Signs Language- Parshat Shemot 2026 5786

 Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land

from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

January 9^th 2026 -Volume 16 Issue 12 20^th of Tevet 5786

 

Parshat Shemot

 

Signs Language

 

"I talk and I talk and I tell you again and again and it's like I'm talking to a wall!" my mother would tell me. "It's like it goes in one ear and comes right out the other".

 

I would of course correct her and explain that she was wrong. It never even went into the first ear. In general all of her important exhortations repeatedly to me, to buckle down, to do my work, to brush my teeth, to clean my room, to take out the garbage, to say Shema before I went to sleep, to listen in class, to do my homework, to be nice to my sister, to not engage in unhealthy activities, to look both ways before I cross… etc etc etc… And that's just what she told me yesterday 😊. They never even made it into the first ear. It's like I have this soundproof cone of silence thing (for those that remember "Get Smart" show) that would drop down over my ears and just make all that Mussar into a nice calming sound canceling Yoga like meditation hummmm ooooommmmm… that just never registered. What can I say? I just seem to have developed this Mussar Acceptance Deficiency syndrome. Maybe it was a side effect of some vaccine I had when I was a kid. Note to Trump – Thank you for your attention of seeing to this matter.

 

Now the truth is she has the final laugh, as most Jewish mothers do. Because her traditional Jewish mother's favorite curse that my children should give me as much "nachas" as I gave her was certainly fulfilled. Yup, what goes around comes around. As we plant so shall we sow. Yet, it seems this problem is not just a Schwartz family issue. It's generational that began way back when from the beginning of our nation. It starts back in Egypt. It starts in our parsha. It's the beginning of our exile and the secret to our redemption.

 

The book of Shemos begins with us coming down to Egypt. The truth is we really didn't even necessarily have to be there in the first place. We left off in Parshat Vayechi with all of the Jews pretty much heading back to Israel to bury Yaakov. We were there already. Why did they come back? Sure, Hashem had promised Avraham back by the Bris Bein Ha'Besarim that covenant He made with us that we would be persecuted in a foreign land for 400 years and then we would be redeemed. But as we know we were only there for 210 years. Hashem started the count way back from the birth of Yitzchak. Which would mean that we could've fulfilled that "foreign land" promise even in Israel, as did Yitzchak and Yaakov and the tribes even before coming down. Because, as the commentaries explain, Eretz Yisrael was still not ours. Kind of like we have it galus in Israel today still.

 

Now you might then ask well what does it make a difference if we are in galus in Egypt or in Israel? I've had some tell me that as the reason why they feel more comfortable staying in America then making aliya. But here it's being under house arrest, over there your locked away in a jail somewhere. House arrest could understandably be worse, after all you're locked up with your kids and spouse all day long in close quarters and if you don't get along with them, then you're in trouble. But hey, that's a lot better than gas chambers and concentration camps or being in a prison yard with Bubba. Obviously Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov never felt any need to "self-exile" out of Israel to fulfill this covenant. Neither did the tribes, until they sold Yosef. If Hashem wants us to be there, then He's fully capable of making that happen. But if we have and had an opportunity and the ability to go back, shouldn't we have done so?

 

Now the truth is one might argue that they couldn't go back to Israel. Pharaoh wouldn't let them. Well first of all just a few minutes before Yehuda said he would wipe out the whole Egypt to save Binyamin. Shimon and Levi took down the whole city of Shechem. When we want to do something, we do it. Hey look how this little fledgling army of Hagana fighters in 1948 of 50,000 wiped out a half a million Arabs from five countries in the War of Independence.

 

Now yes, Pharoah did kind of hold their babies behind as a collateral, when we went to bury Yaakov and actually did leave Egypt and return to Israel. Their cattle as well, it seems. As he didn't think just holding our babies would be enough. We might just leave the kids and make new ones, I guess. Hey, we were popping 'em out a half a dozen at a time. But our sheep, our cattle, our nursing homes and our meatboards, our Teslas and Dubai chocolate, that we couldn't take with us. He knew that we would never leave all that behind. And he kept them to make sure. But surely there must have been plenty that didn't have kids. That weren't married. That were retirees. Why didn't any of them stay in Israel? Why come back on those trains that were heading straight to the Egyptian slave pits. To the gas chambers of Mitzrayim.

 

I saw a fantastic Chasam Sofer last week, that says that is in fact the reason why right when they came back they were worried that Yosef was going to take revenge against them. It's why Yosef never explicitly said he forgave them. He just told them that it's all from Hashem. He says because Yosef was upset that they even came back. The famine was over. There was nothing holding them there. Why head back to Egypt. Why not go home? He thought maybe it's because they would think that they would it have it better there with their brother in the White House. They had protektzia. So what did he do. He turned them a cold shoulder. He stopped inviting them over. He wanted them to understand the tide had turned. They should head out. They should go back to Israel. Finish off the galus there.

 

Yet, they didn't get the message. They stayed and populated Egypt. They became the largest zip code in the entire country. If you didn't see the reference there… the 08701 zip code officially became the largest, fastest growing one in the entire United States of America yesterday- mamash this week's parsha va'yifru va'yirbu va'ya'atzmu bi'meod me'od- they became fruitful and multiplied and became very very great there. And thus Yosef only at the end of his life resignedly turns to them and tells them pakod yifkod- Hashem will have to take you out of here. It looks like you guys are here for the long hall. You ain't never leaving until the God Almighty Himself will shlep you out. So please take my bones with you when you do. And thus the Egyptian exile begins. All because we didn't listen. It went over our heads. In one ear and out the other. Yup it's an ancient problem that repeated itself and does so today, every single generation that thinks "this place will be different".

 

But how does it all change? How do we change? How do we start unclogging our ears and eyes? How does the redemption come? It's not my question. It's not my mother's either. It was Moshe's question. There they are for about a week or so by this burning bush back and forth arguing about saving the Jews and heading down to Egypt. Moshe wants to know what Hashem's name is. How he could do if he's got all types of speaking disabilities and stutters. Why would Pharoah listen to him. And Hashem answers him back with all types of deep and mystical answers and promises of miracles. And then comes the big question and excuse.

 

"But they won't listen to me. They won't believe me. They'll say Hashem never appeared to me".

 

Moshe knows our people. He doesn't wear a black hat. He doesn't have a shtreimel. He doesn't daven their nusach. He's a Baal Teshuva. He never learned in Brisk. His parents were divorced. He couldn't get his kids into a mesivta in Lakewood, probably not even into a camp in the Catskills, let alone make it to the Moetzes Gedolei Ha'Torah, Fuggedabout convincing the Jews to make Aliyah. Reb Aharon never moved to Israel, Reb Yaakov didn't. The Lubavitcher Rebbe didn't. Reb Moshe didn't. So what makes this guy called Moses who was raised in Egyptian palace and married a Midianite priests daughter and who has a jail record and outstanding warrant for his arrest for "Divine Name-icular homicide" think he's going to get through to this people.

 

And so Hashem gives him the answer. He asks him a simple question.

"What's that in your hand, Moshe?"

 

Now Moshe is obviously holding his staff and He knows that Hashem knows that as well. So he assumes probably that what Hashem is pretty much telling him is that the answer to how to get the Jewish people to listen to him is via the staff. Don't spare the rod. Smack 'em on the head. Give them some petch. Beat them. I've had rebbeim like that back in the day. Snap that belt. That should work. Except he's wrong.

 

Hashem's got a better plan. The beating people over the head thing never really does the trick. We've got thick skulls. We just dig in deeper. Rather Hashem tells him to throw it on the ground. Chuck the stick. Been there tried that. Time for a new plan. Rather what happens next is amazing. The staff turns into a snake and Moshe sees it and is frightened and runs away. Woahhh. Since when did a little snake scare Moshe. As we will see later in the Torah when Hashem brings a plague and tells them to put up a copper snake and it will heal them. It's not the snake that heals or kills. It's sin. So why is he scared? The answer is because, as Hashem tells Moshe, he sinned. He spoke Lashon Harah against the Jewish people. You said that they won't listen. That they won't believe you. That's Lashon Harah. That's looking at them with a bad eye. That's snake stuff. That's why Moshe runs away. He feels that now he's for sure done. He can't redeem the Jewish people anymore.

 

But then Hashem calls him back and tells him something even more amazing.

 

"Pick up the snake by the tail, Moshe"

 

Own your aveira. Don't run away from your sin. Grab it. Hold it by the tail. Turn it around. Make that your strength. And boom that turns into your new staff. That can become your tool do get them to listen to you. That will be the first sign that will start to convince them that I appeared to you. That they should start to listen to you. Staffs don't work, but you know what does? Speaking down to people with a stick, with a threat, with fear tactics, none of that stuff really works in the long term. Do you know what does? When you come to them and tell them. I sinned. I spoke Lashon Harah about you. I made the same mistake you did. I have the same flaw that when I left Mitzrayim, I thought that you had as well. Rashi tells us that after Moshe kills them Mitzri and he's confronted by Dasan and Aviram, Moshe says Achen noda ha'davar- Now I understand why they're in exile. They deserve it. They snitch. They speak lashon ha'rah. They look down on one another. And now Moshe himself falls prey to that same sin. He found the snake in himself. Now he can come back to them and tell them. I'm also guilty. I'm not holier than thou, or any better. I'm in the same Nile as you. Let's take our snake by its tail and own it as well. Now let's get out together.

 

But it's even more than that. Because Hashem gives him a second sign. Because there's still a problem. OK, Moshe, they might tell him. We believe you're one of us. But who says we can get out of this? We do have a problem. We do look down. We do judge. We don't accept others. Not in our schools. Not in our camps. Not in our shuls. How will we be redeemed? So Hashem gives him sign number 2.

 

"Now take your hand and put it in your chest.". That hand that you just picked up that snake with. That hand that is now holding that sin. That hand with which you looked down upon when your brothers raised it against one another. Take that hand and put it on your chest and on your own heart. Klop al cheit with it. Take that lashon harah hand and see the tzora’as on it. And say al cheit. Say you're sorry. Say you learned your lesson. Say you want to do teshuva. And then klop and put it back again and poof. It's back again normal. You've been restored. That's all it takes. One klop. One teshuva and Hashem forgives you. It's not hard. It doesn't take a lot. Our essence is really pure. We can jump and skip out of the 49^th level of tumah with one skip. With one sacrifice. With one statement that we want to be redeemed. Hashem wants us to come out. He saved me from death. He cleaned my impurity, my sin. He can do the same for you. He can bring us home. We can leave.

 

Those two signs are the way to get through to the people. It's the way that we can have our faith restored. It's how we can begin to come together. Exile, galus is when we are fighting. When the shechina can't shine and have one Bais Ha'Mikdash to come down to and shine it's light out of to the world. If we are divided then Hashem can't be one amongst us until we find that oneness amongst ourselves. Until we realize we are all on the same boat. Until we have that humility and that owning of our own sins then we can't speak to other people about theirs.

 

Yet, Hashem gives Moshe one more sign. He tells him that if there are still Jews that the first two signs are not enough for, there's one more sign that we all can agree with. There's one last thing that all Jews unite and can appreciate that will bring us to the redemption. He tells Moshe to take the water from the river and pour it on the ground and see it turn to blood. Do you know what that blood is? It's not the blood of the plagues. Because if it was, why would that convince them more than any other plague. Reb Zalman Sorotzkin suggests that perhaps it is the blood of their children that were drowned in the Nile. That blood-stained water of the Nile will unite us. All of us lost children to Egypt. We all suffer equally. Our neighbors, our enemies, our cousins, our "host" nations don't care what type of hat or Kippa we wear. They don't care if I'm a Kollel Rabbi or a left wing chiloni kibbutznik from Be'eri or even a Palestinian flag waving Harvard student or Neturei Karta-nik. We've all lost children in the Nile. Their blood is calling to us from the ground. We're all bereaved parents. We really are all in the same boat and know that we have to be redeemed. That Hashem won't let this go on any longer.

 

The book of Shemot that we have begun reading is the Book of Redemption. The Geula is around the corner. We have seen all of the signs. It's just time to open our hearts and our eyes to one another. To truly believe in Moshe. Our Father is talking to us. It's time to start listening.

 

Have a spectacular Shabbos,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz 

 

************************

YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

 " Der vos farshtait zein narishkeit iz a kluger."- He who is aware of his folly is wise

 

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

 

15. Synagogues in Israel in which there are no chairs and benches and instead worshippers use

prayer rugs, belong to the __________ stream of Judaism.

 

Which two sites in Nazareth are connected by the "Pilgrims' route" which serves tourist

and pilgrim groups in the city?

A. Catholic Church of the Annunciation and Mary's Well

B. Mount Precipice and the Catholic Church of the Annunciation

C. Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation and Mary's Well

D. Mount Precipice and Synagogue Church

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqp0a6E2hOo&list=OLAK5uy_mjwSa44x4OcZXT4s680UUq97iftEFv2WQ – Shwekey's latest Shabbos Drop Shabbos Tefillos- what amazing songs!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsOH-VEWUKE&list=RDCsOH-VEWUKE&start_radio=1   -  What an amazing long listen. A kumzitz for Yigal Calek first Yartzteit!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYuZL9ZIOPs&list=RDEYuZL9ZIOPs&start_radio=1    – Yitzchak benezra amazing Shabbos medley.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0GcF_HTAys&list=RDN0GcF_HTAys&start_radio=1 – A new Fried Shalom Aleichem ! nice… I like fast ones..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDzR-xHCcPQ&list=RDGDzR-xHCcPQ&start_radio=1   – MBD preforming Oy Rebbe in memory of the Ribnitzer Rebbe.

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

When Jews get too comfortable and public… - 370 BC- So as we said last week, Darius/ Daryavish ruled over the entire Middle East and lots of Asia too. He divided the empire up into three regions with 120 vassal countries and they were run by achashdarpanim- ministers of which Daniel was the head of them all. He had a special place for this yiddeleh- as do many smart heads of State, particularly since he foretold and interpreted the dreams and visions of Belshatzar that told of Dairus's victory and ultimate ascension to power. Yet with Jewish popularity and influence begins the protocols of Elders of Zion. We're running the world behind the scenes and the goyim don't like it. They never do…



Now Daniel's enemies though were in a bit of a bind. How do they get the Jew that Darius the King loves and respects. The answer is simple. They use the Supreme Court. Always the enemy of the people and the tool of those that seek to destroy us. They convince Darius that it's worthwhile to pass a law in honor of his ascension that anyone that needs anything, that has a special request could only bring that request to the King who will then fulfil it. It's forbidden to pray and make requests of other kings or even gods. For Darius is like a god himself. He's the all powerful. He's Trump. You don't mess with him and he is the only one that can make things happen. Anyone that is caught praying or requesting anything from any other being- divine or human, will be considered a traitor and will be sentenced to death by being thrown into a Lion's den. Nice.

Now Daniel had this funny custom that seems like started by him which was called davening three times a day. See while the Temple was around, nobody really davened, besides basically just asking Hashem for what they wanted. We had sacrifices instead in the morning and evening and cleared away the ashes and burnt the remains in the evening. Our prayers are in place of those korbanos. But Daniel insitituted his own custom of davening and thanking Hashem and prostrating. He would do this by the window where all could see him. He wasn't really asking Hashem for requests so he technically wasn't even violating he decree, which is why he would've never endangered his life for this custom. Yet, it didn't help him. He was arrested while davening and set to trial. And here we have the first Dreyfuss trial in Jewish history post-temple, with Daniel vs State and the King couldn't even do anything to save him. What happens next…? Stay tuned.

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S TERRIBLE LISTENING JOKES OF THE WEEK

 

I wish I'd listened to what my parents told me when I was young...

What did they tell you?

Me: I don't know, I didn't listen

 

I told myself I should stop drinking...But I'm not going to listen to some drunk who talks to himself.

 

When Beethoven passed away, he was buried in a churchyard. A couple days later, the town drunk was walking through the cemetery and heard some strange noise coming from the area where Beethoven was buried. Terrified, the drunk ran and got the priest to come and listen to it...

The priest bent close to the grave and heard some faint, unrecognizable music coming from the grave.

Frightened, the priest ran and got the town magistrate. When the magistrate arrived, he bent his ear to the grave, listened for a moment, and said, "Ah, yes, that's Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, being played backwards."

He listened a while longer, and said, "There's the Eighth Symphony, and it's backwards, too. Most puzzling."

So the magistrate kept listening, "There's the Seventh... the Sixth... the Fifth..."

Suddenly the realization of what was happening dawned on the magistrate.

He stood up and announced to the crowd that had gathered in the cemetery, "My fellow citizens, there's nothing to worry about. It's just Beethoven decomposing."

 

What kind of paper likes listening to music? Rapping paper

 

My wife said to me "Are you even listening to me?!"

Strange way to start a conversation.

 

People these days think all kids in the 90s listened to boomboxes. That’s just a stereotype.

 

My grandpa warned people the Titanic would sink and no one listened. He kept warning them until they got sick of it and kicked him out of the theater.

 

I asked my wife to rate my listening skills and she said, “You’re an 8 on a scale of 10.”

I still don’t get why she wanted me to urinate on a skeleton...

A woman is sitting at her husband's funeral listening to the eulogies being read...

A man in the pew behind her leans forward to ask, "Do you mind if I say a word?".

"No, not at all", she replies.

The man stands and clears his throat.

“Bargain", he says, and sits back down.

"Thank you", the woman responds, "it means a great deal."

 

After listening to me sing, my high school music teacher said that I should be tenor…

Ten or twelve feet away from all musical instruments at all times.

 

What was the drunk driver listening to? The Cars' Greatest Hits.

 

My wife let me listen to her audiobook, but I accidentally deleted it halfway through.

Now I’ll ….never hear the end of it.

 

What's the difference between a good listener and a kidnapper? A good listener takes people seriously.

 

A cowboy is riding across the plains when he comes across a Pawnee indian lying down with his ear placed against the ground & mumbling something.

Knowing what great trackers the Pawnee are the cowboy gets off his horse and puts his ear to the ground, but he can't figure out anything just from listening.

So he gets up close to the Indian to hear what he's saying:

4 horses.

Pulling covered wagon.

2 people riding in front of wagon.

1 man, one woman.

2 children in back of wagon.

1 boy, 1 girl.

Girl have cake on lap.

Writing on top of cake say, Happy Birthday Jenny!

The cowboy jumps up in amazement & says to the Indian, "That's fantastic! You can tell ALL that just by listening to the vibrations from the ground!!!!!"

The Indian replies: "No. Them run over me half hour ago!".

*******************************

The answer to this week's question is A– So I definitely would've skipped this one, although I ended up getting the Xtian part of the question right by process of elimination. I had no clue about the first one, and the truth is if I would tour Jerusalem a bit more maybe I would've got it right. But the Karite synagogues really are not at the forefront of my mind. So I really didn't have anything to answer. As far as Part B. as I said I don't really do the whole Christian thing But I did remember Mary's well there. I think it had to do something with a story they stole from us I think about Hagar and an angel revealing and saying she's gonna have a kid. They never come up with their own stuff. The reason I remember it is because I found it funny that this was probably just a water hole used as a sewer in Byzantine times and wasn't even around back then. Another Bubbeh mayseh… But I wasn't sure if it was Catholic or GO and I went with he Catholics and was right! So I got that one half right and the new score is Rabbi Schwartz having a 11 point and the MOT having 4 point on this latest Ministry of Tourism exam.

Famers and Friends- Parshat Kedoshim

 

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land

from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

April 29^th 2022 -Volume 11 Issue 30 28^th Nissan 5782

Parshat Kedoshim

Farmers and Friends

 

I meet a lot of holy people. Most of them don’t have long white beards or black hats. Truth is I stay away from those types. I’m not a Rebbe groupie, not a big running around and getting bracha or photo-op guy. And to be honest I kind of have a hard time connecting to those saintly miracle Rebbes, Rosh Yeshivas, kabbalists and miracle workers, especially the ones with all the Gabbaim and gatekeepers. They don’t do it for me. They never really have. Don’t get me wrong that’s not that I don’t buy into them, their holiness and power and connection to Hashem to do great things. It’s just I guess I feel for those things to work I need to actually feel connected to them and I just don’t. It doesn’t really work for me.

 

But this year, I have really gotten to connect to a whole new cadre of gedolim, of great people. Of the holiest of the holy. For those of you that have been regular readers here and certainly you few hundred (!) daily tourist status watchers and Rabbi Schwartz tour stalkers can guess who I’m talking about it’s none other than the salt of the earth Shemitta farmers that I meet regularly on my tours. They’re mind-blowing. They’re holy. They have changed my appreciation of the power of the Jew and his faith and even more than that they have given me a better appreciation of my relationship with Hashem. Because I have seen God and He is a shemitta farmer. I have come to know Hashem through them and He is my Father. He is my friend. He is my confident. He is there for me and is as real as the juicy orange that I’m delectably biting in to- and squirting all over my shirt from it’s juiciness. And He’s just as sweet.

 

See, that’s what a meeting with a holy person is supposed to do to you. It’s supposed to change your life. Change your outlook. Make you feel holier. Inspire you to become as holy as they are. And then the brachos and salvations come. They come because we begin to realize that it’s all been bracha and we’ve already been saved all along. It couldn’t get better because we have our Best Friend and Father and Provider making sure of that.

 

Yehuda Itamar in Moshav Amka near Nahariya is one of those guys. He wasn’t raised religious, although his Morrocan upbringing was certainly strong on faith and tradition. His father came here in 1949 started his olive and avocado farm, had a couple of cows and built a life and family. As Yehuda grew older he connected more and more to the Torah, it’s commandments and the understanding that if he really believed in Hashem as being real, then it behooved upon him to observe the commandments the way they were given to us on Sinai and passed down for three thousand years since then. He had heard about Shemitta observance and decided to bring the Rabbi over to explain it to them. His father after hearing the whole conversation wasn’t convinced, yet he deferred to his young 35 year old son who had provided him with quite a few grandchildren by then- which is always a good card to hold in your back pocket. As well Yehudah had as of then gotten the family into the market of growing and selling the highly profitable and expensive lychee fruits that they had much success in. He therefore agreed to go along with his son’s decision. And so they started observing Shemitta. But that was just the start.

 

See, the first shemitta he did 28 years ago, he really wasn’t satisfied with the way it went. The Beis Din he worked with who took over his lands and distributed his fruits, he felt were charging too much for the distribution costs. See fruits of shemitta can’t be sold as they are considered ownerless, but the court can charge to distribute them thus providing the farmers with some income for collecting and taking care of the trees and fruits. What cost him 2 and half shekel per kilo to provide them with they were selling for forty for the distribution costs. He didn’t like that. But fascinatingly enough it wasn’t because he felt that he was losing out on the money, or that someone else was pocketing some on his mitzva. Quite the opposite. He wanted everyone to have his fruits for free or close to free. Shemitta is about sharing the bounty of the land with Klal Yisrael. Showing that even those that don’t have farms and don’t grow fruits can have some “on the house”. Because it’s Hashem’s land. It’s their Father in heaven that is sharing it with them. And he, Yehuda, was just the gabbai to hand them out to everyone.

 

So the next shemitta cycle he upgraded his observance to a better Beis Din. He was more satisfied with the way that they distributed it. As well he started putting out the word that that his fields were open to all. And Jews started to come from all over. It was a party. A fruity kiddush of Avocados and expensive lychees every day all over his precious fields. People just coming and coming and taking. Can you imagine what this means? We’re talking about what would regularly be 10’s and 10’s of thousands of shekels worth of produce that he would generally support his family with. That he would use to pay his bills. That he actually even in the shemitta year had to expend time, effort and money to grow and take care of, and everyone is just coming and taking what they want. It did hurt a bit when word got out to the local Arabs as well and they started coming and hoarding some of his precious fruits as well. But he Yehudah just told himself that it wasn’t really his field this year and if that’s what Hashem wanted to happen, it was His business; His problem.

 

The next Shemitta though, Yehudah really wanted to do something special and different. His children were growing older. The Moshav environment he lived in was one that was challenging religiously as he was one of the handful of observant farmers and members of the Moshav. His kids had friends that were involved in non-Torah pursuits. They were getting exposed to things he felt would be detrimental to the great spiritual aspirations he had for them. He wanted some extra help from His Friend and Caretaker in heaven. He decided to double down on his faith. He looked out at his 30 dunams of olive groves that his father had grown decades before and decided that in observance of shemitta he wasn’t even going to step foot in those fields. He wouldn’t water them, he wouldn’t check on them. The land would rest entirely. It’s God’s field, let Him worry about it.

 

Now in shemitta all opinions agree that one is permitted to water one’s trees and do the basic things so that the trees won’t die. It’s prohibited of course to prune and to do things that will make the fruits and trees grow better. But the Torah doesn’t obligate one to lose ones trees. But Yehuda didn’t care. This wasn’t about what was permitted or not. This was about impressing in himself the faith and understanding that the fields and trees really belong to Hashem on the Sabbatical year. They’re not his. So he left them. Over 250 trees starved to death that year. Or so it seemed.

 

This certainly didn’t go over well with his family.  His father’s brothers came knocking and calling that all of their families work was for waste. He was crazy. He was a lunatic. A poshaya. Other farmers on the Yishuv looked at him as well with nebach scorn and derision. But Yehudah just smiled. He had nothing to worry about. It wasn’t his field. It was Hashem’s.

After Rosh Hashana for the first time Yehuda went back in. The trees were dead as a wooden doorknob. 30 Dunams worth.

 

Ah well... he sighed. That’s what Hashem wants. It’s His business. So he turned on the water sprinkler systems just to see if there was any point. After-all, what else was he supposed to do? And whatdaya know? There was techiyat ha’meisim! The trees came back from the dead and started growing just like usual. His uncles were shocked, his fellow farmers were as well. Three more farmers in fact started keeping this Shemitta cycle when they saw this happen last time. But for Yehuda, this was par for the course. Hashem wouldn’t abandon him. He never had a doubt. And you know what, he told me proudly? My son just finished learning his exams for Dayanut last week. He’s become a holy Jewish rabbi and judge. To me, that’s the biggest nachas in the world.

 

There is an incredible Moshav Zekeinim of the Baalei Tosafos on this week’s Torah portion. The Torah tells us the famous mitzva of B’tzedek tishpot es amisecha- on should judge one’s friend favorably. It is from here where we learn the mitzva of giving the benefit of the doubt to one another. Not to distort our judgement of others. The Baaley Tosafos though takes this verse to a whole different place which when you think about it really transforms the entire Parsha. They write

 

“If the attribute of judgement (Middas Ha’din) comes upon you from heaven, there is a positive commandment to find the righteousness of that judgement. For when it says amisecha- your friend that refers to Ha’Kadosh Baruch Hu. And one should bless the True Judge. And at that moment Hashem glorifies Himself amongst His angels. And thus one should say it in a loud vouce. “And You are righteous in all that comes upon us.”

 

Do you know what it means to judge Hashem favorably? It means that we realize that He’s our friend. He loves us. He cares for us. There is nothing ever that He would do that wasn’t for our benefit. Our Judaism starts there. It’s the lesson I learned and felt after schmoozing with Yehudah in that holy field of his.

 

This weeks Parsha is jam packed with Mitzvos. Mitzvos of all types in all areas of life and ritual. It was said with all of the Jewish people gathered together. And It’s introduction of Kedoshim ti’hiyu ki kadosh Ani- and you shall be holy for I am holy, I am Hashem your God has an incredible message to it that I just understood with this tosafos. Our sages tell us that Hashem observes all of the mitzvos. He is us. And we are Him. We have tefillin. He has Tefillin. We have Shabbos. He has Shabbos. He is holy. We are holy. We love our friends, because we love Hashem, because He loves us, Because we are Him and He is us. And they are us and we are them. If that meant any sense to you. Read it again and absorb if you didn’t.

 

 Hashem is our friend, we judge Him favorably because we know He really is our friend. In the same way we love our friends, because they really are our friends. Because the same Hashem that loves us and told us that I am holy, said they are as well. They are our friends. We, all of Klal Yisrael, heard this together. We accepted and saw it in one another. And we all feel it when we meet someone like Yehudah who shows us how true and holy we all can be.

 

The period of Omer that we are in mourning of right now, is a time when we always read this Parsha. The students of Rabbi Akiva died because they didn’t see that honor, that Hashem in each other. Rabbi Akiva was the one that taught V’Havata L’rayacha Kamocha- one should love their friend like themselves, yet his students perhaps didn’t get the deeper meaning behind that teaching. Loving your friend is as the Baaley Tosafos says there is no friend like Hashem. How do we love our friend like ourselves? When we see the Hashem inside of Him. We see our own holiness of Hashem inside of them. We love him like ourselves, because we are him and he is us and we all have that same friend in heaven that is with us.

 

The Midrash tells us that Rabbi Tarfon was once bemoaning to Rabbi Akiva that there was nobody in the generation that could accept proper rebuke. That paid attention to any admonition that the Rabbi was giving. Rabbi Akiva retorted that he would be better off bemoaning the fact that there was no Rabbis in their generation that were truly capable of giving admonition and rebuke properly. For to give rebuke doesn’t mean trying to get the other person to do what you feel is right for them to do. Tochacha- is showing and revealing the holiness and godliness inside of them. Introducing them to the Friend they have. The holy friend that they perhaps never really knew before. That they weren’t aware cared for them. That they didn’t know could bring back trees from the dead for them. That would take care of all of their needs and give them blessings all the time. Rabbi Akiva knew and saw that. Sadly his students didn’t.

 

The days of Omer fall out in the farming season. It’s the time when the blessings and green are all around us. It’s a time of year, perhaps even more so this year when we think about the farmers, the trees and the field and the bounty Hashem is sprouting out all around us. May He as well sprout the redemption very soon. The land and His people are waiting.

 

Have a holy Shabbos and a bountiful Chodesh Iyar Tov

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

 

***************************

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

 

Chavershaft iz shtarker vi brudershaft.- Friendship is stronger than kinship.

 

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

 

https://youtu.be/50pzvTOrgMA  – That season again! Acapella Shabbos Evolution by Y studs

 

https://youtu.be/_uLKWBXlwjg – Shira Choir Goes Classical Acapella and Cool and Fun!

 

https://youtu.be/IcTYNZzgUZs – Getting into Lag mode with this Miron Song from two years ago acapella

 

https://youtu.be/epKg5I3DB2I – Whatever... Thought this was ummm.. you decide… Shemitta song… No work for my tractor…

 

https://youtu.be/oaOUIfBClu4   – Kaiser Wilhelm visiting Jerusalem from tour guiding question of the week

 

 

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

 

25)  A Jewish leader who came to meet Emperor Wilhelm II in Jerusalem: _______

His journey expressed the worldview of:

A)  Religious Zionism

B)  Political Zionism

C)  Spiritual Zionism

D)  Practical Zionism             

           

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S PARSHA/SHABBOS CONNECTION OF THE WEEK

 

Separate -Parshat Kedoshim -  Shabbos Kodesh, Shabbos is a day that is holy. The word holy is one that I think is bandied about rather loosely. Some take it very seriously and believe it refers to someone that is ascetic and avoids all things physical and mundane. Others believe that everything is holy, its being kind its being generous. It’s a place or person where one can feel and connect with the Divine. The truth is the word Kodesh literally means separate and apart. It’s not connected to anything. It’s independent. If that’s the case what does holiness really and practically mean. After all it is the first commandment in our Parsha. We should be holy because Hashem is holy. How do we become separate like Him?

 

The end of the Parsha has an interesting almost conclusion of our Parsha and its myriad of commandments, when it tells us that Hashem was mavdil us- he separated us from all the nations to be His. There is a fascinating Midrash in the Yalkut Shimoni that writes

 

“Had it written that Hashem would separate the nations from us, then they would no longer be able to exist anymore. Therefore it says ‘I have taken you from the nations’. This is like one who takes out the good from the bad and then he chooses more again. Whereas if one plucks out the bad from the good he doesn’t choose out again.”

 

The sefer Ben Avraham was written by Reb Avraham Maizes, a cool sefer I found in shaymos this morning, who was a great chareidi leader in the early years of the state, a student of Reb Isser Zalman Meltzer and who spent years in Siberia where he was sent and still managed to observe mitzvos under great persecution. He suggests that by Shabbos as many know there is a prohibition to separate the bad from the good. We can however take the good from the bad. What is the difference? When one removes the bad, we are saying that the good will stay the same it just has bad parts to it that are disturbing it and bringing down it’s value. Taking the good from the bad, though is elevating the good. It’s bringing it closer to me. It’s making it holier and better.

 

The Midrash is telling us that the way Hashem took us out and separated us from the nations was not to remove them, which would mean that they would be thrown out and we would remain as is. Rather is was uplifting us. It was making us closer and more special to Him.  By doing that the rest of the world has the potential still not be viewed as bad, but rather as not yet elevated. We have yet to redeem them.

 

The Jewish people are separate because we are connected to Hashem who is separated. We are uplifted. He notes that we say in davening 6 blessings or titles about the Jewish people.

1)       Ahavta osanu- He loved us,

2)      V’Ratzisa banu- He desired us,

3)      V’romamtanu mi;kol ha’leshonos- He exalted us from all languages

4)      v’kidashtanu b’mitzvosecha- He sanctified us with His mitzvos, v

5)      ’kayravtanu la’avodescha- and He brought us close to His work,

6)      V’shimcha ha’gadol aleinu karasa- and He called His great name upon us.

 

Six is this world. The 7^th is above. That’s how we rise above. Step by step, Hashem plucked us out. Then comes Shabbos when we are above it all and separate. We are His. He is ours. It is Shabbos Kodesh. Not connected to anything below and before because we have been taken out of it and now we can uplift everything else. That’s how we have a Shabbos Kodesh!

 

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

 

King Asa of Yehuda -775 BC After the civil war and sins of Aviya the son of Rechavam a shining light rose up amongst the people of Yehuda. A new king arose Asa, the son of Aviya was considered a righteous king. His mother (or grandmother according to some opinons) Ma’acha was the daughter of Avshalom and she spread idolatry all around the land.  She built a huge demonic idol in the Kidron valley where all types of promiscuity would take place. It’s hard to imagine that right outside the Temple mount looking across from the Tayelet boardwalk at this valley of Gei Hinom of the Jewish abominations that took place here. Well, Asa took care of all of that. He cleared the country of all these illicit elements that had insinuated their way into our nation and he made a big lag ba’omer bonfire burning the statues.

 

In the temple that had been plundered by his father Aviya, he returned the holy vessels and he built up the country and their borders and wall in the face of their surrounding enemies. Things were going well, but like every good king, you need a good miraculous war to solidify your place in Jewish history and Hashem was happy to provide him with one.

 

The Navi in Divrey Ha’Yamim tells us about the great battle of Maresha that took place against the Kushite King Zerah who came with a million soldiers and one thousand three hundred chariots who came for the Gaza coastline to attack them. Maresha is located right next Beit Guvrin- for those that have done the dig for the day there and visited the later period Roman city and amphitheater. Most guides don’t really get into the huge battle of Asa there but they should. It’s an amazing victory. The Navi tells us how fortified by the words of the Navi Oded and Azariya, Asa’s army chased them all the way down to Gerar which is on the way down to Egypt in the Negev not far from Be’er Sheva. They smote their cities took all their cattle and booty. It was amazing and miraculous, and they came back to Jerusalem and celebrated.

 

With word and the high of this victory, Asa turned his eyes North to the northern kingdom and began to make plans to bring our nation back together again. Jerusalem was waiting for her children. For all of them? Would he succeed?

 

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S TERRIBLE JUDGING JOKES OF THE WEEK

 

Benjy had been arrested and was now up before the judge. 

The judge asks, "Do you admit you broke into the same clothes shop 3 times?" 

"Yes," replies Benjy. 

"Could you please tell the court what you stole." asks the judge. 

"I stole a dress, your honour," replies Benjy. 

"Just one dress? But you admitted to breaking in 3 times," says the judge. 

"Yes I did, your honour," says Benjy, "but on two of those occasions, I broke in to return the dress I took before." 

"Return the dress? Why? I don’t understand," says the judge. 

"Because my wife Bette didn't like the design, your honor." 

 

Having a $100,000 court case which would decide the fate of Chaim's economic situation he suggested to the lawyer that perhaps it would be wise to bribe the judge.

"Absolutely not, this judge is very straight. He would surely decide against the party who sends a bribe."

A couple of month later Chaim won the court case. "You see" said the lawyer "it's good you followed my advice and didn't bribe the judge."

"No, I didn't listen to you I actually did bribe the judge, just I sent it in the name of the other party."

 

Shmuel had a bad car accident involving a large truck. Weeks later, in court, the trucking company's fancy lawyer was questioning Shmuel.

"Didn't you say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine,'?" asked the lawyer. Shmuel responded, "Vell, I'll tell you vat happened. I just put my dog Moishele, into the..."

"I didn't ask for any details", the lawyer interrupted. "Just answer the question. Did you not say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine!'?"

Shmuel said, "Vell, I just got Moishele into the car and vas driving down the road...."

The lawyer interrupted again and said, "Judge, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told the Highway Patrolman on the scene that he was just fine. Now several weeks after the accident he is trying to sue my client. I believe he is a fraud. Please tell him to simply answer the question."

By this time, the Judge was fairly interested in Shmuel's answer and said to the lawyer, "I'd like to hear what he has to say about his dog Moishele".

Shmuel thanked the Judge and proceeded. "Vell, like I vas saying, I just loaded Moishele, my lovely hundteleh (dog), into the car and vas driving him down the highway when this huge semi-truck and trailer ran the stop sign and smacked my truck right in the side. I vas thrown into one ditch and Moishele vas thrown into the other. I vas hurting, real bad and didn't want to move.

However, I heard Moishele moaning and groaning. I knew he vas in terrible shape just by his groans. Den a Highway Patrolman came along. He could hear Moishele moaning and groaning so he vent over to him. After he looked at him, and saw vat terrible condition Moishele was in, he took out his gun and shoots him between the eyes.

Den the Patrolman comes across the road, gun still in hand, looks at me and says, "How you feeling?" "Nu, Judge, vat vould you say?

 

When Rivkah was called up for jury service, she asked the judge whether she could be excused.

"I don’t believe in capital punishment," she said, "and I wouldn’t want my views to prevent the trial from running its proper course".

The judge liked her thoughtfulness but had to tell her that she was perfectly suitable to serve on the jury.

"Madam," he explained, "This is not a murder trial, it's just a simple civil lawsuit. Mrs F is bringing this case against her husband because he gambled away the entire £15,000 he had promised her for her birthday so that she could carry out a make-over on her kitchen."

"OK," said Rivkah, "I'll join your jury - I could be wrong about capital punishment after all."

 

An observant Jew who lived on Park Avenue, built a Sukkah on his balcony. Some of his 'high society' non-Jewish neighbors brought him to court They claimed that the Sukkah on his balcony was an eyesore and was having negative impact on the value of their homes in this posh neighborhood. In court, the man was very worried about the outcome. It was the eve of the eight-day holiday, leaving him no time to make alternative arrangements, in case the judge ordered him to take down the Sukkah. He prayed for help. And Hashem listened. Judge Ginsburg, who was Jewish himself, had a reputation of being a very wise man. After hearing both sides, he turned around to the observant Jew and scolded him: "Don't you realize that you live on Park Avenue, and not in Brooklyn? There is a certain decorum which is expected on Park Avenue. You have no right to be putting up an ugly hut on this lovely street without a building permit authorizing it. I hereby rule that either you remove the hut, or I will fine you one thousand dollars. You have exactly eight days to do so! Next case!"

 

In Florida, an atheist created a case against the upcoming Easter and Passover holy days. He hired an attorney to bring a discrimination case against Christians, Jews and observances of their holy days. The argument was that it was unfair that atheists had no such recognized days. The case was brought before a judge.

After listening to the passionate presentation by the lawyer, the judge banged his gavel declaring,"Case dismissed!"

The lawyer immediately stood objecting to the ruling saying, "Your honor, how can you possibly dismiss this case? The Christians have Christmas, Easter and others. The Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah, yet my client and all other atheists have no such holidays."

The judge leaned forward in his chair saying, "But you do. Your client, counsel, is woefully ignorant."

The lawyer said, "Your Honor, we are unaware of any special observance or holiday for atheists."

The judge said, "The calendar says April 1st is April Fools Day. Psalm 14:1 states, 'The fool says in his heart, there is no G-d..' Thus, it is the opinion of this court, that if your client says there is no G-d, then he is a fool. Therefore, April 1st is his day. Court is adjourned!

 

Herman Goering was interviewed shortly before the Nuremberg trials. Goering was asked what he believed the outcome of the trial would be. He immediately told the interviewer that he was sure he would be found guilty and executed a short while later. The interviewer, shocked that such a seemingly confident man would be so sure of his demise asked him why he believed this. Goering looking puzzled by the question responds with. “What do you mean. You can’t find a half decent lawyer in this country anymore!

A trial for murder is being held and all the evidence indicate that the defendant is guilty But the body has never been found Just before the sentence is concluded his astute lawyer stands up and says: "ladies and gentlement, the deceased will enter the room in a few minutes".

There is a sudden commotion after these things were said. A few minutes pass then some more and no one has entered the room. After another couple of minutes the juries leave the room in order to make a decision. When they return the judge asks if they have come to a decision.

"Yes your honour, we have found the defendant- guilty of murder".

The defendant's lawyer immediately rises up and shouts towards them: "how dare you convict my client? Just a couple of minutes earlier, I told you that the deceased would enter the room and you all looked towards the door! That proves that you had a reasonable doubt!".

“We would have bought into it if your client had ever look towards the door".

 

Little old Yentl had gotten arrested for stealing a can of peaches from a grocery store. She stood there on trial with her husband Berel at her side. At the trial, the judge asks her why she stole a can of peaches. She replies, "Your Honor, my husband and I don't have much, and we are very poor. I was simply trying to do something about my hunger."
The judge, feeling sorry for the old lady, asked, "How many peaches were in the can?"
"6," Sadie responded.
"Then," the judge said, "you will spend one day in jail for each peach, for a total of 6 days."
"Your Honor," Berel piped up, "she also stole a can of peas!"

*******************************

Answer is B -The Kaiser Wilhelm’s visit was a big deal. They knocked down the Gate that was by Shaar Yaffo so he wouldn’t have to bend his pointed hat down (see video above). Theodore Herzl came to Palestine to convince him to support the Zionists efforts to get recognition from the Turks. He told him that he should support an Israel franchise that would sell to the Turks. His meeting didn’t turn out the way that he wanted it to. Rule in life, don’t count on the Germans…  So the answer is imaginably political Zionism although one might want to argue that it’s practical as well. So the score is now Schwartz 20.5 and 4.5 for MOT (Ministry of Tourism) on this exam.