[Sefer-torah-network-news] The Sefer Torah Network Newsletter,
Vol. 1, Number 15
Moshe Burt
mosheb at sefer-torah.com
Thu Feb 5 02:46:21 EST 2004
Sefer Torah Network News
Volume 1, Number 15
5
February, 2004
Shalom Friends;
Welcome to the 15th edition of the Sefer Torah Network News list..
For those of you who were wondering why a newsletter hasn't come out
for a few weeks, <http://www.sefer-torah.com>The Sefer Torah
Recycling Network continues to be active on various fronts despite a
major Netscape crash as well as a few other foibles resulting from
severe underfunding. However, there are a few noteworthy
developments to report in The Sefer Torah Network News list.
As reported in the previous newsletter, I'm pleased to announce that
a family from Queens, NY has transferred a Sefer Torah to The Sefer
Torah Recycling Network which will, upon completion of owner-paid
repairs, be placed in the Givat Nof Harim hilltop community of Yishuv
Eli in the Shomron. Please
<http://www.sefer-torah.com/givatnofharim.html>click here to view
pictures from the small Transfer Ceremony which took place on Monday,
19 January, 2004 at the Plaza Hotel in Jerusalem.
The Sefer Torah Recyclng Network expresses it's great appreciation to
the Goldstein family for their
kindness in providing a Sefer Torah for a needy location in EretzYisrael.
The community of Givat Nof Harim, east of Eli in the Shomron,
consists of 35 families and has been without a Sefer Torah for a
number of years. We look forward placement of the Sefer Torah upon
completion of the repairs and to a big Hochnossis Sefer Torah
celebration sometime in March IY'H. Please watch this newsletter,
<http://www.sefer-torah.com>The Sefer Torah Recycling Network
website, as well as various Israel email lists and Arutz-7 for
up-to-date news as to the day and time of the celebration and
transportation to get you there and back. I hope to see many of you
at theHochnossis Sefer Torah celebration, including those currently
living in Chutz L'Aretz who happen to be visiting Israel at the time
of the celebration. Also in this newsletter, please read about my
<http://www.sefer-torah.com/givatnofharim.html>Shabbos in the Givat
Nof Harim community. Pictures of the community andYishuv Eli will be
forthcoming IY'H, by the next edition of this newsletter.
In another development, The Sefer Torah Recycling Network has gained
access to a limited number of Sefer Torah posters. Those donating
$180 or more will be sent one of these posters which is frameable.
These Sefer Torah posters provide yet another opportunity to impact
on the heavenly scales by making needy locations Mokomot Torah and
promoting Torah study. We are asking people to help us raise the
necessary funds for the restoration of two Sifrei Torah slated for
placement in needy locations here in Israel.
A Sefer Torah poster makes a beautiful livingroom centerpiece
picture. The Sefer Torah poster has a brown Mantel on either side and
the 247 Amudim on a blue background.
<http://www.sefer-torah.com/torah1.htm>Click here to view a partial
scan of the poster.
While they last, those donating $180 or more will receive a full
Sefer Torah poster including all 247 Amudim.
Please note that the site has undergone some subtle alterations
designed to make the message to the viewer more focused and directed.
We have placed
<http://www.artscroll.com/linker/sefertorahnetwork/home>ArtScroll.com,
with it's special directed links, in a more prominent position on the
front page and on other pages on the site while changing the
positioning of other links and by adding an automatic, one-button
method of subscription to this newsletter.
Special directed links to
<http://www.artscroll.com/linker/sefertorahnetwork/home>ArtScroll.com,
both on the site and in this newsletter, enable you to help The Sefer
Torah Recycling Network to raise funds while purchasing S'forim and
keeping up
with<http://www.artscroll.com/linker/sefertorahnetwork/ASIN/TAL> The
Daf Yomi.
Those wishing to subscribe after reading this edition of the
newsletter may do so either by clicking on the website and placing
their email address on the email address line and clicking the submit
button or by following the subscription instructions at the end of
this post.
A special page has been added to the site which deals with an issue
of crisis proportion which is near and dear to my heart -- halachic
issues regarding Kohanim.
We are currently in process of promoting The Sefer Torah Recycling
Network to Shuls and Jewish Day Schools with websites and email
addresses throughout the US, Canada and elsewhere.
Raising the necessary funds for two restorations of Sifrei Torah for
Homesh and the kehilla on Bat Ayin is presently THE central focus of
The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. So far, the project has
thankfully received donations from many sponsors but is still far
short of the funds necessary to defray these restoration costs.
(approximately $ 7,500 still needs to be raised)
It is vital that The Sefer Torah Recycling Network receive
seed-funding as well as ongoing cash donations and a constant influx
of Sifrei Torah. We seek philanthropists who recognize the
need for an ongoing clearing house where Sifrei Torah can be donated
or acquired, restorations completed and placements of Sifrei Torah
made in needy locations throughout EretzYisrael.
In this way, The Sefer Torah project will become an active, ongoing,
serious organization which solicits and receives donations of Sifrei
Torah, or acquires S'forim for cash for placement in needy locations
throughout Israel. In the process, such donations will avail ongoing
employment to needy Sofrim to repair and restore posul Sifrei Torah
for placement in the growing number of needy locations in Israel
which request help in acquiring a Sefer Torah.
Toward the bottom of this newsletter, please read the brief
descriptions of many more such locations throughout Israel currently
either without their own Sifrei Torah or lacking sufficient number of
Sifrei Torah. This same information is available by clicking on
"About The Sefer Torah Recycling Network" page of the website which
will provide a history of the project as well as details on the
various needy organizations.
I ask all of you to please help publicize The Sefer Torah Recycling
Network, thereby opening up further possibility of donations of
Sifrei Torah and/or funds. I am asking that subscribers pass this
edition of the Sefer Torah Network News list to their friends and
relatives via email with an invitation to subscribe themselves.
(subscription instructions are below.) Perhaps you would also
consider printing out hardcopies and posting the Sefer Torah Network
News to your Shul's Bulletin Board and/or suggesting a link on your
Shul's email list to The Sefer Torah Recycling Network,. Please
note that the embedded links may not show up as such on the forwarded
copy. However, the URLs will show up next to the words of the links.
Additional newsletter subscribers = more traffic to the site = more
financial donations, that potential Philanthropic Angel and potential
Sefer Torah donors.
Subscribers, if you have not already viewed the Arutz-7 story of
several months ago, the Article is entitled, "Recycling Torah Scrolls
To Israel". (It can be read by clicking on the underlined words.)
The Sefer Torah Recycling Network has also received coverage recently
in The Jewish Press and in The Capital News (formerly Daf Shemesh).
Hopefully, with your help and IY'H additional publicity, the
exposure, subscribership and Donations of funds and Sifrei Torah will
grow in the weeks and months to come as a result of both initial and
ongoing efforts.
Continued wishes for a Sweet year and enjoyable reading of the Sefer
Torah Network News list.
Best Regards,
Moshe Burt
Founder and Director
***************************************************************************************************
Items of Note in this Edition of theSefer Torah Network News .
-Shabbos in the Givat Nof Harim Community of Yishuv Eli
-Spotlight on two locations slated to receive Sifrei Torah
-Parsha Bo and the Unity of Torah and Eretz Yisrael
-Taking Down Tapuach West; "Surely, this thing is known..."
-Inspiring Sefer Torah Stories from Around the World
-Locations in need of their own Sifrei Torah
-Up Close and Personal ; Kehilla Beis Tefillah, Ramat Beit Shemesh
***************************************************************************************************
Please visit the
<http://www.artscroll.com/linker/sefertorahnetwork/home>ArtScroll.com
Website and help support The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. A
portion of all purchases from the ArtScroll.com website will support
the project's mission - only when you click on this
link:<http://www.artscroll.com/linker/sefertorahnetwork/home>
ArtScroll.com.
Sefer Torah Network News selections for this newsletter;
<http://www.artscroll.com/linker/sefertorahnetwork/ASIN/TAL>The
Schottenstein Edition Talmud, The Aryeh Kaplan Anthology Set / 2
Volume Slipcased Set, By Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan and
<http://www.artscroll.com/linker/sefertorahnetwork/ASIN/WAVL>Rabbi
Berel Wein's Pirkei Avos: Teachings for Our Times.
Please note that you can now place a
<http://www.artscroll.com/linker/sefertorahnetwork/ASIN/DYT>Standing
Order of the Daf Yomi Size Schottenstein Edition of the Talmud and
receive every volume of the Daf Yomi Size Schottenstein Talmud as
they are Published and help support <http://www.sefer-torah.com>The
Sefer Torah Recycling Network at the same time.
****************************************************************************************************
Tehillim for Recovery from Illness
Please see that tehillim is said for the following individuals;
Moshe Shlomo ben Michal
Moshe Shlomo is a little over 1 year old. There were complications
at birth which have resulted in slowness in coordination and motor
development.
Aliza Channa Devorah bat Malka.
Aliza is 12 years of age. She is receiving Chemo-therapy treatments
for cancer in Hadassah Childrens hospital. She had complained of
pain in her right shoulder. Doctors found a tumor and she was
diagnosed a few months ago. Please pray hard for her refuah
shleimah. This request came to me from her grandparents who live in
the U.S.
Menucha Mendel Yehudit Rut bat Chaya Zelda;
A widow from London who became ill during a visit to EretzYisrael and
who is currently recovering from her illness in London. Please pray
hard for her refuah shleimah.
And please Daven for Good Health for Yehonatan ben Malka (Jonathan
Pollard) and for his speedy release from American incarceration and
his return to his beloved homeland, Eretz Yisrael.
****************************************************************************************************
Shabbos in the Givat Nof Harim Community of Yishuv Eli
On Friday, 30 January, 2004, I travelled via autobus #474 and arrived
on about 2 PM in the afternoon. My contact, Yo'av Amir, the Shul's
Gabai, picked me up at the Kikar at Yishuv Eli's main entrance.
After a cup of tea, he took me on a tour of the neighborhood as well
as a driving tour of the hilltop communities which surround the main
Yishuv and which are part of the Yishuv. The views from the Givat
Nof Harim are fantastic. From there, you can see the surrounding
Yishuvim -- Ma'alei Levona, Shilo, Rachele and even Tapuach.
I took numerous pictures during Friday afternoon of the view from the
hilltops, the Main Yishuv, the Beit Knesset -- inside and out, the
Gan and a converted railroad car which serves as a visitor's center
and is located between the main Yishuv and the hilltop communities.
Pictures of the community andYishuv Eli will be forthcoming IY'H, by
the next edition of this newsletter.
I received wonderful, warm hospitality (and great food) throughout
Shabbos, having my meals with 3 different families -- Friday night
with Yo'av and his wife and baby, Shabbos lunch with a another member
of the Shul's Va'ad and Seudat Shlish't with a 3rd family. The
community is extremely warm, close-knit and very S'niyut.
Davening was nice and the Rav ( Rav Mordechai Haas) is soft-spoken,
s'niyut, yet a big Talmud Chacham. Rabbi Haas teaches during the
week in a Yeshiva in Jerusalem. He makes himself available
throughout the week, via cellphone, to answer Shi'alot for not only
the Givat Nof Harim community, but of the entire Yishuv. He gives a
Shiur on Friday night after Davening as well as on Shabbos morning
before laining and just after Mincha for about 20 minutes. I'm told
that Rabbi Haas and his Rebbetzin have 12 children.
The people in Givat Nof Harim are serious in their learning.
Discussions throughout Shabbos were very stimulating. The people
are, for the most part, young in their 20s and 30s, yet very
grounded, mature, serious and sincere. The Rav has lived in Eli for
7 years and was among those who began the community. And when he
moved to the community, he brought others to the community as well.
The Rav spent his childhood in "Bnai Brak" and then learned at
"Mercaz-Harav".
The Shul was built within the last two years. It is nice, although
not fancy. The people live simply and with S'niyut and the Shul is
in keeping with their derech.
****************************************************************************************************
Spotlight on two locations slated to receive Sifrei Torah (with your help!) ;
Homesh, in the Shomron (Sameria) region of Eretz Yisrael amd is
located amongst a group of communities including Kedumim, Elon Moreh,
Shavei Shomron, Einav, etc. which are in close proximity to the Arab
cities of Shechem, Kalkilya, etc. The Yishuv has many Russian olim
who have become Ba'al Teshuva in addition to many Dati families who
have moved there in recent years from other locations. Upon
completion of the restoration of a Sefer Torah donated by a family
in Baltimore, its placement in Homesh will be fulfillment of a nearly
5 year old promise to Rabbi Yehoshua Schmidt. I met Rav Schmidt, the
Rav of both Yishuv Shavei Shomron and Yishuv Homesh, while living and
doing Ulpan on Shavei Shomron.
The second Sefer Torah, once funds are raised and the restoration
work is completed, will be placed in a Kehilla of Yishuv Bat Ayin
which is located in Gush Etzion. It will be the recipient of a Sefer
Torah donated by a student of the School of Safrus located there.
Just a few words on Bat Ayin. I visited there recently for the first
time in many years. The Yishuv has grown 10-fold in the 9 years
since The Sefer Torah Recycling Network placed it's first Sefer Torah
there in 1995. It was more beautiful then I remember it. Hopefully,
I will go there for Shabbos in the near future and will have more to
write then.
In order to complete the restorations of these Sifrei Torah for
placement in these two locations, $7,500 remains to be raised.
Please know that your sponsorship donation or purchase of a S'forim
or Judaica products via clicking from the ads on
<http:www.sefer-torah.com>The Sefer Torah Recycling Network homepage,
the <http://www.sefer-torah.com/storah.html>About The Sefer Torah
Recycling Network page or the
<http://www.sefer-torah.com/judaicastore.htm>Judaica Page is an act
of helping to unify Jewish neshamot of those who have touched, kissed
and lained from these Sifrei Torah throughout their lives with those
yet to touch, kiss and lain from them during their extended future
life. By donating or through purchasing via the ads on the site, you
are taking positive action to possess Eretz Yisrael.
In these days where talk abounds about dismantlements, unilateral
withdrawals and the like, and this talk is seen as a display of
weakness discrediting our Divine, eternal legacy of possession of
Eretz Yisrael, your donation insures that
needy locations become Mokomot Torah and under the protection of
Shemayim. Please make your donations by check or paypal -- NOW!
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Sponsorship Donation Program
Lifting Neshamot through Donations of Funds/Sifrei Torah
Flash: <http://www.sefer-torah.com/torah1.htm>Special Incentive gift
for those Sponsors donating $180 or More*
Why not donate a paragraph, or a section or the reading from your Bar
Mitzvah, marriage, or some other family event.
Principals and Administrators of Religious Day Schools, Talmudei
Torah and Yeshiva High Schools; The Sponsorship Donation Program to
help restore Sifrei Torah for placement in needy locations in Israel
makes an excellent Chinuch and Tzedakah project for your students and
their families. Friends, please recommend it to principals and
adminstrators for inclusion in their educational programs.
Please send me an email stating your level of sponsorship, and what
you seek to sponsor. More information is also available on our
website. Making a donation, whether a financial donation made
through a program such as theSponsorship Donation program, or via the
donation of a Sefer Torah, can cause the elevation in Shemayim of the
Neshama of the niftar loved one or close friend.
Please keep this thought in mind as you consider a donation to The
Sefer Torah project.
Sefer Torah $ 6,000 25,000 NIS
1 Sefer;
i.e. Sefer
Breish't $ 1,800 7,200 NIS
1 Parsha $ 180 (10 x Chai) 720 NIS
(40 x Chai)
1 Amud $ 54 ( 3 x Chai) 216 NIS
(12 x Chai)
1 Posuk $ 10 36
NIS (2 x Chai )
2 Posukim $ 18 ( Chai) 72
NIS (4 x Chai)
3 Posukim $ 36 ( 2 x Chai) 144 NIS
( 8 x Chai)
Why not donate posukim, amudim or the Parsha of your Bar Mitzvah,
Marriage, or some other family Simcha? Wnen donating in this way,
please send me an email stating your level of sponsership, what
Posukim, Amud, Parsha, etc. you seek to sponsor and your method of
payment; by check, see directions in method #2 (listed in the "You
can help in five ways" section shown below) or via paypal (see next
line).
In the USA;
To receive a USA tax receipt, donors should make their checks out to
"Congregation Ahavas Torah Tzedakah Fund." Please note on both the
memo line of the check and on the envelope that the check is for:
"Mark Burt & Sefer Torah Recycling Network." Be sure to include your
address. Upon request, a tax-deductible receipt for your donation
will be mailed to you. Mail checks to:
Congregation Ahavas Torah Tzedakah Fund,
1425 Rhawn Street,
Philadelphia, Pa. 19111.
In Canada;
To receive a Canadian tax receipt, donors should make their checks
out to "JBRASS" (BN#864426911RR0001). Please also enclose a note as
well as mark the envelope that the check is for "Mark Burt & Sefer
Torah Recycling Network." Be sure to include your address. Upon
request, a tax-deductible receipt for your donation will be mailed to
you. Mail checks to:
The Sefer Torah Recycling Network,
46 Meadowbrook Road, Apt. 6,
Toronto, Ontario, M6B 2S6
Canada
In Israel;
Donors in Israel can donate by contacting 067-305-497 or emailing
Moshe Burt <strnetmb at yahoo.com> or <mosheb at sefer-torah.com> for
mailing information.
Sponsorship Donors can make an Online donation
via<https://www.paypal.com> paypal. Simply copy the email address;
<mosheb at sefer-torah.com>, then click on the
<https://www.paypal.com/>paypal link, and paste the copied email
address onto the "Recipient's email" field.
All donors participating in the Sponsorship donation program will
receive an attractive, commemorative certificate in recognition of
their kind donation.
*The Sefer Torah Recycling Network has gained access to a limited
number of Sefer Torah posters. Those donating $180 or more will be
sent one of these posters which is frameable. It makes a beautiful
livingroom centerpiece picture. The Sefer Torah
<http://www.sefer-torah.com/torah1.htm>pictured has a brown Mantel on
either side and the 247 Amudim on a blue background.
<http://www.sefer-torah.com/torah1.htm>Click here to view a partial
scan of the poster.
While they last, those donating $180 or more will receive a full
Sefer Torah poster including all 247 Amudim.
****************************************************************************************************
Check out the Updated <http://www.sefer-torah.com>Sefer Torah
Recycling Network website and see all of the new bells, whistles and
features which provide you with all necessary information about the
project from <http://www.sefer-torah.com/storah.html>lists of needy
locations to <http://www.sefer-torah.com/approbations.htm>Rabbinic
Approbations.
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Divrei Torah
Parsha Bo and the Unity of Torah and Eretz Yisrael
By Moshe Burt
A couple of years ago, I wrote a d'var Torah in which I began by
relating back in time to many years ago in the "old country", where
there was a crazy song that played on the radio which I parodied and
titled "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?")
Contemplating this looney parody's title is to get to the very heart
of this vort on our Parsha, which addresses the mitzvot of Korbon
Pesach, the da'am on Jewish doorposts and the first mitzvah commanded
of the National entity (B'nai Yisrael), the Kiddush HaChodesh -- the
sanctification of the New Moon, and the relevance of these mitzvot
today.
In the darkest of times, even as the Jews were being guided from
bondage in Egypt to the Ge'ula, the Yetziyat Mitzrayim, Hashem was
forging a Jewish nation -- a Jewish unity. The slavery and bondage
as well as the resultant Makos -- the plagues brought against Pharoh
and Egypt were as much to instill emunah (a belief in Hashem) in
B'nai Yisrael as they were to exact a heavy price upon Egypt for
their bondage of B'nai Yisrael.
But what is the relevance of these Divine Commands to today? Today,
we face very dark times. Israel is in the midst of a war, a war
different than her previous wars. It is a war in which her army is
made to be hamstrung (excuse the term) not due to lack of strength,
courage, principle or prowess but due to "political correctness" and
institutionalized coruption . The ruling leadership scoffs at and
lacks the necessary strength of principle and Emunah -- faith in
Hashem necessary to initiate decisive, definitive action to eradicate
a cancer threatening B'nai Yisrael and to clear the way for the
Ge'ula Shlaima.
We today lack a Moshe Rabbeinu and an Aaron HaKohen. Further, this
Matzav and the world economic downturn threatens our economic
wellbeing here in Eretz Yisrael -- our ability to put bread and food
on the table for our families and keep a roof over our heads.
And yet, we are here. We remain here, steadfast. Our Emunah gives us
confidence that Hashem will, in time, provide us with the means, the
instrument, the antidote for the Galut and it's ills and bring about
the Ge'ula Shlaima. But when??
In these dark times, our Jewish brothers in Chutz L'Aretz need to be
strong of faith and make the plunge. As that commercial back in the
"old country" goes, "Join the few, the brave, the Olim Chadashim."
The number of "1,000,000 New Olim" over the next 10 years has
bantered around in political circles. We have to make it happen. We
must, despite the current dark times, have the Emunah and courage
that our brothers and sisters had in Mitzrayim; to do what Hashem
commanded re: the Korban Pesach and the Da'am on our doorposts, to
cast aside "The Iron Crucible", the vicious circle and cycle of the
Galut -- the cycle of the Mortgage, the new car every other year, the
material furnishings and the accoutrements -- the material things
which look nice, look beautiful but lack real value or worth. We
must have emunah and courage to come Home -- Yishuv Eretz Yisrael.
Rabbi Zelig Pliskin, in his Sefer, "Growth Through Torah, quotes The
Chofetz Chayim relating to Sh'mos, Perek 13, posuk 5; "To give you a
land flowing with milk and honey, and you shall do this service." In
this vort, The Chofetz Chayim commented on this verse regarding the
B'nai Yisrael's performance the Almighty's commandments; "The Torah
and the land of Israel are one unit. Their relationship is as the
relationship between the body and the soul. A soul cannot exist
alone in this world. The body alone is just dust from the earth, it
needs the soul to give it life. The soul of the Jewish people is the
sacred Torah. The body is the land of Israel. There are many
commandments that cannot be fulfilled outside the land of Israel. In
exile, our people suffer. Nevertheless, with all the difficulties
involved in living in exile, we as a people are alive. The land of
Israel without Torah, however is a body without a soul. It is just
a piece of land. Only when both exist together is there a complete
unit. ("Growth Through Torah", Pages 168-169, quoting from "Chofetz
Chayim al Hatorah, page 65.)
Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, of Blessed Memory, beautifully expressed
Yishuv Eretz Yisroel when he penned English words to the Hebrew
prayer and niggun of "V'HaSheiv Kohanim" which many of us sing at the
Shabbat table both here in Eretz Yisrael and in Chutz L'Aretz --
"Restore the Kohanim to their service..." It reads in part, "Return
again, return again, return to the Land of your soul. Return to who
you are, return to what you are, return to where you are born and
reborn again...." Am Yisrael belongs in Eretz Yisrael. Only when
the Moshiach in each of us brings us to our own personal "Yetziyat"
will we truly merit the Ge'ula Shlaima as Am Yisrael.
It is, with this spirit in mind, that I set out on Friday morning to
spend Shabbos in the Givat Nof Harim neighborhood in Yishuv Eli and
to meet the upcoming recipients of a Sefer Torah, owned by a family
in Queens, for which The Sefer Torah Recycling Network has been zocha
to have arranged logistics and which is slated for placement in
the community IY'H by mid-March.
The mission of the organization is to provide needy locations
throughout Eretz Yisrael with Sifrei Torah in order make them whole,
Mekomot Torah to give Chizik to our brethren through Achdus and
Ahavas Yisrael.
The community of Givat Nof Harim, east of Eli in the Shomron,
consists of 35 families and has been without a Sefer Torah for a
number of years. We look forward placement of the Sefer Torah upon
completion of the repairs and to a big Hochnossis Sefer Torah
celebration in March IY'H. (Please watch The Sefer Torah Recycling
Network web site, as well as various Israel email lists and Arutz-7
for up-to-date news as to the day and time of the celebration and
transportation to get you there and back.)
Coincidentally, this March marks my 5th anniversary of making Aliyah.
IY'H, that B'nai Yisrael comes to our collective senses and finally
sees the imperative dangers, both within and without, and has the
courage and emunah to act to defeat them. May we not lose further
valuable Jewish neshamot to the machinations and chesbonot of the
anti-Torah politically self-interested.
In the merit of our collective unity, emunah and actions, may we
ALL be zocha to have our Tefillah reach Shemayim, unimpeded,
ungarbled. As Rabbi Moshe Ungar would say each Thursday evening at
his Gemara Shuir back in Phildelphia, in "the old country", may we be
zocha to demand, compel Hashem to do "what he wants to do, to bring
us the Moshiach and the Ge'ula Shlaima, bim hay v'yameinu --
speedily, in our time." And may we see an end to low, dirty
politics, political equivocation, perfidy and false cheshbonot;
Achshav -- Immediately, Chik Chuk, Meiyad, Etmol!!
Taking Down Tapuach West;
"Surely, this thing is known..."
By, Moshe Burt
On Tuesday morning, 20 January, 2004, immediately upon receiving a
Supreme Court decision denying Tapuach-West's appeal regarding their
Beit Knesset, a force of several hundred military and police,
equipped with bulldozers descended upon the site.
The Army quickly placed barriers at the Tapuach Junction to prevent
the arrival of Shul supporters. However, some of the supporters were
able to arrive in any event. And so, the Tapuach group was caught
flat-footed. By about 2:15 PM, the destruction of the Shul had
begun.
Despite the court's mandate that the demolition of the synagogue must
be carried out with great caution, witnesses state that hundreds of
police and military arrived at Tapuach-West "with great violence,
most of them armed, and some of them even fired in the air... Some
people have been knocked unconscious by their violence. "
The Aron HaKodesh which housed the Shul's new Sefer Torah, placed
there two weeks earlier, was violently confiscated by the army.
One young female resident begged the police not to confiscate the
Aron, that it belonged her family. She was brutally beaten-up by
police officers for no other reason than for asserting ownership of
the Aron.
In the aftermath of the dismantlement, information has come to the
fore which, if proven, indicates that Yesha Council, by virtue of
their silence and inaction, may have been complicit wih Prime
Minister Sharon, the police and the military in the "rabbinic
supervised" trashing of theTapuach-West Shul.
"Senior Yesha Council official Bentzi Lieberman released a message
to the media calling on the IDF to exercise restraint and comply with
the law while carrying out orders to destroy Yesha outposts.
The veteran Yesha activist reiterated the Yesha Council remains
opposed to the uprooting of any Jewish community (outpost) in the
Land of Israel, adding the Tapuah West community was authorized by
former Prime Ministers Ehud Barak and Binyamin Netanyahu. Lieberman
stated Prime Minister Ariel Sharon could have permitted the process
to obtain permits for the synagogue but instead ordered the building
destroyed."
The Council further stated that "...it objects to the evacuation of
any Jewishly-held point in the Land of Israel, and that with a little
good will, the government could have authorized the synagogue, just
as the Barak government did in the past in similar situations. At the
same time, the Yesha Council said it would not take part in the
efforts to prevent the demolition 'in cases where we do not know in
advance the nature of the resistance.' The Council thus leveled some
veiled criticism of the Kach supporters in Tapuach, implying that
they might respond violently to the evacuation." (Arutz-7 Demolition
of Tapuach Synagogue Begins With Violence14:17 Jan 20, '04 / 26 Tevet
5764)
Although Yesha Council did issue some weak statements in opposition
to the trashing of Tapuach-West's Shul, very reliable sources, both
among the Religious-Nationalist movement and the opposition Labor
Party have indicated a secret back-room deal struck at the highest
levels of both the Yesha Council and the Sharon government whereby
Yesha Council would not interfere in the bulldozing of
Tapuach-West's Beit Knesset and in echange, the government would
refrain from dismantling a certain unnamed outpost.
On an internet forum, a number of people submitted emails describing
how they contacted Yesha Council inquiring as to how to get to
Tapuach-West and what the Council was doing to help Tapuach. They
apparently received responses from the Council "not to be concerned
about Tapuach-West."
And particularly damning was a statement in a Hebrew newspaper
attributed to "an unnamed Yesha spokesman" which said "Baruch
shepetarnu m'hamivneh hazeh" -- "Blessed is the one who set us free
from this building."
Just what we need -- lies and deceit within the Nationalist ranks.
Is there nothing sacred? "Surely this thing is known..." (Torah
Gems, Volume 2, page 20 on Parsha Sh'mos, Perek 2, posuk 14 quoting
Binah Le-Itim.)
"At the beginning of the Parsha, we are told that when Moshe grew up,
he went out to see his brethren ... their ways and behavior. When he
saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, and there was no one else in
sight, i.e., no other Hebrew ... willing to defend the man ... being
beaten, he assumed that was because their slavery had destroyed their
will to struggle. On the second day, though when he saw two Hebrews
fighting one another and one said to him, 'as you killed the
Egyptian,' he saw that that man believed that Moshe's actions on the
previous day had been wrong. Moshe responded, 'Surely this thing is
known' -- it is not their slavery nor their lack of strength to fight
back that is causing them not to resist the Egpytians, because they
are perfectly willing to fight one another. What is evidently
missing is a sense of justice, of mutual support, of helping the
weak, and that is the reason why the redemption had not yet come.
'Surely, this thing is known' -- now I understand the matter."
And so too, in our generation, it's not that we are weak and can't
fight, it's just not politically correct among those who are
assimilated, who seek to be as the goyim, who seek "a state of all of
it's people" or are afraid to assert Jewish possession of Eretz
Yisrael and who are totally devoid of Torah. In our generation,
divisiveness and Chillul Hashem abound.
IY'H, that B'nai Yisrael comes to our collective senses and finally
sees the imperative dangers, both within and without, and acts to
defeat them. May we not lose further valuable Jewish neshamot to
the machinations and chesbonot of the anti-Torah politically
self-interested. In the merit of our collective unity, emunah and
actions, may we be zocha to compell Hashem to do what he want's to
do, to bring us Moshiach, the Geula Shlaima, and an end to low, dirty
politics, political equivocation, perfidy and false cheshbonot;
Achshav, Chik Chuk, Meiyad, Etmol!!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel
and Founder and Director of the Sefer Torah Recycling Network
<http://www.sefer-torah.com>. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
***************************************************************
Another Innovation from The Sefer Torah Recycling .Network;
<http://www.sefer-torah.com/SimchaVort.htm> SimchaVort
Do you need help in developing a word of Torah for your Simcha?
If so, SimchaVort can help. Kindly send an email to
<mosheb at sefer-torah.com> telling me what the Simcha is, who it's for
and what Parsha it's in. In exchange for your kind donation
to<http://www.sefer-torah.com/sponsorship.htm> The Sefer Torah
Recycling Network, I'll be glad to help with ideas. For an example,
please click on
<http://www.sefer-torah.com/SimchaVort.htm>SimchaVort. .
****************************************************************************************************
Donors in the US, please make tax deductible donation checks out to
"Congregation Ahavas Torah Tzedakah Fund", with a note on both the
Memo line of the check and on the envelope "Mark Burt & Sefer Torah
Recycling Network" and mail to "Congregation Ahavas Torah Tzedakah
Fund", 1425 Rhawn Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19111. Be sure to
include your address. Upon request, a tax-deductible receipt for
your donation will be mailed to you.
Donors in Canada, please make your tax deductible checks out to
"JBRASS" (BN#864426911RR0001) and mail to; "The Sefer Torah Recycling
Network", 46 Meadowbrook Road, Apt. 6, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6B
2S6. Please mark on the envelope (and if possible attach a stick'em
memo to the check) saying "Mark Burt & Sefer Torah Recycling
Network." Upon receipt, a tax-deductible receipt for your donation
will be mailed to you.
Donors can make an Online donation via<https://www.paypal.com>
paypal. Simply copy the email address; <mosheb at sefer-torah.com>,
then click on the <https://www.paypal.com/>paypal link, and paste
the copied email address onto the "Recipient's email" field.
****************************************************************************************
Inspiring Sefer Torah Stories from
Around the World
<http://www.jafi.org.il/arts/2003/oct/1.htm>"I Brought the Torah
Scrolls with Me From Syria!" - The story of how a Syrian Jew
smuggled Torah Scrolls into Israel.
<http://cbsnewyork.com/mideast/mideast_story_021174152.html>The Sefer
Torah which Flew on the Columbia. The Story of the Torah scroll which
accompanied Israel's Astranaut, Ilan Ramon OBM on that fateful
Columbia Shuttle Mission.
A Sefer Torah Story from "GUARDIAN OF JERUSALEM" the life and times
of Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld is entitled
<http://www.innernet.org.il/archives/guardian.htm>"Solving The
Crime." Click on the link and arrow down to the story.
<http://scheinerman.net/judaism/stories/justice.html>"Purchasing
Justice" - between rich and poor, by Rabbi Scheinerman. A lesson
for all of B'nai Yisrael.
Sifrei Torah in Iraq
In surfing the net looking for pertinent sites related to Sifrei
Torah, I stumbled upon this site, which has apparently been inactive
since fall, 2002. It is called
<http://www.dangoor.com/scribe.html>"The SCRIBE" . You can view the
site and it's interesting stories by clicking on the title.
More Sefer Torah Stories
I feel that this inspiring story written by Rabbi Paysach J. Krohn
which appears on the Jewish World Review website bears repeating. It
is entitled <http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0403/sole.html>
"Healing a trampled sole".
But Rabbi Krohn's story is not the only such Holacaust Sefer
Torah/Shoe story. The Amcha (Israel Center for Holacaust Survivers)
site features another such story,
<http://www.amcha.org/Survivors_Stories.html> "My Shoes", by Rachel.
Click on the link and arrow down to the story.
*******************************************************************************************
Did you know that you can now help in five ways to assist in
locating donors of Sifrei Torah and raising funds to accomplish our
mission?
1/ Talk to your friends, relatives and acquaintances about The Sefer
Torah Recycling Network and about the many needy communities in Eretz
Yisrael who do not possess their own Sifrei Torah. Many Shuls have
aging Congregations and Sifrei Torah in their Aron HaKodesh laying
idle, not being lained from. Many active Shuls have excess Sifrei
Torah which are not in use due to restoration work needed or because
the Shul has newer Sifrei Torah. These S'forim, if in Kosher or
restorable condition, are desperately needed by communities in
EretzYisrael who do not have the financial resources to acquire new
Sifrei Torah and would greatly appreciate the donation of a used
Sefer Torah.
2/ Donors in the US, please make tax deductible donation checks out
to "Congregation Ahavas Torah Tzedakah Fund", with a note on both the
Memo line of the check and on the envelope "Mark Burt & Sefer Torah
Recycling Network" and mail to "Congregation Ahavas Torah Tzedakah
Fund", 1425 Rhawn Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19111. Be sure to
include your address. Upon request, a tax-deductible receipt for
your donation will be mailed to you.
>>>NEW<<<
Donors in Canada, please make your tax deductible checks out to
"JBRASS" (BN#864426911RR0001) and mail to; "The Sefer Torah Recycling
Network", 46 Meadowbrook Road, Apt. 6, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6B
2S6. Please mark on the envelope (and if possible attach a stick'em
memo to the check) saying "Mark Burt & Sefer Torah Recycling
Network." Upon receipt, a tax-deductible receipt for your donation
will be mailed to you.
3/ Donors can participate in a
<http://www.sefer-torah.com/sponsorship.htm>Sponsorship Donation
program.
4/ Donors can make an Online donation via<https://www.paypal.com>
paypal. Simply copy the email address; <mosheb at sefer-torah.com>,
then click on the <https://www.paypal.com/>paypal link, and paste
the copied email address
onto the block called "Recipient's email".
5/ The Sefer Torah Network currently has affiliations with
<http://www.artscroll.com/linker/sefertorahnetwork/home>Artscroll and
<http://www.soncino.com/search.asp?REFERER=SeferTorahNetwork>Soncino
publishers and
<http://www.ahuva.com/store/search.asp?REFERER=SeferTorahNetwork>Ahuva
Judaica whereby subscribers to the Sefer Torah Network News list as
well as surfers to the <http://www.sefer-torah.com>The Sefer Torah
Recycling Network website can now help finance the project's mission
simply by purchasing S'forim or Judaica from these publishers and
Judaica Supplier. All it takes is clicking on any of the above links
or the links on the website.
We have also recently added an affiliation link
to<http://www.qksrv.net/click-1346029-1456053> IDT (as shown above.)
The Sefer Torah Network continues to seek affiliations with other
Judaica publishers as well as with other online Judaica merchants in
order to generate funds toward defraying project costs.
Please give your Support, Financial Donations/ Donations of
Used Sifrei Torah. Make Needy Locations throughout
Israel Mokomot Torah
***********************************************************************************************
Locations in need of their own Sifrei Torah;
I want to relate to you the contents of emails which have been
received describing some of the newest needy locations.
Among the new locations writing of their need for a Sefer Torah are
Tzur Hadassah -- only a short distance from Ramat Beit Shemesh.
They lack an Ashkenaz Sefer Torah. It is a Yishuv of 2,000 people.
It is popiulated mostly by Secular/Traditional, but has a small, but
growing religious population. They have S'fardi, joint
Ashkenazi-S'fardi and Ashkenaz Minyanim.
The Ashkenaz Minyan which is in need of a Sefer Torah a mix of Olim
(incl US, Australia, UK, Swiss, Belgian, France) as well as veteran
Israeli, all leaning towards Dati Leumi.
In Betar, the Main Beit Knesset is lacking two Sifrei Torah. There
are two other Batei Knesset which need one each.
Beitar's Main Beit Knesset's Sefardi Minyan, is a combination of
North African, Syrian, Yerushalmi, Bavli & European S'fardim.
The other two Betar Batei Knesset are Ashkenazi/Hassidi with a varied
mixture of men from all over the world.
In Yishuv Meitzad, the home of the Goldstein family who founded the
Diaspora Yeshiva in the Old City, in Jerusalem, an AshkenazSefer
Torah is needed.
In Ramat Beit Shemesh "Aleph", Beit Knesset Kehillat Beis Tefillah
which currently davens in an enclosed area in back of the building
next to my building, but who recently broke ground for building a
Beit Knesset, needs it's own Sefer Torah as the two S'forim in their
Aron HaKodesh are both on loan.
Also in Ramat Beit Shemesh "Aleph", Kehillah Ahavat B'Simcha, a
Carlebach Minyan is in need of a Sefer Torah.
In Jerusalem, Yeshiva Machon Meir is in need of an Ashkenaz Sefer Torah.
These are just a few of the many locations all over Israel in need
their own Sifrei Torah. To view more such locations, please view The
Sefer Torah website.
As one lover of Eretz Yisrael to another, I'm sure that you share my
wish that every location in Eretz Yisrael, regardless of economic
means, be Mokomot Torah (a place of Torah). And imagine the level
of Kedusha when all of the neshamot who have lained from, touched and
kissed a Sefer Torah in the past, in it's previous home, unite with
all of the neshamot yet to lain from, touch and kiss the Sefer Torah
here in EretzYisroel.
At this time in history, with the advent of the latest Oslo
spin-offs, "Geneva" and the mis-directed "Roadmap" both of which
endanger Israel, the kedusha of Eretz Yisrael, Jewish Sovereignty
and very survival, we need your help, both by way of donations of
Sifrei Torah and by way of donations of funds in order to fulfill our
mission of placing Sifrei Torah in needy locations throughout Israel,
thus possessing Our Land, IY'H insuring our survival. We hope to
raise seed funds in order to set up an Amutah or a Non-Profit Company
in Israel, to employ Sofrim to restore Sifrei Torah, to locate donors
of, or economically purchase Sifrei Torah via all medium. The plan
is also to eventually establish a 501-C3 Non-profit organization in
the US and thus establish The Sefer Torah Recycling Network an
ongoing, serious project.
Your Support, Financial Donations & Donations of
Sifrei Torah Will Help Needy Locations throughout Israel
****************************************************************************************************
Up Close and Personal:
Kehilla Beis Tefillah, Ramat Beit Shemesh;
A link has been added on the links page of the
<http://www.sefer-torah.com>site for a very special Beit Knesset in
Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel; <http://www.beistefillah.org>Kehilla Beis
Tefillah. Land has been broken, preliminary retaining wall work has
been completed and the Shul is moving ahead with the building of a
new Beit Knesset structure to be completed sometime next year.
Ramat Beit Shemesh is the fastest growing community in Israel and
<http://www.beistefillah.org>Kehilla Beis Tefillah, led by Rav Chaim
Malinowitz, among it's most dynamic Shuls. Friends, when you make
your pilot trips in the course of your Aliya planning, have your
Aliya date at hand or have arrived and are searching for a wonderful
community and full-service Beit Knesset (Tefillah, Kesher, an
outstanding Rav, daily Night Seder and dynamic Learning Programs,
Avos U'Bonim, Youth Mishmar and American warmth, caring and
closeness), your first stop's gotta be Kehillat Beis Tefillah.
Financial donations toward the <http://www.beistefillah.org>Shul's
building fund are greatly appreciated. When donating, please tell
them that you read about the Shul here.
***************************************************************************************************
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Subscription Instructions
You are invited to tell your friends about The Sefer Torah Recycling
Network and to encourage them to
<http://www.sefer-torah.com/mailman/listinfo/sefer-torah-network-news_sefer-torah.com>subscribe
online to the Sefer Torah Network News list.
Subscription is accomplished simply by either viewing
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sending an email to:
Sefer-torah-network-news-request at sefer-torah.com
with subject - "subscribe".
To unsubscribe, user will send an email to:
Sefer-torah-network-news-request at sefer-torah.com
with subject - "unsubscribe".
--
Moshe Burt Founder and Director
<http://www.sefer-torah.com>The Sefer Torah Recycling Network
Rechov Nachal Dolev #34/12
Ramat Beit Shemesh 99000
Israel
02-9996496, 067-305-497
Do a Chessed for Needy communities
in Eretz Yisrael.
Click on; http://www.sefer-torah.com
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