Friday, July 19, 2019

Parsha Pinchas, two stories, Halachos references for the three weeks of mourning


Parsha Pinchas

When we see Parsha Pinchas it is either just before the three weeks like now (Eretz Yisrael) or in some years during the three weeks (like in the diaspora this year).

This Parsha has tremendous contrasts. From the disgusting behavior of Kozbi and her friends to the righteous behavior of the daughters of Zelophad. The Parsha starts off with the Accuser of the behavior of Zimri and company and towards the end the Atonement of Yom Kippur.

25:10 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 11 'Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned My wrath away from the children of Israel, in that he was very jealous for My sake among them, so that I consumed not the children of Israel in My jealousy.

The Prophet Yeshayahu said, “1:2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the LORD hath spoken: Children I have reared, and brought up, and they have rebelled against Me.” It appears to be the fury of HASHEM as a father raising children here. We are in the 40th year of freedom. Now these men have gone after this worse brand of fertility idol worship that is so low. Tractate Sanhedrin speaks of a Goya that tried every Avoda Zara there was as she wanted to go to heaven with the right religion. When she came to Baal Peor she was disgusted and realized that one could not go to heaven with this filth. I wonder if she converted as the Sages of blessed memory brought her into the Talmud. Rashi perhaps explains it best in his commentary.

Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the Kohen: Since the tribes were disparaging him, saying, Have you seen the son of Puti, whose mother’s father [Jethro] fattened (פִּטֵּם) calves for idols (See Rashi, Exod. 6:25), and who killed a chieftain of an Israelite tribe? For this reason, Scripture traces his pedigree to Aaron. — [Sanh. 82b, Num. Rabbah 21:3, Mid. Tanchuma Pinchas 2] B y his zealously avenging Me: Heb. אֶתקִנְאָתִי בְּקַנְאוֹ, by his avenging My vengeance, by his releasing the wrath that I should have released. The term קִנְאָה always denotes someone motivated to take vengeance for some matter, in old French, enprenemant.  

12 Wherefore say: Behold, I give unto him My covenant of peace; 13 and it shall be unto him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.'

When G-D says “everlasting” HE means it and so it shall be. For even if the children of Pinchas or Melech David go against HIM, one shall survive to continue on forever.

My covenant of peace: That it should be a covenant of peace for him. Just as a man owes gratitude and favor to someone who did him a favor, so here God expressed to him His feelings of peace.

14 Now the name of the man of Israel that was slain, who was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a fathers' house among the Simeonites. 15 And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head of the people of a fathers' house in Midian.

I explained a number of years back how this information is important for understanding reincarnation of Zimri as Rabbi Akiva and Kozbi as Rachel the daughter of Kalba Savua who as Zur ordered her to go against Am Yisrael and in the days of the Mishnah wanted her to marry a Talmud Chacham and not this boorish shepherd Akiva. (The 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva were the 24,000 from the Tribe of Shimon killed.)
  
16 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 17 'Harass the Midianites, and smite them; 18 for they harass you, by their wiles wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midian, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Peor.'

The war with Midian is in next week’s Parsha but ordered here. The time period of this Parsha may be a day or less depending on the organization of part of the army for war.

26:1 And it came to pass after the plague, that the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying: 2 'Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, by their fathers' houses, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel.'

The original census had 603,550 men of war. Now after 40 years in the wilderness with people dying from the Egel, gluttony, rebellions of Korach, and more trials until this last incident with Zimri, it was a wonder how many were left.

… 51 These are they that were numbered of the children of Israel, six hundred thousand and a thousand and seven hundred and thirty.
So this time the number was 603,730 almost stagnant until one compares the numbers of the members of each tribe where some went up and others went down.


52 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 53 'Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names. 54 To the more thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to the fewer thou shalt give the less inheritance; to each one according to those that were numbered of it shall its inheritance be given. 55 Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot; according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit. 56 According to the lot shall their inheritance be divided between the more and the fewer.'

Each family of each tribe will have their portion but if one is a Bechor (first born), he shall have a double portion.

 … 64 But among these there was not a man of them that were numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.

Among these there was no man…: But the women were not included in the decree [enacted in the aftermath] of the spies, for they cherished the Land. The men said, “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt!” (14:4), whereas the women said, “Give us a portion” (27:4). This is why the passage of Zelophehad’s daughters follows here. — [Mid. Tanchuma Pinchas 7]

65 For the LORD had said of them: 'They shall surely die in the wilderness.' And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Yephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

The Medrash on Tu B’ Av states that in the last year 15,000 did not die must have a hidden meaning.

27:1 Then drew near the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahla, Noa, and Hogla, and Milcah, and Tirzah.

They were to get the double portion of Menashe, Machir and Zelophad who were all Bechorim. So that was a lot of fertile land on the Golan Heights. It would be divided 20% each for each daughter.

2 And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, at the door of the tent of meeting, saying: 3 'Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not among the company of them that gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korach, but he died in his own sin; and he had no sons. 4 Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he had no son? Give unto us a possession among the brethren of our father.' 5 And Moses brought their cause before the LORD.

Although the logic of the daughters was flawless, still it was a Halacha of inheritance that Moshe had not been taught and he did not want to Pasak without the approval of HASHEM.

6 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 7 'The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father's brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them. 8 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying: If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter. 9 And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren. 10 And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father's brethren. 11 And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it. And it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the LORD commanded Moses.'

Now the laws of inheritance were clear before Moshe and Am Yisrael.

12 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Get thee up into this mountain of Abarim, and behold the land which I have given unto the children of Israel. 13 And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered; 14 because ye rebelled against My commandment in the wilderness of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify Me at the waters before their eyes.'--These are the waters of Meribath-kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.

Now this is going to be your demise. You shall see the promised land but not enter into it for you have sinned in respect to water.

15 And Moses spoke unto the LORD, saying: 16 'Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, 17 who may go out before them, and who may come in before them, and who may lead them out, and who may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.'

These people were like lost sheep during my life, all the more so during my death. They need a physical and spiritual guide.

18 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is spirit, and lay thy hand upon him; 19 and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight. 20 And thou shalt put of thy honor upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may hearken.

It is time to give up the reins of power and appoint a replacement.

… 28:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them: My food which is presented unto Me for offerings made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Me, shall ye observe to offer unto Me in its due season.

Due season is the time that has been commanded to appear before HASHEM or celebrate such as Shabbos from his home or Rosh Chodesh the three Regelim were the only time that the congregation was called to go up to the Mishkan or Mikdash to celebrate.

3 And thou shalt say unto them: This is the offering made by fire which ye shall bring unto the LORD: he-lambs of the first year without blemish, two day by day, for a continual burnt-offering. 4 The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at dusk; 5 and the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meal-offering, mingled with the fourth part of a hin of beaten oil. 6 It is a continual burnt-offering, which was offered in mount Sinai, for a sweet savor, an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 7 And the drink-offering thereof shall be the fourth part of a hin for the one lamb; in the holy place shalt thou pour out a drink-offering of strong drink unto the LORD. 8 And the other lamb shalt thou present at dusk; as the meal-offering of the morning, and as the drink-offering thereof, thou shalt present it, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD.

This is the daily offering or Korban Tamid one lamb in the morning and one in the evening. The offering was in the form of an Olah and burnt twice daily and the fire was not to go out. It ended on Vav Av three days before the destruction of the Mikdash. The Korbanos listed here are in order of frequency followed by the Regelim according to month of the year.

9 And on the Sabbath day two he-lambs of the first year without blemish, and two tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour for a meal-offering, mingled with oil, and the drink-offering thereof. 10 This is the burnt-offering of every Sabbath, beside the continual burnt-offering, and the drink-offering thereof.

Shabbos will have a separate Korban consisting of two lambs in the Mussaf Avoda. However, that does not preclude the daily offering that starts the regular Avoda and ends the day before sunset.  Each Korban is accompanied by fine flour, oil and wine. Note in Devarim 6:14 the blessing puts the wine before the oil but I believe that is so as one intakes more wine than oil in his life. 6:14 that I will give the rain of your land in its season, the former rain and the latter rain, that thou may gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. In the preparation of the Korban, the oil comes before the wine in the proper order.

11 And in your new moons ye shall present a burnt-offering unto the LORD: two young bullocks, and one ram, seven he-lambs of the first year without blemish;

The number of lambs increase and suddenly two bulls and one ram.

12 and three tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour for a meal-offering, mingled with oil, for each bullock; and two tenth parts of fine flour for a meal-offering, mingled with oil, for the one ram;
With the change in animals comes a different amount of oil and flour.

13 and a several tenth part of fine flour mingled with oil for a meal-offering unto every lamb; for a burnt-offering of a sweet savor, an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 14 And their drink-offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bullock, and the third part of a hin for the ram, and the fourth part of a hin for a lamb. This is the burnt-offering of every new moon throughout the months of the year. 15 And one he-goat for a sin-offering unto the LORD; it shall be offered beside the continual burnt-offering, and the drink-offering thereof.

We start out with the day to day Korban and then the Korban on Shabbos when we rest and can gather in the Mikdash. Now for once a month a more prominent animal is used, the bulls and a goat are offered for any sins that have been committed in the space of a month. For one can concentrate each day not to sin that day or even a week but within the course of a month, a human who has a Yetzer most like has sinned especial in thought.

16 And in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is the LORD'S Passover. 17 And on the fifteenth day of this month shall be a feast; seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.

While some Korbanos are eaten in Yerushalayim and during the year with bread such as a Todah (Thanksgiving) sacrifice and Pessach where no leaven can be eaten.

18 In the first day shall be a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work; 19 but ye shall present an offering made by fire, a burnt-offering unto the LORD: two young bullocks, and one ram, and seven he-lambs of the first year; they shall be unto you without blemish; 20 and their meal-offering, fine flour mingled with oil; three tenth parts shall ye offer for a bullock, and two tenth parts for the ram; 21 a several tenth part shalt thou offer for every lamb of the seven lambs; 22 and one he-goat for a sin-offering, to make atonement for you.

The number of animals sacrificed in the Temple is up like in Rosh Chodesh and the formula for oil for bulls and lambs.

 23 Ye shall offer these beside the burnt-offering of the morning, which is for a continual burnt-offering. 24 After this manner ye shall offer daily, for seven days, the food of the offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD; it shall be offered beside the continual burnt-offering, and the drink-offering thereof. 25 And on the seventh day ye shall have a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work.

The 7th day shall be a Yom Tov but not on the level Shemini Atzeres. Besides the Pessach, one also brings a Korban Chagigah for each and every holiday called. Three times a year one should appear and not with empty hands. (Devarim 16:16)

26 Also in the day of the first-fruits, when ye bring a new meal-offering unto the LORD in your feast of weeks, ye shall have a holy convocation: ye shall do no manner of servile work; … 29:1 And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have a holy convocation: ye shall do no manner of servile work; it is a day of blowing the horn unto you.

Besides the Shofar there were silver trumpets for Yomim Tovim but the main ceremony was the blowing of the Shofar.

…7 And on the tenth day of this seventh month ye shall have a holy convocation; and ye shall afflict your souls; ye shall do no manner of work;

This Yom Tov is different from all others. This holiday is a day of affliction for one’s soul. This is meant for atonement once a year. This one has special ceremonies mentioned in Parsha Emor.

…12 And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have a holy convocation: ye shall do no manner of servile work, and ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days;

This is the third and last Regel of the year. 70 bulls are sacrificed on Sukkos but on the eight day of assembly or Simchas Torah, one bull. For the 70 represent the nations of the world and the day of the Torah represents Am Yisrael.

 13 and ye shall present a burnt-offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD: thirteen young bullocks, two rams, fourteen he-lambs of the first year; they shall be without blemish; 14 and their meal-offering, fine flour mingled with oil, three tenth parts for every bullock of the thirteen bullocks, two tenth parts for each ram of the two rams, 15 and a several tenth part for every lamb of the fourteen lambs; 16 and one he-goat for a sin-offering beside the continual burnt-offering, the meal-offering thereof, and the drink-offering thereof. 17 And on the second day ye shall present twelve young bullocks, two rams, fourteen he-lambs of the first year without blemish; 18 and their meal-offering and their drink-offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance; 19 and one he-goat for a sin-offering; beside the continual burnt-offering, and the meal-offering thereof, and their drink-offerings. 20 And on the third day eleven bullocks, two rams, fourteen he-lambs of the first year without blemish; … 23 And on the fourth day ten bullocks, two rams, fourteen he-lambs of the first year without blemish; 26 And on the fifth day nine bullocks, two rams, fourteen he-lambs of the first year without blemish; … 29 And on the sixth day eight bullocks, two rams, fourteen he-lambs of the first year without blemish; … 32 And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams, fourteen he-lambs of the first year without blemish; … 35 On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn assembly: ye shall do no manner of servile work; 36 but ye shall present a burnt-offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD: one bullock, one ram, seven he-lambs of the first year without blemish; …39 These ye shall offer unto the LORD in your appointed seasons, beside your vows, and your freewill-offerings, whether they be your burnt-offerings, or your meal-offerings, or your drink-offerings, or your peace-offerings.

30:1 And Moses told the children of Israel according to all that the LORD commanded Moses.

Moshe was the loyal servant of HASHEM. He knew that pretty soon after he finished his battle with Midian, that his soul would be called out for its final rest.  Yet he proceeded with zeal and did not delay the battle. He did try prayers and supplications in Parsha Vaeschanan but that would not help him and he would never enter the promised land. Yet he would rise to the peak of Har Nevo (range) and view the land from there. 


I recommend learning the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch or Mishnah Berura but here are:


Tuvia Freedman Nazi Hunter


When I was seventeen, the Nazis invaded Poland. After several years, they herded all the Jews of my hometown, Radom, into a ghetto. From there, little by little, most were sent to the Treblinka extermination camp where they were murdered in the gas chambers. My family was among them. I myself was sent to a labor camp from which I managed to escape in 1944, and ever since then, it has been my goal in life to bring the Nazis to justice.

At the outset, I had no idea that I would spend my whole life doing this. I only wanted to devote one year to capturing the SS officers responsible for the Radom ghetto. And I succeeded in this quest. One of the officers, Lieutenant Colonel Wilhelm Blum, was arrested, tried, and hanged. Additionally, we caught two dozen of his accomplices; they were all tried and they served lengthy sentences.

After one year of this work in Poland, I immigrated to Israel — this was in 1946, two years before the State of Israel was founded. There, I worked covertly with the Haganah. In an operation that lasted seven years, we succeeded in orchestrating the arrests of some 250 Nazi criminals, several of whom were sent to Siberia. We were also instrumental in helping the Israeli government capture Adolf Eichmann, the chief architect of the “Final Solution.”

So what started as a one-year commitment ended up being a twenty-year endeavor, all without a salary. No one was interested in paying me for this work. In fact, Prime Minister David Ben Gurion wanted me to stop chasing Nazi criminals altogether. He feared that if we kept at it, U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower would curtail foreign aid to Israel. But I protested that the work was not finished and we needed to hunt them down. So I kept at it.

But there came a time in the 1970s when even my wife felt I had to stop. She was an ophthalmologist, the chief breadwinner and the chief financial supporter of my work, but even she thought that I had done enough. At first I was reluctant, but finally I told her, “I will go to see the Lubavitcher Rebbe in New York. I will describe the situation to him and hear what he has to say. If he can’t suggest another way for me to fund my work, I’ll stop and go into business.”

I asked the Rebbe’s secretary to set up a meeting, which was scheduled for one in the morning. Why? Because that’s when the Rebbe saw people – in the middle of the night! I waited patiently, and finally, at two o’clock, my turn came.

The Rebbe greeted me warmly — he already knew about my work, but he wanted to hear more about it. So I told him about the many Nazis that I had brought to justice. Then I said, “Here is my problem — I have no income. My wife has been supporting me for the past twenty years, and we can no longer afford it. Even though I want to continue, I have no way to fund my work.”

The Rebbe answered, “Can you really stop? How many people are still at it? You and Simon Wiesenthal? Look at what you have accomplished so far. If you abandon this work, the Nazis will rejoice that they’ve won. Can you name someone else who is willing to take over for you? In the past twenty years, has anyone else volunteered? No. No one is interested — there is no one else! So what choice do you have?

He continued, “You must go from city to city in Germany, bringing them all to justice. This is very important for the history of the Jewish people — all the Nazi criminals must be punished for what they did. And if you don’t do it, who will?”

Then he asked me, “On Purim, do you listen to the reading of the Book of Esther?”

“Of course,” I answered.

He went on, “So you know that Haman is Hitler. And you must give this story the same ending.“

As far as supporting your family, here’s what I suggest: Take your book, We Shall Never Forget: The Final Solution [about the trial of Adolf Eichmann] and translate it into English. Wherever you go to speak in Jewish communities across America, take twenty copies with you. The book will sell, and you will make a living... Look at the millions of creatures in this world; they all eat and survive. G-d looks after all His creations; He will look after you, too.”

I followed the Rebbe’s advice. I went home and took a course to improve my English. And then I went on a speaking tour of Jewish communities in America. I gave speeches for which I was paid; I also sold the English edition of my book — The Hunter. That’s how I generated an income. I even bought my wife a new house.

I was able to continue my Nazi-hunting work for another forty years. If it weren’t for the Rebbe, I would have stopped after twenty years, and some one-thousand Nazis would have gone unpunished for their crimes. The fact that they didn’t was thanks to the Rebbe’s guidance.


The Torah tells us that Gerim are difficult to Am Yisrael because they reprove us. From D. L. I was a raised a Baptist. My last Christian denomination was The Church of the Nazarene. While I was there, I was asked to be the women's ministry director and teach a bible study class. While researching materials for the class, I became aware of all the contradictions, falsehoods, and illusions. I renounced my membership and studied on my own for years. After praying to find a place of worship, I researched and studied to see if there was such a place. My discovery of Judaism was HASHEM's revelation to my mind. I have never been more joyously content in my life. Every tear cried was worth finding His truth and walking therein. Presently, I attend a traditional synagogue and I am going through the conversion process and learning Hebrew. Sweet joy!

S.M. I was raised as a fundamentalist evangelical Baptist. My entire biological family objected to my conversion. It's been over a decade and they are still unhappy. It was not much better for me when I became a Baal Teshuva some 52 years ago my father thought it was a passing phase and better than being a Hippie or on some sort of mind-expanding drug or Hashish. My mother was upset that I did not eat my favorite “Turkey stuffing on Thanksgiving” and to this day have not eaten any in 53 or 54 years. This is one of the reasons why our Sages of blessed memory said: “In a place of a Baal Teshuva, complete Tzaddikim can’t stand!” To my great sorrow I have lost most of my Kavannah and zealousness like Pinchas over the years and wish that I was on that spiritual plane today.

W.P. I was raised Lutheran… The only one that really objected to it was my mother. But I was firm and she finally gave in.

J.A.B. I was raised in evangelical church assembly of god, I after a long time studying the bible and religions , I found several contradictions in Christianity, I choose to be an orthodox Jew or I become an atheist. I've studied religions since 2015,Islam, Christianity,  several others, but only Judaism answered all my questions.

A.M. We were always a bit of a mixed bag in my family. My grandfather Charles and Grandmother Ruth Lowe had 12 children and I was one of their many grandchildren who always felt part of a wider community. We only knew the story of my grandfather who was abused by his Christian stepfather after his own Father, Jacob Lowe died in WW1.

I became hungry to find out more about my family's history and this has become something I'm curious about.

It's probably part of why I'm looking to convert today. I have a Jewish husband and for the two of us it's a spiritual journey.


From Daniel Frank Katz an old article from 2013 since then antisemitism in the States has gotten considerably worse. https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/an-israeli-soldiers-call-to-american-jews/?fbclid=IwAR2UxNThj95_H857Y9jFs7aeONvkFarF0ToPpqteESzlpK4Fz22cXtdtj-U

As a young Israeli who had just completed five years of service in the IDF, I looked forward to my new job educating people in the Pacific Northwest about Israel. I was shocked, however, by the anti-Israel bigotry and hostility I encountered, especially in the greater Seattle area, Oregon, and Berkeley. I had been very liberal, a member of the leftist Zionist party, Meretz, but the anti-Semitism and hatred for Israel that I have seen in the U.S. has changed my outlook personally and politically.
As part of my work as an educator at StandWithUs, between January and May of this year, I traveled to college campuses, high schools and churches, sharing the history of modern Israel. I also shared personal stories about growing up in the Jewish state, and about my family. I always spoke about my military service as an officer in an IDF COGAT unit that attends to the needs of Palestinian civilians who are not involved in the conflict and promotes Palestinian civil society. Each time I would speak and take questions for an hour or more. I have shared my personal story with over 16,000 people at many, many college campuses and high schools, including UC Berkeley, Stanford, the University of Washington, Seattle University and many others. Many of those to whom I spoke were supportive, friendly, and open to hearing about my Israel. But, sadly, far too many were not.
When I served as a soldier in the West Bank, I got used to having ugly things said to me, but nothing prepared me for the misinformation, demonization of Israel, and the gut-wrenching, anti-Israel, anti-Semitic hostility expressed by many students, professors, church members, and even some high school students right here in the Pacific Northwest.
I was further shocked by how unaware the organized Jewish community is and how little they are actually doing to counter this rising anti-Semitism, which motivated me to write this article.
This new form of bigotry against Israel has been called the “new anti-Semitism,” with “Israel” replacing “Jew” in traditional anti-Semitic imagery and canards, singling out and discriminating against the Jewish state, and denying the Jewish people alone the right to self-determination. The new anti-Semitism is packaged in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign (BDS), which claims to champion Palestinian rights though its real goal is to erode American support for Israel, discredit Jews who support Israel, and pave the way for eliminating the Jewish state. One of BDS’ central demands is the “complete right of return” for all the descendants of the original Palestinian refugees, subtle language that means the end of Israel as the Jewish homeland because it would turn Israel into a Palestinian-Arab majority state.
It is surprising that an extremist group like BDS is ever taken seriously, but BDS advocates have found receptive audiences in some circles. Their campaigns are well organized and in many cases, well financed. They have lobbied universities, corporations, food co-ops, churches, performing artists, labor unions, and other organizations to boycott Israel and companies that do business with Israel. But even if these groups don’t agree to treat Israel as a pariah state, the BDS activists manage to spread their anti-Israel misinformation, lies and prejudice simply by forcing a debate based on their false claims about Israel.
To give you a taste of the viciousness of the BDS attacks, let me cite just a few of the many shocking experiences I have had. At a BDS event in Portland, a professor from a Seattle university told the assembled crowd that the Jews of Israel have no national rights and should be forced out of the country. When I asked, “Where do you want them to go?” she calmly answered, “I don’t care. I don’t care if they don’t have any place else to go. They should not be there.” When I responded that she was calling for ethnic cleansing, both she and her supporters denied it. And during a presentation in Seattle, I spoke about my longing for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. When I was done, a woman in her 60’s stood up and yelled at me, “You are worse than the Nazis. You are just like the Nazi youth!” A number of times I was repeatedly accused of being a killer, though I have never hurt anyone in my life. On other occasions, anti-Israel activists called me a rapist. The claims go beyond being absurd – in one case, a professor asked me if I knew how many Palestinians have been raped by IDF forces. I answered that as far as I knew, none. She triumphantly responded that I was right, because, she said, “You IDF soldiers don’t rape Palestinians because Israelis are so racist and disgusted by them that you won’t touch them.”
Such irrational accusations are symptomatic of dangerous anti-Semitism. Yet, alarmingly, most mainstream American Jews are completely oblivious to this ugly movement and the threat it poses. They seem to be asleep, unaware that this anti-Jewish bigotry is peddled on campuses, by speakers in high schools, churches, and communities, and is often deceptively camouflaged in the rhetoric of human rights.
The American Jewish community and its leaders are not providing a united front to combat this latest threat. Unfortunately, this repeats a pattern of Jewish communal groups failing to unite in a timely way to counter threats against us individually and as a community.
Shockingly, a small but very vocal number of Jews actively support BDS. They often belong to organizations that prominently include “Jewish” in their names, like Jewish Voice for Peace, to give cover to BDS and the anti-Semitism that animates it. A question that we, as a Jewish community must ask ourselves, is whether it is ever appropriate to include and accept Jews who support BDS and directly or indirectly advocate the ultimate elimination of the Jewish State of Israel.
I think it is not.
My experiences in America have changed me. I never expected to encounter such hatred and lies. I never believed that such anti-Semitism still existed, especially in the U.S. I never knew that the battlefield was not just Gaza, the West Bank, and hostile Middle Eastern countries wanting to destroy Israel and kill our citizens and soldiers. It is also here in America, where a battle must be waged against prejudice and lies.
I implore American Jews: do more.
Israel cannot fight this big battle alone. If you are affiliated with a Jewish organization, let it know you want it to actively, openly and unequivocally oppose the BDS campaign and those who support it. Inform yourself, your friends and families, by visiting websites of organizations like StandWithUs, Jewish Virtual Library, AIPAC, AJC and others that will update you and provide information about BDS and anti-Semitism.
I urge the organized Jewish community and its members to wake up and stand up for the Jewish state of Israel, and for all it represents, and for all it works to achieve.



Have Archeologists found a lost city from David’s time? https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5546496,00.html




Donors suspend donations to Polish Holocaust Museum. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5551690,00.html



I don’t love Ehud (Sulam Yacov and Tzelim) Barak but this was looking for a rich investor give him a benefit of a doubt. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-revealed-jeffrey-epstein-entered-million-dollar-partnership-with-ehud-barak-in-2015-1.7493648




Ayelet would get 12 mandates on joint list. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/266061

Weak “leader” either you admit a mistake immediately but not many days later. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/266062






Inyanay Diyoma













Have Archeologists found a lost city from David’s time? https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5546496,00.html






Catskills - Chasid beat up on Shabbos. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/265974

Measles vaccine second round at 2 years. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/265977


Trump condemns Democrat antisemitism. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5550704,00.html


Antisemites banned tennis champion. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/265972



Netanyahu Europe returns to the 1930’s with its head in the sand. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5550828,00.html




Baby with 147 wounds now grows up to IDF. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5551275,00.html



This week, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) was approached by two activists from the anti-Israel organization IfNotNow at a photo opportunity after a campaign event.

"Hi," they said to Warren, "we are American Jews and we really love the way that you are fighting corruption. We would really love it if you also push the Israeli government to end the occupation." Warren replied, "Yes, yes. So, I’m there."


Israeli Woman defrauds investors of $145.000.000. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5551405,00.html


Wildfires hit high temperatures Israel. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5552268,00.html

Head of Hezballah’s precision missile system. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/266050

Marblehead MA antisemitic pamphlets. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/266075

When it comes to safeguarding your privacy, Google's Chrome browser isn't in the same league as Firefox, Safari, Microsoft Edge and Brave, a new privacy-focused browser. It doesn't do anything to protect you from trackers that gather your online history. In May, Google said it will soon introduce new software settings to give you more control over what you share.

Mrs. Golden will not play Bibi’s do nothing game. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/266058

Jailed terrorist could not be suicide bomber. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/266042

Syrian and Iran preparing responses to Israel. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/266097


Brains behind Mumbai raid re-arrested. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/266142


Crazed Japanese kills 20 cartoonists. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5552958,00.html

Hon. Dr. Rivlin gets hon. Citizenship. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/266138



Australian teachers ask anti-Israel question. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/266118

Film about bringing in Ethiopian Jews. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/266116


Who should lead the religious Zionists? http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/266136

Jewish woman trolled by Nazis awarded money. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5552212,00.html




IDF officer arrested selling weapons. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/266163

Argentina calls Hezballah terrorists. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5553204,00.html



Canadian PM asked to speak out on religious symbols bill in Quebec. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/266190

Have a wonderful Shabbos,
Rachamim Pauli


Posted by Rabbi Rachamim Pauli at 1:19 PM