Shana Tova from Rabbi Nachman Kahana

Rabbi Nachman Kahana

BS”D  Rosh Hashana 5775  Dear friends: A short message for the new year 5775 What kind of a year will we be experiencing here in Eretz Yisrael? If I were to choose a pasuk (verse in the Torah) which, I believe, will encapsulate the events of the coming year 5775 it would be Shemot 1,12 which describes the Egyptians’ harsh treatment of the Jewish people and the results: וכאשר יענו אתו כן ירבה וכן יפרץ ויקצו מפני בני ישראל But the more they oppressed them, the more they (the Jews) multiplied and spread out; and the Egyptians dreaded the Israelites The Egyptians dreaded the Jew because what was happening before their very eyes was irrational. The more they oppressed the Jews with their expressed intention that the slaves would decrease in number, the more we increased in numbers and in our presence all over the land. Their frustration knew no bounds. The Egyptians’ impotence in weakening the Jewish people fired up their hatred, which in turn lead their leaders to act irrationally to the detriment of their national interests and eventual destruction at the Red Sea. If the Mashiach will not come this year and the world will not be obliterated by a Moslem nuclear weapon, this is what, I believe, will be. There will be threats - military, political, judicial - directed at us by the Arabs in our immediate vicinity. We will see an increase in BDS - boycotts, divestment and sanctions - on the part of companies and academic and religious institutions in the US and Western Europe. Our ears will be numb from all the warnings, blackmail and intimidation coming from our "friends" in high places. But to the degree that the Jewish State will be pressured we will progress and develop in every walk of life. Our population will reach 7 million Jews; we will discover more oil and gas, the Negev will give forth gold and silver mines, the land will be filled with construction cranes reaching into the sky, and apartments in Yerushalayim will continue to be valued in the millions of shekels and millions of dollars, as befitting the Holy City of HaShem. You are skeptical? Remember the Yiddish saying:  טראכט גוט וועט זיין גוט Think good thoughts and it will be good. This is the principle behind the "simanim" that we eat on the nights of Rosh HaShana - eat sweet, think sweet - it has importance in the shamayim. Ketiva va’chatima tova Nachman Kahana

Moshe Feiglin: High Court’s Power Must be Limited

MK Moshe Feiglin responded to Monday’s  Israel High Court ruling that it is illegal for Israel to hold African infiltrators in detention camps until a better arrangement is found for them. “I must remind you of an important point, “said Feiglin. ” When former Israeli High Court Chief Justice Aharon Barak said that for him, the State of Israel is a state of all its citizens, he admitted that the High Court is essentially the bitter enemy of the Jewish State. The justices are an elite that does not represent Israeli society or its values at all. This clique perpetuates itself by appointing like-minded candidates to serve in the High Court, clones itself and forces values foreign to the nation upon Israeli society.

“When I refused to appeal to the High Court after I was elected to the Likud and then bumped off the roster, ” Feiglin continued, “many people thought that I was crazy. But I was not willing to enter the Knesset as your representative by way of a decision of the judicial ‘sovereign’. The only sovereign is the nation.”

Feiglin recommends taking the immediate step that must be taken is to change the procedure for election of judges so that that candidates for the High Court would face a public hearing before the country’s elected officials, as is the case in the US.

“In addition,” he added, “the power that the High Court has to disqualify the legislation of the sovereign, the Knesset, must be severely limited. The Knesset legislators must be given the final word and the option of re-authorizing a bill disqualified by the High Court. 

Ex-Mossad Head Concurs with Feiglin: Help Gazans to Emigrate

In an article in this Shabbat’s Ha’aretz, the legendary head of the Mossad, Shabtai Shavit (the last of the ‘giants’ who served before the Oslo Accords and did not fall into the two-state-mentality) suggests the enlistment of international aid to encourage the Arabs of Gaza and the ‘rest of the refugees’ to emigrate to other countries. He states that at least 50% of the Arabs in Gaza wish to emigrate. “As we saw last week”, said MK Moshe Feiglin, “not only do the Arabs of Gaza wish to leave, but they are willing to pay thousands of dollars to endanger their lives in dilapidated boats to Italy.”

“Throughout Operation Protective Edge,” Feiglin added, “I continuously urged Israel’s government to help the Gazans realize their wishes in a safe and respectful manner. This can only be accomplished, however, after Israel conquers Gaza and annexes it.”

“There certainly is a solution for Gaza,” Feiglin continued. “Israel does not have to suffer missiles on Tel Aviv and does not have to send its soldiers to die there, just to find itself in the same place at the end of the fighting (in the best case scenario).

All we have to do is to understand and internalize that this really is our Land.

We can cut (yes, cut!) the defense budget at the moment that we understand that instead of pouring more and more money into the failed Oslo misconception, we can simply win.”

The Arami Family Needs our Help

By Moshe Feiglin

On Friday I went to pay a shiva call (comfort the mourners) to the parents, brothers, sister and especially – the pregnant widow and orphans of Netanel Arami, may G-d avenge his blood. Netanel plunged to his death on Tuesday when somebody cut the rope from which he was rappelling as part of his work at a construction site. Nobody was at the house when I got there. Later, a few people entered.

I thought of all the shiva calls that I had made during Operation Protective Edge. I thought of the constant IDF accompaniment of the bereaved families; of the feeling of solidarity that enveloped them; of the steady stream of visitors who sought to comfort them.

Netanel’s story is no less disturbing than the story of the three abducted teenagers. If you or I had been dangling at the end of the rope on the 18^th floor, the Arab murderer would have cut the rope as well, and we would have plunged to our shocking deaths just like Neteanel. The Arab didn’t murder Netanel for personal reasons; he murdered him because he is a Jew, exactly the same fate as the three abducted teens.

Netanel was one of those everyday righteous souls. He worked hard to support his young family. He had just opened up his own rappelling business. He didn’t come from a wealthy family. He and his wife were just a young Israeli family starting out on their own. He worked hard, dealt with his overdraft, with the contractors who didn’t pay on time – and nonetheless, employed another person who had a rough start in life and is also building his family. “Go out and buy everything you need for your new baby,” Netanel told him. “I will pay.”  The worker did not know that the money for the pacifiers he bought for his own baby were instead of the necessities for Netanel’s baby.

Netanel laid shattered on the ground for five hours. His mother heard about the ‘accident’ from the internet. The employee brought the police. They went up to the roof and saw the cut rope and heard the Arab workers there laughing. A cut rappelling rope looks completely different than a rope that has been worn out. And there are always 2 ropes: one main rope and one safety rope.

The police have placed a censorship order on the entire case. What else is there to hide, other than the will to block news and conceal the truth from the public?

On the night of the murder, the police called the grieving widow. They treated her almost like a criminal.

“You have to come in to the police station,” they roughly said to the widow holding her baby.

“Why?”

“You want to bury your husband, don’t you?”

“Yes, but why do I have to go to the police station?”

“You have to sign a release for an autopsy.”

“But I do not have a car.”

And so, the new widow, on the evening that the murder was discovered, had to run to the police station to argue against an autopsy.

Since then, nothing. No representative from the police, nobody to give the family an update, no psychologist to help them over the hurdle, no welfare for the children. Nothing. Complete evasion. And a censorship order on the investigation. And media avoidance of the story.

It is a convenient way to solve problems. We will hint that perhaps it was a criminal act and not an act of terror. We will leave the case open. Using the excuse of ongoing investigation, we will destroy a family. Just like we did to Shelly Dadon’s family, may G-d avenge her blood. In that case , the flaccid Minister of Internal Security hurried off to the Arab town of Taibeh to announce that more investigative directions were being examined. Or just like the case of Rabbi Moshe Talbi, found shot at the Yakir intersection. The police hurriedly murdered him again, claiming that he had committed suicide. The family had to heroically fight for years to get the police to admit that the beloved head of their family had been murdered. This method has been employed numerous times. The goal is to divert public attention to other matters.

Just imagine what would have happened if the story had been the other way around: That an Arab worker had plunged too his death, the rope was found slashed and on the roof, Jewish workers were laughing…There would be no room in the news to pontificate about Gideon Sa’ar. The President and half the government ministers would run to comfort the family. The police would establish a special investigative unit and then another one. The flaccid Minister for Internal Security would call for the destruction of a few more settlements and who knows what else.

A murderous uprising is taking place in Israel. On the roads. In the mixed Jewish/Arab cities. In Jerusalem they burn homes. And who dares to ride the light train to Pisgat Ze’ev?

It all begins with the surrender of the Temple Mount. From there, the violence trickles to the rest of Jerusalem and from there, to every place where Jews and Arabs live near each other. People simply live in fear. Not in Tel Aviv, of course. No Arabs there, and please don’t bother us with the facts.

Paradoxically, this ostrich-like behavior at the expense of the bereaved families ensures that there will be no peace between the nations. There is a kernel of Arabs, particularly young Arabs, who do want to live with us in peace. They despise the warmongering Arab MKs. They accept the fact that Israel is a Jewish state, exactly like the Druze, Cherkesim and other minorities here. They respect the State and understand very well that compared to their Arab brethren in other countries, they live in a veritable Garden of Eden. But the teacher who flees the kindergarten leaves the toys for the violent children. Most of the children join in the cycle of violence because they think the teacher will not return. The flaccid Minister of Internal Affairs leaves them no choice.

 I meet these Arabs. They come to see me at the Knesset. I know what I am talking about. When Israel flees its responsibility and doesn’t set clear borders for the Arab public, the first people to be harmed are the Jews. But immediately afterwards, the Arabs who truly wish to be loyal to the State and live with us in peace are harmed, as well. This conduct pushes more and more potentially loyal Arabs into the cycle of violence.

Back to the Arami family. The little boy comes home from kindergarten and looks for his father. He still does not understand. Slowly but surely, I realize that the family is suffering economic distress as well. Who knows how much more abuse they will have to endure until they are recognized as victims of terror and receive government support? Who will support them in the meantime?

Please give what you can to help support Moriah Arami and her children until she can get back on her own two feet. The State is not going to be there for her in the foreseeable future. I cannot think of a more important mitzvah to do before Rosh Hashanah. You can mail a check to:

Moriah Arami

Trumpeldor 13

Beit Dagan

Israel 

If you are in Israel, you can make a bank transfer to:

Moriah Arami

Bank account:  340639 105

Branch 382

Bank Otzar Hachayal

What to Pray for this Rosh Hashanah

By Shmuel Sackett

We all have our lists of what to pray for. Everyone will be focused this Rosh Hashanah on their personal needs which undoubtedly include health, reliable income, family, marriage partners, fertility and much more. The last thing you need is someone suggesting things to add to that list… it is long enough! My job, however, is to get you to write an additional – brand new – list which requires a fresh way of thinking. Allow me to explain.

I have written time and again, that Jews are not simply a bunch of individuals. Yes, we are all different but that is not unique to Jews, it applies to all of humanity. Each person is unique in his/her special way. The part I want to focus on is that – unlike every other religion in the world – we are also a NATION! Rabbi Meir Kahane ztz”l coined a term that Jews are a “Religio-Nation” – some of what we do is based in religion and follows specific guidelines in Jewish law and observance while other parts of what we do is based on Jewish Nationhood – also following Jewish law but on the national level, not the individual level.

This was virtually forgotten over the 2,000 year exile since who thought of being a nation when we were living in the ghettos of Poland, Russia, Morocco and Yemen? Baruch Hashem, those days are over! The ghetto walls have crumbled and the Jewish people have returned home. After 2,000 years, our people have an army and a government! We are no longer under the rule of the Czar and the tax money we collect does not go to some Emperor in Rome! The tax system is ours, the health system is ours, the education system is ours and even the road building system is ours! Yes, there are many problems with the current system – and I am working hard at changing that – but let’s not get stuck on the details. I am referring to the new direction we are heading… and it’s a great one! A Jewish State led by leaders who are proud, strong and connected to our Father in Heaven. Now THAT’S something to pray for!!

Here now is the top 5 on my list – the “Jewish National List” – to pray for on Rosh Hashanah:

• My first prayer on this list is for all Jews to see, understand and identify with our national side. Sadly, FAR TOO MANY of my fellow Jews, many who are very strict in keeping every religious detail, have no concept of our national side. To them, Judaism is just observing rituals and while this is a very important part of who we are and what we do, it is just that… a PART of what we do and not ALL of what we do. I pray that my fellow Jews open their eyes and connect themselves to the national side of being a Jew.
• I pray for the re-establishment of the Sanhedrin. In the last few years some very big Rabbis have tried to re-establish it but, sadly, it has not been accepted by the masses. Our people need to realize that this is the first step in bringing Moshiach! That’s right. Ever wonder why we say that Moshiach will be coming together with Eliyahu Hanavi (Elijah)? There’s a simple reason for that. Moshiach will be our King and the only one capable of anointing a King is a Navi. Therefore, the Moshiach needs Eliyahu Hanavi to anoint him as the Moshiach. The problem, however, is: who will establish Eliyahu as the prophet?  Do you think a guy will just appear on the scene one day and say he is Eliyahu? Maybe, since a similar thing happened in Egypt when – out of nowhere – Moses appeared to save the day. Yes, that could very well happen in our modern age but that would be a miracle and while we believe in miracles, we don’trely on them. The way I live my life is to MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. Therefore, we need to be ready for Eliyahu to come and when he does, he will need to prove himself and be established as the prophet. Guess who is the only group that can do that? The Sanhedrin! Therefore; we establish a Sanhedrin, they declare that Eliyahu is the prophet and then HE anoints the Moshiach as king! NOW you see why we need to pray for a Sanhedrin??
• A must on your “Jewish National List” is that G-d should strengthen the IDF. A major part of our history as a Nation deals with fighting wars. In the Torah, we read about wars fought by Abraham, Jacob(who was ready to battle Esav), Moses, Joshua, Pinchas
  and many battles fought by thousands of soldiers from all tribes of Israel. These wars were not “extra credit”; they shaped us as a Nation and most were mandated by G-d Himself. Today’s IDF is the modern day equivalent of those brave soldiers in the time of the Torah and the countless wars fought by our forefathers as they entered the Land of Israel under Joshua, the Judges, the Kings of Israel and the Maccabees. The holy soldiers in today’s IDF need our prayers so that they will be strengthened spiritually as well as physically. For the sake of the future of our Nation, these holy soldiers need to be successful in destroying the enemy of G-d and His Chosen People.
• With all your heart and soul, please pray for Jewish leaders in Israel who put Hashem and HIS house before Obama and the White House. The time has come for Israel to be led by Jews who are connected to our Father in Heaven and whose ultimate goal is the restoration of the Davidic dynasty. These leaders need to be people who are not interested in Nobel prizes or UN accolades but in sanctifying G-d’s Name throughout the world! We have become an orphaned generation with weak leaders and this has led to the biggest desecration of G-d’s Name imaginable, because when the Jewish nation is weak, the world perceives G-d as weak as well. That is simply intolerable. Therefore, pray with every ounce of strength you have and ask G-d to find leaders who will work for Him and not themselves and who are willing to stand strong in the face of a very hostile world.
• While there are many more prayers on my “Jewish National List”, allow me to end with this last one: The need to pray for every Jew – regardless of age, religious background and financial level – to come home to live in the King’s palace… the Land of Israel. Plain and simple; the excuses are over. It is time to pick up and leave the exile and return home. Don’t do this because of anti-Semitism or Hurricane Sandy. Do it because as a Jew, your life is not complete and your soul is broken as long as you live outside the Land. Simply put, you cannot be a part of the Nation when you are 6,000 miles away – it just doesn’t work that way. Therefore, pray to G-d… no – BEG G-d to help you and your family make this move. Beg Him to help you and cry tears over this. This MUST be on your list and if it’s not you must immediately figure out why. Who is keeping this from you and why isn’t this priority #1 for your national life? Talk to our Merciful Father and when you do, I promise the following: If you are serious about this prayer, it will happen… but you need to “put your cards on the table”. Similar to prayer #1 – about connecting to the national side of Jewishness – this one is up to you. And as He did many times in the past, Hashem will definitely help your dream become a reality. But you need to take the first step! Do it, NOW!

May 5775 be the year in which G-d answers all our prayers, both the personal ones and the national ones, so that THIS YEAR we can all welcome the arrival of Moshiach and dance with him in the 3^rd and final Holy Temple in Jerusalem! Shana Tova!!

A Light Unto the Nations

By Shmuel Sackett

‘We have all heard the term “A light unto the nations” but what does it really mean? And furthermore, in the present world of billions of people and tens of billions of gadgets, is it even possible for the small, tiny Jewish people to inspire the entire world and be their light among all the darkness?

To me, the answer is quite simple. Of course it is possible because our Father in Heaven would have never asked us to do something that couldn’t be done. If He wants us to be an “Ohr La’Goyim” (a light unto the nations) then it is well within our ability to do the job! In case you are wondering, the source of these words can be found in the prophet Yeshayahu (42:5-7) “Thus said the G-d, Hashem, who created the heavens… who firmed the earth and its produce, who gave a soul to the people upon it… I am Hashem, I have called you with righteousness, I will strengthen your hand, I will protect you, I will set you a covenant to the people,for a light to the nations; to open blind eyes, to remove a prisoner from confinement… I am Hashem, that is My Name… I shall not give My glory to another…” (translation by ArtScroll)

Do you understand what is being said here? What an incredible mission Hashem Himself is giving His people? Being a “light to the nations” means showing the world the truth (“to open blind eyes”) and thus free them from their false lives which is keeping them in the worst kind of prison imaginable – the one with no walls (“to remove a prisoner from confinement”). These words are not just old-wise sayings, this is the mission and purpose of Am Yisrael!

Yet, unfortunately, and I say this with a very heavy heart, most Yeshiva students in America will never read these powerful words. They will spend 12 years in Yeshiva – from the modern Orthodox ones to the very Yeshivish ones – and will never learn these holy verses from Yeshayahu Ha’Navi. Many of these students will continue to Yeshivas of higher learning and spend thousands of hours each year studying yet will not even be able to tell you which Navi came first; Yeshayahu or Yirmiyahu.

Fellow Jews – this is “money time”. The game is on the line and every play counts more than ever. As we approach the days leading up to Rosh Ha’Shanah please understand the main purpose of these two awesome days. They are not about Teshuva, although that is a very important thing to do. They are not about spending until 2pm in Shul listening to a Chazzan, although I love that and cherish those moments. Finally, they are not about just dipping an apple in honey or even listening to the Shofar. Rosh Ha’Shanah – above everything else – is about Crowning Hashem King of the world!!!

The problem, however, is that nobody knows how to do that. After all, how does a simple man (or woman) of flesh and blood crown Hashem king? The answer lies in the verses I quoted from above. Accept upon yourself the job that Hashem has given you! Teach the world about Hashem’s wisdom – open the eyes and free the prisoners of the world who are knee deep in filth; both material and spiritual. When you do that, you are fulfilling your Jewish destiny! You are accomplishing the job that Hashem has given you and by doing that you are declaring to the entire world that “Hashem Hoo Ha’Melech” – Hashem is the King!!

The only question left is this: Is the world ready for such a message? The media shows only the negative, the violence, the beheadings, the abuse and everything else that helps them sell their trash. But in reality, there’s a genuine thirst out there for the truth of our Torah and the 7 Mitzvot that we must teach the world. Not everyone is an ISIS member and not everyone wants to wage war against us. I firmly believe that we need to realize that deep down, people are good and – as Yeshayahu Ha’Navi says – are merely blind and imprisoned.

Dearest friends, make this year one where you not only pray for your personal life but for your national life as well. Take this job – as a Prince of Hashem the King – very seriously and spread His truth to the world. It is up to you and me to declare and establish this fact so that the world will see the truth and taste the sweetness of our Father in Heaven. Since no Rabbis ever talk or write like this, you probably think that I have lost my mind and should be on cable TV holding a Bible and preaching. That is not what I mean. I am talking about the need to stop living small, ghetto lives where all we care about is ourselves and the newest type of kosher sushi. We are far greater than that and the world needs us to be great! By being small, we pull everyone down and by focusing only on the ritual aspect of our religion we are losing much more than we are gaining.

This year, put as priority #1 – not the shidduch or the parnossa you need – but the respect and glory that is needed for Hashem Himself. We – yes, you and I – will announce to the world, through our thoughts, words and actions that Hashem is the King and we will demand that the world will acknowledge this. It is possible to happen… but only if it starts with us.

Allow me to conclude with an email that I received this week from a non-Jewish woman. As Shemitta approaches, I was very busy trying to raise money for Israeli farmers to plant up until the last possible day according to Halacha. I sent emails, wrote articles and even placed ads. Read this response and then tell me if there are people out there ready for our message:

“Shalom!   I am a single mother of 2 small children and I do not have a monetary seed that I can sow into you.  But I cannot let this opportunity pass me by either.  So I would like to offer you a prayer … that your barns will over flow with blessings so large that you cannot contain them.  That you are so blessed that all your store houses continually stay full and you have enough to give into every good work and that you be blessed in the city and in the fields.  That your vines do not cast their fruit before their times and that your tree’s leaves may never wither … even if there be a drought … and everything that you set your hands is blessed.  That your families be protected and that your seed would never beg bread and great be the peace of your children… This is all that my natural mind can contrive to pray for you … I pray that you be blessed and multiply… and I hope that my prayer has been felt by you and that you have mercy and compassion compelling your thoughts and driving you to action when necessary.”

Yes, there are billions of people in the world and they are waiting for the tiny Jewish nation to lead them and open their eyes. Make this your “new year’s resolution” and may we all be blessed with a sweet, happy, healthy new year living in the palace with the King Himself!

INN: MK Feiglin: Jewish Rapeller was Murdered by Arab Co-Workers

MK Moshe Feiglin (Likud) is convinced that Netanel Arami, a construction worker who fell 18 stories to his death last week, was murdered by Arab construction workers.

Feiglin went to pay a visit of condolence to Arami’s parents, brothers, his pregnant widow and two orphan children Saturday evening.

Feiglin elegantly skirted a gag order on the case and wrote: “Netanel’s story is no less shocking than that of the three youths [abducted and murdered in June in the Etzion Bloc]. If you and I had been there at the end of the rope on the 18th floor, the Arab murderer would have cut the rope and we would have plummeted to our shocking death, just like Netanel did. He did not murder Netanel for a personal reason. He murdered him because he is a Jew, just like what befell the youths.

Feiglin is well acquainted with rapelling; he once ran a rapelling business in which he was one of the rapellers. “For five hours, Netanel lay crushed on the ground,” he wrote. His mother learned of the accident from news site Ynet.” Netanel’s co-worker “arrived there with the police. They went up to the roof and found the slashed rope, heard the Arabs laughing. A rapelling rope that has been cut looks completely different from one that was worn out. And there are two of them – one main rope and one for security.”

Feiglin hinted broadly that the gag order was unjustified. “What is there to hide here except the wish to block, to cover the eyes of the public?”

Like MK Orit Struk, he blamed the police for insensitivity to the plight of the Arami family. But he went further: by not saying immediately that the murder was a terrorist act, police were besmirching Netanel and his family, and creating the impression that it could have been criminally motivated.

“Imagine what would have happened if the story had been reversed,” he asked his readers. “An Arab worker plunges to his death, the rope is found to have been cut and on the roof, Jewish laborers are laughing… there would have been no time to talk about Gideon Saar’s resignation, for all the media chatter. The president and half the government would have dashed off to console the family. The police would have established a whole slew of special investigative teams. The limp Minister for Public Security would have called to destroy several settlements, etc.”

Feiglin, who is celebrating 100,000 “likes” to his Facebook page in a celebratory event on Monday, asked his supporters to bring checks for the Arami family as well – and to visit them in their shiva, at 13 Trumpeldor Street in Beit Dagan. Unlike the soldiers who fell in battle or the three youths who were abducted and murdered, he explained – the Aramis find themselves alone, without the warm embrace of the Jewish nation, because of the unwarranted gag order.

The Shocking Murder of a Jewish Construction Rappeller

By Moshe Feiglin

Pictured: Roi Arami, HY”D

On Tuesday, a construction worker plunged to his death from the 11^th floor while rappelling. After investigation, it was discovered that the rope from which Roi Arami, HY”D was dangling was severed with a cutter. Arabs working with him at the site are suspect.

“This story was particularly shocking to me,” said MK Moshe Feiglin.  “I was the first person in Israel to open a rappelling company for high-rises. I myself worked in the field for many years and later, employed quite a few workers. The safety measures that I instituted were very strict. Among other rules, they included locking the roof whenever possible.”

“It is very shocking,” Feiglin continued. “And it is very connected to the fact that an Arab doctor  was reinstated in his emergency room position despite the fact that he called IDF soldiers ‘murderers’. It may be unpleasant to admit this, but 100 years of Zionism have taught us that within the normative Arab public, a constant potential of murder always exists. In the words of an Arab citizen of Israel just before Gilad Shalit was released, “You sanctify life, while we sanctify death.”

“The media is ignoring this story” said Feiglin. “If it had been an Arab worker, and the suspects Jewish, the entire country would be up in arms. But we prefer to repress this issue. After all, it is clear that the doctor who apologized for calling our soldiers murderers had no sincere regrets. But the thought is too much for us. We prefer to deceive ourselves.”

“I think about those ropes on the roof. And about the Arabs, who suddenly found themselves with  the life of a Jew in their hands. All they need to do is pull out their cutter, nobody will see. It is an uncontrollable urge. And we place a surgeon’s knife in the hands of a doctor who has already revealed what he has in his heart. So that he can save IDF soldiers, of course,” Feiglin observed.

The Arab MK's are not at Fault, We Are

By Zvulun Orlev

On Rosh Hashanah, all the creatures of the world pass in front of the Holy One, Blessed be He, like a herd of sheep. This corresonds not only to individuals but also to whole nations, as we say in the Mussaf prayer on Rosh Hashanah: "It is declared about the countries: which ones will fight by the sword and which will live in peace, which ones will have famine and which will be satiated." It is written, "Everybody is judged on Rosh Hashanah" [Tosefta] – both individuals and nations. It is necessary for us to repent not only at the level of individuals but also on a national level. On a personal level, let everybody do his or her own personal reckoning. At a national level, it is good and proper to perform this task openly, in public. MK's who Openly Incite During Operation Protective Edge, we encountered Arabic MK's and public leaders, citizens of our country, who succeeded again and again in upsetting us with their expressions and sometimes their actions (such as holding meetings in Qatar and Syria) in support of our Palestinian enemies and in favor of Hamas terrorism. They cried out openly, and in very strong language – without fear – against our country and its identity as the Jewish national homeland, and against our right of maintaining Jewish sovereignty in Eretz Yisrael. Some of our leaders, and major segments of the media and of public opinion outlets, demanded that these outspoken people be brought to justice, that they be expelled from the Knesset, sent to Gaza, and more. But this is mere talk! There is no existing Basic Law that defines the State of Israel as a Jewish state! There is also no criminal law that prohibits acting – and certainly not talking – against the Jewish character of the country. Since there is no applicable law forbidding such actions, one is formally allowed to say or do anything in an attempt to change or annul the Jewish identity of the country. It is true that paragraph 7a of the Basic Law of the Knesset prohibits candidates "if the objectives or actions of a person or a slate, explicit or implied, include one of the following: (1) Refusal to accept Israel as a Jewish and democratic state..." However, on two occasions the Supreme Court refused to allow the Central Elections Committee to reject the Balad Party as candidates for the Knesset. In addition, the law involves running for the Knesset and not actions that take place after the people or parties have been elected. What is prohibited for candidates is permitted after the elections have taken place! Is that reasonable? In addition, the mention of "a Jewish and democratic state" in the Basic Law for Freedom of Trade and Human Respect is not relevant to our discussion. In no way does it imply a prohibition of taking action to annul the Jewish and democratic status of the country. Proposals Rejected because of a Lack of Daring I am sorry to say that three laws that I proposed relevant to this subject were rejected. (1) Extending the prohibition for an MK or a party and continuing it after they have been elected. (2) A criminal law prohibiting an individual or a corporation from acting against the Jewish and democratic character of the country, similar to the laws against discrimination, incitement, revolution, and so on. (3) A law requiring every MK at the swearing-in of a new Knesset to declare "loyalty to the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state" instead of the current general oath "to remain faithful to the State of Israel." Some of these proposals were blocked by the government, and some were approved for an initial reading but did not go any further, because of objection not only by the Arabs, Meretz, and the Labor Party, but also because of objections by rightist members of the government. Those on the right who objected claimed that if we would force Arab MK's to declare loyalty to a "Jewish and democratic state," our country would be attacked in international forums. Does this sound real to you? It was also said that a situation where candidacy is rejected is not the same as expelling an MK or a party after the elections. But doesn't this claim, which is correct as far as it goes, abandon the realm of the Knesset to people who reject our existence and our identity? As far as my proposal for an extension of the criminal laws, the legal advisors of the Knesset claimed that "there is no way to define what actions against Jewish identity are prohibited," ignoring similar definitions that exist which define incitement to discrimination or an act that might cause harm to the public welfare. Some of the MK's and the leaders of the Arab population know very well how to exploit the outrageous loopholes in Israeli law, and they cause us to be afraid of defining our national Jewish identity in a clear law. Those who incite against our identity hide behind a slogan, "A country of all its citizens." And this includes not only Arabs but also the Jewish extreme leftists. In the realm of military security, there is ample criminal law, together with severe punishments, but in the matter of security of the spiritual and Jewish character of our country – no such thing exists! What good will it do if the IDF wins the battles, but if we lose the controversy about our Jewish identity? The Breach is the Responsibility of the Leaders Our sages have taught us, "It is not the mouse that is a thief, the hole is what makes a thief" [Gittin 45a]. The ultimate guilt is not that of the one who stole something but is rather the fault of the conditions that made the theft possible. The guilt must be sought in the overall system, not in the specific person who failed. "A breach calls out to a thief," it invites him to make an appearance! A lack of public courage and closing our eyes to the need for appropriate legal means – all of this encourages internal threats to maintaining our true identity. Trying to escape from our responsibilities is a natural trait of mankind. And the mouse is an appropriate allegory in this case too! It is not the Arab MK's who are at fault, we are really the ones to be blamed! Let us hope that the new year will bring a time when we courageously defend our identity, without mixing in any feelings of inferiority.

A Coalition Stronger Than All Our Combined Enemies: HaRav Nachman Kahana on Parashat Nitzavim-Vayailech 5774

BS”D  Parashat Nitzavim-Vayailech 5774 Rabbi Nachman Kahana Parashat Nitzavim begins: )ט) אתם נצבים היום כלכם לפני ה’ אלהיכם ראשיכם שבטיכם זקניכם ושטריכם כל איש ישראל: )י) טפכם נשיכם וגרך אשר בקרב מחניך מחטב עציך עד שאב מימיך: )יא) לעברך בברית ה’ אלהיך ובאלתו אשר ה’ אלהיך כרת עמך היום: )יב) למען הקים אתך היום לו לעם והוא יהיה לך לאלהים כאשר דבר לך וכאשר נשבע לאבתיך לאברהם ליצחק וליעקב: )יג) ולא אתכם לבדכם אנכי כרת את הברית הזאת ואת האלה הזאת: )יד) כי את אשר ישנו פה עמנו עמד היום לפני ה’ אלהינו ואת אשר איננו פה עמנו היום: 9 All of you are standing today in the presence of the Lord your God—your leaders and tribal heads, your elders and officials, all Israel, 10together with your children and your wives, and the converted living in your camps, from the wood choppers to your water carriers. 11 To enter into a covenant with the Lord your God, a covenant the Lord is making with you this day, 12 to confirm you this day as his people, that he may be your God as he promised you and as he swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 13 I am making this covenant, with its oath, not only with you 14 who are standing here with us today in the presence of the Lord our God but also with those who are not with us here today. Boots on the Ground In these very days, the United States is attempting to forge a coalition of Arab and European States to make war on IS. There is an across-the-board agreement among the potential members that they will not commit to ground troops, but rather only to peripheral help, such as supplying the Iraqi army with military needs and training. Only France has agreed to fly over the region in order to secure intelligence information. IS can now breathe easily in view of the well-known incompetency and ineptitude of the White House. In contrast, Asaph one of the leading Levi’im in the Bet Hamikdash, envisioned a future grand coalition of enemies, who will be very willing to wage war on the Jewish nation, with “boots on the ground”. His prophecy appears in Tehillim 83: )א) שיר מזמור לאסף: )ב) אלהים אל דמי לך אל תחרש ואל תשקט אל: )ג) כי הנה אויביך יהמיון ומשנאיך נשאו ראש: )ד) על עמך יערימו סוד ויתיעצו על צפוניך: )ה) אמרו לכו ונכחידם מגוי ולא יזכר שם ישראל עוד: )ו) כי נועצו לב יחדו עליך ברית יכרתו: A psalm of Asaph. O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God. See how your enemies growl, how your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish. “Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation, so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.” With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you. This will be their intent – to eradicate the name of Israel with a grand coalition. Asaph enumerates the members of this future coalition: )ז) אהלי אדום וישמעאלים מואב והגרים: )ח) גבל ועמון ועמלק פלשת עם ישבי צור: )ט) גם אשור נלוה עמם היו זרוע לבני לוט סלה: The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites, Byblos, Ammon and Amalek, Philistia, with the people of Tyre. Even Assyria has joined them to reinforce Lot’s descendants. The Malbim (Meir Laibish ben Yechiel Michal) as well, writes in his commentary on Yechezkel 32,17 regarding a future coalition which will come against the Jewish State (translation): It will come to pass in the end of days, after the Jewish people will return to the land of Israel, that the nations will come together in order (with the intent) to capture Yerushalayim. The prophet names the nations who will come. Gog, the king of Meshech and Tuval from the north and west who are uncircumcised and called “Edom”, who are the descendants of Yefet living now in Europe. And Paras, Kush, and the House of Turgama who are all circumcised and adhering to the belief of Yishmael, will join with the children of Edom to attempt to capture the Land of Israel from the Jews. But when they arrive, they will create chaos among themselves and make war on each other. That is, Edom (Europe) will make war on Yishmael because their beliefs are different. And there, God will judge them in sword and blood as stated by the prophet Zecharia, chapter 14. And here the prophet (Yechezkel) relates how they all will be lost; and singles out Egypt, Ashur (Syria) and Elam (Iran) who adhere to the religion of Yishmael and are today circumcised. He then mentions Meshech, Tuval and Edom, their kings and princes from the north (Europeans) who are all uncircumcised. And between them there will be a war. The first to be utterly destroyed will be the Egyptians, who are the closest to the Land of Israel and will come forward first and fall. Then the Assyrians and Persians will come to avenge their ally and they all will be destroyed. If the Malbim lived today, I think he would have been more specific, as follows: It will come to pass in the end of the exile and the Jewish people will return to the land of Israel, that many nations will come together in order to attempt to capture Yerushalayim. The nations who will come are from the north and west and include the European Union and the nations which comprised the former Soviet Union who are all uncircumcised and called “Edom”, the descendants of Yefet living now in Europe and adhering to the Christian faith. And Iran, the Arab peoples, and the House of Saud who are all circumcised adhering to the faith of Yishmael, will join with the children of Edom to attempt to capture the Land of Israel from the Children of Israel. But when they arrive, they will create chaos among themselves and make war on each other. That is, the Christians from Europe will make war on the Muslims, because their beliefs are different. And there, God will judge them in sword and blood as stated by the prophet Zecharia, chapter 14. And here the prophet (Yechezkel) describes how they will be lost. He singles out Egypt, Syria and Iran who adhere to the religion of Yishmael and are circumcised. Then Meshech, Tuval and Edom, their kings and princes from the north, who are uncircumcised, and between them will be a war. The first to be utterly destroyed will be the Egyptians, who are the closest to the Land of Israel, who will come forward first and fall; then the Syrians and Iranians will come to avenge their fallen ally and they all will be destroyed. Asaph ends with the following prayer to HaShem: Make them like tumbleweed, my God, like chaff before the wind. As fire consumes the forest or a flame sets the mountains ablaze, so pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your storm. Cover their faces with shame, Lord, so that they will seek your name. May they ever be ashamed and dismayed; may they perish in disgrace. Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord—that you alone are the Most High over all the earth. How can we connect today’s apathetic, dispassionate and uncommitted responses to Obama’s call for military co-operation with the active, and vigorous responses of the Moslem and European states to unite in a military effort against the Jewish State, as envisioned by the Prophet Yechezkel? I suggest: The dire vision of Yechezkel will evolve from the present loose confederation being created by Obama. At some point in time, there will be a sharp transition from their lackluster attitude to combine their Moslem military forces with the Christians of Europe and the US to fight their Moslem brethren, no matter how evil those brothers are, and turn their attention and armies against the Jewish State. It could come about by a covert agreement between the US and the Arab countries that in return for immediate military co-operation the US will ignore the future threats to the Jewish State. Or it could come about through the religious interests of Islam and Christianity who will sense the opportunity to rid themselves of the Jewish State which is a living and breathing testimony that their religions are false. A Coalition Stronger Than All Our Combined Enemies At some point in time there will be an ominous Islamic-European military coalition against the Jewish State, because there is nothing which was envisioned by our prophets which did not eventually materialize. The question is, what can we field against these evil men? The answer is found in the opening of our parasha: All of you are standing today in the presence of the Lord your God—your leaders and tribal heads, your elders and officials, all Israel, together with your children and your wives, and the converted living in your camps, from the wood choppers to your water carriers. To enter into a covenant with the Lord your God, a covenant the Lord is making with you this day, to confirm you this day as his people, that he may be your God as he promised you and as he swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I am making this covenant, with its oath, not only with you who are standing here with us today in the presence of the Lord our God, but also with those who are not with us here today. We in Eretz Yisrael will field a coalition stronger than all our combined enemies. Ours will be a coalition of Jewish “achdut” comprising those of Am Yisrael living in the Holy Land. Rabbanim and political leaders, our wives and children, our converts from the most modest of people to our most gifted. It will include the righteous living today with those who passed on to the next world. It will include the very observant together with those who know nothing of the Torah, with the common denominator being that we are descendants of our fathers Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov living under HaShem’s protective wing in Eretz Yisrael. We in Eretz Yisrael will field a coalition stronger than all our combined enemies. However our coalition is conditional on our desire to see the good in every Jew. The talmid chacham must never forget that he is what he is to a great measure because he was born to a family that encouraged Torah study and mitzvot, whereas his neighbor who desecrates the Shabbat was not born to such a family. That while the “learner” was in an air-conditioned bet midrash, the non-Shabbat observer was protecting him with his body. Modesty, humility, propriety of manner, love of fellow Jew these are the links which form the chain of protection which stands between us and the forces of evil which surrounds us. “Achdut” (Unity) is predicated on being physically together in Hashem’s Holy Land. Without that “togetherness”, all the platitudes of love and unity and even financial help cannot forge the integrity of being “one” which is necessary for the sacred coalition of Am Yisrael. As stated by the illustrious Hillel, the principle of “Love thy fellow Jew as yourself” is the basis of Judaism. For just as a parent wishes that his children live in peace and harmony, so too does our Father-in- Heaven seek the peace and unity of His children – Am Yisrael. In conclusion let’s recall an incident in the life of Elisha, the protégé of Eliyahu Ha’Navi (Melachim 2 chap. 6). When the King of Aram learned that Elisha was in the town of Dotan in northern Shomron, he sent a large military force to surround the town with orders to capture Elisha. The force arrived there at night and waited. In the early morning, Gaichazi, the student of Elisha, went outside and saw that the enemy had completely besieged the town. In desperation, he called out to Elisha, who calmed the young man by saying: ויאמר אל תירא כי רבים אשר אתנו מאשר אותם: ) ויתפלל אלישע ויאמר ה’ פקח נא את עיניו ויראה ויפקח ה’ את עיני הנער וירא והנה ההר מלא סוסים ורכב אש סביבת אלישע Do not fear, for there are more on our side than there are on theirs Elisha prayed to HaShem saying, “Lord, open his eyes (of Gaichazi) so he can see (the surrounding spiritual world)” And HaShem opened his eyes, and he saw the mountain filled with horses and chariots of fire around Elisha Surrounding Eretz Yisrael are myriads of God’s angels protecting His children in the Holy Land. Shabbat Shalom, Nachman Kahana Copyright © 5774/2014 Nachman Kahana

Jews! Open your eyes!!

A Torah Thought for Nitzavim-Vayelech 

By HaRav Mordechai Rabinovitch

“When all these things – the blessing and the curse that I have set before you – come upon you, you will contemplate [this] among all the nations to which Hashem your G-d has cast you” (Devarim 30:1).  

Some seven hundred years ago, Ramban commented that the section which opens with the above verse must be discussing events that will occur some time away in the future, since none of it had yet materialized in his day.  Is this still true?

“Hashem will turn your captivity and have compassion upon you, and will return and gather you from all the nations to which Hashem has dispersed you” (v. 3).  Anyone who visits modern Israel cannot fail to notice that the Jews that inhabit this country have assembled here literally from the four corners of the earth!

“If your dispersed be at the end of the heavens – from there Hashem will gather you and from there he will fetch you” (v. 4).  It was not so long ago that Jews behind the Iron Curtain, for example, were for all intents and purposes “at the farthest reaches of the universe“, cut off from Jewish life and from the free world; and yet hundreds of thousands of them today make their home in Israel.

“Hashem will bring you to the land that your fathers possess, and you will possess it; and he will do you good, and multiply you more than your fathers” (v. 5).  This perhaps needs no comment.  Yet it is worth remembering that when the economies of the entire world collapsed, there was one country that seemed to be unaffected.  And today that same country has a steadily rising Jewish birth rate!! Is this not: “He will do you good and multiply you” ?!

Elul is the month which traditionally symbolizes the absolute devotion of Hashem to the Jews and vice versa.  Is it not time that we all open our hearts and eyes and see that Hashem indeed does love us and is fulfilling all the promises that He promised us long ago? “Hashem will open your heart… to love Hashem with all your heart and all your soul” (v. 6).  Sefer Ha-Ikkarim (Maamar 4, end of chapter 25) explains this verse with reference to one who returns out of duress who needs some extra assistance in order to love Hashem with all his heart.  Are we so indifferent to what is happening in front of our eyes, that we need troubles and distress (see Devorim 4:30) to force our hearts back to Hashem?

Let us hope and pray that the time is near when the whole passage will be realized, and all the Torah’s horrible punishments and curses will afflict all our enemies and persecutors (v.7);  that the Jewish people will all be in the Land of Israel, listen to Hashem, and do all His commandments (v. 8);  that Hashem may again rejoice over us for good, as he rejoiced over our forefathers (v. 9).

And may we all be inscribed in the book of life, in order that we and our children merit “to dwell in the land that Hashem has sworn to our patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them” (v. 19-20) forever and ever.