Parshiyos Behar – Bechukosai this week excuse the typo in the title.
AI flagging is a problem. I faced that on Facebook and now with the direct mailing of this weekly Torah Drasha. Originally, they wrote me that since I start off with a reference to the Rabbi Pauli Drasha aka Blogspot link that it was the problem as it looked like spam. I then went to writing this forward. Last week by sending the Parsha to myself I was able to forward it.
Parshiyos Behar –
Bechukosai
The Nation
had just assembled the Mishkan and was at the foot of Har Sinai and still
learning laws. They were being prepared to enter the land prior to the incident
of the spies.
25:1 And
the LORD spoke unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying: 2 Speak unto the children of
Israel, and say unto them: When ye come into the land which I give you, then
shall the land keep a sabbath unto the LORD.
This
Shabbos was not the usual Shabbos discussed on Har Sinai in the Asera Dibros
(10 sayings or 10 Commandments). Rather this Shabbos would be that of the land
of Eretz Yisrael. The Kedusha (holiness) of the land was so powerful that the
inanimate object had to rest on its Shabbos.
3
Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy
vineyard, and gather in the produce thereof. 4 But in the seventh year shall be
a sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a sabbath unto the LORD; thou shalt
neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.
Nor
fertilizer or clear stones or over-grown plants and roots. The land is to lie
fallow. However, if one needs to clear a known path for a human or animal
pulled cart that is a different story. However, not for working the land.
Cisterns and wells could be dug for needs but not for agriculture.
5
That which grows of
itself of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, and the grapes of thy undressed vine
thou shalt not gather; it shall be a year of solemn rest for the land. 6 And
the sabbath-produce of the land shall be for food for you: for thee, and for
thy servant and for thy maid, and for thy hired servant and for the settler by
thy side that sojourn with thee; 7 and for thy cattle, and for the beasts that
are in thy land, shall all the increase thereof be for food.
In other
words, one who wanted to grow a crop would have to plant it before the Shmita
(Sabbatical) Year.
8
And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven
years; and there shall be unto thee the days of seven sabbaths of years, even
forty and nine years.
However,
there is the seventh time of the seventh year.
9
Then shalt thou make proclamation with the blast of the horn on the tenth day
of the seventh month; in the day of atonement shall ye make proclamation with
the horn throughout all your land. 10 And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year,
and proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof; it
shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession,
and ye shall return every man unto his family.
Proclaim
liberty of Jewish Slaves/Servants and they receive their compensation. For even
the man who had his ear bored with an awl to keep his non-Jewish slave/servant
wife and children would be free. [At this juncture, his worker compensation
might be enough to pay for the freedom of his wife and children that he had
from her. They would be considered converts as all slaves were sent to a
conversion Mikveh as they were made into slaves.] This Pasuk was engraved in
English on the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
11 A
jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you; ye shall not sow, neither reap
that which grows of
itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of the undressed vines. 12 For it is
a jubilee; it shall be holy unto you; ye shall eat the increase thereof out of
the field.
These two
years would have had enough gain and other produce either pickled or dried from
the previous 6th year to take care of the Shmita and Yovel (Jubilee
Year).
13 In this year of jubilee ye shall return
every man unto his possession. 14 And if thou sell aught unto thy neighbour, or
buy of thy neighbour's hand, ye shall not wrong one another. 15 According to
the number of years after the jubilee thou shalt buy of thy neighbour, and according
unto the number of years of the crops he shall sell unto thee.
The process
of becoming a Jewish “slave”/servant did not happen by accident. He sold his
family inheritance for up to 50years. He then became poorer and poorer until he
sold himself or he was sold for stealing. However, after 50 years, he and his
male children (unless only a father of females) would inherit the land.
16
According to the multitude of the years thou shalt increase the price thereof,
and according to the fewness of the years thou shalt diminish the price of it;
for the number of crops doth he sell unto thee. 17 And ye shall not wrong one
another; but thou shalt fear thy God; for I am the LORD your God. 18 Wherefore
ye shall do My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances and do them; and ye shall
dwell in the land in safety. 19 And the land shall yield her fruit, and ye
shall eat until ye have enough, and dwell therein in safety.
If for
example the Yovel was in 1974 CE or 5734 and 2024 CE or 5784 then the next Yovel
would be 2074 CE or 5834. As a person interested in working the land, a man
would contract for the number of years remaining some rental agreement. This
could be a fixed income or percentage of crop grown per year with some
accounting including the renting during Shmita for living.
20
And if ye shall say: 'What shall we eat the seventh year? behold, we may not
sow, nor gather in our increase'; 21 then I will command My blessing upon you
in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth produce for the three years. 22 And
ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat of the produce, the old store; until the
ninth year, until her produce come in, ye shall eat the old store. 23 And the
land shall not be sold in perpetuity; for the land is Mine; for ye are
strangers and settlers with Me. 24 And in all the land of your possession ye
shall grant a redemption for the land.
I witnessed
newspaper reports of the crop grown in 1971 – 1972 CE aka 5732 and it was very
over-abundant. The political powers that be did not publish afterwards to the
general public such crop information and I have no idea what happened after the
other sixth years.
25
If thy brother be waxen poor, and sell some of his possession, then shall his
kinsman that is next unto him come, and shall redeem that which his brother
hath sold. 26 And if a man have no one to redeem it, and he be waxen rich and
find sufficient means to redeem it; 27 then let him count the years of the sale
thereof, and restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it; and he shall
return unto his possession. 28 But if he have not sufficient means to get it
back for himself, then that which he hath sold shall remain in the hand of him
that hath bought it until the year of jubilee; and in the jubilee it shall go
out, and he shall return unto his possession.
At first,
his family shall try to redeem his inheritance. However, if he ends up bankrupt
again, they need not attempt to redeem it and he will have to wait until the
Yovel.
29
And if a man sell a dwelling-house in a walled city, then he may redeem it
within a whole year after it is sold; for a full year shall he have the right
of redemption. 30 And if it be not redeemed within the space of a full year,
then the house that is in the walled city shall be made sure in perpetuity to
him that bought it, throughout his generations; it shall not go out in the
jubilee. 31 But the houses of the villages which have no wall round about them
shall be reckoned with the fields of the country; they may be redeemed, and
they shall go out in the jubilee.
A house in
a city is not from the distribution of the land in the days of Yehoshua. There
is no Family Writ on them. They own it, can buy and sell, but it does not
return to them in the Yovel. A city dwelling is as long as the family wants to
own it.
32
But as for the cities of the Levites, the houses of the cities of their
possession, the Levites shall have a perpetual right of redemption. 33 And if a
man purchases of the Levites, then the house that was sold in the city of his
possession, shall go out in the jubilee; for the houses of the cities of the
Levites are their possession among the children of Israel. 34 But the fields of
the open land about their cities may not be sold; for that is their perpetual
possession.
The Leviim
had their own cities and the fields about. They did not have a tribal
inheritance they were scattered throughout Yisrael.
35
And if thy brother be waxen poor, and his means fail with thee; then thou shalt
uphold him: as a stranger and a settler shall he live with thee. 36 Take thou
no interest of him or increase; but fear thy God; that thy brother may live
with thee. 37 Thou shalt not give him thy money upon interest, nor give him thy
victuals for increase. 38 I am the LORD your God, who brought you forth out of
the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, to be your God.
Don’t worry
about the inflation and the interest, you will get the money back in a
different form/way from HASHEM.
39
And if thy brother be waxen poor with thee, and sell himself unto thee, thou
shalt not make him to serve as a bondservant. 40 As a hired servant, and as a
settler, he shall be with thee; he shall serve with thee unto the year of
jubilee. 41 Then shall he go out from thee, he and his children with him, and
shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall
he return. 42 For they are My servants, whom I brought forth out of the land of
Egypt; they shall not be sold as bondmen. 43 Thou shalt not rule over him with
rigour; but shalt fear thy God.
You should
not rule over either the Jewish slave/servant or the non-Jewish (Canaanite in
the Talmud) slave/servant with force and rigor but as a normal free worker who
would work for you.
44
And as for thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, whom thou mayest have: of the
nations that are round about you, of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids.
45 Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them
may ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they have begotten
in your land; and they may be your possession. 46 And ye may make them an
inheritance for your children after you, to hold for a possession: of them may
ye take your bondmen for ever; but over your brethren the children of Israel ye
shall not rule, one over another, with rigour.
The family
of the non-Jewish slave/servant girl in your possession. For if he entered as a
married Jew, his children are also fed but treated as free children.
47
And if a stranger who is a settler with thee be waxen rich, and thy brother be
waxen poor beside him, and sell himself unto the stranger who is a settler with
thee, or to the offshoot of a stranger's family, 48 after that
he is sold he may be redeemed; one of his brethren may redeem him; 49
or his uncle, or his uncle's son, may redeem him, or any that is nigh of kin
unto him of his family may redeem him; or if he be waxen rich, he may redeem
himself. 50 And he shall reckon with him that bought him from
the year that he sold himself to him unto the year of jubilee; and the price of
his sale shall be according unto the number of years; according to the time of
a hired servant shall he be with him. 51 If there be yet many
years, according unto them he shall give back the price of his redemption out
of the money that he was bought for. 52 And if there remain but
few years unto the year of jubilee, then he shall reckon with him; according
unto his years shall he give back the price of his redemption. 53
As a servant hired year by year shall he be with him; he shall not rule with
rigour over him in thy sight. 54 And if he be not redeemed by
any of these means, then he shall go out in the year of jubilee, he, and his
children with him. 55 For unto Me the children of Israel are
servants; they are My servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: I
am the LORD your God. 26:1 Ye shall make you no idols, neither shall ye rear
you up a graven image, or a pillar, neither shall ye place any figured stone in
your land, to bow down unto it; for I am the LORD your God. 2 Ye shall keep My
sabbaths, and reverence My sanctuary: I am the LORD.
This is the
end of the discussion in Hebrew. It is a concluding reminder of all Shabbos
requirements whether weekly or the Mitzvos of the Land.
3 If
ye walk in My statutes, and keep My commandments, and do them; 4 then I will
give your rains in their season, and the land shall yield her produce, and the
trees of the field shall yield their fruit. 5 And your threshing shall reach
unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time; and ye
shall eat your bread until ye have enough, and dwell in your land safely. 6 And
I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you
afraid; and I will cause evil beasts to cease out of the land, neither shall
the sword go through your land. 7 And ye shall chase your enemies, and they
shall fall before you by the sword. 8 And five of you shall chase a hundred,
and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand; and your enemies shall fall
before you by the sword. 9 And I will have respect unto you, and make you
fruitful, and multiply you; and will establish My covenant with you. 10 And ye
shall eat old store long kept, and ye shall bring forth the old from before the
new. 11 And I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor
you. 12 And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be My
people. 13 I am the LORD your God, who brought you forth out of the land of
Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bars of your
yoke, and made you go upright.
This whole section
is likened to a contract. If you do this, then you will get that. The next
section is the penalty clauses for violating the contract. For the Bnei Yisrael
at Har Sinai said “We will do and we will listen.” First, we promise to do the
Commandments of the L-RD and then we will observe them. (See Parsha Yisro right
before the giving of the Asera Dibros.) So follow, observe and guard the
Mitzvos and you will be blessed.
14
But if ye will not hearken unto Me, and will not do all these commandments; 15
and if ye shall reject My statutes, and if your soul abhor Mine ordinances, so
that ye will not do all My commandments, but break My covenant; 16 I also will
do this unto you: I will appoint terror over you, even consumption and fever,
that shall make the eyes to fail, and the soul to languish; and ye shall sow
your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
However,
this will start to happen if you don’t observe.
17
And I will set My face against you, and ye shall be smitten before your
enemies; they that hate you shall rule over you; and ye shall flee when none
pursues
you. 18 And if ye will not yet for these things hearken unto Me, then I will
chastise you seven times more for your sins.
G-D will
turn HIS Face against you. This is the opposite of the Cohain’s blessing of
turning HIS Face towards you. This is the first punishment or fine for
violating your contract with HASHEM.
19
And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron,
and your earth as brass. 20 And your strength shall be spent in vain; for your
land shall not yield her produce, neither shall the trees of the land yield
their fruit. 21 And if ye walk contrary unto Me, and will not hearken unto Me;
I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins. 22 And I
will send the beast of the field among you, which shall rob you of your
children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your ways
shall become desolate. 23 And if in spite of these things ye will not be
corrected unto Me, but will walk contrary unto Me; 24 then will I also walk
contrary unto you; and I will smite you, even I, seven times for your sins. 25
And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall execute the vengeance of the
covenant; and ye shall be gathered together within your cities; and I will send
the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.
26 When I break your staff of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one
oven, and they shall deliver your bread again by weight; and ye shall eat, and
not be satisfied.
There is a
possibility that one was just lax in observance but if not, the violation
becomes seven times worse. This comes from willful violation.
27
And if ye will not for all this hearken unto Me, but walk contrary unto Me; 28
then I will walk contrary unto you in fury; and I also will chastise you seven
times for your sins. 29 And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh
of your daughters shall ye eat. 30 And I will destroy your high places, and cut
down your sun-pillars, and cast your carcasses upon the carcasses of your
idols; and My soul shall abhor you. 31 And I will make your cities a waste, and
will bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of
your sweet odours. 32 And I will bring the land into desolation; and your
enemies that dwell therein shall be astonished at it. 33 And you will I scatter
among the nations, and I will draw out the sword after you; and your land shall
be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste. 34 Then shall the land be
paid her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye are in your enemies'
land; even then shall the land rest, and repay her sabbaths.
Not only
will you receive punishment financially and on your body, but you will lose
your home and land and instead of observing Shmita and Yovel with the joy of
learning Torah in a Yeshiva that year, you will find yourself without your land
in a place of enemies.
35
As long as it lieth desolate it shall have rest; even the rest which it had not
in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it. 36 And as for them that are left of
you, I will send a faintness into their heart in the lands of their enemies;
and the sound of a driven leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as one
flees
from the sword; and they shall fall when none pursues.
You did not
give rest to the land, now it will be barren a fallow resting itself without
you.
37
And they shall stumble one upon another, as it were before the sword, when none
pursues;
and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies. 38 And ye shall perish
among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up. 39 And they
that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands;
and also, in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them. 40
And they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, in
their treachery which they committed against Me, and also that they have walked
contrary unto Me. 41 I also will walk contrary unto them, and bring them into
the land of their enemies; if then perchance their uncircumcised heart be
humbled, and they then be paid the punishment of their iniquity;
You shall
flee Israel, but you will have no rest. The Belgium People will not allow
circumcision. The Swiss will not allow Kosher Slaughter and I need not be
explicit what the Nazis did or how Mamdani or AOC love Israel and the Jews. It
is not that the majority of these nations are wicked but enough within powerful
positions to be enemies of the Bnei Yisrael.
42
then will I remember My covenant with Jacob, and also My covenant with Isaac,
and also My covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the
land. 43 For the land shall lie forsaken without them, and shall be paid her
sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them; and they shall be paid the
punishment of their iniquity; because, even because they rejected Mine
ordinances, and their soul abhorred My statutes.
However,
after I have broken your stubborn streak of non-observance, then I will
remember the contract with Avraham, Yitzchak and Yacov.
44
And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not
reject them, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break
My covenant with them; for I am the LORD their God. 45 But I will for their
sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the
land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the
LORD. 46 These are the statutes and ordinances and laws, which the LORD made
between Him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses.
You will be
redeemed not for your miserable sakes, but for the righteousness of your
forefathers.
27:1
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and
say unto them: When a man shall clearly utter a vow of persons unto the LORD,
according to thy valuation, 3 then thy valuation shall be for the male from
twenty years old even unto sixty years old, even thy valuation shall be fifty
shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary.
A man wants
to ‘redeem’ himself so he vows his value as a slave/servant to the Mishkan or
Mikdash. Don’t think as a man or a woman in modern terms as an MD, Engineer or
Scientist but as a slave worker in value. He shall then bring 50 Shekels to the
Cohain.
4
And if it be a female, then thy valuation shall be thirty shekels.
The woman
is worth only 30 shekels.
5
And if it be from five years old even unto twenty years old, then thy valuation
shall be for the male twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels.
Taking a boy
or girl below 20 years of age as a slave will have a value of 20 or 10 Shekels.
6
And if it be from a month old even unto five years old, then thy valuation
shall be for the male five shekels of silver, and for the female thy valuation
shall be three shekels of silver. 7 And if it be from sixty years old and
upward: if it be a male, then thy valuation shall be fifteen shekels, and for
the female ten shekels. 8 But if he be too poor for thy valuation, then he
shall be set before the priest, and the priest shall value him; according to
the means of him that vowed shall the priest value him.
The value
for infants and Toddlers is small and the elderly slaves are not worth so much.
9
And if it be a beast, whereof men bring an offering unto the LORD, all that any
man giveth of such unto the LORD shall be holy. 10 He shall not alter it, nor
change it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good; and if he shall at all change
beast for beast, then both it and that for which it is changed shall be holy. 11
And if it be any unclean beast, of which they may not bring an offering unto
the LORD, then he shall set the beast before the priest. 12 And the priest
shall value it, whether it be good or bad; as thou the priest values it, so
shall it be. 13 But if he will indeed redeem it, then he shall add the fifth
part thereof unto thy valuation. 14 And when a man shall sanctify his house to
be holy unto the LORD, then the priest shall value it, whether it be good or
bad; as the priest shall value it, so shall it stand. 15 And if he that
sanctified it will redeem his house, then he shall add the fifth part of the
money of thy valuation unto it, and it shall be his. 16 And if a man shall
sanctify unto the LORD part of the field of his possession, then thy valuation
shall be according to the sowing thereof; the sowing of a homer of barley shall
be valued at fifty shekels of silver. 17 If he sanctifies his field from the
year of jubilee, according to thy valuation it shall stand. 18 But if he
sanctifies his field after the jubilee, then the priest shall reckon unto him
the money according to the years that remain unto the year of jubilee, and an
abatement shall be made from thy valuation. 19 And if he that sanctified the
field will indeed redeem it, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of
thy valuation unto it, and it shall be assured to him. 20 And if he will not
redeem the field, or if he has sold the field to another man, it shall not be
redeemed any more. 21 But the field, when it goes out in the jubilee, shall be holy
unto the LORD, as a field devoted; the possession thereof shall be the
priest's. 22 And if he sanctifies unto the LORD a field which he hath bought,
which is not of the field of his possession; 23 then the priest shall reckon
unto him the worth of thy valuation unto the year of jubilee; and he shall give
thy valuation in that day, as a holy thing unto the LORD. 24 In the year of
jubilee the field shall return unto him of whom it was bought, even to him to
whom the possession of the land belongs. 25 And all thy valuations shall be
according to the shekel of the sanctuary; twenty gerahs shall be the shekel. 26
Howbeit the firstling among beasts, which is born as a firstling to the LORD,
no man shall sanctify it; whether it be ox or sheep, it is the LORD'S. 27 And
if it be of an unclean beast, then he shall ransom it according to thy
valuation, and shall add unto it the fifth part thereof; or if it be not
redeemed, then it shall be sold according to thy valuation. 28 Notwithstanding,
no devoted thing, that a man may devote unto the LORD of all that he hath,
whether of man or beast, or of the field of his possession, shall be sold or
redeemed; every devoted thing is most holy unto the LORD. 29 None devoted, that
may be devoted of men, shall be ransomed; he shall surely be put to death. 30
And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit
of the tree, is the LORD'S; it is holy unto the LORD.
One can
donate his animal, house, car or something else and redeem it or leave it for
the Cohain to sell in auction.
31 And if a man will redeem aught of his
tithe, he shall add unto it the fifth part thereof. 32 And all the tithe of the
herd or the flock, whatsoever passes under the rod, the tenth shall be
holy unto the LORD. 33 He shall not inquire whether it be good or bad, neither
shall he change it; and if he changes it at all, then both it and that
for which it is changed shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.
The fine
for not paying tithe is 20% to be added.
34 These are the commandments, which the LORD
commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai.
All the
commandments that we have mentioned were given on Har Sinai. We are not done
with the beginning of the Mishkan that continues in the next three Parshiyos
and only by the time the spies are sent out do we continue with the next 39
years.
Chazak – Chazak v’ nit
Chazayk (Strength for more Torah learning)
My Return to (or newly discovered) Judaism Part 2
When I left off the story a few months ago, fast forward - it was Menachem Av 5726. From an atheist, I had become an agnostic after discovering the Principle of Cosmic
Unity. After half-debating and perhaps more questioning a Physicist named
Himmelstein, I concluded that there was a good possibility that HASHEM truly
existed.
He
told me that that according to the RAMBAM (Maimonides), miracles were natural
events that occurred but the probability of such an event or series of events
happening was miniscule. This it could be that red clay or red algae polluted
the Nile and caused a fish kill. But this occurrence happened once in 6,000
years at the date, hour maybe minute and second that Moshe and Pharaoh met.
We must have had a give and take for two to three hours. Little
did he or I know that would lay the foundation of much Torah learning in the
future. During my questioning I asked the question “How come there were
miracles recorded in the Bible and we do not see them today.” (Remember this
was before the Six Day War and the New York Times and liberality reigned as
king.) He told me that if one was pure (his meaning was ritually pure or Tahor)
one could work a miracle. He told me how Yeshu stole the DIVINE 72 letter NAME from
the Beis HaMikdash and worked miracles until his Rebbe came and made him
impure. (This sounds today to me a lot like the Yeshu in the time of Yehuda Ben
Perachiya who was in the Temple in Alexandria, Egypt. – not the other two
mentioned in the Talmud) I of course was so far removed from Judaism that I
went off thinking about being pure of heart. That was the last time I ever saw
Himmelstein as he went off to get his doctorate from Columbia University and I
went off to Greenwood Lake, NY for my summer vacation.
He also clarified to me the misconception of heaven and hell that
I had gotten from the belief of a Catholic girl who loved me at the age of 12
and wanted me to convert to marry her. (I had some news for her.) I asked him
about the concept (Catholic) about going to hell for eternity even if somebody
was basically good. He explained to me the Jewish concept of soul purification
which he broke up to me in just system of varying times. He talked about the
seven days of mourning, the month, eleven months and a year and also Kaf
Keller. My doubts about an unfair G-D regarding life after death were gone and
a true and straight path in the next world was laid out before me.
Rowing my boat, swimming, hiking, and observing the Perseid Meteor
Shower was my cup of tea for rest, research and relaxation. I might have been
ritually pure as Greenwood Lake was a Glatt kosher Mikvah. I went that night to
the ‘Indian Park’ dock to sit out and observe meteors. That particular dock put
me out further over the water with a greater area of sky to view than my
‘Greenwood Lake Estates’ beach (The ‘Estates’ were fancy bungalows with one or
two all year around houses.) I was staring at the sky. In the back of my mind
was the relatively recent conversation that I had with Himmelstein. As I looked
up at the sky, I noticed a strange phenomenon. I had seen many times in New
York City a halo around the moon but never in all my numerous observing of the
sky since the age of 7 did I see a halo around a star. (Neither do I recall
seeing such a thing since.) I began thinking of Yacov Avinu and the ladder
to heaven. The fogginess and the halo looked like a tunnel to that particular
star in heaven. The night was poor for observing meteors. I had seen one and
then another but nothing special. I began thinking with my stubbornness on
watching meteors for hours and even losing a girl friend or two for it, I could
not think of a purer person in the world for observing meteors. Perhaps as the
fellow said, I could work a miracle out of purity. Now I did not know the 72 or
three 42 letter names of G-D in Hebrew in fact I was only thinking and praying
in English.
I put my left hand over my head as I had no hat or Yarmulke and I
thought. “L-RD, G-D of the Universe, if you exist show me a sign. If you do, I
will learn Hebrew, become religious and go to Israel. I have been told that one
who is pure of heart can work a miracle. I have seen only two meteors this
hour. - At this point my right hand is stretching behind me on the dock as I
continued looking at the widest field of vision with the halo star in the
middle. - If you exist send a meteor across the sky right now!” As my right
hand moved to touch the dock by my hip (like within a nanosecond), a meteor
shot out starting from the halo star moved about 40 degrees across the sky,
changed shade of color and magnitude so it was no figment of my imagination. That moment all the all the hairs on my
arms and legs stood up!
About a week later, my friend Howard Dyckoff came with two other
friends from the Astronomy Club and I told them of what had happened to me. One
of them later became a Unitarian Minister but probably forgot about my story.
Howard introduced me to his mother who convinced me to read the Torah through
in English and after months helped arrange for my learning for a Bar Mitzvah
with Rabbi Klayman, an Orthodox Rabbi, as I never had a real Bar Mitzvah.
I started
slowly. I began by just
reading the Bible in English. I also still ate non-kosher slaughtered
meat but did not mix meat and milk during 5727. Observing Shabbos was still far from my
mind. I also dated mostly Jewish girls who were Reform or Conservative but
dating a non-Jew was not taboo for me.
During the course of the year, I had already learned about
Tephillin from watching the news of the 6 Day War and my friend Joel Klein
telling me that ‘those black boxes on the head and on the arm were not for
soldier communication with each other but Tephillin for communication during
prayer to G-D’. I had also seen the soldier bowing down towards a wall in
Yerushalayim. I know that the Jews don’t pray to sticks and stones so what was
up? He told me that the wall was the only remaining part of the Temple and that
they were bowing down unto G-D.
Just before Rosh Hashanah 5768, I was too meet with the Rabbi. I was taking a night Physics Course. In
the day, I was taking Hebrew 101 and some English Courses.
And right before meeting with the Rabbi a Danny Levy who came in
with a bunch of Orthodox Jews began praying one evening in my classroom. Somebody
said “Borachu” and the others said “Baruch HASHEM Hamivorach” two
blessings and the “Shema” some more and then Kaddish and silence. Suddenly, I
wanted to know why they were bowing and how to pray with them. I asked Danny to
purchase for me an English/Hebrew prayer book. Then I met the Rabbi, I think Mrs. Dyckoff bought me a Yarmulke, I
had the prayer book and the Rabbi took me to buy Tephillin, a Tallis, “The
Hertz Pentateuch”, “Code of Jewish Law”, I also bought “Iyob”, “Proverbs”,
“Psalms”, “Koheles” and a book to learn for my ‘Bar Mitzvah’ around my 21st birthday.
I also signed up for a Hebrew course with Professor Posner. He was merciful
seeing that most of the students were there to get an A and I was there to
really learn and did charity by giving me a C in the course.
One of the books Rabbi Klayman lent me was “How Strange was my
path” by Rabbi Avraham Carmel and his journey to Judaism. Here are two
little mentions by Gerim which might show others the way. Perhaps similar to
the three Gerim meeting in the days of Hillel the Elder: Tractate Shabbos 31A https://www.come-and-hear.com/shabbath/shabbath_31.html#chapter_ii
Another book
I was given and read was: “The Torah as our guide – Laws and customs for
Jewish youth” By Hertz Orenstein, Walter & Frankel. On Rosh Hashanah, I
asked one of the Jewish Neighbors in Greenwood Lake for a ride to the Schul. I
wanted to pray also Yom Kippur but that was the one day of the year they did
not travel. He did give me an Aliyah of holding a Sefer Torah when it was
removed from the Ark.
That Yom
Kippur, I was stuck at home and read the books Rabbi Klayman had given me. I
got to the Yom Kippur Story: I was about the Baal Shem Tov. A Jewish boy had
travelled to the town where he was to pray. The boy did not know how to read
Hebrew. The Baal Shem Tov was worried. That year the Satan had a good case
against Am Yisrael. [In fact, in my particular year, the majority of Israelis
did not acknowledge the miracles of the Six Day War.] The youth began to cry,
he held the book upside down: ”Master of the World, this is your Yom Kippur
Prayer Book (Machzor).” I never had the opportunity to learn Hebrew. Take this
book (which I did not even have) and put the words together with the proper
prayers for atonement.” The gates of mercy and forgiveness were flung open with
the youth’s pray and a sigh of relief and a smile was now on the Baal Shem
Tov’s face. I began to cry like a small child: THAT YOUTH WAS ME!
Part three next week.
Lag B’Omer Bon Fire from Heaven by Rabbi
Yerachmiel Tilles
https://ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=1482-33
The anxious father
stood by his son's bedside, watching with anguished eyes as the youth faded.
The physicians had despaired; in low voices they informed him there was no cure
to be found.
At that instant, the great Torah sage and Kabbalist, then forty-two years old,
raised his hands to Heaven and breathed, "Master of the Universe, take my
life as atonement in exchange for my son's - a life for a life."
Astonishingly, the boy rallied, and in time regained full health.
This occurred in Morocco in the year 5542 (1782). Rabbi Amram Ben Diwan, who
lived in Jerusalem where he was born, had travelled with his son, Chayim, on a
mission among the Jewish communities of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia on behalf
of the Jewish settlement in the Land of Israel. He travelled through villages and
towns, collecting coin by coin. Everywhere he was greeted with reverence and
affection; people flocked to behold one of the great sages of the Land.
Before long, bitter news spread through the Maghreb[1]: Rabbi Amram had
fallen ill and on the fifteenth of Av at the young age of 42, was taken to his
eternal rest. Jews throughout Morocco accompanied him in throngs to his burial
in the cemetery at Asjen, a village about four miles (9 kilometers) from
Ouezzane[2], weeping for the great luminary who had been taken from them. His
grave became a shrine, a place of pilgrimage; many segulot miracles were
ascribed to it, and Jews from the entire region came to pray there.
Pilgrimages swelled on Lag B’Omer, when crowds
traditionally visited the tomb, kindled great bonfires and danced in honor of
the holy Tanna (sage of the Mishnah), Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.
The tales of salvations and wonders that emanated from Rabbi Amram's gravesite
had even reached the ears of the Arabs, arousing much curiosity - a sore provocation
to the Muslim governor of Ouezzane. A declared enemy of the Jews, he resolved
to quash the phenomenon.
One year, on the approach of Lag B’Omer, he issued a proclamation forbidding Jews to approach the
grave on that night, warning that any violator would pay for it with his life.
The sudden edict cast the regional Jewish communities into fear. With heavy
hearts and fearing for their safety, they obeyed. On the eve of Lag B’Omer they shut themselves indoors, full of sorrow at the great loss
the cruel governor had inflicted upon them.
But the decree had not reached Jews who lived great distances away and had
already begun their annual journey to Asjen. Only upon reaching Ouezzane did
they learn of the new ban, and they were filled with grief over it, and the
wasted toil of their long journey.
Night fell on Lag B’Omer and tension in
Asjen reached its peak. The governor stationed troops along every road that led
to the cemetery; armed police patrolled searching with sevenfold vigilance for
any Jew who might defy the order and slip into the area of the tomb. The burial
plot, which each year shone with light and was full of dancing crowds, lay
deserted and shrouded in unbroken darkness. Jewish hearts ached.
And yet, precisely at the traditional hour for lighting the bonfire, a wondrous
thing occurred. The dark village was suddenly suffused with light, as if a vast
pyre had descended from the heavens and turned night into day.
The soldiers, stunned, turned toward the cemetery and their eyes widened in amazement:
an immense bonfire blazing in the courtyard of the tomb, its flames soaring
toward the sky and illuminating the entire area. From afar came the sounds of
rejoicing: a multitude of voices in song and shouts of jubilation.
The troops ground their teeth in fury. Had the Jews dared to defy the governor
and kindle a fire at the tomb? They rushed over to seize the offenders and
punish them, but upon reaching the gravesite they found that the sights and
sounds had ceased, and darkness and silence held sway; the spectacle had
vanished. The soldiers stood bewildered. Could this possibly be a misleading
mirage?
Perplexed, they retreated - only to see the mysterious fire blaze again and
hear the sounds resume. They vaulted onto their horses and thundered back to
the cemetery, determined not to let the Jews escape their hands.
Once more, arriving at the enclosure, they found nothing but the whisper of
crickets and the hush of night. Terrible suppositions filled their minds:
Surely the Jews were employing supernatural powers; perhaps they were
practicing occult arts and had summoned demons and spirits to mock the
governor.
Panic gripped them. Fearing that soon the malign forces would attack and harm
them, they fled to the governor's residence and, in emotional turmoil,
recounted the wondrous spectacle occurring at the cemetery.
The governor found their report too incredible to believe. He resolved to see
for himself. He accompanied his men and quickly perceived that they had spoken
truth. He He rode a distance away from the tomb site and then returned, and to
his continuing astonishment observed the same alternation of light and dark,
sound and silence. For a few minutes he stood motionless, pondering how to act.
At last he concluded that maintaining the prohibition would only amplify the
miracle's renown and add still more prestige to the sage's tomb. Better, he
decided, to permit the Jews their customary visitation.
His reversal spread swiftly. In short order thousands of Jews thronged the
gravesite, dancing and rejoicing around an actual wood-fuelled bonfire,
exclaiming praise and gratitude to the Creator for the great miracle wrought
through the merit of the Tzadik, Rabbi Amram Ben Diwan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Freely adapted and supplemented by Yerachmiel Tilles from the
rendition in the Chabad Hebrew weekly, Sichat HaShavua (#1389) based on
the book "Choot Shel Chesed" ("A Thread of
Kindness").
Biographical note:
Rabbi Amram Ben Diwan [c. 5500 (1739) - 15 Av, 5542 (1782)], born in Jerusalem,
was an esteemed Torah scholar and Kabbalist, who contributed to the elevation
and dissemination of Torah in all the communities of Morocco during the years
that he lived there. He was also known for his miracles. His blessings always
came to pass, and Jews would travel from all the towns of Morocco to urgently
seek his blessings and advice. His burial place in Asjen (a village near the
city of Oxazine) has long been a place of pilgrimage for all Moroccan Jews. [A
book in English about him is "The Miracle Worker - Stories about the
tzaddik Rabbi Amram Ben Diwan."]
Footnotes:
[1] A region in Africa that contains the 3 countries mentioned in the preceding
paragraph, as well as a few smaller ones.
[2] In modern English spelling: Wazen. a city in northern Morocco, with a
population of 59,600 recorded in the 2014 Moroccan census.
[3] And also on his yahrzeit, the 15th of the Jewish month of Av.
Milestone: Rabbi Aryeh
Stern, 81, Rabbi Aryeh Stern, the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem
and one of the most prominent rabbinic figures in Religious Zionism over the
last generation, passed away on Wednesday night at the age of 81. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426678
Milestone: Dr. Edith
Eva Eger, 98, The holocaust psychologist who healed herself. https://sfi.usc.edu/news/2026/04/37811-auschwitz-survivor-dr-edith-eger-psychologist-who-healed-herself
Inyanay Diyoma
May 2nd and
May 3rd
Day 939 and Day 940
since Oct. 7th Day 62 and Day 63 of Roaring Lion/Epic Fury start of
week 135
Trump has invited the
Lebanese President and Israel PM this week to the White House, so it appears
there will be no fight. After the meeting or non-meeting, everything is on the
table. https://www.timesofisrael.com/senior-iranian-officer-warns-war-with-us-likely-after-trump-rebuffs-latest-proposal/
Over night update to
102 https://www.timesofisrael.com/man-shot-dead-in-shfaram-in-100th-killing-of-2026-in-arab-community/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/soldier-seriously-wounded-during-hazing-ritual-4-comrades-indicted/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2026/05/01/iran-expected-ramp-up-chemical-biological-weapons-programs/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/uss-spirit-airlines-goes-bankrupt-amid-iran-war-price-fuel-surge/
Not all present and
accounted for sir! https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/two-us-troops-missing-during-african-lion-exercise-morocco-africom-says-2026-05-03/
Iranians teaching
Israeli pre-school. Thai security forces found 89
Israeli children at an illegally operated preschool on the island of Koh
Phangan, Thai media reported Saturday. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/by5n11r7a11x
More IAF squadrons
approved. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bjl9xuer11g
2 Flotilla activists
with terror ties detained. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/h1fzzjna11l
Microsoft finally
admits an ad problem. https://www.ynetnews.com/tech-and-digital/article/r1k3povcze
When Shalom Beis needs
a working on. https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/rycf752611g?tbref=hp
Syrian Activist becomes
a Jew. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bjuqeo7r11l
On
Friday, the IAF struck and destroyed a launcher that was loaded and ready to
fire toward Israeli territory, following direction from troops on the ground.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426430
Jerusalem
District police officers and Border Police forces foiled an attempted break-in
and Passover sacrifice on the Temple Mount last Friday, after a group of
suspects allegedly tried to bring a young goat onto the site. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426456
In
several incidents earlier on Saturday, IDF troops operating in the southern
Gaza Strip identified four terrorists who crossed the Yellow Line and
approached the troops, posing an immediate threat to them. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426425
Booby traps of
Hezballah. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426397
Removing enriched
Uranium critical. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426403
Netanyahu
opened his remarks by emphasizing the country’s resilience, saying:
“Israel
is stronger than ever, and Israel must always be much stronger than our
enemies.
Therefore, I believe in two principles: military buildup and
independence." https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426461
Terrorist fleeing by
foot eliminated. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426459
A
Brooklyn woman has filed a lawsuit against the New York State Department of
Motor Vehicles, alleging she was forced to remove her religious head covering
during a driver’s license photo, in violation of her faith. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426462
Time to defeat Hamas. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426445
Execution in Iran. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-894941
Ganz in trouble as best
friend quits. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-894934
May 4th
Day 941 since Oct. 7th
Day 64 of Roaring Lion/Epic Fury
Trump has just about
had it with Iran. He is waiting another week or two until they have to cap
their oil wells. They are good negotiators, bluffers and talkers but nothing
more. Obama and his propagandists managed to kick the can down the road and a
left-wing Media obliged until Iran was almost Nuclear.
Op-Ed Iran is far from
the breaking point. https://www.ynetnews.com/opinions-analysis/article/sjl100krrzx
https://www.foxnews.com/media/seattles-socialist-mayor-slammed-dismissive-wave-tax-weary-residents
Hamas elections and
disarming impasse. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426505
https://www.algemeiner.com/2026/05/03/hezbollah-pays-steep-price-in-battle-to-reverse-its-fortunes/
More Charedim are drafted. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426502
Seven
veteran reserve judges of the military courts in Judea and Samaria were
promoted last week to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, in a ceremony presided
over by the President of the Military Court of Appeals, Maj. Gen. Orly Markman.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426485
In two months in
northern Gaza, 8 terror tunnels were demolished. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426470
More security for
Putin. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/ryf9rnsawx
Eisenkot (left) –
Lieberman (right) in preliminary merger talks. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hy11v11ihawx
A
lawsuit brought by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez against Meta
over child safety online—already dealt a crushing blow to the social media
giant months ago—may now reshape the entire industry. https://www.ynetnews.com/tech-and-digital/article/rj2lh3b0bg
Some European Countries
are awakening. https://www.jpost.com/international/article-895029
Falklands or Malvinas an Ed-Op: https://www.jpost.com/international/article-895029
The New School tries to ban Hillel. https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-894930
More UNWRA-Hamas ties. https://www.jpost.com/podcast/jpost-headlines/article-894951
Lag B’ Omer Charedi vs saving a
life! https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-894909
May 5th
Day 942 since Oct. 7th Day 65 of Roaring
Lion/Epic Fury Lag B’ Omer
Planes over my head at 3AM was it a drill for a future
attack?
From Fox: Two
U.S. Navy destroyers transited the Strait of Hormuz
under Iranian fire Monday as the vessels came under a barrage of small boats,
missiles and drones, according to reports.
The
USS Truxtun and USS Mason were backed by fighter aircraft and AH-64 Apache
helicopters during the encounter, with officials describing it as a
"sustained barrage," the CBS report said.
Despite
the attack, neither of the destroyers was impacted, with forces intercepting or
deterring each threat.
You know that elections are coming up when a Druze Party forms. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-895108
Over a century after
her destruction, the wreckage of the United States Coast
Guard (USCG) Cutter Tampa has been
found by the British volunteer technical-diving team Gasperados. https://www.jpost.com/history/article-895100
Avia, the widow of
Yishai Slotki who was killed in action on the Gaza
border on October 7 alongside his brother Noam, married Micha Goldenberg on Lag
B'Omer.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426583
Anti-Israeli group in Cypress. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426581
US
President Donald Trump on Monday issued a proclamation marking May 2026 as
Jewish American Heritage Month, highlighting the contributions of Jewish
Americans throughout the nation’s history and announcing a national Sabbath to
be observed later this month. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426567
Hezballah
motorcyclist taken out. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426572
Nuclear
Breakout Time for Iran is still 9 months or less. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426558
Murder
of teen in 2019 solved. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426523
Terrorist
approached the yellow line. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426524
A
tour of a Hezballah weapons depot before it was exploded. The 226th
Brigade, in cooperation with the Yahalom Unit, destroyed an approximately
30-meter-long underground tunnel route used by the Hezbollah terrorist
organization to advance attacks against IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426546
Iran
warns Trump on Project Freedom: https://www.ynetnews.com/article/r1xxrxp0bl
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rudy-giulianis-primary-care-provider-gives-update-his-condition
Charedi lawmakers want the Draft Bill.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bk11eikdc11e
Israel
on a dangerous debit path. Israel on a dangerous
debt path as war costs and defense demands surge
The only way to have
peace in Lebanon is to remove Hezballah Ed-Op. https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-895104
South Korea ship
attacked in the straits of Hormuz. https://www.jpost.com/international/article-895085
May 6th
Day 943 since Oct. 7th Day 66 of Roaring Lion/Epic Fury Lag B’
Omer
It was reported that we were close to a renewed conflict with Iran a
few days ago after the attacks on the destroyers. Trump played down the attacks
on the Emirates but there is nothing to pooh-pooh about. If it was not for Iron
Dome manned by IDF trainers, the story might have been different.
The Israeli Channel 12 is having a series of projected population of
Israel in 2048. 15,200,000 people of which close to 24% will be Charedi, and
32% Modern Orthodox. The Arabs and other non-Jew will be 3.5 – 4,000,000 or
20-25% of the population and the rest non-observant Jews. Leaving for the
diaspora will characterize many non-religious Jews. Already, the war has
created a negative flow of Jews from Israel. Many are moving to Cypress making
the price of housing go up. The cost of living and taxes are less. The land is
more at peace. Still the Israelis do keep up with what goes on in Israel. My
visits to FL and Baltimore constitute a more tranquil climate on the service.
But they are teeming with undercurrents of antisemitism.
The Jew is taught from birth you are a guest in the host country and
integrates. The Muslim is taught everybody will be Muslim and pushes for the
host country to convert (not every individual but via the Mosque). https://thejewishindependent.com.au/israel-2048-a-ticking-haredi-time-bomb/
https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/trump-iran-project-freedom-strait-hormuz-may-5
Rubio declares Epic Fury over: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426618
https://www.timesofisrael.com/former-shin-bet-chief-yoram-cohen-joins-eisenkots-yashar-party/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/ahmed-fouad-alkhatib-israel-has-re-embraced-hamas-rule-in-gaza/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-hiker-found-dead-in-japan-after-5-day-search/
https://www.foxnews.com/travel/major-airline-ditches-snacks-short-flights-zero-service-sparks-debate
https://www.algemeiner.com/2026/05/05/us-israel-said-plan-new-iran-strikes-tehran-pounds-uae/
German
authorities have filed indictments in two separate cases involving two married
couples accused of stealing money and valuable items from public spaces. In
Bavaria, a couple is on trial at the regional court in Kempten. In that case,
the allegations involve prolonged theft of coins from municipal parking
meters. https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/rjjsxloawx
Israeli Left TKO United
Arab Parties. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426622
The
IDF confirmed on Tuesday that on Monday, it eliminated Anas Muhammad Ibrahim
Hamed, a Nukhba commander in the Hamas terrorist organization in the central
Gaza Strip. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426587
Response to drones. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426613
Senior Defense
Officials pushing for new military campaign against Iran.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426632
PLO the same ole
terrorists. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426634
US wants Israel-Lebanon
talks BUT… https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426627
Next Muslim Nuke Threat: Turkey
continues to accelerate the race for strategic armament and yesterday (Tuesday)
presented what appears to be the new peak of its domestic defense industry: the
country's first intercontinental ballistic missile.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426633
French Vessel attacked.
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-895268
May 7th
Day 944 since Oct. 7th Day 67 of Roaring Lion/Epic Fury Lag B’ Omer
The chance of a renewed
war in Gaza grows higher as the “Board of Peace” is powerless to disarm Hamas.
Last night, two top commanders of Hezballah were eliminated in Beirut. Iran’s
reaction and dismantling the Nuclear Capabilities is an unknown factor.
Breaking News: All
Israeli Vacationers were told that their vacations were cancelled.
The US Demands. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426709
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/05/07/these-are-israels-red-lines-for-iran-deal/
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/05/07/from-air-and-sea-hamas-is-rebuilding/
Saudis forced Trump to
abandon shipping freedom. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426682
7 soldiers injured by
Hezballah Drones yesterday.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426664
85 Hezballah Shachidim
this week. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/flashes/684968
“The
cat is out of the bag. It is as I have said from the beginning: Netanyahu has
not, and never had, any intention of honoring the coalition agreement and his
commitment to the Haredi parties,” Goldknopf said in a statement. https://www.timesofisrael.com/pm-said-to-ask-haredim-to-again-shelve-draft-exemption-bill-this-time-until-after-election/
Rabbi Hirsch withdraws his opposition. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426675
https://www.timesofisrael.com/police-officer-receives-promotion-after-ben-gvir-drops-opposition/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2026/05/06/mamdani-hedges-response-mob-targeting-new-york-city-synagogue/
Erdan mulling a new
political party. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426686
The Islamic regime tortured and mistreated
prisoners ahead of their execution on Saturday, according to letters and
recorded phone calls shared with The Jerusalem Post by the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN)
on Wednesday.
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-895383
Instead of running with
Ofer Winter they are running full gas in neutral. Moshe Feiglin,
chairman of the Zehut party, and former Knesset member Michael Ben-Ari agreed
in a meeting held today to run together in the upcoming elections.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426669
J. Pollard also a bit
late unless he joins some established political party. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426646
The
Military Police attempted overnight (Wednesday) to arrest a yeshiva student
from the Gerer Hasidic community in Dimona after he was defined by authorities
as a draft evader. Forces arrived at his home, but he did not open the door. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426666
Shabbos times. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/shabat
Hezballah rocket
launchers destroyed. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426699
An
internal Operations Directorate document distributed by the IDF in May 2025
under Maj. Gen. Oded Basiuk warned about the growing threat now exacting a
heavy toll on the northern front - fiber-optic explosive drones, military
correspondent Doron Kadosh revealed on Galei Zahal (Army Radio). https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426695
Ramla
Magistrate’s Court President Menachem Mizrahi ordered Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu on Thursday to submit his medical file so the court can determine
when he was diagnosed with prostate
cancer, as part of defamation lawsuits Netanyahu filed against
journalist Uri Misgav and activist Gonen Ben Yitzhak.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rydm9ct011e
Weak Dollar squeezes
Israeli Hi-tech. https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/s1lp2tkcbx
Understanding the
Iranian Nuclear Threat. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-895346
May 8th
Day 945 since Oct. 7th Day 68 of Roaring Lion/Epic Fury Lag B’
Omer end of week 135
The opposition is
trying to bring 50,000 abroad voters to Israel via charter flights to swing 3
mandates or more in the elections and put them over the threshold.
I can’t claim
that my analysis is correct but this is the way I see things as of today.
President Trump in my humble opinion is waiting for his meeting with XI of
China and Iran is a nuisance to him now. He is playing it down and playing like
he has all the time in the world.
Each time
the CIA comes up with an analysis it seems that 70% of their missiles and
launchers are still intact and they can withstand a Hormuz blockage for perhaps
5 months. I smell midterms in America. Trump cannot be looked upon as
chickening out. Iran is dragging its feet. It is a matter of a week or so
before either they capitulate or they get their heads bashed in. I have a
feeling their fanatical leaders will probably miscalculate the Trump Resolve.
I think the
only reason he overlooked the attacks this week is to meet with the Chinese and
not be Commander-in-Chief until next weekend.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-to-host-third-round-of-talks-between-israel-and-lebanon-next-week/
https://www.foxnews.com/us/paralyzed-subway-victim-confronts-attacker-calls-actions-evil-sentencing
Besides the ICBMs,
Turkey has developed their own planes. They don’t want to rely either on the US
or Russia. They are run by a megalomaniac. https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/05/07/report-spain-in-talks-to-buy-turkish-fighter-jet/
Turkey, the new home of
Hamas. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426750
Irish will forfeit
rather than play Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426752
Immunity battle in
Knesset. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426732
Mia’s Hamas Abductor is
a Shachid. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426730
Bethlehem firebomb cell
captured. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426721
PA Policeman and ISIS
arrested. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426725
Massive oil slick off
of Kharg Island. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bkjrp11j0wl
Poll: A merger that
could secure the opposition victory. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-895554
Hegseth said
he would neither “confirm nor deny whether [the US] has kamikaze dolphins.” https://www.jpost.com/international/article-895480
Norway to buy Rafael
weapon. https://www.jpost.com/defense-and-tech/article-895553
Have a
healthy, happy, peaceful and restful Shabbos,
Rachamim Pauli
