Please add to the prayer
list Peter David ben Ursula
A quote for Elul that
will put you in a good mood for repentance: The
happier we are, the happier we make others. And let's face it — the happier we
make others, the happier the world becomes. – Dr. Harry
Mussar – Elul is upon us.
Elul is coming. The
month of Rachamim (DIVINE Compassion). This is the time to prepare for the Day
of Judgement. In Perkei Avos there was advice to repent one day before one’s
death. We don’t know about ourselves from minute to minute or hour to hour. My
neighbor Eliezer David (DOVID in Hebrew) HaCohain ben Naomi got a rare visit
from me last week. I am exhausted with a lot of things that I am also busy taking
care of an 11-year-old at my age. He looked chipper and was in good spirits. On
Sunday, he was rushed to the hospital with a bad case of pneumonia and the
doctors found more growths in his lungs and abdomen. On Friday, before putting
out the blogspot, I tried for 15 to 20 minutes or more working in the shade to
open up a sink drain. I did not feel too well after very little physical work
but loss of fluids from the humidity and especially salt. So one does not know
when one must do Teshuva. Elul is the month set aside by the Rabbis to work on
ourselves.
Friday was a
reawakening for me personally. I mentioned above about the idea of going to repent
one day before your death. Do we know the day that we will die? Unless we are
alert enough to say Vidui (confession) we must be prepared daily. A true story
of a fellow I believe that his name was Avraham Roda. He used to go fishing
every Friday and perhaps Shabbos. He came and started learning after work with
Rabbi Yerachmiel Boyer. He participated in a Seeum of completing a Mesecta of
Gemara (Tractate of Talmud). He even convinced others to become more religious.
Shortly thereafter, he was called to the heavenly court upon completing his
mission in this world. About it was said, “Some people earn their place in the
world to come in a few hours and some in a lifetime.”
We all sin in one way
or another. Some it is being a bit of a glutton, others it is immodesty, still
others it is wasting time (which unfortunately most of us do). The Vilna Gaon
had a notebook in which he wrote down the time he wasted so that he could beat
his breast on Yom Kippur about his wasting his learning. One of his close
Talmidim got hold of the book and calculated that is was about 3 hours a year.
When I write Mussar, I don’t write for you who read this but for me. How much
time did I waste on politics this year, idle chatter with my wife and friends,
even in the Beis Medrash and dawdling before going to bed or taking a shower. I
finished my investments for a while and am not a day trader so why am I
following the market so much?
There is plenty each
of us can do to improve ourselves. Lately, I have been working ever so slightly
on my prayer. For as I returned to Judaism 48 years ago as I started praying
the Shemona Esray Prayer, it took me in English 10 to 15 minutes and the first
time in Hebrew 30 plus minutes to pray. Now after working for years and years,
I have the prayer down zip. Slowly I am praying for the ill, people needing a
return to Judaism and childless couple(s), I guess if I had more time, I would
pray for tens of thousands of Shidduchim. But what happened to “Oh KING,
helper, savor, shield…” or “when my foot slips your loving kindness upholds me”
Na I breeze through that in 5th gear about 50 mph over the speed
limit. Perhaps that is how the angels view it before them. The latest I7
computer can’t match that speed. The human mind is amazing so we have to stop
being off on a Geyser in Yellowstone, climbing the Everest, chasing Penguins in
Antarctica or wherever our mind takes us but concentrate on our prayer.
These two elements of
Teshuva and Tephilla are sides of the Elul Triangle. Now it is time to consider
Tzeduka. What charity did we do today? Charity is not money. A friend of mine
visits her mother who is losing it a bit and sitting with her when she is ill.
These are the things that have no limit and the vineyard exists in the next
world. Honoring Parents, financial charity, visiting the sick, attending to the
dead (including cleaning their graves), Torah learning, etc. However, there is
a stage in between not mentioned by our Sages. Informing a deaf-mute that he/she must go to the
shelter, guiding the blind, feeding the invalid or even a small child, giving a
person employment or helping them find a place in another department when your
department is experiencing cuts in manpower. There is no limit so even if you
don’t have a penny on you, you can listen to somebody who is down and out. We
don’t know even if we prevented a suicide for listening to somebody who is so
down and out and it does not matter if it is a Jew or non-Jew. For often a Jew
helps a non-Jew he makes a Kiddush HASHEM and things are recorded.
In conclusion,
Teshuva, Tephilla and Tzeduka is anything from a slight effort to a tremendous
effort but it helps you and the whole world on The Day of Judgement!
Johnny who is
interested in Judaism right now a Ben Noach posted: THE BEST APOLOGY IS CHANGED
BEHAVIOR which he took from some Torah group.
Parsha Re’eh
Up until now in 3
Parshiyos, we have heard Moshe Rabbaynu’s first Drasha and have received about
22 of the 200 in Devarim. We were told of the Mitzvah of living in the land and
the setting up of the cities of refuge. At this point we start the second
Drasha and this week’s Parsha contains 55 new Mitzvos follow by Shoftim with a
large number of Mitzvos and Ki Teitzei with over 70 Mitzvos. We are given a
choice by HASHEM to either get a blessing or a curse. Like a good father in
heaven, HE wants us to choose wisely.
11:26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse:
This is proof of no predestination for one has a choice
which is quite clear.
27 the blessing, if ye shall hearken unto the commandments of the
LORD your God, which I command you this day;
If you are diligent in the observance and love HASHEM,
then you will be blessed with the Shechina upon you.
28 and the curse, if ye shall not hearken unto the commandments of
the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day,
to go after other gods, which ye have not known.
Don’t become fascinated by temporary lures away from
the Torah and Mitzvos for they will lead you down to the pit of destruction.
29 And it shall come to pass, when the LORD thy God shall bring
thee into the land whither thou go to possess it, that thou shalt set the blessing
upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Eval.
This is by Schem, the heart of country between Yarden
and the Sea and this is where Yosef would be buried. Yehoshua will do this.
Yehoshua 8:34.
Upon Mount Gerizim: [עַל, usually “upon,” here
means] “facing Mount Gerizim.” [The Levites] turned their faces [toward the
mountain] and began with the blessing: “Blessed is the man who does not make
any graven or molten image….” Each of the curses in that section [beginning Deut. 27:15] were first stated in the
expression of a blessing. Afterwards, they turned their faces towards Mount
Eval and began [to recite the corresponding] curse. — [Sotah 32a]
30 Are they not beyond the Jordan, behind the way of the going down
of the sun, in the land of the Canaanites that dwell in the Arabah, over
against Gilgal, beside the terebinths of Moreh?
Are they not [on the other side
of the Jordan]?- [: Moses]
gave [geographical] landmarks [describing the mountains]. Beyond: Heb. אַחֲרֵי, [I.e.,] after crossing the Jordan, much
further on in distance, for that is the meaning of the expression אַחֲרֵי, “beyond”; wherever [the term] אַחֲרֵי is used, [it signifies] “a great
separation [in time or place].” On the
other side of the Jordan, way beyond,] in the direction of the sunset: [i.e.,] beyond the Jordan, toward the west. And the cantillation
marks of the verse prove that [אַחֲרֵי
and דֶּרֶךְ] refer to two separate things, for they
are marked with two [conjunctive] accents [thus demonstrating that these words
are not connected]: אַחֲרֵי is punctuated with a
pashta [which separates the word from the succeeding one], and דֶּרֶךְ is punctuated with a mashpel [which we call a yetib]. In
addition, [the ד of the word דֶּרֶךְ has a dagesh inside it [which indicates
that the word דֶּרֶךְ begins a new phrase
or topic]. If, however, אַחֲרֵי דֶרֶךְ
were one phrase [meaning “beyond the direction”], then אַחֲרֵי
would have been punctuated by a conjunctive accent, namely a shofar hafuch
[which we call a mahpach] and דֶּרֶךְ
by a pashta [the combination of which indicates the connection between those
words. Additionally, the ד of the word דֶּרֶךְ] would not have a dagesh inside it. [But
this is not so, and thus אַחֲרֵי and דֶּרֶךְ are separate words in this verse.] Opposite: Far off
from Gilgal. [Near]
the plains of Moreh: This is Schem,
as is stated: “to the place of Schem, to the plain of Moreh” (Gen. 12:6).
31 For ye are to pass over the Jordan to go in to possess the land
which the LORD your God giveth you, and ye shall possess it, and dwell therein.
32 And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and the ordinances which I set
before you this day.
What I am commanding you now.
12:1 These are the statutes and the ordinances, which ye shall
observe to do in the land which the LORD, the God of thy fathers, hath given
thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth. 2 Ye shall surely
destroy all the places, wherein the nations that ye are to dispossess served
their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every leafy
tree.
This is the first of the fifty-five Mitzvos in this
Parsha followed by the second.
3 And ye shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their
pillars, and burn their Asherim with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images
of their gods; and ye shall destroy their name out of that place.
Modern Israel has not done this yet and in fact can’t.
I assume that during the war of Gog and Magog they will fall by themselves in
the quake or when the Moshiach comes. Basically, this is a difference between a
secular run state and a religious state.
4 Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God. 5 But unto the place
which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put His name
there, even unto His habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come; 6
and thither ye shall bring your burnt-offerings, and your sacrifices, and your
tithes, and the offering of your hand, and your vows, and your
freewill-offerings, and the firstlings of your herd and of your flock; 7 and there
ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put
your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed
thee.
In this place and not all over the land. In fact,
outside of the chosen place it is forbidden.
8 Ye shall not do after all that we do here this day, every man
whatsoever is right in his own eyes;
You shall not do as all [the
things] that we do [here this day]: This
refers back to [what is stated above], “For you are crossing the Jordan…” (Deut. 11:31), meaning: When you will
cross the Jordan, you immediately are permitted to offer up [sacrifices] on a
bamah [a temporary altar] during the entire fourteen years of conquering [the
nations] and dividing [the land among the tribes], but on a bamah you may not
sacrifice all that you sacrifice “here this day,” in the Mishkan , which is
with you and has been anointed and is [thus] fit to sacrifice therein
sin-offerings and guilt-offerings, vows and donations, whereas on a bamah , you
may sacrifice only what is vowed or a donated. And that is the meaning of
“every man [doing] what he deems fit” vows and donations that you donate
because you deem fit to bring them, not because of any obligation [imposed upon
you]; only these may you offer up on a bamah . — [Sifrei; Zev. 117b]
9 for ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance,
which the LORD your God giveth thee. 10 But when ye go over the
Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD your God causes you to inherit,
and He giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in
safety; 11 then it shall come to pass that the place which the LORD your God
shall choose to cause His name to dwell there, thither shall ye bring all that
I command you: your burnt-offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the
offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD.
Only in this place shall you sacrifice and bring your
Teruma and Maaser and Maaser Sheni has to be eaten here see up to Pasuk 17.
12 And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your
sons, and your daughters, and your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and
the Levite that is within your gates, forasmuch as he hath no portion nor
inheritance with you. 13 Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy
burnt-offerings in every place that thou seest; 14 but in the place which the
LORD shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy
burnt-offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee. 15
Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh within all thy gates, after all
the desire of thy soul, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which He
hath given thee; the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the gazelle,
and as of the hart. 16 Only ye shall not eat the blood; thou shalt pour it out
upon the earth as water. 17 Thou may not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy
corn, or of thy wine, or of thine oil, or the firstlings of thy herd or of thy
flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vow, nor thy freewill-offerings, nor the
offering of thy hand; 18 but thou shalt eat them before the LORD thy God in the
place which the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter,
and thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant, and the Levite that is within thy
gates; and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all that thou put thy
hand unto.
Eating only in the Temple area or Yerushalayim for the
Korban Pessach due to the amount of space required.
19 Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as
thou live upon thy land.
He shall receive his Maaser. [Today we are Tumay and
therefore the Cohanim and Leviim do not receive this.]
20 When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy
border, as He hath promised thee, and thou shalt say: 'I will eat flesh',
because thy soul desires to eat flesh; thou may eat flesh, after all the desire
of thy soul.
Once you are on your inheritance in the land you will
be able to slaughter and eat meat anywhere and not as we are doing now in the
wilderness before the Ohel Moed.
21 If the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to put His name
there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill RITUALLY
SLAUGHTER of thy herd and of thy flock, which the LORD hath given thee,
as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat within thy gates, after all the
desire of thy soul. 22 Howbeit as the gazelle and as the hart is eaten, so thou
shalt eat thereof; the unclean and the clean may eat thereof alike. 23 Only be
stedfast in not eating the blood; for the blood is the life; and thou shalt not
eat the life with the flesh.
One is required to cover the blood of fowls and wild
animals with dust.
THE BIG MISTAKE THE NON-RELIGIOUS ‘LEADERS’ OF ISRAEL
MADE AT THE END OF THE SIX DAY WAR: 29 When the LORD thy God shall cut
off the nations from before thee, whither thou go in to dispossess them, and
thou dispossess them, and dwell in their land; 30 take heed to thyself that
thou be not ensnared to follow them, after that they are destroyed from before
thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying: 'How used these
nations to serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.'
Can you believe that some leftist want to assimilate
with the murderous religion. These are the same that yell women’s rights
against the Rabbis but would stone a woman to death or come modestly dressed
for their Arab friends and just a little better than a Bikini for a Rabbi.
31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God; for every abomination
to the LORD, which He hates, have they done unto their gods; for even their
sons and their daughters do they burn in the fire to their gods.
There are places and religions today tolerated in
Israel where certain idols will have to be removed in the future but now we are
physically here in Israel but still spiritually in Gallus.
This is now a fact that once Moshe finished the Torah is immutable. One does not have inheritance today and usually is not interested in being with his sister-in-law should his brother pass on and he would do Yebum (especially since one can only take one wife) so we do Halitzah, but should the man and the woman live together after three months to know if she is pregnant or not, then Yebum is still valid.
2 If there arise in the midst of thee a prophet, or a dreamer of
dreams--and he give thee a sign or a wonder, 3 and the sign or the wonder come
to pass, whereof he spoke unto thee--saying: 'Let us go after other gods, which
thou hast not known, and let us serve them';
Once he says go astray from the Torah we immediately
know that he is a false prophet. Especially if he starts talking about any
other religion existing today.
4 thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto
that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God put you to proof, to know whether
ye do love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
Despite his twisting of words and prophecy and wonders
using formulas that move demons and other negative spiritual things, we do not
listen to him.
5 After the LORD your God shall ye walk, and Him shall ye fear, and
His commandments shall ye keep, and unto His voice shall ye hearken, and Him
shall ye serve, and unto Him shall ye cleave. 6 And that prophet, or that
dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken perversion
against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and
redeemed thee out of the house of bondage, to draw thee aside out of the way
which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put away the evil
from the midst of thee.
He is brought before the Sanhedrin and put to death.
7 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy
daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, that is as thine own soul,
entice thee secretly, saying: 'Let us go and serve other gods,' which thou hast
not known, thou, nor thy fathers; 8 of the gods of the peoples that are round
about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth
even unto the other end of the earth; 9 thou shalt not consent unto him, nor
hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare,
neither shalt thou conceal him; 10 but thou shalt surely kill him; thy hand
shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the
people.
This goes for the closest of relatives to be put to
death.
11 And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he
hath sought to draw thee away from the LORD thy God, who brought thee out of
the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 12 And all Israel shall hear,
and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is in the midst of
thee.
We have to keep ourselves and our land pure from such
wickedness. For the land of Eretz Yisrael has a spiritual-physical power to
vomit such individuals or the whole nation from the Holyland.
13 If thou shalt hear tell concerning one of thy cities, which the
LORD thy God giveth thee to dwell there, saying: …16 thou shalt surely smite
the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly,
and all that is therein and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword.
In Tractate Sanhedrin there was a dispute that there
ever was a city like this or not and one Rabbi testified that he saw the ruins
of such a city. One thing is for sure if it were a border city we do not
destroy it to leave our boundaries open.
17 And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the
broad place thereof, and shall burn with fire the city, and all the spoil
thereof every whit, unto the LORD thy God; and it shall be a heap forever; it
shall not be built again.
This goes well for the Rabbi who claimed that he had
seen the ruins as for the other Rabbis there never was nor will be such a city.
…19 when thou shalt hearken
to the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep all His commandments which I command
thee this day, to do that which is right in the eyes of the LORD thy God.
This essentially is the whole Torah between G-D and man
and what is expected of us. Between man and man is in Vayikra 19 or Hillel the
Elder in Avos and Tractate Shabbos: "What is hateful to you, do not do to
your fellow: this is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation; go and learn"
14:1 Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.
Like the Shiites in Lebanon and Iran with knives on their foreheads and upper brow.
The Parsha continues with a repeat of the laws of Kashrus: 6 And every beast that parts the hoof, and hath the hoof wholly cloven in two, and chews the cud, among the beasts, that ye may eat. …kosher birds until … Thou shalt not seethe a kid in its mother's milk.
A reminder of Shmita between man and man. Tithes were discussed earlier in our Pasha and therefore hinted Shmita of the Land.
…19 All the firstling males that are born of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the LORD thy God; thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thine ox, nor shear the firstling of thy flock.
The first born is reiterated here.
20 Thou shalt eat it before the LORD thy God year by year in the place which the LORD shall choose, thou and thy household. 21 And if there be any blemish therein, lameness, or blindness, any ill blemish whatsoever, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God.
One does not bring a blemished animal or fruit as an offering before HASHEM.
… 16:1 Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover unto the LORD thy God; … 9 Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee; from the time the sickle is first put to the standing corn shalt thou begin to number seven weeks. 10 And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God after the measure of the freewill-offering of thy hand, which thou shalt give, according as the LORD thy God blesses thee. … 13 Thou shalt keep the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in from thy threshing-floor and from thy winepress. 14 And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.
The Parsha ends with his holiday reminder.
…17 every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which He hath given thee
How do we treat Pekuach Nefesh when the case is more Sofek Pekuach Nefesh? Background: Former Yeshiva Student Now Minister of Transport hired Druze and Bedouin workers to work on the building of the railroad and bridge construction on Shabbos of the new train-lines: HaEmek, Tel Aviv Subway and Yerushalayim – Tel Aviv.
The police said that working during the week and shutting down traffic would endanger lives for Ambulances could not get through the heavy weekday traffic not to mention more accidents. The exchange is located near Ichalov Hospital.
"Remember,"
Dizengoff writes, "Shabbat is our most amazing sign of national solidarity
from generation to generation, and anyone who undermines it undermines the
unity of Israel ... Preserve the Shabbat, and it will preserve us."
Next Shabbos only 3 of the 20 projects and sites were thought to be dangerous and even still I wonder: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/217255 MY QUESTION IS WHY NOT THIS SHABBOS???
Part 9 of my return to Judaism will appear in another week due to the reasonable long story below.
From Haim
O. Manila Poker Group that Rescued German Jews. http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/211571/manila-poker-group-rescued-jews
Vu Ahin Zol Ikh Geyn?
Tell me where shall I go,
Who can answer my plea?
Tell me where shall I go,
Every door is locked to me?
Though the world’s large enough,
There’s no room for me I know,
What I see is not for me,
Each road is closed, I am not free—
Tell me where shall I go.
Tell me where shall I go,
Who can answer my plea?
Tell me where shall I go,
Every door is locked to me?
Though the world’s large enough,
There’s no room for me I know,
What I see is not for me,
Each road is closed, I am not free—
Tell me where shall I go.
Written in the 1930s
by the Polish Yiddish actor Igor S. Korntayer, this plaintive Yiddish ballad
describes in stark terms the dilemma faced by German Jews desperate to escape
from their homeland after Hitler came to power. Suffering through a worldwide
economic depression, Western nations, including the United States and Canada,
imposed stringent immigration laws and rigid quotas and were unwilling to
accept large numbers of refugees. In order to better identify German Jews who
tried to enter the country, the Swiss government asked the German government to
stamp a large red “J,” for
“Jude,” in the
passports of all German Jewish citizens. Thwarted from emigrating to the West,
thousands of German Jews fled eastward by sea and land routes seeking refuge in
Asia and the Far East, especially the open city of Shanghai.
Shanghai was unique in
that the city was internationally controlled and required neither a visa,
passport, affidavit, nor certificate of guarantee for entry. Jews desperate to
leave Germany and who were able to do so found asylum in Shanghai. The outbreak
of war between China and Japan in 1937 made immigration perilous. In September
1937, Germany sent a ship to Shanghai to evacuate its nationals from the war
zone and bring them to Manila. They also took on board 28 German Jewish
families. When the ship arrived in Manila, the city’s small Jewish
community took charge of the Jewish refugees. This episode became the impetus
for a Philippine plan to rescue German Jews from Nazi clutches.
Of all the
Far East sanctuaries, only one country deliberately sought to save Jews: the
Philippine Commonwealth. The rescue plan evolved from the close friendship and
cooperation of a small group of men who regularly met to play poker. Their
efforts led to the Philippines saving more than 1,300 German and Austrian Jews
from 1938 to 1939.
***
The story begins with
the four Frieder brothers, Alex, Phillip, Herbert, and Morris, who owned a
two-for-a nickel cigar business. In 1918, the brothers decided to transfer
their cigar manufacturing operation to Manila from New York City, to reduce
production costs. The brothers then took two-year turns living in Manila and
overseeing their plant. They also became active in Manila’s Jewish community of 150 men, women, and children.
When the Shanghai
German Jewish refugees disembarked in Manila, American High Commissioner
Paul V. McNutt waived the visa requirements and admitted them. At his urging,
Alex and Phillip Frieder organized a Jewish refugee committee to support and
help them adjust and settle in. From these refugees, the Frieders heard
harrowing accounts of Nazi brutality and atrocities perpetrated against Germany’s Jews. This revelation spurred them to rescue German
Jews. To achieve their goal, the Frieders enlisted the help of men they played
poker with. These poker buddies included McNutt, Manuel L. Quezon, president of
the Philippine Commonwealth, and a young Army colonel named Dwight D.
Eisenhower, then an aide to Gen. Douglas MacArthur, field marshal of the
Philippines. At the late-night card games, these friends devised a rescue plan
to eventually bring as many as 10,000 German Jews to the Philippines.
Although American immigration
laws applied to the Philippines, the country had no quota system. A financial
guarantee from a resident sufficed to obtain an entry visa. If the Jewish
refugee who arrived in the Philippines was able to find employment, he met an
important provision of U.S. immigration policy: that he not become a burden on
the state. McNutt, the Frieder brothers, and Quezon became the active movers of
the plan; Eisenhower played no ongoing role in the rescue but served as
the group’s liaison to the U.S. Army, which oversaw the Philippines.
Paul V. McNutt, a
Roosevelt appointee, had been a professor of law, governor of Indiana
(1935-1937), and a prominent figure in the Democratic Party. A decent and
humane individual, McNutt learned about the Nazi atrocities from Jacob Weiss, a
close Jewish ally in Indiana’s Democratic Party, and
from reports he received from Jewish groups. McNutt had long disdained racial
hatred and anti-Semitism, and respected Jews, as he said, “for their toughness,
resiliency, and success.” He often spoke out and condemned the German
government and Hitler, and supported the Zionist goal of a Jewish homeland in
Palestine. McNutt realized that any long-term effort to permit large numbers of
Jews to enter the Philippines had to be methodical, carefully planned, and in
accord with United States immigration statutes.
McNutt
acted cautiously because he wanted the plan to succeed. He felt the integration
of the first groups would determine the number of those able to follow. He
assured Jacob Weiss and the Frieders he would do everything in his power to
absorb a portion of the Jewish political refugees from Europe. To follow
through, he collaborated with Quezon, the other crucial member of the poker
group.
Go to link above to view: Quezon (Left) and McNutt
(Right) ‘Discussing’ (1938). (Photo courtesy of Rescue in the Philippines)
Quezon, the Philippine
president, enthusiastically supported the plan. In 1935, Filipinos had elected
him as the commonwealth’s first president. At the time, the
Philippines were still a colonial possession of the United States. Quezon was
an astute politician who used his fluency in English, political acumen, and
gift of flattery to win over policymakers in Washington. Most important, Quezon
was friendly and socialized with McNutt and the Frieders and visited with them
at their homes. As a non-Aryan, he hated the Nazis and sympathized with the
plight of Jews in Nazi Germany. He also believed the Jewish refugees would
become an asset to the Philippines, especially with their expertise and
knowledge of medicine and other professional fields. His endorsement proved
significant because the commonwealth’s officials determined
who could get off the ships and enter the territory.
The plan
the men devised respected U.S. immigration laws and gained for the Philippines
occupations and skills needed in their economy. McNutt told Phillip Frieder
that if the Jewish community in Manila assumed responsibility for the immigrant
families, he would be glad to allow them to enter. He said it was of the utmost
importance that the refugees sent to the Philippines be unlikely to become
public charges and able to easily assimilate into the community. Frieder
agreed, provided that he and other Jewish members of the community could select
the type of people who were to come.
The
Frieders and other Jewish leaders worried that a large influx of refugees would
tax the employment market and necessitate extensive welfare services, which
their tiny community was unable to provide. They also knew that the long-term
success of any resettlement program required the sympathy of the Filipinos.
That meant the refugees had to be integrated into the community, secure
employment, and avoid becoming public charges. Consequently, they advocated a
controlled-entry program.
With McNutt’s consent, the Frieders contacted the American Jewish
Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). The JDC had created the Refugee Economic
Corp. (REC), which helped resettle Jewish refugees. The REC worked with the Hilfsverein der Juden in Deutschland (Relief Association of German Jews).
This German Jewish organization had been established in 1901 to engage in
social welfare and educational activities among needy Jews. After Hitler came
to power, the association assisted German Jews trying to emigrate everywhere
but Palestine, which was handled by the Jewish Agency.
The Hilfsverein kept
lists of those German Jews who applied to emigrate. The lists included the
occupation or profession of each prospective emigrant. The German government
allowed the Hilfsverein to exist because it wanted all Jews
out of Germany, and the Hilfsverein promoted this goal. After the war
broke out, the German government shut it down and assumed its activities.
The Frieders submitted
the list of occupations they felt the economy needed and whose practitioners
could be absorbed into the Philippine community to McNutt who, as the American
High Commissioner, was a key link between the Frieders and the REC. He sent the
plan and the list of prospective occupations to the REC. The list contained 14
needed skills and occupations as well as the number of people to be admitted in
each category. Most of the occupations were in medicine—doctors, dentists, and
nurses. Other categories included chemical engineers, auto mechanics,
agricultural experts, cigar and tobacco specialists, men and women barbers,
women dressmakers and stylists, accountants, film and photography experts, and
even one rabbi, “not over 40 years of age, Conservative, married, and able to
speak English.”
The REC and JDC
approved the plan and transmitted the list of immigrants to the Hilfsverein. The
REC in conjunction with the JDC also advanced funds to support the immigrants.
This met with McNutt’s stipulations that the immigrants not become public
charges. The REC asked the Hilfsverein to “prepare a preliminary list of the
people meeting the requirements outlined” in the REC list, and to select from
among the applicants for emigration those who might be “absorbed in the
Philippine Islands within a short time.” It reminded the Hilfsverein that
“in view of the delicacy of the negotiations involved, we expect you to keep
this matter entirely confidential, and under no circumstances give it any
publicity whatsoever.”
The REC worked with
the Hilfsverein to determine who among those on the
list should have the first chance to leave. The Hilfsverein informed
the chosen applicants, got their OK, and sent their dossiers, which included
photographs, curriculum vitae, educational data, and letters of recommendation
to the REC and to the Jewish Refugee Committee in Manila. Alex Frieder and
other members of the committee carefully studied the applications and forwarded
the names to the Philippine government for approval. Alice Weston, Alex Frieder’s daughter, remembered that “day after day” her father
pored over lists of would-be refugees. She claimed it took so much of his time
that he neglected his own business.
Seeing that the
refugees were unlikely to become a public burden, McNutt endorsed visas for the
German Jews who had the desired occupations and passed the screening process
and background check. He relayed this request to the State Department’s visa division, which sent instructions to the
appropriate U.S. consular officers to issue the visas. The State Department
forbade consular officials from granting visas to any refugee except those
accepted by Manila’s Jewish Refugee Committee.
McNutt’s role cannot be overstated. He was the prime mover in
fostering a dialogue between the Philippine government, the U.S. State
Department, the Manila Jewish community, and the REC. His willingness to be
personally involved and to work with the various agencies was crucial to the
plan’s success. In a letter to McNutt, Charles Liebman, president
of the Refugee Economic Corp., wrote that his organization sincerely
appreciated “the most generous way in which you have interested
yourself in the fate of the refugees.” Alex Frieder later wrote that without
McNutt’s involvement and assistance, they would not have
succeeded in saving Jews.
The refugees who came
to Manila had a difficult time adjusting. They did not know the language; the
heat and humidity were overpowering; and the mosquitoes were gigantic. Many
lived in crowded community housing, which led to tensions and fights. But the
young Jews saw the Philippines as a new adventure. Children climbed mango
trees, swam in the bay, and learned Filipino songs. Lotte Hershfield remembered
running around in sandals and summer clothes, but “it was very difficult
for my parents,” she said.
“They never really learned Tagalog [the official Philippine language]. They had
been Westernized and they stayed mostly within their circle of other
immigrants.”
Although many of the
refugees found suitable employment, some did not seek work because they were
elderly and supported by relatives living abroad. Others were not able to work
in their professions or trades because the market in those fields was
oversupplied. Numbers of refugees also overstated their qualifications
when they had registered for emigration with the Hilfsverein. Alex Frieder admitted that perhaps “we
have been misled by the rather indiscriminate usage of the terms “perfect,” “expert,” and
“specialist” on the affidavits, and thus have given visa recommendations to
cases for which we have been unable to find employment after arrival in
Manila.” In addition, he said, “the fact must be faced that a certain number of our
immigrants will never make adjustments,” and will need relief permanently.
Go to link above to view: Philippino and the Israeli
stamps commemorating the Philippines rescue of Jewish refugees from the
Holocaust during World War II. The stamps depict the “Open Doors” monument at the “Memorial Park” in Rishon Le-Zion which was erected to commemorate the Philippines
rescue of Jews. (delcampe.net)
After America entered
the war and Japan invaded and occupied the Philippines, the granting of visas
to Jews ended. Ironically, the Japanese treated the German Jewish refugees
considerably better than the British, American, and other enemy nationals
residing in Manila. Because Germany was Japan’s ally, they thought of
the German Jews as Germans and did not put them in internment camps. However,
Jewish nationals from countries at war with Japan were interned and treated
badly.
When the
U.S. began to reconquer the Philippines, conditions for Jews quickly
deteriorated. As the Japanese suffered defeat, their troops in Manila went on a
rampage. They committed widespread atrocities against everyone, including the
Jews, before they retreated from the city. The Japanese shot and bayoneted
anyone and everyone they considered American and their allies, which in their
eyes included almost everyone who was white.
Despite all they
endured, the hundreds of surviving Jews and their children remained forever
thankful that the Manila poker players saved them from certain death in the
Holocaust. A recent documentary, Rescue in the Philippines, chronicled the
affair. And in 2009, the Israeli city of Rishon Lezion erected a monument shaped
like three open doors honoring Manuel Quezon and the Philippine people for
their noble actions in rescuing German and Austrian Jews from persecution and
death.
The article is based on
correspondence, memos, and reports about the Philippine rescue operation housed
in the archives of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. Copies of
this material can also be found in the Yad Vashem archives in Jerusalem. Other
source material included interviews with survivors, Dean J. Kotlowski’s
biography of and articles about Paul V. McNutt, and Frank Ephraim’s 2003
memoir, Escape to Manila: From
Nazi Tyranny to Japanese Terror.
It could be that he saved my grandparents from the Shoah but they
got out in 1938 or 1939 before the transportations. I have the passport of my
grandfather and it was with a Chinese Visa. http://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/19/asia/china-jews-schindler-ho-feng-shan/index.html
This post I received from a potential or full convert
named Tikvah: From the Sefer Garden of Emuna: There was a King who wanted to share his
treasures with his people so he graciously made them an offer. He opened his
castle to the public where they could partake of his treasures for the next 120
days. So the people came along and saw a big sign saying "Open for the
next 120 days! Take what you want within that time, and then it's going to be
closed."
Next to his castle, an amusement park also opened it's doors to the public with free rides, drinks, food and cheap amusement.
The people thought to themselves, "You know what, there's another 120 days left. Let's go and enjoy ourselves a little bit, and then we'll come back before the 120 days are up".
But the amusement park was so exciting, that they forgot all about the King's offer and his treasures which he wanted to share with them.
He was waiting for them....just to come and take.
And that's how HaShem/G-d is with us.
He has an amazing storehouse filled with treasure, He's given us His Torah, the opportunities to do Mitzvot, treasured information of how to conduct our lives in order to live fulfilling lives for our own benefit, how to draw closer to HIM, treasures for this world and eternity.
Yet our world had become filled with cheap amusements...TV, movies, games, internet....we choose the "excitement" of this world and we lose out on what is most important.
The world is an illusion.
There is nothing but HaShem.
Next to his castle, an amusement park also opened it's doors to the public with free rides, drinks, food and cheap amusement.
The people thought to themselves, "You know what, there's another 120 days left. Let's go and enjoy ourselves a little bit, and then we'll come back before the 120 days are up".
But the amusement park was so exciting, that they forgot all about the King's offer and his treasures which he wanted to share with them.
He was waiting for them....just to come and take.
And that's how HaShem/G-d is with us.
He has an amazing storehouse filled with treasure, He's given us His Torah, the opportunities to do Mitzvot, treasured information of how to conduct our lives in order to live fulfilling lives for our own benefit, how to draw closer to HIM, treasures for this world and eternity.
Yet our world had become filled with cheap amusements...TV, movies, games, internet....we choose the "excitement" of this world and we lose out on what is most important.
The world is an illusion.
There is nothing but HaShem.
First humans in Eretz Yisrael (after Adam or 400,000 years ago –
believe what you want) http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4846834,00.html
The General and MK who kept his cool and smile under shelling and
wounds dies of Kidney Failure at 80: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4847244,00.html
Inyanay
Diyoma
Analysis
The world
is becoming “everyman for himself” or Shoftim 17:6 In
those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in
his own eyes. Shoftim 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel; every man
did that which was right in his own eyes. Israel has been forced by Obama to
make a deal with Turkey and the US and maybe Israel are leaving the Kurds while
the Turks attack so the Kurds turn to Iran for help. Saudis are fighting both
ISIS and Iran in Yemen. Things are complex and old alliances are unrattling.
Note: As the election in the States and in the future in Israel
approaches I express my opinions, facts and data from others. My intent is the
best for Israel. I have a friend whom I have known for well over 60 years and
60 years ago attended his Bar Mitzvah. He is very high up in the Democratic
Party and one can be friends. The main goal here is for the production and
distribution of words of Torah. My politics is based on what I personally
believe is best for Am Yisrael, Eretz Yisrael and to bring the Moshiach. So if
you see my political opinions vs. pure news please take this into account for
my intent is not to get people angry but to enhance my view of the world. So
please skip political opinions if they agitate you.
CNN or NY Times: Innocent terrorist rushing soldiers in order to
murder them brutally became a Shachid: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/216989
From Dr. Martin Sherman and Ed-Op: http://www.algemeiner.com/2016/08/26/mowing-the-lawn-wont-cut-it-my-challenge-to-the-begin-sadat-center-for-strategic-studies/
From May: IDF prepared for a massive ISIS terrorist attack from
Sinai: http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Sagi-brigade-commander-says-goodbye-to-the-sinai-466173
Ben Dror Yemeni wins the award by the terrorist organization to be
the chief inciter against them: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4846179,00.html
?Peace? talks but first release murderers then we will talk: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/217043
Tried to break up a knife fight between two Arab youths paid for it
with his life. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4847340,00.html
Libya closing in on part of the ISIS in one city: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4847354,00.html
A thought from Dr. Harry especially holds for Europe: Rome was overrun by the Visigoths in
an event that symbolized the fall of the Western Roman Empire. This is a moment
in history that we would do well to remember. An empire that ruled the world
was corrupted from the inside to the point that they could not defend
themselves from a much weaker enemy. This could conceivably be the beginning of
our new dark middle ages.
What took them so long? http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/217113
Turkish Kurdish war as Erdogan starts carving out his Caliphate: http://debka.com/article/25637/All-out-Turkish-Kurd-war-Barazani-goes-to-Tehran
He claimed his innocence: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4847788,00.html
Fighting both Iran and ISIS in Yemen: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=36023
Lame Duck legislation: http://www.algemeiner.com/2016/08/29/report-netanyahu-warns-visiting-us-delegation-against-lame-duck-moves-by-obama-on-israel-palestinian-track/
New Military System for the IDF: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4848237,00.html
Hillel the elder said, “Because you killed others, others have
killed you.” http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/217184
Hamas is living in luxury how can we get the bodies of our boys
back if you allow this: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/217186
While Israel Slept - Trump doubles down on the wall and
assimilation in the USA. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/10/01/trump-doubles-down-on-impenetrable-physical-wall-during-immigration-speech.html
Diplomacy with Mexico pays off for Trump as he comes up smelling
like a rose. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/09/01/trumps-mexico-gamble-pays-off-as-tries-his-hand-at-insta-diplomacy.html
Clip it is our right to choose who comes: http://video.foxnews.com/v/5107356899001/trump-its-our-right-to-choose-immigrants-likely-to-thrive/?#sp=show-clips
Immigrants most likely will
thrive.
Most of the headlines were back to school in Israel, wounded
soldier in Schem took second place. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/217219
Anti-Semitism in Londonstan. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4846199,00.html
Graves desecrated in N. Ireland. http://www.algemeiner.com/2016/08/30/time-to-stand-by-irelands-jews-declares-belfast-columnist-in-wake-of-cemetery-desecration/
Debka explores the mystery of who done him in? http://debka.com/article/25639/Who-killed-Al-Adnani-US-Russia-or-maybe-ISIS-
Explosion destroys Amos 6 satellite as it is loaded on Space X
platform. No TV internet for Africa as of now. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/217240
Abbas losing control: http://www.algemeiner.com/2016/08/30/israeli-arab-affairs-expert-with-municipal-elections-looming-palestinian-authority-losing-control-of-west-bank-video/
This time before Dr. Martin Sherman even wrote me, I got this from Arutz 7 and Editorial how the Fatach is
losing control of the west bank. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/19422
Nonsensical that building homes is an obstacle for peace. http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Dani-Dayan-The-idea-settlements-are-main-obstacle-to-peace-is-nonsense-466706
From Jewish Republicans: A new report just
revealed secret exemptions in the Iran nuclear deal that would allow Iran to
evade various restrictions, including restrictions on their enriched uranium
levels.
With these secret exemptions, Iran was allowed to exceed the established limit of how much low-enriched uranium (LEU) they can keep in their nuclear facilities. This is significant because LEU can easily be purified into highly enriched, weapons-grade uranium.
With these secret exemptions, Iran was allowed to exceed the established limit of how much low-enriched uranium (LEU) they can keep in their nuclear facilities. This is significant because LEU can easily be purified into highly enriched, weapons-grade uranium.
Have a good Shabbos and a good Rosh Chodesh Elul,
Rachamim Pauli
