bs"d
This blog is in response to Moshe Feiglin's articles in Arutz7 entitled "If We Desire Life - Part 1 and 2"
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/article.php3?id=5546
Part one of this article can be read at http://www.israelnn.com/article.php3?id=5540.]
In his article Moshe Feiglin writes
The basic assumption was that the State of Israel has sufficiently strong democratic foundations, making it possible to wage a democratic struggle without violence. Many people, headed by this writer, erred in this assumption. (I was mistaken regarding other things that I will specify later.)This assumption led the public to expend tremendous resources on demonstrations that changed nothing.
On December 22, 2004, I, (Faigerayzel) responded in opposition to David Wilders letter to support the Wallerstein Proclamation. http://www.petitiononline.com/eretzyis/petition.html.
In this letter, it was apparent to me that civil disobedience was not the solution. The following letter reveals how I came to this conclusion. It was simply from the strong desire to keep the Mitzvoth of the Torah specifically the Mitzvah of Shemittah.
Re: Thank G-d For Pinchas - The Wallerstein Proclamation: Sign petition today...
Date:
12/22/04 12:21:40 AM Eastern Standard Time
From:
FaigeRayzel
bs"d
Dear David, amv"sh
I don't believe civil disobedience is the solution. A stronger declaration needs to be made that Judea, Samaria is not subservient to the laws of the gov't of Israel. They are subservient first and foremost to the laws of the Torah. Last weeks Haftorah, Parsha Vayegash in Yechezkel talks about the Nevua of Malchei Yehudaha and Malchei Yisroel being joined as one. Before two entities are joined they are separate. I believe that now is the reversal of the original Galus of Malchus Yehuda and Malchus Yisroel. I don't believe now that there is presently a division of Yehuda and Yisroel. We are slowly coming out of Galus where The Kingdom of Yisroel was by enlarge lost. Many say that the gov't of Israel is now the product of the Eruv Rav which I believe is true. I believe that the Jews first need to assert their Jewish identity which can only come from true Manhigut Yisroel. I am for Yesha ceding from this gov't if the gov't chooses to abandon them. It is for their survival. I don't believe the civil disobedience will work. The American colonies fought for the right to practice their religion and against religious persecution. By agreeing to being placed in jail you are bowing to the underlying premise that the gov't has the legal authority to put you in jail. If you imply that you will not fight for what you believe in, than it will be seen as a sign of weakness.
I strongly believe that now is the time for leaders of Yesha to seriously think and plan of ceding. Of course the ultimate goal is reunification but only as it says in Pasuk 24, 25 etc in the Haftorah in Yechezkel.
The Leaders of Yesha first have to proclaim that they wish to keep the Mitzvot of the Torah and not to break away from the gov't. Being that there is so many Mitzvot Teluyot Baaretz, it is impossible to keep them if they have no Land. So they have no choice but to insist on keeping the Torah, and will abide by the Torah law before any gov't or international law at any cost. They are staying put at any cost and nobody dare try to fight them. Let us pray that Hashem will do as He promised, "Anochi alacheim lachem Veatem Tacharishu".
I believe a strong declaration such as the above along with Tefillah, Matana and preparing for war as did Yakov Aveinu with his dealings with Eisav.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Yoveil - Jubilee Year - President Bush's Inaugural Adrress 2005
bs"d
In my last Blog I touched upon the Jubilee year. It is noteworthy that the President of the United States focused on the Jubilee as well in his Inaugural speech 2005.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/01/20050120-1.html
Below please find a letter I wrote to President Bush following his speech. I don't know who his speechwriter was but there are many references to the Bible either directly or indirectly.
Subj:
President Bush's Inaugural Speech 2005
Date:
1/21/05 2:23:50 AM Eastern Standard Time
From:
FaigeRayzel
To:
President@WhiteHouse.Gov, Vice.President@Whitehouse.gov
CC:
hineni@hineni.org
bs"d
President's Inaugural Speech 2005
President Bush's Inaugural Speech 2005 talks about freedom, liberty and democracy.
May I preface my remarks by praying that G-d Bless America and May G-d Bless the President of the United States of America and May the President continue to lead the Nation so that they continue to put their Trust in G-d the Master of the Universe and do His will.
This essay will bring down references in the Bible as well as commentary to President Bush's speech.
President Bush uses the word Sabbatical."After the shipwreck of communism came years of relative quiet, years of repose, years of sabbatical - and then there came a day of fire." This isn't exactly the same context as the Jewish Sabbatical year (aka Shmita), but there are similarities in the sense that a Sabbatical is a time of relative quiet and repose. President Bush says"From the day of our Founding, we have proclaimed that every man and woman on this earth has rights, and dignity, and matchless value, because they bear the image of the Maker of Heaven and earth."This comes from the Bible the Book of Breishis/Genesis Chapter 1 verse 27. "So G-d created man in His image, in the image of G-d He created him, male and female He created them."
President Bush says:"We will persistently clarify the choice before every ruler and every nation: The moral choice between oppression, which is always wrong, and freedom, which is eternally right. America will not pretend that jailed dissidents prefer their chains, or that women welcome humiliation and servitude, or that any human being aspires to live at the mercy of bullies."
Examples of Freedom Fighters*
*******Yifat Alkobi, Miriam Fleishman and Elisheva Federman*******
I do not think President Bush knew of the following heroes in an article by David Wilder of Hebron, but if he understood the situation correctly he would most definitely put them in the category of freedom.
News from Hebron The Hebron Press Office
Sunday January 09, 20051.
Three women sentenced today
Yifat Alkobi, Miriam Fleishman and Elisheva Federman were today sentenced to three to five month conditional prison terms, having been convicted of 'child neglect' and 'causing a police officer to fail in performing his duty." The conditional sentence will be in effect for three years. This means that if any of the women are convicted of a similar 'crime,' i.e., 'child neglect' or 'causing a police officer to fail in performing his duty', they will be subject to an additional three to five month jail sentence. However, according to Israeli law, sentences of up to a half a year are converted to community service. Therefore, there is no immediate danger of actual imprisonment. A Hebron spokesman issued the following statement:It is quite ironic that on the same day that our Arab neighbors are electing a veteran terrorist, Abu Mazen, to head the largest Arab terror organization in the world, three Hebron women were sentenced by an Israeli judge to conditional jail terms, because they dared protest eviction of a widow and her five children from their home in the middle of the night, followed by the brutal destruction of their house. It was not enough that the Uzeri family lost its father to Arab terror, in their home, in front of their eyes. They also had to witness the bulldozing of their home and all their property into the ground.Yifat, Miriam and Elisheva had the gall to protest this horror and for that they are being punished. The Hebron Jewish Community extends gratitude and blessings to these three heroes, who could not sit quietly and watch others suffer such Israeli terror. All must learn from their bravery, and should the need arise, be willing to make the same sacrifices as these Hebron women.
******Freedom Fighter Pinchus Wallerstein*******
I don't know if President knew specifically about the Wallerstein Proclamation but if he doesn't I hope this will enlighten him as to another force for freedom.The Wallerstein Proclamation"I want a large part of the public that I believe are willing to go to prison to say so today so the decision-makers will understand where we are going," "If someone were to try to pass a law for a transfer like this of some Arab village... all the knights of justice and civil rights would immediately protest and scream their hearts out to the heavens. But when it concerns Yesha residents, there is no justice and there are no rights,?""The evacuation/compensation law which has already passed its first reading, and with the new government has nothing standing in its way, is an immoral law. This is not only because of the Stalinist way in which it was formed, and not only because of its inhumane clauses such as those that negate compensation from whoever objects to being thrown out of his home, but primarily because it legalizes an unspeakable crime: the forcible uprooting of Jews from their homes." "Only if there will be a large population already today that is committed to be in Gush Katif and northern Samaria (if and when there is forced evacuation) and bodily resist transfer, only then is there a chance that this government will understand the gravity of its steps. I'm not scared of going to prison, and I hope that many people will understand, like me, that this is the price we must pay in order to object in a non-violent manner to this unethical crime." "There won't be enough prisons in the country to hold them all, and something will have to give."Pinchas Wallerstein – Mayor, Benyamin Regional Council, Former chairman of the Yesha Council
*******Freedom Fighter Yosef Pilent*******
Does President Bush know the story of Yosef Pilent? Read the Story in Arutz7.Soldier’s ‘Fictitious’ Trial To High Court 22:07 Jan 09, '05 / 28 Tevet 5765 As the government continued to probe those who have called on soldiers to refuse orders to evict Jews from their homes, a soldier who was sentenced to jail said he is appealing to the High Court. Sgt. Yosef Pilent, who faces one month imprisonment for protesting the IDF’s removal of two trailers near Yitzhar, said his trial was “completely fictitious.” Pilent, an immigrant from the United States who has lived most of his life in Israel in Yitzhar, claimed in his appeal that he was not given an opportunity to consult with his lawyer before he was sentenced and that the army did not allow him to bring proof that the order to destroy the two empty trailers was illegal.“The whole process took no more than five minutes when the adjudging officer ruled according to what he saw on television without checking the facts,” said Pilent’s lawyer Shai Galilee.Pilent was on furlough last week when he saw his own unit destroying the homes at Givat Lehavah, a community near Yitzhar. His brother and fiancee were considering moving to one of the destroyed homes after their wedding this spring.Pilent was charged with “unbefitting behavior” after he explained he could not be charged with refusing orders that he had not received. “Their main goal is to use me as a scapegoat and put me in jail,” he added.The government continued its campaign against others who have claimed that it is illegal for army to issue orders to remove Jews from their homes, as the government proposes in its goal to dismantle 25 Jewish communities.Police interrogated Kedumim mayor Daniella Weiss Sunday on suspicion that she violated the law by her call last week that soldiers refuse to carry out eviction orders.The army is expected to decide Sunday night or Monday on the fate of 34 IDF officers who wrote a letter last week concerning the illegality of eviction orders. Their commander had demanded they retract the letter or face expulsion from the army. The officers, reservists in the Binyamin Brigade in Samaria, wrote a second letter to their commander in which they declared they had not proposed that they or other soldiers should refuse orders.But the officers did not retract their claim that “every order to execute the disengagement is a blatantly illegal order” and that “soldiers are forbidden to carry out such orders.”They are to meet Major General Moshe Kaplinski, commanding officer of the Central Command, Sunday night when he may decide whether they remain in the armed forces. At an earlier meeting Sunday, the officers rejected a modified letter presented to them by their brigade commander Col. Miki Edelstein. “We had a thorough debate that was very difficult. Edelstein presented a modification of our modified letter and asked that we sign it. However, we could not accept,” said Lt. Col. Yitzhak Shadmi.************************************************
President Bush says.
"We do not accept the existence of permanent tyranny because we do not accept the possibility of permanent slavery."
The root of this statement comes from the Bible the Book of Vayikra/Leviticus chapter 25 verse 10 whereby all slaves are freed in the Jubilee year. "You shall return each man to his ancestral heritage and you shall return each man to his family".
President Bush says: "The rulers of outlaw regimes can know that we still believe as Abraham Lincoln did: "Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves; and, under the rule of a just God, cannot long retain it".
Let this be a warning to the Sharon Gov't as the examples above are proof of a gov't denying freedom to its citizens.
President Bush Says:
"America has need of idealism and courage, because we have essential work at home - the unfinished work of American freedom. In a world moving toward liberty, we are determined to show the meaning and promise of liberty.
In America's ideal of freedom, citizens find the dignity and security of economic independence, instead of laboring on the edge of subsistence. This is the broader definition of liberty that motivated the Homestead Act, the Social Security Act, and the G.I. Bill of Rights. And now we will extend this vision by reforming great institutions to serve the needs of our time. To give every American a stake in the promise and future of our country, we will bring the highest standards to our schools, and build an ownership society. We will widen the ownership of homes and businesses, retirement savings and health insurance - preparing our people for the challenges of life in a free society. By making every citizen an agent of his or her own destiny, we will give our fellow Americans greater freedom from want and fear, and make our society more prosperous and just and equal."
President Bush has a clear agenda for America. It is good and just and very worthy. The Nation of Israel and the Land of Israel has a different agenda. They are chosen by G-d to be a "Kingdom of Priests". They find their potential by the commandments of the Torah which differs from the Constitution. If they recognize their unique role, and act upon it, other freedom loving nations such as the United States will in turn be able to achieve their lofty ideals and aspirations.
"In America's ideal of freedom, the public interest depends on private character - on integrity, and tolerance toward others, and the rule of conscience in our own lives. Self-government relies, in the end, on the governing of the self. That edifice of character is built in families, supported by communities with standards, and sustained in our national life by the truths of Sinai, the Sermon on the Mount, the words of the Koran, and the varied faiths of our people. Americans move forward in every generation by reaffirming all that is good and true that came before - ideals of justice and conduct that are the same yesterday, today, and forever."
As the President points out we move forward by reaffirming all that is good and true that came before. The character of the Nation of Israel is defined by their ability to adhere to the "Truths of Sinai". When the Nation of Israel adheres to their Bible their character is strong. When they stray from the commandments in the Bible their character is weak.
President Bush says:
Not because we consider ourselves a chosen nation; God moves and chooses as He wills.
When the President says "not because we consider ourselves a chosen nation; God moves and chooses as He wills", the President accepts the reality that it is G-d that chooses.
The Bible in the Book of Shemos/Exodus spells it out very clearly in Chapter 19 verse 5. The following verses precede the revelation at Sinai when G-d gives the Nation of Israel the Ten Commandments.
"And now, if you hearken well to Me and observe My covenant, you shall be to Me the most beloved treasure of all peoples, for Mine is the entire world. "You shall be to Me a Kingdom of ministers and a holy nation.
Being the beloved treasure of all peoples is contingent on observing the covenant. Being a Kingdom of ministers (Priests) is contingent on listening to G-d and observing His covenant. The language in Hebrew "Ki Li Kol Haaretz" can be also translated because the entire Land belongs to Me.. This concept is the underlying premise of the commandment of the Sabbatical year (Shmita) where the Land of Israel lies fallow thereby demonstrating that we, the Nation of Israel is giving back the Land to her rightful owner which is the Creator of the World.
President Bush says:
When the Declaration of Independence was first read in public and the Liberty Bell was sounded in celebration, a witness said, "It rang as if it meant something." In our time it means something still. America, in this young century, proclaims liberty throughout all the world, and to all the inhabitants thereof. Renewed in our strength - tested, but not weary - we are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom.
President Bush mentions the Liberty Bell. Engraved on the Liberty Bell is the quote from the Bible "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof"
In the Book of Vayikra/Leviticus Chapter 25 verse 10 it says
"You shall sanctify the fiftieth year and proclaim freedom throughout the land for all it inhabitants; it shall be the Jubilee Year for you, you shall return each man to his ancestral heritage and you shall return each man to his family. It shall be a Jubilee Year for you. In verse 17 it states "Each of you shall not aggrieve his fellow, and you shall fear your G-d; for I am Hashem your G-d. You shall perform My decrees, and observe My ordinances and perform them, then you shall dwell securely on the land. "
President Bush says:
And when the soul of a nation finally speaks, the institutions that arise may reflect customs and traditions very different from our own. America will not impose our own style of government on the unwilling. Our goal instead is to help others find their own voice, attain their own freedom, and make their own way.
This thought has a common denominator with the concept in the verse "and you shalll return each man to his family". President Bush talks about the "soul of a nation" that results in customs and traditions different to each other. So too, the individual tribes of the Nation of Israel each represented a different soul. In the Jubilee year, the land was returned to the original tribe and each enslaved family member was returned to his family. The proper ownership of the Land was determined via lottery during the conquest of the Land of Israel in the time of Joshua. Each one of the tribes of Israel have a unique character and unique soul. The unique character and purpose was defined by the blessings of their forefather Jacob in the Book Of Breishis/Genesis Chapter 49. In addition, each tribe was assigned a specific parcel of Land which would enable them to actualize their unique role. Together, the tribes together form one complete unit.
This is a model for the world. To recognize the unique soul of each individual nation that is a composite of the uniqueness of each individual family member. The Jewish people have always known "Ein Lecho Ben CHorin Ela Me Sheosek Batorah". True Freedom of the world will come only when the Jewish people will occupy themselves with adhering to the H-ly Torah. The time has come for the Nation of Israel to focus very seriously on the commandments in the Torah such as the Sabbatical year (aka Shmita). This will lead us, with G-ds help to the ultimate redemption and the precious freedom we so desperately love and yearn for.
NOTE:. All Biblical Translations are from the Stone Edition. Publisher Artscroll/Mesorah
In my last Blog I touched upon the Jubilee year. It is noteworthy that the President of the United States focused on the Jubilee as well in his Inaugural speech 2005.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/01/20050120-1.html
Below please find a letter I wrote to President Bush following his speech. I don't know who his speechwriter was but there are many references to the Bible either directly or indirectly.
Subj:
President Bush's Inaugural Speech 2005
Date:
1/21/05 2:23:50 AM Eastern Standard Time
From:
FaigeRayzel
To:
President@WhiteHouse.Gov, Vice.President@Whitehouse.gov
CC:
hineni@hineni.org
bs"d
President's Inaugural Speech 2005
President Bush's Inaugural Speech 2005 talks about freedom, liberty and democracy.
May I preface my remarks by praying that G-d Bless America and May G-d Bless the President of the United States of America and May the President continue to lead the Nation so that they continue to put their Trust in G-d the Master of the Universe and do His will.
This essay will bring down references in the Bible as well as commentary to President Bush's speech.
President Bush uses the word Sabbatical."After the shipwreck of communism came years of relative quiet, years of repose, years of sabbatical - and then there came a day of fire." This isn't exactly the same context as the Jewish Sabbatical year (aka Shmita), but there are similarities in the sense that a Sabbatical is a time of relative quiet and repose. President Bush says"From the day of our Founding, we have proclaimed that every man and woman on this earth has rights, and dignity, and matchless value, because they bear the image of the Maker of Heaven and earth."This comes from the Bible the Book of Breishis/Genesis Chapter 1 verse 27. "So G-d created man in His image, in the image of G-d He created him, male and female He created them."
President Bush says:"We will persistently clarify the choice before every ruler and every nation: The moral choice between oppression, which is always wrong, and freedom, which is eternally right. America will not pretend that jailed dissidents prefer their chains, or that women welcome humiliation and servitude, or that any human being aspires to live at the mercy of bullies."
Examples of Freedom Fighters*
*******Yifat Alkobi, Miriam Fleishman and Elisheva Federman*******
I do not think President Bush knew of the following heroes in an article by David Wilder of Hebron, but if he understood the situation correctly he would most definitely put them in the category of freedom.
News from Hebron The Hebron Press Office
Sunday January 09, 20051.
Three women sentenced today
Yifat Alkobi, Miriam Fleishman and Elisheva Federman were today sentenced to three to five month conditional prison terms, having been convicted of 'child neglect' and 'causing a police officer to fail in performing his duty." The conditional sentence will be in effect for three years. This means that if any of the women are convicted of a similar 'crime,' i.e., 'child neglect' or 'causing a police officer to fail in performing his duty', they will be subject to an additional three to five month jail sentence. However, according to Israeli law, sentences of up to a half a year are converted to community service. Therefore, there is no immediate danger of actual imprisonment. A Hebron spokesman issued the following statement:It is quite ironic that on the same day that our Arab neighbors are electing a veteran terrorist, Abu Mazen, to head the largest Arab terror organization in the world, three Hebron women were sentenced by an Israeli judge to conditional jail terms, because they dared protest eviction of a widow and her five children from their home in the middle of the night, followed by the brutal destruction of their house. It was not enough that the Uzeri family lost its father to Arab terror, in their home, in front of their eyes. They also had to witness the bulldozing of their home and all their property into the ground.Yifat, Miriam and Elisheva had the gall to protest this horror and for that they are being punished. The Hebron Jewish Community extends gratitude and blessings to these three heroes, who could not sit quietly and watch others suffer such Israeli terror. All must learn from their bravery, and should the need arise, be willing to make the same sacrifices as these Hebron women.
******Freedom Fighter Pinchus Wallerstein*******
I don't know if President knew specifically about the Wallerstein Proclamation but if he doesn't I hope this will enlighten him as to another force for freedom.The Wallerstein Proclamation"I want a large part of the public that I believe are willing to go to prison to say so today so the decision-makers will understand where we are going," "If someone were to try to pass a law for a transfer like this of some Arab village... all the knights of justice and civil rights would immediately protest and scream their hearts out to the heavens. But when it concerns Yesha residents, there is no justice and there are no rights,?""The evacuation/compensation law which has already passed its first reading, and with the new government has nothing standing in its way, is an immoral law. This is not only because of the Stalinist way in which it was formed, and not only because of its inhumane clauses such as those that negate compensation from whoever objects to being thrown out of his home, but primarily because it legalizes an unspeakable crime: the forcible uprooting of Jews from their homes." "Only if there will be a large population already today that is committed to be in Gush Katif and northern Samaria (if and when there is forced evacuation) and bodily resist transfer, only then is there a chance that this government will understand the gravity of its steps. I'm not scared of going to prison, and I hope that many people will understand, like me, that this is the price we must pay in order to object in a non-violent manner to this unethical crime." "There won't be enough prisons in the country to hold them all, and something will have to give."Pinchas Wallerstein – Mayor, Benyamin Regional Council, Former chairman of the Yesha Council
*******Freedom Fighter Yosef Pilent*******
Does President Bush know the story of Yosef Pilent? Read the Story in Arutz7.Soldier’s ‘Fictitious’ Trial To High Court 22:07 Jan 09, '05 / 28 Tevet 5765 As the government continued to probe those who have called on soldiers to refuse orders to evict Jews from their homes, a soldier who was sentenced to jail said he is appealing to the High Court. Sgt. Yosef Pilent, who faces one month imprisonment for protesting the IDF’s removal of two trailers near Yitzhar, said his trial was “completely fictitious.” Pilent, an immigrant from the United States who has lived most of his life in Israel in Yitzhar, claimed in his appeal that he was not given an opportunity to consult with his lawyer before he was sentenced and that the army did not allow him to bring proof that the order to destroy the two empty trailers was illegal.“The whole process took no more than five minutes when the adjudging officer ruled according to what he saw on television without checking the facts,” said Pilent’s lawyer Shai Galilee.Pilent was on furlough last week when he saw his own unit destroying the homes at Givat Lehavah, a community near Yitzhar. His brother and fiancee were considering moving to one of the destroyed homes after their wedding this spring.Pilent was charged with “unbefitting behavior” after he explained he could not be charged with refusing orders that he had not received. “Their main goal is to use me as a scapegoat and put me in jail,” he added.The government continued its campaign against others who have claimed that it is illegal for army to issue orders to remove Jews from their homes, as the government proposes in its goal to dismantle 25 Jewish communities.Police interrogated Kedumim mayor Daniella Weiss Sunday on suspicion that she violated the law by her call last week that soldiers refuse to carry out eviction orders.The army is expected to decide Sunday night or Monday on the fate of 34 IDF officers who wrote a letter last week concerning the illegality of eviction orders. Their commander had demanded they retract the letter or face expulsion from the army. The officers, reservists in the Binyamin Brigade in Samaria, wrote a second letter to their commander in which they declared they had not proposed that they or other soldiers should refuse orders.But the officers did not retract their claim that “every order to execute the disengagement is a blatantly illegal order” and that “soldiers are forbidden to carry out such orders.”They are to meet Major General Moshe Kaplinski, commanding officer of the Central Command, Sunday night when he may decide whether they remain in the armed forces. At an earlier meeting Sunday, the officers rejected a modified letter presented to them by their brigade commander Col. Miki Edelstein. “We had a thorough debate that was very difficult. Edelstein presented a modification of our modified letter and asked that we sign it. However, we could not accept,” said Lt. Col. Yitzhak Shadmi.************************************************
President Bush says.
"We do not accept the existence of permanent tyranny because we do not accept the possibility of permanent slavery."
The root of this statement comes from the Bible the Book of Vayikra/Leviticus chapter 25 verse 10 whereby all slaves are freed in the Jubilee year. "You shall return each man to his ancestral heritage and you shall return each man to his family".
President Bush says: "The rulers of outlaw regimes can know that we still believe as Abraham Lincoln did: "Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves; and, under the rule of a just God, cannot long retain it".
Let this be a warning to the Sharon Gov't as the examples above are proof of a gov't denying freedom to its citizens.
President Bush Says:
"America has need of idealism and courage, because we have essential work at home - the unfinished work of American freedom. In a world moving toward liberty, we are determined to show the meaning and promise of liberty.
In America's ideal of freedom, citizens find the dignity and security of economic independence, instead of laboring on the edge of subsistence. This is the broader definition of liberty that motivated the Homestead Act, the Social Security Act, and the G.I. Bill of Rights. And now we will extend this vision by reforming great institutions to serve the needs of our time. To give every American a stake in the promise and future of our country, we will bring the highest standards to our schools, and build an ownership society. We will widen the ownership of homes and businesses, retirement savings and health insurance - preparing our people for the challenges of life in a free society. By making every citizen an agent of his or her own destiny, we will give our fellow Americans greater freedom from want and fear, and make our society more prosperous and just and equal."
President Bush has a clear agenda for America. It is good and just and very worthy. The Nation of Israel and the Land of Israel has a different agenda. They are chosen by G-d to be a "Kingdom of Priests". They find their potential by the commandments of the Torah which differs from the Constitution. If they recognize their unique role, and act upon it, other freedom loving nations such as the United States will in turn be able to achieve their lofty ideals and aspirations.
"In America's ideal of freedom, the public interest depends on private character - on integrity, and tolerance toward others, and the rule of conscience in our own lives. Self-government relies, in the end, on the governing of the self. That edifice of character is built in families, supported by communities with standards, and sustained in our national life by the truths of Sinai, the Sermon on the Mount, the words of the Koran, and the varied faiths of our people. Americans move forward in every generation by reaffirming all that is good and true that came before - ideals of justice and conduct that are the same yesterday, today, and forever."
As the President points out we move forward by reaffirming all that is good and true that came before. The character of the Nation of Israel is defined by their ability to adhere to the "Truths of Sinai". When the Nation of Israel adheres to their Bible their character is strong. When they stray from the commandments in the Bible their character is weak.
President Bush says:
Not because we consider ourselves a chosen nation; God moves and chooses as He wills.
When the President says "not because we consider ourselves a chosen nation; God moves and chooses as He wills", the President accepts the reality that it is G-d that chooses.
The Bible in the Book of Shemos/Exodus spells it out very clearly in Chapter 19 verse 5. The following verses precede the revelation at Sinai when G-d gives the Nation of Israel the Ten Commandments.
"And now, if you hearken well to Me and observe My covenant, you shall be to Me the most beloved treasure of all peoples, for Mine is the entire world. "You shall be to Me a Kingdom of ministers and a holy nation.
Being the beloved treasure of all peoples is contingent on observing the covenant. Being a Kingdom of ministers (Priests) is contingent on listening to G-d and observing His covenant. The language in Hebrew "Ki Li Kol Haaretz" can be also translated because the entire Land belongs to Me.. This concept is the underlying premise of the commandment of the Sabbatical year (Shmita) where the Land of Israel lies fallow thereby demonstrating that we, the Nation of Israel is giving back the Land to her rightful owner which is the Creator of the World.
President Bush says:
When the Declaration of Independence was first read in public and the Liberty Bell was sounded in celebration, a witness said, "It rang as if it meant something." In our time it means something still. America, in this young century, proclaims liberty throughout all the world, and to all the inhabitants thereof. Renewed in our strength - tested, but not weary - we are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom.
President Bush mentions the Liberty Bell. Engraved on the Liberty Bell is the quote from the Bible "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof"
In the Book of Vayikra/Leviticus Chapter 25 verse 10 it says
"You shall sanctify the fiftieth year and proclaim freedom throughout the land for all it inhabitants; it shall be the Jubilee Year for you, you shall return each man to his ancestral heritage and you shall return each man to his family. It shall be a Jubilee Year for you. In verse 17 it states "Each of you shall not aggrieve his fellow, and you shall fear your G-d; for I am Hashem your G-d. You shall perform My decrees, and observe My ordinances and perform them, then you shall dwell securely on the land. "
President Bush says:
And when the soul of a nation finally speaks, the institutions that arise may reflect customs and traditions very different from our own. America will not impose our own style of government on the unwilling. Our goal instead is to help others find their own voice, attain their own freedom, and make their own way.
This thought has a common denominator with the concept in the verse "and you shalll return each man to his family". President Bush talks about the "soul of a nation" that results in customs and traditions different to each other. So too, the individual tribes of the Nation of Israel each represented a different soul. In the Jubilee year, the land was returned to the original tribe and each enslaved family member was returned to his family. The proper ownership of the Land was determined via lottery during the conquest of the Land of Israel in the time of Joshua. Each one of the tribes of Israel have a unique character and unique soul. The unique character and purpose was defined by the blessings of their forefather Jacob in the Book Of Breishis/Genesis Chapter 49. In addition, each tribe was assigned a specific parcel of Land which would enable them to actualize their unique role. Together, the tribes together form one complete unit.
This is a model for the world. To recognize the unique soul of each individual nation that is a composite of the uniqueness of each individual family member. The Jewish people have always known "Ein Lecho Ben CHorin Ela Me Sheosek Batorah". True Freedom of the world will come only when the Jewish people will occupy themselves with adhering to the H-ly Torah. The time has come for the Nation of Israel to focus very seriously on the commandments in the Torah such as the Sabbatical year (aka Shmita). This will lead us, with G-ds help to the ultimate redemption and the precious freedom we so desperately love and yearn for.
NOTE:. All Biblical Translations are from the Stone Edition. Publisher Artscroll/Mesorah
We Want Moshiach Now?
bs"d
We davan everyday for Moshiach. But if we really thought about it carefully I'm not sure if we truly would say it with such Kavana if we really believed the ramifications. Let me preface by saying YES! After much thought, I still really want Moshiach NOW!
My child has a book called When Moshiach Comes. What it doesn't say is that when Moshiach comes he will tell each member of Am Yisroel which Shevet, tribe, they are from. Somehow, the nation, each and every member, will once again know which piece of inheritance actually is theirs. This sounds nice in theory but in practice it means that most probably we will all have to relocate. That's what the Yovel year is about. Not such an easy thing to do as we see with the misplaced people of Gush Katif and Katrina and New Orleans. But being that this will be in the time of Moshach we will joyfully accept this relocation with love and knowledge that it is in our best interest and we are moving to a life of Meeyn Olam Haba.
My parents are Holocaust survivers. My father's first family, his wife and daughter were slaughtered in the Shoah. My mother's parents and many of her siblings likewise. They were ruthlessly displaced. Recently I viewed a video called "The Silent Exodus" a film produced by Pierre Rehov. http://www.pierrerehov.com/. This documentary vividly shows how Jews in Arab speaking countries such as Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq etc were forced sometimes at a moments notice to evacuate leaving their entire lives behind them. The alternatives they faced were progroms and riots. I was in shock because all this was happening in MY lifetime and not even my parents. And I had no idea of its magnitude. The film depicted country after country expelling the Jews in Nazi like fashion. Each time Israel gained the upper hand, 1948, 1967, Entebbe etc the Jews in these countries suffered a retaliation forcing a Silent Exodus. Why do I bring this up? It is in order to suggest a possibility. Our heroes of Gush Katif are Creme de la Creme. Why were they displaced? Without fingerpointing except to our Master in Heaven, I would like to suggest the following. The message we learn is that we can never really feel secure in our dwelling. Life on this earth is a temporary one. We are all in G-'d hands and His infinite mercy. Sukkos to a small degree and the Jubillee year,Yovel brings this message across but without the trauma. Please G-d, bring the Moshiach NOW!
We davan everyday for Moshiach. But if we really thought about it carefully I'm not sure if we truly would say it with such Kavana if we really believed the ramifications. Let me preface by saying YES! After much thought, I still really want Moshiach NOW!
My child has a book called When Moshiach Comes. What it doesn't say is that when Moshiach comes he will tell each member of Am Yisroel which Shevet, tribe, they are from. Somehow, the nation, each and every member, will once again know which piece of inheritance actually is theirs. This sounds nice in theory but in practice it means that most probably we will all have to relocate. That's what the Yovel year is about. Not such an easy thing to do as we see with the misplaced people of Gush Katif and Katrina and New Orleans. But being that this will be in the time of Moshach we will joyfully accept this relocation with love and knowledge that it is in our best interest and we are moving to a life of Meeyn Olam Haba.
My parents are Holocaust survivers. My father's first family, his wife and daughter were slaughtered in the Shoah. My mother's parents and many of her siblings likewise. They were ruthlessly displaced. Recently I viewed a video called "The Silent Exodus" a film produced by Pierre Rehov. http://www.pierrerehov.com/. This documentary vividly shows how Jews in Arab speaking countries such as Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq etc were forced sometimes at a moments notice to evacuate leaving their entire lives behind them. The alternatives they faced were progroms and riots. I was in shock because all this was happening in MY lifetime and not even my parents. And I had no idea of its magnitude. The film depicted country after country expelling the Jews in Nazi like fashion. Each time Israel gained the upper hand, 1948, 1967, Entebbe etc the Jews in these countries suffered a retaliation forcing a Silent Exodus. Why do I bring this up? It is in order to suggest a possibility. Our heroes of Gush Katif are Creme de la Creme. Why were they displaced? Without fingerpointing except to our Master in Heaven, I would like to suggest the following. The message we learn is that we can never really feel secure in our dwelling. Life on this earth is a temporary one. We are all in G-'d hands and His infinite mercy. Sukkos to a small degree and the Jubillee year,Yovel brings this message across but without the trauma. Please G-d, bring the Moshiach NOW!
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Comments of "Refugees from the Storm" from Aish.com
The following is a fabulous first hand report from a refugee of Hurricane Katrina. From Aish.com
Refugees from the Storm: http://www.aish.com/societyWork/society/Refugees_from_the_Storm.asp
bs"d
There are many parallels here to the Shemittah year. It sounds crazy but is this the message? Keep the Shemittah year properly and then there would be no need for disasters to teach us what we need to know? We very much need to brainstorm. Each and every persons perspective is necessary. Shemittah by definition is a social dynamic where the contribution of each and every individual is valued and sought after. Each person is intimately involved and each person undergoes a very individual transformation of character traits. It is a year of personal growth and a year where we value what each and every individual has to offer. It is a year of faith where we live hand to mouth not knowing from where our sustenance will come tomorrow but believing fervently that it will come. G-d sent us 9/11 and the outpouring of good will and love of humanity became apparent. Hashem allowed the expulsion of Gush Katif and the refugees are being embraced by their brethren with everything they own. Now this story demonstrates our dependency on Hashem and how all belongs to Hashem. Do we really need disaster, destruction, pain and suffering to bring us to this realization? Shemittah is a relatively painless homeopathic alternative.
Refugees from the Storm: http://www.aish.com/societyWork/society/Refugees_from_the_Storm.asp
bs"d
There are many parallels here to the Shemittah year. It sounds crazy but is this the message? Keep the Shemittah year properly and then there would be no need for disasters to teach us what we need to know? We very much need to brainstorm. Each and every persons perspective is necessary. Shemittah by definition is a social dynamic where the contribution of each and every individual is valued and sought after. Each person is intimately involved and each person undergoes a very individual transformation of character traits. It is a year of personal growth and a year where we value what each and every individual has to offer. It is a year of faith where we live hand to mouth not knowing from where our sustenance will come tomorrow but believing fervently that it will come. G-d sent us 9/11 and the outpouring of good will and love of humanity became apparent. Hashem allowed the expulsion of Gush Katif and the refugees are being embraced by their brethren with everything they own. Now this story demonstrates our dependency on Hashem and how all belongs to Hashem. Do we really need disaster, destruction, pain and suffering to bring us to this realization? Shemittah is a relatively painless homeopathic alternative.
In response to video "Torn Together" and Torah Article in Arutz7 by Dani Isaac
bs"d
Torn Together (You can view it by visiting> http://tinyurl.com/csn7k ) shows Ahavas Chinom in the highest degree. It will be Ahavas Chinom that will bring the 3rd Beis Hamikdash. I wish to add a different dimension.
I remember reading that Hashem asked in what merit will my children be redeemed. He asked the Torah and the the Torah couldn't defend them. He asked the Avot and the Avot also couldn't defend them. He asked others. Finally it was Teshuva that came to their rescue, that was what was able to redeem them.
If you believe you can destroy, believe you can repair (Rav Nachman of Breslov)
(If you have a more accurate version of the above, please send it to me because I can't recall where I heard or read this).
Subj:
Examples where unity doesn't work
Date:
9/3/05 11:57:20 PM Eastern Daylight Time
To:
info@beitorot.org, nissan@IsraelNationalNews
Shavua Tov!
There are examples in Parshas Reeh where the Mitzva seems to portray the exact opposite of brotherly love but apparently it is an expression of saving the people and ultimately leads to unity and brotherly love and blessing. Devarim Perek 13 Pasuk 7. If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter, or the wife of your bosom, or your friend who is like your own soul will entice you secretly saying "Let us go and worship the gods of others" that you did not know, you or your forefathers, from the gods of the peoples that are all around you, those near to you or those far from you, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth - you shall not accede to him and not hearken to him; your eye shall not take pity on him, you shall not be compassionate nor conceal him. Rather you shall surely kill him, your hand shall be the first against him to kill him, and the hand of the entire people afterwards. You shall pelt him with stones and he shall die, for he sought to make you stray from near HASHEM, your G-d, Who takes you out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. All Israel shall hear and fear , and they shall not again do such an evil thing in your midst.
Doesn't sound very much like brotherly love to me.
The Torah continues
If, in one of your cities that Hashem, your G-d, gives you in which to dwell, you hear, saying "Lawless men have emerged from your midst, and they have caused the dwellers of their city to go astray, saying "Let us go and worship the gods of others, that you have not known you shall seek out and investigate, and inquire well, and behold it is true, the word is correct, this abomination was committed in your midst. You shall surely smite the inhabitants of the city with the edge of the sword. You shall gather together all its booty to the midst of its open square, and you shall burn in fire completely the city and all its booty to Hashem, your G-d, and it shall be an eternal heap. It shall not be rebuilt. No part of the banned property may adhere to your hand, so that Hashem will turn back from his burning wrath; and He will give you mercy and be merciful to you and multiply you, as He swore to your forefathers, when you hearken in the voice of Hashem, your G-d to observe all his commandments that I command you today to do what is right in the eyes of Hashem your G-d.
This doesn't sound very merciful and forgiving way to treat our brothers who have sinned yet it evokes mercy from Heaven above. Here we are not discussing how to treat our enemies. These are discussions about how to treat our fellow brothers even our wives and husbands, sons and daughters if they lead us astray. G-d forbid we should ever have to come to this but if we fail to act strong to stand up for Hashem's Torah and Mitzvot it will lead us to hate our brothers. We will be resentful of them and resentful of what they have done to us.
Other examples of the Torah where brother fought against brother and was sanctioned by Hashem was after Chait Haegel. Shemos Perek 32 Pasuk 26. Moses stood at the gateway of the camp and said "whoever is for Hashem, join me." and all the Levites gathered around him. He said to them. So said Hashem the G-d of Israel. Every man, put his sword on his thigh and pass back and forth from gate to gate in the camp. Let every man kill his brother, every man his fellow, and every man his near one.' The Levites did as Moses said, and about three thousand men of the people fell that day. Moses said, Dedicate yourselves this day to Hashem - for each has opposed his son and his brother - that He may bestow upon you a blessing, this day."
So the Torah sounds very much like extreme religious fanaticism. Very politically incorrect. Very cruel. Very barbaric, Very inhumane. One thing I am convinced. Acts such as these, killing members of our family, killing our brothers, go against the very grain of the nature of the Jew. We are Rachmanim Bnei Rachmanim. But there are certains Mitzvot that require us to go against our nature. Avraham Aveinu's ultimate test was the Akeida. His whole life he was preaching about the depravity of the idol worshippers who sacrificed their children to the G-ds and then he himself was in the situation where he was required to do so. However, I believe that even though deep down he was willing to do whatever G-d commanded him, he believed that G-d would somehow come through and not require him to actually kill his son. Breishis 22/5 (And Avraham said to his young men, "Stay here by yourselves with the donkey, while I and the lad will go yonder; we will worship and WE will return to you.")
We have to stand up for the Torah. We are committed to the Torah. Sometimes when we stand up for the Torah it is perceived as an act against our fellow Jew. It is not. Declaring our independance from the State of Israel when they brazenly defy the Torah is not an act of war against our brothers. It is simply and expression of Mi Lahashem Ali. Hashem knows how desperately we do not wish to harm our brothers and our knowledge of the intrinsic value of each and every Jew and his contribution to the whole and our loss when his contribution is missiong. However, it is those that defy the Torah that are the part of our whole that is diseased and if not agressively dealt with, will spread to the healthy part. Not visa versa. In Gush KAtif there was never a declaration of war to our brothers. There was also never a declaration of allegience to Hashem and to His Holy Torah which by definition should have not allowed us to willingly give away our Land. It is my belief if we would have declared allegience to Hashem and His Holy Torah and showed a willingness to stand up to any aggression be it Arab or Jewish, there would have been an outpouring of support among the generals, the soldiers and citizens that it would have stopped the disengagement in its tracks and would not have caused a war among brothers. Where was the simple declaration that this Land belongs to G-d and it is an everlasting inheritance to the children of Avraham Yitzchok and Yaakov? The State of Israel is secular. Apparently, the nation as a whole is not yet ready for a gov't based on Torah. Therefore, let us then live peacefully side by side and let us try to set up a gov't based on the Torah. We love you. You are our brothers. Nevertheless, our love for G-d and His holy Torah supercedes the love we have for any human being.
Torn Together (You can view it by visiting> http://tinyurl.com/csn7k ) shows Ahavas Chinom in the highest degree. It will be Ahavas Chinom that will bring the 3rd Beis Hamikdash. I wish to add a different dimension.
I remember reading that Hashem asked in what merit will my children be redeemed. He asked the Torah and the the Torah couldn't defend them. He asked the Avot and the Avot also couldn't defend them. He asked others. Finally it was Teshuva that came to their rescue, that was what was able to redeem them.
If you believe you can destroy, believe you can repair (Rav Nachman of Breslov)
(If you have a more accurate version of the above, please send it to me because I can't recall where I heard or read this).
Subj:
Examples where unity doesn't work
Date:
9/3/05 11:57:20 PM Eastern Daylight Time
To:
info@beitorot.org, nissan@IsraelNationalNews
Shavua Tov!
There are examples in Parshas Reeh where the Mitzva seems to portray the exact opposite of brotherly love but apparently it is an expression of saving the people and ultimately leads to unity and brotherly love and blessing. Devarim Perek 13 Pasuk 7. If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter, or the wife of your bosom, or your friend who is like your own soul will entice you secretly saying "Let us go and worship the gods of others" that you did not know, you or your forefathers, from the gods of the peoples that are all around you, those near to you or those far from you, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth - you shall not accede to him and not hearken to him; your eye shall not take pity on him, you shall not be compassionate nor conceal him. Rather you shall surely kill him, your hand shall be the first against him to kill him, and the hand of the entire people afterwards. You shall pelt him with stones and he shall die, for he sought to make you stray from near HASHEM, your G-d, Who takes you out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. All Israel shall hear and fear , and they shall not again do such an evil thing in your midst.
Doesn't sound very much like brotherly love to me.
The Torah continues
If, in one of your cities that Hashem, your G-d, gives you in which to dwell, you hear, saying "Lawless men have emerged from your midst, and they have caused the dwellers of their city to go astray, saying "Let us go and worship the gods of others, that you have not known you shall seek out and investigate, and inquire well, and behold it is true, the word is correct, this abomination was committed in your midst. You shall surely smite the inhabitants of the city with the edge of the sword. You shall gather together all its booty to the midst of its open square, and you shall burn in fire completely the city and all its booty to Hashem, your G-d, and it shall be an eternal heap. It shall not be rebuilt. No part of the banned property may adhere to your hand, so that Hashem will turn back from his burning wrath; and He will give you mercy and be merciful to you and multiply you, as He swore to your forefathers, when you hearken in the voice of Hashem, your G-d to observe all his commandments that I command you today to do what is right in the eyes of Hashem your G-d.
This doesn't sound very merciful and forgiving way to treat our brothers who have sinned yet it evokes mercy from Heaven above. Here we are not discussing how to treat our enemies. These are discussions about how to treat our fellow brothers even our wives and husbands, sons and daughters if they lead us astray. G-d forbid we should ever have to come to this but if we fail to act strong to stand up for Hashem's Torah and Mitzvot it will lead us to hate our brothers. We will be resentful of them and resentful of what they have done to us.
Other examples of the Torah where brother fought against brother and was sanctioned by Hashem was after Chait Haegel. Shemos Perek 32 Pasuk 26. Moses stood at the gateway of the camp and said "whoever is for Hashem, join me." and all the Levites gathered around him. He said to them. So said Hashem the G-d of Israel. Every man, put his sword on his thigh and pass back and forth from gate to gate in the camp. Let every man kill his brother, every man his fellow, and every man his near one.' The Levites did as Moses said, and about three thousand men of the people fell that day. Moses said, Dedicate yourselves this day to Hashem - for each has opposed his son and his brother - that He may bestow upon you a blessing, this day."
So the Torah sounds very much like extreme religious fanaticism. Very politically incorrect. Very cruel. Very barbaric, Very inhumane. One thing I am convinced. Acts such as these, killing members of our family, killing our brothers, go against the very grain of the nature of the Jew. We are Rachmanim Bnei Rachmanim. But there are certains Mitzvot that require us to go against our nature. Avraham Aveinu's ultimate test was the Akeida. His whole life he was preaching about the depravity of the idol worshippers who sacrificed their children to the G-ds and then he himself was in the situation where he was required to do so. However, I believe that even though deep down he was willing to do whatever G-d commanded him, he believed that G-d would somehow come through and not require him to actually kill his son. Breishis 22/5 (And Avraham said to his young men, "Stay here by yourselves with the donkey, while I and the lad will go yonder; we will worship and WE will return to you.")
We have to stand up for the Torah. We are committed to the Torah. Sometimes when we stand up for the Torah it is perceived as an act against our fellow Jew. It is not. Declaring our independance from the State of Israel when they brazenly defy the Torah is not an act of war against our brothers. It is simply and expression of Mi Lahashem Ali. Hashem knows how desperately we do not wish to harm our brothers and our knowledge of the intrinsic value of each and every Jew and his contribution to the whole and our loss when his contribution is missiong. However, it is those that defy the Torah that are the part of our whole that is diseased and if not agressively dealt with, will spread to the healthy part. Not visa versa. In Gush KAtif there was never a declaration of war to our brothers. There was also never a declaration of allegience to Hashem and to His Holy Torah which by definition should have not allowed us to willingly give away our Land. It is my belief if we would have declared allegience to Hashem and His Holy Torah and showed a willingness to stand up to any aggression be it Arab or Jewish, there would have been an outpouring of support among the generals, the soldiers and citizens that it would have stopped the disengagement in its tracks and would not have caused a war among brothers. Where was the simple declaration that this Land belongs to G-d and it is an everlasting inheritance to the children of Avraham Yitzchok and Yaakov? The State of Israel is secular. Apparently, the nation as a whole is not yet ready for a gov't based on Torah. Therefore, let us then live peacefully side by side and let us try to set up a gov't based on the Torah. We love you. You are our brothers. Nevertheless, our love for G-d and His holy Torah supercedes the love we have for any human being.
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