Notice:
There will be no blogspot next Shabbos. The blogspot should return
after Simchas Torah for Parsha Beresheis.
Remember one has Friday, Motzei Shabbos and Sunday to build the
Sukkah if it is not up and purchase food or the 4 species or Machzor for the Chag.
Chol HaMoed Shabbos we read Koheles (Ecclesiastes) and the Maftir is Yechezkel
on the War of Gog and Magog.
Parsha Hazinu
Moshe is teaching us in a song among things a witness
for the Bnei Yisrael.
32:1 Give ear, ye heavens, and I will speak; and let
the earth hear the words of my mouth.
A number
of years ago I brought down the story based on Gemara Niddah (if I recall Daf
23 or thereabout) called the weasel and pit. It was a translation of my
great-great grandfather’s book Siporim (stories) published in German by Zev
(Wolf) Paschales in the mid-1800’s or
close to 5600 after creation. The story, very condensed, told of a man who was
in love with a maiden, seduced her and said that the pit and the weasel would
be their witnesses of betrothal. He had to go off and promised to return but
the days turned to years. He forgot the maid and married. They had two
children. The first one fell into a pit and died and the second had its blood
drained by a weasel. The wife questioned him as to what he did to deserve such
a punishment. He went back to the maid to ask her forgiveness and I guess he
gave her a Get. She was now of course an older maid but forgave him.
The
heavens and earth are witnesses here. In the world of Kabbalah, there are 4
kinds of “life”. Inanimate (vibrating molecules at HIS WILL), plants, animals
and speakers. There is more to this than meets the eye when Moshe calls on
these inanimate objects to bear witness. Is it not written in the curses how
the land of Yisrael will vomit or spit out the wicked? I brought down the story
of two butchers by Rabbi Yehuda Yosefi where the butcher who returned in the
dream to his partner said that the sheep testified against him for improper
slaughter and the walls of a person’s house testified against him. I can
imagine television sets and videos or certain you tubes against people.
Therefore,
before we sit on our laurels after Yom Kippur we still have a chance to repent
until Hoshana Rabbah.
2 My
doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew; as the
small rain upon the tender grass, and as the showers upon the herb.
It is
not us to question the wisdom of HASHEM. We see before us Typhoons hit the
Philippines and Hong Kong or a hurricane hits the Carolinas and people die
while there is a horrible drought in Israel and Africa. We are to awaken and
remember that from the smallest spray drop of dew to the great floods
everything comes from HASHEM. Teshuva, Tephilla and Tzeduka avoid the evil
decree and Mitzvos bring about the blessings.
3 For I
will proclaim the name of the LORD; ascribe ye greatness unto our God.
After
the warning hidden the words above, it is time to wake up and really praise
HASHEM that we are here.
4 The
Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice; a God of faithfulness
and without iniquity, just and right is He.
HASHEM
is perfect so if we feel injustice there is something wrong with us. Either
something we did or something that we did not prevent that was evil.
5 Is
corruption His? No; His children's is the blemish; a generation crooked and
perverse.
“The
fault, dear Brutus, is not in the stars but in ourselves for we are the
underlings.” Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. We don’t have to have the audacity to
tell the good L-RD to change HIS ways but it is up to us to step up and change
ours. That is not an easy thing for a man steeped in bad habits and sins.
6 Do ye
thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not He thy father that
hath gotten thee? hath He not made thee, and established thee?
For ten
days we scream Avinu Malkaynu (our father our king) unto G-D and here the
principle of a loving father shines through the Pasuk. Open up with tears in
your eyes and wicked children ask daddy for forgiveness.
7
Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations; ask thy
father, and he will declare unto thee, thine elders, and they will tell thee.
Although
this is part of the Song Hazinu, one can view it like a Mitzvah to learn
history and learn from mistakes or they will repeat themselves (see the news
item below on the blunder of the Iranian land bridge). It is more than just
learning history. There are great lessons and examples to be learned from
elders. My father had things he taught me from the Sages that was ingrained in
his family even if he did not learn Talmud. My mother lived her life frugally
because of the great depression. She learned from the great depression. It did
not matter that she had enough in her retirement for a rainy day she did not
waste money and wanted to leave what she could to my brother and I and the
grandchildren. This was her lesson in economics to me as her parents and
grandparents were poor and had next to nothing but some furniture to leave us.
8 When
the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the
children of men, He set the borders of the peoples according to the number of
the children of Israel.
The
whole world is dependent on the number of the children of Israel and the
Mitzvos.
9 For
the portion of the LORD is His people, Jacob the lot of His inheritance.
The L-RD’s
portion in the land is HIS people. HE takes pleasure when the Bnei Yisrael take
Teruma, Ma’aseh, observe Shmita and Yovel. Of course there is more with
Kashrus, Shabbos and Family Purity.
… 15 But
Yeshurun waxed fat, and kicked--thou didst wax fat, thou didst grow thick, thou
didst become gross--and he forsook God who made him, and contemned the Rock of
his salvation.
In the
Pasukim skipped, Am Yisrael received a (future) blessing in the land (this is
Moshe teaching the song). But when they were rich and fat, they forgot about
the G-D and Mitzvos that made them profit.
16 They
roused Him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations did they provoke
Him. 17 They sacrificed unto demons, no-gods, gods that they knew not, new gods
that came up of late, which your fathers dreaded not.
How many
poor Jews are lured into disbelief via the Reform and then they or their
children seek spiritual needs via missionaries, Buddhism, Krishna, and all
sorts of nonsense or witchcraft. These are the no-gods or gods their fathers
did not know.
…21 They
have roused Me to jealousy with a no-god; they have provoked Me with their
vanities; and I will rouse them to jealousy with a no-people; I will provoke
them with a vile nation. 22 For a fire is kindled in My nostril, and burns unto
the depths of the nether-world, and devoureth the earth with her produce, and
sets ablaze the foundations of the mountains. 23 I will heap evils upon them; I
will spend Mine arrows upon them; 24 The wasting of hunger, and the devouring
of the fiery bolt, and bitter destruction; and the teeth of beasts will I send
upon them, with the venom of crawling things of the dust.
The
penalty for abandoning the Mitzvos and HASHEM are from fury. It takes time for
a person to sin but once HASHEM and HIS Mitzvos are cast out, it becomes fierce.
… 30 How
should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their
Rock had given them over and the LORD had delivered them up?
And the
reverse is true if we follow the Mitzvos. Rabbi Goren ordered his driver to
Chevron during the Six Day War as he heard the Paratroopers were heading there.
He got there ahead of them with a Shofar, Sefer Torah and perhaps a pistol and his
driver. They surrendered the town to him.
31 For
their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges. 32 For
their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah; their grapes
are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter;
For
those who abandon Torah this is their lot.
… 35
Vengeance is Mine, and recompense, against the time when their foot shall slip;
for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that are to come upon
them shall make haste. 36 For the LORD will judge His people, and repent
Himself for His servants; when He sees that their stay is gone, and there is
none remaining, shut up or left at large.
For two
thousand years, we have seen too much of this punishment. Rabbi Glixman Zal
used to cry “L-RD for how long will this continue?” He proudly got to see a son
serve in the IDF but never lived to see the complete redemption of Am Yisrael
from this punishment.
… 39 See
now that I, even I, am He, and there is no god with Me; I kill, and I make
alive; I have wounded, and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of My
hand. 40 For I lift up My hand to heaven, and say: As I live for ever, 41 If I
whet My glittering sword, and My hand take hold on judgment; I will render
vengeance to Mine adversaries, and will recompense them that hate Me.
Those
blood thirsty individuals and nations that attacked, captured and murdered Am
Yisrael will be avenged in the future they will not escape.
42 I
will make Mine arrows drunk with blood, and My sword shall devour flesh; with
the blood of the slain and the captives, from the long-haired heads of the
enemy.' 43 Sing aloud, O ye nations, of His people; for He doth avenge the
blood of His servants, and doth render vengeance to His adversaries, and doth
make expiation for the land of His people.
Once the
punishment of Israel is complete, upon the nations will be extracted punishment
for the detractors of Israel.
44 And
Moses came and spoke all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he,
and Hoshea the son of Nun. 45 And when Moses made an end of speaking all these
words to all Israel, 46 he said unto them: 'Set your heart unto all the words
wherewith I testify against you this day; that ye may charge your children
therewith to observe to do all the words of this law. 47 For it
is no vain thing for you; because it is your life, and through this thing ye
shall prolong your days upon the land, whither ye go over the Jordan to possess
it.'
The song
of Hazinu is to teach one to observe the Mitzvos, avoid breaking away from
HASHEM and protection from the other nations for the observers. However, there
is a warning of those who throw caution of Mitzvos to the wind and abandon the
commandments. He is telling them a rallying point at the end to go and possess
the land.
48 And the LORD spoke unto Moses that selfsame day,
saying: 49 'Get thee up into this mountain of Abarim, unto mount
Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold
the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession;
You
shall see the beautiful country before you die to see what your life long
mission was about. This is your compensation in this world and satisfaction for
a job well done as a farewell present to you.
50 and
die in the mount whither thou go up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron
thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people.
Just as
Aaron received a kiss from me and died, you will go into a cave on Har Nevo and
I will give your soul the kiss that will extract it. Then there will be an
earthquake sealing the cave that no man will know where you are buried so as
not to make you into some demi-god.
51
Because ye trespassed against Me in the midst of the children of Israel at the
waters of Meribath-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified Me
not in the midst of the children of Israel.
This is
why you cannot enter the land for lack of that one last Kiddush HASHEM.
52 For
thou shalt see the land afar off; but thou shalt not go thither into the land
which I give the children of Israel.'
But you
will have satisfaction on paving the way. In the future David will start the
first Beis HaMikdash and his son Shlomo will complete it but the Teva will not
enter until Shlomo sings your Psalm 24:7
Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; that
the King of glory may come in. 8 'Who is the King of glory?' 'The LORD
strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.' 9 Lift up your
heads, O ye gates, yea, lift them up, ye everlasting doors; that the
King of glory may come in. 10 'Who then is the King of glory?' 'The LORD
of hosts; He is the King of glory.' Selah
Parsha Zos HaBracha
33:1 And this is the blessing wherewith Moses the man
of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.
And this is the blessing… [just] before his
death: Very close to the time of his death. — [see Sifrei 33: 1] “For, if not
now, when?”
2 And he said: The LORD came from Sinai, and rose from
Seir unto them; He shined forth from mount Paran, and He came from the myriads
holy, at His right hand was a fiery law unto them.
He said: The Lord came from Sinai: Moses
initiated his blessing by praising the Omnipresent, and then he addressed the
needs of Israel. — [Sifrei 33:2] The praise with which Moses commenced,
mentions the merit of Israel. All this was a way of conciliation, as if to say,
“These people are worthy that a blessing should rest upon them.” Came from
Sinai: He came out toward them when they came to stand at the foot of the
mountain, as a bridegroom goes forth to greet his bride, as it is said, “[And
Moses brought the people forth] toward God” (Exod. 19:17). We learn from this,
that God came out toward them (Mechilta 19:17). And shone forth from Seir to
them: [Why did He come from Seir?] Because God first offered the children of
Esau [who dwelled in Seir] that they accept the Torah, but they did not want
[to accept it]. He appeared: to them [Israel] From Mount Paran: [Why did God
then come from Paran?] Because He went there and offered the children of
Ishmael [who dwelled in Paran] to accept the Torah, but they [also] did not
want [to accept it]. — [A.Z. 2b] And came: to Israel. With some holy myriads:
With God were only some of the myriads of His holy angels, but not all of them,
nor [even] most of them. This is unlike the manner of a mortal, who displays
all the splendor of his riches and his glory on his wedding day. — [Sifrei
33:2] A fiery law for them: It was originally written before God in [letters
of] black fire upon [a background of] white fire. — [Tanchuma Bereishith 1] He
gave it to them on tablets, inscribed, [as it were,] by His right hand [thus it
is said here, “from His right hand”]. Another explanation of אֵשׁ דָּת : As the Targum renders it, that He gave it
to them from amidst the fire.
3 Yea,
He loves the peoples, all His holy ones--they are in Thy hand; and they sit
down at Thy feet, receiving of Thy words. 4 Moses commanded us a law, an
inheritance of the congregation of Jacob. 5 And there was a king in Jeshurun,
when the heads of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together.
This is
an appropriate Parsha for this time of year when between Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kippur we recite “HaMelech” (the king) very often or Avinu Malkaynu (our
father, our king). Here we see HASHEM as king of the people.
6 Let
Reuben live, and not die in that his men become few.
This is
hard to understand as it was the tribe of Shimon that was devastated by the
Baal Peor plague. So there is something deeper. I hope to perhaps next year
delve deeper into the blessings of the tribes for they are much deeper than the
Pshat. Therefore this year, I will skip over it both for the length of the
Drasha. During Chol HaMoed you can go back to the blogs of the last two or
three years to see comments as Zos HaBracha is on Simchas Torah.
… 26 There
is none like unto God, O Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven as thy help, and
in His excellency on the skies.
Jeshurun: There is none like God-Jeshurun, you should know that
there is none like God among all the gods of the peoples, and that their rock
is not like your Rock. He Who rides the heavens: is the same God Who is at your
assistance, and with His majesty, He rides the skies.
Yeshurun comes from the word Yashar or straight. Mentioned in Beresheis is Sefer Yashar or the book of the straight path but deals with the wars of the sons of Yacov because of Schem and other things. Here the relationship between G-D the KING and HIS Nation Yisrael is mentioned by Moshe. If you not there is another example of Vayehi bringing in bad news. Vayehi Yeshurun Melech and the heads (and people) of the Nation gather all the tribes. … So Moses the servant of the LORD died there.
27 The eternal God is a dwelling-place, and underneath are the everlasting arms; and He thrust out the enemy from before thee, and said: 'Destroy.'
Which are the abode for God Who precedes all: The skies are an abode for God
who preceded (קֶדֶם) all other deities.
He selected the skies [above] as His residence and abode, while all the strong
men live below Him. Are the mighty ones of the world: [Literally, “The arms of the
world.” This refers to] Sihon, Og, and the kings of Canaan, who were
[considered] the strength and might of the world. Therefore, despite
themselves, they will tremble and quake, and their power will dwindle before
God-the fear of one above always falls upon the one below, and thus, He to whom
power and might belong- Thrust out the enemy from before you: And said to you, “Destroy them!” מְעֹנָה Every word that requires a lamed as a
prefix [meaning “for” or “to”], can instead have a hey as a suffix [and the
meaning is identical. Thus, here, the word מְעֹנָה
is equivalent to לַמָּעֹן, meaning “for an
abode”]. — [Yev. 13b]
28 And Israel dwells in safety, the
fountain of Jacob alone, in a land of corn and wine; yea, his heavens drop down
dew.
Safely and alone: Every single individual [will
dwell safely]-each man under his own vine and his own fig tree. [And their
security will be so sound, that] they will have no need to live together in one
group, because of the enemy. As Jacob [blessed]: Heb. עֵין
יַעִקֹב. [The word עֵין, has the same meaning
here] like [referring to the manna],“And its appearance (וְעֵינוֹ)
was like the appearance of (כְּעֵין) crystal” (Num.
11:7). [So, our verse comes to teach us that the blessing here, of Israel
dwelling בָּדָד] is like the appearance of the blessing
that Jacob blessed, and not like the [meaning of the word] בָּדָד used by Jeremiah, “I dwelled alone (בָּדָד)
” (Jer. 15:17), but like the appearance of the promise [of secure dwelling]
that Jacob made to them [Joseph and his brothers],“And God will be with you,
and bring you back to the land of your forefathers” (Gen. 48:21). - [Sifrei
33:28] Will
drip: Heb. יַעַרְפוּ [like] יִרְעִפוּ,
will drip. Also, their heavens will drip
dew: [Why
does the verse say “also”? It means:] Also, Isaac’s blessing will be added to
that of Jacob, which states, “And the God will give you from the dew of the
heavens” (Gen. 27: 28). - [Sifrei 33:28]
On condition that we guard and observe the Mitzvos.
29 Happy art thou, O Israel, who is like unto thee? a people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and that is the sword of thy excellency! And your enemies shall dwindle away before thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.
Fortunate are you, O Israel: After Moses specified the
blessings to Israel, he said to them, “Why do I have to specify all the
details? In general: Everything is yours!” Fortunate are you, O Israel. Who
is like you…!: Your salvation depends on God, Who is the Shield that
helps you and the Sword of your majesty. Your enemies will lie to you: Like, for instance, the
Gibeonites, who said, “Your servants have come from a… distant land…” (Josh.
9:9). And
you will tread upon their upon their heights: [The meaning here is: “And you
will crush their neck underfoot,”] similar to “Place your feet upon the necks
of these kings!” (Josh. 10:24).
We can only begin to see this in the future even though during the Six Day War we had a taste of this. The two thousand years of exile have humbled us so that we cannot even think with our less than half of a percent of the world’s population we can do much about this. Only when we will stand at that time can we appreciate it.
34:1 And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto mount Nebo, to
the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD showed him all
the land, even Gilead as far as Dan; 2 and all Naphtali, and the land of
Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah as far as the hinder sea;
This is written for the future distribution.
3 and the South, and the Plain, even the valley of Jericho the
city of palm-trees, as far as Zoar.
As far south as the end of the tongue extension of the Dead Sea.
4 And the LORD said unto him: 'This is the land which I swore unto
Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying: I will give it unto thy seed; I
have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over
thither.'
So he was rewarded to see the entire land and then he could die
peacefully.
5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab,
according to the word of the LORD.
And Moses… died there: Is it possible that Moses died,
and [then] wrote, “And Moses… died there”? But [the answer is:] Moses wrote up
to that juncture, and Joshua wrote from then on. Says Rabbi Meir: But is it
possible that the Torah Scroll would be lacking anything at all, and yet
Scripture states (Deut. 31:26),“Take this Torah Scroll” [and Moses commanded
this to the Levites; so, according to the above opinion, is it possible that
the Torah Scroll referred to there was an incomplete one, up to the juncture of
Moses’s death? This cannot be!] Rather, [continues Rabbi Meir, we must say
that] The Holy One, blessed is He, dictated this [i.e., the verse “And Moses…
died there”], and Moses wrote it in tears. — [B.B. 15b, Sifrei 33:34]
By the mouth of the Lord: [i.e., Moses died] by a Divine
kiss. — [B.B. 17a]
There is a dispute if Moshe wrote this epilogue dictated by HASHEM or Yehoshua finished these last few sentences.
6 And he was buried in the valley in the land of Moab over against
Beth-peor; and no man knows of his sepulchre unto this day. 7 And Moses was a
hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural
force abated.
Rabbi Akiva managed to live to 120 years and die on a Kiddush
HASHEM. He too was of sound mind. This is the highest blessing. We see that our
great Sages learn and relearn and keep their minds in tact.
8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab
thirty days; so the days of weeping in the mourning for Moses were ended.
From the 7th of Adar until the 7th of Nissan
they wept. It was then time for them to pass over the Yarden and enter the
land. The men would have a Bris and then offer up a Korban Pessach. The fording
of the Yarden on dry land took place at the peak of the flood season.
Scientists know in modern times of an earthquake that stopped the flow of the
Yarden (Soncino Book of Joshua by Rabbi Cohen) and assume this is what happened
when Yehoshua entered the land.
9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for
Moses had laid his hands upon him; and the children of Israel hearkened unto
him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.
Unlike the Chassidic and other Rabbinical Dynasties, Moshe gave
over the reigns to his student Yehoshua as commanded by HASHEM.
10 And there hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto
Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face;
Neither will there be in the future a prophet like Moshe. Angels
in Yehoshua, Sefer Shoftim, Daniel etc. will send messages but not speaking
face to face.
11 in all the signs and the wonders, which the LORD sent him to do
in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land;
12 and in all the mighty hand, and in all the great terror, which Moses wrought
in the sight of all Israel.
Not terror in the modern sense but extreme fear of the might and
power of HASHEM Yisborach in such that their hearts were trembling in awe and
fear.
Chazak – Chazak v’ nit Chazak
The Rich Merchants and the Poor Scholar from Felix Pauli
My father, Felix, of blessed memory grew up almost as a non-Jew.
His father, broke away from Judaism after seeing the Kaporos Ceremony one Erev
Yom Kippur where real chickens were used. He saw this barbaric and when his
father passed away and his older brother converted to teach in the university,
he broke completely with Judaism. At the age of three, during WWI, my father
was sent with other children into a Catholic Orphanage while the country was at
war.
He was harassed by Jewish Children for not observing our holidays
and by the Catholics for being a Jew. As a young adult he lived like everybody
else in Austria until the day that Hitler and his bands “united the German
peoples” with Anschluss. By hook or by crook, he was reminded that he was a
Jew.
When he got to the States, he tried to keep our heritage quiet but
ended up marrying a fifth generation Reform Jew, who had lost most of the
Jewish Tradition only the Holy Scriptures remained and perhaps watered down as
allegories.
My father still had some family stories as he was only a second
generation. When I was a boy he wanted to impress upon me the value of
learning. This story from the Talmud was told to me:
Three Jews were on a ship sailing for a large city to make their
fortunes. One was a merchant who dealt with precious stones and metals. The
second was a merchant who dealt with expensive cloths and clothing. The third
was a poor scholar who sort his fortune by teaching many students in a large
city. All three were dressed according to their status. The two wealth men
looked down at the poor scholar. Still the three got together for the grace
after the meals.
One night the ship ran into a fierce storm with wind and high
waves. The ship began to break up and in order to save their own lives, the
sailors threw every excess piece of weight overboard. The ship managed to reach
its destination. The merchants were ruined for back in the days of the Talmud
there was no Lloyds of London to insure them. The three landed. The Merchants
did not have enough money to even return home and the scholar found work.
The scholar invited the merchants to live with him and he fed them
while he earned money. He earned enough to lend the merchants some money so
that they could buy and sell in order to pay their passage home.
The merchants were able to
build up enough income to travel home, repay the scholar and purchase more
wears upon their return. The moral of the story is that the scholar’s wealth is
in his head and he uses it to earn money. The business people have to depend on
a fluctuating and fickle market. Knowledge can only be taken away by G-D while
wealth has many willing to relieve one of it from the weather to thieves. True wealth is ones knowledge.
This story was sent to me by my
son Chaim.
This story is true
and appears in Chinuch in Turbulent Times with Art Scroll
About 30 years ago,
an earthquake in Armenia killed over 30,000 people in less than four minutes.
One father raced to the elementary school his son attended only to discover
that the building no longer existed; it was a heap of rubble. Recovering from
his initial shock, he remembered the promise he made to his son: “No matter
what, I’ll always be there for you.”
Although the situation seemed hopeless, the distraught father was determined not to give up. What kept him going was his promise to his son.
He mentally retraced the steps he took each morning when he brought his son to school and figured out where his son’s classroom was located under the rubble. Racing over to the spot of the no longer existing classroom, he began to dig through the rubble.
Other well-meaning parents tried to pull him off the debris, saying, “It’s too late. There’s nothing you can do..” But he just kept digging, responding to the skeptics with one sentence, “Are you going to help me or not?” They did not help him, and so he continued on his own.
Firefighters arrived at the scene of the tragedy and also tried to dissuade him. “We’ll take care of it. Go home.”
The father remained undaunted and just asked, “Are you going to help me or not?” No help was forthcoming because the rescue teams felt they could better use their resources where there was still hope of saving lives. At this site, it didn’t look like there was anything they could do.
The father proceeded on his own, committed to the promise he had made his son. “No matter what, I’ll always be there for you.”
He dug for 12 hours, 24 hours — 36 hours. In the 38th hour, he pulled back a boulder and heard his son’s voice. He screamed his son’s name and heard a voice reply, “It’s me, Dad! I told the other kids not to worry. I told them that if you were alive, you would come to save me, because I knew you would keep your promise, ‘No matter what, I’ll always be there for you.’ You did it!”
When the building collapsed, the beams fell in a triangular wedge that protected this boy and 13 of his classmates.
Although the situation seemed hopeless, the distraught father was determined not to give up. What kept him going was his promise to his son.
He mentally retraced the steps he took each morning when he brought his son to school and figured out where his son’s classroom was located under the rubble. Racing over to the spot of the no longer existing classroom, he began to dig through the rubble.
Other well-meaning parents tried to pull him off the debris, saying, “It’s too late. There’s nothing you can do..” But he just kept digging, responding to the skeptics with one sentence, “Are you going to help me or not?” They did not help him, and so he continued on his own.
Firefighters arrived at the scene of the tragedy and also tried to dissuade him. “We’ll take care of it. Go home.”
The father remained undaunted and just asked, “Are you going to help me or not?” No help was forthcoming because the rescue teams felt they could better use their resources where there was still hope of saving lives. At this site, it didn’t look like there was anything they could do.
The father proceeded on his own, committed to the promise he had made his son. “No matter what, I’ll always be there for you.”
He dug for 12 hours, 24 hours — 36 hours. In the 38th hour, he pulled back a boulder and heard his son’s voice. He screamed his son’s name and heard a voice reply, “It’s me, Dad! I told the other kids not to worry. I told them that if you were alive, you would come to save me, because I knew you would keep your promise, ‘No matter what, I’ll always be there for you.’ You did it!”
When the building collapsed, the beams fell in a triangular wedge that protected this boy and 13 of his classmates.
This story is true.
It is also a parable; a parable for Yom Kippur. Many of us fall into deep holes
that are impossible to get out of. There is not much we can do so we just give
up, and wither away in despair.
But Hashem is our
father; the perfect father. He will always come through for us.
והוא קלי וחי גואלי וצור
חבלי בעת צרה.
והוא ניסי ומנוס לי מנת כוסי
ביום אקרא.
He is my G-d, my
living Redeemer, a rock to save from my pain in time of distress. He is my
banner a refuge for me, the portion of my cup on the day that I call.
(Translation by Art Scroll)
On this Yom Kippur
let us not give up. Let us place our hope in our loving father, Hashem Echad!
He will come through for us.
גמר חתימה טובה
Rabbi Dov Brezak
The
left hates this actor he is right wing pro-Israel. https://www.algemeiner.com/2018/09/13/actor-jon-voight-reveals-close-connection-to-jewish-culture-says-he-feels-a-responsibility-to-combat-antisemitism/?utm_content=news1&utm_medium=daily_email&utm_campaign=email&utm_source=internal/
COS
praises Yeshiva Army Service. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/251979
Another
frontal attack on Charedim. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5350607,00.html
Protests
against Shabbos construction. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5350990,00.html
MK’s
against private conversion. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5350607,00.html
Inyanay Diyoma
Syria
was attacked in stowage facility. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5351367,00.html
US
Prof. arrested in protest. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5351268,00.html
Ugh
murdering terrorist can ask for lighter sentences. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/252013
IDF
attacked Hamas Posts after attack. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/251986
Fire
balloons in playground. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/251972
US
Democrats will not fight the war for the PLO. https://www.debka.com/us-democrats-to-palestinians-we-wont-fight-your-war-2/
Deepak
Jain reported that the Indian Army stopped a Muslim terrorist in Kashmir.
Terror
attack in Gush Etzion. Ari, after being stabbed repeatedly in the back runs
after terrorist and shoots injuring him before he succumbs to his wounds. He
saved other lives. HY”D. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/252049
Three
soldiers injured from stoning as bus made a wrong turn. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5352222,00.html
PLO
bank accounts frozen in USA. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5352278,00.html
Ed-Op
what does Abbas need State. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5352251,00.html
IDF
blunder as big as the Yom Kippur War. https://www.debka.com/allowing-irans-land-bridge-to-syria-an-israeli-mistake-like-ignoring-egyptian-and-syrian-1973-incursions/
Moshe
the brother of Ari HY”D lives in my area the other brother tells of his
heroics. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/252136
Latest
in terror grenade balloons. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5353004,00.html
Devices
or grenades? https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5353177,00.html
Terror
attack foiled. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/252183
Holiday
emergencies. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/252184
After
the grenade balloons. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/252177
What
is wrong with Canada? https://honestreporting.ca/cbc-ignores-murder-of-prominent-american-israeli-by-palestinian-terrorist/
Netanyahu
calls Putin tells that downed Russian Plane was 15 km away from battle. No
coordination with Syria was problem. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5353925,00.html
Diane
Weber Bederman talk final edition. https://dianebederman.com/conservative-authors-speak/
Troubles
with the Russians. https://www.debka.com/russia-to-beef-up-air-defenses-aircraft-to-curtail-israeli-air-operations-in-syria/
Iran’s internal cyberwar. https://www.debka.com/irans-cyber-war-48-million-smartphone-users-sparked-protest-demos/
Why
Kim Jon Um is so nice. http://jwvsw.org/carriers.pdf
Leaks
in the cabinet about a chance of a Shomron flare-up are dangerous. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/252251
Is
Israel in Putin’s sight? https://www.debka.com/israels-air-force-chief-cross-examined-in-moscow-on-idfs-il-20-probe/
Netanyahu
is a weak PM. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/252256
After
Hezballah’s threats, Netanyahu threatens back. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5354754,00.html
Somebody
in the IDF got enough water poured over his head from the fire brigade that he
woke up after the grenade balloons. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5354900,00.html
IDF
preparations for battle – report. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5354899,00.html
A good Shabbos and a joyful Sukkos holiday. There will be a break
of one Shabbos and I should be back for Parsha Beresheis. Stay healthy keep
covered well in the Sukkah.
Rachamim Pauli