Everybody wants spirituality. To be a good person means to walk in G-d's ways. How does that translate to reality? The only guidebook to spirituality that has stood the test of time is the Hebrew Bible. The Bible says that the Jews will be a light onto the nations. But if you are not a born Jew, you have to convert, which is not so easy!! If you do convert, it is a lot of work to be a Jew (three times a day prayer, keeping kosher, observing the Sabbath).
This blog will show you how to be Jewish without the work!!
Monday, June 20, 2022
Big Lies, Blood Libels, and anti-Zionist narrative and Israel heading to elections, Knesset to disband, Lapid to become prime minister and Lag Ba'Omer and Rav Kook 'The People shall rise up like Lions' AND 6 of 10 videos from Prague and Apology Jokes
Yehuda Lave is an author, journalist, psychologist, rabbi, spiritual teacher, and coach, with degrees in business, psychology and Jewish Law. He works with people from all walks of life and helps them in their search for greater happiness, meaning, business advice on saving money, and spiritual engagement.
Israel heading to elections, Knesset to disband, Lapid to become prime minister Israel will be entering its fifth election in 3 and a half years • Earlier in the day, the government defeated two votes of no confidence By GIL HOFFMAN
In a joint statement, Bennett and Lapid said that they will bring a bill to dissolve the Knesset to a vote next Monday. This means that elections will likely be held on October 25.Sources close to Bennett said the duo's goal was to initiate an election on their own terms and not be forced out by opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu
According to the coalition agreement, Lapid will become caretaker prime minister until the election and until the new government comes into power. He is set to greet US President Joe Biden when he comes to Israel next month. At a Knesset press conference, Bennett said his move to initiate an election was "not easy" but "the right decision." He said he did everything possible to maintain the government for longer. "Believe me, we left no stone unturned," he said. He wished Lapid well, calling him a "mensch" and vowing to ensure a smooth transition of power. Lapid praised Bennett, for "putting the country before his personal interest" and said their friendship overcame obstacles. He called Bennett "a vital Israeli leader, innovative and brave" and said he had no doubt that his place is in the leadership of this country for many years to come. "A year ago we started the process of rebuilding, and now: we're carrying it on and carrying it on together," Lapid said. "What we need to do today is go back to the concept of Israeli unity, not to let dark forces tear us apart from within. We must remind ourselves that we love one another, love our country, and that only together will we prevail."Bennett challenges Bennett spoke on Friday to Attorney-General Gali Baharav Myara who told him that the West Bank emergency bill could not be bypassed or extended beyond its June 30 deadline. Because they had no way to pass the bill, Bennett and Lapid decided that it would be better to dissolve the Knesset, which automatically extends the security regulations in the West Bank until three months after the next government's formation.At the press conference, Bennett said he initiated the election to prevent chaos and harm to Israeli security.Justice Minister Gideon Sa'ar blamed the downfall of the government on "irresponsible behavior by Knesset members in the coalition," referring to its multiple rebels. He said the goal of the next election would be to prevent Netanyahu from returning to power and "mortgaging the country to his own personal interest."There is still a chance that Netanyahu will succeed in forming an alternate government within the current Knesset. This would happen if members of the coalition - from New Hope and Yamina - switch sides and join Netanyahu's right-wing bloc."Once approved, the rotation will be performed in an orderly manner."Prime Ministers OfficeNetanyahu took credit for the government's downfall and called it the "worst government in the history of the state of Israel."He vowed that he would form the next government and that it would be "nationalist and wide." Recommended by Rebellion and no-confidence votesThe coalition has been wavering for weeks as MK Nir Orbach (Yamina) decided to leave the coalition over its inability to pass the Judea and Samaria emergency bill, which is composed of temporary injunctions applying Israeli law to Jews in the West Bank.Orbach told Bennett earlier on Monday that he would not vote in favor of disbanding the Knesset this week but that he likely would next week. That helped persuade Bennett to dissolve the Knesset on his own.Sources in Likud said Orbach would not receive a reserved slot on the Likud list because of his hesitation, but Yamina MK Idit Silman will.Defense Minister Benny Gantz told reporters in the Knesset that he was disappointed by the development because "the government did good work. It is too bad that the state has been dragged to elections." Ra'am (United Arab List) leader Mansour Abbas called the decision "proper."Earlier Monday, Bennett's government defeated two votes of no confidence in the Knesset on Monday afternoon by a vote of 57-52, despite rebellions in the coalition. Members of the Joint List were mysteriously absent from the votes, which helped defeat the no-confidence motions.Eliav Breuer contributed to this report.
The Three Musketeers at the Kotel
The Three are Rabbi Yehuda Glick, famous temple mount activist, and former Israel Mk, and then Robert Weinger, the world's greatest shofar blower and seller of Shofars, and myself after we had gone to the 12 gates of the Temple Mount in 2020 to blow the shofar to ask G-d to heal the world from the Pandemic. It was a highlight to my experience in living in Israel and I put it on my blog each day to remember.
The articles that I include each day are those that I find interesting, so I feel you will find them interesting as well. I don't always agree with all the points of each article but found them interesting or important to share with you, my readers, and friends. It is cathartic for me to share my thoughts and frustrations with you about life in general and in Israel. As a Rabbi, I try to teach and share the Torah of the G-d of Israel as a modern Orthodox Rabbi. I never intend to offend anyone but sometimes people are offended and I apologize in advance for any mistakes. The most important psychological principle I have learned is that once someone's mind is made up, they don't want to be bothered with the facts, so, like Rabbi Akiva, I drip water (Torah is compared to water) on their made-up minds and hope that some of what I have share sinks in. Love Rabbi Yehuda Lave.
Israel National News > Opeds > Big Lies, Blood Libels, and anti-Zionist narrative Big Lies, Blood Libels, and anti-Zionist narrative
A day in the cognitive war against the Jews, perhaps the hottest war, one which will determine the outcome of much else.Op-ed
Prof. Phyllis Chesler
The tsunami has finally made landfall.
We have been trying to beat back these dreadful waters for nearly 22 years—and here they are, fully upon us.
Big Lies, Blood Libels, and anti-Zionist narratives have taken over our planet. From coast to coast, both in America and Europe, young people chant lethal lies and, in their name, hold violent protests.
The cognitive war against the Jews is, perhaps, the hottest war and, as well as the IDF, will determine the outcome of much else.
Meanwhile, as Israeli Jews are being knifed, stoned, rammed, axed, and shot to death by their Arab Islamist neighbors; barely surviving attempted lynchings; being stoned by terrorists atop the Temple Mount who are hurling rocks towards the Jewish worshippers at the Western Wall—Israel is being blamed in the media for daring to defend itself and for acting to end the unprovoked violence.
As usual.
We reached the point of no return long ago, talking across the yawning, precipitous divide is pointless. People's beliefs about Israel/Palestine are set in stone.
Last week, on May 13th, members of Fatah, terrorists all, in a bid for power, stole a Christian Palestinian woman's coffin to propagandize her death.
The media in general blamed Israel for committing an outrage.
Still, perhaps foolishly, I tried sharing some media reports about the Fatah-borne coffin across the Great Chasm. The kindest responses generated were grudging comments such as: "Well, there are always conflicting stories, how can we ever know the truth?" And: "Let's not fight, I will never change my mind and want to keep you as a friend."
What was I thinking? Most "good," liberal Jews do not understand what really happened in the Al-Dura case nor are they familiar with what my esteemed colleague, Richard Landes, has dubbed "Pallywood." They believe that Israeli soldiers committed a "massacre" in Jenin (of course they did not), and that the Mavi Marmara was filled with Turkish pacifists seeking justice, not with weapon-wielding assassins (which it was).
And I am the one who assures others that we reached the point of no return long ago, that talking across the yawning, precipitous divide is pointless. People's beliefs about Israel/Palestine are set in stone.
These narratives prevail because the lethal lies have been circulating globally, in universities, high schools, the media, in movies, union meetings, and in international bodies, at the United Nations, at conferences, both in the Islamic world and in the West, and on the streets, probably ever since the day after Israel won its war of self-defense in 1967. Maybe sooner than that—when Soviet Russia decided that Israel would not become a satellite state.
What's different is that these traditional Blood Libels were not powered by the internet as they now are, 24/7, and in almost every language on earth.
**** I was a professor at the City University of New York (CUNY) for nearly 30 years and retired before it was taken down by the same plague of politically correct anti-Zionism that has infected higher learning all over the Western world.
On May 13th of this year, the same day that members of Fatah stole the coffin of journalist Shereen Abu Aqleh in Jerusalem, the CUNY Law School graduates elected one of their own—this was not an administrative decision—to deliver a commencement address. It was the student body, our future lawyers, who proudly support the most vulgar brand of Jew hatred and Israel-hatred.
Please understand: These are our future lawyers who presumably, are committed to social justice law.
The speaker, Nerdeen Mohsen Kiswani, the founder and director of "Within Our Lifetime"(WOL) and a known hater of Israel, was wildly applauded and cheered, many times, by the student body that had chosen her. In doing so, they were also applauding themselves for having chosen a woman who identifies as Palestinian, wears hijab, and speaks clearly and eloquently in American English.
Mohsen Kiswani has called for "Intifada, Revolution, Now," and supports violent protests which target recognizable Jews on New York City streets. Mohsen Kiswani leads such protests with chants such as ""5-6-7-8 smash the settler state;" "There is only one solution, Intifada revolution;" and "Globalize the Intifada."
She has "liked" a post which celebrated the murder of three Israeli civilians and shared a video by Muna El-Kurd which referred to Israelis as "Zionist dogs." She has also celebrated terrorists, such as Rasmea Odeh.
We make a mistake if we think that hijab-wearing Muslim women are only passive, helpless, victims. Indeed, while some may be victims of Islamism, (honor killing, forced veiling, FGM, child marriage, etc.), something they do not usually address, some have chosen the only path of glory open to them namely, that of being very aggressive, even vulgar in public, in order to condemn Israel, Jews, and America.
Think Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib who has just introduced a House Resolution Recognizing the Nakba and Palestinian Refugee Rights as a holiday to be commemorated in the United States. Tlaib is not alone. Think Ilhan Omar who joins her.
Tlaib refers to the "violence and horror…the scars borne by the close to 800,000 Palestinians who were forced from their family homes and their communities, and those killed are burned into the souls of the people who lived through the Nakba."
Tlaib also brings in what she calls "the assassination of Shireen Abu Aqleh…(and) the war crimes."
Surely, the global Intifada which Mohsen Kiswani calls for has now made landfall in the American Congress.
I would like to acknowledge Lauri B. Regan, Esq., Students and Faculty for Equality at CUNY (S.A.F.A CUNY) David Litman of CAMERA, and Canary for leading me to the CUNY Law School bousha (shameful act)..
6 of 10 videos from Prague
'The People shall rise up like Lions' - Lag Ba'Omer and Rav Kook
The incredible wonder of Lag Ba'Omer in Israel, where the revival of the Jewish Nation in Israel is a wonder that is impossible to explain.
For several weeks now, children, teenagers, and adults in Israel have been gathering tree branches, logs, and wooden crates for their Lag Ba'Omer bonfires. They work like skilled engineers, erecting tepee-shaped towers that rise thirty-feet high into the sky. The heat of the blaze is so intense, I have to be careful that my beard doesn't catch fire.
The incredible wonder of Lag B'Omer in Israel is like nowhere else in the world. Not only are the hillsides of Jerusalem ablaze with towering bonfires in tribute to the great light of Torah that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai revealed; not only are the streets of Jerusalem inundated with the smoke of burning embers; but mountainsides and forests all over the country are lit up with the fiery love of Torah which kindles in every heart.
Not only the streets, my friends, but the smoke of these holy bonfires penetrates into every single apartment and house, like the aroma of incense on the Temple's altar, penetrating through windows and concrete walls to reveal the inner spirit of every Israeli soul, of every Israeli home, revealing the secret, inner holiness of the entire country of Israel whose National Soul is completely Torah, no matter how secular its surface appearances may seem to be.
This recognition is doubly important today, in the wake of Israel's expanding secular government, when it seems that the light of Torah is being threatened. Not so. Lag Ba'Omer, and the holy Zohar, which it commemorates, inspire us to look more deeply into the essence of our Nation's existence and spiritual treasures.
This is what Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai taught us - to see below the surface appearance to the inner reality, to the secrets of Torah, where the light of Israel shines in an eternal, unquenchable blaze. The bonfires which light up the night on Lag Ba'Omer remind us that the eternal inner light of the Torah can never be extinguished in the deaths of our Nation's soul.
Rabbi Kook encouraged the learning of the Zohar and said it was precisely its study which would forge a pathway to Redemption in helping us to uncover the great hidden light of Israel (Orot HaTechiya 57; Zohar, Parshat Naso 124B).
Inspired by the light of the Zohar, Rabbi Kook writes:
"Out of the profane, holiness will also come forth, and out of wanton freedom, the beloved yoke (of Torah) will blossom.... Let the bud sprout, let the flower blossom, let the fruit ripen, and the whole world will know that the Spirit of G-d is speaking within the Nation of Israel in its every expression. All of this will climax in a repentance which will bring healing and redemption to the world" (Orot HaT'shuva, 17:3).
Indeed, the revival of the Jewish Nation in Israel is a wonder that is impossible to explain in any mundane fashion. Clearly, there are powerful inner forces at work as we return to our Homeland. Increasingly sensitized to our own national longings, we realize that alien Gentile lands cannot be called home. The process takes time. The Nation is not transformed overnight. But gradually, the curse of exile is erased. From being a scattered people, the Israeli Nation returns to have its own sovereign state. G-d's blessing is revealed in all facets of the Nation's existence; military success, economic prosperity, scientific achievement, the resettlement of the Nation's ancient cities and holy sites — all ultimately leading to a great national t'shuva, the renewal of prophecy, and the return of the Divine Presence to the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem, in fulfillment of our prayers.
Rabbi Kook explains that the secular, physical rebuilding which we have witnessed in our time must necessarily precede the spiritual building. The Talmud teaches that the Beit HaMikdash was first constructed in a normal, profane manner, and only after its completion was its sanctity declared (Me'ilah 14A). This is the pattern of spiritual building; first comes the physical vessel, and then its inner content. First the Ark is constructed, and then the Tablets are placed within.
Rabbi Kook: "Occasionally, a concept falls from its loftiness and its original pureness after it has been grounded in life, when unrefined people become associated with it, darkening its illumination. The descent is only temporary because an idea which embraces spiritual goodness cannot be transformed into evil." xtagstartzimg data-v-0d7ed180="" src=" https://u.a7.org/images/q_bottom.png"srcset=" https://u.a7.org/images/q_bottom.png200w, https://u.a7.org/images/q_bottom.png575w, https://u.a7.org/images/q_bottom.png781w" sizes="(max-width: 781px) 100vw, 781px" alt="" loading="lazy" class="image"xtagendzIt must be remembered that the Zionist movement did not begin with Herzl, but rather with the giants of Torah, the Baal Shem Tov and the Gaon of Vilna, more than a hundred years earlier. They sent their students to settle Eretz Yisrael, teaching that the active resettlement of the Land was the path to bring the long-awaited Redemption. Other great Rabbis, Rav Tzvi Hirsh Kalisher, Rav Eliyahu Guttmacher, and Rav Shmuel Mohliver were the actual builders of the early Zionist groups like the "Lovers of Zion." Then, as the movement spread, its message attracted many non-religious Jews as well.
Rabbi Kook writes:
"Occasionally, a concept falls from its loftiness and its original pureness after it has been grounded in life, when unrefined people become associated with it, darkening its illumination. The descent is only temporary because an idea which embraces spiritual goodness cannot be transformed into evil. The descent is passing, and it is also a bridge to an approaching ascent" (Orot HaT'shuva, 12:12).
The Zohar teaches that the original, pure, lofty idea of the return to Zion, the revival of the Jewish nation in Israel, is the earthly foundation for the revelation of the Kingdom of G-d in the world (Zohar, Ki Tisa, 276A).
However, when a holy idea needs to be grounded in reality, it necessarily descends from its exalted elevation. When this happens, people of lesser spiritual sensitivities seize the idea and profane its true intent. Because greater numbers of people can grasp the idea in its minimized form, its followers increase, bringing more strength and vigor to its practical implementation. This trend continues until the inner spiritual light arises to banish the material darkness.
"This process will surely come about," Rabbi Kook proclaims. "The light of G-d, which is buried away in the fundamental point of Zion, and which is now concealed by clouds, will surely appear. All those who cling to it, the near and the distant, will be uplifted with it, for a true revival and an everlasting salvation."
Rabbi Kook's deep spiritual insight did not blind him to the unholy lifestyles of the secular pioneers, and we are not blinded to the painful shortcomings of their followers today. However, as the Lag Ba'Omer bonfires blaze all over Israel, filling each house with the aroma of Torah, we know that the holy essence of Am Yisrael guarantees that the Nation will return to its roots no matter how secular it looks on the outside.
Long before the establishment of the State of Israel, Rabbi Kook described this process in almost prophetic terms, declaring that a spiritual rebellion will come to pass in Eretz Yisrael amongst the people of Israel as a natural developmental stage of the Nation's revival. "The material comfort which will be attained by a percentage of the Nation, convincing them that they have already completely reached their goal, will constrict the soul, and days will come which will seem to be devoid of all spirit and meaning. The aspirations for lofty and holy ideals will cease, and the spirit of the Nation will plunge and sink low until a storm of rebellion will appear, and people will come to see clearly that the power of Israel lies in its eternal holiness, in the light of G-d and His Torah, in the yearning for spiritual light which is the ultimate valor, triumphing over all of the worlds and all of their powers" (Orot, Pg 84).
Elsewhere he writes:
"The Nation's eyes shall be opened, its soul will be cleansed, its light will shine, its wings will spread, a reborn Nation will arise, a great, awesome, and numerous people, filled with the light of G-d and the majesty of nationhood. 'Behold, the people shall rise up like a great lion, and like a young lion, it shall lift itself up'" (Orot HaT'shuva, 15:11).
Therefore, my friends, don't despair. Governments come and governments go, but the light of Torah shines on forever.
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TERRIBLE APOLOGY JOKES OF THE WEEK
Rivkah gets into work late one Monday morning and goes to see her boss to apologize.
"I'm sorry I'm late, but I had to move some furniture this morning before I came to work. In fact, my back is killing me after my efforts."
"So why didn't you wait until your husband gets home tonight?" asks her boss.
"I could have," says Rivkah, "but the couch is easier to move if he's not on it."
A man buys a parrot and brings him home. But the parrot starts insulting him and gets really nasty, so the man picks up the parrot and tosses him into the freezer to teach him a lesson. He hears the bird squawking for a few minutes, but all of a sudden the parrot is quiet. The man opens the freezer door, the parrot walks out, looks up at him, and says, "I apologize for offending you, and I humbly ask your forgiveness."
The man says, "Well, thank you. I forgive you."
The parrot then says, "If you don't mind my asking, what did the chicken do?"
My wife apologized for the first time ever today . She said she's sorry she ever married me.
Rabbi Levy was running behind with his daily schedule because he had attended a number of unforeseen events. His next port of call was Mrs. Gold. As soon as he arrived at the nursing home, the matron said, "Rabbi, Mrs. Gold has been waiting to see you all day. She was afraid you had forgotten all about her."
The Rabbi apologized and went straight to Mrs. Gold's room. He sat down in the chair next to her bed and after he had said a few words of encouragement to her, she began to talk about her day. Whilst he was listening, he noticed a small bowl of peanuts next to her, so he interrupted and asked her if she would mind if he took a few of the peanuts.
"No, of course not," she replied and continued talking at length about her day.
A few minutes later, Rabbi Levy interrupted her again and said, "Mrs. Gold, I'm sorry but I've eaten almost all of your peanuts."
Mrs. Gold smiled at him and said, "Don't worry about it Rabbi, I can't eat peanuts - I just like to nibble the chocolate off them."
Moe Bloom had just picked up his first passenger of the evening. After about 5 minutes of driving, the passenger suddenly tapped Maurice on his shoulder to ask him a question.
Maurice screamed, lost control of his taxi, nearly hit a bus, went up onto the pavement and stopped only inches from a shop window.
For a second, everything went very quiet in the taxi, then Maurice said, "Look man, don't ever do that again. You scared the living daylights out of me."
His passenger apologized and said, "I didn't realize that a little tap could scare you so much."
Maurice replied, "Sorry, it's not really your fault. Today is only my second day as a cab driver - I've been driving hearses for the past 25 years."
I apologize to all the people I told they were only average persons. I didn't mean it. (read it again- it took me a few times also…)
I went to a potluck the other night and brought some salami to share. My friends looked at me confused and said "We told you to bring sashimi, not salami".
I apologized and explained that my herring was bad.
A DEA Agent stopped at a ranch in Texas and talked to an old rancher. He told the rancher, "I need to inspect your ranch for illegally grown drugs."
The rancher said, "okay, but don't go into that field over there…", as he pointed out the location. The DEA Agent verbally exploded and said, "look mister, I have the authority of the federal government with me!" Reaching into his rear back pocket, the arrogant officer removed his badge and proudly displayed it to the rancher. "See this badge?! This badge means I can go wherever I want… On any land! No questions asked, no answers given! Do you understand old man?!"
The rancher kindly nodded, apologized, and went about his chores. Moments later the rancher heard loud screams, he looked up and saw the DEA agent running for his life, being chased by the ranchers big Santa Gertrudis Bull…… With every step the bull was gaining ground on the officer, and it was likely that he'd sure enough get gored before he reached safety. The officer was clearly terrified. The old rancher threw down his tools, ran as fast as he could to the fence, and yelled at the top of his lungs……
"YOUR BADGE! SHOW HIM YOUR BADGE!"
What's it called when you apologize using dots and dashes? Remorse code
At the airport for a business trip, I settled down to wait for the boarding announcement at Gate 35.
Then I heard the voice on the public address system saying, "We apologize for the inconvenience, but Delta Flight 570 will board from Gate 41." So my family picked up our luggage and carried it over to Gate 41. Not ten minutes later the public address voice told us that Flight 570 would in fact be boarding from Gate 35.
So, again, we gathered our carry-on luggage and returned to the original gate. Just as we were settling down, the public address voice spoke again:
"Thank you for participating in Delta's physical fitness program."
Rabbi Schwartz was giving a speech and as Rabbis sometimes do, kept going on and on, and after going way over time he stopped and realized and he apologized saying "I'm sorry, I left my watch at home". One disrespectful guy in the crowd yelled, "But Rabbi, you have a calendar right in front of you!"
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