28 Marcheshvan 5785
Erev Shabbat Kodesh
Parashat Toldot - Mevarchim
Of all the stories about the patriarchs and matriarchs, I have to say I find the stories about Ya'aqov and Eisav to be the most fascinating since their stories are still being played out by their descendants today.
"I loved you," said Hashem, and you said, "How have you loved us?" Was not Esau a brother of Jacob - the words of Hashem - yet I loved Jacob. But, I hated Esau and I made his mountains a desolation, and his heritage for the desert serpents.
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| ~ THE TWO BECOME ONE ~ |
Though Edom said, "We have become destitute, but we shall return and rebuild the ruins"; so said Hashem, Master of Legions, "They may build, but I shall tear down; they shall call them, 'the boundary of wickedness, and the people who infuriated Hashem to eternity.' Your eyes shall see and you shall say, 'Hashem is great beyond the boundary of Israel.'" (Haftarah Toldot, Malachi 1.2-5)
From the Stone Edition Chumash Commentary...
Through Shem, God conveyed to [Rivkah] that the unborn infants represented two nations and two conflicting ideologies - Israel and Edom - and that their struggle in the womb symbolized the future rivalries between them, which would end with the younger prevailing over the older (R' Hoffmann). Thus, the turmoil within her was due to the irreconcilable conflict between two nations that was already taking shape (Mizrachi).
The Sages teach that the two of them will never be mighty simultaneously; when one falls, the other will rise (Megillah 6a). History has demonstrated this prophecy in practice. Two regimes, one espousing morality and justice and the other standing for license and barbarity, cannot long coexist. They must always be in conflict until one comes to dominate the other, whether through victory on the battlefield or in the contest for men's minds.
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God's blessing to Abraham specified that only one of Isaac's children would be heir to the mission of Israel (see Rambam, Hilchot Melachim 10:7), meaning that the Torah would go to Jacob or Esau, but not to both.
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~ SHABBAT SHALOM - CHODESH TOV ~
IDF Prepares To Launch All-Charedi “Chashmonai Brigade” By Start Of Chanukah
ReplyDeleteThe IDF announced plans to establish the first company of the new Chashmonai Brigade, an initiative designed to cater exclusively to Charedi soldiers, by the time Chanukah begins in late December.
The brigade’s name is intended to underscore its symbolic alignment with the Chanukah story, as the Chashmonean Dynasty emerged from the successful revolt against the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire, better known in Charedi circles as the Yevanim. The IDF hopes to channel this legacy to inspire Charedi participation in the military....
I doubt anyone in the high command even knows that the main battle of Hanukkah was against the mityavanim - the Hellenists, or in today's terminology the Judeo-Xians. They are training and equipping the very ones who are going to ultimately bring them down.
It is still beyond me how the true story of Hanukkah can remain hidden, suppressed actually.
DeleteYears ago, when I arrived in Israel, I saw the torch march from North (secular, elitist) Tel-Aviv. Hanukkah had been turned into something nationalist. But as usual, it was and is something distorted from the truth.
I am surprised that the truth hadn't been revealed so that the holiday could be condemned, like Purim has been.
About the Haredi brigade, it is worse than most Jews are willing to admit.
Haredi Warriors?