Putting one’s brains in gear.
Sometimes one asks a Rabbi a question. Sometimes logic is enough to receive an
answer. This year both Tisha B’Av and 17th of Tammuz fall on Shabbos
and moved to Sunday because one does not fast on Shabbos. A Rabbinical fast is
delayed by the Rabbis or postponed from Shabbos to Sunday. This makes it a fast
not from the Torah only by the Rabbis postpone it. This if one is on
antibiotics, heart, cancer, other medications or has a fever equal to or over
is basically exempt from fasting or of one wants taking medication with Shuirim
like on Yom Kippur to mourn for our Temple. Whatever is done there is a path
for not fasting and participating in the services with the Congregation. One in
this case unless he is a Cohain or Levi should not accept the honor of an
Aliyah to the Torah.
Summary of Parsha Pinchas
Last week, I was
worried more about the Halachos of the three weeks and the fasts and I have no
quality control check of myself. My weekly Drasha does not have to meet a
standard with zero errors like a Mezuzah. I accidently skipped Chapter 26: This chapter is the Census briefly mentioned below.
According to one Midrash, Pinchas
was born before Aaron and Eleazar were ordained Cohanim. This means that he was
not a Cohain. He earned the Kahuna by his zealous act. In fact, he was promised
that his children would be Cohanim forever. He was given a spiritual medal of
honor directly by HASHEM.
We mention in the Parsha
inheritance of sons or if lacking sons, then daughters (see the next
paragraph). This required a census of the male population after the death of 24,000
men. We learn from this that the number of souls entering the land and initial
lots were 600,000. So, based on the previous census approximately 22,000 double
portions and 579,000+ regular portions. The tribes would inherit land in
different areas from each other but one tribe would be together. THIS SHOWS THE
PATRIACHICAL FAMILY STATUS OF EACH TRIBE. Sadly, today we lack this and Chutzpa
runs rampant.
Soon the land was about to be
settled and portions given out. The daughters of Zelaphad and perhaps others
wanted their portion in Eretz Yisrael. Some who were first born got a double
portion. This Menashe got a double portion. Machir was a Bechor and so was
Zelaphad. The daughters received a very large portion and financially. This
made them attractive financially.
The dates and Korbanos for the
Congregation are mentioned. Daily, Shabbos, Full Moon and the high holidays and
3 Regelim. Still we are awaiting vengeance of Midian for the deaths of the
tribe of Shimon and others.
Parsha Matos
The importance of a Patriarch
leading a tribe for wisdom and experience and perhaps a prince as younger more
energetic administrator. For the wiser and older Patriarchs sat on the
Sanhedrin.
30:2 And Moses spoke
unto the heads of the tribes of the children of Israel, saying: This is the
thing which the LORD hath commanded. 3 When a man vows a vow unto the
LORD, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his
word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
There was a time when a man’s word and handshake
were worth something. Unfortunately, very few of us are left alive today and
people do not honor their words in this world. I don’t want to be in their
place in the next.
4 Also when a woman vows a vow unto the
LORD, and binds herself by a bond, being in her father's house, in her
youth, 5 and her father hears her vow, or her bond wherewith she hath
bound her soul, and her father holds his peace at her, then all her vows shall
stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand.
This is good from the time a girl can clearly
talk until the age twelve years and one day or the true Bas Mitzvah.
6 But if her father disallows her in the day
that he hears, none of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her
soul, shall stand; and the LORD will forgive her, because her father disallowed
her.
Both for the father and the husband. The problem
is a girl of 12 years and one day until married, divorced or widowed woman.
7 And if she be married to a husband, while
her vows are upon her, or the clear utterance of her lips, wherewith she hath
bound her soul; 8 and her husband hear it, whatsoever day it be that
he heareth it, and hold his peace at her; then her vows shall stand, and her
bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand.
If for example a woman vows not to have marital relations
with her husband and he is silent they must get divorced. Since women are more temperamental
than men, the Torah, granted the husband the right to annul vows.
9 But if her husband disallow her in the day
that he heareth it, then he shall make void her vow which is upon her, and the
clear utterance of her lips, wherewith she hath bound her soul; and the LORD
will forgive her.
This is a true story that happened to me. It is
not a vow for a father to disallow but one for her husband to disallow. I was
not on the Torah Level of a Chacham when I was young. A woman once got very
angry at her mother-in-law and said, “May G-D strike me dead if I ever let her
come to this house again.” I never told her husband (a bit of Shalom Beis on my
part even though I was far from religious at the time). I told her you don’t
really mean it and she angered you a lot. You are aggravated calm down. And so,
it was and both the mother-in-law died close to 90 and the woman close to 91
and the husband never heard the vow. This is a clear-cut example of a vow that
the husband would cancel.
10 But the vow of a widow, or of her that is
divorced, even everything wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand
against her. 11 And if a woman vowed in her husband's house, or bound
her soul by a bond with an oath, … 14 Every vow, and every binding
oath to afflict the soul, her husband may let it stand, or her husband may make
it void. 15 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from
day to day, then he causes all her vows to stand, or all her bonds, which are
upon her; he hath let them stand, because he held his peace at her in the day
that he heard them. 16 But if he shall make them null and void after
that he hath heard them, then he shall bear her iniquity. 17 These
are the statutes, which the LORD commanded Moses, between a man and his wife,
between a father and his daughter, being in her youth, in her father's house.
One should be careful
what proceeds out of one’s mouth.
31:1 And the LORD spoke
unto Moses, saying: 2 'Avenge the children of Israel of the
Midianites; afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.'
This week, Rabbi Y. Frand at the
Torah.org writes Don't Be Frumer Than the Shulchan Aruch: The Pasuk in
this week’s Parsha says, “Harass the Midianites and smite them. For they
harassed you…” (Bamidbar 25:17-18). The Ribono shel Olam tells
Moshe that he should take revenge from the Midianites for what they did
to Klal Yisrael. The Medrash Tanchuma comments on this: “One who
rises up to kill you—preemptively kill him. Rav Shimon says, ‘How do we know
that someone who causes his friend to sin is worse than someone who kills his
friend?’ It is because when someone kills another person, the victim still has
a portion in the World-to-Come. However, when someone causes his friend to be
sinful, he causes the friend to lose both this world and the next world.
The Medrash continues: Two nations approached the Jewish nation by
sword (attacking us physically, but not spiritually) and two other nations
approached them by attempting to entice them to sin (attacking them
spiritually). Mitzrayim and Edom attacked us physically, but Amon and Moav
attacked us spiritually. By the former nations we are commanded “Do not hate
them” (Devorim 23:8). By the third generation following their conversion, we
are allowed to intermarry with them (Devorim 23:9). However, concerning those
who caused us to sin, it is written “Neither an Ammonite nor a Moavite shall
enter into the Congregation of Hashem, even in the tenth
generation they shall not enter into the Congregation of Hashem, forever.”
(Devorim 23:4)
Ammon and Moav are on the “Enemies List” forever, because they did
something far worse than trying to kill us physically. They tried to seduce us.
They tried to take away our Olam HaBa. Therefore, the Ribono
shel Olam rejects them eternally.
The Medrash continues and says that someone who has mercy on an
Ammonite will end up suffering. He will come to shame, to wars, and to
troubles. If the Torah rejects them and places them “off limits” then we are
not allowed to show them kindness or to be nice to them. This is an old
principle: Don’t be frumer (more religious) than the Torah.
The Medrash gives an example of someone who had mercy on an Ammonite and, as a
result, suffered terribly: Dovid HaMelech. As it is written: “And Dovid said I
will do a kindness with Chanan son of Nachash, as his father did with me…”
(Shmuel II 10:2)
Nachash was the King of Amon, and at one point he did a favor to
Dovid (Shmuel I Chapter 11). Dovid HaMelech now wanted to repay the favor, so
when Nachash died, he sent messengers to be Menachem Avel (extend condolence
wishes to the mourner) to this Ammonite. The Medrash relates: “The Holy One
Blessed be He said, ‘You have transgressed My Word to not inquire about or be
concerned about their welfare. And you showed them acts of kindness. ‘Don’t be overly
righteous!’ (Koheles 7:16)”.
What happened to Dovid as a result of this gesture? We won’t go
into all the details of a long and complicated story in Tanach, but to make a
long story short, when the messengers of Dovid HaMelech arrived at the palace,
they were treated brutally, stripped down to the waist, and half their beards
were cut off to mock them.
This is the point of the Medrash: A person should only do what the
Torah says, and not try to improve on the Torah’s morality. If the Torah says
about the Ammonites and Moavites “Don’t seek their welfare or their benefit,”
we should follow the Torah and not be more “religious” than the Word of G-d.
This is the point of the Medrash: A person should only do what the
Torah says, and not try to improve on the Torah’s morality. If the Torah says
about the Ammonites and Moavites “Don’t seek their welfare or their benefit,”
we should follow the Torah and not be more “religious” than the Word of G-d.
The Sefer Otzros HaTorah brings a fantastic
incident: When Rav Moshe Feinstein was a Rav in Luban, Russia, there was a Jew
in the city who was a moser. A moser is a person
that snitches to the government against Jews. (One has to realize that this
incident took place in the 1930s, under the Stalinist Government. The
Communists were at their height of power and were terrible to the Jews.) There
were unfortunately Jews who were members of the Communist party, and they would
snitch on other Jews to get them into trouble with the Soviet authorities.
The moser died and he left a letter to the Chevra
Kadisha (Burial Society) in which he confessed that he had been sinful
during his life, and stated that now prior to death he regretted those actions.
He bemoaned the fact that he was responsible for having Jews arrested, sent to
Siberia, and killed. Out of shame and repentance, he stated that he wished to
achieve kappara (atonement) after death for his actions, and
hence requested of the Chevra Kadisha that they not give him a
proper Jewish burial. He requested that his body be mutilated and abused. “I
don’t want to have a tahara—just roll me in the gutter as a kappara for
what I did in my lifetime.”
The Chevra Kadisha came to the Rav of Luban, Rav
Moshe Feinstein, and showed him this “Last Will and Testament” of this Moser, and
asked for his advice. Rav Moshe paskened that they were not
allowed to treat a Jewish body disrespectfully, and that they had to bury him
with a tahara and with all the honor and dignity accorded to
any Jewish person being buried. He ruled that no person is the master over his
own body, and this person had no right to make such a request. “What is going
to happen to him after death is between him and the Ribono shel Olam,
but we cannot take the law into our own hands and do this to another Jew
because it is against the Din (Jewish law).”
The Chevra Kadisha tried to argue with Rav Moshe,
repeating what an evil person this fellow was. Rav Moshe persisted: “This is
what it says in Shulchan Aruch. You need to follow the Din.
Don’t be frumer than the Torah.”
The Chevra Kadisha buried the fellow, perhaps not with “full
military honors,” but with normal Kavod HaMeisim (dignity due
to the dead). A few days after the burial, the watchman at the cemetery
reported that officers from the Russian Government came and insisted that the
body be exhumed. The watchman was not in a position to tell the government
officers “Sorry, we don’t do that type of thing.”
They dug up the grave. They opened the coffin. They looked at the
body. They closed the coffin. And they reburied him. Before they left, the
watchman asked if they could give him an explanation about what just happened.
They told him what happened: Before this moser died, he sent a
second letter. He sent a letter to the government stating that he could
demonstrate how much the Jews hate the Communist authorities. “They are not
going to give me a proper Jewish funeral because I was a friend of the
government.”
Lo and behold, when they opened the coffin, they saw that he was
buried k’das u’k’din (according to Jewish law) and that the
allegation in the letter he sent them was in no way true. The moral of this
story is: Keep what is written in Shulchan Aruch. Shulchan
Aruch states what we are supposed to do. We should not try to outsmart
the Shulchan Aruch, and we should not try to be frumer than
the Shulchan Aruch. “Al te’hee Tzadik Harbeh” — ‘Don’t be
overly righteous!’ (Koheles 7:16). Learn@torah.org
3 And Moses spoke unto the people, saying:
'Arm ye men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian, to
execute the LORD'S vengeance on Midian. 4 Of every tribe a thousand,
throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war.'
Midian was not a great
nation. They were various tribes and families spread out of a large area. One such
tribe was headed by Yisro and another here was headed by Zur.
5 So there were delivered, out of the
thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for
war. 6 And Moses sent them, a thousand of every tribe, to the war,
them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy
vessels and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand.
According to one Medrash
36,000 went to war as follows: 12,000 for battle, 12,000 for the supply chain
and 12,000 for prayer.
7 And they warred against Midian, as the
LORD commanded Moses; and they slew every male. 8 And they slew the
kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur,
and Reba, the five kings of Midian; Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with
the sword.
In Parsha Balak, he went home but when he heard
24,000 died; he returned to get his reward and Israel gave it to him.
9 And the children of Israel took captive
the women of Midian and their little ones; and all their cattle, and all their
flocks, and all their goods, they took for a prey. 10 And all their
cities in the places wherein they dwelt, and all their encampments, they burnt
with fire.
Under conventions of war
at that time, women were vanquished by the conquerors.
11 And they took all the spoil, and all the
prey, both of man and of beast. 12 And they brought the captives, and
the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and unto Eleazar the priest, and unto the
congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp, unto the plains of Moab,
which are by the Jordan at Jericho.
The women here were the
reason for war because of the fertility cult.
13 And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and
all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the
camp. 14 And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, the
captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who came from the service
of the war. 15 And Moses said unto them: 'Have ye saved all the women
alive?
To put it mildly, keeping the fertility
prostitutes alive did not please HASHEM or Moshe.
16 Behold, these caused the children of
Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to revolt so as to break faith with the
LORD in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of the
LORD.
These women caused the death of 24,000 Bnei
Yisrael.
17 Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every
woman that hath known man by lying with him. 18 But all the women
children, that have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for
yourselves.
Any woman over the age of three shall be killed!
19 And encamp ye without the camp seven
days; whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain,
purify yourselves on the third day and on the seventh day, ye and your
captives. 20 And as to every garment, and all that is made of skin,
and all work of goats' hair, and all things made of wood, ye shall
purify.'
The soldiers had to ritually purify themselves
after the battle.
21 And Eleazar the priest said unto the men
of war that went to the battle: 'This is the statute of the law which the LORD
hath commanded Moses: 22 Howbeit the gold, and the silver, the brass,
the iron, the tin, and the lead, 23 everything that may abide the
fire, ye shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless
it shall be purified with the water of sprinkling; and all that abides not the
fire ye shall make to go through the water. 24 And ye shall wash your
clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean, and afterward ye may come
into the camp.'
From here we learn the laws of the purification
of vessels.
25 And the LORD spoke unto Moses,
saying: 26 'Take the sum of the prey that was taken, both of man and
of beast, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the heads of the fathers' houses of
the congregation; 27 and divide the prey into two parts: between the
men skilled in war, that went out to battle, and all the
congregation; 28 and levy a tribute unto the LORD of the men of war
that went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of
the beeves, and of the asses, and of the flocks; 29 take it of their
half, and give it unto Eleazar the priest, as a portion set apart for the
LORD.
They receive the equivalent of Terumah and
Maaser.
30 And of the children of Israel's half,
thou shalt take one drawn out of every fifty, of the persons, of the beeves, of
the asses, and of the flocks, even of all the cattle, and give them unto the
Levites, that keep the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.' 31 And
Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses. 32 Now
the prey, over and above the booty which the men of war took, was six hundred
thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep, 33 and
threescore and twelve thousand beeves, 34 and threescore and one
thousand asses, 35 and thirty and two thousand persons in all, of the
women that had not known man by lying with him. 36 And the half,
which was the portion of them that went out to war, was in number three hundred
thousand and thirty thousand and seven thousand and five hundred
sheep. 37 And the LORD'S tribute of the sheep was six hundred and
threescore and fifteen. 38 And the beeves were thirty and six
thousand, of which the LORD'S tribute was threescore and
twelve. 39 And the asses were thirty thousand and five hundred, of
which the LORD'S tribute was threescore and one. 40 And the persons
were sixteen thousand, of whom the LORD'S tribute was thirty and two
persons. 41 And Moses gave the tribute, which was set apart for the
LORD, unto Eleazar the priest, as the LORD commanded Moses. 42 And of
the children of Israel's half, which Moses divided off from the men that warred—
Like any public thing involving valuables, an
accounting open to scrutiny had to be done.
43 now the congregation's half was three
hundred thousand and thirty thousand and seven thousand and five hundred
sheep, 44 and thirty and six thousand beeves, 45 and thirty
thousand and five hundred asses, 46 and sixteen thousand
persons-- 47 even of the children of Israel's half, Moses took one
drawn out of every fifty, both of man and of beast, and gave them unto the
Levites, that kept the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD; as the LORD
commanded Moses.
Every soldier and then every Tribe got their
portion.
48 And the officers that were over the
thousands of the host, the captains of thousands, and the captains of hundreds,
came near unto Moses; 49 and they said unto Moses: 'Thy servants have
taken the sum of the men of war that are under our charge, and there lacks not
one man of us. 50 And we have brought the LORD'S offering, what every
man hath gotten, of jewels of gold, armlets, and bracelets, signet-rings,
ear-rings, and girdles, to make atonement for our souls before the
LORD.' 51 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of them,
even all wrought jewels. 52 And all the gold of the gift that they
set apart for the LORD, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of
hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty
shekels.-- 53 For the men of war had taken booty, every man for
himself.-- 54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the
captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tent of meeting,
for a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD.
Out of their profits, they gave a
percentage to HASHEM beyond the portion required.
32:1 Now the children of Reuben and the
children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle; and when they saw the
land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for
cattle, 2 the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and
spoke unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the
congregation, saying: 3 'Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah,
and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Sebam, and Nebo, and Beon, 4 the land
which the LORD smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle,
and thy servants have cattle.'
Because of the mine fields today certain areas that were not cleared
are left for cattle to roam. They are fertile rolling hills.
5 And they said: 'If we have found favor in thy sight, let
this land be given unto thy servants for a possession; bring us not over the
Jordan.'
Actually, the Yarden starts at the base of Mt. Hermon and they
wanted this land. It is in the area promised and explored by the spies. Hamath
is northern Syria and not even up to the Euphrates that will one day be the border.
6 And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children
of Reuben: 'Shall your brethren go to the war, and shall ye sit
here? 7 And wherefore will ye turn away the heart of the children of
Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them?
I am soon to be gathered unto my fathers but we do not need a
repeat of the spies incident and another 40years of waiting.
8 Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadesh-Barnea
to see the land. 9 For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol,
and saw the land, they turned away the heart of the children of Israel, that
they should not go into the land which the LORD had given
them. 10 And the LORD'S anger was kindled in that day, and He swore,
saying: 11 Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from
twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore unto Abraham,
unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed
Me; 12 save Caleb the son of Yephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the
son of Nun; because they have wholly followed the LORD.
Is history going to repeat itself and you will anger the L-RD?
13 And the LORD'S anger was kindled against Israel, and He
made them wander to and fro in the wilderness forty years, until all the
generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was
consumed. 14 And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers' stead, a
brood of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel. 15 For
if ye turn away from after Him, He will yet again leave them in the wilderness;
and so ye will destroy all this people.'
Will another generation have to die in the wilderness?
16 And they came near unto him, and said: 'We will build
sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones; 17 but
we ourselves will be ready armed to go before the children of Israel, until we
have brought them unto their place; and our little ones shall dwell in the
fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not
return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man
his inheritance. 19 For we will not inherit with them on the other
side of the Jordan, and forward, because our inheritance is fallen to us on
this side of the Jordan eastward.'
We will go out armed with
our brothers.
20 And Moses said unto them: 'If ye will do this
thing: if ye will arm yourselves to go before the LORD to the
war, 21 and every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan before
the LORD, until He hath driven out His enemies from before Him, 22 and
the land be subdued before the LORD, and ye return afterward; then ye shall be
clear before the LORD, and before Israel, and this land shall be unto you for a
possession before the LORD. 23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye
have sinned against the LORD; and know ye your sin which will find you.
If you fight with your brothers then well it is. However,
if you don’t your sin will come up to catch up with you.
24 Build you cities for your little ones, and
folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your
mouth.' 25 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke
unto Moses, saying: 'Thy servants will do as my lord commands. 26 Our
little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the
cities of Gilead; 27 but thy servants will pass over, every man that
is armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord saith.' 28 So
Moses gave charge concerning them to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son
of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the children
of Israel. 29 And Moses said unto them: 'If the children of Gad and
the children of Reuben will pass with you over the Jordan, every man that is
armed to battle, before the LORD, and the land shall be subdued before you,
then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession; 30 but
if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among
you in the land of Canaan.' 31 And the children of Gad and the
children of Reuben answered, saying: 'As the LORD hath said unto thy servants,
so will we do. 32 We will pass over armed before the LORD into the
land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us
beyond the Jordan.'
So Reuven and Gad received their portion on the east
bank of the Yarden along with half of Menashe on the Golan and plains of the
Yarden.
33 And Moses gave unto them, even to the children
of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto the half-tribe of Manasseh the
son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og
king of Bashan, the land, according to the cities thereof with their borders,
even the cities of the land round about. 34 And the children of Gad
built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer; … Reuven …. 39 And the children
of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the
Amorites that were therein.
The daughters of Zelaphad received a portion here.
40 And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son of
Manasseh; and he dwelt therein. 41 And Jair the son of Manasseh went
and took the villages thereof, and called them Havvoth-jair. 42 And
Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah,
after his own name.
Honoring one’s teacher, honoring one’s student.
Translation Rabbi Yerachmiel Tilles
http://ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=1283-45
He stood before his great teacher, known as 'the Ohr HaChayim,' Rabbi
Chayim Ben-Attar, his heart bursting with emotions. It was now several years
that Yinon ben Shlomo [not his real name] had heard Torah lessons from his
master's mouth and poured water upon his hands [i.e. served him as his
attendant]. Now he had decided that it was time to emigrate from Morocco,
settle in the Holy Land, and there to wholeheartedly serve the Creator by
dedicating his life completely to Torah study, sincere prayer and mitzvah fulfillment.
The Ohr HaChayim was pleased with his beloved student's decision, but
because of the strong relationship between them, he requested that his disciple
remain with him for another several days before making his final departure.
Yinon was happy to agree.
It was well he did. During those few days he received from his master
secrets of Torah and words of wisdom the depths of which he had never merited
to hear before.
The day of parting soon arrived. Before leaving his teacher's home, the
Ohr Hachayim asked of him a personal favor. He handed him a signed note and
said, "Please, when you arrive in the Holy Land, go to the remnant [i.e.
the Western Wall] of our destroyed glorious Temple and place this note in one
of the crevices between its holy stones."
Yinon of course agreed to this special request and stuck the note deep
into his pocket.
The wearying journey replete with difficulties lasted several months.
Finally, he reached the target of his dreams - the holy Land of Israel.
Immediately he headed in the direction of Jerusalem, filled with happiness and
gratitude to G-d that he would be privileged to establish his residence there.
While still on the way, he made a firm resolution to himself that here in
the holy land he would not try to earn a living through his Torah knowledge;
rather, he would engage in physical labor in order to support himself.
Upon arrival in the capital, he set out to acquire a horse and wagon.
Spending the last of his meager savings gained him a horse that was already
old, and a wagon of similar vintage. Still, possessing them enabled him to eke
out a bare living, by transporting the merchandise of businessmen from one
place to another. After some time, he managed to establish a group of satisfied
regular customers.
Each day, as soon as he earned enough money to cover his basic needs, he
would enter a certain Beit Midrash ['House of Study'] of the
Sephardim [Mediterranean Jewry] in Jerusalem, and spend the remainder of the
day engrossed in Torah study. The Jews who studied there regularly barely paid
any attention to the visibly poor young man who tucked himself into a corner of
the room and looked into one book or another. Yinon himself made every effort
possible to not stick out. Anyone who happened to take interest in who he was
and where he came from received a mumbled answer - or half-answer-that was not
at all clear.
And thus, he conducted his quiet modest life for a length of time. But
then, one day, tragedy struck. In the midst of pulling its usual heavy load,
his loyal aged horse toppled to the ground, dead.
Yinon felt immense sorrow. In a single instant, his ability to support
himself had vanished. He certainly had nowhere near the sum required to
purchase another horse. What would he do now? Would he actually have to become
dependent on the kindness of others? The thought distressed him greatly.
Yet, even more than worries about his financial situation, what pained him
the most was the possible significance of the sudden loss of his horse and
his parnassa. He was frightened that perhaps he had committed
some sin, and because of that he was being punished from Heaven. For the next
several days he closed himself in his house, studied and prayed intensely, all
the while undergoing several fasts and other manners of affliction in the hope
that he would gain atonement for whatever sin he had done, even though he
couldn't figure out what it was.
One day, he 'happened' to be searching for something in the pockets of
some old garments. In one of them he felt a piece of paper, folded. When he
extracted the paper from the depth of pocket, his whole body began to shake. It
was the note that his teacher, the Ohr Hachayim, had entrusted to him to place
in a crack between the stones of the Western Wall.
He couldn't believe what he had done. Nor could he conceive of any
possible excuse or justification for his lapse in fulfilling his revered
master's personal request. How could he have totally forgotten his promise? It
was incomprehensible. He was convinced that it was this unconscionable act of
forgetfulness and failing to honor his great teacher that had brought about his
current suffering.
He jumped up and hurried as fast as he could to the Kotel, and
there inserted the note as deep as he could into a crack between two of the
huge stones. After that he felt a bit less disgraced, and that it was
permissible for him to return to his usual study location.
When Yinon appeared in the doorway, all eyes turned towards him. Some of
the regular attendees rose from their seats and rushed to bid him welcome and
shake his hand. They even asked him his name and what he was doing in
Jerusalem.
Yinon was so surprised at the attention that he didn't know how to react.
The whole lengthy time that he had been sitting and studying in this Beit
Midrash, hardly anybody had paid him any attention, and now, all of a sudden,
everyone is interested in him?
He asked them, "Ma nishtana hayom hazeh mikol hayomim?" -
"How does this day differ than all the other days" [parallel to the
immortal question at the Passover Seder]? They replied that indeed his face was
familiar to them, but now he looked like a completely different person. "A
special light is shining on your face. Now we are certain that you are not just
a regular someone who wandered in from the marketplace, but a special person
who is 'head and shoulders above all' [a biblical expression of superiority --
first used about King Shaul].
At that hour, 'happened' to be sitting in the room the Chacham Bashi[1],
[the title of the Chief Rabbi of Sephardic Jewry in each region of the Ottoman
Empire]. He was among those who had left his seat to go greet the young Yinon,
because he too was impressed by the shine of his face. After the other men had
dispersed and returned to their seats, he turned again to Yinon and asked him
to explain what had he done to merit this special light.
Yinon, who was as surprised as everyone else about the matter - or even
more so! - didn't know what to respond. Finally, he related to him about how he
had failed in the mission the holy Ohr Hachayim had given him to deliver a note
to the Kotel. Apparently, his rectification of finally placing the note had led
to his dramatic spiritual change of appearance.
As soon as he completed his recital, the chief rabbi expressed his
interest in seeing with his own eyes the holy handwriting of the Ohr Hachayim.
He asked Yinon to guide him to the spot where he had placed the note into the
Kotel.
Yinon was reluctant to agree. He feared that he would again be degrading
the honor of his teacher. But when the chief rabbi pleaded with him again and
again, he finally felt that he had no choice and he agreed to go with him.
Together they descended to the Western Wall. Yinon indicated the location
and the chief rabbi inserted his hand and gingerly removed the note. Just a few
words were written on it: "I request that You come to the aid of my holy
student at the time of his dire need."
The very next day, HaRav Yinon ben Shlomo was crowned as an official Halachic [Jewish
Law] authority and Rabbinical Court judge for the city of Jerusalem and its
surroundings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Translated and adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from "Sichat HaChag"
(Shavuot 5719).
Biographical note:
Rabbi Chayim (ben Moshe) Ibn-Attar, popularly referred to as 'the Ohr
HaChayim HaKadosh' [of blessed memory: 5456 - 15 Tammuz 5503 (1696 - July
1743)], known as the "Ohr HaChayim HaKadosh" after his acclaimed
commentary on the "Five Books of Moses," was one of the most
prominent rabbis in Morocco. In 1733 he decided to leave his native country and
settle in the Holy Land. En route he was detained in Livorno by wealthy members
of the Jewish community who established a yeshiva for him. It is well-known
that the Baal Shem Tov, founder of the Chasidic movement, had the utmost esteem
for the Ohr HaChayim. His resting place on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem is
the occasion for a large annual pilgrimage on his yahrzeit.
Connection: This Thursday,15 Tammuz,
is the yahrzeit-hilula of the Ohr HaChayim
Last week, we had Pinchas the
Zealot fighting Zimri. What happens when zealotry becomes fanaticism against
the Gadol HaDor. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein ZTZ”L came out to be too liberal for the
fanatics. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356708
The Master and the Lad
by Rabbi Yerachmiel Tilles
http://ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=1284-46
After the passing of the Maggid
of Mezritch in 1772, when the spheres of influence in spreading the teachings
of Chasidism were divided up among the inner circle of the Maggid's
disciples, Rabbi Shneur Zalman, the "Alter Rebbe" of
Chabad Chasidism, was allotted Lithuania and White Russia. However, being
as Rabbi Shlomo of Karlin had followers in the towns of Beshenkovitz,
Tzeshnik and Liepli, he was allowed to continue visiting there.
When Rabbi Shlomo decided that he
wanted to permanently move to Beshenkovitz, he first asked permission of Rabbi
Shneur Zalman. The Alter Rebbe agreed with the following conditions:
1) Reb Shlomo would not demean those who devoted themselves seriously to the
study of the revealed parts of the Torah;
2) Reb Shlomo would not disparage those who had an innate fear of Heaven;
3) Reb Shlomo would teach his own chasidim that faith alone in the Tzadik (pure,
righteous leader) is not sufficient to enable one to ascend to higher spiritual
levels, but that one must personally toil in one's G-dly service.
Reb Shlomo was willing to agree
to the first two conditions but could not come to terms with the third, for he
taught his chasidim that those who are bound to the tzadik are elevated by his
service; the mission of their Divine service is simply to be enthusiastic about
the study of Torah and the observance of its commandments.
But his teachings conflicted with
the school of thought known as Chabad Chasidism established by the Alter Rebbe.
The Alter Rebbe taught that each individual must personally exert effort in
understanding G-d and His world, and in one's Divine service. Therefore, Reb
Shlomo did not move to Beshenkovitz, though he continued to visit there
periodically.
Despite their disagreements and
differences, a number of years later when Reb Shlomo visited the Alter Rebbe on
a communal matter, the Alter Rebbe treated him with utmost respect and
deference. When Reb Shlomo left to travel to Beshenkovitz for one of his visits,
the Alter Rebbe sent a number of young scholarly chasidim to accompany him,
among them Binyamin of Kotsk.
Along the way, Reb Shlomo and the
Alter Rebbe's chasidim engaged in deep discussions of all areas of Torah. Reb
Shlomo was very impressed with the depth of knowledge of his escorts. Upon
their arrival in Vitebsk, the Alter Rebbe's Chasidim got ready to return to
Liozna, but Reb Shlomo asked R. Binyamin to travel with him to Beshenkovitz.
Reb Binyamin agreed.
When it was time for the
afternoon prayer, Reb Shlomo instructed his wagon driver to stop the coach so
that he could pray. Reb Shlomo climbed down and looked for a stream to wash his
hands but there was none nearby. He climbed back up into the coach and sat
there for many moments in meditation….
…Suddenly the horses started to
gallop undirected. Before long they stopped near a stream, whereupon Reb Shlomo
descended and washed his hands. He prayed the afternoon service with his usual
fiery devotion, and then alighted upon the wagon.
When the wagon driver informed
Reb Shlomo that he had no idea where they were, Reb Shlomo told him to allow
the horses to proceed on their own. The horses galloped along until they came
to a highway. From there they traveled until they arrived at an inn.
Reb Shlomo told the wagon driver
to stop at the inn. He and R. Binyamin prayed the evening service followed
by Tikkun Chatzos [the after-midnight set of prayers in
remembrance of the destruction of the Holy Temple]. At dawn they prayed the
morning service and then continued on their way. They arrived in Beshenkovitz
on Thursday afternoon, in time for the afternoon prayer.
At this point it was impossible
for Reb Binyamin to return to Liozna in time for the Sabbath and so, he decided
to stay in Beshenkovitz for Shabbat. Throughout Shabbat, R. Binyamin met many
of his fellow Chabad chasidim. They were amazed that the Alter Rebbe had
accorded Reb Shlomo so much honor as to send such a scholar as R. Binyamin to
accompany him. Thereafter, they accorded Reb Shlomo much more honor than they
had previously.
Reb Binyamin remained in
Beshenkovitz for another two days, walking around as if in a daze from all that
he had learned from Reb Shlomo and from everything he had seen in Reb Shlomo's
prayers and Divine service. He had even had a fleeting thought to stay on in
Beshenkovitz to spend more time in Reb Shlomo's company. In the end, R.
Binyamin decided against staying and called on Reb Shlomo to take his leave.
Reb Shlomo spoke passionately to
R. Binyamin for many hours, entreating him to stay and become one of his
chasidim. He promised that he would share with him wondrous secrets of the
Torah and he would hand pick a group of students for him to teach who would be
worthy of his keen intellect.
Reb Binyamin listened and
responded by quoting a Ukrainian rhyme (just as Reb Shlomo would often spice
his conversation with Ukrainian sayings):
"The master's a master...but he's not mine;
The lad's a lad…but he's not thine."
And he returned to the Alter
Rebbe in Liozna.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Edited and supplemented by Yerachmiel Tilles from the excellent
translation by Basha Majerczyk in lchaimweekly.org (#750).
lchaimweekly.org/lchaim/ 5763/750.htm
Biographical
notes (in
alphabetical order):
Rabbi Shlomo of Karlin [1738 - 22 Tammuz 1792], was a student of the
Maggid of Mezritch and Reb Aharon the Great of Karlin, whom he succeeded in
1772. Most of the Chassidic leaders of the next generation in the Lithuanian
region were his disciples. He died Al Kiddush HaShem, stabbed by a
Cossack while in the midst of the Amida prayer.
--------------
Rabbi
Shneur Zalman [18 Elul 5505 - 24 Tevet 5573 (1745 - Dec. 1812 C.E.)], was
one of the main disciples of the Maggid of Mezritch, successor to
the Baal Shem Tov. He is the founder of the Chabad-Chassidic
movement and the author of Shulchan Aruch HaRav and Tanya as
well as many other major works in both Jewish law and the mystical teachings.
Connection:
This Thursday, Tammuz 22 (July 21), is the yahrzeit of Rabbi Shlomo of Karlin.
Milestone: René
Slotkin, 84, one of the last of 200 Mengele Twins. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356611
Milestone: Kurt Rothschild, 101, United
Mizrachi Leader and donor. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356675
Inyanay Diyoma
4 rockets from Gaza – no more rocket factory. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356631
Car ramming in the Shomron. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356587
Police officer killed at road block. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356633
Chief of Staff to visit Morocco. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356622
Ukrainian Cargo plane crashes in N. Greece. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356621
Israel Visit deleted from White House. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356632
No Defense Pact with UAE. https://www.debka.com/uae-opts-out-of-us-planned-air-defense-pact-as-biden-flies-to-jeddah/ On Friday, Gargash specifically
rebuffed suggestions that the UAE would join a regional defensive alliance to
counter Iran. “We are open to cooperation, but not cooperation targeting any
other country in the region and I specifically mention Iran,” he said.
FL golfing is dangerous if Alligators are in
your pond. https://www.aol.com/news/woman-killed-double-alligator-attack-040346978.html
Bat-Mitzvah comedy film. https://www.algemeiner.com/2022/07/15/adam-sandler-and-family-to-star-in-bat-mitzvah-comedy-based-on-young-adult-novel/
Ukraine Amb. Russia is sabotaging support. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356627
Israeli Airlines seeking Saudi overflights. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356624
Will not run in election. https://www.timesofisrael.com/mk-zandberg-to-take-political-time-out-in-latest-resignation-from-left-wing-meretz/
Iranian Naval Officer Dies. https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-says-naval-officer-martyred-in-latest-mysterious-military-death/
European Heat Wave and Forest Fires. https://www.timesofisrael.com/massive-forest-fires-cause-deaths-force-evacuations-in-scorching-southwest-europe/
Banned substance in wt. loss ‘cure’. https://www.timesofisrael.com/illegally-sold-weight-loss-drug-contains-ecstasy-health-ministry-warns/
Weak Euro reaches parity with Dollar. https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/rybxbt3i5
US awakens Israel to Chinese High Tech. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/r12294hiq
Arab who abused special needs person gets year
in jail. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356635
Shaked desperate to save Yamina. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356634
Avoid WOKE
LGBT new Disney film. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356628
The current board room executives at the Disney
company, not having the brains of The Scarecrow, have ignored the obvious; that
parents, not their kids, shell out for tickets to their movies and to their
theme parks. And if the elder folk are not happy with the contents of the films
or of the attractions at the parks, it's a no go for their offspring. Logic
101.
Ed-Op M. Phillips – Warm words empty gestures. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356549
Ed-Op C. Glick – Why Biden’s Trip Failed. https://www.jns.org/opinion/how-biden-ensured-his-trip-to-the-middle-east-would-fail/
Toronto police are searching for two men in
a suspected hate-motivated antisemitic act. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356607
IAF finishes drill in Romania. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356569
Muslims to counter-act 17th of
Tammuz. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356615
Deri presses UTJ to go with Netanyahu. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356612
Another Charedi Youth missing. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356617
Rabbi Gershon Edelstein, 98, a leading Lithuanian-Charedi rabbi
and the dean of the Ponevezh Yeshiva, on Friday morning was diagnosed with
coronavirus 2nd time.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356618
37 Seniors injured in bus turn over. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-712376
Iran can already be nuclear. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356661
Macron warns of rising antisemitism. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356690
11 terrorist some of the hill from me stopped. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356690
Court forbids housing for Arabs only in Yafa. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356696
4 dead in Indiana Mall Shooting. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356686
How to succeed in business: https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/nancy-pelosis-husband-buys-million-computer-chip-stock-weeks-vote-industry-subsidies
A federal jury in Texas has awarded a
former Southwest flight attendant more than $5 million after the airline fired her over
her stance on abortion in a lawsuit dating back to 2017. https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/southwest-flight-attendant-awarded-5m-after-firing-over-abortion-stance
Shaked – Ganz a campaign of lies. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356683
Ben Gvir running increases the right to 60. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356673
13 Medal to Israel in Birmingham AL. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356674
Harris’s speech writer “If my dead dog died
then my dead dog is dead” resigns. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356666
Ganz lowers COS candidates to two: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356649
Strategic Islands were given to the Saudis for
Flight Navigation and Saudi Tourism.
https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/hjhqs00mh9
Ed-Op Ron Ben Yishai Biden’s unanswered
questions. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bkimvppjc#autoplay
Ruti the hyena, who lived on the outskirts of
the central Israeli commuter city Modiin road kill. https://www.timesofisrael.com/ruti-the-celebrity-hyena-run-over-and-killed-near-modiin/
Zelensky fires security chief and prosecutor
too much treason. https://www.timesofisrael.com/ukraines-zelensky-fires-top-security-chief-and-prosecutor/
Deputy AG Raz Nizri announced he was leaving
the Justice Ministry in January, after failing to make a shortlist of
candidates to become attorney general. https://www.timesofisrael.com/false-dangerous-outgoing-deputy-ag-slams-netanyahus-attacks-on-judicial-system/
Money laundering charges for former lawyer. https://www.timesofisrael.com/uae-sentences-former-khashoggi-lawyer-to-3-years-in-prison-for-financial-crimes/
Somebody did not learn Vayikra 18 man rapes
stepdaughter with consent of mom. https://www.timesofisrael.com/couple-indicted-for-mans-alleged-rape-of-child-stepdaughter-with-mothers-consent/
Cold case retrial police find hair. https://www.timesofisrael.com/hair-found-at-scene-of-girls-2006-murder-matches-partner-of-defense-accused-woman/ one
matched the DNA of a man named Adir Habani.
Israeli research on Coral Florescence. https://www.timesofisrael.com/deep-sea-corals-glow-in-the-dark-to-lure-prey-israeli-researchers-find/
Ed-Op Bederman: Khrushchev, wanted a foot-hold in the Middle East in the
1960’s. https://dianebederman.com/what-is-the-state-of-the-fake-state-of-palestine/
EU after 10 years renews high level talks. https://www.algemeiner.com/2022/07/18/european-foreign-ministers-to-renew-high-level-council-with-israel-after-10-year-pause/
Quantum Machines to set up Israeli Production. https://www.algemeiner.com/2022/07/18/quantum-machines-to-establish-israeli-quantum-computing-center-in-30-million-deal/
Nice political stunt. https://www.timesofisrael.com/kahana-stops-traffic-to-rescue-kitten-then-needs-tetanus-shot/
A shot or shots from Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356785
An Axis of evil. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356774
Shortage of workers but discriminated against. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356798
Explosion and fire controlled at Hoover Dam. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356809
Two Orthodox Families search for missing sons. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356806
Arabs blinding drivers at night. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356772
The oldest practicing doctor is Jewish turned
100. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356761
Israeli dies of lactose allergy. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356766
Sex Offender Rabbi deigned citizenship. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bjmzxln35
5th grandchild to Netanyahu. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356772
Boat capsizes in port of Ashdod. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356810
Russia wants to annex more of Ukraine. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356812
In depth analysis from Debka. https://www.debka.com/russia-broadens-territorial-goals-after-ukraine-army-gets-long-range-us-arms/
Syria still the main problem with Iran: https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bj5pjib2q
Fatwa for no Nukes (until threshold is
passed?). https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356872
Thousands turn out to build new settlements. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356852
Officer who did 79 sex crimes to have pension
revoked. https://www.timesofisrael.com/amid-outcry-idf-expected-to-revoke-pension-of-officer-accused-of-79-sex-crimes/
Montreal two males arrested in attack. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356875
CIA Putin is far too healthy. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356867
Yemeni the ID crises of the Israeli Left. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/byjg8axn9
IDF uses UAV’s to take care of terror. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356854
IDF downed Hezballah Drone. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356726
10’s of Iraqi tourists died from Turkish
attack. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356881
A pregnant Jewish woman accidently goes over Niagara Falls. Slowly
she walked step by step and then… https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356848
Archeological treasures unearthed in elevator
project. https://www.timesofisrael.com/western-wall-elevator-project-unearths-archaeological-trove-of-villa-artifacts/
Russian dissident vs. Ukraine War. https://www.timesofisrael.com/facing-jail-threat-russian-dissident-former-mayor-plans-to-keep-fighting-kremlin/
Germany to buy Iron Dome because of Russia. https://www.algemeiner.com/2022/07/20/german-lawmakers-push-to-procure-israels-iron-dome-as-defense-shield-against-russian-threat/
Terrorist murderer gets Master’s Degree in
Israeli Jail. https://www.algemeiner.com/2022/07/19/palestinian-terrorist-murderer-finishes-masters-degree-in-israeli-prison/
Biden’s Approval Rate is lower. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356815
Iran, Russia and Turkey alliance. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356817
Biden’s cancer confusion. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356865
Elite Mikvah found on Har HaBeis. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356838
Tourist resuscitated in Zichron Yacov. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356851
US Marines test Iron Dome. https://www.algemeiner.com/2022/07/18/us-marine-corps-test-hits-multiple-missile-targets-using-israeli-iron-dome-technology/
Iran has $40billion deal with Russia. https://www.algemeiner.com/2022/07/18/us-marine-corps-test-hits-multiple-missile-targets-using-israeli-iron-dome-technology/
Hezballah wants blocked rail tunnel. https://www.timesofisrael.com/hezbollah-demands-return-of-border-rail-tunnel-in-likely-bid-to-torpedo-israel-talks/
UK antisemites flee to Belgistan. https://www.algemeiner.com/2022/07/19/uk-soccer-fans-who-sang-antisemitic-taunt-on-flight-to-belgium-escape-prosecution/
Vichy era coordination with Nazis underlines
antisemitism. https://www.algemeiner.com/2022/07/18/vichy-era-collaboration-with-nazis-underlines-imperative-of-fighting-antisemitism-french-president-macron-declares/
Netanyahu signed document could cause him Meron
Trouble. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356863
Northern Police Commander resigns over Meron. https://www.timesofisrael.com/northern-police-chief-quits-citing-responsibility-for-mount-meron-crush/
Jewish Super Bowl champion offensive tackle
Mitchell Schwartz has officially retired from NFL. https://www.timesofisrael.com/jewish-super-bowl-champion-mitchell-schwartz-retires-from-the-nfl/
New York Yankees on Monday selected Eric Reyzelman, a Jewish
pitcher. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356756
Boris Johnson quits Parliament. https://www.timesofisrael.com/hasta-la-vista-baby-uks-defiant-johnson-bows-out-in-parliament/
Some charges in Telephone Company Affair
dropped. https://www.timesofisrael.com/court-drops-some-charges-against-elovitch-clears-other-officials-in-bezeq-affair/
Nikki Haley spoke Monday night at a Christians United for Israel
(CUFI) summit just outside Washington, D.C., hinting at a possible 2024
presidential run. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356758
BDE Lactose intolerant carry two EpiPens. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356766
Shooting in Paris. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356746
US teens save Ashdod Resident. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356770
10,000 monkeypox vaccines. https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-signs-deal-to-procure-10000-monkeypox-vaccines/
Dead and wounded in Syria. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356931
16years after murder, terrorist captured. https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-16-years-israel-arrests-fatah-linked-terrorist-for-killing-of-idf-soldier/
Russia may remove the Jewish Agency. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356908
Analysis it is an act of revenge on Lapid. https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/sjjfogph9
Iran does not want the Nuclear Deal. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hysbdzvnq
Latest Israeli Poll. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356945
Lee Zeldin attacked. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356938
Iranian Ambassador threatens Israeli Amb. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356930
IAI gets $200million for radar, naval, AI surveillance
and security. https://www.algemeiner.com/2022/07/21/israel-aerospace-gets-200m-european-special-aircraft-deal/
Ukraine and Russia are due to sign an elusive
deal Friday, designed to help relieve a global food crisis caused by blocked
Black Sea grain exports. https://www.timesofisrael.com/ukraine-russia-to-sign-elusive-grain-deal-in-turkey-on-friday/
Top USAF General warns that Iran could resume
attacks on US and Allies. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356937
Positive news for Biden – Corona Positive. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356913
CPAC Chair wants Israeli Conservatives to be
with US Ones. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356919
Sinkhole in swimming pool disaster Victim IDed.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356934
Judean Desert added to security barrier. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356915
A Fabergé egg, thought to be one of the last remaining in the
world, was seized from a Russian oligarch’s luxury yacht in Fiji in June, US
officials announced. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356917
A 62-year old tenured UCLA professor has taken early retirement,
citing the "woke takeover of higher education," including that
classes at the university are "awash in anti-Zionism, a.k.a. thinly
disguised Jew-hatred." https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356861
Memorial Trees chopped down at Buchenwald. https://www.timesofisrael.com/trees-dedicated-to-holocaust-victims-chopped-down-at-buchenwald-camp/
James Webb Space Telescope may have found a
galaxy that existed 13.5 billion years ago, a scientist who analyzed the data
said Wednesday. https://www.timesofisrael.com/peering-back-in-time-webb-telescope-may-have-found-most-distant-known-galaxy/
Senior IDF Officer hit by car dies. https://www.timesofisrael.com/senior-idf-officer-killed-in-traffic-accident/
HAMAS AND TLAIB. https://www.redpapernews.com/rashida-tlaibs-past-comes-back-to-haunt-her-2-campaign-helpers-were-just-found-guilty-in-hamas-plan/
Graves vandalized in Turkey. https://www.timesofisrael.com/dozens-of-jewish-graves-vandalized-at-600-year-old-turkish-cemetery/
A healthy, peaceful and wonderful
Shabbos,
Rachamim Pauli
