Parsha Acharei Mos/Kedoshim 5769: The Kohen – Paradigm for Loving Care, Conduit for Unity

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by Moshe Burt

Our twin Parshiyot; Acharei Mos and Kedoshim are what baseball fans refer to as another of the “doubleheader” parshas. And just as Parshiyot Tazria and Metzora are extensions of each other, visa vi Tumah and Ta’Hara regarding post-birth, regarding skin, hair, clothing or regarding one’s home or building; Acharei Mos and Kedoshim are extensions of each other regarding Kohanim, Yom Kippur, the Kohen’s Yom Kippur avodah in the Kadosh Kedoshim and the Kohanic model of Darchim, which the entire B’nai Yisrael ideally embraces and exhibits as a model for all mankind. read more

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Vilna’i: All Israel in Range of Hamas, Hezbollah Rockets

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Commentary:

Boker Tov Am Yisrael! As if Vilna’i’s warning should come as any great shock to anyone with eyes, ears or a functioning brain in their head. But it just boggles the mind how the typical Yosef Q. Israeli doesn’t have his back up at the mal-feasance and non-feasance of successive governments, including Netanyahu, who have sat back, equivocating, voting to make parts of Jewish land Yudenrein and letting this state of affairs come to be. Frankly, this Jew is more than a litle tired of excuses, expressions like “ein ma’alasot”
(nothing can be done), or “I’m too tired to fight, too tired to win.” read more

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Thursday, Friday War News: Kassam Fired From Gaza at Kibbutz, 8 Terrorists Nabbed in Operations; 5 Police Wounded in Arab Riots, Arabs Stone Firefighters Fighting Fire near Tulkarem, Arabs Stone Jewish Car Near Jenin

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Monday Thru Wednesday War News: 23 Terrorists Nabbed, 4 Bombs Found in Ramle — Gang or Terror-Related?, Molotov Cocktail Attacks Near Ramallah, Beit El, Rock Attack Damages Vehicle Near Hevron

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Recent War News: 13 Terrorists Nabbed, Possible Terror Attack Averted on Be’er Sheva – Dimona Train, 2 Police Hit by Arab Auto, Terrorist Killed Throwing Bomb at Beit El Home

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Parshiyot Tazria/Metzora 5769: Ta’amei and Tahara on National Level

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In learning about the laws of tzara’as, we find posukim which are a pelah, a wonderment.

Torah relates in our Parsha;

“If the tzara’as will erupt on the skin, and … will cover the entire skin of the afflicted from his head to his feet, wherever the eyes of the Kohen can see — the Kohen shall look, and behold! — the affliction has covered his entire flesh, then he shall declare the affliction to be pure; having turned completely white, it is pure. On the day healthy skin appears …, it (the affliction) shall be contaminated.” (Sefer Vayikra, Perek 13, posukim 12 – 14) read more

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Israel’s Imperatives: Confident Leadership, Cohesion of National Purpose

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The Jerusalem Post’s David Horovitz has written a commentary noting that Israel faces security challenges requiring confident leadership and cohesion of national purpose:

Home Truths About Gaza, by David Horovitz (Jerusalem Post)

Excerpts:

    Are we losing the capacity to distinguish between what we know from our own experiences to be true or credible and what others would have the world believe about us?

…Esther Wachsman, whose son Nachshon was kidnapped by Hamas in 1994 and killed in a Palestinian village not far from Jerusalem as the IDF tried to come to his rescue, describes poignantly how the family came to choose his name.

The family’s third son, he was born at Pessah time in 1975, and they decided to name him in honor of Nachshon the son of Aminadav, the man who had the guts to trust God and test the waters, the man who leapt into the Red Sea confident that his people would be able to cross, the man who showed the children of Israel the path to their destiny. read more

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Wednesday-Friday War News: 2 Gaza Rockets and IDF Retaliation; IDF Nabs 6 Terrorists, Attempted Terrorist Infiltration of Beit Hagai Foiled, Molotovs and Stonings at Kalkilya, Azoun, Karnei Shomron, Lower Galilee

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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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