Let's not Cry for Israel. Let's Sing for Israel

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In the Stone Chumash, the commentary states that Moshe desired keeping the Mitzvoth of the Land of Israel and therefore begged Hashem to enter the Land.  He knew that the only way he could keep these Mitzvoth, like Shemittah, Teruma and Maaser etc was in the Land itself.  Moshe didn't care if he wasn't the leader.  Moshe simply wanted an opportunity to keep the Mitzvoth of Eretz Yisroel. Sefer Devarim focus is on Mitzvoth on how to live in Eretz Yisroel.  Moshe knew that he was not to enter the Land so he spent the last days of his life (from Rosh Chodesh Shvat till 7 Adar) to instruct the people on how to live in the Land of Israel rather than in a spiritual desert. 

 

I would focus on Devarim, Perek 4 Pasuk 5 "See I have taught you decrees and ordinances as Hashem, my G-d has commanded me to do so in the midst of the Land to which you come, to possess it."

 

Why are we not challenging the Gedoilim of our generation who are misguiding the hundreds of thousands of followers into believing that speaking out against the Conversion Plan or against the Roadmap is a political  position.  There is nothing political about these policies.  It is anti Torah.  The Torah specifically instructs Am Yisroel to conquer the Land and keep the Mitzvoth in the midst of the Land, to possess it.   This idea is very clearly repeated in Pasuk 14 Perek 4.  "Hashem commanded me at that time to teach you decrees and ordinances, that you shall perform them in the Land to which you cross to possess it. " This is clearly Torah Shebaal Peh.  Moshe is teaching the people.  If we challenge the Rabbanim we are asked where is your Emunas Chachamim?  Yet it is quite clear that Moshe Rabbeinu, the ultimate teacher and source of Torah Shebaal Peh clearly speaks about the Mitzvoth in the midst of the Land. 

 

How can our Gedoilim detach themselves from the claim to the Land.  The boundaries of Eretz Yisroel before Chait Hamiraglim were much more broad.  The boundaries in Matos Masei include Lebanon and Gaza.  Yet these two areas were never conquered by Yehoshua.  We have the opportunity in our generation to fix these sins.  We can proclaim that we desire Eretz Yisroel and we yearn to keep the Mitzvoth such as Shemittah and all the other Mitzvoth read at Hakhel.  We have the opportunity to proclaim Lebanon and Gaza as part of the Biblical inheritance as delineated in Parshas Masei. 

 

I would choose not to Cry for Israel but proudly claim Eretz Yisroel as our Biblical Inheritance and subject to all kinds of obligations that no other Nation has.  When we recognize our special role, and when we safeguard and perform them(decrees and ordinances), because it is "your wisdom and discernment in the eyes of the people", the nations of the world will say "Surely a wise and discerning people is this great nation."

 

The pasuk says "Ushmartem Vasisem".  You should keep and guard them.  These words are used specifically also for Shabbos.  How can we keep and do the Mitzvoth without the Land  We can merely learn about the Mitzvoth.  That is direct proof that the Land must be under our sovereign hands.  Lakewood or Boro Park is not good enough to keep and perform these Mitzvoth Bekerev Haaretz. One can only learn about them in Lakewood and Boro Park.  One can actually perform them in a  place like Itamar in the Shomron. 

 

It also uses the same terminology when the Torah talks about Gan Eden that Adam must guard it and protect it.  The same words "Leshamra Ulavda".  Let me suggest that the Mitzva that will clearly show the world Chochmaschem Ubinaschem is the Mitzva of Shemitta which includes the essence of Shabbos.  It is Shabbat Haaretz.  The time has come to really focus on Shemitta and how it can be performed without Takana of Hillel, Pruzbul which was a response to a weakness in Emuna after the Churban.  Let us brainstorm about keeping Shemitta w/o Heter Mechira which was established due to a fear of starvation.  These two takanot undermine our show of Emunah by performing Shemitas Kesafim and Shemitas Karkaot.  Keeping Shemittah w/o these Takanot is quite revolutionary and very scary.  We still have over a year to brainstorm.  Lets call in the economists, the political scientists, the Torah Scholars and discuss how such a government can function when the entire farming community is on Sabbatical and the non farming community are told to loan to the poor with an open hand and not demand retribution.  It sounds very much like a socialist, kibbutz lifestyle without working the land.

 

We will come up with a government that is nothing like the existing models.  Actually it will be a combination of the two.  For 6 years it will model the Capitalist economic system that we love and respect in America and on the seventh year it will model the Kibbutz lifestyle that actually allowed the State of Israel to grow and flourish immediately following the Holocaust.  This kibbutz, socialist model for a people that individually had next to nothing and collectively pooled their resources, was integral and necessary and successful in the initial development of the State of Israel.

 

This is the Shira Chadasha for our generation to replace all sadness and crying.

 

 

U'Teshuvah, U'Tefila U'Tzedakah maavirin et roa ha-gezera,"

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U'Teshuvah, U'Tefila U'Tzedakah Maavirin et Roa Ha-gezera,

And Repentance,  and Prayer and Charity remove the Harsh Decree

 

Teshuva:  Let us desire  Eretz Yisroel and her boundaries delineated in Parshas Masei.

 

Let us yearn to keep the Mitzvoth of the Torah. Focus on the Mitzvah of Shemittah and the Mitzvoth read at Hakhel as Moshe Rabbeinu yearned in Parshath Veeschanan to enter Eretz Yisroel in order to keep the Mitzvoth of Eretz Yisroel.

 

Tefillah: Davan for the welfare of our brethren and the soldiers that are in harms way.

 

Tzedakah: Respond to the appeals in announcements in your local papers and in shuls for help for our brothers and sisters from the Northern part of Eretz Yisroel

 

 

Thoughts about Tisha Baav - Roy Neuberger - Why Lebanon?

 

THOUGHTS FOR TISHA B'AV
WHY LEBANON?

Dear Friends:

            Tonight is Tisha B'Av.

            I realized this week that I had been making a big mistake.  I had not been praying with enough passion because I just assumed that the Israel Defense Forces would take care of our enemies. 

            According to the Mishna B'rura, before one takes any medical treatment or medicine, one should say a prayer acknowledging that nothing can cure us without it being the will of the Creator.  The pill or medical treatment is an attempt on our part, as beings who dwell in a material world, to do everything within our power to get better.  But the cure comes only from G-d.

            Every day we say the blessing, "Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, Who gives sight to the blind."  What do you mean "blind"? I am not blind; I can see.  I once heard Rabbi Matisyahu Salomon explain this blessing.  NO, WE CANNOT SEE!  It is not "normal" for us to see.  It is totally a gift of G-d!  We are nothing!  We have no existence, no vision, no strength, no intelligence, no happiness, no success; we have nothing unless G-d gives it to us!  We should not delude ourselves: only the Master of the Universe saves us in every situation. 

The same is true in Israel.  Our brethren in the Land of Israel are putting their lives on the line.  Only G-d can save us. 

But why are we fighting in Lebanon on Tisha B'Av?  What do Lebanon and Tisha B'Av have to do with each other? 

My friends, you will be amazed. 

 

Last week, I was looking in the Artscroll Tanach at a map of the Biblical boundaries of the Land of Israel.  I noticed two large shaded areas, so I checked to see what they indicated.  I almost fell off my chair.  The shaded areas are the parts of Biblical Israel that were never conquered by Joshua. 

What are the names of those shaded areas?  Are you ready?

They are ... GAZA AND LEBANON! 

GAZA AND LEBANON, the exact areas that are giving us such terrible tzouris!  The two areas that Joshua never conquered for Am Yisroel today hold our most vicious enemies, from which deadly missiles, violence and hatred pour out upon us!

For days I tried to understand the meaning of this discovery.  Motzae Shabbos, before going to sleep, I asked G-d to help me.  The following morning I looked at this week's Parsha, Va'eschanan, and I saw in Rashi's commentary the most amazing answer.

The Parsha begins with Moses imploring G-d to allow him to enter the Land of Israel.  "Please let me cross and see the good land that is on the other side of the Jordan, this good mountain and....." 

And what?  What is the word that Moses uses to complete this sentence? 

LEBANON!

LEBANON?

What does Lebanon have to do with this? 

Please listen, my friends, to the holy words of Rashi.

What is the "good mountain" to which Moses refers? 

"Jerusalem."

And what is "Lebanon"?

"This is the Bais HaMikdosh, the Holy Temple, which whitens ("lavan" is "white" in Hebrew) Israel's sins."

"Lebanon" is the Holy Temple, which "whitens Israel's sins."

Let us pause for a moment to digest the enormity of this understanding.

We are here, at the end of history, fighting for our lives.  We stand, in the days before Tisha B'Av, the day of the destruction of the HOLY TEMPLE, in a life and death struggle in LEBANON, which stands for the HOLY TEMPLE.

There are no accidents in history, my friends.

The Battle in Lebanon and the battle of our souls on Tisha B'Av are one and the same!  This is the battle to "whiten Israel's sins."  The nations of the world understand that we are all on the verge of the Final Redemption, when all falsehood and evil will be erased from the earth and the Children of Israel will return to our Homeland and the Holy Temple will return to Jerusalem, never to be destroyed again.

The battle in Lebanon is not about land or politics or public opinion polls, but is in fact the final stand of the enemies of the Children of Israel, the enemies of Biblical Destiny.  THE BATTLE OF LEBANON IS THE BATTLE TO PREVENT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL FROM RETURNING TO G-D AND BRINGING ABOUT THE ADVENT OF THE HOLY TEMPLE. 

Of course, we will prevail!   Our prophets have told us that history will end with the coming of Moshiach and the Re-Building of the Holy Temple.  But now it is our turn!  We are all soldiers in this war to cleanse the soul of our people and bring the Temple back forever.  We are all on the front lines with our gallant soldiers and the courageous residents of our Holy Land who are now living in bomb shelters. 

ON THIS TISHA B'AV EVERYTHING IS AT STAKE.  WE CAN NOT TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED.  The footsteps of Moshiach are audible and the Holy Temple is ready to return to the Holy Mountain.  The battle for LEBANON, the "whitening of the sins of Israel" is on, and every one of us is a soldier in this holy war.

May our prayers this Tisha B'Av pierce the heavens and gladden our Father in Heaven with our complete repentance and return to Him in teshuva!

With blessings,

                                                                          Roy S. Neuberger

My Prayer - Shemittah is the Key

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As the War in Israel is going on, I find comfort in the words of the Torah.  Who is the cause of this big mess?  Who can take us out and save us from this big mess.  Only the Rebono Shel Olam.  Yet it comes with a price.  This price is we must keep the Commandments of the Torah.  Which Mitzvah specifically is related to Security?  It is the Mitzva of Shemittah.  So in my naive, childlike expression of faith I turn to the Torah.  If we truly have that desire to keep the Mitzvah of Shemittah in order to bring forth Kedusha and the blessings of peace and prosperity we would find the strength to proclaim "THIS IS THE LAND PROMISED TO THE AVOT AND TO THEIR OFFSPRING THE NATION OF ISRAEL "  We in turn are obligated in keeping the Mitzvoth of Shemittah.  Shemittah is a Mitzvah that requires Land,  Only Am Yisroel can actualize the raison d'etre of this Holy Land by keeping the Mitzvah of Shemittah.  That's the reason we can not give it to anyone else.  Not even to a friend that isn't out to destroy us.

 

The forces are out to destroy us.  Let us return to Hakadosh Baruch Hu and say.  Hashem we made a few mistakes.  But now we are ready to do Teshuva.  We want to keep the Torah as you prescribed. We really desire Eretz Yisroel and we truly want to keep the Mitzvoth.  Will you please give us another chance?  We are begging you Hashem.  Please have pity on us.  We are not perfect human beings.  We all make mistakes.  But now we wish to do better.  Please save us from our enemies and we will try our best to be better Jews and keep the Torah better.  We will focus on the Mitzvah of Shemittah and all the Mitzvoth in Devorim read at Hakhel.  We will examine how these Mitzvoth can be done in our days without a Beis Hamikdash.  We are a poor Nation yet with You we are rich.  We are a weak Nation yet with YOU we are strong.  Let us find the strength to fight and win this battle and please G-d let us never forget that it is only You that saved us and that it is only Your Torah that can Save us.  Please hear my prayers and let these words find their way into the heart of your people.  I believe with my heart and soul that they are true.  Aseh Le'maan Shemecha, Aseh Lemaan Yimenecha, Aseh Lemaan Kedushasecha, Asheh Lemaan Torasecha, Lemaan Yechaltzun Yedidecha, Hoshea Yemincha Vaneini. Yehiyu Leratzon Imrei Fi Vehegion Libi Lefanecha Hashem Tzuri VeGoali.

Letter to Malcolm Hoenlein and Rav Shteinman

 

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It interested me to see how similar on the Nachum Segal show, Malcolm's answers were to Rav Shteinman.  From a reliable source I learned that Rav Shteinman when asked regarding the expulsions and the future expulsions answered in 3 words in Yiddish.  Nisht Inzere Sugia.  Which  roughly translated into English means "not our dept: or not related to what we are involved with." 

 

Malcolm said on the Nachum Segal show regarding land withdrawal, that we can't really make a difference  yet he ended the session with inspiring words regarding those missing in action and the archeological excavations that when we all stand up together and unite and take a stand then it does make a difference.  Malcolm who represents the Conference of Presidents that supported the disengagement openly in their website  is now actively planning a demonstration in conjunction with the OU and an AD Hoc Coalition for Justice regarding the kidnapped soldiers and in defense of the State of Israel retaliation in Gaza and Lebanon.

 

Malcolm Hoenlein and Rav Shteinman  choose their battles carefully. Apparently, they choose the same battles President Bush is willing to fight.

 

Eretz Yisroel is our Biblical Inheritance and we, Am Yisroel are obligated in commandments.  That is not revocable.  Oslo, Roadmap, Convergence and Unilateral Withdrawal are diametrically opposed to the Covenant - the Oath Hashem gave to Am Yisroel through our Forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob).  The boundaries of Eretz Yisroel are delineated in the Torah.  They are not defined by 1948 or 1967 or the present. They were defined from the beginning of Time..  Period. The time has come to speak up.  It is perhaps for this reason alone you have come to greatness.

 

Malcolm and Rav Shteinman.  You can state the Torah position or you can ignore it.  Up till now you are simply addressing the byproducts of ignoring the Torah.  We are now in a security and humanitarian crisis.  President Bush realizes it and supports Israel's right to defend herself.  Yet, there is no reason to believe that even with the mighty strength of the IDF we can overcome our enemies without listening and keeping Hashem's Torah.  Tonight I studied with my 8 year old son Parshas Toldos.  Please read Breishis Perek 26 Pesukim 1-6.  The translation is from the Stone Chumash.  1) THERE WAS A FAMINE IN THE LAND, ASIDE FROM THE FIRST FAMINE THAT WAS IN THE DAYS OF ABRAHAM; AND ISAAC WENT TO ABIMELECH KING OF THE PHILISTINES, TO GERAR.  2) HASHEM APPEARED TO HIM AND SAID, "DO NOT DESCEND TO EGYPT; DWELL IN THE LAND THAT I SHALL INDICATE TO YOU.  3) SOJOURN IN THIS LAND AND I WILL BE WITH YOU AND BLESS YOU; FOR TO YOU AND YOUR OFFSPRING WILL I GIVE ALL THESE LANDS, AND ESTABLISH THE OATH THAT I SWORE TO ABRAHAM YOUR FATHER; 4) I WILL INCREASE YOUR OFFSPRING LIKE THE STARS IN HEAVENS; AND WILL GIVE TO YOUR OFFSPRING ALL THESE LANDS; AND ALL THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH SHALL BLESS THEMSELVES BY YOUR OFFSPRING. 5) BECAUSE ABRAHAM OBEYED MY VOICE, AND OBSERVED MY SAFEGUARDS, MY COMMANDMENTS, MY DECREES AND MY TORAHS.  6) SO ISAAC SETTLED IN GERAR.

 

We know that Eretz Pelishtim, Gerar is Gush Katif.  Isaac was not allowed to leave Eretz Yisroel.  Gush Katif is included in the delineated boundaries of Eretz Yisroel specified in the Torah. How do I explain to my 8 year old son why the Rabbanim are being silent about the Promised Land. Why is there silence when President Bush talks about a democratic Palestinian State living side by side in peace and harmony with the State of Israel. (also known as the Roadmap Plan).  Why is there no public yearning for The Land Promised  to Avraham. Yitzchok and Yaakov and their offspring as is clearly stated in these Pesukim and many others as well.  How do I teach my son Emunas Chachamim or respect for the Jewish Leaders when there is silence about the Torah.  Perhaps it is this Silence, this Chillul Hashem  that has brought these tragedies upon us?

 

You can choose between Life and Death.  Ubacharta BaChaim.  Choose Life. Then we will be worthy of the coming of Moshiach.