from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"
April 24th 2026 -Volume 16 Issue 26 7th of Iyar 5786
I- Openers
It was an eye-opening conversation. Something that I never really thought about. That I took and take for granted and assumed because it meant so much to me. Because, I felt it was so obvious and so incredible, and almost incomprehensible how one could feel the way that I do. But I was so wrong. It really shifted my mindset. I gave me a lot to mull about and process. I'll share it with you, because that's what I always do. But, I sure am curious what you have say about this as well.
It was this past Wednesday, which here in Israel is celebrated as Yom Ha'Atzmaut. At least by most, I should preface. For others its also a celebration and an excuse to bash the State, to bash those that say Hallel- with or without a bracha, or say tachanun or not. As well to bash those that don't say. You know, your typical Jewish fun and recreational sport "brother bashing". Personally, I don't really like to play that game. I'm in the major leagues. I like to bash the bashers on both sides. Why limit your fun to only one team?
But anyways, I was having a conversation with my neighbor, Meir, who had just come back from his Pesach trip with his family from America. Now, I just want to clarify who Meir is. He's not an American. He's Israeli- Israeli. This is Karmiel, not Ramat Beit Shemesh or Ramat Eshkol. He's an avreich/ Kollel Rabbi here. He's Chariedi. He's never been on a plane in his life. He's never left Israel. Yet, he has a brother-in-law that lives there in New York and family in Lakewood and they invited them to come with his family for the Chag. At first he wasn't sure he could make it there with the war and skies shut. But in the end he did what way too many did, unfortunately in my opinion, and headed down to Egypt, Taba, flew through Europe- I asked him if he waved at the concentration camps along the way, and headed to Galus America for the holiday that celebrates the ability of the Jewish people to have the strength to break free from that slavery galus mentality and mindset and come to Israel. I can't imagine the irony of that whole thing that happened this year was lost on anyone. Not that it stopped them from leaving…
So Meir had just come back yesterday and we schmoozed about his trip. Needless to say, he was enthralled. I asked him if he learned English. He told me that he was in Boro Park most of the time and Lakewood so he didn't really need it much, although his yiddish has gotten a lot better. In terms of what he experienced there though was truly disheartening. He said he didn't feel any anti-semitism, surprisingly enough. Although he did say his relatives there expressed more nervousness. But in regards to the lifestyle, he couldn't even compare it. America is amazing. The people are nice (In New York!!!). The stores are friendly. The quality of the meat, the steaks, the shopping was out of this world. And just the whole Torah lifestyle, the shiurim, the classes, the minyanim, the nice shuls. He saw Batei Midrash full of people learning. Nice Mikvaos. There were no missiles. No sirens. No Jews protesting or fighting. People worked, supported their families. Had nice homes and schools. It's a good life, he told me. It's an amazing one. I can't imagine anyone leaving there and moving here. In fact he expressed admiration and even a bit of incredulity that I or anyone from America would leave and move here.
This wasn't the first time, I've had this reaction from Israelis, who look at you a bit crazy for making Aliya. I'm used to it. They were born here. They don't get it. The grass is always greener. Rav Margalit, the Rav of Karmiel has told me numerous times that one of the most important things that Olim bring to Eretz Yisrael is that enthusiasm and appreciation for the land that Israelis take for granted. That wasn't the chiddush or epiphany that Meir gave me. It was what he said next that really blew my mind.
"I don't think I or any chareidi Kollel guy living here in Israel if we would've been born there would ever move here or make aliya…."
Boom! That was what he said that hit me. Because to a large degree I think he's right. I know I shouldn't generalize. I've never done a statistic or a poll. I just know people. A lot of people. They're my friends. We learn. We schmooze. We daven together. They come to my shul. The truth is many of them love it here and really, I believe most of them, if given the choice and even good money and lives in America wouldn't leave for anything. And that it is a big zechus to be here. And I believe they even thank Hashem for that merit and privilege. Yet, at the same time, I don't think there's any question that if they would've been born in America they would never make Aliyah. It's not a value to them in that way. It doesn't mean to them, even now, what it means to me. And that was a very eye-opening conversation to have on Yom Ha'atzma'ut with my neighbor here in Israel. And it really bothered me a lot.
To be honest, which I usually try to be, at least with myself… I know that I didn't move here because it was a value or something that I really appreciated or was in a real sense connected to. It was a pragmatic decision more than anything else. It was right for the point I was in my life, from a financial standpoint. Or more precisely from a lack of financial standpoint. I was out of a job and I figured once I'm starting fresh, it's easier to do that here than there with a lot less upfront tuition, health insurance etc… expenses. And if I'm going to be poor, here at least you get a mitzva by living here and your mere existence is meaningful. But it wasn't out of any deep passion or love for the land, the air, the even incredible fulfillment of the dreams of all my ancestors. It was a mitzva. It made sense. Why not?
Had the opportunity not presented itself, I doubt I would've come. I might even still be there. In Iowa, Seattle or Virginia. Not Lakewood or Boro Park though… you couldn't pay me enough…😊 So I understood what he was saying. It just shook me to the core and gave me a whole new perspective on the people, my friends living here.
They really don't get it. It's not part of their heart and soul as it is to mine. They don't see it as truly being essential to what it means to be a servant and chosen one of Hashem. They don't feel their lives and every step that they take here has purpose, has meaning. They're not living like I am. I'm not blaming them. I just think I understand them and perhaps what goes on in this world and here so much more with that insight. This has nothing to do with the State at all. Or without the State. It's nothing to do with the Army or even wars from enemies from without and within. It's if I had to put this in to one sentence description, I'd say they're living here in Eretz Yisrael not too much differently then many chareidi Jews living in America. They like the land and benefits and freedoms, but they're really not invested or connected or see much value in the land or country itself on a spiritual level. And that is so sad.
The truth is I have that same perspective about non-religious or observant Jews in America. I don't look down upon them. I'm sad for them. They don't have Shabbos. They don't have Torah. They don't have the same relationship with Hashem and expression and connections that I have, because of the gifts of my upbringing and education. To be honest as well with myself, and certainly its something that I developed over my 15 years of Jewish outreach work in far-out places in America, I understood that if I would've born and raised like they were, then the chances were that I would never become frum. I wouldn't pursue that type of life. It's easy being non-religious, not keeping kosher, not having to worry about what you watch, how you speak, where you live, how you spend your money. To live a life without a higher purpose. I don't judge them. I certainly don't hate them or even look down on them. I really would be them. I would be the guy still living in America. I'd be the Kollel guy living in Israel without an appreciation for the land. And I wouldn't have even a clue and how blessed and how much I was missing out on by not being the person, that really through no great action or even inspiration of my own, I am fortunate enough to be today.
All these thoughts, epiphanies and self-reflections come after another few days out there in the Sinai desert farming by my friend once again this week. It seems I couldn't get enough of it last week to return yet to society. I was like a metzora that needed a second week of isolation. Of hisbodedus and meditation while connecting and slurping up the holiness pouring out of the land of Eretz Yisrael, the brown sandy desert that was flourishing and becoming green before my eyes. That process which I think is really so essential and what this period between Pesach and Shavuos is all about. The journey from exile, slavery and the 49th level of tumah, to redemption, freedom and the revelation of Hashem is what we are meant to be counting to and focusing on. And that journey really continues from last week's two parshiyot of metzora and tumah to this week's two portions of Acharei Mos the service of Yom Kippur and Kedoshim, becoming holy. It's what one is meant to learn in their second week and step of being alone outside the camp.
Acharey Mos and that service of the kohen being alone in the holy of holies, I've noted in previous years, doesn't even mention that this service takes place on Yom Kippur until 29 verses into the parsha. The commentaries note this. It's almost as if its meant to be read as an eternal message for all of us all year round "when we want to come into the Kodesh" the holy. It's a process in which we become embodied in the Kohen Gadol and he is us and we are him alone with Hashem in that private room. The process is one of recognizing that there is a lottery that takes place. We all have a goral- in life. A role that we were given that we did nothing to choose. Our job is to make that choice we've been given and to bring it to Hashem while sending the other one out to the mountain, to the midbar, to that isolated place and throw it off the cliff. It doesn't get much deeper and more personal. And it seems that it is really the only true starting point to being able to come close to Hashem and experience that revelation of Him within ourselves.
If Acharey Mos is about the Kohen within each of us, Kedoshim is about all of us being gathered together as one and taking that inner holiness and we've found within ourselves and moving back to the camp and finding it in everyone. About becoming a mamleches kohanim and goy kadosh- a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. It starts with the realization that we all have fathers and mothers. We're human. We come from somewhere. We're part of a legacy, a chain we're meant to continue. We have a goral. We all have that. We all share that. Just as we understand that we need to follow that knowledge of that with the fact that there is a third partner. There is Shabbos. We have a Creator. It is from Hashem that it all starts. Our parents are obligated in His honor because He's their Parent as well. We're not turning outside to any false gods or values. We're not bowing to any masecha- any face masks that cover up our essence. We're holy. Ani Hashem Elokeichem. Hashem is our God and we are one with Him and have found Him in ourselves.
When we get that we can then bring Shelamim sacrifices. We're complete. We're looking at the whole picture. We can eat a portion, we can give a portion to Hashem and we can give to the Kohen who connected us. We appreciate the sanctity of the time we have together with him. The fleeting moment that leaves if we miss out on it. We recognize the holiness of the place Hashem has put us and where we are complete with Him. We're not thinking about being somewhere else. We're fully present with him in the moment. We're not on phone. We're not looking at someone else's life. It's only when we do that then we are shaleim and when we can't do that then we're cut off. We're disconnected from Him and from our essence.
If one follows that introduction and mindset as you read through the parsha it has so much more meaning. It's not just laws. It's not chukim. It's not mitzvos or ethics. It's holiness. It's rising above the mundane and connecting with ourselves and Hashem within us. It's about understanding how every Jew has their own circumstance, their own challenges, their own story, their own occupation, their own temptations, sins and pitfalls and their own relationship with Hashem. We each have a goral. His is not mine and mine is not his, but each of ours are connected to Hashem. They come from the same source. The same Parent.
Perhaps the center of all of this in our parsha is what Rabbi Akiva tells us is klal gadol ba'torah and what Hillel says is the entire Torah on one foot. Loving your friend like yourself. What is hated upon you don't do to him. The essence of the Torah is premised on the two criterion that lie in this commandment and dictum. The first is two know and truly understand who I am. To take off all my masks, to look deep into what really makes me who I am. To be honest with my challenges, my sins, my weaknesses and my failures and to understand that at the end of the day, I still love myself. I love myself, because I understand that deep down there's a holy good divine spark within me that's untainted. That there is Ani Hashem within me.
As long as I'm still wearing all my masks and patting myself on the back, then you really aren't connected to that. You're taking credit for something that you don't deserve. You're kochi vi'otzem yadi asah li es ha'chayil ha'zeh. It doesn't make a difference if you're saying that in a secular Israeli army and see your victory over 5 arab nations as coming from the strength and heroism of your army and soldiers, or if you're sitting in the Bais Medrash in Lakewood or in Kollel in Jerusalem and feel that all your learning, your Torah, your chesed and mitzvos is because you're such a naturally good frum person and a gaon olam who's a big masmid and is sacrificing the world and gashmiyus for that avoda. Your sacrifice to make yourself feel good and meaningful is no different than the soldier who as well gives up this world to go fight for his meaning and sacrifice and sense of worth and genius. At the end of the day, it's still attributing it all to your kochi- your strength. You're not realizing it's just a goral. It's where Hashem placed you.
The second criterion once one has understood themselves, once they've found their "kamocha" is to then find it in the rest of our holy nation. To understand what their goral is. They are rey'acha because Hashem is their Ra'ayah as well. He is their friend. He is their shepherd. We're all His sheep. The verses before the mitzva of loving your friend begins with the fascinating uniquely Jewish perspective. Goyim say don't judge anyone. Don't be so judgy. Its not good to be judgey lest you yourself be judged. That's not what the Torah tells and teaches us. The goyishe approach is to live and let live. Judaism and the Torah doesn't believe in that. In fact quite the opposite. The Torah demands that we judge everyone. It's natural. It's the way we were built. Yet here comes the hard part.
B'tzedek tishopt amisecha- Judge them with tzedek. Find them righteous. As Rashi tells us
Hevei dan es kol adam l'kaf zechus- One should judge their friend favorably to the side of merit.
Our job is to judge favorably. To look at them and see in them that same spark that you found in yourself. To see the Ani Hashem in him as well. To realize that if you were in his boat, if you had his goral, you might be the same way. Yet, you weren't. You were given a different goral. You are more blessed. Hashem put you in a different place. Why? It's not because of anything special about you. It's not because of anything you've done or deserved. It's because He has a job for you here. It's hochayach tochayach es amisecha- It's perhaps to show and share with your unfortunate friend, what he's missing. What he can become. How great and holy and how special he is as well. To help him find the Ani Hashem inside himself as well.
When one comes with that approach, the verses that follow are natural. You won't hate your brother in your heart, you won't want to take revenge, won't want to spite him or embarrass him. He's just as holy as you. Doing so would be a chilul Hashem of the godliness within him. It would be embarrassing or desecrating Hashem. Being spiteful to Him. And in doing so, hurting yourself as well. Not judging him favorably. Living and let living, or god forbid doing worse by looking down and shaming or excoriating him is standing by on his blood. It's draining him of the life force that needs to be revealed within him. It's minimizing the shechina in the world. And thus yourself in the process.
Each day of this holy month of Iyar we count. We add a number each day. We get closer and closer. Each day we build on the previous one. We're on a journey to Sinai. Each day we move further and further from Egypt from being constrained to being free. To moving beyond this world. To the complete redemption. It's a job that is meant to be done in the field. It's the counting of that Omer. It's uplifting that barley offering and the old wheat and coming to the chadash- the new wheat. On Shavuot, the offering we bring is the shnai ha'lechem- the two loaves of bread. Lechem is gematria 78. The shnai Ha'lechem is the years of 78. May this 78th year of Hashem blessing us with our own State to return to, be the one that we finally merit to bring that together with Him in His home rebuilt.
Have a holy Shabbos,
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
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YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK
" Besser zikh tsu vintshen aider yenem tsu shelten."– Better to pray for yourself than to curse another.
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL VIDEO OF THE WEEK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNIadAMPp6M – Amazing Reb Asher Weiss on Israeli Soldier shaylas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsidUkVq1eQ - If you have time an amazing great and Fun interview/podcast with my buddy Michael and Eli Friedman about Aliyah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziVmUK6r6_Q&list=RDziVmUK6r6_Q&start_radio=1&t=50s - Here's Kempeh's whole new acapella album starting off with that amazing Ohr Ein Sof
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6NDclFLRSs – Baruch Levine latest Acapella Release album the longing for "We are one".
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK
answer below at end of Email
29. A spring in which the emanation of water occurs intermittently is called a __________ spring
Which of the following public struggles in Israel has failed?
A. The struggle to provide access to the shores of the Sea of Galilee
B. The struggle to prevent the privatization of the Dead Sea Works
C. The struggle to preserve wildflowers
D. The struggle to prevent construction in Jerusalem's Gazelle Valley
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK
Hallel Post Purim?- 352 BC- We know the story of Purim in a nutshell. They tried to kill us. We won. Let's eat and drink. The part that we sometimes forget is how the "we won" part happened. There was no ceasefire or Trump. It was the Jews that took up swords and guns and slaughtered 75,000 anti-Semites around the world. Men, women and children. We killed them. Not in Israel. But in Iran. In Poland. In The Hague and in Gracie Mansion. We killed them all. And that's what we celebrate. Think about that at your next peace rally. It wasn't Mashiach. It wasn't King David's army. It wasn't Chasmonaim and Maccabees. It was good Jews with guns that understood what self- defense and pre-emptive strikes on heir enemies and neighbors that want to kill them if they had the chance. It was Hamas lovers. And it was understanding that we can't rely on the goyim to do the job for us….
But in the end we were saved. It was miraculous. So we celebrate. What about saying Hallel? As the gemara puts it. If when we left Egypt from slavery to freedom and we say Hallel so certainly when we go from death and genocide to life? So why not say Hallel? And on that note- and pay attention to the answers of the Gemara here- how does this apply to saying Hallel on the miracles of today? Of Yom Ha'Atzmaut?
So the gemara gives three reasons why we don't say Hallel on Purim. Reb Chiya Bar Avin says the reason is because once we entered the land of Israel miracles that take place in any other land is not worthy of saying Hallel in. Perhaps because our entire existence there is meaningless. It's sad. It's like Hashem changing the lightbulb in your prison cell, or your tunnel in Gaza or Lakewood or Volozhin. It's not anything worthy of saying Hallel for. What would that mean in regards to miracles here today? You tell me…
The next reason given is Rav Nachman who says that the reading of the Megilla is actually the Hallel and takes its place. If that's the case then it would seem that the recital of Hallel is in fact obligatory even today in circumstances of death to life salvation like that story. Or like 1948 when we were outnumbered by 5 armies 10 times the size and for 1967 as well in the Six-day war and perhaps even with thousands of ballistic missiles falling on us today.
The third reason given by Rava is that when we left Egypt we were no longer slaves of Pharaoh, but today we're still slaves of Achashveirosh. We remained slaves under Persia even in the first part of the return to Israel post- Achashveirosh and then we were slaves to Greece, until we became independent after the war and miracle of the Jewish army Chanuka time. Chanuka is our first Yom Ha'atzmaut and Hallel was said on the miracles of that day! As the Rambam notes Jewish sovereignty was restored for 200 years. Seemingly Jewish sovereignty over Israel is a reason to recite Hallel on miracles.
That period ended with Rome taking back control. Rome incidentally took control because we invited them in and asked them to help us with our problems. The question today though perhaps is are we still slaves to Rome? To Achashveirosh? To Trump? Are we free and sovereign to do what we need to do to make this a Jewish country. Are we free to destroy all of the idolatry from the land and certainly from Jerusalem? The churches, the mosques to expel and execute our enemies? If your answer is yes… then according to Rava you should say Hallel. If it’s no, we can't do that… Then According to the first two opinions you should say it anyways. Afterall any salvation of genocide is worthy of saying Hallel and certainly if its in the land of Israel.
I'm not a posek. Certainly not yours. But for those that don't say Hallel, because they see that golden pimple on the Temple Mount and say we're still in galus and jail… Then they need to do something about that. They need to truly long to bring that day and do whatever they can to make it happen. To come, to vote, to declare an end to this tyranny and to daven for the day of the fall of Rome…. When we can finally declare Hashem's sovereignty on the land.
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S TERRIBLE MEDITATION JOKES OF THE WEEK
What do you call a meditation retreat? A concentration camp… (we're off to a bad start..)
I tried to get a job teaching meditation. But I didn't have a good inner view
If I were a farmer, how would I measure my height? From my head, tomatoes.
A man's wife decides to take up meditation, among other things
The man asked his wife why she was doing meditation. And she answered that she was feeling lost and trying to find herself.
So the man went and printed out a map of their local area, then made a pen mark where their house was on the map with a caption that said "You are here". Then presented the map put in a picture frame to his wife.
A pond would tell you about introspection. if it wasn't so busy self-reflecting.
I bought my wife a book on Mindfulness...... but she didn't appreciate the present.
A Dolphin meets the Buddha. The Buddha says you may ask me any question young dolphin and I shall answer for you.The Dolphin thinks about what he should ask and after several minutes of soul searching he ask the Buddha "What is my Porpoise in life?"
I recently took up meditation. It beats sitting around doing nothing.
Yankel has just reached his 110th birthday. A reporter comes to his birthday party and says, “Excuse me, sir, but how did you come to be so old?”
Yankel replies, “It’s easy. The secret is never to argue with anyone.”
The reporter is not impressed. “That’s insane!” he says. “It has to be something else – diet, meditation, or ‘something.’ Just not arguing won’t keep you alive for 110 years!”
Yankel looks at the reporter and says, “Y’know, maybe you’re right.”
A humble monk sits at the peak of a hill that overlooks where the grassy Earth meets a river, and the river flows with the breeze, and the breeze explores a mountain range, and the mountains neighbor the sky, and the sky conceals the entire universe, hiding the unknown in plain sight. Softly, the monk exhales "Ooooomm".
He repeats this until a noise, very quietly, breaks his chant.
"moo."
The monk stops for a moment, and without changing his position, dismisses it. "Ooooooommm."
He begins again. Slightly longer this time, he's interrupted again, "moooo."
The monk turns to find a cow looking up at him from the bottom of the hill. "Kind cow," the monk says, "please do not interrupt my meditation."
The cow stares blankly back at the monk. The monk sighs and continues.
"Oooooommmm-"
Even louder, "Mmmooooooooo."
"Dear cow, I must reach enlightenment. Please, refrain from making your cow noises or find another hill."
The monk continues again, "Oooooooommmm-"
"MMMmmoooooooooooO!" The cow exclaims.
The monk stands up angrily, "Cow! Why must you interrupt my chanting?"
The cow replies, "Because you're saying it backwards!
Tired of the modern world, a businessman visited a monastery to seek a simpler life
Entering the monastery, he saw monks in simple robes practicing their meditations and tending to the grounds.
"Ahh," he thought, "here is a life free from distraction!"
But walking into the study halls, he discovered monks staring into laptops. In the wings, he saw monks typing on iPads. Shaken by this intrusion of the outside world into monastic life, he sought out the abbot.
The abbot looked up from his phone, greeted the man and asked if he had a question.
"Abbot, I came here expecting a place free from distraction, and yet I see distraction all around. Tell me, is it now acceptable for monks to spend their time answering emails?"
"Of course," said the abbot, "provided there are no attachments."
The Police Officer fronted the press conference. "A major incident happened at the Goodsprings Buddhism and Yoga Retreat this morning. To put it frankly, it was a bloodbath,” explained the Commissioner.
A sea of hands go up from the journalists.
“When did this happen, and why?” asked the first.
The Commission replied “Pre-meditation.”
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The answer to this week's question is B– So this was one of those interesting questions that would have been easier in Hebrew than English. The correct answer is a rhythmic spring, a term I never really learned or knew. Although it’s a pretty easy one. I knew there was a term for it. I thought it was called a kziv spring, which means that its false, not always reliable. I was wrong. The correct term is nachal po'em- which means rhythm. The gichon by Ir Dovid is one as well as Mabua and there are many more. The second part though was easy. Israel did the Gazelle and the wildflowers and plenty of beach accesss by the Kineret. And of course the Dead Sea Cabal breakup is never going to happen. Because we can improve and fix Hashem's world. But we can't stop scandal crime and government shmutz and beuaracracy and payoffs. Oh well… Mashiach will take care of that. So half right and wrong on this one score is no Rabbi Schwartz having a 20.5 points and the MOT having 8.5 points on this latest Ministry of Tourism exam.
