Moshiach.tv Blog: Wednesday, December 07, 2005

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

LESSONS IN TANYA: Thursday, December 8, 2005

B"H

Kislev 7, 5766 * December 8, 2005

===============================
L E S S O N S I N T A N Y A
===============================

Today's Lesson:

Kuntres Acharon
(Middle of Essay Four)
----------------------

For the direction of the latter form of divine service is merely elevation (ha'alaah), which causes a corresponding "elevation of the lights" above.

The ultimate intent of creation is fulfilled not by this, but by the practical commandments, for their function is the drawing down (hamshachah) of Divinity to a state of revelation in this world below.]

Besides all the above, (46) [i.e., all the above-mentioned ways in which the action-related mitzvot are superior to intellectually- aroused love and fear, there is yet another superior quality to the practical mitzvot]:

Even in the case of a soul of Atzilut, though it derives from the vessels of Atzilut, and equally in the case of Nefesh-Ruach which derive from the vessels of Yetzirah-Asiyah, (47) their intellectual love (24) [this should possibly read: "fear and love"], which themselves are a mode of elevation, also arouse in the vessels of Yetzirah-Asiyah a state of upward elevation, through an arousal initiated from below.

However, this is a state of departure alone, G-d forbid.

[The effect on the vessels is that they depart upwards and do not fulfill their purpose, just as love and fear that do not descend into expression in mitzvot are also in a state of elevation and departure.

When love and fear do descend into mitzvot, they enhance the effect of the mitzvot in drawing down Divine light.]

But eliciting from above downward is effected only by means of the practical mitzvot, which draw light into the vessels, and specifically into the external aspect of the vessels, so that the external aspect of the superior level de-scends, while the internal aspect of the inferior level rises.

[As created beings thus experience an upward-directed longing for the Divine, Divinity descends into this world].

This is the intent of the above-quoted Zohar in Parshat Pekudei, (48) that "there is an order [of elevation and an order of descent]."

Both are needed for the Divine purpose, [i.e., for man's spiritual service], the elevation and the elicitation, by the elevation of mayin nukvin from the Divine Name Sa'g that is accomplished [by the elevation of the sparks] by deed and speech.

This is the ultimate purpose of the downward progression of all the various worlds - that the supernal light be revealed below, and not that the inferior level be elevated, for this [elevation] can only be momentary, [until a further descent].

And even so, [when an elevation is necessary, this involves - not the ascent of the light, for that would be a move toward departure, but] - specifically an elevation of the vessels toward the supernal lights.

This is the specific quality of Shabbat and Yom Kippur, [at which time there is an "elevation of the worlds" (aliyat haola-mot), where the vessels are in a state of elevation towards the supernal lights], but not the elevation and departure of the lights, G-d forbid, as is written in Pri Etz Chayim. (49)

The Nefesh-Ruach-Neshamah of man relative to his physical body in This World are considered as lights relative to vessels.

So too are intellectual fear and love, relative to mitzvot of action; [they, too, are considered as lights relative to vessels].

This is why Moses offered [515] prayers equivalent in number to [the Hebrew word] Vaetchanan, (50) asking that he be privileged to enter the Holy Land, specifically so that he could fulfill the practical mitzvot.

[Only in the Holy Land can the practical mitzvot be fulfilled in their entirety - and the fulfillment of the practical mitzvot is the ultimate purpose of the entire Hishtalshelut, for through them Divinity is drawn down to this nether world].

So too as regards the physical utterance of their laws.

[For by uttering and studying the laws of the mitzvot with physical speech one also draws down the light below].

Footnotes:

46. Note of the Rebbe: "On the forthcoming text see Or HaTorah,
Parshat Acharei, p. 549ff."
47. Note of the Rebbe: "Inspection of the manuscripts of
Kuntres Acharon is required, for it appears that the text is
incomplete and should read as follows: `...and equally in the case
of Nefesh-Ruach-Neshamah and the vessels of Beriah, Yetzirah and
Asiyah...in the vessels of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, in the
state of....' However, Or HaTorah gives the text as above."
48. P. 249a.
49. Shaar HaShabbat, ch. 7 of the Introduction, et al.
50. Devarim 3:23; Devarim Rabbah 11:9.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Featured on Chabad.org!

Miracles - A Chanukah Film

A morning sun rises in fiery splendor; a newborn baby enters the world. We witness miracles everyday and may sometimes take them for granted.

Watch this inspiring film:

http://www.chabad.org/329867

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

© Copyright
Kehot Publication Society
770 Eastern Parkway / Brooklyn, New York 11213
(718) 774-4000 / FAX (718) 774-2718
http://www.kehotonline.com

Brought to you by Chabad.org

To listen to an audio version of today's lesson, please click one of the following links:

MP3: http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/audio.asp?what=tanya&tDate=12/08/2005&format=m3u
Real: http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/audio.asp?what=tanya&tDate=12/08/2005&format=rm

To view this lesson online with Hebrew text and formatting plus many features, please visit: http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/tanya.asp

For more daily Torah study, please visit: http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

** Enjoyed this email? Please help us continue sharing the
study of Torah and Jewish traditions:

Dedicate or sponsor an email to mark your special occasion!
Please click here: http://www.chabad.org/dedications

Please click here to make a donation to Chabad.org:
http://www.chabad.org/donate

** To subscribe to more Chabad.org email lists please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/subscribe

** To be removed from this email list please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/unsub.asp?UserID=268334,13,261645,0,217
If you would just like your email suspended and resumed at a later
date, please let us know here:
http://www.chabad.org/go.asp?p=vacation_request&email=moshiachtv.maildrop@blogger.com

** You are subscribed as: moshiachtv.maildrop@blogger.com. If your e-mail address is changing
please send us your new email address here:
http://www.chabad.org/go.asp?p=address_change&email=moshiachtv.maildrop@blogger.com

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Chabad.org
Part of the Chabad Online Network

A division of Chabad Lubavitch Media Center
770 Eastern Parkway * Brooklyn, NY * 11213
Web: http://www.chabad.org
Feedback: http://www.chabad.org/tools/feedback.asp

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

DAILY MITZVAH (Maimonides): Thursday, December 8, 2005

B"H

Kislev 7, 5766 * December 8, 2005

==================================================
D A I L Y M I T Z V A H (M A I M O N I D E S )
==================================================

Today's Mitzvot (Day 97 of 339):

Negative Mitzvot 179, 180, 188
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Negative Mitzvah 179: It is forbidden to eat any creatures or
insects

-Leviticus 11:43 "You shall not make yourselves abominable with
any creeping thing that creeps, neither shall
you make yourselves unclean with them"

This is a general commandment forbidding us to eat any of the
small creatures, whether they be creeping or winged insects,
which the Torah has prohibited us from eating.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Negative Mitzvah 180: It is forbidden to eat any bird or animal
which has died a natural death or has been
killed without Shechita (Ritual Slaughter)

-Deuteronomy 14:21 "You shall not eat of anything that dies
of itself"

The Torah lists those birds and animals which are kosher and are
permissible to eat.

However, being kosher does not only mean that the animal or bird
is one of those listed in the Torah.

A "kosher" animal must be slaughtered and prepared in a specific
way, (see Positive Mitzvah 146).

Take the cow, for example: If the cow is slaughtered according to
the rules set by the Torah, (e.g. "Shechitah" etc.) and its meat
is prepared correctly, then we are allowed to eat it.

However, if the cow (or any other kosher animal) dies a natural
death or is killed improperly, we are no longer permitted to eat
it. The kosher animal who dies in this manner is called "Nevelah"
and it is forbidden to eat such an animal.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Negative Mitzvah 188: It is forbidden to eat the meat of a killer
ox

-Exodus 21:28 "And his flesh shall not be eaten"

One day, Sammy found an old penknife in the alley. He brought it
home and was busy cleaning the blade when his mother noticed what
he was doing.

"Where did you get that from?", she asked in dismay.

"Outside," answered Sammy. "I'll never be able to find the owner
and he probably doesn't even want this old thing!"

"I agree!", nodded his mother. "Who would want an old and rusty
penknife? But I still don't want it in the house. It's dangerous
and you could hurt yourself or someone else with it. It's going
straight into the garbage!"

When something belongs to us we are responsible for it and for how
it is used.

In this Negative Mitzvah the Torah describes a case where an ox
kills a person. Certain rules are then applied to determine if the
ox is to be considered a "killer ox" and must, therefore, be put
to death because it is dangerous and may cause even more damage.

This Negative Mitzvah forbids us to eat from the meat of such an
ox, even if it is slaughtered properly when it is killed.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Featured on Chabad.org!

Miracles - A Chanukah Film

A morning sun rises in fiery splendor; a newborn baby enters the world. We witness miracles everyday and may sometimes take them for granted.

Watch this inspiring film:

http://www.chabad.org/329867

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Brought to you by Chabad.org

To listen to an audio version of today's lesson, please click one of the following links:

MP3: http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/audio.asp?what=seferhamitzvot&tDate=12/08/2005&format=m3u
Real: http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/audio.asp?what=seferhamitzvot&tDate=12/08/2005&format=rm

To view this lesson online with its many features please visit: http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/seferHamitzvos.asp

For more daily Torah study, please visit: http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

** Enjoyed this email? Please help us continue sharing the
study of Torah and Jewish traditions:

Dedicate or sponsor an email to mark your special occasion!
Please click here: http://www.chabad.org/dedications

Please click here to make a donation to Chabad.org:
http://www.chabad.org/donate

** To subscribe to more Chabad.org email lists please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/subscribe

** To be removed from this email list please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/unsub.asp?UserID=268334,15,261645,0,217
If you would just like your email suspended and resumed at a later
date, please let us know here:
http://www.chabad.org/go.asp?p=vacation_request&email=moshiachtv.maildrop@blogger.com

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Chabad.org
Part of the Chabad Online Network

A division of Chabad Lubavitch Media Center
770 Eastern Parkway * Brooklyn, NY * 11213
Web: http://www.chabad.org
Feedback: http://www.chabad.org/tools/feedback.asp

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"TODAY'S DAY": Thursday, December 8, 2005

B"H

Kislev 7, 5766 * December 8, 2005

=======================
"T O D A Y ' S D A Y"
=======================

Shabbat, Kislev 7 5704

Haftora: Ve'amee - Talmei sadai. Then Vayivrach Yaakov - Ub'isha shamar. Uvenavi He'ela - Uvenavi Nishmar.

Torah lessons: Chumash: Vayeitsei, Shevi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 39-43.
Tanya: Besides all this, (p. 609)...of their laws.
(p. 611).

There are three schools of thought:

1. The discipline of nullification of the material by indicating
the repulsive and abhorrent nature of all that is bodily and
material. This is the school of Mussar.

2. The school of recognition of the superiority of the "inner
form" (1) and the spiritual - the dimension of character-traits and
intellectuality (2) - and instruction as to how one may come closer
to attaining these. This is the school of Chakira, philosophy.

3. The discipline of predominance of form over matter. This school
teaches the unique quality of the material when it is purified, and
the unique quality of "form" when integrated with the material; the
two are to be so thoroughly fused that one cannot detect where
either of them begins or ends - for "Their beginning is wedged into
their end, and their end into their beginning." (3)

The One G-d created them both, and for one purpose - to reveal the
light of Holiness of His hidden power. Only both of them together
will complete the perfection desired by the Creator. This is the
school of (the teachings/instruction of "Chassidus." (4)

Footnotes: (1) Heb. Tzura, "form," as opposed to Chomer, "matter";
e.g. the body's life-force - the soul - is it's "form,"
it's inner spiritual dimension; the body itself is the
outer physical dimension, the "matter."
(2) As opposed to the dimension of bodily matters.
(3) See 16 Adar I Footnote.
(4) See also "On The Teachings of Chassidus" (Kehot, NY)
ch. 11-18 where these three schools of thought are
discussed at length.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Featured on Chabad.org!

Miracles - A Chanukah Film

A morning sun rises in fiery splendor; a newborn baby enters the world. We witness miracles everyday and may sometimes take them for granted.

Watch this inspiring film:

http://www.chabad.org/329867

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Compiled and arranged by the Lubavitcher Rebbe in 5703 (1943) from the talks and letters of the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe. Note: day of week and Torah lessons indicated are from 5703 (1943).

For a glossary of terms used in "Today's Day" please click here:
http://chabad.org/article.asp?AID=95867

© Copyright
Kehot Publication Society
770 Eastern Parkway / Brooklyn, New York 11213
(718) 774-4000 / FAX (718) 774-2718
http://www.kehotonline.com

Brought to you by Chabad.org

To view this lesson online with its many features please visit: http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/hayomyom.asp

For more daily Torah study, please visit: http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

** Enjoyed this email? Please help us continue sharing the
study of Torah and Jewish traditions:

Dedicate or sponsor an email to mark your special occasion!
Please click here: http://www.chabad.org/dedications

Please click here to make a donation to Chabad.org:
http://www.chabad.org/donate

** To subscribe to more Chabad.org email lists please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/subscribe

** To be removed from this email list please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/unsub.asp?UserID=268334,21,261645,0,217
If you would just like your email suspended and resumed at a later
date, please let us know here:
http://www.chabad.org/go.asp?p=vacation_request&email=moshiachtv.maildrop@blogger.com

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Chabad.org
Part of the Chabad Online Network

A division of Chabad Lubavitch Media Center
770 Eastern Parkway * Brooklyn, NY * 11213
Web: http://www.chabad.org
Feedback: http://www.chabad.org/tools/feedback.asp

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Beto Escobar's (Yehoshua Avraham's) contribution to Mitzvah kashrus.

By the grace of G-d
Alberto (Beto) Antonio Escobar (see him here: http://moshiachtv.blogspot.com/2005/09/im-in-portland-oregon.html putting on teffilin ) and his girlfriend Terra Bliss created the banner bellow as a project for Biology 101 Lab PCC to highlight

TODAY IN JUDAISM: Thursday, December 8, 2005

B"H

Kislev 7, 5766 * December 8, 2005

=================================
T O D A Y I N J U D A I S M
=================================

* Laws * Customs * Jewish History * Daily Quote * Daily Study *

Today is: Thursday, Kislev 7, 5766

===========
Daily Quote
===========

"A ladder stood on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven" (Genesis 28:12) -- This is prayer.

- Zohar

===========
Daily Study
===========

Chitas and Rambam for today:

Chumash: Vayeitzei, 5th Portion Bereishit 30:28-31:16 with Rashi
• English Text:
http://www.chabad.org/parshah/rashi/default.asp?tDate=12/8/2005&src=ds

Tehillim: Chapters 39 - 43
• Hebrew text:
http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/tehillim.asp?tDate=12/8/2005&Lang=HEB
• English text:
http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/tehillim.asp?tDate=12/8/2005

Tanya: Kuntres Acharon, middle of Essay 4
• Lesson in Tanya:
http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tDate=12/8/2005
• RealAudio:
http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/audio.asp?what=tanya&tDate=12/8/2005&format=rm
• Windows Media:
http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/audio.asp?what=tanya&tDate=12/8/2005&format=m3u

Rambam:
• Sefer Hamitzvos:
http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/seferHamitzvos.asp?tDate=12/8/2005
• 1 Chapter: Rotseah uShmirat Nefesh Chap. 2
http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/rambam.asp?tDate=12/8/2005&rambamChapters=1
• 3 Chapters: Ma'achalot 'Asurot Chap. 8, 9, 10
http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/rambam.asp?tDate=12/8/2005&rambamChapters=3

Hayom Yom:
• English Text:
http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/hayomyom.asp?tDate=12/8/2005

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Featured on Chabad.org!

Miracles - A Chanukah Film

A morning sun rises in fiery splendor; a newborn baby enters the world. We witness miracles everyday and may sometimes take them for granted.

Watch this inspiring film:

http://www.chabad.org/329867

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Check out our other Calendar Tools:

Candle Lighting anywhere: http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=6226
Zmanim - Halachic Times: http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=143790
Jewish/Civil Date Converter: http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=6225
Jewish Birthday Calculator: http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=6228
Bar/Bat Mitzvah Calculator: http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=6227
Yahrtzeit Calculator: http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=6229

For more Torah study and inspiring articles, please visit:
http://www.chabad.org/magazine

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

** Enjoyed this email? Please help us continue sharing the
study of Torah and Jewish traditions:

Dedicate or sponsor an email to mark your special occasion!
Please click here: http://www.chabad.org/dedications

Please click here to make a donation to Chabad.org:
http://www.chabad.org/donate

** To subscribe to more Chabad.org email lists please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/subscribe

** To be removed from this email list please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/unsub.asp?UserID=268334,52,261645,0,217
If you would just like your email suspended and resumed at a later
date, please let us know here:
http://www.chabad.org/go.asp?p=vacation_request&email=moshiachtv.maildrop@blogger.com

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Chabad.org
Part of the Chabad Online Network

A division of Chabad Lubavitch Media Center
770 Eastern Parkway * Brooklyn, NY * 11213
Web: http://www.chabad.org
Feedback: http://www.chabad.org/tools/feedback.asp

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THE REBBE SAID: Parshas Vayeitzei

B"H

Kislev 6, 5766 * December 7, 2005

===================================================================
P L E A S E T E L L M E W H A T T H E R E B B E S A I D
===================================================================

Parshas Vayeitzei
-----------------

“Daddy,” Shimon said to his father on the way home from shul on Shabbos. “As I was following the Torah reading today, I noticed that the parshah speaks a lot about Yaakov’s sheep. We learn all about his work as a shepherd. First, he worked as a shepherd in order to marry Leah and Rachel, and then the payment he gets is flocks of colored and spotted sheep. Afterwards, he manages to double and triple the number of sheep he owns. And when the Torah describes all his possessions, it lists the sheep first, even though he had many other belongings by then.”

Shimon’s father was very pleased. “I can see you have been listening closely to the Torah reading,” he said. “You’re right. The Torah does tell us about Yaakov and his sheep many times. And he wasn’t the first shepherd, either.”

“Yes,” remarked Shimon. “I know. Many great Jews were shepherds like Avraham, Yitzchak, Moshe Rabbeinu, and Dovid HaMelech. We learned that they chose to be shepherds because it’s a peaceful occupation and they could spend most of their time and energy serving HaShem. Still, I’m wondering why the Torah gives us so many details about Yaakov’s sheep.”

“Let me explain,” began Shimon’s father. “Our Rabbis teach us: Ma’asei avos siman labonim, “The deeds of the fathers are a lesson for their children.” We must learn from all the things our forefathers did. When the Torah tells us about Yaakov’s involvement with sheep, it is teaching us that there is something deeper and more meaningful here. Sheep stand for Yaakov’s service to HaShem.”

“What’s so deep about sheep?” asked Shimon with a smile.

“Let’s try to figure it out, Shimon,” said his father. “The Hebrew word for sheep is itm. What small Hebrew word can be found in it?”

“That’s easy,” answered Shimon, “the word tm, which means ‘go out.’ ”

“When the Torah tells us about Yaakov tending his sheep, it is also telling us about the way he served HaShem. Yaakov was always reaching out to others. Instead of concentrating on developing his own service of HaShem, he reached out to others and taught them how to serve HaShem too. Reaching out shows that we are thinking of others and not of ourselves. This is the avodah of bittul; putting other people’s needs before our own. This was Yaakov’s way of living, and we should follow in his footsteps.”

(Adapted from Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XV, Parshas Vayeitzei)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Featured on Chabad.org!

Miracles - A Chanukah Film

A morning sun rises in fiery splendor; a newborn baby enters the world. We witness miracles everyday and may sometimes take them for granted.

Watch this inspiring film:

http://www.chabad.org/329867

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Brought to you by Chabad.org

For more Parshah study, please visit:

http://www.chabad.org/parsha

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

** Enjoyed this email? Please help us continue sharing the
study of Torah and Jewish traditions:

Dedicate or sponsor an email to mark your special occasion!
Please click here: http://www.chabad.org/dedications

Please click here to make a donation to Chabad.org:
http://www.chabad.org/donate

** To subscribe to more Chabad.org email lists please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/subscribe

** To be removed from this email list please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/unsub.asp?UserID=268334,19,261645,0,217
If you would just like your email suspended and resumed at a later
date, please let us know here:
http://www.chabad.org/go.asp?p=vacation_request&email=moshiachtv.maildrop@blogger.com

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Chabad.org
Part of the Chabad Online Network

A division of Chabad Lubavitch Media Center
770 Eastern Parkway * Brooklyn, NY * 11213
Web: http://www.chabad.org
Feedback: http://www.chabad.org/tools/feedback.asp

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

TORAH STUDIES: Parshat Vayeitzei

B"H

Kislev 6, 5766 * December 7, 2005

=========================
T O R A H S T U D I E S
=========================

Parshat Veyeitzei
-----------------

This Sidra contains an account of Jacob’s four marriages, all (according to Rashi) to daughters of Laban. Now this appears to contradict the traditional view that Jacob (together with Abraham and Isaac) kept all the commandments of the Torah despite the fact that G-d had not yet given them to Israel—out of a combination of personal zealousness and a prophetic knowledge of what the law would be—for marriage to two sisters is later prohibited. Rashi seems to offer no explanation of the difficulty and the Rebbe considers a number of possible solutions, eventually reconciling the apparent contradiction, and drawing out the moral implications of the story.

1. Jacob’s Wives

An important and well-known principle about Rashi’s commentary on the Torah, is that his policy is to answer all the difficulties which are apparent in construing a literal interpretation of the verses. And when he cannot find an answer on this level, he will note the difficulty and add, “I do not know” how to resolve it. When there is a difficulty which Rashi does not even point out, this is because the answer is obvious, even to a five-year-old (the age when a Jewish child begins to study the Torah).

It is therefore very strange that we find in this week’s Sidra a puzzling fact, that has preoccupied many commentators, and which Rashi not only does not explain, but appears to take no notice of at all.

We are told that Jacob married both Rachel and Leah, and later Bilhah and Zilpah, all daughters of Laban. Now since we have a tradition that the forefathers kept the entire Torah, even though it had not yet been given, how can it be that Jacob married four sisters when we are told in Vayikra: “Thou shall not take a woman to her sister”—that is, one may not marry the sister of one’s wife.

Perhaps we could say that Rashi does not comment on the problem because when the “five-year-old” learns this Sidra, he does not know that Jacob’s act was forbidden (for the law does not appear until Vayikra, and the child has not yet reached that book). However, this will not do, for Rashi does not explain the difficulty even later on.

Alternatively, it is possible that Rashi felt that, amongst the many explanations of the point given in other commentaries, there was one sufficiently obvious that he was not bound to mention it. But this also will not explain his silence, since firstly, there are many disagreements among these other commentators, so the explanation is not obvious; and secondly, they are not explanations of the literal meaning of the text—which is therefore still wanting.

2. Some Explanations

Ramban offers the explanation that the forefathers kept the 613 commandments of the Torah only when they lived in Israel, whereas Jacob married the two (four) sisters while he was in Haran. But Rashi could not consistently hold this view, for he says elsewhere of Jacob, “while I stayed with the wicked Laban (i.e., in Haran), I kept the 613 commandments.”

Another explanation is that Jacob was in fact obeying a specific command of G-d in order to have the 12 sons who would later become the 12 tribes. But though it is clear that G-d’s explicit command would have overridden the prohibition involved, nonetheless we find no indication in the Torah that G-d commanded Jacob to take Rachel, Bilhah or Zilpah in marriage. On the contrary, it is clear from the narrative that he married Rachel because he wanted her, from the very outset, to be his wife; and both Bilhah and Zilpah were given to Jacob as wives, by their mistresses (they were the handmaids of Rachel and Leah): He did not take them in obedience to a command from G-d.

3. The Argument from Leniency

There has been intensive speculation as to whether the forefathers, in undertaking to keep the Torah before it has been given, accepted only those rulings which were more stringent than the (then binding) Noachide Laws, or also accepted the rulings which were more lenient. If we follow the second view, and remember that all four sisters must have converted to Judaism before their marriages, and take into account the lenient ruling that “a convert is like a newborn child” —then it would follow that the wives were no longer considered sisters, since their lineage was affected by their conversion.

However, even this answer is unsatisfactory at the level of literal interpretation.

(a) Before the Giving of the Torah, there is no Biblical evidence that Jews had any other law than the Noachide Code (other than the specifically mentioned obligation of circumcision etc.). So the undertaking of the forefathers was entirely a self-imposed thing, and did not involve their children in any obligation. It follows that there was no general legal distinction, before the Giving of the Torah, between Jews as such and the other descendants of Noah. Hence, the whole idea of conversion did not arise.

Nor can we support our point by saying that the voluntary undertaking of the 613 commandments was itself a kind of conversion. For this was a self-imposed stringency and could not have included the lenient ruling that “a convert is like a newborn child.”

(b) Besides which, Rashi, in his commentary on the Torah, never mentions this law; and indeed a literal reading of the Torah inclines one to the contrary view, for G-d says to Abraham, “You shall come to your fathers in peace.’’ In other words, even after Abraham’s conversion, Terach is still regarded as his father, to whom he will be joined in death.

(c) Lastly, the prohibition of marrying one’s wife’s sister is not simply because she belongs to the category of those forbidden for the closeness of their relation to the would-be husband; but for the additional psychological reason that it might put enmity and jealousy in place of the natural love between two sisters. So even if the law “a convert is like a new-born child” applied before the Giving of the Torah, it would not be relevant in the present instance, for there is still a natural love between two converted sisters, which would be endangered by their sharing a husband.

4. Individual and Collective Undertakings

The explanation is that the manner in which Abraham, Isaac and Jacob kept the Torah was one of self-imposed stringency alone (and this is why it was so esteemed by G-d: “Inasmuch as Abraham harkened to My voice, and kept My charge, My commands, ordinances and laws”). If so, then clearly if something which they had been commanded conflicted with something they did only from their own zealousness, the former, having G-d’s authority, would overrule the latter.

This is — at the simple level — why Abraham did not circumcise himself until he was commanded to (when he was 99 years old); for the Noachide Code forbade shedding one’s blood—even when it would not harm one. And though circumcision outweighed this prohibition, it could only do so when commanded by G-d.

Now, besides the Seven Noachide Laws, there were other restraints that the descendants of Noah voluntarily undertook. As Rashi says, “the non-Jewish nations had restrained themselves from unchastity (i.e., even in relationships which had not been expressly forbidden to them) as a consequence of the flood (which was a punishment for this sin).” And this explains what Rashi says elsewhere, that the Torah mentions the death of Terach, Abraham’s father, before Abraham left his father’s house, even though he left, in fact, before his father died, “so that this matter should not become known to all, in case people should say that Abraham did not show a son’s respect for his father.” Even though respecting one’s parents had not yet been commanded by G-d, nonetheless since the nations had of their own accord undertaken this duty, it had acquired something of the force of law. To the extent that Jacob was punished by G-d for not respecting his parents—simply because of the status which this universal voluntary undertaking had acquired.

It follows that if there were a conflict between the self-imposed stringencies of the Forefathers (as individuals) and the voluntary restraints of the descendants of Noah (en masse), the latter overruled the former.

And one of these restraints that had become universally adopted was that of taking care not to deceive others, as is evidenced by Jacob’s accusation against Laban, “Why have you deceived me?” against which Laban takes pains to justify himself (showing that he agreed that deception was a sin).

Now we can at last see why Jacob married Rachel. For he had promised her that he would marry her, and even gave her signs to prove her identity on their wedding night. Not to marry her would have involved deception, and this had a force which overruled his (individual) undertaking not to marry his wife’s sister (in accordance with what G-d would later command).

5. The Concern due to Others

One of the morals which this implies is that when a man wishes to take more on himself than G-d has yet demanded of him, he must first completely satisfy himself that he is not doing so at the expense of others. And indeed, in the case of Abraham, we find that his preciousness in the eyes of G-d was not primarily that he undertook to keep the whole Torah before it had been given, but rather, “I know him (which Rashi translates as ‘I hold him dear’) because he will command his children and his household after him to keep to the way of the L-rd, doing righteousness and justice.”

And the self-imposed task of personal refinement must not be at another’s expense, either materially or spiritually. When a fellow-Jew knows nothing of his religious heritage and needs, as it were, spiritual charity, it is not open to another Jew who is in a position to help him, to say, “Better that I should spend my time perfecting myself.” For he must judge himself honestly and answer the question, "Who am I that these extra refinements in myself are worth depriving another Jew of the very fundamentals of his faith?” And he will then see the truth which underlies Jacob’s marriage to Rachel, that care for others overrides the concern for the self-perfection which goes beyond G-d’s law.

(Source: Likkutei Sichot, Vol. V pp. 141-8)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Featured on Chabad.org!

Miracles - A Chanukah Film

A morning sun rises in fiery splendor; a newborn baby enters the world. We witness miracles everyday and may sometimes take them for granted.

Watch this inspiring film:

http://www.chabad.org/329867

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Copyright © 1996
Kehot Publication Society
770 Eastern Parkway / Brooklyn, New York 11213
(718) 774-4000 / FAX (718) 774-2718
http://www.kehotonline.com

Brought to you by Chabad.org

For more Parshah study, please visit:

http://www.chabad.org/parsha

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

** Enjoyed this email? Please help us continue sharing the
study of Torah and Jewish traditions:

Dedicate or sponsor an email to mark your special occasion!
Please click here: http://www.chabad.org/dedications

Please click here to make a donation to Chabad.org:
http://www.chabad.org/donate

** To subscribe to more Chabad.org email lists please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/subscribe

** To be removed from this email list please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/unsub.asp?UserID=268334,22,261645,0,217
If you would just like your email suspended and resumed at a later
date, please let us know here:
http://www.chabad.org/go.asp?p=vacation_request&email=moshiachtv.maildrop@blogger.com

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Chabad.org
Part of the Chabad Online Network

A division of Chabad Lubavitch Media Center
770 Eastern Parkway * Brooklyn, NY * 11213
Web: http://www.chabad.org
Feedback: http://www.chabad.org/tools/feedback.asp

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

PARSHAH IN A NUTSHELL: Week of December 4-10, 2005 (Vayeitzei)

B"H

Kislev 6, 5766 * December 7, 2005

=================================================
T H E P A R S H A H I N A N U T S H E L L
=================================================

TORAH PORTION: Vayeitzei (Genesis 28:10-32:3)

Torah Reading for Week of December 4-10, 2005

On the Web: http://chabad.org/Article.asp?AID=3191

- * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * -

Jacob leaves his hometown Be'er Sheva and journeys to Charan. On the way, he encounters "the place" and sleeps there, dreaming of a ladder connecting heaven and earth, with angels climbing and descending on it; G-d appears and promises that the land upon which he lies will be given to his descendents. In the morning, Jacob raises the stone on which he laid his head as an altar and monument, pledging that it will be made the house of G-d.

In Charan, Jacob stays with and works for his uncle Laban, tending Laban's sheep. Laban agrees to give him his younger daughter Rachel -- whom Jacob loves -- in marriage, in return for seven years' labor. But on the wedding night, Laban gives him his elder daughter, Leah, instead -- a deception Jacob discovers only in the morning. Jacob marries Rachel, too, a week later, after agreeing to work another seven years for Laban.

Leah gives birth to six sons -- Reuben, Shimon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun -- and a daughter, Dinah, while Rachel remains barren. Rachel gives Jacob her handmaid, Bilhah, as a wife to bear children in her stead, and two more sons, Dan and Naphtali, are born. Leah does the same with her handmaid, Zilpah, who gives birth to Gad and Asher. Finally, Rachel's prayers are answered and she gives birth to Joseph.

Jacob has now been in Charan for fourteen years and wishes to return home, but Laban persuades him to remain, now offering him sheep in return for his labor. Jacob prospers, despite Laban's repeated attempts to swindle him. After six years, Jacob leaves Charan in stealth, fearing that Laban would prevent him from leaving with the family and property for which he labored. Laban pursues Jacob, but is warned by G-d in a dream not to harm him. Laban and Jacob make a pact on Mount Gal-Ed, attested to by a pile of stones, and Jacob proceeds to the Holy Land, where he is met by angels.

* * *

FROM THE WORDS OF OUR SAGES ON THE PARSHAH:

- This... shall be the house of G-d (28:22)

Not like Abraham, with whom it is called a "mountain" (Genesis 22:14); not like Isaac, with whom it is called a "field" (Genesis 24:63); but like Jacob, who called it a "house". (Talmud)

- And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah (29:25)

All that night, Leah was impersonating Rachel. When Jacob woke in the morning and saw that she was Leah, he said to her: "Daughter of The Deceiver! Why have you deceived me?" Said she to him: "And you, did you not deceive your father, when he asked you, 'Are you my son Esau?'" (Talmud)

- And it was told to Laban… that Jacob had fled… And he pursued after him a seven days' journey; and overtook him in the Mountain of Gilad (31:22-23)

The Chassidic masters explain that, even after 20 years in Charan, there still remained "sparks of holiness" that Jacob needed to redeem; that is why Laban had to pursue him for their final encounter on Mount Galed. In other words, there are two types of "sparks " that a person redeems in the course of his life. The first are those which he consciously pursues, having recognized the potential for sanctity and goodness in an object or event in his life. The second are those which pursue him: opportunities which he would never have realized on his own -- indeed, he may even do everything in his power to avoid them -- since they represent potentials so lofty that they cannot be identified by his humanly finite perception. So his redemption of these "sparks" can only come about unwittingly, when his involvement with them is forced upon him by circumstances beyond his control. (The Lubavitcher Rebbe)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

For more Parshah reading, please visit our "Full Parshah with Commentary" section with its dozens of excerpts from the Midrash, Talmud, Commentaries and the Chassidic Masters:

http://chabad.org/parshah/default.asp?AID=6232

To view this page on the Web with many more links, please click here:

http://www.chabad.org/Article.asp?AID=3191

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Featured on Chabad.org!

Miracles - A Chanukah Film

A morning sun rises in fiery splendor; a newborn baby enters the world. We witness miracles everyday and may sometimes take them for granted.

Watch this inspiring film:

http://www.chabad.org/329867

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

For more Torah study and inspiring articles, please visit:
http://www.chabad.org/magazine

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

** Enjoyed this email? Please help us continue sharing the
study of Torah and Jewish traditions:

Dedicate or sponsor an email to mark your special occasion!
Please click here: http://www.chabad.org/dedications

Please click here to make a donation to Chabad.org:
http://www.chabad.org/donate

** To subscribe to more Chabad.org email lists please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/subscribe

** To be removed from this email list please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/unsub.asp?UserID=268334,28,261645,0,217
If you would just like your email suspended and resumed at a later
date, please let us know here:
http://www.chabad.org/go.asp?p=vacation_request&email=moshiachtv.maildrop@blogger.com

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Chabad.org
Part of the Chabad Online Network

A division of Chabad Lubavitch Media Center
770 Eastern Parkway * Brooklyn, NY * 11213
Web: http://www.chabad.org
Feedback: http://www.chabad.org/tools/feedback.asp

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

CHASSIDIC STORY: The Iron Necklace

B"H

Kislev 6, 5766 * December 7, 2005

=============================
C H A S S I D I C S T O R Y
=============================

The Iron Necklace
By: Yrachmiel Tilles
--------------------

Many years ago, at a time when Jews had full control of the Cave of Machpelah in Hebron, the one in charge of the keys to the gate was a man by the name of Yitzchak. Yitzchak was a poor widower. He had an only daughter named Dina, a kind-hearted and beautiful girl. The time came when Dina reached marriageable age and was betrothed to a fine young man.

Yitzhak worked hard to save money for his daughter's wedding needs. He bought her a trousseau and an assortment of finery for her wedding day. But then, Yitzhak remembered that the traditions of their community demanded he provide Dina with a gold necklace to wear at her wedding. However, he did not have enough money left to buy one. Yitzhak became very sad. This adornment was a great matter of pride among the women of the community, and poor girls lacking the proper attire had been known to weep for shame on their wedding days and some even ran away so as to avoid the embarassment. Yitzhak was beside himself about what to do. He didn't tell Dina anything, for he did not want her to feel sadness earlier than she had to.

As the wedding day approached, one night Dina had a dream that she was standing at the gate of the Cave of Machpelah. There she was, holding the keys to the gate. A woman dressed in white came up to her. The woman had a face filled with light like the sun. The woman raised her hand and touched Dina's hair. She said to Dina, "This big chain with these keys to this holy place should be your necklace at your wedding. This necklace holds a hundred times more merit than any necklace of gold and jewels."

Then the woman disappeared. Dina awoke and remembering her dream, decided not to tell anyone about it.

The wedding day finally came and Yitzhak's face was gray with dread about what would be. Dina's friends came to help her get ready for the wedding. After Dina dressed in her wedding clothes, she called he father over, asking him if she could have a word with him alone. With a broad smile on her face, she said, "Father, please give me the keys to the Cave of Machpelah. They will be my wedding necklace. They have much more merit than any gold or jewels."

Yitzhak was surprised and relieved. He ran to fetch the keys and gave them to his daughter. Wearing the iron chain with the keys of the Cave of Machpelah, Dina was radiant. People exclaimed the she was more beautiful with the necklace of iron than brides of the past with gold and jewels.

From that day, Hebron's brides wore this special "Necklace of Iron" instead of gold and jewels at their wedding.

- Adapted from Hebron.org.il, by Yrachmiel Tilles. Rabbi Tilles is co-founder of ASCENT OF SAFED, and editor of Ascent Quarterly and the Ascent and KabbalaOnLine websites.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Featured on Chabad.org!

Miracles - A Chanukah Film

A morning sun rises in fiery splendor; a newborn baby enters the world. We witness miracles everyday and may sometimes take them for granted.

Watch this inspiring film:

http://www.chabad.org/329867

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

For more Torah study and inspiring articles, please visit:
http://www.chabad.org/magazine

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

** Enjoyed this email? Please help us continue sharing the
study of Torah and Jewish traditions:

Dedicate or sponsor an email to mark your special occasion!
Please click here: http://www.chabad.org/dedications

Please click here to make a donation to Chabad.org:
http://www.chabad.org/donate

** To subscribe to more Chabad.org email lists please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/subscribe

** To be removed from this email list please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/unsub.asp?UserID=268334,4,261645,0,217
If you would just like your email suspended and resumed at a later
date, please let us know here:
http://www.chabad.org/go.asp?p=vacation_request&email=moshiachtv.maildrop@blogger.com

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Chabad.org
Part of the Chabad Online Network

A division of Chabad Lubavitch Media Center
770 Eastern Parkway * Brooklyn, NY * 11213
Web: http://www.chabad.org
Feedback: http://www.chabad.org/tools/feedback.asp

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

DAILY DOSE: Cold Intellect

B"H

Cold Intellect
--------------

There is a cold, harsh land where G-dliness is not allowed to come, and it is called Intellect. As the Zohar says, "Intellect cannot grasp Him at all."

Yet, ultimately, G-dliness must come to dwell even in that place which by definition cannot contain Him. Your mind must struggle to understand all that it can, and then even harder to sense that which cannot be known.

A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Kislev 6, 5766 * December 7, 2005

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Featured on Chabad.org!

Miracles - A Chanukah Film

A morning sun rises in fiery splendor; a newborn baby enters the world. We witness miracles everyday and may sometimes take them for granted.

Watch this inspiring film:

http://www.chabad.org/329867

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Brought to you by Chabad.org

To purchase a copy of "Bringing Heaven Down to Earth: Meditations and Everyday Wisdom from the Teachings of the Rebbe", or other books by Tzvi Freeman, click here:

http://www.chabad.org/240099

Makes a great gift!

Include the Daily Dose on your own website! Click here:

http://www.chabad.org/141897

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

** Enjoyed this email? Please help us continue sharing the
study of Torah and Jewish traditions:

Dedicate or sponsor an email to mark your special occasion!
Please click here: http://www.chabad.org/dedications

Please click here to make a donation to Chabad.org:
http://www.chabad.org/donate

** To subscribe to more Chabad.org email lists please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/subscribe

** To be removed from this email list please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/unsub.asp?UserID=268334,5,261645,0,217
If you would just like your email suspended and resumed at a later
date, please let us know here:
http://www.chabad.org/go.asp?p=vacation_request&email=moshiachtv.maildrop@blogger.com

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Chabad.org
Part of the Chabad Online Network

A division of Chabad Lubavitch Media Center
770 Eastern Parkway * Brooklyn, NY * 11213
Web: http://www.chabad.org
Feedback: http://www.chabad.org/tools/feedback.asp

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Donuts to IDF Combat Soldiers - Join in the Mitzva!

If you can not see this email properly, please click here

Arutz Sheva Mall

Enhance your Chanuka "Simcha." Send a Package of Donuts to an IDF combat soldier on Chanuka! http://www.israelnnmall.com

Dear Friend,
I live in Beit El. Across the road, a little more than a stone's throw away is Ramallah, the capital of the PLO terror "state". As you all know, for the last 10 years they have been waging a non stop war of terror against us.

As residents of the area we have, of course, suffered from this war. However the main burden has been born by the wonderful soldiers stationed in area. Day and night, in snow and hot sun they are out there, seen and unseen, fighting terror and protecting us.

Chanuka, I thought is a great time to show our appreciation. Recently I spoke with Capt. Avraham Deri the Rabbi of the Benjamin Brigade, which is stationed in the Beit El/Ramallah area. Rabbi Deri responded with enthusiasm to my suggestion to distribute Donuts to his soldiers. In fact Rabbi Deri requested that we distribute them first to the combat soldiers who have born the brunt of the fighting and suffered many casualties.

Friends, I undertook personally to distribute these donut packages on Chanuka to these wonderful boys, together with Capt. Rabbi Deri. It is my hope that you will join me in this Mitzva!

Purim Sameach!
Moshe

Kislev 5766

Israel National News
Subscribe to the Israel National News daily email newsletter. The latest news from Israel, Direct to your mailbox! FREE! Subscribe

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR ARUTZ SHEVA WITH ARUTZ SHEVA T-SHIRTS, CAPS & WATCHES !!! Arutz Sheva Mall

Dear Friend,
Arutz Sheva operates multiple web sites and radio stations in 4 languages at a cost of millions of dollars a year. When you purchase from the Arutz Sheva Mall, you support our efforts!

Shalom from Beit El!

Click here to print this Page

To remove yourself from the mailing list please click here

Parshat Vayeitzei

This week's section tells the story of how Lavan; the arch-evil charlatan,
duped the holy founder of Judaism, Yaakov into working non-stop for twenty
years.

Interestingly the Torah tells us that instead being punished for this crime,
Lavan is left in peace while Yaakov after wasting twenty years of his life
has to settle for a mere fraction of his due.

This does not seem fair, and certainly not very Biblical. Where is the
divine retribution? Where is the justice? How could Yaakov get such a raw
deal and why does the Torah tell us about it? What is the point? Why didn't
G-d just do a few miracles?

Here is a story printed in the weekly leaflet HaGeula (Toldot 5766) that
might help us understand.

Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Pevzner is the manager of a large complex of Jewish
schools in the heart of Paris called 'Sinai' where over one thousand
children learn.

As could be understood such an outstanding achievement was accompanied by
many harrowing experiences but possibly the shakiest of them occurred just a
few years ago.

Over seventeen years ago in 5749 (1988) the Lubavitcher Rebbe declared that
year to be the 'Year of Building'. Hundreds of Chabad institutions took this
declaration as a prophesy and, certain beyond any shadow of a doubt that
they would succeed, began projects that were completely beyond their normal
realm of imagination. And they worked!

In that year thousands of buildings were begun and/or finished. But one of
the most impressive examples was that of Rabbi Pevzner.

He announced a multi-million dollar project that only a miracle would
finish. And the miracle occurred.

The Rebbe announced that he would give a one hundred dollar bill to whoever
donated money to the project and the donors flocked in.

In no time some ninety percent of the costs had been covered and Rabbi
Pevzner was able to proudly go to the Rebbe with pictures of the finished
buildings and names of the benefactors before the year was over.

But strangely enough when he presented it all to him, the Rebbe seemed to
show no sign of satisfaction. In fact, of all things, he seemed a bit
worried. He took a dollar bill in his hand, held it out to Rabbi Pevzner
and said,

"There still remain debts. Here is a dollar for the debts."

Rabbi Pevzner couldn't understand what the Rebbe meant. Of course there
were some debts but they were almost gone, it was only a matter of time till
the same miraculous spirit that brought the ninety percent would bring the
last ten.

But Rabbi Pevzner took the dollar. Little did he know that it was to be the
lifejacket that would save him.

Thirteen years passed and although the debt never really got paid (as soon
as money came in other debts replaced it) it didn't grow either. It was not
unusual for an institution of that size to have such a reasonable debt and
the Rabbi gave it no thought whatsoever.

In fact the number of pupils in 'Sinai' increased and increased and were
coming from such a wide area of Paris that the board of directors of the
school decided to expand. Plans were made, licenses and permissions were
given and allocations and donations were pledged to build a branch on the
outskirts of the town.

Then, suddenly France turned over. The Moslems became militant and
anti-Semitism again reared it's ugly head in the streets and in the media.
Donors retracted their pledges, the ministry of education cancelled funding
and the Government turned a deaf ear.

Overnight the debts began piling up and after a few months the situation was
unbearable with no end in sight. Teachers, lunchroom, electricity, upkeep
all required money and there was none. The majority of his pupils were poor
and had been paid for by the government. And then there was the new
unfinished expansion project that he still owed a fortune for.

Every week brought more debt until after a year and a half 'Siani Schools
owed no less than TEN MILLON EURO!!

It seemed obvious that the schools would have to close; there was simply no
possibility to pay such an amount and to continue was impossible.

Rabbi Pevzner had personally borrowed millions to keep the institutions
going and would have to borrow more, but from where? Not only would no one
give him a loan, his creditors were hounding him for their money back! The
government stepped in, appointed a board of investigators and they decided
that it was obvious that Rabbi Pevzner had no choice but to declare
bankruptcy.

But he was given a reprieve. It seems that the government court was not
interested in closing him down so quickly. If he went bankrupt no one would
get what was owed them and, after all, this was an institution that had been
working successfully with no motives of profit for years.

They agreed to keep 'Sinai' running for twelve months on government funding
to give him a chance to come up with the money.

But nothing happened. The anti-Semitism increased, the debt remained, and
the days passed.

He gathered all his teachers, workers and pupils and with tears in his eyes
informed them that he had tried everything. He begged them to increase their
prayers and then, choking back the tears told them that without a miracle it
was only months until the end.

Then he remembered the dollar.

Suddenly he remembered what the Rebbe said and it was clear to him he was
prophesizing precisely this catastrophe he was going through now. It was
like a flash of pure light in the stark murky reality surrounding him. The
Rebbe was never wrong!

Sure enough the very next day something happened!

A group of Israeli Newspaper reporters came to visit his institution as part
of a report they were doing on France and to his amazement the official that
was showing them around was none other than one of the most outspoken
opponents of orthodox Judaism, the wealthy and influential Baron David
D'Rothschild of the famous Rothschild family.

But miraculously the Baron was treating the Rabbi like his best friend. He
was smiling, laughing and putting his arm around the Rabbi's shoulder at
every opportunity as though nothing could please him more than the Rabbi's
company! In fact Rabbi Pevzner even managed to set an appointment with him
for the next day in his office.

It seemed that this was the breakthrough he was praying for! But he was in
for a bitter surprise.

It was all a show. It seems that the Baron had some sort of political reason
to pose publicly as a friend of Jewish Orthodoxy, but privately was a
completely different story.

When the Rabbi arrived at the Baron's office the Baron's secretary told him
bluntly and in no uncertain terms that he, and all other Rabbis in the world
could jump in the lake and they would never enter the Baron's office.

It seemed that even the Rebbe's dollar couldn't help.

The precious months passed and the situation got worse. If it wasn't for
that dollar Rabbi Pevzner would have gone mad. He had tried everything!
Where would he get a ten million euro donation? He could do nothing but go
on spreading Judaism and try not to think of it. But it was impossible.

Then, just as he thought that things couldn't get worse, they did. He got
invited to a formal government dinner.

He hated official government functions, especially the dinners. They were
boring, pompous, false, extravagant and exactly the opposite of everything
he stood for. He had nothing to do there but force smiles and shake hands,
he couldn't even eat the food and especially now with his life's work
crumbling before his eyes he was certainly not in the mood for parties. But
he had to.

And when he arrived he saw it was worse than he thought; It was a large and
gaudy affair hosted by none other than his 'friend' Baron Rothschild!

The Rabbi wanted to turn back and head for the exit but before he could move
the Baron zeroed in on him and began his fawning act again. He hugged him
warmly, smiled like a clown and posed with his arm around him whenever
possible.

Suddenly the Rabbi got a bold idea.

He pictured the Rebbe's face handing him the dollar, mustered up his courage
and said in a loud enough voice to be heard,

"Tell me my friend, why is it that now you are so friendly when just a few
months ago you refused to even see me?"

The Baron was confused. He paled, faked a smile and whispered to the Rabbi
"Don't tell anyone about what happened. Listen, tomorrow morning I promise
that if you call my office I will make a time to see you."

And so it was; two days later he was sitting before the Baron in his plush
office. But he was so apprehensive that all he could manage to do was be
friendly and hope the Baron would change his anti-Semitic attitude. Until
Rothschild himself finally interrupted,

"Rabbi, we both are busy men and there is no point wasting time. Tell me
what you want!"

Rabbi Pevzner poured out his heart and when he was finished Rothschild
lifted the phone, called a close friend, a retired economist, briefly told
him the story and asked if he would be willing to investigate the case.

The economist accepted and when he met the Rabbi the next day he revealed
that he too was an assimilated Jew who happened to know a bit about Judaism.
Everything he saw in 'Sinai'; the order and joyous atmosphere, the hundreds
of children of all ages, the devoted teachers and workers and the incredible
debt seemed to make a deep impression, but it was impossible to tell.

No one knows what he reported to the Baron but it was enough to cause him to
make a meeting with the bankruptcy officials and promise that he; the
rabidly anti-religious Baron Rothschild, would personally....cover the
debt!!

That's right! He personally promised to give five million euro from his own
pocket and arrange allocations to pay the rest!!

One week before the deadline, the Rebbe's dollar brought Ten million euro
and at least two estranged Jews a bit closer to Judaism.

This answers our question.

The reason that Yaakov left Ber Sheva, which was a place that was friendly
and conducive to serving G-d, and went to Charan,(28:10) which was the
opposite, was in order to purify the world.

In Ber Sheva he would never come in contact with the difficulties that the
Jewish people were chosen by G-d to transform into holiness. But in Charan
there were plenty.

This is signified by the stones that he put around his head (28:11) that
miraculously transformed into one stone (28:18): Yaakov's job in the world
and that of the Jewish people is 'unify' the entire creation, including the
evil Lavan (Torah Ohr 23:a), with the Creator.

But this takes much painstaking and time consuming work.

That is why Yaakov was willing to labor for twenty years. He wasn't a fool
and he wasn't after the material profits; he was preparing the world for the
Jewish people to bring Moshiach and make this world a heaven on earth.

Something like how Rabbi Pevzner in doing the work of the Rebbe had a
positive effect on even his opposition and miraculously solved all his
problems so we will see, in an infinitely greater way, that the entire world
will be perfected with the immediate arrival of....

Moshiach NOW!!

Rabbi Tuvia Bolton
Yeshiva Ohr Tmimim
Kfar Chabad, Israel

----------------------------------------------------
This week's Torah Online sponsored by:
Smith & Associates, 551 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1601
New York, New York 10176
Telephone: (212) 661-7010 Fax: (212) 661-8285
----------------------------------------------------

_________________________________________________________
To Subscribe/Unsubscribe: www.ohrtmimim.org/subscriptions

A7news: HaNegbi Quits Likud, Moves to Kadima

If you can not see this email properly, please click here

Temp.Likud Head Resigns Knesset, Moves to Sharon´s Kadima Party
Tzachi HaNegbi, who became the Likud's temporary chairman following Sharon's resignation, is himself moving to Kadima. Just two weeks ago, he said, "There are [party] roots that can't be uprooted."
Full Story Below

	Headlines:
1.	Temp.Likud Head Resigns Knesset, Moves to Sharon´s Kadima Party

2.	Knesset Passes "Terminally-Ill" Law

3.	NRP-NU Merger - Down But Not Out

4.	Shteinitz Condemns Egypt; Demands Border Fence to Fight Terror

5.	New Law: Foods Must be Marked Milk, Meat or Pareve

6.	Gavison’s Nomination for Supreme Court All But Doomed

7.	Recognition Granted to "Smiling Judge"

Camp Chavayot - Like nothing else!
Discover Israel from a different perspective. For girls who want more out of Israel than just a tourist's tour. Hiking. Jeeping. Swimming. Rappelling. They're all part of Chavayot. But Israel is more than a giant playground. Israel is our land. Our history. A place where every blade of grass is cherished. Through Chavayot, your daughter will discover why.
Click Here

Rent a Cellphone from Arutz Sheva
Don't miss any calls when you visit Israel! Arutz Sheva will provide you with an Israeli cellphone at the best price! Delivery in USA and Israel. Call 1-646-432-4542 in the USA and 02-652-2353 in Israel.
More Details

Editor: Hillel Fendel
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
6 Kislev 5766

Easy Arutz-7 access from anywhere on the web...

1. Temp.Likud Head Resigns Knesset, Moves to Sharon´s Kadima Party

By Hillel Fendel

Tzachi HaNegbi, who became the Likud's temporary chairman following Sharon's resignation, is himself moving to Kadima. Just two weeks ago, he said, "There are [party] roots that can't be uprooted."

HaNegbi reportedly told his aides that he does not see himself anywhere other than at Sharon's side over the next few years. He also said, Israel Radio reported, that Sharon himself has expressed a desire to have HaNegbi in his party.

He announced his move at a press conference in Tel Aviv this afternoon, saying that he could not see himself supporting any of the candidates currently running for Likud leader and Prime Ministerial candidate. He also announced his resignation from the Knesset. "My mandate belongs to the Likud, and so I am returning it," HaNegbi said. Pnina Rosenblum is slated to take his place - but said today she is not sure if she will remain in the Likud or jump to Kadima.

HaNegbi's move drew a host of derisive comments. Likud MK Gilad Erdan said, "It is sad to see how a person who began his career as an uncompromising ideologue, is ending it as an opportunist."

Peace Now Chairman Yariv Oppenheimer said, "HaNegbi's move to Kadima shows that the common denominator [in Kadima] is lust for power."

HaNegbi is the son of the right-wing Geulah Cohen, a member of the 1940's Lechi movement who left Menachem Begin's Likud in 1979 in protest of the transfer of the Sinai to Egypt. HaNegbi first became famous as a student leader when he led a protest atop a tall monument in the Sinai city of Yamit.

Aides to HaNegbi said he had been promised one of the top ten spots on Kadima's list of Knesset candidates.

Just last night, it was learned that the police plan to recommend that HaNegbi be indicted on charges of having made illegal government appointments when he was Minister of the Environment, in 2003-4. HaNegbi was forced to resign the post after the publication of the State Comptroller's report on those appointments.

HaNegbi said in response that he had done nothing illegal, and nothing that many other ministers had not done before him.

Shinui MK Roni Brizon said that at this rate, with the Sharon father-and-son MKs, MK Eli Aflalo and the Agrexco mini-scandal, and now HaNegbi, "the party faction can hold its meetings in the Maasiyahu Prison." Shinui MK Reshef Chen said, "It will be interesting to see which of the corrupt Kadima politicians will take upon himself the job of explaining the party's position on 'clean government.'"

The Land of Israel Task Force said, playing on a political cliche that has been used in various formats over the past ten years, "The deeper the criminal investigations, the deeper the defections [to Kadima]."

HaNegbi and Sharon's son Omri are widely perceived to be the most corrupt politicians in Israel. At the Sderot Conference this past Nov. 23, the results of a survey on this topic were publicized, indicating that HaNegbi was perceived as the most corrupt government minister. Sharon the son, Omri, received the title "most corrupt Knesset Member" in the survey.

Who will run the Likud now that it does not even have a temporary chairman? Agriculture Minister Yisrael Katz, who is running for Likud Chairman and Prime Ministerial candidate, said that the party secretariat he heads will run the party's affairs until a chairman is chosen later this month.

Katz said that Sharon has been trying to destroy the Likud for over a year. "The Likud will recover," he said, "as it did after many people quit it over the years." He named Sharon's own defection to the short-lived Shlomtzion Party with extreme left-wing MK Yossi Sarid over 20 years ago; Menachem Begin's aide Shmuel Tamir; Yitzchak Mordechai and others who "left to form the Centrist Party in 1999 and then disappeared from the political scene," and others.

Other reactions:

Binyamin Netanyahu: "This move has no political significance, and is just an expression of [HaNegbi's] personal problems."

Labor MK Matan Vilnai: "How symbolic it is that on the day the police recommend HaNegbi's indictment, he joins Kadima. It appears that Kadima is turning into a 'city of refuge,' exuding a message of total disregard for public clean-handedness and values. To save money, the police can establish a special department for the Kadima party and those who join it."

Likud MK Ayoub Kara: "Criminal indictments have become the entry pass to Kadima."

Former Jerusalem Police Chief Aryeh Amit, who recently joined Labor: "It's frightening to see how HaNegbi was accepted into Kadima on the day the police recommends his indictment."

Comment on this story

2. Knesset Passes "Terminally-Ill" Law

By Hillel Fendel

The Knesset passed the "Terminally Ill Law" last night by a 22-3 vote. The law requires doctors to honor a patient's desire not to receive life-extending treatment.

The law, six years in preparation, was formulated largely by a public commission comprising rabbis and other top professionals in all relevant fields.

The law regulates, for the first time in Israel, the issue of terminally-ill and end-of-life patients. It only pertains to a person whom doctors give six months or less to live, and deals only with one who expressed his clear desire not to have his life artificially extended; if he can no longer express himself, a close relative must attest that this was his desire.

The law states that a terminally-ill patient's wishes must be respected, but that the caregivers must make a reasonable effort to persuade him to receive oxygen, food, liquids and routine treatments.

MK Sha'ul Yahalom (National Religious Party), who headed the joint Knesset Committee that dealt with the bill - made up of the Law and Welfare Committees - praised the public commission for its work. "The law meets the requirements of Jewish Law," he said, "and allows patients to live and die with honor."

The law does not apply to one who is not suffering in a "vegetative" state or a coma, because, as Yahalom explained, "Who knows if medicine won't find a cure for the condition in the future?"

MK Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism) voted against the law, saying that though it was a supremely important bill, not all Halakhic [Jewish-legal] authorities supported it. He was nonetheless happy with the fact that it prevented courts from intervening in such life-and-death issues.

Prof. Avraham Steinberg of Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, the head of the public commission and a respected Torah scholar in matters of medicine, has written the following:

"A large portion of rabbinic authorities holds that the value of life is a sacred and most exalted value, but not an absolute value. Proofs for this are the fact that there are values that take precedence, such as the three sins which one must not violate even at the pain of death; going to war; and dying for the Sanctification of G-d's Name. In addition, there are situations in which life is 'set aside,' such as when one is trying to kill someone else [and a bystander may kill the pursuer]; court-imposed deaths for grave crimes; and especially end-of-life situations that involve great suffering, when according to Halakhic principles, it is permissible to refrain from extending the life under clearly defined conditions... The main Halakhic foundation of this approach is the principle of 'removing the impediment...'"

In fact, one of the Halakhic solutions found for the problem of non-renewal of life-saving activity is a Shabbat-clock device that prevents such activities from being renewed.

A Halakhic review on the topic (in Hebrew) can be viewed here.

Comment on this story

Arutz Sheva Mall Days of Orange
This disk is a collection of the songs sung during the fight for Gush Katif. The songs of hope and faith on this disks are sung by well known singers such as Aharon Razel, Ariel Zilber and Adi Ran.
Click Here!

3. NRP-NU Merger - Down But Not Out

By Hillel Fendel

Talks between the National Union and the National Religious Party on a merger between the two have not yet been renewed. NRP leader Orlev plans to submit a new proposal this afternoon.

The NRP announced this afternoon that at 3:30 PM, Orlev would appear before the National Union faction in the Knesset and present his proposal for a united party list for the coming election.

MK Gila Finkelstein (NRP) told Arutz-7 today, "We very much want a union between ourselves and the National Union, and there is a great need amidst our public for it. I know that the public wants it; I was at a wedding the other day, and when I came back to my place after the dancing, I saw a large note on my plate saying, We Want Unity... I very much hope that even today, we will hear of a renewal of the talks."

A major point of contention, Finkelstein said, is the topic of how many members of each party will man the joint list of Knesset candidates. The National Union currently has 6 MKs, and the NRP has 4, justifying a 60-40 proportion in the NU's favor. The NRP claims, however, that two of the NU's 6 were originally of the NRP, and that therefore the correct distribution should be 60-40 in the NRP's favor. A basic agreement of 50-50 has apparently been reached.

More problematic is the issue of the leader of the new list. Both sides accuse the other of reneging on an agreement on the matter. NRP sources say there was a previous agreement to decide the matter based on a third-party survey as to who - NU leader Benny Elon or NRP leader Orlev - is more popular, but that the NU has now changed its mind. The NU says there was no such agreement, and that on the contrary, Orlev agreed that the issue of the top spot would not be that which would cause the unification to fail.

Asi Talmon, a top aide to MK Tzvi Hendel (National Union) told Arutz-7, "There was never an agreement to have a survey; it was merely a proposal. What was agreed was that a National Union person would be first on the list... A Haaretz poll of a few days ago shows that the National Union would receive seven seats, while the NRP would receive three."

Rabbi Shabtai Sabato, head of the Netivot Yosef yeshiva in Mitzpeh Yericho, was influential in formulating a call by leading rabbis in the religious-Zionist camp for unity between the two parties. Asked today if the rabbis are actively involved in the unity efforts, he said,
"There are two planes. One is for a unity between these two parties, for which first a group of 15 rabbis called, and then a larger group of 50 confirmed it. In addition, former Chief Rabbis Ovadiah Yosef, Mordechai Eliyahu and Avraham Shapira are attempting to see if all the religious parties can join up together in one bloc... I can tell you that if the National Union-NRP merger doesn't work, some real efforts are underway to join Shas and the NRP..."

Asked if the rabbis could not take a more active stance, such as pressuring certain MKs, Rabbi Sabato said,
"The rabbis need not be associated with politicking, political pressures, and the like.
Their job is to inspire the right atmosphere. They made their position known, and that should be enough. The more public calls they make, the cheaper the calls become."

Comment on this story

4. Shteinitz Condemns Egypt; Demands Border Fence to Fight Terror

By Scott Shiloh

Using harsh language, Shteinitz accused Egypt of supporting terror against Israel, with the Israel-Egypt border becoming a paradise for terrorists and criminals alike.

MK Yuval Shteinitz (Likud) supports the establishment of a security barrier along the 200-kilometer Israel-Egypt border, from the Gaza district southeastward to Eilat.

Shteinitz, who heads the influential Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, severely criticized Egypt on Tuesday for letting the security situation on the border deteriorate.

“Over the past few years, we have witnessed a deliberate effort on the part of the Egyptians to turn the Sinai Peninsula into a paradise for smuggling weapons into Israel and the Gaza Strip,” said Shteinitz.

Egyptians, often working alongside Bedouin Arabs from the Negev, have been smuggling drugs, terrorists, prostitutes, and weapons for terrorists and criminals into Israel at an alarming rate.

Using language generally reserved for Israel’s most implacable enemies, Shteinitz said that Egypt was “aiding and abetting” terror against Israel “in exactly the same way as Syria and Iran.”

Unlike Syria and Iran, Israel and Egypt have full diplomatic relations, established after the signing of a peace treaty in 1979.

Shteinitz’s support for a security barrier coincides with ideas put forward by the IDF and the security apparatus to deal with the smuggling problem.

“The time has come to invest in a border fence with Egypt and for condemning its behavior in the international arena,” he said.

A cabinet decision on Tuesday, allocating NIS 150 million for border security, fell short of approving the construction of a security barrier or border fence.

The money will be spent as a first step in combating the smuggling problem. The plan is expect to cost as much as NIS 1.5 billion over three years.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said at the cabinet meeting that “there should be no distinction made between crime-related smuggling and other types of smuggling. The fight against smuggling will reduce the crime rate as well as the intensity of terror activity.”

The prime minister, however, recommended that there be “more cooperation [among law enforcement authorities] and less money” spent on the problem.

Israel conquered the Sinai from Egypt in the 1967 Six Day War. Under the terms of the peace treaty, Israel completed a withdrawal from the Sinai Desert in 1982.
The last phase of that withdrawal was accompanied by the destruction of Jewish communities in the Yamit region. Five thousand Jews were expelled from their homes in an operation carried out by Ariel Sharon, who then served as Defense Minister.

Comment on this story

Menshenables Judaica
Fun name, Fun-ky Judaica. Unique gifts and ritual items for every simcha and holiday.
Click Here!

5. New Law: Foods Must be Marked Milk, Meat or Pareve

By Hillel Fendel

As of today, food may not be sold in Israel without being marked as either meat, dairy or pareve (neither milk nor meat).

A new law to this effect passed its third and final reading in the Knesset today. It was originally proposed by MK Uri Ariel (National Union) as an amendment to the Kashrut law. The original law provided only that a food billed as Kosher carry the name of the authorizing rabbi, rabbinate or Kashrut agency.

"The Ministry of Trade could have merely issued a directive requiring the new markings," MK Ariel said, "but it did not do so. The Merchants Union complains that many Kashrut-conscious consumers refrain from buying certain foods because they are not marked as dairy or pareve. The new law will help consumers avoid the problem of whether to buy a food because of the fear that it may contain milk or meat ingredients."

Jewish law forbids the eating of milk products and meat products together, as well as the consumption of milk products within six hours (or three, according to some customs) of eating meat.

Comment on this story

6. Gavison’s Nomination for Supreme Court All But Doomed

By Scott Shiloh

The chances for Ruth Gavison to be selected as a Supreme Court justice dwindled dramatically on Tuesday, when a lawyer opposing her nomination was elected to sit on the selections committee.

Professor Gavison’s nomination is favored heavily by those who advocate a more restrained legal approach to court intervention on issues of security and the legislative process.

Israel’s Supreme Court justices are selected by a committee of judges, lawyers and politicians. The lawyers on the committee are selected by the Israel Bar Association. On Tuesday, the National Council of the Bar Association chose two lawyers, one of whom, Yuri Guy-Ron, opposes Gavison’s nomination. The other is reportedly undecided.

One member of the selections committee vehemently opposed to Gavison’s nomination is Supreme Court Justice Aharon Barak. Barak claims that Gavison’s legal approach constitutes an “agenda” that he has vowed to keep off the court.

With all the other judges on the committee following Barak’s opposition to Gavison, her nomination appears to be all but doomed.

As of Tuesday, the line-up on the selections committee is as follows:

Opposed to Gavison -

Judges: Aharon Barak, Dorit Beinish, and Eliezer Rivlin
Attorneys: Yuri Guy-Ron
Politicians: MK Avraham Shochat (Labor)

In favor –

Judges: None
Attorneys: None
Politicians: Justice Minister Tzippy Livny (Kadima), Health Minister Danny Naveh (Likud), MK Sha'ul Yahalom (National Religious Party)

Undecided –

Attorney Pinhas Marinsky

As that line-up indicates, Gavison’s opponents have a majority on the committee, even if Marinsky votes in favor. Most of Gavison’s opponents are on the left of Israel’s political spectrum. MK Shochat of Labor delayed his planned resignation from the Knesset simply in order to vote against Gavison and ensure her defeat.

If Gavison loses, the leading nominee for a seat on the High Court is Mordechai Kremnitzer, who, like Gavison, is a Hebrew University professor of law.

Kremnitzer’s legal approach, while more amenable to Barak, places him at the far left of the country’s political spectrum. Kremnitzer has been an outspoken legal critic of Israel’s presence in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, and generally views Israeli communities in those regions as illegal.

Comment on this story

7. Recognition Granted to "Smiling Judge"

By Hillel Fendel

The Deputy Chief Justice of the Tel Aviv District Court, Yehoshua Gross, has been awarded a certificate for "promoting smiles and pleasantness in the halls of justice."

Justice Gross, born in Israel in 1937, was appointed to the bench in 1975 in the Tel Aviv Magistrates Court. Five years later, he moved to the District Court, where he assumed the position of Deputy Chief Justice in 2000. Judge Gross is known for his calmness, humor and familiar smile.

The Shaarei Mishpat (Gates of Law) College in Hod HaSharon awarded him the happy certificate on the occasion of his giving a lecture at the school on the topic of "Lawyers in Literature." His talk was laced with several puns, drawing laughter from the audience.

Comment on this story

Wide Range of Judaica Items
In www.mirrys-artglass.com you will see a wide range of judaica ( mezzuzot ; menoras; kiddush cups; havdalla sets; choshen;) and other items made from glass and copper with a silver or gold plated finish.
Click Here!

Today on IsraelNN.com:

Mofaz Accuses Sharon of Using Army for Political Gains

A Centrist Philosophy
I searched the Internet for definitions of "center" or "centrist" that would explain Sharon's use of the term. It was then that I came upon Philo Judaeus and his interesting take on the concept of "center".

Michelle Nevada

The Real "Cycle of Violence"
The government of Israel's lack of response to this continued violence only serves to encourage more violence against the Jewish State, the end result of which is more dead Jews.

Ze´ev Orenstein

Vayetze: Ascending and Descending
The angels ascending and descending represent the status of the Jew in Exile, initially ascending, but ultimately descending. Yaacov was being cautioned that Galut is always temporary and precarious.

Rabbi Yosef Wolicki for Aloh Naaleh

Vayetze: Laban and Modern Anti-Semitism
The fact that a Jew is blamed for an injustice done to him is not novel. Our Patriarch Jacob suffered the same ignoble treatment.

Rabbi Lazer Gurkow

Preventing, Treating Homosexuality

aJudaica

Preventing, Treating Homosexuality

Virtual Keyboard

Exchange Rates
Updated: Dec 7, 04:00

Currency basket	5.1068
US $	4.6360
Euro	5.4313
Pound	8.0342
Can. $	3.9880
100 Yen	3.8325
Swiss Franc	3.5259
Australian $	3.4631
S. Africa Rand	0.7338

Weather
Night/Thursday

Jerusalem 14°C / 57°F
Tel Aviv 15°C / 59°F
Haifa 15°C / 59°F
Golan 14°C / 57°F
The Plains 14°C / 57°F
Galilee 14°C / 57°F
Jericho 15°C / 59°F
Beer Sheva 14°C / 57°F
Dead Sea 17°C / 62°F
Eilat 15°C / 59°F

Specials

Lessons in Tanya
Taught by Rabbi Ben Tzion Krasnianski. On-line and Audio downloads lessons.

Oraita
Specializing in checking and restoration of Sifrei Torah

Jewish World
Create a beautiful, moving video of your wedding or Bar/Bat-Mitzvah!

House of Harrari
Biblical Harpmakers, Custom made Davidic Harps, Door Harps, harp music CD's, Shofars

Temple Model Kits
The Perfect Chanuka Gift!

Israel Related

Artzeinu Tours
Kotel Tunnels, Galil-Golan, Massada, Ir David, Jeeps, & more; Hotels @ discounted prices!

Shavei Israel
The starting point for anyone with Jewish roots or ancestry yearning to return to the Jewish people.

Israel's Destiny
DVD SPECIAL - ISRAEL: APPOINTMENT WITH DESTINY. STIRRING FILM DOCUMENTARY. Just $5.95 including Shipping.

Tel Aviv Meds
Buy medication direct from Israel and save

Talk N Save
Going to Israel? Phone Rental - 69 cents per day!

Israel Charities

Help Feed Israel's Hungry
Struggling Families in Israel Need Your Help Now.

Yad Ezra VeShulamit
Give the gift of a hot meal to a hungry Jewish child in Israel.

One Family Fund
For Israelis, For Israel, We are ALL OneFamily.

Meals4Israel
36,000 meals provided monthly to hungry Israeli children.

Beit Haggai
Orthodox foster homes for abused and neglected children. www.beithaggai.org

Jewish Books

Menashe Sopher
Visiting Israel? Call MENASHE SOPHER. We take care of all of your transport in Israel. Call 1-718-360-5083

Chanukah Sale
Israeli Leading Brands! AHAVA, Premier, Hazorfim, Naot, T-Shirts, Jewelry!

Jerusalem Collection
The Most Exquisite Selection of Chanukah Gifts

'Israeli Salad' #115
with Yoni Kempinski

Collection of favorite previous features:
- The Tanach museum
- Benny Band and his wood artwork
- The Mesamchim organization
- The Diaspora Museum
- Ethnic Jewish music at The Ud festival

Arutz Sheva´s
IsraelNationalRadio
Live Political Analysis, Social Commentary,
Hourly News Reports, and much more.

Arutz Sheva´s
Fundamentally Freund
Michael Freund tackles Politics and Media
with hard-hitting commentary.

Arutz Sheva Real Estate Section
Get up-to-date on what´s going on in Real Estate in the Jewish world.

A7-IsraelNationalNews Educational Sites: a project of Beit El Institutions

ARUTZ SHEVA ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Questions, comments, and advice? Simply reply to this email, or email: feedback@israelnationalnews.com.

Advertise with IsraelNationalNews

Unsubscribe or Modify your subscription (including placing a vacation hold)
This newsletter can also be received in the following formats:
Printer Friendly Version - Perfect for distribution, and reading on the go.
Plain Text Version - Without HTML code. Ideal for palm pilots, blackberries, and simple email clients.

Subscribe to this free newsletter.
You are receiving Arutz Sheva's Fully Enriched HTML Daily Email News Report.

Click here to print this Page

To remove yourself from the mailing list please click here

Moshiach.tv Blog

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

LESSONS IN TANYA: Thursday, December 8, 2005

DAILY MITZVAH (Maimonides): Thursday, December 8, 2005

"TODAY'S DAY": Thursday, December 8, 2005

Beto Escobar's (Yehoshua Avraham's) contribution to Mitzvah kashrus.

TODAY IN JUDAISM: Thursday, December 8, 2005

PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THE REBBE SAID: Parshas Vayeitzei

TORAH STUDIES: Parshat Vayeitzei

PARSHAH IN A NUTSHELL: Week of December 4-10, 2005 (Vayeitzei)

CHASSIDIC STORY: The Iron Necklace

DAILY DOSE: Cold Intellect

Donuts to IDF Combat Soldiers - Join in the Mitzva!

Parshat Vayeitzei

A7news: HaNegbi Quits Likud, Moves to Kadima

Facebook Badge

Labels (Table of Contents)

Blog Archive

About Me