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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bamidbar
- Matot
This maxim is directly illustrated in our parsha of Matot. In the war against Midian, 1000 soldiers are selected from each tribe to fight in the war. And later, Moshe stridently warns the Shvatim of Reuven & Gad – who desire to live in Trans-Jordan - that they must first fight alongside their brothers west of the Jordan, in conquering Eretz Yisrael, before they will be permitted to live on the east side. The message is clear: We are One People, & we stand & fight together for everything in which we believe.
Having just returned from a visit abroad, I was reviewing some of the local news I missed while away. And I came across a story in last week’s paper about a group of American rabbis, led by the Satmar community, that raised several million dollars – including $2 million in one day in Toronto! - in support of Jewish education for the children of French olim who recently came to Israel.
Sounds like a beautiful act, a lovely example of supporting our Jewish brethren, right? But not so fast.
The fund-raising was accompanied by a dastardly slur on the State of Israel. "We want to be sure these children are not led astray by the Jewish Agency," said the Satmar spokesman, "that their spiritual needs are provided for & they are not cast adrift by the Israeli Sochnut into ‘secular Israeli culture’ & told that just living in Israel is good enough."
Needless to say, representatives of the Jewish Agency condemned the ugly remarks, pointing out – quite correctly – that no French Jews are directed away from the type of school they desire &, quite to the contrary, the French are proudly pursuing their religious lifestyles here
-even starting new shuls catering to the French & opening kosher restaurants – in whatever places they settle, Ra’anana included (indeed, 3 new kosher restaurants have opened here in the last few months alone by French proprietors, one of whom just made Aliya and moved his establishment from Paris to Ra'anana!).
I feel sorry for all those good souls who were duped into giving money to these sowers of slander & divisiveness, who - despite their claim to be rabbis - don’t know another basic Halachic maxim: Ayn Mitzva ba liyday aveira - You cannot perform a Mitzva while at the same time committing a sin. Slurring Israel - which spends billions absorbing immigrants from all over the world - is one of the greatest of all sins, & negates whatever good intent they may have had.
Meanwhile, while they go back to Brooklyn & the Exile, the French olim, Baruch Hashem, are breathing Hashem’s pure air here in the Holy Land.
Rabbi Stewart Weiss
Was ordained at the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois, and led congregations in Chicago and Dallas prior to making Aliyah in 1992. He directs the Jewish Outreach Center in Ra'anana, helping to facilitate the spiritual absorption of new olim.
Jewish Laws and Thoughts Shul “etiquette:” can we honor Hashem while respecting our fellow congregants?
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Realtor’s Fee on Large Commercial Building – part I
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Rabbis in Midrash
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P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Realtor’s Fee on Large Commercial Building – part I
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Re'e NEVER EXTREME EXCEPT ISRAEL
Parshat Re'eh
Judaism is against extremism, so how can we understand the seemingly extreme statements found in our sages in favor of living in the Land of Israel and against living in Chutz laAretz? The article deals with the seeming contradiction between the strength of Free-Will and the strength of being influenced by our surroundings.
Ekev DANCE FOR ISRAEL- FOR YOUR BENEFIT
Parshat Eikev
Description: The 7 Haftarot we read after Tisha B'Av ("Shiva D'Nichemta") surely get us excited that they're coming TRUE, and awaken us to yearn, dance & join the return to Zion! The short article also deals with the problems and solutions facing the American Jewish community as discussed at a recent panel, as well as the question why Jews come from America to Israel to help when we face problems, but Israelis don't come to aid Jews in America when they face anti-Semitism.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
