Friday, July 27, 2018

Parsha Vaeschanan Part 1, Tu B'Av, story news


I have mentioned in the past that the blogspot should be out at the latest by 2 PM Israeli time or 7 AM East Coast of the USA time. Last Shabbos I did not advertise in all the Facebook groups. I simply had no time to deal with it. I thank my readers who are faithful for going to the site.

Parsha Vaeschanan Part 1

Moshe has not stopped his Mussar and the Parsha continues with his speech.

3:23 And I besought the LORD at that time, saying: 24 'O Lord GOD, Thou hast begun to show Thy servant Thy greatness, and Thy strong hand; for what god is there in heaven or on earth, that can do according to Thy works, and according to Thy mighty acts? 25 Let me go over, I pray Thee, and see the good land that is beyond the Jordan, that goodly hill-country, and Lebanon.'

Moshe prayed 515 times and continued to pray until HASHEM specifically ordered him to stop. HASHEM told him that it is forbidden to enter the land but he would see it from Har Nevo.

26 But the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes, and hearkened not unto me; and the LORD said unto me: 'Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto Me of this matter.

For when HASHEM says “no more” the conversation and prayers end.

27 Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold with thine eyes; for thou shalt not go over this Jordan. 28 But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see.'

You have trained your successor well and he will lead the inheritance of the land.

29 So we abode in the valley over against Beth-peor. 4:1 And now, O Israel, hearken unto the statutes and unto the ordinances, which I teach you, to do them; that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, gives you. 2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

You are warned to preserve and observe the Torah without being side-tracked to the left or the right but to follow the commandments without additions. So please don’t add a new Chumra every week like some people with crazy ideas add. The Torah is meant to live by it not be loaded down with excess burdens that one takes upon himself.

3 Your eyes have seen what the LORD did in Baal-peor; for all the men that followed the Baal of Peor, the LORD thy God hath destroyed them from the midst of thee. 4 But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day. 5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the midst of the land whither ye go in to possess it. 6 Observe therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, that, when they hear all these statutes, shall say: 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.' 7 For what great nation is there, that hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is whensoever we call upon Him? 8 And what great nation is there, that hath statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? 9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes saw, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life; but make them known unto thy children and thy children's children;

Remember the miracles and what you saw or your parents saw. As I wrote a miracle is an extraordinary event. Example: The Egyptians advanced up until the pill box of Ashdod and from there on the road to Tel Aviv was open and Israel had no air force. That night reinforcements were rushed in and four planes arrived by boat to make up the air force. That was enough to stop defeat of Israel during the war of independence.

10 the day that thou stood before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me: 'Assemble Me the people, and I will make them hear My words that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.' 11 And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the heart of heaven, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness. 12 And the LORD spoke unto you out of the midst of the fire; ye heard the voice of words, but ye saw no form; only a voice. 13 And He declared unto you His covenant, which He commanded you to perform, even the ten words; and He wrote them upon two tables of stone.

And at this point Moshe gave strong Mussar to the people. He continued with a strong warning for the future.
… 25 When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have been long in the land, and shall deal corruptly, and make a graven image, even the form of any thing, and shall do that which is evil in the sight of the LORD thy God, to provoke Him; 26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over the Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. 27 And the LORD shall scatter you among the peoples, and ye shall be left few in number among the nations, whither the LORD shall lead you away. 28 And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. … 39 know this day, and lay it to thy heart, that the LORD, He is God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath; there is none else. 40 And thou shalt keep His statutes, and His commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou may prolong thy days upon the land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, forever.
This ends the rebuke of the Mussar but the Ethics and strengthening of the people with his words continue.
41 Then Moses separated three cities beyond the Jordan toward the sunrising; 42 that the manslayer might flee thither, that slays his neighbor unawares, and hated him not in time past; and that fleeing unto one of these cities he might live: 43 Bezer in the wilderness, in the table-land, for the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites.

Moshe sets aside the three cities of refuge on the other side of the Yarden for the manslaughter to flee. Remember that even if there was an avenger of blood, most of the accidents in an agricultural society with a divided land occurred with members of the same tribe and most likely the same family line. It thereby became more of an exile of the manslaughterer from his land and brethren until the Cohain HaGadol would die.

… 5:1 And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them: Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and observe to do them. 2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horev. 3 The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day. 4 The LORD spoke with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire-- 5 I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to declare unto you the word of the LORD; for ye were afraid because of the fire, and went not up into the mount--saying: 6 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. 7 Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, even any manner of likeness, of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

If we look into the DIVINE Chariot, we see legs of a calf and the face of a calf in Yechezkel 1. What the people saw at the sea was the same or perhaps clearer. They made the Egel HaZahav not as an extraneous deity but as HASHEM from what they recalled. The violation was the second command about the graven image and likeness of heaven.

8 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, and upon the third and upon the fourth generation of them that hate Me,

They worshipped the calf as HASHEM and most likely bowed down to the image.

9 and showing mercy unto the thousandth generation of them that love Me and keep My commandments. 10 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.

Was their saying “This is your G-D O’ Yisrael” with the Egel taking the name in vain or only in swearing?

11 Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD thy God commanded thee.

In Pasha Yisro, it is to remember the Shabbos. Here it is to observe or guard the Shabbos. Remembering is not necessarily proactive it can be quite passive. Guarding or Observing require a proactive approach.

12 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work;

This is Melacha. For one could move literally tons of food for a large Chassidic Indoor Sheva Berachos but not make a Melacha even though for the waiters or waitresses it would be a good deal of physical labor. However, none of the 39 Melachos were violated.

13 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 thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou.

No other people gave time off for everybody from the hustle and bustle of the world. It was revolutionary for an owner to let his slaves rest once a week. Interesting enough in the world of Kabbala, the people in Gehennom and Kaf Keller rest on Shabbos from the first candle lighting in Singapore to the last Havdallah on Hawaii.

14 And thou shalt remember that thou was a servant in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God brought thee out thence by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day.

This statement was not in the first Luchos.

15 Honor thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God commanded thee; that thy days may be long, and that it may go well with thee, upon the land which the LORD thy God gives thee.

Sometimes one is a Talmud Chacham and his parents are not up to the standards of a Talmud Chacham; still they deserve honor for bringing him into the world and allowing him to change the world.

16 Thou shalt not murder. Neither shalt thou commit adultery. Neither shalt thou steal.

One can only imagine what time of a lowly society could exist if one murderers, adulterers

Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbor.

One might succeed in getting a judge or even three judges to believe him and pervert the truth.

17 Neither shalt thou covet thy neighbor's wife;

For this could lead to murder or adultery or both. It was said that if Saddam Hussein looked too much at the wife of a general in an affair of State, the general would immediately divorce his wife if he wanted to live.

THIS HAPPENED IN THE DAYS OF RABBI AKIVA. Once there was a man who fell in love with a Jewish Maiden but she preferred a Talmud Chacham over the other who became very wealthy. The other man had a wicked desire for the woman. The man became very rich and the Talmud Chacham was thrown into the Roman Jail and tortured. She came to the wealthy man and asked for help. He said no problem if you lie with me. She refused. Time went on and the husband was so abused and tortured that he told her to do it. (Perhaps via a Get or just commit adultery). She went back to the man and said that she was willing to meet his conditions. He looked at his Tzitzis, refrained from sin and Rabbi Akiva saw him with a halo over his head. (Tractate Sanhedrin)

neither shalt thou desire thy neighbor's house, his field, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, his ox, or his ass, or anything that is thy neighbor's.

Those who look at their neighbors in jealousy and with an evil eye are subject to falling under the influence of the Yetzer. And those who rejoice in their neighbor’s fortune are blessed.

18 These words the LORD spoke unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice, and it went on no more. And He wrote them upon two tables of stone, and gave them unto me. 19 And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain did burn with fire, that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders; 20 and ye said: 'Behold, the LORD our God hath shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice out of the midst of the fire; we have seen this day that God doth speak with man, and he lives. 21 Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, then we shall die. 22 For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? 23 Go thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God may say; and thou shalt speak unto us all that the LORD our God may speak unto thee; and we will hear it and do it.'

So the people only heard two commandments out of fear and the rest Moshe gave to them.

24 And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spoke unto me; and the LORD said unto me: 'I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee; they have well said all that they have spoken. 25 Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear Me, and keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! 26 Go say to them: Return ye to your tents.

Moshe became their representative.
… 6:1 Now this is the commandment, the statutes, and the ordinances, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it. 2 that thou might fear the LORD thy God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD, the God of thy fathers, hath promised unto thee--a land flowing with milk and honey.
Observe and you will live in a land flowing with milk and honey. Milk of almonds and honey of dates is one interpretation outside of the standard one.
Note: I would be negligent or derelict of duty if I left out the Shema from this Parsha. Therefore, I will continue next week.  




Six events occurred on Tu B'Av, the 15th of Av, making it a festive day in the Jewish calendar. By Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau Shlita

The Mishnah tells us that: "No days were as festive for Israel as the 15th of Av and Yom Kippur." (Tractate Ta’anis) What is Tu B'Av, the 15th of the Hebrew month of Av? In which way is it equivalent to Yom Kippur?
Our Sages explain: Yom Kippur symbolizes God's forgiving Israel for the sin of the Golden Calf in the desert, for it was on that day that He finally accepted Moses' plea for forgiveness of the nation, and on that same day Moses came down from the mountain with the new set of tablets.
Just as Yom Kippur symbolizes the atonement for the sin of the Golden Calf, Tu B'Av signifies the atonement for the sin of the Spies, where ten came bearing such negative reports which reduced the entire nation to panic. As a result of that sin, it was decreed by God that the nation would remain in the desert for 40 years, and that no person 20 or older would be allowed to enter Israel. On each Tisha B'Av of those 40 years, those who had reached the age of 60 that year died – 15,000 each Tisha B'Av.
This plague finally ended on Tu B'Av.
Six positive events occurred on Tu B'Av:
Event #1 - As noted above, the plague that had accompanied the Jews in the desert for 40 years ended. That last year, the last 15,000 people got ready to die. God, in His mercy, decided not to have that last group die, considering all the troubles they had gone through. Now, when the ninth of Av approached, all the members of the group got ready to die, but nothing happened. They then decided that they might have been wrong about the date, so they waited another day, and another...
Finally on the 15th of Av, when the full moon appeared, they realized definitely that the ninth of Av had come and gone, and that they were still alive. Then it was clear to them that God's decree was over, and that He had finally forgiven the people for the sin of the Spies.
This is what was meant by our Sages when they said: "No days were as festive for Israel as the 15th of Av and Yom Kippur," for there is no greater joy than having one's sins forgiven – on Yom Kippur for the sin of the Golden Calf and on Tu B'Av for the sin of the spies. In the Book of Judges, Tu B'Av is referred to as a holiday (Judges 21:19).
In addition to this noteworthy event, five other events occurred on Tu B'Av:
Events #2 and 3 - Following the case of the daughters of Zelophehad (see Numbers, chapter 36), daughters who inherited from their father when there were no sons were forbidden to marry someone from a different tribe, so that land would not pass from one tribe to another. Generations later, after the story of the "Concubine of Giv'ah" (see Judges, chapters 19-21), the Children of Israel swore not to allow their daughters to marry anyone from the tribe of Benjamin. This posed a threat of annihilation to the tribe of Benjamin.
Each of these prohibitions were lifted on Tu B'Av. The people realized that if they kept to their prohibition, one of the 12 tribes might totally disappear. As to the oath that had been sworn, they pointed out that it only affected the generation that had taken the oath, and not subsequent generations. The same was applied to the prohibition of heiresses marrying outside their own tribe: this rule was applied only to the generation that had conquered and divided up the land under Joshua, but not future generations. This was the first expression of the merging of all the tribes, and was a cause for rejoicing. In the Book of Judges it is referred to as "a festival to the Lord."
Over the generations, this day was described in Tractate Ta'anit as a day devoted to betrothals, so that new Jewish families would emerge.
Event #4 - After Jeroboam split off the kingdom of Israel with its ten tribes from the kingdom of Judea, he posted guards along all the roads leading to Jerusalem, to prevent his people from going up to the Holy City for the pilgrimage festivals, for he feared that such pilgrimages might undermine his authority. As a "substitute," he set up places of worship which were purely idolatrous, in Dan and Beth-el. Thus the division between the two kingdoms became a fait accompli and lasted for generations.
The last king of the kingdom of Israel, Hosea ben Elah, wished to heal the breach, and removed all the guards from the roads leading to Jerusalem, thus allowing his people to make the pilgrimage again. This act took place on Tu B'Av.
Event #5 - At the beginning of the Second Temple period, the Land of Israel lay almost totally waste, and the wood needed to burn the sacrifices and for the eternal flame that had to burn on the altar was almost impossible to obtain. Each year a number of brave people volunteered to bring the wood needed from afar – a trip which was dangerous in the extreme.
Now, not just every wood could be brought. Wood which was wormy was not permitted. And dampness and cold are ideal conditions for the breeding of worms in wood. As a result, all the wood that would be needed until the following summer had to be collected before the cold set in. The last day that wood was brought in for storage over the winter months was Tu B'Av, and it was a festive occasion each year when the quota needed was filled by that day.
Event #6 - Long after the event, the Romans finally permitted the bodies of those who had been killed in the defense of Betar (in the Bar Kochba revolt) to be buried. This was a double miracle, in that, first, the Romans finally gave permission for the burial, and, second, in spite of the long period of time that had elapsed, the bodies had not decomposed. The permission was granted on Tu B'Av.
In gratitude for this double miracle, the fourth and last blessing of the Grace After Meals was added, which thanks God as "He Who is good and does good." "He is good" – in that the bodies had not decomposed, "and does good" – in that permission was given for the burial.
To this day, we celebrate Tu B'Av as a minor festival. We do not say Tahanun on that day, nor are eulogies rendered. By the same token, if a couple are getting married on that day (and, as we will see below, it is the custom for the bride and groom to fast on their wedding day), neither fasts.
Beginning with Tu B'Av, we start preparing ourselves spiritually for the month of Elul, the prologue to the coming Days of Awe. The days begin to get shorter, the nights get longer. The weather, too, helps us to take spiritual stock: the hectic days of the harvest are over for the farmer, and the pace has slowed down considerably. Even on a physical level, the heat of the summer makes it hard to sit down and think things out, and now that the days and nights are cooler, it is easier to examine one's actions.
In earlier times, it was the custom already from Tu B'Av to use as one's greeting "May your inscription and seal be for good" (ketiva vahatima tova), the same blessing that we today use on Rosh Hashana. Those who work out the gematria values of different expressions found that phrase adds up to 928 – and so does the words for "15th of Av."

Hundreds of Mezuzos by Rabbi Y. Tilles


Two brothers, Rabbis Shmuel and Sholom Gurevitz, both Chabad emissaries in Lyons, France, made a lavish fundraising dinner for the local institutions they had established in their area.
Of course, every fundraising affair needs some kind of "gimmick." Theirs would be a compilation of video clips of the local participants who had some time or another appeared before the Lubavitcher Rebbe for "dollars." Who on earth could watch himself standing before the holy leader and remain indifferent?
As expected, the audience gazed appreciatively as they recognized their friends and neighbors -and themselves! -- among the visitors at 770. One person who was particularly touched was Alain Saban, one of the community's largest donors, whom the Rebbe blessed to establish a school. At the sight of his image on the screen he motioned to the two rabbis and asked to go up to the podium.
Here is his story.
We were a happy family and still are - myself, my wife, and my daughter. We had whatever we wanted. But then one day, my wife fell gravely ill. In desperation I traveled to the Rebbe, and when my turn came for "dollars," I asked him for a blessing for my wife.
The Rebbe gave me a dollar. Then another. "For the school you will establish," he said.
The Friday beforehand, my friend, Rabbi Sholom Gurevitz, had informed the Rebbe's secretary, Rabbi Leibel Groner, that I was building a large hotel in Nice which could also serve as a school for hotel management. It was 5748 (1988), which the Rebbe had declared to be "the Year of Construction." In the spirit of that special year I had decided to build a huge building.
Afterwards, the secretary told us that the Rebbe was delighted at the news. So accordingly, the Rebbe gave me that fateful day a blessing for the new hotel. As I was about to step away from his presence, he added, "When you open the hotel, make sure to place mezuzot on every doorway."
With this blessing, I immediately began preparations for the hotel management school, together with the magnificent hotel. It was no small job, and it took years of work, long after 5748, before it was completed.
For the opening ceremony, I invited all the distinguished personalities of Nice. The tables were laden with delicacies, and everyone crowded around in anticipation of the official opening. I myself waited patiently for my two special guests before the ceremony would begin.
At last two people walked in: chasidim with beards, long black coats, and black hats - the whole look. The guests, all bedecked in Western glamor and finery, stared at them in bewilderment, as if these two men had just walked in off a Hollywood movie set. To their further surprise, I walked over to the two men and greeted them with a warm hug and handshake.
I spun around and announced, "The guests have arrived! Now we can begin."
I continued, "I didn't open my school and hotel without the blessing of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. He told me to affix mezuzot in every room, on every doorpost. These two brothers are his shluchim, his representatives in Lyons. I asked them to come to the grand opening specially to place mezuzot on the main entranceways."
And that's how the hotel opened - with mezuzot on every doorpost.
Years passed. The hotel, unfortunately, was not the success I envisioned. Eventually it sank deep into debt and I had to declare bankruptcy. Losses racked up in the millions, much of which had not belonged to me but were funds borrowed from various banks and businessmen. Knowing at the time that after the bankruptcy these creditors would never see their money again hurt me more than anything else.
I am an honest person, not a cheat. Nevertheless, government authorities blamed the bankruptcy on fraud. A special auditor was appointed to ascertain whether the business had legitimately failed due to human error and bad luck, or to embezzlement.
The assessment was highly unpleasant. Although I knew I hadn't stolen a single franc, I was extremely nervous, for who knew whether this little man would be convinced of my integrity?
Sadly, my fears proved justified. I was called to various meetings at the auditor's office and asked to answer questions hinting at the direction the auditor was leading. He produced a report that based on his findings, I had embezzled.
To say the least, things got really unpleasant. I had to prove that I hadn't stolen any money. My family stood by my side and offered whatever help they could. They all prayed for my health and for a successful resolution.
But things got even worse. My house was confiscated and sold. My parents quickly bought it back to keep me out of a bottomless depression, as the doctors warned would happen.
The day of the auditor's decision arrived. I sat in my office and awaited the worst.
The little man walked in. I saw him stand and gaze upon the mezuzah in the doorway. He then glanced around the office, which was adorned with pictures of myself with senior officials, including the president of France. The walls were lined were credentials -- certificates of appreciation and professional diplomas attesting to my reputation in the hotel business. And in the center, dominating, was a huge picture of me receiving a dollar from the Rebbe.
The auditor gazed at this particular photo for some time. At last he sat down in the chair facing me and took out a stack of papers. I sat and trembled, knowing with near certainty that I would be officially informed of my enormous lost investment and financial mismanagement.
To my surprise, the auditor began defending me. "It has come to my attention," he began, "that there were a number of odd mistakes made by an inexperienced hotel owner, which had led to a further chain of mishaps."
He droned on and on, reading through the documents, with me nearly falling asleep. Finally, he ended the tedium with his remarks: "There is still a chance to save the business."
I perked up. "Are you serious?"
He nodded. "I will ask that government funds be sent to start the ball rolling again."
I was flabbergasted. Panting with relief, I notified my wife and friends. I could only thank G-d for this miracle.
As the auditor packed up his papers, I asked him, "Tell me, please. Since everyone within my radius was expecting the vilest report - what made you change your mind?
The auditor looked up from his briefcase. "This morning, before coming here to give you my decision, I walked to the different floors of the hotel and noticed something interesting. There was a mezuzah on every door."
He began his own tale.
"I too am Jewish. I'm from Austria originally - my wife and I both lived there. In 1938, by the skin of our teeth we managed to flee the anti-Semitism and the tragedy to follow. We somehow made it through the war and arrived in France. We decided to change our way of life so that no one would know who we once were. We tried to hide our Jewish identity as much as we could.
"When I saw the mezuzot, I recognized them at once. However, growing up unobservant, I had had very little to do with them - I thought you put up one on the front door or maybe a big room, and that was it. Yet here I was, seeing a mezuzah on every single doorpost in the hundreds of rooms. And I knew full well that this wasn't your personal home.
"I figured that a person so meticulous couldn't possibly be a thief and a liar.
"I came to your main office and again noticed a mezuzah in every doorway. I also saw the picture of that rabbi, whom I could see was a holy man. I knew only one thing - I had to return to my Jewish roots."
Tears in his eyes, Mr. Saban finished his own speech. "From that point on, the path to complete teshuva was short. I merited two miracles.
"First, the Rebbe saw the future, advising me to place a mezuzah on every door of my hotel. Second, the Rebbe saved a Jewish couple from assimilation and brought them back to Judaism.
"But another miracle happened. Since then, I have established a chain of hotels all over Europe - thanks to the blessings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of course!"


~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from an email of the Avner Institute (Rebbebook @ gmail.com).

Connection: Weekly Reading -- "And you shall write them on the doorposts of your homes." (6:8)

Biographical note:
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe n''d: [11 Nissan 5662 - 3 Tammuz 5754 (April 1902 - June 1994 C.E.)], became the seventh Rebbe of the Chabad dynasty after his father-in-law's passing on 10 Shvat 5710 (1950 C.E.). He is widely acknowledged as the greatest Jewish leader of the second half of the 20th century. Although a dominant scholar in both the revealed and hidden aspects of Torah and fluent in many languages and scientific subjects, the Rebbe is best known for his extraordinary love and concern for every Jew on the planet. His emissaries around the globe dedicated to strengthening Judaism number in the thousands. Hundreds of volumes of his teachings have been printed, as well as dozens of English renditions.


Food for Thought


On the morning of Tisha B’Av I was busy with the atrocities of the first crusade in 1096 aka 4856 after creation. A few communities along the Rhine were completely destroyed others partially and forced conversion. During the crusade of Richard the Lion Hearted, the Jews of Yerushalayim were burned in a Synagogue after the walls were breached. When Richard became king of England, the Jews wanted to give him a gift which he refused to accept and some of people started making a pogrom and calling for the expulsion of Jews with many dead until Richard stopped it. Bringing back captives, some Jews were murdered or thrown from boats in the sea.

I went out to read about all the things the French and others did and a few things on the Inquisition. There is less written on the sufferings, rapes, kidnappings of Jews in Arab lands but they seemed to have fared a bit better as they were never blamed for killing Mohammed while the Middle-evil Christians blamed us of Yeshu’s murder which was a new accusation.

My Tisha B’ Av reading ended in the days of the Pogroms in the Ukraine. But in the afternoon I went to post-Holocaust Austria and there was an incident in Vienna recently. Almost every week and in many countries antisemitism exists in anti-circumcision or anti-ritual slaughter laws.


When in a charity not Tzeduka? Magen David Adom charges for each ambulance call. I do not know about Hatzalah. The head of the American Red Cross gets a salary of $650,000 a year plus other expenses.


Against the wishes of most Gadolei Yisrael 1000 Jews enter Temple Mount. www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/249318

Why isn’t the Temple being rebuilt- Sodom is here! (See Lev. 18:22, 20:13) http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/249344

Song of the firefighters in the south. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y80sMit8b4A



Inyanay Diyoma


Friday afternoon, we were closest to going to war in Gaza. The Chief of Staff wants to destroy as much infrastructure of the Hamas and within a matter of time, they will calm down without concessions or battlefield deaths. Iranian sniper rife used. Sgt. A. Levy. HY”D https://www.debka.com/israeli-soldier-killed-by-hamas-sniper-massive-idf-air-strikes-over-gaza-continue/

Last week “the future of the Democratic Party” NY candidate Cortez condemned Israel on Gaza and then retracted. J Street has funded by Soros is feeding the left fuel against Israel. Cynthia Nixon too.




Lies about Israel from fake news. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5314119,00.html

IDF quietly rescues white helmets. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5314288,00.html

Russia – phony Gaza cease-fire phony deal in the north. The IDF operation was almost as phony as the Gaza “ceasefire.” https://www.debka.com/how-russia-wangled-israel-into-phony-gaza-ceasefire-and-acceptance-of-iranian-hizballah-in-the-north/

With break-down of understands Israel will target Iranians. https://www.debka.com/163597-2/



My advice don’t threaten the USA. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/249354

Sirens on the Golan as rockets fly uncontrollably. I still plan to be on the Golan this coming Shabbos. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5314948,00.html







International force member slashes tires. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/249437

N. Korea starts dismantling missile base. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/249431


13 years - We remember we will return. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5315629,00.html

Stone falls from Kotel at mixed prayer section. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/249412





Wednesday tensions rose. Another Patriot Battery brought up to Haifa. All the iron dome are either in the south or near the Golan. Patriots are supplementing. No more information about correction of the David Sling failure. Two missiles land in Israel in the Kinneret. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/249531

General Winter appointed secretary to Defense Minister. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/249531



70 years of refugees living in high risers. UNWRA firing 250 staff members. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5316754,00.html



Pulling soldiers to the border for snipers though children.  http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/249545

ISIS tried to provoke Israel to hit Syria through their two rockets but we took them out instead. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/249577












Comrade Soldier you are being indoctrinated by Soros and friends. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/249587

Good Shabbos all,
Rachamim Pauli
Posted by Rabbi Rachamim Pauli at 10:24 AM
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