Good Shabbos Deuteronomy 21:11 – 25:19
Two new prayer
requests.
Michael ben Chaya long
term
Nadav ben Sharon until
about Simchas Torah
Parsha Ki Teitzei
If you
recall last week (Devarim 17:18-20) the King was to write/commission two Sifrei
Torah. One for the Synagogue in his castle and one smaller one to take with him
at all times. One of those times was going into battle to read and remember
things like not chopping down fruit trees during a siege, how to deal with
captives, how to call for surrender, the newly wed, coward, etc.
This week
we go into the fact that there will be war. Traveling in the desert under a
cloud and pillar for light with Mann to eat is now how humans are to act and
now the Torah brings down reality checks for the people.
As I wrote
in Parsha Reeh, don’t expect me to cover all 74 Mitzvos in this week’s Parsha.
21: 10
When thou go forth to battle against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God
delivers
them into thy hands, and thou carry them away captive, 11 and see among the
captives a woman of goodly form, and thou hast a desire unto her, and would
take her to thee to wife; 12 then thou shalt bring her home to thy house; and
she shall shave her head, and pare her nails;
The main
reason that married women cover their heads is that they should not be an
attraction to other men. For the beauty of a woman is in her hair. The Torah allows
for the soldier to capture a non-Jewish woman vanquish her and bring her home.
However, it was to discourage this so he must shave her head and cut her nails
(this is not the best way he will win friends with ).
13 and she shall put the raiment of her
captivity from off her, and shall remain in thy house, and bewail her father
and her mother a full month; and after that thou mayest go in unto her, and be
her husband, and she shall be thy wife. 14 And it shall be, if thou have no
delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will; but thou shalt not
sell her at all for money, thou shalt not deal with her as a slave, because
thou hast humbled her.
The Pasuk
implies that if he has not humbled her, he can take her as a slave. If she
doesn’t like him and hates him, he lets her go and she can find herself some
other man.
15 If a man have two wives, the one beloved,
and the other hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the
hated; and if the first-born son be hers that was hated; 16 then it shall be,
in the day that he causes his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may
not make the son of the beloved the first-born before the son of the hated, who
is the first-born; 17 but he shall acknowledge the first-born, the son of the
hated, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath; for he is the
first-fruits of his strength, the right of the first-born is his.
This can be
related to the captive, that she became is wife and now despises him. Or both
wives are Jewish and one is less loved, but he is obliged to cause her son to
be the first born.
18 If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son,
that will not hearken to the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother,
and though they chasten him, will not hearken unto them; 19 then shall his
father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his
city, and unto the gate of his place; 20 and they shall say unto the elders of
his city: 'This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he doth not hearken to our
voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.'
It is said
that Chagit was a captive women and her son Absalom rebelled against Dovid due
to her despising her captivity. In any even the rebellious son is only between
13years and one day to 13.5years old. After that it is too late as he is
glutton, drunken and a thief. However, the father and mother must sound alike
in voice tone. Otherwise we do not kill him. In Gemara Sanhedrin there are two
opinions: 1) There never was a son like this. 2) A Rabbi actually saw the grave
of such a son.
21 And all the men of his city shall stone him
with stones, that he die; so shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of
thee; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
He must be
completely impossible if both the father and mother bring him before Beis Din
(Sanhedrin) to be executed.
22 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of
death, and he be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree; 23 his body shall
not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt surely bury him the same
day; for he that is hanged is a reproach unto God; that thou defile not thy
land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. 22:1 Thou shalt not
see thy brother's ox or his sheep driven away, and hide thyself from them; thou
shalt surely bring them back unto thy brother. 2 And if thy brother be not nigh
unto thee, and thou know him not, then thou shalt bring it home to thy house,
and it shall be with thee until thy brother require it, and thou shalt restore
it to him. 3 And so shalt thou do with his ass; and so shalt thou do with his
garment; and so shalt thou do with every lost thing of thy brother's, which he
hath lost, and thou hast found; thou mayest not hide thyself.
Returning a
lost item is important to the loser, by returning his loss even at a cost to you
in time or energy, you are preforming a great deed.
4 Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his
ox fallen down by the way, and hide thyself from them; thou shalt surely help
him to lift them up again. 5 A woman shall not wear that which pertains unto a man, neither shall a man put
on a woman's garment; for whosoever doeth these things is an abomination unto
the LORD thy God.
I read or
hear on the media so much about trans-this, trans-athletes, etc. Cross dressing
and acting like a member of the opposite sex from which you were born is an
abomination. Even if HASHEM put a male soul in a female body or a female soul
in a male body it is for tikkun (repair).
6 If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in
the way, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the dam
sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the
young; 7 thou shalt in any wise let the dam go, but the young thou mayest take
unto thyself; that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy
days.
One should
be merciful to the mother bird and send her away. (We are discussing wild
pigeons, ducks or geese not domesticated birds) Interesting in this week’s news
there was an article on firemen rescuing a trapped owl.
8 When thou build a new house, then thou shalt
make a parapet for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thy house, if any
man fall from thence. 9 Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with two kinds of seed;
lest the fulness of the seed which thou hast sown be forfeited together with
the increase of the vineyard.
We had
Shatnes of wood and linen in a garment or plowing an ox with a donkey in Parsha
Kedoshim Vayikra Lev. 19 as forbidden. Here we have sowing diverse seeds and
mixing seeds in a vineyard {Kilayim).
10 Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass
together. 11 Thou shalt not wear a mingled stuff, wool and linen together.
This is a
review.
12 Thou shalt make thee twisted cords upon the
four corners of thy covering, wherewith thou cover thyself.
Tzitzis is
mentioned in Parsha Shelach Lecha (Bamidbar Numbers 15).
13 If any man take a wife, and go in unto her,
and hate her, 14 and lay wanton charges against her, and bring up an evil name
upon her, and say: 'I took this woman, and when I came nigh to her, I found not
in her the tokens of virginity'; 15 then shall the father of the damsel, and
her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel's virginity unto the
elders of the city in the gate. 16 And the damsel's father shall say unto the
elders: 'I gave my daughter unto this man to wife, and he hates her; 17 and, lo, he hath laid
wanton charges, saying: I found not in thy daughter the tokens of virginity;
and yet these are the tokens of my daughter's virginity.' And they shall spread
the garment before the elders of the city. 18 And the elders of that city shall
take the man and chastise him. 19 And they shall fine him a hundred shekels of
silver, and give them unto the father of the damsel, because he hath brought up
an evil name upon a virgin of Israel; and she shall be his wife; he may not put
her away all his days.
He married
a woman and then the next morning claimed she was not a virgin besmirching her
name.
20 But if this thing be true, that the tokens
of virginity were not found in the damsel; 21 then they shall bring out the
damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone
her with stones that she die; because she hath wrought a wanton deed in Israel,
to play the harlot in her father's house; so shalt thou put away the evil from
the midst of thee.
In ancient
times, people would marry a woman by contract first but married without consummation.
It was a full marriage by contract or a ring without a relationship. If she was
found not to be a virgin, then she would be stoned as an adulteress. Today we
have a “Wort” or engagement and then time to arrange for a marriage. The woman is
not a legal wife by status.
22 If a man be found lying with a woman married
to a husband, then they shall both of them die, the man that lay with the
woman, and the woman; so shalt thou put away the evil from Israel. 23 If there
be a damsel that is a virgin betrothed unto a man, and a man find her in the
city, and lie with her; 24 then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of
that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die: the damsel,
because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled
his neighbour's wife; so thou shalt put away the evil from the midst of thee.
A betrothed
woman as I wrote has a status as a wife and therefore this is adultery.
25 But if the man find the damsel that is
betrothed in the field, and the man take hold of her, and lie with her; then
the man only that lay with her shall die. 26 But unto the damsel thou shalt do
nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death; for as when a man rises against his neighbour, and slays him, even so is this matter. 27 For
he found her in the field; the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to
save her.
She cried
out ‘rape’ but nobody heard so only he dies.
28 If a man find a damsel that is a virgin,
that is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be
found; 29 then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father
fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he hath humbled
her; he may not put her away all his days.
In this
case, if it is a rape or persuasion, he was free and she was free to marry, he
shall pay an indemnity and she shall be his wife. (unless she refuses and prefers
receiving the fine rather than be married to a rapist.)
23:1 A man shall not take his father's wife,
and shall not uncover his father's skirt.
2 He that is crushed or maimed in his privy
parts shall not enter into the assembly of the LORD. 3 A bastard shall not
enter into the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth generation shall none of
his enter into the assembly of the LORD. 4 An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not
enter into the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth generation shall none of
them enter into the assembly of the LORD for ever; 5 because they met you not
with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and
because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Aram-naharaim,
to curse thee. 6 Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam;
but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the
LORD thy God loved thee. 7 Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity
all thy days for ever.
These are
various laws of forbidden marriages and/or people who cannot enter the Temple Service.
8 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite, for he is
thy brother; thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian, because thou were a stranger in
his land. 9 The children of the third generation that are born unto them may
enter into the assembly of the LORD.
One is forbidden
to hate them even if they did not treat your forefathers well.
10 When thou go forth in camp against thine
enemies, then thou shalt keep thee from every evil thing. 11 If there be among
you any man, that is not clean by reason of that which chances him by night,
then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp. 12
But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall bathe himself in water; and
when the sun is down, he may come within the camp. 13 Thou shalt have a place
also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad. 14 And thou shalt
have a paddle among thy weapons; and it shall be, when thou sit down abroad,
thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from
thee. 15 For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver
thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be
holy; that He see no unseemly thing in thee, and turn away from thee.
If a
soldier has what we call a ‘wet dream’, he shall purify himself or if one has
other needs after a meal, one should cover up when he has to relieve himself.
16 Thou shalt not deliver unto his master a
bondman that is escaped from his master unto thee; 17 he shall dwell with thee,
in the midst of thee, in the place which he shall choose within one of thy
gates, where it likes him
best; thou shalt not wrong him.
Slaves were
treated relatively well. 1) they were given a spouse. 2) They eat what the
master ate. 3) They had to be clothed and given a bed before the master.
Therefore, if they ran away, something was rotten. Either the master beat them,
did not feed or clothe them properly and therefore no return. (There was love
and respect between Rabban Gamliel and his non-Jewish Slave Tabbai.) The slave
in Judaism is more like a domestic live-in servant than a chained up slave in the
southern USA.
18 There shall be no harlot of the daughters of
Israel, neither shall there be a sodomite of the sons of Israel. 19 Thou shalt
not bring the hire of a harlot, or the price of a dog, into the house of the
LORD thy God for any vow; for even both these are an abomination unto the LORD
thy God.
The should
be no lewdness and even a repentant prostitute would have to bring a sacrifice
from money other than her former occupation but rather something like sowing,
knitting or even raising a sheep or goat for a sacrifice.
20 Thou shalt not lend upon interest to thy
brother: interest of money, interest of victuals, interest of any thing that is
lent upon interest. 21 Unto a foreigner thou mayest lend upon interest; but
unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon interest; that the LORD thy God may
bless thee in all that thou put thy hand unto, in the land whither thou go in
to possess it.
There are
many free loans that have to be paid back without interest. However, there is
also a business loan something like stock or venture capital. That type of loan
is a partnership and then one can lose or win with it. On business, one can
take interest.
22 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy
God, thou shalt not be slack to pay it; for the LORD thy God will surely
require it of thee; and it will be sin in thee. 23 But if thou shalt forbear to
vow, it shall be no sin in thee. 24 That which is gone out of thy lips thou
shalt observe and do; according as thou hast vowed freely unto the LORD thy
God, even that which thou hast promised with thy mouth.
Be true to
your word.
25 When thou come into thy neighbour's
vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes until thou have enough at thine own pleasure;
but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel.
If you enter your neighbor’s vineyard. Scripture is referring
to a hired worker. As many as you wish.
Until you are sated - but not excessive
eating. ou may not put any
into your container. From here, we learn that the Torah permits you to eat
only at harvest time, when you put produce into the employer’s
containers, but if he was hired to dig or to cover exposed roots, he is not allowed to eat.
26 When thou come into thy neighbour's standing
corn, then thou mayest pluck ears with thy hand; but thou shalt not move a
sickle unto thy neighbour's standing corn.
24:1 When a man taketh a wife, and marries her, then it cometh to pass, if she
find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some unseemly thing in her,
that he writes her
a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, 2 and she
departs out
of his house, and goes and becometh another man's wife, 3 and the latter
husband hates
her, and writes her
a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sends her out of his house; or if the latter
husband die, who took her to be his wife; 4 her former husband, who sent her
away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for
that is abomination before the LORD; and thou shalt not cause the land to sin,
which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.
Once one
has divorced, his wife can remarry. If she remarries, he can never take her
back.
5 When a man taketh a new wife, he shall not go
out in the host, neither shall he be charged with any business; he shall be
free for his house one year, and shall cheer his wife whom he hath taken.
That is for
a war of volition. However, a mitzvah war, one can be called-up immediately.
6 No man shall take the mill or the upper
millstone to pledge; for he taketh a man's life to pledge. 7 If a man be found
stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and he deal with him as
a slave, and sell him; then that thief shall die; so shalt thou put away the
evil from the midst of thee.
Be straight
in your dealings and no withhold a man’s income as a pledge.
8 Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that thou
observe diligently, and do according to all that the priests the Levites shall
teach you, as I commanded them, so ye shall observe to do. 9 Remember what the
LORD thy God did unto Miriam, by the way as ye came forth out of Egypt.
One of the
six remembrances.
10 When thou dost lend thy neighbour any manner
of loan, thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge. 11 Thou shalt
stand without, and the man to whom thou dost lend shall bring forth the pledge
without unto thee. 12 And if he be a poor man, thou shalt not sleep with his
pledge; 13 thou shalt surely restore to him the pledge when the sun goes down, that he may sleep in his
garment, and bless thee; and it shall be righteousness unto thee before the
LORD thy God.
Be humane
to the poor man.
14 Thou shalt not oppress a hired servant that
is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are
in thy land within thy gates. 15 In the same day thou shalt give him his hire,
neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and sets his heart upon it: lest he cry
against thee unto the LORD and it be sin in thee.
You shall
not abuse the less fortunate.
16 The fathers shall not be put to death for
the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers; every
man shall be put to death for his own sin. 17 Thou shalt not pervert the
justice due to the stranger, or to the fatherless; nor take the widow's raiment
to pledge. 18 But thou shalt remember that thou were a bondman in
Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence; therefore I command thee to
do this thing. 19 When thou reap thy harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a
sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go back to fetch it; it shall be for the
stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow; that the LORD thy God may
bless thee in all the work of thy hands.
If you
forgot a sheath, lost fruit or have a corner of the field leave these for the
poor.
20 When thou beat thine olive-tree, thou shalt
not go over the boughs again; it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless,
and for the widow. 21 When thou gather the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt
not glean it after thee; it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and
for the widow. 22 And thou shalt remember that thou were a bondman in the land
of Egypt; therefore I command thee to do this thing. 25:1 If there be a
controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, and the judges judge
them, by justifying the righteous, and condemning the wicked, 2 then it shall
be, if the wicked man deserve to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to
lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to the measure of his
wickedness, by number. 3 Forty stripes he may give him, he shall not exceed;
lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy
brother should be dishonoured before thine eyes.
If a person did something that he
deserved lashes from a Beis Din example lied that the man was not a Cohain or
Levi, we give him lashes.
They shall not exceed 40 and we stop at 39. However if the man/woman soils
their garment, we stop. The lashes were to bring about the removal of evil and
cause repentance.
4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treads out the corn.
Muzzling
the ox would be cruel and we are told not to be cruel to animals.
5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them
die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not be married abroad unto
one not of his kin; her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to
him to wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother unto her. 6 And it
shall be, that the first-born that she bears shall succeed in the name of his
brother that is dead, that his name be not blotted out of Israel. 7 And if the
man like not to take his brother's wife, then his brother's wife shall go up to
the gate unto the elders, and say: 'My husband's brother refuses to raise up unto his brother a name
in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband's brother unto me.' 8 Then
the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him; and if he stand, and
say: 'I like not to take her'; 9 then shall his brother's wife draw nigh unto
him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and
spit in his face; and she shall answer and say: 'So shall it be done unto the
man that doth not build up his brother's house.' 10 And his name shall be
called in Israel the house of him that had his shoe loosed.
If one who
has a brother who died before having children, it is a mitzvah to marry his
widow to produce an inheritor. (Nowadays we don’t have the original land for inheritance
and it is a Mitzvah to do Halitza or the removal of the shoe).
11 When men strive together one with another,
and the wife of the one draws near to deliver her husband out of the hand of
him that smites
him, and puts
forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets; 12 then thou shalt cut off her
hand, thine eye shall have no pity.
The woman
is brazen and has to be fined.
13 Thou shalt not have in thy bag diverse
weights, a great and a small. 14 Thou shalt not have in thy house diverse
measures, a great and a small. 15 A perfect and just weight shalt thou have; a
perfect and just measure shalt thou have; that thy days may be long upon the
land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 16 For all that do such things, even
all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God.
Most of
this chapter deals with the laws mentioned already in Kedoshim Vayikra 19.
17 Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the
way as ye came forth out of Egypt; 18 how he met thee by the way, and smote the
hindmost of thee, all that were enfeebled in thy rear, when thou were faint and
weary; and he feared not God. 19 Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God
hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the
LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot
out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget.
Another
remembrance and one must rid the world of a plague called Amalek people.
A few words
on the month of Elul
Elul is the
month of Compassion (Rachamim). Instead of waiting for Rosh Hashanah or Erev
Yom Kippur or Yom Kippur to repent and atone for one’s sins, one can start in
Elul not from fear but from love of G-D. We don’t have to wait for the Selicos
forgiveness prayers or say Our Father Our King (Avinu Malkaynu). We can start
with help me repair my ways to return unto you – theme.
During Elul,
the KING is in the field near the working of people. It is this time when we can
move by better prayers (not only the added L’Dovid HASHEM psalm – Tehillim 27).
During the next few weeks one should try his best to return to HASHEM from love
and joy. Only towards the judgement of the high holidays should one think in
terms of fear. After all in HIS great compassion, the L-RD called Moshe up the
mountain on Rosh Chodesh Elul a second time and to write the second Luchos
[Tablets of the 10 Dibros aka Commandments] only to come down on the 40th
day aka Yom Kippur.
The Chassidic Rebbe and Advanced Electronic
Aviation Systems by R’ Y. Tilles
https://ascentofsafed.com/Stories/Stories/5786/1497-48.html
I [Zeev Ron] served in the Israeli Air Force for about twenty-three
years, working in various key roles related to electronic aviation systems. In
the late '70s, about four years after I had been drafted, the commander of
Ramat David Airbase, where I was stationed, invited me to join the team tasked
with integrating the new F-16 fighter jets, which were replacing our aging
Skyhawk and Phantom aircraft.
At that time, a large delegation was preparing to travel to the United States -
about one hundred families, along with forty individuals, myself among them -
for a period of about eight months. The culmination of a complex logistical
process that had taken more than five years, our mission was to study and train
on the new aircraft. We would also be overseeing production and customization
of their advanced systems for Israeli Air Force needs, conducting test flights
and integration procedures, and then ferrying the planes to Israel.
I gladly accepted the offer, and after a period of specialized training, we set
out in the early winter of 1979.
Initially, we were stationed at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. Many in the
delegation, like myself, came from religious or traditional backgrounds, but
this was a wasteland, as far as Judaism was concerned. Although we had no
formal synagogue, we organized ourselves as best we could to maintain Jewish
life, with communal prayers, holidays, and kosher food.
As Chanukah approached, a fellow serviceman and I reached out to
some friends who had previously served with us in the Air Force, who later
became observant and were studying at the central Chabad yeshivah at 770. We
asked for help obtaining a Torah scroll, tefillin, and mezuzot. It wasn't easy
for them to get permission from the yeshivah, but with the help of Rabbi Yehuda
Leib Groner, one of the Rebbe's secretaries, they managed to secure the
necessary approval to come visit us.
They arrived loaded with supplies - not only a Torah scroll, but hundreds of
mezuzah scrolls and dozens of pairs of tefillin. We celebrated a beautiful,
joyous Chanukah together, and since it went so well, we asked them to come back
for Purim. One highlight took place on the night after Purim, when they
connected a stereo system to a telephone line and arranged a live broadcast of
the Rebbe's farbrengen back in New York.
After Purim, we left Utah and relocated to Fort Worth, Texas, home to the
massive Lockheed Martin production facilities where the F-16s were built. We
lived near the plant and learned how the aircraft and its systems were
assembled, with the goal of planning the design of the Israeli iteration of the
aircraft and to determine the modifications we would need to make in order to
integrate them with our own Israeli-developed technologies.
Inspired by the warmth we experienced during the Chabad students' visits, two
other observant colleagues and I decided to travel to New York for Passover.
Although I come from a religious home, I had little prior connection to Chabad.
But after this initial encounter with the chasidim, I wanted to experience
their world more closely.
Once again, we contacted Rabbi Groner, who arranged accommodations for us. When
we met him, he asked us if we would like to have a private audience with the
Lubavitcher Rebbe. My two friends hesitated, but I immediately said yes.
However, when I arrived at 770 at the appointed time, I was very nervous about
meeting this figure I had heard so many people talking about. "Who am I to
enter the Rebbe's room?" I thought to myself. I would have been satisfied
with just shaking his hand.
When I entered and approached his desk, the Rebbe stood up and
shook my hand. I was already amazed. He asked for my name, my parents' names,
and a few more personal details, before inquiring about my work in the United
States.
I responded by telling him about the Air Force team assigned to receive the new
F-16 aircraft. He asked some general questions about the delegation and my
role, and then began posing a series of highly specific questions that left me
astonished.
As I've explained, my field of expertise was in the advanced electronic systems
of combat aircraft. The planes manufactured in the United States were designed
for the American military, and when the Israeli Air Force acquired them, we
would use them as a platform for integrating technologies developed by Israel's
military industries - enhancing their capabilities to meet Israel's unique
defense needs.
All of this involved innovative systems for combat, communication,
and defense - the cutting-edge technologies of the time. This allowed the
Israeli Air Force to perform tasks that the public was not aware of and was not
supposed to know about. The aircraft we worked on had abilities beyond what
most people could even imagine. Due to security restrictions, I cannot
elaborate further, as much of this remains classified to this day.
Aside from the specialized teams working in this field, it's doubtful whether
there was another person in the world who had any familiarity with these
systems forty years ago [1973].
I did know that, in addition to being a great rabbi, the Rebbe had a technical
background, having studied engineering and worked in that field, but I never
imagined he would have knowledge relevant to aviation systems. And yet, during
that audience, he asked precise, targeted questions directly related to my
work, demonstrating a remarkable understanding of this highly specialized
domain.
More than that, embedded within his questions were suggestions -
ideas for improving and expanding the systems' capabilities - that were truly
ahead of their time. He would say things like, "If you do so-and-so, you
could achieve such-and-such capability." Though I was amazed by his
knowledge, at the time, I assumed his comments were made out of theoretical
interest or curiosity. I did not grasp their practical significance.
About 15 years later, when a number of operational demands emerged that
required us to upgrade these systems, I suddenly recalled that meeting and the
Rebbe's remarks. It became clear that many of the ideas he had suggested had
real tactical implications; in fact, they formed the basis for developments
that were eventually implemented.
It is often said that anyone involved in designing such complex
systems must think "outside the box." It is clear to me that the
Rebbe excelled in that regard, along with possessing extraordinary long-term
vision.
The conversation - conducted mostly in Hebrew, along with English technical
terminology - lasted about twenty minutes, but to me it felt like three years.
The Rebbe looked directly at me as we spoke, and I felt as though his gaze
penetrated deeply. There were chairs in the room, but we both remained standing
across the table throughout the entire conversation. At the end, the Rebbe gave
me a dollar, which I have to this day, he shook my hand again, and he blessed
me.
I left the room in a state of shock. And in retrospect, after the ideas
suggested by the Rebbe have been implemented in practice, I realize just how
significant his contribution to Israel's security was.
______________
Source: Modified and
annotated by Yerachmiel Tilles from "JEM - Here's My Story" #693.
A long-time veteran of the Israeli Air Force, Mr. Ze'ev Ron continued to work
with computers after concluding his service. He was interviewed in Oct. 2013.
Biographical note:
Rabbi Menachem -Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe (11 Nissan 1902 - 3
Tammuz 1994), became the 7th Rebbe of the Chabad dynasty after his
father-in-law, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, passed away in Brooklyn on 10
Shvat 1950. He is widely acknowledged as the greatest Jewish leader of the
second half of the 20th century. Although a dominant scholar in both the
revealed and hidden aspects of Torah and fluent in many languages and
scientific subjects, the Rebbe is best known for his extraordinary love and
concern for every Jew on the planet. His emissaries around the globe dedicated
to strengthening Judaism number in the thousands. Many hundreds of volumes of
his teachings have been printed, and hundreds of English renditions too.
A Miracle
for a female Muslim Student – English R. Pauli
A female
Arab Student driving home at night rendered aid to either a disabled vehicle or
a vehicle involved in and accident on road 6. She was struck by a vehicle and in
danger of losing her life and a leg. The doctors managed to save her life and
one Orthopedic Surgeon managed to save her leg. Now she is recovering and hopes
to be better.
Milestone: Tzuri Sagi,
92, general led paratroopers, architect of Israeli-Kurd Relations. https://www.jpost.com/history/article-906184
Milestone: Shmuel
Harlap, 82, businessman and philanthropist.
https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/h1gzwpfpze
Inyanay Diyoma
Aug. 15th and Aug. 16th
Day
1044 & Day 1045 since
Oct. 7th Roaring Lion Day 165 & Day 166 start of week 150
After a relative quiet,
a fiberoptic drone was sent from Hezballah injuring seriously and officer and
two soldiers from the Engineering Corp in Lebanon. As a result a wicked coward
battalion commander hid behind his family. Like in Esther 9:6-7 he and his
family was killed.
If you think that Gaza
was quiet, we killed three last week and over Shabbos two Hamas members armed
to the teeth approached the yellow line. Paratroopers sent them to 72 virgin
pigs each.
Iran: Still acts like
they won. The Gulf States are looking to be free of alliances with the US. They
are now talking about discontinuing US Bases for they only get hit by missiles
and drones with no victory in sight. https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/trump-iran-war-peace-talks-irgc-mou-strait-hormuz-august-16
The IDF carried out strikes overnight in the
Ali Taher Ridge area of Lebanon in response to the wounding of an officer and
two soldiers by an explosive drone operated by Hezbollah. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431753
Senior Hamas Commander
turns Shachid. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431726
In the meantime with
personal business in Qatar, Jared Kushner is meeting with Hamas in Qatar and
Turkey. So speaking about Parsha Shoftim (last week’s Torah reading about
bribes blind the Judge Deut. 16:19). It is clear to me how he will stand when
he meets Israel this week. Jewish or not – he is impartial to his money.
Remember Chris Christy said “The Kid (Kushner) kicked me out and instead of me
as Attorney General, you got the Russian Hoax and the (leftist) FBI
investigation of general Flynn.” https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-tank-in-gaza-hit-by-explosive-device-in-grave-truce-breach-no-soldiers-hurt/
Missing women found in
Argentina. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431776
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431742
Want to continue with
Justice Reform. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431770
Chairs fly at massive
water-park riot. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431745
Don’t let Qatar buy
Zim. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431778
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/08/16/captured-gaza-documents-reveal-sinwars-grand-plan/
For
years, some of the darkest warnings about
artificial intelligence sounded like science fiction:
machines developing a will of their own, escaping human control and eventually
threatening humanity. That is not what is happening now.
https://www.ynetnews.com/tech-and-digital/article/rku2mr1pfe
Israeli wins gold
medal. https://www.ynetnews.com/sport/article/rydeonjvgl
Iran accuses gulf state
of holding pilots. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-905681
Ukraine may develop
ballistic missiles. https://www.jpost.com/international/internationalrussia-ukraine-war/article-905684
Israeli journalist
attacked in N. Ireland. https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-905671
Hamas and Hezbollah have begun coordinating
their increased activity with Iranian assistance in recent weeks, the IDF has
assessed, as the military has identified increased friction between Israeli
forces and terrorists on both the northern and southern fronts. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-905657
Aug. 17th
Day
1046 since
Oct. 7th Roaring Lion Day 167
In my rabbipauli.blogspot.com this week, there will be
a story of a Muslim woman who was miraculously saved after accident.
60 days of Trump’s ceasefire has ended. Iran attacked
two more ships yesterday. https://www.algemeiner.com/2026/08/14/us-warns-iran-it-will-step-up-economic-pressure-two-more-ships-attacked-in-hormuz/
An official with the self-described Chagossian
government-in-exile said Sunday that the war with Iran has underscored Diego Garcia’s
strategic importance to U.S. forces and Middle East regional stability, with
the Pentagon shifting logistics to the remote U.K.-U.S. base in the Indian
Ocean after an Iranian strike on a major American installation in Bahrain. https://www.foxnews.com/world/iran-war-thrusts-diego-garcia-spotlight-official-calls-us-military-base-integral
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/only-map-need-see-californias-billionaire-tax-fight-heats
https://www.algemeiner.com/2026/08/14/palestinian-support-hamas-falls-new-poll-shows/
Can somebody tell me
why so many Israelis are buying Chinese Electric Vehicles?
https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-wants-more-economic-pressure-on-iran-what-are-his-options/
Ukrainian
Army company commander Vladislav Polsky is making headlines after rescuing two
of his soldiers who were seriously wounded and left exposed in open terrain
under threat from Russian drones. Polsky personally entered the area in a
civilian pickup truck, loaded the wounded soldiers, and brought them to safety.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431810
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/08/17/iran-used-deal-to-rebuild-for-wider-war/
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/08/17/israel-reportedly-preparing-major-operation-in-lebanon/
Michal
and Tal, who had planned to marry in about a year, decided to move up their
wedding and hold it at Shaare Zedek Medical Center so that Michal’s mother,
Hannah, could be by her side. Hannah is hospitalized in the surgical intensive
care unit and requires a continuous high-flow oxygen supply. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431811
Border Police left the
items unguarded and the Arabs stole them. According
to residents, at least five pairs of tefillin (phylacteries) disappeared from
the main structure, along with religious books. In addition, identity cards had
been torn out of closets, thousands of shekels in cash left in bags were
missing, and credit cards had disappeared. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431806
Israel Museum requires
that reservist deposit weapons. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431809
Despite the Ukraine
War, 45,000 to travel to Uman to be at the grave of Rav Nachman.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431815
Columbia: Time is
running out for survivors. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431814
Re: House Yid part1 a
slap in the face to Israel: Middle East
analyst Zvi Yehezkeli issued a sharp critique on Sunday following a meeting in Egypt
between Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, and senior
Hamas figures. Yehezkeli stated that the simple fact that the meeting took
place constitutes a major accomplishment for the group. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431801
House Yid part2:
Kushner to press Yisrael. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431790
No oil here – Trump
turns his back on S. Korea. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hkh48rlvmg
Likud Primaries. https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-905740
The MOU expiring
without any negotiations and a deal has Iran prepared to strike the whole
Middle East First according to General Jack Keane and Admiral “Chinik” Marom.
Oman is a Shiite Country like Iran. It is far away from the Abraham Accords.
Even though they were attacked, they are more like a satellite of Iran. The
Iranians may miscalculate and bring all hell upon them if they do too much
before the US midterms or an attack on Israel might just save Netanyahu prior
to Oct. 27th.
Iran threatens renewed
fighting if blockade not rescinded.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bjjuhkldzl
Despite Iranian threats
and ‘peace’ or piece talks, the IDF is preparing for a few days of fighting in
Lebanon. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431792
Charedi teacher crises.
The non-religious schools pay teachers next to nothing so suddenly they have 19,000
NIS per month for retired people who can teach. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431823
Trump threatens Israel
not to attack Gaza as “Hamas will disarm”. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431826
Trump at this time will remain neutral but may support
his stool pigeon in Israeli Elections. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431829
Heart warming news: Hanan Breuer and Hila
Klein were married last night, after each of them endured a profound personal
loss in recent years. Breuer
lost his wife, Mor Breuer, who passed away approximately one week after the birth
of their son. He was left to raise his five children and is now beginning a new
chapter in his life.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431833
Transportation Minister Miri Regev made a
statement to the media on Monday outside one of the polling stations in the
Likud primaries, claiming that the El Al workers’ committee is working to hurt
her position on the party slate. According to Regev, the reason is her decision
to work to bring Wizz Air to Israel.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431830
A
66-year-old Israeli citizen who embarked on a solo cycling trip in Finland was
found dead by the roadside on Sunday, roughly a week after contact with him was
lost. According to local police, he is believed to have been struck by a
passing vehicle.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431795
Mike Huckabee visits Rabbi
Avraham Kuk’s house on the later’s Yahrzeit.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431789
Arab mob defaces
Israeli Flags. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431787
Honduras and Israel
have a military MOU. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431780
Op-Ed Dr. Martin
Sherman. On the Arab Vote in Israel.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431816
Op-Ed Nitzana Darshan
Leitner Ghandi’s Pistol and today’s hesitation.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431781
Op-Ed Jonathan Pollard:
In my view, the recently signed Mecca Joint Defense Agreement
should be treated as a serious warning, even if it does not, by itself, prove
that the Sunni states surrounding Israel are preparing a coordinated war
against us. I acknowledge that I am deliberately considering a worst-case
scenario. But given Israel’s bloody experience in this region, I believe it is
far wiser to prepare for the most dangerous plausible outcome than to dismiss
it because it appears unlikely today. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431808
In the US there is a
right to disappear. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rkwwwrgvzg#autoplay
Skip the elevator take
the stairs. https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/b12t1xlvzg
Qassem not Nasrallah. https://www.ynetnews.com/opinions-analysis/article/sjpobelpgl
Storks electrocuted by
utility poles. https://www.jpost.com/environment-and-climate-change/article-905741
Two
drones attacked the office of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)'s prime
minister and the residence of the head of the protection agency on Monday, the
KRG announced in a security statement. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-905744
Aug. 18th
Day
1047 since
Oct. 7th Roaring Lion Day 168
A Hamas Explosive
Devise goes off in Rafa. An explosion in Metula injures serious 2, moderately 3
and slightly 1 of 6 Thai Workers. Was this new or very old and missed?
https://www.timesofisrael.com/six-foreign-workers-hurt-in-explosion-of-old-munition-in-metula/
https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/trump-iran-war-mou-oman-bombing-threat-oil-prices-08-18-26
Gone, but not
forgotten.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/state-covers-just-13-of-food-aid-ngos-budgets-study-finds/
The
Jerusalem District Court sentenced Nabil Shaabani, a 62-year-old Jerusalem
resident, to 22 and a half years in prison after he pleaded guilty to and was
convicted of an act of terror involving attempted murder motivated by
nationalist-ideological motives, as well as theft from a woman in her 70s. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431883
Jewish victim of attack
blasts NYT coverage. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431884
Arab woman detained for
praising terror attack. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431882
Bank Leumi sues META
over ads impersonating the bank. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431874
Terrorist who attacked
Kibbutz Beeri eliminated. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431871
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/08/18/us-navy-pacific-carrier-gap-china-shipbuilding-lincoln/
An
unprecedented number of Apple customers reported receiving an official warning
from the company in recent days, alerting them to targeted cyberattacks
utilizing advanced spyware, according to findings from researchers and digital
rights organizations tracking such incidents. The current wave began last
Friday, when Apple dispatched a broad series of notifications to users across
110 countries, warning them that they had become targets of an attack. Consequently,
over the weekend, public and private reports flooded communication and support
networks.
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/08/18/apple-global-spyware-warning-lockdown-mode/
Strait of Hormuz
“American Territory”. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hkxdknzvmx
Iran ready to crush
resistance. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-905892
If Hamas violates, US
will back Israel. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-905880
Aug. 19th
Day 1048 since Oct.
7th Roaring Lion Day 169
Because of some idiots
attacking private property, the Oslo International Force to act in Yehuda and
Shomron. https://www.timesofisrael.com/huckabee-defends-calling-violent-settlers-terrorists-theyre-pouring-gas-on-a-fire/
Iran threatens US
European Bases. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431920
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431910
https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-says-no-talks-with-iran-claims-hormuz-new-us-territory/
A good reason to vote
in FL Ashley Moody for Senator (R) vs. antisemitic Nixon (D).
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431908
Debbie Wasserman
Schultz wins a largely redrawn black district. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431918
Secret withdrawal. David
Makovsky, director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy's Project
on the Middle East Peace Process, citing Israeli officials, reported on Tuesday
that Israel has quietly withdrawn in recent weeks from the so-called
"Orange Line" in Gaza and returned to the original Yellow Line
stipulated in the ceasefire agreement reached last October. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431864
US
Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee spoke on Tuesday to Channel 12 News anchor
Yonit Levi and commented on the possibility of another war with Iran, now that
the 60-day ceasefire between the US and Iran has expired.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431910
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/08/18/us-condemns-israeli-strike-syrian-airbase-idlib/
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/08/19/randy-fine-florida-primary-antisemitism/
Leaked
internal communications from a private WhatsApp group used by UK Green Party
members featured discussions regarding “killing
Zionists” and descriptions of British Jews
as a “weapon” for Israel, according to a report published by The
Times.
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-905922
UAE suspends trade with Iran. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431904
IDF strikes Nukhba commanders. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431898
Hadassah-University
Medical Center, in Jerusalem’s Ein Kerem, is performing, for the
first time in the world, an innovative treatment for patients with recurrent
aggressive brain tumors using alpha radiation, the hospital announced earlier
this month. https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/banking-and-finance/article-905963
Two Jerusalem residents, along with their one-year-old son,
entered Jericho, a city in Area A of
the West Bank, on Tuesday, and had to be rescued by Israeli security forces,
Israel Police said. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-905961
Aug. 20th
Day
1049 since
Oct. 7th Roaring Lion Day 170
When the PM admitted to
the Israeli Strike near Hallab Syria, it came out that the Mossad spoke the
Syrian FM a week before warning about the Turkish Base.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/bennett-israel-should-strike-iran-to-retaliate-for-hezbollah-attacks/
Op-Ed Horowitz. https://www.timesofisrael.com/why-hamas-must-be-drained-of-money-as-well-as-arms-and-an-overdue-farewell-to-part-of-the-likud-demolition-crew/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/plan-for-new-mall-in-jerusalem-could-shake-up-local-shopping-market/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/moderna-vaccine-trial-reveals-success-in-curbing-melanoma-recurrence/
Shabbos candle lighting
times. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/shabat/
IDF seals two terror
tunnels. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431925
Meah Shaarim: A
police enforcement operation in central Jerusalem uncovered infrastructure for
incitement and support for terrorist organizations.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431924
Glock, M16 and
explosives in the Shomron. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431934
Rebbe who supported
limited army service only for non-Torah learners speaks out after he was
attacked by extremists. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431930
Anti-religious AG
continues to harass. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431892
COS toured Syria. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431932
16 illegal infiltrators
stopped. Earlier in the week a tunnel was found in Yerushalayim.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431975
Firefighters
on Thursday morning rescued an eagle owl after it became trapped in a bird net
in the community of Hoshaya in the Lower Galilee. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431976
Pallywood claim of settler
arson debunked. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431977
Drills against massive
terror from Shomron. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431985
Only 10 wives! An
83-year-old sheikh from Rahat, who is the father of 45 children, was questioned
by the Southern District Central Unit on suspicion of polygamy and violations
of the Entry into Israel Law. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431994
Missing in Japan: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431989
The
IDF on Thursday revealed intelligence indicating that Hamas is exploiting
Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis to interrogate and torture Gaza residents, as the
terrorist organization intensifies efforts to maintain its control over the
population.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431998
Suspicious activity at
Tel Arad. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bjrniyepme
Missing man found. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/r1mdmknwmg
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/08/20/abdul-el-sayed-mother-iara-terror-michigan-senate/
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/08/20/ben-gurion-airport-strike-pilots-stand-down-duty-hours/
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/08/20/ben-gurion-airport-wildcat-strike-chaos-flights-resume/
India General warns
Turkey over Pakistani Treaty. https://www.jpost.com/international/article-906081
Aug. 21st
Day
1050 since
Oct. 7th Roaring Lion Day 171 end of week end of week 150
https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/iran-war-trump-economic-warfare-strait-hormuz-08-20-26
https://www.algemeiner.com/2026/08/19/how-iran-extended-ideological-influence-pakistan-kashmir/
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/08/21/jon-ossoff-democratic-2028-georgia-senator-profile/
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/08/20/another-government-with-ben-gvir-could-be-disastrous/
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/08/20/iran-economy-collapse-uae-trump-sanctions-2026/
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/08/20/ben-gurion-airport-wildcat-strike-chaos-flights-resume/
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/08/20/nazi-collaborator-file-zilversmit-dispute/
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/08/20/nazi-collaborator-file-zilversmit-dispute/
After 44 years closure
as Yehuda Katz laid to rest. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/432035
Poll Eisenkot with six
more seats than the Likud. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/432033
Solomon’s Pools to be
accessible to the public.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/432036
Terrorist attempts to
stab soldier and shot. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/432025
Survivor saved by Rabbi
Yitzchak Herzog meets grandson President Herzog.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-906188
Only diplomacy can stop
Turkish take over of Syria. https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-906159
Have a healthy,
peaceful, restful and wonderful Shabbos,
Rachamim Pauli
