יהודים עולים להר הבית בתשעה באב / Jews Ascend the Temple Mount on Tisha b'Av

י״ד לחודש החמישי תשפ״ד

English follows the Hebrew.

YNET: הקריאה החריגה של גדולי הרבנים בי-ם, עם כתוביות בערבית: "אין לעלות להר הבית"
ראש העיר משה ליאון פנה לבקשת גורמי ביטחון, הרבנים הבכירים נענו: יממה אחרי עלייתו של בן גביר להר הבית, חמישה רבנים גדולים פנו לציבור, בניסיון להרגיע את הרוחות גם ברחוב הערבי. "אסור לתת לשוליים קיצוניים להוביל אותנו", קבע הרב יצחק יוסף. הוא פנה לעולם: "אותם שרים לא מייצגים את ישראל"
שילֹה פריד | 14.08.2024

עשר אגורות (2¢):
במהלך השנים אני כותב על מה זאת אומרת להיות ״קיצוני״. בקיצור, האמונה שלהקב"ה ובאמצעות תורתו הקדושה יש סמכות גדולה יותר מאשר המדינה.

נראה שאנשי הממשלה מתיחסים לביטוי ״חוקי התורה קודמין לחוקי האדם" כאיום קיומי על מדינת ישראל. רבים מהתושבים בגבעת רונן ובישובים דומים ידועים באמונה זו.

איום קיומי נוסף שאנו רואים בתמונות ובסרטון אלו הוא מה שנראת הברית בין נוער מתנחל / נוער הגבעות, לנוער חרדי, המסורים לקיים מצוות למרות סיכון מעצר.

להשתחוות על אבן אסורה ליהודים למעט בהר הבית. יהודים אפילו נמנעים להשתחוות על בלטות שיש בהן אבנים.

לאותם יהודים בארה"ב ובמקומות אחרים שלעולם לא ידעו למה החזן משתחווה ביום כיפור רק לאחר שהונחה לו מגבת, אז עכשיו אתם יודעים.

תמיד אני מתנגד להצטלם בהר הבית כי בדרך כלל יש לתמונות אלו פרצופים מחייכים למרות צריכים לראות את ההפך הגמור בהן.

צריכים לעלות להר הבית אך ורק מתוך כובד ראש ומורא מקדש.

משנה תורה, הל׳ בית בחירה
ז,ו [ז] אף על פי שהמקדש היום חרב בעוונותינו, חייב אדם במוראו כמו שהיה נוהג בו בבניינו--לא ייכנס אלא למקום שמותר להיכנס לשם, ולא יישב בעזרה, ולא יקל ראשו כנגד שער המזרח: שנאמר "את שבתותיי תשמורו, ומקדשי תיראו" (ויקרא יט,ל; ויקרא כו,ב)--מה שמירת שבת לעולם, אף מורא מקדש לעולם, שאף על פי שחרב, בקדושתו עומד.

התמונות והסרטון שלמעלה מתעדים את המאמץ להנגד למדיניות ממשלת ישראל שזכויות הגוים קודמין זכויות היהודים באתר הקדוש ביותר בעולם. אם נראת כאן טיפ-טיפה של שמחה מרחוק, היא רק בזכות התקדמות הקמת זכויותינו להתפלל בהר הבית, שנאסרה עלינו מזה זמן רב על ידי ממשלת מדינתנו היהודית כביכול.

מוסלמים באים מסתובבים ועושים את כל מה שרוצים בהר הבית, אפילו פוגעים באתרים ארכיאולוגיים בניסיונם לשכתב את ההיסטוריה ואפילו משחקים כדורגל באתר הקדוש ביותר בעולם.

לא מקפידים בתיירים נוצרים כמו היהודים, אפילו על ידי הווקף. הם מתפללים בחופשיות לאלוהות-השקר שלהם. הם אפילו מוזמנים לעלות להר הבית על ידי יהודים מוטעים, שאינם מבינים כלל את כוונת הפסוק "בֵּית-תְּפִלָּה יִקָּרֵא לְכָל-הָעַמִּים" (ישעיהו נז, ז). הכוונה היא לא לתת לכולם להתפלל לכל מי שרוצים ואיך רוצים ​​בהר הבית.

בינתיים, מתייחסים ליהודים כאזרחים סוג ג׳ במולדתנו שה׳ נשבע לנו. המוסלמים הם סוג א׳, ותיירים לא-יהודים הם סוג ב׳+.

אני משבח את היהודים הללו על חוסר הציות האזרחי שלהם. אני מתפלל שיהודים יתחילו לבנות את בית המקדש השלישי, שרק המתפללים לקדוש ברוך הוא ובאופן הראוי, יורשו לעלות להר הבית. יהיה בזכות התמדת היהודים מוסרי נפש האלו.

שנזכה לראות את הבית השלישי במהרה בימינו!

יהודים צועקים ״ה׳ הוא האלהים!״ ומשתחווים בהר הבית.
הסרטון הזה מערוץ טלגרם של בנצי גופשטייןJews shouting "The Lord is God!" and prostrating themselves on the Temple Mount, in defiance of the State of Israel's insistence on maintaining the "status quo."
This video is from Bentzi Gopstein's Telegram channel.

שוטרי משטרת ישראל אפילו אחד חובש כיפה מונעים מיהודים מלהשתחוות בהר הבית.
Israeli Police officers, even one with a kippah, prevent Jews from prostrating themselves on the Temple Mount.

כמה היו מעטפים בטליתות שאסור להביא להר הבית כמו תפילין וסידורים.
Some were wearing talitoth (four cornered garments with tzitziyoth) which are forbidden to bring onto the Temple Mount, like tefillin (phylacteries) and siddurim (prayer books).

יהודים משתחווים בהר הבית למרות המדינות למנוע מהם לעשות את זה. וגם לא נותנים ליהודים  להתפלל בהר הבית למרות נותנים למוסלמים להתפלל שם.
Jews prostrate themselves on the Temple Mount in defiance of policy which prevents them from doing so. Jews area also not allowed to pray on the Temple Mount, in spite of Muslims being allowed to do so.

YNET: Senior Jerusalem rabbis urge in Hebrew, Arabic not to visit Temple Mount
Five prominent rabbis addressed the public aiming to calm tensions, particularly in the Arab community, following Itamar Ben-Gvir's visit and prayer on the Temple Mount; Video also meant for Western audience; 'We must not let extremist fringes lead us'
Shilo Freid | August 14, 2024

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
Over the years, I have addressed what it means to be a Jewish extremist. Simply put, it regarding The Almighty and His Holy Torah to be a higher authority that than the State.

The expression חוקי התורה קודמין לחוקי האדם "Torah Law takes precedence over manmade laws" seems to be perceived as an existential threat to the State of Israel. Many of the Jews in Giv'ath Ronen, and in communities like it, are known for this belief.

Another existential threat we see in these photos and video is the alliance between settler, or hilltop, youth and Haredi (untra-orthodox) youth, interested in performing mitzvoth (Torah commandments), even at the risk of arrest.

Prostrating on stone is forbidden to Jews, except for on the Temple Mount. Jews even avoid prostrating on floor tile, containing pieces of stone.

To those Jews in the U. S. and elsewhere who have always wondered why your hazzan (cantor) always prostrated himself on Yom Kippur, only after a towel was laid down for him, now you know.

I have always been againt posing for photos on the Temple Mount. These photos invariably include smiling faces, when the exact opposite is what is proper.

One should only ascend the Temple Mount, and be present there, in seriousness and reverance.

Mishneh Torah, Laws of the Temple
7:6 [7] Even though the temple today has been destroyed by our iniquities, a person is obliged to observe it just as he used to when it stood - he will not enter except where it is permitted to enter, and he will not sit down in the courtyard, and he will not be lighthearted by the east gate: as it is said, "My Sabbaths you will keep, and My Temple you will fear." (Lev. 19:30, 26:2)--What keeping the Sabbath is for ever, even fearing the Temple is for ever, and even though it is in ruins, its holiness stands.

The photos and video above document this endeavor to defy the Israeli government's policy of putting non-Jews first, on the Holiest site in the world. If any joy is remotely apparent here, it is only due to the progress being made in the assertion of our rights to pray on the Temple Mount, long forbidden to us by the government of our supposedly Jewish State.

Muslims come and go, and do as they please on the Temple Mount, including damage archaeological sites in thei fultile attempt to rewrite history. They also play soccer on the Holiest site in the world.

Christian tourists are hardly scrutinized like are Jews are, even by the Wakf. They pray freely to their false deity-messiah. They are even invited to ascend The Temple Mount by misguided Jews, who have no understanding whatsoever of what the verse "A House of Prayer for all nations" (Isaiah 56:7) truly means. It does not mean praying however, and to whomever one chooses, on the Temple Mount.

Meanwhile, Jews are treated as third class citizens in their own Divinely Promised Homeland, Muslims being the first class, and non-Jewish tourists the second.

I praise these Jews for their civil disobedience. I pray that one day, and soon, Jews will begin work on rebuilding the Temple. Only those praying to the Holy One, Blessed Be He, and in the proper manner, will be allowed to ascend the Temple Mount itself. When this happens, it will be due in part to the perseverance of these self-sacrificing Jews.

May we merit to see the Third Temple standing, speedily in our days!

האם דחיית שעון הקיץ תעזור לעם ישראל? / Will Postponing Israel's Daylight Savings Time Help Jews?

כ״ז לחודד השנים עשר תש״פ

שר הפנים אריה דרעי, צילום: אתר הכנסת
Minister of the Interior Aryeh Deri, Photo: Knesset website

YNET: למרות רצון הממשלה: דחיית שעון הקיץ בספק
היוזמה להארכת שעון החורף זכתה לאישור משפטי, אך נתקלה בבעיה טכנולוגית. מחשבים ומערכות רבות כבר מכוונות לעבור לשעון קיץ בחמישי בלילה ולא נותר זמן לדחות את המעבר. דרעי פנה לראש המל"ל בבקשה שיסייע במציאת פתרון

אמיר אלון: 22.03.20 , 22:40

היוזמה של שר הפנים אריה דרעי לדחות את הפעלת שעון הקיץ מוטלת בספק. זאת בשל העובדה שבמערכות הפעלה רבות של שרתים וציוד תקשורת הוגדר כבר המעבר לשעון קיץ השבוע - ולא ניתן להספיק לדחות את המעבר אצל כולם. ראש המל"ל נקרא לסייע במציאת פתרון.

רשות התקשוב הממשלתית ו"ישראל דיגיטלית" הודיעו הערב לדרעי כי תאריך המעבר משעון החורף לשעון הקיץ מוגדרת באופן מובנה במערכות ההפעלה של שרתים, מחשבים, ציוד תקשורת ואף טלפונים סלולרים. לפי הרשות, כדי לשנות את תאריך החלפת השעונים, יצרני מערכות ההפעלה צריכים לייצר גרסת תיקון, להפיץ אותה ולאחר מכן להתקין את העדכון בכל שרת, מחשב וטלפונים במחשבי הממשלה ושל גורמים רבים במשק...

...היוזמה של דרעי, שזכתה לאישור עקרוני של היועץ המשפטי לממשלה אביחי מנדלבליט, נועדה למנוע הסתובבות של אנשים בשעות הערב ברחוב. שר הפנים העלה את הנושא כבר במוצאי השבת לראש הממשלה, שר הבריאות ושר הביטחון ואף קיבל פנייה בנושא מבית הנשיא. שעון החורף אמור להסתיים ב-2:00 בלילה בין חמישי לשישי. (המשך...)

עשר אגורות (2¢):
עם כל האנשים בחופשה ללא תשלום או אפילו מפוטרים, אולי כולנו נתעורר ונקום מהמיטה יותר מוקדם בכל מקרה כדי לקבל יותר זמן ביום. זאת אומרת לקבל יותר קרני שמש.

האם זאת אומרת שאנחנו נחזור להיות תלויים יותר בהתאם למצב השמש ולכן זמנים ההלכתיים (נץ החמה, חצות היום, שקיעת החמה) מהשעונים העונתיים (חורף וקיץ)? ואז חנויות ובתי עסק אחרים לא ייפתחו בשעה מסוימת בשעון אלא הם ייפתחו לאחר תפילת שחרית.

אולי זו יכולה לעזור לעם ישראל לחזור לחיים יהודיים אותנטיים יותר, בגלל נגיף הקורונה (COVID-19)?

לא בשנה הזו. בליל שישי (יום חמישי מאוחר בלילה) הקרוב ב-1:00 לפנות בוקר אנחנו נקדימים את השעון ל-2:00.

YNET: Israel set to extend winter time by a month to fight coronavirus
AG approves Interior Ministry's request to delay daylight saving time that was due to kick off this week, in order to reduce the amount of time in a day people can spend outside their homes; Government ICT Authority say they oppose the move

Amir Alon , Itamar Eichner | 03.22.20 , 20:56

Israel is set to extend winter time, which was due to end this week, by at least a month to stop the public from wandering the streets and prevent further spread of coronavirus.

Attorey General Avichai Mandelblit on Sunday approved a request made by the Interior Ministry to include the extension of standard time into the state of emergency orders currently in place due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Government ICT Authority (Information and communications technology), however, said they oppose the move since the passage between daylight saving time and winter time is built into the operating systems of most computers and smart phones and cannot be updated before the clock is moved later this week. (cont.)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
With all the people on vacation for free or even getting laid off, we might all wake up and get out of bed sooner anyway to get more time in the day. That means getting more time in the sun.

Will this mean that we will go back to being more dependent on halakhic (Torah legal) times according to the position of the sun, than on standard or daylight time? In other words, businesses will open up after tefillath shaharith (morning prayer), instead of at a particular hour on the clock.

This could be yet another reversion back to a more authentic Jewish life, due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). But, not this year. This coming Friday morning at 1:00 AM, we will move our clocks forward to 2:00 AM.

שוכחים את הסיפור האמיתי של חג חנוכה / Forgetting the True Story of Hanukkah

נר שני של חנוכה תש״פ

English follows the Hebrew.

אחרי שאני קראתי את ״The Light of Chanukkah״ על ידי דניאל גרינפילד (סולטן קניש) הומרצתי לכתוב את ההערות האלה.

אני שמח לקרוא מאמר שנזכר בו בפועל שיהודים לחמו ביהודים במלחמה לקראת חנוכה. אני גם שמח שאחדים מזכירים שהמלחמה הייתה נגד ההתבוללות. אבל, המלחמה הזו היתה ממש יותר מזה.

כיום יהודים אוהבים להציג מצג שווא את המלחמה הזו כמאבק למען החופש לנהוג לפי כל דת שרוצים. אבל, זאת לא היתה הכוונה של המלחמה הזו. אלא נלחמנו במלחמה זו למען חירות עם ישראל לשמור תורה ומצוות בארץ מולדתנו, ולא למען שום מטרה פלורליסטית. המלחמה החלה לא רק במעשה התרסה, אלא בהרג יהודי שביצע מעשה של עבודה זרה. ואין צריך לומר שמעשה הזה להרוג יהודי כדי להפסיק אותו מלעבוד לפי רצונו ולדבר על זה לא מקובל באופן פוליטי.

המילה ״תורה״ לא נזכרת במאמר הזה. אני לא יודע למה לא נזכרת בו ולא יודע את המניעים של מי שכותב אותו. כמו שכתבתי כבר, המאמר שלו פשוט עודד אותי לכתוב את ההערות האלה ואין לי שום כוונה לבקר אותו. אולי המילה ״תורה״ נעדרת בגלל רצון של הכותב אותו שקהל רחב ככל האפשר יוכלו לקלוט ולקבל את המסר שלו. או מפני שהמילה "תורה" מפחידה יהודים מתבוללים ומונעת אותם מלקרוא את קטע כזה בכלל.יהודים כאלה רגילים לעשות את מה שהם רוצים לעשות ולא מעניין אותם את רצון הקב"ה. וברור יש יהודים שאין להם שום מושג שהם מתבוללים. והרבה מהם משוכנעים על ידי הרבנים המזויפים שלהם שמה שהם רוצים ומה שהקב"ה רוצה הם אותם הדברים.

האמת היא היהודים האלה לא מציגים באופן שגוי את חג חנוכה ואת המלחמה שקדמה לה. אלא הם פשוט מעולם לא למדו את הסיפורים הנכונים של החג מלכתחילה. זאת אומרת שיקרו להם.

This post was prompted by The Light of Chanukkah by Daniel Greenfield AKA Sultan Knish.



The story of Hanukkah is recounted in the following, brief, video by Rabbi David Bar-Hayim.


I am happy to see someone actually mentioning that Jews fought Jews in the war leading up to Hanukkah. I am also glad that some mentions that the war was against assimilation. But, it was much more than that.

Jews love to misrepresent this war as into one of fighting for religious freedom. But, it wasn't at all. We fought this war for the freedom of Jews to observe the Torah in their own homeland, and not for any pluralistic free for all. The war began with not just an act of defiance, but the killing of a Jew committing an act of avdoah zarah (foreign worship), needless to say a politically-incorrect act in so many ways.

I do not see the explicit mention of Torah in this piece. I cannot say what the author's motivations are. As I said, his piece serves only as a prompt here, and no criticism toward it is intended.

Perhaps absence of the word Torah was that that the author wants to reach as broad an audience as possible. Or that that word "Torah" is too frightening for assimilated Jews to read, assimilated even they do not realize that they are assimilated. Such Jews are too used to doing what they want, instead of trying to do what The Almighty wants. Some are even convinced by their clergy members that what they want is what The Almighty wants.

These Jews are not actually misrepresenting Hanukkah and the preceding war. They were simply never taught the holiday's correct origins in the first place. In other words, they were lied to.

Please read about this further in The Politically-Incorrect But True Story Of Hanukkah.

Also see:

#BringOurBoysBack Three Rabbis Reveal the Politically-Incorrect Truth שלושה רבבנים מגלים את האמת של התורה שמתנגדת לתרבות המערב

ערב שבת קודש פר׳ קרח תשע״ד

לעברית צפו את הסרטון השני למטה.

Here are three Torah lectures, posted here in an attempt to wake up my fellow Jews:

1. Jews who are assimilated, and believe that they are both Americans and Jews, or perhaps even just Americans.

2. Jews who are involved with groups and organizations which preach that that the politically-correct, Western ideals of their childhoods equal Torah ideals.

3. Torah observant Jews, who still insist on viewing the Torah through Western, exile-oriented glasses, which causes them to see parts of the Torah as racist, misogynistic, and barbaric, and spend the bulk of the learning time, searching for new and additional ways to weedle out of facing the truth (פילפול).

4. Torah observant Jews, who believe that only part of the Torah can be kept until Mashi'ah comes.

5. Torah observant and non-observant Jews alike who are buried deep in the confusion between Torah Law and Israeli Law, and have been trapped there by Statist "rabbis" with gross conflicts of interest, if nothing else.

The first video is from Rabbi Yossi Mizrachi, currently residing in the U. S., may he and his family join us here in Israel soon!


(Tip: The Torah Revolution)

This next lecture is in Hebrew about the recent abduction of , and given by Rabbi Yehudah Richter of Elon Moreh at the Rechalim Junction. That's right! Out in the middle of the main highway through the Shomron (Samaria). This junction was the site of the murder of Rachela Druk hy"d from Shiloh, some 20 years ago, as well as the attempt abductions of Jewish teen girls, hitchhiking through our Land

*Rechalim Junction is located with the City of Ariel to its northwest, K'far Tapu'ah just to the north, and Eli and Ma'aleh Levonah to the south.


(Tip: The Torah Revolution)

This last video is by Rabbi David Bar-Hayim, Head of Machon Shilo in Jerusalem.

Guest Post: Moriah Goldberg: Why Did I Choose to Go to Jail? למה בחרתי להיכנס לבית הסוהר? ע"י מוריה גלדברג

כ"א לחודש השני תשע"ד

English follows the Hebrew, along with some Esser Agaroth (2¢) personal comments about Moriah, who was a neighbor of mine, when I lived in K'far Tapu'ah in the Shomron (Samaria).

הקול היהודי: למה בחרתי להיכנס לבית הסוהר?

מוריה גולדברג, ע"ה אייר תשע"ד

משפחה יקרה, עם ישראל

לאחרונה נגזרו עלי שלשה חודשי עבודות-שרות ע"י בית-המשפט המחוזי בלוד. החלטתי להתעלם מהחלטת בית המשפט, גם במחיר של ישיבה בכלא, מהסיבות שאנסה להסביר במכתב זה.

אני מואשמת ב"סיכון חיי אדם בנתיב תחבורה", בכך שהשלכתי אבנים על ערבים, כתגובה לטרור האבנים הערבי העובר בשתיקה.

כהצדקה למעשי, אינני מתכוונת להאשים את הממסד באזלת יד מחפירה ובהפקרת דם יהודי, לפרט על הטרור הערבי הרצחני, לפרוש עובדות מוצקות המוכיחות התדרדרות כללית שמובילה המדינה, להצביע על אשמים "מרכזיים" וכו'. כל זה נכון, אך הדברים גלויים וידועים, ואין טעם להוסיף ולהתבכיין. כל עם החפץ בחיים אינו יכול לשבת בחיבוק ידים במציאות כזו.

אך אני רוצה לגעת בקצרה בשרשי הבעיה, היישר מהראש והלב היהודי שלי (מבלי להאריך כאן בהסברים ודוגמאות):

כיהודים, איננו יכולים להזדהות עם מערכת המשפט במדינת ישראל, המתכחשת להבדלה בין ישראל לעמים – הבדלה שרק על-גבה ניתן להגיע להשפעה מתוקנת. כך למשל בית המשפט מדבר על "סיכון חיי אדם" גם כאשר מדובר בפראי-אדם הנלחמים בעם ישראל (כפי שהתורה קוראת לישמעאל "פרא אדם" – 'פרא' כשם העצם ו'אדם' כשם התואר). (ללחוץ לקרוא טת ההמשך)

נא להתפלל לשיחרור מוריה בת יעל מבית הכלא במהרה! וששיחרורה תבוא עם תקופה מחודשת של יהדודות אמיתית דביקות מחודשת לקדוש ברוך הוא ולתורתו הקדושה וגאולה שלימה וסופית!

The Jewish Voice: Why Did I Choose to Go to Jail
Moriah Goldberg, May 4, 2014

Translated by Eliezer Ben Avraham, and posted on The Torah Revolution as In Honor of Moriah Goldberg, the Moriah Goldberg Tzomet!.

To my dear family, the Nation of Israel,

I was recently sentenced to three months of community service by the Israeli court in Lod. I have defied this court order and as a result am sitting in jail. In this letter I will attempt to explain my rationale. I was found guilty of “endangering human life on the roads”, specifically by throwing stones at Arabs. This was done in response to Arab stone-throwing which continues to this day without a word from the government or police. I don’t plan on detailing all the instances of Arab terror in the past few years including murders, Molotov cocktails, stone throwing, and many other incidents. All of these events are well-known to anyone who follows the news and there is no need to enumerate them. Any nation that wishes to survive cannot accept such a situation.

Therefore, I would like to explain, directly from my Jewish head and Jewish heart, what I think is the root of the problem: As Jews, we cannot abide by the rulings of the Courts of the State of Israel because they refuse to differentiate between Jews and non-Jews – a differentiation which is required in order to reach proper decisions. For example, the courts discuss “endangering human life” even when dealing with savages who murder Jews (the Torah specifically calls Yishmael a “human savage”, ‘savage’ is the main noun and ‘human' is merely an adjective).

The problem with the Israeli Court is reflective of a general problem with the entire establishment. After carefully pondering our current situation, with the help of the words of Rav Binyamin Kahane HY”D and Rav Yitzchak Ginzburg Shlit”a, even someone as small as me can understand that there is only one option: the Hellenistic and confused establishment in the State of Israel must be replaced. We don’t need just a new coalition or a new Prime Minister; rather we need to replace the entire system. We should view this shift as a change from the kingdom of Shaul to the kingdom of David. The Zionist Movement, which established the State and its institutions, can be likened to the Jewish Nation that requested a king. Their motive was flawed, for they demanded “to be like all the nations”, a demand which the Holy One Blessed be He compared to idol worship. Similarly, the current State of Israel developed from a desire “to be like all the nations.” It is a state, which just like the first Kingdom does not recognize its faults and needs to be replaced.

Towards the end of his days, Shaul became obsessive and insane. He knew that his kingdom was crumbling and lost. Nonetheless he continued to chase David, the new, true and eternal king, just as the government here continues to harass and fight against Jews who represent Torah truth. Given this situation, it is clear that we must strive to establish the kingdom of David. Some say this can be achieved by “influencing from within”, but history has shown otherwise. David was the next in line to be king and could have waited to become king after Shaul’s death, instead he realized that he had to establish his kingdom himself and that he had to do so during Shaul’s reign. When he started he was isolated; he ruled only in Hevron, but after several years he eventually came to rule over all of Israel.

We all look forward to the redemption and the Messiah’s vengeance against the nations. We want to build the Temple, bask in its glory and be a light unto the nations. To this end, we must immediately begin creating an infrastructure for the perfected state which we desire. We must build institutions, bodies and establishments for this new state. Further, we must separate ourselves from the current state. It is crucial that we only separate from the State of Israel, not from the nation of Israel. The first step is to separate ourselves in our minds and eventually we will be able to separate in practice (see “Derech Chaim Movement”).

We need a revolution. To do so, actions have to be taken, words have to be spoken. This subject must be put on the agenda and a whole new atmosphere must be created so that God willing, the nation will slowly flow towards the new alternative. As Rav Binyamin Kahane HY”D, urged shortly before he was murdered, “Let us take our destiny into our own hands.” To successfully achieve this goal, according to Rav Ginsburgh, we must be candid and even brazen about our opposition and separation from the establishment.

Those stones which came from my hand came from the strength and for the sake of the Torah. They were thrown as “an eye for an eye.” They were in response to the stones that theYishamelites throw every day. They were thrown in response to the shameful silence that follows every attack.

My actions did not come from despair, fear or helplessness, G-d forbid - rather as a Jewish act, vengeful and proud. “Just as they did to me, so too I did to them” (Samson The Mighty, Judges 14:11). Ignoring the court order of doing community service and subsequently sitting in jail was my way of cutting myself off from the system. May it be His will that those small stones I threw be like the five smooth stones of David who stood against Goliath; stones that eventually helped establish his kingdom.

The clock is ticking….. the Messiah is eager. I do not regret even for a moment what I did to those savages, nor my decision to ignore the verdict of the court. If I regret anything, it is that some things could have been done wiser (but it is all from the One Above, and is for the best!), but again I reiterate, not for the acts themselves. I am stating here that I chose to ignore the decision of the court, because as we know there is a time for everything -"...a time to build and a time to bring down…" (Eccl. 3:3) perhaps for this government, the time has come… to bring it down.

With Love of Israel,
Moriah Goldberg

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
You may recall that Moriah, Haiki Belogoradsky, and Penina Ashkenazy, teen-aged girls from K'far Tapu'ah, were jailed in 2005 for protesting the impending expulsion of Jews from Azza (Gaza-Gush Qatif). While dangerous criminals, even suspected murderers, were receiving house arrest, these girls were not accorded the same option, and they were certainly not granted release on bail.

For months the girls incurred horrid conditions in prison, conditions which I will not elaborate here, conditions which were more likely than not, brought about due to political motivations. After months of fighting, the court agreed to release them into the custody of kibbutz, while they awaited trial.

But, the girls refused their offer of release, on the basis that the kibbutz was not "religious" enough. They were familiar with this kibbutz, and stated that its standards of kashruth (dietary laws), as well as it standards of tzni'uth (modesty), were insufficient to meat their observance of Torah.

The dumbfounded judge eventually released them into the custody of Moriah's grandparents in Petah Tiqwah. "Her Honor" believed that it to be too dangerous to let them go back to K'far Tapu'ah, because, "they might talk with the other residents, and have influence over them."

Well, I hate to hazard a guess as to what the Israeli Justice System, not to mention members of the K'nesseth think of how dangerous Moriah is now.

Moriah wrote what many frustrated Jews have been thinking. Yet, she was the one with the courage to say it, and to write it!

אֵשֶׁת-חַיִל, מִי יִמְצָא; וְרָחֹק מִפְּנִינִים מִכְרָהּ. (משלי לא,י)

"A woman of valor who can find? for her price is far above rubies". (Prov. 31:10)

חָדְלוּ פְרָזוֹן בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, חָדֵלּוּ-- עַד שַׁקַּמְתִּי דְּבוֹרָה, שַׁקַּמְתִּי אֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. (שופטים ה,ז)

"The rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased, until you arose, Deborah, that arose a mother in Israel." (Judges 5:7)

Please pray for the speedy release of Moriah bat Ya'el. May her example and her release herald a new era in Authentic Jewish thought, loyalty to The Almighty and His Holy Torah, and our complete and final Redemption!

It's Broken Record Time: Western Values and Sensibilities do not Equal Jewish Values and Sensibilities

כ"ג לחודש השנים עשר ב' תשע"ד

A respondant to a string on Facebook warning of the dangers of assimilation, particularly outside of Israel:

The solution lays in adjusting halacha (Jewish Law) to make it more attractive for the people, less oppressive towards woman, less misogynistic, ethnocentric and sexist. We can deny all we want, but why would anyone want to be a part of a religion that makes them feel bad? Assimilation happens as a result of something, maybe instead of locking up the girls of Israel, make them apart of the leadership, halachic bodies and allow them to take an active roll in who they can be in this religion. Marriage is the point where woman clearly have a disadvantage, look at the get situation among many woman who actively choose to remain religious. Arabs aren't the issue and neither are the "none-Jews" it's close minded Jews who want to stay in the Galut/holocaust mentality that drive assimilation.

Esser Agaroth (2¢) Response:
We are not here on this earth do whatever we want (ie. adjust halakhah), nor are we here on this earth to do whatever we want, and delude ourselves into thinking that it is, in fact, what HaShem wants, too.

We are here on this earth to do what HaShem wants. How do we know what that is? His Holy Torah, which includes the Oral Torah.

When we attempt to "adjust" halakhah, based on nothing but how we feel and what we want, then we are doing nothing less than disregarding it, if not cancelling its proper place in our lives.

I would like to suggest that you (and many others) arrived at this idea as a result of 1,700 to 2,000 years in galuth (exile). Such an experience can, and has, most certainly distort the authenticity of a people's traditions, not to mention their beliefs.

That being said, I am just as critical of all of the humroth (stringencies) which also came out of galuth, as I am of those with perspectives such as yours. These humroth may have had their purpose in galuth, to keep us together, whole, and on track. However, I do not see that they have much purpose here in Eretz Yisra'el. 

In support of you, I believe that you are right about people not being attracted to Judaism, but I disagree with your solution. The solution, I believe, is two-fold:

1. Seek out the learning of authentic halakhah. One possible resource for this is Machon Shilo and its companion YouTube Channel, which is updated weekly.


2. Learn to differentiate between Western values and sensibilities (eg. feminism, egalitarianism, state-ism, Christianity, haskalah) and Jewish values and sensibilities. In time, we can all learn which is the wisdom of the goyim (non-Jews) that we may embrace, and which is the failed attempts of "Torah" by the goyim, that which we must discard, if not speak out against them.

Here is an example: When Passover Became a Holiday Again.

Most Jews forget that Passover is a holiday, a happy time, but rather see, and inaccurately so, as a time of suffering, if not during Passover itself, then certainly beforehand, scrub brush in hand.

Who wants to spend six to eight hours in schul on Rosh HaShannah? I sure don't! Although there are some out there who find this meaningful and gratifying, I, personally, am not one of them. And I challenge anyone to show me how this is the halakhah.

I am happy to report that every year, I spend 3:20 hours in a minyan on Rosh HaShannah morning. That's right only 3:20 hours, and I can even set my watch by it.

But this is not about "less" being "more." Otherwise, the so-called Jewish "movements" would be the bearers of the solution, which they most certainly are not.

This is about stepping up to challenge of accepting an authentic Jewish identity, and investigating what that means, and perhaps more importantly, what that doesn't mean.

Why Israel does not Need a President

ל' לחודש השנים עשר תשע"ד

I must admit that I was surprised by the several good point Tami Arad made in her Op-ed. I did not bother to copy and paste any of those points here. You may want to go to the original, and see if you agree.

Of course, the premise upon which Arad's piece is based is completely irrelevant.

Shimon Peres
President of Israel

YNET: Why Israel Needs A President, Tami Arad, February 18, 2014
Op-ed: A country which sees itself as part of the family of nations has to have at least one figure to represent it in the world according to the acceptable diplomatic standards. 

"Sees itself as part of the family of nations?" Who does? I sure as heck don't.

"Acceptable diplomatic standards?" Acceptable to whom? Acceptable according to what?

...the absence of a representative figure towards the world. For example, if Angela Merkel arrives for a visit in Israel and decides to voice irresponsible criticism against us in German. The honorable chancellor may find herself attacked in witty Hebrew not just by the Bayit Yehudi's defenders of ethics but also by the prime minister, who out of political factional motives may find himself on the offensive, forgetting that he is supposed to be the goalkeeper.

Again with the "world representative" rhetoric.... So, when the recent envoy from the European Union [EU] expressed his criticism, what was our supreme leader president supposed to have done? Comfort us, after we finished just sitting there and taking it?

A story of the wife of a well-known rabbi in Southern California comes to mind. She, her daughter, and a friend were attending a fundraiser. When this prominent rabbi's wife dared to bring up some possible halakhic (Torah legal) problems with the event to the chief organizer, and in private, she and her companions were asked to leave. Upon being escorted out, she was heard saying, "I've been thrown out of better places than this!" 

And so a country which sees itself as part of the family of nations needs at least one figure to represent it in the world according to the acceptable diplomatic standards. In addition, when the president is an authority and a popular figure, he may serve as a mediator on ethical and social issues or during labor disputes, when the parties need a reconciling formal figure.

Again with the family of nations analogy. (SIGH) In Arad's defense, whether she wants me to defend her or not, she does say "sees itself." She observes, quite correctly I might add, that this is how Israel sees itself.

Of course, I find this unfortunate, as it nothing less that the same ol' Galuth (exile) -minded drive to be "just like everyone else." Even though we are supposed to be a separate and distinct people, with many of out roles being separate and distinct from everyone else's.

And before any of you start getting in my face about how Israel asked Shmu'el HaNavi for a king, like everyone else had (I Sam. 1:5-7), The Almighty foresaw this already (Deut.17:15), as He is all-seeing and all-knowing. As the Ramba"m elaborates in his the Laws of Kings and Wars, Jewish kings are to have distinctively Jewish (ie. not goyshe) qualities. Thus the idea of a proper, Jewish King of Israel cannot be seen as "being like everyone else."

And so, when we finally have a proper, Jewish king, as part of a proper, authentically Jewish Government, which we do not at all currently have, then the king

However, I will hazard a guess that the king will not be representing Israel to the international "family" in the manner which Arad believes to be appropriate. Rather, he will function according to Jewish (ie. Torah) Law, whether that ends up rubbing the "acceptable diplomatic standard" keepers the wrong way or not.

March to Save Temple Mount ראש חודש ניסן 1.4.14 צעדה להציל את הר הבית

כ"ו לחודש השנים עשר תשע"ד

Please Donate to Save the Temple Mount 

נא לתרום להציל הר הבית

(http://tmount.yolasite.com/)

Goal $5,000 USD - מטרה ש"ח 17,500    

  

הר הבית, הוא הר המוריה, עומד במרכז התודעה והמסורת היהודית, מראשיתה ועד עצם היום הזה. אברהם, ראשון האבות, עומד בניסיון הקשה מנשוא כאשר נצטוה לעקוד את בנו על הר זה. דוד מלך ישראל רוכש את המקום מארנן היבוסי ובנו שלמה בונה עליו את בית המקדש הראשון. בתי המקדש הראשון והשני עומדים על ההר הזה ומשמשים המוקד הרוחני והלאומי המרכזי של העם קרוב לאלף שנה – "המקום אשר בחר ה' לשכן שמו שם" - חורבן המקדש מותיר את ההר בחורבנו ומאז, זה אלפיים שנה מהווה הר הבית כיוון תפילתם ומשאת נפשם של מליוני היהודים מכל רחבי העולם. ולמרות זאת ממשלת ישראל אינה מאפשרת ליהודים להתפלל בהר הבית, ולא ניתנת להם שום אפשרות להביע את דתם במקום מקדשם.

היום,המשטרה מונעת מהיהודים העולם להר הבית את הפעולות הבאות 

להתפלל

 לשאת כל פריט קדוש או ספר

להשתחוות

לשיר

לקרוע חולצה

להניף את דגל ישראל

לשיר את ההמנון לאומי

The Temple Mount is the holiest site in the world for the Jewish people, yet the Muslim authorities, aided by Israel Police, systematically deny the right of religious expression to Jewish People on the Temple Mount.

Jews forbidden to pray on the Mount

Jews forbidden to carry any holy item on the Mount
Jews forbidden to prostrate on the Mount
Jews forbidden to sing or dance on the Mount
Jews forbidden to tear cloths in mourning over the Temple on the
Mount Jews forbidden to wave an Israeli Flag on the Mount
Jews Forbidden to sing the Israeli national anthem on the Mount

(http://tmount.yolasite.com/)

Israeli Presidential Campaigning is Underway!

ערב שבת קודש פר' משפטים תשע"ד

Arutz 7: 10,000 Sign Petition for Nobel Prize-Winner's Presidency Bid

Dan Schechtman
Nobel Laureate, Chemistry

Petition posted by the staff of Israeli site Atzuma garners 10,000 votes for Daniel Shechtman to run for President.

Tova Dvorin, January 21, 2014

Rise of the unlikely candidate: Maariv reports Tuesday that 10,000 people have already signed a petition nominating Nobel Laureate Daniel Shechtman for the next presidential elections.

The explanatory note to the petition, which was posted on Atzuma (the Israeli equivalent of change.org) by the site's owners, states that the move was a necessary one for the nomination, which also requires the backing of at least 10 Knesset members.

Dan Shechtman with a scanning
transmission electron microscope.
(Photo Credit: Bob Elbert)

The petition was posted within an hour of Shechtman's announcement of his campaign on Channel 1 Friday night, and within 5 days has surpassed its 10,000-person goal mark.

The initiative received a bigger boost after Shechtman's interview Sunday with Channel 10, according to Maariv.

During the interview, Shechtman reflected, "I do a lot for the State of Israel and its citizens in the Diaspora [. . .] I think that the position of President would give me far more influence than I have now."

He stated that he would not be joining a political party for now, citing the need to be "a man of the people" rather than subscribe to a particular agenda. The Laureate also stressed that his first priority would be improving Israel's education system.

Dan Shechtman explaining his Nobel Prize-winning theory to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
(Photo Credit: Amos Ben Gershom/GPO/Flash 90)

Shechtman was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2011 for his discovery of quasicrystals, or the fact that atoms in a crystal are capable of being formed in a way that does not involve a repetitive pattern. While he does not have a political background, he explained during his announcement his belief that his problem-solving skills might better the State of Israel.

President Shimon Peres

Presidential elections are due for next summer, and anticipation has already begun to rise in the minds of the Israeli public. A recent poll found that most Israelis favor the possibility that that the 90-year-old Peres will remain in his position for a second term. This followed reports that Peres would seek another seven-year term as President, requiring a legislative change.

Peres has rejected the reports, declaring in an interview that he will end his term as scheduled next summer.

Other names which have already been mentioned as potential presidential candidates are Minister Silvan Shalom (Likud), MK Reuven Rivlin (Likud) and MK Binyamin Ben-Eliezer (Labor). The recent poll indicated that should Peres not seek a second term, Rivlin was the most favored candidate among the Israeli public.

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
Well, on one hand, how could he possible do any worse than previous presidents who have remained silent when should not have, like Moshe Katzav, or who have opened their mouths when they should have remained silent, like Shimon Peres?

Of course, someone should mention to Dan Schechtman that the role of the Israeli President is an a-political one, and not to rely on the incumbent president as an example.

On the other hand, Rivlin sounds like a good, possible choice. And, I don't care what Shimon Peres says now. Do NOT count him of the running just yet....

Still on the other hand, how about voting in an authentically Jewish government all together? You know, one with a King (or real Nassi), a Sanhedrin, and local Batei Din (Rabbinical Courts).

Too innovative? Too much rocking of the boat? Too bad.

Punished With Lashes in Syria: What's All The Fuss?

ד' לחודש האחד עשר תשע"ג

Arutz 7: Syria: 25 Lashes for Failing to Pray
Rebels' Islamic court punishes two men who did not take part in Friday prayers at the mosque.

Dalit Halevy, January 4, 2014

Syria is undergoing an accelerated process of Islamization, which is led by extremist Islamist rebel groups that follow sharia courts, and who operate a morality police force that enforces law and order Islam-style.

In Haleb, two men were convicted of failing to take part in the Friday prayers (conducting trade during Friday prayers), and were sentenced to 25 lashes each, to be delivered publicly.

The two convicted men were brought to the city square, where they were flogged on their bare backs. The crowd that had gathered watched the scene quietly.

This is not the first time that the Ahrar al-Sham Islamist organization carried out flogging sentences in public. The Islamic organizations' religious court has even meted out sentences of capital punishment in the past.

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
So, some men were punished with lashes in Syria. What's the big deal?

Notice the force of the lashes. Was the skin broken? Notice how their clothes were handed back, and they were easily able to get up. They had fulfilled their obligations, and were then dismissed.

Lashes have been, and no doubt will be again, one form of punishment in a Torah-true, Jewish Homeland. Granted, they were not implemented for the failure to do a positive misswah (Torah commandment). Were they?

Nevertheless, they were one of the Beth-Din's (Kosher Rabbinical Court) options of punishments to employ, when the requirements for such a punishment were fulfilled. Even for something like violating a negative misswah, trial would be held, a determination of culpability would be made, etc.

Muslims and Christians have always taken their distortions of our Holy Torah to an extreme, in way or another. That is to be expected.

I believe that our "horror" at the Muslim "barbarism" is only an excuse used by some Jews such a Modern Orthodox, and those even more liberal, to remain in denial about just how politically-incorrect an authentically Jewish (ie. Torah) lifestyle and community can be.

The same goes for the "forcing" of women to cover their hair in some Muslim countries.

Halakhah (Torah Law) requires married, widowed (לא עלינו), and divorced women to cover their hair. By taking issue with Muslim women being "forced" (and thus "oppressed") to cover their hair, a Jew does nothing less than validate his or her rebellion against the Torah,...rabbis who confuse Western/progressive/assimilationist societal values with Torah aside.

I have a name for this approach to Torah. It's called the "Whateva'! I Do What I Want!" approach.

Parashath Sh'moth: What's In A Name? (Part 1: People)

ערב שבת קודש פר' שמות תשע"ד

וְאֵלֶּה, שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, הַבָּאִים, מִצְרָיְמָה: אֵת יַעֲקֹב, אִישׁ וּבֵיתוֹ בָּאוּ. שמות א,א

Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt with Jacob; every man came with his household: (Exodus 1:1)

Once upon a time, there was a class of boys in a religious school in New York. The class had three Ephraim's in it. To differentiate among these boys, the teacher came up with a clever idea. He would call one of these boys Ephraim, one of them Effie, and one of them Jeff, his English name.

This was a religious school? This was Jewish school?

I suppose the thought never occurred to this teacher to call each of these boys "Ephraim ben...[father's name]."

Another man I know made aliyah when he was a teenager. His name was "Joshua," and that is exactly what he had been called all of his life. Yet, he looked forward to changing his name on his freshly issued Israeli ID Card to Yehoshu'a. When the time came, when his turn at the Ministry of the Interior came up, he submitted his name-change request. The clerk actually discouraged him, saying, "You're in luck! Foreign (non-Hebrew) names are very popular. Keep yours!"

This was in Israel at a government agency, in a country where the official language is Hebrew? And this is a supposed to be a Jewish State?

So, why are there still rabbis, not just outside of Israel, but IN Israel going by goyshe names? What kind of example does that set?

Sorry, but there is NO excuse for "rabbis" in Israel to be called by their slave names such as "Jeff," "Steve," or "Richard." Even "Mark" is considered by some in Israel as a nickname for "Meir" (Merik/Mark).

Ephraim and Joshua at least made some effort to go by their Hebrew names. When Ephraim came to Israel, he was called Effie in the army [IDF]. But, after that, try as he may, everyone continued to call him Jeff. Kol HaKavod to the IDF. Go figure.

Years ago, I was teaching Hebrew at a "Reformist" institution,...fourth grade boys. It was not the kind of place which would have even heard of thing such as gender segregation. I was simply given the small group of students with so-called "attention difficulties," which happened to have been made up of only boys.

I started the year with an announcement to my students that during class, as this was a Hebrew [and Judaism] class, we would be using our Hebrew names.

So as not to embarrass anyone, I immediately qualified this by saying that one or more of them might not yet know his Hebrew name or even have one, and that this was [unfortunately] not uncommon. The boys were to go home, and ask their parents about this, and if they did not already have a Hebrew name that, with the help of their parents, they could pick their own.

I actually adapted this use of Hebrew names in Hebrew class from my own junior high school Spanish experience, in which we had to pick Spanish names to use during class.

One boy Craig came to the next class, quite pleased with himself that he had a Hebrew name that he could present to me and to the class.

He said that his parents told him that his Hebrew name was Hanan. Like with all of the students, I explained what I knew about their names, in order that their names would have even more meaning to them. Of coruse, some of them were named for deceased relatives. For that aspect of their names, they would have to ask their parents, or in some cases their grandparents, about those relatives for whom they were named. In addition to providing them with meaning to their own names, they would be engaged in keeping the memories of those relatives alive, which is the point of naming children after them. But, this assignment was also designed to get their parents more involved with their Jewish education,...hopefully in a painless manner.

I explained to Hanan a little bit about his name.

Hen = charm (He really liked this one! ie. charming)

Honen HaDa'ath = implanter/endower of wisdom

Hananiah (AKA "Shadrach," Daniel 1:1-3:33)

He insisted that I only call him Hanan, even outside of class. Uh-oh, I thought. Did I create a monster? Would I receive a phone call from parents complaining that I was brainwashing their son?

That's OK. I was willing to take that risk. And, as it happened, I did not receive any phone calls from irate parents. Parental trust in their Jewish institution? Parental apathy? I would never know.

רב הונא אמר בשם בר קפרא בשביל ד' דברים נגאלו ישראל ממצרים שלא שנו את שמם ואת לשונם ולא אמרו לשון הרע ולא נמצא ביניהן אחד מהן פרוץ בערוה לא שנו את שמן ראובן ושמעון נחתין ראובן ושמעון סלקין לא היו קורין ליהודה רופא ולא לראובן לוליאני ולא ליוסף לסטיס ולא לבנימין אלכסנדרי. -ויקרא רבה לב,ה

...Rav Huna said in the name of Bar-Qafra for the sake of four things, Israel was redeemed from Egypt, they did not change their names, nor their spoken tongue, and they did not say lashon hara', and there was not one found among them who acted lewdly. They did not change their names: Reuven and Shimon when they entered; Reuven and Shimon when they left. They did not call Yehudah Rofe, and not Reuven Luliani, and not Yosef Listim, and Binyanin Alexandrei.... (Wayiqra Rabba 32:5)

I am willing to bet that wherever Craig is, and whatever Craig is doing with his life, he will at least always have a positive, Jewish identity. Who knows? Maybe it will lead him to more.

Maybe it already has, due to the power of having an authentically Jewish name.

*********

Craig/Hanan is his real name. He would be about 30 years old by now. The Reform schul above is on the East Coast of the U. S. I mention this on the unlikely chance that he, or someone he knows, will read this, and I could perhaps find out what really happened to student who made my day.

Who knows what kind of Jewish identity he was being raised with, but it seemed that his Jewish name was what clicked for him.

Ephraim and Joshua were not really named these names. However, those stories did occur, as they were related to me.

More Proof that Israel's Chief Rabbinate isn't Jewish

מוצש"ק פר' כי תצא תשע"ג

(l-r) Dep. Religious Affairs Minister  Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan (Jewish Home), Chief Sepharadi Rabbi Yitzhaq Yosef,
President Shimon Peres (Kadima), Chief Ashkenazy Rabbi David Lau, Justice Minister Tzippy Livni (The Movement)
(Photo: Walla Live! screen shot)

(Tip Credit: Life In Israel)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):

"Anointing?" Was that really the verb used, or was it a mistranslation for "installing?"

I am too afraid to check it out for myself. No, not afraid,...disgusted, really.

I have already posted about how the Israeli Chief Rabbinate is not Chief, a Rabbinate, nor even Israeli. Now, I am afraid that I will have to point out that the Israeli Chief Rabbinate is not even Jewish. Puppets with conflicts of interest, chosen by deMOCKractic voting, to fill roles created by the British, glued onto the foundation of something Turkish can mean only one thing: NOT JEWISH.

But, that's not all!

The fact that Shimon Peres is involved with this non-Jewish ceremony, erases ALL doubt whatsoever that the Israeli Chief Rabbinate is not in the least bit Jewish.

Silly, absurd, paradoxical, nefarious, and diabolical are just a few of the words which come to mind upon seeing Shimon Peres presiding over the non-Jewish ceremony to appoint men to non-Jewish roles on a non-Jewish body.

"Keep your friends close; keep your enemies closer." So, since the Torah is Shimon Peres's enemy,...well, you get the picture.

The only question I have about the so-called Israeli Chief Rabbinate is who will succeed in getting their strings wrapped around them first.

P. S. Minister Livni gets the most points here. She dresses more modestly than women in certain Jerusalem, "religious" neighborhoods. Sure, she didn't cover her hair. But, hey, no one's perfect.

We should be patient with our fellow Jews, struggling to find their way back to Torah, even if they do not yet know that is what they are trying to do, and even if un-Jews like Shimon Peres stands in their way.

Chief Rabbis Anyone?

ו' לחודש השישי תשע"ג

Last Friday, the 3rd day of the 6th Month (Ellul) was the 83rd Anniversary of the Passing of Rabbi Avraham Yitzhaq HaKohen Kook ztz"l, First Ashkenazy Chief Rabbi of Israel, not coincidentally, Parashath Shofetim.

Well, there you have it, ladies and gentleman, our brand spanking new, deMOCKratically elected Chief Rabbis, as if democracy had anything to

Rabbi Yitzhaq Yosef and Rabbi David Lau
Israel's New Chief Rabbis

Here's what some of our Israeli "leaders" have to say about it. There is so much to comment on, that I have interspersed my comments within the below reports in blue italics.

Arutz 7: Rabbi Ben Dahan: Disappointed with Results
Deputy Religions Minister says he hopes the secular public will not “give a kick to the institution of the Rabbinate.”

Gil Ronen, July 24, 2013

Deputy Religions Minister, Rabbi Eliyahu Ben Dahan, voiced his disappointment with the failure of religious Zionist candidates to be elected to the posts of chief rabbis Wednesday. Rabbi Ben Dahan is a member of the religious Zionist party, Bayit Yehudi.

"As a member of the Bayit Yehudi I am certainly disappointed that we failed in the mission to at least have one rabbi from the religious Zionist camp elected,” he said. “We put in the maximal effort possible but regrettably, it failed."

The rabbi added that he hopes the secular public will not “give a kick to the institution of the Rabbinate” out of disappointment with the hareidi candidates elected. “They need to understand that the importance of the institution of the Rabbinate is much more important than the chief rabbis....”

So, since your candidate did not win, so we should not listen to him?? What happened to your precious democracy, or in this case, deMOCKracy? Haven't the representatives of the people spoken?

For the record, I happen to like Rabbi Ben-Dahan. I am, however, disappointed that he involves himself in such politics. Either the Torah is correct, or it is not. Either the one representing the Torah ideal should win or not.

Of all MK's, I would have expected Rabbi Ben-Dahan to call for the implementation of a"real" Chief Rabbinate. (More on what that is below.) Or in the worst case scenario, to support a candidate who would speak Torah, and follow Torah, and encourage others to do the same, no matter how many toes he ended up stepping on,...and no matter how many State laws he violated.

...Deputy Minister of Transport, religious Zionist Tzipi Hotovely (Likud), said that the religious Zionist stream “once again missed the opportunity to put in place a Zionist chief rabbi."

“I regret that the campaign of harsh mudslinging against Rabbi David Stav – Chairman of the Tzohar Rabbis, who has indisputably shown wonderful public Torah work – came from within religious Zionism itself,” she accused.

I wrote to MK Hotovely, informing her that there are at least Two Religious Zionist Camps: Real Religious Zionists and Mamlakhtim (undying State loyalists). then I asked her who she thought Rabbi David Stav was. I have yet to receive a response from her or her staff. She is right about one thing. Some of the mudslinging did come from Religious Zionists.

In addition, it is interesting to note that the Batyit Yehudi (Jewish Home Party) members hold both the positions of Minister of Religious Affairs and Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs. Yet, that apparently did not help them very much, did it?

Arutz 7: Lapid: Rabbinate Irrelevant
Lapid: Rabbinate ‘irrelevant' - what Israel needs is civil marriage, gay marriage and freedom from religion.

Maayana Miskin, July 25, 2013

Finance Minister Yair Lapid posted his response to Wednesday’s election of two new Chief Rabbis on Facebook on Thursday morning.

Israeli Finance Minister Yair Lapid

“The elections for the Chief Rabbinate are over. The institute that was irrelevant before many Israelis were born or formed their worldviews will remain so for the next ten years,” he wrote.

“Whoever wants to use the Rabbinate’s services – that is, of course, his right,” Lapid continued. “But it cannot be that they will have no alternative.”

He concluded with a commitment to continue his struggle for civil marriage and for making the Reform movement equivalent to orthodox Judaism in terms of state support.

“It will be a dirty political battle, and maybe a long one, but we will fight for this like Yesh Atid fights for everything: without giving up, without taking our eyes off the goal, until it happens,” he declared.
The only good thing about the Chief Rabbinate is that it's giving us lots to write about! (If we so choose.)

"Political battle"
Translation: Not a Torah battle, but rather a battle against the Torah!

The fundamental flaw in thinking of most MK's is this notion that Western values and sensibilities acquired in galuth (exile), such as pluralism, have anything in the least to do with the structure of a Jewish institution. The fundamental flaw in the thinking of Jews living in Israel is that the K'nesseth is in the least bit interested in creating an authentically Jewish country (...government, military, rabbinate, etc.)

The final goal of the Lapids and Pereses and Beilins is to have a fully assimilated, Western State, accepted by the goyim, if not a full member of the European Union. Prime Minster Netanyahu stands out from the crowd, in that he sprinkles kosher salt on the State, as if to make it kosher, yet ends up rubbing it into the People's wounds.

And, speaking of complete assimilation, one MK really hammers this home with her insistence, above and beyond that of Lapid's, that pluralism is supposed to have some kind of connection to Judaism and a Jewish identity....

Sheretz

Meretz

MK Zehava Gal-On (Meretz) called the Chief Rabbinate a corrupt and nepotistic institution. She continued that the Chief Rabbinate is an institution that "promotes homophobia and the exclusion of women and none of the candidates intend to change this." She added that the institution represented Orthodoxy and was "not interested to forward a more progressive and pluralistic Judaism." Gal-On called for the need to separate religion from state in Israel, abolish the official standing of the Chief Rabbinate and cease its funding.

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
Well, MK Gal-On's comments are self-explanatory. So, I will just move on to the conclusion.

The Chief Rabbinate is highly problematic, to say the least, yet for reasons, not even Rabbi MK Ben-Dahan touched upon (that I am aware of).

Since when have Chief Rabbis made public, and necessary, unpopular rulings on halakhah (Jewish Law)?

Did Chief Rabbis tell the Israeli Government that it is forbidden to give away Jewish Land to hostile Yishma'eli enemies (ie. mesrirah)?

Did Chief Rabbis at least warn the Israeli Defense Forces [IDF] leadership of the possibility of increased promiscuity, due to the"integration" of women into predominantly male units?

What about the unnecessary, free for all, Shabbath violations of the IDF? What about Shabbath violations around the country, period? What about even encouraging the non-religious public to think about Shabbath observance?

Has there been a Chief Rabbi in recent history to admonish the IDF for putting Jewish soldiers at risk, for the sake of "innocent civilians," especially those who have turned out to be collaborators with our enemies? In fact, has a Chief Rabbi ever instructed the State's generals in anything related to Hilkhoth Milhamoth, the Torah Laws related to conducting a war, or even the defense of Israel's borders?

Has a Chief Rabbi in recent memory EVER criticized its boss, the Israeli Government?

Hasn't anyone in Israel, perhaps with an MBA or PhD, ever heard the term "a conflict of interest?"

This brings us to last week's Paratshath Shofetim.

שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים, תִּתֶּן-לְךָ בְּכָל-שְׁעָרֶיךָ, אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ, לִשְׁבָטֶיךָ; וְשָׁפְטוּ אֶת-הָעָם, מִשְׁפַּט-צֶדֶק. לֹא-תַטֶּה מִשְׁפָּט, לֹא תַכִּיר פָּנִים; וְלֹא-תִקַּח שֹׁחַד--כִּי הַשֹּׁחַד יְעַוֵּר עֵינֵי חֲכָמִים, וִיסַלֵּף דִּבְרֵי צַדִּיקִם. (דברים טז,יח-יט)

Judges and officers you shall appoint for yourselves in all of your gates, which the Lord your God has given to you, tribe by tribe; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. You shall not wrest judgment; you shall not show respect to [some] people [over] others; neither shall you take a gift; for a gift blinds the eyes of the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous. (Deuteronomy 16:18-19)

Does the Rabbinate have any real power to judge, as it is stated in the Torah? Their authority over marriage, divorce, burial, and kashruth is being swiftly eroded away, which should be a welcome comfort to MK's Lapid and Gal-On, among many others.

I cannot say anything against Rabbi Yitzhaq Yosef or Rabbi David Lau. My criticism is of the institution of the Chief Rabbinate itself, founded on the remains of the liaison to the Ottoman Empire, with some meddling by the British Mandate thrown in for good measure. I am afraid that the Chief Rabbinate simply does not cut it as an authentically Jewish institution, if for none other reason, then for its complete inability to act independently.

Does the Talmud hint of what we are experiencing already?

תלמוד בבלי, מסכת סנהדרין צז,א
תניא ר' יהודה אומר דור שבן דוד בא בו בית הוועד יהיה לזנות והגליל יחרב והגבלן יאשם ואנשי גבול יסובבו מעיר לעיר ולא יחוננו וחכמת הסופרים תסרח ויראי חטא ימאסו ופני הדור כפני כלב והאמת נעדרת שנאמר (ישעיהו נט,טו) ותהי האמת נעדרת וסר מרע משתולל

Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 97a
It was taught, Rabbi Yehudah said: In the generation when the son of David comes, the house of assembly will be for harlots, the Galilee will be in ruins, Gablan will lie desolate, the residents from the border towns will wander about from city to city, receiving no comfort (hospitality), the wisdom of scribes will be in disfavor, God-fearing men will be despised, people will be dog-faced, and the truth will be absent, as it is said, "And the truth is absent, and he who withdraws from evil makes himself prey." (Isaiah 59:15)

Those who appear to support the institution of the Chief Rabbinate either hang on tight to the idea that we must wait around for Mashi'ah to fix everything, or do not really want a Chief Rabbinate after all, but rather puppets.

Just how long are Israeli citizens going to buy the illusion? Just how long will it take for us to stand up and say, "Hey! Who's behind the curtain?" (alla "The Wizard Of Oz")

As in all battles against HaShem and His Torah (ie. Korach, Bil'am, Haman, etc.), Lapid's and Gal-On's (and Peres's) will backfire Sure, maybe the government will manage to eliminate the Chief Rabbinate. But, I doubt that he will like what he will eventually get as its replacement, assuming he will even be around to see it...

The Sanhedrin.