Friday, September 7, 2018

Parsha Netzavim, Rosh Hashanah, refections, story


Parsha Netzavim





Most of the time Netzavim is joined with Vayelech and Hazinu is Shabbos Teshuva this year they are separate. It appears to be part of the Drasha given by Moshe before departing from this world. Vayelech that follows confirms that it is the last day of Moshe’s life. The people are gathered to bid one last good bye to their great teacher.



29:9 Ye are standing this day all of you before the LORD your God: your heads, your tribes, your elders, and your officers, even all the men of Israel, 10 your little ones, your wives, and thy stranger that is in the midst of thy camp, from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water;



We continue with Moshe’s last Drasha and we see the whole nation from the Sages of the Sanhedrin to the lowly hewers of wood and water carriers are looking at Moshe for the very last gathering. Oh what our Sages of today would give to be standing even as a water carrier before Moshe. To bask in the enlightened speech of our great Rabbi.



11 that thou should enter into the covenant of the LORD thy God--and into His oath--which the LORD thy God makes with thee this day;



‘Should’ implies doing the ordinances, laws and statutes in the Mitzvos and a willing volunteer with enthusiasm.



12 that He may establish thee this day unto Himself for a people, and that He may be unto thee a God, as He spoke unto thee, and as He swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. 13 Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath; 14 but with him that stand here with us this day before the LORD our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day—



The covenant is with YOU and your future generations.



15 for ye know how we dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the midst of the nations through which ye passed; 16 and ye have seen their detestable things, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were with them-- 17 lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turns away this day from the LORD our God, to go to serve the gods of those nations; lest there should be among you a root that bears gall and wormwood;



We cannot understand the idols today since the pagans became Christians and Muslims. At that time there was tricks using negative spiritual energies and hocus pocus. The fertility cults and excess rich foods and liquor brought in many followers. This type of filth is not gone but has moved elsewhere and not as a worship anymore.



18 and it come to pass, when he hears the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying: 'I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart--that the watered be swept away with the dry';



Although the Pasuk is about idol worship, I want to bring down a true story of how the Yetzer HaRa works. Chaim Sudransky told me how his grandmother started violating Shabbos in the great depression. At first she worked for six days and got fired. A new job and got fired for not working on Shabbos but she had to feed her children. The first week she felt that heaven and earth would crash down upon her. The second week bad by the third or fourth week, the Yetzer took over and it became a bad habit that continued. This is the way of the Yetzer it starts out Pekuach Nefesh and ends up a habit. So what started out as something horrible for the sake of feeding the family became a watered down Mitzvah of Shabbos when times got better.



19 the LORD will not be willing to pardon him, but then the anger of the LORD and His jealousy shall be kindled against that man, and all the curse that is written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven;



This is idol worship but also applies to other things such as adultery, Shabbos violations of people who should know better not a generation of lost sheep.



20 and the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that is written in this book of the law. 21 And the generation to come, your children that shall rise up after you, and the foreigner that shall come from a far land, shall say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses wherewith the LORD hath made it sick;



No greater example than the story of Samuel Clemens when he visited the Holyland and found it barren from Haifa to Yerushalayim with a few trees only and some Arabs. One could walk for hours without seeing a fellow human being. If one was to fly over the costal plains today this would not be the cast. However, I have seen the Shomron hills barren far from the roads. It was only as the second Aliyah occurred that Arabs came to Israel to work on Jewish farms and building up the land. Read From Time Immortal by Joan Peters.



22 and that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and a burning, that it is not sown, nor bears, nor any grass grows therein, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew in His anger, and in His wrath; 23 even all the nations shall say 'Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this land? what means the heat of this great anger?' 24 then men shall say: 'Because they forsook the covenant of the LORD, the God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them forth out of the land of Egypt; 25 and went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods that they knew not, and that He had not allotted unto them; 26 therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curse that is written in this book; 27 and the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day'.-- 28 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God; but the things that are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.



G-D has given revealed things and the power to reveal things as the time comes to mankind. Leibnitz and Newton discovering calculus and the advent of Microsoft and Apple at around the same time. The story goes that one Rabbi worked on a problem in the Gemara for 20 years and solved it. The next morning he went to the Beis Medrash and heard two of his Talmidim explaining the Gemara with his solution. It was then revealed to him in a dream that once he brought down the discovery from heaven, it because common knowledge by his merit.



30:1 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt bethink thyself among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee, 2 and shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and hearken to His voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul; 3 that then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the peoples, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee. 4 If any of thine that are dispersed be in the uttermost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will He fetch thee.



There are Jews scattered in all continents. They will eventually come to Eretz Yisrael, those who merit it. 48 years ago, when our arrived our population was 3 million it is now approaching 9 million which is triple mainly from the gathering of Jews and



5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and He will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.



If we were to count the tribes in Afghanistan, Pakistan and regions of India without counting millions of Hispanics who have some heritage from the Inquisition, we would be over-whelmed.



6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, that thou may live.



This is a Baal Teshuva and education of the nation that has yet to take place. There are at least two Jews on the US Supreme Court and hundreds in Hollywood California that need this. There are some so far from Judaism it is terrible. I know from my own personal history where I was and where some of my friends, who were ‘more religious’ than I at the time are. I have been luck to come this far perhaps by merits of my forefathers which they might not have had.



7 And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, that persecuted thee.



Viva La Difference between the Trump Administration and the Obama Administration. Even a life-long Jewish Democratic Party supporter like Chaim Saban Shlita praised the new way the president was handling the Middle-East.



8 And thou shalt return and hearken to the voice of the LORD, and do all His commandments which I command thee this day. 9 And the LORD thy God will make thee over-abundant in all the work of thy hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good; for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as He rejoiced over thy fathers; 10 if thou shalt hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law; if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul.



48 years ago, I left the US for Israel. My friends in the States were middle-class and had a better standard of living in reasonably good neighbors. Now I am in perhaps better shape than them. The good L-RD has blessed me while they stagnated in their Mitzvos and the blessings did not multiply. I gave Maaser and became “rich” as it is written in Perkei Avos “Who is rich? He that is happy with his lot.”



11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not too hard for thee, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say: 'Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?' 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say: 'Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?' 14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.  15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil, 16 in that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances; then thou shalt live and multiply, and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest in to possess it. 17 But if thy heart turn away, and thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; 18 I declare unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish; ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over the Jordan to go in to possess it. 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before thee life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore choose life, that thou mayest live, thou and thy seed; 20 to love the LORD thy God, to hearken to His voice, and to cleave unto Him; for that is thy life, and the length of thy days; that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.





Rosh Hashanah the prayer that opens Kedusha “U’Netaneh Tokef,”

The Full Text (Scanned from the ArtScroll Rosh HaShanah Machzor)

The following is the full translated text of the great prayer, “U’Netaneh Tokef,” attributed to Rabbi Amnon of Mainz, as related to Rabbi Klonimus ben Meshullam. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amnon_of_Mainz
THE ARK BEING OPEN: Congregation and chazzan:

So now, the Kedusha prayer shall ascend to You, for You, our God, are King.

Congregation and chazzan:

Let us now relate the power of this day’s holiness, for it is awesome and frightening. On it Your Kingship will be exalted; Your throne will be firmed with kindness and You will sit upon it in truth. It is true that You alone are the One Who judges, proves, knows, and bears witness; Who writes and seats, (counts and calculates); Who remembers all that was forgotten. You will open the Book of Chronicles – it will read itself, and everyone’s signature is in it. The great shofar will be sounded and a still, thin sound will be heard. Angels will hasten, a trembling and terror will seize them – and they will say, ‘Behold, it is the Day of Judgment, to muster the heavenly host for judgment!’- for they cannot be vindicated in Your eyes in judgment.

Chazzan:

All mankind will pass before You like members of the flock. Like a shepherd pasturing his flock, making sheep pass under his staff, so shall You cause to pass, count, calculate, and consider the soul of all the living; and You shall apportion the fixed needs of all Your creatures and inscribe their verdict.

Congregation then chazzan [in some congregations this is recited only by the chazzan]:

On Rosh Hashanah will be inscribed and on Yom Kippur will be sealed how many will pass from the earth and how many will be created; who will live and who will die; who will die at his predestined time and who before his time; who by water and who by fire, who by sword, who by beast, who by famine, who by thirst, who by storm, who by plague, who by strangulation, and who by stoning. Who will rest and who will wander, who will live in harmony and who will be harried, who will enjoy tranquillity and who will suffer, who will be impoverished and who will be enriched, who will be degraded and who will be exalted.

Congregation aloud, then chazzan:

But REPENTANCE, PRAYER and CHARITY Remove the Evil of the Decree!

Congregation and chazzan:

For Your Name signifies Your praise: hard to anger and easy to appease, for You do not wish the death of one deserving death, but that he repent from his way and live. Until the day of his death You await him; if he repents You will accept him immediately.

Chazzan:

It is true that You are their Creator and You know their inclination, for they are flesh and blood. A man’s origin is from dust and his destiny is back to dust, at risk of his life he earns his bread; he is likened to a broken shard, withering grass, a fading flower, a passing shade, a dissipating cloud, a blowing wind, flying dust, and a fleeting dream.

Congregation aloud, then chazzan:

But You are the King, the Living and Enduring G-d.

THE ARK IS CLOSED

Congregation then chazzan:

There is no set span to Your years and there is no end to the length of Your days. It is impossible to estimate the angelic chariots of Your glory and to elucidate Your Name’s inscrutability. Your Name is worthy of You and You are worthy of Your Name, and You have included Your Name in our name.





Elul Reflections





48 Years ago: I have fond memories of my first year in Israel. I came Sept. 9th in the evening. It was still black Sept. and a plane was high jacked as we were in the air. The 707 was supposed to stop for refueling in England but stopped instead in Geneva. There was a blue terminal and an orange terminal for El Al. On the tarmac I was handed a horseshoe key holder which weighed something from a friend of mine it could have been a grenade so much for security. The plane left Sept. 8th from JFK airport about 7 or 8 PM.



I got to Ashdod at 10 PM on Sept. 9th to the absorbsion center. That year I wrote greetings from Israel to all the list of people who attended my wedding and a blessing from us all by mail. Some people touring Israel visited us at the absorbsion center.



The beginning was very hard and I was opposed by the antireligious in the Absorbsion Agency. I finally took a job as a laborer to get out and into housing.



Fast forward to today. 48 years and army service has molded me into an Israeli but I am still a proud American just as I was then.



Why should I reflect back to those days? Because we must example our deeds good or bad and did we make mistakes? Elul is not only a time of memory for things that happened but what we did this past year.



Was or progress in Torah enough? Can we do better? What can we improve on? Where do we want to be next year at this time?



Learn from history, learn from our own history, learn our weaknesses and strengths and use our strengths for the good of all our fellow human beings. Reflect learn from both the good and the bad in our past and make an endeavor to push ourselves forward in the coming new year.





Foiling the Third Decree by Rabbi Yerachmiel Tilles

In the little town of Lubavitch, the month of Elul was drawing to a close. The wind of teshuva had blown through the village for thirty days, aiding everyone in perfecting their spiritual service. More Tehillim (reciting Psalms), more Tzedakah (charity), more Torah study. The frenzied preparation reached its climax.


The setting sun signaled the beginning of a new year when the Creator sits in judgment and decides the affairs of every individual. Many thousands of chasidim poured into the village, eager to spend Rosh HaShana with the Tzemach Tzedek. They crammed into the Rebbe's shul, filling the huge interior until nary an empty inch remained.


A hush fell on the room as the Tzemach Tzedek entered. A path miraculously appeared. The Rebbe made his way to his place, and Rosh Hashana evening prayer began.
It was an unusual Maariv. The Tzemach Tzedek appeared drawn, worried. His prayers were imbued with extraordinary fervor, as though - if it were possible - they were more fervent than an ordinary Rosh HaShana.


Fear and dread gripped every heart. This is the time when "the angels tremble, terror seizes them, and they exclaim: 'The Day of Judgment is here.'" The chasidim redoubled their concentration, desperately trying to arouse divine mercy. Everyone felt that something unusual was in the air.


That night after the prayers, the Rebbe joined his family for the holiday meal. Though the Lubavitch Rebbes generally minimized all talk on Rosh HaShana, the Tzemach Tzedek distinctively made it a point to speak during the meal every Rosh HaShana. He discussed current events in the capital, the names and ranks of different ministers and the political situation in general. Reb Yehuda-Leib, one of the Rebbe's sons, would remark, "He is performing Baalshem'ske (Baal Shem Tov style) wonders in Petersburg right now."


This year was no different. The Tzemach Tzedek related all the goings-on in the capital and focused on certain ministers and their roles. In fact, he seemed more specific, more detailed, than in other years. His sons listened quietly, as they always did, taking notice of the Rebbe's particular emphasis in the discussion.


The day of Rosh HaShana dawned and throngs of Chassidim streamed toward the Rebbe's shul. Again the Rebbe's prayers were permeated with emotion. After the morning prayer was completed and the Torah reading was finished, everyone prepared themselves for the great mitzvah of shofar.


A feeling of awe enveloped the large synagogue as the seven sons of the Tzemach Tzedek took their places around the platform, each in his designated place. The Tzemach Tzedek himself finished his preparations, readying himself to blow the thirty notes. His face burned brightly as he sang softly to himself, his eyes closed in deep concentration. Suddenly his voice resonated throughout the shul, "Ay, sertzeh, LaMnatzei'ach…" ("Woe! My heart! A Psalm…").


Panic gripped the congregation and tears flowed from every eye. Some evil decree prompted the Rebbe's unusual outburst, no doubt, and a great wailing filled the shul. Everyone's heart was open, raw and receptive. The congregation recited Psalm 47 seven times as required and the Rebbe began the required sounds.


* * *


Minister Suvorin, governor of Petersburg, the capital, studied his reflection in the ornate mirror gracing the walls of the czar's antechamber. He was waiting somewhat impatiently for his scheduled appointment with His Majesty. In his hand lay the document in which he had invested so much work. It concerned the so-called great rabbi, M. M. Schneersohn, the one they called "Tzemach Tzedek."

A flicker of annoyance crossed his face. It was intolerable that a rabbi should have all that power, what with all his followers and students spread across White Russia. His seat of power lay in his choice of residence, a small village far away from prying eyes and government informers.

No more. The rabbi would now be forced to move to either Petersburg or Kiev. His followers would think twice before visiting their rabbi in such a large city. They would be too easily followed, easily questioned, easily inspected. He had the official document in his hand now: all it needed was the czar's signature.

Suvorin crossed the magnificent antechamber and stared pensively out the window. A fair portion of Petersburg was visible from here. There had been some trouble lately - anger was brewing among the populace, and he knew he was mostly to blame. His two new decrees had raised the ire of Petersburg's residents, but they were just a mob of common folk anyway. After all, his intentions had been pure.

He turned from the window and paced the room, smiling as he recalled the new decrees. No smoking was allowed on city streets. It was untidy; too many cigarette butts were allowed to litter the city. No more meat would be sold within the city. Whoever wanted meat would have to go out of the city and buy it there. No longer would the beautiful capital carry the smell of rotting flesh. With these two decrees, he, Minister Suvorin, had launched his campaign to make Petersburg the most beautiful capital in the world.
A liveried servant entered the antechamber and bowed. "Minister Suvorin," he said. "His Majesty will see you now."

Suvorin straightened his uniform and followed the servant, beads of perspiration forming on his forehead. He entered the dazzling audience chamber and bowed low before the czar.

The czar was in a foul mood. "What is news in the city?" he asked.

"No news," responded Suvorin. "All is well."

The czar stared at him savagely, and then at the document in his hand. "I know some news," he finally said. "You passed two decrees, banning both the sale of meat and outside use of cigarettes. The population is angry; the decrees are intolerable."

"B-But I did it for the good of the city," stammered the minister. "Our streets will not be dirtied by cigarette butts and the smell of meat will not…"

"Idiot!" roared the czar. He tore the document out of the minister's hand and hurled it angrily on the floor. Suvorin turned white with fear, bowed low and quickly left the audience chamber.

The minister stood once again in the antechamber, his mind whirling with confused thoughts. His dream had been shattered. Gone was his goal of restraining the influential rabbi. For such was the accepted law: any document that had been thrown away by the czar was automatically negated and it was illegal to present the request again. His plan had been shattered; the rabbi would stay in the village of Lubavitch after all.

* * *

Far, far away in the village of Lubavitch, the Tzemach Tzedek finished blowing the shofar. He returned to his place and the congregation began the special Musaf (Additional) prayer of Rosh Hashana.

~~~~~~~~
Source: Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from the well-written translation of E. Lesches in "Beis Moshiach Magazine" #295 (which is based on HaMelech B'M'sibo p.143; Seifer HaSichos 5704, p. 4.)

Biographical notes:
Rabbi Menachem-Mendel Schneersohn [of blessed memory: 29 Elul 5549 - 13 Nissan 5626 (Sept. 1789 - April 1866)], the third Rebbe of Chabad, was known as the Tzemach Tzedek, after his books of Jewish Law responsa and Talmudic commentary called by that name. He was renowned not only as a Rebbe, but also as a leading scholar in his generation in both the revealed and secret aspects of Torah.

Rabbi Yehudah-Leib of Kopust (1811- 3 Cheshvan 1866), an elder brother of Rabbi Shmuel of Lubavitch (the fourth Rebbe of Chabad), established an independent branch of Chabad Chasidism in Kopust after the death of his father, R. Menachem Mendel of Lubavitch, the Tzemech Tzedek. Following his death in the same year, he was succeeded by his son, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman of Kopust, although many of the chasidim returned to Lubavitch.

Connection: Seasonal -- Erev Rosh Hashana (2): 1- The story begins on Erev Rosh Hashana; 2-Erev Rosh Hashana is the birth date of the Tzemek Tzedek.



Israel’s general population statistics look promising, with 168,441 new births and 41,165 deaths in the past year. Some 24,496 new immigrants arrived in the country. A total of 61,181 Israelis were married during the year, while 24,868 got divorced.



Novi Yona see two whale videos one after the other. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nnh3m7VWox4

Reform use the argument of Paul the Apostle. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5338647,00.html




If the Likud gets 40 seats the left will win. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/251546


Monica Lewinsky walks out of conference due to horrible question by reporter. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/251567


Inyanay Diyoma







Friedman - Hezballah’s parallel universe. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5338317,00.html

Syrian Official: Short Circuit exploded Iranian missile stowage place in airport. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5339490,00.html

Last April, Russian Chief Rabbi visited Iran. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5339531,00.html


Biderman - Film appears to show cow being skinned while still alive. https://dianebederman.com/celebrating-the-muslim-festival-of-the-sacrifice-under-halal/






Missiles that could hit Riyadh destroyed. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5340246,00.html


Israel admits to over 200 raids on Iranian targets in Syria. Another raid in Hama. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5341109,00.html


Iran uses civil planes smuggling weapons. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/251551

Ahmed Tibi told this is not his country. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5340513,00.html




Ed-Op Ben Dror Yemeni a step in the right direction 500,000 or only 30,000 refugees in 8 story high risers. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5339914,00.html





Ed-Op former general: Destroy the radicals in order to seek peace. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5342875,00.html


Ed-Op the race is on to destroy Iranian facilities in Syria. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5341969,00.html

Ed-Op Jack Engelhard British and Canadian Labor antisemitism. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/22687

Good Shabbos all,
Wishes for a healthy, happy, beautiful, bountiful, success, fruitful, joyous and Torah filled New Year,
Rachamim Pauli and family
Posted by Rabbi Rachamim Pauli at 12:22 PM