Baal Teshuva of Moshe Island

Ayin Yaakov

2009-06-08T08:49:00.000-07:00

For my upcoming birthday, my wife was kind enough to buy me a copy of Ayin Yaakov. I'm looking forward to learning the Aggadah of our great sages.

Q. Why is the Cross colored Red?

2009-03-05T15:11:00.001-08:00

A. Because it's covered in blood!

Mom, Apple Pie, and the Red Cross, right? Wrong!

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), founded in 1863, has a stated policy of neutrality but, apparently, not when it comes to Israel.

The Red Cross spoke against Israel numerous times during Operation Cast Lead. This is consistent with everything we've seen from the Red Cross again and again.

The Red Cross has never once spoken out against the continued illegal detainment of Gilad Schalit.

The Red Cross has never complained once about Hamas' refusal to allow ICRC personnel to visit Gilad, as required by international law.

The Red Cross has never complained about Hamas' use of innocent civilians as "human shields."

The Red Cross has never said a word about the massacre of those Palestinians accused of "collaborating" with Israel.

The Red Cross has slammed Israel for "violations of international law" for refusing relief workers into Gaza to rescue people trapped in the war zone. This, despite the IDF response that it was forced to bar ambulances during military operations to avoid harming civilians.

The Red Cross blamed Israel's blockade of Gaza for the lack of medical supplies but Red Cross leader Jakob Kellenberger later rescinded the charge. By the time the charges were rescinded, other groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (neither of whom are friendly to Israel) had already fanned the world's negative opinion of Israeli efforts during Operation Cast Lead. The Palestinians also seized on the rescinded Red Cross findings and have begun calls for war crime tribunals. Kellenberger also stated that there was "no evidence" that the IDF used white phosphorous smoke grenades on the civilian population. By the time this clarification was made, the white phosphorous claims were part of Palestinian fact.

The Red Cross actually has a long history of bias against Jews and Israel.

RED SQUARE??

Did you know that for 60 years, the Red Cross refused to admit the Magen David Adom (MDA) into its ranks? Without ICRC status, like the Red Crescent or the Persian Red Lion (which existed until the Shah of Iran was deposed), funding is inaccessible and a loss of protection afforded by international humanitarian law.

The ICRC would, as a result, grant protection to Palestinian ambulances that were oftentimes transporting terrorists but would NOT grant protection to MDA ambulances that were rushing to aid the victims of terrorism.

Finally, the ICRC caved into Arab demands and allowed MDA under the condition that it use a red diamond instead of the Star of David. The Cross, the Crescent, but not the symbol of the religion that started them both!

Dr. Bernadine Healy took over as CEO of the American Red Cross in 1999 and attempted to turn the institutional bias against Israel around, claiming the exclusion of the MDA was "a betrayal of the sacred principles of this movement and cannot be tolerated any longer." The response from the ICRC President, Cornelio Sommaruga was, "If we're going to have the Shield of David, why would we not have to accept the swastika?"
Dr. Healy was subsequently forced out of the American Red Cross under a no-confidence vote.

Israel's MDA was admitted to the ICRC in June 2006. The vote among the Red Cross/Red Crescent societies: 98 groups voted "For", 27 groups voted "Against", and 10 abstained. Unfortunately, the ICRC rejected the Star of David and required MDA to use a red star inside a red square when operating outside its borders. In countries that objected to Magen David, Israel was to use the red square alone.

The Wall Street Journal editorialized that "...it is a disgrace that the Star of David, which symbolizes the faith that spawned both Christianity and Islam, is excluded."

Ambulances displaying a red Star of David won't be protected on international missions.

A view from Sderot

2009-01-15T16:04:00.000-08:00

By: Laura Bialis JPost as published at the Jewish Policy Center

For the past two weeks, we've been awakened by the Tzeva Adom (Color Red) alert. This is one of the most bizarre air raid warnings in history. It starts with the click of a loudspeaker, and then a calm woman's voice says "Tzeva Adom, Tzeva Adom" over and over again. The alert has been difficult to hear at times, especially if you were playing music or watching TV. Last week, two soldiers from the Home Command Unit appeared at our door and handed us a home beeper system that goes off two seconds before the Tzeva Adom alert. So now the loud beeper sound is added to the repertoire.

The moment of the alert, my husband Avi and I jump out of bed and run to our bomb shelter. We huddle there and hug each other, waiting to hear the explosion. Sometimes it's a distant thud. Sometimes it is terrifyingly close, and our house shakes. After about 20 seconds, it's over. They say that you have a 15-second warning. Actually, it varies. And once in a while, you will hear a Kassam land without an alert. Those are the worst times, because that means there is a very decent chance that someone has been hurt.

Here in Sderot, we are accustomed to alerts on a weekly and even daily basis. But at the start of the military operation, the situation reached a new level. On December 24, we received over 60 rockets. The following Saturday, we heard a new sound - air strikes. It was a strange moment. Finally, after eight years, Israel was taking action. Since then, the Kassam attacks have been endless. In the old days, we knew there could be an alert. Now we know there will be.

THE FIRST week, there were approximately 10 alerts in Sderot every day (some days more, some days less.) Keep in mind - each is accompanied by two to four exploding rockets.

We stay alert at all times. If Avi takes a shower, I need to be nearby listening for the alert, ready to grab him out of the shower if need be (and vice versa). If we drive somewhere, we tune our radio to 104, the army channel. All alerts are broadcast on that station, so you can immediately get out of your car and run for cover.

We also drive with seat belts off and windows open, just in case. (Several of the people who have died from Kassams were in their cars when the attack occurred.)

Where do we run? Well, Sderot is pretty well prepared. There are bomb shelters of every shape and size everywhere you look - almost every 10 meters you have one. The idea is that you are always within 15 seconds of a shelter. However, this concept is flawed in its execution. Some areas are covered with shelters, but some residential streets have none. If you are on a residential street in the middle of an alert, you run into the nearest house. This is what happened today. As we heard the alert, we saw a flash of two people in front of our house. We ran, opened the door and the two young guys followed us, running into our bomb shelter.

We waited to hear the explosions, they thanked us and were on their way.

NOT ALL homes have bomb shelters. In fact, several of my friends don't have one, and 15 seconds is not long enough for them to reach the public shelter. They usually crouch in a stairwell hoping everything will be okay.

But ironically, Sderot is probably the safest place in southern Israel at the moment. Because now the entire South is being hit: Ashkelon, Ashdod, Beersheba and Netivot, among others... We have friends in these cities, and when the rockets started to fall there, they were in shock for days. They are less prepared than us. There are no bomb shelters lining the streets of these towns, but fewer, larger community shelters where now many people are sleeping. While we definitely feel a sense of solidarity, the fact that large part of the country is living much like us - running for shelter and fearing for their lives - creates a whole new sad reality.

When I first came to Sderot I didn't run to the shelter. The threat seemed so random. It seemed almost impossible that you were going to be hurt. The fear of Kassams is something that takes a while. It grows on you. Because now, I know too many people with near misses. I have a friend who reluctantly left his bed to go the shelter. He was lucky he decided to go, because the Kassam landed directly on his bed. I have another friend who miraculously survived a Kassam hit on her house. She is okay after massive rehab, but she has shrapnel in her brain that is too deep to remove. And I have friends who have seen people killed by Kassams - right before their eyes.

I OFTEN feel that the international press doesn't get it. They make light of the rockets. Because when you come to Sderot for one day, the attacks seem random and you feel somehow immune from harm. The words "amateur homemade rockets" that I see written in most major news publications make the threat seem less serious. But the fact is, these rockets are nothing other than bombs, falling from the sky, designed to kill civilians. And they do.

The press usually focuses on the number of dead people. If these Kassams are really dangerous, why haven't more people died? Good question. Thousands of lives have been saved by the 15-second warning system. With more than 10,000 rockets landing in this area in the past eight years, there would most likely be hundreds killed if not thousands. But the fact that we know when the rockets are coming saves our lives.

Still, is this any way to live? Can you imagine this happening in any city in America or Europe?

On Sunday, I filmed a home that had been completely destroyed that morning. It was a small, three-room place. No bomb shelter, but miraculously, the room where the owner took cover wasn't hit; the rest of the house was demolished. I've seen tons of footage of destroyed homes in Sderot and filmed in broken houses. But I had never set foot on fresh rubble just a few hours old. I was shaken. That house was struck by a Kassam, which is approximately six to eight kilos of explosives attached to a metal tube with fins. Last night we were informed of new intelligence that Hamas intends to begin shooting Grads into Sderot. Grads are twice the size of Kassams and are what Hamas uses to bomb the further cities like Ashkelon, Ashdod and Beersheba.

Now you know why my cameraman has headed out of town.

WHEN I first came here over a year and a half ago, Sderot was almost like a ghost town. Now the international media has descended on us in droves. There are TV trucks and cameramen everywhere you look, and reporters from every network, broadcasting in every language from the hilltops and town corners. At least my friends who own Coffee To Go, the local café, are finally getting some business. (When I first arrived here and hadn't yet found a house, Avi used to joke that I was single-handedly keeping the place afloat.)

All around, you just feel war. People stay in their houses, schools are closed. Learning Together, a wartime television program broadcasts daily high school classes for kids who can't go to school. The classes are taught by famous writers, poets and philosophers.

The war is the only thing people talk about. It's hard to get things done. It's hard to keep ourselves from watching the news all day. And the weirdest thing is to watch the news about something that just happened a block away. Sometimes you realize that you are the news.

Two nights ago we sat in Coffee To Go for dinner. Suddenly, Tzeva Adom. We ran to the interior of the room, away from the glass storefront. The Kassam exploded just across the street - the café rocked with the blast. Journalists who had been on a coffee break raced out to try to get shots. Five minutes later, a large-screen TV above our heads was broadcasting an update from Sderot - including what we had just felt and heard.

I GET e-mails from people and read articles calling Israel's response "disproportionate." It upsets me. I feel they just don't have a clue. What would be a proportionate response? For us to shoot unmanned missiles targeted at civilians every day?

Instead, we are doing something more effective and humane - we are taking away their weapons. We are bombing their stockpiles, tunnels and terror infrastructure. We are sending SMSs and leaflets warning civilians to leave areas that will be bombed. And we are doing what we need to do to stay alive.

From this corner of the State of Israel, it is obvious that if we don't do something now, we are looking at an existential threat. If anyone has any doubts about that, then I invite them to come live with me here in Sderot. I have an extra bed and am happy to offer it. I guarantee they will change their mind once they've spent a few days in my living room.

JUST BEFORE the war started, I did an interview with Yossi Cohen - an established Sderot musician who plays bass in Avi's band and has a band of his own. He's had his own share of trauma - he now suffers a hearing loss from a Kassam that landed right near him, and has anxiety and depression as a result of another close landing that killed someone.

He also happens to be one of the nicest people I know. Yossi works for the city (his day job) doing landscaping projects. He took me to his most recent work of art. It was a bomb shelter - one I had passed a million times. But now it had been painted a nice shade of brown, and was covered with panels of green vines. Design-wise, it looked like something you would see in Palm Springs.

It seemed so surreal to create designer bomb shelters. Yossi explained that someone thought it would be a good idea to boost morale. These kind of absurdities run amok in Sderot.

A few meters away, was a smaller bomb shelter with graffiti spray painted on it. I asked Yossi what it said (my Hebrew still not up to par). It says, "Secede from the pathetic state." Yossi added, "I know who wrote it."

This sort of sentiment wasn't unusual in Sderot. When I first arrived, I was told by many residents that this was a city without a state. And last year friends told me they were not planning to put up a flag on Independence Day. Sderot had such a terrible year. It was hard to feel patriotic.

But then everything changed. We watched speeches by [Defense Minister Ehud] Barak and [Foreign Minister Tzipi] Livni about how after eight years, something had to be done and they were going to do it. Avi felt they were finally apologizing to the people of this area for ignoring their suffering for so long.It's hard to live here and not wonder, "Will we survive? As a country? As a people?"

I have been thinking this on a daily basis, and last night went to bed in tears after a stressful argument with a friend on this topic.

Maybe we won't make it. But we've got to do everything we can to try. Here in Sderot, we are part of a country again. And as a people, a nation, we have history on our side. The flags and those two thoughts are going to get me through this war.

Genesis Exits

2009-01-11T21:04:00.001-08:00

We've just completed Bereshit and have entered Shmot. In looking back on Bereshit, I remember Rashi's first commentary on the Chumash where he states (in a brutal paraphrasing) that the book is a proof of Jews right to the ownership of the land of Israel. Keep in mind, this is Rashi's FIRST comment on the entire Tanakh. What's that about?

Before we answer, let's take a look at how Bereshit ends. Sure, Yaakov dies and his sons are in Egypt but the real ending seems to be the blessing given to Efraim and Menasheh. How could the first book of the Tanakh, which begins with the creation of the universe and mankind end with a blessing to two grandsons to Yaakov Avinu?

Let's apply a bit of perspective from 5769 back to when the Torah was given (~1313.) If, as Rashi states, the purpose of the book is to show our rights to the land then we begin to see how critical the fight with Hamas is today. We see that there is some greater reason why Jews must be in control of the thin strip of land that sits virtually in the center of three continents. But, if this is true that the Jews must own Eretz Yisrael, what does the blessing of the grandsons have to do with ownership? Jerusalem, the most holy city sat in neither Efraim or Menasheh's tribal lands after the land was conquered. There must be something deeper at work.

When we go back through the entire book of Bereshit, we find story after story of brothers that do not get along. Cain and Abel, Yitzchak and Ismael, Yaakov and Esau, and, of course, Yosef and 10 of his brothers. But Efraim and Menasheh got along. They got along despite one having a blessing that the other would surely prefer to have. They got along despite having grown up in Mitzraim, the land of sin and idolatry.

So, maybe that's what the Torah is trying to teach us. Yes, we have a chain of title to the land of Eretz Yisrael. But, in order for us to be worthy of its possession, we need to be like Efraim and Menasheh. We need to get along with our brothers despite what one or the other has or does or where we are located. Maybe that's why the Jews, to this very day in 5769, still recite the blessing over their sons after all these years.

May we be worthy of the inheritance of the fine and spacious land, a land overflowing with milk and honey.

Gaza Ambulance = Troop Transport

2009-01-09T13:35:00.000-08:00

They won't be showing this in the MSM so enjoy - NO ONE WILL BE SEATED IN THE LAST 10 SECONDS OF THIS CLIP!

Video from Live Leak

Hey Europe and the Left!

2009-01-09T13:30:00.000-08:00

Source: IsraelNationalNews

Author: Jack Engelhard

Frankly, given a choice, I prefer the skinheads and other brutes who express their anti-Semitism openly. In such places, we know the enemy.

But please spare me the pieties and the righteous indignation of those “good people” protesting throughout Europe
You called it “peace” as long as the Arabs were doing the killing and the Jews were doing the dying.
against Israel’s defensive operation in Gaza. True, thousands have taken up banners in support of Israel. At the same time, however, the streets of Europe (and even some in America) are in an uproar. These are the “humanitarians” - the good, the noble, the refined, who chant “peace.”

Now you’re up and about? Now you speak? Where were you when, throughout the years, thousands of jihadist bombs fell on Israel? The streets of Europe were empty. There were no pictures in the newspapers of grieving Jewish mothers and fathers. You called it “peace” as long as the Arabs were doing the killing and the Jews were doing the dying. All was well with the world.

Suddenly, as Israel answered back, you found your Cause; and how self-righteous you are in your Cause.

You are the best and the brightest of Europe. You are educated. You attended the finest schools. You care for the birds, the bees, the bears, the trees. You favor free speech and freedom of religion. Strange it is that the one and only place in the Middle East that shares your world-view is Israel, and it is Israel that you slander.

Israel is a Jewish State. Is that your problem? At the first hint of Jewish self-defense, how quickly you show your true colors.

I’ve seen the photos of your candlelight vigils along the streets and boulevards of Europe, all of it; all these tears in the service of those terrorists whom you call your brothers. Indeed you are related to Hamas (and Fatah) as once before, a mere generation ago, you were related to Hitler’s stormtroopers. Your angelic faces are touching - and disgusting. Your hypocrisy is transparent and nauseating.

You speak of disproportion. You want proportion? Give Israel a population of 300 million residing in 22 countries, similar to the Arab Muslims who surround and ambush Israel - instead of five and a half million Jews in one single country. There’s plenty of “proportion” coming from your BBC, which delights in presenting one side of the story and picks up where Der Sturmer left off. Now, with this type of “news”, we know how Europe was conditioned for a Holocaust.

Already we see Nights of Broken Glass. Thank you, Europe, for reminding us why America was discovered just in time (and why Israel was redeemed many generations too late). You dare judge Israel? In your deportations, your expulsions, your forced conversions, your inquisitions, your pogroms, you have no moral authority over Israel or even within your own borders. You gave all that up from 1492 to 1942.

To those on the Left who sought peace, well, dear peace-lovers, peace brought this on. “Land for Peace” made this happen, as Land for Peace became Land for Jihad. “Painful Concessions” caused this war. “Goodwill Gestures”
You have no moral authority over Israel or even within your own borders.
backfired. Want more “peace”? Give up the Golan Heights. Give up the entire West Bank. Give up Jerusalem. Imagine the “peace.” As for those “innocent civilians” in Gaza, they were given a choice and they chose Hamas. They chose this pestilence.

As for those “refugee camps” - why are they “refugee camps” when Israel handed over all that territory for a nation to be built in peace and security alongside Israel? Why are all Palestinians automatically refugees even after they’ve been given a home? The only true refugees are the thousands of Israelis who were driven from Gaza and still live in trailer parks. No tears for them in this world that still dreams of Auschwitz.

On this day, in response to a column I wrote about Theresienstadt, someone responded that I was incorrect; that Theresienstadt was not a prelude to Auschwitz, but rather “a vacation resort.” I wrote back wishing this person a lifetime in such vacation resorts. I wish the same lifetime vacation resorts to all those parading throughout the streets of Europe with banners crying, “Death to Israel.”

God bless the IDF! Go Israel!

The Secret Weapon - hat tip to Daniel

2009-01-09T09:54:00.000-08:00

Comments I posted on other blogs

2009-01-08T00:13:00.000-08:00

With Israel, it's about religion, peace, and security. Nothing more. Israel doesn't want to destroy the Palestinians, they want to live in peace with the Palestinians. Don't believe me? Take a look at Egypt, currently brokering a peace initiative and no friend of Hamas. At one time, before many of you were old enough, Egypt and Israel fought terrible wars. Israel won in '67 and Egypt won in '73. The point is that they now have a lasting (20+ years) peace and recognized borders between them that neither will cross again. Where's Israel's aggression towards Egypt? Where's Israel's genocide against Egyptians? It doesn't exist. And it doesn't exist for Palestinians either.

Think carefully about how many "peace lovers" stood up against rockets from Hamas targeting innocent women and children in Sderot. Can't remember any? Neither can I. It's real easy to make the claim that Israel is trying to acquire land or wants genocide or mineral rights or water or whatever else allows the blinders to cover the truth. Israel wants to be a shining example of G-d's love for humanity. Non-Jews are tasked with healing the physical world. Jews are tasked with healing the spiritual world. Yes, we're not all the same. Deal with it. But remember, just because Jews are peace loving people doesn't mean we have to sit by and let our weakest family members suffer at the hands of fascist terrorists that seek to bring darkness to the world.

Jews were targeted in India and the Indian gov't decided to turn the horrendous attacks on Jews and foreigners into an anti-Pakistani charade.

In case anyone is wondering, the Jews will never be forced to leave a city again. Our young rabbis and their wives are sent to places because that location in the world needs a candle of humanity and civilization. Darkness, in the form of terrorism and anti-semitism will seek to snuff out the light.

Each one of us can choose to stand by the peace lovers or we can "champion" the underdogs of darkness and hatred. Don't believe me? Despite all the bloodshed, have you ever heard Hamas ask for negotiations or a ceasefire? Of course not. The screams for a cease-fire are coming from the EU and the UN. Hamas doesn't want a cease-fire because those who are wrapped in darkness get an almost sexual thrill from death. When normal people think of death they have a survival instinct. When Hamas thinks of death, they get excited and think about the virgins they'll violate. Hitler had a similar issue - some say he was a virgin until just before he committed suicide and then, on the verge of death, either by his hand or by the allies, he has intercourse with Eva Braun. Would YOU do that? Would YOU be thinking of sex while your army was in full retreat and your Third Reich was collapsing and you were so pained that you were on the verge of taking your own life? No, most of us separate sex, a creative act and an affirmation of life, from death, the cessation of our efforts in this world to make it a better place. Do you stand with life? Do you stand with death? There is no middle ground.

Life During Wartime

2009-01-07T23:47:00.000-08:00

Focusing on Torah studies takes on a new dimension and new challenges with the constant barrage of news from Israel. Today, rockets hit the northern part of Israel and were clearly launched from within Lebanon. The only "good" news is that it is clear that the weapons were not fired by Hezbullah. I say "good" because I'm hopeful that Israel and Hezbullah won't engage in battle again after the last conflict. My personal take on the "loss" Israel suffered in Southern Lebanon is that severe damage was inflicted on Hezbullah, even if it wasn't a fatal blow, great lessons were learned which are now aiding the fight against Hamas, and, most importantly, the fact that no rockets (from Hezbullah) have fallen since the conflict make it a qualified win in my thinking.

I'm currently investigating a strange set of words in Psalm 46, which is primarily about the end of battle. In the second to last line, the Hebrew looks to mean "put down" your weapons while English translations have chosen to use "open your hand" and the typical Christian interpretation "Rest" or "Be still." The opening of the hand is more accurately portraying the laying down of a sword or bow. Resting or being still has no place whatsoever and seems to fit the church's "turn the other cheek" philosophy. Jews would never be still after a battle was won, especially in David HaMelech's time. I'll dig through Psalm 46 a bit more to see if there's anything deeper there.

Pray for the IDF, pray for Israel, and pray for our brothers and sisters across the world that are under attack from Amalek once again. With Hashem's help, we will overcome.

Israel responds in Hamasistan

2008-12-28T13:18:00.001-08:00

Israel has finally taken the steps to defend the Jews in the southern part of the country. Sadly, the cease-fire was used to buy time needed by Hamas terrorists to import a new, longer range weapon called the Grad Katuyshka. 750,000 Jews are now within range of the terrorists rockets.

The world has reacted against Israel, not Hamas. Surprised?

That the cease fire ended and new hostilities were launched within the Channukah celebration is not surprising. What is surprising is the extent to which Israel is attempting to retain some form of humanitarianism while striking.

1. Prior to Israeli attacks, fliers were dropped on Gaza, letting people know that they could be militants or civilians simply by choosing to stay or go. Some left.

2. An Arab language voice mail was delivered to nearly every home in Hamasistan letting people know that if they even suspected that their house was being used for weapon smuggling, they should flee.

3. Truck loads of food and medicine was allowed into Hamasistan while the strikes were occurring.

It is possible to get too concerned about bad PR. It is possible to give the enemy too much notice. It is also possible to provide the enemy with resources at a time when the goal should be to eliminate all resources and options other than surrender, or in this case since surrender was never an option, death.

No one protested when Hamas launched rockets on innocent civilian Jews. Now that Israel is retaliating, there are protests everywhere. The head of Human Rights within the UN, said that the Israeli response was disproportionate and overwhelming. I respond, "Exactly!" That's what's needed. A drawn out siege with the cessation of food and medicines and with innocent civilians unprepared to leave their homes is exactly what should NOT happen. Several warnings combined with massive military firepower is exactly what is needed. Those who have left are seemingly in no mood to fight Israel. Those who have stayed have chosen to designate themselves as enemy combatants. Now, it is time to lay low those that would attack innocent men, women, and children in their homes and kindergartens. It is time to eliminate those who would use a cease fire not as an opportunity to discuss peace but to prepare for battle.

Israel must have faith that Hashem is on the side of the Jewish people. Jews must remain unified that no other Jew, no matter how poor, deserves to live in fear of terrorism on a daily basis. With the love and help of Hakodosh Baruch Hu, may we eliminate the Amalekites once and for all.

Hannukah - Turning point for civilization?

2008-12-23T10:13:00.000-08:00

Scouring the web for new insights into Hanukah has proven an eye opener. I stumbled across information not taught in Sunday school and some that is downright inflammatory.

I read that Hanukkah was originally called Sukkos b'Kislev. The Holy Land is in the hands of the Seluecids, Assyrians who have embraced the Hellenism of Alexander the Great. The reason it was called Sukkos b'Kislev was because the Seluecids had intervened in the Jewish civil war between the Hasmoneans/Saducees (allies but vastly different) vs. the Pharisees (the eventual progenitors of the Rabbis and our current Orthodox Judaism) and abolished Sukkot. Thus, the 8 days of Hannukah represents an effort to hold Sukkot in Kislev more than the miracle of the oil, which wasn't written down until the Gemara hundreds of years later.

My response: Many uninitiated in the ways of Judaism fail to realize the sheer breadth of information that was passed orally prior to the writing down of the Talmud. Just because the miracle of the oil wasn't written down doesn't mean it didn't happen. There were numerous reasons for those things that were or weren't written down. First, there were prohibitions on what could be written down because many things were to be taught by a learned rabbi as he was taught. Since teachers instructed verbally, certain that nuance was conveyed, writing was unnecessary. Second, it is important to remember that anything written down could be used by neighboring or controlling armies to show non-compliance with their "enlightened" beliefs.

The next eye opener from the web came in the form of a shrieking missive from an atheist about how Hannukah represents the turning point for civilization. To his jaundiced eye, it was the wrong turn. His argument is that the world would have benefited from a complete "Hellenization." Advances in art and culture would have continued while a focus on athleticism and aestheticism would have yielded great beauty that the world was unfortunately denied because of the victory of the Macabees. The unspoken be obvious conclusion that the atheist hopes the reader will draw is that the death of Judaism would have effectively represented the death of religion and upon that one point he and I can agree.

My response: Hellenization isn't all that it is cracked up to be. The Olympic games were so focused on the physical that participants competed naked. Babies born with the slightest defect were left on mountain tops to die as they were obviously worthless in a world solely focused on the physical. Man's need for religion still existed (as it always will) but in the form of pagan idols in the shape of humans (Zeus, Hera, etc.)

The victory of Hannukah does symbolize a critical juncture in the course of human history. It is hard to appreciate how far Greek culture had spread. Without the victory, the world would have great art but lack ethics and morality. The world would have a focus on the physical to the exclusion of the spiritual. We would be a planet full of perfect looking people, killing off those of us older than 36. Men would sleep with young boys as was common rather than adhering to the notion of bonding both spiritually and physically solely with one's wife.

Perhaps we gain an understanding of the atheists real desires - that man be able to freely replace God with the worship of man. Can there be a more insidious form of idolatry? Look how handsome Aristoxephonaphanes is! The beauty of the vases enhanced with designs of perfect bodies competing to show physical superiority. In our modern culture, we can still see more than traces of the infatuation with the physical. Baruch Hashem we have something deeper and more meaningful than an obsession with youth and physical beauty.

Keep your shirt on!

2008-12-20T20:33:00.000-08:00

Two times in last week's parsha (Vayeshev) we find Yosef being disrobed.

The first time is when both his tunic and robe are removed by his brothers at the pit. The second time is when he is escaping Potiphar's wife's advances. She is left holding his garments while he is running to escape her advances.

What does the Torah mean to tell us? In what other parsha do we hear about clothing? To the last question, I can answer that I have absolutely no idea where else in the Torah clothing plays such a pivotal role. The closest I could come up with was Adam & Eve when they realized they were naked and they became ashamed. Here, Yosef is not ashamed and perhaps, therein lies the answer to the first question.

The first time we hear about Yosef's clothing in Vayeshev, we learn that Yaakov makes a special robe for Yosef. Rashi discusses, when Yosef describes his dreams to his brothers, and then to his father, how Yosef never feels that he is bragging when he discusses the prophecy. Yosef was indeed a tzadik and perhaps the greatest tzadik in all of Chumash. The problem, Rashi claims, is that Yosef assumed incorrectly that his brothers were at the same level as he was. Had that been true, Yosef's brothers would have felt that Yosef's dreams were Hashem's will and would have retained faith that they would benefit from Yosef's sheath standing upright while they bowed down. Instead, the brothers felt that they were somehow lessened by Yosef's greatness.

Thus, we see that the coat that showed Ya'akov's love for Yosef was viewed by Yosef as a natural gift that spoke volumes about Ya'akov's love for Yosef but didn't, or at least shouldn't, diminish his brother's perception of Ya'akov Avinu's love for them.

That they disrobed him when it came time to throw their younger brother into the pit should have dispelled any notion that Yosef's brothers weren't bitterly jealous of Ya'akov's love for Yosef.

The clothes represent to Yosef's brothers evidence of Yosef's death, as presented to Ya'akov. By dipping the clothes in blood, Ya'akov will no longer be able to bestow his love on Yosef and, presumably, will bestow it upon them.

Next comes Potifar's wife. She wants badly to be the mother of the nations that come from Yosef. That honor will eventually go to her daughter. In the meantime, Potiphar's wife will not be deterred and she tries to seduce Yosef "for the sake of Heaven." When Yosef runs out of the house, Potiphar's wife is left holding Yosef's clothes which will represent the evidence of Yosef's impropriety, as presented to her husband. By holding out the clothing as proof of his adultery, Yosef will be put into prison.

Clothing as proof of love? As proof of death? As proof of a sin? Odd. We've long heard that clothes "make the man" but in this case it appears that clothes have undone a man. Clothing conceals the same way that we live in a world where Hashem's presence is concealed. Perhaps this is a call for more attention to Shaatnez, the mixture of wool and linen - a chok which no one truly comprehends. Perhaps this is a call for tzniut - the modesty with which righteous servants of Hashem should employ at all times. Perhaps this is simply a reminder that even a tzadik needs to be careful in the way that his clothes represent him. We become rightfully obsessed with our adherence to mitzvot but do we really stop to think about how we are seen by others? Do we think about what our clothes reveal about us from their perspective?

Revive the Dead

2008-12-08T08:14:00.000-08:00

This past week's parsha, Vayeitzei, deals with the story of Ya'akov's trip to Charan. The purpose for his visit is both to escape from his murderous brother, Esau, and to find a wife.
Sages comment on the fact that when Ya'akov arrives in Charan, he has no money or gift for his future bride. Contrast this with Eliezer's visit to find a wife for Yitzchak. Eliezer brought camels and jewels in his quest.
There are varying opinions as to what happened that would cause Ya'akov to come empty handed. Some say Ya'akov fled for his life without time to collect money. Some say that an emissary of Esau caught up with Ya'akov while he was en route to Charan and was prepared to kill Ya'akov. The midrash relates that Ya'akov faced his would-be killer and said, "Rather than killing me, why don't you take all my money. Leaving me destitute will be the equivalent of causing my death and you will be able to return to your master, having completed your mission." (The rough translation is my own.)
If being impoverished is akin to death, then we can better understand the Amidah wherein we pray in Gevuros: You are eternally mighy, my Lord, the Resuscitator of the dead are You...Who...resuscitates the dead with abundant mercy...Blessed are You, Hashem, Who resuscitates the dead.
The three mentions of resuscitation allude to the three kinds of resuscitation: 1. waking in the morning after deathlike slumber; 2. the rains that cause vegetation to grow after the death of winter; and, 3. the literal resuscitation of the dead after Moshiach comes. However, given our trying financial times, would it not be appropriate to remember that our financial resuscitation comes from Hakadosh Baruch Hu? For if Ya'akov Avinu felt that impoverishment is akin to death, what better place to look for our resuscitation than to our Holy Father?

May we merit financial success in a permissible manner and may we be able to give extra tzedeka in this year 5769 despite the financial hardships that have brought many of us close to "death."

Anti-semitism, both kinds

2008-12-02T21:39:00.000-08:00

What a terrible week for Jewry. The tragedy of the Mumbai massacre shows that either Al Qaeda is still powerful enough to enter a Chabad House in the middle of an enormous city or that Kasmir separatists from Pakistan have some hatred for Jews that I can't fathom. I assume the former is the reality and the latter provides political expediency for India.

I turned on the talk radio to hear a caller spouting all the chestnuts from Henry Ford and how the current economic crisis has been perpetuated by the "Jews." Ugly and ignorant. He went on to rant about AIPAC, the Zionists, Israel, and "bankers." It's nearly 2009 and we still have idiots climbing out from under their rocks to blame the Jews for the current recession.

The hatred in the form of death or disparagement leads me to believe that brighter days are coming for my Hebrew brothers and sisters very soon. Remember that Israel was only a Balfour declaration prior to 1949. It took the sickening events of the holocaust to bring Jews back to the Holy Land. On a related note, the Polish Jew responsible for coining the new and unfortunate term "Genocide" died today.

When confronting our enemy, remember that we are dealing with sick and deranged individuals. They are so twisted that the bleeding heart liberals can't begin to fathom their mindset and assume that they are not evil but are, somehow, victims. Our Torah parsha from last week tells us that Abraham Avinu dug three wells. Isaac spent quite a bit of time having to un-stop the wells after the Phillistines plugged them up. Think about this for a second - we're talking about the desert of the Middle East. Water is so precious and essential that every living thing depends upon it. The Phillistines didn't take the water, they stopped up the wells. They were willing to injure themselves to cause harm to our forefathers. Sick, twisted, and utterly unexplainable to a peacenik in the US that doesn't see the world clearly.

May we merit Moshiach immediately as a result of the latest tragic bloodshed and for the reemergence of viscious hatred of the Jews brought, once again, to the forefront because of the current economic environment.

What mascara can teach us about our Neshama

2008-11-20T22:38:00.000-08:00

I had a scratch on one of my eyelids that required me to apply an antiseptic. "How blessed am I?", I thought, as I realized that I could use one eye to look in the mirror at the closed eye needing my attention.
How blessed are we that on Shabbos we are given a shiny second neshama! We can spend the day without cause for concern over trivial matters and hold our day to day neshama up to the mirror while using the new neshama as a comparison. By having the second neshama serve as the example for what our daily neshama should be, we gain a clearer understanding of how we're doing as servants of Hashem.

Treatment of Guests

2008-11-17T17:20:00.000-08:00

What a difference a week makes. Over the last two weeks, we've seen guests treated in a variety of ways.

Pharoah sent Abraham and Sarah away because he knew they would not be treated well in Mizraim.

Abimelech made a mistake and decided to rectify it by letting his guests roam the lands, even providing flocks as compensation for their troubles.

Don't get me started with "guests" in Sodom.

Guests came to see Abraham on the 3rd day after his circumcision, while he was speaking with Hashem, and Abraham still managed to run to greet his guests. Additionally, a midrash teaches us that when the guests were ready to leave, Abraham escorted them far enough so that they could view Sodom.

What do we learn from this? Who do we want to be? Doomed residents of Sodom, Pharoh, Abimelech, or Abraham Avinu? Pretty clear choice, no? The underlying issue is how we view other people and how easy it is to forget that others were also created in Hashem's image. Did Hashem react violently towards Abraham when he was interrupted? Of course not. Demonstrating a commitment to guests was a substantial part of Abraham's mission on Earth. Had Abraham spent another minute speaking with Hashem when he should have been welcoming his guests, Hashem would have considered it as if Abraham had failed one of his tests. How many times have we been reluctant to extend our hospitality, in full, to others? Perhaps we're "speaking to Hashem" in the middle of our prayers. Perhaps we're in pain from an ailment no less debilitating than the third day after circumcision. Maybe we ought to consider what Abraham did, without hesitation, and whether or not we want Hashem to see us in the same light as He saw Abraham Avinu.

The mitzvah, as I understand it, is to escort your guests no less than 7 steps away when they leave. I'd like to think that 7 steps relates to both the "completion" that 7 represents as well as the Shalom that we think of when we are celebrating the 7th day of creation. What could be a better way to part with guests than in peace and completeness.

*A tip of the hat to Eric for the dvar and to Kelly for giving over the highlights of the schiur

Rain & Dew:YES Electricity:NO

2008-11-14T09:37:00.001-08:00

In the past 24 hours, I've attended two chassidishe classes, one on the Torah Ohr and one on Tanya. Needless to say, I'm a little heavy on the Alter Rebbe going into Shabbos.

The Tanya schiur for today focuses partially on the Alter Rebbe's juxtaposition of Dew and Rain, something we know quite a bit about in the Northwest US. The Alter Rebbe discusses that Dew comes from the ground without effort but that Rain, which comes from the sky, must depend on the evaporation of water rising to the sky to acheive the blessed rain for which we pray every morning. I'm not sure why it struck me as interesting that the Alter Rebbe knew that rain comes from moisture rising and accumulating in the late 1700's.

By contrast, our schiur last night on Torah Ohr focuses on the Nefesh in relation to this week's parsha, Vayera. We got pretty bogged down in the parable/analogy of the veils of the soul in an effort to understand the "10 curtains" or sferot of Ein Sof and we're nowhere near understanding how that will relate to Hashem's decision to "come down" to Sodom.

The Alter Rebbe used the concept of Light as a way of describing the Nefesh's garments (Tikkun) where he makes clear that middot are "rays" from the light of the Nefesh but NOT the nefesh itself. The simple analogy is putting a giant box around the sun. The rays of the sun will cesase to shine but that won't actually impact the sun one bit. So it is with the Nefesh which resides outside of our body, which is always a challenging notion.

As we discussed the analogy of light, we realized that there were times in the analogy when an understanding of electrical power, it's potential, it's ability to drive devices that connect with it, the need for capacitors, would have been helpful to the Alter Rebbe. Unfortunately, electricity was certainly not available as a tool in the Alter Rebbe's time period. Fortunately, the Alter Rebbe had all the tools needed to make clear an understanding of our souls and the way of Hashem's creation that can challenge the greatest minds among us until this day and into the future.

Here I Am

2008-11-13T08:44:00.001-08:00

Every day, we say Shema twice and, those of us "burdened with the blessings" (Psalm 68 - Radak) of children are required to teach them Shema.

When looking deeply at the text and the main point of Shema, the "mission statement of the Jews", it is important to see the Shema in its entirety. Yes, we should listen/obey (Shema also means obey) to the declaration that Hashem is our G-d and He is one. But, put that in the greater context of the reminder of the Shema ("You shall love your G-d with all your heart, all your soul, and all your resources...") What does this say about our mission statement? It seems clear that acknowledgement of Hashem's unity and oneness is insufficient. Something more is required. That something is love. But, what the heck does that mean? The Torah provides an answer.

On several occassions, most notably by Adam in Gan Eden and by Abraham at the Akeida, the phrase, "Here I am" is stated. In Gan Eden, Adam is responding to Hashem's question, "Where are you?" after Adam hid. On the way to the binding of Isaac, Isaac has a question about Abraham Avinu's intentions, eliciting the response. What does this response mean and what does it have to do with loving Hashem?

When we think of loving Hashem, it helps to think of how we love our children, should we be so blessed. We are there for them. We provide for them. We would die for them. We take pleasure in being close to them and pride in knowing that we are doing, on a grander cosmic scale, exactly what we should be doing. In short, we "are there" for them. Why should our love for Hashem be any different?

We learn from the Torah that "being there" for Hashem is only truly possible with the existence of the Temple. That's why at least 10 of the 19 prayers of the Amidah deal with the Temple/Moshiach/in-gathering of exiles. But, our sages tell us that in the absence of the Temple we must still "be there" for Hashem. Prayer replaces sacrifices. Kindness, acts of mercy, learning Talmud allow us to be a little closer with our Creator.

While it is good to be "at one" with Hashem and to be grateful for all the blessings Hashem has given, it would be insufficient for a parent to limit their relationship with their children to simple gratitude. One must be there with their heart (with love and not resentment) their soul (they are present on more than a physical level - no distractions, no "going through the motions") and all their resources (bring tzedakah with you to schul, come prepared to learn Hashem's will, etc.)

The example one sets for their child by being a "there" parent echoes through future generations. The example one sets for other Jews by being a "there" Jew echoes throughout klal yisrael.

Turn on the lights!!

2008-11-12T22:18:00.000-08:00

I spoke to a friend that was trying to determine whether or not they should look for a job outside the great Northwest. "What should I do? I need a new job but I think I want to stay here. What if I expand my search to other cities? And, what of the commute?"

I reminded my procrastinating pal of an old chestnut of Jewish wisdom: No Jew, no matter how observant, sits in a dark room praying for Hashem to turn on the lights. In this case, however, the effort to get off the tuchas and move towards the light switch was being held up by indecision.

Planning and complaining are two of the most insidious forms of procrastination. Planning can be great when it is called for, focused, and isn't being done in lieu of taking actual steps. Complaining is the absolute worst. The complainer has not only ceased all forward progress on their quest, they are now digging themselves into a well-rationalized trench for an extended stay.

When I worked in fast food many, many years ago, I was told, "If there's time to lean, there's time to clean." Hanging out in gripe sessions or agonizing over minute planning details when not needed are two things people do when they should be taking real steps to move towards the light switch. Hashem will guide them and clear the path. Perhaps putting off those first steps is really a shaky faith where rock solid faith is needed.

Moshe Island to get a kosher pizzeria!

2008-11-12T13:14:00.000-08:00

The Seattle Vaad has announced that at 4PM today, Moshe Island will get a kosher pizzeria called "Island Crust." I couldn't be more excited. Wine, cheeses, pizza, soft ice cream, calzones, and beer will all be available. Did I mention espresso? This is the great Northwest after all.

The timing couldn't be better to provide an alternative to vegetarian Asian and Indian food. I ate two weeks ago at the Teapot and didn't particularly care for the food. I got home and received word from the Vaad that the Teapot's kashrut certification was suspended. I don't want to know the details (believe me) but I am under the impression they weren't checking for bugs in their produce. That would bother me even if I weren't keeping kosher (chas v'shalom.)

The whole region can use a centrally located eatery for people to meet and have a better sense of community. We have the Moshe Island frummies (roughly 100 families) the North Enders, the big community down south at Seward Park, and the growing community out on the plateau. There are no easy beginnings but, over time, this should prove to be a great milestone in the growth of our observant community.

Compassion in Action

2008-11-11T18:41:00.000-08:00

My wife is reading a book on mussar called Everyday Holiness by Alan Morinis. One of the chapters deals with the notion of compassion or Rachamim. Mr. Morinis starts with the parallel between Rachamim and Rechem (or "womb") and then discusses the concept of empathy.

The notion that womb connotates a mother's compassion for her child is a fairly common approach to describing rachamim, Hashem's attribute of mercy. However, the mistake would be in thinking that we are held to the standard of mother to child when confronted with the P.O.W. (poor, orphans, & widows.) Thinking about a mother to child, using the plain meaning of womb, would lead one to believe that empathy, or a deeply personalized emotional bonding with the less fortunate, is sufficient. That would be incorrect. When we think of a womb, we need to think of the fetus inside the mother, not as the "fruit of the womb." Once we begin to think of the P.O.W. as "inside us" and an intricate "part of us" we realize that deep sympathy is not what is needed. What is needed is action, whether it be through tzedakah, assistance with parnassah, a kosher meal, or even prayers on another's behalf.

The challenge is to be truly compassionate without falling into the "bleeding heart" syndrome. Compassion (deep, personalized sympathy + action) involves a great deal more than empathetic feelings. "Pull closer with one hand and push away with the other," says the Talmud. It takes a great deal of compassion to tell someone you feel at one with that they are no longer allowed to "sponge" off of you. That they must begin to take action for themselves. Rachamim is certainly not pity. Those people that feel they really need sympathy likely don't realize how badly they need rachamim, whether from Hashem, the community, or us as individuals.

A Midrash teaches that Hashem was concerned about creating the world with nothing but Rachamim because everyone could flaunt the rules without consequence. Creating the world with nothing but Justice would be so harsh that no one could survive. Thus, the world was created with both. This is truly a critical lesson for all of us and one that will take practice to perfect.

For those that hear the term Mussar almost as often as we heard Kaballah last year, here is a description I like:

The goal of mussar practice is to release the light of holiness that lives within the soul. The roots of all of our thoughts and actions can be traced to the depths of the soul, beyond the reach of the light of consciousness, and so the methods Mussar provides include meditations, guided contemplations, exercises and chants that are all intended to penetrate down to the darkness of the subconscious, to bring about change right at the root of our nature.

Yetzer Hara

2008-11-10T23:36:00.000-08:00

I always have multiple books going at the same time. Typically, I'll have one book from Rabbi Daniel Lapin www.rabbidaniellapin.com and another from David Klinghoffer and then a Siddur or maybe something to help me master Lashon Kodesh. Right now, I'm reading a book about Rabbi Nachman (of Breslov) called Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom. It is chock full of wisdom.

On the Yetzer Hara, Rabbi Nachman says: The (Yetzer Hara) is like a prankster running through a crowd showing his tightly closed hand. No one knows what he is holding. He goes up to each and says, "What do you suppose I have in my hand?" Each one imagines that the closed hand contains just what he desires most. They all hurry and run after the prankster. Then, when he has tricked them all into following him, he opens his hand. It is completely empty.

I spent a year working for a sharp CEO who is now locked in the Sea-Tac Federal Prison because of his Yetzer Hara. He ran around to venture capital investors claiming that he had what they most desired in his hand. They chased him around to the tune of $50 Million in investment money. When the cooked books were discovered, it was clear that his hand was completely empty.

While he played the role of the "prankster" to entice the VC fund partners, it's clear that he and the CFO that joined him in this interstate wire fraud were both suckered by their own Yetzer Hara. Surely, they thought, they could short-circuit the path to profitability, avoid the hard work, and get to what they desired most. Unfortunately, they will learn behind bars that time with their children, five kids for one and two young boys for the other, was really more desirable than business success based on fraud.

Fear nothing but His Majesty

2008-11-09T19:35:00.000-08:00

I have some frum friends that are afraid of our President-elect Barack Obama. The other day, one of them said they were afraid of the First Lady-elect, Michelle Obama.

I can't live my life like that. Even though all my fears about George Bush were realized:

Token friendship with Israel - attempting peace after 7.5 years in office
Forcing democracy on an unready Palestinian community that chose Hamas over Fatah
Diverting our attention from Al Qaeda by attacking primarily secular Iraq
Not taking out Osama Bin Laden after 7 years
Failure to hit Syria, HARD, for their open gateway to terrorists & terrorism
Not forcing Iran to stop developing Nuclear weaponry either through force or diplomacy

I still feel that our protection is solely in Hashem's hands. And anyone that fears Michelle Obama is spending too much time listening to Michael Savage or reading Little Green Footballs.

Just because you are religious and have conservative social and fiscal values, doesn't mean the world is out to get you.

Fear nothing but Hashem.

Morning Minion - Speed of Sound

2008-11-09T19:02:00.000-08:00

I took a moment after morning minion today to thing about the speed of davening. My Hebrew still stinks but what I've learned to do is go back and forth between the Hebrew and the English, when appropriate and when I know the Hebrew well enough. The speed doesn't frustrate me because I've put on tefilin enough times to know where we are in the Shacharit service. The good thing about the speed that I didn't used to appreciate is the fact that when the chazzan is going fast, you don't have time to lose your concentration. That's a loftier goal than finishing quickly. The key to all prayer is focus and not having time to daydream is a real help. As the wayward Satmar yid says in the movie Mendele, "When you are davening well, you can feel Hashem's warmth in your bones."

I think that says it all.

Final thoughts on Lech Lecha

2008-11-09T00:59:00.000-08:00

We're leaving the third parsha behind (Shavua Tov!) and I want to point out a few thoughts.

The first parsha is about G-d. The second parsha (Noach) is about man. The third parsha is about man & G-d together. I've heard from Rabbi Lapin, I believe, that anytime you have three things in the Torah, it represents past, present, and future. (If that's incorrect, it's my fault and certainly not the Rabbi's.)
Past - G-d
Present - Man
Future - G-d & Man together. Isn't that what we want when we ask for Moshiach? We want to be together with Hashem in a way that allows us to transcend ourselves. Based on Torah Ohr, which I'm now studying, Abraham Avinu's circumcision was a covenant with Hashem that allowed for a similar transcendence.

There is a question I will leave behind: Every successive test (of Abraham Avinu's 10 tests) was said to be more dificult than the one that preceded it. Assuming this is true, why was the circumcision such a difficult test?
A possible, partial answer: Changing Avraham Avinu in this way could change the way he interacted with the people that he loved so much. In essence, this was the 2nd hardest test because it could thwart his perceived purpose in life. He "perceived" converting people to monotheism as his purpose but we find out later that this is not his purpose. None of the converts sticks around after Avraham dies. Isaac has no converts at all, other than his son. Everyone who loved monotheism (aside from those that follow Ishmael) under Avraham is gone by the time Isaac blesses Jacob. Avraham's true purpose was to love Hashem so deeply that his descendants, not his fair weather converts, could populate the whole world with people that are "one" with their Creator.

Parable

2008-11-07T11:30:00.000-08:00

Parable of the King and the Prince's mission

Summary: The King sends a Prince to deliver a message to a distant kingdom. Along the way, the Prince must escape those at war with the King. The Prince journeys until he comes to the distant kingdom, only to find himself back where he started.

The King and the Prince's Mission

The Prince desired to sit at the King's table. At the Royal Table were the magnificent feasts and the celebration of festivals and the great meetings of the court.

The King offered the Prince a mission, which, if successfully completed, would be rewarded with a place for the Prince at the Royal Table.

“Take this message to the distant kingdom, far from here.” said the King. “Deliver the message safely and you will return to me.” The Prince eagerly accepted the mission.

“I must warn you, however,” said the King. “Most of the people you will encounter on this mission are rebels that are at war with me. I will send a few good people to accompany you on this journey but they will not reveal openly that they are doing my bidding. You must exercise great care and wisdom in choosing whether the people you encounter are an aid or a hindrance.” The King cautioned, “Do not be captured by those that rebel against me or my decrees.”

The King's assistant led the Prince down from the castle to the far walls of the grounds. “You will meet a young couple that will accompany you away from the King's walls. After that, you must find the guides sent by the King and make your way.”

The Prince hid his identity upon leaving the kingdom and the young couple took him in and provided him with food and a crude map. After a while, the Prince headed West until he left the couple behind and traveled further on his journey. All around him, the Prince came across those at war with the King. Many tried to recruit the Prince against the King and some became angry that he refused. The Prince managed to escape those enraged with him and stayed on his quest.

Along the way, the Prince had the good fortune to meet and travel with a young man that became his friend, a woman that earned the Prince's heart and respect, and even a wise teacher that helped keep the Prince from the clutches of the rebels.

Finally, the Prince neared the end of his journey. The Prince crossed a long, narrow bridge and came to a harbor. The ship docked there would take the Prince to the distant shore. The Prince boarded the ship and began to sail but the trip was rocky. The vessel was tossed about by the sea. Despite the ship rising higher and higher on the waves, only to come crashing back down, the Prince succumbed to sleep.

The Prince awoke, only to find himself in the familiar bed chamber in the same castle from which he had departed. “Have I failed?” the Prince asked the King. “I set out to deliver a message and I've found myself back where I started.” The King smiled lovingly at the Prince and reassured him, “You have succeeded. The message I sent you to deliver says simply: There is only one King.”

The Prince put on his finest suit and was ushered in to sit at the Royal Table of the King.

The King is Hashem
The Prince is your soul
The King's assistant is an angel sent to deliver you to the Earth
The young couple is your parents
The friend is your chevrusa
The woman is your wife
The wise teacher is your rabbi
The rebels are those that deny Hashem's laws
The entire journey from the time you leave the kingdom until you fall asleep on the ship is your life
The message, “There is only one King” is the Shema and it is a Jew's purpose on this journey

Launch!

2008-11-07T11:14:00.000-08:00

I've briefly attempted blogs in the past but solely on issues that I did not feel passionate about. My hope is that, with Hashem's grace, I'm able to add something of interest to the world.