Time is a Ciggerette- Chayei Sarah 2015/5776

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land
from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

November 6^th 2015 -Volume 6, Issue 5 23^rd Cheshvan 5776!

Parshat Chayei Sara

Time is a Cigarette

The modern day Hebrew language spoken in Israel has many words that, interestingly enough, have different translations and meaning as a result of distortions from their English- somewhat imitated- sources. I'll never forget when a friend of mine went to the mechanic, and in broken Hebrew explained how he had a problem with his tire mounting. The mechanic quickly and of course knowingly explained, "Ohh .. your "Bek –Eksel" . When my friend tried explaining that it was actually the front Axle of his car. The mechanic once against "translated" in Hebrew "Ahhhh you mean your "Bek Eksel- Kadimah" (your front- back axle). Needless to say they did not always get it right.

                       

As Americans in a yeshiva with many Israelis there was a running joke we had about translations. I think it happened when an American running late for an appointment once asked an Israeli in broken Hebrew "Ten Li Time BVakashah" meaning to say "please give me the time". The Israeli responded as most Israelis would by sticking his hand into his pocket pulling out a cigarette; in fact the most popular brand in Israel called TIME, and would then proceed to offer to light it up for the rather taken aback inquirer. I don't know why in Israel cigarettes are called TIME. For that matter I'm not really sure in America why they're called Marlboro (maybe after the cowboy). But from that point on whenever anyone would ask what time it was we would answer "Time is a cigarette".

As I think about it now in retrospect I note how ironic it was. What a ridiculous name for perhaps one of the greatest killers of time on this world. Is there a cigarette called LIFE or HEALTH? Why Time? The story is told of how once the great Sage, the Chafetz Chaim, heard someone discussing what he was going to do until his train arrived, as it seemed it would be delayed for a few hours. Upon hearing the young man says (inYiddish of course) that he was going to "kill a little time walking around the city". The Chafetz Chaim turned to him in a strong voice and said "Killing Time is the right word to use- because to kill time it is in fact murder". Yet how many of us can say we haven't done that with our time? How many of us in fact have seen their time as if it was nothing more meaningful than a cigarette; to be enjoyed and smoked till there's nothing but ash left. What is our perspective on time?

This week’s Torah portion tells us of one person (actually two… extra bowl of chulent if you can find the second) that did not feel that life or time was a cigarette. As our forefather Avraham ages, the Torah tells us a description of its view of his "golden years"

Vavraham Zakein Bah Bayomim -And Avraham was old, coming in days.

The late 16^th century Torah Commentary Klei Yakar notes the strange terminology of coming in days. Doesn't it already say he was old? What is the extra "with days" mean?

His suggestion written in the 16^th century, and even more relevant in today's world, reveals a unique perspective on time. Many people become old from their days. They are weary of their lives. They feel they have had enough. Even in their youth and their young and healthy years, their days are always viewed as empty, as time that needs to be killed as a life that is just waiting to be over. When they finally reach those years when time perhaps ticks the fastest and loudest, they have become so attuned to wasting it that they can't hear its toll.

Avraham, our forefather, was different though, he came with his days. As the Medrash tells us, he was old. But each day that he had lived had been full… had been dedicated… had been real. They were with him and they were his driving energy. He was still coming. He was still living.

There is a very powerful story of the Gaon of Vilna who upon his death bed turned to his students and began to break out in sobbing and tears as he grasped his Tzitzit fringes. When his students asked him what was wrong. He lifted his voice and said "Woe is me that I am leaving this world. A world where one can find eternity for a few kopecks, purchasing a few strings, and performing  a mitzvah with them properly. Woe is me that I am leaving such an incredible world with such incredible potential."

For many of us we long for this image of a peaceful death, surrounded by family and friends expressing gratitude for life. The Gaon of Vilna however saw something else. Life and Time are meant to be treasured and utilized. Even those last minutes. For each minute is a lifetime, and each act can and should be treasured. Death is always tragic for he who is still coming. Life is tragic for he who is not or has never come.  May each of us use and appreciate each of those precious moments and never be guilty of taking our time for granted.

Have a peaceful Shabbos,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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RABBI SCHWARTZ’S VIDEO OF THEWEEK

https://soundcloud.com/ephraim-schwartz/avinu-malkeinu  –song I composed in memory of the Kedoshim of Har Nof

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ForS09KA29o – accompanying video to my song-WARNING GRAPHIC SCENES

                               

https://youtu.be/PSX7uqJdrPg  – Nekom MBD singing Eli Klein composition in memory of the HarNof Kedoshim

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y0kBb4ENFs – Ben Gurion on Rav Gorens Appointment this Shabbos is his yartzeit

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

“Shpeiz kocht men in top un koved krigt der teller.”-  The food is cooked in a pot and the plate gets the honor

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S JEWISH PERSONALITY AND HIS QUOTES IN HONOR OF THE YARTZEIT  OF THE WEEK

.“ The Jewish People is a nation to the extent that it is dedicated to its Torah ... . The Jewish People did not create the Torah of Israel, but is rather the product of the fulfillment of the Torah, of the metaphysical imperative to realize the values that are embodied in the ethical pronouncements of the Prophets, in the vision of the Torah and in the vision of mankind. For me, Jewish education is education in order to practice, for Judaism is manifested in the fulfillment of commandments. There is no Judaism that is just embedded in the heart. I don’t believe in Judaism that is only felt in the heart”  Rabbi Shlomo Goren

Yartzeit-24^th of Cheshvan this Shabbos

Rabbi Shlomo Goren-Third Chief Rabbi of Israel (1917-1994)- Rav Goren is certainly one of the most significant figures in defining the modern State of Israel for better and for worse. A decorated paratrooper in the War of Independence he was known for his dedication to collecting of the bodies and giving proper burial to soldiers whose remains had been left in the field. He was made General and the first Chief Rabbi of the Israeli Army defining the army and giving it the vision of a Army that is governed by Torah laws. In his position he established that the army should have Kosher and was a strong believer in integrating religious and non-religious soldiers together in order to offer religious and knowledgeable role models to those that did not have the benefit of that education. Hew rote numerous works on halacha and Jewish thought outlining is Messianic fulfillment vision of the State of Israel.

In 1967 he fought in the 6 Day war and is most famous for the pictures of him conquering the Kotel and the Temple Mount and blowing Shofar. Although, it was not on the military agenda of the army (shockingly enough), he insisted that they go for it as “it is better to sit in prison and know tha Jerusalem and the temple Mount are liberated than to be liberated and know that Jerusalem and The Temple Mount remained imprisoned. He is also know for singlehandedly conquering the city of Hebron, having arrived there mistakenly before the army had where he received the surrender of the city and the Cave of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs.

He served from 1972-1982 as the Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi of Israel (opposite Rav Ovadia Yosef). His term though was full of controversy as he took many positions that alienated him from the Hariedi world particularly in the famous Langer Brother and Sister case, where her permitted two children that were born to a woman who had been previously married and divorced without a Get thus renedering them Mamzeirim to be permissible to marry by invalidating the conversion of the first husband. This ruling was against the common ruling of  Ovadia Yosef and many of the Halachic leaders of his time. In addition he was known to be outspoken in regards to the right and obligation for Jews to go up to the Temple Mount he even held services there on Yom Kippur. These rulings distanced the Hariedi world from the Chief Rabbinate and from that time on they would make sure that the chief Rabbis would only be one that would “tow the party line”.

After his retirement from the Chief Rabbinate as well he continued to be outspoken in regards to  the Oslo agreements which he opposed claiming that the greatest tragedy is that it is Israel that is giving the non-entity deceptive non-nation called Palestine any legitimacy by engaging with them. He urged Soldiers to disobey their officers if it they were ordered to expel settlers from their homes. And called for the death of Yasser Arafat and the enemies of Israel. He wrote 10’s of books on Jewish thought on the laws of Israel and response for soldiers and the army. His work on the Structure of the Temple and the Temple mount are classics as well as his insights into the Jerusalem Talmud. He passed away the 24^th of Cheshvan in Tel Aviv and is buried on Mount of Olives. Yihe Zichro Baruch..

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

(New exam this week these questions are from the most recent tour guide exam-let’s see how I do)

answer below at end of Email

Sources of water for the State of Israel include

A.    Mountain and Shoreline aquifers

B.     Desalinization of sea water and purification of sewage water

C.     The Kinneret and local wells

D.    All of the above

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL RASHI OF THE WEEK

Eliezer the faithful servant of Avraham is sent to find a spouse for Yitzchak in this weeks Parsha. Avraham has one request that Eliezer not take him a wife from the Cananite daughters and only from his own family. Eliezer however asks Ulai Lo Soaveh HaIsha Lalachet Achari El Ha’Aretz Hazot- Perhaps the girl will not wish to return with me to this land. Avraham then responds that he should marry Yitzchak instead to the daughters of the local people (Aner Eshkol-Rashi suggests). What’s interesting is that Eliezer repeats this entire conversation to Lavan when he comes to convince him to marry off Rivka to Yitzchak. There however the world Ulai-Perhaps is spelled without the Vav and Rashi notes that it could be read Eilai which means to me. Rashi thus explains

‘Eliezer had a daughter that he wished would marry Yitzchak and tried to find an excuse that he would marry him. Avraham however said my son is blessed and you come from a cursed lineage (Eliezer was a descendant of Cham the son of Noah, who was cursed) and a cursed one cannot cleave to a blessed one.”

The commentaries note that Rashi is not merely quoting a Midrash nor is he even interpreting the missing letter. As Rashi’s style as we noted is to explain the simple understanding of the text. There are two words for maybe there is Pen-which mean lest as in Shema we say Hishamer Lachem Pen Yifteh Livavchem- Be careful lest your hearts turn astray that is when one does not want the results. Then there is Ulai- maybe which is when wants the result. Like the word Halevai-If only. Here Eliezer uses the word Ulai- thus Rashi notes he must have wanted that she not return with him. Thus Rashi explains that the reason for this is because he had a daughter of his own.

See a short a little Rashi and an incredible lesson in the nuances of Hebrew Grammar. Amazing!

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL HISTORICAL EVENT THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DATE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK-

Operation Moses – The establishment of the State of Israel was in part meant to serve the function of a national homeland and refuge for Jews from anywhere on the globe. In the early years of the State refugees came from Yemen and Syria and many immigrants from Europe and Russia. In the late 70’s and early 80’s close to 7000 Jews were smuggled out of Ethiopia to Sudan and brought to Israel. 4000 more however died in terrible conditions in the refugee camps and Red Cross hospitals there. Recognizing the danger in the Jews remaining there Operation Moses was initiated on this date in 1984 bringing close to 7000 Jews to Israel in a mere 2 months’ time.

The Operation carried out as a joint effort between the Mossad, the CIA and the Sudanese secret Service (in exchange for money) ended when word was leaked to the media by then Shimon Peres, upon which the Sudanese Government called it quits fearing retaliation from their arab neighbors. The next wave of Ethiopian Olim came with Operation Sheba a few years later when then vice president and former CIA head George H Bush flew to Sudan personally to overlook the airlift of 800 remaining Falasha Ethiopian Jews. The next wave took place in the early 90’s when there was a regime change in Ethiopia and 14,0000 additional Falashas were brought in Operation Solomon.

It has taken less than 40 years of wandering in the desert to bring these fellow Jews home. Now we’re just waiting for the rest of our brothers to return as well.

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RABBI SCHWARTZ'S JOKES OF THE WEEK

The problem with Translation…

The following quotes were taken from actual medical records from Israeli hospitals...

• Between you and me, we ought to be able to get this lady pregnant.
• She is numb from her toes down.
• By the time he was admitted, his rapid heart had stopped and he was feeling better.
• Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year.
• On the second day the knee was better and on the third day it had completely disappeared.
• The patient has been depressed ever since she began seeing me in 1983.
• Patient was released to outpatient department without dressing.
• I have suggested that he loosen his pants before standing and then, when he stands with the help of his wife, they should fall to the floor.
• The patient is tearful and crying constantly. She also appears to be depressed.
• Discharge status: Alive but without permission.
• The patient refused an autopsy.
• The patient has no past history of suicides.
• Patient has left his white blood cells at another hospital.
• The patient's past medical history has been remarkably insignificant with only a 40 pound weight gain in the past three days.
• She slipped on the ice and apparently her legs went in separate directions in early December.
• The patient had waffles for breakfast and anorexia for lunch.
• The patient was in his usual state of good health until his aeroplane ran out of gas and crashed.
• When she fainted, her eyes rolled around the room.

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A Tel Aviv college professor of IT knew that ships are addressed as "she" and "her." But what gender, he thought, should computers be addressed? So he decided to ask his class.
He set up two groups of computer experts, one comprised of women and the other of men. Each group was asked to recommend whether computers should be referred to in the feminine or masculine gender and give 4 reasons for the choice.
The women said that computers should be referred to in the masculine gender.

• In order to get their attention, you have to turn them on.
• Although they have a lot of data, they are still clueless.
• They are supposed to help solve problems but most of the time they are the problem.
• As soon as you commit to one, you realise that had you had waited a little longer, you could have had a better model.

The men, on the other hand, said that computers should be referred to in the feminine gender.

• No one but God understands their internal logic.
• The native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else.
• Even smallest mistakes are stored in long-term memory for later retrieval.
• As soon as you commit to one, you start spending money on accessories for it.

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Gary was having a good time in Tel Aviv and was invited to a party. Unfortunately, during the evening, he lost his wallet. So Gary, not being of the shy kind, stood on a chair and shouted,
“Excuse me ladies and gentlemen, I’ve just lost my wallet with over £500 in cash in it. To the person that finds my wallet, I will give £50.”
A voice from the back of the hall shouted, “I will give £75.”

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Answer is D-This is an easy giveaway question. Israel is the leading country in alternative water sources. Two years ago was the smallest rainfall in Israels history and as opposed to years ago when there were all types of warnings and limitations on water usage, we were fine. The only ones that felt

the rain shortage were tour guides who scraped their backside on the floor of the Jordan river all summer long rafting down the Jordan River. I know you are probably queasy about the sewage purification. But don’t worry although the water comes out after the process, which consists of parasites eating up all the gunk, is fully drinking water quality. It is used for agriculture only. So you can drink gesundheit.

Beautiful Women- Parshat Vayeitzei 2014/5775

from the

Holy Land
from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

November 28^th 2014 -Volume 5, Issue 6 -6^th  of Kislev 5775

(Please check out the video clip of the song I composed in memory of the martyrs of Har nof Massacre below in this E-Mail)

Parshat Vayeitzei

Beautiful Women

David was a young man who had become more religious in recent years. He had studied in Yeshiva in Israel and was now back in the States where he was going to college and trying to make a living to pay his bills which without much parental support was becoming more and more difficult. His parents had offered him to live at home with them, but he knew that Kosher, Shabbat and all the nuances of his observant lifestyle would be too challenging for him to keep there. His parents wouldn't understand, although they respected him, and he felt that he would have a better relationship with them and a fuller religious life in the lower East Side close to his beloved teacher, one of the 

leaders of Torah Jewry at the time Rabbi Moshe Feinstien.

But real estate and rental prices aren't cheap in Manhattan. And after weeks of exhausting, frustrating

 searches David was having a hard time finding a place. Finally he saw an ad in the local paper for someone looking for a roommate, or more correctly for a situation that offered a free living arrangement. When he called the number to find out what the scoop was, however he wasn't too hopeful it was something that he was able to do. The offer that was being made was for him to share an apartment with an elderly Jewish woman. Although she had full time day aides that would spend time with her, her children wanted to have someone with her at night time as well. Being as "Sadie" refused to be put into any type of nursing home, the only feasible solution was to find a young man that would be willing to sleep over and share her Apartment which they would offer for free.  For someone like David, that didn't have any real social life or needs as he was in school and had not started Shiduch dating anyways this seemed like a perfect situation. Except….

Except….Except for one little Jewish law. For David recalled learning in Yeshiva that it was forbidden by Jewish Law for a man to be secluded with a woman who he is not married to or is his close relative for any significant period of time. Certainly David was not that concerened of "anything" ever happening between Sadie and himself, Yet a law is a law and a Mitzva is a Mitzva and as far as he was aware there really was no exceptions to the rule, barring of course life and death situations. On the other hand, maybe this situation was different. Perhaps since this was more of a Rabbinic rather than Biblical law there was more "wiggle" room. After- all she was older, he was in a tight financial spot.  This would really help him live a better religious lifestyle. It was after-all right around the corner from his Yeshiva and Synagogue. The Yetzer Harah is really good at this game and David realized that he needed to seek guidance from his Rebbe, although he wasn't too hopeful. After-all a law is a law regardless if it makes sense or not. Isn't that true?

So David headed over to his Rebbe's house to pose the question to his Rebbe. He began his question with the disclaimer that

 "I know that this is probably forbidden..but I just wanted to check with Rebbe to see if maybe in this situation it would be alright…"

His Rebbe though taught him a lesson though that remained with him for the rest of his life.

"I'm sorry Duvid'l" Reb Moshe said "It is prohibited for you to be together with her. They can find a nice young woman to watch over her or she could be placed in a home with full time help, or perhaps even best of all is the family themselves can take turns watching over her. You however cannot."

And then when Reb Moshe seeing the young man's still questioning eyes taught him the lesson that would remain with him forever.

"Duvid'l remember it doesn’t' make a difference how old someone is a Jewish woman never loses her beauty… A Jewish woman never loses her beauty…"

David found another apartment. He married a nice Jewish woman a few months later and today he is a grandfather himself with a still beautiful Jewish wife. Not a day goes by that he doesn't appreciate her and not a day that he doesn’t' pass down that message to his children as they begin to build their homes. A Jewish woman never loses her beauty. A law is a law.

In this week's Torah portion we are introduced to the last of our Matriarchs; Rachel and Leah (and their hand-maidens Bilha and Zilpa) from whom the entire Jewish people are born. So much time and commentary is spent in the book of Genesis/Bereshis discussing and examining the lives of our forefathers and their trials and challenges and many times the extraordinary personalities and the lives of our Matriarch is glossed over. Yet it is truly this great and beautiful women who more often than not get the sole credit for defining and creating the essence of the Jewish people. Each one of our Matriarchs were different, as each one of our Patriarchs were and each one of them possessed unique qualities that formed our eternal Nation's spiritual DNA, yet one common theme encompasses all of them; a sense of commitment and personal sacrifice for their children, their family and their Jewish home.

Sarah, our first Matriarch, has perhaps one of the most challenging lives imaginable. Orphaned as her father is killed by the wicked king Nimrod she marries her uncle Avraham and together with him create the first Jewish outreach center in the world. Now I can tell you from personal experience that there is not too many things more exciting and fulfilling than having a home where people can come and spend Shabbat meals and are introduced to the beauty of Judaism. I get to give classes, people are excited and inspiration fills the air. But for the Jewish wife who has to cook meals, clean-up and have her house turned into a free for all for anyone her husband decides to bring home on any particular day from shul it's not always so easy. Particularly if you are living in a tent and especially if your husband is Avraham who didn't meet a person, isolator, pagan, vagrant, traveler who he didn't think could use a nice good bowl of hot soup and who’s soul he didn't feel he had to reach out to. Moving along in her life we read story after story of how she is beset with challenges of picking up and leaving her life and community that she had spent decades building to wander into some foreign land; one of the most idiolatrous and pagan societies in the world; Canaan. For Avraham, this came from a command from above with blessings and promise of children and greatness. For Sarah this was faith in her husband and in Hashem.

When they arrive in the new country, they are beset with famines which make them leave the land again and again where she is beset with even greater challenges. She lies about her marital status to protect her husband and is given over to despot kings who, but for the hand of Hashem, would have defiled her. Even in the land of Israel, she still does not see the promise of children yet in order to build the Jewish home she is willing to give her husband her own hand maiden so that at least he may produce an heir. When she finally has her son Yitzchak, she is forced once again to make difficult choices and even stand up to her own husband recognizing that only with by sending away Yishmael her husband's beloved elder son can Yitzchak become the great and pure Patriarch that he is meant to become. Her life ends, the Torah tells us, right after Yitzchak is taken to be bound on an altar before God. Yitzchak has achieved the level of a Patriarch from who’s merit the Jewish people will always depend upon. Her husband Avraham has passed his final test and achieved all that he was meant to. Her life is complete, and she dies as the first Jewish Matriarch who instilled in all the Jewish mothers that would follow the commitment to doing whatever it would take for their children and their family. That, my friends is beauty.

Rivka, our second Matriarch become the symbol of Jewish chesed and kindness that is the Jewish woman that starts at even the youngest of ages as she brings water to Eliezer, Avraham's servant, and to his camels. She as well as all of our Matriarchs is barren for many years. And when she finally does have children, she becomes the first Jewish mother to have to deal with perhaps one of the greatest challenges anyone can ever have and that is the challenge and struggle of a child that is not turning out the way and with the values that he was meant to become and achieve. A child that becomes a thief, a murderer and who's hatred and jealousy of his brother, her other son, reaches levels where he his life is in danger. This is in face of the promise that Hashem had given her that she would have two great nations. That one was meant to become subservient to the other and through the shared special relationship between the two forces of Yaakov and Esau the world could reach its spiritual fulfillment. She, as her predecessor Sarah, are given a deeper level of spiritual intuition and understanding than their husbands as to what she must to make this family whole and create the Jewish Nation. But perhaps even greater than Sarah, she must send away her own beloved son, a son whom she will never see again, and she must send him to a place and to her brother who she knows is certainly going to make life difficult if not even worse try to destroy him, all so that he may become the great Patriarch that he is meant to become. The final epitaph that the Torah tells us about Rivkah, that the Torah tells us at the conclusion of last week's Torah portion is that she is the mother of Yaakov and Esau. She was not only Yaakovs mother she was Esau's as well; equally. If we grasp that and the tremendous sacrifices and life of a woman that is defined by her act and personality of goodness and kindness, than we can slowly start to comprehend that eternal beauty of our Matriarchs.

Finally this week we are introduced to the last of the Jewish Matriarchs, Rachel the beloved first-choice and Bashert/soul-mate of Yaakov and Leah who was meant to marry Esau, but through her power of tear-filled prayers and her recognition that only through Yaakov would she be able to be part of the Jewish destiny became the fourth Matriarch and the mother of half the tribes of Israel. The sacrifice and challenge of these two women is incomprehensible to the modern mind. I saw an insight that explained that although we have a tradition that our forefathers observed the entire Torah before it was given based on their own spiritual understanding of its integral part of Creation, and the marriage of two sisters is forbidden, Yaakov understood that Rachel and Leah were both meant to be married to him. For although once the Torah was given it is prohibited to violate its commandments based on one's own understanding, prior to its being given our forefathers were able to interpret its laws. When it comes to marrying two sisters the Torah says it is prohibited to marry them as they will cause anguish and jealousy between one another. Yaakov knew though that for Rachel and Leah this would never be a problem. Rachel gave her sister Leah the special secret signs that Yaakov gave her fearful that his father-in-law the crook Lavan might pull something like he did switching the sisters on the wedding night. According to one Medrash she even hid in the bedroom and spoke when Yaakov spoke to her in order that her sister not be shamed. Each one of these Matriarch, as Sarah before them give their own hand-maidens to their husband as wives in order to merit having more children. For these two women Yaakov knew that there would never be any jealousy. They were willing to give and do anything to build the nation of Israel. Mama Rachel, Yaakov's beloved is not even buried together with him and Yaakov tells his son years later that it is for one reason. Rachel, would never have wanted to be buried there because she had known that she would one day be able to see her children going into exile years later and she wanted to be buried on the route in order to pray for them. In order to cry before our Father in Heaven for them. In order that they may one day soon merit to build that ultimate Jewish home and return to Israel. The beauty of our Jewish women is forever.

We live in a world where beauty is barely skin-deep. We live in a world where so many of our beautiful young Jewish women are challenged in finding their soul-mates who can find that inner beauty that never fades within them. Jewish homes become threatened and in many cases even devastated because many forget that lesson of Reb Moshe about the eternal beauty of our spouses our holy women. Sadly so many of our women forget that their ultimate glory and beauty is their inner strength and fortitude and they feel the need to obscure that by defining themselves by their externalities and their fleeting physical appeal rather than the eternal beauty that flourishes from within. We live in a world that we were meant to inspire and teach about the essence of relationships, family, homes and marriage and all too often we have allowed them to influence us. It is perhaps for this reason that it is so important that each Friday night Shabbat evening, right before we say our Kiddush and sanctify our holiest day each week,  Jewish custom is to recite the Aishet Chayil/ Woman of Valour psalm composed by King Solomon. The song that was composed as an analogy about our relationship with Hashem is utilized in its simplest form to remind us of our special relationship with our wives, our mothers, the Jewish woman who builds our home. For without that appreciation we can't even connect to God and to the holiness of Shabbos. To appreciate the eternal nature of Shabbos we have to appreciate the eternal beauty of the Jewish woman that gives us that eternity. For it is only when we realize the beauty of our lives that we can bask in the aura of other-worldliness that being Hashem's people truly is.

Have a beautiful Shabbos,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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RABBI SCHWARTZ'S  COOL YOUTUBE CLIP OF THE WEEK

On my way home from paying a Shiva call to the parents and family of my dear friend Aryeh Kupinshy H"YD I composed this beautiful song that captured my feelings and emotions. I had a good friend of mine with a beautiful voice sing it for me and make the arrangements and I put together a slideshow that depicts the horror and grief of the terrible, painful tragedies that we have gone through. The words are Avinu Malkeinu Asei L'Maan Harugim Al Shem Kodshecha. It is my hope that as you watch this you offer the heartfelt prayers to our Father in Heaven to bring the redemption already and may these be the last sacrifices that he takes from us.

http://holylandinsights.blogspot.co.il/2014/11/har-nof-martyrskedoshim-video-slide.html  

an edited less graphic slideshow of above song and tragedy

http://holylandinsights.blogspot.co.il/2014/11/avinu-malkeinu-har-nof-massacre-moving.html

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S  FAVORITE QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“The heart sees better than the eye"-Yiddish quote

 "Man does not control his own fate. The women in his life do that for him."-Groucho Marx

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

(answer below at end of Email)

 Q.  An arterial tourniquet should never be applied to the

A) Neck

B)  Calf

C)  Thigh

D) Arm

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL MIDRASH OF THE WEEK  

After Yackov leaves Lavans house working for his father in law for 22 years. Lavan pursues him looking for the idols that Rachel stole. When his search comes up fruitless. Yackov tells him

"You have looked through all my possesions and what have you found of all your household goods.?"

There is an important Medrash that says A son-in-law who lived in his father-in-laws house and leaves it would usually be given some item or another from his father-in-law. Who would dismiss a son-in-law empty-handed? But you Lavan have searched all my vessels and have not found a single thread or needle that belonged to you.

That's it... J

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL THINGS TO DO  IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

Meet inspiring people – When you are visiting Israel you are not only visiting a country you are meeting a people a nation of God. This is a place where you can meet the most incredible people in the world. It's a country where everyone has a story, a miracle that has happened to them, a brother, a cousin, a friend or neighbor that they may have lost in a war giving up their lives for the Jewish people. People that are involved in all types of various activities of community kindness and making the world a better place. There are great Rabbis and Rebbetzins you can and should meet that could share with you insights and words of inspiration. Even the simplest taxi driver in this country has a story to tell a world-view that can change your life. Don't be shy we're all family here and while you are here take the time to get to know them and in the process get to know yourself a little better.

 

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RABBI SCHWARTZ'S JOKE OF THE WEEK

An Israeli mayor in a small town is walking past a construction site with his wife. One of the construction workers stops and calls out to the woman.
 "What's new, Sara?"
 "Why, it's nice to see you again Avi," the woman replies. She turns to introduce her husband to the construction worker, and they speak for several minutes.
 After the mayor and his wife continue on, he turns to his wife to ask how she knows him.
 "Oh," she said. "We went together in high school. I even thought about marrying him."
 The husband began to laugh. "You don't realize how lucky you are. If I hadn't come along, today you would be the wife of a construction worker!"
 The wife replied without hesitation, "Not really. If I had married him, he'd now be a mayor!"

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Answer is A:  Yes we Tour guides have to learn 1^st aid as well, although Baruch Hashem I have never needed to use it. CPR, what to do in case of animal bites, breaks, electrocution and in Israel in case of God forbid terror attacks. Being a professional lifeguard helps as well. Although having a gun is not a requirement, many guides to carry one. I personally don't. I figure any place I might need a gun I'm not taking people and if I do I'd rather have soldiers around. I think everyone will be safer that way.   A tourniquet is a solution by the way for only arm and leg injuries. You do not want to try strangling a guy with one…don't think you need first aide for that.

Avinu Malkeinu, Har Nof Massacre moving video "edited" version

Har Nof martyrs/Kedoshim video slide show Avinu malkeinu song I composed

A Kaddish Tour- Toldos 5775/2014

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land
from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

November 21^st 2014 -Volume 5, Issue 5 -28^th  of Cheshvan 5775

Parshat Toldos

A Kaddish Tour

The theme of our trip with my tourists this past week became a Kaddish tour. Phil and Martin two brothers were here in Israel a few months after their mothers passing and they wanted to be able to see and walk and explore the land that their father of blessed memory had never been able to come to. For Martin this was his first time in Israel. Tears streamed down his eyes as he landed here and they didn't stop flowing until he headed back. Over the course of the trip we davened in holy places in which all of them Kaddish was recited for their mother. The grave of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in Meron, Rabbi Akiva in Tiverya, Kever Rachel in Beit Lechem and The Churva shul in Yerushalayim. When we finally came to the Kotel, the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, Martin said he felt the presence of his parents looking down upon him. After we davened Shacharis Martin asked me if we could go up to the Temple Mount and say kaddish there. This was certainly not something that I would do this week and although there are many religious Jews that do go up based on the rulings of their Rabbis, my mentors and guides have always felt it is problematic and I still await the day when Hashem gives us back out Temple to once again go up and kiss that holy ground.

But a tour guide can't just say no. We have to have an alternative. As a rabbi, as well, I saw Martin's longing and knew that holy inspiration had to be channeled it needed to connect with the holy spheres. So I told Martin that I would take them to another place- a place I said that I believe is even more powerful. We got into the car and made our way to Har Nof, the once idyllic city that I spent my yeshiva years in Israel studying and where my wife and sisters went to seminary in. But there were no children playing on the streets. The city was quiet, in mourning and in shock. Police vans and reporters lined the streets, it  was here that my childhood friend, Aryeh, and Aliza's close friend Chaya Levine's husband Kalman, were massacred while davening the day before in their Tallis and Tefillin. As we entered the shul and passed the bullet hole ridden front doors. I paused and wiped tears and told them the following.

"I cannot take you to the place of the Beit Hamikdash, it has been destroyed and we are still in exile. Mashiach is still not here and we have not yet reached the eternal promise of peace when the 'wolves' will lie down with the sheep and spears and axes will be turned to plowshares. But I can take you to the Mizbayach- to the most recent altar laid before our father in heaven upon which four sacrifices were brought yesterday morning. This is our Holy of Holies today. Here we will say Kaddish and sanctify our Father's name. May these be the last sacrifices that he takes from us that we are not bringing to him on the altar in the Beit Hamikdash."

I remember Aryeh growing up. His parents lived a few houses down from us. We played ball together. Cops and Robbers. He was always the Cop, I always preferred to be the robber… robber/Rabbi they sound the same J. I don't know if there was a day that either he wasn't at my house or more usually I was at his. (His parents had less restrictive TV rules J.) When he told me his parents were moving to Israel, when he was eleven years old. I couldn't believe it. Who was I going to play with? Who was going to be there for me? But move they did. His parents Bracha and Shlomo the week after the newborn babies Bris moved to brand new community of Kiryat Arbah. They wanted to raise their children with their love and passion of Eretz Yisrael. With a life that was not just full of learning Torah, doing Chesed/kindness and praying for the day that we would return home, but to grab the opportunity to be part of that return. To live in that critical strategic area, up the block from and overlooking the tombs of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs in Hebron. Their children would be able to learn the Torah of Eretz Yisrael, to practice kindness and observe the mitzvos in the land that for generations we always longed for. My friend Aryeh was a testimony of the success of that plan.

My former neighbors who moved to Har Nof a few months ago and who are preparing for their sons Bar Mitzva, told me they spoke to him the other day. It seems that Aryeh had bought a few small freezers for his own family simcha and then decided to use them as a way of helping others. With some small advertisements in the local newspapers he advertised his newest Gemach (kindness fund) of which he had many. This was a freezer fund anyone that needed one to borrow for their family occasions and simchas had to just call him and he would bring it over for them to use for as long as they needed and pick them up when they were done. He told my neighbors that he was so overwhelmed with responses and requests he was looking to buy a few more. Aryeh was just full of love for his fellow man. Each Purim he would get dressed up as a clown to be the crossing guard for the kids. He was someone that was full of thoughtfulness and joy of life and he was also a man of tremendous faith. When his young daughter passed away in her sleep just a few years ago suddenly, I remember talking to him, I couldn't stop crying as he comforted me and told me of all the kindness organizations he would start and open in her memory. How she would continue to live on in the inspiration she left. He was a Torah scholar, who worked in computers to support his family. But if you asked him what he did, his learning was always the way he defined himself. Completing tractate after tractate and always making sure he was doing right not only in the eyes of Hashem but in living a life that would bring us together and sanctify Hashem's name in this world. That was the Korban/sacrifice Hashem took this week. That was my friend.

How does this happen? How could it be? How does Hashem take a Jew and father of 10 like Kalman Levine, who davened at sunrise every morning and just came to the shul to ask the Rabbi a question in his Torah study that has been troubling for a few days? Or a Rabbi like Rabbi Twersky who inspired so many of his young American students with his personal love and caring for each of them, whose love of Torah and everything transformed the lives of hundreds of young men eternally? Or Aryeh, whose last acts on this world before he was brutally murdered was to daven to our Father in Heaven in the Talis and Tefilin that he wore every day of his life since he got them, and then to throw chairs and shtenders at his attackers in shul as he yelled for others to leave and escape. It doesn't make sense? It can't be.

In this week's Torah portion we read about or elderly Patriarch Yitzchak, who was himself tied up and lais out as an offering before God. The Torah portion tells us that in his old age as he came to bless his sons his eyes were blinded. He was thus able to be deceived into giving the rightful firstborn blessing to Yaakov our forefather, rather than Esau who had sold it to him for a pot of soup. Our sages tell us that Yitzchaks blindness came from the tears of the angels that fell upon his eyes when they saw that emotional and tragic scene of Avraham standing over his son Yitzchak with his knife willing to offer him up to sanctify God's name as per Hashem's specific command to him in that most powerful of trials of Avraham's faith. The tears of angels…

One of my teachers once explained, that in heaven there are no tears. In heaven all is clear. The Divine plan is understood and revealed. It is all good. For the angels to cry they had to come down to this world. A world where hiddenness of the Divine reigns, a world of pain and tragedy as mankind struggles to reconnect, through our faith and belief, with our Creator; a world where evil and murder is as much of a free choice as love and kindness. It is only in this world where angels can cry. And it is those tears that could even blind our Patriarch Yitzchak into not seeing the murderous hatred of his son Esau, as he looked in him for that Divine spark. While not fully appreciating the power of the goodness and even leadership of the simple Torah scholar, Yaakov, who dwelled in the tent and his ability to build a nation and transform the world with his ways of kindness and his steadfast commitment to Torah and its ways. Yitzchak was looking with the angels of heavens eyes where all is good. Yet here in this world we are left with our mortal confusion, our pain, our tragedy our existence which all too well knows the hatred of our enemies and the animalistic depravity with which they will go about trying to destroy us.

Martin asked me if this is what life in Israel is like. A rough question for many tour guides. But my heart is what gave him the answer that I don't believe he was expecting but encapsulates the essence of the Jewish people.

"Yes" I told him. "This is what life in Israel is about. Not a day goes by in this country that we do not feel connected to one another in the most powerful and intimate of ways. Not a day goes by in this country when we are not reminded that we are still in Galut/Exile and that we must still long and pray for that eternally promised day when the Shechina will finally return. Not a day in this country goes by that we are not forced to turn to our Father and to ask him 'When?' 'Why?' 'How much longer?' 'How much more?' Many times we are connecting to one another through happy occasions-through the bar mitzvahs we saw at the Kotel, through the acts of kindness that we experience, through the sounds of Torah that ring out once again from the sound-waves over the radio and the halls of synagogues and study halls and through the prayers that are always offered on behalf of one another. On other occasions we are connecting to our Father and to our family in tragedy, in war, in apprehension about our children, our soldiers, our sick. But we are always connected. That is what life here is all about. And if you ask me that is what the life of a Jew is supposed to be about."

In other countries it is possible to disconnect, or at least to delude oneself that there is an existence as a Jew that is possible without Hashem. That what happens to the people living in the Land of Israel will not affect their day-to day lives. That one can change the channel and escape from the tragedies and the intensity of events that transpire a world away. Here in Israel there are no other channels. We are always on prime time. It is the place where there is always Kaddish, where our lives are that of Kedusha/holiness, in life and in death. May Hashem bring comfort to all of the Jewish people and may these be the last sacrifices that Hashem takes from us, rather than us bringing to Him from our Temple Mount with the Temple rebuilt.

Have a Shabbos that reminds the world what the peace and tranquility of the Divine looks and feels like,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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RABBI SCHWARTZ'S  FAVORITE QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Our Father Our King act for the sake of those who were murdered for your holy name

Our Father our king act for the sake of those who were slaughtered for your Oneness

Our Father our King avenge the spilled blood of your servants"-Ancient prayer composed by Rabbi Akiva the great leader martyred by the Romans

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

(answer below at end of Email)

 Q.   Which of the following Israeli presidents was involved in the study of Jerusalem, the Land of Israel and Jewish communities in the east?

A.    Chaim Weizmann

B.     Yitzhak Ben-Zvi

C.     Zalman Shazar

D.    Yitzhak Navon

 RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL MIDRASH OF THE WEEK  

"And Yitzchak said I am old and do not know the day of my death"-There ae seven things that are concealed from a person

1)      The day of his death

2)      The day when Hashem will comfort Zion (the time of the final redemption)

3)      The full severity of Hashems judgement

4)      The business in which he will succeed

5)      Another person's thoughts

6)      Whether a child being carried by a woman will be a male or female

7)      The time of the downfall of Edom (the last kingdom which we will be subjugated under, which follows the arrival of Mashiach)

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL THINGS TO DO  IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

Connecting with your family – Everybody has a cousin in Israel. And if you don't I'll find you one. But here we are all Mishpacha. Go to the Western Wall and you will dance and sing with Bar mitzvah boys. Go to Shul in the morning and you will meet a total stranger and join them for their childs Bris. Pop into a wedding hall on any evening and dance with a bride or groom the celebrants will be happy to see you. You're family. On the other more tragic end most Israelis have at one time or another paid a Shiva call or gone to a funeral of a family they didn't know of a fallen soldier, a hero , a martyr a victim of terror. We're family. We're there for one another. Try it. Other opportunities to connect is strike up a conversation with anyone. On a bus, in a cab on line in the supermarket. We are all related and we love to find those connections. Even most meaningful, give some charity to someone, help out and volunteer in a soup kitchen, make hospital visits, connect with the less fortunate. They are also our family and appreciate it the most. You’re here for an Israel experience this is the ultimate.

  

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S  COOL YOUTUBE CLIP OF THE WEEK

Kaddish recited by the 5 year old orphan of Aryeh Kupinsky HY"D at his fathers funeral

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fuy8pkjnzjw&feature=youtu.be

the Jewish response from Rabbi Yackov Haber

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSG_jEEBCMc  

I'm not a big expert on the Bible Codes but I found this interesting on the Har Nof massacre

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVN2qEXdkts  

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RABBI SCHWARTZ'S SAD JOKES GOING AROUND THIS TRAGIC WEEK

 ISRAELI GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENT

At this time in order not to incite any of our arab residents to violent it is advisable no to go to har habayit (temple mount), har hazeitim (mt of olives), har homa (jewish neighborhood) and har nof. At this time it is only permitted to ascend har HaMenuchos (the cemetery)…

Things you might hear Israeli Ministers say

Hanan Zuabi-They are not terrorists they just wanted to convert they brought axes fro the circumcision

Finance Minister- I have given orders to cancel all Synagogue governmental grants and I have requested that the police shut them down immediately all synagogues that threaten the security of our citizens.

CNN NON-BIASED HEADLINES OF THE PAST

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Answer is C:  Ben Zvi the second and longest serving Prime minister of Israel (11 years-until his death) was one of the signers of the declaration of Israel's independence. He lived in a small simple house in Rechavia to reflect the austerity of the people and his times setting the tone for Presidents role since then as a non-political figure head that represents the people. His main interests were Jewish history and the land of Israel and particularly eastern Jewish alternative civilizations and cultures and lost tribes writing works on the Karaites and Samarians (shomronim). His face appears on the bill of every 100 shekel today in Israel.