This issue is dedicated to the memory of my
beloved father, Felix ben Yitzchak who passed away 23rd of Shevat 49
years ago.
Baruch Dayan Emmes – Toby Willig. I first met her
in my freshman year of College when I proctored her Astronomy Examination while
working for a Professor as a student aide. I was non-religious. It was a brief
meeting of ships that pass in the night she was surprised that at my age I was
a proctor of an exam. As I later became religious, her son who attended the
same College introduced me to her in my senior year. She was the head of Emunah
at the time and was a friend and sort of a religious version of a mother to me.
We kept up by mail for years but when she moved to Yerushalayim between the bad
phone system in Israel and my losing her address, I lost contact with her. She
was very dynamic in her fight for Eretz Yisrael through letters to newspapers
and within Emunah. She was a wonderful person charismatic with grit to fight
for Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael. http://www.jpost.cLom/Israel-News/Toby-Willig-a-legend-in-her-time-539793
Parsha Yisro
Last week, we saw a bunch of freed slaves fleeing
Pharaoh and a lawless mob demanding of Moshe and G-D when the Egyptians pursued
them, water ran out, bread ran out and lack of meat. What was missing was a
code of law, an army, judges and other activities to run a free nation. Moshe
having grown up in Pharaoh’s Palace was just the right man in the right place
for this job. Yet, we find him judging the nation alone due to lack of
leadership education. Only at the end of last week’s Parsha do we see a Militia
headed by Hoshea Bin Nun fighting Amalek after the nation was attacked.
18:1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian,
Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel
His people, how that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.
It did not take long to hear about the complete
destruction of the Egyptian Army in the Sea. He did not have to be a Prophet or
Genius to figure out that Moshe was heading for Har Sinai that he knew of “the
mountain of G-D” to get more instructions from G-D.
2 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zipporah,
Moses' wife, after he had sent her away, 3 and her two sons; of whom the name
of the one was Gershom; for he said: 'I have been a stranger in a strange
land'; 4 and the name of the other was Eliezer: 'for the God of my father was
my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.'
Why did Moshe send his family away after they made the
trip down to Egypt or on their way to Egypt? The answer is quite simple. If his
family was with him, Pharaoh could use them as hostages. Without his family,
Moshe was a mumbling prophet who was interpreted by the chief religious leader
of the Bnei Yisrael, Aaron. This way, Pharaoh could only come after Moshe and
would leave the translator alone.
5 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons
and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the mount
of God; 6 and he said unto Moses: 'I thy father-in-law Jethro am coming unto
thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.'
Who did Yisro send this message? He must have met with
armed guards set up by Hoshea later to be known as Yehoshua. These guards were
set up around the camp after the incident with Amalek.
7 And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and
bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they
came into the tent.
From the Midrash, Yisro was one of the advisors to
Pharaoh before Moshe was born so he was quite old but even if he was Moshe’s
age, he was the father-in-law and deserved honor of being so. Moshe as king of
Israel bowing down to Yisro gave him an exalted status with the whole nation.
One is taught to honor his wife more than himself and she is obliged to honor
her father.
8 And Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD
had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the travail
that had come upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them. 9 And
Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, in that
He had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.
Yisro worshipped every god in his quest to find the
truth. He knew well from Parsha Shemos the mountain of the L-RD. Now he had
heard miracles that HASHEM had made. This is the Mida of HaKaras HaTov.
10 And Jethro said: 'Blessed be the LORD, who has
delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh;
who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Chabad translation: [Thereupon,]
Jethro said, "Blessed is the Lord, Who has rescued you from the hands of
the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, Who has rescued the people from
beneath the hand of the Egyptians.
Who has rescued you from the
hands of the Egyptians: A strong
nation. And from the hand of
Pharaoh: A strong king. From beneath the hand of the Egyptians: As the Targum [Onkelos] renders: [from beneath the control of
the Egyptians,] an expression of tyrannization and domination. [The verse is
referring to] the hand, which they [the Egyptians] laid heavily upon you [the
Israelites]; the slavery.
He understands the goodness that
HASHEM has done for Yisrael.
11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods;
yea, for that they dealt proudly against them.'
Rashi brings down two ideas. The first was like the
Sa’adia Gaon who once rolled on the floor crying “G-D forgive me for not
understanding your glory and greatness yesterday (as today I know you better)”.
The second is that he tried all religions.
Now I know: I recognized Him in the past, but now [I recognize Him] even
more. — [from Mechilta] Than all
the deities: This
teaches us that he [Jethro] was knowledgeable about every type of idolatry in
the world, and there was no pagan deity that he did not worship. — [from
Mechilta]
12 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a
burnt-offering and sacrifices for God; and Aaron came, and all the elders of
Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God.
Yisro was from Midian who was from Avraham. Perhaps he
had a kabbala of Kosher Shechta. Even if he did something else we are in a
period of the Bnei Yisrael being Bnei Noach before Matan Torah so there is no
problem eating a non-Yisrael Korban.
13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to
judge the people; and the people stood about Moses from the morning unto the
evening.
He did this perhaps with only time for all to pray
Mincha.
14 And when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did to
the people, he said: 'What is this thing that thou do to the people? Why do you
sit by thyself alone, and all the people stand about thee from morning unto
even?'
Besides the big waste of time of resources for the
people (Tircha Tzibur), you are tiring yourself out with no time to lead the
nation.
15 And Moses said unto his father-in-law: 'Because the
people come unto me to inquire of God; 16 when they have a matter, it comes
unto me; and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make them know the
statutes of God, and His laws.' 17 And Moses' father-in-law said unto him: 'The
thing that you do is not good. 18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and
this people that is with thee; for the thing is too heavy for thee; thou art
not able to perform it thyself alone. 19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give
thee counsel, and God be with thee: be thou for the people before God, and
bring thou the causes unto God. 20 And thou shall teach them the statutes and
the laws, and shalt show them the wOay wherein they must walk, and the work
that they must do. 21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able
men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over
them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and
rulers of tens.
Yisro was both a wise man and a prophet from the
nations. His advice on how to delegate judging powers proved a success.
22 And let them judge the people at all seasons; and it
shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small
matter they shall judge themselves; so shall they make it easier for thee and
bear the burden with thee. 23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee
so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people also shall go to
their place in peace.'
Of course check out my advice with HASHEM and both you
and the people will have peace.
24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his
father-in-law, and did all that he had said. 25 And Moses chose able men out of
all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of
hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 26 And they judged the people
at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter
they judged themselves. 27 And Moses let his father-in-law depart; and he went
his way into his own land.
As great as was the religious level of Yisro, he did
not merit to be a physical witness on Har Sinai.
19:1 In the third month after the children of Israel were gone
forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of
Sinai. 2 And when they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the
wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped
before the mount. 3 And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him
out of the mountain, saying: 'Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and
tell the children of Israel: 4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how
I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto Myself. 5 Now therefore, if
ye will hearken unto My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be
Mine own treasure from among all peoples; for all the earth is Mine; Even though the nations of the world to this day at the UN belittle us, we are G-D’s personal treasure.
6 and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.'
Among yourselves only the seed of Aaron will be priests but among the nations all of you.
7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the LORD commanded him. …10 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Go unto the people, and sanctify them to-day and to-morrow, and let them wash their garments, 11 and be ready against the third day; for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. …24 And the LORD said unto him: 'Go, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee; but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest He break forth upon them.' 25 So Moses went down unto the people, and told them.
The people are going to get the Decalogue. The first two we heard so that they are ingrained in our souls and one of the reasons why we sacrificed ourselves over the years not to believe in a trinity or Mohammed being a replacement prophet who nullified all the religions of the world.
20:1 And God spoke all these words, saying: 2 I am the LORD thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. 3 Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any manner of likeness, of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 4 thou shalt not bow down unto them, nor serve them; for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; 5 and showing mercy unto the thousandth generation of them that love Me and keep My commandments. 6 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain.
Up unto now these commandments are for the sanctity of HASHEM. From now on they are for the good of mankind and having a viable society.
7 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 8 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; 9 but the seventh day is a Sabbath unto the LORD thy God, in it thou shalt not do any manner of work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates;
Seth Hoffman, of blessed memory, told me a story about a project manager in the factory where he worked producing a ground radar system against incoming enemy. There was pressure from the top down for this man to complete the project as soon as possible. After all Israel has a few folks who want to wipe us off the map. The man worked daily at least 12 to 15 hours a day and never took off for Friday or Shabbos even overdoing the overtime permitted and working for free. This went on for a number of months. One Sunday the man did not show up to work. (In Israel Sunday is the first day of the week and a working day except for Christians.) When Monday rolled around members of the department went to inquire if he was ill. It seems that the man had a complete and total nervous breakdown and was placed into a closed ward at a psychiatric facility. MORE THAN WE GUARD AND OBSERVE THE SHABBOS, THE SHABBOS GUARDS AND PROTECTS US!
10 for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day; wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.
G-D set an example for us by giving us the day of rest. I cannot fathom why and if a Supreme Being would need rest. Perhaps the reason is that mankind needed an example and the idea of not doing the 39 Melachos is to set a precedent for mankind. [My spell checker told me humankind and humanity = Microsoft is teaching me to be politically correct. What has our generation come to!!! Perhaps this is why Chroni, the Jewish Rip Van Winkle, woke up after 70 years and saw the generation in which he had not body on his Torah level to learn with and prayed for either a partner to learn Torah with, Chavruta or death. ]
11 Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God gives thee. 12 Thou shalt not murder. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. 13 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house; thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's.
Jealousy of the evil eye takes a person out of this world.
…19 Ye shall not make with Me--gods of silver, or gods of gold, ye
shall not make unto you. 20 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto Me, and
shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings, and thy peace-offerings, thy
sheep, and thine oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be mentioned I
will come unto thee and bless thee. 21 And if thou make Me an altar of stone,
thou shalt not build it of hewn stones; for if thou lift up thy tool upon it,
thou hast profaned it. 22 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto Mine altar,
that thy nakedness be not uncovered thereon.
Either making a Mizbayach of naturally formed stones or those
split by means other than tools such as laser or chemicals that cut through
stone.
It happened in World
War II as told by Nachum Resnikoff
Last night, Ohr Le Yud
Zayin Shevat 5778, on the occasion of his son’s Bar Mitzvah. I would like to
thank these people and the man whom we don’t know who he is. My grandmother and
mother were fleeing the Nazis towards Minsk. It was a long trek and some people
could not make it or even died on the way. Suddenly a military vehicle pulled
up next to them. A very high ranking army officer ordered my grandmother and
mother into his car. He drove them to the railway station in Minsk. He said to
the Conductor that this is his wife and daughter. He make sure that they were
on the train. The train pulled out of the station with even people riding on
the roof. Those who did not take the train out remained in Minsk!
This story is similar to a story I heard over 20 years
ago of somebody injured in either a terror attack or bus clash. I only know
that the man was on a bus. He was injured with either blood or air in his
lungs. He would die soon of a collapsed lung. Somebody on the bus that nobody
had seen before came up and said that he was a paramedic. He took out a pen,
stabbed the man through a space in the rib cage and the air or blood pocket in
the lung drained. An ambulance came and carted off the man. When people got on
the bus, the paramedic was nowhere to be seen. The man who recovered wanted to
thank the paramedic, but until this day, he has not been found
Ashdod pedophile rapes 11 year-old boy in a Synagogue. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5079462,00.html
Recent Meteorites http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/observing-news/michigan-fireball/?k=y7iYdgdgNEcryZykJxAlQsIoKGjrWyV7OQsq74QXfao%3D&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=sky-jma-nl-180126 Gov’t
shutdown holds up research. http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-blogs/michigan-meteorite-tally-multiplies/?k=y7iYdgdgNEcryZykJxAlQsIoKGjrWyV7OQsq74QXfao%3D&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=sky-jma-nl-180126
Tu B’Shevat in Vichy France. http://www.chabad.org/therebbe/livingtorah/player_cdo/aid/3584383/jewish/Memories-of-15-Shevat-1941-in-Marseille.htm#utm_medium=email&utm_source=1_chabad.org_magazine_en&utm_campaign=en&utm_content=content
Daughter of Hamas Sheik rescued by Yad LeAchim. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLmIeEnjJnA&feature=youtu.be
Inyanay
Diyoma
Ambulance homicide bomb in Kabul. http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/01/27/ambulance-used-in-deadly-kabul-suicide-bombing-officials-say.html
Mali at least 14 soldiers dead. http://www.apnewsarchive.com/2018/Mali-authorities-say-at-least-14-soldiers-dead-in-major-attack-on-army-camp-in-Timbuktu-region/id-8f4bfe791a0a41bf8af264086ebabc1d
12 barrel bombs were waiting for IDF Convoy. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5076808,00.html
Budweiser getting wiser on data: https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3730487,00.html
US to fight Iranian Missiles. https://www.algemeiner.com/2018/01/26/american-un-envoy-nikki-haley-to-press-iran-missile-threat-on-security-council-delegation-visit-to-washington/
Guess who was friendly with Farrakhan: https://www.algemeiner.com/2018/01/26/previously-unseen-photo-of-obama-with-louis-farrakhan-revives-controversy-over-ex-presidents-early-links-with-nation-of-islam-leader/
Ed-Op on VP’s visit. https://www.algemeiner.com/2018/01/26/mike-pences-stirring-speech-in-jerusalem/
Ed-Op Dr. Martin Sherman. https://www.jerusalem-herald.com/single-post/2018/01/26/INTO-THE-FRAY-Identifying-The-Enemy-AsThe-Enemy
At the time of this writing either a car ramming or a hit and run.
I am placing my bets on the former as I know the place. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/241226
Taking on Iranian Guards Ed-Op by Dr. Goldberg. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5075585,00.html
From Ronald: This is scary but we
need reliable sources (so take this with a grain of salt) also Israel has a
good relationship with them. However, rumors once they start have legs and
sometimes get out of hand. However, in our past history benighted Christian and
Muslim lands have done things like the following: It has come to my
attention that Genocide is planned for my brothers in Nigeria by their
government. Reason! Because we are Jews. When one Jew is persecuted, we all
are. Any of my friends have some pull in Israel please do not let our family in
Nigeria be massacred!! May it truly be never again! If any of my friends know
how to get a petition to our respective Government please help informing them.
I hope the ousting of Iran is true and perhaps Syria will become
stable again. https://www.debka.com/putin-plans-end-alawite-hegemony-damascus-evict-pro-iranian-shiite-militias-including-hizballah/
Politics in the FBI as the plot against Trump is exposed, heads
begin to roll. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/01/29/fbi-deputy-director-andrew-mccabe-is-stepping-down-from-bureau-fox-news-has-learned.html
Physical fitness app a treat to both soldiers and
lone women runners. https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3730652,00.html
Ed-Op Ron Ben Yishai. Putin – Netanyahu discuss Iranian presence. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5077920,00.html
After Putin – Netanyahu meeting a high level delegation to talk
about Iran-Syria.
Two Ed-Op analyzing showing Israel could be on the
verge of war in the north the first by Alex Fishman and the second by Yossi
Yoshua: https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5078233,00.html
= https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5078163,00.html
Gazan family uses gas canister to blow up building in neighborly
dispute. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5079591,00.html
Ed-Op Dr. Martin Sherman what the right is incapable of. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/21647
Republican candidates need Trump’s help during this off year
election. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/241445
As the deadline for illegal job seeking infiltrators approach the
interior minister requests that people hire Arabs instead. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/241456
Instead of bombing the heck out of them it is being attacked and a
reply in such that we have a do nothing bunch of cesspool politicians. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/241469
Armed infiltrators from Gaza: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/241459
Russia building more air bases: https://www.debka.com/russia-builds-four-new-air-bases-syria-deploys-another-6000-troops/
A good Shabbos to all and stay healthy,
Rachamim Pauli
