Parsha Miketz Part 2
Our Parsha begins with the Hebrew
Slave Yosef is stolen from his princely position, 28years old and forgotten in jail.
40:1 And it came to
pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood
by the river. 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. 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 us what happened. One said to
Pharaoh about having seven children and burying them. Another spoke of 7 wives
and burying them. Pharaoh had a gut feeling with each interpretation was wrong.
This one is not it.
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.
Rabbi Tuvia Wein TZZAL told me that the Egyptian
law stated that a young man, a slave and a foreigner could not be a minister.
The Butler is not doing Yosef any favor by saying this description. But now
Yosef is 30 so perhaps the young man was eliminated. He would explain to
Pharaoh that he was prince over his brothers and if Egypt was ruling Eretz
Yisrael at that time, he might not have been a foreigner.
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.'
I have no power to answer dreams. It is a dream
from G-D and HE will give us the answer.
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. … 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.' 25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh: 'The dream of Pharaoh
is one; what God is about to do He hath declared unto Pharaoh.
The two dreams are really one dream repeating
itself.
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. 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.
Because the dream was doubled it shall come to
pass very 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.
G-D has given you intelligence information of
what the future will bring. Here is the solution on how to use this information
to save Mitzrayim from the seven years of Famine.
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.'
This is how you shall keep the food in silos
throughout the country.
37 And the thing was good in
the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
Unlike my hot-air advisors, this man not only
knows what the dream is about but the solution on how to solve it.
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.'
You shall be my prime minister and have full rule
of Egypt in my name only I shall be greater than you as ruler.
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. 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.
They called before bend the knee out of respect.
It was like the vice president of the USA flying in Air Force 2 in modern
terms.
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 new name means interpreter of the hidden.
It is like what we call the name of the hidden Matzo on Pesach and the second
name is to solve or interpret the hidden mystery. As for his wife, according to
the Midrash, she was the daughter of Dina given to adoption.
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.
Yosef may have originally gone from prince to
slave and returns from rags to riches. Now he has a job to do to save Mitzrayim
and the close by countries from famine. He has no time to waste on even a
message to daddy saying ‘I’m long lost Joe here in Egypt miss you dad, wish you
were here.’ Another interpretation is that since Yacov did not honor Yitzchak
by returning promptly, so too, HASHEM keeps the idea of Yosef contacting Yacov
from him and this is the Pshat I believe.
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.
We have mathematical concepts today that did not
exist even in the last century. 50years ago, I heard the BBC call a Trillion as
one thousand Billion. In the Biblical World there were ten thousand and ten
thousand times ten thousand but was limited. After perhaps 100,000,000 Ephod of
grain they rain out of counting.
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 he Ephraim: 'for God hath made me fruitful in the
land of my affliction.' 53 And the
seven years of plenty, that was in the land of Egypt, came to an end.
From Yosef’s position as chief assistant to the
god-king, Pharaoh, he could have had more children. But as a leader, he had to
set an example that during famine one should not have children.
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.'
I am sure that Pharaoh did not say Yosef but Zaphenath-paneah
and the Yosef is for us and our children to know. Perhaps if the Torah used Zaphenath-paneah,
we might forget or be confused about Yosef.
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.
Definitely the famine was over almost all of the
Middle East.
57 And all countries came into
Egypt to Joseph to buy corn; because the famine was sore in all the earth.
It does not take long for the word to spread that
there is food available in Egypt. We can see it today in the war in Gaza. As
soon as the Kerem Shalom crossing opened, the panic and crisis in Gaza ended
and food and food prices went down.
42:1 Now Jacob saw
that there was corn in Egypt, and Jacob said unto his sons: 'Why do ye look one
upon another?' 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.' 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.'
After Yosef’s disappearance, Benyamin is treated like an
Esrog or Shemura Matzos and guarded by Yacov.
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.'
The Midrash speaks of ten entrance gates into Egypt and each
brother entered one to look for a slave market and a slave named Yosef to buy
back. But nobody knew of a slave named Yosef. They even looked for him by males
who prefer males as he was extremely handsome/beautiful in appearance. But
there was no Yosef in any of these places nor was the name known. 20years plus
have passed perhaps 21 so why should even the older slave sellers recall a name
like Yosef?
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.'
Time heals wounds and even the dreamer of dreams has long forgotten
his dream. But suddenly it all comes back upon seeing the ten brothers. But
have they mellowed with age and matured?
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.'
No sir, we are brothers from the same father, not the mother.
One is no longer with us and the baby brother is at home.
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. 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.'
The only way I will know that you are telling the truth is
that you fetch this brother that you spoke of.
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: 18 And
Joseph said unto them the third day. 'This do, and live; for I fear God:
I think of the three days as they most have held Yosef in the
pit or prisoner for this time.
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; 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.'
Mida Knegged Mida. They perhaps held Yosef in the pit three
days or Reuven had the intent to return him after three days for he had
business to do. Now they were woken up from two decades not being punished.
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.
He knew he was the trouble maker.
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?'
Now we are in real deep trouble. There is something happening
to us from HASHEM and we are like clay or putty in the hands of the artisan.
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.'
The ruler of the land was harsh with us and accused us of
being spies.
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, he is a Tzaddik with a large burden of Tikkun
Olam. He had Esav and Eliphaz tried to murder him. He then had to over-come the
tricks, treachery and perhaps murder by Lavan. He thought that he had reached a
resting place and Dina is raped. He has a small war to fight with the locals
because of the murder of the people of Schem. Then Yosef is apparently dead and
now this!
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.
Boy Reuven are you a genius. I will kill my grandsons over
this!
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. 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 straightly 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. 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 for ever.
Eternally, in the next world.
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 laudanum, nuts, and almonds; 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.' 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.
Same strategy as he used with Esav give a gift and make sure
all the money is in order.
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.' 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.'
Now they thought because they might be suspected of stealing
the money that they would be made into slaves.
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.
This may have been translator = Menashe or one of the head
servants of Yosef.
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.
Like in the dream.
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.
The wording thy servant our father would cost
Yosef a year of his life each time he did not refute the servant part of our
father.
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.'
Test: He favored and blessed Benyamin will there be jealousy?
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.
He wept for many reasons it was an emotional reunion minus
his father but they could not know it just yet there was one more test he had
to put them through.
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.
The Egyptians had a segregationist attitude not to eat with
non-Egyptians and since this was diplomacy and Yosef above the law, he could do
this.
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. 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.
He was happy to eat again with them and it put them into a
good mood.
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.
He pretended that his goblet had magic powers and told them
things about their long forgotten past that he saw in the goblet.
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? 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? 9 With whomsoever of thy
servants it be found, let him die, and we also will be my lord's
bondmen.'
Foolish words like this killed Rachel. Fortunately, this
would not happen.
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.'
At this point they are unsuspecting of a set-up behind their
backs.
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. 13 And they rent their clothes, and laded every man his
ass, and returned to the city. 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.'
This Benyamin is a thief the son of thief (this is the moon bowing
down to him as Rachel had stolen the Terrapin).
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.'
This is the test. Is Yehuda a real
brother to Benyamin? Or like he did with his brother Yosef let Benyamin become
a slave without trying to save him? Is he up to his word as a guarantee for
Benyamin? What will the Egyptian Prime Minister do if Yehuda is man enough to
stand up for Benyamin?
Or will his father go down to the
grave with no sons of Rachel left in his old age? Sorry you have to wait to
next week for the most emotional part of the Torah.
Parsha Vayigash Part 1
Yehuda is besides himself. He knows
something is wrong spiritually. If anybody should be a slave, it should be
Yehuda who instigated the selling of Yosef. Benyamin was not part of the sale.
He suspects that because Yosef and Benyamin had gotten such beauty from Rachel
that this Egyptian Goy wants to use Benyamin for things we have had heard that
the male prisoners of Hamas were being abused.
44:18 Then Judah came near unto him, and said: 'Oh my lord, let thy
servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger
burn against thy servant; for thou art even as Pharaoh.
The Midrash states that Yehuda was willing to use
the DIVINE NAME and fight all of Egypt if necessary for the sake of Benyamin
but first he used his father’s method of logical pleas. From this we learn that
the forefathers of the nation did not want to make miracles but rather relied
upon natural events if they could.
19 My lord asked his servants, saying: Have
ye a father, or a brother? 20 And we said unto my lord: We have a
father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother
is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him.
Since he could not produce Yosef despite the
checking of the slaves and slave markets, he had to declare him dead lest the
Viceroy ask him to produce Yosef. So, he is explaining that the love of his father’s
life was the mother of Benyamin. BTW Leah had already passed on from Parsha
Vayehi 49:31 we learned “Machpelah … there I buried Leah”
21 And thou said unto thy servants: Bring
him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. 22 And we said
unto my lord: The lad cannot leave his father; for if he should leave his
father, his father would die. 23 And thou said unto thy servants:
Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no
more. 24 And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my
father, we told him the words of my lord.
Yosef should have lived to 120years but because
of all the time “thy servant my father” was said without him excusing an elder,
he lost 10years from his life.
25 And our father said: Go again, buy us a
little food. 26 And we said: We cannot go down; if our youngest
brother be with us, then will we go down; for we may not see the man's face,
except our youngest brother be with us. 27 And thy servant my father
said unto us: Ye know that my wife bore me two sons;
He is now telling the history of roots of
Benyamin.
28 and the one went out from me, and I said:
Surely, he is torn in pieces; and I have not seen him since; 29 and
if ye take this one also from me, and harm befall him, ye will bring down my
gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
I cannot return without the boy to see my father
head for the grave.
30 Now therefore when I come to thy servant
my father, and the lad is not with us; seeing that his soul is bound up with
the lad's soul; 31 it will come to pass, when he sees that the lad is
not with us, that he will die; and thy servants will bring down the gray hairs
of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.
Have mercy upon the old man and then in the next
Pasuk I will take the place of the lad.
32 For thy servant became surety for the lad
unto my father, saying: If I bring him not unto thee, then shall I bear the
blame to my father forever.
I am the guarantee for the lad.
33 Now therefore, let thy servant, I pray
thee, abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with
his brethren.
I will be the slave/servant instead of him.
34 For how shall I go up to my father, if
the lad be not with me? lest I look upon the evil that shall come on my
father.'
Please take me and let the lad
return unto his father.
YAMOD YOSEF BEN YACOV (stand up
Yosef Ben Yacov).
45:1 Then Joseph could not refrain
himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried: 'Cause every man to go
out from me.' And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known
unto his brethren.
In the next Pasuk we know that the servants and
especially the interpreter was listening at the door to what would happen.
2 And he wept aloud; and the Egyptians heard, and the
house of Pharaoh heard.
He did not want the Egyptians to see him crying
and emotional.
3 And Joseph said unto his brethren: 'I am Joseph; doth
my father yet live?' And his brethren could not answer him; for they were
affrighted at his presence.
I am Yosef, you know the dreamer of dreams and
you wanted to know what would become of my dreams! This startled them and they
feared revenge too. Is my father still alive? He did not die when his favorite
son ‘died’ why should he die now? Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach Zal turned this from
my father is still alive? To our father lives. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2OJSZgapiI
4 And Joseph said unto his brethren: 'Come near to me, I
pray you.' And they came near. And he said: 'I am Joseph your brother, whom ye
sold into Egypt.
I am still your brother.
5 And now be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves,
that ye sold me hither; for God did send me before you to preserve life.
You think you sold me for naught? From HASHEM
this came and is wonderous in our eyes.
6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land;
and there are yet five years, in which there shall be neither plowing nor
harvest.
What you have witnessed was the first two you of
neither plowing or harvest.
7 And God sent me before you to give you a remnant on
the earth, and to save you alive for a great deliverance. 8 So now it
was not you that sent me hither, but God; and He hath made me a father to
Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
I am an advisor like a father unto Pharaoh and
all the cabinet.
9 Hasten ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him:
Thus, says thy son Joseph: God hath made me lord of all Egypt; come down unto
me, tarry not. 10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and
thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's
children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou
hast; 11 and there will I sustain thee; for there are yet five years
of famine; lest thou come to poverty, thou, and thy household, and all that
thou hast.
Please say this to my father.
12 And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my
brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaks unto you.
Now take a good look at Benyamin and myself.
13 And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt,
and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall hasten and bring down my father
hither.' 14 And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept;
and Benjamin wept upon his neck.
The Holy of Holies was in Benyamin’s territory
and it was like on the shoulder of the mountains compared to other parts of
Yerushalayim. And he wept for the Mikdashim that would be destroyed.
15 And he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them;
and after that his brethren talked with him.
Now he hugged and kissed each brother and wept
for missing the family these 22years.
16 And the report thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house,
saying: 'Joseph's brethren are come'; and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his
servants.
The news of the arrival of the brothers of Yosef
reached Pharaoh.
17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph: 'Say unto thy brethren:
This do ye: lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of
Canaan; 18 and take your father and your households, and come unto
me; and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat
of the land. 19 Now thou art commanded, this do ye: take you wagons
out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring
your father, and come. 20 Also regard not your stuff; for the good
things of all the land of Egypt are yours.' 21 And the sons of Israel
did so; and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh,
and gave them provision for the way. 22 To all of them he gave each
man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of
silver, and five changes of raiment.
Another test, but this time they were glad for
Benyamin and that they had ‘protection’ with Yosef in Egypt.
23 And to his father he sent in like manner ten asses
laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she-asses laden with corn and
bread and victual for his father by the way. 24 So he sent his
brethren away, and they departed; and he said unto them: 'See that ye fall not
out by the way.' 25 And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the
land of Canaan unto Jacob their father. 26 And they told him, saying:
'Joseph is yet alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.' And his
heart fainted, for he believed them not. 27 And they told him all the
words of Joseph, which he had said unto them; and when he saw the wagons which
Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived.
The Gemara discusses why the wagons revise Yacov but
that will be next week.
We shall continue next week. I am almost caught up.
I want to go into this section to the end if I have more comments to add.
28 And Israel said: 'It is enough; Joseph my son is yet
alive; I will go and see him before I die.' … 26 And Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of
Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; only the land of the
priests alone became not Pharaoh's. 27 And
Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen; and they got them
possessions therein, and were fruitful, and multiplied exceedingly.
Rabbi Elie Mischel:
https://aish.com/excruciating-choices-rabbi-meir-of-rothenburg-and-the-israeli-hostages/
After a
week-long ceasefire and the release of 110 Israeli hostages, Hamas broke the
ceasefire and Israel resumed its war against Hamas. Still, with 137 hostages
still under Hamas control, the Israeli government’s decision to negotiate with
Hamas remains highly controversial and emotionally fraught. Should Israel do
whatever it takes to obtain the release of the hostages, even if doing so may
endanger many lives in the future? Is it morally acceptable to release three
Arab terrorists in exchange for every innocent Israeli?
Any
discussion of this fraught question will be informed by the remarkable story of
Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg. Born in Germany around the year 1215, Rabbi Meir
suffered from antisemitism throughout his life. In 1240, while Rabbi Meir was
studying under the tutelage of Rabbi Jehiel of Paris, Pope Gregory IX ordered
Louis IX of France to seize all Jewish texts in his realm. Though Rabbi Jehiel
publicly defended the Talmud against spurious charges of blasphemy, the
antisemitic French government condemned the Talmud and publicly burned 24
wagonloads of Talmudic manuscripts on June 17, 1244. Rabbi Meir, an eyewitness
to this tragedy, wrote a powerful elegy describing the pain of this loss that
is recited annually by Jews worldwide on the 9th of Av.
Following
this tragedy, Rabbi Meir returned to Germany, where he served as the rabbi of
several large communities, ultimately settling in Rothenburg. Universally
acknowledged as the leading European authority on Jewish law, he established a
yeshiva, at his own cost, and trained disciples who would later become the
leading rabbis and scholars of Europe.
In 1286,
the German ruler Rudolf I designated the Jewish community as servi
camerae regis, or "serfs of the treasury," which meant Rudolf
could directly tax the Jewish community on top of the heavy taxes already
imposed by local nobles. Together with his family and students, Rabbi Meir
decided to leave Germany and move to the Land of Israel. Tragically, as the
group traveled through the mountains of Lombardy, an apostate Jew accompanying
the archbishop of Mainz recognized him.
The Jewish
community immediately set about raising great sums to free Rabbi Meir from
captivity. But as Rabbi Solomon Luria (1510-1573) later wrote, Rabbi Meir
refused to be ransomed:
I heard
about our teacher and Rabbi, Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg… who was held captive in
the fortress at Ensisheim for several years, and the king demanded from the
communities a preposterous ransom. The communities wished to pay but Rabbi Meir
would not allow it, saying that it is not permitted to ransom captives for more
than their worth. I am flabbergasted, as he was an exceptionally great Torah
scholar, and there was none like him in Torah and piety in his generation, and
it is permissible to ransom him for all the money in the world…
“Clearly,
his opinion was that if they ransomed him, the rulers would take the greatest
Torah scholar of each generation into captivity for ransom so great that the
Jewish communities of the diaspora would not be able to ransom them, and the
Torah would be forgotten from Israel. I also heard that the same evil ruler
wanted to seize his student, [Rabbenu Asher]. He heard about this and fled to
Tulitila and was saved by God’s compassion and mercy. Because of this, the
pious one [Rabbi Meir] said that it is better that a little wisdom be lost from
Israel than the total loss of all Torah scholarship. And this is the sign [that
he was correct], that at that time they ceased seizing the sages of the
diaspora.” (Yam Shel Shlomo, Tractate Gittin).
For seven
years, Rabbi Meir remained a prisoner, until his death in 1293. His body was
only returned to the Jewish community 14 years later when a wealthy Jew,
Alexander Suskind Wimpfen of Frankfort, paid a large ransom.
If he were
alive today, what would Rabbi Meir say about Israel’s hostage exchange with
Hamas? Would he approve or disapprove?
Maimonides
writes: “There is no greater mitzvah than redeeming captives.
For a captive is among those who are hungry, thirsty, and unclothed and he is
in mortal peril. And one who averts his eyes from redeeming them transgresses
‘Do not harden your heart or shut your hand,’ and ‘Do not stand idly by the
blood of your neighbor,’... and nullifies the commandments of ‘You shall surely
revive your brother’ and ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’”
(Maimonides, Laws of Gifts to the Poor 8:10).
Now that
some of the hostages have been freed, we know that Hamas terrorists tortured
and starved them while they were in captivity. Every moment the remaining
hostages spend in captivity under the control of Hamas is a danger to their
lives, and they are almost certainly suffering from trauma, hunger and medical
problems. Redeeming captives as quickly as possible is a matter of life and
death. Surely Rabbi Meir would agree!
Nevertheless,
as Rabbi Meir’s own experience shows, there are complicating factors. The sages
explain that we “must not ransom captives for more than their value, for the
good order of the world” (Babylonian Talmud, Gittin 45A). If Jews are willing to pay any
price, no matter how exorbitant, to free their loved ones whom have been taken
hostage, the enemies of our people will only be encouraged to kidnap more Jews
in the future.
The people
of Israel learned this truth the hard way on October 7. In 2011, Israel released
1,027 convicted terrorists in exchange for Corporal Gilad Shalit, a soldier who
was kidnapped by Hamas six years earlier. Though the price was unquestionably
exorbitant – 1,207 terrorists for one soldier – the deal was supported by a
majority of Israelis, including 26 government ministers, who desperately wanted
to bring Shalit home, at any price.
As Rabbi
Meir understood, a lopsided deal like the Gilad Shalit exchange only encourages
antisemites to abduct more Jews. Among the terrorists released in 2011 was
Yahya Sinwar, the now infamous leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the
mastermind of the October 7 massacre and abduction.
Some rabbis
argue that when hostages’ lives are stake, the normal rules forbidding
exorbitant ransom fees do not apply, for Jews are required to break almost of
the rules of the Torah in order to save a life. Others, however, argue that we
must not pay exorbitant fees even to save a life, for doing so will only
endanger the lives of other Jews in the future.
When the
Canaanite king of Arad attacked the Israelites as they wandered through the
wilderness, his armies took captives from Israel. The rabbis explain that only
one prisoner, a handmaid, was taken prisoner. Nevertheless, Moses did not enter
into negotiations for her release. Instead, the people went to war and freed
the hostage by destroying the enemy.
But Rabbi
Yaakov Kamenetsky (1891-1986) disagreed, arguing that the standard rules of
redeeming captives only apply during a time of peace. During a time of war, he
asserted, it is forbidden to redeem hostages for financial payments, for doing
so actively assists and strengthens the enemy that is trying to destroy the
Jewish people.
In the deal
with Hamas, Israel was required to allow large amounts of “humanitarian aid” to
enter Gaza which was soon confiscated by Hamas terrorists. Will these supplies
assist and strengthen Hamas in their genocidal war against Israel and endanger
the lives of Israeli soldiers? Though we cannot answer with certainty, the
answer is likely yes.
Should
Israel negotiate another ceasefire with Hamas to release more hostages? It’s
hard to imagine a more painful dilemma. May God give Prime Minister Netanyahu
and the Israeli government the wisdom and strength to choose correctly, and may
all of the hostages soon be freed and returned to their families, in good
health.
For those who have the time, another Aish HaTorah story
by Sarah Pachter
https://aish.com/8-non-jewish-heroes-in-these-dark-times/
The Bravery of Rami who rescued
teens. Spoke in Arabic to six terrorists claimed be a Bedouin and asked them
for a girl they were holding and told them that the IDF was heading their way
and that they should flee. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382050
Female Border Patrol Commander Shira Buchris I am no
heroine.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382039
Another story of
returning to Torah Roots. Each year on the Moshav where the Bar-Nes family
lived they would borrow a Torah for the holidays. They lost their son on Oct. 7th
who heroically fought out armed and out gunned. The younger brother started
putting on Tephillin and the mother is collecting money for a Sefer Torah with
the Sofer already commissioned. The Sefer is to be dedicated by next Hanukah.
Rav Yosef Ben Porat
Shlita (Hebrew only) on tragedy of the three soldiers. If G-D declared that
they must be gather unto him nothing helps. If the Lord will not guard a city, [its] watcher keeps his
vigil in vain. Psalm 127:1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAi7m1A-c1k
Story of prayers and the
miracles of three APC’s by Rabbi Baruch Rosenblum Shlita Hebrew with English
Subtitles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1CFyk58LEg&t=15s
Another miraculous
survival of a Givati Soldier, despite the ambush and a grenade injury,
eliminates the two terrorists who ambushed him. From Inyanay Diyoma Below in
case you don’t read news. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aauul68CFYg
Heroic battle of Oct.7th
on film. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382322
Milestone: Bob Jacobs, , Israeli Activist. His son in the picture is
one of my neighbors not that young. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/293039
Inyanay Diyoma
Dec. 16
11th week of war starts
as day 71 starts for the sun has set. Golani Soldier against IDF Policy shoots
and kills 2 shirtless fleeing hostages with white flag. The third a Bedouin
shouts save me in Hebrew but is gunned down. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382027
This was in the area of the mistaken
killing. Dolls and recorded crying in Hebrew & IED. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382019
Initial
IDF probe: 3 hostages were shirtless, waving white flag when troops shot them |
The Times of Israel Explosives-laden
drone launched from Lebanon strikes near northern Israel town | The Times of
Israel
Denmark
widens terror probe as alleged Hamas members arrested in Germany | The Times of
Israel
Iran
executes man accused of spying for Mossad | The Times of Israel
Kuwait’s
ruling emir, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, dies at age 86 | The Times of
Israel
In 1st comments on Evan
Gershkovich, Putin says Russia seeks prisoner exchange | The Times of Israel
Fashion
chain Castro to bring back 90% of staff furloughed due to Hamas war | The Times
of Israel
Hamas hiding in schools is targeted.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382033
Advanced Master Sgt. Yechezkel
Azara, 53. Dies from Northern Drone Attack. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382034
In Gaza a Sgt. Major dies. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382026
IDF fights on the ruins of Sinwar’s
home. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382031
Two shipping companies announced on Friday that
they will be halting their operations in the Red Sea in the wake of the attacks
by Houthi rebels. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382032
Hamas store houses attacked near
Egyptian Border. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382015
Schem knife welding terrorist
neutralized. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382028
May have months of war. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382009
Opening of crossings is an ethical
and diplomatic failure. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382014
Egypt in action in Red Sea and
Rafah. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/mnjsljp68
Academics are acting with blind
antisemitism. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjimtxj86
Op-Ed Prof. Harel My pride in my MIT
Degree hit. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rjdtdouut
Dec. 17th
Last night I should have written the
start of Day 72 for it was after sunset. I wrote on my Facebook page how I miss
helping out on Border Patrol even if it would cut from my current Torah
schedule. For to learn a Daf Yomi on Border Patrol is more powerful than
working out in the gym or sitting at home. But then I released that the last
paramedic review I had was about 40 years ago and I did Border Patrol at the
age of 30. I need glasses to see the site on a gun and climbing in and out of
military vehicles with all the paramedic gear on me, flack jacket and helmet is
a whole different ball game. Then I looked around me in the mirror at the man
with a walker or cane with hands that shake from a traffic accident and vertigo
from that accident. The conclusion is that the best help I can give my soldiers
is Psalms and more learning of Torah. The current Yeshiva Leader Rabbi Dov
Landau Shlita and also Rabbi Yitzchak Silberstein Shlita both called for more
intense Torah Learning.
My wife is a typical Israeli and is
upset at the death of soldiers and of the prisoners who were gunned down by
friendly fire including the Bedouin. For all innocent Israelis deserve to be
free to work and live.
Speaking of Bedouin, there was
another dispute last night and one murdered a neighbor. Since the war began
most of the mafia killings stopped but honor killings and a few others
continue. Probably 120 or so Arabs will have been murdered this year but it
slowed down as the mafia cannot try to extort Yishuvim with all the alert
patrols of armed guards circling them.
IDF aircraft attacked a terrorist cell in the Nur
Shams refugee camp near Tulkarm overnight, after the cell fired at and threw
IEDs towards an IDF force. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382068
Two reservists fell in battle. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382063
Weapons in incubators. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b15f0ps8p#autoplay
Hamas steals aid from civilians. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bydb7zgit#autoplay
Jordan denies land bridge to go
around Houthis. https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/all-news/article-778335
Nuclear attack by N. Korea and no
more Kim Jong rule. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-778284
Mechanics of Helium Core Super Nova. https://www.jpost.com/science/article-778131
CENCOM Commander in Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382051
Austin leaves for Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382057
Austin: The effort will be called, "Operation Prosperity
Guardian." The decision comes as US and UK warships shot down Houthi
drones on Saturday. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382053
Two more firms to ship around
Africa. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382065
The Abducted and Missing Families Forum commented
Saturday evening on the tragic killing of three hostages on Friday by IDF fire.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382041
Tax on sweet drinks for war cost. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382052
Soup Nazi in NYC. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382067
CORRECTION TO WRONG NUMBER GIVEN IN THE PAST. The New York Post reports that there were 185 such
crimes from Oct. 7 to Dec. 10, an increase of 85% over the 73 such incidents in
the same period last year. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382073
Ottawa Youth in antisemitic plot. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382058
Hamas toughens stance on prisoner
release. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382056
Dec. 18th
Yesterday Nachum Barnea (left) wrote
and Op-Ed why is it that the soldiers who used the Mosque Microphone to say
Shema was disciplined and not the sniper who killed the hostages and the others
who shot dead the Bedouin who cried in Hebrew ‘save me’?
It is obvious to me, RP,
that somebody or somebodies did not put brain(s) in gear that night. COS on the subject. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382113
Unseen until too late even if they
thought it might be a trap. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382111
"The war in the south, dedicated to
destroying Hamas and returning the hostages, directly affects the security
situation in Judea and Samaria – Israel's security belt. The Palestinian
Authority is not sitting idly by, and in addition to praising Hamas for the
Simchat Torah massacre, they are encouraging, supporting, and abetting
terrorism," said Smotrich at the end of the visit. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382107
Stabbing attack at a gas station. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382114
Yesterday, morning/afternoon two
more soldiers fall. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382117
Four more soldiers fall in battle
overnight. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382129
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Sunday praised the
Biden administration’s efforts to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi
Arabia as an important step toward stabilizing the Middle East after the war in
Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382128
New Hostage Deal in the works. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382119
Not a regular tunnel but an
underground city. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382116
Sinwar’s brother drives through
tunnel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382110
Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, during the Cabinet
meeting on Sunday, attacked the decision to approve the entry of trucks
carrying humanitarian aid into Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing, and also
stated that he opposed it. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382118
A car collided on Sunday night with a motorcade
SUV that was part of US President Joe Biden's security detail in Wilmington,
Delaware. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382123
A candidate for Germany’s far-right Alternative
for Germany (AFD) was elected on Sunday as the mayor of the eastern town of
Pirna. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382125
Danny Danon plans for the day after in Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382108
Hopeless hapless hostage: "As a woman, the fear of being
raped or the variety … could never get off your mind, never," she said in
an interview.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382112
Hundreds of synagogues and Jewish institutions
across the United States received bomb threats by email this weekend. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382136
Harvard saw a 17% drop in applications from
students applying through early admission, with just 7,921 high school seniors
seeking to secure their spot, compared to the 9,553 that did so last year. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382133
The French are increasing their pressure for a
diplomatic solution which will distance Hezbollah from the border with Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382137
Iranian Gas Stations interrupted. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382138
Terror money. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382139
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382089
Charedim believe those who are not
learning Torah must contribute. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382076
Man touches remnants of rocket and
it explodes. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382085
BA will not show Jewish series until
after war. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382074
"We will return the communities [of northern
Israel] to their place, and we will do it either through an agreement process
or through forceful action, with all implications of that. We do not want war,
but we will not hold back for too long," Gallant said. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382094
Gazans loot aid truck. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382091
WE BOMBED MANY HEZBALLAH TARGETS
AFTER 9 ROCKETS FIRED. They claim since Oct. 190 dead figure seems low. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382078
Sinwar no longer has a vacation
home. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382088
Yishai was on leave in Benyamin and
is shot at by drive-by terrorists. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382155
Soldiers of the 252nd Division were used to
defeat the Beit Hanoun Brigade of Hamas. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382162
A man was arrested after spraying an unknown
substance on 2 people and chanting antisemitic gas the Jews slogans outside a
synagogue in Washington DC. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382161
"We warn civilians before attacks, whenever
possible. We also recommend civilians to temporarily move away from areas of
intense fighting," the IDF spokesman added. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382149
Air Battles and attacks from the
north. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382078
Netanyahu War of Civilization vs.
Barbarism. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382163
IDF Rabbinate: "There is a complete ban on accepting donations from a
civilian without a donation approval, [for items] such as: mezuzahs, tefillin,
Torah scrolls, and so on," the instruction reads. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382142
Yad L'Achim has reported a startling increase in the
number of missionaries operating in Jerusalem, particularly in
Haredi neighborhoods in the center of the city. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382152
Another soldier falls and one seriously
wounded. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382147
For decades, it has been known that people with
diabetes are at a substantially increased risk of developing severe lung disease
if they become infected with viruses such as influenza, as well as with
bacteria and fungi. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/381954
Dec. 19/20
Besides the war and updating friends
and readers I had other urgent things to do and what started out day 74 became
day 75 of the war.
In the early days of the war,
leaflets and phone calls warned civilians to evacuate certain streets. Those
who were force to remain in building or did not heed the warnings died.
Two days ago, I a letter from one of
my pro-Israel non-Jewish friends from down under. It contained concern for all
the dead Palestinian Children. Obviously, their propaganda machine is working
over time alone with the Pallywood fake cameras that started in 2000 with the
death of Mohammed Dura, who died again in 2005 on the beach and was seen on and
off throughout the years but no longer a child.
When I was a child with my silly
friends we used to sing “On the first day of war my true love sent to me a
cartridge in a 33.” But 75 days about 120 live captives and 10 to 15 bodies,
1200 plus civilian’s dead, many injured and over 460-470 soldiers lost it is
not a matter of singing. This is not to mention the stress on the population,
education and business losses.
Heavy barrages in the north and even
heavier replies by Israel filling the skies of beautiful Lebanon with black
smoke. Barrage on Central Israel and Hezballah in the north. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382078
300 targets in one day surrender or
die. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382275
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382254
Gaza Hospital Director tells how
Hamas uses hospital. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382211
Ramat Gan Yeshiva head eulogizes
this soldier who might have been in my daughter’s kindergarten 20 years ago or
his brother. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382275
Keren B’ Yavne Rosh Yeshiva
eulogizes Cpt. Cohen. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382272
Capt. Reserves falls. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382247
Go Pro-Camera on dead reveals
hostage msg. attempt too little and too late.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382272
Despite a few assassination attempts
Mohammed Deif only slightly injured. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382243
About 500 out of 3,000 terrorist suspects
surrendered in the Jabaliya area, many of whom were confirmed to be affiliated
with the Hamas or Islamic Jihad 1000 killed.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382227
Jihad shows footage of two men over
60. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382236
Hamas publishes photos of three captive
men over 75. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382174
She was seen by other captives and
is still in captivity but may have been abducted by civilians. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382222
Chabad settle Gaza: Beresheis 28:14 and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east,
and to the north, and to the south. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382209
Hundreds of rockets found. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382208
One of Sinwar's four houses, was networked with 40
perimeter security cameras. In addition, the house had mirror windows for
concealment and additional curtains.
A soldier noticed that the flooring in one of the rooms
in the house had a bit of grout missing, which raised his suspicion that
something was under there. The soldier pressed his foot on the floor tiles and
a hydraulic double door opened leading to a bunker with escape routes outside. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382234
Snipers fired at the IDF from the Latin Church. Fire was returned
and the Latin Patriarch (no friend of Israel) accused us of shooting. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382240
In a warping of the US Constitution,
judges throw Trump off of CO primary ballot. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382241
The action was shown on Israeli TV
from the Go-Pro Camera. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382176 footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aauul68CFYg
Dangerous teen driving license for
scooters & bikes. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382148
Bibi the Oslo Agreement implementor.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382171
Victory for Israel is a victory for
the free world. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382175
Dec. 21
Defense Minister warns the Houthis.
It might not be the Monroe Doctrine but close to it. Biden seems to have
forgotten it but not CENTCOM. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382287
Three soldiers fell in battle. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382296
One of
the soldiers lived near the grocery store where I do a lot of my shopping.
Earlier this week may have missed
them. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382187
https://www.algemeiner.com/2023/12/18/new-york-kosher-restaurant-attacked-by-anti-israel-vandal/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2023/12/19/mit-president-also-had-an-antisemitism-problem-at-duke/
Rabbi Druckman’s Yahrzeit. Execute the vengeance of the Children of Israel on the
Midianim; afterwards you shall be gathered to your people” (Bamidbar, 31:2).
Our Sages explain: “This comes to praise the tzaddikim who don’t leave this
world until they carry out the revenge of Israel, for this is the revenge of
‘He who decreed and it came to pass in the world’ to say to them you are not
carrying out the vengeance of flesh and blood, but rather the vengeance of the
Creator” (Sifre, Matos, 197). https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382292
OU defending ourselves a Jewish
Ethic. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382204
Op-Ed G. Meotti. Hostages not
welcome. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382277
Prison Service command request
extension until war’s end. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382291
N. Korea threatens Nukes. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382301
At the start of the war, an aerial
detection system developed by Hamas and hidden inside water heaters on the
roofs of civilian houses in the Gaza Strip in order to identify and track IDF
aircraft was destroyed by the IAF in cooperation with the Intelligence
Directorate (J2) and the ISA. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382284
Canada gets thanks from Hamas
Leader. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382293
The IDF announced on Wednesday that its troops
secured control over Hamas' "Elite Quarter" in the center of Gaza
City, including the area of the ‘Palestine Square’, from where Hamas’
administrative and military leadership operated. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382288
Biden’s dreams of PA and Oslo will
hurt Yisrael. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382290
Terrorist Thaer Abu Asab, 38, died at Ktzi'ot
Prison about a month ago after being beaten in his cell by prison guards. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382297
Malaysia bans Israel bound ships. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382305
US elected officials, as well as national
security and military experts have signed a letter calling for America to stand
with Israel as it works to eradicate Hamas. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382300
No new hostage deal. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382295
North not quiet. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382298
Re-election in Egypt. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382188
Tunnel was built in plain sight. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382178
Almost everyday in NYC professional
protests. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382185
Tuesday Poll. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382183
Soldier girl knocked down by IDF
Artillery fire. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382195
Govt. failed on home front. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382218
Dec. 22
On the 76th day of the
war, with the IDF finishing cleaning up almost all resistance in the two
western parts of northern Gaza, they moved on to the third and last section of
the northern puzzle where captives might be. As a result, rather than risk
captured rockets, the shot of 35 rockets towards Ashdod, Rishon, Tel Aviv,
Herzliya, the airport and Petach Tikva. This happened a few minutes before we
were to leave towards Nechalim-Petach Tikva. 10th of Tevet is my
mother-in-law’s Yahrzeit and for the first time in many months, we met all my
wife’s nieces and nephews. Menashe had to duck into a store in Bnei Brak on the
way to his bus. My oldest nephew is currently a Major in the Reserves and is
serving with Golani 13 on the out skirts of Gaza. He was called to the north
this week and released 4 people from army duty but their release means that
they cannot have a driver‘s license or gun permit. (If the US did this to PTSD
folks, the famous sniper of the Iraq war would still be alive) My
nephews-in-law are serving. One is protecting his Yishuv and Dr. Yonatan is
patching up soldiers that don’t need helicopter evacuation to Gaza and can
either be returned to battle or taken by ambulance to a hospital even near
their parents or wife’s residence.
I showed Menashe a picture of Lavi
Ghasi, who fell in battle. He thinks that he knew him.
My wife was sad today. She said, “We
are losing the war because of the humanitarian aid.” I can tell you that Putin
does not worry about humanitarian aid to the Ukraine. But we are dependent on
Biden’s help. Israel alone could not produce enough weapons, bombs or replace
jeeps and tanks, without the help of the USA. So, the one with the purse
strings and munitions supply has a word or two in the fighting. Fortunately,
CENTCOM, Austin, Kirby, Sullivan and Blinken, son of a holocaust survivor have
a better attitude to Israel, Iran and Houthis than Biden.
IDF spokesperson Hebrew with English
voice translation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UR2WAPqDG4
Two more soldiers fell in battle. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382371
Thwarted weapons smuggling. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/h1deb7mv6#autoplay
Hamas deal still possible. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sjmn0fgpt
Iranian Women with fake personas
on-line. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hy6ofdnu6
Deeper insight here: https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjbffazva#autoplay
Czech terrorist. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bya008cbdp#autoplay
Israeli Woman injured in armed
robbery. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjjz7vbpa#autoplay
Asking for a singer to be ousted. https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/r1zfomzwa
The Qatari newspaper, al=Araby al-Jadeed,
reported this afternoon (Friday) that several individuals were killed in a
strike on a vehicle in the Rafah area. At least three were apparently killed in
the strike, and an additional six were injured. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382387
Halley – Pro Hamas countries should
take Gazans. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382374
Watch Commandos in Kahn Unis. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382373
Watch soldiers eliminate threats
coming from a tunnel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382341
More disgusting news of Susan S. of
Hollywood and other rotten samples of mankind support the Devil and Hamas.
The 35 rockets at a time yesterday. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382329
Huckabee – Oct. 7th was
worse than I thought. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382328
The Kushner’s visit the destroyed
Kibbutzim. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382334
Another hostage murdered by https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382386
Children’s Uniforms found. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382384
May improve ceasefire offer. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382363
Netanyahu wanted Egypt to take in
Gazans. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382370
Transition planning. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382369
Chashmonayim salutes fallen soldier’s
hearse. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382344
Have a healthy, peaceful
a rest filled Shabbos,
Rachamim Pauli
