The Land of Israel and the Torah are intertwined

The mitzvot are intrinsic to Israel. The Torah and Land of Israel are inseparable - the one can only flourish with the other.

Zionism is declared alive and well in the very first words of the Torah in Parshat Bereishit. "In the beginning Elokim created the heavens and the earth".

Rashi immediately jumps on the Posuk and brings down R. Yitzchok who says," the Torah should have begun with "this month shall be your first month", it being the first Mitzvah Bnei Yisrael were commanded". The fact that the Torah began with the words, "In the beginning Elokim created" is to declare the power of G-d's works to his People in order to give to them the inheritance of the Nations. Thus should the nations of of the world say to Israel, "You are robbers, for you have taken by force the land of the seven nations", Israel can answer "all the earth belongs to G-d".

He created it and gave it to us as an inheritance. Rashi knew fully well that 1000 years after he had lived that the Land of Israel would once again come back to the Jewish People. He anticipated this happening 1,000 years before it did. Clearly prophetic. He chose the very first words of the Torah to declare the land of Israel as the eternal inheritance of the Jewish People. Yes, the word "Bereishit" begs to be expounded upon. Rashi says that the world was created for the sake of Torah which is called "Reishit of his Way".

The fact that Rashi makes these two points at the very beginning of the Torah highlights the importance of the Land of Israel as the Jewish People's eternal Homeland and the Torah its eternal Treasure. The remaining portion of the Five Books of Moses can now move forward. Rashi felt it essential to point out the two most critical issues right off the bat-Israel and Torah.

Two inseparable aspects of the Jewish People. The Maharal in his Gur Aryeh asks the question of why Rashi brings down R. Yitzchok connecting Mitzvot to the Land of Israel. What is the connection of Mitzvot to the Land? The Maharal answers that most Mitzvot in the Torah are dependent upon the Land of Israel. Therefore Rashi felt obligated to connect Torah and the Land of Israel at the outset.

A famous Sifrei is brought down by the Ramban on Bereishit 26:5 ("Because Abraham obeyed my voice, and observed My Safeguards, My Commandments, My decrees and My Teachings") and quoted again by the Ramban in Leviticus 18:25 and Deuteronomy 11:18 which intimates that the Mitzvot are intrinsic to the Land of Israel. Although most would say that the performance of all Mitzvot have much more value performed in the Land of Israel compared to the Exile, this Sifrei seems to imply that the the only real place where Mitzvot can be performed properly is in Israel.

This Sifrei makes it more understandable why Rashi felt compelled to connect the Mitzvot/Torah with the Land of Israel in the very first Posuk of the Torah. They are intertwined and inseparable. May the Torah and Mitzvot flourish in the Land of Israel and the World over today like never before in our History. Shabbat Shalom

Drain the Swamp

Massive Chillul Hashem in Monsey again! Ramapo Shuts Down Viola Condominium Development because of "fraud"

During a dramatic two days of hearings last week before Judge William A. Kelly in New York Supreme Court, the developer of the beleaguered Viola Estates Condominium was issued an immediate stop work order by its codefendant, the Town of Ramapo Building Department,Matzav.com has learned exclusively. 

The sale of any existing units is also on hold at least until the developer has a modified site plan approved by the planning board, whose next meeting is not scheduled until December.

The turnabout – until last week’s hearings, the town staunchly supported the developer’s actions – came after a blistering presentation by plaintiffs’ counsel, Steven N. Mogel, of the results of a court-ordered site inspection of the property.

“Until this inspection,” Mr. Mogel said, “we only believed that illegal additional apartments were being built in this development.  Now we know – they are already there.”

He then opened an easel and presented picture after picture, blown up from the inspection report, showing separate boilers and heating units, separate plumbing and separate electric panels – all clearly marked for separate apartments in the townhouse units.  Accessory apartments are illegal in the zone in which the development is built.

The developer’s counsel, Joseph Haspel, attempted to defend.  “In my own house,” he said, “I have three electric panels, not counting my barn.”  Judge Kelly appeared unconvinced.  “In your house,” he shot back to Mr. Haspel, “are they also marked for separate apartments?”

But Mr. Mogel did not stop there.  He produced a series of pictures showing an additional kitchen installed where the plans showed a walk-in closet.  Mr. Mogel explained that this new Pesach kitchen is needed since the Pesach kitchen called for on the plans was now the primary kitchen for the additional apartment.  The builder apparently made no attempt to hide the switch from walk-in closet to kitchen:  studs are marked “Pesach kit,” “stove” and “sink,” and what was supposed to be a closet has gas, hot and cold water lines and a plumbing drain.

“Although I’m reluctant to use the term in a civil action,” Mr. Mogel said, citing what he deemed were material misstatements made by the developer in his building permit application and condominium offering plan, “ but this is a fraud committed on the town, the neighbors and the Attorney General.”

New Kiryas Yoel Minhag

Prozac before davening!

Hillary Clinton Tops Think Tank’s ‘Islamist Money in Politics’ List

Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has received more campaign contributions than any other US politician from “individuals who subscribe to the same Islamic supremacism as Khomeini, Bin Laden and ISIS,” according to a list compiled by a Philadelphia-based think tank.

Clinton ranked first on the Middle East Forum’s 2015-2016 “Islamist Money in Politics” list of politicians who have taken money from prominent Islamists with ties to terrorism.

Republican nominee Donald Trump and Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson have not received any, MEF reported.

Klausenberger Rebbe Boro-Park throws Apples at his chassidim... Is this what they did in the Bais Hamikdash?

Not to be outdone, his brother in Netanya also thows apples at his chassidim

The Bobover Rebbe On Hoshana Rabbah 5777 Is this what they did in Bais Hamikdash??

Trump promises Israel he'd stand up to Iran

Republican candidate Donald Trump would fire State Department officials if they refused to move America's embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, his adviser on Israel David Friedman told a crowd of supporters at the David's Harp restaurant in Jerusalem's Old City Wednesday.
In a minute-long taped address, Trump praised Jewish values, said he loved Israel, and spoke with pride about his Jewish daughter, Ivanka and her husband, Jarerd Kushner. 
"My administration will stand side by side with Israel and Jewish leaders," Trump said. "Together we will stand up to enemies like Iran bent on destroying Israel and your people. Together, we will make America and Israel safe again."

Trump's running mate, Mike Pence, said in a taped speech that Israel was America's most cherished ally in the world and that Israel's values are America's values. He said that like the US, Israel fights its battles with restraint. 

ADL lost "all credibility." No longer pro-Jewish

David Friedman

Attorney David Friedman, Donald Trump's senior adviser on US-Israel relations and a longtime Arutz Sheva contributor, told Israel'sChannel 2 television Tuesday that the danger to Jews and Israel in the United States comes from the left, not the right.

Channel 2 anchor Yonit Levy asked Friedman about an Anti-Defamation League (ADL) report regarding a reported surge in anti-Semitic abuse against Jewish reporters, and wanted to know if there was anti-Semitic sentiment among Trump supporters.

"No, there is anti-Semitic sentiment among Clinton supporters," he replied. "The danger in the United States is on the left. It's not on the right. I'm not saying there aren't some neo-Nazis floating around in the United States, because I'm sure there are. But the movement that we ought to be concerned about in the United States is the movement on the left.

"I can't speak about a particular group of victims – about journalists in particular," he went on. "I think that the danger as I said is on the left, and I think the ADL – given that who now is in charge of the ADL is a former J Street advocate – has lost frankly all credibility."

Big "Tzaddik" "mit langeh pius" Steals 4 Sifrei Torah from Sfardi Shul on Ave O on Yom Tov

The Tzaddik eating "tikkin"

Cops are searching for a thief who snuck into a Brooklyn synagogue and swiped four silver Torah scrolls, officials said Wednesday.

The crook entered the Ave. O Synagogue near E. Eighth St. in Midwood at about 12:15 a.m. Tuesday and removed the scrolls — valued at $24,000 — from a safe.

It was not immediately disclosed how the suspect got into the house of worship.

The theft was discovered just before 10 a.m., cops said.

Anyone with information regarding the theft is urged to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.