave the coffee to Estherke to guard. After mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, massage, and a few drops of coffee on her sister's parched lips, Ida revived her. Thousands were dying, but with Ida's and Estherke's love, "Grandma" recovered. Their joy knew no limit.
Joy of Liberation
On April 15, 1945, Bergen Belsen was liberated by the British Army. The two sisters and Estherke made their way back home to Czechoslovakia, together with throngs of other refugees. They were all trying to go home, all hoping that perhaps other relatives had also survived and families could be reunited.After finding a temporary shelter in Prague, the three set out in different directions to search for other surviving members of their families. Estherke traveled to Bratislava hoping that her father, mother, or some of her eight brothers and sisters had survived. Ida and her sister left with similar hopes for their family. The parting was painful for Ida. She and Estherke had not been separated since that fateful night in Auschwitz. The three agreed upon a time and place to meet no matter what the outcome of their search might be.
The two agreed-upon weeks passed. Ida and her sister returned to Prague as planned. But Estherke failed to return. They waited a few more days, but still there was no trace of her. Then Ida launched an intensive search. She traveled to Bratislava, but no one recalled seeing a child who matched Estherke's description. Ida then contacted all children's homes and refugee centers, but to no avail. Estherke had vanished without leaving behind a single trace or clue.
After months of search, Ida gave up. She met and married a young man, a survivor like herself. Her sister was fortunate too, for her husband had managed to survive the camps and one day they ran into each other on a street in Prague.
The sisters parted once more. Ida and her husband went to America. Her sister, her husband, and their newly born baby became part of the illegal immigration to Israel. They outmaneuvered the British blockade and finally reached the shores of Palestine.
Fainting in Tel Aviv
In the early 1950s, Ida traveled to the young state of Israel to visit her sister. One very hot day, Ida fainted on the street. Two young Israeli soldiers who happened to pass by picked her up from the pavement and took her in their jeep to the nearest hospital. The following day, the soldiers came in to see how their patient was doing. A friendship developed between Ida and the two soldiers, who continued to visit her daily.As Ida was about to be discharged from the hospital, she asked the two young men how she could repay their kindness. The taller of the two, Yossi, told Ida that he was getting married in a few days. The biggest reward would be if she would come to his wedding.
"But I don't know anyone!" she protested.
"You know me, and I am a pretty important man at this wedding," Yossi said with his good-natured smile.
It was a beautiful dusk in Jerusalem. A gentle summer breeze scented with Jerusalem pine provided relief from the summer heat. The sun, like a huge orange, hung low above the Judean hills, which glowed in a beautiful pink-gray light. Ida was standing among the other guests hoping to find a familiar face.
"The bride is coming," someone near her said. Ida made her way to the front so she could see the bride whom Yossi had described so lovingly. The door opened, the bride walked in. It was none other than her own long-lost Estherke!
Under the bright stars shining above the eternal city and the Judean hills, Ida stepped forward and led her beloved Estherke to the bridal canopy.
There was a strange presence in the air. Ida was sure that her father was present at this very holy moment in Jerusalem. She could even see the smile on his face and hear his gentle voice: "Whoever saves a single soul, it is as if he saves an entire universe."
Reprinted from the
book, "Hasidic Tales of the Holocaust," by Dr. Yaffa Eliach. Click to
purchase in either English, Hebrew, Spanish or Russian.
I mentioned months ago that I picked up in Elli-Chai’s One Stop
Judaica Shop a book called “Mishkenay Elyon” by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzatto put
out by the Temple Institute. Well they were mentioning on the cover about the
secrets of the Third Temple. Let me tell you I read Tanya, Mesillas Yasharim,
Derech HASHEM, a good deal of the Zohar and some Sefer Yetzirah but I never
(unless it passed over my head) came across such difficult things to understand
as HASHEM and the dimensions of the Temple. The Book is not for the Layman but
for a very-very deep Talmud Chacham. After I read it through once it will take
me another few times until I understand some of it and it is an English
Translation. I might have to read Daas V’Tevuna and 138 Pitchey Chachma in
Hebrew before rereading this.
The Tenth Man by Yerachmiel Tilles http://ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=716-5
"Rabbi [Levi-Yitzchak] Schneerson, I'm very thankful to have
reached here without being caught. Now you must do a great favor for me."
Yekaterinoslav
(Dnepropetrovsk), 1935 Another winter night. Silence and fear rule dark
desolate streets. A drunk staggers past the secret police.
The
chief rabbi of the city, the brilliant Torah scholar and kabbalist, Rabbi Levi-Yitzchak Schneerson, is
awake, deep in his studies, after a day taken up with underground activities.
For there are still Jews around who immerse in a mikvah, pray in a minyan,
and teach their children Torah. Stealthy messengers come and go with coded
notes. Bribe money changes hands. Earlier, when dusk descends, he thanks G-d
for whatever successes there were. Then, too, the tension hits - a steel trap
always ready to slam shut. For a moment he permits the exhaustion to have its
say, but his hands are already reaching for a sefer. His eyes find the
lines they had left off last night; a smile flickers, and his strength returns.
These are the times he loves the best.
His hours of study soar and then - minutes before midnight - a soft knock on the door. Your heart stops then. It's never good news.
His hours of study soar and then - minutes before midnight - a soft knock on the door. Your heart stops then. It's never good news.
He
sits, tense - and ready. Another knock: weak, vacillating. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak
exhales. No, it's not the secret police. The NKVD's style is: kick, and break
through. This visitor needs help. He gets up and opens the door.
A
woman stands there, completely bundled up and very frightened. She enters
quickly, as if pursued. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak closes the door after her. Once
inside, she takes off her winter wraps, looking furtively into every corner of
the house. No one's there besides the Rabbi and his wife, so she begins to
speak. "Rabbi, I'm very thankful to have reached here without being
caught. I'm from a distant city, and now you must do a great favor for
me..."
Rebbitzin Chana offers her a chair, but she
declines. She's speaking quickly: "My daughter and her fiancee wanted to
get married in the government offices. But my heart wouldn't let me agree to a
marriage without a chuppah and kiddushin, the Jewish way.
"I
begged and begged them - and they finally consented to come to you for a true
Jewish wedding. They're frightened out of their wits: both are high-level
Communist Party officials. If they're exposed, they'll lose their jobs - if not
their lives. They're coming here exactly at midnight to get married. Please,
Rabbi, do this great kindness; marry them. Put three souls at ease."
Minutes
pass. The clock sounds twelve chimes. More quiet taps on the door, and a young
fearful couple comes inside. The rebbitzin takes them quickly into an
inner room; the rabbi sets out to find a minyan.
It's
approaching 1am. Even the NKVD have disappeared. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak moves
swiftly and deliberately through the lonely streets, asking the Master of the
Universe not to encounter a late-night police squad. Now he knocks on another
door, leading the faithful from their beds to the wedding. He prays in his
heart not to err regarding the minyan's discretion - there's no room for
a tragic slip.
Nine
faithful Jews are in the room. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak feels blessed. Nine faithful
Jews in Yekaterinoslav that know how to keep their mouths closed. But, who will
be the tenth? Who can he trust?
His
mind scans all the possibilities and decides upon a solution. "Wait,"
he tells them as he leaves the apartment and goes downstairs. Grisha,
"Chairman of the Residents' Committee," lives on the ground floor by
the entrance. For many years he belonged to the large Yekaterinoslav shul,
until the communist madness swept him away and he became a Party member. Now he
worked hand-in-hand with the NKVD - keeping an eye on Jews suspected of
underground Jewish activities; reporting "deviant" behavior. His
current assignment: Rabbi Levi Yitzchak - his rabbinical activities, and
everyone coming to and leaving his home. Grisha sees, writes, and reports
everything.
He
dozes now in his observation post, his alertness dulled after a long day of
spying. A sudden knocking at the door, and he rises with difficulty to open it.
Reb Levi Yitzchak himself is standing there, smiling. Grisha feels confused; he
invites the Rabbi inside.
"Come,
Grisha," the rav is holding Grisha's hands warmly, "come
complete a minyan for a young Jewish couple. They're getting married;
building a family - an eternal house in the path of our fathers..."
Reb
Levi Yitzchak's presence overwhelms Grisha. The elegant beard and noble
countenance, and - more than anything else - his eyes: piercing eyes whose
direct gaze looked into a man's soul.
A flood of emotions sweeps through Grisha's heart. The Rabbi's request is staggering: Grisha's standing responsibility is to report misdeeds - not promote them! But - who but Grisha could fathom the personal risk the Rabbi is taking by asking his "personal watchman" to join and assist him in his underground work. The Rabbi's willing self-sacrifice for Judaism's continuation penetrates Grisha's heart to the core. Yet, far beyond any of this, it's the Rabbi's trust in him; that look on his holy face that shows the total confidence he places in him. Grisha is overcome at once with pain - as well as the greatest wealth he's ever experienced. The Rabbi himself is counting on me, he thinks, tears filling his eyes...the Rabbi is placing his trust in me.
A flood of emotions sweeps through Grisha's heart. The Rabbi's request is staggering: Grisha's standing responsibility is to report misdeeds - not promote them! But - who but Grisha could fathom the personal risk the Rabbi is taking by asking his "personal watchman" to join and assist him in his underground work. The Rabbi's willing self-sacrifice for Judaism's continuation penetrates Grisha's heart to the core. Yet, far beyond any of this, it's the Rabbi's trust in him; that look on his holy face that shows the total confidence he places in him. Grisha is overcome at once with pain - as well as the greatest wealth he's ever experienced. The Rabbi himself is counting on me, he thinks, tears filling his eyes...the Rabbi is placing his trust in me.
"Me?"
whispers Grisha, choking. "But the Rabbi knows that I... I..." He
can't finish the sentence.
Reb Levi Yitzchak hugs Grisha's shoulders; a flash of awareness passes between them. Grisha locks his door and, as in a dream, follows Reb Levi Yitzchak up the stairs.
Reb Levi Yitzchak hugs Grisha's shoulders; a flash of awareness passes between them. Grisha locks his door and, as in a dream, follows Reb Levi Yitzchak up the stairs.
"There
are ten kosher Jews here," says the rav in a voice radiating trust
and pleasure. He sits down to write the ketubah, the wedding contract;
everything is quickly signed and readied. The rebbitzin produces a tallit,
four men take hold of its corners; the wedding canopy is spread above the young
couple.
Reb
Levi Yitzchak starts humming the soulful wordless niggun tune
customarily sung at the chuppah. The chatan lowers his gaze. Now
the kallah, with her mother and Rebbitzin Chanah Schneerson on
either side, begins her seven circles. The chatan places the ring on her
finger: "Now you are my wife sanctified to me according to the law of
Moses and Israel... he says in Hebrew, with a Russian lilt. A new eternal house
rises in Israel - a house built upon genuine self-sacrifice.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from the translation by Tuvia Natkin of the free rendition by Menachem Ziegelbaum in Kfar Chabad Magazine, and from "Mother in Israel."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from the translation by Tuvia Natkin of the free rendition by Menachem Ziegelbaum in Kfar Chabad Magazine, and from "Mother in Israel."
Connection:
Seasonal - 67th yahrzeit
Biographical
note:
Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson [1878-20 Av 1944], father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, was considered by the Rebbe Rashab to be one of his three greatest chassidim. An outstanding scholar and a leading Kabbalist of his generation, he was the Chief Rabbi of the major Ukrainian city Yekaterinoslav (today called Dnepropetrovsk) until his arrest and exile.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson [1878-20 Av 1944], father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, was considered by the Rebbe Rashab to be one of his three greatest chassidim. An outstanding scholar and a leading Kabbalist of his generation, he was the Chief Rabbi of the major Ukrainian city Yekaterinoslav (today called Dnepropetrovsk) until his arrest and exile.
~~~~~~~~~~~
A different Grisha and pre-Rabbi Rachamim Pauli
– After the Lavi Project ended and I was working in IAI in purchasing with
over-time forbidden, I spent most of my free time after work going to keep
myself in Shape in the Swimming Pool. The security guard to the pool was a man
named Grisha, who was a Russian Immigrant and was in either his late fifties or
early sixties. I used to give him the Russian Chabad Weekly along with the
Director of Sales to the Baltic Countries in my company. Both spread the word
of Torah further. Grisha had family living on Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn in 1993
when I flew in and drove to my brother’s wedding; I took some things from
Grisha to his family. They had been getting the Torah in Russian from him and
had become Modern Orthodox. Between Grisha and the Director who passed on the
pamphlets further thanks to Chabad Herzliya, a lot of Jews were exposed to
Torah and Tradition from the former Soviet Union. {Rabbis London in Brooklyn
also did a lot of Kiruv with Russian Jews when they first came to Brooklyn and
signed up some boys into Jewish Boy’s High School and the girls elsewhere.}
Rosh Chodesh Elul
This coming Tuesday and Wednesday is the bringing in of the Month
of Elul and the addition of “Le David HASHEM” Psalm per Nusach Ashkenaz in the
evening and morning and per Nusach Sefard in the morning and afternoon prayers
from Aleph Elul until Hoshana Rabbah. On Rosh Chodesh two Tzaddikim whom I
personally knew left this world. Rabbi Yacov Mizrachi who was a person who
fought for Yeshivos and was one of the few righteous members of the Knesset and
Rabbi Yacov Neumann Rosh Yeshiva Ohr Yisrael.
Terrorism: Why Netanyahu cannot win July 31, 2013 at 11:40am by Daniel Pinner
More than anything else, the government’s decision to release 104
convicted terrorists shows that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is incapable
of defeating terrorism. As an officerin Sayeret Matkal, arguably the world’s
most elite counter-terrorism unit, Netanyahu proved his physical courage, his
willingness to risk his life for Israel, and his ability to defeat individual
terrorists. But defeating terrorism politically needs very different qualities.
Why should we concern ourselves with terrorism? Its victims are
few, its physical damage limited, its violence sporadic. In comparison with
outright war, it poses a relatively minor threat to the lives and properties of
the citizens of free societies. Yet terrorism cannot be dismissed so easily.
For one thing, it is escalating. The number and scope of attacks is steadily
increasing. Anyone is a potential victim.
Free societies are naturally concerned with the welfare of their
citizens in distress. And this concern is not necessarily related to the number
of victims. It is the empathy for one’s fellow citizen and the concomitant test
of a government’s ability to offer succour that endow events with their
importance to society as a whole.
Unlike natural catastrophes, terrorism is neither purposeless nor
fortuitous. It is deliberately planned, organised, initiated, and launched by
people who wish to dramatise the powerlessness of governments. For whatever
their specific motives or demands may be, the overriding consideration of all
terrorist acts is to humiliate governments and expose their impotence.
The result is a loss of confidence on the part of the ordinary
citizen in the resolve and competence of his government. People instinctively
agree with Churchill’s dictum that a government’s first obligation is to
protect its citizens. While they may not always apply this standard in the case
of natural calamities, they always apply it, stringently, in the case of
armed attacks. The citizen points an accusing finger at his leaders, as if
saying: I’ve entrusted you with the supreme obligation of protecting me and
given you the exclusive authority and means to do so. You have failed. You have
broken my trust.
Having induced in the public a sense of the government’s impotence
and of his own invincibility, the terrorist now reaps the real reward. For the
stage is now set for the second critical phase in the terrorist strategy – the
consideration of his demands.
If the government succumbs, the terrorist scores an obvious
victory; even if the terrorist agrees to a temporary hiatus (which he seldom
does), the citizen knows that his government has caved in and betrayed his
trust yet again.
The terrorist objective, of course, is not negotiation but
capitulation. The primary task, then, in fighting terrorism is to weaken and
ultimately destroy the terrorist’s ability to consistently launch attacks.
Terrorism can be easily stopped. The minute you weaken its ability to deliver
repeated blows, you have broken its back.
The “root cause” argument is especially popular in explaining away
PLO and other Arab terrorism. Recently, a new variation has been introduced. It
is argued that the absence of progress toward a peaceful settlement between
Arabs and Israelis induces terrorism. The truth is exactly the reverse. Arab
terrorism is not the result of breakdowns of peace negotiations; it is, more
than any other factor, the cause of such breakdowns.
Terrorism is a phenomenon which tries to evoke one feeling: fear.
It is understandable that the one virtue most necessary to defeat terrorism is
therefore the antithesis of fear: courage.
Courage, said the Romans, is not the only virtue, but it is the
single virtue without which all others are meaningless.
The terrorist challenge must be answered. The choice is between a
free society based on law and compassion and a rampant barbarism in the service
of brute force and tyranny. Confusion and vacillation facilitated the rise of
terrorism. Clarity and courage will ensure its defeat.
And now it’s time for me to confess that none of the above, save
only the first paragraph, is my own. I can take credit for none of these ideas
or the way in which they are presented. I endorse everything, but I am not the
author. All I have done has been to abstract some choice sections from a
monograph entitled “Terrorism: How the West Can Win”, the final essay in a book
of the same name.
The book, containing 38 essays written by different authors, was
edited by none other than current Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, in 1986
when he was Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations. And the essay from which
all the above was abstracted was written by the self-same Binyamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu explained so rationally and persuasively how the West can
defeat terrorism. His two essays in the book (he also wrote “Defining
Terrorism”), and those of other internationally-acclaimed experts, set forth a
very clear programme for using military, economic,diplomatic, political,
educational, legal, and social methods for defeating terrorism..
Between them, they have taken almost everything into account –
international law, national legal restraints, governmental restrictions,
democratic principles, reactions of international terrorist gangs, hostile
regimes, practical military difficulties, the unwillingness of democratic
societies and their leaders to confront terrorists, and so forth.
But the unforeseen
problem was how a society can successfully confront terrorism when its own
premier, who literally wrote the book on how to defeat terrorism,
systematically violates every single principle in the book. Nothing can
demoralise a society more, and nothing can encourage terrorism more, than the
capitulation to terrorism of the world’s foremost fighter against terrorism.
At least 10 major Nazi Criminals still in the USA despite
deportation orders and receiving Social Security: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4411914,00.html
The Home
Front in Israel especially the poor are not prepared. So we have not one to
help us but our Father in Heaven! http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Home-front-defense-minister-Israels-poor-are-at-highest-risk-from-rockets-321067
Second
half of Golani 51 training film: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4406777,00.html
Anti-Semitic
incident in the States: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4406845,00.html
Arab
rock and rock as baby injured in Yerushalayim: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/170274#.UfJ-6FffrIU
7,900
MIA’s from the Korean War 60 years later: http://www.wnd.com/2013/07/still-7900-mias-on-korean-war-anniversary/?cat_orig=world
MK Miri
Regev Likud wrote: A good week. For the Government meeting tomorrow to discuss
the release of prisoners with blood on their hands as a condition for
negotiations, I call to Likud Ministers to oppose this proposal and to persuade
the Prime Minister that no free gifts. We can't be prisoners, murderers,
terrorists who murdered innocent civilians, even before we sat down to
negotiations. As we all know, Prime Minister Netanyahu already gave free gifts
to Palestinians: ten months of freezing, not to mention the wrong headed by
Sharon-disengagement status, proximity to terrorist Hamas and Israel. I call on
the Prime Minister to ask the President to release Pollard, who murder and
still serving heavy prison. As the Americans maintain their dignity, so we need
to preserve our national dignity and honor the families of the victims who
suffer every day the terrible pain of the terrorist acts of those inmates.
Rabbi
David Lau visits attacked Chabad Rabbi who remains in serious but improving
condition: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/170336#.UfUVMVffrIU
The situation described here is far from me but possible to those
who don’t see the miracles around us: Rabbis in a faith crises: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4406721,00.html
Charedim Negative and Positive Stories
Primitives
in our midst: A 15 year old was spat upon in Ashdod by a Charedi for wearing a
tank – top dress. I might not approve of the dress but there is no reason to
spit on the child. It is a product of poor education by the parents and
environment.
A
disgrace to Judaism and an affront to G-D: What scares me with these
politicians is they have two things in common lust and that they are Jewish I
smell a big-big Chillul HASHEM here and underground anti-Semitism. The second
part affects us all: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/07/30/surviving-sex-scandal/ Reuven
Kossover wrote me: What do you expect in a land where
Jews want to throw OFF the yoke of the commandments?
A
related story of bullying of women: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4412100,00.html
Neturei Karta Iranian Spy Caught! http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/170502#.Ufp7gVffrIU
The army does not I repeat DOES NOT WANT CHAREDIM but the
politicians want to break up the Yeshivos: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4411686,00.html
Those Charedim that cannot learn in the Yeshivos and do
serve in the army are more beneficial than the non-religious soldiers in their
performance of duty: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/170484#.Ufqk2lffrIU
Shuli
of the Kosher Culture Foundation brought this to my attention: http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-world-news/1.535711
How
about freeing Moshe Katzav and Jewish Terrorist? http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Relatives-of-Jews-jailed-for-terror-attacks-call-for-a-mutual-prisoner-release-321554
Israel
has a real threat from illegal immigrants: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/170447#.UfjLaVffrIU
Israel
National Insurance starts for men at the age of 67 but despite the age increase
will run out of money in 10 to 11 years.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4412762,00.html
From the Kosher Culture Foundation: When you witness a breakdown of a core value, the proper response is to be an even more dedicated champion of that very virtue.
August 1, 2013 at
3:37am
[May the learning of
Torah in this drasha given over by Rabbi Eliyahu Rabovsky, of Young Israel of
Boca Raton, be an added zechus/merit for the complete recovery of Chaim Yosef
ben Rus.] .
"ABOUT a month ago, the Supreme Court declared DOMA, the Defense of
Marriage Act unconstitutional. The highest court in the land has now ruled that
this affirmation of marriage as an institution exclusively between a man and a
woman is unconstitutional. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia described DOMA,
in his dissent to this ruling, as "an Act that did no more than codify an
aspect of marriage that had been unquestioned in our society for most of its
existence-indeed, had been unquestioned in virtually all societies for
virtually all of human history."
Clearly, this ruling
represents a major breach of moral code in our times. It requires no less than
a major response from us. So how should we protest, how should we react, when a
value that is dear is breached?
Rabbi Yisroel Miller,
currently spiritual leader of Congregation House of Jacob Mikveh Yisrael in
Calgary, gives us vital direction with an essay he wrote years ago. The Torah
tells us that when Moshe was commanded to bring about the plague of blood in
Egypt, the Nile River had to be struck with his staff. However, that action was
to be done by his brother Aaron, not him. Explains Rashi: "Since the river
protected Moshe when he was put there (in the basket), it should not be struck
by him..." Gratitude is such an important trait that it warrants
expression even to the inanimate objects through which one has derived benefit
in the past. If the water 'saved me' then how can I strike it? Now if a person
will show appreciation to water, how much more will he feel the responsibility
to be grateful to the people who have helped him, and ultimately to Hashem who
enabled this benefit to come his way. ◥This is a great
teaching. But the Torah does not stop here in making the point. The same lesson
of 'gratitude to the inanimate' is taught again by the plague of frogs. Again
Aaron, not Moshe, is called to stretch out his hand with the staff over the
water. And again, by the plague of lice; the ground is struck by Aaron, not
Moshe, because the ground hid the Egyptian tyrant Moshe had killed, protecting
Moshe from immediate retribution.
Why do we need to hear
this lesson of gratitude three times?The story of the Egyptian persecution of
our people is preceded with the verse "There arose a new king of Egypt who
did not know Yosef." Whether the Torah means it literally or figuratively,
one thing is certain: Yosef was forgotten. But how do you forget the man who
saved your nation and made you the breadbasket of the world, the sole
superpower of the time? There should have been a national holiday and a
monument to Yosef's memory. His descendants should have had a favored status.
Instead they were enslaved.
At the core of
Egyptian cruelty was unparalleled in gratitude. By repeating the message of
gratitude at the plagues, the Torah gives us another lesson: When you live in a
place that is steeped in ingratitude, you respond by being grateful in the
extreme. Whenever you witness a breakdown of a core value, the proper response
is to be an even more dedicated champion of that very
virtue.
There has been a
breakdown of the basic moral code. Our response must be to double down on our commitment
to that very code. In areas of tznius, modesty of dress and deportment, we
should sense that in these times, there is an imperative to do more, to be
more, and to help our children grow and thrive spiritually with this value.
When we find ourselves in public settings and contemplate the fact that we,
especially in these summer days, may be the only persons around dressed as we
are, we must know that we are not only demonstrating the G-dliness within us;
we are promoting the G-dliness which lies within all men and women, in a way
that is more powerful than any protest. Our redoubled attention to modesty and
privacy in all areas of interaction with others is the quintessential Jewish
response - and our best effort in our lifelong of mission of illuminating all
around us."
The
Rebbe warned Bibi not to be scared but I think it fell on deaf ears: http://www.israelunseen.com/lubavitcher-rebbe-to-bibi-dont-be-intimidated-raw-video-from-1988/
Inyanay Diyoma
Egypt
defies DC and Obama is backing down after this article was written: http://debka.com/article/23143/Defying-US-warnings-of-civil-war-Egyptian-military-to-crack-down-on-armed-protest-and-mounting-terrorism-
Stopped
in time: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/170282#.UfIq8VffrIU
Less
monkey business from the EU: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4409959,00.html
Morsi
to go on trial for murders in 2011 from jailbreak. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4410051,00.html
In
Jenin a shootout with terrorists: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/170298#.UfQVaFffrIU
According
to Egyptian Hospitals about 65 dead in clashes with the Muslim Brotherhood: http://debka.com/article/23150/Egyptian-health-dept-reports-29-Muslim-Brotherhood-protesters-killed-650-injured-says-MB-inflated-Saturday’s-casualties-
The
Egyptian Army speaks a language that the Muslim Brotherhood can understand: http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Egyptian-military-launches-operation-Desert-Storm-to-root-out-Sinai-terrorists-321206
Authorities
investigate this doctor. Most of the time the Italians and Jews are friends but: http://www.jpost.com/Jewish-World/Jewish-News/Italian-doctor-displays-Holocaust-denying-material-in-waiting-room-321280
The
Security people warn you not to release terrorists and then you go ahead anyway
in violation to what we read in last week’s Torah Portion. Don’t say that both
man and G-D did not warn you when you are brought before the heavenly court. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/170356#.UfXgaFffrIU
Egypt
knows how to deal with terrorist, Israel forgot the Shoah. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4410723,00.html
Assad/Hezballah
or Jihad? http://debka.com/article/23154/Syrian-army-and-Hizballah-capture-Homs---opening-way-to-Aleppo-and-decisive-Assad-victory
Supplies
to Gaza via Israel as tunnels close: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4411264,00.html
If you
free terrorists what do you need a Shin Bet for??? http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/170371#.Ufa6pVffrIU
Mark commented on this: You mean the same way you are honest about those "phony scandals" and so open and honest about forcing Israel to release terrorists and mass murderers? That kind of "honest"? http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/170390#
The
usual nonsensical pipe dreams: http://debka.com/article/23156/Kerry-in-secret-final-status-talks-with-Netanyahu-and-Abbas-on-borders-security-Jerusalem-Jordan-Valley
Syrian
Rebels could pose a threat to Israel? http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4412199,00.html
Sent an
e-mail from or to Israel? http://techcrunch.com/2013/07/31/nsa-project-x-keyscore-collects-nearly-everything-you-do-on-the-internet/?icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D351747
Anti-Semitism
is alive and well in Southern MO http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jul/31/kkk-missouri-trying-recruit-neighborhood-watch-mem/
Iran
puts pressure on Hamas: http://debka.com/article/23158/Tehran-For-restored-Iranian-aid-Hamas-must-go-back-to-supporting-Bashar-Assad-
Another
option for Egypt: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4412756,00.html
Now for M. Wolfberg’s Good Shabbos Story “Heal”
Good
Shabbos Everyone. In this
week’s parsha Ekev the Torah tells us of how Moshe came down from Mt.
Sinai and found that the Bnai Yisroel (Children of Israel) had made a golden
calf. Moshe was disappointed with the behavior of the Bnai Yisroel who had
violated one of the Ten Commandments, by bowing down to the golden calf.
The Midrash tells us that Hashem had in fact wanted to destroy the Bnai Yisroel for worshipping the golden calf. However, instead of smashing all the Jews, Hashem let Moshe smash the first set of luchos – tablets on which were inscribed the Ten Commandments. Moshe then climbed Har Sinai once again, later to present a second set of luchos – tablets to the Bnai Yisroel. We see from this parsha that Hashem gives Jews a second chance.
The kabbalistic work Tomar Devorah explains that the essence of Man is the struggle to imitate Hashem’s character traits. Man – “Odom” – in Hebrew is related to the word “Adameh” – meaning “I will become similar.” Thus, the purpose of life is to work on our character traits so that we become more like Hashem. We saw above how Hashem gave the Bnai Yisroel a second chance. Thus, we too must always try to give our fellow Jews a second chance. The following story illustrates the power giving another Jew a second chance.
Dov Hager* is an exceptionally busy person. Aside from being a devoted husband and father to his six children, he is involved with local community affairs (yeshivah, Bais Yaakov, and the eiruv) as well as with national and international tzedakah organizations. Dov runs a successful curtain and window treatment business with offices in his home and in downtown Boston. At times his phones seem like a blaring out-of-sync orchestra, as his house seems like a raucous whirlwind of activity.
One night he had an appointment with a Mrs. Silver* in the neighboring town of Lowell, to show her swatches of fabric for curtains and to discuss various options of draperies, valances, Chinese shades, blinds, and screens.
Much to Mrs. Silver's dismay, Dov did not keep the appointment; he simply forgot about it. His many responsibilities had become chaotic and he had neglected to enter the appointment in his calendar. At 10 o' clock in the evening, Mrs. Silver called his office and left a blistering message on his answering machine. The next morning when Dov retrieved his messages, the wrath of the woman's voice on the phone was almost tangible.
Immediately, Dov called Mrs. Silver to apologize. "I have no excuses," he said honestly. "I am simply overworked. I must have lost the note where I had penciled in our appointment. Please forgive me."
Mrs. Silver was not in a forgiving mood. "You're a business- man," she said. "It's your job to have a better system of recording things. My time is just as valuable as yours."
"I am truly sorry," said Dov in embarrassed humility, "Please give me another appointment and let me make amends." He paused a moment and added," And this time I promise I will be there on time."
Mrs. Silver was not a religious Jew and Dov was concerned that his failure to show up at her home, aside from being poor business practice, was a chillul Hashem – a desecration of Hashem’s name.
There was a long pause on the phone. For a moment Dov thought Mrs. Silver had disconnected him, but then he heard her sigh and say reluctantly, "One Jew should always give another Jew a chance. You can come Monday morning at 10 o' clock and I expect you to be on time."
"You can count on it," Dov said confidently. On Monday morning, at five to 10, Dov arrived at Mrs. Silver's beautiful home on Spring Lane in Lowell. He rang the doorbell and waited. Suddenly the door opened in a flash and a teenaged girl started screaming hysterically, "What are you doing here? I didn't call you. You don't belong here!"
Dov was shocked. "I have a 10 o' clock appointment with Mrs. Silver. Is this her home?"
"My mother just collapsed in the kitchen," the girl cried. "We're waiting for an ambulance. I think she had a stroke!"
"I'm a medic," Dov said as he ran back to his car. Dov was a mainstay of Hatzolah (volunteer medical squad) of Boston. He was the most experienced of the crew. He grabbed his medical
kit, and ran back into the house. He saw at once that Mrs. Silver was barely breathing. Her neck muscles had become paralyzed and her tongue, which had fallen back, was not allowing her to breathe. Dov quickly opened up an air passage and got her to resume breathing. He saved her life!
A few days later when Dov visited Mrs. Silver in the hospital she said to him, "I thought I was the one giving you one more chance, but I realize now, that it was you who gave me one more chance - at life."
And it happened because Mrs. Silver understood that in the interest of harmony, a Jew should always give another Jew -one more chance. (Echoes of the Maggid, p.103 R. Paysach Krohn) Good Shabbos Everyone. M. Wolfberg is sponsored by: Mazal Tov to Reb. and Mrs. Tuvia Wolfberg of Los Angeles, CA, upon the bris of their grandson Yehudah Nissan to their son Avrohom Dovid In memory of R' Yaakov ben Naftoly, of blessed memory In Memory of Reb Yitzchok ben Reb Shimon (Friedman) of blessed memory Refuah Shleima to Reb Mordechai Mendel ben Tziporah Yitta Refuah Shleima to Leah bas Tziporah
The Midrash tells us that Hashem had in fact wanted to destroy the Bnai Yisroel for worshipping the golden calf. However, instead of smashing all the Jews, Hashem let Moshe smash the first set of luchos – tablets on which were inscribed the Ten Commandments. Moshe then climbed Har Sinai once again, later to present a second set of luchos – tablets to the Bnai Yisroel. We see from this parsha that Hashem gives Jews a second chance.
The kabbalistic work Tomar Devorah explains that the essence of Man is the struggle to imitate Hashem’s character traits. Man – “Odom” – in Hebrew is related to the word “Adameh” – meaning “I will become similar.” Thus, the purpose of life is to work on our character traits so that we become more like Hashem. We saw above how Hashem gave the Bnai Yisroel a second chance. Thus, we too must always try to give our fellow Jews a second chance. The following story illustrates the power giving another Jew a second chance.
Dov Hager* is an exceptionally busy person. Aside from being a devoted husband and father to his six children, he is involved with local community affairs (yeshivah, Bais Yaakov, and the eiruv) as well as with national and international tzedakah organizations. Dov runs a successful curtain and window treatment business with offices in his home and in downtown Boston. At times his phones seem like a blaring out-of-sync orchestra, as his house seems like a raucous whirlwind of activity.
One night he had an appointment with a Mrs. Silver* in the neighboring town of Lowell, to show her swatches of fabric for curtains and to discuss various options of draperies, valances, Chinese shades, blinds, and screens.
Much to Mrs. Silver's dismay, Dov did not keep the appointment; he simply forgot about it. His many responsibilities had become chaotic and he had neglected to enter the appointment in his calendar. At 10 o' clock in the evening, Mrs. Silver called his office and left a blistering message on his answering machine. The next morning when Dov retrieved his messages, the wrath of the woman's voice on the phone was almost tangible.
Immediately, Dov called Mrs. Silver to apologize. "I have no excuses," he said honestly. "I am simply overworked. I must have lost the note where I had penciled in our appointment. Please forgive me."
Mrs. Silver was not in a forgiving mood. "You're a business- man," she said. "It's your job to have a better system of recording things. My time is just as valuable as yours."
"I am truly sorry," said Dov in embarrassed humility, "Please give me another appointment and let me make amends." He paused a moment and added," And this time I promise I will be there on time."
Mrs. Silver was not a religious Jew and Dov was concerned that his failure to show up at her home, aside from being poor business practice, was a chillul Hashem – a desecration of Hashem’s name.
There was a long pause on the phone. For a moment Dov thought Mrs. Silver had disconnected him, but then he heard her sigh and say reluctantly, "One Jew should always give another Jew a chance. You can come Monday morning at 10 o' clock and I expect you to be on time."
"You can count on it," Dov said confidently. On Monday morning, at five to 10, Dov arrived at Mrs. Silver's beautiful home on Spring Lane in Lowell. He rang the doorbell and waited. Suddenly the door opened in a flash and a teenaged girl started screaming hysterically, "What are you doing here? I didn't call you. You don't belong here!"
Dov was shocked. "I have a 10 o' clock appointment with Mrs. Silver. Is this her home?"
"My mother just collapsed in the kitchen," the girl cried. "We're waiting for an ambulance. I think she had a stroke!"
"I'm a medic," Dov said as he ran back to his car. Dov was a mainstay of Hatzolah (volunteer medical squad) of Boston. He was the most experienced of the crew. He grabbed his medical
kit, and ran back into the house. He saw at once that Mrs. Silver was barely breathing. Her neck muscles had become paralyzed and her tongue, which had fallen back, was not allowing her to breathe. Dov quickly opened up an air passage and got her to resume breathing. He saved her life!
A few days later when Dov visited Mrs. Silver in the hospital she said to him, "I thought I was the one giving you one more chance, but I realize now, that it was you who gave me one more chance - at life."
And it happened because Mrs. Silver understood that in the interest of harmony, a Jew should always give another Jew -one more chance. (Echoes of the Maggid, p.103 R. Paysach Krohn) Good Shabbos Everyone. M. Wolfberg is sponsored by: Mazal Tov to Reb. and Mrs. Tuvia Wolfberg of Los Angeles, CA, upon the bris of their grandson Yehudah Nissan to their son Avrohom Dovid In memory of R' Yaakov ben Naftoly, of blessed memory In Memory of Reb Yitzchok ben Reb Shimon (Friedman) of blessed memory Refuah Shleima to Reb Mordechai Mendel ben Tziporah Yitta Refuah Shleima to Leah bas Tziporah
A good Shabbos to all,
Rachamim Pauli
