HaRav Moshe Sternbuch Shlit"A. —. Sukkos

Why Joy on Sukkos

Sukkos is termed “zman simchaseinu”, and therefore this was the Yom Tov on which Simchas Beis HaSho’eivah took place with musical instruments and so on.  The commandment of “vesamachta bechagecha” applies to every Yom Tov, so why was Sukkos singled out as the Yom Tov of joy par excellence?

The simplest answer is that during the Yamim Nora’im of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we merit attaining teshuvah mi’yirah, and then on Sukkos, during which we acquire ahavas Hashem, we attain teshuva me’ahavah.

Complete and genuine joy stems from a holy source, and that is what we feel after the atonement obtained on Yom Kippur.  That also appears to be the reason why a chasan obtains atonement for his sins of the day of his marriage, because in order to feel joy properly, one’s sins first have to be atoned for.

Similarly, Simchas Torah takes place at the end of Sukkos, and not on Shavuos, the day on which the Torah was given, because it is specifically after Hoshanah Rabbah, the day on which the process of atonement is completed, that a person can feel sufficient joy in preparation for Simchas Torah.

The Sefas Emes writes that the greater the degree of atonement that a person obtained on Yom Kippur, the greater will be the joy that he feels on Sukkos.  If his Yom Kippur was “dry” and without emotion, his Sukkos will be likewise.

Having said that, the Brisker Rav would say that although he felt confident that he had fulfilled the mitzvos of sukkah and arba minim properly, he felt less confident that he had fulfilled the mitzvah of vesamachta bechagecha completely.  Clearly then, fulfilling the mitzvah of simcha on Sukkos properly is no easy task.

The Rambam (Sukkah 8:14) stresses that only the greatest gedolei Yisroel participated in Simchas Beis HaSho’eivah.  This is because only their joy is complete and genuine, stemming as it does from a completely spiritual source.

Any Jew whose neshamah is active feels great joy when performing mitzvos, and especially when praying, when the Shechinah is close.  When one is learning Torah and delving into it, one senses the limitless greatness of the Creator, and one’s heart overflows with joy at the merit of serving Him.  B’nei Torah, in particular, feel boundless joy, since the Torah is mesamchei lev, especially when one has the merit of being mechadesh a chiddush, or explaining a sevara.  By contrast, the neshamos of amei ha’aretz are somewhat deficient, and therefore they did not participate in Simchas Beis HaSho’eivah.

Furthermore, by feeling and expressing joy on Sukkos more than any other Yom Tov, we demonstrate that our acceptance of the yoke of Torah on Yom Kippur did not take place through coercion and lack of choice.  Some outsiders pity an observant Jew, assuming that he lives a somber life full of restrictions in every area of life.  To counter such notions, we exhibit our joy, because not only do we merit eternal joy in the afterlife, but we are the only ones that feel genuine joy in this world, and we are the ones who pity those who continue to lead an animalistic and meaningless way of life, who are thereby missing out both in this world and the next.

Another reason why Sukkos is the Yom Tov of joy is to afford us an opportunity to have any unfavorable decrees issued against us on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur overturned before the delivery of the p’sakim (decrees of judgment) on Hoshanah Rabbah.  When we serve Hashem with joy we enjoy a special closeness to Him, and are considered to be like His sons.  Sons always have an open door to see their father.  Moreover, the satan cannot make accusations against us, because a father will not agree to hear bad words said against his sons, apart from which such accusations are only made within the context of a trial conducted by a king against his subjects, and will not be heard in the context of a father-and-son relationship.  Therefore, through the joy of mitzvos on Sukkos, we are able to overturn evil decrees, and silence and prevent the satan from making accusations against us.

In fact, whenever a person or family member is in distress (at any time of the year), he should endeavor to cleave to Hashem with joy, so that he will be considered to be like a son of Hashem, and merit having evil decrees overturned.

sukkos during WWII

Whilst speaking about the importance of feeling joy in all circumstances on Yom Tov, Rav Sternbuch recalled how Rav Elchonon Wasserman who was in London on the second day of the last Shavuos before the outbreak of World War II was in such a joyous state of mind that he started singing and dancing uninterruptedly for about one and a half hours like a young man.  He sang the words “Av Harachamon, shma koleinu, helf shoin alle Yiden, zol schoin sein di geulo.  Moshioch zol schoin kummen” (“Merciful Father, Listen to our prayers, Help all Jews, Let the redemption come already, Let Moshiach come already”).  Rav Elchonon was presumably in an even greater state of joy on Simchas Torah.

During World War II Rav Sternbuch was learning in Rav Moshe Schneider’s yeshiva.  Most of the boys’ parents and other family members had remained behind in Poland or Hungary, and were under constant threat of death.  Rav Sternbuch recalls how these boys came to the Rosh Yeshiva on Sukkos and told him that it was impossible for them to feel joy on Yom Tov when they did not know whether their parents were alive, and even if they were, they were surely suffering greatly from hunger or other forms of torture, so how could they possibly feel any joy.  Rav Schneider told them:  “Hitler, may his name be erased, may perhaps take this world from us, but he cannot take away our afterlife.  We will fulfill Hashem’s mitzvos with hidur (splendor), even if we should walk in the valley of death, even in our last moment inside a fiery furnace, we will still be happy to be Jews, and under no circumstances will we let the Nazi oppressor take away our simchas hachag”.  He insisted that the yeshiva bachurim feel special joy at being part of Hashem’s treasured nation.  He did not let them stand on the side, but rather brought them into the circle of dancers.  In our times too, concludes Rav Sternbuch, with all the troubles that we are enduring, we will nevertheless feel boundless joy at being connected to and cleaving to Hashem:  “Blessed is our G-d, Who has separated us from those who go astray”.

miTzta’er and hachnasas orchim

Rav Yaakov Yechiel Weinberg, the Seridei Eish, told Rav Sternbuch that one Sukkos he went to visit Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzhinsky.  The latter did not go down to his Sukkah.  Since it was cold, and due to his state of health, he had the status of a mitzta’er (someone who suffers) who is exempt from the Sukkah.  However, Rav Weinberg himself did go down to the Sukkah, since he was well.  Much to his surprise, Rav Chaim Ozer then went down to the Sukkah to eat with Rav Weinberg, and he asked Rav Chaim Ozer why he had changed his mind.  The latter replied that a person suffering from the weather conditions outside is exempt from the mitzvah of Sukkah, but not from other mitzvos.  Therefore, as long as his guest had not yet gone down to the Sukkah, he remained exempt from sitting in it, but as soon as he had gone down, he became obligated to fulfil the mitzvah of hachnasas orchim by being with him and making his stay pleasant.  The cold conditions prevailing outside did not exempt him from this mitzvah.

It is said about the Chofetz Chaim that when he invited poor people from Radin to eat at his home on Friday night, he would delay singing Shalom Aleichem because the angels could wait, whereas his guests were hungry and it was forbidden to keep them waiting.  He would make Kiddush, wash his hands, begin the meal, and only then invite the angels into his house by singing Shalom Aleichem.  In the same vein, the Chofetz Chaim rules that on the first night of Sukkos one must wait a while for the rain to stop before making Kiddush and eating in the house.  However, if there are guests, one should not wait at all, because each moment that the host does not feed his guests, he may be transgressing the prohibition of bal te’acher (the prohibition against delaying the performance of hachnasas orchim), and that overrides the obligation to wait for the rain to stop in order to make Kiddush in the Sukkah (see O.C., siman 639, Sha’ar HaTziyun, 67).

Nisuch Hamayim

Why was Nisuch HaMayim, which formed part of the Simchas Beis HaSho’eivah in the time of the Beis HaMikdash, performed with water?  What is the special joy surrounding this mitzvah?  Even water, which is seemingly the most basic component available in nature, having no distinctive taste, color, or smell, only exists by virtue of the word of Hashem.  The special joy of Nisuch HaMayim is due to its message that there is no nature in the world, but only miracles.  This realization leads one to fulfill the famous statement of the Ramban at the end of Parshas Bo:  “The only purpose of creation is for man to thank G-d, Who created him”.

Ushpizin

The Zohar says that the Ushpizin only come if they are invited.  Perhaps this is not referring to reciting the words “Ulu Ushpizin” (“Come, O guests”), but rather to preparing oneself to become worthy of hosting them by emulating the traits that characterize each guest:  chesed in the case of Avraham, self-control and fortitude in the case of Yitzchak, and accepting the yoke of Torah in the case of Yaakov.  By doing so, we demonstrate that we want to become completely close to Hashem and break all the barriers separating us from Him.  Even if we do not fulfil this completely, not being on the level of the Ushpizin, by showing that we yearn to attain those levels, we can merit to host the Ushpizin in our Sukkah.

 

שַׁאֲלִי שְׂרוּפָה בְאֵשׁ: כלל ישראל בלב נשבר מבכה את שריפת ספרי התורה הצהריים בשריפה בירושלים

 Oh my, how did this happen?

HaGaon HaRav Dovid Cohen: ‘There Were Educators

 ….. Who Abused Children And It Was Covered Up; It Is Literally Murder!’

HaGaon Rav Dovid Cohen, Rosh Yeshivas Chevron and a member of Degel HaTorah’s Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, has spoken out directly and publicly for the first time about the phenomenon of abuse in the Chareidi community.

Rav Cohen made the remarks during a meeting with Rabbanim from the Mafteach Le’Asid organization, headed by Yedida Goldberg, which works to promote safeguarding in Chareidi society. The organization, under the leadership of Raav Yehoshua Eichenstein, has implemented the “Safe Environment” safeguarding program of the Social Platform nonprofit in dozens of Litvish chedarim in Jerusalem, after HaGaon Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch gave the initiative the green light.

“There have been many cases of abuse that I have become aware of over the years, and I have presumably encountered only a small portion of them,” HaRav Cohen said. “Every person who was abused — it is as though they were murdered.”

“By my estimate, every single year there are dozens, and perhaps more than dozens, who are abused, and they are destroyed spiritually and emotionally. We cannot tolerate this anymore. We cannot tolerate it. Unfortunately, there were periods when abusers were protected — including educators.”

The following are selected excerpts from the Chevron Rosh Yeshivah’s remarks, as quoted by Chareidim10.

“I have been in the yeshivah world for many years. There have been many cases of abuse that I have become aware of over the years, and presumably I have encountered only a small portion of them. When someone is abused, the reality is that they have been murdered,” the Rosh Yeshiva emphasized.

“In recent years, I have encountered quite a few people who were abused as children and were unable to form a marital relationship. Either it ended in divorce or in misery and an extremely difficult life. This happens to both boys and girls, and it all stems from abuse during childhood.”

Addressing the argument that abusers should be regarded as mentally ill, Rav Cohen said:

“These people [the abusers] are people who do not control the desires of their hearts. Regarding these perversions, in many cases people say that it is a psychological problem, but I heard from HaRav Yitzchak Hutner, z’tl, that if a person is not mentally ill, then the Torah provides the tools to deal with these problems as well.

“You cannot say that we have no claim against these people. They commit both gilui arayos and shefichus damim, and in some cases they perpetrate abuse that leads to further abuse. It is literally murder. By my estimate, every single year there are dozens, and perhaps more than dozens, who are abused, and they are destroyed, spiritually and emotionally. We cannot tolerate this anymore.”

The Rosh Yeshivah also sharply criticized the phenomenon of silencing and covering up abuse:

“To my great sorrow, it happens less recently, but there were periods when people were protected and their cases were not dealt with. There were Rebbeim who abused children, educators who abused children, and it was covered up. The consequences are horrific. Awareness of this issue must be increased. This is about saving the lives of the younger generation.”

He explained that in addition to educating children, parents also need training on the issue:

“Parents also do not always understand the significance. Just this week, I had a case involving a therapist who was abusing a child. They spoke to the parents, who were somewhat naive and did not want to listen. The parents said, ‘He’s perfectly fine; he helps the child and shows him affection.’ And he regularly abuses children.”

Rav Cohen told the organization’s Rabbanim: ““You are engaged here in the greatest form of saving lives there is. There is no greater zechus than this. Whoever saves one Jewish life is considered as though he saved an entire world — and this is not one life, but many lives. It is an unparalleled zechus.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

FALSE KANA’US: HaGaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch Condemns Campaign Against Rav Eliyahu Meir Feivelson

 HaGaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch has issued a rare letter of support for HaGaon HaRav Eliyahu Meir Feivelson, strongly condemning what he described as “violent persecution” being carried out under the guise of false kana’us.

The letter came after Rav Feivelson wrote to Rav Hirsch addressing controversial excerpts that had been circulated from one of his past shiurim concerning the relationship between Torah Shebiksav and Torah Shebaal Peh.

Bechadrei Charedim

Rav Feivelson wrote that the excerpts had been taken out of context and deliberately distorted. He explained that the shiur had originally been delivered to baalei teshuvah in an effort to strengthen their emunah in Chazal and Torah Shebaal Peh. He added that he no longer addresses these subjects in his current beis medrash and had removed the shiurim from Kol Halashon years ago.

In his response, Rav Hirsch expressed pain over the campaign targeting Rav Feivelson, writing that such conduct is not the derech of Torah and causes a Chillul Hashem.

Rav Hirsch offered a bracha that Rav Feivelson should be able to continue his Torah and avodah in peace and tranquility, and continue teaching Torah and daas to his talmidim and bringing them closer to their Father in Heaven.

The letter follows Rav Feivelson’s recent shivah following the sudden petirah of his daughter a”h. During the shivah, Rav Hirsch sent his son, HaGaon HaRav Aharon Hirsch, to be menachem avel and also personally offered nechamah by telephone.

https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/israel-news/2602223/false-kanaus-hagaon-harav-moshe-hillel-hirsch-condemns-campaign-against-rav-eliyahu-meir-feivelson.html

מותר לילד קטן לעבור כביש לבד? הכרעת מרן הגר"י זילברשטיין שליט"א | חשיפה משו"ת של ילדי אנחנו וצאצאינו

 

Sukkos: The Return of the Clouds of Glory - The Vilna Gaon Revolutionizes Sukkos

 

להיות שותפי אמת: המשא החריג של המנהיג הרב לנדו בכינוס לבנות הסמינרים שהתגייסו לסייע לקרן עולם התורה

 

עם זכוכית מגדלת: מנהיג הדור מרן הגר"ד לנדו בודק את הלולב בדקדוק, בחביבות מצווה אדירה

[ Just like we were to seek out or aveiros]

V'zos Haberacha: The Souls of the Righteous Created Before the World

 

Reb Neuberger: Succot and Why We Need the Ushpizin

WHY WE NEED THE USHPIZIN

This Yom Tov, we dwell in the holy sukkah with the Avos, our Fathers. This is unique. Where else can we dwell in close contact with these great men? 

Today, we have become sophisticated in our own eyes. In this generation, we believe that we have achieved something, because we are in general living very well and feel powerful. When you sit in front of a computer or a steering wheel, you think you are powerful. You control resources with a movement of your hands which previous generations could not have imagined. You can drive at 80 miles per hour. You can call up almost infinite stores of knowledge with your fingers on a keyboard. 

“And you may say in your heart …. Kochi v’otzem yadi … my strength and the might of my hand made me all this ….” (Dvarim 8:17) It is almost impossible to resist the feeling of personal strength caused by all the toys which the surrounding culture has brought forth upon this planet, and which we have accepted as if they were normal.

Our forefathers lived in days when the world was young. Contemplate them! Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Yosef, Moshe, Aharon and Dovid were utterly alone in a world of idolatry. All they had was their own strength and – in the case of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov Avinu -- the intuition that there was a Creator. They entered into a relationship with Hashem that was so personal and powerful that it went way beyond them and encompassed their own progeny – until this day! – and eventually the entire world. 

They had no toys with which to fool themselves into thinking that they were powerful. In their deep humility, they bowed deeply before the Al-Mighty G-d. 

“Dovid was the mightiest, most heroic man who ever lived. What was his strength? He was able to withstand suffering more than any person on earth …. Sent away from his own home, a pariah in the community at large, Dovid found rich pasture and clear, flowing water for his soul, which thirsted for G-d, in the wilderness to which he fled. There, where no one knew him or saw him, he sought to draw close to G-d.” (Rabbi Eliahu Kitov, Book of Our Heritage, Feldheim Publishers)

Recently I saw behavior which plunged me into dark depths bordering on despair. I saw people who should have known better acting as if there was no one else in the world beside themselves. My friends, suffice it to say that we have to love each other and act so that our brothers and sisters are elevated and not denigrated. It says, in the name of the Arizal ha Kadosh, “Before he starts every prayer, every Jew has to take upon himself the positive commandment of loving every Jew as he loves himself.” If he does not do that, I am afraid that his prayers are not going anywhere, G-d forbid.  

Recently, I overheard people complaining about those who daven “too slowly.” 

Please forgive me, my friends, but I believe there is a national epidemic of fast davening, people who say the words but do not reflect in their heart on what they are saying. Don’t get me wrong: I am as guilty as the next person. But to consider it as a desirable trait, that we should daven so fast we cannot think what we are saying, I want to ask with all humility: is this called davening?

How do you think the Ushpizin davened? How did Avraham Avinu daven? How did Dovid ha Melech daven? With tears and broken hearts! Dovid ha Melech writes, “I am wearied with my sighing. Every night I drench my bed … with my tears! …. Hashem has heard the sound of my weeping!” (Tehillim 6)

My friends, we need the ushpizin! We need to sit in the sukkah and revel in the closeness of people who were on a madreiga that we cannot even imagine. We need to soak up their greatness, their great hearts and their love of Hashem which pierced the Heavens and brought down the brachas through which we survive to this very day!

“Derech eretz kadma l’Torah …” it all begins with proper behavior, which we learn from the Ushpizin. In order to avert catastrophe -- G-d forbid -- and in order to dwell in the sukkah of protection -- which Hashem desires to erect over every Yid and over Eretz Yisroel and over Yerushalayim -- we need to learn from the Holy Ushpizin and try to reach their incredible madreiga. 

Please forgive me, but, during Sukkos, we don’t need trips to amusement parks. We need to sit under the sechach and absorb the midos of our holy ancestors, may their blessing come upon us! 

Davening in a Sukkah in Jerusalem

GLOSSARY

Avos: Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov

Brachas: blessings

Daven: pray

Madreiga: spiritual level

Midos: character traits

Sechach: branches and other foliage which forms the roof of the sukkah

Sukkah: temporary home where Jews dwell during Sukkos

Ushpizin: the early forefathers of Israel who visit every sukkah 

Yom Tov: Jewish holiday

Rabbi Wein: Succot

WEEKLY PARSHA FROM THE DESTINY ARCHIVES

Succot 2008/5769

The solemnity and awe of the Yomin Noraim gives way to the relaxation and enjoyment of the beautiful holiday of Succot. Succot is the holiday with many symbolic rituals and mitzvoth attached to it. It revels in its beauty, in the four species and in the succah itself with its decorations and greenery. Family gatherings and chol hamoed outings contribute to the festivities of the holiday and to the sense of satisfaction and accomplishment that we feel after Yom Kippur. It is no wonder therefore that the rabbis assigned to Succot the title of "the time of our happiness and rejoicing." 

Even though the weather may not cooperate fully and the comforts of our home and dining room are not usually found in the succah, Jews have a great sense of enjoyment in sitting in the succah. Joy and satisfaction are not always connected to physical comfort or luxuries. Succot aims to make us feel happy on the inside, to be satisfied with our lot and to have trust and faith in the coming good year and its blessings. 

Great people sat in their succot even in very cold weather even though the halacha prescribed that one who suffers discomfort in sitting in the succah because of weather conditions need not do so. They said that when sitting in the succah they experienced no discomfort at all so great was their satisfaction at being able to fulfill the commandment of being in the succah on Succot. Weather may affect our moods. It does not however deaden our souls or prevent one from being inwardly satisfied and joyful.

When I was a child in my parents’ home in Chicago we lived in an apartment building where there was absolutely no possibility of erecting a succah within its precincts. I trudged with my father to the large succah that the yeshiva had built in our neighborhood. I missed having my mother at the table and the food was always cold by the time we arrived at the succah. I always wondered then why my father was nevertheless so serene and happy sitting in that large yeshiva succah surrounded by strangers and eating cold food. 

I made a child’s commitment to myself that when I grew up I would have my own succah. A few years after my marriage I was able to purchase a home with a back yard where I happily began to build a succah. My Jewish neighbor promptly reported me to the building department of the city of Chicago for building a structure without a building permit. 

Next day I went to the building department and obtained such a permit which I prominently displayed. My neighbor shouted at me that "all of this nonsense is a nuisance to him." I coolly invited him to come over and share a meal with us in the succah. He sputtered and left and never spoke to me again. That incident only fortified my resolve that come what may I would always attempt to have my own succah on Succot. The Lord has heard my request and I have had my own succah to enjoy and revel in for over fifty years consecutively. May it so continue in the future as well.

Succot concludes with the especially joyous day of Simchat Torah. Perhaps no other day of the year characterizes the relationship of the Jewish people to its Torah as does the day of Simchat Torah. Young and old, scholar and novice, the strictly observant and those who are less so are nevertheless united on this one day of rejoicing in the uniqueness of Israel that the Torah has created. 

The day confirms the opinion of Rabeinu Saadyah Gaon (ninth century Babylonia) that our nation is a united people only by virtue of our Torah. The virtue of Torah is that it gives our life a focus and a moral compass. It promises a future and immortality itself. It binds together disparate ethnic groups and bridges time and generations. 

No wonder therefore that Jews rejoice with it and are raised to the level of inner joy that requires no outside stimulus. Simchat Torah is not only the culmination of the holiday of Succot, it is the final summation of the months of Elul and Tishrei that preceded it. It is the counterpoint to our days of solemnity and gives clear meaning and purpose to our times of joy. How fortunate are we to have such a treasure that is accessible to all and eternal in its meaning and message. May the joy of the holiday accompany us throughout this new year

Chag Sameach,
Rabbi Berel Wein

This article is from 5769 / 2008 

🚨ALERT: Something BIG Is Happening Around Israel… And It’s Not Accidental

 

Something is changing around Israel and the Jewish people and J-TV founder Ollie Anisfeld believes October 7th may have accelerated a much bigger historical process. Since the war began, Israel has been pushed into the center of the world’s attention. At the same time, antisemitism has surged, interest in Judaism has grown, and millions of people are being exposed to Israel, Torah and the Jewish people through technology and social media in ways that were impossible only a generation ago. In this conversation, Ollie explains why Israel must stop apologizing for who it is, what October 7th revealed about the world, why more non-Jews are becoming interested in Judaism, and whether the digital revolution itself could play a surprising role in the Messianic redemption. We also discuss Rosh Hashanah, our relationship with God, the unique mission of the Jewish people, and why the events unfolding now may be pointing toward something far bigger than most people realize. ‪@JTVGlobalJewishChannel‬ This is a conversation about Israel, antisemitism, faith, redemption — and where history may be heading next.

ALERT: A Massive PROPHETIC BREAKTHROUGH …… Happened on the Temple Mount

 

Something historic happened on the Temple Mount this Rosh Hashanah and Rabbi Josh Wander was there to witness it. Follow us on Rumble for more Israel, prophecy and Temple Mount updates: https://rumble.com/user/ParshaInspired Hundreds of Jews ascended the Mount, prayed openly with machzorim and tallitot, and then came a moment Rabbi Wander says may not have happened there in thousands of years... In this eyewitness update, we discuss what happened, how dramatically conditions on the Temple Mount are changing, what could happen next during Sukkot, and why Rabbi Wander believes this may be only the beginning of much bigger developments ahead. What was unimaginable only a short time ago is now happening in Jerusalem. Subscribe to Living Inspired for more updates on Israel, prophecy and the extraordinary events unfolding right now.

🚨CRITICAL ALERT: We Are READY to BUILD the THIRD TEMPLE. NOW!

 

A radical question sits at the heart of this conversation: are we still waiting for Mashiach, or are we supposed to be preparing ourselves for the next stage of redemption? Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer joins me for a wide-ranging discussion about the return of the Jewish people to Eretz Yisrael, the responsibility of the Torah world, Har HaBayis, and what it means to truly be ready for the Third Temple. Rabbi Pfeffer argues that the Jewish people cannot remain passive. We discuss why he believes we were not ready in 1967, why Har HaBayis now appears to be part of an unfolding progression, and why the next step requires involvement, responsibility and readiness. His message is striking: if we want to see the next stage unfold, we have to become the people who are ready for it. Join the Parsha Inspired ‪@RabbiAronSokol‬

The Eon Institute is a Latin American think tank focused on technology policy, society, and the ethical governance of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence

https://bodedim.org.il/en/2025/10/30/netzach-yehuda/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netzah_Yehuda_Battalion ....west bank, gaza, golan heights

🚨WOW! Israel Rises Up in MASS Prayer as Netanyahu Leads!

 

Something extraordinary is happening in Israel. Just before Yom Kippur, a massive crowd gathered at the Kotel as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined the prayers and recited the traditional prayer for the safety and success of Israel’s soldiers and security forces. The crowd answered Amen as Netanyahu prayed for victory and invoked the Torah’s promise that Hashem will fight for His people. But this is much bigger than one night at the Western Wall. Across Israel, more Jews are speaking openly about Hashem, keeping Shabbat, putting on tefillin and tzitzit, filling Selichot gatherings, and singing songs of return such as Hashiveinu. In this video, we look at what may be a much broader spiritual awakening taking place throughout the country. And then comes the bigger question: if the Jewish people are returning to Hashem and gathering in enormous numbers at the Kotel, what comes next? As Sukkot approaches, we look beyond the Western Wall toward the Temple Mount, the place of the Mikdash, and ask whether the next stage of this return may already be beginning.