Happiness is... Balak 2017 /5777

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land
from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

July 7^th 2017 -Volume 7 Issue 35 13^th Tamuz 5777

Parshat Balak

Happiness is...

I'm an Israeli now. July 4^th was a fun BBQ excuse holiday, which is always a good thing, but this year I didn't even notice that it passed; maybe because I'm still looking for some good meat to grill in this country. Yet I remember the day when we would talk get together and discuss the difference between the American dream and its rights as opposed to those of Israel and the Jewish State. One of the primary differences I always noted was this concept of the pursuit of happiness. In Israel we were and are looking to survive and to be able to make a difference and society that was impactful and hopefully Divine, (the problem is that every Jew has a different opinion of what that means- some even two). But happiness was never our pursuit. Fulfillment, accomplishment, spirituality, Divine connection and most of all peace are what we pray for and what move us. Happines? That's an American pursuit, and one that certainly interesting to explore. What is this pursuit and why aren't we searching for it over here?

As all good searches must begin I started my search at the easiest location; Google- of course. Which then sent me to Wikipedia. They then informed me that 50% of one’s happiness quotient is related to ones genes. Hmmm... I think it's a little too late to work on that. My next hit brought me to that classic work of wisdom and art the famed "You're a good man Charlie Brown" and the happiness song. Here I found out that "Happiness is finding a pencil and pizza with sausage and five different crayons and tying your shoe". Well the pizza thing wasn't too Kosher (tofu sausages certainly don't make me too happy) I don't use pencils and not great with crayons or shoes). It was pretty much downhill from there.

Deepak Chopra- "Happiness is a continuation of happenings which are not resisted", (Huh?). Albert Schweitzer -" Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory". And the always insightful George Burns- "Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city". And last and perhaps least the profound and insightful Don Marquis "Happiness is the interval between periods of unhappiness". Feeling joyous yet?'

Which, as is usually the case brings me to the place that is generally the only real place where I have usually found meaningful and satisfactory answers to the most pressing questions of life; our holy Torah. It's a good thing, I guess, that Hashem gave us this book of wisdom and life or who knows what we would look like. This week's Torah portion gives us a perspective of an individual who was certainly one of the least happy people in the world. We are told the story of Bilaam the prophet who was courted and enlisted to utilize his supernatural spiritual powers to curse the people of Israel. The lessons of Bilaam are lessons in un-happiness. Or what happens to someone who is too caught up in the pursuit of the elusive rather than the acceptance and the experience of what he has.

The Mishnah in Avot (Ethics of our Fathers) contrasts for us the difference between Abraham and Bilaam and their disciples. The students of Abraham possess three primary character traits a good eye, a humble spirit, and a sense of contentedness while Bilaam's students possess the opposite, an evil eye, arrogance and greed. The Talmud tells us that Bilaam was the equivalent of Moshe our greatest leader in his capacity to achieve prophecy and lead the gentile world. Instead, his self-absorption- that eye of his that could only see his own universe rather than reflect out to the rest of the world and serve their needs and elevate them brought him down. He had the power to bless humanity but instead he chose to curse. While Abraham looked at the world and felt humbled by the Almighty and his Creation, Bilaam's arrogance and his pursuit for honor drove him to attempt to defy Hashem's directive. In the end the Torah tells us he was mocked when his own donkey spoke and in his obsessive blinded pursuit of the happiness that can never be achieved, he became the symbol of an individual who ultimately couldn't even get respect and control upon that which his own backside would ride.

When one examines our Jewish leaders and heroes in the Torah and throughout our history, there are two things that one can find that are fairly consistent. The first is that none of them ever were ever engaged in a pursuit of happiness. Rather as King David in Psalms tells us our role is it is to be “bakeish shalom v'rodfehu”- search out peace and pursue it. The righteous look out at the world and ask themselves not how can I become happy? Rather how can I make the world happier, kinder, more peaceful, and more holy. The focus on building a world of love and peace is the pursuit that is our unalienable Divine mandate; it is for that which we are created.

The second characteristic that can be found by those who merited to have had the privilege to encounter and to develop a relationship with our holy masters is that they all were filled with an incredible sense of happiness and inner peace. In the worst of times and through the greatest of struggles, from our forefathers and to our great leaders today somehow there is somehow a reservoir of happiness that fills them that allows them to shine it out and bring light and joy to the world. Their secret and the Torah's lesson? It is not the pursuit of one's own happiness that will bring them joy or fulfillment. Rather it the pursuit of others happiness, the happiness between man and his fellow, between man and his Creator, and between our Loving Father and his children that will ultimately result in true inner happiness.

We live today in a society that has more and better "stuff" than ever before in the history of mankind. Yet we also live in a generation that suffers from more depression and a true lack of inner peace, joy and satisfaction than ever before. The early settlers of Israel came with different ideals. Perhaps if we would all take a step three thousand years before the founding fathers of the United States set out their mandate for the foundation of their society in the Declaration of Independence. And we looked back to our own heritage and our Forefathers and Jewish heroes as our beacons; we would be closer to achieving that happiness we seek. Our ancestors saw themselves and happiness not in their Independence and in their opportunities to further their own personal goals and lives, rather it was in their dependence on the Almighty for all the goodness that they had and the furtherance of his love and the worlds happiness and relationship with Him and with each other that was their life work and ultimate fulfillment. May we merit soon to see the true fulfillment of those dreams.

Have an ecstatic Shabbos,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

“Ainem dacht zikh az bei yenem lacht zikh..”- One always thinks that by others they are happy

RABBI SCHWARTZ COOL VIDEOS OF THE WEEK

https://youtu.be/TFvvTotFzoY  – Just what the world needed another Rebbe Nachman happy song! Maybe? Or Not? Either way the video is cool!

https://youtu.be/Rr5DzbYvFAE - The Dunk in Mikva song…a bit strange chasidic camp humor…OK

https://youtu.be/92-Py3wheAg  – Cool footage of Operation Magic Carpet bringing the Jews of Yemen back home in 1949 (sounds not great but still pretty awesome)

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

Q. Jewish burial in Kokhim (loculi) was practiced:
a. During the period of the Judges
b. In the days of the Return to Zion
c. From the Hellenistic Period
d. During Iron Age II

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ILLUMINATING RASHI OF THE WEEK

One of the great things that many of our sharpest Rabbis do with Rashi is to look at his words and take them as precisely as he writes them and utilizing them to go in an entirely different direction that you may have thought that Rashi was trying to say. It’s the beauty of Rashi, which to a large degree is like the Torah, it can be read and studied and understood on many different levels.

In this week’s Torah portion when the Torah tells us that Bilaam got up early to go to try to curse the Jewish people. So Rashi points out the similarities of the text to another text that is in the Torah. The Torah seems to be echoing a previous story and Rashi tells us the message. The verse says

Bamidbar (22:21) And Bilaam got up in the morning and he saddled his donkey.

Rashi notes on this verse

“Hashem said ‘Wicked one Avraham their forefather preceded you already as it says ‘And Avraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey’

Now seemingly I understood this Rashi, as I think that most people do, to be saying, that the merit of Avraham when he got up early in the morning to fulfil Hashem’s command to sacrifice his son Yitzchak, preceded Bilaam’s evil intent and therefore they have nothing to worry about. But the Kotzker Rebbe, has a different take on Rashi. He asks, what does the holy act of Avraham who is fulfilling the will of Hashem have anything to do with Bilaam’s act. Why would the fact that Avraham got up early convince Bilaam that he was doomed to failure? After-all as Rashi writes this is Hashem telling Bilaam that it would not work because of Avraham.

He answered brilliantly that when Avraham was taking his son up for an offering so than he would be destroying the future of the Jewish people. For Hashem had promised that the Jewish nation would only be transmitted through Yitzchak. So Hashem was telling Bilaam, look. If Avraham who was fulfilling my commandment and he even got up early to fulfill my will and saddled his own donkey, despite the fact that this would cause the end of the Jewish people. And that act never came to fulfillment. Then for sure your act which is against my command and will is bound to never succeed. Give it up! The Jewish people are forever…

Pretty awesome and sharp isn’t it?

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Of Kotzk - (1787-1859) --His whole life he waged a war for the truth. The external and internal truth. This was the essence of Rav Menachem Mendel Morgenstern better known as the Kotzker Rebbe. The Kotzker was born in 1787 and lived at a time when Chasiddus was making great inroads into the mainstream of Jewish society. He felt that Chasiddus needed to be tuned up by correcting some of its basic flaws. Chasiddus had become too Chassidishe for him. He wanted to restore Torah as the focal point of all Avodas Hashem and get people to become more self-reliant and not subjugate their God given minds to the Rebbe. A person, he felt, needed to take responsibility for his life, his ways, and develop his own personal relationship with Hashem.

He left no seforim written works-, no tales of miracles, and no biography. He did not seek honor, fortune, or fame. He sought to raise Chasiddus to a movement for the elite. He longed to metamorphis Chasiddus into a movement with truly inspired service of Hashem and intense Torah learning as its cornerstone. His lone legacy is his short sharp sayings that he became famous for, to the world outside of Kotzk.

He was born into a family of a Misnagdim-the antagonists of the Chasidim and eventually became a student of the Chozeh of Lublin and then later leaving Lublin for Peshischa where he became a student of Rav Simcha Bunim of Peshischa. After Rav Simcha Bunim's passing, most of his chasidim who were peers of Rav Menachem Mendel, including the Chiddushei HaRim the founder of the Gerer dynasty, chose to follow Rav Menachem Mendel and make him their leader. His other main student was Rav Mordechai Yosef Leiner who eventually broke away and founded the Izhbetza Chasiddus. Rav Laibele Eiger, the grandson of Rebbi Akiva Eiger, was also attracted to Kotzk much to his father's great dismay. The Kotzker's son in law was the Avnei Neizer who succeeded him.

The Kotzker passed away in 1859. He spent the last 20 years of his life in seclusion frustrated by his inability to create the flock of his ideals while refusing to play the role of the ideal Rebbe as the Chasidim wished. The story goes that once while he was secluded in his room for weeks on end, a chasid wanted to see him so he went right outside and opened the window a crack to listen to the Rebbe learning.... a few minutes in without even looking up, the rebbe said "farmacht de fensters, dem velt shtenk" close the windows, the world stinks. The world perhaps cannot and could not handle the unrelenting truth of the Rebbe of Kotzk, yet every generation requires someone to take that unthankful role to bring that to the world. Yehi Zichro Boruch!

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TYPES OF JEWS IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

Yemenites/ Teimanim – Certainly one of the oldest Jewish communities and some of the most colorful people in Israel are it’s Teimanim or Yemenite Jews. Coming from Yemen, which dates its Jewish community back to the destruction of the first Temple. The Jews of Yemen really were the ones that most symbolized he ingathering of Exiles that took place upon the establishment of the State of Israel. Already in the late 1800’s Jews from Yemen started to immigrate to Israel. The first wave of Aliya in 1882 was called Aleh Batamar from the verse in Song of Songs that talks about the date palm coming up and being a play on the year 5642 from creation which equals Taf Reish Mem Beis the year they came that spells BaTaMaR. About 5000 made Aliya at that time. But the major Aliya really took place on operation Magic Carpet or Kanfei Nesharim- Wings of Eagles right after the War of independence where the fledgling state airlifted over 50,000 Yemenite Jews to Israel to escape the persecution that was taking place over there. There was much controversy in Israel at the time whether the newly founded State had the capacity and financial wherewithal to integrate and accept all these new immigrants, but ultimately the decision was made by Ben Gurion that it was for this reason the State was founded. That being said there was much controversy as well as they arrived as the secular leadership was not looking for old fashioned Jews, so sadly and tragically and in perhaps one of the blackest moments of Israel’s history many of their Jewish books and Torahs were taken away from these immigrants and immense pressure was put upon them to assimilate and become leave their religion behind. There have been three different commissions that have been established that have investigated claims of Yemenite children being taken away from their parents after being taken to the hospital and telling their parents they had died they were given to secular families to be raised non-religious.
Despite its tragic beginnings though the Yemenites in Israel have made a significant mark upon the country. They are from the more traditional Jews with great regard for their Rabbis and leaders. There are close to 450,000 of them in Israel. Many of Israel’s most famous singers are Yemenite and certainly the greatest Yemenite restaurants where you get jachnun, matbucha and other Yemenite delicacies ae part of the Israel experience. Most Yemenites are simple, fun, happy go lucky and very family and community oriented. Celebrating their holidays, and special occasions the way they did back in the old country. Although originally Yemenites were more of the blue collar workers, the taxi drivers, construction, shoe makers and simple professions today they can be found in all areas of society. A true testimony to the ingathering of exiles that this country has experienced.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TEIMANI JOKES OF THE WEEK

( A bit of an explanation to get the jokes here I’m not a stereotyping type of guy but from what I grasp Yemenies are stereotyped as a simple-minded, blue-collar, and frugal-feel free to exchange Yemenite for the stereotype that you feel better matches the joke)

The Yemenite was sleeping for a week straight. When he awoke he found himself in the hospital surrounded by doctors who had never seen something like this before. They asked him in shock

“Are you all right? Hakol B’Seder?!”

“I’m fine” he said “After a week of searching, I finally found the 50 shekel I lost in my dream the week before!”

A man sees a Yemenite walking around with a half an umbrella. He asked me if everything was alright. The Teimani answers “Yes, they just said it would be partly cloudy/partly rainy today.”

Bill Gates became sick with a terrible illness and he needed a specific type of blood donor that could help him. Doctors looked all over the world to find this special blood type offering a million dollars to the person that could be the donor. Finally Saadia the Teimani was found he agreed to be the donor but on the condition that he received payment first. The doctors were desperate they told him not to worry, the blood was necessary immediately. Bill Gates would certainly pay him afterwards. But Saadia refused. His family thought he was crazy but Saadia wan’t giving one drop until he had the check in the back. So Bill wrote out the check and it was deposited. Saddia then gave his blood. Afterwards Bill came over to Saadia and asked him why he was so stubborn. Saadia explained. “What do you think I’m stupid? I knew that as soon as my Teimani blood flowed through your body, there wasn’t a chance I would ever see a shekel from you…!”

The Russian, the Morrocan and the Teimani were planning a BBq together. The Russian said that he would bring Vodka and Red Bull and they would drink all night. The Moroccan said that he would bring steaks, salads shishkebabs so they would have great food. The Teimani said he would bring his brother he would make the best jokes…

The Yemenite hails a taxi. As they begin to drive all of a sudden the driver loses control and the car begins to go flying down a hill to towards a cliff. The Yemenite screams “STOOOPPPP STOPPP!!!”  The drive yells back “I can’t my brakes are not working…. “ The Yemenite says “NOOOO… I MEANT STOP THE METER..”

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Answer is C– This is one of those questions that I believe is arguable. The truth is burial above ground in caves which is what kochim burial is was practiced by the Canananites even before the Jews got here in the Bronze Era 2900 BC or so before the Iron Era when it seems it went out of style. However Tanach does tell us that in a few places that they buried in caves. The cave of Machpela being certainly a good example. As well in the period of judges and the Kings of Israel it is mentioned in a few places. The answer they are looking for which seems to based on archeological finds though is certainly the Hellenist period when we find that it was the most prevalent form of burial. The best example being the Tombs of Sanhedrin where there are tons of caves some having 70 tombs one on top of another where the Sanhedrin were buried far from what was then populated Old City Jerusalem on the outskirts of the city. Today Jewish custom is to bury in the ground and earth and it seems foreign to many religious Jews to see that in the old days they buried in these tombs. It has become a debate and discussion today in Israel in some places where they have begun doing this again, as the country grows and space is scarce to bury people.

Jewish Warriors- Parshat Chukat- 2017 / 5777

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land
from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

June 30^th 2017 -Volume 7 Issue 34 6^th Tamuz 5777

Parshat Chukat

Jewish Warriors

 I don’t like to tell my tourists where I am taking them before we go there. Certainly not the kids along the trip. I find that if I tell them, then it just leads to more questions and more questions and ultimately I can never describe it as amazing as it will be. For example if I tell them we are going to Rosh Hanikra. The next question is “What’s there?” So then I tell them grottos.

“What’s that?”

“Natural water caves”

“Sounds boring…”

“Well there’s a cable car”

“How long is it? Anything else there?”  

“Ummm the Lebanese border”

“Cool! Is it dangerous?” No.

“Oh so it’s also boring….” See what I mean. Now anyone that’s been to Rosh Hanikra knows that it is truly one of the most amazing and beautiful sites in Israel. But if the introduction to it is this interrogation it is  bound to be a downer. I therefore prefer to say to the initial question of where we are going, that we will find out when we get there… End of story. But…but… but… doesn’t change my mind. I’m not saying. We’ll find out when we get there.  If they really put pressure on I just tell them that there’s ice cream there that’s usually enough to hold them off.

Once in a while though in order to build up the enthusiasm I’ll give them a hint, or maybe even distort the truth just to surprise them afterwards. Like the time that I had this family and I told them that I was taking them to the most important and powerful Navy base in Israel. This was where the real navy seals do their exercises. This was a pretty secretive unit and most Israelis were not even aware that they were the force that won most of the wars of Israel. I told them that we were going to be getting there right in the middle of their daily exercises and that we would be able to participate. When they saw that we were arriving in Bnai Brak they began to be a bit skeptical. After-all this was one of the largest and most intense Ultra-Orthodox cities and everyone knows that Chareidim don’t fight. When we pulled up to Ponivizh yeshiva they were even more aghast. This is the Navy base I was talking about?! I told them to just hold their questions and they would appreciate it when we came in.

 Sure enough we walked into perhaps one of the noisiest study halls in Israel. Young men and old Rabbis were literally standing up one across from another and yelling and screaming at one another. They were fighting for truth. They were waving books. They were jumping up and down and waving their hands as they spoke about oxen goring one another, the laws of a levirate marriage and the fine details of which blessing to make over chulent (you knew that I had to sneak that in somewhere J). I explained to my tourists that we were in fact in the Yam Shel Talmud- The sea of the Talmud. These were our soldiers. These arguments and debates over the minutiae of our laws, our traditions our teachings are the secret of what keeps the Jewish people going over the millennia. We are charged with preserving, transmitting and applying the truths and Torah that were revealed to us millennia ago on Mt. Sinai. One could go back for thousands of years to all different societies, countries and exiles that we have sojourned and the one and only constant thing that we would find is this elite group of Rabbis, fighting arguing, defending and refining the eternal teachings that are the soul of our nation. It is in the merit of these boys and young men who truly dedicate their lives to this cause, generally at the expense and with much sacrifice of what many might consider achieving “success”, comforts, and a higher quality of life and livelihood. It is due to their heroic dedication that Hashem has watched over us and provided us with miracles daily here in our fledgling state. Hashem doesn’t need a democratic state for Jews in the Middle East. It’s not why we’re here. He’s looking is for a country that shines out the light of the Torah to the rest of the world. And these guys are our light-keepers.

But why do they scream so much? Why can’t they just talk quietly and nicely to one another? I remember when I first got married and, as is customary, the first year I would be home in the evenings. As opposed to after the first year when I returned to my Kollel for night time studies. Yeah being a Kollel Rabbi is not a 9-5. We went from 8:30 in the morning until 10:00 PM with breaks for lunch and supper. Now being home in the evening wasn’t just chilling out with the wife and watching TV with popcorn. I would still study with my study-partner, but he (a single guy) would come over to my house and he would learn with me there. Now I was one of those really strong Torah fighters. I was the Rambo of the Talmud and I didn’t suffer anyone and took no prisoners. I was fighting for Truth and the Torah way. My wife on the other hand was aghast. As she peeked out the kitchen door, she was aghast as she saw her normally quiet and even mannered husband- OK maybe I’m getting carried away here, yelling, and screaming at my partner.

 “WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!

“HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?! ANYONE CAN SEE THAT’S NOT THE PSHAT! WHAT DID YOU FALL ON YOUR HEAD OR SOMETHING… C’MON THINK A LITTLE BIT FOR ONCE!”

After he left my wife came over to me with trepidation and asked my why I was so angry at him. I didn’t know what she was talking about. But you were yelling and screaming? I was…? That’s not really yelling and screaming, I told her. Then she got really nervous. No, I reassured her. Nobody takes this personally, and none if it is meant personally. We are both fighting for truth. We respect one another. It’s just the way we hammer things out in yeshiva. She told me that she would probably cry, if she was in yeshiva. And I laughed. Maybe that’s why women aren’t Kollel Rabbis. She corrected me and told me that the reason was because men couldn’t handle being Kollel wives… I started to cry…J

But really what is this fight all about? This week’s Torah portion Zot Chukat Hatorah-which literally means this is the laws of the Torah proceeds to tell us the laws of the Red Heifer that was used to  off  purify the nation from the impurity from coming in contact with death. At the conclusion of this discussion the verse tells us.

Bamidbar (19:2) Zot HaTorah adam ki yamut ba’ohel…- this is the Torah- a man who dies in the tent…

Our sages though read this verse homiletically.

(Brachot 43:) Reish Lakish taught, from where we know that the Torah will only withstand in someone who ‘kills” himself over it? As it says ‘These are the laws of the Torah- a man who dies in the tent.”

See our Rabbis understood and were conveying to us that Torah is different than any other area of study and knowledge. One doesn’t have to kill themselves over math, science, geography or literature. Yet Torah requires the passion and commitment as if one understands that his very life is on the line when one opens up our sacred texts. It’s not something to be studied or read lounging back sipping a martini by the pool on a nice sunny day. It’s in the trenches, it’s revealing the truth it’s connecting with the Divine and bringing His word down to earth.

Perhaps even more revealing is the message that our rabbis find in the end of the Torah portion. When the Jewish people are miraculously saved by Hashem wiping out our enemies without us even knowing about it. The story as told by Rashi is that the Emorites were hiding up in these two huge opposing cliffs with the intent of ambushing the Jewish people as they came through the valley below. Hashem made a miracle and the cliffs were pointed at one end and opened in the other moved to one another, like a hand in a glove, and crushed the Emorites in between. We only found out as we crossed over the pass later and saw their blood rushing through the stream below. We then realized the great danger that Hashem had averted for us. The Jewish people break out in song and the text tells us a very cryptic verse

Bamidbar (21:14-16) Thus it will be said in the book of the wars of Hashem-Et vahav b’sufah ve’et ha’nechalim b’Arnon- that which was given at the Yam Suf-sea of reeds and the streams of Arnon.

Rashi explains that this refers to the miracle that took place at both places the splitting of the sea and the miracle of the mountains here crushing our enemies. But our sages note the strange wording of the word vahav, and the strange book of the Wars of Hashem that this is a reference to the battle of Hashem over Torah-

(Kidushin 30:) Rabbi Chiya Bar Abba taught that even a father and his son, a rabbi and his student that are delving into Torah become like enemies to one another. However they don’t leave from their place until they become beloved upon each other as it says Vahav BSufa- Vahav is from the word ahava- love and sufa meaning in the end. Love comes at the end when you are engaged in the battle of Hashem.

Rabbi Shimon Schwab notes that the reason the Rabbis and the Torah bring this teaching to light over here, seemingly this song has nothing to do with the study of Torah, is because Torah study is in fact exactly like these miracles. The regular flow of the water of the red sea was changed because of the merit of the Jewish people and it split. The Egyptians died however when it returned back to its natural flowing state. Similarly here. The mountains cliffs here as well, were originally connected one to the other, they were separated and the Emorites were killed when they moved back together to their natural state. He suggests that is precisely what happens when a father and son, a Rabbi and student or even a Kollel guy and his study partner engage in that oldest of Jewish pursuits. We fight, we argue as if our life depends upon it, we are willing to die for it, but ultimately we come together again with love with an even greater appreciation of the bonds of love and Torah that unite us.

It is strange, it may even seem disconcerting. It doesn’t seem logical. After-all why fight to make peace. Perhaps it is why these lessons are taught in the Torah portion of Chukat. The inexplicable laws of Red Heifer. The portion that even King Solomon didn’t understand. Rashi tells us that this is a law that the process to get purified from death is by the Kohen himself who sprinkles the ashes himself becomes tamei- impure in the process. We have to become tamei- to become tahor-pure. We have to fight to become beloved once again. When we see death, we are meant to contemplate that there is really eternal existence. These are the laws of the Torah of life that can only be acquired when you are willing to die in the tent over its study. That’s what they taught us in military school of Yeshiva. It’s not much different then what they teach you in any military academy. You’ve got to be willing to give your life to fight for what’s important. You battle and plug away until you reveal the strategy that will insure that your way of life will succeed. That your light will continue to shine bright. For young soliders, or baby SEALs it may not make much sense. But that’s why it’s a chok- an inexplicable law. Follow orders, don’t ask questions. Ultimately the war will be won and peach and love will reign forever. What will be when we get there? Remember I don’t answer that question. But it will be a lot better than ice cream.

Have a stupendous Shabbos,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

“Ver es kon kain pulver nit shmeken, der zol in der malchumeh nit gaien.”- He who cannot stand the smell of gunpowder should not engage in war.

RABBI SCHWARTZ COOL VIDEOS OF THE WEEK

https://youtu.be/iUz3xuT_0gA    – Incredible, fun and inspiring welcome to Camp Simcha 2017 Kol Hakavod to my sister Rivky the heart and soul of this incredible girls camp for children with medical challenges.

https://youtu.be/tXMys2NLXjQ    - I Love this song! Composed by Shlomi Shabbat it is called Bereishit Olam- really amazing.

https://youtu.be/seAUU2K3BYk   – Koreans coming to Ponivizh Yeshiva to see yeshiva learning and understand the secret of our eternality.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

Q. A festival not emanating from the Torah is:
A. Tu Be’shvat
B. Shavuot
C. Shemini Atzeret
D. Passover

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ILLUMINATING RASHI OF THE WEEK

There are so many amazing things in Rashi. His commentary despite its limitations as being only a simple pshat commentary on the text. One just has to think about the ramifications of what he says and one can find some of the deepest and most amazing insights that relate aspects of Judaism. In this weeks’ Torah portion when Moshe sends a message to the nation of Edom in his attempt to persuade them to get over their enmity to us. He “catches them up” on our history since their ancestor Esau last departed from our forefather Yaakov centuries before. He tells them up about our slavery in Egypt and he describes our situation there.

Bamidbar (20:15) And they did evil to us and to our forefathers.

Rashi highlights for us an interesting side point that Moshe seems to feel it is important to mention here.

“From here we that our forefathers are pained in the grave when tribulations come upon Israel”

Meaning Rashi is noting that Moshe says to Edom that not only did the Egyptians do bad things to us, but even our forefathers who were in the grave were pained by what was happening to us. This in of itself is an incredible idea about the connection the dead and particular the Patriarchs have with us even after they are no longer in this world. Reb Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov, the great Chasidic Rebbe and author of the Bnai Yissaschar writes in his work Igra DiKalla, who obviously incorporated this message in his life, asks why it was important for Moshe to share this information with Edom. After-all why should they care if our Patriarchs are pained in the grave? He answers that Edom was confident that they would win any battle against Israel as their forefather Esau had the great merit in that he excelled in the Mitzva of kibud av- honoring their father Yitzchak, even more than Yaakov who was not around for many years when Esau took care of him. So Moshe therefore told them, that if they would harm the Jewish people than Yitzchak our “mutual” patriarch would be pained when any tzoris happen to Bnai Yisrael. What an important message, I feel for us to be aware of whenever we deal with our enemies. The best and appropriate response and approach that we should have is by unabashedly mentioning our biblical roots, the merits of our forefathers. It is our job to enlighten the rest of the world to our claim and to Hashem’s promise to us. And it is important to know that our ancestors are rooting for us in their graves as we live out their dream.

HaRav Tzvi Elimelech Shapira of Dinov (1783 - 1841)- When Tzvi Elimelech was a child, his uncle, the chassidic giant Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk, foretold that his nephew would grow up to be an outstanding Torah personality. His prediction came true. R' Tzvi Elimelech was a scholar of eminent stature who applied himself to his studies with phenomenal diligence. When he studied Chassidut under the Chozeh of Lublin, the Maggid of Koznitz, and Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Rymanov, his erudition embraced both Halachah and Kabbalah. The Chozeh of Lublin told him that he was a reincarnation of the great early Torah sages of the tribe of Yissaschar.

A prolific writer, he became best known for his work Bnei Yissas'char, discourses on the Torah and Festivals as viewed from a kabbalistic prospective; Derech Pikudecha, exposition on the 613 mitzvot of the Torah; Igra DeKallah, a commentary on the Torah; and Hagahot Mahartza on the Zohar. He served in the rabbinate of several communities, including Strizhov, Dinov and Munkatch. Known for his ardent love of the Jewish people, he promoted the study of Kabbalah in Yeshivot and led the fight against the leaders of the maskilim, the "enlighted" secularists who threatened to undermine traditional Judaism. His repute as a miracle-worker gained him thousands of chassidim, and his mastery of Torah has earned him the admiration of all contemporary Torah scholars

 Rav Tzvi Elimelech is the patriarch of the Chasidic dynasties of Dinov, Munkacs, and Bluzhev.  He was niftar at the age of 58 on 18 Teves 5601/1841 the same year as the Yismach Moshe and just a year after the Chasam Sofer.  Yehi Zichro Boruch! 

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TYPES OF JEWS IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

Chabad – The old joke they say that there are two things you can find anywhere in the world. Coca Cola and Chabad. With close to 5000 thousand shluchim-emissaries all over the world and about 3500 institutions in over 92 countries it certainly is not anything to sniff at. In Israel alone Chabad is certainly all over the place. They have over 600 active full time emissaries and 325 chabad houses in our tiny Jewish country alone. But more than that there are not too many streets one can walk around in this country without bumping into a Chabad guy asking you if you put on tefillin yet, or have a set of Shabbat candles, or any other mitzva that they might engage you in. The smile on their face if you haven’t and are willing to join them in filling a short mitzva will absolutely make their day. Particularly holiday seasons one feels the presence of Chabad in Israel. On Sukkot they have Sukkah mobiles they run around in with Lulavs and Etrogs for you to shake. Almost every city has public Menora lighting ceremony led by Chabad and each holiday has its own particularly commandments that they see it as their mission to help their fellow brothers and sisters fulfill. The major solely Chabad communities in Israel is by Lod called Kfar Chabad. It has about 1500 families with over 5000 residents. There are other large communities in Kiryat Malachi, Tzfat and Neve Yackov in Jerusalem. Many of them have central buildings that are replicas of the Chabd headquarters in Crown Heights on 770 Eastern Parkway. As much as I love and appreciate Chabad and their tremendous work around the world, certainly one of the more controversial and frightening aspects of the movement is the Messianic bend that it has picked up since the passing of the Rebbe, 23 years ago this past week, where many of chasidim who had felt that he might be Mashiach continue with that belief that borders on Christianity of him coming back. There are not too many places that once can go in Israel where you won’t see the pictures of the Rebbe heralding him as Mashiach. It certainly has brought Mashiach awareness to the world and it usually doesn’t prevent or even detract many of the non-religious world with connecting with them. Yet at the same time the majority of the Orthodox world has kept their distance from Chabad because of this controversial position. May Hashem bring  Mashiach soon, to bring us all together,

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ADVISOR JOKES OF THE WEEK

General Marshall is in charge of the American Army, and he is visiting his colleague General Goldstein, who is in charge of the Israeli Army. Marshall arrives at the military camp and is greeted by Goldstein. They both walk around the place, and Marshall asks: "So how are your men?"
"Very well trained, General."
"I hope so. You see, my men over at the United States Army are so well trained, you see, they're the bravest men in the world."
"Well, I'm not so sure about that General," replies Goldstein. "My men are very brave, too."
"I'd like to see that," says Marshall.
So Goldstein calls private Barak and says: "Private Barak! I want you to stop that tank simply by standing in front of it!"
"Are you crazy?" says Private Barak. "It would kill me! Are you some kind of fool?"
Goldstein turns to a Marshall and says, "You see? You have to be pretty brave to talk like that to a general."

A group of British MPs are visiting Israel for the first time and are taken by their host to see all the sights of this wonderful land. On the very last day, they visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. But when they go over to the headstone, on it they read the following inscription: -
MOSHE GOLDMAN
HE WAS A GOOD MAN AND A GREAT FALAFEL MAKER.
One of the MPs can’t really believe what is written on the headstone, so goes over to his host and says, "I don’t understand why this is the grave of an unknown soldier. Surely, if the person is known by name, how can he be an unknown soldier?"
"I understand your confusion," the host replies. "However, take my word for it that as a soldier, he really was unknown. But as a falafel maker, he was the greatest."

The commanding officer at the Russian military academy (the equivalent of a 4-star general in the U.S.) gave a lecture on Potential Problems and Military Strategy. At the end of the lecture, he asked if there were any questions.
An officer stood up and asked, "Will there be a third world war? And will Russia take part in it?"
The general answered both questions in the affirmative.
Another officer asked, "Who will be the enemy?"
The general replied, "All indications point to China."
Everyone in the audience was shocked. A third officer remarked, "General, we are a nation of only 150 million, compared to the 1.5 billion Chinese. Can we win at all, or even survive?"
The general answered, "Just think about this for a moment: In modern warfare, it is not the quantity of soldiers that matters but the quality of an army's capabilities. For example, in the Middle East we have had a few wars recently where 5 million Jews fought against 150 million Arabs, and Israel was always victorious."
After a small pause, yet another officer - from the back of the auditorium asked, "Do we have enough Jews?" 

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Answer is A– If anyone guessed Passover. Your really need to start taking some classics in basic Judaism and should certainly be disqualified from being a tour guide. Now in Israel it’s interesting that many Israelis might be more familiar with Tu B’Shvat, the correct answer than Shemini Atzeret, the 8^th day of Sukkot which is really a holiday within itself, or Shavuot, the day that the Torah was given, both which are biblical of course. Tu BiShvat which is mentioned in the Mishna as being the day when the counting of new year for trees in regards to the tithing years and seasons of which a tree of one year cannot be tithed for another year. Although I imagine many of them don’t know that significance of the day. Rather they are familiar with it because in the 1500’s that ARI”Zl that great Kabbalist of Tzfat made it into a holiday for the celebration of the fruits of Israel and other mystical ideas. Today in Israel it is celebrated as an environmental as well as one that celebrates the land and crops of Israel. So there are probably some Israelis that believe that this is biblical. They probably should also not be tour guides. One really should know the basic Jewish holidays and their status if you want to inspire people about the land. In my opinion that is.

Lions and Foxes and Wives...Oh my- Korach 2017/5777

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land
from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

June 23^rd 2017 -Volume 7 Issue 33 29^th Sivan 5777

Parshat Korach

Lions and foxes and wives… oh my!

 The lion was hungry. Not that it was anything new. Lions are generally hungry. Hungry and tired. But today the King of the jungle saw dinner out in the hedges; it was that pesky little fox that had been hanging around and today it was time for some tasty lean fox chops for supper. Our friend the sly little fox though had a different plan. He knew that hungry look in the lion’s eye and suggested he dine at a different locale, perhaps that nice juicy chulent filled Jewish peasant sitting beside that brush in the neighboring campground in front of the ditch. (The lion seemed a little hesitant, after-all even the lion knew that you don’t mess with the Jews, especially not those chulent-filled ones, regardless of how tasty they may seem. Everyone knew of the Jew’s extraordinary power of prayer and the God that watches over them. What self-respecting feline wants to get himself involved with something like that?

 

But the fox reassured him.

 “Don’t worry”, he said “their prayer can’t do anything against you. It can’t even affect your children. At worst maybe they are able to bring down some type of judgment against your grandchildren. But that shouldn’t be anything for a hungry lion like you… that hasn’t eaten for so long…that is rightfully the king of the jungle… that is soooo in the mood for a delicious kosher style meal…mmmmm.”

So the lion emboldened by this reassuring logic went to get his dinner. Five minutes later though he was lying in pain as a lightning bolt came down and struck a tree which fell on top of him trapping him in a ditch. Moaning in pain and cursing his fate he turned to the fox who had come over to visit and asked him how this could have happened. The fox responded in his most inimitable sly fox way. ”I guess your grandfather must have done something wrong”….

 

 This story was written in the 9^th century by Rav Hai Gaon (with a little bit of updated Rabbi Schwartz editorial chulent latitude). He suggests this story contains a significant moral lesson (as most fox and lion stories do). In fact it was sent by Rav Eliyahu Dessler the great English Jewish leader to his students while he was on a boat to the US in the 1930’s  as he studied  this week’s Torah portion challenging them to take heed of its important message.

 

We read in the about the individual for whom the portion is named called Korach. He is described in the Medrash as someone who was obviously a great person. He was from the carriers of the Ark, and he was able to draw to his cause and rebellion to usurp Moshe and Aaron as leaders of the Jewish people- 250 of the greatest leaders including sages and members of Sanhedrin. He was almost the king of the jungle. In fact the Prophet Samuel who is compared to both Moshe and Aaron is his descendant. So where did he go wrong? The answer, our sages say, is that he was blinded by desire. He was envious for the position of the High Priesthood, he sought to “feed” on that which was never meant for him. And as smart or as learned as one might be when we are operating “under the influence” of envy, desire or lust, or self-aggrandizement then we lose our power of rationalization. We come up with excuses, reasons why our actions may not result in consequences, we become like hungry lions with a sly fox built into us that will give us just the right justification and exoneration to get that meal that will inevitably end us up in a ditch.

 

So what’s the solution when we’re hungry and not necessarily thinking straight? Well the first thing is to never listen to a fox. Avoid the people that try to convince you to ignore your spiritual “spidey sense”. The ones that tell you to just go for it and don’t worry about the consequences. Rather our sages shares with us the story of the one Our sages tell us in this week’s portion that we can learn individual who did not end up in Korach’s ditch; Ohn ben Pelet. Ohn was on his way over to the big Korach party when his wife pulled him aside and did some old fashioned splain’en to him. She showed him he had nothing to gain and was able to break him out of the moment and he was saved. See that’s why Hashem gave us wives and spouse. It’s a checks and balance. Check out what we are doing before doing it again, and balance out our desires and heat of the moment passion that may be tilting us to the ditch before we fall in. Not all of us are as fortunate to have spouses that can be as great as Ohn’s wife but we all should make sure we have someone. Someone who we can bounce our rationalizations off of. Someone who can be an objective antidote to our natural subjectivity. Someone whose advice we respect and value and someone whose guidance we ultimately will respect and adhere to. It can be a Rabbi a trusted friend or a parent but we each have to have someone.  Lions fall in ditches and people can too. But the ones who strive to be better make sure that we have someone around to keep our balance and on our toes rather than flat on our backs.

Have a marvelous Shabbos and an incredible new month of Tamuz that she bring us all many simchas,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

“Az a leyb shloft, loz im shlofn..”- When a lion is sleeping, let him sleep

RABBI SCHWARTZ COOL VIDEOS OF THE WEEK

https://youtu.be/tiItGCwtavw   – Cool party song of the year in Israel Mahpecha Shel Simcha with the Syrian boys choir cool!

https://youtu.be/6HTDN0gYzNA   - What does the fox say in Ramat Beit Shemesh

https://youtu.be/au1CZeY6Xlc  – Hakuna Matata in Hebrew JJJ!!

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

Q. Shabbetai Tzvi was active during the following century:
A. 14th
B. 15th
C. 16th
D. 17th

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ILLUMINATING RASHI OF THE WEEK

Rashi doesn’t merely tell us stories. He’s not a magid, one of those wandering Rabbis that would tell parables. He’s there to tell us pshat in the Torah in the easisest and most concise way. If he tells us a story it is in order for us to better understand the text. So if you see a parable in Rashi ask yourself what is he trying to add to his commentary that I might have missed with this. You’ll probably find something interesting that makes you think twice. Which is exactly his point.

In this weeks portion when the Torah tells us about Moshe’s Response to the rebellion of Korach the verse tell us

Bamidbar (16:4) And Moshe heard and fell on his face

Rashi in a lengthy comment tell us

Because of the dispute, for this was already the fourth incident of foulness- they sinned by the golden calf- ‘Moshe pleaded’. By the complainers-‘Moshe prayed’. By the spies- ‘Moshe said and Egypt will hear..’. At the dispute of Korach Moshe’s hands became weakened.

This seems simple enough. Rashi is explaining why Moshe falls on his face here. He goes through the different responses and shows how the fourth time is just too much already for him. I got it. But Rashi then continues with a story.

“This can be compared to a story of the son of a king who acted disgracefully toward his father. and his friend placated on his behalf. One time, two times, three times when the son acted improperly the fourth time the friend’s hands became weakened. He said ‘How long can I bother the King? Perhaps he won’t accept any more from me.”

What is this parable telling me more than I would’ve understood from the original statement, asks the CHiD”A? He explains brilliantly that Maimonides has a concept in the laws of Tshuva (3:5) That differentiates between a communal sin and an individual sin. That whereas an individual sin Hashem gives you three strikes before he takes into account all the three sins. By a community Hashem does not punish at all for the first three rather just from the fourth and on. So upon reading Rashi one might assume, and the Rav of Brisk, as brought down by the Shai La’Torah in fact does, that Rashi is telling us this rule. That the fourth Moshe backed off because he knew he couldn’t prevent it anymore. But that is incorrect. It’s why he brings the parable.

The parable tells us that the reason why Hashem didn’t punish the first three times is not because that is the general rule-rather it is because “his friend placated him”. It was Moshe that accomplished it. But why was Moshe necessary. Isn’t the rule that the first three times we get a free pass anyways? So the Chi”DA suggests that that rule applies for all sins except for idolatry and the golden calf which is considered as if they violated the entire Torah; as the verse says “they strayed fast from the path”. So technically speaking they should have been wiped out after the first time. Yet Moshe, even knowing this pleaded on their behalf. He went to bat for us. But here it was too much for him even. The game was up.

See one simple parable, but what an incredible insight.

HaRav Chaim Yosef Dovid Azulai, zt"l, (1724 - 1806)- a great Sephardic sage known by the acronym "Chidah." Considered the Sephardic equivalent to the Vilna Gaon, he was born in  Jerusalem. His father was Harav Yitzchak Zerachiah Azulai. The Chidah’s piety and brilliance in Torah were already apparent in his youth. At 10 he began learning in the beit medrash of his rebbi and uncle, Harav Yonah Navon and; by the age of 12 he was already writing treatises on Hilchot Melichah- the difficult laws on salting meat.
When the Chidah was 18, Harav Chaim Ben Attar, the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh, arrived in Yerushalayim. The Chidah immediately joined the holy Gaon’s yeshivah, Knesset Yisrael, for a short period until the Ohr Hachaim passed away. For many years he served as a roving emissary for Jews in Eretz Yisrael, traveling to hundreds of Jewish communities throughout Europe and North Africa to raise money. When the Chidah was 29 years old, he was sent as an emissary to collect funds for the community of Chevron, which was suffering from extreme poverty. Perhaps the greatest love and passion of the Chida was exploring ancient texts in museums and restoring an transcribing them.  He spent all available time in the libraries of the cities he visited, studying ancient manuscripts and books.

In 1764, the Chidah left Eretz Yisrael for the second time on a mission to benefit the community of Yerushalayim. Instead of returning to Eretz Yisrael, he became Chief Rabbi of Alexandria, where he served for five years. While in Egypt he unearthed many "Genizoth" (buried treasures of ancient manuscripts) and further added to his vast knowledge of books and authors. In 1769, he left his rabbinical post in Egypt, returned to Eretz Yisrael and settled in Chevron.
In 1772, he was sent on a third mission, his second on behalf of the city of Chevron. Once again the ChIDA rummaged through dusty museums, libraries and private collections in search of centuries-old treasures of wisdom. Only a man like ChIDA, whose love for books was so great, could have the patience to devote all his spare time to this kind of work. Thus, for instance, he was grateful for the opportunity to visit Paris not for its beautiful boulevards and curiosities, but for the five thousand manuscripts he discovered in the Louvre and other collections.

The ChIDA's diary, which was later published under the name "Maagal Tov-the Good Circle records his observations and experiences in the course of his travels. They give us an insight into the political, economic, and religious life of those days. Rabbi Azulal became known as a great authority on books and manuscripts. His wonderful memory helped him to acquire a vast store of knowledge and facts. He used to buy all the books he could afford, but he could not afford to buy many. However, throughout his travels he gathered material, made notes, and planned his writings.

Despite his extensive travels, the Chidah wrote some 80 works, 60 of which were published. They covered topics in Halachah, Aggadah and Kabbalah. He wrote a collection of responsa known as Yosef Ometz, the Shem HaGedolim (a biographical work on 1300 authors and 1200 writing, dating back to the Gaonim), and the famous Birkei Yosef. He died in Livorno, Italy.and was interred there. In 1960, when the authorities were planning to desecrate his holy kever, his remains were brought to Eretz Yisrael for reburial on Har Hamenuchot. Many open miracles occurred for those who prayed by his gravesite, further attesting to the Chidah’s greatness and holiness.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TYPES OF JEWS IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

Tel Avivnikim – They call it medinat Tel Aviv- the State of Tel Aviv for a reason. The people that live there in many ways feel like they are living in their own country. They are many times living in la la land. Whether that’s on issues of security and the arab threat to the rest of the country, what religious jews or even the traditional Jewish religion is about, and certainly what the struggles and challenges of those that live on farms or out in the other parts of Israel may have. For many of them, who couldn’t picture themselves living outside of a 5 minute drive from a local café where they can socialize, or a pub or bar that they can spend the night hanging out in, lifr outside of Tel Aviv is primitive and they look at the people outside of their medina as being such. Kind of like New Yorkers perhaps. But Israeli-liberal New Yorkers which is always a dangerous combination. Yet it is interesting to note that this city-the second largest in Israel with a population of 450 thousand, which is certainly the heart of finance, “culture” and secularism has a strong religious presence as well. In fact Rav Kook the first chief Rabb of Palestine was from Yaffo right before it moved into Tel Aviv and there were great Chasidic courts in the city as well. But they’re not called Tel Avivnikim. The classic Tel Aviv person is into culture, hip, villagey type of stuff and punkers. They are tolerant and accepting of every type of person-except orthodox Jews and  settlers, and right wing politicians and party voters. OK maybe I’m being too harsh. This is a divisive country and we are an opinionated people. They are on the other end of my spectrum. But you know what the truth is as much as we differ. They will fight for me and I for them. Because in Israel we are family. And Tel Avivnikim are certainly an important part of ours.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ADVISOR JOKES OF THE WEEK

When does a fox go "moo"? A: When it is learning a new language!

A man and his pet fox walk into a bar. It's about 5pm, but they're ready for a good night of drinking. They start off slowly, watching TV, drinking beer, eating peanuts. As the night goes on they move to mixed drinks, and then shooters, one after the other. Finally, the bartender says: "Last call." So, the man says, "One more for me... and one more for my fox." The bartender sets them up and they shoot them back. Suddenly, the fox falls over dead. The man throws some money on the bar, puts on his coat and starts to leave. The bartender, yells: "Hey buddy, you can't just leave that lyin' there." To which the man replies: "That's not a lion, that's a fox."

What's a lion running a copy machine called? A: A copycat!

Q. Why did the lion loose at poker? A. Because he was playing with a cheetah

Q: What do you call a lion with chicken pox? A: A dotted lion.

Q: What do you call a lion who chases camels across the desert? A: a chameleon.

 Q: What do you call a lion wearing a stylish hat? A: A dandy lion

Q! Q: Why are lions religious? A: Because they prey frequently, and prey as a family!

Q: What is lion's favorite food ? A: Baked beings !

Q: On which day do lions eat people ? A: Chewsday !

Q: What is a lions favorite state? A: Maine

 A student named Yankel was sitting in class one day and the teacher walked by and he asked her "How do you put an elephant in the fridge?" The teacher said "I don't know, how?" Yankel then said "You open the door and put it in there!" Then Jacob asked the teacher another question "How do you put a girraffe in the fridge?" The teacher then replied "Ohh I know this one, you open the door and put it in there?" Jacob said "No, you open the door, take the elephant out, and then you put it in there." Then he asked another question..."All the animals went to the lions birthday party, except one animal, which one was it?" The teacher a bit confused and said "The lion?" Then the student said "No,the girraffe because he's still in the fridge." then he asked her just one more question...."If there is a river full of crocodiles and you wanted to get across it,how would you" The teacher then says "You would walk over the bridge." Then Yankel says "No, you would swim across because all the crocodiles are at the lions birthday party!" She laughs and walks away.

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Answer is D – Don’t get me wrong Shabetai Tzvi is certainly an important figure in Jewish history. Important not in a good way. Kind of like Korach of this week’s Torah portion. This 17^th century false Messiah who swayed almost a third of the Jewish world that were devastated after the Cossacks and the Chmeliniski revolution and were ripe for the Messianic picking, traumatized the Jewish people till today and impacted much of the Jewish peoples approach when it came to other revolutionaries and charismatic people in the Jewish world. But I’m not sure why this is necessarily a topic that a tour guide in Israel would need to know. Although Shabetai certainly came to Israel and swayed some rabbis and was thrown out by others here as well as picking up his henchman Nathan of Gaza here I don’t know of any sites where we talk about the story. I mention it a bit when I talk about the Ramchal and why he was thrown out of communities because they suspected him of being a Sabbatean, or even to explain a bt of the debate and hesitation about the fight between the Chasidim and Mitnagdim. But any of my tour guide friends reading this speak about it anywhere else?