Parshat Mishpatim 5770: The Making of Jewish Standards — Honesty, Principle and Unity

Filed under: News Reports, Commentary & Human Interest on Saturday, February 6th, 2010 by moshe | Comments Off



by, Moshe Burt

Parshat Yithro concludes with the high moment to date in world history; The Asseret HaDibrot (The 10 Statements) on the 6th day of the month of Sivan and Parshat Mishpatim begins teaching how The Asseret HaDibrot are the basis for a multitude of other laws, halachot designed to strengthen the Jewish nation. The laws taught in Parshat Mishpatim emphasize honesty, righteousness and showing kindness to one’s fellow Jews.

Although Torah places Yithro’s advise as to appointment of Judges and the formation of B’nai Yisrael’s Justice and Judicial systems in the parsha bearing his name, it seems fitting in Parshat Mishpatim to discuss Yithro’s advice and contributions to the system in light of the halachot taught in our parsha.

How does it transpire that Yithro, Moshe Rabbeinu’s Father-in-Law, a former member of Pharaoh’s ruling circle, one who had tried every avodah zora before finding Hashem, merits that the format for law enforcement and justice in the B’nai Yisrael would flow from him?

In questioning that very point, there are numerous pertinent citings regarding Yithro in Yishai Chasidah’s Encyclopedia of Biblical Jewish Personalities (pages 306-309).

So why was it that Hashem made it that the outline for the Jewish
Judiciary would flow from the Ger Yithro?

Was it Yithro’s prior experience as a minister to Pharaoh which provided him insights regarding the Judiciary and positioned him to express them to Moshe?

If Betzalel, a Jew-from-birth, was instilled with the ability and insight to build the Mishkan, why does the evolution of the Judiciary come by way of a Ger?

After all, we learn Hashem imparted to Betzalel ben Uri the insight and ability to build the Mishkan. We learn that Betzalel was the grandson of Hur who was the son of Calev and that the Malchut was promised to Miriam — Moshe’s sister and Calev’s wife. Just as we learn that later the Malchut, under Dovid and Shlomo, built the Beit HaMikdash, so too Betzalel’s building of the Mishkan seems the fulfillment of the Divine promise to Miriam.

It would seem that Yithro, like in the case of Betzalel, was also case of mida-keneged-mida, as Chasidah cited from Yalkut Shemoni, that Reuel (one of Yithro’s 7 names) was the only one of Pharaoh’s ministers to speak out against Pharaoh’s plans for the Jews and to act against the edict by running from Mitzrayim.

Chasidah also cites from Shemos Rabbah (perek 1, posuk 26) that Yithro saved Moshe’s life as a young child when Pharaoh’s sorcerers were concerned when Moshe played with Pharaoh’s crown placing it upon his own head. Yithro was the one who suggested the test of the gold and the burning coals set on a plate before Moshe. We know the story of how Moshe’s hand moved toward the gold, by the malach Gavriel moved Moshe’s hand toward the burning coal which Moshe picked up and put in his mouth causing his speech impediment.

Further, Chasidah cites Midrash HaGodol on BaMidbar (perek 10, posuk 30) which gives insight into Yithro’s kindness. After a drought year, Yithro stated;

This has been a year of drought, and I borrowed money which I used to support the poor. If I don’t go and pay my debts, I will be desecrating the Name of Heaven.

Finally, Chasidah cites Yerushalmi Brachot (Perek 2, posuk 8. ) which writes of Yithro;

When B’nai Yisrael do Hashem’s Will, HaKodesh Borchu searches throughout the world, and if he finds a righteous person among the nations, he brings him and attaches him to B’nai Yisrael. One of the examples given was Yithro.

So, it was much more than Yithro’s past governmental experience which positioned him to counsel Moshe as to formation of a Judiciary. In advising Moshe Rabbeinu on how to judge B’nai Yisrael, Yithro spoke;

“You will provide out of all the people able men, such as fear Hashem, men of truth hating lucre (gain, money, riches); and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.” (Sefer Sh’mos, Perek 18, posuk 21)

As is indicated by the citings above, Yithro’s advise to Moshe was fully backed by his own actions in standing on honesty and principle.

In our parsha Mishpatim, many basic laws of civilized existence are enunciated for B’nai Yisrael. The purpose of the Mishpatim, the civil laws, are to protect the moral fiber of society by regulating relationships between men, encouraging truthfulness, sincerity and
kindness while condemning immorality and deceit.

A paradigm of our parsha, the inculcation of honesty, principle and integrity in dealing with our fellow is the story told in L’lmod U’Lamed, by Rabbi Mordechai Katz, (p. 81-82, quoting Yerushalmi Bava Metzia, Perek 2, Choshen Mishpat 266) about Rabbi Shimon Ben Shetach which sets a standard for Jewish sincerity in his dealing with his fellow Jews and with Hashem.

It seems that one day Rabbi Shimon Ben Shetach needed to purchase a donkey for traveling. He purchased the donkey from an Arab. At that time, neither he nor the Arab noticed that the donkey bore a small package in it’s saddle.

Sometime later, a student of the Rabbi found the package and opened it. He was amazed by it’s contents. “It’s a diamond, Rebbe… A perfect diamond. It must be worth an enormous amount. Sell it and you’ll never want for money. Imagine all of the Mitzvot you will be able to do with the new-found money.”

Rabbi Ben Shetach shook his head and responded, “I may be able to perform many Mitzvot with the money … but they will never cancel the demerit that will be mine if I keep property which is not mine. No, I will return the diamond to its rightful owner, the Arab.”

But the student responded, “why not keep the diamond? The Arab will never know of his loss.” Rabbi Ben Shetach responded, “But Hashem will know what I have done. I did not earn the diamond and so it is not mine.”

Rabbi Ben Shetach was as good as his word and returned the diamond to the astonished Arab. “I don’t believe that anyone could be that honest” said the Arab. “The Jews must have wonderful laws. Blessed be the G’d of Rabbi Shimon Ben Shetach.”

Rabbi Ben Shetach’s strict adherence to Mishpatim, to common decency to his fellow man created a great Kiddush Hashem and should serve as an example for all to follow, to fulfill all of Hashem’s Mitzvot with equal zeal.

Imagine the merit to be earned collectively by a unity of B’nai Yisrael treating each other — our fellow Jew, at all levels from daily man-in-the-street dealings, or between merchant and customer, bus driver and passenger, employer/employee, civil-servant and Yosef Q. Jewish Citizen as well as those governing toward those being governed, as Yithro the righteous Ger did, or as Rabbi Ben Shetach treated the itinerant Arab in our story, not even his Jewish brother.

And imagine building on that national kindness and unity with the rock-solid, unified, unequivocable principle — Kol Ha’aretz Shelanu (This is Our Land)! This seems a logical evolvement of Bein Adam L’Chaveiro applied to Bein Adam L’Mokom, an outgrowth of fair and righteous dealing between one and his fellow as extended to our relationship with Hashem.

Finally, there is a Torah Gems citing of Ibn Ezra on Parsha Yithro regarding the appointment of a judicial system, and the application of that lesson to all of us, “the Torah did not mention ‘G’d-fearing men’ because only Hashem knows what is in man’s heart.” (Torah Gems, Aharon Yaakov Greenberg, Parsha Yithro, page 131)

May we, the B’nai Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently settled and be made totally whole, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, captive Gilad Shalit and the other MIAs be liberated alive returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem. May we have the courage to prevent the eviction of Jews from their homes and the handing of Jewish land over to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nai Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem V’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bim hay v’yameinu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!

Good Shabbos!
_______________________________________

Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of the Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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Parshat Yithro 5770: Yithro and Bris Mila

Filed under: Commentary & Human Interest on Saturday, February 6th, 2010 by moshe | Comments Off


by Moshe Burt

This past Wednesday, this author bumped into a neighbor in the same building while going to pick up the mail in the neighborhood postal
area box. This neighbor told that another neighbor in our building had just had a boy. So after saying Mazel Tov to the father, the thought occurred on the way to the postal box; Did Yithro have Bris Mila?

This author had forgotten that Yithro did, indeed, have Bris Mila as indicated in the earlier vort on the Parsha, although being hard pressed to remember how we learn it out.

Upon arriving home after checking the mail, this author posed the question to a neighbor — Rabbi Hillel Horowitz who first suggested looking at our Parsha — Shemot, Perek 18, posuk 9; “Vayichad Yithro”, then suggested to go back review perek Cheilik — Gemora Sanhedrin chapter 11, Perek 94A (Perek 94 A3 in the Schottenstein Gemora Sanhedrin).

Rashi on the posuk indicates that Yithro “rejoiced” at seeing B’nai Yisrael free of Mitri bondage, at seeing K’riyat Yom Suf and at B’nai Yisrael’s victory over Amalek. The Gemora, however, cites that Rav and Shmuel disputed the meaning of “Vayichad Yithro”.

Perek Cheilik — Gemora Sanhedrin chapter 11, Perek 94A states:

Rav said the verse conveys that (Yithro) passed a sharp (chadah) sword over his flesh, i.e. he circumcized himself. And Shmuel said it conveys that (Yithro’s) flesh became covered with goose bumps because of the distress he felt at the downfall of Mitzrayim.

We also learn that virtually all of the Jews of the generation that travelled in the desert lacked Bris Mila and were only circumcized uder Yehoshua shortly before entering Eretz Yisrael. Yithro sought to become a Jew, and to come close to Hashem, but he knew that in order to join with B’nai Yisrael, he must have Bris Milah.

But there is more to Yithro’s story regarding Bris Milah. The Midrash Says on parsha Shemot indicates that Yithro cut a deal with Moshe in exchange for Moshe marrying Tzippora. The deal was; in exchange for Moshe marrying Tziporah, that one or both sons must be “consecrated” to avodah zora — meaning that Yithro wanted one or both sons to come to the truth, as Yithro did, by trying avodah zora, by analysing the options and seeking truth by coming to Hashem rather than simply following instructions. The Midrash Says, as well as Rav Harry Greenspan, indicate that the Midrash is understood to refer only to Moshe’s first-born son Gershom. Rabbi Arye Gordon however, understands that the agreement meant consecration of both sons to avodah zora.

The Midrash Says (Sefer Shemot, page 32) later explains that Moshe accepted the deal to marry Tzippora thinking:

Let me first marry this Tzaddeket and fulfill the mitzvah of having children. Perhaps Hashem will guide events in such a manner that I will be able to circumcize my son.

Later, it is explained (The Midrash Says, Sefer Shemot, page 43) that Moshe is instructed by Hashem, by The Burning Bush, to journey and lead B’nai Yisrael in their redemption from Mitzayim. And so, when Moshe leaves Yithro with his wife and two sons, he finds himself with a dilemma of priorities — follow Hashem’s instructions chik chuk and run to Mitzrayim to lead Am Yisrael, or to do Bris Milah on his son first. Moshe chose the former and he and the family headed back to Mitzrayim. Enroute, he encountered by a moloch who nearly swallowed him.

It is written in Midrash Says (Sefer Shemot, page 31) that:

Tzippora possessed the greatness of Sarah, Rivka, Rachel and Leah…

Yes, Hashem did indeed guide events for seeing Moshe being swallowed up until his milah, Tzippora seized a knife (or some render the object a sharp stone and circumcized their son (saving Moshe).

And so we learn out the centrality of Bris Milah — the first siman of the birth of a Jewish male as unifying the B’nai Yisrael, the Jewish people in their closeness with Hashem.

May we, the B’nai Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently settled and be made totally whole, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, captive Gilad Shalit and the other MIAs be liberated alive returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem. May we have the courage to prevent the eviction of Jews from their homes and the handing of Jewish land over to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nai Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem V’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bim hay v’yameinu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!

Shevua Tov!
_______________________________________

Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of the Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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Parshat Yithro 5770: What Compelled Yithro to Join B’nai Yisrael?

Filed under: News Reports, Commentary & Human Interest on Saturday, January 30th, 2010 by moshe | Comments Off


by, Moshe Burt

We learn that when Yithro had heard all that Hashem did for B’nai Yisrael, he left Midian with Tzippora and Moshe’s two sons and went to join with the Jews.

We are not absolutely certain as to whether any one specific event Yithro heard boosted him to circumcize himself and to go out to join the B’nai Yisrael, and if so, which exact event it was, or whether it was the sum total of all he had heard which convinced him to become a Jew.

In the sefer Ner Uziel: Perspectives on the Parsha, Rabbi Uziel Milevsky z’l writes on Parsha Yithro (p. 380-383) indicating that were Yithro to have come to join the Jews after Yetziat Mitziyim or after the cri’at Yam Suf, it would have been unlikely that he could have joined with the Jews due their concern as to what his motivations might be; i.e. whether he was anxious to be on a winning team, on the right side, not unlike many athletes who, when reaching free agency status, seek the best deal, to earn more that their peers, to join onto the team which has gone all-the-way. This concern for one’s true motivations in converting seems to this author to be why Rabbi Milevsky cites indications that B’nai Yisrael didn’t accept Gerim during the reigns of David HaMelech and Shlomo HaMelech when B’nai Yisrael was at the zenith of prestige and power in the world.

When Yithro came to join with the B’nai Yisrael after their difficult war with Amalek, the B’nai Yisrael saw that his motivations were true, pure and sincere to throw his lot with B’nai Yisrael out of recognition that their connection with Hashem was the one true path.

But Rabbi Aba Wagensberg spoke out several years ago citing another possible event which Yithro saw, which when grouped with the other events performed by Hashem for B’nai Yisrael, compelled his joining with them. Rabbi Wagensberg indicated at that time that his vort was one which he felt that Kiruv people need to hear regarding reaching out to their fellow Jews.

Rabbi Wagensberg indicated that as Yithro watched events unfold, he longed to join with B’nai Yisrael but feared doing so out of inferior feelings due to his own background of having served every possible avodah zora throughout his life to that point.

Rabbi Wagensberg then cited a source indicating that there was a second crossing of the Yom Suf. This citing, not recalled for sure by this author, may have been in a Targum Yonaton Ben Uziel on Parsha Shemos, perek 14, posuk 3 (in Parsha Beshalach);

And Pharoah will say of the B’nai Yisrael, ‘They are locked in the land, the Wilderness has locked them in.’

According to Rabbi Wagensberg’s citing, the two Jewish rasha’im Dasan and Aviram “sat on the fence” observing the drama of Pharoah’s rushing the Jews out of Mitzrayim, followed by what appeared to them to be the Jews’ wandering aimlessly until they found themselves walled-in by the sea. The dilemma of Dasan and Aviram was; to stay in Mitzrayim with Pharoah, or join their brethren.

Targum Yonaton Ben Uziel renders perek 14, posuk 3;

“V’Amar Pharoah l’V'nai Yisrael…”, And Pharoah will say to B’nai Yisrael…”, indicating that Pharaoh is talking to what is left of B’nai Yisrael in Mitzriyim — Dasan and Aviram.

As this author understands Rabbi Wagensberg’s description; when Dasan and Aviram saw the utter confusion in Mitzri ranks and that the Mitzriyim, their chariots and horses sunk in the Yam Suf and that the Mitzriyim all floated back to the sea’s surface dead, the two came down on the side of joining their brethren; the winners. The two “free agents” with less than sterling track records thus davened to Hashem who answered their tefillohs by doing a second cri’at Yam Suf so that Dasan and Aviram could cross over to join their brethren.

According to Rav Wagensberg’s depiction, when Yithro, having known Dasan and Aviram had been rasha’im in Mitzrayim, saw that Hashem made a special opening in the Sea to enable them to return to their brethren, he reasoned that if Hashem accepted their Teshuva, that there was a strong chance that He would accept him (Yithro) into B’nai Yisrael. According to Rabbi Wagensberg, it was then that Yithro set out with Tzippora and Moshe’s two sons to join with the Jews.

The point here seems to be that no matter one’s past errors and indiscretions, he can still, if sincerely contrite and sincerely seeking to do Teshuva and regain closeness with Hashem, he is able to do so, as exemplified by the letter Hay where one can fall and yet climb back up in Kedusha. Even Ehud Barak, Shimon Peres (who equates the PA prime minister Salam Fayyad to Israel’s first prime minister David Ben-Gurion), and a whole host of other modern-day Dasans and Avirams with their miles-long rap sheets of anti-Jewish, anti-Torah indiscretions??

May we, the B’nai Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently settled and be made totally whole, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, captive Gilad Shalit and the other MIAs be liberated alive returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem. May we have the courage to prevent the eviction of Jews from their homes and the handing of Jewish land over to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nai Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem V’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bim hay v’yameinu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!

Good Shabbos!
_______________________________________

Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of the Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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Parshat Beshalach 5770: Moshe’s Paradigm of Empathy: Applied Today?

Filed under: News Reports, Commentary & Human Interest on Saturday, January 23rd, 2010 by moshe | Comments Off


by Moshe Burt

Near the end of our Parsha, we read “And the hands of Moshe were heavy and they took a rock and placed it under him and he sat on it.” (Sefer Sh’mos, Perek 17, posuk 12)

Rabbi Pliskin in Growth Through Torah cites a Rashi which states;

“that Moshe did not sit on a comfortable pillow, but a rock. There was a battle going on with Amalek and Moshe wanted to feel the suffering of the people. This, said Rabbi Yeruchem Levovitz, is a lesson in feeling for another person’s suffering. Not only should we mentally feel their pain, but it is proper to do some action in order to feel some of the discomfort yourself when someone else experiences pain. This way [through empathy] you actually feel his pain.” (Growth Through Torah, Rabbi Zelig Pliskin, page 177, citing from Daas Torah, page 152)

What this and other citings from our Parsha and from throughout Torah indicate is that Moshe Rabbeinu was as one with the entire B’nai Yisrael. He made himself to feel what the B’nai Yisrael was feeling in order not to lead from aloof or afar, and to beseech Hashem on their behalf, knowing what suffering they were undergoing. This attribute of empathy possessed by Moshe Rabbeinu stems back young days in Pharoah’s palace.

Rabbi Dr. Yosef Gerber cites Shemos Perek 2, pasuk 11 and quotes Rashi in his sefer, “Today is Eternity” (page 164):

Moshe Rabbeinu…. in particular, his rise to greatness was a consequence of the outstanding way in which he was… able to identify with the needs and share the burden of others.

The pasuk tells us… “Moshe became great and he went out to his brethren.” Rashi explains that Moshe was being groomed by Pharoah as a future ruler. When a person receives exceptional favors, he is normally drawn towards his benefactor. Yet despite Pharoah having chosen and elevated him, Moshe “went out to his brethren.” He was not drawn towards the Egyptians. In fact, the reverse is true. He became profoundly involved with Am Yisrael and he saw and felt the depth of their suffering.

Rabbi Gerber then indicates that Moshe’s empathy was not limited to the view on a national level, but when he saw a Mitzri beating a Jew, he put his life on the line to get involved. And when, a short while later, he saw 2 Jews fighting, he again got involved. And after running away from Pharoah, he had the courage and compassion to defend the daughters of Yithro from shepherds who threatened them. Rabbi Gerber notes that this empathy showed yet again in the story of the lamb who strayed from the flock which Moshe was shepherding.

But it wasn’t just Moshe Rabbeinu who possessed this mido of empathy.

Rabbi Dr. Gerber (ibid, page 178) writes how David HaMelech became a Torah giant without diminishing his care for his flock (of sheep) amd how he smote lion and bear to rescue a single sheep which way carried away from the flock and about to be devoured. And we know about this act only because David revealed it to Shaul HaMelech in begging him to be permitted to do battle with Golias.

This spirit within both Moshe Rabbeinu and David HaMelech set a standard which we, in contemporary times, are hard-pressed to emulate. That is, when situations are critical, there is the need, the compulsion to act in tangible, meaningful ways to manifest our oneness, our unity and bonding both with our Land and with our Brethren, even that poor, lonely Jew absorbed in his matzav — perhaps in danger of being devoured. This is at least as important as the myriad gross injustices, harrassment, persecution, explusions, high court legalized thefts, at gunpoint, and more suffered at the hands of a regime in Israel diabolically opposed to and divorced from Torah and which seeks to eradicate the Jewish spirit from Israelis.

And more, this spirit of empathy is not just lacking at the national level regarding harrassment, persecution, explusions, legalized thefts at gunpoint sanctioned by a so-called “high court” against Torah Jews as a whole, this empathy of spirit exemplified by Moshe Rabbeinu seems lacking on a local and individual basis.

This same standard of empathy within both Moshe Rabbeinu and David HaMelech is needed regarding bonding with one’s fellow Jews on a local, communal level concerning no less important needs; shidduchim problems for the 30s, 40s and 50s plus and for Kohanim accross the board, parnossa and unemployment, spousal abuse — physical, psychological, financial and otherwise, child abuse — at home, b’derech as well as at school. Someone has to stand up, act and advocate for the aggrieved. Or do we let the secular lawyers do it?

The mark of a real Jewish leader then seems to be empathy — as much for and with each Jewish brother as with the broad Jewish national purpose.

Again this year, as in recent previous years, this author quoted from a Parsha sheet for Parsha Vayeshev written several years ago by Rabbi Yaakov Haber. It bears repeating here;

Has anyone said “Hineini” lately? Our kids are at risk, our brothers and sisters are being shot at and bombed! Our communities are fragmented. We have shiduchim problems and parnossa problems. Assimilation is at an all time high.

Most of us sit at the sidelines, observe and comment. It’s not good enough - we have to do something, we have to say “Hineini”! If there are kids that need help, come find out what you can do with a couple of hours a week.

Make a connection with a terrorist victim in Israel that is being ignored.

As the world is changing so drastically and quickly, we have to change. We have to change our priorities and our schedules. Like Yosef, we can no longer avoid the issues…. Like Yosef, each one of us has to consider what we can do, and say “Hineini” - I’m here and I’m ready - to do what ever needs to be done for G-d and His people; and like Yosef, we will succeed.

May we, the B’nai Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently settled and be made totally whole, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, captive Gilad Shalit and the other MIAs be liberated alive returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem. May we have the courage to prevent the eviction of Jews from their homes and the handing of Jewish land over to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nai Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem V’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bim hay v’yameinu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!

Good Shabbos! Tu B’Shvat Same’ach!

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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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Parshat Bo 5770: Tangible Darkness, Supernal Light and Jonathan Pollard — Revisited

Filed under: News Reports, Commentary & Human Interest, Jonathan Pollard on Saturday, January 16th, 2010 by moshe | Comments Off


by Moshe Burt

Parshat Bo is the one which, for me, annually relates to that crazy tune which played back “in the Old Country” a few decades ago, “Does Your Korbon Pesach Lose It’s Flavor Tied to the Bedpost Overnight?” (Actually, the real title to the song was “Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It’s Flavor on the Bedpost Overnight?”)

Over the years, this author has opened with this nutty parody because it cuts right to the chase, to the very heart of our Parsha. That is the Mitzvot of taking the Korbon Pesach, applying the da’am on Jewish doorposts, the going up from Mitzrayim (Egypt) to “…a land flowing with milk and honey …” and the first mitzvah commanded of the National entity (B’nai Yisrael), the Kiddush HaChodesh — the sanctification of the New Moon and the relevance today of these mitzvot which relate to emunah (belief in) and yirat (fear of)Hashem.

As noted in previous Parshat HaShevuas, The Ner Uziel, by Rabbi Uziel Milevsky, z’l brings an immense amount of clarity to the parshiyot.

And it appears that by Parsha Bo, Rabbi Milevsky (Ner Uziel, Parsha Bo, pages 342-343) brings a special clarity to both the “tangible darkness” and the “supernal light” — the double whammy with which Hashem afflicted the Mitzriyim while simultaneously adding a dimension to the perceptions and clarity of believing Jews.

As to the darkness, Rabbi Milevsky defines this “tangible darkness” as
“an extension of confusion and distorted view of reality” — of “a state of indecision and inner turmoil, in which simple, everyday activities become impossible” for lack of the element of clarity due to overwhelming self-doubt and confusion. In such a state, man loses the ability to function and to act. Indecision causes functional impairment rendering him cripple.

Meanwhile, when Hashem brought this “tangible darkness” upon the Mitzriyim, at the same time, He brought a “supernal light” upon the Jews. This light, unlike daytime light which we are accustomed to, was of an exclusively spiritual nature.

Rabbi Milevsky brings that it is this light which was created during the 6 days of creation — “Let there be light and there was light” (Beish’t perek 1, posuk 3), unlike the other creations which concluded “and it was so.”

Rabbi Milevsky explains that light, we know, is merely corporeal manifestation of a higher, more abstract essence — truth. The Upper realms of light are truth, while in our lower domain. light manifests as electromagnetic radiation visible to the human eye. “Truth” is supernal light which Hashem concealed at creation lest the wicked acquire and misuse it. He stored it for the righteous to use at the opportune time in the future.

He explains that during the plague of darkness (Mako of Choshech), the Jews were granted the use of this “supernal light” on this corporeal, spiritual level which was concealed from Mitzri eyes.

Okay. So, what has the “tangible darkness” and “supernal light” to do with Jonathan Pollard?

Having read this section in the Ner Uziel as to our parsha, and also having in mind our dear brother Jonathan Pollard — that he put his entire being on the line L’Shem Shamayim, it brought me to search the Justice4Jonathan Pollard website to read documentation concerning the inhumane conditions of Pollard’s first 7 years of incarceration — in solitary confinement. In the process, this author found not only the countless citings of inhuman treatment during the solitary confinement, but also the the inhuman conditions in which he was kept under guard in shackles and chains in Washington D.C. for the 2 week period prior to a hearing on his case in 2003.

And let us not forget the supernal light of clarity which was Pollard’s when he first discovery of the intelligence which the U.S. was not supplying Israel — in violation of the information exhange agreement which America had made with the Jewish State. Jonathan knew what he had to do, and didn’t waver.

The fact of this being a Shabbos vort prevents one from citing all of the conditions to which Jonathan was subjected — suffice to relate to them as inhumane and akin to, if not worse than the worst conditions of Viet Cong POW captivity.

Further, it is cited in a number of places on the Pollard site that psychological assessments of Jonathan by both the CIA and the Mossad were that if he would be confined for a long period under inhumane conditions, in a small compartment, without reading material and without that which is provided for other prisoners — that Jonathan would not last and that both the State Department and Mossad would have a resolution of their problem. The same held true for the manner in which Jonathan was held prior to his 2003 hearing.

In this author’s humble opinion; in the darkness into which Jonathan was cast, he confounded them all. Rather than the darkness bringing about what Rabbi Milevsky described as having overcome the Mitzriyim;
“a state of indecision and inner turmoil, in which simple, everyday activities become impossible” for lack of clarity due to overwhelming self-doubt and confusion, this very darkness appeared, appears to have become a “supernal light” for Jonathan who fought against the confinement, eventually winning release from solitary and placement in more “normal” prison conditions in Fort Butner. And it is this same “supernal light” which helped Jonathan in 2003 in the weeks leading to his hearing and helped him to avoid making what would have been life-threatening mistakes when he was brought into the hearing room after 2 weeks of confinement under the most dire sanitary conditions.

And it is this same “supernal light” which seems to guide him daily according to all the texts of his website and according to all of the writings and interviews of Esther Pollard and all who are able to visit him in prison. May Jonathan and we know ASAP the happiness and simcha of his immediate release to join all in Eretz Yisrael for the coming Ge’ula Shlaima.

May we, the B’nai Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently settled and be made totally whole, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, captive Gilad Shalit and the other MIAs be liberated alive returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem. May we have the courage to prevent the eviction of Jews from their homes and the handing of Jewish land over to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nai Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem V’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bim hay v’yameinu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!

Good Shabbos!

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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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Parsha Va’era 5770: Reconnecting the Jewish Soul

Filed under: News Reports, Commentary & Human Interest on Saturday, January 9th, 2010 by moshe | Comments Off


by Moshe Burt

At the conclusion of Parsha Shemos, Moshe and Aaron are confronted, upon exiting Pharoah’s Palace, by the B’nai Yisrael who are in deeper despair than before because of the increased workload, i.e. finding their own straw while the quotas remain the same, which resulted from Pharoah’s fury at Moshe’s first effort to secure their freedom and exit from Mitzrayim.

Our Parsha begins with the dialogue which Moshe Rebbeinu has with Hashem prior to again speaking to the B’nai Yisrael. And so, after Hashem rebukes Moshe for his complaint and reassures him that redemption is at hand, Moshe again addresses the B’nai Yisrael as to his meeting with Pharoah;

“And Moshe spoke so [Hashem’s promise of imminent Redemption] to the B’nai Yisrael and they did not listen to Moshe for anguish of spirit and hard work.” (Sefer Shemos, Perek 6, posuk 9)

Rabbi Artscroll cites two interpretations;

One was held by “most commentators that the verse explains that their negative attitude was due not to lack of faith, but to the difficult physical and emotional circumstances under which they labored.” (Artscroll Stone Chumash, Sefer Shemos, Perek 6, pusuk 9, page 320)

The second interpretation was held by Sforno that Moshe’s message did not evoke in the people a faith in G’d as Avraham had as expressed in Breish’t Perek 15, posuk 6;

“And he trusted in Hashem, and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.”

The Artscroll Stone Chumash commentary on Sefer Shemos, Perek 6, posuk 9, page 321 therefore states;

“As a result, they lost the priviledge of going to the Promised Land and their children were the ones for whom the promise … was fulfilled. The reason for their failure was their insufficiency of spirit. The posuk concludes, however, that had it not been for the hard work, they would have overcome their impatience and heeded Moshe’s appeal.”

These interpretations are amplified with recollection of a vort from Shem Mishmuel who speaks about the disconnection between intellect and vocalization, and the heart and neshama which took place during the enslavement in Egypt (Shem Mishmuel pages 224-225).

According to the understanding of the cited vort, only once the B’nai Yisrael were redeemed, could the circuit; the connection between thought and it’s vocalization and the heart and neshama be completed and the B’nai Yisrael then be able to vocalize it’s deepest, heartfelt words and faith.

How does the above relate to our contemporary times? How does the disconnect of the Jews in Mitzrayim relate to today’s modern-day Israeli disconnect from their land and from Judaism?

For most contemporary Israelis, the horrendous Israeli secular education system has inculcated generations of Israelis with a disconnection from anything Jewish such that the current generation does not know why it is here, sees nothing Kadosh — Holy about the Land of Israel or any part thereof and thus can’t be bothered with anything not directly connected with their getting through the next day, week or month. So what if their fellow Jews are evicted from outposts, or expelled by the thousands, or tens or hundreds of thousands from their homes on Jewish land, or that Jonathan Pollard languishes in American prison or that Gilad Shalit remains captive for lack of a rescue plan due to successive spineless, equivocating, anti-Torah Israeli governments.

The Israeli secular system seemingly has succeeded in creating the New Jew, the breeding ground for what Emmanuel Feldman once quoted from the Book of Isaiah in an article in Jerusalem Post; “Your leaders have become plunderers, associates of thieves, lovers of bribery, pursuers of payoffs.” (Isaiah 1:23).

To brainwashed, dumbed-down, inculcated secular Israelis; the Jews who live in Yehuda and the Shomron or Kiryat Sefer or Beitar Illit or the Jews who lived in Gush Katif are objects of derision and disdain out of leftist dogma that Israel stole the land from the Arabs and that religious Jews usurped the land as their own. Never mind that, as a person once opined in an email to this author, that “the Right should start protesting the fact that a lot of LEFT WING areas, like Ramat Aviv and probably Savyon, are built on Arab lands!”

To Yoseph Q. Secular Israel, Hashem, Jewish history and connection to the Land seems abstract, not real, not tangible and thus meaningless compared with the government’s forced daily matzav of making ends meet and putting food on the table, not to mention the forced feeding of Leftist agenda media drivle to the masses.

The pintele yid seems too far beneath the surface of many. This seems true even though, at various levels according to statistics, various traditions of Judaism i.e. fasting on Yom Kippur, cleaning the house of chometz on Pesach, lighting Shabbos candles, etc. are kept by many or most Israelis.

This generation’s youth know not how to recite even the Shema in their native Iv’rit peh. And they do not know their history; not 5770 years of Jewish history, not even the events and personalities of their nearly 60 years of contemporary Israeli history. Add to that, his parents are up to their eyeballs in red, that’s the red of the bank minus and Ma’as Hachnasah (Tax) bite.

So how or what do we do as a first step toward confronting a run-and-hide Israeli mentality with reality when their hearts and souls are disconnected from Jewish intellect, knowledge and speech? How do we convey reality and the consequences of destructo governing polices? How do re-establish the connection between intellect and vocalization of the Israeli with his Jewish heart and neshama?

And it seems that substantial Chareidi segments, perhaps even the majority of Chareidim similarly suffer a disconnect from the Land of Israel. They know that they live where the Shechinah (the direct connection with Hashem) resides, they pray and learn Torah but lack the the third dimension, the translation into application of tefillah, learning and Chesed in order to confront the evil regime which acts to undermine Torah at every turn. It will be interesting to watch Chareidi reaction as the on-again, off-again litigation regarding such Chareidi areas as Kiryat Sefer and Beitar Illit proceeds in the courts.

May we, the B’nai Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently settled and be made totally whole, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, captive Gilad Shalit and the other MIAs be liberated alive returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem and that we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nai Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem V’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bim hay v’yameinu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!

Good Shabbos! Chodesh Tov!
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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.

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Parshat Shemos 5770: Assimilation and the Evolution of Jewish Enslavement — Then and Now(?)

Filed under: Commentary & Human Interest on Saturday, January 2nd, 2010 by moshe | Comments Off


by Moshe Burt

To sufficiently comprehend the evolution of the enslavement of B’nai Yisrael in Mitzriyim, it would seem that one needs to comprehend the closed nature of the two preceding Parshiyot; the concluding posuk of Vayigash;

And Yisrael dwelt in the land of Mitzriyim in the land of Goshen, and they acquired property in it and… multiplied greatly

and the first posuk of Vayechi;

And Yaakov lived in the land of Mitzrayim for seventeen years…

We need to understand the gist of the Kli Yekar; that the Sh’vatim, the Am, knowing that they were to be in Mitzriyim for a definite period of time beyond their lifetimes thus perceived a permanence. Therefore, they adapted themselves to living in Mitzriyim long-term and were thus vulnerable to Mitzri “encouragement” to melt, to assimilate into Mitzri society, to work for the nation, etc. The B’nai Yisrael began to accumulate wealth, land, assets, material possessions as they grew in numbers from 70 souls to 600,000 during Yaakov’s 17 years in Mitzrayim, as stated in the Judaica Press Chumash volume 3 re: Parsha Vayechi.

With the passage of time, and with Yaakov and the brothers — the tribal heads all passing from the scene, the Am forgot about their true home in Canaan, in Eretz Yisrael, and became complacent in Mitzriyim. And with the passing of heads of B’nai Yisrael, the Am no longer retained an elevated status in the eyes of the Mitzriyim who quickly forgot how Yosef saved them from famine.

Last year at this time this author discovered a Sefer in the Shul’s bookcase; Ner Uziel: Perspectives on the Parsha, where Rabbi Uziel Milevsky z’l adds substantial clarity to the Jews’ evolution into bondage in Mitzriyim.

Ner Uziel on Parshat Shemos (p. 297-301) refers to Perek 1, posuk 7 which reads;

“The B’nai Yisrael were fruitful and they bred… they became so numerous that the land was filled with them.”

Rabbi Milevsky finds the Torah’s loshen for bred; “vayishretzu” disturbing. He notes that “vayishretzu” comes from the root word; sheretz = rodent, i.e. that;

“The Jewish people multiplied like rats.”

Rashi, on our posuk, notes that even with the miraculous birth rate of 6 children at a time, the Jews couldn’t have filled the land of Mitzriyim.

So why this loshen “vayishretzu”?

While the Sh’vatim lived, the Jews remained on Goshen and continued in the ways of their forefathers and were dedicated exclusively to Divine Service.

Following the deaths of Yaakov and the sons, the moral fabric began to unravel. The values of the forefathers eroded, particularly among the young and newly-married couples. They begin to venture beyond the pale of seperation from the Mitzriyim which was Goshen and beyond exclusive Divine service.

Rabbi Milevsky notes that the Egyptians of the time “were notorious anti-semites.

We know that the Jews gradually assimilated into Egyptian society and excelled in all fields of endeavor. This is what is implied by Perek 1, posuk 6;

“Yosef died, and all of his brothers and that entire generation.”

Rabbi Milevsky noted that traditional Jews bore little resemblance to their neighbors, i.e. dress, laws and a different language. As a result, one could use an old Aish HaTorah analogy; there was a “dislike for the unlike.”

He notes that some theorized that if they would only abandon their foreign beliefs (they maintained their unique dress, names and language) and melt into Mitzri society, the Mitzrayim would welcome them with open arms. They were bitterly disappointed when they found that the more they adopted Mitzri ways, the more they were hated.

Further, when the Jews excelled in their professional fields of endeavor such that everywhere the Mitzrayim turned, they found Jews, a perception developed that;

“…They became so numerous that the land was filled with them.”

And so Pharoah fed that perception.

Rabbi Milevsky cites a story to illustrate how such a perception develops.

A prominent Rabbi from the US travelled to Mexico City and was being driven by a Mexican cabbie. The Rabbi asked the driver how many people there were in Mexico City. The cabbie responded that Mexico City was the largest city in the world with a population of 20 million.

The Rabbi then asked him how many Jews lived there. The cabbie’s response; “Senior, there are muchos muchos Jews living there. (Rabbi Milevsky notes that there were 35,000 Jews there at the time. The cabbie added that “there are at least 4 to 5 million Jews.”

Rabbi Milevsky then brings out why the Mexican cabbie had that impression; Jews owned the apartment building where he lived, the surgeon who operated on his mother was a Jew, a Jew owned his bank — all of this fed the driver’s perception regarding the Jewish population in Mexico City.

Likewise, the Mitzrayim were convinced that Jews filled the country — thus the loshen “vayishretzu”.

Rabbi Milevsky then related that Hashem punished the B’nai Yisrael in accordance with their sin. Since they assimilated and abandoned the Jewish moral code of their Avos, either a new King took the throne who fidn’t know Yosef, or the same King pretended not to know Yosef.

How can this be? Referring back to the storyline of Duaf of Memphis, one of a series of stories — “Almost Midrash,” by Jay Shapiro;

“Yosef saved Mitzrayim and will go down in the annals of history.”

But how quickly they “forgot” Yosef.

Rabbi Milevsky notes that Yosef was to Mitzriyim as Abraham Lincoln was to the U.S. Such an influential person in a nation’s history is not easily forgotten. But Pharoah considered Yosef’s leadership and accomplishments as a blight on Mitzri history.

And so Pharoah schemed the enslavement of the Jews — mida keneged mida — to isolate the Jews from Mitzri Society. We have seen this same storyline play itself out in Jewish history again and again through modern-day in Chutz L’Aretz as millions of Jews to date have erred in choosing to melt into the society in which they live (actually; reside) and to accept what are often the distorted laws and mores of that society.

And are we watching the same Jewish historical storyline play out here in Israel? Are we all soo preoccupied with our individual needs and matzavim that we overlook V’Ahavta, L’Rei’echa, Kamocha; the needs of our fellow Jews in other religious sectors thereby leaving all of us prey, through lack of unity, to the divide-and-conquer modus operende of governance dedicated to the dismemberment and eradication of Jewishness, of Yiddishkeit from the minds, hearts and souls of Israelis?

May we, the B’nai Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently settled and be made totally whole, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, captive Gilad Shalit and the other MIAs be liberated alive returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem. May we have the courage to prevent the eviction of Jews from their homes and the handing of Jewish land over to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nai Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem V’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bim hay v’yameinu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!

Good Shabbos!
_______________________________________

Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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Yaakov, The Sh’vatim and The End of Days

Filed under: Commentary & Human Interest on Friday, January 1st, 2010 by moshe | Comments Off


by Moshe Burt — Special Erev Shabbos Edition

This author heard a vort on Parshat Vayechi this past Thursday night at Mishmar which could be understood to amplify on a topic repeated on this blog several times over the past few weeks — that Jewish unity is prerequisite to bringing about a Halachic, Just State of Israel, the prerequisite to bringing about the Geula Shlaima — the Ultimate Redemption.

As he was completing his shiur on Parshat Vayechi, Rabbi Harry Greenspan said over a vort from some 40 years ago in the name of his Rebbe in Yeshiva University, R’Nissan Alpert z’l. R’ Alpert was a Shul Rav on the Lower East Side and gave shiurim at YU. It is said that he was the top Talmid of R’Moshe Feinstein, z’l.

R’ Greenspan related that while Torah, Rashi and other commentators rendered that Yaakov Aveinu called his sons together to tell them of “The End of Days” and then lost his Ruach HaKodesh, R’ Alpert suggested that one could perhaps say that Yaakov did actually tell his sons when the Geula Shlaima would occur.

Sefer Breish’t Perek 49, posuk 1 reads:
.

Hei-afsu — “Gather [Hei-afsu is rendered by Shimshon Inbal’s English-Hebrew, Hebrew-English Dictionary published by S. Zack & Co,: collect, gather, aggregate, provide shelter, public meeting] and I will tell you what will happen to you in The End of Days.”

.
Posuk 2 then reads:

Hi-kavtzu — “Gather [rendered by the same English-Hebrew, Hebrew-English Dictionary as; collect] and listen, sons of Yaakov, and listen to Yisrael, your father.”

The two loshonot of the word “Gather” could therefore be understood to mean come together as one, unite for only when Am Yisrael is united, as one can the Geula Shlaima occur. Only when there is unity, a consensus of Halacha and Halachic fences, of checks and balances, of oversight, of transparency, of V’Ahavtah L’rei’cha Kamocha — wanting for your brother, for your brethren, what you want for yourself; will we have the courage to prevent the eviction of Jews from their homes and the handing of Jewish land over to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. Only then will we achieve Hashem’s blueprint of B’nai Yisrael as an Am Segula. Only then will we zocha to see Moshiach, the Geula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings, “Ki Karov Yom Hashem V’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bim hay v’yameinu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!

Good Shabbos!
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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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Parsha Vayechi 5770: Battling the Evolution of Enslavement, Persecution

Filed under: Commentary & Human Interest on Saturday, December 26th, 2009 by moshe | Comments Off


by Moshe Burt

This author recalls a commentary by the K’li Yekar (Judiaca Press Chumash, Vol.3, page 600) on the first posuk of Parsha Vayechi which is leyned this Shabbos.

The K’li Yekar explains the lack of a space between the end of the previous sedra Vayigash and our parsha as meaning that the two poskim are understood together. The final verse of Vayigash reads;

And Yisrael dwelt in the land of Mitzriyim in the land of Goshen, and they acquired property in it and… multiplied greatly.

The first posuk of Vayechi reads;

And Yaakov lived in the land of Mitzrayim for seventeen years…

The K’li Yekar indicates in part that Yaakov lost his Ruach HaKodesh; his ability to give prophesy, and that the Shechinah, Hashem’s presence (if you will) departed from him during his 17 years in Mitzrayim.

The K’li Yekar further indicates that the loss of prophesy and the departure of the Shechinah;

was caused by the attitude taken by the children of israel in Mitzrayim, who knew how long their exile would last and allowed themselves to become permanent citizens of Mitzrayim. For this reason, there was no space between the final verse of Vayigash and and the initial verse of Vayechi, to imply that since the children of Israel considered themselves permanent residents of Mitzrayim, Yaakov’s spirit was not with him all of the seventeen years that he spent in Mitzrayim.

In short, the Sh’vatim, the Am forgot about their true home in Canaan, in Eretz Yisrael.

Yaakov, therefore would not or, could not reveal the end lest the B’nai Yisrael, at any given time of our history, despair of being redeemed and consider themselves permanent residents of Chutz L’Aretz, just as our ancestors did in Mitzriyim.

In compiling these vorts on the Parsha, this author tries to extrapolate and apply the past to the present. Today, often there is the tendency to rationalize; then was then and now is now, with then thus being abstract.

It seems that there are lessons for our times in this K’li Yekar, both for Jews in Chutz L’Aretz and Jews in Eretz Yisrael.

For Jews in Chutz L’Aretz, particularly in the US, it seems that being American has supplanted identity as Jews, even in religious circles such that expressions like “Borough Park Ir HaKodesh” prevail and that aliyah, even with all of the great and holy work of Nefesh b’Nefesh, is still but a relative trickle compared to the number of Jews in Chutz L’Aretz. The lesson of the acceptance by the Sh’vatim of Mitzrayim as home which is followed by the evolving enslavement of Jews appears to have been lost on American Jews. Many or most of the Jews, who bear the scars of the Galut, seem to have long-ago resigned themselves to accepting the perception of normalcy and have devalued and degraded their levels of Jewishness.

But the lesson of this K’li Yekar for we who love in Eretz Yisrael is more stark. The lesson for us is not about living here for we already do. The lesson relates to passive acceptance by many in Israel, perhaps the vast majority of us, of the prevailing so-called “reality” of corruption, graft, protexia, as well legal, justice and military systems by way of political agenda. The masses appear to have accepted as “inevitable” a political agenda of divide, conquer and eradicate Jewishness from the souls of Israelis which manifests itself eviction of Jews from their homes and the handing of Jewish land over to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. And with the expression “ein ma’alasot” — “there is nothing that can we do?”, the masses grow complacent. After all, we are but powerless piyons before the likes of an Ehud Barak — all-knowing — all-powerful regime. The lesson of Jewish morality toward one’s brother and toward Eretz Kedusha, which compells standing strong caring about our fellow Jew as one’s self — cornerstone of unity amongst the B’nai Yisrael, seems lost on the masses.

This author has often repeated on this blog the point that Jews MUST commit themselves to bring real change and suggests the following;

In order not only to remove the modern-day political agendists from power, but to change the system of governance, there requires recognition by the modern-day Am that excessive bureaucracy, protexia, influence-peddling, the “Old-Boys” doing favors for each other behind closed doors, in smoke-filled rooms in exchange for what the other will do to enrich them — all have to end.

In short, the beginning of the end of the Baraks, the Netanyahus and their ilk begins with US. It begins with the intellectualization and internalization that Jewish morality dictates that achievement of position and title be based on merit, experience, honesty, fairness and worthiness, NOT based on protexia; who it is you know — from the position of Prime Minister down to the mortgage applicant at the local bank. The morality of honesty, fairness and worthiness are the truest sense of V’Ahavta, L’Rei’echa, Kamocha.

And of course, the Olim Chadashim can help foster and hasten this change by being forceful as we would be in the US and not allowing ourselves to be intimidated, stepped on or belittled.

But until the Jews are willing to commit themselves to the axiomatic reality of change based the Jewish attributes of fairness, integrity, merit, experience and worthiness, as well as V’Ahavta, L’Rei’echa, Kamocha — treating our brethren as we ourselves would want to be treated, we will continue to have same effete leadership: Bibi, Barak, Peres, Livni, Ramon, Sheetrit, Mofaz, etc. — leaders who mirror who we are.

May we, the B’nai Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently settled and be made totally whole, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, captive Gilad Shalit and the other MIAs be liberated alive returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem and that we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nai Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Yom Hashem V’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bim hay v’yameinu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!

Good Shabbos!
———————————————————
Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.

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Parsha Vayigash 5770: Jewish Unity, Critical but Ever Elusive

Filed under: News Reports, Commentary & Human Interest on Sunday, December 20th, 2009 by moshe | Comments Off


by Moshe Burt

Parsha Mikeitz records the whole affair between Yosef and the brothers when they came to Mitzrayim to buy food and were accused by the Viceroy of being spies. We learned how after hearing their story and family history, Yosef demanded that they bring their youngest brother to him and incarcerated Shimon as insurance that the brothers would indeed return with Binyamin, their youngest brother. We learn that in the middle of Parsha Mikeitz, with the imprisonment of Shimon, the brothers recognized and attributed their predicament to the sin they had committed earlier by throwing Yosef into the pit and then selling him to the Mitzriyim. Yosef heard and understood their conversation and left their presence to cry silently. (Perek 42, posukim 21-24)

Then, we learn how when Binyamin was finally brought to Yosef, the brothers were provided with food and it was made to appear as if Binyamin had stolen the Viceroy’s silver goblet. The Viceroy detained Binyamin under charges that he had stolen the goblet and released the other brothers to return to their father.

Our Parsha Vayigash begins with Yehuda speaking his appeal to the Viceroy on behalf of his father Yaakov regarding Binyamin’s imprisonment.

Upon hearing Yehuda’s plea regarding the special love affection which Yaakov had for Binyamin, Yosef could no longer restrain himself and revealed himself as he cried out so loudly that he was heard by Pharoh.

The brothers had shown Yosef that they had recognized their aveirah, done teshuvah and were unified in their concern for Binyamin’s welfare. Yosef embraced his brothers and comforted them and “told them not to be sad that they had sold him, for Hashem had actually sent him here to keep them alive during the years of famine.” (L’lMod Ulamed, Parsha Vayigash, page 57).

This unity was crucial for the future travails of enslavement in Mitzrayim as the Jewish nation was forged.

But, in our time, the type of unity expressed by Yehudah for his brother Benyamin is lacking amongst B’nai Yisrael. And many among us do not, and appear as if they are sooo blinded by their pervasive disdain and hatred for who and what they are so as to not, see the abject error of their ways even as the consequences become ever clearer.

All the while, these modern-day hellenists continue their drive toward convergence, toward “land for peace (sic)”; translated as nothing less than the eradication of all vestiges and expressions of Jewishness. And the vast majority of those who should know better seem unprepared to put their individual lives on hold and collectively act with unity, as one to do everything necessary to confront the evil.

We haven’t learned the brother’s lesson yet.

And further, the protexia-class hellenists have learned more than we have — they know our weaknesses intimately and they how to divide and conquer us by virtue of our machlokesim. Each religious sector seems set against the other with little if any effort by any of the sectors to sit together and thrash out the unity and consensus which is crucial to overcome a Hellenistic regime and to ultimately restore Torah Halachic justice as law of the land.

When the brothers returned to Yaakov, there is a midrash which indicates that they were worried about how to break the news to him of Yosef’s survival and meteoric ascent to a position 2nd only to Pharoah. Thr brothers feared that the shock of the news might endanger Yaakov’s life. And so, they sent Asher’s daughter Serach, with her great spirituality and her special harp playing talent, to gently sing a melody to Yaakov; “My uncle Yosef is still alive; he is ruler over Egypt.” (The Midrash Says, Sefer Breish’t, page 426)

And from this can be learned a rule of human nature regarding breaking of important news, the old adage; “Break it to me gently.”

And so, we’ve watched the evolution of events over the last at least 17 years; Oslo, Oslo 2, Wye, leaving South Lebanon to Hezbollah, “Roadmaps”, the Expulsion from Gush Katif and the 4 Shomron Towns, the kidnapping of Jewish soldiers and lack of efforts to rescue them, the two front war of summer 2006 in Gaza and in Lebanon, the so-called “ceasefire” in Lebanon and it’s bogus UN UNIFIL “peacekeepers”, the successive bogus “ceasefires” in Gaza which led to last January’s inconclusive Gaza “Cast Lead” operation, the High Court’s continued demolition of the other branches of government, continuing attempts by Olmert, and now Netanyahu, to bring about “Convergence” by way of a building freeze, the blatant and gross humiliation of Annapolis and much much more. Every intelligent person knows about the above, that the past at least 17 years has seriously damaged Israel on ALL levels. There are no links necessary!

And so, we can look back and surmise that had all of the implications and all that has happened in the past 17 or so years been known to, derived or anticipated by the people when Oslo was first hatched, the Jews would not have stood for it. And so, we were left with the soft refrain when Rabin signed Oslo, “If they’re bad boys, we’ll just go and take it back.”

They were bad boys and the government of Israel did nothing except concede more and more and more. And so I harken back to the lesson of how to boil a frog, or a lobster; turning the heat up gradually, a little at a time, each time allowing it to re-acclimate before the final boil when the heat is turned on full and the frog or lobster dies.

May we, the B’nai Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently settled and be made totally whole, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, captive Gilad Shalit and the other MIAs be liberated alive returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem and that we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nai Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem V’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bim hay v’yameinu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!

Good Shabbos!
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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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