The Beggining of the End- VaYechi 2012/5773

Insights and Inspiration
from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"

December 28^th  2012 -Volume 3, Issue 12 –15^th of Tevet 5772

Parshas VaYechi

The Beginning of the End

Did you survive? I'm still here. It was a close call though. I mean who would've of thought that that great bastion of wisdom and prophecy, the Mayan's, and their apocalypse would be wrong? For those who don't know what I'm talking about, the ancient Mayan civilization's calendar concluded on December 21^st of this year, leading many with not much purpose in their lives to predict and prepare for the "end of the world". Incredibly according to our dear friend Wikipedia

" In May 2012, an Ipsos poll of 16,000 adults in 21 countries found that 8 percent had experienced fear or anxiety over the possibility of the world ending in December 2012, while an average of 10 percent agreed with the statement "the Mayan calendar, which some say 'ends' in 2012, marks the end of the world", with responses as high as 20 percent in China, 13 percent in Russia, Turkey, Japan and Korea, and 12 percent in the United States, where sales of private underground blast shelters increased noticeably from 2009".

I guess the Mayan's were wrong. Maybe their calendar ended- as a friend of mine put it- because they ran out of "inca"… oyyy…

But once we're on the topic of the end of the world, let's take a peek at this week's Torah portion, (maybe that's the reason the Mayans picked this week for their prediction- they knew I needed something to write about). And what do you know? We have no less of a figure than our forefather Yaakov on his death-bed trying to tell his children

"What will happen to you at the end of days".

Rashi notes though, how when one examines the following blessings that Yaakov gives to his children though there is no sign of when the end of the days will come or what will happen then. Talk about a tease… The truth is Rashi says that Yaakov wanted to tell them, yet he was over-ruled by Hashem. "the Divine spirit left him". The information suddenly became highly classified. And until today the when and what of what the coming of moshiach and redemption will be like is shrouded in mystery.

Yet that hasn't stopped Jews from trying to figure out when that will happen. The Talmud tells us that the timeframe of the world is a macrocosm of the 6 days of Creation. There will be 6000 years of the world's existence (according to the Jewish calendar this culminates in the secular calendar equivalent of the year 2240). The classic work of Jewish mysticism, the Zohar talks about how just as before Shabbos man prepares himself for Shabbos so to before the 6000^th year is up there will also be preparations and a hearkening of Mashiach.

From the start of that 6^th millennium in 1240 (the evening of that "last day") the Ramban/Nachmanides (who came to Israel) and other great Jewish leaders have predicted and seen the opportunity for the potential redemption.  Many sages have calculated that last few hundred years of that  "day" and the morning, afternoon and twilight periods of that millennium and seen historic events that were prologues to the redemption. The morning is when the light of Kabbala of the ARI"ZL start to develop (1540 ish). The pogroms of the Chimlinizki revolution which wiped out of 1/3 of the Jewish population in 1640's the messianic movement that followed of Shabtai Tzvi were also misconstrued as harbinger of the redemption. In the 1740's we find the start of the Chasidic movements and the following Aliyot to Israel by the students of the Baal Shem Tov and the Gaon of Vilna. The 1840's saw the start of the industrial revolution and based on verses in Song of Songs (Kol HaTor Nishma B'artzeinu- the voice of pigeons are heard in the land- Tor being the year 1840) many felt the redemption was imminent. The 1940's were the Holocaust and the from ashes to the re-birth founding of the State of Israel. Yet Mashiach is still not here- notwithstanding what some may claim after the recent American election J. We are still waiting… although most of us have given up on trying figuring out exactly when. Yet every so often we get an E-Mail, a link, a prediction or a current event on the news that tickles that natural Jewish inclination. Is it now? Could it be? Does it really say that in that verse… this year…this war… this leader? Has the day finally arrived?

How much simpler it would've been had Yaakov revealed that date to us, when our Exile would finally be over when we would finally be redeemed. So why wasn't it revealed? Or was it?

If one takes a look at the blessings that Yaakov gives his children, the 12 tribes of Israel, after he is unsuccessful in telling them the end of days, one can see that within each blessing lays a hint of future events. Reuvein's losing of the birthright, Shimon and Levi's future rebellion (Zimri and Korach) Yehudah's leadership, the future prophets and leaders that will come from the tribes of Yosef, Dan and Binyamin. The blessings also include words of rebuke and deep insights into each of his children's personalities, strengths, and weaknesses giving them the "roadmap" they would need to achieve their own personal and our national fulfillment. Mashiach will come when we are able to achieve the mandate he gave them

"Hi'Asfu- gather together…and I will tell you. HiKabtzu- form a group (like the word kibbutz) and listen children of Yaakov; listen to Yaakov your father."

From that moment on we have longed for that day. Only Hashem knows when the Acharis Ha'Yamim- the final end of days will be. But our sages tell us that it is in our hands to bring the end earlier. The keitz- the finish of our Exile will happen when we can all, as 12 tribes, as a nation achieve our personal greatness that will bring it closer; when we hearken to the final words of our ancestor Yaakov.

Rabbi Noach Weinberg used to tell his students to observe people coming off a roller coaster ride. At first they giggle and laugh then there is a somber silence for a few minutes and then they try to find the next ride to go on. He suggested that what happens is that people laugh and are relieved that they are still alive they have experienced an encounter with death. Suddenly they then are forced to think about what this new gift of life means for their lives. What will they do differently? What are they meant to accomplish? Why are we here for? They are silent. It is momentarily troubling. The solution? Let's find another ride to distract me from the reality of living.

We Jewish people don't need an apocalypse to wake us up. Each week we have a Shabbos when we leave the mundane of this world and elevate ourselves to a higher place and return to our blessings and to our Divine mission. Our sages tell us that the Gematria/numerological value of Acharis Hayamim/End of days is the same as Teshuva/ returning. We await Mashiach daily for that day that will be completely Shabbos. The day of rest for the world. The day when we can return to Hashem and see His Kingdom once again complete on this world. Yaakov told us how we can accomplish our mission by focusing on our personal areas of growth and becoming the united chosen nation of Hashem. The day is not far. Our belief and our actions will bring it closer. May we merit to see and celebrate in it soon.

Have a Shabbos as if it was the first of your new life,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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 RABBI SCHWARTZ MAYAN VIDEO OF THE WEEK

(see if you can make out the song at 40 seconds)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZTkWWEbe-s

Something you didn’t know about Santa

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f-PhAKS7Bk

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RABBI SCHWARTZES TOUR GUIDE COURSE QUESTION OF THE WEEK

 (answer below)

The updated Coastal Plain Plan prohibits construction at a distance of less than:

 50 meters from the coast(a)

(b) 100 meters from the coast

(c) 300 meters from the coast

(d) The law sets not limitations

 

RABBI SCHWARTZ COOL PLACES IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK-

Shechem/ grave of Yosef – Not a place one can visit today sadly enough, although ironically it is one of the three cities (along with Jerusalem and hebron) that the Talmud tells us that that the non-jews could never have a claim against the jewish peoples ownership over as all three traditions believe in the authenticity of the bible that explicitly tells us that they were purchased for full paymen by our ancestor. Today once can overlook the city from the mt. of Gerizim and visit the tomb of our forefather Yosef buried there. Modern Shechem is the 2^nd largest Palestinian city and was formerly a Byzanine capital built by Vespasian called Neapolis after he destroyed the Temple. It was handed over to the Palestinans in 1995 Oslo accords with the understanding that its religious sites would be open to all three religions. However very shortly afterwards with the outbreak of the intifada the tomb and yeshiva built there was vandalized and burned by our cousins… Rabbi Hillel Lieberman (a cousin of the US Senator Joe Lieberman) was murdered upon assessing the damage done. Along with Yosef's grave there is two pillars that tradition tell us are the graves of Ephraim and Menashe his two children that were buried with him and the well of Yaakov who first camped in this city and created a monetary system and wells for its inhabitants. Shechem was the first city Avraham came to when he first came to Israel as well as where Joshua came with the Jewish people on their way up to Mt. Gerizim and Eival upon our entrance in Israel. In Kabbala the first letters of the name B'Shechem stand for Baruch Shem Kvod Malchuso-Blessed is God's name and his kingdom. Maybe we see it revealed once again soon.

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RABBI SCHWARTZ MAYAN QUOTES OF THE WEEK

(I Am not making this stuff up)

Nya b’a’n tu’n tnicy’in yol mo tu’n t-xi tewin jun ti’la cywutz ttijila, ku’n nokx ti’la c-ocila k’o’niy.-It is not good to lie or hide anything from your parents because you don’t know what they will change into.

 

Nya b’a’n tu’n t-xi t-xon tsmal twiy, t-xcy’aka, mo tstey, ku’n ka mina× i jet aj tcyima, ocx cok’ila cyi’j.-It is not good to throw away your hair, fingernails or teeth because if you don’t find them upon your death, you will regret it.

Nya b’a’n tu’n tchub’ key toj b’e, ku’n nlay ch’iyl twe-It’s not good that you sit on the road because you will no longer grow

Nya b’a’n tu’n twa’n toj chuj, ku’n b’e’x cy-elil chuj tc’u’ja.-It is not good to eat in the bath or your stomach will grow that size.

 

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Answer

Answer is C- 300 m. or at least I think it is… This is a classic case of the ministry of Tourism playing with my mind (or maybe they are not sure themselves what is the right answer). According to the Protection of the coastline of Israel act of 2004 the law states that "a 100 meter stretch from the coast is prohibited in building and specifies that any construction or building improvement within a 300 meter line will be subject to a strict and specific permitting restriction." What do you think is the right answer?

 

 

 

The Book- Vayigash 2012/5773

Insights and Inspiration
from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"

December 20^th 2012 -Volume 3, Issue11 -7^th of Tevet 5772

Parshas VaYigash

The Book

So it's about time I wrote a book, people tell me. Rabbi Schwartz stories, insights, quotes, jokes, cool Israel stuff, parsha inspiration. I've hesitated for many years. After-all we have a special relationship, you and I. I spill my weekly kishkas without much thought or care for political corrected-ness (and possibly even grammar or editing). You sneak a peek at your work space or waiting on line somewhere, I don't venture to think much past that, although I hope for the best. Many of you even do me the honor of printing me up and sharing at your Shabbat table. It's free (although donations and sponsorship are always appreciated at my blog below-specially before the end of the year, although not many of you have taken me up on that donation offer-shame...

L-((see I can't do that in the book-))) and it's our secret pleasure. Once I put myself "out there" and people actually have to make a conscious decision to buy me-because my E-Mail is me of course- I might than have to think or limit myself. And what if it doesn't sell? What if I am really not the next Maimonides, Luzzatto, or Jewish Dickens, Shakespeare, Twain, Dr. Suess, Dave Barry and J. K. Rowling all rolled up into one loveable hard-covered package? Will I be able to survive that blow to my very fragile ego? I'm not that worried. See I have the perfect marketing plan.

Now as every author knows the most important part of the book is the marketing. Being a frequent purveyor of book stores with a nice library myself, I know what sells. There are new books that come out every day. What separates the ones that sell from the ones that languish until they retire into the clearance discount section, especially from the new still-unknown and not yet famous authors, is the cover, title and after that the approbations inside. So here's my secret strategy- it is patented already so don't try to steal it. The title of the book will be "Banned- the book that is forbidden to read". The cover will look like one of the walls of a Jerusalem street with those protest posters on it. The author's name will be blocked although it can be faintly seen ( I want people to know it's me) with a disclaimer that says that the author has chosen to remain anonymous for fear of his life and his children's future marriage prospects. The book, instead of having approbations, will have letters of condemnation from great Rabbis-who will write that although they have not had time to read the book they have heard that is inflammatory and heretical. Similar condemnations will follow from the Prime ministers and chief Rabbis of Israel, the Republican and Democratic parties, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, my mother, my children and Mrs. Cohen my fourth grade English teacher. Do you actually think it makes a difference what I write after that? You know it will sell. Walla! an author is made.

It's interesting how human nature is. We are driven and drawn to the prohibited. Since Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden we are born with a nature and an inclination to "eat the forbidden fruit". King Solomon, the wisest of all men, in his great work of Proverbs made the observation that mayim genuvim yimtaku-stolen waters taste sweet. Water the most tasteless of all things, suddenly tastes sweet like honey or Israeli coke after a good plate of chulent if it is forbidden; the sweet hard-to resist taste of sin. So how do we conquer this desire, this temptation? How can we assure ourselves that we don't get caught buying a lousy book that has a brilliantly marketed cover that touches and awakens that Yetzer Hara/evil inclination and calls to us daily.

Our sages turn to this week's Torah portion and see in its exciting yet innocuous story a powerful and moving lesson; A secret strategy to becoming the person that we want to be. The narrative of Yosef and his brothers finally comes to an end this week with Yosef's grand reveal to his brother who had sold him down into slavery.

"I am Yosef- Is my father still alive? And the brothers could not answer him for they were disconcerted in front of him."

A powerful moment. Perhaps one of the most moving and inspiring in the Torah narratives. Yet our sages took a different look and lesson from this moment. The Torah is not a story-book or biblical novel it is an eternal work to give us life-lessons. The 3^rd century Mishnaic sage Abba Bardela read these verses and wept.

"Woe is to us from the Day of Judgment; woe is to us from the Day of Rebuke. Yosef was the youngest of the brothers, yet the other brothers could not respond to his rebuke. If so, what will we say when Hashem will rebuke each and every one of us according to what he is?"

Was that the first reaction and thought you had, when you read this story? Did you see in this story of Yosef's reunion with his brothers your day of judgment before your eyes? Our sages did. The reason is because they lived a life with that image before their eyes as real and as present as we see the blue sky and shining sun. Rabbi Yehudah Ha'Nasi (the prince), editor of the Mishna writes in Pirkei Avot-

"Consider three things and you will not come to sin: Know what is above you: an eye that sees and an ear that hears, and all your deeds are recorded in the Book."

The Book, the one that you are authoring is being written. Our sage's lives were about that eternal book. That book's readership will be read by Hashem and everyone that one encountered or interacted with, as well as one's ancestors from the beginning of time. They have a lot of time up there and they are all fascinated to read what you wrote. What legacy you left. What impact you made. Who you moved, inspired and did kindness with and type of world did you leave behind. When Yosef's brothers stood shamefaced as their brother stood before them and the mistakes of their past were revealed to them, our sages examined and thought about their own heavenly book that they were writing and wondered if they would also be shamed; If the mistakes, slips, and failings that they may have made in their lives would also leave them abashed, wordless and mortified. When one sees their life as being a book that is going to be read, you think about these things. You make different decisions. The right decisions. Sin doesn't tempt. Controversy is avoided. And the wrong books and all those other temptations that we might not be so proud of having been lured into in the past no longer call to us. We don't need everybody to read about it in our book. It does not have to be part of our story.

Now if some of you are concerned that there are a lot of parts of your book that are already written that you perhaps may not be so comfortable with your parents, children or Almighty reading. It's just not exactly angel-worthy. Have no fear. See the Divine Book you are writing has a really cool old-fashioned app that works with it. It's a delete/edit mode that is called Teshuva/Repentance. By merely regretting ones actions, telling Hashem (it is voice operated) that you are sorry, and by resolving not to make those silly mistakes again, all of those unsavory parts of your book-that would be banned- now become transformed into beautiful prose, episodes of growth and salvation and acts that brought you closer to Hashem.

So I guess we are all fellow authors, dear readers. We are all writing books. We won't have to come on to any cheesy marketing strategies if we write them right. Hashem Himself has written His approbation on the work that we can do. And they all lived happily ever after...The End

Have a marvelous Shabbos,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

RABBI SCHWARTZ ASARA BITEVET VIDEO OF THE WEEK

(Heart-wrenching and inspiring-worth watching through)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSuGPAP2Eho

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RABBI SCHWARTZES TOUR GUIDE COURSE QUESTION OF THE WEEK

(answer below)

Concentrations of sea squills (hatsavim) imply the presence of:

A high water table(a)

(b) Alluvial soil

(c) Remains of Chalcolithic settlement

(d) A burial site

RABBI SCHWARTZ COOL PLACES IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK-

Jaffa Gate/ Jerusalem - This week we commemorate the start of the siege around the walls of Jerusalem before the destruction of the first Temple by the Babylonians. The current walls of Jerusalem as awe inspiring as they are, are not the walls from that period of time. In fact there was nothing really here until later in the second Temple and even then there was no gate here. The Jaffa gate was built in the 16^th century by Suliman who modestly called himself the magnificent. I know that might seem shocking as the walls seem so ancient, even more amazin though is that until the late 1800's there was no-one really outside of these walls. Jerusalem as we know it was only inside the gates. Some interesting things about Jaffa Gate. In the early 1900's there used to be a clock tower here that was taken down by the Brit's. in the 1920's. This was the first gate that was opened up to auto-traffic as the wall was broken down and opened up to allow for the passage of the motorcade of German Kaiser Wilhelm II who came to visit the city. Allenby entered the old city upon defeating the Turks from this gate where he dismounted and walked through it in order to give honor to the Holy city. Right on the side of the gate one can see the graves of two of the engineers of Suliman who built the wall. Legend has it that he was upset that they left Har Tzion/Mt. Zion out of the walls and so he killed them and buried them here. From 48'-67' the gate was sealed with a armoured car that was stuck in the gate as it was no-mans land (I call it Jordanian occupied territory). Today the lovely Mamilla mall leads right up to this main entrance to the old city of Jerusalem.

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RABBI SCHWARTZ QUOTE OF THE WEEK

History will be kind to me for I intend to write it." -Winston S. Churchill

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Answer

Answer is D- burial site. I got this one wrong too... The chatzav interestingly enough is mentioned in the Talmud yerushalmi as being a geophyte shrub (meaning it has a bulb under ground like an onion) that was used to separate borders in Israel. Joshua even used these shrubs to delineate between the portions of the tribes of Israel. The leaves of this shrub which serve as the harbinger of the autumn being that it is in fact the latest sprouting plant/flower of the previous winter. The leaves of this plant are poisonous and thus not susceptible to animals eating it and served as a rodenticide. It was used as way of identifying graves primarily of the poor when a gravestone was too unaffordable because it would grow each year and not spread thus serving of a permanent reminder and sign of a grave that would not be subject or disturbed by animals. As it rises and sprouts up among the dying leaves of all the other trees the chatzav is a symbol of the resurrection of the dead and of the flourishing of the Jewish people whose roots are strong and will always grow again.

 

Hard Questions Light Answers- mikeitz chanukah 2012/5773

Insights and Inspiration
from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"

December 13^th 2012 -Volume 3, Issue 10 -29^th of Kislev 5773

Parshat Mikeitz/Chanuka

Hard questions Light answers

 

I've pondered this since I've moved here. I know it sounds like an arrogant, gung-ho Oleh type of question. But it bothers me sometimes, so why not put it on paper-at least an electronic one. So I take a deep breath-for fear of upsetting you. But you've stuck with me until now, you probably know requests to unsubscribe don't work… and it's Chanukah a time for some introspection on your surroundings; a little light penetrating some darkness of Exile. So bear with me as I put it out there. What would it take for American Jews to move to Israel? Phewww… I said it. Are you still with me?

 

I'll admit this question really didn't bother me until I moved here. Like many, I imagine, I was comfortable with America, with English, with the culture. Israel seemed third world, different-not for me or my family. It was a nice place to visit, to bring people to and to pray for three times a day and whenever I ate (which is quite oftenJ). I mourned for the Temple on Tisha B'Av, sang L'Shana Ha'Ba after my Pesach Seder and sincerely beseeched Hashem for His and our return each Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. At least it felt sincere. But was I really ready to move; to "give it all up"? Yet upon arriving here, settling in, integrating myself and my children, thank God beginning to make some parnassah, I really went through a change that led to the question that began to trouble me for the first time.

 

 Why aren't more coming? I imagine that if 75 or 80 years ago there was State of Israel that was offering free-aliyah flights, a financial absorption package (Sal Klita), one could live in relative safety (hey, it's not safe anywhere-in some places its crime, crazy drivers, and hurricanes), apartments with running water, financial opportunities, affordable healthcare and dramatic tuition reductions all that we have here today, than it is fair to assume that there wouldn’t have been a Jew left in Europe. Every great Rabbi and Community leader would have come in a heartbeat. The many that didn't was because they couldn't. There was nothing here besides, death, poverty and persecution. And even so, many sacrificed to come. Many died just to breathe the air and kiss the holy earth. So why aren't we coming today?

 

I don't believe that fear is a reason for us to have to come home. Not fear of hurricanes, governments or even religious persecution. Although it is interesting that unfortunately all the mass Aliyot from USSR, Iran, Morocco, Yemen and even post Holocaust Europe were to a large degree motivated by us being made uncomfortable or worse in our host-country. It's kind of sad that we have to be thrown out of everywhere else before we decide to come home. Nor do I believe that finances are a reason to come (although I do find it ironic if not miraculous that probably for the first time in our history, people are coming to Israel FOR financial opportunities because they feel crushed under the recession in the States and the burden of tuition, mortgage, health care…); however even with that Jews still don't seem to be coming en mass. I have heard from many people-even observant jews- that they are concerned about the ability to make it here and to raise their children. Is it really much easier over there? They are nervous about education-as if one doesn’t have to be nervous in the States. A Jewish parent is hardwired to always be concerned about their children's education. Can it be that much harder in a country filled by Jews, where Torah was meant to be learned and lived? They are nervous about the aggressive Israeli attitude- c'mon you live in New York… Learning a new language- really, you're not going to come home because you don't want to learn Hebrew?! Army service? Do you mean to tell me that if there was a voluntary draft in Israel like there is in the States that you would be on the next plane? Really?  Your house and comforts and shopping… Your house and comforts and shopping…OK… At least you're honest. But is that what you are praying three times a day for? That 5 bedroom house with a  white picket fence and instant hot water? to move with Wal-mart together with you? With us?

 

Now some have said that they are concerned about the religious situation in Israel, ironically enough. It's a secular government. So many different streams with so many strong opinions and everyone tries to put you in a box without accepting one another. But that is precisely the point. Imagine a mass Aliyah of 200,000 to 300,000 American Jews to Israel. If every Rosh Yeshivah, Rav, community leader got up and said that it was time to come home. They were closing up shop in America synagogues, businesses, schools and kosher restaurants. Imagine what type of impact that would have on Israel; on its government, its workforce, its perspective and outlook that a western view would be able to change. Americans could bring a new perspective to concepts of security, diversity, Jewish outreach, community, business and government transparency, ethics and service. We could open schools with the thousands of you moving here that reflect your values. We could bring them all here. We could change the country by bringing the best things that we have learned from there back home, where we were meant to be. So how can we make it happen? What will it take?

 

So we turn as we always do to this week's Parsha the story of the first Jew to enter our first Exile. Yosef is the symbol in the Torah of the Jew that experienced the worst of our exile and the best of our exile. He was, like so many of our ancestors throughout the generations, sold into slavery, thrown into prison falsely accused yet even throughout it all he maintains his identity and seems to be able to persevere. In this week's portion we experience the other Jewish experience of Exile; Yosef's rise to success. Government appreciation and position, wealth, leadership, a palace, an entourage and what seems from the outside as almost complete assimilation. His children are even named; the Torah goes out of its way to tell us, commemorating his fruitful-ness in Egypt and his having been forgotten from his father's home. Yet we know that a day does not go by that Yosef does not mourn and wish to be back in Israel. In fact his descendants later on Menashe and Ephraim give his tribe the largest portion in Israel, his granddaughters (the daughters of tzelafchad) become the symbol of Jewish women whose love for the land merited them the Divine inheritance rejoinder for female ownership of the land, and in fact his dying wish that was that his bones be brought to Israel for burial 200 years after his death. Yosef experienced the best and worst of Jewish exile. Yet he returns only once to bury his father and then tragically spends the rest of his life in Egypt.

 

One of the most difficult questions the commentaries struggle with is why didn't Yosef contact home. Why didn't he return or even try to go back. Some suggest he was waiting for the fulfillment of his dreams. Others say perhaps he was unable to for fear of Pharaoh or the oath of the brothers not to reveal to Yaakov that also bound him. There are some that even suggest that Yosef was himself not sure if Yaakov was part of the conspiracy- having sent him down. One of the more interesting suggestions I saw was that Yosef saw his role in Egypt as having to fulfill his father's mandate when he first sent him down to Shechem- "Li'ros Bshlom Acheichach- to see if there is peace amongst your brothers". Until his mission was fulfilled when he orchestrated the brothers standing up for Benjamin the child of Rachel his mother he could not positively go back and report on his mission. Yet, all of the commentaries struggle with the question. To them it was obvious that if Yosef could've gone back he would've. The comfort of Egypt, the challenge of his Egyptian children to acclimate to the "Israeli" lifestyle and culture and even the knowledge that life in Israel would be rife with struggles and challenges are not reasons for someone like Yosef who knew that his place and the place of his descendants was in Hashem's chosen country. The biggest tragedy of his life was that he was never able to really come home.

 

There are no bigger supporters of Jews in Eretz Yisrael like the American community. Government lobbying- AIPAC, Agudah and the Jewish Zionist organizations, as well as all the financial support and charity and most significantly the prayers that are consistently offered on our behalf. Yet ultimately it is Hashem that is watching over our tiny nation surrounded by wolves who seek to destroy us. I am not writing as a Zionist nor am I speaking about the State of Israel even- not to take anything away from it. Nor am I speaking from purely religious and spiritual reasons although I believe all agree that living in Eretz Yisrael is a fulfillment of the mitzvah of settling the land (the debate is only if one is obligated to or not before Moshiach comes). I also believe that is indisputable that throughout our generations if there was ever a chance and opportunity to come back as it is today that all of the great leaders would have done so. The Gaon of Vilna in the 1700's tried but was unsuccessful, great Chasidic Rebbes dreamed of opportunities to be here, to come here…to live here. The greatest leaders like the Ramban, the Shelah, Reb Yosef Karo and the early yishuv all suffered and gave blood, sweat, tears and lived in abject poverty and danger but never felt any less blessed than when they were fortunate enough to live in the promised holy land. I speak of the emotional sense and connection we have and that can only be experienced here. The land that was made specifically for us to connect to Hashem and to fulfill our role on this world. We can never fulfill our job and become the nation we were meant to be in America. There is so much that can change and that will happen when you come.

 

On Chanukah as we light our menorah, that light in the darkness of Exile, we have to appreciate that Galus/Exile is dark. We should look at those little lights and they should ignite a spark in our soul as we remember the re-dedication of the Temple in the times of the Chashmonaim. If you don't get that message, than sing the Maoz Tzur song that recalls all of our exiles. Egypt, Babylonia, Persia, the Greeks all those that prevented us from coming home and establishing Eretz Yisrael the way Hashem wants it so he may eventually (very soon) send Mashiach to rebuild the Temple. Ask yourself who is stopping you from coming now. Is it the darkness? Can the light in your soul shine out to the world from where it can best be seen and express itself. Rav Kook in one of his more controversial statements suggested that the establishment of the State of Israel was part of the redemption of Mashiach Ben Yosef meant to create the physical base for the Jewish peoples return just as Yosef did for his brothers in Egypt- perhaps even a Tikun on that. (seeing Theodore Herzl- a secular assimilated Jew as the possible personification of that figure-thus the controversy) But regardless of what you ascribe to that concept. The redemption of the Ben Yosef Mashiach is one of a fulfillment of that ancient longing, the years that Yosef was unable to come because of extraneous forces imprisonment and a lack of unity of the brothers. Chanuka is when we are meant to be inspired by that return…to re-light our inner menorahs and perhaps ask ourselves the difficult questions. What would it take? Why am I not? Can I make it work? Can I really make a difference? The Chashmonaim faced even greater odds and they said yes. Can you be a Macabee? Or will you just unsubscribe…May the light of Chanuka shine into our hearts and may Hashem continue to help his children to have the strength, inspiration and wherewithal to finally come home.

With the greatest of love,

Have an illuminating Shabbos

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

 

RABBI SCHWARTZES COOL CHANUKAH VIDEOS OF THE WEEK –

Technion robot light- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We-KRSy64r4

Acapella- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAbTDHblxFM

Matisyahu- Reggae- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TxoDx_U84U

Country- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoTE3JRgrjQ

Yiddish- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koby1ax905M

My kids favorite- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfnZ3eiXxMk  

 

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RABBI SCHWARTZES TOUR GUIDE COURSE QUESTION OF THE WEEK

 (answer below)

At which of the following sites can a griffon/vulture reintroduction station be observed?

 The Jerusalem Bird observatory(a)

(b) Kfar Ruppin

(c) Ramat HaNadiv

(d) The international Center for the Study of Bird Migration at Latrun

 

RABBI SCHWARTZ COOL PLACES IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK-

Old Cemetery in Tiverya/ Tiberias- in the times of the Mishna the city was known to be full of graves to the degree that no one felt comfortable living there because of the Tuma/impurity. The Talmud tells us that Rabbi shimon Bar Yochai in appreciation for the healing he received at the hot springs of Tiverya purified the city by identifying the graves. The city was developed and built within the ottoman walls and outside of those walls was the Jewish cemetery ( now right next to the main thoroughfare of the city). In this cemetery one can truly experience and visit the graves of some of the most righteous of our people who sacrificed and came to Israel to live in the Holy land. There are the graves of the great Chasidic Rebbes students of the Baal Shem Tov who moved here in the late 1700's - Reb Nochum Horodnoka (grandfather of Rebbe nachman of Breslav who visited here), Reb Meir Permishlan, Reb Shimshom of Sheptikov, Reb Menachem Mendle form Vitebsk, Reb Avrahm Kalisk, and the grave of Reb Avraham Yehoshuah Heshel of Apt known as the Oheiv Yisrael which legend has that his grave originally in Mezibzh was miraculously transported here. In addition one can visit the grave of the Mitnagdim- students of the Gaon of Vilna most outstanding being Reb Yisrael Mi'Shklov author of the peat Ha'Shulchan on the agricultural laws of Israel who died while bathing in the springs of Tiverya. Sefardim also have who to visit here as the grave of Reb Chaim Abulafia who was brought to Tiverya by the Bedouin leader under the Turks in the mid 1700's to rebuild the Jewish community of Tiverya. It was he who started the Pushka concept and the rebuilding of the grave of Reb Meir Baal Hanes paving the way for all those from the students of the Gaon and the Besht to come back to Israel. There are also the graves of Rabbi Avraham Abu Chatzeira he great kabbalist who served as Rabbi of the city. Of course as well one can see the monument for the more modern days heroes those that perished in the pogroms in Tiverya in the 1930's and some who's ashes were brought here from the concentration camps in Europe. One does not need to go to Russia, Europe or Spain to visit the graves of the great leaders of Sefardic, Ashkenazic and Chasidic world, Here in Tiverya is the place where stories and sacrifices of these great leader can most be felt.

 

RABBI SCHWARTZES QUOTE OF THE WEEK

It is more difficult to take the Exile out of the Jew than the Jew out of the Exile ~ Reb Simcha Bunim of Peshische

Answer

Answer is C-Ramat HaNadiv right outside of Zichron Yackov and also the burial ground of the great Baron Rothchild who was brought here to be buried in great pomp and service in the beautiful gardens there. The vulture is in fact according to many the Nesher described in the Torah that many translate as the eagle. It has incredible wing span rises above all other birds and carries it offspring without fear of other creatures-unlike the eagle. But the wings of eagles sounds a little more romantic. Maybe it came from the bald eagle bringing all the Americans home J.

Pit-falls of Office- Vayeishev 2012/ 5773

Insights and Inspiration
from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"

December 12^th 2012 -Volume 3, Issue 9 -23^rd of Kislev 5773

Parshat Vayeishev

The Pit-falls of Office

So I'm debating running for Knesset. It seems that everyone else is these days. Rosh Memshala/Prime Minister Schwartz has a nice ring to it. I can start my own party aptly calling it the Chulent party- Tet, Shin with a little apostrophe after it. My platform will be a plate of chulent in every crockpot on Shabba,t or Chamin if you're Sefardic. We will also promise to expand our mandate to include vegetarians-respecting their right to avoiding the pleasures that the rest of us holy carnivores have (more cow for the rest of us).  In this very divided country of ours, which thank god has no serious problems or issues to deal with; we have peaceful neighbors, plenty of housing, cottage cheese is cheap, we  have a backup of everyone who wants to serve  their country equally and an educational system that is better than any third world country out there, it's time for us to focus on the important issues that plague our country. The lack of a Schwartz representation in any important government position (Northern regional director of Synagogue development for the Young Israel/ tour guide/ mortgage broker/ shlepper for Ameri-$-Kana new and lightly used clothes-my wife's business/ and tzimmer owner- is just not enough for me) and the heart-wrenching (and burning) lack of quality Shabbat chulent/stew on many peoples plates.

  Think about it, I know a lot of important things that can help this country. I can tell you the history of the Crusader and Mamluk periods, what rock formation the eilat mountains are made of (actually I kind of forgot that one already L)  and where the best kayaking and mehadrin restaurants are located. I know used clothing prices and how the banking system works (you give them money- they charge you, you withdraw-they charge you, you yell at them- they reverse the charges). Most importantly I know how people like their chulent. It makes them happy. A little herring, some crackers and rugelach and every so often Yerushalmi Kugel and  all your problems go away. I am also planning on running a clean campaign. I will not bring up the flip-flops, false promises and criminal pasts of most other Knesset members (Although I will quote- Natan Sharansky- the soviet refusenik and former member of Knesset who once said convincingly that he believes he is the only person in Knesset who sat in prison…before he got to Knesset). It's just me and you. A Jewish country based on principles of democratic chulent and kugel for all. I will even make a constitution that says that. All will share equally in this burden. We will finally be one.

 Now as I begin to launch my campaign I will strategize using the Torah and of course our weekly portion, I have to write this weekly E-Mail anyways so why not cook two chulents in the same pot. See, efficiency- that's what you'll get from me. Our Parsha this week starts out with the story of the first Jewish leader running a campaign for leadership of the Jewish people, or at least the tribes of Israel; our forefather Yosef.

Let's see what we can learn from his successes and his pit-falls (excuse the pun). Yosef starts his campaign at the young age of 17 launching it with his famous "I had a dream" speech. In his dream he saw his brothers sheaves of wheat bowing down to his sheave of wheat. Not the most inspiring speech I imagine. It didn't really go over well. After all who is really interested in wheat- now barley, beans and meat that might have gone over a little better. So Yosef ups the ante. He promises them the stars. In his next dream he even includes his father Yaakov and mother as all coming and bowing to him. That didn't seem to work too well either, although his father according to the text "guarded the matter". Only a Jewish parent could still have hopes for this kid. Yosef, however ends up in the bottom of a pit, sold to Egypt and lands himself in prison with not so savory allegations pressed against him. One can imagine the tweets going on. So perhaps Yosef is not the best model for our campaign.

 We turn then to the next future leader of the tribes of Israel. Yehudah starts his campaign with a unique strategy. He stands up for his competition and brother Yosef who was thrown into a pit declaring "What gain can you have from killing our brother and covering up his blood". Pretty amazing and counter-intuitive for someone who himself was meant to be the leader of the tribes. Yehudah however hedges, rather than returning Yosef  to his father, he attempts to get him out of the picture by selling him down to Egypt. Yaakov is of course inconsolable. Yehuda is blamed for this and he himself is sent away where he also get caught up in an unsavory scandal and tragedy. Things do not look good for the leadership of this people. If we don’t learn from these mistakes and their consequences, 3000 years later we will continue to fail to create the nation Hashem wants us to become. So who will we model our campaign on?

 
Let's take a look at the story of Chanuka. We have a major world empire that is destroying the pillars of our faith. The nation has left God, embraced Hellenism, Greek parties, the Temple has become pagan and there doesn't seem to be anyway to turn back the clock. And then the Maccabees come into the picture.  A small Jewish family with no aspirations of greatness launch their campaign with a call "Mi Kamocha Ba'Eilim Hashem- who is like you among heavenly powers Hashem (the acronym of MaKaBI)". They pick up a sword themselves, without delegating it to anyone else. No one has to bow down to them. No one has to anoint them king (in fact their downfall only comes years later after the first Chasmonai descendant takes the political office as king). They restore the Temple, light simple lights and bring us the first independent Jewish government in Israel. Now, although we know the names of the Chashmonaim Matityahu, Yehuda, Yochanan Yonatan, Elazar and Shimon, we barely mention them in the additional prayers we say to commemorate the holiday of Chanuka. Imagine talking about the establishment of Israel without Ben Gurion, Chaim Weizman, Jabotinsky, Herzl). The reason is because the Chashomanim were never seeking political office or any self-promotion or leadership. They were fighting a battle for Hashem. The less their names were "out there", the more that the commemoration was about Hashem and the miracles He performed, the greater the success of their life's mission was.
 

Let's turn back to Yosef again, in next week's portion he makes his comeback. But he is a new Yosef. He no longer is trying to get anyone to bow down to him. He in fact tells Pharoh with sincere humility and a desire to help save the Egyptian populace that all he has is from Hashem. He seeks no recompense or place in the Egyptian Knesset. And what do you know? From there he is chosen and rises to becoming second in command to Egypt. Yehuda as well in this week's portion once again begins his rise to greatness when he puts aside any political aspiration by confessing that Tamar, who was the threat to his leadership, was more righteous than him- pulling her out of the "pit of death" and this time however restoring her to her place of glory, as she becomes the mother of the future kings of Israel and the line of David.

 So perhaps announcing my campaign at this time is not such a good idea. Real Jewish leaders never came out of political campaigns. Our greatest heroes and leaders were individuals that looked at the world saw a lack of Hashems' presence and took upon themselves the responsibility to change the world. Starting with themselves, their families, their communities, the Jewish people and eventually the world. Bit by bit… candle by candle. Each home its own little light adding a spark each day. The world needs us. We are all part of the mandate. May we merit bringing the spark of Chanuka to the world.

 Have a spectacular Shabbos and Chanuka,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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 RABBI SCHWARTZES VIDEO OF THE WEEK –Funny Bris clip- the Greeks tried to stop us and we're still at it with pride J

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2KSFQCFEBBc

 And of course your first Rabbi Schwartz Chanuka video- and who says Yeshiva guys can't move?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEWg5ai6WHI

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RABBI SCHWARTZES TOUR GUIDE COURSE QUESTION OF THE WEEK

 (answer below)

Which of the following is not a karstic phenomenon

 A vadose shaft (huta)(a)

(b) a stalactite cave (me'arat ha'netifim)

(c) a sinkhole (dolina)

(d) a volcanic crater (juba)

 RABBI SCHWARTZ COOL PLACES IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK-

Maccabee graves- right off the road from Modi'in to Jerusalem one can pass a sign that directs you to the grave of the Maccabees. The site goes back to the early 1900's when a group of school children with their teacher asked some local arabs where the graves are and they were directed to "kubur-al Yahud" an ancient jewish cemetery. Unfortunately most experts acan see that the graves are from a later Byzantine period rather than early Hashmonai from the style of the graves and possibly even pagan or Christian. Oops.. Josephus describes the graves of the Chashmonaim as being these big pyramid like pillars with armor and carved ships. If Josephus is telling the truth (which is always questionable) these are not them. Other suggestions of the site was sheik-al jabreihh where some graves and ruins where found but was discounted because of a crucifix of which was a church floor instead. Some suggest it may be in Al midyeh or other digs in the area. All in all we don’t know where they are.. Maybe that is the way they wanted it J

 RABBI SCHWARTZES QUOTE OF THE WEEK

In my country we go to prison first and then become President ~ Nelson Mandela

Answer

Answer is D-Juba Located in Israel's most volcanic area Jubas are craters that were formed either by Volcanic gas being expelled from the earth without any lava (kinda of like and volcanic burp) one can see the big juba in the Odem forest in the upper Golan heights that is about 250 meters wide and 60 meters deep.