THE LEMON TREE – AN ODE TO ABA ז"ל

THE LEMON TREE – AN ODE TO ABA ז"ל
By Sara Layah Shomron




I have decided to plant a tree, specifically a lemon tree, in Eretz Yisrael (Israel) in memory and in honor of my Aba (father). This lemon tree will be planted here in the yard of our new home in Nitzan.

Why a tree?

Man is compared to a tree in several places in our Holy Scriptures:

"A person is like the tree of the field…" (Deut. 20: 19).
"For as the days of a tree shall be the days of my people" (Isaiah 65: 22).
"He will be like a tree planted near water…" (Jermiah 17: 8).

How is man like a tree?

In Ethics of Our Fathers (3: 22) they give one answer to that interesting question by saying that "A person whose wisdom exceeds his good deeds is likened to a tree whose branches are numerous, but whose roots are few. The wind comes and uproots it and turns it upside down. "But a person whose good deeds exceed his wisdom is likened to a tree whose branches are few but whose roots are numerous. Even if all the winds of the world were to come and blow against it, they could not budge it from its place."

Aba was a successful and respected physician. He was connected to the Waukesha Temple Emanu-El community and was proud of his heritage. Through his prose we can see that he was an introspective and philosophical man. However, his unfamiliarity with Torah sources deprived him of his natural roots from which to seek comfort, guidance and spiritual nourishment especially in dealing with his mortality. It is the trees roots that keep it from toppling in storms…

Why a lemon tree?

The lemon tree has been around for thousands of years, grown for its beauty and sweet fragrance. Also, "lemons symbolize maturity…in Judaism lemons are a symbol of the heart. During the Middle Ages the lemon was the symbol of life and protection against evil forces."
http://www.rosegathering.com/fragrances.html

In addition, a strong theme throughout Aba's prose is that of his love for his wife, my Ima (mother). A lemon tree can be joined with intimacy as shown in the beautifully rendered mid 1540's Italian painting "A Man and his Wife" which includes a lemon tree:
http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/server.php?show=conObject.2439

Another important theme running through my Aba's prose was the importance of one's perception and attitude as it affects one's outlook and judgment. If life throws you lemons, you can make a sour face or lemonade or lemon pie or lemon sherbert… Oh! How Aba enjoyed devouring lemon crème-filled cookies as he drove to and from the office.

Lastly, like a tree, my Aba helped provide the roots and the future branches to my life today. Though he wasn't initially pleased that I live in Israel, nor was he keen on the religious path I chose, he was instrumental in helping me reclaim my proud Jewish heritage. He encouraged me to contact an Israeli Shaliach (person promoting Israel in general and programs in particular) prior to my attending Arizona State University and paraphrase John F. Kennedy to the shaliach by asking him: what can you do (study) for Israel – not what can Israel do for you?

May this lemon tree prosper and grow big and strong, a pleasure to both sight and smell, refreshing us with its shade and with the lemonade we shall make from its lemons.

Shoot First; Ask Questions Later

The other week I was walking to Jerusalem's Central Bus Station, when I noticed a demonstration, so I whipped out my camera and started shooting pictures.

It was only later when I got closer could I ask questions.

Honestly, I didn't quite understand what the demonstrators were telling me.  Maybe they had been in the hot sun too long, or maybe I had.  I figured that eventually I'd find out what's going on.  Of course, the photos stayed in my camera and were eventually burned on a CD.

Davka, this morning I heard something on the news about a Water Authority strike, so I googled "Israel water authority strike" for more information.  And now I can write about the demonstration.

The Israel Water Authority workers want a better salary deal.  And more government workers are joining in with solidarity strikes.  Not having seen their pay checks, nor having observed how hard and stressful their jobs are, I don't know how justified it all is.  Everyone wants more money, though not everyone really needs it to live.

Some of us really need proper full-time jobs and salaries, because we don't have them, or our "full-time" in time is just "part-time" in money.

Yes, It's A Jerusalem Landmark, A New One

Looking at the Jerusalem String Bridge, designed by Calatrava...

In all honesty, it's not my taste, and I can't vouch for the safety of construction, but I certainly can't deny that from certain angles that bridge is WOW!  It really dominates the Jerusalem landscape.  Maybe one of the reasons is that it really is so incongruous.  Yep, it's doesn't match.

Jerusalem is fully of visual ironies, and this is one of them for sure.

You can also call it the Olmert monument to... megalomania.  Between the bridge and the light-rail, he won't be forgotten for a long time.

Bibi's "Pig in the Poke"

Israel's Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu speaks of "Peace Talks," as does the media and most Israeli politicians, diplomats etc, but U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama and the rest of the world are very clear and unabashed in saying that the "aim" of the "negotiations" is an Arab Terrorist Pseudistinian AKA Palestinian sic State.

Bibi is buying us a pig in the poke for sure.  There's no peace in the bag; it's terrorism and death for sure.  We had better stop it now.  There's nothing to negotiate.  Obama is making very explicit demands and they endanger the very existence of the State of Israel.

This "peace talks" ruse is a dangerous Pandora's Box.

When One Must "Break" Jewish Law to Keep It

The other day, I received a very important email about Jewish Law, Shabbat restructions vs Pikuach Nefesh, saving a life.  It reminded me of a frigtening and disturbing story my friend told me of how their son-in-law made his wife, their daughter, walk to the hospital when in labor because of Shabbat.  I was horrified, becauwe according to Jewish Law, the minute labor commences the woman is of the "life in danger" status.  That means that calling for an ambulance is a mitzvah and making her walk is a sin.


My husband worked in Shaare Zedek's pr in the early 1970's including the Yom Kippur War. The hosptial's Rav said that driving and working on Shabbat and Chag had to be done by frum Jews only, since it was a mitzvah.


Here is  Rabbi Kaganoff's article, posted with his permission:

Shabbos Emergencies and the Parsha

Shabbos Emergencies


By Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff






In our parsha, the midwives tell Pharaoh that the Jewish women handle their own childbirths without any assistance. Such women would have no need to go to the hospital on Shabbos. However, the rest of us need to know what to do about Shabbos emergencies.






I once received the following communication:






“As an active member of Hatzalah, but not speaking on behalf of any specific Hatzalah organization, I suggest that you cover a topic that would benefit many frum communities, especially those where, Boruch Hashem, new branches of Hatzalah have recently been established, such as Passaic-C lif ton, Elizabeth, Baltimore, Waterbury, and overseas. In many instances of our responding to Shabbos emergencies, we discover that the patient, family, and bystanders do not know the basic halachos of pikuach nefesh; thus, they do not understand why we do certain things, such as using our radios or driving to and from an emergency. Although occasionally different branches follow different protocols (such as whether we drive back from a call) depending on different piskei halacha that each branch received, the basic rules are the same, and the differences in psak halacha among the different branches rarely affect what the patient does.






“Another phenomenon that I see is simply baffling. People call Hatzalah on Shabbos, with no intention of allowing us to transport the patient to a hospital if we deem it necessary. They tell us, ‘We can ' t go to the hospital; it ' s Shabbos.’ Guess what? You called us and it ' s Shabbos for us too. People need to be taught that if Chas V’Shalom they need to call Hatzalah on Shabbos (or any other day), they MUST listen to our advice.






“We are trained to recognize problems that are not obvious to the untrained individual. If we say the patient needs to be transported to the hospital on Shabbos, please don’t argue with us!






“My understanding of the halacha is that it is the responsibility of the Rabbonim of a community to educate people what to do on Shabbos if someone is endangered. It seems that there is no better vehicle to accomplish this than your articles in Yated Neeman!






“Thanking you in advance,”






The Hatzalah volunteer who addressed this letter requested that we withhold his name, and we are honoring his request.






Although I have never been involved in Hatzalah’s holy work, I would like to introduce my comments with the following tragic story: Yuddie, a hard working, mid-fifties, proud Jew, was fe eli ng unwell on a Shabbos afternoon. His concerned children called the local ambulance service, who felt he should go to the hospital immediately. Yuddie refused to go on Shabbos. To bring the story to its a bru pt end, Yuddie died a few hours later from coronary arrest.






This is only part of the tragedy. Imagine what probably happened when Yuddie arrived for final judgment in the court of the Olam HaEmes. Certainly the Satan charged him with manslaughter for bringing about his own demise by violating the halachos of pikuach nefesh. Maybe the Beis Din shel Maalah had rachmonus to mitigate his crime and judge him as a shogeg, someone negligent in his violation because he was unaware of the halachos. Certainly, Yuddie will receive some punishment for his serious breach of halacha since he should have learned the halacha.






To make sure such tragedies don’t reoccur, we will review the basics of these halachos.






The Gemara (Yerushalmi, Yoma 8:5) teaches: “Someone who was asked a shaylah (whether to desecrate Shabbos in the case of a life-threatening emergency) is disgraced and the one who asks is guilty of bloodshed.” We understand the second part of this statement that someone busying himself with asking whether he can save someone’s life is wasting precious minutes that literally may be the difference between life and death, but why is the rav who was asked the shaylah considered disgraced?






The answer is because he is responsible to teach these halachos publicly so that people should always know these laws thoroughly. If people are asking what to do it indicates that the rav has not adequately taught these halachos, which is negligence on his part (Korban HaEidah ad loc.).






By the way, this rule obviously applies equally on weekdays! If someone is uncertain whether a particular situation is life threatening or not, he/she is required to immediately seek proper medical attention. Delaying might be shedding blood!






Let us quote the words of Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 328:2): “It is a mitzvah to desecrate Shabbos for a dangerous illness. He who does so swiftly is praised; the person who goes to ask what to do is a shedder of blood!” and again: “Whoever is swift in desecrating Shabbos in a matter that involves danger is praised!! (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim 328:13)






IS THIS AN EMERGENCY?






But what if I do not know whether this is a life threatening emergency? Am I required to be a doctor to know what is and what is not? After all, only a life-threatening emergency supersedes Shabbos!






No, there is no halacha requirement to be a physician. However, this is the rule that one should follow:






“One must desecrate Shabbos even if there is only a slight possibility that the situation is dangerous. One does not need a professional opinion or an expert physician. Whenever one is uncertain whether the situation is dangerous, he is required to desecrate Shabbos (Shu’t Tashbeitz 1:54 ).”






Thus, Yuddie’s children were absolutely correct in calling the emergency service and certainly could have driven him to the hospital themselves, even if it would have turned out to have been nothing but indigestion from too much cholent. Certainly, I have only praise for the Hatzalah volunteers who drive on Shabbos to attend emergencies.






The source for this halacha is the following statement: “An uncertainty whether the situation is life-threatening supersedes Shabbos. Not only if it is an uncertainty whether the situation is immediately dangerous, but even if there is no danger now and the situation may create a danger for the future (Gemara Yoma 84b).” The last clause teaches that we supersede Shabbos for someone when inferior care received now may affect his future health, such as a person suffering from an apnea condition which, left untreated, may eventually cause permanent heart damage. The same applies to kidney conditions or diabetes.






In short, the Torah demands that when you are uncertain whether a situation is dangerous or not, be mechaleil Shabbos first to get proper medical care, and ask questions later.






Years ago, I was visiting a physician friend of mine when a well respected member of the frum community, who lived quite a distance from the house, arrived on Shabbos afternoon to determine whether his child’s illness was life-threatening. They had just walked with the child forty minutes to have a frum physician evaluate whether the situation warranted chillul Shabbos! To this day I am astonished at how little this yeshiva-educated man knew about pikuach nefesh. When uncertain whether a situation is life threatening or not, assume that it is until someone knowledgeable informs you that it is not.






WHAT IS CONSIDERED MEDICALLY KNOWLEDGEABLE?






The halachic definition of a physician for these purposes certainly includes a trained Hatzalah emergency medical technician. I can prove this from an anecdote concerning Rav Yaakov Kaminetzky, zt”l. Rav Yaakov’s first rabbinic position was in a small Lithuanian village that had no physician. Thus, living there violated the psak of the Rambam (Hilchos Dayos 4:23) that a talmid chacham may live only in a town that has a physician. Rav Yaakov needed a solution to accept this position and move into the community. He resolved the problem by reading through medical books until he felt he met the halachic requirements of being a local doctor (Reb Yaakov, page 106). Thus we see that someone who knows enough to treat commonplace medical problems is halachically qualified as a physician.






One can conclude that a Hatzalah volunteer has sufficient training to be considered halachically a physician for the emergencies with which he deals. Therefore, someone who disobeys the instructions of a Hatzalah volunteer to desecrate Shabbos is a shofeich domim!






WHO SHOULD DRIVE? A WOMAN OR A MAN?






If one needs to call Hatzalah, drive a patient to the hospital, or perform some other act of chillul Shabbos in a life-threatening emergency, is it better to have a woman perform the activity or a man?






The most important rule throughout all of the laws of pikuach nefesh is that the situation should be taken care of as swiftly and responsibly as possible. Therefore whoever can remedy the situation best and quickest should drive (Mishna Berurah 328:34). However, the person driving must ensure that no one is endangered. Do not drive at night without lights in an attempt to mitigate the amount of chillul Shabbos, and do not drive recklessly. Unfortunately, I know of people who in their diligence to limit chillul Shabbos endangered others in the process. For those who would like a fuller education in this subject, I recommend Shmiras Shabbos Ke’hilchasa 40:50-73.






Assuming that either a man or a woman can take care of the emergency equally well, and the person making decisions is level-headed to choose without wasting any time at all, it is preferable for a man to be mechaleil Shabbos for a life threatening emergency than for a woman (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim 328:12).






WHY THE MAN?






Chazal were concerned that if a woman was mechaleles Shabbos to take care of a life threatening emergency, she might erringly think that she was asked to desecrate Shabbos because her violating Shabbos (in non-pikuach nefesh circumstances) is not such a severe violation. As a result, they were concerned that she may become lackadaisical in her attitude towards Shabbos (Rambam, Hilchos Shabbos 2:3). This is simply not true; a woman and a man have the same level of responsibility to observe Shabbos and the same halachos. However, since many unlettered people feel that women are less responsible to observe mitzvos than men are, Chazal emphasized that it is the importance of saving lives that supersedes Shabbos and not the unimportance of her chillul Shabbos. We therefore have a man supersede Shabbos so that the woman does not think she was chosen to be the mechaleil Shabbos.






WHO SHOULD DRIVE? A JEW OR A NON-JEW?






Again, the first rule is who will handle the emergency in the most expeditious way. Assuming that either a Jew or a non-Jew is available, the Poskim dispute which is preferable, some contending that one should specifically have an observant Jew do the melacha whereas others maintain that one should specifically have a gentile perform the activity since he is not required to observe Shabbos. Since these two approaches are diametrically opposite, I will present the sources for this dispute:






The Gemara states:






“We do not have gentiles perform these matters (being mechaleil Shabbos to save lives) only gedolei Yisroel” (Gemara Yoma 84b). This Gemara presents us with two different issues that we need to discuss:






1. What does the Gemara mean when it states: “We do not have gentiles perform these matters?”






2. What does it mean when it states: “only gedolei Yisroel?”






I will address these two halacha questions one at a time:






What does it mean that we do not have gentiles perform life-saving measures on Shabbos?”






Tosafos (Yoma 84b) explains that even if a non-Jew is readily available, one should d eli berately have a Jew desecrate Shabbos because Chazal understood that someone who feels accountable to observe Hashem’s commandments executes those mitzvos more diligently.






The Rosh (Yoma 8:14) presents a different reason why we prefer a Jew perform the melacha -- because of concern that people seeing that a gentile was instructed to perform the activity may erringly think that pikuach nefesh is less valuable than Shabbos and in the future may jeopardize someone’s life when a gentile is not available. Alternatively, they may erringly think that one must first try to find a gentile rather than doing whatever is most expeditious. Either mistake may jeopardize someone’s life. To avoid these errors, we d eli berately have a Jew perform the activity on Shabbos so that people realize that a life threatening emergency always supersedes Shabbos.






An interesting dispute results from these differing interpretations. According to Tosafos, even on a weekday one should have an observant Jew perform the life-saving measures (assuming that this does not slow or impede the quality of care) since he performs the work with the added sense that he is performing a mitzvah. However according to the Rosh, this preference for a Jew is only on Shabbos and not on a weekday when no one will assume that there was a reason one chose a gentile. As mentioned above, this entire dispute is only in a case where no time or care is lost in making the decision whom to send.






Thus far we have explained two approaches that understand the Gemara’s statement, “We do not have gentiles perform these matters” literally, that we prefer that a Jew be mechaleil Shabbos to a non-Jew. However, the Ohr Zarua (Hilchos Erev Shabbos #38) suggests an alternative approach - the Gemara means that we do not look for a non-Jew to perform these activities when we already have a Jew available. However, if both a Jew and a gentile are available, one should ask the gentile. Although the Ohr Zarua disagrees with this approach, the Mordechai (Shabbos #467) quotes the Ravyah who indeed rules that we should not have a Jew perform melacha when a non-Jew is available to do it as swiftly. The Rama (328:12) records that the Ashkenazic custom follows the Ravyah not to desecrate Shabbos when a gentile is available who will perform the work as swiftly as a Jew would.






The Taz (328:5) takes very strong exception to this ruling of the Rama and contends that one may not ask a gentile to do the work when an observant Jew is available. Thus we face a dispute between major halachic arbiters which of these two approaches to follow: to prefer using a gentile, or to prefer using a Jew. As mentioned above, this dispute is only assuming that either one can perform the work equally efficiently and that no delay results.






It is significant to note that the Mishna Berurah is inconsistent which of these two approaches to follow. In Chapter 328:37 he implies that he follows the Taz’s opinion, whereas in Chapter 278:2 he rules like the Rama, that one should use a gentile when all else is equal. Therefore, this is an unclear halacha. If you are faced with the shaylah, do whatever is expedient without thinking which is better. You may want to ask your rav for his opinion in order to be prepared for emergencies.






WHO SHOULD DRIVE? A NOTED TALMID CHACHAM OR A LAYMAN?






I quoted above the Gemara that states that we should have specifically gedolei Yisroel perform the chillul Shabbos necessary to save lives. What does the Gemara mean when it declares that only gedolei Yisroel should perform the melacha? The Rishonim debate this question, presenting two alternate explanations:






1. Some understand that the Gemara means Jewish adults (Tashbeitz 1:54 ; Beis Yosef 328 rules that this is the opinion of most Rishonim and poskim).






2. Others explain the term to mean the greatest of the Jewish people, i.e., people we usually call Gedolei Yisroel (Rambam, Peirush Hamishnayos, Shabbos end of Chapter 18, and Hilchos Shabbos 2:3).






According to the latter opinion, if a godol biYisrael is in a place where there is a life-threatening emergency, he should be the one to drive the ambulance to the hospital rather than someone else (assuming he knows how to safely and that this will not delay matters) in order to convey to people that what is being done is not because chillul Shabbos is unimportant, but because of the overriding importance of pikuach nefesh! The first opinion contends that it does not make any halachic difference whether a talmid chacham drives the ambulance or any other observant male adult.






The Mishna Berurah (328:34) quotes the Rambam’s opinion: If there are several people together when a pikuach nefesh matter presents itself, if any one of the people involved can attend to the danger with equal efficiency, the greatest talmid chacham among them should rush to be mechaleil Shabbos himself!






A corollary of this halachic point is that a person should not seek to avoid doing melacha on Shabbos when it is necessary and have someone else perform the melacha instead. Quite the contrary, it is meritorious to be the one who performs the melacha. The Tashbeitz’s words are, “The first one who has the opportunity to perform the mitzvah should do so, and receive the reward for saving a Jewish life.” I would like to stress that this is true even if it is subsequently discovered that the person was not seriously ill. Since the person who desecrated Shabbos did so according to the Torah’s guid eli nes, he is rewarded as if he saved a Jewish life!






WHAT IF THE SITUATION IS NOT LIFE THREATENING?






If a medical authority, such as a Hatzalah volunteer, tells you that the situation is not life-threatening, a Jew may not perform any activity that involves violating a Torah prohibition, although depending on circumstances, rabbinic takanos may often be set aside.






It is beyond the scope of this article to detail what one may do under these circumstances, but I will supply two rules of thumb that one should usually follow under these circumstances:






1. If the person is ill (even not seriously) or uncomfortable, one may ask a gentile to do whatever is necessary (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim 307:5).






2. If the patient and his family do not include any talmidei chachamim, and the Hatzalah volunteer tells you that based on his experience of asking shaylos from Rabbonim, you should be able to do something yourself, you may rely on this information until one has the opportunity to ask a shaylah what to do.






May we always merit that to perform mitzvos in good health and in the way that Hashem wants us to.

Disturbing and Ironic

As I sometimes do early in the morning, I've been watching last night's IBA News.  I don't know how to save this particular edition of the news.  If someone does, please get it done ASAP, thanks.

I'll start with the ironic:

Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon grandstanded about the importance of all MK's (Israel's Knesset Parliament Members) swearing allegiance to the State of Israel.  Yes, I certainly agree with that, but davka from Danny Ayalon whose loyalty to Judaism is suspect because of his allegiance to evangelical cristians.  Unfortunately, dangerous for sure, a surprising amount of Likud MK's are financially dependent on cristian money to support their political careers.

Now for the disturbing:

1- Israel's Loony-Left demonstrated in frightening numbers in Tel Aviv in favor of Gazan Arabs and against last years war against the Arab terrorists in Gaza.

2-  Barely a handful, but even one would be too many, of Neturei Karta spent Shabbat in Gaza to show their support.  Neturei Karta are in ultra-extreme sect in Judaism, so extreme that they've lost all sense of proportion of right and wrong when it comes to Jewish issues.  They consider themselves "ultra-Orthodox," but their actual ideology is very anti-Jewish and even more anti-Israel.  They have more in common with Israel's Loony-Left than with any group of Torah-loyal Jews.

Daniel Ayalon: Israel’s Ambassador for Christendom

Posted by Jewish Israel

Israel’s Foreign Ministry is sponsoring a bid to upgrade the status of evangelicals in Israel and recognize them as "a sovereign group or an independent church". The Interior Ministry is opposing the move.

Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon, who as the outgoing Israeli ambassador to Washington, told Christians that he intended to be “their ambassador to Israel”, seems to be doing everything he can to make good on that pledge.

Jewish Israel covers the Deputy Foreign Minister’s ongoing efforts to bolster Christianity in Israel and we’ve posted video excerpts of Ayalon’s recent appearance on Benny Hinn’s television show, where Danny speaks a polished “Evangelese”, and gives Nefesh B’Nefesh a plug.

Hinn, a highly controversial televangelist, provides us Jews with a quintessential view of “avoda zara” and a good reason as to why the Jewish state should avoid granting special status to the evangelical church…more

Weed Your Own Garden, Gideon Levy

Ha'Aretz, the extreme Left newspaper has a ridiculous op-ed by Gideon Levy which begins with:

"What constitutes the life of a settler? A house on the cheap; a standard of living above the national average; a job usually subsidized by the government..."

Here's my reply:

We're in Shiloh since 1981, and you're describing some fancy Leftist tzfoni place, with lots of well-paid government people whose kids are jobniks, far removed from the worries of ordinary Israelis.

The tough questions should go to your neighbors and their parents who shot fellow Jews on the Altelena and turned in their neighbors to the British.

Get off your high horse and weed your own garden!

Art Therapy vs Terrorism

I kid you not.  There's a program to change terrorists into "normal" people that includes Art Therapy. 

But if you think about it, all the loony Left's basis for their hypothesis that with the right gifts from Israel, the neighboring Arabs will become peaceful is based on the same misunderstanding of human nature.

I consider myself a very rooted in reality pragmatist.

Arab Terrorists don't suffer "emotional" problems curable by the right tender loving care and fun creative therapies.  As the Palestine Media Watch  documents, they are raised, indoctrinated with hatred their entire lives.  Children's games train them to kill Jews and Israelis.  This is reinforced by family pressure, because it has been going on for generations.

Before there was a State of Israel, Jews were attacked in the HolyLand.  When the State was declared, the Arabs immediately declared war on it.  And, yes, all of this predated the 1967 Six Days War when Israel liberated, Judea, Samaria, Sinai, Golan and the rest of Jerusalem.

Finger paint and paper mache` won't make the terrorists peaceful and tolerant human beings.  And no matter what Israel gives to the Arabs, they won't let us live in peace! 

King David's Instructions, True Leadership Is Not For Wimps

Recently, I've been writing about the Torah Portion of the Week, since I spend time reading it each week.  This week, Vayechi, I found the Haftarah, from Kings I, Chapter 2 more inspiring.  Only at the neighborhood Women's Shabbat Shiur Class did I begin to see some special things in the actual Torah Reading.  G-d willing, bli neder, I'll blog about it later in the week.

Just recently, Arutz 7 had a poll asking its readers  Who was the greatest Jewish warrior of all time?  The winner was King David.  You could say that King David was the first of our "generals" to go into politics.

King David's most crucial challenge was training his successor.  He didn't spend decades, like UK Queen Elizabeth has with her son Charles, who himself is already on the wrong side of sixty.  A few chapters earlier we find King David fading fast, totally "out of it."  There was rebellion in the ranks, and his beloved wife Batsheva had to be called in to bring him out of his stupor to remind him that he had promised her that their son, Solomon, would succeed him.

This week we discover a revitalized King David rattling off instructions to his son Solomon.  These aren't about ceremonies and procedures.  Solomon is told that he must execute some important people, whose loyalty can't be trusted.  One is even his cousin, Yoav Ben Tzruya.

א וַיִּקְרְבוּ יְמֵי-דָוִד, לָמוּת; וַיְצַו אֶת-שְׁלֹמֹה בְנוֹ, לֵאמֹר. 1 Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying:



ב אָנֹכִי הֹלֵךְ, בְּדֶרֶךְ כָּל-הָאָרֶץ; וְחָזַקְתָּ, וְהָיִיתָ לְאִישׁ. 2 'I go the way of all the earth; be thou strong therefore, and show thyself a man;


ג וְשָׁמַרְתָּ אֶת-מִשְׁמֶרֶת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, לָלֶכֶת בִּדְרָכָיו לִשְׁמֹר חֻקֹּתָיו מִצְו‍ֹתָיו וּמִשְׁפָּטָיו וְעֵדְו‍ֹתָיו, כַּכָּתוּב, בְּתוֹרַת מֹשֶׁה--לְמַעַן תַּשְׂכִּיל, אֵת כָּל-אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה, וְאֵת כָּל-אֲשֶׁר תִּפְנֶה, שָׁם. 3 and keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to that which is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself;


ד לְמַעַן יָקִים יְהוָה אֶת-דְּבָרוֹ, אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר עָלַי לֵאמֹר, אִם-יִשְׁמְרוּ בָנֶיךָ אֶת-דַּרְכָּם לָלֶכֶת לְפָנַי בֶּאֱמֶת, בְּכָל-לְבָבָם וּבְכָל-נַפְשָׁם: לֵאמֹר--לֹא-יִכָּרֵת לְךָ אִישׁ, מֵעַל כִּסֵּא יִשְׂרָאֵל. 4 that the LORD may establish His word which He spoke concerning me, saying: If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee, said He, a man on the throne of Israel.


ה וְגַם אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֵת אֲשֶׁר-עָשָׂה לִי יוֹאָב בֶּן-צְרוּיָה, אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לִשְׁנֵי-שָׂרֵי צִבְאוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאַבְנֵר בֶּן-נֵר וְלַעֲמָשָׂא בֶן-יֶתֶר וַיַּהַרְגֵם, וַיָּשֶׂם דְּמֵי-מִלְחָמָה, בְּשָׁלֹם; וַיִּתֵּן דְּמֵי מִלְחָמָה, בַּחֲגֹרָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר בְּמָתְנָיו, וּבְנַעֲלוֹ, אֲשֶׁר בְּרַגְלָיו. 5 Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did unto me, even what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.


ו וְעָשִׂיתָ, כְּחָכְמָתֶךָ; וְלֹא-תוֹרֵד שֵׂיבָתוֹ בְּשָׁלֹם, שְׁאֹל. 6 Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.


ז וְלִבְנֵי בַרְזִלַּי הַגִּלְעָדִי תַּעֲשֶׂה-חֶסֶד, וְהָיוּ בְּאֹכְלֵי שֻׁלְחָנֶךָ: כִּי-כֵן, קָרְבוּ אֵלַי, בְּבָרְחִי, מִפְּנֵי אַבְשָׁלוֹם אָחִיךָ. 7 But show kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table; for so they drew nigh unto me when I fled from Absalom thy brother.


ח וְהִנֵּה עִמְּךָ שִׁמְעִי בֶן-גֵּרָא בֶן-הַיְמִינִי, מִבַּחֻרִים, וְהוּא קִלְלַנִי קְלָלָה נִמְרֶצֶת, בְּיוֹם לֶכְתִּי מַחֲנָיִם; וְהוּא-יָרַד לִקְרָאתִי, הַיַּרְדֵּן, וָאֶשָּׁבַע לוֹ בַיהוָה לֵאמֹר, אִם-אֲמִיתְךָ בֶּחָרֶב. 8 And, behold, there is with thee Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the LORD, saying: I will not put thee to death with the sword.


ט וְעַתָּה, אַל-תְּנַקֵּהוּ, כִּי אִישׁ חָכָם, אָתָּה; וְיָדַעְתָּ אֵת אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה-לּוֹ, וְהוֹרַדְתָּ אֶת-שֵׂיבָתוֹ בְּדָם שְׁאוֹל. 9 Now therefore hold him not guiltless, for thou art a wise man; and thou wilt know what thou oughtest to do unto him, and thou shalt bring his hoar head down to the grave with blood.'

Then King David died and his son King Solomon did what his father instructed.  And that made him a strong and respected leader.  Every year when I read this I think of Menachem Begin's grand failure.  I thought he was supposed to be a Bible lover.  How could Begin have ignored King David's instructions about how to establish yourself as leader?  Begin announced that he'd be magnanimous and not fire various political appointees.  He didn't put his people in positions of power in the Foreign and Defense Ministries.  He didn't even give the Foreign Ministry to someone of his party or ideology.  He gave it to Moshe Dayan.  He tried to be nice, different from what people expected.

Menachem Begin was the first "non Labor" politician to become Prime Minister of Israel.  The media and the world were in shock.  Afterwards they had the last laugh, because his Sinai "deal" with Egypt was more than the Labor Party would ever had done.  That precedent has been copied, virtually every time Likud gets in.  Look at Arik Sharon's Disengagement and Bibi Netanyahu's present policies. 

King Solomon started his rule great, executing those his father told should and then building the Beit HaMikdash, Holy Temple.  It's after that when he began making mistakes, getting over-confident, giving away cities, marrying too many women, etc.  Then something happened and he realized his mistakes, did tshuva, repentance, wrote Kohelet, Ecclesiastes and more.

Personal repentance is one thing, but for a leader to lose focus is something much more serious.  King Solomon lost the reigns and never quite got them back.  The stories of the fighting between kings, princes and kingdoms echo to this day.

We need a real leader.  One who isn't afraid to make tough decisions and carry them out.  We don't need politicians who are constantly looking over their shoulders, trying to do what they think will make them "popular."  That's not leadership.

Moshiach (Messiah) Ben (son of) David, Where Are You?

Vayechi! Let's Live!

This week's Parshat Shavua, Torah Portion of the Week, is Vayechi.  Biblical Hebrew has a different grammar from our Hebrew of today.  Take your verb, put it in future and add "and" and you have the past.  Yes, strange, but that's grammar for you.

Vayechi is about the life and death of our Patriarch Ya'aqov Jacob.  He fathered the twelve tribes, the foundation of the Jewish Nation.  He lives on through all of us.  There's life after death when you have children and further descendants.  Although his own father never left the HolyLand, he trekked and returned and then went down to Egypt for his final years, only demanding from his children to bury him in the Promised Land.

Today's the first of the goyish calendar year, 2010.  Now that I don't have attendance forms to fill out, and rarely do I write a check, I pretty much ignore the goyish date.  That's pretty easy for me to do.  The Hebrew date is something else, just looking in the sky and seeing the shape of the moon, and we can gauge pretty accurately what today's date is.  This picture shows a full moon, so it must be the middle of the month.

My father is only connected to the goyish calendar.  That's the world he grew up in.  He doesn't even remember his Bar Mitzvah, even though he certainly had one.

Every day as we take our walk around my neighborhood, we observe the weather.

"It's so warm outside.  Is it really the end of December?  It must be much colder in Great Neck now."
"Yes, they even had a snow storm."
"The house was always warm.  The end of December? Then it's going to be a new year soon.  And then I will be ninety, right?"

Ya'aqov was taken to Egypt by his children, and l'havdil, to differentiate, I brought my father to Israel. G-d willing, my mother will sell the house quickly and join us.  Most of their descendants are here in Israel.  That was the magnet that drew him here and made him agree to come with me.

Before he left New York, he mentioned to friends and family that he probably wouldn't return.  He expects to live the remainder of his life in Israel.  Most of his friends and family of his age group have already died, or like him can no longer travel easily and independently to visit each other.  So, life in New York is not what it once was.  The time had come to make real changes.

We're all doing the best we can so that he'll enjoy however much time G-d gives him.  Vayechi... and he will live...