Two things occur this Motzei Shabbos. We start praying for rain “Tal U’ Mata Le Bracha” in the Shemona Esray and in Israel, daylight savings time ends at 2AM and the clocks go back one hour.
I shared a story from left-wing Newsweek on Facebook. I received the following Notification. Rachamim Harav Pauli shared content rated False by an independent fact-checker. See Inyanay Diyoma about George Orwell.
I had a discussion with Menashe about
Parsha Beresheis and with his sharp teenager memory, remembered the names of
the two angels that fell call the Nephilim from the Hebrew to fall or fallen
angels. I am still not sure if they were not the sons of god-kings or real
angels. Sefer Chanoch that is one of the ‘outside’ books. The book contains
some nonsense and some things that are Kabbalah. The best thing to do for a Jew
is to ignore it unless there is a comment here and there like the story of Ben
Sira that I mentioned once here and there. Maccabees is also one of the outside
books and parts are contained in the Talmud. As for the other books I drive to
the Dead Sea and pick up a big block of salt to take with the books.
Parsha Noach
Man is very poor in serving his CREATOR. He was created sometime in the 9th hour of the day was busy giving names to the animals and finally in the 10th hour was created his help mate. He managed to sin in the 11th hour and was thrown out of Gan Eden. After 7 generations, Kayn was man slaughtered/murdered by a …great grandchild of his. Corruption was rampant. The guardian of the generation was Methushalah and his life was coming to an end. Noach was not at his spiritual level to prevent a flood but high enough in spirituality to saves his wife, three children and their wives.
6:9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was in his generations a man righteous and whole-hearted; Noah walked with God.
The Hebrew is:נֹ֗חַ אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו meaning he was righteous in his generation. Perhaps not in the generation of Moshe or Hezkiyahu or perhaps because he was righteous then all the more so in other generations. We see in the Torah the development of mankind. Adam walked before G-D like a small child who runs ahead. Noach walks with G-D like an older child that takes daddy’s hand to go over the street. Avraham talks to G-D like a Yeshiva Bachur and argues for the people of Sodom. Finally, Moshe talks to the L-RD face to face and literally negotiates for the Nation of Yisrael time after time that they anger the L-RD with their behavior. The question arises if Noach was more into talking like Avraham could he have prevented the full flood or if he was more like Noach, if he could have prevented entirely the flood?
10 And Noah begot three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
The sons were born 100, 99 and 98 years before the flood as Noach at first reasoned that there was no reason to bring children into a wicked world that they would go off the path. However, when he had worked on the building of the Teva for almost 20 years and saw that he needed extra working power to bring the logs and build the Teva, he and Naama had the three boys.
11 And the earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
The corruption was rampant. Power and influence, stealing, every sexual impropriety that could be imagined, embarrassment unto suicide, physical murder and Hamas that is translated as violence.
12 And God saw the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.
For all flesh had corrupted: Even cattle, beasts, and fowl would mate with those who were not of their own species. — [from Tan. Noach 12]
Trained pets for bestiality or both bestiality of others and murder. Interspecies breeding not a horse and donkey for a mule but totally unrelated species. Everything became one big perversion. People were living 1000 years without aging and in very good health. Instead of a Chanoch or Methushalah mankind was producing more like Stalin, Saddam Hussein, Nazi Types, etc.
13 And God said unto Noah: 'The end of all flesh is come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
The end of all flesh: Wherever you find promiscuity (and idolatry), a pestilence comes upon the world and kills both good and bad alike. — [from Gen. Rabbah 26:5] Note that parenthetic words do not appear in Gen. Rabbah, Lev. Rabbah, or in early mss. and printed editions of Rashi. We have translated אַנְדְרוֹלוּמוּסְיָה as pestilence, following Aruch. See below. Corona might have been developed in a laboratory in China and purposely released but it succeeded because of the reasons Rashi mentioned.
We saw this at the end of Parsha Beresheis and like the creation of man is mentioned in Chapter One and then more specific now the roots of the reason for destruction of the planet from man and beast were made known.
14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; with rooms shalt thou make the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
It must be so waterproof, hermetically sealed that it could be afloat for over a year.
15 And this is how thou shalt make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.
A cubit aka Amah is 45cm or 18inches that is 135m or 450ft by 22.5m (almost a swimming pool wide) or 75ft with a height of 13.5m or 45ft that is over 4 stories high.
16 A light shalt thou make to the ark, and to a cubit shalt thou finish it upward; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.
A skylight: Heb. צֹהַר, lit. light. Some say [that it was] a window, and some say [that it was] a precious stone, which gave them light. — [Gen. Rabbah 31:11] And to a cubit you shall finish it to the top: Its covering slanted upwards until it narrowed at the top to one cubit (Gen. Rabbah 31:11), so that the rain should run down (the following does not appear in certain editions) (from both sides) (Sanh. 108b, Maharsha). You shall place in its side: so that the rains should not fall into it. Bottom [compartments], second-story [compartments], and third-story [compartments]: three stories, one above the other; the upper compartments were for people, the middle ones for [animal] dwellings, and the bottom ones for waste matter. — [from Sanh. 108b]
Above the 30m height there was another meter with a slanted roof that went over the sides of the Teva in that no rain could come on to the deck so it was at least another meter or more out in each direction. Was the skylight a shining stone that somehow was produced with water as a Tesla Generator. Or was it a vent-window. Whatever it was, Noach knew how to build it and use it.
17 And I, behold, I do bring the flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is in the earth shall perish.
Noach is building the Teva for at least 100 years and the people are laughing at him. Had one or two watched, listened and repented, they could have been saved.
18 But I will establish My covenant with thee; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee.
And I will set up My covenant with you: A covenant was necessary for the fruits, so that they should not rot and become putrid, and so that the wicked of the generation should not kill him. — [from Gen. Rabbah 31:12] You and your sons, and your wife: the men separately and the women separately. From here, we deduce that they were prohibited to engage in marital relations [in the ark]. — [Sanh. 108b]
With thee and your sons etc. but nobody else.
19 And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.
This was a general call for all animals both the kosher kind and the non-kosher kind.
20 Of the fowl after their kind, and of the cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.
Nothing is mentioned of certain small animals and insects like the dragon fly that lays larva and lives for a day reproduces and dies. For the larger animals such as elephants could become pregnant 10 days into the voyage and give birth upon leaving the Teva. Rashi told us that man did not work on being fruitful and multiply and it could be similar to a lockdown that most of us experienced that one sleeps more and hibernates.
21 And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.'
The question remains is that before the flood was it sufficient for lions, tigers, and other carnivorous animals to eat soya and plant protein or like bears eating salmon today did they eat fish? Thus the fish would come on board for these animals. Mankind was able to eat vegetarian as commanded because the ground before the flood produced larger and sufficiently rich foods.
22 Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
As with Moshe, the Torah says that Noach followed what he was commanded.
7:1 And the LORD said unto Noah: 'Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before Me in this generation.
As with other Torah Stories, first the general case and now the specific case. Again the mention of Noach being righteous “in this generation”. Rashi does not go over the generation but only the praise for Noach.
For it is you that I have seen as a righteous man before Me: But it does not say: “a righteous man, perfect” [as it does in 6:9]. From here [we deduce] that we tell part of a person’s praise in his presence and all of it in his absence. — [Gen. Rabbah 32:3]
2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee seven and seven, each with his mate; and of the beasts that are not clean two [and two], each with his mate;
Our Sages of blessed memory teach us that one should always use the cleanest language that he can. For it is the general rule in Torah to use succinct language. Here the Torah instead of writing “the beasts that are Tumay two” but “the beasts that are not clean two”. I remember my friend “Motile Leifer” at my son Chaim’s Bris pulling me aside because I used the Niddah instead of ‘not pure’ or ‘impure’. I must admit that 49.5 years ago I was slightly less learned that I am today and the more I learn the more the spirit of Torah comes into my speech. Young Motile went on to become the Pittsburgher Rebbe who from a dynamic person was struck down by Covid19 despite his caution.
3 of the fowl also of the air, seven and seven, male and female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.
So all the kosher birds came to him in seven pairs.
4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I blot out from off the face of the earth.'
This was told to Noach on the day that Methushalah died. Some of the people saw the primeval light and tried to do something but it was too late for them. Noach had only enough time to get the animals into their cages during these 7 days.
5 And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him. 6 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.
Noach became a full time zoo keeper for a year despite a lot of hibernation the animals did produce waste and had to eat. Eight humans had their hands full.
7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
The fact that every culture has a legend with 8 people entering an ark or ship shows the truth of this narrative.
8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of everything that creeps upon the ground, 9 there went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, male and female, as God commanded Noah. 10 And it came to pass after the seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth. 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
In the second month: Rabbi Eliezer says: This refers to Marheshvan; Rabbi Joshua says: this refers to Iyar. — [Seder Olam Rabbah, ch. 4] Were split: to emit their waters. The great deep: Measure for measure. They sinned with [Gen. 6:5]“the evil of man was great,” and they were punished with “the great deep.” - [Sanh. 108a]
Some scientists thing that comets or asteroids containing large amounts of ice could have hit the earth such as Professor Nathan Aviezer, from Rashi it appears that volcanic and other upheaval caused these rocks https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/earths-rocks-contain-hidden-oceans-worth-water-n130961 to release water. Of course from the description of the primeval light a massive water comet could have hit the earth and then the volcanic activity. One thing is for sure that the result was a release that wiped out all mankind except the family of Noach.
12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights. 13 In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark; 14 they, and every beast after its kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth after its kind, and every fowl after its kind, every bird of every sort. 15 And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh wherein is the breath of life. 16 And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God commanded him; and the LORD shut him in.
And the Lord shut him in: He protected him (Targum Onkelos) that they should not break it; He surrounded the ark with bears and lions, and they killed some of them (Tan. Buber Noach 10). The simple meaning of the verse is that He closed [the ark] in front of him against the water. Likewise, every בְּעַד in Scripture is an expression of “in front of.” (Below 20:18): “in front of (בְּעַד) every womb”; (II Kings 4:4): “in front of you (בַּעֲדֵךְ) and in front of (וּבְעַד) your sons”; (Job 2:4): “skin in front of (בְּעַד) skin” ; (Ps. 3:4): “a shield in front of me (בַּעֲדִי)”; (I Sam. 12:19): “Pray בְּעַד your servants,” meaning “in front” [on behalf] of your servants.
Noach was a bit hesitant until the rain fell in buckets and he and his sons had to pull the door or plank closed. They sealed it with pitch from the inside but the Pshat is that G-D sealed it on the outside. Rashi brings down the tradition that the Teva did not float immediately and the local populace finally realized that what Noach was shouting for 120 years is true and tried to get in by force. When the beasts finally died according to one legend, the giant Nephilim grabbed on to the Teva that had a protective barrier around it and for one year he lived on raw fish. It is not in the Pshat and there the Medrash should be taken with a grain of salt.
17 And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bore up the ark, and it was lifted up above the earth. 18 And the waters prevailed, and increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters. 19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high mountains that were under the whole heaven were covered. 20 Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.
It could be that the Himalayan Range had not been formed or that Mankind only lived in the closer knit area of the fertile crescent. The Teva was 6.75m or 22.5ft above the highest mountains known to mankind at that time. It seems to me that it would be the Ararat Range as higher mountains such as the Rockies. Andes, Himalayan, Alps, etc. would have had air too rare for the lungs of the people from the lower areas of the fertile crescent and the animals would have had a very hard time being too long in a less pressure and oxygen for weeks on end.
21 And all flesh perished that moved upon the earth, both fowl, and cattle, and beast, and every swarming thing that swarm upon the earth, and every man; 22 all in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, whatsoever was in the dry land, died. 23 And He blotted out every living substance which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and creeping thing, and fowl of the heaven; and they were blotted out from the earth; and Noah only was left, and they that were with him in the ark. 24 And the waters prevailed upon the earth a hundred and fifty days.
The Pshat is that the height of the massive ocean was 15 Amos above the mountains for 5 months because the ocean started to subside.
8:1 And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged;
Some of the oceans vaporized into clouds.
2 the fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained. 3 And the waters returned from off the earth continually; and after the end of a hundred and fifty days the waters decreased.
First no more filling up from water inside of the interior of the earth
4 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.
The Teva floated away from the original area where Noach had lived with his family into the Ararat Range where it rested.
5 And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.
Noach at the Zohar for light on the top and also a window. The window faced in such a way that even though the Teva was at rest, the mountain tops could not be seen. The water was at a very high level so that only after close to 8 months could Noach see the tops of mountains below him.
6 And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. 7 And he sent forth a raven, and it went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.
The Raven went out. Eventually the Raven found enough dead fish and other corpses that the Raven did not come back.
8 And he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground. 9 But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him to the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth; and he put forth his hand, and took her, and brought her in unto him into the ark. 10 And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark. 11 And the dove came in to him at eventide; and lo in her mouth an olive-leaf freshly plucked; so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.
The Dove being a clean bird would only eat vegetarian products.
12 And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; and she returned not again unto him anymore.
So now Noach knew that birds could survive outside of the Ark.
13 And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dried.
Since the rain had stopped months ago, Noach removed the roof and the ground had dried up it was not muddy but the question was could it sustain life and could he release the animals.
14 And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dry.
This is when the whole planet outside of the lakes, streams and oceans had completely dried up.
15 And God spoke unto Noah, saying: 16 'Go forth from the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee. 17 Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee of all flesh, both fowl, and cattle, and every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth; that they may swarm in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.' 18 And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him; 19 every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, whatsoever moves upon the earth, after their families; went forth out of the ark. 20 And Noah built an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt-offerings on the altar.
I think he released the carnivorous animals first and then others until he released the non-kosher animals. He kept the kosher animals closer to him.
21 And the LORD smelled the sweet savor; and the LORD said in His heart: 'I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more everything living, as I have done. 22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.'
It could be that the axis of the earth tilted by the meteor/asteroid/comet with the water if such a thing happened. As it appears that original climate was more like Hawaii very little temperature variation all year around. But this is guess work as the other possibility that the seasons and temperatures existed beforehand. I do have a hint from Rashi that perhaps I am correct.
And day and night shall not cease: From here we deduce that they ceased for the duration of the Flood: the planets did not function, and day was indistinguishable from night. — [from Gen. Rabbah 25:2, 34:11]
9:1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them: 'Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth. 2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, and upon all wherewith the ground teems, and upon all the fishes of the sea: into your hand are they delivered. 3 Every moving thing that lives shall be for food for you; as the green herb have I given you all. 4 Only flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. … 11 And I will establish My covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of the flood; neither shall there anymore be a flood to destroy the earth.' 12 And God said: 'This is the token of the covenant which I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13 I have set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth. 14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow is seen in the cloud, 15 that I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.' 17 And God said unto Noah: 'This is the token of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is upon the earth.'
... 29 And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years; and he died.
There was plenty to still write here on the laws of Noachides and getting drunk but I want to divide the Sedra here leaving the generations of Shem and the downhill fall again of mankind until Avram for next week. Next week I shall hopefully continue with the early life or Avraham and the family of Shem keeping the Hebrew Language.
Getting Your Hands Dirty by Tzvi Slonim
In my younger days, I worked in the field of special education for many years, mainly with teens with criminal backgrounds. Because of my work, I was invited in 1964 to participate in the first course in criminology offered by Bar Ilan University, where I studied with other criminal justice professionals, including juvenile court judges, police officers, probation officers, etc.
As part of my criminology studies, I won a scholarship for a year of advanced training in the United States. While there, I decided to use this opportunity to meet with a few leaders of American Jewry, in order to ask them questions which were on my mind as a young Israeli Jew.
I especially wanted to meet the Lubavitcher Rebbe because of my family connection. Like him, I am a descendant of the Alter Rebbe, the 18th century founder of the Chabad Movement, although unlike him, I trace my family tree through the Alter Rebbe’s granddaughter, Rebbetzin Menucha Rochel Slonim, who came to Israel in 1845 and settled in the city of Hebron.
When I called the Rebbe’s secretariat and asked for an appointment, I specified that I didn’t want to see the Rebbe as a chasid — just to introduce myself, ask for a blessing and leave; I wanted to have a proper conversation with him, without being pressed for time. It took eight months before my request could be granted, when a group of donors from abroad cancelled due to a delayed flight.
I came at a moment’s notice and, upon arrival, was advised how to behave before the Rebbe — not to sit in his presence, not to try to shake his hand, etc. These rules seemed strange to me, but I promised to obey them.
I stood before the door of the Rebbe’s office full of anticipation, and suddenly the door opened from the inside and I saw the Rebbe standing before me. He extended his hand and momentarily I didn’t know what to do. Here he was extending his hand to me, so how could I not reciprocate? Next, the Rebbe invited me to take a seat, but as per instructions, I continued to stand. Only when the Rebbe himself sat down did I sit down also.
One of the things that especially impressed me about the Rebbe’s office was the number of books. Not only were the walls lined by bookshelves, but on the Rebbe’s desk there were also big piles of books. I glanced at the spines and was amazed by the variety — these were books on all types of subjects and in a variety of languages!
The conversation between us took place mainly in Yiddish and English with a bit of Hebrew thrown in. Although I hadn’t corresponded with the Rebbe prior to this, I was surprised to learn that the Rebbe knew who I was and what I did. Not only that — the Rebbe showed great interest in my work and posed many specific questions.
I was impressed by his knowledge of criminology. For example, at a certain point in the conversation he asked me, “Are you familiar with the writings of Cesare Lombroso?” Lombroso was an important Jewish criminologist who worked in Italy in the late 19th century, but I will estimate that most of the criminologists in the world have never even heard of him, much less be familiar with Lombroso’s theories which the Rebbe discussed with me. The Rebbe also wanted to know about the institution for girls that I was managing at the time and asked many questions about it. He was happy to hear that I arrange Shabbat meals for the girls, as well as a Passover Seder, and that on Rosh Hashanah I bring in a minyan of men so the girls can participate in holiday prayers.
Our conversation took about three hours, and we covered other topics as well, but it was clear to me that the Rebbe was most concerned about the delinquent girls. I didn’t anticipate that the Rebbe would be interested in such matters at all, but he really wanted to know about every aspect of their treatment and to hear detailed descriptions of the girls and their struggles. He asked pointed questions about individual students, endeavoring to draw individual profiles in order to understand the difficulties that each was experiencing. This required me to relate some very harsh facts, but the Rebbe didn’t shy away from any of it. All in all, it was a scholarly dialogue with a knowledgeable colleague, and it made a very strong impression on me.
At a certain point the Rebbe asked me, “Tell me, how do you open and close the door?” At first, I didn’t understand the intent of his question, so I asked him to clarify. He explained: “Your job is like a plumber; you are forced to thrust your hands deep into the muck every day. So when you finish the workday and close the door of the institution to go home, how do you open the door of your house, where your wife and children await you, without allowing the problems of your work to enter with you? How do you deal with the transition? How do you ensure that the difficulties and complexities of the institution are not transferred into your private environment?”
I explained to the Rebbe that I make a total separation between my work and my home, and that my family relationships remained unaffected. I added that I had succeeded in influencing the institution more than it has influenced me. The Rebbe looked at me with admiration and said that he would like to meet my wife and give her a blessing.
(Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see the Rebbe before returning to Israel. In a letter that he sent me afterwards, he admonished me for not coming to say goodbye.)
At the end of the meeting, he gave me a very special blessing and said, “The work that you do is surely on a G-dly path.” I hadn’t gone to the Rebbe for blessings, but I received them with open arms and thanked him from the bottom of my heart. I had the opportunity to see the Rebbe a few more times at various farbrengens when I visited New York, and I also maintained contact through letters, but that was the only time I met with him in a private audience. I left that audience with the impression that I had met a giant of a man who, without a doubt, strengthened my faith and influenced me down the road.
______________
After a career in criminal justice, Mr. Tzvi Slonim (1934-2019) became one of the leaders of the movement for the settlement of Judea and Samaria. He also co-founded Ariel University and the Land Redemption Fund. He was interviewed in his home in Efrat in August of 2010
5737 - 1976, after a moving encounter with the Rebbe, the Israeli left-wing writer Nathan Yellin-Mor sent the Rebbe a copy of his book about the Lehi Zionist paramilitary organization and the underground activities for which he was imprisoned in the 1940s. In response, the Rebbe encouraged him to continue to be active: “If at that time you were a person of action who spared no effort ... does it make sense to now be satisfied with writing alone? ... Although we don’t share the same ideology 100 percent, I hope that our view is identical when it comes to the underlying point: The Holy Land of Israel is the everlasting inheritance of the Holy People of Israel.”
Six years since Rabbi Ovadia Yosef passed. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289594
In the hours following Rabbi Ovadia Yosef’s death on the 3rd of the Hebrew month of Cheshvan 5774 (2013) and for years afterwards, people shared stories of their own encounters with the renowned rabbi, whose influence touched almost every aspect of contemporary Jewish life.
Among those who had a story to tell was Elishai, a teacher who works with immigrant youth.
Elishai heard the story from an older man he happened to meet on a bus. The other man wore clothing that clearly identified him as a religious Jew, including a long coat and black hat, and he engaged Elishai in Torah learning during the ride.
As the bus approached their destination, the older man turned to Elishai and asked him about his work. Elishai told him about his young students, and noted that many of them feel far from Torah and religion.
The man was silent. After a few minutes, he began to tell Elishai a story:
“Next month, I’m going to take early retirement from the Beit Din [court of Jewish law – ed.] where I have worked as a judge for the past 25 years. But you should know that I didn’t always look like this. These clothes, the beard… it’s not something I learned at home.
“My parents were older Holocaust survivors, and they didn’t have the emotional ability to give me the attention I needed. I spent my time in the streets, and before my bar mitzvah [at age 13] I was already practically a criminal.”
By age 15, he said, his antics had earned him the inglorious title of "the criminal" among his local community.
He and his friends often spent the Sabbath playing soccer near a local synagogue, and the ball would often fly into the synagogue courtyard. One week, he recalled, “I kicked the ball hard. It flew out of the field and toward the synagogue just as the rabbi came out.
“The ball hit his black hat and knocked it to the ground. My friends and I fell down laughing…
"The rabbi came over.
"‘Shabbat Shalom, would his honor like to make Kiddush, or to join the game?’ I asked, mockingly, but he was not upset. He looked at me and asked, 'Where are your parents?' and I answered, still mocking, ‘My parents are dead.’
“The rabbi said, ‘Come with me.’ It amused me, so I decided to play along and go with him. We reached his house. He went in and I followed. He made Kiddush and gave me some to drink, and asked, ‘Are you hungry?’
“’Starving,” I said.
The rabbi gestured to his wife, and they set the table and gave me food. I ate like someone who hadn’t eaten in a week. The rabbi ate just a little, and mostly looked at me and talked. I later realized that I had eaten his share, too.
“When I finished eating, he asked, ‘Are you tired?’
"‘Exhausted,’ I said.
"The rabbi offered me a bed. I went to sleep, and slept there the whole day. When I woke up it was Saturday night. The rabbi asked me, ‘What would you like to do?’ I told him I wanted to go to the cinema and see a movie.
"‘How much does the cinema cost?’ he asked. I told him one and a half shekels. He gave me the money and sent me on my way, and before I went he told me, ‘Come again tomorrow.’
“I came again tomorrow. I ate, and slept, and got money for the cinema. One more day, and one more. Over time I discovered that there were 12 kids like me, from off the street, who came to this rabbi’s house. I couldn’t be ungrateful, and I also really loved him.
“With time, he started to teach me about the mitzvoth [commandments]… He bought me tefillin. He would sit and teach me… Thanks to him, I eventually went to yeshiva, and ended up learning to be a rabbi, and ultimately, a judge on a Beit Din. He married me off, came to my children’s weddings, and was Sandek at my grandsons’ brit Milahs.
“So don’t despair of your students,” the older man told Elishai. “You see me as I am today, a judge in a Beit Din, but once I was just like them. Just love them. Love them like they were your own children.”
As the two began to descend from the bus, Elishai asked the man, “What rabbi’s was it?”
“And what is his name?” Elishai asked again. “Rabbi Ovadia Yosef,” his fellow passenger answered.
Halacha Rambam: Even if everybody is working on building the Beis HaMikdash, the Talmud Torah is not to be interrupted. https://www.timesofisrael.com/hundreds-of-haredi-schools-in-high-infection-areas-reopen-in-violation-of-rules/ Talmud Torah is against every other Mitzvah that is boundless such as visiting the sick, burying dead or bring joy.
Milestone: Michael Strauss founder of Strauss Milk Products. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/israeli-industrialist-michael-strauss-dies-at-86-646035
Milestone: Deputy Dir. Shin Bet. https://www.timesofisrael.com/former-shin-bet-deputy-chief-who-led-fight-on-west-bank-terror-dies-of-covid-19/
Milestone: Ilana Rovina. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/israeli-singer-actress-ilana-rovina-dies-after-infected-with-coronavirus-646113
Milestone: Prof. Yoshua Blau 101. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289510
Bennett backs gay rights but not party members. https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-yamina-chief-bennett-backs-gay-rights-partys-smotrich-vows-opposition/
Covid Patient sees wedding from hospital window. https://www.timesofisrael.com/jerusalem-hospital-hosts-outdoor-wedding-for-covid-19-patients-son/
Police disperse outdoor weddings. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289502
Close to 71 years later displaced childhood friends find each other. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/Bk8DqHnPw
ZAKA finds 121 bodies of elderly living home alone. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289497
Netanyahu is bring on a fourth election. https://www.debka.com/does-israel-face-a-fourth-election-third-lockdown-from-political-disarray/
NASA captures sample from Asteroid. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289531
From Barry N. via Jeff. R. Covid 19 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCTRpJAMyE0
Missing woman found dead. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289571
Chabad cancels Emissaries this year. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289587
Inyanay Diyoma
Chinese Communist helped Joe Biden. https://www.wnd.com/2020/10/hunter-biden-got-chinese-communists-access-white-house/
FBI hand Hunter’s Computer did nothing. https://www.wnd.com/2020/10/fbi-seized-hunter-biden-computer-december-2019-nothing/
Astronomers capture black hole ripping star apart. https://www.wnd.com/2020/10/astronomers-observe-final-scream-star-swallowed-black-hole/
Man who shot cops pleads innocent. https://www.foxnews.com/us/man-pleads-not-guilty-to-trying-to-kill-2-los-angeles-officers
NYPD retirements hurting force. https://www.foxnews.com/us/shakeup-nypd-new-york-city-police-chief-retirement-department-departures
Biden refuses to answer CBS about NY Post story. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-lashes-out-at-cbs-reporter-when-asked-about-ny-post-report-i-have-no-response-another-smear-campaign
Two injured in explosion. https://www.foxnews.com/us/virginia-building-explosion
ABC silent as questioners identified as Dems. https://www.foxnews.com/media/abc-silent-biden-town-hall-attendees-identified-dems
Some animals thrive in climate change. https://www.ynetnews.com/environment/article/r1P4A1UDP
Milestone: Michael Strauss founder of Strauss Milk Products. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/israeli-industrialist-michael-strauss-dies-at-86-646035
Making for a lasting peace. https://www.debka.com/mnuchins-unique-round-trip-tel-aviv-manama-abu-dhabi-tel-aviv/
10,000 demonstrate in Yerushalayim. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289243
Corona numbers go down except deaths. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289242
Romania heavy rains reveal Jewish graves. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289204
France 9 arrested in decapitation. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289258
Over weekend 13 rockets from Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289236
Pelosi melts down. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289253
Tech People are not so smart. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289245
Geo Orwell don’t let it happen. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289200
Egypt condemns Israeli construction. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289266
Newsweek: Why won’t Joe Biden repudiate Jew hating Democrats? https://www.newsweek.com/why-wont-joe-biden-repudiate-anti-semitic-democrats-opinion-1538639
White House official meets with Assad. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289353
Official relations to be established. https://www.debka.com/mnuchins-unique-round-trip-tel-aviv-manama-abu-dhabi-tel-aviv/
Gafni DO NOT TOUCH MY ANNOINTED. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289345
Police close Haredi Schools. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289317
PLO negotiator who cut off relations goes to Israel for treatment. Bereaved mother does not want taxpayers to pay for it. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289354
PLO hypocrisy. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/r1vO9l5Dv
Positive Conversations but not ready. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289351
Ed-Op on corruption and bias. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289351
Ed-Op Trials of Benyamin Netanyahu. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/H1XGpvVPD
Ed-Op Iranian Economy Collapsing. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/BkG1aPrwv
Ed-Op. to third lockdown. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/SJnlCcKvv
Chabad happy that there is no deal of the century. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289273
Two teens started San Fran fire. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289347
Gov. tells Chassidic Ruv small wedding. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289343
American Jewry politics. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289326
Macron to deal with radial Islam. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289332
Corona Virus deaths slowly go down even with a day of gains. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/SkCOfb3wv
From Sophia: Japan to dump radioactive water into the sea. https://nypost.com/2020/10/16/japan-to-release-fukushimas-contaminated-water-into-sea-reports/
Trump Heights to get the first 20 families by the end of Nov. https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/HJ00V1x2Dv
Wave of antisemitism in Greece. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/Bk11twg2PD
Improper IDF training for Chem. & Bio warfare. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/SkzwDmiPv
Rabbi Ben Zion Mutzafi Shlita those who don’t wear masks are murders and cannot enter a house of worship. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289460
Reopen malls and businesses or elementary schools.
20% of businesses went belly up. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289466
Biden Scandal getting worse. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289464
Iran to compensate Ukraine for downed plane. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289458
Trump rallies in Arizona. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289473
Blue & White ultimatum on budget or elections in Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289397
Tsunami warning cancelled. https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2020/10/19/tsunami-warning-issued-following-74-magnitude-earthquake-near-sand-point/
Tunnel exposed, rocket, bombing. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289526
Hezballah attacked in Syria. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289529
Police disperse outdoor weddings. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289502
IDF expands field hospital. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289498
France cracks down on Hamas Group. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289537
UAE talks security ties with Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289534
NC Senate Race both sides w/problems. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/sex-scandal-covid-19-rock-north-carolina-senate-race/vi-BB1adWUj?ocid=msedgntp
IDF breaks the seals of closed off terrorist room. PLO opens it up. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289560
Submarine killer recaptured. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289578
Europe losing their Jews. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289575
US weighs declaring UN human rights organizations antisemitic. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289575
Sudan decides to normalize relations. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289609
Ed-Op Shai Israel ignored the Democrats. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rykgpPTPP
Obama fights for Biden in PA. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/HkNM8T6vP
Heroics to save PLO official. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rkFoQWAwP
Funding to continue to Gaza. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/SJ2706avD
Chabad cancels Emissaries this year. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289587
Missing woman found dead. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289571
More rockets more reprisals. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289685
IDF comes with shopping list to keep strategic edge. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/SJ89eD1Ow
Remdesivir Approved therapeutic. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289679
Vaccine by mid-2021 for Israel. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/HylSuf1dD
Restrained debate. https://www.debka.com/us-intel-iran-russia-are-interfering-in-presidential-election/
Sudan ready for ties if Parliament approves. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rJKRh71Ov
Hunter Biden associate reveals active intervention by Vice President. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289684
Estonia sanctions Hezballah. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289668
Fearing cuts and censorship against him, Trump releases full footage of 60 minutes. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289669
Second Debate: Joe I ran because of you. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289687
American Jewry has it all wrong. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289681
Bereaved father blasts BBC terrorist interview. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289690
Have a healthy and peaceful Shabbos rest,
Rachamim Pauli
