Dvarim

The recent criticism of R. Yosef Blau and others, and in general many liberal Jews in America calling out the State of Israel, the IDF and settlers of Yehuda v'Shomron as "immoral", is totally off the mark. Instead of unity among Jews, and collecting money for children in Sderot, they inadvertently united with CNN, BBC, Al Jazeerah and the Gazans. Instead of blaming Hamas for the suffering in Gaza, they blame Israel. This issue is directly connected to the parsha which talks about guarding the holiness in Israeli Army Camps (both ancient and today!) which happens to statistically be the most moral army in the world, just as the settlers have by far the highest rate of altruistic kidney donors in the world.

In explaining on this week's parsha that there are no exemptions from Milchemet Mitzva (obligatory wars), the unique (and admittedly surprising!) term used by our sages is: "that even the groom must leave the yichud room, and the bride, from her canopy" to go with Israel to war. This short and practical article with today's war in Israel, does not (!) deal with drafting women but rather offers 4 innovative explanations behind this surprising phrase.

This short but "packed" article suggests an interesting story, as well as several innovative understandings regarding the machloket in this week's parsha how all Israel is termed the "children of Hashem", and why the mitzva of Ahavat Yisrael is unconditional. Not only should we see every Jew, even one who's actions are irresponsibly, as our brother, but even as our child!