Yehuda Lave, Spiritual Advisor and Counselor | | | | 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. Now also a Blogger on the Times of Israel. Look for my column Love Yehuda Lave | | Israel lockdown – TODAY AT 16:00 until Friday From Times of Israel: Israel is set for a nationwide lockdown in the lead-up to the Passover holiday, according to multiple reports, with ministers expected to approve the measure Monday night after ultra-Orthodox members of the cabinet reportedly opposed applying limits only to Haredi cities. The lockdown is set to take effect at 4 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon, and to remain in force until early Friday morning. In addition, a curfew could be announced on Passover eve, banning all movement outside the home from Wednesday evening until Thursday morning. A ministerial meeting scheduled for Monday afternoon, during which lockdown measures on eight cities were meant to be authorized, was canceled shortly before it was set to start. Instead, ministers will meet for a remote cabinet meeting Monday night during which they are expected to approve new emergency regulations to apply nationwide. The closure is to be extended to the entire country, rather than a handful of cities, after ultra-Orthodox ministers — United Torah Judaism chair Yaakov Litzman and Shas chair Aryeh Deri — protested the restrictions being rolled out largely in Haredi areas. According to multiple Hebrew media reports, the lockdown would prevent most Israelis from leaving the municipal boundaries of their own cities, though they would be allowed to shop for essential supplies within the borders of their cities or regions within the cities. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office declined to comment on the reports and would not confirm or deny whether a nationwide lockdown was being considered or why the ministerial meeting had been delayed. On Sunday, Deri said the government was considering imposing a general lockdown over all of Israel ahead of the Passover holiday. Deri, the interior minister, told Channel 12 that the potential nationwide closure was aimed at stopping extended families from gathering Wednesday night for the Passover Seder, the first eve of the seven-day festival, which is traditionally celebrated in large groups. Deri called for Israelis to prepare for the potential closure and said anyone driving that evening could be stopped by police. Speaking Monday morning, Health Ministry Deputy Director Itamar Grotto said a closure appeared to be the most likely course of action. "Will there be a total closure on the Seder? As it seems right now, the answer is yes," he told Army Radio. "There will be strong enforcement in this regard so that everyone will [celebrate the festival] with his or her family only." Earlier Monday ministers were reportedly poised to rule on enforcing a tighter closure over only eight cities and 15 ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods in Jerusalem to stem the coronavirus outbreak. The cities that were set to be included in the decision were Tiberias, Elad, Migdal Haemek, Beitar Illit, Ashkelon, Or Yehuda, Modiin Illit, and parts of Beit Shemesh. The Jerusalem neighborhoods that were to be sealed were Har Nof, Bayit Vegan, Givat Mordechai, Ramat Shlomo, Sanhedria, Shmuel Hanavi, Beit Yisrael, Mea Shearim, Geula, Bucharim, Zichron Moshe, Ramot, Makor Baruch, Givat Shaul, and Kiryat Moshe. Ministers were also expected to approve extending the lockdown of Bnei Brak — which began on Friday after the ultra-Orthodox town recorded one of Israel's largest outbreaks of the coronavirus — for a further week. In addition to Bnei Brak, all of the cities and neighborhoods have a high population of ultra-Orthodox citizens. Israelis are already banned from venturing more than 100 meters from their homes, with exceptions made for work and purchasing essential supplies. Early Monday morning, the cabinet adopted several decisions to allow the government to close off cities and neighborhoods across Israel and the West Bank. The cabinet, which met via telephone, authorized a ministerial committee to declare various areas in Israel with high infection rates "restricted areas," and gave the same powers to the Israel Defense Forces commander in the West Bank. The cabinet statement, issued after midnight, did not say who the members of the committee would be. According to Ynet, two cities, Migdal Haemek and Or Yehuda, were set to be included on the list to meet the demand of Health Minister Litzman and Deri, who insisted that not only areas with large ultra-Orthodox populations be put under lockdown. Both ministers were reported to have voiced opposition to further lockdowns on ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods. The coronavirus has claimed the lives of at least 53 people in Israel as of Monday afternoon, with over 8,400 people confirmed to be carriers of the virus. | | Kenny Rodgers passed away in March at age 81 Growing older is not upsetting; being perceived as old is. Kenny Rogers
You gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, know when to run. Kenny Rogers
There is a trade off - as you grow older you gain wisdom but you lose spontaneity. Kenny Rogers
There is a trade off - as you grow older you gain wisdom but you lose spontaneity. Kenny Rogers
I've always said music should make you laugh, make you cry or make you think. Kenny Rogers
People will clap to be nice. They will not laugh to be nice. Kenny Rogers
Don't be afraid to give up the good for the great. Kenny Rogers
I'm so totally future oriented that, for me, I don't know what the future's about, but I can promise you it's gonna be exciting. Kenny Rogers | | Ideas, that help explain how the world works Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy: Goals set retroactively after an activity, like shooting a blank wall and then drawing a bullseye around the holes you left, or picking a benchmark after you've invested. | | 6 Tips for Hosting a Solo Passover Seder Having a Seder by yourself or with a small group doesn't have to be a lonely experience.--Ok get real, using these tips will make it less lonely Passover is among the most celebrated of Jewish festivities, a time when families typically gather together from wherever they may be dispersed to engage in the ritual retelling of the exodus from Egypt. Circumstances don't always allow for large gatherings, yet Jewish tradition tells us that we are still obliged to retell the story of our ancestors' liberation. According to Maimonides, even if one is alone on the Seder night, he must ask himself the question: Why is this night different? At a time when many people may be celebrating the holiday of freedom alone or in small groups, here are six tips for hosting a solo seder. Get ready in advance: You might not have family and friends with you in person, but they can join you in spirit. For each of the 15 steps of the Seder, invite your loved ones to contribute something in writing — a thought, a wish, a teaching — and send it to you by mail (or email and then print it out). When you arrive at each step in the Seder, open the corresponding message. This can function as its own family commentary on the Haggadah, a virtual "conversation" you can hold at your table. Share rituals from afar: Most of us have favored holiday rituals that we cherish. What are the rituals that are most important to you? It might not be a perfect substitute, but consider connecting with friends and family with whom you have shared the holiday in the past and agree to do a few things at the same time. Maybe everybody sings Dayenu in funny voices or makes a matzah sandwich with jam or beats each other with green onions in the Persian Jewish style. Agree that everyone will do these rituals at a particular hour. It may not quite be the togetherness we prefer, but it's a togetherness of a sort. What's for dinner?: Food prep is easily one of the most stressful parts of Passover, but you're dining alone this year, so take it easy. Jewish law permits cooking on Passover, so you can make scrambled eggs for dinner and call it a day if you like. Of course, there's nothing wrong with preparing a sumptuous meal for one if you have the energy and the desire. But there are also plenty of pared-down dishes you can make that won't stress you out. Lean into it: One of the central customs of the Passover Seder is to recline in one's chair as a sign of our comfort and freedom. At a crowded table, this often requires an awkward dance and participants contort themselves uncomfortably in their chairs. With a small crowd, you can really (ahem) lean into this tradition. You can even get up from the table and sprawl across the floor or on a pile of pillows stacked by on the floor. No Haggadah Loyalty: With a seemingly ever-expanding crop of Haggadahs on the market choosing one for your holiday table can be overwhelming. This year, you can embrace the chaos and use them all. Just stack them on the table before you begin and go for it. You can even use a different Haggadah for different sections of the Seder. Hide and seek for one: One of the highlights of the Seder is the afikomen, the piece of matzah that is traditionally hidden by the children, leading to a house-wide search (and sometimes extortionary bargaining). How do you do that solo? Try hiding it before the holiday — you'll probably forget where you put it by the time you need it. Or get some empty boxes, place the afikomen in one, then hide them all. Searching for the afikoman will be a bit more engaging as you won't know when and where you'll find it. Adapted from A Different Pesach: Ideas for Solo and Small Sedarim, a collaboration between Marc Fein, Temim Fruchter, Jael Goldstein, Adina Gerver, Talya Housman, Rabbi Louis Polisson, Rabbanit Dasi Fruchter, Stephanie Hoffman, Hadassah Wendl, and Rachel Woolf. For the full guide, click here. | | The Importance Of Kiddush By Rabbi Sholom Klass In Jerusalem there lived a deeply pious and kind man by the name of Zakkai. He loved mitzvos and observed them with all his heart and all his soul. A remarkable thing happened to Rabi Zakkai. He lived to a very, very ripe old age, far beyond that of his compatriots. Naturally, everyone marveled at this and finally he was asked, "Tell us, what is the secret of your extraordinary long life?" "I will tell you," answered Rabi Zakkai. "All my life I have attempted to behave in purity and holiness. I never insulted or dishonored my fellowman. Finally, I never missed saying Kiddush on Shabbos." "Why this mitzvah," people asked him. And Rabi Zakkai answered, "I had a grandmother who was a very, very poor woman. One Friday, she noticed there was no wine in the house. There was no money either so what could she do? She had a very precious and important object which she sold and with the money she brought wine for Shabbos. "Her deed found great favor in the eyes of the Almighty and He sent blessings on the work of her hands so that she became a wealthy woman. When she died she left her children 300 barrels of wine. Therefore, this particular mitzvah always had such importance to me. "My whole life I have been extremely careful about observing it and the Almighty has blessed me, too. In my house today can be found many barrels of wine and every week I give from the wine to the poor of the city without charge." | | The ""Ha'Gomel"" Blessing for a Sick Person Who Has Recovered (from Coronavirus) and its connection to Passover If one was sick with the flu (whether Coronavirus or some other serious illness) and was not in any immediate danger and the illness merely caused him to be bedridden, is one obligated to recite the ""Ha'Gomel"" blessing? There are four types of people that must recite the ""Ha'Gomel"" blessing: 1)Sea travelers upon safely docking (or airplane passengers flying over the sea), 2) individuals traveling through the desert upon reaching an inhabited settlement, 3) a sick person who has recovered, and 4)an incarcerated person who was released. A way to remember these four types is with the verse וכל החיי"ם יודוך סלה. This is an acronym for CH'avush, Y'am, Y'isurim, M'idbar. Chavush refers to one who was imprisoned and then freed, Yam refers to sea travelers who have docked safely, Yisurim refers to the suffering experienced by a person who was ill and now healed, and Midbar refers to those traveling through the desert who have reached an inhabited place. Regarding the obligation of one who was sick and then healed to recite the ""Ha'Gomel"" blessing, there are multiple opinions as usual in our tradition. The Ramban writes in his Sefer Torat Ha'Adam: "Regarding the ""Ha'Gomel"" blessing for a sick person who has recovered, this does not apply specifically to a person with a life-threatening illness; rather, as long as one was bedridden, one must praise Hashem with the ""Ha'Gomel"" blessing, for anyone who has been bedridden is considered to have been seated on the prosecutor's bench awaiting judgment and needs a great defense in order to be saved. Hashem in His great mercy provided this person with the necessary defense through the Mitzvot and good deeds that he has performed." The Rashba and other Rishonim write similarly. Most Rabbis rule today say that any time you are put out with anesthesia, you have been dead and recovered and this requires saying the Gamel prayer. The Meiri also says one who was bedridden and then arose [from his illness] must recite the ""Ha'Gomel"" blessing for he is considered to have been judged on the prosecutor's bench." Halachically speaking, Maran Ha'Shulchan Aruch (Chapter 219, Section 8) rules, as follows: "For any illness, even one which is not life-threatening, one must recite the ""Ha'Gomel"" blessing, for as long as one was bedridden and since recovered, one is considered to have been seated on the prosecutor's bench awaiting judgment." The widespread custom among the Sephardic and Middle Eastern Jews is to recite the ""Ha'Gomel"" blessing for any illness, even non-life-threatening, so long as one was bedridden as a result of the illness. How does this connect to Passover on Wednesday night? Besides so many people being sick with the Virus now, we read the Parsha of the week this last Saturday of Tzav. Most of us read it at home, because we could not o to the synagogue and in chapter seven, verse 12, the Torah says, "If for a thanksgiving he offer it, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes (matzos) mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, and fine flour soaked and made into cakes mingled with oil. In addition to the reference to the matzos, Rashi on the verse says the four kinds of bread refers to the four type of people who need to offer a Hagomel blessing and to the four cups of wine we drink when we have the Passover Seder, as we were saved in four ways when we went out of Egypt. | | SMALL BUSINESS PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM starts now. Pls don't miss out The Paycheck Protection Program provides small businesses with funds to pay up to 8 weeks of payroll costs including benefits. Funds can also be used to pay interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities.
Fully Forgiven Funds are provided in the form of loans that will be fully forgiven when used for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities (due to likely high subscription, at least 75% of the forgiven amount must have been used for payroll). Loan payments will also be deferred for six months. No collateral or personal guarantees are required. Neither the government nor lenders will charge small businesses any fees.
Must Keep Employees on the Payroll—or Rehire Quickly Forgiveness is based on the employer maintaining or quickly rehiring employees and maintaining salary levels. Forgiveness will be reduced if full-time headcount declines, or if salaries and wages decrease. All Small Businesses Eligible Small businesses with 500 or fewer employees—including nonprofits, veterans organizations, tribal concerns, self-employed individuals, sole proprietorships, and independent contractors— are eligible. Businesses with more than 500 employees are eligible in certain industries.
When to Apply Starting April 3, 2020, small businesses and sole proprietorships can apply.
Starting April 10, 2020, independent contractors and self-employed individuals can apply. We encourage you to apply as quickly as you can because there is a funding cap. How to Apply You can apply through any existing SBA 7(a) lender or through any federally insured depository institution, federally insured credit union, and Farm Credit System institution that is participating. Other regulated lenders will be available to make these loans once they are approved and enrolled in the program. You should consult with your local lender as to whether it is participating. All loans will have the same terms regardless of lender or borrower. A list of participating lenders as well as additional information and full terms can be found at www.sba.gov. The Paycheck Protection Program is implemented by the Small Business Administration with support from the Department of the Treasury. Lenders should also visit www.sba.gov or www.coronavirus.gov for more information. | | See you tomorrow bli neder-Passover is Wendesday night Love Yehuda Lave We Want Moshiach now | | | |
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