Although
the day passed in memorial 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva who died during Omer
and 23,169 Defense Forces from the IDF: Since the foundation of the State of
Israel these are the soldiers that fell. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4515701,00.html
Parsha Behar
Although we are still dealing in holiness, our Sefer has started
with Korbanos and the Mishkan and gone to the holiness of the average Ben or
Bas Yisrael. After the Bnei Yisrael we basically included the Leviim into their
holiness and then we ended up with the holiness of the Cohanim and in this
Parsha and the next we deal with the holiness of the land. This week we deal
with Shmita (Sabbatical year), Shmita of money, Yovel (Jubilee) and even the
ownership of fields and houses. In next week’s Parsha, we shall see special
properties of the land that will bless the observers and vomit out the sinners.
This Parsha is covered in Tractate Erachim which deals with the
valuation of land, housing and persons that are sold for limited time except
the houses in the cities of Yisrael.
25:1 And
the LORD spoke unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying:
On Mount Sinai: What
[special relevance] does the subject of Shemittah [the “release” of fields in
the seventh year] have with Mount Sinai? Were not all the commandments stated
from Sinai? However, [this teaches us that] just as with Shemittah, its general
principles and its finer details were all stated from Sinai, likewise, all of
them were stated-their general principles [together with] their finer
details-from Sinai. This is what is taught in Torath Kohanim (25:1). [And why
is Shemittah used as the example to prove this rule, especially since the very
fine details are not even specified here (Sefer Hazikkaron)?] It appears to me
that its explanation is as follows: [At the plains of Moab, Moses reiterated
the majority of the laws of the Torah to the Israelites before their entry into
the land of Israel, this reiteration comprising most of the Book of
Deuteronomy. Now,] since we do not find the laws of Shemittah [“release”] of
land reiterated on the plains of Moab in Deuteronomy, we learn that its general
principles, finer details, and explanations were all stated at Sinai. Scripture
states this [phrase] here to teach us that [just as in the case of Shemittah,]
every statement [i.e., every commandment] that was conveyed to Moses came from
Sinai, [including] their general principles and finer details [and that the
commandments delineated in Deuteronomy were merely] repeated and reviewed on
the plains of Moab [not originally given there].
This is not for crop rotation or other pure agricultural benefits
but for give the land a full year of Shabbos every 7 years.
2 Speak
unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When ye come into the land
which I give you, then shall the land keep a Sabbath unto the LORD.
A Sabbath to the
Lord: For the sake of the Lord, just as is stated of the Sabbath of Creation
(see Exod. 20:10) [i.e., just as every seventh day is a holy Sabbath day,
acclaiming that God Himself rested on the seventh day and thus acclaiming that
God is the Supreme Creator of all existence, likewise, man must rest from
working the land on the seventh year, for the sake of God, not for the sake of
the land, so that it should gain fertility by lying fallow for a year]. —
[Sifthei Chachamim ; Torath Kohanim 25:7]
3 Six
years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard,
and gather in the produce thereof. 4
But in the seventh year shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath
unto the LORD; thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.
The land shall have [a
complete rest]: for fields and vineyards [but you may dig holes in your land].
— [Sifthei Chachamim] Nor shall you prune: Heb. לֹא תִזְמֹר. [This refers to
the procedure in which] they cut off the [excessive] vine-branches (זְמוֹרוֹת)
[and this expression] is rendered [by Onkelos] as לָא תִכְסָח, you shall not
cut off, and similar to it is “as thorns cut down (כְּסוּחִים) [that are burned
in fire]” (Isa. 33:12), and "it is burned with fire, it is cut (כְּסוּחָה)
down.
We should learn from this with our own Shabbos observance. Just as
the land must rest or punishment will be melted out. So too we must rest on
Shabbos and refrain from Melacha and the Toldos, the derivates, otherwise after
120 years we will be called upon to answer for our actions.
5 That
which grows of itself of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, and the grapes of thy
undressed vine thou shalt not gather; it shall be a year of solemn rest for the
land.
The after growth of
your harvest: although you did not sow it, but it grew by itself from seeds
that [inadvertently] had dropped on [the ground] at the time of harvesting.
This is called סְפִיחַ. You shall not reap: to keep it like a regular harvest,
but it must be rendered ownerless, [and available] for everyone [to take
at will]. — [Be’er Basadeh] The grapes you had set aside [for yourself]: [i.e.,
those grapes] that you set aside (הִנְזַרְתָּ) and kept people away from them
and did not declare them ownerless. You shall not pick: Those, you shall not
pick, but [you may pick] from crops declared ownerless. — [Torath Kohanim 25:8]
What we do today is to proclaim before three people that the fruit
in our yard or field is ownerless. Now since anybody can come then and gather
so too can we. Another instance is to declare that the fruit is ownerless and
Beis Din appoints us to pick and cut the fruit and it is worth for the labor
one gets paid so and so much per kilogram.
6 And
the Sabbath-produce of the land shall be for food for you: for thee, and for
thy servant and for thy maid, and for thy hired servant and for the settler by
thy side that sojourn with thee; 7
and for thy cattle, and for the beasts that are in thy land, shall all the
increase thereof be for food.
And [the produce of]
the Sabbath of the land, shall be [yours to eat]: Although I have prohibited
the produce [of the Shemittah year] to you, I did not prohibit you to eat it or
to derive benefit from it, only that you should not treat it as if you were its
owner. Rather, everyone is deemed equal [regarding the use of the Shemittah
year’s produce]-you, [your slaves,] and your hired worker and resident. For
you, for your male and female slaves: Since Scripture says [regarding
Shemittah], “and the poor of your people shall eat [it]” (Exod. 23:11), one
might think that it [the produce of the Shemittah year] is prohibited to be
eaten by wealthy people. Scripture, therefore, says here, “for you, for your
male and female slaves,”-we see that the [wealthy] owners and the male and
female slaves are included here [to permit them also to eat of the Shemittah
year produce]. — [Torath Kohanim 25:12 and see Sefer Hazikkaron] And for your
hired worker and resident [who live with you]: Even non-Jews. — [Torath Kohanim
25:14] [Hired worker is one hired by the day. Resident is one hired by the year
(Bechor Shor).]
By your domestic
animals and by the beasts: But if a beast may eat [Shemittah produce], how much
more so are domestic animals [allowed to eat it], since you are obliged to feed
them! So why does Scripture mention “by your domestic animals”? [The answer is
that Scripture] compares the domestic animal to the beast. As long as beasts
[have a particular food available for them to] eat in the field, you may feed
your domestic animals from your house. However, once that [particular food] has
been consumed by the beasts in the field, you must remove what you had [stored]
in your house for your domestic animals [and make that food freely available to
everyone]. — [Torath Kohanim 25:15]
8 And
thou shalt number seven Sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years;
and there shall be unto thee the days of seven Sabbaths of years, even forty
and nine years.
We now come across a new
idea of 7 Shmita Years ending and the next year is declared the Yovel or
Jubilee Year.
Sabbatical years: Heb.
שַׁבְּתֹת שָׁנִים, sabbatical years. Now, [since our verse therefore tells us
to count “seven sabbatical years,”] one might think that we should observe
seven consecutive sabbatical years, and then make a Jubilee year after them.
Scripture, therefore, continues here, “seven years seven times,” thus showing
us that every Shemittah year occurs in its own time [namely, every seventh
year]. — [Torath Kohanim 25:13] And the days of these seven [sabbatical years
will amount to forty-nine years]: [But is it not already clear that seven years
seven times equals forty-nine? However, this] comes to tell us that even though
you have not observed the Shemittah years [throughout that period],
nevertheless, make a Jubilee at the end of forty-nine years. — [Torath Kohanim
25:14] [This is a Midrashic explanation, linking the end of our verse with the
next, to read, “And the days of these seven sabbatical years will amount to
forty-nine years for you (and) Then…you shall proclaim with shofar blasts.”]
The simple meaning of our verse is, however, that the calculation of the years
of the Shemittah cycles will amount to the number forty-nine.
9 Then
shalt thou make proclamation with the blast of the horn on the tenth day of the
seventh month; in the day of atonement shall ye make proclamation with the horn
throughout all your land.
The liberty shall be proclaimed for all slaves from the tribes of
Yisrael. This includes the one who had his ear lobe drilled into the door post
of the house and declared a slave for life. The fields that were distributed to
the families in the times of Yehoshua Ben Nun shall return to the original
family even if they were ‘sold’ for the period of sale is really a rental
period. However, a house in a city only has one year to be redeemed before the
complete ownership changes hands.
You shall proclaim:
Heb. וַהַעֲבַרְתָּ, [lit., “you shall pass” something from one place to
another. But here, this term] stems from [the similar expression in the verse],
“and they proclaimed (וַיַּעֲבִירוּ קוֹל) throughout the camp” (Exod. 36:6), an
expression of proclamation. — [R.H. 34a] [On the tenth of the month,] on the
Day of Atonement: But since it says, “on the Day of Atonement,” do I not
already know that this occurs “on the tenth of the month”? So why does Scripture
need to state, “on the tenth of the month”? However, [it does so,] in order to
teach you the following: [The obligation] to sound the shofar on the tenth of
the month [i.e., on the Yom Kippur of the Jubilee year] overrides the
[prohibition of sounding the shofar on the] Sabbath “throughout your entire
land,” whereas [the obligation] to sound the shofar on Rosh Hashanah does not
override the [prohibition of sounding the shofar on] Sabbath “throughout your
entire land,” except in the court of law [where this prohibition does not apply
(see Ramban on our verse)]. — [Torath Kohanim 25:16]
10 And ye
shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land unto
all the inhabitants thereof; it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return
every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.
This was the original division of the land among families.
However, there no long is knowledge where the portion was after two Diasporas.
Yermiyahu told Baruch to record the purchase forever but what field and where
is unknown. One of the reasons we do not perform Yebum today is the lack of
land to guard in the family although if a brother and his sister-in-law do
marry we do not separate them.
11 A
jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you; ye shall not sow, neither reap
that which grows of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of the undressed
vines. 12 For it is a jubilee;
it shall be holy unto you; ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field. 13 In this year of jubilee ye shall
return every man unto his possession. 14
And if thou sell aught unto thy neighbor, or buy of thy neighbor’s hand, ye
shall not wrong one another. 15
According to the number of years after the jubilee thou shalt buy of thy neighbor,
and according unto the number of years of the crops he shall sell unto thee. 16 According to the multitude of the
years thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of
the years thou shalt diminish the price of it; for the number of crops doth he
sell unto thee. 17 And ye shall
not wrong one another; but thou shalt fear thy God; for I am the LORD your God.
The complete sale of inheritance land was forbidden and the sale
was more a rental of the land. The land of Eretz Yisrael could not be sold
forever. Many are against the Heter of Rabbi Avraham Kuk Zal for this reason
and others hold the sale of the land for Shmita is like the sale of Chametz on
Pessach based on the Yovel law.
18
Wherefore ye shall do My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances and do them; and ye
shall dwell in the land in safety. 19
And the land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall eat until ye have enough, and
dwell therein in safety.
This is a forerunner to next week’s Parsha that the observance of
Mitzvos and especially those concerning the land will allow you to live in the
land safety and the crop yield shall be more than other lands.
20 And if
ye shall say: 'What shall we eat the seventh year? behold, we may not sow, nor
gather in our increase'; 21 then
I will command My blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth
produce for the three years.
This happens and the blessing occurs. There is documentation in
books of those who violate Shmita incurring locusts, fire, drought, flooding,
blight of insects or disease in their field on Shmita year. It is always
something. However, those who observe are blessed.
22 And ye
shall sow the eighth year, and eat of the produce, the old store; until the
ninth year, until her produce come in, ye shall eat the old store. 23 And the land shall not be sold in
perpetuity; for the land is Mine; for ye are strangers and settlers with Me. 24 And in all the land of your
possession ye shall grant a redemption for the land.
The land belongs to HASHEM and is given to mankind on condition
when the condition is violated, HASHEM removes his blessing and Chashgacha and
people are either thrown off the land or the land does not yield its fruits.
25 If thy
brother be waxen poor, and sell some of his possession, then shall his kinsman
that is next unto him come, and shall redeem that which his brother hath sold.
Even though the land is going to return in the Yovel, it is a
mitzvah for a brother or cousin to redeem the land for the poorer sibling.
26 And if
a man have no one to redeem it, and he be waxen rich and find sufficient means
to redeem it; 27 then let him
count the years of the sale thereof, and restore the over plus unto the man to
whom he sold it; and he shall return unto his possession. 28 But if he have not sufficient means
to get it back for himself, then that which he hath sold shall remain in the
hand of him that hath bought it until the year of jubilee; and in the jubilee
it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession.
This ends the laws for the redemption or return of land in the
fields. But houses sold in cities there is a different story except with the
Leviim.
{S} 29 And if a man sell a dwelling-house
in a walled city, then he may redeem it within a whole year after it is sold;
for a full year shall he have the right of redemption. 30 And if it be not redeemed within the space of a full year, then
the house that is in the walled city shall be made sure in perpetuity to him
that bought it, throughout his generations; it shall not go out in the jubilee.
31 But the houses of the
villages which have no wall round about them shall be reckoned with the fields
of the country; they may be redeemed, and they shall go out in the jubilee. 32 But as for the cities of the
Levites, the houses of the cities of their possession, the Levites shall have a
perpetual right of redemption. 33
And if a man purchase of the Levites, then the house that was sold in the city
of his possession, shall go out in the jubilee; for the houses of the cities of
the Levites are their possession among the children of Israel. 34 But the fields of the open land
about their cities may not be sold; for that is their perpetual possession. 35 And if thy brother be waxen poor,
and his means fail with thee; then thou shalt uphold him: as a stranger and a
settler shall he live with thee. 36
Take thou no interest of him or increase; but fear thy God; that thy brother
may live with thee.
Throughout the Orthodox Communities there are free-loan societies
usually until a certain amount. Interest is forbidden to be taken from fellow
Bnei Yisrael.
…
This section is about a Ben
Yisrael who has either stolen and is sold into servitude for up to six years to
pay off his thief or for a person so poor that he has to sell his services to
survive.
47 And if
a stranger who is a settler with thee be waxen rich, and thy brother be waxen
poor beside him, and sell himself unto the stranger who is a settler with thee,
or to the offshoot of a stranger's family, 48 after that he is sold he may be
redeemed; one of his brethren may redeem him; 49 or his uncle, or his uncle's son,
may redeem him, or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem
him; or if he be waxen rich, he may redeem himself. 50 And he shall reckon with him that
bought him from the year that he sold himself to him unto the year of jubilee;
and the price of his sale shall be according unto the number of years;
according to the time of a hired servant shall he be with him. 51 If there be yet many years,
according unto them he shall give back the price of his redemption out of the
money that he was bought for. 52 And if there remain but few years unto the year of jubilee,
then he shall reckon with him; according unto his years shall he give back the
price of his redemption. 53
As a servant hired year by year shall he be with him; he shall not rule with
rigour over him in thy sight. 54 And if he be not redeemed by any of these means, then he shall
go out in the year of jubilee, he, and his children with him. 55 For unto Me the children of Israel
are servants; they are My servants whom I brought forth out of the land of
Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
26:1 Ye
shall make you no idols, neither shall ye rear you up a graven image, or a
pillar, neither shall ye place any figured stone in your land, to bow down unto
it; for I am the LORD your God.
HASHEM is warning us again against performing idolatry which has
all the various Mitzvos of other powers like the use of Shaydim to have
witchcraft or calling up the dead spirits.
2 Ye
shall keep My Sabbaths, and reverence My sanctuary: I am the LORD!
We started out with the Sabbatical Year (Shmita) and the Jubilee
(Yovel) but we return to the regular Shabbos and Yom Tov observance.
I am
the Lord: Who is faithful to give
reward [to those who fulfill My Torah].
The
Secret Recipient By Rav
Yerachmiel Tilles http://ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=856-34
Rabbi Chayim
Halberstam of Sanz, known as the Divrei Chayim, was deeply
involved in the mitzvah of Tzeduka
(charity), giving with an open hand from his own funds and soliciting from
others as well. In keeping with the rabbinical dictum that charity collectors
should travel in pairs, he always went on his rounds with a respected member of
the community.
One time Rabbi Chayim set about to collect a large amount of Tzeduka for a certain wealthy man who had gone bankrupt. He and a trusted companion went about from house to house soliciting funds, when they came to the elegant home of one of the richest men in the city. They entered the beautifully appointed anteroom and were shown to a velvet sofa where they were served tea from a silver tea service while they waited for the master of the house to appear. After a few minutes a well-dressed gentleman entered and greeted the illustrious Rabbi warmly.
The Rabbi and his companion requested that the wealthy man donate the large amount of five hundred rubles for an unspecified "worthy cause." The rich man considered their request for a few moments and then asked, "Tell me, exactly what is the cause you're collecting for? Is it for some public institution or for a private person?" Rabbi Chayim replied that he was collecting for a wealthy citizen who had lost all his money and gone into bankruptcy. But this answer wasn't sufficient for the man, and he began to inquire further about the identity of the person.
"I'm sorry," replied Rabbi Chayim, "but I cannot divulge the man's name, since that would cause him terrible embarrassment. You'll just have to trust me when I tell you that he's a very deserving individual." The rich man refused to be dissuaded from his curious pursuit of the man's identity. "Of course, I trust you implicitly, and I would be only too happy to donate even several thousand rubles to help you, but I would first like to know for whom I'm giving the money."
At this point the man who was accompanying the Rabbi interjected his opinion that perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to divulge the man's identity in this case. Certainly the rich donor wouldn't allow the information to leave the room, and it was a wonderful opportunity to amass the large amount of money to help a fellow Jew rebuild his life. But Rabbi Chayim would say only that the man had up until recently been one of the pillars of the community and had himself contributed to many worthy causes before his unfortunate business collapse. Again he protested that he couldn't and wouldn't publicize the man's name. The rich man, far from being silenced, was even more aroused in his curiosity. "If you tell me his name I will give you half of the entire amount you need."
His fellow collector again tried to convince the Rabbi to tell the man's name, in view of the tremendous sum of money involved, but to no avail. "You must understand," he replied, "that even though the sum you are offering is more than generous, the honor of this Jew is more important and valuable to me than any amount of money! If you were to give me the total sum that I require, I would still refuse to reveal the identity of the recipient!"
The rich man's countenance changed suddenly and he became very still. He quietly asked Reb Chayim to step into an adjacent room, for he wished to speak with him privately. Standing alone with the Rabbi, the rich man broke down into bitter sobbing. "Rebbe," he began, "I, too, have lost my entire fortune and am about to enter into bankruptcy. I was too embarrassed to tell this to anyone, but when I saw how scrupulously you guarded the other man's privacy I knew I could trust you. Please forgive me for testing you in such an outrageous manner, but I am a desperate man. I needed to know for sure that under no circumstances would you tell anyone about my terrible situation. I am in debt for such a huge sum, I have no hope at all of repaying it. I'm afraid that I will have no choice but to leave my family and go begging from door to door!"
The Sanzer Rav left the home of the rich man, and needless to say, not a soul ever heard a word of their conversation. Less than a week later he returned to the same man's house with a large sum of money. He had been able to raise enough money to rescue not only the original intended recipient, but this one as well. They were both able to pay off their debts and resume their businesses successfully. The role of the saintly Sanzer Rav in this affair became known only many years later, after he left this earthly world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Adapted/Supplemented by Yerachmiel Tilles from the rendition in //lChayimweekly.org (#872), with permission.
One time Rabbi Chayim set about to collect a large amount of Tzeduka for a certain wealthy man who had gone bankrupt. He and a trusted companion went about from house to house soliciting funds, when they came to the elegant home of one of the richest men in the city. They entered the beautifully appointed anteroom and were shown to a velvet sofa where they were served tea from a silver tea service while they waited for the master of the house to appear. After a few minutes a well-dressed gentleman entered and greeted the illustrious Rabbi warmly.
The Rabbi and his companion requested that the wealthy man donate the large amount of five hundred rubles for an unspecified "worthy cause." The rich man considered their request for a few moments and then asked, "Tell me, exactly what is the cause you're collecting for? Is it for some public institution or for a private person?" Rabbi Chayim replied that he was collecting for a wealthy citizen who had lost all his money and gone into bankruptcy. But this answer wasn't sufficient for the man, and he began to inquire further about the identity of the person.
"I'm sorry," replied Rabbi Chayim, "but I cannot divulge the man's name, since that would cause him terrible embarrassment. You'll just have to trust me when I tell you that he's a very deserving individual." The rich man refused to be dissuaded from his curious pursuit of the man's identity. "Of course, I trust you implicitly, and I would be only too happy to donate even several thousand rubles to help you, but I would first like to know for whom I'm giving the money."
At this point the man who was accompanying the Rabbi interjected his opinion that perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to divulge the man's identity in this case. Certainly the rich donor wouldn't allow the information to leave the room, and it was a wonderful opportunity to amass the large amount of money to help a fellow Jew rebuild his life. But Rabbi Chayim would say only that the man had up until recently been one of the pillars of the community and had himself contributed to many worthy causes before his unfortunate business collapse. Again he protested that he couldn't and wouldn't publicize the man's name. The rich man, far from being silenced, was even more aroused in his curiosity. "If you tell me his name I will give you half of the entire amount you need."
His fellow collector again tried to convince the Rabbi to tell the man's name, in view of the tremendous sum of money involved, but to no avail. "You must understand," he replied, "that even though the sum you are offering is more than generous, the honor of this Jew is more important and valuable to me than any amount of money! If you were to give me the total sum that I require, I would still refuse to reveal the identity of the recipient!"
The rich man's countenance changed suddenly and he became very still. He quietly asked Reb Chayim to step into an adjacent room, for he wished to speak with him privately. Standing alone with the Rabbi, the rich man broke down into bitter sobbing. "Rebbe," he began, "I, too, have lost my entire fortune and am about to enter into bankruptcy. I was too embarrassed to tell this to anyone, but when I saw how scrupulously you guarded the other man's privacy I knew I could trust you. Please forgive me for testing you in such an outrageous manner, but I am a desperate man. I needed to know for sure that under no circumstances would you tell anyone about my terrible situation. I am in debt for such a huge sum, I have no hope at all of repaying it. I'm afraid that I will have no choice but to leave my family and go begging from door to door!"
The Sanzer Rav left the home of the rich man, and needless to say, not a soul ever heard a word of their conversation. Less than a week later he returned to the same man's house with a large sum of money. He had been able to raise enough money to rescue not only the original intended recipient, but this one as well. They were both able to pay off their debts and resume their businesses successfully. The role of the saintly Sanzer Rav in this affair became known only many years later, after he left this earthly world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Adapted/Supplemented by Yerachmiel Tilles from the rendition in //lChayimweekly.org (#872), with permission.
Connections: 1) Weekly reading-acting in a loving
manner towards your fellow Jew (Lev. 19:18). 2) Seasonal-138th Yahrzeit of the
Divrei Chayim.
Biographic note: Rabbi Chayim Halberstam of Sanz [of blessed memory: 25 Nissan 5553
- 25 Nissan 5636 (April 1793-April 1876 C.E.)] was the first Rebbe of the
Sanz-Klausenberg dynasty. He is famous for his extraordinary dedication to the
mitzvah of Tzeduka and also as a renowned Torah scholar; his voluminous and
wide-ranging writings were all published under the title Divrei Chayim.
A Palestinian Journey from Jail to Yeshiva by Rabbi Tilles http://ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=858-36
[I saw this on Arutz
Sheva* 3½ years ago and stored it, hoping that further developments would be
disclosed.
I never found any, nor did Prof. Google. Clearly his need for secrecy trumps alleviating our curiosity. --YT]
I never found any, nor did Prof. Google. Clearly his need for secrecy trumps alleviating our curiosity. --YT]
AS more details on the story of an Palestinian Authority Arab ex-con on his way to converting to Judaism are revealed, the more astonishing it becomes.
Yaniv Ben-David, an Arab from the PA territories and Haifa whose official name until recently was Busmon Abu-Ras, found Judaism and G-d while serving a 12-year term in prison. The full miraculous story has come out in three interviews, including one with Arutz-7 and another on Radio Kol Chai with the head of the Civil Administration, Brigadier General Yoav Mordechai, known as 'Poli.'
Yaniv's speech is liberally sprinkled with "May G-d's Name be blessed" and the like, as if he had grown up all his life in a traditional Sephardic neighborhood. But in actuality, his story is very different. Without getting into details, he explains that he became involved in criminal activity of which today he is very ashamed. Once in jail, no one in his family ever visited him. "My crime was not related to terrorism, Heaven forbid, chas veshalom," he says, "but I don't want to discuss it."
"Some of the Jews in prison with me," he relates, "began talking to me, and said things like, 'There's something special about you, something that doesn't seem to belong to that world that you came from... You seem to have a spark of Jewishness... Specifically, one very special guy began teaching me about Judaism, and little by little, I began to enter the world of holiness and Torah and the Chosen Nation, etc., may G-d's Name be blessed..."
At the same time, however, that he was undergoing changes in his religious outlook and identity, the prison authorities were preparing him for another change: Early release from jail, back into the areas of the Palestinian Authority - which terrified him because he knew many there would seek to kill him for his connections with Jews and Israelis.
Here's where Providence stepped in. Gen. Mordechai relates:
"I was driving shortly before midnight on Route 443 to Modiin where I live, when I saw a strange sight at the checkpoint, and I stopped. It seems everything is truly from Heaven. I saw this young man, Yaniv, crying and sobbing at the checkpoint, and he told me an amazing story - of how he had come close to Judaism while in prison, and how all his requests and pleas to be recognized as a former prisoner whose life would be endangered in the PA were turned down, including by the Supreme Court. I had trouble believing this, but I saw him quoting Biblical verses and all... Meanwhile, he was stuck at the checkpoint; the soldiers wouldn't let him cross, and he refused to enter the PA. I did some quick checking with the social worker in the prison and with the prison rabbi, and they said very complimentary things about him, such as that he had been released for good behavior, and how sincere he was... I had no immediate solution for him, but I was able to have him brought to a nearby IDF base for a couple of days, and then, after some not-simple struggles with the Shabak and other government bodies, we were able to find a place for him..."
Yaniv is now studying and living at a yeshiva in Jerusalem, whose name and location he will not disclose.
Both Gen. Mordechai and Yaniv do not cease to express their amazement at the Divine providence of the story. Yaniv said, "Poli is truly an agent of G-d, blessed be His Name, sent specifically to save me. He is a true tzaddik [righteous person]..." Asked what he would have done had Poli not happened by at that time, he said, "I would have waited there all night, and put on my tefillin in the morning..."
"I was standing there at the checkpoint, I saw two Palestinians coming close to me - I was afraid not only for my life, but even more that maybe they would take my tefillin! For them to take my holiness, the holiness of G-d, I couldn't take it! But I said, If G-d wants me to put on tefillin next to these Palestinians, I'll do it! I stood and screamed out, Shema Yisrael, Hear Israel, Hashem is our G-d, Hashem is One!"
"...And then G-d sent Poli to save me. I had already been rejected by all the courts, and I went to the synagogue and said, 'G-d, thank You for all you have given me - the good and the bad. If this is Your will, that I return and have to die for the Sanctification of Your Name, then I'll do it... But G-d sent Poli; G-d never abandons anyone who doesn't abandon Him, Blessed be His Name forever."
Yaniv, who is towards the end of his formal conversion process, says he does not know exactly when he will become an official Jew. "Meanwhile, I'm enjoying learning Talmud, praying, etc... When I pray the Amidah, it is not from this world; I see lights..." He acted as the gabbai (sexton) of the prison synagogue. "Gathering people for the prayers, setting up the prayer books - this is where I feel my holiness, this is my blood, this is my life, nothing else, may G-d's Name be blessed."
He related, as well, that he was forced to withstand many difficult situations in prison: "G-d sent me many tests, but I believe that, with His help, may He be blessed, I was able to stand up to them."
On the day of his release, the deputy commander of the prison, a Bedouin, wanted to cut off his sidelocks - customarily grown long by Hassidic and other religious Jews. "I told him, without fear: You can kill me, you can do anything you want - but no one will ever touch my peyot, my holiness. I didn't care about anything; it was unthinkable that I would lose my holiness, my sidelocks... How could it be that someone wanted to take my holiness!"
Yaniv related that when he first began to observe Jewish customs in jail, "there were some goyim there [Arab Muslims] who mocked me, and even threatened me. I couldn't understand those people, that nation: I find something for my soul, why should they care? ... But I was not afraid. I felt that I would rather die to sanctify G-d's name, than not be observant."
He said that he hopes to continue studying in Yeshiva, and in the future, to possibly give lectures about Judaism and Torah: "The Jewish people - for some reason, I just don't know why - many of these holy people don't observe G-d's will. I hope I can help them to truly return to G-d, and bring the Messiah - who is here, by the way; as soon as everyone observes two Sabbaths, he will be revealed... This is a very difficult generation, a very, very hard generation, G-d knows, there are very strong temptations. But the place in which stands someone who returns to G-d, even a righteous person cannot stand..."
"I want to tell all of Israel: Just like a convert loves G-d with all his heart - I do His will with all my heart, He performed great kindnesses for me, and I serve Him with all my essence, with perfect faith and with serenity, even though I went through many tests - so too G-d loves Israel... G-d took care of me. G-d never abandons anyone; we just have to try to perform His will; give Him an opening the size of a needle [as the Sages say - HF.] and He will open entire worlds for us...."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Source: Excerpted by Yerachmiel Tilles from an article by Hillel Fendel on November 1, 2010. © Copyright IsraelNationalNews.com
Miraculous Escape from Arab Snipers: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/180389#.U2sAL1dTTX8
Pernicious propaganda is often being drummed into our heads. I was
trying to listen to Gemara but at times in the gym there is a very slow
connection for my cellphone. I turned to watching the National Geographic
Channel on nature. The theme was the theory of evolution. The man presenting
the scientific argument among other things admitted that some of the
conclusions and theories are also logical guess work. He then took the
creationists arguments that the eye is complex and tried to tear them apart.
However, that would be good if the seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and
feeling were our only senses and systems but what about the nervous,
circulatory, endocrine, bone, heart-lungs complex, breathing vs. eating by the
same mouth, etc. This is no accident. Neither did Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zal
think it was an accident that the apple looks a certain way so that we leave
the core and the seeds alone and the watermelon from the green rind to white
division to red fruit and white seeds and he brought dozens of examples. We
have seen in my various commentaries over the years on Parsha Beresheis that most
modern biologists tend to agree from 150 years of evidence since Darwin that
species did not develop but suddenly appeared in increments. Even Professor
Yoel Barak of Tel Aviv University and the discoverer of the skull “Lucy” after
claiming that he had skulls the could evidence a “missing link” between man and
the chimpanzee had to give up on that theory even if he is not a believer in
G-D per sec.
The Christians using a mistranslation of Alma (young woman) giving
birth in Yeshaya 7:14 see the Hebrew and English http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt1007.htm
which is a far cry from the
Hebrew word for Virgin which is BESULA! The problem is that with a distortion
of the truth whether accidental or vicious is that the lie will catch up with
you. I am not disturbed by the fact that people can question what I say or
question even the Torah to honestly check out the truth. I am only disturbed if
the distortion or questioning is done with a goal or plan behind it. Last but
not least is the group J-Street which is run by a mixed multitude the type that
rebelled against Moshe Rabbaynu making every delegitimizing of everything that Israel
does possible. The sole purpose of the group is propaganda against Israel. They
are run by various atheists and people calling themselves progressive with the
goal of making the world like that of Shabbtai Tzvi and Yacov Frank. And if the
Reform pull out of AIPAC no great loss to the world in fact the opposite: http://www.jpost.com/Jewish-World/Jewish-News/National-Council-of-Jewish-Women-Union-of-Reform-Judaism-react-to-vote-to-exclude-J-Street-351327
Melech
David’s palace and fortress found: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4516954,00.html
The IDF
is more Charedi: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4516483,00.html
Israeli
Company reinvents the wheel chair to go on stairs. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/180222#.U2Y4eFdTTX9
New
residence and plane for PM http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4516006,00.html
From
Adele – Israeli Blood test for Cancer: http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-lab-develops-blood-test-to-detect-breast-cancer/
Besides
Naftali Bennett former Defense Minister and Chief of Staff supports
soldier: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/180205#.U2UyA1ed1_4
From my
cousin Ingrid: Last week Dr. Feuerstein passed away at the age of 93: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXopVpQwivY
For More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reuven_Feuerstein
Israeli
Presidential Race elected my Knesset Members: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4515933,00.html
The
Lubavitcher Rebbe talked regarding Siferos HaOmer and the power of the blessing
of a small child or an individual alone by himself in both this world and the
next: I picked this up from Yeshai
Fleischer. Yiddish with English Subtitles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3l75pRTRFk#t=43
Internal
Israeli Politics: http://www.israpundit.com/archives/63596309
Slapping
Netanyahu in the face for the terrorist release: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/180282#replies
From
Albert http://www.aish.com/h/iid/90073102.html
Rabbis
against funding by non-Jewish Donors: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/180401#.U2uJkFdTTX8
Inyanay Diyoma
Jewish
State or Secular State: http://israeltheviewfromhere.blogspot.co.il/2014/05/nations-with-religion-based.html
Still
they exist as a thorn in our side: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/180196#.U2UqS1ed1_4
Ukraine
has anti-Semites on one side and Cossack anti-Semites on the other 1 guess
where the Jews are in this conflict: http://debka.com/article/23890/Ukraine-slides-into-civil-war-amid-Merkel%E2%80%99s-bid-to-bridge-US-Russian-differences-Putin-resigns-responsibility
Mixing
signals on 2 State Solution: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4516269,00.html
Not
only Iran, Lebanon, Syria are State Sponsors of terror please add to the list
Pakistan which receives $2,500,000,000 in US taxpayer money each year. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/180267#.U2c0YldTTX8
A
little Mussar to his brother: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/180268#.U2dUGldTTX8
Iranian
tricks and bluffs but keeping the Jews hostage: http://debka.com/article/23892/High-ranking-Iranian-cleric-visits-Shiraz-synagogue-confirms-Biblical-version-of-Jewish-homeland-
Jews
gathering and ready to flee Odessa: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/180283#.U2eRPZtWHIU
All of
Ukraine’s 360,000 Jews considering moving to Israel: http://www.wnd.com/2014/05/jews-preparing-to-evacuate-ukraine/
Ed-op
Ben Dror Yemini is now in Yediot: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4516595,00.html
For Independence Day the Arabs said let’s
rock. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/180311#.U2hWTldTTX8
Besides
land fight, not paying their electric bills there is a water fight: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/180322#.U2jioFdTTX8
In a video released Monday, Islamist Boko Haram leader
Abubakar Shekau described the schoolgirls aged 14 to 16 as “slaves.” He
said: "I abducted your girls. I will send them in the market, by
Allah." Some of the girls were reported last week to have been forced to
marry their abductors, who paid a nominal bride price of $12. Others were said
to have been carried into neighboring Cameroon and Chad. These reports were not
verified.
Nigerian police said 53 girls had escaped. President Barack
Obama has been briefed several times on what the White House calls “an outrage
and terrible tragedy." http://debka.com/newsupdatepopup/8105/
A
Yemenite Rabbi claimed that he had a dream where Rav Ovadia Yosef Ztz”l
appeared to him and told him that by Yom HaAtzmaut there would be great
developments with Iran. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/180340#.U2msPFdTTX- Also on
Iran: http://debka.com/article/23894/An-Iranian-stealth-submarine-sinks-before-targeting-a-mock-US-carrier-in-an-a-naval-exercise
If you
did not think that J. Pollard was a victim of the US Intelligence People then
look at this false report: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4516895,00.html
I got this from Steve L. and I can't figure out what American
Jewry is waiting for it is coming: https://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/california-school-district-under-fire-for-holocaust-denial-assignment-153156708.html As much as I love the land of my birth this
is a symptom of something much more sinister. The intelligence community
blaming Israel for industrial spying. I guess we copied the Intel Chips, Waze,
Disc on Key, Cures for Diseases from the USA - I don't think so we have our own
brains - Iran and China have stolen stealth technology.
Assad
regains Homs after destroying house by house. http://debka.com/article/23896/Homs-falls-to-Assad-UN-Iranian-officers-secure-Syrian-rebels%E2%80%99-exit-after-Iranian-hostages-freed-in-Aleppo
I have the great privilege of attending a Pidyon HaBen of a
grandnephew on Friday Morning so I am distributing the Drasha early prior to
the Good Shabbos Story. Have a peaceful and blessed Shabbos,
Rachamim Pauli
