Hamas War

Thursday, November 30, 2017

Only in Jerusalem: Talking Torah on The Tracks


Yesterday as I was walking the old Jerusalem train tracks, minding my business and admiring the view, a couple of walkers stopped me:
"You're religious. Maybe you can help us."
"OK." I was curious. 
That was a very compelling opening line. What could they want from me?
"I've been trying to teach my friend Parshat Shavua, (Torah Portion of the Week,) and we have a problem. How could a man as righteous as Jacob lie to his father?" One of them asked me. 
Actually, this verse is from an earlier week, Toldot, Genesis Chapter 27:
19And Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you have spoken to me. Please rise, sit down and eat of my game, so that your soul will bless me."
 
יטוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יַֽעֲקֹ֜ב אֶל־אָבִ֗יו אָֽנֹכִי֙ עֵשָׂ֣ו בְּכֹרֶ֔ךָ עָשִׂ֕יתִי כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ אֵלָ֑י קֽוּם־נָ֣א שְׁבָ֗ה וְאָכְלָה֙ מִצֵּידִ֔י בַּֽעֲב֖וּר תְּבָֽרֲכַ֥נִּי נַפְשֶֽׁךָ:
By chance I had read the perfect response to this. I asked them if they were familiar with the power of punctuation and how it can change the meaning of things. Just add a comma or semicolon:
"אָֽנֹכִי֙' עֵשָׂ֣ו בְּכֹרֶ֔ךָ  I am myself; Esau your firstborn"
"Wow. That makes sense. Thank you so much."
And they went their way, and I went mine. Does this happen anyplace else, or just Jerusalem?


Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Waiting for Bill Clinton to Join the Condemned Sexual Predators Club

There's a revolution, or dream come true, going on in the western world, at least the USA. Women and men, too, who have spent years, even decades trying to recover from and hide terrible memories of sexual exploitation and/or harassment are finally seeing their torturers condemned publicly for immoral and despicable acts, words and/or attempts.

Until a few weeks ago, men (and even some women) considered certain actions as "perks" of their jobs or positions. In many cases the exploitation and/or harassment, was an offer that couldn't be refused.



Personally, besides being happy that the rules have changed, and sexual predators are now suddenly being condemned publicly, I do realize that some people are no doubt rather "confused." This "rule change" is affecting them and what they thought they could do.

We shouldn't be overly optimistic and think that from now on such crimes will never happen. Not so. Although some famous people have now gotten caught, most ordinary people guilty of the same crimes haven't, because they can still instill fear in the victims.

And there are those who have known histories as sexual predators, like former POTUS Bill Clinton, who seems coated with Teflon. I'm waiting...

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

USA State Dept hasn't Changed Since 29-11-1947

It's no secret that  way back when, before the Israeli Declaration of Independence, the American State Department had advised then President Harry Truman not to support a Jewish State in the United Nations vote. And Truman, with multiple pressures and problems to deal with as the replacement of the late FD Roosevelt, was pretty much convinced.

Jews like to think that the most important, pressing and urgent issue Truman had to deal with at the time was that upcoming vote. But Truman had more pressing things on his mind, no doubt. It took the personal urging of his old friend, Eddie Jacobson, to make him buck the State Department and instruct the United States representative to vote in favor of a Jewish State.

Here we are seventy 70 years later, and the State Department hasn't changed a bit. The big difference is the political and diplomatic skills of Truman versus Trump.

I highly recommend reading Caroline Glick's latest opinion piece in the Jerusalem Post:
OUR WORLD: THE STATE DEPARTMENT DROPS THE BALL
By reversing course on closing the PLO mission, and groveling to the threatening PLO, the State Department made a laughingstock of the US and President Trump...(complete article)

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Desalination: Do We Still Need Rain?

For many people the development and use of Desalination and other water purification processes have made old-fashioned primitive rain unnecessary. Here in Israel, where not all that long ago, every drop of rain and freshwater lakes and other  natural water sources were considered more precious than diamonds, we now hear that "we don't need rain."

Considering that the rain in this part of the world comes totally from Gd as a barometer of our obedience to Gd's commandments, that's like saying that we don't need Gd. It reminds me of what many Jews have said since the invention of modern refrigeration systems.
"With refrigeration, we don't need to keep the Laws of Kashrut."
Kashrut is more than a primitive system to keep food safe for eating.

Last night before going to bed, I checked the weather forecast and saw that rain was predicted, so I decided not to do laundry. I generally hang mine out to dry, unless there has been a very rainy week with no such opportunities. This morning the sun was summer blue, so I quickly did two washes. But since this is supposed to be the height of the rainy season, and we've hardly had any rain, I won't get upset if the sky suddenly gets dark and rain starts to fall.

To be very honest, I'm terribly worried by all the Israelis/Jews who insist that we don't need rain anymore. First of all, there is the theological problem in this. Denying dependence on Gd for the most basic of natural resources, the insistence that man can provide for such a crucial need goes against the most basic principle in Judaism. It competes with those who insist that our national security is dependent on technology and foreign nations. History shows that our greatest victories, 1948, 1967 and 1973 were miraculous. And for those who claim that Nixon/Kissinger saved Israel in 1973, the truth is a lot more complicated. We were victorious when we defied them; their aim was a "draw" between us and Egypt, so they could come in as "peacekeepers."

And in terms of the water's qualities, I think that everyone who has had different types of water, the purified the "hard" mountain spring water and the "soft," which is popular in coastal areas, especially in the USA, there are differences in taste. Also there are easily measurable differences in the various minerals found in water. Just look at the labels of bottled waters.

Not only people like myself can discern those differences, but our health can be affected, as are the agricultural products. The taste and sweetness of oranges after a couple of strong rains are totally different from that in oranges grown with "treated" water. Compare sawdust with sugar. That's how differently they taste, as far as I'm concerned. I'd rather have a shorter season for the oranges than find myself trying to eat the results of irrigation with purified/desalinated water. A friend who is a farmer here insists that the fruit grown with the industrially treated water is far inferior in quality to that grown with rainwater.

If we keep bragging that we don't need Gd's rain, the greatest gift, anymore, then Gd will turn off the faucets completely. The desalinated water is fine for washing floors and other such chores, but it's no substitute for rain, lakes, streams etc. And we really must remember that our entire existence is dependent on Gd, not our industries and intelligence.

GUEST POST: Rambam vs Reform Judaism

Rambam vs. Reform Judaism
a guest post by Mr. Cohen

Rambam’s Hilchot Teshuvah, chapter 3, paragraph 8:
--------------------------------------------------------------------
If any Jew denies that even ONE WORD of the Torah
is Divinely-revealed, then he is a heretic [apikuris]. 

In paragraph 6 of this chapter, Rambam teaches that
a heretic [apikuris] has no place in the afterlife
of the righteous, and will be punished eternally. 

CHRONOLOGY:
Rambam was born 1134 CE in Córdoba and died 1204 CE in Egypt.

Around 930 years before Rambam was born, the Mishnah,
tractate Sanhedrin, chapter 10, paragraph 1, taught that
Jews who deny the divine-origin of the Torah
have no place in the afterlife of the righteous.
____________________________________________________________
TOTAL NUMBER OF WORDS IN ESSAY SHOWN ABOVE: 100
=====================================
Please also read: If Daniel Were Alive Today:
https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2018/03/if-daniel-were-alive-today.html

Please also read: If Isaiah Were Alive Today:
https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2018/03/if-isaiah-were-alive-today.html

Please also read: If Ezekiel Were Alive Today:
https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2018/03/if-ezekiel-were-alive-today.html

Please also read: If Jeremiah Were Alive Today:
https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2018/03/if-jeremiah-were-alive-today.html

Please also read: If Ezra Were Alive Today:
https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2018/03/if-ezra-were-alive-today.html

Please also read: If Nehemiah Were Alive Today:
https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2018/04/if-nehemiah-were-alive-today.html

Please also read: If Joshua Were Alive Today:
https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2018/05/if-joshua-were-alive-today.html
 
Please also read: Refuting the Fans of Vashti:
https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2018/02/refuting-fans-of-vashti.html
=====================================
____________________________________________________________
PLEASE help the battle against
internet anti-Semitism by making
a PayPal donation to:

FourCupsOfWine@gmail.com.

THANK YOU!!
____________________________________________________________
OTHER BLOG POSTS BY MR. COHEN:


Ancient Roman historians connected Jews with the Land of Israel and Jerusalem:
https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2017/02/guest-post-josephus-vs-muslim-liars.html
http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2016/05/guest-post-cornelius-tacticus.html


Rambam Rejected Childless Messiah:
http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2016/08/rambam-rejected-childless-messiah-by-mr.html

Why Muslims Hate Jews:
https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2016/12/guest-post-why-muslims-hate-jews.html
https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2017/01/guest-post-moynihan-1982.html

Forgotten Oppression against Jews:
https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2017/01/guest-post-forgotten-oppression.html
https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2017/03/guest-post-forgotten-anti-semitism.html

https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2017/06/guest-post-kiddush-hashem-1498.html

https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2017/01/guest-post-jewish-nyc-mayor.html

How a Reform Rabbi Become Orthodox (true story):
http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2016/07/how-did-reform-rabbi-become-orthodox-jew.html
Sephardic Jews Reject Reform Judaism:
https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2017/07/sephardim-reject-reform.html
https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2017/08/guest-post-persian-rabbis-decree.html
Greek NYC Jews and Syrian NYC Jews
(a rarely-told true story that very few people know about):
http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2016/03/greek-jews-syrian-jews.html

How to Convict the New York Times of Unfair Bias Against Israel:
https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2016/11/guest-post-how-to-convict-new-york-times.html
https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2016/11/guest-post-nyt-erases-israel-from-map.html
http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2016/03/guest-postnyt-vs-israel.html


How to Pray for Tzahal-IDF:
http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2016/09/how-to-pray-for-tzahal-idf.html
____________________________________________________________
Do Palestinians Want a Two-State Solution?
by Daniel Polisar, PhD in Political Science
https://mosaicmagazine.com/essay/2017/04/do-palestinians-want-a-two-state-solution/


*********************************************************
PLEASE HELP DEFEND ISRAEL FROM UNFAIR MEDIA:
*********************************************************
http://advocacy.ou.org/
https://antisemitism.uk/
https://twitter.com/EyeOnHamas 






www.BBCwatch.org                         

www.jhrw.com                                  
www.ngo-monitor.org
www.PalWatch.org                           
www.UKMediaWatch.org
www.UNwatch.org

____________________________________________________________

Saturday, November 25, 2017

The Jewish African Prince Rabbi

Last week I attended an amazing talk by a person whose life could be a movie script, one of those most people would claim as unrealistic impossible.

Rabbi Natan Gamedze told his story to Telfed, the South African Zionist Federation of Israel and many others who crowded into the packed lecture hall.

Many of my friends are converts, and some also have rather interesting family stories, but Rabbi Nati's story is even more unusual.

In telling his personal story, Rabbi Nati also gave some reasons for the political instability in Africa, which are the same as in other parts of the world. When he was growing up, his grandfather was a preacher, having abdicated his throne in order to be more active in the church. That was pretty good timing, since Britain had redrawn borders, combining a number of incompatible tribes into the same country. In compensation, Rabbi Nati's father was given important cabinet posts.

When Rabbi Nati was a university student in South Africa he was very friendly with Jewish students and even visited them at home and went to events in the synagogues. There was still apartheid at the time, and it was rare for blacks to be so friendly with whites. At that time he wasn't interested in theology.

Rabbi Nati studied languages. He is fluent in many. And it was in a language course that he noticed someone writing a strange-looking language from right to left. That piqued his curiosity, and he ended up taking Hebrew courses which brought him to Israel. And he was curious about Judaism, finding that its theology made sense to him. Judaism is a unique Truth. Now, not only does he teach Judaism here in Israel, but he travels all over lecturing. The movie below tells his story better than I could.

Friday, November 24, 2017

Rethinking Thanksgiving

I have no doubt that many Americans will take umbrage, get super angry and upset at this post. While I was still an American, and yes I do retain official citizenship/passport, I learned of how immigration quotas were put in force to try to keep out undesirables, like Jews. This is a fact, not opinion.

Most American Jews ignore it. But check your American History. Early in the twentieth century, when official statisticians began to notice that massive immigration of Jews from eastern Europe was rapidly increasing the number of Jews, they instituted quotas based on much earlier statistics to keep Jews out.

Jewish refugees were never welcomed to the United States; they were grudgingly allowed in. For Jews, the Thanksgiving holiday was more of a "whoopee we got in," rather than "thanks for the hug."

Remember the closed doors prior to World War Two and afterwards. Jewish refugees, begging for a safe haven, were told to go elsewhere.

And for the "lucky ones" who did make it to the United States, staying strictly Jewish became another challenge. Even if there was a five day school week, important tests were on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. In addition, many jobs required work on Saturdays or Fridays after sunset. This continued well into the late twentieth century, and even though there are official laws now protecting "other sabbath days," the United States is still based on the Christian Calendar. That's life. You can make whatever adjustments you like, but you can't deny it. Many Torah observant, aka Orthodox, Jews use up all of their official "days off" or vacation days for the Jewish Holidays. That is the price of living in America.

Live where you wish, but  please don't call the USA the "promised land," because it isn't. The true history of the invasion by Europeans onto two incredibly large and rich in natural resources continents, isn't very pretty.

Thank Gd I am here in the Holyland, Israel. 

Thursday, November 23, 2017

We Don't Need A Special Thanksgiving Day

Today I wrote the following on facebook:
In the 47 years since we left the USA for Israel, I think I've had one Thanksgiving dinner. But I thank Gd all the time I'm here.
And seven years ago, I wrote this post:
It's Not Thanksgiving If It's Not At Aunt Pauline's...
My old family Thanksgivings weren't like the ones pictured in magazines, television and movies. They were unique to my family, sort of holy in a way. And that's probably why when I moved to Israel as a young bride I never thought of looking for lanstsmen to make an American style Thanksgiving meal. It wasn't "Thanksgiving" I had once looked forward to every November, it was being with my maternal family, all of the cousins, aunts and uncles.

Since making Aliyah, moving to Israel, in 1970, I never missed living in America. At times I missed people, but I never once wavered in my conviction that I had done the right thing getting on that boat. My husband and I never once discussed living anyplace other than here in Israel. It was a given for us. Thank Gd. So many couples have decades, a lifetime of debates, discussion and discord about this issue.

I am so thankful I am here. It's Thanksgiving Day all the time.






Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Chanukah, Celebrate Rosh Chodesh Tevet

If you're like me, you're already making your Chanuka plans. Let one of those plans be to join us for Women's Rosh Chodesh Prayers at Shiloh Hakeduma, Tel Shiloh.

Rosh Chodesh Tevet is a two day holiday, and we've decided to meet on Monday, December 18, 2017, the 30th of Kislev, 5788, at 8:30am.

Shiloh Hakeduma, Ancient Shiloh, is a beautiful archeological park. If you haven't been there before, you can arrange to see more of it with the Visitors Center. We doven at the site believed to have been the location of the Mishkan, Tabernacle. Email them at  art@telshilo.org.il for more information, or talk to them when you arrive.

Women's Prayers at Shiloh Hakeduma, Tel Shiloh
Rosh Chodesh Tevet 5778
Monday, December 18, 2017
30th of Tevet, 5778, 8:30am
Hallel and Musaf for Rosh Chodesh
Tour of Tel Shiloh
Dvar Torah, Short Torah Lesson
Please come and invite family, friends and neighbors.


תפילת נשים ראש חודש טבת בשילה הקדומה, תל שילה
יום ב' 18-12-2017
ל' תבט, תשע"ח 8:30
הלל ומוסף לראש חודש
יהיה דבר תורה קצר וסיור בתל
כדאי לבוא ולהזמין חברות, משפחה ושכנות


For more information about our monthly Rosh Chodesh Prayers , contact me at shilohmuse@gmail.com.




Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Terror: Car Ramming, My Story on The Radio

Tamar Yonah interviewed me by phone.
Photo by Yisrael Medad
This morning Tamar Yonah, a well-known Israeli radio personality, called me to interview me about "my terror attack." Over twenty years ago I was lightly injured in what was most probably the very first ramming by an Arab terrorist.

This should never be considered a "minor" terror attack. A woman was murdered and about twenty innocent Jews injured that day. An Arab terrorist drove his car into us. We were innocently standing at a bus stop, on the sidewalk when he made a sharp right and then a sharp left on my foot and knocked me down.

One of the greatest dangers of this genre of terror is that it is so easy. Anyone with a vehicle of any sort, can terrorize and murder with ease. Today this is well-known and not only in Israel. There have been many such attacks, even with heavy vehicles like trucks and tractors. But in early 1996, when I was knocked down, the police and politicians tried to claim it was an "accident."

You're invited to listen to the interview by clicking here and here.

Monday, November 20, 2017

Anti-Democratic Hypocrisy of The Israeli Judicial

A country's High Court or Supreme Court is supposed to make decisions based on the laws voted in by the democratically elected members of parliament. They are not supposed to be playing god. The judges are not supposed to be political, nor rule according to their personal ideologies. 

Tell that to the judges on Israel's High Court. They unabashedly say that they judge according to their moral compass, which davka isn't very moral.

Israel's Supreme/High Court Judges claim to be strengthening democracy in Israel.  But democracy is the rule of the people, not the rule of the self-appointed, self-perpetuating elite.

Members of Knesset are voted in on lists, so that the political opinions/ideologies/priorities of Israelis are preserved. That is very much the epitome of democracy as the rule of the people. When these judges overrule the democratically voted laws, because they don't like them, that is the the exact opposite of democracy.

Something must be done to "delete" the court from the Israeli governmental system. Yes, I know. Then the court will declare the new law "immoral." Let them move to Zimbabwe or some similar country.


Saturday, November 18, 2017

Rosh Chodesh at the Kotel, Is WOW Sincere?


Like many Jews in Israel, who either live in Jerusalem or not all that far, I get to the Kotel, the Western Wall on occasion. It's usually very quiet and peaceful. You can find people praying quietly there 24/7, yes, every single day of the week and all hours of the day. There are Jewish prayer books on both sides, women and men. On the men's side there are Torah Scrolls taken out for the days and times they will be needed.

Some of the men pray as a group, and others say prayers and study the Torah quietly. The women's side is always quiet.

You see Israelis and tourists of all races and religions quietly and respectfully approaching to pray and photograph the holy site. I'm always impressed at how carefully the tourists try to obey the rules, just like they do with visiting churches and mosques.


Jews and non-Jews don the hats and scarves offered to them by the volunteers. I've donated some of my unneeded scarves a few times and enjoy seeing them worn by women who came to pray and want to be respectful.


This nice atmosphere is disturbed once a month, on Rosh Chodesh-the first of the Jewish Month, when the group called "WOW Women of the Kotel" noisily barge in with a large contingent of photographers. They come equipped with Torah Scrolls, many put on Tefillin and Tallit, even though mainstream Judaism considers it unnecessary for women. They make a lot of noise, which attracts protest and attacks from "the regulars." Their media people take lots of pictures of the disturbances. The women insist that the Kotel is theirs, too and that they have the right to pray there however they want. In a sense maybe they do have rights. When people come to pray quietly with their own prayer book, nobody checks if it's a standard "Orthodox" one.

This group only comes to the Kotel an hour or two a month, one day a month. 

There's a principle in law, Possession is nine-tenths of the law. Those who are at the Kotel 24/7 are the "owners." What we'll call "Orthodox Jews" pray more than once a month. They pray not only daily but three times a day. And many also study the holy texts most of their waking hours, or as much as they can fit into their days.

Those who pray daily, even more than once a day, don't do it as photo-ops, media events and protests.

I know that some of the women in WOW sincerely want to pray their way at the Kotel, but by barging in every month like this they will just keep on causing controversy. You have to start small and quietly. No press, of course. Show some true sincerity, and pray on other days.

Friday, November 17, 2017

Arab Terror Continues

The latest news is of more Arab terror attacks against innocent Jews:
Combined terrorist attack in Gush Etzion
Terrorist runs over two men, then attempts to stab soldiers before being neutralized.
Honestly, this is a very clear sign that the Arabs are far from ready to make peace with us. True PEACE isn't a ceremonial piece of paper.

The PA-Palestinian Authority continues to give salaries/stipends to terrorists and their families with the financial backing of the same international bodies and foreign countries that are pushing Israel to "make a deal with those terrorists."

  • Stop the dangerous farce. 
  • Stop the financial backing of the PA!
  • Immediate execution of all terrorists caught in the act!!
There's no need for a trial. Just EXECUTE!

Thursday, November 16, 2017

Who is Funding Loser Leftist Ehud Barak?

I'm just identifying Ehud Barak as "Loser Leftist," because he hasn't shown an real party loyalty.
EHUD BARAK: I’M MOST FIT TO LEAD
Some people may remember that he served a disastrous term as Prime Minister, early on in the "reign" of Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu. Following is wikipedia's listing of Israeli Prime Ministers:
9Benjamin Netanyahu
בִּנְיָמִין נְתַנְיָהוּ
(1949–)Benjamin Netanyahu 2012.jpgLikud18 June 1966 July 1999199614th27thLikud-Gesher-Tzomet• Shas• NRP• BaAliyah• UTJThird Way   10Ehud Barak
אֵהוּד בָּרָק
(1942–)Ehud Barak official.jpgOne Israel
Labor6 July 19997 March 2001199915th28thOne Israel• Shas• Meretz• BaAliyah• Centre• NRPUTJ[9]

11Ariel Sharon
אֲרִיאֵל שָׁרוֹן
(1928–2014)Ariel Sharon, by Jim Wallace (Smithsonian Institution).jpgLikud7 March 200128 February 2003200129thLikud• Labor-Meimad[9]• Shas[9]• Centre• NRPUTJ• BaAliyah• NU-Beiteinu• New Way• Gesher28 February 200321 November 20052003 (16th)30thLikud• Shinui[9]• NU[9]• NRP[9]• Labor-MeimadAguda[9]Kadima21 November 2005(4 Jan. 2006)[7]
14 April 2006Kadima• Likud[9]• Agudat     12Ehud Olmert
אֵהוּד אוֹלְמֶרט
(1945–)Ehud Olmert 2006May23.jpgKadima(acting, 4 Jan. 2006)[7]
14 April 20064 May 20064 May 200631 March 2009[8]2006 (17th)31stKadima• Labor• Shas• Gil• Beiteinu[9](9)     
 
Benjamin Netanyahu
בִּנְיָמִין נְתַנְיָהוּ
(1949–)Benjamin Netanyahu 2012.jpgLikud31 March 200918 March 20132009 (18th)32ndLikud• Beiteinu• Shas• Labor/Indep.[9]• Jewish Home• UTJ[9]18 March 20136 May 20152013 (19th)33rdLikud• Yesh Atid• The Jewish Home• Yisrael Beiteinu• Hatnuah6 May 2015Incumbent2015 (20th)34thLikud• Kulanu• The Jewish Home• Shas• UTJYisrael Beiteinu

Over the years that Barak has been out of office, his biggest public Israeli following seems to come from headline writers.

I know that this chart didn't come out all that well, but you can see that Netanyahu obviously learned a lot of the art of politics during his time in the opposition, after being deposed by Barak. For a clearer visual image, go to wikipedia.

You may not remember, but Barak was elected with the help of American advisors who suggested that he promise to withdraw from Southern Lebanon, which he did in such a hurry that valuable security information and equipment was left for the enemy. After that it all went downhill for him. And to make his reputation as a loyal competent Israeli even worse,  he then worked for an American  companies. Periodically these "comeback" headlines reappear. I don't trust him at all. Something stinks.