Attacked From Within!!

22 Adar Bet 5784 

UPDATE:  An interesting side note to this post was brought to me by Rabbi Richter.  The 21st day of Adar is the yahrzeit of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk who is famous for encouraging love for every Jew...

Born in the merit of kindness, Reb Elimelech's teachings emphasize the mitzvah to love one’s fellow.

A prayer he composed includes the line, “Put into our hearts that everyone should see the qualities of their fellows, and not their faults.”

Rebbe Elimelech’s student, Reb Zecharyah Mendel of Shedisnshov, described the love that existed among his students, which is certainly due to Rebbe Elimelech’s influence:

There is a lot of love between them. The love is greater than the love a father has for his son or the love a husband has for his wife. They are completely one; they practically share the same wallet. They love their friends’ children as their own, and one almost isn't able to discern who are the parents…

Rebbe Elimelech’s son wrote, “My father would constantly bless Jews, and he was moser nefesh for them all the time…”

His ahavat Yisrael was a focal point in his life; deeds of kindness and praying for others was how he served G‑d.   (Source)

~   ~   ~

Who figured that the big war that would break out in Israel on 21 Adar Bet would be Civil War??? 

Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, [y"sh] sent a letter on Sunday ordering the State to begin drafting Chareidim on Monday.

“From tomorrow, the security system must start drafting Chareidim,” she wrote.

She also warned the Education Ministry of trying to bypass the cut in yeshivah funding by increasing funds in other areas.

“The Education Ministry will refrain from any step that can or may entail a circumvention of the provision of the interim order – whether through increasing the budget…in other ways or through other funding channels or in any other way.”

Her letter follows her recommendation on Thursday to the Supreme Court to begin drafting Chareidim and cut funding to yeshivos – in direct opposition to the view of the government whom she was hired to represent.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

(videos)

Leftists from the Achim L’Neshek protest group arrived at the Kikar H’Shabbat intersection in Geulah on Sunday evening in order to protest against Chareidim.

They made a deafening racket at Kikar H’Shabbat and yelled slogans calling on Chareidim to be drafted into the army. This is the same group that before October 7th, called for the public to refuse to serve in the army and contributed to the decision of Hamas that it was an opportune time to attack Israel.

Violent confrontations took place between the protesters, some Chareidim and the police.

The police issued a statement saying: “A short time ago, at the same time as an approved demonstration that began in the Knesset area in the designated protest area, dozens of protestors arrived at the Kikar H’Shabbat intersection in Jerusalem, blocked the traffic in violation of the law and began to confront the residents of the area who had gathered there, violating public order.”

“There was friction between the parties, and police forces worked to calm tensions, to prevent acts of violence and to repel the rioters. Following the throwing of eggs and objects at the violators of public order and the knocking down of a police scooter, a rioter was arrested on the spot.”

A large leftist protest is being held against the government outside the Knesset on Sunday evening.

HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch: “We May Be Need To Be Moser Nefesh and Stand Against Them”

HaGaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, Rosh Yeshivas Slabodka, spoke about the decision of the Supreme Court on Thursday evening to freeze the funds of some yeshivos beginning on Sunday.

“Everyone knows what happened last week, that they completely revoked our right to to learn Torah in Eretz Yisrael for the time being. We’ll now need to be moser nefesh for Torah. We don’t know exactly how – how much they’ll be makpid on us.”

“Because there are two types of people among those trying to be mevatel our limmud Torah. Some don’t necessarily hate us or religion but they don’t believe and understand that the Torah is what saves them. That the fact that we’re still here in Eretz Yisrael surrounded by enemies is only because there’s Torah in Eretz Yisrael. Only! And if they’re mevateir on Torah – they’re cutting down the trunk that the country stands on. They don’t believe this, rachmana litzlan.”

“And there are other people who are mamash reshaim – they hate us, they hate religion, they hate Torah, they hate bnei Torah. They want to destroy us and we’ll have to stand against them. There will be mesiras nefesh. I hope we won’t reach that but it’s very possible that we’ll have be moser nefesh to stand against them. But now is not the time for details.”

“But one thing is clear, that the first thing we need at a time like this is that we’ll have mesiras nefesh for the Torah itself. That the Torah itself will turn into a korban. If the Torah itself turns into a korban, our limmud will be a korban. What’s the p’shat? Full sedarim without any bitul Torah. Learning Torah with mesirus nefesh. This surely obligates us, to learn Torah like a korban. And this surely could help to eliminate the whole problem – definitely.”

“Hakadosh Baruch Hu will give us the koach of insight – to sit and think a little. What happened here was historic – that for the first time, the State revoked the koach to learn Torah. This is a tragedy! What do we need to do about it? Surely the first thing is strengthening our Torah.”

“If we’ll do that, maybe we’ll have siyata dishmaya. If we bring this korban to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, maybe He’ll have pity on us and we won’t have to bring other korbanos. Hashem should give us the koach to do what He wants from us.”

AMEN!!!

The Death of Mashiach Ben Yosef

21 Adar Bet 5784

There is a rumor going around that a mekubal (or mekubalim) have predicted that today (21 Adar Bet) is the day a great war will break out.  Is it talking about the next phase of the GoguMagog War here in Eretz Yisrael?

• Gaza major fighting, by Nasser hospital.
• Gaza - IDF major battle incident! 16 hurt, 6 seriously.
• Kiryat Shmona, rocket hit!
• Israel moving from defense to attack in the north.
• IDF destroys 21 of 24 residential towers in Gaza south.
• While diplomatic efforts go on, IDF is bracing for short but devastating war in Lebanon.

Or WW3 between the US/NATO-Russia/China?

• Polish PM warns 'we are in pre-war era' as Putin missiles fire close to border
• Hundreds of millions would die in first hour of nuke strikes
• NATO must be ready for Russia to invade our countries, Baltic ambassadors say

Or both?!  Or worse still, no progress at all towards emerging from this mess?!!

Whatever will be, it will very likely signal the "death" of Mashiach ben Yosef.

Mashiach ben Yosef can refer to a person or to a process.  The State of Israel is without a doubt that "process."  I say that with high confidence because this secular state has fulfilled the mission of Mashiach ben Yosef, namely:

• Fighting the wars of Israel.
• Ingathering the exiles.
• Building the physical infrastructure.

But, it must at some point give way to the Mashiach ben David process when the State of Israel reverts to the Kingdom of Israel.

In a best-case scenario, Mashiach ben Yosef would not have to die; however, the Erev Rav, early on, took control of it and now they think they own it and can keep it going forever, in their own image, preventing the next stage - a complete impossibility as it opposes the will of God.

This act of rebellion will cause them to lose the final war and the State they worship.  It has only been delayed until the final straw of their rebellion - the attack on Torah learners - thereby losing the great merit of supporting Torah.

• MK Zvi Sukkot: "The High Court of Justice has never missed a match for any fuel barrel. It doesn't matter that we are in a time of existential war, they are not interested in bringing something that will really help to recruit ultra-Orthodox or stabilize the country. Nasrallah, Khamenei and Sinwar opened champagne this evening for the new split in Israel. Irresponsible pyromaniacs.”
• Could debate over Haredi draft, court’s intervention, topple Netanyahu’s coalition?

It also looks very likely that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu might be the person of Mashiach ben Yosef because he has been the acknowledged and accepted leader of this State for over 16 years, longer than anyone else.  Furthermore, the Erev Rav stooges are out there right now in the streets of Israel, calling for his blood - politically speaking.  Few would disagree with the common assessment that politically, he is dead already.  And we hope that's all it comes to.

• 20 hostages’ families vow to hound PM until he’s ousted: ‘He’s the obstacle to a deal’ 
• Relative of Oct. 7 survivors riles up crowd at Jerusalem rally with anti-Netanyahu chants
• Multiple rallies push for hostage deal, elections; police said to bolster forces 

It is very much time for HKB"H to intervene because this Erev Rav regime has capitulated to the Western Eisav/Yishmael alliance.  

Israel and US advance plan for multinational force from 3 Arab states to enter Gaza; significant progress achieved in Defense Minister Gallant’s visit to Washington this week; Arab forces under US command will start with securing aid trucks going into Gaza.

The only consolation for the death of Mashiach ben Yosef is the arrival of Mashiach ben David.

Which brings us to another rumor from a mekubal that Mashiach will arrive with Rosh Chodesh Nissan.

The waiting period to see if the mekubalim are right just got very short.

Parah Adumah - An "Affront" To Both Christians and Muslims

18 Adar Bet 5784

This Shabbat, God willing, we will be reading the special portions about the red heifer - the Parah Adumah.  We Jews may only think about this subject in this annual period between Purim and Rosh Chodesh Nissan, but first the Christians, and now the Muslims, have become obsessed with it.

While most Jews have been 'sleeping,' Erev Rav Jews in An Unholy Alliance with Christian donors (to the tune of at least a half million dollars!) have been committing the sin of the Golden Calf all over again.  Instead of waiting for Moshe to come down from the mountain, they have taken it upon themselves to lead the way; to "fulfill prophecy" and create an opportunity for catastrophic events to occur!

According to the Midrash...

"Why are all the communal sacrifices male and this one is female" Said R. Aybu: it is a parable to a serving-woman's son who dirtied the palace of the king. Said the king, "Let the mother come and clean up the poop."  So said the Holy One Blessed be He, "Let the heifer come and atone for the act of the golden calf." (Bemidbar Rabba 19:8)

The Kli Yakar explains that in order to atone for the Golden Calf one must look to the root of what caused it - its "mother" so to speak; what birthed it. Essentially, it is lack of faith in HKB"H that makes mere humans imagine that all depends on them.

• Had Adam and Chavah waited until Shabbat, they would have been allowed to eat the forbidden fruit without consequence.  Instead, they brought death into the world.
• Had the tribe of Ephraim waited for the Redeemer to come, thirty thousand of them would not have perished in the wilderness when they left Egypt before the appointed time.
• Had the Children of Israel waited for Moshe to return from the mountain, redemption would have come.  Instead, the redemption was pushed off for thousands of years more.

Due to the Unholy Alliance with the Christians, the saga of the red heifers from Texas, USA to Shiloh, Israel, has gone viral across the globe and literally a billion people could right this moment be watching the developments here with great anticipation.  The Muslims learned about it from the Christians.  Hamas even made a public pronouncement that this proposed affront to Al Aqsa was one of the motivating factors behind the Simchat Torah Massacre on October 7th!  Even CBS News did a segment about it!!

Both Christians and Muslims are expecting the imminent sacrifice of a red heifer on the Mount of Olives in the coming days!!  With it being Holy Week for the Christians and Ramadan for the Muslims, what horrors might be unleashed upon us?!

The Temple Institute is scheduled to hold a conference on Wednesday [today] to discuss the religious preparations for performing the ritual of sacrificing the red heifer.

This ritual aims to purify from the 'impurity of the dead' to surpass the prohibition imposed by the Great Rabbinate of Israel from entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque due to the lack of purity condition, Quds Press reported.

The conference will be held in the Shiloh settlement north of Ramallah, where the five cows, imported from Texas, are under special care and round-the-clock monitoring.

Several rabbis advocating for conducting the rituals will speak at the conference after the cows have reached the minimum legal age required for the purification process, which is two years and two months. This condition specifies that the cows must not be younger than this, but they can be older.

Additionally, a report issued by the Jerusalem Foundation International in Lebanon on Tuesday explained that the extremist Temple groups rely on establishing the purification ritual with the red heifer to enable hundreds of thousands of religious Jews to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque, who currently refrain from doing so out of adherence to the official rabbinic prohibition.

The foundation stated, "This - if it happens - would effectively open the way to multiplying the dangers surrounding Al-Aqsa and increasing the number of intruders and participants in imposing rituals therein."

The Temple Institute had published an announcement last February calling for volunteer priests to be trained in the rituals of purification with the red heifer. It set special conditions for the volunteers, and this process is supposed to take place on a piece of land seized by these groups for this purpose on the Mount of Olives opposite the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

It is worth mentioning that the date recorded in the sacred religious texts of these groups for the slaughter of the red heifer and the purification falls on April 10, the day of Eid al-Fitr.

While the Judeo-Christians are firmly behind this effort in the belief it will pave the way for the "return" of their messiah, the old-fashioned, traditional, mainstream Christians have a different opinion on it...

NOTE THAT THEY ARE ALSO CONNECTING IT WITH THE GOLDEN CALF!

The state of Israel has erected a giant Altar to be used for a sacrifice of a Red Heifer (cow) to be performed on Good Friday, the day recognizing Jesus Crucifixion. The ashes from the pyre will take about 3 days to cool, (Easter Sunday) and will be used to "ritually cleanse" Rabbis who will work building the Third Temple.

In the Old Testament, when Moses went up onto Mount Sinai to received the Ten Commandments, "Israel" lost faith, made themselves a Golden Calf, and began "worshipping" ** it ** as a God.

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with those Ten Commandments, carved into stone tablets by the Hand of God Himself, he found "Israel" worshipping the Golden Calf, threw the tablets down at them, which caused an earthquake. The ground cracked open and thousands were said to have been swallowed-up by the earth for offending God.

So here we are, thousands of years later, and now we see that "Israel (the state)" has switched from worshipping a Golden Calf, to a Red Heifer cow. They are so hateful of Jesus (Y'Shua) they are slaughtering this Red Heifer on the very day which remembers Jesus was Crucified, and then deem to use the ashes from the cow pyre to "cleanse" the Rabbis, when, in fact, the only thing that can "cleanse" is the Blood of Jesus!

This slaughter of a Red Heifer, as if it is "religious," is a sick affront to Christians everywhere, and likely to God Himself. There is no need for sacrificing of animals. It's an abomination. Jesus Christ was the final and ultimate sacrifice for sin for gentile and Jew alike.

Yet Jews are now showing vividly they continue to deny the Son 2000+ years later....

"Christ's redeeming act on the cross brought an end to sacrifices of heifers and other animals. The power was taken away from the religious zealots of that day and given to Christ and his church that was built upon Peter the rock. The keys were given to the church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

...This pending "sacrifice" reinforces the barbaric nature of the so-called "state" of Israel, which the world is seeing in all its Barbarism in how it is slaughtering Palestinians in Gaza.

In my personal opinion, these are sick, degenerate people who should be cast out of world affairs.

Pray the earth opens up again and swallows them up this time, too.

May HKB"H have mercy on His children and protect us from the evil of Eisav, Yishmael and the Erev Rav.  May we witness the eradication of all evil from the world!!  And see the restoration of the Temple Service at its appropriate time.  AMEN!!  Ken yehi ratzon!!

______________________

RELATED:  CHUTZPAH!

"Israel Alone ... with God"

17 Adar Bet 5784 

Pollard Alone, Israel Alone: Jonathan Pollard and the White Supremacist Leader

Gaza WILL Be Conquered!!

16 Adar Bet 5784 

How close is Mashiach? Rabbinical prophecy decoded!! | Rabbi Yehuda Richter

"Israel Trusts in Hashem"

15 Adar Bet 5784
Shushan Purim 

Sign Outside My Beit Knesset

Purim Joy!

14 Adar Bet 5784
Purim Sameach! 

By all accounts, a lot of people are taking issue with, or at least having a hard time reconciling their own mixed feelings about, "celebrating" Purim this year.  A tragedy is no less a tragedy if it is happening to one person or to millions.  If I am not mistaken, no personal or communal or even national tragedy or dire circumstance relieves us of the obligation to fulfill our mitzvot.  If anything, this is where we find both our comfort and our strength, if we have the correct perspective on it. 

It should come as no surprise, of course, that those having the most trouble with this are those who are furthest from Torah and mitzvot.  Some people view it like a goyish holiday, but then that's the way they "celebrate" it, too.  Then, some are wont to put their own spin on things, their feelings being a major consideration when they determine any course of action.  But, this is not a decision that is made from year to year based upon the current situation or how we are feeling at the moment.  In the thousands of years since the Megillah was written and the mitzvot established, Purim was only curtailed by force, not from choice.

The joyful celebration of Purim, even if we are crying on the inside, is a statement, to ourselves and to the world, that we have the same faith as our ancestors, in the same God Who delivered them, and we trust HIM to deliver us, too.  Whatever is going on in the world is being Divinely directed and we can be sure that - like the Purim story itself - it will all come to a happy end for those who love HKB"H.

Celebrate!  Because like Haman HaRasha before them, Hamas and Hezbollah, Iran and Saudi Arabia, the United States and the United Nations, along with all the hate-filled enemies of God's people, will be caught up in their own traps and share his unhappy end.

VeNahafoch Hu!!!

[Note: This blog post was scheduled to publish automatically at the close of Shabbat.]

"ZACHOR"

12 Adar Bet 5784
Erev Shabbat Kodesh
Parashat Vayikra - Zachor

"So said Hashem, Master of Legions:  'I remembered what Amalek did to Israel, [the ambush] he emplaced against him on the way, as he went up from Egypt.  Now go and strike down Amalek and destroy everything he has, have no pity on him; kill man and woman alike, infant and suckling alike, ox and sheep alike, camel and donkey alike.'"  (Shmuel Alef 15: 2-3)

This is a case of if you have an enemy who wants to kill you, rise up and kill him first.  Because if you don't, he will surely come for you and he will show no mercy. 

"Letters were sent by courier to all the King's provinces, to destroy, to slay, and to exterminate all Jews, young and old, children and women, in a single day, the 13th day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions."  (Megillat Esther 3:13)

[Mordechai] wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus...to the effect that the King had permitted the Jews of every single city to organize and defend themselves; to destroy, slay and exterminate every armed force of any people or province that threaten them, along with their children and women, and to plunder their possessions on a single day in all the provinces...upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar."   (Megillat Esther 8:10-12)

And here we are again.  

The complete obliteration of Amalek will occur at the time of the final redemption, immediately preceding the month of Nisan.  A trace of this obliteration is felt each year during Purim, which falls in the month preceding Nisan.  The reading of Parashas Zachor was therefore prescribed for this time of year.  (The Book of Our Heritage on Adar)

~SHABBAT SHALOM and PURIM SAMEACH~

Yom K'Purim: A Day Like Purim

11 Adar Bet 5784

Fast of Esther observed 

We have a wonderful opportunity ahead of us.  A time devoted to fasting and teshuvah, followed by a period filled with mitzvot!  Just the preparation we need to see us through these dangerous times.

It's not unlike the period just prior to the Simchat Torah Massacre, is it?  Yom Kippur followed by the many mitzvot of Sukkot.

My opinion:  What happened then was a warning, now the judgment comes.  Make the most of this opportunity.

Our sources say that at the End of Days, all our ancient enemies will return to finish the job they started.  It makes a lot of sense that this war with Amalek should go into high gear towards our annihilation on the 14th of Adar.  In my 2005 dream, I saw missile barrages from an Iranian source hitting from Tel Aviv to Haifa.  It symbolized the downfall of the Zionist State.  

I think the Amalek forces will do their worst for two weeks, until Rosh Chodesh Nissan.  On that same day the "The Great North American Eclipse" will signal the downfall of America, paving the way for the revelation of Mashiach, who will quickly take control from the Erev Rav.  Rabbi Eliyahu Abitbul, shlita, quoting Rabbi Zadok HaCohen of Lublin, says Mashiach will come on Rosh Chodesh Nissan and the war that began at the end of Sukkot 5784 will end on Erev Pesach 5784.

 

To get us all pointed in the right direction, let's review what HKB"H expects from us in regard to fasting.  And don't forget to turn in your half-sheqels at Minchah!!

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) - Chapter 58

 1   Call with a [full] throat, do not spare, like a shofar raise your voice, and relate to My people their transgression, and to the house of Jacob their sins.

 2   Yet they seek Me daily and they wish to know My ways, like a nation that performed righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of its God: they ask Me ordinances of righteousness; they desire nearness to God.

 3  "Why have we fasted, and You did not see; we have afflicted our soul and You do not know?" Behold, on the day of your fast you pursue business, and [from] all your debtors you exact [payment].

 4  Behold, for quarrel and strife you fast, and to strike with a fist of wickedness. Do not fast like this day, to make your voice heard on high.

 5  Will such be the fast I will choose, a day of man's afflicting his soul? Is it to bend his head like a fishhook and spread out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and an acceptable day to the Lord?

 6  Is this not the fast I will choose? To undo the fetters of wickedness, to untie the bands of perverseness, and to let out the oppressed free, and all perverseness you shall eliminate.

 7  Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and moaning poor you shall bring home; when you see a naked one, you shall clothe him, and from your flesh you shall not hide.

 8  Then your light shall break forth as the dawn, and your healing shall quickly sprout, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall gather you in.

 9  Then you shall call and the Lord shall answer, you shall cry and He shall say, "Here I am," if you remove perverseness from your midst, putting forth the finger and speaking wickedness.

10  And you draw out your soul to the hungry, and an afflicted soul you sate, then your light shall shine in the darkness, and your darkness shall be like noon.

11  And the Lord shall always lead you, and He shall satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; and you shall be like a well-watered garden and like a spring of water whose water does not fail.

12  And [those coming] from you shall build ancient ruins, foundations of generations you shall erect, and you shall be called the repairer of the breaches, restorer of the paths, to dwell in.

13  If you restrain your foot because of the Sabbath, from performing your affairs on My holy day, and you call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord honored, and you honor it by not doing your wonted ways, by not pursuing your affairs and speaking words.

14  Then, you shall delight with the Lord, and I will cause you to ride on the high places of the land, and I will give you to eat the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.  (See Rashi here.)

Astoundingly, Rashi brings here the following:  "...the heritage of Jacob your father: An inheritance without boundaries, as it is said (Gen. 28:14): “And you shall spread to the west and to the east, etc.”

Isaac is sending Jacob away to Padan-Aram with special blessings.  On the way, Jacob stops to rest, falls asleep (on Har HaMoriah) and dreams of a ladder up to Heaven.  HKB"H tells him:  "And your seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall gain strength westward and eastward and northward and southward; and through you shall be blessed all the families of the earth and through your seed."

What if this is a prophecy for our own time?  Are we not counted by the entire world as "dust of the earth" to be trampled upon?

The very words "you shall spread to the west and to the east" are very reminiscent of an Isaiah prophecy which I have quoted before in terms of a "Third Messianic War" in which we take possession of the entire Land of Israel at The End of Days:

They (the Jews brought back at the end of the exile) will fly in unison against the Philistines (Palestinians) to the West (Gaza), and together they will plunder the people of the East ('Palestinian Territories'); their hand will extend over Edom and Moab, and their discipline over the Children of Ammon (Jordan). (Yeshayahu 11:14)

If you read on, even the "north" (Assyria) and "south" (Egypt) are mentioned.  And keep in mind, now, that this is seemingly connected to a fast.  Who knows but what THIS TA'ANIT ESTHER is the fast which leads to the fulfillment of this promise/prophecy?

If we do it right!!  Wishing us all the most successful fast we've ever passed.  Do your best!!

The Views of Torah Jews Do Not Have "Deep Legitimacy"

10 Adar Bet 5784 

The chutzpah and the gaivah is just over the top!!!

Biden, Schumer and the Plot to Overthrow Netanyahu | Caroline Glick In-Focus

Spread the Word!

9 Adar Bet 5784 

Free Free "Palestine," from the Philistine invaders!!

Rabbi Richter

Are Fireworks In Order?

9 Adar Bet 5784

The Three Abrahamic Faiths are celebrating joint holidays this year:  Ramadan (Muslims) - Purim (Jews) - Easter (Christians).  Aren't we just one big happy family?  Who will be bringing the celebratory fireworks?

~ ~ ~

We're waiting and waiting for the next shoe to drop - the all-out war from the Iranian-backed Hezbollah.  What are the chances that they are waiting for the 13th of Adar, the very date Haman HaRasha chose for our annihilation?  I mean isn't this the War with Amalek at the End of Days?  

Some people think the worst has already happened and we have taken lessons from the mistakes of Oct. 7th.  I think it's going to get a lot worse, Hashem yerachem, because there really has not been enough teshuvah.  

There is still a war on against the Torah.  The Temple Mount is still being desecrated by idolaters and practitioners of avodah zarah.  Hedonism and Shabbat desecration have become an accepted way of life among us and we self-righteously believe we are complete innocents in what is happening to us. 

Take a look at what is being planned for Purim this year.  While the chareidi rabbis have thoughtfully and rightly requested that their communities tone down their celebrations this year, Tel Aviv promises to go all out bigger than ever.

Just one of many scheduled.  Some start Thursday and go all the way through Sunday, including Shabbat.

While millions of Jews celebrate Passover, thousands of pilgrims flock to the Holy Land for the most important week in the Christian calendar. It's the most iconic place to commemorate the last days of Jesus' life which he spent in Jerusalem. The central days of the Holy Week are Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and the culmination falls on Easter Sunday. Jerusalem hosts a Holy Week for both Catholic and Orthodox communities. The celebrations are quite similar, however, there are differences in rituals as well as dates.

The official beginning of the celebration falls on Palm Sunday on the respective date for each denomination—the day when Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey and was hailed with palm leaves. This triumphant entry to the city is reenacted in the afternoon after the morning Mass. Thousands take part in the palm procession to the Mount of Olives. Typically, the procession route passes by the Church of All Nations, Saint Anne Church, St. Steven’s Gate, also known as the Lions Gate, the Old City, and the Via Dolorosa. On the way, pilgrims pray and sing religious songs in all languages. (You can read further here.)

...Ismail Haniyeh, the Doha-based leader of Hamas’s political bureau, urged the Iran-led “Axis of Resistance” to step up attacks on Israel during Ramadan, calling for a “broad and international movement to break the siege on Al-Aqsa mosque.”

The “Axis of Resistance” includes Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Houthis and other Iranian-backed terrorist groups in the Middle East.  (Source)

The Democracy Missionaries

8 Adar Bet 5784 

What else do you call someone who claims they are on a mission, but a missionary?  

If you are not already familiar with this organization whose offices are located in the same general area as the American Cultural Center in Jerusalem, please allow me to introduce you to...

The Israel Democracy Institute

(It's only two minutes: Please pay special attention at 40-45 secs and again at 1:49.)

I had seen their sign, but never gave any thought to them... until NOW!!

  

WHAT A DIRTY, ROTTEN TRICK!!!

The Israel Democracy Institute runs advertisements patterned on ultra-Orthodox pashkeveils, or broadsheet posters, calling out the Haredim for refusing to enlist in the army.

The ads, which decry the “insult to the heroes of the army…who give their lives for the sanctity of God,” run in the Friday editions of national-religious newspapers Makor Rishon and B’sheva.

The IDI says such ads would not be accepted by ultra-Orthodox newspapers.

The use of this format and language echoing that of anti-enlistment posters used by the ultra-Orthodox “is another tool in our arsenal of tools, in addition to publishing data, in-depth studies and policy proposals, to deal with the issue of recruitment and equality of the burden,” says Shlomit Ravitsky Tur-Paz, head of the IDI’s Center for Shared Society, arguing that avoiding the draft contradicts an “honest interpretation” of the Torah.  

[For this to work, one must first concede the point that full-time Torah study is merely a means of avoiding the draft!  What of those men who avoid learning Torah?  You see, it simply is not seen as being of any value, much less an obligation, for these kinds of people.] 

The IDI is addressing the Haredim in the “language of the Torah and clarifying the urgent need for a new social contract, even at the cost of risking the coalition,” she says. (Source)

So, just who is this person who presumes to preach against the entire chareidi community in the name of the Torah???  From the IDI website:

Shlomit Ravitsky Tur-Paz co-founded and co-directed Itim – the Jewish Life Advocacy Center – an organization that committed to increasing participation in Jewish life by making Israel’s religious establishment respectful of and responsive to the diverse Jewish needs of the Jewish people. In this capacity, she has appeared before the Rabbinic Courts on issues of conversion, marriage, and divorce.

Ravitsky Tur-Paz also directed Beit Midrash Elul – a center for study of Jewish texts from a pluralistic perspective. In addition, she has served as a lecturer and group facilitator on Judaism and gender and has an extensive background in promoting Jewish pluralism and culture in Israel.

Born in Jerusalem, Ravitsky Tur-Paz holds bachelor's and master's degrees in law from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, has studied Jewish Studies and Philosophy, and is a graduate of the Mandel School of Educational Leadership. She has also worked with the Israeli Ministry of Education, training educators on pluralistic Judaism and Israeli identity and culture, and serves on the board of Panim—the Israeli Judaism Network.

You get the idea.   About the IDI itself...

IDI works to bolster the values and institutions of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. A non-partisan think-and-do tank, the institute harnesses rigorous applied research to educate decision makers and help shape policy, legislation and public opinion. The institute partners with government, policy and decision makers, civil service and society, to improve the functioning of the government and its institutions, confront security threats while preserving civil liberties, and foster solidarity within Israeli society. 

The List of its "Supporters", gives the fullest picture of who, and what, is actually behind this organization and where it is coming from!!!  This is in no way benign.  The numbers of the enemy within are as numerous as those without.  Hashem yerachem aleynu!!

Our Supporters 

• Founders 

Marcus Foundation - USA

• Guardians

Joan and Irwin Jacobs - USA

• Builders 

William Davidson Foundation - USA

• Benefactors 

Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies - USA
The Raymond Frankel Foundation - USA
Robert E. Meyerhoff and Rheda Becker - USA
Shustek Dubinsky Family Philanthropic Fund - USA

• Patrons 

Prof. Andrew Viterbi - USA 

Prof. Amnon Shashua - Israel 

Zurim Foundation - Israel 

The Jeffrey H. and Shari L. Aronson Family Foundation - USA 

Dalia and Eli Hurvitz Foundation - Israel 

The Russell Berrie Foundation - USA 

Hackerman Family Philanthropy - USA 

Robert and Arlene Kogod - USA 

Diane & Guilford Glazer Foundation - USA 

Eddie and Jules Trump Family Foundation - Israel 

UJA Federation - New York 

• Contributors -  See here.

• Board of Directors - See here.

• International Advisory Council - See here.  Some of the better known names are shocking!!

The Timeless Holiness of the Mishkan

5 Adar Bet 5784
Erev Shabbat Kodesh
Parashat Pekudei

From the Stone Edition Chumash Commentary:

Sforno comments that the Tabernacle and its individual parts were of such awesome holiness that they survived intact through time and wars.  Unlike the two Temples that were sacked and destroyed, Moses' Tabernacle remained intact and was never captured or desecrated.  The four reasons for this are alluded to in the first two verses:  (a) It was the Tabernacle of Testimony, where the Tablets, the symbols of God's communion with Israel, were deposited; (b) it was built at Moses' bidding, thus benefiting from his personal majesty; (c) the service of the Levites [who had proven their greatness by their loyal response to Moses after the catastrophe of the Golden Calf] and all the components of the Tabernacle were under the charge of Issamar, a man of great stature; and (d) those who led the work, as represented by Bezalel, were men of distinguished lineage and outstanding righteousness.  Because of all these factors, Sforno explains, the Tabernacle was impervious to time and enemies.  Solomon's Temple, by contrast, was built [in great measure] by non-Jewish workmen.  Consequently, although the Shechinah rested upon it, its parts became worn with time and required repair and replacement.  The Second Temple was built only thanks to the benevolence of King Cyrus, and it never had the Tablets or the Shechinah.  Both Temples fell into enemy hands, were looted, and destroyed.

He comments further that compared to the gold and silver that were used in the Temples of Solomon and Herod, the amounts listed [in the parashah] are insignificant.  Nevertheless, the Tabernacle surpassed both Temples in holiness....  This proves that God rests His Presence not where there is wealth, but where there is righteousness.

~ SHABBAT SHALOM ~

Living on Borrowed Time

4 Adar Bet 5784 

American chutzpah has reached to the highest heavens:  

...The wickedness of your heart enticed you, who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high, who says to himself, "Who will bring me down to the earth?"  If you go up high like an eagle, and if you place your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down, says the Lord.  (Ovadiah 1:3-4)

7:30 PM (5 Adar Bet) UPDATE!!

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday called on Israel to hold new elections, saying he believes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has "lost his way" and is an obstacle to peace in the region amid a growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Schumer, the first Jewish majority leader in the Senate and the highest-ranking Jewish official in the U.S., strongly criticized Netanyahu in a 40-minute speech Thursday morning on the Senate floor. Schumer said the prime minister has put himself in a coalition of far-right extremists and "as a result, he has been too willing to tolerate the civilian toll in Gaza, which is pushing support for Israel worldwide to historic lows." Schumer has so far positioned himself as a strong ally of the Israeli government, visiting the country just days after the brutal Oct. 7 attack by Hamas and giving a lengthy speech on the Senate floor in December decrying "brazen and widespread antisemitism the likes of which we haven't seen in generations in this country, if ever." Schumer says the United States cannot dictate the outcome of an election in Israel, but "a new election is the only way to allow for a healthy and open decision-making process about the future of Israel, at a time when so many Israelis have lost their confidence in the vision and direction of their government." (AP)  (Source)

~ ~ ~ 

Ending the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and pursuing a larger vision of peace require regime change in at least three places. Hamas cannot continue to control Gaza from where it terrorizes both Israel and Palestinians. The Palestinian Authority must cast off Mahmoud Abbas’s sclerotic and corrupt regime to find credible leadership. And Israel must also undergo its own “regime change” — a repudiation of not only Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but also his far-right government.

...The question then remains whether the United States can hasten Netanyahu’s removal.  The U.S. record of ousting hostile regimes by military power or secret coup is atrocious, but the Biden administration and Congress can assist domestic forces in Israel to accelerate Netanyahu’s departure.

...slowing aid delivery could make clear that Netanyahu’s presence harms Israel’s essential relationship with the United States. NBC News recently reported, “After weeks of private administration requests produced fewer results than the White House wants … the U.S. is considering slowing or pausing the deliveries in the hope that doing so will prod the Israelis to take action,....sharpen the divide between [Netanyahu] and military commanders.

The Biden administration also could increase consultation with and lift up the voices of opposition figures, hostage families and protesters (engaging in publicly announced meetings with them, for instance) to emphasize that the United States stands foursquare behind efforts to bring fighting to an end, obtain return of the hostages, prevent Israeli “resettlement” of Gaza and support regional peace efforts by Israel’s neighbors. And, conversely, the administration could step up criticism of the racist rhetoric from Netanyahu’s coalition partners and decline to block any Security Council resolutions condemning such remarks.

To be clear, Israel is a democratic country. Ultimately, the Israeli people select their leaders.

But....

Israel and the region benefit from a pro-democracy, flexible and realistic Israeli government that understands that perpetual war is unacceptable. (Source)

Can you appreciate where this leaves the millions of Torah-believing, Torah-abiding Jews in Eretz Yisrael ???   

The following is what is behind the protests in our country...

American-Backed Coups, Mapped

Noahidism: Is It Judaism-Lite for Gentiles?

4 Adar Bet 5784 

Anything that has "-ism" added to it, in my experience, is a man-made construct and therefore, liable to lead to error.  It has also been my experience that some gentiles leaving Christianity, who prefer not to become a Jew, are looking upon Noahidism as a kind of substitute for the church, with its own rituals and holidays - in other words the makings of a new religion, God forbid!

I personally prefer the term God-fearing gentiles, God-fearers (yirei shamayim), because that is the ikkar for them - the crux for the seven laws God gave to the nations.  If a gentile keeps the seven laws in totality, but does so solely because he thinks/feels they are wise and beneficial is not considered a righteous gentile.  Only if he keeps these laws because he acknowledges that they originate with, and are commanded to him by, the Creator is he considered "righteous" and worthy of merit.

These seven laws are mankind's minimal obligation to their Creator.  If a gentile feels the draw towards a higher level of observance and closeness to his Creator, he can convert and become a Jew with all the obligations right alongside all the privileges.  These are the only two choices available to individual gentiles, aside from the free will choice to reject his Creator and go the way of all the wicked.

I recently heard the following statement:  "The whole role of a Jew is to be a light to the nations."  To that, I would say, "No, the whole role of a Jew is to serve HKB"H by learning His Torah and fulfilling His mitzvot."  This idea that Jews are here to spread the Gospel of Torah to the nations of the world is a heresy assimilated out of Christian culture.  It is an idea that appeals to many Jews (and gentiles) because the Yetzer HaRa would rather see Jews thus occupied rather then doing the job they were assigned.

For further elucidation on this subject, please continue on with two reposted articles from 2011 and 2021.

Who is a "Righteous Gentile?"

23 Tammuz 5771

This is similar to the question which continues to plague Israel---Who is a Jew? There are those who like to say, so-and-so may not be halachicly Jewish, but he would have qualified for the gas chamber in Hitler's Germany.

While that is tragic, it is not a reason to abandon the halachah.  Hitler, y"sh does not define for us who is a Jew.  Only Hashem does.  To allow the Nazis to define Jewishness is to allow them to continue the shmad against us by other means and for all time.  And just as we do not allow them to define who is a Jew, neither do we allow Yad Vashem to define who is a righteous Gentile.

Despite that Yad Vashem confers "righteous" status on Gentiles who assisted Jews, even to saving their lives, during the holocaust, we are duty-bound to employ the halachic criteria because while we may owe a debt of gratitude to such people, it is the Master of the World who defines this status and it is judged based on the person's relationship to HASHEM, not to Jews.

Today, this is a terribly misunderstood subject and it is causing no dearth of trouble for Am Yisrael as a result.  Today, anyone who is "pro-Israel" is called a righteous Gentile, even down to those who would convert us all to their idolatry if given half a chance.  It's not only wrong, it cheapens the demands it requires of those who truly earn it.  It is a slap in the face to all truly righteous Gentiles, who often have made great personal sacrifices to attain that level.  We owe it to them and to the truth and we owe it to Hashem to set the record straight.

Again, "Jew" and "righteous Gentile" are legal statuses defined by Jewish Law as handed down from the Creator at Har Sinai.  We are not free, out of some false sense of obligation or gratitude, to move the boundaries Hashem has set in His limitless wisdom.

Before getting into what makes one a "stam" goy and another a "righteous goy," I ought to address another issue which coincides with this.  Perhaps, before we can distinguish between goy and goy, we ought first to understand what separates the goy and the Jew.  Is there a real distinction or are we "all brothers in the family of Mankind?"

Let's hear Rabbi David Bar Chayim on the subject: The Distinction between Jews and Gentiles in Torah:

Introduction

Over the past few years, there has been a recognizable trend amongst different circles in the religious community -- a humanistic/universal inclination.  There are many who have written in praise of love, “for all men who were created in the image of G-d.”  We have even been “graced” with a pamphlet of this name, Chaviv Adam Sh’nivra B’tzelem, composed and edited by Mr. Yochanan Ben Ya’acov, the Director General of the Bnei Akiva Youth Movement.  The explicit goal of those who share this outlook is to prove that all men are equal, that it is forbidden to discriminate against any man on the basis of his race, and that anyone who claims the opposite is nothing but a racist, distorting the words of the Torah in order to fit them to his “dreadful” opinions.

...As will be further clarified, this outlook completely contradicts the Torah of Moses, and stems from an absolute lack of knowledge, permeated with foreign Western “values.”  There would not be any need to respond were it not for the many who are mistaken and lead astray by it.

This outlook has even been expressed by some rabbis whose goal is to show how great and important the stature of the Gentile is in our Torah, and who thereby violate the truth by taking things out of context and inaccurately interpreting the words of Chazal and the Rishonim.

(Space does not allow. See the list of halachot which distinguish between Jews and Gentiles here.)

In the book Derech Hashem, part 2, section 4, the Ramchal explained at length the difference between Israel and the nations of the world: 

One of the deepest concepts of G-d's providence involves Israel and the other nations.  With regards to their basic human characteristics, the two appear exactly alike.  From the Torah's viewpoint, however, the two are completely different, and are treated as ones belonging to completely different genera…

Before Adam sinned, he was on a level much higher than contemporary man…  In that state, man was on a very lofty level, fit for a high degree of eternal excellence….  He would have then sired future generations while still in that state of excellence.  Their number would be accurately determined by G-d's wisdom, depending on how those enjoying His good should best be perfected....

However, when Adam sinned, he fell from his original high level, and brought upon himself a great degree of darkness and insensitivity….  Mankind in general also fell from its original height, and remained on a degraded level….  He was thus only prepared and receptive to a much lower level, and it was in this state that his children were born.  … they were all born into this degraded state….

Until Avraham Avinu who raised himself back up to the higher level through his spiritual work and earned the right to pass this trait on to his progeny through Yitzchak and Yaaqov.  Thereafter, his physical descendants and any individuals from among the nations who followed Avraham's path and raised themselves up to his level (converting) would be a separate people---Jews.

...According to the Highest Judgment, it turned out that none of them deserved to rise above the degraded level…not even a little bit.  But Abraham, being the only exception, succeeded in elevating himself through his deeds, which led to him being chosen by G-d.  Abraham was therefore permanently made into a superior and excellent tree, conforming to man's highest level.  It was further provided that he would be able to produce branches [and father a nation] based on his characteristics.  The world was then divided into seventy nations, each on its own particular level in the general scheme.  All of them, however, remained on the level of man in his fallen state, while only Israel became men in the elevated state.

The verdict, however, was not that the other nations should be destroyed.  It only meant that they would have to remain on the lower level that we have discussed.  This lower state of man should never have existed, had Adam not sinned….  These nations still have the human aspect, blemished though it may be, so G-d desired that they should at least have a part of what was actually appropriate for the true mankind.  He therefore granted them a divine soul somewhat like that of the Jew, even though it is not on the same level as Jewish souls are, but on a much lower level.  They were likewise given commandments through which they could attain both material and spiritual advantages appropriate to their nature -- the Seven Commandments given to the children of Noah.

In the World to Come, however, there will be no nation other than Israel.  The souls of righteous Gentiles will be allowed to exist in the Future World, but only as an addition and attachment to Israel.  They will therefore be secondary to the Jews, just as a garment is secondary to the one who wears it.  All that they attain of the ultimate good will have to be attained in this manner, since by virtue of their nature they can receive no more.

Which brings us back to our original question---Who is a righteous Gentile?

...Maimonides stated explicitly in chapter 8 of The Laws of Kings (halacha 10): 'Moses our teacher was commanded by the Mighty One to force the Gentiles to accept the commandments of the sons of Noah….  Anyone who accepts the Seven Commandments and is careful to fulfill them is considered a righteous Gentile and receives a portion in the World to Come.  This depends upon him accepting and fulfilling them because G-d had so commanded in the Torah….'

Meaning that while the actions of some gentiles might be noteworthy and commendable, if he does not obey the sheva mitzvot b'nei Noah, he is a "stam" goy.   Additionally, if he observes the sheva mitzvot because he thinks they are nice and good, but not because they were commanded, he is not entitled to the status of "righteous" gentile.

Being precise in our language is also part of being people of truth.

27 December 2021

Code Word: "Universal" (Part 2 of 2)

23 Tevet 5782

In Part 1, it was established that there is an insidious trend today to universalize Judaism and the Torah.  I daresay, that were this the correct path to take, we would not have been mourning the translation of the Torah into Greek just a couple of weeks ago.

Authentic, Torah-true Judaism is engulfed and drowning in a tidal wave of error and misconception regarding our relationship to the nations of the world.  

In part 2, here, I hope that the sources I bring will shed light and clarity on this subject and help to keep us on the straight path, deviating neither to the left nor the right.

Universalist Claims

• It is a mitzvah for every Jew to evangelize the world with Torah.

• Israel's mission is to be a "light unto the nations" by spreading the gospel of Torah.

• Jew or non-Jew, it doesn't matter, all are equal and have equal standing before God.

• All of humanity is one big family and all are the children of God regardless of belief.

• The Messiah is not coming just for the Jews, he is coming to save the whole world.

• The Jews can't be redeemed unless the gentiles play their part.

Yes, I have tweaked the language because in essence this is really what it is and it helps us pinpoint the origin of these false ideas.  Yes, this is more Judeo-Christianity.  And it bears noting that the Jews who want to teach Torah to Gentiles stopped pretending it was for those seeking to learn the sheva mitzvot long ago.  Now, there is no more pretense that they are anything other than Christian idolaters.

Consider this...

The Rambam in Hilchot Avodah Zarah, Chapter 7, Halachah 1:

It is a positive commandment to destroy false deities, all their accessories, and everything that is made for their purposes, as [Devarim 12:2] states: "You shall surely destroy all the places [where the gentiles... served their gods]" and, as [implied by Devarim 7:5]: "Rather, what you should do to them is tear down their altars."

In Eretz Yisrael, the mitzvah requires us to hunt after idol worship until it is eradicated from our entire land.  In the diaspora, however, we are not required to hunt after it.  Rather, whenever we conquer a place, we must destroy all the false deities contained within.

[The source for this distinction is Devarim 12:3, which] states: "And you shall destroy their name from this place," [implying that] you are obligated to hunt false deities in Eretz Yisrael, but you are not obligated to do so in the diaspora.

From the commentary: On we are not required to hunt after it. - since these lands are not holy, we are not obligated to eradicate idol worship from them. (Kinat Eliyahu)

In other words, we do not go out from Eretz Yisrael and travel the world begging the non-Jews to leave their idolatry and accept the sheva mitzvot.  Neither do we go out from Eretz Yisrael and travel the world inviting the non-Jews to come to Eretz Yisrael, welcoming them to bring their idolatry in with them and practice it in our midst!

Rabbi Meir Kahane from his book Uncomfortable Questions for Comfortable Jews...

..for the sake of the Jewish people, it is time to speak about the ignorance, the perversion, the corruption, the counterfeiting of Judaism. It is more than time to bring down what Judaism really says about Jews and non-Jews, about the status of both in the world, about the concept of Israel as a special chosen people and the place of a non-Jew within the Jewish State, about the contradictions between basic Judaism and basic western democracy and liberalism.

...The liberal west speaks of the absolute equality of all peoples while Judaism speaks of spiritual status of the chosenness of the Jew from and above all other people, of the special and exclusive relationship between G-d and Israel.

Excerpts from the Ramchal in Derech Hashem (Feldheim Publishers) ...

...According to the Highest Judgment, it turned out that none of [humanity] deserved to rise above the degraded level to which Adam and his children had fallen as a result of their sin.  [Not a single one had risen above it all.]

There was, however, one exception, and that was Avraham.  He had succeeded in elevating himself, and as a result of his deeds was chosen by God.  Avraham was therefore permanently made into a superior excellent Tree, conforming to man's highest level.  It was further provided that he would be able to produce branches [and father a nation] possessing his characteristics.

The world was then divided into seventy nations, each with its own particular place in the general scheme.  All of them, however, remained on the level of man in his fallen state, while only Israel was in the elevated state.

After this, the gate was closed on the era of roots.  Things would then be directed and brought about upon individuals as branches, each one according to his nature.

...[4]  God's great love and goodness decreed that the branches of other nations still be given a chance.  If they so desired, they still had the free choice to tear themselves loose from their own roots, and through their own actions include themselves among the branches of Avraham's family.

This is what God meant when He told Avraham (Breishis 12:3), "All the families of the earth will be blessed through you."  Avraham was thus made the father of all converts.

...Avraham's tree consisted of 600,000 main branches. These were the individuals who left Egypt, and it was to them that the Torah was given and the land of Israel divided. Every Jew subsequently born is considered to be an element and descendant of one of these primary branches.

It was to these 600,000 original Jews that the Torah was given.  When this occurred, the tree was said to have attained maturity.

At this time, God also gave the nations a last chance.  In His mercy He had suspended their final judgment until the time that the Torah was given [with the revelation at Sinai].  He then offered the Torah to every nation, giving them the opportunity to accept it.

If any nation would have then accepted the Torah, it would have elevated itself from its lower state.  As it was, none of them desired the Torah, and their judgment was therefore sealed completely.  The gate was permanently closed, never again to be opened.

It still remained possible, however, for any individual to convert to Judaism.  In this manner, he could still include himself in Avraham's tree of his own free will.

...[9]  God thus made the rectification and elevation of all creation totally dependent on the Jews.  To the extent that this can be expressed, we can thus say that He subjugated His Providence to them.  Through their deeds, they can cause [His Light] to shine forth and have influence, or, on the other hand, hold it back and conceal it.  [The Light to the Nations!]

The final redemption will mirror the first redemption from Egypt.  Moshe Rabeinu was the redeemer promised to Israel.  All of the slaves went free, but Egypt was destroyed for the sake of freeing the Jews.  "The world exists for the Jews; had Israel refused the Torah, the world would have ceased to exist."  Ben David will come at the End of Days to redeem the Jews and the entire world will benefit, but all who oppose this goal of freeing the Jews to fulfill their true mission of rectifying the world through Torah and mitzvot will be destroyed in the process. 

How Israel Is To Be A Light To The Nations