Prayers for Men: Shalom Charles ben Gracia, Daniel ben Rivka, Ephraim ben Mazel, Zev ben Rachel, Yisrael Ben
Dovid ben Drorah Rivka, Meir Melech ben Bracha, Peter
Bruce ben Golda Chaya,
Women: Karen Neshama bas Esther
Ruth, Chaya Melecha Rachel bas Baila Alta, Tsvia Simcha bas Devorah Yachad,
Miriam bas Irene Taita Malka, Drorah Rivka bas
Chana, Leah bas Sara, Esther Georgette bas Misooda, Mine’ Dulah bas
Maxine, Rachel Izel bas Sara, Devorah
Rosa (row sa) bas Freyda Leah, re-added temp. Miriam Esther bas Golda
Chaya, Dina bas Sara. Channah bas Ora Leah, Sofia Sarah bas Miriam Maya,
I also received this from Neal Z. Please
continue to keep Izzy in your thoughts and in your prayers (Yisroel Alter ben
Chava Chana), as the power of our collective prayers can hopefully continue to
penetrate the heavenly gates of mercy!
This issue is dedicated to the memory
of Rabbi Zevulon Yerachmiel Glixman ZT”L who passed away 17years ago. His
Biography which does not give him justice for the help he gave to about two or
more generations of Jews in south Florida and having Youth run a Synagogue. The
miracle of only his Schul standing as a complete building after Hurricane
Andrew destroyed Homestead FL is not in the article but his son Rabbi Ami
Glixman Shlita does try to give a background to this great and hidden Tzadik.
Not mentioned in the article is a
story of the Rabbi in WWII is that he was a young fellow who was asked to hold
the hand of a dying Jewish Soldier. He broke out in a sweat by an open window
in short sleeves until the soldier passed it was then when he noticed that the
perspiration had turned to icicles on his arm for he loved his fellow soldier
and would not desert him. https://www.jewishlife.co.za/new/2017/02/22/a-blessing-in-disguise/
Parsha Shemos
Our Parsha continues
from where we left off when Sefer Beresheis ended.
1:1 Now these are the names
of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt with Jacob; every man came with his
household: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; 4 Dan
and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 And all the souls that
came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls; and Joseph was in Egypt
already.
This is our link with Sefer Beresheis and the beginning of
the Egyptian Exile.
6 And
Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.
Beresheis ended on Yosef’s death and this sentence comes to
tell us that the whole generation of the forefathers of the tribes have passed
on.
7 And
the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied,
and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
From 70 they became many hundreds perhaps thousands in a few
generations.
8 Now
there arose a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph. 9 And
he said unto his people: 'Behold, the people of the children of Israel are too
many and too mighty for us;
Yosef was 30 when he stood before Pharaoh and died at
110years of age. There could have been a few Pharaohs and there were
great-grandchildren unto Yosef. Thus, there could have been a number of
pharaohs that came and went until this particular Pharaoh arose. According to
tradition using the date of the exodus and going back to the time the Bnei
Yisrael entered Egypt and the 80 rigorous slavery years we get the following.
The Bnei Yisrael entered Egypt in the year 2238 Yosef was 39 then and Levi a
few years older. Which places him about 44. He lived until the age of 137
according to Shemos 6:16. The original tax or required service for Pharaoh like
military or civil service began approximately in the year 2331 or 2332. Full
slavery began in 2,368. Pharaoh started off as showing how the king could work
for the country sort of a ground-breaking ceremony and the Bnei Yisrael gladly
served their king. About 37 or 36years later they were slaves.
10 come,
let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that,
when there befalls us any war, they also join themselves unto our enemies, and
fight against us, and get them up out of the land.' 11 Therefore
they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they
built for Pharaoh store-cities, Pithom and Ramses.
Even after the death of Yosef, storage areas and food
distribution centers were in existence. This became a bureaucracy. At first the
taskmasters were part of a tax but as in many bureaucratic systems one started
to be afflicted by the tax burden.
12 But
the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread
abroad. And they were adread because of the children of Israel.
They became sore afraid of the Bnei Yisrael. The only
relaxation they had and comfort was with their spouse so they had more and more
children.
13 And
the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor.
It was not a normal service but an oppressing one with extra
demands.
14 And
they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and in brick, and in
all manner of service in the field; in all their service, wherein they made
them serve with rigor.
As the years went by, they whipped and beat them so that
there would be no slackers.
15 And
the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was
Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah;
Per the Midrash this was Yocheved and Miriam.
16 and
he said: 'When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, ye shall look
upon the birthstool: if it be a son, then ye shall kill him; but if it be a
daughter, then she shall live.'
Why kill the males and not the females? It does not make
sense. Males make good better slaves and an older male child can fertilize a
number of females. That is where the Midrash comes into explaining to us the
background of why Pharaoh wanted to kill males. He was told that soon a
redeemer would be born unto the Bnei Yisrael by the astrologers and he called
for advice. Three of the wisest men of the world were called to him. They were
Iyob, Balaam and Yisro. Balaam advised Pharaoh to murder the males to prevent
the redeemer coming. Yisro advised to either free them or make a treaty with the
Bnei Yisrael which would be a win-win situation. Iyob saw that Pharaoh was more
interested in Balaam and did not want anything to do with the situation. He
left-fled without an opinion so he received his punish in this world because
the infants died.
17 But
the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but
saved the men-children alive. 18 And the king of Egypt
called for the midwives, and said unto them: 'Why have ye done this thing, and
have saved the men-children alive?' 19 And the
midwives said unto Pharaoh: 'Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian
women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwife come unto
them.'
To protect themselves from certain death, they commented in
such a way that Pharaoh would keep them alive by hinting that the Yisraelim
were like animals that give birth in the fields or anywhere and that the
midwives arrived too late as the child was born.
20 And
God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.
So they were more fruitful and multiplied more.
21 And
it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that He made them
houses.
So they kept the girl babies in the maturity house and sent
the mothers with the males away.
22 And
Pharaoh charged all his people, saying: 'Every son that is born ye shall cast
into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.'
As the redeemer’s predicted time of birth was fast
approaching Pharaoh thought that he could out-fox G-D by destroying all the male
babies both Israeli and Egyptian.
2:1
And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of
Levi.
They were already married and he had fathered Aaron and
Miriam. He thought to refrain from relations but Yocheved said, “Pharaoh made
the Gezaira against the males and you withhold the females too.” So, he
rejoined with her.
2 And
the woman conceived, and bore a son; and when she saw him that he was a goodly
child, she hid him three months.
The Egyptians checked up on women and when they saw a stomach
they gave an estimated arrival date. They either miscalculated for Yocheved or
she gave birth a few months early.
Good or goodly child for he was fully circumcised and had
sort of an aura about him.
3 And
when she could no longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and
daubed it with slime and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and laid it
in the flags by the river's brink.
She could not let him drown but sent him down the river that
somebody would find him and spare him away from the soldiers of Pharaoh.
4 And
his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him. 5 And
the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe in the river; and her maidens walked
along by the river-side; and she saw the ark among the flags, and sent her
handmaid to fetch it.
Her name was Basya for she was the daughter of the Pharaoh
(king-god).
6 And
she opened it, and saw it, even the child; and behold a boy that wept. And she
had compassion on him, and said: 'This is one of the Hebrews' children.'
He did not cry like an infant but with a Levi’s voice of a
small child. The Leviim were granted special singing voices for the service of
G-D.
7 Then
said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter: 'Shall I go and call thee a nurse of the
Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?' 8 And
Pharaoh's daughter said to her: 'Go.' And the maiden went and called the
child's mother. 9 And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her: 'Take this
child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages.' And the woman
took the child, and nursed it.
She was given a royal ring and perhaps necklace and had one
on the child’s cradle that was the protection of Pharaoh as this was Pharaoh’s
child for it was not uncommon for Pharaoh to marry his daughter.
10 And
the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her
son. And she called his name Moses, and said: 'Because I drew him out of the
water.'
Moshe being pulled out.
11 And
it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown up, that he went out unto
his brethren, and looked on their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian smiting a
Hebrew, one of his brethren.
There is a Midrash that as a prince he made conquests into
Africa for Pharaoh. Now he had heard from either Basya or Miriam who he really
was so he was concerned about the Hebrews.
12 And
he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he
smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
The Pshat is that he checked that there were no Egyptians
around but he did not know that there were Capo types and other stinkers and
tattle tales that would report him to Pharaoh. According to Midrash looking
this way and that means into the future if this man would sire a Tzadik or not.
13 And
he went out the second day, and, behold, two men of the Hebrews were striving
together; and he said to him that did the wrong: 'Wherefore smite thou thy
fellow?' 14 And he said: 'Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?
think thou to kill me, as thou didst kill the Egyptian?' And Moses feared, and
said: 'Surely the thing is known.'
It did not take long once this was said that the
disappearance would be solved.
15 Now
when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the
face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a
well.
Similar to Eliezer and Yacov in past generations.
16 Now
the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came and drew water, and
filled the troughs to water their father's flock. 17 And the
shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and
watered their flock.
There are certain Arabs that will respect Arab women but
there are others who tease or pose a threat to females. Moshe had been a
soldier of Pharaoh and trained well. These shepherds were no match for the
equivalent of a 10th degree black belt. They left the girls alone.
18 And
when they came to Reuel their father, he said: 'How is it that ye are come so
soon to-day?'
Usually you have to wait until the local fellows stop teasing
you.
19 And
they said: 'An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and
moreover he drew water for us, and watered the flock.'
In Egypt, he was a Hebrew similar to me being a Jew in the
USA but in Yisrael with an accent Moshe becomes an Egyptian and I become an
American.
20 And
he said unto his daughters: 'And, where is he? Why is it that ye have left the
man? call him, that he may eat bread.'
Midian was from Avraham and hosting strangers was part of
their tradition. This is not mentioning that he delivered the sisters from
being bullied. Or perhaps with the brain of one of the wise men of his
generation. Girls a man comes along that does not harass you and respects women
isn’t it time that you look for a groom?
21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man; and he
gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. 22 And she bore a son, and he
called his name Gershom; for he said: 'I have been a stranger in a strange
land.'
Moshe was a refugee and now he had a family.
23 And
it came to pass in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died;
and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and
their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
During the mourning people when the country was
24 And
God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with
Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God saw the children of
Israel, and God took cognizance of them.
They prayed and their prayer was answered unbeknown to them.
3:1
Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro his
father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the farthest end
of the wilderness, and came to the mountain of God, unto Horeb.
Yisro had tried out all the gods in the world but knew this
place where the G-D of Avraham was. Thus, Moshe was told that G-D of Avraham
was on this mountain and it was a holy place.
2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a
flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and, behold, the bush
burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
How can this be that there is a bush on fire and yet the
flames do not destroy the wood?
3 And Moses said: 'I will turn aside now, and see this
great sight, why the bush is not burnt.'
This wonder is above normal nature (Teva = 86 in Gematria).
4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see,
God [ELOKIM WHERE K=H is also 86 in Gematria
from here we learn that if G-D wants oil to burn he can make vinegar burn a
miracle stated in the second chapter of Tractate Shabbos.] called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said:
'Moses, Moses.' And he said: 'Here am I.'
He must have been startled but like Avraham Avinu he answered
‘Here am I’. This is similar to modern military ‘present’ or ‘present and
accounted for sir’.
5 And He said: 'Draw not nigh hither; put off thy shoes
from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou stand is holy ground.'
The Hebrew used is shoe but I am uncertain if he wore a shoe
or a sandal of that time. Since each were of leather, they would have to be
removed on the holy spot.
6 Moreover He said: 'I am the God of thy father, the
God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' And Moses hid his
face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
Since one could not look upon the glory of G-D and live,
perhaps there was no need to hide is face. But in any event, he was scared.
7 And the LORD said: 'I have surely seen the affliction
of My people that are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their
taskmasters; for I know their pains; 8 and
I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring
them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with
milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the
Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
Avraham was promised land with ten nations but here there are
only seven.
9 And now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is
come unto Me; moreover, I have seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress
them. 10 Come now therefore, and I
will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth My people the
children of Israel out of Egypt.' 11 And
Moses said unto God: 'Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I
should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?' 12 And He said: 'Certainly I will be with thee; and this
shall be the token unto thee, that I have sent thee: when thou hast brought
forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.' 13 And Moses said unto God: 'Behold, when I come unto
the children of Israel, and shall say unto them: The God of your fathers hath
sent me unto you; and they shall say to me: What is His name? what shall I say
unto them?' 14 And God said unto
Moses: 'I AM THAT I AM'; and He said: 'Thus shalt thou say unto the children of
Israel: I AM hath sent me unto you.'
The English translation here does injustice and the Hebrew
is: “I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE” which means that G-D controls what will be in
the future. Moshiach and peace when it is HIS WILL.
Ehyeh asher ehyeh (I will be what I will be)”: “I will be” with them in this predicament “what
I will be” with them in their subjugation by other kingdoms. He [Moses] said
before Him, “O Lord of the universe! Why should I mention to them another
trouble? They have enough [problems] with this one.” He said to him, “You have
spoken well. So, shall you say, etc.” -[from Ber. 9b] (Not that Moses, God
forbid, outsmarted God, but he did not understand what God meant, because
originally, when God said, “I will be what I will be,” He told this to Moses
alone, and He did not mean that he should tell it to Israel. That is the
meaning of “You have spoken well,” for that was My original intention, that you
should not tell such things to the children of Israel, only “So shall you say
to the children of Israel,” ‘Ehyeh [I will be] has sent me.’” From tractate
Brachos this appears to be the correct interpretation. Give this matter your
deliberation.) [Annotation to Rashi] [There appears to be no indication of this
interpretation in tractate Brachos.]
The power of controlling the future is
tremendous. The popular song Ce Sera sung for years is an example of
man’s helplessness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZbKHDPPrrc
15 And God said moreover unto Moses: 'Thus shalt thou
say unto the children of Israel: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of
Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you; this is
My name for ever, and this is My memorial unto all generations. 16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say
unto them: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and
of Jacob, hath appeared unto me, saying: I have surely remembered you, and seen
that which is done to you in Egypt. 17 And
I have said: I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land
of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the
Hivite, and the Jebusite, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.
Ten nations were mentioned to Avraham but only seven are
mentioned here. My idea is that the three nations like eventually these seven or
others like the Goths, Saxons, and hundreds of others either blended in with
conquering nations, left the area or died out.
18 And they shall hearken to thy voice. And thou shalt
come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say
unto him: The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, hath met with us. And now let us
go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may
sacrifice to the LORD our God.
They will harken to your voice despite the fact that you have
a speech defect and speak an old court Egyptian. It is not hard to understand
the dynamics of language. When I left the States in 1970 expressions like “give
me a five”, “Jedi”, “Woke”, LQBT, “Nerd”, “Twitter”, and hundreds of more
words. If I never got an update in Midian and other places I would not
understand the new terms and I would be speaking in different terms.
19 And I know that the king of Egypt will not give you
leave to go, except by a mighty hand.
You will ask to leave Egypt and Pharaoh will not let you
except MY mighty hand.
20 And I will put forth My hand, and smite Egypt with
all My wonders which I will do in the midst thereof. And after that he will let
you go.
You will see wonders and miracles.
21 And I will give this people favor in the sight of the
Egyptians. And it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go
empty; 22 but every woman shall ask
of her neighbor, and of her that sojourns in her house, jewels of silver, and
jewels of gold, and raiment; and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon
your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.'
The Bnei Yisrael will leave Mitzrayim with the wealth from
the people.
4:1 And Moses answered and said: 'But, behold, they will not
believe me, nor hearken unto my voice; for they will say: The LORD hath not
appeared unto thee.'
And when I tell them, they’ll never believe me.
2 And
the LORD said unto him: 'What is that in thy hand?' And he said: 'A
rod.' 3 And He said: 'Cast it on the ground.' And he cast it on the
ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. 4 And
the LORD said unto Moses: 'Put forth thy hand, and take it by the tail--and he
put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand—
Your rod shall turn into a serpent like the snake charmers do
but it will return to being a rod.
5 that
they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.'
The Bnei Yisrael shall believe.
6 And
the LORD said furthermore unto him: 'Put now thy hand into thy bosom.' And he
put his hand into his bosom; and when he took it out, behold, his hand was
leprous, as white as snow. 7 And He said: 'Put thy hand back into thy
bosom.--And he put his hand back into his bosom; and when he took it out of his
bosom, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.—
Since he spoke Lashon HaRa on the belief of the Bnei Yisrael,
he got temporary Leprosy.
8 And
it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the
voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter
sign.
Those who don’t believe the first sign shall believe the
second.
9 And
it shall come to pass, if they will not believe even these two signs, neither
hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and
pour it upon the dry land; and the water which thou take out of the river shall
become blood upon the dry land.'
You will also get this third sign that will reinforce the
other two.
10 And
Moses said unto the LORD: 'Oh Lord, I am not a man of words, neither
heretofore, nor since Thou hast spoken unto Thy servant; for I am slow of
speech, and of a slow tongue.' 11 And the LORD said unto him: 'Who
hath made man's mouth? or who makes a man dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind?
is it not I the LORD?
It is I that makes man speak, hear or see!
12 Now
therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt
speak.' 13 And he said: 'Oh Lord, send, I pray Thee, by the hand of
him whom Thou wilt send.'
Moshe does not want the job.
14 And
the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and He said: 'Is there not
Aaron thy brother the Levite? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold,
he comes forth to meet thee; and when he sees thee, he will be glad in his
heart.
Aaron should have been a Levi and Moshe the Cohain but
because he angered HASHEM, he lost the Kahuna.
15 And
thou shalt speak unto him, and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with
thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall
do. 16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people; and it shall
come to pass, that he shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him in
God's stead.
Since he knows modern Egyptian, he shall be your spokesman or
interpreter before the people and Pharaoh.
17 And
thou shalt take in thy hand this rod, wherewith thou shalt do the signs.'
The miracles shall come about through your rod.
18 And
Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said unto him: 'Let me
go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren that are in Egypt, and see whether
they be yet alive.' And Jethro said to Moses: 'Go in peace.'
First on the human level, he had to get permission from Yisro
to go and he received it.
19 And
the LORD said unto Moses in Midian: 'Go, return into Egypt; for all the men are
dead that sought thy life.'
Pharaoh and his police force have long ago forgotten about
you.
20 And
Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to
the land of Egypt; and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
Moshe went with his wife and sons. One appears to be new born
as he did not yet have a Bris. Moshe is with his staff as he is about to work
miracles through it.
21 And
the LORD said unto Moses: 'When thou go back into Egypt, see that thou do
before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in thy hand; but I will harden
his heart, and he will not let the people go.
You are to go to the stubborn Pharaoh even when he does act
according to your request, you should know that this will be part of the
Kiddush HASHEM before all of Egypt.
22 And
thou shalt say unto Pharaoh: Thus, saith the LORD: Israel is My son, My
first-born.
This Rav Glixman ZT”L told me of one of his stories when
missionaries wanted to take a Jewish Boy with them. He wanted to please his mother
to speak to Rabbi Glixman and confront the Rabbi too. He said, “What about G-D
gave his ONLY son?” Rabbi Glixman pointed out this Pasuk and others and
the fellow return to Judaism.
23 And
I have said unto thee: Let My son go, that he may serve Me; and thou have
refused to let him go. Behold, I will slay thy son, thy first-born.'
This warning will come to Pharaoh on the first meeting
between the two and will occur that a broken Pharaoh will come propel the Bnei
Yisrael to make a “sacrifice in the wilderness.”
24 And
it came to pass on the way at the lodging-place, that the LORD met him, and
sought to kill him.
The Midrash states that a giant snake something like the size
of an anaconda or similar that could swallow a man. The snake in the Midrash
swallows Moshe from the bottom to the top until the area of the Bris and then from
the top to the Bris.
25 Then
Zipporah took a flint, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his
feet; and she said: 'Surely a bridegroom of blood art thou to me.'
She said this originally, but then when the snake slithered
away she changed her language.
26
So He let him alone. Then she said: 'A bridegroom of blood in regard of the
circumcision.' 7 And the LORD said to Aaron: 'Go into the wilderness
to meet Moses.' And he went, and met him in the mountain of God, and kissed
him.
Moshe went there for a prayer and Aaron was guided there to
meet him.
28 And
Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD wherewith He had sent him, and all
the signs wherewith He had charged him. 29 And Moses
and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of
Israel. 30 And Aaron spoke all the words which the
LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 And the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD
had remembered the children of Israel, and that He had seen their affliction,
then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
Am Yisrael believed in Moshe from the start.
5:1
And afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said unto
Pharaoh: 'Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: Let My people go, that they
may hold a feast unto Me in the wilderness.' 2 And Pharaoh said: 'Who is the LORD, that I should
hearken unto His voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, and moreover I
will not let Israel go.'
What in the name of tarnation are you talking about. I have a
god of wind, god of rain, god of fire, god of the sun, god of the moon but in
my list of 200 known gods, I have none claiming to be Creator of Heavens and
Earth even the Sea and all that is within. On top of this he is invisible and
has no shape or form or even an idol.
3 And they said: 'The God of the Hebrews hath met with
us. Let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, and
sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest He fall upon us with pestilence, or with
the sword.'
Be careful otherwise you could be plagued with a pestilence
or sword.
4 And the king of Egypt said unto them: 'Wherefore do
ye, Moses and Aaron, cause the people to break loose from their work? get you
unto your burdens.' 5 And Pharaoh
said: 'Behold, the people of the land are now many, and will ye make them rest
from their burdens?'
You are trying to get the people to slack off and not work.
6 And the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of
the people, and their officers, saying: 7 'Ye
shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore. Let them go
and gather straw for themselves. 8 And
the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them;
ye shall not diminish aught thereof; for they are idle; therefore, they cry,
saying: Let us go and sacrifice to our God. 9 Let heavier work be laid upon the men, that they may
labor therein; and let them not regard lying words.'
people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt
to gather stubble for straw. 13 And the taskmasters were urgent, saying: 'Fulfil your
work, your daily task, as when there was straw.'
The simple request for a Korban would get Pharaoh to see Moshe
make the miracles and wonders .
14 And the officers of the children of Israel, whom
Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, saying: 'Wherefore have
ye not fulfilled your appointed task in making brick both yesterday and today
as heretofore?' 15 Then the officers
of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying: 'Wherefore deal
thou thus with thy servants? 16 There
is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us: Make brick; and,
behold, thy servants are beaten, but the fault is in thine own people.'
Then a few of the elders went to Pharaoh to ask for the
situation to return to status as of before.
17 But he said: 'Ye are idle, ye are idle; therefore, ye
say: Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD. 18 Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you,
yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.'
Things must be too easy for you Israelis that you have too
much time on your hands to think of Korbanos.
19 And the officers of the children of Israel did see
that they were set on mischief, when they said: 'Ye shall not diminish aught
from your bricks, your daily task.' 20 And
they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from
Pharaoh; 21 and they said unto them:
'The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savor to be
abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a
sword in their hand to slay us.'
So, the people complained to Moshe who was feeling down
anyway at this point.
22 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said: 'Lord,
wherefore hast Thou dealt ill with this people? why is it that Thou hast sent
me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh
to speak in Thy name, he hath dealt ill with this people; neither hast Thou
delivered Thy people at all.'
L-RD things are much bleaker for the people. I am a failure
in my presentation and explanation to Pharaoh.
6:1 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Now shalt thou see what I
will do to Pharaoh; for by a strong hand shall he let them go, and by a strong
hand shall he drive them out of his land.'
Moshe, you need more
patience to see how the L-RD works salvation and redemption for HIS Nation.
From Super
Star to Super Jew by Sarah Pachter
https://aish.com/from-superstar-actress-to-super-jew/
Sarah
Mintz, aka Maritza Rodríguez Gómez, is a Colombian actress and household name
amongst Spanish-speakers in the US and Latin America. The former Catholic
converted to Judaism and today lives in Israel as an Orthodox Jew with her
husband and twin boys.
For over
two decades she led a successful career as a television host, actress, model,
and a fixture on the red carpets and magazines. But while walking the red carpet
and flashing a smile for the cameras, in her heart she was thinking, “Did I
come into this world just to do soap operas and strike poses? There has to be
more.”
Sarah was
born in 1975 to a devout Catholic family. She attended church every Sunday with
her family and was told to pray to the statues of Jesus placed throughout the
sanctuary. Sarah often wondered: “Why do I have to pray to them? Why can’t I have a direct relationship
to God?”
She also
wondered why one can only connect with God while in church, once a week.
Shouldn’t a relationship with God be constant?
Sarah was
never chastised for her curiosity. In fact, her mother urged Sarah to always be
authentic and have the courage to be truthful. Her mother also taught her that
transformation is always possible. She would say, “We are reborn every day and
you can transform yourself to be the best you.” Her parents’ dedication to
Catholicism set the stage for her eventual, greatest transformation—becoming a
Jew.
As an
aspiring actress, Sarah landed her first gig as an MC, which led to small
television roles. Over time her repertoire grew and she eventually became a
leading actress in Colombia. She worked for Telemundo (part of NBCUniversal),
where she had an exclusive contract. Today, she is considered one of the most
iconic villains in Spanish-language television.
By the time
Sarah was 26, she had established an international career, which required
intense travel. By 2001, she was feeling overworked and needed a vacation. One
of her best friends, Marcela Pezet, a fellow actress, was acting in a soap
opera in Los Angeles and invited Sarah to join her in LA while she filmed.
Once in LA
Marcela urged her to go with her to the studio. She joked, “You want me to go
to a studio? I’m on vacation!” She reluctantly complied, despite wanting to
tour the city of LA instead. While Marcela prepped in her dressing room, Sarah
explored the studio. “Suddenly, in front of my eyes I saw a marvelous guy.”
He asked,
“Oh, hey there. Who are you? What are you doing here?”
Smitten,
she told him she was a friend of Marcela’s. He introduced himself as Joshua
Mintz.
Sarah
excitedly ran back to her friend’s dressing room and told her, “I know this
sounds crazy, but I think I just met my future husband and father of my children.”
That moment, they heard a knock on her dressing room door.
Joshua
stood there stammering, “Oh… Hi! I…was checking to see if everything was okay.”
He stayed briefly, and then left.
Joshua
later confided that he had knocked on Marcela’s door to find out more about the
beautiful blonde, Sarah.
It was love
at first sight and divine intervention that began their relationship.
Joshua was working as an Executive Producer in Mexico and was just in LA
by chance. The TV show Marcela acted in had fired the original producer, and
Joshua replaced him. It was his first time in LA, and he was only there for
that specific project.
Sarah and
Joshua were opposites. Sarah was loud, fiery, seductive, and was the life of
the party. Joshua was reserved, serious, and professional. Sarah was Catholic
and Joshua was Jewish, but that didn’t matter to them. Joshua was so far
removed from Judaism, even though he always remained a Zionist, the fact that
she wasn’t Jewish never interfered or came up as a topic of conversation in their
relationship. Until it was time to get married.
After
Joshua proposed, Sarah said, “I envision getting married in a Catholic Church,
wearing a beautiful white dress.”
He paused
and said, “I’m sorry, I can’t do that because I’m Jewish.”
Stunned by his
response, she said, “Okay, then why don’t we get married according to your
religion in your synagogue?
“No, we
can’t get married in a synagogue because you have to be
Jewish.”
They
decided to have a civil wedding because Sarah didn’t want to incorporate both
Judaism and Catholicism under one roof. She wanted to be respectful and
authentically follow one religion or another, not a convenient combination of
both. “I didn’t want to make a mockery or have a circus at my wedding.”
They got
married in 2005 and lived in Miami. Sarah began taking English courses at night
with a professor. He noticed that she was very spiritual and suggested that she
go to the Kabbalah Center in order to learn English and spirituality
simultaneously. Even though she was interested, she felt her English wasn’t
sufficient to understand the courses offered and didn’t go.
One day,
Sarah and Joshua took a walk after a hurricane had passed through Florida. They
saw a piece of paper lying on the sidewalk. It was a flier that offered Kabbalah
classes in Spanish. Sarah thought it was a sign from God. She attended her
first class and was thirsting for more. She felt restless and unsettled but
wasn’t sure where the feeling was coming from. “Something was changing within
me, but I didn’t know what.”
Sarah had a
thriving and successful career at that point. She had an exclusive contract as
one of the main actresses with Telemundo. Her face was all over billboards and
advertisements. She attended award shows and walked all the red carpets. She
loved her career, but still felt something was missing. Jewish mysticism fed
her spiritual side. Without ever mentioning the word ‘Judaism,’ they introduced
her to Torah, Shabbat, and the concept of family purity.
“When I
found myself reading the Torah I thought, this is it. This is what I was
looking for. I had such a wonderful life story, but I finally found what I was
looking for. It’s not like I was looking for a big change. Judaism was simply
the change my heart was looking for.”
Sarah
started to keep Shabbat and all holidays, even though she was not yet Jewish.
She stopped shooting on Friday evenings and Saturdays and would make excuses as
to why she couldn’t be there. Before signing new contracts, she would explain
that she was not available on Saturdays. She began to dress more modestly and
started keeping portions of the laws of family purity. The Kabbalah Center had
a class called “Sex and Kabbalah,” which was about family purity. Sarah said
she started to live this way without even knowing it was Judaism.
She was
making small changes and was enjoying the learning at the Kabbalah Center, but
at a certain point, she felt she needed more. She began to take classes with an
Orthodox Rabbi, but her husband felt this was too extreme and asked her to change
course.
As a
compromise, she started to learn with a Conservative Rabbi in 2014. At that
time, she was expecting twins, and the Rabbi explained that if she wanted the
children to be born Jewish, she needed to convert before giving birth. She
undertook a quick conversion, and she and Joshua remarried in a Conservative
ceremony before giving birth to twin boys, Akiva and Yehuda.
At that
point, Joshua was offered a new position for a TV Network in Mexico called TV
Azteca. This was the opportunity of a lifetime, and their family moved to
Mexico. Sarah began looking into Jewish schools for the children and was again
introduced to another Orthodox Rabbi. She was drawn to his classes and this
time she shared what she was learning with Joshua. The more she learned, the
more she shared with her husband, who found the concepts intriguing and
meaningful. Sarah wanted to begin incorporating Jewish practices in her life
and no longer wanted to be kissing other men as an actress.
Joshua
realized how happy Judaism was making his wife, so he got onboard. With Sarah
leading the way, together they decided that Sarah would convert as an Orthodox
Jew. She traveled to Jerusalem in 2016 and completed her conversion that year.
With a new religious identity, she decided to change her name from Maritza to
Sarah.
“Since I
was a young girl, I never liked the name Maritza that my mom gave me.” She
prayed that God would help her find the right Jewish name for herself.
While
visiting Jerusalem, she connected to the name Sarah when praying by the grave
of Sarah the Matriarch at the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, but didn’t want
to have a difficult life like she did, with trouble bearing children, among her
other challenges. So, she pointedly ignored the fact that she was drawn towards
the name.
When she
went back to work at the Telemundo studio, she got several texts from someone
asking to speak with Sarah. She called the guy to tell him he had the wrong
number. “I think you are texting the wrong person,” she told him. “I’m Maritza.”
He
responded, “Are you sure you are not Sarah?”
That moment
gave her goose bumps and she knew her name had to be Sarah.
The first
person who started using her new name was her mother, Eva, who accepted and
supported her conversion wholeheartedly.
Even though
Sarah now lives happily as a full-fledged Jew in Jerusalem, it is not always
easy to balance her career, home life, and Jewish commitment. She said, “It is
easier to make a decision than to maintain it.”
Today,
Sarah still acts, but is selective in what she agrees to film. She is currently
part of a successful reality show that portrays the six most iconic villains of
Latin American television in a show called, Secrets of the Villains.
The six “villains” spend a week together with no kids or family in various
mansions around the globe. On the show they get to be their real selves and are
no longer acting as villains. They share their secrets and reveal things that
happen in their lives. It’s all authentic, and there are no scripts. Sarah was
allowed to be herself and show the world who she is now and all of the
beautiful aspects of Judaism.
Barbara
Hidalgo, production manager shared, “Sarah inspired me, and inspires so many
people. We are not even Jewish. She teaches me things about respect to others,
to your husband, to God. So many things make a lot of sense that I never, never
thought about before. We must respect her Shabbat. When Sarah goes anywhere,
she’s like a light walking. She is always so wise and sweet and so able to
connect with people. She really touches our hearts. Even people who don’t know
her love and respect her a lot.”
Sarah is
the only actress on the show who is still married today. Most of the actresses
in the industry are divorced or single. It’s very hard to have a healthy family
with such a career. Her priority has always been her family. She knew she
wanted to have a successful career, but realized when she got married that her
husband and kids were going to come first.
In addition
to acting, Sarah is also a fashion and lifestyle influencer, boasting two
million social media followers. She uses her platform to teach others about
Judaism and is also a spiritual coach.
Sarah has
been able to successfully integrate all parts of herself and is able to lead a
full, inspirational life. “I’m working with a Chassidic channel. We are working
on Chassidic stories, acting out a narrative that feeds the soul with Jewish
stories. I’m also a teacher at a Jewish seminary in Spanish, where women study
Torah and girls also study for conversion. I’m also a life coach, and I work a
lot with the Minister of the Diaspora to connect Judaism with different
communities. I love to study and learn, to inspire my family…including my
husband, who has grown so much. I am very happy to have completed my dream, and
to have an impact on society, not only for the Jews, but also to the non-Jewish
public to inspire people to have a genuine connection with God. To be an
influencer is to be a positive role model.”
When asked
how she felt about living in Israel during the recent war between Israel and
Hamas, she said, “I wasn’t scared. The first thing I said to myself was, ‘This
is the best place to be. I’m in God’s hands.’ And that’s how I have felt from
the moment I stepped foot in Israel.”
Sarah has
some words of encouragement for people around the world who are currently
fearing for safety, given their Jewish-born status. “We must recognize the
jewels that we are. God loves us so much and has given us the task to do good
in this world. We have to know that we are so small and yet we are protected by
the Infinite God. With faith and trust, we can build a beautiful
life with whatever God brings our way. Our greatest weapon is our connection to
God.”
Couple survived but both lost their
right leg. https://aish.com/ben-and-gali-both-lost-their-right-legs/
Science, Religion and a Cosmologists return to
Judaism.
An interview with Dr. Brian Keating by Rabbi Adam
Jacobs
A leading Cosmologist
was a Catholic Altar Boy before discovering his Judaism Later in Life.
Dr.
Brian Keating is one of modern cosmology’s greatest luminaries. He has a gift
for taking extremely complex ideas and articulating them in a way that we
regular people can easily digest, and he does it with wit and humor. It’s no
wonder his books have been so widely read and his social media following is so
robust. Dr. Keating is also a proud Jew who discovered his Judaism later in
life. I was fortunate to recently interview him for Aish.com.
Adam
Jacobs: There's a famous statement by evolutionary biologist Stephen J. Gould
that science and religion are, as he put it, “non-overlapping magisteria,” the
idea that everyone should stay in their lane. Religion might have what to
contribute to the world, but it's in its own arena, and science is in its own
arena. Do you agree with that approach, or do you feel that there is room for
either collaboration or exploration or is there any point of connection between
those two areas for you?
Brian
Keating: For me, no, I don't look to the Torah for science. It's crystal
clear to me that Torah is not a science book. It's not a reference. It has
nothing to say scientifically. And that's why I think every scientist needs it,
because doing science is the practice of people, and people need wisdom. To
practice science (which means knowledge in Latin) divorced from wisdom is the
ultimate form of pointlessness, as if a surplus of knowledge is tantamount to
moral wisdom. That is fallacious.
I
think science struggles with a meaning crisis, and that what we do is
important, but to the extent that if it's just used for technology or
acquisition of knowledge for its own gain, then there's a pointlessness to it.
I think to be a complete human being, you need to have both the knowledge that
science uniquely can provide and that the Torah cannot provide about the
natural world. It'd be like having a single strand of DNA. It's functionally
useless to just acquire knowledge without any associated wisdom coming from it
or leading to it.
Adam
Jacobs: How did you discover your Jewish roots, and how did you come to embrace
them? Was there some catalyzing event that took place?
Brian
Keating: I had a fairly tortured path to Jewish observance. I always knew
I was born Jewish, whatever that means. Biologically speaking, my mother is
Jewish. My father is Jewish, but like many children of the seventies, I
experienced divorce. I lived with my mother's second husband, my stepfather,
and he and my mother adopted us legally, changing our names to match her new
last name when she remarried. That was a significant moment in my life because,
at that time, I became religious for the first time in my life (I mean
practicing Catholicism, not necessarily believing), but certainly practicing
religion for the first time. Before that, it had been occasional sets of
matchbox cars on the first night of Hanukkah, maybe a Passover dinner here or
there. And that was it for the first seven years of my life.
Then,
immediately following my mother's marriage, I became immersed in Catholicism
and converted and was confirmed baptized within the span of just a few years to
the Catholic Church of Chappaqua, New York. Having always had a curious and
probably spiritual side, even as a kid, I just took to the Catholic church's rituals
and practice. And the warmth of not only my family, my adopted family, but my
stepfather's family, which was a huge Irish Catholic family of 10 brothers and
sisters and millions of cousins and grandparents and great-grandparents.
Contrasting
that with my biologically Jewish relatives, more or less shunning us after the
marriage, then adopting us into their family and really almost believing that
we were genetically biologically their kids. And I loved Christmas and Easter,
just a huge pageantry and the food and drinking and everything else. I decided
I wanted to learn more and become more serious about it at age 12 and became an
altar boy in the Catholic church. Not too many Orthodox members of boards or
directors of orthodox synagogues have former altar boy on their CV.
After
9/11, I had a notion that I better learn at least something about why Israel is
at the center of the world's hatred and ire and the Western kind of hegemony
and schisms and so forth. I had always had a bias towards Judaism, and a lot of
my friends were Jewish. I was dating someone who wasn't Jewish at the time, but
I felt like this was the time for me to wake up and learn more about it. At the
same time, my older brother moved out west and lived with me in California.
Thankfully, he had moved from Manhattan a year before 9/11. Then, he
encountered an Orthodox Jew at his law firm in LA.
And
they had taken him in and been very warm and supportive of him. He got involved
in the Jewish community of Los Angeles, which is very different from the Jewish
community of New York City, where he had lived and gone to Cardozo Law School.
He had friends who were rabbis who never once invited him for Shabbat dinners.
By the time he moved to LA, the first day he was in his law firm he was getting
invitations everywhere. It was a very warm and welcoming community there.
As
he started to learn more, I began to learn more and meet with the same kind of
rabbis and folks that he was involved with. And I slowly began to learn and
decided to read the Torah. I've never read it before.
I
got involved with the community there, attended Shabbat services, and taught
myself to at least pronounce words in Hebrew. Even if I did not know the
language, I just went to services, learned and participated in holidays, and so
forth. That was about 20-plus years ago. I then really resolved to grow, get
married, and have a family in a Jewish Orthodox setting. So that's where I'm
now, always trying to learn more and not sit content with either my scientific
expertise or my religious learnings, so-called expertise.
Adam
Jacobs: Why do you regularly learn the Torah, and do you recommend it to
others?
Brian
Keating: You have to have a certain level of understanding; otherwise,
you're just a klutz asking klutz questions. But there are just so many
platitudes about religion that scientists like Steven Weinberg and Lawrence
Krauss do, and what I think undergirds their reasoning and their statements and
their confidence (or arrogance) is that they had a bar mitzvah. I mean, I think
it really comes down to that.
And
universally (and this was true of my biological father), and it's true of
Lawrence Kraus, and it was probably true of Carl Sagan and Stephen J. Gould all
the way up and down the ladder is that their bar mitzvahs marked the graduation
from ever thinking about the Torah again. And this has left them and those like
them in a permanently stunted state with respect to their understanding of
Judaism. They may be very smart, and there may, in fact be logical fallacies
and scientific untruths, although I've looked for them, but I can't really find
them, and it's hard to find them, but they would never accept the refutation of
a physical law of a mathematical theorem—they would never accept the
falsification and undermining of that from a 12-year-old boy.
And
yet that's what they're doing with their understanding. They're left in a
permanently stunted premature state by virtue of their arrogance that because
they learned to chant some meaningless tunes as a 13-year-old, and had a bad
experience, that somehow, they’re done with Judaism. It was challenging to do
my bar mitzvah last month at age 52. So. I can only imagine what it's like at
age 13. But to see them basically present just completely trivial objections
that really amount to excuses based on a malformed prematurely developed
understanding of religion is almost laughable if it wasn't often used in a
really derogatory hostile format.
Adam
Jacobs: What are your thoughts on the rise of antisemitism in the wake of
10/7? How do you understand the support for Hamas?
Brian
Keating: I think it’s linked to the conflation of Western leftist hatred of
America, which always comes concomitant with hatred of Israel. Ironically, the
most progressive countries in the world, the US and Israel, are hated by the
folks who call themselves progressive. I think there’s an element of
self-hatred combined with nihilism that I last witnessed before 9/11, but not
as much as after 10/7.
Adam Jacobs: As an academic and a Jew, how do you
feel about the Harvard/MIT brouhaha and Harvard's president?
Brian Keating: I wrote about it many times on Twitter
and spoke about it on YouTube. I’ll say that academia has long been a form of
idol worship for our secular society, which is especially prevalent among
liberal/secular Jews. This mindset often found young Jews feeling like failures
because their parents prize college—and especially prestigious colleges like
the Ivies—as the stamp of approval indicating they did a fantastic job.
Neglecting their character and focusing on the five non-professor members of an
admissions committee is pathetic and worthy of concern.
It’s no surprise the ethically compromised presidents
of these universities would also find themselves investigated for other ethical
lapses, which, sadly, are more widely condemned than their inexcusable reaction
to antisemitism rampant on their campuses long before 10/7 but amplified
immensely since.
Visit Dr. Keating’s website
at https://BrianKeating.com and his Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1.
Ami-Chai Oster HY”D
interrupted his after-army trip to return immediately to Israel.
Dr. Howard Oster of
Ichilov Hospital told the story of his son.
Ami-Chai, 24, was just
one year old when his parents made Aliyah from the States.
Being the first born, he
was the leader of the children.
As any religious fellow
he was enjoying Simchas Torah until the news reached him. His facial expression
went from one of bliss to concern how to rejoin his Givati Unit.
Most of the war, his
unit was the back-up reserve unit for the rest of Givati making short
incursions into Gaza to reinforce the main fighting force. {Aside note: I was
in such a rescue unit both on the Lebanese and Syrian Borders. It is standard
military practice to have back-up ready to join the fray at a moment’s notice.}
He had a conversation
with his mother a few days before his passing. It went something like this:
“Don’t regret making Aliyah Mom that I am in the army. It could be that if you
and dad had stayed in the States, I might have come here as a lone soldier to
do what I want to do. This is what I want.”
In my opinion there is no bigger Kiddush HASHEM than to do so willingly. He went like Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman HY”D willingly as a Korban for Am Yisrael. No wonder his name in Hebrew is ‘My nation lives’.
Milestone: Zvi Zamir, 98, Major
General former head of Southern Command. Headed the Mossad prepared for the Yom
Kippur War. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-780397
Milestone: Herbert Kohl, 88,
ex-Senator from WI. https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-779974
Milestone: Rabbi Matisyahu Chaim
Solomon, 86, American Jews are mourning the passing
of Rabbi Matisyahu Chaim Salomon, mashgiach of Bais Medrash Govohah of Lakewood. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383028
A Northeaster is about to dump snow
in the States this Shabbos. So, my grandchildren can play in a completely
enclosed backyard but not in the front yard. The laws of snow on Shabbos
displayed briefly here: https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/6260226/jewish/What-You-Need-to-Know-About-Snow-on-Shabbat.htm
Inyanay Diyoma
Dec. 30th
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit cleared for
publication that five soldiers were injured in the ramming attack that took
place on Friday morning near a military post near the Adorayim junction, north
of the town of Otniel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382765
Updates: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382447
10 Brigades in south Gaza. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hk6ato6pa#autoplay
Turkey arrests 29 ISIS members
plotting against Turkish Synagogues. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382771
Arab Mafia in Lod ages 9, 20 dead. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-780035
Artillery shells without Congress to
Israel. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-780065
Golan struck. IDF
says it carried out strikes in Syria after two rockets fired at Golan Heights |
The Times of Israel
80% of Hezballah rockets fall short.
https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/article-780109
Israeli envoy killed by hit and run
teen. https://www.jpost.com/international/article-780115
On Saturday, numerous launches were identified
from Lebanon toward Israeli territory. In addition, the IDF Aerial Defense
Array successfully intercepted a suspicious aerial target that crossed from
Lebanon into Israeli territory. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382772
IDF activity in Beit Lahia, two Hamas military
compounds were dismantled by the troops, who had located numerous weapons,
explosive devices, guns, military equipment, communication devices. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382773
Possible new hostage deal. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382770
In recent weeks, the 14th Reserve Brigade Combat
Team, under the command of the 162nd Division, located and destroyed one of the
hideout apartments of the Leader of the Hamas terrorist organization in the
Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382766
Soldiers that died. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382775
The IDF has requested Apache
attack helicopters from the United States but has been denied so far. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rjygne00pa
Op-Ed new type of war. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sj0xlmcpt
Dec.
31st
Right now: 10 Brigades or a field army is
operating in Gaza. Most now in the south at least 7 in Khan Unis. In the north:
Sirens sounded in Zar'it but may have been a
false alarm.
Senior Hamas Leader eliminated. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382796
Finance Min. not one Shekel to Gaza.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382802
Sen. Kaine criticizes transfer of
weapons. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382801
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Saturday
night that the USS Gravely missile destroyer shot down two anti-ship ballistic
missiles while responding to a Houthi attack on a merchant vessel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382799
Thousands upon thousands pray at the
Chazon Ish’s Grave for release of hostages. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382790
MK’s demand where is settler
violence? https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382795
Hadassah Medical Center has said that the
terrorist who carried out a Thursday evening stabbing attack near Jerusalem
worked in the medical center. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382787
Kindergarten booby trapped with
explosives. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382814
The Wall Street Journal reports that Israeli
investigators and prosecutors are compiling an indictment against the
terrorists that carried out the October 7th massacre comparable to the case
against Adolf Eichmann. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382817
Absurd: Economy Minister Nir Barkat (Likud)
stated that Israel must stop allowing humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip as
long as the Hamas terrorist organization continues to hold over 100 Israelis
captive in Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382818
Two more soldiers perish in Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382823
Rockets may continue after the war. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382809
Weapons found in Tul Karm. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382806
Dozens of IDF soldiers have been diagnosed with
leishmania due to sandfly bites, according to Maariv. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382811
Op-Ed Giulio Meotti: Gute Nacht
Europe Guten Morgen Eurabia. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382793
Sighted ship sank same. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/ryydbhadt
Residents of a community
along the border wall with the West Bank claimed they were hearing sounds of
digging under their homes. Kochav Yair-Tzur Yigal municipality attempted to
bolster security after a neighboring community made similar claims. The
military in that case found no evidence of tunnels being dug under the border. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/h1tmjs0pt
140 Christians slaughtered in Nigeria. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382804
From Algeria to France in wheel well. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382758
Murdered or captured in Pajamas. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382783
New Zeeland celebrates 2024!
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382796
Jan 1st
We are in the 13th week of the war
day 87. 56 years ago Arafat founded the PLO. Last night it appears that Hamas
wanted to celebrate and at midnight sent 28 rockets into Israel one caused the
sirens to go off in industrial Modiin that is quite a drive from here. 14 went
to the south and 14 to the center of the country. In the north rockets and
drones attempted penetration and damage. The leaders of two political parties
who never served in the IDF display their ignorance by opening their mouths.
Then the IDF spokesman has to counter act them. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382853
Yesterday there was a funeral of a soldier who
passed away after 8 days from his wounds. His brother with a shrapnel marked
face was taken on a stretcher to the funeral and could barely whisper into a
microphone how his brother was his hero. Isn’t he one too?
Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir congratulated Blair on his
suggestion and said that “if Tony Blair heads a team to promote the emigration
of Gazan residents to countries around the world, we must commend this
initiative.” https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382849
During the memorial ceremony held for Hassidic
rabbinical judge Elimelech Wasserman, murdered at the entrance to Jerusalem one month ago, chairman of the labor and welfare committee and former
member of the committee for appointment of religious judges, MK Yisrael Eichler
eulogized Rabbi Wasserman. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382854
Dog Unit training speeded up: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382852
The IDF decided to release five combat brigades
from ground maneuver in the Gaza Strip – including the 551st and 14th reserve
brigades and three training brigades – according to the assessment of the
situation and the development of fighting in Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382846
German police arrested three people on Sunday
over an alleged attack plot targeting the cathedral in Cologne on New Year's
Eve, AFP reported.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382859
Britain is reportedly considering air strikes on
Yemen’s Houthi rebels, after the US said its navy sank three boats that had
been targeting a container ship in the Red Sea. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382864
Israel to propose an underground obstacle on
the Philadelphia Route. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382868
30-year-old Artem Reznik, a resident of the
Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, was killed in a rocket attack on the city on Friday
morning. Reznik is the only child of Marina, who is active in the Kharkiv
Jewish community. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382858
USS Ford to undergo maintenance in Norfolk, VA.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382855
Hezballah may invade via Yarden. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382870
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told the
country's military commanders that the most powerful means must be mobilized to
destroy the United States and South Korea if they choose military
confrontation. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382863
Dog Unit in Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382835
Montana Tucker. "A year ago, I made a series called 'How to
Never Forget' about the Holocaust," I've dedicated my life to fighting
antisemitism and all forms of hate, and when I heard about the massacre, I knew
that posting wasn't enough. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382830
Criminal poses as a soldier to get weapons. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382834
“Kill all infidels”, Israeli Arab from Tira. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382831
RPG under a blanket. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382891
He died on Oct. 7th but body with
Hamas. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382888
UAV terror cell eliminated. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382889
Biden pressured Israel to reduce strikes. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382882
South Africa where were you when millions died
in Syria? https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382821
Blabber Mouth Bennett irresponsible. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382824
720 Olim from the USA since Oct. 7th.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382833
Jan 2nd
Here is the coordinates shoot
straight on us! This came from Golani to Artillery. They took shells that
explode over the APC and they hit dozens of Hamas with grenades wanting to
throw the grenades into the APC.
Film from Oct. on the third day of
the ground entrance into Gaza of a rescue of an engineering division under fire
using a tank as a shield with intense ground fire. Lt. Ben Hamo lost a leg. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfOseIYB2EE At the end you can see a smiling and
optimistic Lt. waiting for a prosthetic leg. Thanks to Mrs. Henia O.
Japan drops Tsunami Alert. https://www.aol.com/news/japan-issues-tsunami-alert-series-073512706.html
SA They didn’t care about Syrian
Refugees. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382920
https://www.algemeiner.com/2024/01/01/state-of-war-should-continue-until-tunnels-are-destroyed/
Hamas’s proposal absurd. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382914
Iranian warship enters Red Sea. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382923
Captured Hamas fighter shot by
guard. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382916
South Korean opposition party leader Lee
Jae-Myung was attacked on Tuesday while speaking to reporters in the port city
of Busan. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382919
5 injured in Hezballah attacks in
northern Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382903
Tyranny of the courts. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382899
Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists arrested by Israel have revealed
damning incidents in their interrogations. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382886
IDF plan for after the war. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382909
Brian Mast prayers with amputees at the
Kotel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382895
Katz returns to be Foreign Minister.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382915
UAV Hezballah cell eliminated. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382889
Op-Ed Glick stay unified despite the
court. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382904
Turkish authorities have issued arrest warrants
for 46 individuals thought to be part of an Israeli intelligence operation in
the country. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382937
IDF finds long range rockets in
central Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382928
Rare Hybrid Bird seen in Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382937
Shlomi attacked from South Lebanon. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382939
Over the past few weeks, the 460th Brigade has
been operating in central combat zones in the Gaza Strip, including the Shati
area, the ‘Security Quarter’, Jabaliya and Daraj Tuffah. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382935
Tuesday, 11:20 a.m.: Sirens
sound in northern Israel, warning of hostile aircraft infiltration.
Tuesday,
11:06 a.m.: IDF: A short while ago, IDF fighter jets struck terrorist
infrastructure where Hezbollah terrorists operated in the area of Yaroun in
Lebanon.
Overnight,
the IDF struck military infrastructure belonging to the Syrian Army in response
to the launches Monday toward Israeli territory. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382820
Japan
Airlines plane crash on runway. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382938
Syrian
Army positions targeted. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382930
4
Palestinian gunmen killed in West Bank gunfight; IDF reservist moderately hurt
| The Times of Israel In
interrogation, ex-Hamas operative says group uses Gaza civilians as human
shields | The Times of Israel
Man
seriously injured by car bomb in 3rd suspected Netanya hit attempt in one week
| The Times of Israel University
of Haifa suspends 8 Arab students for alleged praise of Oct. 7 massacre | The
Times of Israel Of 22 women killed in
2023, 19 knew their killer, monitor finds | The Times of Israel 244
Arabs said killed in 2023 violence, more than double 2022 toll | The Times of
Israel or 2 every three days.
Now why would a Jew kill another
Jew who was peaceful person using a death penalty that was Roman and against
the way the Sanhedrin executes? https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/rydcp11edp
5 Brigades to be evacuated from
Gaza as war enters phase three. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjgiynzua
Jan. 3rd
Finally found a good excuse to be
late in delivering the news. I picked up my new KIA Sportage today and am the
first on my block with a 2024 car. Most of my neighbors have either bigger or
more expensive cars but I need one that takes me from here to there not to
parade around the square. The main thing after driving I get out of my seat and
no dizziness that I got from cars with less height.
Regarding the Supreme Court Case I
brought down to a fellow Cleric – Beresheis 19:11 about no fear of G-D in this
place.
We must stay united. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bk11hus11ut
Mossad and IAF eliminate 2nd
in command of Hamas. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382959
Netanyahu trying to get rid of MK’s
who pose opposition or independent thinkers. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382973
Op-Ed Herzl similar to Ben Dror
Yemeni that Netanyahu can and should be replaced. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bk11hus11ut I want to add my
personal opinion from an honest member of the right wing. After 16years of
governing and his insane policy of keeping Hamas in Gaza despite four conflicts
and kidnapped bodies and civilians it is time for a change. I personally would
prefer a person like Barkat from the Likud but would be happy at this point
with almost anybody else.
Israel does clean cut assassinations
not 103 dead in Iran. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383010
A new survey has shown that 94% of Israelis
support encouraging Gazans to emigrate, while just 6% oppose it. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383007
French owned Maltese Ship attacked
by Houthis. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383013
Mossad like with Munich we will get
Hamas. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383008
Three Haredi passengers were removed from a
flight earlier this week en route from California to New York, after they
changed seats for religious reasons. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383012
Fell in Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382983
Tuesday: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382958
Anti-tank fire in the north inures 2
soldiers. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382976
Jewish girl attacked for wearing IDF
Sweater. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382970
A wall collapsed on a bed in the apartment next
to a building under renovation and fatally injuring a tenant, who was
pronounced dead in hospital. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382957
Still six US Citizens held captive. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382982
Senator Menendez more bribes from
Qatar. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382977
US to continue presence in Qatar for
10 more years. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382985
Kiriat Shemona: We leaved for years
without Iron Dome why run away like mice now? https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383000
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Tuesday released
a statement in which he called on Congress to reject the $10.1 billion in
unconditional military aid being considered for Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382980
Gaza Hospital was evacuated before
IDF came. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382987
This leaves the question how many
hostages are still alive? https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383021
Eyal, father of Roni Eshel, an IDF lookout who
fell at the Nahal Oz outpost on October 7, is still asking himself what really
happened there. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383009
Jan. 4th
Day 90 starts off with attacks in
the north and rockets on Ashkelon.
Hezballah big wig killed by IAF. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383037
NJ Imam gunned down. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383035
Nasrallah threatens: Hezbollah leader explicitly threatened Israel, saying,
"If the enemy thought of starting a war on Lebanon, then it will be a war
without a ceiling, without borders, without rules.” But even when Israel follows the rules he will find himself
hanging on the gallows next to Sinwar. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383034
COS: "Based on my impressions, we are in a very high state of
readiness in the North," Halevi said. "I visit here often. I think our
readiness is at its peak. There is a lot of expertise, great capabilities, and
high morale. We are in very high readiness in all sectors and we are currently
focusing on fighting Hamas." https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383031
Rockets with a 20 KM range found in
house with children in Gaza shafts and tunnels. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382956
Former US President Donald Trump has formally
asked the US Supreme Court to overturn the Colorado state Supreme Court ruling that removed him from the state’s 2024 ballot under the
14th Amendment’s “insurrection clause,”. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383038
Terror tunnels under hospital
destroyed. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383023
State Dept. South Africa is
counterproductive. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383041
Egypt freezes involvement in
negotiations. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383042
Explosions in Iran an ISIS attack. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383039
Toys of Israelis found in Gaza. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjtllbm006#autoplay
In a groundbreaking study
conducted at Rambam Health Care Campus, the transplantation of gut bacteria
from healthy women to women suffering from severe fibromyalgia has shown
remarkable improvements, allowing some to return to full functionality.
https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/hykmjbxdt
Arabs vandalize Joshua’s Mizbayach. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-780702
Documents show Prince Andrew and
minor. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-780685
1600 soldiers suffering from PTSD. https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-780584
US
dispatches senior envoy to cool seething tensions on Israel-Lebanon border |
The Times of Israel
Former
President Clinton named in Jeffrey Epstein’s client list (foxnews.com)
Video
shows Nevada man leap and attack Clark County judge after being denied
probation (foxnews.com)
Cotton
endorses Trump, says ‘everything has gone to hell’ under Biden (foxnews.com)
Sean
Hannity announces move from New York to 'free state of Florida' (foxnews.com)
Oct. 5th
It is now day 91 and three full
months have passed by the time I publish this.
IDF starts a probe into the Oct. 7th
intel failure: https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjcvwindp
Ministers attack COS who replies and
meeting adjoined. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383099
While the mayor is being slammed, his statement is in line with
HaZohar HaKodesh. In the Tanya the Yetzer HaRa is on the left side of the heart
and the Yetzer HaTov on the right side. Rav Shach ZT”L took stances with the Israeli
Left as did Rabbi Ovadia Yosef also took a position with the Israeli Left but generally
these Rabbis were Right of Center on many subjects. It depends on each and
every individual case.
Jordanian Airstrikes in Syria
against Narcotics. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-780879
Polar Bear eating infected birds
dies of Avarian Influenza. https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/article-780881
Another ‘hostage’ found to be dead. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383115
After a confirmed identification of
the terrorists, the troops directed an IDF fighter jet that struck the compound
where the terrorist cell fled and killed them. In Khan Yunis, a number of
launch pads used for firing rockets at Israeli territory were located. The
forces struck the launch pads and during a number of engagements with
terrorists in the area, killed a number of the operatives. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383112
Updates anti-tank RPG vs. helicopter.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/382820
Kirby UNWRA does important work. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383105
Jewish Doctor to head Harvard
temporarily. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sk4ugcndp
Hamas’s blood money. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/r1bkzjvut
Opera Singer sings for fellow
soldiers in Gaza. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bkgvgyvua#autoplay
37 shafts and a large tunnel destroyed.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b1va2cwop#autoplay
Malcolm Shaw to help Israel at the
Hague. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bjmgsuedt
Wolfson Hospital Staff want two
terrorists out after surgery. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383110
Toronto Jewish Store attacked. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383097
669 Rescue Unit in action. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383080
Caricature of the retired Chief
Justice stabbing a soldier in the back. The original had a pool of blood that
was removed. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383060
Miracle: Shrapnel
millimeters from his heart. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383070
Impersonating captured families. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383079
The IDF and ISA (Shin Bet) announced the killing
of the Islamic Jihad Chief of Operational Staff in the Northern Gaza Strip.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383078
Pence to IDF Soldiers: The American
People are with you. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/383076
A healthy, peaceful and
restful Shabbos to all and remember the new month is Wednesday night at
Sundown,
Rachamim Pauli
