Prayers for Men: Shalom Charles ben Gracia, Daniel ben Rivka, Ephraim ben Mazel, Zev ben Rachel, Yisrael Ben
Dovid ben Drorah Rivka, Meir Melech ben Bracha,
Women: Karen Neshama bas Esther Ruth, Chaya Melecha Rachel bas
Baila Alta, Miriam bas Irene Taita Malka, Drorah
Rivka bas Chana, Mine’ Dulah bas Maxine, Rachel Izel bas Sara, Miriam
Esther bas Golda Chaya, Sophia bas Basya,
I also received this from Neal Z. Please
continue to keep Izzy in your thoughts and in your prayers (Yisroel Alter ben
Chava Chana), as the power of our collective prayers can hopefully continue to
penetrate the heavenly gates of mercy! https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-save-izzy-zundells?attribution_id=sl:b938c042-0242-4126-89e8-889b40b4c42d&ts=1772510070&utm_campaign=natman_sharesheet_dash&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link
Near
death experience. Ex-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani
revealed on Wednesday that he had a “very significant spiritual experience”
while battling
a “serious” case of pneumonia that
caused him to slip into a coma. https://www.aol.com/articles/rudy-giuliani-reveals-had-significant-023325195.html
Parsha Bamidbar
Yermiyahu (Jer.) 31:1 Thus saith the LORD: the
people that were left of the sword have found grace in the wilderness, even
Israel, when I go to cause him to rest. The whole nation of Yisrael was given an
opportunity not to worry about income but to get Mann from heaven and only
learn Torah from Moshe, our Teacher and Rabbi. (Paraphrasing Rabbi Avigdor
Miller TzZal).
The first
year was basically organizing a bunch of runaway slaves into a free people and
an army. It was also the undergoing of a major religious project to build a
Mishkan for HASHEM to dwell among the people.
Although
this is a whole new book within the Torah, it continues where we left off in
the area of Har Sinai after the erection of the Mishkan. Our Sefer starts off
with the counting of the people of each tribe and then the distribution and
formation of the various flanks of the army.
1:1 And
the LORD spoke unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on
the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out
of the land of Egypt, saying:
This is the
first of Iyar 2449. It takes place a few weeks after the death of the sons of
Aharon and before the first observance of Pesach Sheni (the second or make-up
Passover for those who were far away or had the impurity of being Tumay).
2
'Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their
families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of names, every
male, by their polls; 3 from twenty years old and upward, all
that are able to go forth to war in Israel: ye shall number them by their
hosts, even thou and Aaron. 4 And with you there shall be a man
of every tribe, every one head of his fathers' house.
Men of war
between the age of 20 to 60. Only a male army, everybody observant, everybody
as pure as can be. If one talked between the Yishtabach Prayer and Borachu, one
was considered spiritually unfit for military service without repentance and
the same went for chatting between putting the Tephillin above the elbow after
making the blessing until entirely wrapped. A different time, when everybody
learned Torah and everybody was trying to be spiritually pure on the inside and
outside. It was not in our time when I was one of male paramedics in the same
infirmary room with six female paramedics. (At least I was a reservist aged 34,
who telling the girls, 18 or 19, how great my wife and minding the children and
I wished they could have a romance like mine. And then you wonder why the
Charedim don’t want to serve.)
5
And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you: of Reuben, Elizur
the son of Shedeur. 6 Of Simeon, Shelumiel the son of
Zurishaddai. 7 Of Judah, Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 8
Of Issachar, Nethanel the son of Zuar. 9 Of Zebulun, Eliab the
son of Helon. 10 Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim, Elishama
the son of Ammihud; of Manasseh, Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 11
Of Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gideoni. 12 Of Dan, Ahiezer the
son of Ammishaddai. 13 Of Asher, Pagiel the son of Ochran. 14 Of Gad, Eliasaph the son of Deuel. 15 Of
Naphtali, Ahira the son of Enan.' 16 These were the elect of the
congregation, the princes of the tribes of their fathers; they were the heads
of the thousands of Israel.
The men
were elected or selected by their tribes based on their intelligence, skills,
leadership and other merits and recommended by the elders.
17
And Moses and Aaron took these men that are pointed out by name. 18
And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second
month, and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by their
fathers' houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and
upward, by their polls. 19 As the LORD commanded Moses, so did
he number them in the wilderness of Sinai.
Each member
of the tribe donated a half shekel and they were counted instead of counting
heads against the evil eye.
20 And the children of Reuben,
Israel's first-born, their generations, by their families, by their fathers'
houses, according to the number of names, by their polls, every male from
twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 21
those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six
thousand and five hundred. 22 Of the children of Simeon, their generations, by their families,
by their fathers' houses, those that were numbered thereof, according to the
number of names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward,
all that were able to go forth to war; 23 those that were
numbered of them, of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and
three hundred. 24 Of the children of Gad, their generations, by their families, by
their fathers' houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old
and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 25 those that
were numbered of them, of the tribe of Gad, were forty and five thousand six
hundred and fifty.
These three
tribes will be the southern flank in the marching army.
26 Of the children of Judah, their generations, by their families,
by their fathers' houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years
old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 27 those
that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Judah, were threescore and fourteen
thousand and six hundred. 28 Of the children of Issachar, their
generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the
number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go
forth to war; 29 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe
of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred. 30
Of the children of Zebulun, their generations, by their families, by their
fathers' houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and
upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 31 those that
were numbered of them, of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand
and four hundred.
These tribes
would be the first to march and constitute the eastern flank.
32 Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim,
their generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to
the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go
forth to war; 33 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe
of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred. 34 Of the
children of Manasseh, their generations, by their families, by their fathers'
houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all
that were able to go forth to war; 35 those that were numbered
of them, of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two
hundred.36 Of the children of Benjamin, their generations, by
their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of names,
from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 37 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Benjamin, were
thirty and five thousand and four hundred.
Rachel’s
children were together and constituted the western flank.
38 Of the children of Dan, their
generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the
number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go
forth to war; 39 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe
of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred. 40
Of the children of Asher, their generations, by their families, by their
fathers' houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and
upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 41 those that
were numbered of them, of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and
five hundred.42 Of the children of Naphtali, their generations,
by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of names,
from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 43 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Naphtali, were
fifty and three thousand and four hundred.
These
constituted the northern flank. Adding up the numbers out of 603,550 men of
war, the flanks are not 150,000 each. The front line in the east had the most
soldiers and the south and west had less danger and a smaller number of
soldiers. The northern front was closer to the average number.
44 These are those that were numbered, which Moses and Aaron
numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men; they were each one for
his fathers' house. 45 And all those that were numbered of the
children of Israel by their fathers' houses, from twenty years old and upward,
all that were able to go forth to war in Israel; 46 even all
those that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five
hundred and fifty. 47 But the Levites after the tribe of their
fathers were not numbered among them.
It is a
general rule that when the tribes are mentioned together they are twelve. Levi
is not a tribe of fighters but of teachers, singers for the Korbanos and
clerics. They and the Cohanim may go near or even into the battle. Their
purpose is for rescue, healing or prayers.
48
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 49 'Howbeit the tribe of
Levi thou shalt not number, neither shalt thou take the sum of them among the
children of Israel; 50 but appoint thou the Levites over the
tabernacle of the testimony, and over all the furniture thereof, and over all
that belongs to
it; they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the furniture thereof; and they
shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. 51 And when the tabernacle sets forward, the Levites shall take it
down; and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up;
and the common man that draws nigh shall be put to death. 52
And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man with his own
camp, and every man with his own standard, according to their hosts. 53 But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of the
testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of
Israel; and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of the
testimony.' 54 Thus did the children of Israel; according to all
that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they. 2:1 And
the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying: 2 'The children of Israel
shall pitch by their fathers' houses; every man with his own standard,
according to the ensigns; a good way off shall they pitch round about the tent
of meeting. 3 Now those that pitch on the east side toward the sunrising shall
be they of the standard of the camp of Judah, according to their hosts; the
prince of the children of Judah being Nahshon the son of Amminadab, 4 and his
host, and those that were numbered of them, threescore and fourteen thousand
and six hundred; 5 and those that pitch next unto him shall be the tribe of
Issachar; the prince of the children of Issachar being Nethanel the son of
Zuar, 6 and his host, even those that were numbered thereof, fifty and four
thousand and four hundred; 7 and the tribe of Zebulun; the prince of the
children of Zebulun being Eliab the son of Helon, 8 and his host, and those
that were numbered thereof, fifty and seven thousand and four hundred; 9 all
that were numbered of the camp of Judah being a hundred thousand and fourscore
thousand and six thousand and four hundred, according to their hosts; they
shall set forth first.
As mentioned
above, they went first and more soldiers were required.
10
On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to
their hosts; the prince of the children of Reuben being Elizur the son of
Shedeur, 11 and his host, and those that were numbered thereof, forty and six
thousand and five hundred; 12 and those that pitch next unto him shall be the
tribe of Simeon; the prince of the children of Simeon being Shelumiel the son
of Zurishaddai, 13 and his host, and those that were numbered of them, fifty
and nine thousand and three hundred; 14 and the tribe of Gad; the prince of the
children of Gad being Eliasaph the son of Reuel, 15 and his host, even those
that were numbered of them, forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty;
16 all that were numbered of the camp of Reuben being a hundred thousand and
fifty and one thousand and four hundred and fifty, according to their hosts;
and they shall set forth second.
They had
close to an average amount of soldiers and went second.
17
Then the tent of meeting, with the camp of the Levites, shall set forward in
the midst of the camps; as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in
his place, by their standards. 18 On the west side shall be the standard of the
camp of Ephraim according to their hosts; the prince of the children of Ephraim
being Elishama the son of Ammihud, 19 and his host, and those that were
numbered of them, forty thousand and five hundred; 20 and next unto him shall
be the tribe of Manasseh; the prince of the children of Manasseh being Gamaliel
the son of Pedahzur, 21 and his host, and those that were numbered of them,
thirty and two thousand and two hundred; 22 and the tribe of Benjamin; the
prince of the children of Benjamin being Abidan the son of Gideoni, 23 and his
host, and those that were numbered of them, thirty and five thousand and four hundred;
24 all that were numbered of the camp of Ephraim being a hundred thousand and
eight thousand and a hundred, according to their hosts; and they shall set
forth third.
They were
in the rear and had the least amount of soldiers.
25
On the north side shall be the standard of the camp of Dan according to their
hosts; the prince of the children of Dan being Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai,
26 and his host, and those that were numbered of them, threescore and two
thousand and seven hundred; 27 and those that pitch next unto him shall be the
tribe of Asher; the prince of the children of Asher being Pagiel the son of
Ochran, 28 and his host, and those that were numbered of them, forty and one
thousand and five hundred; 29 and the tribe of Naphtali; the prince of the
children of Naphtali being Ahira the son of Enan, 30 and his host, and those
that were numbered of them, fifty and three thousand and four hundred; 31 all
that were numbered of the camp of Dan being a hundred thousand and fifty and
seven thousand and six hundred; they shall set forth hindmost by their standards.'
As with the
south, they had close to the average amount of soldiers.
32
These are they that were numbered of the children of Israel by their fathers'
houses; all that were numbered of the camps according to their hosts were six
hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty. 33 But the
Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded
Moses. 34 Thus did the children of Israel: according to all that the LORD
commanded Moses, so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward,
each one according to its families, and according to its fathers' houses. 3:1 Now
these are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spoke
with Moses in mount Sinai. 2 And these are the names of the sons of Aaron:
Nadab the first-born, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3 These are the names of
the sons of Aaron, the priests that were anointed, whom he consecrated to
minister in the priest's office. 4 And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD,
when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and
they had no children; and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office
in the presence of Aaron their father.
The whole
priesthood of Am Yisrael was three people.
5
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 6 'Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set
them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. 7 And they shall
keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tent of
meeting, to do the service of the tabernacle. 8 And they shall keep all the
furniture of the tent of meeting, and the charge of the children of Israel, to
do the service of the tabernacle. 9 And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron
and to his sons; they are wholly given unto him from the children of Israel. 10
And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, that they may keep their priesthood;
and the common man that draws nigh shall be put to death.'
The Leviim
shall take care of the Mishkan and the vessels thereof.
11
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 12 'And I, behold, I have taken the
Levites from among the children of Israel instead of every first-born that opens the womb among the children of
Israel; and the Levites shall be Mine; 13 for all the first-born are Mine: on
the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto Me
all the first-born in Israel, both man and beast, Mine they shall be: I am the
LORD.'
The Leviim
did not participate in the Egel HaZahava (golden calf) while the Bechorim
(first-born) did.
14
And the LORD spoke unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying: 15 'Number
the children of Levi by their fathers' houses, by their families; every male
from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.' 16 And Moses numbered them
according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded. 17 And these were the
sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari. 18 And these are
the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei. 19 And
the sons of Kohath by their families: Amram and Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. 20
And the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the
families of the Levites according to their fathers' houses. 21 Of Gershon was
the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimeites; these are the
families of the Gershonites. 22 Those that were numbered of them, according to
the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those that were
numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred. 23 The families of the
Gershonites were to pitch behind the tabernacle westward; 24 the prince of the
fathers' house of the Gershonites being Eliasaph the son of Lael, 25 and the
charge of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting the tabernacle, and the
Tent, the covering thereof, and the screen for the door of the tent of meeting,
26 and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the door of the
court--which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar, round about--and the cords
of it, even whatsoever pertains to the service thereof.
These are
the work of the children of Gershon in the Mishkan.
27
And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izharites,
and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites; these are
the families of the Kohathites: 28 according to the number of all the males,
from a month old and upward, eight thousand and six hundred, keepers of the
charge of the sanctuary. 29 The families of the sons of Kohath were to pitch on
the side of the tabernacle southward; 30 the prince of the fathers' house of
the families of the Kohathites being Elizaphan the son of Uzziel, 31 and their
charge the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the
vessels of the sanctuary wherewith the priests minister, and the screen, and
all that pertains to
the service thereof; 32 Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest being prince of the
princes of the Levites, and having the oversight of them that keep the charge
of the sanctuary.
The holiest
parts are handled by the children of Kohath.
33
Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites; these
are the families of Merari. 34 And those that were numbered of them, according
to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand
and two hundred; 35 the prince of the fathers' house of the families of Merari
being Zuriel the son of Abihail; they were to pitch on the side of the tabernacle
northward; 36 the appointed charge of the sons of Merari being the boards of
the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets
thereof, and all the instruments thereof, and all that pertains to the service thereof; 37 and the
pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their
cords. 38 And those that were to pitch before the tabernacle eastward, before
the tent of meeting toward the sunrising, were Moses, and Aaron and his sons,
keeping the charge of the sanctuary, even the charge for the children of
Israel; and the common man that drew nigh was to be put to death. 39 All that
were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment
of the LORD, by their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were
twenty and two thousand.
Within the
Levi Camp there was further sub-divisions.
40
And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Number all the first-born males of the children
of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names. 41
And thou shalt take the Levites for Me, even the LORD, instead of all the
first-born among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead
of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.' 42 And Moses
numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the first-born among the children of
Israel. 43 And all the first-born males according to the number of names, from
a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and
two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen.
This was
the population of all the Leviim from one month upwards.
44 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 45
'Take the Levites instead of all the first-born among the children of Israel,
and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be
Mine, even the LORD'S. 46 And as for the redemption of the two hundred and
three score and thirteen of the first-born of the children of Israel, that are
over and above the number of the Levites, 47 thou shalt take five shekels
apiece by the poll; after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them--the
shekel is twenty gerahs. 48 And thou shalt give the money wherewith they that
remain over of them are redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons.' 49 And Moses took
the redemption-money from them that were over and above them that were redeemed
by the Levites; 50 from the first-born of the children of Israel took he the
money: a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the
shekel of the sanctuary. 51 And Moses gave the redemption-money unto Aaron and
to his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses. 4:1 And
the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying: 2 'Take the sum of the sons
of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers'
houses, 3 from thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that
enter upon the service, to do work in the tent of meeting. 4 This is the
service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting, about the most holy
things: 5 when the camp sett
forward,
Aaron shall go in, and his sons, and they shall take down the veil of the
screen, and cover the ark of the testimony with it; 6 and shall put thereon a
covering of sealskin, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall
set the staves thereof. 7 And upon the table of showbread they shall spread a
cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the pans, and the bowls, and the
jars wherewith to pour out; and the continual bread shall remain thereon. 8 And
they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a
covering of giraffe skin, and shall set the staves
thereof. 9 And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of
the light, and its lamps, and its tongs, and its snuffdishes, and all the oil
vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it. 10 And they shall put it and
all the vessels thereof within a covering of giraffe skin, and shall put it upon a bar.
11 And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it
with a covering of giraffe skin, and shall set the staves
thereof. 12 And they shall take all the vessels of ministry, wherewith they
minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with
a covering of giraffe skin, and shall put them on a bar.
13 And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth
thereon. 14 And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they
minister about it, the fire-pans, the flesh-hooks, and the shovels, and the
basins, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering
of sealskin, and set the staves thereof. 15 And when Aaron and his sons have
made an end of covering the holy furniture, and all the holy vessels, as the
camp is to set forward--after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear them;
but they shall not touch the holy things, lest they die. These things are the
burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting. 16 And the charge of
Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be the oil for the light, and the
sweet incense, and the continual meal-offering, and the anointing oil: he shall
have the charge of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, whether it
be the sanctuary, or the furniture thereof.' 17 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and
unto Aaron, saying: 18 'Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the
Kohathites from among the Levites; 19 but thus do unto them, that they may
live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his
sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden;
20 but they shall not go in to see the holy things as they are being covered,
lest they die.
One who
looks at the holy items with the Shechina residing on them, their soul would
leave their body.
My Return to Judaism Part 3
We each have our ups and downs and no path is completely smooth.
Around Elul 5726, Howard took me to meet his mother. She did not keep kosher in
the sense I do today but she was the most religious person whom I had come in
contact with at the time. She only had one set of pots but cooked the meat and
milk dishes separately and I believe it was kosher meat. She would light
Shabbos candles each week. For me that was a giant step above where I had been
all my life! She told me to read the Bible and pray by myself. [This was the
same JPS Version which is available on line and I use the translation which is
more like KJV than Chabad or Art Scroll at times. Yet I use it here for it is
free and on-line.] Though May she worked on me to go get a kosher Bar Mitzvah
with an Orthodox Rabbi. She contacted Rabbi Klayman (perhaps with a C) and made
an appointment for me to see him. I already wrote about seeing Tephillin for
the first time during the Six Day War and obtaining my first Siddur.
The Six Day War broke out after my last finals of my Sophomore
year and I went to City College that day to check my grades and meet up with my
friend Joel Klein. (I wonder now if he is the head of the NYC Board of
Education and allowed a special Arabic/Moslem School in the Public-School
System a few years ago.) As we got off at 42nd St to head to
the Port Authority Terminal to take the Warwick Bus Line to Greenwood Lake New
York for Astronomy Observing and just relaxing, we encountered a bunch of
Jewish Youths collecting money for Israel. He gave $5 which was his week’s
allowance and I gave $1 which was my week’s allowance. I mention this to show
that charity is relative to the donor.
We rode up to the Lake and each night on the news watched the
victories of Israel against the three surrounding nations. Meantime back in Israel some towns were being shelled by Yarden
especially areas of Yerushalayim like Kiriat Zands where a shell did not
explode near a natural gas canister. The Israelis were not told of the
victories and the press in Israel was silent not like today. On the day that Yerushalayim was liberated, I saw the strangest
sight that angered me. You see I had friends in the army and army
reserves and was at that time applying for or thinking of applying for the
diesel submarine Navy Reserve Officer Training Course. In the end I did not go
because they would not guarantee my participating as an officer candidate so I
figured that I would wait until I graduated and try for an aircraft carrier or
the air force. Here I had donated a week’s allowance and the US Army
did not have a communication device on the left hand and on the head above the
middle of the forehead and yet ‘poor’ Israel had it for all the soldiers at the
wall and then even a stranger thing happened the fellows started bowing down
(genuflecting) to this wall. I mentioned this to Joel as I knew that he had
been educated much better than I in Judaism. He told me the black boxes were
not army communication devices but Tephillin and the wall was the wall of the
Temple and the soldiers were praying that way to G-D. (Wow what a relief and
double wow how ignorant I had been of my own people and religion.)
I met the Rabbi in Elul and he took me to buy a pair of Tephillin.
It was a very small pair and cost only $54 and I bought the Hertz Chumash and
Code of Jewish Law. He lent me a book by Rabbi Avraham Carmel “How Strange was
my Path” and another book with the story of the boy who whistled on Yom Kippur
– I think it was called “The Torah as our Guide” and as I read it on that Yom
Kippur 5728, I cried like a baby as that boy was me who got to the town either
whistled or held the Siddur upside-down and save Am Yisrael from a Gezaira when
he said, “MASTER OF THE WORLD, I cannot read Hebrew but you know the words
except my prayers as if I prayed them with Kavannah. I began putting on
Tephillin and I praying part of the morning service each day at home in
English. On the 50th day after putting on Tephillin my prayers
were really answered. There was a meeting with three Astronauts and
Astronomers. All my life I wanted to be a professional Astronomer and here I
was going to meet with Dr. Fred Whipple of the Smithsonian. (Dr. Whipple a
number of years ago from the original posting at the age of 98. November 5, 1906–August 30, 2004) I showed him my meteor research. He invited me to come for a job
interview. That was G-D’s way of repaying me in this world and getting the
astronomy out of my blood so that I could get to real work for the next not
only for myself but for others.
The year went by quickly and an old friend from the boy scouts
named Sivan helped me with the blessings for the Haftarah for my Bar Mitzvah
and although I could only read nicely Chapter 2 of Yehoshua, the people in
Schul were impressed by me and that I was a returnee to Judaism. Around Sukkos,
I had begun praying in the local Conservative Schul called the “Sunnyside
Jewish Center” and began following the prayers. It was far from ideal. 15 and
16-year-old girls would Daven next to the tall thin 20-year-old fellow. A flock
of sheep and I was basically the only Ram around. I tried my best to
concentrate on my prayers Shabbos morning as most of the other times there was
only men. In my spare time, I was reading the “Gates of Repentance”, “Path of
the Just”, and “Ways of the Righteous”. IN THOSE DAYS OF BEING NEW TO JUDAISM
AND PRAYING EACH WORD WITH INTENT IN ENGLISH IT WAS HARDEST OF ALL ON THOSE
SHABBOSOS WITH FEMALE DISTRACTION NEXT TO ME. This is perhaps one of the
greatest reasons that I am against mixed prayers. When on field trips years later
with the men praying in front of the women or the women meters away on the
side, the distraction was not there. At home my wife is a full partner and
advisor but at prayer we go our separate ways and that is the best way to serve
HASHEM. (If I want to sit together with my wife in mixed seating at a wedding
or in a movie that is a different story but never ever at prayer.)
I began joining the Mincha / Maariv Minyan at work and during this
time I met (now Rabbi) David Willig and others at the Jewish Lunch table on
South Campus and somebody loaned me “Rejoice O’ Youth” by Rabbi Avigdor Miller (now of blessed memory). It took
about 50 pages to knock evil or evolution by Darwin out of my head. Instead of
a Random evolution, I see a master plan evolution by a CREATOR.
In early June 5728, I went up to Boston and rented a room in
Cambridge, MA to work for the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. I used to
turn on and off the lights on Shabbos as I knew no better but I made Kiddush
and did not work or travel. I had to come in for my Bar Mitzvah on Shabbos 21st and
did not time my bus and subway to Brooklyn and came in a few minutes after
sundown. I don’t recall if it was at this time or my second visit to Brooklyn
that Howard convinced me to fly back to Boston and I took my first plane flight
then.
I had one more relapse on Shabbos. I had always been curious to
meet my European Family and Cousin Andre Horgen from France was passing through
NY. I hitched a ride toward Greenwood Lake and got there a bit after sundown
and the next day I travelled too. The only two times that I travelled since
then was on border patrol in the army and once I had to take a girl who
swallowed pills to the hospital on Shabbos – Pekuach Nefesh. Perhaps had I not
met him and violated the Shabbos, things would have been different. As he
married Christina, a non-Jew. I wonder to this day if I had guarded that
Shabbos if I could have prevented it?
One of my friends was a ‘fanatic’ Chabad follower and he observed
meticulously Shabbos. He told me that I should not turn on and off the lights
on Shabbos. To check him out, I asked my more modern Jewish friend Myron if
this is true and he told me yes. So, from around Mar Cheshvan 5729, I became completely Shomer
Shabbos. David Willig, another David and a nice girl named Suri encouraged me
to try to join Yeshiva Haichal HaTorah. I went down for the Feb. Semester and
was accepted on the grounds that I had no money, could help in the office, at
Bingo, substitute teach, proctor exams etc.
I finally began learning Gemara and Mordechai Rubin introduced me
to the Blackman Mishnayos which I still read to this day on my plane flights
over and over again. I watched the Rabbis, learned the Shabbos Songs, began to
give Drashos and learn from the CCNY library the Midrash Rabbah and bits of the
Zohar (until I got learned enough to quit reading it for a while). The seeds
had been planted now for what we call a Torah Yid.
I have already written about the last time I saw my father alive
was when he brought me to the Yeshiva. I was on my own saying Kaddish and
graduating from College. Since I had been dating and now it was time to get
serious and build a family, that summer and fall I began looking for a wife. I
also went down to the Bostoner Rebbe at that time and I think it was he who
suggested Haichal HaTorah. Associating with both Litvak and Chassid, I was
being to become a member of the Frum world but not good enough for a Shidduch
with their daughters. Modern Orthodox was a bit too weak for me then as I was
on an upswing. Eventually I placed Yiddishkeit above all else and married a
girl with other problems. Eventually for the sake of my children and myself, I
would have to divorce. This was one of the prices I had to pay for keeping
myself from sin and not being able to wait until I was more learned. There were
some close relatives and distant relatives of my Rosh Yeshiva whom I did date.
One was cripple but that did not bother me but her personality was not exciting
enough. Other I was dating when my first wife turned my head with her
Yiddishkeit and beauty. Still I got some nice children out of it. My problem at
the age of 22 is that I went for the outside package. A sadder and wiser me a
bit older when for an inner package and the outside wrapping concerned me less
when looking for a wife.
To be continued and this time all new! The newer section will deal with the change
in world philosophy of a Baal Teshuva. It in itself will be the trials and
tribulations over these years of giving up bacon and cheese to the temptation
of the non-Jewish Girls when the Reform reject your Judaism.
120 years ago, on 8 May 1906, Tuvia Bielski was born.
After German forces invaded Belarus in the summer of 1941 and
began mass executions of the Jewish population, Tuvia, together with his
brothers Asael and Zus — who had returned home after escaping encirclement —
created a unique Jewish partisan unit in December 1941 in the forest near their
native village. The group consisted largely of women, elderly people, and
children.
Two of the Bielski brothers — Yaakov and Abram — had already
been executed by the Nazis that summer. On 7 December, the Bielskis’ parents
and younger sister, as well as Sila (Zus’s wife) and their newborn daughter,
were murdered alongside 4,000 local Jews. Their youngest brother, 12-year-old
Aron, narrowly escaped death and joined his older brothers.
The brothers managed to bring some relatives into the forest in
time, and they became the core of the future unit. At first, the group
consisted of 17 people, and their only weapon was a single pistol with a
partially loaded magazine. Tuvia Bielski was chosen as commander.
As Doctor of Historical Sciences David Meltzer writes, the unit
“derailed six enemy military trains heading to the front, blew up 20 railway
and road bridges, carried out 12 open battles and ambushes, destroyed 16
vehicles carrying troops, and killed more than 250 German soldiers and officers
overall”. Zus Bielski personally killed 47 Nazis and collaborators. The Germans
placed a reward of 100,000 Reichsmarks on Tuvia’s head.
Tuvia Bielski considered the rescue of as many Jews as possible
to be his primary mission. Despite their hatred of the Nazis, the Bielski
brothers followed the principle: “It is better to save one elderly Jewish woman
than to kill ten German soldiers.” In the end, the Bielskis succeeded in saving
1,230 Jews from extermination.
The Bielski brothers never received any official awards. The
descendants of those they rescued now number in the tens of thousands.
In 2008, Hollywood released the remarkable film Defiance about
the Bielski brothers. The role of Tuvia was played by Daniel Craig himself —
best known to audiences as James Bond (pictured). via Rina Zak (translated)
In 1942, a drunk German officer sat at dinner and bragged about the
Jewish woman he had selected from the brothel the Nazis had forced open in
town. He said her name out loud. The Tunisian Arab sitting across from him
stayed calm, smiled, poured more wine, and finished the meal. Then he drove the
officer home, sped through the dark streets, and knocked on a door close to
midnight. That night, he hid 25 people for four months. He never spoke about it
again.
His name was Khaled Abdul-Wahab. He was 31 years old, a wealthy
Muslim Tunisian who had studied art and architecture in New York and spoke
fluent German. Nazi officers trusted him. They invited him to their dinners.
Tunisia was the only Arab country directly occupied by Nazi Germany
during the war. Jewish families were pushed from their homes. More than 5,000
Jewish men were sent to forced labor camps. Yellow stars marked every chest.
That December night in the coastal town of Mahdia, Khaled listened
as the officer boasted. The woman he named belonged to a family Khaled had
known all his life.
He left immediately. He drove through the night. He knocked on
their door at midnight. Pack nothing. Come now.
He gathered 25 people — mothers, fathers, cousins, and children —
and drove them nearly 20 miles to his family farm, hiding them inside the olive
press, stables, and storage buildings. This was not one brave act. It was four straight months of courage.
He fed them while supplies grew scarce. He kept babies quiet. He
trusted his servants to stay silent. When German soldiers arrived to count
Jewish families, the hidden people pinned yellow stars onto their clothes and
stood motionless. When the soldiers left, the stars came off again.
One night, a drunken soldier wandered onto the farm and discovered
them. An eleven-year-old girl hiding under a bed watched him laugh and threaten
to kill everyone there. Then Khaled appeared. She remembered him her entire
life as a guardian angel. He calmly walked the soldier outside, took away his
weapon, and sent him off the property. Nobody on that farm died.
In May 1943, British forces liberated Tunisia. All 25 people
returned home alive.
Khaled went back to a quiet life. He married, raised daughters,
painted, and worked in government service.
He never told anyone what he had done. Not his wife. Not his
children. No one.
He died on September 4, 1997, at the age of 86. His story was
buried with him.
Ten years later, his daughter Faiza was sitting in a café in Paris
reading a Sunday newspaper when she came across an interview with an American historian
describing a Tunisian Arab who had hidden 25 Jews in 1942. The historian mentioned her father by name. She was 45 years old and had never heard the story before. She contacted the historian. One of the children saved on the farm
had left behind 83 pages of testimony before her death. Every detail matched. “I rediscovered my father,” Faiza later said.
Khaled was nominated for Israel’s highest honor given to non-Jews
who saved Jewish lives. He would have been the first Arab to receive it.
The committee declined, saying he had not risked his own life
enough.
Faiza answered with a line history should never forget: “My father opened his home to Jews. They did not open theirs to
us.”
Today, the 25 people Khaled saved have hundreds of descendants
living across Israel, France, America, and Tunisia. The little girl hidden
beneath the bed grew up, moved to Paris, and built a family of her own. None of
them would exist if Khaled had stayed silent that night. He had everything to lose. He acted anyway. Then he spent the rest
of his life saying nothing about it.
The world nearly forgot him twice. Now you know his name.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khaled_Abdul-Wahab Thanks
to Stuart K.
Mikveh or Mikvah Story second time told to
Rachamim Pauli
Mikveh is the Askenazic Pronunciation. Mikvah is
the Israeli and Sephardic way.
A Shaliach Rabbi was sent by the Orthodox
Rabbinate of Yisrael to Holland. He was to be the Local Orthodox Rabbi (LOR) of
the town. The people seemed nice and gladly welcomed the Rabbi.
There was good opportunity to educate the children
and advance Judaism. Except there was one problem. There was no Mikveh for
family purity in the town. So that would mean one of three things: The women
would have to travel monthly to another town, the women would have to find a
close by river or ocean to Tovel (dip) in or heaven forbid, the families would
not observe family purity.
The Rabbi organized a dinner for the community. He
received a lot of public pledges for the Mikveh. However, when it came to
collect in private: Well really for sure I would like to give, but my business
is barely surviving. The same story time after time with next to no donations
for the Mikveh.
One night a woman in Crown Heights Brooklyn
dreamed a strange dream. She was on her way to Tovel in the Mikveh, but could
not. The Lubavitcher Rebbe appeared and told her that she could not Tovel until
she had collected enough money for a Mikveh in the town of so and so in
Holland.
The lady somehow found the phone number of the Rabbi
(who at that point was about to pack up to return to Israel as a failure). She
told him not to worry and within a short time organized women’s meetings in
Crown Heights and the money needed was raised.
The town in Holland got the money and the Rabbi and
family stayed.
Milestone: Abe Foxman, 86,
former head of the ADL fought for Russian Jewry. https://www.timesofisrael.com/iconic-jewish-leader-former-anti-defamation-league-director-abe-foxman-dies-at-86/
Milestone: Albrecht
Weinberg, 101, Survivor of several Concentration Camps in WWII. Weinberg
died in Leer, in northwestern Germany, weeks after he marked his birthday and
the premiere of a film about his life, “Es ist immer in meinem Kopf” (“It is
always in my head”), attended by hundreds of guests, the city said in a
statement. https://www.timesofisrael.com/albrecht-weinberg-who-survived-several-camps-during-holocaust-dies-at-101/
Inyanay Diyoma
May 9th and
May 10th
Day 946 and Day 947 since Oct. 7th Day 69 and Day 70 of Roaring Lion/Epic Fury start of week 136
Although I say Psalms
Daily for our soldiers, I got a special request to pray for Yisrael Ben Smadar.
I moved my computer
back upstairs to my office. It is not the 18 steps climb that bothered me but
the fact that a war with Iran could breakout. This week Trump is working on
deals with China and more than likely will leave Iran alone. They are kicking
the can down the road and not giving him an answer. He might get on to them
soon.
Couldd make 200 Nukes. https://www.foxnews.com/world/experts-warn-trump-administration-any-iran-deal-must-close-plutonium-pathway-nuclear-bombs
https://www.timesofisrael.com/antisemitic-assaults-surged-56-in-brooklyn-last-year-adl-report/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/hungarys-new-pm-takes-oath-of-office-ending-orbans-16-year-rule/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/chile-to-return-ambassador-to-israel-after-more-than-two-years/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/denmark-records-third-straight-year-of-historically-high-antisemitism/
Iran strikes another
tanker. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-895640
Syrian Shiite leader
killed by ISIS. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/isis-threat/article-895628
Rubio met in Miami with
Qatari FM. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426811
Hezballah fears
isolation. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426816
Iran wants protection
fees for internet cables. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426821
Three reservists
injured by drones. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426792
New anti-drone weapon. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426794
Gazan terrorist
eliminated. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426845
Gazan weapons
production. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426795
Egypt in Sinai, the
path to war. Even if Israel has no interest in a
confrontation with Egypt at this time, the response to these violations must be
open, public, forceful, and international. Israel should visibly reinforce its
armored forces along the Egyptian border, publicly demand that the United States
- as a guarantor of the agreement - press Egypt to remove forces that violate
the peace treaty, and clearly signal the seriousness of the situation in a way
that resonates internationally. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426835
Quad Biker runs over
two elderly ladies. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426798
Ari
Twito, an 8-year-old boy, won a lawsuit he filed against the Rami Levi
superstore chain after he says he was refused the return of bottles for
recycling at one of the chain's branches. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426809
Police
and Shin Bet have completed their investigation on Badr bin Yosef Hasnat, a
25-year-old Arab-Israeli resident of Rahat, who was arrested last month
following intelligence that pointed to incitement to terrorism. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426833
Trying to quarantine
passengers. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426796
Brig.
Gen. (res.) Dedi Simchi, who formerly served as the head of the Fire and Rescue
Service, announced that he is entering politics and will take part in the
upcoming election campaign. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426803
Missiles and drones
into northern Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426772
Idit
Shamir, Israel's Consul General in Toronto, claims that the Canadian Revenue
Agency is conducting a coordinated and well-planned campaign to deny funding to
Jewish institutions and undermine their legitimacy and standing in civil
society.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426780
US Pressure will not
break Iran. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426771
Indonesian Volcano
kills 2. https://www.jpost.com/international/article-895641
Middle East is a
Chinese Military Lab. https://www.jpost.com/defense-and-tech/article-895656
May 11th
Day 948 since Oct. 7th Day 71 of Roaring Lion/Epic Fury
I leave most of the
Jewish People who pass away in the blogspot milestone section but Abe Foxman
who headed the ADL and fought for Russian Jewry deserves mention.
Another murder in
Ramla, the mixed Arab-Israeli city.
This week, I am
expecting all quiet on the eastern front as President Trump is working on a
China Deal. The cult of Islamic Revolution and world dominance in Iran will not
give up easily they have 2.5 years until Trump leaves office and will B.S. the
time away with their enriched Uranium and Plutonium unless there is an
awakening. I hope that HASHEM will continue to guide the President to do what
is proper for future generations against this fanatic Jihad. https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-sends-response-to-latest-us-peace-proposal-as-netanyahu-insists-war-not-over/
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/05/10/iran-is-just-background-noise-this-is-trumps-real-goal/
Rabbi Avraham Yosef
criticizes new haircuts that leave no sidelocks at all. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426881
Testimony of COS. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426846
A pro-Palestinian flotilla
that set sail from Barcelona this week bound for Gaza has been hit by internal
controversy, including allegations of sexual misconduct against a senior
organizer, according to a report by the New York Post. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hj6gpez611l
Hamas racing to build
drone threat. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bylanaarzl#autoplay
Quantum Machines, an
Israeli company developing control and orchestration systems for quantum
computers, has acquired Dutch startup QHarbor and will open an office in Delft,
expanding its quantum software operations in Europe. https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/h1jd9y11mg
The Lebanese might want peace with Israel but
Hezballah prevents.
https://www.foxnews.com/world/chinas-undersea-cable-threat-raises-10t-fears-trump-xi-talks-loom
The
IDF Spokesperson's Unit cleared for publication on Monday morning that Command
Sergeant Major (Res.) Alexander Glovanyov, aged 47, from Petah Tikva, fell
during combat near the Israel-Lebanon border. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426872
“60 Minutes”
interview. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426867
Arab Mafia works 24/7. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426884
Senator
Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Sunday urged President Donald Trump to “change
course" on Iran as the Islamic Republic rejected the US proposal to end
the war. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426866
Massive Jewish Wedding
in Kiev. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426885
Imprisoned
Nobel Peace Prize winner and human rights activist Narges Mohammadi has been
moved to a medical facility in Tehran for urgent treatment, The Associated
Press reported. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426869
Speaking
at a candidates forum held at the Stephen Wise Synagogue on the Upper West
Side, the grandson of President John F. Kennedy aligned himself with far-left
legislative efforts to halt the transfer of weaponry to the Jewish State. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426876
Hesder Yeshiva boys die
because they cannot learn enough. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426860
The
Hezbollah terrorist organization published a video on Sunday of an explosive
drone infiltrating Israeli territory and striking an Iron Dome battery. The
incident, which transpired during the weekend, occurred in the western area of
the northern border. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426856
PM delays law to cancel
the Oslo Agreements. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426843
We will not abandon our
brothers-in-arms. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426861
Old Mossad Dir. Does
not like the new one. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426857
A
question posed by UTJ MK Meir Porush during a closed meeting of the Knesset
Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Sunday sparked sharp criticism from
fellow coalition lawmakers after he asked IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir about
the military resources devoted to dealing with Hilltop Youth outposts in Judea
and Samaria. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426849
Egypt is turning its
guns towards us. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426874
An Israel
Air Force helicopter failed to take off after
landing to evacuate three wounded soldiers in southern Lebanon on Monday
morning, the IDF said later in the afternoon. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-895786
https://www.foxnews.com/world/chinas-undersea-cable-threat-raises-10t-fears-trump-xi-talks-loom
https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/iran-trump-hormuz-peace-proposal-may-10
May 12th
Day 949 since Oct. 7th Day 72 of Roaring Lion/Epic Fury
Delayed by breaking news. Rabbi
Lando had enough of delays and lies from Netanyahu and ordered the Degel
HaTorah faction to leave immediately the government after there would be no
Draft Law in this Knesset. In fact, the abandoning of Netanyahu is so bad that
they might join in the current opposition if offered a good Yeshiva Student
exemption bill.
The second reason for a delay was
the birth of a new great-grandson that included a visit to me by his first
cousins, and also my daughter and some grandchildren. Once in a while, I need a
few minutes of enjoyment and rest in this busy news cycle.
Netanyahu – Rising Lion
is not over. Trump Epic Fury is over so which is it?
Trump rejects the
latest Iranian Bluff. Ceasefire on life support with 1% chance of survival. https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-says-forces-ready-to-respond-to-attacks-as-trump-reportedly-mulls-renewing-war/
Are there planes on the
tarmac with case ready to transfer. https://www.foxnews.com/world/iran-regime-power-players-may-eye-russia-assad-style-escape-us-talks-falter-expert
https://www.aol.com/articles/remains-us-soldier-went-missing-184642697.html
For
the first time, the Consulate General of Belgium in Jerusalem has
refused to issue a new passport to a Belgian-Israeli citizen solely because she
lives in the Pisgat Ze’ev neighborhood of Jerusalem. The consulate explained
that the neighborhood is not recognized under international law, to which
Belgium is bound. The citizen said she was “shocked.” https://www.ynetnews.com/article/skuavklygl
The end of this
government and perhaps any future Netanyahu government. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-895922
May 13th
Day 950 since Oct. 7th Day 73 of Roaring Lion/Epic Fury
The mood in Israel is
that we have 3 or 4 days before the war with Iran resumes. It will be good in a
way to be without restrictions in Lebanon to get rid of Hezballah and the
Lebanese will thank us. Lebanon TV was shown with many favoring Israel over the
Shiite dominance.
“We’ll finish the job.”
– DJ Trump https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426976
https://www.timesofisrael.com/saudi-arabia-covertly-launched-strikes-on-iran-during-war-sources-say/
Op-Ed One man holds the
key to early elections. https://www.ynetnews.com/opinions-analysis/article/rku1d2xyml
Trump looks to China on
Iran. https://www.ynetnews.com/opinions-analysis/article/byxsx1z1zg
Almost 20 times normal
medical cannabis. https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/ry117mcb1mg
Iran hangs “Israeli
Spy”. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bywan9zkmx
25% of teens feel
unsafe in school. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/syrztqbygg
Finance Min. thinking
of removing VAT exemption of Eilat (essentially a death blow to the city) and
raising the retirement age to 70. https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/by7l5k11yzl
Charedi Newspapers
blast Netanyahu. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426990
Hezballah Terrorist
gets a tank shell through the window. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426995
Iran tried to invade
Kuwaiti Island. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426985
The
Supreme Court is preparing to order the release of 98 million shekels that were
frozen for Haredi educational institutions, on the condition that the funds be
transferred only to institutions that fulfil the obligation to teach
fundamental curriculum subjects. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426993
A
Florida congressional race has spiralled into a wider political firestorm
involving antisemitism, Israel, Azerbaijan and the Armenian-American diaspora,
after Rep. Randy Fine and congressional candidate Dan Bilzerian exchanged
accusations in an increasingly bitter public feud. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426991
Spanish athlete waves
PLO flag. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426984
Anti-Israel
demonstrators and pro-Israel counter-protesters clashed Monday night outside
the Young Israel of Midwood in Brooklyn during an event connected to Israeli
real estate. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426934
350 terrorists
eliminate in ceasefire. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426941
Attacks on Arabs is a
danger to Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426918
Golani 13 operation
over the Litani. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426947
Hezballah’s threat. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426949
Too much aid enters
Gaza. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426946
The problem is not
Torah Scholars but people who work make a Chillul HASHEM (desecration of the
NAME). https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426948
Hezballah fires missile
at the IAF. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426950
NY Times leaves out
Hamas sexual violence. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-895908
It turns out that the
fake-news “Rights Org.” has Hamas ties. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/427017
75% of Arabs support
National Service. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-895902
Proposed Amendment to
the law of Return. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-895879
Terrorists emerge from
tunnels in Lebanon and get eliminated. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426968
Yesterday, officer and
soldier hit by drone. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426971
Even with my bad legs
and walker for a Minyan close by, I walk. Leading Rabbi slams people who drive
short distances to Schul. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426994
COS – we are prepared. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/427019
Intel Chiefs coordinate
with UAE. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/427009
IDF
Arabic spokesman Avichay Adraee on Wednesday issued urgent evacuation warnings
to residents of three villages in southern Lebanon.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/427008
Iraq, Pakistan and Iran
agree on Hormuz. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/427011
The NYT
cited senior US officials, who warned that Iran's active missile sites include
30 along the Strait of Hormuz,
posing a threat to US naval ships in the area. Iran can still use the missile
stockpiles in non-operational sites by launching them with mobile launchers,
with the country maintaining roughly 70% of its mobile launcher inventory.
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-895973
Peruvian pres.
Candidate accused of Financial Crimes. https://www.jpost.com/international/article-895999
Florida
intends to shut down the controversial federal migrant detention center known
as "Alligator Alcatraz". https://www.jpost.com/american-politics/article-895986
MDA new mental health
unit. https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/mind-and-spirit/article-895976
Toronto man charged
with antisemitism. https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-895967
Field testing
anti-drone technologies. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-896070
May 14th
Day 951 since Oct. 7th Day 74 of Roaring Lion/Epic Fury
Hezballah sent one
drone too many today and hit civilians. F-35 range to be extended. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/2026-05-14/live-updates-896134
IDF vs. Moshiach I’ll give
you one guess who will lose. Now Chabad may refuse to serve. https://www.timesofisrael.com/soldier-jailed-commanders-penalized-after-idf-chief-calls-out-messiah-patch/ https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/427052
Iran cannot export oil. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/427076
https://www.algemeiner.com/2026/05/13/assad-regime-remnants-ground-lebanon-helping-hezbollah/
Pasha Bamidbar Shabbos
Times: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/shabat/
Israel
will take legal action against The
New York Times over a column penned by Nicholas
Kristof, which included allegations of serious sexual
abuse of Palestinians in Israeli prisons,
the Prime Minister's Office said in a Thursday statement.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-896230
May 15th
Day 952 since Oct. 7th Day 75 of Roaring Lion/Epic Fury Yom Yerushalayim end of week 136
This is probably the
calm before the storm almost no real news today. Of course, we celebrated by
prayers Yom Yerushalayim and people marched last night. Tragically a soldier
from Golani 12 fell yesterday. When President Trump arrives home, Israel and
some of the Gulf States are preparing for round two. https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-says-decimation-of-irans-army-to-be-continued-after-he-and-chinas-xi-discuss-hormuz/
Right now, the plan for
Gaza is to transfer more and more of the population to the area held by Israel
for reconstruction but deferred at present.
Our soldier that fell
in the north. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/427106
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/05/14/report-iran-seizes-vessel-in-strait-of-hormuz/
The Democratic Party.
My family left the party of our forefathers in 1965. My late friend Joe Ray
left it when race took priority of Mayor Daily’s hard work. My accountant and a
few others are still sticking it out in the party but it is not the where Skip
Jackson was back in the day. In fact, only John Fetterman appears to reach
across the aisle.
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/05/13/will-the-far-left-take-over-the-democratic-party/
Pure hatred for Israel.
Even his Arab Israeli town. https://www.timesofisrael.com/tira-resident-accused-of-spying-for-iran-refusing-payment-urging-missiles-on-hometown/
Happy Yom
Yerushalayim, Rosh Chodesh Sivan and of course a healthy, happy, peaceful and
restful Shabbos,
Rachamim
Pauli
