Many of
the Israeli Readers may not be in touch with what I believe to be the quote of
the month or quote of the year – no it is not President Obama’s first apology
ever. It comes from the Mayor of Toronto when asked if he took Crack Cocaine –
He said that if he took it he must have taken it in one of his drunken stupors.
Now that is a a quote.
Parsha Vayishlach
We ended up last with Yacov meeting the Angels at Mahanaim. Yacov
knows that Esav hates him enough to kill him but yet he also knows that he is
supposed to inherit the land of Eretz Yisrael or at that time Eretz Canaan. He
sends one of the Angels at his disposal or perhaps two for this mission one to
inform Esav and one to return to him as mentioned with Avraham in Vayeira that
and Angel only does one mission at a time. Upon receiving the news of Esav
coming with a battalion of fighters he is shaken up and starts giving out gifts
to bribe and soften up Esav. This week’s Parsha starts out with wrestling the
Angel of Death who is Esav’s Guardian Angel vs. Michael who is Yacov’s Guardian
Angel. Yacov is victorious in that he still lives but the Angel does injure him
as Yacov lets him go leaving Yacov in pain.
After the incident with the Angel, Yacov is limping and 36 years
older since Esav last saw him. Yacov is 97 years old and has the appearance of
a younger Yitzchak as Esav confronts him. It is now up to Esav to forget and
forgive Yacov or murder him. The first question that pops into my mind is that
if Yacov is living in peace with Lavan why would he risk Esav’s wrath? We have
to read back into last week’s Parsha. For Lavan only had daughters before Yacov
came and everything was going to go to them after his life time. Lavan was
older than Rivka and had to have been already past 140 years old the brothers
wanted to get their inheritance that Yacov with his sheep breeding was taking
from them. 31:1 And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying: 'Jacob
hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's
hath he gotten all this wealth.' 2
And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him
as beforetime. 3 And the LORD
said unto Jacob: 'Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and
I will be with thee.' 4 And
Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock (It did not matter if he earned everything fair and square
as they hated him also enough to kill him if and when their father passed away.
We saw this with the two son-in-laws of Saddam Hussein!) Knowing this, Yacov
preferred to return home. In addition to this G-D came to him in a dream and
told him to go back home. AN IMPORTANT NOTE – THAT IN THE MIDDLE-EAST WHERE MAN
IS USUALLY KING, LAVAN CONSULTED WITH RIVKA REGARDING MARRIAGE AND ,YACOV
CONSULTS WITH HIS WIVES FOR THEIR CONSENT. This is the Jewish way not the way
of other religions but a wife is bone of my bones flesh of my flesh and a full
partner.
Often in the Tanya it is
mentioned Tzaddik and Ra Lo or things can be bad for a Tzaddik and Yacov
suffers the rape of Dina and the murder of her husband after he made a Bris and
converted. He then loses Rachael and our Parsha ends with the death of Yitzchak
and the generations of Esav. One question does remain unanswered in our Parsha
and that is if Yacov reunites with his mother. According to Rashi that she married and three and was 23
when Yacov was born and lived until 133, there was 20 years of her being barren
making her 23 at the birth of the twins. However to Ibn Ezra, if she was 14
when she married and 34 when the boys being 99 would make her 133 years old and
just about the time of her death. I would like to believe that she saw Yacov
and family before she passed on as being righteous she deserved this in this world.
One last point from last week regarding the surrogate mothers or
children of 4 sisters which I mentioned: 43 And
Laban answered and said unto Jacob: 'The daughters are my daughters, and the
children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks, and all that thou see
is mine; and what can I do this day for these my daughters, or for their
children whom they have borne? We therefore see
that Lavan consider all the
grandchildren his and all the woman it appears were his biological daughters.
32:4 And
Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the
field of Edom. 5 And he
commanded them, saying: 'Thus shall ye say unto my lord Esau: Thus say thy
servant Jacob: I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now. 6 And I have oxen, and asses and
flocks, and men-servants and maid-servants; and I have sent to tell my lord,
that I may find favor in thy sight.'
Why mention to Esav that Yacov had acquired wealth? Would it not
be even a greater incentive to murder him? Actually not for Eliphaz ben Esav
pursued after Yacov when he left Beer Sheva to kill him. Yacov had at that time Jewels to pay a dowry
for his bride. However, Eliphaz tried to kill Yacov and Yacov got the upper
hand. Yacov told Eliphaz take the Jewels said that you killed me as a poor man
is likened to a dead man and return. I don’t want to kill my Nephew nor do I
want the blood revenge of your father. The bribe worked on Eliphaz and he
returned with the Jewels and Esav thought that Yacov was dead. (How did he contact
Yitzchak or Rivka and let them know about their grandchildren? Perhaps after
Esav moved to Mt. Seir, opposite Eilat, that he felt secure enough with the
protection of Lavan and the greater family that Esav would not attack.)
7 And
the messengers returned to Jacob, saying: 'We came to thy brother Esau, and
moreover he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.'
We came to your
brother, to Esau: Concerning whom you said,“He is my brother,” but he still
behaves toward you like the wicked Esau. He still has hatred (Genesis Rabbah
75:7).
Avraham defeated the kings with 318 men and Esav is coming with
400 men which is not for a wedding celebration to put it mildly but battalion
of fighting men.
8 Then
Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed. And he divided the people that was
with him, and the flocks, and the herds, and the camels, into two camps.
Despite the promise of HASHEM, Yacov was a realist not a
starry-eyed idealist and he knew from a normal way of running the world without
the help of HASHEM that he was a dead man. He was distressed that he might not
have to kill a human being in self-defense and killing was not the realm of
Yacov Avinu.
Jacob
became…frightened, and…distressed: He was frightened lest he be killed (Gen.
Rabbah 75:2, Tanchuma, Vayishlach 4), and he was distressed that he might kill
others.
9 And he
said: 'If Esau come to the one camp, and smite it, then the camp which is left
shall escape.'
One
camp and strikes it down: Heb. וְהִכָּהוּ
הַמַחִנֶה הָאַחַת. [The word] מַחִנֶה is used both in the masculine and
feminine genders. [Other examples are:] (Ps. 27:3):“If a camp encamps (תַּחִנֶה)
against me.” This is feminine. (Below, 33: 8)“this (הַזֶה) camp.” That is
masculine. Likewise, there are other things (nouns) that are used both in the
masculine and feminine genders, e.g. (above 19:23):“The sun (הַשֶׁמֶשׁ) came
out (יָצָא) upon the earth” ; (Ps. 19:7):“From the end of the heavens is its
source (מוֹצָאוֹ) .” These are masculine. (II Kings 3:22):“the sun shone (זָרְחָה) on the water.” This is feminine. And
likewise, רוּחַ, wind (Job 1:19):“when, behold, a great (גְדוֹלָה) wind came (בָּאָה) .” This
is feminine;“and struck (וַיִגַע) the four corners of the house.” This is
masculine. [Another instance is] (I Kings 19:11):“and a great (גְדוֹלָה) and strong (וְחָזָק) wind, splitting (מְפָרֵק)
mountains.” This is both masculine and feminine. Likewise, אֵשׁ, fire, as (Num.
16:35):“And fire went forth (יָצְאָה) from before the Lord,” feminine gender;
(Ps. 104:4):"burning (לֹהֵט) fire, masculine gender. the remaining camp will escape: Against his will, for I will wage war with him. He (Jacob)
prepared himself for three things: for a gift, for war, and for prayer. For a
gift, [as Scripture says] (verse 22): “So the gift passed on before him.” For
prayer, [as Scripture says] (verse 10): “God of my father Abraham…” For war, [as
Scripture says]: “the remaining camp will escape.” - [from Tanchuma Buber,
Vayishlach 6]
We saw an example of this in WWII with the Nazis wiping out a good
deal of Eastern and part of Western European Jewry and the English Speaking
Countries, some Mir Yeshiva fellows and some of the Jews in the Soviet Union.
The Chofetz Chaim said that Har Tzion will be a refugee (see this week’s
Haphtarah).
10 And
Jacob said: 'O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, O LORD,
who said unto me: Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will do you
good;
And God of my father
Isaac: But elsewhere (31:42), it says: and the Fear of Isaac. Moreover, why did
he repeat the Tetragrammaton? Scripture should have written: “Who said to me,
‘Return to your land, etc.’ ” Rather, so did Jacob say before the Holy One,
blessed be He: You gave me two promises: one when I left my father’s house from
Beer-sheba, when You said to me (28: 13): “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham
your father, and the God of Isaac,” and there You said to me, (ibid., verse
15): “and I will guard you wherever you go.” And in Laban’s house You said to
me (31:3), “Return to the land of your forefathers and to your birthplace, and
I will be with you.” There You revealed Yourself to me with the Tetragrammaton
alone, for it is said:“And the Lord (יהוה) said to Jacob, ‘Return to the land
of your forefathers, etc.’” With these two promises I am coming before You.
Yacov is promised goodness from HASHEM yet despite his faith he
quakes at the thought of a military force of that size coming after him. He is
not prepared for a physical defense of himself. In the next Pasuk he is to
state a spiritual reason to fear.
11 I am
not worthy of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which Thou hast shown unto
Thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become
two camps.
A truly G-D fearing person recognizes the mercy, miracles, help
and providing that HASHEM has done for him. A 99 year old Yacov is worried that
he has received so much help against Lavan and the confidence artist tricks of
the man.
12
Deliver me, I pray Thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau;
for I fear him, lest he come and smite me, the mother with the children.
Deliver me from the hand of my brother. Throughout the centuries Jews have
known three types of non-Jews, the truly G-D fearing and G-D loving individual such as Hiram who helped Shlomo with wood for
the Temple, Mamre, Eliezer the servant of
Avraham, then there have been the outright haters and murders with too many examples
even today, and finally the ones that act as brothers like the free education
at Bingham Young University in
Yerushalayim where it is one big missionary group for Mormonism.
13 And
Thou said: I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the
sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.'
Not only in the times of Yacov did we try to hold HASHEM true to
his word in our prayers but even unto this day we do this. Logically, speaking
whether we requested that HASHEM to remember or not, he would remember but HE
loves our prayers.
This week I end on part one of the Parsha my wife had a number
of home improvements that she wanted done and I had to be hours with the
repairman and a few other unexpected things. Shalom Beit is a big Mitzvah and
also getting out the Drasha for the readers in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore,
Australia, New Zeeland, etc. before Shabbos even if it is only partial is
another Mitzvah for the Oneg (enjoyment/pleasure) of their Shabbos. Hopefully,
next week, I will make up for this in a big way.
Shalom on the Range: In search of the American Crypto-Jew Part 6
Thanks
to Devorah L. Taken from: http://harpers.org/archive/2009/12/shalom-on-the-range/6/
VI.
But
is it good for the Jews? I
actually asked myself this question, sitting on a bench in the contemplation
garden at Congregation B’nai Zion in El Paso. The garden adjoined the modernist
pillbox of the temple and was designed to evoke the state of Israel in
miniature, complete with a desert oasis filled with blooming flowers and shade
trees, a version of the Wailing Wall, and a shallow pool for the Dead Sea.
Eventually I went inside, where I was greeted by B’nai Zion’s shepherd, Rabbi
Stephen Leon.
“This
is a beautiful building,” I said as I accepted a seat in Rabbi Leon’s spacious,
rabbinical-text-cluttered office.
“Yes
it is. It really is,” Leon replied.
The
building was in fact hideous, but after so much time spent unpacking the
riddles of the maybe-Jews and the hidden-Jews and the Jews-by-
genealogy-or-genetics-or-less, B’nai Zion’s high-Scarsdale kitsch was soothing to me in a way I didn’t quite understand. And it wasn’t just the building—it was the rebbe. Religious authority figures were not held in particular esteem in my family, yet here I was hoping, even expecting, a rabbi to help me understand how I should think and feel about the Crypto-Jews.
genealogy-or-genetics-or-less, B’nai Zion’s high-Scarsdale kitsch was soothing to me in a way I didn’t quite understand. And it wasn’t just the building—it was the rebbe. Religious authority figures were not held in particular esteem in my family, yet here I was hoping, even expecting, a rabbi to help me understand how I should think and feel about the Crypto-Jews.
Rabbi
Leon was a stoutly built man with a stern, somewhat self-important mien. He
managed somehow to appear dignified despite his blue-and-red New York Giants
yarmulke. He had moved to El Paso from New Jersey in 1986, and, much like Stan
Hordes, almost immediately began receiving visits from people who wanted to
speak to the “Rabbino.” A Presbyterian minister came to him in tears because
she had learned of her family’s Jewish roots and was devastated with guilt
because, as a proselytizing clergyperson, she felt that she had betrayed her
Hebraic ancestors. She wanted Leon’s permission to come to the temple on Yom
Kippur to atone for her sin. At home, the cable man noticed Leon’s shalom,
y’all poster and unbuttoned his shirt to reveal a Star of David necklace. These
and many other encounters had transformed Rabbi Leon. Providing spiritual
shelter to lost Jews became his great passion. He had converted some two
hundred Crypto-Jews to full Judaism, and he hoped to do more.
“You
don’t do Returns?” I asked.
“Personally,
I view them as returning,” Rabbi Leon replied. “But I use the conversion so
there won’t be a question if they want to make aliyah.”
Aliyah is the Hebrew term for the
Ingathering of the Exiles, the basis of the fundamental right of all Jews to
return from the global Diaspora and become Israeli citizens. Israel currently
does not recognize the historical claims of American Crypto-Jews, a point of
more than just academic interest to Leon.
“I
read somewhere that had there not been a Holocaust there would be forty million
Jews in the world,” he said. “Now we have less than fourteen million. When I
got involved with the anusim, I said, ‘Wait a minute, what if there was
never an Inquisition?’ What would have happened?”
Rabbi
Leon told me he’d read that between 200,000 and 800,000 Jews were exterminated,
forced to convert, or expelled from Spain by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella
in 1492.
“Eight
hundred thousand seems like an awfully big number,” I said.
“It
is. It’s probably closer to the 200,000, but it could be as many as 400,000.
Regardless, that was 500 years ago. That wasn’t sixty years ago. Those people
had a lot of children. Those people were passionate about their religion. What
would have happened? Where did they go? In the United States, I know they came
here.”
He
estimated that from 10 to 15 percent of the Hispanic community in El
Paso-Juarez—275,000 people—had Jewish roots and didn’t know it.
“Which
is okay,” he quickly added. “I’m not out to convert the world.”
Leon
told me about the “Anusim Return Center” he planned to found in El Paso.
It would serve as a public institution where the Crypto-Jews could learn the
history (there would be an Inquisition museum akin to those dedicated to the
Holocaust) and conventions of the religion, and also convert and ready
themselves for the ultimate goal—aliyah. Sonya Loya and Juan Mejía, the
Crypto-Jewish rabbi in New York, were working with Leon on the project, and he
said both planned to move to El Paso to help run it. Funding was still an
issue, but not an overly pressing one. (“We have an ear at Soros,” he told me.)
“It
appears that the fastest growing religion in the world is Islam,” Leon said.
“We know of the problems going on in the Middle East as a result of that.
Imagine if the tiny state of Israel all of a sudden had an influx, a return of
the anusim.” He leaned across his desk toward me.
“All
of these Arab nations that are ‘afraid’ of this tiny state—I don’t think you
would have war, but it would be a totally different situation. Intermarriage
would decline. Assimilation would decline. These people have a passion for the
religion. I think it would change the world.”
Sonya
had told me about the Return Center, but only that it would be a place for the
Crypto-Jews to come to find acceptance in the greater Jewish-American
community. As far as aliyah was concerned—and Sonya had mentioned it—I
understood it to be a symbolic notion, like the toast my family would make each
year over the Manischewitz at Passover. Next year in Jerusalem—we’d say
it all right, but no one was booking tickets for the settlements. Leon had
something more definite in mind: the conversion of the Crypto-Jews into a sort
of anti-Muslim neutron bomb.
From Sam: Subject: Amazon's Holocaust denial book sales To my
friends:
Please see the attached article regarding Amazon. Amazon's Holocaust Shame
If you feel the same way as I do about Amazon's sale of these books, please take the time and go into your Amazon account. Go to "contact us" and tell them how you feel.
My thoughts are below. Feel free to cut and paste mine, or draft your own. We must all speak out against this spreading of hate! "It has come to my attention that Amazon is selling hateful and venomous writing such as: Did six million really die? The truth at last, The Synagogue of Satan and The myth of extermination of the Jews."
I think it is terrible that Amazon has chosen not to pull these offerings. We all know that in the USA we have the right to free speech. These authors have chosen to write awful things, they are free to do so. Amazon has the right not to sell them and profit from them. That right should be exercised by you immediately." Thanks!
Please see the attached article regarding Amazon. Amazon's Holocaust Shame
If you feel the same way as I do about Amazon's sale of these books, please take the time and go into your Amazon account. Go to "contact us" and tell them how you feel.
My thoughts are below. Feel free to cut and paste mine, or draft your own. We must all speak out against this spreading of hate! "It has come to my attention that Amazon is selling hateful and venomous writing such as: Did six million really die? The truth at last, The Synagogue of Satan and The myth of extermination of the Jews."
I think it is terrible that Amazon has chosen not to pull these offerings. We all know that in the USA we have the right to free speech. These authors have chosen to write awful things, they are free to do so. Amazon has the right not to sell them and profit from them. That right should be exercised by you immediately." Thanks!
Health tip from the
Rabbis: http://www.ou.org/life/health/miracle-cure-strength-training/#.UoVbIjP8LIU
The
head of the Jewish Agency is placing emphasis on bringing expatriates Israelis
to Eretz Yisrael. An American Jewess wrote him: To Mr. Sharansky- I beg to
differ with you sir- why you are only reaching out to Israelis in the US, when
all Jews need to be encouraged. All Jews are children of Israel. Why does the
buck stop at the Israelis? This is the problem I have had dealing with
Israelis. They look down on the American Jew, they do not see us as being
valuable or worth reaching out to. WHY? Don't you think it is time, when the
world is turning on us, everywhere. Even here where I live, Irvine, we have
Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR, we have a campus that bends over backwards to
Apartheid walls and bds. I could use some comfort too, but so far I have met a
people in Israel that resent us Americans. This is a shanda (Yiddish for
scandal). Deborah
From
Denise it also made Fox news a big Kiddush HASHEM as Rabbi returns $98,000: http://www.vosizneias.com/146157/eid/38715235
The
three branches of Judaism explained here quite well: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/173930
Recently
there have been Israeli Organized Crime murders the Israeli Police is cracking
down on them and arrests are being made. http://www.jpost.com/National-News/Police-arrest-top-mafia-kingpin-Domrani-in-latest-organized-crime-sweep-331073
75
years to Crystal Night: Good Speech with zero feeling http://www.jpost.com/Jewish-World/Jewish-News/Obama-75th-Kristallnacht-anniversary-a-reminder-of-what-silence-in-face-of-hatred-can-bring-331018
Subterfuge
Missionary Activity: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4448704,00.html
Blessed … who has produced such works of creation: http://on.aol.com/video/huge-pod-of-orca-whales-hanging-out-near-california-bay-518011991?hp=1&playlist=127164&icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl15%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D406060
Inyanay Diyoma
Iran to
get the bomb and Israel has lost an ally: http://debka.com/article/23428/Geneva-fallout-Iran-becomes-a-nuclear-power-followed-by-Saudis-Israel-loses-trust-in-Obama
Molotov
Cocktail injures 2 in Gush Etzion: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/173768#.Un1deeJj2i0
Obama’s
weakness moves agenda from Geneva to Moscow. http://debka.com/article/23418/Geneva-II-cancelled-Moscow-I-is-the-big-coming-event
A year
after the Pillar Cloud operation families are still homeless: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4451376,00.html
Israelis
do not trust Obama or Kerry: http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/MK-Struck-to-Kerry-You-are-not-an-honest-broker-in-Israeli-Palestinian-talks-331066
France
remembers Neville Chamberlain: http://debka.com/article/23432/France%E2%80%99s-last-minute-hold-out-aborts-Iran-nuclear-deal-in-Geneva
Iran is
near bankruptcy and will have to move to save itself or lower the standard of
living by a lot: http://debka.com/article/23434/Iranian-leaders-urgently-mull-some-nuclear-flexibility-Rouhani-tells-Khamenei-The-cupboard-is-bare-
I have
some personal friends in this area: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/11/10/strongest-typhoon-year-hits-philippines/
Iran
has 18,500 Centrifuges and is more of a threat to the west than Israel: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/173836#.UoAuEuJj2i0
Thanks
to Chaim S. (comments mine) In a land that nobody lived in for centuries
suddenly these characters started making a land grab by pitching tents of
course Nazi Broadcasting Company took up their cause: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/09/21344894-israeli-settlements-in-hebron-hills-threaten-age-old-palestinian-livelihoods?lite
Confucius
he say, “Bibi speak with forked tongue”: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4452650,00.html
Israeli
Aid reaches the Philippines http://www.ynetnews.com/home/0,7340,L-4666,00.html
They
won’t let Jews on Arab buses so why not: http://www.jpost.com/National-News/Fearing-Palestinian-violence-West-Bank-settlers-demand-segregated-busing-331475
Iran’s treat to the USA: The
terrorists have been infiltrating from both the Mexican and Canadian Borders
they are in Detroit, Brooklyn, NJ, Florida, California, Arizona, MN and other
places where there are Mosques. Gen. Gholamreza
Jalali, head of Iran’s Passive Defense Organization, threatened the United
States with bio-warfare that could contaminate American food, water and
animals. “Biological viruses are extremely clever and have the capability to
distinguish their environment. These viruses can only be recognized in labs,”
he said, stressing that these agents are easily hidden in the environment and
can cause widespread epidemics. Jalali said that viruses, parasites, botanical
poisons and animal poisons can be used in biological warfare. “The
environmental threats include humans, domesticated animals, poultry,
environment, natural resources, food industry and drinking water,” he said. Read
more at http://www.wnd.com/2013/11/america-threatened-with-heaviest-damage-in-history/#0zpBHpLZQIOGa7Py.99
Egypt
has a new ally and supplier funded by Saudi Aid they can free themselves from
the Sinai Peace agreements at any time but because of Iran both the Saudis and
the Egyptians need us. http://debka.com/article/23438/Lavrov-to-confirm-Russian-air-defense-system-surface-missiles-for-Egypt-Russian-Navy-facilities-at-Alexandria-
Blessed
be the true Judge - Soldier stabbed to death by terrorist. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4452880,00.html
More
IDF dry air force runs for Iran despite budget cuts: http://www.jpost.com/Iranian-Threat/News/Netanyahu-Bad-deal-with-Iran-could-lead-to-war-331624
From
Steve: Brooklyn NY anti-Semitic attacks http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/11/12/brooklyn-rabbi-gang-of-teens-playing-disturbing-game-of-knock-out-the-jew/
Sounds
like it came from the religion of peace: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4453385,00.html
Ed-Op
Livni and the forgotten Refugees: http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/livnis-forgotten-refugees/
The
Arabs who murdered the soldier were arraigned today and Israel after a barrage
of mortars returned fire via aircraft and knocked out an underground rocket
launching site.
The Good Shabbos Story is published by Mathis Wolfberg “Back
seat driver” This
story is a repeat from years ago but until I read it through, I had forgotten
it myself.
Good Shabbos Everyone. This story takes place on a sheirut (shared taxi) ride in
Eretz Yisroel a few years after the passing of the Chazon Ish, R' Avraham
Yeshaya Karelitz (1878-1953). Two religious people in the back of the cab were
talking to each other, and one of them sighed, "Bnei Brak is not the same
since the Chazon Ish passed away." "Yes," agreed his friend,
"our generation needs great ones like him."
Listening attentively from his seat in the front was the cab driver, Natan, a non-observant Sefardi. He was dressed much differently from his Orthodox passengers in the back. He wore no kippah and sported an open khaki shirt, over a pair of Bermuda shorts, unlike his bearded riders who were dressed in black suits and hats.
Natan turned to the fellow sitting on his right. "Did you hear what the men in the back say? That the Chazon Ish is gone. They are wrong, they don't know what they're talking about!"
Surprised that the obviously irreligious cab driver would even know who the Chazon Ish was, the man being addressed retorted, “Well, maybe you haven't heard, but the Chazon Ish passed away a few years ago."
"Well, then you are wrong too," said Natan emphatically. "The Chazon Ish is still around and I can prove it."
By now, all ears were listening to the cantankerous cab driver, and once he had their attention he offered to prove he was right. They all agreed to listen, and the cabbie began his story; My daughter was having difficult labor. She had been rushed to the hospital in Tel Aviv and the doctors had been with her for hours. But the baby just would not come. She was in agony and the doctors who seemed helpless told me that there was nothing they could do.
As they discussed her situation, an old nurse, who saw my predicament, came over to me and said, "Why don't you go to the Chazon Ish?" "The who?" I asked. "What is the Chazon Ish?" "He is a great rabbi," the nurse said, "and he helps people." At my wit's end, I asked her, "But where does he live?" She told me, "Just get to Bnei Brak and once you get there any child in the street will be able to direct you."
I got into my cab and raced to Bnei Brak. In no time I was at the Chazon Ish's house. It was late at night, but he answered my knock himself. In a quiet and friendly manner he asked how he could help me. I told him of my daughter's pain and how the doctors could not help her. He looked at me, smiled and said, "Go back to the hospital. The child was just born." He shook my hand and wished me mazel tov.
My heart leaped with joy, but I could not believe him. I dashed back to the hospital and when I got there, sure enough, the child had already been born — exactly as he had said!”
In the sheirut (shared taxi) all that listened to Natan’s tale were spellbound — but Natan was not finished. He went on with the second part of his story:
Two years later, my daughter was again expecting a child. Once again she had a difficult labor and once again the doctors could do nothing to speed up the birth of the child.
I remembered what had happened the last time and so, this time, I didn't wait for the old nurse. I got into my cab, rushed to Bnei Brak and went to the Chazon Ish. I came to the corner where I thought he lived and just to be sure I asked a passerby, "Is this the home of the Chazon Ish?" The man looked at me as if I had come from outer space. "What's the matter with you? Don't you know that the Chazon Ish passed away a year ago."
My heart fell. I felt as if it were the end of the world for me. It was as if I had lost my best friend. I began pleading to this total stranger. "I came here to speak to him; it's an emergency. To whom do I go now?"
"People go to his kever (gravesite) and pray there [so that the Chazon Ish will act as a heavenly advocate for the mother]," he told me. "Where is he buried?" I queried. The man pointed me in the direction of the cemetery. I ran there at breakneck speed and jumped over a fence to get to some people who might be able to tell me where he was buried. They pointed to a grave that was covered with stones and pebbles.
When I saw his name on the stone, I fell on the grave, prostrating myself over it and began crying uncontrollably. I lay on the stones begging the Chazon Ish to pray for my daughter. "Rebbi," I said, "You saved my daughter once before, please pray for her again."
I was there a short time, and I suddenly saw his face with that same smile and could hear his voice saying to me, "Mazel tov, the child has been born," and that I should go back to the hospital.
Startled, I got up, ran to my cab and rushed back to the hospital. When I got there, they told me that my second grandchild had indeed been born. Then the cabbie turned to his companion in the front seat and said, "And these people in the back say the Chazon Ish is gone!" (p. 194 “The Maggid Speaks” Reb Paysach Krohn.)
We should all search out the grave sites of the holy righteous Rabbis who have lived throughout the generations. There we can pray to the soul of the deceased Tzadik or Tzadekes, that he or she should intervene on our behalf. This concept is hinted to in our portion this week, Parshas Vayishlach.
The Torah tells us this week of Rochel Emainu’s (our patriarch) demise. The verse states: “Yakov set up a monument over her grave; it is the monument of Rochel’s grave until today.” (Bereishis 35:20). The Torah’s choice of words in this verse, namely the words “until today” is quite interesting. We know that the Torah is written to have meaning for every generation. Thus, “until today” seems to suggest eternity, because whenever we read the verse, it refers to the present.
One might think that the grave has little connection with the deceased. Because, a year after death, the soul leaves the body forever. However, it is taught that the soul still retains some connection with the physical shell. That shell – the body - had housed the spiritual essence of the person for its tour of duty on this earth.
It is for this reason that we go to the cemetery, which is euphemistically referred to as the “Bais HaChaim” the "house of the living." Because at the cemetery we can connect with the spiritual essence of the person, which is eternal.
In the case of the righteous Tzadikim, we can go to their graves to ask them to intervene and advocate Upstairs, on our behalf.
Therefore, we can perhaps understand the abovementioned verse to be hinting to the staying power of the Righteous even after their death. “Yakov set up a monument over her grave; it is the monument of Rochel’s grave until today.” That means to say that the Torah here is hinting to the fact that Rochel’s grave is still a place were prayers can be answered. Hashem should help that all of our prayers be answered. Good Shabbos Everyone. M. Wolfberg is sponsored by: In Memory of CHAYA CHAVA BAS REB MOSHE YAKOV 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
Listening attentively from his seat in the front was the cab driver, Natan, a non-observant Sefardi. He was dressed much differently from his Orthodox passengers in the back. He wore no kippah and sported an open khaki shirt, over a pair of Bermuda shorts, unlike his bearded riders who were dressed in black suits and hats.
Natan turned to the fellow sitting on his right. "Did you hear what the men in the back say? That the Chazon Ish is gone. They are wrong, they don't know what they're talking about!"
Surprised that the obviously irreligious cab driver would even know who the Chazon Ish was, the man being addressed retorted, “Well, maybe you haven't heard, but the Chazon Ish passed away a few years ago."
"Well, then you are wrong too," said Natan emphatically. "The Chazon Ish is still around and I can prove it."
By now, all ears were listening to the cantankerous cab driver, and once he had their attention he offered to prove he was right. They all agreed to listen, and the cabbie began his story; My daughter was having difficult labor. She had been rushed to the hospital in Tel Aviv and the doctors had been with her for hours. But the baby just would not come. She was in agony and the doctors who seemed helpless told me that there was nothing they could do.
As they discussed her situation, an old nurse, who saw my predicament, came over to me and said, "Why don't you go to the Chazon Ish?" "The who?" I asked. "What is the Chazon Ish?" "He is a great rabbi," the nurse said, "and he helps people." At my wit's end, I asked her, "But where does he live?" She told me, "Just get to Bnei Brak and once you get there any child in the street will be able to direct you."
I got into my cab and raced to Bnei Brak. In no time I was at the Chazon Ish's house. It was late at night, but he answered my knock himself. In a quiet and friendly manner he asked how he could help me. I told him of my daughter's pain and how the doctors could not help her. He looked at me, smiled and said, "Go back to the hospital. The child was just born." He shook my hand and wished me mazel tov.
My heart leaped with joy, but I could not believe him. I dashed back to the hospital and when I got there, sure enough, the child had already been born — exactly as he had said!”
In the sheirut (shared taxi) all that listened to Natan’s tale were spellbound — but Natan was not finished. He went on with the second part of his story:
Two years later, my daughter was again expecting a child. Once again she had a difficult labor and once again the doctors could do nothing to speed up the birth of the child.
I remembered what had happened the last time and so, this time, I didn't wait for the old nurse. I got into my cab, rushed to Bnei Brak and went to the Chazon Ish. I came to the corner where I thought he lived and just to be sure I asked a passerby, "Is this the home of the Chazon Ish?" The man looked at me as if I had come from outer space. "What's the matter with you? Don't you know that the Chazon Ish passed away a year ago."
My heart fell. I felt as if it were the end of the world for me. It was as if I had lost my best friend. I began pleading to this total stranger. "I came here to speak to him; it's an emergency. To whom do I go now?"
"People go to his kever (gravesite) and pray there [so that the Chazon Ish will act as a heavenly advocate for the mother]," he told me. "Where is he buried?" I queried. The man pointed me in the direction of the cemetery. I ran there at breakneck speed and jumped over a fence to get to some people who might be able to tell me where he was buried. They pointed to a grave that was covered with stones and pebbles.
When I saw his name on the stone, I fell on the grave, prostrating myself over it and began crying uncontrollably. I lay on the stones begging the Chazon Ish to pray for my daughter. "Rebbi," I said, "You saved my daughter once before, please pray for her again."
I was there a short time, and I suddenly saw his face with that same smile and could hear his voice saying to me, "Mazel tov, the child has been born," and that I should go back to the hospital.
Startled, I got up, ran to my cab and rushed back to the hospital. When I got there, they told me that my second grandchild had indeed been born. Then the cabbie turned to his companion in the front seat and said, "And these people in the back say the Chazon Ish is gone!" (p. 194 “The Maggid Speaks” Reb Paysach Krohn.)
We should all search out the grave sites of the holy righteous Rabbis who have lived throughout the generations. There we can pray to the soul of the deceased Tzadik or Tzadekes, that he or she should intervene on our behalf. This concept is hinted to in our portion this week, Parshas Vayishlach.
The Torah tells us this week of Rochel Emainu’s (our patriarch) demise. The verse states: “Yakov set up a monument over her grave; it is the monument of Rochel’s grave until today.” (Bereishis 35:20). The Torah’s choice of words in this verse, namely the words “until today” is quite interesting. We know that the Torah is written to have meaning for every generation. Thus, “until today” seems to suggest eternity, because whenever we read the verse, it refers to the present.
One might think that the grave has little connection with the deceased. Because, a year after death, the soul leaves the body forever. However, it is taught that the soul still retains some connection with the physical shell. That shell – the body - had housed the spiritual essence of the person for its tour of duty on this earth.
It is for this reason that we go to the cemetery, which is euphemistically referred to as the “Bais HaChaim” the "house of the living." Because at the cemetery we can connect with the spiritual essence of the person, which is eternal.
In the case of the righteous Tzadikim, we can go to their graves to ask them to intervene and advocate Upstairs, on our behalf.
Therefore, we can perhaps understand the abovementioned verse to be hinting to the staying power of the Righteous even after their death. “Yakov set up a monument over her grave; it is the monument of Rochel’s grave until today.” That means to say that the Torah here is hinting to the fact that Rochel’s grave is still a place were prayers can be answered. Hashem should help that all of our prayers be answered. Good Shabbos Everyone. M. Wolfberg is sponsored by: In Memory of CHAYA CHAVA BAS REB MOSHE YAKOV 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
Have a wonderful Shabbos and stay healthy,
Rachamim Pauli
