Shalom Friends;
This week, our Parshat HaShavua, Re’eh is being sponsored by Rabbi Aba and Laura Wagensberg of Ramat Beit Shemesh dedicated in loving memory of their fathers: Moshe ben Me’ir Yechiel Wagensberg and Avraham ben Aharon Frayman — may their souls soar ever higher and may they receive continued Yiddishe Nachas from their entire family. The Wagensbergs also dedicate this vort for the safety of the Chayalim and the liberation of all remaining hostages, as well as for the good health and security of kol Am Yisrael. To the Wagensberg family, many thanks for your sponsorship and for your continued kindnesses. To the Wagensberg family, many thanks for your sponsorship and for your continued kindnesses.
You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShevua.
Please forward to your relatives and friends and encourage them to sponsor a Parshat HaShevua. And please be in contact with me with any questions, or for further details.
Best Regards,
Moshe Burt
olehchadash@yahoo.com
Subscribe to the Israel and the Sin of Expulsion blog, to ask questions or to sponsor a Parsha Vort at: olehchadash@yahoo.com
**********************************************
Halfway through our Parshat Re’eh, Torah informs us not to emulate the ways of nations who previously occupied the Land.
Torah records:
“You are children of Hashem, your G’d — you shall not slash yourselves and you shall not make a bald spot between your eyes for a dead person. For you are a holy people to Hashem, your G’d…” (Sefer Devarim, Perek 14, posukim 1 – 2 rendered to English in the Artscroll Stone Chumash)
Sefer Shem Mishmuel (Selections on the weekly parshiyot and festivals by Rabbi Shmuel Bornstein, the Rebbe of Sochaczev, rendered to English by Rabbi Zvi Belovski) provides this comment, which in part, delivers a message critical to Am Yisrael in our times. The Sochaczever Rebbe notes (page 396) :
..This verse seems to provide a straightforward message. Whenever someone dies, his relatives should not mutilate themselves because of their loss, since a Holy people do not conduct themselves in this way. Chazal see another, completely different Halacha in this verse: “Do not slash yourselves” — do not form factions. (Sefer Shem Mishmuel citing Yevamos 13b)
Shem Mishmuel now provides a commentary regarding the prohibition of forming factions (pages 397 – 398) :
Let us consider the other law which Chazal have derived from our verse — the prohibition of forming factions within the Halachic system. This error stems from dispute and a lack of unity, where each person or group tries to assert his viewpoint to the exclusion of others. However, we are supposed to realize that at some level the souls of every member of Klal Yisrael are from the same root: we are all part of one spiritual entity. It is only the physical characteristics of our existence which differ from person to person. These physical differences give rise to diverse attitudes and needs, which can manifest themselves as dispute and fractionalization. It should be clear that when one focuses inappropriately on the physical side of existence, the differences between people are emphasized and this leads to factionalization. In contrast, if one focuses on the spiritual side of things, one will gain a growing appreciation of the similarities between people and their very substantial common ground, This will automatically lead to unity.
It is fundamental to thought in Judaism that life continues on a higher plane after death and that the soul lives on in a higher realm. Self-mutilation reveals a level of grief which [mistakenly] indicates that one feels that the deceased is completely gone and that no trace of him remains at any level. The bereaved who slashes himself actually mutilates his body, indicating his feeling of loss for his relative’s physical body.
When someone dies, the soul no longer needs the body and it [the soul] returns to Hashem, while the body is buried. Excessive mourning, expressed by slashing oneself over the loss of the body, indicates a misunderstanding… The bereaved has the role of the body out of focus, mourning it as though it had a purpose of its own.
…Chazal did not arbitrarily connect the traditional prohibition of forming factions to the verse forbidding self-mutilation. These two issues are closely linked, as they both stem from the same basic flaw. If we focus on the physical aspects of life, this may lead to self-mutilation at the time of bereavement and to factionalization in the legal system. Conversely, focusing on the spiritual aims of life will help us put bereavement in its proper perspective and to avoid the pitfalls of a divided legal system.
In our time, when the Islamic nations and terrorists, both on our borders and within our borders seek our destruction, detect disunity within Am Yisrael and perceive disparate (adjective: distinct in kind; essentially different; dissimilar. disparate ideas) factions as national weakness, they see an opportunity for war against us. Such was the War of Simchat Torah with the barbarous, murderous acts perpetrated against women and children, as well as the taking of hundreds of hostages and their mistreatment under the most inhumane conditions. Further, these terrorist animals view our factions, such as Kaplan Group, who hijacked numbers of the hostage families by their advocating the return of the hostages at all costs, as the means for perceiving that they (Hamas, Islamic Jihad, etc.) hold the upper hand over us with “negotiations” despite their having been decisively bludgeoned by the IDF, i.e. a possible perception by Hamas of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
In addition, the world’s mainstream media, as well as the nations with their non-governmental organizational funds, view Israel’s disparate factions as opportunities to feed what they view as internal discord (noun: lack of… harmony between persons or things).
Israel’s fresh victory-oriented strategies in Gaza and attacks in Iran which demolished much of their nuclear facilities, scientists, military leadership, ballistic missiles and ballistic missile manufacturing facilities exemplify positive changes resulting from the appointments of a new defense minister and foreign minister. The pre-emptive actions against Iran are nothing short of miraculous, B’Yad Hashem.
However, the newly appointed military chief of staff, who seemed to be signaling a more zealous, diligent command structure and strategy based on valid understandings of their adversary’s intentions and concern for Israel’s sovereignty and security upon his appointment, now seems to be following in the footsteps of his predecessor in calling for an end to the war in Gaza short of complete victory and eradication of Hamas, i.e. snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, and quite possibly sentencing the remaining living hostages to death to boot.
May we see our government and military become Totally self-sufficient as to manufacture of military equipment and aircraft, weaponry, munitions — heavy munitions, as well as showing independence of actions responding to any threat, regardless of so-called “super powers.” And may see, from here on, that border guard personnel at all points of possible danger are listened to and treated with respect and dignity. May these words come to fruition B’Esrat Hashem.
May we, the B’nei Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif e permanently re-settled in Gush Katif, once the IDF, by the Yad Hashem, destructs and eradicates the wild beasts of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, all other terror entities, and if necessary Iran, and that our brethren be made totally whole — be totally restituted for all that was stolen from them, that the thrice expelled families of Amona be restored to their rebuilt homes and the oft-destroyed Yeshiva buildings in Homesh be rebuilt, as well as the buildings of Yishuv Elchanan, all at total government expense. May our Chayalim return from battle unharmed — physically, mentally and spiritually and may all of the remaining hostages brutally taken by the wild beasts of Hamas be liberated and brought home to their families. Baruch Hashem that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard is now in his fifth year at home in Eretz Yisrael and continues in a new chapter in his life. May Esther Yocheved bat Yechiel Avraham have an aliyah in Shemayim and may her spirit and memory continue to lift Jonathan to at least 120 years. May the MIAs be liberated alive and returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem — as with the return in April, 2019, via Russia, of the remains of Zachariah Baumel, the recent recovery of the remains of Tzvi Feldman as well as the recovery of the remains of Oron Shaul as should the remains of the other chayal from the Gaza War of ten years ago. May we have the courage and strength to stand up and physically prevent the possibility of Chas V’Challila any future eviction of Jews from their homes and prevent Chas V’Challila the handing of Jewish land over to anyone, let alone to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we see, in 5785, the REAL Jews from the Ukraine and Russia as well as the US and Canada, the real Jews via matrilineal descent, make Aliyah enmass — via thorough review by Misrad HaPanim. And may we soon and finally see the total end to the Communist Chinese Wuhan Lab corona virus pandemic and all like viruses and variants. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nei Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem Al’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bimhayrah b’yamainu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!
Good Shabbos!
———————————————————
Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
Moshe is available for editing of English language documents, articles, manuscripts and more. Please be in contact with him at olehchadash@yahoo.com for your English language needs.
*********************************************************