MACLEAN'S has a fascinating article titled The science is in: God is the answer.
Research shows kids raised with spirituality are happier and healthier in the vulnerable teen years. Why aren’t we all signing up?
Read more: http://www.macleans.ca/society/science/god-is-the-answer/
A couple of days ago, a Palestinian news site reported the following:
Settlers destroy 1200 Palestinian olive trees near Hebron
Israeli settlers on Saturday destroyed more than 1,000 olive trees near the village of al-Shuyukh north of Hebron, in the third such attack on the villagers' livelihood in recent memory.
http://www.maannews.com/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?id=760161
After having read the report about the incident, EOZ wrote, "Metzad is a haredi Jewish community. The idea that their members are uprooting olive trees on the Sabbath is beyond absurd."
http://elderofziyon.blogspot.be/2015/03/palestinians-accuse-religious-jews-of.html#.VRmSOJVO7IU
So a day later, Saturday was changed to Sunday.
Israeli settlers have uprooted on Sunday 1,200 olive trees, tens of almond, nut trees in the West Bank city of Al-Khalil.
http://english.alwatanvoice.com/news/2015/03/30/688946.html
31 Mar 2015
30 Mar 2015
The red cow
News of what appears to be a parah adumah, fully red cow, on a small farm just outside of Lakewood has been attracting increasing attention.
Interest has been heightened by her rapidly approaching second birthday, at which point the cow would become permissible for this extremely rare halachic phenomenon.
Read more: http://www.collive.com/show_news.rtx?id=34854&alias=red-heifer-found-in-new-jersey
The Jewish Jewels of Calcutta: Magen David Synagogue
WATCH: Gavriel Sasson Speaks to the Media in English, Gives Powerful Message
Virginia Speaker demands State Bar reverse Israel boycott
The sounds recorded on one of the "black boxes" recovered from downed Germanwings Flight 9525 firms up investigators' theory that the co-pilot locked the captain out of the cockpit and then crashed the plane.
Interest has been heightened by her rapidly approaching second birthday, at which point the cow would become permissible for this extremely rare halachic phenomenon.
Read more: http://www.collive.com/show_news.rtx?id=34854&alias=red-heifer-found-in-new-jersey
The Jewish Jewels of Calcutta: Magen David Synagogue
WATCH: Gavriel Sasson Speaks to the Media in English, Gives Powerful Message
Virginia Speaker demands State Bar reverse Israel boycott
The sounds recorded on one of the "black boxes" recovered from downed Germanwings Flight 9525 firms up investigators' theory that the co-pilot locked the captain out of the cockpit and then crashed the plane.
"For God's sake, open the door!" Capt. Patrick Sondenheimer screamed as he banged on the cockpit door, pleading with the co-pilot.
Expenses
It’s there to search — but not destr-oy.
An Orthodox Jewish-founded search-and-rescue group is acquiring heavy-duty military equipment in the wake of Hurricane Sandy to help out in emergencies when standard vehicles just won’t cut it. Read more: http://nypost.com/2015/03/29/jewish-rescue-group-acquires-military-truck-to-help-out-in-emergencies/
Rabbi Yair Hoffman writes about Pesach expenses and ends his article with the following paragraph.
One last thought. It is well known that Hillel was poor (see Yuma 35b) and Shammai was wealthy. How did Shammai gain his wealth? The Imrei Emes (see Lekutei Yehudah, p. 64) explains that Shammai would always purchase every item for the sake and honor of Shabbos. If he found a better one later on, he would switch that item. Hillel, on the hand, would utilize the principle of bitachon and he would make his Shabbos purchases toward the end of the week. The Imrei Emes explains that perhaps Shammai gained his wealth from the method in which he approached Shabbos purchases. Since everything he bought was l’kavod Shabbos, there was no cost involved. Even though later, when he found something better for Shabbos, he would eat the original purchase during the week, it was still not included in his yearly expenses since initially it was purchased for Shabbos.
Read full article: http://5tjt.com/pesach-expenses/
Stealing Judaism by Larry Gordon.
An Orthodox Jewish-founded search-and-rescue group is acquiring heavy-duty military equipment in the wake of Hurricane Sandy to help out in emergencies when standard vehicles just won’t cut it. Read more: http://nypost.com/2015/03/29/jewish-rescue-group-acquires-military-truck-to-help-out-in-emergencies/
Rabbi Yair Hoffman writes about Pesach expenses and ends his article with the following paragraph.
One last thought. It is well known that Hillel was poor (see Yuma 35b) and Shammai was wealthy. How did Shammai gain his wealth? The Imrei Emes (see Lekutei Yehudah, p. 64) explains that Shammai would always purchase every item for the sake and honor of Shabbos. If he found a better one later on, he would switch that item. Hillel, on the hand, would utilize the principle of bitachon and he would make his Shabbos purchases toward the end of the week. The Imrei Emes explains that perhaps Shammai gained his wealth from the method in which he approached Shabbos purchases. Since everything he bought was l’kavod Shabbos, there was no cost involved. Even though later, when he found something better for Shabbos, he would eat the original purchase during the week, it was still not included in his yearly expenses since initially it was purchased for Shabbos.
Read full article: http://5tjt.com/pesach-expenses/
Stealing Judaism by Larry Gordon.
29 Mar 2015
The one nation
What country deserves more condemnation for violating human rights than any other nation on earth? According to the U.N.’s top human rights body, that would be Israel.
Last week, Israel was the U.N.’s number one women’s rights violator. This week it is the U.N.’s all-round human rights villain.
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/03/29/un-says-israel-not-iran-north-korea-or-syria-worst-violator-human-rights/
Brothers and Sisters, Come Home!
שריפה בביהמ"ד 'אמרי חיים'; ספרי קודש עלו באש
Last week, Israel was the U.N.’s number one women’s rights violator. This week it is the U.N.’s all-round human rights villain.
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/03/29/un-says-israel-not-iran-north-korea-or-syria-worst-violator-human-rights/
Brothers and Sisters, Come Home!
שריפה בביהמ"ד 'אמרי חיים'; ספרי קודש עלו באש
28 Mar 2015
A spiritual home
In suburbs, more Jews find a spiritual home in Chabad
The Washngton Post has an article titled Virginia State Bar boycotts Israel.
The Algemeiner has an article titled J-Street Speaker Calls for Destruction of Israel – to Applause (VIDEO).
Dina Horowitz's Striking Question
Op-Ed: Don’t Blame That Fire on Shabbos
The Washngton Post has an article titled Virginia State Bar boycotts Israel.
The Algemeiner has an article titled J-Street Speaker Calls for Destruction of Israel – to Applause (VIDEO).
Dina Horowitz's Striking Question
Op-Ed: Don’t Blame That Fire on Shabbos
18 Mar 2015
Without intervention
Can Americans Understand Israel’s Vote?
"Lo Sei'aseh Chametz Ki Chol Si'or... Lo Saktiru Mimenu Isheh Lashem" (Vayikra 2:11). The two places that the Torah forbids Chometz is on the Mizbei'ach all year round, and in every person's home on Pesach. Why is this?
The Netziv in Hemek Davar says that leavening bread is using human intervention to add on to the natural state of the creation. The closer we are to Hashem the less appropriate it is for us to alter the natural order and manipulate the Briah. Therefore in the Bais HaMikdash, the dwelling place for the Shechina on earth, it is inappropriate to ever have Chametz on the Mizbei'ach to be offered up to Hashem.
Similarly, Pesach is the Yom Tov that imbues Emunah into our souls. Yetzias Mitzrayim is the banner we wave as the proof of Hashem's control over the world and His love for us, and we frequently mention Zeicher Litzias Mitzrayim. During this Yom Tov where we bask in the arms of our great Protector and Father in Shamayim, we refrain from eating any Chametz and leave the Briah as He made it, without our intervention.
http://revach.net/parshas-hashavua/quick-vort/Parshas-Vayikra-Netziv-Chometz-On-Pesach-Chometz-On-The-Mizbeiach/4454
"Lo Sei'aseh Chametz Ki Chol Si'or... Lo Saktiru Mimenu Isheh Lashem" (Vayikra 2:11). The two places that the Torah forbids Chometz is on the Mizbei'ach all year round, and in every person's home on Pesach. Why is this?
The Netziv in Hemek Davar says that leavening bread is using human intervention to add on to the natural state of the creation. The closer we are to Hashem the less appropriate it is for us to alter the natural order and manipulate the Briah. Therefore in the Bais HaMikdash, the dwelling place for the Shechina on earth, it is inappropriate to ever have Chametz on the Mizbei'ach to be offered up to Hashem.
Similarly, Pesach is the Yom Tov that imbues Emunah into our souls. Yetzias Mitzrayim is the banner we wave as the proof of Hashem's control over the world and His love for us, and we frequently mention Zeicher Litzias Mitzrayim. During this Yom Tov where we bask in the arms of our great Protector and Father in Shamayim, we refrain from eating any Chametz and leave the Briah as He made it, without our intervention.
http://revach.net/parshas-hashavua/quick-vort/Parshas-Vayikra-Netziv-Chometz-On-Pesach-Chometz-On-The-Mizbeiach/4454
It is not good that man is alone
Study: Being Alone As Bad As Smoking, Excessive Drinking - I don't know how much money was spent on the study which came up with the conclusion, that "too much alone time may shorten your life." They could have saved themselves the money had they just referred to the second Chapter in the Torah to come up with the same conclusion in which G-d declares, " "It is not good that man is alone; I shall make him a helpmate opposite him." (2:18)
The U.N. condemned the demoltion of over 100 homes in Rafah - (Egypt demolishes 1,020 Rafah homes for Gaza buffer zone) oh sorry, it was Egypt who demolished the homes-so there's no story there. Let's move on to Israel.
בלעדי • ביבי ביקש: "התפלל עבורי אצל הרבי
‘Deep Investigation’ Coming from Congress on U.S. Funding for Anti-Netanyahu Efforts
Responding to “Testy Tom” Friedman of the NYT
Thomas Friedman weighs in on the Israeli elections in an op-ed titled Go Ahead, Ruin My Day in which he opines, "But the fact is a good half of Israel identifies with the paranoid, everyone-is-against-us, and religious-nationalist tropes Netanyahu deployed in this campaign ."
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/18/opinion/go-ahead-ruin-my-day.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=c-column-top-span-region®ion=c-column-top-span-region&WT.nav=c-column-top-span-region
After the 2006 Palestinina elections, Thomas Friedman was asked in an interview about the Hamas victory..
I think that Hamas is a terrorist organization, but I also think that it won a free and fair election and if it’s going to be ousted or it’s going to be de-legitimized, then I think that’s for the Palestinians to decide.
...You know we have a saying in journalism, Nayan, as you know, “Never be smarter than the story. When the story is speaking to you, then shut up and listen. Okay. Because all the stories I got wrong, I was talking when I should have been listening. Well, this story is speaking to us. And so when the story is speaking to you, just shut up. Okay, and let’s listen to the story.
http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/content/interview-thomas-l-friedman
Below is a comment posted by a reader at the Blaze after an article which describes a NYT editorial that used some choice adjectives for Prime Minister Netanyahu.
'Desperate,’ ‘Subversive,’ ‘Fear-Mongering’
… Hmm, its sound like the NY Times is describing itself.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/03/18/desperate-subversive-fear-mongering-new-york-times-editorial-board-pens-savage-description-of-netanyahu/#
The U.N. condemned the demoltion of over 100 homes in Rafah - (Egypt demolishes 1,020 Rafah homes for Gaza buffer zone) oh sorry, it was Egypt who demolished the homes-so there's no story there. Let's move on to Israel.
בלעדי • ביבי ביקש: "התפלל עבורי אצל הרבי
‘Deep Investigation’ Coming from Congress on U.S. Funding for Anti-Netanyahu Efforts
Responding to “Testy Tom” Friedman of the NYT
Thomas Friedman weighs in on the Israeli elections in an op-ed titled Go Ahead, Ruin My Day in which he opines, "But the fact is a good half of Israel identifies with the paranoid, everyone-is-against-us, and religious-nationalist tropes Netanyahu deployed in this campaign ."
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/18/opinion/go-ahead-ruin-my-day.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=c-column-top-span-region®ion=c-column-top-span-region&WT.nav=c-column-top-span-region
After the 2006 Palestinina elections, Thomas Friedman was asked in an interview about the Hamas victory..
I think that Hamas is a terrorist organization, but I also think that it won a free and fair election and if it’s going to be ousted or it’s going to be de-legitimized, then I think that’s for the Palestinians to decide.
...You know we have a saying in journalism, Nayan, as you know, “Never be smarter than the story. When the story is speaking to you, then shut up and listen. Okay. Because all the stories I got wrong, I was talking when I should have been listening. Well, this story is speaking to us. And so when the story is speaking to you, just shut up. Okay, and let’s listen to the story.
http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/content/interview-thomas-l-friedman
Below is a comment posted by a reader at the Blaze after an article which describes a NYT editorial that used some choice adjectives for Prime Minister Netanyahu.
'Desperate,’ ‘Subversive,’ ‘Fear-Mongering’
… Hmm, its sound like the NY Times is describing itself.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/03/18/desperate-subversive-fear-mongering-new-york-times-editorial-board-pens-savage-description-of-netanyahu/#
Low expectations
Three swastikas were spray-painted inside a Jewish fraternity house at Vanderbilt University over the weekend, prompting condemnation from the administration and Jewish groups on and off campus.
http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/crime/2015/03/17/vanderbilt-hate-crime-jewish-fraternity-swastikas/24887351/
State Department Spokesperson, Jen Psaki, responded to a reporter asking whether former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, had signed a separation form upon leaving the Department.
Well, we have reviewed Secretary Clinton’s official personnel file and administrative files and do not have any record of her signing the OF-109. In addition, after looking into their official personnel files, we did not locate any record of either of her immediate predecessors signing this form. It’s not clear that this form is used as part of a standard part of checkout across the federal government or even at the State Department. So we’re certainly looking into that.
She also addressed a journalist who asked about Israeli elections, "Keep your expectations low, Said."
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2015/03/239388.htm#DEPARTMENT2
A post headline reads, Benjamin Netanyahu declares victory; ‘Is it a violation of the Logan Act’ to congratulate him?
Below the post are various tweets including, "If @netanyahu wins tonight will Obama be calling him to congratulate the leader of our country's closest ally?"
http://www.floppingaces.net/most-wanted/benjamin-netanyahu-declares-victory-is-it-a-violation-of-the-logan-act-to-congratulate-him/
The family-run business that was the very first company to file a lawsuit against the Obama administration HHS mandate, that forced companies to pay for abortion-causing drugs for their employees, won its legal challenge.
http://www.lifenews.com/2015/03/17/court-rules-obama-admin-cant-make-family-run-business-obey-pro-abortion-hhs-mandate/
The individual in the video below discusses this week's parsha which is about bringing sacrfices. He says, " As we are giving of ourselves, we are preserving ourselves.
I just read the same idea in a daily email about emunah which I received today. The email contained a story about a woman who was in need of a shidduch and wanted a teaching job, as well. She was scheduled to meet a principal for an interview when she bumped into a friend who was married and desperately looking for a job to feed her family. She told her friend about the position and both were invited for interviews.
When the single girl was offered the position, she thought to herself that she was still being supported by her parents and didn't need the salary as desperately as her married friend. She requested the rebbetzin who interviewed her to hire the her friend instead.
Soon after, the single girl received a shidduch suggestion. The boy was the son of the rebbetzin who hqd been impressed by her character and her sacrifice for her friend. She eventually got engaged to him and also received a job offer at the school.
http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/crime/2015/03/17/vanderbilt-hate-crime-jewish-fraternity-swastikas/24887351/
State Department Spokesperson, Jen Psaki, responded to a reporter asking whether former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, had signed a separation form upon leaving the Department.
Well, we have reviewed Secretary Clinton’s official personnel file and administrative files and do not have any record of her signing the OF-109. In addition, after looking into their official personnel files, we did not locate any record of either of her immediate predecessors signing this form. It’s not clear that this form is used as part of a standard part of checkout across the federal government or even at the State Department. So we’re certainly looking into that.
She also addressed a journalist who asked about Israeli elections, "Keep your expectations low, Said."
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2015/03/239388.htm#DEPARTMENT2
A post headline reads, Benjamin Netanyahu declares victory; ‘Is it a violation of the Logan Act’ to congratulate him?
Below the post are various tweets including, "If @netanyahu wins tonight will Obama be calling him to congratulate the leader of our country's closest ally?"
http://www.floppingaces.net/most-wanted/benjamin-netanyahu-declares-victory-is-it-a-violation-of-the-logan-act-to-congratulate-him/
The family-run business that was the very first company to file a lawsuit against the Obama administration HHS mandate, that forced companies to pay for abortion-causing drugs for their employees, won its legal challenge.
http://www.lifenews.com/2015/03/17/court-rules-obama-admin-cant-make-family-run-business-obey-pro-abortion-hhs-mandate/
The individual in the video below discusses this week's parsha which is about bringing sacrfices. He says, " As we are giving of ourselves, we are preserving ourselves.
I just read the same idea in a daily email about emunah which I received today. The email contained a story about a woman who was in need of a shidduch and wanted a teaching job, as well. She was scheduled to meet a principal for an interview when she bumped into a friend who was married and desperately looking for a job to feed her family. She told her friend about the position and both were invited for interviews.
When the single girl was offered the position, she thought to herself that she was still being supported by her parents and didn't need the salary as desperately as her married friend. She requested the rebbetzin who interviewed her to hire the her friend instead.
Soon after, the single girl received a shidduch suggestion. The boy was the son of the rebbetzin who hqd been impressed by her character and her sacrifice for her friend. She eventually got engaged to him and also received a job offer at the school.
17 Mar 2015
Elections
זריזין מקדימין: הגר"ח קנייבסקי ראשון בקלפי
As Israelis go to elections today, Rbbi Lazer Brody writes, " Let's all of us here perform our civic duty and vote. It only takes a minute or two. But, let's cast our permanent vote for Hashem,..."
http://lazerbrody.typepad.com/#sthash.pTMzaCGy.dpuf
A U.S. non-profit that has received State Department funding scrambled last month to create a new legal entity in the aftermath of a congressional letter suggesting its efforts to unseat Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may violate tax law, the Washington Free Beacon has learned.
Read more: http://freebeacon.com/issues/anti-netanyahu-nonprofit-forms-new-entity-after-congress-says-it-violated-campaign-law/
An article at the New Republic describes the New Israel Fund as "a charity devoted to supporting the progressive civil sector in Israel" while Ronn Torossian describes it in another manner in an article titled My Stand Against the New Israel Fund.
The New Republic article also details "the rapidly rising rate of intermarriage, now 71 percent among non-Orthodox Jews."
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/121304/generational-divide-american-jews-israel
As Israelis go to elections today, Rbbi Lazer Brody writes, " Let's all of us here perform our civic duty and vote. It only takes a minute or two. But, let's cast our permanent vote for Hashem,..."
http://lazerbrody.typepad.com/#sthash.pTMzaCGy.dpuf
A U.S. non-profit that has received State Department funding scrambled last month to create a new legal entity in the aftermath of a congressional letter suggesting its efforts to unseat Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may violate tax law, the Washington Free Beacon has learned.
Read more: http://freebeacon.com/issues/anti-netanyahu-nonprofit-forms-new-entity-after-congress-says-it-violated-campaign-law/
An article at the New Republic describes the New Israel Fund as "a charity devoted to supporting the progressive civil sector in Israel" while Ronn Torossian describes it in another manner in an article titled My Stand Against the New Israel Fund.
The New Republic article also details "the rapidly rising rate of intermarriage, now 71 percent among non-Orthodox Jews."
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/121304/generational-divide-american-jews-israel
16 Mar 2015
No update
Is It Time for the Jews to Leave Europe?
Want To Give to Jewish Charities? Don't Do It Over the Phone.
In a March 12th briefing, a journalist asked State Department Spokesperson, Jen Psaki, the following question to which he received an answer " I don't have an update."
The same question was posed on March 13th and the response was "I don't have an update."
The same question was posed on March 16th. What do you think the response was?
Right, but did Secretary Clinton – a former DOJ attorney has asked if – under department policy, asked if Secretary Clinton, like all officials here in this building when they depart or separate from office, has to sign something called a form OF109. It’s a separation statement declaring that when you leave office, you’re turning in – turn over not just classified materials, but any documents for official purposes. Did she sign --
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2015/03/238840.htm#DEPARTMENT
Want To Give to Jewish Charities? Don't Do It Over the Phone.
In a March 12th briefing, a journalist asked State Department Spokesperson, Jen Psaki, the following question to which he received an answer " I don't have an update."
The same question was posed on March 13th and the response was "I don't have an update."
The same question was posed on March 16th. What do you think the response was?
Right, but did Secretary Clinton – a former DOJ attorney has asked if – under department policy, asked if Secretary Clinton, like all officials here in this building when they depart or separate from office, has to sign something called a form OF109. It’s a separation statement declaring that when you leave office, you’re turning in – turn over not just classified materials, but any documents for official purposes. Did she sign --
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2015/03/238840.htm#DEPARTMENT
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