Parsha Miketz Part 2
42:1 Now Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, and Jacob said
unto his sons: 'Why do ye look one upon another?' 2 And he said: 'Behold, I
have heard that there is corn in Egypt. Get you down thither, and buy for us
from thence; that we may live, and not die.'
In UK English, Corn is
grain and that is what Yacov is seeking.
3 And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn from Egypt. 4 But
Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said:
'Lest peradventure harm befall him.'
Benyamin is all that he
has left from his beloved wife, Rachel and is now guarded like the crown
jewels.
5 And the sons of Israel came to buy among those that came; for the
famine was in the land of Canaan. 6 And Joseph was the governor over the land;
he it was that sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brethren came,
and bowed down to him with their faces to the earth. 7 And Joseph saw his
brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spoke
roughly with them; and he said unto them: 'Whence come ye?' And they said:
'From the land of Canaan to buy food.'
Yosef was 30 when he was raised to authority and then were was
seven years of plenty making him 37 and then at least one year of famine making
him 38. The brothers remembered this lanky teen with a straggly beard. Now
there was a man before them who was either with a full beard or shaven. The man
spoke Egyptian through a translator into Hebrew. He was not dressed like a
shepherd but like Egyptian Royalty. He was wearing gold and perhaps make-up
like one sees in Hieroglyphics. It is no wonder they did not know him. They
were looking for a slave and possibly being used as a male paramour (not upon
us). The Medrash says that they inquired regarding a slave named Yosef on the
grounds to return him to his aged mourning father. Another thing is that even
modern day Haran is a small village and they lived in farming and herding
areas. These men had no idea of the size of the Egyptian Metropolis that they
visited and were awed by the sheer size of the city.
8 And Joseph knew his
brethren, but they knew him not. 9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he
dreamed of them, and said unto them: 'Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the
land ye are come.'
Even Yosef after 20
years has forgotten his dreams of age 17.
10 And they said unto him: 'Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy
servants come. 11 We are all one man's sons; we are upright men, thy servants
are no spies.' 12 And he said unto them: 'Nay, but to see the nakedness of the
land ye are come.'
He is giving them a hard
time.
13 And they said: 'We thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of
one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our
father, and one is not.'
One is not. They have no
idea if he is alive or dead and have brought money and called out Yosef all
over but no response.
14 And Joseph said unto them: 'That is it that I spoke unto you,
saying: Ye are spies. 15 Hereby ye shall be proved, as Pharaoh lives, ye shall
not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.
This is not a real
swearing as he has no idea what Pharaoh’s condition is.
16 Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be
bound, that your words may be proved, whether there be truth in you; or else,
as Pharaoh lives, surely ye are spies.' 17 And he put them all together into
ward three days.
I reread Rashi on Parsha
Vayeshev and so no indication of a time period that Yosef was in the pit.
Having them in jail for three days would seem that this could be against three
days in the pit but then again in jail they received food and water.
18 And Joseph said unto them the third day. 'This do, and live; for
I fear God: 19 if ye be upright men, let one of your brethren be bound in your
prison-house; but go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses;
One of you shall be
bound. (The instigator of the sale of Yosef)
20 and bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be
verified, and ye shall not die.' And they did so. 21 And they said one to
another: 'We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the
distress of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is
this distress come upon us.' 22 And Reuben answered them, saying: 'Spoke I not
unto you, saying: Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear?
therefore also, behold, his blood is required.'
G-D is demanding Mida Knegged Mida (measure for measure) from us.
We brought this calamity upon ourselves.
23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for the
interpreter was between them. 24 And he turned himself about from them, and
wept; and he returned to them, and spoke to them, and took Simeon from among
them, and bound him before their eyes.
Shimon was the instigator
of the hatred for Yosef from their talk. So Yosef bound him and threw him into
the jail. The Medrash says that afterwards he had Shimon bathed and made him
into a high class servant. However, the Pshat is that he went to the same jail
that Yosef was in.
25 Then Joseph commanded to fill their vessels with corn, and to
restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the
way; and thus was it done unto them.
As a brotherly gesture
on his behalf.
26 And they laded their asses with their corn, and departed thence.
27 And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the
lodging-place, he espied his money; and, behold, it was in the mouth of his
sack. 28 And he said unto his brethren: 'My money is restored; and, lo, it is
even in my sack.' And their heart failed them, and they turned trembling one to
another, saying: 'What is this that God hath done unto us?'
They did not know that
this was a gift from their brother but panicked and shook with fear of an evil
Gezaira from HASHEM.
29 And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan,
and told him all that had befallen them, saying: 30 'The man, the lord of the
land, spoke roughly with us, and took us for spies of the country. 31 And we
said unto him: We are upright men; we are no spies. 32 We are twelve brethren,
sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in
the land of Canaan. 33 And the man, the lord of the land, said unto us: Hereby
shall I know that ye are upright men: leave one of your brethren with me, and
take corn for the famine of your houses, and go your way. 34 And bring your
youngest brother unto me; then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye
are upright men; so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffic in
the land.'
Now really how could the
man know if they brought Benyamin or not as four mothers were involved and the
brothers must have looked different? Still in my face I look my mother and my
brother looks like my father, still we look close enough to tell that we are
brothers.
35 And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold,
every man's bundle of money was in his sack; and when they and their father saw
their bundles of money, they were afraid. 36 And Jacob their father said unto
them: 'Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not,
and ye will take Benjamin away; upon me are all these things come.' 37 And
Reuben spoke unto his father, saying: 'Thou shalt slay my two sons, if I bring
him not to thee; deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him back to thee.'
Yacov must have thought regarding Reuven that he was a blundering
idiot and could not be trusted with Benyamin. Yacov was not Lavan nor Esav and
how in the world could he go out and kill Reuven’s sons which were his own
grandchildren and a continuation of Yacov himself.
38 And he said: 'My son shall not go down with you; for his brother
is dead, and he only is left; if harm befall him by the way in which ye go,
then will ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. 43:1 And the
famine was sore in the land. 2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the
corn which they had brought out of Egypt, that their father said unto them: 'Go
again, buy us a little food.' 3 And Judah spoke unto him, saying: 'The man did
earnestly forewarn us, saying: Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be
with you. 4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee
food; 5 but if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down, for the man said
unto us: Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.' 6 And Israel
said: 'Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet
a brother?'
You country bumpkins how could you do this to me. Did you not
learn from Lavan to be cunning in your speech with authority lest they find
something that they can use against you?
7 And they said: 'The man
asked straitly concerning ourselves, and concerning our kindred, saying: Is
your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to
the tenor of these words; could we in any wise know that he would say: Bring
your brother down?' 8 And Judah said unto Israel his father: 'Send the lad with
me, and we will arise and go, that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou,
and also our little ones. 9 I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou
require him; if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me
bear the blame for ever. 10 For except we had lingered, surely we had now
returned a second time.'
Yehuda was G-D fearing and had placed his Olam HaBa as surety for
Benyamin.
11 And their father Israel said unto them: 'If it be so now, do
this: take of the choice fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down the
man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spicery and ladanum, nuts,
and almonds; 12 and take double money in your hand; and the money that was
returned in the mouth of your sacks carry back in your hand; peradventure it
was an oversight; 13 take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man;
14 and God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release unto you
your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I be bereaved of my
children, I am bereaved.' 15 And the men took that present, and they took
double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt,
and stood before Joseph. 16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to
the steward of his house: 'Bring the men into the house, and kill the beasts,
and prepare the meat; for the men shall dine with me at noon.' 17 And the man
did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house. 18 And the
men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said:
'Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we
brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us
for bondmen, and our asses.'
Now we are really deep in trouble because of the money that we had
in our sacks so they spoke to the steward to prevent trouble regarding this.
19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they
spoke unto him at the door of the house, 20 and said: 'Oh my lord, we came
indeed down at the first time to buy food. 21 And it came to pass, when we came
to the lodging-place, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money
was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; and we have brought it
back in our hand. 22 And other money have we brought down in our hand to buy food.
We know not who put our money in our sacks.' 23 And he said: 'Peace be to you,
fear not; your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your
sacks; I had your money.' And he brought Simeon out unto them.
No this is a peaceful gesture and the ruler does not need your
money. Here is your other brother who was held for surety that you would return
with your youngest brother and I see that he recognizes him.
24 And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them
water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender. 25 And
they made ready the present against Joseph's coming at noon; for they heard
that they should eat bread there. 26 And when Joseph came home, they brought
him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down to him
to the earth. 27 And he asked them of their welfare, and said: 'Is your father
well, the old man of whom ye spoke? Is he yet alive?' 28 And they said: 'Thy
servant our father is well, he is yet alive.' And they bowed the head, and made
obeisance. 29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother, his
mother's son, and said: 'Is this your youngest brother of whom ye spoke unto
me?' And he said: 'God be gracious unto thee, my son.'
They could not understand how this Egyptian placed them
at the table in order of their birth.
30 And Joseph made haste; for his heart yearned toward his brother;
and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.
He saw his brothers and was yearning for his family but
still kept himself secreted from them for a final test of brotherly love and if
they had really done Teshuva.
31 And he washed his face, and came out; and he refrained himself,
and said: 'Set on bread.' 32 And they set on for him by himself, and for them
by themselves, and for the Egyptians, that did eat with him, by themselves;
because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an
abomination unto the Egyptians.
They held themselves to be a superior race.
33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his
birthright, and the youngest according to his youth; and the men marveled one
with another. 34 And portions were taken unto them from before him; but
Benjamin's portion was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and
were merry with him. 44:1 And he commanded the steward of his house, saying:
'Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's
money in his sack's mouth. 2 And put my goblet, the silver goblet, in the
sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money.' And he did according to the
word that Joseph had spoken.
This was bungling on the part of Yehuda not checking their sacks.
For the last time they found their money so this time they should have checked
just in case. As the saying goes if you fool me once you are the fool. If you
fool me twice, I am a fool. (I once saw an election saying if you vote for this
politician a third time you’re a darn fool. In fact that is what President
Trump basically said regarding the US Policy on Korea and Yerushalayim that if
it hasn’t worked for 20 years why repeat over again the same mistake.)
3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they
and their asses. 4 And when they were gone out of the city, and were not yet
far off, Joseph said unto his steward: 'Up, follow after the men; and when thou
dost overtake them, say unto them: Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? 5
Is not this it in which my lord drinks, and whereby he indeed divines? ye have
done evil in so doing.' 6 And he overtook them, and he spoke unto them these
words. 7 And they said unto him: 'Wherefore speaks my lord such words as these?
Far be it from thy servants that they should do such a thing. 8 Behold, the
money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought back unto thee out of
the land of Canaan; how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or
gold? 9 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, let him die, and we also
will be my lord's bondmen.' 10 And he said: 'Now also let it be according unto your
words: he with whom it is found shall be my bondman; and ye shall be
blameless.' 11 Then they hastened, and took down every man his sack to the
ground, and opened every man his sack. 12 And he searched, beginning at the
eldest, and leaving off at the youngest; and the goblet was found in Benjamin's
sack.
And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that,
behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack. Shouldn’t this have been important
enough for them to say that “Whoa just as we got our money back, somebody
planted the goblet by Benyamin!”
13 And they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and
returned to the city. 14 And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house, and
he was yet there; and they fell before him on the ground.
15 And Joseph said unto them: 'What deed is this that ye have done?
know ye not that such a man as I will indeed divine?'
He makes like he has
some power perhaps from the dark side but nevertheless a mystical power to know
them.
16 And Judah said: 'What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we
speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy
servants; behold, we are my lord's bondmen, both we, and he also in whose hand
the cup is found.'
We will become servants
all of us.
17 And he said: 'Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in
whose hand the goblet is found, he shall be my bondman; but as for you, get you
up in peace unto your father.'
The Medrash goes one
step further and Yosef says that Benyamin is a thief, the son of a thief who
stole her father’s Terrapin. And in normal Torah Reading, the Parsha ends here
and we are left with a cliff hanger what will happen to Benyamin? Will the
brothers try to save him? Will Yehuda step up for him?
Parsha Vayigash
Last week’s Parsha ended
on a cliff hanger. What will happen to Benyamin? Will Yehuda and the brothers
abandon him like they did to Yosef or have they repented and learned their
lesson in life? Very few of us get to make such a Tikkun (soul repair) in our
lives.
44:18 Then Judah came near unto him, and said: 'Oh my lord, let thy
servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger
burn against thy servant; for thou art even as Pharaoh.
You are here today buried in a Pyramid thereafter as Rashi
says. However, the Pshat is the you are a great and powerful person and we
simple country bumpkins.
19 My lord asked his servants, saying: Have ye a father, or
a brother? 20 And we said unto my lord: We have a father, an old man, and a
child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is
left of his mother, and his father loves him.
Why did he say dead this time as previously he said not
which could mean missing? Yehuda reasoned that he could not produce Yosef or
explain to this great leader that Yosef was sold into slavery. If Yosef was
dead for diplomatic reasons, this would save the reason to bring him.
21 And thou said unto thy servants: Bring him down unto me,
that I may set mine eyes upon him. 22 And we said unto my lord: The lad cannot
leave his father; for if he should leave his father, his father would die. 23
And thou said unto thy servants: Except your youngest brother come down with
you, ye shall see my face no more. 24 And it came to pass when we came up unto
thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
Again your servant, my father and Yosef says nothing.
25 And our father said: Go again, buy us a little food. 26
And we said: We cannot go down; if our youngest brother be with us, then will
we go down; for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be
with us. 27 And thy servant my father said unto us: Ye know that my wife bore
me two sons;
Again your servant my father with the narrative about
Rachel his wife.
28 and the one went out from me, and I said: Surely he is
torn in pieces; and I have not seen him since;
Even though the brothers tried to find Yosef when they came
to Egypt, he could also have been sold further so Yehuda uses the story that
they sold to Yosef.
29 and if ye this one also from me, and harm befall him, ye
will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. 30 Now therefore when I
come to thy servant my father, and the lad is not with us; seeing that his soul
is bound up with the lad's soul; 31 it will come to pass, when he sees that the
lad is not with us, that he will die; and thy servants will bring down the gray
hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. 32 For thy servant
became surety for the lad unto my father, saying: If I bring him not unto thee,
then shall I bear the blame to my father forever.
Yosef realizes that he is talking about his Olam HaBa.
33 Now therefore, let thy servant, I pray thee, abide
instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his
brethren. 34 For how shall I go up to my father, if the lad be not with me?
Lest I look upon the evil that shall come on my father.'
Now the Tikkun of Yehuda is complete and Yosef can reveal
himself. This also answers the question that if Yosef was Prime Minister for
the past 9 years why didn’t he send a servant to advise Yacov.
45:1 Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them
that stood by him; and he cried: 'Cause every man to go out from me.' And there
stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.
They were shaking in their boots as they did not know what
vengeance he might do to them! How did he reveal himself in full, he showed
them with pride that he was circumcised.
19 My lord asked his servants, saying: Have ye a father, or a
brother? 20 And we said unto my lord: We have a father, an old man, and a child
of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of
his mother, and his father loveth him. 21 And thou said unto thy servants:
Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. 22 And we said unto
my lord: The lad cannot leave his father; for if he should leave his father,
his father would die. 23 And thou said unto thy servants: Except your youngest
brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more. 24 And it came to
pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my
lord. 25 And our father said: Go again, buy us a little food. 26 And we said:
We cannot go down; if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down;
for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us. 27
And thy servant my father said unto us: Ye know that my wife bore me two sons;
28 and the one went out from me, and I said: Surely he is torn in pieces; and I
have not seen him since; 29 and if ye take this one also from me, and harm
befall him, ye will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. 30 Now
therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad is not with us;
seeing that his soul is bound up with the lad's soul; 31 it will come to pass,
when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die; and thy servants
will bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the
grave. 32 For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying: If
I bring him not unto thee, then shall I bear the blame to my father forever. 33
Now therefore, let thy servant, I pray thee, abide instead of the lad a bondman
to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. 34 For how shall I go up
to my father, if the lad be not with me? lest I look upon the evil that shall
come on my father.' 45:1 Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them
that stood by him; and he cried: 'Cause every man to go out from me.' And there
stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. 2 And
he wept aloud; and the Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh heard. 3 And
Joseph said unto his brethren: 'I am Joseph; doth my father yet live?' And his
brethren could not answer him; for they were affrighted at his presence. 4 And
Joseph said unto his brethren: 'Come near to me, I pray you.' And they came
near. And he said: 'I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. 5 And
now be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither; for God
did send me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two years hath the famine
been in the land; and there are yet five years, in which there shall be neither
plowing nor harvest. 7 And God sent me before you to give you a remnant on the
earth, and to save you alive for a great deliverance. 8 So now it was not you
that sent me hither, but God; and He hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord
of all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9 Hasten ye, and go up
to my father, and say unto him: Thus saith thy son Joseph: God hath made me
lord of all Egypt; come down unto me, tarry not. 10 And thou shalt dwell in the
land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy
children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast; 11
and there will I sustain thee; for there are yet five years of famine; lest
thou come to poverty, thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast. 12 And,
behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth
that speaks unto you. 13 And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt,
and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall hasten and bring down my father
hither.' 14 And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and
Benjamin wept upon his neck.
And he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept: for
the two sanctuaries which were destined to be in Benjamin’s territory and would
ultimately be destroyed. [From Meg. 16b] And Benjamin wept on his neck: for the
Tabernacle of Shiloh, which was destined to be in Joseph’s territory yet would
ultimately be destroyed. [From Meg. 16b, Gen. Rabbah 93:12]
The Pshat is that after not seeing each other for 22 years
that they cried. Rabbi Mimran asked the question why would Yosef cry for the
two Mikdashim and Benyamin cry for the Mishkan?
15 And he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them; and after
that his brethren talked with him.
This goes with Pshat of the last Pasuk
but not with the Rashi there.
And he kissed: He continued to kiss
and afterwards: After they saw him weeping and that he was wholehearted with
them. His brothers spoke with him: whereas previously they had felt shame
before him. [From Tanchuma Vayigash 5]
And the brothers saw the result
of: 37:19 And they said one to another: 'Behold, this dreamer
cometh. 20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into one
of the pits, and we will say: An evil beast hath devoured him; and we shall see
what will become of his dreams.' First they saw the result
upon their father and now upon Yosef of their actions.
16 And the report thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying:
'Joseph's brethren are come'; and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants. 17
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph: 'Say unto thy brethren: This do ye: lade your
beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan; 18 and take your father and
your households, and come unto me; and I will give you the good of the land of
Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land. 19 Now thou art commanded, this do
ye: take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your
wives, and bring your father, and come. 20 Also regard not your stuff; for the
good things of all the land of Egypt are yours.' 21 And the sons of Israel did
so; and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and
gave them provision for the way. 22 To all of them he gave each man changes of
raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver, and five
changes of raiment. 23 And to his father he sent in like manner ten asses laden
with the good things of Egypt, and ten she-asses laden with corn and bread and
victual for his father by the way. 24 So he sent his brethren away, and they
departed; and he said unto them: 'See that ye fall not out by the way.' 25 And
they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their
father. 26 And they told him, saying: 'Joseph is yet alive, and he is ruler
over all the land of Egypt.' And his heart fainted, for he believed them not.
27 And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them; and
when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob
their father revived.
What made him revive is
that Wagon in Hebrew is Agala. He saw Yosef’s hint that they last Halacha they
learned before he sent Yosef was Egel Arufa (the calf whose neck is broken when
a dead body is found near a city). Agala and Egel have similar sounding.
28 And Israel
said: 'It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive; I will go and see him before I
die.' 46:1 And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to
Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. 2 And God
spoke unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said: 'Jacob, Jacob.' And he
said: 'Here am I.' 3 And He said: 'I am God, the God of thy father; fear not to
go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation. 4 I will go
down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again; and
Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.'
For
22 years Yacov received no prophecy for he was depressed. Now that he we
rejoicing, it returned to him.
5 And Jacob
rose up from Beersheba; and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and
their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to
carry him. 6 And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten
in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him; 7
his sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters,
and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt. 8 And these are the names of
the children of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben,
Jacob's first-born. 9 And the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, and Pallu, and Hezron,
and Carmi. 10 And the sons of Simeon: Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin,
and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaan woman. 11 And the sons of Levi:
Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12 And the sons of Judah: Er, and Onan, and
Shelah, and Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And
the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. 13 And the sons of Issachar: Tola, and
Puvah, and Iob, and Shimron. 14 And the sons of Zebulun: Sered, and Elon, and
Jahleel. 15 These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore unto Jacob in
Paddan-aram, with his daughter Dinah; all the souls of his sons and his
daughters were thirty and three. 16 And the sons of Gad: Ziphion, and Haggi,
Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli. 17 And the sons of Asher: Imnah,
and Ishvah, and Ishvi, and Beriah, and Serah their sister; and the sons of
Beriah: Heber, and Malchiel. 18 These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave
to Leah his daughter, and these she bore unto Jacob, even sixteen souls. 19 The
sons of Rachel Jacob's wife: Joseph and Benjamin. 20 And unto Joseph in the
land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath the daughter of
Poti-phera priest of On bore unto him. 21 And the sons of Benjamin: Bela, and
Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and
Ard. 22 These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob; all the souls
were fourteen. 23 And the sons of Dan: Hushim. 24 And the sons of Naphtali:
Jahzeel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem. 25 These are the sons of Bilhah,
whom Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and these she bore unto Jacob; all
the souls were seven. 26 All the souls belonging to Jacob that came into Egypt,
that came out of his loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives, all the souls were
threescore and six. 27 And the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt,
were two souls; all the souls of the house of Jacob, that came into Egypt, were
threescore and ten.
Unless
you count that one of Yacov’s wives came with him and there is no hit at that,
then the Sages say that Yocheved was born just as they were entering Egypt.
28 And he sent
Judah before him unto Joseph, to show the way before him unto Goshen; and they
came into the land of Goshen. 29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up
to meet Israel his father, to Goshen; and he presented himself unto him, and
fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. 30 And Israel said unto
Joseph: 'Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, that thou art yet alive.'
31 And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father's house: 'I will go
up, and tell Pharaoh, and will say unto him: My brethren, and my father's
house, who were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; 32 and the men are
shepherds, for they have been keepers of cattle; and they have brought their
flocks, and their herds, and all that they have. 33 And it shall come to pass,
when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say: What is your occupation? 34 that ye
shall say: Thy servants have been keepers of cattle from our youth even until
now, both we, and our fathers; that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for
every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.' 47:1 Then Joseph went in
and told Pharaoh, and said: 'My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and
their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and,
behold, they are in the land of Goshen.' 2 And from among his brethren he took
five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh. 3 And Pharaoh said unto his
brethren: 'What is your occupation?' And they said unto Pharaoh: 'Thy servants
are shepherds, both we, and our fathers.' 4 And they said unto Pharaoh: 'To
sojourn in the land are we come; for there is no pasture for thy servants'
flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, we pray
thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen.' 5 And Pharaoh spoke unto
Joseph, saying: 'Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee; 6 the land of
Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and thy brethren
to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell. And if thou know any able men
among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.'
Pharaoh
viewed them as possible value to have more intelligent people like Yosef to
help administrate the Kingdom.
7 And Joseph
brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh. And Jacob blessed
Pharaoh. 8 And Pharaoh said unto Jacob: 'How many are the days of the years of
thy life?' 9 And Jacob said unto Pharaoh: 'The days of the years of my sojornings
are a hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of
my life, and they have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of
my fathers in the days of their sojornings.' 10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and
went out from the presence of Pharaoh. 11 And Joseph placed his father and his
brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the
land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.
They
were welcomed and Yosef offered them a rich area. It is like this way in
History. Spain, Germany and others welcomed our people and then… What scares me
today is the growing antisemitism on the right and the left in the USA. It
could be a great danger in the future.
12 And Joseph
sustained his father, and his brethren, and all his father's household, with
bread, according to the want of their little ones. 13 And there was no bread in
all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and the
land of Canaan languished by reason of the famine. 14 And Joseph gathered up
all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan,
for the corn which they bought; and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's
house. 15 And when the money was all spent in the land of Egypt, and in the
land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said: 'Give us bread;
for why should we die in thy presence? for our money fails.' 16 And Joseph
said: 'Give your cattle, and I will give you [bread] for your cattle, if money
fail.' 17 And they brought their cattle unto Joseph. And Joseph gave them bread
in exchange for the horses, and for the flocks, and for the herds, and for the
asses; and he fed them with bread in exchange for all their cattle for that
year. 18 And when that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and
said unto him: 'We will not hide from my lord, how that our money is all spent;
and the herds of cattle are my lord's; there is nought left in the sight of my
lord, but our bodies, and our lands. 19 Wherefore should we die before thine
eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land
will be bondmen unto Pharaoh; and give us seed, that we may live, and not die,
and that the land be not desolate.' 20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt
for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine was
sore upon them; and the land became Pharaoh's. 21 And as for the people, he
removed them city by city, from one end of the border of Egypt even to the
other end thereof. 22 Only the land of the priests bought he not, for the
priests had a portion from Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh
gave them; wherefore they sold not their land.
Eventually,
they had nothing to sell but themselves. In short, they became sharecroppers on
their own land which was now in possession of Pharaoh.
23 Then Joseph
said unto the people: 'Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for
Pharaoh. Lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land. 24 And it shall
come to pass at the ingatherings, that ye shall give a fifth unto Pharaoh, and
four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for
them of your households, and for food for your little ones.' 25 And they said:
'Thou hast saved our lives. Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we
will be Pharaoh's bondmen.' 26 And Joseph made it a statute concerning the land
of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; only the land of
the priests alone became not Pharaoh's. 27 And Israel dwelt in the land of
Egypt, in the land of Goshen; and they got them possessions therein, and were
fruitful, and multiplied exceedingly.
And
B”H the Bnei Yisrael flourished and multiplied in numbers many fold.
Instead of getting the
German’s Knight’s Cross, a Nazi Pilot earned his place in the next world. Click
to read: https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/german-fighter-pilot-spared-enemy-bomber-wwii-proves-empathy-critics-dead-wrong Some people do a deed of Chesed for
somebody else and earn a place in the next world.
The Captivity and Rescue of Louis Har (as heard
directly) Rachamim Pauli
Louis is an immigrant
from Argentina. He was married, divorced and lived in Sderot. He began dating
for a ‘second chance’ a woman named Clara from one of the Kibbutzim in the
south of Israel close to Gaza. On the morning of Oct. 7th, Louis was
with Clara on the Kibbutz.
Rockets began raining
down in numbers well above even the worse days of the Protective Edge War. Then
there was shooting. Louis and Clara barricaded themselves in the shelter as
security messages arrived of infiltration. They heard terrorist smashing into
other people’s homes. Eventually, the terrorist shot armor piercing bullets
into their shelter. Miraculously they were on the floor or behind cement and
were not hit.
Then the terrorist
broke the lock and they yelled “Don’t shoot, we surrender.” They were loaded into a truck and taken to
Gaza. The population was there ready to beat Israelis. Men or women it did not
matter. Hamas separated them from the locals, switched trucks and went into a
safe house. Shelling and bombing from the air began and one day a great boom.
They were taken into a tunnel at first high and then lower until one had to
crawl from tunnel to tunnel. Then they were whisked into a house.
Afterwards they were on the second floor. It
was possible from time to time to look out the window at damaged Gaza. Louis
got some food and could cook. At least he are Clara were together. Bathing was
from time to time a very little water for a small washing.
The first cease fire
came after about 50 days of war. Clara was released and people with dual nationalities
were possibly next. The ceasefire broke down. Clara had been released but not
Louis and his Argentine Immigrant friend.
Bombings all the time.
Then one Saturday Morning a bomb that shook the house. Louis and his friend
went to the floor expecting perhaps a collapse. Then “This is Yamam, we have
come to rescue you.” Then back to Israel to the hospital and to see Clara and
his children.
What goes around comes around. Or:
1,2 Schar Freedman Story from Nesli Barda Israel 12TV
Eng. R. Pauli
Our story begins on
Sukkos 2024. The war has been raging for a year. Mrs. Freedman of Beit Shemesh
has a strange dream. In the dream, her older son says “Mommy, you are praying
of a hostage, Hersh. It is now time to commemorate a fallen soldier.
In the dream, the fallen
soldier’s picture appears to her. She decides to look for a fallen soldier,
blond with a crew cut like the picture in the dream. She does a search and lo
and behold there is a soldier who looks like the picture. His name is Schar
Freedman. They are to the best of their knowledge not remotely related.
Still the family takes
on the project of learning more about the fallen soldier. The soldier was in
the “Cherry” (Dodavan) Commando Unit. He was then transferred into the
paratrooper unit. They come under heavy fire from one house, he leads his unit
into the house where he returns to his soul to his Maker.
As they learn more about
the fellow they see a post sent to his sister and mother a day before he died.
“I have a mission to do. I am moving on to help people. Gradually many Charedim
take on the mission of doing good deeds for moving the soul of Schar to greater
heights. The mission goes from Beit Shemesh to Tsfat, Yerushalayim and other
places.
It is Hanukah 2024, Mrs.
Freedman is having pregnancy complications. A friend of hers calls to say that
Schar gave back his Neshama (soul) to the Creator on the 5th of
Kislev. https://www.timesofisrael.com/staff-sgt-shachar-fridman-21-left-ethical-will-before-entering-gaza/
The Pregnancy continues.
Mrs. Freedman says if it’s a boy, she wants to call him Schar. Mr. Freedman
says Schar is not a Charedi Name. Times flies and just before delivery, Mrs.
Freedman is told that she has twins but upside down. There is one doctor in
Shaarei Tzedek Hospital that can possibly reverse twins. She goes to him. As
the Freedmans enter the hospital, there are pictures of relatives of staff
members who have been lost in the war. One picture there is of Schar.
It is time to give birth.
The first twin born is a dark brunette. Mr. Freedman says that if the boy comes
out blond, we will call him Schar. Then out pops the blond.
In the meantime, the
pediatric staff is talking about baby Schar born to Charedim named after a
fallen soldier. One of the staff members calls up the sister of Schar HY”D.
After the Bris, the new
mother calls up the sister, Her phone is the one where the last testament is
posted. The sister records the call and it was played back for the TV audience.
The two families get together and the picture of Schar 1 as an infant and Schar
2 are look alike. Hundreds of thousands of people saw the broadcast.
A
Paramedic’s Legacy by R’ Yerachmiel Tilles
https://ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=1463-14
The story I
want to tell you took place 4 months ago [in early Spring 2017]. We are a few
families who have known each other from childhood, and it is our custom to go
out on picnics every now and then. This time we went to Park Hayarkon [in Tel
Aviv]. The kids were playing in the playground and riding their bicycles, the
women sat together chatting and we men were in charge on the BBQ. Close to us
was a religious guy playing ball with a very young kid. We didn't really pay
any attention to him. Although we are all secular people, we have much respect
for our religion.
At a
certain point my friend Tomer went to the car to bring the pita bread. He came
back very angry and announced, "I couldn't get into the car, there's a
motorcycle parked too close to the door."
Tomer is
the natural leader of our group. He is tall, strong and angers easily. He has a
good heart until someone gets on his nerves, and for some reason that
motorcycle made him angry. "Whose motorcycle is that?" he yelled out,
as if there was a chance between the thousands of people in the park to find
its owner. Never-the-less, surprisingly, the skinny guy that was playing near
us with his son responded." Are you talking about the Eichud Hatzalah [1]
motorcycle?
"Yes."
Tomer replied." Is it yours?"
"Yes,
it is."
"So
move it already," Tomer tells him. Get it right now out of that parking
spot."
"Why
are you talking this way, it's not nice," the guy answered.
"Not
nice?" Tomer shouts back. "In a second I'll stop talking at all and
punch you instead. Get your damn motorcycle away from here before I get violent
with you."
The guy
looks at him, hurt. "How would you like it to be talked to in that manner
in front of your kid?"
Tomer
walked towards him wanting to hit the guy, but we stopped him. We asked the guy
instead to just move it so the situation won't get worse.
In truth,
in my heart, I felt bad. I didn't agree with Tomer, and I bet none of the
others did either. But Tomer was our friend and that guy wasn't, and in our
codes that was enough of a reason to stand by our friend. And the guy? He was
not our problem. Humiliated, he simply took his son and went to move the
motorcycle.
There was a
silence, the kind that screamed what we each felt: why did he have to humiliate
him like that? After all, Tomer had already gotten to the pita bread from the
car door on the other side, so why was it so urgent to move the motorcycle at
all?
As I said
though, that was only in our hearts, We felt bad to be a part of the matter,
even if only passively, but we didn't say a word, not even when a few minutes
later the guy came back with his son and the ball.
What
happened a few minutes after that turned this story upside down. We suddenly
heard a scream: "Hagit fell off the big ladder!"
Hagit is
Tomer's 6-years-old daughter. She was playing with our kids and a few others on
one of the tall structures in the play area, and she fell from the top of the
ladder. The kids were shouting that something is wrong. We ran there to find
Hagit lying on the sand, totally blue. It was obvious that she wasn't
breathing.
Tomer
started screaming: "Help! Please! Somebody! Hagit!--please wake up!"
Someone
called for an ambulance. A second later, that man with the young kid comes
running, puts his son in my arms and asks me to look after him. Before I had a
chance to answer, he was gone, running like crazy.
It is hard
for me to describe these moments; we were a few dozens of people staring at a
catastrophe and there was nothing we could do. I felt so helpless.
In the
midst of that chaos we heard an ambulance siren. How could an ambulance come so
quickly?
We soon
found out the answer. The siren came from that religious man's motorcycle, the
same one inscribed with the words "Eichud Hatzalah" The motorcycle
had a huge box on the back and the guy opened it quickly, took a few things out
and went straight to Hagit.
It was so
weird. Tomer, the big strong guy, was shivering, and that skinny gentle guy
became the one in control. He gave orders to some of the people: "Hold
this"-"Give me that"-"Go to the motorcycle and bring me the
blue bag"-"Now open it carefully." It turned out that he was a
volunteer trained paramedic. At the same time he was treating her, he was
speaking on his special device: "Send an ambulance. Head injury and loss
of breath."
He was our
angel. He acted so coolly, so quickly and professionally. Hagit, who was just
lying there and seemed lifeless, started moving and coughing. This unassuming
humble man had brought her back to life!
Everyone
cried, women and men. Our Hatzalah angel kept treating Hagit till the ambulance
came and quickly removed Hagit from the scene.
Tomer
approached the man, weeping. "Please forgive me, I'm so sorry."
The medic
calmly replied, "There's no time for that;, Just go with her, it will all
be ok."
We all
approached him--hugging him, kissing him, asking for his forgiveness. We were
all very excited: we understood that what happened to us was a once in a
lifetime event. I have no words to describe it.
We asked
for his name and number and said that we would keep in touch. Then we all
accompanied him-Ephraim ["Effi"] Gadassi--to visit Hagit, and thank
G-d, she was already out of danger.
Tomer felt
broken and miserable; he was so ashamed of the way he treated the guy who saved
his daughter's life. He called him, cried and begged for forgiveness. He also
asked to compensate him with money, but Effi calmed him down, saying,
"It's ok, I forgive you. In Eichud Hatzalah that is what we do, almost on
a daily basis, and that is our "Payment." I will not take money from
you!"
Tomer tried
persuading him until he finally said: "if you want, you can donate to
Eichud Hatzalah. I will not accept money from you."
After three
days in the hospital, Hagit was released, but Tomer couldn't stop thinking
about it. He was a mess. After a while, he informed us that he intends to do a
Seudat Hodaya ["Gratitude Meal"] and invite the Hatzalah man as a
guest of honor. He set the date for a Motzei Shabbat and asked Effi to come. He
promised him the evening would be a fundraising event for Eichud Hatzalah. He
agreed.
This is
supposedly where the story ends...but it's not. None of us could possibly have
imagined how this story was really about to end. I warmly advise you to sit
before you go on reading!
On Thursday, two days
before the Seudat Hodaya, in the middle of the night, Effi Gadassi was on call
and responded to an emergency medical event. On his way there, Effi was hit by
a car and died.
When we
heard that news, our life changed completely and never went back to how it was
before. We all attended the funeral, crying like babies as we stood there. We
had to hold Tomer who almost fainted.
I cannot
begin to describe his grief and the deep feeling of guilt he was dealing with.
We tried to comfort him saying he had asked for forgiveness and that Effi
forgave him, but he still felt as if a part of his heart had died.
We all
changed-- all of us came closer to G-D. Tomer made the biggest change: he now
wears a big yarmulke, prays all the daily prayers, and keeps Shabbat.
Further,
everything he does is for the merit of Effi and for his aliyat Neshama (soul
elevation), including collecting money to purchase an Eichud Hatzalah
motorcycle and donating it to the organization.
This is the
story of Effi Gadassi of blessed memory who represents the hundreds of people
volunteering in Eichud Hatzalah, who do their holy work every day, while
expecting nothing in return. Sometimes, as our story shows, this includes
getting humiliated, hurt and disrespected on their holy mission.
May this story and the
message it carries be for the Aliyat Neshama of the selfless dedicated
volunteer, Efraim "Effi" Gadassi!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source:
Compiled and freely adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from a report on Arutz Sheva
on May 19, 2017 at the time of his death, and from a follow-up first-person
article about an incident a few weeks before that by an author and in a
publication unfortunately not known to me.
Postscript: Efraim
Gadassi, a volunteer paramedic in the United Hatzalah Ambucycle Unit, was
critically injured in a car accident around 3:30AM on Menashe Ben Yisrael
Street in Jerusalem as he made his way to the scene of a medical emergency. He
is survived by his wife and three children.
Footnote [1] A non-profit volunteer emergency Jewish medical service founded in
Israel that serves anyone in need of care, entirely for free, which now has
branches all over the world. This appeared in Inyanay Diyoma back in 2017 may his memory be blessed.
Inyanay Diyoma
Dec. 20th
Swords of Iron Day 806 end of week
116
The news channels and Times Of
Israel are still counting the days of the war until at least the body of Ron
Gvili is returned! We are neither done with Hezballah, Hamas, ISIS or Iran.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/5-said-killed-in-gaza-city-strike-idf-says-its-investigating-regrets-any-civilian-harm/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/jordan-says-air-force-took-part-in-us-led-strikes-on-isis-in-syria-that-killed-at-least-5/
Report:
Israel preparing for strike on Iran | Israel National News https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419629
IDF:
Terrorist killed after approaching troops in northern Gaza | Israel National
News https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419628
Ukraine
military intelligence chief lights Hanukkah candles with Kyiv Jewish community
| Israel National News https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419634
UK
government unveils broad plan to combat rising antisemitism | Israel National
News https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419610
IDF:
Followers of Eliezer Berland ran over Arab in Shechem | Israel National News
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419616
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/19/nearly-18000-gather-barclays-center-menorah-lighting-tribute-sydney-hanukkah-attack-victims/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/19/british-police-report-jewish-children-are-requesting-armed-escorts-for-hanukkah-celebrations/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/18/guinness-world-records-exclusion-israel-deceptive-form-false-advertising-advocacy-group-says/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/18/us-senate-passes-intel-bill-key-measures-targeting-iran/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/18/man-arrested-arson-san-francisco-hillel/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/18/nfl-player-vows-do-touchdown-dance-invoking-antisemitic-trope/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/18/trump-administration-imposes-sanctions-two-more-icc-judges-politicized-actions-targeting-israel/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/18/islamic-state-calls-bondi-beach-massacre-source-pride-does-not-claim-responsibility/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/06/17/from-auschwitz-to-october-7-the-world-is-looking-away-again/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/06/17/palestinian-authority-tv-israel-is-fighting-in-iran-to-distract-attention-from-crimes-in-gaza/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/18/nanny-sentenced-france-poisoning-jewish-family-us-ambassador-slams-french-govt-rising-antisemitism/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-gefen-bitton-in-critical-condition-after-confronting-bondi-beach-terrorist/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/australian-state-to-ban-globalize-the-intifada-chant-in-wake-of-bondi-terror-attack/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-said-to-pitch-project-sunrise-a-plan-to-rebuild-gaza-as-luxury-destination/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/maga-civil-war-over-israel-erupts-into-the-open-at-turning-point-usa-conference/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-executes-man-accused-of-spying-for-israel-3/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-releases-files-from-epstein-probe-though-many-records-remain-heavily-redacted/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/how-the-reddit-detective-agency-helped-hunt-for-brown-killer-and-blew-the-case-open/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/pa-forces-extract-israeli-from-jericho-who-reported-being-kidnapped/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/california-mayor-urged-to-resign-for-spreading-antisemitic-bondi-beach-conspiracies/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-senate-confirms-chabad-rabbi-as-trumps-antisemitism-envoy/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-based-conservative-movement-apologizes-signals-new-approach-on-intermarriage/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-based-conservative-movement-apologizes-signals-new-approach-on-intermarriage/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/kennedy-center-gets-new-signage-with-trumps-name-before-jfks-after-board-vote/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/maersk-ships-traverses-red-sea-for-first-time-in-2-years-as-yemens-houthis-hold-fire/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/police-dismiss-claim-by-family-of-woman-attacked-in-jaffa-their-car-was-vandalized/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/canadian-police-arrest-3-men-for-attempted-kidnappings-targeting-women-and-jews/
Dec. 21st
Swords of Iron Day 807 the Winter
Solstice
https://www.timesofisrael.com/light-over-darkness-australia-marks-day-of-reflection-for-bondi-hanukkah-attack-victims/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/bloomingdales-said-to-fire-employee-for-free-palestine-note-in-hanukkah-pajamas/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/father-and-son-murdered-in-nazareth-amid-surging-arab-community-violence/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-releases-files-from-epstein-probe-though-many-records-remain-heavily-redacted/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/high-court-freezes-police-ban-on-soccer-fans-wearing-shirts-calling-cops-scum/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-reykjavik-a-hanukkah-lighting-illuminates-a-tiny-community-in-times-of-darkness/
I feel that Donald Trump betrayed
Elsie Stefanik. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-endorses-nassau-county-executive-bruce-blakeman-new-york-governor-after-stefanik-exit
“We are concerned about the rehabilitation of the missile
arrays-but not surprised. In the first months after the ‘Rising Lion’ campaign,
Iran’s motivation to rebuild these systems was relatively low. Now we are
seeing a growing motivation on their part. There is a clear understanding that
the next round with Iran will be harder and more complex.” https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419669
Former
NSC head: 'Another attack in Iran is realistic' | Israel National News
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419671
Under Rabin, a youth terrorist
almost threw a cement block on my son’s head. He captured the youth gave him a
good spanking in front of his family. My son got punished. This time, the
terrorist was sent straight to hell and did not collect $200. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419648
Jackie Gleason would have sent
Canadian PM Carney to the moon.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419640
Women
of the Wall use soldier to bring Torah to Western Wall plaza | Israel National
News https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419667
IDF
soldier found in the heart of Jericho | Israel National News https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419646
Another 4year old dies of flu. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419631
Trump's
plan for Gaza: 'New Rafah' and skyscrapers | Israel National News
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419636
https://www.timesofisrael.com/lebanese-pm-says-country-close-to-completing-hezbollah-disarmament-south-of-litani-river/
Dec. 22nd
Swords of Iron Day 808
Hamas is in no hurry to return the
body of Ron Gvili and then give up their reign. Nobody is going to implement
Trump’s dream without both.
I put this as the last item
yesterday but it was not in copy-paste.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-says-it-nabbed-suspected-isis-jihadist-in-southern-syria-operation/
https://www.foxnews.com/us/san-francisco-power-outage-puts-130000-dark-self-driving-car-service-stops-vehicles-street
https://www.timesofisrael.com/10000-strong-crowd-gathers-on-bondi-beach-to-mark-week-since-hanukkah-terror-attack/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/uk-makes-first-arrests-for-globalize-the-intifada-chants-in-shift-spurred-by-bondi-attack/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/government-announces-19-new-west-bank-settlements-and-legalized-outposts/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/gaza-mediators-urge-israel-hamas-to-keep-truce-after-meeting-yields-little-progress/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/two-dead-in-suspected-murder-suicide-in-bat-yam/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-rabbis-warn-against-assuming-beer-is-always-kosher-causing-a-storm-in-a-pint-glass/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/iraqs-top-judge-says-pro-iran-militias-will-coordinate-with-state-on-arms-control/
Op-Ed Diane Bederman: Our
love is greater than their hate - Diane Bederman- Your Passionate Voice of
Reason https://dianebederman.com/our-love-is-greater-than-their-hate/
Israeli
toddler in life-threatening condition after jellyfish sting in the Philippines
| Israel National News https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419688
Two
years later: Three October 7 terrorists arrested in Rahat | Israel National
News https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419650
Two
Jerusalem residents arrested on suspicion of detonating car bomb | Israel
National News https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419673
Just brought to my attention: https://nypost.com/2025/12/08/us-news/zohran-mamdani-taps-ex-con-rapper-to-serve-as-criminal-justice-adviser-on-mayoral-transition-team/
Hamas purposely avoids critical
information on the burial of Ron Gvili.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419722
First aid volunteer 10/7 has PTSD. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419718
Op-Ed: The signing of
the massive natural gas deal with Egypt goes far beyond its $34 billion price
tag. One of the main reasons for the agreement’s delay was Egypt’s problematic
approach to Israel on political and security issues. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419720
https://www.timesofisrael.com/ag-slams-governments-political-oct-7-inquiry-tailor-made-for-coalitions-needs/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-warns-us-that-iran-may-use-missile-launch-drill-as-cover-to-strike-report/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/leading-gop-senator-hamas-must-be-given-deadline-to-disarm-or-face-renewed-war/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-warns-us-that-iran-may-use-missile-launch-drill-as-cover-to-strike-report/
Dec. 23rd
Swords of Iron Day 809
https://www.timesofisrael.com/indicted-ex-netanyahu-aide-says-pm-backed-effort-to-utilize-intel-later-leaked-to-bild/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/5-settlers-arrested-for-allegedly-attacking-palestinian-shepherd-killing-his-sheep/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/katz-vows-israel-will-build-settlements-in-northern-gaza-later-walks-back-comments/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/court-rejects-levins-2nd-request-to-tap-his-candidate-to-run-sde-teiman-leak-probe/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/22/northwestern-universitys-doha-campus-pipeline-qatari-elites-new-report-finds/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/22/israeli-high-tech-funding-rises-nearly-16-billion-2025-report-says/
https://www.foxnews.com/us/repeat-offender-allegedly-kills-ohio-man-just-days-after-nonprofit-pays-his-bail
https://www.foxnews.com/us/pilot-reports-ufo-hovering-beside-jet-leaving-air-traffic-control-stunned-good-luck-aliens
Today I took off the day only half
the news tomorrow a make-up.
Dec. 24th
Swords of Iron Day 810
Continuing with a lot of left-over
news as well as today’s news.
A new alliance: https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-uses-summit-of-israel-greece-cyprus-leaders-to-send-warning-to-turkey/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahus-ex-aide-says-pm-was-behind-leak-of-intel-to-bild-and-lied-about-it-after/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/three-convicted-for-plotting-deadliest-terror-attack-in-uk-history-against-jews/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/huckabee-iran-didnt-get-the-full-message-when-us-bombed-its-nuclear-sites/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-bondi-attack-australian-state-to-crack-down-on-protests-terror-symbols-guns/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/police-to-probe-teen-who-blew-out-hanukkah-candles-in-tel-aviv-mall/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/haredim-block-traffic-on-route-4-in-protest-of-arrests-of-draft-dodgers/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/three-said-killed-in-idf-airstrike-targeting-hezbollah-operatives-in-south-lebanon/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/culture-minister-threatens-to-end-all-state-funding-for-film-industry-amid-awards-spat/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/former-spy-jonathan-pollard-israel-sent-a-man-to-convince-me-to-kill-myself/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/22/netanyahu-discuss-iran-next-phase-gaza-plan-trump/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/22/jew-money-pennsylvania-school-district-principal-faces-termination-antisemitic-voicemail/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/22/norways-socialist-left-party-sparks-outrage-hanukkah-ceremony-for-people-palestine/
Miraculously: https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/22/homemade-bombs-thrown-before-bondi-mass-shooting-failed-detonate-police-tell-court/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/23/antisemitic-vandal-strikes-chabad-michigan-state-university-twice-hanukkah/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/23/iran-accuses-israel-false-flag-attacks-jews-abroad-regimes-executions-reach-record-levels/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/23/belgium-joins-south-africas-genocide-case-against-israel-un-court/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/23/at-least-20-percent-mamdani-transition-appointees-have-radical-anti-zionist-ties-adl-report-finds/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/22/germany-charges-suspected-former-syrian-intelligence-agent-murder-assad-jail/
Georgetown
University drops anti-Israel UN rapporteur | Israel National Newshttps://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419810
France
probes antisemitic attack on Jewish child at Paris airport | Israel National
News https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419814
UK
police close probe of anti-IDF chant at Glastonbury Festival | Israel National
News https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419817
It was recently reported that the Egyptian military has deployed an
advanced air defense system in the Sinai Peninsula, manufactured in China, with
an interception range of up to approximately 300 kilometers. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419815
A senior legal source in Lebanon said today (Tuesday) to the Asharq
Al-Awsat newspaper that investigations into the disappearance of Lebanese
officer Ahmad Shukr have raised the theory that he was kidnapped by Israel
through an "intelligence entrapment operation." This theory is based
on suspicions of his connections to the abduction of Ron Arad in southern
Lebanon in 1986. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419795
Suspect
in Crown Heights antisemitic stabbing arrested | Israel National News https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419784
Bennett
accuses: 'The worst betrayal in Israel's history' | Israel National News
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419800
Deputy
ISA chief resigns due to disagreements with David Zini | Israel National News https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419798
Perhaps at a different moment in time, the headlines about Vice
President JD Vance’s concluding speech at the Turning Point USA AmericaFest
conference last weekend in Phoenix, Ariz., would have centered on his avowal
that “We have been, and by the grace of God, we always will be, a Christian
nation.”
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419820
The IDF on Monday eliminated three Hezbollah terrorists who
operated to advance terror attacks against IDF troops, and operated to
reestablish Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in the area of Sidon in southern
Lebanon. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419776
JD
Vance responds to Nick Fuentes' use of racial slur against wife Usha https://guce.aol.com/consent?brandType=nonEu&gcrumb=U1YdsFM&lang=en-US&done=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aol.com%2Farticles%2Fjd-vance-responds-nick-fuentes-004420613.html
Dec. 25th
Swords of Iron Day 811
The delay should never have happened
just flexing political muscle. https://www.timesofisrael.com/katz-okays-next-heads-of-air-force-navy-after-months-of-delay-amid-spat-with-zamir/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/contentious-law-for-politically-appointed-oct-7-probe-passes-preliminary-knesset-reading/
The Hamas terror group violated the ceasefire in Gaza on Wednesday,
causing injuries to an IDF soldier. In the incident, an IDF officer from the
Golani Brigade was slightly injured when a Namer APC (armored personnel
carrier) hit an explosive device. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419843
The Lebanese Army cannot be the entity to disarm Hezbollah, despite
what is stipulated in the ceasefire agreement with Israel, Arab affairs analyst
Zvi Yehezkeli warned. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419827
Ahmad Shukr was allegedly abducted by Mossad due to his connection
with Israeli MIA soldier Ron Arad. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419828
6000 illegal Arabs each week. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419821
Police released a Jewish shepherd who was questioned after he fired
at Bedouin who had attacked him and injured three of them, including one
critically.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419840
A well-known psychiatrist made crass and offensive remarks toward
survivors of the Nova festival who appeared before medical committees of the
National Insurance Institute at which he was present. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419845
https://www.foxnews.com/us/woman-florida-barnes-noble-stabbed-death-police-seek-motive
Still waiting for Sgt. Maj. Ron
Gvili: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-881265
Col. Avraham found lots of supplies in some tunnels. Israeli troops
searching tunnels where terrorists had been hiding found
that a small number had written notes describing their situation. The
handwritten notes, written neatly on small pieces of paper and collected and
examined by the IDF’s intelligence exploitation unit, included a late-October
entry in which one terrorist wrote: “Monday was the first day when nothing was
left. Only seven dates remained for the day. There is water only for
tomorrow. Tomorrow is the last day of water. In any case, praise be to God. I
pray to Allah to bring salvation very soon.” Alongside the text, the terrorists
drew a sketch that intelligence officials believe indicated the entrances to
the circular tunnel in which he was staying. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sk4kkcy7zg#autoplay
Colt to supply M4A1 Carbines to the IDF. https://www.jpost.com/defense-and-tech/article-881201
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/24/french-court-acquitted-nanny-who-poisioned-jewish-family-antisemitism-now-prosecutors-appealing/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/bethlehem-sees-full-christmas-revelry-for-first-time-since-outbreak-of-gaza-war/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-charged-with-filming-ex-pm-bennetts-home-on-behalf-of-iran/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/rabbis-car-with-happy-chanukah-sign-torched-in-melbourne-as-antisemitism-wave-persists/
Dec. 26th
Swords of Iron Day 812 end of week
116
https://www.foxnews.com/world/trump-launches-christmas-night-airstrikes-isis-terrorist-scum-nigeria-after-killings-christians
https://www.foxnews.com/world/trio-palestinians-arrested-allegedly-torching-christmas-tree-catholic-church-west-bank
From Ben Avraham: https://spectator.org/hannukah-in-gaza/
https://www.foxnews.com/world/russian-forces-near-collapse-kupyansk-moscow-allies-concede-city-lost-report
What my son Amalek and/or Haman is
innocent! https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/25/palestinian-terrorist-was-killed-throwing-grenades-pa-said-he-was-young-boy-delivering-a-package/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/25/senior-hamas-official-vows-terror-group-will-never-disarm-rejects-foreign-pressure/
Former President Jair Bolsonaro announced his endorsement of his
son Flavio’s 2026 presidential bid. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419931
Firefighting and rescue teams were called Friday morning to respond
to a fire that broke out in an apartment in a four-story residential building
in the Maalot Dafna neighborhood of Jerusalem. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419936
Floods and snow predicted as 3 or
more inches of rain expected. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419938
Rape with a gun to her head in
captivity. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419926
New research by
Lt. Col. (ret.) Jonathan D. Halevi and the Jerusalem Center for Security and
Foreign Affairs (JCSFA) revealed the extent of Qatar's deep and ongoing
involvement in advancing a jihadist mindset among the Muslim Brotherhood and
Hamas. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419935
Munition found in the home of
Massacre Supporter: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419857
This is Netanyahu’s doing not the
IDF. IDF
Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir instructed the IDF General Staff
to exclusively use the name "War of Redemption" in all official IDF
contexts - including ceremonies, speeches, documents, and internal
communications. Organic Fertilizer from a Bull. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419914
Soldier dies in accident in N.
Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419916
Shabbos Times: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/shabat
You can’t fix stupid or crazy: https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-man-kills-wife-shoots-stepdaughter-over-nfl-game-argument-before-taking-own-life
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/new-u-s-military-genai-tool-critical-first-step-future-warfare-says-expert
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/doj-sues-dc-over-restrictive-gun-laws
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/25/foreign-press-correspondents-honored-terrorists-awarded-al-jazeera-cash-grant/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/25/poles-watching-can-be-proud-director-defends-holocaust-film-10-years-in-the-making-sparking-backlash-in-poland/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/12/25/us-considers-sanctions-spain-barring-ships-bringing-arms-israel/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/settler-reservist-rams-atv-into-praying-palestinian-in-west-bank-idf-launches-probe/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/dan-elkayam-27-french-national-killed-in-bondi-attack-laid-to-rest-in-ashdod/
Netanyahu wants it here and now an
who cares about Israel’s future: https://www.timesofisrael.com/as-major-egypt-gas-deal-burns-through-reserves-public-will-end-up-paying-the-price/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/syria-says-its-forces-killed-senior-isis-leader-nabbed-operative-near-damascus/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/turkey-nabs-115-suspected-isis-members-allegedly-plotting-christmas-attacks/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/scrutiny-around-qatargate-and-bild-leak-may-put-pm-one-step-closer-to-hot-seat/
Have a healthy, happy,
restful and peaceful Shabbos,
Rachamim Pauli
