Going Home ... To Yerushalayim

"GET" That Hackers!

2012-01-26T06:23:00.004-05:00

HACKERS WERE DOING THEIR WORK, BUT A DIVINE INTERVENTION TOOK PLACE

'Hackers Fulfilled Divine Plan' on the Tarmac, American Says

A passenger on that flight, Naomi Feldman, told Arutz Sheva in an exclusive interview Thursday morning, “We were sitting there for at least three hours, but after a while, you start to wonder.”

For Feldman, however, it turned out well. “A friend needed my presence here to receive her Get (divorce contract) and I had been unable to arrange it due to my schedule. “'How can I manage without you?' she begged me, and I did not know what to say to her,” Feldman told Arutz Sheva. “Maybe I should thank these hackers for obeying Hashem's wishes – now I am sitting with her in Beis Din rabbinical court in Jerusalem.”

Oh, My Gosh, What Have I Done?

2012-01-26T06:18:00.000-05:00

Somehow I lost my layout.

Everything is messed up.

Don't know what to do now.

My links are gone.

A whole new challenge has entered my life.

What in the world am I going to do.

GOOGLE, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?

You and your "updated interface"

CLEAR WARNING ... WAKE UP AMERICAN JEWS

2012-01-26T03:43:00.003-05:00

Once Again, Rabbi Brody has given us a clear warning. From his blog:

Rav Yehuda Zev Lebowitz of saintly and blessed memory was a Kabbalist and hidden tzaddik as well as a Holocaust survivor. Little is known of him, for he lived his life far away from spotlights. Yet, his word carried tremendous weight in the Heavenly realm. What many don't know is that he was one of Rav Shalom Arush's principle spiritual guides. Rav Yehuda Zev, a holy man with the eyes of a sonogram, could not stomach anything other than absolute holiness. Many big rabbis were therefore afraid to approach him, for he could smell if they were the real deal or not. He loved Rav Shalom. He didn't leave much in the physical world, but he bequeathed his tefillin to Rav Shalom.

Before he died, he told Rav Shalom three things, the first two of which have materialized:

1. Uprisings and infighting will sweep through the Arab countries;

2. Bibi will not be able to attack Iran; Hashem will use other means as He did with Sadaam Hussein.

I don't want to repeat the third thing that Rav Yehuda Zev said, for it hasn't materialized yet. But, I urge our cherished brothers and sisters outside of Israel to start praying and planning to make Aliya, the sooner the better.

GLENN BECK WARNS

2012-01-25T15:04:00.000-05:00

New Prediction – Economic Collapse: 1st to Europe then to U.S. and the World

Tuesday, Jan 24, 2012 at 9:35 PM EST

Glenn took time today to breakdown a new theory and prediction on what was facing the globe as economic conditions across the country continue to decline. Many will remember that last year Glenn predicted the Arab Spring would sweep the Middle East and Europe before leading to protests in the United States. He was right. Tonight on GBTV, he laid out what he predicts is coming next.

Last year when the protests started to erupt in Egypt, Glenn went on the record early and said the following:

1) Groups from the hardcore socialist left, and extreme Islam will work together because of the common enemy of Israel.

2) Groups from the hardcore socialist left and extreme Islam will work together because of the common enemy of capitalism.

3) Groups from the hardcore socialist left, and extreme Islam will work together to overturn relative stability, because in the status quo, they are both ostracized from power and the mainstream in most of the world.

He predicted that those protests would become contagious, cascade, sweep the Middle East, and begin to destabilize Europe and the rest of the world.

That sure sounds a lot like the Arab Spring and the Occupy Wall Street movement, doesn’t it?

Tonight, Glenn’s new theory was revealed.

Economic Collapse is coming. First to Europe, then to the U.S. and the rest of the world.
As a result:
1) The dollar will no longer be gold standard.
2) Civil War, unlike Civil War of the 1860s, will be fought in our inner cities led by radicals (anarchists, communists, revolutionaries, and Islamists)
3) This conflict will be fed and fueled by those in power in Washington D.C. and in our universities
4) Global War is coming
5) Radical Islamists and Communists will seek violence in our cities and on our border as they pour in from South America and Mexico to reclaim land
6) Farmers will be urged to farm collectively
7) Violence and famine will follow

How will this happen?

Glenn explained by taking a look at war, collapse, hate, and government control already taking place in society and in the news across the world.

First, he discussed war and collapse:

Then he discussed hate growing in America and across the globe:

Finally, he discussed control:

Glenn will be sure to discuss these issues more over the next few days and weeks on GBTV. Stay tuned for more on this story.

Stunning Pictures of Huge Sun Flare

2012-01-24T03:35:00.007-05:00

A powerful solar eruption is expected to blast a stream of charged particles toward Earth tomorrow (Jan. 24), as the strongest radiation storm since 2005 rages on the sun.

CREDIT: NASA/SDO and the AIA Consortium/Edited by J. Major

Early this morning (0359 GMT Jan. 23, which corresponds to late Sunday, Jan. 22 at 10:59 p.m. EST), NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory caught an extreme ultraviolet flash from a huge eruption on the sun. About Sun Storms.

RADIATION STORM IN PROGRESS: Solar protons accelerated by this morning's M9-class solar flare are streaming past Earth. On the NOAA scale of radiation storms, this one ranks S3, which means it could, e.g., cause isolated reboots of computers onboard Earth-orbiting satellites and interfere with polar radio communications. An example of satellite effects: The "snow" in this SOHO coronagraph movie is caused by protons hitting the observatory's onboard camera.

"This was amazing," he says. "It was a wonderful experience to see these stunning auroras." For the next 24 hours, Earth's magnetic field reverberated from the impact, stirring bright auroras around the Arctic Circle. Bjørn Jørgensen observed this display from Tromsø, Norway:

NOAA forecasters estimate a 10% - 25% chance of continued geomagnetic storms tonight as effects from the CME impact subside. The odds will increase again on Jan. 24-25 as a new CME (from today's M9-clare) approaches Earth. High-latitude sky watchers should remain alert for auroras.

Report Sources: Space Weather and Space.com

This Is The Future of The Children And The Nation

2012-01-22T01:14:00.007-05:00

LET THE INGATHERING CONTINUE ...

Sephardic, Ashkenazi girls study together in harmony in Beit Yaakov School in Tel Zion.

"The community is located near the West Bank city of Ramallah. These days, while we often hear of discrimination against members of the Ethiopian community and of haredi institutions restricting the number of Sephardic students, a place where Sephardic and Ashkenazi girls study together in harmony is a real beacon of light.

"It's a beautiful ingathering of the exiles. There's no difference between one person and another. The words Sephardic and Ashkenazi have been erased from our lexicon ... The only parameter in admitting children to schools or kindergartens is their religious level," says Rabbi David Azoulay, chairman of the community committee.

"I feel like part of something historic in the haredi public, a real model of life together," ... "There is a very high spiritual and educational level here, as well as huge education value the girls receive because of the friendship and interaction."

"My daughters learn different customs, different cultures, play with girls who speak Yiddish. It's enriching and fruitful. I'm proud to be living in such a place."

AND ON THE SIDE OF THE DIVIDE

Seminary refuses to admit Sephardic girls
Kol Hai Radio on Sunday aired a recording of a principal of a haredi high school for girls in Beitar Illit, complaining about the number of Sephardic students he must deal with: "Not every year (…) absolutely not. Are you aware of the amount of Sephardic girls? I can't, I just can't," the principal is heard saying."

Can a Government Treason Itself?

2012-01-17T14:42:00.013-05:00

Gush Katif was devastating
Arnona was deplorable
And now Migron!

Migron to Resemble Disengagement
I don't believe that they're (B & B) doing this again.

I hope MK Orlev leaves the coalition, and that others do the same because someone has to take a stand against these tragedies.

Unbelievable. We must protest against this, if only with words. That Jews are removing Jewish men, women and children from their homes in order to placate the Arabs! To contribute to the American President's reelection!

Can a government treason itself?

Treason: "a giving up, handing over, surrender, delivery, tradition”, “give up, hand over, deliver over, betray”

Is not the Israeli Government acting in collusion with the those that want to 'push us Jews into the sea'?

Collusion: A secret agreement for an illegal purpose; conspiracy.

ArutzSheva: "Netanyahu Blocks 'Migron Bill'
MK Orlev thinks Prime Minister decided to postpone vote legalizing outpost because it has a majority.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu instructed the Ministerial Committee for Legislation not to vote Sunday on a bill that would prevent the demolition of outposts. The bill is known as the Outpost Authorization Bill or the Migron Bill – because its early passage would prevent the demolition of that outpost, scheduled to take place by March.

MK Zevulun Orlev (Jewish Home), who sponsored the bill, told Arutz Sheva that Netanyahu apparently knows that the bill has the support of a majority of the committee's members, and therefore wants to avoid a vote.

Orlev repeated previous warnings – by him and the other members of the Jewish Home – that they intend to leave the coalition if Migron is razed. Such a move would "send shockwaves through the coalition," he said. While the Jewish Home faction is only made up of three MKs, if they bolt the coalition, a domino effect could cause other MKs to rebel, including some Likud MKs who oppose the Migron demolition."

Infighting the Ingathering

2012-01-17T11:46:00.004-05:00

Infighting the Ingathering

The Sikrikim, money laundering, violence in the name of tsnius, turf wars, the evoking of WWII images, demeaning the elderly sages, is all together a symptom of a slow internal disintegration ... but only to make way for an increased Ingathering.

The imminent Geula will hopefully bring many Jews back to our homeland from far and distant lands. They may look different and may have differing customs and way of dressing. What will be needed if and when this takes place is tolerance and compassion to enable these remnants of our wandering family to integrate into the larger community of Jews already living here on our Land.

The Sikrikim are a force from the other side who spiritually oppose the completion of the Ingathering begun since the 50's. The ideology of opposing the Geula is a repetition of the Miraglim (leaders) who opposed the newly formed nation of Jews from entering the Land at G-d's invitation.

The repeat of these ancient forces must occur so that all of Am Yisrael in fulfillment of the laws of Teshuva (in the same situation but not doing the same aveira) will be countering this opposing force. This may be the meaning of "all Am Yisrael will do teshuva in the end of days." Of course, the basic Halachos will need to be in effect; but when the neshoma is awakened via the Shechina it will happen out of love and awe.

Unfortunately:

"During Hanukkah the Belzer Rebbe made a statement (with officials in attendance) against violence, “If there are those among us who believe they will spread the light of Yiddishkheit through violence, they are mistaken.” Rabbi Zalman Teitelbaum, one of the two Satmar rebbes, responded at a fundraising dinner held for his institutions by condemning the Belzer Rebbe's words and endorsing violence, says Ladaat here with a verbal recording of the Belzer Rebbe's words here and Rabbi Zalman's words here.

Interesting Update: The gabbei of Belzer Rebbe, R’ Shimon Wolf Klein and a delegation of ten Belzer dayanim from all over the world paid a visit today to the kever of the Satmar Rebbe, R’ Yoel, zt’l, in Kiryas Joel, and asked for mechila from the Satmar Rebbe in the name of the Belzer Rebbe. Belz/Satmar Reconciliation.

However, this 'gang' and their source of support is being scrutinized by the legal authorities of the State of Israel.

This source of funds is coming from Chutz L'Aretz. But we see that the World's economy is teetering on a precipice of Divine origin. Nothing is coincidence. The financial support of Sikrikim is slowly dwindling, as the greater economy is squeezing people into submission to a socialist lifestyle.

Because of this he American Yidden also will be squeezed slowly into an intolerable position, causing more who are able to flee these constraints. However, new laws enacted by the American Government do not allow Americans to transfer large amounts of funds into a foreign bank account. So what does one do if he sells his home and wants to take the cash with him to Israel, to buy a home? I don't know how this will affect Aliya to Israel, or how this affects tzedaka organizations that send money to Israel? How is it being done?

The following I read on one of the Geula mailings I receive from Rabbi Pinchas Winston Shlit"a: "Someone living in Eretz Yisroel, formerly from the States, wished to transfer his money from US funds into Israeli currency, by purchasing BOI bonds (not Israeli bonds). He was told that he was not eligible to do so, and had President Obama to thank for that - a limitation on his ability to spend US Dollars abroad was new and chilling." For world financial updates visit Zero Hedge. For more on Geula from Rabbi Winston, visit ShaarNun Productions.

Further prodding into the Ingathering.

This tension between Eretz Yisrael and Chutz L'Aretz will continue. The Golus Edom must cease in it's power and the Geula must proceed, so say the Prophets of HaShem. We are and have been witnessing these struggles for many years. There is slow but definitive progress. What was just a topic among few 20 and 10 years ago has now become common knowledge among many, and a daily scruitiny by others. Some are even counting the days. Geula update.

Baruch HaShem

Today is the Rambam's Yahrtzeit

2012-01-15T11:06:00.002-05:00

Want to know Moshiach's job description?

And his qualifications for the job?

Open up Chapter 11 in Rambam's Laws of Kings.

There you will find the ONLY laws ever written about who Moshiach is and what he has to do.

Today, Sunday, the 20th Teves, is the Rambam's yahrtzeit. Please join the Ladies of Crown Heights in a farbrengan about the Laws of Kings.

Call: 605.475.6350

Or go to Greet Moshiach and click on 'Live Class' in upper right corner.

Google Gets 'Personal' ... Official Evesdroppers

2012-01-12T11:21:00.004-05:00

Google Search Undergoes ‘Most Radical Transformation Ever’

or is this Evesdropping? A Rose by any other name is still a Rose.

"In a change that’s been called the “most radical transformation ever” to Google’s search engine, the Mountain View, California, company on Tuesday announced an update called “Search, plus Your World,” which causes Google’s robots to incorporate data from its social network as well as the public Internet when delivering search results to people.

“Search is pretty amazing at finding that one needle in a haystack of billions of Web pages, images, videos, news and much more,”Google said in a blog post on Tuesday morning.

“But clearly, that isn’t enough. You should also be able to find your own stuff on the Web, the people you know and things they’ve shared with you, as well as the people you don’t know but might want to … all from one search box.”

The company added: “Search is simply better with your world in it.”

"On the prominent blog Search Engine Land, Danny Sullivan writes that the updates fundamentally change the way Google’s search engine functions, calling it the “most radical” change ever.

“The new system will perhaps make life much easier for some people, allowing them to find both privately shared content from friends and family plus material from across the Web through a single search, rather than having to search twice using two different systems,” he writes.

“However, Search Plus Your World may cause some privacy worries, as private content may appear as if it is exposed publicly (it is not). It might also cause concern by making private content more visible to friends and family than those sharing may have initially intended.”

Read more here

From GLENN BECK's The Blaze, the details:

"The Electronic Privacy Information Center is saying it may file a letter of complaint to the Federal Trade Commission because, although the new search function allows users to opt out of having personal information show up in their results, it doens’t give users the ability to “opt out of having their information found through Google search” by others.

"The LA Times blog has more from EPIC’s Executive Director Marc Rotenberg:

“Google is an entrenched player trying to fight off its challenger Facebook by using its market dominance in a separate sector,” Rotenberg said. “I think that should trouble people.” Critics also say the move raises alarm bells for consumer privacy. “Although data from a user’s Google+ contacts is not displayed publicly, Google’s changes make the personal data of users more accessible,” EPIC said in a note on his website.

The Blaze has pictures showing it works or doesnt work here

And another "COINCIDENCE' Homeland security says it will monitor social media. Glenn compares their new strategies to Italy's latest fascist trends (not 'fashion' but fascist)!

?CONTROVERSIAL SITES?

Homeland Security's eye are on, to name a few:

"These include social networking sites Facebook and My Space - though there is a parenthetical notice that My Space only affords a "limited search" capability - and more than a dozen sites that monitor, aggregate and enable searches of Twitter messages and exchanges.

"Among blogs and aggregators on the list are ABC News' investigative blog "The Blotter;" blogs that cover bird flu; several blogs related to news and activity along U.S. borders (DHS runs border and immigration agencies); blogs that cover drug trafficking and cybercrime; and websites that follow wildfires in Los Angeles and hurricanes.

"News and gossip sites on the monitoring list include popular destinations such as the Drudge Report, Huffington Post and "NY Times Lede Blog", as well as more focused techie fare such as the Wired blogs "Threat Level" and "Danger Room." Numerous blogs related to terrorism and security are also on the list."

Continue reading HERE

A Story About Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv Shlit"A

2012-01-11T10:43:00.008-05:00

A Very Very Long Yated Story by Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz, Editor, The Yated

But Very Very Interesting

Yisgadeil Veyiskadeish Shemei Rabboh

The story is told of a woman who was married for sixteen years and had not been blessed with children. Pain and loneliness were her daily companions. She begged her father, a great tzaddik, and her husband, an illustrioustalmid chochom, to daven along with her, but the wait continued.

One day, a little over one hundred years ago, before the advent of washing machines and dryers, she spent several hours washing the family’s clothing. When that task was finally completed, as was her habit every week, she hung up the freshly-cleaned laundry in the courtyard she shared with other families. A neighbor, for some unknown reason, became upset at the sight of the hanging clothing, flew into a rage, and ran inside her home to get a scissors. She returned and cut both ends of the rope, sending all the clean clothing into the mud, ruining hours of hard work.

The housewife was upset and burst into tears. She hurried into the privacy of her home and gave vent to her distress there, weeping in solitude. Then she went and engaged in the long process all over again, this time hanging her laundry to dry in a neighboring courtyard.

That evening, the offending neighbor came to the house crying, begging forgiveness. “I don’t know what came over me. I am so sorry. Please be mochel me. Plus, I already got my punishment. My son is sick, burning up with fever.”

The woman forgave her and wished her son a refuah sheleimah. The story is told in many different versions, but the way I heard it, upon hearing the commotion, the woman’s father looked up from his learning and asked what had transpired.

With much emotion, she related the story. She explained that the cruel actions of her neighbor had been too much for her to handle in her already fragile state and she couldn’t calm down. But rather than react with angry words to her neighbor, she went inside her home to express her pain in private. She told him how she then went and redid the laundry, without making a machlokes or telling anyone.

“The fact that you didn’t respond to her and prevented this from becoming a fight,” said the father, “will be the merit you need to be helped. Your great deed will grant you a child who will be great.”

One year later, a son was born.

The zaide was the author of the classic sefer, Leshem Shevo Ve’achlama, Rav Shlomo Elyashiv. The baby who was born was Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv. (His father adopted the family name of his wife when they sought certificates to leave Lithuania to British-controlled Palestine.)

There is a message here for us. Beneath the surface understanding of the story lies a reminder that our own revered gadol hador was a gift to the generation brought about by the middah of vatronus, by a chastened woman remaining calm and peaceful.

Devorim gedolim einam bemikreh. Rav Elyashiv would become a son-in-law of Rav Aryeh Levine, arebbe in how to treat others and in appreciating the worth and dignity of every person.

The Medrash (Bereishis Rabbah 8:5) states that when Hashem created the world, there was a commotion. “Shalom” objected to the creation of the world, for shalom said that the world would contain arguments and conflicts. Hashem quieted the complaints by throwing “emes” into the world, as the posuk states (Doniel 8:12), “Vatishlach emes artzoh.”

The simple explanation is that once emes, truth, was given to the world, people wouldn’t fight. Hostility is caused when people cannot unite and each one dishonestly attempts to promote his cause. Once truth became an integer of the world, people would be able to work together for the truth.

However, the Maharal (Nesivos Olam, Nesiv Emes 3) explains that the giving of the Torah is what caused shalom to give up its opposition to creation. Man is beset with dispute only when he is without Torah. Torah causes him to be peaceful, as the posuk states, “Derocheha darchei noam vechol nesivoseha shalom.” Furthermore, the Gemara (Brachos 64a) says, “Talmidei chachomim marbim shalom ba’olam.” The proper way to explain the Medrash is that when Torah was given to the world, shalom ceased to oppose its creation.

Yaakov Avinu, the embodiment of Torah, was motivated by emes and shalom. His brother Eisav, who lived by the sword, as the posuk states, “Ve’al charbecha tichyeh,” was the antithesis of those middos of Yaakov. One who lives by the sword isn’t confident in his ability to win arguments. He is dishonest and his arguments are weak and fictitious, so he is forced to rule through violence and terror. People are subservient to him because they fear him, not because they believe him to be correct in his actions or in his beliefs.

That is the definition of Yaakov’s admonition to Shimon and Levi as he parted from them in this week’s parsha. Yaakov refers to the way they chose to avenge what was done to their sister Dinah as “klei chomos.” Rashi explains that the means employed by Shimon and Levi are not the implements of the children of Yaakov. They are stolen from Eisav. The Bnei Yisroel do not engage in violent disputes, and when and if they do, they have to know that they have adopted the methods of Eisav and his disciples.

Jews don’t hit. Jews don’t shout. Nor do they spit or react with violence and anger.

The tools we possess are respect, acceptance and equanimity, laced with the confidence that comes from living in accordance with the perfect harmony of halacha. We know who we are and what we stand for, and we know that in order to influence others, we need to work with them to make a difference. Shouting louder doesn’t make us more audible; using physical threats or violence only makes us weaker.

When we hear about beatings and threats, we must protest. We need to acknowledge the problem and reaffirm our own commitment to following the paths of our grandparents and rabbeim, who taught us not just by what they said, but by how they lived and conducted themselves. Chazal cite the hallmarks of talmidim of Avrohom Avinu. They are rachmonim, bayshonim and gomlei chassodim. We, who consider ourselves to be in the category of Avrohom’s pupils, must test ourselves by that qualifier. To the degree those adjectives apply to us, we are bnei Avrohom.

Respect was their hallmark. Like the Rambam teaches us in Hilchos Talmud Torah, they addressed every human beingwith calmness, tranquility and humility. The sifrei mussar are replete with admonitions of how Torah people are supposed to conduct themselves - with humility, kindness and empathy.

The Ponovezher Rov famously retold how, while undergoing medical treatment in an American hospital, he met a secular Jewish doctor. Speaking with him, the Rov discovered that he had learned in Lithuanian yeshivos in his youth, and although he wasn’t observant, he still maintained respect for Torah and its scholars.

The Rov observed that the man had lost all connection to Yiddishkeit.

“The only reason that I don’t officially convert and go to church,” the doctor confided, “is because the kapote (coat or jacket) of the Chofetz Chaim doesn’t allow me to.”

The Rov, a talmid of the Chofetz Chaim, looked at the doctor with curiosity, wondering what he meant. The old doctor explained that, when he was a child, his parents sent him to learn in the yeshiva of Radin.

When he arrived, he joined the line of new bochurim at the humble home of the Chofetz Chaim, waiting to introduce himself and receive instructions regarding where he would be lodging. His journey had been lengthy and exhausting, and, as he waited there, he was overcome by fatigue. He sat down on the floor and, within moments, was fast asleep.

He barely felt hands lifting him and carrying him to a bed, but when he awoke late that night, he realized that the host himself, the great tzaddik, had carried him to a bed and covered him with his own kapote. The Chofetz Chaim himself was sitting and learning in his shirt-sleeves.

The compassion and simplicity of the Chofetz Chaim affected this doctor profoundly, and even through the decades and continents, a warm glow remained. It was that inspiration that prevented him from leaving Judaism completely.

That respect - respect for everyone - is intrinsic to the make-up of the Torah Jew. This is because respect isn’t a public relations gimmick that Torah Jews use. It isn’t a broad smile and pleasant greeting in order to win friends and influence people. Respect is a part of our spiritual DNA, a legacy from our forefather Avrohom Avinu who welcomed visitors into his home, even if he opposed the choices they had made.

Atalmid sat in the back seat of a taxi along with his rosh yeshiva, Rav Moshe Shmuel Shapiro, discussing a sugya.

They were going back and forth with spirit and energy, when, suddenly, Rav Moshe Shmuel stopped him. The rosh yeshiva scanned the identification card hanging near the driver’s seat, looking for the driver’s name.

“Let us continue the conversation in Hebrew, rather than Yiddish, so that Arik, in the front, can also enjoy and partake,” said Rav Moshe Shmuel.

The stereotypical Israeli taxi driver didn’t understand the rest of the conversation, but he got the message most important to him: he was a person too, and he was deserving of recognition and respect.

And yes, that same respect and empathy afforded to adults is meant to be displayed to children as well.

In a Yated interview, Rav Reuvein Feinstein related a story about his father, Rav Moshe Feinstein. The Feinsteins would spend some time each summer in the city of Hartford, Connecticut. Rav Moshe was friendly with a shochet, Rav Berman, who lived there.

During the time the family was in Hartford, a relative of the Bermans, a yeshiva bochur, came to stay with them. The bochur took advantage of the opportunity of being in the presence of Rav Moshe to observe him and try to learn from his conduct.

The bochur observed how Rav Moshe, the tremendous masmid, would wake up every day at 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning and begin learning. Then, at about 6 o’clock, a little girl entered his room. To his astonishment, the bochur witnessed how Rav Moshe got up from his table and started playing ball with the little girl.

Intrigued, the yeshiva bochur revealed himself and asked the gadol hador if he was perhaps related to the girl and why he deemed it necessary to interrupt his learning to play ball with her.

Rav Moshe, demonstrating the wisdom and sensitivity that characterized his middos and hanhagah, replied, “Until I came here, she was the gantze macherke. She was the one who garnered everyone’s attention. When I arrived, I stole the focus and attention from her and I therefore owe her something. I must repay her by, at the very least, spending some time playing with her!”

In the timeless brachos of Yaakov Avinu, he faced his beloved sons and analyzed their kochos and character traits. The message he imparted would guide not only his immediate family, but his descendants, for thousands of years. His words are a beacon of light to us today as well. He cursed the anger of Shimon and Levi, stating, “Ki be’apam hargu ish, uveretzonam ikru shor.” No one doubted their sincerity and that their actions were lesheim Shomayim, fueled by the most righteous of calculations. Yet, their father cursed the middah that had generated such results.

The Maskilim who had been battling traditional Judaism for years, saw Zionism as a vehicle with which to continue their war. The Maskilim effectively used the new movement to battle religion.

What is transpiring today in Eretz Yisroel must be understood as another chapter in that ongoing, awful, century-long tug-of-war.

We should not allow ourselves to be drawn into the cauldron or be lectured by the ideological heirs of those early Maskilim who did everything in their power to vilify Torah, gedolei Torah and Yiddishkeit.

They were quick to discover the power of the media and propagandized regularly against the religious community. Nothing was beneath them. They lobbied to have rabbonim sidelined and at times jailed. They sought to have chadorim made illegal and to delist melamdim, who they demeaned and accused of kol dovor assur. They vilified botei din and attempted to have them banned as well. They also lobbied the authorities, claiming that rabbonim used seforim to encourage anti-government and anti-social activities, and sought to have them made illegal.

Everything the Israeli media and those in power engage in today is taken from their destructive playbook and must be viewed in that context in order to understand the extreme media focus on the goings-on in the religious community.

Dealing with people with respect means recognizing the value that people place on symbols, places and memories, and reflecting on how one’s actions can impact others. The brutality of Israeli police is well documented. Regrettably, discrimination against chareidim is a bitter fact of life in the Holy Land. However, to compare such conduct to that of the Nazis is insensitive and insulting. To use images that have haunted our people for seven decades as a propaganda tool is cynical manipulation. It is disrespectful to those who truly suffered. Trivializing Jewish pain and suffering for a cheap photo-op gimmick is foolish and wrong.

Too many people who were hurt by the Nazis are grieving. Too many people who suffered are pained as they relive the horrors that they - and our people as a whole -endured. Just decades ago, millions of Jews were rounded up, maimed, beaten, and destroyed financially, mentally, and of course physically. Jewish life as it had existed for hundreds of years was upended. There were millions of karbanos, most of them in the Olam Ha’emes, but many with us, everywhere.

For people to lower themselves in an attempt to further multiple agendas is callous. For us to remain silent in the face of actions timed and staged to make waves at a sensitive time in front of the world media would be to condone senseless insensitivity.

As descendants of the avos, who taught the world sensitivity, and as talmidim, children and grandchildren of great people whose lives embodied nobility of spirit and empathy, we have a mandate to always act with consideration and responsibility.

Rav Yisroel Salanter caused a revolution amongst Klal Yisroel with the emphasis he introduced on the study of mussar in yeshivos. He sought not only to bring about the study of classic sifrei yirah which had been neglected, but also to infuse the Jewish people with recognition of the need to improve the way they deal with each other, the way they speak, and the way they conduct themselves. The mussar he preached was not only about how a Jew relates to Hashem, but also how he relates to his fellow man.

Rav Yisroel taught a generation how to act and how to conduct itself. He also fought the Maskilim bitterly. He was from the first of a long line of gedolim who advocated establishing newspapers to combat the negative influences of those determined to besmirch Torah. He taught the young how to communicate and how to present themselves, with kindness and sophistication. With gaonus in Torah and middos, he was a leader in preserving the Torah nation.

Because, even when the situation calls for change or retribution, anger is not the means with which to achieve it. It requires one steeped in Torah and mussar to lead the charge. When one needs to influence or chastise another, he can learn from the Master of the Universe: “Ess asher ye’ehav Hashem yochiach.” Hashem rebukes those He loves. His messages are laced with compassion and concern.

When the Chazon Ish famously agreed to speak to David Ben-Gurion, two Jews at the polar opposites of the spectrum met. One represented the holy mesorah of Pumpedisa and Sura, while the other proudly dreamt of the Maskilim’s vision of the “new Jew.” The Chazon Ish brilliantly rebuffed the arguments of the politician. He made it clear, with the ferocity of a mother lion protecting her young, that the Olam HaTorah was untouchable and that his “army” wasn’t impressed by the military might of Ben-Gurion. Yet, he spoke calmly, with warmth and a begrudging respect. As he explained, “In between each ‘frask,’ each ideological blow I dealt him, I felt like I had to give him a ‘glett,’ a stroke on the cheek.”

As fierce as the battle he waged was, the Chazon Ish knew thatne’imus, pleasantness, is proper and more effective.

In all the reporting and coverage of what has been transpiring, the entire religious community has been tarred with the same brush and portrayed as crazed anti-social Neanderthals.

The hundreds of thousands of fine, ehrliche, decent frum people who humbly and quietly go about their peaceful lives, living as the generations before them did, are ignored. They are given no voice in a hostile media engaged in a Kulturkampf, on a mission to portray us all as fanaticized Taliban weirdoes.

While the reaction of Torah leaders such as Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman, Rav Ovadia Yosef and the Belzer Rebbe; political leaders such as Moshe Gafni, Yisroel Eichler and Aryeh Deri; organizations such as Agudas Yisroel, the Orthodox Union and the RCA; and so many others are completely ignored, religious and secular self-righteous opportunists rush to the microphones to promote themselves and their agendas.

Perhaps this Shabbos, when thebaal kriah reads the posuk of “Arur apam - Cursed is their anger,” we will reinforce the time-honored ways of our people and proclaim its lessons to ourselves and our children in a way that no one can deny in accusatory fashion.

When we hear how“birtzonam ikru shor,”we will reinforce our behavior so that no one can infer that the posuk refers to us.

The pesukim will remind us not to sit by apathetically, in oblivion and silence, in the face of outrageous behavior that can be taken as a form of ratzon, compliance and acceptance of the situation. Wanton voices that shout viciously and angrily, with all the associated bad middos, should not be permitted to achieve their goals, besmirching an entire community.

This week, as we lain the parsha, we will be proclaiming that we speak with the authentic Jewish voice, the one that expresses itself with warmth and calmness to friends, neighbors and people we meet on the street.

We daven that our wayward brothers, who have been led astray and brought up to hate, will be able to take this message to heart. We hope that the truth will prevail, the good of the many, recognized; and the aberrations of the few, acknowledged for what it is.

We daven that our feet will tread back to the way of “deracheha darchei noam” and once again find the path of “chol nesivoseha shalom.”

And then, perhaps, we will heal a fragmented people, united, with our differences, like the twelve sons around Yaakov Avinu’s death-bed, who cried out, as one, “Shema Yisroel.”

Chazal derive from the posuk in Shema, “Ve’ohavta eis Hashem Elokecha,”that we should endeavor to cause the name of Hashem to be loved - “shetehei Sheim Shomayim misaheiv al yodcha.”When viewing the actions of bnei Torah, people should say, “Kamah na’eh ma’aseihem. How pleasant are the ways of the people who adhere to Torah.” Upon contemplation of religious people, the hearts of those removed from Torah should be opened to learn, appreciate and accept a life of Torah.

The most emotional parts of davening are Shema and Kaddish, when we proclaim, “Yisgadeil veyiskadeish shemei rabboh,” that the Name of Hashem should be made great and holy.

May we merit to see that transpire in our day, when the entirety of Am Yisroel will be awakened to the truth, the emes and the shalom with which the world was created.

AUTHENTIC

2012-01-10T15:37:00.003-05:00

VIN News: Eida HaChareidis

Letter Authenticated

but some language in dispute

Source:
VIN News

ALL EYES ON STRAIT OF HORMUZ

2012-01-10T11:56:00.001-05:00

DEBKAfile's military sources report a buildup in the last 48 hours of western naval forces opposite Iran in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea in readiness for Tehran to carry out its threat to close the Strait of Hormuz.

DEBKAfile Special Report January 9, 2012

Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kutznetsov in Syrian port

US, Russian French and British air and naval forces streamed to the Syrian and Iranian coasts over the weekend on guard for fresh developments at the two Middle East flashpoints.

The Russian carrier Admiral Kuznetsov anchored earlier than planned at Syria's Tartus port on the Mediterranean Sunday, Jan. 8, arriving together with the destroyer Admiral Chabanenko and frigate Yaroslav Mudry.

To counter this movement, France consigned an air defense destroyer Forbin to the waters off Tartus.

Shirat Devorah informs us that The Australian reports that Israel ... In preparation: "is preparing to shut its nuclear reactor at Dimona, where it makes nuclear weapons, because of the site's vulnerability in a war with Iran."

BAHRAIN Manama - Iran is a common threat to Bahrain, Israel and the US, the King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa was quoted as saying by a Jewish official on Sunday. "Rabbi Marc Schneier, vice president of the World Jewish Congress, said the king told him he was alarmed by the Islamic Republic during a 45-minute meeting held in the capital city of Manama late last month."

"He said it was imperative to hold talks between Jews and Muslims now because the perfect conditions to conduct such a conversation would never arise. “Whether we chose to have it [in Bahrain] or not you can’t wait,” he said. “It’s a genuine sincere effort to expand Muslim-Jewish dialogue.”

HAARETZ: Israel is preparing for an Iran with nuclear capabilities within the next 12 months, according to a report by the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), an Israeli think tank. The U.K. daily Times newspaper published extracts of the report by the Tel Aviv University institute on Monday, according to an AFP report.

Teheran Plans ONE KILOTON Underground Test

DEBKA "As quoted by the London Times Monday, Jan. 1, INSS experts, headed by Gen. (ret.) Giora Eiland, a former head of Israel's National Security Council, deduced from a simulation study they staged last week that. Their conclusion is that neither the US nor Israel will use force to stop Iran's first nuclear test which they predicted would take place in January 2013. Our Iranian sources stress, however, that Tehran does not intend to wait for the next swearing-in of a US president in January 2013, whether Barack Obama is returned for a second term or replaced by a Republican figure, before moving on to a nuclear test. Iran's Islamist rulers have come to the conclusion from the Bush and Obama presidencies that America is a paper tiger and sure to shrink from attacking their nuclear program – especially while the West is sunk in profound economic distress."

Meanwhile the Sikrikim are heating things up inside Israel

SIKRIKIM INNOCENT

2012-01-10T11:24:00.003-05:00

Bold Headlines on a pashkvill ... Eida Chareidis Says Extremists Innocent ... led by R’ Yitzchak Tuvia Weiss and R’ Moshe Shternbuch, the Eida Chareidis came out in support of the Sikrikim.

One commentator on a Jewish blog expressed his frustration:

"So we were waiting for two weeks for the Eidah to come out with a statement, and THIS is what they write? Had they just stayed quiet and let Pappenheim do the talking, at least they would have been able to convince us that they really are against violence and are trying to make order "from the inside", but now that they have silenced Pappenheim and have come out with this letter, the have publicly unmasked themselves and shown us their true colors."

The Eida said “In the past few weeks, several of the finest from both Yerushalayim and Beit Shemesh have been arrested for no valid reason,” continues the statement. “It is incumbent upon us to guard ourselves in all matters of tznius and holiness, to be extra vigilant in matters of tznius on our busses and to check the foundations of our houses to ensure that no strange influences, even those that claim to be from the chareidi community, penetrate our homes.”

Meanwhile The Middle East

and The Area Around The Straits Of Hormuz

Are Heating Up

THE WRITER OF THIS BLOG DOES NOT SUPPORT THOSE SHRECKIM!

Source in Hebrew: B'Chadrei Chareidim

Source in English: VIN News Staff

Ron Paul and the Erev Zeir

2012-01-09T12:42:00.005-05:00

John Tabin of The American Spectator

Caught a Momentous Handshake

[photo: Matt Campbell/EPA]

He begins his article:

"Manchester, New Hampshire -- Yesterday in Meredith, NH, Ron Paul shook a hand that shook Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's hand.

"The hand belonged to Yisroel Dovid Weiss, an activist rabbi who leads a branch of Neturei Karta, a small and very odd sect of Haredi Jews (often called by the somewhat imprecise label "ultra-Orthodox"). While many Haredim are theologically opposed to Zionism -- to oversimplify, they believe the Jews get the Holy Land when the Messiah arrives, not before -- only Neturei Karta actively side with Israel's enemies. (Their marginal role in the Haredi world is explained in more detail here.) The late Neturei Karta leader Moshe Hirsh was a close associate of Yasser Arafat, and Weiss has traveled with a delegation to Tehran more than once, including on a trip to attend a Holocaust revisionism conference (Weiss, whose grandparents perished at Aushwitz, is not himself a Holocaust denier, but he happily played token Jewish friend to those who are). Full article here

2012 January With Ominous Signs

2012-01-08T11:43:00.001-05:00

2012 Has Landed By Sea And By Cell

"American forces land in Israel, 9,000 of them"

" 'Coincidentally' Al Qaeda claims to land in Jerusalem"

"Monday night, Jan. 2, Al Qaeda claimed to have established its first Jerusalem operational cell calling it the "Sunni Youth Movement Cell in Greater Jerusalem.". Debka's Bulletin No. 1 with details of the organization and its targets was promised in the next few days. According to DEBKAfile's counter-terror sources, Israeli intelligence has advised the government and security services to treat the announced appearance of al Qaeda, and its aim to reach out from Jerusalem to the West Bank, very seriously.

"Those intelligence sources also tie the rise of the first Al Qaeda cell in greater Jerusalem with the mushrooming of Palestinian Islamist Salafite organizations in the Palestinian centers of Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. These organizations are either linked directly to Al Qaeda or deeply influenced by its jihadist ideology and ready to act on it."

Such a perceived external threat might achieve what the great minds could not do: be the catalyst for unifying the various groups so irrationally attacking each other, religious and secular. I cannot help but think of and compare what is happening now with the infighting that consumed the Jews in the years before our Temple was destroyed. G-d forbid it should continue. Hopefully, something will occur to put out the fires of hatred.

On the surface this appears to be a Peace-keeping Deployment from both sides to provide a diversion from the inner sinas chinam that infiltrated Israeli society with it's eruption recently, as powerful and threatening as the Vesuvius or Mt Etna eruption:

"Pliny the Younger authorized an account of the eruption —

Broad sheets of flame were lighting up many parts of Vesuvius; their light and brightness were the more vivid for the darkness of the night... it was daylight now elsewhere in the world, but there the darkness was darker and thicker than any night." 79AD

The holy seat of the quasi island of Italy, the 4th Golus (Edom) is full of fire and ash just beneath the surface waiting for their cue.

Volcanoes of Italy (12 volcanoes) : Amiata | Vulsini | Monte Albano | Campi Flegrei (Phlegrean Fields) | Vesuvius | Ischia | Stromboli | Lipari | Vulcano | Etna | Campi Flegrei Mar Sicilia | Pantelleria

All the world could be watching and hoping that Israel will implode from the inside. But one aspect of teshuva (that we read in this week's Parsha, which was a deciding factor in Yaakov Avinu's brocha of Kingship to Yehuda), was his aspect of truthfulness and his tshuva. The Rambam includes as one of the conditions, "being in the same situation (being tempted to do wrong) and NOT reacting the same way" but choosing to do "good." Let the good people of Israel put an end to the sinas chinam from within the fullness of their hearts.

Last evening coming back from an uplifting Melava Malka, we saw an Egged bus with a big clear message on the sides and back of the bus, that said (in Hebrew) "Sinat Hinam, Don't Speak It To Me". I heard that this campaign was the idea of the Optica Halperin family. Rafael Halperin, a wrestler and body builder, later in life, opened a single eyeglass store in Bnei Brak 15 years ago that became the largest eyeglass store chain in Israel, with more than 120 outlets across the country. [story not fully verified, partially from our Monit driver and from partially Wikipedia]

The visionary brilliance of one man helping his fellow Jews to see better with their eyes and their hearts.

May these buses traveling all over Yerushalayim impart this simple but profound message and help to bring achdut.

Michael Savage to American Jews ... Your Freedom May be at Stake

2012-01-08T08:55:00.003-05:00

WND RADIO COMMENTARY WND EXCLUSIVE

SAVAGE: HERE’S WHAT AMERICA WILL LOOK LIKE IF OBAMA WINS

Son of Russian immigrant envisions something worse than Euro-socialism

If Barack Obama wins in 2012, America is headed for something worse than a failing European-style socialist state, top-rated radio host Michael Savage said on his nationally syndicated show today.

“I have to tell you that if this man, God forbid, is the next president of the United States, we’re going to be living in something along the lines of – people say Europe. I don’t believe it’s going to be like Europe – I think it will be closer to Chavez’s South American dictatorship,” he told his “Savage Nation” audience.

Recalling his background as the son of an immigrant from Russia, who has been around awhile and seen a number of administrations, Savage said that if he had one message to leave, it would be a warning about what he fears is on the horizon.

“This is the most corrupt, incompetent, dangerous tyrannical administration in American history,” he declared.

“It’s not politics as usual. It’s not just Democrats versus Republicans,” Savage said.

Obama, he said, is “not a Democrat,” noting the president’s history of ties to Marxists and other radicals documented in his book “Trickle Up Poverty.”

“Obama has a long history of being at odds with American values and with America itself and the core principles of this country.” Savage said.

Savage pointed to media as one of the areas in which “step by step, degree by degree, we’re losing our freedom.”

He cited a WND story by Aaron Klein about a non-profit journalism group funded by supporters of MoveOn.org and the ACLU that will supply news to NBC television affiliates.

“They don’t want government-sponsored opinions,” he said, “They only want government-sponsored “Pravda.’”

“Pravda,” which ironically means “truth” in Russian, he noted, was the official Communist Party newspaper in the old Soviet Union.

“That’s exactly what the government-media complex tells you on a daily basis – nothing but the government-media complex party line,” he said.

“Pay attention,” Savage concluded. “Your freedom may be at stake.”

Savage’s nationally syndicated show airs live Monday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern. It can be heard online through stations such as WTNT in the nation’s capital.

Savage’s show is ranked No. 2

in listenership among all talk-radio shows

streamed on the Internet, according to Talk Stream Live

BREAKING NEWS

2012-01-05T08:24:00.009-05:00

READ THE SCOOP AT TAMAR YONAH

BREAKING NEWS:

"The Pentagon to Send US Troops to Israel.
Iran is the Unspoken Target
Blacked-out news story in America...

...January 2, 2012. Jerusalem. In one of the most blacked-out stories in America right now, the US military is preparing to send thousands of US troops, along with US Naval anti-missile ships and accompanying support personnel, to Israel.

...Israeli military personnel will be added to EUCOM in Germany. EUCOM stands for United States European Command"

READ THE SCOOP AT TAMAR YONAH

*** ***

Will Israel be Invaded in 2012?

By Dr Tabak

Executive Summary: A careful comparison of current events vis-à-vis the Palestinians and the so-called Peace Process with a variety of Jewish sources concerning events that are destined to take place at the Final Redemption, leads to surprising and positive possibilities. The following article describes a possible scenario and the Jewish sources on which it is based.

Maimonides (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim 12) teaches that the Jewish Oral Tradition does not clarify the details of future events described by the Prophets of Israel in the Bible. In his words,וכל אלו הדברים וכיוצא בהן לא ידע אדם איך יהיו עד שיהיו – "and in all these things and related matters man will not know how they will come about until they come about." In other words, no one knows exactly what the Prophets are describing until it takes place.

The Jewish Oral Tradition (תורה שבעל פה Torah she-Beal Peh) gives us abundant guidance on matters of Halakha – for instance, the פרי עץ הדר – “the fruit of the beauteous tree to be taken on Sukkot” - is defined by the Oral Tradition as the אתרוג etrog – the citron. Or, the Biblical injunction to וקשרתם לאות על ידך והיו לטטפת בין עיניך"bind them as a sign on your arms and frontlets between your eyes" we understand from the Torah she-Beal Peh refers to phylacteries – Tefillin – which are cubic black leather boxes containing parchments inscribed with very specific Biblical passages. Without the Oral Tradition, we would have no way of knowing this.

A comparable guide to understanding prophetic statements, however, is not revealed by the Oral Tradition. For instance, Isaiah 60:08, in reference to the returning of the Exiles to Israel in the Final Redemption, states: מי אלה כעב תעופינה וכיונים אל ארבתיהם – "who are these who will fly like a cloud, and like doves to their dovecotes?"

Before the era of piloted manned flight began in the early twentieth century, classical commentators were simply unable to understand this passage. Today, when virtually all modern-era immigrants have reached Israel by flying at the altitude of clouds, and, like doves, always landing in the same place – the Ben Gurion Airport, we understand clearly theprediction of Isaiah concerning this phenomenon of airborne ingathering of Exiles.

Another example is Isaiah 26:20 לך עמי בא בחדריך וסגור דלתך בעדך חבי כמעט רגע עד יעבר זעם - “Go My people come into your rooms and close your doors behind you, hide for just a moment until the fury passes". The Biblical commentator Radak comments that this will occur during the War of Gog Umagog and the reference to "rooms" is allegorical and refers to "taking shelter" so to speak, by doing good deeds and doing penance. Rashi states that the Jews will go to their synagogues and study halls at that time.

As we now know, this passage is a very accurate description of the seclusion in the "sealed rooms" used as a protection in Israel against chemical warfare agents in the first Gulf War in 1991 and the "fury passing" occurred when the "All Clear" sounded (the code words were "Sharav Kaved") allowing people to exit the sealed rooms after the Scud missile landed and was determined to be chemically non-threatening.

As Maimonides had said, when the prophecy comes to pass, we are able to understand the passage, and so it was.

The People of Israel have been experiencing events described as those of אחרית הימים "Acharit Hayamim" – the "Last of the Years" [not, as often mistranslated, "The End of Days"] referred to by the Torah and the prophets, when there is to be a massive ingathering of Jews to the Land of Israel, an extensive rebuilding of the country and its communities, and a Golden Age when כי מציון תצא תורה ודבר השם מירושלים - "for from Zion shall issue forth Torah (Teaching = knowledge, including technological and scientific advances) and the Word of G-d from Jerusalem" Isaiah 2:3 and Michah 4:2.

It is tempting to explore prophetic and Midrashic sources to look for the context of unfolding events. This study leads to encouragement as to their salutary outcome, despite the difficulties and challenges we face at present.

Rav Saadyah Gaon related to this over one thousand years ago in his ten-part seminal philosophical work הנבחר באמונות ודעות"Hanivchar Be'emunot Ve'deot" "Selected Matters of Faith and Doctrines of Dogma". In number 8 – בישועה "BaYeshuah" – "Concerning the Final Salvation" he states (according to the translation from the Arabic by Rav Yosef Kapach, page 247) ישתבח מי שהטיב לנו בהקדימו להודיע לנו את הצרות האלה שלא יבואו עלינו פתאום ויגרמו לנו ייאוש - “praised be He who benefited us in that He gave us advance notice concerning these troubles so that they would not happen to us suddenly and cause us despair".

To paraphrase this idea, there is a reason the prophets provide so much detail in their accounts of future events in the Messianic Age. After all, to convey basic Jewish Faith in the Redemption concept it would be enough for the Prophets to write "trust in the Ultimate Redemption – it will surely come."

The reason for the detailed scenarios described in Biblical prophecy is so that when these events begin to take place, we will be able to recognize the patterns and context of ominous developments, and know that the final outcome is positive.

The message of Rav Saadyah is that the detail has been provided in order that the Jewish people will not despair. This foreknowledge of the outcome provided by the prophets will preclude mass despair on the part of the Jewish public when the scenario of upcoming events of the Messianic era seems threatening and foreboding.

An example of this principle at work was provided over five years ago on the occasion of the destruction of Gush Katif. At that time, the prospect of Israel destroying many rebuilt Jewish communities was considered by some to be an indication of a reversal of the אתחלתא דגאולה "atchalta de'Geula" "first stages of the Redemption" which the State of Israel embodied up to that point.

However, the Targum Yonatan ben Uziel on Deuteronomy 34:3 states: וית גלוות תלמידי אלישע דגלו מן קרוות דקליא על ידי אחוהון בית ישראל מאתן אלפין גוברין . . . וסדרי קרבא דגוג ובעידן צערא רבא ההיא מיכאל יקום בדרעא לפרוקא – in translation "And the exile of the students of Elisha [the Prophet] who are exiled from the Town of Dekalim by their brethren of the House of Israel – 200,000 men - . . . and the battle orders of Gog [and Magog] and in that era of great pain, Michael [the Archangel Michael – the guardian angel of the Jewish people] will arise with the [outstretched] Arm [of the Almighty] in order to redeem."

This source tells us that the evacuation of Gush Katif and its principle town Neveh Dekalim, exiling the Jewish residents, could be seen as an integral part of the upcoming scenario of Ultimate Redemption. Were it not for this source, we might have despaired of the future.

Taking it into consideration, although we do not yet understand the logic and we share the pain of the exiled pioneers, and although those who perpetrated the act chose of their own free will to cause immeasurable suffering, we can be heartened that it is part of the overall redemption scenario so that we do not "despair".[See /Articles/Article.aspx/5497 for a detailed discussion of this source.]

In Israel, we find ourselves in foreboding circumstances today, in Spring 2011. The State of Israel seems to have lost a major measure of its support in the non-Jewish world and is being stampeded into abandoning large parts of the Land of Israel to the tender mercies of sworn enemies who have no peaceful intentions at all – the Palestinians.

These are Arabs who constitute a "national entity" invented recently of whole cloth and which never existed in world history. Their wish is to destroy the State of Israel and kill as many Jews as possible in the process. Prime Minister Netanyahu is being pushed into formulating a plan of further concessions, beyond those already granted, lest the "World" (i.e. the Quartet - the USA, Russia, the UN, and the EU) force on Israel a "peace agreement" which would involve the abandonment of the homes of over 600,000 Israelis – including large parts of Jerusalem.

The Palestinian enemy fully expects this scenario to materialize and so, steadfastly refuses to negotiate. Since the "World", lead by US President Barack Hussein Obama whose father was a practicing Moslem, does not punish them in any way for not negotiating, they feel vindicated in this assessment.

Let us consult Jewish sources to see if there are hints as to upcoming events. First we will review a possible scenario constructed from the Palestinian declared intentions and from prophetic sources that correlate with them. Then we will quote these sources in detail so as to back up the scenario. The result is much more encouraging than currently considered.

A Possible Scenario:

After extensive preparation of the apparatus of statehood and widespread recognition by a growing list of countries of an "independent state of Palestine with borders defined by the 1967 cease-fire lines", the Palestinians turn in September 2011 [see Note 1 below] to the UN Security Council to be recognized as an independent State within the pre-1967 armistice lines– meaning that the Ramat Eshkol neighborhood of Jerusalem, as well as many others, will be part of Security-Council-recognized Palestine.

The USA does not veto this resolution (the recent US veto of the anti-settlement Security Council resolution was a feint, and not a precedent) and it passes [see Note 2]; alternatively, if there is a veto, the Palestinians turn to the UN General Assembly, using the 1950's "Uniting for Peace" tactic which enabled the USA to engage in the Korean War although a Russian-Chinese veto had paralyzed the Security Council on this issue and receive their approval.

The Palestinians then turn to the State of Israel and request immediate evacuation of its nearly 650,000 citizens from "their state". Israel offers to discuss the matter, the Palestinians refuse any discussion [see Note 3] and refer the issue back to the Security Council, requesting that they act to remove these interlopers post haste from "their state". After a short time, the Security Council and/or Quartet decide that the festering wound of the Israel-Palestine conflict has persisted long enough and decide to settle the matter once and for all by sending an expeditionary force to Israel to carry out the evacuation forcibly [see Note 4].

The deadline for Israel acting is by January 15, 2012 [see Note 5]. On or about that date, if Israel does not begin to seriously evacuate its citizens (and it won't), an expeditionary force consisting of contingents from both Christian and Moslem countries [see Note 6] lands on the shores of Israel. The force consists of at least 185,000 combat soldiers [see Note 7], and is well-armed enough to counter the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) in whatever conflict configuration that might develop.

It has been demonstrated on the Internet that there is an elaborate US Armed Forces base in Israel, located near Shoham, and straddling the Green Line, and the force may be quartered there. This base was given to Pres. George W. Bush by Prime Minister Sharon on the occasion of the second Iraq War about five years ago. For a detailed description of this extra-territorial US presence in Israel, see http://www.rense.com/general66/excl.htm , including many pictures.

Eight months after the initial invasion [see note 8], the force approaches Jerusalem on the Eve of Sukkot 5773 (October 2012) [see Note 8]. They cause substantial havoc, but one week later, on the night between Oct. 06 and Oct. 07, 2012 - in the Hebrew calendar ליל הושענא רבה Leil Hoshanna Rabbah – the eve of the seventh day of Sukkot - , the L-rd, G-d of Israel says "Enough!" and puts an end to this force by some as yet unidentified natural phenomenon, devastating all the home countries who contributed personnel to the invasion [see Note 8]. Furthermore, on this occasion, all the capitals of the historic enemies of the Jews (for example Berlin, Teheran, Cairo, Rome, London, Madrid, Mecca, Moscow) will be reduced to rubble in a natural disaster that engulfs the entire planet [see Notes 9 and 11].

On the morning of Hoshanna Rabbah, the world looks entirely different. The final end to political or military pressure exerted on Jews and their State of Israel arrives.

At the close of this scenario, the Israel-Palestinian conflict ends forever. The Jews present in the Holy Land emerge unscathed and those surviving the devastation overseas soon make a final Aliyah [see Note 10].

Notes

The Sources:
Those readers familiar with Jewish sources describing the War of Gog and Magog will recognize elements thereof in the above scenario. Let us now elaborate in detail the sources for the above account, point-by-point.

1. August-September, 2011 Security Council approval of a Palestinian State in the 1967 lines:
This is the proclaimed intention of the Palestinian leadership, as declared repeatedly by their Prime Minister Salam Fayyad over the last 1 1/2 years. It is also the date by which the "Quartet" has determined that a final settlement of the Israel-Palestinian conflict be completed.

2. American non-use of the Veto at the Security Council : For the first time in history, America has a President – Barack Obama – with a sympathetic orientation to Moslem countries. He visited Cairo early in his presidency but has not yet visited Israel, and actions speak louder than words. The Palestinians’ moves would logically be made such that the entire planned process of forcing Israel militarily to do their bidding is completed before November 2012 when Obama stands for re-election.

3. The Palestinians demand evacuation of their country by the Jewish non-citizens and refuse to negotiate: This is simply a logical conclusion based on their behavior and statements to date – force Israel to vacate all territory beyond the post-1967 lines without resorting to negotiation and without conceding anything at all. They have announced clearly that their state must be judenrein.

4. The "Quartet" decides to force Israeli evacuation militarily: The entire tenor of the anti-Israeli international political atmosphere for the last two years leads directly to this outcome. It is this prospect that has Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak running scared and feeling pressured to make proposals to "advance the peace process," even though the current logjam in negotiations is entirely the fault of the Palestinians. Note the Arab League's announced plan to ask to make Gaza a no-fly zone and Obama advisor Samantha Power's suggestion to send UN forces to protect the Palestinians from the IDF.

5. The Jan.15, 2012 date: The first Gulf War in 1991 was fixed to begin on this date. Events in the solar calendar have particular significance for the non-Jewish world and those in the lunar calendar are significant for the Jewish world. (see BT Tractate Succa 29a – a solar eclipse is a bad omen for the non-Jews and a lunar eclipse is a bad omen for the Jews).

In 2012, the interval between Jan. 15 and Oct. 07, Hoshanna Rabbah – the seventh day of Sukkot, is exactly 266 days – 38 weeks, i.e. the nine months of a human pregnancy. According to BT Yoma 10a, "Ben-David (the Messiah) will only arrive after the evil kingdom of Rome dominates the entire world for a period of nine months as it says in Micah 5:2 "therefore give them the time it takes for her to give birth." The events at the closing stages of the Redemption process will last the nine months of human gestation.

Since it is understood that the finale of G-d's victory over the nations at the close of the Gog and Magog War takes place on the seventh day of Sukkot – Hoshanna Rabbah, it is logical to seek the year when this interval is 266 days. 2012 is such a year.

In Zechariah 14, it states that in response to the nations' invasion of Eretz Yisrael, ויצא השם ונלחם בגוים ההם כיום הלחמו ביום קרב - "And Hashem will go forth and do battle with those nations as on the day of His fighting on the day of Battle." The Targum Yonatan renders this: כיום אגחותיה קרב על ימא דסוף - "As on the day that he fought the battle at the Red Sea", referring to the night of the seventh day of Passover, when the Egyptian pursuers were drowned in the Red Sea.

Since G-d's victory over the Egyptians in the Exodus culminated in the crossing of the Red Sea and the final destruction of the Egyptian enemy on the seventh day of Passover, so in the Final Redemption on the Seventh Day of Sukkot all the nations who were/are enemies of the Jews will be destroyed. As it states in Michah 7:15 כימי צאתך מארץ מצרים אראנו נפלאות "kimei tzeitcha mei-eretz Mitzrayim ar'enu niflaot" – "I will show you miraculous events (at the Final Redemption) as in the days of the Exodus."

The connection with the Sukkot holiday is clearly indicated in Zechariah 14 and is the reason the chapters related to the War of Gog and Magog were chosen to be read as Haphtorot on Sukkot.

This connection is Torah-mandated. The 70 bulls sacrificed on Sukkot in the Holy Temple on behalf of the welfare of the 70-nations of the world are sacrificed not 10 per day for 7 days, but in a curious countdown from 13 on the first day to 7 on the last day. The total is 70, but the declining numbers are an ominous message to the nations that in the ultimate events to take place on Sukkot, they will not fare well (unless there is massive Teshuva – repentance - on their part; see Rashi on Numbers 29:18).

6. Christian and Moslem Contingents in the Invading Expeditionary Force: See Daniel 11:40 and following: 40 – ובעת קץ יתנגח עמו מלך הנגב וישתער עליו מלך הצפון ברכב ובפרשים ובאניות רבות ובא בארצות ושטף ועבר - “And at the time of the End [a synonym in Biblical terminology for Acharit Hayamim] there will be a collision with him by the King of the South and the King of the North will storm [his defences] with chariots and horsemen and many ocean-going vessels and he will sweep through and pass on”. – ויטע אהלי אפדנו בין ימים להר צבי קודש ובא עד קצו ואין עוזר לו - “And he will pitch his Royal tents between the seas and the mount of the Sacred Beauty [a synonym for the land of Israel] and he will come to his End, and there is no one to help him”. 12:1 – ובעת ההיא יעמוד מיכאל השר הגדול העמד על בני עמך והיתה עת צרה אשר לא נהיתה מהיות גוי עד העת ההיא ובעת ההיא ימלט עמך כל הנמצא כתוב בספר - "And at that time, the Great Archangel Michael [the traditional Guardian Angel of the Jews], who guards over Your people, will arise and there will be a time of troubles such as never before since becoming a nation until then, and at that time, Your people will escape – all those found to be written in the book."

The above passages describe a seminal war between the King of the South and the King of the North, who then unite to invade Israel, where they will meet their end. Over one hundred years ago, the classic commentary Malbim identified the King of the South as "artzot Yishmael" the Ishmaelite countries, a clear reference to Moslem forces; the Metzudot David, another commentary, identifies the King of the North as "Romi", Rome, a reference to the Christian countries.

From these sources, it derives that the invasion of Israel at the end of the scenario involves a coalition of both Moslem and Christian forces. This invasion and its consequences – the War of Gog-u-Magog – are described in detail in Ezekiel 38 and 39. There, Persia is mentioned as part of the invading coalition, so that now Iran may be part of the expeditionary force as well. The intent of the invading force is (38:12) לשלול שלל ולבוז בז להשיב ידך על חרבות
נושבות ואל עם מאסף מגוים עשה מקנה וקנין יושבי על טבור הארץ -"To take as booty the booty [the booty already taken--in the Six Day War?], and to despoil the spoils, to return your [violent] hand on resettled ruins and against a people ingathered from the Nations, dealing in commercial trade, and dwelling in the heartland ".

This description closely suits the intent to uproot communities rebuilt in Israel [referred to as "the settlements" in the current diplomatic jargon], the intent of the Expeditionary Force. Finally, in 39:06 – ושלחתי אש במגוג וביושבי האיים לבטח וידעו כי אני השם - "I will send fire in Magog [the home countries of Gog and his coalition] and in the dwellers of the Islands [a biblical term for overseas territories – other continents] in security and then they will know that I am the L-rd." This is a clear reference to world-wide destruction and catastrophe. In Zechariah 13:8, a reference to "two-thirds will be cut off and perish and one-third will be left over [from the destruction]" is interpreted as referring to the vast toll of this world-wide catastrophe (see BT Sanhedrin 111a – debate between R' Yohanan and Resh Lakish).

7. 185,000 Soldiers: The B.T. Sanhedrin 95b describes that the future armies of Gog Umagog will encompass 185,000 troops as did the besieging army of Sancheriv (Sennacherib) who laid unsuccessful siege to Jerusalem during the reign of King Hezekiah. The force is itemized there as 45,000 senior officers (with their camp-following consorts), 80,000 soldiers equipped with scale-equipped body-armor, and 60,000 swordsmen, in addition to various horsemen.

This analogy derives from the similarities between this account and the scenario foretold by the prophets for the Gog Umagog conflict. An expeditionary force coming against Israel has to be capable theoretically of defeating the IDF in battle, although a battle may not occur.

8. The attack on Jerusalem on Sukkot: See Zecharia 14 - the entire chapter – for the details of this invasion. The association with Sukkot is made at the end of the chapter where in the aftermath of G-d's victory over the nations, their survivors are commanded to visit Jerusalem annually on Sukkot in remembrance of this event.

This chapter is read in synagogues as the Haphtorah on the first day of Sukkot. And Chapters 38-39 of Ezekiel, mentioned above, are read on the Intermediate Sabbath of Sukkot as the Haphtorah. The two readings are associated with Sukkot because the events described there are destined to take place on Sukkot (see Rav Hai Gaon in Tur Shulhan Arukh – Orach Chaim – 490).

9.The Planet-wide Disaster on Hoshanna Rabbah: See the detailed scenario in Ezekiel 38-39 and Zecharia 14. Earthquakes, tidal waves, avnei elgavish (which I have identified as a major fall of earth-crossing asteroids on the planet that night of Hoshanna Rabbah); each of these has enough energy and destructive power to leave a crater or devastation where a city stood previously).

10. The Jews in Israel survive: In Joel 4:16: והשם מציון ישאג ומירושלים יתן קולו ורעשו שמים וארץ והשם מחסה לעמו ומעוז לבני ישראל - In the context of this war, "and G-d will roar forth from Zion, and He will raise His voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth will tremble [the Biblical verb for an earthquake] and G-d will be a shelter for His people and a fortress for the children of Israel".

Furthermore, by analogy with the Exodus as defined above, the concept of הפלאה"hafla'ah" – contradistinction – was a dominant theme in the Exodus. Plague after plague smote the Egyptians but the Israelites were unaffected. See the account of the plague of "dever" – cattle blight – in Exodus 9:7 where Pharaoh cannot believe that the Israelites lost no cattle to this plague and sent a personal emissary to the land of Goshen to confirm this amazing contradistinction.

So may we hope that it will be in the Final Redemption, and although there will be massive perishing all over the planet, the Jews in Israel will survive unharmed, decisively demonstrating G-d's intervention on their behalf. This will serve to convince the surviving non-Jews of the globe Who orchestrated this world-wide catastrophe – and why.

Finally, in Deuteronomy 32:25, the song of Ha'azinu, it states מחוץ תשכל חרב ומחדרים אימה - "michutz teshakel cherev umechadarim eimah" literally – "outside there will be loss of life by sword, and indoors there will be great fear." The Targum Yonatan on this passage: עמא דגלו מברא לארעא דישראל תתכיל יתהון מחת חרבא ודמשתיירין בארעא דישראל בגו קיטוני מדמיכיהון איגרי בהון הגרת מותא - "The people exiled outside the boundaries of the Land of Israel will suffer the blow of the sword and those remaining in the Land of Israel in their bedrooms where they sleep will fear the fear of death."

This strongly suggests that the safest place for the Jews to be during that Sukkot will be in Israel – they will fear, but will remain alive.

11. Destruction of the Past and Current Enemies of the Jews at that time: This theme recurs in the Bible and the words of the prophets repeatedly. One quote will illustrate the point: Deuteronomy 32:43 – again from the Song of Ha'azinu: הרנינו גוים עמו כי דם עבדיו יקום ונקם ישיב לצריו וכפר אדמתו עמו - "Nations, praise His people, for He has avenged the blood of His servants, and He will visit vengeance on His adversaries and will atone for His land and for His people."

In Conclusion:
As quoted above, Maimonides warns that no one knows for sure to what events specific prophecies refer until they come to pass. However, we live in times so replete with prophecies in the midst of fulfillment that we may be forgiven for constructing possible scenarios.

The above is one such scenario, congruent with Jewish sources. There may be others with different outcomes. If there is an armed invasion of Israel by a joint Christian-Moslem force intending to eject Jews from the historic Land of Israel, and this takes place in early 2012, there will be those who will ominously predict the imminent demise of the independent State of Israel, as there are even those who do so today.

You can find/read other articles by Dr Tabak here

Dr. Yacov M. Tabak was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, USA and received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Columbia University. He has lived with his family in Jerusalem for nearly 30 years, has practiced chemistry in the industrial environment in Israel, and is fascinated by ongoing correlation between Jewish prophetic sources and current events.

NY Attorney Speaks Out on Fanaticism

2012-01-05T00:46:00.010-05:00

On Feminism and Fanaticism: A Female Charedi Attorney’s Perspective

New York - The time has come for genuine Chasidim/Charedim to shatter our insularity and show our true colors. I take umbrage at zealots, who brazenly desecrate our heritage and culture in the name of G-D. The zealotry displayed against young Na’ama Margolese is antithetical to our beliefs and Torah values. As a Chasidic attorney, practicing law among my fellow Chasidim, representing men and women, I can attest to the fact that the vast majority of Chasidim respect women; and that our practice of division among the genders is harmonious and congruent with our strong family values. The actions of the Sikarikim, depicted in recent news reports, spitting on girls and parading children in Nazi prison uniforms must be strongly condemned and the lifestyle of true Chasidim, must be revealed.

New York - The time has come for genuine Chasidim/Charedim to shatter our insularity and show our true colors. I take umbrage at zealots, who brazenly desecrate our heritage and culture in the name of G-D. The zealotry displayed against young Na’ama Margolese is antithetical to our beliefs and Torah values. As a Chasidic attorney, practicing law among my fellow Chasidim, representing men and women, I can attest to the fact that the vast majority of Chasidim respect women; and that our practice of division among the genders is harmonious and congruent with our strong family values. The actions of the Sikarikim, depicted in recent news reports, spitting on girls and parading children in Nazi prison uniforms must be strongly condemned and the lifestyle of true Chasidim, must be revealed.

Chasidic women are not subjugated nor are we submissive or dictated by masculine fiat. While we respect our tradition and primary role as wives, mothers and caretakers, we are also educated, balanced, content and often professional. We are not degraded, yet we prefer to sit among women on public transportation. But, in no way, does that give zealots the right to force others to conform to our standards.

Fanaticism is a distorted belief or behavior involving uncritical zeal, particularly for an extreme religious cause with obsessive enthusiasm.
Charedi fanatics twist Halacha, are prejudiced and demonize anyone they oppose. As an example, when Rav Shteinman, the illustrious Torah sage from Israel, visited New York a few years ago, he was heckled by zealots, to protest a Halachic ruling he made. I wrote an article explaining the danger of those zealot extremists, who others considered an insignificant group to be ignored - current events prove them wrong .

Extreme zealousness is a manifestation of religious fanaticism, has eroded Jewish unity and has become a cultural infectious ideological malady infecting the Charedi world and publicly mischaracterizing us.

Since founding B’Derech in 2008, the organization dedicated to advocating for Chasidic youth, I have counseled countless adolescents and adults concerning the growing phenomenon of youth leaving the fold, frequently as a result of acts of zealotry. Contemporary zealousness in the name of holiness has caused the banning of respected, widely read Jewish magazines, concerts by religious Jewish singers, technology, and shops, instigated sibling rivalry among leaders, restrictive admissions policies of our schools, rigorous yeshiva curriculum and the harboring of abusers and molesters. They coerce the innocent by intimidation and manipulation, such as threats of expelling or rejecting families from shuls, children from yeshivas, or interference with shidduchim.

Secularists, argue that Judaism must rely on feminist doctrine to guarantee fair treatment of its women – I disagree. Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal, political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. However, for centuries preceding feminist movements, the Torah has held women in high regard.

The Torah relates that the greatness and intuitiveness of our matriarchs surpassed the patriarchs. For example, G-D told Avraham “Everything Sarah says, you should listen to her voice…” (Bereishis 21:9-13). The boys grew up and Eisav became one who knows hunting, a man of the field, and Yaakov was a man abiding in tents. Yitzchak loved Eisav, for venison was in his mouth; but Rivkah loved Yaakov (Bereishis 25:27-28). When the Jews were taken into exile by the Babylonians, the patriarchs begged G-D to have mercy on His children. It was only to the matriarch Rachel that G-D made his everlasting promise that her children will be returned to their borders and to their status of the beloved of G-D and that the enemies of Israel will never triumph (Yirmiyahu 31:14-16).

As a volunteer court attorney in the New York City Family Court, I counsel litigants on a host of issues dealing with custody, visitation and child support. The numerous women litigants who seek my counsel, are not from the Charedi world nor do they share our family values. They come for help to fight for child support from multiple men who broke promises of marriage and left them bereft to raise their children alone – they are discriminated and victims, not Charedi wives and mothers raising beautiful, Torah observant families.

While, I am proud to be the wife of a devout Chasidic Talmudic scholar, mother and grandmother of a Chassidic family, I have experienced encounters with zealous ideologists which highlight the need for the silent majority to speak.

On a recent trip to Israel working with American kids at risk, rejected from American yeshivas, I was talking to one of the boys in the streets of Jerusalem. Suddenly, a frightening figure appeared from a dark alley and began following us. The figure resembled an executioner of the Dark Ages, dressed in a long black robe, long beard protruding from his masked face, chain around his neck and swinging what appeared to be a club in his hand. I subsequently learned this was a member of the self-appointed, zealous guardians known as the Vaad Hatznius that patrol the streets, frequently using terror tactics.

A couple of years ago, a yeshiva opened up in Williamsburg for Chasidic boys who need more recreation and less stringency. When zealots became aware that the Rosh Yeshiva played a musical instrument and allowed the boys physical activity, they wanted the yeshiva shut down. They harassed the students, maligned the Rosh Yeshiva as a cult leader, and campaigned to numerous rabbis, law enforcement authorities and the courts, to order the closing of the yeshiva. When it became public that I was defending the yeshiva, I received threats. One of my married sons was engaged at that time and a woman called me threatening to call the mechutan and break the shidduch by sharing some “secret” she claimed she knew. I promptly told her to go right ahead and offered my assistance if she needed his phone number.

During the formative years of the venerable Hatzolah organization, its original founders facilitated training women to serve women, primarily in cases of emergency childbirth. By 1981 approximately 300 women were trained EMTs (75 were from Kiryas Joel and more than 200 from Brooklyn). Shortly after the women began serving, zealous cries came from Williamsburg, accusing the women volunteers of violating tznius standards. The women EMTs were humiliated and expelled from the organization; subsequently the original founders resigned.

The Mishpacha Family First 2/23/2011 edition featured a heartwarming story describing the saga of these modest women. The article contained a side column featuring the Women’s Division of New Square Hatzolah, established by the Rebbe four years ago, highlighting their success, professionalism and modesty. The rejected EMTs, and their supporters who tried to defend them over the past thirty years, were disparaged and silenced. They have recently asked me to advocate on their behalf, to be permitted to serve for emergency childbirth, pursuant to Halachic authority. If New Square Hatzolah and United Hatzalah of Israel both allow women to serve, there must be a way to do so in other religious communities.

Zealous extremists, who distort Torah values, comprise the minority of religious Charedi Jews. In my practice as a real estate attorney, I have the privilege of representing both men and women in Brooklyn and in the upstate villages of New Square and Kiryas Joel. I have developed business relationships based on mutual respect and have the privilege of working with Dayanim when dispute resolution is necessary; and have personally met the rebbetzins and rebbes of these communities. Nevertheless, the majority residents and rabbis of these communities are plagued, and frequently held hostage, by self-appointed guardians, who habitually engage in terror tactics.

We are all hurting – the silent majority has been coerced into believing that these self appointed guardians are the keepers of some sacred covenant with G-D; that they are above the law, can subjectively interpret Halacha, and are permitted to spit, stone, harass and discriminate – all in the name of modesty - tznius. They arrogantly and blasphemously proclaim to be following the righteous Biblical zealot Pinchas the son of Elazar. Zealous fanatics need to be aware that their practices violate Halacha, secular law and the Constitution. At some point the chaos they have created will cease, law and order will prevail, with peace and serenity restored

The Talmud relates that the merits of the patriarchs, Avraham, Yitzchok and Yaakov have ended (Shabbos 55a). There is a discussion when the merits of our fathers ended – during the time of the prophet Hoshea, the time of King Chazael of Aram, the time of the prophet Eliyahu, or the time of King Chizkiyahu. Tosafos comments that the patriarchs’ merits do continue, but only for the benefit of the righteous. However, the merits of the matriarchs, Sarah, Rivka, Rachel and Leah, remain. These merits will never be depleted and stand at the center of our salvation. Every time the Jewish people needed salvation, it was brought about by Jewish women.

It is well known that the Israelites were redeemed from the Egyptian exile in the merit of the righteous women. In the two other holidays that commemorate redemption from exile, Purim and Chanukah, women also served as G-D’s messengers in the redemptive process: Queen Esther who risked her life to save the Jewish people in Shushan, heralded the Purim salvation; and Yehudis, who acted courageously and killed the enemy general Helifornos, played a leading role in the Chanukah miracle (Sefer HaMakkabim).

Because of the participation of righteous women in these three miraculous redemptions, women observe all the mitzvos of the holidays of Pesach, Purim, and Chanukah (although they are time-bound positive mitzvos from which women are generally exempt), “since they were involved in that miracle” (Pesachim 108a, Megillah 4a, Shabbos 23a). Just as all past redemptions came through women, so too, all future redemptions from exile will be brought about by women. The essence of the Charedi woman is not based on ideologies of feminism nor religious fanaticism; it is spiritual, cherished, and accorded divine respect and value.

Historically, the Jewish people were not saved in battle by generals or soldiers, but by maternal strength. Another mother of Israel, Devorah the prophetess, who also judged the Jewish people modestly, counseled the general Barak to wage war, however, he worried that without her merit the Israelites would lose. So, Devorah joined him into the battlefield, and together they defeated the enemy. Devorah then sang a song of victory. “The inhabitants of the village ceased, they ceased in Israel. Until I, Devorah, arose, I arose, a mother in Israel.” (Shoftim 5:7)

We, the silent majority, must find the strength to restore G-D’s Honor – to be Mekadesh Shem Shomayim - and correct the travesty of justice. We must battle the Sikarikim and religious fanatics who mislead prominent rabbinical leaders and intimidate the innocent to impose their subjective standards, assert power, and withhold the truth from the masses – we can win this battle. B’Derech HaTorah Neylech.

Ruchie (Rachel) Freier, Esq. is a practicing Charedi attorney, admitted in New York, New Jersey and the District of Columbia, with offices in Brooklyn and Monroe. In 2008 she founded B’Derech, the organization advocating for Chassidic youth. She is a member of the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Children & the Law and New York City Family Court Attorney Volunteer Program.

Source: VIN news

The Light and Flame

2012-01-04T13:49:00.004-05:00

While the Light and Flame of Chanukah still shines,

Aaron HaKohen's Disciples

2012-01-01T14:29:00.000-05:00

The Zohar on Aaron the Priest
By Larry Fine

Aaron, who lived during the exodus from Egypt, was the brother of Moses and Miriam. He was chosen to be the first priest of the newly emerging Jewish nation. As a matter of fact Aaron's selection was more than an election, being selected as the priest was a function that is passed down from father to son, so in reality all of Aaron's descendants on the paternal side inherit the priesthood through their connection to Aaron. It was only the priest that was allowed to perform the services in the holy Temple; the common Jew was not allowed to do such.

The Zohar, the ancient source of Jewish mysticism, explains why it was that Aaron was chosen above all to be the priest. The Zohar (Kodshim pg. 88) explains why the children of Aaron and not the children of the tribe of Levi to whom Aaron was a part were selected for the priesthood. This was because Aaron was a person who was known for bringing peace between husbands and wives and between neighbors and friends. It was known that if Aaron saw two people arguing he would wait until later and then call on each one separately and tell them separately that their friend really feels bad that they quarreled and really only desires to make up and be friends again. In this manner when the two friends saw each other again, they would patch up their dispute and become friends again.

The Zohar states that since this was the way of Aaron in all of his dealings, that bringing peace between two parties meant very much to him, for this reason he was selected to be a priest for the function of the priest is to bring peace between the Jews and G-d.

Now we must realize that the Zohar generally reveals deep secrets that were for centuries hidden from the common man and was available only to scholars of the mystic teachings. These secrets were very difficult to understand and it was for many centuries were forbidden to be revealed to the average person. Yet in this teaching we do not see any deep mystical concepts; just the opposite, we see only a very simple explanation as to Aaron's qualifications.

But let us not be fooled by the simplicity of the Zohar's explanation – within it is a deep idea.

The most important thing in this world is that man, especially the Jew, should realize that G-d is the master of the world and desires that the man build a close relationship with Him. Yet, like with all relationships, misunderstandings and improper actions cause a distance between two friends. When this situation is left unto itself, it often degenerates and the warm friendship that had existed disappears. This happens between people and could just as easily happen between man and G-d.

Aaron realized the importance of good relationships between husband and wife, between a man and his friends and neighbors. Without a close friend, a man becomes a loner, an island, a dessert island. It is the friendships that bring out the human aspect in man. Man was not made to be a lone wolf, he was born to fit into the community and interact with them. This is for the benefit of both the man and the community.

It pained Aaron to see broken relationships and he, on his own, would do his best to repair any relationship that was on the verge of breaking. When he explained to one side of the argument that the other side regretted the misunderstanding and the argument, it caused that person to want to continue the relationship.

G-d also has relationships with people. He desires that each and every person have a close and personal relationship with Him. However, it is highly unlikely that a man can exist with out sinning. A sin is a break in the relationship between man and G-d. If the break in relationship was allowed to continue, the man would drift far away from G-d and eventually forget that G-d exists. Since this be the case, some mechanism was necessary to bring man back to his original warm and close relationship with G-d – that was the institution of the priest and his service in the holy Temple.

Since this character was embedded in the heart of Aaron and since Aaron was already known and respected by all, he was the natural selection for the 'job'.

Don't be misled into thinking peace is a small thing; peace is a very important foundation of society. With out peace between man and his neighbor, society could not exist. Without peace between nations, progress and individual welfare can not exist. This is the important principle that the Zohar wanted to share with us – that peace, whether between men or between G-d is of the paramount importance.

Be of the disciples of Aaron love peace, pursue peace, and bring peace between man and his fellow and between man and G-d.

The World Stands on Three Things ...

2012-01-01T14:26:00.001-05:00

I don't believe what I see happening to Jews in Eretz Yisrael ... But it is ... and as YeranenYaakov wrote on his blog: "We are currently between the 2 weeks of the year where Ahdut is stressed the most. ...What we need right now is an infusion of Ahavat Hinam to counteract the Sinat Hinam going around lately."

"Be amongst the disciples of Aaron: Love peace and pursue peace. Love people and bring them close to Torah."

This entire escalation of Sinas Hinam is fueled by the Yetzer Hara in his attempt to bring down as many good people as possible. And this, to me, means that Moshiach is so close. What we need now is an reminder about and escalation of:

Ethical Principles

The number of commentaries written on Pirkei Avot testify that it contains far more content and structure than can be captured in a simple outline. The following list aims merely to group some of the general principles found in the work.

Show kindness to others

"The world stands on three things: On Torah, on prayer ("avoda"; can also mean sacrificial offerings), and on kindness to others" (1:2)
"Your house should be open wide, and you should make the poor members of your household." (1:5)
"Meet every person with graciousness." (1:15)
"He [Yohanan ben Zakkai] said: 'Go and see what is the right way that a man should seek for himself.' Rabbi Eliezer said 'A good eye'. Rabbi Yehoshua said 'A good friend'. Rabbi Yose said 'A good neighbor'. Rabbi Shimon said 'One who sees consequences.' Rabbi Elazar said 'A good heart'. He [Yohanan] said to them, 'I prefer the words of Rabbi Elazar ben Arach to yours, because his words include yours as well.'" (2:13)

Respect the other person

"What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow" (Shab. 31a)
"What is the right path a man should choose? Whatever is honorable to himself, and honorable in the eyes of others." (2:1)
"Let your friend's honor be more dear to you than your own." (2:15)
"The evil eye, the evil inclination, and hatred of men, drive a person out of the world." (2:16)
"Let your friend's money be more dear to you than your own." (2:17)

Respect yourself

"If I am not for myself, who will be for me?" (1:14)
"What is the right path a man should choose? Whatever is honorable to himself, and honorable in the eyes of others." (2:1)
"In a place where there are no worthy men, strive to be worthy." (2:6)
"He who acquires a good name, has acquired himself something indeed." (2:8)
"Do not regard yourself as an evil person." (2:18)

Respect G-d

"Do His will as if it were your own, so that He will do His will as it were yours. Nullify your own will before His so that he will nullify the will of others before you." (2:4)

Seek peace

"Be amongst the students of Aaron: Love peace and pursue peace. Love people and bring them close to Torah." (1:12)
"The more charity, the more peace" (2:8)

Take precaution to avoid transgressions

"Make a fence for the Torah" (1:1)
"Keep far from an evil neighbor, do not befriend a wicked person, and do not despair of divine retribution" (1:7)
"Evaluate the loss of not fulfilling a commandment against its reward, and the reward of committing a transgression against its loss. Consider three things, and you will not come to sin: Know what is above you, a seeing eye, a hearing ear, and all of your deeds written down in a book." (2:1)

Be humble

"Love work, and despise official positions, and do not become too acquainted with the governing power." (1:10)
"One who makes a name great, destroys it" (1:13)
"Anyone who works for the community, let your work with them be for the sake of Heaven... And as for you all, I will make your reward great as though you had accomplished all the work." (2:2)
"Be cautious regarding the ruling power. Because they only befriend a person when it serves themselves. They appear as friends when it suits them, but they do not stand by a man in his time of need." (2:3)
"Do not separate yourself from the community, and do not be sure of yourself until your day of death." (2:5)
"The more flesh, the more worms. The more possessions, the more worry. The more wives, the more witchcraft. The more maidservants, the more uncouthness. The more servants, the more theft." (2:8)
"If you have learned much Torah, do not flatter yourself about it, because it was for this purpose you were created." (2:9)
"Let all your deeds be for the sake of Heaven." (2:17)

Be circumspect in prayer

"Be careful when reciting the Shema and tefilla. Do not pray as though by rote, but plead for mercy and grace before God." (2:18)

Combine Torah learning with labor

"Torah learning is best combined with an occupation, because the effort of both will keep one from sin. Torah study alone without work will in the end be nullified and lead to sin." (2:2) (See Torah im Derech Eretz'.')

Do not exploit your learning

"One who uses the crown will pass away" (1:13)

Be careful with speech

"All my life I was raised amongst the Sages, and I never found anything better for a person than silence... one who talks too much causes sin." (1:17)
"Do not speak (excessively) much with women. This regards a man's own wife, how much more so regarding another man's wife!" (1:5)
"Sages, you should be careful in what you say, lest you merit exile and be sent to a place of evil waters, and your pupils who follow you will die, and the name of Heaven will be disgraced." (1:11)
"Say little and do much." (1:15)
"Do not say something that cannot be understood, thinking it will be understood later." (2:5)

Do not seek rewards

"Do not be like slaves who serve the master in order to obtain a reward. Rather, be like slaves who serve the master not to receive a reward. And let the fear of Heaven be upon you." (1:3)
Be as careful in observance of a minor commandment as in a major commandment, because you don't know the respective rewards for the commandments. (2:1)

Do not leap to judge another person

"Judge every person favorably" (1:6)
"Do not judge your fellow until you have stood in his place." (2:5)

Be fair and deliberate in legal decision

"When judging, do not act as an advocate. When the litigants are before you, regard them all as guilty. And when leave you, regard them all as meritorious, when they have accepted your judgment." (1:8)
"Be thorough in examining witnesses, and watch what you say, so they do not learn from you how to lie." (1:9)
"On three things does the world stand: On justice, truth, and peace." (1:18)

Be fair and deliberate in business

The time for action is now

"If not now, when?" (1:14)
"The main thing is not study, but doing." (1:17)
"Do not say 'I will study when I have the time', for perhaps you will never have time." (2:5)
"The day is short, the labor vast, the toilers idle, the reward great, and the Master of the house is insistent." (2:20)
"It is not incumbent upon you to complete the work, but neither are you at liberty to desist from it" (2:21)

Seek an even temperament
"A boor cannot be sin-fearing, and an ignoramus cannot be pious. A shy person cannot learn, and an impatient person cannot teach." (2:6)

"Do not be quick to anger." (2:15)

[emphasis mine]

Afghanistan and Kashmir

2012-01-01T13:00:00.002-05:00

Jewish Geniza Found in Afghanistan

2012-01-01T11:02:00.000-05:00

ANCIENT JEWISH GENIZA FOUND IN AFGHANISTAN

Scrolls, which were part of a geniza – a burial site for sacred Jewish texts – date from around 1,000 years ago and are in Arabic, Judeo-Arabic and ancient Persian. One scroll, a replica of which was shown to the cameras, was apparently a dirge written for an important person whose identity has not been determined. “Where has he gone?” reads the text. “His family members are now alone.” Other texts said to have been found include an unknown history of the Kingdom of Judea, passages from the Book of Isaiah and some of the works of 10th-century sage Rabbi Sa’adia Gaon.

In addition, rings with names such as Shmuel Bar-Yosef inscribed in Hebrew on them have surfaced. The area in which the scrolls were discovered is on the Silk Road, a trade route that connected eastern Asia with the Middle East and Europe, and that Jewish merchants often traveled. [more at Jpost]

I'm so excited over this. Little by little, we are witnessing revealing discoveries from our historical living in the Land of Israel, all gifts from HaShem to reveal to us our physical heritage. Next, the people of Eretz Yisrael need to learn more about their spiritual heritage and how the two go together.

I find this so exciting, because I believe most of the Northern Tribes' descendants, or a very large group of them have segregated themselves in the rugged mountain area of northern Afghanistan. Especially since this current discovery is along the Silk Route which would be the route they might have travelled eastward while seeking a new place to settle. These people I refer to are known as the Pashtuns. I've gathered the following from several sources:

Wikipedia: The Pashtuns are the world's largest (patriarchal) segmentary lineage ethnic group. According to Ethnologue, the total population of the group is estimated to be around 50 million but an accurate count remains elusive due to the lack of an official census in Afghanistan since 1979. Estimates of the number of Pashtun tribes and clans range from about 350 to over 400.

From these scrolls and accompanying texts we may yet find a stronger link with our Lost Israelites .

This could possibly indicate that their time has come to be revealed and brought into the 21st Century and reunited with the rest of Am Yisrael? Certain Pashtuns keep to their 'tribe' and don't mix with non-members. They keep certain Jewish religious rituals, even though they were forced into the muslim world centuries ago.

The Ingathering is proceeding. Of course much familial identifying, genetic clarifications, and verbal accounts of their senior religious leaders needs to be compiled. Since there are so many of them, those who have rigidly kept to traditions that accompanied them through their diaspora could be a possible validating source, if there are any (legends) that have survived intact.

In his 1957 classic The Exiled and the Redeemed, Itzhak Ben-Zvi, second President of Israel, writes that Hebrew migrations into Afghanistan began, "with a sprinkling of exiles from Samaria who had been transplanted there by Shalmaneser, King of Assyria (719 BC). From the recurrent references in the Book of Esther to the "one hundred and twenty seven dominions" of King Ahasuerus, the deduction is permissible that eastern Afghanistan was among them." [The Exiled and the Redeemed, Ben-Zvi continues,

"The Afghan tribes, among whom the Jews have lived for generations, are Moslems who retain to this day their amazing tradition about their descent from the Ten Tribes. It is an ancient tradition, and one not without some historical plausibility. A number of explorers, Jewish and non-Jewish, who visited Afghanistan from time to time, and students of Afghan affairs who probed into literary sources, have referred to this tradition, which was also discussed in several encyclopedias in European languages. The fact that this tradition, and no other, has persisted among these tribes is itself a weighty consideration...."

A DNA connection.

Dr. Navras Aafreedi, an Indian historian who did a genetic study on the Afridi clan of Pashtuns in Malihabad, India, said that 650 out of the 1,500 members possess genetic material similar to genetic material found in Jews.

Pathans, or Pashtuns, are the only people in the world whose probable descent from the lost tribes of Israel finds mention in a number of texts from the 10th century to the present day, written by Jewish, Christian and Muslim scholars alike, both religious as well as secularists.—Navras Aafreedi

Israel is planning to fund this rare genetic study to determine whether there is a link between the lost tribes of Israel and the Pashtuns.

Of all the groups, there is more convincing evidence about the Pathans than anybody else, but the Pathans are the ones who would reject Israel most ferociously. That is the sweet irony.—Shalva Weil, anthropologist and senior researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

The scholarly world is abuzz over the discovery of ancient Jewish scrolls in a cave in Afghanistan’s Samangan province. If the scrolls are authenticated, they may be the most significant historical finding in the Jewish world since that of the Cairo Geniza in the 19th century, Channel 2 Arab affairs correspondent Ehud Ya’ari

“We know today about a couple of findings,” Haggai Ben- Shammai, professor emeritus of Arabic language and literature at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, was quoted as saying. “In all, in my opinion, there are about 150 fragments. It may be the tip of the iceberg.” The scrolls, which were part of a geniza – a burial site for sacred Jewish texts – date from around 1,000 years ago and are in Arabic, Judeo-Arabic and 'ancient Persian'.

Megillat Esther

"The Megillah of Esther attests that the Jews were so numerous and dispersed throughout the empire that any decree concerning them had to be sent to all 127 Persian provinces, from India to Ethiopia. The account in Esther 8:17 records that in that time in the Persian Empire "many of the people of the land became Jews". This implies that many of the original Israelites that by that time had lost their Jewish lifestyle (mainly those of the Assyrian deportations) may have returned back to the Laws known to their forefathers in the old Kingdom of Israel." Im Nin'alu's Book of Origins

Glenn Has The Right Idea

2012-01-01T04:19:00.007-05:00

At a time when there is so much tension and hatred rolling around Israel, which overcasts the tremendous good in all areas, perhaps it's time to step back and ask yourself "What can I 'do'?" to diffuse the imaginations of the "SA" or yetzer hara, or evil one, however you want to refer to it.

Glenn Beck is very ambitious and actually puts his ideas into action. Sometimes we Jews can learn from those around us, whoever they be. He sends his viewers and partners in idealism a message at the end of 2011, about aspirations and accomplishments. I'll skip over some, and post the following:

"I'd like to leave you with a story I read on radio when I came back after the holidays last January. Read it and look at all the things we have done together over the past two years. I hope you can see how everything we have been working towards is about solutions born in the individual.

A man decided that he would change the world.
But, he wasn’t successful.

So he decided to change the country.
But, he wasn’t successful.

So he decided to change his community.
But, he wasn’t successful.

So he decided to change his street.
But, be wasn’t successful.

So he decided to change his family.
But, he wasn’t successful.

So he decided to change himself.
AND HE WAS SUCCESSFUL.

AND HIS FAMILY CHANGED AND THEY AFFECTED THEIR STREET.
AND THE PEOPLE ON THE STREET AFFECTED THEIR COMMUNITY.

AND THE PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY AFFECTED THEIR COUNTRY.
AND THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTRY AFFECTED THE WORLD.

"And gang, I promise you, we are so close to seeing things turn around in this country and changing for the better. We just need to start with ourselves, then our families, and then our communities. If we can start at home, each and every one of us, we can change the world. We will change the world.

"2012 is going to be an incredible journey.

Glenn Beck"

So, please, Beit Shemesh, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and all of Eretz Yisrael, let's work on ourselves and leave the 'other' to work on their selves.

An Open Letter To The Beit Shemesh Spitter ...

2011-12-31T12:02:00.009-05:00

Shavua Tov

The following is from Aish.com as viewed on Yeshiva World News An open letter to the Beit Shemesh Spitter

How dare you?
How dare you reject the Torah’s way of “love your fellow man” and instead erect barriers of hate and intolerance

[after many 'how dare you's which I won't repeat,
the following I feel very worthy of reading]

Perhaps you should try following the example of a real Torah Jew, the great Mirrer Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel, of blessed memory.

A non-religious Israeli couple was married for 12 years and could not have children. They were distraught and decided to seek counsel from the renowned Rosh Yeshiva. It was a hot summer day and the couple knocked on the door. The woman was wearing her typical summer attire and was not modestly dressed.

Rebbetzin Finkel opened the door and greeted the couple. “How wonderful that you came to meet my husband!” Then she turned to the wife and warmly said, “You know, my husband is a great scholar – he learns all day. When I go in to speak with him, I wear a shawl out of respect. Why don’t you come with me and see if I have one for you, too. I think I even have a perfect piece of jewelry to match. And we’ll go in together to speak to him.”

They entered his study and told the rabbi why they had come. Rabbi Finkel had great difficulty talking due to the debilitating effects of Parkinson’s. He mustered his strength and said to the woman, “You and I have a lot in common. We both know what suffering is.” He began to sob, along with Rebbetzin Finkel. Then the couple started crying.

Rabbi Finkel spoke with the couple for a while, offering words of comfort. He then took their names, and vowed to pray for them.
No yelling, no threats, no spitting. Just love, respect and compassion of one Jew for another.

Maimonides writes (Laws of Character Development, 6:7) that the only way to draw people close is through love. That is how the Almighty relates to us, and that is how He wants us to relate to others.

Abandon your hate and choose the Torah’s path of warmth and understanding.

I dare you.

(Source: Aish.com, as viewed on Yeshiva World News

Good Shabbos to Everyone

2011-12-30T08:52:00.002-05:00

Shabbat Shalom

Christian 'Feminist' Converts to Orthodox Judaism

2011-12-28T09:45:00.005-05:00

The Back of the Synagogue is Not the Back of the Bus

Two Interviews on Jewish Feminism

By Amy Edelstein

Editors Note: The interviews below were conducted with two Orthodox Jewish women regarding the Jewish view of femininity for What is Enlightenment? magazine, a liberal, religiously unaffiliated publication.

Introduction

"She converted to Orthodox Judaism after being a feminist!?" my colleagues exclaimed to me. "We have to speak with her!" Tamar Frankiel, who taught at Stanford, Princeton and Berkeley...led me to question many of my prior assumptions We were discussing the work of Tamar Frankiel, author and educator, whose book The Voice of Sarah portrays the purpose and meaning in the traditional roles for women in Judaism. Drawn by the spiritual depth she felt in the Jewish ritual observances for women and by the unusual strength of character of the Orthodox women she had met, Frankiel underwent the unlikely conversion from liberal Christian feminist to practicing Orthodox Jew.

"As I grew to know [Orthodox women]," she says in a candid description of her experience, my first feelings of condescending pity toward these victims of patriarchy changed to admiration and wonderment. I knew I could never live like that, but I appreciated that they were living a life of integrity with a spiritual richness of its own. That was ten years ago. Today I find myself speaking in much the same way to others as those women spoke to me then. . . . I don't expect such statements to be any more believable to feminists than they were to me ten years ago. I can only assert that there is truth behind their simplicity."

The fact that Frankiel, who has taught comparative religion at Stanford, Princeton and U.C. Berkeley, found the message of this gendered belief system so compelling that she left her liberal feminist freedoms in favor of a far more restrictive lifestyle led me to question many of my prior assumptions. And mainly, I began to wonder: Could Judaism, whose "faceless" G-d nevertheless seems to have a very masculine face, really offer women a spiritual life of equal depth and significance to the one it offers men?

The Judaic religion is built on traditional roles for women and men, with elaborate commandments governing all aspects of the observant Jew's life, from conjugal relations to time and place of prayer. Its very structure depends on man fulfilling his distinct duties and woman fulfilling hers. Men hold the positions of authority as the religious leaders and lawmakers while women are relegated to hearth and home. "Separate but equal," some may argue, but as far as feminist scholars such as Rita Gross are concerned, Judaism practically tops the list of patriarchal religious offenders. So when Tamar Frankiel, with her background in the feminist and equal rights movements, praised this "separate but equal" tradition primarily because of the position of women, we raised more than an eyebrow.

Could Judaism really offer women a spiritual life of equal depth and significance to the one it offers men?
Among observant Jews, the rabbi is meant to be the final authority on all issues spiritual and mundane, including everything from whom to marry to the finer points of theological debate. So I called Rabbi David Edelman, leader of the Lubavitch Orthodox congregation in western Massachusetts, to gain some insight into this gendered way of life. As presiding rabbi over a large Jewish community for the last forty-nine years, Rabbi Edelman, I thought, would be well-versed in both the theory and practice of the Orthodox tradition.

"Can you tell me about the traditional roles for men and women in Judaism?" I asked him last December. "You want to know how men and women should be?" he began. "All the answers are in the Torah." Then he proceeded to tell me about the great Biblical matriarchs and the exalted position of women in Judaism. "Women are more spiritual than men," he said, to my astonishment. They naturally have a closer connection to G-d. Men need to be reminded to pray. That's why they have to come to the synagogue. Women can pray by themselves because they pray deeper. And you know, it is said that when the Messiah comes, men will be raised to the spiritual level of women."

His description stood in stark contrast to the Orthodoxy I had pictured. I had expected Rabbi Edelman to explain why, in Judaism, women are prohibited from chanting the holy scripture; why they sit behind a screen during public prayer; why they are considered impure, unclean and not to be touched every month because of their physiology; and why men utter a prayer every morning thanking G-d for not making them a woman. But the rabbi then told me, "I have six daughters. They never missed out on anything. You should have seen them all together, walking down the street to the yeshiva school—what a picture! They were modest, but they were always nice-looking, with a little lipstick. You should talk to them; they'll tell you they never missed out on anything!" In Yiddish there's a special word, "nachas," used to describe the often less-than-objective pride parents can take in their children. So was Rabbi Edelman kvelling [gushing] with nachas? Or had this way of life actually given his daughters a deep sense of self-fulfillment?

I couldn't help wondering what Rabbi Edelman's daughters were really like. Would I find them to be meek or subservient, with a narrow scope of interests centered around teething and bread making? Would they be restless in their restricted sphere, with all the freedoms of the modern world tempting them from just around the corner? Would they be passive and accepting of their lot, reluctant to question, challenge or reform, fearful of retribution from an angry G-d or a conservative rabbi? Or was Rabbi Edelman accurate in saying they really hadn't missed out on anything? My curiosity piqued, I arranged to meet Esther Kosovsky, one of Rabbi Edelman's by now, at least to me, illustrious daughters.

Esther Kosovsky is the director of the Jewish Educational Resource Center in western Massachusetts, mother of eight and wife of a rabbi. We met in the Springfield yeshiva school, the very school that the rabbi had mentioned. Walking down the hallway, alive with sounds of children singing Hebrew songs, I was struck by her quiet confidence and self-assurance. She was all that her father had described her to be. Not only was she attractive, but there was a light in her eyes, an unusual serenity and vitality. As she spoke about her love, appreciation and respect for this gendered tradition, I found myself reflecting on the great Biblical matriarchs—the Sarahs, Rebeccas and Deborahs who had deep spiritual passion and had served G-d with valiant devotion, powerful faith and rare wisdom. As I glanced around the book-lined office, the white-bearded Lubavitch rabbis seemed to smile and twinkle at me from their picture frames on the wall.

Unlike Esther Kosovsky, most of the women I have known are women who grew up in the wake of the feminist movement, beneficiaries of many newfound and hard-won freedoms. But in spite of all the opportunities available to us, most of us have had to grapple with insecurity, confusion and self-doubt around our role, position and even spiritual path in a world of shifting values. In grocery stores and newsstands around the country, magazine racks sport colorful arrays of women's magazines, all eager to help us navigate our perplexity with "how-to" recipes for finding fulfillment in work, relationships, sexuality and motherhood. In light of the simple confidence of these Orthodox women, I began to consider what had been for me, at least up until now, an inconceivable question: Could it be possible that women adhering to a traditional feminine role in this patriarchal religion might actually end up having more inner strength and higher self-esteem than women free to explore an infinite number of lifestyles in the postfeminist world?

I listened carefully to what Esther Kosovsky and Tamar Frankiel had to say as we talked about some provocative and pointed issues. Their unswerving conviction in their own rich experience as observant Orthodox women speaks for itself.

Interview with Tamar Frankiel:

[Interview with Esther Kosofsky can be read here .

WIE: What led you to convert to Orthodox Judaism after being a feminist? That seems very unusual.

TAMAR FRANKIEL: Yes, it is. When I was teaching comparative religion at Stanford, I met the man who would later become my husband. A commitment to something that is deep and profound gives you a center from which you can do other things He was returning to the Jewish tradition after not having been an observant Jew. First, I found the practice of Shabbat very attractive. It was a richer, more meaningful way of life. I had no intention of becoming Orthodox and I still don't like the labels, but I undertook a Conservative conversion and then found that I was much more deeply attracted to the observance than even the rabbi who converted me! My husband was attending Orthodox services. I would go with him and really rage at what I felt was the inequality of women, but at the same time I felt the authenticity and the depth of the people who were there. So I started talking to the women who had been involved for a long time. They were very strong women. I was sort of shocked by their perspective on life, by their confidence and by their ability to manage their lives. They were not the oppressed, second-class citizens I had thought they would be. It was a process of coming to a depth in my own spiritual practice and reconciling that with what it means to be a woman and to fight oppression. I had to find a way to express my own voice. That's how I ended up writing The Voice of Sarah. It became clear to me that there was another way of seeing things besides women as "feminists and liberated" or "oppressed and religious."

WIE: You described being attracted by the confidence that the Orthodox women expressed. Did you not see the same confidence among women in the feminist movement?

TF: I didn't see much spirituality among the women in the feminist movement. The women whom I knew at that time were politically oriented, and even when I met women who were religiously involved in some way, it often seemed as if they were trying to be like men. After meeting Orthodox women who had a sense of their own being, I realized that we really have to think about whether there is a gendered quality to spiritual work and whether taking the man's role really serves women. The Hasidic women I met had a long tradition that's been passed down to them of how to be with G-d. Doing the simple rituals and observances that they did, which were private, not political, was extraordinarily satisfying to them. They had a sense of their own purpose, and they didn't seem to need to do what their husbands were doing. Of course I asked, "Are they just brainwashed?" But over a period of years of knowing many of these women, I realized that, no, they really weren't. They really did have a sense of deep satisfaction.

WIE: When I was describing your championing the Orthodox way of life for women after having been involved in the feminist movement to a feminist friend of mine, she commented, "I know what that's all about"--the implication being that you must be someone who has sold out or even gone off the deep end. Have you encountered that response before?

TF: Oh yes, sure.

WIE: How did you explain your attraction to this traditional and more restricted role to your feminist colleagues in a way that convinced them that you hadn't gone crazy?

TF: I've found that a commitment to something that is deep and profound gives you a center from which you can do other things. Sure, there are things you cut out of your life. But I found that once I cut them out, for the most part they really hadn't been nourishing me anyway. It's the spiritual work that's nourishing. And what I saw among the Orthodox women whom I respected was a realization that we are all in this together and if we don't help each other--men and women--none of us will advance. There is an organic sense among these women that we're all responsible for each other, for the community and particularly for the future, for the next generation. Judaism insists that women be involved in what is called "the redemption," which means the perfection of the world. It can't be done only by men. The tradition is that it was because of the righteous women that the Jews were redeemed from Egypt, so it's going to be because of the righteous women that the final redemption will come. It can't be done without the women, and that means that women have a crucial and unique role according to even the most traditional interpreters of Judaism.

WIE: By saying to women, "You have a responsibility for the redemption of the world," the tradition calls on women to take their spirituality and their own lives seriously. There's something very moving about this way of cultivating that sense of dignity and spiritual responsibility.

TF: Yes, absolutely. I've seen it among many of the Hasidic women. They take themselves seriously spiritually and see themselves as having a responsibility. Even if it sounds genderist or sexist, I think women do have to take seriously the question: If women are supposed to have a special role and it's not exactly what men are doing, and it is supposed to be helping the whole world, what is that role?

WIE: It's a complex question. In your book, The Voice of Sarah, you also wrote, "I think we need to face the potentially disturbing question, "Is it possible that some forms of spirituality are more feminine and some are more masculine?" What do you think about that now?

TF: I grew up with a strong belief in equality, and the feminist movement enhanced that. I'm not sure what it would mean if we took it seriously that there might be very different things that people need to do in order to grow spiritually. In Judaism, I think what's meant by "a woman's place is in the home" is that the inwardness or spirituality of women develops in a different way than the inwardness of men. My husband seems to think that men just wouldn't do any inner work at all if they didn't have to be out there in groups davening [praying], doing the more public thing. I think that's a little extreme, but—

A woman can't just do the rituals and take care of the kids and expect magically to feel as though she's living a spiritual life
WIE: Is that a Jewish view, to say that women would gravitate toward an active relationship with G-d even if they didn't have an outward structure, whereas men wouldn't?

TF: Yes, that's right. That wouldn't be true for everybody, but women don't seem to need those external structures to grow in their spiritual life the way men do, although they may be helpful.

WIE: Can you describe what it is about women's roles and their particular rituals, laws and prayers that brings the awareness of G-d into their lives and gives their lives a deeper meaning and a broader context?

TF: The rituals that are marked out for women have to do with directly bringing spirituality into the physical. Men have certain physical symbols that are supposed to help them do that, like putting on tefillin, [phylacteries, ritual prayer ornaments] and wearing the tzitzit, the fringes; whereas women's mitzvot [commandments] are directly connected to the body, to the physical, to giving birth and all the women's processes. It sanctifies these physical processes for women. Women don't have to set foot outside their own home to create everything that Judaism wants women to do. And when you do set foot outside your home, it's to expand that into the community. It's like an inward center that radiates outward. But a woman can't just do the rituals and take care of the kids and expect magically to feel as though she's living a spiritual life. If a woman is doing that, she's living a traditional life but not necessarily a spiritual one.

WIE: The laws governing marriage and intimate relations seem to be meant to foster a coming together between men and women that is based on each person independently worshipping G-d in everything they do. The relationship described is very beautiful—intimate, loving, respectful but not sentimental. You've explained the philosophical basis as, "When husband and wife unite at permitted times . . . their union reflects the union of masculine and feminine in the divine. This is a special kind of holy act: two people in their physical being and their natural energies reflect the culmination of the divine creative process, making a unity from what had been a duality. . . . Only in the union between man and woman can we touch with our own natures the process that the whole world is about: to come together, to overcome our separation, to be one." Can you elaborate on how this teaching for men and women helps us realize divine union?

TF: Judaism affirms that you can come together in these ways with respect and love and, yes, it is unsentimental. You are manifesting something that goes way beyond our ordinary consciousness. It goes into the depth that unites everything. The idea is to go beyond the personal and the feelings of the two people at any given moment. Maybe they've been doing really well. Maybe they've been having a lot of difficulties, but they're able to overcome them. It affirms that possibility of union even in the midst of all our conflict and division.

WIE: There are relative differences between men and women. When it comes to ultimate realization or union with G-d, how significant do you feel these differences between men and women are?

TF: These differences in conditioning don't mean anything when you get to the ultimate. An important part of the Jewish spiritual path is ratzo vashov, running and returning. You run to G-d and then you come back. This means you can achieve experiences of union, but you're always almost instantaneously brought back into your physical reality. So, even when a person achieves great heights in spirituality, when the person brings it back down, so to speak, they're going to again be speaking through their own conditioning.

WIE: Many different teachings, like Judaism, say that fully embracing our womanhood or our manhood will enable us to realize our full spiritual capacity. Could there be another approach that, without denying the differences between us, allows us to focus on our essential unity and then discover naturally and freely what the differences between the genders are?

TF: Experiencing unconditioned reality is one thing; gendered reality is another—whether you can "freely and naturally" discover it or not. But when I pray or meditate, I'm not the least bit interested in these issues. This has absolutely no relevance when I open up my prayer book or when I sit down to meditate. I am just concerned with either contemplation, speaking from my heart or the different kinds of work one can do in those contexts. I think being concerned with that kind of identity while I'm involved in a specific practice oriented toward my relationship with G-d would be completely distracting. I don't know why anyone would want to do that. When you're doing your spiritual work, contemplating the One, that's what prayer is supposed to be all about. But bringing it back down, then we have to realize that we are in gendered bodies and we do have societies that treat us in certain ways according to our gender and expect certain things of us. And then we need to deal with these issues again. We don't stay up there in a spiritual state. G-d wants us to create that state here on earth. I think the important question is: How can we best create a world where divinity is realized. Because from the Jewish point of view, that's ultimately our job.

Putting Women in the Picture

2011-12-25T00:27:00.002-05:00

For the Kavod of Torah .... Putting Women in the Picture

An ultra-Orthodox man suspected of cursing and spitting at a religious woman in the central Israeli town of Beit Shemesh last week, was arrested Saturday night. According to the indictment, a number of men assaulted Alisa Coleman, who was helping girls onto a school bus to the religious-Zionist "Orot Banot" elementary school for girls. According to her attackers she was immodestly dressed......

"When God said 'it is not good for man to be alone' and made him a helpmeet, this is not what He intended," said Adina Bar-Shalom, daughter of Shas' spiritual leader, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.

This is not the right behavior of frum men ... This 'acting out' is juvenile and irresponsible. This behavior gives credence and support to Mrs Horowitz's concern about the influence on young boys. "They are taught that they are lords who sit in the front. And they learn from this that it is possible to relate to women as though they are garbage. But where have they themselves come from? Didn't women give birth to them?"

Kol HaKavod Yocheved Horowitz

The following are quotes and selected portions of a Haaretz article titled, "The Original Israeli Rosa Parks," about why she [Mrs Horowitz] placed herself in the front of a Mehadrin bus. It's a long article and exceptional for Haaretz. I only hope that PM Binyamin Netanyahu gets to read this, and thus understands that the other female who thought she was emulating Rosa Parks actually resorted to provocation and nastiness and in her actions behaved as an ignorant fraud.

From her own words, Mrs Horowitz:

"I've done this so people won't say the Torah commands the scorning and humiliation of women."

"We're talking about an idea, a concept. About the fact that women are not marionettes. They have a body, a soul, a spirit. They have feelings. And a man is supposed to respect a woman more than his own body. The Rambam says something that is the basis of all peace in the home: 'He should honor her more than his own body, and love her like his own body,'"

"That people tell a woman to go to the back of the bus and repeat this like a mantra - 'Women to the back' - is outrageous..."

"What do you mean by 'men's area'? A geographical area?" she wondered. "What is mehadrin? Are you talking about an etrog, a lulav?" she queried, referring to two of the principal symbols used during the festival of Sukkot. "Nowhere in rabbinical law does it say that it is forbidden to sit behind a woman, not in the Shulchan Arukh and not in the Yoreh De'ah [two classical compilations of Jewish law]. What is written in the Torah and in rabbinical law is that it is forbidden to humiliate sons and daughters of Israel."

"And she adds: "I became a feminist when I witnessed the oppression of women."

"People cite all kinds of statements from the sages, and in that way cover their wickedness and hatred for women. And that is the worst of all, because women have not studied those things. And they don't know what is correct and what isn't."

Horowitz is a tall woman of 51 with comely features. Her personality combines a rare openness with stricter observance of rabbinical law than many "regular" ultra-Orthodox people. In ultra-Orthodox society, which is accustomed to labeling and cataloging people according to their social and religious affiliation and pedigree, most probably they would attribute her difference to the fact that she is European-born.

Horowitz was born in France, the daughter of a devout ultra-Orthodox family. Her father was a French-born rabbi; her mother was a teacher at an ultra-Orthodox seminary for girls in England. She grew up in a small ultra-Orthodox bubble of a few families that gathered around the yeshiva which her father headed in a small town some 60 kilometers from Paris. It was a Lithuanian yeshiva established in the Novardok tradition, known for its strictness. But the community's girls studied in a relatively lenient atmosphere.

"We studied everything. Alongside sacred studies and lessons about modesty we studied French and mathematics. History. All around was open nature and forest. It was a wonderful childhood and my girlfriends and I were like sisters," she reminisces.

When she was 13 her beloved father died, and her family immigrated to Israel. She was sent to the Rabbi Wolf seminary in Bnei Brak, but did not acclimate to the society of the Israeli girls there. After a year, she transferred to the Beit Yaakov seminary in Manchester.

Horowitz: "We mainly had Jewish studies: Torah, Prophets, morality, worldview and prayer. We loved it, because we had wonderful teachers. There were girls from Denmark, Russia, Belgium, France and of course England, and I tutored some of them because they had come from homes where they hadn't done Jewish studies.

"We were taught mostly by rabbis, and the director was a Gur Hasid. They instilled in us the idea that a woman has to be subordinate to a man and be a good wife. This was strong brainwashing, and it had an influence on me."

Horowitz married at the age of 17, in an arranged match with a boy from the extreme wing of Neturei Karta - an extreme Hasidic sect known for its opposition to Zionism. She has four children, all of whom were educated at Yiddish-speaking institutions. About a decade ago, she and her husband divorced, and she subsequently remarried.

Over the years Horowitz has worked as a lactation counselor for the women of Mea She'arim. She dismisses those who say that seating women in the rear of bus is designed to make it easier for them to nurse modestly: "Anyone who is nursing [already] knows to go to the back. She does this quietly. But I don't think that women tend to nurse on the bus. Usually there are screaming babies on a bus. In any case, that isn't a reason to put the women in the back like sheep and cattle. You have to rely on women's intelligence and their common sense."

"In ultra-Orthodox society, it's customary to think that woman are not worthy of being leaders," ... "But it's a fact," she goes on, referring to the Bible, "that Judith did a brave deed when she went out on Hanukkah to the military camp to kill the Syrian general Holofernes and saved the Jewish people. And Deborah was a judge. It wasn't customary for women to hold public positions then. So why did these women become leaders? Because there wasn't anyone else of stature. In Deborah's case, it never occurred to the wise men to choose a man as a judge in her place simply because he was a man. Also on the issue of separation, it can be said that if there isn't anyone else who will protest, then I am protesting."

"She says she is especially concerned about the influence of gender segregation on young boys. 'They are taught that they are lords who sit in the front. And they learn from this that it is possible to relate to women as though they are garbage. But where have they themselves come from? Didn't women give birth to them?'"

"I am acting because I can't stand to see other women humiliated," ... They have been educated to exist with their eyes closed and I say that where there isn't a man, try to be a woman," smiling, as she paraphrases Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers ).

"I don't, heaven forbid, have any interest in provocation. But I hope that what happened today will happen every day. At first, one woman will sit in the front of the bus and then a second one will join her and then a third will come. That gradually everything will return to normal, and that people will learn to relate to women."

Please read the full article in Haaretz, which they deserve a 'thank you' for being fair in reporting.

Maccabeat Madness in Central Park

2011-12-22T16:20:00.000-05:00

Maccabeat Madness in Central Park

CHANUKAH ON ICE

"Over 1,300 people participated in Chabad of the West Side's Chanukah on Ice, described as the 'Biggest Chanukah party in New York City,' with entertainment by the Maccabeats"

All these pictures and VIDEO are from COLlive.com,

alot of stunning photography from Meir Pliskin

Hanukkah Samayach!

2011-12-22T02:39:00.006-05:00

THEN

AND NOW

Happy Chanukah!

Found a new Latke Recipe:

Cauliflower Sweet Potato Lakes

1 large head of cauliflower, about 1 1/2 lbs
1/4 cup finely diced onion
2 lightly beaten eggs
3/4 cup flour (or corn starch)
1 large sweet potato, grated
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 Teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
Vegetable or grape seed oil

To get the lacy crunchy edges grate the sweet potato lengthwise so you get long strands, for neat round little patties, grate finely instead.

Chop up the cauliflower and microwave in a covered bowl without water until easily pierced by a fork. Mash the cauliflower, then toss with the remaining ingredients, except for the oil.

In a large, nonstick skillet, heat a goodly drizzle of the oil over medium-high heat. Make the pancakes by placing 2 tablespoons of the batter onto the hot skillet, flattening them with the back of the spoon. Saute until the bottom of the pancakes are nicely browned – between 3 and 5 minutes; flip the pancakes and cook for about 3 minutes longer. You will probably have to make them in a few batches, so keep the first ones warm in a 200 degree oven, on a cookie rack placed on a cookie sheet. From The Family Dinner Cookbook.

Traditional Latkes

Bunch of Potatoes
Someone to Grate them
Add eggs, olive oil, S&P
Then Fry Crackling Good in Olive Oil

No flour, they're great!
Can't have enough of them!

Now for the Sufganiot - English Cake Bakery

Megillas Antiochus

2011-12-22T02:03:00.005-05:00

In Honor of the Brave Young Fighters:

",...When the five sons of Mattisyahu heard all this they rose up and came to Mitzpe Gilad where dwelt the remnants of the Jews from the days of Shmuel the Prophet. They decreed a fast, and they sat on the ground to pray for mercy from the G-d of Heaven, and a good plan came to their minds. Their names were: [...] Yehuda, my son, I compare you to Yehuda son of Yaakov who was compared to a lion. Shimon, my son, I compare you to Shimon son of Yaakov, who killed the people of Shechem. Yochanon my son, I compare you to Avner son of Ner, general of Israel's army. Yonason my son, I compare you to Yonason son of Shaul who killed the P'lishtim. Elozor, my son, I compare you to Pinchas son of Elozor, who was zealous for his G-d, and saved the Jewish People..."

Another Domino by the Wayside

2011-12-22T01:46:00.004-05:00

I guess this is another one of those Dominoes that are falling by the wayside, leaving a door wide open for revolutionary change. I didn't read all the article on this man's disappearance from the world scene, but Michael Savage had something interesting to say:

'North Korea is the Obama administration on steroids'

Michael Savage reacted to the death of North Korea's tyrannical Kim Jong Il:

The interesting part is that one of the world's most brutal dictators has died, yet according to the vermin in the media, he was just another "world leader". Some called him a "rascal". According to NPR, Kim Jong Il was a "mercurial man".

They didn't call him evil. They wouldn't call him a Stalinist dictator, because then you're liable to ask the question, "What is a Stalinist?" And then you'd find out that Stalinism means communism. And after that, you might wonder: "But isn't that like the Democrats? Don't they believe in state control of everything?

Take a look at South Korea next door. You see a booming economy producing cars and other things the world really wants. You see booming cities full of fat and happy people.

Then look back at the North, a country that has been under the yoke of a Stalinist mentality ever since it was created.

What you see is what you'd get with the Obama administration if it was allowed to go on steroids: a state-controlled nightmare.

Remember: The media never wants you to think this through, because if you do you're liable to come to the right conclusion –

Which to them would be the "wrong one."

A Comma Makes All The Difference

2011-12-19T02:11:00.005-05:00

A little 'comma' makes all the difference:

Netanyahu Ditches Law, [in order] to Legalize Outposts

Netanyahu Ditches Law to Legalize Outposts!

Imagine losing your place in Olam Haba because of a 'comma'.

Fear Motivates

2011-12-16T02:57:00.005-05:00

"The TRUTH will set you free"

Gingrich tells the truth, the "Palestinians are an invention".

Clinton does not deny Gingrich's statement, she only views it as "not helpful".

Tamar Yonah and Caroline Glick say it like no one else.

In Caroline's Column One, "Violent Rioters and Media Goons," today, erev Shabbat Vayaishev, she writes:

"MUSLIM RIOTERS aren’t the only ones who use violence to force the government’s hand. Leftist rioters routinely resort to violence to get their way as well.

"When on Wednesday Netanyahu failed label the religious Zionist rioters a terrorist organization, he opted instead to liken them to the leftist anarchists. Every Friday these anarchists, supported by NGOs such as Gush Shalom, join Palestinians in violently rioting against IDF soldiers guarding construction of the security barrier in places such as Bil’in, Ni’lin, Nabi Musa and Neveh Tzuf.

"These organized, planned riots have been taking place regularly since 2002. Their organizers have spent next to no time in jail. The Justice Ministry has not asked to define them as a terror group. Their members have not been tried in military courts or placed in administration detention. Little intelligence has been gathered about them.

"...in June 2005, demonstrators led by Gush Shalom and by Arab MKs held violent protests in three villages. Protesters attacked IDF soldiers with rocks and clubs. At one such protest near Bil’in, IDF Cpl. Michael Schwartzman lost an eye. He and his comrades were stoned by Jewish and Arab protesters who called them “Hitler,” and “Eichmann.” None of the protesters apologized for injuring him. Indeed, in a radio interview the next week, MK Ahmed Tibi claimed Schwartzman brought his injury on himself."

"...In stark contrast, on Tuesday alongside its condemnation and demonization of Monday night’s violent national religious protesters, Haaretz published a eulogy to Palestinian rioter Mustafa Tamimi who was killed last Friday by IDF troops at Nabi Musa as he stoned their vehicle. The article lionizing Tamimi was written by Jonathan Pollack, the head of the anti-Zionist Anarchists against the Fence group that organizes the weekly anti-IDF riots. Violent riots against IDF soldiers at Nabi Musa are planned for this Friday as well." This another must read by Caroline (may G-d Bless her and keep her well).

The Zohar implies that the head of the "erev rav"

at the time when Moshiach comes will be

named Binyamin ....

Bibi Netanyahu might have found his backbone, but someone point him in the right direction, please.

The commotion in the news, the upset over the Land, the threats over the Mughrabi bridge, and the fear of Muslim rioting is creating chaos, the Government is fearful that they will not be able to control the possible uprisings and Arab rage surrounding the Temple Mount. So what do they do, they go after the boys who fight for the Honor of the Land that belongs rightfully to the Jews, instead of standing up against the "inventors", the hypocrites, and deceivers that only want to devour what belongs to the Jews and the G-d of the Jews.

But this type of chaos

is just what could bring everything to a

breathtaking climax

and lead us into the final days ....

Shabbat Shalom!

America in (more) Trouble

2011-12-16T01:50:00.000-05:00

Criticism of Islam Could Soon be a Crime in America

Clare M. Lopez is a strategic policy and intelligence expert. Lopez began her career as an operations officer with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), serving domestically and abroad for 20 years in a variety of assignments. Now a private consultant, Lopez is a Sr. Fellow at the Center for Security Policy and Vice President of the Intelligence Summit. She is also a senior fellow at the Clarion Fund.

She writes:

"When President Obama delivered his much-anticipated speech to the Muslim world at Cairo University in June 2009, the free world trembled while the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) gushed with praise and begged for a meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"The OIC is the largest head of state organization in the world after the United Nations (UN) itself and comprises 56 Muslim countries plus the Palestinians. It claims to be the 'collective voice of the Muslim world,' i.e., the ummah, and speaks on its behalf in effect as the seat of the next Islamic Caliphate. In 1990, the OIC membership adopted the 'Cairo Declaration,' which officially exempted all Muslim countries from compliance with the UN Universal Declaration on Human Rights and replaced it with Islamic law (shariah)...."

One of the fundamental laws of Islam deals with "slander ," which is defined in shariah as saying "anything concerning a person [a Muslim] that he would dislike...."

...the president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), an Islamic organization that shares the jihadist agenda and ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood, wrote an op-ed piece that was published in the Los Angeles Times on 19 October 2011. In his piece, Al-Marayati openly threatened the FBI with "collapse of a critical partnership with the Muslim American community." Later that same day, the Justice Department convened a meeting with Muslim shariah advocates at George Washington University in WDC, chaired by its civil rights division chief, Tom Perez. Dwight C. Holton , the U.S. Attorney in Oregon who was also present, announced that, after speaking with Attorney General Eric Holder ...

Please read entire article at

Family Security Matters

An Incredible Story

2011-12-16T01:06:00.000-05:00

This was forwarded to me by a friend:

"An important story of humanity, survival and achievement. This man's inventions in areas of science, business, security and military advance are part of your everyday life. Dr. Zandman is unknown to the world, yet he is incredibly important to science and humanity." JM

The Final Victory: The Story of Felix Zandman

Dr. Felix Zandman, Ph.D. (1927 — 2011)

The story of Felix Zandman is an incredible tale of how a small Jewish boy who survived the Holocaust in a grave-like shelter pulled himself together and achieved a life of fame and success in business and scientific achievements. Dr. Felix Zandman was a world renowned scientist whose inventions in the fields of stress measurements and electronics have greatly contributed to science and industry.

The movie narrates the story of Felix's personal victory, survival in spite of the Nazis' attempts to murder him, to the foundation of a major multinational company named "Vishay" after the birthplace of Grandma Tema. His scientific contribution to the Israeli Defense Forces is yet another facet of his victory over Second World War Germany and its Nazi collaborators.

Sicarii UPDATE

2011-12-15T12:09:00.001-05:00

The Zohar implies that the head of the "erev rav" at the time when Moshiach comes will be named Binyamin (from Quotations of great Rebbes on the Geula)

Could this be Netanyahu?

This is an update to

Modern Day Sicarii And The Temple Mount

Please listen to the interview by Tamar Yonah. Daniella Weiss speaks about her eyewitness account of the supposed "attacks" against the IDF. "The army is controlling & managing the entire demolitions." The Prime Minister seems to be going against his own Likud Platform:

"Settlements - The Jewish communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza are the realization of Zionist values. Settlement of the land is a clear expression of the unassailable right of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel and constitutes an important asset in the defense of the vital interests of the State of Israel. The Likud will continue to strengthen and develop these communities and will prevent their uprooting."

Additional gripes

That 12th C mosque on Strauss street should have been torn down and Jewish homes built thereon. Why was it still standing? It was used as a storehouse for the municipality.

It seems there might necessarily take place a 'sifting' of the Israeli political Govenment. This sifting hopefully will separate the evil erev Rav from the legitimate members that respect our Biblical heritage, value Eretz Yisrael and truly want to do the best for the Jewish People. As the erev rav sense that their dominion is being challenged they will try to intensify their control over the people.

Note the headline of the Jerusalem Post paper edition, today, Thursday, indicating that those that come to defend the land will be tried in military court. The Government has just increased it's militaristic hold on the Jews of Israel. They will be tried in a military court. Why would Ben-Eliezer want the IDF to shoot Jews who protest? No one is shooting at the "occupy" protestors. Who is this Ben-Eliezer? These are terrible words he uttered.

Again I point you to the Muqata who has a passionate post, Netanyahu vs Advocates of Civil War. I may not agree with his assessment of PM Netanyahu, but it is stirring nevertheless.

Is Facebook Immodest?

2011-12-15T12:05:00.000-05:00

"800 million active [Facebook] users around the world"

know more about you ....

Doesn't that make you feel a bit over-exposed?

Even the wife of the President of France has learned to value privacy: "Ms. Bruni-Sarkozy has said she will fight to keep all images of the child away from the media..." - A legal team is said to be preparing letters to European media requesting and implicitly warning them not to intrude." (source).

In the NYT Technology section is an interesting article entitled "Facebook Resisters".

A college student "quit Facebook after a chance encounter on an elevator. He found himself standing next to a woman he had never met — yet through Facebook he knew what her older brother looked like, that she was from a tiny island off the coast of Washington and that she had recently visited the Space Needle in Seattle. 'I knew all these things about her, but I’d never even talked to her,' ... “At that point I thought, maybe this is a little unhealthy.”

Modesty and privacy still exists and life goes on without Facebook. While many give up Facebook however, they still use iPhone or Twitter to keep posted.

I wonder what Alexander Graham Bell would have to say about all this? "Throughout his life, Bell had been interested in the education of deaf people." His work developed into the telephone. Everyone uses a telephone.

Then came along the next great inventor. Steve Jobs, as the pioneering leader of Apple he is/was responsible for a myriad of sophisticated creative communicating inventions, equiped with 'universal access features' that assist people in the areas of Vision, Hearing, Physical & Motor Skills, and the Learning Disabled. The "touch" features of the iPhone and iPad are recognized for their extremely valuable 'assistive technologies.' These features make it possible for the disabled to attain a sense of accomplishment and self value in being able to join the modern technological world and in being able to communicate in a way that was not available for them before Apple.

There are many ways and facets of communication without giving away your personal, intimate and most private details of your life.

Of course, this does not include Google and Yahoo! But even these do not publicize to other internet users your personal information.

I gave up Facebook a long time ago, and only joined originally because it was required for

Tamar Says it Straight

2011-12-15T05:13:00.000-05:00

Kol HaKavod Tamar Yonah, who wrote

It's time for an Israeli Spring!

The Secular Left Israelis are fighting for their liberation. They came here to Israel to make a utopian communist/socialist state, devoid of the 'old religious world'. But what they got was a fraud, a sham!

The state turned out to be a "Jewish' one, with it's national anthem a testimony to the two thousand year 'hope' that the Jews would return to Israel to be a JEWISH state. Jewish Holy Days like Shabbat are a dagger in their travel and shopping plans, and Yom Kippur is a nuisance where just about everything is closed. Passover is a pain, having to go out of your way to find bread, as G-d forbid they should not eat leavened products for a whoooooole week.

The radio opens up every morning with the 'Shema Yisrael' prayer. The flag looks like a Jewish Prayer Shawl with a Jewish Star in it, and drat, 'That One' up in heaven keeps making miracles happen - with a 6 day war and the liberation of even more Holy Land being returned to and re-settled by Jews. And worse, the IDF is seeing a majority of Kippah wearing officers, and the population in Israel is moving towards being religious - due to their birth rate and the Tshuva movement.

...And now, the Settler-Jews are fighting back, not letting us make them homeless. The nerve!

Enough! A disgrace! It has to stop! If we are going to be a Jewish State, no one in the world will like us. We won't be part of the 'Boy's club'. We are the 'Enlightened ones'! How do we handle these 'Jews'?

It's time for an Israeli Spring!

The Arabs are doing it, so why can't we? We can now shirk off this Jewish baggage! Don't worry about there being a civil war, as a civil war is between brothers, and those religious settlers are not my brothers.

“It is a shame the army did not shoot [ the Jewish Youth].” Former Defense Minister Ben-Eliezer called them “terrorists” and said the IDF had an obligation to shoot at the attackers with live fire. "I am Prime Minister of 98 percent of the nation, and not of 2 percent." - Late PM Yitzchak Rabin

“Let them spin like propellers, for all the good it will do them" - Late PM Yitzchak Rabin - Source

Boycott the Settlements!

"Israel wants to be raped by the U.S." - Ha'aretz Editor David Landau - Source

“Soon, very soon, the anger (against the right) that fills our souls will seep into our veins, which will burst in fury. Soon, the silent majority will stop their own bleeding, and instead will spill (the right's) blood." And, “This will not be a war between brothers; because they are not our brothers,” Shem-or continued. “Technically this war could be termed a civil war, since we all carry the same blue Israeli identity cards. But those whom we will go to war against are only citizens on the outside; they are the bloodsuckers of the nation, the eaters of its flesh."
"They, with their peyot (sidelocks) blowing in the breeze of the 'holy spirit.' They, with the brightness of their eyes, focused on their 'truth.' They, with their Yeshivot where bloodletting is taught where they are taught before entering the army that the order of the Rabbi is superior to the order of the commander. Soon we will silence them; soon they will drown in their own blood." - Left wing journalist Yonatan Shem - Source

After Shimon Peres was defeated in the race for Prime Minister of Israel in 1996, he declared, "The Jews have won. The Israelis have lost." - Haaretz journalist Daniel Ben Simon the day following Shimon Peres' defeat. Source and another Source
--------------------------------

"They hate the Sabbath and they hate the laws of Judaism and they hate the yeshivas and they hate the rabbis. And they hate being Jewish and they hate God and they hate Zionism and a Jewish state and the need to be different - and they hate Kahane for representing all this. And they hate the bitter reality of hundreds of thousands supporting and marching for and believing in all the things that they hate, and so they are prepared to use any and all means to destroy the Jews and Jewishness. And the most frightening and dangerous thing is that, in all this ugliness, I have seen and recognized the face of Hatred and Murder Past." -Rabbi Meir Kahane

Yes, the Left may indeed be marking the start of their 'Israeli Spring'. But if they don't succeed, maybe they'd like Miami or Boca Raton? They don't have to be Jews there, and they can leave their 'Jewish' baggage behind in Israel.

Michael Savage, Wake Up!

2011-12-15T04:59:00.007-05:00

Good Grief!

Michael Savage: 'I'd sleep better at night with Ron Paul as president'

Something is terribly wrong here.

One just needs to listen to " some of Michael Medved's shows from 2008 about Paul's Nazi connections to mercifully bring an end to Ron Paul's aura. So why are Republicans now choosing Ron Paul over Michelle Bachmann who is clearly a decent woman? Perhaps there is a darkening in the American soul taking place as we speak. Plus, this is Iowa, and we see what Iowans think about Mr. Rubashkin," says DBL.

The Ron Paul Campaign and its Neo-Nazi Supporters, an American Thinker article on Ron Paul and his shady background.

Michael Savage, please wake up! What's happening with you?

Modern Day Sicarii and the Temple Mount

2011-12-14T14:57:00.000-05:00

The Mughrabi bridge walkway, a tinderbox of wood

that might ignite the war over the Temple Mount.

Monday: "The Jerusalem municipality is fuming (the mayor) over the prime minister's decision to repair walkway instead of building new one. 'Government's helplessness in dealing with this hazardous, dilapidated nuisance is regrettable,' read a statement issued by mayor Nir Barkat. 'Officials at the Jerusalem Municipality, who were in favor of demolishing the bridge and building a new one in its place, were not happy with Netanyahu's decision'...."

Tourists voiced their frustrations:

"The bridge should be open to everyone, not just Muslims," ... a German tourist who is visiting Israel for the fourth time, told Ynet.

"This is an unfortunate decision. It's a lovely place to visit but unfortunately we can't go there. There's much to see in Israel, but Temple Mount is one of our favorite places."

"Another tourist, a South African who is visiting Jerusalem for the first time, told Ynet he was disappointed by the decision: 'It was supposed to be one of the highlights of our trip. It's a shame we can't go there'."

The Arabs have threatened "a war" over any tampering with the Mughrabi, the only access for non-Muslims. With all the existing gates giving access to the Temple Mount, why is there only ONE for everyone else, including the Jews?

Tuesday: "unwillingness to exacerbate tensions with the Palestinians, Jordan and the Arab World as a whole, the bridge would not be destroyed at this stage, eight senior cabinet ministers decided Tuesday."

While this seems an isolated worry, I see the recent actions of a few Zealots possibly leading the way for a larger scorching confrontation. That may be why PM Netanyahu has ordered the walkway to be coated with fire-proofing material. If the Mughrabi bridge, which is wooden, goes up in flames it may well incite the insane fury of the Arabs over the Temple Mount. If such an occurrence would erupt, the police AND army might need to take control of the area and once that happens this just might be the match to ignite the flame.

The house of Yaakov will be fire, the house of Yosef will be the flame, the house of Eisav will be straw and the flame will go out from the fire and consume the straw" From the Haftora of the Navi Ovadia (1:18) from this past Shabbos of Vayishlach!

Today's zealotry involves the "torching of Arab property, Mosques" and other so-called "price tag" attacks, plus attacks on IDF soldiers. Are these Jewish extremists losing patience over the "land for peace" farce? Is this a re-enactment of the 1st Century Zealotry of the Sicarii?

The modern Sicarii: The Palestinians have reported that in another incident Tuesday night, two vehicles were set on fire near the village of Duma east of Nablus and in Hebrew "camaraderie Mitzpe Yitzhar" was spray painted.

Jewish terror in Jerusalem? Vandals attempted to set an abandoned mosque on fire. ... Once the fire was out, firefighters inspected the building and found that slogans defaming Islam, Muslims and the Prophet Muhammad had been sprayed on the walls.

The Prime Minister approved a series of steps to crack down on right-wing extremists that recently attacked IDF soldiers and carried out 'price tag' attacks. They are being called "Jewish extremists" and not labeled as a "terror group".

I suggest a read of Settler Violence; Wrong, Damaging and Depressing at the Muqata. He has a very good analysis of the situation with some of the background to it.

These events are troubling, alarming

and puzzling at the same time.

But there may be a hidden purpose yet to be discovered.

Interesting Architectural Design

2011-12-14T12:36:00.000-05:00

Resembles the Twin Towers 9/11

The planned luxury residential towers scheduled to be built in Seoul, South Korea, has a "Cloud" structural design at the 27th floor, which is clearly a depiction of the collapse of the Twin Towers. While many will find this offensive and in bad taste, look at the architectural creativity.

The Dutch architectural firm MVRDV initially denied the look-alike, but then admitted it to their own Dutch news reporter.

When viewed from this angle, it is an interesting concept that may just spread around the world as more buildings go 'up' and 'out' into space, to bring some greenery to upper floors and enhance livability. The shape of the window areas also look interesting. Maybe US builders should look into this. But first consider the possibility of 'earthquakes' or mis-guided airplanes.

More About Newt

2011-12-14T12:02:00.007-05:00

From Glenn Beck:

He epitomizes FDR, Wilson (Socialist), and Socialist Andy Stern

A "realpolitik Wilsonian"

Gingrich praises the SEIU head, who remains a close adviser of the President Obama. Pitching the need for conservatives to respect organized labor, while simultaneously pushing back against some of Labor’s more cherished legislative goals

America does not deserve Newt as President
So far, there is no man running that would be a good president.

Outside the Door ... Inches From the Holy of Holies

2011-12-13T12:21:00.015-05:00

I was on a thrilling mini-tour today. We traversed the outside walls of the Temple Mount, walked down into the Kidron Valley, and then into the Muslim Quarter via the Lions Gate.

We heard about the woman siting on the steps at the Southern Gateway to the Temple, who "held Court" with Holy Books in hand, gave Torah and words of mussar to those who entered. Huldah's Gates.

A futuristic restoration of Huldah's Gates

We visited the monument built by and to "remember" Avshalom, Dovid HaMelech's handsome rebellious son, and heard how Alexander the Great when he saw the defiant (against his father, Dovid HaMelech) hand atop the monument, took a sword and chopped it down.

Because?

Because he too knew some of the Ten Commandments, and remembered "Honor Your Father and Mother." Avshalom was a kid on the fringe who displayed disrespect, rebellion and anger toward his father. But Dovid HaMelech continued to daven for his son, even after he was killed.

Just a few steps from here is the Tomb of Zechariah. A recent archaeological discovery leads some to believe they have found the biblical tomb of Zechariah: "An empty underground tomb was also discovered at the site, which some scholars, among them archaeologists Dr. Uzi Dahari and Prof. Yoram Tzafrir, believe was venerated in the Byzantine period as the tomb of Zechariah the prophet, based on an inscription on the Madaba Map. The latter was a map of the Holy Land that was part of the mosaic floor of a sixth-century church in Jordan. It contains many names of sites and has been proven accurate in many cases." More at Haaretz

We stopped by each of the Shuls in the Muslim Quarter.
We visited the Zilberstein Family home who live in the midst of the Muslim Quarter.

In the Muslim Quarter, we stood at the bottom of many steps leading up to a huge door, guarded by Israeli Police, and inside that door, just inches away, was the area believed to be the Holy of Holies of our Temple. So close yet so far.

We said prayers at the Kotel HaKatan, just to the left of this Green Door.

It was a spiritually nourishing experience.

Everyone Should Have Access to Temple Mount

Arutz Sheva: MKs Uri Ariel and Aryeh Eldad ... to ascend to the Temple Mount with a group of Temple loyalists through the Moughrabi Gate Tuesday at 8:00am. They will demand the Temple Mount accommodate Jewish worshippers, through one gate or another. The PM has decided to refurbish the Moughrabi gate bridge, so it will meet safety specifications. The MKs demand Temple Mount access during the repairs.

Update: MK Danny Danon (Likud) said on Monday that he plans to work towards ensuring equal access to the Temple Mount for Jews and Christians, just as Muslims have access to the area. Danon made the comments after Jews who arrived at the Temple Mount on Sunday were blocked by police, who told them that they cannot enter because the bridge to the Rambam Gate (also known as the Mughrabi Gate) has been declared unsafe and must undergo renovation. At the same time, Jews are not allowed to use another entrance to enter the compound.

I agree, all peoples should be allowed to visit our Temple. But first, we should be able to do some housekeeping, and make it presentable to all. I feel that we are inching our way to the day when we will once again have our Temple, with myriad peoples streaming in and out, giving thanks to HaShem.

Glenn Beck ... Concerned About the Future of America

2011-12-11T13:21:00.007-05:00

Listen to what Glenn has to say, he's a visionary:

Glenn Beck Has a Vision

Restoring Values

The Point of Singularity is Coming

There is No Solution from the Top

G-d is Forcing us to Stand Together

To Be Decent to One Another

Refuse to Follow the Rest of Society Going off the Cliff

We Have to do the Work Ourselves

Putting "Caring" back into your Life

Visit Glenn's Mercury One website

“To inspire, organize and mobilize individuals to improve the human condition physically, emotionally and spiritually with malice towards none and charity for all.”

It's Amazing how the Christians are being motivated by Glenn Beck to stand up and be accountable for what they think and what they are doing, to care about their fellow, to engage in COMMON DECENCY. I don't know how many are aligned with his thinking, but if it becomes what he envisions, it will be remarkable. They may become the righteous remainders of America if the worst happens, that people are fearing, that Glenn speaks about.

65% of Religious hate crimes in the U.S. were against Jews

Another of his passions: At the very end of the video he presents a video clip about a possible cancer cure that could revolutionize the way cancer patients are treated.

When is Blackmail ... Blackmail?

2011-12-11T08:24:00.006-05:00

I go online and try to get into my bank, Leumi, but there is no access. Thinking that their site has been invaded by some crazies, I check the news sites for any indication. However, what I do find is that the 'leftists' have been on the warpath again. They have actually threatened an entire Israeli bank, and the bank caves in to their demands!

What kind of craziness is going on here?

Only Arutz Sheva gave me the "full" information I was searching for.

Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu writes for Arutz Sheva:

When is an NGO Political? ...When it is Right-Wing
The left-wing Peace Now group convinces Bank Leumi to halt a project because a participating right-wing group is allegedly political.

"Im Tirtzu was in second place in voting for the most popular non-profit organization when Peace Now director Yariv Oppenheimer issued his *threat* to Bank Leumi and warned that he also would encourage Peace Now members to close their accounts." (*emphasis mine*)

When is blackmail ... blackmail ?

"Left Wing" is not political ... ?

? PEACE NOW IS NOT POLITICAL ?

According to the POLITICAL peace now anarchists, only a Right Wing (read "zionist") non-profit organization is 'political'.

More hypocrisy!

Peace Now has taken on the persona of the enemies of the Jewish People, the Palestinian ideology mirrors the Nazi ideology, but those peaceniks don't understand that Hitler went back 4 generations in their attempt to eradicate the Jewish Nation, and if the Palestinians ever get their wish, it won't matter who is who, who is a zionist and who is an peacenik, they want to eradicate every Jew living West of the Jordan.

Beautiful Sun Earth Moon Eclipse Pictures

2011-12-11T06:49:00.000-05:00

Beautiful Sun Earth Moon Eclipse Pictures

In this photo you can see a speckled sketch of North America and South America

Over the Golden Gate Bridge

From Africa

Be sure to read

72 Minutes From Dawn to DayBreak

at End of Days.

Fascinating, truly fascinating, a MUST READ.

Here's an excerpt: "...So if there is exactly one minute as a degree for every year since 5700, then 5772 is sunrise on the Final Redemption even if this process of redemption is 100% B'itah. And at sunrise Peniel "The Face of G-d" heals Ya'akov of his limp. Now in Kabbalah, Ya'akov's thigh is Mashiach ben Yosef. When Esav's eyes fall out of his head when Chushim ben Dan cuts off his head, the eyes fall out onto Ya'akov's thighs. The Eyes of Esav, his ainayim ra'ot (evil eyes) represent Amalek, and when they fall on Ya'akov's thighs, it represents the destruction of Amalek at the hands of Mashiach ben Yosef. "

Are Dov's calculations a ray of light from Shomayim? ...

Are we ready?

WHAT IS THE X37B?

2011-12-08T13:35:00.002-05:00

The X-37B, also known as Orbital Test Vehicle-2, is a: "mysterious unmanned craft that was built by Boeing Co.'s Space and Intelligence Systems unit in Huntington Beach. It is a 29-foot space plane that is the second of its kind, and has been circling the Earth since its launch atop an Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida earlier this year."

"The Air Force has said that the X-37B is used to test new technologies in space, but some industry analysts believe that it is a test unit for a potential orbiting weapon, which could disable foreign satellites or drop bombs as it makes its way around the Earth. The X-37B was supposed to land 270 days after launch, but the Air Force is extending the space plane's mission with no exact landing date in sight."

(NASA photo from Wired)

"Whatever it’s up to, the X-37B will be doing it longer than anyone imagined when the diminutive spacecraft launched atop an Atlas rocket for the first time in April last year. The Air Force said last year that the X-37B could last nine months in orbit before its power and fuel ran out. (In comparison, the longest manned shuttle mission lasted just 17 days.) In October, Air Force program manager Lt. Col. Tom McIntyre said an extension might be possible. Now it appears the Air Force is taking it day by day, carefully monitoring the X-37B “as it sips power and fuel like a Prius,” in the words of one source involved in the development of military spacecraft."

Depiction of interior at MSNBC

Here's an Idea for Israel

2011-12-08T01:31:00.002-05:00

How to Control An Unruly Crowd

FDNY Rescues NYPD

New York Cops who found themselves on the losing end of a fight with a mob of armed thugs in front of a Staten Island home were rescued yesterday — by firefighters shooting a water cannon.

“The crowd start[ed] to jump and start[ed] beating up on the cops,’’ one stunned Fire Department source told The NYPost. (Read full article here)

That’s when a firetruck from Engine Co. 158 down the street from the Mariners Harbor home arrived, the source said.

Then one firefighter “got up on the deck gun, and he aimed at people’s legs and just nailed them with water and drove them back,’’ the source said.

“The cops were very appreciative.”

We in Israel could use some water canons to control the brazen (terrorist) teens rioting in Israel

UPDATE FROM GLENN BECK

MARAUDING MOB OF 50 TEEN-AGED GIRLS BEATS DOWN 2 NYC COPS

It didn’t take long for the angry mob to become enraged. Staten Island Live reports that at least one bystander, who saw the incident but would not give his name for fear of retaliation, said:

“It was chaos. The yelling got louder and louder and louder… There was probably 50 to 55 kids out here, and they were challenging one girl.”
Witnesses also told police that the mob was challenging the single girl whose residence they surrounded to “come out and fight,” which prompted calls to police.

When two police officers– one male and one female– arrived at the scene, the male cop tried to make an arrest, but the female teens turned on him, knocking him to the ground. Other teens jumped on top of the police car.

I Agree With Yishai

2011-12-07T10:58:00.000-05:00

Thank you Yishai, I wanted to say something like this, but couldn't find the right words. You have:

Ynet Op-ed:

Israel’s ‘offensive’ ex-pat ad campaign

was meant to bring us closer, not divide us

Yishai Fleisher

Dear American Jews,

I wish to apologize in the name of the State of Israel. We have heard that our ad campaign encouraging ex-pat Israelis to come home has offended many of you. That was certainly not the intent, and if it did offend, we are sorry.

Israel created this ad campaign in order to address a major issue. We have almost a million Israelis living abroad, mostly in North America, and our tiny country, the one both you and we love so much, is in desperate need of man and women power to feed the economy, serve in the army, and buttress our demographic advantage, not to mention that the ingathering of the Jewish people from the four corners of the world is a central tenant of Zionism.

Alas, America's magnetic pull has attracted many to leave the shores of the Holy Land in search of success and fortune and they have settled there. Yet we want to call many of these Israelis back to Israel.

So how do we reach out to our fellow Israelis living in the US? What messaging resonates with this target demographic? Well, we can take the economic tack. Israel's economy is booming, but the perception is still that it’s hard to make money here. Maybe we should pursue the safe haven tack? That holds water for those few Israelis living in openly dangerous places, but it is hard to convince an Israeli living in Los Angeles or Boston that it is safer in Israel.

Then there is the family and culture tack. Israeli ex-pats may have left the homeland, but they remain deeply Israeli. They love and miss Ima's Moroccan cooking, going on Miluim (IDF reserves), and most of all, they miss the holidays. They care about their culture and they fear losing their connection to it.

Christmas vs. Hanukkah

And so, the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption conceived and executed a series of ads targeting Israeli sensibilities - to touch their hearts, make them miss home, remind them of the risk of cultural assimilation, and maybe, help convince them to come back.

Let us examine the 3 videos which were produced:

The first video features a boy trying to get his napping father's attention. The child says aloud "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!" But the father continues sleeping. Finally the boy whispers "Abba" and the father awakens and smiles.

The message is that the father responds to "Abba" because he is culturally Israeli, that is, in this case, someone who identifies more with Hebrew then English. The ad ends by saying that ex-pats will always remain culturally Israeli, yet their Diaspora-born children will not be.

While this ad is provocative, it certainly cannot be seen as offensive to American Jewry. It directly targets Israelis and asks them a tough question: Do you want your child to say Daddy or Abba? Fair enough.

The second video features a Skype conversation between two Israeli grandparents living in Israel and their older children who live in the US, now parents themselves. In between the young US couple sits the beloved granddaughter. The grandparents have Hanukkah paraphernalia in the background and ask their granddaughter, "Nu, so do you know what holiday it is?" to which the little girl proudly responds "Christmas!" The couples exchange uncomfortable glances.

Here, the Christmas/Hanukkah conflict is more sensitive than the Abba/Daddy dichotomy. This video touches on the problems of the decaying Jewish identity and the forces of cultural assimilation affecting American Jews and Israelis in America. Can there be any doubt that the powerful pop culture of America wreaks havoc on authentic Jewish or Israeli culture? Can anyone seriously claim that this video created boogie men where none existed? Why else would there be constant talk of funding Jewish education, Hillel houses, Birthright trips etc.?

There is a real challenge to keep Jews Jewish today - who understands that better than American Jews? This video unflinchingly addresses a phenomenon that afflicts all Jews living in America.

Let’s not be childish

The video that has the most potential to offend is the third video. This is the one which led Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic to post the loud headline: "Netanyahu Government Suggests Israelis Avoid Marrying American Jews."

Let's go to the videotape: In the ad a couple is seen entering a big city apartment. The room is dark, except for a single lit candle. The man tells the woman, "Now I understand why you didn't want to go to the party" intimating that a romantic evening was planned by her. She, on the other hand, looks sad as she silently goes to her computer, where we see she is viewing a Yom HaZikaron (Israeli Memorial Day) website. As she quietly mourns the soldiers who have died to defend Israel, the young man asks "Dafna, what is this?" The narrator says: "They will always stay Israeli, but their partner won't - help them come home."

To any sane viewer, one without a massive chip on his shoulder, it is clear that the man in the video is a non-Jew, a gentile who the Israeli girl is dating. Had he been a Jew, Dafna would have simply explained to him: "Today is Israel's Memorial Day, when we remember those who have fallen in the fight for the Jewish State." If he were a Jew he would have been profoundly moved because most Jews care about our homeland and have feelings for the young IDF soldiers who have given their life.

Jeff Goldberg's shallow analysis, in which he is "certain" that the Israeli government is caricaturing and castigating American Jewry through the male character, borders on the conspiratorial. Clearly, the Netanyahu government did not tell Israeli Jews not to marry American Jews. I am sure Bibi would like nothing more than for Dafna to marry a nice American Jewish boy, bring him on Aliyah, and help him become a part of everything that she holds dear - including Yom HaZikaron.

Far from being divisive, this media campaign actually brings to light a concern that all Jews living in America share: Jewish cultural and physical assimilation in the Diaspora. Most Jews want their kids to know Hanukkah more than Christmas, most Jews want their children to marry in the faith, most Jews understand that the Hebrew name "Abba" has value, and most Jews care about Israel. Seen in this light, the videos actually address the common concerns of all Diaspora Jews and contain nothing that should offend American Jewry.

At the very least, the videos succeeded in generating some discussion in the Jewish world about major issues facing our people. It would be a shame if we took the childish and easy way out of this debate by simply saying that "you hurt my feelings!" No, the issues here are much bigger and we would be wise to address them on both sides of the Atlantic by strengthening Jewish identity and enhancing the bonds between US and American Jews.

So, my American Jewish brothers and sisters, again I am sorry if my government's efforts hurt you, it was certainly not intended to do so. This campaign's objective was to help reunite the family, but sadly it ended up dividing us. Let us pray that this episode will, in the end, help the Jewish people come closer and buck the trend of us growing further apart.

If you've gotten this far, now read:

Offending American Jews

Clinton's Assault on Israel

2011-12-06T08:50:00.007-05:00

Caroline Glick wrote a teriffic article on the about-face of America toward Israel, An Ally No More. I guess we all have seen this coming.

"The only state in the region where women are given full rights and legal protections became the focus of Clinton’s righteous feminist wrath."

Because some Orthodox soldiers (who are not permitted to listen to women singing) exited when female soldiers began a vocal presentation (as part of the entertainment), Clinton deems this as "women in Israel being under attack" PLUS at the same time the "IDF is guilty of being against democracy by not letting the soldiers leave the hall."

You're damned if you do and damned if you don't!

"But Clinton didn’t end her diatribe with the IDF’s supposed war against women. She continued her onslaught by proclaiming that Israel is taking a knife to democracy by permitting its legislators to legislate laws that she doesn’t like," says Caroline.

See American Foot in Mouth to read about Clinton's 'fear' and 'shock' that sparked Israeli anger, to the point that MK Ariel said that Clinton "should mind her own business ... “Her unwanted interference is an additional proof that Israel needs laws that will preserve its character and protect it from interference by foreign governments who try to minimize Israel's Jewish character,” Ariel added."

Mr Panetta, all elated after receiving an award for eliminating BinLaden, who was a terrorist threat to America and the world, decides now to take the side of the 'other' terrorists and condemn Israel.

It looks like the three "say no evil, see no evil, and hear no evil" may be smiling right now, but those that persecute the Jews will feel the full wrath of HaShem's vengeance, as foretold by the Prophet Zecharia.

Zecharia 3:

And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will make Jerusalem a stone of burden for all the peoples; all that burden themselves with it shall be sore wounded; and all the nations of the earth shall be gathered together against it.

Zecharia 9:

And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

They may be smiling now,

but if they continue to persecute Yisrael ...

according to the Prophet Zecharia,

they will be punished by G-d

for their severity against Yaakov's children, Yisrael

Only Democracy in ME under Attack ... by friendly country??

2011-12-04T01:37:00.025-05:00

Are American Officials Mis-Representing the American Position toward Israel?

Or has it officially changed and we are just now

reading about it?

(silly question)

US Ambassador explaining the difference between anti-semitism and the hatred of Semitic Arabs against Israelis to a shocked Jewish audience!

"U.S. Ambassador To Belgium Linking Surge In Anti-Semitism To Israel: Ambassador Gutman who told his stunned Jewish conference attendants in Brussels earlier this week, that “a distinction should be made between traditional anti-Semitism, which should be condemned and Muslim hatred for Jews, which stems from the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians” and went on to advocate diplomatic concessions by Israel to Arab adversaries as a way to reduce the prevalence of anti-Semitism among Muslims."

"In a major address on U S. Middle East policy to the Brookings Institution U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta gave us a clear picture of the Obama Administration’s view of the region. Secretary of Defense Panetta Shows How the Obama Administration is Selling Out Israel and US Interests" (Barry Rubin, Gloria Center)

Barry Rubin sounds livid here: "It is dangerously and absurdly wrong. This administration totally and completely, [is] dangerously and disastrously for U.S. interests misunderstand the Middle East. They are 180 degrees off course, that is heading in the opposite direction of safety....It is now an enemy; it is on the other side. Again, the issue is not mainly bilateral relations but the administration’s help and encouragement to those forces that are Israel’s biggest enemies, that want to rekindle war, and that are 100 percent against a two-state solution. And I don’t mean the Palestinian Authority, I mean the Islamists.

After adding fuel to the fire,

anti-semitism increasing:

Police Investigating 'Judaica' Store Fire As Possible Hate Crime Hollyland Judaica. "The bookstore sustained major interior damage, and many of the holy books and other items inside the store were destroyed in the fire. “I’m shocked when I see it. It’s really a disaster here,” said a friend of the book store’s owner."

Doesn't this sound like pre-Shoah Europe?

"Students attending Oak Park High School are shocked by the incident,“It’s crazy, Oak Park is supposed to be a nice school,” A student is facing charges after he used anti-Semitic slurs against a Jewish girl and then lit her hair on fire." (nice school, nice student .........)

New Haven, CT - Rabbi Calls For More Protection Following Attack on Prominent Yeshiva Student "The 14 year old high school student, son of a well known Boston rabbi and chaplain to the Boston Police Department, was attacked at 5:20 PM on Thanksgiving just one block away from his dormitory and two blocks away from the Yeshiva of New Haven. The ninth grader was approached ... by a group of five youths who punched him in the face, knocking him unconscious for a brief moment and taking his wallet..." (again, that mysterious group of .......)

American Jews just cannot see the forest for the trees.

They are so heavily invested in the American Goldene Medina

that they don't see the signs pointing the way

to disaster chv"s.

Every week we hear about more and more sporadic anti-semitic incidents.

PURIM is coming early:
Hilary Clinton fears for Israel's Democracy!?

Speaking at the Saban Forum in Washington, Clinton alleged that Israel is showing signs of becoming anti-democratic ... U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton switched from foreign to domestic issues to put down Israel ... expressing worries over “anti-democratic” proposals. Knesset Member Uri Ariel suggests that Secretary of State mind her own business, and two Cabinet ministers said the same, in more patronizing language.

Israel IS the ONLY democracy in the Middle East and thus was America's best ally.

But now that America has moved to the other side,

"It is now an enemy; it is on the other side,"

The only Democratic country in the Middle East is under attack.

By Clinton claiming she fears for Israel's democracy, America has actually declared it is on a path to undermine that very democracy.

Shabbat Shalom

2011-12-02T01:40:00.000-05:00

Shabbat Parshat Vayeitzei

The Battle of the Stones

If You Lose, I Also Lose

Rabbi YY Jacobson

The Quarrel

The rabbis in the Talmud focus on an apparent grammatical inconsistency in the portion of Vayeitzei.

When Jacob journeys from Beer Sheba to Haran, stopping on the way to rest for the night, the Torah tells us, “He took from the stones of the place, arranged them around his head, and lay down to rest.”

But in the morning when he awakes, we read a slightly different story: “Jacob arose early in the morning, and took the stone he placed around his head and set it up as a pillar.”

First we read of “stones,” in the plural; then we read of “the stone,” in the singular. Which one was it? Did Jacob use a single stone or did he employ many stones?

A lovely Talmudic tradition, laden with profound symbolism, answers the question thus: Jacob indeed took several stones. The stones began quarreling, each one saying, “Upon me shall this righteous person rest his head.” So G-d combined them all into one stone, and the quarreling ceased. Hence, when Jacob awoke, we read, he “took the stone” in the singular, since all the stones became one.

What is the symbolism behind this imagery? What is the meaning of stones quarreling with each other and then reaching a state of peace by congealing into one?

One more obvious question: How did the merging of diverse stones into a single entity satisfy their complaint, “Upon me shall this righteous person rest his head?” Even after the stones congealed into a single large stone, the head of Jacob still lie only on one part of the stone. (Your mattress is made of one piece, yet your head can only lie on one particular space on your mattress). So why didn’t the other parts of the stone (Jacob’s “mattress”) still lament that Jacob’s head is not lying on them?

We Are One

The Lubavitcher Rebbe once explained it with moving simplicity and eloquence:

The fighting between the stones was not caused because each one wanted the tzaddik's (the righteous man's) head; it was because they were separate stones. When the stones become one, the fighting ceases, because when you feel one with the other, you don’t mind if the head of the righteous one rests upon him. His victory is your victory; his loss is your loss. because you are one.

The episode with the stones, then, reflects a profound spiritual truth about human relationships. Much conflict — in families, communities, synagogues, organizations, corporations, and movements — stem from everyone’s fear that someone else will end up with the “head,” and you will be “thrown under the buss.”

But we can view each other in two distinct ways: as “diverse stones” and as a “single stone.” Both are valid perspectives, fair interpretations of reality. The first is superficial; the second demands profounder reflection and sensitivity. Superficially, we are indeed separate. You are you; I am I. We are strangers. I want the head; you want the head. So we quarrel.

On a deeper level, though, we are one. The universe, humanity, the Jewish people — constitute a single organism. On this level, we are truly part of one essence. Then, I do not mind if you get the head, because you and I are one.

It is hard for many people to create room for another, and let them shine brightly. We are scared that they might “get the head” and we will end up with the leg. Some of us spend years to ensure that others don't succeed. They feel that their success necessitates the failure of others.

What is needed is a broadening of consciousness; a cleansing of perception, a gaze into the mystical interrelatedness of all of us. Then I will not only allow, but will celebrate, your emergence in full splendor. Your success will not hinder mine, because we are one. Instead of thinking how can I cut you down I ought to think: How can I help you reach your ultimate success? Different “stones” may need to have different positions, yet here is no room for abuse, manipulation, back-stabbing, mistreatment and exploitation, because we are one.

Jacob, the father of all Israel, who encompassed within himself the souls of all of his children, inspired this unity within the “stones” around him. Initially, the stones operated on a superficial level of consciousness, thus quarreling who will get to lie under Jacob’s head. But Jacob inspired in them a deeper consciousness, allowing them for that night to see themselves as a single stone, even while they were in different positions.

In our night of nights, we need Jacob’s who know how to inspire the stones around them with this state of consciousness. For me to win, I need you also to win. If you lose, I truly also lost.

A Tale of Three Matzahs

A story (related to me by my friend Dr. Yisroel Suskind):

Rabbi Eliezer Zusha Portugal (1896-1982), the Skulener Rebbe, was a Chassidic master from a small town, Sculeni, in northeastern Romania. Toward the end of the Second World War, in March of 1945, he found himself along with other holocaust survivors and displaced persons, in the Russian-governed town of Czernovitz, Bukovina. (The Russian army liberated Bukovina in April 1944 and completed the expulsion of the Nazi’s from most of Eastern Europe by January 1945, at which time the Russians entered Budapest, Hungary.)

Passover, beginning that year on March 29th, would soon be upon them. Some Passover foodstuffs might well be provided by charitable organizations. Nonetheless, the Skulener Rebbe sought to obtain wheat that he could bake into properly-guarded and traditionally baked matzah. Despite the oppressive economic situation of the Jews, he was able to bake a limited number of these matzahs. He sent word to other Chassidic leaders in the area who would conduct larger Passover seders, offering each of them no more than three matzahs.

One week before Passover, Rabbi Moshe Hager, the son of the Seret-Vizhnitzer Rebbe, came for the matzahs that had been offered to his father, Rabbi Boruch Hager. After being handed the allotted 3 matzahs, he said to the Skulener Rebbe: “I know that you sent word that you could give only three matzahs, but nonetheless my father, the Seret-Vizhnitzer Rebbe, told me to tell you that he must have six matzahs”. The Skulener Rebbe was unhappy to part with this precious food that was so scarce and was in high demand by so many other Jews. But he felt that he had no choice but to honor the request, albeit reluctantly.

On the day before Passover, Rabbi Moshe Hager returned to the Skulener Rebbe. “What can I do for you?” asked the Skulener Rebbe. Rabbi Moshe answered, “I want to return three of the matzah’s to you”.

“I don’t understand”, replied the Skulener, ”I thought your father absolutely had to have six matzahs?”

“My father said to ask whether you had saved any of the matzah for yourself?”

Embarrassed, the Skulener Rebbe replied, “How could I, when so many others needed matza for Passover?”

“My father assumed that this would happen”, explained Rabbi Moshe. “That is why he requested an extra three matzahs to hold them for you.”

This is how you behave when you are “one stone.” This is what we call living a life of dignity, where you are really able to be there for another human being.

Yud Tes Kislev Fabrengen

2011-12-02T01:38:00.000-05:00

Join us for a Global "Fabrengen"

an Evening of Study, Song & Inspiration

on 19 Kislev 5772 -- Yud Tes Kislev

Dec. 15 2011,

8:00 PM EST

TheYeshiva.net

The Two Worlds of Leah and Rachel

2011-12-02T01:35:00.000-05:00

PARSHA VIDEO -- VAYEITZEI

The Two Worlds of Leah and Rachel

Why Did Jacob Love Rachel?

Studying Torah Or Maamar UleLavan Shtei Banos

Rabbi Yossi Paltiel

at theyeshiva.net

Something for the Mature Young at Heart

2011-12-02T01:33:00.006-05:00

Look Before You Leap

by Natan Slifkin

This November, two individuals, both thought to have been consigned to history, unexpectedly reappeared and promptly leaped to fame. Coincidentally, both were frogs.

One was Kermit the Frog. Back in the 70s and 80s, Kermit entertained us on The Muppet Show, which in the 1970s was the most widely watched television show in the world, and he even spawned (if you’ll excuse the pun) several Muppet movies. But the television show’s ratings eventually declined, and it was ultimately cancelled. It looked like the end of the Muppets; everybody thought that Kermit had croaked. And yet one determined Muppet fan has now brought Kermit and his friends back to life in a new movie, The Muppets, which is proving surprisingly popular.

The other frog to make a surprising comeback recently is the Israel painted frog, Discoglossus nigriventer. It was thought to be extinct since the 1950s when its native habitat of the Hula swamp valley was drained and no more frogs were to be found. Yet a single painted frog was just found in the newly re-flooded Hula nature reserve, restoring hope for the species.

It is my hope that Kermit the Frog and the Israel painted frog have more in common than just being frogs that simultaneously and unexpectedly returned from extinction. Perhaps they both denote a societal improvement – or rather, society retreating from that which was previously and mistakenly thought to be advances and improvements.

Why did the Muppets disappear? The muppets were all about innocence; singing, dancing, gentle humor, and always ultimately transmitting messages about loyalty, love and friendship. The only “edge” to them were Statler and Waldorf, the two cynical old men in the gallery who were constantly derisive (although even their taunts were restrained).

But as audiences became more “sophisticated”, the television and movie industry changed. Adults (and even children) were no longer interested in fabric hand-puppets; they wanted animatronic robots and 3-D computer-generated wizardry. The wide-eyed innocence of singing-and-dancing muppets became less popular. Audiences became Statler and Waldorf. They wanted entertainment that was sophisticated, by which was meant racy, biting and cynical. Eventually, even children became too advanced for cheery puppets. The Muppets were replaced by The Simpsons and eventually the horrible South Park.

Why did the Israel painted frog disappear? Because its native habitat of the Hula valley was thought in the 1950s to be nothing more than a malaria-breeding “wasteland.” In the mid-twentieth century, mankind was drunk with its powers in technology and engineering, and decided to refashion such wastelands into more productive terrain. The JNF decided to transform the Hula for agricultural use, and its drainage was trumpeted as a great national achievement.

Both Kermit and the Israel painted frog disappeared as a result of mankind deciding to become more advanced. But you have to look before your leap. The “accomplishment” of draining the Hula, like other mid-20th century ideas about “improving” the natural world, turned out to be a disaster. Stripped of natural foliage, the soil blew away. Water carrying chemical fertilizers began to pollute Lake Kinneret instead of being absorbed by the swamp. And the peat in the dried-out swamp often ignited into underground fires.

Eventually, people realized that they should have more respect for God’s world. There are no “wastelands.” The natural environment has developed with exquisite balance, and while we are able and entitled to develop it further, we should do so with tremendous respect and caution. The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel was thus formed, and the Hula was carefully re-flooded. It is now an outstanding nature reserve which serves as a stopover for millions of migrating birds each year. And maybe the Israel painted frog will now be able to make a comeback.

The return of Kermit the frog may perhaps likewise signify, and help people realize, that the more “sophisticated” forms of popular culture do not represent a positive improvement. People are starting to wonder whether advancement is always progress.

When I began teaching about the animal kingdom in Jewish thought, I was surprised and disappointed to discover people assuming that my presentations were for children. Adults had been conditioned to believe that they were too advanced for animals and zoos, which are “just for kids.” Yet when menageries were first introduced in the 19th century, they were very much seen as being for adults. Why should an adult not marvel at the wonders of the natural world? Why is it considered more sophisticated to have outgrown such things?

Or consider technology. We have more technology flooding our increasingly busy lives than ever before, but is it always an improvement to our lives? Do the drawbacks of being addicted to emails and Twitter and Facebook perhaps outweigh the advantages? Are our children enriched by being plugged in? Are we really happier by always rushing to upgrade to the latest computer or smartphone? These questions deserve serious consideration. As Britain’s Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks noted recently, we live in consumer society, where everyone always wants to advance their lives by accumulating more technology and possessions, but it does not necessarily help their lives be any more enriched.

On a broader scale, we have often had to learn the hard way that technological innovation can have harmful consequences. Several years back, a fascinating book was published entitled “Why Things Bite Back: Technology and the Revenge of Unintended Consequences.” It brought numerous examples of how people assumed that advances in technology would prove beneficial, and yet backfired. This is not, of course, to say that technology should always be avoided. Rather, the point is that great caution should always be exercised. Instead of just getting excited about what we could do, we should think about what we should do.

Kermit the Frog sung a famous and beautiful song, “It’s Not Easy Being Green,” about his learning not to be jealous of more spectacular creatures, and instead being happy with being a frog. Ultimately, the song was about learning to appreciate one’s lot in life. Perhaps the return of both of these frogs, Kermit and the Israel painted frog, signifies that society is internalizing that message: that not every advance is an improvement.

New Jersey "Kristallnacht"

2011-12-01T14:12:00.005-05:00

New Jersey "Kristallnacht"

"The central New Jersey community of Highland Park was targeted Tuesday night in a series of anti-Semitic attacks on at least five Jewish-owned establishments. Vandals hurled bricks through the plate glass windows of a kosher restaurant, a kosher pizza shop, two Judaica stores, and a Jewish-owned hardware store.

At least three other Jewish-owned establishments in nearby New Brunswick were also similarly attacked, including the Rutgers Chabad House, the Rutgers Hillel and an Israeli-owned falafel eatery. Read more here.

Arrest Made in Highland Park 'Kristallnacht'. A New Jersey man in his mid to late 50s has been arrested in connection with the smashing of windows in Highland Park:

"The destruction took place on the anniversary of the 1947 United Nations Partition Vote to create the Jewish State in Palestine... The Anti-Defamation League called the crimes 'shocking. We are appalled by the targeting of Jewish stores and Jewish campus institutions at Rutgers,' said ADL New Jersey Regional Board Chairman Lawrence Cooper. 'These shocking crimes target the entire Jewish community as these locations appear to have been selected because of their Jewishness.'" Read more here.

Come on Home!

2011-12-01T12:26:00.005-05:00

Thanks to Life in Israel and Dov Bear, because I read their latest posts, and found this at the end of watching a video:

I love it because all Jews are part of ONE WHOLE NATION. Ride the bus and look at the faces, they reflect the former countries they lived in, but are now ingathered in our "Promised" Homeland. So all you other Jews, wherever you may be hiding in Chutz L'Aretz (anywhere other than IN ISRAEL) ......... Come on Home!

Just a Few Little Things ...

2011-11-30T01:26:00.000-05:00

Israeli civil defense exercise to simulate biological weapons attack. “Exercise Orange Flame-6 will take place as part of a number of exercises in the field of unconventional terrorism,” ... "scheduled for Nov. 30 through Dec. 1, would simulate the outbreak of a biological weapons attack..."

Ex-intel chief: Iran has enough material for 4-5 nukes. "Iran currently possesses enough materials to produce four to five nuclear bombs, former IDF Intelligence Chief Amos Yadlin warned Tuesday... Yadlin provides grim assessment of Iranian progress, calls for cooperation with states 'more capable than Israel'"

Muslim Brotherhood Raising Jordan to Boiling Point. Swarms of refugees from Iraq and Syria, along with the rising Muslim Brotherhood, may bring the Arab Spring to Jordan. ArutzSheva: “Within the Kingdom and across three of its borders, unfolding developments carry far reaching implications for the region in general and Jordan’s stability in particular,” according to Oded Eran of the Institute for National Securities Studies (INSS)

Eldad to Abdullah II: Jordan is Palestine or Exile. "MK Eldad continued trading barbs with Abdullah II saying if Jordan isn't Palestine the Hashemite monarchy will fall ...The shocks and upheavals in the Middle East will not pass Jordan by."

'Iran police secures release of UK embassy hostages': Sound familiar? The same scenario played out in Egypt when a mob attacked the Israeli Embassy in Cairo.

Why? Most of the countries experiencing their Arab Spring, most likely will become Islamic governed by Sharia Law. This is a slow takeover of many of the countries surrounding the Middle East with tiny Eretz Yisrael in the middle.

This reminds me of the American Wild West, when wagon trains of new 'settlers' were being attacked by terrorists, they formed a circle to protect those inside the circle, while being able to defend from the perimeter with their defensive weapons.

Tiny Israel is in the middle of the Middle East and she is being encircled by hostile enemies that want to obliterate her.

Circling the Wagons:

Moishele's Yom Huledet

2011-11-29T12:55:00.007-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOSHE HOLTZBERG

Picture courtesy of COLLive

Moishy Holtzberg celebrates his 5th Birthday

Every night he kisses the picture and says goodnight, he remembers his parents whenever he sees their photographs, saying good morning or good night to 'eema' (mother) and 'abba' (father) each day. Picture courtesy of COLLive.

Great Big Kiddush HaShem

2011-11-29T12:47:00.008-05:00

Without a doubt, the Picture of the Day:

This is my favorite part, the Opening Clip:

Picture and Videos courtesy of COLLive

Technology Saves Girl's Life

2011-11-27T13:36:00.007-05:00

While some segments of the Jewish World are burning their iPhones, and moving away from owning personal technological devices, there are other segments of society that are using them to improve and save lives. Anyone can become addicted to anything, whether a food, beverage, gadget, behavior, etc.

Arutz Sheva publicized how a doctor saved the life of a young girl, by asking his patient "upon hearing their description ... to record a video showing the dots using her iPhone, and send it to him."

These red dots first appeared inside her mouth and then began to spread to the rest of her body. When the doctor saw the video, "it confirmed his fears: she was suffering from a rare disease called ITP, which causes the immune system to act against platelets responsible for clotting. In its most dangerous form, ITP may lead to severe bleeding and death. She was rushed to the emergency room at Tel Hashomer Hospital ... received treatment for a week and her body returned to normal."

What would the world be without telephones? Where would the under-developed nations be without technological advancements.

"Science and technology in Israel is one of the country's most developed sectors. The percentage of Israelis engaged in scientific and technological inquiry, and the amount spent on research and development (R&D) in relation to gross domestic product (GDP), is amongst the highest in the world... Israeli scientists have contributed to the advancement of agriculture, computer sciences, electronics, genetics, medicine, optics, solar energy and various fields of engineering." Wikipedia

G-d Bless the Israelis, the People of Israel, and all the Jewish souls on earth.

The world was created with opposites: daytime and nightime, man and woman, heat and cold, sunlight and moonlight, et al., and especially good and evil. Everything and anything can be used for goodness, to better mankind and improve the conditions of the world.

But then there are those who live in the opposite and worship death. They try to destroy the 'good' in any way possible. But the "good" will triumph over the "evil".

Shabbat Shalom

2011-11-25T06:21:00.000-05:00

PARSHAT TOLDOS

The Sandy Path to Inspiration

Why Were the Founding Fathers of Judaism Enthralled by Wells?

Rabbi YY Jacobson

Enthralled by Wells

It seems that our Patriarchs, the Founding Fathers of Judaism, were enthralled with wellsprings.

First, the Bible tells us of Abraham's involvement in well-digging and his rebuke to the king of the Philistines for allowing his servants to seize one of his wells. [1] Abraham went so far as to perform an elaborate ceremony with the king, during which the king swore that the well would remain in Abraham's possession. [2]

But Abraham's association with wells pales in comparison to his son Isaac's connection to wells. First, we learn that he is a frequent visitor at a well named “Lachai Roei,” where he meets his bride and later settles. [3]

Isaac then engages in relentless digging to uncover underground springs. He reclaims the wells that his father dug but that were stuffed up after Abraham's death. In addition, we read of at least another four wells that Isaac's servants dig anew. We are even told the names Isaac granted his wells and of the battles he fought to hold on to them! [4]

Jacob, too, seems to harbor special sentiments towards wells. When the Torah describes in next week's portion his journey from Israel to the East, it tells us [5] that "Jacob looked and behold, a well in the field!" Jacob spends a lot of time at the well, and it is there that he encounters and decides to marry his wife-to-be, Rachel. [6]

Why were the fathers of the Jewish people so connected to wells? And why does the Torah, a book of instruction and teachings, a roadmap for life, dedicate a significant part of this week's portion Toldos to discuss the details of Isaac's struggles to discover wellsprings?

Two Water Sources

In Jewish thought, water represents wisdom and inspiration. [7] Just as water quenches the thirst of an arid body, rejuvenating its spirit and resuscitating its energy, the gifts of wisdom and enlightenment refresh a soul and grant it inspiration and vitality.

We have two sources of water in our world. The waters above the ground—oceans, rivers, lakes, streams and rain, and water that flows below the ground, covered by grit. These latter waters seep out from sand and gravel, from amid soluble rocks and cleavage planes, as they struggle to emerge from beneath the earth that conceals them.

One would assume that the restricted flow of water fighting to emerge from amid gravel would be inferior to the unrestricted and smooth beds of water that lay above the ground. Yet the reality is that there is something uniquely refreshing about spring water. The very fact that these waters are hidden beneath the ground keeps them free from pollution and germs, and grants them a freshness and sparkle not to be found in the above-ground waters.

Two Sources of Inspiration

The two sources of physical waters in our world parallel the two sources of wisdom and spiritual inspiration in our lives.

The first of these spiritual sources, which parallels above-ground water, is a sense of wisdom and inspiration that is born above and beyond the dirt of life's daily challenges. It comes to lucid people at lucid moments; it is straightforward, easy and smooth. These are the waters that emerge from the hearts of pristine spiritual individuals; men and women unsoiled by the filth and muck innate to many a human character. Their waters are delightful and unrestricted.

But then there is the wisdom that emerges from life's "dirt" and grime, from amid much struggle and inner strife; there is the inspiration born from those human hearts that are submerged in the psychological and emotional gravel of life. When a person, burdened by the daily pressures of earning a livelihood and raising a family, and bogged down by his earthly nature and his immoral urges bursts out with a yearning to transcend his dirt and connect to G-d - this small, restricted flow of water seeping out from a sandy and rocky psyche is more refreshing and potent than all of the serene waters located above the “ground.”

This is why the fathers of the Jewish people were engrossed in digging and preserving wells. With this they taught us to fight for and to cherish those moments of truth, fleeting as they are, and those small sparks of idealism, transient as they seem, buried within the deep rubble of falsehood and grit.

For this is the essence of Judaism: You must not live in heaven; you must discover heaven within earth, beginning with your own earth. [8]
_______________

[1]Genesis 21:25.
[2]Ibid. 21:30. This ceremony and the oath taken by the two parties at the location, is the origin of the name of the City Beer Sheba, where this ceremony was performed. Beer Sheba means "the oath of the well."
[3] Genesis 24:62. Cf. ibid. 25:11
[4] Ibid. chapter 26.
[5] Ibid. 29:2.
[6]4) Also Eliezer, the servant of Abraham, stopped at a well, where he found a bride for Isaac. Moses too discovers his wife-to-be, Tzeporah, at a well.
[7]See, for example, Bava Kama 17a. Tanya chapter 4.
[8]This essay is based on a discourse by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812), the founder of Chabad, in his book Torah Or p. 20.

Fundamentals of Kabbalah HB"D

2011-11-25T02:31:00.000-05:00

A New Series at The Yeshiva.net

With Rabbi Yossi Paltiel

The Fundamentals of Kabbalah -- Part One
The Sefiros: So Close, Yet So Far. Studying the book of Torah Or Vayeira Maamar Pasach Eliyahu

The Fundamentals of Kabbalah -- Part Two
The Sefiros: Can G-d Have a “Personality?” Studying Torah Or Maamar Pasach Eliyahu

New! The Fundamentals of Kabbalah -- Part Three
The Tzimtzum: A Hole In the Infinite Light. Studying the book of Torah Or Vayeira Maamar Pasach Eliyahu

Death of The Farce

2011-11-25T01:34:00.010-05:00

"The Peace Process, that horrible masochistic program of terrorist empowerment, is a fading mirage that no one believes in anymore...The 'peace process' which created two terrorist states inside Israel may have begun in Oslo, but it ended in Cairo. Normalizing relations with the rest of the Middle East was one of the carrots that got the Jewish state hopping down the appeasement trial-- and that carrot is now officially off the table."

SO BEGINS THE ARUTZ SHEVA OP ED DEATH OF THE PEACE PROCESS BY DANIEL GREENFIELD (above)

AND

KNOWN AS THE PROLIFIC BLOGGER SULTAN KNISH:

"The Future of Egypt: In the wake of the latest instability everyone has an opinion on the future of Egypt. But the future of Egypt is the past, not the distant past of its pre-Arab culture, but a repetition of the last century. In a region that has never escaped from the past, history is not a road, it is a circle. Travel far enough along it and you come back to where you were."

Congratulations Daniel, a new voice on Arutz Sheva.

NO END TO THEIR FALSEHOODS

2011-11-23T12:50:00.004-05:00

Adam and Chava

and

Avraham and Sarah

Yitzchak and Rivkah

Yaakov and Leah

Our Jewish Ancestors, are buried in Maarat HaMachpela.

Avraham Avinu bought the cave and surrounding area.

He and his descendants are the rightful owners.

THERE IS NO END TO THEIR FALSEHOODS: Haj Zeid Al Ja'bari pf the Islamic Religious Authorities in Chevron shamelessly claims that the Maarat HaMachpela is "a pure Muslim holy place." Source: COLLive

For those who may not realize, David Wilder, a spokesman for the Jewish community of Hevron, explains the Who and Why of Maarat HaMachpela:

The Torah teaches us that Avraham, sitting outside his tent following his Brit Milah, seeing three men approaching, ran to fix them a meal.

When he entered the sheep pen to prepare fresh meat, a calf ran away. As Avraham chased the calf, the animal suddenly disappeared. Continuing to search, Avraham saw a cave in the distance and approached, thinking that

Where did Avraham learn the trait of chesed?

perhaps the calf had run inside. Arriving at the cave and peering in, Avraham saw a bright light glowing from deep within. Entering to investigate, walking deeper and deeper into the cave, Avraham discovered the tombs of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman. He also smelled fragrances from the Garden of Eden.

How did Adam and Eve arrive at this site? It is written that following their exile from the Garden of Eden they wished to return, but they had no idea where it was. They searched and searched until they reached a point where they could smell the exquisite fragrances of that unique place. There, the first man began digging and dug a cave within a cave, until a voice from the heavens forbade him to dig further. There he buried his wife Eve and later he too was interred there (according to the Zohar).

Realizing the sanctity of the site, Avraham left the cave, desiring to purchase it. According to the Midrash (Pirkei d'Rebbi Eliezer), he approached the Jebusites and requested to purchase from them the cave. (The Midrash specifies that the Jebusites and the Hittites were both from the same tribe, Paleshet.) They answered Avraham, "We know that your future offspring will try to conquer our home city (Jerusalem). If you agree to prevent them from conquering Jerusalem, we will sell you the cave."
Avraham agreed and signed a contract which was hung on statues outside the gates of Jerusalem. There are commentators who hold that Joshua did not conquer Jerusalem when he entered Israel due to Avraham's agreement. Centuries later, King David purchased the Temple Mount from the Jebusites only after he destroyed these statues.

Did Avraham really agree to relinquish Jerusalem for Hebron? No. Avraham realized that in order to attain the sanctity of Jerusalem, it was necessary to begin at the foundations of civilization, at the point which joins this world to another world, to the Garden of Eden. Starting here, at the cave, the foundations of the world, they could then progress slowly, until finally reaching the holiness of Jerusalem. This is similar to "Jacob's ladder", of which it is written that the top of the ladder reached the heavens but the legs of the ladder were firmly entrenched on the ground.

Where is a connection between Jerusalem and Hebron, site of these caves discovered by Avraham, called Ma'arat HaMachpela? The Talmud says, in the tractate Yoma, that every day, before beginning work in the Beit HaMikdash, the Temple, the priests would look out and ask, "Has the sun yet risen in the east, even as far as Hebron?" If the answer was positive, work would commence. If not, if it was still dark in Hebron, the priests in Jerusalem would have to wait.

Very likely, the merit by which Avraham earned discovery of Ma'arat HaMachpela is due to his desire and willingness to fulfill the positive precept of hachnasat orchim, "hosting guests", despite the very hot weather and the pain he experienced three days after his Brit Milah. This reflects Avraham's primary trait, that of chesed, or total, unrelenting loving-kindness.
Where did Avraham learn the trait of chesed? It would seem, from HaShem, from G-d Himself. In our prayers, which we repeat three times daily, we say, "the great, strong, awesome G-d, the supreme G-d." What would we expect to follow? Perhaps, 'the G-d who created heavens and earth', or 'who created Man'? No. We continue, "[G-d] who practices fine chesed and remembers the chesed of the Forefathers." This is what Avraham learned from

Each site has levels within levels.

HaShem. And this is the pillar of Ma'arat HaMachpela - chesed.

This is Avraham's primary trait, that of chesed, as it is written, "He bestowed chesed to Avraham." Why especially to Avraham? It is written, "A world of chesed will be created." In other words, creation of the world was dependant on total chesed, without any restrictions. Later, rules were established and the chesed was limited, borders were implemented. (So it is that Yitzhak's trait is gevurah, which represents the ability to live with restrictions, an enclosing, an implementation of constraints, and the opposite of chesed.)

Why was Avraham's trait chesed? His existence in the world and his revelation of one G-d was as the recreation of the world anew, the seeds of the birth of Am Yisrael, a time necessitating total chesed, as was during the time of Adam and Eve. And so it was that Avraham was merited to be the first person to discover their final resting place, the entrance to the Garden of Eden.

There are different levels of revelation and of recognizing HaShem. There is a superficial recognition, but also a deeper appreciation.

In Israel there is Jerusalem and Hebron - Beit HaMikdash and Ma'arat HaMachpela. Beit HaMikdash, the Temple, is open to all, high upon a hill. Ma'arat HaMachpela is a cave, hidden from all eyes, inner. Beit HaMikdash extends outward. Ma'arat HaMachpela extends inward. One to the heavens and one to the depths of the earth. One bursts out and the other, directed towards our roots.

Of course, each site has levels within levels. Beit HaMikdash has a section called Kodesh, "holy" and a more restricted area called Kodesh HaKodeshim, "the Holy of Holies". Ma'arat HaMachpela has two caves, an outer cave and an inner cave.
Why then is the supreme holiness in Jerusalem and not in Hebron? This is the way of the world: "In the beginning G-d created the heavens and the earth, and the earth was filled with tohu v'vohu ('confusion')." The Torah continues with incidents 'on earth,' that which is revealed. The heavens remain 'hidden' and untouched. With that, it should be noted that the final goal, the full redemption, is return to the era of the Garden of Eden, before Man's original sin.

All may view that which is revealed, but revelation of the hidden is dependant on G-d, on His chesed, His willingness to allow entrance into 'the arena of the hidden'. In other words, Avraham's discovery of Ma'arat HaMachpela is an example of how chesed begets chesed (i.e., an example of mida k'neged mida - "an attribute begets an attribute").

We know of four couples buried at Ma'arat HaMachpela: Adam and Eve, Avraham and Sarah, Yitzhak and Rivka, Ya'akov and Lea. However, it is written that there are actually five couples buried at Ma'arat HaMachpela, three 'revealed' and two 'hidden'. The 'revealed' three are the Patriarchs and Matriarchs. The 'hidden' are Adam and Eve and Moshe (Moses) and Tzipporah (attributed to Sefer HaTemunah in the name of Rabbi Nechunia HaKana and Rabbi Yishmael Kohen Gadol).

What is Moshe's connection to Ma'arat HaMachpela? The Torah writes that Moshe was very humble; he was most humble of all men. Humility is a trait reflecting selflessness and concealment. Moshe brought Torah to the people of Israel and received no reward. He was as a slave and suffered, despite his efforts on behalf of the Israelites. This reflects the trait of chesed. What person would be more suitable to unify with his roots than Moshe?

This is the secret of Ma'arat HaMachpela.

In the Torah it is written (in Hebrew) Ma'arat Sde HaMachpela ("the cave in the field of Machpela"). The initials of these three words (in Hebrew), Mem, Shin and Hay, combine to spell Moshe. Jerusalem and Hebron blend and unify. Torah - the rules, the boundaries - and the tablets of the Ten Commandments, are found in Jerusalem. Gevurah - the trait of Yitzhak; Akedat Yitzhak occured on Har HaMoriah, site of Beit HaMikdash.

The chesed, the full loving-kindness without restriction, the trait of Avraham, is in Hebron. The lights of Hebron and the lights of Jerusalem merge to create a unity of spirituality which imbues the Jewish people (Ya'akov-Yisrael - the unity of chesed and gevurah), the revealed and the hidden, this is the secret of Ma'arat HaMachpela, a unity which cannot be, and never will be, 'disengaged'.

POMPOSITY

2011-11-22T02:01:00.014-05:00

One can occasionally trip and fall into this definition, but to do so often one can become identified as this behavior:

Haaretz Editorial: Barak's VERBOSITY has strengthened Iran.

Wiktionary - add to that POMPOSITY:
The quality of being pompous; self-importance. He shows great pomposity, the pretentious windbag.

And also An exaggerated sense of one's importance that shows itself in the making of excessive or unjustified claims

As an example, this, as covered by One Jerusalem:

Israel's left-wing Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, relishes opportunities to hob knob with America's Left wing elite. For example, he never turns down invitations by Charlie Rose to discuss the problems of the world. In a recent appearance on Rose's show Barak: Haaretz reports that Barak was asked on PBS' "Charlie Rose" on Wednesday: "If you were them (Iran), wouldn't you want a nuclear weapon?"

"Probably, probably. I know, it's not -- I don't delude myself that they are doing it just because of Israel," he said. "They look around, they see the Indians are nuclear, the Chinese are nuclear, Pakistan is nuclear ... not to mention the Russians," Barak said, referring to secretive nuclear programs in Arab countries like Iraq, in the past, and of Israel itself.

Barak has compiled a long record of aiding Israel's enemies. As Prime Minister he offered Yassar Arafat Jerusalem and he abandoned Israel's allies in Lebanon. Now he is justifying Iran's nuclear ambitions. I guess during World War II he would have rationalized Germany's expansionism.

A Cold Wind is Blowing

2011-11-20T11:37:00.002-05:00

A cold wind is blowing my way.

It's cold out there.

I think I'll go on a vacation.

Erev Shabbos 11.11.11

2011-11-20T11:35:00.000-05:00

Wake Up! America ...

2011-11-20T04:08:00.012-05:00

Bringing people together

This is exactly the direction that American Jews should be moving.

People are questioning the way the American society is changing, not for the better, and with ominous signals that are similar to those that occurred before the Shoah. People are panicking inside, they don't understand why they are feeling depressed and nervous. Or, on the other hand why they need to keep buying 'bigger and better', every new popular "craze," flashy sparkling sequined shoes, sparkling jackets, matching sparkling socks, sparkling handbags ad infinitum. People are being challenged in the area of their faith and Emuna.

Those that have gone thru these societal changes before will tell you this is the way it started in Europe.

While I don't believe the trouble and turmoil will be the same as WWII Europe, even though Germany is gaining power, enough that it could go to war with Europe to "save Europe" from itself and it's failing economy.

That might be the beginning of gogUmagog?? But we don't know and have to wait and see. It could come from another direction.

In the meantime, another bank is opening in Boro Park! "They" are going to where "they" think all the money is! On one block there are now THREE banks! If people are hurting financially, and need a scapegoat, where and to whom are "they" going to go next?

* * * * *

Part of seeing the Geula in front of our eyes is seeing the seed decay in order to allow the budding of new growth. This dynamic is built into creation by HaShem. So when we look at life globally, the decay is on a much larger scale. We see the disintegration of the seed first and then slowly a little bud peeks thru the soil to begin it's upward climb out and into the sun (into the warm rays of Moshiach). The process takes time, but we keep our eyes focused on the signs of budding.

Parshas Chayei Sarah

2011-11-18T05:22:00.001-05:00

The Secret Relationship

Understanding Marriage on a Subconscious Level

Rabbi YY Jacobson

Sarah’s passing

This week’s Torah portion commences with the sad story of the sunset of the first Jewish matriarch, Sarah, and her husband Abraham’s efforts to purchase a family burial-plot for Sarah and himself, as well as for future couples of the founding Jewish family (Genesis ch. 23).

Abraham negotiates a deal with a man named Efron and ends up paying an enormous amount of money (400 large and pure silver (1)) for a field in Hebron, at whose edge was the “machpalah cave,” or the “double cave,” a cave suited for the burial of couples’ side-by-side of each other. Indeed, as the Bible relates, all of the patriarchs and matriarchs of Israel (besides Rachel) – Sarah and Abraham, Rebecca and Isaac, Leah and Jacob – were buried in that cave.

The edifice constructed upon it remains till today one of the holiest sites in Judaism and is also held in high esteem by Muslims.

Immediately following this story, the Bible continues to relate the long dramatic story of how Isaac meets and marries his soul-mate Rebecca. This is the section in Torah known as “the portion of relationships,” and is read in many Jewish Sephardic communities on the Sabbath before a wedding in the community.

Awful Comparisons

Sequence in the Bible is critical. It is always there to demonstrate a point, to challenge a convention, to inspire an ideal. How, then, are we to appreciate the juxtaposition between such paradoxical themes – the death and burial of Sarah in the “machpalah cave,” and the dawn of Isaac and Rebecca's life as a married couple?

There is something even more astonishing in the Talmud. Biblical law is often ambiguous and riddle-like. Thus, when Moses presented the Torah to the Jewish people, he gave them an oral interpretation, clarifying and elucidating the meaning of the Bible. This oral tradition has been documented in the Mishnah and in the Talmud (2).

Marriage is one of those issues where the Biblical law is unclear and it requires interpretation. The Torah speaks of “a man marrying a woman (3),” but does not specify the legal means to affect a marriage. The Talmud (4) presents an oral tradition to fill the gap. A similar expression used when discussing marriage is found once more in the Bible when addressing Abraham’s purchase of the machpalah cave. In a classical method of Torah interpretation known as “gzeirah shavev” (comparing two distinct cases when a similar word is used in both), we legally compare the two cases. Just as Abraham purchased the field and the cave by means of money, so too must a groom give a monetary gift to his bride if he wishes to obtain her hand in marriage.

Till today this law is the basis of every Jewish marriage. When the groom places the ring on the finger of his bride and declares “you are hereby betrothed to me…” man and woman enter into the covenant of marriage. Why? Because we derive it from the legal formula employed by Abraham to purchase the machpalah cave.

This is classical Talmudic methodology well-known to any student of the Talmud. Yet it does seem tasteless, if not awful. Why are we deriving the laws of marriage from a story of death and burial? The death of Sarah terminated her marriage with Abraham; yet it is from a story which terminated a marriage that we deduce the laws of creating a marriage! And why are we comparing the obtaining of a spouse to the purchase of a burial plot? (The cynic would recall Woody Allen's quip: “Marriage is the death of hope.”)

The comparison is so strange and bizarre that it compels us to look deeper, to gaze into the secret “caves” of our own relationships.

Two Dimensions

The Torah and the Kabbalah talk about two dimensions to every relationship: the disclosed element, situated “above the ground,” and the hidden component, buried “beneath the ground,” disguised and veiled. In our modern lexicon we may define them as the conscious relationships vs. the subconscious relationship.

The first layer of the relationship is created by conscious thoughts, emotions and feelings. “I love you because I feel for you; I cherish you because I perceive you as my life’s partner.” What happens when these powerful feelings wane? The relationship, naturally, suffers as well. When the cause is no more, its effects follow suit.

We observe this phenomenon in many a marriage. When the passion rages high and the love towers the heavens, the union is splendid and vibrant. But when those passionate emotions and exhilarating inclinations dissipate, the bond falters, and the loyalty disappears. The couple may still be married on paper as far as the IRS is concerned; internally, though, they are divorced.

And if you are already divorced internally, you may wonder, why not complete the process and sever your bonds officially as well? Who are you fooling?

The Subterranean Bond

Yet the Torah and the Kabbalah address another facet to relationships -- the one buried beneath the earth, in the inner caves of the souls relating to each other. This is the connection you have with a person not because you consciously experience a bond with them, but rather because you are inherently and intrinsically connected, regardless of your conscious feelings.

The common example for this is the relationship between parents and children. Your relationship with your Mom is not created by your positive conscious feelings toward her; on the contrary, your feelings toward your mother are the result of your subconscious bond with her. You may harbor negative emotions toward your mother. At times, you may even need to protect yourself from your mother (though this should be determined by an objective voice, not by your own emotional roller coaster). Yet nothing will change the fact that she is your mother; a piece of your essence.

Albeit on a different plane, the Torah ascribes this dimension of relationships to marriages as well. In addition to the conscious marriage, created by the rational and emotional choice of two adults, there is another layer to the marital union. This connection is buried “beneath the ground,” existing in the subconscious cellars of the man and woman's psyches. A husband and a wife are, in the words of the Zohar (5), “two halves of one soul.” Their bond is inherent, intrinsic and eternal, one that originated before birth and cannot be obliterated with death.

This layer of the relationship is not created through our conscious volition; on the contrary, our conscious feelings are born from this hidden and essential aspect of the relationship, binding us together in the subterranean chambers of our souls. And when the marriage does encounter strife and struggle, the soul-mates remember that they are essentially united and that the conflicts between them, though in need of attention and repair, ought not and cannot erode the essential connection between them.

Abraham’s Message

This, perhaps, was the significance of Abraham working hard to purchase a burial plot for his wife and himself, as well as for the couples of the second and third generation of Jews. This was not a mere expression of sentimentalism (Genesis, in general, focuses far more on justice and truth than on sentimentalism). It was a statement of profound spiritual implications -- that his relationship with Sarah did not cease after her death, because it did not begin during her life.

And it was a cave that he purchased, alluding to the "subterranean relationship," which does not cease after death.

This does not mean that a widower or widow ought never to remarry. Abraham himself remarries after Sarah’s death, and the Torah teaches that the soul of a deceased spouse longs that their partner below continue to live a productive and accomplished life. Often that requires remarrying. In no way does a second marriage demonstrate a lack of sensitivity or betrayal towards the person who passed on. On the contrary, it may be their profoundest delight to see that their spouse below mustered the strength to move on and to continue to live and love sharing with another person the gifts of their heart and soul (5*).

Entering the Cave

This might also be the symbolism behind the Jewish law comparing the betrothal of every bride and groom with Abraham’s purchase of the “cave.” Superficially, this comes across as very weird. Yet there is a profoundly moving message being communicated here. When a groom places the ring on the finger of his bride, the Torah is informing him, that he is not only marrying his spouse on a conscious level; he is also entering into an eternal relationship with her. In marriage, they are accessing together the “cave” buried in the deep chambers of their souls, where their relationship is timeless and permanent. The chupah (the wedding canopy) is not only a union of two people; it is also a reunion of two halves that were once one.

This also explains the juxtaposition of Sarah’s burial and the story of Isaac and Rebecca’s marriage. At first glance, the sequence seems to be of poor taste. Upon deeper reflection, though, the implicit message is clear. Before you get married you must know that you are marrying your eternal partner. Divorce is not an option. You must be resolute that no argument, fight or crisis will ever tear you two apart. Your relationship is essential. Your core self and your spouses core self are one.

Abraham’s treatment of Sarah after her demise, served as a defining lesson to Isaac and Rebecca for how to treat their own marriage. These two, as the Bible relates, had plenty of arguments; some of these arguments had dramatic historical implications. But never did these differences of opinion manage to tear them apart. Never did Isaac and Rebecca lose their loyalty and trust to each other. Why? Because they never forgot the connection that defined their relationship “beneath the ground,” in the subconscious layers of their souls.

The Metaphor

The human marriage has always been a metaphor for the marriage between man and G-d.

This marriage, too, operates on two levels (7). At times your relationship with G-d is “above the ground,” exposed and revealed. It is conscious, exciting and enriching.

But what do you do at a moment of a moral or spiritual “downer?” How do you react to a condition of shallowness, alienation and despair? What do you do when you feel that your marriage with G-d is soul-less and lifeless? When you are not even sure He exists?

At such a moment you have to remember the “cave-like relationship,” the fact that you and G-d possesses a hidden relationship that may be invisible, but is always present. This is the hidden spark of G-dliness and inspiration etched within the deep caves of your soul that could never be extinguished.

It is not as exciting and captivating as the relationship above ground, but it is eternal (8).

Footnotes:
1) According to the Talmud (Bava Metzia 87a) he paid a total of one million ordinary shekels for the cave!
2) See introduction of Rambam to the Mishnah and to his Yad Hachnazakah.
3) Deuteronomy 24:2.
4) Tractate Kiddushin 2a.
5) Zohar vol. 3 7a.
5*) See the moving letter by the Lubavitcher Rebbe to Mrs. Sifrah Morozov, who lost her husband in the 1967 six-day-war. The letter is published in Toras Menachem-Menachem Tzeyon vol. 2.
6) See Rambam laws of Teshuvah ch. 10.
7) The first section of Tanya and much of the Chassidic literature revolves around these two layers of our relationship with G-d.
8) This essay is based on the Chassidic discourses by the third Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek (see Sefer Halikkutim-Dach Tzemach Tzedek, under the entry of Chevron and Mearas Hamachpalah). Cf. a lovely rendition of this idea in Emunas Etecah, by Rabbi Moshe Wolfson shlita, Parshas Chayei Sarah.

Good Grief

2011-11-18T02:14:00.007-05:00

Should be renamed the obamabomb, launching is from Hawaii:

Pentagon successfully tests hypersonic flying bomb

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon on Thursday held a successful test flight of a flying bomb that travels faster than the speed of sound and will give military planners the ability to strike targets anywhere in the world in less than a hour.

Launched by rocket from Hawaii at 1130 GMT, the "Advanced Hypersonic Weapon," or AHW, glided through the upper atmosphere over the Pacific "at hypersonic speed" before hitting its target on the Kwajalein atoll in the Marshall Islands, a Pentagon statement said.

Scientists classify hypersonic speeds as those that exceed Mach 5 -- or five times the speed of sound -- 3,728 miles (6,000 kilometers) an hour. The test aimed to gather data on "aerodynamics, navigation, guidance and control, and thermal protection technologies," said Lieutenant Colonel Melinda Morgan, a Pentagon spokeswoman.

GridLock in the Middle of China's Desert

2011-11-16T10:49:00.000-05:00

The following is from Gizmodo

Why Is China Building These Gigantic Structures In the Middle of the Desert?

What do you think these are?

For what purpose?

New photos have appeared in Google Maps showing unidentified titanic structures in the middle of the Chinese desert. The first one is an intricate network of what appears to be huge metallic stripes. Is this a military experiment?

Update: readers are finding more weird stuff.
They seem to be wide lines drawn with some white material. Or maybe the dust have been dug by machinery.

It's located in Dunhuang, Jiuquan, Gansu, north of the Shule River, which crosses the Tibetan Plateau to the west into the Kumtag Desert. It covers an area approximately one mile long by more than 3,000 feet wide.

The tracks are perfectly executed, and they seem to be designed to be seen from orbit.

Perhaps it's some kind of targeting or calibrating grid for Chinese spy satellites? Maybe it's a QR code for aliens? Nobody really knows.

You can check it out yourself in Google Maps here or here.

see here for pictures and more comments

Someone thought it was a grid overlay of DC!
Target practice?
Or is it a hoax.

You decide

Quantum Levitation

2011-11-15T01:24:00.000-05:00

One of the Chasidei Umos HaOlam (pious one of the nations) that is tuned to "latter days" sitings, has an amazing post from 10 November:

Daniel 12:4 prophesied “knowledge shall be increased [exponentially]” in the latter days, and this link is an example of this prophecy being fulfilled. We can know the Daniel 12:4 prophecy meant an exponential increase in knowledge as the Hebrew word translated “increased” is the same word used to describe how the waters “increased” and flooded the entire earth in the Noachian Deluge (Genesis 7:17). There was an exponential increase in the waters on the earth in Noah’s time so that is how mankind’s fund of knowledge will be increased in the latter days. The stunning increase in mankind’s knowledge in our time is one of the proofs that we are, indeed, living in the latter days.

Quantum Levitation (think flying saucers?)

Video from ASTC, Association of Science - Technology Centers 2011 Annual Convention featuring "knowledge that works," 15-18 October in Baltimore MD. This Conference featured Quantum Levitation. On their blog, Larry Hoffer wrote "While this demonstration of quantum levitation by Tel-Aviv University’s Superconductivity Group was shot during the recent ASTC Annual Conference in Baltimore. There is true physics behind it. To date, this video has gotten more than 5 million hits on YouTube and been featured in media outlets all across the globe."