Parsha Bo
When we left off last week, the Barley and Flax crops were ruined
but the wheat was still young so the Egyptians would not have to go into their
grain stores and the economy could still prosper but less than would have been.
Why did it say last week in
the redemption “I will lay My hand upon Egypt, and bring forth My hosts” this
week, HASHEM is talking stronger and making a mockery of Mitzrayim.
10:1 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Go in unto
Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I
might show these My signs in the midst of them; 2 and
that thou may tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what I have
wrought upon Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them; that ye may know
that I am the LORD.'
Couldn’t Pharaoh just let the Bnei
Yisrael go or after a plague or two? Rather the whole 10 months of plagues was
for this goal to make a Kiddush HASHEM for generations until the end of the
world.
I
made a mockery: Heb. הִתְעַלַלְתִּי, I mocked, like
“Because you mocked (הִתְעַלַלְתִּי) me” (Num. 22:29);
“Will it not be just as He mocked (הִתְעַלֵל)
them” (I Sam. 6:6), stated in regard to Egypt. It is not an expression meaning
a “deed and acts (מַעִלָלִים),” however, for were
that so, He would have written עוֹלַלְתִּי,
like “and deal (וְעוֹלֵל) with them as You
have dealt (עוֹלַלְתָּ) with me” (Lam.
1:22); “which has been dealt (עוֹלֵל) to me” (Lam. 1:12).
HASHEM is avenging Yisrael and the
whole Pharaoh-god and gods of Mitzrayim is going to become a laughing stock
among the Bnei Yisrael and other nations.
3 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh,
and said unto him: 'Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews: How long wilt
thou refuse to humble thyself before Me? let My people go, that they may serve
Me.
To
humble yourself: Heb. לֵעָנֹת, as the Targum
[Onkelos] renders, לְאִתְכְּנָעָא, and it is derived
from עָנִי. You have refused to be humble and meek
before Me.
4 Else, if thou refuse to let My people go,
behold, to-morrow will I bring locusts into thy border; 5 and they shall cover
the face of the earth, that one shall not be able to see the earth; and they
shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remains unto you from the
hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you out of the field;
The
view of the earth: Heb. עֵין הָאָרֶץ, the view of the
earth. And no one will be able: Heb. יוּכַל
lit., and will not be able. The seer [will not be able] to see the earth, but
[the text] speaks briefly.
6 and thy houses shall be filled, and the
houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; as neither thy
fathers nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon
the earth unto this day.' And he turned, and went out from Pharaoh.
There are commentators that say
the plague of the swarms of locusts in the days of Yoel were worst. However,
now when combined with 7 previous plagues was more grievous upon the land of
Egypt. One thing is sure and that is up until this time the Egyptians have
never had such a plague of locusts.
7 And Pharaoh's servants said unto him: 'How
long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the
LORD their God, knows thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?'
We have problems with the G-D of
this man so let him worship his G-D already and let us be rid of the anger of
his G-D.
8 And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto
Pharaoh; and he said unto them: 'Go, serve the LORD your God; but who are they
that shall go?' 9 And Moses said: 'We will go with our young and with our old,
with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds we
will go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD.' 10 And he said unto them: 'So
be the LORD with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones; see ye that
evil is before your face. 11 Not so; go now ye that are men, and serve the
LORD; for that is what ye desire.' And they were driven out from Pharaoh's
presence.
These Bnei Yisrael people have
Chutzpa to request that all them walk three days into the wilderness.
12 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Stretch out
thy hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the
land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath
left.' 13 And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the
LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all the night; and
when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. 14 And the locusts went
up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the borders of Egypt; very
grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither
after them shall be such.
Rashi explains that there was a
border dispute between Egypt and where modern
Sudan is today and perhaps Libya. The borders of Egypt were now defined and barren of green leaves or stalks.
Sudan is today and perhaps Libya. The borders of Egypt were now defined and barren of green leaves or stalks.
15 For they covered the face of the whole
earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land,
and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left; and there remained not
any green thing, either tree or herb of the field, through all the land of
Egypt. 16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said: 'I
have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. 17 Now therefore
forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat the LORD your God,
that He may take away from me this death only.'
This is Teshuva out of fear and
genuine. I have sinned – forgive. However, it is not true Teshuva as soon as
the fear and dread is gone, Pharaoh returns to his former ways.
18 And he went out from Pharaoh, and entreated
the LORD. 19 And the LORD turned an exceeding strong west wind, which took up
the locusts, and drove them into the Red Sea; there remained not one locust in
all the border of Egypt.
The next plague come unannounced
and is more dramatic than the previous.
20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and
he did not let the children of Israel go.
Pharaoh sins and his repentances
is insincere so the next plague befalls them.
21 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Stretch out
thy hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even
darkness which may be felt.'
This was no ordinary darkness. The
Medrash says it came out of Gehennom as it could be felt!
22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward
heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days; 23
they saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days; but
all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
The first three days they did not
see but the second three days they did not move from their place and the
darkness was thick. I like the idea of a Stromboli super-volcanic explosion
sending ash and dust up through Mitzrayim.
24 And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said:
'Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed; let your
little ones also go with you.' 25 And Moses said: 'Thou must also give into our
hand sacrifices and burnt-offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our
God. 26 Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not a hoof be left
behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not
with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither.' 27 But the LORD
hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go. 28 And Pharaoh said
unto him: 'Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in
the day thou see my face thou shalt die.' 29 And Moses said: 'Thou hast spoken
well; I will see thy face again no more.'
You
have spoken correctly: You have spoken appropriately, and you have spoken at
the right time. It is true that I shall no longer see your face. — [from
Mechilta on Exod. 12:31]
Moshe would not plead anymore
before Pharaoh it will be Pharaoh who searches for Moshe when his son dies and
therefore Moshe never had to see Pharaoh again.
11:1 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Yet one
plague more will I bring upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let
you go hence; when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence
altogether. 2 Speak now in the ears of the people, and let them ask every man
of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver, and jewels
of gold.'
Please,
speak-: Heb. דַבֶּר-נָא is only an expression
of request. [The verse is saying] I ask you to warn them about this, [i.e., to
ask their neighbors for vessels] so that the righteous man, Abraham, will not
say He fulfilled with them [His promise] “and they will enslave them and
oppress them” (Gen. 15:13), but He did not fulfill with them “afterwards they
will go forth with great possessions” (Gen. 15:14). — [from Ber. 9a] I
3 And the LORD gave the people favor in the
sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of
Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people.
They feared HASHEM so much that
nobody would refuse the Bnei Yisrael so as not to get the wrath of G-D.
4 And Moses said: 'Thus says the LORD: About
midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt;
Moses said, So said the Lord: When he stood before Pharaoh, this prophecy was said to him, for
after he [Moses] left his [Pharaoh’s] presence, he did not see his face
[again]. — [from Exod. Rabbah 18:1, Mishnath Rabbi Eliezer ch. 19] At the dividing point of the night: Heb. כַּחֲצֹתהַלַיְלָה,
when the night is divided. כַּחֲצֹת
is like “when the meal offering was offered up (כַּעֲלוֹת)
” (II Kings 3:20); [and like]
“when their anger was kindled (בַּחֲרוֹת)
against us” (Ps. 124:3). This is its simple meaning, which fits its context
that חֲצֹת is not a noun denoting a half. Our Rabbis,
however, interpreted it like כַּחֲצִי הַלַיְלָה,
at about midnight [lit., half the night], and they said that Moses said כַּחִצֹת, about midnight, meaning near it
[midnight], either before it or after it, but he did not say בַּחֲצֹת, at midnight, lest Pharaoh’s astrologers err and [then] say,
“Moses is a liar,” but the Holy One, blessed be He, Who knows His times and His
seconds, said בַּחִצוֹת, at midnight. — [from
Ber. 3b]
It is written about for even if
the astrologers could tell the time precisely like an atomic clock with a
calculated GPS at that place for that date they might still have a clock or
human error. We have in FL a Minyan in Kahall Chassidim that davens Netz and
they have a chart from the Naval Observatory in Washington what time is sunrise
for North Miami Beach. They go to 100ths of a second. Still there is r so
certainly in the time of Moshe there was an error.
5 and all the first-born in the land of Egypt
shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sits upon his throne, even unto
the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill; and all the
first-born of cattle. 6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land
of Egypt, such as there hath been none like it, nor shall be like it any more.
This goes back to 4:22 when Moshe
said in Hashem’s NAME that Yisrael was the first born.
7 But against any of the children of Israel
shall not a dog whet his tongue, against man or beast; that ye may know how
that the LORD does put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. 8 And all
these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down unto me, saying: Get
thee out, and all the people that follow thee; and after that I will go out.'
And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.
We will not ask anymore to go but
you will throw us out of your land and the L-RD will forbid your return (But
still there was a Mikdash built in Alexandria before it too was destroyed).
9 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Pharaoh will
not hearken unto you; that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.'
10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the LORD
hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of
his land.
He did not heed the warning and
just as well for they borrowed silver and gold never to be returned.
12:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron
in the land of Egypt, saying: 2 'This month shall be unto you the beginning of
months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.
Even before we were a nation, we
had a calendar to calculate holidays and other Moadim such as birthdays.
3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of
Israel, saying: In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every
man a lamb, according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household; 4 and
if the household be too little for a lamb, then shall he and his neighbor next
unto his house take one according to the number of the souls; according to every
man's eating ye shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be
without blemish, a male of the first year; ye shall take it from the sheep, or
from the goats;
According to Meseches Pessachim,
somewhere between 35 males to 50 males or if families people were needed for
the Korban Pessach which was eaten after the Korban Chaggiga.
6 and ye shall keep it unto the fourteenth day
of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall SLAUGHTER it at dusk. 7 And they shall take of the
blood, and put it on the two side-posts and on the lintel, upon the houses
wherein they shall eat it.
This was only for Pessach
Mitzrayim and not every generation.
8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night,
roast with fire, and unleavened bread; with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9
Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; its head
with its legs and with the inwards thereof. 10 And ye shall let nothing of it
remain until the morning; but that which remains of it until the morning ye
shall burn with fire. 11 And thus shall ye eat it: with your loins girded, your
shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in
haste--it is the LORD'S Passover. 12 For I will go through the land of Egypt in
that night, and will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man
and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the
LORD. 13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye
are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and there shall no plague
be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. 14 And this day
shall be unto you for a memorial, and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD;
throughout your generations ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.
15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; howbeit the first day ye shall put
away leaven out of your houses; for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the
first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. 16 And
in the first day there shall be to you a holy convocation, and in the seventh
day a holy convocation; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that
which every man must eat, that only may be done by you. 17 And ye shall observe
the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your
hosts out of the land of Egypt; therefore shall ye observe this day throughout
your generations by an ordinance for ever. 18 In the first month, on the
fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the
one and twentieth day of the month at even. 19 Seven days shall there be no
leaven found in your houses; for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, that
soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a
sojourner, or one that is born in the land. 20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened;
in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.'
21 Then Moses called for all the elders of
Israel, and said unto them: 'Draw out, and take you lambs according to your
families, and kill the passover lamb. 22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop,
and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two
side-posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out of
the door of his house until the morning. 23 For the LORD will pass through to
smite the Egyptians; and when He seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the
two side-posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the
destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. 24 And ye shall observe
this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever. 25 And it shall
come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you,
according as He hath promised, that ye shall keep this service. 26 And it shall
come to pass, when your children shall say unto you: What mean ye by this
service? 27 that ye shall say: It is the sacrifice of the LORD'S Passover, for
that He passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when He
smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses.' And the people bowed the head
and worshipped. 28 And the children of Israel went and did so; as the LORD had
commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. 29 And it came to pass at midnight,
that the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the first-born
of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the first-born of the captive that was
in the dungeon; and all the first-born of cattle. 30 And Pharaoh rose up in the
night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great
cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. 31 And he
called for Moses and Aaron by night and said: 'Rise up, get you forth from
among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as
ye have said. 32 Take both your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be
gone; and bless me also.' 33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, to
send them out of the land in haste; for they said: 'We are all dead men.' 34
And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading-troughs
being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders. 35 And the children of
Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they asked of the Egyptians
jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment. 36 And the
LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them
have what they asked. And they despoiled the Egyptians.
The people were used to working
but in a controlled slave economy something similar to a welfare society. They
did not worry about food but were supplied for their work watermelons,
cucumbers, grain etc. Now they were free people but had to worry about their
future and plan for their daily destiny.
37 And the children of
Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on
foot, beside children. 38 And a mixed multitude went up also
with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.
39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the
dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because
they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared
for themselves any victual. 40 Now the time that the children of
Israel dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years.
This was from the original Bris
between the pieces 30 years before Yitzchak was born. The 400 years mentioned
is the time when Yitzchak was born. The 210 years mentioned was from the time
Yacov went down into Egypt. The simple math is Yitzchak was 60 when Yacov was
born and Yacov was 130 when he went down to Egypt. Thus 190 years prior to the
stay in Egypt is removed from the 400 years.
41 And it came to pass at the end of four
hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the
host of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.
Lot was in Israel first and was
doing business with the peoples living in Eretz Yisrael and explains his
capture in Sodom before reqired.
42 It was a night of watching unto the LORD
for bringing them out from the land of Egypt; this same night is a night of
watching unto the LORD for all the children of Israel throughout their
generations.
Where other peoples have failed
and been destroyed like the Assyrians, Babylonians, original Persians, Greeks
and Macedonians, Romans, etc. the nation of Israel has survived because of the
generational bond between the elders and the children and perhaps grandchildren
or more generations on the night of the Seder. The USA has a similar holiday
with thanksgiving but it is not a prerequisite that the family stays together
for the holiday.
43 And the LORD said unto
Moses and Aaron: 'This is the ordinance of the Passover: there shall no alien
eat thereof;
The Korban Pessach shall not be
eaten by a non-Yisrael under the penalty of death. This is why the Beis Din
hurries to approve a lot of converts just before Pessach more than any other
holiday. There is an exception and that is the “slave” which is al pe Torah a
servant purchased and sent to the Mikvah and circumcised so if freed will be a
full Yisrael. For example a female servant can receive a Get of freedom and the
master or his son or cousin or brother can marry her or the male servant with
his daughter or sister.
44 but every man's servant that is bought for
money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.
However:
45 A sojourner and a hired servant shall not
eat thereof. 46 In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not
carry forth aught of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break
a bone thereof. 47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.
48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep
the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him
come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land; but no
uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.
A full convert to Judaism can
offer up a Korban. An uncircumcised Cohain cannot!
49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn,
and unto the stranger that sojourns among you.' 50 Thus did all
the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. 51 And it came to pass the selfsame day that the LORD did bring the
children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts.
The date of the birth of Yitzchak
for up until this day it was not considered that Avraham had seed. So no seed
could be a servant in the land of Egypt.
13:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2
'Sanctify unto Me all the first-born, whatsoever opens the womb among the
children of Israel, both of man and of beast, it is Mine.'
This is a Parsha of the Tephillin
and the mitzvah of Pidyon HaBen.
… 6 Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened
bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD. 7 Unleavened bread
shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be
seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee, in all thy
borders.
The Mitzvah is not to see or have
leaven in the house or in any of ones possessions.
8 And thou shalt tell thy son in that day,
saying: It is because of that which the LORD did for me when I came forth out
of Egypt.
What HASHEM has done for me! We
say both to the Chacham Son and the Rasha Son. The Chacham to teach him the
laws of the Pessach and the Rasha to say for me but if he was there in Egypt he
would not have been redeemed. Why are we so harsh with this son? To give the
hysterical non-observer a slap in the face to wake him up out of his stupor and
bring him back to reality.
9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon
thy hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the law of the LORD may
be in thy mouth; for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of
Egypt.
This is the hint to wearing of the
Parsha in the Tephillin
10 Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in
its season from year to year.
Even in deep basements and secret
cellars in Spain and Portugal or in the Concentration Camps.
11 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring
thee into the land of the Canaanite, as He swore unto thee and to thy fathers,
and shall give it thee, 12 that thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that
opens the womb; every firstling that is a male, which thou hast coming of a
beast, shall be the LORD'S. 13 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem
with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck;
and all the first-born of man among thy sons shalt thou redeem. 14 And it shall
be when thy son asks thee in time to come, saying: What is this? that thou
shalt say unto him: By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt,
from the house of bondage;
These are the questions of the Tam
and the one who does not even know how to ask.
15 and it came to pass, when Pharaoh would
hardly let us go that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt,
both the first-born of man, and the first-born of beast; therefore I sacrifice
to the LORD all that opens the womb, being males; but all the first-born of my
sons I redeem. 16 And it shall be for a sign upon thy hand, and for frontlets
between thine eyes; for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of
Egypt.'
Tu B’ Shevat is coming: http://www.aish.com/h/15sh/?s=nb
https://www.ou.org/judaism-101/bh-yom-yom/shevat/
https://www.ou.org/holidays/tu-bshevat/tu_bshevat/ http://torah.org/learning/yomtov/tubshvat/
Learning: http://www.yeshiva.co/midrash/shiur.asp?id=12997 Laws and customs: http://www.chabad.org/kabbalah/article_cdo/aid/379846/jewish/Tu-BShevat-Basics.htm
What Yose (Yossi?) and Jim knew and the CIA and FBI did not!
As told to me by Murray Dunst and Gerry Garson
Yose worked for the
Mossad and before the first bombing of the World Trade Center met with his
American Counterpart. He informed them that the Mossad had information that the
WTC was going to be bombed. Nothing was done and little damage to the WTC. A
second time he came and warned the Americans about the airplane attacks. Did they
do anything prior to 9/11- you can answer than yourself.
Jim H. was a Mobil
Oil Representative in Indonesia. He even met in the course of his business a
Mr. Soetoto step-father to a very popular personality in the Democratic Party. When
the first plane went into the first tower of the World Trade Center, Jim called
up Mobil Oil. He said that a second plane was headed for the second tower.
Within 10 minutes before the plane hit the second town, Mobil had all their oil
facilities and refineries under lock-down.
Many deaths in the second tower and that of fire and policemen could
have been averted if this procedure was in place for the second tower. All
Mobil staff was told to get as far from the twin towers as possible. Somebody
was asleep on the job somewhere in the security agencies of the USA that day!
Did the
Mossad try to sabotage Netanyahu? Or is a Kerry Bubba Meiser? : http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/190349#.VMEgpcscTIU
For young
men and women looking to get married the 7 questions to ask: http://www.aish.com/d/w/7-Questions-to-Ask-Before-Getting-Married.html
From
Malkah Fleisher: Yeshai Fleisher talks to an injured US Vet who volunteers for
the IDF: http://www.voiceofisrael.com/israel-call-captain-america/
Rabbi
disproves atheism, Islam and the Christian Messiah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPmmOU9K_ac
Benyamin
Netanyahu tries to bribe the voters with a minimum salary raise after the
Knesset has had 5 or 6 raises since the last one. Tzippy Hatovely and Dichter
fight for 20th place as the Likud Court rules either a total recount
or remove somebody from one of the reserved spots as the two are close in votes
with Hatovely ahead,
Baruch
Dayan Ha Emmes. http://www.vosizneias.com/191642/2015/01/18/harford-md-facebukerrebbe-heading-to-kiruv-convention-dies-in-maryland-car-accident/
From Rachel:
Two days before the wedding and my brain is overwhelmed with love and
excitement. It's one day after the passing of Dovid Winiarz, one of the people to whom I credit my Jewish identity, Jewish
continuity and my family, and I am beginning to accept that he's gone- despite
myself. Dovid was one of the few people who called me Rachey- and got a way with it! He was my JPSY (Jewish Public School Youth) madrich/ advisor in high school. At 14, I knew everything there was to know- until he, and a few others, allowed me to understand that I did not. He accepted me as an opinionated, they're- no-better-than-me teen, and supported me before I became religious and after. Becoming observant was not a prerequisite for our friendship and I was awestruck by that. He was one of the first Orthodox coreligionists I'd met that not only saw the Jewish chip on my shoulder, but moved past it and helped me move forward with it. After I got married, we would joke that my children were his "grandkids." I called him Reb Dovid after he became a real grandpa for the first time and was met with a joking, "Why are you calling me Reb? I had a grandchild and you made a rabbi?"
I can hear him telling me to focus on Esti, to enjoy the simcha/ happiness, to focus on the things he hoped I'd one day experience. I can hear him telling me that he is just fine- "Why are you worried about me- I'm with my dad, my father-in-law and closer to the Kisei HaKavod ("G-d's throne") than I've ever been! Go enjoy Rachey... Go. And I'll put in a good word to your parents!"
So Dovid, real or imagined, I hear you and I'll do what I'm pretty sure you'd want me to. I know you got the wedding invitation (you told me- for real real!) so you know the big day is around the corner. I knew you wouldn't be able to be there, but perhaps now you'll have a bird's eye view. This time I'm the mother of the bride, no longer the bride at whose wedding you said a bracha/blessing; no making fun of me for getting old(er) though! Just know that I am, we all are, indebted to you for your love and patience and concern and above all, your respect.
I'll grieve for years, but its time to celebrate and be truly happy. And I know Dovid, you wouldn't want it any other way.
Please help his family, he leaves behind a
loving wife and 10 children, seven still too young to marry...
From
Miriam Esther E. I am shocked and extremely saddened
to hear this news. What a tragedy. Dovid is one of the most joyful people I
have ever met and he was always helpful to everyone. I will miss him more than
words can express.
As for me, he helped me in guiding the potential
converts to Orthodox areas and answered many of their questions on east coast
time. He was a tremendous help and replaced me as a guide to the Lashon HaRa
group.
Mother eulogizes son: http://www.vosizneias.com/191766/2015/01/19/staten-island-ny-mother-eulogizes-son-as-hundreds-attend-funeral-of-dovid-winiarz/
This
could have been a win-win situation instead of what looks like a lose-lose
situation. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/190387#.VMIVlMscTIU
Inyanay Diyoma
I thought
that this was worth reading about politics: What makes ex Mossad Chiefs and IDF
Generals run? http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/16160#.VLgDxHtRfHU
Europe
starts the first steps in a reaction against terror but this is step one out of
many. http://debka.com/article/24345/Europe-rounds-up-25-jihadi-suspects-Crackdown-hamstrung-by-lack-of-counterterrorism-center
Prior to
the targeted attack this week Hezballah threatens the Galil: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/189999#.VLuetMscTIX
ISIS cell
exposed in Israel: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4616229,00.html
Heballah
on the Golan gets helicopter gun ship greetings: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4616368,00.html Senior Hezballah killed: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/190115#.VLvjd8scTIU
Martin
Sherman sent me this and just from the title I liked it. http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Into-the-Fray-Sisi-or-ISIS-387929
Charlie
Hebdo Best excuse to torch a church or two: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4616040,00.html
Ben Dror Yemini a problem with Islam (Fundamentalism) http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/190115#.VLvjd8scTIU
The Yeshuvim on the northern border go on the alert following the removal of senior Hamas Leaders on the Golan: http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Hezbollah-will-find-it-hard-to-show-restraint-after-Golan-attack-top-Israeli-ex-general-says-388200
Sounds very suspicious the death of the Argentine Prosecutor. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/190146#.VLzV8sscTIU
It was an
Iranian General Ali Allah Dari and soldiers with Hezballah big wigs trying to
open a second front on the Golan: http://debka.com/article/24348/Israeli-helicopters-targeted-6-Hizballah-and-Iranian-officers-as-warning-that-Golan-is-out-of-bounds
Date line
Rosh Chodesh Shevat: I had just woken up from by jet-lag sleep for morning
prayers when I opened up the radio. As I was listening how Netanyahu who had
about 5 or 6 salary raises while the working man got none all of a sudden
before the election wants to raise the minimum and essentially all wages in a
special meeting of the Knesset. Suddenly the report was interrupted by an
announcement of shots being fired under the Maariv Bridge. As I showered I
heard of a stabbing on a bus.
As the
morning progressed I heard of a total of 19 injured 4 in critical condition and
4 with moderate wound with some of the injured treated for shock.
The
terrorists stabbed the driver as he drove underneath the Bridge despite his
injuries and inability to use his gun, Herzl Biton stopped the bus and opened
the doors for people to flee including some critically wounded people. Two
policeman bringing prisoners for arraignment were behind the bus and so the
terrorist with the bloody knife and shot him. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4617449,00.html
Northern
Section of Route 4 on the coast closed as well as Medulla area border roads and
iron dome moved north as tension is high: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4617351,00.html
Analysis
Nazrallah will respond: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4617312,00.html
Israel did not want to target the Iranian General and his staff an
added but dangerous benefit: The object was to set up a missile attack base.
http://debka.com/article/24352/Israel’s-climb-down-over-Golan-air-strike-We-didn’t-know-Hizballah’s-convoy-carried-high-Iranian-officers
Bedouin
riot in the south: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4617399,00.html
Around
the Kibbutz Minara and Ramat Naphtali there was suspicious action on behalf of
Hezballah for a few hours the people were in lock down in their houses until it
was determined that no terrorist penetrated the fence. In any event the alert
without lock down continues and people waiting on the road were allowed to go
home. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/190278#.VL__TcscTIU
While
Obama is trying his best to keep Netanyahu out of office, the Republicans are
boosting Israel against Iran and giving him a platform. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/190293
The
hero who saved the bus driver's life and many passengers an eighth
grade boy with guts. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4617582,00.html
Ed-op:
Oops so sorry we won: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4617050,00.html
Boycott
of Russia and Egypt a blow to the US Arms industry and S-400 missiles to Iran
thanks to the Administration: http://debka.com/article/24354/Sophisticated-Russian-S-400-missiles-for-Iran-under-new-military-pact-S-300s-for-Egypt-Syria-Hizballah-
Well look
at this a missile that can hit the USA: http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-tv-shows-iranian-missile-that-can-reach-far-beyond-europe/#.VMDBxbGchpA.facebook
After the
prosecutor mysteriously dies with foot and finger prints and no gun powder on
his fingers for a suicide and anti-Semitic attack in Argentina thanks to Lee: http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Israeli-tourists-hurt-in-hours-long-anti-Semitic-attack-in-Argentina-388517
ISIS
trying to become ISIL and remove the PA and Hamas as Hamas tries to team up
with Hezballah against Israel. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/190384#.VMIRpsscTIU
Defensive
driving is taught in the USA and offensive driving is taught by terrorists: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/190363#.VMIUucscTIU
Heavy
equipment is digging up a massive hole where tunneling from Lebanon was heard
in the past to prevent a surprise tunnel attack. A woman from a Moshav on the
border and others are scared out of their wits for possible terror attack on
their homes. The IDF is there in mass and more troops have ben brought up to
the border. As you can read Nazrallah is under pressure to reply to the Israeli
attack. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4618164,00.html
The death of an Iranian
general on the Golan gave US Senators’ Iran sanctions bills military muscle: http://debka.com/article/24356/The-death-of-an-Iranian-general-on-the-Golan-gave-US-Senators’-Iran-sanctions-bills-military-muscle
Now for Matis Wolfberg’s Good Shabbos Stories “Rush in to do
Mitzvos” and “To Fill in”
Good
Shabbos Everyone. In this week’s parsha Vaiera, the Torah tells us how Hashem promises
to redeem the Bnai Yisroel from slavery in Egypt. Hashem tells us and I will
take you for a Nation (6:7) The Ibn Ezra explains that the Bnai Yisroel will
become a nation when they received the Torah at Har Sinai. Thus we see that the
only thing that makes us Hashem’s people is our observance of the Torah.
Rabbi Betzallel Shif, the founder of the Ohr Simcha school in Kfar Chabad that has taught thousands of underprivileged Israeli children still has a broken sword somewhere in his house with an interesting story connected to it.
Some fifty years ago the day before Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) the Rabbi was in the airport terminal of Tebilsi (Capital of Georgia- Gruzia) waiting to check in for the flight to Kiev where he had hoped to spend the holiest day of the year with his family. He suddenly discovered that he had somehow misplaced his flight ticket. He left the line, searched his pockets and suitcases but found nothing.
He would have to spend the night in the airport hotel and hope that through some miracle he could catch a plane out the next morning. He was given a small two bed room in the terminal hotel, slept restlessly and woke at dawn to discover that someone else, who had probably missed a plane after his, was sleeping in the other bed. He quietly put on his Talis and Tefillin and faced the corner and prayed the Morning Prayer as silently as possible.
But when he finished he was unpleasantly surprised to see that his 'roommate' had woken and was sitting in a chair, fully dressed in an army uniform, staring at him intently. In Communist Russia this only spelled trouble. The marks on his uniform indicated that he was a colonel.
The colonel asked the Rabbi what he was doing. The Rabbi explained and as he was talking he noticed that the officer's eyes were red and a stream of tears ran down one of his cheeks. When the Rabbi finished explaining, the colonel blew his nose, dried his eyes and asked...if he could put on the Tefillin as well!
Rabbi Shif gave him the Tefillin and Talis, helped the colonel to put them on and after he finished praying and returned the religious items, he shook the Rabbi's hand and asked if he needed anything. Of course Rabbi Shif explained that he desperately needed a flight to Kiev.
The colonel told the Rabbi to follow him, took him outside, led the way to the airfield past several check points to a huge transport plane. He approached a soldier that was apparently standing guard, said a few words to him, turned to Rabbi Shif and said, "Tell this soldier where you want to go and he'll make sure they take you there. Just please do me a favor and give me your address before you leave."
Rabbi Shif gave the colonel his address, boarded the plane and made it home in time for Yom Kippur where the story of how he got there became the talk of the day.
Months passed and he almost forgot the entire incident until just a week before Pesach (Passover) some six months later, there was a knock on his door and when opened it there stood the colonel! They shook hands then hugged each other warmly. Rabbi Shif invited him in and he was straight to the point.
"Rabbi, I want you to return home with me and show my two children and wife what a real Passover Seder night is like. I know what you are thinking, I can assure you that my wife children are Jewish. But neither of us know anything. I mean, I do remember a little but you are a real Rabbi. We will do what you ask us. Money is no problem. What do you say?" But Rabbi Shif had to refuse saying he couldn't leave his old mother alone for Passover. When the Colonel heard this he again almost burst into tears.
"OY! Your mother! Oy! Because I didn't honor my parents they suffered so!" and he began to tell his sad story. He had been born and bred in a Chabad Chassidic family. His grandfather had been a well-known, gifted Chassid by the name of Rabbi Peretz Chein, and his parents who had great hopes for him, gave him the same name. They were sure he, too, would be a Chabad Chassid; devoted to making the world a better place according to the Torah, like his grandfather.
But it wasn't to be. When pogroms struck the big cities and his family had to flee to the suburbs where there weren't so many Jews, he became distant from Judaism and close with a lot of gentiles, especially a fellow his age called Peter.
Peter's grandfather had been a ranking officer in the Czar's navy, and his goal in life was to be just like him and, unfortunately he eventually got Peretz enthused as well. Peretz's parents protested but they were helpless. Together he and Peter enlisted in the navy and began to rise up in the ranks until both became officers, each receiving a coveted golden handled sword made of the finest tempered steel.
The sword became Peretz's pride and joy to the point that several times a year he would return home in full uniform, his glistening sword dangling from his side and strut about like a rooster showing off his uniform, shiny high boots and sword to the Chassidim who pretended to be interested but in fact couldn't have cared less. But all this was in total rebellion against his parent's wishes; they begged him not to join the navy and pleaded with him to leave as soon as possible, but he ignored them.
Each time he returned home all the Chassidim tried to just say hello and be friendly so as not to drive him away but finally one Chassid by the name of Itzic Raskin couldn't hold himself back. "What is that stupid sword doing on you?" he shouted at Peretz in front of everyone.
"Aren't you ashamed?! The grandson of Peretz Chein with a sword? Phhheh!" Peretz left the room blazing with anger and at that moment decided he would cut the cord. He had been shamed!! He changed his name to Pheter, stopped doing all the commandments and resolved to erase his 'useless' Jewish identity.
But a catastrophe brought him back... Years later, after he and his friend Peter rose to the level of majors they got a pleasant surprise; it was announced that Stalin (cursed be he) was going to make a personal visit to their base. Of course everyone worked feverishly to polish and prepare every inch of the place for 'Father Stalin' but then, unexplainably, Pheter's good friend Peter disappeared for over a week. Pheter asked around for an explanation but the only one given was that he had been drafted for a top secret job.
The days passed and one day before the awaited visit, a group of KGB agents visited the base which was routine before such an important occasion. They began questioning the officers one by one in private but when it came Pheter's turn things turned a bit sour. They began telling him details of his life that no one knew, except for his friend Peter.
Obviously they just wanted to show him who was boss. There was nothing in their tone that was incriminating or unfriendly but it was certainly embarrassing. Peter had betrayed their friendship! Pheter went to his room, thought about what happened and began to get angry. After all he had done for Mother Russia! For the navy, was this a way to be treated? Who needs this crazy government?!
Suddenly the words of Itzic Raskin rang in his ears "What is that stupid sword doing on you? Aren't you ashamed? The grandson of Peretz Chein with a sword? Phhheh !"
In a fit of insanity he pulled out the sword, stuck it deeply into the wooden floor and pushed it to a side until it broke almost in half. Then he took the unbroken half and began hacking away madly against a metal pipe in his room until it was dull, chipped and almost useless and his anger subsided. Suddenly a whistle blew! Stalin was here! Pheter, came to himself, put the half-sword back in it's sheath, put on his white dress coat, straightened it out and rushed out the door, his high leather boots clicking loudly as he went. But when he arrived in the greeting room Stalin wasn't there, only the KGB agents...and Peter.
They read aloud, "The following officers will follow us for intensive interrogation." And they read out five names, one of which was Pheter's." The Admiral of the base stepped forward and angrily shouted at the agents. "What do you want from these men!? Do you want to ruin our navy?! These are the best men in the service! They are loyal soldiers of Mother Russia and devoted party members! What is their crime?!!?"
"Their crime?" said the KGB agent, looking knowingly at Peter as the other agents put their hands on their gun holsters, "Their crime is...Conspiracy to murder Comrade Stalin!!" But the Admiral did not lose his composure. He angrily replied, "Nonsense! Pure nonsense! And tell me, comrade, tell us all, how, in your imagination did they plan to carry out this crime?"
"How?" Replied the agent with a smirk. "With THIS!" he exclaimed as he approached Pheter, deftly pulled Pheter's sword from its sheath and held it up victoriously. He narrowed his eyes as he hissed at Pheter. "You thought no one would suspect your sword didn't you?!"
But suddenly he felt that something was wrong, he looked at what he was holding in his hand and gasped. "No one could kill anyone with such a sword! The Admiral yelled angrily." "No, no!" The KGB agent tried to think fast and justify himself. "This criminal, he knew we suspected him! That's why he broke the sword." "Fool!" Yelled the Admiral, "If he really had such a stupid plan and really thought you suspected him then he wouldn't have brought his sword at all, would he!? Now get out!"
Pheter (now Peretz again) continued, "It was a miracle! And the shouted words of that Chassid Raskin saved me! On that day I decided to return to Judaism but I didn't know how. I simply kept putting it off for years until I saw you back then in the airport I knew it was another miracle.
Pheter was in constant contact with Rabbi Shif from then on. He changed his name back to Peretz and returned totally to Judaism and, as a sign of appreciation, gave Rabbi Shif his broken sword as a present. After the iron curtain fell he moved with his family to Florida and the two of them are still in close contact.
Torah and Mitzvahs are our marching orders as Jews. Even though Jews may been involved in all sorts of philanthropic and political causes and movements, it is the Torah alone which continues to guide us as a Nation. Good Shabbos Everyone.
Rabbi Betzallel Shif, the founder of the Ohr Simcha school in Kfar Chabad that has taught thousands of underprivileged Israeli children still has a broken sword somewhere in his house with an interesting story connected to it.
Some fifty years ago the day before Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) the Rabbi was in the airport terminal of Tebilsi (Capital of Georgia- Gruzia) waiting to check in for the flight to Kiev where he had hoped to spend the holiest day of the year with his family. He suddenly discovered that he had somehow misplaced his flight ticket. He left the line, searched his pockets and suitcases but found nothing.
He would have to spend the night in the airport hotel and hope that through some miracle he could catch a plane out the next morning. He was given a small two bed room in the terminal hotel, slept restlessly and woke at dawn to discover that someone else, who had probably missed a plane after his, was sleeping in the other bed. He quietly put on his Talis and Tefillin and faced the corner and prayed the Morning Prayer as silently as possible.
But when he finished he was unpleasantly surprised to see that his 'roommate' had woken and was sitting in a chair, fully dressed in an army uniform, staring at him intently. In Communist Russia this only spelled trouble. The marks on his uniform indicated that he was a colonel.
The colonel asked the Rabbi what he was doing. The Rabbi explained and as he was talking he noticed that the officer's eyes were red and a stream of tears ran down one of his cheeks. When the Rabbi finished explaining, the colonel blew his nose, dried his eyes and asked...if he could put on the Tefillin as well!
Rabbi Shif gave him the Tefillin and Talis, helped the colonel to put them on and after he finished praying and returned the religious items, he shook the Rabbi's hand and asked if he needed anything. Of course Rabbi Shif explained that he desperately needed a flight to Kiev.
The colonel told the Rabbi to follow him, took him outside, led the way to the airfield past several check points to a huge transport plane. He approached a soldier that was apparently standing guard, said a few words to him, turned to Rabbi Shif and said, "Tell this soldier where you want to go and he'll make sure they take you there. Just please do me a favor and give me your address before you leave."
Rabbi Shif gave the colonel his address, boarded the plane and made it home in time for Yom Kippur where the story of how he got there became the talk of the day.
Months passed and he almost forgot the entire incident until just a week before Pesach (Passover) some six months later, there was a knock on his door and when opened it there stood the colonel! They shook hands then hugged each other warmly. Rabbi Shif invited him in and he was straight to the point.
"Rabbi, I want you to return home with me and show my two children and wife what a real Passover Seder night is like. I know what you are thinking, I can assure you that my wife children are Jewish. But neither of us know anything. I mean, I do remember a little but you are a real Rabbi. We will do what you ask us. Money is no problem. What do you say?" But Rabbi Shif had to refuse saying he couldn't leave his old mother alone for Passover. When the Colonel heard this he again almost burst into tears.
"OY! Your mother! Oy! Because I didn't honor my parents they suffered so!" and he began to tell his sad story. He had been born and bred in a Chabad Chassidic family. His grandfather had been a well-known, gifted Chassid by the name of Rabbi Peretz Chein, and his parents who had great hopes for him, gave him the same name. They were sure he, too, would be a Chabad Chassid; devoted to making the world a better place according to the Torah, like his grandfather.
But it wasn't to be. When pogroms struck the big cities and his family had to flee to the suburbs where there weren't so many Jews, he became distant from Judaism and close with a lot of gentiles, especially a fellow his age called Peter.
Peter's grandfather had been a ranking officer in the Czar's navy, and his goal in life was to be just like him and, unfortunately he eventually got Peretz enthused as well. Peretz's parents protested but they were helpless. Together he and Peter enlisted in the navy and began to rise up in the ranks until both became officers, each receiving a coveted golden handled sword made of the finest tempered steel.
The sword became Peretz's pride and joy to the point that several times a year he would return home in full uniform, his glistening sword dangling from his side and strut about like a rooster showing off his uniform, shiny high boots and sword to the Chassidim who pretended to be interested but in fact couldn't have cared less. But all this was in total rebellion against his parent's wishes; they begged him not to join the navy and pleaded with him to leave as soon as possible, but he ignored them.
Each time he returned home all the Chassidim tried to just say hello and be friendly so as not to drive him away but finally one Chassid by the name of Itzic Raskin couldn't hold himself back. "What is that stupid sword doing on you?" he shouted at Peretz in front of everyone.
"Aren't you ashamed?! The grandson of Peretz Chein with a sword? Phhheh!" Peretz left the room blazing with anger and at that moment decided he would cut the cord. He had been shamed!! He changed his name to Pheter, stopped doing all the commandments and resolved to erase his 'useless' Jewish identity.
But a catastrophe brought him back... Years later, after he and his friend Peter rose to the level of majors they got a pleasant surprise; it was announced that Stalin (cursed be he) was going to make a personal visit to their base. Of course everyone worked feverishly to polish and prepare every inch of the place for 'Father Stalin' but then, unexplainably, Pheter's good friend Peter disappeared for over a week. Pheter asked around for an explanation but the only one given was that he had been drafted for a top secret job.
The days passed and one day before the awaited visit, a group of KGB agents visited the base which was routine before such an important occasion. They began questioning the officers one by one in private but when it came Pheter's turn things turned a bit sour. They began telling him details of his life that no one knew, except for his friend Peter.
Obviously they just wanted to show him who was boss. There was nothing in their tone that was incriminating or unfriendly but it was certainly embarrassing. Peter had betrayed their friendship! Pheter went to his room, thought about what happened and began to get angry. After all he had done for Mother Russia! For the navy, was this a way to be treated? Who needs this crazy government?!
Suddenly the words of Itzic Raskin rang in his ears "What is that stupid sword doing on you? Aren't you ashamed? The grandson of Peretz Chein with a sword? Phhheh !"
In a fit of insanity he pulled out the sword, stuck it deeply into the wooden floor and pushed it to a side until it broke almost in half. Then he took the unbroken half and began hacking away madly against a metal pipe in his room until it was dull, chipped and almost useless and his anger subsided. Suddenly a whistle blew! Stalin was here! Pheter, came to himself, put the half-sword back in it's sheath, put on his white dress coat, straightened it out and rushed out the door, his high leather boots clicking loudly as he went. But when he arrived in the greeting room Stalin wasn't there, only the KGB agents...and Peter.
They read aloud, "The following officers will follow us for intensive interrogation." And they read out five names, one of which was Pheter's." The Admiral of the base stepped forward and angrily shouted at the agents. "What do you want from these men!? Do you want to ruin our navy?! These are the best men in the service! They are loyal soldiers of Mother Russia and devoted party members! What is their crime?!!?"
"Their crime?" said the KGB agent, looking knowingly at Peter as the other agents put their hands on their gun holsters, "Their crime is...Conspiracy to murder Comrade Stalin!!" But the Admiral did not lose his composure. He angrily replied, "Nonsense! Pure nonsense! And tell me, comrade, tell us all, how, in your imagination did they plan to carry out this crime?"
"How?" Replied the agent with a smirk. "With THIS!" he exclaimed as he approached Pheter, deftly pulled Pheter's sword from its sheath and held it up victoriously. He narrowed his eyes as he hissed at Pheter. "You thought no one would suspect your sword didn't you?!"
But suddenly he felt that something was wrong, he looked at what he was holding in his hand and gasped. "No one could kill anyone with such a sword! The Admiral yelled angrily." "No, no!" The KGB agent tried to think fast and justify himself. "This criminal, he knew we suspected him! That's why he broke the sword." "Fool!" Yelled the Admiral, "If he really had such a stupid plan and really thought you suspected him then he wouldn't have brought his sword at all, would he!? Now get out!"
Pheter (now Peretz again) continued, "It was a miracle! And the shouted words of that Chassid Raskin saved me! On that day I decided to return to Judaism but I didn't know how. I simply kept putting it off for years until I saw you back then in the airport I knew it was another miracle.
Pheter was in constant contact with Rabbi Shif from then on. He changed his name back to Peretz and returned totally to Judaism and, as a sign of appreciation, gave Rabbi Shif his broken sword as a present. After the iron curtain fell he moved with his family to Florida and the two of them are still in close contact.
Torah and Mitzvahs are our marching orders as Jews. Even though Jews may been involved in all sorts of philanthropic and political causes and movements, it is the Torah alone which continues to guide us as a Nation. Good Shabbos Everyone.
Good Shabbos Everyone. In this week’s
Torah portion Bo, Hashem commands us regarding the mitzvah of tefillin. As the
Torah tells us, the tefillin “shall be for you a sign on your arm and a
reminder between your eyes - so that Hashem’s Torah may be in your mouth for
with a strong hand Hashem removed you from Egypt. (Exodus - Shemos 13:9) The
Sages teach us that Man always needs a sign of his bond with Hashem. Shabbos
itself is such a sign, but on weekdays, the sign is tefillin. (Eruvin 96a)
The mitzvah of tefillin is one of the most powerful spiritual expressions that a Jew can do. By putting on tefillin, a Jew declares his membership in the Jewish nation and his belief in Hashem. Rav Aryeh Kaplan described tefillin as a sign of the bond of love between G-d and the Jewish people. (Tefillin, p.237 Rav Aryeh Kaplan) Rav Kaplan tells us that the greatest possible love is the love between G-d and man. As Hashem tells us through the Prophet Jeremiah I have loved you with an infinite world of love. (Ibid., citing Jeremiah 31:3) tefillin are a symbol of the love that binds us to our Father in Heaven. The following amazing true story illustrates the power of tefillin to awaken in Jew the love between him and his Creator.
As the Eretz Yisroel-bound El Al plane lifted off the tarmac of New York's JFK International Airport, Shalom realized suddenly that he had left his tefillin in the trunk of his car. In his mind's eye, Shalom could see the tefillin in the trunk of his Chevrolet.
Shalom thought back to his bar mitzvah fourteen years earlier and remembered the pride emanating from his father when he had presented the tefillin to Shalom. His father, Yehuda, had always been very careful to fulfill the mitzvah of tefillin properly and made an extraordinary efforts to obtain the best possible pair for his son.
The parshiyos of Shalom's tefillin were written by a G-d fearing soifer who was an expert in all the laws pertaining to tefillin. The batim containing the parchments were also formed by a G-d-fearing expert, one who used all the finest materials. His grandmother had embroidered a beautiful velvet bag lovingly to protect them.
And now Shalom had inadvertently left them in the trunk of his car for the next ten days while he vacationed in Eretz Yisroel. This, too, is for the best, he thought to himself.
The ten days in Eretz Yisroel flew by, and Shalom had to return to the United States. When he went to retrieve his car from the long-term parking lot at JFK International Airport, Shalom discovered that his car had suffered a break-in. He checked the trunk quickly. His tefillin were gone. Stolen.
Shalom went to the police station and filed a report of the theft, giving the desk sergeant the details of how to contact him should his tefillin ever show up. Then he got into his car and drove himself home to Philadelphia.
Shalom went to his mother's house for his first Shabbos back from Eretz Yisroel. When he told her about his tefillin, she offered him the use of his father's (who had passed away.) "I'm lending these to you until your nephew Yehuda will be a bar mitzvah in twelve years. It's important to me that, since he is named after Daddy, of blessed memory, he should wear these tefillin. "Guard them with your life," she told him. Twelve years would be plenty of time for Shalom to get himself a new pair of tefillin.
Six years passed. Shalom came home from work one day and heard a message on his answering machine from the New York City police department. They left a phone number and a request that he contact them as soon as possible. When he reached them later that evening, the sergeant told Shalom that a religious object of his had been turned in. "Please come as soon as possible to reclaim your stolen goods."
The next morning Shalom hopped into his car, and drove up to New York. After presenting his identification to the police officer at the front desk, Shalom was ushered into an office. The officer introduced himself as Howard and proceeded to tell the following story.
"Three days ago, an elderly Russian gentleman presented himself at the precinct, placed your tefillin bag on the table and told the following story. “I own a pawn shop a few blocks away,” he began. “About an hour ago a man came into my shop and wanted to pawn these.” He pointed to the tefillin lying on the table. “I'm not religious myself, but I recognized immediately that these were phylacteries. Jews call them tefillin and wear them during the morning prayers. I told the man to forget pawning the tefillin, as I was willing to buy them from him. I paid him cash and took the tefillin. My hands began to tremble and shake. I don't know what came over me. Since these tefillin had obviously been stolen, I locked up my shop and came here, to the police station, to see if I could perhaps help return them to their owner. The embroidery says Shalom son of Yehuda Goldberg. Is their any record of this theft?” Asked the Russian pawn shop owner.
"I picked up the tefillin," continued the police officer Howard, "to see what they were. The strangest thing happened when I held them in my hands. I felt a hot flash and began sweating profusely. My hands were trembling and shaking. Why would a Jewish object cause such a reaction in me, a Gentile? I locked up the tefillin in my desk, planning to investigate their background the next day.
That night I couldn't shake the memory of my hands trembling and shaking. I wondered again why a Jewish object should make such an impression on a non-Jew. Disturbed, I told my mom the story, asking her what she though of the matter. She didn't seem surprised at all. Howard, when I was a teenager I rebelled and left home to marry your Dad, she told me. "I never told you that my parents were Jewish, did I? Well, by Jewish law, since I am Jewish, so are my children, Howard, maybe the tefillin had such an impact on you because you yourself are Jewish!
Shalom, the owner of the tefillin, was sitting on the edge of his chair by now. "I've often felt like something was missing in my life," the police officer Howard continued. " Apparently, my Jewish soul was hungering for some spiritual nourishment. I am going to start investigating my heritage. Can we keep in touch?" Shalom agreed.
The story doesn't end there. When he arrived back in Philadelphia, Shalom brought the tefillin to Rabbi Shreiber, his soifer, to have them checked. Who knows where the tefillin had been during the past six years and whether or not the letters on the parchments were still intact? Shalom told Rabbi Shreiber the entire story as Rabbi Shreiber opened up the outer boxes.
Rabbi Shreiber checked the parchment and began to cry. "Why are you crying?" Shalom asked. "These tefillin are as kosher as the day they were made," Rabbi Shreiber declared emotionally. "I would like to buy them from you, if I may." "I'm sorry," said Shalom, "but these tefillin are even more precious to me now. They are my own personal reminder of how Hashem runs the world." (From "Hamodia Magazine Section" 29 Teves, 5764)
Every mitzvah serves to draw us closer to Hashem and to strengthen this bond of love. (Orech Chaim 30:2, Mishna Berurah 37:6) In fact, the word Mitzvah comes from a root meaning to bind. In the case of tefillin, this bond is physical as well as spiritual.(ibid.) We literally bind G-d’s love symbol to our bodies.(ibid.)
What are tefillin exactly? Tefillin are made entirely from kosher animal products and consist of two black leather boxes containing four sections of the Torah written on parchments. The boxes with the parchments inside are tied to the body by black leather straps, which bind one of the boxes to the head and one to the arm. The tefillin of the arm represents the harnessing of our physical power and the mastering of our hearts desires to follow G-d; while the tefillin of the head represents the harnessing of our wisdom to carry out the commandments.
Tefillin are the original black box. It is well known that jet airplanes have black boxes which record the actions of the flight of the plane. The black box of a plane is indestructible. The same is true with tefillin. The Jews have gone through thousands of years of persecution and yet the black box remains, and in it are the secrets of our success as a people. In fact, excavations at Masada, which was destroyed almost 2000 years ago in the Land of Israel, turned up tefillin that were configured exactly the way we wear them today!
Tefillin are such an important mitzvah, that the Sages tell us that tefillin encompass all other mitzvahs.(Kidushin 35a) In less than five minutes a day, a Jew can perform this very important Mitzvah. The proper time for performing the mitzvah of tefillin is during the daytime. It is preferable to wear tefillin at the morning services, although one may discharge his obligation by putting them on and immediately taking them off. If possible, one should also say the Shema while wearing tefillin. This is a great way to start off the day.
Tefillin are not merely a sign, they actually have tremendous spiritual power to them. The Kabbalah tells us Happy is the man who wears tefillin and fathoms their mystery. (Zohar 1:129a)
We will conclude this week with excerpts from the prayer that many say before putting on tefillin: May the spiritual influence of the Mitzvah of tefillin be extended upon me so that I have a long life, a flow of holiness, and holy thoughts, without an inkling of sin or iniquity. Good Shabbos Everyone. M. Wolfberg is sponsored by: L'illui Nishmas Aryeh Leib ben Avrohom and Malka bas Tzvi Refuah Shleima to Reb Mordechai Mendel ben Tziporah Yitta In memory of Tziporah Yita (Wienshienk) bas Reb Lipa , Erev Chanukah 5723
The mitzvah of tefillin is one of the most powerful spiritual expressions that a Jew can do. By putting on tefillin, a Jew declares his membership in the Jewish nation and his belief in Hashem. Rav Aryeh Kaplan described tefillin as a sign of the bond of love between G-d and the Jewish people. (Tefillin, p.237 Rav Aryeh Kaplan) Rav Kaplan tells us that the greatest possible love is the love between G-d and man. As Hashem tells us through the Prophet Jeremiah I have loved you with an infinite world of love. (Ibid., citing Jeremiah 31:3) tefillin are a symbol of the love that binds us to our Father in Heaven. The following amazing true story illustrates the power of tefillin to awaken in Jew the love between him and his Creator.
As the Eretz Yisroel-bound El Al plane lifted off the tarmac of New York's JFK International Airport, Shalom realized suddenly that he had left his tefillin in the trunk of his car. In his mind's eye, Shalom could see the tefillin in the trunk of his Chevrolet.
Shalom thought back to his bar mitzvah fourteen years earlier and remembered the pride emanating from his father when he had presented the tefillin to Shalom. His father, Yehuda, had always been very careful to fulfill the mitzvah of tefillin properly and made an extraordinary efforts to obtain the best possible pair for his son.
The parshiyos of Shalom's tefillin were written by a G-d fearing soifer who was an expert in all the laws pertaining to tefillin. The batim containing the parchments were also formed by a G-d-fearing expert, one who used all the finest materials. His grandmother had embroidered a beautiful velvet bag lovingly to protect them.
And now Shalom had inadvertently left them in the trunk of his car for the next ten days while he vacationed in Eretz Yisroel. This, too, is for the best, he thought to himself.
The ten days in Eretz Yisroel flew by, and Shalom had to return to the United States. When he went to retrieve his car from the long-term parking lot at JFK International Airport, Shalom discovered that his car had suffered a break-in. He checked the trunk quickly. His tefillin were gone. Stolen.
Shalom went to the police station and filed a report of the theft, giving the desk sergeant the details of how to contact him should his tefillin ever show up. Then he got into his car and drove himself home to Philadelphia.
Shalom went to his mother's house for his first Shabbos back from Eretz Yisroel. When he told her about his tefillin, she offered him the use of his father's (who had passed away.) "I'm lending these to you until your nephew Yehuda will be a bar mitzvah in twelve years. It's important to me that, since he is named after Daddy, of blessed memory, he should wear these tefillin. "Guard them with your life," she told him. Twelve years would be plenty of time for Shalom to get himself a new pair of tefillin.
Six years passed. Shalom came home from work one day and heard a message on his answering machine from the New York City police department. They left a phone number and a request that he contact them as soon as possible. When he reached them later that evening, the sergeant told Shalom that a religious object of his had been turned in. "Please come as soon as possible to reclaim your stolen goods."
The next morning Shalom hopped into his car, and drove up to New York. After presenting his identification to the police officer at the front desk, Shalom was ushered into an office. The officer introduced himself as Howard and proceeded to tell the following story.
"Three days ago, an elderly Russian gentleman presented himself at the precinct, placed your tefillin bag on the table and told the following story. “I own a pawn shop a few blocks away,” he began. “About an hour ago a man came into my shop and wanted to pawn these.” He pointed to the tefillin lying on the table. “I'm not religious myself, but I recognized immediately that these were phylacteries. Jews call them tefillin and wear them during the morning prayers. I told the man to forget pawning the tefillin, as I was willing to buy them from him. I paid him cash and took the tefillin. My hands began to tremble and shake. I don't know what came over me. Since these tefillin had obviously been stolen, I locked up my shop and came here, to the police station, to see if I could perhaps help return them to their owner. The embroidery says Shalom son of Yehuda Goldberg. Is their any record of this theft?” Asked the Russian pawn shop owner.
"I picked up the tefillin," continued the police officer Howard, "to see what they were. The strangest thing happened when I held them in my hands. I felt a hot flash and began sweating profusely. My hands were trembling and shaking. Why would a Jewish object cause such a reaction in me, a Gentile? I locked up the tefillin in my desk, planning to investigate their background the next day.
That night I couldn't shake the memory of my hands trembling and shaking. I wondered again why a Jewish object should make such an impression on a non-Jew. Disturbed, I told my mom the story, asking her what she though of the matter. She didn't seem surprised at all. Howard, when I was a teenager I rebelled and left home to marry your Dad, she told me. "I never told you that my parents were Jewish, did I? Well, by Jewish law, since I am Jewish, so are my children, Howard, maybe the tefillin had such an impact on you because you yourself are Jewish!
Shalom, the owner of the tefillin, was sitting on the edge of his chair by now. "I've often felt like something was missing in my life," the police officer Howard continued. " Apparently, my Jewish soul was hungering for some spiritual nourishment. I am going to start investigating my heritage. Can we keep in touch?" Shalom agreed.
The story doesn't end there. When he arrived back in Philadelphia, Shalom brought the tefillin to Rabbi Shreiber, his soifer, to have them checked. Who knows where the tefillin had been during the past six years and whether or not the letters on the parchments were still intact? Shalom told Rabbi Shreiber the entire story as Rabbi Shreiber opened up the outer boxes.
Rabbi Shreiber checked the parchment and began to cry. "Why are you crying?" Shalom asked. "These tefillin are as kosher as the day they were made," Rabbi Shreiber declared emotionally. "I would like to buy them from you, if I may." "I'm sorry," said Shalom, "but these tefillin are even more precious to me now. They are my own personal reminder of how Hashem runs the world." (From "Hamodia Magazine Section" 29 Teves, 5764)
Every mitzvah serves to draw us closer to Hashem and to strengthen this bond of love. (Orech Chaim 30:2, Mishna Berurah 37:6) In fact, the word Mitzvah comes from a root meaning to bind. In the case of tefillin, this bond is physical as well as spiritual.(ibid.) We literally bind G-d’s love symbol to our bodies.(ibid.)
What are tefillin exactly? Tefillin are made entirely from kosher animal products and consist of two black leather boxes containing four sections of the Torah written on parchments. The boxes with the parchments inside are tied to the body by black leather straps, which bind one of the boxes to the head and one to the arm. The tefillin of the arm represents the harnessing of our physical power and the mastering of our hearts desires to follow G-d; while the tefillin of the head represents the harnessing of our wisdom to carry out the commandments.
Tefillin are the original black box. It is well known that jet airplanes have black boxes which record the actions of the flight of the plane. The black box of a plane is indestructible. The same is true with tefillin. The Jews have gone through thousands of years of persecution and yet the black box remains, and in it are the secrets of our success as a people. In fact, excavations at Masada, which was destroyed almost 2000 years ago in the Land of Israel, turned up tefillin that were configured exactly the way we wear them today!
Tefillin are such an important mitzvah, that the Sages tell us that tefillin encompass all other mitzvahs.(Kidushin 35a) In less than five minutes a day, a Jew can perform this very important Mitzvah. The proper time for performing the mitzvah of tefillin is during the daytime. It is preferable to wear tefillin at the morning services, although one may discharge his obligation by putting them on and immediately taking them off. If possible, one should also say the Shema while wearing tefillin. This is a great way to start off the day.
Tefillin are not merely a sign, they actually have tremendous spiritual power to them. The Kabbalah tells us Happy is the man who wears tefillin and fathoms their mystery. (Zohar 1:129a)
We will conclude this week with excerpts from the prayer that many say before putting on tefillin: May the spiritual influence of the Mitzvah of tefillin be extended upon me so that I have a long life, a flow of holiness, and holy thoughts, without an inkling of sin or iniquity. Good Shabbos Everyone. M. Wolfberg is sponsored by: L'illui Nishmas Aryeh Leib ben Avrohom and Malka bas Tzvi Refuah Shleima to Reb Mordechai Mendel ben Tziporah Yitta In memory of Tziporah Yita (Wienshienk) bas Reb Lipa , Erev Chanukah 5723
Wishing everybody a healthy and wonderful Shabbos,
Rachamim Pauli
