22 October 2019

Rambam Laws of Avoda Zara Chapter 10

The G-d of Israel commanded us regarding non Jews "Lo Yeshvu BeArtzecha" - "They shall NOT live in your land" Exodus 23/33
Rambam Laws of Avoda Zara Chapter 10, Halacha 6....When, however, Israel is in power over them, it is forbidden for us to allow a non Jew involved in foreign worship among us. Even a temporary resident or a merchant who travels from place to place should not be allowed to pass through our land until he accepts the seven universal laws commanded to Noah and his descendants, as [Exodus 23:33] states:

"They shall not dwell in your land" - i.e., even temporarily.
A person who accepts these seven mitzvot is a ger toshav. A ger toshav may be accepted only in the era when the [laws of the] Jubilee Year are observed. In an era when the [laws of the] Jubilee Year are not observed, however, we may accept only full converts [to Judaism].

18 October 2019

Hoshana Rabbah and Judgment

Hoshana Rabbah and the Final Day Of Judgment

7th Day of Sukkot

7 "Hoshanot"- Torah circuits of the Bimah with the Lulav and Etrog. The Sifrei Torah are returned to the Ark.

Cantor wears a Kitten and uses Nusach from High Holidays

The Lulav and Etrog are laid aside and five willow stalks (Aravot) are taken and are beaten five times on the floor.

Erev Hoshanah Rabbah features late night or all night Torah study, especially the Rambam's Mishneh Torah and Psalms.

There is a strange ~~superstition~~ that on Hoshana Rabbah, the souls of the dead return to earth and travel the length and breadth of the ten worlds.

There is a superstition that one who looks at their shadow in the light of the moon on Hoshana Rabbah can obtain a prophecy about their wellbeing in the year ahead.

There is a tradition to have a festive meal on Hoshana Rabbah.

The laws and features of Hoshana Rabbah are concealed and were revealed by the three Second Temple Prophets Chagai, Malachi and Zechariah.

Wishing All Klal Yisroel a Gitte Kvitel

Be Alert The Satan Is Fooling You – Our Torah Not Open to Negotiations

17 October 2019

If You Think You Are Smarter Than God Think Again – STORMQUAKES

BOMBOGENESIS “Stormquakes” STRIKES BROOKLYN and NE UNITED STATES

15 October 2019

Hoshana Rabba? Are we Moving Coser to the Finality of the Middle East Conundrum?

NonBetrayal: The Pentagon and Trump will rein-in Erdogan, because it is time to put him in his place, and stop his expansionist terrorist army.

What signals this and more?

State Dept. vs CIA vs Pentagon

"The US State Department admitted last week that it had always viewed the Syrian Democratic Forces, a group the US helped create, as including components of the Kurdistan Workers Party, which the US views as a terrorist organization. This was in contrast to the Pentagon which viewed the SDF as key partners in the defeat of Islamic State. For years two parts of the US government fought a quiet war against one another, as the US urged the SDF in Syria to fight ISIS, a war in which it suffered around 11,000 casualties.

The comments were made by a State Department official and tweeted by Wall Street Journal reporter Dion Nissenbaum. “For years the US government rejected idea that the YPG in Syria was an offshoot of the PKK, a group the US and Turkey classify as a terrorist group. Yesterday, a State Department official admitted the obvious,” noted Nissenbaum. At the same time Lara Seligman, Pentagon correspondent for Foreign Policy noted that “US military officers who served with the SDF described a group of passionate, fearless fighters who share American values.” She wrote that these US military officers were unanimously “devastated by the latest news, and more than one expressed a deep sense of shame.” Read full article at JPOST (this is the internal US war against the DS operatives)

Hoshana Rabba:

Are we coming closer to the finality of the

Middle East Conundrum?

YWN Screenshot: To view this video, go to YWN Instagram

Child With Cerebral Palsy and Lennox Gastaut Syndrome DENIED Schooling

Does anyone really believe that NYS and the CDC has your best interests at heart?

Nine-year-old Ameer Hamideh has been kicked out of the CHC Learning Center in Buffalo, New York because he does not have all the vaccines mandated by the state of New York for children his age. Ameer, who has cerebral palsy and also suffers from a rare seizure disorder called Lennox Gastaut Syndrome (LGS), cannot get vaccinated because the vaccines would aggravate his seizures and possibly kill him.1 2

Ameer’s father, Ali Hamideh, told a local TV station that, “He was vaccinated the first couple years of his life. After the vaccines, [he] started getting seizures. His body couldn’t tolerate it. It would make it a lot worse, chance of hospitalization, even a chance of death.” He added, “He’s obviously disabled, but he’s very smart..being out of school, he’s very hurt.”1

Mr. Hamideh filed for a medical exemption to vaccination for his son written by neurologist Sarah Finnegan, MD, who had determined that Ameer’s health could be compromised further if he was given more vaccines. Dr. Finnegan granted the medical vaccine exemption to Ameer on Aug. 6 2019.1

On Sept. 12, 2019, the New York Department of Health rejected the medical exemption for Ameer. In a letter to the Frontier Central School District, Elizabeth Rausch-Phung, MD, MPH, the director of the Bureau of Immunization, wrote:

I have reviewed the documentation submitted by Sarah Finnegan, MD with regard to the medical exemption for the student in your school with a birth date of 5/28/2010. Lennox Gastaut with refractory seizures is not a valid contraindication to the student receiving MMR, varicella, polio, or Tdap vaccines pursuant to Public Health Law (PHL) 2164 and the accompanying regulations at 10 NYCRR Subpart 66-1. Therefore, I recommend against accepting this medical exemption.

The information provided does not support that immunizing this student with MMR, varicella, polio, or Tdap at this time may be detrimental to this student’s health. If any additional documentation should become available, please forward for my review.

For more information on contraindication and precautions to vaccination please see the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ General Best Practice Guidelines for Immunization: Contraindications and Precautions online at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/acip-recs/general-recs/contraindications.html.1

When asked about the rejection of Ameer’s medical exemption, Richard Hughes, who is the superintendent of Frontier Central School District, Richard Hughes, said: “The New York State Department of Health is the one that recommends to either deny the request or approve the request. If they recommend it to be denied, we’re saying recommend it to be denied. It would be foolish of us to go against the recommendation of the New York State Department of Health.”1

Mr. Hamideh does not think it is right that his son’s rights should be taken away, “especially being disabled and everything.”2

“It hurts. It really hurts, he said. “Ameer deserves his rights like every normal child.”1 2

Ameer is currently being homeschooled.1

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
COMMENTARY:

1. School denies vaccine medical exemption to child with autism in New York- An 11 year old boy, who is profoundly autistic and non-verbal had a physician’s letter exempting him from vaccination requirements for several years, the school district now rejected their existing exemption and they are now suing. Their 11-year-old son had been a student at Monroe No. 1 Board of Cooperative Educational Services’ Creekside school from the spring of 2016 until Wednesday, when he was formally barred from class. “So every year he’s been at creek side he has had a medical exemption to be there, correct?” Yes. “And this year, the exemption was denied.” Thats correct “Why did that happen?” We don’t know. https://www.whec.com/news/school-denies-vaccine-medical-exemption-to-child-with-autism-parents-sue-nyss-top-doctor/5500362/ and democratandchronicle.com

Nevermind that autistic individuals display proinflammatory cytokine imbalances and overactive or dysfunctional immune systems, with chronic neuroinflammation, including microglia activation in the brain as well as lack of nutrients such as zinc and magnesium needed for the anti inflammatory response. And they want to coerce/force them getting non live vaccines containing aluminum adjuvant that are proven to induce….more inflammation.

2. This boy was clearly vaccine injured. That is enough proof to never be vaccinated ever again! All Vaccines should be banned and illegal. They are all bad. They make people sick and kill people. They also make it so people have miscarriages and have trouble conceiving. Vaccines have so many horrible side effects. Some short term and some long term. Vaccines spread viruses. They don’t prevent them. The whole vaccine agenda is about money and power. And is a huge lie. One day Vaccines will be banned. Imagine if all Americans stood together against vaccines? Everyone in the USA should stick together and say no to Vaccines!

3. Isn’t this place suppose to be America, the land of the free. Our founding fathers had a dream, to have a country where people’s rights meant something. They fought for those freedoms to stop the tyranny of opposing forces. They sacrificed their lives by being damaged or die for the principals they believed in. Since 1776, we have had people who also believed in those principals. They made those same sacrifices, so future generations will live in peace. Aren’t the freedoms based on, “One Nation Under God” with liberty and justice for all. Over the years, people have come to America to enjoy our freedoms. Even today, people still want to come here and celebrate America. Today, there are some people, who want to take away our freedoms. They say, they want to do it on the premise of the greater good. Doesn’t history tell us that not everything is for the greater good. Our future generations are being inundated, with a lot of health challenges that past generations never faced. Shouldn’t we be working together as Americans (not as people of our parties) to find out why. Don’t we owe it to them before we move forward in history. We must stand for our freedoms, just like our founding fathers did. Instead of having muskets in our hands, we will have the documents that they created with our Bible. Amen.

4. I feel sorry for the children for being barred from school. I believe it truly is an injustice. However, I also feel sorry for any adult involved with that determination. Once the truth comes out about vaccines….and it will…. just like it did regarding Thalidimide, a supposedly safe drug for morning sickness back in the 60s …..I am sure these adults will have trouble sleeping at night and may never forgive themselves. In my opinion, they, too, are victims.

5. In the first place, we should not be allowing the “states” to mandate our vaccination scheduling. This is just insane! Parents know (well, some of them are aware, at least) what they want for their children. The state should have NO SAY WHATSOEVER in this very personal matter. It’s really NONE of their business. We’d probably all be a lot better off if we didn’t have to deal with a gestapo type medical system and I’m sure the schools agree with that statement. It should never be the job of anyone but the parents to decide what is best for their own children. As of yet, the state doesn’t own the children and if they think they do, they should be paying the parents for doing the job they say is theirs (as far as decisions). Something needs to change in America. Then worldwide. The place to start is by getting the medical industry on their knees. It can be done; it has to be done if we are to survive.

6. The 1980 package insert for DTP vaccine stated that it was not to be given if there was a personal or familial history of neurological disease. Nearly 40 years later, Dr. Elizabeth Rausch-Phung thinks it’s safe to vaccinate a child with Lenox Gastaut over the opinion of a neurologist. What changed?

7. When I read things like this is makes me feel like we are living in Nazi Germany of the 1930s, or perhaps North Korea or some other godforsaken place rather than the U.S. People need to wake up soon before we lose all our freedoms. Is Elizabeth Rausch-Phung, MD, MPH, the director of the Bureau of Immunization actually Dr. Kevorkian (aka Dr. Death) in disguise?

13 October 2019

Trump did NOT BETRAY the Kurds

Everyone who believes the corrupt mass media has been taken for a “DS Ride”. Carolyn Glick really has the inside info about this operation. And again Pres. Trump will be vindicated and shown to have brilliant strategic planning. The truth ALWAYS comes after the DS flurry of lies and distortion blasts through the airways.

caroline Glick: The near consensus view of President Donald Trump’s decision to remove US special forces from the Syrian border with Turkey is that Trump is enabling a Turkish invasion and double crossing the Syrian Kurds who have fought with the Americans for five years against ISIS. Trump’s move, the thinking goes, harms US credibility and undermines US power in the region and throughout the world.

There are several problems with this narrative. The first is that it assumes that until this week, the US had power and influence in Syria when in fact, by design, the US went to great lengths to limit its ability to influence events in Syria.

What Turkey did was to flush out the ISIS terrorists from among the Kurdish population; hence the 100,000 fleeing. This will of course come out in time to dispel all the lies.

The war in Syria broke out in 2011 as a popular insurrection by Syrian Sunnis against the Iranian-sponsored regime of President Bashar al Assad. The Obama administration responded by declaring US support for Assad’s overthrow. But the declaration was empty. The administration sat on its thumbs as the regime’s atrocities mounted. They supported a feckless Turkish effort to raise a resistance army dominated by jihadist elements aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood.

Obama infamously issued his “redline” regarding the use of chemical weapons against civilians by Assad, which he repudiated the moment it was crossed.

As ISIS forces gathered in Iraq and Syria, Obama shrugged them off as a “jayvee squad.” When the jayvees in ISIS took over a third of Iraqi and Syrian territory, Obama did nothing.

As Lee Smith recalled in January in the New York Post, Obama only decided to do something about ISIS in late 2014 after the group beheaded a number of American journalists and posted their decapitations on social media.

The timing was problematic for Obama.

In 2014 Obama was negotiating his nuclear deal with Iran. The deal, falsely presented as a non-proliferation pact, actually enabled Iran — the world’s greatest state sponsor of terrorism — to develop both nuclear weapons and the missile systems required to deliver them. The true purpose of the deal was not to block Iran’s nuclear aspirations but to realign US Middle East policy away from the Sunnis and Israel and towards Iran.

Given its goal of embracing Iran, the Obama administration had no interest in harming Assad, Iran’s Syrian factotum. It had no interest in blocking Iran’s ally Russia from using the war in Syria as a means to reassert Moscow’s power in the Middle East.

As both Michael Doran, a former national security advisor in the George W. Bush administration and Smith argue, when Obama was finally compelled to act against ISIS, he structured the US campaign in a manner than would align it with Iran’s interests.

Obama’s decided to work with the Kurdish-YPG militia in northern Syria because it was the only significant armed force outside the Iranian axis that enjoyed congenial relations with both Assad and Iran.

Obama deployed around a thousand forces to Syria. Their limited numbers and radically constrained mandate made it impossible for the Americans to have a major effect on events in the country. They weren’t allowed to act against Assad or Iran. They were tasked solely with fighting ISIS. Obama instituted draconian rules of engagement that made achieving even that limited goal all but impossible.

During his tenure as Trump’s national security advisor John Bolton hoped to revise the US mandate to enable US forces to be used against Iran in Syria. Bolton’s plan was strategically sound. Trump rejected it largely because it was a recipe for widening US involvement in Syria far beyond what the American public – and Trump himself — are willing to countenance.

In other words, the claim that the US has major influence in Syria is wrong. It does not have such influence and is unwilling to pay the price of developing such influence.

This brings us to the second flaw in the narrative about Trump’s removal of US forces from the Syrian border with Turkey.

The underlying assumption of the criticism is that America has an interest in confronting Turkey to protect the Kurds.

This misconception like the misconception regarding US power and influence in Syria is borne of a misunderstanding of Obama’s Middle East policies. Aside from ISIS’s direct victims, the major casualty of Obama’s deliberately feckless anti-ISIS campaign was the US alliance with Turkey. Whereas the US chose to work with the Kurds because they were supportive of Assad and Iran, the Turks view the Syrian Kurdish YPG as a sister militia to the Turkish PKK. The Marxist PKK has been fighting a guerilla war against Turkey for decades. The State Department designates the PKK as a terrorist organization responsible for the death of thousands of Turkish nationals. Not surprisingly then, the Turks viewed the US-Kurdish collaboration against ISIS as an anti-Turkish campaign.

Throughout the years of US-Kurdish cooperation, many have made the case that the Kurds are a better ally to the US that Turkey. The case is compelling not merely because the Kurds have fought well.

Under Erdogan, Turkey has stood against the US and its interests far more often than it has stood with it. Across a spectrum of issues, from Israel to human rights, Hamas and ISIS to Turkish aggression against Cyprus, Greece and Israel in the Eastern Mediterranean, to upholding US economic sanctions against Iran and beyond, for nearly twenty years, Erdogan’s Turkey has distinguished itself as a strategic threat to America’s core interests and policies and those of its closest allies in the Middle East.

Despite the compelling, ever growing body of evidence that the time has come to reassess US-Turkish ties, the Pentagon refuses to engage the issue. The Pentagon has rejected the suggestion that the US remove its nuclear weapons from Incirlik air base in Turkey or diminish Incirlik’s centrality to US air operations in Central Asia and the Middle East. The same is true of US dependence on Turkish naval bases.

Given the Pentagon’s position, there is no chance that US would consider entering an armed conflict with Turkey on behalf of the Kurds.

The Kurds are a tragic people. The Kurds, who live as persecuted minorities in Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran have been denied the right of self-determination for the past hundred years. But then, the Kurds have squandered every opportunity they have had to assert independence. The closest they came to achieving self-determination was in Iraq in 2017. In Iraqi Kurdistan, the Kurds have governed themselves effectively since 1992. In 2017, they overwhelmingly passed a referendum calling for Iraqi Kurdistan to secede from Iraq and form an independent state. Instead of joining forces to achieve their long-held dream, the Kurdish leaders in Iraq worked against one another. One faction, in alliance with Iran, blocked implementation of the referendum and then did nothing as Kurdish-controlled Kirkuk was overrun by Iraqi government forces.

The Kurds in Iraq are far more capable of defending themselves than the Kurds of Syria. Taking on the defense of Syria’s Kurds would commit the US to an open-ended presence in Syria and justify Turkish antagonism. America’s interests would not be advanced. They would be harmed, particularly in light of the YPG’s selling trait for Obama – its warm ties to Assad and Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The hard truth is that the fifty US soldiers along the Syrian-Turkish border were a fake trip wire. Neither Trump nor the US military had any intention of sacrificing US forces to either block a Turkish invasion of Syria or foment deeper US involvement in the event of a Turkish invasion.

Apparently in the course of his phone call with Trump on Sunday, Erdogan called Trump’s bluff. Trump’s announcement following the call made clear that the US would not sacrifice its soldiers to stop Erdogan’s planned invasion of the border zone.

But Trump also made clear that the US did not support the Turkish move. In subsequent statements, Trump repeatedly pledged to destroy the Turkish economy if Turkey commits atrocities against the Kurds.

If the Pentagon can be brought on board, Trump’s threats can easily be used as a means to formally diminish the long hollow US alliance with Turkey.

Here it is critical to note that Trump did not remove US forces from Syria. They are still deployed along the border crossing between Jordan, Iraq and Syria to block Iran from moving forces and materiel to Syria and Lebanon. They are still blocking Russian and Syrian forces from taking over the oil fields along the eastern bank of the Euphrates. Aside from defeating ISIS, these missions are the principle strategic achievements of the US forces in Syria. For now, they are being maintained. Will Turkey’s invasion enable ISIS to reassert itself in Syria and beyond? Perhaps. But here too, as Trump made clear this week, it is not America’s job to serve as the permanent jailor of ISIS. European forces are just as capable of serving as guards as Americans are. America’s role is not to stay in Syria forever. It is to beat down threats to US and world security as they emerge and then let others – Turks, Kurds, Europeans, Russians, UN peacekeepers – maintain the new, safer status quo.

The final assumption of the narrative regarding Trump’s moves in Syria is that by moving its forces away from the border ahead of the Turkish invasion, Trump harmed regional stability and America’s reputation as a trustworthy ally.

On the latter issue, Trump has spent the better part of his term in office rebuilding America’s credibility as an ally after Obama effectively abandoned the Sunnis and Israel in favor of Iran. To the extent that Trump has harmed US credibility, he didn’t do it in Syria this week by rejecting war with Turkey. He did it last month by failing to retaliate militarily against Iran’s brazen military attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil installations. Whereasthe US has no commitment to protect the Kurds, the US’s central commitment in the Middle East for the past 70 years has been the protection of Saudi oil installations and maintaining the safety of maritime routes in and around the Persian Gulf.

The best move Trump can make now in light of the fake narrative of his treachery towards the Kurds is to finally retaliate against Iran. A well-conceived, and limited US strike against Iranian missile and drone installations would restore America’s posture as the dominant power in the Persian Gulf and prevent the further destabilization of the Saudi regime and the backsliding of the UAE towards Iran.

As for Syria, it is impossible to known what the future holds for the Kurds, the Turks, the Iranians, Assad or anyone else. But what is clear enough is that Trump avoided war with Turkey this week. And he began extracting America from an open-ended commitment to the Kurds it never made and never intended to fulfill.

“ON THAT DAY I WILL RAISE UP THE FALLEN BOOTH OF DOVID”

By Roy S. Neuberger

Soon, in the secular calendar, it will be 2020. Over a decade ago, I wrote a book entitled “2020 Vision.” For better or worse, things are shaping up pretty much as described in the book.

It would not be surprising if we soon hear Shofar Godol.

We can prepare by dwelling in the sukkah and waving the arba minim.

Sukkos is the culmination of everything. We leave the house; we leave the old life behind and go out under the sole protection of the Ribono shel Olam. We leave our old attitudes behind, carrying only that which Hashem commands us: lulav, aravos, haddasim and esrog.

During Sukkos, we read explosive prophesies which bring us to the edge of Redemption, “when the wicked bloom like grass and all the evildoers blossom.” (Psalm 92) And then, suddenly, the Presence of Hashem will flash across the earth and those who cling to Him will be saved!

Does it not now feel as if we are entering these times?

“Behold, G-d’s awaited day is coming [when] Hashem will go out and wage war against those nations [who attack us] …. His feet will stand astride the Mount of Olives …. Then Hashem my G-d shall come with all the angels to your aid…. [and] Jerusalem shall dwell secure.” (Haftara First Day Sukkos)

Can we see angels?

Avraham Avinu saw angels, and we are his children. Don’t we say “Shalom Aleichem” to angels every Friday night? Don’t we read every day how angels “stand at the summit of the universe and proclaim … kadosh, kadosh, kadosh.” Don’t we say in Selichos, “Angels of mercy … please entreat before G-d [on our behalf].”

A few weeks ago, in Yerushalayim, I saw angels. A friend felt ill. He dialed 1221 (Hatzala). Within a few minutes the house was filled with angels. Do you think I am exaggerating?

The previous day, during Selichos, I had not felt so emotional (which bothered me), but when I saw these angels enter the house, I got extremely emotional. Before I could turn around, nine holy Jews had entered the room. They worked efficiently, quietly and with chessed. They worked because they were Jews and they were mishpacha. They wanted to save their brother.

The next day my friend was out of the hospital. B’ezras Hashem, he will be fine.

The Ministering Angels “accept upon themselves the yoke of heavenly sovereignty from one another and grant permission to one another to sanctify the One Who formed them, with tranquility, with clear articulation and with sweetness. All as one proclaim His holiness.” (Shacharis)

Hatzala angels leaving the house

We have to learn to imitate the angels. There will come a day when all Israel will dwell together in unity and friendship. As it says, “Rabbah said further in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, ‘The Holy One Blessed is He, will one day make a booth for the righteous out of the hide of the Livyasan….’” (Bava Basra 75a)

“On that day I will raise up the fallen booth of Dovid. I will repair their breaches and raise up its ruins and I will build it up as in days of old…” (Amos 9:11) May we be zoche to see it soon!

* * *

Roy Neuberger, author and public speaker, can be reached at roy@2020vision.co.il

12 October 2019

Rabbi Kahana – Succot: An Allegory

BS”D

Sukkot 5780

Rabbi Nachman Kahana

Succot: An Allegory

Reb Yisrael and his sons erected their succah adjacent to the kitchen door of their palatial home in one of the Five Towns of Long Island, NY, as they had done for years in the past. But this year was different. Reb Yisrael had just learned from his rabbi that one of the reasons for residing temporarily in a succah is in case one’s destiny was decided on Rosh HaShana to be expulsion into galut, the departure from the comforts of home into the succah could be considered to be that galut.

Reb Yisrael, his wife and children left the warm comforts of their beautiful home and entered the succah with the knowledge that by taking up temporary residence therein, they would be absolved of any galut related sins.

As the family continued to reside in the succah, they got so used to the pleasant smell of the sechach (branches used to roof the succah) and the pretty pictures on the walls and the overhanging decorations, that they decided to remain there even after the chag! Even though they were able to peer into their permanent home with its luxurious amenities, electrical gadgets, and state of the art under floor heating units, thick hanging drapes, lush carpets and much more, they showed no interest in returning there.

As odd as it may seem, the family became accustomed to the crowded, cold interior of the succah. Their relatives and neighbors tried to point out the irrationality of what they were doing, but the very idea that this was galut did little to encourage the family to return home.

When their rabbi came to visit, it was surprising that he encouraged them to remain in the succah rather than to return home; because it was in the succah that the family felt comfortable and closely knit.

In the meantime, several strangers noticed that the previously brightly lit home was vacant, and they decided to move in as if it was indeed their own!

Reb Yisrael and his wife and children saw the strangers living in the house; but in veneration for the succah, they stubbornly bonded with the thin walls and dried out sechach and refused to leave.
The whole thing was so absurd. To leave such a beautiful home for the feeble, fallible construction of the succah, despite the fact that their beautiful home was beckoning them to return was beyond the understanding of any rational person.

Then came the stones thrown by the local anti-Semites who wanted to rid the neighborhood of this succah eyesore. Reb Yisrael and his family dodged them one by one and steadfastly remained in their fragile dwelling, rationalizing these acts as irrelevant nuisances.

Then came the terrible night when one third of the succah was torched by the local bullies. Reb Yisrael and his family were aware of what was happening, but their minds had become so warped that no amount of reasoning could move them. To them the succah was home and their home was galut.

Eventually the succah came crashing down, killing Reb Yisrael and his entire family in their beloved galut!

Chag Samayach

Nachman Kahana

California Fires Have Begun . . .

Um, Erupted:

Southern California
https://youtu.be/QVZfF3S6Kzo

https://youtu.be/rKPOOI_JQRE

Saddleridge Fire Causes 100,000 to flee
https://youtu.be/gHwMRQ8vxRo

https://youtu.be/0a0kw9VYFfU

See also electricity power shut to millions just days before. See Update to this at link.

11 October 2019

Rabbi Winston – Parashas HaAzinu – Succot

My lesson will drip like rain; my word will flow like dew; like storm winds on vegetation and like raindrops on grass. (Devarim 32:2)

THERE IS ONLY one type of criticism, but two kinds of people to “receive” it. There is the person who “hears” it, and the one who doesn’t, or more accurately, CAN’T.

Of course there are many ways you can level criticism at someone, from “soft sell” to “all guns firing.” But at the end of the day, or rather, at the end of the criticism, the point is the same: something is wrong and needs to be changed.

When it comes to the receivers of criticism, there are “Windows” and “Walls.” Like real windows, these “Windows” let criticism in, and quite possibly, back out again. (“You’re criticizing me? Before you criticize me, look at your own life…”). Like real walls, these “Walls” just let any criticism directed at them ricochet right off.

With “Windows,” there is hope. These people may not change right away, but they will probably change over time, at least a little bit. There can BE improvement, and it is worth caring about what they do and how.

Not with “Walls,” though. These people are hopeless, so you might as well save your breath. Unless it is simply therapeutic to speak your mind no matter WHO listens, perhaps save your energy for something that DOES make a difference.

True, the Talmud says that a person has to protest when something is wrong even if they do not believe it will change anything (Shabbos 55a). In fact, it goes so far as to say that if you don’t at least say something, then you can end up being held responsible for their “sin.” Keep THIS is mind next time you find yourself shouting at a “WALL.”

Not all “Walls” are the same. Some might know better, but just refuse to face the less-than-nice facts about themselves. They’re insecure, and have a difficult time accepting that they are flawed, even though they so obviously are…even to THEM.

Then there are the Walls that are simply missing something. They lack some component that would allow them to see themselves in a true light. Whatever it is that allows a person to compare their behavior with a DECENT social norm in order to appropriately judge their actions, they lack. They just can’t tell that they’re doing something wrong.

About 30 years ago, a book came out that questioned the new standard of modesty winning over society. It bemoaned how things that used to embarrass people in public had become more acceptable, which is never good for mankind, not from G–D’s perspective. Shame had gone missing from many sectors of society, and some of that had even spilled over into the Torah world as well.

That was then. Today, something ELSE seems to have disappeared. It seems we’ve reached that point in the historical cycle (because the pattern has repeated itself many times already) when people lose touch with the world around them. Social context, for many, is vanishing.

A simple example. A person needs to park, but all spots close to their destination are taken. So, they park on the sidewalk instead, possible inconveniencing, or worse, endangering pedestrians. Or there is a small spot remaining that is only big enough for part of their car, so they park part of their car in it, and let the rest of their car remain sticking well into the street, blocking traffic, endangering people, and putting their own car at risk.

The other day, while at the local grocery store, a woman pulled into a convenient parking spot right in front of the store. What she failed to realize, as she got out of her car talking on her cell phone, was that the spot was left open because other drivers had noticed that parking there blocked the entrance to the parking lot itself!

So I stopped her in her self-absorbed tracks and pointed out her error. She turned around to verify what I was saying, returned to her car, and moved it. Had she already known this, and chose to ignore it, or had she been too involved in her reality to care how what she did affected others? I didn’t ask her that, and I doubt giving her mussar would have changed much anyhow.

But something I have noticed about many such people is that they are not malicious. They do not have ill-intent. In fact, a lot of times they think they are doing the right thing and helping out society with their convoluted way of thinking. They are, basically, very nice people.

That’s important, for a number of reasons. For one, it makes it easier to not get angry at them for their somewhat reckless behavior. It is always a lot more annoying when people know better but do worse. It’s also a little easier to put up with when the problem is generational, and not specific to a few individuals.

Furthermore, as we learn from the story of Yonah, read at Mincha on Yom Kippur, G–D also deals differently with sin that is committed from sloppiness versus sin committed from a lack of mental capability:

Now should I not take pity on Nineveh, the great city, in which there are many more than one hundred twenty thousand people who do not know their right hand from their left…? (Yonah 4:11)

That’s certainly today. So many people do not know their right from their left, especially POLITICALLY, or - right from - wrong, SPIRITUALLY. And this saved Nineveh in Yonah’s time, and who knows how much it is saving OUR generation in OUR time!

The question is, but for how long? One of the straws that broke the camel’s back in Noach’s time was a general disregard for the wellbeing of others. The world can handle only so much selfishness before G–D decides to lower the boom on mankind. Innocence can spare a person time in Gehinom, but not necessarily in everyday life.

It is the way the world is made. For example, it doesn’t matter that the two drivers were trying to drive safely. When they hit each other, serious damage resulted, because that’s the laws of Physics. Likewise, Creation is built to handle only so much “Me-ness.” After that, it falls apart.

This is, perhaps, why such an integral part of Yom Kippur is asking forgiveness from others. We didn’t do it on Rosh Hashanah, but we certainly do it on Yom Kippur. We even have a special prayer, “Tefillah Zakah,” that we say before Kol Nidre with which we declare our forgiveness of others.

Why would a day of working hard on personal forgiveness start off with forgiveness of others? Why does G–D say that He won’t forgive us for wronging others if they haven’t first forgiven us, if not because how treat others is so integral to the purpose of Creation?

We’re not here to create “Me” generations.

We’re here to create “Others” generations.

So, maybe there is something missing from this generation that used to exist, either in education or in actual brain capacity. But we should work on reversing that and fast. G–D has patience with us. This is the time to fix that, especially as we become a bit closer to one another, leaving the privacy of our brick homes for the lack of privacy of our schach-covered “tents.”

Anecdotally, one of the highlights of Succos for me has been sitting in my succah while being able to hear other families singing Yom Tov songs. It created a sense of achdus—unity we don’t get the rest of the year. Now it is clearer that even this is more intended than incidental.

Gmar Chasimah Tovah and Chag Samayach.

10 October 2019

Northern California under SIEGE by PG&E?

PGandE Shutdown Day One: Shots Fired, Curfew Enacted, Police Out In Force!

Day One of PGandE's power cuts, and already shots are allegedly fired at PGandE trucks, eggings, and police are bolstering numbers as cities enact CURFEWS in a bid to "prevent opportunities for crimes." Gas stations are not pumping. And PGandE's website...is still broken.

UPDATE: there seems to be an alternative purpose to this strange happening that cannot yet be disclosed; the aim of which is actually the opposite of what the media is reporting.

See "Deeper Analysis: PGandE uses LiDAR, deep links to defense department": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tay4...

California Going Dark: PGandE Cutting Power to 2.7 Million People - Prepare Now
As PGandE cuts power to 2.7 million people for 3-5 days in a second Public Safety Public Shutdown, their website breaks under the load of 800,000 homes checking in. See "Deeper Analysis: PGandE uses LiDAR, deep links to defense department": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tay4..

What is being planned for California?
Will we witness more “fires” devastation?
Will more people become “homeless”
or “disappearances"

Anyone Visiting Eretz Yisrael for Sukkot?

Special Sukkot Tours

Wednesday, Oct. 16

Hula Nature Reserve
We welcome the birds back to Israel in the Hula bird reserve. We enter at sundown, the very best time to see the most.We will also enjoy the beauty of the Judean desert, Samaria and the Jordan Valley.

We will daven Mincha at the tomb of "Honi Hamagel" in Hazor
Depart from the Inbal Hotel at 10:00 am and return approx. 10:00 pm
Bring food and drink. 300 shekels.

Thursday, Oct.17
South Tel Aviv and Yaffo
We will be hosted by the wonderful yeshivot there as we learn about the challenges to Jewish life in these places.In South Tel Aviv we will be shown the reality of major social, cultural and security challenges as a result of the massive influx of illegal African/Muslim migrants.

In Jaffa, we will be taken through the "mixed" section of Tel Aviv. An increasingly assertive and aggressive Arab population poses serious challenges to a beleaguered Jewish population there.
depart at 10:00 from the Inbal hotel and return approx. 6:00
bring food and drink
200 shekels

RESERVATIONS: Shalompollack613@gmail.com

CDC on this Year’s FLU VACCINE: -43% (minus) Effective

CDC.gov: Preliminary Estimates of 2018–19 Seasonal Influenza

jeremyrhammond “[…] a CDC document (above) presenting the findings of their preliminary estimate, and it shows that, when it came to protecting against the H3N2 strain of the virus that predominantly circulated in the second half of the season, the vaccine appears to have been considerably less than worthless.

"Data from the "Hospitalized Adult Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network" (HAIVEN) show that the vaccine was -43% effective against influenza A(H3N2).

"This negative effectiveness was based on a small sample and not statistically significant, but the CDC conceded that its analysis of data from HAIVEN as well as two other networks "identified no vaccine protection against predominant H3N2 virus this season”.

"A negative vaccine effectiveness has been documented in a number of studies. It has been shown that getting a flu shot each year can actually increase your risk of getting the flu because you are denying yourself the opportunity to gain the much more robust immunity conferred by natural infection.

"Unlike the immunity conferred by the inactivated influenza vaccine, which targets just three or four strains of the constantly evolving influenza virus, natural immunity offers cross-protection against other strains and even other viruses.

"I explain all this in detail, with references to the scientific literature, in part three of my major influenza vaccine exposé. So in case you missed it (or just want to brush up):

The government and media systematically deceive the public about what science tells us about the risks of getting an influenza vaccine every year. jeremyrhammond

08 October 2019

Yom Kippur — Slichot and Yom HaDin

Wishing everyone a very meaningful Yom Kippur

Remember to speak to HaShem from your heart, with your own words, to create that kesher that is so important and vital.

06 October 2019

Remembering Ari Fuld z"l and Yehoshua Friedberg z"l

Ari Fuld z"l and Yehoshua Friedberg z"l Memorial and Dedication Ceremony
Sunday, Oct 6, 2019 at 4:30 PM [and still the tears flow down my cheeks]

Sunday is Ari Fuld's first yahrtzeit (anniversary of death), and the Fuld family and the Ari Fuld Project invited the public to a dedication ceremony of the IDF Soldiers' Hospitality Truck at the Gush Etzion Junction at 4:30 p.m.

Last September, Ari Fuld died a hero's death after being stabbed by a Palestinian Arab terrorist in Gush Etzion. Despite his fatal wounds, Ari pursued his attacker to save others from being harmed before collapsing and succumbing to his wounds.

Twenty-six years earlier, Ari had enlisted in the IDF as a lone soldier together with fellow lone soldier Yehoshua Friedberg from Canada. A year later, in 1993, Yehoshua was kidnapped and murdered by Arab terrorists. Ari took it upon himself to always remember Yehoshua, keeping in touch with his family throughout the years.

The last project Ari was working on before his death was creating a hospitality truck to serve IDF soldiers as they travel from one mission to the next in memory of Yehoshua. Unfortunately, Ari didn't have a chance to complete the project before his life was cruelly cut short in the prime of his life.

On Sunday, on Ari's first yartzheit, his dream will be fulfilled and the truck will be dedicated in Yehoshua's memory, and unfortunately in his memory as well.

Join Ari's dream here: https://www.jgive.com/new/en/ils/dona..

going home ... to yerushalayim

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