Aircraft Hits Building In NY

CNN is reporting that a small aircraft has hit a building on the Upper East Side, 72^nd street.

Fighter planes have been scrambled to the skies of major US cities.

10/11? I hope not.

Sukkoth on the Beach

I am staying in [city name removed for security reasons] for Sukkoth, and found myself walking to Shul on the beach. This city is not the most Jewish-friendly in the world, and I have heard mumblings of 'dirty Jew' before, from homeless people who melted into the crowd when I turned to confront them. However, this Sunday, I was walking with a group of children from the Shul, and quite the opposite happened. A homeless guy turned to us and called out in a loud, jolly (drunken?) voice, "Hey! You Jews! I always want to bless you guys, but you are already blessed! Just look at you! May the Lord bless you today and each and every day of your lives!"

I looked at him, smiled, and said, "May he bless you too!"

As we continued on our way to Shul, one of the boys reminded me that those who bless the children of Avraham are blessed, and those who curse us are cursed. I told the kids that we should never look down at a blessing we receive, just because of the looks of the person blessing us. 'אל תהי ברכת הדיוט קלה בעניך'. The Talmud instructs us (Brachot 7a) to never take a blessing, even that of a simpleton, lightly.

This episode raised my spirits. I still feel euphoric today. I hope that this itinerant philosopher was a messenger of God, and I pray that his blessing was God's way of telling His people, 'I have accepted your Yom Kippur. This year will be one that is truly blessed for you, as individuals and as a Nation.'

כן יהי רצון. So may it be His Will.

Existential Fear

Ynet reports that some reliable sources close to high-level decision makers in Israel (it is not very clear of whom they speak) are now murmuring fears for Israel's continued existance. Iran, Syria, Hezbullah and Hamas are arming and sabre-rattling, while in Israel, petty politics are, as usual, the order of business.

It is interesting that the government that promised a stronger Israel than ever after the Disengagement is, a year later, worried about her very existance. Olmert, Peretz, Chalutz, Rabbi Weiss, and all those who supported the Expulsion, thank you for securing us...

But, ignoring blame, I find this fear refreshing. Usually, we find our military and foreign policy experts full of ego and huberis over their abilities to protect and ensure Israel. They constantly fall into the trap of 'כחי ועוצם ידי', believing that it is we alone who protect our country, and ignoring the fact that it is God who protects us. Let us pray that this reality check wakes our citizenry up, and shakes the blinders off the eyes of our leaders. It is precisely by understanding our own inadequecies, and God's omnipotence, that we can place our faith in Him, and defend our nation to the best of our ability. When we are unsure of ourselves, we return to God.

Remember, the world, Israel included, was predicting our destruction in 1967. It is from the lowest point that we rise highest. May our fear bring about national repentance, and may we realize that our salvation comes from God. Only then can we truly go to battle with the name of Hashem on our lips.

The Perfect Mitzvah?

I hear much about the הידור, the beautifying of the mitzvah of lulav and ethrog. Many people complain to me when I demonstrate a perceived lack of intensity or enthusiasm in choosing my ethrog. I generally like to make sure it is kosher, and then I look for about 15 minutes at the other lulavim and ethrogim. I choose the most aesthetically pleasing one I find there, pay the salesman, and say goodbye. I try not to spend too much time there.

I attempt to ensure that I do not act like some people there; I refrain from pushing, and I am polite to everyone. If I see another eyeing the ethrog in my hand, I offer it to him with a smile, and choose another one. I certainly don't pester the salesman with a myriad of questions as to the kashrut of one ethrog or another, and then after all that, ask him if I can take it to the local halachik authority. I am sure the seller has other customers to deal with besides me. I am almost positive that the local rabbi has better things to do with his precious little time at home (at 10:00 PM!) than to answer the door for the n^th time to a man with a frown on his face and a citron in his hand.

I suppose each person has his own idea of הידור מצווה. Some people feel their mitzvah to be beautiful if they find themselves shaking a symmetrical ethrog and a perfect lulav. To me, the social exchanges and inter-personal behavior that accompany the purchase are the beautification of my mitzvah. When I wave my slightly off-center ethrog and imperfect lulav, whose purchase (I hope) hurt no feelings and was (I pray) a burden to no-one, I, for one, feel content.

Did you Daven for our Nation?

I am doing a little poll, and I am not sure how scientific it will be.

Did you daven for עם ישראל?

I know everyone, even those who are not fully observant, probably prayed for themselves, and family, and friends yesterday.

However, I am wondering how many of us actually took time out yesterday, however short, to pray for the nation of Israel? Even when the liturgy has prayers for the nation, it is usually as a collection of individuals. My question is, how many people took time to pray for the goals of redemption, peace, security, prosperity, spiritual enlightenment, etc., on a national level?

Please answer in the comments section, and we can tally up the votes.

Inspired by this.

"כנשר יעיר קנו, על-גוזליו ירחף" (Deut. 32:11)

In Haazinu, G-d compares His pastorage of Israel to the way a נשר watches over its young. Common translations of the word נשר take it to mean Eagle. However, scholars from the times of the rishonim until modern days agree that the true identity of the נשר is more likely the griffon vulture ¹. The griffon vulture is actually bald with no feathers on its head. It holds the record as the highest flying bird, and better matches the scriptural description of the נשר than the eagle.

In ancient Egypt, vultures symbolized love, because they are commonly found in pairs, and mother and child are closely bonded. The vulture was mother par-excellence, and its huge wingspan (up to 8 feet!) symbolized the care and protection a parent provides its child ². In fact, the female griffon vulture does not leave its nest until the young are grown, hovering or perched in the nest on constant guard. The father must provide food for both the mother and young during this time.

With this in mind, it is easy to understand why G-d compares his protection of the newly born Nation of Israel to the vulture's protection of its young.

Olmert, Step Down

Ynet reports that Moshe Moskel received a call yesterday from the police. Moshe, father of Rafnael, a soldier who fell in Lebanon, made headlines last week in his heckling and general disruption of the Prime Minister at Kadima's 'Raise a Glass' ceremony. While at the event, Olmert tried to maintain his composure and minimize the continued interruptions by Moshe and other protestors. However, it is clear now that Olmert is scared of popular protest, and has begun to intimidate anyone who disagrees with him.

When Moshe picked up the phone, an officer with the police asked if he could come visit bringing along an intelligence officer. The police visited, and finally asked if Moshe planned to protest at a memorial service planned for the dead soldiers the next day. Moshe said that there is a difference between a Kadima celebration and a memorial service.

I wonder what would have happened if Moshe had answered, "Yes, I plan to protest!". The implication of sending two police officers to your door is that you better not try anything. We are watching you. Based on worse events that have happened to others in Israel, Moshe probably would have been arrested, or taken in for a day or two of questioning, or at least be told he was forbidden from going near the service.

So, if I have it straight, you can be the father of a hero, you could even be a hero yourself, but if you disagree with Olmert, and voice your opinion, you will be intimidated into submission by his goons.

A corrupt judiciary and its enforcing arm, the police, are the subject of many prophecies. Throughout the exile, I am sure people wondered, "we don't have judges or police who are Jews today. What could this prophecy talking about?" The State of Israel has opened our eyes. May we quickly merit the blessing: "And I will return you judges as of old, and your advisors, Zion in justice shall be redeemed..."

We Jews deserve better leaders. Olmert, Peretz, Peres, et al, step down!

Shana Tova

A few nights ago, I had a nightmare. I dreamed that my year-and-a-half year old son drowned in the bath. It was one of those dreams where you are sure it is really happening. I still vividly recall his blue tinged lips and his paste colored face.

While I was dreaming, I am sure that my brain went through similar if not identical thoughts as if the situation was really happening. When I woke up, the pain and distress were so powerful! I thanked G-d for the יסורין, and accepted it as a punishment for sins.

On Rosh Hashanna, we will read about Akedat Yitzchak. I think a fundamental lesson from this ultimate test of Isaac and Abraham is that our usual charge in this world is to live for G-d, not to die for Him. However, only through a sincere willingness to die for G-d can we come to truly live our lives for Him constantly, and escape the common egotism and selfishness that permeates the lives of so many. A readiness to die for G-d concretizes an ability to live for Him. It also gives us the strength to die for Him if ever the need arise.

Abraham and Isaac were given the terrible oppritunity to act out their willingness (when they knew beyond doubt that it is G-d's command). Their tale is immortalized, and we are to glean strength and courage from it. However, in order to internalize this lesson, we must spend the time to go through the emotional steps to be willing to die for G-d, as well as we can. Much like my nighmare of yester-night, we must allow ourselves to experience the emotional and mental activity, as if we really are dying for G-d. We can then apply the resulting emotions to our everyday lives, to live for Him.

May this year be a year of continued growth for each of us as an individual. May we all find happiness and comfort, and may all our desires be fulfilled in the best way possible.

May our Nation develop in a positive manner. May we deserve good leaders, and may our country enjoy peace and prosperity through security and strength. May we move forward into the redemption, and may our brothers and sisters return to G-d.

May our desire to live come from a fundamental, honest wish to live for G-d, and make our actions pleasing to Him. May we not simply crave life for personal, selfish or egotistical reasons. May our relization of G-d's gifts to us, such as family, friends, comfort, and wealth, spur us to greater heights in our service, and not, Heaven forbid, to 'וישמן ישורון ויבעט'. May we justify our creation and continued existance, and may we validate the fact that G-d created us. May we be successful experiments in the great laboratory of Man's Free Will.

I ask forgiveness of anyone who I may have slighted. I truly am sorry, and have resolved to make my comments on blogs less personal, more enlightened, and full of love. In the 'real' world, I resolve to take things less personally, and treat everyone the way I would like to be treated.

May it be His will that this new year usher in the redemption of the world. שנה טובה.

Israel, the Jewish State, For How Long?

Well, it is up to us.

CBS studied the demographics of Israel, and found that the Jewish majority in Israel has lost 1.8% in the past five years, while the Arabs grew 1.1%.

Most troubling is the fact that the average Jew is about 30 years old, while the average Muslim is 19. 25.6% of the Jews are below 15, as compared to 42.6% of Muslims.

We are in the throes of an extended war over our very existance. The Arab birthrate is much higher than ours. They are younger than us. They are killing us quietly with their babies, while we talk of a road map, or the latest drivel to come out of the Quartet. We attempt to guarantee a halt to missile and suicide attacks, or to get the Arabs to acknowledge our right to exist. But that is all a red herring. Even without one bomb, one dead Jew, one war, the Arabs can win. They will simply keep having babies, and use the tools of the Israeli democracy to destroy it!

What can we do?

1) We must expell the the hateful, anti-Israel population, and transfer them from our land. This is what any sane country would do, and indeed, a number of them did, immediately after WWII. This is already being discussed.(This one is for our government to fulfill.)

2) We must raise the Jewish birthrate. Every baby we have is defensive armor against a future bloodless Islamic revolution in Israel. We must encourage Jewish young people to marry and have children. We lost six million less than 70 years ago, and we must rebuild our nation.

3) On a smaller scale, we must do our best to stop unneccessary abortions in the Jewish population. According to Efrat, almost 150 babies a day are aborted in Jewish Israel! Efrat is a beautiful organization that counsels Jewish women to carry a pregnancy through to term, and provides financial assitance after the birth. We must support organizations like Efrat, where the value of each Jewish life is taken seriously.

May we be blessed with a safe, peaceful year, and may our eyes swiftly see the redemption of our beloved people in our beloved land, and gain spiritual nourishment from G-d's divine presence.


UPDATE:
Arutz-7 quotes Yoram Ettinger, a member of an Israeli-American Association that critiques the government's demographic studies.

He states that since 1995, Jewish births increased by 30%, while the Arab births slowly lowered.

Also, he mentions Arab emigration from Israel, and Jewish immigration to Israel, and notes that the governmental figures often leave facts such as these out.

The momentum is slowly, slowly moving in Jewish Israel's favor, it seems.

We cannot let our guard down, but this information gives me some positive feelings about the demographic issue.

Post-Zionism: Torah Style

Earlier this week, we discussed the inevitable return to the ghetto evident in secular post-zionism. However, it is important to note that even the Torah does not necessarily view Jewish vindication as the ultimate purpose of the redemption process. Rather, Jewish Philosophy sees the ultimate redemption of all of Creation as the climax of history.

In Sukka, 55b, Rabbi Yochanan bemoans the irony accompanying the destruction of the altar. The nations of the world all received atonement for their sins while the altar service was in effect. By destroying the Temple, the Romans unknowingly destroyed the very mechanism by which G-d forgave their sins! Evident here is a new facet of the tragic destruction. In the future, Isa. 66:23 prophesies, all living creatures will come to the Temple periodically to serve G-d. It is clear that the redemption of the Jews is only part of a larger picture. There will be universal recognition of G-d, and, subsequently, a universal grace in which all nations, indeed, all of creation, find the perfection which has eluded them throughout history.

In one of Rav Kook's pieces of poetry, his 'שיר מרובע' he describes the passage of a man from his concern over his personal redemption, to an interest in Jewish National redemption. From there, the protagonist finds a higher plane of redemption, that of all Mankind. Finally, he ends by finding the ultimate redemption, the redemption of the Universe, and the validation of Creation.

Zionism emanates from the second level, one where a man loses his personal ego, and attaches to the spirit of Israel, and concerns himself with the redemption of his nation. However, Rav Kook points out, this nationalism still contains streaks of ego. At the appropriate time, this negative must also be traded for the perfection of Mankind, and eventually, the world entire.

We must choose how to view our nationalism. Is it an end in itself? If so, it is doomed to fail, because it does not resolve to the perfection of all creation. However, if we see our nationalism as a segue to a world which is 'full of knowledge of G-d', then it serves an important purpose.

On Sukka 52a, Rabbis argue over a eulogy given in Zech. 12. Is the eulogy given for the Evil Inclination, or for Messiah of Joseph? (Messiah of Joseph symbolizes throughout Jewish thought, the precursor to Messiah, son of David. He prepares the physical situation of the Jews, preparing them for the spiritual perfection of the Messiah of David (Judah). And so, Rabbi Kook saw the return to Zion and Secular Zionism as possible representatives of this pre-Messiah, the Messiah of Joseph.) Perhaps this talmudic discussion aims at the question of how we view our nationalism. If we view our nationalism as an end in itself, then the Messiah of Joseph dies. However, if we use this nationalism to attain the universalism of the ultimate redemption, then the Messiah of Joseph will not die. Instead, we will eulogize the destruction of Evil.

The Gaon of Vilna said that during the blessings asking for redemption in our daily prayers, we must fervently beg G-d to spare the life of the Messiah of Joseph. We must do all that is within our power to bridge the gap between the beginning of the redemption and its ultimate purpose, when, 'all creatures will come to serve our G-d in the rebuilt temple' (Isa. ibid.).

With Rosh Hashana in a week's time, we recall that the new year is not just the day of Judgement for the Jewish People. 'היום הרת עולם', today is the birthday of the entire universe. The Talmud states (R.H. 16a) that every creature is judged on this day. May this year truly be a year of redemption, and may we, by following the Torah, and with valiant trust in G-d, usher in a time when peace is the way of the land, and G-d reigns supreme: 'ביום ההוא יהיה ה' אחד ושמו אחד' (Zech. 14:9).

Secular Zionism --> Ghettoism

It is ironic that secular Zionism has been running away from the caricature of the ghetto Jew for a century and a half. Why? Because on Friday, Ynet ran an interview with the past general of the South Command (if I recall correctly). When asked if Israel would win its battle against terror, he answered, "That all depends on how you define 'winning'. If you mean surviving, we are already winning..."

According to him, winning simply means that the enemy has not wiped out the Jewish Nation completely. A far cry from a State defending its citizens and borders. A far cry from 'וימס לבבם', the melting of hearts that occured in the ancient enemies of Israel.

Perhaps when our generals and politicians once again consider every Israeli life worth fighting for, our army will be able to return to the true definition of 'winning'. But this will only happen when Torah once again animates their souls. Without torah, we will keep redefining 'success' to match whatever depths to which we sink.

"For the mountains shall crumble..." (Is. 54:10): פרשת כי תצא

During the month of Elul, my thoughts turn to repentance. The hebrew term (תשובה) means return, which is a different concept entirely from atonement (כפרה).

Pennance is an almost impersonal action that erases the sin. For example, bringing an offering or throwing the blood brings about כפרה, and atonement is effected.

תשובה, on the other hand, is a most intimate interaction with G-d. Man's soul yearns for the closeness to G-d, and mourns the fall from perfection. Samuel (15:22) castigates Saul by saying that offerings are worthless without obeying G-d. Return to G-d cannot occur without תשובה.

This desire to return to a state of Grace is precisely the way R. YB Soloveitchik explains the concept of teshuva 'out of love'. In the Laws of Teshuva, Maimonides first gives a lenghty path towards teshuva which leads to sins being erased, while later on, he speaks of overnight teshuva, where sins actually transform into good deeds! R. Soloveitchik posits that these reflect thetwo ways to approach G-d for forgiveness. When we repent out of fear of punishment, we must go through the long process, and the result is that the sins are erased. However, if we repent out of love for G-d, our atonement is immediate, and it converts the sin.

R. Soloveitchik says that when one feels the loss of his intimacy with G-d, and mourns it, this creates a desire from within to change one's ways. This is more powerful than an external fear of punishment. When a person's desire for forgiveness is a part of him, and not just external to him, it breaks all the barriers set in the first תשובה sequence of the Rambam.

This week's haftarah describes, in the most lyrical way, a time when our intimacy with G-d will never again be broken. 'כִּי הֶהָרִים יָמוּשׁוּ, וְהַגְּבָעוֹת תְּמוּטֶינָה וְחַסְדִּי מֵאִתֵּךְ לֹא יָמוּשׁ, וּבְרִית שְׁלוֹמִי לֹא תָמוּט, אָמַר מְרַחֲמֵךְ, ה.' Though hills and valleys be swept away by the passing time, G-d's love for us will never cease. May His limitless patience and love for us all, as individuals and as a nation, spur us towards personal and collective teshuva out of love.

'על הר גבוה עלי לך, מבשרת ציון'

'Herald of Israel, ascend a high place...'

It is with great hesitation that I open this blog. Don't get me wrong. I am a long-time commenter on other blogs. I have enjoyed the ability to debate and discuss online, but I realize that this takes too much time and effort to continue. I am actually trying to cut down on the amount of commenting I do on other blogs.
I hope that opening a place to post ideas and essays for myself will be a more fitting use of my time. I hope to post weekly; maybe more, maybe less. Perhaps this can become a repository for all the thoughts swirling around in my head, without becoming too burdensome.
While I hope to post on a wide array of subjects, my main interests are (now) halacha, pedagogy and the complexities of the miraculous times we are living through, the process of the redemption.
Either way, while you are welcome to read what appears here, the main target audience of this blog is myself.
".ויהי נעם ה' עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו"