"A Love Story"

28 Shevat 5786 

Jews & America: A Love Story?
Rabbi Richter

Where Is the Justice?

26 Shevat 5786
Erev Shabbat Kodesh
Parashat Mishpatim/Sheqalim - Mevarchim 

This is the question so many people are asking in our days.  Justice is hard to find, but the righteous soul craves it like water in the desert.  

The Midrash ha-Chefetz begins its commentary on Parashat Mishpatim with an exposition on the Jewish concept of mishpat (justice): “Scripture says about justice, ‘Hashem, Master of Legions, will become exalted through justice’ (Isaiah 5:16). Great is justice, which He gave only to Israel who are especially beloved by Him, as it says ‘He tells His word to Jacob, His laws and His justice to Israel (Psalms 147:9). Great is justice, which hastens the redemption, as it says ‘Preserve justice and carry out righteousness, because My salvation is soon to come and My righteousness to be revealed’ (Isaiah 56:1). Great is justice, for which the mashiach is praised, as it says ‘he will judge the destitute with righteousness’ (Isaiah 11:4)”.

...The Lekach Tov continues: “Praised is the Name of the Supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, that He created His world with justice, and built the foundations of the world on justice, and established His Throne with justice. He judges all and judges alone… And he commanded His servants to judge in righteousness… ‘Hate evil and love good, and at the gate establish justice’ teaches us that one who judges righteously is called good, while one who perverts justice is called bad. ‘Judge in your gates with truth, justice and peace’ (Zechariah 8:16) teaches that the prophets warned Israel about judges… None of the prophets added anything to…or took anything away from the Torah which Hashem our God gave us by the hand of Moshe our Master, and indeed the final prophecy ever was, ‘Remember the Torah of Moshe My servant…’ (Malachi 3:22)”.

...And it is in the merit of justice that we inherit the Land of Israel. As Moshe would tell us forty years later, in his final days: “So now, O Israel, hear the laws and the judgements which I teach you today to do, so that you will live and you will come and inherit the Land which Hashem, God of your fathers, gives you” (Deuteronomy 4:1). And again: “Justice, justice shall you pursue, so that you will live and you will inherit the Land which Hashem your God gives you” (ibid.16:20), on which the Midrash says: “If you pursue justice, you will live and inherit the Land; and if not, you will not inherit it” (Tanhuma, Shoftim 8).

[Excerpted from Parashat Mishpatim: By justice we inherit the Land of Israel by Daniel Pinner in 5774.]

~ SHABBAT SHALOM UMEVORACH ~

Now They've Gone and Done It...

25 Shevat 5786 

[FOLLOW UP:  Criticism of IDF Draft Policy: Claims Army Ignores Hundreds of Chareidim Seeking to Enlist While Expanding Arrests]

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I'm pretty sure TIPTB (The Israeli Powers That Be) never saw this one coming. 😊

Dati Leumi Talmidim: “We Want The Same Army Conditions The Chareidim Receive”

Rabbi Dror Aryeh, a Rosh Mesivta in Sderot Yeshiva, said that talmidim at his yeshivah are considering filing a petition to the Supreme Court demanding equality between combat units, with Dati Leumi talmidim receiving strictly gender-segregated units like the Chareidi Chashmonaim Brigade.

The IDF also promised gender-segregated units to Dati Leumi talmidim, but the promise has not been fulfilled, and a “mixed-service agenda” seeped into the battlefield during the recent war in Gaza.

In an interview with Kan Moreshet, Rabbi Aryeh referred to the remarks he made at an emergency conference of Dati Leumi Rabbanim in the wake of the IDF’s intention to advance a pilot program to integrate women into the front-line combat units of the Armored Corps’s tank crews

In his remarks, he said that the implementation of the army’s gender separation regulations was violated during the war, creating situations in which male and female soldiers stayed in close quarters with no gender segregation, contrary to existing directives.

Rabbi Aryeh also addressed proposals for separate combat units, saying that talmidim at Sderot Yeshiva are considering filing a petition to the Supreme Court in the name of equality. “The demand is, ‘What is given to Chashmonaim should be given to us too,” he said.

He clarified that this is a cry stemming from a sense of responsibility and not an attempt to dismantle the army.

He emphasized that the lack of gender separation is not only a halachic issue but a professional one as well. “They take the victims of this agenda and insert them into the combat units, and it also harms the kedushah of the machaneh.” He added that the entry of women into combat units is effectively discriminating against soldiers who are makpid on halacha.

He concluded his remarks by stating that the main demand is a principled one, noting, “We are a Jewish army,” and emphasized the need for Siyata Dishmaya and preserving the kedushah of the machaneh as an inseparable part of the IDF’s ability to meet security challenges.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

The staunch position taken for the honor of the Torah and Hashem's Name is paying unexpected dividends.  Baruch Hashem!!