Canary Missionposted about an individual who spread anti=Semitism through social media. The end of the article shared links to her twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkdIn accounts. I clicked on the links and received a "this page is not available" message. What happened to Lara's accounts?
IsraellyCool posted about a fake funding campaign for Noor from Gaza, who was, in reality, from Syria. The campaign was closed but what happens to the funds collected?
An IsraellyCoolpost alerted me to a Twitter account called Free Gaza Team which was fundraising for a girl named Noor from Gaza. When his friend, Ari, exposed the false account of the storyline and reported it to a crowd funding site, the donation drive was terminated. Both IsraellyCool and Ari linked to the twitter account of the Free Gaza Team, but when I clicked on the link, I received the message, "Sorry, that page doesn't exist." A Google search of the account shows various entries which, when clicked on, reveal the same message. Below is a screen capture of a cached tweet. Incidentally, there is a Facebook account called Free Gaza Team.
"Zachor Eis Asher Asa Hashem L'Miriam BaDerech B'Tzaischem MiMitzrayim" The Ramban and other Rishonim count, among the Mitzvos Aseh Min HaTorah, the mitzva of remembering and saying with your mouth each day what Hashem did to Miriam when she spoke about her brother Moshe. The Chofetz Chaim in Shaar Tvunah Perek 12 says that being Mikayem this mitzva can save you from the aveira of Lashon Hara. More than just saying the pasuk, says the Chofetz Chaim, one must think about the incident in order for it to have its intended effect. http://revach.net/daily-reminder/zechiras-miriam/Parshas-Shemos-Netziv-A-Strange-Looking-Goel/3286
"And these are the names of the Children of Israel" (Shmos 1:1). In conjunction with the public reading of the parsha, our Chachomim require that every individual learn it on his own and be familiar with its basic pshat. To achieve this level of mastery, they instituted a three‑tiered review of the parsha: The text itself must be read twice, followed by Onkelos. Shnayim Mikrah Ve'echod Targum, "twice the text and once the translation of Onkelos", is the name of this mitzvah. A G‑d fearing man should study Rashi's commentary in addition to Targum. The Levush writes that it is hinted at (remez) in the first pasuk of this week's Parsha. The Hebrew letters of the pasuk "V'eila Shemos Bnei Yisroel" are an acronym for: V'chayav Adam Likros Haparsha Shnayim Mikra Ve'echod Targum Vze Chayavim Kol Bnei Yisroel".
http://revach.net/parshas-hashavua/quick-vort/Parshas-Shemos-Shnayim-Mikra-is-Hidden-in-the-Words/1555
On December 4, the Yeshiva World published a statement by Rabbi Yaakov Bender, the Rosh Hayeshiva of Yeshiva Darchei Torah regarding the use of the New York Times of a picture of his yeshiva in an article asking whether yeshiva students are receiving a subpar education. On December 18, the Yeshiva World published an article about an NYPD traffic agent who was impressed by the behavior of a young yeshiva boy from Rabbi Bender's yeshiva.
Perhaps the New York Times should publish an article questioning whether public schools are receiving a subpar education.
The New York Times has an article online suggesting that yeshiva students receive a subpar education. It is a horribly unfair attack on our entire yeshiva system. Incredibly, the Times article is illustrated with a photo of our yeshiva, Darchei Torah.
Subpar? Our students regularly outperform students in New York City’s public schools.
Students who want to avoid a subpar education should leave the public schools and enroll in a Yeshiva such as ours.
We take the most pride in fulfilling our primary mission of teaching Torah and imparting Torah values. But we also outperform the public schools academically at every level. Our performance on State tests far surpasses theirs, we offer numerous Advanced Placement courses, and our graduates achieve great success in their chosen professions. Six of our alumni have attended Harvard Law School over the past decade!
We also do far better than the public schools in other important ways: we are free of drugs, crime and the disrespect that plagues New York youth. Our Yeshivos certainly do not need the advice of our local school boards.
They surely should be interested in observing us, not to evaluate our performance but to learn how to emulate our success.
"Ben Poras Yosef, Ben Poras Alei Ayin." (Vayechi 49:22) Rashi says that this means that Yosef will multiply and be beyond the reach of Ayin Hara. As a reward for not taking his master's wife, no one will be able, through jealously, to inflict any harm on what belongs to him.
The Shulchan Gavo'a brings from Rav Eliyahu Dessler, that no matter how rich a person is, no one is ever jealous of a totally selfless person whose whole life is about giving. An element of jealousy stems from the intended or even unintended flaunting of oneself before others.
Yaakov gave Ephraim and Menashe a bracha, "V'Yidgu LaRov; They should multiply like fish." There are two attributes of fish that Yaakov had in mind. Fish are not seen from the dry land. Moreover the fish live a life totally separated from the inhabitants of the land. They don't compete with them in any way. That is why the Ayin Hara does not affect them.
If a person lives a life of Yosef, where he doesn't want what doesn't belong to him, and he lives and enjoys his material assets out of the public eye, he, too, will not suffer from any unwanted evil eyes.
http://revach.net/parshas-hashavua/quick-vort/Parshas-Vayechi-Rav-Eliyahu-Dessler-Yosef-And-Ayin-Hara-Avoiding-The-Evil-Eye/3253
The Jewish Press has published an article titled Regents Data: Public Schools Lag Behind Yeshivas. There is a link in the article to an Excel table which shows regents averages for nonpublic schools.
Has the NYTimes asked the question about a subpar education regarding religious schools of other religions?
After getting a very unfriendly welcome from Yosef, the pasuk says (Mikeitz 42:21), "Vayomru Ish El Achiv Aval Asheimim Anachnu; The brothers said indeed we are guilty as we saw the pain of our brother Yosef, and ignored his pleas."
The Shnayim Mikra brings from the Megaleh Amukos that six consecutive words starting with Ish, begin with the letter Aleph. These six Alephs each represent one millennium of the world's six thousand years of existence. The Torah is telling us that the mistake of selling Yosef will haunt us throughout the entire history.
http://revach.net/parshas-hashavua/chasidus/Parshas-Mikeitz-Megaleh-Amukos-A-Long-Time-To-Suffer/4238
There are many articles pondering as to why Marc Lamont Hill is no longer working for CNN, with many attributing it to his "from the river to the sea" comment. Yet, he stated the same words months ago in a speech that can be seen here, and he still continued working at the network. So, I am curious as to why he was let go now.
Speaking at the AMP-NJ Banquet, Hill remarked, "I am your comrade. I am your brother in struggle and I am honored to stand with you this evening as we talk, and not just remember that great catastrophe in 1948, but we remain committed to fighting until every Palestinian is home again. People often asked me why I would be concerned …with the liberation of Palestine, and when I say Palestine I mean all of historic Palestine from river to sea." Further on he stated, "I remember going to Khalil and watching settlers pour urine and bleach on the heads of Palestinian children."
I am curious as to how he saw exactly what liquid was being poured on the children. Could it not have been lemonade?
In the video over here, the esteemed professor opined, "Earlier when I said non-violence was an appropriate strategy, or is an effective strategy for BDS, I don't want to suggest that makes it a superior strategy...An occupied people have a right to resist. And resistance is not non-violent."
I am sure the students at Temple University are getting an education free from biased opinion. Or not.
Can someone please explain to me what is meant by the tweet below?
Yosef spent an extra two years in jail for asking the Sar HaMashkim to remember him. In describing the end of his extra sentence the Torah uses the term Mikeitz. The Medrash relates this word to the pasuk in Iyov (28:3) קץ שם לחושך, an end is put to the darkness.
The Mirrer Mashgiach Reb Yeruchom Levovitz explains that light and goodness are the natural state and are endless, as the pasuk says ולגדולתו אין חקר. The darkness covers the light but only for a limited time. The moment the darkness ends there is no lingering signs of the darkness that has gone. In a matter of moments Yosef is hurried before פרעה and goes from being a jailed slave to ruler of the greatest kingdom in civilization.
Salvation through man is a process. First comes the decision to free a man. Then papers need to be signed. Instructions need to be given. Only then does freedom finally come. One can technically be free but still be in miserable conditions in jail. In Hashem's terms there is no need for transition, and salvation is instantaneous. Darkness is removed and the brilliant light shines through. There is no salvation like salvation delivered from above!
http://www.revach.net/parshas-hashavua/life-lessons/Parshas-Mikeitz-Reb-Yeruchom-The-End-of-the-Darkness/5288
The Gaon indicates that there is a relation, a Remez, between Chanuka and the fact that we always read Parshas Mikeitz during Chanuka. At the end of each parsha, the Masora gives the number of Pasukim, but for strangely enough for Mikeitz it also gives the number of words - 2025.
In November 2018, Vox reported,"The number of hate crimes reported in the US increased by 17 percent in 2017, with a particular surge in reports of anti-Jewish incidents, according to a new report from the FBI....
At the same time, reported anti-Muslim crimes decreased by about 10 percent..." https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/11/13/18091646/fbi-hate-crimes-2017
Below is an excerpt from a Washington Post article titled, "Hate in America is on the rise."
In 2016, the FBI counted 6,121 reported incidents nationwide — an increase of 4.6 percent from 2015, during which 5,850 cases were reported.
Since the percentage of hate crimes rose at a higher rate in Canada than in the United States, will the Washington Post attribute the surge in Canadian hate crimes to Trudeau's pro-immigration rhetoric?
Israellycoolalerted readers to a post on a Facebook page which was a lie. If the Washington Post would read the posts made over here, it might attribute the rise in hate crimes to fake Facebook posts.
Few in the mainstream media have reported about the incident. In an accompanying video to an article about the attack, Newsweek wrote regarding the rise in hate crimes in 2017. "Over 58% of religiously motivated attacks targeted Jews."
Sebastian Gorka responds to Alexandria Ocasio Cortez's tweet:
Asking to be considered a refugee & applying for status isn’t a crime.
It wasn’t for Jewish families fleeing Germany.
It wasn’t for targeted families fleeing Rwanda.
It wasn’t for communities fleeing war-torn Syria.
And it isn’t for those fleeing violence in Central America.
Your comparison @Ocasio2018 is disgraceful.
There is no genocide occurring South of our border targeting millions for death or shipping whole families to labor camps for extermination.
When Yosef told the Shevatim his dream, that their bundles of wheat bowed down to him they replied, "HaMaloch Timloch Aleinu, Im Mashol Timshol Banu." This question the Shevatim asked Yosef seems to ask the same question twice. "Do you dare think you will rule over us?"
The Vilna Gaon says otherwise. He says that the Shevatim inadvertently spoke words of Nevuah. The word Melech means King who is willfully accepted by his subjects. The word Moshel means ruler by force. What came out of the mouths' of the Shevatim was as follows, "HaMaloch Timloch Aleinu; Will you ever be king (Melech) over us? No, of course not, because we will never accept you. Im Mashol Timshol Banu; If you do rule over us, your power will be by brute force and you will be a Moshel over us."
This is what the pasuk in Tehilim means (22:29) "Ki Lashem Hamlucha, U'Moshel BaGoyim; Hashem is our Melech, whom we accept. However over the Goyim he is only a moshel who dictates what will happen by force.f" In the future, "V'Alu Moshi'im B'Har Tzion...V'Hayisa Lashem HaMelucha; When Moshiach comes, then all the nations will realize the greatness of Hashem and accept His Kingdom. Only then will Hashem's Kingdom be complete over all the inhabitants of the world."
http://revach.net/tefila/article.php?id=1410
The Klausenberger Rebbe zt"l says Yaakov's ladder symbolizes the two approaches to self improvement. One way is to decide what you want to improve and map out a plan where you improve step by step until you reach your decided goal. This slow but steady journey has a good chance of success. If you work hard you will ultimately get there. That is what the pasuk says "V'Hinei Sulam Mutzav Artza V'Roishoi Magiah Hashamayma"; if the ladder is planted firmly on the ground, by climbing it one rung at a time you get you all the way as far as the heavens.
The second way is to go straight to the top and immediately begin to act according to your loftiest ideals, like the perfect tzaddik. This method usually ends rather quickly in miserable failure. To this the pasuk says "V'Hinei Malachei Elokim"; if you want to be like a malach right away, then "Olim V'Yordim Boi" you will rise very quickly but you will go right back down just as quick.
http://www.revach.net/parshas-hashavua/quick-vort/Parshas-Vayeitzei-Yaakovs-Ladder-Climb-It-Slowly-Or-Else-You-Could-Fall/1314
Rashi (Vayeitzei 29:11) brings Chazal who say that Yaakov cried when he saw Roche because he came empty handed without gifts. The reason was because Elifaz was commanded by his father Eisav to kill Yaakov, but since Elifaz was a talmid of Yitzchok he reached a compromise where he left Yaakov penniless which is considered like dead.
The Shnayim Mikra brings in the name of the Steipler Gaon that we see an important lesson from here. Yitzchok invested a great deal of time teaching Elifaz the son of Eisav. For what? So that he will only be a Ganav and not a murderer. The lesson is do not give up on those who are destined to lead lives contrary to the Torah. Even if your teaching can at best minimize the aveiros that he will commit it is still worth it!
http://www.revach.net/avodah/chanoch-l039naar/Parshas-Vayeitzei-Steipler-Gaon-When-Your-Whole-Dream-Is-Less-Bad/4810
2003 MK Meir Sheetrit, Kadima (Formerly Likud): There is an argument according to which there will be a threat… a threat and a fleeing… a threat on the Negev communities… I have never before heard such a ridiculous argument
MK Ran Cohen, Meretz: The disengagement is good for security. The right wing people stood here and talked about Kassams flying from here to there… I'm telling you, whoever wants to spare not only Sderot but also Ashkelon, both of them, must understand: if we don't go out of the Gaza Strip in two or three years, maybe after one year, the range will reach Ashkelon.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/129387
When Yaakov woke from his dream, he realized he was in a Makom Kadosh, Yerushalayim. He appropriately named the place Bais Kel, the house of Hashem. The pasuk (Vayeitzei 28:19) tells us that the original name was Luz. Rabbeinu Bachaye asks why is this relevant to us?
He answers that the pasuk is hinting to the fact that Yerushalayim was the beginning of creation, and the rest of the world continued from there. Luz, he explains based on the Medrash (Vayikra Rabba 18:1), is the bone in our spine that we will be recreated from during Techiyas HaMeisim. Just like the original wondrous creation started from Luz, so too will the miracle of Techiyas HaMeisim will start from Yerushalayim, for Yerushalayim is the center on Hashem's universe, and the closest connection to Heaven.
http://revach.net/parshas-hashavua/quick-vort/Parshas-Vayeitzei-Rabbeinu-Bachaye-It-All-Starts-From-Luz/5304
"Mah Pishi U'Mah Chatosi Ki Dalakta Acharai.," (Vayeitzei 31:36) When Lavan caught up with Yaakov and accused him of stealing his idols Yaakov asked, "What is my sin that you chased after me?
Rav Meir Shapiro explains this as Yaakov giving Mussar to himself. Yaakov was terribly shaken by Lavan's behavior. As soon as Lavan found out his idols were missing, he takes off like a madman with all his men to chase Yaakov, who Chazal tell us, were much stronger than Lavan and could have easily killed him and his group. Yet Lavan did not care. His idols were stolen and he would stop at nothing to get them back.
Yaakov saw this crazed behavior and said, "Mah Chatosi? How guilty am I?" Now you have set such a high benchmark of Mesiras Nefesh for your religion. "KiDalakta Acharai; That you chased me with suicidal fervor." My Mesiras Nefesh does not compare, and for this I will need to answer!
http://revach.net/parshas-hashavua/quick-vort/Pashas-Vayetzei-Rav-Meir-Shapiro-Lavan-Shames-Yaakov-With-Mesiras-Nefesh/4816
The decision to yank Mr. Acosta’s credentials, effectively denying him access to the White House and the president’s staff, was a nuclear-level response by the president and the administration’s communications staff after more than two years of escalating tensions...
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/07/us/politics/trump-cnn-acosta-white-house.html
A couple of weeks ago, I took a quiz which was titled, "How well can you tell factual from opinion statements?"
Does the statement above fall into the fact or opinion category?
A comment posted under the NY TImes article included the following words:
It seems to me that a lot of people forget that Mr Trump is a public servant. The people that voted for him did it because he promised that he was going to do things for the country, and the press is the intermediary for us to know what he is doing so that we can judge his performance. The White House is NOT his castle, but a public building,...
Did the person who post the comment make the same assertion when President Obama called the White House, "my house?"
Rabbi Alon Anava offered some excellent advice last night and his words can be heard on the video below. Let's all try to jump on the bandwagon and heed what the rabbi has to say.
I received the following in an email the other day. - Author unknown. קצת פרופורציות בחיים
גבר בן 78 התמוטט והובל לבית החולים. נתנו לו חמצן במשך 24 שעות כדי לתמוך בו. לאחר זמן מה, כשמצבו היה טוב יותר, הוגש לו חשבון על סך 5000 דולר. כשהוא ראה את החשבון, הוא התחיל לבכות. הרופא אמר לו: אל תבכה על הסכום הזה. האיש ענה, אני לא בוכה בגלל כסף, אני יכול לשלם את כל הכסף. אני בוכה כי רק 24 שעות של שימוש בחמצן, אני צריך לשלם 5000 דולר, כבר 78 שנים אני נושם את האוויר החופשי של הקב"ה ואף פעם לא שילמתי כלום, אתה יודע כמה אני חייב לו? הרופא הוריד את ראשו ודמעות בעיניו.
"And it was when the camels finished drinking, Eliezer took a golden nose ring, its weight a Beka, and 2 bracelets on her arms weighing 10 golden Shekel. Rashi tells us, the Beka weight was an allusion to the Shekalim of Klal Yisroel - the half shekel donated by Klal Yisroel for the Beis HaMikdash. The 2 bracelets were an allusion to the 2 Luchos - and the weight of 10 shekel, alluded to the Aseres HaDibros which were written on them.
Why was it necessary at this time for Eliezer to hint to Rivka concerning these future events? The Maharal answers that Eliezer was telling Rivka that the world stands on 3 things - Torah, Avodah and Gemilus Chasadim. I see that you are very accomplished in acts of Gemilas Chesed. However, to be one of the foundations of Klal Yisroel you must also excel in Torah and Avodah. Torah, which was represented by the 2 bracelets weighing 10 shekel - alluding to the Luchos. Avodah, which was represented by the Beka - used to purchase the Korbonos for the Beis HaMikdash.
http://revach.net/parshas-hashavua/quick-vort/Parshas-Chayei-Sarah-Maharal-MiPrague-Eliezer-Teaches-Rivka-There-Is-More-To-Life-Than-Just-Chesed/1233
"And Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and to cry over her"; The word "to cry over her" is "ViLivkosa". The Torah spells it with a small "Chaf". What is the significance of this small letter?
The Satan has many ways to get us to sin. He tries at times to stop one from doing a Mitzvah beforehand. If he doesn't succeed, he will try to make us regret that we did the Mitzvah, therefore lessening our reward. Avraham did a great Mitzvah by offering his son a Korbon by the Akeidah. It was because of the news of the Akeidah where Yitzchok was almost killed, that caused Sarah to die.
The Satan wanted Avraham to regret the Akeidah because it killed his wife. Avraham did not want to show this regret. He therefore minimized his weeping by the funeral of Sarah to show that he did not regret the Akeidah. That is why it says a small "Chaf' - because he minimized his weeping.
http://revach.net/parshas-hashavua/quick-vort/Parshas-Chayei-Sarah-Avrohom-Held-Back-Some-Tears-Over-Sarah/1234
