The Stone Which the Builders Rejected Has Become the Chief Corner-stone

The savage murder of Asher Palmer and his one and a half year old son Yonatan made me recall something similar that happened to me about 22 years ago.

Near the Ramot neighborhood of Jerusalem where I lived back then was a beautiful mountain covered with Jerusalem pine trees. A winding road lead up to its pinnacle. I saw the mountain on an almost daily basis. I decided that one day I would take some time off from my daily routine and explore the tree clad mountain.

Finally the day arrived. I buckled my infant son in his baby car seat and we headed off to the mountain. As the my light blue Subaru DL climbed the winding road I enjoyed the scenery. Soon we approached the pinnacle. I noticed two Arab teenage boys walking along the road. They saw me and waved me forward, as if to say, "you are on the right path, continue." There was a sharp turn in the road. Suddenly, I saw a large shrub lying in the middle of the road, blocking my path. At the same moment a rock struck the window to my left. Fortunately for me, the window was slightly open, giving it a little bit of flexibility. The rock bounced off the window.

Realizing that I had entered an ambush, I continued driving straight ahead, in spite of the shrub that the Arabs had placed on the road. The shrub got caught under the car, and it got dragged along with us until I felt I was out of danger. Getting out of the car, I noticed that at least two rocks had hit the hood, denting and scratching it. Another rock had hit the car frame near the rear window, denting it. If it had hit the car an inch to the right, it probably would have smashed the window, wounding my infant son, God forbid!

It was a miracle! My son and I had survived a well planned terrorist attack, aimed at maiming and/or killing us. "O give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good, for His mercy endureth for ever!"

The mountain that I mentioned is now a thriving Jerusalem neighborhood, Ramat Shlomo. (Yes that is the neighborhood that Hillary Clinton whined about.) The Arab terrorist shebab has been replaced with Torah scholars, Jewish homes, synagogues and Yeshivot.

"The stone which the builders rejected is become the chief corner-stone." Indeed!

The Murder of Asher and Yonatan Palmer

I heard about this after the Sabbath was over. An incredible tragedy. I happen to know Asher personally. He was a truly fine young man. According to David Wilder, it seems that the Arabs have added a new method of murder to their terrorist arsenal:

However, lately, our enemies have begun using a new method in their continued attempts to kill Jews. Instead of standing on the side of the road and throwing a rock, they are heaving them from moving cars, coming at you from the opposite direction. They toss a rock out their window, in front of your car, just prior to passing you.

The impact is tremendous. The rock is flying at the speed at which the car was driving. When it impacts with the car moving in the other direction, the force is phenomenal.

I’ve been told of numerous such incidents in recent weeks, in the exact area where the ‘accident’ killing Asher and Yonatan Palmer occurred.

On Friday afternoon, this is exactly what happened. That’s why no one was seen fleeing on foot, because the rock was thrown from a moving vehicle. It hit the windshield, breaking it, hitting Asher in the face, causing him to lose control of the car. The rock was found in the wrecked car. A hole, the type of which caused by a thrown rock, was also identified in the windshield. Yet the police and army climbed up a very high tree, claiming that the ‘accident’ was Asher’s fault. They claimed that the rock entered the car as it flipped over in a rock-bed on the side of the road. All this in an effort to cover up the murder of two Jews by Arabs. According to my sources, the police have already concluded that the ‘accident’ was not an accident, that it was cold-blooded murder; the killing two Jews.

There are other details which have not yet been released, and I’m hesitant to fully publicize them for the moment. Some of Asher’s possessions seemed to be missing and have not yet been found at the scene of the crash. There are also signs of possible additional violence at the site. These details prove, without any doubt, that the accident was Arab terror.

The police, not yet weary of the additional pain they’ve already caused the Palmer family are continuing to torture them; they went to court to obtain an order allowing them to perform an autopsy on the two bodies. Jewish law, excluding unique circumstances, forbids autopsies. However all evidence, including examinations of the bodies, the car, and the scene of the attack are proof enough. Why continue to cause unnecessary suffering?!

Indeed, many have pointed out that the police and army acted irresponsibly.

May Asher's and Yonatan's family be comforted in the rebuilding of Zion.

תכלה שנה וקללותיה

Who is the Real Obama?

Herb Keinon wrote an excellent article about Obama's latest speech. He makes a number of points that I really identify with. Here are some highlights from the article:

It took some 34 months, but on Wednesday at the UN Israel finally heard the speech it wanted to hear from US President Barack Obama.

Gone were so many elements of previous Obama speeches on the Middle East that rankled so many Israelis, and left a taste in many people's mouths that here was a president who simply did not get us; who did not understand our history, our daily reality, or our fears.

Gone was any reference to the settlements. Not in this speech were his words from Cairo in June 2009 that did so much to knock the diplomatic process off kilter: “The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements.

This construction violates previous agreements and undermines efforts to achieve peace. It is time for these settlements to stop.”

Gone were veiled comparisons between the Palestinian struggle and the US civil rights movement, as was done in his Cairo speech when, during his discussion of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Obama said, “For centuries, black people in America suffered the lash of the whip as slaves and the humiliation of segregation. But it was not violence that won full and equal rights. It was a peaceful and determined insistence upon the ideals at the center of America’s founding.”

Gone too were infuriating hints that the Jewish people’s link to Israel was the result of its tragic history, not because Israel is the cradle of the Jewish people.

Gone too was the striving after perfect balance, talking about the Holocaust in one breath, and then saying in the very next, “On the other hand, it is also undeniable that the Palestinian people – Muslims and Christians – have suffered in pursuit of a homeland.” No, this was a speech of an entirely different tone and tenor.

There is a lot more over there at jpost. So what caused this radical change from Obama's infamous Cairo speech? Towards the end Keinon writes:

Cynics will argue that Obama doesn’t mean it, that he is just mouthing the words – pandering to the Jews, worried about reelection, recalibrating his message after a Democrat was roundly defeated by a Republican in a heavily Jewish congressional district that the Republicans have not represented in nearly 90 years.

No one can read into his heart, but the words – at this time, at that forum, in the matter in which they were expressed – do matter.

For sure. Only Obama and perhaps the people close to him know if his change of tone is a result of political expediency or inner conviction. I do not see myself as a cynic, however, my gut feeling is that the real Obama is the one we saw and heard at the Cairo speech. The spectre of seeing a Democrat get a damn good whacking in New York’s ninth congressional district probably played a role in the change in rhetoric. Of course, there are those that feel differently:

But yesterday, Koch seemed overjoyed to be back in the Democratic fold, thanks to Obama’s unflinchingly strong UN speech in support of Israel.

“I told the president the speech was magnificent,” said Koch, who met Obama at a White House-sponsored UN reception at the New York Public Library Wednesday night.

Koch, who had even threatened to campaign against the president, was invited to the reception by the White House.

“The president is on the right track! It was wonderful,” Koch said. Last month, I would not approve. This week, I’m ecstatic!”

In his UN speech, Obama said, “America’s commitment to Israel’s security is unshakable. Our friendship with Israel is deep and enduring. And so we believe that any lasting peace must acknowledge the very real security concerns that Israel faces every single day.”

As for his very public recent spat with Obama, Koch said, “I’m not looking back. I’m looking forward.

“I have no regrets in saying, ‘Thank you, Mr. President, for standing up magnificently for Israel.’ ”

Koch now says it’s “very possible that I will be campaigning for President Obama’s re-election.” He stumped for Obama in Florida in 2008.

If the election results in New York’s ninth congressional district are what caused Obama's rhetorical about-face, "Come, behold the works of the LORD, who hath made desolations in the earth"(Psalms 46:9)! This all started with good old Anthony Weiner! Who thought that in the end, the Weiner scandal would bring the Obama administration closer to Israel?

Haveil Havalim

This week's edition can be found here.

More on Secular Coercion in the IDF

This post is a follow-up to what I wrote here.

In this week's issue of BeSheva the scandalous expulsion of cadets from an IDF officer's course is dealt with from many different angles.

Rabbi Eliezer Melamed agrees with me that the commander(s) that expelled the cadets should be punished (Update: Rabbi Melamed's remarks are now available in English):

לאחר האירוע המצער והמשפיל של הדחת ארבעה צוערים מקורס קצינים, ודרישה מחמישה אחרים להתנצל על כך שיצאו בעת שירת נשים, התיקון הנדרש הוא תביעה נחרצת להדחתו של מח"ט בה"ד 1 אל"מ ערן ניב, והדחתו של המג"ד סא"ל עוזי קליגר.

ידוע שמפקד שנכנס לעימותים מיותרים עם פקודיו הוא מפקד גרוע, וכל בר דעת מבין שהם הגיעו כאן לעימות מיותר. הנושא אינו רק זכותם של החיילים להיות נאמנים למצפונם הדתי. מדובר בכבוד למסורת ישראל. לא את הצוערים הדתיים בלבד המפקדים הללו ביזו, אלא את מורשת ישראל, את הסבים והסבתות שלהם עצמם, שבמשך כל הגלויות שמרו תורה ומצוות במסירות נפש. ורק בזכותם, נכדיהם ערן ניב ועוזי קליגר נולדו בישראל והגיעו לתפקידם הנוכחי בצה"ל. אנשים כאלה לא ראויים להיות מפקדים בצבא ישראלי.

זאת גם התנהגות שמבטאת חוסר אחריות לאומית. בזמן שהכול יודעים עד כמה חשוב שהציבור החרדי ישתלב בצבא, הם מודיעים קבל עולם, ובתמיכת הרמטכ"ל ושר הביטחון, שהצבא החליט לבזות את הציבור הדתי והחרדי שנאמן למסורת ישראל.

תקדימים מהעבר

בתמוז תשס"ד נתגלעה בעיה בבה"ד 1: המח"ט גל הירש יצר מצב שבו לא ניתן היה לקיים תפילות שחרית במניין. הצוערים הרגישו מאוימים ולא העזו להתלונן. פניתי מעל טור זה לנציגי הציבור הדתיים והחרדיים, אבל התגובה היתה רפה. שנתיים אח"כ, בעת מלחמת לבנון, התברר שתת אלוף גל הירש היה אחד מהאשמים המרכזיים במחדל שגרם לשחיקה קשה בכוח ההרתעה של ישראל ולמותם של חיילים רבים.

וכך היה הרב גורן זצ"ל אומר: מפקד בצה"ל שאינו מכבד את קודשי ישראל, גם לא יצליח במלחמה. לכן כאשר מצא מג"ד שנהג שלא כשורה כלפי חיילים דתיים, לא הסכים לקבל התנצלויות אלא תבע את סילוקו של המג"ד מהצבא. רק בדרך זו ניתן לדאוג שהפקודות הנוגעות לקודשי ישראל יישמרו כהלכה.

Rabbi Melamed also has some keen observations on the role of the Army Chief Rabbi and the religious political leadership:

הרבצ"ר

לצערנו הרב הצבאי הראשי, עם כל מעלותיו הידועות, לא רלוונטי לסוגיה הזו. הוא ממונה על ידי שר הביטחון והרמטכ"ל, וקרוב להניח שאם יפסוק בניגוד לדעתם ייזרק מהצבא. לכן בכל עת שמדובר בהתנגשות שכזו, אין לעמדתו משקל. רק לאחר שיעמוד על הפרק דיון שבו עמדת הרב הצבאי תהיה בניגוד לעמדת שר הביטחון והרמטכ"ל, ולמרות הלחצים הרבצ"ר לא ישנה את דעתו ובכל זאת לא יודח מתפקידו, אז נדע שהוא אכן פוסק באופן עצמאי. ללא זאת, סמכותו כפוסק הלכה מוטלת בספק. אמנם עדיין יש לו תפקיד חשוב כמנהל ענייני הדת בצבא, אבל לא כפוסק.

מנהיגי הציבור הדתי

אם מנהיגי הציבור הדתי מתפלאים מדוע הציבור הדתי הגדול אינו בוחר במפלגות הדתיות, הם יכולים להתבונן בסיפור הזה ובדומיו ולהבין את התשובה. קשה להעלות על הדעת שמקרה דומה יקרה לאנשים מהשמאל. שום מפקד לא היה מעלה בדעתו לכפות על אנשי מר"ץ, שמספרם קטן בהרבה, לעשות דבר שמנוגד את מצפונם, שלא בהקשר ביטחוני מהדרגה העליונה. הדוגמא המקבילה היא אולי מצב שבו מזמינים את הרב אמנון יצחק לתת דרשה בבה"ד 1 על חזרה בתשובה, ומספר צוערים שמאלנים היו יוצאים, והמג"ד והמח"ט היו מדיחים אותם מקורס קצינים. אתם יכולים לתאר לעצמכם מה היו עושים נציגיהם בכנסת, ולנסות להעריך תוך כמה זמן היו קצינים אלו ננזפים ומוצאים את עצמם מחוץ לצבא.

זה מה שצריכים לעשות כעת מנהיגי הציבור הדתי והחרדי, לתבוע את סילוקם מהצבא. לא פחות. וגם אם הדבר יארך זמן, לא לנוח ולא לשקוט עד שהם יודחו. לפעמים חייבים לנקוט עמדה נחרצת, למען ישמעו וייראו ולא יזידון עוד. נחמה פורתא יש לנו מהצוערים האמיצים שנהגו כהלכה, ולצערנו נעזבו לנפשם לבד במערכה.

Yair Shapira, in his weekly legal column, outlines and bemoans the decline of the Military Rabbinate.

Yedidya Meir tells us about his own experiences with the IDF bureaucracy.

There is a lot more in the printed edition.

Elul: The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat

Elul is a time of introspection, a time when things long forgotten are remembered. As the month progresses and we approach the new year, I remembered something that I saw on television many years ago. I even found it on YouTube:



A very special verse comes to mind: "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city" (Proverbs 16:32).

It is interesting that King Solomon saw a similarity between spiritual and physical valor. Someone who is able to overcome his evil inclination is truly a hero. Our Rabbis saw this as being the utmost degree of heroism (Avot 4:1).

Who is not familiar with the "thrill of victory"? Almost everyone has seen the celebrations after a baseball team wins the World Series or a soccer team wins the World Cup. The thrill of victory in the spiritual realm is a bit different. A person doesn't open bottles of champagne every time he beats the Yetzer HaRa. It is a totally different feeling, a delicate inner happiness where one feels that he has improved himself, improved the world and has come closer to God. This is the ultimate victory.

And then there is the "agony of defeat". Here I think we get a little bit closer to the world of sport. You feel like a boxer that has just been knocked down on his back. You look up and you see the Yetzer HaRa standing over you, smiling. You wonder how you got into this fight. Didn't you know who was going to win? How did the Yetzer HaRa fool you, little by little, to enter into the ring. You are ashamed of yourself for falling for the same tricks, for letting emotion and desire rule over reason.

As the year heads towards its conclusion we examine our victories and defeats. We look to strengthen the good deeds, and to distance ourselves from the not so good ones. We regret our errors, confess them before God, and take upon ourselves not to be fooled again by the Yetzer.

May we merit to feel the thrill of victory, and may we be spared the agony of defeat!

Video Exposes UNRWA 'Right of Return' Summer Camp

I've written in the past about UNRWA and the negative role it plays here in the Middle East. Here we have a film that claims to show us what happens inside of UNRWA funded summer camps. Not surprising at all!



Read more about this here.

Secular Coercion in the IDF

Not too long ago I wrote how the IDF is increase ultra-Orthodox participation in the Israeli Army by creating special frameworks for them. Back then I wrote:

This is a simple solution that could have been implemented a long time ago: Create different frameworks within the army that do not contradict the Hareidi way of life i.e. do not force them to serve with women etc.

However, the IDF is a large organization that does not always act in a consistent way. Recently, four soldiers were kicked out of a course for the crime of keeping Jewish law:

Four members of an exclusive IDF cadets' course have been expelled from the course because they refused to be part of an audience where a group of women were singing. That the cadets were observing a principle of Jewish law and that the IDF has displayed understanding on the sensitivity of the subject in the past makes the incident all the more shocking, says Rabbi Haim Druckman, head of the Or Etzion Yeshiva and Director of the Bnei Akiva Yeshivot in Israel.

“The whole thing is unbelievable, expelling top members of the course because they did not want to hear a woman singing,” says Rabbi Druckman. “The event in question was not a ceremony for Independence Day or Holocaust Day, where it could be argued that a musical component would be in place. The event was a discussion on the lessons learned from Operating Cast Lead (the 2008 IDF operation in Gaza). What place does singing – by a man or woman – have in such an event?”

The four cadets were members of a group of nine that left the event on Monday night when a group of female singers got up to sing. According to Jewish law, men are not supposed to be present at live singing performances by individual women, in order not to dwell on sexual thoughts. While not widely observed in the secular world or even among many modern Orthodox Jews, many yeshiva students and Orthodox Israelis observe this principle as part of their efforts to achieve a higher level of closeness with G-d and the Torah; the nine cadets that left the room are graduates of post-high school institutions of rabbinic Jewish study, and take issues of Jewish law very seriously.

When they left the room, the commander of their unit went out of the room as well and demanded that they return to the performance. The cadets said that they were acting out of religious principles and that the practice was common, but the commander refused to accept their arguments, and continued to demand that they return to the performance – and if they continued to refuse, he charged, they would be brought up on charges. Meanwhile, the performance ended, and the soldiers returned to their seats.

On Tuesday, the matter was discussed by top IDF commanders and members of the IDF Chief Rabbinate, and it was decided that the cadets would be given an opportunity to apologize for leaving the performance. Five of the cadets took the deal, but the other four refused, saying they had nothing to apologize for – and on Wednesday, they were booted out of the course. Two of the cadets are members of the Nachal Hareidi unit, and one is the son of a prominent hareidi religious rabbi.

Rabbi Druckman said that, Jewish law aside, the idea of throwing a soldier out of a course for refusing to listen to music was ridiculous. “There are no orders in the army to listen to music, what if the soldier doesn't like music? You can be a great commander without liking music.” He added that the unit commander who pursued the matter was “someone with a silly opinion. I would not rely on his judgment as a commander. They asked to be excused from the event and were refused. I am waiting for someone to explain to me what connection music has to Operation Cast Lead.”

Nobody should have to apologize for observing Jewish law. This is a disgraceful example of secular coercion. The IDF cannot expect God fearing people to serve in the army on the one hand and force them to break Jewish law on the other. The commander that demanded that the cadets hear a woman singing against their will should be disciplined.

The Shawarma Republics are Burning

Sultan Knish coins a new concept: The Shawarma Republic. Definitely worth reading!

Torat HaMelech 10: Haifa University Stifles Freedom of Speech

This is amazing:

The University of Haifa announced on Wednesday its decision to postpone a conference booked for next week on the book Torat Hamelech (“The King’s Torah”) and featuring one of its authors, following pressure from numerous organizations on the school’s president, Prof. Aaron Ben-Ze’ev.

“The university is firmly opposed to the stances expressed in the book Torat Hamelech, and it is just because of that [that we think] the way to expose the depth to which these stances are distorted is to hold conferences that air these opinions, and not to hide them and pretend they do not exist,” a statement read.

“At the same time, after various organizations approached the university, the president of the University of Haifa has decided to postpone the conference, in order to examine the issue.”

Besides the usual array of academic researchers who would have been discussing the book, the conference – planned for Monday under the title “Torat Hamelech – Halacha, morality and the limits of the public discourse” – had one of the treatise’s authors, Rabbi Yitzhak Shapira, scheduled for a debate at the end of the day with Rabbi Ariel Finkelstein of Yeshivat Ahavat Yisrael in Netivot, who wrote a book, Derech Hamelech (“The Way of the King”), that countered Shapira’s thesis point-by-point. Shapira rarely speaks to the media, and never to the secular media.

Torat Hamelech, published in 2009, deals with the attitude of Jews toward gentiles in times of war, and states that under certain circumstances, noninvolved gentiles may be preemptively killed, including children. The authors of the book, as well as a group of rabbis who wrote rabbinic endorsements to it, were investigated by police on suspicion to incitement to racism and violence. No charges have been pressed so far.

One of the organizations that was instrumental in pressuring Ben-Ze’ev expressed satisfaction following the university’s decision.

“Brit Hoshech Legaresh is very pleased the event has been postponed, and we hope it will be canceled,” Dr. Gadi Gvariyahu said. Brit Hoshech Legaresh (Dispelling Darkness Alliance), representing 16 social and pluralistic groups and dedicated to fighting racism, was formed following Torat Hamelech’s publication in 2009.

“In the same way an imam preaching to kill Jews wouldn’t receive a platform, here too there is no need to give a platform to a rabbi who preaches to kill gentiles. Brit Hoshech Legaresh will continue to act to cancel any event taking place in honor of the book Torat Hamelech,” Gvariyahu said.

Shapira and his co-author, Rabbi Yosef Elitzur, had invited the same Brit Hoshech Legaresh to meet with them and discuss the book nearly two years ago, an invitation the organization ignored.

But others saw the conference’s postponement, and potential cancellation, as running counter to academia’s duty to explore, understand and debate issues, even controversial ones such as those in the book.

“I agree with the first part of the university’s statement, which is why I can’t understand the second part of it,” said Tomer Persico, a researcher at the contemporary religions program at Tel Aviv University. Persico, who on his Facebook page called the book “a manifest of dark and ugly racism,” was scheduled to deliver a talk on religious language and the borders of discourse in the public realm at the conference.

“Whoever cares about freedom of expression and academic freedom should be in favor of such a conference,” he said, commending the fact that Shapira had agreed to leave the security of his natural political and religious surroundings to hold the debate in “the lion’s den” of academia.

And while remaining totally opposed to the book and its message, Ne’emanei Torah Ve’avoda, a liberal Orthodox Zionist organization, expressed disappointment over the university’s decision. “It is very problematic to provide a platform for people with extreme opinions, and we oppose to doing so,” the organization’s head Shmuel Shattach said. “At the same time, in a place where nearly every person is given an opportunity to speak his mind and air his extreme opinions of every kind, there is room to hear Shapira as well. I wouldn’t fight for Shapira’s right to express his opinions from the outset, but in the name of freedom of expression, where the limits of pluralism are stretched to let everyone voice their stances – he should have that right too.”

Shattach added that his organization’s upcoming publication for youth will be dedicated to countering Torat Hamelech.

Shapira didn’t seem too flustered by the university’s cold shoulder.

“Anyone who wants to come and debate and hear about the book Torah Hamelech is invited to come to us,” Shapira, head of the Yitzhar yeshiva, was quoted as saying by the Hakol Hayehudi website Wednesday.

“If the lecturers and students would like, I’d be happy to give them a lecture on the topic.”

The behavior of Haifa U. is abhorrent and cowardly. I think a debate between the authors of Torat HaMelech and Derech HaMelech would be fascinating. I suggest that such a debate be held in a National Religious framework.

Park Anava in Modi'in

I discovered a new park today: Park Anava in Modi'in. It is very nice! In Jerusalem we also have a few nice parks, but nothing like this, with a lake and boats to rent. Here are some pics for your enjoyment:





The place was full of black hatters..."Bein HaZmanim":



In addition to boats you could also float on the lake inside a huge ball (click on pic for enlargement):

Torat HaMelech 9: Those Brits Crack Me Up!

As the British are suffering an epidemic of rioting and looting, their security officials have spare time for other activities:

British security officials banned Rabbi Yosef Elitzur from entering the country over opinions expressed in the book Torat HaMelekh (Law of the King), which he co-wrote with Rabbi Yitzhak Shapira.
The book, which has generated significant controversy in Israel, is an academic treastie on Jewish Law as it pertains to warfare. In it Elitzur expressed the opinion that the lives of Jewish soldiers should be placed ahead of enemy, non-Jewish civilians in battle.

Elitzur received a letter stating he may not enter the United Kingdom for the next three years under British law. By law in the UK, someone who supports terrorism with justifying opinions, encourages an act of terrorism, or spreads hatred may not enter the country.

That'll quell those rioters! Good show!

The Truth About the Housing Protests VI

It seems that the housing protests are not influencing the electorate the way the Israeli Left and their cheerleaders in the Israeli MSM would have liked. Batya has the details.

The Truth About the Housing Protests IV

From Arutz 7:

Protesters seeking housing they can afford are doomed to failure – unless they repent for standing by silently as Jews were expelled from their homes in Gush Katif. So says Rav Daniel Stavsky, in a brief segment of his weekly Torah lecture that has been making the rounds online.

“Those who ask for homes, for housing, and six years ago did not protest the expulsion of 10,000 Jews from their homes, and the demolition of their homes – it didn't pain you then? You did not take to the streets? You have no right. You have no right,” the rabbi declared.

“You didn't care, it didn't pain you, you didn't go out to the streets. Now you want 'a home, a home, a home.' You have no right.”

Protesting high housing prices “will not help,” Rav Stavsky stated. However, he said, there is one possible solution.

“Repentance is possible. You can repent; certainly you had been misled,” he said, adding that many felt unable to admit their pain over the expulsion from Gush Katif even to themselves, due to heavy social pressure.

After a little bit of searching I found the clip:

HH #?????

This week's issue is up!

The Truth About the Housing Protests III: Anarchists Set Fire to Nationalist Tent

From Arutz 7:

Anarchists attacked nationalists who joined the housing protest in Tel Aviv's Rothschild Ave. Thursday. The anarchists set fire to one of the tents pitched by the nationalists but the flames were quickly doused and no one was hurt. The tent was slightly damaged.
A photographer for Tatzpit who documented the arson was also attacked and his camera was damaged. He filed a complaint with the police.

The anarchists and other radical leftists have been harassing the nationalists since they arrived at the site Wednesday. They have torn nationalist signs and shouted "racists out."

Nationalists fought back and a melee resulted. The nationalists also taunted the leftists, saying, "We thought the protest was not political."

There is copious evidence that the protest is organized and financed by the New Israel Fund. However, the protesters insist that they represent an authentic apolitical grassroots movement.

And also from Ynetnews:

Two men in their 20s were detained on suspicion of torching a tent set up by rightist activists on Tel Aviv's Rothschild Boulevard as part of the housing protest at the site.

Nobody was hurt in the incident.

Eyewitnesses claimed that the tent was torched by members of the Anarchists Against the Wall group.

"The tent was empty, but it could have been much worse," rightist activist Meir Bratler said. "The two little terrorists escaped but were captured on the camera of one of our friends, who handed the evidence over to police.

Bratler said he had run into the suspects earlier. "These guys have been picking on us from the moment we got here. Yesterday in the middle of the night they tried to hurt us but we chased them away," he said, adding that the suspects had arrived "drunk and violent."

Police believe one of the attackers who torched the tent also tried to deface signs and even threatened the protesters with violence.

However, the Anarchists Against the Wall movement rejected the leftists' claims.

"The idea of torching a tent with people inside is shocking," said a member of the movement. "The very idea of one of the activists belonging to Anarchists Against the Wall would do such a thing is preposterous. These are groundless, slanderous accusations aimed."

Bratler also lashed out at the police. "It is inconceivable that the police know how to maintain order in Judea and Samaria but here in central Tel Aviv lawlessness rules," he said.

But the activist stressed that he would not allow "a few hooligan anarchists to chase us out and shut us up."

"We believe in this protest and our just cause. We know most of the people support this protest and we also know the solution is investment in settlement in Judea and Samaria. We will continue to be here and voice this message," he said.

Police suspect that the arson followed a dispute between the suspects and several protestors at the site. Police officers from the downtown Tel Aviv station were able to nab the suspects, who fled the scene.

Tensions flared on Rothschild Wednesday after large groups of rightist activist arrived at the protest site to the great dismay of many protesters who do not agree with the rightists' views.

Extreme rightist Baruch Marzel visited "tent city" as well and told protesters that "when it comes to social issues, I'm more Left than the Left."

Right-wing groups such as Bnei Akiva, Im Tirtzu, and My Israel said they were also protesting in Tel Aviv for lower housing and staple product costs.

Some Really Nice Pictures

The latest issue of jpix is titled, "JPIX, Feast Your Eyes". So go there to feast your eyes!

The Truth About the Housing Protests II

Ma'ariv reports that the New Israel Fund financed the purchase of 35,000 NIS worth of tents for the protesters. In the Jerusalem Post, Caroline Glick informs us who the protest leaders are:

At every opportunity, the protesters claim they are apolitical and the media go along with them. Yet as a handful of bloggers have shown, more than eighty percent of the protest leaders are professional far Left activists. For instance, Maariv bloggers Uri Redler and Rotem Sela researched the affiliation of all the speakers at the July 23rd rally in Tel Aviv. They found that out of 27 speakers, 21 are known leftist activists affiliated with Hadash, the communist party, with Meretz, with the New Israel Fund, with the Nationalist Left proto-party, and with the anarchists.

Redler and Sela also exposed that several “grassroots,” leaders are in fact professional political operatives affiliated with communist politicians and radical pressure groups. For instance, an activist named Tzika Bashour announced on Facebook that he would begin a general strike on August 1. Yediot Ahronot and Ynet covered his move as an authentic call of distress by an Average Joe.

The papers failed to mention that Bashour is a public relations executive who ran communist MK Dov Hanin’s campaign for the Tel Aviv mayoralty.

As a mentioned in a previous post. The housing problem is real. The protest movement is a largely artificial.

Just Thought That You Should Know...

that this weeks issue of Haveil Haveilim is on line! Go for it!

The Truth About the Housing Protests

Yes the cost of housing in Israel is high. The question is "why"? Well you do not have to be Stanley Fischer to know the answer: it is called supply and demand. There is a lot of demand for housing, while supply is lacking, hence high prices.

The expulsion of thousands of people from their homes in the Gaza Strip and Northern Samaria six years ago did not help the housing shortage. Certainly the various building freezes that were imposed on Israel by the Obama administration did not provide the homeless with with a place to put their heads. The hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants living in Israel also play a part in the housing crisis. However, even without these factors, it seems to be that that the crisis would still be here, although to a lesser degree. Let's hope that the government takes steps that will help in the long term without harming Israel's surprisingly strong economy.

With regards to the tent protests, the Israeli public knows very well what is going on. They know who is funding it, and they know what their true objectives are. We are talking about the nefarious New Israel Fund. As Emily Amrousi wrote:

Furthermore, it is clear that the demonstrations were professionally organized and publicized. They're about as authentic as a bottle blonde. The same could be said for the media's blatant mobilization to the cause.

I also saw the following from Dror Eydar:

The demonstrations over housing and the cry of the middle class require fundamental treatment, and one gets the impression that the proposed plan is aimed in that direction. The government -- with its leaders, ministers and advisers -- has to continue repeating the principles of the economic plan, and start working in the field. That's the way the hypocrisy of the professional inciters will be revealed, and they will be left on their own with their anger.

In summary, we are talking about a genuine problem and a largely bogus protest movement.

Torat HaMelech 8: The Difference Between Uninformed Opinion and Informed Opinion

One may agree or disagree with the book Torat HaMelech. But before deciding which side you are on, it is a good idea to read the book!


In Mishpacha, journalist Yonoson "Jonathan" Rosenblum weighs in on the Torat HaMelech controversy. Mr. Rosenblum admits that he did not read Torat HaMelech, is aware that the excerpts he saw may have been "deliberately crafted to provide ammunition for anti-Semites", and in spite of this offers us his opinion about the book:

When Both Sides Are Wrong

Yonoson Rosenblum | Wednesday, July 20, 2011

The controversy over Deputy State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan’s decision to confiscate copies of Torat HaMelech, a work by two rabbis from the West Bank settlement of Yitzhar, and to summon for police questioning two prominent national religious rabbis who wrote haskamos for the book, inspires one to shout “Shame on you” at all sides.

I have seen only excerpts of Torat HaMelech, but those excerpts might as well have been deliberately crafted to provide ammunition for anti-Semites who claim that Jews believe that only their blood has value. That is why Rav Elyashiv reportedly condemned the work as endangering Jews around the world. And Rav Zalman Nechemiah Goldberg, who initially also wrote a haskamah, subsequently withdrew it due to halachic errors that were pointed out to him, and other conclusions that “defy logic.”

The authors show a casual regard for life — Jewish as well as gentile. They classify those who lower national or IDF morale as rodfim. Ironically, that definition could include those who called upon soldiers to refuse orders to evacuate Gush Katif.

About twenty years ago, I debated a rabbi from the same circles. In the course of the evening, I found myself progressively horrified by his casual attitude towards bloodletting of “enemies”; by his willingness to rely on quotations pulled from aggadata to reach legal conclusions that, if implemented, would have immense implications for Jews around the world; and by his confidence that we live in an era in which Jews can say and do whatever they want in the Land of Israel without concern for the reaction of the rest of the world. Torat HaMelech reflects the same cast of mind.

Though I am convinced that Torat HaMelech is wrong both in tone and in its specific halachic conclusions, once Shai Nitzan’s prosecutorial group set its sights on the book and summoned rabbis for questioning, the Torah world could not remain indifferent.

As I read Mr. Rosenblum's article, I was "progressively horrified" by the low standard of journalism displayed. I can only say, "Shame on you" Mr. Rosenblum for commenting on the book without reading it first. One should not put the peh (mouth) before the ayin (eye). His article is barely a league above the shrill reporting of the Israeli MSM. I am quite disappointed. I must also add that the expulsion of Jews from the Gaza Strip was indeed carried out by soldiers. However, this immoral action of a people's army against its own citizens was not carried out in the framework of war and has nothing to do with the book "Torat HaMelech".

On the other had Rabbi Shlomo Riskin apparently did read the book and he has something to say about it:

What was the alleged “transgression” for which Rabbi Lior was being remanded? He had joined three other recognized Torah personalities in endorsing a halachic treatise called Torat Hamelech (Prescriptive Directives of the King), written by Rabbis Yitzhak Shapira and Yosef Elitzur. The suspicion was that the book, purportedly expressing a lenient attitude toward murdering gentiles, was inciting against minorities in Israel. Since a significant verse in Masei deals with an important subject of the book, I am dedicating this Torah commentary to the issue.

Let me state at the outset that at no time do the authors of Torat Hamelech permit the killing of innocent gentiles, except in the heat of battle and in order to save innocent Jews. This is no different than the American aerial bombings of Afghanistan; although in the Israeli army our soldiers go house to house in pursuit of terrorists and arms caches, despite the inevitable loss of our own young men as a consequence.

He goes on to state what he does not like about the book. In conclusion he tells us:

Despite my critique, there is nothing in Torat Hamelech which can be considered a message of incitement to harm Arab neighbors who are not in a war against us, and there was no justification for calling Rabbi Lior to a police station for questioning.

Amy Winehouse's Legacy to the Jewish People and the World

It's been in the news for a few days: Amy Winehouse passed away at the age of 27.

They say she was a really talented singer. I've never heard her sing. I guess that I will take their word for it.

And she was a Jew.

Among the things I saw on the web concerned her burial. One writer mentioned the fact that she chose to be cremated, something which is clearly against Jewish law. True, however, I think that there is a more important lesson to be learned from the singer/songwriter's tragic life and death.

Our Torah teaches us to guard our souls (see what the Rambam writes in Hilchot Rotze'ach U'Shmirat HaNefesh ch. 13 and in Hilchot De'ot ch. 4). The whole idea of someone abusing his body with drugs is totally anti-Torah. Rabbi Kook mentions in the first chapter of Orot HaTeshuvah that the sins that one commits against his own body by living an unhealthy lifestyle must also be repented for.

I find it mind boggling that people waste their time and money on drugs. Why do something so destructive? Why not embrace life? There is so much to do, so much to learn. So much good can be done with money when used properly.

If young people will learn from Amy Winehouse's early demise this one precious lesson, that will be her greatest accomplishment.

The ultra-Orthodox Plumber and Dan Margalit

A few days ago this guy left his magnetic calling card on my front door[click on the pic to enlarge]:



A quick translation:

With God's Help
Gamliel the ultra-Orthodox Plumber
Implementation of all water and sewage work
Quick and reliable service
Work is guaranteed

His magnetic calling card also mentions that his gives discounts to "Bnei Torah".

One of the greatest libels against the ultra-Orthodox community is that they do not work. Here is what Dan Margalit wrote in today's issue of Yisrael Hayom:

One-third of the Israeli public, mostly from the middle class, carries the weight of the Arabs on the one hand and the ultra-Orthodox on the other. Neither of these groups contributes to our national enterprise, yet both live off the funds of those who do work.

It is true that many men learn Torah full time, but many others work in almost all walks of life. Among those that learn full time, very often the wife works to support the family. I bet that Gamliel the ultra-Orthodox plumber could probably teach Dan Margalit something about what work really is.

HH #322

This week's edition comes in two parts:

Haveil Havalim - The Makeup Edition

Haveil Havalim #322b - The Make Up Edition Supplement

Chabad is Zionist!

Rabbi Menachem Brod of Kfar Chabad:

If the definition of 'Zionism' is defined as detachment from Jewish roots and becoming a nation like any other, we oppose that – and so did all the great Torah leaders. But if Zionism is about loving the land, about national security, settling the land, then Chabad definitely supports those important activities

Torat HaMelech 7

Rabbi Gil Student actually read "Torat HaMelech" and provides his analysis. The post and the talkbacks are interesting. Unfortunately Rabbi Student falls into the trap of trying to be "politically correct" by misusing the term "racist" and applying it to the book. I previously wrote about another misuse of this term here.

Givat Shaul VIII: Amram Gaon Street

The Law for Preventing the Harming the State of Israel By Means of Boycott – 2011

The Israeli left and MSM are having a fit, shrieking away at this law . Unfortunately, the media does not provide enough objective information about the law for one to form an informed opinion about it. Feeling the frustration of many, I have translated the law into English. Now you can decide if the law is good or bad:

The Law for Preventing the Harming the State of Israel By Means of Boycott – 2011

1. Definition

In this law, "a boycott on the State of Israel" - intentional abstention from having an economic, cultural, or academic relationship with a person or other responsible body, only because of its connection to the State of Israel, one of its institutions or an area that is under its control, that has the ability to harm it economically, culturally or academically.

2. Boycott – Civil Injustice

a.) one who knowingly advertises a public call to place a boycott on the State of Israel, and according to the contents of the call and the circumstances under which it was advertised there is a reasonable possibility that the call will bring about the placing of a boycott, and the advertiser is aware of the mentioned possibility, has committed a civil injustice and the laws of damages will apply to him.

b.) With regards to paragraph 62a of the laws of damages [new version] one who caused the breaking of an obligatory contract by means of calling for the placing of a boycott on the State of Israel will not be seen as one who acted with adequate justification.

c.) If the court finds that an injustice was committed intentionally according to this law, it may obligate the perpetrator of the injustice with the payment of compensation that is not dependent on the amount of damage (in this paragraph, exemplary damages); in its coming to determine the amount of exemplary damages, the court will take into consideration, among other things, the circumstances of the committing of the injustice, its graveness and scope.

3.) Instructions Concerning to Limiting Tenders

The Minister of Finance, with the agreement of the Minister of Justice and with the approval of the Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee, is allowed to set instructions with respects to limiting the participation in a tender of one who has knowingly advertised a public call for the placement of a boycott on the State of Israel or of one who obligated himself to take part of the mentioned boycott, including an obligation not to purchase goods or services that are produced or provided in the State of Israel, in one of its institutions, or in any area under its control; in this paragraph "tender" – a tender that must be conducted according to the law of the obligation of tenders, 1992.

4) Instructions Concerning Preventing Benefits

a) The Minister of Finance, with the counsel of the Minister of Justice, is permitted with respect to one who knowingly advertised a public call to place a boycott on the State of Israel, or with respect to one who obligated himself to take part of the mentioned boycott, that

1) It will not be seen as a public institution with regards to paragraph 46 of the income tax law.

2) It will not be eligible to receive funding from the Council of the Arrangement of Sport Gambling according to paragraph 9 of the Law to Arrange Gambling in Sports, 1967. The activation of the authority according to this subsection requires the agreement of the Minister of Culture and Sport.

3) It will not be considered a public institution according to paragraph 3a of the Law of the Foundations of the Budget, 1985 with respect to receiving support according to a paragraph of the budget; the activation of the authority according to this subsection requires the agreement of the Minister that the government has determined to be responsible for that paragraph of the budget, as is specified in subsection (2) of the definition of "responsible for paragraph of the budget" that is in the mentioned law.

4) He will not be eligible for guarantees according to the Law of Guarantees from the State, 1958.

5) He will not be eligible for benefits according to the Law of Encouraging Capital Investments, 1959 or the Law to Encourage Research and Development in Industry, 1984; the activation of the authority according to this subsection requires the agreement of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Employment.

b. in the activation of his authority according to subsection (a), the Finance Minister will work in accordance to the guidelines established for this matter with the agreement of the Justice Minister and the approval of the Knesset's Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee. However, if the mentioned guidelines were not established, that does not harm the authority according to subsection (a)

5. Implementation

The Minister of Justice is responsible for the implementation of this law.

6. Inception

The inception of paragraph 4 is 90 days from the day of this law's publication.

I think that the law is excellent and long overdue. How about you?

Haveil Havalim #321

Check out this week's edition at Esser Agaroth.

Social Stratification in the Orthodox Jewish Community: FFBs, BTs, and Geirim (PartIV)

You may want to read parts 1, 2, and 3 of this series.

For the fourth and final(?) installment in this series we'll examine the do's and don'ts of integrating into the Orthodox community for BTs and converts. This is what I thought of offhand:

DO's:

1) Find a community that you feel comfortable in. Look around. There are so many different communities to choose from, especially here in Israel.

2) Attend classes - there is so much to know and one is never done learning. Learning halacha will give you the parameters of accepted Jewish behavior and will prevent you from being weird (see don'ts). Be sure to know the difference between the required law and added stringencies.

3) Find a rabbi that understands you and where you are coming from. Some rabbis are book-smart but not people-smart. Even the ones that are people-smart do not necessarily know how to deal with BTs and converts.

4) Find a spouse that is ready to grow together with you. The community is family oriented. "Be fruitful and multiply!"

DON'Ts:

1) Don't be critical of others. You may see FFBs being lax in their Mitzvah observance. First of all, are you sure? Perhaps he has a source for his behavior that you are not aware of? Although there is a mitzvah of reproof one must know how to do it so that it will be accepted. In general, people do not like to receive criticism, especially from newbies.

2) Don't be weird. For example, the synagogue is not a place to conduct "Primal Scream Therapy". Alternatively, if you cannot help but be weird you will have to find a weird spouse and a weird community to accommodate you.

3) Don't be unrealistic. "HaMakir Et Mekomo", knowing ones place, is one of the fourty eight things that the Torah is acquired with (Avot 6:6). You are probably not going to be the next Gaon of Vilna. Chances are that the Rosh Yeshiva will not pick you to marry his daughter.

That's what I came up with. Welcome to the community.


יִשְׁמַע חָכָם, וְיוֹסֶף לֶקַח

Givat Shaul VII: Sherira Gaon Street

Givat Shaul VI: The View From Rabbi Pinchas Kehati Street

The road to Tel Aviv:



Can you see Jameel?



Lifta on the right:

Social Stratification in the Orthodox Jewish Community: FFBs, BTs, and Geirim (Part III)

Before reading this check out parts 1 and 2.

For the third post in this series we'll play matchmaker.

Meet Oren. He grew up secular in Tel Aviv. After serving in the IDF, he spent a year in touring around the world. After checking out various different religions and cults he decided to look into Judaism. He returned to Israel and enrolled in a Yeshiva for BTs. He learned with great diligence for two years, advancing very well in his studies and religious observance. Now he is 24 years old and looking for a shidduch (a match).

Meet Feige. She grew up FFB in Jerusalem. She learned in a Beis Yaakov school and seminary. The only boys that she has ever talked to are her brothers. She is now 20 years old and also looking for a shidduch.

Would you set these two up for a date? I do not think that I would. If men are from Mars and women are from Venus, Oren and Feige are from two different galaxies! For the good of them both I would try finding for them mates with similar backgrounds.

Our next candidate is Betty. She is a very sincere convert that grew up in Amsterdam. She speaks Dutch, English and French fluently. She decided to convert to Judaism after visiting Israel. Presently she is learning in a BT seminary in Jerusalem, and is picking up Hebrew quite well.

Now meet Yankel, a FFB from B'nai Brak. He also knows three languages: Yiddish, Hebrew, and Aramaic. He has been learning Torah and only Torah all his life. He does not know which country Amsterdam is in. The only woman he has ever talked to is his mother. That is because all of his seven siblings are boys.

I think you get the idea. Oren, with his worldliness, could be a good match for Betty. Yankel and Feige sound like a match that was decreed in heaven forty days before the embryos were formed. I would not suggest putting Yankel and Betty together. It is possible that such a match could succeed, but I do not think that it is probable.

All of the above is clearly logical for anyone familiar with the orthodox community and with the institution of marriage therein. The problems start when fantasy trumps common sense. I once heard about an Israeli BT that was unwilling to date anyone who was not a FFB from a certain Hasidic sect. That is a silly and unrealistic position for him to take.

An unfortunate by-product of this social stratification is a feeling among certain Geirim and FFBs that the community does not desire them. Sometimes they ask themselves, "Why do they always set me up with BTs and Geirim? Do the FFBs think that they are too good for me?"

Well, every community does has its snobs. However, the real reason is according to what I wrote above. Remember, FFBs are different! That is something that every matchmaker should take into account.

HH #320

Here!

Givat Shaul V: Chaim Vital Street Facing North

Rabbi Eliezer Melamed: Why Rabbis Refused Police Summons

Very, very good!

Social Stratification in the Orthodox Jewish Community: FFBs, BTs, and Geirim (Part II)

Before reading this check out Part I, especially if you do not understand the abbreviations used in the title of this post.

The purpose of this post is to take a closer look at the FFBs. In a previous post I described the FFBs as people who do not know what bacon tastes like. By that I meant to say that FFBs are different. They remind me of what F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote about "the rich":

"Let me tell you about the very rich. They are different from you and me. They possess and enjoy early, and it does something to them, makes them soft where we are hard, and cynical where we are trustful, in a way that, unless you were born rich, it is very difficult to understand. They think, deep in their hearts, that they are better than we are because we had to discover the compensations and refuges of life for ourselves. Even when they enter deep into our world or sink below us, they still think that they are better than we are. They are different."

I think that Fitzgerald hit upon something which is really quite obvious. The way one grows up affects one's psyche. Someone who was born and raised rich is going to be fundamentally different from one who acquired wealth later in life. I think the same thing is true when we are dealing with FFBs. They are "different" than BTs and Geirim. They grew up Jewishly "rich". Their psyche, their inner spiritual world was built differently.

However, I do not think that FFBs necessarily "think that they are better than we are" or any other of the negative traits that Fitzgerald ascribes to the rich. Perhaps some do think that way. Others highly respect BTs and Geirim, as they have internalized what the Torah has to say on these matters.

In any case, FFBs are different. While I was memorizing the chords and lyrics of pop songs they were memorizing mishnayot. While they were staying up late Thursday night learning Torah (a practice known as "mishmar" in yeshivot), I was...never mind.

Yes, I am familiar with the Talmudic statement,

במקום שבעלי תשובה עומדין, צדיקים גמורים אינם עומדין

"In the place where BTs stand, the completely righteous are not standing(Brachot 34B)"

From this we see that BTs have a certain advantage over the FFBs. However, the issue is not "who is better?". The above quote from the Talmud actually strengthens my case: it shows FFBs and BTs are different.

So, what is the nafka mina? How do these differences affect our lives, and how do we deal with them? I hope to deal with that in the future, with God's help.

Givat Shaul IV: Rabbi Yisrael Najara Street

Looking South:


Looking North:

כל העולם כולו גשר צר מאד

Social Stratification in the Orthodox Jewish Community: FFBs, BTs, and Geirim

I thought that I would write about a subject that is often dealt with on other blogs: social stratification in the Orthodox community. There is stratification based on community (Ashkenazi, Sefardi etc.), and ideology (Hasidim, Mitnagdim, National Religious, Modern Orthodox, etc.). I may touch upon these, however the main focus of this post (and some upcoming ones) will be stratification that is a manifestation of when you "joined the club." Here we have three main groups:

1) FFBs ("Frum From Birth"): These are people who were born into Orthodox Jewish families and have been practicing Jews all their lives. These are they guys that don't know what bacon tastes like.
2) BTs ("Balei Teshuva"): People who were born Jewish but were born into families where Torah observance was weak (i.e. they did not keep the Sabbath, dietary laws, etc.). Later on in life these people embraced Orthodox Judaism. I belong to this group.
3) Geirim (converts). People that were not born Jewish but out of their own free will converted to Judaism according to Jewish law.

I think that most reasonable Orthodox Jews will admit that stratification based on the three groups mentioned above does exist. It has different manifestations, particularly but not limited to the shiduchim that one is offered. However, the degree of stratification varies depending on which community one belongs to. What is true in the Modern Orthodox community in Kew Garden Hills is not necessarily true for the National Religious community if Ofra, or by the Vizhnitz Hasidim in Haifa.

How should one deal with the above mentioned social stratification? Personally, I do not believe in waging wars against windmills. What's more, I am not convinced that the phenomenon is always negative.

I hope to give examples of what I mean in future posts.

ובנה ירושלים עיר הקודש במהרה בימנו

Who do the territories belong to?

Will Anthony Weiner and Huma Abedin Get Divorced?

Now that Anthony Weiner has lost his job in Congress, is he going to lose his wife as well? Is the humiliated Huma going to give Weiner the boot? That is the question that many who have followed this bizarre case are asking themselves.

The truth is, according to Jewish law, Anthony Weiner and Huma Abedin are not married. A Jew cannot marry a non-Jew. Period. According to the Torah, their current lifestyle is a simple case of promiscuity, to put things mildly as possible.

My guess is that Huma and Tony are going to be parting ways in the near future. Huma thought that she married an up and coming Congressman who was on the way to becoming the Mayor of New York City. Now her "husband" has become a walking joke! Such an embarrassing situation is no doubt unbearable. Huma has little use for such a disgraced has-been. He's not President Bill Clinton. She will show him the door quicker than most people think.

Chances are that they would have broken up in a few years time anyway. As is well known, intermarriages are recipes for domestic strife and confused children. The Weiner-Abedin union is no exception. I wonder what baby Weiner will think when he/she hears the imam say that his/her father is "a descendant of apes and pigs"?

If I am correct this will also be for Anthony Weiner's good. As long as he is "married" to Huma he cannot make amends with his Maker. Once she is gone, the gates of teshuva will be wide open for him. Will he enter?

Anthony Weiner Resigns From Congress: For Real!

About a week ago I published a fictional post, "Anthony Weiner Resigns From Congress". Well, the post has been fulfilled, that is to say, the resignation part.:



BTW, I found the heckling extremely distasteful.

I've written a few posts about Weiner. People have arrived at these posts using a variety of search terms:

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WEINER AND JEWISH JOKES
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google anthony weiner gentiles

The Weiner chronicle is not over. I am interested to see if any other aspects of my fictional post will come true. Time will tell.

Givat Shaul III: Yesh!!!

It started as "Birkat Rachel", afterwards it was called "Alef", and now it is "Yesh".

Givat Shaul II

Givat Shaul Street looking west:


The sun is going to set soon...minchah, minchah.

Givat Shaul

Givat Shaul Street looking eastward:

Some Pics From Dimona

I was in the town of Dimona recently. Yeah, that's the place with the nuclear reactor near by. It's a nice town and here are a few pics:





This shot was taken from inside the Yeshiva high school. Nice mural:



This is the exit gate from the Yeshiva high school, with a very educational message written above it:

Should Rep. Anthony Weiner Change His Name?

I have already mentioned that Rep. Anthony Weiner can leverage Weinergate to his advantage. He has a golden opportunity to reexamine the way he has led his life until now. Now that he is officially taking a leave of absence in order to address his problems, let's hope that he will find a rabbi who will give him the spiritual guidance that he really needs. He must realize that the only cure is to lead a Torah-true life. If he is able to make the change, he could be one of the great Jewish heroes of our generation.

Ever since the Weinergate scandal broke the Internet is just full with "Weiner" jokes. One gets the impression from him that he has had to bear such jokes for many years:

"It seems like what happened someone somehow got access to my Twitter account and tweeted a joke, I guess, when your name is Wiener you get some of those sometimes."

The truth is that there is nothing wrong with the name Weiner. It means "wine merchant" in Yiddish.

That being said I'll address the question in the title of this post: Should Anthony Weiner change his name? Before we answer let's take a look at what Maimonides has to say (Laws of Return 2:4):

מדרכי התשובה להיות השב צועק תמיד לפני ה', בבכי ובתחנונים, ועושה צדקה כפי כוחו, ומתרחק הרבה מן הדבר שחטא בו. ומשנה שמו, כלומר שאני אחר ואיני אותו האיש שעשה אותן המעשים; ומשנה מעשיו כולן לטובה, ולדרך ישרה. וגולה ממקומו--שגלות מכפרת עוון, מפני שגורמת לו להיכנע ולהיות עניו ושפל רוח.

A rough translation:

Among the ways of repentance is for the penitent to always raise up his voice before God, in crying and supplication, and to give charity according to his ability, and distance himself a lot from the matter that he sinned in. He changes his name, as if to say I am another and not the man that did those deeds. And he changes all of his deeds for the good, to the straight path. He exiles himself -- for exile atones for sins, because it causes him to be submissive and to be modest and humble.

As long as this guy calls himself Weiner people are going to associate him with this scandal. According to the Maimonides it would be a good idea for Weiner to change his name, along with the other aspects of Teshuva. What name would I suggest? Well, instead of Weiner he call himself Yeinan, the Hebrew word for wine-maker. Instead of Anthony he could choose the name Yosef. Remember, Yosef is the one who was able to overcome the temptation of Potiphar's wife.

Anthony Weiner Resigns From Congress

Anthony Weiner is taking a leave of absence from politics in order to learn Judaism at an Israeli rabbinic academy. Rep. Weiner, looking sporting a turquoise yarmulke and the beginnings of a scraggly beard, looked relaxed as he explained his latest move.

"One of my lady Tweeter followers sent me a link from some blogger in Jerusalem. I can say with certainty that what the guy wrote really made an impression on me. After consulting with my wife Huma, we decided that we are on our way to Jerusalem."

When asked why he does not stay in New York to learn at a local rabbinic academy, Weiner replied,"For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem."

What does Huma think about this? According to Weiner she said, "For whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God; where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried; the LORD do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me."

Disclaimer: this post is entirely fictional, at least at this point in time.

How Rep. Anthony Weiner Can Leverage Weinergate

One might think that the disgraceful Weinergate scandal and the pathetic attempted cover-up spell the end for Anthony Weiner. I beg to disagree. This entire debacle can be a positive turning point for the man!

I know what you are thinking: This guy must be kidding! After all the Weinergate narrative is as follows: Anthony Weiner is a young and rising star in Congress, the pride of his family, "My son the congressman". The man is married to an aide to Secretary of State Clinton, giving him even more traction in the Democratic Party. Things are looking good for him until his deplorable "virtual relationships", complete with foul-mouthed chats and immodest photos, are revealed to the public. His political future and the future of his marriage seem to be in doubt. What can be positive about that? A true "from riches to rags" story!

I would like to offer an alternative Weinergate narrative: An American-Jew grows up, like so many of his generation, knowing almost nothing about Judaism. He engulfs himself in the pursuit of power, money and physical pleasures. Weiner leads an immoral life for decades, culminated by marrying a gentile. From a Torah point of view, this man is not a success, and that is an understatement. Then he gets caught indulging in virtual debauchery. This is a true "from rags to filthy rags" story.

However, in spite of everything, Anothony Weiner can leverage this situation. What seems to be an unfortunate turn of events is a blessing in disguise! It is a wake up call for Anthony Weiner. Anthony Weiner, ayeka? Where are you? Perhaps it is time to reconsider the way you lead your life? Come home, Anthony Weiner! Leave your false concepts of success, and leave your gentile wife! Take some time off to learn in a yeshivah, to find out who you really are! Weinergate may be the best thing that ever happened to you! It all depends on what you do with it.

Weinergate, Shavuot and the Zohar

As I was waiting for the chazan to start chazarat hashatz this morning I took a look at Sefer HaZohar. I opened up it up to this week's Torah portion and this is what I found:

וַיְדַבֵּר יְיָ אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵאמֹר. דַּבֵּר אֶל אַהֲרֹן וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו בְּהַעֲלוֹתְךָ אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת וְגוֹ', רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח, (תהלים יט) וְהוּא כְּחָתָן יוֹצֵא מֵחוּפָּתוֹ וְגוֹ'. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרְעֵי בְּהוֹן, וְיָהַב לְהוֹן אוֹרַיְיתָא דִּקְשׁוֹט, אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי, דְּבֵיהּ אָחִיד בַּר נָשׁ (ס''א ירית) חַיִּין לְהַאי עָלְמָא, וְחַיִּין לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתְּדַל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וְאָחִיד בָּהּ, אִית לֵיהּ חַיִּין (ס''א אחיד בחיין). וְכָל מַאן דְּשָׁבִיק מִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְאִתְפְּרַשׁ מֵאוֹרַיְיתָא, כְּאִלּוּ מִתְפְּרַשׁ מֵחַיִּין, בְּגִין דְּהִיא חַיִּין, וְכָל מִלּוֹי חַיִּין, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (משלי ד) כִּי חַיִּים הֵם וְגוֹ'. וּכְתִיב (משלי ג) רִפְאוּת תְּהִי לְשָׁרֶךָ וְגוֹ.

A very rough translation:

Meritorious is Israel's portion, for the Holy One blessed be He desired them, and gave them the Torah of truth, the tree of life, that in it a man grasps life in this world, and life the the world to come. And every person that exerts himself in Torah learning and grasps it, he has life. And every person that abandons the words of Torah, and separates himself from the Torah, it is as if he has separated himself from life, for she (the Torah) is life, and its words are life, as it is written,"For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh" and it is written, "It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones."

What an appropriate passage to come across the day before Shavuot!

But what does this have to do with Weinergate? There seems to be a difference of opinion if Congressman Anthony Weiner is really a Jew. In any case, his father certainly is.

When one is attached to Torah he is attached to life, to the source of life. When one distances himself from the Torah, he separates himself from the source of life. He (or his offspring) will eventually descend to the depths of depravity, as seen from Congressman Weiner's tweets and attempted cover-up.

I admire Congressman Weiner for coming clean and admitting his wrongdoing. If Congressman Weiner is really a Jew, he should go the full path of Teshuvah, which would include separating himself from his gentile wife.

Interesting Links

מאיר שלו לא עומד בסטנדרטים של עצמו

IDF Homefront Command to Hack "Kosher" phones

More Than Cheesecake and Blintzes

Lebanese writer: "Would we want to be treated like we treat the Palestinians?"