"Gevalt" For Sure- Lieberman Holds Israel by The Neck

Recent history here in Israel is showing Avigdor Yvette Lieberman to be a dangerous anarchist. His political machinations has brought down the government, and since then no working coalition has been formed.

For some inexplicable reason, many Israelis vote for him which has been perpetuating the political chaos. The results of yesterday's elections aren't any better than that of the previous ones. It's very dangerous for the large Arab party to be in the coalition, and Gantz's Blue and White have painted themselves in a corner by refusing to work with Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu.

All those who voted ל for Lieberman are as guilty or even more so for strengthening and legitimizing him. Lieberman has a chokehold on Israeli democracy, on every citizen, Jew or Arab, Torah observant or totally secular. I have an easier time accepting people's vote for Leftist parties than for those who voted Lieberman.

We are in the midst of the Jewish Month of Ellul, the time for more intense Teshuva, Repentance. I pray that those who have been elected to serve us, citizens of the State of Israel, in the Knesset will find it in themselves to work together, reject hatred and dangerous vows. May they form a strong coalition for the betterment, security and sovereignty of the State of Israel.

Yom Kippur Fasting, Only if Doctor Approves

At yesterday's pre-Yom Kippur shiur, class/talk, in the neighborhood we were taught a Mishna about the basic laws of the holiest day in the Jewish Year. It begins by saying that eating and drinking are forbidden, as are bathing, oiling the skin and wearing leather shoes. A bit later, it lists the exceptions.

Considering that most everyone in the room was of what we'll call senior citizens or close to it, the exceptions for medical reasons was the topic many discussed while leaving. Actually, the first example of someone who could eat on Yom Kippur was a pregnant woman who craves some food she smells. The instructions are that she eat, until her soul calms down.

After that a few medical conditions are described, though not in modern terms. The "cure" in all cases is to eat/drink until the person seems recovered.

Nowadays, eating on Yom Kippur is usually permitted in advance for people who are prescribed certain medications, which should not be taken on an empty stomach. Since I live near the local synagogue, a neighbor has left food in my house for Yom Kippur eating. One year, before lighting the pre-Yom Kippur candles, I set up my fridge lights as or Shabbat, so I could open it without turning on the light. At the time I felt a bit foolish, since we don't need food on Yom Kippur, thank Gd, bli eyin haraa. But that year a neighbor unexpectedly needed to eat something for medical reasons, and I was able to serve her, even though unplanned.

These are the big questions for most:

• Whom do we ask about the possible dangers of fasting when suffering certain medical conditions? 
• Under what circumstance are we permitted or even required to eat on Yom Kippur?

Generally one is supposed to consult with a rabbi on matters of Jewish Law, but how much real medical knowledge does your rabbi have? Even doctors have specialties and patients are referred to specific doctors to treat different conditions. There are rabbis who recommend that the questioner consult with their doctor rather than making what is actually a medical decision. That is wisest and safest. 

Remember that Judaism promotes life, not endangering oneself. The fasting on Yom Kippur is important, but  it's not the essence of the day. The essence, the aim of Yom Kippur is our Teshuva, Repentance.

One of the reasons I make a Rosh Hashana "Fruit Head" is for a Healthy New Year

Inspiring Evening of Song

Last night, after breaking the Tzom Gedalia fast, there was an evening of inspiring song and stories by the father-son duo Binyamin and Avraham Yitzchak Rosensweig, l'ilui nishmato shel Avihu Keinan, HaY"D, who grew up in Shiloh.

Avihu was killed in a badly planned army action against Arab terrorists. Immediately after Avihu's death, his father Moshe, announced that in protest, he'd be marching on Jerusalem to the President's Residence, and that's what we did. Later on until Avihu's tenth yartzeit, his father led hikes in the area.

I must admit that except for the prayers in their repertoire, none of the songs were familiar. My genre of inspiring Jewish Music is from a previous generation or two, such as The Rabbis' Sons, Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach and Diaspora Yeshiva Band. The most up-to-date are the songs sung by Yehuda Glanz.



It was a meaningful evening, just perfect, and wonderful to be with my Shiloh neighbors.

Gd's With Us and Waiting for Our Teshuva, Repentance

This wonderful story is inspiring. It's never too late. And we really don't know what's happening in the life and heart of other people.



Here's an all time favorite of mine. I think it's the one I chose to walk down the aisle at my wedding almost half a century ago.

Shabbat Shalom and Shanah Tovah

"One Man's Ceiling is Another Man's Floor," Derech Eretz Lesson

This simple little tune, with an easily repeatable title/refrain, "One Man's Ceiling is Another Man's Floor," says so much in just a few words. It's funny that all my mind recalls from that song is the refrain. I've always considered it an important lesson.

To me "One Man's Ceiling is Another Man's Floor" shows how not only are we all connected, but the small, innocuous things we do can have major influences on others, for good and for bad.

Most people are almost exclusively tuned into themselves and are oblivious to the hurt or annoyance they cause others. It's worse in recent decades, since many people pay more attention to the smartphones and tablets they carry around, than to people. Earphones are almost permanently implanted in people, like hospital IVs and medical tubing in an ICU patient, but without any medical need.

Being that I've inherited Misophonia, I'm hypersensitive to certain sounds, vibrations, sudden disturbances etc. The positive, good aspect of this syndrome is that I'm a dancer by nature. Certain sounds inspire me to move. I'm also very sensitive to different genres of music, which means that while some music makes me soar, others make me sour, mean, miserable and irritable. When I once very politely asked someone not to clap loudly, her reaction was:

"Isn't there a pill you can take?"

I guess that was nicer than recommending a lobotomy. Even when in theory I can take the sound of light clapping, but if it's out of tune, it drives me nuts.

In synagogue during religious services/prayers, Misophonia can be most handicapping. Losing my "train of thought" when communicating with Gd is extremely problematic. I'm there to pray, not to make enemies and silently curse my neighbors.

In recent years there is a new and horrendously problematic phenomenon; some people have added loud clapping to the Silent Prayer aka the Amida. I'm sure you can guess that many people find themselves disturbed. Some are lucky enough to be able to easily and quickly get back into prayer mode, but others, like myself, are completely lost. It's like waking up suddenly because of a nightmare and not being able to relax back to sleep.

Apparently the clapping is from the Jews who follow the rather un-Jewish custom of solitary prayer, popular with the followers of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov. Jewish Prayer ideally requires community, a minyan, quorum of at least ten men over the age of Bar Mitzvah. It seems that to compensate for the lack of community and prayer leader, the Rabbi Nachman followers have been instructed to clap at various times in prayers to keep themselves focused. That's fine alone out in the wilderness, but it's worse than rude when in a group, when everyone else is totally silent.

"Look at me! Look at me. Stop praying; look at me!" They seem to be saying.

We also need to remember that Gd isn't deaf. Gd knows what we're saying out loud and in our hearts, even our quietest whispers.

I also find it problematic when people bang and clap loudly when prayers are sung to catchy tunes, because in too many cases they are so busy making noise that they aren't saying the words of the prayers.

We're now in the midst of Elul, the Month of Teshuva, Repentance. Let us all try to be nicer to other people, Gd willing.

Ending Daylight Savings, Like Going Back in Time Travel

Super late/early, last night well before dawn, the time went from 1:59 to 1:00. There's something spooky about that to my way of thinking. In about six months, we're going to lose an hour, which brings up other thoughts. So many times in recent years I've reminded people that life isn't a computer game. We can't press the "undo" button and erase our bad move, or dumb/dangerous thing said or done.

Most of us are sound asleep at 1:59. We certainly don't set alarms to wake up and put the clock back to 1:00 at that exact time. We set the clock before going to sleep. Last night many of us were happy that the night would be an hour longer. And this morning, most of us woke up to bright sunshine, even if that same time for the past few weeks had been as dark as midnight.

What if we really could reverse time and use the technique of turning back the clock to fix our mistakes? What if life had a simple "undo" button, like we find on all sorts of computer programs, games, photo-editing etc?

Would that make life better or worse?

Judaism has a technique for "undo," which can be used for certain, sins or mistakes but not all. It's called Teshuva, Repentance, but it's not a simple "Ctrl/z" or button to press. It's a lot of work, and it only affects sins between man and Gd, not between manwoman and woman/man.

In reality, we can't undo and redo easily, though we can try to make amends. We can try to do better each day, each hour, each minute or second. We can try to apologize, improve how we live and behave as long as we have the ability. And Gd willing we will succeed in making amends and doing much better.

Yom Kippur 5778, Please Forgive Me

May I take this opportunity, just hours before Yom Kippur to ask forgiveness from all of you...

For those of you who know me personally, f2f, and those who just read my words on social media...

For anything I may have said or written that I shouldn't have...

I meant no harm...

גמר חתימה טובה

Gmar Chatimah Tovah

May You Be Inscribed "Well," or "For Good"

Actually, I truly wonder what that means. When good people, holy, mitzvah doing people die, especially when they die and/or suffer at such young ages, I don't like, or can't accept, the idea that the חתימה Chatimah means that either a person lives or dies. Honestly, it makes no sense to me and that philosophical, dilemma is the cause of much suffering for many. 

Simplifying Judaism, or any religion, into Gd gives a long happy life to the good people and makes the evil suffer is not what we see in This World. Just this week, two very holy people I knew passed away much too young. 

For this blessing to make sense to me and be a comfort, I go back to the Jewish concept of This World and The Next World, aka The World to Come, עולם הזה ועולם הבא Olam Hazeh vi'Olam Habah. Chaza"l, Our Sages teach that the payment/receiving of reward and punishment aren't in This World; it's in the Next World, the one world after death. So the "Inscription" referred to in that blessing must really mean that when we die we will benefit or suffer from the grade or score or mark we get for all we have done in This World. 

We, therefore, shouldn't look at death as a punishment for sins or a long life as a reward for good deeds, because we all know of absolutely wonderful people, including innocent children, who have died very young even after great suffering. And we all know of dangerously evil people who lived very long healthy and wealthy lives. 

May we merit the opportunity to fully repent before death. And that means that we should take advantage of every day for repentance, not just Yom Kippur, the first ten days of Tishrei and the Month of Elul. Repentance should be on our minds 24/7, Gd willing.

Please Forgive Me

Rosh Hashanah Countdown, Teshuva Anytime

How many of you catch yourself saying something and wonder if it's really a nice or right thing to say? If so, does it happen more in Elul and the beginning of Tishrei than the rest of the year?

Think about it...

Be honest. Yes, like when we're wondering why we've been gaining weight we usually forget to consider/calculate the calories of all sorts of "small things" we "just tasted."

In actuality, Teshuva, Repentance is supposed to be a 24/7 job. How can we keep track of our sins if we reserve it for just a few weeks a year?

We should have a clean slate before dying, and we never know when that will be...

Gmar chatima tovah...

Harvey and Irma Pre-Rosh Hashana Reminder

Yesterday I had a wonderful time in Matan, Jerusalem, preparing my soul for the spiritual aspect of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. And I have many friends who have already begun cooking and freezing food for the holiday meals.

It's difficult to believe that there are many Jews, and of course millions of others, who may not even know where they will be for the holidays. They've been forced from their homes by two catastrophic storms, Harvey and Irma.

The ramifications of Harvey on Texas have yet to be calculated, and people are fleeing their homes in Florida, as I write this.

In just two weeks it will already be Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the Jewish Year, a two day holiday, which this year is "extended" to three, since there's no break before Shabbat.

The month leading to Rosh Hashana is Elul, when we are supposed to do Teshuva, which is more than repentance. We're supposed to carefully think of our past year and how we should do better in our relationship to Gd and our fellow man.

As the many millions of people who live in the areas of the American south, who have been and are being affected by Harvey and Irma know much too well, Gd who controls the weather is most powerful.  The powers of man are ridiculously puny in comparison.

Almost Elul, Time for Teshuva, #BlogElul

The imabima has been blogging her #BlogElul and #ElulGram for quite a few years now. She takes various aspects Teshuva and assigns them to a day of the month of Elul.

Teshuva is translated as "Repentance," but what it really means is more complex. A few years ago, I attended a course by Rabbi Reuven Grodner in Pardess which taught us about the concept, the act of repenting and what it is for Jews.

Teshuva is multi-dimensional. It's not just a simple act of being "sorry." We must reach the level that if/when we find ourselves in the same sort of position, we now act properly and don't sin. Proper Teshuva demands a lot of growth and change in ourselves.

Teshuva is a never-ending process. None of us will ever be perfect enough to say that we no longer have to "do Teshuva."  As high a level we achieve in our spiritual quests, there's always a new challenge.

We must also remember that Teshuva is not reserved only for the Jewish Month of Elul, it's a process that should fill every single day of the year, Gd willing.

Critical Theological Difference Between Judaism and Biblical Criticism

I consider Biblical Criticism, including theories published by many archaeologists, to have theological agendas. Over the years I've been puzzled by various comments to blog posts here claiming that "God promised not to destroy Israel." And over and over I've had to say that such a thing isn't true at all. It's certainly not Jewish. It is written all over the Bible that if we don't behave, follow Gd's Commandments/Mitzvot, Gd will punish us, cause our Kingdom to be invaded, exile us, cause drought etc.

This week in Matan at Dr. Yael Ziegler's class she mentioned something that helped explain why I keep hearing this totally incorrect "comfort."

Dr. Ziegler explained that Biblical Critics do not connect the Bible's fifth book, דברים Devarim, Deuteronomy 28:36 to the previous four. It's davka in that book that we read of the Tochacha, the threat/warning, reward and punishment the Jewish People will receive from Gd.

1And it will be if you obey the Lord, your God, to observe to fulfill all His commandments which I command you this day, the Lord, your God, will place you supreme above all the nations of the earth.		אוְהָיָה אִם שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע בְּקוֹל יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לִשְׁמֹר לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת כָּל מִצְו‍ֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם וּנְתָנְךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ עֶלְיוֹן עַל כָּל גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ:
2And all these blessings will come upon you and cleave to you, if you obey the Lord, your God.		בוּבָאוּ עָלֶיךָ כָּל הַבְּרָכוֹת הָאֵלֶּה וְהִשִּׂיגֻךָ כִּי תִשְׁמַע בְּקוֹל יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ:

{and if you disobey Gd}

32Your sons and daughters will be given over to another people, and your eyes will see [this] and long for them all day long, but you will be powerless.		לבבָּנֶיךָ וּבְנֹתֶיךָ נְתֻנִים לְעַם אַחֵר וְעֵינֶיךָ רֹאוֹת וְכָלוֹת אֲלֵיהֶם כָּל הַיּוֹם וְאֵין לְאֵל יָדֶךָ:
33A people unknown to you will eat up the fruit of your soil and [the result of] all your toil. You will be only wronged and crushed all the days.		לגפְּרִי אַדְמָתְךָ וְכָל יְגִיעֲךָ יֹאכַל עַם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדָעְתָּ וְהָיִיתָ רַק עָשׁוּק וְרָצוּץ כָּל הַיָּמִים:
34You will go insane from the vision before your eyes that you will behold.		לדוְהָיִיתָ מְשֻׁגָּע מִמַּרְאֵה עֵינֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר תִּרְאֶה:
35The Lord will strike you on the knees and on the legs with a terrible skin eruption from which you will be unable to be cured; [it will eventually cover you] from the sole of your foot to the top of your head.		להיַכְּכָה יְהֹוָה בִּשְׁחִין רָע עַל הַבִּרְכַּיִם וְעַל הַשֹּׁקַיִם אֲשֶׁר לֹא תוּכַל לְהֵרָפֵא מִכַּף רַגְלְךָ וְעַד קָדְקֳדֶךָ:
36The Lord will lead you and your king whom you will have established over you, to a nation unknown to you or your fathers; and there, you will serve other deities [made] of wood and stone.		לויוֹלֵךְ יְהֹוָה אֹתְךָ וְאֶת מַלְכְּךָ אֲשֶׁר תָּקִים עָלֶיךָ אֶל גּוֹי אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַעְתָּ אַתָּה וַאֲבֹתֶיךָ וְעָבַדְתָּ שָּׁם אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים עֵץ וָאָבֶן:

I suggest reading the entire chapter and more. It's so obvious that Judaism, Gd's relationship with the Jewish People, is a religion that requires that we fulfill our responsibilities towards Gd or we will be seriously punished.

It's not that Gd won't forgive us or doesn't love us. He always loves us, but forgiveness depends on our doing Teshuva, repenting completely. Teshuva, Repentance isn't a simple verbal apology. It requires acting properly when confronted with the same sort of situation as the sin.

Sins can be acts against Gd and His Commandments, against other people or against the Holy Land of Israel. 

Zionism and the subsequent Establishment of the State of Israel, regardless of its legal imperfections were extremely crucial Mitzvot, because it is the responsibility of the People of Israel to return to the Land. Gd would not facilitate the return if we hadn't taken the first steps, yes, very much like Nachshon's stepping into the Red Sea, which then split to allow the Jewish People to escape Egypt.

Unfortunately, and Gd willing not tragically, since the stupendously miraculous 1967 Six Days War, the reactions of the State of Israel and most of the Jewish People have been incorrect.

• Not only hadn't there been a declaration of Jewish Sovereignty over all of the Land liberated in the war, but most, including the Holiest spots, like the Temple Mount, Judea and Samaria were "held in escrow" to "pay" the Arab enemies for a "peace treaty."
• Not only wasn't there massive government supported settlement of the Land liberated, but they did their best to stop it and have destroyed Jewish communities and homes on numerous occasions. 
• Not only wasn't the Land annexed, but most has already been gifted to Arabs.

And this is why I greatly fear Divine Punishment and a new exile, Gd forbid.

Gmar Chatima Tovah, Free Will and Gd's Hands...

Traditional Jewish New Year's Blessing:
"Be a head and not a tail."
This is my "head" for the Jewish Year of 5777.

There's a basic aspect of Jewish theology/philosophy that can get rather confusing. On one hand we credit Gd with having power over everything, including ourselves, but on the other hand we stress the fact that we have Free will and must take responsibilities for our decisions and sins. That is what repentance is all about.

The traditional greeting this time of the Jewish Year is "Gmar Chatima Tovah," which is explained to mean "May Gd seal you in the book of Life." This greeting/blessing refers to the Teshuva, Repentance we're supposed to have done and can also be explained as "I hope Gd gives you a good grade." Or "I hope you passed the test."

That's because Gd has the power over life and death. Now, if that's the case, is it Gd, murderers or illnesses or accidents that kill us? This can get very complicated to explain.

Is death a way of punishing us? If Gd is punishing us by killing us, then are murderers really guilty or are they tools of Gd? How does all this jive with Free Will?

With my Matan "Al Haperek" group, we've been learning Job, and Job struggles over these questions, because suddenly his family and wealth are gone, and he is angry with Gd. He wants to talk face-to-face with Gd to ask why, but instead of Gd he argues with his friends. Job doesn't accept the answers his friends give him, and his friends have lost sympathy urging Job to get on with his life.

Unlike pretty much all other religions, Jews argue and delve into Judaism relatively freely. And I'm talking about strictly Torah observant Jews, not just those who think many of the Mitzvot are optional and irrelevant for today's life. What do you think that all those tens of thousands or more students do day and night in yeshivot? They don't sit around trying to memorize more and more restrictions. The Batei Medrash, Study Halls are filled with noise as the students read and argue fine points of religious texts, philosophy and observance with their study partners. And these students aren't just teens and young people in their early twenties. They are adults, parents, grandparents. Some only have time a few hours a day or week, while others "learn" as a job, getting a stipend or once they've retired and can live on their pension.

In the Rosh Hashanah prayers, there is a very famous one called  Unetanneh Tokef Prayer and in it we recognize that only Gd has power over life and death:

But we're still left with questions:

Is death solely a punishment? And then is it punishment only for the one who died or for the ones who loved him/her?
And aren't there times when death is a "gift?"

Thoughts for this new year, 5777...

Olmert off to Jail- No Remorse

There was a time when I was very impressed by Israeli politician Ehud Olmert. At that point he was still well to the Right on the Israeli political spectrum and was doing what seemed to be an excellent job as Mayor of Jerusalem. In addition to his legendary hard work, he was known as friendly and caring to the more lowly workers. There are many stories of how he made of point of knowing everyone and asking about their families and visiting the sick and more. I remember very happily predicting to some overseas visitors:

"Ehud Olmert will be Prime Minister one day. Unlike most politicians, he knows how to get things done and administer. Olmert does more than just talk."

OK, I was mostly right, but never in a million years would I have predicted that he'd veer so terribly Left and end up not only spearheading the dastardly Disengagement but then be charged and convicted for corruption.

From Biblical times until today and no doubt the future, too, there have always been leaders with their hands caught in the till or in somebody's pants... Their reactions are the way we end up judging them for posterity. The Biblical King David admitted his crime and fully repented, saying he "sinned before Gd" and was not only forgiven but has always been held up as an example for good.

On the other hand of this spectrum, we now have Ehud Olmert who refuses to admit to any guilt at all.  So repentance isn't on his menu. That makes him even worse than the Biblical King Saul.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Monday began a 19-month prison sentence for bribery and obstruction of justice, defiantly proclaiming his innocence in a farewell video as he became the first Israeli premier to be placed behind bars...."You can imagine how this change is painful and strange for me, for my family, my loved ones and supporters," he said. "It is important for me to say again, as I said inside the court and outside it, that I absolutely reject outright all the corruption allegations against me." (AP Yahoo News)

That is a bad precedent and makes him a dangerous role model.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert enters prison to begin his sentence, in the central Israeli town of Ramle, Israel, Monday, Feb. 15, 2016. Israel’s former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert started serving a 19-month prison sentence for bribery and obstruction of justice on Monday, becoming the first Israeli premier to be imprisoned and capping a years-long legal saga that forced him to resign in 2006 amid the last serious round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Magic in Judaism, Transformation

Judaism offers something few if any other religion does. It's the opportunity to do magic, to transform ourselves aka תשובה Teshuva, Repentance. 

תשובה Teshuva, Repentance can actually be done any time, but this is the season when we are all reminded that Gd makes a special accounting of our sins and mitzvot, the Gd given Torah Commandments. By Rosh Hashanah, 5776, which is just over a week, we should be on our way to complete repentance. Ten days later on Yom Kippur, Gd makes His decisions for every single one of us.

Chabad

Maimonides on Repentance"What constitutes complete repentance? He who is confronted by the identical situation wherein he previously sinned and it lies within his power to commit the sin again, but he nevertheless does not succumb because he wishes to repent, and not because he is too fearful or weak [to repeat the sin]. How so? If he had relations with a woman forbidden to him and he is subsequently alone with her, still in the throes of his passion for her, and his virility is unabated, and [they are] in the same place where they previously sinned; if he abstains and does not sin, this is a true penitent" (Mishneh Torah, "Laws of Teshuva," 2:1). (Jewish Virtual Library)

Teshuva can also be described as a transformation, because Gd permits and accepts us as a new person, cleansed of sin. We can resume our life transformed into a better person, a better Jew.

שתהיה שנה יותר טובה! May 5775 be a Better Year

fruit head, 5774

G-d willing the new year, 5775, which is starting in just a few hours will be a better year than 5774 was. As a much needed buffer between the two, I'm really looking forward to our rare three day holiday, two days of Rosh Hashannah immediately followed by Shabbat. That means three days without the news, no telephones, television, computers, internet etc. For news junkies, bloggers, pundits etc, this can be pure suffering, like a drug addict going "cold turkey," but just like I don't suffer "caffeine headaches" when fasting, I don't miss the lack of news on Shabbat and Jewish Holidays.

It's not the food that comforts me and takes my mind off of "boredom." I just love to get into the Holiday spirit, the routine of Jewish Traditions, hosting and being hosted, being mesmerized by the sounds of the Prayers floating up to my front-row Ezrat Nashim, Women's Gallery seat. I let the sounds of the shofar enter my body and soul shaking me to my core. I know that G-d is in charge. He is our true ruler, not the politicians, Supreme Court Justices nor government clerks.



In all honesty, I'm terribly troubled by many things happening in the State of Israel. I'm definitely not happy with the lack of true Jewish values and standards. Democracy isn't a Jewish value. It's the rule of a "privileged mob," which does sound very much like an oxymoron. How could the "privileged" be a mob? But this is the case here in Israel.

We have a "Supreme Court" staffed by appointed "self-appointed" justices who consider themselves above the law. They define/interpret the law according to their beliefs. They aren't elected by the people; they elect their successors to perpetuate their Leftist foreign (non-Jewish) ideology. Their "fellow travelers" control the universities and media. Over the decades even before the establishment of the State of Israel they have been systematically controlling and brainwashing the State of Israel and its citizens.

The Israeli Left has declared Israel as a "democratic state" rather than a Jewish state and have made the establishment of an additional Arab state "Palestine" sic as a primary aim. Although they control crucial aspects of the country, they are actually a minority of the population.

That's where the big conflict here is beginning to bubble and come to a head. Most Israelis are not happy with the present state of affairs, the fact that the Left dominates so many powerful government bodies.

With G-d's Help, at some point soon there will be a major change for the good in the State of Israel.

Yesterday when it was announced that the ringleaders of the kidnap-murder of the three teenage boys, Eyal Yifrah, Gilad Sha'ar and Naftali Frenkel, the families expressed satisfaction that the Arab terrorists wouldn't have opportunities to bask in fame, smiling and smirking for the cameras in court and then being released in exchange for other victims. Their deaths were a bittersweet relief. Since the boys can't be brought back to life, at least their murderers are dead.

True Teshuva, repentance and change take a very long time. We can't expect instant improvement. We each have a role to play, and our first target for Teshuva must be ourselves. May we have the strength and wisdom, wisdom, strength and good health to do everything in our power to make things better including ourselves, G-d willing.

שתהיה שנה יותר טובה! May 5775 be a Better Year

Elul, The Month of Repentance

This has been an awful summer for the Jewish People. The State of Israel has been under attack, children were kidnapped and murdered and the defensive war was stopped before we had done the job of destroying our enemies.

But our calendar, that very amazing Jewish Calendar that so accurately combines the solar and lunar cycles, keeps ticking on. It is now the month of Elul which is the month leading up to the holiest days of the year, Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur. In preparation, we must repent, and to do that we must reflect on everything we've done this past year, good and bad and try to make it better according to G-d's criteria. The very popular Jewish blogger, the "Bima Ima," has a wonderful way to do it, which she calls the #BlogElul .

I think it's a very good guide, especially for those of us who do not to shul daily for the Slichot Prayers. According to Jewish Law, there are mitzvot and their antonyms, sins, that affect not only our relationship with G-d but also our relationship between fellow man, other people. They can be public or private. If we sin against a person, it is just as serious, if not more so, than sinning against G-d. Repenting, apologizing and trying to undo the damage is all part of doing Teshuva, repenting. So I will begin this with the following:

I publicly apologize to anyone I may have wronged, whether willfully or unintentionally. I will do my best never to harm you again. Please forgive me.

And now, since it's the fifth day of Elul, I'll write a short reflection on the first five categories in the Bima Ima's chart.

1. Do: Starting the process of intense Teshuva is the hardest. I hope that this post will get the ball rolling for me and help others, too.
2. Act: Learning to act differently is difficult. This Month of Elul, thank G-d, I managed to work better with someone. That doesn't mean being socially friendly. It's being pragmatic. We don't have to love or like everyone, but we must know how to establish a working relationship. Acting can be superficial, but that doesn't mean that it's bad.
3. Bless: As a salesperson during the most stressful season, before school starts, I've been learning to bless the young customers which helps them and their stressed out parents leave the store feeling better.
4. Accept: Not only do I have to accept my limitations and make sure that people don't push me into going beyond, but I must accept and respect that others, too, can't do as much as I would like them to do. But accept does not mean that we must be lazy; we should still try to do more and stretch ourselves.
5. Know: The word "know," ידע from the Hebrew root of yud, dalet, eyin appears very significantly in the Bible. It's not an academic knowledge, it's more of an acceptance of G-d's power over everything. It's also a comprehension, seeing events in a multidimensional way. A leader without ידע true knowledge/comprehension/recognition of G-d makes horrendous and dangerous mistakes. We have to know and accept that it is G-d that makes the world go around. We have the Free Will to join or fight Him. It's our challenge to make the right decisions even when most difficult. I wish to bless our political leaders with this knowledge and the faith in G-d to act in the right way, do what must be done to rescue our embattled country, the State of Israel. I accept that they are weak humans, no better or stronger than me or anyone else. I am not in their position. May G-d strengthen them and forgive us all.

Please take on this challenge, too, and add or links via my comments, thanks.

Unpleasant Truths for Jews and Israelis

Original Title, written before this blog post ran away with itself:

Arab Gazan Human Shield Policy Worse Than Japanese Kamikaze Attacks

I wonder how seriously the world takes the Gazan Hamas Arab terrorist Human Shield policy.

In a logical, rational world it would be a very clear widely heeded call to good people all over that the Gazan Hamas Arab terrorists are the worst of the world's most immoral, uncaring and violent ever.

In a logical, rational world those Arab terrorists ruling Gaza would be the world's outcasts, the pariahs and Israel would be the darling of the good, moral and purportedly peace-loving international bodies.

But unfortunately we don't live in a logical, rational world. The real world is dominated by an undercurrent of Jew-hating antisemitism. Too bad that most Jews and Israelis are too good-hearted and naive to accept this unpleasant painful truth. Too many Jews and Israelis have substituted "international public opinion" for G-d Almighty, and they constantly strive to please the world instead of pleasing and placating G-d.

Next week begins the Jewish Month of Elul, the month before Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur. Our sages teach us that G-d is always ready to receive our תשובה Teshuva, Repentance. If we are truly sincere and show that we won't make the same mistakes, sin, again, then G-d will forgive us, because G-d loves us as a parent loves a child. Only G-d loves us this way, and only G-d can save us from our enemies.

Unfortunately, and tragically, Jewish and Israeli leaders along with ordinary Jews devote those energies which should be directed towards G-d to attempting to placate "the world."  The world won't save us. The world would be perfectly happy and satisfied to dedicate impressive memorial and museums to a history of an "extinct," G-d forbid, Jewish People.

If you think that Obama or the UN can really save or protect us, you're barking up the wrong tree, and you may not survive.

What I write is the truth, an unpleasant truth for too many.

May we obey the True G-d and ignore the world. And may our political leaders lead us in the right direction, G-d willing.

Peres Finally Admits He Hasn't a Clue

Hat-tip Algemeiner

Former President Shimon Peres has made one tiny step to admit that his policies and opinions have been wrong. In a far-ranging interview on BBC (click to listen to the interview) he even blamed Hamas for the death of Gazan children by mentioning their human shields policy. But the headliner here is that Peres actually admitted that Disengagement was a serious mistake.


Here we are almost a decade later, and honestly this admission isn't strong enough. Peres speaking so softly and gently, you'd never know that there's an ideological bombshell in his answers, also admits not understanding the Gazan mentality. For me, that's the key to the problem.

Disney

A basis for the Israeli Left ideology is the incorrect presumption that the Arabs, yes even the terrorists, are really "just like us, with the same ideals and dreams for our children." They project their nature, culture, ideology on sociopathic, unrepentant blood-thirsty terrorists. You can't get more wrong than that. Picture Cinderella's mean and grotesque step-sisters trying to fit their giant feet into her dainty glass slipper.

But I'm not joking here.

It's very dangerous to misread/misinterpret your enemy and make apologies for them. Successive Israeli governments have been doing that very thing for generations, even before the establishment of the State of Israel. The official Zionist establishment has always had this dream of living in peace with the Arabs and never took seriously their statements and actions which have always shown their aims to stop and destroy us.

In less than two weeks we will begin the Jewish Month of Elul, a traditional time of Teshuva, Repentance. A few years ago I took Rabbi Reuven Grodner's Elul Teshuva course in Pardes. There are three basic stages to repentance as I remember:

1. admission of sin
2. regret
3. doing the correct thing when in the same situation

Shimon Peres' admission isn't the full repentance required. I wonder if anyone on the Left is listening. 

As The Rosh Hashannah Deadline Approaches...

One of my favorite bloggers, the Bima Ima, has been keeping to a Teshuva, repentance, introspection program you can follow from this chart.  I did one post based on it over a week ago and promised to post more.  So here follows...

 

17 Awaken- Consider this the Scarlett O'Hara lesson that as long as G-d as given us a very special gift, the tool of Teshuva, repentance.  "It's not over till it's over"  "Yogi" Berra.   Just because it looks like all is lost doesn't mean that we can't change and win.

18 Pray- Living here in Shiloh where Chana successfully prayed for a son to lead the Jewish people out of its leaderless anarchy, I feel very connected to G-d, more than ever before.

19 Ask G-d if it's possible.  Don't just make demands.  There is never a guarantee that G-d will grant everything we request.

20 Judge others favorable, as you would wish to be judged.  We don't know everything going on with people, so it's not wise to be harsh.

21 Change is our responsibility. We shouldn't only make demands on others.  If we succeed in changing, our perspectives of others will change in accordance.

22 Dare yourself to do something you've always feared.  That really resonates with me.  Why am I so terrified of trying to market my writing?  Why do I work at such a low-paying job when I do have many other marketable talents?

23 Love yourself, another very hard one.  Many of us were raised to be hyper-critical of ourselves.

24 End negative habits.  That's so easy to write and difficult to do.

Hachanut shel Ruti

25 Begin each day thanking G-d for giving us the chance to start afresh.

I hope to find the time to finish this before Rosh Hashannah.  If not, then I will, bli neder, finish afterwards.

Kapora, Kapora, Getting Priorities Straight

Since my mother's death, my jewelry has suffered. 

One of my very favorite, and relatively new, earrings disappeared during the Shabbat of the shiva. I suddenly realized that it wasn't on my ear, and I never found it.  Then two weeks ago, again on Shabbat I was very tired Friday night and went to sleep wearing my earrings.  In the morning I discovered that one, the remaining of a pair I once had to break to get out of my ear, got stuck and began causing a very uncomfortable infection.  After Shabbat I went to neighbors who are jewelers, and we finally removed it by straightening and cutting.  It took almost two weeks for my ear to heal.  Finally yesterday, on Shabbat, I was able to change the earring in the newly healed ear.  At shul a neighbor noticed that a piece of gold was missing from one of the earrings.

That's three gold earrings lost or damaged in just over two months.

There was a time in my life when even just one such even would bother me, but not now.

"Kapora!"  Yes, Kapora is all I can say.

Nu?  What does that mean, "Kapora?"

I've davka been reading Zeh Kaporosi – The Custom Of Kaporos, Mosaica Press, by: Avrohom Reit a book about the Jewish minhag, custom of Kaparot.

It is customary to perform the kaparot (symbolic "atonement") rite in preparation for Yom Kippur.

The rite consists of taking a chicken and waving it over one's head three times while reciting the appropriate text. The fowl is then slaughtered in accordance with halachic procedure and its monetary worth given to the poor, or, as is more popular today, the chicken itself is donated to a charitable cause.
We ask of G‑d that if we were destined to be the recipients of harsh decrees in the new year, may they be transferred to this chicken in the merit of this mitzvah of charity. (Chabad.org)

One thing I really like about the book is that it begins by explaining that as important the author and many other Torah observant Jews find this custom, it is just a custom.  As a married woman there are halachik, restrictions according to Jewish Law concerning my learning and adopting minhagim and chumrot, customs and stringencies.  So, I'm reading this book as a reviewer, without feeling any obligation to adopt the custom.

Zeh Kaporosi – The Custom Of Kaporos is an attractive and easy to read book about a difficult subject.  It's the perfect book for a family that wants to make it clear, even to young children.  It's also excellent if you're not all that familiar with the custom and really want to observe it.  It doesn't end after swinging the chicken over your head and then handing to a shochet, ritual slaughterer.  It gives a fantastically clear series of pictures and easy explanations of cleaning and koshering the chicken, something that few people are familiar with in the modern Jewish world.

As an enthusiastic, though amateur Hebrew linguist, I really appreciate the explanation of the root of the word, כ,פ,ר which can mean, cleanse, replace or cover/shield.  This is connected to the holiest day in the Jewish year,  יום הכיפורים Yom HaKippurim, the Day of Spiritual Cleansing, Replacing our Sins with Blessings and this should Shield us from harm.

Observers, followers of the custom of Kaparot see the chicken (*or fish can also be used) as the replacement to receive their punishment, which then cleanses them from sin and shields them from harm.

And what does this have to do with my missing, broken and destroyed earrings?

The very first time in my life I heard the term and concept of "Kapora!" was from a friend who had said that his bicycle and special all-weather cycling clothes had been stolen.  I responded shocked and horrified for him, but he carefully corrected me.

"I've been cycling long distances on roads for a long time.  I've never been in a accident. Kapora! The loss of the bicycle and outfit are nothing compared to what it would mean to be injured or killed, G-d forbid."

That was an excellent and important lesson for me.  We must get our priorities straight.  If it helps someone to focus on teshuva, repentance by practicing the Kaparot custom, that's fine.  And if G-d wants to remind me that the loss or breaking of  a gold earing holds little importance compared to human life and health, I accept the lesson, the reminder.

It may be a little too early to say this, but I wish you a

גמר חתימה טובה

G'mar Chattimah Tovah

A Good "Grade" From G-d

*Many years ago a visiting cousin came to us with a live fish for the Kaparot ceremony, which we did on our Jerusalem merpeset, balcony.