Parsha V'Zos HaBracha, Chag Sukkos Samayach

Please pray for Avraham ben Rachel

I had planned to finish the Parshiyos and the whole Torah Reading last week, but I needed to get out the inhaler Halacha out before Yom Kippur so I divided things in two. Yuval on my prayer list has regained consciousness and can talk real slow while in his wheel chair.

Miracle alert: Terrorist who place with his friends boulders on the road and throw a grenade at cars manages to blow himself into Shachid land. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/200959

I finally found out what love is. My wife got vertigo not as bad as what I had a number of years ago. So I had to call the ambulance after her fighting me and vomiting the whole morning. She got an injection of pramin and fluids and started to feel a bit better but could not leave the bed. (we sent the young fellow to sleep over with friends) Finally after a number of hours she was accepted into Ear Nose Throat and I had to do a lot My daughter came over folded a the wash while I did a load and hung it on the line I had to freeze stuff and bunch of other things. When I got to the hospital it was close to Shabbos she wanted me with her so I took a hospital/hotel room for the Shabbos. Not cheap $150 and no full board. Just a breakfast. A wonderful Charedi Organization organized food and grape juice for people. I got to her room made Kiddush after prayers and spoke to her. I held her hand and she said "I am glad that you are here." So finally I felt that I know what love is from looking into her eyes I must have given her love. She is now home but not recovered. For this reason I am posting previous versions of this week’s Parsha.

Parsha Vzos HaBracha (Simchas Torah)

From 5768: 33:1 And this is the blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.
The Medrash and Zohar are filled this week with tales of Moshe vs. the Angel of Death at the time of his parting. The Angel of Death comes to him and he uses the DIVINE NAME to make him flee so that he can bless Yisrael.
2 And he said: The LORD came from Sinai, and rose from Seir unto them; He shined forth from mount Paran, and He came from the myriads holy, at His right hand was a fiery law unto them.
We can note the mention and hint here of the final Judgement of Esav and Mt. Seir in the days of the Moshiach.
He said: The Lord came from Sinai. Moses initiated his blessing by praising the Omnipresent, and then he addressed the needs of Israel. — [Sifrei 33:2] The praise with which Moses commenced, mentions the merit of Israel. All this was a way of conciliation, as if to say, “These people are worthy that a blessing should rest upon them.” came from Sinai. He came out toward them when they came to stand at the foot of the mountain, as a bridegroom goes forth to greet his bride, as it is said, “[And Moses brought the people forth] toward God” (Exod. 19:17). We learn from this, that God came out toward them (Mechilta 19:17). and shone forth from Seir to them. [Why did He come from Seir?] Because God first offered the children of Esau [who dwelled in Seir] that they accept the Torah, but they did not want [to accept it]. He appeared. to them [Israel] from Mount Paran. [Why did God then come from Paran?] Because He went there and offered the children of Ishmael [who dwelled in Paran] to accept the Torah, but they [also] did not want [to accept it]. — [A.Z. 2b] and came. to Israel. with some holy myriads. With God were only some of the myriads of His holy angels, but not all of them, nor [even] most of them. This is unlike the manner of a mortal, who displays all the splendor of his riches and his glory on his wedding day. — [Sifrei 33:2] a fiery law for them. It was originally written before God in [letters of] black fire upon [a background of] white fire. — [Tanchuma Bereishith 1] He gave it to them on tablets, inscribed, [as it were,] by His right hand [thus it is said here, “from His right hand”]. Another explanation of אֵשׁ דָּת : As the Targum renders it, that He gave it to them from amidst the fire.
3. Indeed, You showed love for peoples. [God] also displayed great affection to the tribes, each one of whom were known as a people, for only Benjamin was destined to be born when the Holy One, blessed is He, said to Jacob, “A nation and a multitude of nations shall come into existence from you” (Genesis 35:11). [Thus we see that Benjamin alone was called “a nation.” “A multitude of nations” refers to Ephraim and Manasseh. See Rashi on Gen. 35:11, 48:4.]- [Gen. Rabbah 82:4] all his holy ones are in Your hand. [This refers to] the souls of the righteous, which are hidden away with God, as It is said, “But my lord’s soul shall be bound up in the bundle of life, with the Lord, your God” (I Sam. 25:29). - [Sifrei 33:3] for they […] be centered at Your feet. And Israel is indeed worthy of this [privilege to have their souls hidden away with God], because they placed themselves right in the middle (תּו‏ֹ) of the bottom of the mountain at Your feet [figuratively speaking] at Sinai. The word תֻּכּוּ is in the passive conjugation, which has the meaning: הִתְוַכּוּ,“They [allowed themselves] to be placed right in the middle (תּו‏ֹ)” [of the underside of the mountain], between Your feet. bearing Your utterances. They bore upon themselves the yoke of Your Torah. — [Sifrei 33:3] Your Torah. Heb. מִדַּבְּרֹתֶי‏. The mem in it [i.e., in this word] is somewhat of a root letter [rather than a prefix], as in, “And he heard the voice speaking (מִדַּבֵּר) to him” (Num. 7:89); and, “And I heard what was being spoken (מִדַּבֵּר) to me” (Ezek. 2:2). This form is similar to מִתְדַּבֵּר אֵלַי, [speaking to Himself for me to hear, see Rashi on Num. 7:89]. This too, namely, the word מִדַּבְּרֹתֶי‏, means: “what You were speaking to let me know what to tell the children of Israel.” Tes porparledurs in Old French. Onkelos, however, renders [the phrase יִשָּׂא מִדַּבְּרֹתֶי‏ as: “they traveled (יִשָּׂא like יִסַּע) according to Your commands (דַּבְּרֹתֶי‏).” Thus, the mem is a servile prefix, with the meaning of מִן, from . [Thus, according to Onkelos, the word מִדַּבְּרֹתֶי‏ literally means, from Your utterrances.] Another explanation [of this verse is as follows]: Indeed, You showed love for peoples-Even when You displayed Your affection towards the nations of the world, showing them a smiling [friendly] face, and You delivered Israel into their hands, all his holy ones are in Your hand. All Israel’s righteous and good people clung to You; they did not turn away from You, and You guarded them. — [B.B. 8a)] for they let themselves be centered at your feet. And they placed themselves right in the middle of, and entered beneath Your [protective] shadow; bearing your utterances. And they gladly accepted Your decrees and Your laws. — [see Tanchuma 5] And these were their words:
The Torah was first offered to Yishmael and Esav and both the other son of Avraham and the other son of Yitzchak rejected it. Only the Bnei Yisrael accepted the Torah without checking was written down but accepting how it would be distributed by saying “We will do and we will listen” – this is blind faith because usually the negotiator checks out what the fine print says and the Bnei Yisrael basically are saying shoot first and ask questions later.
3 Yea, He loves the peoples, all His holy ones--they are in Thy hand; and they sit down at Thy feet, receiving of Thy words.
HASHEM does not despise us even if we sin and HE rebukes us. It is the love of a father and a king to HIS Nation. NOW HEAR THE WORDS OF THE L-RD!
4 Moses commanded us a law, an inheritance of the congregation of Jacob. 5 And there was a king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together.
Sentence 4 we teach to small children when they learn how to talk and sentence 5 we sing to a bride and groom under the Chupa. These words are ingrained in our people. Sometimes we will not observe each and every commandment. We will believe in reincarnation but not in an Eternal Soul in the Image of G-D. Why? I cannot tell you but I came across an intelligent man erev Yom Kippur who has these beliefs. But he is part of the Jewish People whether he sings the song “The glowing face of the Cohen” on Yom Kippur or not. If he does not believe, it may not be his fault. In fact it may be a Hitler or growing up in a non-Jewish society that made him this way. The natural state of a Jew (Bnei Yisrael) is in these two Pasukim. Yachad Shiftei Yisrael (Together the tribes of Yisrael).
6 Let Reuben live, and not die in that his men become few.
Reuven is a tribe that leads one of the four sides and has its own banner so why “Let Reuven Live”? Rashi comes to tell us: May Reuben live. in this world, and not die. in the world-to-come, that the incident involving Bilhah not be remembered against him. — [see Rashi Gen. 35:22; Sifrei 33:6] and may his people be counted in the number. May Reuben be counted along with the enumeration of the rest of his brothers. This [matter, that the incident involving Bilhah should not exclude Reuben from being counted together with his brothers] is similar to what is said: “[And Reuben went] and lay with Bilhah… and Jacob’s sons were twelve” (Gen. 35:22), [indicating] that he was not excluded from the number [of Jacob’s sons, on account of this incident].
7 And this for Judah, and he said: Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him in unto his people; his hands shall contend for him, and Thou shall be a help against his adversaries.
Rashi comes to bring us a Chiddush (some henceforth new point here). He juxtaposed Judah to Reuben, because they both confessed to the wrong they had done, as it is said, “that wise men have told… to them alone… and no stranger passed between them” (Job 15:18-19). [This verse alludes to the confession of Reuben and Judah (“that wise men have told”), and how they were consequently blessed here together (“them alone”); although Levi was next in line chronologically to Reuben, nevertheless here, in the context of this blessing, Levi did not come between them (“no stranger came between them”), but rather, he was blessed immediately afterwards (verses 8-11).]- [see Rashi Job 15: 19] Our Rabbis further explained that during the entire forty years that Israel was in the desert, Judah’s bones were rolling in his coffin, because of the excommunication which he had accepted upon himself [when he took responsibility for Benjamin], as it is said, “If I will not bring him to you… then I have sinned against you all of the days” (Gen. 43:9). [So], Moses said, “Who caused Reuben to [publicly] confess his sin? It was Judah…”(see Sotah 7b) [and thus, by placing Judah together with Reuben, Moses alluded to this merit of Judah, and, in effect, “May the Lord listen to Judah’s voice,” is a prayer that Judah’s bones would finally come to rest]. O Lord, hearken to Judah’s voice. [I.e., Also, hear the prayer of Judah’s descendants:] The prayer of David and Solomon, and the prayer of Asa because of the Ethiopians, and that of Jehoshaphat on account of the Ammonites, and that of Hezekiah because of Sennacherib. — [see Sifrei 33:7] and bring him to his people. in peace, from war. his hands will do battle for him. May his hands fight his battle (רִיבוֹ) , and may they exact his vengeance. and may You be a help against his adversaries. [Moses here,] was praying for [Judah’s descendant] Jehoshaphat, concerning the battle of Ramoth Gilead, [as Scripture states,]“Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him (עֲזָרוֹ)” (II Chron. 18:31). Another explanation: O Lord, hearken to Judah’s voice. Here, included within Judah’s blessing, Moses alluded to [and incorporated] a blessing for Simeon [the allusion being in the word שְׁמַע, the very root of שִׁמְעוֹן]. Also [in accordance with this incorporation of Simeon within Judah], when they divided Eretz Israel [among the tribes], Simeon received [his portion] out of the lot of Judah, as Scripture states, “Out of the lot of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon” (Josh. 19:9). - [Sifrei 33:7] Now why did Moses not devote a separate blessing for him? Because he held against him what he had done in Shittim [referring to the sin of Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of the tribe of Simeon (see Num. 25:1-14)]. So it is written in the Aggadah of Psalms. — [Shocher Tov 90]
8 And of Levi he said: Thy Thummim and Thy Urim be with Thy holy one, whom Thou didst prove at Massah, with whom Thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah; 9 Who said of his father, and of his mother: 'I have not seen him'; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew he his own children; for they have observed Thy word, and keep Thy covenant. 10 They shall teach Jacob Thine ordinances, and Israel Thy law; they shall put incense before Thee, and whole burnt-offering upon Thine altar. 11 Bless, LORD, his substance, and accept the work of his hands; smite through the loins of them that rise up against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.
The Tribe of Levi was Kahuna and Leviim. The Leviim were Torah teachers and guides for Yisrael and zealous in protecting the Torah and Mitzvos. The writing in line 11 is a future prediction of the Maccabees fighting the foreign gods in the Temple and other non-Jewish influences.
12 Of Benjamin he said: The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by Him; He covers him all the day, and He dwells between his shoulders.
Since we just dealt with Levi and the Cohanim, it is only fitting that we deal with Benyamin as on his shoulders (Har Habeis) sat and will sit the Temple.
13 And of Joseph he said: Blessed of the LORD be his land; for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that couches beneath, 14 And for the precious things of the fruits of the sun, and for the precious things of the yield of the moons, 15 And for the tops of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the everlasting hills, 16 And for the precious things of the earth and the fullness thereof, and the good will of Him that dwelt in the bush; let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the crown of the head of him that is prince among his brethren. 17 His firstling bullock, majesty is his; and his horns are the horns of the wild-ox; with them he shall gore the peoples all of them, even the ends of the earth; and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.
For throughout the inheritance of all the tribes, there was no land more full of goodness than Joseph’s land. — [Sifrei 33:13] and with the sweetness. Heb. מִמֶּגֶד [This word denotes] delicacies and sweetness. the deep. The [waters which lie in] the depth [of the earth] ascend, and moisten the land from below. You find that in the case of each tribe, Moses’ blessing resembles Jacob’s blessing [to the same tribe. For instance, Jacob blessed Joseph also with the וּמִתְּהוֹם רֹבֶצֶת תָּחַת] (Gen. 49:25). For Joseph’s land was exposed to the sun, which sweetened its fruit. — [Sifrei 33:14] the moon’s yield. Heb. יְרָחִים גֶּרֶשׁ. Some fruits are ripened by the moon (יָרֵחַ). - [Sifrei 33:14] These are cucumbers and gourds. Another explanation: [This refers to fruits] which the earth expels (מְגָרֶשֶׁת) and brings out [from itself] month (יֶרַח) by month. — [Targum Onkelos] And blessed with the fruits that are first (רֹאשׁ) to ripen, for its mountains advance (קֶדֶם) the ripening of their fruits [thus, “the early mountains”]. Another explanation: [This verse] teaches [us] that their creation [that of the mountains in the territory of Joseph] preceded (קֶדֶם) that of all other mountains. — [Sifrei 33:15] the sweetness of perennial hills. גִּבְעוֹת עוֹלָם. Hills which produce fruit continuously (עוֹלָם) and do not cease [to produce fruit even] because of lack of rain.
… there are some instances in which the word בְּכוֹר has the meaning of “greatness” and “majesty,” as it is said, “I will also make him a great man (בְּכוֹר) [the highest of the kings on earth]” (Ps. 89:28); and similarly, “Israel is My son, my firstborn (בְּכוֹרִי)” [denoting high status] (Exod. 4:22). [Thus:] בְּכוֹר here: The king who will descend from Joseph, namely, Joshua. his ox. whose strength is as mighty as that of an ox, to conquer many kings. is [given] glory. [Literally, “glory is his,”] was given to him [when Moses transferred some of his attribute of majesty to Joshua when he became leader], as it is said, [God said to Moses:] “And you shall give some of your majesty to him” [Joshua] (Num. 27:20). and his horns are the horns of a re’em. The ox is powerful, but its horns are not beautiful; [on the other hand,] a re’em has beautiful horns, but it is not powerful. [Moses thus] blessed Joshua with the power of an ox and the beauty of a re’em 's horns. — [Sifrei 33:17] the ends of the earth. [This refers to] the thirty-one kings [whom Joshua conquered in the Land of Israel]. Is it possible that these kings were all from the Land of Israel? [The answer is, that] there was not one king or ruler who did not acquire for himself a palace and a holding in the Land of Israel [even though he belonged to another country]. [And why so?] Because the Land of Israel was considered distinguished to all of them, as it is said [of the Land of Israel], “The finest inheritance of the hosts of nations” (Jer. 3:19). - [Sifrei 33:17] [For this reason, the thirty-one kings are referred to as “the ends of the earth.” these are the myriads of Ephraim. The ones who are to be gored are the myriads who were killed by Joshua who was descended from Ephraim [Joseph’s son]. and these are the thousands of Manasseh. They are the thousands killed in Midian by Gideon, [who was descended from Manasseh, Joseph’s other son], as it is said, “Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor…” (Jud. 8:10) [and the verse continues to enumerate many thousands of hosts which were there].
18 And of Zebulun he said: Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out, and, Issachar, in thy tents. 19 They shall call peoples unto the mountain; there shall they offer sacrifices of righteousness; for they shall suck the abundance of the seas, and the hidden treasures of the sand. 20 And of Gad he said: Blessed be He that enlarges Gad; he dwells as a lioness, and tears the arm, yea, the crown of the head. 21 And he chose a first part for himself, for there a portion of a ruler was reserved; and there came the heads of the people, he executed the righteousness of the LORD, and His ordinances with Israel. 22 And of Dan he said: Dan is a lion's whelp, that leaps forth from Bashan. 23 And of Naphtali he said: O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full with the blessing of the LORD: possess thou the sea and the south. 24 And of Asher he said: Blessed be Asher above sons; let him be the favored of his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil. 25 Iron and brass shall be thy bars; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.
These five tribes whom [Moses] blessed last, namely, Zebulun, Gad, Dan, Naftali and Asher, have their names repeated [e.g., “And of Zebulun he said: Rejoice, Zebulun…”], in order to instill them with strength and power, for they were the weakest of all the tribes. And indeed [for this reason,] they were the ones Joseph introduced to Pharaoh, as it is said, “And from among his brothers, he took five men” (Gen. 47:2). [Joseph took these brothers and not the others,] because they looked weak, so that Pharaoh should not appoint them as his war officers. — [B.K. 92a] Rejoice, Zebulun, in your departure, and Issachar, in your tents. Zebulun and Issachar entered into a partnership [with the following agreement]: Zebulun would dwell at the seashore and go out in ships, to trade and make profit. He would thereby provide food for Issachar, and they would sit and occupy themselves with the study of Torah. Consequently, Moses mentioned Zebulun before Issachar [even though the latter was the elder of the two], because Issachar’s Torah came through [the provisions of] Zebulun. — [Gen. Rabbah 99:9] Rejoice, Zebulun, in your departure. Prosper when you go out to trade. and Issachar. Prosper when you sit in your tents to study the Torah, to sit [in the Sanhedrin] and to [calculate and] proclaim leap years, and to fix the months, as it is said, “And from the sons of Issachar, those who had an understanding of the times” (I Chron. 12:32) [and then the verse continues,] “their chiefs were two hundred”-the chiefs of the Sanhedrin occupied themselves with this, and in accordance with them, the seasons and leap years were fixed [for all Israel].
Beresheis 49:13 Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea, and he shall be a shore for ships, and his flank shall be upon Zidon. 14 Issachar is a large-boned ass, couching down between the sheep-folds. 15 For he saw a resting-place that it was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and he bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant under task-work. 16 Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. 17 Dan shall be a serpent in the way, a horned snake in the path, that bites the horse's heels, so that his rider falls backward. 18 I wait for Thy salvation, O LORD. 19 Gad, a troop shall troop upon him; but he shall troop upon their heel. 20 As for Asher, his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties 21 Naphtali is a hind let loose: he gives goodly words. Was Yacov’s blessing to these tribes so why the difference?
The answer appears to me to be that Gad remained the same, Zevulun would continue with Commerce from Haifa and Yissachar in the Torah Tents in partnership as a supporter of Kollelim and the Kollelnik who prayers for the man with the stocks and bonds to have money so that he can continue learning Torah. The original sheep folds mentioned is Klaf of Mezuzos, Tephillin and Sifrei Torah. Gad and Dan continued with the original blessings but the strength of a lion is added by Moshe and Asher and Naphtali are given more material blessings. I just wonder if the real petroleum oil is in the southern part of the tribe of Asher from Moshe’s blessing or if we are only talking about olive oil – that of course is Rashi’s Pshat.
19. More on the blessing from Rashi: This is why the verse speaks of the assembly of the people in terms of “They will call”]. And there [at Mount Moriah, in the Holy Temple], the people will offer up righteous sacrifices on the Pilgrimage Festivals. for they will be nourished by the abundance of the seas. …Things covered up and hidden by the sand-the tarit [or “torino,” a kind of fish], the snail [from which a sky-blue dye was obtained], and “white glass,” all of which come from the sea or the sand. These were found in the territory of Issachar and Zebulun, as is taught in Tractate Megillah (6a): [Scripture says, “Zebulun is a people who jeopardized his life to die” (Jud. 5:18). [And why?] Because [as that verse continues], “Naftali is on the high places of the field,” i.e., Zebulun complained [to God] about his territory, saying, “To my brothers, You have given fields and vineyards [… while to me, You have given seas and rivers]!” [In reply, God told Zebulun that the other brothers will seek him out because of the hidden treasures contained within the seas and the sands.] the treasures. Heb. וּשְׂפֻנֵי An expression meaning a covering, as it is said, “And he covered (וַיִּסְפֹּן) the house” (I Kings 6:9); and, וְסָפֻן בָאֶרֶז, which the Targum renders as: “And it was covered with a covering of cedar” (I Kings 7:3). Another explanation: they will call people to the mountain: Through Zebulun’s commerce, merchants of the world’s nations will come to his land. … Zebulun and Issachar [will be nourished], that is to say, the sea will lavish them with wealth. Zevulun controls the land by the port of Acco and of Haifa.
20. Blessed is He Who grants expanse to Gad. This teaches us that Gad’s territory extended far eastward. — [Sifrei 33:20] He dwells like a lion. Because Zebulun was near the border, he is therefore compared to lions, for all those who are located near the border must be mighty [like lions, in order to protect themselves from attack]. — [Sifrei 33:20] tearing the arm [of his prey, together] with the head. Anyone slain by the Gadites could be readily identified: they used to cut off the head together with the arm in one blow. — [Jonathan Ben Uziel]
21. He saw the first portion for himself. He saw fit to take for himself territory in the land of Sihon and Og, whose land was the beginning (רֵאשִׁית) of the conquest of the Land. because there, the portion of the lawgiver is hidden. For Gad knew [through Divine transmission,] that within his territory would be contained a portion of the field designated for the burial of “the lawgiver,” namely Moses. — [Sotah 13b] of the lawgiver. That portion [of the field, where Moses was buried,] was hidden (סָפוּן) and concealed from every creature, as it is said, “And no man knows his burial place” (Deut. 34:6). And he came. i.e., Gad came. at the head of the people. This is the Golan Heights that defends from the North-Eastern front and open to expansion towards the Euphrates.
Dan is a young lion. Dan was also located close to the border, and so [like Gad], he is compared to lions. — [Sifrei 33:22] streaming from Bashan. [This is to be understood] as the Targum [Onkelos] renders it [“His land drinks from the rivers that flow from Bashan”]. For the Jordan [river] comes out from Dan’s territory, from the Paneas cave, which is [a place called] Leshem, within the territory of Dan. [The children of Dan conquered Leshem and incorporated it into their territory, calling it Dan after their father,] as it is said, “And they called Leshem, Dan” (Joshua 19:47). - [Bech. 55a] And its source (זִנּוּק) and flow is from Bashan. Another explanation [of יְזַנֵּק מִן-הַבָּשָׁן] is: Just as a water flow (זִנּוּק) issues from one place and divides itself [afterwards] into two directions, similarly, the tribe of Dan [started with one territory and ended up] taking a portion in two places. First, they took the northwest [of the Land of Israel], namely, Ekron and its surroundings. But this did not suffice them. So they came and fought against Leshem, which is Paneas, located in the north-east [of the Land of Israel]. [Now Rashi demarcates these two areas geographically:] For the Jordan comes out of the Paneas [or Banias] cave, which is in the east [and at the northern extremity] of the Land of Israel, and then the river flows from the north [straight down] to the south, ending at the edge of the Salt Sea [“Dead Sea”], which in turn, is in the east of Judah’s territory, Judah having taken his territory in the southern part of the Land of Israel, as is delineated in the book of Joshua (19:47). This is the meaning of what is stated there: “And the border of the children of Dan went out from them, so the children of Dan arose and fought against Leshem [and took possession of it].” The Banias from a modern political story is on the border with the “farms in Lebanon” that are under dispute where the first three soldiers were captured by the Hizballah.

23. favorably satisfied. Naftali’s land would fully satisfy all its inhabitants. Possess the sea and the south. The sea of Kinneret fell within Naftali’s portion; moreover, he took a rope’s length of fishing-coast on its south[ern shore] for spreading out his nets and trawls. — [B.K. 81b] The sea supplies carp and Amnon Fish (aka St. Peter’s Fish) and is a good source of income for fisherman unto this day.
24. May Asher be blessed with sons. I saw in Sifrei the following (33:24): “Among all of the tribes, you will not find one that is blessed with sons as Asher was.” But I do not know in which regard. He will be pleasing to his brothers. Asher pleased his brothers with “Onpakinon oil” [oil of unripe olives, used for anointing one’s skin] and tasty foods (?), and they please him [by repaying him] with grain. Another explanation of “He will be pleasing to his brothers” : Because the women who came from Asher were beautiful [and were sought after for marriage]. This is the meaning of what is stated in Chronicles (I Chron. 7:31). [when it speaks of Malchiel, Asher’s grandson] “he was the father בִּרְזָיִת [literally, olive-child]” that is to say, his daughters were married to Kohanim Gedolim [and kings], who were anointed with olive oil (זַיִת) . - [Gen. Rabbah 71:10] and immerse his foot in oil. for his land flowed like a spring with oil. It once happened, that the people of Laodicea were in need of oil, and they appointed an agent [who was sent from place to place, until he found an olive farmer. The latter brought this agent to his home, and there, the olive farmer washed himself and then dipped his hands and feet, thereby fulfilling our verse here: “And dip his foot in oil.” Then, he supplied the agent from Laodicea with one million, one hundred and eighteen thousand maneh worth of olive oil!]. — [Tractate Men. 85b] Rashi continues that the money from the oil was paid in metals hence the blessing with the metals.

26 There is none like unto God, O Jeshurun, who rides upon the heaven as thy help, and in His excellency on the skies. 27 The eternal God is a dwelling-place, and underneath are the everlasting arms; and He thrust out the enemy from before thee, and said: 'Destroy.' 28 And Israel dwells in safety, the fountain of Jacob alone, in a land of corn and wine; yea, his heavens drop down dew. 29 Happy art thou, O Israel, who is like unto thee? a people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and that is the sword of thy excellency! And your enemies shall dwindle away before thee; and thou shall tread upon their high places.
34:1 And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD showed him all the land, even Gilead as far as Dan; 2 and all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah as far as the hinder sea; 3 and the South, and the Plain, even the valley of Jericho the city of palm-trees, as far as Zoar. 4 And the LORD said unto him: 'This is the land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying: I will give it unto thy seed; I have caused thee to see it with your eyes, but thou shall not go over thither.' 5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.
According to the Medrash HASHEM and three Angels dealt with Moshe’s burial. The fight is whether the Angel of Death will have power over Moshe and the Medrash states that HASHEM kisses Moshe and extracts the soul while Gavriel prepares the linens for the body and Michael the resting place with Chief Heavenly Scribe Zagzagel working on the burial of Moshe.

5770: 33:1 And this is the blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.

And this is the blessing… [just] before his death: Very close to the time of his death. — [see Sifrei 33: 1] “For, if not now, when?”

2 And he said: The LORD came from Sinai, and rose from Seir unto them; He shined forth from mount Paran, and He came from the myriads holy, at His right hand was a fiery law unto them.

With some holy myriads: With God were only some of the myriads of His holy angels, but not all of them, nor [even] most of them. This is unlike the manner of a mortal, who displays all the splendor of his riches and his glory on his wedding day. — [Sifrei 33:2] A fiery law for them: It was originally written before God in [letters of] black fire upon [a background of] white fire. — [Tanchuma Beresheis 1] He gave it to them on tablets, inscribed, [as it were,] by His right hand [thus it is said here, “from His right hand”]. Another explanation of אֵשׁ דָּת : As the Targum renders it, that He gave it to them from amidst the fire.

I skipped a good deal of the Rashi here. The Torah was given with a fire burning within another fire (Hebrew: fire eating fire אש אוכלת אש as it is often described in our literature.

3 Yea, He loves the peoples, all His holy ones--they are in Thy hand; and they sit down at Thy feet, receiving of Thy words.

Indeed, You showed love for peoples: [God] also displayed great affection to the tribes, each one of whom were known as a people, for only Benjamin was destined to be born when the Holy One, blessed is He, said to Jacob, “A nation and a multitude of nations shall come into existence from you” (Genesis 35:11). [Thus we see that Benjamin alone was called “a nation.” “A multitude of nations” refers to Ephraim and Manasseh. See Rashi on Gen. 35:11, 48:4.]- [Gen. Rabbah 82:4]
All his holy ones are in Your hand: [This refers to] the souls of the righteous, which are hidden away with God, as It is said, “But my lord’s soul shall be bound up in the bundle of life, for they […] be centered at Your feet: And Israel is indeed worthy of this [privilege to have their souls hidden away with God], because they placed themselves right in the middle (תּו‏ֹ) of the bottom of the mountain at Your feet [figuratively speaking] at Sinai. The word תֻּכּוּ is in the passive conjugation, which has the meaning: הִתְוַכּוּ,“They [allowed themselves] to be placed right in the middle (תּו‏ֹ)” [of the underside of the mountain], between Your feet.

Bearing Your utterances: They bore upon themselves the yoke of Your Torah. — [Sifrei 33:3] ישא מדברתיך: נשאו עליהם עול תורתך: Your Torah: Heb. מִדַּבְּרֹתֶי‏. The mem in it [i.e., in this word] is somewhat of a root letter [rather than a prefix], as in, “And he heard the voice speaking (מִדַּבֵּר) to him” (Num. 7:89); and, “And I heard what was being spoken (מִדַּבֵּר) to me” (Ezek. 2:2). This form is similar to מִתְדַּבֵּר אֵלַי, [speaking to Himself for me to hear, see Rashi on Num. 7:89]. This too, namely, the word מִדַּבְּרֹתֶי‏, means: “what You were speaking to let me know what to tell the children of Israel.” Tes porparledurs in Old French. Onkelos, however, renders [the phrase יִשָּׂא מִדַּבְּרֹתֶי‏ as :“they traveled (יִשָּׂא like יִסַּע) according to Your commands (דַּבְּרֹתֶי‏).” Thus, the Mem is a servile prefix, with the meaning of מִן, from . [Thus, according to Onkelos, the word מִדַּבְּרֹתֶי‏ literally means, from Your utterances.] Another explanation [of this verse is as follows]: Indeed, You showed love for peoples-Even when You displayed Your affection towards the nations of the world, showing them a smiling [friendly] face, and You delivered Israel into their hands,

All his holy ones are in Your hand: All Israel’s righteous and good people clung to You; they did not turn away from You, and You guarded them. — [B.B. 8a)]

For they let themselves be centered at your feet: And they placed themselves right in the middle of, and entered beneath Your [protective] shadow;

Bearing your utterances: And they gladly accepted Your decrees and Your laws. — [see Tanchuma 5] And these were their words:

As many of us love children especially between the age of two and three when they are at their cutest, so HASHEM loves us. The people sat underneath the feet of the royal chariot.

4 Moses commanded us a law, an inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.

And He was: i.e., the Holy One, blessed is He, was King in Jeshurun: i.e., the yoke of God’s sovereignty was always upon them.

5 And there was a king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together. 6 Let Reuben live, and not die in that his men become few …

Whenever the sum total of the people were gathered: At every gathering of רָאשֵׁי - meaning, whenever their number is gathered. רָאשֵׁי as in the verse, “When you take the count (רֹאשׁ) of the children of Israel” (Exod. 30:12). These people are worthy that I should bless them. Another explanation: When Israel is gathered together in a unified group, and there is peace among them, God is their King-but not when there is strife among them. — [Sifrei 33:5]

When G-D was KING over the straight forth and honest people. The whole nation without exception was there that day listening to Moshe as he is about to retire/terminate his work in this world and receive is reward of spiritual pleasure in the next.

We have the blessing of the tribes by Moshe of which most repeat each other in the Schul then comes:

33:26 There is none like unto God, O Jeshurun, who rides upon the heaven as thy help, and in His excellency on the skies.

Jeshurun: There is none like God-Jeshurun, you should know that there is none like God among all the gods of the peoples, and that their rock is not like your Rock. He Who rides the heavens: is the same God Who is at your assistance, and with His majesty, He rides the skies.

Yeshurun comes from the word Yashar or straight. Mentioned in Beresheis is Sefer Yashar or the book of the straight path but deals with the wars of the sons of Yacov because of Schem and other things. Here the relationship between G-D the KING and HIS Nation Yisrael is mentioned by Moshe. If you not there is another example of Vayehi bringing in bad news. Vayehi Yeshurun Melech and the heads (and people) of the Nation gather all the tribes. … So Moses the servant of the LORD died there.

27 The eternal God is a dwelling-place, and underneath are the everlasting arms; and He thrust out the enemy from before thee, and said: 'Destroy.'

Which are the abode for God Who precedes all: The skies are an abode for God who preceded (קֶדֶם) all other deities. He selected the skies [above] as His residence and abode, while all the strong men live below Him. Are the mighty ones of the world: [Literally, “The arms of the world.” This refers to] Sihon, Og, and the kings of Canaan, who were [considered] the strength and might of the world. Therefore, despite themselves, they will tremble and quake, and their power will dwindle before God-the fear of one above always falls upon the one below, and thus, He to whom power and might belong- Thrust out the enemy from before you: And said to you, “Destroy them!” מְעֹנָה Every word that requires a lamed as a prefix [meaning “for” or “to”], can instead have a hey as a suffix [and the meaning is identical. Thus, here, the word מְעֹנָה is equivalent to לַמָּעֹן, meaning “for an abode”]. — [Yev. 13b]

28 And Israel dwells in safety, the fountain of Jacob alone, in a land of corn and wine; yea, his heavens drop down dew.

Safely and alone: Every single individual [will dwell safely]-each man under his own vine and his own fig tree. [And their security will be so sound, that] they will have no need to live together in one group, because of the enemy. As Jacob [blessed]: Heb. עֵין יַעִקֹב. [The word עֵין, has the same meaning here] like [referring to the manna],“And its appearance (וְעֵינוֹ) was like the appearance of (כְּעֵין) crystal” (Num. 11:7). [So, our verse comes to teach us that the blessing here, of Israel dwelling בָּדָד] is like the appearance of the blessing that Jacob blessed, and not like the [meaning of the word] בָּדָד used by Jeremiah, “I dwelled alone (בָּדָד) ” (Jer. 15:17), but like the appearance of the promise [of secure dwelling] that Jacob made to them [Joseph and his brothers],“And God will be with you, and bring you back to the land of your forefathers” (Gen. 48:21). - [Sifrei 33:28] Will drip: Heb. יַעַרְפוּ [like] יִרְעִפוּ, will drip.  Also, their heavens will drip dew: [Why does the verse say “also”? It means:] Also, Isaac’s blessing will be added to that of Jacob, which states, “And the God will give you from the dew of the heavens” (Gen. 27: 28). - [Sifrei 33:28]

On condition that we guard and observe the Mitzvos.

29 Happy art thou, O Israel, who is like unto thee? a people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and that is the sword of thy excellency! And your enemies shall dwindle away before thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

Fortunate are you, O Israel: After Moses specified the blessings to Israel, he said to them, “Why do I have to specify all the details? In general: Everything is yours!” Fortunate are you, O Israel. Who is like you…!: Your salvation depends on God, Who is the Shield that helps you and the Sword of your majesty. Your enemies will lie to you: Like, for instance, the Gibeonites, who said, “Your servants have come from a… distant land…” (Josh. 9:9). And you will tread upon their upon their heights: [The meaning here is: “And you will crush their neck underfoot,”] similar to “Place your feet upon the necks of these kings!” (Josh. 10:24).

34:1 And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD showed him all the land, even Gilead as far as Dan;

From the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo: There were many levels [leading up from the plain to the summit], but Moses covered them with one step. — [Sotah 13b] All the Land: He showed Him the entire Land of Israel in its tranquility, and the oppressors who were destined to oppress it. — [Sifrei 33:30] Until Dan: He showed Him the children of Dan practicing idolatry, as Scripture states, “And the children of Dan set up for themselves the graven image” (Jud. 18:30), and He showed him Samson, who was destined to issue from him [Dan] as a savior [for Israel]. — [ibid.]

Part of the Tribe of Dan was located on the Coast from approximately Hertziliah today to around Yafo but the other part was underneath the Golan in the north from the Banias and the River Dan below the Hermon and I tend to go for the Pshat in the Pasuk and we assume that the Rabbis had a tradition about what Rashi wrote as he did not pull his ideas out of the air but a definite foundation.

2 and all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah as far as the hinder sea;

And all [the land of] Naphtali: He showed him his land in its tranquility and in its destruction, and He showed him Deborah and Barak of Kedesh-Naftali, waging war against Sisera and his troops. — [Sifrei 33:31]

This physically would be continuing in Northern Eretz Yisrael until Akko.

And the land of Ephraim and Manasseh: He showed him their land in its tranquility and in its destruction; and He showed him Joshua, who was descended from Ephraim, waging war against the kings of Canaan, and Gideon, who was descended from Manasseh, waging war against Midian and Amalek. — [Sifrei 33:31]

And all the land of Judah: in its tranquility and in its destruction, and He showed him the kingdom of the house of David and their victories. — [Sifrei 33:31] until the western sea: Heb. עַד הַיָּם הָאַחֲרוֹן, the land in the west [of Israel], in its tranquility and in its destruction. [Here, the sea referred to is the Mediterranean Sea, which represents the westernmost flank of the Land of Israel.] Another explanation: Do not understand the verse as stating הַיָּם הָאַחֲרוֹן, but read it, as though it had said הַיּוֹם הָאַחֲרוֹן, “until the very last day,” meaning that the Holy One, blessed is He, showed Him all the incidents that were destined to happen to Israel [until “the last day,” namely,] until the time that the dead would return to life. — [Sifrei 33:31]

See the explanation after Pasuk 4 below.

3 and the South, and the Plain, even the valley of Jericho the city of palm-trees, as far as Zoar.

And the south: Heb. הַנֶּגֶב, the southland [of the Land of Israel]. Another explanation: the Machpelah Cave [which is in Hebron, in the south of Israel], as Scripture states, “And they went up to the south בַנֶּגֶב, and they came to Hebron” (Num. 13:22). - [Sifrei 33:32] And the plain: He showed Him Solomon molding the vessels of the Holy Temple, as Scripture states, “In the plain (כִּכָּר) of the Jordan, the king molded them in thick clay” (I Kings 7:46). - [Sifrei 33:31]

At the end of the Dead Sea slightly below the Hotels of Ein Bokek just a wee bit north of the Dead Sea works which are in the area near Maalah Akravim where Moshe physically was. (Remember he did not enter physically into the boundaries of Canaan but this land down to Eilat essential was to be included into the land of Yisrael.

4 And the LORD said unto him: 'This is the land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying: I will give it unto thy seed; I have caused thee to see it with your eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.'

So Moshe saw the Golan Heights, the other side of Yarden down to the Dead Sea and the coast from at least Akko to Ashkelon and perhaps north and south a bit of these points depending on the height of Har Nevo and the curvature of the earth. From this point onwards it is unknown if Moshe just wrote what the L-RD told him or Yehoshua sealed Sefer Devarim with his writing.

5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.

And Moses… died there: Is it possible that Moses died, and [then] wrote, “And Moses… died there”? But [the answer is:] Moses wrote up to that juncture, and Joshua wrote from then on. Says Rabbi Meir: But is it possible that the Torah Scroll would be lacking anything at all, and yet Scripture states (Deut. 31:26),“Take this Torah Scroll” [and Moses commanded this to the Levites; so, according to the above opinion, is it possible that the Torah Scroll referred to there was an incomplete one, up to the juncture of Moses’s death? This cannot be!] Rather, [continues Rabbi Meir, we must say that] The Holy One, blessed is He, dictated this [i.e., the verse “And Moses… died there”], and Moses wrote it in tears. — [B.B. 15b, Sifrei 33:34]

By the mouth of the Lord: [i.e., Moses died] by a Divine kiss. — [B.B. 17a]

6 And he was buried in the valley in the land of Moab over against Beth-peor; and no man knows of his sepulchre unto this day.

And He buried him: i.e., The Holy One, blessed is He, Himself, in His very glory [buried Moses]. — [Sotah 14a] Rabbi Ishmael, however, says that [the words “And he buried him” mean that] Moses buried himself. And this אֶת in the phrase here וַיִּקְבֹּר אוֹתוֹ is one of the three instances of the אֶת in Scripture which Rabbi Ishmael expounded on in this way [i.e., where the suffix attached אֶת is understood to be reflexive, meaning “to himself” , “to themselves” , and so on]. And similar to this case [are the following two instances]:“On the day when his Nazirite vow is completed, he must bring him (אֹתוֹ) ” (Num. 6:13), which means, “he shall bring himself” [i.e., present himself]. And likewise, “And they cause them (אוֹתָם) to bear the sin of their guilt” (Lev. 22:16). Surely does this refer to others causing them to bear that sin? Rather, the verse must mean that they cause themselves to bear the sin. — [Sifrei Naso 32:124] Opposite Beth Peor: His burial site was ready there [at Beth Peor], since the six days of Creation, to atone for the [sinful] act of Peor. — [see Num. 25:1-8; Sotah 14a] This [Moses’s burial site] was one of the things created at twilight, on the eve of [the first] Sabbath. — [Avos 5:6]

7 And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

His eye had not dimmed: Even after he died. — [see Sifrei 33:36] nor had he lost his [natural] freshness: [The word לֵחֹה refers to his [body’s] moisture. [Thus, the phrase means:] “[Even after his death,] decomposition did not take over his body, nor did the appearance of his face change.”

I assume that Yehoshua, Gershom and Eleazar were with Moshe when he passed away and later the burial spot was covered over or that this came to Yehoshua in the form of a prophecy to write these words. This was a miracle within itself. I don’t know many Rabbis reaching 80 or 90 who have the save strength as years ago. I know that my Younger Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Yechiel Yehuda London Ztzal was still strong in his voice and spiritually fervor at the age of 85 as at the age 44 or 45 as I remembered him just less nimble on his legs. Rabbi Glixman about 2 or so months before his passing was weaker physically than the ole boxing Rabbi but strong as steel in his love for Jews especially little children.

8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; so the days of weeping in the mourning for Moses were ended.

The sons of Israel: [ordinarily meaning the children of Israel, male and female. But here, it refers only to] the males [who wept for Moses]. However, concerning [the passing of] Aaron, since he used to pursue peace and bring peace between a man and his fellow and between a woman and her husband, it is said [at Aaron’s passing], “The whole house of Israel [wept for him]” (Num. 20:29), meaning both males and females. — [Perkei d’Rabbi Eliezer 17]

I prefer to look at the death of Moshe as follows: The women with their hormonal balance are more prone to weep and they most likely wept too. However, the men who learn more Torah and love the explanations and the Pshat, Remez, Drash, Sod and Sod shel b’Sod of the Torah with Midrash and Kabbala with it were like lost sheep. The Gemara says that on the day that Moshe passed into the next world 3,000 Oral Torah Halachos were forgotten. The people prayed and all but 900 returned to us. When will we receive again the 900 when Tishbi will come and introduce us to the Moshiach.

9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him; and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.

But unfortunately he was like the moon in his delivery to Am Yisrael and not like the sun as Moshe spoke to the L-RD face to face so to speak.

10 And there hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face;

Whom the Lord knew face to face: For he was quite familiar with Him, speaking with Him at any time he wished, as it is said, “So now I will go up to the Lord” (Exod. 32:30), and, “You stand still, and I will listen to what the Lord will command concerning you” (Num. 9:8).

11 in all the signs and the wonders, which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land; 12 and in all the mighty hand, and in all the great terror, which Moses wrought in the sight of all Israel.

And all the strong hand: [This refers to] his receiving the Torah on tablets with his hands. And all the great awe: [This refers to the] miracles and mighty deeds [that were performed for Israel] in the great and awesome wilderness. — [Sifrei 33:41] Before the eyes of all Israel: [This expression alludes to the incident, where] His heart stirred him up to smash the tablets before their eyes, as it is said, “and I shattered them before your eyes” (Deut. 9:17). - [Sifrei 33:41] and [regarding Moses shattering the Tablets,] the Holy One Blessed is He gave His approval, as Scripture states, “[the first Tablets] which you shattered” (Exod. 34:1); [God said to Moses:] “Well done for shattering them!” - [Shab. 87a]

There have been miracles that we saw in each of the wars of Am Yisrael since 5708 and getting more and more as time passes and the enemy becomes more cunning. There were miracles with a Novi foretold in advance or even a premonition by some of us. However, nothing was nor will be on the scale of Moshe.

Chazak – Chazak v’ nit Chazak

This Simchas Torah we will should say Chazak and immediately start Beresheis again.

This Week’s Story is similar to what I come across a lot but most is not out of human love http://www.aish.com/family/rebbitzen/Conversion_and_Love.asp

Dear Rebbetzin Feige,(Twerski)
For about a year now, I have decided to convert to Judaism. I have not formally begun the process yet, but after spending a year tossing around the idea of conversion and letting go of Christian beliefs, I decided to become Jewish. How I got into Judaism is something which I am ashamed of mentioning since I am only 18 years old and fear that people will not take my desire to convert seriously. At school, I had met a Jewish boy who came from a modern Orthodox family. We began dating and are still together. Throughout our two years of being together, we have managed to keep our relationship hidden from our parents; my Christian parents would never approve of it, and neither would his.
As I learned more about Judaism, I began praying and studying Torah regularly, dressing modestly and became shomeret negiah. My boyfriend respects and supports my decisions. The problem I have is with my mother who is the most religious in my family. She has taken notice of my new love for Judaism and is showing her disapproval -- something which I understand and was expecting. She told me that she feels as though she is losing her child and has failed in raising me to be a 'good Christian.' She gets angry when I bring home kosher food, dress in long skirts, read Torah, and am reluctant to go to church and other "weird" things I seem to be doing, as she says.
She suspects that I may have a Jewish boyfriend and often tells me, "Do not convert for anyone. If someone really loves you, he will accept you as you are." I want to convert for myself, not for my boyfriend or for anyone else. And this my mother does not believe. Rebbetzin Feige, how can I bring joy into mother's heart when she sees me as a disappointment? How do I get the idea of a boyfriend out of her mind? I have tried to reassure her that she is not losing me, and that no one is forcing me to convert, but she still believes that an outside influence is pressuring me to be Jewish. What should I do?
My dear reader: Before embarking on the complicated journey into Judaism, there are a number of facts you should know.
Firstly, Judaism does not seek converts. Not because we are reluctant to share our spiritual wealth, but because in contrast to other faiths, we don't consider those who don't embrace our religion as damned or consigned to oblivion. The Jewish position is that if a person observes the seven Noachide laws that are basic to all civilized societies, (i.e. refraining from stealing, murder idolatry, torturing animals, adultery, cursing God and embracing the positive mandate establish a legal system), that individual can merit a portion in eternity. We don't need to "save" anybody. Decent human beings can travel their own path to their specific eternal portion in the world to come.
Though we may be eager to reclaim Jews for Judaism, we don't feel compelled to proselytize to the world at large.
Secondly, consider Larry and Charlotte who came to meet with us about Charlotte's conversion to Judaism. They were serious about each other and Larry's parents could not countenance their son marrying out of the faith. It became evident that Charlotte's interest in Judaism was no more than an attempt to mollify his parents and move on with their personal agenda. In the course of our conversation, we advised her that religion, a relationship with the Master of the world, the very author of our every breath, was not a casual matter to be taken lightly. It is, in fact, the ultimate relationship, the one that has to carry us into eternity. Decisions about whom we marry and with whom we spend our years on Earth, important as they are, do not come close to the significance and seriousness of who our God is and what we believe.
An ultimate decision must never be at the mercy of a penultimate one. My husband pointed out to Charlotte that her new religious interest was frankly not in Judaism but in Larryism. It was simply a means by which to get the man she wanted.
I am not suggesting, my dear reader, that your interest is insincere or ingenuous. What I do know from many years of observing complex human nature is that oftentimes a person is not aware of the many subconscious ulterior motives that lurk beneath the surface. We have seen people who discovered after much honest soul searching that their exploration into Judaism was motivated, deep down, by an effort to hurt their families who they perceived had betrayed them in a myriad of ways. Marriage, retaliation, status seeking, currying favor, etc., are not valid reasons for conversion. It takes a very honest and insightful person and a painstaking process to identify personal interest, ego agendas and to confront the truth. There is no technology that can be applied. It may take a long time for one to be sure.
Linda was a brilliant person of consummate integrity. She studied Judaism and came to classes for years. She was CEO of a huge company and sacrificed much to experience holidays and life cycles in the lives of our community. Her agonizing struggle and search for the truth came to an end when the Rabbi asked her if she was prepared to live a life alone and unmarried. Becoming a convert, he suggested, would further complicate her life and make finding an appropriate partner all the more difficult. She said that when she was able to give an unequivocal positive response, she knew that her search had come to an end and she was ready. She realized that she was committed to the point where no barriers could dissuade her or stand in her way.
Dear reader, one of the tests you might have to subject yourself to in order to strip away any doubt or semblance of ulterior motive would be to give up your boyfriend. With that personal bias laid to rest, with that subjectivity no longer an issue, you can then proceed to evaluate the merits of your interest in Judaism. Only when there are no strings attached will you get a clear and objective picture of where you stand.
Let me clarify the need for such clarification, and the possible consequences for ignoring it. What if your relationship with this young man should fail to materialize, as sometimes occurs over time with early infatuations? What if your friend's parents would object and the young man feels constrained to accede to his parents' wishes? Are you still committed to becoming an observant Jew? Do you become resentful or bitter to Torah because of the collapse of your romantic interests? I am not questioning your sincerity or integrity, God forbid, nor do I seek to denigrate your courageous attempt of commitment to mitzvoth. Rather, by subjecting yourself to this test, you will determine if your journey can be a proud acquisition of your own, independent of any other person or consideration.
I have the distinct privilege of presiding over a community of which a good portion are righteous converts. They are the finest and the best, and indistinguishable from the rest. In many instances, we are into their second and third generations with offspring who are distinguished rabbis, scholars, professionals and most importantly proud members of the Jewish people. These converts all had one thing in common -- no matter the cost, the pain and the sacrifice, they absolutely had to be Jewish!
Dr. Milt and Ann came to see us about becoming Jewish. I vividly remember that day. I was in a big rush. I had to catch a plane. The words I had said so many times before came pouring out. Jewish law requires that before embracing candidates for conversion, we must first attempt to dissuade them. I gave them the routine. Why would you want to join a people who have been persecuted time and again in the past; the laws of probability would certainly suggest God forbid, that the future will be no different? Our history has been drenched in blood -- inquisitions, pogroms, the Holocaust. Why associate with us and get caught up in our fate?
Furthermore, ours is not a once a week religious commitment to a house of worship. It is a way of life -- a discipline -- from the moment we awake in the morning to when we go to sleep at night, our behavior is circumscribed by laws, the Jewish way to do things. 613 commandments regulate the way we awaken each day, eat our meals, conduct business, interrelate, communicate with each other, inter-gender contact, the way we love, raise children, etc., etc. We are accountable on every level. Judaism is not for the feint-hearted; it is very serious stuff. If you are not born into it, why would you voluntarily subject yourself to it?
They listened intently and respectfully until I finished my tirade and then responded very quietly, thoughtfully and emphatically. "Yes, you are right; it may not make perfect sense, but we just have to do it. Our souls yearn for it and we cannot ignore the calling." I tried and I failed. Today, they are beloved members of our community.
Your mother, dear reader, is another reason why you have to be sure your quest is real and not motivated even minutely by extraneous reasons. Her pain is understandable. She raised you a certain way and the new direction you have taken feels like rejection to her. Whatever the outcome, you must reassure her that it is only because of the values that she instilled within you that you are able to seek truth.
The fact that you adopted and observe many of the mitzvoth is highly commendable, especially those that are counter-culture, such as dressing modestly. You are clearly a high caliber and spiritually sensitive person who understands that there is dignity in modesty and privacy. It points to a young woman in tune with her inner self and the grandeur that resides within, that is grievously cheapened and compromised by a society that accepts the excessive focus and flaunting of body parts and flesh. You understand that the real you reaches far beyond the confines of your outer self.
My dear reader, I would urge you to consult a respectable Torah authority and tell him/her your story honestly and completely. Let him/her help you attain the clarity that you desperately need -- and may the Almighty lead you in the right direction.

(1) James, 12/10/2008
my journey to conversion
I too became interested in Judaism in high school after being assigned to do an oral report on Judaism in a sociology class. I became more and more interested, feeling that Judaism was the "right place" for me. I visited a local Rabbi, who strongly dissuaded me from the idea of conversion. I did not understand the policy of turning away the convert three times before welcoming him/her into the faith. Soon, college was before me, and then building a career, a life. But always, Judaism was beckoning, in the back of my mind. Finally, at 58 years of age, I took an introduction to Judaism class. The first time I walked in to the sanctuary and stood facing the Ark, I felt an overpowering sense of being "home". As I told my Rabbi, the fact that Judaism teaches that there is no need to convert to have a place in the world to come, draws me to the faith. I converted in Feb., 2008. I wish I had had the courage to do it long ago. It has been such a wonderful experience. I am taking a Hebrew for adults class, with the aim to become B'nai Mitzvah next year. If it is right for you, you will eventually know. You don't have to rush.

Post Script from me: The case with the mother is a real problem. My father as he took me to the Yeshiva thought my Judaism was some sort of a rebellion and offered me the promise that if I came back home after my fad, that he would not criticize me as my thoughts were in a positive direction. That was of course the last time I saw my father alive as he passed away shoveling snow a week later. After his Shloshim, he appeared to me one night saying the Shema and I understood that he was mighty happy that I was saying Kaddish and observing Shabbos because it did a lot for him entering into the next world.
As for my mother, she was at first very saddened that I did not eat her Turkey and stuffing on Thanksgiving and other things. It really hurt her which was not my intention but during the next 30 ,years, she got used to me and she could cook in my house. She realized too that the Torah taught better manners to my children than the non-religious education in the field of respect for elders. So even though the Rebbitzen brings out these points it is not always so simple. Rabbi Leff in the book from Monsey to Kiriat Sefer helped convert a girl in Miami who made the fellow she was dating Frum as she really fell in love with Judaism.
I don’t do conversions and sometimes the bureaucracy of some Rabbis and Beitei Dinim anger me. One cannot convert so easily in 6 months but between a year to two is a reasonable time of kashruth and Shabbos existence (with only lighting a match or throwing a switch).
Lastly, from my own experience is from most people who want to convert for disgust with certain beliefs of other religions and preference to Judaism, they usually succeed unless they have an agenda (like married to a non-Jew and wanting to be a mixed marriage), becoming Jewish for love, money, because most friends are Jewish, etc. When a young man or woman is over powered by love whether physical contact or platonic, one must be wary.

Rabbi Lau Shlita on the 35^th Anniversary of a Sukkos Miracle.

During the Yom Kippur War the soldiers had to wait in columns to cross the bridges over the canal that Sharon’s army had prepared. As the soldiers were waiting, on the side was waiting flat bed trucks with Sukkos on them prepared by Chabad. The Chabadniks would offer the soldiers grape juice, cake and a Lulav and Esrog to bless over “Sitting in the Sukkah”, “We have reached this season”, “Wine/grape juice”, “Cake”, “Lulav” etc. One command car was waiting by the side so six soldiers went from the armored vehicle to the insecure Sukkah to get some Mitzvos in. Just then the Command Car took a direct hit, shrapnel and rubble were all over the place but the soldiers were in one piece!

Sukkos Essay from Danny F.: The Torah calls the etrog Pri Etz Hadar - The fruit of a beautiful tree. I've only seen an etrog tree in a picture, and the tree itself is beautiful. The fruit, the etrog, normally, may not be something most people would consider "beautiful". The mark of a more beautiful etrog is in its bumps; the more bumps, the more "beautiful" the etrog is considered.

Normally, if you were buying fruit in the store, you would stay away from bumpy, bruised fruit. What makes the etrog beautiful with its bumps?

The etrog is symbolic of the person who has both good deeds as well as wisdom. It has both a beautiful smell as well as a taste (which is more bitter than a lemon.) This is seemingly contradictory, but if we understand the analogy, we can say that the exterior would normally appear nicer than its interior (taste). However, the exterior appearance is "hidden" by its bumps.

Similarly, a person's strength comes by overcoming the "bumps" he receives in life. Each bump is a challenge and he gains more experience becoming wiser in dealing with life with overcoming these bumps.

In short, one cannot and should not judge a person or a fruit by its external appearance. Even a bumpy fruit or a "bumpy" person can reveal a beautiful interior and emanate a beautiful fresh, appealing fragrance.

Hermann Goring’s http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann_G%C3%B6ring Brother gets Kares

This past week in Yediot Achronot there was a front page of the magazine section article about the family of Gering’s brother. The brother was married to a Nazi woman who was head of the Red Cross in Germany during the war. When the brother became a pegah (Hebrew for animal carcass), his three boys were adopted by Herman. Really humane final solution fellow wasn’t he. He had the boys grow up in the SS children’s schools and they all became pilots. As Germany started losing the war two of the boys were kamikaze pilots. Helmut was shot down over Russia and managed to escape from his captors and make it back to German Lines. He married a nice Aryan Girl after the war and they had a son and daughter. As the years past, the son and daughter had problems dealing with the family’s Nazi past. At 13 the daughter went on a sexual rampage as some children with problems do. Later on the brother and sister made a pact not to bring children into the world and they underwent sterilization so that the Amelek blood line in their family would not continue.

Interesting enough - Göring's younger brother Albert Göring was opposed to the Nazi regime, and helped Jews and other dissidents in Germany during the Nazi era. He is said to have forged his brother Hermann's signature on transit papers to enable escapes, among other acts. The Good Brother, A True Story of Courage - The Holocaust, Crimes, Heroes, and Victim Hermann did have a daughter from his second wife named Edda. After googling the web, I found out that she never married so that will end his legacy when she dies.

This is stuff that grandpa sends out to his loved ones for Sukkah Activities: http://www.torahtots.com/holidays/sukkot/sukkot.htm

Ending with some Sukkos humor from R’ A.L. : http://www.bangitout.com/photos/viewphoto.php?category=16&photoid=3310&title=Succos%20Miracle%20for%20Mets?&cattitle=Succos

On the Theme of Simcha for Sukkos, Meir K. sent me this little laugh: A Jewish woman goes to see her Rabbi in Bnei Brak.
'Yankele and Yosele are both in love with me,' she says. 'Who will be the lucky one?'
The wise old Rabbi answers: "Yankele will marry you.

From Christian Eliab Ratnam: Squeezing Lemons on Shabbat: Is it permissible to squeeze a lemon on Shabbat, or does this violate the Shabbat prohibition of Sehita (extracting absorbed liquid through squeezing)?

The Shulchan Aruch discusses the laws of Shehlita in the Orach Chaim section (Siman 320), and presents a number of basic guidelines. First, the prohibition of Sehita does not apply to squeezing fruits directly over food. For example, it is entirely permissible, according to all opinions, to squeeze a lemon directly onto a salad, or onto Kibbeh (a solid object). The law of Sehita refers only to squeezing a fruit over an empty utensil.

The question then becomes to which fruits the Sehita prohibition applies. It is clear that the Torah prohibition of Sehita applies only to grapes and olives, as these fruits are generally planted with their juices in mind. One who squeezes grapes over a cup to produce grape juice, or who squeezes olives into an empty container to collect oil, has transgressed a Torah violation, but this Torah prohibition does not apply to other fruits. It is also clear that the Sages enacted a prohibition against squeezing pomegranates or strawberries into an empty utensil. Squeezing these liquids is thus forbidden on the level of Rabbinic enactment. Chacham Ovadia Yosef, in his work Halachos Olam, rules that this Rabbinic enactment applies to oranges, as well. It is thus forbidden to prepare freshly-squeezed orange juice on Shabbat. Although some authorities permit squeezing oranges into a glass on Shabbat, Chacham Ovadia maintains that oranges have the same status as pomegranates and strawberries in this regard, and thus squeezing oranges is forbidden on Shabbat.

With regard to lemons, the authorities disagree as to whether they fall under the same category as pomegranates and strawberries with respect to Sehita. Some authorities claimed that lemon juice differs from other fruit juices in that it cannot be ingested on its own. It is ingested only as flavoring or when mixed with water, and therefore producing lemon juice by squeezing lemons would not, according to this view, constitute Sehita. This is the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch, and Chacham Ovadia Yosef, in his Leviyat Hen and in Halachos Olam, follows the Shulchan Aruch's position. According to Chacham Ovadia, therefore, it would be permissible to squeeze lemons into an empty utensil on Shabbat.

However, most other Acharonim disagreed with the Shulchan Aruch's ruling, and maintained that one may not squeeze lemons into an empty utensil on Shabbat. These authorities include the Hilda, the Ben Ish Hai, Rav Haim Palachi, Rav Yaakov Haim Sofer, the Mishna Berura, and Rabbi Moshe HaLevi (in his Menuhat Ahavah). Thus, for example, Rav Haim Palachi writes that if one wishes to prepare lemonade on Shabbat, he must first pour the sugar into the pitcher and only then squeeze the lemons over the pitcher. Interestingly, he writes that when preparing lemonade on Shabbat one should follow the sequence alluded to by the three letters of the word "Sulam" (ladder): "Sukar" (sugar), "Limon" (lemon), "Mayim" (water). According to Chacham Ovadia, however, it would be permissible to first squeeze the lemons into the pitcher, before adding the sugar or the water.

As for the final Halacha, it would certainly be preferable to follow the stringent view adopted by the majority of the Halachic authorities, and refrain from squeezing a lemon directly into a utensil. This is a situation where following the stringent view does not entail any difficulty, as one can easily squeeze the lemons directly onto the food instead of first squeezing them into an empty utensil. Therefore, although one who wishes to act leniently may rely on Chacham Ovadia's ruling, it is certainly preferable not to squeeze lemons into an empty utensil.

Summary: It is permissible to squeeze fruit directly onto food on Shabbat. Certain fruits may not be squeezed into an empty utensil on Shabbat, and according to most authorities, lemons fall into this category. It is therefore preferably not to squeeze lemons into an empty utensil on Shabbat, though those who wish to do so have authorities on whom to rely. (Pre-Shabbos squeezed lemon juice where by hand or from a source like ‘real lemon’ in the States or one of the many brands in Eretz Yisrael is permissible to pour into another liquid and this was not discussed in the above post. Similar to preparing the salt water for Pessach before Shabbos.)

Gestimate what the population of Israel will look like in 2030 and 2050: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4702945,00.html

From Albert a spoof too close to the truth for comfort: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/17168#.VgFMIvmqqkp

The good side of hard shelled Israelis: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4703169,00.html

From a late Kabbalist on Gog U Magog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=444&v=xOPtMsgUbRE

I don’t remember if I wrote last week. I have a recommendation from somebody who knows this man for 25 years he needs a kidney: https://www.gofundme.com/kidneyforyosef

From Martin Sherman: Israeli voters are sometimes not much better that US voters who voted for “hope and change” with only words: http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Into-the-fray-Loopy-loopier-Lapid-419061

New Israeli Police Chief Candidate: http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Identity-of-police-chief-nominee-revealed-after-Netanyahus-authorization-419238

Inyanay Diyoma

Female terrorist shot dead:  http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/200958#.VgEDLvmqqko

From Rabbi Rosenberg Shlita two Jews in NYC shot with BB Pellets: http://www.timesofisrael.com/2-jews-shot-with-bb-guns-in-orthodox-section-of-new-york-city/

Hezballah to slow down in Syria from offensive to defensive: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4703290,00.html

Summary of meeting between Putin and Netanyahu: http://debka.com/article/24899/Why-Israel-prefers-a-hot-line-to-a-military-coordination-center-with-Russia                                                                                                                                                                      

From Barry Shaw: Trojan Horse ISIS recruiters posing as asylum seekers. http://www.clarionproject.org/analysis/germany-arrests-isis-recruiter-posing-asylum-seeker

Russia builds two new bases in Syria: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/200993#.VgLqDfmqqko

Arab youths in the north enforced Yom Kippur with roadblocks and stones: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/200995

Iran knows how to negotiate against the inept: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/09/23/iran-deal-open-for-debate-tehran-presses-new-ayatollah-demand/?intcmp=hpbt1

At this stage the Russians pose no danger to Israel but in the future? http://debka.com/article/24902/Russian-marines-join-Hizballah-in-first-Syrian-battle-%E2%80%93-a-danger-signal-for-US-Israel

Penalties and fines to be increased on Arab stone throwers and Molotov Cocktail throwers: http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Security-Cabinet-approves-harsher-measures-for-stone-and-firebomb-throwers-419041

He cut the 6^th fleet now the Med. Is not an American lake anymore. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4703907,00.html

Now China joins in Syria: http://debka.com/article/24909/A-Chinese-aircraft-carrier-docks-at-Tartus-to-support-Russian-Iranian-military-buildup-

So the government says let all the Arab age groups come and pray for it was quiet without the younger ones Ralf Kramden says “A riot”: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4704473,00.html

Axis powers against ISIS – Iran, Shiite Iraqis, Syria and Russia: Uncle Sap under Obama Kerry has no policy and vacuums are filled: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4704467,00.html

Europe: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/201133#.VgfB2vmqqko

In France today the equivalent to 1930’s Jude yellow star: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/201135#.VgfC6fmqqko

HAPPY HOLIDAYS SUKKOS AND SIMCHAS TORAH AND A GOOD SEALING:

Rachamim Pauli