Jewish Drunks- Parshat Tetzave /Zachor 2018 / 5778

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land
from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

February 16^th 2018 -Volume 8 Issue 19 1^st Adar 5778

Parshat Tetzave /Zachor

Jewish Drunks?

I don’t have the greatest memory. I certainly don’t remember most things that my Rabbis taught me when I was in school. Yet every once in a while there was something that for some reason that got stuck in my brain, a deep insight, a cool midrash or story or a great line and I have it still. It’s weird. One of those teachings was from one of my teachers who repeated to me a memory that his teacher had of the alteh heim-the old country. The teacher was Rav Pam and he told his student that there were two things that they never found by Jews in the alteh heim in the old country.  A Yid that was a shikker and a yid that was a ganiv; A Jew that was a drunk and a Jew that was a thief. At least I think the second one was a thief. Maybe it was rotzayach- a murderer. I’m not sure. As I said I don’t have the greatest memory. But the drunk thing I definitely remember. It struck a chord in me. Alcoholism was a goyishe thing. It was something the peasant gentiles did back then to get away from their miserable existences in their filthy shanties and hovels. It was something that even the Polish, Lithuanian or Ukrainian anti-Semites would do when they came home from the long day working in the fields, the mines and the shmutz. They would head over to the local tavern and drink their nights away. Cable TV had not yet been invented, neither had the internet, so what else was there for a Goy to do?

Not so Am Yisrael. The nation of Israel had Torah. We had shuls we would fill. We had children that we would learn with. Or we would just eat some chulent and that would pretty much knock us out and put us to sleep. Regardless of the reason. We weren’t ever looking to escape from life. And that wasn’t because it was necessarily a bed of roses. The Jews in Europe, despite what Poland- which seems to suffer from a bad memory as well might claim, were persecuted by the locals, were stolen from and killed regularly- see our neighbors were ganovim and rotzchim, and pogroms or beating up the local yid was the evening entertainment. As well we lived in extreme poverty. Our ancestors pretty much got excited when they got an apple as a treat, not a new smartphone. And yet we didn’t get drunk. There were no Jews in Cheers. We didn’t have to go to “a place where everyone knows your name”. We had that already it was called shul. Jews don’t escape from life through alcohol. It’s just not what we do.

{PS email if you got that reference above… just curious. See I don’t remember Torah… but TV themes songs ahhhh… that never leaves your brain J}

To a large degree I believe that is still true today. At least I think it is. I have heard differently though. Just the other day I was talking to someone that is very involved with “issues and crisis” in the Jewish community and he told me I was hiding my head in the sand. I should wake up and smell the coffee. Or perhaps more accurately the single malt. He described to me scenes of Yeshiva guys cleaning off bottles in their dorm rooms at night, decent and normal, fun baalei batim-working men going out to drink with the boys after a day at the office and getting “wasted”. He even told me about minors picking up the habit from some friends of theirs, even some nice Jewish girls in Seminary going out and drinking. (I guess I’m a bit of a naïve misogynist here where even if I can fathom yeshiva guys or some party working guys doing this but certainly not girls). I dunno…. Maybe I am burying my head in the sand. Maybe it really is just a few “bad apples” with problems. I’d like to think so.

Now that is all true until we get to Purim. Purim is the day of v’nahapoch hu- where we do the opposite. We get dressed up in costumes. We party, we feast and yes we drink. According to our sages on Purim we are meant to do that ad d’lo yada- until one doesn’t even know the difference between Haman and Mordechai; The hero and the villain. Between the Jew and the Goy. Between us and them. And drink we did. But unlike our gentile counterparts. Jewish drinking on Purim is different. It is funny. It is uplifting. It is song, it is dance. It is love and hugs and kisses. And most of all it is about Hashem. How much I love God and He loves me. It is about how Hashem is always with me even when I am throwing up on the floor and how He will never abandon His people.

 I remember when I was engaged to my wife, our wedding was about 2 weeks after Purim. I had agreed in my silly naïve love dovey wanna be with my bride all the time to spend the Purim feast with my fiancée, her siblings and Mother-in-law to be who were dining with friends. It was not fun. They were not yeshivishe. They weren’t used to my type of Purims which usually ended with me in a drunken stupor somewhere singing about Hashem. They were civilized. They were talking about the Mets. They then talked about the Stock Market and some exciting TV show. Somebody made a joke. Ha Ha polite laughter followed. It wasn’t funny. I was longingly eyeing the bottle. I needed to leave. My last “single” Purim was passing before my eyes.

 My loving bride saw my pain. She came to the rescue. She made an excuse that she wasn’t feeling well and asked if I could take her home. I of course “reluctantly” apologized leaving early from this incredible fun party. I think someone had suggested that maybe they play a fun board game at that point…sigh…. And I expressed my disappointment at not being able to participate. But “duty calls”. What can I do? So we left and she agreed to take her suffering husband to yeshiva. As we got closer to the great Lakewood Yeshiva, the largest in the world at the time, we began to see signs that were a bit concerning to her. People were kind of dancing in the street. Kind of I say, because some of them were dancing vertically, or rolling around, others were jumping up and down. Some had clown hats on, others shmeared make-up. There were a few that were crying in the bushes. At least that’s what I hoped those sounds were. The closer we got to yeshiva, the more condensed the circle got as we saw more and more of them. It was like the Happy “Walking Dead” Rabbis. I told her she could drop me off already then. There was no need to go further. I was home. I don’t remember much from that Purim. It was fun though. I’ll never forget coming into the house later that night. Singing love songs to my Eishet Chayil to be. My mother-in-law and my fiancée and my three sister in laws were hiding behind the couch politely telling me that they believed me when I insisted I was totally fine. That they knew that I was most certainly grateful to have been blessed with such a special family. That of course they loved me as much as I kept singing I loved them. And that the bathroom and showers were down the hall and that I should probably make use of them. I did. They were very uncomfortable to sleep in though. But I’m not sure if that was what they had intended me use it for.

This week we celebrate the holiday of Purim. The Torah portion that precedes Purim doesn’t really have anything to do with the holiday. It doesn’t really have anything to do with drinking either. But that’s only at first glance of course. The first part of the portion of Tetzave is about the clothing of the Kohen and the High Priest that would be worn in the Temple. The Parsha tells us not only how to make the clothes but it goes through the whole process of telling us how they and the Kohen would be sanctified by wearing them and inaugurating them, and even having some blood sprinkled on their ear lobes and toes while they are being shaken up and down along the way. Fun, right? Now if you are a creative inspirational Torah E-Mail writer then you can connect this to Purim costumes somehow. Yeah, been there done that. You can check out my blog Holylandinsights.blogspot.com for previous year’s E-Mails and insights.

{Once you’re there by the way feel free to donate and sponsor an E-Mail by clicking on the link and PayPal-ing us. I guarantee it will make you feel very very happy. Me too….. }

 Even getting shaken up and down and having wine-which looks like blood- shpritzed on you is a quite common part of the Purim feast and party ritual. The conclusion of the portion as well, which discusses the building of the one Tabernacle item that seemed to have been left out of the instruction manual which mentions all of the other vessels in Parshat Teruma last week’s portion, the incense altar, also has an obvious Purim connection. Incense is smell. And there’s lots of smell in the Purim story. Mordechai is mor dror- not to be confused with the guy from the Tolkien series- although Mordechai was ultimately the Lord of the Ring of Achashverosh

{Again just curious if I am the only geek that gets my funny connections or if you are there with me.}

No mor dror is the spices of incense. Esther is Haddasa which is also known for its smell as we take that myrtle branch on Sukkot.  So we’ve got Purim covered there as well. The one part that really isn’t covered though is the odd in-between portion about 8 verses long that seems to have gotten lost from Leviticus/Vayikra and made its way here; the portion of the daily sacrifice or Korban Hatamid.

Shemos (29:38-39) And this is what you shall do on the altar 2 lambs one year old, twice a day. One lamb should be brought in the morning and one lamd should be made in the evening.

It continues with all the accompanying flour, wine and oil libations that accompany it and then

Ibid (29:45-46) And I will dwell within the children of Israel and I will be for them a God. And they will know that I am Hashem their God who took them out of the land of Egypt to dwell with them I am Hashem.

Now what does this have to do with Purim. These verses have obviously been pulled out of the Book of Vayikra which talks about all of the sacrifices and even has these almost identical words, and thrown in here on the parsha read right before Purim to teach us something. The question is what. Perhaps what is even more fascinating is that there is an opinion of one of the Rabbis, that this verse is in fact the most important teaching and lesson in the entire Torah. What am I talking about? As the Gemara says Ta Shema- Come and hear.

Ben Nanas in the name of Rabbi Akiva says the priori axiom of the Torah is ‘And you shall love your neighbor like yourself.’

Ben Zoma says the verse is ‘Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad= Hear Israel Hashem is our God Hashem is one.’

Alternative versions bring Ben Azzai as saying the verse is ‘This is the account of man’s origin: On the day that Hashem created man, He made him in his likeness’

These opinions are easy choices. We might have even picked them out ourselves. Yet the third opinion is puzzling as

Shimon Ben Pazi says the verse is “You shall offer one sheep in the morning and a second sheep shall you offer in the afternoon”

The Midrash concludes that Rav Ploni stood up and stated that the law follows Rebbi Shimon. What is going on? And of course what does this have to do with Purim?

Rabbi Yochanan Zweig suggests that the function of the entire Torah and our existence is really to prefect ourselves and lift ourselves and the world up to Hashem. Rabbi Akiva notes that the most fundamental way to do that is by loving and helping one another. By focusing on acts of kindness to one another one is imitating the ways of Hashem and that path will ultimately uplift him. Incidentally we do this on Purim by giving charity and Mishloach Manot to one another. The Bens, on the other hand, Azzai and Zoma see the essence of us perfecting ourselves as seeing the Godliness in this world. The unity of Hashem or alternatively the image of Hashem in each and every human being. If we see Hashem all over the world, and reveal that, we then become one as well. We appreciate and shine His light into the entire creation. On Purim as well we read the Megillat Esther. We read the scroll that does not mention Hashem’s name in it but we reveal it. We see Him through the darkness. As we have mentioned in the past the word Megilla comes from the word megaleh to reveal, while the word Esther comes from the word nistar-hidden. That is the next aspect of Purim.

But then we have Reb Shimon Ben Pazi, he suggests perhaps the deepest thought of them all. Yes I can do good deeds and emulate Hashem, Yes I can even see Hashem in myself and in the entire wondrous world He has created. There are even some times when I can even see myself as a Kohen- a priest or even a Kohen Gadol- that man dedicated entirely to the service of Hashem in his holiest of clothing. But usually, that is not that case. Most of the time at the end of the day, I’m flesh and blood. I don’t always do what’s right. I eat steaks, I drink wine. I’m a physical, materialistic human that makes a lot of mistakes. We were a nation that sins, which got thrown out of our land, that is drawn to the feast of Achashverosh and can even eat from a feast that has the vessels of the Temple being desecrated. Now what do you say?

 Reb Shimon Ben Pazi says- each day bring a sheep, each day bring some wine. Do it twice a day. Hashem wants your offerings. Your physical desires can be uplifted to him as well. I am Hashem and I am even inside of all of those desires and physicality as well. I am there at the party of Achashverosh and I am at your Purim feast when you are drunk and rolling around. I’m not only there when you are emulating Me. I’m not only there when you are seeing My image in the world. I’m even there while you are in your clown costume, your smashed queen Esther crown and wig, or your Na Nach Yarmulka with one fake payot sidelock ripped off as you raise your glass and dance in silly circles. Bring Me your sheep, bring Me your burgers, bring Me your wine and your oil. That is Hashem telling us He even treasures our most physical of gifts.

Goyim drink to forget, to ignore the reality of their miserable existence. Jews don’t drink. Our existence is glorious. It is holy and divine. But once a year we get carried away. We dull our inhibitions, those physical and psychological restraints on our souls truly dancing and singing and soaring to the heavens the way that it wants to. The Purim feast is and always has been the highlight of all the mitzvas of the day. That knowledge that Hashem sits up above and is looking down as we toast Him. We toast each other and the miracles He performs for us and His presence within us even in Exile, even while we are engaged in the most human of pursuits. That is the essence of our day. L’Chaim!

Have a Shabbat Shalom and boisterously inebriated Purim,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

“Fun shikker and fun shenker shtinkt mil bronfen.”- The drunkard and the bartender both smell of whisky.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

Q  The term “the eyes of the State of Israel” refers to:

A. Mount Tabor

B. The Mitzpeh haYamim Mountain

C. The Hermon Mount

D. Mount Meron

RABBI SCHWARTZ COOL VIDEOS OF THE WEEK

https://soundcloud.com/ephraim-schwartz/techelet-mordechai  - Cause not enough of you clicked on this last week- and you really need to!!!! It will make your Purim even more amazing guaranteed!

My latest fun composition Techelet Mordechai- the Next big Jewish Purim hit!!!

https://youtu.be/SuyprtLP70E  – Last Years Purim Seuda and the debut of Rabbi Schwartzes New song with a slightly inebriated Rabbi and Yonah and Tzvibel on the vocals!

https://youtu.be/jt-Z2St4rTk    – DR. Dreizich OORA Eat-A-thon hilarious but need a bit of Yiddish and yeshivish to get it entirely

https://youtu.be/_ehDCxSNcfU   - Awesome short clip Israeli soldier Benny Masas talking about the battle for Chermon and the “Eyes of the Nation”

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S HAFTORA CONNECTION OF THE WEEK

This week’s Haftora might arguably be one of the most important haftoras. For if, as we have mentioned in the past, the establishment of the haftorah was done in a period of time when it was forbidden to read from the Torah, as many of the Jewish historians and commentaries suggest. Then this Haftorah took the place of the biblically obligated reading of this week’s Torah portion of Zachor, the second of the four supplementary portions that are added around the holiday of Purim and prior to Pessach. Meaning that this reading of the story of the battle of Amalek and King Saul and Shmuel Hanavi’s eradication of them was in place of the Torah reading of the command to remember Amalek and our mitzva to wipe them out. Since the Torah tells us to ‘remember this’ we are obligated to read the story each year. When they didn’t have the freedom to read from a Torah this was used in its place.

The story of course carries within it a special lesson, one that not only connects with the holiday of Purim in which the entire story of Haman a descendant of Agag the King of Amalek that Saul allowed to live temporarily, plotted to wipe out our people and nearly succeeded but for the grace of Hashem who answered our fasts and prayers, but even one that connects with our Parsha. For our Parsha really introduces the offerings, as mentioned above, as well as the details and nuances of the Kohen. Everything is mandated, every bell on his clothes, on his breastplate and the color of his coat and his robes and crown. Meaning you can’t just make it up. The one lesson Saul and his failing was that he ignored Hashem’s command to kill the livestock and to kill Agag. He decided that he would rather use them as offerings to Hashem. Why just kill them? This is a problem. You can’t make up your religion as you go along. You don’t know better than Hashem how he wants to be worshipped. It is why the kingdom is taken from him and given to David. It is his fatal, albeit well-intentioned mistake. Similarly the clothing of the priest teaches us that lesson.

There is perhaps no greater way to display ones individuality then by the way they dress. Police wear police uniforms. Doctors have their white coats and cable TV repairmen and gas attendants have theirs. As do Judges and prisoners. The uniform is the opposite of individuality or personal expression. Wearing a uniform says that I am not independent. I am part of a group and nullify my personal clothing preferences because my boss, my job, my community, my religion demands that I do. That is the rectification of the sin of Saul.

Interestingly enough on Purim we all throw off our usual uniforms that identify us. Our jobs, our Rabbi hats, and our suits and ties. We dress us and let our individuality show. For that is the mitzva of the day. Hashem is showing us that each individual can destroy Amalek as well. Each one of us has that spark. We are all one. The clothing will not define us, rather the will to listen to Hashem is all that we need. This is very deep. If you didn’t get it. Save it for Purim take a few drinks and read again. I think I have to as well….

Shmuel HaNavi (1070-970 BC) His name means "The Lord heard her". Samuel was the 16th and final of the Shoftim (Judges). Eli the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) raised him. His book covers 120 years.. His term of prophecy lasted about 100 years, from 1070 - 970 b.c.e. Samuel was strong and unwavering. Samuel was 50 years old at the time of this Haftarah. He was known as the reluctant kingmaker. Samuel was born in Ramat-Tsofim in the hill country of the tribe of Ephraim. With the help of his scribes Shmuel wrote his own book. He truly represents the next stage in leadership after the Torah as Dovid Hamelech equates him with Moshe and Aharon in the psalm we recite-or sing ech Friday night Mizmor L’Dovid.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

Wells and Cisterns -Borot and Be’erot- A significant part of the Torah is dedicated to these two sources of water. The Torah is very busy with our forefathers digging wells all over the place and fighting over them with our enemies particularly Avraham and Yitzchak. As well we find that most of our Biblical marriages or at least “first dates” take place by the well. Such as Moshe and Tzippora and Yaakov and Rachel, even Rivka is tested by Eliezer by the well if she will draw water for the camels. On the other hand we have something called a bor - or a cistern that was also used for water. We find the brothers throw Yosef into this bor, that interestingly enough does not have water although the function is clearly to have water. Water these two things?-I mean What are- J excuse the pun.

A well taps into water that is flowing underground; an aquifer. A bor or cistern on the other hand is a pit that is made to gather rain water. There are a few differences in these methods of water collection. A well is very place contingent. It can only be made where there is an underground water source. You have to know where to dig. That is what all the fighting is about. Back then digging for water was like digging for oil. You can’t just do it anywhere. I generally show this concept to my tourists when we are in the wilderness of Yehuda or the Negev and we visit Bedouins, who are geniuses at finding these water sources and it is how they choose their sites to tent and camp. As well-oy this is getting out of hand- Be’erot Mayim would not need to be plastered inside as the water was just coming up from below. Borot Mayim or cisterns on the other hand could be dug anywhere. The smartest place to dig them though is at the bottom of many hills. For that way one can direct all the rainwater from the hills all around it to flow into the cistern. The Talmud tells us that a bor doesn’t get filled from its opening. What it means is that the cistern will not merely get filled up with the water that flows directly down into it. If you want to fill up your bor you have to bring water from all around and direct the flow in. Incidentally this is a lesson, our sages our telling us to be open-minded and to learn from all over the place rather than from just one person. Borot Mayim are far more common to see than wells in Israel. Every city from ancient times had them. Some have incredibly elaborate ones, Like the biblical city found in Tel Beer Sheva which has both wells and an incredible elaborate system. On Masada the water system dug out into the mountan fortress held enough water to last them for years. As well in Tzippori one can actually walk through the huge cisterns some of the largest found in Israel. Even the more modern city 17^th an 18^th century Tzfat one can see the borot mayim in almost every courtyard. There are perhaps not too many things like water that we take for granted in our modern world. At the same time it is important to remember and reflect that as this is the most essential source of life there was nothing more critical in times very and not too long ago than the answer to the question of where would we get it from.

RABBI SCHWARTZES TOP BAR JOKES OF THE WEEK

A hamburger walks into a bar and the bartender says, "Sorry, we don't serve food in here."

 A horse walks into a bar. The bartender says, "So, why the long face?"

 A soccer ball walks into a bar. The bartender kicked him out.

 A magician walks down an alley and turns into a bar.

A man walks into a bar. OUCH! You would have thought he would have seen it!

A dyslexic guy walks into a bra.

A neutron walks into a bar and orders a beer. The bartender sets the beer down and says, "For you, no charge!"

An Irishman walks out of a bar. Hey, it COULD happen!

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S TERRIBLE DRUNK JOKES OF THE WEEK

Q: What is a drunk man's idea of a balanced diet? A: A Budweiser in each hand!

Q: What do Russians get when mixing Holy Water with Vodka? A: The Holy Spirit!

Q: What did the man with slab of pavement under his arm order? A: "A beer please, and one for the road

 Q: Why don't Jewish Mothers drink? A: It interferes with their suffering

If you drink too much alcohol you are an alcoholic. If you drink too much Fanta, does that make you Fantastic?

I'm a recovering alcoholic. Or as my mate describes me, hungover

 The drunken wino was stumbling down the street with one foot on the curb and one foot in the gutter. A cop pulled up and said, "I've got to take you in, sir. You're obviously drunk" The wasted wino asked, "Ociffer, are ya absolutely sure I'm drunk?" "Yeah, buddy, I'm sure," said the copper. "Let's go." Obviously relieved, the wino said "That's a relief - I thought I was a cripple."

A cop is doing standard patrol when he notices a car swerving all over the road. He quickly turns on his siren and pulls the guy over.
"Alright," says the cop, when the man gets out of the car. "Walk on the white line."
"I'd be happy to," says the drunk "just stop moving the line." 

A man and his wife are awakened at 3 o'clock in the morning by a loud pounding on the door.
The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger, standing in the pouring rain, is asking for a push.
'Not a chance,' says the husband, 'It is three o'clock in the morning.'
He slams the door and returns to bed.
'Who was that?' asked his wife.
'Just some drunk guy asking for a push,' he answers.
'Did you help him?' she asks.
'No. I did not. Its three o'clock in the morning and it is pouring rain outside!'
His wife said, 'Can't you remember about three months ago when we broke down and those two guys helped us? I think you should help him, and you should be ashamed of yourself!'
The man does as he is told (of course!), gets dressed and goes out into the pouring rain.
He calls out into the dark, 'Hello! Are you still there?'
'Yes,' comes back the answer.
'Do you still need a push?' calls out the husband.
'Yes! Please!' comes the reply from the darkness. 'Where are you?' asks the husband.
'Over here on the swing!!' replies the drunk

It’s Fay’s 80th birthday and she decides to celebrate it on her own at the Savoy Hotel because they make good drinks there. As soon as she arrives, Fay goes into the bar and orders a whiskey with 2 drops of water.
As the barman gives her the drink, Fay tells him, "I'm 80 years old today, you know."
The barman says, "As it's your birthday, this drink is on me."
"Thank you," says Fay, and she quickly finishes her drink.
Then a woman next to her says, "I’d like to buy you a drink, too."
"Why thanks," says Fay, "barman, a whiskey with 2 drops of water, please."
"Coming right up," says the barman. Fay again knocks back her drink.
Then a man next to her says, "Mazeltov, madam, may I too buy you a drink?"
"Why yes," says Fay, "barman, a whiskey with 2 drops of water please."
As he hands her the drink, the barman says, "Excuse me for asking but why the whiskey with only 2 drops of water? I'm dying to know."
Fay replies, "It’s simple - when you're my age, you know how to hold your liquor, but take it from me, water is something altogether different!"

Maurice and Isaac found themselves sitting next to each other in a New York bar. After a while, Maurice looks at Isaac and says, "I can't help but think, from listening to you, that you're from Israel."
Isaac responds proudly, "I am!"
Maurice says, "So am I! And where might you be from?"
Isaac answers, "I'm from Jerusalem."
Maurice responds, "So am I! And where did you live?"
Isaac says, "A lovely little area two miles east of King David's Hotel. Not too far from the old city"
Maurice says, "Unbelievable! What school did you attend?"
Isaac answers, "Well, I attended Yeshiva University."
Maurice gets really excited, and says, "And so did I. Tell me, what year did you graduate?"
Isaac answers, "I graduated in 1984."
Maurice exclaims, "Amazing! This is Berschert. Hashem wanted us to meet! I can hardly believe our good luck at winding up in the same bar tonight. Can you believe it! I graduated from Yeshiva University in 1984 also."
About this time, Moishe enters the bar, sits down, and orders a beer. The bartender walks over to him shaking his head & mutters, "It's going to be a long night tonight, the Goldberg twins are drunk again."

Aaron and Rivka move to the suburbs and join the new, very elite, Country Club. But just before their first meal at the club, Aaron is feeling somewhat anxious about Rivka’s lack of finesse and so decides to give her some advice.
"Rivka," he says, "ven ve go to dee club and dee vaiter asks you vaht you vahnt for ah drink, please don't say `ah glass Manishevitz vine.'  At a club like dis, you don't esk for Manishevitz vine."
"Well, Aaron," she replies, "if I can’t esk for Manishevitz, vot should I esk for?"
"You should esk for ah Martini," replies Aaron, "every lady drinks Martini. You'll like it."
That evening at the club, as the smartly dressed drinks waiter arrives at their table to take their order, Rivka is ready.  "Madam, may I bring you a cocktail?"
Rivka replies, "Yes, I'll have ah Martini."
"Dry?" asks the waiter.
"No," replies Rivka, "tzvei iz genug (two is enough)."

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S SHABBOS CARTOON OF THE WEEK

             

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Answer is C – See one of the reasons I do this section is too not only show you guys what it takes to being a tour guide and what type of petty information we were responsible for on our exams, but as well to test myself and even learn new things that I missed. I did that this week. Although I believe I got this one wrong, I think it is certainly arguable. See I answered Meron, and that is what I tell all my tourists because it is what I remember being told in my course. The reason why those Yarmulke looking domes on top of Mt. Meron are there, is not because it is a religious mountain and they do not say Na Nach Nachman Meuman on them… Rather they are called the “Eyes of Nation” as they look from there into Lebanon and Syria and being the highest mountain in the Galile also serve as air traffic control. However upon googling it seems that title of the “E of M” rightfully goes to Mt. Hermon and the battle in the Yom Kippur War for that mountain. A soldier Benny Masas gave an interview and he described the courage they had to conquer it being that it was the eyes of the country and it became one of the most important catch phrases in Israel’s history. I didn’t really understand why, but check out the short clip I included above of Benny that made it famous and you will appreciate it. So the truth is I think it is arguable that Meron can also get that title, but the answer they probably were looking for is Hermon.