"Post-Pesach Update"

22 Nissan 5784 - Isru Chag
Day 7 (1 week) of the Omer

One of our commenters has requested a "Post-Pesach Update," so here goes.

It's still Nissan.  There is also a Second Chance Pesach in Iyyar - the month of miraculous wars.

The measure of damage caused by severe storms and chaos created by the enemies of Israel across the university campuses is likely commensurate with the amount of arm-twisting, threats and outright blackmail being used against the Israeli government in order to bring about a complete surrender to Hamas.

We have to recall how much merit America must have stored up over time from the actual good it did for Jews and what it will take to drain that cup of merit until she is completely deserving of the destruction already prophesied for her.  (See Ovadiah.)

It must be said, the righteous Jews living there do not help us.  Their presence there is a hindrance to the full punishment needed to make America let God's people in Israel go.  I don't know what it will take to remove that obstacle, but it is destined to be removed one way or another.  It's either us in Israel or the Jews of America.  We can't both be saved.  Their own merit and the kedushah they embody are likely blocking the knock-out blow, but when it becomes us or them,....  I shudder to think.  

We have reached a real turning point and an earth-shattering event is only hours away.  This will be the last attempt at a cease-fire agreement which would ensure Israel's complete capitulation.  If it is rejected, the invasion of Rafiach follows immediately and the ICC will no doubt issue arrest warrants for the entire upper echelon of the Israeli government.  If it is accepted, foreign pressure will be relaxed, but it's highly likely the government will fall from a no-confidence vote.  The majority of the country is against surrender.

Whichever way you slice it, it foretells the demise of the Erev Rav regime.  We will be at our most vulnerable and our enemies will be lured into the "Red Sea" as a result.  

HKB"H prepares the cure before the illness.  Mashiach IS here and he will come forth at the appropriate time, as surely as the sea split for our ancestors.  Never doubt it.

That's my own personal assessment.

Tornado Outbreak Still Ongoing (7 hours ago)

Columbia University Protestors Live

ICC Threatening to Issue Arrest Warrants
(12:00 - 12:30, if you can't see the whole thing)

Pressure Is On

Israel Realtime Updates...

🟡 CEASEFIRE - GAZA.. .. U.S. TO HAMAS: “You must deliver your final answer to the deal quickly, the IDF is about to enter Rafah in a few hours.”

Geulah Watch

20 Nissan 5784
Day 5 of the Omer
Erev Shvi'i shel Pesach  

Like the Plagues of Egypt

LIVE COVERAGE HERE.
(It's an ongoing event.)

Note that "significant damaging hail" and some flash-flooding is also accompanying the storms producing these tornadoes.

"The Light of Redemption"

20 Nissan 5784
Day 5 of the Omer
Erev Shvi'i shel Pesach 

The First and Final Redemption

While the first night of Passover commemorates the redemption from exile in Egypt, the final day celebrates the future Redemption, which G‑d will bring about through Moshiach. 

The connection between the first and the last redemption is also gleaned from the verse: "As in the days when you left Egypt, I shall show you wonders [during the final Redemption]."

Seventh Day of Passover - The Light of Redemption

Heed the Warnings

18 Nissan 5784

Day 3 of the Omer

Erev Shabbat Kodesh

Chol HaMoed Pesach

All of our suffering comes about through disobedience to HKB"H's instructions to us...

Excerpt from the Torah reading for Shabbat chol hamoed (Shemot 34.11-14): 

Keep carefully what I am commanding you today:  Lo!  I will drive out from before you the Amorites and the Canaanites, the Hittites and the Perizzites, the Hivvites and the Jebusites.  Beware lest you form a covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are coming, lest it become a snare in your midst.  But you shall demolish their altars, shatter their monuments, and cut down their sacred trees.   For you shall not prostrate yourself before another god, because the Lord, Whose Name is "Jealous One," is a jealous God.

Rashi Commentary:  Whose Name is “Jealous One”: He is zealous to mete out retribution, and He is not indulgent.  That is [the meaning of] every expression of jealousy (קִנְאָה) [when used in connection with God]. [It] means that He is steadfast in His superiority [over other deities] and exacts retribution upon those who forsake Him.

~ SHABBAT SHALOM and MOADIM L'SIMCHAH ~

The Geulah Process Is Gaining Steam

17 Nissan 5784
Moadim l'simchah! 

[Please see my comments to the previous blogpost.]

Every media outlet in the world carried this headline yesterday: "Pelosi calls for Netanyahu’s resignation, He's an obstacle to Peace".  This demonstrates America's continued interest in removing Israel's democratically elected leader.  And the world follows suit.

Israel worries ICC could order arrest of top officials, including premier

Jerusalem is concerned that the International Criminal Court in The Hague could soon issue arrest warrants against senior officials, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over the Israel Defense Forces operation against Hamas, Channel 12 News reported Thursday.

Jonathan Pollard: America, the Mossad
and the Frustration of Attacks on Iran

Don't Give Up! We're Almost There!!

16 Nissan 5784

Moadim l'Simchah!

The 15th of Nissan has passed, but Shvi'i shel Pesach remains.  If Nissan fails, then Iyyar, the month of miraculous wars, remains.  If Iyyar fails, Shavuot in Sivan remains.  If Sivan fails, the Fast of Tammuz, which is destined to become a holiday, remains.  If Tammuz fails, the 9th of Av and the 15th of Av remain.  If they fail, every month follows with its own auspicious time and redemptive power.  

“I believe with complete faith in the coming of Mashiach. Though he tarry, nonetheless I await him every day, that he will come.”

~ ~ ~ 

AWAITING MASHIACH

A. The Obligation to Await

“The vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie. Though he tarry wait for him, for it will surely come… it will not be late!” (Habakuk 2:3)

“Therefore wait for Me, says G‑d, for the day that I rise to the prey; for My judgment is to gather nations, that I assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them My indignation, all My fierce anger. For all the earth shall be consumed by the fire of My jealousy.” (Zephaniah 3:8)

“Happy are all those that wait for him.” (Isaiah 30:18)

Waiting for Mashiach, anticipating his coming, is not simply a virtue but a religious obligation. Rambam thus rules that whoever does not believe in and whoever does not await (eagerly looking forward to) the coming of Mashiach, in effect denies the whole Torah, all the prophets beginning with Moses. In the popular formulation of his thirteen Principles of the Faith (the hymn of Ani Ma’amin) this is put as follows:

“I believe with complete faith in the coming of Mashiach. Though he tarry, nonetheless I await him every day, that he will come.”

As stated above, some authorities view this principle as an integral part of the first of the Ten Commandments which states “Anochi I am G‑d, your G‑d, who has taken you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” (Exodus 20:2) The connection may be seen in the fact that the initial word Anochi is linked with redemption:

“Anochi signifies the first redemption from Egypt and the last redemption through Mashiach.” Anochi is an explicit expression of compassion, consolation and comfort. Indeed, Anochi is an acronym with every one of its four letters signifying Biblical prophecies of the Messianic consolations and comfort.

In view of this legal obligation to await Mashiach, therefore, one of the first questions an individual is asked on the Day of Divine Judgment is “Tzipita liyeshu’ah did you look forward to salvation?”

To believe in the coming of Mashiach and to await it are two separate concepts. “To believe” is a doctrinal affirmation as for any other part of the Torah: affirming the principle of Mashiach who will come eventually, whenever that may be. “To await” means an active and eager anticipation of the redemption, that it occur speedily: “I await him every day…,” literally:

“In ikveta deMeshicha (on the ‘heels of Mashiach,’ i.e.,) when the time arrives for the glory of G‑d to be revealed in the world through the coming of our righteous Mashiach, there will surely be leaders of Israel… who will urge the masses of Israel to strengthen the faith and to return with teshuvah, and to arouse the people to prepare themselves with teshuvah and good deeds for the coming of Mashiach…

“In those days there will also be people of little faith who will not believe those words, even as we find that during the Egyptian exile ‘they did not listen to Moses because of anguished spirit and hard labor’ (Exodus 6:9)…

“Each one will argue that he does not question the truth of the possibility of the redemption, but merely doubts the time of the redemption as to when it will occur. Yet there is an explicit verse in Malachi (3:1) that ‘The lord whom you seek (i.e., the king Mashiach) will suddenly come to his palace, and the messenger of the covenant whom you desire (i.e., Elijah the prophet), behold he comes…’ At the very least, therefore, one is to consider every day that perhaps he will come that day. We find this reflected in the explicit ruling in the Gemara, Chafetz Chaim, Chizuk Emunah, quoted in Chafetz Chaim al Hatorah, Vayera, p. 56f., note 2. Note also Torat Ze’ev, quoted in Hagadah shel Pesach Mibet Levi [Brisk], p. 120: “It is incumbent to await the coming of Mashiach every single day, and all day long… It is not enough to believe in the coming of Mashiach, but each day one must await his coming… Furthermore, it is not enough to await his coming every day, but it is to be in the manner of our prayer ‘we await Your salvation all the day,’ that is, to await and expect it every day, and all day long, literally every moment!”

B. Kivuy: The Merit and Effect of Awaiting

“Everything is (bound up) with kivuy (hoping; awaiting).” See Targum Yehonathan, and Bereishit Rabba 98:14, on this verse.12 Shemot Rabba 30:24.

“When the Israelites enter the synagogues and houses of study, they say to the Holy One, blessed be He, ‘Redeem us!’ He responds to them: ‘Are there righteous people among you? Are there G‑d-fearing people among you?’ They reply: ‘In the past… there were… Nowadays, however, as we go from generation to generation it grows darker for us…’ The Holy One, blessed be He, then says to them: ‘Trust in My Name and I shall stand by you… for I shall save whoever trusts in My Name.’ ”  Midrash Tehilim 40:114

Though the study of Torah is ever so important, the need to await and hope for the redemption is addressed especially to the scholars and students of Torah, as G‑d rebukes them: “Though the words of the Torah are beloved unto you, you did not do right in awaiting My Torah but not (the restoration of) My Kingdom.”

“[The patriarchs] exclaimed before Him: ‘Master of the universe, maybe there is no restoration for the children?’ He said to them: ‘When there is a generation that looks forward to My Kingdom, they will be redeemed immediately,’ as it is said, ‘There is hope for your future, says G‑d, that (your) children shall return to their own boundary’ (Jeremiah 31:16).”

The daily Amidah contains the request, “Speedily cause the offspring of Your servant David to flourish and enhance his power through Your salvation, for we hope for Your salvation all the day…” The last phrase, “for we hope…,” seems strange: what kind of reasoning is that? If we justly deserve the redemption, we shall merit it even without that hope; if we do not deserve it, of what avail will that hope be? The meaning, however, is clear:

“Speedily cause the offspring of Your servant David to flourish…;” and if it should be said that we lack merit, cause it to flourish anyway “because we hope for your salvation…,” that is, because we have the kivuy (hope). By virtue of that kivuy we deserve that You redeem us!

C. Demanding Mashiach

True belief in the Messianic redemption is reflected and verified in sincere anticipation, in eagerly looking forward to the coming of Mashiach. In turn, the sincerity of this hope and awaiting is tested by what is done to achieve it. For something truly desired one will ask and beg, demand, and do everything possible to attain it. The same applies to the obligatory awaiting and anticipation of Mashiach.

G‑d insists that we prove the sincerity of our claim to want Mashiach by doing everything in our power to bring it about, including storming the Gates of Heaven with demands for the redemption:

“The children of Israel shall sit many days without king and without prince, and without sacrifice… Thereafter, the children of Israel shall return and ask for G‑d, their G‑d, and for David their king, and they shall be in fear before G‑d and (hope) for His goodness in the end of days.” (Hosea 3:4-5)

“Ask for G‑d” refers to the restoration of the Kingdom of Heaven; “David their king” the restoration of the Kingdom of the House of David, through Mashiach; “fear before G‑d… His goodness” the restoration of the Bet Hamikdash. For Israel will not see the redemption until they shall return and ask for these!

“Israel shall not be redeemed until they will confess and demand the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of the House of David, and the Bet Hamikdash!”

R. Shimon bar Yochai taught a parable of a man who punished his son. The son did not know why he was being punished, but thereafter his father said to him: “Now go and do that which I had ordered you many days ago and you ignored me.”

“Even so, all the thousands that perished in battle in the days of David, perished only because they did not demand that the Bet Hamikdash be built. This presents an a fortiori argument:

“If this happened to those in whose midst there had not been a Bet Hamikdash, which, therefore, was not destroyed in their days, yet they were punished for not demanding it, how much more so then with regards to ourselves in whose days the Bet Hamikdash is destroyed and we do not mourn it and do not seek mercy for it!”

We pray for the redemption several times every day. Even so, requesting by itself is not enough. One must demand the redemption, just as with the wages of a hired worker: the law stipulates that if the worker does not demand his wages, there is no obligation to give it to him on the very day that he completes his work. So, too, we must demand our redemption. Failure to do so shows that this matter is clearly not that urgent to us!

Chag Pesach Kasher v'Sameach!

14 Nissan 5784
Erev Pesach

PESACH 

by Rav Zvi Leshem (Midreshet Yeud)

When Adam and Eve ate from the Eitz HaDa’at (tree of knowledge), several problems resulted, plaguing humanity ever since. All of our Avodat HaShem is designed to “fix” (Tikkun) this primordial sin, rectifying creation and preparing the way for the final redemption.

Firstly their sin caused Pgam HaDa’at-the corruption of consciousness. The curiosity that cause Adam and Eve to opt for Da’at instead of relying on Emunah (faith), damaged our ability to relate properly to HaShem, Da’at being the knowledge implied in the deepest relationship. (V’HaAdam Yada Et Chava Ishto)

Secondly the misuse of language on the part of the snake to tempt Eve, by Eve to tempt Adam, and by Adam to make excuses for himself caused Pgam HaDibbur- the corruption of language. This is especially grave in light of the fact that language distinguishes humanity from animals, as a person is called Midaber, “the speaker.” Thus the corruption of language is a severe lack of human integrity. One of the manifestations is our difficulty in avoiding prohibited speech, such as Lashon Hara (Shem MiShmuel).

Thirdly of course, is the Pgam HaAchila- the corruption of eating, caused by the sin itself. Next time you are tempted to cheat on your diet realize that the temptation to eat is a very deeply engrained human trait, dating back to the beginning of history! (This is not an excuse. It should spur you on to further self-control, the cosmos depends on it!)

According to many Chassidic sources ( Rebbe Nachman and Rav Tzaddok HaKohen), the Egyptian bondage and redemption are part of the process of rectifying this primordial sin in all of its manifestations. And since every year we as individuals and as the Jewish people re-experience this spiritual journey, our Pesach experience, and especially that of the Seder, helps us to work on these three areas, Da’at (consciousness), Dibbur (speech), and Achilah (eating).

In Lekutai Aytzot (Mo’adei HaShem, Pesach 3) Rebbe Nachman says that by reciting the Haggadah out loud, we arouse our Da’at, for speech is an external manifestation of consciousness. Through this process we merit the revelation of HaShem’s Da’at, which is the essence of the redemption. This is predicated upon the understanding that the physical exile and redemption are external manifestations of a deeper spiritual process.

The fixing of Dibbur (speech) occurs through the recital of the Haggadah. The Sod Yesharim (Pesach 23) points out that according to Rabban Gamliel it is not sufficient to perform the Mitzvot, we must also discuss them. Rav Tzaddok (Pri Tzaddik, Pesach 2) goes a step further. It is not enough to discuss—we must do so in the manner of questions and answers, for only through the process of questioning can we internalize the feeling of the lack of understanding, for which the story of the Exodus provides the answers. Through this process we experience Geulat HaDibbur, the redemption of speech, as did our ancestors upon leaving Egypt.

Our eating and drinking are perfected through the Mitzvot of Matzah, Morror, the drinking of the four cups and ideally, the Passover sacrifice. The centrality of eating at the Seder is so crucial, that this is the only time of the year that we make Birchot HaMitzvah (Asher Kiddishanu BaMitzvotav Vitzeivanu) on eating! (Rav Zaddok, Pri Zaddik, Pesach 1). Even the custom of the Karpas, a vegetable, reminds us that Adam was cursed to eat from the ground instead of from the fruit of the trees. All of this eating, says Rav Zaddok, is to correct the primordial sin in general, and Pgam HaAchilah in particular.

The Mei HaShiloach (part two, Parshat Bo) sums it up beautifully. “ ‘So that the Torah of HaShem will be in your mouth’; on the first night of Pesach, HaShem commands man to refine his mouth. Indeed, the powers of the mouth are eating, drinking, and speech. HaShem commanded the eating of Matzah and the drinking of the cups of wine, and through this one refines one’s eating and drinking of the entire year…. Regarding the power of speech HaShem commands the telling of the story of the Exodus, and this protects us all year long from speaking prohibited language. This explains the verse ‘so that the Torah of HaShem will be in your mouth’, that all of the powers of the mouth will be completely perfected and filled with the words of the Torah”.

May it be HaShem’s will that we fulfill all of the Mitzvot of this holy night properly according to Halacha and with the deepest intentions. May we merit to completely rectify the primordial sin and witness the complete redemption in this Chodesh Nissan, the month of Israel’s redemption. Chag Sameach. 

From Slavery to Freedom

13 Nissan 5784 

I pinned that phrase from Tanchuma to the top of the page as a reminder...

"...and on the 15th of Nisan they will in the future be redeemed from subjugation to exile.”

When were we considered to have been redeemed from Egypt?  It wasn't after Egypt was destroyed.  It wasn't after we successfully crossed the Red Sea.  It wasn't when we entered into Eretz Yisrael.  It was the day we no longer needed Pharaoh's permission to leave.  The day we got up and walked out and no one could stop us - that was our redemption.  Everything else followed from that!

This quote from the Tanchuma predicts that the same will be true of our future final redemption, too - "from subjugation to the exile."  When we go free from foreign domination and oppression, everything else will follow from that.  In this situation, present-day Egypt is clearly the U.S.

Israel aghast as US said poised to sanction IDF unit with history of abuses

The Biden administration is slated to announce sanctions against the IDF’s Netzah Yehuda battalion for alleged human rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank, the Axios news site reported on Saturday. It would be the first time the US has ever taken such a step.

...Israel moved the unit out of the West Bank in December 2022 — though it denied it did so due to soldiers’ behavior — and it has since served mostly in the country’s north. It has also been deployed to the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing war against Hamas.

...The expressions of surprise and anger in Israel came shortly after leaders voiced profound gratitude to the US after the US House passed a major military aid package for the Jewish state.

Citing unnamed American sources, the Axios report said the sanctions would bar the transfer of US weapons to the largely ultra-Orthodox infantry unit and prevent its soldiers from training with US forces or taking part in any activities with US funding, under the Leahy Laws.

Authored by then-senator Patrick Leahy in the late 1990s, the laws prohibit providing military assistance to individuals or security force units that commit gross violations of human rights and have not been brought to justice.

One of the sources was quoted saying that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had decided not to sanction other military and police units that the administration was investigating, as it had seen adjustments in their conduct.

An administration official told the news site that the decision to sanction Netzah Yehuda was based on research done before October 7 that examined incidents in the West Bank.

...The report came days after ProPublica said a State Department panel recommended that Blinken sanction several Israeli units for alleged rights abuses, including Netzah Yehuda.

Blinken himself said Friday that he had made “determinations” regarding accusations that Israeli forces had violated the Leahy Laws.

Asked at a news conference in Italy about reports that the State Department has recommended cutting off of military aid to certain Israeli units over possible human rights violations in the West Bank, Blinken did not outright confirm the reports, but promised results very soon.

“I think you’re referring to the so-called Leahy Law and our work under that,” he responds. “So this is a very important law. And it’s one that we apply across the board. And when we’re doing these investigations, these inquiries, it’s something that takes time. That has to be done very carefully, both in collecting the facts and analyzing them.

“And that’s exactly what we’ve done. And I think it’s fair to say that you’ll see results very soon. I made determinations. You can expect to see them in the days ahead,” Blinken said, without elaborating.

Netzah Yehuda was created so that ultra-Orthodox and other religious soldiers can serve without feeling they are compromising their beliefs. The soldiers do not interact with female troops to the same extent as other servicemen and are given additional time for prayer and religious study.

Since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, the US has issued three rounds of sanctions against settler individuals for violence against Palestinians. The latest round was issued on Friday and included the leader of the far-right group Lehava, Benzi Gopstein, who is a close ally of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

Ben Gvir said Saturday that imposing “sanctions on our soldiers is a red line.”

Describing the Axios report as “extremely grave,” Ben Gvir stated that he “expects Defense Minister Yoav Gallant not to submit to American dictates” and that the members of Netzah Yehuda “must be fully supported.”

“If there is not anybody at the Defense Ministry who will back up the battalion as required, I will ask to absorb them into the Israel Police and the Ministry of National Security,” continued Ben Gvir, who added that he would be willing to integrate the battalion into the Border Police.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said imposing sanctions “while Israel is fighting for its existence is utter madness.”

“This is part of a planned move to force the State of Israel to agree to the establishment of a Palestinian state and to forsake Israel’s security,” Smotrich charged in a post on X.

Moshe Feiglin had the following to say about this development...

On the eve of Passover, our sons and daughters are being tortured in the Hamas tunnels, a few minutes' drive from the border, and for 7 months now the IDF has not been able to save them - due to the mental dependence on the Americans.

We must internalize: The abductees are still there, only because of the dependence on the Americans. The victory evaporated, despite the supreme heroism and the terrible death toll - only because of the mental dependence that the heads of the security system and the political leadership had developed on the Americans.

As we established the country out of an American embargo, As we won the Six Day War contrary to their opinion And as we destroyed the Iraqi nuclear threat against their will - That way, and only that way, when we get rid of the Americans, we can win again and survive existential threats in the future.

The American sanctions on the Netzah Yehuda battalion are a sign of respect for the battalion and the beginning of a welcome process of a necessary separation from American "aid" and dependence on them.

The process of American "burning of the hametz" from the IDF and the security systems was started for us by the Americans themselves in the Netzah Yehuda Battalion and we must complete it.

Without removing all this "leaven", from all the veins of all our security arms, we will not be able to defeat our enemy again and go to freedom, from the 7.10 slavery.

AMEN!!!!!!!!!