9 Days Rather Ironic, Fish Yes, Chicken No

Jewish Life is now in the midst of the "9 Days," a time of national mourning. From the 17th of the Jewish Month of Tammuz, until the 9, or more accurately the 10th, of the month of Av, we mourn the destruction of the Holy Temples and our exile from the Land of Israel.

Restrictions get more intense and end with a 25 hour fast on the 9th of Av. Restrictions during the 9 days include no parties, weddings, new clothes, listening to music, swimming for enjoyment, drinking wine and eating meat or poultry. You can eat fish.

I know that it's not the same all over the world, especially when people follow the Laws of Kashrut. Here in Israel a meat, especially poultry, meal cost less than a fish meal. Fish is very expensive here, whether buying it in the supermarket or a restaurant meal. Good cheeses also cost more. A very satisfying and pleasant meal in my favorite meat restaurant cost less than a similar fish meal in my favorite fish restaurant.

It's so ironic that the less expensive animal protein is forbidden as a sign of mourning, while the more expensive one is permitted. Eating fish is generally a treat, while chicken is an everyday, ordinary bargain menu in our house. So the halacha makes little sense to me.

My guess is that in ancient times the slaughtering of an animal or bird and the ritual preparation of their meat, plus safe storage was rather complex and not frequent. If you lived where you could easily catch fish, that was less complicated.

What do you think?

salmon and vegetables 

GUEST POST: NINE DAYS

NINE DAYS
(a guest post by Mr. Cohen)

The Three Weeks are not mentioned in the Talmud. 

They were created in response to the massacres of
the Crusaders, which occurred seven centuries
[700 years] after the Talmud was sealed.

According to Sephardic Halachah, there are no

Three Weeks and no Nine Days; there is only
the week of Tisha BeAv; and when Tisha BeAv
is the day-after-Shabbat [Sunday], there is no
week of Tisha BeAv, there is only Tisha BeAv itself.

In our times many Sephardim abandon their own

Sephardic Halachah and also abandon their own
Sephardic pronunciation, because it is easier to
follow the majority. Many Sephardim, especially
those who attended Ashkenazic Yeshivot, do not
know that the Three Weeks and the Nine Days
are NOT Sephardic Halachah.

Other Sephardim assume [incorrectly] that when

it comes Halachah, stricter is always better, so
they abandon the lenient Sephardic Halachah
in favor of the often-stricter Ashkenazic Halachah.

Contrary to what many Jews believe, stricter

Halachah is NOT always better Halachah!
====================================
Sephardic Jews REJECT Reform Judaism:
https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2017/07/sephardim-reject-reform.html
====================================
The part of a fish locked inside that bony
triangle tucked between the gills is called
The Collar.  It is the most flavorful part
of the fish, but most fish stores do not sell
them because they are ugly.  Ask a fish store
for The Collar, you can probably buy it cheap.
Grilling and intense marinade are recommended.

SOURCE: Men’s Journal magazine, July 2018,

volume 27, number 7, page 24, article:
Hot Around the Collar by Adam Ence
====================================
Sephardic Jews REJECT Reform Judaism:
https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2017/07/sephardim-reject-reform.html
====================================
PLEASE help by making a PayPal donation to:
FourCupsOfWine@gmail.com
THANK YOU!!
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Parshat Balak: We are Our Own Worst Enemy

This week's Torah Portion of the Week, Balak, like many in במדבר Bamidbar, Numbers, is rather depressing. How could it be that the Jewish People could have so quickly forgotten the great miracles Gd did to enable our escape from slavery to Pharaoh in Egypt?

In the past few weeks we've read about how the tribal leaders chickened out of immediately entering the Promised Land, claiming that the locals were too strong. We also read how they missed the Egyptian slave food. After years of slavery, which had an advantage of being fed and cared for, they found responsibility a drag.

And this week's Torah Portion, since the Moabite King Balak was in awe of Gd's protective powers over the Jewish People, he hires the famous sorcerer Balaam to curse and weaken them. It doesn't seem to work, because Balaam ends up blessing them.

Then the Parsha ends rather ironically, or tragically, because the Jewish take up with non-Jewish women causing a terrible epidemic killing 24,000, until Pinchas executes one of the leaders in the act with his lady friend. With that the plague ends, as does the week's Torah Portion.

And the Three Weeks mourning and restrictions begin for the invasion of Jerusalem and destruction of our two Holy Temples. Jewish People have been observing this mourning period for two thousand years. And today, even after experiencing so many miracles from Gd to facilitate the establishment of the State of Israel and our miraculous military victories over vicious enemies, we again hear Jews claiming we aren't strong enough to be fully sovereign in our Land. Also, the plague of intermarriage is  growing. There are even Jews who promote replacing Jewish Israel with Arab Palestine sic. The Israeli Supreme Court has been ordering the destruction of Jewish homes, and Israeli Leftists sympathize with terrorists rather than Jewish victims. In addition, our tax money goes to giving food and medical care to our enemies. All this does is make our enemies more confident, so they attack us more and more.

Where is our Pinchas?

Is It Enough That Israel Governs Jerusalem?

This is also posted on Israel Blogger.

I've recently heard that some rabbis are claiming that we no longer have to mourn the destruction of Jerusalem, because Israel now holds it. This is totally outrageous and shows a very superficial comprehension of what Jerusalem is to the Jewish People.

Jerusalem is not just a bit of real estate, the same way that the Tanach, Jewish Bible isn't a history book. The Tanach is a book of theology, and Jerusalem is Holy and meant to be the location of the Beit Hamikdash, Holy Temple.

Until the Jewish Israeli Government takes full sovereignty over Har Habayit, the Temple Mount and begins building the Third Temple for traditional Jewish Worship, we must mourn the destruction of our ancient Jewish Kingdom and Temple.

According to the attitude of those rabbis, they may as well read the Torah in synagogue from a paper book and not from the special parchment.

Kotel

Temple Mount

Temple Mount

Why THREE WEEKS to Commemorate Holy Temple?

This is also posted on Israel Blogger.

Today's the fast of the 17th of Tammuz. It's the official start of what is known as "the Three Weeks," a time of national Jewish mourning that actually observed for twenty-two days. The tragedy we mourn is greater than the destruction of both Holy Temples, which took place the same time of the year. The real tragedies were the invasion and conquering of Jerusalem by enemy powers and our loss of Jewish sovereignty.

• It's not enough just to fast twenty-five hours, like Yom Kippur, on the 9th of Av. 
• It's not enough just to fast on the 9th of Av and then continue mourning customs until noontime the following day.
• And it's not enough to just observe nine days of extreme mourning, from Rosh Chodesh Av until the 9th or noontime on the 10th.

We begin the period of mourning on the 17th of Tammuz, three full weeks before the 9th of Av even though historically we can justify beginning a week to more earlier. 

That's because the destruction of our Holy Temple and the conquest and occupation of Jerusalem and the rest of the Land of Israel and the exile of the Jewish People and the end of the Jewish Monarchy did not happen in one day or battle. It was a long process, and it took much longer than the three weeks we carve out of the Jewish Year to commemorate and remember these horrendous events.

We are commanded to remember that this great tragedy was really a series of events. The earliest causes are probably forgotten by now and can't be accurately documented. At the time, they most probably weren't even considered serious or worthy of worry. But little by little they chipped away at Jewish Monarchy, sovereignty and the Holy Temple built to worship Gd.

That is why I, and others, are so worried about the creeping dependence the State of Israel has on the United States. We must remember that we can't rely of foreign countries for our security. Our greatest victories were when we had no foreign allies, because we have Gd. 

And this is the true message of the Three Weeks, bookended by two fast days. We must remember that what may appear harmless, benign may very well be the beginning of a great tragedy, Gd forbid. It is always time to "recalibrate" and get on the right track. 

Remember that just three weeks after the 9th of Av begins the Month of Elul when we are reminded to do Teshuva, repent before Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

The Jewish Calendar: More Awful News During the Tragic "Three Weeks"

"View of Mikdash from East to West, dominated by the gold facade of the Main Sanctuary (Heichal), as described by Josephus." (Temple model built by Catriel Sugarman)

"View of the Azara as one looks South East. Part of the Achsadra (porticos) which surround the Azara in the Sha'ar HaMayim (Water Gate) with its second story can be seen, as can be the Kiyur (copper laver), and part of the Great Altar where the sacrifices were burnt. In the distance is the East side of the Nicanor Gate."

Ten years ago, Disengagement was added to the list of tragedies that happened during the "Three Weeks" between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av." And now, the already notorious Obama-Nuclear Iran Deal has joined the list.

The Jewish Calendar is an amazing combination of the solar and lunar calendars calculated to keep Jewish Holidays in the correct season. The fact that Jewish Holidays must be in the right season according to the Holy Land, the Land of Israel is an important proof of our eternal connection to the Land. Judaism cannot be fully practiced/observed any other place in the world. Many of the Mitzvot, Torah Commandments by G-d to the Jewish People can only be observed here in the Holy Land.

Not only joyous holidays are connected to the Land, but the days of mourning are, too. It was in the midst of the difficult dry summer heat, thousands of years ago when Jerusalem was attacked and finally our Temple (actually both First and Second Holy Temples hundreds of years apart) were destroyed in this very season in drawn out battles. The destruction was completed on the Tenth of the Month of Av, and this year the fast day, traditionally the Ninth 9th of Av will be on the tenth because of Shabbat. We do not fast on Shabbat except for Yom Kippur, which is the only holiday (or fast day) that can override Shabbat.

Following are a list of tragedies that happened during the Three Weeks (Chabad site.)

The list of tragedies associated with this time period is overwhelming. Tammuz 17, the day which starts these three weeks, is the same day when, in the year 1313 BCE, the tablets containing the Ten Commandments were broken.1On that same day, some 1380 years later, the legions of Rome breached the walls of Jerusalem after a 30-month siege. For three weeks the battle raged in Jerusalem, until the city was vanquished, the Holy Temple destroyed and the Jewish people driven into exile. Thus we entered the state of galut (physical and spiritual displacement) in which we still find ourselves today.2And yet, this was only the beginning.
Three tragic weeks later we arrive at Tisha B’Av, the 9th of Av. Predominantly known as the day on which both the first and second Holy Temples were destroyed—the First Temple by the Babylonians in 423 BCE, and the Second Temple by the Romans in 69 CE—the Ninth of Av is also associated with many other horrific events, preceding the destruction of the Temples and continuing until the present.3(By a cruel irony, the day originally chosen by the Israeli government for the expulsion of thousands of men, women and children from their homes in Gush Katif and the other settlements in the Gaza Strip fell within the Three Weeks. But that date was changed due to tremendous pressure from Jews the world over, aghast that the government of Israel would add to the list of our sufferings during this tragic period.)

Temple Mount Today, Photo by Batya Medad

Temple Mount Today, Photo by Batya Medad

So, it's no real surprise that the Kerry-Obama brokered "deal" with Iran was signed by the so-called free world during the Three Weeks. According to ouir Sages, there are no random coincidences. The timing is always Siyate d'Shmaya, in the Hand of Gd. This "deal" is another sign in the descent of the Western "free" World as we've known it for the past century. There is definitely a steep decline in the power of the United States, and this is further proof.

My Arab customers in the Yafiz Shoe Store, Sha'ar Binyamin usually ask me if the shoes are "originals" or "made in China." My standard reply is that the "originals" are from China, because China today has the strongest economy in the world. They produce everything. That is further proof that the American-European alliance is in a decline.

And someday, not too far off, when all this news about Iran and China and Obama will be history, the Jewish People will reunite and build the Third Holy Temple. And then the Three Weeks, from the 17th of Tammuz until the 9th of Av will be a period of joy and celebration, G-d willing!

Temple Mount Today, Photo by Batya Medad

Temple Mount Today, Photo by Batya Medad

Temple Mount Today, Photo by Batya Medad

Post-Shiva: Catching Up on The News

This morning I just got up from sitting shiva for my mother.  It's a strange coincidence that today is the seventeenth 17th of Tammuz and the Jewish World is entering the very sad period of the Three Weeks which commemorates the destruction of our ancient Holy Temples.  So I'm not the only Jew not celebrating, not listening to music etc.

During the seven days of shiva for my mother and the days from the announcement until the funeral I pretty much ignored the news.  Now, I'm trying to catch up. I only got on the computer to check emails and I blogged about my mother, her funeral and shiva.  I also kept a journal at the advice of David Bedein, after I had complained of boredom especially due to the restrictions in reading subjects.  According to Jewish Law, especially in the shiva and pre-funeral status one isn't supposed to read pleasant subjects and occupy oneself with things unrelated to the burial and mourning, watch television programs etc.

Now that I'm up from the most intensive stage of mourning, it's time to see what has been going on in the world.

I had planned on attending the Shimon Peres President Conference, as I had done last year.  It's not that I'm a great fan and admirer of Israel's President Shimon Peres, but last year I discovered that there are some very interesting sessions. It's not good to isolate oneself from those of other opinions.  G-d willing I'll attend next year's.

After over a week of not watching, reading or listening to the news I don't think I missed anything.  Today's article in the Jerusalem Post, Netanyahu urges Palestinians to start talks, and stay at them , is just too similar to those I've been reading for years. 

Western diplomats tell Israeli media PM willing to release prisoners, freeze settlement building in return for Abbas giving up demand to start talks based on '67 lines; Erekat denies report, says PA won't give up preconditions.

As it is written in Kohelet, Ecclesiastes, "nothing's new."

One of the first things I checked after getting up was Caroline Glick and her Latma broadcast.

Latma interviews the new moderate Iranian President and celebrates with Shimon Peres among other topics.

I had also missed Ruthie Blum's latest article.  Here it is,Jordanian teens give honor killings high ratings:

A new study released on Thursday by Cambridge University’s Institute of Criminology is getting a lot of publicity for what it suggests about societal norms in Jordan. The study, conducted by Professor Manuel Eisner and graduate student Lana Ghuneim, reveals that a large number of teenagers in the Hashemite Kingdom not only consider honor killings to be legally just, but advocate them on moral grounds.

Read more: http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/right-angles/2013/jun/22/jordanian-teens-give-honor-killings-high-ratings/#ixzz2XEYGagsk
Follow us: @wtcommunities on Twitter

So if this is the prevailing culture in Jordan, what can we expect from the Arabs here?

Dent left by shooting on the bus

Samaria Regional Authority

 

The 17th of Tammuz, Fasting, The "Three Weeks" Have Begun

I wonder if Jews in the Southern Hemisphere have a better understanding of the Three Weeks.

The Three Weeks are bookended by two fast days, the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av. This time period corresponds with the Destruction of our (the Jewish) Holy Temples in Jerusalem.

It's summer here in Shiloh. Our local pool's schedule is geared to take Jewish Law as primary. During the Nine Days, when bathing for fun is forbidden, we can't use it for swimming. Only swimming lessons are allowed. Actually, one isn't supposed to start summer swimming in the week and a half between the 17th of Tammuz and the first of Av. If you've already gone swimming, you can continue, because it's "routine."

Kids who attend Jewish-Torah camps should get some idea of what's permitted during the three weeks and nine days, special programming for the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av. But those whose parents my not be a knowledgeable and aren't in a Torah framework, may not be aware.

So, back to my question. Do Jewish kids in Jewish schools in the southern hemisphere, where it's winter and they're in school, have a better knowledge of the laaws pertaining to the three weeks, nine days, 17th of Tammuz and 9th of Av?