Parshiyos Behar and Bechukosai
Leviticus 25:1 – 27:34
This week, we finish with double
Parshiyos until Shabbos Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av. We learn new laws this week.
Last week we had Shabbos and Yomim Tovim. This week we have Shabbos of the land
with Shmita and a special Shabbos – Yom Tov called Yovel that is the Jubilee
Year. Jewish Slaves/Servants must be freed with liberty being proclaimed
throughout the land. The original division of the land of the tribes return to
family owners.
25:1
And the LORD spoke unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying: 2 Speak unto the children
of Israel, and say unto them: When ye come into the land which I give you, then
shall the land keep a sabbath unto the LORD.
This Mitzvah starts when you come
into the land and dwell securely in it. But right now you are in the wilderness
so let’s get ready to come into the land. It is not only you, your servants and
your animals but now the land itself is to have a Shabbos.
3
Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy
vineyard, and gather in the produce thereof. 4 But in the seventh year shall be
a sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a sabbath unto the LORD; thou shalt
neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.
Not planting, pruning, clearing
stones, fertilizing, etc. In fact any work other than helping the trees or
property to survive.
5
That which grows of itself of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, and the grapes
of thy undressed vine thou shalt not gather; it shall be a year of solemn rest
for the land. 6 And the sabbath-produce of the land shall be for food for you:
for thee, and for thy servant and for thy maid, and for thy hired servant and
for the settler by thy side that sojourn with thee; 7 and for thy cattle, and
for the beasts that are in thy land, shall all the increase thereof be for
food.
During Shmita everything that grows
is Hefker (ownerless) or gathered for the public by Beis Din.
8
And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven
years; and there shall be unto thee the days of seven sabbaths of years, even
forty and nine years. 9 Then shalt thou make proclamation with the blast of the
horn on the tenth day of the seventh month; in the day of atonement shall ye make
proclamation with the horn throughout all your land.
After 7 Shmita years comes the
Yovel or 50th year. Also this year the fields lie fallow.
10
And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land
unto all the inhabitants thereof; it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall
return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his
family.
This is the year when the families within the tribes return to
their ancestral inheritance of the land.
11 A
jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you; ye shall not sow, neither reap
that which grows of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of the undressed
vines. 12 For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy unto you; ye shall eat the
increase thereof out of the field. 13 In this year of jubilee ye shall return
every man unto his possession.
The families return to their farm
land.
14
And if thou sell aught unto thy neighbor, or buy of thy neighbor's hand, ye
shall not wrong one another. 15 According to the number of years after the
jubilee thou shalt buy of thy neighbor, and according unto the number of years
of the crops he shall sell unto thee.
If you “sell” the land it is “sold” until the Yovel. In modern
terms we would say instead of a sale a rental contract for that is what it is.
Each year that could include a Shmita year, the land is on contract until the
Yovel. This might include a house and well or lake in the field or even a mill
and the money would probably yearly or a crop sharing situation. The owner of
the land might even have a business and house in a city.
16
According to the multitude of the years thou shalt increase the price thereof,
and according to the fewness of the years thou shalt diminish the price of it;
for the number of crops doth he sell unto thee.
This is the share-cropping
agreement. The maximum rental time is forty nine years and the minimum rental
time is one year.
17
And ye shall not wrong one another; but thou shalt fear thy God; for I am the
LORD your God. 18 Wherefore ye shall do My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances
and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety. 19 And the land shall
yield her fruit, and ye shall eat until ye have enough, and dwell therein in
safety.
Rabbi Yosef Zvi Ben Porat Shlita gave
a Drasha this week on the faith of the first Moshav in Modern Yisrael to
observe Shmita, Kamomiyut. The children at that time would be probably be my
age or older now. The doctors checked the children’s blood compared to other
children who had regular food from non-observant farms that were wealthier. The
vitamins in the blood was the same for both. Faith or Bitachon in HASHEM keep
the farm going then.
20
And if ye shall say: 'What shall we eat the seventh year? behold, we may not
sow, nor gather in our increase'; 21 then I will command My blessing upon you
in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth produce for the three years. 22 And
ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat of the produce, the old store; until the
ninth year, until her produce come in, ye shall eat the old store. 23 And the
land shall not be sold in perpetuity; for the land is Mine; for ye are
strangers and settlers with Me. 24 And in all the land of your possession ye
shall grant a redemption for the land.
It might not be three times the
stores in the sixth year will not end until the crops in the ninth year. – Rav
Y. Z. Ben Porat
25
If thy brother be waxen poor, and sell some of his possession, then shall his
kinsman that is next unto him come, and shall redeem that which his brother
hath sold. 26 And if a man have no one to redeem it, and he be waxen rich and
find sufficient means to redeem it; 27 then let him count the years of the sale
thereof, and restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it; and he shall
return unto his possession. 28 But if he have not sufficient means to get it
back for himself, then that which he hath sold shall remain in the hand of him
that hath bought it until the year of jubilee; and in the jubilee it shall go
out, and he shall return unto his possession.
Since the plots of land that were
near each other of brothers, first cousins, uncles and perhaps second cousins.
One of these could help redeem the poorer brother. However, this might happen
once or twice in fifty years. Otherwise there is not rotten luck involved but
mismanagement or laziness for nobody wants to bail out and bail out a loser.
29
And if a man sell a dwelling-house in a walled city, then he may redeem it
within a whole year after it is sold; for a full year shall he have the right
of redemption. 30 And if it be not redeemed within the space of a full year,
then the house that is in the walled city shall be made sure in perpetuity to
him that bought it, throughout his generations; it shall not go out in the
jubilee.
In our era we do not allow this.
Once sold, the sale is final and irrevocable. But then, it was not so.
Nowadays, we move on from one city to another.
31
But the houses of the villages which have no wall round about them shall be
reckoned with the fields of the country; they may be redeemed, and they shall
go out in the jubilee. 32 But as for the cities of the Levites, the houses of
the cities of their possession, the Levites shall have a perpetual right of
redemption. 33 And if a man purchase of the Levites, then the house that was
sold in the city of his possession, shall go out in the jubilee; for the houses
of the cities of the Levites are their possession among the children of Israel.
34 But the fields of the open land about their cities may not be sold; for that
is their perpetual possession.
The houses of the Leviim are
considered like the surrounding fields and because of this, their houses are
permanent possession. On the other hand, 10% of the crops go to the Leviim
(Maaser) of which they keep 9% and 1% or one tenth goes off to the Cohanim as
Teruma Maaser. Theoretically, this keeps them from being poor.
35
And if thy brother be waxen poor, and his means fail with thee; then thou shalt
uphold him: as a stranger and a settler shall he live with thee. 36 Take thou
no interest of him or increase; but fear thy God; that thy brother may live
with thee. 37 Thou shalt not give him thy money upon interest, nor give him thy
victuals for increase. 38 I am the LORD your God, who brought you forth out of
the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, to be your God.
First we started off with one’s
physical brother and now have moved on to somebody from one’s tribe or some
fellow Jew. This could be something equivalent to “wounded warriors project” of
the USA to help chip in for a ramp or accessibility for our excellent brothers
and some sisters wounded in action.
39
And if thy brother be waxen poor with thee, and sell himself unto thee, thou
shalt not make him to serve as a bondservant. 40 As a hired servant, and as a
settler, he shall be with thee; he shall serve with thee unto the year of
jubilee. 41 Then shall he go out from thee, he and his children with him, and
shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall
he return.
This is the act of saving up
compensation for a Jewish Servant who sold himself unto you. In the Gemara there
is a story of one who deserved compensation but his master had dedicated valuation
unto the Mikdash. He could not pay him at the time and went home empty. A short
time later, the master came with a small flock of sheep, cloths and wagon loads
of things for the servant. But at the time of his going home, his master had to
redeem them from the Temple. He did not get angry at his master but figured out
that he might have dedicated sheep, cattle, cloths and other things to the
Temple. The Halacha is that if the master only has one pillow, he must give it
to his bondman first before himself.
42 For they are My servants, whom I brought
forth out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as bondmen. 43 Thou
shalt not rule over him with rigor; but shalt fear thy God. 44 And as for thy
bondmen, and thy bondmaids, whom thou mayest have: of the nations that are
round about you, of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids.
Having a non-Jewish bondman or
woman they are like your property.
45
Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them
may ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they have begotten
in your land; and they may be your possession. 46 And ye may make them an
inheritance for your children after you, to hold for a possession: of them may
ye take your bondmen forever; but over your brethren the children of Israel ye
shall not rule, one over another, with rigor.
These non-Jewish Slaves are an inheritance
to one’s children.
47
And if a stranger who is a settler with thee be waxen rich, and thy brother be
waxen poor beside him, and sell himself unto the stranger who is a settler with
thee, or to the offshoot of a stranger's family, 48 after that he is sold he
may be redeemed; one of his brethren may redeem him; 49 or his uncle, or his
uncle's son, may redeem him, or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family
may redeem him; or if he be waxen rich, he may redeem himself. 50 And he shall
reckon with him that bought him from the year that he sold himself to him unto
the year of jubilee; and the price of his sale shall be according unto the
number of years; according to the time of a hired servant shall he be with him.
This is the case of a Jew sold to his master. If he is married,
his wife also works for the master. If unmarried, the master can give him a
non-Jewish slave for his wife. Normally, a person is punished by having
relations with a non-Jewish woman, but the Torah makes an exception for this
case. When he becomes free, he can buy her freedom and that of her children
with his compensation. At this point, because she had been to Mikvah, she
automatically converts.
51
If there be yet many years, according unto them he shall give back the price of
his redemption out of the money that he was bought for. 52 And if there remain
but few years unto the year of jubilee, then he shall reckon with him;
according unto his years shall he give back the price of his redemption. 53 As
a servant hired year by year shall he be with him; he shall not rule with rigor
over him in thy sight. 54 And if he be not redeemed by any of these means, then
he shall go out in the year of jubilee, he, and his children with him. 55 For
unto Me the children of Israel are servants; they are My servants whom I brought
forth out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
The is no maltreatment for
servants/slaves and no Simon LaGree to chase after them if they run away. It is
expected that they are treated both Jewish and non-Jewish as if a poor brother
and ordinary salaried worker. The Torah expects humane treatment from wealthy
masters.
26:1
Ye shall make you no idols, neither shall ye rear you up a graven image, or a
pillar, neither shall ye place any figured stone in your land, to bow down unto
it; for I am the LORD your God.
I always mention that inanimate objects in the Kabbalah have
sparks from HASHEM. Call it atomic or crystalline vibration but they are
treated as having some “life” from HASHEM. Thus Eretz Yisrael meaning the physical
Aretz has a special vibration and it will kick out idolatry from the land. If
not immediately over a period of time if there is no Teshuva.
2 Ye
shall keep My sabbaths, and reverence My sanctuary: I am the LORD.
Right behind violating the laws of
Idolatry is violating the Shabbos. If one does a violation out of mixing up the
time or being lost on the way, then one is forgiven. However, the out and out
violation of Shabbos will cost one dearly especially in the world to come.
3 If
ye walk in My statutes, and keep My commandments, and do them; 4 then I will
give your rains in their season, and the land shall yield her produce, and the
trees of the field shall yield their fruit. 5 And your threshing shall reach
unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time; and ye
shall eat your bread until ye have enough, and dwell in your land safely.
This is the condition: If one goes
according to the Commandments then good will eventually happen. If it does not
happen at once, don’t be disheartened for one might have done bad things and they
have to be erased before pure good can happen. At his point, the rains will
come at the proper time, produce shall be abundant and wealth will grow.
6
And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make
you afraid; and I will cause evil beasts to cease out of the land, neither
shall the sword go through your land.
This happens when one observes the
Mitzvos both prosperity and peace.
7
And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. 8
And five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten
thousand; and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.
The Six Day War was like 75 Arabs
for one Israeli but we won. It was time and the will of HASHEM Yisborach.
9
And I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you; and
will establish My covenant with you. 10 And ye shall eat old store long kept,
and ye shall bring forth the old from before the new.
You will have so much that the old
store will be almost like fresh and no need for the new.
11
And I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you. 12 And
I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be My people. 13 I am
the LORD your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye
should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bars of your yoke, and made
you go upright.
Observe the Mitzvos and no foreign
yoke can be upon you.
14
But if ye will not hearken unto Me, and will not do all these commandments; 15
and if ye shall reject My statutes, and if your soul abhor Mine ordinances, so
that ye will not do all My commandments, but break My covenant; 16 I also will
do this unto you: I will appoint terror over you, even consumption and fever,
that shall make the eyes to fail, and the soul to languish; and ye shall sow
your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
This is the second half of the condition
above. If you observe then it will be good for you, but now if you violate the
commandments then it will be bad for you.
17
And I will set My face against you, and ye shall be smitten before your
enemies; they that hate you shall rule over you; and ye shall flee when none pursues
you. 18 And if ye will not yet for these things hearken unto Me, then I will
chastise you seven times more for your sins.
Instead of you ruling over your land,
others will rule over people who violate the Mitzvos.
19
And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron,
and your earth as brass. 20 And your strength shall be spent in vain; for your
land shall not yield her produce, neither shall the trees of the land yield
their fruit.
If the first signs don’t work and
you don’t repent then you will not have rain or production of fruit.
21
And if ye walk contrary unto Me, and will not hearken unto Me; I will bring
seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins. 22 And I will send
the beast of the field among you, which shall rob you of your children, and
destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your ways shall become
desolate.
Logically, one might think that
this warning about seven times more plagues would be enough to scare the people
into repenting. However, we are a stiff necked people. Some people don’t learn
until they are slapped across the face with reality. In the story below that I
bring down of Dafna of Kibbutz Reem and her preference for Arab Jewish
relations before Oct. 7th and the reality of her being considered
not a daughter of Avraham in the tunnels of Gaza.
23
And if in spite of these things ye will not be corrected unto Me, but will walk
contrary unto Me; 24 then will I also walk contrary unto you; and I will smite
you, even I, seven times for your sins. 25 And I will bring a sword upon you,
that shall execute the vengeance of the covenant; and ye shall be gathered together
within your cities; and I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be
delivered into the hand of the enemy. 26 When I break your staff of bread, ten
women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver your bread
again by weight; and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied.
Sometimes, like a drug addict,
until one reaches the lowest of the low only then can they begin to rise. It is
not only being crushed many times but 49 times that does one who is so lost
from Yiddishkeit begin to see that we have nobody to turn to but Our FATHER in
Heaven.
27
And if ye will not for all this hearken unto Me, but walk contrary unto Me; 28
then I will walk contrary unto you in fury; and I also will chastise you seven
times for your sins. 29 And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh
of your daughters shall ye eat. 30 And I will destroy your high places, and cut
down your sun-pillars, and cast your carcasses upon the carcasses of your
idols; and My soul shall abhor you.
This things happened in the story from
our Haftorah of a few weeks ago of the four Lepers and the famine of the siege.
Also in the times of the destruction of the second Mikdash.
31
And I will make your cities a waste, and will bring your sanctuaries unto
desolation, and I will not smell the savor of your sweet odors. 32 And I will bring the land into desolation;
and your enemies that dwell therein shall be astonished at it. 33 And you will
I scatter among the nations, and I will draw out the sword after you; and your
land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste. 34 Then shall the
land be paid her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye are in your
enemies' land; even then shall the land rest, and repay her sabbaths. 35 As
long as it lieth desolate it shall have rest; even the rest which it had not in
your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it.
Samuel Clemens aka Mark Twain noted
the condition of Eretz Yisrael probably on his world tour in 1897. The land was
barren and desolate with barely a tree between the port in the north where he
landed and Yerushalayim.
36
And as for them that are left of you, I will send a faintness into their heart
in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a driven leaf shall chase them;
and they shall flee, as one flees from the sword; and they shall fall when none
pursues.
When one is afraid of the majority
being antisemites, even their stamping their feet in your direction will get
you to flee.
37
And they shall stumble one upon another, as it were before the sword, when none
pursues; and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies. 38 And ye
shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up.
Unfortunately, more Jews perished
through intermarriage among the nations than through pogroms and inquisition.
39
And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your
enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine
away with them. 40 And they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of
their fathers, in their treachery which they committed against Me, and also
that they have walked contrary unto Me. 41 I also will walk contrary unto them,
and bring them into the land of their enemies; if then perchance their
uncircumcised heart be humbled, and they then be paid the punishment of their
iniquity; 42 then will I remember My covenant with Jacob, and also My covenant
with Isaac, and also My covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will
remember the land. 43 For the land shall lie forsaken without them, and shall
be paid her sabbaths, while she lies desolate without them; and they shall be
paid the punishment of their iniquity; because, even because they rejected Mine
ordinances, and their soul abhorred My statutes.
Around 1970, then Prime Minister Golda
Meir spoke that if the Jews in the world were not persecuted and murdered, our
population would be 192,000,000. But even before the Shoah, the world wide
total was about 16,000,000 and today a bit over 14,500,000 if I am not
mistaken. Abortion taking the lives of Jews over the last 50years.
44
And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not
reject them, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break
My covenant with them; for I am the LORD their God. 45 But I will for their
sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the
land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the
LORD. 46 These are the statutes and ordinances and laws, which the LORD made
between Him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses.
There will remain a few both
religious and non-religious who have the potential to rebuild the nation. Many
like myself were born so absorbed into the fabric of the Nations, that Pesach
and other holidays were neither observed or known as we grew up. Still the
spark of a Yid in the Neshama remained and the potential of a person who
neither stole, committed adultery, did not murder, etc. could develop into a
Torah Yid.
27:1
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and
say unto them: When a man shall clearly utter a vow of persons unto the LORD,
according to thy valuation, 3 then thy valuation shall be for the male from
twenty years old even unto sixty years old, even thy valuation shall be fifty
shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary. 4 And if it be a female,
then thy valuation shall be thirty shekels.
We don’t do this today, but in the
story mentioned above from the Gemara, the man could not pay his Hebrew Servant
workers compensation because he had valued himself unto the Temple. Once he
paid the 50 Silver Shekels, he was able to repay his servant.
5
And if it be from five years old even unto twenty years old, then thy valuation
shall be for the male twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels.
You can be as WOKE and Equal among
the sexes as you want, but the Torah values the physical strength and physical
work in an agricultural society that existed for centuries.
6
And if it be from a month old even unto five years old, then thy valuation
shall be for the male five shekels of silver, and for the female thy valuation
shall be three shekels of silver.
This is what one can receive for
selling himself, son or daughter to a master based on years of work and the
value of the work. Note: As I have often written, the daughter is sold as an
apprentice to either marry the rich man or his son and his mother teachers her
the way of the family.
7
And if it be from sixty years old and upward: if it be a male, then thy
valuation shall be fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels. 8 But if he
be too poor for thy valuation, then he shall be set before the priest, and the
priest shall value him; according to the means of him that vowed shall the
priest value him.
When you reach my age, you feel the
declining strength and one may have to take breaks or even nap as the age
increases.
9
And if it be a beast, whereof men bring an offering unto the LORD, all that any
man giveth of such unto the LORD shall be holy. 10 He shall not alter it, nor
change it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good; and if he shall at all change
beast for beast, then both it and that for which it is changed shall be holy.
11 And if it be any unclean beast, of which they may not bring an offering unto
the LORD, then he shall set the beast before the priest.
One can bring a Korban or donate
the value of an animal. One can donate a car/wagon, house, lot of land etc. to
the Temple for valuation.
12
And the priest shall value it, whether it be good or bad; as thou the priest
values it, so shall it be. 13 But if he will indeed redeem it, then he shall
add the fifth part thereof unto thy valuation.
The meaning is clear an extra 20%
is added on to the value. Thus a donkey worth 100 Shekels yields 120 Shekels to
be paid to the Cohain/Mikdash.
14
And when a man shall sanctify his house to be holy unto the LORD, then the
priest shall value it, whether it be good or bad; as the priest shall value it,
so shall it stand. 15 And if he that sanctified it will redeem his house, then
he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy valuation unto it, and it shall
be his.
The same 20% of the value is added on
to the house.
16
And if a man shall sanctify unto the LORD part of the field of his possession,
then thy valuation shall be according to the sowing thereof; the sowing of a
homer of barley shall be valued at fifty shekels of silver. 17 If he sanctify
his field from the year of jubilee, according to thy valuation it shall stand.
18 But if he sanctify his field after the jubilee, then the priest shall reckon
unto him the money according to the years that remain unto the year of jubilee,
and an abatement shall be made from thy valuation.
Donating an inherited field can
only be until the Yovel.
19
And if he that sanctified the field will indeed redeem it, then he shall add
the fifth part of the money of thy valuation unto it, and it shall be assured
to him. 20 And if he will not redeem the field, or if he have sold the field to
another man, it shall not be redeemed any more.
This case of him selling the field
in order to redeem it appears to take the field from his possession.
21
But the field, when it goes out in the jubilee, shall be holy unto the LORD, as
a field devoted; the possession thereof shall be the priest's. 22 And if he
sanctify unto the LORD a field which he hath bought, which is not of the field
of his possession; 23 then the priest shall reckon unto him the worth of thy
valuation unto the year of jubilee; and he shall give thy valuation in that
day, as a holy thing unto the LORD. 24 In the year of jubilee the field shall
return unto him of whom it was bought, even to him to whom the possession of
the land belongs. 25 And all thy valuations shall be according to the shekel of
the sanctuary; twenty gerahs shall be the shekel.
The price of the redemption is
according to value of the sanctuary shekel.
26
Howbeit the firstling among beasts, which is born as a firstling to the LORD,
no man shall sanctify it; whether it be ox or sheep, it is the LORD'S.
One cannot donate a first born
clean animals as it belongs to the L-RD and never was his to begin with.
27
And if it be of an unclean beast, then he shall ransom it according to thy
valuation, and shall add unto it the fifth part thereof; or if it be not
redeemed, then it shall be sold according to thy valuation.
Only the non-clean beast.
28
Notwithstanding, no devoted thing, that a man may devote unto the LORD of all
that he hath, whether of man or beast, or of the field of his possession, shall
be sold or redeemed; every devoted thing is most holy unto the LORD. 29 None
devoted, that may be devoted of men, shall be ransomed; he shall surely be put
to death.
This is a man who has a death sentence declared against him.
מוֹת יוּמָֽת - He is to be put to death - i.e., since he is going to die, he cannot be redeemed; he has neither
monetary value nor endowment value.
30
And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit
of the tree, is the LORD'S; it is holy unto the LORD. 31 And if a man will
redeem aught of his tithe, he shall add unto it the fifth part thereof. 32 And
all the tithe of the herd or the flock, whatsoever passeth under the rod, the
tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.
The 10th animal that goes through the count.
33
He shall not inquire whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it; and
if he change it at all, then both it and that for which it is changed shall be
holy; it shall not be redeemed.
|
לֹא
יְבַקֵּר וגו'
- [The owner] must
not select… Since it says: “and all the choice objects of your sacrificial vows,” I might think that he may select and pick
out the best for
the tithe;
Scripture
therefore
states: “He must not select.” Between a good one or a bad one these additional words teach us that the sanctity of the tithe is effective whether the animal is unblemished or blemished; not that a blemished animal can be brought as a sacrifice, but that it must be treated as holy by being eaten with intent to fulfill the law of a tithe, and it may not be sheared or
used for work before
it is slaughtered.
|
|
34
These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of
Israel in mount Sinai.
Chazak – Chazak v’ nit
Chazak
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Bitachon
FROM THE IMPOSSIBLE One for the Books by Rabbi Yechiel Spero
During World War II, Chana’s life
was crushed beyond recognition. The flames consumed everything: her family, her
home, her community, her very world. Everything. Gone.
She endured the seven levels of Gehennom, wandering through a world where every
breath seemed more like a burden than a blessing. And yet, she lived. She
survived Auschwitz — Auschwitz! — that place where death hovered over every
corner, and life seemed like an impossibility.
How often did she wish she hadn’t lived? To survive, only to find herself in a
desolate land of broken hearts and disillusionment, sometimes felt like a cruel
twist of fate. But Hashem willed that she should live, and so, she was spared.
After the war, with no home, no family, she made her way to France, where she
met another survivor. He, too, had lost everything, and together they tried to
piece back the fragments. They married and dreamed of building a family. But
Hashem had other plans, and children was not one of them.
So they continued, just the two of
them, holding onto each other, holding onto their Yiddishkeit.
They kept Torah and Mitzvos, and they kept their faith, even as it seemed that
all was taken from them. But even the strongest individuals sometimes wonder,
How much more can we endure?
One Friday, as Chana prepared for
Shabbos, she left her pots on the stove and rushed out to pick up a few
last-minute items from the local grocer. She thought she had turned down the
flames. But in her haste, she hadn’t. While she was gone, her home — the home
she had so pains-takingly built — went up in flames.
The neighbors watched in horror as the fire engulfed the house, despite the
valiant efforts of the fire department. What now? They thought. They had seen
Chana rise from the ashes once, but this? This might be too much, even for her.
They knew they had to act quickly. What if this fire, after all the loss Chana
had endured, would be the blow that would finally break her spirit?
To whom could they turn in such a
moment of desperation? They ran to the home of Rav Mottel Pogromansky, the
great gaon, who was living in France at the time. They told him about the fire
that was destroying Chana’s house, and how they feared for their friend. Could
her soul handle any more?
Rav Mottel was silent for a moment,
his eyes closed. Finally, he opened them and instructed the neighbors, “Go. Run
to the store. Stop your neighbor before she gets home and sees the fire. And tell
her this: If she accepts this
potch, this searing pain, as yissurim shel ahavah (suffering given out of
love), then I promise her she will be blessed with a child.”
One of the women mustered the courage
to hint at the unspoken truth. Chana couldn’t have children; physically, it was
impossible. Rav Mottel didn’t waver. “Go!” he urged. And they ran.
The neighbors met Chana just as she was leaving the store. Gently and
carefully, they told her what had happened. Before giving all the details,
however, they shared Rav Mottel’s promise: If she could accept this pain, she
would be blessed with a child.
Chana stood still. The strain of it
all pressed down on her. She cried. Tears of anguish, of sorrow. But she didn’t
fall apart. She didn’t crumble. Instead, she reached into her soul and found
the faith that had carried her through so much.
She accepted.
Rav Naftali Greenzweig finished the story, his voice choked with emotion.
“Chana was blessed with a child.” With
trembling lips and eyes blurred by tears, he added, “Not only am I her son, but
I was not the first, nor the second. I was the fifth child. Chana, the woman
who could not have children, was blessed with five children.”
Rav Naftali then added one final thought,
a truth so powerful that it leaves one breathless. “Doctors, medicine, and
statistics can dictate only so much. They told my mother that children were
impossible. The experts, the charts, the science… all said no. But ultimately,
it is Hashem who determines
everything. EVERYTHING. And as long as we hold onto Him, no matter how long the
night, no matter how impossible the odds, anything can happen.”
Because with Hashem, nothing is impossible. The miraculous can emerge from the
impossible, as long as we never let go.
Teshuvah I AM A JEW! Miracles,
Missiles and Mesiras Nefesh by Rabbi Nachman Seltzer
Dafna lived in Kibbutz Re’im, in the vicinity of Gaza, before the war. Before
the war, Dafna was the type of person who fought off anyone who tried to teach
the people of her kibbutz about Torah and mitzvas. When Rabbi Shlomo Raanan,
who runs a kiruv organization called Ayelet HaShachar, organized a basketball
game between
yeshivah Bochurim and people from the kibbutz, to be held on October 2, just
a few days before the war broke out, Dafna ordered him to cancel the game. She
believed that the only reason he was arranging such a game was because he wanted
to influence the members of the kibbutz to become religious.
“Cancel the game,” she wrote to him.
“If you don’t, we will block the entrance to the kibbutz with our bodies!”
In the end, Rabbi Raanan canceled the game. Five days later, the Arabs burst across
the border and began rampaging through kibbutzim, killing, pillaging, and
kidnapping Jews.
Suddenly Dafna, a woman who had believed in peace between Arabs and Jews for so
long, found herself a prisoner in a tunnel in Gaza. “Why are you torturing me?”
she asked the terrorist who was guarding her. “For the last twenty years of my
life, I have created programs where Arabs and Jews could spend time learning
how to get along with one another. We are your cousins! Why are you doing
this?”
The Arab guard was not impressed.
“You are not a child of Ibrahim,” he shouted at her. “You are not even a Jew!”
Dafna was shocked.
“What do you mean? Of course I am a Jew!”
“No. You are not a Jew. You are a
European colonialist who came here to Palestine to steal our land!”
Dafna felt as if she had been struck with a blow to the heart and she
experienced a moment of clarity the likes of which she had never felt in her
life. Hearing those words issuing from the mouth of a terrorist, she suddenly
saw herself for who she really was and how she had been living a life of denial
for so long.
“I had always defined myself as an
Israeli,” she said. “Never as a Jew. I cared much more about healing the differences
between Arabs and Jews than about healing the conflicts that existed among the
Jews themselves. For years, whenever I traveled to different countries, if
someone would ask me if I was Jewish, I would always answer, ‘I’m not Jewish,
I’m Israeli.’ Now, when that Arab accused me of being
a colonialist, I understood something very important. I understood that he didn’t
see me as a Jew because I didn’t see myself as a Jew.
“At that moment, standing inside
the tunnels of Gaza with the terrorist kidnappers, I began to shout in Arabic
with all my might, “Ana Yahudiun! Ana Yahudiun! I am a Jew! I am a Jew!”
The terrorists immediately restrained Dafna and taped her mouth shut. But they
couldn’t quell the stormy and emotional turnaround that was taking place within
her, as Dafna suddenly understood that she had a soul and she was a Jew.
“Every Arab village has a mosque,” she would later say, “and Christians build
churches where they live. In our kibbutz, we had nothing. Nothing to say that
we are
Jews. At that moment, I realized that if we were going to rebuild, we would need
to reclaim our Jewish identity. With this realization coursing through my mind,
I accepted upon myself to build a Beit Knesset in my kibbutz. And when we
rebuild, our Beit Knesset will be the most beautiful structure in the kibbutz.”
In the tunnels of Gaza, where a Jewish
woman lost her entire family and previous existence — she discovered another
completely different one. The existence of someone who knows what it means to
be a Jew.
Dafna Shai Hyman was not the only one to become more religious in the tunnels of Gaza.
How a Hidden Dutch Village Saved the Jews during the
Holocaust
By
Yehudis Litvak
https://aish.com/how-a-hidden-dutch-village-saved-jews-during-the-holocaust/
Two Dutch families risked everything to create a hidden village
and save as many lives as possible from Nazi persecution.
One of the Netherlands’ tourist attractions is a village hidden
deep in the woods, between Vierhouten and Nunspeet. Built in 1943 by members of
the Dutch resistance, the village provided shelter to more than a hundred
people, most of them Jews.
A descendant of a prominent German family, Edouard Henri von
Baumhauer worked as a lawyer in Amsterdam and was president of the
Holland-America Trade Council. In 1940, when foreign trade was halted due to
World War II, Baumhauer and his wife, Hermina Jacoba Johanna (nee Ribbink),
decided to move to the countryside with their three children. Edouard and
Hermina, ages 50 and 45 respectively, owned a spacious villa outside
Vierhouten.
As an international lawyer with an extensive business contact
network, Edouard was well aware of the fate the Nazi regime intended for the
Jews. He assisted German Jews in emigrating from Germany. In 1941, Edouard and
Hermina began hiding Jews in their home. For emergencies, they constructed a
150-yard escape tunnel leading into the nearby woods.
In May 1942, Edouard was arrested and spent over half a year in
Sint-Michielsgestel internment camp, set up by the Nazis in the Netherlands.
After Hermina’s copious efforts on his behalf, he was finally released.
Meanwhile, more and more Jews were turning to the von
Baumhauers, and eventually their 7-bedroom villa became too crowded. After his
release, Edouard began looking for other locations where Jewish families could
stay safe during the German occupation. He rented additional houses for Jews in
the village of Vierhouten. He also wondered if it would be possible to hide
Jews in the woods surrounding his home.
One day, Edouard went into the woods to survey the area. There,
he met Dionisius Bakker of the nearby village of Nunspeet, who was also
considering hiding people wanted by the Nazis in the forest. Baumhauer and
Bakker decided to work together.
Dionisius Bakker was a retired railway conductor and a father of
four grown children. After the death of his first wife, he married Cornelia
Johanna van Rheenen, who was significantly younger than him.
In 1940, shortly after his retirement at age 61, Dionisius,
together with Cornelia, joined the Dutch resistance. They began hiding three
anti-Nazi underground activists in their home. In 1942, the Bakkers also hid a
Jewish family, the Hertzes, a couple with two daughters.
A few months later, the Nazis broke into the Bakker home.
Fortunately, they did not manage to discover their hidden guests. But the
Bakkers knew that next time, they might not be so lucky. They began looking for
a better hiding place.
That’s how Dionisius Bakker met Edouard von Baumhauer in the
woods near his home.
Together, the von Baumhauers and the Bakkers built a hidden
village deep in the woods. They put up tents and dug out underground huts. They
hired trusted contractors to install water pumps, electricity, and other
necessities.
Before long, the village served as a temporary home for dozens
of people.
At its peak, the village consisted of 13 huts, hidden partially
underground, housing over a hundred people. Most of its residents were Jewish;
others included Dutch resistance members, a Russian, a Pole, a German deserter,
and shot-down Allied pilots.
The Bakkers, who became known to everyone as Grandpa Bakker and
Aunt Cor, supplied the village with provisions and daily necessities, with the
help of other resistance members. They collected ration cards and traded them
for goods in different places around town, so as not to arouse suspicion. Then
they smuggled supplies into the village on bicycles and in carts. They also
brought gas tanks for cooking.
Aunt Cor, who got to know every refugee personally, tried to
distribute the goods as evenly as possible. She also became the village nurse,
taking care of the sick. Among the residents were a doctor and a dentist, but
sometimes a patient needed more medical care than could be provided in the
forest. Resistance members would carry the patient on a stretcher to a nearby
village, from where he or she could be taken to the hospital under an assumed
identity.
Grandpa Bakker and Aunt Cor also provided the refugees with
warmth and emotional support. According to the Yad Vashem website1,
“This became their life… Cornelia and Dionisius acted out of patriotism and
love of their fellow man, without any thought of reward.”
The Nazis broke into their home and searched it eight times.
Despite the danger, the Bakkers continued their rescue work.
They lived in fear of being discovered by the Nazis. Special
rules were put in place in order to avoid detection. The village was split into
four parts, and during the day the residents were only allowed to come out into
their own part. After nightfall, they were allowed to visit the other three
parts and to go to the pump to get water.
Life in the village was especially difficult for children. One
of the survivors, Ze’ev Bar, recalls2,
“I was a child and had to be quiet all the time and to whisper all day and to
whisper is terrible for a child. Because to begin with you have to whisper, but
also you cannot become angry and raise your voice.”
The adults tried to teach and entertain the children, despite
the circumstances. Another survivor, Leny Duyzend, shares3,
“I cannot recall that I was bored, we had Ludo [board game] and that sort of
things.”
The residents spent time reading, making pottery, cooking meals,
and playing games.
At first, both the residents and the resistance members
assisting them took utmost precautions, but with time, they began making
careless mistakes.
The village was almost discovered because one of the resistance
members took pictures of it. The Germans searched his home and discovered the
undeveloped film. Fortunately, they were unable to see the pictures on the
film, apparently because they accidentally exposed it to light. However, when the
resistance members heard about the confiscated film, they evacuated the whole
village. The residents were allowed to return four weeks later.
In October 1944, two SS men were out hunting in the forest, when
they heard suspicious sounds: somebody was chopping and sawing wood. They
followed the sounds and came across a young Jewish boy, Ze’ev Bar.
Bar recalls4,
“Suddenly there was a loud shouting, “Raus du Jude, raus, raus” (out, you Jew,
out)!"
After firing some warning shots, the Nazis released the boy,
perhaps afraid of the unknown force in the forest, and went to get
reinforcements. They realized that the hiding place they had stumbled across
had significantly more people than the two of them could overpower.
Most residents of the hidden village managed to escape, some of
them finding shelter at the von Baumhauers’ villa and others at the Bakkers’
home. Most of them survived the war.
Unfortunately, when the SS men returned with a larger group,
they managed to capture eight Jews, whom they cruelly executed. Among the
executed was a six-year-old boy.
The Nazis threw grenades into the huts of the hidden village and
completely destroyed it.
Dionisius Bakker was arrested at his home by the Nazis in
February, 1945. No one else was discovered during his arrest.
Cornelia was on her way back home when saw her husband being
taken away. She did not spare any effort to get him released. Unfortunately,
she did not succeed. Dionisius was executed on March 2, 1945.
Back in 1944, Dionisius had told the people he was hiding5,
“I will sign for all and bear full responsibility for the cause to which we
give ourselves. It is better that they catch me, an old man, than all of you,
who are still young.” Perhaps by allowing himself to get captured, he saved
many other lives.
Though heartbroken by the loss of her husband, Cornelia survived
the war. For several years, she was bedridden as a result of a biking accident
on her way to deliver supplies to the hidden village. Eventually she recovered.
In 1964, Yad Vashem recognized Dionisius and Cornelia Bakker as
Righteous Among the Nations.
Cornelia lived in Nunspeet until her death in 1989. Many people
attended her funeral.
The von Baumhauer family survived the war intact. They were also
recognized as Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem in 1999.
Today, the site of the hidden village is a tourist attraction. A
memorial commemorates the site and its founders. Three huts were rebuilt and
are open to visitors.
Sources:
. Hidden Village of Vierhouten.
Traces of War. Available at https://www.tracesofwar.com/articles/3272/Hidden-Village-of-Vierhouten.htm, retrieved on February 26, 2025.
. Baumhauer von Edouard &
Hermina (Ribbink). Yad Vashem. Available at https://collections.yadvashem.org/en/righteous/4022305, accessed on February 26, 2025.
. Bakker Dionysius & Cornelia
(Rheenen van). Yad Vashem. Available at https://collections.yadvashem.org/en/righteous/4036723, accessed on February 27, 2025.
. Bakker, Dionisius Dirk.
Available at https://ww2gravestone.com/people/bakker-dionisius-dirk/#google_vignette, accessed on February 27, 2025.
1 Bakker Dionysius & Cornelia
(Rheenen van). Yad Vashem. Available at https://collections.yadvashem.org/en/righteous/4036723, accessed on February 27, 2025.
2 Hidden Village of Vierhouten.
Traces of War. Available at https://www.tracesofwar.com/articles/3272/Hidden-Village-of-Vierhouten.htm, retrieved on February 26, 2025.
3 Ibid.
4 Ibid.
5 Bakker, Dionisius Dirk.
Available at https://ww2gravestone.com/people/bakker-dionisius-dirk/#google_vignette, accessed on February 27, 2025.
Omer Counting
During the sixth week of counting the Omer, we examine and
refine the emotional attribute of Yesod or bonding. Bonding means connecting;
not only feeling for another, but being attached to him. Not just a token
commitment, but total devotion. It creates a channel between giver and
receiver. Bonding is eternal. It develops an everlasting union that lives on
forever through the perpetual fruit it bears.
Bonding is the foundation of life. The emotional spine of the
human psyche. Every person needs bonding to flourish and grow. The bonding
between mother and child; between husband and wife; between brothers and
sisters; between close friends. Bonding is affirmation; it gives one the sense
of belonging; that "I matter", "I am significant and
important". It establishes trust ― trust in yourself and trust in others.
It instills confidence. Without bonding and nurturing we cannot realize and be
ourselves.
Day 36 ― Chesed of Yesod: Loving-kindness of Bonding
Love is the heart of bonding. You cannot bond without love. Love
establishes a reliable base on which bonding can build. If you have a problem
bonding, examine how much you love the one (or the experience) with which you
wish to bond. Do I try to bond without first fostering a loving attitude? Is my
bonding expressed in a loving manner?
Exercise for the day: Demonstrate the bond you have with your
child or friend through an act of love.
Day 37 ― Gevurah of Yesod: Discipline of Bonding
Bonding must be done with discretion and careful consideration
with whom and with what you bond. Even the healthiest and closest bonding needs
"time out", a respect for each individual's space. Do I overbond? Am
I too dependent on the one I bond with? Is he too dependent on me? Do I bond
out of desperation? Do I bond with healthy, wholesome people?
Exercise for the day: Review the discipline in your bonding
experiences to see if it needs adjustment.
Day 38 ― Tiferet of Yesod: Compassion in Bonding
Bonding needs to be not only loving but also compassionate,
feeling your friend's pain and empathizing with him. Is my bonding conditional?
Do I withdraw when I am uncomfortable with my friend's troubles?
Exercise for the day: Offer help and support in dealing with an
ordeal of someone with whom you have bonded.
Day 39 ― Netzach of Yesod: Endurance in Bonding
An essential component of bonding is its endurance; its ability
to withstand challenges and setbacks. Without endurance there is no chance to
develop true bonding. Am I totally committed to the one with whom I bond? How
much will I endure and how ready am I to fight to maintain this bond? Is the
person I bond with aware of my devotion?
Exercise for the day: Demonstrate the endurance level of your
bonding by confronting a challenge that obstructs the bond.
Day 40 ― Hod of Yesod: Humility of Bonding
Humility is crucial in healthy bonding. Arrogance divides
people. Preoccupation with your own desires and needs separates you from
others. Humility allows you to appreciate another person and bond with him.
Healthy bonding is the union of two distinct people, with independent
personalities, who join for a higher purpose than satisfying their own needs.
True humility comes from recognizing and acknowledging God in your life. Am I
aware of the third partner ― God ― in bonding? And that this partner gives me
the capacity to unite with another, despite our distinctions.
Exercise for the day: When praying acknowledge God specifically
for helping you bond with others.
Day 41 ― Yesod of Yesod: Bonding in Bonding
Every person needs and has the capacity to bond with other
people, with significant undertakings and with meaningful experiences. Do I
have difficulty bonding? Is the difficulty in all areas or only in certain
ones? Do I bond easily with my job, but have trouble bonding with people? Or
vice versa?
Examine the reasons for not bonding. Is it because I am too
critical and find fault in everything as an excuse for not bonding? Am I too
locked in my own ways? Is my not bonding a result of discomfort with vulnerability?
Have I been hurt in my past bonding experiences? Has my trust been abused? Is
my fear of bonding a result of the deficient bonding I experienced as a child?
To cultivate your capacity to bond, even if you have valid
reasons to distrust, you must remember that God gave you a Divine soul that is
nurturing and loving and you must learn to recognize the voice within, which
will allow you to experience other people's souls and hearts. Then you can
slowly drop your defenses when you recognize someone or something you can truly
trust.
One additional point: Bonding breeds bonding. When you bond in
one area of your life, it helps you bond in other areas.
Exercise for the day: Begin bonding with a new person or
experience you love by committing designated time each day or week to spend
together constructively.
Day 42 ― Malchus of Yesod: Nobility in Bonding
Bonding must enhance a person's sovereignty. It should nurture
and strengthen your own dignity and the dignity of the one you bond with. Does
my bonding inhibit the expression of my personality and qualities? Does it
overwhelm the one I bond with?
Exercise for the day: Emphasize and highlight the strengths of
the one with whom you bond.
During the seventh and final week of counting the Omer, we
examine and refine the attribute of Malchus ― nobility, sovereignty and
leadership. Sovereignty is a state of being rather than an activity. Nobility
is a passive expression of human dignity that has nothing of its own except
that which it receives from the other six emotions. True leadership is the art
of selflessness; it is only a reflection of a Higher will. On the other hand,
Malchus manifests and actualizes the character and majesty of the human spirit.
It is the very fiber of what makes us human.
Malchus is a sense of belonging. Knowing that you matter and that
you make a difference. That you have the ability to be a proficient leader in
your own right. It gives you independence and confidence. A feeling of
certainty and authority. When a mother lovingly cradles her child in her arms
and the child's eyes meet the mother's affectionate eyes, the child receives
the message: "I am wanted and needed in this world. I have a comfortable
place where I will always be loved. I have nothing to fear. I feel like royalty
in my heart." This is Malchus, kingship.
Day 43 ― Chesed of Malchus: Loving-kindness in Nobility
Healthy sovereignty is always kind and loving. An effective
leader needs to be warm and considerate. Does my sovereignty make me more
loving? Do I exercise my authority and leadership in a caring manner? Do I
impose my authority on others?
Exercise for the day: Do something kind for your subordinates
Day 44 ― Gevurah of Malchus: Discipline in Nobility
Although sovereignty is loving, it needs to be balanced with
discipline. Effective leadership is built on authority and discipline. There is
another factor in the discipline of sovereignty: determining the area in which
you have jurisdiction and authority.
Do I recognize when I am not an authority? Do I exercise
authority in unwarranted situations? Am I aware of my limitations as well as my
strengths? Do I respect the authority of others?
Exercise for the day: Before taking an authoritative position on
any given issue, pause and reflect if you have the right and the ability to
exercise authority in this situation.
Day 45 ― Tiferet of Malchus: Compassion in Nobility
A good leader is a compassionate one. Is my compassion
compromised because of my authority? Do I realize that an integral part of
dignity is compassion? Tiferet ― harmony ― is critical for successful
leadership. Do I manage a smooth-running operation? Am I organized? Do I give
clear instructions to my subordinates? Do I have difficulty delegating power?
Do we have frequent staff meetings to coordinate our goals and efforts?
Exercise for the day: Review an area where you wield authority
and see if you can polish it up and increase its effectiveness by curtailing
excesses and consolidating forces.
Day 46 ― Netzach of Malchus: Endurance in Nobility
A person's dignity and a leader's success are tested by his
endurance level. Will and determination reflect the power and majesty of the
human spirit. How determined am I in reaching my goals? How strong is my
conviction to fight for a dignified cause? How confident am I in myself? Is my
lack of endurance a result of my low self-esteem? Do I mask my insecurities by
finding other excuses for my low endurance level?
Exercise for the day: Act on something that you believe in but
have until now been tentative about. Take the leap and just do it!
Day 47 ― Hod of Malchus: Humility in Nobility
Sovereignty is God's gift to each individual. Hod of Malchus is
the humble appreciation of this exceptional gift. Does my sovereignty and
independence humble me? Am I an arrogant leader? Do I appreciate the special
qualities I was blessed with?
Exercise for the day: Acknowledge God for creating you with
personal dignity
Day 48 ― Yesod of Malchus: Bonding in Nobility
Examine the bonding aspect of your sovereignty. Healthy
independence should not prevent you from bonding with another person. On the
contrary: self-confidence allows you to respect and trust another's sovereignty
and ultimately bond with him. That bond will strengthen your own sovereignty,
rather than sacrifice it.
Does my sovereignty prevent me from bonding? Could that be
because of deeper insecurities of which I am unaware? Do I recognize the fact
that a fear of bonding reflects a lack of self-confidence in my own
sovereignty?
Exercise for the day: Actualize your sovereignty by intensifying
your bond with a close one.
Day 49 ― Malchus of Malchus: Nobility in Nobility
Examine the sovereignty of your sovereignty. Does it come from
deep-rooted inner confidence in myself? Or is it just a put-on to mask my
insecurities? Does that cause my sovereignty to be excessive? Am I aware of my
uniqueness as a person? Of my personal contribution?
Exercise for the day: Take a moment and concentrate on yourself,
on your true inner self, not on your performance and how you project to others;
and be at peace with yourself knowing that God created a very special person
which is you.
After the 49 days of Counting the Omer, after having fully
achieved inner renewal by merit of having assessed and developed each of our 49
attributes, we arrive at the fiftieth day. On this day we celebrate the
Festival of Shavuot, the giving of the Torah (Matan Torah). After we have
accomplished all we can through our own initiative, then we are worthy to
receive a gift (Matan) from Above which we could not have achieved with our own
limited faculties. We receive the ability to reach and touch the Divine; not
only to be cultivated human beings who have refined all of our personal
characteristics, but divine human beings who are capable of expressing
ourselves above and beyond the definitions and limitations of our beings.
Excerpted from "A
Spiritual Guide to Counting the Omer".
Milestone: Charles Strouse, 96, https://www.timesofisrael.com/charles-strouse-broadway-composer-of-annie-and-bye-bye-birdie-dies-at-96/ Listen to this song not woke. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wCXr_6wgns
Inyanay Diyoma
May 17th and May 18th
Day 589 and Day 590 start of week 85
IDF strikes 3 ports in Yemen. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-854268
Motzei Shabbos two missiles one fails early and
the other shot down with fragments in Lod. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408515
My daughter and family including my great
grandchildren were out on the street looking at the Lag B’Omer bonfires. She
was just returning home when: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408492 No panic calmly walked from outside
into the safest space.
Hamas offers to release half the living
captives for two months ceasefire. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-854350
Ahead
of Lag B’Omer and in light of the move between two active fronts, the battalion
paused for a spiritual gathering in memory of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai.
Organized by the Netzach Yehuda association, the event featured a siyum
(completion) of a Talmudic tractate, festive meal, music, and the distribution
of tzitzit to soldiers. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408486
Kahn of ICC on leave for sexual charges. https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-854263
Fires in the Shomron = Arson. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408485
In a coordinated operation conducted by the Israel Security Agency
(Shin Bet) and the Israel Police’s Northern District, four residents of the
Arab town of Reina in the Lower Galilee were arrested on suspicion of assisting
terrorist elements in Judea and Samaria. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408484
Ben Cohen goes off the deep end. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408399
https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/fbi-director-kash-patel-says-fbi-leaving-longtime-headquarters
A
controversial resolution recognizing the 77th anniversary of the
"Nakba," the Arabic term utilized by Palestinian Arabs to describe
what they view as the "catastrophe" or "disaster"
associated with the establishment of the modern State of Israel, was introduced
in the US Congress on Wednesday. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408451
A
suspicious envelope delivered Thursday evening to the home of MK Yitzhak
Kroizer (Otzma Yehudit) prompted a large-scale response by police and emergency
services. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408490
An
IDF spokesperson on Thursday morning released rare footage from a Medical Corps
operation deep inside the Gaza Strip, showing medics evacuating wounded
soldiers under fire and at great personal risk. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408397
Supreme
Court Justice David Mintz has instructed the Israel Police and the IDF to respond
to a petition filed by the Lavi organization, demanding to know why Fatah
Central Committee member Abbas Zaki has not been investigated or prosecuted for
inciting terrorism. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408488
Major tunnel network dismantled in N. Gaza. Troops of the
IDF's Northern Gaza Brigade, under the command of the 252nd Division,
eliminated dozens of terrorists in the northern Gaza Strip. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408509
Law Suit against Harvard settled. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408512
https://www.timesofisrael.com/police-officer-stabbed-in-old-city-of-jerusalem-assailant-shot-dead/
"Over
the past 24 hours, the IDF has begun extensive strikes and deployed forces to
seize strategic areas in the Gaza Strip, as part of the initial stages of
Operation 'Gideon's Chariots' and the expansion of the campaign in Gaza, to
achieve all objectives of the war, including the release of hostages and the
defeat of Hamas," said the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit in a statement. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408497
Fake news: 1,000,000 Gazans to Libya? https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408517
The Prime Minister's
Office addressed the ongoing negotiations led by the Israeli delegation in
Doha, outlining the frameworks currently under discussion for a potential
hostage release agreement, and stated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is
prepared to end the war against the Hamas terrorist organization in return for
the return of all of the hostages. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408533
Defense
Minister Israel Katz stated on Sunday that all indications suggest Mohammed
Sinwar, the leader of the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza, has been
eliminated. Speaking before the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense
Committee, Katz noted that while official confirmation is pending, the
available intelligence points to Sinwar's death. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408532
11 soldiers exhausted don’t want to go into Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408535
Arab Youth spits at soldier girl then flees. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408536
May 19th
Day 591
Gideon’s Chariots grows from 3 Divisions to 5
Divisions operating in Gaza. https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-says-it-has-begun-broad-ground-operations-as-it-expands-new-gaza-offensive/
At
the Jerusalem Conference in New York City, Ayelet Samerano, the mother of
hostage Yonatan Mordechai Samerano, gave an emotional and powerful speech
calling for the return of her son and all hostages still held in Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408570
New
York Mayor Eric Adams spoke today to the Arutz Sheva - Israel National News
Jerusalem Conference in New York City.
"It was inspirational to march today to celebrate the 77th year of
Israel," he declared. "This event shows Israel's resiliency,
patience, and ability to make the right calls. A lot of people do not know what
it takes to stabilize after a crisis. Israel's resiliency is unmatched." https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408564
Arab who spat at soldier girl gives himself up
to PA. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408566
Report that body of Mohammed Sinwar found. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408527
https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-sentences-three-to-death-over-deadly-attacks-on-shiite-shrine/
28 dead in KY Tornadoes. https://apnews.com/article/severe-weather-midwest-south-kentucky-a6b8932577b800f996d6963290d3f3d7
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/joe-biden-diagnosed-aggressive-form-prostate-cancer-metastasis-bone
https://www.foxnews.com/us/palm-springs-bombing-suspect-identified
Op-Ed Bederman: https://dianebederman.com/its-exhausting-being-jewishitsgroundhog-day-every-day/
https://www.foxnews.com/us/mexican-navy-cadet-first-victim-identified-brooklyn-bridge-ship-collision
We will take control of Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408596
US
Vice President JD Vance has decided against a planned visit to Israel, citing
concerns over the Israeli military's expanded operation in Gaza, known as
"Gideon's Chariots," Axios reported, citing a senior US
official. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408599
A
construction worker was killed and another lightly injured Monday morning when
a concrete sewage pipe fell on them from a crane at a construction site on Lehi
Street in Bnei Brak. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408590
Veteran BBC presenter and former England captain Gary Lineker
is slated to depart the British Broadcasting Corporation on Monday, effective
immediately, following a significant antisemitism controversy, The Telegraph
reported. The decision, described as a mutual agreement, will see Lineker
leave the corporation early, with plans for him to front next year’s World Cup
coverage now axed. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408578
IDF demolishes illegal building near murder. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408587
https://www.timesofisrael.com/shocking-field-rookie-israeli-born-driver-wins-pole-at-indy-500/
May 20th
Day 592
A
handwritten note, which included hostage Matan Zangauker’s full name in Hebrew
and English, his ID number, and text in Arabic, was found by IDF soldiers in
Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408640
Families of fallen soldiers from the Gevurah Forum have called on
the Israel Police to launch a criminal investigation against Yair Golan,
chairman of the Democratic Party, over comments he made during a media
interview in May. In their letter, which was also forwarded to the State
Attorney's Office, the families argue that Golan's statement undermines the
morale of IDF soldiers at a time when they are risking their lives on multiple
fronts in the ongoing war. And now the backlash. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408648
Israeli
police arrested a 27-year-old German tourist on Monday after he went to the US
Embassy Branch Office in Tel Aviv, spat at the security guards, and left a
suspicious backpack containing materials for making Molotov cocktails. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408616
The Washington
Post reported on Monday that officials from President Donald Trump's
administration have conveyed a message to Israel, indicating that if the war in
Gaza does not come to an end, the United States may withdraw its support. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408621
‘Total
B.S.’: US Lawmaker Brian Mast Rips Rumors of Trump-Netanyahu ‘Rift’ -
Algemeiner.com
A
Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to Seville experienced a critical incident when
both pilots were incapacitated, leaving the aircraft to fly on autopilot
without supervision for approximately ten minutes. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408631
Part
of the expansion of Operation Gideon’s Chariots in the Gaza Strip, the IAF, in
coordination with the Southern Command, launched a series of precise airstrikes
against terrorist targets across the Gaza Strip. Terrorist goes sky high as
munitions blow up. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408624
PM “By asking Israel to end a defensive war for our survival before
Hamas terrorists on our border are destroyed and by demanding a Palestinian
state, the leaders in London, Ottawa and Paris are offering a huge prize for
the genocidal attack on Israel on October 7 while inviting more such
atrocities.”
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408634
Nepotism mars the appointment of 21 new
Rabbinical Judges. DISGUSTING!
May 21st
Day 593
https://www.timesofisrael.com/delta-airlines-resumes-flights-to-israel-lufthansa-extends-suspension/
Arab 94: https://www.timesofisrael.com/man-shot-dead-in-jaffa-port-in-suspected-crime-feud/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/trumps-in-law-charles-kushner-confirmed-as-us-ambassador-to-france/
Sergei Marchenko, a family friend of Staff sergeant Danilo Mocanu,
who was killed when a building in the Gaza Strip collapsed as a result of an
explosive device, paid tribute to him in an interview on Wednesday with Ynet.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408717
Terrorist Engineer eliminated. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408727
An
unusual incident occurred on Wednesday in Jenin when IDF troops fired warning
shots in the air as a delegation of foreign diplomats passed through the city. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408729
Ex- Reporter arrested in Columbia. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408728
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/05/20/cair-leader-celebrates-bidens-cancer-diagnosis/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/probe-rules-out-arson-in-massive-jerusalem-area-blazes-report/
May 22nd
Day 594
https://www.timesofisrael.com/3-hezbollah-operatives-killed-in-israeli-drone-strikes-in-lebanon/
National Unity Party MK Benny Ganz held a secret meeting on Monday
night with the Skverer Rebbe during the Israeli politician's visit to the United
States, the Behadrei Haredim news site reported. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408742
The
Prime Minister noted at the beginning of his remarks that Israel has a very
organized plan for the war and emphasized that there are still 20 hostages who
are certainly alive.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408753
Israeli Druze to meet with Syrian Leader: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408752
Sirens
sounded on Wednesday afternoon in the southern coastal city of Ashkelon. The
IDF announced that it intercepted one missile that was launched by Islamic
Jihad terrorists from the northern Gaza Strip. No injuries were reported. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408748
US
President Donald Trump surprised South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with a
video presenting evidence of persecution and mortal danger to white South
Africans during their meeting at the White House today (Wednesday). https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408749
Emanuel
Yechia Meshulam, a revered mohel from Rehovot, passed away at the age of 88
during a brit milah ceremony on Wednesday. Meshulam, who had performed tens of
thousands of circumcisions over more than four decades, collapsed mid-ceremony.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408745
A
man appointed to an advisory committee by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson
recently stepped down amid outcry over a 2023 video of him tearing down Israeli
hostage posters.
May 23rd
Day 595 end of week 85
https://www.timesofisrael.com/london-police-hunt-man-who-hacked-mezuzahs-off-jewish-homes/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-shakes-as-6-1-magnitude-earthquake-jolts-greek-islands/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/05/21/iran-faces-us-without-plan-b-nuclear-red-lines-collide/
IDF,
ISA, and Israeli Police forces operated throughout Judea and Samaria on
Wednesday night to apprehend wanted individuals involved in terrorist activity.
During the activity, 20 suspects were apprehended, four rifles and 15 explosive
devices that were ready to be used were confiscated. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408809
North
Korean authorities revealed that a newly built missile ship, set to launch
today, was severely damaged and lost its balance while in the presence of Kim
Jong Un. The 5,000-ton vessel, intended to bolster the nation's naval
capabilities, sustained significant structural damage, forcing the cancellation
of its highly anticipated launch. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408795
IDF Arabic Language Spokesman Avichay Adraee published a special post
on Thursday, addressing the residents of Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip, and
warning them of Hamas terrorist activity in civilian areas. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408805
Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Thursday that he has decided to
nominate Major General David Zini to be appointed as the next director of the
Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet). https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408820
DC Murderer charged with first degree murder. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408826
President
Donald Trump is "saddened and outraged" over the Wednesday night
murder of Israeli Embassy staff members Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky in
Washington, DC, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on
Thursday. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408818
The
Trump Administration has barred Harvard University from enrolling foreign
students in the latest escalation in the legal conflict between the government
and the Ivy League school that was sparked by Harvard's failure to confront the
problem of antisemitism on campus, the Associated Press reported. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408821
FBI
agents conducted a court-authorized search of an apartment in Chicago's East
Albany Park neighborhood, linked to Elias Rodriguez, the suspect in the fatal
shooting of two Israeli Embassy staff members outside the Capital Jewish Museum
in Washington, D.C.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408813
Golan assaults elderly man. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408822
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/shabat
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/shabat
Have a wonderful, healthy, happy and
peaceful Shabbos,
Rachamim Pauli
