Will your grandchild be Jewish ?

To enlarge, please click HERE !

Quiet times and Arab violence

B"H

Politics, worldly affairs, business and all kinds of stress ... these are issues Jerusalem and Tel Aviv have to deal with but not northern Israel. Everything goes slower in the northern regions and people have their own issues and problems. Jerusalem and Tel Aviv are far away. There are times when they seem to be as far away as another planet. 

However, the Galilee cannot escape all worldly affairs. Plenty of Palestinians have settled in the area and a bit more than a year ago, Zfat was facing a severe problem: The local small university has a high amount of Arab students and it was them causing trouble downtown. Yelling at Jews and driving the nearby Chabad Yeshiva nuts with loud music on Shabbat. Furthermore, many young Arabs run after Jewish girls and try getting them into an intermarriage. Those Arabs even succeed in convincing haredi girls marrying them. This is a huge problem all over Israel. 

Jewish teenage girls from poor families like the expensive gifts Arab boys make them. The girls tell themselves that this particular Arab guy running after her is nice and not a suicide bomber. He must be nice when he is giving her presents and taking her out to expensive restaurants. Once the girls run away with the Arab boyfriend, their families kick them out. Thus the girls end up in the nearby Arab villages and then hell begins. The formerly nice boyfriend turns out to be a molester beating his Jewish wife. 

Not every Arab marrying a Jew girl ends up beating her but there are plenty of stories going around. For instance, Nazareth, a town divided between Arabs and Jews, has been facing an extremely high amount of intermarriage between Jews and Muslims. It is mostly Arab guys marrying Jewish women and not vice versa. 

The second problem the Galilee is facing is the high amount of unemployed inhabitants. There is no real infrastructure and factories or other businesses like to settle at the coast and not in Tiberias, Zfat or Beit Shean. If enterpreneurs decide opening a company in the north, then it will be mainly Haifa but not the Upper Galilee. 

Tiberias and Zfat live from tourism. The latter rather from Jewish tourists who come for a visit searching for the remains of the medieval Kabbalists and any kind of spirituality. There isn't too much to do for Gentiles except for walking through the alleyways of the Old City, enjoying the great view and passing the art galleries. 

Nevertheless, Zfat is worth a visit and if you are in Tiberias and have some time, take the VEOLIA bus no. 450 from the Central Bus Station. Zfat is about 30km far away on a mountain top overlooking the Kinneret. The ride is inexpensive (15,50 Shekels one way / approx. 3,5 $). Get off at the final stop - the Central Bus Station in Zfat and you are already in the Old City. 

The yellow press doesn't mention it: The MADONNA - House in Zfat. The "Kabbalah - Lady" wanted to build her own villa in Zfat. Madonna together with the Kabbalah Center. The Zfat inhabitants went wild and Madonna gave up. Until today you can see the former construction site but the house has never been finished.  

Downtown Zfat

Tourismus & Art = The two most important industries in Zfat.

There is definitely no lack of art galleries in town.

Photos: Miriam Woelke

Mark Zuckerberg’s Intermarriage

B"H 

For those among you who don’t know yet: These days, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg married Priscilla Chan. The sad fact behind the story is that Chinese – American Priscilla Chan is NOT Jewish. With Zuckerberg marrying a Schickse, another Jewish generation is being lost. 

Unfortunately, Zuckerberg is not alone, as Intermarriage is very common among Diaspora Jews. Throughout the year and centuries, countless Jewish generations have been lost because various Jews couldn’t keep their shorts together. Although Intermarriage is also a topic in Israel, most Israeli youth support marrying a Jew. 

Mark Zuckerberg is not a positive example for American Jewry and his Jewish line is going to end with him. 

Link:

Jewish and Gentile souls do not go together

Parashat Va'etchanan - פרשת ואתחנן

 Photo: Miriam Woelke

B"H

In this week's Parasha, Moshe is asking Hashem if he is allowed to enter Eretz Israel. So far, Moshe was not allowed to enter and meant to die without crossing the Jordan river due to the sin of hitting the rock with his staff instead of speaking to it.

In Talmud Sotah 14a, the question, why Moshe was so anxious to enter Eretz Israel, comes up. The answer is that only in Eretz Israel, Jews are able to fulfill all the Mitzvot. Abroad they are limited. Just look at the Shemittah year which only applies to Israel. Furthermore, prayers from Jews abroad do NOT go straight up to Heaven but first go to Israel, then to Jerusalem and then go up to G - d. Whereas prayers from Jews in Israel go directly up to Heaven.

I do not think that Moshe had a problem with his prayers not going up immediately but still he was extremely anxious to fulfill all the Mitzwot.

Another very important issue in this week's Parasha is Intermarriage. All over the world as well as in Israel, Intermarriage is becoming the greatest danger to Judaism. Just look at the figures in the UK or the US. Unfortunately, also in Israel we do face the problem more and more. Many secular Israelis go to the Far East after their army service and when they come back, they come with a woman from India, the Philippines or a European non - Jewish tourist they met somewhere.

In Parashat Va'etchanan, Moshe tells the Jews not to assimilate with the nations which are living in Eretz Israel. The Canaanites, the Jebusites etc. Destroy all of their images, do not turn to their idol worship and do not marry them. In Talmud Avodah Zarah 36a the question is coming up if the Torah only prohibits marriages between the Canaanites and the Jews and if it does not concern marriages between Jews and other Gentiles. The answer is that the students of Hillel and Shammai as well as Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai say that this Torah law concerns ALL marriages between Jews and Gentiles. The Talmud Tractate Kiddushin 68a says that marriages between Jews and Gentiles are invalid according to Halacha. In case, the non - Jewish partner decides to convert to Judaism, the case is seen differently (orthod. conversion).

If you want to learn more you can look up the RASHBA on Tosafot and the Rambam (Mishna Torah - Hilchot Biah 12:1).

People who do intermarry mostly only see themselves and do not consider the problems they are causing. First of all, there will be many problems for the future generations. Children from those marriages do have an identity problem. I have seen many of such children coming to Jerusalem. They became interested in studying in an orthodox Yeshiva and suddenly faced the problem that they had a non - Jewish mother and were not Jewish at all. Some even started hating their parents for doing such a thing as getting intermarried. The youngsters had to convert to Judaism and sometimes the non - Jewish mother made problems, as she rather wanted to see her child in church.

I heard about another famous American case where a Jewish girl wanted to marry a non - Jewish guy. However, the guy underwent an orthodox conversion course and, in the end, did not want to marry the Jewish girl any more. He became too religious and did not want to bother with a Jewish girl who is prepared to marry a non - Jew.

Even if Jews live abroad, they should always be aware of their special task in life. The Chozeh of Lublin, Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Horowitz, said that our soul roots are in the Sefirot and in the names of HaShem. "You are a holy people and you are holy to Me". Unfortunately, too many Jews forget about this when the live among the nations. Money, cars, job etc., anything seems to be more important than their own identity.

A few years ago, there was an American guy at Rabbi Mordechai Machlises house on Shabbat who made a desperate speech. It was Shabbat afternoon and the guy said that at the same moment while he is talking, his brother in the States is getting married to a non - Jewish girl. When he was speaking, he was almost crying, as he was studying in the Yeshiva Ohr Sameach next door. He was so desperate that he asked the Rabbi if there is anything we can do to cancel the wedding. Actually, he had thought of a curse.

Of course, there was nothing we could have done and a curse is not the right response. Hopefully, sooner or later the brother will come to the conclusion to separate from his non - Jewish wife and find his real soul mate. Or the wife might convert to Judaism. Who knows ?

Anybody considering an Intermarriage at this moment and reading this article should reconsider it. Think about what you cause and what you do to your future children. Each of us should think about our Jewish task in life, our purpose in this world and who created us.

Shabbat Shalom to all of you.

Civil Marriage Attempt Failed

B"H

Another civil marriage attempt was turned down by the Knesset. Most Israelis would not consider themselves as Orthodox or religious. Many not even as traditional. However, there are certain Jewish rites, the ordinary Israeli likes. A Jewish wedding under the Chuppah, many Israeli Jews don't eat on Yom Kippur, the vast majority lights Chanukkah candles and many Israelis keep celebrate Purim and Pessach.

It is pretty obvious that my list doesn't impress a frum Jew and he still thinks that most Israelis are simply "Chilonim - Secular". Once I was invited by a Yemenite family on Erev Shabbat and everything was very traditional. The Sepharadim including the Yemenites love it this way.

The Schabbes table was set, the father of the family made Kiddush, we had Shabbat food. In other words "a great atmosphere". We were still eating when a family member suddenly screamed "Yatzpan" and the whole table just ran over to the TV.

Eli Yatzpan is a famous Israeli comedian (of Iraqi origin) and in those days, his show used to run on Friday nights. Basically our Shabbat was over because Yatzpan took over. I really hated this, as I am not a Yatzpan fan at all and don't consider hims as particularly funny.

On the other hand, the same family wanted their kids to marry Jewish and when one of the sons moved together with a Belgium Gentile woman, especially the mother freaked out. They never accepted this young woman although she was very nice and a good friend of mine. Her and the son of the Yemenite family split and she moved back to Brussels. It didn't take too long and he found a new girlfriend: A South African and she was Jewish.

"Now his mother is happy, my Belgium friend told me. B.'s new girlfriend is Jewish.

Shabbat Shalom

Tel Aviv Beach Promenade

Photo: Miriam Woelke

B"H

A maybe "unholy" picture in between. The Tel Aviv beach and you can see how many Israelis are going to spend this Shabbat HaGadol). Sunshine, 24 degrees Celsius = beach time. 

Secularism does bother me but let me tell you: There is something far worse.

This morning I overheard the following conversation between two tourists:

First Tourist: "Are you Jewish ?"

Second Tourist (girl from California): "Well, my father is Jewish, my mother is not".

First Tourist: "Do you feel more Jewish or more Christian ?"

Second Tourist: "In Israel I would have to convert in order to be Jewish. I do feel a kind of Jewish but I really wanna be in Jerusalem for Good Friday".

What I am trying to say is that many secular Jews only marry Jews. One of the worst things, however, is intermarriage. Look how your children are going to be when they want to be with other Christian in Jerusalem worshipping idols on Good Friday. 

Is it this why G - d brought us out of Egypt ? In order to run into another Egypt with a Gentile spouse ?

"Shabbat Shalom - Gut Schabbes !"

"Sleeping with the Enemy" - Jewish Girls marrying Arabs

B"H

Several places in Israel, unfortunately, have a high per centage of Jewish women marrying Arabs. For instance: Nazeret, Yaffo, Haifa but also Zfat (Safed). The strange thing in Zfat is that mainly religious, even haredi, girls getting involved with Arabs studying at the local academy.

Why are Jewish girls getting involved with Arabs ?

Mostly because the girls feel neglected at home. Maybe the parents don't have money but the girl has desires such as new clothes, the latest cell phone or only attention. Then suddenly someone shows up and is giving her presents. The girl is happy and forgets that the guy giving her the presents is an Arab. The girl keeps on telling herself that everything is not so bad and that her new boyfriend is a good Arab.

After a while, the Jewish parents freak out and throw the girl out of the house. The girls doesn't know what to do and, in the worst case, may marry her Arab boyfriend. If she does, he will take her to his village and there usually waits hell. His family doesn't want the Jewish girl, the Arab my have further wives, he beats the Jewish girl, he doesn't let her out of the house. In other words, the Jewish girl is trapped.

The above video was produced by a haredi organization "Nekudah Tova" specializing in helping such girls and providing shelter for them.

Why Jews should marry Jews

The Gentile Children of Intermarriage in Israel

B"H

Just imagine, you as a Jew fall in love with another Jew and then the "Jew" turns out to be a Gentile. He was lying at you all the way through and hoping that eventually you would be so deeply in love with him that you wouldn't care about Jewish identity and religion an marry him.

A German Gentile called U. is giving himself the name "D. G." and a Romanian immigrant called "T. C." (whose father is Jewish but not his mother) is calling himself "Tu... C.". Both hide their non - Jewish identity and the latter is searching for a Jewish wife.

In the end everything will come out at the Rabbanut (Chief Rabbinate) but until then, the Gentile keeps in lying. Intermarried couples don't think about such results. A Jewish father and a Gentile mother will have Gentile children ! And those Gentile children, especially when living in Israel, are going to look for marriage partners when they are grown up. In most cases for Jews and then we will have another Intermarriage.

Hitler would be happy hearing such "good news": The Jews are destroying themselves.

Link:

Why Jews should not marry Gentiles

Jewish and Gentile Souls do not go Together

B"H

Most of Yom Kippur I spent in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City. At the new and super posh AISH HATORAH complex right across the Kotel (Western Wall). Inbetween the prayer service, Rabbi Yaakov Marcus (from the women's seminary NEVE YERUSHALAIM) gave quite interesting classes. Mainly Q & A on Yom Kippur or Judaism as a whole. Interestingly, many questions came from young American Jews concerning "Intermarriage".

Especially the subject of "Intermarriage" seem to raise lots of interest because the worldwide figure of Jewish Intermarriage is rising. Just look at Chelsea Clinton's "husband". According to Halacha they are not married, as there is nothing in Judaism such as a Jew marrying a Gentile unless the Gentile converts to Judaism. Meaning: According to Jewish law, Chelsea Clinton is not married to a Jew because her marriage to the Jew is non - existent.

During the class, some American youngsters in their twenties asked Rabbi Marcus why a Jew cannot marry a Gentile. The Rabbi's response:

A Jew can be related with a Gentile on a Nefesh (desire) level as well as on a Ruach (emotional) level but a Jew has a different Neshama (soul) from the rest of the world and thus can never be a soulmate of a Gentile. An Intermarriage may work but the two souls can never be connected.

In case the Gentile honestly converts to Judaism:

Then he receives a Jewish soul and the two souls may fit together !

Toldot Aharon Chassidim with Internet do not blow the Shofar

B"H
One night before Rosh HaShana, the Toldot Aharon Chassidim held a meeting. Rebbe David Kahn announced all kinds of internal laws and gave plenty of Drashot where he mentioned the Zaddikim (righteous). At the end he announced the new law that a Toldot Aharon Chassid with an Internet connection at home cannot blow the Shofar. This also applies when the Internet connection is kosher and has a filter.
The Rebbe sees all kinds of spiritual dangers floating in.

When I heard such opinions I am always asking myself whether such a person has not clue about the Internet or whether it is just keeping up total control. Meaning: Maybe a Rebbe simply doesn't want his Chassidim to know about the outside world in order to secure his own power.


Link:

Chadrei HaCharedim

I am "JEWISH ?" and I love You

B"H

Israel's Supreme Court is planning a final verdict on an interesting subject (crime):

Is a Gentile who deliberately tells an Israeli Jewish woman that he is Jewish, guilty of committing a crime ?

More and more Israelis are complaining to the police that their partner, who is supposed to be Jewish, is turning out as a Gentile. Before the Jewish person began the relationship, the partner had claimed to be Jewish and thus lied.

I cannot say that it is common among religious circles to just grab someone from the street and starting a relationship. As we all know, frum Jews go through Shidduchim or, at least, certain ways of recommandation. The result is that such surprises wouldn't happen to them although I know cases where the Rabbanut (Chief Rabbinate) had someone registered as Jewish and it turned out later that there was a halachic questionmark.

Secular Jews, however, don't pay too much attention and when someone says he is Jewish, so they, more or less, believe it. Our present society is full of questionable halachic Jews and plenty of Israelis who come from a mixed marriage where the mother wasn't Jewish. The Reform movement as well as liberal laws are causing an identity problem in our society. Who is who in Israel ? I find it quite sad that you have to check with the Rabbanut and other institutions whether your friend / spouse is really Jewish. A sad reality today !

Israel is (still) a JEWISH country !

B"H

Honestly, I was shocked reading in the papers that Chelsea Clinton is getting married to a Jew. Or in other words: A Jew is willing to marry the Gentile Chelsea Clinton !

What a disgrace ! 

How far have Jews sunk that they are willing to give up their entire identity and their own future generations ? The guy's heritage and Jewish existence is going to vanish with non - Jewish kids. 

It was quiet on the blog yesterday because I went out to take lots of pictures of Tel Aviv's upcoming katastrophy. Thousands of foreign workers live in the city and more and more illegal Africans are streaming in every day. Tel Aviv - South, the area around the Central Bus Station has never been such a great area. There have been always prostitution and drugs but within the past two years or so, the situation has become unbearable. Certain parts of Tel Aviv are turning into Africa or the Philippines. 

Yesterday I went out to take pictures of the pit. The Africans didn't like it when I came with a camera and I had to be a bit careful. However, I am going to put the photos into the blog next week and hopefully you are getting an idea of what is going on downtown Tel Aviv. Furthermore I am going to publish the pictures of the thieves of my mobile phone (0547940502). The thieves must have been South American tourists in their late 40ies or early 50ies. Fat and wearing baseball hats. 

Do we need a "Pinchas" today ?

B"H

There are times when I wish we had a Pinchas or Eliyahu HaNavi today. Not that every Jew should be so perfect, Mitzvah keeping and frum but it seems, as if the majority of Jews has lost its ideals today. In the Jewish Quarter (Old City of Jerusalem) I once heard a little Israeli girl asking her mother what "that thing" is standing over there in the window. 

"Oh, this is a spice box for Havdalah (ceremony taking place after Shabbat and dividing Shabbat from the rest of the week)".

"Imma (Mummy) what is Havdalah ?"

It was unbelievable that this little girl at the age of about six had no clue about Havdalah. I suppose not even about Shabbat.

Isn't it sad how low many Jews have sunk ? No piece of Torah, no Midot (religious Torah bound character traits) but managing their daily lives by making a living. Plenty of people living in Tel Aviv care about a well - paid job, a nice apartment, a TV, a computer, going out for dinner and having a free life in any way. Jerusalemites may be more traditional, even when they are secular. However, in Jerusalem it is still unheard of that homosexuals walk hand in hand through the streets, as they do in Tel Aviv.

Modern Israelis travel the world after finishing their army service and what happens many times is that the guys come back with a Gentile woman. They go to Cyprus and marry her because Israel doesn't allow civil marriages between Jews and non - Jews.

Furthermore, Christian missionaries are very eager to convert Jewish Israelis to their idol - worship believe. Other Jews run away from Orthodoxy (not that they were religious but still kept Orthodox traditions) and prefer the Reform or Conservative movement. Today we are in the sad situation to say that, at least, they don't convert to idol - worship Christianity but remain Jewish.

Idol - worship as well as sexual perversion are still a topic in Israel. Let alone all those mixed marriages abroad where the situation, in this respect, is much more severe. I cannot help myself not getting angry when I see a Jewish man walking around with a Gentile woman. It just makes me sick. How can anyone only follow his desires but not think about his heritage, identy or the future ? How can anyone leave Judaism and run over to a religion where people worship a man dead Jew on a cross ? Are the Jews of this generation worse than those

in the times of Pinchas ?

It is probably just our G - d given destiny. G - d decided that the world should be this way and we act according to His plan without even knowing or realizing it. Or is everything up to my free will life and I decide if I follow G - d or behave like an animal ?

The world has never been perfect and already Noach had to face a wild society. Some Torah commentators say that Noach made the mistake and didn't warn his environment that G - d is bringing about the Flood. However, the Talmud Tractate Sanhedrin tells us that Noach did warn the people but got fed up after a while because no one wanted to listen to him.

To be honest: I am not going up to people and try fixing their behaviour, as I don't see it as my task fixing the whole world. What I do is keeping away from such people and I need to admit that I wouldn't have had the courage Pinchas had. Of course, it doesn't mean that we should walk around with a spear and stick it through someone's body. What most of us not participating in these acts silently hope is that someone will rise up (maybe Meshiach) and take the world back to a proper behaviour.

We definitely need a "Pinchas" today but, as far as I look, I don't see anyone around.

Does Leonardo Di Caprio intermarry ?

B"H

European and Israeli papers have been announcing that Leonardo Di Caprio may marry the Israeli top model Bar Rafaeli. The two have been together for a couple of years.

It just looks like a new intermarriage is coming up, as Di Caprio is not Jewish. Some time ago, there was a rumour that he may convert to Judaism but who can imagine Leo keeping Mitzvot ? The conversion would rather be Reform and thus no real halachic conversion.

Intermarriage always includes tragedy. Usually the parents follow their own personal interests and don't think of later children and their identity. As I said many times before: Jews and Gentiles have different tasks in this world and were created this way. By marrying a non - Jew, a Jew is giving up his identity and many times taking over the customs of the non - Jew. Quite often I heard that many of those "weddings" are being celebrated on Shabbat. Intermarrying on Shabbat ?
Jews don't marry on Shabbat, as a marriage is a contract and making contract is forbidden on the day of rest.

When it comes to a Jewish identity, the non - Jewish partner often tries to keep it away from the Jewish partner. "You don't need that anymore !"
Terrible reactions against the customs against the Jew when it comes to Pessach or other Jewish topics.

Before anyone intermarries, he should definitely speak to an appropriate Orthodox Rabbi. Even if he is not religious. Our ancestors kept their Jewish heritage like a treasure and even during the Holocaust Jews even died for their belief. And today someone is just coming and ready to throw everything away just because he or she sees a "sexy" Gentile ? 

Marriage Import from Cyprus

B"H

There are no official weddings between Jews and non - Jews in Israel. If such a "couple" wants to get married they usually go abroad. Mostly to Cyprus.

Years ago, those mixed couples went to the embassy of Paraguay to Tel Aviv and just received a formal marriage certificate. However, the State of Israel did not accept such certificates after a while. Now couples who cannot have a halachic wedding in Israel (also a Cohen and a divorcee, Gentile or convert) go to Cyprus.

It is the Torah forbidding Jews to marry a Gentile !

The Torah and not particularly the State of Israel. Especially not only the "bad" Orthodox Jews.

Israel's secular press loves to jump onto the intermarriage subject and blame all religious Jews. More than that, the foreign press loves to take the topic as an example for showing how religious Jews are still walking around in their stone age. They are conservative, do not know what is going on in the world and they are rassists. The German press as well as other countries.

The majority of secular Jewry as well as the Gentile world have no clue about what it means to be Orthodox. They see something on TV and this seems to be enough for building up a negative opinion. Most journalists are not into deep research nowadays but just google a few issues together. Some media people from Germany told me that the information I am handing over does not need to be too precise, as their readers do not know anything about Judaism anyway. So, what does it matter then when something is stated wrong ?

Again, the secular Ynet jumps on the intermarriage subject and once more, I am explaining the reason why those marriages are forbidden:

G - d created Jews and Gentiles with a special purpose in this world.

Jews and Gentiles were created with different kinds of souls (Neshamot). Connecting these two different souls is impossible even if the marriage (intermarriage) seems to be a happy one.

What I have noticed over and over again is that the Jewish part of a mixed marriage is always trying to justify himself. Not in front of his non - Jewish partner but in front of other Jews. If anyone is asking him about his wife, he always answers with a hesitation and the "Yes, but …" sentence.

How can anyone congratulate to such a marriage when the children will not be Jews anymore ? Another lost generation going down the drain !

People accuse the State of Israel or religious Jews but why is no one accusing G - d ?

G - d made this law and He definitely had His reasons for doing so !

Link:

YNET

Is the son of an intermarried couple allowed to get an "Aufruf" ?

B"H

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein ,(1895 - 1986), was more than famous for his halachic decisions and I do not need to explain too much about his authority. He simply was the "Posek HaDor - the halachic expert of the generation". I do not know anyone who would not agree with him.

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein was born in Belarus and moved to New York in 1936.

Your can read his halachic decrees in the volumes of "Iggrot Moshe", and today, I would like to present you one of them.

The topic is "intermarriage (a Jew marrying a Gentile)" and, as in these days, unfortunately intermarriage is taking place too many times. Therefore, Rabbi Feinstein's point of view may be interesting to other Jews.

The halachic decree I am quoting is from "Iggrot Moshe, Siman 73":

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein:

I was asked by a Rabbi if the son of a Jewish mother who is married to a non - Jew can be called up to the Torah at his Bar Mitzvah.

Remark: It is customary that a Bar Mitzvah boy (age 13) is reading a special Torah Passuk on the day of his celebration.

The child of a Jewish mother is Jewish in any case; even if the father might be a Gentile. Therefore, a son celebrating his Bar Mitzvah should get an Aufruf to the Torah. However, as long as the Jewish woman lives together with the Gentile, different rules apply to the boy.

As long as the Jewish mother is still living with her non - Jewish husband, the boy CANNOT get an Aufruf to the Torah on his Bar Mitzvah day.

Reason: The event could cause great joy and an intermarriage is anything but joyful. Furthermore, other children who are there may get a bad impression or may be influenced in a negative way.

Thoughts on Parashat Lech Leach

Torah Parasha "Lech Lecha - Go to yourself"

Photo: Chabad.Org

B"H

G - d told Avraham to go out (Lech Lecha) to a land He would going him.
The simple interpretation is that G - d told Avraham to leave his home, country as well as his father Terach.

But does it only mean leaving your home in order to start a new life somewhere else ?
Maybe, but while taking a deeper look you may realize that moving to another country doesn't only mean separation from your beloved. It does mean that you have to look into your inner being and decide what you really want in life. "Lech Lecha" also means "Going into yourself", meaning: Find out who you really are.

Are you just living because you were born and couldn't change your existence anyway ? Or should do do something useful with your life ? Maybe fulfilling G - d's will ?
"Lech Lecha" always reminds me of my own Aliyah to Israel. Going out to start something new and more positive in any way.

The second interesting point this week's Parasha is making is the reaction of Avraham's nephew Lot. When Avraham told him that they should separate, Lot "opens his eyes and sees the fruitful Jordan Valley". The Talmud Tractates Nazir 23b and Horayot 10b interpret this as Lot is going according to his eyes. He sees something beautiful, thinks of all his benefits and thus makes a decision. He sees and wants without taking any consequences into consideration. Instead of running after his advantages he should have learned from Avraham and use his common sense as well.

In this particular situation the common sense would have rejected a life in Sodom. How can you live in an evil environment where the Sodomites kill poor wayfarers and steal the rest of their belongings ? However, Lot thought of all the wealth and good life despite the immorality of Sodom.

How many times do we just follow our eyes ?
I am also asking this because of the disturbing subject "Intermarriage". Jews follow their eyes without thinking. A pretty woman a gorgeous guy and the heart is lost. Instead of looking at the outer appearance we should concentrate on a person's unique soul. A soul with which we are able to connect and not run after quick artificial preferences. The same applies to any daily situation taking place in our lives.

What we can learn from Avraham and Lot is to go into ourselves and start questioning the priorities in our life.

Shabbat Shalom 

A little Shabbat Atmosphere

Selling "Challot - Bread for Shabbat" in Mea Shearim
Photo: Chadrei HaCharedim

Will your grandchildren be Jewish ?

B"H

The Reform movement is ruining itself through assimilation and intermarriage !

http://www.simpletoremember.com/articles/a/WillYourGrandchildrenBeJews/

Meir Kahane's views on intermarriage.
He was right, I have to say !

MASA – Keep your JEWISH Identity !

B"H

Have you ever noticed the upset reaction of Jewish Diaspora communities when it comes to Israel telling them something, let alone, criticizing them ? How Diaspora Jews in the US, Britain or Germany immediately feel offended.

I have to admit that in Israel, we have quite a few sarcastic jokes about Jewish living in the Diaspora. Furthermore, we consider them as living abroad because of money and all the convenient things in life. Not many Diaspora Jews want to "bother" living in Israel because, in their eyes, Israelis are a different race. They are rude, the streets are dirty, new immigrants would have to learn a new language and get used to a different mentality. So, why bother when they make enough money in the countries where they were born instead of running after a Zionist ideology ? The only thing bothering are "those Israelis" starting to remind the Diaspora of Judaism or identity.

The best example is MASA, an Israeli joint venture run by the Israeli government and the Jewish Agency in order to strengthen the Jewish identity of Diaspora Jews. Masa even dared showing some commercials and speaking out loud against intermarriage. This made some Jews living in the Diaspora very upset, as, so far, they haven't felt too much criticized by their own communities. Not by the Reform movement. Just the opposite. The Reform movement considers children from mixed marriage (where the mother is not Jewish) as Jewish. Those children are being encouraged to go to the Synagogues.

Today, the amount of mixed marriages in the United States and England is enormous and sometimes I wonder, how many real Jews are left. 50 % or something in the USA. How can the Jews get married to a Gentile ? Do they just go according to love ? Giving up their identity and future generations for a skirt ? And if they do, they immediately start looking for excuses:

"Well, I couldn't find a proper Jewish girl / guy !", etc.

As soon as someone criticizes them, they feel offended by extremists or the stupid Orthodox. Let alone now by the Israeli government or the Jewish agency. In case such couples decided making Aliyah, let alone their non – Jewish children, we Israelis are facing a burden. The burden of having all these non – Jews in our country. People who don't even belong here; due to the stupidity of some Diaspora Jews who couldn't keep their pants up.
The fact is that children from a mixed marriage where the mother is not – Jewish are also not Jewish. In Germany, the Reform movement invented the expression "Father Jews", meaning those children are Jewish due to their Jewish father. However, according to Halacha, there are no father Jews, mother Jews, mother – in – law – Jews ! There are Jews according to the Halacha and this is it. You cannot just rewrite Jewish law the way you want it and the way it pleases you !

If a Jewish man marries a Gentile woman, Jewish future generations from the male Jewish spouse are lost and the children will, sooner or later, vanish in the Gentile (or Christian) world. The only ones saving Judaism from its downfall are Orthodox Jews, in particular Haredim.

Where are the children of the first Reformers ?
They intermarried and the next generation disappeared in the church.

Now Masa is talking about Jewish identity and Diaspora Jews are protesting in order to justify their "convenient" life. But how about all the children from mixed marriages having trouble finding their own identity ? Parents usually don't think about that but rather about themselves !

Link:

Ynet