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, Dovid ben Zahava, Melech Dovid ben Surah Pearla.
Women: Karen Neshama bas Esther
Ruth, Chaya Melecha Rachel bas Baila Alta, 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 bas Freyda Leah, re-added temp.
Miriam Esther bas Golda Chaya, Dina bas Sara.
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!
Daniel ben Dina was
seriously injured in Gaza he is recovering but needs healing prayers for at
least a month.
It seems to me that two publications
of my BlogSpot or Drasha from Apr. 12th and May 24th in
archives had some trouble on Facebook. I vet my new members as best can be but
somebody may have infiltrated a number of groups report the Torah posts.
The post on Apr. 12th had
something about a place that sent about 300 rockets and drones towards us as
well as 4 miracles.
This week’s miracle: D of a special
unit encountered 4 terrorists in one room. A small piece of shrapnel entered
his vein and lodged in his heart. He is still in this world and the Doctors
don’t want to operate.
Parsha Bamidbar
Part 1 minus the encampment of the Leviim
The wilderness or desert
where Am Yisrael was molded into a nation. Following the attack by Amalek the
tribes are positioned in a rectangular formation around the Ohel Moed – Tent of
meeting which would become the place of the Sanhedrin but next to the Mishkan.
The people are being fed
by Mann from Heaven. They have a water supply. The men are learning in a
606,000 strong Yeshiva while the women tend to the grazing of the animals and
traditions are passed down to the children.
Our Pasha starts out
essentially the same day Sefer Vayikra starts out. The twelve princes are about
to bring their gifts to the daily dedication of the Tabernacle (Mishkan) via
the tribe of the day until the 12th of Nisan 2449.
1:1 And the LORD spoke unto
Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of
the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of
Egypt, saying:
Finally, we think that we are at Rosh Chodesh Iyar but soon
we shall go back in time in Parsha Naso to the dedication by the Princes of the
Tribes.
2 'Take
ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their
families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of names, every
male, by their polls; 3 from twenty years old and
upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: ye shall number them by
their hosts, even thou and Aaron.
The census of the population of the males shall be
registered. At this juncture, the tribes are ready to inherit the land and it
will be parceled out to the tribes and then the family units.
4 And
with you there shall be a man of every tribe, every one head of his fathers'
house. 5 And these are the names of the men that shall
stand with you: of Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur. 6 Of
Simeon, Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 7 Of Judah,
Nahshon the son of Aminadab. 8 Of Issachar, Nethanel
the son of Zuar. 9 Of Zebulun, Eliab the son of
Helon. 10 Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim,
Elishama the son of Ammihud; of Manasseh, Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 11 Of Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gideoni. 12 Of
Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 13 Of Asher,
Pagiel the son of Ochran. 14 Of Gad, Eliasaph the son
of Deuel. 15 Of Naphtali, Ahira the son of Enan.'
These men are the heads of each tribe.
16 These
were the elect of the congregation, the princes of the tribes of their fathers;
they were the heads of the thousands of Israel.
The princes were either elected outright or chosen by the
elders based on merit and leadership.
17 And
Moses and Aaron took these men that are pointed out by name. 18 And
they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second
month, and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by their
fathers' houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and
upward, by their polls. 19 As the LORD commanded
Moses, so did he number them in the wilderness of Sinai.
And they declared
their pedigrees according to their families: They brought the records of their
pedigrees and witnesses of their birth claims, so that each one should trace
his genealogy to a tribe.
We have here an interesting situation. I have a cousin from my
grandfather’s older brother who is six years old than I but he is from a
daughter and a cousin from a son, who was like a baby brother to my father, who
is 13 years younger than I but he essentially is the family head by hierarchy –
we shall examine this is chapter 3 with Korach’s claim. Below we
have the counting of the Tribes by numbers except Levi which is separate.
20 And
the children of Reuben, Israel's first-born, their generations, by their
families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of names, by their
polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go
forth to war; 21 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of
Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred. 22 Of the
children of Simeon, their generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses,
those that were numbered thereof, according to the number of names, by their
polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go
forth to war; 23 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of
Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred. 24 Of the
children of Gad, their generations, by their families, by their fathers'
houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all
that were able to go forth to war; 25 those that were numbered of them, of
the tribe of Gad, were forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty.
Please make a note that group of three tribes makes an encampment at the
side of the tent of meeting against the four directions. These first three fall
under the ensign of Reuven. The flag (Degel) of Reuven was in the south.
26 Of
the children of Judah, their generations, by their families, by their fathers'
houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all
that were able to go forth to war; 27 those that were numbered of
them, of the tribe of Judah, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six
hundred. 28 Of the children of Issachar, their generations, by their
families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of names, from
twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 29
those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four
thousand and four hundred. 30 Of the children of Zebulun, their
generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the
number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go
forth to war; 31 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of
Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.
These were the soldiers that marched first and their
encampment was in the east.
32 Of
the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, their generations,
by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of names,
from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to
war; 33 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Ephraim,
were forty thousand and five hundred. 34 Of the children of Manasseh,
their generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to
the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go
forth to war; 35 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of
Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred. 36 Of the children
of Benjamin, their generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses,
according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all that
were able to go forth to war; 37 those that were numbered of them, of the
tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.
These were the soldiers that closed the ranks in the west or
the rear flank.
38 Of
the children of Dan, their generations, by their families, by their fathers'
houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all
that were able to go forth to war; 39 those that were numbered of them, of
the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and seven
hundred. 40 Of the children of Asher, their generations, by their
families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of names, from
twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to
war; 41 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Asher, were
forty and one thousand and five hundred. 42 Of the children of
Naphtali, their generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses,
according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all that
were able to go forth to war; 43 those that were numbered of them, of
the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.
Degel Dan was in the north.
44 These
are those that were numbered, which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes
of Israel, being twelve men; they were each one for his fathers'
house. 45 And all those that were numbered of the children of Israel
by their fathers' houses, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able
to go forth to war in Israel; 46 even all those that were numbered
were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.
In the middle of this massive 600,000-man army was the
Mishkan. It was not the army around the Mishkan. Rather it was the Mishkan that
protected the army with the Leviim – three sub-tribes surrounded the Mishkan.
Moshe and the Cohanim on the 4th side.
47 But
the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among
them. 48 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 49 'Howbeit
the tribe of Levi thou shalt not number, neither shalt thou take the sum of
them among the children of Israel; 50 but appoint thou the Levites
over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all the furniture thereof, and
over all that belongs to it; they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the
furniture thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round
about the tabernacle. 51 And when the tabernacle set forward, the
Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the
Levites shall set it up; and the common man that draws nigh shall be put to
death. 52 And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every
man with his own camp, and every man with his own standard, according to their
hosts. 53 But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of
the testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of
Israel; and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of the
testimony.' 54 Thus did the children of Israel; according to all that
the LORD commanded Moses, so did they. 2:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and
unto Aaron, saying: 2 'The children of Israel shall pitch by their
fathers' houses; every man with his own standard, according to the ensigns; a
good way off shall they pitch round about the tent of meeting. 3 Now
those that pitch on the east side toward the sunrising shall be they of the
standard of the camp of Judah, according to their hosts; the prince of the
children of Judah being Nahshon the son of Aminadab, …
Each tribe, Degel of the Machane (encampment) I mentioned in
Chapter 1. What I did not mention was the guardian Arch-Angels of the
encampment. The Mishkan had the Shechina if not HASHEM in the middle. Facing
northward if one could see the Angels based on the prayers before going to
sleep at night. On your right you could ‘see’ Michael over the flag of Yehuda
in the east and Gavriel on the western flank of Yosef and Benyamin. In front of
you above Degel Dan would be Uriel and behind you in the south above Degel
Reuven would be Rafael for healing.
So it is similar with the modern army where the armor or
APC’s of “Yehuda” are first following behind them the infantry “Dan” with the
mixture of the Paramedics from “Reuven” or Rafael coming to heal the wounded
and “Yosef” bringing in supplies and food from the rear to the front lines.
There are no cowards in the rear for they can be hit by Amalek or in modern
terms a rocket or RPG when bringing up the supplies.
3:1
Now these are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spoke
with Moses in mount Sinai. 2 And these are the names of the sons of
Aaron: Nadab the first-born, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3 These
are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests that were anointed, whom he
consecrated to minister in the priest's office. 4 And Nadab and Abihu
died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the
wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children; and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered
in the priest's office in the presence of Aaron their father. 5 And
the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 6 'Bring the tribe of Levi near,
and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto
him. 7 And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole
congregation before the tent of meeting, to do the service of the
tabernacle. 8 And they shall keep all the furniture of the tent of
meeting, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the
tabernacle. 9 And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his
sons; they are wholly given unto him from the children of
Israel. 10 And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, that they may
keep their priesthood; and the common man that draws nigh shall be put to
death.'
The Leviim continue in Parsha Naso and therefore I will stop
here and return to Chapters 3 to 8 next Shabbos. Returning to the start of
Chapter 3.
The Baal
Shem Tov’s Miraculous Visit to Berlin by R. Y. Tilles
https://ascentofsafed.com/Stories/Stories/5784/1382-39.html
The innkeeper could not
believe his ears. The stranger who had stopped by his inn last night with his
followers insisted that he intended to spend the coming Shabbos in Berlin.
“But that city is
hundreds of miles away! How can you possibly make it?”
The Baal Shem
Tov had not revealed his identity, all he had said was that as a
traveling darshan (‘preacher’ – guest speaker in synagogues),
he wished to be present at the wedding of a certain wealthy person which was to
take place that Friday in Berlin.
“I have excellent horses,”
The BeShT insisted. “I have no doubts of reaching there by
Shabbos.”
“Very well, then, can
I come along with you? I have to be in Berlin too.”
The innkeeper actually
had to be in a city some twenty miles from Berlin but thought this an excellent
opportunity to get a ride. Besides, he was quite curious to see how close his
guest would actually get to the German city.
When the following day
dawned the innkeeper was up and about, making bustling preparations for his
voyage. The Baal Shem Tov, however took his time. He prayed leisurely and then
was served a nice breakfast.
“Why are you not
hurrying?” the innkeeper asked in concern. “You will never reach your
destination in time for Shabbos.”
“Never fear,” his
guest calmly assured the man. “We will reach Berlin by tomorrow, please G-d.”
The innkeeper looked ”t
his guest in amazement a“d thought, "He seems so sure of himself. I must
go along and see what happens.”
As it happened, the
Besht did not leave until that evening when he finally called together the Chasidim
accompanying him and the innkeeper. They set forth, traveling all that night;
the passengers all fell asleep, of course.
When the morning sun
shone upon the world, the innkeeper could see that they had arrived at their
destination. His surprise was beyond description. [1]
The Baal Shem Tov made
his quarters some distance from the rich man’s home. At twelve o’clock that day
the city was in an uproar. The kallah (bride) had suddenly
fainted and lay unconscious. Nothing could revive her. All the noted doctors of
the city had tried their best, in vain. A crowd of curious spectators
surrounded the house, attracting the visiting innkeeper as well.
When he learned the
cause of all the commotion the innkeeper spoke up, “I think I know someone who
might be able to help the girl.”
He began to tell of
the miraculous journey in which he had participated. “This darshan,”
he continued. “claims that he can perform medical wonders as well. I would
suggest asking him to come here.”
The rich man himself
went to the hotel where the Baal Shem Tov was staying. He pleaded for him to
come and see what could be done for his bride. To his dismay, the Besht
commanded the household staff,
“Prepare the shrouds
according to your custom.” He turned to the distraught man with further
instructions, “Go and order a grave dug. Take along separately the wedding
garments which the kallah was to have worn.”
Soon the funeral
procession was making its way to the cemetery. ‘Place the coffin with the bride
into the grave,” the Rebbe instructed.
Then he called two
strong men from among the spectators. “Come and stand by the grave,” he said. “When
you see any change in the girl’s face, you are to remove her at once from the
grave.” He leaned over the body and stood thus bent over, for a quarter of an
hour.
Suddenly her face
assumed a rosy hue. In an instant the two men lifted her out of the grave. “Lead
her immediately to the chuppah (wedding canopy)!” the Besht
further instructed.
The bride was dressed
up in the clothes that had been provided and taken directly to her house where
the wedding ceremony was held without delay. At the request of the chatan (bridegroom),
the Baal Shem Tov agreed to officiate at the ceremony. At the end, as the young
bride lifted her veil to drink the wine, she suddenly took a closer
unobstructed look at the rabbi in front of her.
“This is the man who
saved me from death!” she exclaimed in surprise.
After the chuppah,
the bride told the entire story. The rich man, a widower, had taken his niece
into his home when she had become orphaned. In the course of time his wife had
sickened. As she lay on her deathbed, she had one final request: that her
husband refrain from marrying the niece, for she was jealous. She made both her
husband and his niece give their word and hand not to marry after her death.
Despite their promise,
the two eventually decided to get married. On her wedding day, the kallah was
visited by the deceased woman who intended to murder her.
“I had to hold a din
Torah (a Rabbinical Court case),” the Besht explained, “between those
two litigants. I found the chatan and kallah to
be innocent for they only gave their promises to ease the first wife’s
departure from this world. So, when I was standing in concentration over the
young girl’s grave, I rebuked the spirit of her aunt, telling her that the
bride must not be prevented from going to the chuppah.”
“That was the voice I
heard while I lay in the grave,” the kallah spoke now, “and
this was the first face I saw when I removed my veil.”
The Baal Shem Tov
remained there for that Shabbos. When he left Berlin on Sunday, he was
accompanied by a huge crowd of admirers who wished to escort him on his way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Excerpted and modified by R. Yerachmiel Tilles from “Tales of the Baal
Shem Tov” (vol. 5, first story) by Yisroel-Yaakov Klapholz, as translated by
Sheindel Weinbach. Based on the Hebrew book, Hachezyonos.
Why this week? The
Baal Shem Tov’s yahrzeit is on the first day of Shavuot, which is on Tuesday
night-Wednesday, June 11-12.
Compiler’s Note: Were
you expecting a more Shavuot connected story? Don’t be upset; you will receive
one in your email on Sunday or Monday.
ALSO: there will be an audio and a video for Shavuot on this Saturday Night’s
WhatApp group posting. Check it out one time.
Biographical note:
Rabbi Yisrael ben Eliezer [of blessed memory: 18 Elul 5458- 6 Sivan 5520
(Aug. 1698 – May 1760)], the Baal Shem Tov [“Master of the
Good Name”-often referred to as “the Besht” for short], a unique and seminal
figure in Jewish history, revealed his identity as an exceptionally holy
person, on his 36th birthday, 18 Elul 5494 (1734), and made the
until-then underground Chasidic movement public. He wrote no books, although
many works claim to contain his teachings. One available in English is the
excellent annotated translation of Tzava’at Harivash, published by
Kehos.
Footnote [1] Even in today’s automobiles, the trip from western Ukraine (Kiev)
to Berlin is a drive of more than 12 hours.
Below is
a powerful and moving story about soldiers wounded in the wars in Israel and
how a great Rebbe addressed them. By Rabbi Simon Jacobson.
When
Joseph Cabiliv —today a successful real estate developer—regained consciousness
in the Rambam Hospital in Haifa, he remembered nothing of the circumstances
that had brought him there. He felt an excruciating pain in his legs. The
discovery that followed was far more horrendous: glancing under the sheet, he
saw that both his legs had been amputated, the right leg at the knee, the left
at mid-thigh.
The day
before, Joseph, who was serving on reserve duty in Zahal (the
Israeli Defense Forces), was patrolling the Golan Heights with several other
soldiers when their jeep hit an old Syrian land mine. Two of his comrades were
killed on the spot. Another three suffered serious injury. Joseph’s legs were
so severely crushed that the doctors had no choice but to amputate them.
Aside
from the pain and disability, Joseph was confronted with society’s incapacity
to deal with the handicapped.
“My
friends would come to visit,” he recalls, “sustain fifteen minutes of
artificial cheer, and depart without once meeting my eye. Mother would come and
cry, and it was I, who so desperately needed consolation, who had to do the
consoling. Father would come and sit by my bedside in silence—I don’t know
which was worse, Mother’s tears or Father’s silence. Returning to my civilian
profession as a welder was, of course, impossible, and while people were quick
to offer charity, no one had a job for a man without legs. When I ventured out
in my wheelchair, people kept their distance, so that a large empty space
opened up around me on the busiest street corner.”
When
Joseph met with other disabled veterans he found that they all shared his
experience: they had given their very bodies in defense of the nation, but the
nation lacked the spiritual strength to confront their sacrifice.
“In the
summer of 1976,” Joseph tells, “Zahal sponsored a tour of the United States for
a large group of disabled veterans. While we were in New York, a Lubavitcher Chassid
came to our hotel and suggested that we meet with the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Most
of us did not know what to make of the invitation, but a few members of our
group had heard about the Rebbe and convinced the rest of us to accept.
“As soon
as they heard we were coming, the Chabadniks sprang into action, organizing the
whole thing with the precision of a military campaign. Ten large commercial
vans pulled up to our hotel to transport us and our wheelchairs to the Lubavitch
headquarters in Brooklyn. Soon we found ourselves in the famous large synagogue
in the basement of 770 Eastern Parkway.
“Ten
minutes later, a white-bearded man of about 70 entered the room, followed by
two secretaries. As if by a common signal, absolute silence pervaded the room.
There was no mistaking the authority he radiated. We had all stood in the
presence of military commanders and prime ministers, but this was unlike
anything we had ever encountered. This must have been what people felt in the presence
of royalty. An identical thought passed through all our minds: Here walks a
leader, a prince.
“He
passed between us, resting his glance on each one of us and lifting his hand in
greeting, and then seated himself opposite us. Again he looked at each of us in
turn. From that terrible day on which I had woken without my legs in the Rambam
Hospital, I have seen all sorts of things in the eyes of those who looked at
me: pain, pity, revulsion, anger. But this was the first time in all those
years that I encountered true empathy. With that glance that scarcely lasted a
second and the faint smile on his lips, the Rebbe conveyed to me that he is
with me—utterly and exclusively with me.”
“The
Rebbe then began to speak, after apologizing for his Ashkenazic-accented
Hebrew. He spoke about our ‘disability,’ saying that he objected to the use of
the term. ‘If a person has been deprived of a limb or a faculty,’ he told,
‘this itself indicates that G-d has given him special powers to overcome the
limitations this entails, and to surpass the achievements of ordinary people.
You are not “disabled” or “handicapped,” but special and unique, as you possess
potentials that the rest of us do not.
“ ‘I
therefore suggest,’ he continued, adding with a smile ‘—of course it is none of
my business, but Jews are famous for voicing opinions on matters that do not
concern them—that you should no longer be called n’chei Yisrael (“the
disabled of Israel,” our designation in the Zahal bureaucracy) but metzuyanei
Yisrael (“the special of Israel”).’ He spoke for several minutes more,
and everything he said—and more importantly, the way in which he said
it—addressed what had been churning within me since my injury.”
“In
parting, he gave each of us a dollar bill, in order—he explained—that we give
it to charity in his behalf, making us partners in the fulfillment of a
mitzvah. He walked from wheelchair to wheelchair, shaking our hands, giving
each a dollar, and adding a personal word or two. When my turn came, I saw his
face up close and I felt like a child. He gazed deeply into my eyes, took my
hand between his own, pressed it firmly, and said ‘Thank you’ with a slight nod
of his head.
“I later
learned that he had said something different to each one of us. To me he said
‘Thank you’—somehow, he sensed that that was exactly what I needed to hear.
With those two words, the Rebbe erased all the bitterness and despair that had
accumulated in my heart. I carried the Rebbe’s ‘Thank you’ back to Israel, and
I carry it with me to this very day.”
For Chag HaShavuos, see day 244 below in green.
Megillah Ruth – my Commentary of 14 years ago.
http://rabbipauli.blogspot.com/2010/05/megillas-ruth-shevous-and-story.html
16 years ago I brought down this: I found the following idea in
Rabbi Mirsky’s Sefer on the Jewish holidays:
On Shavuos, we read the book of Rus [Ruth], written by the prophet Shmuel. Rus
is one of the 24 books of the Bible. It is a beautiful story. But what is so
vital about this narrative that it must be part of Tanach? Furthermore, why do
we specifically read it on the holiday of Shavuos?
Rav Shlomo Alkabez, in his commentary to Rus, writes “This Megillah was written
to authenticate King David and to publicize the concept that a Moabite woman
may marry a Jew. Shmuel wrote this book to preempt any murmuring that might
threaten the monarchy of the anointed king (David).”
There was indeed controversy as to whether Boaz was permitted to marry Rus. Rus
was from Moab. The simple reading of “Neither an Ammonite nor a Moabite shall
enter the Congregation of the L-rd” [Devarim 23:4] would seem to preclude her
ability to marry Boaz or any other native-born Jew for that matter. There was a
dispute that raged for generations whether the prohibition included female
Moabites or just the males. Boaz made a bold move to demonstrate the
permissibility of such a union, even though the closer relative (a man named
Tov) refused to enter into such a marriage out of fear that it was prohibited.
Shmuel, the prophet who anointed David as King, decided to set the record
straight and recorded Boaz’s public decision to marry this woman – in Tanach.
This explains, perhaps, why Rus is read on Shavuos. The story of Boaz’s bold
decision to marry Rus dramatizes his faith in the veracity of the Oral
Tradition. Boaz had faith in the “Halacha of Moshe tracing back to Sinai” that
the interpretation of the above cited asuk in Devarim is “An Ammonite male is
forbidden, but not an Ammonite female; a Moabite male is forbidden, but not a
Moabite female. “
When a Jew sits down on Shavuos, the holiday marking receipt of the Torah, he
is confronted with the question of why Boaz did marry Rus. Why was he so
confident that he was allowed to marry her? The answer is that he knew it was
permissible because of the Oral Law. Shavuos is not merely the holiday
celebrating receipt of the Written Torah. As indicated by the story of Rus,
Shavuos is also the holiday when we celebrate the receipt of and the veracity
of the Oral Torah.
The issue of the veracity of the Oral Torah was an issue in Talmudic times and
it is an issue in modern times as well. When we tell people “the Torah says
such and such,” they question us because they cannot find it in the Written
Torah. So much of the divisions that we have with our non-observant brethren
boil down to this point: Is there an Oral Law or not?
On Shavuos, we come to this clear understanding that Torah means the Written
Torah PLUS the Oral Torah. There is no better narrative than the Megillah of
Rus to drive home this lesson.
The Vilna Gaon reads this whole idea into a few Pasukim in Tehillim
[119:161-162]: King David writes: “Princes have pursued me without cause, but
my heart has feared Your word (m’devarcha pachad leebi). I rejoice over Your
Word, (sos anochi al imrasecha) like one who finds abundant spoils.” The
meaning of M’devarcha pachad leebi is I was afraid of the words of Your Torah,
which seems to imply that even a Moabite woman may not marry into the Jewish
people. But sos anochi al imrasecha – I rejoiced over your Oral Teaching, which
taught to the contrary, that the prohibition was limited only to the Moabite
males.
Milestone: Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, 74, As Vice Chairman of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch, the educational
arm of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, Rabbi Kotlarsky played a crucial role in
the growth of the Chabad network worldwide. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391086
Milestone: Dovid Levy, 86, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Levy_(Israeli_politician)
Inyanay Diyoma
June 1st and 2nd
Days 239 and 240 start of week 35
Today I want to discuss what is
going on in Northern Israel. I did border patrol there. It is a beautiful part
of the country. Mountains and villages. One travelling into Lebanon can see the
Eucalyptus Trees planted on the land bought by lord Rothschild up to around the
area of the Karoun lake.
What do we see today in the north
houses being shot at. A Burkan (Vulcan) Rocket hit and decimated an Army Base
in Kiriat Shemona on Shabbos. Rockets galore and a few times a day penetration
or attempted penetration of explosive laden drones. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390895
Minister had to hide in shelter. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390932
Iranian General dies of illness. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390902
A group of 19 pro-Israel House Democrats is
pushing back on the White House’s opposition to impose sanctions against the International
Criminal Court (ICC) in response to its top prosecutor’s decision to seek arrest warrants against senior Israeli officials. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390888
Biden sticks a knife in the back of Israel and
twists it. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390882
Op-Ed Caroline Glick Biden vs. right to exist. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390899
https://www.timesofisrael.com/egypt-extends-crackdown-on-gaza-activism-with-student-arrests/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-accepts-invitation-to-address-joint-session-of-congress/
Ambassador to step down. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390881
Her mother is dying of cancer. A
voice gram of captive released. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390880
June 3rd
Day 241
124 Hostages. Body of Paramedic
discovered and only identified close to 8 months afterwards due to DNA problem.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390985
I was trying to produce
the news and it seems that the electricity grid fell. This was due to a crane
or bulldozer cutting the main electric cable while expanding the 446 road.
IDF furious. PLO frees the terrorist
who killed two soldiers. It is a matter of time before he is caught. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390981
Hamas demands have not changed since
January and nothing else on the part of Israel is surrender. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390980 Biden is trying to sell the world
“Snake Oil”.
Hamas’s demands: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390980
No changes for Biden: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390901
Snake Oil: As the weather warms up snakes are
coming out of holes. A resident of the south in her 50s was taken a few hours
ago to Assuta Hospital in Ashdod after being bitten by a viper. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390948
South Africa: The US is next at the
ICC. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390955
Ben Gvir and Netanyahu discuss
“ceasefire” proposal. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390997
RPG’s found in Rafah house. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390989
The Israel Nature and Parks Authority has
estimated that 10,000 dunams of open fields were burned Sunday following
Hezbollah rocket strikes on northern Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390994
Arson near the Israel Museum in the
“Valley of the Cross”. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390993
A person suspected to be of Syrian origin arrived
today (Monday) near the Israeli embassy building in Romania. During the
security screening, he took out a Molotov cocktail, lit it, and threw it toward
the entrance door of the building lobby.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391002
https://www.timesofisrael.com/syria-says-several-killed-in-alleged-israeli-airstrike-on-aleppo-area/
So much for Gays for Palestine: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391003
Lebanese media on Monday reported that a UAV
carried out a strike on a vehicle traveling on a coastal road near Tyre. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390999
E. Yerushalayim Driver smuggles in
Arabs. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390987
Iran’s Drone Program sanctioned. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390892
BERLIN,
Germany — A 29-year-old police officer died on Sunday after being repeatedly
stabbed during an attack at an anti-Islam rally in Germany. Suspected Islamist.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/german-policeman-dies-after-being-wounded-in-stabbing-attack-at-anti-islam-rally/
But the IDF cannot draft Charedim. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390928
No prayers at Har Eval. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390866
After 18years he got medical help to
visit the Kotel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390931
He went to Yosef’s Tomb w/o
permission got lost but escaped lynch. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390992
Jackal snatches baby from camp site
and now the child is recovering. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390923
Lots and lots of supplies to Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390929
Drone discovers booby-trapped
building. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390908
Majority or Israelis want Israeli
Control of Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390900
Israel establishes a maturity
hospital. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390897
Earlier this week, IAF fighter jets struck and
eliminated the terrorist Salame Barake, who was a Hamas operative in the
eastern Khan Yunis Battalion and Head of Finance in the Hamas Police. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390894
In another joint operation that took place this
week, an IAF aircraft struck and eliminated the terrorist Walid Abed Abu Dalal
in the Central Camps area of the Gaza Strip. Abu Dalal was a Hamas military
wing operative and also served as the head of the technology department in the
Hamas Internal Security Forces. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390893
Op-Ed Diane Bederman from the river to the sea
sovereignty. https://dianebederman.com/from-the-river-to-the-sea-israeli-sovereignty/
June 4th
Day 242
The procrastination of Netanyahu could lead to
a military coup in Israel. The general staff is angry at sit a absorb in the
north and not winning in the south.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391018 and breaking https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391040
Blazes all over the north. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391017
4 more murdered in captivity. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391016
Thomas exposes on YouTube how the Islamists and
Marxists are working to destroy the west. Look for film: Brave Iranian woman
exposes Islamists and Socialist Plot. Due to censorship I cannot post the link.
UN proposal to twist the knife in the back. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391030
Two terrorists tried to penetrate central
Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391033
Next Thursday, Netanyahu to address a joint
session of Congress. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391022
Captivity is becoming a burden for Hamas. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391021
Explosives in child’s bedroom. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391008
You can’t roller-skate in a buffalo
herd. https://www.aol.com/bison-gores-83-old-woman-015009930.html
June 5th
Day 243
4800+ rockets and UAVs attacked from
Lebanon and 640 houses damaged 43 Yishuvim evacuated 25 murdered and no end in
sight as of June 5th.
Today my wife dragged me towards a
funeral of an older neighbor. But instead of getting there, there was an
accident on the way and we never got there.
Breaking UAV injures between 6 to 11 soccer players of which two
are critical. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-805118
9 soldiers injured on training base.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391097
COS we are ready in the north. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391074
Flags galore on Yom Yerushalayim. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391132
The following has been on going
among medical personnel for the last few weeks. PM sues reporters: He accused that the rumors were spread “while spreading the
most malicious, wicked, and serious lies, which include factual determinations
such as: The Prime Minister has pancreatic cancer, is unfit, and more. Things
that are lies and fabrications.” https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391130
US Attorney General Merrick Garland told
Congress that the terrorism threat faced by the United States has risen greatly
since the massacre committed by the Hamas terrorist organization on October 7. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391134
Meron disaster families oppose
promotion. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391133
Successfully intercepted. Following the sirens that sounded Wednesday morning in
northern Israel regarding a hostile aircraft infiltration, a suspicious aerial
target that crossed from Lebanon was successfully intercepted in the area of
Metula by the IDF Aerial Defense Array. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391118
Division returns to central Gaza. Over the past day, IDF troops have
started a targeted operational activity in the areas of Bureij and eastern Deir
al Balah both above and below ground. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391114
By 2028 a third squadron of F-35’s. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391069
Talk is cheap but action is done by
Tzadikim. https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-warns-were-ready-with-extremely-powerful-response-to-hezbollah-attacks/
Are we waiting for Gaza or Chag
Shavuos? https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-warns-were-ready-with-extremely-powerful-response-to-hezbollah-attacks/
Mile long tunnel: During the raids, the troops located
rocket warheads and many weapons including rockets and an anti-aircraft missile
launcher. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391065
Slovenia recognizes PLO. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391091
This is false: The IDF on Tuesday rejected claims
made in a book called “The Boss”, written by Ido Norden who served in the Kirya
base in Tel Aviv, alleging that IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi thwarted an
attempt to free hostages at the start of the war. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391095
US House approves sanctions of ICC
officials. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391084
“Weak Joe Biden is only now scrambling to fix the
DISASTER he created in the Middle East because he’s afraid of losing the
Election,” Trump said in a statement on his platform, Truth Social. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391096
June 6th
Day 244
80years ago, the allies hit the
beaches at Normandy. They were not told that they had to have humanitarian this
or that. They were not told rules of engagement and they were not politically
correct. Patton cursed everybody including or perhaps especially the Jews. However,
they were in it to win it.
First Sgt. Died in yesterday’s drone
attack. From: D. W. Bederman: I hope Israel
bombs Lebanon to the ground. I was going to say the dark ages, but they live in
those times, now! https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391161
Hezballah attacks Iron Dome so they are being
deployed in a flexible way. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391160
The troops have located several significant
tunnel shafts that led to a long tunnel route that reached as far as the
Philadelphia Corridor. The tunnel route’s length is approximately 2 kilometers
(1.25 miles) and it connects to several other routes in the area. The tunnel
that was located was extensive and contained blast doors, inside which the
troops located weapons such as AK-47s, anti-tank missiles, many intelligence
assets and explosives. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391138
Another attempted kidnapping of civilians
thwarted. https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-troops-killed-3-terrorists-trying-to-infiltrate-into-israel-from-rafah-area-in-gaza/
Terrorist in UNWRA eliminated. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391153
https://www.algemeiner.com/2024/06/05/hamas-leader-demands-full-end-gaza-war-blow-biden-plan/
Czech train crash. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-805162
Trump to lose gun license. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-805157
Hang in there Shabbos is coming. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/shabat
A little pleasant note
of life in Israel. I shopped for cheeses for Chag Shavuos (aka Pentecost in
Latin due to Sefiras HaOmer of 50 days. The cutting of an Omer of Barley for
waving in the Temple started the day after Pesach. That is one of the reasons
that Megillah Ruth is read. The other is her great grandson Dovid was born on
Shavuos and died on Shavuos). Because of Matan Torah (aka the giving of the
Torah nobody knew how to slaughter the animals in a kosher manner so they ate
milk). My wife already made a cheese cake topped in vanilla pudding.
Story behind the news: The IDF announced
Thursday morning that First sergeant (res.) Rafael Kauders HY”D, 39, fell in
battle in northern Israel. That was the cold announcement. Rafael’s business
partner told the TV audience of the whole picture. Rafael should not have been
in the army at all! He had a low medical problem from a Kidney Problem. After
Oct. 7th he pushed his way into the unit. He was 5.5 km from the
border. He told his partner that he wanted to be useful in the army. Nobody
expected Rafael to die on Kiddush HASHEM.
In the battle against Terrorist
Infiltration, the new border scout unit run by Bedouin encountered 4 terrorists
from Rafah. Warrant officer Zeed Mazarib, 34, fell
in battle in southern Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391179
Daniel ben Dina was seriously
injured in Gaza he is recovering but needs healing prayers for at least a
month.
Hamas is left with about 9,000-12,000 terrorists
in the Gaza Strip, compared to the 20-25 thousand terrorists it had in the
enclave before October 7. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391183
Staff at the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon
were forced to declare the death of a one-year-old infant who was found earlier
on Thursday in a locked vehicle in Sderot. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391180
The ongoing search for a missing person in Afula
took an unexpected turn last night when volunteers from the Israel Dog Unit, a
nonprofit specializing in working dogs, entered an abandoned building as part
of the search efforts. Among the accumulation of litter in the building, the
volunteers realized they had found a Torah scroll that had been disrespectfully
discarded. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391181
The ceremony for the establishment of the Gaza
Envelope LOTAR (counterterrorism) Unit in the Gaza Division took place Monday,
in the presence of the commanding officer of the Gaza Division. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391125
https://www.algemeiner.com/2024/06/05/trump-pledges-i-will-stop-war-anti-israel-ufc-star/
Houthis present their Eilat Missile.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391148
June 7th
Day 245 eight months of war end of
week 35
380,000 Reserve Soldiers have been
given Tzav 8 = unlimited call-up papers probably for a complete cleanout of
Khan Unis and Lebanon. No mentioned of date of effectiveness or just drafted
and remaining at home.
Biden praises Israel for limited
Rafah Campaign and concessions. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391218
Strike on UNWRA classrooms was a
ticking time-bomb. 9 terrorists named. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391205
https://www.timesofisrael.com/top-commander-in-north-says-idf-ready-for-war-against-hezbollah/
Sinwar Hamas will not surrender its
guns. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391201
Givati Soldiers find weapon’s
factory. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391195
Biden pressing allies to pressure
Hamas. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391220
E. Brunswick NJ: https://www.algemeiner.com/2024/06/06/blatant-antisemitic-act-high-school-yearbook-erases-jewish-students-names-replaces-photo-muslim-students/
FL unlike NY rogue prosecutors get
suspended. https://www.aol.com/news/floridas-supreme-court-rejects-state-193632775.html
IDF KNEW OF TUNNEL IN GAZA
FOR 10 YEARS AND DID NOTHING. SHAME ON EVERYBODY FROM THE CHIEFS OF STAFF,
INTELLIGENCE GENERALS, GENERALS OF SOUTHERN COMMAND, ETC. OUTRAGEOUS,
DISGUSTING, DISGRACEFUL & DANGEROUS. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391229
Troops waited too long until firing
on infiltrators. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391193
$8.5 MILLION to a woman left in
police cruiser hit by train. If Israel UN would get involved. https://www.aol.com/colorado-towns-agree-deal-woman-060310876.html
A good Shabbos, Chodesh
Sivan Samayach while preparing for the Bikkurim Festival of Receiving the
Torah. Much healthy, happiness and peace to my readership,
Rachamim Pauli
