Starting On The Right Foot!

                                                                       Parashas Bereishit

                                                                             Very Good

                                                                        Rabbi David Katz

Parashas Bereishit is often considered the source of the richest traditions of Kabbalah, Creation, and general mysteries of reality that have inspired Torah thought in every generation that has graced our existence. What sticks out however in the Universe of the Ger [and in absolute unity with the Nation of Israel] is the pristine encapsulation of the Ger, his World, and the basic function within Torah. The Torah’s very first Parasha for all intents and purposes lays out the blueprint for what will be the life to come towards the World to Come, as Jews and Gerim enter the Great Universal Shabbat, detailing the underlying premise of the Parasha.

The Shabbat of these two peoples centers around two parallel themes: the two Nations and the impetus to bring New Light into fruition, i.e. the Messiah of the two Peoples. The unfolding of such events begins in The Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, and their blueprint for what will become The Jewish People and The Gerim. As we know, Adam and Eve sinned, and their rectification came at Sinai, through the agency of the fulfillment of the Jews and Gerim. In a lateral theme at Sinai, we encounter “Jethro” [or lack thereof] and his [potential] Messianic significance through intimate association with Moses and Pinchas, the two archetypes of facilitating the Redemption.

The ingredients are now set aside to garner a deep understanding of the Torah in one long breath, as to ascertain, “what it’s all about.” To aide in these matters, it is convenient to add Job/Iyov into the mix, for his story is the missing piece of the puzzle that allows us to view history’s greatest moments with an edge of objectivity. No philosophical or Kabbalistic angle can be said to be complete without dealing with life’s greatest issues [as per Bereishit’s fundamental foundations], such that is the essence of Iyov. [Examples are existential angst, why the righteous suffer, what triggers a God experience, etc. Iyov addresses them all.] The repair of Adam, Jethro’s motives, and Messiah’s clarity, along with the primal thoughts of the Ger and Jewish compulsion, Parashas Bereishit offers a steady diet of spirituality that eventually yields the Light spoken of in the Haftorah – the Salvations of Hashem.

As soon as we meet Adam and Eve [along with a myriad of Kabbalistic layers and hints that contain literally every secret known to Mankind] we are immediately thrust into the Ger – Jewish blueprint. In Fact under this lens, the entire Parasha serves as the basis of these two peoples. Yet we may allow ourselves to focus on several core isolated issues that stand out as the key concepts in understanding the roles of the Torah’s two essential citizens.

Just flipping through the Parasha [and ultimately arriving to Adam and Eve] we see right away imagery of the Sun and Moon, Light, separation, primordial souls [in language], male – female, “Very Good”, Man in the Image of God, fruitful and multiply [command], “The 6^th Day”, Shabbat, Heaven and Earth, The Garden of  Eden, Adam and Eve, The roles of both and in equality, Names, a necessary evil, one flesh [at the expense of one’s origins],  sin and merit, relationship and animosity, necessary repair, philosophy of Life [and death], freewill [Iyov], Brothers, reincarnation [Seth], “Erev Rav’ [evil descendants and fallen angels], traditions of righteousness, and the culmination of Noah – Redemption – Shabbat – Peace.  Does it get more Jew- Ger than this in imagery once we apply the actual characters to the blueprint?

The Zohar teaches that “Very Good” as opposed to simply “Good” was a vital component to Creation to achieve God’s plan. By creating an Adam and Eve and documenting their rise and fall, this would set the stage for the future of Torah and The Greater Congregation of Jacob [“The Four-Headed Shin”]. Mankind would be born out of this array; some destined to be wicked, some to be righteous, some to be Jewish, and some to be Gerim. Whereas the naked eye sees male or female or shades of gray, Hashem sought out servants of the Lord to serve Him in truth to know Him. Yet much like Adam and Eve, the role of each is vital, has name and purpose, and ultimately serves together in the World to Come [as per earned by God’s dictation of Righteousness embedded into Creation from within “Bereishit.”

Suffice it to say, what began as Creation to arrive at Adam and Eve, will go out as the repair of Worlds and Labors to be eternally thankful through Gerim and Jews side by side. For all of the imagery brought above, these two Nations will live to enjoy the same Torah that never changes; only context deepens and appreciates with Divine Knowledge.

Now that the Torah is established for all of time, there remains one slight issue – the Sin of Adam. And for this, we call upon the mighty Iyov – he who provides the lens that the Messiah will magnify.

To understand Iyov in one swoop, and in a way that polishes our product, one simple rectification in perception will clear the murky skies. Rather than probe Iyov as to, “why he suffers” allow the mind to ponder, “he simply suffers,” and this is the obvious hand of God upon him. As much as there is a real reason and thus a need for a real empathy, some matters [actually all matters] are purely the dreadful Hand of God that in a paradoxical way allows Free Will and fate to coexist with a harmony that beckons the enigma of “Shamayim” – fire and water in a type of metaphysical companionship. For all that Adam endured and was responsible for, at the same time, Hashem was busy establishing the Torah, and Creating Messianic Light. Once we remove our gaze from upon Adam [“what DID he do wrong?!”] we can then look forward to Sinai, and the rectification of Adam through Jews and Gerim; even more acute in these matters are Jethro and Pinchas, who play several roles, such as Iyov, Adam, and Messiah.

One may notice that the Torah was given in Parashas Jethro, yet he wasn’t even there! Jethro chose to fulfill the goal of Torah to make Gerim, even at the expense of becoming Jewish [which gives new meaning to preconceived notions all many levels]. Yet one could easily say, that he should have arrived and stayed at Sinai for a plethora of reasons. Such decision making can be seen [in the arena of Free Will] as the proverbial Good vs. Very Good debate. Jethro certainly chose Good, and this turns out [by history standards] to have been the Will of God. Yet by the standards of logic, he could have stayed [thus even arrived on time] at Sinai, and allows himself to contemplate [albeit through struggling] the Iyov program, while “sinning” like Adam – as a compulsion from God [and one filled with angst]. Should that have gone down that way, we would have met the son of Putiel, i.e. Pinchas, i.e. descendant of Jethro in a much sooner and more dramatic way.

Just as we are told to view Adam in the same lens as a proper viewing of Iyov, by allowing him to exist without the constant grill to probe the unknowable [as to why he/they do in fact suffer/sin], Jethro would have come into the same light, and Pinchas [he who sees the hand of God repeatedly in Torah history] would have seen the Divine Hand intervening at Sinai itself! The Creation of Adam even hints to Sinai as the seal of Creation, as it was the repair of Adam, giving of the Torah, and even hints in the Hebrew itself by referring to 6^th of Sivan by usage of the Kabbalah. [הששי as opposed to ששי – the ה implies the specific 6^th Day in history, i.e. Shavuot.]

In the end, Jethro did not opt to go to Sinai first, Iyov took a different route in history in the actual cementing of the story [although the plot thickens each attempt we apply Iyov to Torah lore], and Pinchas became elected for redemption through a completely different deed with Zimri and Cozbi [which was also aided by Jethro his grandfather]. What we have accomplished however is a way to understand Adam and why he was compelled the way he was. One can faithfully say he employed the Iyov / hypothetical Jethro program, in hopes that it will appeal with a Messianic glow in a way most never bother to view it as. For when we view Adam as a Torah story that serves as a beacon of redemption and high intellect to bring that fateful day close, the Torah gets off on the right foot and paves the path to that which we all seek: the way of the Tree of Life – on every level. In other words, a consistent Torah is born and uniform in her desires from cover to cover.

We can learn a lot from Adam and Eve, and as Iyov has shown us, we can even fathom the light of Redemption in a contemplative way. Yet with every mental calculation and circus act of cogitative prowess, the main goal was never lost in the process, and remains the same throughout the entire Torah – the art and passion of making Gerim. Hashem has shown us that Creation is Very Good, and for no other reason than making Gerim. Thus from deeper introspection from Adam and friends, we gain insight to a theme that bleeds through the entire Torah: Hashem loves Gerim and so should you. We may even be surprised to wake up one day and realize that redemption depends on it, for this could truly be Very Good, and the Shabbat Shalom that we all seek.

Audio Shiur On Parasha Monday 11 P.M. [Tzfat]

Click Here For Link To Classroom!

***Notice Parasha Shiurim from Parashas Noah onwards 

will be held on Sunday Nights [Tzfat] 11 P.M.

Please take notice and make adjustments accordingly!

Torah of the Ger will still be Wed. 11 P.M. [Tzfat]

Read more »

Ger Tzedek and The Great Shabbat Shalom

                                                              Parashas V’Zos Ha’Beracha

                                                                       Shabbat Shalom

                                                                       Rabbi David Katz

Parashas V’Z’H’B takes course like most moments of spirituality in life, often requiring Faith and Trust in Hashem right to the end before revealing the revelation that eternally changes perception. We see that Sinai was defined by such parameters, and often times in life our greatest moments of clarity or success come only by means of having the endurance of containing a nasty four letter word called “wait”[ing]; patience is a virtue. Our Parasha although significant in many ways from start to finish, only the end [after having built up Torah’s biggest Moses moment through anticipating his death] resonates with Moses’ most powerful message, and it comes down literally to the last words and an addition by Rashi. In the end, we are introduced with Moses’ passionate climax in his last moment; ישראל   which is י-שר-אל “he will have sang about God. As Moses pours his heart out, it is likened to the Torah’s hidden song of the Messiah that Moses ironically delivered over the broken tablets, conjuring memories of Sinai that took place on Shabbat. Moses’ message is contained on Shabbat and is enclothed in every way within Shabbat.

The Torah ends with Moses dying in the Plains of Moav, the traditional scene and theme of the Torah’s retelling as per “Mishna Torah” and taking to the local premises to issue a monumental Messianic ending, similar to the end of Bamidbar. Our End of Days moment, where Moses finally reaches his apex as the eventual Messiah, is told in a context that he sang this tune through his action of breaking the tablets. He wouldn’t sing in the normative sense, rather he would bare his soul and express the absolute essence of the Torah; think no further than smashing the tablets – to which Hashem agrees with this approach. By Devarim’s end, this is formality, and we are told [with the help of Rashi] – “That” what you did [i.e. smashing the tablets] was for the eyes of all of Israel. This would be Moses’ greatest action, moment, miracle, etc., his life-defining moment, such that all prophecies of the future shall be remnants within the broken shards whose essence remained vocal from Sinai…the day that began on the great Shabbat. [This is hinted in the 6 Days of Creation, as Hashem alludes to “The Sixth Day” – i.e. Shavuot which is the 6^th of Sivan.]

Point blank, we are told that Moses’ will be remembered for breaking the tablets, as that was an expression of his essential mentality of greatness, such that it was for all intents and purposes his Messiah moment that he will revisit in the End of days, where he will sing this song again [this time with an audience able to absorb its message]. The key word in understanding the episode at hand, is contained in the word, “that.” In Hebrew, the word “that” is derived from the word Asher meaning “praiseworthy”; thus it is praiseworthy – that! [what you did, i.e. smash the tablets!] (“that” becomes a point of emphasis) is Moses broke the tablets, found the secret of Psalms in the Torah [thus found his “David” moment, i.e. the basis of God’s Kingdom, for David’s Torah begins as a parallel to Torat Moses with “Ashrei” - praiseworthy], and laid down the foundation of Torat Moshiach in the breaking and contained within the word “that.” Here we find all of the ingredients for greatness: Moses’ passion, broken tablets, praises of God, perfect Hebrew to capture the moment, sparks of redemption revealed, etc. Yet to put it simply, one can step back and gaze at the bigger picture.

Just as Moses was told to look over Israel without actually going in, we now have the luxury of gazing upon the life and teaching of Moses, and under a fine microscope called V’Z’H’B, where we get a firsthand look at the actual life and death of the Man of God Moses. By processing this essential Torah that is brought in a very terse area of Torah [Moses super condensed], we can come up with a very simple revelation of the Torah’s telling command, such that it is all-encompassing.  All of this came down on Shabbat. There must be Shalom [since the tablets were broken due to lack of Shalom]. Hence the message of Moses that lives and will live, is Shabbat Shalom [for all].

The word “Asher” [“that”] by the tools of Hints in Torah is the same letters as “Rosh” [head] and is one letter downwards from “Shabbat”; this is symbolic that the essence of Holiness is on Shabbat – the source of knowledge of God, from the teaching of [the soul of] Moses-Messiah [higher revelation than the Moses who actualized in a body; thus the smashing was when he attained knowledge from the soul of which all Torah comes from] and the “Rosh” hint alludes to the Erev Rav/Amalek who are considered the “Head” of all evil, an anti Moses. In Messianic terms this is the “Sar” [leader] of the Erev Rav names Armilos, which his title “Sar” is the same letters as “Sar” – meaning sing! Thus he is the “anti-song” and a leader of Gog Magog that tries to derail the glorious moment when we are promised that Moses shall sing again, this time in the Resurrection of the Dead that happens in the Holy Land, where Moses’ soul will come to life.

The Erev Rav as we know were Moses’ biggest challenge, and they represent the biggest threat to making kosher God-fearing Gerim. Among their ways are to steal holiness for themselves in all non-pure ascension within Torah Judaism or the detriment to Judaism/Torah. Moses’ actions allow us to compute that the antidote to this necessary evil is through the delight of Shabbat, which as we have come to learn, and will be reinforced in our Parsha, the Shabbat is destined to be the day of Honor for God having Created Creation, enveloped by Jews and Gerim.

Sinai takes place on Shabbat, and it was the day that God spoke the Fourth Commandment to keep Shabbat as one of the 10 Commandments. [Israel was already commended in Shabbat as Gerim pre-Sinai/Jewish in Marah; this just adds to context] Yet when we look carefully at the text in the Torah within the words of the command, as the Jews to take part is obvious, thus the unique revelation is the inclusion of the Ger in your gate – is also to keep Shabbat. And with this I say, let the games begin! – Who in fact is this Ger?

The answer in short, is the Ger Tzedek, and he is a non-convert [although obviously this is not to exclude the convert, for obviously he is to keep Shabbat as the Jew]; I believe this is where Moses broke the tablets. “That” – is where the Torah begins after one has digested the Second Tablets, That is where you will find what Moses calls the “Esh-Dat” [Fiery Law], That is where you will find this blend of Moses, That is where you will find the spirit of Messiah, That is where you will be able to find the Ger Tzedek [in Torah], That is where you will find the Song of Moses, That is where you will find Knowledge of God [אל], That is where you will find “That”, and That is where you will find Shalom.

This article can end in an infinite amount of ways at this point, and we have arrived to the Torah’s conclusion; Shabbat is for Jews and Gerim, and Shabbat that contains both will lend you its vessels of the Messianic Brit Shalom, as Pinchas’ spear is synonymous with Moses’ Might. They both learned from Jethro no less, the consummate Ger Tzedek, who is the Daat [knowledge] of redemption that makes this story happen, as Rebbe Nachman, the Ger comes from afar, completes the mind/knowledge, brings sublime honor to God, and makes Moshiach /Redemption possible. The irony is, is that Jethro, who functions as the basis for of the Torah’s Messianic moments [hence his delay to Sinai, allowed the Erev Rav to reveal their hand, which brought out the Messiah in Moses], needs to be redeemed more than anyone [Berachos 17b, “he who sustains all yet needs sustenance himself] – a true Ger Tzedek.

That which Moses did was great, he broke the Tablets, and shows the path to redemption. Underneath those Second Tablets are the shards of the first ones, that Moses was destined to break. The message is clear, if we don’t break through, how will the Ger [Tzedek] ever be allowed back in, to enjoy the delight of the Shabbat that he is destined to be a part of, and that he is an integral piece of the Day of God. Look for the Law of Fire, allow yourself to smash through barriers, find the proverbial “That” and welcome in all of Israel, even if it truly is allegorical, as Moses alluded to, for that is the truth you seek, not a fabrication narrow minds that lead to big bombs that go boom.

The Messiah in Moses sings a different tune, one that smells of delight in our End, one that we are starting to hear loud and clear. It can be said in an infinite amount of ways, so to make things simple, and from a place of Chesed [kindness] aroused in the Fear of God – Shabbat Shalom – “that” to me, is the Torah of the Man of God Moses, he who listened to Jethro the Ger Tzedek, and sought to make Gerim.  May we see the End of this story soon in our days, and merit to talk about it together on Shabbat, and enter the Universal Shabbat that is due to come soon in our days, to be inhabited by Jews and Gerim. Shabbat Shalom, Amen Amen.

Audio Shiur On Parasha Motzie Shabbos 11 P.M. [Tzfat Time]

Click Here For Virtual Classroom!

Read more »

Ascent To A New Era

As Israel comes out of galus and begins functioning as a World - Power, the ever important ties with China and India [some could even include Russia into this] are continuing to flourish. This may be Erev Rav 101, but it looks like Hashem is clearly driving this thing exactly where it needs to go; time to live out Hashem's Redemption plan, as galus seems to be evaporating. If there is a lingering doubt, just open your eyes and look around; things are happening, and I wouldn't call them normal or status quo, and certainly not devoid of [redemption] content.

TimesofIsrael.com:

To the already robust cooperation between Israel and India, add the field of cybersecurity, with Israeli companies being recruited to protect India’s networks, databases, and enterprise computer systems. Cooperation in this area is new, and it’s the result of hard work by Vishal Dharmadhikari, a student at Tel Aviv University who is a member of a program called the Israel-Asia Fellowship, providing Asian students who are enrolled in degree programs in Israel and show potential to be leaders in their fields in the future with an 8-month leadership program, helping them build high-level professional partnerships with Israel in their chosen fields. 

“Israel has a lot of sophisticated technology, especially in cybersecurity, that India needs,” Dharmadhikari told The Times of Israel. “India has endless markets for this. Both sides would benefit significantly if they cooperated in this field.” To enhance that cooperation, Dharmadhikari organized a cybersecurity conference at Tel Aviv University. Held in the framework of the last month’s International Cybersecurity Conference of Tel Aviv University’s Yuval Ne’eman Workshop, Dharmadhikari’s event, called India-Israel Cybersecurity Connect, featured speakers from Israeli and Indian tech companies, as well as diplomats and cybersecurity experts Like Israel, India is surrounded by hostile countries, with individuals, groups, and perhaps even governments managing ongoing cyberattacks against networks throughout the country. Cybercrime is also a major problem, with many online businesses lacking the sophisticated software needed to protect their systems. 

Israel also faces those problems, but has done an excellent job of keeping its systems safe. So, it makes sense for India to take advantage of Israeli cybersecurity technology. “Pakistan, of course, is a country from where many of the attacks on India originate,” said Dharmadhikari. “But China is also a major source. Both these and other countries send worms and Trojans into our systems to steal data, and launch DDOS (denial of service) attacks with the purpose of disrupting our services. Israel recently successfully fought off a major DDOS attack by Anonymous, and we want to be able to do that as well.” Dharmadhikari sees Israeli cybersecurity companies as a source for companies in India engaged in cybersecurity work to draw from. 

A good example is the joint arrangement between Israel’s Sentropi, a developer of security solutions, and E-Core Techno, a company in India that markets Sentropi’s technologies in dozens of verticals in the Indian market. “Sentropi has the technology and E-Core uses it to develop solutions specifically for the Indian market. My objective is to get more companies to work together in this manner,” said Dharmadhikari. Dharmadhikari isn’t sure why such cooperating hasn’t been promoted before. “Frankly it’s a bit surprising that the two governments have not developed an official program to encourage cybersecurity cooperation, considering how much other cooperation there is between India and Israel.” 

But maybe it’s for the best that the governments have left the cybersecurity arena to private companies. “There is only so much governments can do, and so far much of the work being done by Israel in India is a result of government cooperation,” said Dharmadhikari. “This needs to shift to the private sector, and cybersecurity cooperation is a good place to start.”

Read more »

An Encounter With Rabbi Arush

From time to time, it is nice to have a little confirmation from others of who the ger of the Torah is. 

Today in Jerusalem at the wall, Rabbi Katz had a rare encounter with Rabbi Arush. 

After a day of prayer and study at Kever David, Rabbi Katz headed off to the wall to pray Maariv. By total hashgacha pratis, he had the chance to speak with Rabbi Arush and ask him some questions. 

Rabbi Katz asked who is the Ger in Likutei Mohran [Torah 14]? Is he a Jew or a non Jew? Rabbi Arush responded that he is both he non Jew and the convert; two connotations. 

Rabbi Katz asked if the Ger in the 10 commandments [Yevamot 48b] was convert or not convert [Ger Tzedek]. Rabbi Arush responded it is both. 

Rabbi Katz [reiterated] asked if the Ger Tzedek was convert or non convert, and Rabbi Arush responded, it is both. 

Rabbi Katz asked, then why do they teach that he is [always] a convert? Rabbi Arush responded, because unfortunately they teach it inaccurately.
And the Rav promptly responded with "Beracha and Hatzlacha" in response to the request to quote the Rav on these issues, along with a great smile and two pinches to the cheek.

Read more »

Welcome to Pax Judaica

Read carefully what this guy is saying; Israel is the only power [aligned with America, i.e. not Russia or China] that is willing, able, and has [done] struck down "evil regimes" in recent memory. This by definition is the foundation for the Pax Judaica model.

Note the unfolding: Pax UK - Pax Americana - and Pax Judaica.


Jpost.com:

The agreement reached between the US and Russia for the destruction of chemical weapons in the possession of the Assad regime is fraught with difficulty and danger and, in the best case scenario, would likely end up with a token show of disarmament, Col. Richard Kemp, former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday.

Speaking to the Post by phone, Kemp, who also served in the UK’s Joint Intelligence Committee and Cabinet Office Briefing Room, said: “I think it’s extremely difficult to do something like this during an active conflict, during a war. I think it’ll take a very large amount of time, with a significant amount of military protection, so that the inspectors can be as safe as they can be. That aspect will present huge challenges. Which country, first of all, will provide the scientists who will take these risks and the military forces to back them up? It’s a very dangerous situation.”

Kemp observed that there is a wide variety of factions in Syria, including regime forces and jihadists, meaning that it would be difficult to send weapons inspectors to the country.

“Secondly, to get verification in this kind of situation, I would say, is impossible,” he stated. “It would be very easy for President Assad to hide or remove out of the country significant quantities of chemical weapons.

Crisis in Syria - full JPost.com coverage

What we might end up seeing is a token show of disarmament. I don’t think it is realistically feasible.”

In turn, it would end up harming regional – and global – security, the former military commander warned.

Assad’s position would be strengthened by a more positive international stance towards him, “combined with very active Russian support and American collusion with that support,” Kemp said. Iran’s position, too, would be strengthened significantly, he continued, as the value of American deterrence “appears to be degraded as a result of this, and Iran’s own position is obviously strengthened by what will be its closer relations with Russia.”

This spells bad news from Israel’s perspective, Kemp said, adding nonetheless that “Israel appears to be the only reliable power in the region. America’s power and American deterrence is reduced. Israel remains the one reliable power that the world can count on to intervene if the situation gets too dangerous.”

He noted the three times that Israel, according to foreign media reports, intervened in Syria to prevent the transfer of advanced weapons, and the alleged 2007 Israeli air strike on Syria’s nuclear project.

“It’s that sort of action we need to be prepared to do,” Kemp said. “If Israel hadn’t struck Syria’s nuclear project, the situation now could be very different. We could be trying to deal with nuclear-armed Syria, which would be an impossibility. Israel is showing itself to be the only reliable power.”

The UK and the US have, over the past few weeks, “demonstrated their complete lack of resolve to do the right thing when it’s needed. It’s all very well speaking and posturing, but when the chips are down and it’s time to put their money where their mouth is, both the UK and US have shown there’s no will,” he said, pointing to a negative effect on world security.

Public opinion in the UK and US is too focused on what happened in Iraq and Afghanistan, “particularly, Iraq,” he added. “Many people are not able to look at this situation as a different situation to Iraq.”

In the UK, a wide part of public opinion is influenced by a fear of militant Islam and the desire to pursue short-term, low-risk goals, at the expense of ignoring wider risks, Kemp said.

This means Israel has rulership in its Land. From Erev Rav yes, and they shall yield to God in the end, but in this point in history, only Israel has the God given ability to be Pax Judaica [Pax anything] in this dor. The Geulah begins on this premise; all we can do is live each day with emunah that this is indeed it, the alternative would be an evil unheard of. The pieces are there, we are to read the mazal of each moment - the mazal being the kabbalistic perfection coming into our world which goes 100% in- face of "non-Jewish" mazal.

For context of Israel today and the imprecations  for the Church, read what the Pope has to say about Israel.

Pope Francis has praised Jews for keeping their faith despite the Holocaust and other “terrible trials” throughout history, and reaffirmed Judaism as the “holy root” of Christianity. In a letter, published on the front page of La Repubblica Italian newspaper, the Pope writes that "since Vatican Council II, we have rediscovered that the Jewish people are still for us the holy root from which Jesus germinated". 

As archbishop of Buenos Aires, Bergoglio had celebrated Rosh Hashana in local synagogues, he had voiced solidarity with Jewish victims of Iranian terrorism and co-written a book with a rabbi, Avraham Skorka. He attended a commemoration of Kristallnacht, the wave of Nazi attacks against Jews in November 1938. But as this new letter shows, one of the grave dangers in the Vatican's dialogue with Judaism is the Church's attempt to drive a wedge between the “good” and docile Jews of the Diaspora and the “bad” and arrogant Jews of Israel. Pope Francis has never addressed the Israelis in his messages, nor has he openly defended the Jewish State since he was elected by the college of the cardinals. It seems that there is no room for stubborn, faithful Zionists in the Pope's lenient smile.

 In his speeches, Jewish national aspirations are ignored, if not denigrated. The definitive proof is in Washington. It seems that there is no room for stubborn, faithful Zionists in the Pope's lenient smile. While the Pope was distributing that letter, in a new event co-sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Catholic University of America was hosting a special conference about “religious freedom and human rights issues in the Holy Land”. 

The speakers included Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, archbishop emeritus of Washington, D.C., Jessica Montell, executive director of B’Tselem anti-Israel group, and Mustafa Barghouti, the prominent member of the Palestinian Legislative Council. Cardinal McCarrick said that “the expansion of Israeli settlements into occupied territories provokes violence”, in a self-evident justification of Arab terrorism. Montell, who accepted money from BDS, added that “settlement expansion is a primary source of human rights violations for Palestinians” and that “human rights violations are inherent to a prolonged military occupation”. "When you live under occupation, you come to accept things you shouldn't accept,” Lubna Alzaroo, a Muslim graduate of Bethlehem University and Fullbright scholar studying at the University of Washington, said at the D.C. event of the Catholic Church. Among the organizations invited by the Catholic bishops there was also the Society of St. Yves, which charges "Israeli colonization, occupation and apartheid" and works for "the Palestinian refugees’ rights to return to their homes and places of origin". 

The Society of St. Yves shares also the "Nakba” ideology, the “catastrophe”, as the Arabs call the date of the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. While the Pope was penning his letter about Jesus, the US' highest Catholic political body was giving a platform to the boycotters of Israel, it was calling for the indefensible-for-Israel partition of the holy land and it was exculpating the Palestinian Arab for their jihad. 

 The Vatican, as always happened in the past, will be silent during the next "terrible trials" for the Jewish people, if they occur, should it be Iranian nuclear or Arab terrorism. When Pope Francis was elected, a media outlet asked me to comment. 

My reply was: "I hope the next Pope will avoid the ecumenical mistakes of his predecessors, he will address the challenge of political Islam and understand the Jewish revolution of returning to the land after Auschwitz. Otherwise, any Jewish-Catholic dialogue will be empty, or worse, it will be a show for hypocrites". 

 Was I right to be skeptical?

Torah says Hashem takes over in the End of Days. Couple that with our old friend "novelty" - Things are seeming ever novel, no?

last moments of '73 anyone?

Read more »

Gadlus Of Jethro, Father - In- Law Of Moses

                                                                        Parashas Haazinu

                                                                   Among Pharaoh’s Men

                                                                         Rabbi David Katz

Pharaoh’s three Men: Bilaam, Job, and Jethro – delegated by Pharaoh to find the nature of deism. The destiny of these four men [which will detail all Torah pathways] will comprise the backbone of the essential Torah, and ultimately provide a proper canvas for Moses, such that the message becomes the lyrical advantage to Moses – Messiah who is destined to once again sing his song. Yet as these fellows consist of the Torah’s map in entirety, and keeping pace with the agenda of Creation, to rally behind a central theme, perhaps Moses’ inner desire for knowledge best serves to provide a proper perspective of the Torah in its conclusion state; this is the sum parts of the Book of Job. To put it blindly, Job had one issue to solve, and that is, “why do the righteous suffer [unjustly]?” Parashas Haazinu comes to bring sacred light into this area of darkness, and let it be known, the Torah concludes its message with its essence delivered from the point of view of a select group of ancient men in Torah History, all coming together in one glorious generation. These Men were not Jewish. These Men were the good, bad, and ugly of the Ger Toshav World at large, and yet coming out unscathed [much like Rebbe Akiva], is the eternal answer to Moses’ plea to God in the form that in its end will reject Bilaam, praise Job, elect Jethro, and pave the path to redemption and Messiah. In the Book of Gerim, they have never shined brighter than right now in Haazinu.

“Why do the righteous suffer” ponders Job, ponders Moses, and ultimately as we see from Pharaoh, ponders all of Mankind on some level. “Why do I have it rough, when ‘Ploni’ never gets in trouble?” “I do well, but ‘Ploni’ sure never gets a fair shot in life.” Why do Gerim struggle, why are Jews prosecuted, why was there a holocaust, why were the Gerim exiled eons ago??? These seem as good questions, and such that they require great and creative answers, yet in truth perhaps what is missing is authentic proportion to compensate for a steady diet of low in-take mentality that is needed to fuel the Kingdom of God. In simple terms, we are trying to open a lemonade stand, calling it the Holy Temple, when in truth, we actually need something the goes beyond that which ever actually did stand on the Temple Mount. This is called the Third temple, it has never stood erect in our domain, and six thousand years of history will go down as a pathetic plight in trying to put a square in a round hole, i.e. perpetuating an insulting take on God’s eternal dwelling. Job is about finally acknowledging the grandiose nature of God’s providence, how he runs his Universe, and conceiving an infrastructure befitting the true King in a just fashion that caters to his Hand upon Mankind. In essence, God doesn’t sell lemonade, but we are challenged with the task of understanding God with the clarity that it can be easily explained over a glass of lemonade with a five year old. A word to the wise is sufficient.

Moses explains [with help from the Commentator Rashi and Zohar contribution; this is the framework 

taken throughout the entire discourse] that this song [Haazinu] takes shape only after calling upon the Heavens and the Earth to lay testimony “on this day” to all that is in this song. As it is explained, Creation is built to work with God; from this aspect of God’s Creating the Universe, the door to a false understanding of how God runs the universe is granted, while at the same time the even greater challenge is given to attempt to understand the bigger authentic picture and to succumb to a half-baked attempt to sell the proverbial lemonade labeling it as an allegory of having faith in God. God desires Truth and Accuracy and Justice; thus there is to resolve Creation’s riddle embedded in cycle after cycle of repetitious history, we are in fact guaranteed that there is an End, and in that End, we are promised to learn about God and His Creation as it was always intended and seen by the Heaven and Earth on that day.

The basic premise of Job/Iyov is that he doesn’t understand just how God is a true King [to the extent that Moses was NOT a true King (he was destined for another initiative as opposed to King David who did resemble the Kingdom that God desires); keeping in mind that Moses wrote Iyov] and begging the question concerning justice amongst men, despite what we as Men perceive.  The task at hand as many have become aware of on their own over time, is that what is needed is a change of perception. It is precisely at this point where we witness the perpetual war between the soul and the religion; some might say, and the Zohar resolves – conflict is everything. From this contradiction comes the Divine solution, and of course when you skip to the end of Job/Iyov, that is indeed how the Book ends.  However to appreciate what Job/Iyov learns in the process, is often overlooked, and comes in full bloom within Moses’ words in our Parsha.

To put it in terms of our lemonade stand, the world exists only for me, as Chazal state, “Tzaddik Yesod Olam” – each person [as the dictum states by the prophet Habbakuk who summarizes the entire Torah, “The righteous live in their faith”] must consider that the world is created for him, and him alone. The reason is actually quite startling, yet the lemonade stand knows it all too well – because it’s true! By the greatness of God, the only means to take into account matters such as fate, freewill, destiny, names and associations, etc. is to play by a subjective reality, and impose it upon all objective views. Rebbe Nachman in his Likutei Mohoran calls this the ultimate Faith by its very definition!

The challenge is that you are taking a spiritual “Hope” and living by it in a mundane society and way of life. The result, is that by God’s Divine Intervention [and that alone – as there is none other than Him] this actually becomes true, and we have this relationship with God. The miracle of God, is that He weaves each soul of creation into a fabric of existence where we all play by these same rules, and yet we are all unique to Him. This by definition is possible by an Infinite True [and Good] Deity dealing with Its Creation of Finite beings that envelop His Name [as it says He is one and His name is one].

By this principle, there is no you, there is only me, and my life is God communicating to me through my life in what is known as Mazal. This type of Mazal is not to say “I am compelled in a certain way, it is to say “I interact [with God] in a certain way.”  The difference is recognize cognitively that I can interface with God, and that interface is based on laws, righteousness, and ultimately the Torah that testifies this is what God desires from me; the reciprocation is such because God Himself is the essence of Good. The interesting theme amongst this maze, is that through imperfections of man, allows each one of us to interact with God, and ultimately all to interact with each other. From the perspective of Man we are one, while from the perspective of God, He is one. In truth Man must realize, “He is one and His name are one.” The awesome task at hand is thus to find the balance between “me” “you” and “God” and come out with an outcome that is only true.

By viewing the World this way [as explained in Haazinu and as coming to answer Job/Iyov] this simplest answer now can be achieved: I can’t know why you suffer and you can’t know why I suffer. If we only acknowledge suffering, we dwell in our pity and lack the bigger picture at hand. Likewise if one of us pities the other [as in Job/Iyov] the same effect takes place of missing the big picture, i.e. the perception of the Hand of God in motion – which it is! [In motion]

Solution is we know ourselves to a point then we meet “you”; that is the point that we enter the arena of God and His providence, and the opportunity to live out true Torah becomes the opportunity at hand. To simply accept our fellow, and be with him, he will come to let go of “your saga” as well, i.e. both internal; conflicts come to an end – take notice, neither of you now suffer, have entered a state of friendship, and are now able to perceive God. This perception will in the form of witnessing his Hand upon the moment, in a flash of Mazal, revelation of the Divine, yet totally contained in the anomaly of life. This is when Man can perceive that Life is indeed Holy, and to the surprise of all [i.e. Job/Iyov] this revelation will yield insight into Torah making lemonade stand clear that we all [unbeknownst to ourselves] dramatize essential Torah, and this is our merit and opportunity in Life to live a divine message.  To an even bigger surprise, this is the miracle of the prophecy of our God – given names that we tote as the medal we know not of, yet pronounce with a veracity even greater than the highest faith; again, essential conflict at hand.

By simply living life, engaging with people, and letting God commune with us, we get closer and closer to a civilization, an End Time where God will finally choose to settle amongst Man, by resting His Presence in the Third Temple of Zion. So to answer the question of “why do we suffer” – Man must consider making it an observation and not a point of investigation. This alone will not only relieve the pain of one’s fellow, but from yourself as well; God is allowed to come into context and focus, and the arena will be one fitting for the Divine Presence, as God dwells amongst those that Fear God, and there is no greater way to fear God, than to keep His Torah. As the Zohar concludes, the key word to this equation is Kindness, and as Moses concludes in our Parasha, this type of Kindness is the path to revelation of God that heals His Creation and brings His presence closer to those that are far.

We close the Torah over the Holidays, and when the time comes, all will know the Torah’s message for Mankind. Yet let it be etched upon the hearts of Man that this endeavor became a Jewish question, such that it perpetuates each generation until it reaches the End. Yet if we just think a little bit bigger, and go a little bit deeper, and sell a little bit more lemonade before jumping to Wall Street in our fragile minds, one will see this was the agenda of the Ger; not only then, but now – this is the message of the Ger. Of Pharaoh’s men, Bilaam came to pervert the Truth that comes from heaven, while Job/Iyov persevered to see this equation compute a tangible answer.  The most righteous of the lot however was Jethro.

If we are to seek the Ger’s greatest contributions in Torah, we can look straight away to Shem, Noah, and even Jethro with his clarity with Moses over the courts in parashas Jethro. But as the Zohar says, the righteous give their essential Torah the day of death [like Moses like Rashbi, etc.]; on this day, Moses gave over the depths of a Torah that was written with vessels of the Gerim [Zohar] and no one was closer to the life of Moses than Jethro, the father of Ger Toshavim until this day. Haazinu is the song that will be sung, and King Solomon fashioned his Song of Songs with Messianic Light that was planted from the efforts that took place at this time. The Zohar ends its discourse with a logical deduction: don’t be like Bilaam. If we apply this process to the extent of yielding a revelation, the Torah’ appropriate conclusion would be, “thank You Jethro.”

If we remember how the Book of Bamidbar ended in its Messianic Light, Pinchas earned the Brit Shalom, and there we concluded the same; Pinchas was inspired by his grandfather Jethro, as from a far it was clear who was the guiding Light for Pinchas and the source of his bravery. The next time you have lemonade, perhaps you will remember a now clear Torah dictum, “…it was learned from Jethro” - and in the bigger picture, do Kindness for the Ger, and let the Glory of God be upon you. Did anyone show this more in the history of the World than Jethro and the Ger of our lives?

To answer as Job/Iyov would have it said in Truth and Faith, “Love the Ger, for God Loves the Ger – and He is right.” It isn’t about how it ends, its how we got there, and we got there from Jethro and Gerim.

Class On Parasha Will be On Regular Time Motzie Yom Kippur 11 P.M. [Tzfat Time]

Click Here To Enter Class!

Read more »

Glazerson - Bible Codes - Noahides

Read more »

Your Move Bibi - Bluffa

In the hearts of man this is about Iran; In the heart of Hashem this is about Geulah.

From the Mouth of God I heard two. [מפי הגבורה]


YahooNews.com:

If President Barack Obama has disappointed Syrian rebels by deferring to Congress before bombing Damascus, he has also dismayed the United States' two main allies in the Middle East.

Israel and Saudi Arabia have little love for each other but both are pressing their mutual friend in the White House to hit President Bashar al-Assad hard. And both do so with one eye fixed firmly not on Syria but on their common adversary - Iran.

Israel's response to Obama's surprise move to delay or even possibly cancel air strikes made clear that connection: looking soft on Assad after accusing him of killing hundreds of people with chemical weapons may embolden his backers in Tehran to develop nuclear arms, Israeli officials said. And if they do, Israel may strike Iran alone, unsure Washington can be trusted.

Neither U.S. ally is picking a fight with Obama in public. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the nation was "serene and self-confident"; Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal simply renewed a call to the "international community" to halt Assad's violence in Syria.

But the Saudi monarchy, though lacking Israel's readiness to attack Iran, can share the Jewish state's concern that neither may now look with confidence to Washington to curb what Riyadh sees as a drive by its Persian rival to dominate the Arab world.

Last year, Obama assured Israelis that he would "always have Israel's back". Now Netanyahu is reassuring them they can manage without uncertain U.S. protection against Iran, which has called for Israel's destruction but denies developing nuclear weapons.

"Israel's citizens know well that we are prepared for any possible scenario," the hawkish prime minister said. "And Israel's citizens should also know that our enemies have very good reasons not to test our power and not to test our might."

That may not reassure a U.S. administration which has tried to steer Netanyahu away from unilateral action against Iran that could stir yet more chaos in the already explosive Middle East.

Israel's state-run Army Radio was more explicit: "If Obama is hesitating on the matter of Syria," it said, "Then clearly on the question of attacking Iran, a move that is expected to be far more complicated, Obama will hesitate much more - and thus the chances Israel will have to act alone have increased."

Israelis contrast the "red line" Netanyahu has set for how close Iran may come to nuclear weapons capability before Israel strikes with Obama's "red line" on Assad's use of chemical weapons - seemingly passed without U.S. military action so far.

"HEAD OF THE SNAKE"

Saudi Arabia, like Israel heavily dependent on the United States for arms supplies, is engaged in a historic confrontation with Iran for regional influence - a contest shaped by their leading roles in the rival Sunni and Shi'ite branches of Islam.

Riyadh is a prime backer of Sunni rebels fighting Assad, whose Alawite minority is a Shi'ite offshoot. It sees toppling Assad as checking Iran's ambition not just in Syria but in other Arab states including the Gulf, where it mistrusts Shi'ites in Saudi Arabia itself and in neighboring Bahrain, Yemen and Iraq.

Saudi King Abdullah's wish for U.S. action against Iran was memorably contained in leaked U.S. diplomatic cables, including one in which a Saudi envoy said the monarch wanted Washington to "cut off the head of the snake" to end Tehran's nuclear threat.

Disappointment with Obama's hesitation against Assad came through on Sunday in the Saudi foreign minister's remarks to the Arab League in Cairo, where he said words were no longer enough.

Riyadh and its allies in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) risk ending up empty-handed in their latest push for U.S. backing in their campaign to rein in Iran, said Sami al-Faraj, a Kuwaiti analyst who advises the GCC on security matters:

"The idea of a punishment for a crime has lost its flavor. We are on the edge of the possibility that military action may not be conducted," he said. "Congress, for sure, ... will attach conditions to what is already going to be a limited strike. At the end, we as Gulf allies, may end up with nothing."

Israel does not share the Saudi enthusiasm for the Syrian rebel cause, despite its concern about Assad's role as a link between Iran and Lebanese and Palestinian enemies. The presence in rebel ranks of Sunni Islamist militants, some linked to al Qaeda, worries the Jewish state - though Riyadh, too, is keen to curb al Qaeda, which calls the royal family American stooges.

EGYPTIAN LESSONS

Saudi and Israeli support for U.S. air strikes in response to Assad's alleged use of poison gas scarcely stands out less amid a global clamor of reproach for Damascus. But the recent Egyptian crisis saw them more distinctly making common cause in lobbying Washington - since their preference for Egypt's army over elected Islamists was at odds with much of world opinion.

That, too, reflects shared anxieties about the strength of Islamic populism and about Iran, which found a more sympathetic ear in Cairo after the election of President Mohamed Mursi.

Israeli political commentators used terms such as "betrayal" and "bullet in the back from Uncle Sam" when Obama abandoned loyal ally Hosni Mubarak during the popular uprising of 2011.

While some Western leaders voiced unease at the army's overthrow of Mursi in July and bloody crackdown on his Muslim Brotherhood, in Israel even Obama's mild rebuke to the generals - delaying delivery of four warplanes to Egypt - caused "raised eyebrows" of disapproval, an official there said.

A "gag order" from Netanyahu kept that quiet, however, as Israel's military kept open the communications with Egypt's armed forces, not least over militant attacks near their desert border, in a manner that has been the bedrock of the U.S.-brokered peace treaty binding Israel and Egypt since 1979.

Unusually, it was Saudi Arabia which was the more vocally critical of Washington's allies over its Egypt policy.

As U.S. lawmakers toyed with holding back aid to the new military-backed government, Riyadh and its Gulf allies poured in many more billions in aid and loans to Cairo.

And Saudi Arabia told Washington defiantly that it would make up any shortfall if the United States dared to turn off the taps: "To those who have declared they are stopping aid to Egypt or are waving such a threat, the Arab and Muslim nations ... will not shy away from offering a helping hand to Egypt," foreign minister Prince Saud said last month.

DISCREET DIPLOMACY

More quietly, Israel has been engaged in direct discussions with the White House, urging Obama not to waver in support of Egypt's military and saying it is time to act on Syria.

An official briefed on U.S.-Israeli discussions said Israeli intercepts of Syrian communications were used by Obama administration officials in making their public case that Assad was behind the August 21 gas attacks and must be penalized.

Netanyahu, whose frosty rapport with Obama blossomed into a display of harmony on the president's visit to Israel in March, has ordered his ministers not to criticize Obama publicly after the president's decision to take the Syrian issue to Congress.

A government source said the prime minister told his cabinet on Sunday: "We are in the middle of an ongoing event. It is not over and there are sensitive and delicate issues at play.

"There is no room here for individual comments," he said. "I'm asking you not to behave irresponsibly when it comes to our ally, just so you can grab a fleeting headline."

That did stop Tzachi Hanegbi, a Netanyahu confidant who sits on parliament's defense committee, complaining on Army Radio that Obama had delivered further proof to Iran - and North Korea - that "there is no enthusiasm in the world to deal with their ongoing defiance regarding nuclear weaponry".

"To us it says one thing: ... in the words of our sages: 'If I am not for myself, then who is?'"

Israel clearly hopes still that Congress will give Obama the green light for strikes against Assad but is also likely to be wary of deploying its own lobbying power among lawmakers.

That risks being counter-productive and, in any case, the president has made clear that threats to Israel from Syrian chemical weapons are among his own arguments for war.

Concern in Washington over a go-it-alone Israeli strike on Iran are still strong; Israel is unlikely to use the nuclear warheads it is assumed to possess but any strike on its distant and populous enemy would have unpredictable consequences.

As a result, U.S. leaders have beaten a path to Jerusalem - Obama himself in March but also Secretary of State John Kerry several times, relaunching talks with the Palestinians in the process, and General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, who made his third visit to Israel last month.

Gadi Shamni, an Israeli military attache in the United States until last year, said that on the Iranian issue, "there were times when we were in the same book, then the same chapter.

"Right now we are on the same page. There is a lot of flow of intelligence and views and understanding."

MILITANT THREAT

For all the unease that Israel has about Syria's rebels, who have at times fired into the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, it is pushing hard against Assad now after learning to live with the Syrian leader and his father over the past 40 years. One Israeli official said the message from Netanyahu was clear:

"There is a man in nominal control of Syria who is using chemical weapons against civilians. That has to be stopped."

That sentiment is echoed in Riyadh. Abdullah al-Askar, chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the Shoura Council, said that U.S. strikes should aim to end Assad's rule.

Askar, who said he was speaking in a personal capacity, told Reuters: "If the attack is just a punishment to show that the international community will not stand for chemical attacks, Assad will just remain in his place and do his bloody work.

"The second scenario is to finish the business."

Mustafa Alani, a Gulf analyst with good connections to Saudi officials, said the kingdom was also warning Washington that a failure to attack Assad would benefit their common enemy al Qaeda: "No action will boost the extremist position," he said, explaining that rebel despair at U.S. inaction on Syria would push more fighters to switch allegiance to Islamist militants.

Paraphrasing what he said was a Saudi argument, Alani said: "Without a punishment of the regime, extremists will enjoy wider support and attract more moderate fighters."

Riyadh already shares rebel frustrations with the shortage of U.S. military aid reaching Syria, despite Obama's commitment in June to step up assistance after poison gas was first used.

A senior U.S. official spoke of a "stable relationship" with Riyadh "on core national security areas". But the official also conceded: "While we do not agree on every issue, when we have different perspectives we have honest and open discussions."

As with Israel over Iran, those are likely to continue.

Robert Jordan, U.S. ambassador to Riyadh in 2001-03, said intelligence chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan and ambassador to Washington Adel Jubeir had been "very outspoken" in their belief the rebels that can be trusted and should get military backing.

Obama denies seeking the "regime change" Riyadh wants. But Jordan added: "It doesn't mean they won't keep pushing for it."

The Vilna Gaon says Geulah can be sure to come with 3 Moadim: Times, People, and Activities.

Here we are in 5773, The players are here, and the actions are accountable.

To me, things are going on, Hashem is in control as last week's Haftorah explains, "Who is this that comes from Edom?"

Any lag in blogging should be assumed nothing is going on, to the contrary, it means everything is going on! It's just that this is the story, and I'm following as most people are. I will continue to blog moments that seem crucial to God's [apparent] Plan.

Also keep in mind what is happening on the mainland; America is taking steps to legalize marijuana as soon as Thursday - something to keep in mind.

This song [and its message] used to mean something; Now all I hear in the message is that one day this will be the message to Jews WorldWide to realize, "We're Comin' to Israel."

Read more »