Parsha Vayeitzei 5767: Distinguishing Good from Evil, Compassion from Cruelty…

Parsha Vayeitzei 5767: Distinguishing Good from Evil, Compassion from Cruelty

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”, who was master over the trait of being “tam”, a “‘plain man’, … without trickery, but he did not allow this character trait to dominate him. He knew when and where to act otherwise.” read more

Uncategorized

Boiling a Frog, or Lobster [or The Jewish State]

Boiling the Frog, by Yehuda Ben Meir (Haaretz)

This opinion article was seen on the Haaretz website on Sunday. In an unusual occurance, this author overlooked picking up the url. And today, while Ehud Olmert pleads with the “PA(sic)” for talks after the “ceasefire” and promises a sizeable release of terrorists (presumably many hundreds) in exchange for Gilad Shalit, “even those who have been sentenced to lengthy terms,” offers “large swathes of the West Bank” and to “release frozen funds to Palestinians”, the article below, “Boiling the Frog” has for some unknown reason vanished from the Haaretz website leaving no trace of it’s url. MB read more

Background on Cease-Fire: Olmert, Peretz Buying Additional Time to Squander…

Background: In Absence of Continuous Rocket Fire, “Three Monkey Mode” Should Work for PM Olmert, by Dr. Aaron Lerner (IMRA)

Full Text;

In the absence of continuous rocket fire, it should be fairly easy for Prime Minister Olmert’s team to adopt the “three monkey mode” (hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil) towards large scale Palestinian arms build ups exploiting the ceasefire.

If there is only sporadic rocket fire, Mr. Olmert can be expected to agree to extend the ceasefire to the West Bank (thus enabling the Palestinians to accelerate their rocket program there as well) with an eye towards negotiating more Israeli withdrawals without requiring the Palestinians to ever actually collect weapons. read more

Other Motsei Shabbos, Sunday War News…

Religious-Zionist “Nerve Center” Robbed of its Computers [on their Way to PA], by Hillel Fendel (Israel National News)

Excerpts;

Thieves emptied Beit Meir – headquarters of Religious-Zionism and its various organizations – of 15-20 computers over the Sabbath. The computers are feared on their way to the Palestinian Authority.

Some 15-20 computers were stolen in the raid, as well as state-of-the-art computer equipment. One of the employees told Arutz-7, “I fear that this will not become a very important story, as there has been a wave of such thefts in Jerusalem of late… Neither are the police likely to catch them, as it is assumed that the computers have already made their way to the ‘territories’ [Judea and Samaria].” read more

Uncategorized

Shabbos War News…

Uncategorized

What an Incompetent, Illiterate Defense Minster Wrought…

DM Peretz: PA Continues Attacks, Hizbullah Continues Arming, by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz (Israel National News)

Commentary;

Amir Peretz, easily THE most incompetent minister of defense in Israel’s modern history. If his handling of the war left any doubt of this fact, the excerpts below should more than squelch any doubts.
Read what
Barak of IRIS has to say about our OJT defense minister and what his illiteracy has wrought. MB

“MK Esterina Tratman suggested that Israel destroy PA infrastructure and ‘cut off all oxygen so that they cry ‘Mercy.’ Why should they have electricity if Shalit has not been returned? Where is our strength? Where is our logic?’ she asked.” read more

Uncategorized

Wednesday War News…

IDF: Soldiers Were Wounded Before Kidnapping

Full Text;

IDF reservists Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser were wounded by an explosive on their army vehicle before they were kidnapped July 12, according to a military report. Their conclusion is based on findings at the site where Hizbullah abducted the two soldiers at the outset of the terrorist war on the north.

Officers concluded that the two soldiers are alive. The report was completed three weeks ago but was not submitted to the government until after the United Nations Security Council ceasefire resolution was announced. The resolution includes a non-binding clause calling for the release of the soldiers. read more

Uncategorized

Parsha Nitzavim 5766: Unity — Hashem’s Covenant with Klal Yisrael …

Parsha Nitzavim 5766: Unity — Hashem’s Covenant with Klal Yisrael …

By Moshe Burt

Parsha Nitzavim begins; “Atem Nitzavim HaYom…Today you are standing before Hashem, your Lord… You are thus being brought into the covenant of Hashem, your Lord, and [accepting] the dread oath that He is making with you today. He has established you as his nation, so that He will be a G’d to you…” (Devarim, Perek 29, posukim 9-12)

L’l Mode U’Lamed comments on these first few p’sukim of Nitzavim noting; “that all members of Klal Yisrael, from the greatest of leaders to the simplest woodcutter, stood together as equals before Hashem…. Thus the poor woodcutter who is devout in his ways and who raises his children as true Jews is elevated to the same level as the wealthy supporter of Jewish causes. No man should consider himself too insignificant to be a partner in the covenant between the Jews and Hashem (L’l Mode U’Lamed on the Weekly Parsha, Parsha Nitzavim, page 183) read more

Uncategorized

How American Jewish Federations, Council of Presidents, ADL Squash Dissent Amongst American Jews…

Received the following insightful and compelling MUST READ email as to how the government of Israel and it’s American arm systematically maintain a head-in-the-sand, ignorance is bliss, subserviant mindset toward Israel among American Jews and how dissent and opposition are squashed.

For perspective and context on Jonathan Silverman’s email, click here, here, here and here for posts on this blog relating to the issues which Silverman raises.

Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2006 00:14:45 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jonathan Silverman read more

Shabbos War News …

Cease-fire Expected to Begin on Monday From AP and Jerusalem Post

Excerpts;

The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1701 Friday evening, calling for a cessation of hostilities between Hizbullah and Israel.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was expected recommend to the cabinet that it accept the UNSC resolution at its weekly meeting Sunday.

The agreement was expected to go into effect by Monday morning.

However, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Dan Gillerman told the UNSC that unless the means to enforce the resolution were to be defined, “We will be back [in the UNSC], if not in a week, then in a month or a year, facing an even greater tragedy.” read more