Please add to your prayers Devorah Rosa (row sa) bas Freyda Leah (she gave me her name last Friday after the Blogspot had been published.)
Parsha Mekeitz
After years as a slave
and stuck in prison, Yosef has been humbled. He is now 30years old and has
mellowed. He works hard but also knows management of a household and a prison.
He has enough experience from his training by Yacov and practice over 13 years
to manage a country.
41:1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that
Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
Another 'and it came to pass' so what
is the bad thing here? Surely Yosef being released from prison is a good thing.
The bad thing is the famine. But as we see 'good' and 'bad' are relative and
come from HASHEM Yisborach.
2 And, behold, there came up out
of the river seven kine, well-favored and fat-fleshed; and they fed in the
reed-grass. 3 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of
the river, ill-favored and lean-fleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the
brink of the river. 4 And the ill-favored and
lean-fleshed kine did eat up the seven well-favored and fat kine. So Pharaoh
awoke.
The dream had some
ridiculous features such as lean cows that are herbivorous swallowing fat cows.
Pharaoh was stunned as to why seven and no other number also the shock of
seeing this scene. As I wrote last week there is always some nonsense in dreams
even if Prophetic.
5 And he slept and dreamed a
second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and
good. 6 And, behold, seven ears, thin and blasted with the east wind,
sprung up after them. 7 And the thin ears swallowed up the seven rank
and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. 8 And it
came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and
called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof; and
Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto
Pharaoh.
The Midrash tells of all
sorts of interpretations of marrying seven wives and burying them, etc. But
deep down Pharaoh knew that was not the solution one after the other.
9 Then spoke the chief butler
unto Pharaoh, saying: 'I make mention of my faults this
day: 10 Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in the ward
of the house of the captain of the guard, me and the chief
baker. 11 And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed
each man according to the interpretation of his dream. 12 And there
was with us there a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard;
and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to
his dream he did interpret.
Egypt had a law that a
youth, foreigner and slave or servant could not be Prime Minister so he is not
really building up Yosef but pushing him down. However, Pharaoh has god status
and change the laws through Divine Decree.
13 And it came to pass, as he
interpreted to us, so it was: I was restored unto mine office, and he was
hanged.' 14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him
hastily out of the dungeon. And he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and
came in unto Pharaoh. 15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph: 'I have
dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it; and I have heard say
of thee, that when thou hear a dream thou canst interpret it.' 16 And
Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying: 'It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an
answer of peace.'
Yosef now places the
giver of dreams into the interpretation and not Yosef who is like putty in the
hands of G-D.
17 And Pharaoh spoke unto Joseph:
'In my dream, behold, I stood upon the brink of the river. 18 And,
behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fat-fleshed and well-favored;
and they fed in the reed-grass. 19 And, behold, seven other kine came
up after them, poor and very ill-favored and lean-fleshed, such as I never saw
in all the land of Egypt for badness. 20 And the lean and ill-favored
kine did eat up the first seven fat kine. 21 And when they had eaten
them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill-favored
as at the beginning. So I awoke. 22 And I saw in my dream, and,
behold, seven ears came up upon one stalk, full and good. 23 And,
behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up
after them. 24 And the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears.
And I told it unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to
me.'
Yosef sees both dreams
have an agricultural nature. Once over cattle and the other over crops. Unlike
the three days, cows don't fatter or become malnourished over such a shot time
or even a month it must be years and the same for crops.
25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh:
'The dream of Pharaoh is one; what God is about to do He hath declared unto
Pharaoh. 26 The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good
ears are seven years: the dream is one. 27 And the seven lean and ill-favored
kine that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty ears
blasted with the east wind; they shall be seven years of
famine. 28 That is the thing which I spoke unto Pharaoh: what God is
about to do He hath shown unto Pharaoh.
G-D has sent a special
message unto Pharaoh.
29 Behold, there come seven years
of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt. 30 And there shall
arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten
in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; 31 and
the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine which follows;
for it shall be very grievous. 32 And for that the dream was doubled
unto Pharaoh twice, it is because the thing is established by God, and God will
shortly bring it to pass.
Since the dream is
double in nature it is going to come about soon.
33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look
out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of
Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint overseers over the
land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven years of plenty. 35 And
let them gather all the food of these good years that come, and lay up corn
under the hand of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep
it. 36 And the food shall be for a store to the land against the
seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land
perish not through the famine.' 37 And the thing was good in the eyes
of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
Pharaoh is wise let him
appoint somebody who is a manager who can wisely store the grain of Mitzrayim
that the country will manage well during the famine.
38 And Pharaoh said unto his
servants: 'Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom the spirit of God
is?' 39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph: 'Forasmuch as God hath shown
thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou. 40 Thou
shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be
ruled; only in the throne will I be greater than thou.'
I am Pharaoh and you
shall be my second in command to manage the stowage and store building in
preparation of the famine as you are wiser than all the magicians and wisemen
of Mitzrayim.
41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph:
'See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.' 42 And Pharaoh
took off his signet ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and
arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his
neck.
Yosef was now dressed as
an Egyptian Ruler and wearing this gold chain of second level royalty.
43 And he made him to ride in the
second chariot which he had; and they cried before him: 'Abrech'; and he set
him over all the land of Egypt.
The cry is to take the knee as
Berech is knee in Hebrew. So they bowed down when he past.
44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph:
'I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or his foot in
all the land of Egypt.' 45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name
Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-phera
priest of On. And Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.
Yosef's name is solver
of the hidden. Zaphon on Pesach is hidden and Paneah is to interpret.
46 And Joseph was thirty years
old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt.--And Joseph went out from the
presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of
Egypt. 47 And in the seven years of plenty the earth brought forth in
heaps. 48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years which
were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; the food of the
field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same. 49 And
Joseph laid up corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until they left off
numbering; for it was without number.
The concept of tens of thousands maybe
hundreds of thousands but a million, a billion, a trillion or a sextillion did
not exist it was math too high for the Egyptian World.
50 And unto Joseph were born two
sons before the year of famine came, whom Asenath the daughter of Poti-phera
priest of On bore unto him. 51 And Joseph called the name of the
first-born Manasseh: 'for God hath made me forget all my toil, and all my
father's house.' 52 And the name of the second called him Ephraim:
'for God hath made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.'
Although Yosef was high up, due to the
famine, he had to set an example. His wife was the child of Dina and Schem and
adopted.
53 And the seven years of plenty,
that was in the land of Egypt, came to an end. 54 And the seven years
of famine began to come, according as Joseph had said; and there was famine in
all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 And when
all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread; and
Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians: 'Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you,
do.'
Actually he would be called: Zaphenath-paneah
by Pharaoh.
56 And the famine was over all
the face of the earth; and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the
Egyptians; and the famine was sore in the land of Egypt. 57 And all
countries came into Egypt to Joseph to buy corn; because the famine was sore in
all the earth. 42:1 Now
Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, and Jacob said unto his sons: 'Why do
ye look one upon another?'
Corn means grain and not what we call corn.
2 And he said: 'Behold, I have heard that there is
corn in Egypt. Get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may
live, and not die.'
Wealthy as Yacov was, he and his family needed to eat
and the closest and most reliable place for food during famine was Mitzrayim.
3 And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn
from Egypt. 4 But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his
brethren; for he said: 'Lest peradventure harm befall him.' 5 And the
sons of Israel came to buy among those that came; for the famine was in the
land of Canaan. 6 And Joseph was the governor over the land; he it
was that sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brethren came, and
bowed down to him with their faces to the earth. 7 And Joseph saw his
brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spoke
roughly with them; and he said unto them: 'Whence come ye?' And they said:
'From the land of Canaan to buy food.' 8 And Joseph knew his
brethren, but they knew him not. 9 And Joseph remembered the dreams
which he dreamed of them, and said unto them: 'Ye are spies; to see the
nakedness of the land ye are come.'
Joseph remembered his dreams. 20years ago these dreams
bothered these ten brothers but they were long forgotten. Why did he consider
them spies, because they had spread out in the land and each yelled Yosef in
different sections of the city! He recognized them but they were looking for a
young handsome slave not the Prime Minister of the land. They were thinking
within the box while HASHEM was above and beyond their box.
10 And they said unto him: 'Nay, my lord, but to
buy food are thy servants come. 11 We are all one man's sons; we are
upright men, thy servants are no spies.' 12 And he said unto them:
'Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.' 13 And they
said: 'We thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of
Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is
not.' 14 And Joseph said unto them: 'That is it that I spoke unto
you, saying: Ye are spies. 15 Hereby ye shall be proved, as Pharaoh
lives, ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come
hither.
How will Yosef know if the man that they bring is their
brother what does this have to do if they are spies or not? If they are spies,
the brother will be a spy too. If they bring somebody else, how will this Prime
Minister know if he is a brother or not. But to these simple shepherds they
cannot imagine these things.
16 Send one of you, and let him fetch your
brother, and ye shall be bound, that your words may be proved, whether there be
truth in you; or else, as Pharaoh lives, surely ye are spies.' 17 And
he put them all together into ward three days. 18 And Joseph said
unto them the third day. 'This do, and live; for I fear God:
Why three days? It does not say, I have an idea that
Yosef was put in the pit for three days with the snakes and scorpions and that
is why they got jailed for three days for he could have easily jailed them a
day. Three days then and three days now brought forward HASHEM's justice unto
them.
19 if ye be upright men, let one of your brethren
be bound in your prison-house; but go ye, carry corn for the famine of your
houses;
It could be that you men are honest and I don't want to
do anything against G-D hint-hint is what you did. I will take one of you for
ransom until the youngest brother comes.
20 and bring your youngest brother unto me; so
shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die.' And they did
so. 21 And they said one to another: 'We are verily guilty concerning
our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us, and
we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.' 22 And
Reuben answered them, saying: 'Spoke I not unto you, saying: Do not sin against
the child; and ye would not hear? therefore also, behold, his blood is
required.'
His blood, too, is being demanded: The
use of the word ×ֶת or the word ×ַ× denotes inclusion. In this case it means
“his blood and also the blood of his aged father.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 91:8]
Reuven realizes immediately that what goes around comes around.
Because you did such and such to Yosef now you are getting the equivalent to
Karma kickback.
23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them;
for the interpreter was between them. 24 And he turned himself about
from them, and wept; and he returned to them, and spoke to them, and took
Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes.
If he had suspected Levi or somebody else, the fact
that he heard them talking and understood that Shimon was the instigator of
everything.
25 Then Joseph commanded to fill their vessels
with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them
provision for the way; and thus was it done unto them. 26 And they
laded their asses with their corn, and departed thence. 27 And as one
of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the lodging-place, he
espied his money; and, behold, it was in the mouth of his
sack. 28 And he said unto his brethren: 'My money is restored; and,
lo, it is even in my sack.' And their heart failed them, and they turned
trembling one to another, saying: 'What is this that God hath done unto
us?'
After you see this and Benyamin discovered with cup
would you not be suspicious. Rather Yosef the diviner had prophecy that
Benyamin's mother had stolen the idols of Lavan and he had inherited thievery
from her. This becomes the moon part of the second dream even though Rachel is
lying in Beis Lechem.
29 And they came unto Jacob their father unto the
land of Canaan, and told him all that had befallen them, saying: 30 'The
man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us, and took us for spies of the
country. 31 And we said unto him: We are upright men; we are no
spies. 32 We are twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and
the youngest is this day with our father in the land of
Canaan. 33 And the man, the lord of the land, said unto us: Hereby
shall I know that ye are upright men: leave one of your brethren with me, and
take corn for the famine of your houses, and go your way. 34 And bring
your youngest brother unto me; then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that
ye are upright men; so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffic in
the land.' 35 And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that,
behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack; and when they and their
father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid. 36 And Jacob
their father said unto them: 'Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is
not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away; upon me are all these
things come.'
Poor Yacov was a double Korban of the sale of Yosef.
Once from the ten brothers and the second time from Yosef's test of the
brothers. The reason is that for Tzadikim there is no rest in this world and
they are busy leading Shuirim in the next world.
37 And Reuben spoke unto his father, saying: 'Thou
shalt slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee; deliver him into my hand,
and I will bring him back to thee.' 38 And he said: 'My son shall not
go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left; if harm befall
him by the way in which ye go, then will ye bring down my gray hairs with
sorrow to the grave.
If you don't return
Benyamin, I will then murder two of my grandchildren. Do you think me to be
worse than Esav or the equal to Lavan or something?
43:1 And
the famine was sore in the land. 2 And it came to pass, when they had
eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, that their father said
unto them: 'Go again, buy us a little food.' 3 And Judah spoke unto
him, saying: 'The man did earnestly forewarn us, saying: Ye shall not see my
face, except your brother be with you.
Warned us repeatedly: Heb.
×ָעֵ× ×ֵעִ×, an expression of warning, since a warning
is usually given in the presence of witnesses (עֵ×ִ××).
Similarly, “I warned (×ַעִ×ֹתִ×) your forefathers” (Jer.
11:7); “Go
down, warn (×ָעֵ×) the people” (Exod.
19:21). 'You shall not see my face
if your brother is not with you.’: Heb.
×ִּ×ְתִּ×, lit., without. You shall not see me
without your brother [being] with you. Onkelos, however, renders: except when
your brother is with you. He explained the verse according to its context, but
he was not precise in translating it in accordance with the language of the
verse.
4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will
go down and buy thee food; 5 but if thou wilt not send him, we will
not go down, for the man said unto us: Ye shall not see my face, except your
brother be with you.' 6 And Israel said: 'Wherefore dealt ye so ill
with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?' 7 And they
said: 'The man asked straitly concerning ourselves, and concerning our kindred,
saying: Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him
according to the tenor of these words; could we in any wise know that he would
say: Bring your brother down?' 8 And Judah said unto Israel his
father: 'Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live, and
not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.
And we will live: The
Holy Spirit flickered within him. Through this trip, your spirit will be
revived, as it is said: “and the spirit of their father Jacob was revived” (Gen.
45:27). And not die: of hunger. As for Benjamin, we are not sure whether he will be
seized or he will not be seized, but all of us will [certainly] die of hunger
if we do not go. It would be better to leave the doubtful situation and seize
the [situation that is] certain. — [from Tanchuma Mekeitz 8]
9 I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou
require him; if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me
bear the blame forever.
I am willing to place my portion in the next world as a
guarantee for him. I will do anything be a slave or take the sword to save him.
10 For except we had lingered, surely we had now
returned a second time.' 11 And their father Israel said unto them:
'If it be so now, do this: take of the choice fruits of the land in your
vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey,
spicery and ladanum, nuts, and almonds;
Pistachios: Heb. ×ָּ×ְ× ִ×× I do not know what they are. In the
alphabetized dictionary of Rabbi Machir, I saw [that they are] pistachios, but
I believe that they are ×ִפַרְ×Ħְקִ×× [peaches]
(mentioned in the Mishnah, Kilayim 1:4, and the Talmud, Shabbos 45a).
12 and take double money in your hand; and the
money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks carry back in your hand;
peradventure it was an oversight; 13 take also your brother, and
arise, go again unto the man; 14 and God Almighty give you mercy
before the man, that he may release unto you your other brother and Benjamin.
And as for me, if I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.'
He is giving things of value to Yosef and if he must be
bereaved he will be bereaved for without food, Benyamin and others will die.
And may the Almighty God: From
now on, you lack nothing but prayer. Behold I am praying for you. — [from Gen.
Rabbah 91:11] The Almighty God: Heb.
×-ֵ× ×İַׁ×ָּ×, Whose grant of mercy is sufficient (×İֶׁ×ַ×), and Who has sufficient power to grant,
May He grant you compassion. This is its simple meaning (Zohar, vol. 2, p.
257a). Its Midrashic interpretation, however, is: May He Who said to His world,
“Enough!” (×İֶׁ×ָ×ַר ×ָּ×) say to my troubles,
“Enough!” for I have not enjoyed tranquility since my youth. [I endured] the
trouble of Laban (who tricked me and pursued me with the desire of killing me),
the trouble of Esau (who wanted to kill me), the trouble of Rachel (who died in
childbirth), the trouble of Dinah (who was violated and kidnapped by Shechem), the
trouble of Joseph (who disappeared), the trouble of Simeon (who is being
detained by the ruler of Egypt), and the trouble of Benjamin (whom he demands
that I send to him) (Tanchuma Mekeitz 10).
15 And the men took that present, and they took
double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt,
and stood before Joseph. 16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them,
he said to the steward of his house: 'Bring the men into the house, and kill
the beasts, and prepare the meat; for the men shall dine with me at
noon.'
Kill the beasts. This can mean two things either
according to the laws of Noach or without Kashrus for it is before Matan Torah.
Nobody in the narrative is looking for super-duper Glatt Kosher Slaughter with
the 49 Hechshers. It says something about pre-Matan Torah world. Perhaps there
was kosher slaughter but not specified in the Pshat here.
17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man
brought the men into Joseph's house. 18 And the men were afraid,
because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said: 'Because of the
money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that
he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and
our asses.' 19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house,
and they spoke unto him at the door of the house, 20 and said: 'Oh my
lord, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food. 21 And it
came to pass, when we came to the lodging-place, that we opened our sacks, and,
behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full
weight; and we have brought it back in our hand. 22 And other money
have we brought down in our hand to buy food. We know not who put our money in
our sacks.' 23 And he said: 'Peace be to you, fear not; your God, and
the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks; I had your
money.' And he brought Simeon out unto them.
They thought that they were now about to be punished
but they are reassured and Shimon is released from prison.
24 And the man brought the men into Joseph's
house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses
provender. 25 And they made ready the present against Joseph's coming
at noon; for they heard that they should eat bread there. 26 And when
Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the
house, and bowed down to him to the earth. 27 And he asked them of
their welfare, and said: 'Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spoke? Is
he yet alive?' 28 And they said: 'Thy servant our father is well, he
is yet alive.' And they bowed the head, and made obeisance.
Ten times he hears of Yacov being called his servant
and for each time, he will lose a year from his life.
29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his
brother, his mother's son, and said: 'Is this your youngest brother of whom ye
spoke unto me?' And he said: 'God be gracious unto thee, my
son.' 30 And Joseph made haste; for his heart yearned toward his
brother; and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept
there. 31 And he washed his face, and came out; and he refrained
himself, and said: 'Set on bread.' 32 And they set on for him by
himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, that did eat with him,
by themselves; because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for
that is an abomination unto the Egyptians. 33 And they sat before
him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to
his youth; and the men marveled one with another.
How did he know that they sat around the table with
Reuven next to Yosef until Benyamin on the other side.
34 And portions were taken unto them from before
him; but Benjamin's portion was five times so much as any of theirs. And they
drank, and were merry with him.
The jealousy they had for Yosef did not exist. Benyamin
must have been brought up by the three remaining wives and all were mature
adults now. So they had nice portions and that he got more who really cares.
44:1 And he
commanded the steward of his house, saying: 'Fill the men's sacks with food, as
much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's
mouth. 2 And put my goblet, the silver goblet, in the sack's mouth of
the youngest, and his corn money.' And he did according to the word that Joseph
had spoken. 3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent
away, they and their asses. 4 And when they were gone out of the
city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward: 'Up, follow after
the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them: Wherefore have ye
rewarded evil for good?
You fool me once, you are a fool. You
fool me twice, I am a fool. This is an old Native American Proverb. The
brothers saw their money returned to them the first time. Are they such bumkins
that they don't realize that what happened before could happen again and this
time with the cup. Yosef is more than playing a shell game where the hand is
quicker than the eye with them. He is putting them to the hardest of tests to
see if Benyamin is a brother of theirs or not. This game if carried too far
could just kill Yacov so he hopes that they will pass the test they failed 22
years previously.
5 Is not this it in which my lord
drinks, and whereby he indeed divines? ye have done evil in so
doing.' 6 And he overtook them, and he spoke unto them these words. 7 And
they said unto him: 'Wherefore speaks my lord such words as these? Far be it
from thy servants that they should do such a thing. 8 Behold, the
money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought back unto thee out of
the land of Canaan; how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or
gold?
We are simple people not thieves and
as proof, we brought back our original money.
9 With whomsoever of thy servants
it be found, let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.'
They are over-stating the punishment required for
their 'bad' behavior. In such that the officer in charge of the posy has
to state the punishment.
10 And he said: 'Now also let it
be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my bondman; and
ye shall be blameless.'
They are finally about to see through
the rouse. For a number of reasons.
11 Then they hastened, and took
down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his
sack. 12 And he searched, beginning at the eldest, and leaving off at
the youngest; and the goblet was found in Benjamin's sack.
The guards searched from the oldest to
the youngest.
13 And they rent their clothes,
and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.
Now HASHEM has many ways to test and
punish people. Yehuda knows that the children of Rachel are righteous and that
there should be no decree for Benyamin as he did not participate in the sale of
Yosef.
14 And Judah and his brethren
came to Joseph's house, and he was yet there; and they fell before him on the
ground. 15 And Joseph said unto them: 'What deed is this that ye have
done? know ye not that such a man as I will indeed divine?' 16 And
Judah said: 'What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall
we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants; behold, we
are my lord's bondmen, both we, and he also in whose hand the cup is
found.'
Yehuda is going to do everything in
his physical power to save Benyamin including using the pre-Matan Torah NAMES
for help.
17 And he said: 'Far be it from
me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the goblet is found, he shall be
my bondman; but as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.'
Will Yehuda be able to convince Prime
Minister Paneach to exchange Benyamin for himself? We are left with a cliff hanging
intermission between Parshiyos.
Nothing bothers me
more than taking this story from Sophia who received this from Afshine Emrani
and then not having it on save including the story that follows this from Aish.
Regenerating stories takes precious time.
The Town Idiot who was smart enough to earn the World
To Come.
His name was Anton. He lived on very edge of
society in the town of Zborow, Poland; no friends, no family; his home a
rundown shack. The townspeople called him “the village idiot”. When the Nazis
arrived in July of 1941, they immediately killed 1000 Jewish men, and herded
the remaining Jews into a ghetto. Amidst this chaos was the Zeiger family, just
a mom and dad with two little boys, and two orphans they were attempting to
save. They turned to their former neighbors for help, but could not find one
willing soul. That is until they found Anton. Although physically a very small
man, he gladly dug a pit large enough to hold the family of six beneath his
shack. The Zeigers would live there with only the light of a small kerosene
lamp for nine months. Anton would manage to scavenge enough food to sustain
them without drawing the attention of the townspeople and took care of their
every need despite the constant threat of Nazi searches and harassment. Zborow
was liberated in 1944, and the Zeigers emerged into the sunlight, safe and free
once again. Thirty years later, in 1974, Anton Sukhinski was recognized by Yad
Vashem as a Righteous Gentile. He was the only resident of Zborow known to have
helped the Jews. Would I have been as brave, I wonder, as courageous as the
“village idiot”?
The Hanucha
that we did not learn about in history. By Rabbi Pinchas Landis
https://www.aish.com/jw/s/The-History-of-Hanukkah-They-Didnt-Teach-You-in-Hebrew-School.html
Why has Hanukkah stood the test of time? We have no
shortage of days on our calendar when they tried to kill us and we miraculously
won. And whatever salvation was achieved at the time of Hanukkah was
short-lived. So, why an everlasting holiday?
Let's delve into the history of Hanukkah to understand the
deeper meaning of the holiday. In 313 BCE, Alexander the Great had solidified his rule over the Persian empire. His
attention had been drawn to political unrest in Judah1. Since the
Jew’s return in 350 BCE, their sovereignty had been continuously challenged by
the (not so good) Samaritans who had occupied the land of Israel during the Jew’s
exile to Babylon.
With the rise of Alexander over the Persians, who had
sponsored the Jews' return to Israel, the Samaritans saw their chance to retake
the land. After originally permitting the Samaritans to destroy the Holy Temple
in Jerusalem, Alexander rescinded after meeting Shimon HaTzadik, the head of
the Jewish community at the time, and allowed the population of Judah to
continue living their Jewish lives. As a sign of appreciation towards the Greek
Emperor, every baby boy born that year was given the name Alexander2.
Well, if you can name your child Alexander, you can also name him Antignos,
Hyrcanus, Aritobulos, etc. and so Greek culture started to seep into Israel.
Jumping forward to Alexander the Great’s untimely death in
307 BCE at the age of 33, there was no succession plan in place. The vacuum of
leadership resulted in fights, squabbles, and all-out wars between his leading
generals. For our purposes, we will focus on Ptolemy, the leader of the
Egyptian portion of the Empire, and Seleucus, the leader of the Mesopotamian
part of the Empire. The line of scrimmage between these two was none other than
the land of Israel3.
Initially, the Ptolemaic Empire was in control of Judah,
and for the most part, continued Alexander’s policy of religious freedom for
the Jews. In 246 BCE, the Ptolemaic King commissioned 72 rabbis to write a
Greek translation of the Torah known as the Septuagint. While there were many miracles surrounding this event, ultimately, it is
remembered as a dark time in Jewish history.4 The ultimate goal
of the Greeks was to assimilate Jews into their Empire. Through translating the
Torah, they were subtly saying that there is nothing special about this
knowledge; it’s the same as any other Greek text. Add it to the shelves of our
vast libraries and forget about it. Furthermore, the Septuagint served as a
catalyst of assimilation for Jews seeking out Hellenism. They could use the
Greek text to learn the language, bringing Hellenistic culture one step closer.
Hellenism continues its slow and steady influence in
Israel. By 161 BCE the Seleucid Greeks, based in Syria, had gained the upper
hand in Israel and set out to conquer the Egyptian portion of the Greek Empire5.
They mounted their conquest from Israel, forcing Jewish residents to house
their soldiers and finance the war through taxation. The Seleucids were greater
in strength and number than their Egyptian rivals, and the war should have been
an easy one, yet victory eluded them.
When the Seleucid Generals strategized and worked on
finding a reason for their failed conquest, their eyes naturally fell on the
Jews. This wasn’t the first time in history that the Jewish people were made
the scapegoat, nor would it be the last. The Greeks concluded that the reason
they kept losing was that the Greek gods were irate with them. Here they were
mounting their war from a land where the populous rejected them and their
culture. If they could only get the Jews to accept Greek culture, and with it
their gods, success would be theirs.
Now, the Greeks had allies in Judah. By this time,
Hellenism had made tremendous inroads into the Jewish country. Greek gymnasiums
and theaters had started popping up in Jerusalem. As the Greek anti-Jewish
policies were being rolled out, they found a formative group of Hellenized Jews
more than willing to help. A man named Menelaus served as the High Priest in
the Temple and was aligned with the Greeks6. He put into effect
policies that at first limited the Temple services, and eventually canceled
them altogether. A Greek leader by the name of Apustomus burnt a Torah Scroll,
and a statue of the Greek god Zeus was erected in the Temple compound. A
citadel known as the Acra was built overlooking the Temple to show Greek
supremacy.
The Greeks and their Jewish collaborators knew that
strangling the religion from the top would not be enough to squash the Jewish
spirit, so they further implemented laws making the observance of Judaism
illegal. Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh (the New Month), Brit
Milah (circumcision) all became punishable by death. The study of
Torah was outlawed. Probably the most nefarious of these laws was a decree that
any Jewish girl, before being with her husband on her wedding day, must first
be with a member of the local Greek authority, as if to say there is nothing
special about you, your husband, and the people that you are a part of7.
This was the environment in Israel for more than a decade.
Those who remained true and committed to Judaism went underground. They would
hide out in the Judean Hills to learn Torah and practice Judaism. Eventually,
the situation became overwhelming. A family descending from the High Priesthood
looked at the situation and concluded that something must be done.
Yes, conventional wisdom, especially in a time of so much
political unrest in the world, would say ‘Wait it out, stay in hiding, this too
shall pass.’ But this family, known to us as the Hasmoneans, saw it
differently. Here they were, in the Jewish homeland, practicing Judaism in
hiding, while the Temple in Jerusalem laid cold and fallow with a statue of
Zeus inside. The desecration of the Almighty was of monumental proportions and
could go unchecked no longer. The Maccabees, as they became known, knew they didn't
stand a chance against the powerful Greeks, but they needed to send a message
to the world, even if they would have to pay with their lives. There were still
some Jews that cared, and what was going on was far from okay.
There are several stories told as to what sparked the
rebellion. One such episode tells of the wedding of Yehudit, one of the
daughters of the Hasmoneans where the bride got up in front of all the guests
and disrobed. People were aghast. They wanted to put her to death. She announced
“Oh, you are all so religious? You can’t look at me like this, but the local
Greek governor can?!?” The situation so incensed her brothers that they sprang
into action. That night, when she was to be with the Greek, she fed him some
milk and cheese, making him drowsy. She proceeded to pull out a dagger, end his
life, and the rebellion was officially underway. This is the source of the
custom to eat dairy on Hanukkah8.
Another such story finds us in Modiin, the town that the
Hasmoneans lived in. As they often did, the Greeks came into the town square
and demanded the local Jews participate in a sacrifice to one of the Greek
gods. The animal of choice was a pig. The Greek asked for a local volunteer to
participate in the service. One of the local Hellenized Jews was all too quick
to oblige. Matisyahu, the patriarch of the Hasmoneans, pulled out a dagger and
slaughtered the man. His sons proceeded to pull out their daggers and kill all
the Greeks and their sympathizers that were present, and the rebellion was underway.
The Maccabees could not expect to beat the Greeks through
traditional military tactics. Their success came from guerrilla warfare. As
much as the threat of the Greek Army was real, the civil war of Jew against Jew
was just as threatening with each side fighting for their way of life. The
Maccabees were fighting for the right to practice Judaism openly and freely in
the land of Israel. The Hellenized Jews were fighting for the right to be
Greeks first, and to ignore their Jewish heritage.
The Hasmoneans won one battle after another despite fully
expecting to be obliterated in each one. With their success, their numbers
increased. Just one year into the war, they fought all the way to the holy
city, conquered Jerusalem, subdued the city, and moved on the Temple Mount.
After a bloody battle, the group of rebels took over the Acra Citadel, and with
that the Temple Mount. They smashed the statue of Zeus, and it was now time to
finally reintroduce the Temple service after more than a decade of dormancy.
The Maccabees went through painstaking efforts to purify
the Temple as quickly as possible. In truth, this was not completely required.
The purity laws are lenient when the entirety of the Jewish people is in a
state of impurity, and the Temple service can be performed without
purification. Following the battles, this was the situation in Judah. But the
Hasmoneans considered, they had just fought a war that never should have been
fought, and they just won a war that they never should have won. Now they should
start cutting corners? Absolutely not! They insisted on completely purifying
the Temple before rededication.
But they lacked pure oil which would take eight days to
produce. They scoured the Temple from top to bottom looking for oil that had
not been defiled. They didn’t want to cut corners through the use of impure
oil, and they didn’t want to delay the service any longer. Finally, they found
one jar that was sealed and pure, but it was only enough for one day (roughly
40 oz). With their goal of continuing to go above and beyond, they used all the
oil at the rededication of the temple while continuing to look for more oil and
beginning the eight-day process to get more oil. Lo and behold, a great miracle
happened there and the one jar of oil lasted the full eight days needed to
produce more pure oil. The next year, Hanukkah was established as a holiday by
Yochanan the High Priest (one of the Hasmonean brothers), and R’ Yehoshua Ben
Perachya and Nitai HaArbeli who together led the Sanhedrin9.
But the war wasn’t over. It would rage on for 20 more
years. In the end, we would find a situation in Judah not that different from
where we started. Israel would be on the brink of yet another civil war. The
Hasmoneans would be in control of the country, but they would be more
Hellenized than those whom they waged the war against in the first place. Worst
yet, the country was on an unrelenting downward trajectory that would lead to
the destruction of the Second Temple. For this reason, our sages give very
little press to the Hasmoneans in the Mishnah and Talmud.
If this is the case, why the timeless holiday of Hanukkah
that we still observe and love?
I believe an answer lies in the Menorah. The Talmud10 teaches
us how we fulfill the mitzvah of lighting the candles on Hanukkah. The minimum
requirement is one candle per household per night. The Talmud goes on to teach
that if you want to enhance the performance, everyone in the house can light
one candle each of the eight nights. Finally, says the Talmud, if you want to
do the mitzvah in the best possible way, you light one candle on the first
night, two on the second, three on the third, and so on (according to the
academy of Hillel).
This teaching is strange. Why does the Talmud give us
options like this? Furthermore, when it comes to lighting the Menorah, everyone lights
in the best possible way! When was the last time you walked into someone’s
house on the fifth night of Hanukkah just to find one candle lit?
Hanukkah is not about a military victory or national sovereignty.
The holiday celebrates the fact that at one point in history there was a group
of Jews in the world that went above and beyond to send a loud and clear
message to the world that Judaism is worth fighting for. That clarion call has
been passed from generation to generation, inspiring Jews in the most difficult
of circumstances to stand up and defend the Jewish people. We find ourselves
today in a world of both rising antisemitism and rampant assimilation. The
Maccabee inside all of us should take action against these trends, and not just
sit back and wait for things to improve.
The Maccabees refused to accept the status quo. They went
above and beyond, willing to give up their lives fighting for religious freedom
and eternal Jewish values. And because they went against all the odds,
miraculous things happened.
When we light the menorah on Hanukkah, we don’t settle for
good enough (one candle per household, each night). We don’t settle for
slightly elevated (each person, one candle every night). No, we go above in
beyond (each person adding a candle every night). We are showing that we desire
to be with the Maccabees of yore, we want to be Jews who go above and beyond.
- Seder
Olam
- Avoda
Zara 9a
- Rashi,
Daniel 11:4-17
- Megillah
9a
- Doros
HaRishonim 1:176
- Doros
HaRishonim 2:374-376
- Sanhedrin
32b
- Megillas
Taanis 6
- Rokeach
225 , Levush Hil. Chanukah 670
- Shabbos
21b
Dreidels for Kaifeng Community. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317830
Oneg Shemesh sent me one of his songs on
Hanucha. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIy8kjfYBdo
Milestone: Stephen Sondheim, 91, composer of
lyrics. https://www.timesofisrael.com/stephen-sondheim-a-giant-of-american-musical-theater-dies-at-91/
Public opinion Poll. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317737
More people are happy with Bennett
but his party falls. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317968
Milestone: Dr. Moshe Feldman, 80,
Rebbe's Doctor. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/318036
Inyanay Diyoma
Bennett and Health Ministry have an
emergency press conference. Woman violates quarantine and 20 more quarantined. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317642
Worst wounded soldier from Cast Lead
would return to battle if needed. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317635
Father of injured by the Kotel asks
for prayers. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317639
Variant Omicron arrived in Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317651
Swiss bar entry of Israelis. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317659
Quebec man convicted of antisemitic
incitement. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317648
Besides Africa, we may have to have
more restrictions. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317650
Russian Oligarch plotting Ukrainian
Coup next week. https://www.timesofisrael.com/ukraines-zelensky-alleges-russia-top-oligarch-plotting-coup-planned-for-next-week/
Canadian Union against BDS. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317652
Former Mossad Chief attack on Iran
must be on the Table. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317633
Toronto Student Union approves
anti-Israel resolution. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317618
British Regimental Badge too close
to Nazi Eagle. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317647
More on CENTCOM's Chief Remarks: https://www.debka.com/us-centcom-chief-iran-closer-than-ever-to-a-nuclear-weapon/
Israel's entrance into CENTCOM has
positive and negative effects. https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/sk11yatiok
Many in Yarden oppose Israeli Water
deal despite deficit. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sy300z0n00y
Can Arab countries squeeze Iran out
of Syria? https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hj5l7ksdk
Plocker: Government must stop being
in Netanyahu's shadow. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjugpkidk
Communist nominee blocked by Senate.
https://www.wnd.com/2021/11/blow-communists-senate-rejects-biden-nominee-bank-regulator/
CA sued over rule 'Gays' must be on
boards. https://www.wnd.com/2021/11/state-sued-demanding-companies-put-gays-boards/
As US Lawmakers visit Taiwan Chinese
flyover. https://www.wnd.com/2021/11/china-runs-combat-readiness-patrol-u-s-lawmakers-visit-taiwan/
Charles wants Camilla Queen. https://www.wnd.com/2021/11/royal-pain-prince-charles-wants-camilla-queen-despite-sons-protests-subjects-disapproval-report/
Iran diverts river water from one
city and thousands protest some dead. https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-arrests-67-during-water-protests-deploys-riot-police/
Gold Star Kay family sent home in
violation of Shabbos. Israel bans tourists. https://www.timesofisrael.com/ministers-decide-to-bar-tourists-reinstate-quarantine-rules-to-contain-omicron/
Israel to host Miss Universe despite
travel ban. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/s14xwrgkt
Variant has 38 mutations as deaths
in S. Africa double. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317702
Israel is in control of the
situation. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317689
Western Wall Cable Car to go
through. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317693
Smash and grab crimes surge in USA. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317687
Pig's feet placed by door of
Charedim. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317690
Israel to shorten standard time by
three weeks. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317673
Higher prices for gifts. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317695
Staff at Rambam hospital attacked by
Arab Family. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317674
Nuclear talks start but there goal
is annihilation of Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317749
Relieve Sanctions but no stopping
Nukes. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/28/israel-concerned-iran-will-secure-sanctions-relief-without-rolling-back-nuclear-program/
Lebanese who married Jewish Girl
wants conversion. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317742
Foreigners from all countries to be
banned. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/28/israel-to-ban-entry-of-foreigners-from-all-countries-over-omicron/
Ben & Jerry to be investigated
by SEC. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/28/us-lawmakers-urge-sec-inquiry-over-ben-jerrys-israel-boycott/
Turning kitchen and supermarket
waste into biogas. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/28/homebiogas-is-powering-homes-with-recycled-natural-gas/
NYT fake news on Yeshu from the old
testament. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/28/new-york-times-stealth-corrects-claim-that-jesus-is-known-in-the-old-testament/
PM lights cancel at Kotel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317734
TV Anchor that became a Geriatric
Dr. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317744
Dershowitz money should have no
relationship to bail. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317715
Hanucha is undeniably American. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sk5oqvbkt
Israel to evacuate 3000 Ethiopians. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/s1amgiwff
Story about Israeli mistreatment of
friends of gold star family. https://www.timesofisrael.com/visitors-to-terror-victims-family-turned-back-at-airport-forced-to-violate-shabbat/
UK stands with Israel as Iran
approaches threshold. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/29/as-vienna-talks-resume-uk-tells-israel-we-will-work-flat-out-to-prevent-nuclear-armed-iran/
Bipartisan group calls for Iron Dome
Funding. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/29/bipartisan-group-of-87-lawmakers-call-on-biden-to-request-iron-dome-funding/
IDF is reading for Iran. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317830
Toronto Student Union banning Kosher Food. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/29/university-of-toronto-student-union-denounced-for-barring-pro-israel-kosher-food-providers-striking-provisions-protecting-jews/
Dreidels for Kaifeng Community. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317830
Man stabbed in Kiriat Gat is it terror? https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317835
Minister wants public transport on Shabbos. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317818
Erdogan wants better relations. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317821
Wanted to assassinate PM in jail. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317816
If talks fail need US Military
Presence. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317805
Lapid urges world to pressure Iran. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/h12vq8mkk
Music in Israel despite boycott and
Covid. https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/bku118ngft
Menorah knocked down in the Ukraine.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hkuhskfff
Malaysia forfeits squash
championships. https://www.timesofisrael.com/squash-championship-in-malaysia-canceled-over-refusal-to-allow-in-israeli-athletes/
Building from Mishnah Period
discovered. https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-first-sanhedrin-era-building-found-in-yavne-where-assembly-fled-temples-ruin/
Israeli Arabs spray farmer's truck
with 21 bullets. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317858
Danger on Hanucha 60year old and
woman choke on doughnuts. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317841
Suspected terror knife attack at checkpoint. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317896
IDF reviews use of compulsory service in prison guards. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317895
Meretz threatens government over
immigration law. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317899
Federal Judge blocks Biden's Vaccine
Mandate. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317878
Most FB employees not happy with
company. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317873
Emergency Drill at airport. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317849
Kabul roadside blast injures 5. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317850
3 children as young as 3 attacked in
Brooklyn. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317869
Bennett tours for the first time the
PM residence. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rk267bstk
US resumes financial aid to the PLO.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bktkar4ff
MI deadly HS shooting. https://www.foxnews.com/us/what-we-know-michigan-high-school-shooting-oxford-high
Tel Aviv is now the most expensive
city in the world. https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/bj6200cekt
Teheran is not looking for a new
accord. https://www.debka.com/tehran-is-not-looking-for-a-new-nuclear-accord-its-enrichment-is-on-fast-forward/
Supreme Court will rule on MO
abortion law. https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/supreme-court-mississippi-abortion-roe
Teen Mental Health decreases due to
Social Media. https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/mike-lee-instagram-study-teens-mental-health
State Comptroller criticizes GOI
over Shin Bet tracking. https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-december-1-2021/
Boycotter is not the Greek
Contestant. https://www.timesofisrael.com/greece-says-beauty-queen-boycotting-miss-universe-in-israel-isnt-its-contestant/
Austin Chabad lights Menorah on overpass
used by Nazis. https://www.timesofisrael.com/austin-chabad-lights-menorah-at-overpass-where-neo-nazis-hung-antisemitic-banners/
Jew in French Presidential Bid. https://www.timesofisrael.com/jewish-far-right-pundit-zemmour-launches-french-presidential-bid/
AP demotes holy Jewish Site. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/30/ap-demotes-second-holiest-place-in-judaism-to-west-bank-site/
Democratic Socialists press Dem on
support for Israel. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/30/pressure-within-democratic-socialists-of-america-to-expel-rep-jamaal-bowman-over-israel-ties-continues-to-build/
NY lawmakers meet in Queens over
past Menorah Desecration. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/30/new-york-lawmakers-condemn-repugnant-menorah-vandalism-at-queens-site-of-2014-incident/
Cyptocoin base acquires Israel
security firm. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/30/crypto-giant-coinbase-acquiring-israels-unbound-security/
Thousands in Times Square to shine
Hanucha Light. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/30/thousands-gather-in-times-square-to-shine-a-light-on-antisemitism-this-hanukkah/
Bennett's wife is not Sara Netanyahu
defies PM. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317957
Not such a clever idea did not find
the 465/446 junction? https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317940
Fighting Antisemitism with larger
Menorah. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317933
Prominent Modern Orthodox Rabbis
against this government. https://www.timesofisrael.com/prominent-national-religious-rabbis-call-for-protests-against-government/
Ed-Op Vaccines appear to be the
answer to new strain. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hj3yw3vyy
Iran makes more gains and goes
nowhere in talks. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rkgt31ufy
Bus full of Jewish teens attacked in
Londonstan. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317920
Buses attacked in Negev now action. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/12/01/israeli-ministers-pledge-action-after-21-stone-throwing-attacks-on-buses-in-negev-desert/
More interference by State Dept. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/318017
Arab murders and revenge getting
worse. https://www.timesofisrael.com/umm-al-fahm-buffeted-by-gunfire-arson-after-deadly-shooting/
Ramming attack in Arab City one
rammer dead. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/318035
Iran will never get Nukes. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317998
Trump: The Biden Administration is
knowingly destroying the USA. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/318020
Dr. Mordechai Kedar on a real Middle
East Peace Solution. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/318014
Mayor wants to mandate vaccinations
in religious institutions. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/318011
Blacklisted Israeli Companies help
save 100's of US Soldiers. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/318032
Bennett and Health Ministry stop
Shin Bet tracking. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317995
Ed-Op only Vaccines are the answer. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hj3yw3vyy
Meta takes down hundreds of Hamas Profiles.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/by6u11ilyy
Dr. gets Omicron at Cardiology
Conference. https://www.timesofisrael.com/doctor-who-attended-uk-summit-confirmed-as-israels-3rd-omicron-case/
3rd Menorah knocked down
in the Ukraine. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/318007
Dr. Martin Sherman on Israeli
Madness helping the PLO. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/318006
Reform Temple anti-Israel supports
BDS. – Dershowitz. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317966
Mossad recruited 10men to blow up
Iranian Centrifuges. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/318000
Toronto Student Union walks back
Kosher ban. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317993
Mayor elect praises the Rebbe. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317961
US & S. Korea update plans on North.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317986
Arab Woman gets 2.5years in jail for
sending Hezballah Iron Dome Photos. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317981
Woman of the Wall plan Rosh Chodesh
Provocation. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317978
A healthy, peaceful and
restful Shabbos, Chodesh Teves Tov and a happy Hanucha,
Rachamim Pauli
