25 February 2014

EVENTFUL DAYS UPON US

25 Adar Alef 5774

As Adar Alef begins to wind down and we find ourselves nearing Rosh Chodesh Adar Bet - the real Adar - I expect our days will become very eventful, as we already see happening from current events.  Here is a round-up of what I find most compelling from the last 24 hours. (See my commentary in blue.)

Avreichim Willing to Leave Their Homes in ‘Occupied Areas’

...A few hundred avreichim, men with families living in “chareidi settlements over the Green Line” including Betar Illit and Modi’in Illit decided to send a letter to the prime minister. In the letter they emphatically explain their willingness to voluntarily leave their homes, which are located in “occupied areas”, for true peace”.


...“We resident of Modi’in Illit and Betar Illit, residents of settlements in Yehuda and Shomron, areas that are a stumbling block to peace, represent the lion’s share of areas occupied over the Green Line since 1967.”


They continue explaining “there is no significance to the mitzvah of Yishuv Haaretz is the latter is void of limud and kiyum Torah and therefore, we do not want to be stumbling blocks to peace for there is no reason to continue living in these areas”


The organizers explain they are willing to move their wives and families elsewhere, concluding “Obviously we live here happily and in peace but if it constitutes and obstacle to peace, we will leave voluntarily, without hesitation. It is better for us to learn Torah comfortable inside the Green Line than being a obstacle to peace between peoples”, say some of the organizers of the letter.


What are we supposed to take from this?  It is very ill conceived. I can't tell what they hope to gain, but I hope someone quickly provides them with a reality check.  Despite my admiration for the chareidi dedication to Torah and mitzvot, two things continue to bother me and those are two perceptions which may be completely baseless, but nevertheless, exist:  the perceived lack of concern for anyone else outside their own group, along with the perception that their Torah seems to be disconnected from real life. 

As far as I am concerned, if they would give voice to the lie that we are "occupiers" in our own land and side with our enemies who say that our existence here is an "obstacle to peace," and furthermore, throw their fellow "settlers" under the bus in order to buy themselves some quiet to continue their learning, then I say their learning is absolutely in vain and Hashem doesn't want it.  It obviously has not done them any good at all up to now!


IDF’s Chief of Personnel Branch Wants More Women in the IDF

In an address in Kiryat Ono College, IDF Chief of Personnel Branch Major-General Orna Barvibai told her audience that “we are busy discussing [IDF] service for men, both secular and chareidi, but there is almost no discussion regarding the fact women are not inducted”.


According to Barvibai, 42% of draft eligible females in Israel do not serve in the military – most because they bring a letter from the Rabbinate testifying to their adherence to Shabbos and kashrus. Barvibai plans to change this reality, explaining there must be a significant increase in the number of women serving towards true equality regarding sharing the nation’s defense burden.


The senior officer explained there must be equality between men and women serving in the IDF and she plans to act to eliminate the ability of girls to ‘automatically’ receive a draft deferment on religious grounds. “There is a steady increase in religious girls declaring they are not serving. This is an embarrassment and a disgrace”.


I told you this was coming, but I'm surprised they aren't waiting to make this the next step in their nefarious plan to wipe out all holiness and purity among Bnei Yisrael. It must be that evil's time is running out too quickly for them.


Ukrainian Jews Urged to Leave Kiev  (See also: Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Urges Jews to Flee)

Speaks for itself.  All I can add is - if you think it can't happen in America...

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Reported as "historic" events:

At historic conference, haredi sects decide on mass protest against IDF enlistment

...decided at a combined conference of members of Degel HaTorah and Agudat Yiserael's Council of (Great) Torah Sages and Shas' Council of (Wise) Torah Sages.

...The conference represents a historic cooperation between the Sephardi and Ashkenazi sects. (See also:Jerusalem rabbi warns of casualties in war over IDF draft)



Riots on the Temple Mount Injure Two Police Officers

...Rabbi Chaim Richman, International Director of the Temple Institute, points out that today’s riots on the Temple Mount are in direct response to the historic discussion regarding Israeli sovereignty on the Temple Mount which is scheduled to take place in the Knesset Tuesday. This is the first Knesset hearing regarding the status of the Temple Mount since its liberation in the 1967 Six-Day War.

“Clearly, there are nefarious forces at work that are attempting to frighten Israel into submission," Rabbi Richman said Tuesday. "Ironically, on the very day upon which the Israeli Knesset will be considering this very issue, we see before us today a stark reality check, and a lesson on who is really sovereign on the Temple Mount." (See also: Jordanian MPs Demand End to Peace With Israel Over Temple Mount)


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IMPORTANT INFO - GET THE WORD OUT!

Right-wing groups start anti-Jewish state campaign
The groups start what they call an "information and warning campaign" to inform public of what they believe is a tactical trick by Netanyahu.

4 comments:

  1. The Avreichim "raise" a question that I never ever see asked: If they say that they learn Torah, what is it that they are learning? Now that is "raised", the Tsibbur wants to know. What are they "learning?"

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  2. As Dov Bar Leib says, the chareidim who are willing to give up land for 'peace' (what peace?) are the Erev Zeir. How can we have achdut when we have the Erev Rav amaleikim in control and then the Erev Zeir, which still don't understand that Torah & Eretz Yisrael, together with Bnai Yisrael and, of course, Hashem are One. But, they are the gilgulim of the spies and their followers who were happy in the desert and didn't need, c'v, EY. Hard to understand how we cannot be united at this crucial time. All Torah Jews must be united for the sake of Torah/Eretz Yisrael. It's hard enough that the Yehudim are going through this assault from the erev rav on the chareidi and Torah world, and are acting no better than the ancient Greeks, Romans, etc. Whether we merit or don't - we pray Hashem will, in His Infinite Mercy, send Moshiach Now!

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  3. RE: Temple Mount debate in Knesset...

    MK Cabel asked Feiglin: are You the Messiah?

    ...MK Feiglin explained that in 1967, when Israel liberated Jerusalem's Old City, “through great miracles,” the Jews “received a gift” from their Heavenly Father, in the form of the Temple Mount – but then gave it away to the Muslim Waqf, choosing instead to keep only the gift's “wrapping” – the Western Wall, or Kotel.

    IDF Radio noted that while the usually rowdy Arab MKs boycotted the debate completely, centrist Likud MKs were surprisingly present and supportive. Coalition Chairman MK Yariv Levin, who was angry with Feiglin for insisting on touring the Temple Mount early in this Knesset's term, has apparently had a change of heart. “There is no living body that can function without a heart,” said the secular Levin at the debate. “We need to remember this – because a right that many generations of our fellow Jews did not have, has fallen into our hands.”

    The messianic overtones of the debate were not lost on the ears of the Opposition. MK Eitan Cabel (Labor) sniped at Feiglin, and asked with sarcasm: “Why stop at the Temple Mount? If you are the new messiah of our times, what about the Covenant of the Parts [brit beyn habetarim – the covenant between G-d and Abraham in which G-d promised the land of Israel, from Egypt to the Euphrates, to his descendants]? What about the tribes of Reuven and Gad, and half of the tribe of Menashe [the Israelite tribes whose land was located east of the Jordan]? Why leave them behind?”....

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