Rabbi Simon Jacobson on the last few Parshiyos: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399602
Parsha Toldos
As the generation of
Avraham waned, the generation of Yitzchak rose to prominence.
25:19 And
these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begot Isaac.
These are the
descendants of Yitzchak and a continuation physically and spiritually of
Avraham.
20 And
Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the
Aramean, of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife.
By our standards today,
he got married late but he had to wait for Rivka.
21 And
Isaac entreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD let
Himself be entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
They were married 10
years when she was young and another 10years after.
Under these
circumstances, he might have chose a divorce or permission to marry another
wife. But instead, he chose to continuing trying.
22 And
the children struggled together within her; and she said: 'If it be so,
wherefore do I live?' And she went to inquire of the LORD. 23 And the
LORD said unto her: Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be
separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other
people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
One wants to leave the
womb when they passed buy Shem and Ever. The other wanted to get out and serve
idols.
24 And
when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her
womb. 25 And the first came forth ruddy, all over like a hairy
mantle; and they called his name Esau.
He had hair like grass
over the ground. He had red hair. But there are righteous people with reddish
hair like Dovid HaMelech.
26 And
after that came forth his brother, and his hand had hold on Esau's heel; and
his name was called Jacob. And Isaac was threescore years old when she bore
them.
Eikev means heel and
hence the name Yacov. He was trying to grab the Bechor. The rivalry started in
the womb and continued. They were paternal twins from the difference.
27 And
the boys grew; and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was
a quiet man, dwelling in tents.
He was a man who liked
the hunt and sport while Yacov was the intellect. He loved the Torah, prayer
and would review it in his head while guarding the flocks and herd.
28 Now
Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison; and Rebekah loved
Jacob. 29 And Jacob sod pottage; and Esau came in from the field, and
he was faint. 30 And Esau said to Jacob: 'Let me swallow, I pray
thee, some of this red, red pottage; for I am faint.' Therefore was his name
called Edom.
When the boys were 15,
Avraham died. Avraham should have lived to 180 years like Yitzchak, but his
life was cut short so as not see Esav sin. For on the day that Avraham died, he
ate a limb from a live animal, raped an engaged but like married maiden (we now
do engagement under the bridal canopy to avoid this), he wanted the garment of
Adam and Nimrod had it so he stole it and killed Nimrod and he denied G-D. So
after all this he was faint. Yacov was making lentils in the form of pottage as
a mourners meal for Yitzchak.
31 And
Jacob said: 'Sell me first thy birthright.' 32 And Esau said:
'Behold, I am at the point to die; and what profit shall the birthright do to
me?' 33 And Jacob said: 'Swear to me first'; and he swore unto him;
and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.
Esav was so concerned
with HaOlam HaZeh (this world) he wanted everything NOW. He did not worry about
the future. Yacov was not interested so much in HaOlam HaZeh but HaOlam HaBa or
the future world. Yacov did things for sustenance such as planting, sowing,
harvesting and taking care of the animals but that was for existing for the end
of days.
34 And
Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and
rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright.
He gave him a full meal
and Esav is said to have swallowed the whole pot and Yacov had to make more for
Yitzchak. FYI – it is a custom in Israel to give a mourner a roll, an egg,
lentils or beans that are round to symbolize the turning of the world from
birth to death and other births as a circle of life.
26:1
And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the
days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto
Gerar. 2 And the LORD appeared unto him, and said: 'Go not down unto
Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of.
Yitzchak was forbidden to leave Eretz Yisrael as he had been a
Korban. But Avraham or Yacov were not on that level of holiness.
3 Sojourn
in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and
unto thy seed, I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which
I swore unto Abraham thy father; 4 and I will multiply thy seed as
the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these lands; and by thy
seed shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves; 5 because
that Abraham hearkened to My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My
statutes, and My laws.'
You and not your half
brothers are the spiritual and physical inheritor of the land.
6 And
Isaac dwelt in Gerar. 7 And the men of the place asked him of his
wife; and he said: 'She is my sister'; for he feared to say: 'My wife'; 'lest
the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah, because she is fair to look
upon.'
Saddam Hussein used to
look at the wives of his generals and if the general would not divorce the
wife, she would become a widow. This is what Avraham and Yitzchak feared din
their generation. They had some morals for adultery but not for murder.
8 And
it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the
Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting
with Rebekah his wife. 9 And Abimelech called Isaac, and said:
'Behold, of a surety she is thy wife; and how say you: She is my sister?' And
Isaac said unto him: 'Because I said: Lest I die because of her.'
He was watching them and
they were behaving like husband and wife and not brother and sister.
10 And
Abimelech said: 'What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might
easily have lain with thy wife, and thou would have brought guiltiness upon
us.'
One of the people
meaning he might have taken her by force.
11 And
Abimelech charged all the people, saying: 'He that touches this man or his wife
shall surely be put to death.'
He realized that there
was a moral problem and therefore he gave all a warning.
12 And
Isaac sowed in that land, and found in the same year a hundredfold; and the
LORD blessed him.
For every seed that he
sowed, he got 100 grains on the stalk.
13 And
the man waxed great, and grew more and more until he became very
great. 14 And he had possessions of flocks, and possessions of herds,
and a great household; and the Philistines envied him.
It is typical of a Jew
to squirrel away things for a rainy day and accumulate wealth for himself and
family after him. The person interested in the here and now has the philosophy
of eat drink and be merry and tomorrow we die. Such a person in modern times
would buy a luxury vehicle, the largest TV, the latest phone and computer. The
Jew will buy a car or phone that fits his needs and wealth and not flaunt it.
15 Now
all the wells which his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham his
father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with
earth. 16 And Abimelech said unto Isaac: 'Go from us; for thou art
much mightier than we.'
You have become too wealthy. Often the jealousy of the non-Jew
comes from seeing the accumulated wealth of the Jew and the evil eye develops.
17 And
Isaac departed thence, and encamped in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt
there. 18 And Isaac dug again the wells of water, which they had dug
in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after
the death of Abraham; and he called their names after the names by which his
father had called them.
He dug the same wells,
but the majority ruled and they wanted to steal it from him each time and he
had to move on.
19 And
Isaac's servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of living
water. 20 And the herdsmen of Gerar strove with Isaac's herdsmen,
saying: 'The water is ours.' And he called the name of the well Esek; because
they contended with him.
The name means fighting
or contention.
21 And
they dug another well, and they strove for that also. And he called the name of
it Sitnah.
The name of the well is
striving.
22 And
he removed from thence, and dug another well; and for that they strove not. And
he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said: 'For now the LORD hath made
room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.'
The name means wide
enough for all or we now have room.
23 And
he went up from thence to Beer-sheva. 24 And the LORD appeared unto
him the same night, and said: 'I am the God of Abraham thy father. Fear not,
for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for My servant
Abraham's sake.' 25 And he built an altar there, and called upon the
name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there; and there Isaac's servants dug a
well.
In the old days, when
G-D appeared to the fathers in a dream or prophecy, one would give a
Thanksgiving Korban (Todah).
26 Then
Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his friend, and Phicol the
captain of his host. 27 And Isaac said unto them: 'Wherefore are ye
come unto me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you?'
As usual, the
antisemitic king or queen kicks out the Jews and business suffers. It happened
in England and Prague and then they invited the Jews back.
28 And
they said: 'We saw plainly that the LORD was with thee; and we said: Let there
now be an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant
with thee;
Now after kicking him
out, they want a treaty as it says who that blesses shall be blessed and who
that curses shall be cursed.
29 that
thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto
thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace; thou art now the
blessed of the LORD.' 30 And he made them a feast, and they did eat
and drink. 31 And they rose up betimes in the morning, and swore one
to another; and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in
peace.
They acknowledged his
Divine protection and they sued for peace.
32 And
it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told him
concerning the well which they had dug, and said unto him: 'We have found
water.' 33 And he called it Shibah. Therefore the name of the city is
Beer-Sheba unto this day.
Avraham dug a well in
that place and it appears to be the same well. The well of the oath.
34 And
when Esau was forty years old, he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the
Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. 35 And they
were a bitterness of spirit unto Isaac and to Rebekah.
Esav wanted to make an
impression on his father. Since Yitzchak got married at the age of forty so did
Esav. But instead of looking for a worthy woman he took Hittite women.
27:1
And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he
could not see, he called Esau his elder son, and said unto him: 'My son'; and
he said unto him: 'Here am I.' 2 And he said: 'Behold now, I am old,
I know not the day of my death.
It seems to me that he
developed a cataract. This was at the age of 123 years old as his mother died
at 127 and he felt approximately five prior to her death, it was time to bless
his son(s).
3 Now
therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to
the field, and take me venison; 4 and make me savory food, such as I
love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I
die.'
Esav captured deer and
brought to his father venison. Yitzchak had a taste for it and wanted to have
it to relax himself and make him happy for a powerful goodly blessing.
5 And
Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to
hunt for venison, and to bring it. 6 And Rebekah spoke unto Jacob her
son, saying: 'Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother,
saying: 7 Bring me venison, and make me savory food, that I may eat,
and bless thee before the LORD before my death. 8 Now therefore, my
son, hearken to my voice according to that which I command thee. 9 Go
now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I
will make them savory food for thy father, such as he loves;
Rivka heard what was
going on. She knew who Esav was and his badness and Yacov with righteousness.
10 and
thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, so that he may bless thee
before his death.' 11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother: 'Behold,
Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man.
Esav is with a lot of
hair and I have smooth skin. Father might not see, but he will feel my hand or
neck and I cannot get away with deceiving him.
12 My
father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a mocker; and I
shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.'
So he feared that if
found out he will get cursed and not blessed.
13 And
his mother said unto him: 'Upon me be thy curse, my son; only hearken to my
voice, and go fetch me them.'
If you get cursed, I will put myself in your place and it will go
upon me for I have instigated this.
14 And
he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother; and his mother made
savory food, such as his father loved. 15 And Rebekah took the
choicest garments of Esau her elder son, which were with her in the house, and
put them upon Jacob her younger son. 16 And she put the skins of the
kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck.
Rivka made the food that
Yitzchak loved with the right spices.
17 And
she gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand
of her son Jacob. 18 And he came unto his father, and said: 'My father';
and he said: 'Here am I; who art thou, my son?' 19 And Jacob said
unto his father: 'I am Esau thy first-born; I have done according as thou bade
me. Arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless
me.'
Yacov spoke but his voice and nuances were a bit different from
Esav. For a Talmud Chacham speaks more
refine and a hunter who is married to Hittite women speaks differently. Yacov
answers differently that the way the English translation has it. It should read
like this: I am (thy son), a pause and Esav (is) thy first born. Thus I heard
this from one of my teachers but I can’t recall whom. Yacov is called Ish Emmet
but he did say things in such a way as to reflect from the Truth.
אָֽנֹכִי עֵשָׂו בכורך - It is I; Esau, your firstborn. I am the one who is bringing
you food – and Esau is your
firstborn.
20 And
Isaac said unto his son: 'How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my
son?' And he said: 'Because the LORD thy God sent me good speed.'
This is an implication that
just as with Yitzchak’s Shidduch, HASHEM played a hand in speeding up the
process.
21 And
Isaac said unto Jacob: 'Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son,
whether thou be my very son Esau or not.'
Now comes the big test. Will he pass off as Esav?
22 And
Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said: 'The voice is
the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.' 23 And he
discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands;
so he blessed him. 24 And he said: 'Art thou my very son Esau?' And
he said: 'I am.'
The power of Yacov is in
his voice via prayer and Torah recital (Talmud too). The power of Esav is physical
in his hands. To keep from lying he says “I”.
וַיֹּאמֶר אָֽנִי - And he replied, “I.”. He did not say, “I am Esau,”
but, “I,” intending to mean “It is I,” but which can also be understood as
“I am.”
25 And
he said: 'Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul
may bless thee.' And he brought it near to him, and he did eat; and he brought
him wine, and he drank. 26 And his father Isaac said unto him: 'Come
near now, and kiss me, my son.' 27 And he came near, and kissed him.
And he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said: See, the
smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed.
The garment of Esav had
a certain distinct fragrance and it was so.
28 So
God give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fat places of the earth, and
plenty of corn and wine. 29 Let peoples serve thee, and nations bow
down to thee. Be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to
thee. Cursed be every one that curses thee, and blessed be every one that
blesses thee.
The blessing starts out
with the dew of heaven. While later we see the blessing given to Esav starts
with the fat places of the earth.
30 And
it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob
was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his
brother came in from his hunting. 31 And he also made savory food,
and brought it unto his father; and he said unto his father: 'Let my father
arise, and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me.'
Yacov just managed to
change his clothes and Esav returns.
32 And
Isaac his father said unto him: 'Who art thou?' And he said: 'I am thy son, thy
first-born, Esau.' 33 And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said:
'Who then is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of
all before thou came, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed.'
Trembled very
exceedingly not that he had be deceived by Yacov but the commentators say that
he saw Gehennom before Esav. He might have realized that Rivka put Yacov up to
it and said “and he shall be blessed”. He realized the importance Yacov put on
the blessing.
34 When
Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceeding great and bitter
cry, and said unto his father: 'Bless me, even me also, O my
father.' 35 And he said: 'Thy brother came with guile, and hath taken
away thy blessing.' 36 And he said: 'Is not he rightly named Jacob?
for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and,
behold, now he hath taken away my blessing.' And he said: 'Hast thou not
reserved a blessing for me?'
You must have some
blessing left for me.
37 And
Isaac answered and said unto Esau: 'Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all
his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I
sustained him; and what then shall I do for thee, my son?' 38 And
Esau said unto his father: 'Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me,
even me also, O my father.' And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
The weeping would return
to Mordechai from Haman who descended from Amalek from Esav.
39 And
Isaac his father answered and said unto him: Behold, of the fat places of the
earth shall be thy dwelling, and of the dew of heaven from
above; 40 And by thy sword shalt thou live, and thou shalt serve thy
brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt break loose, that thou shalt
shake his yoke from off thy neck.
First the fat places of
the earth before the dew of heaven.
41 And
Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him. And
Esau said in his heart: 'Let the days of mourning for my father be at hand;
then will I slay my brother Jacob.'
He must have said this
out loud that Rivka knew of it near a servant or friend.
42 And
the words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah; and she sent and called
Jacob her younger son, and said unto him: 'Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching
thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.
It a Halacha and well
known that Esav hates Yacov therefore flee.
43 Now
therefore, my son, hearken to my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my
brother to Haran; 44 and tarry with him a few days, until thy
brother's fury turn away; 45 until thy brother's anger turn away from
thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him; then I will send, and
fetch thee from thence; why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?'
Neither she nor Yitzchak
know that she shall pass away before her husband that is almost three decades older.
She is afraid of being a widow and losing a son.
46 And
Rebekah said to Isaac: 'I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth.
If Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these, of the daughters
of the land, what good shall my life do me?'
What good is my life if
after going into labor for twins and raising them, if they are both married to not
worthy females so my life has been in vain.
28:1
And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him:
'Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. 2 Arise, go
to Paddan-aram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a
wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother.
Go take a worthy wife
from good stock and not these local females.
3 And
God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou
mayest be a congregation of peoples; 4 and give thee the blessing of
Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land
of thy sojourning’s, which God gave unto Abraham.'
This time Yitzchak knows
whom he is blessing and blessed for being fruitful and multiply and a continuation
of Adam’s blessing.
5 And
Isaac sent away Jacob; and he went to Paddan-aram unto Laban, son of Bethuel
the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother. 6 Now
Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan-aram, to take
him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying:
'Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan';
The same charge that Avraham
gave to his servant when looking for a Shidduch for Yitzchak.
7 and
that Jacob hearkened to his father and his mother, and was gone to
Paddan-aram; 8 and Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan pleased not
Isaac his father; 9 so Esau went unto Ishmael, and took unto the
wives that he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of
Nebaioth, to be his wife.
Esav woke up to the fact that both his father and mother did not
like his choice of marriage partners so he took Mahalath as his wife from a
better father.
Three Steps before
the front door. By Rabbi Y. Tilles
https://ascentofsafed.com/Stories/Stories/5785/1407-09.html
One wintry day, a man came to the tzadik, Rabbi
Tzvi of Dinov [known to all as "the Benei Yisasschar"].
The man braved the winter weather to seek the saintly rebbe's help. He told the
rebbe that he was an innkeeper in a village some distance away, the inn having
come down to him from his late father, who had rented it from the previous
regional landlord. The old squire was a reasonable man and made no trouble if
the rent was not paid on time in a bad season, in the wake of a severe winter.
But the old squire died, and his son, the new squire, was not so
kind. He was threatening to throw them out if the rent was not paid on time. He
came to ask the rebbe's help, so that his family would not be left without food
and shelter in the midst of a terrible winter.
"Do you live in such and such village?" the rebbe asked.
"Yes, Rebbe."
"Still in the same house, with the narrow windows and three
steps leading up to the front door?" "Yes, Rebbe," the innkeeper
replied, wondering how the rebbe knew.
"And is the well in the courtyard still plentiful, and the
water still good?"
"Yes, Rebbe," the innkeeper answered with even greater amazement.
"I'm glad, I'm glad," the rebbe said, stroking his silver
beard. "You have nothing to worry about."
The innkeeper's face lit up with relief and he turned to go. But
then he stopped and hesitated. He was baffled. How did the rebbe know about the
inn and the well, and what had the well to do with it all?
"Forgive me, Rebbe, for my insolence, but how is it that the
Rebbe is so familiar with my inn?" he finally mustered the courage to ask.
The rebbe smiled and said, "Very simple. I was there. It was a
long time ago. Let me tell you the whole story.
"Many years ago, a young man was on his way to the holy rebbe,
the 'Seer' of Lublin. He had been traveling for three days without food
and shelter. He came to your village and stopped at the inn for a rest. He was
so tired and hungry that he could barely climb the three front steps leading to
the door.
"Your father was busy at that moment with peasants and
wayfarers who crowded the inn, and he did not notice the stranger. After the
young man rested a while, and seeing that no one took any notice of him, he
decided to move on. As he passed by one of the narrow windows, he saw a small
boy peeking out.
"The boy saw the haggard face of the stranger and ran after
him. He begged the stranger to return with him to the inn. 'My father always
welcomes poor wayfarers, and he would not forgive himself if he knew that one
had passed by his inn without a good meal and a good night's rest. Please, come
with me,' the boy urged.
"The young man returned to the inn and was immediately greeted
by your father, then led to the dining room where a sumptuous meal was set
before him. After the meal he was quite thirsty. The innkeeper sent the maid to
fetch a pail of water. In her absence the innkeeper explained that she had to
go to the village to fetch water.
"'Have you no well in your courtyard?' the young man asked.
"'Yes, but the water is not good. We only use it for the
horses and the garden.'
"'If you don't mind, I'd like to taste your well-water. I'm
very thirsty,' the young man said.
"The innkeeper brought a pitcher of water from the well and
poured some for the thirsty guest. He drank it and said, 'Fancy giving such
good water a bad name! Taste it, and see for yourself.'
Everyone who tasted it was astonished. 'It's wonderful! It's even
better than the water from the village well!' they said."
"Now I remember," the innkeeper said. "I was that
little boy, and the young man - he must have been you!"
"Yes," said the saintly Rebbe, "and thanks to you I
had a good meal and a good rest."
"That was nothing in comparison to the blessing which you
brought into our home. Word got around how the water in our well suddenly
turned pure and fresh. Former customers testify that it proved to be good for
their health. People still come and rent rooms only because they want to drink
our well water!"
"If the water in the well is still good, then you can be sure
that G-d is with you. Go home, and don't worry. Carry on with the mitzvah of
welcoming guests and G-d will continue to bless you," said the Rebbe.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source:
Modified by Yerachmiel Tilles from L'ChaimWeekly, issue #1495 (a publication of
the Lubavitch Youth Organization in Brooklyn.) Based on "Talks and
Tales."
Connection:
Wells play an important role in this week's Torah reading (Gen. 26:17-32).
Biographical note:
Rabbi Tzvi-Elimelech Shapira of Dinov (1785 - 18 Teves, 1841) was the
nephew of Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk and disciple of the "Seer" of
Lublin and of Menachem Mendel of Rimanov, and a renowned Torah scholar and
Chasidic master in his own right. He is best known for his scholarly and
mystical work, Bnei Yisasschar, which includes a chapter for each
month of the year. [A direct paternal descendant of his is a member of the
Ascent staff.]
https://aish.com/6-ways-jews-shaped-thanksgiving/
Milestone: Shlomo Nagar, 88, execution
of Adolf Eichmann. Helped found modern Kiriat Arba. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399846
Inyanay Diyoma
Nov. 22nd
This appeared in the Blogspot but
not direct in groups or Day 413 end of
week 58
With 82 terrorist killed a clear
message to Assad. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/h1urlztmkx
Soldier fell in Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399575
Nov. 23rd
Day 414 start of week 59
Four UNIFIL Peacekeepers injured by
Hezballah Rocket. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399621
Iran using more powerful
centrifuges. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399620
Nazi Grandma dies at 96. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399623
Trump team already preparing against
ICC. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399601
Live Updates: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/398553
Jihadi Rocket Commander gone. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399606
IDF
troops continue to operate to dismantle a significant Hezbollah terrorist
center, which includes combat compounds, anti-tank positions, numerous weapons
storage facilities containing grenades, firearms, combat equipment, observation
posts, and more. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399637
The
recent appointments to Trump's new administration indicate that the United
States will return to a policy of "maximum pressure" on the Tehran
regime, which will face a particularly hostile and hawkish administration. The
new Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, is considered a "hawk" par
excellence on the Iranian issue. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399638
ICC "This
legal assault isn’t only against Israel," the editorial began. "The
precedent will harm the ability of all democracies to defend themselves against
terror groups or states." https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399639
“What
we saw on the streets of Montreal last night was appalling. Acts of
antisemitism, intimidation, and violence must be condemned wherever we see
them,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399645
Hamas publishes footage of hostage
killed. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399630
OK museum buries remains of
holocaust victims. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399643
For the past
two months, troops of the 810th Brigade and the Alpinist Unit continued to
conduct targeted, intelligence-based raids in the thicketed terrain of Mount
Dov. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399625
Gaza:
During one of the searches, the forces identified a sniper who observed the
forces from one of the structures in the area. In cooperation with the IAF and
with the guidance of the forces on the ground, the terrorist was eliminated. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399626
US
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Israel's newly-appointed Defense
Minister Israel Katz, reaffirming the US administration's commitment to
Israel's security. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399629
Jabaliya:
So far, approximately 300 structures, rigged with hundreds of explosives as
ambushes against IDF troops have been located and neutralized. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399608
Op Ed Bederman Trump might usher in the Third
Temple? https://dianebederman.com/did-god-save-donald-trump-so-he-could-usher-in-the-third-temple/
Nov. 24th
Day 415
As we cease and they fire talks,
more rockets all over. An attempt to hit Ben Gurion resulted in a private house
hit in Gannay Tikva by leftover from Iron Dome and Petach Tikva from rocket
causing a gas rupture and fires. Can be seen on Rachamim HaRav Pauli on
Facebook. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399672
Jews in Danger NSC warning: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399663
https://www.timesofisrael.com/sderot-memorializes-police-station-that-was-destroyed-on-october-7/
Iranians try to trick Ministers. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399675
Russia’s
armed forces have recruited hundreds of Yemeni men to fight in Ukraine, in an
obscure trafficking operation that highlights the growing ties between Moscow
and the Houthi rebel group. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399666
The
National Security Council (NSC) announced Sunday afternoon that it is raising
the travel threat level for Thailand to level 2. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399674
Jordanian shooting at Israeli
Embassy. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399647
Rabbi
Yitzhak Yosef shared a story, during his weekly Saturday night shiur, from his
days as a judge in the High Rabbinical Court, when he sharply rebuked a mother
about the repercussions of the secular education she gave her daughter.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399655
Nov. 25th
Day 416
Israeli
sources said that in advance of the cabinet meeting, a final text of the
agreement with Lebanon has been reached. According to the report, Israel has
given the green light to American mediator Amos Hochstein to move forward with
the agreement. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399744
Jared Kushner,
US President-elect Donald Trump’s son-in-law and one of the architects of the
2020 normalization agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates,
reacted on Monday to the kidnapping and murder of Chabad-Lubavitch emissary
Rabbi Zvi Kogan, whose funeral is being held in Israel, and announced that he
is donating $1 million to the Chabad in the UAE. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399761
Defense
Minister Israel Katz on Sunday said he would not approve the promotion of two
officers from the Israel Defense Forces’ Southern Command until their roles in
the failures of the October 7 onslaught were investigated. https://www.timesofisrael.com/katz-holds-up-promotion-of-two-idf-officers-until-after-october-7-probe/
Interior
Minister Moshe Arbel announced on Sunday that the father of slain IDF reservist
Cedrick Garin would be
granted permanent residency in Israel later this week, Hebrew media reported. https://www.timesofisrael.com/filipino-father-of-slain-idf-soldier-to-be-granted-permanent-residency-in-israel/
Somebody in Turkey got rich. These
murderers had fled to Turkey. Suddenly, they are back in the UAE. https://www.timesofisrael.com/uae-publishes-prison-photos-of-3-suspects-in-murder-of-rabbi-zvi-kogan/
Rep. Torres calls out NYT on reporting.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399740
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit announced that over the past hour, the
IAF conducted intelligence-based strikes on approximately 25 terror targets
belonging to Hezbollah's Executive Council in Lebanon, including in Nabatieh,
Baalbek, Beqaa Valley, Dahieh, and the outskirts of Beirut. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399741
Religious council offices torched. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399738
In a
clinic in the heart of the Gaza area near the humanitarian corridor, soldiers
from the IDF's Sayeret Givati located two surface-to-air missiles hidden by
terrorists who barricaded themselves in the clinic. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399735
The
Defense Ministry will purchase five advanced Reshef corvettes from Israel
Shipyards to replace the aging Nirit-class corvettes, which will be taken out
of service after four decades. Production of the ships in Israel will provide
jobs to hundreds of workers in the north. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399697
Iranian Smuggling Routes closing down. During the war,
the IDF has conducted extensive intelligence-based operations against Unit 4400
and various weapons smuggling routes. These include the elimination of the
commander of Unit 4400, Muhammad Jafar Qasir, in early October in Beirut, and
his designated successor, Ali Hassan Gharib, a few weeks later in Damascus. The
weapons smuggling routes that pass through Syria into Lebanon were not only
targeted in the last few months, but also over the years as part of a long-term
effort by the IDF. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399756
The buck stopped at the Col. He
resigned. Golani unit
head, Col. (res.), Yoav Yarom, resigned from his position in the IDF and
accepted full responsibility for the serious incident in Lebanon in which Ze'ev
Jabo Erlich fell. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399750
Two
adult Jews from Odessa were circumcised yesterday and were named after Rabbi
Zvi Kogan, the Chabad emissary who was murdered in the United Arab Emirates
over the weekend. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399747
Nov. 26th
Day 417
Ceasefire to go into effect at 4AM
Israel Time. Right now sirens all over the north. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399818
Biden on ceasefire: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399819
Died from his wounds from Oct. 7,
’23. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399784
Died in battle: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399813
Netanyahu pulling the wool over the
eyes of the public. A typical Biden-Bliken bad deal. Thanks to Thomas B. https://thedailyscroll.substack.com/p/nov-25-the-lebanon-deal-is-terrible
https://www.timesofisrael.com/egypt-says-16-missing-after-tourist-yacht-capsizes-in-stormy-red-sea/
Israel and Lebanon will try to
implement the agreement. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399816
Rep.
Mike Waltz, Congressman from FL, posted on his X account, "Everyone
is coming to the table because of President Trump." https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399817
IDF
Spokesperson's Unit announced that the IAF has completed a series of
intelligence-based strikes on 20 terror targets in the area of Beirut. These
strikes included 13 terror targets in the Dahieh area, a key Hezbollah
stronghold in Beirut. Among the targets struck were a Hezbollah aerial defense
unit center, an intelligence center, command centers, weapons storage
facilities, an operations room, an artillery storage facility, and terrorist
infrastructure sites. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399799
Nov. 27th
Day 418
Testing us. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399842
Lebanese return home. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399844
On
Tuesday night, shortly before a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon
took effect, the IDF targeted a secret but critical Hezbollah factory, causing
severe damage. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399848
According
to the senior official, this is the first time that Hamas has shown any consent
to a ceasefire and to give up the condition of a complete cessation of the war,
which Hamas has insisted on in recent months. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399841
Weather: It hit 7C in the Modiin
Area and Yerushalayim less. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399843
The
IDF early Wednesday morning eliminated terrorist Mumin Al-Jabari, a senior
terrorist in Hamas’ Gaza City Brigade’s sniper unit, who operated in a room
within a structure that previously served as the Al-Tabaeen school. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399828
Latest Poll Bennett and Netanyahu
tie. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399832
https://www.timesofisrael.com/police-officers-idf-soldiers-arrested-for-kidnapping-palestinian/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/protesters-vandalize-netherlands-office-of-pro-israel-christian-group/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/man-suspected-of-stabbing-mother-to-death-in-kiryat-malachi/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/man-pleads-guilty-to-threatening-to-bomb-massachusetts-synagogues/
Nov. 28th
Day 419
In the USA it is Thanksgiving Day
and I have a lot to be thankful for being able to lose 13 kg at my age and that
is refraining from bread and especially gluten.
Already Hezballah was sending cars
into south Lebanon and shot at least one rocket across the border and was hit
by drones. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399907
Northern Israelis enraged about ‘cease
and they fire’ agreement. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399897
Egyptian Proposal on Gaza but so far
they have not arrived in Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399901
https://www.timesofisrael.com/uruguays-new-president-elect-is-left-wing-yet-not-anti-israel/
TORONTO: https://www.foxnews.com/category/topic/anti-semitism
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6365164034112
IVF
mix-up scandal report. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399900
Dafna
Filshteiner, age 12, was recently hiking below the ancient site of Tel Qana in
Hod Hasharon, when suddenly, to her surprise, she discovered an unusual find a
beetle-like stone used as an Egyptian amulet about 3,500 years ago. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399899
Soldier who killed an Israeli who
neutralized terrorist charged with murder. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399904
Lebanese Minister warns of danger if
Hezballah violates ceasefire. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399893
The
IDF foiled an attempt by Hezbollah to develop chemical weapons several weeks
ago, Channel 12 reported on Wednesday. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399882
Appears
true: https://www.algemeiner.com/2024/11/27/trump-team-claims-credit-israel-hezbollah-ceasefire/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2024/11/27/bbc-uses-syrian-regime-propaganda-and-calls-it-news/
Nov. 29th
Day 420 Erev Rosh Chodesh end of
week 59.
Gaza Rocket Launcher taken out. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399915
The
Prime Minister was briefed on an exhibit about the Space Center – including the
issue of the nation's satellites and the campaign in space, as well as future
force-building processes in the field – by the Commander of the Space Center in
Unit 9900. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399940
Rules of Engagement for Lebanon. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399930
The
IDF confirmed on Thursday that IAF aircraft struck a facility used by Hezbollah
to store mid-range rockets in southern Lebanon. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399907
In Hungary no refugees no trouble. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399948
A
teenage boy has been arrested on suspicion of murdering an Israeli
locksmith in Memphis, Tennessee, the New York Post reported, citing
the Memphis police. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399943
Almost
exactly one year after being released from Hamas captivity as part of the last
hostage deal, Mia Schem got engaged on Thursday to her partner Yinon Hason. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399933
Financial risk on Israel better. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399946
The
Political-Security Cabinet approved in a telephone vote this evening (Thursday)
the proposal of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel
Smotrich to extend by one year the indemnity for Israeli banks to contract with
banks in the Palestinian Authority - in order to prevent the PA's collapse. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399939
More powerful centrifuges already in the news
last week but now IAEA informed. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399947
Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu estimated on Thursday that the residents of
northern Israel would be able to return to their homes once they understand
that the calm on the border is stable and the ceasefire deal is enforced. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399941
A good Shabbos and a
good Chodesh stay healthy and safe,
Rachamim Pauli
