Some positive directions

My new life is slowly taking shape, and I'm happy with it. The very intensive time that I had around the move is more or less over, thank G-d, and I can breathe, and look around, and start to enjoy my new environment and my new life here. I go to the university often, instead of working alone from home, and it's nice to be around people, and educated people at that. I have special sentiments to this campus. It has always felt like home to me, somehow. Also, this area of Jerusalem, Mt. Scopus and the French Hill, have always felt like home to me. I'm not sure why. I like being here.
Before I moved, I looked around my things and got rid of many things that I hadn't touched in years. I found among my folders some books, booklets and folders with piano music, from the time that I studies piano in Japan. Since I haven't played after I left, I decided to give them away, and I did. Then I came across my folder from Japan with guitar chords. I have an old guitar at home, that someone gave me when I was a student in Jerusalem - a friend of a friend of mine from Japan. I still have this guitar. I looked at the guitar and thought to myself - maybe it's time for it to go as well? Maybe I should give it away? I was that close to giving it away, but then a thought entered my mind. What if I resume playing it, and play some music to sick people at hospitals? I decided to keep the guitar, and to keep my folders with the chords. I have visited people at hospitals in the past few years, and I was hoping to find some regular volunteering at Hadassah of Mt. Scopus for a long time now, but the thought of playing music to them never entered my mind, until this move. So I moved, and the music came with me. I've been here for two weeks, forgot about that thought, and only thought about visiting the sick, without the music. Until today. I use a smartphone application called WhatsApp - everybody here uses it. It's for free calls and texting, and you can be a member of groups and send group-texts. So today, after work, I got this message in one of the WhatsApp groups I'm a member of. It's a general Jerusalem group, not specific to my new area. I've been a member of this group for a long time now. The text that was sent was an urgent request for people who are not far from the Mt. Scopus Hadassah hospital to go there with musical instruments, to the Hospice on the third floor, and to play some music to a young woman who is dying, and this could be her last hour of life. I didn't take my guitar, because I haven't played it in a long time and I need to relearn how to play it. I took my recorder and ran, literally, from my home to the hospital. I got there on time. There were a lot of family and friends around her, but no one with music. They saw me with the recorder, nodded and ushered me in. I played some calm, soothing pieces to her. She was unconscious. She lost consciousness earlier that morning, I was told. She looked weak and pale. When I played, she uttered some sounds that sounded like coughs, but they were not coughs. She somehow reacted to the music. When I stopped, the strange sounds stopped, and when I resumed playing, she resumed making those sounds. It was moving. I've visited sick people at hospitals before, even people who died later on, but this was the first time I stood next to the deathbed of someone. I've never seen anyone in the process of dying before. Efrat. That was her name. At a certain point, after playing a few song, I felt I should leave her alone with her family. I went to play in another room, since I was already there and I realized it was that easy - you go in, ask permission of the patient or their family, and play. Then, out of nowhere came this young lady with a flute and joined me. Then another young lady with a small drum, and then another young man with a guitar. We improvised some music together to different sick people at different rooms in the hospice. It turns out that they belong to a charity organization that does such things regularly - twice a month. Somehow today was one of those times. They took my number, and they will be in touch when they go there again to play.
I was starving when we were done, so I went down to buy something to eat. As I finished eating my toast and blessing over the food (Birkat HaMazon), I saw two older men go into the hospital, one with a guitar, and the other with a clarinet. I've visited this hospital before, but I've never seen people with instruments there before - how amazing it is that on that day that I responded the call to go and play, I saw people who go to play. I asked them if they go to the hospice, because I wanted to warn them that the family wants to be alone with the girl right now. They had no idea what I was talking about. They didn't come because of a WhatsApp message - it is something that they do every Wednesday anyway. I asked if they needed a third person with a recorder to join them - they said yes. We were slowly walking in a raw, one behind the other, and playing music as we were walking through the hospital. People were looking at us, nodding and smiling, some singing along. We got to one of the departments during dinner, and played there in a central area. Sick people and their family started pouring to the area from different rooms, smiling, thanking us, nodding to us, singing along, asking for specific songs. The man with the guitar (our 'leader') took out a tambourine and other percussion instruments and gave them to the sick people so that they can join and play with us. It was beautiful to see their smiles. It's amazing how complete strangers can play together without planning anything, in beautiful harmony. We played there for two whole hours. It was so nice. Then the 'leader' of our small group started walking out, we followed, playing music all along, and we found ourselves back at the entrance to the hospital. A man with retardation came and told us that we play so nicely and asked for specific religious songs. We played. He asked each of us for our names, and we said our names. This is the first introduction I had to them and they had to me by name. Quite amazing - after playing so nicely together for two whole hours. Then the 'leader' asked me if I needed a ride back home. I said I don't need one, but it can help. We left the hospital, walking slowly to the parking lot while playing music all along. They asked me again for my name and took my number - they want me to join them from now on. The person who played the clarinet gave me a lot of compliments on my recorder playing, which made me happy. I hope I can join them every week for this musical volunteering from now on.

And now I want to connect the dots - isn't it amazing? As I was preparing to move and started packing, I had this thought, this desire for the first time in my life to play music to sick people. Regardless, I've been wanting a regular volunteering opportunity at Haddassah of Mt. Scopus. And today, two weeks after I moved, the opportunity came knocking on my door. I wouldn't have known how to find it on my own. I wouldn't have gone alone and played music to people. If not for that WhatsApp message today - first of its kind in my life - it wouldn't have happened. And to think that it happened DAVKA on a Wednesday, when the two older men go there to play anyway, and DAVKA on one of the two times a month that the younger people go there to play - isn't it obvious that G-d is behind this? Quite amazing, and I am so thankful.

Sadly, I have to say that as we were walking in the corridors of the hospital, playing, one of the male nurses from the hospice saw me and recognized me. He asked us not to go to the Hospice, because the girl died, and many people are mourning and crying there. She died at such a young age - very very sad. But in her death, she gave a gift to me - and to sick people who can enjoy this music from now on.

G-d's plans are great and amazing. I'm also thinking - if I had been living in Rechavia, it would have taken me at least 45 minutes by public transportation to get to the hospital, and I wonder if I would have gone. I believe I would have anyway, even though they said she has only one hour to live. But living here made it much faster for me to go there, and then through being there I merited to meet those other musicians who go there routinely and regularly, and not because of any WhatsApp message. Great and wonder-filled are G-d's ways.

One more new thing in my life - I've been wanting to study computer programming for the past year or so, because I feel that I need to have this knowledge in my work. I'm working with programmers and it is very hard to do so without knowing anything about programming. I asked around about programming courses but they were all so expensive, so I gave up. But G-d has His ways of making wishes come true. In one of my visits to the Hebrew University, I saw a poster about a free programming course for women only. I applied. And then today I got a very happy email - I got accepted to the programming course for women, free of charge, in Jerusalem. The organization that holds these courses is called She Codes; and you can find it in other countries as well. I already gave up on my chances of being accepted - but today I got the message that they found a place for me and that I can start Feb. 3rd. Quite amazing - thank you, G-d!
Also, yesterday I started learning Python on my own through a link that one of my Hebrew students sent me - I didn't know that this student knew anything about programming, but he did, and he was another messenger of the Almighty to grant me my wish. He sent me this link: www.codecademy.com and I started learning. So far it is so easy, and I'm happy!

I feel so grateful, I feel that my moving here was important for HaShem, and slowly and gradually I am starting to discover why.

Thank You, thank You, thank You, G-d! I love You, HaShem!

Moved

I'm sitting now in the library, at the Hebrew University campus on Mt. Scopus, which is now a walking distance from where I live. I work from here - rather than working alone from home. 
I went to the gorgeous synagogue on campus today to pray the Mincha prayer. It is such a beautiful place, perhaps my favorite ever. I sat there alone for a moment, and then another woman came. When I looked at her a few minutes later, I saw that she was Asian, not sure if Chinese or Korean, but it was nice to see her sitting there, trying to connect to spirituality in my favorite place. Then, little by little, men came into the prayer hall and soon they started the service with the Ashrei prayer. How beautiful, I thought to myself - students, professors, cleaning workers - they all come in together for a short while to stand in front of G-d together, none of them is above the other, each of them is equal to each and every one of the others. Someone led the service. I don't know who he was, but he could have been a professor, or a cleaning worker, and it doesn't matter. In front of G-d there are no such statuses. Everyone is equal. To be able to say the Kaddish prayer or read from the Torah, Jews need a Minyan (a quorum of 10 men). Every men above 13 can complete a minyan, and it doesn't matter what his place is in the social hierarchy. Just a very human, innocent moment, a sweet moment that I thought I should record in writing here.

So I moved, finally. The neighborhood I live in is beautiful, and gladly, there are a lot of steps and stairs, and distances to walk (which I didn't have when I lived in Rechavia). I'm happy with it, because I need the chance to be physically active and I cherish it. I missed that in the old apartment and neighborhood.
My apartment is nice, but small, and not new, and I'm thinking that if (when) I move again, I wish myself to live in a newer place, one in which you don't easily see the signs of time and use by previous tenants. I already unpacked and organized almost everything. Little by little I'm getting rid of things that no longer serve me and that I haven't used in a long time. Today I brought to the university a few booklets that I no longer need, as well as some CDs, and I plan to keep on doing so.
I live in the top floor in a villa. My ceilings are sloped, and there are windows in them. It is great, because when I go to bed, or when I sit on my sofa to read or reflect, I look up and I see the moon, the stars, or a beautiful blue sky with white clouds floating by during day time. It hailed a few days ago, and snowed a bit, and it was great to see and hear it all happening through my windows, above my head.
I already visited a few synagogues in my neighborhood for Shabbat, and I found one that I really like. There are a few more that I want to visit, though, to see how I feel there. The neighborhood is a lot more religious than it used to be when I lived there. But secular people can also be spotted here and there.
Going to the same supermarket that used to be mine so many years ago. Except for the people, nothing changed. 

Look forward.

Very stressful two weeks are ending now. It was close to impossible. Packing my things, finishing a very important project at work - which hasn't really ended yet, having people come to see my old apartment - constant phone calls about the apartment from interested people, calls from the landlord, and what not. I hardly had time for myself. I was in a constant rush. I felt I just couldn't take it anymore - but throughout all of this, I didn't forget G-d. I didn't forget for a moment that it is all HIM who does this to me, who puts me on a test, to see how I cope and how I do not lose my temper or start being not-nice to others. I think that overall I passed the test with a good grade - I hope. And I also learned some very important lesson, one that HaShem was trying for a long time to teach me, and only now I realized that it was a lesson and that I should change something in my behavior. I realized what it was - it was something related to my boss at work. She told me that and I realized she was right. I took responsibility and took upon myself to be aware of this and not to repeat it.  It is not easy to find that you were wrong, but it is good to learn this and to change. I think I will be a better person from now on thanks to this lesson.

I'm moving Tuesday. A week later than I was supposed to. I'm already paying rent in the new place. But it is all worth it, since I got to see what I need to improve, and I took upon myself to improve it. All in all, it is not easy. I'm so in need of a home, of a true home, of warmth, of light, of happiness, of belongingness, of understanding. Home - the ingredient I'm missing most in my life. 

Change

Leaving the apartment I have been renting for the past 9 years, the neighborhood which has been almost like a home to me for so long. The landlord raised the rent considerably, and coupled with my own inner feeling of a few months ago that it is time to make a change, I've decided to answer the call and do what I feel G-d wants me to do - change and move on. It is so hard to live on rent, to not own an apartment of my own. But for someone like me it is practically impossible to buy an apartment - I need to have 30% of the apartment total cost before I can take mortgage and I'm not even remotely close to this. I teach private lessons in Hebrew to supplement my salary, to be able to save as much as I can, but it would never be enough to save that initial sum. Anyway, I'm greatly thankful for what I have - for my health, for my work, for the classes I teach as well, for the food I eat, for my friends and acquaintances, for meriting to live in Jerusalem, even if alone, for meriting to witness the Redemption of Israel, and for everything I have within my mind and in my life, which is a lot.

I have so many mixed feelings - expectations for the future together with fears of loneliness in a different neighborhood, far away from my own. In a way, it's like going back home, because I'm moving to a neighborhood in which I used to live when I was a university student. But I hardly know anyone there, and I so need a home, not just a house or an apartment...

But what makes me feel good about this move is that I feel like HaShem is trying to "tell" me in every possible way that I should move, now, and to that specific area. Not sure why, but I trust Him. I also merited to do an act of kindness by deciding on this move - the previous tenant left it after four and a half years in the middle of his yearly contract, and couldn't find anyone to replace him. He was paying without living there. The fact that I go in to live there is a big help for him. Amazingly, it was the first apartment I looked at and liked it, and even when I looked at other apartments later for comparison, I couldn't find anything else at all. So despite the natural fears and mixed feeling, I place my trust in G-d and let Him lead me. We'll see what He plans. A friend of mine told me that He sends me there for a mission, and that I'll find out what that mission is when I'm there. I liked it. I definitely feel that my life here in Rechavia was like this - many, many good things started and came into the world thanks to me being here and meeting the beautiful people that I got to meet. I believe that if HaShem sends me to Giv'at HaMivtar/Ramat Eshkol, then He probably has a plan for me there. We'll see. I allow myself to cry to release some tension. The packing is emotionally taxing - coming in touch with all those memories, getting rid of things that were mine for years, deciding what to give away and what to leave for myself, etc. I wish I could travel light - just my clothes and some books, but there are other things that I cannot throw away. I've learned that the method of buying books no longer serves me. I have so many, and without a permanent apartment of my own, it's just not fun to have so many. I went back recently to borrowing books in a library. 

I miss home.

Hanukkah

I'm just back from a beautiful Hanukkah tour in Jerusalem, in the streets of the exquisite neighborhood of Nahla'ot. When Shabbat was over tonight, I made Havdalah (a ceremony over wine, fire and fragrant spices which we do to separate the holy Shabbat from the regular week days). I then lit my Hanukkiyah (Hanukkah menorah) at my window, lighting 7 candles plus one (the extra one is called Shamash - helper candle - and it can be used to light the other candles). I said the blessings and after enjoying the light of my menorah for a while, I left in the pouring rain to meet with the group near Nahla'ot. It was raining so hard, and I kept thanking G-d in my heart and thinking 'what a blessing!'. We need every drop of this rain, and if it means that I need to walk around and get wet all over, then so be it! The Mishnah (Torah commentary, the Oral Torah) says that HaShem does not listen to the prayers of people who walk on the streets when they ask that it shouldn't be raining, because everyone walks out from time to time, and if He listened to all of them, it would never rain. I kind of prayed that it would keep raining down on me, feeling that every drop of rain showers me with blessings.
Very few people were on the streets except for us, a group of about 30 people. We had a wonderful tour guide, someone from Sepharadi descent (she said she is a descendant of the Babylonian Jews). She spoke so eloquently, and I enjoyed hearing the gutteral sounds coming out of her throat (the ח and ע were softly, beautifully pronounced by her, and it made listening to her a delight for all of us). She knew so much - history, traditions, customs, places, people. It was wonderful to listen to her.
We saw many Hanukkiyah's with 7+1 candles. Most candles were actually glass cups filled with olive oil, and encased in a small glass case to shield them from the wind and rain. And as we were satiating our eyes with this heart-warming sight, we listened to her fascinated as she was telling us stories about the neighborhood and its people.
It so happened that just as we walked through R' Aryeh Levin Street (Aryeh Levin was a very pious, righteous Rabbi, who made a huge difference in so many people's lives. He passed away many years ago) - just as we were walking past the door of his house, a young family came out of the house and prepared to light their Hanukkiyah. Our guide asked for permission for us to watch as they did, and they agreed with a wide smile. It turns out that they are Rabbi Levin's family - his great-grandchildren. What an honor! The husband recited the blessings, and all of us, a big crowd, answered a resounding Amen to each of them. Then we sang in a group some beautiful Hanukkah songs that we all learned in kindergarten.
We continued walking, and as the rain started to pour down too strongly, our tour guide suggested that we'll find shelter at a nearby Japanese culture center. I've never known about this place. I was surprised to hear there was even one. We followed her into a high-ceiling stone house, and a young lady welcomed us in. It had nothing to do with Hanukkah, but it was beautiful to hear her speak about the miracles that G-d does for her in her life, and how He directed her/helped her find her way to Jerusalem. She said she started out in the south somewhere, and when it was time for her to go back to Japan, she realized that without living in Jerusalem, she wouldn't be able to tell people back home about Israel at all. So she found this place (this place found her, as she puts it), and decided to invest all the money she made the previous year in the south renting this place. She made for herself there a nice coffee-shop, and she runs different workshops, etc. I didn't introduce myself or anything. I don't think I'll frequent the place, but it was a nice break from the tour, and a nice surprise.
Then we went to the local culture center to listen to a most fascinating lecture by a young Israeli lady about the Hasmonean Dynasty. She told us things from the Talmud and the historian Yosephus Flavius that I've never heard before. She kept referring to what we were told about Hanukkah as children in kindergarten, and how much more complex reality was. I admit that my Hanukkah education was just a bit more than what my kindergarten teacher told me when I was 5. I did read and I did learn some more history independently, but not at such depth. All in all, despite the rain, it was a welcome break from the normal routine - I enjoyed every moment of this educational tour. I hope to be able to tour Nahla'ot even more from now on.
As I was going there and back, I did what I often do - I have this habit of trying to make the most of every moment, even when I walk. So I use my phone to listen to lectures, Torah classes, etc. I listened to some lectures (yes, in the pouring rain, hiding the phone in my coat's sleeve and bringing the sleeve close to my ear). It was another Hanukkah miracle that even though the phone got wet, nothing happened to it, and I got to enjoy Torah learning on the way there and back.
And one last thing, some funny thought I heard from someone about smartphones and Hanukkah: the Hanukkah miracle we celebrate mostly is the fact that one little jar of pure olive oil that was found in the defiled Temple, a jar that was supposed to last for one day (which is not enough because they needed at least 8 days to purify the Temple, if I remember correctly what my kindergarten teacher taught me...) - that little jar lasted for 8 whole days, enough time to purify the Temple and rededicate it. This is why we celebrate Hanukkah for 8 days, and in the 8th day we light 8 candles. Someone said, to help us realize the greatness of this miracle - 'just imagine that your smartphone battery is so low that it has only one bar, but your phone lasts with this battery for full 8 days...'. Nothing like modern day technological concepts to bring the message home :-)

Anyway, Hanukkah Sameach to whoever reads this - tomorrow is the last day...

Shavua tov and Chodesh tov!
R.

snippets

I know I probably should be writing, there is so much to say about the Genesis portions, but something holds me back. Not sure what.

Instead of writing long essays, I think I'll write from time to time short insights and experiences. 

I'll start with a dream I had last night. I was in the stomach of a huge, huge whale - very very long beast, black with white stripes. I don't know how I survived there, but it then just let me go. I don't remember the feeling of being inside of it, I just remember the feeling of being released from it. I found myself at the bottom of the ocean, looking up, seeing that huge-huge beast floating on, from left to right, and leaving the scene, endless blue water above my head. I was about 50 or 100 meters deep into the ocean, and I was breathing peacefully, freely, wondering what had happened, and why. When I woke up and realized it was a dream, I tried to think of its meaning. Not sure yet what it is. Of course, you would think about the prophet Jonah and a similar thing that happened to him. Interestingly enough, my surname is identical to the prophet's first name. But I'm not sure this is the connection. The dream is still with me. I felt fear, and relief, and then astonishment (in the dream) that I can be so deep in the bottom of the ocean yet breathe freely (not the first time I dream about breathing freely and serenely in the ocean). 

Water has many associations: emotions, feelings, Torah and spirituality. Deep water - maybe deep insights? Maybe I'm supposed to share my insights with the world and I'm not doing it, like Jonah? 

Not sure. 

I'm grateful for being able to dream. I'm grateful for being able to sleep well every night. I'm grateful for having the basic physical needs in life - an apartment I can rent, a bed, some bed sheets and covers, all the utilities at home like electricity, running water, food and a place to eat my food, etc. I saw the other day a woman sitting at night on a bench in my neighborhood. She seemed intelligent and 'normal'. All of her belongings were around her. I tried to approach her, to see if I could help in any way, but she just said "BYE!". I left her alone, knowing that had I been in her place, I would have probably done the same, not allowing anyone near me. But she didn't leave me - she didn't leave my thoughts. How easily it could have been me sitting there, G-d forbid. Longing for home, not having one. Truthfully, it could have been any person in the world, there are no guarantees. So grateful to have walls and ceilings around me, to give me shelter from the cold, from people's eyes, to give me the privacy I need to just be, to work, to 'meet' G-d, to talk to Him, to confess my heart's contents to Him, to tell Him how much I love Him. He is the only true friend a person could ever have. 

Yom Kippur, Rosh HaShana, and more... 2018

I haven't written in almost a month. Sorry about that. Yom kippur is just over - ended a few hours ago, so the fast is behind me now. I ate, and drank, and feel cleansed - I feel like it's a clean new slate that is given to me, and I can use my power of choice in order to direct myself to a much better year. I hope this refreshed feeling will stay with me throughout the year - the ability to believe in new beginnings, in a better future.

This year my neighbor in the neighborhood of Rechavia, PM Netanyahu, prayed in the synagogue where I used to pray until recently. I wasn't there because I no longer pray there and especially on Yom Kippur I like to go to other places. But on my way back and on his way back, I saw him walking on my street, next to my building, with his wife and two sons, and a big entourage of security men in the front, in the back and on the sides. It's the first time I see him in real life. He is a bit shorter than I thought, and his wife is really petite. As they were walking, passers-by smiled when they realized they were seeing the PM walking near by, and some of them wished him "Shana Tova, Bibi!" It was funny. I didn't say anything, of course. I think that overall he is doing a good job, but I'm not a big fan of him, anyway.
It was nice - there is even a blessing in Judaism that is supposed to be recited when we see kings and heads of states, but since I wasn't prepared that I was going to see him, it completely slipped my mind. Only later I recalled. But anyway, it didn't move me much. He is just a human being. I feel like he is chosen by G-d to lead us in this crucial period of time, I'm not sure why, and because he has been in power for such a long time now, it feels almost as if he is a king, but he is not the Messiah that every one is waiting for. The Lubavitcher Rebbe once said to him, about 20 years ago, when he was a foreign minister or something like this, that one day he will be a prime minister for many years, and then he will hand out the keys to the Messiah. Funny. It might be so, who knows.
Here is a link to a funny Rosh Hashana video that Bibi released, in Hebrew - if it interests you enough to know what's being said, write to me and I'll tell you:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9v5fgdx9mY

And just by the way - Messiah for us Jews is another Moshe, another David - not a "god"; He is someone who is from the seed of David.
But even when this spiritual leader is not yet in power, our redemption takes place just the same. Look at what is happening in Israel - the Jewish people has never been in a better situation. Jerusalem has never been so big. When I walk in the streets of my neighborhood, I feel that I'm so privileged to do that, because Jerusalem, even in King David's times and even in King Solomon's times, was tiny. Nothing so big. I don't think that there were any houses in my area back then. Jerusalem is huge now, and when you walk the streets you hear Italian, English, French, Yiddish - all the languages of the diaspora, as Jews return to their ancient home land, and then most of them learn to speak Hebrew. This is such a magical phenomenon, and there hasn't been in the history of the world anything like this. There could never be, because this is completely super-natural, completely divine. And it all is in line with the promises that G-d promised to us in the Bible. And this is the reason why, when I was in Norway, I told my friends there that I don't like the term "Old" Testament. There is nothing old about it - it is eternal, and the fulfillment of the prophecies is a proof to that. All the miracles that happen to us happen to a nation that hasn't embraced any other religion and stayed lovingly faithful to G-d, the one and only G-d, and to His Torah. We live a Torah way of life - we observe Shabbat, we keep Kosher, we keep our biblical holidays - we keep our part in the covenant, and in return, G-d keeps His part of the covenant. Things are not yet perfect, but are getting there in dazzling speed. The glorious State of Israel has been in the world for only 70 years now, and look at its success: in medicine, in technology, in agriculture, in science, there are numerous Yeshivahs (religious institutions in which men just sit and learn Torah) - this is not thanks to the efforts of the Jewish people. It can't be anything that humans can do. There is something divine in all of this. Our success is not thanks to our physical efforts, but thanks to the fact that we adhere to G-d's covenant (many of us, though not everyone), and He in return adheres to us. It's amazing to see all the non-Jewish tourists who come here from every corner of the world, and admire what they see. They come here to learn about the secret of our success, but the secret is simple - G-d, and only Him.

The miracles that are happening with Israel now are the biggest ones the world has ever known - bigger even than our Exodus from Egypt! The Exodus was huge, really, but what is happening now is so much bigger, so much more complex, so much more impressive - thank G-d!!

The Israeli Bureau of Statistics published some amazing numbers about the year that passed: 89% of the citizens of Israel say they are happy - they are happy with the place they live, happy with their job, happy with their country. Tourism is flourishing -  3.9 tourists came to Israel last year and left here around 21 billion shekels. Israel's economy is doing great at a time that many places in the world experience economical crisis: there have been around 7 million flights this year of Israelis flying abroad (some people flew more than once, so the total number of their flights are counted). 7,460 Hebrew books were published here this year. It's about 20 new books per DAY, for such a small country... It makes one think about our name among the nations: The People of the Book... Again, it is nothing we can take credit for - this is G-d's doing, and we are the recipients. After almost 2000 years of bitter exile, of persecutions, of humiliation - the Jewish nation is finally back home and experiences an amazing blessing. We do not only survive here, in the midst of millions of hostile Arabs all around us, many of whom vow to annihilate us - we actually thrive, prosper and flourish here in a way that is not humanly possible. It's all G-d's doing, and we are the recipients, because we keep His Torah, and because He wants to show the world that His words are true, that His promises and prophecies are true, that His covenant with us is not "old". Everyone who comes here is shocked to see how beautiful and advanced this country is, and everyone wants to stay here, even those who can't, because there is something special here that is hard to define, but people feel it - it's the presence of G-d. And it is a proof that G-d exists, because this land has been in such a desolation for almost 2000 years, and now it is blossoming beyond imagination.

The Biblical prophecies are coming true, and it causes people who grew up like me in the secular education system to open their eyes and realize that we are part of something HUGE! We are part of the most exciting story of human history. It causes this feeling not just to us, secular Jews, but also to many people from almost every nation of the world, who find out that something really BIG is happening.

I got a text message a few days ago from a non-Jewish friend of mine who lives abroad. She always had an interest in Judaism, a big love for Israel and a strong connection to G-d. She told me that her country is going through some difficult times, and that it makes her think. She wonders, is G-d trying to tell her people something? Do they have to repent? I'm thinking of all the countries in the world that go through troubles - the USA and Japan with crazy, dangerous weather, Venezuela with poverty and so many people running away from the country, Syria with that endless war, Yemen with that endless war, etc. 

I told her that the way I see it, this is perhaps G-d’s way of calling out to her nation – to the nation as a whole and to every individual in it - to return to Him, to do Teshuvah (repentance), to believe in G-d and to develop a personal relationship with Him. To think about the meaning of life. Why are we here in this world? Why are we here for such a short time? Why is there so much suffering? What is my role and mission in this world?

Each person was sent here, to this world, with their own unique role and mission, with their own set of unique talents and capabilities with which they can benefit the world. Man’s purpose is not to just make more money and then spend it ‘having fun’: traveling, shopping, going to the most luxurious hotels, buying the most expensive cars, etc. Such material life is tantamount to death. People who live this way feel dead inside, completely disconnected from their inner, spiritual core, from their soul. Man’s role in life is to know G-d in every thing that he does and to benefit people around him to the best of his abilities. The secret formula to happiness is not just more ‘fun’, it’s more giving, being more useful to others, being kinder to people, doing more good in this world and making this world a better place, with everything that we have – with our hearts, with our hands, with our money, with our talents, with our words. 

Each of us in this world, no matter from which culture, has a pure, spiritual soul that is dressed in a physical body. Through our soul, we can connect to G-d, and when we do not connect to G-d, we feel this dark emptiness inside, we feel hunger and thirst for something that we do not know. And it leads many of us to try to seek fulfillment in drinking, eating, abusing other people in different ways, shopping, making more and more money and not sharing any of it with anyone outside the immediate family. The harder we try to fill ourselves with these external things, the more famished our souls becomes.

No one is here in this world by mistake. We are all here to fulfill a mission, a mission that G-d endowed us with, and for which He gave us our own unique set of strengths and personality traits. A person who ignores this truth doesn’t really live their life. We all have an inner voice inside us, that guides us in every decision in life, in every junction in life. We are not always tuned to it, we do not always trust it or rely on it, and sometimes we distort it with our own fears and misconceptions. But we are all surrounded by G-d’s love, and He is guiding us - no matter from which country or nation we are. A material culture in which inner spirit has no value or meaning makes its members depressed and full of despair. No wonder that then suicide rates soar high. Human beings need G-d.

This friend also asked me if I, as a Jew, can pray for her country, if I can pray for people who are not Jewish. I answered that one of our roles as Jews is to pray for the whole world. During the holiday of Rosh HaShana our tradition holds that not only us, but the entire world, are judged by G-d, to see whether we lived up to our potential as human beings, as spiritual beings who have free choice. Of course I pray, I must pray, and I often do, for the whole world – for all the nations to discard their idols, their false gods, and to return to the ONE G-d, the G-d whose miracles in Israel are so obvious to everyone in the world. I pray for the all the peoples of the world that they would return to G-d and see His big miracles in their lives. 

The next question she asked me was how should she, as a non-Jew, pray to G-d. Does she have to convert to Judaism or can she worship Him through any religion? She had some experience with another religion, but didn’t feel it was the truth. I told her that of course she can convert to Judaism, if she wants, but she doesn’t have to. She just has to pray to G-d as the ONE G-d, and to fulfill the Seven Noahide Laws (7 commandments, that are really more than just seven, that non-Jews should observe to do their part in the scheme of redemption). I sent her this link, with a prayer book compiled by an orthodox Jewish Rabbi especially for Noahides, non-Jews who want to follow the G-d of Israel and observe 7 of His commandments without becoming Jews. Here is the prayer book for non-Jews, for those of you who are interested, it's very close to the Jewish Siddur, and it follows the holidays, and all the other interesting things – you can print it and pray from it whenever you want:

http://noahideworldcenter.org/wp_en/brit-olam-prayer-book-for-noahides/

Thank you and Shana Tova!

R.

Weekly Torah Portion - Ki Tetze (Deuteronomy 21:10 - 25:19)

In this week's Torah Portion from the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses continues his goodbye speech to the children of Israel, just before their entrance to the Land and his own death. Many commandments are detailed here, but today I'll focus just on one or two of the commandments in it. 

Deuteronomy 24: 14-15:
"Thou shalt not oppress a hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates. In the same day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD and it be sin in thee."
G-d asks us to be fair and considerate with the people we employ. "A servant" in Biblical times can be translated as "an employee" in modern concepts. The commandment is for an employer to not withhold due wages from his/her employees, but rather to pay their salary on time.
In this context, I would like to share the following story about a Jewish man from America, Aharon Feuerstein, a businessman and philanthropist, who was the CEO of a textile factory ("The Malden Mills") in Massachusetts. This factory employed 3,000 employees, giving these people their salaries, livelihood and dignity as working man. It supported the economy of two whole towns near by. One day in 1995 the factory was burnt down. Everything was gone. Owner and employees were distraught. Even though the place was insured, it would take many long months before the factory could be rebuilt, and for the employees it meant 6 to 12 months of no work, no salary, and facing the uncertainty of what the future holds - should they look for another job or wait for the factory to be rebuilt?
Feuerstein chose a very unusual, noble course of action. While he was using the insurance money to rebuild the factory, he kept all the 3000 employees on pay roll. Even though he couldn't give them work during the long months of rebuilding, he kept paying their salaries and giving them their benefits. He did this in the 1990's when globalization was accelerating and many companies were firing their local employees and moving to China and other places in the Asia.
This cost him something like 25 million dollars, and - he lost his own job for doing this. But he won his life at the same time. A person who merited to do something so noble and so great is a man who lived a life worth living. He didn't waste the chance he was given to make a difference in the world.
When asked about it later, faced with the consequences of his deed, he said he would have done the same thing again. Why? Because it was the right thing to do. He attributed his decision to his life-long study of the Torah and the Talmud, quoting the teachings of ancient rabbis like Rabbi Hillel: "In a situation where there are no righteous people, be righteous". He said in an interview: "Maybe on paper our company is worthless to Wall Street, but I can tell you it's worth MORE". Hearing about such people makes one feel good about mankind. We still have hope.

Aharon Feuerstein

Another interesting story that I would like to share with you just before Shabbat is related to the verses in Deut. 22: 13-19: "If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and then hate her, and lay wanton charges against her, and bring up an evil name upon her... Then they shall punish him...". 
Speaking evil words against another person is a horrible sin in Torah Law. Our mouths can easily turn into lethal weapons, and kill a person with our words, ruin a person's life, etc. We are commanded to keep our mouths holy, to use it as a vessel of sanctity and purity, a vessel to bless G-d, pray to Him and speak of His glory, but not to ruin another person's life with it. Unfortunately, the sin of evil tongue is very common in all societies around the globe.
In 1873, a book was published by Rabbi Israel Meir HaKohen about the rules and safeguards we should all observe in order to keep our mouths clean and avoid ruining other people. The title of the book is: "HaChefetz Chaim" (lit.: A person who desires life), and it's taken from the verse in Psalms 34: "Who is the man that desireth life, and loveth days, that he may see good therein? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.". This book is very famous in Israel and in the Jewish diaspora, and people learn small portions of it daily, and talk about it and discuss it. Rabbi Kagan is known as "HaChafetz Chaim" because of this book.

The story I want to share with you in this regard is about an Israeli man, someone who prays at a synagogue in which I pray. That man used to work in one of the highest positions in the Bank of Israel, and after retiring he now works as an international consultant. Recently, that person returned from a trip to Mongolia, in the Far East, and told the following story:
When the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Mongolia met him and saw the Yarmulke (kippah, a small cap worn by religious Jewish men) on his head, he asked him if he knows Rabbi Israel Meir Kagan, and added, "perhaps you know him by his name taken from the title of his book, HaChafetz Chaim".
The Israeli man was shocked. Here he was in Mongolia, as far away from Israel and Judaism as can be. How would the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Mongolia know anything about Rabbi Kagan or his book? He was curious. So he asked the Mongolian man: "How do you know about Rabbi Kagan?".
The Deputy Governor told him that he completed his PhD in the United States, and that his adviser was a Jewish Professor. In one of his conversations with his adviser, the Deputy Governor told the Jewish professor that the staff meetings in the Central Bank of Mongolia are not efficient at all, because all of the participants yell at each other for the entire duration of the meeting.
The Professor listened, nodded, and then gave his student an English translation of Rabbi Kagan's book titled "Guarding of the Tongue" (published 1876), and the Deputy Governor took it. He read it thoroughly with increasing interest. He was so deeply impressed with the contents of the book, that when he finished his PhD he returned to Mongolia and brought with him more copies of the book. He told the staff at the bank that no one would be allowed to participate in the staff meetings without first reading the book. So everyone read it. Ever since then, the staff meetings at the Central Bank of Mongolia run very smoothly and peacefully, and are very efficient.

This is a true story from my neighborhood in Jerusalem.
It is amazing how the Torah pervades every corner of the world and makes people better, makes lives better, makes bank meetings better :-)
Baruch Hashem.

And with that, I'll say to you Shabbat Shalom, and I hope to see you again next week or the one after that.

Yours with love,
(You know who I am)

Weekly Torah Portion - Va'Etchanan (Deut. 3:23 - 7:11)

Something very sweet and positive happened today. An Arab man from the city of Hebron gave a "LIKE" to a post on my Facebook page ("Jewish Inspiration") with a quote from the Mishnah (an ancient Jewish text). How amazing it is! It gives me strength and motivation to keep running this page. At the moment there are over 500 people who like the page. I hope to have more soon.

To write this blog today I came to a hotel lobby in East Jerusalem. I walked here all the way from the Hebrew University on Mt. Scopus, going through the Arab neighborhoods and the streets (Mt. Olive road and Nablus road), and feeling so free and happy that this is my city and I can walk here freely. The streets are so beautiful! Only recently I had the courage to come here, to walk here, and discover these areas. Up until not too long ago this part of the city was beyond the horizon to me, so to speak, a place you know exists, but to which you never go.The people on the streets here are mostly indifferent. I don't feel much hostility, and it is good. I'll keep coming here.

This week's Torah Portion is that of Va'Etchanan ("I implored"), Deuteronomy 3:23 - 7:11. In it, Moses begs to G-d to let him enter the Promised Land, but G-d refuses, and asks Moses not to pray to Him about this matter any more. He will only merit to see the land from afar, but not to get into it.
A few points to mention here:
First, seeing how the great Moshe wanted to enter the Land and couldn't, I feel so humbled. He couldn't, but I can. He would have given anything in the world just to merit to sit here, where I sit now, and see the hills of this Land with his own eyes, just like I do. It makes me feel grateful that I have the merit to live here, to walk here, to breathe the air here. It is something that generations of Jews could only dream about, and here I am, living their dream, almost taking it for granted sometimes. A point to remember on dark days.
Second, sometimes we want something so badly, we pray and pray and ask G-d to grant us what we want, but His answer is NO. We cry, we try to fight it, but nothing helps. No is no. It often happens with things in our lives that are our Promised Land, the things we want most in life, but can't get, often things we were supposed to have but lost due to our mistakes. If it happened to Moshe (Moses), it is OK that it should happen to any of us.
Third, Moshe was not buried by men, and no one knows his burial site, so we can't go there. One of the reasons for that is to make sure that Moshe will not turn into a "god". It comes to ensure that people will not start to worship him and pray to him and treat him like a god. For he is not. He was our savior, he still is, considering the fact that it is the Torah that he brought down to us that we keep learning for thousands of years now, on a daily basis. And this Torah is the basis for other faiths who sprang up from it. All thanks to him. So his influence is not just on us, but on almost every person in the world today. But still, G-d is one, and Moshe is just his emissary, not a second "god", G-d forbid.

In this portion is one of the verses that I like most. It was one of the (many) verses in the Bible that opened my eyes to the truth of the words of the Torah and the Prophets. Before I quote it, I will tell the background. Many years ago I was a student in Japan. I was secular back then, but like most Israelis I believed in G-d. I just didn't think the Bible was G-d's word. But G-d has different ways and many different emissaries to help open a person's eyes. When I was in Japan, and when I visited Korea, whenever I met new people and we introduced ourselves, they would say: "Oh, you're from Israel? Then you must be very smart!". The first time I heard it, it amused me. "If only they knew how many people I know back home who are not so smart...", I thought to myself wryly. The next times I heard it, it started annoying, even scaring me. Without even knowing me, just by hearing that I am Jewish, they made a definite conclusion that I must be very smart. It smelled of prejudice, and it could be dangerous. What else would they assume about me without knowing me? It started bothering me. I carried this tormenting question in my mind for a few days, and then on a certain Shabbat I went to the Synagogue in the city where I lived, to have a Shabbat meal with Israeli food. I took out a Bible on a whim from the book shelf, and opened it randomly, not knowing why I did this. Just like that. The book opened on this week's Portion, on the following verse, which helped change my life: "... For this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, that, when they hear all these statutes, shall say: 'Surely, this great nation is a wise and understanding people'." (Deut. 4:6). I paused. I felt shivers down my spine and chills all over my body. Here I was, a student in a far away country in the other end of the earth, and everywhere I went, people concluded that I must be very intelligent without even knowing me, just by hearing that I was from Israel. And here this ancient text, black on white, written more than 3000 years ago, and the reality that this verse describes is my own reality. It was one of the 'cracks' in my shield that helped me realize that the Torah is true. The verse just prior to this one says that we should keep G-d's commandments, and this is a condition for our wisdom. And indeed, it is mainly through the mechanism of us clinging to our faith and observing the Mitzvot (commandments) that we were kept as a separate nation, with our tradition of loving and learning the Torah. This, and the blessing of G-d to Abraham ("you shall be a blessing to all nations"), are the source of this perceived wisdom.

When I visited Korea (no need to say South Korea, right? If I had visited North Korea I wouldn't be sitting here writing this blog today), I stayed at a special guest house (Kim's Family Guesthouse - recommended if you're ever in Seoul!). The woman who runs the place, Sunny, told me that in every household that respects itself in Korea there is a copy of the Talmud. I told her: "What? A copy of the Talmud?!" Being "secular" then, I don't think I ever even saw a copy of the Talmud, and here this Korean lady tells me that they have it in every household in her country. "Why?", I asked her in disbelief. Then she said that education is very important to Koreans, and since the way the Jews educate their children produces geniuses (her words), then Koreans want to replicate this method of education to make their children geniuses too. Needless to say, I was speechless. I didn't know what to say. I was shocked. Years later I realized that even though they think that what they have in their homes is the "Talmud", what they really have is a short introductory book (I would title it "Talmud 101"), written by a Jewish rabbi about the Talmud. That Rabbi had it translated to Korean, and they cling to it with reverence as if it is the real thing (the real Talmud is made of a few big volumes, it is a very big book). I find it very sweet and admirable. I'm sure that after reading it they know much more than any secular person here ever does, but not even a fraction of what a religious man here does. Still, it's something!

Throughout all this Portion, Moshe repeats the importance of us keeping the Mitzvot (commandments) for ever, not just the generation of the desert, but all generations into the future. There is such a big emphasis on it. It reminds me of another story: 

Last year I visited Norway. I still have friends there from my previous visit there in the fall of 2006. A friend of mine organized a few salon-talks for me. We gathered, every time in another home, with a different group of people, for a talk about Judaism and Israel. In each of these homes there was a lot of delicious-looking food served. Everyone was eating. And yet, even though I was hungry (I lost some weight there) I kept the Kosher laws and restricted myself only to what I could eat. It wasn't much. It wasn't easy, physically or socially, but I was determined to do it, and I did. 

One of the participants in one of the talks later came to Israel for the first time in her life. I met her here, in Jerusalem and we had a long, pleasant talk. She told me that when she saw how I was eating (or not eating, "like Daniel"), she realized that it's through such commandments that G-d kept the Jews as a separate nation, and that His covenant with us is still alive, that He has a plan for us, and that we don't need to go in the pathway of all the other nations. I was shocked and excited to hear it from her. Of course, I knew it myself all along, but it was quite emotional for me to hear someone who comes from a different faith say such things to me. She isn't the only one. Other people have told me so too after seeing me eating "like Daniel". But it was so nice to hear about it from her, and the way she said it! 

When I was in Norway someone asked me why I don't eat the food, is it because I think it's not clean or tasty? The answer was absolutely not! The food looked clean and the fresh, and most delicious. So why didn't I eat? Not because I didn't want to, believe me - I wanted to eat every bite of it! The only reason I didn't eat, is because G-d commanded me not to eat certain things! 

If it's not clear, think about Adam and Eve in Eden. Here there was a beautiful fruit (let's say an "apple"). A beautiful, red, fresh apple. There was nothing wrong with this apple. The only reason why Adam and Eve should have avoided eating it is not because it was bad, but because G-d told them not to eat it. That's it! The apple itself was probably great, but G-d said no, so no it is, and that's it! If only they had kept this one Mitzvah... 

When we keep Kosher, we fix on a daily basis a part of that original sin. When we keep the commandments, we show G-d that we cling to His word, and even though we're hungry in a beautiful foreign land, we will not eat that which He told us not to eat. Only that which we are allowed to it, we will. And the result of this is that people around us start opening their eyes and realizing that our covenant with G-d is a living one and that G-d has a plan for us. 

By the way, the nations of the world also have commandments they are supposed to keep, and the righteous gentiles keep them: these are 7 basic commandments, but in reality there are more than 50 commandments that the righteous gentiles keep. We will discuss them some other time. 

Thank you, and Shabbat Shalom!

Rev.

Torah Portion: Journeys through the stations in our lives...

I'm sitting now at the lobby of the Dan Hotel in the French Hill (what used to be the Hyatt Hotel years ago). On days that I work alone from home, I need to be out and feel that there are people around me, so I find these places. The whole city of Jerusalem is spread under me, as I sit here and write this blog today.

This week I got a call for help. Someone whom I vaguely know is hospitalized. He is a new immigrant from the US, hardly speaks any Hebrew, and doesn't have any relatives here. His acquaintance sent out a call for anyone who can, to go and visit him. He is an elderly man, I assume around 70 or more years of age, and he's been battling a disease for many years now. I went to the French Hospital where he is hospitalized, suggested to him that we should walk a bit together, just to get him out of bed and get some exercise, and then, as we were slowly walking through the hospital's corridors, he asked me if I wanted to learn Torah with him. I was surprised. It was a wonderful suggestion. In such a secular place without Torah, to learn Torah together - magnifique! In his room there was another religious man, and their room is the only room in the whole hospital with a Mezuzah (they glued it to the doorpost with sellotape). I read aloud the Torah text with my Hebrew accent, and he stopped me from time to time to comment about the different words and verses I was reading. The thoughts that I'm going to share with you today about the Torah Portion are mostly ideas that I heard from him. 

This week's Torah Portion, which will be read in synagogues around the world is that of Matot-Mas'ei (Numbers 30:2-36:13). I will focus  here mostly on Numbers 33: "These are the journeys of the Children of Israel, by which they went forth out of the land of Egypt by their hosts, under the hand of Moses and Aaron". The Torah starts here a very long list of all the places to which the Children of Israel went, and from where they then embarked on other journeys. In some of these places they stayed a day, and in others they stayed for many, many years. When you read this chapter superficially, it can be very boring - "And they journeyed from place X, and pitched by place Y; and they journeyed from place Y, and pitched by place Z", etc, for 42 journeys! Why would the Torah, in which every letter is important, and no word is there by coincidence, dedicate so much text just to repeat the journeys of Israel in the desert? After all, we've already heard about these journeys before! 

One of the messages that can be derived from this is that life is a journey. If you look at the map of these 42 journeys, you see that they were not a straight line, and were definitely not the shortest or most efficient way to get to the Promised Land. In a person's life there are many stops, and at each stop we experience things, some are good and some are bad, some are sweet and some are bitter. Sometimes the bitter experiences are actually good, because they serve us in meaningful ways, where as the sweet ones, if not understood as something from G-d, may end up harming us. The Hassidish rabbis/masters, such as the Baal Shem-Tov, said that there are 42 spiritual journeys in a person's life, that each of us makes in life: "The 42 journeys of the Children of Israel, described in this Portion, exist in fact in the life of every person, from his birth until his entrance to the upper Land of the Living. This is how the Torah tries to show to every person the desired, proper path - that is, each person must always be journeying, must always be in a constant motion of rising up and moving forward". And just as the Torah does, it is good to sometimes stop and take a look at the journeys we've done, to be reminded of things we've gone through, and to see how we grew thanks to them. 

We learn from this chapter in the Torah that it is not only the destination, the 'promised land', that is important. Many times it is the journey, the road to get to our final destination, which is important too. In every station in life, bitter or sweet, we get something, we learn something, and if we are spiritually minded, we can get the best of even the worst situations in life. I'm thinking of that man in the hospital. He's been battling this terrible disease for a long time, but his spirit is not broken. He uses his time to learn Torah, and when you visit him, you see that he is not bitter. He loves G-d and accepts peacefully that which G-d gives him, even if it's life of solitude, with no family, in a country in which few people know him, and especially his battle with the disease. He doesn't complain. He just accepts it graciously. 

Also, at any stage we are in life, even if it's very bitter, we can look around and think what we can do to make this world a better place, what we can do for other people. Even someone who is lacking some of the most essential things in life, like family or health, G-d forbid, must remember that this life is a journey, not the final destination, it's just a corridor leading us to the Next World, and what we'll do here in this world will determine our life in the next world. We will not be able to take with us money, or material possessions to the next world, of course. We will be able to take with us just the good deeds we did here, just our efforts to make this world a better place for us and for people all around us, and indeed all over the world. We will be judged on that, and if we are wealthy in good deeds, we will be OK up there, but if not, then maybe it will not be that easy for us up there... This is how I see things, and this is how our rabbis see things. 

In every moment of my life I live with the awareness that G-d is with me, supporting me, guiding me, teaching me, but also testing me. This world is like a school - we learn, and we are tested, then learn something new, and then tested again. And the tests are all moral, social and spiritual in nature. Sometimes we fail and fall, but the important thing is to get up, repent, and make sure not to repeat our mistakes again. Just move on, and make the best of every second of every day we are granted in this world. Best not in the sense of having fun, but in the sense of giving to others, volunteering, doing good in this world. This is a true source of real happiness. This, and trust in G-d and the awareness that He is always with us, around us, all of us, each and every one of us. This is the recipe for good, true happiness.

In the hospital room, as I was reading the names of the places that Israel journeyed, the hospitalized man stopped me from time to time, and here are some of his insights:

In verse 8-9 there is a mention of a place called Marah. For those who don't speak Hebrew, it is just another name, but for those of us who speak Hebrew (or learn the Torah in Hebrew, like him, these names have meaning). Marah in Hebrew means bitterness, and he said that the place was called so not because it was bitter, but because THEY (the People of Israel) were bitter. We can learn from this an important lesson: No matter where we are in life and what the external circumstances are, it is our frame of mind, our mindset, that determines the outcome of this "station" in our lives. If we are in a very beautiful place, but our mind is bitter and full of anxiety and pain, we will experience this beautiful place as bitter and painful. We all know people who have everything in life, but are depressed. On the other hand, if we are in bitter, painful situations in life, lacking important things, like family, etc., but we look at it in an optimistic way, seeing G-d everywhere, then this place will be sweeter and more positive for us. We all know people who have nothing in life, but are happy. 

This is just a small example of the meaning we can derive from every word in the Torah - our Sages (our great rabbis, commentators of the Torah) found meaning behind the names of the other places. 

The chapter ends with this statement from G-d: "unto you have I given the land to possess it". Now tell me, can anyone argue with Him? No one can. We've finally reached the Promised Land, after thousands of years in the bitter desert of exile. And we possess it. And our Prophets promised us that this time we will not be driven out of it. And we believe them, so we keep building and developing this land, which has been waiting for us for such a long time. So we're here, at the end of so many bitter journeys - but our journeys, bitter as they were, were not in vain. They were part of G-d's greater plan, which we do not fully understand. The important thing is that we're finally at our sweet, beautiful destination - not completely (the Temple needs to be built too) but almost there in full! Rabbi Harlap encourages us not to stay put, but rather to keep moving upward and forward in our spiritual growth. Especially now that we are in the Land of Israel, we have the moral obligation to keep growing, keep moving forward. The amount of Torah classes everywhere is dazzling, there is so much thirst here by people to know G-d, and even people who grew up in secular families, like me, find their way back to the Torah, to G-d, and to Torah driven life of keeping the commandments and doing acts of loving kindness. 

Thank you for joining me on this journey as I write here from time to time. 

Shabbat Shalom and Chodesh Tov (a blessed new month - tonight starts the Hebrew Month of Av)!

From Jerusalem with Love,

R. 

Kites of Peace

Very hot days in Israel right now. And in this heat, "gifts" of fire are sent our way by our neighbors in Gaza. Fire kites, fire balloons, which, primitive as they are, cause a lot of damage, physical and mental. Agricultural fields on the Jewish side of the border catch fire and burn, causing immense financial damage to the farmers. Small children, who are used to thinking of kites and balloons in an innocent way, are forced to rearrange their concepts to fit this insane reality. Of course, here in Jerusalem nothing of this is felt. The kites don't reach this part of the Land. So today, together with a few more people, I went south, to the Gaza border, not far from where I was born and raised. Thousands of people were there. The traffic jam leading to the area was very long.
We all went there for one purpose - to fly kites of peace and balloons of hope, and to support the local residents and the parents of the dead Israeli soldier, Hadar Goldin, whose body is still in the hands of Hamas, and Hamas would not give it back. Hadar's family do not ask for a 'prisoner release deal' with Hamas. They do not want our government to release terrorists from prison, like it did in the Gilad Schalit deal, because such deals bring about more kidnapping, more violence and more death. They ask instead that Israel put more pressure on the Hamas leaders in order for them to give back Hadar's body.

Many people were there today, giving talks about the current situation and about our need to keep our hope and strength. Among them were Hadar Goldin's family, local residents of the Jewish areas around Gaza, former judges and current politicians. It was quite an happening.
Very happily, I spotted in the crowd also two Arab men, Muslims, clad in their traditional Kafiyah and Galabiyah, who came to support us, to support Hadar's family and to support the local residents in the Jewish settlements around Gaza. It was moving to see them!

It was beautiful to see all these kites, colored blue-and-white (colors of our flag, colors of our prayer shawl, colors of spirituality and peace), flying up in the sky, and the kids and parents enjoying this activity. When we were there, no kites of fire were flown to us from Gaza. It reminds me of a famous phrase by the Lubavitcher Rabbi: "A little bit of light can drive away a lot of darkness". I want to believe that our little peaceful gesture, our peaceful kite flying today, caused a spiritual effect that prevented the black kites of fire from landing in our territory. But anyway, it didn't seem like the people who were there were afraid. They weren't. I wasn't either.
This week we will read in synagogues in Israel and around the world this verse from Jeremiah: "And they shall fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you". These words are said to Jeremiah, but I think many people in Israel live with this consciousness, that G-d is with us, and that even if other people fight us (from Gaza, or in the UN), they will not prevail, for G-d is with us. Later on it says there (Jeremiah 2): "Israel is the Lord's hallowed portion, His first-fruits of the increase. All that devour him shall be held guilty, evil shall come upon them, says the Lord". I'm thinking of the Hamas leaders, and feel this verse speaks about them these days. They do not fight us. They fight G-d, and their behavior shows that their destructive motivation is not pure. They are willing to burn their own area (one of their kites actually burned a power-supply station that gives electricity to Gaza), they are willing to suffer, they are willing to die, as long as we suffer and die. No gestures of peace are accepted. The hatred is so big. But I believe that the day will come in which they too will wake up and realize the truth that is there in G-d's words.

Here are a few pictures that I took today near Gaza (you can faintly see the Gaza Strip in the background, but the camera on my phone is not that good, so it doesn't show well).

Shabbat Shalom!
Revital

First time - Hebron

Two weeks ago was the Holiday of Shavuot, 7 weeks after the end of Pesach (Passover). It was a long weekend starting with Shabbat, and then right after that - Shavuot. I celebrated it in a very special place, which I had wanted to visit for a long time - the holy city of Hevron (Hebron). It was my first time in the city, and I didn't know what to expect.
I took the bus from Jerusalem to Hevron. It was a shielded bus, but you could never tell - it looked just like any other bus. I sat in the front seat, looking out the window as the bus traveled through the hilly terrain of Judea, reaching south towards Hevron. The road was dotted with vineyards and olive plantations, two of the Seven Species of Eretz Israel (the Land of Israel). Right before it reached Hevron, it went to a Jewish neighborhood adjacent to Hevron, called Kiryat Arba. It is a beautiful Jewish town with lots of new buildings, covered with shiny Jerusalem-stone bricks. Then, the bus continued traveling. And I found myself in Arab neighborhoods - I had no idea that the route the bus takes goes through those neighborhoods. I once had a dream that I was in Gaza. Even now I remember the streets, the buildings, the shops, the atmosphere that I saw in that dream. In Hevron, this dream came to life. The driver saw my reaction and laughed. My stop - the Avraham Avinu neighborhood (named after Abraham our father), was the one before last on that route. I was alone on the bus at that point. He told me that this is where I get off. I was reluctant, and... surprised to find myself in such a place. But it was no mistake. He reassured me that I have nothing to worry about.

I got off, walked in this Arab looking area, until I found the place where I was supposed to spend the Holiday with a few more people. Relieved, I soon found myself within a Jewish area, albeit tiny and small, with beautiful buildings covered with Jerusalem-stone bricks. At night, I went to pray at Me'arat HaMachpela (the Cave of the Patriarchs). This was the first time in my life to see that huge, powerful building. It was Friday night, and the first night of the Ramadan, so the entrance to Jews was forbidden. We couldn't get in. We had to pray outside at what is called "The Seventh Step", while the Muslims were allowed entrance and prayed inside. It was moving to hear the Jewish crowds singing Shabbat songs and praying with all of their heart and might, when in the background the Mu'azeen was calling on a loud speaker the traditional Muslim call. I found it moving to see how these young, vibrant voices of the Jewish people there were trying to overcome the deafening sound of the Mu'azeen's calls through the loud speaker. Soon I was no longer distracted by it. In this place, the Cave of the Patriarch, tradition holds that Abraham and Sarah are buried (Abraham bought it to bury Sarah, Genesis 23:8-19), as well as Isaac and Rivkah and Jacob and Leah. Therefore, the place is holy also to the Muslims, who are the descendants of Abraham (through Hagar). On the burial cave, King Herod built a magnificent edifice. This building is the only intact building from that time (2000 years ago!). I was sorry I couldn't go in it, but on the next day, our soldiers allowed Jews to go in, only at different hours than the Arabs.
I was moved to have my feet step on these ancient, old stones. The edifice is just gorgeous. It has high vaulted ceilings, and floors made of huge stones. The walls are covered with stones framed in the Roman style. On some of the stones there are engravings in Greek and Hebrew of names that sound Jewish, or Helenized Jewish (like Abrahamos, Nahumos, etc.). People 2,000 years ago engraved their names on the wall probably in prayer that in the merit of the Patriarchs, their lot in life would improve.
It was very special to say the prayer there - the first blessing of this prayer talks about Avraham, Isaac and Jacob: "Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d and G-d of our fathers, G-d of Abraham, G-d of Isaac and G-d of Jacob, the great, might and awesome G-d, exalted G-d, who bestows bountiful kindness, who creates all things, who remembers the piety of the Patriarchs, and who, in love, brings a redeemer to their children's children, for the sake of His name. Oh, King, You are a helper, a savior and a shield. Blessed are You L-rd, shield of Abraham". It had a special meaning for me to say it there, of all places.

On Shavuot night, I went to the Cave again after the Holiday meal, and there I heard Torah classes and lectures until 4 am at night. We have this custom to stay awake to learn Torah on this holiday, because it is the holiday in which we received the Torah. During the daytime prayer, they opened a Torah scroll and read the Ten Commandments from the Yitro Portion in the Torah (from the Book of Exodus), and the whole congregation, including me, stood on our feet.
The street leading from where I stayed to the Cave was split in half. One half for the Jews, and the other for the Muslims, just to prevent clashes. But me, who had no idea which side is supposed to be for which people, just walked randomly without thinking twice about it, and I later saw other people doing the same. I met Arabs going to pray. I tried to make eye contact and smile at them, to be able to start a conversation. Some of the time I couldn't - they wouldn't interact with me. But other times, it worked. They looked back at me, smiled. I complemented a young father on his cute little boy. He was happy to hear and talked back to me a bit, smiling. It was nice.

At night, after the Shabbat and Holiday dinners, me and a few more people went out to our soldiers to give them some good Shabbat food, cakes, fruit, etc. They were so happy. Some of them said they cannot eat while on the job, but once they finish their duty for the day, they would enjoy it. Others told us that it is OK, because the commander was with them, and he allowed them to eat. These soldiers are such beautiful flowers. So serious and mature for their young age. Later, on the day of Shavuot we went on a walk to the Tomb of Ruth and Yishai (father of King David). King David reigned in Hevron for 7 years, and in that time he buried his great-grandmother and his father. They are buried there. We went there to read the amazing story of the Jewish convert, Ruth, at her burial place. This is one of my favorite books in the TANACH, and it was moving to read it there.

On our way to the burial place, it was a chance for me to see more of the Arab neighborhoods of Hevron. I saw Israeli soldiers talk in Arabic with local people, making them smile, and wishing them "Ramadan Karim" (Happy Ramadan or something like this). Later, I saw a small Arab girl, of about 6 or 7 years old, clinging to an Israeli soldier, hugging him, enjoying the confidence he gave her. He was so kind and sweet to her, and to us, and she felt reassured at his side. I thought to myself - this is completely different than anything I have been told so far by the Media. Why doesn't the Media report such behaviors, the friendships that there are between our soldiers and the local Arab population? I saw so many instances of it, and the Media would never talk about it. I was so happy to see our soldiers behaving so nicely to the Arabs in Hevron. It made me happy.

I'm still thinking about what I've seen and experienced in Hevron. Not everything was sweet. There were still Arab people who wouldn't smile back, and in different places in the Jewish neighborhood there were memorial plaques with names of people (including a baby) who were murdered by local Arabs, but all in all - I think that this city has hope, and maybe it is even a symbol of hope - hope of coexistence and love.

Shabbat Shalom,
Revital

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... :-)