Recent Chol HaMo’ed War News: Egypt Hits Hamas, Hezbollah in Sinai, Gaza for Own Defense Reasons, Gaza Boat Loaded with Explosives Blows Up; Bedouin Smuggler to Hamas Indicted, 13 Terrorists Nabbed, Stonings and Harrassment in Old City, Hevron, Ramle, Arabs Stone Rabbi Sternbuch’s Car — Rabbi Unharmed

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Commentary:

Is Egypt “On the job”, or do her recent actions against Hamas and Hezbollah constitute one-time validation? How many tunnels continue operation under Egypt’s nose?

Is it possible that these recent actions reflect nothing more than Egypt acting against Hezbollah out of concern for her own national security regarding threat posed by Iran and Hezbollah and their alliance with the Muslim Brotherhood and possible strategic strikes by Iranian agents against Egypt’s economic lifeline? (MB) read more

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Parsha Shemini 5769 — Gauging the Sincerity of a Jew’s Service

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By Moshe Burt

We learn in Parsha Tzav that for seven days, Moshe taught Aaron HaKohen and his sons the laws of their Avodah in the Mishkan. (You might say that they were given OJT from Shemayim.)

Our Parsha Shemini begins by relating that on the eighth day, Aaron and his sons commenced their Avodah HaKodosh. And it is interesting and ironic that our parsha is the other side of the term; “Tzav-Shemonah” which is the document or order issued by the Israel Defense Forces calling reservists to active duty in event of war. read more

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Monday, Tuesday War News: Hamas Seeks ‘Mega Tunnels’ to Bring Rockets to Hit Tel Aviv; 24 Terrorists Nabbed in 2 Days, Firebombs and Rock Attacks — Jewish Driver Injured, Terror Infiltration Foiled Near Elon Moreh, Explosives, Weapons Seized in Umm el-Fahm

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Hamas Needs Smuggling ‘Mega Tunnels’ [to Smuggle in Larger Rockets], by Yaakov Katz (Jerusalem Post)

Excerpt:

“Rockets that Hamas would like to get its hands on include the long-range Iranian-made Fajr, which has a range of 70 km. and could reach as far as the outskirts of Tel Aviv. Unlike the Grad-model Katyusha, which is 2 meters long, the Fajr is close to 10 m. and is not easy to assemble if smuggled into Gaza in components.”

IDF Arrests 19 Terror Suspects in Judea and Samaria [in the Jenin, Shechem and Hevron Areas] read more

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Friday, Shabbos, Sunday War News: IDF Foils Bomb Plot at Gaza Border, Kill Female Terrorist Who Shot at Negev Base; IDF Nabs 5 Terrorists, Arabs Toss Molotov at Jewish Car Near Shechem

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The Korban Pesach: Hashem’s Modern-Day Tests of Emunah?

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by, Moshe Burt

Rabbi Chaim Zev Malinowitz has repeatedly urged our Kehilla to internalize the Yetziyat Mitzriyim — the B’nai Ysrael’s leaving Mitzriyim, to internalize, to feel, to make part of our very being and our daily lives that “I am a Jew who left Egyptian enslavement.”

In giving much thought to our leaving Mitzriyim, it seems that integral to the Yetziyat Mitzriyim is that the Jews took the Korban Pesach — Egyptian lambs, an Egyptian deity, tied it to the bedpost overnight, slaughtered it, took its blood and applied it to their doorposts and devoured it on the night before they left Mitzriyim. read more

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Dayenu 5769: The Korban Pesach; Its Modern-Day Sequels?

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by Moshe Burt

This year will mark fourteen years, and my eleventh Pesach in Eretz Yisrael, in which I have emailed, as it has become tradition with me from prior to my Aliyah, the rendition of Dayenu quoted from the book “Dear Brothers.” In each year, Dayenu holds a unique perspective, unlike the perspective of any previous year.

And so, the lessons of Dayenu are vital now, just as they were in the first year that I emailed this vort out or, for that matter, as vital as they were when it was quoted in Segal’s compilation of the book in its copyright year 1988. read more

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Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu Takes Office, Olmert Era Ends

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Commentary;

Finally, at long last, we have a Prime Minister. Perhaps, not the one we wanted, but at least not a lame-duck who nearly handed the country over in a “fire sale” and who now returns to private life to face a myriad of charges of political corruption and other misbehaviors.

Will Netanyahu be the same prime minister who gave away 80% of Hevron to murderers, signed Wye and got conned out of coming home with Jonathan Pollard and later voted with and helped facilitate Sharon, Olmert and Livni’s expulsion of Jews from their homes? Will his Prime Ministership be reflective of his demotion of Moshe Feiglin and others from their democratically won primary Knesset list positions, his fawning over Ehud Barak for defense minister and his rejection of Yaakov Katz and the National Union in forming his coalition? Will he finally be able took look a US president square in the eye without sweat-beads forming above his upper lip? In short, will Bibi finally display a firm Jewish backbone? read more

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Tuesday PM, Wednesday War News: Bombardment of 4 Kassams Tuesday; IDF Sudan Raid Planned Within 1 Week, Arab Worker Attacks Jewish Employer, IDF Nabs 18 Terrorists, IDF Releases Senior Hamas Member

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