From
Thomas B. - A mother asked her soldier son, who recently returned home
from Gaza, what is the first thing he is going to do? He told her: “hang a
picture of the Beit HaMikdash in my living room.” Really no shower, favorite
food?
The soldier answered “you don’t understand. In
Gaza, there isn’t a home, government office, or school that doesn’t have a
picture of the Al Aqsa Mosque.” To the Muslims, this is a religious war. It has
always been a religious war. Back in 1929 the Arab Muslims in Israel massacred
Jews also because of “Al-Aqsa” as they are doing so again today. It is about
time that the Jewish people wake up and internalize that this is a religious
war. And Jerusalem and our Temple Mount is the core of the conflict. It’s time
we focus on rebuilding the Beit HaMikdash!
That is the true victory to this war. That is
why there are so many soldiers wearing these Temple patches on their uniforms
in this war. The awakening is happening. B”H!
Parsha Teruma
Last week, Parsha
Mishpatim, I had the honor to listen to Rabbi Lookstein Shlita. Since he is a
Rabbi for about as long as I have been Frum and a Congregation Rabbi for over
50years he has something wise to say on the Parsha. He began with on Parsha
Yisro we received the 10 commandments. They were half been man and G-D and half
between man and man.
Parsha Mishpatim is
dealing only between man and man or one’s animal, fire or pit doing damage. But
the next Parshiyos into the end of Shemos deal with the Mitzvos between man and
HASHEM and Sefer Vayikra continues until Parsha Acharei Mos is only between man
and HASHEM. From that point onwards, we continue mostly between man and man.
So without more adieu,
the Parsha starts with physical needs of the Mishkan and from then on until the
end of Shemos we will be dealing with donations, garments of the Cohanim and
the construction of the Mishkan. In Parsha Naso, we return with the donation of
the princes of each Shevet (tribe).
25:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses,
saying: 2 'Speak unto the children of Israel, that they take for Me
an offering; of every man whose heart makes him willing ye shall take My
offering.
Two key words are here. They are from the ‘heart’
and ‘willing’ for one to donate to the Mishkan it must be on his own free will.
Rashi says a good will offering.
3 And this is the offering which ye shall
take of them: gold, and silver, and brass;
These three value metals have a number of
properties. Gold, silver and copper were found and mined at that time. They
were malleable so that it was easy to make into plating or sheets for covering
the Teva (Ark) or cast into Keruvim (Cherubim), coins and other shapes. Per
Kabbalah, they were have spiritual properties and nuclear vibrations and the
same with the crystalline Jewels for the Ephod of the Cohain Gadol.
4 and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and
fine linen, and goats' hair;
In Mesechta Baba Kama Dafim 99-100 we learn of
the dying process in the times of the Talmud which seems to have been from very
ancient times. A large tureen or vat was filled with the red, blue or scarlet
dye and boiled with water. Thus, the first garments would have the best color
and as the water ran and was replenished the dye would be weaker. For the
Mishkan (Tabernacle), the best of the best was used. These colors vs. brown,
black, grey and whitish wool or linen were more expensive and used by the
wealthy or in this case the Mishkan.
5 and rams' skins dyed red, and sealskins (mistranslation of Giraffe Skin), and acacia-wood;
The Giraffe has many colors and one horn of its
head along with two antlers. The Giraffe is the unicorn that everybody talks
about. Mistakenly drawn as a horse these were rare coming from Africa where
they existed in Egypt and were valuable. In the Tanach, the Giraffe is known by
Keres or Unicorn and by Tahash the first is from Iyob and the second in Sefer
Shemos. These were highly prized.
6 oil for the light, spices for the
anointing oil, and for the sweet incense;
While many people use olive oil for anointing,
incense (Ketores) is only burnt in the Mikdash (Temple) or Mishkan.
7 onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the
ephod, and for the breastplate.
As I mentioned above, the jewels used had
frequency of vibration that when combined together as requested has a healing-
soothing properties and spiritual properties.
8 And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I
may dwell among them. 9 According to all that I show thee, the
pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the furniture thereof, even
so shall ye make it. 10 And they shall make an ark of acacia-wood:
two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the
breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
These of the physical dimensions of the Teva. A
cubit is 45 cm or 18 inches. The length is 112.5 cm or 45 inches and the width 67
cm or 27 inches and the same for the height.
11 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold,
within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of
gold round about.
The crown was a small rim of gold.
12 And thou shalt cast four rings of gold
for it, and put them in the four feet thereof; and two rings shall be on the
one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. 13 And thou
shalt make staves of acacia-wood, and overlay them with gold. 14 And
thou shalt put the staves into the rings on the sides of the ark, wherewith to
bear the ark.
Gold foil is placed over the Teva and perhaps
melted onto it.
From inside and from outside you shall overlay it: Bezalel made three arks, two of gold and one of
wood. Each one had four walls and a bottom, and they were open on the top. He
placed the wooden one inside the golden one and the [other] golden one inside
the wooden one. He covered the upper rim with gold, thus it is found that [the
wooden one] was overlaid from inside and from outside [with gold]. — [from Yoma
72b, Shek. 16b] A golden crown: Like a sort of crown surrounding it above its
rim. For he [Bezalel] made the outer ark higher than the inner one, until it
extended upwards opposite the thickness of the ark cover and slightly higher
than it, so that when the ark cover lies on the thickness of the walls, the
crown extends slightly over the thickness of the ark cover (Yoma 72b). And that
[the crown] is the symbol of the crown of the Torah (Tan. Vayakhel 8, Exod.
Rabbah 34:2).
15 The staves shall be in the rings of the
ark; they shall not be taken from it. 16 And thou shalt put into the
ark the testimony which I shall give thee. 17 And thou shalt make an
ark-cover of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and
a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. 18 And thou shalt make two
cherubim of gold; of beaten work shalt thou make them, at the two ends of the
ark-cover. 19 And make one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at
the other end; of one piece with the ark-cover shall ye make the cherubim of
the two ends thereof. 20 And the cherubim shall spread out their wings
on high, screening the ark-cover with their wings, with their faces one to
another; toward the ark-cover shall the faces of the cherubim be.
21 And thou shalt put the ark-cover above
upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give
thee.
This was a solid piece of wood gold plated.
22 And there I will meet with thee, and I
will speak with thee from above the ark-cover, from between the two cherubim
which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee
in commandment unto the children of Israel.
This was before the command only to enter on Yom
Kippur and only the Cohain Gadol with his ringing warning bells on his garment.
23 And thou shalt make a table
of acacia-wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth
thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. 24 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make
thereto a crown of gold round about.
If I translate to cm it is 90 cm x 45 cm x 67.5 cm
or inches 36 in x 18 in x 27 in which we might view as a high ‘coffee table’ in
our day. The crown was a small rim of gold.
25 And thou shalt make unto it
a border of a handbreadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to
the border thereof round about.
The height of the crown was a handbreadth.
26 And thou shalt make for it
four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four
feet thereof. 27 Close by the border
shall the rings be, for places for the staves to bear the table. 28 And thou shalt make the staves of acacia-wood, and
overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them.
Like the Teva, the Table (Shulchan) had two poles
overlaid with gold for carrying it.
29 And thou shalt make the
dishes thereof, and the pans thereof, and the jars thereof, and the bowls
thereof, wherewith to pour out; of pure gold shalt thou make them. 30 And thou shalt set upon the table showbread before Me
always.
Showbread is Lechem HaPanim in Hebrew. It was
place fresh from Shabbos to Shabbos and when taken away after a week had the
taste of freshly baked bread.
26:1 Moreover thou shalt make the
tabernacle with ten curtains: of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and
scarlet, with cherubim the work of the skillful workman shalt thou make
them.
Keruvim engraved in the woven fabric using the
colors mentioned here.
2 The length of each curtain
shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits;
all the curtains shall have one measure. 3 Five
curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and the other five curtains
shall be coupled one to another.
The length was 9 meters or about 31 feet long. The
curtains were heavy dry but if they were washed, it took 300 Cohanim to pull
the heavy curtains out of water with the density and surface tension of water.
From the Talmud.
4 And thou shalt make loops of
blue upon the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the first set; and likewise,
shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is outmost in the second
set. 5 Fifty loops shalt thou make
in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain
that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite one to another.
This was how the women were to sew the curtains
together.
6 And thou shalt make fifty
clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to another with the clasps, that
the tabernacle may be one whole.
Gold is a heavy metal and had to be thick enough
to hold up the weights of the curtains.
7 And thou shalt make curtains
of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle; eleven curtains shalt thou make
them. 8 The length of each curtain
shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; the eleven
curtains shall have one measure.
The goat hairs were twined by women by hand and
attached end to end. Thirty Amos is 13.5 meters or 44.29 feet and the breadth
is 1.8 meters or 72 inches.
9 And thou shalt couple five
curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double over
the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tent. 10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the
one curtain that is outmost in the first set, and fifty loops upon the edge of
the curtain which is outmost in the second set. 11 And thou shalt make fifty clasps of brass, and put
the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be
one. 12 And as for the overhanging
part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains
over shall hang over the back of the tabernacle. 13 And the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the
other side, of that which remains over in the length of the curtains of the
tent, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that
side, to cover it.
At this point we finish the first theoretical
discussion of the curtains.
14 And thou shalt make a
covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red and a covering of sealskins (mistranslation of Giraffe Skin) above. 15 And thou
shalt make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia-wood, standing up. 16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a
cubit and a half the breadth of each board.
A few years ago, when I calculated the weight of
the wood for each wagon and as per the discussion in the Talmud they were
tapered. So, the boards were 4.5 meters high or 15 feet high and 67.5 cm or 27
in wide.
17 Two tenons shall there be
in each board, joined one to another; thus, shalt thou make for all the boards
of the tabernacle.
Each board was cut precisely to stand within the
sockets.
18 And thou shalt make the
boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards for the south side southward: 19 And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the
twenty boards: two sockets under one board for its two tenons, and two sockets
under another board for its two tenons; 20 and
for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards. 21 And their forty sockets of silver: two sockets under
one board, and two sockets under another board. 22 And for the hinder part of the tabernacle westward
thou shalt make six boards. 23 And
two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the hinder
part. 24 And they shall be double
beneath, and in like manner they shall be complete unto the top thereof unto
the first ring; thus, shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two
corners.
I am being to see the picture of one piece of one
board in sock A at corner A and the board in the other direction attaching to
sock A and the other half of the first side would enter socket B then C etc.
25 Thus there shall be eight
boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets: two sockets under one
board, and two sockets under another board. 26 And thou shalt make bars of acacia-wood: five for the
boards of the one side of the tabernacle, 27 and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle,
and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the hinder part
westward; 28 and the middle bar in
the midst of the boards, which shall pass through from end to end. 29 And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make
their rings of gold for holders for the bars; and thou shalt overlay the bars
with gold. 30 And thou shalt rear up
the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which hath been shown thee in
the mount.
East was open for this is where the Cohain Gadol
went in and lit the golden Menorah that has yet to be mentioned.
31 And thou shalt make a veil
of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen; with cherubim the work
of the skillful workman shall it be made. 32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of acacia overlaid with
gold, their hooks being of gold, upon four sockets of silver. 33 And thou shalt hang up the veil under the clasps, and
shalt bring in thither within the veil the ark of the testimony; and the veil
shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy. 34 And thou shalt put the ark-cover upon the ark of the
testimony in the most holy place. 35 And
thou shalt set the table without the veil, and the candlestick over against the
table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and thou shalt put the
table on the north side. 36 And thou
shalt make a screen for the door of the Tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet,
and fine twined linen, the work of the weaver in colors. 37 And thou shalt make for the screen five pillars of
acacia, and overlay them with gold; their hooks shall be of gold; and thou
shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.
The people collected for themselves the metals
and cloth or obtained the cloth. The wood was there in the wilderness for Yacov
hand planted the seedlings 210 years before and the trees were awaiting the
Bnei Yisrael.
27:1 And thou shalt make the altar of
acacia-wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be
four-square; and the height thereof shall be three cubits. 2 And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four
corners thereof; the horns thereof shall be of one piece with it; and thou
shalt overlay it with brass. 3 And
thou shalt make its pots to take away its ashes, and its shovels, and its
basins, and its flesh-hooks, and its fire-pans; all the vessels thereof thou
shalt make of brass. 4 And thou
shalt make for it a grating of network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou
make four brazen rings in the four corners thereof. 5 And thou shalt put it under the ledge round the altar
beneath, that the net may reach halfway up the altar. 6 And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of
acacia-wood, and overlay them with brass. 7 And
the staves thereof shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon
the two sides of the altar, in bearing it.
This is the Brass Mizbayach and later on we will read
about the Golden Mizbayach.
8 Hollow with planks shalt
thou make it; as it hath been shown thee in the mount, so shall they make it.
Since the Acacia Wood is a hard wood, it would
weigh a lot if solid but hollowed out with the brass plating the weight is
bearable if switching Bnei Levi carrying it frequently.
9 And thou shalt make the
court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings
for the court of fine twined linen a hundred cubits long for one side.
The court was a fine linen perhaps see-through
that defined the court of the Mishkan where the Cohanim worked.
10 And the pillars thereof
shall be twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars
and their fillets shall be of silver. 11 And
likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings a hundred cubits
long, and the pillars thereof twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the
hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver. 12 And for the breadth of the court on the west side
shall be hangings of fifty cubits: their pillars ten, and their sockets
ten. 13 And the breadth of the court
on the east side eastward shall be fifty cubits. 14 The hangings for the one side [of the gate] shall be
fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three. 15 And for the other side shall be hangings of fifteen
cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three. 16 And for the gate of the court shall be a screen of
twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the
work of the weaver in colors: their pillars four, and their sockets four. 17 All the pillars of the court round about shall be
filleted with silver; their hooks of silver, and their sockets of brass. 18 The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits,
and the breadth fifty everywhere, and the height five cubits, of fine twined
linen, and their sockets of brass. 19 All
the instruments of the tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins
thereof, and all the pins of the court, shall be of brass.
Please note: All the
items of the Mishkan/Mikdash can be view at the Temple Institute Organization.
Sometimes not for the
sake of heaven becomes for the sake of heaven. There are people who are not
particularly religious but they go to Chabad or some other place for Shabbos.
Then sometimes after meeting the people they are asked to help with a weekday
Minyan for a Yahrzeit or friend. Eventually, they start coming putting on a
Tallis or Tephillin. This is not only with Chabad but they tend to have a
soft-sell to bring people in. I was at Aish HaTorah in Hollywood, FL this past
Rosh Chodesh. The Rabbi walked over to the man behind me and told him we are
praying Rosh Chodesh Mussaf Prayer. He was not a regular or used to prayer but
he was there and needed guidance. In the news there is a bigger movement of
believers. Many more people are making Aliyah from western countries. Some
because of antisemitism but some because they see that Israel is a caring place
for Jews and raising children.
There is a saying that
charity saves from death. Another saying “Maaser and you will become rich. But
being saved by a miracle from a big loss is what happened to me. I took up a
collection for somebody who is elderly, gets social security, had two jobs and
now has one and that caused very bad credit debt.
About the same time, I
wrote a check from the collection to the person needing the money. My wife’s
‘Tennis’ bracelet broke in two and fell off her hand. Lucky for her, it fell on
the kitchen table and not during shopping. Another reason to giving!
What happens when a
young hero dies on a Kiddush HASHEM. https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/6300452/jewish/When-a-Young-Hero-Dies.htm#
Two-way
Surprise in the Tsfat Cemetery by Rabbi Yerachmiel Tilles. https://ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=1366-23
Get ready for a deep, lengthy, emotional and inspiring
read. I [Yehuda Azulay] almost never post these types of events that happen to
me, but I feel I have no choice with this one.
I arrived in Israel yesterday with an amazing group of
forty-five Moroccan Jewish business men from Toronto, called the
"Sephardic Unity Israel Trip." After concluding a tour of Tsfat and
visiting burial sites of the Tzadikim, nearly everyone was now
gathered back on the bus outside the new cemetery of Tzfat for the next leg of
the trip, a visit to a winery. I, though, was late, as usual, as was my good
friend, Ariel Picillo, and the three rabbis with the group.
Then the unexpected occurred.
It was scorching hot. I remembered seeing a soft drinks
machine nearby, up a short hill inside. As I approached, two middle-aged
Sephardic-looking women were standing near the cemetery 'chapel.'[1] I
said to them (in Hebrew), "Please, do you have any change for the coke
machine?"
One of the women responded with a thick Israeli-Moroccan
accent, "No, I have no change and anyway, the coke machine doesn't work.
However, I am part of the Chevra Kadisha ('Burial Society') of
Tzfat. Do you perhaps have ten men? We need a minyan to bury a
woman, we have been here for nearly an hour, waiting to bury her. She is an
elderly Holocaust survivor, and has no male descendants except for one
grandson. He is in the chapel hoping a minyan can be assembled."
Astonished, I quickly blurted out, "Hold on a minute.
I have a bus filled with about 50 men waiting for three Rabbis to return from
immersing in the Arizal's mikveh. I will be right back."
I was stunned by the sudden turn in events. The woman was
equally in shock and became extremely emotional, but I had no time to waste.
I ran down the small hill from the new section of the
cemetery to our bus waiting outside the cemetery gates, and told two of the
organizers, Victor Arrobas and Rabbi Leib Irons, the situation.
Victor said to me, "Look, it's 12:55pm. The rabbis are
coming any moment and we have only five minutes left. We are very behind
schedule and you know how Israeli's are. They say "five minutes," and
it can be over an hour. I know it is a big mitzvah, but at least
first see if the body is even there."
I responded, "You are correct about the timing. I'll
go right now to check if the body is there."
I ran back up the hill as fast as I could. Despite the
mounting pressure on me from both sides. I said to myself, "I will not let
anything will stop me from arranging the minyan."
I approached the ladies filed with emotion, and asked them,
"Where is this woman's body?" One of them answered "Bifnim"
('inside').
I went into the first room and found nothing there. I
quickly reported back to the two women, who promptly replied, "Further
in." After going through three more rooms I finally spotted the body of
the woman in the fourth, wrapped in shrouds.
My heart stuttered. I said to myself, "She must be
buried with the utmost respect." I ran out with not a minute to spare and
told the women to delay the burial.
I ran down the hill and asked Rabbi Irons if the rabbis
came back yet and he said "No."
I said to him "Perfect. We are going to help bury this
lady. The body is there; now is the time."
I got on the bus filled with emotions. and I raised my
voice so that everyone could hear me. I didn't even pause to pick up the
microphone. They were all wondering why I got up to speak.
I announced, "Listen, everyone. I was just up the hill
and a burial is about to begin. There is no family present except for one
grandson, so there will be no minyan and no Kaddish without
us. Let's go help! I got permission to delay our departure. It's just up the
hill, two minutes away."
Everyone was taken by surprise, but inspired. I ran up the
hill with nearly fifty people behind me. I saw the two women's faces; they
couldn't stop crying from joy over what just occurred.
As we all entered the chapel, it was as if this was all
planned from above. Immediately the body was brought out on a
stretcher.[2] There were nearly fifty men including several rabbis
present. Kaddish and other prayers were recited.
After, we escorted the body out of the chapel and only a one-minute
walk away was the burial spot. The body was lifted from the stretcher and
carefully laid to rest. Several shovels were provided and we helped scoop the
mounds of dirt into the grave. The rabbi said a few words, as did the grandson before
reciting the Kaddish again. The Toronto group was greatly moved by the
opportunity to participate in this unexpected mitzvah.
[Burial of the dead and respectful treatment of the
deceased in preparation for proper burial is considered one of the greatest
mitzvot. It takes precedence over any other Mitzvas Aseh - a
scriptural commandment to do a particular deed.]
After the very brief funeral, the grandson thanked me and
then added, "You know, my sister, the only other living relative of my
grandmother, lives in Toronto, but was unable to come."
"Really?!" we exclaimed. "Our whole group is
from Toronto. In what part does she live?" "Her husband is the rabbi
of the Romano synagogue, the Chabad Romenu shul," was the
reply. One person on the trip knew the rabbi well, and was so excited to hear
this that he whipped out his cell phone and immediately called the Rabbi .
The rabbi was very moved. He excitedly informed us that the
Lubavitcher Rebbe wrote in his HaYom Yom (daily wisdom) book
in the entry for this day's date on the Jewish calendar all about Hashgacha
Pratis (Divine supervision of the individual). There it states,
"One should learn about divine providence -- there is no such thing as
'coincidence,'" and "each particular movement of every human being is
directly related to the overall intent underlying the creation...."
"Thus", the rabbi concluded, it was no coincidence that the
granddaughter was from Toronto and the group burying this stranger is from
Toronto.
Rabbi Irons turned to me after the burial, saying,
"Your mission in Eretz Yisrael is complete. Even if you go home now, you
did your job." I responded, "Thank you, but as long as I am alive, I
am never done."
This ninety-five-year-old lady from Vilna who went through
the Holocaust must have had a great merit. She passed away on the same date as
her birthday. May the merit of Ida bat Chunya obm be a
source of blessing to us all, I wrote this with the hope that her story will be
told--and especially about her large funeral.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source:
I originally received this as an anonymous WhatsApp message.
"Anonymous" bothered me, but I decided to use it anyway, as there
were many accurate names in it. Then, just before posting it on
AscentOfSafed.com, I thought to search around for the identity of "I"
in the story. I finally found it in issue #753 of Mishpacha Magazine.
I stuck with my editing, in which I invested so much time and work on the
WhatsApp message (it's easy to see that it was also a first draft for Mishpacha),
although Barbara Bensoussan's version is clearly more polished and literary). I
did, however, add several details from there, such as the full names of the
author and the two rabbis mentioned.
One more addition, later submitted from a different member of the group:
"Absolutely incredible! I am in a bus with almost 50 men who do not stop
speaking about what happened. I want to add one more thing... We all had
immersed in the mikveh of the Arizal just minutes before. So, we were all
properly purified and prepared for this mitzvah! She must have been a very
special person."
Connection:
The 7th of Adar (this Friday) is a holiday for the Chevra Kadisha (Jewish
"Burial Societies") worldwide (some also fast). It is the date of
Moshe's passing. Who buried him? G-d Himself! No need for the Chevra Kadisha.
That's how it became their annual vacation day, and the one date they need not
worry about being weakened by fasting.
Footnotes:
[1] An enclosed area outside the Chevra Kadisha building, to where, upon
completing the purification procedure upon the dead body, it is rested there
upon a table until the close family members tear garments and the eulogies are
completed.
[2] In Israel the custom is to bury the deceased directly
into the earth--no coffin.
Milestone: Lior Farchi, 53, popular
Israeli Singer. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385087
Milestone: Pearl Berg, 114, Pearl Berg, the ninth oldest person in
the world, died in Los Angeles at the age of 114. Berg, who was also the
world's oldest Jewish person and the third oldest American, died at her home on
Thursday, the Los Angeles Times reported. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b1xypo1ip
Inyanay Diyoma
Feb. 9th
Day 126
After commander’s death, 30 rockets
fired into Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384921
After the article was
published I received an update of a drone infiltration and another heavy
barrage from Lebanon. IDF is ready but is the war cabinet?
12 smuggling tunnels still
operational. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/skceyjbsa
Northern Residents want the IDF in
south Lebanon. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/skzwbymj6
1/3rd of Israelis have
stronger belief in G-D after Oct. 7th. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-786030
After the number started to approach
beyond all reason somebody found the Palestinian death toll in Gaza lower by
thousands. https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-785742
Netanyahu’s choice of a successor
does not sound Likud. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-786029
VT ski resort that hired foreign
students sends them back home after they show up with Nazi clothing. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-785839
Syria claims to have shot down Israeli
UAV. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-786080
10th graders grow
vegetables for Holocaust Survivors. https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/rji00gmbot
Op-Ed Nonsensical approach of the
west on Iran. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sjo3jrgit
Op-Ed Waiting for Iran to enter
Fray. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bkmgs009p
US
strikes Houthi cruise missiles 'prepared to launch' at ships in Red Sea | The
Times of Israel
Gazan merchants should distribute humanitarian
aid. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384948
Over 350 bodies have been brought from Gaza to
Israel since the start of the war, for the purpose of examining whether the
bodies of hostages are among them, Kan Reshet Bet reported. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384942
IDF eliminates more terrorists. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384946
Protestors prevent aid entering Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384945
Defense Min. offers condolences on death 5
Marines. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384947
US Intel Israel is not close to defeating
Hamas. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384922
Crazy generation. Rockefeller when Governor of
NY had a “Pay as you Go” policy. This generation can rack-up a million dollars
in Debit. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/dave-ramsey-tells-29-old-160241364.html
Sid Rosenberg gets complement from Trump on his
Broadcast from Israel. Rosenberg said: "There's been no
president in the history of this country better to Israel than Trump. A lot of
guys made a lot of promises. Six presidents before Donald Trump promised to
move the Embassy to Jerusalem. None of them did it. None of them, including a
couple of Republicans, like Bush 41 and Bush 43. Trump did it." https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384936
An IDF reservist in his 30s was arrested on
suspicion of stealing weapons seized from Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip
and hiding them in a school in Hadera, Channel 12 News reported. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384920
On Thursday night, during a visit to Israel,
Argentina President Javier Milei signed a groundbreaking agreement for the
development of new, advanced software and technologies with ILAN, the
organization that works to strengthen the ties between Latin America and Israel.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384943
Plans to evacuate civilians and fight Hamas in
Rafah. https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/2024-02-09/live-updates-786034
Feb
10th
Day 127 start of week 18. For victory of these
murders, we have to be in it for the long haul. We had a Prime Minister who
procrastinated for over a decade against Hamas and Oct. 7th was the
result. I am right wing but one also has to be truthful for the Torah is Emmes.
On Friday, Eisenkot called Netanyahu a procrastinator on a decision on what
will be with Gaza after the war. I am anti-protest and more so anti-Ehud Barak
and the millions of dollars his friends pour in but after the war, the Likud
has to decide and choose a new leader.
This appeared in an ole lady Maxine
cartoon but it expresses a lot things about the USA for a weak USA means danger
on the physical level to Eretz Yisrael and it is not good to rely upon
miracles.
I
bought a bird feeder. I hung it on my back porch and filled it with seed. What
a beauty of a bird feeder it was, as I filled it lovingly with seed. Within a
week we had hundreds of birds taking advantage of the continuous flow of free
and easily accessible food.
But
then the birds started building nests in the boards of the patio, above the
table and next to the barbecue.
Then
came the poop. It was everywhere: on the patio tile, the chairs, the table ..
Everywhere!
Then some of the birds turned mean. They would dive bomb me and try to
peck
me even though I had fed them out of my own pocket. And others birds were
boisterous
and loud. They sat on the feeder and squawked and screamed at all hours of the
day and night and demanded that I fill it when it got low on food.
After
a while, I couldn't even sit on my own back porch anymore. So, I took down the
bird
feeder and in three days the birds were gone. I cleaned up their mess and took
down
the
many nests they had built all over the patio.
Soon,
the back yard was like it used to be ... Quiet, serene... and no one demanding
their
rights
to a free meal. Now let's see. our government gives out free food, subsidized
housing, free medical care and free education, and allows anyone born here to
be an automatic citizen.
Then
the illegals came by the tens of thousands. Suddenly our taxes went up to pay
for
free
services; small apartments are housing 5 families; you have to wait 6 hours to
be seen by an emergency room doctor; your child's second grade class is behind
other schools because over half the class doesn't speak English.
Corn
Flakes now come in a bilingual box; I have to 'press one ' to hear my bank talk
to me in English, and people waving flags other than 'Old Glory' are squawking
and screaming in the streets, demanding more rights and free liberties.
Just
my opinion, but maybe it's time for the government to take down the bird
feeder.
If
you agree, pass it on; if not, just continue cleaning up the poop
A military force on Saturday evening arrested
three terrorists from Jericho who attempted to infiltrate the Makuk Farm in the
Binyamin Region. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384982
After
Moody's downgrade, government urged to rethink wartime budget priorities | The
Times of Israel
Top
Hamas official in Lebanon survives alleged Israeli strike; 3 others killed |
The Times of Israel
South Africa Jewish Students sing Am
Yisrael Chai. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384985
Police arrest 7 protesters. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384977
Construction and Housing Minister Yitzhak
Goldknopf (United Torah Judaism) criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,
who responded during Shabbat to the decision of the Moody’s credit rating agency to downgrade Israel’s credit rating.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384989
Hezballah missile hits tank. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384968
Another hits a building in Kiriat
Shemona. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384967
Caution PLO State is on the way. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384988
Iran recruiting British Muslims
against Jews. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384972
Soldier, 20, dies of Meningitis. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384983
Iran threatens Israel over Lebanon. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384992
Stopping the war in Gaza would hurt
the USA. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384987
North and Central Gaza. IDF troops are continuing joint operations in the Gaza Strip.
The troops are killing terrorists, locating numerous weapons, and, in parallel,
the IAF continues to strike terrorist infrastructure with the direction of the
ground troops.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384964
Op-Ed Dr. M. Sherman comparing
coalitions. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384938
Nicaragua joins S. Africa at ICJ. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384931
IDF strikes 3 Hezballah command
centers. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384965
Feb. 11
Day 128
Hamas claims two hostages die in air
attack. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-786317
Colder Winters in Europe
Coming: A long-worried nightmare scenario, triggered by Greenland’s ice sheet
melting from global warming, still is at least decades away if not longer, but
maybe not the centuries that it once seemed, a new study in Friday’s Science
Advances finds. The study, the first to use complex simulations and include
multiple factors, uses a key measurement to track the strength of vital overall
ocean circulation, which is slowing. https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/sk55zs8st
Diplomatic minefield pushing into Rafah. https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/bjnzxp8jt#autoplay
US allies fear a second term of
either Trump or Biden. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hyqoxh8jt
Netanyahu – Biden talk 45 minutes. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bye14vloa
After more than 12 hours, IDF reserve soldiers
from Battalion 910 last night (Saturday) completed a counter-terrorism
operation directed by the Shin Bet in Kfar Beit Ummar in the Etzion Brigade.
Terror devices found. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385004
Terrorists who shot at IDF
eliminate. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385002
Forces of the Paratroopers Brigade are engaged in
intensive fighting in western Khan Yunis. The forces are conducting targeted
raids on terrorist infrastructure and eliminated dozens of terrorist operatives
over the last week. The terrorists were killed by sniper fire, in
close-quarters combat, by tank fire, and with aerial fire support. In an
additional incident, the soldiers identified seven armed terrorists at a
junction near the forces and eliminated them. Other forces encountered a group
of six terrorists, three were neutralized by tank fire, and three other operatives
who attempted to escape were killed by ground troops. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385029
Ben Gvir vs. COS. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385019
IAF eliminates terrorists loading
weapons. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385011
IDF officers claim that soldiers operating in the
heart of Gaza, in the luxury Rimal neighborhood, risked their lives to salvage
hundreds of millions of shekels that were meant to reach the Palestinian
Authority, Radio 103FM reported on Sunday. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385022
Updates: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385020
Egypt threatens to end peace
agreement. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385028
We have to have security control
west of Yarden. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385026
"I see all the messages from the Europeans,
'Rafah, be careful'. They don't want us to win. Egypt doesn't want us to win,
Qatar doesn't want us to win and I doubt if the US wants us to win," said
Yehezkeli in an interview with 103FM.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385014
Released Terrorist attempted to
enter Yisrael. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385016
The state prosecutor has filed an indictment against
Chaminda Pusafa Tahana Vahaga, an illegal immigrant from Sri Lanka, for
abducting a young woman and holding her for ransom. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385023
No more two State Solution for the
left. “We have lost trust in the Palestinians; this is
the end of the two-state solution and a disillusionment of a possible future
between Palestinians and Israelis in the region.” These are the voices that
were heard at Kibbutz Nir Oz, as quoted in an interview with the Wall
Street Journal. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385008
Ganz 37, Netanyahu 18, Lapid 15,
Shass 11, Ben Gvir 9, Aguda 7, Lieberman 6 or 7
Feb. 12
Day 129
Finally, a little hope, two
Argentinian/Israeli Hostages rescued. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385063
Sergeant First Class Eyal Brodsky, son of Israeli
Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky, was severely injured while fighting in
Khan Yunis. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385072
COS warns ministers not to end war. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385036
Time to shut down Al Jazeera. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385038
Two attempted stabbings in
Yerushalayim. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385034
20 Terrorists arrested in Gaza
Hospital. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385037
US Defense Sec. hospitalized. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385039
Two soldiers fell in battle. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385046
EU's
Borrell warns 'NATO cannot be an alliance a la carte' after Trump remarks | The
Times of Israel
New
poll shows anti-Netanyahu bloc with 75 seats, Smotrich on the brink | The Times
of Israel
Swiss
ski shop in hot water over sign refusing rentals to Jews | The Times of Israel
This is building from which the
hostages were rescued. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385066
Updates: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385020
Hostage rescue was celebrated in
both Charedi and Mizrachi Yeshivas.
Journalist Itamar Cohen was violently assaulted
on Sunday by police at the scene of the stabbing attack in the Old City of Jerusalem. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385064
Jewish Billionaire buys the
Baltimore Orioles. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/384617
3seconds was all it took one of the
greatest rescue operations. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385084
Hezballah Commander in Syria
survived the attack. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385068
Danny Danon said: "Today my friend,
former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo landed in Israel. I was honored to
meet him upon his arrival as he embarks on a solidarity visit in support of
Israel, where he will meet with residents of the South, hostage families and
our IDF soldiers." https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385085
The two hostages rescued from Hamas, Fernando
Simon Marman (60) and Louis Har (70), reported that they had not received
medical care while in captivity and had been starved by the
terrorists. Their families said that they suffered from malnutrition,
unhygienic conditions, and lack of medical care. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385079
Feb. 13th
Day 130
What goes around comes around:
Houthis attack a ship bound for Iran. https://www.timesofisrael.com/houthi-missiles-target-iran-bound-vessel-in-red-sea-officials-say/
Three reservists fall in Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385109
US, UK and France sanction settlers. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385136
Hamas Military Leader in Jenin
arrested. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385137
Joel Olsteen is a preacher in a Mega-Church. In between services
fortunately enough for most of the Congregation a Mentally Deranged woman took
her 7year old son with her. She often identified as a man. She somehow got hold
of an AK-15, despite her mental record. She had a shootout with police. Two
Congregants were injured. On her gun was written the words “Free Palestine”.
She was killed in the shootout and most likely the son will not survive. Thank
G-D nobody else died and that she did not attack a Schul. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385091
Lunatic Shooting in the Bronx. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385100
Rabbi hopes to be elected. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385096
Former deputy chief of Police, Shachar Ayalon,
gives a glimpse of the Yamam [counter terrorism unit] that was established many
decades ago, after the failures of other units in dealing with releasing
hostages. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385138
Mother and son injured in Kiriat Shemona. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385125
Zvi Yechezkeli asks Arabs to turn over
hostages. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385133
Cases of measles. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385130
An attempted ramming in Gush Etzion.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385123
Akunis to be Consul in NY. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385101
Biden working on 6-week truce. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385097
Feb. 14th
Day 131
A barrage from Lebanon kills one and
injures others. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385181
Soldier killed
identified. Soldier
killed, 8 hurt as rocket barrage hits Safed; IDF launches 'widespread strikes'
| The Times of Israel
Architectural remains of the 1,800-year-old Roman
VIth ‘Ferrata’ Iron Legion military base were uncovered in a recent excavation
carried out by the Israel Antiquities Authority at the foot of Tel Megiddo,
close to the ancient Kfar Othnay village (Greek: Capercotnai). https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385186
Terrorist with RPG identified and eliminated. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385183
Israeli
delegation returns from Cairo, no breakthrough in hostage talks | The Times of
Israel
Former
Democratic representative defeats IDF veteran in NY special election | The
Times of Israel
Migrant
father of soldier serving in Gaza campaign said to face deportation | The Times
of Israel
https://www.algemeiner.com/2024/02/13/yeshiva-loses-its-ninth-student-in-war-in-gaza/
Correction: Sergeant first class
(res.) Ziv Chen, 27, from Kfar Saba, fell in battle in southern Gaza.
Video of Hamas Leader in tunnel with one of his
wives and children. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385159
Op-Ed Diane Bederman: Antisemitism vs.
Islamophobia. https://dianebederman.com/double-standardislamophobia-a-tale-of-two-cities/
400 Rabbis: No to a two-State solution. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385152
Grenade explodes in building where female
singer lives. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385191
In a Belev Echad-sponsored mission in cooperation
with Chabad on Campus, a group of IDF soldiers and veterans who were wounded in
action traveled across U.S. college campuses in New York, the West Coast and
Florida, where they met Jewish American peers and shared their experiences both
as Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers defending their people and homeland. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385162
State Dept. pressuring Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385167
Levi Eshkol’s desk found in Khan Unis. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385142
Eric Adams: “Bring the hostages home.” https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385160
Mike Pompeo dances with soldiers. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385161
Feb. 15th
Day 132
Senior Commander of Radwan Shachid. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385266
Earth mover rams cars near Herzliya. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385250
Northern Gaza City: The operation was carried out in the area with the
cooperation of artillery, aerial, and naval fire cover. The 215th Fire Control
Center commanded aerial support to prepare the area for an operation in which
approximately 150 combat and artillery targets were struck and many rockets,
weapons, and infrastructure were destroyed. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385265
Hamas commander who was in charge of
kidnappings killed. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385219
Rocket falls near Tzfat Hospital. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385261
Al Jazeera Journalist filmed o the 7th
of Oct. with terrorists. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385212
Cute story: https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/how-venus-ended-up-with-a-mini-moon-named-zoozve/
If we stopped running to hide, we
would not have survived. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/flashes/625828
Majed Juaba, a resident of Jerusalem, was
convicted of membership in the Hamas terror organization. According to
the report, Baharav-Miara acceded to the request of Interior Minister Moshe
Arbel (Shas), who is legally authorized to revoke residency, after examining
security materials, the opinion of the advisory committee on the subject, and a
hearing. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385251
Dozens of activists from the Torat Lehima
organization and mothers of soldiers from the Mothers March gathered on
Thursday at the Nitzana Crossing on the Egyptian border to prevent the passage
of trucks carrying aid to Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385267
The IDF has said that it has "credible
intelligence" that Hamas held hostages in Gaza's Nasser Hospital. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385252
Updates: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385020
Hezbollah
vows revenge after 10 civilians said killed in south Lebanon strikes | The
Times of Israel
US
says it nabbed vessel carrying arms from Iran to Yemeni rebels | The Times of
Israel
Prisoner Swap Talks without Hamas
and Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385239
Helmets and protective gear found in
Gaza aid trucks. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385213
Israeli Couple sue United Airlines
for child burned by meal. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385214
Israel approves parts of Gaza to
receive starlink. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385210
I could not believe that Biden is
occupied w/me. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385222
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on
Thursday night on reports that the Biden administration and several Arab
countries are advancing a plan to establish a Palestinian state. "At
the Cabinet meeting, I clarified my position regarding the recent talk of
imposing a Palestinian state on Israel," Netanyahu said. "My
position is summed up in the following two sentences:
Israel rejects outright international dictates
regarding a permanent settlement with the Palestinians. Such a settlement will
only be achieved through direct negotiations between the parties, without
preconditions," he added.
“2. Israel will continue to oppose the unilateral
recognition of a Palestinian state. Such recognition following the October 7
massacre would give a huge unprecedented reward to terrorism and prevent any
future peace settlement," said the Prime Minister.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385295
Another soldier dies. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/flashes/625864
Have a healthy, peaceful
and restful Shabbos,
Rachamim Pauli
