Israel and The Sin of Expulsion

On Thursday, The Jerusalem Post’s first report regarding prime minister Netanyahu’s meeting with Yehuda and Shomron leaders carried these excerpts:
We are not enemies, and if there things that need to be amended - we will fix them, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was cited by Israel Radio as telling settler leaders, as the two-hour […]

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Former Prime Minister Menecham Begin z’l never meant for Israeli governance to fall as it has in the years since he signed the Camp David accords with Egypt’s Anwar Sadat, and particularly in the ensuing years since the disastrous Oslo era began. In fact, there are numerous citings in Torah, as well […]

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by, Moshe Burt
As our Parsha begins, Yaakov sent melachim (angels), some render a translation of messengers, “… ahead of him to Eisev to the land of Seir, to the field of Edom… Thus shall you say … to Eisev, so said your servant Yaakov: ‘Im-Lavan garti’ (I have sojourned with Lavan) …” (Sefer Breish’t, Perek […]

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by Moshe Burt
In last week’s Parsha Toldos, we learned about Rivka, who rose above an evil environment while internalizing it’s insights and was thus well positioned to urge Yaakov to claim the Bracha, and about Yaakov, the “Ish Tam”. We learn that Yaakov was “totally honest, a man of great integrity” but was […]

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by Moshe Burt
In considering Avraham Aveinu’s passing and his son Yitzchak’s aveilut (mourning) of his Father’s passing, there seem to be a number of burning questions which beg to be asked concerning the relationship between Yitzchak and Eisev.
In understanding that Eisev was largely able to camouflage his evil behind his ability to honor his Father, […]

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by Moshe Burt
There are two intriguing commentaries, each relating to a different posuk of Parsha Chaye Sarah, regarding the dialogue leading up to Avraham Aveinu’s acquisition of the Ma’arat HaMachpela for 400 shekels of silver from Efron the Hittite.
The first of the two posukim is spoken by Avraham and says, in part:
“I will […]

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by Moshe Burt
Our Parsha opens with Hashem, as we understand, visiting Avraham Aveinu on the 3rd day after Bris Milah, when Avraham was at the height of his pain following the circumcision, as Rashi indicates, “to inquire about his welfare.” (Metsuda Linear Chumash rendering of Rashi on Perek 18, posuk 1)
It’s not like Hashem […]

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Commentary:
Many of you may wonder why this blog has been silent for awhile, aside from the weekly Parsha HaShevua.
Frankly, it’s been a case of basically the same recurrent news, day after day. How many times and in how many different ways can one comment on the same news, again and again with only the […]

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4 Katyushas Found, Dismantled in Southern Lebanon Launching Site
Katyusha Rocket Hits Galilee [Near Kiryat Shemonah], by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu (Israel National News)
Katyusha Explosion Causes Fire in Upper Galilee
Palestinians Fire Kassam Rocket into Israel [Lands in Sha’ar Hanegev Area]
IDF Troops Arrest 2 Palestinians [Terrorists] Near Bethlehem
Weapon Seized [From “Israeli” Arab] in Umm el […]

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by Moshe Burt
“Hashem said to Avram, Go for yourself from your land … to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation…” (Breish’t, Perek 12, posukim 1 & 2) Lech Lecha, the “Aliyah Parsha.”
Rashi writes on the posukim, “For your benefit and good. It is […]

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