Sunday, August 28, 2011

Samaria's "Honored" Guest

28 of the Fifth Month 5771

The misswah (Biblical Commandment) is to chase after these practitioners of avodah zarah within the Land of Israel, not do the opposite by inviting into our homes as honored guests.
IsraelNN: Nigerian Pastor To Millions Visits Samaria
Nigerian Pastor Enoch Adeboye, in Samaria: "When you are special in the eyes of G-d, automatically people will dislike you."

Gil Ronen, Augsut 25, 2011

The RCCG claims to have churches in more than 100 countries, and Adeboye was named one of the world's 50 most influential people by Newsweek in 2008. His followers are said to number tens of millions in Africa, Europe and the USA, and he is sometimes referred to as "the African pope." Mesika and Samaria Liaison Bureau chief David Ha'ivri accompanied Deputy Minister Ayoub Kara on a trip to Nigeria recently, as part of their efforts to find allies for Israel in these embattled times.

(Gershon Mesiqa, Samaria Council Head; David HaIvri, his assistant; Adeboye; Likud MK Ayoub Kara)

Adeboye is in Israel as Mesika's guest. He met Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres on Wednesday.

The pastor is accompanied on his trip to Israel by dozens of senior officials from various African countries, and by several European MPs. He visited communities in Samaria, saw Shechem and the Tomb of Joseph from a lookout point, visited an antiquities site and toured a vineyard. He planted vine seedlings in Har Beracha, whose grapes are used in acclaimed boutique wines, and was the guest of honor at a special reception by Har Beracha Yeshiva Head Rabbi Eliezer Melamed.

Rabbi Melamed told the pastor: "We are very glad to host our distinguished guest. We were glad to hear that you support the Nation of Israel and that you are happy that we have returned to the Land of Israel. We hope that people like you imbue the world with much truth, goodness and kind acts."

Pastor Adeboye said: "I believe that the problems we see between Jews and the rest of the world are because they are G-d's chosen. When you are special in the eyes of G-d, automatically people will dislike you. I do not see why anyone should think that the Jews may not live in their homeland. I believe that no matter how hard they try, they will not be able to move the Nation of Israel from the place G-d gave their forefathers."

But, what this avodah zarah leader did not tell you, is that he is an active, Christian missionary, being so bold as to use the term "Fishing For Men's Souls," on his RCCG organization's website. Their are much too disgusting to post here.

Apparently, no one told Rabbi Melamed either. I find it very difficult to believe that he would ever allow such a person enter the town where is seen as the spiritual leader, Har Bracha.

At least on avodah zarah practicing family is already entrenched there. So, it is becoming increasingly difficult to accept his complete ignorance of what has been occurring in his town.

Perhaps Melamed needs to find a[nother] native English speaker to check into these people and projects for him, before he signs on

Did these "leaders" in Samaria know of Adeboye's missionary beliefs and goals?

Did they want to know?

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

"Torah-Observant" Jews Bring More Avodah Zarah Into Israel

25 of the Fifth Month 5771

Is the whole Glen Beck "Bring Crap To Jerusalem" series of events over yet?

Is he gone yet?

Then make way for the next "honored" Christian to be welcomed in the Holy Land....
Influential Nigerian Pastor To Visit Israel Next Week
Deputy Minister Kara is back from a trip intended to rally support for Israel in Africa.

Gil Ronen, August 17, 2011

(Gershon Mesiqa, Samaria Council Head; David HaIvri, his assistant; Adeboye; Likud MK Ayoub Kara)

Nigerian Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), will visit Israel next week and meet the Prime Minister and President....
I find it interesting that both this trip to Nigeria, and the various events of current, Israeli Right-wing poster boy Glen Beck, have been taking place during this time of year, when our traditional readings are from the beginning and middle of the Book of Devarim (Deuteronomy).

דברים ז,כה-כו (פר' עקב)
פְּסִילֵי אֱלֹהֵיהֶם, תִּשְׂרְפוּן בָּאֵשׁ; לֹא-תַחְמֹד כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב עֲלֵיהֶם, וְלָקַחְתָּ לָךְ--פֶּן תִּוָּקֵשׁ בּוֹ, כִּי תוֹעֲבַת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ הוּא. וְלֹא-תָבִיא תוֹעֵבָה אֶל-בֵּיתֶךָ, וְהָיִיתָ חֵרֶם כָּמֹהוּ; שַׁקֵּץ תְּשַׁקְּצֶנּוּ וְתַעֵב תְּתַעֲבֶנּוּ, כִּי-חֵרֶם הוּא


Deuteronomy 7:25-26 (Parashath Eqev)
The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire; thou shalt not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein; for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God. And thou shalt not bring an abomination into thy house, and be accursed like unto it; thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a devoted thing.
Sounds pretty clear to me. Of course, we do rely on our feelings and guess work when attempting to understand random verses in Torah. We turn to our Oral Tradition, our unbroken chain from Moshe Rabbeinu.


Only a few verses before Parashath Eqev in Parashath We'ethhanan, we are presented with the negative misswah of "Lo Tehonem" - Do not have mercy [upon them].
דברים ז,ב (פר' ואתחנן)
וּנְתָנָם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, לְפָנֶיךָ--וְהִכִּיתָם: הַחֲרֵם תַּחֲרִים אֹתָם, לֹא-תִכְרֹת לָהֶם בְּרִית וְלֹא תְחָנֵּם

Deuteronomy 7:2
and when the LORD thy God shall deliver them up before thee, and thou shalt smite them; then thou shalt utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them;
Included in this misswah, are the prohibitions against providing them with medical care , selling them houses or land, giving them gifts, or even saying anything nice about them or about their actions (Ramba"m Hil Avodah Zarah 10:3-7).

We are not to do anything which makes it easy for them to get any hold on the land, and (God forbid!) settle here.

The verse states very clearly what we are supposed to do. Not having mercy on them is mentioned last in the list. It is only a worst care scenario, when we are unsuccessful in carrying out the first three instructions.

Each time we say to ourselves, "I can handle them; they can't convert me," or "They don't want to convert me," or "I can be their friend and take their money," we are moving in the opposite direction that the Torah intends. Some of the, now forgotten, reasons behind many of our misswoth, separate us, and keep us away from these people.

Our history with one group of practitioners of avodah zarah, the Christians, parallels the Torah too closely for comfort.

Esau got angry at his brother Ya'aqov for taking his birthright. He chased after him, with the intentions killing him. That strategy did not work. So, upon receiving gifts and placation from Ya'aqov, Esau tried a new strategy. He welcomed Ya'aqov, and wanted Ya'aqov to join with him.

Ya'aqov did the correct thing. He made excuses for why he could not come with him, and in the end he stayed as far away as possible.

Many sources teach that Yesh"u (acronym for may his name and memory be wiped out) was the reincarnation of Esau.

The Christians first tried to kill us, convert us, or segregate us. The latter part of the 20th Century, the Christians changed their tact, proclaiming their love for Israel, the Jewish People, and our Torah. The Hebraization of Christianity accelerated. More and more Christians were donning kippoth (male head covering) and talithoth (four-cornered, fringed garment)Jews were taken in by Esau's most dangerous weapons, the tongue and the smile, along with knowledge of the Bible and Hebrew which surpasses that of most assimilated Jews.

While Jews were already being lost, left and right, to Esau through intermarriage, Esau was also harvesting Jewish souls to his avodah zarah (forbidden worship).

Anyone who bothers to do the research will see that many of these groups have their eyes not only only Jewish souls, but on our Land. There are those claiming to be descendants of Israel's tribes, and thus claiming areas of our Land as their inheritance. They believe that as they take on misswoth (Torah commandments), the Jews will take on their belief in Yesh"u as their messiah.

Enter the Jews. Believing we need [human] allies to balances out the power of the Left's alliances with Yishma'el (Arabs) and his sympathizers, Right-wing Jews opened their eyes to the great opportunities which Esau presented: public relations influence within the U. S. Congress, and, of course, money.
דברים טז,יט (פר' שופטים)
וְלֹא-תִקַּח שֹׁחַד--כִּי הַשֹּׁחַד יְעַוֵּר עֵינֵי חֲכָמִים, וִיסַלֵּף דִּבְרֵי צַדִּיקִם...

Deuteronomy 16:19 (Parashath Shofetim)
...not should you take a bribe, for a bribe blind the eyes of the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous.
Our Sages z"l teach us that עשו שונא ליעקב - Esau hates Ya'aqov, yet we never learn. Instead we are continually fooled by Esau's next choice of weapon. We fool ourselves into thinking that this time it will somehow be different.

We are supposed to destroy avodah zarah, not invite the people who practice it into our homes as honored guests.

*********

A great collection of Jewish sources on the subject of Christianity can be found on the Jewish Teachings Blog, in the piece The Pope, Yeshu The Bastard, & The Messiah, following the main article, "Why The Pope Came To Mt. Zion" by Rabbi Efraim Sprecher.

Also, don't be fooled by those Christians who try to distance themselves from the Vatican and Catholicism, or say "That's not the real Christianity that we practice."

They all believe in the same texts which they hold to be sacred.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Haveil Havalim #326 Is Up!

21 of the Fifth Month 5771

Haveil Havalim #326 is up at Velveteen.

It's the Post-Tu b'Av Edition.

To Hate The Sin But Not The Sinner?

21 of the Fifth Month 5771

Since the release of Edition #325 of the Haveil Havalim Blog Carnival, hosted at To Kiss A Mezuzah, I fallen into a bit of a discussion with the blog's owner, Susan Esther Barnes, one who identifies as a "Reform Jew."

I will not reveal the contents of private e-mails. However, you can begun by reading Susan's post "I Don't Hate The Person. I Just Hate Their Actions."

Then you can read my response below.

Susan and I appear to have radically different views on Judaism, among other things.

Yet, I thought I would give engaging in a dialogue with her a shot, especially since, so far, we seem to have been able "to disagree, without being disagreeable."

The concept used for the title of this piece is often associated with a non-Jewish philosophy, and does not quite fit in with Torah-observant thought and lifestyle.

But, it's catchy.

*********

Hi, Susan, I'm glad you wrote this, as it continues the dialogue(?) we seem to have begun.

In a nutshell, I think that you made some good points, and that you and I have mostly have a disagreement on semantics.

I definitely disagree on how you applied your Torah sources, as they do not appear to be fleshed with the full understanding and clarification which HaZa"L provides us. But, of course,...I could be mistaken.

When you say נעשה ונשמע, please remember that this refers to both the Written and the Oral Torah.

It is interesting that I am highly critical of those who allow feelings to enter the determination of halakha. Yet, here I am, in a way, defending my feelings. Of course, I am not trying to use my feelings to support an halachic argument. I am simply stating what they are.

In a similar light to what you stated above, feelings are something I experience, but do not necessarily have to act on them.

Remember the silly cliche...
"Some of my best friends are...(fill in the blank)?"
Well, I actually do have friends who are not Torah observant. Either never have been, or were, and have some issue with God they need to work out. I love these friends. But I do hate their Shabbath desecration and their enjoyment of shell fish.

Perhaps that other cliche applies here, too:
The opposite of love is not hate, but indifference.
If I didn't care, then I wouldn't have such strong feelings (ie. hatred) about it.

But, I do care.

When I have non-Torah observant friends over for Shabbath dinner, without any expectation of "forced observance" on them, is that not compassion for my friends? My only requirement is that they let me know in advance what they do not or cannot eat

I do not allow any "live" electronics in the house, unless they belong to a soldier, security officer, paramedic, or on call medical professional. Not do I allow smoking in the house,... even during the rest of the week.

Is that not showing compassion, and tolerance?

Some might say it is a condescending and secret plot to brainwash other Jews into my way of thinking.

Well, it is!

Not exactly. It is not a secret plot. All of my friends know that I would love to see all Jews keep Torah and misswoth. But, they also know that I recognize that is not our current reality.

Building connections with Jews is important to me, but I do not have to like, nor tolerate Shabbath desecration or the eating of non-kosher food, etc., just as I do not have to like nor tolerate the despising of the Holy Land by some of those Jews who do keep Shabbath and kashruth.

Perhaps, hate is not the precise word to apply here, just the best choice I could think of at the time. I'm not sure. The word "frustrated" does not cut it for me.

Maybe it is not rational, but as one Human responded to a Vulcan, who was complaining about the irrationality of human emotions:
"Since when are human emotions supposed to be rational?"
Food for thought.

What Israel Did While No One Was Looking

Motza'ei Shabbath Qodesh Parashath Eqev 5771

Most of us (I hope) know that...
YNET: Man Killed, Baby Hurt As Rockets Pound The South

At least one man killed, four seriously wounded after rockets hit southern town of Beersheba; elsewhere, four-month-old baby, eight-year-old girl hurt after rocket hits Ofakim home

Southern Israel faces major rocket offensive: At least one man was killed and four others sustained serious wounds, including a woman in grave condition, after rockets fired from the Gaza Strip hit the southern town of Beersheba Saturday evening.

Local residents said the Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepted some of the rockets fired at the city in Saturday's salvo. The Popular Resistance Committees claimed responsibility for the deadly barrage.
And while everyone was focused on the Arab terror pounding the South...
ערוץ 7: כוחות הביטחון הורסים את "רמת מיגרון"
מוצ"ש פר' עקב תשע"א, 22:18

כוחות הביטחון הורסים בשעה זו את מאחז "רמת מיגרון" בבנימין. במהלך השבת נעצרו במקום למעלה מעשרה צעירים בחשד כי תקפו ילד פלסטיני מרמאללה.

Arutz 7: Security Forces Are Destroying "Ramat Migron"
August 20, 2011, 10:18 PM

Security forces are destroying "Ramat Migron" in the Binyamin Area. More than 20 youth were arrested on Shabbath on suspicion of attacking a Palestinian boy from Ramallah.
What was a "Palestinian" boy doing in the area anyway? It is pretty far from Ramallah, unless you have a car.

Nonetheless, we cannot just let this news item fly under the radar.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Terror Strikes Southern Israel! Is Egypt To Blame?

19 of the Fifth Month 5771

At least seven people were killed, and 33 injured in today's terrorist attack.
YNET: Sinai A Terror Hotbed

Analysis: Egypt lost control over Sinai in wake of Mubarak’s fall; Israel paying the price

Roee Nahmias, August 18, 2011

Sinai turns into terror hotbed – and Israel is first to pay price: Thursday’s terror offensive in southern Israel, which may have come from the Sinai, serves as further evidence that Egypt has lost control over the peninsula. Ever since Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s ouster in February, al-Qaeda terrorists have been boosting their activity in the area....
I wish that I could agree, and blame the Arabs. I love blaming the Arabs. After all, they are our enemies and very much stingers in our eyes and thorns in our sides (Numbers: 50:35).

The primary mistake of the secular, European elitist-controlled, Israeli Government is to relate to the Arabs as if they are Western, progressive Europeans, with whom we just have to talk a little more, in whom we just have to invest a little more, to whom we just have to give a little more (Read: co-dependence).

The U. S. and England (...the Netherlands, France, Denmark, Switzerland, & Sweden) have been repeating this same mistake, expecting different results, for years.

On the other hand, Israel does not have any excuse for repeating this mistake. Israel is filled with experts on dealing with Arabs and Muslims, our brothers from Iraq, Iran, Yemen, and North Africa. Yet, even many of them have given up trying to warn those of us originating from Western countries. We are too stubborn to listen; we think we know it all already.

Second of all, Egypt was a problem long before Mubarak fell. Egypt was a problem, long before we gave up the Sinai Desert and Azza.

The Egyptian border is vast, and difficult to defend. But it would not be as difficult as it is, if the Israeli Government had been taking the necessary action to prevent terrorist acts from occurring in the first place. Force is what the Yishma'elim (Arabs) understand. Anyone who picks up the Tana"kh (Bible) can see that. anyone suggesting that "they can change overnight" needs to take a closer look at the writings of HaZa"L (Our Sages, may their memories be for blessings) and the Rishonim.
IsraelNN.com: Netanyahu: We Hit Back Immediately And With Force
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told Israelis "The people who gave the order... are no longer living."

Gavriel Queenann & Gil Ronin, August 18, 2011

Prime Minister Netanyahu gave a very short statement before press cameras at 8:30 P.M. Thursday evening following the lethal three-stage terror attack that claimed 7 Israeli lives and saw 33 wounded....

This was the correct response, of course. But who decides when to stop? The Israeli Prime Minister or Western governments whose tuchuses we keep trying to kiss?

In 2006/תשס"ו, goyim decided that we leave Lebanon, and do a half-ass job while we were there.

In 2009/תשס"ט, goyim decided when we were finished in Azza, even though the job was only half done.

The Arabs know this, and they use it against us.

The Arabs attack us. Then we attack back. They know full well that all they have to do is throw around the current buzz words, like "escalation" and "humanitarian crisis," wait it out, take a break, and then restart the attacks.

That is the true "Middle Eastern cycle of violence." How anti-Jewish groups like b'Tselem and J-Street can be so blind to this pattern is beyond me.

It just goes to show you how powerful the influence of 2,000 years of galuth (exile) has been on us.

It is time to stop playing the victim, in order to convince goyim to like us and to validate our existence. We must start taking full responsibility for the safety or our own people. We must stop doing what the goyim (non-Jews) want, at the expense of what is good for the safety and prosperity of Israel and the Jewish People.

Fudging Where You Live

18 of the Fifth Month 5771
A: Where do you live?

B: Rockridge

A: Where's that?

B:
(mumbled) It's on the edge of Oakland, right next to
BERKELEY.

Dude. You live in Oakland, or Oaktown, or whatever you want to call it. Get over it.

People say they live in Rockridge, even if they don't, because they don't want you to know that they live in Oakland.

If you have never lived in Northern California, though, then you probably have no idea what I'm talking about.

Well, many of you have heard of La Jolla. Many of you have even met people from La Jolla.

Well, this may come as a shock to you, but La Jolla is just a neighborhood in the City of San Diego. that's right. It's a neighborhood, and not its own, incorporated city. Yes, it has its own special, non-San Diego, zip code, but it's still, just a neighbor. It has famously incredible sunsets, but still, it's just a neighborhood, not a city.

News Flash! Hollywood isn't a city either, its own honorary mayor aside; it's a NEIGHBORHOOD in Los Angeles. And, if you live a mile away from Hollywood, guess what! You do NOT live in Hollywood.,

If the California context still isn't working for you, then please allow me to translate.

It's kind of like saying you're from Riverdale, instead of The Bronx. Riverdale is in The Bronx. For years, as a non-New Yorker, I was fooled into believing that Riverdale was its own separate entity, sort of part of New York City, and sort not. No one from Riverdale was ever willing to make this clear to me. Instead, the subject of the conversation was quickly changed. Heaven forbid anyone should know that Riverdale is in The Bronx!

It seems that not so recently, Park Slope has also declared its independence from Brooklyn.

The same sort of shenanigans occur in Israel, like when people say that they live in Ramat-Aviv, instead of Tel-Aviv. Unlike the incorporated cities of Ramat-Gan and Givata'im, Ramat-Aviv is just a neighborhood.

Only when it works to their advantage do they, all of a sudden, become residents of Tel-Aviv.

Israeli Chief Rabbi Yonah Metzgar was the rabbi of the Ramat-Aviv neighborhood. Yet, one sometimes hears that he was "a former chief rabbi in Tel-Aviv." This is a true statement. But, why is the name of the exclusive neighborhood of Ramat-Aviv suddenly omitted?

Most of the time in Israel, though, people do not try to cover up their city; they just fudge their neighborhood a bit.

The area making up the Jerusalem neighborhood of Rehavia has magically grown, over the years.
Nope. Sorry. Look at the map. You do NOT live in Rehavia; you live in ROSCO.

People also like to say that they live in the trendy neighborhood of Baq'a, instead of Talpiot.

After all, Talpioth is know for malls, dance clubs, and an industrial park. So, who would want to live there?!

When confronted with this little white lie, the excuse which invariably get fired back is "I say that I live in Baq'a, because Americans don't know where Talpiot is."

Yeah, right! Like Americans have never heard of Talpiot! It is the home of Papagayo, one of the most popular restaurants among American. I suppose that pretty soon, people will start claiming that Papagayo is in Baq'a.

Somewhere in between Rehavia and Baq'a is the super-duper, industrial strength, trendy neighborhood of Old Qatamon. Somehow, its borders have also magically expanded over the years. I have even heard people who live in Pat claim Old Qatamon as their neighborhood of residence. You may be close to Qatamonim, but you're nowhere's near Old Qatamon. In all fairness, I used to get those neighborhoods all mixed-up, too.

A friend just reminded me that there are those, too, who say they live in Sanhedria instead of Ramot Eshkol. Why? Much frumer.

So, where do you live? Or, rather, where do you say you live?

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Sara Netanyahu's "Natural Surroundings"

18 of the Fifth Month 5771

I was tipped off to this news item, and inspired to write a response to it by my friend "Aryeh from Beth Shemesh."

I have "color-coded" it for emphasis.
IsraelNN.com: Sarah Netanyahu Meets Philippine Girl

Wife of the Prime Minister, Sarah Netanyahu met Ofek, the 4-year-old Philippine girl set for deportation. “Detaching a child from their natural surroundings can be traumatic,” she said. Yesterday, Mrs Netanyahu appealed the Minister of Interior Affairs to have Ofek released from Ben Gurion airport.

No, Sara'leh. Israel is NOT the "natural surroundings" of a Philippine girl.

Israel is the "natural surroundings" of Jews.

In תש"ח/1948, with the help of the Holy One, Blessed Be He, we were able to re-established an official presence in our "natural surroundings."

Maybe I should back up at bit. Rewind...

Around 3,500 years ago, the Holy One, Blessed Be He, promised Avraham, Our Forefather, that Israel will be our "natural surroundings" for all times, and although we would be "detached" from them, the "detachment" and "trauma" would only be temporary. He reiterated the promise to his son Yitzhaq and then to Yitzhaq's son, Ya'aqov.

"Detachment" from our "natural surroundings," and subsequent "trauma"occurred two more times.

Fast forward...

In תשכ"ז/1967, we Jews living in our "natural surroundings" were attacked by Arabs who wanted to "detach" us from our "natural surroundings," and to take possession of our "natural surroundings" for themselves.

Again, with the help of the Holy One, Blessed Be He, we not only were able to defeat our enemies and to hold onto to our "natural surroundings," but we were also able to take back some of our additional "natural surroundings," including the City of Jerusalem (ie. our ancestral territories of Yehudah, Binyamin, and Efraim, as well as both halves of Menasheh).

In תשס"ה/2005, Jews who were living in Azza and the Northern Shomron (Samaria) up until six years ago, were living in their "natural surroundings," but were then "detached" from them.

Where were you to express your concern for Jews being "detached" from their "natural surroundings" then?

Incidentally, where were you to express your outrage at the horrendous and abusive treatment, not to mention "trauma," incurred by Jewish teens, held in prison without bail, due to their "crime" of civil disobedience?

In תשס"ו/2006, we were attacked, yet again by Arabs, from the north. Our brave soldiers pushed our enemies back, all the way up to the Litani River, not so coincidentally, the true northern border of our "natural surroundings." (ie. the northern halves of our ancestral territories of Asher and Naftali) Yet, our brave IDF were then "detached" from them. According to your logic, they must have been "traumatized." Surely, a Jew would feel more "trauma" by being "detached" from his "natural surroundings," than a four year old non-Jew being re-attached to her "natural surroundings," in the Philippines.

I have doubt that it will be emotionally difficult for her at first. But, I also have no doubt that she will live, and get through the experience.

Jews, currently living outside of Israel, are not living in their "natural surroundings." They are "detached" from them, and in my opinion, in denial over the "trauma"
they are experiencing, having not made aliyah (immigration to Israel).

When pressed, even the most anti-Zionist, religious Jew will acknowledge that Israel is much the "natural surroundings" of the Jewish People (...but only after the arrival of the Mashi'ah, of course).

On September 5, 2002/כ"ח אלול תשס"ב, you were quoted in the Hebrew news daily Yedioth Aharonoth, as saying...

"Why make any effort? Let's leave Israel, and the State will burn."

You did apologize for making this statement. And, I would like to assume that you are truly sorry and regretful for your comments of nine years ago. But after your most recent statement, it seems as though you are still confused over exactly whose "natural surroundings" Israel is.

The four year old Philippine girl's "natural surroundings" are in the Philippines.

Sara Netanyahu, where are your "natural surroundings?"

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Tu b'Av Hob-Nobbing In Nahla'oth

16 of the Fifth Month 5771


Last night, I was at a very nice Tu b'Av gathering, put together by local NachlaOr., and hosted by the newest addition to Jerusalem's network of guesthouses, Nachladorms.

Our host was musician Aryeh Ben-Chaim.

It was a very pleasant atmosphere, accompanied by Gavriel Saks on the Nachladorms, new baby grand piano, joined by a cello, and the occasional drabuqa of drummer Akiva Goldberg.

Jerusalem artists Dov Lederberg and Ya'el Avi-Yonah were in attendance, showing us some of their latest work. A former show will be opening later this summer at a Tel-Aviv gallery to be announced.

"Israel Beat" radio talk show host Ben Bresky was also there, checking out the local Nahla'oth scene.

Jacky Levy was a no show. His loss.

With all of the other events going on in Nahla'oth and in Jerusalem as a whole, I definitely made the right choice.

...with all due respect to Ya'akov Shweky.

Will Jerusalem Residents Finally Get Their Light Rail AND Ride On It, Too?

16 of the Fifth Month 5771

Has the wait of Jerusalem residents for light rail service to begin finally come to an end?

(Translated from Hebrew)

Arutz 7: The First Stage Trips Will Be Free
Trips on the light rail will be free in the first stage of operation. "The decision was accepted out of a desire to be oft benefit to Jerusalem residents as a period of adjustment."

Uzi Barukh, 16 Menahem Av 5771

Citipass, the company holding the tender for the Jerusalem light rail, will begin operations this Friday. During the first phase trains will operate in a trial run structure with passengers....

(Tip Credit: Cosmic X in Jerusalem)

I guess we will find out on Friday.

Be prepared for a total revamping of the Jerusalem bus lines, to reduce the traffic on Agrippas Street and elsewhere. The new bus lines are already listed on the newly posted maps at each light rail station.

Most buses will carry passengers only as far as the nearest light rail station, encouraging light rail travel, and reducing the number of buses running parallel to the light rail.

It does not appear that neighborhoods which are far from stations, such as Har-Nof, Har Homah, Gilo, and Ramot, will be significantly impacted.

Meanwhile...
IsraelNN.com: Israel on Track to Change Transportation Map with Trains
The Transport Ministry has mapped plans to revolutionize the country with new train tracks in the Galilee and Tel Aviv suburbs.

Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu, 16 Menahem Av 5771

The Transportation Ministry has mapped plans to revolutionize the country with new train tracks in the Galilee and Tel Aviv suburbs, moves that also may help solve housing problems....
This piece seems to have significance, only due to claims by Transportation Minister Yisra'el Ka"tz that train service will improve the housing situation. Actually, this is just a confirmation of previously announced plans for lines connecting...
Akko with Karmiel and Qiriyath Shemona
Haifa with Afula, Beth Sha'an, and possibly into Jordan
Ashqelon with Be'er Sheva, through Ofakim, Netivoth, and S'deroth
Be'er Sheva with Arad, and a separate line to Eilat
Hetzliya with Ra'anana and K'far Saba, completing a loop through Petah Tiqwah to Tel-Aviv
High speed service between Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv via Modi'in and Ben-Gurion Airport is expected sometime around the year 2016.

For now, I will settle for getting to the Shuq and the center of Jerusalem by light rail.

See you on Friday!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Jewish Rights On The Temple Mount (זכויות ליהודים בהר הבית)

14 of the Fifth Month 5771
י"ד לחודש החמישי תשע"א

*הגרסא בעברית נמצא למטה.

Jewish Rights On The Temple MountTo: Yitzchak Aharonovitch
Minister of Internal Security
Government of Israel


Jewish Rights on the Temple Mount:

The Temple Mount is the holiest place in the world to the Jewish people; yet Jews are denied the right to pray in groups, and even as individuals; this refusal is accompanied by their constant degradation, and they are granted no opportunity for any religious expression whatsoever on the Temple Mount.

It is our position that if the stature of the Jews on the Temple Mount were to change positively, in a manner that would reflect their status as law-abiding citizens, sons of the nation that is sovereign on the Mountain and as people who have basic human rights in the Jewish state, then the standing of the State of Israel would immediately improve. This would effect a positive change for the benefit and security of all its citizens....

Click here to read the rest of the petition and to sign it!

For updates on what is happening concerning the Temple Mount, follow the Temple Mount Updates Blog!

לכבוד
יצחק אהרונוביץ
השר לביטחון הפנים


הר הבית הוא המקום הקדוש ביותר ליהודים בכל העולם כולו, אך עדיין בקשתם של היהודים להתפלל במניין עדיין נדחת, ואפילו כיחיד. ההתנגדות הזאת מצורפת להשפלה הקבועה שלהם, ולא מוענקת להם שום אפשרות להביע את דתם בהר הבית.

זוהי העמדה שלנו שאם מעמדם של היהודים בהר הבית ישתנה לטובה, בצורה שתשקף את מעמדם בתור אזרחים שומרי חוק, בנים של אומה ריבונית על ההר וכאנשים שיש להם זכויות אדם' בסיסיות במדינה יהודית, אז היציבות של מדינת ישראל תשתפר באופן מיידי. זה ייצור שינוי חיובי לתועלת ולבטחון כל התושבים.

ללחץ כאן כדי לקרוא את שאר העצומה ולחתום על זה.

לעדכונים לגבי הר הבית תראה את האתר (אנגלית): עדכוני הר הבית!


Shimon Peres And More "Secret Talks"

14 of the Fifth Month 5771

Shimon Peres appears to be at it again. Is the Israeli Public really that numbed out to care?

Apparently so.

My comments and countless question which need to be answered are interspersed in blue italics.
YNET: Abbas, Peres Held "Four Secret Meetings"

Shimon PeresPalestinian president claims Peres cancelled fifth meeting due to government's objection, official says

AFP, August 14, 2011

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas revealed he held four secret meetings with President Shimon Peres in a bid to revive stalled peace talks, a Palestinian official said Saturday.
Secret from whom? Secret from the K'nesseth? Secret from the Israeli public?

Granted we are not allowed to believe the lying Yishma'elites (Arabs), yet we must also be suspicious of the likes of Shimon Peres (See Ramba"m on Mishnah Avoth 1:6).

Plus, this far from the first time, secret negotiations have taken place, having been initiated by the anti-Jewish, anti-Israel, Erev Rav, "We know best," Left. Oslo and Geneva are two of the secrets we know about. After such illegal talks are discovered, there is usually some yelling in the K'nesseth and other such, symbolic protest, and then the instigators are hailed as "heroes of peace."
He quoted Abbas as saying at a meeting of his Fatah party on Friday that: "I met Shimon Peres four times in Amman and London in an attempt to restart negotiations and the peace process on a correct foundation."

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, added that Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had thwarted those efforts.
Because he just found out about them? Because they were leaked, and he did not want to incur the damage which came with it?
"Shimon Peres assured me that the negotiations between us could lead to results that could be adopted by the Netanyahu government," the official quoted Abbas as saying.
How could Shimon Peres provide such assurances?
"After the first four meetings, a fifth was scheduled in Amman, but Shimon Peres apologised and said, 'I'm sorry but the government does not accept that we negotiate and I cannot do anything,'" Abbas said at the Friday gathering, according to the official.

Israeli media reported in early August the cancellation of a planned secret meeting in Amman between Abbas and Peres after Netanyahu's refusal to give the president a clear mandate for negotiations.
Clear mandate? What was he doing giving a mandate at all?
A spokesman for the Israeli president, whose post is largely symbolic and ceremonial, declined comment.

In the absence of negotiations, the Palestinians are to present their bid for United Nations membership on September 20, Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki told AFP on Saturday, a move firmly opposed by Israel.

Is it a move firmly opposed by Israel? The Israeli Public opposes it, but does the K'nesseth? Does Shimon Peres?

Apparently, Peres's opinion is the only that matters.

The role of the President of the State of Israel is largely a symbolic and ceremonial one, definitely an apolitical one. See for yourselves: Basic Law: The President of the State.

If either former Presidents Moshe Katzav or Ezer Weitzman had run around poking his nose into political issues, the K'nesseth and the Israeli Public would have been in an uproar.

So, how is it that Shimon Peres has been getting away with it since he took office, without anyone even batting an eyelash?

I guess we have an additional hint as to who is really in control of the government in Israel, and has been for a very long time.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

The Agenda Within The Tents

11 of the Fifth Month 5771

By now, most of you have heard of the protests over the high costs of housing in Israel.

Also, by now, most of you have heard the admission that those with a "secular state" (Read: anti-Torah) agenda have hijacked the protests.

Thursday, posters just outside one such tent city in Downtown Jerusalem caught my eye. So, I decided to check out the tent city for myself.

"The People Demand Social Justice!"

"Social Justice?" Now, where have I heard that phrase before?

Oh, now I remember. It is a buzz word of the so-called Reform Movement. Most all "Reform" communities have a social justice committee.

In the U. S....
Social justice for minorities,...except Jews

In Israel...
Social justice for Arabs

Social justice for terrorists who kill Jews

Social justice for foreign workers and their children

And most recently?
Social justice for Christian missionaries, under the guise of "protecting religious freedom"
What about social justice for Torah observant Jews?
Well, Torah observant Jews are still following a "primitive" culture and lifestyle, based on superstition, and need to become enlightened and progressive, like us (and Europeans), and stop telling me to keep Shabbath, to stop selling pork and shellfish to other Jews, and stop have sex with whomever I want. How dare they violate my precious rights!

Religious settlers are worse than the usual fanatics, because they use our beautiful, Jewish mythology history as justification for violence and the stealing of Land which does not belong to them.

Read:
Torah observant Jews, Haredim and settlers in particular, are the source of all our ills, and can go to Hell,...the sooner the better.

"Protest Rally: The People Demand Social Justice"

Did I summarize the true beliefs behind Reform Social Justice fairly accurately?

I think so.

"Social Justice" is nothing less than pseudo-"rabbis" and other leftists ripping out newly planted vineyards, planted by settlers days before the start of the Shemitah Year, after which it is forbidden to replant them, until the next year.

"Social Justice" is nothing less than provoking Arabs to attack settlers.

"Social Justice" is nothing less than burning olive trees and cutting pipelines to Arab villages, and then blaming settlers for it.

"Social Justice" is nothing less that publishing maps of Jewish towns, so that they can easily be found on line by leftist and Arab infiltrators.

But, just how many native Israelis do you think are familiar with this connotation of the phrase "social justice?"

Maybe a handful,...if that.

The truth is that the protests over the high costs of housing were an excellent opportunity for Ahduth Yisra'el (Jewish Unity). The high costs of housing affect ALL of us.

The truth is, though, that unity under the protests never had a chance.

Expulsion From Azza, Sixth Anniversary: Who Was To Blame?

י' לחודש החמישי תשע"א


More than six years ago, Efraim Tashnady, long time resident of Neve Deqalim, approached his local rabbis to ask what they were doing to organize the struggle against their impending expulsion from their homes in Gush Qatif (Southern Azza).

The rabbi's response?
Rabbi: "Pray." 
ET: "To pray is good. But which practical steps are being taken?" 
Rabbi: "None. Pray. It is upon everyone to take personal inventory, with whichever rabbis he listens to. Not once in history have entire communities been led to such ruin." (What about Yamit?)
Most of the residents of Azza proceeded to follow this advice, and to remain in the same denial until it was too late.

And, what did other rabbis do?

Some rabbis actually aided in the expulsion. That's right. They actually told residents to leave their homes, and helped remove their belonging. Those "rabbis" included Shlomo Aviner, who is still prohibited from making rulings on niddah, yet continues to do so anyway, and Moti Elon, whose coercion of his students to engage in sexual acts with him was recently exposed by his peers.

This all took place the day after the Fast of the Fifth Month (9 b'Av). The day after the destruction of the Temple, it was still burning, thus the custom of Am Yisra'el to continue the refrain from eating meat, drinking wine, cutting ones hair, trimming ones beard, listening to music, and laundering clothes until the afternoon of the 10th.

The first tragedy to befall Am Yisra'el was the negative report on the Holy Land, brought back back the meraglim (spies), sent out by Moshe Rabbeinu (Numbers 13:23-33). The negative report resulted in the curse of mass deaths, each year on the 9th of the Fifth Month, killing off an entire generation of men. Only Yehoshu'a Bin-Nun and Kalev Ben-Yefuneh expressed their faith in HaQadosh Barukh Hu (The Holy One, Blessed Be He), defending the Land.

Meanwhile, Rabbi Dov Lior (Hevron-Qiriyath Arba) and Rabbi Zalman Melamed (Beth-El) were barricaded in a K'far Darom synagogue, fighting for Eretz Yisra'el, while watching over our youth, who were doing the same. These rabbis were the Yehoshu'a and Kalev of the day. The other "rabbis?" Well,...you can do the math on your own.

Heroes defending the Land were accused of being "provocateurs" of the Shabba"k (General Security Service) and otherwise demonized.

Daniel Pinner was acquitted of aggravated assault, a charge lessened from an original charge of attempted murder. He still had to serve a two year jail sentence. Go figure...

Others were place in "administrative detention," at the whim of the Israeli Justice system, on advisement of the Shabba"k.

So, on this sixth anniversary of the expulsion of Jews from Gush Qatif and the rest of Azza, we must take a look at who is really to blame, and whether we are going to trust these people again:

Mamlakhti "Rabbis" and the YeSh"A Council.

Below, for your convenience, I have re-posted the entire film Meraglim (Spies, 40 min.). You have not yet see it, I highly recommend that you do. If you have seen it, I recommend that you see it again.
Then after you get angry, you can cry by watching the video montage of Jewish life in Azza, and the subsequent expulsion, created by Efraim Tashnady's son P'niel.

*********
Part 1
This first part of the series introduces us to the lying liars of the Yehudah, Shomron, and Azza [YeSh"A] Council, and to the activists who regret having listened to them.

The lying YeSh"A Council members were honest about one thing. They were concerned about their public image.



Part 2
This part begins with the real manner in which YeSh"A Council members regard rabbinical rulings it does not like. It ignores them, or worse. (We have seen this approach before, among the members of the National Religious/Jewish Home Party.)

Rabbi Avraham Elqanah Kahana ShapiraThis part also brings forth the truth about then Rosh Yeshivath Merkaz HaRav Rabbi Avraham Shapira ztz"l's opinion regarding which takes precedence, Torah or Israeli law, when there is a conflict between the two. Mamlakhtim (religious, yet undying state loyalists) have tried to distort the presentation of Rabbi Shapira's views.

The YeSh"A Council found "other rabbis," who agreed with them. Shlomo Aviner, emphasized their presence, and then yelled to "listen to the rabbis!" Pure hypocrisy!

MK Effie Eitom at AmonaThe YeSh"A Council's imprisonment of activists at K'far Maimon is the focus of this part, as well as its collaboration with police.

Take note of then MK Effie Eitam hugging the police commander. One year later, he would incur a head injury at the Amona Pogram. Let's hope he has learned his lesson.



Part 3
Rabbi Avraham Shapira ztz"l did NOT care about public image (ie. PR). The YeSh"A Council distorted the presentation of the plan to enter Southern Azza (Gush Qatif) through its "military expert." This convinced Rabbi Shapira to withdraw his support for the plan.

In actuality, the YeSh"A Council's military expert Ami Shaqed provided activists with a different story, than that which was presented to Rabbi Shapira.

The YeSh"A Council continued to sabotage the protest efforts through the sneaky activities of Pinhas Wallerstein (Ofra, Then Binyamin Counil Head) and newly appointed member Rafi Ben-Bassad (Neweh Tzuf), including the dispersion of activists and more staged arrests.

Rabbinical collaboration is also exposed in this part.

Some IDF rabbis actually claimed it was permissible according to the Torah to expel all of these Jews from their homes, and to hand over the land to our most deadly enemies.

Shlomo Aviner is shown convincing the residents of Gan-Or to allow the IDF soldiers into their town. Until he arrived, Gan-Or residents had been preventing their entry successfully.

Rabbi Mordechai Elon uses his rhetorical skills to convince Netzer-Hazani residents to leave quietly. "Rabbi" Elon's sexual predation was recently exposed by his peers.

Meanwhile, everyone seems to be ignoring the greatest poseq and dayan of them all, Rabbi Shapira.*

The end of this part exposes the collaboration of YeSh"A Council Head Bentzi Lieberman with police, putting the nail in the coffin of Newe Deqalim, the largest Jewish town in Azza.



Part 4
This part begins with more collaboration on the part of Bentzi Lieberman, followed by the staged removal of Tzviki Bar-Hai and Ze'ev "Zambish" Hever, who then directs the violent expulsion from the Neweh Deqalim synagogue. (You've got to see this! It's so blatant and ridiculous that they thought they could hide it.)

The last two minutes provides a conclusion of not only this particular blot on Jewish history, but of the deeper issues facing the Jewish People:

We will let this happen again? Will we let the meraglim fool us again?

Will we again hold Israeli law above the Torah?




*********

*Rabbi Moshe Feinstein ztz"l showed his praise of Rabbi Shapira ztz"l by calling him "Dayan Eretz Yisrael" (The Judge of the Land of Israel).

Video Extras:

1. Staged expulsion of Sha'ul Goldstein, Mayor of Efrat.



2. Shlomo Wollins eyewitness account of Shlomo Aviner attacking a rabbi and Jewish children (English with Hebrew subtitles).

More On Sin'ath Hinam (Baseless Hatred)

10 of the Fifth Month 5771

As I just mentioned in another post, Sin'ath Hinam (baseless hatred) is a popular concept to mention this time of year, around the Fast of the Fifth Month.

But, do we really "walk the walk" as much as we like to "talk the talk?"

Here is something which I saw being sent around Facebook:

15 year old girl walking with her son this year. People call her a slut. No one knows she was raped when she was 13. People call an obese man fat. No one knows he's seriously ill, which makes him fat. People read one ugly old man. Nobody knows that he was wounded in his face while fighting a war for our country.

As cliché as the above may sound, not being so quick to judge others, is a good place to start.

Pottermore

10 of the Fifth Month 5771

Well, the last of the Harry Potter films came out. So, now, I guess all we have to look forward to are memes. Here's one I just found.

From Immantania Armansyah...

(Click To Enlarge)

Pottermore Name:

Jack Trapp

What Hogwarts House do you think it SOUNDS like:

Hufflepuff

What Hogwarts House do you WANT to be in:

Hufflepuff. They are the most loyal friends, and highly underestimated.

Does the username relate to you at all (why/why not):

Yes. Not telling.

What kind of wand would you wish to get:

Already have one: 12 1/2 inches, fig, talking donkey hair (See Numbers 22:28-33)



It's all in the wand, baby!


Pure Blood/Half Blood/Muggle Born:

Half Blood. Pure bloods are snooty and boring.

Which day 1-7 did you get into Pottermore:

Day 7

Cat, Rat, Owl, or Toad?:

Cat

Expecto Patronum! What is your patronus shape and why?:

A Badger.

Oh no! You’ve found a boggart! What does it look like?:

A snake.

Riddikulus! Now what does it look like?:

A Slinky.

Would you rather be an Animagus or a Metamorphmagus and why?:

Animagus, because they are more dramatic.

If you taught yourself to be an Animagus, what animal would best suit you and why?:

You can't teach yourself to be an Animagus. You're just born that way. But, I would probably be a badger, as I am a descendant of Helga Hufflepuff.

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