going home ... to yerushalayim: Rabbi Weissman: Molech Shiva?

23 July 2025

Rabbi Weissman: Molech Shiva?

More heroic accidental IDF deaths, and sharp questions people must face

What was it like in the olden days, before everyone was so sophisticated and enlightened like we’re supposed to be today, when one paid a shiva call to someone who sacrificed his child to Molech?

Believe it or not, this really happened. Although Jews in Eretz Yisrael copied the worst idolatrous practices from their many degenerate neighbors, they still retained their own traditions. So what was it like to pay such a shiva call? What would you say?

“I’m sorry for your loss”?

That seems odd, considering the parents willfully handed their child over to be sacrificed, with great fanfare. Although offering a child to Molech didn’t necessarily result in his death — the child might escape with severe injuries, or, miraculously, mostly unharmed — death was a frequent and expected occurrence. One who offered his child to Molech had to do so with complete devotion, regardless of the outcome.

Indeed, the priests of Molech and their cult following turned every death into a joyous ceremony, bestowing the highest honor on the parents and, surely, the deceased as well. The child gave his life for the greater good (albeit unwillingly, his screams drowned out by music), for the sake of protecting everyone else. Surely he died Al Kiddush…something, and would go straight to the highest places in heaven.

So while the parents surely missed their child, it could hardly be called a loss. Everyone profited from the bargain. Even the child would never have attained such levels of holiness had he continued to live. A sacrificial death was the best thing that could ever happen to him. If they could do it all over again, they would run to do it with pride!

Shiva calls must have been truly surreal back in the Molech era. Every normal human instinct would feel like mourning a great tragedy, but the mind was conditioned to believe the sacrifice was full of meaning and purpose, and should primarily be celebrated.

After all, how else would parents continue to offer their children to Molech?

So what went on at the Molech shivas? Most likely an outpouring of gratitude and admiration for the parents, turning the tears of mourning into tears of joy, the feelings of loss into feelings of resilience, mixed with seething hatred for the selfish parents who stubbornly refused to sacrifice their own children for the benefit of society. What parasites! An existential threat to everyone!

Fortunately, Molech and child sacrifice in all its forms have been eradicated, a primitive idea no rational person would even entertain, particularly Torah-minded Jews in Eretz Yisrael. Hence, we can only wonder how people consoled one another and soldiered on in the aftermath of senseless sacrifice after senseless sacrifice for the greater good.

On a totally unrelated note, Amit Cohen is the latest reported Jew to die in Gaza, while an IDF officer was “seriously injured” in the incident. Here’s how your government liaisons in the media described it:

Arutz Sheva: “Staff Sergeant Amit Cohen fell in action in Gaza.”

Jerusalem Post: “Staff-Sergeant Amit Cohen was killed while fighting in the southern Gaza Strip, the IDF announced on Monday…Cohen was posthumously promoted from sergeant to staff-sergeant.” (Wow, that’s an honor to die for.)

i24News: “IDF announces the death of Staff Sgt. Amit Cohen in Gaza combat…Further details on the circumstances of the incident have not yet been made public.”

At least he was killed in action. Not just in action, but in combat! A heroic death! Surely he was busy killing terrorists, destroying Hamas headquarters, saving hostages, keeping us all safe, nay, ushering in the Messiah himself!

Well, not quite.

Times of Israel: “An Israeli soldier was killed during fighting in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis earlier today, the IDF announces…According to a preliminary IDF investigation, Cohen was killed by a blast from Israeli military munitions that detonated inside a building in Khan Younis.”

Wait, what?

Ynet: “The incident is suspected to have been caused by improper handling of an explosive device.”

Yeshiva World News: “HY”D: 19-Year-Old IDF Soldier Amit Cohen Killed by Accidental Blast in Southern Gaza…According to a preliminary IDF investigation, Cohen was killed when Israeli munitions detonated inside a building during an operation. The blast also seriously injured an officer from the same battalion.”

So Amit Cohen was killed doing more demolition work for the billionaires. Not quite as glamorous as people want so badly to believe. Sorry to spoil the shiva celebration, but that’s the sad truth. Should you hate me for saying it, hate haredim for not having more shiva celebrations of their own (though they’re starting to catch up), or hate those responsible for the shmad?

Should the media tell you where to direct your outrage? Or rabbis who work for the government? Or banners in public places paid for by shady front groups? Or perhaps unfiltered Torah truth?

It’s yet another bizarre accident/operational failure that the IDF will be sure to “investigate”. The percentage of IDF casualties in Gaza in 2025 due to operational failures, ambushes, snipers, mines, roadside bombs, building collapses, overturned vehicles, other assorted accidents, and wind somehow blowing down a crane remains at 100%. (All of these are honorably designated as “falling in action” or “falling in combat”, like soldiers being promoted in honor of dying.)

See every official report here. It’s really 100%.

What are the odds of that if a war is being fought to win, and both sides aren’t being controlled by the same people at the top of the pyramid, to ensure a particular outcome?

Add this incident to the list, but make sure you forget about it as soon as the main headlines change. Definitely make sure you don’t hit the pause button and insist we get to the bottom of all this before the people responsible for keeping vulnerable Jews in uniforms safe are allowed to conduct another “operation”

The Yeshiva World News headline began with HY”D (May Hashem avenge his blood). Considering the circumstances of Amit Cohen’s death, from whom should his blood be avenged? Who was really most responsible for it?

This week’s parsha discusses go’el hadam, the right of a blood relative to avenge the death of one who was killed through negligence. There have been lots and lots of Jews killed recently as a result of (officially) gross negligence. If Torah were the law of the land, would those responsible continue to hold their positions, or would they face serious accountability?

If people were thinking clearly, guided by the Torah, would the excuse that we are (officially) in a time of war justify allowing these officials to continue to issue orders and run operations one moment longer, let alone indefinitely, until the war ends (no conflict of interest there…) as they continue to get Jews maimed and injured through (officially) gross negligence?

This is a serious Torah question. Please ask your local rabbi, especially rabbis who spout the usual hijacked buzzwords, and insist on a serious Torah-based response. That is your right, and their obligation.

Then share their response or lack thereof. These false prophets, too, need to face serious accountability already

We’re not done yet. Get a load of this stinking BS, especially the official spin in bold:

https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/411553

During an IDF operation in the northern Gaza Strip, a Hamas terrorist was caught on camera emerging from the rubble of a destroyed building and hurling an explosive device at a Merkava tank from the 401st Brigade [sitting ducks]. According to Kan, the explosive detonated outside the tank, causing no injuries as the crew had sealed the hatches [how much you want to bet on that?].

Our government liaisons in the media didn’t tell us where Kan’s video footage came from, but it seems to be from a drone, and almost certainly from a camera operated by the IDF. One who is still capable of thinking rationally would note the absurdity of an IDF camera calmly following Hamas fighters running around in broad daylight and tossing an explosive onto a tank, while the two IDF vehicles were sitting ducks in a demolition zone with absolutely no infantry protection.

Instead of asking the right questions and demanding satisfying answers, the controlled media once again carries the water for those they serve, providing a spin intended to make you feel good and keep supporting your own shmad.

The Israeli defense establishment is closely monitoring changes in Hamas's battlefield behavior. Recent patterns indicate a rise in direct and aggressive engagements by militants. This growing boldness is believed to stem from either desperation and a sense of being cornered, or from a strategic attempt to score psychological victories ahead of a potential ceasefire deal.

Right. Jewish soldiers are sitting ducks, getting blown up on an almost daily basis, but the takeaway should be that the executioners are the ones who are cornered and desperate, just about ready to surrender and beg us to make a lopsided deal (in our favor, of course, as these lopsided deals always are).

Once again, the executioners were kind enough to provide higher quality footage of their operation (viewer discretion advised):