Kol Demama Parshas Bechukosai 5779 Vol. 2 Issue 25

 Kol Demama Parshas Bechukosai 5779 Vol. 2 Issue 25

It seems that even mosdos who refuse government funding aren’t safe from attempted meddling. A mossad that runs al taharas hakodesh – that receives no government funds – was “zoche” to a visit by Education Ministry inspectors. The menahel attempted to deny them entry: “We don’t take money from you – you have no right to enter,” he said. The inspectors were not impressed. “We don’t care whether you receive funds or not,” they answered. “We are from the ‘certification department.’ Funding is none of our business. You applied for a license, did you not?” Brushing past the menahel, the inspectors started looking around. After giving all types of “advice,” they approached the kindergarten(!) teacher. “Are you certified?” they asked. “No,” answered the teacher. “Then, I am the teacher for the day,” said the inspector. “A teacher without certification may not teach.” 

This mossad has not reapplied for a license for the coming school year. The only way, it seems, to retain educational independence in the State of Israel is by “going underground.

“Then, I am the teacher for the day,” said the inspector.  Can you imagine somebody with a personality like that imposing himself on a kindergarten? This is a dark time in Jewish history for half of Orthodox Jewry to be under the power of people like this.

What should be our attitude toward Zionism?

What should be our attitude toward Zionism? Answer, by this time, I think that our people know the answer, but to repeat. Zionism is a substitute for Judaism. It would be as saying, if someone began a movement Sulanism or Sukiism. Everybody who emphases one thing is already under suspicion that he does not belong to the Torah Jews. Because the Torah is composed of taryag mitzvos and when one chooses a single mitzvah and makes a big fuss about it then we suspect him of intending to do away with the rest. And that’s exactly what Zionism is. It’s an attempt to substitute nationalism for everything else, for mitzvos, for Torah, and even for God Himself. (Rav Avigdor Miller “Pictures in the Mind, 040, 1:30:39)

Israel should be one nation, an entire nation that should have no other foundation for its existence, survival, activity and significance other than this Torah. It is to see the realization and devoted observance of this God-given "fiery Law" as its one contribution in world history for the edifice of human salvation. What the Phoenicians sought to bring about with the keels of their ships, what the ancient Greeks sought to achieve with their chisels and what the ancient Romans sought to attain with their swords, Israel is to accomplish with its Torah. Nay more, Israel is a nation that became a nation only through and for the Torah, a nation that once owned a land and existed as a state only through and for the Torah, and which possessed that land and that statehood only as instruments for translating the Torah into living reality. This is why Israel was a people even before it possessed land and statehood; this, too, is why Israel survived as a people even after its land was destroyed and its statehood lost, and this is why it will survive as a nation as long as it does not lose this only מורשה, this sole foundation for its survival and significance. That is the kind of nation that Israel, that all of us, should be. 

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch "The Character of the Jewish Community," Collected Writings, Vol. VI, p. 35

R' Akiva Eiger's Wimpel

On Dec. 6, 2018, Inyan Magazine (of Hamodia) ran an article telling of the finding of R' Akiva Eiger's Wimpel.


I'll post one page of it. 

Also there's an article about a new CD of songs of the Chasom Sofer that have never been heard before. 

More Not Torah Im Derech Eretz

Tchaikovksy

Although Russian, Tchaikovksy wrote in the German classical style. As a blend of German and Russian it sort of captures the mood of a person with Chassidic leanings who keeps minhag Ashkenaz. It is possible to do both. The original Chasidei Ashkenaz (Yehuda HaChosid and the Rokayach) were something like that.

Tchaikovsky' Nutcracker Soundtrack

Rabbi Miller's yahrzeit

Rabbi Avigdor Miller's yahrzeit (27 Nissan) Wed. night Q: What should a person do if he feels like he’s going through a lot of difficulties raising his children? A: If a person is bringing up children בדרך התורה, only that it turns out that it’s a difficult job to do, he should know that his reward is tremendous. The Gemara says that if a person has צער גידול בנים, if he has difficulties in raising his children, then אינו רואה פתחה של גהינים – “he won’t even have to walk past the door of Gehenim.” So when you pass out of this world, you will go straight to Olam Habah. The mitzvah of גידול בנים, raising up children, is one of the biggest mitzvos of the Torah! You know what it means to make Jews?! You suffer from them. But the more you suffer, the greater is the reward. Now, if you have a good boy or a good girl, and they caused you no suffering because they themselves chose to do good all the time, you’ll still get reward. But not a reward like that one who suffers. צער גידול בנים makes you a wealthy person. You should know that the reward in Gan Eden is to sit on a golden throne just because you suffered in this great cause of raising up children for the service of Hashem. Because that’s the true success of a Jew in this world, to raise up a family that will serve Hashem and remain after him forever and ever. Tape # E-218 (January 2000) Avigdor ben Yisroel HaCohen Please learn a Mishnah for his neshamah. Here's one: מֵאֵימָתַי קוֹרִין אֶת שְׁמַע בְּעַרְבִית. מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁהַכֹּהֲנִים נִכְנָסִים לֶאֱכֹל בִּתְרוּמָתָן, עַד סוֹף הָאַשְׁמוּרָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, עַד חֲצוֹת. רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, עַד שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עַמּוּד הַשָּׁחַר. מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁבָּאוּ בָנָיו מִבֵּית הַמִּשְׁתֶּה, אָמְרוּ לוֹ, לֹא קָרִינוּ אֶת שְׁמַע. אָמַר לָהֶם, אִם לֹא עָלָה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר, חַיָּבִין אַתֶּם לִקְרוֹת. וְלֹא זוֹ בִּלְבַד, אֶלָּא כָּל מַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים עַד חֲצוֹת, מִצְוָתָן עַד שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עַמּוּד הַשָּׁחַר. הֶקְטֵר חֲלָבִים וְאֵבָרִים, מִצְוָתָן עַד שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עַמּוּד הַשָּׁחַר. וְכָל הַנֶּאֱכָלִים לְיוֹם אֶחָד, מִצְוָתָן עַד שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עַמּוּד הַשָּׁחַר. אִם כֵּן, לָמָּה אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים עַד חֲצוֹת, כְּדֵי לְהַרְחִיק אֶת הָאָדָם מִן הָעֲבֵרָה: (1) From which time are we to recite the shema in the evening? From the time when the priests return home [i.e., priests who have become impure and have immersed themselves in a mikvah, must wait until the stars have appeared in order to be considered, once again, ritually pure, enabling them to return home] to partake of the terumah [i.e., the priestly dues and one may recite the shema] up until the end of the first watch [the night is divided into three shifts, referred to by the Mishnah as “watches;” (during each watch different groups of Angels sing shirah — praise to God, Rashi 3a) thus the conclusion of the first watch would be the end of the first third of the night]. This is the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer, but the Sages say, [One may recite the shema] until midnight. Rabban Gamliel says, Until dawn [since it states “and speak of them ... when you lie down” (Deuteronomy 6:7) the intent being all night]. It once occurred that his sons returned [late] from a feast and said to him, “We have not yet recited the shema.” He told them, “If dawn has not yet broken it is your duty to recite it [even according to the view of the Sages].” And not only in this case, but in all cases [of obligations] where the Sages say, “Until midnight,” the obligation referred to may be carried out until dawn; [for instance,] the burning of fat and limbs may be performed until dawn, and all [the sacrifices] which must be eaten on the same day have their deadlines until dawn. If this is so, why then did the Sages say, “Until midnight?” In order to prevent a person from transgressing [since he may procrastinate in the fulfillment of his obligation, which may cause him to miss its deadline.