The Lebanese media reports yet another case involving an accused spy working for Israel. The suspect in custody is reportedly a senior official of one of Lebanon’s cellular telephone company.
It appears the suspect, whose name is not being released at present, was placed under arrest on Sunday.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
In his motzei shabbos drasha, Maran Rav Ovadia Yosef stated “there are batei din and rabbonim. Why did they take the matter to the secular courts?” in his weekly satellite broadcast drasha, the rav questioned why the Emanuel Beis Yaakov matter was taken to the secular system.
The Rav added that “we mustn’t be beholden to the kindness of Chinuch Atzmai, which has educated our children over the years”. The Rav calls on all his followers to enroll their children in Sephardi schools, stating today there are over 40,000 students in mosdot that have been launched by Shas. “It doesn’t say morasha kehillot Ashkenazim” the Rav added”.
The Rav used strong terms to persuade all Sephardi families to enroll their children in Sephardi mosdos, and that this is the only way to ensure they will be taught Sephardi customs and halachot.
He questioned why a war is necessary and why one must address the High Court, calling on the tzibur to abandon the Ashkenazi schools. He once again quoted the Rambam regarding one who takes matters to a secular system “raises his hands against the Torah of Moshe Rabbeinu” and does not have a share in the Next World. The Rav used strong terms in expressing the graveness of the matter, bringing the chinuch issue to the nation’s secular court.
The Rav pointed out the girls must move to a Sephardi school. “What do they teach them there? Do they learn Ben Ish Chai? They are taught the halachot of Ashkenazim”.
The Rav concluded “Baruch Hashem our Torah is not lower than their Torah!”
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
A lawyer for NYS Sen. Carl Kruger said Saturday that prosecutors have cleared the lawmaker of allegations that he traded bureaucratic favors for campaign contributions.
Attorney Benjamin Brafman said he was told by the U.S. Attorney in Brooklyn that Kruger is no longer a target of an inquiry that began in 2008.
“There was never any proof whatsoever that Kruger ever took anything from anybody to do anything,” Brafman said. “I’ve been told by the U.S. Attorney of the Eastern District of New York that he is not a target, and I do not expect him to face charges.”
The existence of the investigation was made public this week by a report in The NY Times when a Brooklyn attorney and supper club owner, Michael Levitis, was arrested and charged with lying to agents during the probe.
An FBI agent revealed in court papers that the bureau had investigated whether Kruger and an aide were “performing official acts in exchange for campaign contributions.”
The inquiry ultimately included physical surveillance, confidential informants, cooperating witnesses, and recorded phone calls, according to the court filing.
The complaint against Levitis contained transcripts of recorded conversations in which he told a businessman, secretly working with the FBI, that Kruger would try to help him with an upcoming government inspection of his business, but only if he agreed to hold a fundraiser for his campaign.
It also claims that he solicited a $3,000 cash payment from the businessman in exchange for the senator’s help.
Levitis was charged with lying about those conversations when interrogated about them by agents.
Brafman said that in reality, Levitis had no connection with Kruger.
“He didn’t know Kruger and never gave him any of the money. This guy claimed he had access to do things, and he was lying,” Brafman said. He said the senator was eventually made aware of the investigation and cooperated.
A spokesman for Senate Democrats, Austin Shafran, told The New York Times that Kruger was the “victim of an influence-peddling scam.”
“Sometimes unscrupulous individuals falsely claim a close relationship to public officials which simply does not exist,” he said.
A lawyer for Levitis offered a slightly different version of events.
Jeffrey Lichtman confirmed that his client had, indeed, held a fundraiser for Kruger in 2008, and that it occurred after Kruger had contacted officials about an inspection.
But Lichtman said the two things weren’t related and there was no quid pro quo.
“Like any constituent across the country, Mr. Levitis contacted his local politician when he had a problem which affected his business,” he said. “At no time did Kruger demand money or a fundraiser in exchange for his help.”
A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney declined to comment.
The investigation of Kruger by the FBI and Brooklyn U.S. attorney has been going on for two years.
(Source: WCBSTV)
A 6-month-old girl is dead and her mother is in serious condition after a tree branch fell on the pair as the father tried to take a photo during a visit to the Central Park Zoo, according to NYC officials and NYPD sources familiar with the freak accident.
The child’s 33-year-old mother is at Weill Cornell Medical Center on the Upper East Side in serious but stable condition.
The accident happened just before 2 p.m. Saturday while families were enjoying the crowded zoo on a hot summer day. As the father prepared to take a photo of his wife, who held their daughter in her arms, witnesses heard a snap, NYPD sources tell NBCNewYork.
Everyone screamed and the branch fell about 40 feet, striking both the mother and baby in the head before crashing to the ground and splitting in half, according to people at the scene.
The Union City, N.J., family was visiting the park with another couple who also had kids, NYPD sources said.
The child was pronounced dead at Weill Cornell after being taken there by ambulance. The name of the victim has not been released.
A city source tells NBCNewYork the tree was within jurisdiction of the zoo, which is maintained by the Wildlife Conservation Society.
A Wildlife Conservation Society spokesman declined comment.
This is the second victim of a tree branch at the zoo this year. In February, a man was killed in the park when a snow-covered branch snapped from a tree and slammed onto his head. Last July, another man was critically injured in a separate incident.
(Source: NBC New York)
On erev shabbos, HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Yosef spoke out regarding Emanuel for the first time, agreeing to an interview with Kol Chai Radio. Following main portions of that interview.
KOL CHAI: Why do you need this, the Emanuel affair?
R YOSEF: From a personal perspective, it is the last thing I need. I enjoy the quiet life, learning with 1,000 people weekly, busy in our Gan Eden HaTachton, but we learn in Gemara Gittin about Kamtza and Bar-Kamtza and that the rabbonim may not remain silent”.
I simply must speak out, unable to permit the current status quo continue. An injustice was committed and the girls were ridiculed – the pure and holy little girls. Together with 33 rabbonim, we discussed this and decided something must be done. We met and decided what must be done and how to respond”.
Why is the school divided and the unacceptable concept of two teachers rooms, for Ashkenazim and Sephardim. After all the the teachers all learned together in the same seminaries and now to compel them to remain in separate rooms was absurd and unacceptable.
When I first heard of the situation I did not believe it, certain it was a fantasy, inaccurate, but later learned that painfully, the facts as presented were accurate. I then spoke with a Yemenite yid who built the physical barrier, on chol hamoed no less because he was told it was a mitzvah and it was urgent. From that day on, the Ashkenazi girls turned their backs on their Sephardi peers, former friends.
The statements released by Slonim officials are simply not true and the separation is indeed ethnic, nothing more and nothing less than discrimination. After hearing many ideas and speaking with Slonimer officials, nothing resulted in change and today we find ourselves in the current state of affairs.
KOL CHAI: Are you certain? After all, the Slonimer Rebbe Shlita is truly a holy man, one who distances himself from politics and such mudslinging
R YOSEF: It appears that here, the soton is not sending a messenger, but has decided to make a personal appearance. I asked repeatedly to speak with the Admor Shlita but each meeting that was arranged was canceled. It appears they are afraid to permit me to meet with the Admor, perhaps aware I will explain and clarify a few things and then the Admor will open his eyes and realize who those around him really are”.
KOL CHAI: They say the rav is the one that canceled the meetings.
R YOSEF: Chas v’sholom. I have been running after them for three years to meet. I have no personal interest in the case. I am not looking to become the rav of Emanuel or open a kollel in the community.
Does Yoav Lalum have an interest in Emanuel one way or the other? No, but the moment they transgress Torah laws we may no longer remain silent. We are compelled to speak out and compelled to act. Where are all those rabbonim who signed? For three years they remained silent. Why are they speaking now? Let them remain silent.
KOL CHAI: How did this land out in the Supreme Court?
R YOSEF: For three years I called for setting up a beis din to adjudicate the matter internally and quietly. The beis din would have maintained ultimate authority, above the heads of the Beis Yaakov but Chinuch Atzmai was adamant in its refusal.
Regarding the school administers involved, they are wicked and Chinuch Atzmai not only did not distance itself from them, but gave them support. We have a 40-minute tape containing the ugly statements of the administrators, yet Chinuch Atzmai continues to give its backing to them. Chinuch Atzmai is acting foolishly. This entire affair has already cost over NIS 1 million and for what. A beis din could have been appointed, G-d fearing individuals that did what halacha instructs.
KOL CHAI: Perhaps the rav had demands that they simply could not adhere to.
R YOSEF: absolutely not. The Torah instructs us that if a side wishes to adjudicate a monetary matter, one is compelled to hear both sides in the case. We mustn’t rule without hearing both parties. This is against Torah Law. I am not aware of anyone that came to me or Yoav to hear our side. Not a single person.
Who says that which is reported in newspapers is correct? I do not judge the Moetzas HaTorah in the United States. Perhaps all the reports are lies.
The 33 rabbonim who heard both sides told Yoav that he must continue and may approach the secular courts.
KOL CHAI: It appears there are a number of other avos beis din that approved approaching the secular courts. Is this true?
R YOSEF: Yes, it is true but I will not reveal their names as to avoid their having to endure that which I must now endure. Included in the 33 are Ashkenazi rabbonim who also feel the pain, aware of the situation.
Sadly, they try to instill fear. I was the first one burned here. That is why I released the phone message to the media that I am pulling out. We are dealing with people who act like underworld elements.
KOL CHAI: What about all the Gedolei Yisrael who signed against the rav yet the rav continues?
R YOSEF: This is the work of the soton. That is the only way to explain it. Why didn’t the gedolim summon us, to speak to us, to hear the other side? They are signing without hearing the other side. Can this be? Perhaps the secretariat forged their names and signed or the yetzer hora in his full glory signed. We continued offering concession and compromise. Why didn’t Gedolei Yisrael respond? When they asked Rav Grossman last week, he wanted to compromise and we agreed. He didn’t know that a physical barrier existed in the school.
We will accept any and all compromises, but not one at the expense of the girls who have been tainted. It is simply awful and if we remained silent, it would continue around the country.
KOL CHAI: What does the rav have to say regarding Judge Levy’s ruling and the fact that he does not require rabbinical endorsement?
R YOSEF: I think the stormy emotional atmosphere pulled him in. after all, discrimination is a sickness and since when do we send sick individuals to jail? We are also dealing with their rabbonim and they were compelled by the Torah to be heard among brothers. We are all brothers and all in the same boat. That same Persian goy wants to wipe all of us out.
It is a sickness that requires medical attention but I for one still do not know of any psychologists capable of curing racism.
KOL CHAI: What does the rav have to say regarding his father’s words on motzei shabbos against going to the secular courts?
R YOSEF: I am pained that abba did not explain it all. There are times when we are indeed permitted to turn to the civil courts. There was a case 16 years ago of a girl and they did not wish to accept her to the school. After everything possible was done, abba said turn to the Supreme Court.
I am indeed pained that they went to prison but their leaders should not have instructed them as they did, not to sit with Sephardi girls for a few days, preferring to go to jail. There is a limit to just how far illogical actions can go. Some of the parents who were slated to go to prison signed and as a result, they were not imprisoned. I personally would not have sent a single parent to jail. This is not a crime but an illness.
KOL CHAI: But why go to the court. The Ashkenazim simply don’t want to learn with Sephardim. Why not just get your own schools?
R YOSEF: In the merit of the court in this case, this will come to an end nationwide. I am not opposed and would welcome the establishment of 1000 talmidei torah but at this very moment, such a reality does not exist.
During the last decade, the frum chareidi chinuch has expanded dramatically. Yes, I want 1000 talmidei torah but we must find a solution now, today.
KOL CHAI: Many say Rav Yaakov Yosef is Kodesh Kedoshim but Yoav Lalum led him astray.
R YOSEF: I know Yoav Lalum many years, a frum man, a G-d fearing man. He is only gaining pain and suffering from this entire matter. He remains the most threatened in the entire matter. The police are protecting him, aware of the constant threats against him.
Can I remain deaf? Dare I remain silent and abandon my friend Yoav Lalum? I am not led astray, not left or right and my signature will not be found where it is not intended to be.
KOL CHAI: What does your father, HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef have to say about the entire parsha?
R YOSEF: Abba feels the pain of discrimination. Generally speaking, he does speak out against taking matters to the Supreme Court as do we. But when left without alternatives, certainly abba agrees.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
Governor David Paterson is expected to call state lawmakers to a special session on Sunday to deal with the budget, after legislative leaders announced on Saturday that they reached a two-way budget deal that rejects many executive proposals.
The agreement reached by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson restores $600 million to state school aid. Another $683 million in health care cuts that were proposed by Governor David Paterson were also restored, including $46.8 million in Medicaid cuts.
Legislative leaders said a portion of the restored state school aid would go for “meaningful property tax relief,” but Paterson has previously opposed such a proposal.
The agreement does not address how the state will raise revenue for the restored aid, but Democratic sources said that does not need to be immediately figured out.
The state Legislature is expected to pass the bills and present them to the governor. As they were originally the governor’s bills, the bills will immediately become law. Paterson is unable to veto them and can only strike out items that he does not like.
Sources told NY1 that the bills do not have many changes from Paterson’s original versions.
The governor can force a special session on Sunday evening, but cannot force the Legislature into voting on anything. Lawmakers could quickly gavel in and out, like they did during last summer’s State Senate coup.
By Saturday night, it was not known whether the governor’s office would try to challenge the legality of the restored state funding.
As of Saturday, New York’s state budget had been overdue 87 days.
(Source: NY1)
Supreme Court Justice Edmond Levy on erev shabbos rejected the proposed compromise agreement reached in the Emanuel Beis Yaakov affair intended to bring an end to the painful case.
In his ruling, Justice Levy explained the fathers serving prison sentences and the mothers slated to begin theirs upon release of the fathers is the direct result of their lack of adherence to the High Court, and this is a basic concept that must be understood. He added that ongoing efforts towards a solution cannot include the contemptuous parents who must serve their prison terms for their acts of defiance.
Levy adds the only way to release the fathers and mothers from prison sentences is compliance with paragraph 4 (a) of his ruling dated June 15, 2010, that each defiant parent submits a letter to the court stating a willingness to comply with its decision and sending daughters to the school in a full integration environment.
On erev shabbos YWN-ISRAEL reported that Aryeh Deri was working with a number of rabbonim and a compromise agreement was reached to bring the matter to an end.
It would appear that Sunday’s scheduled hearing in the case before Justice Levy will be another stormy one as the court rejected the agreement and the international chareidi community is gearing up to take unprecedented actions to prevent the incarceration of the Emanuel mothers.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
One smuggler was shot dead and another wounded along the Egyptian border on shabbos. Soldiers explain the infiltrators did not heed their calls to halt and they followed open-fire protocol, including warning shots, eventually shooting at the suspects.
Officials report that earlier, a large quantity of drugs was found in the area of the incident, leading them to suspect drug smugglers. They were indeed found with a large quantity of hashish. There were no injuries to IDF troops.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
2:00PM EST: A tractor trailer overturned a short while ago on the NJ Turnpike, and a Hatzolah member had the opportunity to make a Kiddush Hashem.
The accident happened on the NJTP between Exits 13 and 14, and was witnessed by a Hatzolah member from one of the 5 Boros. He stopped his vehicle, and ran over to assist the driver. At the same time, another individual stopped his car, and climbed onto the overturned truck-cab, and began kicking out the window with his foot – to free the driver from the wreckage.
The two of them successfully removed the victim who was not seriously injured.
Unfortunately, the person who kicked out the window, had seriously injured his foot with cut glass, and had a very serious bleed. The Hatzolah member started bandaging the cut when he told the member he was an off-duty police officer from Hackensack, NJ.
The Hatzolah member contacted Rabbi Abe Friedman, who is the NJ State Police Chaplain, who quickly assisted the officer by making proper arrangements at Hackensack Hospital for the officer to be treated.
As of this time, he is being transported to the hospital with a police escort.
Traffic is backed up in the area – please use alternate routes.
(Yehuda Drudgestein – YWN)
The perfect drink to serve alongside your barbecue.
11 cups water
2 cups sugar
¾ cup lemonade concentrate
2 liters lemon-lime soda, chilled
In a freezer container, combine the water, sugar and lemonade concentrate until sugar is dissolved. Cover and freeze. Remove from freezer 1 hour before serving; chop until slushy. Add soda just before serving.
By Emuna Braverman and Elizabeth Kurtz, of www.gourmetkoshercooking.com
www.gourmetkoshercooking.com is a new and exciting site where you will find over 900 great kosher recipes – with particular emphasis on ideas for Shabbos and holidays, the best new kosher products, gorgeous table top decor, articles on kosher wine and healthy eating, featured giveaways, travel, cooking with kids and much more. Content is updated weekly so visit us often. Your family will be glad you did!
Tehran (FNA)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned Israel about any potential aggression against Iran, cautioning the regime that playing with Iran is as dangerous as playing with a lion.
“They all know that playing with Iran is like playing with a lion,” Ahmadinejad said.
“The Zionist regime is too weak to launch aggression against Iran. They long to deal a blow to Iran, but wouldn’t dare even think about it”, he added in an interview with Turkey’s ATV network.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the president underlined the Israeli attack on the Gaza-bound aid flotilla was the most despicable act the Zionist regime could have done.
“Today, world nations are all ears to hear what freedom-seeking peoples are saying”, President Ahmadinejad further said.
“Fortunately, freedom-seeking and justice-seeking nations reacted to the Zionist regime’s brutal actions, and we hope protests to the occupying regime will continue”, added the president.
He underlined the Gaza siege should be lifted as soon as possible.
President Ahmadinejad then said the enemy’s infiltration into the region and other parts of the world has made complete unity among nations hard to achieve.
In another part of his interview with the Turkish network, President Ahmadinejad described the Tehran Declaration as a historic one, adding today it has turned into a yardstick against which to measure world countries’ compliance with the law.
“If Western countries opt to follow the same course they have already taken, a nuclear fuel swap will be pointless”, highlighted President Ahmadinejad.
He said Tehran will continue to work towards dialog and peaceful relations.
Ninety percent of Americans are eating more salt than they should, a new government report reveals.
In fact, salt is so pervasive in the food supply it’s difficult for most people to consume less. Too much salt can increase your blood pressure, which is major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
“Nine in 10 American adults consume more salt than is recommended,” said report co-author Dr. Elena V. Kuklina, an epidemiologist in the Division of Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention at the U.S. Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention.
Kuklina noted that most of the salt Americans consume comes from processed foods, not from the salt shaker on the table. You can control the salt in the shaker, but not the sodium added to processed foods, she said.
“The foods we eat most, grains and meats, contain the most sodium,” Kuklina said. These foods may not even taste salty, she added.
Grains include highly processed foods high in sodium such as grain-based frozen meals and soups and breads. The amount of salt from meats was higher than expected, since the category included luncheon meats and sausages, according to the CDC report.
Because salt is so ubiquitous, it is almost impossible for individuals to control, Kuklina said. It will really take a large public health effort to get food manufacturers and restaurants to reduce the amount of salt used in foods they make, she said.
This is a public health problem that will take years to solve, Kuklina said. “It’s not going to happen tomorrow,” she stressed.
“The American food supply is, in a word, salty,” agreed Dr. David Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine. “Roughly 80 percent of the sodium we consume comes not from our own salt shakers, but from additions made by the food industry. The result of that is an average excess of daily sodium intake measured in hundreds and hundreds of milligrams, and an annual excess of deaths from heart disease and stroke exceeding 100,000.”
“As indicated in a recent IOM [Institute of Medicine] report, the best solution to this problem is to dial down the sodium levels in processed foods,” Katz added. “Taste buds acclimate very readily. If sodium levels slowly come down, we will simply learn to prefer less salty food. That process, in the other direction, has contributed to our current problem. We can reverse-engineer the prevailing preference for excessive salt.”
The report is published in the June 25 issue of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
For about 70 percent of adults, salt intake should be limited to 1,500 milligrams (mg) a day, but only 5.5 percent of these adults meet that level, according to the report.
For others, the recommended amount of daily salt intake is less than 2,300 mg a day, according to the report.
Reducing your salt intake is not only important for people with high blood pressure, Kuklina said. It’s good for everybody, “even if you don’t have hypertension,” she said.
There are some things people can do to reduce their salt intake, Kuklina said. You can eat fewer processed foods and focus on fresh and frozen foods. You also can read the product labels to see how much salt is in the food and opt for low-sodium foods, she said.
Also, Kuklina advises rinsing canned vegetables and beans in water to remove salt.
The data for the report was collected from 3,922 individuals who took part in the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Samantha Heller, a dietitian, nutritionist and exercise physiologist, commented that “nearly 80 percent of our sodium intake comes from processed, restaurant, frozen and prepared foods.”
Research suggests that reducing sodium intake to 2,300 mg/day for healthy folks and to 1,500 mg/day for people with high blood pressure, who are middle-aged, older or black will reap substantial health benefits, Heller said.
“Food companies have indicated that they will lower the sodium in some of their products, but it will take time before that happens, and only some products will have lowered sodium. The truth is that dropping our intake to 1,500 to 2,300 milligrams a day is difficult to do and unrealistic for most people,” she said.
Consumers will be best served by cooking more foods at home. It saves money and helps reduce the intake of dietary sodium, saturated fats, trans fats, refined carbohydrates and excess calories, Heller said.
“Any reduction in dietary sodium is a move in the right direction,” she added. “We can help ourselves by increasing our awareness of where sodium is hidden in foods, reading food labels — look for milligrams of sodium per serving — ignore the percent on the label — checking the sodium in the foods served at restaurants we frequent when it is available and taking charge of our health and what we eat by making more of our meals at home.”
(Source: HealthDay News)
Parshas Balak – Vol. 5, Issue 38
Compiled by Oizer Alport
| Vayakam Bilam ba’boker vayachavosh es asono Vayeilech im sarei Moav (22:21)
After finally receiving permission from Hashem to go with Balak’s agents, Bilaam awoke early the following morning and saddled his donkey to prepare for the trip. Rashi explains that Bilaam had such personal hatred toward the Jews that when he received his coveted permission to travel to curse them, he awoke early and personally prepared his donkey with alacrity so that he could leave quickly. Hashem remarked, “Wicked one, their forefather Avrohom already preceded you when he woke up early when departing for the Akeidah and personally saddled his donkey for the trip (Bereishis 22:3).” What is the deeper lesson to be taken from Bilaam’s alacrity in attempting to curse the Jewish people, and in what way did the fact that Avrohom already “beat him to it” protect us from his curses? The following insightful, if perhaps apocryphal, story will help illustrate the answers to these questions. A man who hadn’t been known in his youth for his intellectual abilities went on to become a great Rav and Torah scholar. When asked about the key to his success, he attributed it not to his natural talents, but to his unparalleled diligence and perseverance in his studies. He explained that he moved into an apartment in which one of his neighbors was a bartender who worked late hours, and the other neighbor was a newspaper delivery boy who worked early in the morning. Every night when the Rav grew tired and wanted to close the book he was studying to go to sleep, he asked himself how he could stop his studies when his neighbor was still awake working hard to make a few dollars. As a result, he pushed himself to continue studying until he heard his neighbor come back in the wee hours of the night. In the morning, the Rav was roused from his sleep by the delivery boy’s loud alarm clock blaring through the apartment’s thin walls. Exhausted from his late night, he turned over to go back to sleep when he again wondered, “If my neighbor is already awake serving his boss, shouldn’t I wake up to serve my Boss?” This became his daily routine, and despite his admitted lack of natural intellectual abilities, the long hours he put in added up and helped him become a great scholar. In light of this story, we can now appreciate Rav Moshe Feinstein’s answer to our questions. He explains that Hashem expects the Jewish people to study Torah and perform mitzvos with at least as much effort and exertion as the non-Jews invest in accomplishing and attaining their personal goals and desires. The wicked Bilaam intended to create an accusation against the Jews when he demonstrated his commitment to his beliefs by waking up at the break of dawn and personally preparing his donkey for the journey. If the Jews didn’t match his dedication in their service of Hashem, he hoped that he would be able to prosecute and curse them. Fortunately, Hashem was able to defend us by pointing out that our righteous forefather Avrohom had already done the same thing when serving Hashem at the Akeidah. We all know workaholics who are married to their jobs – the medical resident, the young attorney hoping to make partner, the up-and-coming investment banker. Let us learn from their dedication to working for their temporal bosses and use it to inspire ourselves to reach higher levels in serving the ultimate Boss. Vaya’amod malach Hashem b’mishol ha’k’ramim gader mizeh v’gader mizeh (22:24) Although this week’s parsha is named for Balak, in reality the wicked Bilaam is the focus of the action. Although at first glance it seems that this is the first time that we are being introduced to Bilaam in the Torah and that the events described therein have no connection to earlier episodes, our Sages reveal to us the depth of the Torah and open our eyes to see that this isn’t the case. The Medrash Tanchuma (Vayeitzei 13) and Targum Yonason ben Uziel (22:5) teach us an amazing fact: they write that Bilaam was none other than Lavan, the father of Rochel and Leah. Using this concept, the Tosefes Beracha offers a fascinating explanation of an episode in the parsha. Hashem attempted to impede Bilaam’s journey by sending an angel to block his path, but only Bilaam’s donkey saw the sword-wielding angel. The Torah tells us that the angel stood in the vineyards, with a fence on either side of it. Rashi cryptically comments that the fences were made of stones. What is Rashi trying to teach us? When Yaakov parted from his father-in-law Lavan, Lavan proposed a peace treaty between them. They took stones and made a mound, which Lavan said would serve as a witness if either of them attempted to cross over it for unfriendly purposes (Bereishis 31:45-49). The Tosefes Beracha suggests that Rashi is teaching us that the angel was standing guard next to the fence of stones, for it was the very same mound of rocks at which Yaakov and Lavan made their covenant of peace. When Bilaam, who we now know was none other than Lavan, attempted to cross it and violate the peace treaty, the sword-wielding angel came out in full force to stop him. Extending this one step further, the Rosh notes that the Torah records (31:8) that Bilaam was killed with a sword. He explains that when Yaakov and Lavan made their pact, Yaakov placed a sword in the mound of rocks to serve together with the stones as witnesses to their covenant of peace. They agreed that whoever broke the treaty should be punished by the witnesses. For this reason, Bilaam was first warned through being pressed by his donkey against the stone fence. When he refused to take heed, he was killed be’charev, which refers to something already well-known, in this case the very sword which they placed in the mound of rocks to serve as a witness. Vayiftach Hashem es pi ha’ason vayomer l’Bilam meh asisi lecha ki hikisani zeh shalosh pe’amim (22:28) Hashem attempted to impede Bilaam’s journey by sending an angel to block his path, but only Bilaam’s donkey saw the sword-wielding angel. When the donkey attempted to turn to avoid the angel, Bilaam grew angry at the donkey, striking it and threatening to kill it. Hashem opened the donkey’s mouth and it asked him, “What have I done to you that you struck me these three times?” Did Bilaam’s donkey actually speak to him in the physical sense to which we are accustomed? The Ibn Ezra quotes a dispute regarding this matter. Some commentators argue that the donkey was unable to speak in the literal sense. The Ibn Ezra explains that this opinion maintains that Hashem only changes the laws of nature to perform miracles on behalf of His righteous prophets. The Ibn Ezra disagrees, noting places where Hashem performed miracles on behalf of non-prophets, and writes that the donkey did indeed speak. Rabbeinu Bechaye concurs and explains that Hashem performed this miracle for the honor of the Jewish people, as if to show Bilaam that even a lowly animal understands that traveling to curse Hashem’s chosen people is inappropriate. Answers to the weekly Points to Ponder are now available! Parsha Points to Ponder (and sources which discuss them): 1) The Gemora in Berachos (7a) teaches that Bilaam’s skill was an ability to determine the moment when Hashem was angry and to utter curses at that time, which would then take effect. Did Moshe also possess this ability, and if so, why didn’t he ever use it, and if not, how did Bilaam know more about Hashem’s conduct of the world than Moshe? (Peninim MiShulchan Gevoha) 2) Why do our Sages consider Bilaam wicked when he told Balak’s messengers (22:13, 18) that no matter how much money they gave him, he would go with them only with Hashem’s permission and would only say what Hashem commanded him? (Darkei Mussar, Kuntres Divrei Sofrim 1:24) 3) Why is no mention made of the reaction of Balak’s officers who were accompanying Bilaam to the talking donkey or the revelation of the angel? (Rabbeinu Bechaye, Daas Z’keinim 22:33, Paneiach Raza, Ayeles HaShachar 22:29) 4) Hashem attempted to impede Bilaam’s journey by sending an angel to block his path, but only Bilaam’s donkey saw the sword-wielding angel. When the angel attempted to turn and avoid the angel, Bilaam grew angry at the donkey, striking it and threatening to kill it (22:23). As Bilaam’s power lay in his mouth, why didn’t he simply curse his donkey? (Baal HaTurim, Paneiach Raza, Oznayim L’Torah) 5) The Gemora in Pesachim (111a) teaches that it is forbidden for a woman to walk between two men or a man to walk between two women. Should this happen, the Gemora advises saying certain verses to minimize the damage caused. The two verses mentioned by Rashi in his commentary are both in Parshas Balak. What are they? |
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This weeks דבר תורה is לזכות רפואה שלימה ל-אברהם בייניש בן גאלדה שפרינצה.
ולאה בת חנה
And לזכר נשמת ר’ אברהם בן שמחה זצ”ל
ר’ חיים בן ר’ צבי ארי-ה זצ”ל
ור’ יחיאל יהודה בן ר’ אברהם מרדכי הכהן זצ”לור’ אליהו מרדכי זצ”ל בן ר’ אברהם יעקב נ”י
This weeks parsha has the infamous story that Bilam’s donkey spoke and answered him back. If you read through the dialogue, you’ll notice the following. Bilam was told by Hashem not to go, but he still goes. He then sattles his own donkey and leaves with the officers from Moav. En route, the donkey sees a malach that Bilam doesn’t and starts to veer off course. After being forced three times to veer off the course and Bilam hitting it, the donkey finally gets upset and responds. He says: why did you hit me these three times? Had I not served you and been good to you my entire life? It was only then that Hashem opened up the eyes of Bilam and he saw the malach standing in front of him.
The loshon that the donkey used was ‘zeh shalosh regalim’-these three times. The donkey was telling Bilam, that if you’re trying to annihilate this nation that has three yomim tovim, you’ll never succeed. The obvious question is what is the correlation? What does the three moadim have to do with the reason why Bilam won’t succeed? Why wont Bilam be matzliach due to the fact that we celebrate three regalim?
Rav Shaul m’Amsterdam offers a beautiful idea. The pasuk says (24:1) ‘Vayashes el hamidbar panav, Bilam looked towards the midbar to view klal Yisroel from a different angle. The Targum translates this pasuk to mean that Bilam looked back into the midbar to try to remind Hashem of the egel we worshipped. Bilam was trying to conger up in the mind of Hashem the episode of the egel. He was saying: you think klal Yisroel is different? You think they’re special? They aren’t; remember they served the egel in the midbar? Bilam was attempting to use the sin of the egel as his weaponry towards bnei Yisroel, so that his curse would be cast on klal Yisroel. He was trying to make us like we were a nothing.
One of the piyutim we say on pesach, composed by one of the rishonim, says ‘ratzoi eleh-v’eleh hem mo’adoy’-meaning you were appeased with the eleh elokecha yisroel from the eleh hem mo’adoy. How did we get Hashem to forgive us for the chait h’egel? From the fact that we celebrate three regalim.
The Sforno writes that the biggest part of the sin of the egel was that bnei Yisroel was rejoicing over the aveirah. When Moshe Rabeinu saw them rejoicing over it he knew there were major issues going on and that’s why he broke the Luchos when he got down and not when he was still in shomayim.
When klal Yisroel is happy and rejoicing with something it shows what they’re all about. If a person is happy with something and rejoices over it then that too shows what they are all about. If one rejoices with spiritual things then we can assume they are on a high level spiritually. If they rejoice over mundane things we can see they are a very simple mundane empty person.
The essence of a yom tov is to rejoice and to be happy. We all must understand that one of the main goals while performing a mitzvah is to be happy; it should not feel like it’s a burden.
The Avnei Nezer writes in his hakdamah to the Egeli Tal that what does it mean that someone learns Torah l’shma? How does one know if its l’shma or not? He answers; when someone is happy when he learns that’s purely for the sake of Torah. Bilam was trying to say ‘look, they rejoiced over the egel’. But the donkey said right back ‘yes, but they fixed it by rejoicing over mitzvos and the three regalim.
May we all be zoche to reach a level of performing mitzvohs and learning Torah l’shama and may we continue to try and elevate ourselves through doing mitzvos b’simcha.
PS. DON’T FORGET TO TAKE VERTLUCH.COM WITH YOU TO YOUR SUMMER RESIDENCE! HAVE AN ENJOYABLE SUMMER EVERYONE. (VERTLUCH.COM WILL CONTINUE ITS WEEKLY TORAH THOUGHTS THROUGHTOUT THE ENTIRE SUMMER.)
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This is the latest segment of the new weekly video series from Rabbi Stulberger – You’ve Been Called to the Dean’s Office. It’s a short (four minute) message on a timely Torah topic. This week’s message: “Following the System.”
“Elsie’s Cafe” has recently been added to the list of establishments certified by Kosher Dairy Miami.
Elsie’s Cafe is located inside the North Miami Beach JCC at 18900 NE 25th Ave in North Miami Beach.
Serving salads, pizza, paninis, desserts and Starbucks coffee, Elsie’s is the only kosher certified licensed Starbucks in the USA.
Many Cholov Yisroel choices are available, although NOT all items are Cholov Yisroel.
Their telephone number is 305-778-5946.
(YWN Kashruth Desk)
Bridgeport, CT – National Weather Service has confirmed that the storm that rocked Bridgeport Thursday evening was in fact, a tornado – and it sure looked like it.
The fast moving storm left such a massive path of destruction, with at least nine downtown buildings in ruins, cars smashed and trees toppled. In his 45 years of living in Bridgeport, the mayor has never seen anything like it.
Residents of Bridgeport, Conn. began what will undoubtedly be a long process of clean-up, repair and recovery on Friday after a severe summer storm rocked the city Thursday night.
In total, nine buildings were heavily damaged and 25 people were injured in the fast-moving storm. While none of the injuries were life-threatening, it is certain that many lives have been and will continue to be disrupted.
As of Friday morning there were 7600 homes without power in Connecticut’s largest city, which was was under a state of emergency on Thursday after reports of building collapses and structural damage had parts of town blocked off. The state of emergency remained in effect Friday morning.
The National Weather Service has yet to determine if what touched down in Bridgeport was just a devasting summer storm or if it was actually a tornado that rattled the city, left battered. Trees toppled onto homes and were blown over in city parks. There were lots of broken windows on buildings and on cars.
(Read More: WCBSTV)
The IAF has responded to numerous mortar shell attacks into southern Israel on Thursday, attacks that were launched from Hamas-occupied Gaza on Thursday. One Kassam rocket and nine mortar shells were fired into southern Israel on Thursday. Following is an official statement released by the Office of the IDF Spokesperson.
The Israel Air Force struck a weapons storage facility in the northern Gaza Strip and two terror tunnels in the southern Gaza Strip overnight. The tunnels were intended for infiltrating into Israel and executing terror attacks against IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians.
The attack is in response to the mortars that were fired at Israel and hit the Shar HaNegev Regional Council yesterday.
More than 90 rockets and mortars have been fired at Israeli territory since the beginning of 2010, and over 330 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel since the end of operation Cast Lead.
The IDF remains committed to protecting the citizens of Israel and will continue to act against terror. The IDF holds Hamas solely responsible for terror emanating from the Gaza Strip.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
