Natural Heeling- Parshat Eikev 2019 /5779

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land
from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

August 23^rd 2019 -Volume 9 Issue 46 22^nd of Av 5779

Parshat Eikev

Natural Heeling

Yair is a friend of mine. But he’s a bit different than you and I. We live in the city or the suburbs. We have a house. We get our food from the supermarket or lately it seems more often than not at hotels for breakfast, falafel and pizza stores for lunch and some nice restaurants for dinner. Oyy the rough life of being a tour guide. We spend an inordinate amount of time on our phone and computer. We have children that see Dadddy do that and can’t wait till they grow up and do and have all that too. In fact, a few years ago I took my little 5 year old Tully along with me on Friday afternoon to Tzfat, and showed him all the sites. What most enthralled him though was all the free drinks and ice creams many of my frequent restaurants and kiosks were giving me and him as we passed by-in appreciation of the frequent customers that I’m there with. At the end of the day Tully warmed my heart when he turned to me and said “Daddy, I also want to be a tour guide like you”. After a few minutes though he began to ponder and turned to me with a more somber and concerned look and asked “Do I have to be fat to be a Tour guide…?” Oyy…Good question, my son… good question.

But anyways, back to Yair. Yair is different. He is not fat. In fact he is skinny. He does not live in a city, suburb or even a house. He lives in the forest. Yaar Baal Shem Tov to be precise. He is married with 5 kids. I believe that he might have a computer. His phone is definitely not anything too ‘smart’. He does have a nice piano though, out there in his small home-made shack in the woods. He also has a hand operated washing machine that he’s quite proud of having made. Food? Well, Yair and his lovely wife Tovi and their children are vegans. They only like to eat what’s natural. Unlike me who also likes natural though I define it as food that doesn’t bite me when I put it in my mouth, they only eat things that comes out of the ground. No milk or cheese either. “Just like Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden” he tells me. He does have goats though, but that’s just because he like the sounds that they make. The water they have on good days comes in from a pipe that runs a few kilometers from a natural water source nearby. It gets clogged up, but they don’t need so much. “Vegans, don’t really sweat” he tells me. He does have solar panels that provide some electricity for their lights. He feels like he’s cheating a bit by doing this, and even points out to me that even the energy efficient LED bulbs he has attracts bugs, which natural fire wouldn’t- he claims. Although I remember getting bitten up by all the campfires I used to go to. But maybe because those mosquitos also wanted a taste of those hot dogs or s’mores that I had just eaten, that of course wouldn’t be found in Yair’s ‘natural’ lifestyle. Yet, Yair explains guiltily, that although he’s still cheating with that electricity, it’s because he’s originally a city boy, (raised in Telshe Stone) and his still in the process of weaning himself off of that as well. As I said Yair’s different than you and I.

Is this fair for his children? He asks me is my lifestyle, our lifestyle fair for ours. I visited him this past week and asked him if I could bring anything. He asked for two bags of ice cubes. It was after all 115 degrees outside. I can tell you, though I have never seen children so enthralled with ice cubes though in my life. It would’ve taken me buying my own children a brand new I-Phone with unlimited data and texting to get even half the excitement that filled Yair’s home. Ice cubes… I can tell you that Yair’s children (all but the oldest incidentally born ‘naturally’ in the forest) are some of the truly happiest children I have ever met. Each day they come home from school excited over the different activities that they do. Renovating their bedrooms with newer and prettier stones that they fine, carving out wood, making pottery art taking care of their goats, and running freely through the mountains of the Galilee with their pet dogs. When, their father comes home all of the children come running up to see him and greet him, excitedly showing him all they have done each day. My tourists that I brought with me to visit him, remarked how they only wished their children would look up for a minute from their computers to even nod at him when he walks into their room. So, his words echo in my mind, is our lifestyle truly being fair to our children? Fair to ourselves?

Don’t’ get worried. I’m not going vegan or moving out to a forest anytime soon. It would be hard to write this weekly E-Mail from there. But my visits to Yair never fail to inspire me. His incredible ability to see beyond the “norm” and to actually have the resolve to do something and be different to live and raise his family in what he calls an “authentic, natural lifestyle”. His love and connection to the Eretz Yisrael and how he doesn’t want to taint that with anything “made in China”, any South American beef, or anything to distract him and his appreciation of what the Torah describes in this week’s Torah portion repeatedly as the “good land”, is one of the most beautiful things I can only aspire to feel. I admire his and his wife’s determination to turn off all the noise, all the media and commercial manipulations, messages and alternative distractions and pursuits that I think we can all acknowledge dominate our existence. The noise is so loud, we can’t hear the sound that I hear at night at Yair’s den, of the earth and land and even of Hashem calling out to me anymore. Somehow “natural” seems tempting even to me.

The portion this week is called Eikev. It’s an interesting name for a Parshaas the word literally means heel. Yes, like on the bottom of your foot. The title for the portion comes from the first verse which uses the word in an entirely different way. The verse reads and

 And it shall be Eikev you will listen to my laws and you will observe and perform them and Hashem your God will guard for you the covenant and the kindness which he swore to your forefathers. And he will love you and bless you and multiply you…

The commentaries all struggle to understand the context of the word Eikev here. Some suggest it should be read in exchange for listening to my laws, others understand the word to mean as a result of following the laws and yet others see it as meaning that as soon as you follow my laws. Rashi however diverts from his usual way of interpreting the verse according to the simple meaning and reads the word as heel. And understands that Hashem is telling the people to be diligent about those simple mitzvahs that one might neglect and step on with his heel. I find it fascinating that our holy language of Hebrew this one word can mean all of the various interpretation. The question is what all the other translations of the word have to do with a heel.

The great Rebbe of Sassov suggests an interesting homiletical interpretation. He said if a person will listen to his heel than he will have these laws and he will guard and observe them. I’ve had long hard day hiking in the desert. And I know what my heels are saying to me. But the Rebbe was referring to something else entirely. The heel is the lowest and hardest part of the body. It has the thickest skin. It’s not easy to get through to the heel. But the heel is the part that most connects to the ground, to the earth. If we listen to the heel meaning try to understand what the most natural state of the world is asking from you to do, instead of just marching forward to wherever the rest of the body wants us to go. Than inevitably we will find that we would observe the mitzvos and bring the world to its fulfillment.

I thought about this idea a lot since visiting Yair. He’s listening to his heel. He only wants to connect to Hashem through the holy land of Israel whose cry to him he is listening to. The natural state of the world sings praise to Hashem. How often do we stop to hear that song? Do we let it touch and move our spirits? Are we treading on holy earth with heavy boots and shoes with our earphones plugged in our fingers texting and our minds online? Have we lost our connection to the beauty of Creation that is waiting for our composition, longing for the blessing that we are meant to bring as soon as we bring that song to its incredible climax? The Torah portion of Eikev is replete with this idea. The natural state of the Land and its blessing is dependent on the mitzvos that we do and the sanctification we bring to the land. The rains will fall or not fall based on our heeding our Eikev. We will win or lose our battles and challenges Eikev. Nachmanides notes that the heel is bent and curved. From the bottom it moves up. It is the natural circle of life and the Torah and Mitzva lifestyle in the land is what will allow the earth and blessing to flow.

Perhaps the most poignant idea that I heard about the Eikev, though is one I heard from Rav Moshe Shapiro. He suggested that generation before Mashiach comes is called the Ekvita D’Mashiach, the heels of Mashiach. For the generation before Mashiach may be the toughest and the thickest skinned and the hardest to penetrate and elicit and emotion, feeling or sensation from. The apathy will be overwhelming. Yet there is one thing that can get through to the heel. That he suggests is a little tickle. It doesn’t need any big booms or slaps. One just needs to tickle it with love and laughter and just watch that heel start to kick and jump. Now you know why there’s a joke in my weekly E-Mail J. We have finished our period of mourning for our Temple. We are in what our sages refer to as the 7 weeks of comfort and consoling. It’s the time for healing. It’s the time when we can get out and listen to our heels as we explore the beauty of the world that Hashem has given us. It’s the time when we can bring a smile and a hug to someone who needs it. All we need is that tickle. Mashiach is awaiting our heels.

Have a relaxing Shabbos,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

“Besser a krummer fus aider a krumer kop.”- Better a crooked foot than a crooked mind.

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO  OF THE WEEK

https://youtu.be/ZMqomaB3wvw   – Dovid Berg great song Poteach like the singer, the video and the words…

https://youtu.be/hMmfXAdZC1g   – Ki Nacham Tziyon by Gad- arrangements by my friend Yitz Berry! Beautiful song for the 7 weeks of consolation

https://youtu.be/tyejldoEINA  -New Maccabeats Kol Haneshama with camp Kaylie

https://youtu.be/QvMw_b25qfU    – Another Yitz Berry arrangement for Avi Illson SheYavo leibidg!

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

Q   An artifact that distinctly characterizes the Chalcolithic culture:
A) Collared-rim jar (kankan sfat zavaron)
B) Butter churn
C) Axe for torturing
D) Sarcophagus

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S “LOMDUS” CONNECTION OF THE WEEK

Parshat Eikev– One of the greatest challenges of being raised as an observant Jew is that we take everything religious for granted. We do it by rote. It becomes uninspiring because it’s the same blessings, same prayers, same Torah day in and day out. Having a lomdushe streak to you though can help us overcome this challenge. A lamdan doesn’t take anything for grant. He appreciates all of the nuances and he thinks about the ideas that can be revealed and bring meaning to those words we recite. Let’s take a look at one.

This week we have the mitzva of v’achalta, v’savata, u’veirachta es Hashem elokecha- That we shall eat, be satisfied and then bless Hashem after our meal. To Bentch! In the blessing that we recite of Al Hamichiya- which is said after eating non-bread grain and fruits of Israel we say the words

U’vnei Yerushalayim ir hakodesh… v’nochal m’pirya v’nisboah m’tuva u’nivarechecha aleha b’kedusha u’v’taharah- And Yerushalayim, the holy city should be rebuilt and we shall eat from it’s fruits and be satiated with goodness and we shall bless on them with holiness and purity.

I’ll be honest I must have said this blessing millions of times and never really paid attention to the words I was saying. But it is perplexing since when do we need to recite blessings with holiness and purity. There’s no need to go to the Mikva before eating a croissant or a rugelach. What are these words referring to, asks the Brisker Rav. In addition, he points out there is a law that fruit trees are not permitted to be planted in Jerusalem (at least in the old city from the times of the Temple). So what does it mean that we shall eat from ‘its’ fruits?

So the Rav answers one question with the other, of course. There are fruits that need to be eaten with purity. They are the fruits of ma’aser sheni the second tithe, of one’s crops where the fruit are meant to be brought to Yerushalayim and eaten, b’taharah, in a state of purity. They are not fruits that were grown in Yerushalyim, but rather the fruits of the Jews from all over the country that would bring them throughout the year to our Holy city and eat them in the ultimate spiritual “State”.

Did you ever think when you were reciting this simple blessing after you noshed down some Kokosh cake or ate a beautiful cluster of grapes here that you were asking to fulfill the mitzva of eating them in Yerushalayim as your ma’aser. See how life changing a little bit of lomdus can be for you. Next time and hopefully every time you make this bracha you will have the inspiration of this fantastic idea, or any other one you may have or come up with as you recite them lomdushly.

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

Ehud Ben Geria the 2^nd Shofet 1205 BC – It’s hot in the summer here in Israel. You know where it’s the hottest? By the Yam Hamelach 400 meters below sea level. But you know what? It was that heat that led to the victory of the ancient Jews against the King of Moav after 18 years of persecution from our neighbors across the Jordan River. That’s something to share with your tourists in the heat!

After the death of Osniel the Jews worshipped idols and sinned, so Hashem sent big fat Eglon the King of Moav to attack them. The significance of him being fat of course was to send a message to the Jewish people that we had become fat and lazy in our ways of serving Hashem. He conquered the city of dates, which of course is Yericho as one can point out to our tourists still today how the sweetest dates in the world still come from this region. Ultimately the shofet of the tribe of Binyamin, named Ehud Ben Geira who was ambidextrous went to visit the King with offerings. Along the way he stopped off at Gilgal where the stones that had been carved out by Yehoshua as we passed through the Yarden were. Gilgal perhaps being the location of the monastery Beit Hujlah, right north of Yericho. Now how is he going to get the King? The answer the Torah tells us is that it was the summer. It was hot. The king was outside in his special locked shaded room. Ehud comes in. He passed through the security check point with his knife on his right thigh hidden. They never thought to check him there because they assumed he was a righty and it would be on his left side. He told the King he had an offering for him and a special message from Hashem. Eglon got up and Ehud-boom! Jammed the sword into his belly and his guts oozed all out. He locked the door behind him and went back to the crossings of the Yarden.

With all of Moav in confusion over the assassination of their king. Ehud used the opportunity to marshal his tribe and the tribes Ephraim both which bordered the Jordan Valley (todays West Bank) to attack and reclaim our crossings to the Yarden. For these tribes as well as Reuvein and Gad which are on the eastern side of the Jordan suffered the most from this Moabite/Jordanian persecution. They were successful in these battles and killed 10,000 Moabites and secured our borders. For the next 80 years it was nice and peaceful in Eretz Yisrael.

I like to share this story as we drive up Highway 90 with my tourists from the Dead Sea to Tiverya. We pass many of the sites and the crossings to Jordan today the Adam and Allenby Bridges. As well this is the site of the battles and incursions the Israel in the Eretz Hamirdafim- the land of the pursuers where Palestinian terrorists would sneak across the Jordan after the six day war in 1968- 1970 and attack Israeli soldiers and settlers there. Some things never change.

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S TERRIBLE FOOT JOKES OF THE WEEK

Why isn’t your nose 12 inches long? Because then it would be a foot

Why couldn’t the two feet get along? Because they both thought they were right.

Who always goes to bed with his shoes on? A horse

How did the bubblegum cross the road? It was stuck to the bottom of the chicken’s foot.

What is the fastest way to go to the moon? Tickle the bottom of an elephant’s foot!

What type of hat does a leg wear? A knee cap.

What did one knee bone say to the other knee bone? “Let’s get out of this joint.”

What are a plumbers favourite type of shoes? Tap shoes

What kind of shoes does a plumber hate? Clogs

If athletes get athlete’s foot, what do terrorists get? Missile-toe.

What does a shoemaker use to repair shoes? Toe-nails

What is the foot capital of Canada? Toe-ron-toe (Toronto).

Did you hear the joke about the gym sock? You don’t want to. It stinks

Did you hear about the American podiatrist and the English chiropodist?  They were arch rivals.

Yankel had broken down on the side of the roah.  He flagged down a passing motorist and asked, 'Can you help me fix my car?' 'Sorry,' the motorist replied. 'I'm not a mechanic - I'm a podiatrist.' 
'Well', said Yankel 'can you give me a toe?'

When you are on good terms with your dermatologist, ask this question: "When you started your practice, did you start from scratch?"

Why did the podiatrist want to change careers? Because he always felt defeat.
Dr. Goldberg the podiatrist was sitting in his office holding his head, when the nurse came in she asked him what was wrong. He looked like he was having a rough day. He said “yeah I started this morning on the wrong foot!”

A man walks into Moshe’s shoe shop and tries on a pair of shoes.
"How do they feel?" asks Moshe.
"Well the left one feels a bit tight," replies the man.
Moshe looks down at the shoe on the man’s left foot and says, "Try it again, this time with the tongue out."
"Well, theyth sthill feelth a bith tighth."
.***********
Answer is A–  Hey, I got this one wrong! I confess 4200 BC is not my area of expertise… Particularly as it predates the Torah’s Creation story and age of the universe of 5779 years. So the Chalcoltihic or “copper” period which according to archeologists and scientists would predate Adam and Eve by about over a thousand years means either they got their dating wrong or they’re missing something in their factors. Regardless two of the answers I ruled out right away. Sacrophagus were Greek and Roman era way later, and even axes for torture would date to the bronze and iron era after. I went with the collar rimmed jugs because they seemed pretty ancient and I never heard or remembered anything about butter churns. I remember Avraham had butter he served to the angels in the Torah and assumed maybe it was a later invention. I was wrong. It seems butter has been around for a long time. Perhaps even a prehistoric time, as they found these churns in Beer Sheva and other Chalcolithic periods around Israel. So the score is Schwartz 34 and 7 for MOT (Ministry of Tourism) on this exam so far.

No Small Thanks- Mikeitz /Chanuka 2017 / 5778

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land
from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

December 15^th 2017 -Volume 8 Issue 9 27^th Kislev 5778

Parshat Mikeitz/ Chanukah

No Small Thanks

 

How can they be such ingrates? Are they insane? Do they want to lose it all? Do they know who they are messing with? I’ve heard of Chutzpa, but that is a Jewish trait supposedly. Where did our cousins pick it up from? The vice President of the United States is coming to the region. OK you’re not happy that the US declared Jerusalem as our eternal capital. I got that. You rioted, you had your days of rage. Booya and Allah Akbar. But really you’re not going to meet with him? You’re going to stand him up? To make it even better, Palestinian Prime Minister Hamdalla ( Abbas is the president- this guy is the prime minister- for those of you like me that were wondering who he is), announced that the US has declared a financial siege on Palestine and they have received no money from them since 2016. Ummmm…. What is $357 million dollars in aid just this year alone considered? Falafel and chummus? Last year the US contributed as well $355 million dollars to the UN relief fund of which $95 million was meant to be directed to the PA. Yes, with a total of of over 700 million dollars the US is that largest supporter of the Palestinians and they won’t even meet with the Vice President who is schlepping all the way out to the Middle East during his “Yom Tov” Season. That my friends is chutzpa.

Truth is this is just an escalation of the lack of appreciation that they have for us. I mean who provides them with their electricity, their water, their jobs, and their health care. How can they in turn lob missiles and declare war against us. In 1967 we liberated our holy city from their hands. The Kotel was used as a dumping place for their garbage. Har HaBayit- the Temple mount was in our hands. And then we handed it over to them. We gave them the best piece of Real Estate in Jerusalem. Mind you, this was just a mere 19 years after they threw us out of our holy city. There is no nation on this planet that would ever give their holiest place to an enemy, let along one that tried to destroy us and maintained that it would still do so. And yet all have gotten in return is blood, war, and hate. They should be bending over in gratitude. They should be waking up every morning and thanking Allah that the Jews are the ones that are in charge of this country and that provide them with their welfare, rather than one of their corrupt cousins. And yet..and yet… and yet…

It reminds me of the time I went to the Kosel and this beggar came over to me. I reached in my pocket and pulled out some change and came up empty. I asked him if he had change of a 20 shekel bill. He said he did. When I handed it to him, he started to walk away. Now my Hebrew is pretty good and I was pretty sure there was no miscommunication there. So I went after the guy and asked him where my change was. He looked at me and smiled, and said “Oh you wanted me to give you money now?!” I let him keep the change. Like my grandfather used to say it’s better to be on this side of the exchange than the other. But really I’m a nice guy. I don’t think the Donald will be so accommodating. But who knows? We live in an upside down world. Good is bad. Immoral has become moral. Terrorists have rights, the victims not so much. Maybe lack of gratitude is the new gratitude.

Yet, there is a rule from the great Baal Shem Tov, one that I try to live by. He said that if Hashem sees fit for us to see something negative then it is something that we are meant to self-reflect and examine ourselves for precisely that negative trait. In the words of the great Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. If you see someone stingy than it must be that I have something stingy inside of myself. If I see someone doing something or behaving immorally than I need to check where that is within me. If someone looks ugly than oyyyy….Gevalt maybe I’m ugly as well… So if the Jewish people are being faced with an enemy who are such kifuyei tov- so lacking in appreciation, we need to see if Hashem is showing us that to find it in ourselves.

The truth is there is probably no better time of year to reflect upon that than Chanukah. Unlike many of the songs about this being a festival of lights, or a time when we play dreidel, eat latkes and exchange presents for 8 crazy nights, when our sages established this holiday it was meant to be in their words- Yemei Hallel V’Hodaa’h – Days of Praise and Thanksgiving. That’s right although we spend so much time and energy focusing on lighting the Menorah and eating latkes and doughnuts the essence of these days is fulfilled by thanking and praising Hashem through the recitation of hallel and the appreciation for the miracles that Hashem does for us Ba’zman Hazeh at this time. Have I done that yet this Chanukah? Have I stopped and spoken with my family about how much appreciation I have of Hashem for all he has done for me. When I recite Hallel in the morning, am I bursting out in song, or rushing out to make my tour and be thankful that there is no tachanun which takes about as much time as Hallel. C’mon be honest, tell me I’m not the only one that thought that way. Am I as unappreciative as our cousins?

One thing that I did notice and the question comes up each year is why when we recited the blessing after our jelly doughnuts of al hamichiya do we not mention Chanuka as we do when we say our regularly bentching- grace after meals. Or even as we do other holidays in al Hamichiya itself I think everyone is jarred by that and looks in the bentcher for where it is. By the way, that may even be the point. Let us notice when we are not saying thanks. It should jar us, particularly on this holiday of praise and thanksgiving, that when we have the opportunity we are not saying it.

But I saw an even more powerful insight into why we do not mention it, although I can’t remember where. It is because al hamichiya is a shortened blessing- it is the essence of the three blessings of bentching on the land, asking mercy for our people and rebuilding of the temple. Chanuka is mentioned not as a special day in our regular bentching in yaa’leh v’yavo as there is no specific sacrifice or even holiness of the day. Rather it is mentioned in the thanksgiving blessing. Since there is no specific shortened blessing of thanks of hoda’ah and thus there is no mention of Chanukah. The question though is why than is there no specific shortened blessing of thanks. And the answer I saw, which was beautiful is that there is no shortcuts when it comes to saying thanks. Saying thank you, expressing our appreciation, recognizing how indebted we are to Hashem for everything that he does for us, it’s not a short, quick get-it-over-with prayer. In fact the longest blessing in our Shemona Esrei- daily amida is Modim- saying thanks.

It is then perhaps no wonder that this week’s Torah portion always read on Chanuka begins with the story of Yosef who had in last week’s portion implored the butler to remember him to Pharaoh. Here he had brought him good tidings. Yosef had interpreted his dream for him and the butler would be returned to his former position. He asked one small favor. Remember the kindness. And yet our parsha begins that two years had passed. The butler had not only forgotten him, he had deleted him from his memory. One would think with Pharaoh and his dreams and looking for an interpreter that he would remember him. But no. All the other “all the interpreters and all the wise men” were brought first and they couldn’t put Humpty back together again. Sorry… Just spacing out there a second. Finally with no choice he mentions Yosef, however he demeans him. He tells Pharaoh about the “Naar eved Ivri- the Jewish slave boy” that had interpreted his dream in the pits of Egypt. That story is the start of our Chanukah. Contrast his ungrateful behavior with ours. Look at him and think if perhaps we need to work on our gratitude as well.

Maybe we need 8 days of straight gratitude, of singing praise. Perhaps we need to stand and fulfill this special unique mitzva and the only one of its kind with ner, ish v’beiso- a candle, a man and his house; with his whole family, together, the family that Hashem has blessed us with. Look at the eyes of those loved ones in the glow of the candlelight have we thanked Hashem for these miracles? We have the mitzva to light by the entrance to our house. Do we take for granted the fact that we even have a home? Have we thanked Hashem for this? Have we burst out in song? Or are we as guilty as our cousins are of standing God up when he comes to visit us. Do we demand that He hasn’t given us support in so long? That we are under a financial siege; that we need this, and that. Are my longest blessings in Shemona Esrei the requests and supplications or is it modem. The thank you that I should never shorten.

Perhaps as well it is why we celebrate the holiday with the lighting of the menorah. A small little light. Is there anything perhaps that is a greater kindness from Hashem than a little bit of light? I remember once going to the blind museum here in Israel. For an hour we walked with a cane through pitch black as someone who is blind does. It is terrifying not to be able to see the world. One of the first blessings we make each morning is pokayach ivrim- that Hashem has opened up the eyes of the blind. When we are sleeping we can’t see. In the morning Hashem gives us our eyesight back. Are we still sleeping? Can we thank Hashem for the light. To see our loved ones, to see this beautiful world, to see His miracles shbichol yom imanu-that He does for us each day. As we light our menorahs this year, let’s stop and ponder that incredible light. It is that light of gratitude that can light up the world. May it lead to Hashem revealing His great light with the coming of Mashiach.

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

  

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

“Es iz nit azoi tei’er der geshank vi der gedank.” The gift is not as precious as the thought.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

Q.  The gravesite of Baba Sali is found in:

A. The town of Sali

B. Sderot

C. Netivot

D. Amuka

RABBI SCHWARTZ COOL VIDEOS OF THE WEEK

https://soundcloud.com/ephraim-schwartz/haneiros-halalu - Rabbi Schwartz original Haneiros Halalu composition in honor of Chanukah !!

https://youtu.be/dx0jvrlV_EQ    - Maccabeats newest Chanuka song-Candle on a sill

https://youtu.be/lMjJltbJ0yc    - Mordechai Shapiro newes Lecha Great- My kids think I dance like the chubby kid…

https://youtu.be/HVhE7_AUtNI   -8^th Day miracle of Light!

https://youtu.be/Q4j65GbP4Lw    -Pretty funny Chanuka cartoon Sufgi the doughnut- Hebrew

https://youtu.be/-3_DPZcGTy4    -Great 90’s Chanuka remash 613 Akapella

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S HAFTORA CONNECTION OF THE WEEK

Now as we know Haftorahs were generally chosen because of their connection to the Parsha. They are the insight of our sages into the eternal lessons of the parsha that can be enhanced or highlighted by the books of the prophets. As well on holidays, or special shabbosos the haftoras change giving us insight into the times. In some communities on Shabbat Chatan or other special occasions a different haftora would be chosen. I believe that the messages of the haftorah can connect as well to the Parsha and even to special current events. You just have to give it a little thought. This past week still on euphoria of the recognition of Jerusalem by the most powerful nation of the world; The United States of Edomica, the haftora talks about the

Zecharia (2:14-16_ Sing and rejoice daughter of Tzion because I am coming and I will dwell in your midst… And the great nations will accompany you to Hashem on that day…And Hashem will inherit Yehudah his portion on the holy land and will choose again Yerushalayim…Be silent all flesh before Hashem for He is aroused from His holy abode…

Ummmm was that really written 2500 years ago about the day that we are experiencing. How’s that for a prophecy that is meant to be read this week?

As well the haftorah is connected to the Torah portion and Chanuka for it discusses the vision of Satan trying to badmouth the High Priest Yehoshua who has “dirty clothing” on. Our sages discuss that this was his or his children assimilating and Hashem is telling the Malach that he dare not persecute or judge Yehoshua for the sins of Galut. We have returned. We get a new set of clean clothing. We just need to be strong and each man will speak with his friend in Eretz Yisrael renewed. Finally he sees a vision of a Menora with olive branches that he is meant to light and the political leader from the house of David will return again as well. But he should know that it will not be with strength or with great armies, but rather with word and spirit of Hashem. The connection to Chanuka when a small band of Rabbis left the sins of assimilation behind and fought against the largest army in the world with the word of Hashem, and the connection as well with our Parsha of Yosef who despite being in a position to assimilate refuses to. Instead he as do the Chashmonai Maccabees millennia later cry out. Only Hashem has power. That is how the Temple was rededicated and that is the message Zecahria brought to his generation. It’s the message of ours today as well. May we soon see that Menora shining bright again.

Zecharia (520 BC)-  The Temple has been destroyed, the Jews were exiled the time of return had come with the declaration of Cyrus 18 years before, and yet the Jews were stalling. Faced with opposition from the nations around them and from the Shomronim from within as well as overwhelming poverty the initial enthusiasm had waned and Zecharia arrived on the scene to rejuvenate the spirits of the people. His prophecies in the first few chapters are visions of an angel that encourage the Jews to follow the mitzvos and build the Temple. The latter chapters are visions of the end of days after the destruction of the Temple when the nations will be punished and the streets of Jerusalem will once again be filled with its children

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

Sodom  1713 BC – Sodom and Gomora two of five cities that were destroyed by Hashem in the famous Biblical story. Where are they? Have we found any remains of them. Archeologists for the last half century have tried to discover these cities. General Torah faithful Archeologists place them under the Dead Sea. However with the receding of the Sea over the last century greater effort has been placed in trying to place them. All of the sites that are attributed to being from this era are on Jordan’s side of the Dead Sea so one really can’t go there. They range from the Northeren part of the Dead Sea today by the city of Safi and the Archeological site of Bab ed Dra and Numiera to further South almost to the Arava valley at the bottom of the Dead Sea. In many of the sites mentioned above there have been burnt houses and lots of lava, rocks and sulfur which non-believers suggest may have come from an earthquake that shook these things up, although the dating may have been before the Patriarchs. There were certainly cities and even gates of cities that were found similar to the gateway that Lot was sitting in when the angels arrived. The bitumen and sulfur pits are certainly in Israel and can be described there. Yet if you want to see something that dates back to that biblical story a few miles south of Ein Bokek by the Dead Sea one can see famous pillar of Eishet Lot- the wife of Lot, described in the story as having disregarded the command not to look back at the destruction of the cities. When she did, the Torah tells us she turned to a pillar of salt. That there is such a pillar is mentioned in Josephus from the end of the second temple period. As well the Talmud discusses blessing Dayan Ha’Emet- the True Judge upon seeing it. The majority of Halachic authorities however suggest that as we do not know where it is, and which salt pillar it is one need not make any blessing. So there you have it, Torah story, Archeology, History and Halacha all at one stop. Only in Eretz Yisrael!

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S GRATITUDE JOKES OF THE WEEK

There was a tailor named Mendel and he was worried about his business. Mendel was down to his last $50 and was torn between buying a sign and getting food for his family. Mendel decided to pray.

“Dear G-D,” he said, “I don’t know what to do. If I buy a sign it may bring in business, but I need to buy groceries for my family…and if the sign doesn’t bring in sales, we will starve.

G-D replied, “Mendel buy the sign. Don’t worry, your family won’t starve.”

So, Mendel bought the sign and business took off. The tailor fed his family and all was well. However, as time passed it became evident that Mendel couldn’t keep up with orders all by himself. He contemplated hiring on a helper, but wondered if he could afford it. So, he asked G-D if getting help would be a prudent move.

“Go ahead,” G-D tells Mendel, “hire some help, you’ll do okay.”

And so Mendel did. And business took off beyond his wildest dreams. After a time, the tailor decided to move to a larger site that would accommodate the growing demands of his business. As he surveyed certain locations, he found a perfect storefront, but the rental price was really steep.

“G-D” Mendel again prayed, “I found the perfect place to relocate my business. But the cost of the lease worries me. I don’t want to get in over my head.”

“Go ahead and a get a lease on the store, Mendel,” said G-D. “Trust me, you’ll be okay–I haven’t steered you wrong yet, have I?”

So Mendel signed a lease on the 5th Avenue store and profits from his business went through the roof. Out of heartfelt gratitude, Mendel proposed to the Almighty that he dedicate the store to Him.

“How do you like the name “Hashem and Mendel,” the tailor asked.

“Nah,” G-D said. “Let’s go with ‘Lord and Taylor.'

One Sunday a pastor told the congregation that the church needed some extra money and asked the people to prayerfully consider giving a little extra in the offering plate. He said that whoever gave the most would be able to pick out three hymns.

After the offering plates were passed, the pastor glanced down and noticed that someone had placed a $1,000 bill in offering. He was so excited that he immediately shared his joy with his congregation and said he’d like to personally thank the person who placed the money in the plate. A very quiet, elderly, saintly lady all the way in the back shyly raised her hand. The pastor asked her to come to the front.

Slowly she made her way to the pastor. He told her how wonderful it was that she gave so much and in gratitude asked her to pick out three hymns. Her eyes brightened as she looked over the congregation, pointed to the three handsomest men in the building and said, “I’ll take him and him and him.”

President Trump/Obama {Insert your candidate of choice} was at the beach and got into trouble while swimming. He called for help, and three young men went to his rescue and pulled him ashore.

Trump/Obama wanted to show his gratitude, so he offered to give each of the young men what they would like, within reason.

The first young man said that he would like to have a Harley Davidson motorcycle. Trump/Obama told him he could select it and to just send him the bill.

The second young man said he would like an All-Terrain ports vehicle. Again, Trump/Obama told him he would have it.

The third young man declared that he would like a state-of-the-art wheelchair. Trump/Obama was puzzled and asked him why an obviously healthy and athletic young man such as he was would want a wheelchair.

The young man replied that when his dad found out he had helped rescue him, he would break every bone in his body.

Three sons left home, went out on their own and prospered. Getting back together, they discussed the gifts they were able to give their elderly Mother. The first said, "I built a big house for our Mother." The second said, "I sent her a Mercedes with a driver." The third smiled and said, "I've got you both beat. You remember how Mom enjoyed reading the Bible? And you know she can't see very well any more. I sent her a remarkable parrot that recites the entire Bible. It took Elders in the church 12 years to teach him. He's one of a kind. Mama just has to name the chapter and verse, and the parrot recites it."
Soon thereafter, Mom sent out her letters of thanks: "Milton," she wrote one son, "the house you built is so huge. I live in only one room, but I have to clean the whole house."
"Gerald," she wrote to another, "I am too old to travel any more. My eyesight isn't what it used to be. I stay most of the time at home, so I rarely use the Mercedes. And the driver is so rude!"
"Dearest Donald," she wrote to her third son, "you have the good sense to know what your Mother likes. The chicken was delicious!".'

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S CHANUKAH CARTOON OF THE WEEK

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Answer is C – OK so this is a cute question. I mean doesn’t everyone know who the Baba Sali is? Right? I mean his picture is in every pizza, falafel, Shwarma store as well as in many taxis. He was the great Kabbalist. He was the great Kabbalist who passed away 1984 that was known to be an incredible miracle-worker. But did you know where he lived? Interestingly enough he as well as his children all lived in far our places in Israel away from the religious masses preffereing to live next to secular Jews who he hoped he could be successful in influencing and inspiring. He lived in Netivot near the Gaza border in the South not far from Sderot. I remember a few years ago in the Gaza war when I was there and a siren went off. All the people around rather than run into a bomb shelter ran to his grave for protection. It was pretty cool. Amuka, of course is the burial place of Yonatan Ben Uziel- the greatest student of Hillel, and also a place for pilgramages. Particularly for people seeking to get married and find their bashert. Sali- by the way means prayer-like the Aramaic word Tza’ala- Baba means father- So he was called the father of prayer!