Parsha Achrai Mos/Kedoshim 5766: Your Fellow Jew, as Yourself, Revisited …

ParshaAchraiMos/Kedoshim 5766: Your Fellow Jew, as Yourself, Revisited
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by Moshe Burt

One of the main themes underlying Parsha Kedoshim is the loving care with which each Jew is to treat his Jewish brother. Indeed, we see that the first posuk of our Parsha conveys that spirit, “Hashem spoke to Moshe saying, “Speak to the entire assembly of B’nai Yisrael and say to them: You shall be holy, for holy am I, Hashem, your G’d.” (Sefer Vayikra, Perek 19, posuk 1) Our Parsha then goes on to enumerate the Asseret HaDivrot, the Ten Commandments in depth. read more

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Dayenu — 5766; An Evil Regime vs Jewish Unity …

Dayenu — 5766; An Evil Regime vs Jewish Unity

By Moshe Burt

This year will mark eleven years, and my eighth 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.

This theme of Dayenu is ever more timely now, this year in the days before Pesach 5766 here in Eretz Yisrael. Last year, an evil Israeli regime carried out a modern-day expulsion of 9,000 Jews from their homes in Gush Katif and the Shomron. Our worst fears came to fruition, our brothers were ousted from their homes at legalized gunpoint, robbed of all of their possessions and assets; the promised compensation not forthcoming — not then, not over the ensuing eight months, probably never. And during the recently completed campaign, the Jews were given a taste at Amona of what another evil regime led by the trial balloon man of the previous regime intends; they now boast of a replay of Gush Katif within 2 years — this time that 80,000 Jews will be ousted from their homes, with their property and assets stolen just as was previously done in Gush Katif and the 4 Shomron towns. And undoubtedly, if not stopped, the evil ones will move to oust Jews from other parts of Eretz Yisrael — Beit El, Shilo, Jerusalem’s Old City, etc. There would then be not contiguity between Jerusalem and Ma’alei Adumim, but rather Yudenrein. And soon we would be but a few enclaves hugging the sea. That is the reality of the term called “convergence”. read more

The Coalition Machinations Go On …

Kadima Officials Planning to Begin Assembling New Gov’t Next Week

Labor Members Slam Peretz for Courting Right

Rabbi Elyashiv Instructs MKs to Recommend Olmert

Activists Call on Public to Pressure Shas and UTJ Not to Choose Olmert

Shas and United Torah Judaism to Form Bloc

Commentary;

Don’t the Chareidim catch on that they’re being burned yet again? Or is it that after Gush Katif, they still care about NOTHING but the money?? For context, click here and here. MB

Rafi Eitan Shows His True Colors: As Pollard Languishes in US Prison … read more

Another Take on Next Tuesday’s Elections …

With thanks to and permission of Ellen Horowitz.

Bird Flu Over the Cuckoos Nest and Other Reflections
by Ellen W. Horowitz

Until a week ago, every time I spotted flocks of migratory birds from my kitchen window in the Golan Heights, I would grab the binoculars and rush the kids outside to watch a spectacular site. Nowadays, when I spot the flocks, I yell “duck”, grab the kids, and race into the house for cover.

That I have 10 chickens running around my backyard adds to my anxiety. I’ve come to like my chickens. If you recall, two years ago Purim, I expressed a different type of chicken anxiety in “One Tough Chicken.” And so every morning, I arise and look out of my window to see if they’re all still alive and well. It gives new meaning to the expression, counting your chickens before they…croak (G-d forbid). read more

Parsha HaShevua: Shemos 5766

From Tapuach West, to Gush Katif, to Chevron and Elsewhere; “Surely this thing is known.”

By Moshe Burt

Two years ago, as we leyned Parsha Shemos, we witnessed the run-up to the cruel and brutal destruction of the Shul in Tapuach West by the Sharon government.

And because we didn’t then heed the lessons of Parsha Shemos and continued in our collective divisive ways rather than uniting, the Sharon government announced, on the heels of Tapuach West, its intent to expell Jews from parts of Eretz Yisrael; from Gaza and parts of the Shomron. read more

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Parsha Vayigash 5766: Why is Yehuda Yaakov’s Advance Man?

Parsha Vayigash 5766: Why is Yehuda Yaakov’s Advance Man?
By Moshe Burt

There has been much talk across the internet and in some religious circles about Rav Kaduri’s recent predictions that the current government will be the last of the “old era” and that Sharon will be the last prime minister in Israel as reported by Arutz-7 back in September, 2005. And a google search on “Rabbi Kaduri, Moshiach and Israeli Government” netted some interesting finds including this one. read more

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Torah Vort [or political satire?] — On Chanukah

Earlier in December, an email hit the log which was put away until the time appropriate to Chanukah. Now is that time. So here is a Vort on Chanukah;

Down With Hanukah
By Rabbi Meir Kahane

If I were a Reform rabbi; if I were a leader of the establishment
whose money and prestige have succeeded in capturing for himself the
leadership and voice of American Jewry; if I were one of the members
of the Israeli Government’s ruling group; if I were an enlightened
sophisticated, modern Jewish intellectual, I would climb the
barricades and join in battle against that most dangerous of all
Jewish holidays – Chanukah.
read more

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Parsha HaShavua — Lech Lecha 5766

Parsha Lech Lecha 5766: Aliyah — To The Jewish Big Leagues
By Moshe Burt

“Hashem said to Avram, Go for yourself from your land … to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation…” (Breish’t, Perek 12, posukim 1 & 2) I call this the “Aliyah Parsha.”

Rashi writes on the posukim, “For your benefit and good. It is there that I will make you a great nation …” (Rashi on Breish’t, Perek 12, posuk 1)

Sefat Emet asks, “if G’d himself promised … that the move would be for his good and his benefit, why should this have been such a great test?” It seems that it was exactly because of Hashem’s promise to him that the test was of greater magnitude because when Avram actually went, he did so “as Hashem had spoken to him.” (Breish’t Perek 12, posuk 4) “In other words, he went purely because he had been told to do so by G’d, without any intention of deriving any benefit from his actions. The test … was whether, after all of these promises. he would still be able to fulfill G’d’s will without even the hint of any desire for any benefit for himself.” (Word and quotes attributed to Sefat Emet, Torah Gems, Aharon Yaakov Greenberg, Parsha Lech Lecha, pge 97) read more

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Parsha HaShevua — Parsha No’ach 5766

Parsha No’ach 5766: The Lesson of Expulsion, Learning that “Line of
Gemora” and Reaching Beyond

by Moshe Burt

Had an interesting conversation at Night Seder the other night with a friend from Shul.

While talking with me about the Matzav we all face, he drew a contrast between himself and me. Being a musician, he asked me if I knew how to read a musical score. I said no. He complimented me at being so good at what I do; activism, fighting for Eretz Yisrael, understanding the “politics”, etc. read more

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