from
the
Holy
Land
from
Rabbi
Ephraim Schwartz
"Your
friend in Karmiel"
Febuary 2nd 2024 -Volume 13 Issue 16 23rd of Shevat 5784
Whenever
Barr got off from his army duty- which he refused to take the natural exemption
he was offered to care for his family, he felt he need to go out and make some
money in order to cover the sea of bills that had ensconced the family. He wasn’t
observant as his mother was. Julia had only become a Baalat Teshuva a
few years before and that alone put struggles and challenges on the family, who
didn’t all jump on board. And thus on Friday October 6th Barr kissed
his mother Good Bye assuring her he would be alright and headed out to the Nova
Festival to be a security guard. But things did not turn out alright.
Shabbos
morning the country woke up to sirens. Anil, Tal’s Philippine caretaker informed
them the family what was going on in the South and called Barr to find out what
was happening. Barr assured them that things were under control. He was
evacuating people and that he would be in touch soon and come home. An hour or
so later they spoke again, and he sounded weary. he could only talk for a
minute or so and said he was alright and still working on saving lives. That
was the last they heard from him. From 8:30 or so the communication went dead.
Unlike so many though that it took sometimes weeks to find out what happened to
their loved ones, Julia and Tal got a video sent to them, courtesy of Hamas,
with Barr in the back of a pickup truck with his hands tied behind his back
along with 4 other hostages being taken to Gaza. The last words they have and
heard from Barr was his calling out his own name numerous times to the terrorist
and then with fire in his eyes yelling at his abductors
“Titaplu
bo, titaplu bo- take car of him- take care of him!
Barr
ben Julia and Tal, who as well are both medics and dedicated their lives to saving
and giving life to those that are in danger or are injured, was continuing his
parents work in the worst of situations. Ignoring his own peril and demanding
that those captured and injured be taken care of by the sub-human monsters that
are terrorizing us.
I
met Julia for the first time in Hostage square in Jerusalem. My tourists-or “War-
ists” as I call the generous donors that come to give chizuk, bring
light, support and hope to our country
in one of it’s worst moments, were donating chulent, kugel and a kumzitz
evening in Hostage square for them. There she shared with me her story and told
me that she is not involved in any of the “deals” or demonstrations to release hostages and
bring Barr back. To be honest, she said doesn’t really feel any of them are
really that important or effective. She has chosen instead to be busy with what
she calls “spiritual deals”. The deal and our eternal “bris olam” covenant of
Shabbos.
Julia
felt that there was a message in that all of this occurred in Shabbos that was on
Simchas Torah. Perhaps it was a message that was about a lack of appreciation that
so many of our unaffiliated brothers and sisters and perhaps even we frum Jews
as well have of a lack of simcha and oneg that Shabbos really has.
The gift that it is. Since then, Julia has joined forces with Rabbi Grossman and Rav Raanan’s organization Ayelet Hashachar
to bring Shabbos food, hot plates, candles and goodies to families of hostages,
where hundreds have signed up to begin observing Shabbos and receive these
packages as an added merit for their children that should return safely.
A
few weeks after their project began, Julia met Corrine Zecharia whose daughter
Eden was as well kidnapped from the festival. She had not heard any word from
her daughter since that black Shabbos. The last thing she knew was that she was
hit by gunfire and taken into Gaza. Was she alive or dead? Would she ever get answers?
When she met Julia and they shared their sorrow and worry, she began to cry and
took on Shabbat as well for the first time. That very next Sunday after that
first Shabbos, Corrine observed, the IDF found her daughters body together with
another soldiers in Gaza and she was returned for burial. Corrine’s pain and
mourning are still great, yet she tells everyone that it is only a result of
her Shabbos acceptance that Hashem miraculously at least gave her some
consolation and rest with the return of her daughter’s body for burial.
This
week we read the Parsha of Yisro. It is the week when we finally have reached
the pinnacle of the entire creation with our receiving of the Torah on Sinai.
At the heart of the Ten Commandments is the mitzva of Shabbos.
Remember
the day of Shabbos in order to keep it holy.
Our
sages quote and understand from the Prophets that the day of Shabbos and our
observance of it is not just about not doing work, making Kiddush and going to
Shul. Rather it is to take pleasure and enjoyment in the day of Shabbos. See,
the Jews already had the concept of Shabbos even before the Sinai revelation.
In Egypt, the Midrash tells us, Moshe was able to swing them a day off weekly
from Pharaoh from them to gather. As well a few months prior already, when we
left Egypt and were by Marah we were given the mitzvah of Shabbat. For months
we had already been collecting the Mannah, as we learned last week in the
Parsha, for 6 days a week with a double portion on Friday. The Shabbos that we
were given on Sinai though was an entirely different level and appreciation of
this day. It wasn’t just a day off. Goyim have that as well. This was a day of
Rest for Hashem. This was day to take pleasure in Hashem.
It’s
a strange concept, this idea of pleasure and enjoyment on Shabbos. We don’t
really find this by other mitzvos. Shabbos has to have special food. Chulent,
Kugel, salatim, treats and special Shabbos cereal and parties. We have
special Shabbos clothing. We have Shabbos songs. It’s an amazing day of
seemingly physical enjoyment. In fact, our sages tell us that any money we spend
for Shabbos doesn’t even come off our annual Rosh Hashana allotted budget. It’s
free. Whatever you want, buy it for Shabbos. I know this sounds great, but what
exactly is spiritual about this. How do we remember and sanctify the Shabbos day
by doing this? Why does our party and good time considered what makes this into
a “Shabbos for Hashem” as we are commanded to do? Shouldn’t a day of Hashem be
full of prayer, repentance, Torah study. What’s with all of this pleasure and
chill?
The
answer I saw recently in beautiful new sefer written by Reb Yonah Ephraim
Carlebach ( I bought the sefer because I’m a Carlebach fan and you put that
together with my name, my father and son’s name and I was sold by just the
author), is that the real only way that one can truly be at rest, can
experience Menucha, is if they feel that everything is taken care of.
That there are no worries in the world. That they are exactly in the Perfect Hands
that is going to take care of everything for them. What makes the best hotel in
the world it great, is that you have all your needs taken care of. The best food,
the best service, all your business is done. There is absolutely nothing on
your plate besides sitting back and enjoying.
Now
there rarely is that perfect hotel. There’s always something to kvetch about. There
are always somethings that aren’t perfect. Something that still needs to be taken
care of back home. Some work that’s left undone. Some E-Mail that has to be
answered. In fact the only way and place in the world where, when and how that
can ever occur is with Hashem. It’s on Shabbos. It’s when we recognize that
Hashem is exactly that. That He is in charge of everything. That we are in His
perfect Hands.
I don’t need a cell-phone. I have nothing to
answer. No E-Mails to check. The News is irrelevant. I am mamash free.
Pleasure, Oneg, Menucha, rest, all those things can only happen when I
feel that everything is perfect. The things that always disturb our sleep, that
take away from us enjoying ourselves and the world and maybe even our vacations
and certainly our day-to day lives is when we feel that things are not working
out the way we had planned. That we need to control things. We need things to
be different. Those feelings leave us sleepless. They keep us up at night. They
frustrate us. The mitzva of Shabbos is really all about pleasure, because that’s
how Hashem reveals Himself in our lives. That’s how we show we believe and
trust in Him. That’s how we bond with the One that Created the world and
remember that He put us here. He’s on top of everything. He’s giving us
everything we need.
It
was two months after Julia started this project that she was at the Kotel for a
mass prayer gathering. Out of nowhere she met up with Itay Regev who made his
way over to her as he had something that he wanted to share with her. Itay and
his sister Maya had just been returned from Gaza after the hostage exchange.
Itay shared with Julia that when he was taken, he was held together with Omer
Shem Tov in a dark tunnel bunker of Hamas. Itay himself was not religious, yet
Omer who had more traditional leanings told him that first Shabbos there that
he wished he would be able to make kiddush. That he dreamed of getting out and
observing Shabbat once again. Itay told him at the time that Shabbos was just a
dream. Who knows if they would even get out alive?
At
that moment the terrorist walked in that Friday evening and handed them their food.
A plate of rice, some dried out pita and lo and behold in their hand was a
small bottle of grape juice. They couldn’t believe it. They shook their head
and eyes in shock. In this darkest of places, in this hole of holes Hashem had
sent them Kiddush. Omer’s prayers had been answered. Hashem was with them. They
were in His hands.
They
took that bottle of wine and Omer made Kiddush and they each took a swig and
then hid the remainder of the bottle in their bandages. Every Shabbos of the 50
plus days they were there they took that bottle of wine of faith and miracles
and made kiddush. Shabbos had given them that hope. And ultimately when Itay
was released, and he heard about Julia’s project he wanted to share with her
that it was perhaps her Shabbos merits that had brought them that hope and
miracle. It wasn’t Shabbos that protected them, rather it was Shabbos that gave
them the strength, hope and light at the end of that dark underground tunnel.
The light that led to his redemption.
In
Hostage square there is now famous Shabbos table that is sitting there. There are
244 seats at that table of which 110 have already been returned. They have wine
glasses and set plates. There are 134 that have pita, spoiled rice and yellowed
water in plastic cups in front of them still. We are waiting for them to come
home as well. The story of our hostages really is the story of our national
redemption.
When
we recite Kiddush each week and particularly in this time, we recite Zecher
Le’Yetziat Mitzrayim- we remember our exodus from slavery, darkness and
captivity to light and redemption. Redemption can only come when we understand
and appreciate that our goal is not just to get out of the tunnel. It’s about
more than no longer be persecuted or terrorized. Rather it is about arriving finally
to a place of Oneg; of pleasure. Appreciating that true liberation is
only when we are totally at rest. When we are One with Hashem. When we have
nothing else that needs to be done or taken care of. That the world is perfect
and has been completed. That Hashem is as well at the head of our Shabbos
table. That He is blessing His children. All of them. That the world is at
rest. That we have arrived at the day that is entirely Shabbos. That the whole
world has Shabbos. May Hashem bring that day soon. This Shabbos even. May Barr ben
Julia and Omer and all of the hostages return, may their families find consolation,
and rest, and may we all celebrate Shabbos soon together at that one table in
the Bait Ha’Mikdash when the shechina itself which has been away from
home for over 2000 years as well come Home.
Have the most amazing enjoyable and restful Shabbos
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
************************
YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE
WEEK
"Es
iz besser tsu leben in naches aider tsu shtarben in tsar.”- It is better to live in
joy than to die in sorrow.
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK
answer below at end of Email
25.The
Jerusalem Talmud was signed in ___________.
In
which of the following settlements did the Sanhedrin not settle?
A.
Jerusalem
B.
Shfar'am
C.
Safed
D.
Tiberias
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO OF
THE WEEK
https://soundcloud.com/ephraim-schwartz/good-shabbos - The Commandment of Shabbos is all about my Good Shabbos composition from Dovid Lowy on arrangements and vocals
Hashem’s name – It is perhaps the most recited word in the entire Davening and the most important one. It’s the name of Hashem. It’s really a remarkable thing if you come to think about it, which unfortunately we don’t often enough. We are literally calling and speaking to Hashem by name! We don’t refer to our Rabbis or elders or even non-Jewish government figures by name. We generally speak in the third person. What does Rebbi want? Is there something I can get you Mr. President? Father can I get you a drink? Ok maybe my kids don’t do that…. But there certainly is a special honor when talking to someone of stature and showing respect. Yet, when it comes to the Master of the World and the King of all kings, we say Baruch Ata Hashem- Blessed are You Hashem. It’s like saying How are you Joe to the president…but much worse. How do we do that?
750 BC Earthquake- Leaving our story of Northern Kingdom of Israel and chaos and beginnings of the Exile under the rule of Pekachia ben Remalia, we shift our screen to the tribe of Yehuda and the kingdom in the South. We left off with the King Uziah/ Azarya. To remind you and to recap Azarya was a relatively righteous king that returned the nation in teshuva except for the bamos the personal altars that he was not able to remove. He was a warrior king that as we mentioned expanded and conquered all the way down to Eilat, Gaza and even across the Jordan river up to Damascus. Kind of like our wars today on even more fronts than back then.
Yitzy and Henya, a young orthodox couple, were expecting their first baby. Suddenly, Henya’s water broke on Shabbos and they had no choice but to call for a taxi to take them to the hospital’s maternity ward. Because Yitzy wanted to try and minimize the Shabbos violation, he told the dispatcher that he must send them only a non-Jewish driver.
The taxi quickly
arrived, but when Yitzy and Henya were getting in, they overheard the
dispatcher on the two-way radio ask the driver, “Have you picked up the
anti-semites yet?”
"Mrs Cohen, I have to go to NYC this
afternoon to meet my daughter. Can I get you anything?"
Mrs. Cohen thanked her
and counter-offered,
"Listen, I have a commuter's ticket
for the train. Why don't you use my ticket, and you'll bring it back tonight.
After all, it's paid for. Why should you pay extra?"
The neighbor thanked
her and with the ticket in hand, made her way to the train station. When the
train arrived, she boarded, and as the conductor walked through, he happened to
glance at the ticket, noticing the name "Sadie Cohen.".
The conductor asked,
"Excuse me, madam, are you Sadie Cohen , the person whose name appears
on this ticket?"
The woman smiled
sweetly and nodded her head in the affirmative. More than a little suspicious,
the conductor asked,
"Would you let
me compare signatures? Would you mind signing your name?"
The black lady turned
indignantly to the conductor and snapped, "Man, are you crazy? You want
me to write on Shabbos?
Rabbi Bloom calls over
the Shammas. "Moishe, please get three chairs for our guests in the
back."
Moishe is a bit deaf
so he leans closer and says, "I beg your pardon, Rabbi?"
Rabbi Bloom again
says, "Get three chairs for our guests in the back."
Moishe was puzzled but
as there was a lull in the service, he goes to the front of the shull and
loudly announces, "The Rabbi says, 'Give three cheers for our
pests in the back!'"
Yankel listened to the
Rebbe at shul one Shabboss morning and when the Rebbe asked those with special
requests to come to him at Seuda Shlisheet/(3rd meal) , Yankel came. When it
was his turn, Yankel sat down and the Rebbe asked, "What do you want me
to help you with?"
Yankel said, "Pray
for my hearing, Rebbe."
The Rebbe put one hand
over Yankel's ear and his other hand on top of his head and prayed a while.
Then he removed his
hands and asked, "Yankel, how is your hearing now?"
Yankel answered,
"I don't know, Rebbe. It's next Wednesday at the courthouse!"
Abie and Sadie had a
religious goods store on Delancey Street on the Lower East side of NYC. The
neighborhood was changing. The Jews were moving to Westchester and the
Hispanics were moving in. "Abie, we have to move to Westchester,"
said Sadie.
"We can't", said Abie. "This neighborhood is our
life. We've been here for thirty-three years. Maybe we can start stocking
Catholic articles too."
Sadie says,"What?
Catholic articles? Bistu in gantzen meshuggeh? We're Jews. No Catholic
articles!!!"
Well, a month passed
and they sold nothing but two tallisim, three mezzuzahs and one set of
tefillin. Now was the time to fish or cut bait. Sadie agreed that they had to
stock Catholic articles, so she said to Abie,
"OK, call that
Catholic supply house on Park Avenue."
Abie: "Hello,
Catholic supply house on Park Avenue? This is Abie and Sadie's on Delancey
Street. I want 100 autographed pictures of the Pope, 200 of those beads - what
do you call them, rosaries? 500 crucifixes...and I need those things here
tomorrow."
"OK, Sir. I
got your order. Let me read it back. 100 autographed pictures of the Pope, 200
sets of rosaries and 500 crucifixes. But, tomorrow we don't deliver...
.....it's Shabbos."
Two astronauts make
the first manned flight to Mars. Upon landing, they find themselves face-to-
face with a couple of green Martians. "How do we make contact?"
asks the first astronaut. "They look pretty primitive. Let's impress
them with some of our technology."
"OK." says the first.
He reaches into the
pocket of his spacesuit and pulls out a shiny cigarette lighter. The Martians
look interested.
"I think it's
working - light it!"
says the second.
The first astronaut
turns the wheel and a flame shoots out. Immediately the faces of the Martians
turn from green to red.
"Wow!" says the first, "they must
really be impressed."
Then one of the
Martians reaches out his little green hand, points a finger at the men, frowns,
and says very sternly, "Nuuu…Shabbos!"
**********************************
The answer to this week”s question is C– What you mean you didn’t watch my Artscroll yerushlami video? You should know this the answer is of course Tiverya. By the time the Yerushalmi was written Jews weren’t allowed to live in Yerushalayim. It was Aila Capotalina a Roman city. Tiverya was the city of Torah for centuries even longer then Jerusalem the Sanhedrin sat there. In the year of the Churban the of 70 CE we had already moved the Sanhedrin to Yavneh. From there it headed up North to Usha Shefram Tzippoir Beit Shearim and Tiverya was the last stop. Thus making Tzfat the correct answer which wasn’t even a city in those days. So both right this week again making the latest score is Rabbi Schwartz at 18.5 point and the MOT having 5.5 point on this latest Ministry of Tourism exam.
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