Yerushalayim! Oh, Jerusalem!

This week is an exciting one for us here in Israel, and especially in Jerusalem, but it doesn't go without its shadows as well. The most unlikely person to ever be a President of any country, let alone of the world's biggest Power, has done something remarkable that will forever etch him in the history of our nation. Donald Trump was the first head of nation to move his country's embassy to Jerusalem, exactly 70 years after its establishment, to the minute! And then the painful, sorrowful shadow of the Arab riots, their deaths, the big darkness clouding our happiness. I hope they will find room in their heart to accept reality - the land of Israel was given by G-d to the People of Israel, and Jerusalem was the city that He chose to call His name upon. It means that they cannot be sovereigns here, but they are welcome to coexist peacefully with us here, if they only want to. And many of them do, I know, because I talked with many of them who expressedly told me so.
The whole city is full of signs (sponsored by the FOZ museum) saying: "Trump, make Israel great again!". I found it funny at first, and then didn't. The signs should say: "G-d, make Israel great again!". Trump is just a tool in G-d's hands, no more than that. Anyway, it feels like we are 'reading' (or even 'writing') the last chapter in the history of the our nation, and even in the history of the world, the last pages in the modern day Bible, and as I said to a friend of mine today, it feels like we're reading the last three pages in that book... and the final words are soon to come.

I went to the Kotel (the Western Wall) tonight, to thank G-d for bringing about so many huge miracles for the People of Israel and for Jerusalem, for the whole world to see. On my way there, I saw on the Walls of the Old City a beautiful sound and light show, thanking the U.S. and President Trump, with flying flags of both of our countries. It was so moving to see:

One more happy thing that happened for Israel and Jerusalem this week, in an amazing unplanned timing right on the Jerusalem Day, was something that Europeans know about but other nations probably don't: Israel won the biggest, most important European song contest, the EuroVision. The Israeli singer who won it for us is a special character. She is big, in every sense of the word, she has a big personality, she is very confident of herself, and has an important message: the world should accept those who are different than the rest, like her. I don't like the song or her show or the EuroVision contest particularly, but I thought it is worth commenting upon this time, because this year it made me happy.
Europe voted for Israel. Why is it so important? First, us winning this contest means that this huge event is going to be hosted in Israel next year - the eyes of the whole world, which are already fixed upon us as it is, are going to be fixed on us even more. It is a huge touristy event, which is good for our country.
Second, the BDS movement activists were lobbying hard against Israel for weeks before the contest, trying to convince people not to vote for Israel - but they failed - a big victory for us. We, you won't be surprised, didn't lobby against anyone.
Third, as I said, it happened by an amazing coincidence (I believe G-d's will) right on our Jerusalem Day, the day we celebrate the Liberation of Jerusalem in 1967 from Jordanian hands.
And fourth, and perhaps most interesting, is the following story: When the hosts of this contest turned to each country to get their votes for the songs, they turned to each country by their capital city: "Hello London!", "Hello Berlin!", "Hello Oslo!", and so forth. When it was the turn of Israel's judges to give their vote for the contest, the EuroVision hosts turned to them: "Hello Israel", not "Hello Jerusalem" as they should have. And no, it was not a mistake, and it was not accidental. People from the Israeli press, who were there, informed us that the hosts received instructions from the directors of the event to not mention Jerusalem, because they don't recognize Jerusalem as our capital city. And you know what is the funniest, most ironic thing about it? Netta, our singer, won the contest, which means that next year not only the EuroVision people will have to acknowledge Jerusalem, they will have to BE in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, because this event is going to be hosted here, in our eternal capital city, thanks to this victory. I love G-d's sense of humor. Thank you G-d, for this too!  (note from May 10th, 2019: we now know that the EuroVision will take place in Tel Aviv. The reason: The contest will take place at the end of Shabbat, which means that major rehearsals will take place on Shabbat, and will constitute violation of Shabbat. After much deliberation it was decided that Jerusalem, of all places, is not the appropriate place for such violations, so it will be in Tel Aviv. A few artists refused to participate in this contest because they do not want to desecrate Shabbat. I wish all of them had done the same, and that they would have moved the contest to another weekday, like Sunday night, for example. End of note).

Last week I wrote something here about Edom being the Western culture of today. A friend asked me about it, which sent me to do my homework and try to find the source for this common knowledge here. This is what I found, a stunning piece of information. It reminded me that while I was a student in Japan a few good years ago, someone told me about this piece of text from the Talmud, while I was still secular, and it blew my mind away. This was one (only one, there were more) of the things that helped me find the Truth.
Listen to this: The Talmud comments about the verse from Psalms 140:9: "Grant not, Oh Lord, the desires of the wicked; further not his evil device, so that they exalt themselves, Selah". The Talmud, which is a rabbinic commentary written and compiled by the wisest rabbis in our nation from the 3rd to the 5th century C.E., foresaw things that no one could ever foresee. Here it is: "Said Jacob to the Holy One: 'Master of the Universe, do not allow Esau his heart desire... this refers to GERMAMY OF EDOM, for if they were to be allowed loose, they would destroy the world!' " (Talmud, Megilla 6a-6b).
This was written more than 1600 years before World War II and the Holocaust happened! And have no doubts, GERMAMY is Germany, please make no mistake! The Sages of the Talmud, with their special spiritual powers and their deep knowledge of the Hebrew scriptures, could tell that Esau (which is Edom - see Genesis 25:30) is Rome and later Germany of today. And we are not talking about the genes necessarily, but rather about the world view - think of the Roman empire, think of Germany, think of all the violence and thirst for power and blood that these nations had. Esau was a red head hunter... unfortunately, the Germans (and Romans, and Russians, etc) were hunters of Jews for long, bitter, bloody years. The Talmud Sages knew this with their heightened spiritual capabilities and their meticulous study of the Hebrew scriptures.
To learn more about this and see the original text in the Talmud, in both Hebrew and English, please refer to this link:  https://www.sefaria.org.il/Megillah.6a.19?lang=bi

To my friends from Poland, Norway, the USA and other countries who love Israel, and yes, also my friends from Russia and Germany: this doesn't mean that all of Europeans are like Edom. People who embrace G-d are on Jacob's side. Edom is the antithesis of faith in G-d. Those of the West who embrace faith in G-d no longer have the Edomite world view, and are therefore not considered to be Edom.

Anyway, see what is happening in Israel - unbelievable, incredible, exciting miracles, and all in accordance with the promises of the Torah, the Prophets and the Talmudic texts. You who support us are part of this story. You are on the right side of History. You see the amazing picture as it unfolds in front of your eyes, and you don't fight it like so many do in the world - you embrace it and support it.

Please feel free to ask me anything you want, and to comment freely on whatever you want. I am always happy to rise to the challenge and try to answer these questions to the best of my ability. You are my friends, you are Israel's friends and may you be blessed abundantly for that!

With love from my beloved, holy, beautiful city of Jerusalem, may it be rebuilt in its entirety soon (the Temple, guys, the Temple has to be rebuilt too, in G-d's graces, hopefully soon, and in peaceful ways!) and may peace prevail in it forever!

Yours faithfully,
You know who I am... :-)

BeHukotai: Leviticus 26:3 - 27:34

We are living through very interesting, exciting times, when incredible, unbelievable things take place in front of our eyes. G-d's "fingerprints" are so clearly visible in all of this, that we just have to lean back and watch - and whenever possible, enjoy the show! 
Donald Trump, the most unlikely person to ever be the President of the United States, was elected president. He decided to move the American embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Not only that, he also cancelled the very problematic nuclear deal with Iran - who would have believed that, who could have imagined that? Iran is now attacking the north of Israel, and the whole world seems to be bubbling and boiling over different things - but it seems like everyone's eyes are focused on this little country, on this little nation that is just 0.2% of the world's population. How can it be? There is only one answer, and everyone who is honest enough with himself can easily know the answer. 

I want to share with you an amazing prophecy from an ancient Jewish source, Yalkut Shimoni (about Isaiah 60) - written 800 years ago by an unknown Jewish sage. When you read it, you can't help shivering. Some of it is already happening now, in front of our eyes. Here is the translation. When you read it, think of the recently tense relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, think of how Europe is involved in all of this, etc.:

“Rabbi Yizchak said: ‘The year that Melech HaMoshiach [Messiah the King] will be revealed, all the nations of the world will be provoking each other. The King of Persia (Iran) will provoke the King of Arabia (Saudia), and the King of Arabia will go to Edom (Europe and the West) to take counsel..." 
The text goes on to talk about what will happen in the world - scary things. I truly believe that those of the nations of the world who love G-d and support Israel will be redeemed too. This is not something that is reserved just for us, but for all those who love G-d and help His people. If you want to read more about it, click this link: https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/58217/800-year-old-prophecy-declares-when-king-persia-will-provoke-king-arabia-redemption-around-corner-middle-east/

The Hebrew original is here:


This week's Torah Portion, BeHukotai (Leviticus 26:3-27:4) is the last one in the Book of Leviticus. In it, there are blessings promised to the people of Israel by G-d if we follow him, keep Shabbat and do everything we are commanded to do, and there are also curses that we are threatened with if we don't do that (curses that unfortunately came true during our long, bitter exile). Just a few quotes, and when you read them, see if you can recognize the time in history in which they happened:

"And I will scatter you among the nations, and I will draw out the sword after you, and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be waste" (Lev. 26:33). Is it familiar? Something that happened for such a long long period of time in our history!
Mark Twain wrote in his travelogue ("The Innocents Abroad"), when he visited here in the middle of the 19th century, that the Holy Land "sits in sackcloth and ashes. Over it broods the spell of a curse that has withered its fields and fettered its energies". He continues and says that "There was hardly a tree or a shrub anywhere. Even the olive and the cactus... had almost deserted the country... a desolation is here that not even imagination can grace with the pomp of life and action".

In the Torah, G-d says to us about the time that the curse will happen: "Then shall the land be paid her Shabbats, as long as it lies desolate, and you are in your enemies' land. Even then shall the land rest and repay her Shabbats... the rest which it didn't have in your Shabbats, when you lived in it". The commandments we are given - to rest from work on Shabbat (and let the land rest on every Seventh Year!) - are so important, that because we violated them, we were thrown out of the land.
The Torah continues: "And you shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up". Familiar? Hasn't it happened for such a long bloody exile? I've just finished reading the excellent book "German Requiem" - a history book that describes such a sad attempt by Jews to forsake their Jewishness and become more Germans than the Germans, without any success. We all know how it ended. The lesson of it all is that we cannot ever forsake the special covenant that G-d sealed with us. Even if we want to, we can't, it is bigger and stronger than us. If we try to get rid of our Jewish identity, G-d uses the nations around us as rods in His hand, reminding us in a very painful way that we are Jews, whether we like it or not.

But G-d also promises that He will not forsake us completely, which He really hasn't: "And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly and to break My covenant with them; for I am the L-rd their G-d."

And what happens now, when more and more of us observe Shabbat, and try to cling to G-d and His commandments with all our might? G-d promised us, and He fulfills this promise nowadays, since the establishment of the State of Israel, which is the beginning of our redemption:
"And five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword" (Leviticus 26:8). Sounds familiar? Isn't it what happened in all the miraculous wars of the modern State of Israel? Just think of 1967, when the whole world thought it was going to be the end of Israel, but Israel won over mighty armies, far greater in numbers and equipment, in just six days! And the 1973 Yom Kippur war? We should have been wiped out, according to logic. And our mere survival here, surrounded by a sea of hostile Arab countries? This in itself is incredible. It is all unbelievable, and it is all promised here, in this Portion.
G-d concludes: "And I will walk among you, and will be your G-d, and you shall be My People"... It is so visible nowadays! Not only do we survive, we also prosper! People come here from all over the world to witness this miracle with their own eyes, to try to fathom what is our secret. Yes, reality is not yet perfect, BUT it is getting there - so many miracles, so many things that are so incredible, so improbable, so wonderful happen here! The final redemption is near, for us and for those of the nations of the world who truly love the ONE G-d and worship Him (for more about the commandments given specifically to the nations of the world, you can read here: https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/62221/jewish/The-7-Noahide-Laws-Universal-Morality.htm).

This week one of my students told me about this song, Cry No More, Yerushalayim - a song that talks about our consolation and the big miracles that G-d does for us. I like the song, and the video clip shows footage of Jerusalem, so those of you who love my city are welcome to watch this short video clip and enjoy the song:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7ruAmWfb4A

This coming Sunday is Yom Yerushalayim, "Jerusalem Day". It is so beautiful that one day later, on Monday, the US embassy is scheduled to move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. I'll write about it next week, G-d willing.

Shabbat shalom!

Torah Portion (BeHar): Leviticus 25:1-26:2

This week we celebrated the Hebrew Holiday of Lag BaOmer. This is the day in which Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai passed away, and gave the teachings of the Zohar (a Jewish Kabbalah book) to his disciples, which made it available to the world later on. On this holiday we light bonfires and eat potatoes and meat grilled in fire. This week, however, there were very few bonfires. The whole nation was recovering from a terrible calamity that befell us last week: ten young people were killed in a flood in the Aravah desert. They were going on a trip, and got stuck in a narrow wadi when a flood of water came and killed ten of them. So sad. The pain was so big, that I had to go to one of the funerals, even though I didn't know the person. Nine of these ten people were girls, and one boy. The boy died because he stayed behind to help others climb up and be saved. He saved them, at the expense of his own life. In our post-modern generation, in which no absolute truths are accepted, it is a painful reminder to the fact that boys and girls are different. Boys are physically stronger, and no matter how the feminists would rebel against this, they are better fit to deal with some physical challenges than girls are. The boys were able to climb up and away from the flood. Girls are weaker, physically, and their strength was not enough for them to climb up and resist the flood. All those "politically correct" people nowadays who try to equate men and women in every possible thing (asking the army to let women serve in ALL capacities, etc.) - all these people are wrong, and that disaster is a painful reminder to that.
Because we were all badly traumatized by this disaster, the authorities asked people to abstain from lighting fires on Lag BaOmer, fearing that in this hot weather, yet another disaster could happen, G-d forbid. Surprisingly for Israel, such a stiff necked nation that we are, most people obeyed! The air was clean, no smoke, hardly any fires. People were united with grief and concern for each other and decided to give up the favorite past-time of Lag BaOmer for public safety. 

After that painful, difficult week, I got some ray of light sent to me by HaShem this week. Some of you know that in addition to my regular job, I also teach Hebrew to supplement my meager salary. For me it is not just work, it is also a mission. By doing that, I feel I help, even just a little bit, in G-d's plan to settle the Jews back in Eretz Israel (The land of Israel). My students are Olim Chadashim, Jewish people who leave the meat-pots of America or England or Australia to live here, in this little desert corner in the Middle East, surrounded by hostile Arabs and the sea on all directions, without knowing the language, without having friends here, without having proper jobs here. I enjoy teaching them and helping some of them settle. Helping them learn Hebrew facilitates their absorption process here, which is very important. I love this job, and one of the reasons that I don't go for full time job somewhere, is so that I can have time to teach. I teach privately, one to one. Women - at my place, men - in a coffee shop or a hotel lobby.
So this week G-d sent me a gift: a new female student. She is originally from Hawaii, 4th generation Japanese, who converted to Judaism, married a Jewish guy from New York, and now lives as a Haredi (ultra-orthodox) woman in the Sanhedriyah neighborhood of Jerusalem. She and her husband have 5 children. She teaches dance to girls here, and she needs Hebrew for her job. I often hear from my students many personal stories. Often in our classes, as they talk to me (in Hebrew) about their life and personal experiences, tears come to their eyes. I feel so enriched by the privilege of being there to hear people's stories!
This new student of mind told me that she went back to Hawaii for a short time, and there, at her old high school, she told them about the change she has done in her life, about the choices that she has made which make her feel so happy. What an amazing Kiddush HaShem (Sanctification of G-d's name)! She said that one woman who interviewed her for the school newspaper told her that after hearing her talk, she couldn't sleep at night, because it opened inside of her all those bottled-up feelings, yearnings and thoughts that she didn't dare addressing before. My student told me that, to begin with, she used to feel some emptiness in her life, even though she had a good life, with good friends and a good family. But something was missing. She was looking for that 'something' in different ways, but couldn't find it anywhere else. She told me that she traveled the world, went to all different countries, but never found it anywhere. And now, when she lives in Jerusalem, she feels she doesn't want to go anywhere, she wants to be here. She's been living here for a few years now (with her basic Hebrew), so she knows what she's talking about. It made me shiver. It is so beautiful. I am grateful to G-d for sending her my way. 

Yesterday I had a day off, so I went on a group-tour to Haifa, with a few more Israelis. It was a very hot day, but I'm glad I went. I got to learn about the German Colony of Haifa, Wadi Nisnas in which Arabs and Jews live as neighbors, about down-town Haifa, and more. The German Colony (both in Haifa and in Jerusalem) was built in 1868 by the Templers, Germans who thought that redemption is near, and that they should prepare the land of Israel for it. They came here, made a huge contribution to the Land, left us with beautiful houses (especially in the German Colony of Jerusalem!), but with the turns and twists of history, they were expelled to Australia by the British authorities a few good years later. They left, but with G-d's interesting plans, we came. And we keep on building and developing this land. A secular friend of mine from Norway, who came here and saw the German Colony here in Jerusalem, told me that to her it seems as if G-d "used" the Germans to pave the way for the Jews to return home. She said it, not me. Anyway, it reminds me of the verses from Deuteronomy 6: "And it shall be, when the LORD thy G-d shall bring you into the land which He swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you--great and goodly cities, which you did not build, and houses full of all good things, which thou didst not fill, and cisterns hewn out, which thou didst not hew, vineyards and olive-trees, which thou didst not plant, and thou shalt eat and be satisfied--..."
Haifa is not my place. But I saw pictures of what it used to be just a 100 years ago, and what it is now, and it is just unbelievable. Such huge miracles. Who could have imagined that any of this would happen? Theodor Herzl wrote in his book Altneuland what Haifa should look like, when his vision comes true. Reality far exceeds that which he dared to imagine. Haifa is a thriving Jewish city, living peacefully with its Arab inhabitants, enjoying two universities (Haifa University and the Technion), vast HiTech parks, and more. Quite incredible. In this week's Torah Portion, BaHar, G-d says: "Wherefore you shall do My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances and do them; and you shall dwell in the land in safety. And the land shall yield her fruit, and you shall eat until you have enough, and dwell therein in safety." Touring Haifa yesterday, and living in Jerusalem every day (thank G-d!), this is exactly the reality that I see, feel and experience. Baruch HaShem.

Shabbat is near. I'm invited to eat at my friends' gorgeous apartment in my neighborhood of Rechavia, so I don't need to do much preparations. So now I am going to see the Giro D'Italia bicycle race, which will start today here in Jerusalem. Poor riders, such a hot day today! But I saw some of the riders when I was teaching one of my male student at the lobby of the Orient Hotel. They seem so fit and agile. It makes you want to ride a bicycle too! Those of you reading this on time - you can watch the race on TV or the internet. It is going to be covered widely by the TV networks all over the world. 

Shabbat Shalom!

P.S.: back, and with a photo:

You Must Always Pray / Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis

You Must Always Pray / Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis

       In the very first parshah, the Torah describes the creation of the world and the creation of man, the very crown of creation. We learn that although the seeds of all vegetation were in place, it was only after man prayed for rain that the seeds blossomed and bloomed. 

       This prerequisite of prayer is evident throughout our Torah and history. Our mothers - Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel, and Leah - and many others were granted the berachah of children only after they prayed with all their hearts and souls. 

       This prerequisite is actually necessary for every blessing in life. For example, it was only after Moshe Rabbeinu, the greatest man ever to walk the face of the earth, turned to Hashem with intense, genuine prayer that Hashem forgave the nation of Israel.

G-d's response to Moshe comprised just two words, but those two words had, and continue to have, more power than the most deadly weapons mankind can devise. We are all familiar with those two little words. They are engraved on our hearts and souls; they are the pillars of Yom Kippur: "Selachti kidvarecha" - "I [G-d] have forgiven even as you requested."

       Yes, prayer is the foundation, the ultimate defense weapon of our people. Our father Yaakov was endowed with this gift by his own father, Yitzchak, who proclaimed those words that identify us for all time: "Hakol kol Yaakov - The voice is the voice of Yaakov." That voice is the voice of prayer. It is so powerful that it can pierce the bolted heavenly gates and ascend to the very Throne of G-d. 

       Throughout the long centuries of our persecution, torture, and slaughter, this voice of Jacob has enabled us to triumph. It was prayer that enabled us to survive Hitler's hell. I know - I was there.

       In our "enlightened" world, however, this voice has become muted; prayer has come to be regarded as something only a naïve, unschooled person can take seriously. We, the citizens of the 21st century, know the age of miracles has long passed.

       And there are still other factors that impede prayer. Ours is a culture addicted to instant gratification. From computers to iPhones, fast food to microwaves, it must all be fast, fast, fast! So if our prayers are not immediately granted, we cut the line and lose our connection with G-d; we stop praying, sit in solitude, and our loneliness consumes us. 

       Psalm 27 offers us the solution: "Kaveh el Hashem - Place your trust in G-d." Pray. And if initially your prayers are not answered, strengthen your heart and pray some more.

       We must only keep the lines open and never stop praying. If we wish to live, we must always bear in mind that prayer is our most powerful weapon.

       Having said all this, we must also recognize that Hashem is not our waiter. We cannot make demands. We cannot order Him around. We cannot depart from His restaurant in a fit of temper. There are no other eateries to which we can go. 

       Time and again I have been told by disappointed singles searching for their soulmates or businesspeople facing failure, "I am through! I've had it! I prayed and it's no use. It's all to no avail!"

       "Really?" I ask. "You're really through? You won't pray? Do you really think you're doing G-d a favor when you seek His help and pray? Do you really think G-d is diminished because you have ceased praying?"

       I then point out what should be obvious: "If G-d wills it, in an instant you will be gone. So let me give you a piece of advice. If you want to start up with someone, that's your option, but for your own good, your own survival, don't start up with G-d. You will lose before you ever start."

       When they ask me what to do, I reply, "Follow the advice, found in Psalm 27, of King David, the mighty warrior and sweet singer of Israel: Pray, and then pray some more. Follow the example of Moshe Rabbeinu, whose every prayer was on behalf of his people."

       Actually, the one time Moshe prayed for himself, he begged G-d to allow him to enter the Promised Land. He was told "no," but his faith never diminished. He understood that everything that comes from G-d is good and there was a reason why he was not permitted to walk on Eretz Yisrael's holy ground. Just the same, every prayer is answered in its own way; from the top of the mountain G-d granted Moshe a vision and he saw the Land of Israel and the great panorama of Jewish history.

       G-d has His reasons, even if those reasons cannot be comprehended by our puny minds. Our faith, our trust in Hashem, is eternal, and we know that "no" is also an answer.

Torah Portion Emor - Making the World a Brighter Place

I would like to write about one of the social commandments in this week's Portion: "And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corner of your field, neither shall you gather the gleaning of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor, and for the stranger: I am the LORD your God."

This commandment, from this week's Torah Portion, is to care for the poor: if you have a field, do not reap it completely. Leave a corner of it for the poor, so that they can come and take of it as much as they need. How does it apply to our days? Most of us do not own fields these days, and even if we did, poor people would most likely not go and reap sheaves of wheat there. They would rather go to the supermarket and buy a ready-made bread there. 
There are so many ways in which we can implement this commandment today: whenever I go out of my apartment, I try to have a few shekel coins. Whenever someone is begging (they do it most often in the market or near the Western Wall), I take a coin or two and give it to them. I usually try to do it with a smile, because it is SO important to treat them with dignity and warmth, to give them a good feeling, even more than just giving them the money. 
Another way of fulfilling this commandment, in my opinion, is to leave empty glass bottles that you finished drinking in a plastic bag near the recycling bins. The poor often walk around, gathering these bottles, and returning it to the supermarket. They get reimbursed for every bottle at the supermarket (this is how it works in Israel), and it becomes a source of livelihood for them. This is perhaps the closest you can get to not harvesting your field completely. Instead of returning these bottles yourself to the supermarket and get paid for it, you leave them out for the old and poor who need this money more than you do. 
It is promised in the Torah that there will always be poor people in the world: "For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land." (Deuteronomy 15:11). Our commentators say that the reason there will always be poor people in the world is to improve our own characters, to give us a chance to give to strangers, to open our hands and our hearts, to become better people by giving charity. By being better people, we also make the world a better place. 

I remember my last trip to Norway. I spent a Shabbat in Oslo. On my way from my Air BNB room to the Jewish community in the morning, I saw a man sitting on the sidewalk near a park, leaning on a fence. His clothes were worn-out, his hair disheveled, his face reddened and with a hardened skin. He was a beggar. Because it was Shabbat, I didn't carry any money on me (actually, on Shabbat we cannot carry anything when outside of Israel, not even a key! I had to hide my key in a pot of plants near my accommodation!). I felt so sorry that I didn't have anything to give him! I so wished to do that, to give him a few coins, or more, and to start a small talk, to tell him I'm from Jerusalem, etc. Having nothing on me to give him, I just smiled at him - he smiled warmly back - and I apologized for having nothing on me, I also showed him that I don't carry anything in my pockets. He smiled, and I felt that even this little exchange was something I was able to give him. If I wasn't hurrying to get to shul (to the synagogue) for the reading of the Torah, I would have sat by him for a few minutes, and asked him about him, about his life, and what made him give up on life like that. I do hope to have a chance to do it in the future. 

I also remember my trip to Japan a few years ago. The homeless people there are different than beggars anywhere else. I don't call them beggars, but rather homeless people, because they do not beg. They do not even expect to be given anything. I remember walking on a major street in Osaka, a big city, and seeing a homeless guy. Gently, I approached him with a few coins in my hand. He looked at me as if I fell from the sky, not understanding what I wanted from him, why I approached him. I showed him the coins. He didn't even reach out his hand. I had to motion with my hand that he can take the money, that it is OK. It took a few more moments, and then he hesitantly took the money, at last. He was very, very thankful and in a very respectful way. It touched my heart. This same scenario repeated itself again with every homeless person I saw there. They were all astonished that someone even notices them, not to mention gives them money or food. My dream, if I ever go back there again (not planning at all, but if I have to go), is to go to Osaka or Tokyo, take my tithes (10% of my income), buy a few take-away meals in restaurants, walk the main streets and give such a take-away box to every homeless person I see. And then sit and talk with them a little with my broken, insufficient Japanese. I want to see that expression on their faces again, the surprise that someone even notices you, that someone even cares. I do it in Israel, but here many, many people give, give, give, give, so the beggars are not surprised at all. They are happy and thankful, but they are not surprised. In Japan it is totally different, and I think that going on a "Giving Spree" to give food and some attention to these poor, destitute people, can add a lot of light to a corner in the world that needs more light. 
There is a story in our Jewish Scriptures that once a non-Jewish person went to Old Hillel (a famous ancient Rabbi) and asked him to teach him the whole Torah in an instant ("while standing on one foot"). Hillel told him: "You shall love your fellow man as yourself - and all the rest is commentary, go and learn", meaning: the most important thing is to treat others right, and the whole Torah just teaches how to do that. Caring for the poor is just one manifestation of the commandment to love our fellow human being like ourselves. No one expects us to give all we have. 10% of our net income is enough. We would still have 90% of it for ourselves. I like to think of it as if 10% of my net income is not mine - it is G-d's money. He gave it to me so that I can distribute it wisely on His behalf, and do good in His world. 

Thinking about my last post about how to make each day count, the Mitzvah (commandment) to give some coins ("the corner of our fields") to the poor is one way of making our days count, of making our existence in this world meaningful, by making the world a better place. 

Weekly Torah Portion: Emor (Leviticus 21:1 - 24:23)

It was raining hard today all over Israel. In Jerusalem it hailed hard. I know most people don't like it, but to me it is a blessing. I love rain, there is something cleansing, purifying, nourishing about it, something that makes you want to stay home, drink hot tea while covered in blankets in bed, looking outside, enjoying the sights, the sounds and sometimes even the smells. Rain in April, and so much of it, is very rare. Because it is so special, I feel there is a message to us from G-d in it. I think it is a good message. 
In this week's Torah Portion, a special commandment is given to us, a commandment that we still keep till today, thousands of years after it was given. "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When you come into the land which I give to you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then you shall bring the sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest... And you shall count unto you from the morrow after the day of rest, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the waving; seven weeks shall there be complete;even unto the morrow after the seventh week shall you number fifty days..." (Leviticus 23:10, 15-16)
This commandment basically asks us to count 50 days, 7 weeks, from right after the Passover holiday. At the end of these seven weeks we have another holiday, that of Shavuot ("The Holiday of Weeks"), in which, according to tradition, we celebrate the Giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai. On the Holiday of Shavuot the synagogues are decorated with green branches and flowers all over. Why? Because according to tradition, during the Giving of the Torah, the dry desert mountain of Sinai bloomed and became green and full of flowers all of the sudden. Everything became green and flowery thanks to the Giving of the Torah. Even if you don't want to believe it as it is, the symbolic meaning of it is clear: when Torah came to the world, life came to the world, and made even the arid, dry life of human beings into a green, lush oasis. On Shavuot we read the Ten Commandments in synagogue, when the whole congregation stands in trepidation on its feet, feeling as if they are in Sinai all over again. 
So these days we count up every day. For example, "today is 26 days to the Omer, which are three weeks and five days to the Omer." It is done with anticipation to something great that is going to happen in the 50th day. Actually, today is exactly the mid point between Passover and Shavuot. 

Rabbi Moshe Zvi Neryah (1913-1995) wrote a beautiful excerpt about this commandment, which he titled "The Wholeness of Time": 
"Perfection is expressed first and foremost in time. The Torah commandment to count days comes to teach us about the value of time, the preciousness of days. Time has always had and will forever have just one hue, but the depth of the life of a human gives time its different hues. A man of Israel feels that the world of Shabbat does not resemble the world of a regular week day. Each day has its own hue, its own song... A day that nothing was renewed in it, not a new thought, not a new feeling, is a day without a unique hue. Torah life requires being active and having a thinking mind and a feeling heart. Everyday - a new Torah, in a new world, to a new person. The counting of the days serves, therefore, as a prelude to the Giving of the Torah: from now on your days are counted and are placed in the archives of eternity. A day that nothing was renewed in will not be counted, and you will lack it". 
I think these words should be etched in our hearts. Our time in this world is limited. Every day must count. Every day must be meaningful. A day that is wasted on watching cheap entertainment on the TV passively, or playing Solitaire (like I see so many adults do on their Smartphones) is a wasted day, a chance that a person wasted in this world to do something good, to benefit people around him, to improve himself or the world a bit, to grow spiritually. Whenever I see people wasting their time on computer games, I am shocked. People, read! Think! Pray! Reach out to others! Do something meaningful with your time, with your mind, with your mental and physical resources. The Torah was given to us so that we would make the world a better place. Not just us, all of humanity. Every day counts. A good question to ask yourself at the end of each day is: what did I do today that was meaningful? What did I do today to serve G-d? What good did I do to people around me? What benefit did I bring to the world today? It doesn't have to be something big. Even just smiling at an old person on the street, or calling a lonely friend to ask how they are doing - all of these count. 
Life is precious. And even if it is very painful at times, or all the time, it has meaning. A person is placed here in this world not necessarily to enjoy or have fun, but to serve G-d, to help people around him, to be good and improve oneself. So, how did you spend your day today?

Yom HaZikaron - Memorial Day for the Fallen Soldiers of Israel and Victims of Terrorism

Today is the Memorial Day for the fallen IDF soldiers. I'm sitting in my little apartment, in the living room. On the radio sad Israeli songs are being played. Working from home most of the time, these songs are constantly in the background. In between, the voices of family members of fallen soldiers are broadcasted. They talk about their dear ones, about the fight in which they fell, about their life after receiving that dreadful message that their father/son/brother are no longer with us. When you hear that, you can't hold back the tears. I'm easy to cry, no matter what, but I think that on this day, when we are all surrounded by these stories and these memories, even the toughest among us cry. We all know someone who lost a family member in wars or in terror attacks. My boss, a very tough woman when it comes to business and worldly things, choked yesterday when she was on the phone with me, when we started talking about this day. I think it is the first time I heard her cry. Her older son has already finished his military service. The younger one is still serving. But you don't need to serve in the army in order to be a target. Nowadays, and this is not new, civilians are being targeted too in hideous acts of terror.
I can talk about my own relatives (including a first circle relative) who were killed or wounded in wars, but I think today I would talk about two people that I never knew personally, but I feel that their stories should be told and known.
One of them has become a national hero, a name that everyone in Israel knows, a name that should be known worldwide. Ironically, I think that someone like him would really hate to be famous and to have people talk about him, so when I decided to write about him today, I asked forgiveness from him in my heart. Roi Klein (רועי קליין ז"ל) was an officer in the IDF. He served in the Golani brigade and fought a few battles, including the one in the Second Lebanon War, in which he found his death in 2006. He lived in the Eli settlement in Samaria and was part of the National Religious society, the most beautiful segment of population in Israel, and dare I say, in the whole world. They are the kind who combine Torah learning and actual service to society. Everywhere they go and whatever they do, they are always at the top, giving themselves and their needs up in order to serve others, and in order to serve G-d. Roi Klein was a father of two children, who are now left orphaned. During that fateful fight in the Second Lebanon War, a hand-grenade was thrown by the enemy on the military force he was commanding. Without thinking twice, Roi threw himself on the grenade in order to prevent it from exploding on his soldiers. By sacrificing himself, he saved his soldiers from being hurt. His soldiers told that while he was dying from his wounds, Roi shouted "Shema Israel" (Hear, O Israel, HaShem is our Lord, HaShem is one", Deut. 6:4), and gave his field-communication-device to the officer that took command of the force from that moment. And he died. In 2009, the Israel Supreme Court of Justice (a secular court, some like to call it 'the supreme court of injustice') was thinking of destroying the neighborhood in which Roi used to live in the Jewish Settlement of Eli, because it is behind the green line. After much protest from people in Israel, PM Netanyahu promised the people and the family, that Roi Klein's house will not be destroyed, and in fact, the whole neighborhood was saved thanks to this. Many things were done and established to commemorate Roi and his heroism. One of them was the building of a Bet Midrash (a Torah study institute) at the University of Ariel.

To learn more about Roi, you can read in the website that his family made in his memory: http://www.roiklein.co.il/roi.aspx?lang=eng

Or watch this short video, with English subtitles. Try not to cry:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrAtif91gI8

Roi Klein of Blessed Memory

The second fallen soldier I want to write about is IDF officer Yochai (Juchah) Kalangel of blessed memory. Last year I listened to the radio one Saturday night, to an after-Shabbat program. The hosts of the program interviewed a man, the father of a fallen soldier. He wanted to invite the public to join the family in the settlement where they live to a special event: to celebrate with the family when they bring a new Torah Scroll to the local synagogue, in memory of his son. When he spoke, he was constantly choking with tears and could hardly finish his sentences. The pain was so palpable in his voice. I could feel his heart. I decided that I just have to go there, meet him and the family, and join them when they bring the Torah Scroll into the synagogue. I took a bus to their settlement in Gush Etzion (in Judea, not far from Hebron), and joined the long procession of people who were dancing with the Torah Scroll and passing it from hand to hand, kissing it. I stayed there for the meal and when people started leaving I talked with the parents. They told me the following incredible story about Yochai, their son:
When Yochai died, people started coming to the family house, where the family was sitting Shiv'a (a seven day period of mourning in Judaism, in which the family is at home and relatives and friends come to comfort them and mourn with them, sharing stories about the deceased person). When Yochai's soldiers came to the house to comfort the family, many of them told the family unbelievable stories about Yochai. It turned out that Yochai spent most of his military salary to buy food, electrical devices such as washing machines, etc., to the families of his poor soldiers. He used to go every Friday to these families, and without even knocking on the door just left a basket of food for Shabbat so that these families could celebrate Shabbat properly.
Yochai was married, father of two girls. His father asked him: "Nu, Yochai, when will you buy a house?" and Yochai just said: "Not now, father, not now", not telling his father what he was really doing with his money. When the family learned about the amazing acts of loving-kindness that their fallen son used to do, they started an NPO to continue his ways. This NPO buys and distributes food and other necessary products to poor families of IDF soldiers, just like their son used to do. They do it completely voluntarily, without taking even one Shekel to themselves - all the donations go to the poor families. For years I was looking for such an NPO, that gives all the money to the poor without taking anything to themselves, and I found it with them. This is the website of the NPO: https://uf-kadima.org.il. It is in Hebrew only. I offered them to translate it to English, but they asked me to wait with it until they change the contents of the website a bit. You can watch a video (with English subtitles) on Yochai here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=bRv6ODnlGKQ

Yochai Kalangel of Blessed Memory

I think we should think of these two soldiers, and many thousands more like them, who instead of thinking of themselves, thought of others, thought of us, and were willing to sacrifice their lives so that we would live. May their example shine as a beacon of light to Israel and to the whole world.

Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day) is almost over. In an hour from now the celebrations of Israel's 70th independence day will start. I will celebrate, of course, but my heart is still with the families who gave the dearest to them so that we can enjoy independence in our G-d given land.

Thank you for reading.

'Next Year in Jerusalem' - by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis

REBBETZIN'S JEWISH PRESS COLUMN

'Next Year In Jerusalem'

Editor's Note: Rebbetzin Jungreis, a"h, is no longer with us in a physical sense, but her message is eternal and The Jewish Press will continue to present the columns that for more than half a century have inspired countless readers around the world. ************ 'Next Year In Jerusalem'           At our Seders last week we all recited the ancient vow "Next year in Jerusalem." If you are a Jew, Jerusalem is in your blood. It's a city engraved upon your heart. Centuries ago Yehuda HaLevi wrote, "My heart is in the East while I am in the West."            No matter where life has taken us, our hearts have forever remained in the East, in Jerusalem.             When I was a little girl in Hungary I may not have known where Paris or Rome was but I did know the location of Jerusalem. My parents of blessed memory, HaRav HaGoan Avraham HaLevi Jungreis, zt"l, and Rebbetzin Miriam Jungreis, a"h, nurtured us with the milk and honey of Yerushalayim. Nowadays, few still thirst for that sweetness. And yet, with all the distractions of modern life, Yerushalayim tugs at our hearts.           Several years ago I saw with my own eyes and heard with my own ears the veracity of this connection between the Jew and this Holy City.             I was speaking at Jerusalem's Great Synagogue. There was no spare seat to be had and despite the lateness of the night people kept coming. Many lingered after I finished my speech. Some sought advice and guidance. Others just wanted to talk.            Above all they asked for berachos - for shidduchim, for health, for sustenance. And then a tall, lovely, blond-haired girl stood before me. She was crying. Something prompted me to ask, "Are you Jewish?" Her voice cracking with tears, she whispered, "I'm a convert. I came to Yerushalayim to become part of the Jewish people."           She explained that she came from a country where Jews had been beaten and tortured and maimed and killed during the Holocaust. But her soul whispered the message, "Go, join the people who stood at Sinai; go to Jerusalem!"           I naturally assumed she sought a blessing for a good shidduch. "No, no," she protested, "that's not why I'm here. You just related a story that entered my soul. Please bless me with the ability of not forgetting."            And then she repeated one of the stories I had told in my address.            The story was about a mother who lost her husband and eleven of her children in Auschwitz. She made aliyah but still had no peace. She couldn't sleep. She couldn't work. She couldn't come to terms with her fate.            She sought out a rebbe - perhaps he would offer her some consolation. She spilled out her heart and described each and every one of her children. The rebbe listened and wept with her. And then he said something amazing. "I think I saw someone among the newly arrived children now settled in a kibbutz who fits the description of your Dovidl."            The rebbe told her he would try to trace the lineage of that child.                A few days later the rebbe called. "I may have some good news for you," he said. Heart pounding, she returned to the rebbe's home - and there was her little boy.           "Dovidl, Dovidl," she shouted. "Mama, Mama" he sobbed as he ran into her arms. When the boy caught his breath he asked a painful question. "Whereis my father? Where are Moishele and Rochele?"  As Dovidl enumerated the names of all his brothers and sisters, he and his mother cried uncontrollably. They continued to weep long into the night.             As I told that story, I remarked to the audience that it occurred to me that Dovidl's children and grandchildren have no memory of those who preceded them. Similarly, we come to Israel, rush off the plane, pick up our luggage, and make our way to Jerusalem. And what do we think about?            We're busy asking ourselves and each other, "Where is a good place to eat?" "Any new restaurants around?" "Did you try out that new hotel?" Is it worth it the price?"            But do any of us ask, "Where is the Beis HaMikdash?" Does anyone really miss the Beis HaMikdash? Does anyone search for it? Does anyone even think about it? Does anyone even want to remember?           The girl who stood before me begged with tears, "Please, Rebbetzin, give me a berachah that I should never forget to cry for the Beis HaMikdash. I'm so afraid I will forget and become oblivious to its loss. I do not want to be like Dovidl's children."           I could only look at her. She had taken my breath away. I couldn't recall anyone ever asking me for such a berachah - to be able to remain constantly aware of the Beis HaMikdash and, yes, to weep for it.            For thousands of years we prayed, wept, and hoped for Yerushalayim. To see Yerushalayim again, to behold the rebuilt Beis HaMikdash, has always been the center of all our prayers. At our weddings, in the midst of our joy, we break a glass to remember our Temple that is no more. When painting our homes we would leave a small spot empty to remind us that no home can be complete if the Beis HaMikdash has not been rebuilt.            We have a thousand and one reminders in our prayers, in our traditions, in our observance, that constantly recall to us Jerusalem and the Holy Temple. And yet, now that we have Jerusalem again we have somehow forgotten our dream - our Beis HaMikdash that we prayed for and continue to pray for.            Sadly, our prayers for the Temple have become just words recited by rote. And here comes a young woman new to our faith and she seeks a blessing not for a shidduch, not for parnassah, not for good health, nor for personal happiness - but for the ability to shed tears and yearn to see the Beis HaMikdash rebuilt. Should that not give us all pause? Should that not make us think and consider?           Should we not ask again and again and still again, "Where is the Beis HaMikdash?" I know I miss it so. Even when I'm in Jerusalem my joy is not complete - and it won't be until the shinning crown of the Holy City is with us once again and I see its glory restored.

Words from the Heart / An article by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis

REBBETZIN'S JEWISH PRESS COLUMN

Words From The Heart

Editor's Note: Rebbetzin Jungreis, a"h, is no longer with us in a physical sense, but her message is eternal and The Jewish Press will continue to present the columns that for more than half a century have inspired countless readers around the world. ************ Words From The Heart           Every Jew, if approached with the right attitude - i.e., with love and sincerity rather than judgment and condescension - can be touched and inspired. This truth is not magic, but rather based on the Divine revelation at Sinai when for all eternity the voice of G-d penetrated every Jewish neshamah.             Many years ago I was on a flight home from Portland, Oregon. My children were still small, and whenever I accepted an out-of town speaking engagement I made certain to catch a "red-eye" flight so that I could make it back in time to give them breakfast and see them off to school.           I always found those out-of-town talks exhilarating. To see people who were alienated and assimilated become involved and committed has always been to me a most electrifying and awesome experience. That night in Portland was no exception. There were many questions, and I tried to stay as long as I could before dashing off to the airport. By the time I boarded the plane, I felt drained and exhausted. I just wanted to close my eyes and catch some sleep. Luckily, the plane was half empty, so I asked the stewardess for an extra pillow and blanket.           I was on the verge of dozing off when a young man approached. I was really too tired to talk to anyone, but, then again, maybe he was someone who had to be reached.           "Are you from Portland?" he asked.           "No, I'm from New York," I replied, " but I was speaking there."           "Where were you speaking?"           "At a local synagogue."           "I don't get involved in any of that stuff."           "Are you Jewish?"            "I guess I am."           "You only guess?"           "It's an accident of birth. Doesn't affect my life one way or another."           Our conversation was interrupted by a stewardess who was distributing the midnight snacks.            "Jungreis," she said, reading the label. "I have you down for kosher. And what would you like to have?" she asked, turning to him.           "I'll take ham and cheese," was his answer.           "You can't have that," I interrupted.           "What do you mean, I can't have it?  It's my favorite sandwich."           "But you told me you're Jewish."           "So what!"           "So what? You must be kidding. You signed a contract - you sealed a covenant at Mount Sinai that you wouldn't eat that stuff. You were there. All Jewish souls that were ever to be born were there. As a matter of fact, looking at you now, I think I remember you. We all pledged to uphold the covenant."           He looked at me in disbelief. "Lady, you know something? You need help, and I mean serious help!"            And with that he picked himself up, walked back toward his seat, and told the stewardess as he passed her in the aisle, "That woman is off the wall!"           For the remainder of the flight, he didn't look my way.           At JFK we met once again at the baggage carousel and he said to me, "You know, what you said is nuts!"          "Listen," I told him. "My name is Esther Jungreis. Here is my card. I have an organization called Hineni, which means 'Here I am,' ready to serve my people and my G-d. We remind people of that covenant sealed at Sinai. You can check it out. It's all documented in a book called the Torah. The whole story can be found there. You will see. You really were there. If you need help in your search, let me know. I'd be more than happy to show you."          "I bet you would! But I'm running from you as fast as possible!" And with that, he turned his back and went to find his suitcase.           I returned to my home and daily routine. The children were waiting. My husband had just returned from the synagogue, and we caught up on the latest events. The phone rang. I had classes to prepare, the house had to be put in order, and I completely forgot that chance encounter in the sky.           Several years later, I was teaching my class at Hineni when in walked a man wearing a black rabbinic hat and coat.          "Rebbetzin," he said, "do you recognize me?"          "You look familiar" (my stock answer for anyone I don't really recognize and don't want to offend).          "We go back a long way," he said. "How about Portland, Oregon - the 'red eye'?"           It all came back to me. "You can't be that guy!"          "I am," he said, smiling. "I never forgot your words. As much as I wanted to dismiss them as pure insanity, they bothered me. It took me a while to work it out, but eventually I did check out the Torah, and you were right. I was there. I signed a contract, I sealed a covenant, and now I've come to you because I'd like you to find me a girl who was also there."          Today, my friend from the "red eye" is the proud father and grandfather of children who live by our Torah and mitzvos.          What is the secret behind this transformation? How does it all happen?          The answer is simple. It can be found in the eternal promise of G-d: "Zos brisi" - "This is My covenant with them," said Hashem, "My spirit that is upon you, and My words that I have placed upon your lips, shall not depart from your lips, nor from the lips of your children or your children's children from this moment and forevermore."          Thousands of years have passed since that promise was made. During that time, we have traversed the four corners of the world. We have experienced every form of oppression, torture, and slaughter. Many of us saw sons and daughters disappear through assimilation. Many of us forgot our past. But the covenant of G-d was more powerful than any material forces. Not only are we here, it can take just a second for the promise of G-d to transform us - and overnight our neshamahs soar to the loftiest heights.          So never remain silent. Reach out to your brothers and sisters, kindle the spark in their souls, and bring them home to our Heavenly Father.

Holocaust Memorial Day in Israel

Today is the Holocaust Memorial Day in Israel. Lots of sad songs on the radio; lots of videos and written testaments of survivors, who slowly perish from this world due to their old age. A sad day. Whenever I hear those testaments, I cannot help but thinking of the chilling verses from the Book of Deuteronomy, chapter 28, verses that sadly came true not only during World War II, but also during our almost 2000 year long bitter, bitter exile: "The Lord will bring a nation against you from far away, from the ends of the earth, like an EAGLE swooping down, a nation whose language you will not understand, a fierce-looking nation without respect for the old or pity for the young... "

More chilling verses from this chapter here:

"If you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands... you will become a thing of horror to all the kingdoms on earth. Your carcasses will be food for all the birds and the wild animals, and there will be no one to frighten them away... day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you... You will build a house, but you will not live in it... Your sons and daughters will be given to another nation, and you will wear out your eyes watching for them day after day, powerless to lift a hand... A people that you do not know will eat what your land and labor produce, and you will have nothing but cruel oppression all your days. The sights you see will drive you mad... The Lord will drive you and the king you set over you to a nation unknown to you or your ancestors... You will become a thing of horror, a byword and an object of ridicule among all the peoples where the Lord will drive you... You will have sons and daughters but you will not keep them, because they will go into captivity... The Lord will bring a nation against you from far away, from the ends of the earth, like an eagle swooping down, a nation whose language you will not understand, a fierce-looking nation without respect for the old or pity for the young... You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky will be left but few in number... The Lord will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other... Among those nations you will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the Lord will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart. You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life. In the morning you will say, “If only it were evening!” and in the evening, “If only it were morning!”—because of the terror that will fill your hearts and the sights that your eyes will see."

All these curses came about in the place and time where many Jews tried with all their might to discard their Judaism, their Jewish identity, the Torah, their covenant with G-d. It started in Germany in the beginning of the 20th century, a place and time where the Haskalah movement was at its peak strength (Haskalah - Jewish "enlightenment" movement calling on Jews to discard the Torah, to become more German than the Germans, to stop believing in G-d). Sadly, all the threats that G-d threatened us with if we leave Him, happened then and there. 

Gladly, there are verses prophesying our redemption and consolation - the fulfillment of which we thankfully see these days (Ezekiel 36: 8-11 and many, many more). If anyone needs more proof to the existence of G-d and to the truth of the Torah, I guess every day in the unique, strange, incredible, improbable history of the Nation of Israel can provide ample proof for that.

In their memory.

Passover in Samaria

Passover lasted for a week. A week of not eating leavened bread and instead eating Matzah (unleavened bread), a week of occupying ourselves with the story of the Exodus from Egypt even more so than on regular days, a week of celebrating our first redemption as a nation and being grateful for our current redemption, a process that is going on and developing in front of our very eyes, in our day and age - the return of the Jews from all corners of the world to their ancient, G-d promised homeland.
On the week of Pesach (Passover) I make it a point not to work. My boss knows it, and she knows it is a matter of principle with me - I take my free days during Pesach and Succot, and except for thanking HaShem (G-d) for the job that he gives me, which I love and which allows me to pay my rent and buy food, I try not to think about work at all. The weather is perfect, the sky is blue, the flowers are in full bloom and it is perfect time to travel around our beautiful land, the land of Israel.

So last week I went on a special tour with a group of Zionist Jews from different parts of the world to visit special people who live in outposts in our ancient heartland of Samaria.
We met with Yael Shevach, a young woman, mother of 6 children, whose husband was murdered by a Muslim terrorist a few weeks ago. She lives in the Havat Gil'ad outpost, trying to raise her children on her own. She met us at the local synagogue and spoke with us. We expected to meet a broken woman, with signs of crying on her face. But instead, we met a strong, beautiful woman, radiating so much light, and full of faith and optimism. She told us what it is like to live in Havat Gilad, an unauthorized outpost on Jewish lands in Samaria (the lands were bought from the Arab owners by a Jewish man named Moshe Zar): for many years they had no proper electricity system, and no proper water system. They had to coordinate with the entire community who is going to use the washing machine when, so that all the other families would not use any electricity or water at that time, etc. Her husband used to do all the Jewish functions in the outpost: he was the Rabbi, the Mohel (the man who does circumcision for 8-day-old male infants), Sofer Stam (a special scribe who writes Torah scrolls, Mezuzahs, etc.). Now that he is gone, it takes a few people to replace him.
She told us of his devotion to people: On the eve of Rosh HaShanah, a big family holiday, a family called him and asked him to come to their house in another settlement to do a Brith (circumcision). If he went, he had to stay there for the whole holiday, because we do not drive cars on holidays. He agreed. His wife, Yael, and the children spent the holiday with Yael's parents in Kfar Saba. He went alone, without them, and spent the entire holiday with strangers, not with his family, only to fulfill the important Mitzvah of circumcision and to help others. When they asked him if he has a family and where they are, he said he has a big family and they are celebrating with his wife's parents. "Why didn't you bring them along?", they asked him. The answer was that he didn't want to impose on them having to host such a big family. On the day of the murder he went to visit the circumcised baby. On his way back home he was murdered by a terrorist. Such was the man - putting the good of others and G-d's commandments before himself and his needs. And Yael, his wife, is just the same. I took her contact details. If any of you are planning to visit Samaria, visiting Yael and other women like her is an option you may want to consider. To read more about the Havat Gilad outpost: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havat_Gilad

We later visited another outpost, Aish Kodesh. Both these outposts, Havat Gilad and Aish Kodesh are sadly named after Jewish men who were murdered by hate-filled terrorists. The people in Aish Kodesh also hold on to the land against all odds, and without government authorization. Our government is secular in big part (this is the main reason why I do not vote for Netanyahu), and the fact that these settlers occupy the land, making it flourish and bloom, and clinging to G-d's word and Mitzvot (commandments) is just awe-inspiring. If I didn't love Jerusalem so much, which makes it hard for me to live anywhere else, I would have loved to live in one of these outposts, just to help the effort and give my share in making the divine prophecies come true.
Surprisingly enough, many Arabs are actually FOR these settlements and the right of the Jews over the land, including and especially over Judea and Samaria. The leftist Media would never show them or let their words be published, but they live here and they are our friends.

After visiting the outposts and traveling in Samaria, we visited Shiloh, a modern community named after the ancient town of Shiloh. There we saw the local synagogue, built and designed to look a lot like the Tabernacle that used to be there: the ark in which the Torah scrolls are placed looks like the Ark with the Ten Commandments in the Tabernacle; the Bimah (a podium for reading the Torah) looks like the Golden Altar; there are even 12 drawers, to remind us of the 12 trays with loaves of the Showbread; the entrance to the women's section looks like the ramp on which the Kohanim (Jewish priests, descendants of Aharon) walked up to the Altar. The whole building looks like a Tabernacle from the outside, but also from the inside. There are a few other things there that were designed like the original tabernacle. I know I have to go back there to see it in more detail. Those of you who read Hebrew can read more about it here: https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/בית_הכנסת_זיכרון_משכן_שילה

Pesach is over, and I am back to work, which is a delight for me. But I am already thinking about the next trip. When I go, I'll try to write about it here.

Shavua tov (have a nice week!)
Revital

VaYikra 5778

As many of you know, I live in Jerusalem, on the same street as the official residence of the Prime Minister of Israel. Basically, this makes me PM Netanyahu's neighbor. I hear his convoy leaving the residence every morning when he goes to work, and then I hear it again in the evening when he is back. I often think what an ungrateful job it is to be a leader of a country, and especially a leader of a country such as Israel, when the eyes of the whole world are focused on you, and the finger of blame is waved at you more often than it should. I think of all the hatred he is faced with, both from within and from without, when people from the liberal Left use every scheme they can in order to topple him down, with no success so far: "But the more they afflicted him, the more he prevailed and spread out". They go after his family, his children, his wife, they try to bring him down with one investigation after the next (and so far he has not been found guilty in any of them, but they keep trying), they make noisy demonstrations just outside of his residence, trying to scare him and make him feel threatened. I often think to myself: why would Bibi (as we call him here, short for Binyamin) even want to be in that position? Why not let go and let someone else become the target of this insane mud slinging? 

One of the greatest rabbis of our time once said about Bibi, that he would be the one to "hand over the key" to the Messiah, and that he should prevail against the wars waged against him. I didn't vote for him in the last elections, for different reasons, but the more the media and other "beautiful souls" afflict him and try to ruin him, the more sympathy I have for him. I think he is a good prime minister. Not perfect, not necessarily a righteous person, but a good Prime minister. He knows how to navigate the troubled water of the Middle East politics and the sensitive political position of Israel in the world quite successfully, and what is most astonishing, he does this under constant, brutal fire from his relentless opponents at home. 

This Shabbat we will read in all the synagogues around the world the weekly Portion called VaYikra (Leviticus 1:1 - 5:26). This is the very first Portion of the Book of Leviticus, in which there are many technical laws related to the worship of the Kohanim (Jewish priests, descendants of Aharon until this day) and the sacrifices. Our rabbis throughout the ages taught us many important moral, ethical and spiritual lessons from every word and even every letter in this Book, but I will not repeat what they said here. Maybe some other time, in the future. But one verse caught my eyes as I read the Portion today: "When a leader sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the commands of the LORD his God...". It doesn't say "If a leader sins", but rather: "When a leader sins", implying that when man is placed in a position of leadership, he would almost certainly sin in some way or the other. Bibi is not an exception. I am sure that here and there he might have done some mistakes, but - come on - to take him down because he received a gift of cigars from someone? Or because he bought too much ice cream to entertain his important heads of states guests? I cannot accept that. 

I don't know why, but it seems that no matter what happens, G-d is behind Bibi, helping him, giving him a gentle back-wind and helping him to get out of any trouble. It is almost unbelievable. But, as it was written somewhere else in the Bible, "for it is not as man sees: for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart", G-d knows the intricate maze of world politics and the important role that Israel should play in it, and from all the people available today in the Jewish People, and in Israel specifically, He chose Bibi to be the leader in this period, to lead us forward. He has supported Bibi in this journey for so many years now, against fierce opponents and very hostile media, and helped him stay in power despite so many troubles and enemies. I'm sure my neighbor just two blocks away has a special role to play in the contemporary history of Israel. Even if he is not the righteous person we would have wanted him to be, he is at the moment the chosen, chosen by the people, and chosen by G-d. We shall wait and see how the story, of which he a main protagonist, develops. 

In the meantime, Shabbat Shalom!