In an amazing reflection on this week's parsha where the Ten Commandments are read, the Blaze has an article titled Floridians Fight to Keep 10 Commandments Monument on Gov’t Land.
Click here to read full article and see a photograph of some of the commandments.
In a week where full scale rioting and looting occurred in England, the Ten Commandments, including "Thou shalt not steal" and "Thou shalt not covet," are as relevant nowadays as they were thousands of years ago.
12 Aug 2011
11 Aug 2011
The rebuttal
David Yerushalmi offers a strong rebuttal at the American Thinker to a NYT article The Man Behind the Anti-Sharia Movement by Andrea Elliot.
Ms. Elliot contacted me several months before the "anti-sharia movement" article was to run saying she wanted only background on the movement since she knew I was involved. I conditioned my agreement to provide background on an explicit commitment from her that the article was not about me. She agreed. When we finally sat down for a three-hour lunch, it was evident at the end of the "background" discussion that Ms. Elliot was focusing too much on personalities, me especially, and not enough on the substantive arguments against sharia. Every time I pressed her, though, she assured me that the story was "not about you."
Well, that little bit of journalistic dishonesty we all know is part of the tradecraft....
Read full article: http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/08/nyt_searches_for_the_leader_of_the_anti-shariah_movement_finds_me_instead.html
Ms. Elliot contacted me several months before the "anti-sharia movement" article was to run saying she wanted only background on the movement since she knew I was involved. I conditioned my agreement to provide background on an explicit commitment from her that the article was not about me. She agreed. When we finally sat down for a three-hour lunch, it was evident at the end of the "background" discussion that Ms. Elliot was focusing too much on personalities, me especially, and not enough on the substantive arguments against sharia. Every time I pressed her, though, she assured me that the story was "not about you."
Well, that little bit of journalistic dishonesty we all know is part of the tradecraft....
Read full article: http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/08/nyt_searches_for_the_leader_of_the_anti-shariah_movement_finds_me_instead.html
Hearing the message
I caught this article on INN the other day.
Israeli comedian Eli Yatzpan has decided that Torah observance is not a joke. Since the recent brutal murder of renowned kabbalistic Rabbi Elazar Abuhatzeira, Baba Elazar, grandson of the famed Baba Sali, Yitzpan says he has begun to observe the Sabbath.
Read full article: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/146519
How Mr. Yatzpan internalized a message in the Rabbi's murder, while others did not, reminded me of a story I heard during a rabbi's lecture about Rav Yechetzkel Levenstein. I found the story on shortvort.com and am posting the pertinent excerpt.
He was in a taxi in Israel and the secular taxi driver turned to him and said,
"You know, I have a very religious best friend. He wasn’t always religious, in fact we were army buddies and he was as irreligious as me. After the army as most of us did then, we went off to India to have some fun and we went camping in the jungle there. In the middle of the night we all woke up to hear muffled screams and we saw our friend with a huge boa constrictor around his neck squeezing tighter and tighter. Of course we screamed at the snake and hit it with sticks but it was just going tighter around his neck. Nothing we were doing was helping and our friend was quickly losing consciousness. With nothing else we could do one of us shouted to him "say shema yisrael" – so with his last ounce of strength our friend said shema yisrael and all of a sudden the snake unloosened his grip and crawled away. It was a miracle!! - So now our friend wears a hat with a religious wife and kids in yeshivas."
"That's a great story" the Rav exclaimed "but why are you not more religious after witnessing all this?"
"Well" said the taxi driver " the miracle didn’t happen to me!"
Read full article: http://www.shortvort.com/component/content/article/114-rotator/11516-my-miracle-in-the-skies
Many of us heard about the brutal murder of Rabbi Elazar Abuhatzeira, but how many of us heard the message?
Israeli comedian Eli Yatzpan has decided that Torah observance is not a joke. Since the recent brutal murder of renowned kabbalistic Rabbi Elazar Abuhatzeira, Baba Elazar, grandson of the famed Baba Sali, Yitzpan says he has begun to observe the Sabbath.
Read full article: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/146519
How Mr. Yatzpan internalized a message in the Rabbi's murder, while others did not, reminded me of a story I heard during a rabbi's lecture about Rav Yechetzkel Levenstein. I found the story on shortvort.com and am posting the pertinent excerpt.
He was in a taxi in Israel and the secular taxi driver turned to him and said,
"You know, I have a very religious best friend. He wasn’t always religious, in fact we were army buddies and he was as irreligious as me. After the army as most of us did then, we went off to India to have some fun and we went camping in the jungle there. In the middle of the night we all woke up to hear muffled screams and we saw our friend with a huge boa constrictor around his neck squeezing tighter and tighter. Of course we screamed at the snake and hit it with sticks but it was just going tighter around his neck. Nothing we were doing was helping and our friend was quickly losing consciousness. With nothing else we could do one of us shouted to him "say shema yisrael" – so with his last ounce of strength our friend said shema yisrael and all of a sudden the snake unloosened his grip and crawled away. It was a miracle!! - So now our friend wears a hat with a religious wife and kids in yeshivas."
"That's a great story" the Rav exclaimed "but why are you not more religious after witnessing all this?"
"Well" said the taxi driver " the miracle didn’t happen to me!"
Read full article: http://www.shortvort.com/component/content/article/114-rotator/11516-my-miracle-in-the-skies
Many of us heard about the brutal murder of Rabbi Elazar Abuhatzeira, but how many of us heard the message?
10 Aug 2011
Which side of the fence?
Chazal tell us that Moshiach will only come in a generation that is Kulo Zakkai or Kulo Chayav completely innocent and worthy, or completely guilty with not a morsel of good. Under these criteria it is hard to see Moshiach coming. "Completely good" sounds like a fantasy and not something we can imagine in today's world. Similarly we see so much good and so many wonderful people that it is equally incomprehensible to imagine a generation without a single good person. So what do Chazal mean?
Rav Elya Weintraub says that the Chofetz Chaim explains as follows. "All innocent" and "all guilty" does not mean that everyone is on the same side of the fence. It just means that everyone sits squarely on one side of the fence. In order for the Moshiach to come the world must be completely polarized. Everyone must choose where they belong, with Hashem or Chas V'Shalom the opposite.
Continue reading at http://www.revach.net/galus-geula/moshiach/Chofetz-Chaim-When-Moshiach-Comes-No-One-Will-Be-Sitting-On-The-Fence/4792
And speaking about sides, which side is the White House taking in regard to Jerusalem?
On Tuesday, The Weekly Standard’s deputy online editor, Daniel Halper, made a noteworthy charge against the White House.
...Halper claims that the White House “cleansed” its site of references to the city being definitively tied to the Jewish homeland.
Read full article at: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/did-the-white-house-cleanse-references-to-jerusalem-israel-from-its-web-site/
Rav Elya Weintraub says that the Chofetz Chaim explains as follows. "All innocent" and "all guilty" does not mean that everyone is on the same side of the fence. It just means that everyone sits squarely on one side of the fence. In order for the Moshiach to come the world must be completely polarized. Everyone must choose where they belong, with Hashem or Chas V'Shalom the opposite.
Continue reading at http://www.revach.net/galus-geula/moshiach/Chofetz-Chaim-When-Moshiach-Comes-No-One-Will-Be-Sitting-On-The-Fence/4792
And speaking about sides, which side is the White House taking in regard to Jerusalem?
On Tuesday, The Weekly Standard’s deputy online editor, Daniel Halper, made a noteworthy charge against the White House.
...Halper claims that the White House “cleansed” its site of references to the city being definitively tied to the Jewish homeland.
Read full article at: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/did-the-white-house-cleanse-references-to-jerusalem-israel-from-its-web-site/
Hits, scolds or cause of concern
Israel Matzav has an article titled State Department: US 'deeply concerned' about - what else? in which he discusses the US State depatment reaction to the construction approval of new homes in Har Homa. He also takes issue with Politico for stating that the State department said Israel and Palestine must continue....
"No, the State Department briefing did not refer to 'Palestine.' Hey Politico - there ain't no such thing as 'Palestine.'"
http://israelmatzav.blogspot.com/search/label/State%20Department%20obsession%20with%20Israel
Here are a few articles and headlines about the topic. Notice any difference?
US scolds Israel over new construction plans
http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2011-08-09-US-Israel/id-e318787979634641a79c5dd5aeb9e254
U.S. hits Israel on settlements
In its rebuke, the State Department said Israel and Palestine must continue to work for a peace agreement through the negotiating process.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/60959.html#ixzz1UbfMtt3M
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/60959.html#ixzz1UZJhPdcl
US Israel Construction Plans Cause Of Concern
Alongside its rare rebuke of a close ally, the State Department said Israelis and Palestinians should settle their differences on Jerusalem through negotiation.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/09/us-israel-construction-plans_n_922667.html
The following is an excerpt from the State Department daily press briefing of August 9th. Has anyone reported this or is it only about Israel?
QUESTION: The Palestinian-Israeli issue. Palestinian sources say they are studying or weighing in postponing the submission of their application to the United Nations beyond the General Assembly. Is this something that you’re discussing with them, not to let go of the idea, but actually to postpone it?
MS. NULAND: Our position on activities at the UN General Assembly has not changed. It didn’t change in the weeks of my summer leave. We think that this is a bad idea, which is going to make the kind of negotiation that we want to see for a lasting long-term peace more difficult.
QUESTION: Would that be an idea that you would encourage, for Mr. Abbas to climb down from that tree?
MS. NULAND: I think we’ve encouraged from the beginning that the Palestinians reconsider this ill-advised course that they have been on.
"No, the State Department briefing did not refer to 'Palestine.' Hey Politico - there ain't no such thing as 'Palestine.'"
http://israelmatzav.blogspot.com/search/label/State%20Department%20obsession%20with%20Israel
Here are a few articles and headlines about the topic. Notice any difference?
US scolds Israel over new construction plans
http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2011-08-09-US-Israel/id-e318787979634641a79c5dd5aeb9e254
U.S. hits Israel on settlements
In its rebuke, the State Department said Israel and Palestine must continue to work for a peace agreement through the negotiating process.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/60959.html#ixzz1UbfMtt3M
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/60959.html#ixzz1UZJhPdcl
US Israel Construction Plans Cause Of Concern
Alongside its rare rebuke of a close ally, the State Department said Israelis and Palestinians should settle their differences on Jerusalem through negotiation.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/09/us-israel-construction-plans_n_922667.html
The following is an excerpt from the State Department daily press briefing of August 9th. Has anyone reported this or is it only about Israel?
QUESTION: The Palestinian-Israeli issue. Palestinian sources say they are studying or weighing in postponing the submission of their application to the United Nations beyond the General Assembly. Is this something that you’re discussing with them, not to let go of the idea, but actually to postpone it?
MS. NULAND: Our position on activities at the UN General Assembly has not changed. It didn’t change in the weeks of my summer leave. We think that this is a bad idea, which is going to make the kind of negotiation that we want to see for a lasting long-term peace more difficult.
QUESTION: Would that be an idea that you would encourage, for Mr. Abbas to climb down from that tree?
MS. NULAND: I think we’ve encouraged from the beginning that the Palestinians reconsider this ill-advised course that they have been on.
9 Aug 2011
Tisha B'Av in England
On Tisha B'Av 1290 an edict was signed by King Edward I regarding the expulsion of Jews from England.
On Tisha B'av 2009 - England burning.
There's an interesting article titled London’s Burning by Iain Murray at National Review.
On Tisha B'av 2009 - England burning.
There's an interesting article titled London’s Burning by Iain Murray at National Review.
They are your children
Perhaps England can learn from Philadelphia mayor, Michael Nutter, who announced temporary curfews on minors.
Nutter also called out parents, saying "it is your responsibility to know where they are, what they are doing and who they are with. They are your children. You need to raise them. You are responsible for them."
Read full article: http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=8294759
Nutter also called out parents, saying "it is your responsibility to know where they are, what they are doing and who they are with. They are your children. You need to raise them. You are responsible for them."
Read full article: http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=8294759
4 Aug 2011
At fifty counsel
… בן חמישים לעצה …
וּמִבֶּן֙ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה יָשׁ֖וּב מִצְּבָ֣א הָעֲבֹדָ֑ה וְלֹ֥א יַעֲבֹ֖ד עֽוֹד׃
- במדבר ח:כה
Pirkei Avot Chapter 5.
"He [Yehuda ben Taima] used to say: At five [one should begin the study of] Scriptures; at ten, Mishna; at thirteen [one becomes obligated in] the commandments; at fifteen [the study of] Talmud; at eighteen the wedding canopy; at twenty to pursue; at thirty strength; at forty understanding; at fifty counsel; at sixty old age; at seventy fullness of years; at eighty spiritual strength; at ninety bending over; at one hundred it is as if he has died and passed on from the world."
BBC has an article titled Happy Birthday, Mr President in which advice columnist Amy Dickinson counsels the President on achieving the milestone of reaching 50.
"If President Obama asked me for advice on this mid-life milestone (he told me once that he reads my column), I'd point out that at 50, when you start every day by seeing your parents stare back at you in the bathroom mirror, the real gift is that you're forced to reckon with the unavoidable, inescapable truth - that the luckiest of us will escape middle age into old age.
The idea is to do the least amount of damage while we get there."
Read full article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/14398036
וּמִבֶּן֙ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה יָשׁ֖וּב מִצְּבָ֣א הָעֲבֹדָ֑ה וְלֹ֥א יַעֲבֹ֖ד עֽוֹד׃
- במדבר ח:כה
Pirkei Avot Chapter 5.
"He [Yehuda ben Taima] used to say: At five [one should begin the study of] Scriptures; at ten, Mishna; at thirteen [one becomes obligated in] the commandments; at fifteen [the study of] Talmud; at eighteen the wedding canopy; at twenty to pursue; at thirty strength; at forty understanding; at fifty counsel; at sixty old age; at seventy fullness of years; at eighty spiritual strength; at ninety bending over; at one hundred it is as if he has died and passed on from the world."
BBC has an article titled Happy Birthday, Mr President in which advice columnist Amy Dickinson counsels the President on achieving the milestone of reaching 50.
"If President Obama asked me for advice on this mid-life milestone (he told me once that he reads my column), I'd point out that at 50, when you start every day by seeing your parents stare back at you in the bathroom mirror, the real gift is that you're forced to reckon with the unavoidable, inescapable truth - that the luckiest of us will escape middle age into old age.
The idea is to do the least amount of damage while we get there."
Read full article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/14398036
3 Aug 2011
Click here
Boy, I got a rude awakening this morning when I found a link to a 2010 MSNBC article about the birther movement. Scrolling down, I came across an interview with MSNBC contributor and former Slate political reporter, Dave Weigel, who was offering a crash course on the birthers. At 2'43, he states, "birtherism began because the Obama campaign put out the short form version you can get if you lose yours ....- the one that says born here Island county hospital..."
Nowhere in the short form version is there mention of a hospital.
Click here to read article and see video.
So, does that mean I can't believe everything I see and read from the mainstream media?
And on an unrelated note, I received an email from Tzidkat Rashbi regarding the Yahrtzeit of the Holy Kabbalist, the Ari, Thursday August 4-5.
"On Special Yahrtzeits such as the Ari Hakadosh, Amuka, Shala Hakadosh, Rebbe Meir Bal Haness, Rachel Imenu, Tzidkat Rashbi will conduct a special prayer service and recite your prayers there."
Click here to make a donation or to request that a free prayer should be recited on the day of the yahrtzeit.
Nowhere in the short form version is there mention of a hospital.
Click here to read article and see video.
So, does that mean I can't believe everything I see and read from the mainstream media?
And on an unrelated note, I received an email from Tzidkat Rashbi regarding the Yahrtzeit of the Holy Kabbalist, the Ari, Thursday August 4-5.
"On Special Yahrtzeits such as the Ari Hakadosh, Amuka, Shala Hakadosh, Rebbe Meir Bal Haness, Rachel Imenu, Tzidkat Rashbi will conduct a special prayer service and recite your prayers there."
Click here to make a donation or to request that a free prayer should be recited on the day of the yahrtzeit.
A seeing eye
הסתכל בשלושה דברים ואין אתה בא לידי עבירה דע מה למעלה ממך עין רואה ואוזן שומעת וכל מעשיך בספר נכתבין.
Contemplate three things, and you will not come to the hands of transgression: Know what is above from you: a seeing eye, a listening ear, and all your deeds being inscribed in a book.
Pirkei Avot - Ethics of the Fathers
Source: Rabbi Yehuda Ha Nassi - Pirke Avot 2:1
The New York Post has an article and a video of a man snatching a purse from an elderly woman in a wheelchair. Shocking.
Contemplate three things, and you will not come to the hands of transgression: Know what is above from you: a seeing eye, a listening ear, and all your deeds being inscribed in a book.
Pirkei Avot - Ethics of the Fathers
Source: Rabbi Yehuda Ha Nassi - Pirke Avot 2:1
The New York Post has an article and a video of a man snatching a purse from an elderly woman in a wheelchair. Shocking.
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