Each retreat will leave behind it a depressing knowledge of impending disaster, a feeling of defeat and coming tragedy.
Sanity requires us to say no now, not later when we look upon us and see that our backs have been pushed to the sea.
!שמשון הצדיק, הגאווה היהודית לא מתה
7/09/2019
The Jew must Fear Nobody
If we really believe that Abraham followed the path of the fiery furnace, that Nahshon leaped into the Red Sea, that Gideon led 300 soldiers into battle against the mighty enemy, that David walked into combat with the giant Goliath, and that Isaiah spat in the face of the all-powerful Assyrians---then we have cited cases of Jews who truly believed in the only way belief has any meaning, who at the moment of truth risked their lives on the assumption that the G-d of History did indeed exist.
It is not enough to be a comfortably practicing Jew.
Too many "atheists" practice a superficial religious observance, yet join the irreligious in crumbling before the fear of man.
We know the Jew who believes in G-d until the war sends him flying back to the Exile.
The Jew who prays for Zion from a safe distance of 5000 miles.
Under all their prayer shawls is a body that denies the Jewish G-d of History.
It is not enough to be a comfortably practicing Jew.
Too many "atheists" practice a superficial religious observance, yet join the irreligious in crumbling before the fear of man.
We know the Jew who believes in G-d until the war sends him flying back to the Exile.
The Jew who prays for Zion from a safe distance of 5000 miles.
Under all their prayer shawls is a body that denies the Jewish G-d of History.
7/08/2019
The Strength of Jewish Faith
The path of logic would have called for an understanding that it is impossible to wander in Exile for 2000 years, that it is not logical to stand alone and persecuted against an entire world, that if one is faced with death or conversion, one chooses conversion.
That would have been the path of rationality, and the end of the Jew. Our fathers were "madmen", and because of them we survive. That is the truth of the Jewish belief.
That would have been the path of rationality, and the end of the Jew. Our fathers were "madmen", and because of them we survive. That is the truth of the Jewish belief.
7/04/2019
Masada, Jewish heroism
This post is in memory of the heroic 960 Jewish fighters and their leader Eleazar Ben Yair who fought and fell in Masada in order to remain free Jews.
https://fieretlibre.com/2019/07/04/masada-the-heroic-israeli-symbol/
https://fieretlibre.com/2019/07/04/masada-the-heroic-israeli-symbol/
7/03/2019
SAMSON the Tsadik
Samson name was similar to that of G-d, as our sages said :
"The L-ord G-d is a sun (shemesh) and a shield. Samson, (Shimshon) is like a name of G-d. Just as G-d guards over the whole world (via the sun), so did Samson guard over Israel in his generation.
So great was he that Jacob thought that Samson would be the Messiah (bereshit rabbah 98:14): "Jacob saw Samson and thought he was the Messiah. After he died Jacob said, "This one is dead too! I hope for your deliverance O L-ord!"
This tsadik took zealous revenge for the Jewish people all his life until the day he died. (Jud.16:28)
"O L-ord G-d, remember me and strengthen me, I pray to You, just this once, O G-d, that I may be this once avenged of the Philistines for one of my two eyes."
We can say that he sought revenge for only one of his two eyes which the Philistines knocked out, because he knew what they did was partly punishment for his deeds.
"The L-ord G-d is a sun (shemesh) and a shield. Samson, (Shimshon) is like a name of G-d. Just as G-d guards over the whole world (via the sun), so did Samson guard over Israel in his generation.
So great was he that Jacob thought that Samson would be the Messiah (bereshit rabbah 98:14): "Jacob saw Samson and thought he was the Messiah. After he died Jacob said, "This one is dead too! I hope for your deliverance O L-ord!"
This tsadik took zealous revenge for the Jewish people all his life until the day he died. (Jud.16:28)
"O L-ord G-d, remember me and strengthen me, I pray to You, just this once, O G-d, that I may be this once avenged of the Philistines for one of my two eyes."
We can say that he sought revenge for only one of his two eyes which the Philistines knocked out, because he knew what they did was partly punishment for his deeds.
7/02/2019
The Yoke Of Heaven
Man's supreme, guiding principle must be to know what his task is in the world and to ascertain the ways of G-d, the Divine ideas and traits he should cling to in order to achieve that task.
Above all else, he should accept upon himself the yoke of Heaven. The incontestable sovereignty, majesty and authority of G-d, Supreme King of Kings.
Relating to G-d as King and Master, he should cling to all of G-d's true and trustworthy, irrevocable ways and commandments, neither devinating from them nor questioning them.
Twice each day in the Shema, Israel lovingly recites, "Those words which I command you today shall be on your heart."
This clearly admonishes us to keep "those words", G-d commandments, above our hearts, superseding our own wishes, in line with "Transform G-d's will into your own" (Avot 2:4).
This is our supreme commandment, the foundation of the Torah edifice. It is the beginning of Man's redemption from bestiality and of the breaking down of his egotism, the root of evil in the world.
This process constitutes the beginning of man's ascent to holiness, which is his purpose.
Man's subjugating his ego beneath G-d's yoke and his readiness to cling to G-d and pay absolute obeisance to His sovereign authority are prerequisites to his attaining the complete holiness emanating from G-d.
Above all else, he should accept upon himself the yoke of Heaven. The incontestable sovereignty, majesty and authority of G-d, Supreme King of Kings.
Relating to G-d as King and Master, he should cling to all of G-d's true and trustworthy, irrevocable ways and commandments, neither devinating from them nor questioning them.
Twice each day in the Shema, Israel lovingly recites, "Those words which I command you today shall be on your heart."
This clearly admonishes us to keep "those words", G-d commandments, above our hearts, superseding our own wishes, in line with "Transform G-d's will into your own" (Avot 2:4).
This is our supreme commandment, the foundation of the Torah edifice. It is the beginning of Man's redemption from bestiality and of the breaking down of his egotism, the root of evil in the world.
This process constitutes the beginning of man's ascent to holiness, which is his purpose.
Man's subjugating his ego beneath G-d's yoke and his readiness to cling to G-d and pay absolute obeisance to His sovereign authority are prerequisites to his attaining the complete holiness emanating from G-d.
7/01/2019
Revenge in Judaism
Love has its place. As does hate. Peace has its place, as does war. Mercy has its place, as do cruelty and revenge.
The Torah dons sackcloth over the distortion of the concept of revenge, which has become a target for the arrows of all Jewish Hellenists and worshipers of the alien culture, as if revenge was negative and evil by nature.
The very opposite is true! No trait is more justified than revenge in the right time and place. G-d himself is called Nokem, Avenger:
"The Lord is a zealous and avenging G-d. The L-rd avenges and is full of wrath. He takes revenge on His adversaries and reserves wrath for His enemies." (Nachum 1:2).
Our sages also said (Berachot 33a) "Shall we say that even revenge is great because it appears between two names of G-d? A G-d of revenge is the L-rd (Ps.94:1).
R Elazar responded, "Indeed. Where revenge is necessary, it is a great thing".(see Rashi).
It is a great thing! It is a great mitsva to take the revenge of the righteous and humble from the evildoer. Whoever forgoes or rejects such an opportunity is cruel, and he denies belief in G-d.
As King David said (Ps. 58:11-12):
"The tsadik shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. Men shall say, "Verily there is a reward for the tsadik. Verily there is a G-d who judges on Earth."
The Torah dons sackcloth over the distortion of the concept of revenge, which has become a target for the arrows of all Jewish Hellenists and worshipers of the alien culture, as if revenge was negative and evil by nature.
The very opposite is true! No trait is more justified than revenge in the right time and place. G-d himself is called Nokem, Avenger:
"The Lord is a zealous and avenging G-d. The L-rd avenges and is full of wrath. He takes revenge on His adversaries and reserves wrath for His enemies." (Nachum 1:2).
Our sages also said (Berachot 33a) "Shall we say that even revenge is great because it appears between two names of G-d? A G-d of revenge is the L-rd (Ps.94:1).
R Elazar responded, "Indeed. Where revenge is necessary, it is a great thing".(see Rashi).
It is a great thing! It is a great mitsva to take the revenge of the righteous and humble from the evildoer. Whoever forgoes or rejects such an opportunity is cruel, and he denies belief in G-d.
As King David said (Ps. 58:11-12):
"The tsadik shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. Men shall say, "Verily there is a reward for the tsadik. Verily there is a G-d who judges on Earth."
6/30/2019
SAMSON and REVENGE
Revenge is rooted in Israel and in their great leaders. We find this with Samson.
After "he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter"(judges15:8), the base men of Yehuda came to hand him over
After "he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter"(judges15:8), the base men of Yehuda came to hand him over
6/28/2019
The Nations Punishment for their Persecution of the Jews (2)
Our sages said (Tanchuma, Tazria, 11):
"In the World to Come, G-d will sit in judgment over the kingdom of Edom and ask them: "Why did you subjugate my children?"
and they will respond,
"In the World to Come, G-d will sit in judgment over the kingdom of Edom and ask them: "Why did you subjugate my children?"
and they will respond,
6/27/2019
The Nations Punishment for their Persecution of the Jews (1)
The gentiles punishment for their subjugating and persecuting Israel is G-d's greatest revenge, since the lowliness of Israel is a Hillul Hashem.
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