Novel Idea for Those Lacking Emunah: Ariel to be Named for Sharon

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Mayor of the Shomron town of Ariel, Ron Nachman and the Ariel city council have hit on a novel approach for those whose emunah is lacking, who see Hussein Obama or Hillary Clinton as the final arbiters on the Land of Israel and for whom Hashem never really enters the equation. They have decided that the city of Ariel would be named for the comatose former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Nachman explained it this way:

…He saw no conflict between his town’s location and Sharon’s policies. While Sharon initiated the Disengagement, he was still a leading figure in Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria, and his later actions do not erase his accomplishments in that area, the mayor said. read more

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Shabbos Thru Tuesday War News: Gaza Mortar Injures Jew in South; Pipe Bomb Found Near Kalkilya, Knife in Auto in South Hebron Hills, Terror Attack at Shuafat Checkpoint Foiled, Jew Wounded by Arab Stone-Throwers Near Ariel, IDF Nabs 21 Arab Terrorists

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Judenrein! What Was Bibi’s Meaning, Motivation for Use of Term?

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Reuters reported last week that prime minister Netanyahu, while hosting German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, used the term “Judenrein” as derived from the Nazi era of the Holocaust to condemn “Palestinian (sic)” demands that Jewish towns be removed from the entirety of beyond the “greenline”, presumably to clear the way for a “Palestinian (sic)” in the entirety of Yesha. But, what was Bibi’s true meaning, motivation behind use of the term “Judenrein”?: read more

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Parsha Matos/Masei 5769: Remaining “in Peace” Rather Than Possessing Eretz Yisrael

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, by Moshe Burt

In Parsha Matos, Sh’vatim Gad and Reuven approached Moshe Rabbeinu regarding their desire to graze their flocks and settle their families on the East side of the Yarden. To this, Moshe Rabbeinu replied, “Shall your brothers go off to war, and shall you sit here?” (Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 32, posuk 6)

Moshe was quite angry at the two Sh’vatim. He was concerned lest Gad and Reuven would avoid taking part in the wars for Eretz Yisrael, that other Sh’vatim might follow suit and B’nai Yisrael might be condemned to wandering in the desert another 40 years. read more

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Parsha Pinchas 5769: Passionate Love of Eretz Yisrael = Jealously Possessing It

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Here is another Torah gem from that kiruv legend, Jeff Seidel:

Parshat Pinchas relates a story (27:1-12) about the daughters of Tzlafchad, descendants of Yosef (Joseph). These daughters wanted and loved the Land of Israel so much that they wanted a piece of it. As Rav Moshe Feinstein asks, why do they have to have a claim in the land, just because they love it? Wouldn’t entering or living in the land be fulfilling enough?

Rav Moshe thus concludes that if a person truly loves something, they’d want it to be theirs, and no one else’s. This is why the daughters wanted to actually own a piece of the land, rather than simply living in it. This logic applies to marriages, as well as the Torah’s preference that every Jew writes their own Torah (or a portion of it). In our terms, it’s not enough to borrow and read Jewish books. We need to love the Torah we read SO much that we feel the need to own it! As this week’s Parsha urges, we should not only seek, read and enjoy words of Torah, but we should OWN those books, and live those words! read more

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Wednesday Thru Friday War News: Hamas Attacks From Gaza About to Resume?; Cabbie’s Murder Deemed Terror, Arab Woman Nabbed With 2 Commando Knives, 18 Terrorists Nabbed, Israeli Vehicle Fired on Near Ramallah

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Report: Hamas Attacks [From Gaza] About to Resume

Excerpts:

The first phase is to attack Israeli forces operating along the Gaza security fence. The escalation would be in the form of rocket fire. The attacks would be carried out by independent terrorist groups to relieve Hamas of the responsibility.

Hamas has set up a massive system for launching rockets with better accuracy and more range. It has also installed a line of mines, booby-trapped tunnels and other explosive devices.

[Ashdod] Cabbie’s Murder [Committed by Mahmad Haldi and Mahmoud Uda Near Gan Yavne in May], Declared Terror Attack read more

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Shabbos Thru Tuesday War News: Mortar Attacks at Gaza Crossings; Firebombs and Rock Attacks in Yesha, Whoopie, 1 Illegal Arab Building Razed!, 20 Terrorists Nabbed Since Shabbos, PA Police Operating in Central Jerusalem??

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Parsha Pinchas 5769: The Magnitude of Pinchas’ Zealousness

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by Moshe Burt

We learned in Parsha Balak that Bila’am’s scheme to seduce Jewish men to avodah zora by way of immorality (co-habitation) resulted in a plague which killed 24,000 Jewish men until Pinchas’ act brought the plague to a halt. However, Bamidbar, Perek 25, posuk 4 and 5 read;

And Hashem, said to Moshe: Take all of the chiefs of the people, and hang them up unto the Hashem in the face of the sun, that (there) may turn away the fierce anger of Hashem from Israel. And Moshe said unto the judges of Israel: Slay you every one his men that have joined themselves unto the Ba’al Peor. read more

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Thursday, Friday War News: Arab Gunmen Fire on IDF Gaza Border Patrol; 8 Terrorists Nabbed, Firebomb Attack Near Kalkilya, Arab Stonings Near Beit Omar, Shechem and Hevron Cause Shattered Windshield, Auto Accident

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While Pollard Jailed for Life: Ex-Professor Gets 4 years for Passing Military Secrets to Iran, China

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Commentary:

The irony of the verdict in the case cited in the Miami Herald report below is all too obvious to rehash. The bottom-line is that while passing information bound by agreement between 2 “friendly” nations for the U.S. to provide American ally Israel and which was crucial to the security and survival of Israel (and which agreement was defaulted upon by the U.S.), landed Jonathan Pollard in prison for life, an ex-professor is handed a 4 year prison sentence for passing militay secrets to hostile nations; Iran and China: read more

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