Korach - Religion's Creator

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[*note* it is best to read article before audio shiur]

• Korach and Gerim
• Korach vs. Pinchas
• Anti-Messiah
• Peace and Anger
• Land and the Priest
• Joshua, Rachav, Pinchas
• Spies and Gerim
• etc.

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Korach Had No Clue, While Amalek Still Argues The Point

                                                                Parashas Korach

                                                       From Gifts alongside Gerim

                                                                Rabbi David Katz

Parahas Korach follows the Ger in Torah template to perfection, for the Parsha doesn’t only echo, but practically cries out its roots well into the Oral Torah. Where one person may see the story of Korach’s rebellion and baseless argumentation [machlokes – not in the sake of heaven; influence seen as Amalek in behavior, the evil Nation that is promised to be wiped out in the End of Days], the true beauty of the Parsha is the wealth of Oral Torah tradition in the peripheral of the Parsha, such that it is largely triggered by Torah of the Ger – at root level. 

Amidst the rebellion we are calmly confronted with new concepts such as, Priestly Gifts, possessions, inheritance, Land by Tribes, etc. such that from a few verses in the Parsha, triggers practically all of the Oral component called “Bava” [Tractate “damages”], and when seen from the Ger perspective [which is also rooted deep in the valleys of “Bava”; see Tosfos 111b and the Ger Tzedek], a whole new dimension to Oral Torah learning is illuminated before the eyes of the beholder. Just one tweak of recognizing the Ger in Parashas Korach, and Bava Metzia [and all of Bava; - Kama, Metzia, Basra (first, middle, and last gates)] all of a sudden becomes Parashas Korach in Technicolor, due to the precept – “the Torah is written in the language of the Ger.” [Zohar]

Upon first glance through the Parsha, one may be hard pressed to spot the Ger in the text, and the obvious option to resort to would be to make a Priestly connection, predicated on the dictum, “a Ger who learns Torah is compared to a High Priest.” Although this is correct, and will yield significant bounty, an undertone that registers throughout the Parsha is a topic/character that we will become quite familiar with over the next few weeks, one who is Messianic in nature and highly symbolic of Gerim in Torah [history]; this is none other than Pinchas the Priest, son of Aaron. It should send off bells and whistles just mentioning Aaron in context with Parashas Korach, pegged alongside the entire Priestly debate, and the table is set for a plunge into the deeper side of the Parsha.

Pinchas, who is a grandson of Aaron [who kicks the door in to become a Priest, as he was not grandfathered in as for having been born as a grandson at the time of Sinai, i.e. not a son of Aaron], highlights nearly all of the Bava [Talmudic] discussions in the Parsha, such as inheritance, possession, priestly gifts, Priests and “their Land” [which is traditionally not given to the tribe of Levi, as the Parsha specifically points out] etc., yet what separates Pinchas from the traditional Priestly lot, is not the possessions themselves, but how he came to possess in the first place!

If we think back to last week’s Parsha [which a theme of Bamidbar is the wonderful flow amongst its Parshiot in these matters; a true story immerges, reminiscent of Bereishit] and recall Joshua and Caleb, who had a different spirit than the rest of the spies, it is seen that they were successful in the Land largely, if not entirely, because they each embraced the Ger. Caleb was seen connecting to the Ger Tzedek in the Avot, while Joshua was mysteriously buried in Jericho which would become synonymous with him in his Torah legacy. It was there that the spies Pinchas and Caleb [ring a bell?] met up with a family of Righteous Gerim [and these two spies were sent by none other than Joshua], headed by the inn-keeper Rachav, who would later become Joshua’s wife, to which most never offer a second glance with the ramifications of such a union. This raises issue as to who was Rachav, what was her exact relationship with Joshua, and where/how/why/where/when does Pinchas fit into this [apparent and odd] love triangle.

The Talmud Megilah states that Joshua married Rachav, and it is clear that their relationship on some level began as a product of Joshua’s conquering Israel through Jericho as a “buchor” [a young Torah scholar, to which the Torah testifies to this distinction, as a student of Moses], through his efforts of dropping the bow and arrow bit, and fighting through Love and Peace as a Ger enthusiast, realizing that the World truly was desperate to hear about the Truth of God. This is a hint of what we learn from the Torah, in that vessels of war will become extinct in the End of Days [a time when most people would think that we need them the most!], and that there is an alternative method of perspective of the ancient Jewish warrior; from being a “quasi neo ninja” to a true Man of War [as King David], which the Kabbalah learns as being effective in the Oral Torah and prayer.

These concepts are easily seen as [in relation to the] Ger in every way, and as they are acute Ger attributes/components, one can easily see why David said, “I am a Ger.” An original template can be seen through Joshua, who was the elected one to carry the essence of Torah into Israel, as the buchor who most understood Moses’ final message [and essential philosophy and naturally Kabbalistic message of Torah] as the departing King of Jushuron [Israel]. [Joshua and Caleb were both said to have reached the spiritual and righteous level called “Kruvim” (Angelic); similar to the Kruvim who are stationed to guard the way of the Tree of Life by their fiery swords. Thus they were operating on a Tree of Life distinction as opposed to the Korach driven Tree of Knowledge.]

Joshua and Rachav wed at some point, and their offspring was said to have produced the finest Priests and Prophets in Israel’s History. Yet one function of their fertility was the lone ability to produce females, for males would be rendered spiritually impossible due to the circumstance of Joshua’s unique level he attained that hinted of angelic quality and caliber in soul root. As this is true in practical spiritual terms, it is also a product to the nature of their marriage in Torah Law, for Joshua differed from Caleb, in that Caleb pursued the path of the concubine to enhance the tradition of the Ger, whereas Joshua actually made his wedding canopy entirely from the seed of the Ger Tzedek, i.e. The Family of Rachav.

Joshua carries a special weight in his lineage that was put on the line through his union with Rachav, for Joshua is the end of the line of the First Born continuum that extended from Abraham, manifesting through Joshua by way of Joseph and Ephraim culminating with the marriage with Rachav. By way of Joshua and Rachav and more importantly their offspring [females to the negation of the males as was stated], with special precedence being given to perpetuate Priests and Prophets in potential, the stage was never more set for Pinchas to come on board, perpetuate the seed of Joshua [and their common ancestor Joseph, of which Pinchas also is related to on his mother’s side, as a Daughter of Putiel, wife of Elazar, father of Pinchas]. The two [Pinchas & Joshua] represent the secret closeness of Joseph [Ephraim] and Levi as hinted at in the additional “yud” given to [Ye]Hoshea bin Nun by Moses in the spies, as is explained by the Arizal as an impregnation with the Tribal head Levi as a double [firstborn] portion. [*every spy had its Tribal Head infused in each member’s mission]

Pinchas thus married a daughter of Joshua and Rachav [which raised issue after Pinchas’ Priesthood over a similar (impure manner) between Zimri and Cozbi, of the Tribe of Shimon and Midianite women], continued Joseph’s spiritual legacy [as hinted at in Pinchas’ (messianic understood) name] and ultimately inherited a good portion of Land from Joshua, due to the inherent void in his lineage from a lack of male offspring; the male in laws would inherit Joshua, i.e. through Priests and Prophets – among them was Jeremiah. This Land would be known as Givat Pinchas [the Hill of Pinchas] located in the Hills of Ephraim, and buried there to this day is the father of Pinchas, Elazar the Priest, son of Aaron the Priest. This is the same Aaron who in the Parsha was granted victory in Korach’s rebellion, was distinguished as the quintessential Priest, and by as such, it was decreed that the Priest would not have ownership of Tribal Land in the normative sense. The question then must be addressed as to the nature of Pinchas’ Land.

The commentators are all in basic agreement that Pinchas was given the Land by the inhabitants of Ephraim in close proximity to Joshua, as an official and eternal transaction through inheriting his wife [Pinchas lived forever as the eventual manifestation of Elijah literally, and thus was destined to outlive any prospective wife, thus an inheritance. Parashas Pinchas is ironically the source of such Torah Law in conjunction to our Parsha which deals with Priestly Land.] By this acquisition, Pinchas would never lose the Land to Jubilee, and he merited having his righteous father buried on his private lot.  This now brings a special light onto our Parsha that deals with Priestly Land.

The Parsha is clear that no Priest is to own Land, and Pinchas is the joyous exception to the rule [as he is for many ground breaking areas in law and Kabbalistic philosophy such as Messianic truths], one that stems directly from Gerim. Joshua set the stage with his unique view of Torah Law and thought when he coupled with Rachav, a Ger Tzedek, produced by a pre-requisite family (after 40+ years) of Ger Tzedek lineage (akin to Ruth; listed among the three daughters of Shem/Iyov), preparing the footstool for Pinchas and his soulful story [encoded in his name according to the Zohar]. Pinchas seized the moment, as no one would prove to better at standing as a role model to “Pinchas Torah Concepts” than the man Pinchas himself!  What is exceptional to the Pinchas saga is that it is rooted and revealed through the prism of the Ger in our Parsha, and as a set precedence to continue in Torah Scripture. The Land that belongs to Pinchas will forever tell the tale of the sacrifice to Torah Truth that was dually achieved by Pinchas and Joshua, a symbol of their close union, as essential students to Moses and his Kingdom that entered the Land on their behalf.

We are embarking on Pinchas Torah in these next couple of Parshiot, and Korach served as a template of the final stage before redemption as the rebellion against the Torah that could be dubbed as the quintessential Gog [of Magog]. Pinchas according to the Arizal and others is the soul that will contain the messianic mission of the future, restoring the Torah as he did numerous times with sacrificing action, and bringing an end to all opposition to God’s truth. What is often hard to hear is that the Truth is best seen from the objective vantage point of the Ger, and perhaps we see this the most clearly in Parashas Korach. From a simple adjustment of perspective, a wealth of Torah can be understood through Pinchas, to an extent of absolute revelation to the blueprint and DNA of the Oral Torah, which came/comes from Gerim, as often is the case.

Special is the Land of Israel in the eyes of God, coupled with His love of Gerim; for Pinchas was given Land by means of the Ger, Caleb delivered his portion [and his lack of sons as well] to his seed, and we all look forward to the future, when the Temple will be built from the Hands of Heaven, in a time that the Ger Toshav can come home to his land, enjoying the milk and honey that comes served best, while sitting with the best point of view of all those in the Torah. If the Jew represents the Voice of the Turtledove that is heard in the Land, then perhaps someone was there first watching it happen, enjoying the finest parts of the Land.

Look around, and perhaps you may stumble upon the position of the Ger - a wondrous Torah indeed, one seen through the eyes of God. Would the Land stand without a scribe to document His Torah, or would the Torah speak the tongue of a Foreign Land; perhaps one should stand with those in good standing with The Lord Himself, for does he not speak of His Love of the Ger?

Motzie Shabbos 11 P.M. - Tzfat Time - Parasha Shavua

                  Wed 11 P.M.  - Torah of the Ger

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Growing With The Ger

Parashas Shelach

The Ger In High Definition

Rabbi David Katz

In this week’s Parsha, we cover the three most distinct angles of the Ger [in relation to Israel] that serve as the main function of the Ger [Toshav] in the Land, setting precedent from within and throughout. The Parsha begins with the spies, and the two spies who don’t speak evil speech, [loshon harah] will go down as two of the biggest pioneers in Jewish – Ger history; none other than Caleb and Joshua. What they stand for, [spreading Seven Laws as a method of subduing idolatry as opposed to military might] shall lend itself to the next phase – a Ger in land [and his obligation/ability to sacrifice [Olah Offering], leading to the last position of the Parsha – tzitzit; religious identification/uniform in the Land – in the merit of Shem, he who founded Jerusalem, and by these means the Land itself [Canaan would then be to Shem as the Caananite Nations standing before Israel]. The three topics could easily be pinned down to three perspectives: The Jewish confronting [potential] Gerim, the Jews and Gerim facing each other, and the Ger gazing at the Jew; spies, sacrifices, and garments respectively. [The Gra identifies this as three distinct stages of daughter – sister- mother in relation to Torah]

When the decision is made to spy out the Land, twelve spies are elected from amidst the Children of Israel, highlighted in historical context by Joshua and Caleb. These two were existentially different than the rest, even for the mere fact that where the others stood to deride the Land of its harshness, Joshua and Caleb offered tunes of praise. However the key in understanding where it went right for these two [and a point of digression for the others], is to consider the path of Caleb – a destination with the Avot!

It should be very clear by now, that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were the Patriarchs of Israel, yet a Jewish People would not stand until crossing over through Sinai. That makes everyone before Sinai a Ger [Tzedek], and the standard as such, carrying on a legacy that began with Adam, was entrusted to Noah, and was perfected and influenced by Shem, who made it an eternal path of righteousness. [This follows the Zohar that explains the words of Torah were actually spoken as vessels that belonged and originated with Gerim.] Caleb, as he had “a different spirit within him” would then seek to connect not with his Jewish Brethren [and thus speak an evil report], but would cling to his forefathers who saw Judaism from the eyes of the Ger [hence the perspective point of view of this Parsha], and would, ultimately draw influence from them specifically [and perhaps it is for this reason it is said that the forefathers along with Adam sleep (w/o decay) in the Cave of Machpela; a well of inspiration for he who wishes to connect to their reservoir].

Caleb [and Joshua – who also led a life of devotion to Gerim for the sake of the truth; both Caleb and Joshua deliver their seed into the vessels of Gerim, under the lens of “The Righteous spiritual level of Elijah”] takes a different route of operation in the Land in conjunction with God’s commandments from within the Torah, concerning Derech Eretz in the Land; he chooses to fight as the Avot fought – with Torah. The other spies were limited in their view of success, as they thought in terms of bows and arrows; for that Hashem showed them [in their enemy’s hands] AK 47’s and Merkava Tanks so to speak. For Caleb and Joshua, the view was different, for they chose to fight as Samson – with the Seven Laws of Noah; Hashem then promptly and quite clearly showed them signs of victory. Where the ten evil reports of the spies cried over destruction, Joshua and Caleb were busy preparing the Land as ancestral heritage, laying the seeds of what would be conquered land in the name of God and His Torah.

The loshon hara would go down as the quintessential Tisha b’ Av the day commemorating a Temple’s destruction and a near eternity of agony for Israel. Joshua and Caleb are then essentially in stark opposition, laying foundations for even the Third and eternal Temple of God.  Joshua lays a foundation in the House of Rachav, and Caleb becomes the most recent Patriarch of Hebron [in merit of his influence there from the Avot] – to your seed, an inheritance, says Hashem.

Essentially, “the spies” chose poorly and this resulted in destruction by military might, whereas the other two saw that Hashem’s command of conquering Israel can be done through Torah and Noahide Laws, allowing for the Jewish – Shem pipeline to become once again live and well. This is seen by the Parsha closing with the command of Tzitzit – a mitzvah of the white strings in merit of Shem, while the blue string is the merit of Abraham; a true depiction of heaven and earth – the Jew- Ger pipeline.

[*The Mechilta points out, that the most effective way of securing Israel’s borders, ending idolatry, and even erasing Amalek’s memory, is best accomplished through the Noahide Laws. Jewish history would end up going down this road as its correction against the spies, an acknowledgement of Caleb and Joshua. Only as the Edomite exile intensified has this tradition become lost, amidst Israel’s Second Temple crisis [that Edom destroyed]. We can be sure that as Gerim are returning, Edom’s run is nearing its end, and this time the Jewish People are poised to return to their [Caleb /Joshua – Joseph Judah; ancestors to Messiah’s ben David and ben Joseph who complete the task] roots and bring the World to the Ger Toshav [Shem/Abraham inspired vision] position is was created to exist as.]

This concludes an introduction to a Jewish View of the World coming out of the Land of Israel, from the focal point of first contact, i.e. the spies.

Once Gerim would become common place in the Land [or even as Ger Toshav throughout the World], the Parsha states that they have rights in performing Offerings to God. It is at this junction where the Ger and the Jew truly stand side by side. [If the previous perspective was as a mother - daughter relationship (in nurturing and education), this no doubt would be the sister-sister progression; for wisdom is called “my sister”] The Ger [who wishes to be a Ger and/or operate within Torah precincts] is encouraged to make an Olah Offering, should it be for Thanksgiving or in order to be a proper Ger for example [which today can be achieved through a Ger – Shabbat]. The Jewish – Ger shared experience would be in the learning/physical process of delivering God’s aroma.

The Ger is considered like a High Priest when he learns Torah, and it is the Olah that opens the door to his World of revelation and light. Under the catalyst of his Olah, he may now learn [with sky as the limit when done with the Wisdom of Torah; who again, is called Wisdom] to perform, invest in an expansive nature should he desire to, and he even now has cause to exist in tandem with Israel through his inheritance, the Torah. For a Ger Toshav [within or throughout Israel and the World], this would constitute his independence in the Land, and now would be able to operate with quite ease under the Seventh Noahide Law – to establish the necessary statute of  Beis Din. The Ger would be fully operative in the Land, and the Torah goes on to state, in the areas of interest, there shall be one Torah for the Jew and the Ger alike. 

Today Jewish cooperation and assistance is frail, coupling with Ger hesitation of delivering an Olah, as per the knowledge to identify the appropriate Offering [as one must know with intent the nature of the Olah, i.e. for Thanksgiving or for finalizing one’s soul as a Ger]; the Torah seeks to mend the distance and to improve both sides’ education levels for the sake of the other, through the partnership in the Olah. Should the Ger Toshav of today realize the gift of God that he possesses, the Olah, and were to take full privilege, the Offering [which literally means to draw close] would in fact have the power to draw each other close, into full eternal embrace. The Holy Temple built [and such that it was built by the inertia of Caleb and Joshua as opposed to the spies] which functions as the Divine locale of such Service to God, will forever express this union before God.

This now shows two of three perspectives: Jewish view of the Land and Ger – Jewish view together. The third and final view is the Ger who gazes upon Israel – in the name of Tzitzit.

Tzitzit come under the merit of Shem and Abraham [white and blue strings respectively] and are the article of clothing that a Jew can be seen in the Land. This obviously points to the Ger in the Land [who now is as a “Mother” in Torah, as Torah can be said in his name; having gone through the three stages of Torah – daughter, sister, and mother. The Ger is now the fourth branch of the mystical letter Shin, having expanded like the Land of Israel – into a fourth branch. The Land of Israel is said to expand like the skin of a deer, with the addition of Gerei Toshavim.] who with his gaze upon the Tzitzit, reminds the inhabitants of the Land [and throughout the World if need be] of God’s Holy Domain above and below, and in the name of the Fear of Heaven in performance of His Commandments. The Jew would then find the proper drive to reach this pre-requisite Awe through the gaze of the Ger, and Ger would benefit from a World filled with Torah [that in the relative sense always did begin with the Ger].

This constitutes a rectified society in the Land of Israel, from the starting point of the bravery of Caleb and Joshua, developing into a people of worship [not in the mold of religion or idolatry], and culminates with a proper people who are a part of the fabric within the Land’s borders as a society of God. If the Land was ever to bear fruit [and multiply] both the Jewish People and the Gerim would be delivered to full Mother [Torah expertise] status in result of the Unity that can, should, and will exist between the sons of Shem, encapsulated within the Torah command through Tzitzit, in the merit of Shem and Abraham.

As the final war of Gog V’ Magog is quite literally [after an extremely Jacob’s ladder-esque long process] an attack against Torah, through the agency of Japheth in opposition of Shem. Thus the World is, was, and will be a saga of sons of Noah. For all that Parashas Shelach stands for as an eternal reminder of Tisha’ b’ Av, B’’H, it also stands as the eternal rectification as such. The Parsha preserves and delivers the Messianic message that is contained in the sons of Shem, a path of unity, one of which is treaded upon by none other than those who inherit Shem.

The Gerim and Yehudim – who serve as the white fire agent in the Parsha, or the Tzitzit of Shem [white fire with blue flame?], contain the intensity and purification to bring Japheth back to his Noahide prophecy – of dwelling in the Tents of Shem, roots and tradition that the other spies were all too quick to forget.

In a Land that is inhabited by God’s Gerim, the Path to Moshiach is best walked in the shoes of Caleb and Joshua, the two spies who in face of military might, chose to pay visage to the Gerim who walked the same Land before them, and who are destined to walk again…for the key to unlocking David and Joseph’s door, lies within the Fourth Craftsmen [the others being sons of David and Joseph along with Elijah], he who is dressed in white – the Righteous Priest, Shem son of Noah –who in conjoined merit with Abraham, will forever remind us, as they did Caleb: You are Gerim in the Land of God.

Parashas Shelach will always then stand to remind the soul destined for Tisha B’ Av – of the soft bubbling river that pours out of the Temple in the End of Days, one that stands to reverse the destruction of the spies, and can begin to build as sons of Shem, a project that laid its foundations with Shem and Abraham. As witnessed by Caleb, the Kol Hator [the voice of the spy] will be heard in the Land, signaling a return to the voice of Caleb, echoing the Torah in its original and authentic voice as God always intended it to be, a true insight to God’s reality.

Don't Forget Class Time: 11 P.M. Motzie Shabbos [Tzfat]

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Coming To Obamastine

Well, its about time nu.

And now is appropriate to bring up the infamous Zohar: Gog will visit Israel three times; between the 2nd and 3rd times intense Din will erupt - such that it will lead to the demise of Gog.
This is Obama's 2nd visit, so he's "practically mishpacha." Let the games begin.


Jpost.com:

Both the White House and the Prime Minister's Office said Tuesday that President Obama had spoken with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in January about a presidential visit to Israel this spring, which would be the first since Obama assumed the White House in 2009.

“The start of the President’s second term and the formation of a new Israeli government offer the opportunity to reaffirm the deep and enduring bonds between the United States and Israel and to discuss the way forward on a broad range of issues of mutual concern,” said White House spokesman Tommy Vietor.

He pointed to Iran and Syria but did not mention the Palestinians.

The trip, however, is widely seen as an effort by Obama to kick-start a moribund peace process between Israelis and Palestinians amidst other roiling regional concerns, such as the Arab Spring and Iran nuclear program.

Vietor said further details about the trip, including the dates, would be released at a later time.

Israeli media reports, however, have identified late March as the expected arrival time. Channel 10 reported that the visit will take place as part of a regional tour also expected to take Obama to Ankara, Riyadh, Cairo and Ramallah.

Obama came under a great deal of criticism for not visiting Israel during his first term, something which many believe would reassure a jittery Israeli public of his support, even though he did visit countries nearby such as Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. He was last here as a presidential candidate in 2008.

Since Obama will come here, it is less likely that Netanyahu will travel to Washington for the annual AIPAC policy conference in early March, an opportunity Israeli prime minister's usually use to meet with the US president.

That visit, however, was already in doubt because of the possibility that Netanyahu may not have a new government in place by the conference, which begins March 3.

Tzipi Livni, who relentlessly slammed Netanyahu during the election campaign for poisoning ties with the US, issued a statement welcoming the visit, saying Israel-US ties were an important element of Israel's national security. Livni, whose party is currently in talks with Likud Beytenu about joining the coalition, said she hoped Netanyahu and Obama would re-start the diplomatic process which serves both Israeli and US interests.

Meanwhile, new US Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to make his first visit to Israel in his new role sometime next week.

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Cowboys and Indians In The Middle East

There will be a straw that breaks the [Yishmael's] camel's back. This thing is getting more and more tense by the moment; Iron Dome is now in Tzfat.



USAToday.com:

Israel launched a rare airstrike inside Syria, U.S. officials said Wednesday, targeting a convoy believed to contain anti-aircraft weapons bound for Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. The attack adds a potentially flammable new element to tensions already heightened by Syria's civil war.

It was the latest salvo in Israel's long-running effort to disrupt the Shiite militia's quest to build an arsenal capable of defending against Israel's air force and spreading destruction inside the Jewish state.

Regional security officials said the strike, which occurred overnight Tuesday, targeted a site near the Lebanese border, while a Syrian army statement said it destroyed a military research center northwest of the capital, Damascus. They appeared to be referring to the same incident.

U.S. officials said the target was a truck convoy that Israel believed was carrying sophisticated anti-aircraft weapons bound for Hezbollah in Lebanon. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the operation.

Regional officials said the shipment included sophisticated Russian-made SA-17 anti-aircraft missiles, which if acquired by Hezbollah would be "game-changing," enabling the militants to shoot down Israeli jets, helicopters and surveillance drones. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

In a statement, the Syrian military denied the existence of any such shipment and said a scientific research facility outside Damascus was hit by the Israeli warplanes.

The Israeli military declined to comment. However, many in Israel worry that as Syrian President Bashar Assad loses power, he could strike back by transferring chemical or advanced weapons to Hezbollah, which is neighboring Lebanon's most powerful military force and is committed to Israel's destruction.

The airstrike follows decades of enmity between Israel and allies Syria and Hezbollah, which consider the Jewish state their mortal enemy. The situation has been further complicated by the civil war raging in Syria between the Assad regime and rebel brigades seeking his ouster.

The war has sapped Assad's power and threatens to deprive Hezbollah of a key supporter, in addition to its land corridor to Iran. The two countries provide Hezbollah with the bulk of its funding and arms.

A Syrian military statement read aloud on state TV Wednesday said low-flying Israeli jets crossed into Syria over the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and bombed a military research center in the area of Jamraya, northwest of Damascus.

The strike destroyed the center and damaged a nearby building, killing two workers and wounding five others, the statement said.

The military denied the existence of any convoy bound for Lebanon, saying the center was responsible for "raising the level of resistance and self-defense" of Syria's military.

"This proves that Israel is the instigator, beneficiary and sometimes executor of the terrorist acts targeting Syria and its people," the statement said.

Israel and Hezbollah fought an inconclusive 34-day war in 2006 that left 1,200 Lebanese and 160 Israelis dead.

While the border has been largely quiet since, the struggle has taken other forms. Hezbollah has accused Israel of assassinating a top commander, and Israel blamed Hezbollah and Iran for a July 2012 attack on Israeli tourists in Bulgaria. In October, Hezbollah launched an Iranian-made reconnaissance drone over Israel, using the incident to brag about its expanding capabilities.

Israeli officials believe that Hezbollah's arsenal has markedly improved since 2006, now boasting tens of thousands of rockets and missiles and the ability to strike almost anywhere inside Israel.

Israel suspects that Damascus obtained a battery of SA-17s from Russia after an alleged Israeli airstrike in 2007 that destroyed an unfinished Syrian nuclear reactor.

Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of the dangers of Syria's "deadly weapons," saying the country is "increasingly coming apart."

The same day, Israel moved a battery of its new "Iron Dome" rocket defense system to the northern city of Haifa, which was battered by Hezbollah rocket fire in the 2006 war. The Israeli army called that move "routine."

Syria, however, cast the airstrike in a different light, linked to the country's civil war, which it blames on terrorists carrying out an international conspiracy.

Despite its icy relations with Assad, Israel has remained on the sidelines of efforts to topple him, while keeping up defenses against possible attacks.

Israeli defense officials have carefully monitored Syria's chemical weapons, fearing Assad could deploy them or lose control of them to extremist fighters among the rebels.

President Barack Obama has called the use of chemical weapons a "red line" that if crossed could prompt direct U.S. intervention, though U.S. officials have said Syria's stockpiles still appear to be under government control.

The strike was Israel's first inside Syria since September 2007, when warplanes destroyed a site that the U.N. nuclear watchdog deemed likely to be a nuclear reactor. Syria denied the claim, saying the building was a non-nuclear military site.

Syria allowed international inspectors to visit the bombed site in 2008, but it has refused to allow nuclear inspectors new access. This has heightened suspicions that Syria has something to hide, along with its decision to level the destroyed structure and build on its site.

In 2006, Israeli warplanes flew over Assad's palace in a show of force after Syrian-backed militants captured an Israeli soldier in the Gaza Strip.

And in 2003, Israeli warplanes attacked a suspected militant training camp just north of the Syrian capital, in response to an Islamic Jihad suicide bombing in the city of Haifa that killed 21 Israelis.

Syria vowed to retaliate for both attacks but never did.

In Lebanon, which borders both Israel and Syria, the military and the U.N. agency tasked with monitoring the border with Israel said Israeli warplanes have sharply increased their activity in the past week.

Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace are not uncommon, and it was unclear if the recent activity was related to the strike in Syria.

Syria's primary conflict with Israel is over the Golan Heights, which Israeli occupied in the 1967 war. Syria demands the area back as part of any peace deal. Despite the hostility, Syria has kept the border quiet since the 1973 Mideast war and has never retaliated for Israeli attacks.

In May 2011, only two months after the uprising against Assad started, hundreds of Palestinians overran the tightly controlled Syria-Israeli frontier in a move widely thought to have been facilitated by the Assad regime to divert the world's gaze from his growing troubles at home.

 This exercise is one shot from going Global.

YnetNews:

Russia said on Thursday it was very concerned about reports of an Israeli attack in Syria and that any such action, if confirmed, would amount to unacceptable military interference in the war-ravaged country.

The remarks were issued as Hezbollah called on the international community to condemn the alleged strike.

"If this information is confirmed, then we are dealing with unprovoked attacks on targets on the territory of a sovereign country, which blatantly violates the UN Charter and is unacceptable, no matter the motives to justify it," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Sources told Reuters on Wednesday that Israeli warplanes had bombed a convoy near Syria's border with Lebanon, apparently targeting weapons destined for Hezbollah in what some called a warning to Damascus not to arm Israel's Lebanese enemy.

Syrian state television accused Israel of bombing a military research center at Jamraya, between Damascus and the nearby border. Syrian rebels disputed that, saying their forces had attacked the site.

Russia has been trying to shield Syrian President Bashar Assad from international pressure to end the civil war against opposition forces that has ravaged the country over 22 months and killed an estimated 60,000 people. Moscow has repeatedly spoken against any foreign interference in Syria, especially military action.

'Attack typical of Israel's criminal ways' Meanwhile, the Hezbollah terror organization released a statement condemning the "Israeli attacks on the scientific research center in Syria." The statement said that "the attack is in line with Israel's aggressive and criminal ways and was made in accordance to a policy which attempts to prevent any Arab or Muslim force to develop its military and technological capabilities."

In its statement the Shiite terror organization claimed that "the attack exposes the background to what has been going on in Syria for years, and the criminal intention to destroy Syria and its army, and undermine its central role on the resistance front."

It also said: "The attack requires wide-scale condemnation from the international community and the Arab and Muslim states."

Nevertheless, it also claimed that "we are accustomed to the international community swallowing its tongue and remaining silent, not condemning or taking a stand when Israel is the aggressor."

Hassan Nasrallah's organization also expressed solidarity with the Syrian people, the Syrian leadership and the Syrian army.

They said, in an implied message to the rebel forces, that "some elements should be aware of the severity of the attack against Syria."

"This aggression should lead to a re-examination of their stance and to adopt political dialogue as the only basis to a solution meant to end the shedding of Syrian blood, in order to keep Syria and protect its role in the fight against the enemies."

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Bring On Damascus

Like a game of domino's: Syria, Iran, Egypt, Americana-goga-bama-Putinism [in the north], Damascus...Beis HaMikdash?


YahooNews:

Israel could launch a pre-emptive strike to stop Syria's chemical weapons from reaching Lebanon's Hezbollah or al-Qaida inspired groups, officials said Sunday. The warning came as the military moved a rocket defense system to a main northern city, and Israel's premier warned of dangers from both Syria and Iran. Israel has long expressed concerns that Syrian President Bashar Assad, clinging to power during a 22-month civil war, could lose control over his chemical weapons. 

Vice Prime Minister Silvan Shalom said Sunday that Israel's top security officials held a special meeting last week to discuss Syria's chemical weapons arsenal. The fact of the meeting, held the morning after a national election, had not been made public before.

Shalom told the Army Radio station that the transfer of weapons to violent groups, particularly the Iranian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah, would be a game changer. "It would be crossing a line that would demand a different approach, including even action," he said. Asked whether this might mean a pre-emptive attack, he said: "We will have to make the decisions."

Israel has kept out of the civil war that has engulfed Syria and killed more than 60,000 people, but it is concerned that violence could spill over from its northern border into Israel.

Israel deployed its Iron Dome rocket defense system in the northern city of Haifa on Sunday. The city was battered by Hezbollah rocket fire during a war in the summer of 2006. The military called the deployment "routine."

Iron Dome, an Israel-developed system that shoots down incoming short-range rockets, was used to defend Israeli cities during a round of hostilities with Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, on Israel's southern flank, last November. Yisrael Hasson, a lawmaker and former deputy head of Israel's Shin Bet intelligence agency, said Israel was closely following developments in Syria to make sure chemical weapons don't "fall into the wrong hands."

"Syria has a massive amount of chemical weapons, and if they fall into hands even more extreme than Syria like Hezbollah or global jihad groups it would completely transform the map of threats," Hasson told Army Radio. "Global jihad" is the term Israel uses for forces influenced by al-Qaida. Syria's rebels include al-Qaida-allied groups.

Syria has rarely acknowledged possessing chemical weapons. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to threats from Syria and Iran at a Cabinet meeting Sunday. Iran is Syria's main regional ally. "We must look around us, at what is happening in Iran and its proxies and at what is happening in other areas, with the deadly weapons in Syria, which is increasingly coming apart," he said.

Israel views Iran as an existential threat because of its nuclear and missile programs and support for violent anti-Israeli groups in Lebanon and Gaza, as well as repeated references by Iranian leaders to Israel's destruction. Iran denies it is seeking to build atomic weapons, insisting its nuclear program is for civilian purposes.

On Friday, Israeli Channel 2 TV broadcast an interview with a former Iranian diplomat who defected to the West in 2010. He warned that if Tehran gets nuclear weapons, it would use them against Israel. He did not provide evidence. Part of Mohammad Reza Heydari's job was to draft foreign scientists to work on Tehran's nuclear program and he brought many from North Korea into Iran, the report said. Heydari spoke from Oslo, where he has received political asylum.

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Putin: On Gog Like Productions

I'm thinking the following mishigus: [as it has always seemed Putin in a Gog type]

Israel wants to hit Iran, and Obama plays funny about it.

Is Putin running the whole show behind the curtains? Working with Peres and Obama while essentially handcuffing Bibi.

The Gog Magog War seems to be mutating along Putin's lines.
[That would explain the strange politics]


JPost.com:

Russia warned Israel and the West on Wednesday against any military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities but suggested Tehran should be quicker to cooperate over inspections of its nuclear sites.

Speaking at his annual news conference, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov mixed words of caution over isolating Iran or attacking it with a gentle nudge to Tehran over the inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

"Attempts to prepare and implement strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and on its infrastructure as a whole are a very, very dangerous idea. We hope these ideas will not come to fruition," Lavrov said.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has hinted strongly at possible military action to stop Iran from developing an atomic bomb. In an election victory speech on Wednesday, he said preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons would be the main challenge for a new government.

Referring to talks in which the IAEA has been trying to negotiate an agreement for inspectors to gain access to sites, officials and documents, Lavrov said: "The Iranians have said they want this document to be agreed in full. We think our Iranian colleagues could do this a little bit faster."

Speaking of separate negotiations between Iran and six world powers that are trying to ensure it does not pursue a nuclear weapons program, Lavrov said he was confident a new round of talks would be held but said a venue had not yet been agreed.

Iran denies it is trying to develop a nuclear arsenal and says its nuclear program has only peaceful purposes.

Tehran has suggested Cairo as the venue for the next round of talks with P5+1, ISNA reported.

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