Parshat Mikeitz/Shabbos Chanukah 5771: Yosef’s Marraige and Hashem’s Miracle Cure for Modern Hellenism

by Moshe Burt

In previous years, this author wrote about Yosef’s being thrown in a bor (pit) seething with snakes and scorpions — yet emerging unscathed, his being sold, his ensuing journey to Mitzrayim and his slavery, his imprisonment and his liberation and ascendency to the position of Viceroy, second only to Pharoh.

Jews keep having to re-learn and absorb the message of Chanukah and of the miracles done to Yosef time and again throughout our history, including here and now in our times of successive iron-fisted, cruel, corrupt ruling regimes who fraudulently pose as free and democratic whi;le dividing and conquering the people it “governs.” ALL of the Medina’s political parties, leaders and governance are in fact transparently corrupt, selfish, self-serving and self-aggrandizing; as were the Hellenists of the time of the Maccabees. read more

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Parshat Vayeishev 5771: Yosef and the Brothers vs the Hellinistic Israeli Regimes’ War of Polarization on Yiddishkeit

by Moshe Burt

A few years ago, just before Chanukah, a short article appeared on the INN website entitled;
“Mortar Shells Filled With Chanukah Light” which told about the Menorah which Neve Dekalim residents made from some of the spent Islamic mortal shells which were launched on their Gush Katif town over the years.

Reading about this special Menorah which was lit at one of the Jerusalem hotels which temporarily housed many evicted Neve Dekalim residents, took this author back in time to Philadelphia, in “the “old country” and to a point made by Rav Yehoshua Kaganoff about the pit in which Yaakov was thrown. The point bears repeating. read more

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Parshat Vayishlach 5771: Contrasting Moral, Spiritual Honesty With Suicidal Appeasement

by Moshe Burt

We learn at the end of Parsha Vayeitzei that Yaakov and his family were escorted by a group of Melachim to the border of Eretz Yisrael where a second group of melachim took over and escorted them inside Eretz Yisrael. Yaakov declared both groups to be Holy and named this border point Mahanaim for the two camps of Melachim.

It was about this second camp that our Parsha begins by informing that Yaakov sent Melachim (angels) — some render a translation of messengers:

“… ahead of him to Eisev to the land of Seir, to the field of Edom… Thus shall you say … to Eisev, so said your servant Yaakov: ‘Im-Lavan garti’ (I have sojourned with Lavan) …” (Sefer Breish’t, Perek 32, posukim 4 & 5). read more

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Parsha Vayeitzei 5771: Yaakov, Lavan and Practical Applications of Compassion and Cruelty L’Shem Shemayim

by Moshe Burt

In last week’s Parsha Toldos, we learned about Rivka, who rose above an evil environment while internalizing it’s insights and was thus well positioned to urge Yaakov to claim the Bracha, and about Yaakov, the “Ish Tam”. We learn that Yaakov was “totally honest, a man of great integrity” but was also master over the trait of being “tam”, a “‘plain man’, … without trickery. This means that Yaakov did not allow this “Ish Tam” character trait to dominate him. He knew when and where to act otherwise. We knew that from his demand for the birthright from Eisev in exchange for the lentil soup. These traits surely seemed inculcated to Yaakov as a result of Rivka Imeinu’s nurturing. We later learned that Yaakov told Rachel; “‘…that he was her father’s kinsman’, according to the Sages, ‘If he has come to be sly, I am his kinsman in being sly.'” (Rashi on Breish’t Perek 29, posuk 12) read more

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