בס׳ד

"Where does it say that you have a contract with G-d to have an easy life?"

the Lubavitcher Rebbe



"Failure is not the enemy of success; it is its prerequisite."

Rabbi Nosson Scherman



30 Apr 2018

Keep going

Rabbi Kletzkin’s Matzeivah Story - Thankfully, the story making the rounds has been translated to English.

Sara’s Fund: Please Help An Orphan Kallah Start Again

New Documents Reveal FDR’s Eugenic Project to ‘Resettle’ Jews During World War II

Diluted wine

There was once a king who was visiting a town. In preparation for the king’s visit the town decided to fill a giant barrel with wine and present it to the king upon his arrival. Where were they going to get so much wine to fill the giant barrel? They came up with a brilliant idea; each family of the town would bring one flask filled with wine and pour it into the giant barrel and this way the barrel would fill with wine. 
Continue reading: http://www.chabadofmv.com/templates/blog/post_cdo/aid/1086982/PostID/17549

An individual commented at the end of an article titled Goodbye, Jewish-American busybodies , "If you dilute wine with water, at some point it stops being wine."

I was reminded of the anecdote above where the people in the town presented the king with water instead of wine.

Pelosi defends Hoyer after audiotape suggests interference in House race

25 Apr 2018

Spiritual matters

The Passuk says, "Ayleh Moadai Hashem Asher Tikroo Oisom Mikroay Kodesh, Ayleh Haym Moadoi". Sforno explains, if you designate the Yomem Tovem as " Mikroay Kodesh" - "Callings of holiness", by dedicating the festival for spiritual matters like Torah and Kedushah, then "Ayleh Haym Moadoi" - these are "my" Festivals. But if the Festivals are used only for physical pleasures, then they are considered "your" festivals; and I do not want to have any part of it. http://www.thejewisheye.com/rev_pemor.html

Moving Commentary 7: Yom Haatzmaut

Research: Obesity Causes Cancer

A boycott

ROME’S JEWISH COMMUNITY TO BOYCOTT OFFICIAL LIBERATION DAY CEREMONIES

Facebook Reveals Secret Rulebook for Deleting Posts

Anti-Semitic Wagner letter sells for $42,000 in Jerusalem

24 Apr 2018

A missed opportunity

Jewish leaders dismiss Corbyn meeting on antisemitism as 'missed opportunity'

Forum: Is It Time To Forget About The Holocaust?

The Greatest Thing I Have Seen in the New York Times In, Like, Forever

Feeling safe

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement after yesterday's van attack. He also issued a statement after a young girl claimed that a man had cut her hijab on the street. In which statement do you suppose the Prime Minister added the words, “incidents like this cannot be tolerated.” Incidentally, the police reported that the incident with the young girl didn't happen.

“It was with great sadness that I heard about the tragic and senseless attack that took place in Toronto this afternoon. On behalf of all Canadians, I offer my heartfelt condolences to the loved ones of those who were killed, and my thoughts for a fast and full recovery to those injured.

“I thank the first responders at the scene who managed this extremely difficult situation with courage and professionalism. They faced danger without hesitation, and their efforts no doubt saved lives and prevented further injuries.

“We should all feel safe walking in our cities and communities. We are monitoring this situation closely, and will continue working with our law enforcement partners around the country to ensure the safety and security of all Canadians.”
https://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2018/04/23/statement-prime-minister-fatal-van-attack-toronto

My heart goes out to Khawlah Noman following this morning’s cowardly attack on her in Toronto. Canada is an open and welcoming country, and incidents like this cannot be tolerated.
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/01/13/americas/toronto-muslim-girl-man-cuts-hijab/index.html

NFL Husband & His Wife Convert to Judaism – The Tamar Yonah Show [audio]

Palestinians: New Twist on an Old Lie

The Dangers of Being a Jew in France Today

?הסגולה היומית: כיצד ימלא הקב"ה את כל משאלותינו לטובה

18 Apr 2018

Letters

A Letter Written By Yisroel Levin z”l to a Camper - You will have to increase your screen size to read it but it is incredibly written by a person of such a young age. It is well worth reading and insightful, particularly what he had to say about prayer.

A letter written by George HW Bush to his wife Barbara in 1943 upon their engagement can be read over here.

17 Apr 2018

The cheers

EOZ calls readers' attention to JStreet cheering Palestinian intransigence when Husam Zomlot spoke at the conference to applause when he called for no state without East Jerusalem its capital, no state without resolving the issues of refugees, no state without Gaza and no state with one Israeli soldier on its soil.
http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/2018/04/watch-j-street-audience-cheer.html

Tzipi Livni also was met with applause when she spoke.

First principle. A Jewish state is not a religious state. It is the nation state of the Jewish people. This is the raison d'etre of state of Israel. The nature of Israel and its defintion as a Jewish state is not and should not be the monopoly of the ultra-Orthodox parties in Israel. The state of Israel should represent and respect all different streams of Judaism and should give space for everyone to express their faith in the way he or she feels is right. And when talking about space, let's literally make sure that every Jew, no matter how they choose to express their faith, has a space and a place to pray at the Western Wall. It is also meant that conversion should be something that unites all of us and Israel should welcome and recognize all those who convert to Judaism, those who want to be part of the Jewish people, regardless of whatever they converted was, whether it was Orthodox, Reform or other liberal rabbis.

Second, and this is not less important, and this is the second principle. We need to cherish and preserve the nature of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people with equal rights to all its citizens, without discrimination based on religion, gender or nationality...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujP-LD0R1cI

Well, in the interests of equality for all citizens, I am sure Ms. Livni will be happy to accommodate Israeli Jews having a space to pray at the Temple Mount.


Am Yisrael Chai

Court: Jews Allowed to Cry ‘Am Yisrael Chai’ on Temple Mount

Israel and the Secret of 70

Prevention Is the Best Medicine

14 Apr 2018

Different versions for different folks

Below are excerpts from various articles describing an incident that took place earlier today.

Four Palestinians died after an explosion in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday were Islamic Jihad members, the terrorist group said.Islamic Jihad's armed wing, in a statement, said four of its fighters had been killed during "preparations", without giving further details. ...A source in Gaza had said that the explosion was caused by a homemade device.
https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/middle-east/172292-180414-four-palestinians-dead-in-gaza-explosion

Four Palestinians were killed and others injured after Israeli artillery shelling targeted an auto rickshaw in the city of Rafah, in southern Gaza Strip, on Saturday afternoon. Locals told Ma’an that Israeli artillery stationed along the border with Gaza fired missiles at the auto rickshaw, killing four and injuring other passers-by.
https://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=780031

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group said four of its members were killed in an apparent accidental blast in the Gaza Strip on Saturday.
The group said in a statement that it was “mourning its fighters who were martyred during preparations”. It usually employs those terms to refer to casualties caused by the accidental detonation of weapons or explosives used in attacks against Israel.
Medics at the scene in the Rafah area said the explosion was caused by Israel.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians/four-palestinian-militants-dead-in-gaza-blast-idUSKBN1HL0TH

Wafa has two versions.

Four killed in Israeli bombardment on Rafah or Four killed in a blast in Rafah
So, which version is correct?

Rabbi Speaks on Widow Podcast

Idf soldiers give candy to children

10 Apr 2018

Messages

A Message From R’ Bender On The Terrible Tragedy That Took The Lives Of Yisroel Levin Z”l and Elisheva Kaplan A”h

How One Mitzvah Led to Another

מסר מפי הרב ניר בן ארצי שליט"א

Are We Losing the War for Hearts and Minds?

Still alive

POWERFUL: 600 Holocaust Survivors, Children and Grandchildren Sing, ‘I’m Still Alive!’

One of the brothers of Yisroel Levin z'l, spoke at the levaya about the words of the Lo Lanu prayer in Hallel,

"Yisroel, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield. House of Aaron, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield."

Yisroel and Aharon were the names of the two brothers his family had lost in recent years. Upon googling the verse, I found an interesting insight about emunah and bitachon by Rabbi Eliezer Parkoff which can be read here. Coincidentally, I am in the midst of reading Mission Possible by Rabbi Parkoff.

IsraellyCool draws readers' attention to a tweet posted on April 9 2018 along with a photo, "three Palestinian school boys were run over earlier today by an Israeli colonizer."

It is amazing that these same Palestinian boys were in the same photo on August 11, 2017 in two articles titled, "4 Palestinian kids injured after jumping from car in contested incident with Israeli settler" and "Israeli settler 'deliberately' crashes into four Palestinian children."

9 Apr 2018

The course of history

Levaya Of Yisroel Levin Z’L In Eretz Yisroel - After bawling through most of the video, I came out with the message to appreciate life and thank Hashem for every minute, to ask for fogiveness from those one may have hurt, before it is too late, and, when seeing such an incredibly stalwart family, to internalize the message, mi keamcha Yisrael.

BDE: Eliyahu Ben Rivkah Rachel, Father of 7

In Bukhara, 10,000 Jewish Graves but Just 150 Jews

How a small pogrom in Russia changed the course of history

The Rare Chavrusa on Board

8 Apr 2018

Being Proactive

JPost has an article titled A PROACTIVE ANSWER TO ISRAEL'S DROUGHT

How about a proactive answer from the Torah and the second paragraph of the shema prayer?

Devarim:13-21 And it shall come to pass if you surely listen to the commandments...That I will give rain to your land, the early and the late rains...

10,000 Shidduchim, 10,000 Refuah Shlaimas In Klal Yisroel, 10,000 Yeshuos! Hear R’ Shaya Levin Being Maspid His Son

Students find lamps from Talmudic period, testimony to Jewish community in Samaria

7 Apr 2018

4 Apr 2018

Eruv Tavshilin

Passover- Eruv Tavshilin

Trump administration: Combating anti-Semitism a ‘priority,’ but no envoy named

The animal rights activist

She Pairs Up the "Chabad Misfits"

Coffee With Miryam: Live Now

The shooter at YouTube has been identified.

Aghdam's YouTube channels were removed in the hours after the shooting.

Before they were taken down, the description read: "Nasim the Persian Azeri female vegan bodybuilder, also animal rights activist promoting healthy and humane living."
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12026016

Too bad she wasn't a human rights activist.

2 Apr 2018

Shalom, good morning

KikarHashabat reported in Hebrew about the passing of Rabbi Avichai Rontzki and quoted what Education Minister Naftali Bennett had to say about him. The minister said that he visited the the rabbi last Thursday and all he asked in a whisper was to start a custom in Israel that everyone should greet each other,'Shalom, good morning' with a smile. http://www.kikar.co.il/272773.html

When I read the above, I was reminded of a time when a woman who had moved to a new country after her marriage told me that her husband prayed at a synagogue very early Saturday morning and she was left to find a place of worship where she would feel comfortable praying a little later than her husband's minyan. She went from shul to shul in search of the one where she would feel most at home. She told me which one she had chosen and the decision came about because of two special womne who came over to the stranger in town and greeted her with a smile and welcomed her with open arms. It was a small gesture much appreciated by a woman who knew no one.