Parsha Ki Tisa 5769 — Torah Principle, Immoral Law and Peer Group Pressure

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By Moshe Burt

For many years, since 1991 when Parsha Ki Tisa marked my son Philip’s Bar Mitzvah, I have spoken or written about a posuk in our Parsha which alludes to an event which is recorded in Torah 40 years later, in a subsequent Parsha.

The posuk being referred to (Sh’mos, Perek 30, posuk 30) says that while Moshe Rabbeinu was on Har Sinai being given Torah, Hashem said;

“You shall anoint Aaron and his sons and sanctify them to minister (to serve) me.”

This seemingly obscure posuk which pops up in a couple of slightly different forms in both Parsha Tetzaveh and in our Parsha raises a challenging question which cuts to the chase of what we continue to face today. The question is; what about that Pinchas Ben Elazar? Why was he not anointed as a Kohen with his brothers? read more

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Shabbos War News: Five Gaza Rockets Fired at Israel, IAF Responds Hitting Terrorist Smuggling Tunnel, Terrorist Rocket Launcher; Rock Attacks Near Beersheva, Kalkilya

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Arab Tractor Terrorist: An Illegal Who ‘Drove Unhindered to Scene’

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‘Terrorist Drove Unhindered to Scene’, by Shelly Paz, Rebecca Anna Stoil (Jerusalem Post)

Commentary:

According to an updated Jerusalem Post report, since the original report came out on this latest tractor terrorist attack; certain other salient facts regarding the tractor terror attack have come to light:

The attacker – later identified as Mar’i al-Rdaidah, 26, from the capital’s northeastern Beit Hanina neighborhood – reached the intersection near Teddy Stadium and managed to push the police patrol car for about 30 meters, police said. He pushed the police vehicle into the bus, but his momentum was apparently stopped by the bus and an electrical post pinned between the police car and the bus.

The bus was full of girls dressed in Purim costumes en route to cheer up patients at Hadassah hospital, according to the Zaka rescue and recovery service.

  • Rdaidah drove the construction vehicle unhindered through the city to the scene of the attack, Channel 2 reported.
  • According to the report, Rdaidah, who lived on the Palestinian side of Beit Hanina and did not have an Israeli ID card, was the owner of the vehicle, unlike in the two previous bulldozer rampages in Jerusalem last year.
  • Police, Magen David Adom and Zaka personnel streamed to the scene within minutes. read more

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    Thursday Night, Friday War News: At Least 7 Rockets Hit South, IAF Hits Smuggling Tunnels; 2 Terrorists Nabbed

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    Thursday War News: Another Tractor Terrorist; “No Reason Other than… that We Live in Jerusalem” — Mayor Barkat; Four Kassams, Mortars Hit Western Negev, 4 Terrorists Nabbed

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    The Jerusalem Post reports a tractor driver was shot while attempting an attack on a police car, a bus and other vehicles:

    Excerpts;

    A tractor driver was shot after intentionally attacking a police car on Thursday and trying to tip over additional vehicles including a public bus at the Golomb intersection, near Jerusalem’s Malha Mall. Army Radio reported that the tractor driver was critically wounded immediately.

    Two police officers were reportedly lightly injured in the attack, Army Radio said. read more

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    Purim 5769: The Meaning of Purim, and the “New Jew”

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    By Moshe Burt

    In writing a vort on Purim, this author thinks back to a theme addressed in an earlier Siyum on Mesechta Megillah from a few years ago as well as another recurring theme on this blog.

    The Jew separates and distinguishes himself from the rest of the nations through the Mitzvah of Bris Milah, even though many of our contemporary Jewish brothers would distance themselves from, or stand in denial of their Yiddishkeit. In short, many among our Jewish brethren would deny Hashem’s control of the world and seek to tailor Torah and their Jewishness to fit the ways of the nations rather than accepting Hashem’s reishut (command) over the world. read more

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    Wednesday War News: 2 Kassams Hit Negev, IAF Reponds Killing Senior Islamic Jihad Commander; 9 Terrorists Nabbed, Molotov Hurled at Israeli Vehicle

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    Sunday Night, Monday War News: At Least 10 Rockets Hit Since Sunday Afternoon, Including 5 at Sdot Negev region; 9 Terrorists, 53 Illegal Arabs Nabbed

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    2 Kassams Hit Sdot Negev in Latest Barrage; No Casualties or Damage

    Rocket Falls Short in Gaza

    Rocket Hits Outside Sderot Home as 6 Rockets Fired from Gaza, by Yaakov Lappin (Jerusalem Post)

    Excerpts:

    Gaza terrorists continued their attacks on Israeli civilian areas on Sunday evening, firing six rockets at the western Negev. One of the Kassams hit in the yard of a Sderot home, causing slight damage to the house.

    The other five rockets hit open areas in the Sdot Negev region. There were no casualties in the attacks. read more

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    Sunday War News: Kassams Hit South Satuday Night, Sunday AM, Olmert Vows “Total Quiet” in South; Israeli Car Stoned Near Ramallah, 2 Terrorists Nabbed

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    Kassam Hits Open Area in Western Negev [12:10 AM Sunday Morning]; No Casualties Reported

    PM Vows to Bring ‘Total’ Quiet to South

    Commentary:

    Olmert’s comments; …We will respond in a serious, painful, strong and uncompromising way…. Israel has a wide range of options which can be used and these options will be utilized until total quiet is brought to the South” are laughable and more Olmert boast of which he is noted. What “painful, strong and uncompromising way?” What “wide range of options?” Air Force bombing of empty fields or smuggling tunnels dug so deeply below ground level as to be impervious to bombing?? read more

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    Parsha Tetzaveh 5769 — The Urim U’Tumim, Divine Inspiration and Plain Common Sense

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    by Moshe Burt

    In our Parsha Tetzaveh, the laws regarding the annointment, the vestments and the Avodah (service) of the Kohanim are enunciated for the Jewish people.

    While preparing this Parsha HaShavua, this author came across a puzzling quote in Torah Gems by Aharon Yaakov Greenberg on our Parsha.

    The quote, which is cited (pg 192) relates to perek 28, parsha 15; “And you will make the breastplate of judgement with the work of an artisan…” and is attributable to someone called “Akeidah”, reads; read more

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