Haveil Havalim #174

צום הרביעי תשס״ח

How many of you knew that July 4, 1776 fell on the "Fast of the Fourth Month" (17 Tammuz)? Since a lot of nasty things happened to Israel on this date, what does this mean?

משנה תענית

ד,ו ...חמישה דברים אירעו את אבותינו בשבעה עשר בתמוז, וחמישה בתשעה באב. בשבעה עשר בתמוז--נשתברו הלוחות, ובטל התמיד, והובקעה העיר, ושרף אפסטמוס את התורה, והעמיד צלם בהיכל

Mishnah Ta'anith

4:6 ...Five things happened to our ancestors on the 17 of Tammuz, and five on the 9 of Av. On the 17 of Tammuz--the Tablets were destroyed, and the eternal flame was extinguished [in the Temple], and the city [of Jerusalem] was breached, and Epostemos burned the Torah, and a graven image was set up in the Temple....

Since the Destruction of the Second Temple, several other calamities have also occurred on the 17 of the Fourth Month, and have included:

4999 (1239) Pope Gregory IX ordered the confiscation of all manuscripts of the Talmud. (See Miriam's post at Shearim, elaborating on this, "The Church and the Talmud")

5151 (1391) More than 4,000 Jews were massacred in Toledo and Jaen, Spain

5319 (1559) The Jewish Quarter of Prague was burned and looted.

5704 (1944) The Kovno ghetto was liquidated.

5730 (1970) Libya ordered the confiscation of Jewish property.

So what about 5536 (1776)? Most all of us who grew up in the U. S. are grateful for the opportunities we received. The Jewish People has certainly fulfilled its "Light Unto the Nations" role, through its various successes and contributions to American society. The Jewish People has experienced freedoms in the U. S. unimaginable in some countries. Much Torah has been learned while in the U. S., and many Talmidei Hachamim have come out of American Yeshivas. American Jews have learned a great deal of wisdom of the nations while in the U. S., no doubt of great help to fellow Jews in Israel and around the world.

But has the Jewish People really done that well spiritually in recent years while in this neighborhood of Galuth?

Make aliyah,...now.

Food for thought....

(I await the onslaught of your comments....)

Founded by Soccer Dad, Haveil Havalim is a carnival of Jewish blogs -- a weekly collection of Jewish & Israeli blog highlights, tidbits and points of interest collected from blogs all around the world. It's hosted by different bloggers each week and coordinated by Jack. The term 'Haveil Havalim,' which means "Vanity of Vanities," is from Qoheleth, (Ecclesiastes) which was written by King Solomon. King Solomon built the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and later on got all bogged down in materialism and other 'excesses' and realized that it was nothing but 'hevel,' or in English, 'vanity.'

You will notice in this week's edition of Haveil Havalim, that there were a few main topics, covered by many bloggers, not the least of which being the arrival home of the bodies of Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser HY"D, and the "deal" made by the Israeli deMOCKratic government which brought them home.

Perhaps today, I should refer to it as the Israeli DEMONcratic government, as it is obviously possessed.

It was impossible to include every single post on this issue. Please feel free to leave additional post links in the comments section.

In spite of the focus of many hearts and minds on our brothers' return, I must still insist on opening this edition with the Torah section, for it is the source for how we are to live.

Torah

Parshath haShavu'a

Meanwhile, Velveteen Rabbi shares her feelings about Pinchas.

In stark contrast, Tomer Devorah shares hers. Batya at Shilo Musings gives us Pinhas -- The Not PC Torah Hero and Rabbi Akiva.

New to blogging, but not to activism, Ariel at The Torah Revolution shows how Parshat Pinchas argues against democracy as Torah concept.

And, finally, David Bedein of Israel Resource Review makes a connection between recent Parshath Balaq and today's events in Funerals End One Stage Of Israel, Lebanon War As Next One Begins.

There is a relatively new Torah blog on the scene. Although you have seen the Torat Yisrael parshah sheet around Israel off and on for a while now, the Torat Yisrael Blog made its on-line debut only a month ago. Here's a snippet from the blog's introduction by editor Shmu'el Tzvi Sokol:

For those of you in the know, this is the second incarnation of Torat Yisrael. A bi-weekly national-religious (Dati-Chareidi Leumi) publication in English is such a novel concept that we wanted to test the waters before starting up full time work on this project. In order to do so we decided to publish a test run to see how the community in Israel would accept an "alon shvu'i" such as this. The response from our readers was phenomenal and we decided to go ahead and publish on a regular basis. (Read more...)

Here are two more examples: "Can a gentile live in Jerusalem?" and "From Botzra To Basra."

I was supposed to write a post introducing it to the Blogosphere, but never got around to it. I am hoping that this billboard plug will make up for that.

Hashqafah, History, and Opinion...

The Rebbetzin's Husband takes issue with some pesuqim from Tehillim, Praised is the one who will grab and smash… (Psalms 137:8-9).

Understanding Secular Zionism in the Eyes of Rav Kook- In His Generation and Today is offered by Ari Shvat posting at Tzipiyah.

Also at Tzipiyah, Dan writes about the History of Eretz Yisrael from Creation until the Flood, and Ari Faust continues his series The All-Spiritual Afterlife, the Torah and Me, part 6.

Today, of course, is the Fast of the Fourth Month. To Batya, It's Not Fasting Weather, But...

Israel

Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser HY"D

I was hesitant to make a list and leave it at that. However, the titles really do speak for themselves, and thus do not require any commentary....

Lovers Of Peace Shira bat Sarah Rest In Peace Simply Jews

Coffins Something & Half Of Something What Price Morality? Super Raizy

More on the Release of Terrorists

Israel's Treason Sultan Knish A Very Bad Deal Cosmic X Prisoner Release: Huge Disgrace Lemon Lime Moon Captured Alive, Returned Dead Yid With Lid

Another Terrorist Giveaway Debbie Schlussel Swap Teaches Us To Kidnap More Seraphic Secret U. N. Soldiers Salute Hezbollah Terrorists Atlas Shrugged Giving Kuntar to the Terrorists The Torah Revolution

More On Terrorism

Danny at Israeli By Day, American By Night shows us how Fatah's Mahmoud Abbas is a Coward, and Elder Of Ziyon reports that the "peace dividend" spawns a new Fatah terrorist group.

Rafi at Life In Israel believes that the trade could still have been made even.

(Feel free to use this graphic.)

Meanwhile, Gazans will hold a mock trial to convict Gilad Shalit, reported by Elder Of Ziyon.

Cosmic X In Jerusalem provides us with some inside information about police department guidelines and the recent terrorist bulldozer attack in Bad Laws Promote Terrorism.

Tel-Chai Nation has the scoop on an Al-Qaeda Cell at Hebrew University.

In Can Israel Learn Anything From the Northern Ireland Peace Process?, Yid With Lid debunks some irrational ideas.

Planck's Constant has a solution to combat terror in Jerusalem. But does his idea go far enough?

Maybe Rubicon 3's does: Just bomb the living crap out of them and get it over with.

Israel vs. Persia

Reb Akiva reveals a telling midrash about the King of Persia which may be manifesting in front of our very eyes. Tomer Devorah does a Follow-up to the King of Persia.

Yitzchak at Judeopundit brings us Military Might and the Iranian Imagination.

Soccer Dad asks, Will the barn door be closed in time?

Israel vs. Edom

Yisrael juxtaposed to Yishma'el was covered a great deal this week, for obvious reasons. Yet, what about Esau/Edom?

In LIKUD SHOCKER!, Tomer Devorah reveals the collaboration between the Likud and Christians, and what the Christians are saying about it.

The Key To Redemption provides a detailed background of Christians' designs on the Land of Israel, and their plans in Ephraimites (Xtian Zionists) Form Alliance with Likud to Work Towards the Goal of Xtian Aliyah.

Politics

My Right Word is a bit upset at the inter-fighting going on in Yesha (Judea & Samaria). In "Zambish Defended; A House Divided?" he gives us the latest on the on-going poster-rhetoric battles. In my [not so] humble opinion, this is the latest evidence supporting the existence of two, not just one, Religious Zionist community.

Media Watch

Aussie Dave at Israeli Cool provides a time line of reports on the release of the child killer. Pay close attention to the descriptions by Arabs in The Lives He Took.

Elder Of Ziyon gets to the bottom of Arab news media in Israel. They seem to have "issues" with Nefarious Zionists.

Always on the look out for examples of media bias, My Right Word displays one highlighted by Ze'ev Jabotinsky from 1922 concerning Haaretz newspaper.

Life In Israel

Rafi at Life In Israel reports some good news with the Train Minyan Introduces New Torah Scroll.

I would like to conclude this week's rather heavy and sorrowful Israel section with some more joyful news in Isramom's heartfelt post "My Baby's Baby."

Galuth

News

Life Of Rubin gives Some Thoughts on the Kiryas Yoel, NY MAG Article. Jack chimes in, too, with Fleeing From Holiness.

Daled Amos scrutinizes the Saudi Arabian Inter-Faith Conference in Madrid.

On a more positive note, Daled Amos reports that A New Pro-Israel Group Takes Campuses By Storm.

U. S. Election-Related

Obama's Disdain For Israel and the Jewish Community from Yid With Lid is self-explanatory.

Personal

A Simple Jew explores the issue of prayer in There But Nor Really There.

Frume Sara explores the issue of God In The Blink of an Eye, and On The Fringe explores Faith.

The Rebbetzin's Husband brings us more on his take as a rabbi in The Synagogue's Four Letter Word: RSVP.

Batya shares her synagogue experience while in traveling in galuth in Closed For The Holidays."

Super Raizy gives some important parenting tips in Teenagers Are Lazy.

Slices Of Life

Child Ish Behavior shares 30 Odd Blocks on the Not Just Typical blog. More on Jewish life in New York comes from On The Fringe in "...Not A Drop o Drink," Redux.

Jacob Da Jew did what many of us would like to do. Find out what he did in "I'm Done."

Whoever said nothing is free? Soccer Dad found this: 11 free books on Judaism to first taker.

History

Daled Amos reveals Jewish Secrets of the Sistine Chapel and reminds us of our Jewish brethren in China. Are the Olympics a Missed Opportunity for Israel to Renew Ties with Them?

Soccer Dad provides us with The Army's Top 10 Inventions and the Legacy of Harry Diamond.

Music

The Life Of Rubin presents a very extensive review Lipa Schmeltzer's new CD "A Poshiter Yid."

In contrast, Teru'ah reports on Heeb Magazine's Jewish Music Bashing. Quite frankly, I don't know why HM is given the time of day. But, I'm glad Teru'ah is around to keep tabs on them,...so I don't have to.

Sports

I guess I'm a little slow here, but did you know there is a contact football league in Israel? Rafi did, and reported on this ages ago. Who knew? Does this mean I have really left Galuth, now that I am totally clueless the American encroachments? I am sure some of you will call American Football "hachmah," and thus acceptable to bring to Israel. Well, I don't know about that. But since a certain player from a certain IFL team used to be my next door neighbor, I suppose I might just have to drag Rafi and Mark to a game.

Jacob can also come. But he'll have to lose the wedding band, learn how to belch, and ride on a Mehadrin bus to get there.

OK, fine! Jameel can come, too. (eyes rolling)

OK. Wait. Jack can come, too,...when he's not training for the Ironman -- Staving Off Old Age.

(Note: If you're not listing above, I did not intentionally try to hurt your feelings,...honest.)

In Pictures

Speaking of Galuth, Batya just got back, and she took pictures. Check them out on The Eye of the Storm Blog.

Meanwhile, Yisrael Medad turns photographer with a picture in Meah Shearim.

Batya also gives us a another look at the "deal" for the return of our soldiers in Pictures Speak.

Meta-Blogging

Blogging In The News

Akiva at Mystical Paths and Daled Amos tipped me off to the case of Harry's Place being sued by Hamas U. K. (YSh"W). The support banner comes courtesy of NeoConstant which has started a blog roll of supporters including Haveil Havalim contributors:


Barabara's Tchatzkes Stop Raping Israel Soccer Dad My Right Word

Fiery Spirited Zionist Atlas Shrugged Daled Amos Israel Matzav

If you would like to add your name to the Support Harry's Place Blogroll, and may get the code by contacting NeoConstant.


Bloggers Social

Shira at On The Fringe is planning a NYC Area Bloggers' Picnic.

Sounds like a great idea! Let us know how it turns out. Our planning for a bloggers' get together last summer here in Israel never seemed to get off the ground. (Unless, of course, you had one behind my back!)

Other Carnivals

Don't forget to check out this month's edition of the Kosher Cooking Carnival, which should be up at Soccer Dad's soon. Send your submissions for next month's edition via the on-line submission form.


Wrap Up

Ages ago, Jack told me that he has been continuing Soccer Dad's policy of giving discretion to the host.

I included almost every post submitted. The only exceptions were multiple submissions from the same blogger and spam.

I only received one spam item this time around. Are any other hosts receiving spam? Or is it just me?

Frume Sarah's World will hopefully let me know. She is hosting the 175th edition on Sunday, 24 Tammuz/July 27. Stay tuned!

As far as the 174th edition goes, that's a wrap, as they say.

Please send your posts for the next edition of the Haveil Havalim Blog Carnival via the Blog Carnival Submission Form. I found this to be very helpful in organizing your posts this week. Plus, it doesn't look like we have a host for next week, so there wouldn't be any other place to send your links to. If you're interested in hosting or receiving more information about the carnival, please contact Jack at talktojacknow-at-sbcglobal-dot-net.