Crisis of Conscience: Anti-Semite Learns He's a Jew

And thou shalt return and hearken to the voice of the LORD, and do all His commandments which I command thee this day. (Deuteronomy 30:8)

הכפירה הדתית והכפירה החילונית - הרב אורי שרקי

Kalandia Rioter Previously Released in Shalit Deal

From INN:

Meanwhile, it has been revealed that one of the three terrorists killed in the early hours of this morning had been released in 2011, as part of the deal to free Gilad Shalit.

Another one of the casualties was also a known terrorist, according to the Israeli security service, Shin Bet.

Yunis Jahjouh, 22, was killed along with Rubeen Abed Fares and Jihad Aslan. He was 19 at the time of the "Shalit Deal," which saw more than 1,000 terrorists released from Israeli prisons.

Border Police had entered Kalandia to an individual for suspected terrorist activities. Over a thousand Palestinian Arabs started rioting, and throwing rocks and stones at the Israeli personnel.

The IDF force that was providing security for the arresting squad took action to extricate it, and when the forces felt actual danger to their lives, they opened fire at the attackers. The wanted man was arrested and taken to interrogation.

You can see a video of the Arabs rioting here.

Teshuvah = Health

From Orot HaTeshuvah, chapter 5:

התשובה היא ההרגשה היותר בריאה של הנפש

Teshuvah is the most healthy feeling of the soul.

Under the Vine

These pics were taken somewhere in Giv'at Shaul:

I could not help but think of this:

1 But in the end of days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established as the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow unto it. 2 And many nations shall go and say: 'Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths'; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 3 And He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide concerning mighty nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig-tree; and none shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken. 5 For let all the peoples walk each one in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.

May it happen speedily, in our time, Amen.

From the Ministry of Poor Translations

You do not have to know Hebrew in order to live in Israel, but it certainly helps.

Pollard Speaks Out

It is a painful read. Especially since it seems to me that he is correct:

• Israel is the only country in the world ever to voluntarily expel its own citizens from chunks of its homeland in order to hand over the land to its enemies.

• It is the only country in the world ever to voluntarily destroy the homes and businesses of its own citizens, leaving them with shattered lives and broken promises.

• Israel is the only country in the world ever to voluntarily dig up and transport the graves of its dead so that the land could be turned over to its enemies.

The State of Israel also holds unenviable world records for betraying those who serve the state, including the following:

• Israel is the only country in the world to restrain its military from rescuing a wounded soldier, for fear of provoking the enemy and risking its approval ratings with the world. The soldier, injured by enemy gunfire at a Jewish holy site, slowly bled to death needlessly while the IDF stood by and watched.

• Israel also remains the only country in the world ever to voluntarily cooperate in the prosecution of its own intelligence agent, refusing him sanctuary, turning over the documents to incriminate him, denying that the state knew him, and then allowing him to rot in a foreign prison for decades on end, cravenly forgoing its right to simple justice for the nation and for the agent.

• Additionally, Israel is still the only country in the world ever to violate its own system of justice by repeatedly releasing dangerous, unrepentant murderers and terrorists back into the civilian population with impunity. No other country in the world has ever done this! In summary, Israel has the dubious distinction of being the only country in the world so befuddled by moral ambiguity that it is willing to dishonor its dead, betray its bereaved, and disgrace its citizens for the sake of political expediency.

Read the entire article!

The Sea of Galilee

I was at the Sea of Galilee, or the Kinneret in Hebrew:

The picture (click on it to enlarge) here is of the Kinar Beach, on the northeastern side of the Kinneret. Kinar Beach is actually two different beaches, one for men and one for women. The trees in the water took root there when the water level was low.

The waves were surprisingly high when I was there, almost as if I was in the Mediterranean Sea.

Rav Yitzchak Yosef on "The Importance of Learning Halacha"

Get to know the new Rishon LeTzion. I actually listened to the entire thing!

Rabbi Meir Yisrael Lau on the Elections for the Chief Rabbi

Wise words from a wise man(His Shmirat HaLashon is fantastic!):

The New Chief Rabbis

From Rabbi David Lau's Facebook page:

Mazal Tov to them!

טומאת קרי

Sometimes current events are so maddening that...I just do not know what to say. Is there any point in writing a blog post on why it is wrong to release murderers from prison in order to have the privilege of talking to Abu Mazen?

Two things are clear. One is that the present government is morally weak. On days like this I am embarrassed to be an Israeli. I am doubly embarrassed to be an American citizen.

The second thing is that the United States of America, under Obama and Kerry, is not a friend of Israel.

It is interesting to note that the name Kerry, in Hebrew, means "nocturnal emission", a source of impurity. Need I say any more?

הרב דוד לאו בתפילה לשלום המדינה, יום העצמאות 2013-תשעג

מחילה, סליחה וכפרה

Post 9th of Av Post

1) This web site is a must! Go ahead click on the link.

Here's a news report about the web site:

2) Here is another sign of Europe's moral decay.

3) Eight years have gone by since the destruction of Gush Katif.

Devarim: Words of Rebuke

This week's Parasha starts out:

These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel on that side of the Jordan in the desert, in the plain opposite the Red Sea, between Paran and Tofel and Lavan and Hazeroth and Di Zahav.

Rashi explains:

Since these are words of rebuke and he [Moses] enumerates here all the places where they angered the Omnipresent, therefore it makes no explicit mention of the incidents [in which they transgressed], but rather merely alludes to them, [by mentioning the names of the places] out of respect for Israel (cf. Sifrei).

Rebuke is not an easy matter. Not everybody knows how to rebuke his fellowman in a way that what he says will make a positive impression. Rabbi Akiva said, "I am in doubt if there is anyone in this generation who knows how to give reproof." (Arachin 16B). Rebuking someone by hanging a sign from your balcony seems to me to be a good method. The person is not being attacked personally and he may take the words to heart. Here are some words of rebuke that I have seen recently (click on the pics to enlarge):

The sign on the left says, "No entrance to owners of iPhones (or similar devices) or unfiltered internet." The second sign says," O merciful nation of Israel! Pray that my father will get rid of the iPhone and the internet and not break up our family." I agree with the signs that iPhones, internet etc. can be dangerous. If you don't believe me, ask Anthony Weiner.

More of the same:

This sign warns in the name of Rabbi Kanievsky that those who have iPhones bring trouble into their homes:

This really does not fit in but I'm including it anyway. The red sign in the middle says, "To the Nations of the world: (from their ambassadors in the land who are closely following the struggle against Judaism in Israel) Jewish Education under Foreign Rule is preferable to Foreign Education under Jewish Rule".

Baruch Dayan HaEmet. I just noticed that one of the signs announces that Zahava Golda Levin, the wife of Rabbi Simchah Shlomo Levin shlita, has passed away. (Rabbi Simchah Shlomo Levin is the son of the famed Tzaddik of Jerusalem Rabbi Aryeh Levin zt"l).

שייבנה בית המקדש

הריסת העתיקות בחפירות הוואקף בהר הבית

Har Bracha Yeshiva Regains Hesder Status

This is great news:

Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon decided Monday to renew the military's cooperation with the Har Bracha yeshiva located in Har Bracha, Samaria. The yeshiva will regain its “hesder” status, thus enabling its students to serve in the special hesder track that combines yeshiva study with army service.

It was the previous defense minister, Ehud Barak, who canceled the hesder arrangement because of statements by the yeshiva dean, Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, against soldiers' participation in the eviction of Jews from their homes.

The Har Bracha Yeshiva expressed its pleasure with the decision to reinstate it in the hesder track. The Hesder Yeshiva Federation also expressed its approval: “The minister's decision is a clear statement by the defense establishment against those who maliciously attack the hesder track.”

It pays to stick to one's principles!

Here are some things about this subject that I wrote way back when:

Jpost Lies

Barak Removes Har Bracha From Hesder Program

Rabbi Melamed: Standing Courageously for the Truth of Torah

Morsi Bites the Dust

So long Mr. Morsi!

Green search lights shone from the street as fireworks explode in the distance at Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt. The main thoroughfare was packed with Egyptians in tense anticipation of the end of the 48-hour deadline the Egyptian military has given for Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi to resign or agree to some sort of compromise.

The cheering of the crowd was constant as various people shout in loudspeakers and blow horns and whistles. Callers exhort the crowd in political chanting. The atmosphere was almost festive, despite the possibility of a bloody civil war. The protests of the past week have resulted in numerous deaths.

Finally, as Wednesday evening dragged on, Egyptian General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi broadcast on national television the removal of President Mohammed Morsi from power. The new interim president is Adly Mansour, who was until now, head of the Supreme Constitutional Court.

The Egyptian army has deployed soldiers around the Presidential compound and army vehicles have been stationed at Tahrir Square as well, although their presence is minimal compared to the mass cheering, flag waving and celebratory fireworks.

Revolution or not, the shameful treatment of women in Egypt continues: