Prayers for Men: Yoel HaCohain ben Henya,
Shalom Charles ben Gracia, Yosef ben Esther, Daniel ben Rivka, Moshe Eliyah ben
Chana, Moshe ben Briendel,
Women: Karen Neshama bas Esther Ruth, Chaya Melecha Rachel bas
Baila Alta, Rachel bas Chana, Hodaya Nirit bas Mazel Yaish, Rivka bas Idit,
Tsvia Simcha bas Devorah Yachad, Miriam bas Irene Taita Malka, Shulamis bas Etta, Chana
Friedel bas Sara, Drorah Rivka bas Chana, Zahava bas Sara, Esther bas Alice,
Sara Naomi bas Gittel, Rena Leah bas Chana Friedel
The following persons are recovering from
long term non-threatening injuries and need Psalms. Binum Benyamin Tuvia ben
Chana Friedel, Avraham HaCohain ben Yocheved, Melech
David ben Sulah Pearla,
Please note next week is
Parsha Tzav. After that Eretz Yisrael will have Parsha Shemini on the 8th
day of Pessach followed by Tazria-Metzora. Rather than write rapidly Tzav and
Shemini together before Pessach, I will probably go for three Parshiyos to keep
up with Eretz Yisrael. Questions can be sent directly to my e-mail or my
Facebook account. https://www.facebook.com/rabbirachamim.pauli
if the https does not work used
the link without it.
PLEASE NOTE TO THOSE
READERS WHO RECEIVE THIS DRASHA ON FACEBOOK GROUPS. NEXT WEEK, I HAVE AN
IMPORTANT MEETING ON FRIDAY AND WILL NOT HAVE TIME TO ADVERTISE ON THE GROUPS
THEREFORE PLEASE LOOK FOR THE SHABBOS HAGADOL ISSUE.
Parsha Vayikra
To get a perspective to time. Sefer
Beresheis covered approximately the first 2,368 years of creation to the last
of the sons of Yacov. Sefer Shemos condenses the time in Mitzrayim to the first
80 years of Moshe into the first Parsha in Shemos. From then on the time period
is one year. In Vayikra, the whole Parsha and then some of Bamidbar takes place
within a month.
Sefer Shemos ends with the raising
up of the Mishkan. We continue now with the dedication and days of the filling
in by Moshe the first week until the Cohanim have practiced and can take over.
Sefer Vayikra is called Toras
Cohanim as most of the Sefer deals with Korbanos and the dedication of the
Mishkan and holiness in matrimony especially for the Cohain. G-D has given us
chances and channels to repent, the Korbanos are one of them. Always remember
that G-D is around. If HE did not answer your prayer with a yes - then perhaps
a no is the best for your development.
I would like to bring down from
5769 what I wrote in my introduction: We start with a new book of Torah this week
Sefer Vayikra (Leviticus) which is the only book in the Bible Code that has the
DIVINE NAME hidden in it at intervals of 7 – the TETRAGRAMATION. Vayikra deals
with a lot of Mitzvos like not putting a stumbling block before the blind or
cursing the deaf even against incest, bestiality and homosexual relations.
However the first part deals mainly with the Korbanos (Sacrifices) and the
dedication of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) described in Shemos (Exodus).
I
would like to discuss the Sacrifices which some people today find archaic and
even barbaric. To get a proper perspective of the time of the giving of the
Torah in the year 2448, we have to look back at how the people lived. Today you
might say that if I give 10 to 20% of my earnings to charity that is a Korban
for me. But then, people earned money by growing crops and raising animals. The
death of an animal instead of a human for a Korban, Olah, Olah v’yared, Chatas,
etc. were instead of the person receiving death by the hands of heaven or some
other punishment. Families often lived in one room houses and although it was
rare an accidental relationship could occur between a close family member and
the man. [Some examples like his mother is named Rachel, wife Rachel,
Sister-in-law Rachel, Daughter-in-law Rachel etc., you don’t have to be a genius
to figure out that an accident could occur. The sacrifices were brought only
for unintentional sins like accidentally today ripping toilet paper, turning on
or off a light, writing, etc. because one had forgotten that they were
forbidden Melachos (mistranslated work) on Shabbos or eat forbidden fat from
the tail or above the kidneys of an animal and thinking that it was just a
piece of fat from the animal’s legs, etc.)]
There
were other types of Korbanos such as the first born cattle or sheep being given
to the Cohanim or a sheep instead of breaking the first born donkey. There were
other Korbanos that the Baal HaBeis (owner) ate. The Korban Todah
(Thanksgiving) which we bench the Gomel Prayer instead for crossing the ocean,
desert, etc. {I had a recent case in which a boor and Am HaAretz went up to the
Torah and benched Gomel because he drove from Arad through the desert to the
hotel at the Dead Sea – that was not the desert mentioned in the Torah or even
today in Death Valley National Park where we have modern highways and
communications unless one is attacked by a rattle snake, wolf, scorpion,
etc.). We would bring a sacrifice if we
happened to be standing next to the car that only partially exploded in the
city of Haifa on the previous Saturday night (see miracle below). We had the
three Korbanos of the three holidays which were eaten at that time and of
course the Korban Pessach where 35 to 50 males participated in a family or
friends group to eat of the sacrifice in one night. Now we are not talking gluttony
but if a whole sheep or goat weighs so and so with its bones, head, hooves,
skin, wool, tail, forbidden fat, etc. so the amount of lamb left over to share
among 35 to 50 people is a very small portion. In fact usually this was eating
with the holiday sacrifice – Korban Chagigah. For my vegetarian readers in
truth in the times of Tenach, not much meat was eaten by the people.
Taken
from my weekly Drasha four years ago minus the Kabbalistic reason for the
sacrifices as I have over 200 new comers who are meeting Torah Judaism for the
first time: How are we to view an animal sacrifice? Based on a barbaric rite
from the past? An outdated thing in modern times? Or as Yaffa wrote in her
Parsha this week: The animal sacrifice is the act by which we are taught the idea
of subordination of nature to the Creator. The sacrificed beast, the wood to
feed the flame on the altar (Mizbayach) and the salt which accompanies every sacrifice symbolize the
animal, plant and mineral realms, everything converges with the aim of serving
the Al-mighty and only exists for this purpose. Yaffa continued stating that
the animal sacrifice substituted an animal for a human sacrifice. Almost every
culture had that up to the advent of Avraham Avinu and even then there was the
Akeda.
Yaffa goes into the psychological and spiritual message behind the
Korban that make it quite practical if we had the Beis HaMikdash today: The person who offers the
sacrifice must picture the sacrifice of the animal part of him, of his brute
instinctive will, and nullify it before the Al-mighty's will. In this way, we
can arrive at desiring only what is agreeable to G-d. Ultimately our wishes
will not aspire to anything but His will.
Only with such a disposition of mind can we assimilate the
substance of the Commandments. Otherwise, how is it possible, for example, to
fulfill the precept of "do not covet"? How can one control jealousy
or covetousness? The answer is that the prohibition of stealing must be so
self-evident, so deeply felt by us, that we could not come to steal even in
thought by a covetous desire.
Attaining this spiritual level is tantamount to the sacrifice of
our animal nature. We identify ourselves with G-d's will and we only act in
accordance with it.
Sacrifice is acceptable only if it comes from a person dedicated
to his brothers as well as to G-d. But he who is self-centered and aims at
always taking for himself and giving nothing to others is unable to fulfill the
essential condition of a sacrifice, which symbolizes the total offering of his
being. His offering cannot be a sincere one and is therefore of no value.
Last week as Moshe finished the construction of the Mishkan: Shemos 40:34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of meeting, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Rashi brings down the change in language from the usual HE spoke unto Moshe etc. but calling is different: And He called to Moses: Every [time God communicated with Moses, whether it was represented by the expression] וַיְדַבֵּר, “And He spoke,” or וַיֹּאמֶר; “and He said,” or וַיְצַו, “and He commanded,” it was always preceded by [God] calling [to Moses by name] (Torath Kohanim 1:2-3). [קְרִיאָה] is an expression of affection, the [same] expression employed by the ministering angels [when addressing each other], as it says, “And one called (וְקָרָא) to the other…” (Isa. 6:3). To the prophets of the nations of the world, however, He revealed Himself through expressions denoting coincidence and impurity, as the verse says, “and God happened to [meet] (וַיִּקָּר) Balaam” (Num. 23:4). - [Bamidbar Rabbah 52:5] [The expression וַיִּקָּר has the meaning of a coincidental happening, and also alludes to impurity. [See Deut. 23:11, regarding the expression מִקְרֵה לַיְלָה.]
The [Divine] voice emanated and reached Moses’ ears, while all [the rest] of Israel did not hear it. One might think that for each new section [representing a new topic], there was also [such] a call. Scripture, therefore, states, “and [the Lord] spoke (וַיְדַבֵּר) [to him],” [denoting that] only for speech, [i.e., when God “spoke” to Moses, or “said” to him, or “commanded” him,] was there a call, but not at the subsections. [For when these expressions are employed, they demarcate the beginning of major sections, i.e., when God first called to Moses and then proceeded with the prophecy at hand, unlike the beginning of each separate subsection, when God simply continued His communication to Moses without “calling” him anew. Now, if each subsection in the Torah does not represent a new beckoning from God to Moses, ushering in a new prophecy, then] what is the purpose of these subsections? To give Moses a pause, to contemplate between one passage and the next, and between one subject and another. [And if this pause for contemplation was given to the great Moses when being taught by God, then] how much more [necessary is it] for an ordinary man learning [Torah] from another ordinary man [to be allowed pauses between sections and subjects, to carefully contemplate and understand the material being learned]. — [Torath Kohanim 1:3]
Heb. אֵלָיו [That is, God spoke only to Moses. This phrase comes] to exclude Aaron. Rabbi Judah [Ben Betheira] says: “Thirteen times in the Torah, God spoke (וַיְדַבֵּר) to both Moses and Aaron together, and, corresponding to them were thirteen [other] occasions [when God spoke only to Moses] precluding [Aaron], to teach you that they were not said [directly] to Aaron, but to Moses, that he should say them to Aaron. These are the thirteen cases where [Aaron was] precluded: (1) ”To speak with him…,“ (2) ”…speaking to him…,“ (3) ”…and He spoke to him“ (Num. 7:89); (4) ”I will meet with you [there at set times], etc. …“ (Exod. 25:22) All of them can be found [in the above dictum of Rabbi Judah] in Torath Kohanim (1:4). Now, [even though it was Moses who exclusively heard the prophecies,] one might think that they [i.e., the rest of Israel, nevertheless] heard the sound [of God] ”calling“ [to Moses preceding the prophecy]. Scripture therefore, says: [not ”He heard] the voice [speaking] to him (לוֹ),“ [but] ”[he heard] the voice [speaking right up] to him (אֵלָיו)“ (Num. 7:89). [This verse could have used the word לוֹ, ”to him,“ rather than such an exclusive expression as אֵלָיו, ”right up to him." However, it uses this expression in order to teach us that only] Moses heard [the Divine voice calling him], while all [the rest] of Israel did not hear [it]. — [Torath Kohanim 1:4]
This teaches us that the [Divine] voice stopped and did not project itself beyond the Tent [of Meeting]. One might think that this was because the voice was low. Scripture therefore says, “[And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting, he heard] the voice” (Num. 7:89). What is the meaning of “the voice” [with the definite article]? It is the voice referred to in Psalms (29:4-5): “The voice of the Lord is in strength; the voice of the Lord is in beauty. The voice of the Lord breaks cedars.” If so, why does it say, “[and the Lord spoke to him] from the Tent of Meeting” ? [To inform us] that the [Divine] voice stopped. A case similar to this [where a powerful sound uttered within the Holy Temple was not heard outside,] is: “And the sound of the cherubim’s wings was heard up to the outer courtyard…” (Ezek. 10:5). One might think that the sound was low. Scripture therefore states [further in that verse]: “…as the voice of the Almighty God when He speaks!” Why then does the verse say, “[the sound…was heard] up to the outer courtyard” [and not further, if this sound was indeed so mighty]? Because when it reached there, it stopped. — [Torath Kohanim 1:5]
[And the Lord spoke to him] from the Tent of Meeting, saying: One might think [that God spoke to Moses] from the entire house [that is, that the Divine voice emanated from the entire Tent of Meeting]. Scripture therefore states, “[and he heard the voice speaking to him] from above the ark cover” (Num. 7:89). [If so,] one might think [the voice emanated] from the entire ark cover. Scripture therefore states [further in that verse], “from between the two cherubim.” - [Torath Kohanim 1:5] Saying: [God told Moses:] Go forth and say to them [the children of Israel] captivating words, [namely:] “For your sake God communicates with me.” Indeed, we find this is so for all the thirty-eight years that the Israelites were in the desert, placed under a ban, [i.e.,] from the incident involving the spies and onwards, the [Divine] speech was not addressed especially to Moses, for it says, “So it was, when all the men of war had finished dying from among the people, that the Lord spoke to me saying …” (Deut. 2: 16-17). [Only then was] the Divine speech [again] addressed specifically to me. Another explanation [of לֵאמֹר is that God says to Moses]: “Go forth and tell them My commandments, and bring Me back word whether they will accept them,” as the verse says, “and Moses reported the words of the people back to the Lord” (Exod. 19:8). - [Torath Kohanim 1:6]
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When any man of you brings an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd or of the flock.
Heb. יַקְרִיב כִּי, when he brings. [That is, Scripture is not dealing here with an obligatory sacrifice, in which case it would have said, “a man shall bring ….” Rather,] Scripture is speaking here of voluntary sacrifices [and thus says, “When a man …brings a sacrifice”]. — [Torath Kohanim 1:12] Heb. אָדָם. Why is this term used here [as opposed to “ אָדָם ”]? [It alludes to Adam, the first man on earth, and teaches us:] Just as Adam, the first man, never offered sacrifices from stolen property, since everything was his, so too, you must not offer sacrifices from stolen property. — [Vayikra Rabbah 2:7] Animals: Heb. מִן הַבְּהֵמָה. One might think that wild beasts are also included [since sometimes wild beasts are included in this term, and therefore may be offered up as sacrifices]. Scripture therefore states [here], “from cattle or from the flock.” - [Torath Kohanim 1:16]
You shall bring: Heb. תַּקְרִיבוּ [The plural form of the verb] teaches [us] that two people may donate a voluntary burnt offering in partnership. — [Torath Kohanim 1:19] Your sacrifice: Heb. קָרְבַּנְכֶם [The plural form] teaches us that [a burnt offering] may also be offered as a voluntary gift from the community (Torath Kohanim 1:20). This sacrifice was called עוֹלַת קַיִץ הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, “the burnt-offering which was provision for the altar.” [Every year, each twenty-year old male was taxed to give a silver half-shekel for communal sacrifices. See Exod. 30:11-16. This voluntary sacrifice] was purchased with any money remaining [from the previous year’s collection of half-shekels, and was offered as a communal burnt offering when there were no individual offerings brought, in order to prevent the altar from being bereft of sacrifices. Thus, the name “provision for the altar”]. — [Shev. 12a]
We only can use clean animals for Korbanos and no other type of animal or bird for a sacrifice. Unlike other nations, there was no human sacrifice. We are not a nation of Shachidim. We have had too many die by the enemies of HASHEM to become a Kiddush HASHEM. We use blood in our sacrifices only in respect that the blood that is the soul of the sacrificed animal is dashed on the Mizbayach but never eaten or used in a drink and lost too many lives to the nonsense of the blood libel. The root of it comes from their eating Matzos with wine for the “blood” of their god. In recent years, the Arabs have revived this accusation to come against is with.
3 If his offering be a burnt-offering of the herd, he shall offer it a male without blemish;
Kayn’s mistake after leaving Gan Eden was not offering up the choicest offering without blemish and fat but offering up an average or low grade offering while Hevel offered up the best of the best that he could find before the L-RD. Rashi explains the concept further:
Male: but not a female. When Scripture repeats later (verse 10) [that the burnt-offering must be] “a male [animal],” it appears unnecessary to state that [since Scripture has already taught us that it must be a male animal and not a female. Therefore, this repetition of the word “male,” comes to teach us that a sacrifice must consist of a completely] male [animal], not an animal of indeterminate gender or a hermaphrodite. — [Bech. 41b] Unblemished: Heb. תָּמִים, perfect, without a blemish.
…10 And if his offering be of the flock, whether of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt-offering, he shall offer it a male without blemish. … 14 And if his offering to the LORD be a burnt-offering of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtle-doves, or of young pigeons.
The burnt offering was based on the financial ability of a person to pay.
2:1 And when any one brings a meal-offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon. 2 And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests; and he shall take there out his handful of the fine flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, together with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall make the memorial-part thereof smoke upon the altar, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD. 3 But that which is left of the meal-offering shall be Aaron's and his sons'; it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.
The poorest of the poor would bring less than a fist full of flour and some oil with incense. During the Holocaust, the Klausenberger Rebbe used bribery to get a small amount of flour into the Concentration camp. He mixed the small amount of dough and their were two Matzos baked Erev Pessach for the Seder. One was eaten by the Rebbe and the other he divided among the inmates to give them a taste of Pessach. The rest of the food was the Trafe slop in the soup that kept them barely alive.
4 And when thou bring a meal-offering baked in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers spread with oil. 5 And if thy offering be a meal-offering baked on a griddle, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil. 6 Thou shalt break it in pieces, and pour oil thereon; it is a meal-offering.
The Parsha commentary stops here this year for more time devotion to Pessach and the laws thereof.
Rosh Chodesh Nissan and Parsha HaChodesh
Numbers 28:9-15; Exodus 12:1-20; Ezekiel 45:18
- 46:15; Isaiah 66:1; Isaiah 66:23-24; Isaiah 66:23) WARNING
TWO WEEKS UNTO PESSACH TIME TO CLEAN, PURCHASE AND LEARN HALACHOS. CHECK
BACK ISSUES FROM THE ARCHIEVES OF THIS BLOGSPOT FOR MORE INFO.
The time is running out. My
daughter has finished cleaning the upper cabinets in her kitchen and some of
the lower ones. My grandchildren have helped her with spring cleaning of the
toys and drawers in their room. Next Motzei Shabbos, my oldest son converts his
Kitchen from Chametz to Kosher Le Pessach. I set the custom after one year
doing things the last minute and knocking myself out the last minute in the
year 5733. I was still young, just before my 26th birthday. I said
to myself, “Never Again”. Thus it has been from that time onwards. My second
son, who was born on Yom HaAtzmaut that year, has never known me to go into
Pessach with bated breath. It is better to be like I and do things very early
than knock oneself out later. Remember dust is annoying and so are cobwebs on
the ceiling, but they are not Chametz.
Before Danny Shoeman was bullied off the internet by Charedim, he
used to write Halachos that I often brought down. This one is for Chol HaMoed.
Now
tell the following Halacha to your employer: The intermediary days of Pessach
and Sukkot are known as Chol HaMoed. Some types of work are permitted, others
are forbidden. Chazal (our Rabbis of blessed memory) have some harsh words for
those who don't honor Chol HaMoed properly. Honoring Chol HaMoed includes
eating meals and wearing clothes that are closer to Yom Tov standards than
regular weekday standards.
On Chol HaMoed one may do all work needed to prevent a monetary loss. Preparing food for Chol HaMoed or the last days of Yom Tov is allowed. Gardening is forbidden besides for picking fruit for Chol HaMoed or Yom Tov, and to prevent plants dying, e.g. if they need to be irrigated. Planting is forbidden. Cutting hair is forbidden on Chol HaMoed. Cutting nails is only allowed if one also cut them before Yom Tov.
On Chol HaMoed one may do all work needed to prevent a monetary loss. Preparing food for Chol HaMoed or the last days of Yom Tov is allowed. Gardening is forbidden besides for picking fruit for Chol HaMoed or Yom Tov, and to prevent plants dying, e.g. if they need to be irrigated. Planting is forbidden. Cutting hair is forbidden on Chol HaMoed. Cutting nails is only allowed if one also cut them before Yom Tov.
Writing
is only allowed in cases of need: Writing down information so that it won't be
forgotten is allowed. Writing letters to friends and family is allowed.
The custom is to write the first line at an angle as a reminder that writing is only partially permitted.
The custom is to write the first line at an angle as a reminder that writing is only partially permitted.
-
If it was impossible to launder before the Moed (e.g. one was locked up in
jail) then one may launder on Chol HaMoed - Baby clothes that continuously get
soiled and need to be changed many times a day may be laundered on Chol HaMoed.
When laundering on Chol HaMoed one must ensure it's done in private. All
medical procedures are allowed on Chol HaMoed. If one has the opportunity to
borrow money and there's reason to believe that after Yom Tov the money will no
longer be available, then one may borrow the money on Chol HaMoed (even if it
means writing an IOU), even if it's for a post Yom Tov business deal. Source:
Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 104 – Danny
It
is also a Mitzvah to be happy on Shabbos and Yom Tov this includes Chol HaMoed.
STORY: One time I had just finished patrolling the Syrian Border from the western
side of Mt. Hermon to Quneitra for a week on a 24/7 patrol and alert status. I
was sort of promised the next Shabbos off but I was transferred to a different
tank unit in the same 188 Brigade that needed a paramedic. I was very down from
lack of sleep. But that all changed as soon as I finished praying the Maariv
Prayer as I made Kiddush for our unit. My eyes and being were aglow with the
extra soul of Shabbos and I became happy and vibrant again which was an amazing
transformation down and out from disappointment to the Simcha and rejoicing of
Shabbos. That my readers is the power of the extra soul on Shabbos.
Kupat Holim
Israel. https://www.clalit.co.il/he/medical/pharmacy/Documents/koosher2014.pdf
Star K list: https://www.star-k.org/resources_medicine.php
OU General Rules with times for Tel Aviv
Israel. https://oukosher.org/passover/articles/guidelines-medication-for-passover/
A swimming tip for
life: by Rabbi Y. Tilles
The Vizhnitzer Rebbe at the time, Rabbi Chaim-Meir Hager, author of Imrei Chaim, noticed that the boy was discomforted and unhappy. He took the boy under his wing and suggested that perhaps a little vacation from yeshiva would be a good idea. The Imrei Chaim arranged for Avraham to travel to Netanya, where he would spend a few days in the seaside town and visit the separate beach there [secluded, with separate half-day shifts for women and men].
Avraham went to the beach and walked around on the sand, but didn't enter the water. Others at the beach were swimming, but Avraham hung back and just watched wistfully.
It so happened that the Gerer Rebbe, Rabbi Pinchas-Menachem Alter, known as the Pnei Menachem, was also at the beach. At that time, he was not Rebbe, but rather Rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Sefas Emes, the flagship yeshiva of Ger in Jerusalem, a position that he was appointed to in 1957 and held for 35 years before assuming the mantle of leadership of Ger in 1992.
He noticed the somewhat forlorn-looking yeshiva boy and went over to greet him. During the conversation, he asked Avraham why he wasn't going into the water like everyone else. Avraham answered truthfully, "I am an orphan. My father passed away when I was young before he was able to teach me how to swim. I am afraid to go into the water because I cannot swim."
The Pnei Menachem smiled and said, "Don't worry! I will teach you how to swim."
The Rosh Yeshiva then waded into the Mediterranean together with the orphaned boy and taught him how to swim. Once Avraham got the hang of it and he had sufficiently mastered the art of swimming, the Pnei Menachem felt that he could be left on his own. However, before returning to dry land, he gave Avraham one last piece of advice - six words that Reb Avraham says made such an impact on him that it has remained vividly etched in his mind for the fifty years since it was given.
The Pnei Menachem said (in Yiddish), "Just remember one thing:
'Zolstu shtendig halten der kop aroif.' --
'Always hold your head up…'"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from the rendition of Rabbi Avraham Birnbaum in the April 28, 2017 email of the Yated Ne'eman, and posted on Shabbos Stories for the Parsha, Ekev 5777 (2017).
Biographical notes:
Rabbi Chaim-Meir Hagar, the Imrei Chaim of Vizhnitz [ 15 Kislev 5648 - 9 Nissan 5732] (Dec. 1887 - April 1972)], after the Holocaust moved to Bnei Brak in Israel where he established the post-war Vizhnitz community. He also became one of the main rabbinical leaders of Agudat Yisrael in Israel. Upon his passing, his two sons, Moshe-Yehoshua and Mordechai, became the Vizhnitz Rebbes in Bnei Brak and Monsey, NY respectively. Three of his Bnei Brak granddaughters are married to the current Rebbes of Skver, Belz, and Satmar.
Rabbi Pinchas Menachem Alter
[Sivan 5686 - 16 Adar B, 5756 (June 1926 - March 1996)], also known as the Pnei Menachem after the works he
authored, was the sixth Rebbe of Ger, a position he held for the last four
years of his life. He was the only offspring of the second marriage of his
father, Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Alter, the third Rebbe of Ger. The fourth Rebbe
of Ger, Rabbi Yisroel Alter, and the fifth Rebbe, Rabbi Simcha Bunim Alter,
were his much older half-brothers. In the 1950s, he was appointed rosh yeshiva of Sefas Emmes, the flagship yeshiva of Ger in Jerusalem. After his
passing, he was succeeded as Rebbe by his nephew, Rabbi Yaakov Aryeh Alter (the
current Rebbe as of this writing), son of Rabbi Simcha Bunim Alter.
I had a great voice that is
still good for a 70 year-old. I could have been a star on Broadway but they put
on shows on Shabbos. Sorry no Al Jolson and non-Jewish Gals for me. Here is a
story of a High School Boy who was a great Boxer and he chose to make a Kiddush
HASHEM in Israel. Undefeated but in second place. Full story and photo. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/243054
My
name is Avishai Segal and I'm a 10th grade teacher at the Noam Yeshiva High
School in Jerusalem. I wanted to share with you a story that happened to my
student - Harel Tzion.Harel has been practicing boxing for a long time. It began as a hobby and slowly began to move in the professional direction. A professional athlete requires many hours of training a week at the expense of other things.
This year Harel is in the 10th grade. The hours at the yeshiva high school are very long and almost every day ends in the late evening. At the beginning of the year Harel had a very difficult dilemma and he thought he would have to choose between continuing his yeshiva high school studies and boxing.
After he and the yeshiva performed a series of bureaucratic gymnastics, they managed to create a system that would suit him. This, of course, required Harel's willingness to invest more and more of his time and effort to close the learning gap for missed classes. (You have to see him come in to Thursday evening learning panting and sweating from his workout ...)
Two weeks ago, in Upper Nazareth, the Israel Junior Boxing Championship took place. The competition is organized by the State of Israel Boxing Association (not a private body), and the competition is divided according to weight and age. This is a very important competition, and as Harel puts it: "If someone wants to move forward, this is his chance. There, everyone's watching you."
Like with many sports competitions, the date for this competition was set for a Thursday-Friday-Saturday weekend. (Incidentally, last year the competition took place on the 14th day of Nissan, Pesach eve.)
Harel asked the organizers, "What happens if I get to the finals?" He was promised by the organizers that he could compete on Saturday night.
Harel is very talented (professional boxers say this about him as well), and he won the first rounds on Thursday. On Friday at 12:45, Shabbat Zachor eve, he won the semifinals and went on to the finals. He went to the organizers and told them, "I remind you that I'm a religious person and I can only compete on Saturday night."
They told him, "It's impossible, the games have an order and you can't change it; you have to compete on Saturday at noon." Harel told them that "he can't do it and if that's the way it is, he's going home."
The organizers didn't believe he would leave, and they told him "by the way" it would also hurt his future advancement.
Harel didn't give in; he returned to Jerusalem, arrived home three minutes before Shabbat and went to the synagogue.
Incidentally, there are three other small stories that illustrate how difficult it is for religious youth to compete in professional sports in the State of Israel:
Harel asked to compete while wearing tzitzit fringes. "My dream is to win the Olympics and to stand in the medals awarding ceremony wearing tzitzit," he said. Of course they didn't allow him to.
Last year when he came to a competition, the organizers told him he had to shave, and they handed him a razor blade. He told them, "No way, I do not shave that way; that's against halakha." They replied, "So you don't compete." No beseeching helped; he had to run to the barbershop to find a kosher shaver.(Jewish law forbids shaving with a razor, ed.)
Some of those who understand professional sports told him explicitly in a competition that "if he wants to move forward, he must leave religion."
When Harel first came to the meeting after the competition, I approached him curiously and asked him, "Well, what happened in the competition? You promised to update me." He showed me, "I came in second, but I didn't lose." I didn't understand, and asked him what he meant. Then he told me everything.
On the one hand, I was very excited; I was proud of his decision. Harel merited to sanctify Heaven, respect the Sabbath, and all of us in the yeshiva feel that way. It is possible to educate students to respect and preserve the holiness of the Sabbath by studying Halakhah, shiurim, conversations, etc., and it is possible to educate by sharing a story like this one.
On the other hand, this story is also infuriating. I serve not only as a high school yeshiva teacher but also a civics teacher. One of the things I try very hard to inculcate into the students is to see the State of Israel as a Jewish State, despite all the criticisms we have.
Can it be that in the State of Israel in its 70th year a religious person can't compete in professional sports?
Should someone in this type of situation have to face a dilemma - to be religious or a professional athlete?
What do you call this case, religionization or forced secularization?
Translated by Mordechai Sones.
Story of False Pork Sausages of Portugal. http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/254237/history-of-inquisition-in-a-sausage
In Portugal,
the alheira chorizo is cherished as a national
gastronomic wonder. “This is our traditional food,” Miguel Fonseca, manager of
the trendy Ecork Hotel in Evora, told me as he pointed to one of the sausages,
mixed into a frittata and displayed at the center of a festive smorgasbord of
Portuguese tapas. Fonseca keeps the alheira on the
menu at the hotel’s restaurant, where black pigs roam nearby among vineyards
and cork trees, awaiting slaughter for the chef’s pork-based specialties.
But the alheira is not pork-based. In fact, it’s a sausage
with a specifically Jewish history that dates back more than 500 years, when
Portugal’s Jews cooked it up as a way to avoid torture, imprisonment, and
slaughter during the Inquisition—or so the legend goes. Whether the story is
entirely accurate or somewhat exaggerated, bringing this history to light is
part of the country’s increasing awareness of its Jewish past and, perhaps, a
nascent Jewish revival. The story continues in the article.
Israel and European Event: Total lunar eclipse
visible Duration:6 hours, 13 minutes, 51
seconds Duration of totality:1 hour, 42
minutes, 56 seconds Penumbral begins: Jul 27 at 8:14:47 pm (darker than
usual moon) Partial begins: Jul 27 at 9:24:27
pm (begin viewing the shadow) Full begins: Jul
27 at 10:30:15 pm Maximum: Jul 27 at 11:21:44
pm Full ends: Jul
28 at 12:13:11 am Partial ends: Jul 28 at
1:19:00 am Penumbral ends: Jul 28 at 2:28:38 am
Modern Orthodox Rabbinical Leaders oppose the
renegade Kashrus Certificates of radical liberal Orthodox Rabbis. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/242987
Rabbi Yosef’s daughter regrets what Deri did to
Shass. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5157825,00.html
Bookkeeper of Auschwitz croaks before prison
sentence. https://www.aol.com/article/news/2018/03/12/bookkeeper-of-auschwitz-dies-before-starting-sentence-spiegel/23383723/
Hebrew Birthdays or Yahrzeit. Download Kaluach
(google it). Chabad has reminders. https://www.chabad.org/tools/login/default.asp?error=notloggedin&page=-%2ftools%2flogin%2fsettings.asp%3fv%3dalerts#utm_medium=email&utm_source=1_chabad.org_magazine_en&utm_campaign=en&utm_content=content
Or for the whole family
Non-Charedi tells the truth. The IDF is not
built to handle too many Charedi Soldiers. http://israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/243030
Search and Rescue systems goes to Elbit. http://israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/243127
In the protocols of the Yalta
Agreement, FDR was willing to give over to the Arabs the 6,000,000 American
Jews. He got the Jewish Vote but was not politically expedient for him to
rescue Jews in the Holocaust. Prof. David S. Wyman who studied him passed away.
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5170185,00.html
Inyanay Diyoma
Dr. Martin Sherman video on the humanitarian
crisis in Gaza. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB6qr5t05zU&t=3s
HE WHO GUARDS ISRAEL NEITHER SLUMBERS
OR SLEEPS. http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Reports-Palestinian-Islamic-Jihad-member-killed-in-Gaza-explosion-544724
IDF preparing for a fight with Sinai ISIS. We
are already supporting Egypt. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/242957
Are elections on the horizon for Israel?
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/242962
Iran holding out on Nukes. https://www.debka.com/ayatollah-khamenei-is-lone-nuclear-holdout-after-kims-invitation-to-trump/
British check nerve gas agent. https://www.debka.com/uk-probe-of-nerve-agent-attack-on-former-russian-spy-uncovers-an-active-british-agent/
Terrorists fire at 2 IDF posts. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/242966
The riot mentioned at the end of the previous
article resulted in the death of one terrorist. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5154252,00.html
Joint US – Israeli defense drill on civil
defense also has sirens going off. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/242990
B”H after all the miseducation over the years
starting in the Vietnam War by the left, it is time for the US to re-instill
national pride by the public in the people who risk their lives for the freedom
of others. https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/03/09/592528659/trumps-military-parade-is-set-for-veterans-day
After the Prime Minister realized that he could
not get early elections when he wanted it for the current polls from the other
parties a compromise with the Charedim worked out. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/243010
Egypt to start production of 50 T-90 Russian
Tanks per year. https://www.debka.com/egypt-licensed-to-assemble-russian-t-90s-tanks-capacity-50-a-year/
Facebook releases data protection app, used it
for gathering data on users, pulled it upon outrage. https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3733765,00.html
Ed – Op by Diane W. Bederman: BDS is using old
church hatred of the Jews and reviving it – my synopsis. https://dianebederman.com/are-the-jews-the-new-black/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=socialnetwork
Also Progressives bringing us back to 1939. https://dianebederman.com/the-progressives-road-to-perdition/
Ed-Op Hendel encourage IDF service. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5150332,00.html
Hundreds of Poles rally for the Jews. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5157687,00.html
Gee nobody offered my Rebbetzin a half million
dollars to lie. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/12/31/hillary-clinton-backer-paid-500g-to-fund-women-accusing-trump-sexual-misconduct-before-election-day-report-says.html
Former Liberal State Dept. Official says Israel
will say yes and the PLO no to Trump Peace Plan. https://www.algemeiner.com/2018/03/12/ex-state-department-official-skeptical-of-trumps-pending-israeli-palestinian-peace-plan/
Ed – Op Achievements cannot atone for
corruption by Ben Dror Yemeni. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5155645,00.html
Arabs planning “day of rage Fridays” until May
15th. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/243069
On the land, air and sea. https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180309-official-israel-army-preparing-for-war-on-six-fronts/
Russian interference in the UK. https://www.debka.com/uk-pm-fingers-russia-for-ex-spy-poisoning-with-military-grade-nerve-agent/
Racially motivated? https://www.aol.com/article/news/2018/03/12/police-link-two-deadly-package-bombs-in-austin-texas-to-earlier-attack/23383587/
Sec. of State – You’re Fired! http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/03/13/trump-says-rex-tillerson-out-as-secretary-state-replaced-by-mike-pompeo.html
Debka analyzes intelligence change in Trump
Cabinet. https://www.debka.com/trump-shakeup-at-the-top-pompeo-us-secy-of-state-gina-haspel-cia-chief/
Joint Military Drill has ground forces in play.
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5163724,00.html
Intl
Milestone famed theoretical physicist passes away. http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/03/14/stephen-hawking-famed-physicist-dead-at-76.html
Ed – Op Azulay on Netanyahu’s poll following
idea for new elections (which have been put off for now) https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5161825,00.html
Common Sense keeps Coalition together: https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5164164,00.html
Even too fake for Liberal Jews. NY Times bluffs
that Israel has never tried “land for peace”. Funny but the appeasement didn’t
work. https://www.algemeiner.com/2018/03/13/new-york-times-falsely-claims-israel-hasnt-tried-land-for-peace/
34 Cities in Miami-Dade County FL to adopt a
stronger policy on antisemitism. https://www.algemeiner.com/2018/03/13/miami-dade-county-police-chiefs-adopt-state-department-definition-of-antisemitism/
Pompeo – Trump a harder line on Iran. https://www.algemeiner.com/2018/03/13/experts-and-critics-say-pompeo-appointment-at-state-signals-tougher-stance-on-iran/
Did Gazans shoot an anti-tank rocket? http://israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/243182
Time to deport illegals but the court ruled
against the State. http://israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/243218
West condemns the Russian Nerve Gas attack. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5169887,00.html
Israel has used laser cannon to neutralize
large explosive devices. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5169466,00.html
Dr. Martin Sherman Ed-Op Let their people go on
Gaza. http://israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/21843
Hypocrisy as Stephen Hawking used the I-7 core
processor developed in Israel but insisted on boycotting Israel. http://israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/21851
Preparing for all out war. http://israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/243206
Please note the situation is not
critical but has deteriorated in the last couple months.
A good Chodesh and Shabbat Shalom
all,
Rachamim Pauli
