Rainy Shabbath in Jerusalem

Heavy rain in central Jerusalem, right next to the city's tram rails and the new Mashbir mega store.

Shavua Tov!

"We must always try to extend and increase each successive hour, that is to say: to lengthen and increase with it with an extra dose of Holiness." 

(Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, Likutey Moharan I, 59)

Shabbath Shalom

Times for: Jerusalem, Israel
Candle Lighting: 40 mins. before Shkiah | Time Zone: +2 | DST: no

Date	Time
Friday, March 16, 2012	Light Candles at: 5:08 pm
Shabbat, March 17, 2012	Shabbat Ends: 6:25 pm

a little bit of music....

 Ehud Banai - Hayom

Enough of Noam Schalit!

Love of the Land: Weinberg - Enough of Noam Schalit!

Third Temple under construction...

Listen to The Complete Report, along with viewing the construction first hand, The 3rd Temple will be built even though the christian churches teach that it will not.
That is nothing more than a lie and far from the truth.
The holy spoken word says It Will Be Built In The Last And Final days.

Shabbath Para with children

My daughters painted red two toy cows so for Shabbath Para we had our Para Aduma

This Shabbath is Shabbat Para, the 2^nd of 4 special Shabbatot before Passover. 

We read about the Para Aduma, the rare red heifer, whose ashes were used in the bizarre and mysterious purification rite of the ancient Temple. 

The message for us is that it’s time to begin planning to purify our homes and ourselves for Passover. 

But when we take a close look at the text of that purification rite of the ancient Temple, we immediately ask, “It makes no sense; how could this be?”

For this rite, the ashes of the Red Heifer were sprinkled on those that had become impure, usually because of contact with the dead, and they became pure, while those who prepared the ashes became impure. 
Even King Solomon questioned the understanding of this rite when he said (Mishley 7:23): “I said I would be wise, but it is far from me.” 
Perhaps it is because, in the presence of death, there are no answers, only questions.
Shabbath Shalom!

Weather in Gaza

A true miracle of Israel

A special 19min presentation that highlights the true miracle that is and will eternally be Israel .
Please share this video around to encourage, remind and inspire others that Israel truly is not only a gift to all of us, but a living miracle .
Keep strong and courageous in the G.d of your forefathers, Israel .

שיר למעלות

שיר למעלות:
אשא עיני אל-ההרים, מאין יבא עזרי.
עזרי, מעם ה', עושה שמים וארץ.
אל יתן למוט רגלך; אל ינום שומרך.
הנה לא ינום ולא יישן שומר ישראל.
ה' שומרך ה' צלך על-יד ימינך.
יומם השמש לא יככה וירח בלילה.
ה' ישמרך מכל-רע ישמור את-נפשך.
ה' ישמור צאתך ובואך מעתה ועד עולם.

a little bit of music...

Ben Snof - A Song of Ascents / Shir la maalot

Against all odds

 

Against All Odds: In Search of a Miracle" (2005)

Experience what some have called the modern miracles of Israel through the eyes of a seasoned journalist, Michael Greenspan, and explore the question: why has Israel survived against all the odds? This 13 part dramatic television series, appropriately tilted, "Against All Odds: In Search of a Miracle", takes a fascinating journey into the documented stories of supernatural phenomenon, which birthed and preserved modern Israel. Eyewitness accounts and commentary by high ranking government officials, generals, soldiers, foreign leaders and rich dramatic recreations compel the audience to ask, are these events miracles? 
You decide...

IDF chief meets new soldiers

"Be proud, you are taking a risk"

 IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz met on Tuesday with the young recruits who will be joining the IDF’s Kfir anti-terror brigade.

Gantz spoke with the new soldiers about the responsibility that comes with being a part of the brigade, as well as about the IDF’s actions in the latest escalation in southern Israel. As terrorists fired more than 200 rockets at Israel, the IAF responded by targeting the cells firing the rockets.

During the bombardment from Gaza, the Iron Dome anti-missile system proved its usefulness, having intercepted 90 percent of the attacks on urban centers.

“As warriors, each person puts forth his personal best,” Gantz told the soldiers. “We work as a team, and therefore mutual assistance and mutual responsibility is not just a slogan. It’s something that’s important.”

He emphasized, “You’re warriors, you’re using force when there’s no other choice, when it’s necessary, and only the required force. You know how to distinguish between an enemy and an ordinary person on the other side who didn’t anything at that moment. We make every effort to only hit those who need to be hit, but sometimes, unfortunately, other people get hurt.”

“You should be proud that you chose to be warriors, that you volunteered for this service,” said Gantz. “You’re taking a risk. There are many people who serve in the army and do great things, and you are taking a risk. Remember that you’re going out to defend the country.”

Source

Sderot : the wounded city

Update when sirens are heard in Southern Israel

This Ongoing War: A Blog: 13-Mar-12: Just one of the ways in which a terror ...

This Ongoing War: A Blog: 13-Mar-12: Just one of the ways in which a terror ...: 

Ashdod yesterday:  An Israeli woman surveys the damage to her store following a rocket attack from the nearby Gaza Strip.

Netivot, Israel. March 13, 2012

photos source

call it cease fire...

Tuesday, March 13th, 2012

• 19:10 – Breaking: Another rocket launched from Gaza hit southern Israel.

• 14:15 – Update: So far today, six more rockets launched from the Gaza Strip hit southern Israel.

• 13:00 –  IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz referred to the situation in southern Israel:

“We must appreciate the public’s endurance and cooperation while following the ongoing situation. Quiet will be met with quiet; fire will be met with fire.”

• 06:40 - So far two rockets have struck Israel today. Since Friday, 165 rockets landed in Israeli soil, and a total of 303 rockets were fired from Gaza. 

IDF blog

Rabbi Riddle says...

This week's Torah Portion, Vayakhel, describes the materials used for the Mishkan in the desert. The Torah repeats the entire description to teach us the importance of each item, from the Holy Ark to the pegs that held down the curtains. Similarly, G-d made every person different, giving each a unique mission to fulfill!

Every Jewish soul was at Mount Sinai to receive the Torah. Our sages say that if one Jew had been missing, the entire nation would have been incomplete, and we could not have received the Torah!
The value of the Hebrew word for One, Echad, equals 13. Our forefather Jacob and his twelve sons also equal 13. This teaches us that the entire Jewish nation is truly one! The Midrash states that the Jewish people are compared to a palm tree which has no waste. We eat the dates, use the branches for the Lulav on the holiday of Sukkos, the thin leaves to cover the Sukkah, its fibers for rope, its prickly leaves for brooms, and its trunk for roofing. So, too, the Jewish nation contains all types of people, from Torah scholars to simple people who perform good deeds and give charity.

• Rabbi Riddle
  

Parshah Vayakhel

art by Elyah Succot

Sridei Eish

Building Shabbot and building a Beit HaMikdash

Parshas Vayakhel talks almost exculsively about building the Mishkan, however the first few pasukim are about the Mitzva of Shabbos. Chazal tell us that this teaches us that we are not allowed to build the mishkan on Shabbos. The Sridei Eish says there is another lesson that can be drawn from the parallel of the Mishkan and Shabbos.

Shabbos, says the Sridei Eish, is not the opposite of weekday, rather it is the culmination of the weekday. Before the world was created, Shabbos already existed. However in the creation Hashem made us a partner in Shabbos and this is the only kind of Shabbos He desired. Hashem made six work days that essentially are preparation for Shabbos. Friday night as we culminate our avodah of the week we say VaYichulu. and the gemara says that with this we become partners with Hashem in creation. If however our weekday is not geared towards building up Kedushas Shabbos, then Shabbos stands on its own not in accordance with Hashem's will for it in the creation.

Similarly, says the Sridei Eish, the pasuk tells us "V'Asu Li Mikdash V'Shacanti BiSocham", make Me a Mikdash and I will dwell among you. Hashem did not need a home but rather He needed us to "make" the Mishkan. The point was not to have a Mishkan but rather our effort in building it. It follows, says the Sridei Eish, that building a Miskan was not a one time Mitzva but a mitzva that continues even today despite that there is no Bais HaMikdash.

The fact that many Rishonim hold that the third Bais HaMikdash b"b will descend from Shamayim does not contradict this point, rather it proves it, says the Sridei Eish. In the Galus our mitzva of building a Bais HaMikdash does not mean building the structure. The true building of the Mikdash is through Torah and mitzvos. Chazal say that each generation that hasn't achieved its rebuilding, it is as if they destroyed it. And when the Bais HaMikdash finally descends complete from Heaven all the builders over the past 2000 years will share the credit for as much building as they did.

Chazal say that the Bais HaMikdash is a state of Shabbos. Whether in the galus or whether in the routine of the weekday we must realize that we are always working towards one goal, building the next Shabbos and at the same time the next Bais HaMikdash. 

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