Sharon And The Number 40

Here is something interesting that was published in Ha'aretz (surprise!). Read Letter from Gush Katif / A message to Arik .

Something Positive For A Change

People are making aliyah, even in these turbulent times. Check out this great post from Point of Pinchas:

But still, there are two ways to move a donkey with the stick or with the carrot. And when SEVEN Nefesh B'Nefesh planes full North Americans – that are living the "good life" go ahead and "throw it all away" to make Aliyah – not because we are being beaten by a stick but because we are chasing the carrot – that's something to sound the proverbial great Shofar about and announce to the world! I'm here because I WANT to be here. I'm here because I WANT to be Home!

Corruption, Disengagement, And The Israeli MSM

Does anyone involved in the "disengagement" (the Orwelliand word for expelling Jews from their homes in the Gaza Strip and Northern Samaria in order to make these places Judenrein) have anything to gain financially? Eival Giladi sure does:

Yet a third such enterprise has as its managing director none other than Eival Giladi, the official in the Prime Minister's office whom Sharon has designated as the "coordinator" of the expulsion-retreat. The British-owned Portland Trust corporation has plans to raise US$500 million to build 150,000 housing units for Arabs on the land seized from the Jewish farmers. Giladi will substantially augment his meager income as an Israeli civil servant by directing the development of the land, whose present owners are to be "evacuated," after he supervises their expulsion himself. No public official, it would seem, has ever had a stronger incentive for getting his job done!

Will the Israeli MSM report about such corruption? Apparently not:

Independent Journalist David Bedein, speaking from the audience, asked Dankner a biting question, which the latter did not answer. Bedein wanted to know whether tomorrow's edition of Maariv would feature a report on the conflict of interest of Eival Giladi, recently appointed by Sharon to a high-ranking disengagement post - despite the fact that he represents major investors in Palestinian Authority housing projects. Bedein noted that reporters from the right-wing papers covered this story, but that no one from the mainstream newspapers did.

The IDF soldier or policeman who takes part in this, is not only sinning according to many important rabbis, he is also a pawn in a scheme to line the pockets of others with gold.

Update: Report: Israeli Gov´t Corruption Highest in Western World

I'm so surprised!

Blogging From The Grave

Did you all know that Yasser Arafat is blogging?

Memories Of Golus

I was walking down the street in Jerusalem the other day and I had a flashback to my days when I worked in Newark, New Jersey in the early 1980s:

Back then I used to commute by train from my suburban New Jersey town into Penn Station in Newark. After work, I would return to Penn Station and take the train home. The trains were quite prompt, and missing a train could mean waiting half an hour for the next one.

One day upon leaving work I glanced at my watch and I realized that if I walked at my usual leisurely pace to Penn Station I was going to miss the train. Dressed in a suit and tie, sporting a leather "Wall Street" yarmulke and carrying a briefcase in my hand, I immediately started sprinting down the street in Newark towards Penn Station. I must have looked pretty strange.

All of a sudden I saw a Afro-American guy, probably a resident of the city staring at me and shaking his head. He openned his mouth in wisdom and said, "Dat guy be wantin' to get out o' Newark real bad."

I think I caught the train.

The Ugly Face Of The Israeli Government And Judicial System

If you have a strong stomach, take a peek here.

We Really Do Need A Miracle

Barry at Galileeblog: We really do need a miracle. I couldn't agree more!

Thanks Yaak!

Yeranen Yaakov posted a nice translation of excerpts of an article that I recommended here. Thanks Yaak!

Some Police Also Refusing to Take Part in Expulsion

I really admire these guys. They gave up their careers because of their convictions. Kol Ha Kavod!:

(IsraelNN.com) Four policemen have notified that they will not take part in the expulsion of Jews from Gush Katif.

Two policemen refused to take part in the exercises in Tze’elim to train the security forces in expulsion. They will be dismissed from the service. A soldier in the Border Guards was expelled from the corps and will be transferred to the army. Another policeman is planning to resign from the police service.

Another Excellent Article From Caroline Glick

Caroline Glick will no doubt go down in the annals of Israeli journalism as one of the few that refused to toe the line. While the overwhelming majority of Israeli journalists have decided to treat Prime Minister Sharon and his expulsion plan like an etrog, Glick remains one of the few journalists that have kept true to their role as "the watchdog of democracy". Read Caroline's latest, "Democracy's Descent To Darkness."

Eli Pre-Military Academy Head Calls for Insubordination in Inner Circle of Expulsion

From IsraelNN.com:

Rabbi Eli Sadan, one of the heads of the “Bnei David” pre-military academy in Eli, has called on his former students now in the army to refuse to take part in the inner circle of the expulsion from Gush Katif and the Northern Shomron.

Harav Sadan and his family recently moved to Sa-Nur in the Northern Shomron. He advertised his view from there. The pre-military academy in Eli is known for the high numbers of elite soldiers who studied there and still see it as their source of inspiration.

The Wonder Button

As the date that the government has set for the destruction of the Jewish communities of the Gaza Strip and Northern Samaria approaches, the obligation to know exactly what this entails in terms of violating commandments becomes greater. I found an online copy of Rabbi Shaul Bar-Ilan's treatise Kaftor HaPele (The Wonder Button). Here Rabbi Bar Ilan elaborates on the multitude of commandments that will be violated by a soldier that takes part in the expulsion. It's a lot more than I would have thought. Especially interesting is the reason why the treatise is called "Kaftor HaPele". In short, this is a must read for all G-d fearing Jews.

Face To Face

Yesterday I took part in an activity of the "Panim El Panim" movement. What is Panim El Panim? I found an article by Channa Shapiro that describes the movement:

He tells us about Panim el Panim, the movement he (Rabbi Eli Adler) has started to counteract what he calls "the real disengagement, of the State of Israel from its roots, from Torah." Volunteers across the country knock on people`s doors spreading the concept of ahavat Yisrael – love for the people of Israel – as well as a spiritual message.

As one who has lived in Israel for the last twenty years, I couldn't agree with Rabbi Adler's analysis more. The disengagement from the land of Israel is only a symptom of a much larger spiritual malady.

I joined two busloads of people from my Jerusalem neighborhood that spent the evening in a city in the Tel Aviv area, going from door to door, and talking to people, face to face. The conversations dealt not only with "disengagement" but with all the other problems that Israeli society faces.

I must say that I really enjoyed the evening. It was a chance to meet people outside my usual circle of neighbors, professional colleagues and learning partners. It is also my impression that those who chose to open the doors and speak to us also valued to opportunity to see the "other" face-to-face, and not through a highly biased media report. These meetings not only open doors, they open hearts.

Will The Road Blocking Return?

Ynet reports:

Right-wing group ‘National’ home’ threatens to block roads across country Wednesday during mass anti-pullout march. ‘Police will be deployed in the south, so there will be no officers to stop the blockers’

It looks like the Cosmic X camera crew will have some work to do.

Good Articles In "BeSheva"

This week's issue of BeSheva had some good articles. They are in Hebrew, but perhaps Arutz 7 will translate them into English at some stage. In any case here are links to the articles that I recommend:

Rav Pealim - an article about Rabbi Yoel Schwartz Shlita of Yeshivat Dvar Yerushalayim. Especially interesting are his views on the redemption(Yaak, be sure to check it out!).

Avi HaAtzurim - an article about Eliyahu Herbst, the man who served as a father figure for the youths who were imprisoned because of their anti-expulsion activities.

Ma Yo'ilu HaHafganot? - Rabbi Eliezer Melamed Shlita explains why demonstrations against the expulsion are important.

Ami Ayalon's Pro-Disengagement Rally Flops

Disengagement Improves Security - Bwahaha!

That is why Kassam rockets are continuing to fall in Sderot. That is why the "Red Dawn" early warning system has been installed in Ashkelon! A groyse yishar koyach to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the Israeli Government!

(Anyone who thinks that things will get better after the expulsion/withdrawal has apparently been asleep for the last ten years.)

What's New In Darfur?

Way back in March I blogged about the conflict in Darfur and its devastating results. Since then I haven't seen too much about Darfur in the MSM or the blogosphere. Click here to read the latest on the situation in Darfur.

The OU Takes Israel To Task For "Indifference To Civil Liberties"

Aveirah Goreret Aveirah. The sin of expelling the Jews of the Gaza Strip and Northern Samaria drags along with it the sin of the violation of civil liberties of those who oppose the expulsion, and even those suspected of opposing the expulsion. The OU has their say on the profiling of religious Jews:

"As an organization that represents the interests of Orthodox Jewry, we are stunned by reports of security forces singling out persons displaying outward appearances of religious observance for disparate harsh treatment," said the letter, signed by OU president Stephen Savitsky, OU executive vice president Rabbi Tzvi Weinreb, chairman of international public affairs Mark Bane and director of international public affairs Nathan Diament.

Read the rest here.

New York Minute

"He Who Blogs" a.k.a. Sultan Knish, has started a photo blog called New York Minute.

Seeing the Sultan's beautiful pictures of New York City brought back long forgotten memories. As one who grew up in suburban New Jersey, New York City was simply "the city." This was the place where the pre-teshuvah Cosmic X went to see rock concerts, baseball and basketball games, etc. This was the place where the post-teshuvah Cosmic X would go to see the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Avigdor Miller, and others.

An early memory of New York that I have is being in Manhattan on a very cold day. I think that my parents took us in to the city to visit the Museum of Natural History. There was a guy with a push-cart that sold hot, salty pretzels. My parents bought me one. You can't imagine how delicious a hot salty pretzel is to a kid on a freezing cold New York winter day.

Here's Something Worth Reading

Arutz 7 has an interesting article about a conference that examined the Israeli media's coverage of the "disengagement". Read it here.

A Haughty Frum Idiot

Mincha at the kotel is always a good way to recharge the spiritual batteries. One of the advantages of living in Jerusalem is the ability to recharge often.

On the way down to the kotel, as I passed through the shuk, I regretted that I only know a few words of Arabic. Wouldn't it be nice to know what the merchants are saying? When could I find time to learn Arabic? I have to work, learn Torah, teach my children Torah, and do all the other duties of the average baalhabus. Apparently I won't be learning Arabic in the near future.

After Mincha I go up to the Jewish Quarter. Lots of tourists are here today. I look at some of them and think to myself: "Do these people know where they are. This is Jerusalem, the Old City of Jerusalem! Why did they came here dressed as if they were at the beach?"

"Cool it, Cosmic," I continue thinking to myself. "Try to remember how you were dressed in 1982 when you came with other college students to visit Israel. Zechor Maasecha HaRishonim! You went to the Kotel, and these are your thoughts? Have you become a haughty frum idiot?"

I hope that the answer is no!

Bein Hametzarim

The stomach churns and growls. The head aches. It's a fast day, the 17th of Tammuz.

This is a date of disasters for the Jewish people, one of them being that on this date the wall around Jerusalem was breached. The destruction of the Temple followed three weeks later on the 9th of Av.

The challenges of life are many, and it is easy to get caught up in them and forget how much we are lacking our holy Temple. Our Rabbis instituted many pracitices that accompany us daily in order to cause us to remember the Temple. Unfortunately, these things become routine and often go unnoticed. When was the last time I looked at the unpainted cubit by cubit square on the wall in my house? How much kavanah did I have when I said "retzeh" this morning?

However, a fast day, when you are denied some of your most basic needs (food and water), is hard to ignore. As the stomach growls and the head aches, we are forced to remember the tragedy of the destruction of the Temple. We are forced to remember the causeless hatred that brought this calamity upon us. It is a day for introspection and teshuvah.

As I gaze upon the Temple Mount, I feel the destruction more keenly. A mosque stands on the site of the Temple. From another mosque on the Temple Mount huge crowds of Muslims regulary hear anti-Jewish incitement. If all this were not enough, our Israeli and ostensively Jewish government is planning to destroy the Jewish communities of Gaza and Northern Samaria. Voices of senseless hatred spew forth from the Israeli media, directed at the settlers and those that support them. Indeed, bein hametzarim. Please G-d, we need a miracle.

My Son Was In Gush Katif...

My oldest son came back from Moshav Gadid in Gush Katif yesterday, after having spent the Shabbat with relatives. He marvelled at the courage of the residents there who continue their daily routine in the face of mortar attacks. While he was there a few mortars fell. "The first time around it's scary, but afterwards you get used to it," he said. Over 6000 (!) mortar shells have fallen on the Jewish communitees in the Gaza Strip with an amazingly low rate of injuries or fatalities. My son told me of an incident that happened recently: A shell fell two meters from one of the residents, but it did not explode! That guy said Birkat HaGomel at the first opportunity!

He also told me of a meeting between high ranking army officers and the residents. Basically the officers came to explain to the residents how the army is going to come and throw them out of their houses. From August 15-17, the residents will be given time to pack their possesions and leave. After that, if the residents have not left, the army will come and pack up the residents' belongings and kick the residents out of their houses. Anything attached to the walls of the houses will be left behind.

I feel sorry for the residents who have been abandoned by the Sharon government and the Knesset. I feel sorry for the rest of us here in Israel who will surely suffer from the backwind that this withdrawal under fire will supply the terrorists with. I feel sorry for Jews all over the world who will have to suffer the consequences of this modern day "sin of the spies." I feel sorry for the civilized world, that will pay the price of surrendering to Islamic terror. I feel most sorry, however, for the soldiers and policemen that will carry out the orders to expel and destroy. This is a big aveirah, a very big aveirah. It will be with them forever, in this world and in the next. "I was just following orders" is not an excuse.

At The President's House

Even thought I'm not a grandfather I stopped by the "Saba and Savta demonstration" across the street from the President Katzav's residence. The place is situated in the Kiryat Shmuel section of Jerusalem. This is a part of Jerusaelem that I rarely see. The municipality keeps the place sparkling clean, much cleaner than most Jerusalem neighborhoods.

I met there about 20 Sabot and Savtot(grandfathers and grandmothers), most if not all were native English speakers. For some strange reason in Israel these kind of people are called Anglo-Saxons! A very nice, spirited group.

Afterwards I crossed the street to see if I could get a tour of the President's home. (I vaguely remember doing something like that over 20 years ago as a student. I was visiting Israel with a group of University students. We even received an audience with then President Navon.) I was told that the only time the President's house is open to the public is Chol HaMoed Sukkot. I guess that I'll have to wait and come with my Lulav.

Later on I was walking through the neighborhood and I saw sign hanging from one of the apartments:

We are choosing life and leaving Gaza - Peace Now

Talk about Chutzpah! The utopian daydreamers that brought Arafat and Co. to Israel and made our life hell are still giving us advice!

More Demonstrations Against The Expulsion/Destruction Plan

The three day protest march begins today. Batya tells us that if you can't make the three day march there is a demonstration at President Katzav's House in Jerusalem today from 10am to 12pm.

From Munich to Sderot: The 'Spitz' Factor

Check out "From Munich to Sderot: The 'Spitz' Factor" at Israel Perspectives.

Israeli Defense Force Or The Israeli Destruction Force?

The IDF is now being used to destroy Jewish settlements in Israel instead of protecting them. The present siege on the Jewish communities in the Gaza Strip is the first step in this process of demolishing Jewish towns and expelling their inhabitatnts.

This is a drastic change in the ostensive purpose of the IDF. Therefore, the army should change its name from the Israeli Defense Force to The Israeli Destruction Force. This is quite convenient as not only does the acronym IDF remain in English, the Hebrew acronym Tzahal will also remain unchanged (Tzva Hagana LeYisrael ==> Tzva Heres LeYisrael).

What do you think, Chief of Staff Dan Halutz?

The 10 Commandments of Expulsion

Biting satire from Sultan_Knish.

Look What Ha'aretz Published!

It's hard to believe, but check this out:

So you have no choice. Get up tomorrow morning, go back to the hothouses, which you have been cultivating for many years. Go back to your saplings, go back to your land, the Eternal One of Israel will send you a blessing, because the Eternal People is not afraid of a long road.

Are the winds of teshuva blowing at Ha'aretz?

"Disengagement" Brings Terror

As Sharon charges forward with his expulsion plan, the consequences of the plan are already being felt:

Arab terrorists killed 22-year-old Dana Gelkowitz at Moshav Netiv Ha'Asara in a massive mortar shelling Thursday evening. She lived in Kibbutz Bror Chail, where she is to be buried on Friday.

The moshav is located about 200 meters (650 feet) north of the Erez Crossing in northern Gaza and has been the target of previous mortar shell and rocket attacks.

For those who do not understand: Moshav Netiv Ha'Asara is in pre-1967 Israel! But this is just the beginning:

Terrorists continued massive mortar and rocket attacks Saturday on Israel, wounding dozens. Sharon allowed IDF air-strikes, but put on hold a ground response after Rice said she will visit.

Sixteen people, including seven children, were injured in a Kassam rocket blast on a house in Nissanit in northern Gaza on Saturday evening. They were hospitalized for light to moderate wounds.

Ten rockets and mortars exploded on Sderot throughout Saturday, continuing the shelling which became heavy there Friday. Several residents became hysterical. The two-day assault on Sderot caused many residents to flee to friends and relatives further away from Gaza. The remaining residents mostly stayed inside their homes, except to walk to synagogue Friday night and Saturday.

Who will open the eyes of our blind leaders?

Update: Two Seriously Wounded in Shelling Attack

Update: Prayers Requested for Mortar Attack Victim Yigal ben Zahava

Mass Prayer To Cancel The Evil Decree

I would really like to be there but I probably won't be able. Yishar Koach in advance to all those who will be there!

To The Mosquito That Disturbed My Sleep Last Night

I hope that you get eaten by a bird!

The Latest Cosmic X Protest Pics

There were probably as many cops as there were protesters at the entrance to Jerusalem:

Meet Vasili, your friendly Border Guard Policeman imported from the FSU. Shto?

This protester holds a banner and prays at the same time:

A lone protester at "Ganei Sakharov". The sign says, "A Jew does not expel a Jew":

A trash bin burns on "Kanfei Nesharim" Street:

Right-Wing Activists Plan Road-Blockings for 5:00pm

This means that the Cosmic X film crew (that is to say me, myself, and I) will, with G-d's help, be on hand with a video camera to make sure that the police do not use excessive force. Hopefully I will have some screen-captures up tomorrow.

Some New Blogs That I Found

Israel Perspectives: Feeling 'Right' at Home:

Perspectives on daily life in Israel, politics, and issues confronting the Jewish People through the eyes of one who was born and raised in New York, and who, as of January 2003, finds himself taking an active role in the compelling drama that is the life of the Jewish People in the Land of Israel.

Tel-Chai Nation:

Israel, much like the fortress of Tel-Chai that Jospeh Trumpeldor fought to defend from Arab conquestors in the 19th century, finds itself beseiged by enemies both within and without. Terrorists, would-be friends inside and outside Israel, and even bad government officials. Here are the discussions of one proud Zionist resident on the state of the nation and abroad.

Heshy's House:

We discuss why as Jews we oppose: abortion-on-demand, euthansia, evolution, gay incestuous & bestial marraiges, gun control, life on other planets, radical feminism, spaying & neutering of animals & women in combat. As Jews we support: death penalty, mandatory uniforms in public schools, seperate gender public schools, school vouchers, voluntary prayer in public schools and a strong U.S. defense.

The Muqata:

If Israel wants to throw you out of your house, convert to Islam. They don't transfer Arabs...just Jews.

Why The Left Wants To Destroy Settlements

Another excellent article by Caroline Glick: Our World: Scorched-earth Kulturkampf. Here is an excerpt:

WHAT WE see here unfolding is a situation where the anti-religious Left, the primary supporters of Ariel Sharon's policy to forcibly expel 10,000 Jews from their homes and communities, has given the policy their support – through its members' legal authority and public platforms – not because they see any security benefit arising from the move. In fact, they support the plan despite its security dangers because they see it as a culminating battle in their cultural war against religious Zionism.

Thanks to Galileeblog for bringing this article to my attention.

Update: In Defense of Nadia

To My Guest From Kibbutz Hamaapil

You came to the wrong place but I hope that you enjoyed your visit anyway. Come back soon!

Fake Bomb In Jerusalem's Central Bus Station

Read about it at ynet. It is interesting to note that many of the talkbacks think that the Shabak is behind this. I agree with what Rachel BenDavid (talkback no. 9) wrote:

Someone messed up - and should be fired
How is it that they can find out who sends suicide bombers and they can do "targeted assassinations", but they can't figure out how to prevent this?

Either it is a plant, or someone is messing up big time!

For those of you who don't believe that this is a plant, why aren't they firing the incompetent people in charge of stopping this??

Why isn't there a public outcry?

Indeed, I am shocked. The ynet article itself states what every Jerusalemite knows:

Security at the central bus station is one of the most extensive operations in the country. Passengers must pass through metal detectors, bags go through airport-style x-ray machines, and every passenger is frisked.

In summary, either this is a provocation of the Shabak, or an incredible, almost unbelievable security lapse. Either way those in charge of security at the Central Bus Station owe the public an explanation.

Update: Dummy Bomb Suspected GSS Provocation

Update: Rachel Ann weighs in on this one.

To The Visitor From Saudi Arabia

I'm glad that you did not find what you were looking for!

Haveil Havalim #28 At Soccer Dad

"Yishar Koach" to David for this excellent collection of posts from all over the jblogosphere.

The Yahrzeit Of The Lubavitcher Rebbe, R. Menachem M. Schneerson

Check out this fantastic timeline biography of the Rebbe's life.

I Was Removed From The Blogroll

Here's a question to my fellow bloggers: Do you get insulted when somebody removes you from their blogroll?

Gush Katif Stories

What can a blogger do when he has no inspiration? Link to what somebody else wrote, of course! Here's a nice article from Sara Yoheved Rigler: Gush Katif Stories

I Love The Beach

Yesterday I took a day off from work and went to one of the "separate" beaches in Israel. I love the beach. I love the salty air, I love being lifted up, set down, and generally pushed around by the waves. I love lying in the sand. I love watching the waves smashing against the jetty. I love watching the pigeons and crows scavenging for leftovers that a human may have left behind. I love jogging along the shoreline, leaving behind footprints that are quickly smoothened by the next wave. I love seeing the sailboats moving gracefully through the water. I love gazing at the horizon where the blue sea meets the light blue sky.

Did I mention that I love the beach?

More Exclusive Cosmic X Protest Pics

No rowdy protests at the entrance to Jerusalem yesterday. The police, however, took no chances, and sent a contingent to keep order. They were left with nothing to do but sit around:

The only one blocking the street is a cop:

These pro-expulsion blue ribbon distributers hail from the Baq'a neighborhood of Jerusalem. Baq'a was an Arab neighborhood until Israel's 1948 War of Independence:

A peaceful demonstration at the intersection of Kiryat-Moshe Street and Herzl Boulevard:

The sign says "O my land don't cry. We will never leave you or abandon you":

The sign says "The sign says, "One does not compromise on his mother":

Painting the town orange:

Profiting From Disengagement

Arutz 7 reports:

Kibbutz Kerem Shalom responded positively to a request from Defense Ministry officials, agreeing to host the major pre-disengagement training exercise scheduled to take place August 8-10. The Negev area community is situated in a good area for the exercise, and the forces will use the community dinning hall and other public and vacant buildings.

For its cooperation, the kibbutz will receive NIS 1 million. In addition, the women and children will not be present during the exercise, but will be treated to two free days in an IDF vacation resort village in Ashkelon.

My personal feeling is that this kibbutz will not see any blessing from the money they receive. They will probably regret that they gave a hand to the expulsion of Jews from their homes.

That's just my humble opinion.

Here's another article about the kibbutz and its plans to profit from Sharon's expulsion plan.

An Excellent Post About Joseph's Tomb in Shechem

Check out this great post by fellow Jerusalemite Eliyahu M'Tsiyon: JOSEPH'S TOMB in Sh'khem & The PA's Big Lie Method

We Need A Miracle

Read this post from The Jewish Worker. My conclusion: We need a miracle.

"And Gideon said unto him: 'Oh, my lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where are all His wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying: Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian.' And the LORD turned towards him, and said: 'Go in this thy might, and save Israel from the hand of Midian; have not I sent thee?'" (Judges 6:13-14)

Happy Birthday America!

What a cosmic way to celebrate a birthday!

The Lynch That Never Was

David at Israellycool exposes the Israeli MSM's latest fabrication. He has a link to pictures from roter.net showing the "victim" throwing rocks. The clincher is a picture showing a cameraman telling the "victim" how to pose. See also Israpundit here and here.

Update: See the very bottom of the Isreallycool post. His conclusion: The incident was not staged, but neither was it a lynch.

Update: See this link from Arutz 7.

Gay Pride Parade Fallout

Last Thursday I change my route as I walked home from work, making sure that I would be nowhere near the path of the "gay pride parade." I am not homophobic. I objected to this parade as it is an affront to the residents of Jerusalem and the special character of the city. My reaction would have been the same were there to be an "adulterer pride parade," an "incest pride parade," or a "zoophilia pride parade."

And here is a message for the guy who wanted to play "Pinchas the son of Elazar" and decided to knife a few gays: What Pinchas did was in accordance with Jewish Law, but what you did was not. You desecrated our holy city with needless violence. You are a fool that belongs in jail or in a mental hospital.

Haveil Havalim #27 At Mirty's Place

Thanks to Mirty for a job well done.

Policemen Lynch Protester In Israel?

Arutz 7 claims that policemen lynched a protester in Ramat Gan on June 29th. Here is my translation of a portion of the Hebrew article:

"He stuck his fingers into the protester's nostrils and pulled up and back in a quick and professional movement and ripped his entire face including damage to the eyes."

The article includes a video of the incident. I hope that Arutz 7 will also put the article up on the English site.

Update: Here's the story in English. Thanks Patrick!

Update: Blogger Yoel Ben-Avraham receives anonymous threats for "spreading anti-government incitement".

Cosmic X And Yingele Protest In Jerusalem

Yesterday I was at the protest near the entrance to Jerusalem and I had the pleasure of meeting Yingele there. He's a really nice guy. Here are some screen captures from a video I took of the protest:

Protesters block car on Givat Shaul Street:

Border guard policemen run after protesters on the Tel Aviv - Jerusalem Highway:

Female protester apprehended:

Water cannon blocks Givat Shaul Street:

Israeli police on motorcycles:

Smiling in spite of it all:

More On The Homo March In The Holy City

Arutz 7 reports:

In an apparent response to the Jerusalem District Court decision permitting Thursday’s Gay Pride Parade in the capital, signs were pasted on capital walls during the night calling for “sanctifying G-d’s name by lowering the impure [gay pride] flags”.

The signs add the parade will offend approximately 96% of the residents of the Holy City.

I already expressed my opinion that the best thing to do now is ignore the parade and to be nowhere near it when it happens. Let the homosexuals march in a Jerusalem whose shops are closed and whose sidewalks are desolate. The parade in Jerusalem is a provocation, plain and simple. They want to see the newspapers filled with pictures of black-frocked bearded Jews ripping down signs and protesting against the "innocent" gays that just wanted to take a stroll. Don't fall into their trap!

Nails And Oil On The Highway? I Smell The Shabak

Jpost reports:

Right-wing opponents of the disengagement launched their day of massive roadblocks Wednesday morning by pouring oil and scattering nails and spikes on the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem road near Kfar Chabad.

Ha'aretz headlines:

Pullout foes throw oil and nails on TA-J'lem highway

Ynet also thinks they know who the culprit is:

Anti-pullout activists pour oil, place spikes on Highway 1

Isn't it funny how all of these news outlets know who did this incredibly stupid and dangerous act? I must admit: I do not know who did this. At this point in time the journalists do not know who did this either, but this did not prevent them from publishing their assumptions as fact. If you ask me, this really does smell like a provocation of Israel's General Security Service (GSS), known by its Hebrew acronym as the Shabak. The memories of Avishai Raviv's escapades during the 1990s are still fresh in my mind. This act seems to be in his style: Do something that even the right wing condemns and blame it on the right wing. Only time will tell if I am correct.

Update: Road-Blocking Organizers: Beware of Gov´t Provocateurs

The IDF Was Not Consulted About The Disengagement Plan

Here is the smoking gun and the finger prints of Abu Omri are all over it! The disengagement plan was formulated without consulting the IDF:

Former Chief of Staff Moshe Yaalon tells Knesset committee he was consulted about disengagement plan only after decision was taken; army chief says he first heard about pullout through media reports.

Read it and weep!

Sharon's Violent Past

Ben-Ami Zamir recalls:

One of these towns was Kfar Malal, home to young Ariel "Arik" Sharon. "One Motzaei Shabbat [Saturday night], a truck arrived at the cafe, and out of it jumped a group of uniformed Haganah men, led by Ariel Sharon holding a hoe-handle. We knew him in the area as someone who always holds a hoe-handle to catch Etzel and Lechi people. They tried to break into the cafe, which was still closed because of the Sabbath. I came close to him, and he said, 'Give me some soda,' and pointed to a box of drinks on the ground. I bent down to the bottles, and then he picked up his arm and smashed me with all his might with the hoe-handle. My head was covered in blood, which dripped down all over me."

Read the rest here. This is particulary interesting in light of Sharon's latest media spin.

Exclusive Cosmic X Pictures From Yesterday's Demonstration

Note: These are screen shots from a video that I took of yesterday's demonstraton, hence the poor quality.

Someone tied an orange ribbon to the side-view mirror of the police car:

Israel's mounted policemen:

A police helicopter hovers above the entrance to Jerusalem:

Orange ribbons a shekel a piece:

A high ranking police officer. In the foreground a religious Jew's black skullcap and a border-guard policeman's green beret:

The girls are urging the border-guard policeman to refuse orders:

An orange ribbon and an orange popsicle:

Avi Biber Was Not Alone

From ynet:

Soldiers who took part in razing of abandoned Gaza Strip structures Sunday say they were misled; twelve of them tried by commander, reprimanded after threatening to refuse to take part in future settlement evacuation

Read the rest here. The commander is a fool for misleading his soldiers. His soldiers, even those who are pr-disengagement, will not trust him anymore.

Corruption Can't Wait

Nadav Shragai, one of the few sane voices in Ha'aretz's den of leftist lunacy, tells it like it is:

The timing of the public debate over corruption is no coincidence. It is directly connected to the upcoming implementation of the disengagement plan. Corruption wasn't born yesterday, and every now and then, as Yoel Marcus rightly pointed out in this newspaper on Friday, there are historic developments that are of such vital importance that the state must concentrate on them at the expense of other issues, no matter how important they may be.

The disengagement plan is not such a development. More and more security experts now believe that it is a sure recipe for disaster. It is defective, both from the moral point of view and from the point of view of democratic conduct, but the question of whether or not it is "good for the Jews" is a matter for another discussion.

Read the rest here.

Quote Of The Day

Avi Biber, 19 years old:

"Some nine years ago, as a child, I immigrated to Israel with my family from the United States. We didn't come to the country to expel Jews from their homes.

"I didn't enlist in the IDF in order to destroy communities or prepare the ground for the destruction of communities. I enlisted in the IDF to defend the state, and this action is not the role of the IDF."

Exactly!

Haveil Havalim #26 By Batya

You can see it either at Shiloh Musings or at Me-ander.

Parshat Shelach: Knowing The Land

I davenned at Machon Meir last Shabbat. Rav Dov Begon, the Rosh Yeshiva, said a Devar Torah between Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv. I don't remember everything that he said but one thing in particular I do recall:

The Torah says (Numbers 14:31),"But your little ones, which ye said should be as prey, them I will bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised." This verse could have been shorter: "But your little ones, which ye said should be as prey, them I will bring in ...to the land which ye have despised." Why does the Torah mention that "they shall know the land"?

The simple meaning is that they will know and be familiar with the land since they will merit to live in it. Having a good knowledge of the land of Israel is certainly praiseworthy. But the verse has a deeper meaning. "They shall know the land" means that they will know the value of the land of Israel, they will know the true meaning of the land of Israel.

After davvening I went to say "Shabbat Shalom" to the rabbi. I said to him, "Perhaps the knowledge of the land is also similar to what is written (Genesis 4:1),"And Adam knew Eve his wife...".
Rav Begon immediately said, "Chibur (Connection)."
"Knowing the land of Israel means being connected to the land of Israel," I added.

I think that the rabbi agreed with me.

Too Bad I Was Right

As usual, the judicial dictatorship in Israel has forced its will on the majority. The court ruled against the Municipality of Jerusalem and the gay pride march will take place in the Holy City, as I had predicted.

My advice to all Jerusalemites is to stay away from the gay parade. There is no reason to go there and protest against the deviants. That is exactly what the organizers of the provocation desire. Instead, stay at home or go to the synagogue and do what we do best: pray.

As for the homosexuals I will repeat what I have said in the past:

I have never been able to figure out why somebody is proud that his reproduction system gets aroused by members of the same sex. Is having your wires crossed something to be proud of?

What we all need to know is that a quorum of queers promenading down King George Street or even a slew of sodomizers striding around the city will not turn darkness to light; nor will they turn a malady into a blessing.

Anti-Disengagement Information Hotline

(IsraelNN.com) A Hebrew telephone hotline number has been established to provide around-the-clock bulletins regarding anti-disengagement demonstrations and other protest activities, general information about efforts to stop the plan, information geared to soldiers, how to act if arrested and permitting one to leave a message.

The number to call is 050-800-6060. From North America, one dials 972-50-800-6060.

Will The Homos March In Jerusalem?

I blogged about this many moons ago. It seems that Mayor Uri Lupolianski is doing his best to prevent this event from taking place. My guess is that the courts will force the Jerusalem's residents to suffer the insult of having to foot the bill of an event that they are overwhelmingly opposed to.

Bauer: Major TV Networks Boycotted 'Hospital Bomber' Story

When talking to people abroad I am sometimes shocked by the fact that they have no idea of what is going on in Israel. Here is the reason why they don't know (hat tip to Galileeblog).

Did King Solomon Cede Part Of The Land Of Israel To Gentiles?

Rabbi Gil Student asks the question and provides the answer.

IDF Reserve Soldiers and Officers Say No to Disengagement

Hundreds of IDF reserve soldiers and officers gathered in Jerusalem’s Binyanei HaUmah Convention Center Tuesday to call upon their fellow soldiers to refuse to take part in the Disengagement Plan. Read about it here.

The Punishment Must Fit the Crime

Yet another worthwhile read from David Wilder. Here's an excerpt:

According to the book Boomerang, written by journalists Raviv Drucker from Channel 10 news and Ofer Shelach from the Yediot Achronot newspaper, Sharon's fear of indictment, loss of office and jail, directly led to the decision to unilaterally flee from Gush Katif and the northern Shomron. This accusation, backed up by interviews with people 'very close to the Prime Minister' is identical to charges leveled at Sharon months ago by Member of Knesset Tzvi Hendel, who virtually swore that Sharon realized he had two choices: public disgrace or abandonment of Gush Katif. He choose the latter, preferring double appeasement to a court of law. The double whammy he inflicted on his land and his people: submission to the Israeli Left, certain that they would not dare touch a prime minister implementing their life-long craving, the beginning of eviction of Israelis from Judea, Samaria and Gaza; and acquiescence to the Arab enemy. The latter learned that terror pays off. Kill Jews and get what you want.

Read the rest here.

Disengagement Protests Postponed Following Train Crash

Several Different Requests To Investigate Sharon's Motives For Disengagement

National Union Party leader Uri Ariel

Likud Central Comittee Members

The Land of Israel Legal Forum

New Israeli Government Super Web Site

Cosmic X has something nice to say about the government for a change. The government has just launched a new super web site, and it is very nice. Ladies and gentlemen here it is: The Israeli Government Portal!

A Modern Day Spy In Jerusalem

Near the Central Bus Station in Jerusalem is a tent called "Ohel Hidrabrut" or rapprochement tent. The idea of the tent is to lower the tense public atmosphere with regards to the disengagement plan by facilitating a dialogue between those of differing opinions.

I went in out of curiosity. Inside, standing in front of a group of about twenty people and delivering a lecture, was a pleasant looking, clean-shaven, kipa clad man. He had this perpetual artificial smile on his face as he spoke. I listened to him as he charted a course of deceitful rhetoric. He bombarded them us with lies, half-truths, and unproven hypotheses: The Golan Heights is stolen from Syria, modern historians claim that we did not have to fight Syria in the Six Day War, the public likes settlers from the Golan more than settlers from Judea and Samaria, and similar rubbish. He expressed his opinion that we should give large amounts of Judea and Samaria to the Arabs even though that this will not bring peace. Why? Because of humanitarian issues like making the Arabs wait at roadblocks.

"This guy is repeating the sin of the spies," I thought to myself. I raised my hand to ask a question.
"At the end of the lecture I'll answer questions," the man replied.
"Some dialogue," I thought to myself. I waited. Finally he announced that he is willing to answer questions.

"Do you know what Parsha we'll be reading this Sabbath?", I inquired.
"Are you testing me?", he asked.
"No, I am not," I answered.
"The spies," he answered.
"Parshat Shlach," I said. Then I added, "The spies also had all kinds of humanitarian and military claims why not to conquer and settle. But G-d has commanded us to do so. All of your claims are totally insignificant (beteilim umevutalim) in the light of G-d's command."

The lecturer answered me with the following claim: Rabbi Reines said that we should by land from the Arabs and not conquer it. Few people are aware of Rabbi Reines' opinion, which is in opposition to Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook's opinion.

I was shocked by the answer. I must admit I was not aware of Rabbi Reines' opinion. However, Rabbi Reines died in 1915(!) in Lida (near Vilna). He certainly was not addressing the current situation of land that has already been conquered. Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook died in 1982, in Jerusalem, and expressed his opinions with regards to the land that was liberated during the Six Day War in 1967. Before I could say anything the lecturer quickly moved on to the next question.

A young man sitting next to me quietly expressed his disgust at the ridiculous answer that I received from the lecturer. He tried his luck and asked a question:

"We are commanded to conquer the land. It is not a matter of choice. Since we can do it, we must do it."

The lecturer mentioned Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef's opinion (Rabbi Yosef once ruled that in return for TRUE PEACE it is permissible to give land to the Arabs). The young man quickly countered and said that Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef strongly opposes Sharon's disengagement plan. The lecturer waved his hand in dismissal and said, "I'm not talking about that."

I decided to leave as I had heard enough. I had seen a modern day spy. On my way home I passed the entrance to the city, which will be blocked by anti-expulsion protesters this Wednesday at 5:00 PM. With G-d's help, I will be there!

Nine Questionable Premises of the Disengagement Plan

Here is a must read!

More Signs Of Panic

Now that public support for disengagement is slip-sliding away, the supporters of disengagement are trying to explain why they support it. Needless to say, it is difficult to defend the indefensible.

Today in Maariv, Shlomo Gazit does a lousy job trying to defend the disengagement plan. His argument: It was a mistake to settle in an area heavily populated by Arabs. The readers responded quickly to this argument and brought up, among other things, the following points:

1) Gush Katif and Gush Erez are not in heavily populated areas.

2) According to this logic creating the State of Israel in the midst of hundreds of millions of Arabs was also a mistake. (Many Europeans would agree with this.)

3) Evacuating the settlements will only make the situation worse.

In short, Gazit is very unconvincing.

Zvi Bar'el in Ha'aretz reveals what everyone knows: The disengagement plan will not bring peace. Bar'el supports the retreat from the Gaza Strip and Northern Samaria as a first step towards further retreats:

The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians will go on, and all means will continue to be used in the conflict - unless the government succeeds in explaining, first to itself and then to the public, that this withdrawal will be followed by additional withdrawals, concessions and installments.

What Bar'el doesn't mention is that only the complete liquidation of Israel as a Jewish State will placate our enemies. But then again, destroying the Jewish character of the State of Israel is consistent with Ha'aretz's editorial policy.

More Vile Reporting At Ha'aretz

Ha'aretz reporter Amos Harel sees fit to include the following in his report:

Said one senior IDF officer yesterday: "It is clear that the hotel occupants were the provocateurs here. This is what they do at their homes in Judea and Samaria ... They feel their Sabbath is incomplete if they have not attacked Palestinians."

Really Mr. Anonymous Senior IDF Officer? Perhaps they also kneed their challah dough with Arab blood?

Disgusting reporting from a disgusting newspaper!

Haveil Havalim #25 At Soccer Dad

As usual, an interesting roundup of jblogosphere posts. David, thanks for mentioning Cosmic X!

Ha'aretz Believes The Arabs

Check this out. The headline and accompanying article parrot what the Arabs involved claimed:

Residents of Neveh Dekalim hotel attack Palestinians
By Amos Harel, Yair Ettinger, Arnon Regular and Yuval Azoulay

Right-wing extremists living in the hotel at Neveh Dekalim in Gush Katif yesterday attacked Palestinians from the adjacent Moassi area. Three Palestinians were injured in the attack, which met a response of mortars being fired at Gush Katif.

You have to dig deep down to see that there is another version as to what happened. Notice that unlike the Arab version, the Jewish version is put into quotation marks:

A spokesman for the Gaza Coast Regional Council said that hotel residents had been walking on the beach when they were attacked by dozens of Arabs, and that the wounding of the Palestinians had been an "act of self-defense" by the settlers. Shortly after the incident, about seven mortars were fired at Gush Katif. There were no injuries. Light arms and an anti-tank missile were also fired at soldiers in the area.

I guess Ha'aretz behaves this way because the Arabs are known for telling the truth.;-) Is there anybody in the world who takes Ha'aretz seriously? Unfortunately the answer is yes. Click here for a much more professional report of the incident.

Disengagement Plan Formulated to Escape Sharon Corruption Probe

When the disengagement plan was first publicized MK Tzvi Hendel quipped, "the depth of the uprooting is related to the depth of the investigation." That is to say, the entire plan was formulated because of Sharon & Sons' legal problems. In Hebrew this is a nice play on words:

עומק העקירה כעומק החקירה

Now two journatlists back up this claim.

Two veteran journalists, based on talks with persons very close to the Prime Minister, say that the Disengagement Plan was hatched up simply to avoid Sharon's indictment in the Greek Island scandal.

Read the rest here.

They Got The Guns But We Got the Spirit

Last night I attended a meeting of anti-expulsion activists. I am not going to divulge details of the meeting: who spoke, who attended, and what is being planned. I am not a police informer or a GSS mole. (The meeting was well publicized and held openly. If the "authorities" did not send a representative that is just a further sign of their ineptness.)

My impression from the meeting is that we are in for a very fierce battle. One side has the guns and "the law" on their side. Spirit however is lacking. It will be very difficult for most of the policemen and soldiers to carry out their orders enthusiastically. The soldiers and policemen know that this plan is a disaster for Israel. Granted, there are a few souless robots that will zealously be willing to follow any orders given. But they are a minority. Israel is not Nazi Germany. Here individual conscience takes precedence over any decisions made by the government or the Supreme Court, especially when the corruption of these institutions is evident.

The other side is infused with a great love for Torah, the Land of Israel, and the people of Israel. They have already shown that they are people of great courage. They did not flee from the bullets fired from the guns that Rabin and Peres gave to the Arabs. They did not flee from the Kassam rockets. They are not afraid to sit in jail. They know that morality is on their side, and they are willing to fight for it.

It's guns versus spirit. Let's see who wins.

Sharon Defeated In Four Consecutive Knesset Votes

The Tower of Babel that Sharon built is starting to fall:

After a series humiliating if symbolic defeats for the government on Tuesday, when the opposition managed to pass three no-confidence measures, Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin called to disband parliament and hold early elections to replace the government.

Love, Love, Love

During Shavuot I was learning with my daughter the "six constant commandments" that a Jew is required to fulfil at all times from Sefer HaChinuch. One of these commandments is "the commandment of loving G-d", Mitzvah number 418 in Sefer HaChinuch. There was a line in the Chinuch that caught my attention:

"And they(the sages in the Sifre) said that this love requires a person to arouse others to love Him and to serve Him, like we found with (our father) Abraham."

I was reminded of my college days. There was a guy who spent a year studying in Israel, where he was truly filled with the love of G-d. When he returned to the campus the following year he spent a lot of time and effort returning other students to the fold, myself included. (This student, Menachem "Kenny" Herman z"l, passed away a couple of years ago, a young man in the prime of his life. May these words be an elevation for his lofty soul.)

Loving G-d is not a simple matter. It requires "with all of your heart and all of your soul, even if He takes your soul." (See what the Gemara Brachot 61B says about this.) This I knew! But what the Chinuch says is something new for me. I thought about the words of the Chinuch and I feel that I have not fulfilled this. What have I done to arouse others to love G-d?

Food for thought!

More Lunatic Leftist Pathological Disorder At Ha'aretz

Simply laughable:

Why a counter campaign has not been initiated remains a mystery: Why have the public bodies behind the disengagement plan not initiated the flying of blue ribbons on balconies and cars? It isn't a complex or expensive operation. If such a call were to be heard from a prominent public figure, one can assume the spontaneous response would be significant. Yes, there would also be a need for an organizational mechanism that would produce the ribbons and take care of their distribution, but is such a task too much for the government, the left-wing parties or the secular youth movements?

Does this guy really believe what he writes?

Michael Jackson And Israel

I must admit that I was annoyed to see that Michael Jackson's acquittal made front page news in Israel. Who needs to know about this? Shiloh Musings has the answer.

Ha'aretz Editorial Reveals Lunatic Leftist Pathological Disorder

If you really want to understand what makes those suffering from LLPD (Lunatic Leftist Pathological Disorder) tick, check out this Ha'aretz editorial.

Another Great Article By Caroline Glick

Here's an excerpt:

The government is in trouble. With each passing day the fact that the plan to which it owes its existence – the forcible removal of 10,000 citizens from their homes and communities and the transfer of their land to the Palestinians who have been attacking them continuously for the past five years – is seen by more and more Israelis as irrational and dangerous.

This week, the polls, which over the past several months have registered a gradual yet consistent erosion of public support for the plan, showed that today only 48 percent of the public supports it.

In its attempts to defend its increasingly precarious position, the government has reacted wildly to its critics. Rather than increase public support, its moves have simply added to the general sense that the Sharon-Peres government has lost control of events and, in its zeal to defend its controversial program, it is willing to sacrifice the nation's security and its own morality.

Read the rest here.

Rabbis Against Reserve Duty for the Near Future

Arutz 7 reports:

A group of 50 rabbis have issued a call not to enlist in the reserves in the coming months, in order not to free up other soldiers to take part in the expulsion from Gush Katif/northern Shomron.

Thank G-d that I won't have to deal with this issue. The army has already released me from reserve duty because of my age.

Tikun Leil Shavuot

What are you all going to learn on the eve of Shavuot? I myself am not sure what will happen in real time, but I was thinking about the following:

1) Daf Yomi - it never takes a day off!

2) Rambam's Introduction To His Commentary On The Mishnah - this is in line with my fundamentalist tendencies. It is interesting that the Rambam decided to cover many fundamental issues of Judaism in his introduction. Perhaps he was trying to say, "Before you ask when to read sh'ma at night, first make sure you know how the Torah was transmitted, what prophecy is, etc."

3) Gemara Shabbat 88A ("Kafa Aleihem HaKadosh-Baruch-Hu Et HaHar Kagigit") followed by "Tifferet Yisrael" by the Maharal chapter 32.

4) If I don't doze off Megillat Ruth and Mishnah Bikurim. In the olden days I would walk to the Old City to daven vatikin but "Na'ar Hayiti Gam Zakanti." I'll probably doze off.

Hallel — When to say it and Why

An excellent article by Rabbi David Bar-Hayim.

Conflict Resolution

One headline says, "Eiland: Gov't not ready for pullout."

Another headline says, "Sharon: There is a solution for each and every evacuee."

We have two clearly conflicting assessments of the situation. Let's use Talmudic principles to solve this one. Since Sharon has the supposition of being a liar (in Hebrew: Hu Bechezkat Shakran), I give the benefit of the doubt to Eiland.

Small Israeli Army Kitchens

Most of my reserve duty was spent in small positions: Mutzavim, roadblocks, settlement entrances, etc. Listen to what a Rabbi Zecharya Ben-Shlomo has to say about army kitchens in places like these:

"Kitchens in small Mutzavim, where there is no one responsible for kashrut, and which can be freely entered, and anyone who enters can cook there whatever he likes, the kitchen and all of its utensils have a supposition(chazaka) of being forbidden, and one should not eat there unless it is properly kashered (Hilchot Tzava, second edition p. 315)."

Now these are wise words from a wise man. Remember, among the soldiers using these kitchens are Jews who know almost nothing about Judaism, Druze, Bedouin, and even gentiles from the FSU. If you think that such a kitchen will remain kosher without supervision then you might be interested in buying the Brooklyn Bridge from me!

In my first time around in reserve duty, the position that I was stationed at had an unsupervised kitchen where anyone and everyone could enter it any time of day or night. There was one soldier stationed with us who brought pork from home (poor guy, he couldn't bear to go a month without it). I did not eat any cooked food from that kitchen after what I saw what was going on there. In my following stints in the reserves, I always brought a pot and dishes from home, just in case. I am not writing this to complain or to disparage the army, G-d forbid! I am writing this so a religious soldier who is about to enlist should know what he is getting into.

Haveil Havalim #23 At Soccer Dad

Good stuff!

There He Goes Again

Mofaz comes out with a new slew of incredibly ridiculous statements. Here is one of them:

"The committee's main guest, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, asked the settlers slated for evacuation to voluntarily move their children elsewhere before the implementation of the pullout in order not to expose them to unnecessary trauma."

I say make sure that your children see how the descendents of the Maccabees behave like the soldiers of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. Then they will know what to do when they get their draft notice.

A Unique Protest

Just when I thought that I had seen everything!

Kosher Food That Is Treif

As a new immigrant and relatively old(about 30 years old), I entered the army through "Shlav Bet." This was a program where boot camp lasts six weeks, and the participants would "graduate" at a level of "rifleman 3" (rova'i shalosh). Afterwards we were supposed to serve 2 1/2 months of active duty.

The group that I did boot camp with was almost entirely new immigrants, except for a couple of Hareidim. This was long before the "Nachal HaHareidi". I think that we had people who came from about 20 different countries. About one third of the trainees were religious, and this relatively high percentage worked to our advantage when we had to stand up for our religious rights.

Every day somebody from our group had to work in the kitchen. At first people avoided this job. Who wants to wash the dishes and clean up after hundreds of soldiers? But as boot camp progressed and became tougher, people volunteered to do kitchen duty in order to take a breather from our "sadistic" commanders and their demands.

One night the volunteer from our group was a clean shaven immigrant from Iran. Let's call him Moshe. He was busy cleaning the kitchen when the military base staff (the "Segel") decided that they wanted to party. The Segel was comprised of young soldiers (aged 18-21) who were doing their regular army duty. They had bought food from a supermarket in a nearby city. Among the things they had purchased was raw chicken liver, certified kosher by the Rabbinate. They placed the liver on the army's metal trays that are used to cook meat. Then they cooked the liver in the army oven.

Moshe was a religious Jew and he objected. He explained to the staff that chicken liver must be roasted over an open fire and that they are "treifing" up the kitchen. But the Segel members, products of the secular ghetto who think that they are experts on Judaism from what they read in Maariv, Yediot and Ha'aretz, would have nothing of Moshe's objections. "The liver is kosher and it has the certification of the Rabbinate," they answered.

After Moshe was finished cleaning he came back to the "Ma'ahal" (the group of tents where we lived) and told the other trainees what had happened. A third of the "Pluga" was now up in arms and the commanders realized they had a problem. The trainees went to the kitchen and took the tray that was "treifed up" and threw it in the garbage. The Military Rabbinate was notified.

In theory the staff members should have been put on trial in a military court for breaking army orders(Pekudat Matkal 34.0103). In practice, I don't think that anyone was punished.

Our Kosher Army

Inspired by Galilee This, I'm going to write a little bit about being a religious soldier in the IDF.

Thank G-d, questions of how to be a religious Jew in a Jewish Army in the land of Israel are being asked and dealt with by rabbis for the first time since the Bar Kochba revolt. A whole genre of army halacha books has come about. The books that accompanied me during my service in the army were "Dinei Tzava VeMilchama" by Rabbi Shlomo Min-HaHar and "Hilchot Tzava" by Rabbi Zechariah Ben-Shlomo.

In "Hilchot Tzava"(second edition p. 390), some of the Army's orders concerning kashrut are listed. Like I wrote previously, if all of the orders concerning kashrut were followed, the army kitchens would be just fine. I still remember the signs in the Army's kitchens, "Shmor Al HaKashrut - Bifkudah!" meaning "Guard the laws of kashhrut - and that's an order!" But in practice, knowingly and unknowingly, these orders were trampled upon by the soldiers and commanders who were commanded to uphold them. I hope to blog about some concrete examples in future posts.

I Am A Fundamentalist

I am a fundamentalist, but not according to the usual definition of the word. I am a fundamentalist in that I believe that in any endeavour it is important to master and understand the fundamentals. I once read that the great basketball player, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, credited his success to his high school coach who taught him "the fundamentals." What is true for basketball, I believe, is true for any and every human enterprise. If the fundamentals have been properly learned and mastered, the chances of succeeding are greatly increased.

As a Ba'al Teshuvah, I believe that success in Judaism is also based on knowing "the fundamentals." Many people have strayed from the path because of their lack of understanding with regards to the basics of Judaism. This is usually not their fault, but rather the fault of their parents or the institutions in which they were educated. Why waste time with basic issues when we can debate "what's bothering Rashi" or "how can we reconcile the Rambam with what is written in the Gemara?" In the end, after many years of learning, a Jew can be a "migdal pore'ach ba'avir", a tower suspended in midair, without proper foundations, because he never learned the fundamentals.

Similarly, our problems in relation to the land of Israel start with a misunderstanding of who we are, what the land of Israel is, what Torah is, what prophecy is, and what G-d wants from us. These misunderstandings are what is causing the "sin of the spies" in our generation as well us other negative trends among the Jews today.

That's just my humble opinion.