Parsha Bechukosai, Return to Judaism Part 3

Parsha Bechukosai

The first word of our Pasha is “if” or a condition. It is a contract between HASHEM and the Bnei Yisrael. If you observe, then you will get this and that but if you get sick of doing Mitzvos then you will get this punishment and if you still don’t behave yourselves then worse. Menashe read this with me in Schul yesterday and he was horrified at the magnitude of the punishment like the eating of children that occurred during the siege of northern Israel during the days of Elisha HaNovi.

26:3 If ye walk in My statutes, and keep My commandments, and do them; 4 then I will give your rains in their season, and the land shall yield her produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. … and dwell in your land safely. … 11 And I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you. 12 And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be My people. 13 I am the LORD your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bars of your yoke, and made you go upright.

Up until now for obeying and now for disobeying.

14 But if ye will not hearken unto Me, and will not do all these commandments; 15 and if ye shall reject My statutes, and if your soul abhor Mine ordinances, so that ye will not do all My commandments, but break My covenant; 16 I also will do this unto you: I will appoint terror over you, even consumption and fever, that shall make the eyes to fail, and the soul to languish; and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. … 18 And if ye will not yet for these things hearken unto Me, then I will chastise you seven times more for your sins. … 21 And if ye walk contrary unto Me, and will not hearken unto Me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.  … 26 When I break your staff of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver your bread again by weight; and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied. … 27 And if ye will not for all this hearken unto Me, but walk contrary unto Me; 28 then I will walk contrary unto you in fury; and I also will chastise you seven times for your sins.

The cycle is getting worse and worse the more that G-D hides HIMSELF, the more the people sin, the more they sin the punishment grows sevenfold.

29 And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat. 30 And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your sun-pillars, and cast your carcasses upon the carcasses of your idols; and My soul shall abhor you. 31 And I will make your cities a waste, and will bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savor of your sweet odors. 32 And I will bring the land into desolation; and your enemies that dwell therein shall be astonished at it.

When Samuel Clemens aka Mark Twain came to Israel in the late 1800’s he did not find a land flowing with milk and honey but a few trees and barren rocks even the Arab Population was low for there was nobody to sell goods to or work for. A few Jewish families lived in Israel. It was only towards the end of days that settlers started moving in and gathering water for agricultural settlements. Eventually, more and more trees were planted and roads were built. Where there are only Arabs, the hills are basically barren. Where the Jews are green with trees, grass and vines. We call this the physical green line and now settlements are popping up bring green across the line into the line in Yehuda and Shomron.

33 And you will I scatter among the nations, and I will draw out the sword after you; and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste. 34 Then shall the land be paid her Sabbaths, as long as it lies desolate, and ye are in your enemies' land; even then shall the land rest, and repay her Sabbaths.

Of course this is more than just the Shmita or Shabbos of the land but rather other sins. For if you hold by 420 years that would be 60 Shmita years or 600 years of the diaspora. Therefore 2,000 years must constitute more sins and perhaps violation of Shabbos.   

35 As long as it lies desolate it shall have rest; even the rest which it had not in your Sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it. 36 And as for them that are left of you, I will send a faintness into their heart in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a driven leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as one flee from the sword; and they shall fall when none pursues. 37 And they shall stumble one upon another, as it were before the sword, when none pursues; and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies.

The lack of fear of G-D will cause fear of man and more fears that become exaggerated to such an extent that the people live in a constant state of panic.

38 And ye shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up. 39 And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.

There will be nothing we can do and persecution, pogroms, forced conversion and worse of all assimilation shall take its toll on our people physically, financially and spiritually. It is easy to convert a Reform Jew to another religion because he has no spiritual food for his Neshama. I was lucky in that I returned to Torah Judaism but others were lost to Buddhism, cults and Christianity.

40 And they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, in their treachery which they committed against Me, and also that they have walked contrary unto Me. 41 I also will walk contrary unto them, and bring them into the land of their enemies; if then perchance their uncircumcised heart be humbled, and they then be paid the punishment of their iniquity; 42 then will I remember My covenant with Jacob, and also My covenant with Isaac, and also My covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.

The Diaspora ends with the confession and return to the Bris between Am Yisrael and the HOLY ONE BLESSED BE HE.

43 For the land shall lie forsaken without them, and shall be paid her Sabbaths, while she lies desolate without them; and they shall be paid the punishment of their iniquity; because, even because they rejected Mine ordinances, and their soul abhorred My statutes.

This is a theme which I see all the time Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael are tied to each other something that the USA or other places are not tied together.

44 And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break My covenant with them; for I am the LORD their God. 45 But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the LORD.

There will be places, parts of the nation and Rabbis in Gallus that will allow for people to live in peace and prosper. But this depends on Torah Observance.

46 These are the statutes and ordinances and laws, which the LORD made between Him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses.

27:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When a man shall clearly utter a vow of persons unto the LORD, according to thy valuation,

This section deals with the valuation of people, fields and slaves/servants. But for dedication to the Temple and for selling a thief to a wealthy person or selling oneself into servitude during a famine.

34 These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai.

Chazak – Chazak v’ nit Chazak

The Ultimate kindness (a story from Lugano)

CHAIM-RIVKY DRUKMAN·FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2016

You might have heard about the tragic car accident in Quinto (south of Switzerland) this past Tuesday evening. I would like to share with you what my colleague Rabbi Yakov Kantor of Lugano wrote to his community following the sad event. Needless to say, I admire his work and dedication: "Shir and Anat Mittelman, a mother (56) and daughter (27) from Israel, whowere touring Italy and Switzerland, were stopped in the pre Gotthard traffic, and killed instantly (despite having seat belts fastened), when a distracted driver rammed into them from behind. What followed was 48 hours of litigation and efforts to arrange the immediate release of the deceased, waive the autopsy order and see to the complete burial in Israel as soon as possible. The funeral is taking place now and the family is somewhat comforted by the relatively quick burial. There were many people who were understanding and involved, the Polizia cantonale, the state judge, centro funerario Lugano and the Israeli consulate in Bern. Within the community thanks must be extended to Mr. Elio Bollag, and Mr. Shmuel Castro. Chabad of Ticino was highly involved and instrumental throughout many of the details and procedures in front and behind the scenes. Thank you for your support, as our supporter you take part in this tragic but exceptional Mitzvah. May we share good news.

My Return to Judaism Part 3

We each have our ups and downs and no path is completely smooth. Around Elul 5726, Howard took me to meet his mother. She did not keep kosher in the sense I do today but she was the most religious person whom I had come in contact with at the time. She only had one set of pots but cooked the meat and milk dishes separately and I believe it was kosher meat. She would light Shabbos candles each week. For me that was a giant step above where I had been all my life! She told me to read the Bible and pray by myself. [This was the same JPS Version which is available on line and I use the translation which is more like KJV than Chabad or Art Scroll at times. Yet I use it here for it is free and on-line.] Though May she worked on me to go get a kosher Bar Mitzvah with an Orthodox Rabbi. She contacted Rabbi Klayman (perhaps with a C) and made an appointment for me to see him. I already wrote about seeing Tephillin for the first time during the Six Day War and obtaining my first Siddur.

The Six Day War broke out after my last finals of my Sophomore year and I went to City College that day to check my grades and meet up with my friend Joel Klein. (I wonder now if he is the head of the NYC Board of Education and allowed a special Arabic/Moslem School in the Public School System a few years ago.) As we got off at 42^nd St to head to the Port Authority Terminal to take the Warwick Bus Line to Greenwood Lake New York for Astronomy Observing and just relaxing, we encountered a bunch of Jewish Youths collecting money for Israel. He gave $5 which was his week’s allowance and I gave $1 which was my week’s allowance. I mention this to show that charity is relative to the donor.

We rode up to the Lake and each night on the news watched the victories of Israel against the three surrounding nations. Meantime back in Israel some towns were being shelled by Yarden especially areas of Yerushalayim like Kiriat Zands where a shell did not explode near a natural gas canister. The Israelis were not told of the victories and the press in Israel was silent not like today. On the day that Yerushalayim was liberated, I saw the strangest sight that angered me. You see I had friends in the army and army reserves and was at that time applying for or thinking of applying for the diesel submarine Navy Reserve Officer Training Course. In the end I did not go because they would not guarantee my participating as an officer candidate so I figured that I would wait until I graduated and try for an aircraft carrier or the air force. Here I had donated a week’s allowance and the US Army did not have a communication device on the left hand and on the head above the middle of the forehead and yet ‘poor’ Israel had it for all the soldiers at the wall and then even a stranger thing happened the fellows started bowing down (genuflecting) to this wall. I mentioned this to Joel as I knew that he had been educated much better than I in Judaism. He told me the black boxes were not army communication devices but Tephillin and the wall was the wall of the Temple and the soldiers were praying that way to G-D. (Wow what a relief and double wow how ignorant I had been of my own people and religion.)

I met the Rabbi in Elul and he took me to buy a pair of Tephillin. It was a very small pair and cost only $54 and I bought the Hertz Chumash and Code of Jewish Law. He lent me a book by Rabbi Avraham Carmel “How Strange was my Path” and another book with the story of the boy who whistled on Yom Kippur – I think it was called “The Torah as our Guide” and as I read it on that Yom Kippur 5728, I cried like a baby as that boy was me who got to the town either whistled or held the Siddur upside-down and save Am Yisrael from a Gezaira when he said, “MASTER OF THE WORLD, I cannot read Hebrew but you know the words except my prayers as if I prayed them with Kavannah. I began putting on Tephillin and I praying part of the morning service each day at home in English. On the 50^th day after putting on Tephillin my prayers were really answered. There was a meeting with three Astronauts and Astronomers. All my life I wanted to be a professional Astronomer and here I was going to meet with Dr. Fred Whipple of the Smithsonian. (Dr. Whipple a number of years ago from the original posting at the age of 98. November 5, 1906–August 30, 2004) I showed him my meteor research. He invited me to come for a job interview. That was G-D’s way of repaying me in this world and getting the astronomy out of my blood so that I could get to real work for the next not only for myself but for others.

The year went by quickly and an old friend from the boy scouts named Sivan helped me with the blessings for the Haftarah for my Bar Mitzvah and although I could only read nicely Chapter 2 of Yehoshua, the people in Schul were impressed by me and that I was a returnee to Judaism. Around Sukkos, I had begun praying in the local Conservative Schul called the “Sunnyside Jewish Center” and began following the prayers. It was far from ideal. 15 and 16-year-old girls would Daven next to the tall thin 20-year-old fellow. A flock of sheep and I was basically the only Ram around. I tried my best to concentrate on my prayers Shabbos morning as most of the other times there was only men. In my spare time, I was reading the “Gates of Repentance”, “Path of the Just”, and “Ways of the Righteous”. IN THOSE DAYS OF BEING NEW TO JUDAISM AND PRAYING EACH WORD WITH INTENT IN ENGLISH IT WAS HARDEST OF ALL ON THOSE SHABBOSOS WITH FEMALE DISTRACTION NEXT TO ME. This is perhaps one of the greatest reasons that I am against mixed prayers. When on field trips years later with the men praying in front of the women or the women meters away on the side, the distraction was not there. At home my wife is a full partner and advisor but at prayer we go our separate ways and that is the best way to serve HASHEM. (If I want to sit together with my wife in mixed seating at a wedding or in a movie that is a different story but never ever at prayer.)

I began joining the Mincha / Maariv Minyan at work and during this time I met (now Rabbi) David Willig and others at the Jewish Lunch table on South Campus and somebody loaned me “Rejoice O’Youth” by Rabbi Avigdor Miller (now of blessed memory). It took about 50 pages to knock evil or evolution by Darwin out of my head. Instead of a Random evolution, I see a master plan evolution by a CREATOR.

In early June 5728, I went up to Boston and rented a room in Cambridge, MA to work for the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. I used to turn on and off the lights on Shabbos as I knew no better but I made Kiddush and did not work or travel. I had to come in for my Bar Mitzvah on Shabbos 21^st and did not time my bus and subway to Brooklyn and came in a few minutes after sundown. I don’t recall if it was at this time or my second visit to Brooklyn that Howard convinced me to fly back to Boston and I took my first plane flight then.

I had one more relapse on Shabbos. I had always been curious to meet my European Family and Cousin Andre Horgen from France was passing through NY. I hitched a ride toward Greenwood Lake and got there a bit after sundown and the next day I traveled too. The only two times that I traveled since then was on border patrol in the army and once I had to take a girl who swallowed pills to the hospital on Shabbos – Pekuach Nefesh. Perhaps had I not met him and violated the Shabbos, things would have been different. As he married Christina, a non-Jew. I wonder to this day if I had guarded that Shabbos if I could have prevented it?

One of my friends was a ‘fanatic’ Chabad follower and he observed meticulously Shabbos. He told me that I should not turn on and off the lights on Shabbos. To check him out, I asked my more modern Jewish friend Myron if this is true and he told me yes. So from around Mar Cheshvan 5729, I became completely Shomer Shabbos. David Willig, another David and a nice girl named Suri encouraged me to try to join Yeshiva Haichal HaTorah. I went down for the Feb. Semester and was accepted on the grounds that I had no money, could help in the office, at Bingo, substitute teach, proctor exams etc.

I finally began learning Gemara and Mordechai Rubin introduced me to the Blackman Mishnayos which I still read to this day on my plane flights over and over again. I watched the Rabbis, learned the Shabbos Songs, began to give Drashos and learn from the CCNY library the Midrash Rabbah and bits of the Zohar (until I got learned enough to quit reading it for a while). The seeds had been planted now for what we call a Torah Yid.

I have already written about the last time I saw my father alive was when he brought me to the Yeshiva. I was on my own saying Kaddish and graduating from College. Since I had been dating and now it was time to get serious and build a family, that summer and fall I began looking for a wife. I also went down to the Bostoner Rebbe at that time and I think it was he who suggested Haichal HaTorah. Associating with both Litvak and Chassid, I was being to become a member of the Frum world but not good enough for a Shidduch with their daughters. Modern Orthodox was a bit too weak for me then as I was on an upswing. Eventually I placed Yiddishkeit above all else and married a girl with other problems. Eventually for the sake of my children and myself, I would have to divorce. This was one of the prices I had to pay for keeping myself from sin and not being able to wait until I was more learned. There were some close relatives and distant relatives of my Rosh Yeshiva whom I did date. One was cripple but that did not bother me but her personality was not exciting enough. Other I was dating when my first wife turned my head with her Yiddishkeit and beauty. Still I got some nice children out of it. My problem at the age of 22 is that I went for the outside package. A sadder and wiser me a bit older when for an inner package and the outside wrapping concerned me less when looking for a wife.

To be continued.

G-D had plans for me in the Knesset: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4806435,00.html

Catriona E M. I'm an unmarried, single woman, in a liberal community, I'm pro-egalitarian and love to do guy's stuff like martial arts and DIY. But tichel just looks pretty cool from a fashion point of view. Also, the argument of sniut (Tznius = modesty) is quite understandable. I don't see why woman have to "sell" their body and show loads of skin just to be m'sameach men. So wearing tichel (kerchief) can feel quite empowering. The visiting student rabbi in our community said it's absolutely fine even for an unmarried goi to wear tichel. That's the progressive point of view, though.

It has been over a year perhaps two since I wrote about modesty. A woman in the summer time according to the liberal rulings of Rav Moshe Feinstein should wear a closed blouse that has what my wife calls 3/4ths sleeves that cover the elbow and a dress that covers the knees sitting down. The Chofetz Chaim and the Holy Zohar wrote fire and brimstone about a married woman who does not cover her hair. A woman should marry a man who respects her intelligence and being and not because he likes her legs or cleavage. For how long does love last if it is based on the physical either beauty or money for if that goes one has to have intelligence and a give and take.

PS it is not a progressive point of view but that of the most conservative ultra-Orthodox Rabbis.

Farmers protest middle-men after told to destroy crops and sell directly to public under cutting the ones who raise the price by 5 to 10 times https://www.facebook.com/events/261136874238499/

Ed-Op on internal Likud Politics and it reflects 20 years behavior of Benyamin Netanyahu: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4806361,00.html

Two Likud Knesset Members wanted Christian Missionaries to enter the country to guarantee their seats. Now with 66 coalition members they are not in power to do anything: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/212843#.V0cS0I9OI5s

Mr. Politically incorrect is alive and well at 90. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/don-rickles-was-politically-incorrect-before-it-was-incorrect-and-hes-still-going-at-90/2016/05/24/3b5e0422-1868-11e6-924d-838753295f9a_story.html

Inyanay Diyoma

Guess who is one of the big Clinton Foundation donors. If D. Trump got them for a mere $200,000 donation to come to his wedding all the more so $1 - $5,000,000! http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/212576

Ed-Op Lieberman is not that bad: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4805272,00.html

Yaalon resigns and Rabbi Glick replaces him. No tears on my part! http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4805583,00.html

Hypocrite takes private jet to receive environmental award. http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2016/05/21/dicaprio-takes-private-jet-extra-8000-miles-to-collect-environmental-award.html?intcmp=hplnws

Ed-Op military correspondent attacks Bibi for hurting Al Sisi: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4805609,00.html

Gazans challenge Lieberman: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/212590#.V0CkxZF96M8

Bibi attacked by his enemies in the press and TV. http://debka.com/article/25440/Bibi%E2%80%99s-foes-seeking-a-Promised-Land

Dr. Martin Sherman has left the Jerusalem Post for this paper Pitfalls of peace: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=16157

Besides George Soros, guess what Barak Hussein paid money to J-Street for backing Iranian Deal. Read “Traitors and Carpetbaggers in the Promised Land” http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/212592#.V0EmAJF96M8

Donald J. Trump plans to visit Israel: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/212601

Undercover Police did not identify themselves attacked an Arab – since I am not super pro-Arab it is bad: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4806449,00.html

Since this is not a major newspaper I would not put this past him to pull money from Veterans for Syrian Immigrants but I like to check out the truth so at this point I take this with a grain of Dead Sea Salt: http://reagancoalition.com/articles/2015/obama-pulls-2-6-billion-from-veterans-and-reallocates-4-5-billion-to-syrian-migrants-moving-to-u-s.html

Will the US bomb ISIS? http://debka.com/article/25441/US-mulls-hitting-ISIS-for-EgyptAir-bombing

Jewish woman and daughter stabbed in kosher restaurant: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/212711

  

Iran claim that it can destroy Israel in 8 min. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/212717#.V0PfvpF96M8

Donations to Veterans by Trump in his fund raiser called into question but he hits back: http://www.aol.com/article/2016/05/24/donald-trump-veterans-donations/21382908/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl40%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D-1532570006_htmlws-main-bb

Oren Shaul and Hadar Goldin are not buried why not hold these terrorists in pig skins until our fighting men are returned? After they take advantage of Bibi-Yaalon return, Police Minister orders freeze on returning. http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Erdan-orders-freeze-on-returning-bodies-of-Palestinian-attackers-454914

US bombs Shiites so Iranians can take over Iraq and move closer to Israel and Saudis-Yarden. Not so smart! http://debka.com/article/25444/Iran’s-Soleimani-leads-US-backed-attack-on-Fallujah

Elkin covers for Netanyahu but it is not true and intelligence should have been provided to security cabinet ministers: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/212775#.V0VXO49OI5t

Comptroller’s report shows that Israel blundered fighting BDS: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4807490,00.html

After too many lines at airports TSA executive given the boot finally: http://www.aol.com/article/2016/05/24/5-years-1-firing-tsa-shakeup-highlights-how-rarely-its-execs-g/21383259/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl41%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D-157895706_htmlws-main-bb

Attorney General angry of political interference in army trial: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/212774#.V0VbjY9OI5s

Why Home Schooling or Religious Schooling is necessary: Ed-Op from Dr. Harry: For all the justifiable press coverage of Barack Obama's federal guidance on transgender students in the public schools, its most dangerous provision has largely gone unnoticed – and it has nothing to do with bathrooms.

The most outrageous provision of his transgender bathroom order does not even involve locker rooms, where teenagers of the opposite sex will change and shower next to one another.

The most offensive part of the new policy is that, under the Obama administration's federal guidance:

School districts must allow biological males and females to spend the night together in the same hotel room on field trips;

Colleges must let men who say they are transgender be roommates with one or more women; and

School officials cannot even tell those young women or their parents in advance that their new roommate is a man, without risking a federal lawsuit.

The plain wording of the Obama administration's diktat is clear enough, yet it has not been reported, even by conservative news outlets.

Republicans get it wrong, again!aHH

Molotov Cocktails thrown at border police on Har Scopus near Hebrew U. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4807991,00.html

Another heat wave and sudden fires. Some might be from Lag B’ Omer ceremonies but in Kiriat Mattesdorf witnesses saw somebody set the fire. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4808264,00.html

Being the only full Jew on the block I got bullied more than anybody else: Anti-Semitic Attack in NH CT. http://www.rawstory.com/2016/05/kill-the-jew-12-year-old-boy-brutally-beaten-at-school-in-shocking-hate-filled-attack/#.V0cfPP9sJLA.facebook

Iran and Hezballah planning a series of terror attacks according to intelligence: http://debka.com/article/25446/First-test-for-Lieberman-from-Iran-and-Hizballah-

ISIS down under: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/212885#.V0gdQpF96M8

Shin-Bet stops rocket parts to Gaza: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4808463,00.html

Have a healthy, peaceful and good Shabbos,

Rachamim Pauli

Parsha Behar, Return to Judaism Part 2

Parsha Behar

We dealt in the last few weeks with the holiness of Yom Kippur, marital relations, the holiness of Am Yisrael and the Kedusha of the Cohanim. We now turn our attention to Eretz HaKodesh or Eretz Yisrael for its holiness. After many Mitzvos in Acharei Mos 28 Mitzvos, 64 in Kedoshim, 63 in Emor we still have a 24 Mitzvos this type of concentration of Mitzvos in a short space we see only in Sefer Devarim. It seems to me that there were times for teaching and times for review in the years of wandering. Here in our Parsha Shmita (Sabbatical Year) and Yovel (Jubilee) are mentioned and in Sefer Devarim (Deut.) more of a time for review during the 38 years prior to entering the land. It was the basis for our Yeshivos. First learning the topic (Mishnah) then commentary (Gemara) and then other explanations (Rashi, Tosefos, Rabban Channaniel, Rif, Ron, Marshal, Chalachos etc.) Here we are told the Mitzvos prior to the first chance to enter the land before the spies were sent out and in Devarim before Moshe was to leave this world and turn over the chain of command to Yehoshua.

25:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying:

Both Rashi and the Ramban discuss the fact that Har Sinai is mentioned and what is the connection of Shmita with Har Sinai. The answer basically is that if Shmita which occurs only after the nation enters Eretz Yisrael is given on Har Sinai so all the Mitzvos were given on Har Sinai.

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a Sabbath unto the LORD.

Up until now it was the Bnei Yisrael that had to keep the Shabbos. Now it was time for the holy people (Am Kadosh) in the holy land (Eretz HaKadosh) to have the land rest too. Not only weekly on Shabbos where none of the 11 Melachos with agriculture could be done but also a Shmita or Sabbatical Year of letting the land lie fallow to renew itself. [Eretz Yisrael renews itself with layers of dust storms each year which blow in various minerals from Africa or Asia in the east with dirt and dust which contain different minerals.

A Sabbath to the Lord: For the sake of the Lord, just as is stated of the Sabbath of Creation (see Exod. 20:10) [i.e., just as every seventh day is a holy Sabbath day, acclaiming that God Himself rested on the seventh day and thus acclaiming that God is the Supreme Creator of all existence, likewise, man must rest from working the land on the seventh year, for the sake of God, not for the sake of the land, so that it should gain fertility by lying fallow for a year]. — [Sifthei Chachamim ; Torath Kohanim 25:7]

3 Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the produce thereof. 4 But in the seventh year shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath unto the LORD; thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.

The land shall have [a complete rest]: for fields and vineyards [but you may dig holes in your land]. — [Sifthei Chachamim]  Nor shall you prune: Heb. לֹא תִזְמֹר. [This refers to the procedure in which] they cut off the [excessive] vine-branches (זְמוֹרוֹת) [and this expression] is rendered [by Onkelos] as לָא תִכְסָח, you shall not cut off, and similar to it is “as thorns cut down (כְּסוּחִים) [that are burned in fire]” (Isa. 33:12), and "it is burned with fire, it is cut (כְּסוּחָה) down.

I have mentioned a number of times than inanimate objects in the world of Kabbala and even molecule vibrations have a ‘life’ of their own. So here the land must observe Shabbos unto the L-RD which is in addition to our observing the weekly Shabbos.

5 That which grows of itself of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, and the grapes of thy undressed vine thou shalt not gather; it shall be a year of solemn rest for the land.

The after growth of your harvest: although you did not sow it, but it grew by itself from seeds that [inadvertently] had dropped on [the ground] at the time of harvesting. This is called סְפִיחַ. You shall not reap: to keep it like a regular harvest, but it must be rendered ownerless, [and available] for everyone [to take at will]. — [Be’er Basadeh] The grapes you had set aside [for yourself]: [i.e., those grapes] that you set aside (הִנְזַרְתָּ) and kept people away from them and did not declare them ownerless. You shall not pick: Those, you shall not pick, but [you may pick] from crops declared ownerless. — [Torath Kohanim 25:8]

6 And the Sabbath-produce of the land shall be for food for you: for thee, and for thy servant and for thy maid, and for thy hired servant and for the settler by thy side that sojourn with thee;

And [the produce of] the Sabbath of the land, shall be [yours to eat]: Although I have prohibited the produce [of the Shemittah year] to you, I did not prohibit you to eat it or to derive benefit from it, only that you should not treat it as if you were its owner. Rather, everyone is deemed equal [regarding the use of the Shemittah year’s produce]-you, [your slaves,] and your hired worker and resident.

This which Rashi writes about declaring things ownerless holds for even a person with a small vine or two. I declare in my Kollel or in front of three people that my vines are ownerless and then I can gather the grapes that are there. Last year I traveled to the States and the birds took care of it letting the Mitzvah for the animals of the fields.

7 and for thy cattle, and for the beasts that are in thy land, shall all the increase thereof be for food. 8 And thou shalt number seven Sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and there shall be unto thee the days of seven Sabbaths of years, even forty and nine years. 9 Then shalt thou make proclamation with the blast of the horn on the tenth day of the seventh month; in the day of atonement shall ye make proclamation with the horn throughout all your land. 10 And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof; it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.

Liberty for the Jewish Servants (‘slaves’) and the return of the fields to people who owned them and sold them for they had waxed poor. However, a house in a city one has only a short time to redeem it. With the advent of modern society, we could not exist if somebody sold his home and his friend bought it and moved in and redid the home only to find that the original owner wanted to move back. I assume that a clause can be made to check into this.

11 A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you; ye shall not sow, neither reap that which grows of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of the undressed vines.

This was the time when each person returned to his family inheritance. He had time to repair his property both fences, paths and house and it was permissible to dig a well but clearing of stones from the fields was forbidden unless to repair a fence, wall of the house or build on another room. The Jewish Servant with compensation for his work would now return to his inheritance. Those who had the time could learn Torah and Halacha for the year. Wheels and plowing tools could be repaired and shovels and axes made. It was not a complete year of twiddling one’s thumbs.

12 For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy unto you; ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field.

It shall be holy for you: [The produce of Jubilee] attaches its holiness onto the money [it is sold for] like items dedicated to the Holy Temple. However, one might think that [just like items dedicated to the Holy Temple, this produce] leaves [its holy status,] to become unholy-Scripture, therefore, says here “It shall be,” [as if to say,] they shall remain as they were. — [Suk. 40b] You shall eat [its produce] from the field: You shall [gauge your] eating in the house, by way of the field. [That is to say,] once [a particular food] has been consumed by the beasts in the field, you must remove [what you had stored of that food] from your house [and make it freely available to all]. (See Rashi on verse 7 above; Torath Kohanim 25:26). Just as was stated regarding Shemittah, so it is stated regarding the Jubilee.

One used to have to do this with wine which was from grapes collected by Beis Din before Pessach and I put up a sign on my wine 14 years ago. This last year either nobody mentioned it to me or they stopped selling this wine as I did not see it anywhere.

13 In this year of jubilee ye shall return every man unto his possession. 14 And if thou sell aught unto thy neighbor, or buy of thy neighbor's hand, ye shall not wrong one another.

And when you make a sale to your fellow-Jew or make a purchase from your fellow-Jew: Its simple meaning is obvious. The verse can also be expounded [to teach us the following lesson]: How do we know that when you wish to sell, you should sell to your fellow-Jew? For Scripture says, “ וְכִי תִמְכְּרוּ מִמְכָּר לַעֲמִיתֶךָ,” i.e., “And when you make a sale--sell to your fellow-Jew!” And how do we know that if you come to buy, you should buy from your fellow-Jew? For Scripture continues here: “אוֹ קָנֹה מִיַּד עֲמִיתֶךָ,” i.e., “or when you buy--buy from your fellow-Jew!” - [Torath Kohanim 25:29 you shall not wrong: This means wronging through money (see verse 17 below and Lev. 19:33). - [Torath Kohanim 25:31

15 According to the number of years after the jubilee thou shalt buy of thy neighbor, and according unto the number of years of the crops he shall sell unto thee. 16 According to the multitude of the years thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of the years thou shalt diminish the price of it; for the number of crops does he sell unto thee.

This was how a fair price was established for using the farm house and fields or just the fields of the property. Only in the city was the sale final after a year or specified time. Also being fair and doing right in business transactions is required.

17 And ye shall not wrong one another; but thou shalt fear thy God; for I am the LORD your God.

And you shall not wrong, one man his fellow-Jew: Here, [as opposed to the same expression in verse 14 above (see Rashi there),] Scripture is warning against wronging verbally, namely, that one must not provoke his fellow [Jew], nor may one offer advice to him that is unsound for him but according to the mode of life or the benefit of the advisor. And if you say, “Who can tell whether I had evil intentions [when I talked to my fellow in an insulting manner? Perhaps I did so in order to make him feel remorseful and repent his ways].” (see Be’er Basadeh). Therefore, it says, “and you shall fear your God.”-The One Who knows all thoughts-He knows. Concerning anything held in the heart and known only to the one who bears this thought in his mind, it says “and you shall fear your God!” - [B.M. 58b]

18 Wherefore ye shall do My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety.

Then you will live on the land securely: because it is through the transgression of [the laws of] Shemittah that the Israelites are exiled [from their land], as the verse says, “Then, the land will appease its Sabbaths. [All the days of desolation while you are in the land of your enemies -] the land will rest and appease its Sabbaths” (Lev. 26:34). And the seventy years of the Babylonian exile [when the land remained forcibly at rest], corresponded to the seventy years of Shemittah not observed by Israel, [and thus came to rectify and “appease” them]. [see Rashi Lev. 26:25 where the calculation is explained; Shab. 33a; and see II Chron. 36:21]

How this makes the land secure we will only find out next week in Parsha Bechukosai.

19 And the land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall eat until ye have enough, and dwell therein in safety.

We will only find out next week in Parsha Bechukosai.

… 22And you will sow in the eighth year, while [still] eating from the old crops until the ninth year; until the arrival of its crop, you will eat the old [crop].

Until the ninth year: Until the Festival of Succoth in the ninth year, the time the crop of the eighth year is brought into the house, for throughout the summer season, it was kept in granaries in the field. In Tishrei-that is the time the crop is gathered into the house. Now, there were occasions when it would need to yield for four years, namely: in the sixth year preceding the seventh Shemittah, when they would refrain from doing work on the land for two consecutive years, the seventh year and the Jubilee year. Our verse, however, refers to all the other Shemittah years [i.e., the first through sixth cycles of Shemittah]. — [see Ned. 61a]

… 25 If thy brother be waxen poor, and sell some of his possession, then shall his kinsman that is next unto him come, and shall redeem that which his brother has sold.

Before letting a family member go into servitude, it is up to the closest relatives, a brother or cousin to try to help. However, if this becomes a habit due to drunkardness, drugs, whims it is no longer up to the family to bail out this type of person but let him be sold into servitude to learn his lesson.

26 And if a man has no one to redeem it, and he be waxen rich and find sufficient means to redeem it;

And if a man does not have a redeemer: But is there a man in Israel who has no [relative] to redeem [his sale]? However, [Scripture means] a redeemer who is [financially] able to redeem his sale. — [Kid. 21a] And if a man does not have a redeemer: But is there a man in Israel who has no [relative] to redeem [his sale]? However, [Scripture means] a redeemer who is [financially] able to redeem his sale. — [Kid. 21a] And if a man does not have a redeemer: But is there a man in Israel who has no [relative] to redeem [his sale]? However, [Scripture means] a redeemer who is [financially] able to redeem his sale. — [Kid. 21a]

It was obvious that Rashi did not think of the times after the destruction of the first Beit HaMikdash. For hundreds of thousands died in that war and pogroms of the crusades were to occur either in the late years of Rashi or not in his area. The first crusade started in 1096 CE and Rashi died in 1105 CE. (There is a case this week of a partially disabled 67 year old who has an only child struggling to feed his own family which I posted below. Such a person could not redeem the land.)

27 then let him count the years of the sale thereof, and restore the surplus unto the man to whom he sold it; and he shall return unto his possession.

With the money he received from selling his losing farm, he made enough to redeem it from the person he sold it to as it is his inheritance. This is also a way that the slave/servant gets worker compensation in the Yovel (Jubilee Year).

He shall calculate the years of his sale: [The original owner asks the purchaser:] “How many years were left until the [next] Jubilee?” [He answers:] “Such-and-such [a number of years].” [The owner continues:] “And how much did I sell it to you for?” [He answers:] “For such-and-such [an amount of money].” [Continues the original owner:] “You would have eventually had to return the field to me at Jubilee.” Hence, [rather than buying actual land,] in effect, you bought [from me] a number of produce yields, according to the total for every year [remaining until Jubilee]. Now, you have eaten from it for three or four years [or whatever the amount may be]. Therefore, subtract their value from the total [i.e., from the original sale price], and take the remainder [until Jubilee].“ And this is the meaning of ”and return the remainder" of the purchase price over the crops he had eaten, and he shall give it to the purchaser. The man to whom he had sold [it]: [i.e., “the man to whom he-] this seller who is coming to redeem it- [had sold it.” If the first purchaser had sold it to another person for a higher price, the original owner makes the above calculation only with the first purchaser to whom he sold the field and not with the subsequent purchaser]. — [Arachin 30a; Mizrachi]

28 But if he have not sufficient means to get it back for himself, then that which he hath sold shall remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until the year of jubilee; and in the jubilee it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession.

Enough to repay him: From here, [we learn] that he cannot redeem part [of a field but either all or nothing]. — [Torath Kohanim 25:48, Arachin 30a, Kid. 20b; Sifthei Chachamim] Until the Jubilee year: [i.e., until, but not including the Jubilee year (Torath Kohanim 25:50; Mizrachi), and hence the purchaser] must not at all enter the Jubilee year [while in possession of the field,] because the Jubilee year releases [the field from his possession] at its very onset. — [Arachin 28b and Rashi there]

The ownership of the land was private given by HASHEM to the tribes (See the first Rashi in Beresheis on the creation of the world). Each tribe had approximately equal lots distributed when the land was proportioned out. Some got the land on the top of the hill and some on the bottom. Others got land in flatter country. Some people hand large families and some small. The ones with smaller portions after centuries might leave the land to a brother and help for a portion of the money harvest and sow the crops while opening up a shop in the city.

29 And if a man sell a dwelling-house in a walled city, then he may redeem it within a whole year after it is sold; for a full year shall he have the right of redemption. 30 And if it be not redeemed within the space of a full year, then the house that is in the walled city shall be made sure in perpetuity to him that bought it, throughout his generations; it shall not go out in the jubilee.

When the Beis HaMikdash will be rebuilt it will apply to all houses in any designated city. How will the rest of the land be proportionated out only time can tell?

31 But the houses of the villages which have no wall round about them shall be reckoned with the fields of the country; they may be redeemed, and they shall go out in the jubilee.

Modern civilization could not function like this anymore. Houses are no longer one story mud, clay, straw and rock houses but massive apartments.

32 But as for the cities of the Levites, the houses of the cities of their possession, the Levites shall have a perpetual right of redemption.

Since this was their portion in the land it is light a field.

… 26:1 Ye shall make you no idols, neither shall ye rear you up a graven image, or a pillar, neither shall ye place any figured stone in your land, to bow down unto it; for I am the LORD your God. 2 Ye shall keep My Sabbaths, and reverence My sanctuary: I am the LORD.

Our Parsha ends on this note of warning not to do idolatry or violate the Shabbos.

My Return to (or newly discovered) Judaism Part 2

When I left off the story a few months ago, it was Menachem Av 5726. I had become an agnostic after discovering the Principle of Cosmic Unity. After half-debating and perhaps more questioning a Physicist named Himmelstein, I concluded that there was a good possibility that HASHEM truly existed. We must have had a give and take for two to three hours. Little did he or I know that would lay the foundation of much Torah learning in the future. During my questioning I asked the question “How come there were miracles recorded in the Bible and we do not see them today.” (Remember this was before the Six Day War and the New York Times and liberality reigned as king.) He told me that if one was pure (his meaning was ritually pure or Tahor) one could work a miracle. He told me how Yeshu stole the DIVINE 72 letter NAME from the Beis HaMikdash and worked miracles until his Rebbe came and made him impure. (This sounds today to me a lot like the Yeshu in the time of Yehuda Ben Perachiya who was in the Temple in Alexandria, Egypt. – not the other two mentioned in the Talmud) I of course was so far removed from Judaism that I went off thinking about being pure of heart. That was the last time I ever saw Himmelstein as he went off to get his doctorate from Columbia University and I went off to Greenwood Lake, NY for my summer vacation. He also clarified to me the misconception of heaven and hell that I had gotten from the belief of a Catholic girl who loved me at the age of 12 and wanted me to convert to marry her. (I had some news for her.) I asked him about the concept (Catholic) about going to hell for eternity even if somebody was basically good. He explained to me the Jewish concept of soul purification which he broke up to me in just system of varying times. He talked about the seven days of mourning, the month, eleven months and a year and also Kaf Keller. My doubts about an unfair G-D regarding life after death were gone and a true and straight path in the next world was laid out before me.

Rowing my boat, swimming, hiking, and observing the Perseid Meteor Shower was my cup of tea for rest, research and relaxation. I might have been ritually pure as Greenwood Lake was a Glatt kosher Mikvah. I went that night to the ‘Indian Park’ dock to sit out and observe meteors. That particular dock put me out further over the water with a greater area of sky to view than my ‘Greenwood Lake Estates’ beach (The ‘Estates’ were fancy bungalows with one or two all year around houses.) I was staring at the sky. In the back of my mind was the relatively recent conversation that I had with Himmelstein. As I looked up at the sky, I noticed a strange phenomenon. I had seen many times in New York City a halo around the moon but never in all my numerous observing of the sky since the age of 7 did I see a halo around a star. (Neither do I recall seeing such a thing since.) I began thinking of Yacov Avinu and the ladder to heaven. The fogginess and the halo looked like a tunnel to that particular star in heaven. The night was poor for observing meteors. I had seen one and then another but nothing special. I began thinking with my stubbornness on watching meteors for hours and even losing a girl friend or two for it, I could not think of a purer person in the world for observing meteors. Perhaps as the fellow said, I could work a miracle out of purity. Now I did not know the 72 or three 42 letter names of G-D in Hebrew in fact I was only thinking and praying in English.

I put my left hand over my head as I had no hat or Yarmulke and I thought. “L-RD, G-D of the Universe, if you exist show me a sign. If you do, I will learn Hebrew, become religious and go to Israel. I have been told that one who is pure of heart can work a miracle. I have seen only two meteors this hour. - At this point my right hand is stretching behind me on the dock as I continued looking at the widest field of vision with the halo star in the middle. - If you exist send a meteor across the sky right now!” As my right hand moved to touch the dock by my hip (like within a nanosecond), a meteor shot out starting from the halo star moved about 40 degrees across the sky, changed shade of color and magnitude so it was no figment of my imagination.

About a week later, my friend Howard Dyckoff came with two other friends from the Astronomy Club and I told them of what had happened to me. One of them later became a Unitarian Minister but probably forgot about my story. Howard introduced me to his mother who convinced me to read the Torah through in English and after months helped arrange for my learning for a Bar Mitzvah with Rabbi Klayman, an Orthodox Rabbi.

As I may have written, I just read the Bible in English and just before Rosh Hashanah 5768 met with the Rabbi. During the course of the year, I had already learned about Tephillin from watching the news of the 6 Day War and my friend Joel Klein telling me that ‘those black boxes on the head and on the arm were not for soldier communication with each other but Tephillin for communication during prayer to G-D’. I had also seen the soldier bowing down towards a wall in Yerushalayim. I know that the Jews don’t pray to sticks and stones so what was up? He told me that the wall was the only remaining part of the Temple and that they were bowing down unto G-D. And right before meeting with the Rabbi a Danny Levy who came in with a bunch of Orthodox Jews began praying one evening in my classroom. Somebody said “Barachu” and the others said “Baruch HASHEM Hamivorach” two blessings and the “Shema” some more and then Kaddish and silence. Suddenly, I wanted to know why they were bowing and how to pray with them. I asked Danny to purchase for me an English/Hebrew prayer book. When I met the Rabbi, I think Mrs. Dyckoff bought me a Yarmulke, I had the prayer book and the Rabbi took me to buy Tephillin, a Tallis, “The Hertz Pentateuch”, “Code of Jewish Law”, I also bought “Iyob”, “Proverbs”, “Psalms”, “Koheles” and a book to learn for my ‘Bar Mitzvah’ around my 21^st birthday. I also signed up for a Hebrew course with Professor Posner. He was merciful seeing that most of the students were there to get an A and I was there to really learn and did charity by giving me a C in the course. Part three is next week.

One of the books Rabbi Klayman lent me was “How Strange was my path” by Rabbi Avraham Carmel and his journey to Judaism. Here are two little mentions by Gerim which might show others the way. Perhaps similar to the three Gerim meeting in the days of Hillel the Elder:

From S. KM: Hoping to inspire and encourage others with my own personal testimony. Recently I was reminded of the incident that occurred that really was the beginning of my return to Judaism. It was about 12 years ago, I was not even considering in the slightest at this time conversion to Judaism, I had been invited to a massive conference in Scotland, that was to host every congregation from the whole Church of Scotland. Scotland is such am amazing place and I loved the creativity, culture, geology and history so I wanted at this conference to find my spiritual home, to find the place where my family could grow, but it was not meant to be. After spending the entire day there I sat down in the evening and remember saying, 'Please G-d let this be it, let this be it'. After looking around all about me at all the hundreds of people, all the artwork all the passion etc a small voice in my soul whispered 'This is not it'. I felt a total void within me, like everything near was suddenly a million miles away, but I at the same time knew deep in my soul this was not my spiritual home. At that moment of sheer void the small voice whispered one word 'Talmud', I am sure it was a heavenly inspiration because it was such a bolt out of the blue. I didn't even know what it meant, I thought to myself, I think it is a Jewish book, but I was so excited because I wanted to find out, if this conference is not 'it', with all that is on offer, then what is this 'Talmud' that might be 'it'. So I had about 20 minutes left to race down through Edinburgh to Waterstones bookshop on Princes Street before it closed. Needless to say, they did not have a copy of the Talmud, but I did pick up three other books, The Haggadah by Jonathan Sacks, 'To heal a fractured world' by Jonathan Sacks and 'The Jewish book of Why'. When I found out what the Talmud was, I thought I must not have been inspired clearly, Oral Torah for a Christian was more than a little incongruous. So I kept it to myself for 3 years, never telling anyone, because I thought if I tell my Christian friends I am not going to church anymore because I had an inspiration in my soul which was the word 'Talmud', they probably would be thinking I was devil possessed. I ended up going to a huge messianic conference in Pennsylvania, then one in Chicago big waste of money, put me off messianics for life. However, I met a man who had been Orthodox Jew (may Hashem redeem his soul from deception) and I told him the story, he said 'Talmud can also mean to learn', this brought some comfort at the time and I resolved it must mean that. But then 5 years ago I recognized the errors of my former beliefs and after denying a man god/false messiah I began to pursue conversion. Due to difficult personal circumstances (also part of the inner healing process that needed to take place) it took me until 2015 to move into a Jewish community and I have not looked back despite its challenges. However, the three books I did come across have proven to be very inspirational in terms of my conversion to Judaism and my purpose on this walk. The first one Haggada to me this connects you to a people but also reminds you to live life as a redeemed person from whatever personal and collective Egypt and Pharaoh that has attempted to hinder your Avodah to Hashem. 'To Heal a Fractured World' - Tikkun Olam - to repair the world in which we live, even if the most important aspect of that world is our own hearts and minds, and finally 'The Jewish book of Why' to do that within the context of Torah observant Judaism. I really do believe that day in the conference centre in Scotland some divine inspiration was able to reach my world and plant a seed that would grow with my own soul into the wonderful Tree of Life it has started to become. I hope others can draw inspiration and encouragement from my personal encounter with a loving G-d, who desires for us to become all He created us to be.

S.A.F. replied on Facebook: Beautiful! Similar story. I am in Chicago and was with Messianics for few years and that was last straw for me. Took me @ 20 years and several messages I ignored. Aren't you glad to be home! Mazal Tov.

L.T. Your story is awesome...G-d is good.

S. KM He is, His plans for us are good.

L.T Indeed they are.

Now I hope these stories have given you folks a bit fortification (Chizuk).

Also from Stephanie KM the liberator is reunited with the holocaust survivor whom he saved: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wwii-vet-reunites-man-saved-concentration-camp-71/story?id=39170077&cid=abcn_fb

If you are in a charitable mood to help a retired and partially disabled person: 25: 35 And if thy brother be waxen poor, and his means fail with thee; then thou shalt uphold him: as a stranger and a settler shall he live with thee. 36 Take thou no interest of him or increase; but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee. 37 Thou shalt not give him thy money upon interest, nor give him thy victuals for increase. 38 I am the LORD your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, to be your God. https://www.gofundme.com/MiriamEyges

From Chaim B: Film the partnership that made Israel a State: http://aipac.hubs.vidyard.com/watch/oDme2r4xIqA6Gpe-Gdeugg?vyemail=sheri%40greenbaumfam.com

National Unity an Ed-Op from Ben Dror Yemini: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4802753,00.html

From Allan: This claim has been made once before so it might be old: http://betinews.com/?p=3661 original source: http://www.disclose.tv/news/red_sea_archaeologists_discover_remains_of_egyptian_army_from_the_biblical_exodus/123111

Possible coalition expansion: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/212463#.VzyAW5F96M8

Knesset Speaker is over-powered by love! (a little good news for once) http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4805354,00.html

For Yoella: I may have posted this before the birth of the IAF via Mahal Volunteers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug_sYWzvgxA&feature=share

Inyanay Diyoma

ISIS declares a state of emergency in their capitol after they began fearing a coalition attack: http://edition.cnn.com/2016/05/13/politics/isis-raqqa-state-of-emergency/index.html

ISIS of Sinai being trained in Gaza and also medical attention: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/212242#.Vzdj149OKM8

Hezballah doesn’t accuse Israel but the US and Russian on the death of their Chief of Staff: http://debka.com/article/25422/Hizballah-links-US-Russia-to-Al-din’s-killing

From Albert: The Washington Post has 20 full time reporters looking into Donald J. Trump’s past for dirt. Here is a TV clip from 25 years ago Donald J. Trump talks about our nation being ripped off and he did not for see a political run as he liked what he is doing. However, if the situation got so bad, he would not rule it out. Check this: https://www.youtube.com/embed/MOKi5YeNtRI

I was looking at Orthodox Tours of Europe this summer. For many-many years it was Sweden, Norway and Denmark. It has been changed to Norway, Ireland and England. Nobody wants to be the Hu Akbar end of an attack.

Somebody had intelligence on the whereabouts of the Hezballah COS: http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Analysis-Intelligence-agencies-succeeding-in-penetrating-Hezbollah-453976

Recent earth-shaking events in Israel: http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Light-earthquake-measuring-48-hits-southern-Israel-No-injuries-reported-454087

New missile changes the tide against Iran in Syria: http://debka.com/article/25425/IRGC-routed-in-Syria-by-new-missile

Yesterday there was a stabbing attempt and today in Yerushalayim: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/212324#.Vzl7ApF96M8

Defense Minister goes too far a second time: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4803454,00.html

Caught the terrorist who laid the bomb that injured the officer: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4803352,00.html

Details of the truth behind the Iranian Capture of US sailors that can be told rest next year if at all: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/212380

New infantry missile revealed: http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Rafael-unveils-1500-meter-range-infantry-missile-454161

Ed-Op on Jewish 1948 Refugees: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4803313,00.html

From Jew in Central America:

Communism has destroyed a wealthy oil rich country:

The full-blown economic collapse that is happening in Venezuela right now is a preview of what Americans will be experiencing in the not too distant future. Just a few years ago, most Venezuelans could never have imagined that food shortages would become so severe that people would literally hunt dogs and cats for food. But as you will see below, this is now taking place. Sadly, this is what the endgame of socialism looks like. When an all-powerful government is elevated far above all other institutions in society and radical leftists are given the keys to the kingdom, this is the result. Food shortages, looting and rampant violent crime have all become part of daily life in Venezuela, and we all need to watch as this unfolds very carefully, because similar scenarios will soon be playing out all over the planet.

The funny thing is that Venezuela actually has more “wealth” than most countries in the world. According to the CIA, Venezuela actually has more proven oil reserves than anyone else on the globe – including Saudi Arabia.

So how did such a wealthy nation find itself plunged into full-blown economic collapse so rapidly, and could a similar thing happen to us?

The president of Venezuela has declared a 60 day state of emergency in a desperate attempt to restore order, but most people don’t anticipate that it will do much good. Social order continues to unravel as the economy systematically implodes. The Venezuelan economy shrunk by 5.7 percent last year, and it is being projected that it will contract by another 8 percent in 2016. Meanwhile, inflation is raging wildly out of control. According to the IMF, the official inflation rate in Venezuela will be somewhere around 720 percent this year and 2,200 percent next year. Ari posted from this left wing Newspaper: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/16/world/americas/dying-infants-and-no-medicine-inside-venezuelas-failing-hospitals.html?_r=1

USA gives out more Visas to Arab Countries and less to Israel: http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-us-at-odds-over-visa-waiver-program/

From Allan - Chutzpah: Nobody is forcing them to buy pork with food stamps! http://www.redflagnews.com/headlines-2016/somali-muslims-in-us-demand-halal-welfare-from-americans

Al Sisi starts a peace initiative: http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Egypts-Sisi-There-is-trust-and-confidence-between-me-and-the-Israelis-454188

Held for 8 months without trial and unable to attend his son’s Bris, just because he was the grandson of Rabbi Meir Kahane will be released: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/212394

Jewish woman and children rescued from an Arab village after a “romance” turned into 15 years of a nightmare: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/212421

Obama sends in planes to help Assad!!! http://debka.com/article/25427/Exclusive-US-warplanes-intervene-in-Syrian-war-

Israel will precisely strike our enemies: http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Yaalon-Israel-will-use-precision-capabilities-to-damage-enemy-454232

Israeli, US, Greece in Navy Exercise that meets or exceeds NATO standards: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4804273,00.html

As the government announces that Yaalon will not be Defense Secretary and in his place will be Lieberman the Gazans try us. Loud explosion heard hence political correct false alarm:http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4804928,00.html

This proves that Netanyahu is all about momentary survival and not long term ideology for the difference between Herzog and Labor vs. the supposed right is great. It is all a matter of survival for a year or two: I am happy no labor or Yaalon: http://debka.com/article/25430/-Israel-switches-defense-chiefs-in-surprise-political-move

This is the real coward Netanyahu who only thinks of his own survival and not that of the people. The only reason Iran bothers him is because all his wealth is in Israel. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/212495#.Vz1EM5F96M8

Ed-Op by former military intelligence chief – Assad must go! http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4804899,00.html

Appears that ISIS has shot down or blown up another plane: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/05/19/egyptair-flight-from-paris-to-cairo-disappears-from-radar.html?intcmp=hpbt1

I received this: Burlington College announced today it will close after it was unable to recover from the crushing debt incurred under during Jane Sanders’ tenure as president of the institution. Heat Street reported.

Married to the guy who promises free college for all: Burlington College announced today that it will close on May 27 after it found itself unable to recover from “the crushing weight of the debt” incurred under Jane O’Meara Sanders, the college’s former president and wife of Bernie Sanders.

Black lives matter or human trafficking using black women? http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/05/19/black-lives-matter-member-reportedly-charged-with-human-trafficking-and-prostitution.html?intcmp=hpbt4

When and where was a bomb planted on the Egypt Airline Plane? Or was it some other device that when the pilot removed auto-pilot for decent hit him with gas or destroyed the maneuverability of the plane? Was in planted in Cairo, Morocco, Tunis, Brussels or Paris where the plane had flown recently? http://debka.com/article/25432/EgyptAir-flight-blown-up-by-ISIS-time-bomb

Quote condensed: From Barry Shaw "She hated the USA praise Bin Laden and the PC Liberals like her". http://www.vox.com/2016/5/19/11713686/yuri-kochiyama

From Yoella: THE FINAL FRAY?

It's with big pain in my heart to write this very sad introduction. It's not only the pain I feel for (as he has become) OUR Martin but also the sadness I feel towards all the readers to miss out his brilliant mind. A mind like no other and a mind to make us aware of the dangers ahead of us when most people in politics trying to make us go left when we voted right. A mind that shows us the dangers of certain political movement and decisions, and a mind that had no fear in telling the truth.......For me...it would be my last SHARING this INTO THE FRAY. A very honoree task. As I felt it as an honor to share you Martins thoughts and insides into the matter. I can't believe this will be over.....Thank you dr. Martin Sherman...

Will this be Martin’s last INTO THE FRAY column in Jerusalem Post?

FIVE MENDACIOUS MYTHS MAKE ONE FALSE NARRATIVE http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Into-the-Fray-Five-mendacious-myths-make-one-false-narrative-453863

Be well and have a good Shabbos,

Rachamim Pauli