Love and Rebirth

The 15th of Av is undoubtedly the most mysterious day of the Jewish calendar. A search of the Shulchan Aruch (“Code of Jewish Law”) reveals no observances or customs for this date, except for the instruction that the tachanun (confession of sins) and similar portions should be omitted from the daily prayers (as is the case with all festive dates), and that beginning on the 15th of Av one should increase one’s study of Torah, since at this time of the year the nights begin to grow longer, and “the night was created for study.” And the Talmud tells us that many years ago the “daughters of Jerusalem would go dance in the vineyards” on the 15th of Av, and “whoever did not have a wife would go there” to find himself a bride.

And this is the day which the Talmud considers the greatest festival of the year, with Yom Kippur (!) a close second!

Indeed, the 15th of Av cannot but be a mystery. As the “full moon” of the tragic month of Av, it is the festival of the Future Redemption, and thus a day whose essence, by definition, is unknowable to our unredeemed selves.

Yet also the unknowable is ours to seek and explore, as we shall in the essays, based on the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s writings and talks, presented here.

source: chabad.org

UNSETTLED

UNSETTLED - Documentary on the Disengagement from Gaza 

 

http://vimeo.com/46423843
This Tisha B'Av, as hundreds of thousands of Jews around the world mourn the tragedies that have befallen them throughout history, we are reminded of the heart wrenching episode the State of Israel underwent seven years ago - the disengagement from Gaza. The 90 minute film, UNSETTLED, offers a personal behind-the-scenes look, both before and during the evacuation, at the people whose lives would forever be impacted by the events which unfolded during those difficult weeks. With the ramifications of the disengagement from Gaza still very evident today, this emotional documentary film takes you back to experience the event from the perspective of both the settler and the soldier.
Free stream sponsored by TheLandofIsrael.com.

Gush Katif - Five years after

Gush Katif by David Wilder - Five years after - A Memorial

One hundred sixty photographs taken by David Wilder in Gush Katif before the destruction/expulsion
Background music: Eliezer Rosenfeld - HaNigun Shebalev - Tunes of the Heart

Olympic Committee Builds Barriers Between Nations

A Soldier's Mother: Olympic Committee Builds Barriers Between Nations: 

Yup, there you have it - the true nature of the Olympics has come out within the first two days. The Lebanese refused to train next to the Israeli team

Activist: Jewish Press Online Chided Israel’s Friends While Legitimizing Progressive Jewish Groups

By: David Ha'ivri

David Ha'ivri
David Ha'ivri's Facebook page

I was surprised to see a headline at Jewishpress.com about Jewish groups that are concerned about Congresswoman Michele Bachmann’s efforts (Jewish Groups Say Michele Bachmann Endangers Religious Freedom). Just the week before last, I was inspired by this same representative, as she gave the most pro-Israel speech of the pro-Israel CUFI conference in Washington DC. She is unquestionably a devoted friend of Israel.
The headline grabbed my attention, so I read further into the article – which turned out to have been copied and pasted from the left-wing liberal JTA. The Jewish group similarly criticized representatives Louie Gohmert and Trent Franks, also known supporters of Israel. This, again, was very strange to me. I had just met both of these congressmen at pro-Israel events in Washington just a few days before. Louie Gohmert has visited the Shomron and met with our rabbis and local leaders, confirming his unflagging support for Israel. Of all the pro-Israel members of congress, I doubt if more loyal friends than these three can be found. They are the types of people who are ready to offer help when we call. And to be sure, they are not relying on the Jewish vote to be reelected. Supporting Israel is a basic value for them; no other incentive is needed to get them on board.
But I asked myself: “Who are these Jewish groups that see these representatives as a threat to religious freedoms? And what rights do they fear are being threatened?”
When I looked into the backgrounds of these “Jewish” organizations, I was even more surprised – and disappointed – that an established and respected Jewish publication like The Jewish Press would give a platform to groups like The Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and The Society for Humanistic Judaism.
For The Jewish Press to call these types of organizations ‘Jewish groups’ in this context is somewhat misleading. They are far from representing the traditional Jewish perspectives and values. They very well might have noble values, but not traditional “Jewish” values, per se.

Yesh din v´yesh dayan

May Hashem bless and help those who were expelled from their home and punish the wicked soon and speedily in days

a little bit of music...

 

Nochi Krohn - Banai A Capella

Shabbath Shalom

Shabbat Chazon

G-d spoke to us in Horeb, saying: "You have long enough surrounded this mountain. Turn away, and take your journey.." (Deuteronomy 1:6-7)

"This mountain" is Mount Sinai, scene of the most monumental event in human history: G-d's revelation of His wisdom and will to man. Still G-d says: You've been hanging around this mountain long enough. Move on!
In our lives, we also have moments of revelation, times when we learn and grow and are enriched. But the purpose most always be to move on, move away, and carry the enlightenment and enrichment to someplace else -- some corner of creation that awaits redemption.

(The Lubavitcher Rebbe)

www.chabad.org

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem...

Tisha B'Av, the Fast of the Ninth of Av, is a day of mourning Jewish Year 5772: sunset July 28, 2012 

nightfall July 29, 2012

Tisha Be'Av

Excavated stones from the Western Wall of the Temple Mount (Jerusalem), knocked onto the street below by Roman battering rams in 70 C.E

The saddest day on the Jewish calendar

Tisha B’Av means literally, the 9th (tisha) day of the month of Av. There were many tragedies that happened on this day in Jewish history and commemorate them and remember the sadness.
The fast of Tisha B’Av commemorates 5 tragedies that befell the Jewish people on that date:

• Moses sent 12 spies into Israel to look at the land. Ten came back with horrible reports bu two, Joshua & Caleb, brought a positive report. The people Israel believed the bad & not the good, getting themselves 40 years in the desert.
• The first Bet Hamikdash (Holy Temple), built by King Solomon, was destroyed by the Babylonians led by Nebuchadnezzar on the ninth of Av almost 2,500 years ago.
• The second Bet Hamikdash (Holy Temple), built by Ezra and Nehemiah, was destroyed by the Romans on the ninth of Av about 1950 years ago. This scattered the Judean empire and began our exile from Israel.
• The failure of Bar Kochba’s revolt against the Roman Empire and the destruction of the city of Betar left 100,000 Jews dead in 132 C.E.
• Jerusalem was destroyed in 133 C.E. after the Roman siege of Jerusalem and the site of the Holy Temple was plowed under by Roman commander Turnus Rufus who renamed it Aelia Capitolina.

Since these tragedies occurred on the ninth of Av, it was decreed as a day of fasting and mourning
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 121:5
Other tragedies that happened on 9 of Av:

our Jewish little place: tisha b'Av

our Jewish little place: tisha b'Av: Tisha b'Av project. 

 

The children are ready

Two children change the world while their father reads the newspaper.
http://www.templeinstitute.org/

Tisha Be'Av walk

http://www.womeningreen.org/

Two sides of the same coin

By: Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

During The Three Weeks between 17 Tammuz and Tisha B’Av, as we recall the destruction of the Temples, we read three of the most searing passages in the prophetic literature, the first two from the opening of the book of Jeremiah, the third, next week, from the first chapter of Isaiah.

At perhaps no other time of the year are we so acutely aware of the enduring force of ancient Israel’s great visionaries. The prophets had no power. They were not kings or members of the royal court. They were (usually) not priests or members of the religious establishment. They held no office. They were not elected. Often they were deeply unpopular, none more so than the author of this week’s haftarah, Jeremiah, who was arrested, flogged, abused, put on trial and only narrowly escaped with his life. Only rarely were the prophets heeded in their lifetimes: the one clear exception was Jonah, and he spoke to non-Jews, the citizens of Nineveh. Yet their words were recorded for posterity and became a major feature of Tanach. They were the world’s first social critics, and their message continues through the centuries. As Kierkegaard almost said: when a king dies, his power ends; when a prophet dies, his influence begins.

השם ינקום דמם

The five Israelis who were killed during the terror attack on a tour bus in Burgas, Bulgaria, on Wednesday have been identified as: 

Itzik Kolengi (28) from Petah Tikva,
Amir Menashe (28), also from Petah Tikva, 
Maor Harush (25) from Akko, 
Elior Priess (26) from Akko 
Kochava Shriki (44), of Rishon Lezion. 

Itzik Colangi and Amir Menashe were good friends from Petah Tikva. Colangi's wife GIlat gave birth to their first child, Noya, four months ago, and his birthday was two weeks ago. The couple decided to celebrate in Burgas with their friends Natalie and Amir Menashe, who have a ten-month-old son, Rom. Gilat was severely injured and Natalie was lightly injured from the terrorist attack, while Itzik and Amir were killed while packing their luggage onto the bus.
Colangi will be buried Friday at 10:30 a.m. at the Segula cemetery in Petah Tikva. Menashe will be buried at the same cemetery at 11:30 a.m. Harosh and Price will both be buried at Nahalat Asher cemetery next to Kefar Mecher at 12:00 p.m. and 15:00 p.m. respectively. Shriki will be buried at the old cemetery in Rishon Lezion at 12:30. Elior Price, a student, and Maor Harosh, an electrician, grew up together in Acre and went on vacation to Bulgaria with another close friend, Daniel Fahima. Harosh and Price were killed, while Fahima was severely injured.
Kochava Shriki of Rishon Lezion, was pregnant for the first time after years of fertility treatments. She gave her family the good news shortly before leaving for vacation in Bulgaria with her husband Yitzhak. After the attack, Yitzhak, who was injured, searched for Kochava in the rubble and in the hospital in Bulgaria, and learned of her death a day later 
(Elder of Ziyon)

 May Hashem Avenge Their Blood 

Shavua Tov

We would never dream of allowing our children to roam the streets and eat wherever they like. Why don't we protect their souls like we protect their bodies? Nothing is a substitute for parental responsibility... 

Rav. Lazer Beams

Chodesh Tov!!

Rosh Chodesh Av, is the Yahrtzeit of Aharon ben Amram Kohain Gadol father of all the Kohanim and bother to Moshe Rabbeinu and Miriam HaNeviah.   It is also the Yahrtzeit of his son, Elazar ben Aharon Kohain Gadol.

May we be redeemed through his zchus and his emphasis on shalom and Achdus/Achdut/Achduth (brotherhood).  

We mourn for our Holy Batei HaMikdash, domain of the Kohanim, that were destroyed due to Sinat Chinam (baseless hatred).  Let us rebuild it with Ahavas Chinam (non-judgmental love and brotherhood) for all Jews.

Shabbath shalom

Moshe was indeed the humblest of all men. In every situation he considered the midda of anava and used it when appropriate to its fullest extent. After the war with Midyan, which was in revenge for the Midyanite women's promiscuity in luring Bnei Yisroel to aveira, Moshe considered anava before criticizing the holy soldiers, yet decided this was not the time or place. Moshe truly owned the most powerful kind anava, the kind that he controlled and was not a puppet of. 

Revach List

Eliezer an Israeli IDF soldier speaks about confronting Arabs and peace cctivists

This Israeli soldier took part in various confrontations with the Western activists and with Palestinian Arabs in Israel including the West Bank (Judea and Samaria). He talks about his experiences in this interview. He also talks about situation in Nablus, a large Palestinan Arab City in Judea which is site of a serious conflict between the Jews and the Arabs.

25 years Givati Brigade

To celebrate 25 years since the establishment of the Givati Brigade, soldiers and officers serving in the brigade will ran around the Israeli communities surrounding the Gaza Strip, a sign of their support.

a little rest...

Blogging will maybe slow down for a while...

A steep road descending out of the mountains of the Golan Heights (Bashan)

Cows of Bashan
Bashan is mentioned very early in the Torah in regards to one of the kings who opposed the way of the Israelites to Eretz Yisrael, while Moshè was still alive. More than fifty additional references casually speak of this location as a well known area within Eretz Yisrael. A city named Golan in Bashan, one of the designated cities of refuge. In fact, the whole region is now called by the name of that city  the Golan Heights.

 

May G.d protect our soldiers defending our borders in the north

Shavua Tov

In his haughtiness, the wicked persecute the poor; may he falls victim to the evil devices he meditates" (Psalms 10: 2)

Shabbath Shalom

Few professions are as cruel and inhumane as the fattening of calves for slaughter. So when Pinchas slew Zimri, many said: "Look at this holy zealot! He acts as if motivated by the desire to avenge the honor of G-d and save the people, but, in truth, he has merely found a holy outlet for his cruel and violent nature. After all, it's in his blood--just look at his maternal grandfather..." So G-d described him as "Pinchas the son of Elazar the son of Aaron" in order to attest that in character and temperament he actually took after his paternal grandfather--the compassionate and peace-loving Aaron.

The true greatness of Pinchas lay in that he acted in complete opposition to his nature, transcending his inborn instincts to bring peace between G-d and Israel.

(The Lubavitcher Rebbe)

Bnei Reuvain Chanoch Mishpachas HaChanochi

 "Bnei Reuvain Chanoch Mishpachas HaChanochi"; Rashi asks, why does the Torah add a "Hey" to the beginning of each family name and a "Yud" to the end (Chanoch becomes HaChanochi, Palu becomes HaPaluee)?

He answers, because the nations of the world were ridiculing Klal Yisroel by saying, "Why are you tracing your ancestry to your Shevatim? Are you under the impression that the Mitzriyim were not Mezaneh with your mothers?? If they controlled the Bnai Yisroel by forcing them to work, they surely were Mezaneh with the Bnos Yisroel. So all of you are really descendants of Egyptians!"  Therefore Hashem added a "Hey" to the beginning of each family name and a "Yud" to the end, using the name of Hashem - "Koh" - as a testimony that the Jewish women in Mitzrayim were not Mezaneh.

Why did the nations of the world first accuse the Bnos Yisroel of Znus at this point (by the counting of the 40^th year in the desert)? 

our Jewish little place: parashah Pinchas

our Jewish little place: parashah Pinchas: G‑d spoke to Moshè, saying: “The daughters of Zelophehad speak rightly. " The daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher. 

Bejn ha'metzarim

Model at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem: 

Jerusalem at the time of the Second Temple.

 
Let us hope that Meshiach will be coming soon and build the Third Temple

Plesner Ponderings: Rabbi Lazer Beams

Image copyright Emuna Outreach, 2012

http://lazerbrody.typepad.com/lazer_beams/2012/07/plesner-ponderings.html#

At Lebanon border...

The IDF has released a video of Hezbullah collecting intelligence at Lebanon's border with Israel.
The video was presented during a debriefing by Brigadier General Hartzi Halevi, Commander of the 91st Division (Galilee Formation), which is responsible for the Lebanese border sector.

תיעוד מיוחד: חיזבאללה אוספים מודיעין בגבול ישראל-לבנון

a little bit of music...

The Sabbath was the 17th day of the Jewish month of Tammuz, which starts a three-week mourning period for the Temples. This year, it is extended by one day, because the last day, the 9th day of Av, falls on the Sabbath, and therefore the day of mourning and the accompanying fast are put off to Sunday.
This 21 day period is also referred to as bein ha- metzarim - "within the straits," referring to the days of affliction between the two straights, the seventeenth of Tammuz, when the walls of Jerusalem were breached, and the Ninth of Av, when the Temples were destroyed.
During this period, Jews traditionally lessen the extent of their rejoicing. Marriages are not held, we refrain from listening to music, dancing, taking pleasure trips, and from taking haircuts or shaving. 
Respecting jewish tradition the next music video will G.d willing be on Monday night, between July 30 and 31, the 12th day of the Jewish month of Av. 

May we see the Holy Temple rebuilt speedily in our time.
 

Tzom Kal

May these days be transformed into days of gladness and rejoicing

This Shabbat, the 17th of Tammuz, marked the beginning of The Three Weeks period of mourning which culminates on the 9th of Av. It commemorates the conquest of Jerusalem, the destruction of the Holy Temple and the dispersion of the Jewish people. Because it was Shabbat, the fast of the Seventeenth of Tammuz is postponed on Sunday.

Shavua Tov!

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov taught, “When a person reviews his learning, the Torah itself asks of Hashem that He reveal the Torah's reasoning and secrets to him.”

Shabbath Shalom

"How good are your tents, O Yaacov, your dwelling places, O Israel." (24:5)

The names "Jacob" and "Israel" also refer to the ways different kinds of Jews fulfill the commandment to study the Torah. "Jacob" refers to those of us who are principally involved in worldly matters; for these people, learning is a part-time venture, just as a tent is a part-time structure. "Israel," in contrast, refers to those of us for whom study is a full-time occupation, their full-time dwelling place. The Torah informs us here that both the "tents of Jacob" and the "swelling places of Israel" are "good" and beloved by G-d. But this is only true when our learning is imbued with selfless devotion. [This being alluded to by the fact that the word for How "mah" that begins this verse indicates selflessness (cf. exodus 16:7; Tanya, ch. 19 [24b]).]
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Shneersohn of Lubavitch

a little bit of music...

Ana BeKoach prayer was written in the first century by a great kabalistic Rabbi.

Rabbi Nehonia. It is said daily at least 3 times, often more, if it's Shabbat or Yontif

Mah tovu....

מה טובו אהליך יעקב משכנתיך ישראל       
Mah tovu ohalecha Ya’akov, mishkenoteycha Yisrael.

How fine are your tents, O Yaacov, your dwellings Israel. And the blessings continue to pour out.

saved by the pot

 Parshas Balak: Vilna Gaon 

"Hein Am L'Vadad Yishkon; They are a nation that resides in isolation," (Balak 23:9). The Vilna Gaon explains that Bnei Yisrael is likened to fire, "Bais Yaakov Eish," (Ovadia 1:18). The other nations are like water that try to extinguish us. However, as the pasuk says (Shir HaShirim 8:7), "Mayim Rabim Lo Yuchlu Lchabos Es HaAhava; The great waters of the world will never extinguish us and the love between us and Hashem."

When there is a pot separating the water from the fire, the water will eventually dry up in the pot. However, if the water is poured directly on the fire it may extinguish it. The only safety for the fire is the pot that protects it. The Gemara says (Brachos 56b) that seeing a pot in a dream is a forbearing of peace. The pot is the great peacemaker between the fire and water. 

revach list

our Jewish little place: parashah Balak

our Jewish little place: parashah Balak: . A no sewed felt and foam donkey puppet to make Bilan donkey

our Jewish little place: parashah Chukat

our Jewish little place: parashah Chukat:   Easy to make snakes from parashah Chukat. 

Made in Israel

To help you buy Israeli goods. Check the bar code. If it starts with these numbers, then it's made in Israel.

Ulpana, Bet Et, ERETZ YISRAEL!!!

 

Second Phase of Ulpana Eviction Completed 

May Hashem forgive us, once more.

Shavua Tov!

Part of the reason why it’s so difficult for us to appreciate our blessings in life is because we’re so busy complaining about our “problems.” These “problems” are things like traffic jams, a flat tire, a head cold, a misbehaving child, or a broken piece of furniture. When our emotional energy is expended on worrying about these “problems,” we are not able to feel happy and grateful for our blessings , that we have a spouse, children, a roof over our heads, a source of livelihood, friends, clothing to wear, and so on.