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



31 Dec 2019

Two for Two

NYC Woman Accused Of Anti-Semitic Attack Let Loose AGAIN After Second Arrest

Bongino slams de Blasio, Cuomo for using anti-Semitic attacks to ding Trump

THE LONE LEARNER

ANTISEMITISM EVERYWHERE! Is It Time For Jews To Make ALIYAH? SPECIAL Q & A SHIUR

Our Parsha begins with Yehuda drawing close to argue with Yosef on Binyamin's behalf. He tells Yosef that he is more involved than the rest of his brothers because he took responsiblilty for Binyamin by telling his father, if he doesn't return him alive he will lose his Olam HaBa.

The Vilna Gaon says that this is hinted in the Truppe (notes) of the first words of the Parsha. KADMA V'AZLA R'VI'I, ZARKA MUNACH SEGOL. KADMA V'AZLA - The 4th (son) went forward (in confrontation with Yosef), because he had thrown away(Zarka) his place among the Chosen (Nation)- "Munach Segol" -(when he promised Binyamin's safe return). It was therefore Yehudah who entered in to the controversy more than his brothers.
http://www.thejewisheye.com/rev_pvayigash.html

ITN: Stabbings In Monsey

23 Dec 2019

Chanukah Lights

Jewish astronaut tweets Hanukkah message from space

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.

The Vilna Gaon says that it is to teach us if Poti Phera is one word or two. Secondly, 2025 is a Remez to Ner Chanukah. The gemara in Shabbos (21b) say we should light Ner Ish U'Baiso for 8 day. The Gematria of the word Ner is 250 If you multiply that by 8 days, 8 x 250 = 2000. The remaining 25 id for the 25th of Kislev.
http://revach.net/yourrevach/parshashashavua/Parshas-Mikeitz-Vilna-Gaon-The-Connection-Between-Mikeitz-And-Chanuka-Submitted-By-Reb-Avraham-Malthete-Paris/3184

Boris Johnson nails Hanukkah message. Now he has to follow through on combating UK anti-Semitism

Seeing the Light

Rav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita on Chanukah

Blaze Destroys Lucerne Yeshiva Near London

Hanukkah: 8 Ways to turn Darkness into Light

16 Dec 2019

Human Angels

Boy, 10, carries out random acts of kindness including helping diners pay their restaurant bills and has raised £10,000 in memory of his late mother after she died from cancer

If there were an ahavat habriyot contest, my mother would win hands down. She exemplifies what it means to love humanity par excellence. Today she related an incident that had taken place yesterday in a store in her neighborhood.

Upon entering the store, she was struck by two extremely well behaved handsome young boys, with peyot dangling down behind their ears. She started conversing with their mother.

"You have two adorable children," she told her. "They're beautiful. And so are you. You're so pretty."
The woman became emotional and said, "You have no idea what you've done for me. You see, I lost my husband recently and was feeling down, and thinking to myself that I wasn't looking good and didn't feel that I was attractive anymore. And then you came, like G-d sending a human angel with a message especially for me."

My mother became as emotional as the other woman and they hugged each other warmly, grateful for the experience of a chance encounter of two strangers.

But we know it wasn't by chance that the two met.

And me? I am deeply grateful to have been raised by such a role model who taught me how important it is to put a smile on another's face. May she be zoche to arichut yamim in good health and see nachat from her family ad meah ve'esrim.

And you? Please put a smile on someone's face.

The Canceled Event

Belgian Shoah museum cancels event honouring activist who promotes BDS

Esav, Yishmael and Yavan Have Infiltrated Our Yeshivas

“Quick Divorces” after marriage. Why are they happening? Can they be avoided?

14 Dec 2019

Desecrated Graves

100 Jewish graves were desecrated in France. A search for the websites that fueled the hate led to the US

German Jewish leader says judges indulge anti-Semitism

Rep. Ilhan Omar's claim that the US spends 57% of the federal budget on defense is wrong. It's 15%

The pasuk says about Yosef that he was Yaakov's Ben Zikunim. Literally this means the child born in his old age. Yet Targum Unkelus chooses to veer from the literal meaning and translates it as "Bar Chakim", his wise son. Why does Unkelus do this? The Chinuch Malchusi explains that baby of the family usually gets the most love. The older children must endure the father's vision and his desire to raise the ideal child, the child of his dreams. When they fall short they pay the price and become a disappointment to their parents.

Not so the baby who is often treated more like a grandchild than a child, as he is overloaded with love and affection. Reality has set in, expectations are lowered, and age has softened the staff of the parents. The parents learn how to appreciate the good in the child, a thing that a well seasoned parent no longer takes for granted.

In this environment the child can flourish. His mind is at ease and his emotional needs satisfied. "Do not hit a child too much", says Rabbeinu Gershon (Bava Basra 21a). "No one ever got smarter from being beaten." With love you can do so much more!
http://revach.net/avodah/chanoch-lnaar/Parshas-Vayeishev-How-To-Make-Your-Child-Smart/4841

11 Dec 2019

Arrogance

Apparently, protecting Jews from antisemitism is now considered antisemitic

Jersey City shooting: Leah Mindel Ferencz and Moshe Deutsch identified as victims

The Gemara says that a person is allowed to have "Shiminis ShebeShiminis of Gaavah" - 1/8 of an 1/8 (1/64) of arrogance. What is the meaning of this unusual terminology - "an eighth of an eighth"? The Vilna Gaon explains, the Gemorrah means the 8th pasuk in the 8th parsha. Parshas VaYishlach is the 8th parsha and "Katonti Mikal HaChasadim" is the 8th pasuk. A person's level of haughtiness must be on the level that he is unworthy of anything. - "I have been diminished by all the kindness and all the truth you have done for me." Whatever Hashem does and will do for me is not coming to me. It is a gift from Hashem, "Katonti" - I am unworthy!

Maharsha explains that a person who has more than 1/64th of Gaavah is considered a showoff. An allusion to this is that "Gas" - "Gimmel" Samach" - 63 - means haughty.
http://revach.net/parshas-hashavua/quick-vort/Parshas-VaYishlach-Vilna-Gaon-And-How-Much-Exactly-Is-164-of-Gaava/1373

2 Dec 2019

Empty Handed

Adam Milstein has tweeted about the Americam Muslims for Palestine Conference which included Linda Sarsour talking about Israel being "built on the idea that Jews are supreme to everybody else" and the program brochure including the phrase, "Zionism has come in like a disease to destroy the purity of Al-Quds."

Muslim man who stabbed Jews at Amsterdam market ruled unfit to stand trial

Rashi (Vayeitzei 29:11) brings Chazal who say that Yaakov cried when he saw Rochel 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

The Bar Mitzva Gift

And they call themselves the New Israel Fund?

Gabi Holtzberg’s Classmates Present Moving Gift to Moishy

“We Must Flood Our Streets With Video Cameras”

13 Nov 2019

Eitz Chaim

Brazilian-born Holocaust survivor has bar mitzvah at age 91

Boro President, Jewish Leaders Denounce Anti-Semitic Attacks

Last night I caught a video of David Letterman surprising President Donald Trump in his office at the Trump Towers in 1986. At the 3,54 minute of the video, I was surprised to see the camera panning to the pictures on the walls. Prominently displayed was a picture of the 10 commandments suspended from a tree with the words "Eitz Chaim" written underneath.



9 Nov 2019

Cutting Ties

Many Jews want Boris Johnson out. But how can we vote for Jeremy Corbyn?

Many were up in arms about Sarah Ihmoud, co-author of Sexual Violence, Women’s Bodies, and Israeli Settler Colonialism being considered for a teaching position at Boston University. Why aren't there similar protests against Prof. Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, a co-author of the study teaching at Hebrew University?

UNESCO to vote on cutting ties with Belgian carnival where Jews were mocked

2 Nov 2019

Charged with Vandalism

Man, 35, Charged with Vandalism on Jewish Centre

"American Jews and Israel: Can the Relationship Be Saved?"- Daniel Gordis and Thomas Friedman

In the wake of the Washington Post's headline “Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, austere religious scholar at helm of Islamic State, dies at 48,” Imam of Peace reminds twitter readers of an article published in 1993 about Osama Bin Laden titled "Anti-Soviet warrior puts his army on the road to peace."

22 Oct 2019

Rejoice

One of the outstanding themes of the High Holiday/Sukkot season is the concept of unity. During the Aseret Yimei Teshuva, penitential days, we beseech God to make us into Agudah Achat, a single united group. Similarly, the Midrash notes the unity among the different types of Jews represented by each of the four species carried throughout the Sukkot holiday.
Continue reading: http://www.adathisraelshul.org/e-torah/parsha/85-succos/496-shmini-atzeret-and-yizkor

Having just celebrated Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret, where Hashem declared "Kasheh Alai Preidatchem," - your departure is difficult for Me - I marvel at the Jewish nation displaying the same feelings to G-d.
 Last night, the High Holidays, Sukkot and Simchat Torah came to a culmination in Israel. Instead of people running to watch the latest movie or to drink at a pub, thousands demonstrated  that it was difficult to get back to the mundane and wanted to experience the closeness of Hashem and His Torah for another day. Many thronged to Tel Aviv to celebrate hakafot sheniyot with Chief Rabbi Lau, others congregated at the Ra'anana square, at Modzhitz in Bnei Brak, at Kfar Chabad, and on and on. They wanted another chance to feel the closeness of Hashem and to experience the joy of what only the Torah can offer. Mi KeAmcha Yisrael.

Ilhan Omar - Daily Mail

AFTER SYNAGOGUE ATTACK, GERMAN LAWMAKERS UNDER FIRE FOR MEETING IRANIAN HOLOCAUST DENIER

POLICE: SWASTIKA FOUND IN PALM SPRINGS BEING INVESTIGATED AS HATE CRIME

‘DON’T TAKE JEWS, CHRISTIANS’ AS ALLIES, TURKISH AD WARNS

רבבות צפויים להגיע למסע הלווייה של הגר"נ קרליץ זצ"ל

A Yizkor Message

18 Oct 2019

Insta-fame

Arutz Sheva op-ed attacked by Holocaust Denier David Irving

Globetrotting ‘Millennial Rabbi’ uses Insta-fame to click with younger Jews

KOL YISRAEL AREIVIM: Lakewood Residents Open Chessed Chat For Those Who Need Help Rebuilding Sukkahs

An AP Factcheck looks into the claim that "Rep. Ilhan Omar protested outside President Donald Trump’s Oct. 10 campaign rally in Minneapolis."

It concludes that Omar was on a 5 day Moroccan trade trip from October 6-11, so she wasn't in Minnesota at the time of the rally.
http://www.startribune.com/ap-factcheck-u-s-rep-ilhan-omar-did-not-protest-outside-trump-s-minneapolis-rally/563103062/

Another AP article describes Ilhan Omar signing a divorce petition in Burkina Faso on August 4th. Does that mean  Representative Omar traveled back to the U.S. on August 4th or 5th and embarked on a trip to Morocco the following day?

29 Sept 2019