Showing posts with label teshuva. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teshuva. Show all posts

20 July 2026

From October Seventh Horror to Bringing In a New Torah Scroll

Light of 7 Menachem Av 5786 | אור ז' מנחם אב התשפ"ו


Here's a video I wanted to post for ever so long, but I lost the connection to it. Avi Abelow kindly provided me a link to this Pulse of Israel special: 

 

 

 From October 7th Horror to a Torah Scroll

It's a beautiful example of how a community that was hit by great tragedy was able to be revived by a Torah wedding and a new beit knesset. It took place in Nahal Oz, one of the communities that was viciously attacked on October Seventh, 2023/Simchat Torah 5784, and since this video was taken, has a synagogue as well as a brand new Torah.
 

I could not find anything on the Internet about the uniqueness of a Torah wedding, so I am taking on the work of describing it: Carrying a freshly written Torah on a wagon or something similar in a parade with a lot of people going with it through the streets of the neighborhood of the village, town or city where it will be read out loud, and the calligrapher who painstakingly hand-wrote the Torah (called a sofer) even helping a number of neighbors fill in, for a small donation each, one of the final letters of it before it is read. It symbolizes the reenactment of the wedding of the Torah to the Jewish People.

Without even thinking about it, I found one thing about which the Internet may have no knowledge. Until today. 

With God's help, may all who watch it be blessed abundantly.

ENJOY. 

Avi has two media outlets, both of which are on my sidebar, in different places. Pulse of Israel | Israel Unwired 

And if I'm wrong about any of the details of this post, please write and tell me.

*** 

More reading:

Security Chief Accused of "Abuse and Persecution" of Jews - Channel 14 | A-7: Defense Minister Israel Katz questions surge in administrative orders [but does nothing about the prisoners affected - HDG] | Shemittah Rediscovered blog: Honenu Organization Issues Urgent Letter: Tal Yinon Dardik is in life-threatening danger (this is a story that should never be in Israel! The first article above 👆 has a lot of detail. But, my question is: Who is going to go to the Russian Compound in Jerusalem and save him???  -HDG) | Shmuel Sackett: Aliyah when Mashiach arrives--??? | Nadia Matar & Yehudit Katzover on A-7: Tisha b'Av: The Romans are not the ones on trial | Channel 14 Website: Hunger striker's mother pleads, "His life is in danger!" |


01 September 2025

Declare Sovereignty NOW! Don't wait!

8 Elul 5785 | ח' אלול ה'תשפ"ה 

 

Does the USA know what it is to be Israel in the Middle East? 

I, for one, am not sure they do. This goes for the rest of the world as well. We're not the only ones who follow the United States of America.

A very important vote is coming up in the UN later this month (it turns out to be the beginning of the next month according to the Jewish calendar), which is probably going to result in Israel changing its behavior regarding the other nations for better or for worse, however you think of it. I was going to post the video below last month, but somehow I got sidetracked. Or, maybe HaQadosh Baruch Hu (God, the Holy One, blessed be He) planned it that way. 😉 

In any case, Israel is on the chopping block again for the umpteenth time, for no good reason. The way she changes her behavior may not be what everyone expects. If our government has any sense, it will know how to do this successfully, without all of us citizens having more problems than we already do.

The most important thing our government can do ahead of time is DECLARE SOVEREIGNTY OVER JUDEA, SAMARIA AND GAZA. NOW. BEFORE THE VOTE.

Don't wait until the UN meeting. This is not a punishment for the nations, but an affirmation of what has been true all along. People who read and understand their Bibles and Qurans should be for this action, whether Jews or not. It is part of our making teshuva, returning to our roots and who we are.

Above all, don't mess around with partial annexation (<<— links are examples). From what I can see, the country is behind Israel taking this decision. Gaza MUST be included.

Include it all, and be taken seriously!

Whether or not America (mostly meaning the Executive Branch of the American government, but also including the Legislative Branch) decides to continue to support Israel even if we take actions she doesn't like depends largely on what we can do for her. But if we find ourselves unable to do for ourselves some very important things because she won't allow us to, or support our moves, it will end badly for her as well as for us, and probably worse. If we aren't overwhelmed by what we face daily as it is, at some point we will be. Israel risks ending up not being able to do anything for itself, much less for the USA and other allies. And if this turns out to be true, then...use your imagination. 

We may have to do things that will make them regret that they betrayed us (of course, I don't know them all.).

Understand: This is not a threat. Rather, a sober assessment.

Let's watch this 6-minute video that explains a number of very important reasons why.


 ***

More reading:

A7: Ariel rabbinical court becomes first permanent court in Judea and Samaria; R' Leo Dee detained on Temple Mount...and then, hours later, gets remarried. Mazal tov! | Myrtle Rising: How to shorten and sweeten the galut part 1, part 2 | Tomer Devorah: The Holy Land will not fall into the hands of Edom | VisionMag: Time to leave the Abraham Accords? | Ribonut (Sovereignty): Partial sovereignty — A Historic and Strategic Mistake | Murtadd to Human on A7: The Judgement of Doha: Genocide is not required | David Mark on Israel Unwired: Israel opens the gates of Hell on Gaza, is this the end of Qatar's jihad? | Jewish Policy Center: The Arabs' Century of Rejecting Palestine (It was passed down to me that the Arabs didn't like to be called Palestinians before 1964 because it applied only to JEWS! - HDG) | Myrtle Rising (v. long title; this is a short version): Why Jew-hatred for living in Yehuda & Shomron; why Left & HROs won't end conflicts | Tomer Devorah: The sell-out has arrivedPublic Service Warning: Chr*stian tallits on offer to Jews (bold mine - HDG) |

 

More videos & audios:

 YT: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer (or is it Der Stürmer? Thanks, Dean Maughvet) mistakenly calls for 'return of the sausages' in major Labor conference speech (the comments: British humor strikes again! It even seems to me they're laughing at the PM and not the Israeli hostages! LMK what U think. -HDG) | H/T Israel Unwired (20 sec): The Green Prince: I don't want Palestine, I want to build bridges with Israel. (Close to 6 min. The site is in Hebrew; Mosab Hassan Yousef speaks English. Good for both language speakers. -HDG) | Mohammed's Jewish Grandson | Pulse of Israel: Israel strikes Hamas in Qatar - Was it a success?; Gaza is being taken back — This is only the start! | Article includes video: Israel Unwired: The last 4 seconds of this UN speech stunned the entire room | Tomer Devorah: Trump: "I will not allow..." Woops! | The Nation of Israel (Tzvi Lifshiz): Blessings and curses - America's turning point

12 August 2025

...Who frees prisoners

 18 Av 5785 | י"ח מנחם אב ה'תשפ"ה

 

Hostage Free Stock Photo - Public Domain Pictures
source

 

 

*ברוך אתה ה' קלוהנו מלך העולם, מתיר אסורים

 

 Barúch Atáh, HaShem, Kelohénu Melech ha'olám, Matír Asurím!

 (Blessed are You, HaShem, our God, King of the Universe, Who frees prisoners [and hostages - HDG]!)

 

The hostages taken from Israel to Aza, both dead and alive...who have committed no crime except that they are Jews or supporters of Jews (like working on our farms, etc.).

Our prisoners in every land, whether Christian, Muslim or other — or, God forbid, in our own land — only because we are Your chosen nation and not for any crime they are accused of having committed, but they actually didn't...

 Our prisoners in every land, whether Christian, Muslim or other — or, God forbid, in our own land — who committed crimes and are over-punished, their sentences extended far beyond those of others who committed similar crimes, because we are from Your chosen nation (I think of Jonathan Pollard in this context; thank God he's free now and has a life!). May our over-punished and falsely accused and falsely convicted prisoners be released immediately, beginning in our own country...

 Our prisoners who have committed crimes and were lawfully and truly convicted of them without forced confessions (unlike, for example, Amiram Ben-Uliel. Search amiram ben uliel forced confession from your favorite search engine and see what you get. All but one of my results say unequivocally that he was coerced...), and were sentenced as any other criminal with the same crimes would be, as above, may they be released in due course, and their sentence not be extended.

Finally,  release the people of Israel (the Jewish People, lest others try to supplant, supersede or take over from us by force) from the yoke of the nations, as You promised long ago; at this point we are all hostages now, on one level or another. We believe You now, as we did then. 

You are FOREVER, You REMEMBER, and You are IN CONTROL.

It is only against You that we have sinned, apart from "criminality" as the nations define it, and not according to any version of Your law. Please bring us back to Your Precious Self, and teach us Your True Ways, and establish Your laws according to Noah, the ancestor of us all, all over the world, so that we might all return to You out of love, and connect with You in love.

And may we never again cause You pain, disappointment, or anger, but rather pleasure, pride and joy.

Amen! Let it be so ! אמן! כן יהי רצון

*** 

Footnote 

 * Today we might say: לשחרר אסירים l'shakhrer asirim for freeing prisoners (at least according to Google Translate). The prayer is far older, so expressions have changed. When geulah shlemah (the complete redemption) comes, Hebrew will be reset according to what H' considers a clear language (alternatively, the nations will no longer speak of idols). See THIS PROPHECY in both Hebrew and English.

 ***

 More reading:

 Esser Agaroth: How close should Israel keep its enemies?; Hebron Sheik's proposal: Just say no | A-7: Rabbi Berel Wein laid to rest: 'A loss to his family, to the entire Jewish people'Injured soldier: 'The strike is at my personal expense'; Radical U — How students turned their professors' words into [evil] deeds | JPress: Now is the time to prepare for the gathering storm | Forest Rain Marcia quotes Ditza Tirtza Or: "My son will remain a hostage until we decide." | Neshama, commenting on the TLV synagogue situation: When is a *Jewish *Synagogue NOT Jewish and NOT a synagogue? [when it's in Tel Aviv] | Yeranen Yaakov: 1957 Years [that we've been in exile. See Neshama's comment there, too. -HDG] | Elder of Ziyon: Yet another new rule for Israel and Israel alone... | Tomer Devorah: You can't improve on perfection  & Gog uMagog War | A7 (Yehudit Katsover & Nadia Matar): Will we eat the rotten fish — and also be expelled from the city? | Myrtle Rising: Why get so riled up about them preventing us from transgressing, just because they do so out of bigotry? We're anyway not supposed to be doing it. |

 

Video/audio: 

 Ari Goldwag: Bitachon 221: Moshiach comes like the sunrise | Israel Rising: Dismantling the "settler violence" blood libel: The Yinon Levy story | Pulse of Israel: Pollard exposes shocking shift: US & Bibi silent as Russia moves to restrain IDF? |

 

 

 


  

31 March 2025

Who is Mashiah in the Tana"ch?

 2 Nisan 5785 | ב' ניסן ה'תשפ"ה

 

For my mother, Adele bat Nazira עדאל בת נזירה, on her 93rd Hebrew birthday.

 

 

This picture of a painting seems to represent King David. Found on the blog of my friend DS from Israel Truth Times. Otherwise, I can't read the signature on the lower right corner.

 ***

Some amazing insights concerning Mashiah came from none other than R' Avigdor Miller, ztz"l, last Shabbat. The title of his booklet for Parashath Pikudei was "Clothed in Dignity."

The example the Rav gave was included in the booklet linked above on pages 8-11, the section called Part 2: Man's Clothing. What struck me was where David (before he became King) snipped off a corner of King Saul's garment in the cave (Tehillim 142; 1 Shmuel/Samuel 24: 1-8), even though he had a perfectly good reason to do it, to save his life and convince Saul that he had the chance to kill him and didn't...and the Rav referred to Melech Sha'ul as "mashiach Hashem."

The main reason King David experienced cold in his last year of life, so profound that blankets (and women too, but that wasn't mentioned there) couldn't warm him, was because, according to R' Miller's words, 

"...the fact is that Dovid felt regret right away. It states after Dovid had done this that his heart smote him because he had demonstrated disrespect to the mashiach Hashem, to the one anointed by Hashem. And so his heart smote him that he had treated the one chosen by Hashem with disrespect." 

The phrase "mashiah Hashem" is right there in the Hebrew text of 1 Samuel 24:7 — twice in the same sentence! — but obviously, I wouldn't have noticed this prior to performing research for this post; therefore, its meaning would have been lost, not only to me, but also to a lot of other people. 

Does this mean that the king of Israel is automatically the Mashiah? I think so, providing that the man is properly anointed. It explains why, even today, the properly anointed king of Israel is considered to automatically be Mashiah. Sha'ul was properly anointed in chapter 10, verse 1 of the same book; the story begins at the beginning of chapter 9 and continues through chapter 10 in Jewish versions. 

So, David was correct to feel badly about cutting the corner of the kingly robe of Sha'ul haMelech. In the end, however, David, and not Saul, was chosen to beget (father) the family of Mashiah.

This process also shows that all the prominently-known candidates for Mashiah are certainly not qualified, and never will be. 

***

So, what do we do now, with so much water under the bridge that we don't know what steps to take?

The Rambam, in the Talmud book of Sanhedrin, perek 20b, says that there are 3 steps in the sequence to building the Beit haMiqdash upon our entrance into the Land of Israel: Appoint the King; Annihilate Amalek; and Build HaShem's House, in that order. 

This suggests that the king's first job is to wipe out Amalek, even before the Beit haMiqdash is built. It would seem that even our poor semblance of a governance system (the "government" in Israel is referred to by who runs it at present; in American terms, it's called an administration) is responsible to defeat our enemies. 

The chapter in Sanhedrin doesn't mention the procedure for choosing the king; some rabbis say we can have almost any type of governance we choose, not even looking for the current heir to King David's throne. However, there is a clue here: "God has sworn by His throne that God will have war with Amalek" indicates in a Baraita (very early teaching, pre-Torah, before anything was written down) that we have to choose our leader first above all, and then wipe out the evil. 

The first time, God gave "the people's choice" a chance to do the job. But...much like today...

King Saul didn't obey HaShem's order to wipe out Amalek while he had the chance to do it back in chapter 15, which was when he lost the kingdom as a result. This suggests to me that he, or his son-after-son descendant, could have been Mashiah Tzidkenu if he had only wiped out the nation who became the primary source of evil in the world when it came against a weary nation of Israel, fresh from slavery as she left Egypt/Mitzrayim, to wipe her out without mercy, killing the ones at the rear first because HaShem commanded it! King Saul lost a lot more for this "merciful" act than David did for snipping a corner of the kingly garment he wore.

But it's King David's descendants we look to for the next King and Kingdom of Israel,
as HaShem clearly promised him that his kingdom will be forever, even if his family line sins in between David's time and when Mashiah Tzidkenu is finally revealed (as Eitan the Ezrahi wrote in Tehillim 89:30-38), may it be in the blink of an eye.

***

So, why doesn't the Tana"ch explain in more detail the relationship between the king of Israel and the Mashiah? See what you think of this: My understanding, from what I have heard from many others in relation to general Jewish behavior practice, is that HaShem didn't want to disgrace the Kingdom of Israel by calling out Melech Sha'ul more than He absolutely had to for his endangerment of the Jewish People when he didn't obey Him, to wipe out Amalek while its population was still small. As a result, we always note on Purim that Haman was an Aggagite — a direct descendant from the king of Amalek in Melech Sha'ul's time. How many more of the actual descendants still exist, we have no idea.

And don't forget: Amalek is not just a nation any more. An Amalekite can be one in spirit as well. We have seen in approximately the last year-and-a-half just how people from many nations, if not from every single one, have the same hatred toward every single Jew, no matter how merciful we are — or not (Thank God the Muslim month of Ramadan is now over.). 

May we live to see the day when the search for the heir to David's throne is successful. In the meantime, may we have a successful search for the hametz in our homes in preparation for Pesah, and a victorious month of Nisan.

***

More reading:

 Avi Abelow: Solving the ultra-Orthodox draft issue means seeing through the political manipulation | Myrtle Rising: The bizarre need to battle for kedushat hamachaneh ["holiness in the camp" -HDG] in "the only Jewish army in the world" | MR again: What is statism? How does it differ from nationalism?... | JPress: What's in a 'Name'? | Klaus Schwab steps down from WEF in disgrace | PETITION: The UN must FIRE FRANCESCA ALBANESE NOW! |


Video:

Yishai Fleisher: Dr. Mordechai Kedar explains best plan for Gaza | John Anderson: Melanie Phillips explains the disturbing logic of the Left H/T: Israel Unwired | Avi Abelow: Israel's historic moment: Reclaming our land, restoring the truth (you will surely be surprised!) | R' Yehuda Richter: Hostage Forum Takeover H/T: Tomer Devorah | H/T Tomer Devorah again: Jaw-Dropping Oct. 7 Prophecy in Torah UNCOVERED | Two fair sides to every story? NBC's Kate Snow interviews Bazy Rubin from Efrat, on Instagram vs. Avi Abelow's Pulse of Israel interview with her, on YouTube | Hasbarists [Pro-Israel people - HDG] should stop using words they don't understand | Avi Abelow: Did Ben Gurion have the Mizrahi Jews (from the Middle East) spied on BECAUSE some of them would be qualified, and seek to rule Israel? WATCH THIS VIDEO! |


08 September 2023

"Why Hasn't Mashiah Come Yet?"

 22 Elul 5783 | כ"ב אלול ה'תשפ"ג

 

That's a question I'm always wondering about, too. But now, an answer that makes sense has finally been revealed!

Because generations of people have been so focused on when Mashiah will come, for such a long time, that...

...well, you'll have to watch R' Anava's video below to find out! 

Here's a hint: God is the One who sends His servant, Mashiah, to redeem the Jews and the world. He can do it right now, any day now, or He can delay until R' Anava (and perhaps others like him) think He will come. And anytime in between.


Today is the first anniversary of when I was let in to that secret, during my Shacharit (morning) prayer, last year. 

As for the cruise ship in the video picture, the Rav affirms about it; he will really be there. I am not going (I wish I could!), so if there is any chance someone who reads this blog goes, please let me know how it went for you!

Happy Jewish New Year 5784   !   שנה טובה ה'תשפ"ד





01 June 2023

I PROTEST the TOEVAH (abomination) SUPPORTING PARADES in YERUSHALAYIM!

12 Sivan 5783 | י"ב סיון ה'תשפ"ג

 

 

NOTE: I signed, along with many others, a protest post similar to this one almost five years ago. In the last couple of years, even more egregious sins have been committed, this time openly by the government of Israel, as well as governments all over the world, as part of the attempt to form a world-wide "nation" under united governmental organs such as the United Nations and the World Economic Forum. This is as much of an update as I can muster, only from what I know as of today.

There is only one of these parades in Jerusalem today, as far as I know, but I am protesting the ongoing annual offensive parades. This is a demand that they never again occur HERE IN JERUSALEM. Anything to do with a large change in the world begins here, and even though I am late today, it is ongoing. And I hope they spread all over Israel, and all over the world.

87% of Jerusalemites DO NOT WANT THIS PARADE. Furthermore, 70% do not want to see municipal support for the parade, or pride flags hung here. WHERE ARE OUR RIGHTS!!!???

I hold that, along with individual sinners, these organs and others that are in lock-step with them will be held responsible for creating the angriest young generation ever in the history of the world, mostly comprising those young students who fell for the lie, coming from their teachers and other authorities in their lives, that gender is fluid, and who underwent physical "transition" to the other gender, either chemical, surgical, or both. They will learn, from their own bitter experience, that they made a mistake and may never be able to engage in any form of bodily union with another person. At the end of the process, they may even have become eunuchs, or their feminine equivalent. Here are some articles about how difficult the detransition can be, and the issues involved. | FULL SEARCH | Those who transitioned only socially recover the best. This isn't to say you can't recover, but depending on how far you went with it, it may not be so easy. And you might regret the changes that deprived you of your childhood unnecessarily.

A lot of things have changed in the last five years...it seems to me that the drive to make a lot of money for the medical profession by euphemizing hormonal and surgical gender change as "gender affirmation" is really the end of the road, the last step in trying to justify gay rights and cultural effects on society.

[NECESSARY DIGRESSION: The term "transition" is a euphemism for the emasculation and "efeminization"** of people who were born with masculine or feminine bodies and gender identity and who became somehow convinced that they needed to exchange their born gender for the opposite one. I have even heard that there are those unfortunates who are not told that they have a gender at all!]

EUNUCH

While this definition applies only to males, the same fate will befall females as well. Taking the opposite gender's hormones and attempting to have the opposite gender's genitals will render both genders unable to reproduce, and unable to fulfill their roles in society.

The worst thing is that the educational systems participate in this atrocity, school principals and teachers alike. They even hide information from parents concerning their own children! 

It is still ongoing. At the end of a few years of this, will they try to take back what they've done, in shame and disgrace? Will they be able to restore what they took away from grammar school children?

I understand that lower-level governments are funding these children's transitioning process. I'm not holding my breath. If you, my reader, are one of these people, know that once the surgery happens, gender isn't as fluid as it has been made out to be. And even hormones may not be able to be reversed.

In America: Medicare | For the Rich: Home Equity Loans? | TAXPAYERS??? | Free for medical personnel... | FULL SEARCH

I hope this isn't happening in Israel. If so, please let me know in the comments. Many thanks in advance.

********************************

I, the undersigned Jewish blogger, hereby protest – in the strongest terms possible – the parading and glorification of an “alternative lifestyle” that is classified in the Holy Torah as an abomination, especially through the streets of the holy city of Jerusalem. 

The Torah demands that we live by a certain code of sexual morality, and as such, we are forbidden from certain relationships that a moral society cannot tolerate.  These include incest, adultery, bestiality, and homosexuality.  All these are considered grave sins in Judaism and incur the punishment of Karet, or excision from the Jewish people.  An act performed with witnesses during the time of the Sanhedrin would incur an even worse consequence – namely, capital punishment. 

And this is only on an individual level.  When the sin is committed on a societal level, it is much worse.  The Torah and our sages record how these acts were catalysts for both the Great Flood during Noah’s lifetime and the destruction of the Five Cities of the Plain.

As such, we consider any attempt to glorify acts that the Torah vehemently forbids by parading any such lifestyle through the streets with horror and utter disdain.  Such parades in New York and San Francisco would be bad enough, but through the streets of the Holy Land of Israel is a thousand-fold worse.  The Torah specifically warns us not to act in sexually abominable ways lest we be vomited out of the land.  One can only imagine how it is viewed in Heaven when people brazenly display to G-d how abominable one can be.  And if the Land of Israel cannot tolerate such acts of utter gall, all the more so in the holy city of Jerusalem, a city that is overwhelmingly religious. 

We in no way wish to minimize the struggles in temptation some may have in this area and view with positivity those who have such inclinations and bravely overcome them.  But those are not the people irreverently parading through the streets with rainbow flags, who show utter contempt for the Holy Torah and all we hold dear.

We therefore vehemently protest the “Pride” Parade in Jerusalem and everywhere else in the world where they may occur.  We hope and pray that those who take part in such parades do a complete Teshuva for their actions, and may we see a rebuilt Jerusalem, speedily in our days, Amen.
 
** "efeminization" in this article, beginning with a "long e,"  refers to the deprivation of feminine physical characteristics, personality and gender identity of a person born female. Otherwise, there is no such word, as there is for men! How ironic is that!?
 
***
 
I will post people's signatures who wish to join me as they arrive in the comments, be"H. 

***

DrBSD from Realidad Tora
Yaak from Yeranen Yaakov
Maoz 
Moshe

07 December 2022

Another 1967-like miracle: The 2022 elections?

light of 14 Kislev 5783 | אור לי"ד כסלו ה"תשפ"ג

 



https://rumble.com/embed/v1woawu/?pub=4

Above is a video (10 minutes at normal speed) that at least resembles the state of Israel before the elections as the religious organization it makes fun of.

Now, what about after the elections?

Despite all the efforts of the leftists of all stripes, we normal Jews in Israel actually didn't get what they wanted immediately, according to our Sabbatean-Frankist-Freemason-style governance. We may have got, instead, a government that would seem to be much more favorable to what HQB"H wants. Not the exact thing, mind you, but maybe a step or a few forward towards that goal. It would be more than has happened in the last 74 years. Some of us have grown old waiting for the process to unfold...

We can take hope from the idea that what HQB"H wants, HQB"H gets.

Eventually. 

Remember that He is eternal and can wait for centuries and millennia for things to shape up, pushing them along ever so slowly while we come and go in the meantime. 

I started this post right after the election in November. We're in the second week of December as I'm finishing up, and we don't have a government yet. People are anxious to get it done, already. 

But haShem is still "like an ever-fresh cypress [tree], from Me shall your fruit be found. (Hoshea 14:9...full English and Hebrew.) 

(I really seem to like the prophet Hoshea; where have I written about him before?)

It so happens that what HQB"H wants (and has worked patiently for thousands of years to achieve) is what most of us alive today have wanted for "only" decades, following many generations of our ancestors, spanning about two thousand (2,000) years. Many have already come and gone in this time period! 

Until now, we just haven't counted in the eyes of our "leadership." They've done everything they can to prevent our election victories, even going so far as to devise fake petakim (the slips of paper we insert into the envelopes we received when we vote) that, when examined, are thrown out because they don't match the example on the sign exactly. It's what happened to Eli Yishai in 2015 when he ran with the then-new Yachad party. I know this because I voted for him then, and lost my vote! (Naturally, it seems there are no articles up on the net about it any more.)

I hope I haven't spoken too soon, even though more than a month has gone by since the election. The government still isn't officially formed yet, and that it will most likely be formed by former PM (and now currently the PM-designate) Binyamin Netanyahu isn't the reason for my hope.

The only reason for my question mark is that he may not be able to form the government despite his tremendous win, the best anyone's had in a really long time. It isn't the first time the right has won, but it may be the first time since Menachem Begin in 1977, then the leader of Likud, who won by a landslide and became the first "right-wing" prime minister. Even the left and center haven't had a large margin anywhere near that since then. (If you know the order of events more precisely, please comment!)

Let's be clear: The opportunity, here and now for us "normal" people, is to give H' the credit He has been due since the miracles of 1967 at the very least. 

For one thing, here's an interesting interview on how some of the Israeli Right worked together

And, with overwhelming victory, Netanyahu set to form strong, stable, legitimate right wing government...

IF that's what he really wants. Does he? Whether he actually does it or not is another question...the religious public, including everything from dati leumi (national religious) to haredi (the most religious parts of the population), has an unprecedented opportunity for the first time in modern Israeli history, and should be careful not to hand it all back to the seculars, who are now the MINORITY. We are capable of relearning how to run a country, we have the perfect sources at our fingertips, including lessons learned, and we MUST be at work on that now (actually, we should have been at work on it all along.). It seems, however, that Bibi might end up trying yet again to appeal to the left side of the aisle, even though the particular people he needs to appeal to appear have decided never to work with him, on his side, ever again (no, this is not a quote. I want to see how serious each side is, here. Like, all those west-coasters who in every 9th of Av poll say they want the Bet haMiqdash, where are they now?)

DDG Search | Brave Search

For more information, see the Israel National News search for elections Israel

***

A commenter on a blog I follow has some good examples of how He has been speaking more openly to the Jewish People in the past few years concerning geula (used by permission, doesn't want to be identified):

  • Hashem gave us two warnings - in 2018 for the US and 2020 for Europe, both attacks occurred on the anniversary of Kristallnacht, the second one by the only shul in Vienna to survive WW2. It may be inconvenient, but these are the facts.
  • The other giveaway is kanye WEST, he lifted the lid on the West's incorrigible antisemitism. It doesn't mean that everyone is, but that it is endemic. Imagine if that picture of those signs in LA was in reverse, i.e. Jews against blacks. All hell would have broken loose. But say what you like about Jews and we might merit one or two supportive tweets.


Israel's first corona czar was Simantov,
then Gamzu (letova) and third was Nachman Ash (haish sheli tukad ad biat hamashiach, Rabi Nachman).

Hashem is talking to us.

  • I just read many of the comments under a short clip about the termination of Kanye West's partnership with Adidas, on skynewsaustralia. Nearly all of them were supportive of him and highly antisemitic. This man has more instagram etc followers than there are Jews. He is also planning to run for president. He has been supported by Trump, Candace Owen, the far right, blacks (not all of course). For anyone about to poo poo the very idea, well it wouldn't be the first time that a deranged political outsider changed the course of history.
If you are Jewish and live outside of Israel, and are not planning your imminent aliya in one form or another, you are in a dream (most Jews unfortunately) or in denial. We don't need messages from olam shel emet or autistic children. Hashem is sending us so many clear and obvious messages, anyone can see them. The only question is if we are willing to see.

***

On 5 December 2022, the MKs were written about as still arguing over whether right-wingers (the Israeli near-equivalent of conservatives in the US) have any right to run the country even if they are the majority! The Left has been accustomed to calling itself the arbiter of democracy since the starting-over of Israeli self-rule in 1948. Their predecessors had been running it since Jews started returning to the Land in the 1880s. And...

THIS MUST STOP. Better yet, MASHIAH MUST BE REVEALED, and a REAL JEWISH GOVERNMENT MUST RISE. It's only a matter of time.

After all, a system that is still discussed 2,000 years after it was last seen on earth is not to be designated as antiquated or worse. Rather, it is classic, something truly sustainable, that can keep going in peace forever and a day...if given the chance.

Here's MK Boaz Toporovsky (Yesh Atid), whose words demonstrate the utter lack of understanding of true democracy he and his fellow leftists continually display (emphases mine):

"We oppose the appointment of people whose views were correct two thousand years ago."  

and

"We are seeing the appointment of people with anti-liberal views" ... "and we're not prepared to be a part of that. The appointment of deputy Speakers is designed to enable the passage of laws such as a law permitting [Shas head Aryeh] Deri to serve as a minister, or a law enabling [Religious Zionism head MK Bezalel] Smotrich to appoint generals in the IDF. We will fight for the rule of law and we will not help the political system to give people unbridled powers. We will do everything we can to prevent the destruction of Israeli democracy."

Oh, really? I would say they had already destroyed any semblance of real Israeli democracy, long ago (in human terms 😉, even before the rise of the modern state). Now that they're not the majority any more, officially, they ought to learn how to be a minority and not try to run things from the opposition.

As my fellow-blogger ex-American Esser Agaroth (2¢) spells it, Israel is really a deMOCKracy. Anyone who reads him and is fluent in English understands the double-entendre.

***

If the right doesn't win decisively, despite the vote, we need to call for a referendum (meesh'al 'am | משאל עם) on the political system in Israel, and all the systems that benefit from it. 

If only the LEFT ("woke," anti-Israel, anti-Judaism, anti-freedom, anti-...anti-...anti-...) can win, it's a FIXED game, and that can also be spelled C-O-R-R-U-P-T. People in the elite organizations and government posts will go to jail...and that won't be the last of it, when H' gets HIS way.

And everybody who has ever said, "that murderer/thief/kidnapper/whatever ought to (fill in the blank with the most harsh punishments ever said, written or voice-recorded)" should be cheering.

Let's listen to haShem now and give Him the credit He deserves, while we still have a chance to be excited about it...and not get caught up in the shenanigans of an atheistic leadership that always takes credit not due them!

Alternately, if they won't take responsibility when things go badly for the country...

...where are the consequences?

Do we really have to put up with the same kind of state the video at the beginning describes (in English)? And how many individual national issues are there having to do with the questions only touched on above?



28 December 2021

Who is G-d's firstborn son? And more...

 24 Tevet 5782 | כ"ד טבת ה"תשפ"ב


Blogger's note: First of all, I should warn my gentle readers (and my not-so-gentle ones too😉) that what follows may seem, or even be, what I'm terming "religiously politically incorrect" for some of you. Nevertheless, I write with the hope that we all seek the truth, whether it be PC or not.

I do not imagine that only Jews read this blog. Perhaps most readers are, but not all.

And away we go...

***

According to a well-known law, or principle of Scripture, the Law of First Mention, one must find the first place where the question is answered. It will be the "simplest, most understandable reference from which the others build." (source)

The answer to our title question is in our previous parasha, Shemoth (the beginning of the book of Exodus), 4:22.

The context of this verse is a chapter where the Lord is commanding Moshe Rabbenu (Moses our Teacher) to go to Par'oh and speak with him about the matter of freeing the nation of Israel to go and worship Him in the midbar (wilderness. The specific detail of the celebration of G-d in the wilderness occurs in 5:1.).

A breakdown of the translation of the last three words in the Hebrew: The noun "b'chori" means "my firstborn," which is masculine, referring to "b'ni, "my son." "Is" is understood, and Israel is the object of the noun phrase, which in English is rendered "my firstborn son." 

Does this mean that Jacob, who attained the name Israel in Bereshith (Genesis) 32:25-30,  is G-d's firstborn son?

No. The first thing we learn from the principle of the firstborn son of HQB"H is that it refers to a nation and not to a particular person from within that nation (or a person from within any other nation, for that matter).

I repeat: Israel, as presented in the context of the ending of Egyptian slavery, does not refer to Ya'aqov (Jacob), but to his progeny, the nation of Yisrael.

There are no two ways about it, and no other way to interpret it. Israel — the Jewish People — is named by G-d as His firstborn son.

My search for the law of first mention brought only Christian sites. I know that Chabad teaches this too (my mom went to Chabad events for quite some time, and she taught it to me); and I imagine that this is common-sense enough that others would do the same as well, and have come up with it on their own. This would especially apply to those who believe in the infallibility of the Word of G-d in its original language.

(Anyone who can clarify this for me, please feel free to use the comment section. Thanks in advance!)

The main point to remember here is that we do not deviate from what is learned in the first mention. We may learn more details and elaborations on it, but we may not turn away from what it essentially means and make it something else.

Those who seek to use this tool properly need to be sure it does not lead in a direction that may not be warranted. It would probably be best to use more than one Scriptural reference, to make sure there is no conflict. I am about to present one here, that Christians bring upon themselves because, for them, all roads lead to Otoh haIsh (Yoshke/the J man).

The source above, which I'm linking again here, gives an example in the first mention of blood, Hevel's (Abel's) blood at the hands of Kayin (Cain) in Bereshith (Genesis) 4:10, and ends up with the one we call Otoh haIsh (Yoshke/J). The path they took completely missed the verse we're discussing here, thus coming to conflicting conclusions, creating more questions than answers.

This constitutes a violation of the law of first mention because it basically wipes out a whole lot of Scripture that explains the concept of the son of G-d, as explained above and, I'm sure, elsewhere. Not to mention that their whole understanding of sacrifice is skewed, and the unmistakably human sacrifice of Yoshke "for the sins of the world" is expressly forbidden.

As my rabbi from the States told me many years ago, long before I made aliyah: It took haShem close to 2,000 years to wipe out the human sacrifice of ancient times, and Xianity brought it back.

Who knew?

***

R' Shimon Kessin firmly believes that both Christianity and Islam are above us today because we are still in violation of our obligation to love our fellow Jews. Listen here to the one on Christianity:

 ***

Official Israel proved this once again regarding a recent event in Dubai. A Jerusalem pavilion was created there, separate from the Israel pavilion — which presented Israel as a nondescript country, nothing particularly special — and labeled as belonging to "Palestine." Meaning, that Islam basically owns Jerusalem. 

Did our Ministry of Foreign Affairs do or say anything about it? The big question I have is...

Is this an accident, or is it a secret policy of our government to allow our ownership and responsibility for Jerusalem, our ancient capital, to be disavowed?

This question needs to be answered openly, publicly and honestly. We need to know the state of our governance, whether the system we live under can still serve us or not, on many levels and many issues besides this one. Basically, we cannot allow this desecration of our name and reputation to continue. Not only that, but we must be sure that we are ruled by those who have our best interest as a nation at heart.

Will we serve G-d or not?

We must do teshuva.

Avi Abelow introduced the following video:

Israel’s Foreign Ministry paid over $20 million to have a pavilion at the global expo in Dubai that is expecting 25 million visitors from around the world. Yet, instead of inspiring and exciting expo visitors with what makes the Jewish state of Israel unique and enticing to all of humanity, Israel’s foreign experts dropped the ball, big time. 
 
What bothers me more than the missed opportunity is the missing appreciation for their own heritage and homeland, that actually is what so many people around the world are so starving to experience on a visit to Israel.
 

***

More...

A Huge Win for the Jewish People in our Holy City of Hevron (Video) |

16 July 2021

Why does Yirmiyahu refer to Tisha B’Av as a Festival? (Rabbi Sprecher)

 7 Menachem Av 5781



 
 
 
 
 Why does Yirmiyahu refer to
Tisha B’Av as a Festival?

by Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher
On Tisha B'Av we mourn for the destruction of the first and second Holy Temples. The Talmud in Trachtate Taanit (p. 30) states that all Mitzvot that apply to a mourner during the Shiva also apply to the entire Jewish people on Tisha B'Av.
 
In other words, according to Halacha we are all sitting Shiva on Tisha B'Av. But, how can this be? For the Halacha states that if a close relative has died and we did not know about it until after 30 days, there will be no formal Shiva. We would sit Shiva symbolically for only an hour, and then get up and go about our regular routine. How then, can we sit Shiva on Tisha B'Av for tragic events that occurred thousands of years ago?
 
Rav Soloveitchik answers this question with a statement in Talmud Yerushalmi which states," Every generation in which the Holy Temple has not been rebuilt is like the generation in which it was destroyed again." Thus, we are not mourning on Tisha B'Av only for tragic events that happened thousands of years ago, but we are also mourning for the ongoing tragedy of not having the Temple rebuilt in our time.
 
Why is the Holy Temple so important to us as Jews? The Chofets Chaim explains that more than half of the 613 Mitzvot depend solely on the Temple. This means that for close to 2000 years we have been unable to fulfill the majority of Mitsvot. Therefore, we need the Holy Temple in order to become spiritually healed and whole again.
The Mitzvah to mourn on Tisha B' Av is only temporary, until it becomes a permanent day of joy in the Messianic Era as stated in Zachariah 8:19. Thus, Tisha B'Av is destined to be part of our Halachic tradition, but not as a day of eternal mourning. In the Scroll of Eicha, which is read on Tisha B’Av, Yirmiyahu (Eicha 1:15 and 2:22) refers to Tisha B’Av as “Moed” (a Festival). That is why we don’t say Tachanun and Selichot on Tisha B’Av (Shulchan Aruch 559:4).
 
What are the signs of the approaching Messianic Era? And how can we hasten Mashiach's coming? The Talmud states that the Jews returning from exile and the greening of the land of Israel is the key sign for the beginning of the Redemption. "There is no clearer sign then when the Land of Israel gives its produce abundantly, then the end of the exile is near, (Sanhedrin 98B, Rashi).
 
The Vilna Gaon told his disciples that Mashiach will come after the majority of the Jews in the Diaspora come to Israel. Thus, every Jew who makes Aliya hastens the Mashiach’s coming, thereby transforming the Fast of Tisha B’Av into a Feast.

For close to 2,000 years, our land rejected all would-be conquerors and remained desolate and barren. The Sifra explains that the Torah's curse of the land during our long exile, "I will make the land desolate," (Parshat Bechukotai) is actually a blessing in disguise because we didn't have to worry when we went into exile that our enemies would settle our land. Therefore, the greening of Israel is a clear signal that G-d's decree of "desolation" for the land is over and the Redemption is near. The Land of Israel had to go into "hibernation” waiting for us, her children, to return from exile.
 
The prophet Yirmiyahu saw the coming Redemption of the Messianic Era and its celebration as being an even greater event than the Exodus from Egypt. As the Prophet says in Yirmiyahu 16: 14, 15 – "Days are coming, says Hashem, when it will no longer be said, 'As Hashem lives Who took out Israel from Egypt,' but rather 'As Hashem lives, Who took out Israel from all the lands where Hashem dispersed them.' And Hashem will return them to their own land, which I gave to their forefathers."
 
According to HaRav Mordechai Eliyahu, זצ"ל and the Lubavitcher Rebbe, we are presently in the dawn of the Messianic Era. If Mashiach should arrive before Tish'a B'Av, then we will be feasting and celebrating on that day, instead of mourning and fasting.
************

With haShem's help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'בעזרת ה 

and

Happy Birthday, Yehonatan ben Malka! (Erev 9 Av)

17 June 2021

The Incomprehensible Power of Teshuva (Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher)

 7 Tammuz 5781



 

 

 

 

 

 by Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher

Rashi in Parshat Chukat quotes a Midrash that explains that the Red Heifer is a tikun for the Sin of the Golden Calf. "To what can this be likened? To a maid that worked in the palace of the king. One day her child came and soiled the palace with his filth. The king said: 'Let the mother come and clean up her child's filth.'" This is the concept of atonement for the golden calf, for the Holy One said: "Let the red heifer come and atone for the golden calf."
 
The Midrash examines the concept of the Red Heifer and the Golden Calf, and finds many striking parallels and connections. For example: 
 
1.   Why must the heifer be red? Scripture likens sin to red because, when a person sins, he forfeits his blood: "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be like red crimson, they shall be white as wool" (Isaiah 1:18). Says the Holy One: Since Israel's sins are red, let the heifer also be red — and when it is burned, its ashes are white... thus the prophet assures his people in the Creator's name that God promises, "they shall be white as snow."
 
2.   In order for the heifer to be fit, it must never have carried a yoke. This is an allusion to Israel, who threw off the yoke of Heaven in insubordination when they worshiped the golden calf.
 
3.   Why must the heifer be given to Elazar, an assistant, and not the High Priest himself? Because Aaron oversaw the creation of the golden calf; and therefore, it would not seem proper for him to officiate with the heifer. There is a principle: "The same one who was prosecutor, cannot become defense attorney."
 
4.   The heifer is burned, an allusion to the calf that was burned: "And he took the calf which they had made, and burned it in the fire..." Ex 32:20.
 
5.   Three species are used: hyssop, cedar, and scarlet wool, which are reminiscent of the 3,000 who fell at the Sin of the Calf. And why these three? The cedar is the highest, and the hyssop is the lowest...and whoever is haughty (equal to the sin of idolatry) must become like a worm (from which the red dye is obtained) in his own eyes, as King David prayed: "I am a worm and not a man" (Psalm 22:7). If he will lower and humble himself, his sins will be atoned.
 
6.   Just as the Sin of the Golden Calf exerts its influence forever, as it states: "…on that day I will remember you and I will remember your sin…" (Ex 32:34), so too the Holy One commanded that the ashes of the red heifer be kept as a remembrance for all generations: "And they shall be for the congregation of the children of Israel a remembrance." And just as the golden calf rendered all those who participated in it impure — for idolatry causes impurity, as it is written: "You shall cast it away as a thing impure..." (Isaiah 30:22) — so the heifer renders all those who come into contact with it impure. And as Israel became pure when Moses burned the golden calf — fire being the symbol of purging sin — so Israel becomes pure through the burning of the red heifer.
 
Since we have received an explanation that the purification by the heifer's ashes is related to the Golden Calf episode, and from Rashi’s “they” who said, "Let the mother come and clean her child's filth" — then why is the ordinance of the red heifer still called a "chok"? Surely the element of mystery has abated; it is simply a matter of rectifying the Sin of the Golden Calf! Why did King Solomon state regarding the Red Heifer: "I said I will get wisdom, but it is beyond me" (Ecclesiastes).
 
Yes, even if it is granted that the secret mechanism which powers the cleansing of these ashes is the power of teshuva, this itself is above the realm of comprehension! For even the greatest wisdom and understanding cannot fathom or explain the power of teshuva and how it works...only the Holy One Himself, in his Infinite Mercy, decreed that it should be so. Teshuva is the most mysterious Godly secret of all!

 ***